Underwhelming restaurants?

[Mr Snappy]

This thread is kinda all over the place

Blue Bayou: We love the atmosphere but sadly, the food quality and portion sizes dropped while the prices sky-rocketed. We still go, but now only about every other year. Also, we like the dark, it helps with the illusion. Get a water-side table for the best experience.

Worst Disneyland:
My wife and I still use the expression "Paul Bunyan Burger" to describe something so foul that it is unedible. The Hungry bear is much better now.

I will state that Disneyland has some of the worst fast-food in the business. I don't understand this because it is expensive and not delivered quickly...they don't have any real excuses...well, other than poor management.

Best Disneyland:
Hmmm, Blue Bayou is still probably the best, but that's not saying much. The Big Thunder BBQ is decent, but still could use improvement. Would it be wrong just to make a meal of Dole Whip?

Worst WDW:
Coral Reef. This place is horrible. Food cold, dry, and uninspired. A million kids yelling and running around to look at the fish only add to the misery.

Best WDW:
O'hana hands down. please PLEASE make a clone of this at DLR!
Also, the Yachtsman Steak House was incredible.
I loved the German Biergarten.

 

[chrissiecutie]

The only place we truly didn't like was the counter service Yak Yeti at AK. The food was just awful. We were underwhelmed by breakfast at the Crystal Palace. The food was okay, and it's pretty, but we just found it boring.

We were not fans of the Crystal Palace breakfast either. DS was super disappointed that they don't have Mickey shaped pancakes. Not all kids are waffle eaters so the Mickey waffle just didn't cut it for him. I also found the selection limited and too expensive for what you got.

We don't like Tomorrowland Terrace. Not good, not good at all.

Also, not sure if you're interested in downtown disney dining but we found Rainforest Cafe to be way too expensive & the food was a "reheat & serve" type meal. Nothing really worth the price IMO. The atmosphere is great, so maybe drinks & appetizers instead of a full meal here??

 

[chrissiecutie]

In CA Pacific Wharf dining area there is a corner shop with window service that sells beautiful cookies and pretzels. I bought one of the $6 cookies. It lacked much flavor, so IMO pass on this.

Also thumbs down, The Lucky Fortune Cookery... the chicken bowl that was hot was just real hot, not much else to taste there. I liked the edamame, though.

I think I got sick from DTD Tortilla Joes, but I can't exactly place blame there, but I pass that place up now.

I also pass at Rancho Del Zocalo, just not impressed with whatever I got a couple years ago.

I like the corn dogs from anywhere in the park so I tried a corn hot link (or whatever it was called) from the Corn Dog Castle one time. Not for me, not again. Too greasy and heavy for inside cornmeal batter I think.

edit: In light of all the negatives about Wine Country Tratatoria, I want to say that I liked the cheese and fruit platter and wine from the Mendocino Terrace at the Golden Vine Winery (at the entrance to Cars Land).

I've heard of others feeling ill after eating at Tortilla Joes- so maybe it was the food??

We love the Corn Dog cart on Main St. It is a little greasy but if you get it with apple slices, that seems to smooth over some of the grease. But hey- it's a corndog, what corndog isn't greasy. And, I know, I know...this is supposed to be about foods we don't like. But I figured since others were talking about WDW food, I could mention what I did like.

 

[aan1701]

This thread just goes to show how subjective food is. I do not agree with the posts about Blue Bayou, Storytellers, ESPN, or Rainforest. We love all of them.

 

[nannyz]

Don't like Tomorrowland Terrace at all; don't care for Blue Bayou because of the service.

 

[SomeDude78]

I think a lot of it has to do with expectations. Higher expectations lead to greater potential for letdowns.

Personally I didn't care that much for Blue Bayou. I thought the ambiance was okay (you only really see the pirates stuff if you're at a table by the rails), and service for us was stellar, but the actual food was so-so. It wasn't bad, per se, just not something I'd normally go out of my way to make reservations for and plan around, that's all. That being said, I'd still say it should be on every Disney fanatic's must-do list just so you can experience it and "get it out of your system." Some things you just have to do, so long as you're going in with the right expectations.

I feel sort of the same way about Napa Rose ... the actual food is good, but I went in with such high expectations based on reviews and word of mouth that there was probably no way reality could ever meet those lofty expectations. Would I eat there again? Probably... Do I think it was as great as I'd heard? If I'm being honest, not really... (Then again I live close to actual Napa Valley so that may skew my view in this instance.)

Rainforest Cafe is a weird one for me. I don't care for the food there at all and consider it badly overpriced. But I've also eaten there many times at both the location in South Coast mall and DTD. Part of it is the fact that they're open late, part of it is that the environment is fun for kids, and part of it is some kind of intangible that keeps me going back even though I can't say I've ever had that great of a meal there So go figure ... they're doing something right, that's for sure, I just can't figure out what it is

This is a bit OT for this thread, but one place that was a pleasant surprise for me was Plaza Inn. I'd walked past it literally hundreds of times before ever eating there. I figured, it's cafeteria style, looks like a zoo, and doesn't cost an arm and leg, so how good can it be? Actually turned out pretty good for the price. Again, probably a matter of expectations, because while the food at Blue Bayou was likely better, I came away with a better overall impression of Plaza Inn and would eat there again. Weird how that goes eh?

