The restaurant you will never go back to...

[liesel]

I have seen many recent threads about what treats and restaurants people are looking forward to visiting at DLR. I thought it might be fun if people posted the places they would never go back to and why and we'll see if there's a trend. The most common reasons could be: terrible food, terrible value (more so than you would expect), horrible service, does not meet your dietary requirements, etc. If you wish to nominate both a counter service and a table service establishment, that would be great too!

 

[tlovesdis]

Naples Pizza in DTD! Will never go back! The pizza there is worse than some frozen pizza I've had. They are way overpriced for what you get and the service is terrible!!!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Hmmmm...out of all the places we have eaten at DLR, I don't think there is one that sticks out as somewhere that was horrible. We have been to Naples and Tortilla Jo's and probably wouldn't return to either of them, we weren't crazy about either one.

 

[Sherry E]

We have had very pleasant experiences at Naples with food and service each time we have been there, and don't think the pizza is bad at all - I think it is just a matter of personal taste. It tastes different than other pizzas I was used to but I liked it.

However, I have heard bad food poisoning stories about Tortilla Jo's, so I am not planning to go there!!

You know, I honestly cannot think of anywhere in DLR that I would never go back to. Many folks react very strongly to one not-so-great meal or semi-unfavorable dining experience at a place and never want to return. I always look at it as, unless I got ILL from the food or was just treated badly by a server, I am always willing to give a restaurant another chance and try something else on the menu. We love Carnation Cafe, but the one time we had a fairly bad experience (combo of cold food and bad service in one meal) there was not enough to scare us away forever. I think that places have off days where the food isn't that great and the service isn't great for various reasons - or maybe it is just a matter of what pleases each person. DLR, as a whole, has vastly improved the quality of their food in the last 18 years or so, and so the issues with their food that I may have had at one point are not there now. There are some places I don't eat - like I am not a big Mexican food fan or seafood fan, so I wouldn't be eating at a Mexican or seafood restaurant to begin with, most likely. At some places I prefer their dinner over breakfast; some I prefer their lunch over dinner, etc. But we haven't had any really bad meals or experiences since like 1991 or so - just some that were not as great as others. But we would still probably try them again if it ever came to that.

 

[c&m]

That would be Storytellers Cafe. We used to love going there and it would be a must-do on every trip. Our March 2009 trip would be our last time going there due to our horrid experience there. We felt so bad recommending it so highly to our extended family (7 of us). Here's why:

1. The food was really bad there. The fish I ordered smelled fishy (indicator that it's not fresh), overdone on the outside but all raw on the inside. My DD's ravioli was supposed to be in a red sauce (as the waiter described it to her) but was actually in a clear broth. The other orders were just mediocre.

2. Our waiter pretty much ignored us the entire night. And the restaurant was not busy with many many empty tables. He took our orders, and only came back when I flagged him down to tell him my daughter's ravioli was not in a red sauce as he described and my fish was not cooked and smelled fishy. He was rude and told me that that didn't stop my daughter from eating half of it -- that's right, she was hungry and there was no other alternative since he didn't show up for us to tell him at the beginning of our meal!!! He disappeared with my plate, mumbling about something, and never returned with my meal. I basically didn't eat except for the first few bites.

3. I went to the host at the front of the register, and told him we haven't seen my waiter, he disappeared with my food for 20-25 minutes, can we see a manager and can we get the bill because my family is all finished and we wanted to go because we received no service. He told me the manager will come. Another 30 minutes, no manager, no bill. We all pack up and tell the host that nobody came and we received no bill, so we'll just leave. CA was closing soon, and we were running out of time (our last night at DL/CA). The host said OK because he understood we are having a bad experience.

4. We left the restaurant and hung outside feeling really gross about what went on in the restaurant because we are not the kind of people who would dine and dash. But we received no service, no bill, and I got no dinner as it was whisked away. Through the windowed doors, we saw the manager in his black suit come out to to talk with the host, and they were staring at us outside. My DH and DBIL went back in after 10 minutes of our pondering what to do. They had a long discussion with the manager who was just as rude, informing him of the poor service we received, then they paid the bill, minus my meal. And the kicker, the manager, even though he saw us through the doors, had called security to search for us and detain us -- kids and all.

