We always start our trip with Breakfast at Minnie's. It's great to get in before the park opens and see it quiet, and the breakfast buffet is GREAT! Yes, it hascharacters, but my 11 year old and I have fun with that too.
We also like Ralph Brennan's. and weirdly, our favorite place in DCA was Pizza Oom Mow Mow. Sadly, that's gone now (but we LOVED the atmosphere!).
I personally was dissapointed by the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. There was no entertainment, the guy kept trying to put us in the bright sun instead of in the shade, and their menu is obviously pretty limited, so if you have some picky eaters, it may not be the place for you. We honestly felt we should have gone to the Blue Bayou for that price...