 

[limace]

Oh yeah, forgot about Rainforest Cafe! Actually, it was ok if we just split some apps, but it's seriously overpriced and the food is very mediocre.

OP, I guess it depends a little on what you want. I'm a big foodie, and with three kids, one a toddler, eating is out is a pretty rare indulgence for us. When I eat out, especially at Blue Bayou prices, I want to be wowed by the quality of the food-that just didn't happen at BB. If you aren't much into food-if it's more fuel for you, and what really matters is theming or atmosphere, then BB or Rainforest might be worth the splurge.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Oh yeah, forgot about Rainforest Cafe! Actually, it was ok if we just split some apps, but it's seriously overpriced and the food is very mediocre.

OP, I guess it depends a little on what you want. I'm a big foodie, and with three kids, one a toddler, eating is out is a pretty rare indulgence for us. When I eat out, especially at Blue Bayou prices, I want to be wowed by the quality of the food-that just didn't happen at BB. If you aren't much into food-if it's more fuel for you, and what really matters is theming or atmosphere, then BB or Rainforest might be worth the splurge.

You said it!

Because we eat out so rarely, if I'm going to spend BB prices- then it needs to be amazing! Which is probably why in all the years I've been, I still haven't tried BB. Maybe this trip!

And yes...Rainforest Cafe is indeed a strange one. DS loves the environment and it's nice that the menu has so many options. When we usually go, I have a coupon so I can save a little money but eh- I'm not really wowed. I think the reason we've been more then once is because I know exactly what I'm getting here. Hmm...can that be a reason to recommend it? The food is mediocre, it's crowded but the "storms" sure are cool.

I think we may skip it this year and try someplace new in DTD.

 

[jlwhitney]

Everyone will have there own opinion. We aren't foodies so it is hard for us to be truly disapointed. The only thing I tend to shy away from is buffets (both at disney and in the real world) which tend to never be as good or as fresh.

Expectations feed into a lot of what people think, and it is possibl to have a bad experience at a place you like. Most places deserve a repeat viist.

When it comes to pricey food and disney...well it is all overpriced to me. Its funny because people only really compain about the price when they didnt lover thier meal.

 

[SomeDude78]

Oh and at the risk of committing DIS suicide, blasphemy, and a thread hijack all at the same time, has anyone ever been underwhelmed by the Club 33 buffet? I'm not a member (don't have enough Bill Gates in me for it ) but ate there as a guest about 10 years ago, and honestly found it to be just so-so. For eats inside DLR I can honestly say it's the best I've had, but falls short when compared to other high end buffets like those in Vegas at the Bellagio, Rio, etc. It's possible my impressions had something to do with downing the bubbly a bit fast, but afterwards I kind of had a "that was it???" feeling (that and I felt dumb for actually using my napkin when apparently there's a resale market for it ). Another one of those things IMO where you go it once just so it's off the bucket list, but then look back and wonder what the hoopla was about.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

We love the Corn Dog cart on Main St. It is a little greasy but if you get it with apple slices, that seems to smooth over some of the grease. But hey- it's a corndog, what corndog isn't greasy. And, I know, I know...this is supposed to be about foods we don't like. But I figured since others were talking about WDW food, I could mention what I did like.

Wanted to make sure you understood that I really like the Corn Dog Cart. But at DCA Corndog Castle, they serve one with a hot-LINK instead of a hot-DOG and the hotlink one is kinda yucky.

 

[Started With a Mouse]

Worst: Tomorrowland Terrace, Carnation Cafe (overrated.

Best: (for the $$), Whitewater Snacks in GCH, and Napa Rose, and Cafe Orleans in DL.

 

[Mousequake]

In CA Pacific Wharf dining area there is a corner shop with window service that sells beautiful cookies and pretzels. I bought one of the $6 cookies. It lacked much flavor, so IMO pass on this.

Is that the one right next door to the Mexican place? I found it pretty underwhelming too.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Is that the one right next door to the Mexican place? I found it pretty underwhelming too.

If so, it's gone now anyway. It was just a temporary location until they could reopen a full candy shop on Buena Vista Street.

 

[limace]

Expectations feed into a lot of what people think, and it is possibl to have a bad experience at a place you like. Most places deserve a repeat viist.

When it comes to pricey food and disney...well it is all overpriced to me. Its funny because people only really compain about the price when they didnt lover thier meal.

Ummmm, yeah, I guess that's true. I complain about a meal mainly when the service is truly horrible, or when I feel like the experience wasn't a good value. So, yes, I guess if I loved my meal, and feel like it was worth the price, I'm probably not going to complain about it. But, for instance, we really like the chicken fusilla pasta at Pizza Port-it's a substantial dish we can share. It's a great value for $9 or whatever it costs, so I'm happy with it. However, if they serve me the same pasta at a sit down restaurant and charge me $25, I'm gonna be unhappy.