We weren't looking for a free meal or anything, because we are able to afford this. We weren't looking for any discounts because we paid for our meal except for mine which was taken away nor did we ask for any discounts.

The whole experience left us with a bad taste in our mouth (literally and figuratively). But my DDs and my DNeice were all scared that they were coming to arrest us. Perhaps we were wrong in leaving the restaurant in the first place. It's not like we were rowdy; we were completely respectful restaurant patrons, lots of pleases and thank yous. We wanted the bill so I had to get up and go to the host to get it. We wanted to return to the parks. What was going to be a nice dinner turned into a 2.5-hour ordeal.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Naples Pizza in DTD! Will never go back! The pizza there is worse than some frozen pizza I've had. They are way overpriced for what you get and the service is terrible!!!

You got that right!!!! HURL! PUKE! VOMIT inducing YUCK. Seriously, do not go there. I consider myself a bit of a foodie so I can be picky - but even a person who lives on fast food & pizza would not get out of there alive. UGH!

I can honestly say that out of 4 dishes, DH's sausage dish was the only mildly edible one. THe pizza is grotesque. I think they manufacture the cheese they use from the sewer system.

Yes. It's THAT bad.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

You got that right!!!! HURL! PUKE! VOMIT inducing YUCK. Seriously, do not go there. I consider myself a bit of a foodie so I can be picky - but even a person who lives on fast food & pizza would not get out of there alive. UGH!

I can honestly say that out of 4 dishes, DH's sausage dish was the only mildly edible one. THe pizza is grotesque. I think they manufacture the cheese the use on top from the sewer system.

Yes. It's THAT bad.

Oh waw, I was just laughing so hard I think I nearly chocked on my own drool

That was pretty good!

Of all the times I have been in Disneyland, i can't think of a place that I really didn't like.

 

[liesel]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I myself have had little DLR dining experience. Growing up, we usually brought our own food and ate at the picnic tables outside the park. The few times I have eaten in the park have been pretty good (and none since 1996!). We are going in 11 days and I am so excited to try some of the things I have missed (and to have a churro and an ice cream bar again!). I am usually pretty willing to give places a second chance, everyone has their off days. I was just curious if people had any really off putting experiences (especially food poisioning!!).

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

That would be Storytellers Cafe.

Wow - thanks for the heads up on this....I wonder how the breakfast meals have been since they must get more people in for the characters?

 

[Sherry E]

Again, I have gotten out of Naples alive on more than one occasion, and we were fine with it. I think it is a personal taste issue. I know there are others on DIS who like it as well! We don't necessarily need to go there on every DLR trip, but usually every other trip.

C&M - As for the Storytellers ordeal you described, that is crazy!! I wonder what was up with them that night. Since you had previously had only good experiences there, it makes me wonder if they had a new staff - all new chefs, all new waiters, all new manager - that threw everything off-kilter? See we always had good times at Carnation until one fairly bad night that was completely out of whack foodwise and servicewise (though not to the degree of your Storytellers experience), but I would go back there again. It wasn't bad enough to erase our whole good history there. Your Storytellers issue, however, got out of control. It probably was not the best idea to walk out of the restaurant for any reason, but they did see you all outside so it was not like you were 'making a break for it'!! The manager could have calmly stepped outside and asked to speak to you.

Well, Storytellers is a place where we have always had good experiences too, thus far, but it just takes that one REALLY bad time to scare off loyal customers, I guess! Yikes!

 

[DizMe]

Have to agree that Naples has overpriced, crappy pizza! However, I would still go back if others wanted to. I'm sure I could find something to eat

I've not had any "I'll NEVER go back there!!!" moments at DL, thank goodness! I know some places might be great one time and bad the next, but eh. I still enjoy the atmosphere.