And yes, it's all overpriced, which is even more reason, IMHO, to not give places a second try if your experience, and the experience of many others, was bad. As I mentioned previously, eating out is rare and a big deal for us, so I'm not gonna throw good money after bad and keep trying someplace unless I see a general consensus that things have improved a lot.

 

[pixiewings71]

We were not fans of the Crystal Palace breakfast either. DS was super disappointed that they don't have Mickey shaped pancakes. Not all kids are waffle eaters so the Mickey waffle just didn't cut it for him. I also found the selection limited and too expensive for what you got.

We don't like Tomorrowland Terrace. Not good, not good at all.

Also, not sure if you're interested in downtown disney dining but we found Rainforest Cafe to be way too expensive & the food was a "reheat & serve" type meal. Nothing really worth the price IMO. The atmosphere is great, so maybe drinks & appetizers instead of a full meal here??

Ya, I'm not a huge fan of TLT either, I mean it's not terrible but there are better places to eat. I feel that way about Village Haus too.

This thread just goes to show how subjective food is. I do not agree with the posts about Blue Bayou, Storytellers, ESPN, or Rainforest. We love all of them.

I agree, we love RFC and eat there every trip just about, we have no problems enjoying the food we order! Love BB, Storyteller's, we liked ESPN but didn't like how much everything cost in relation to what we got. If the prices were a bit better we'd go back.

Oh and at the risk of committing DIS suicide, blasphemy, and a thread hijack all at the same time, has anyone ever been underwhelmed by the Club 33 buffet? I'm not a member (don't have enough Bill Gates in me for it ) but ate there as a guest about 10 years ago, and honestly found it to be just so-so. For eats inside DLR I can honestly say it's the best I've had, but falls short when compared to other high end buffets like those in Vegas at the Bellagio, Rio, etc. It's possible my impressions had something to do with downing the bubbly a bit fast, but afterwards I kind of had a "that was it???" feeling (that and I felt dumb for actually using my napkin when apparently there's a resale market for it ). Another one of those things IMO where you go it once just so it's off the bucket list, but then look back and wonder what the hoopla was about.

Well, I will continue to believe in the wonderfulness of Club 33 until I can judge for myself. LMAO!!!!

Wanted to make sure you understood that I really like the Corn Dog Cart. But at DCA Corndog Castle, they serve one with a hot-LINK instead of a hot-DOG and the hotlink one is kinda yucky.

True, and it's important to note that hot links are generally greasier than a hot dog is so that likely contributes to that. I have had the hot link corn dog and yes, I did enjoy it, but it was very greasy IMO.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Wanted to make sure you understood that I really like the Corn Dog Cart. But at DCA Corndog Castle, they serve one with a hot-LINK instead of a hot-DOG and the hotlink one is kinda yucky.

I had no idea there was a hot link...sounds kinda icky to me. I have to be honest and say that we don't really eat that much at DCA, so I didn't know they had a corndog castle or that it was links instead of dogs, but thanks for the warning.

We try to avoid eating at DCA because I feel the choices are just so-so and frankly- I'd rather be at DL. We have done Taste Pilots a couple times and it was ok. Not the worst, but not the best. In general we try to stay away from a burger when visiting because if I'm going to eat a burger while on vacay, it's gonna be at In-N-Out!

 

[ArchOwl]

Oh and at the risk of committing DIS suicide, blasphemy, and a thread hijack all at the same time, has anyone ever been underwhelmed by the Club 33 buffet? I'm not a member (don't have enough Bill Gates in me for it ) but ate there as a guest about 10 years ago, and honestly found it to be just so-so. For eats inside DLR I can honestly say it's the best I've had, but falls short when compared to other high end buffets like those in Vegas at the Bellagio, Rio, etc. It's possible my impressions had something to do with downing the bubbly a bit fast, but afterwards I kind of had a "that was it???" feeling (that and I felt dumb for actually using my napkin when apparently there's a resale market for it ). Another one of those things IMO where you go it once just so it's off the bucket list, but then look back and wonder what the hoopla was about.

Agree that it is no 5 star dining experience. The food does not measure up to the price tag, but for us it was more about the experience and the fun of going to Club 33. Napa Rose has better food for sure, but going to Club 33 is still fun!

As far as underwhelming, I would say Tomorrowland Terrace is not that great, the pizza at Pizza Port is not good at all, and Wine Country Trattoria had horribly slow service when we were there and our food was not served at the proper temperature.

 

[lillybug]

I didn't like Wine Country Trattoria at all. I had the World of Color menu (however I understand the regular menu has some great items on it). I thought the atmosphere was very cheap and DCA 1.0 (we ate inside). The service was s l o w. The food was passable but nothing exciting.

All of this, exactly. Plus our kids' potatoes were served to them raw. It was an expensive and very disappointing meal.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

If so, it's gone now anyway. It was just a temporary location until they could reopen a full candy shop on Buena Vista Street.

I was there at the end of May, but that makes sense with all the changes in the last 3 weeks. (I'm not sure what was next door, Mousequake)