The one I've unfortunately always hit on an off day has been Goofy's. There are enough on this forum who rave about it for me to realize that I have hit it at the wrong times, but I'm still reluctant to fork over the money again for the kind of experience I've had there. Since we've always had a great time at Ariel's, we go back there instead. There are enough posters who have not enjoyed Ariel's for me to realize that it's all relative and there are many factors at play in how people determine what makes something "worth it"!

 

[tlovesdis]

Again, I have gotten out of Naples alive on more than one occasion, and we were fine with it. I think it is a personal taste issue. I know there are others on DIS who like it as well! We don't necessarily need to go there on every DLR trip, but usually every other trip.

I agree everyone has personal taste, but she asked what places we would never go back too and that was my choice!! I was with 7 others and they all felt the same way, as did all of the tables surrounding us. There were so many people complaining to the manager when we were there it was crazy!

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

All I can say about Naples is.......something ain't right.

Being picky, my list is long - I wish DL would get up to par w/ WDW w/ it's dining....but Naples was the one we had to go to Marcelines & buy chocolate mint patties to void the taste of hell from our mouths.

Sherry you're right everyone's taste is different, I just think when it comes to Naples several people have the same taste.

 

[Sherry E]

Have to agree that Naples has overpriced, crappy pizza! However, I would still go back if others wanted to. I'm sure I could find something to eat

I've not had any "I'll NEVER go back there!!!" moments at DL, thank goodness! I know some places might be great one time and bad the next, but eh. I still enjoy the atmosphere.

The one I've unfortunately always hit on an off day has been Goofy's. There are enough on this forum who rave about it for me to realize that I have hit it at the wrong times, but I'm still reluctant to fork over the money again for the kind of experience I've had there. Since we've always had a great time at Ariel's, we go back there instead. There are enough posters who have not enjoyed Ariel's for me to realize that it's all relative and there are many factors at play in how people determine what makes something "worth it"!

I agree - I think especially with things like character meals which are so expensive to begin with, better to stick with the tried and true and what has been successful for you in the past than to keep taking a chance and risking money on something that already didn't work the first times you tried it. I am always willing to give second chances to things, but they may not be at the top of my list to try again right away if there are other places I want to eat instead! I agree with you - I think that, barring any restaurants that make you ill or serve mis-handled, tainted food, it is all relative and there are, indeed, many factors which determine what is worth it or not worth it to individual diners. There is really no universal, definitive conclusion on any one place because most of what is said is based on opinions or specific days certain folks were there and other mitigating factors!

I hae heard of food poisoning at Tortilla Jo's, so that scares me off from ever wanting to try it, and yet, I have read other reviews of it which said it was GREAT! So I guess one person's experience is not another person's experience.

 

[fairycat]

See I hate to say it but a friend and I did the quick service at Naples and it was AWFUL!!!!!!! We were shocked at the expense, slowness, and terrible quality of the food. The pizza wasn't even warm and tasted so bad we threw it away and we were both starving!!!!! Even hungry it just was too awful to eat. I would not go back.

I also have had bad service and food at Storyteller's. We went for Dinner twice and once for lunch and the food was never good, service was mostly weak and we just did not find it worth the money. I will add that it has been several years since we went back and we never did the buffet, but my sister and friends who I went with all agreed it was not worth going back there again. We decided it was just not for us.

 

[c&m]

Your Storytellers issue, however, got out of control. It probably was not the best idea to walk out of the restaurant for any reason, but they did see you all outside so it was not like you were 'making a break for it'!! The manager could have calmly stepped outside and asked to speak to you.

I agree with you. It wasn't a good idea to walk out. Though I don't quite know what else we could have done, as we had asked for our waiter, asked for the manager, and asked for the bill. We followed the rules as restaurant patrons, as my SIL and BIL the lawyers informed us when we were there. The restaurant didn't hold up their end of the service agreement. We didn't want to walk out. We are very honest people with ethics (we have to be or we'd all lose our professional designations!). We sat there for as long as we could possibly sit. I firmly believe that anyone in our shoes would have been fed up by that time. But quite honestly, what were we really going to do? We were left there without given any service, attention, or a bill, which we were waiting for. We didn't want to be kept hostage to whenever they decided to get back to us. Sitting there for another half hour or hour wasn't going to work -- we had 3 anxious girls and 4 adults who wanted to get back to enjoying the parks, what little left of it given it was our last night. Let's just say, the manager at Storytellers is just not a nice person.

 

[Sherry E]

I agree everyone has personal taste, but she asked what places we would never go back too and that was my choice!! I was with 7 others and they all felt the same way, as did all of the tables surrounding us. There were so many people complaining to the manager when we were there it was crazy!

I know! I realize that. I remember your story very well from your post last year on DIS, and Naples is a good choice for you to mention in this thread because that was your experience. I am only stating my experience there, which was not yours or MagicalMom's or DizMe's, etc. Our Naples service and food has been fine. Can't explain your meal there - or the service/meals of the 7 others nearby (I am usually not paying attention to all of the other tables around me when I am eating, so don't know if others have liked it or not). All I can speak of is my own experience and that of my friends who were with me, and none of us complained because it was fine. The service was prompt and friendly and they refilled drinks often. And the food was fine - TO US. So you had your experience there (and so did the 7 others) and we had ours! People's experiences and opinions are different. That is what makes the world a wonderful place

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with you. It wasn't a good idea to walk out. Though I don't quite know what else we could have done, as we had asked for our waiter, asked for the manager, and asked for the bill. We followed the rules as restaurant patrons, as my SIL and BIL the lawyers informed us when we were there. The restaurant didn't hold up their end of the service agreement. We didn't want to walk out. We are very honest people with ethics (we have to be or we'd all lose our professional designations!). We sat there for as long as we could possibly sit. I firmly believe that anyone in our shoes would have been fed up by that time. But quite honestly, what were we really going to do? We were left there without given any service, attention, or a bill, which we were waiting for. We didn't want to be kept hostage to whenever they decided to get back to us. Sitting there for another half hour or hour wasn't going to work -- we had 3 anxious girls and 4 adults who wanted to get back to enjoying the parks, what little left of it given it was our last night. Let's just say, the manager at Storytellers is just not a nice person.

I definitely agree that your situation sounds like it was past the point of reason and being patient. I don't know what was going on with them that night - and again, even if you did walk out, they still saw all of you outside, so it wasn't like you all ran out and said, "RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" I am thankful that ordeal has never happened to me at Storytellers - as of yet, but I will be keeping my guard up in the future. How long ago was this that you were there? The last time I ate there was in December. Could they have changed staff since then? Maybe they hired an all new, underpaid staff who doesn't care about customer service? I don't know - that whole episode would have left a bad taste in my mouth as well, literally and figuratively! You never want to think that Security might detain you with your children present in the middle of DCA! Thank goodness it didn't get to that point! Did you send them (Guest Communications) a nasty letter about Storytellers when you got home (I hope)?

 

[TSRE]

Tortilla Joes for me - not because it was horrible, but we just thought it was expensive for what we got. It was like going to Chevy's, but paying twice as much.

 

[c&m]

I definitely agree that your situation sounds like it was past the point of reason and being patient. I don't know what was going on with them that night - and again, even if you did walk out, they still saw all of you outside, so it wasn't like you all ran out and said, "RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"

That's funny! No nothing like that!!!

I am thankful that ordeal has never happened to me at Storytellers - as of yet, but I will be keeping my guard up in the future. How long ago was this that you were there?

This was mid-March 2009.

Did you send them (Guest Communications) a nasty letter about Storytellers when you got home (I hope)?

No, I have been trying to put this experience behind us so that it would not be our memory of DL. The DDs and DNeice still talk about it because it was their last memory of the place. This summer, we asked the DDs where they wanted to go, and they said WDW or Hawaii, anywhere BUT DL. They didn't want security to chase us. I reassured them that it wasn't going to happen. But they are really hesitant about ever going back. LOL

It's really funny because we've travelled to many places in the world, and Disneyland is the one place my DDs would never think of going back to now after the incident.