Which restaurants do you avoid & which ones are a must?

[MagicalMomAZ]

Which eateries are a no on your list and why? If there's a certain one you try to get to every trip, why that place?

I've only been to DL as a paying adult once .... my taste buds (and patience)have changed since adolescence.

 

[hlbtimes2]

In the park my family enjoys Red Rockets pizza port in tomorrow land, Carnation cafe on main street, and the Riverbell Terace. We dont eat at Village Haus in fantasy land. I've heard the food has changed there, but I'm not willing to pay money to find out! Of course the Blue Bayou is good, but its spendy. I've heard good things about the newly remodeled Cafe New Orleans, but have not eaten there. Oh, and clam chowder in a bread bowl at the walk up window in NOS is good. And the corn dogs at the red wagon on main street are really good!

In DCA Taste pilots grill is pretty good. And I enjoyed my soup in a bread bowl at Pacific warf.

 

[dizzyami]

We are by no means experts - we usually grab a snack and save the $$$. The one place we avoid is Yamabuki's because it is PRICEY - and there is not really anything the kiddies would eat there. The mexican place was actually really good, and not that expensive - ordering was a bit crazy - but food was good. Our favorite place to go for a quick, cheap out of the way snack is White Water Snacks in GC - it is quiet, not busy, and you can get yummy hot sandwiches.

 

[Amy&Dan]

In the park my family enjoys Red Rockets pizza port in tomorrow land, Carnation cafe on main street, and the Riverbell Terace. We dont eat at Village Haus in fantasy land. I've heard the food has changed there, but I'm not willing to pay money to find out! Of course the Blue Bayou is good, but its spendy. I've heard good things about the newly remodeled Cafe New Orleans, but have not eaten there. Oh, and clam chowder in a bread bowl at the walk up window in NOS is good. And the corn dogs at the red wagon on main street are really good!

In DCA Taste pilots grill is pretty good. And I enjoyed my soup in a bread bowl at Pacific warf.

I agree with all of these suggestions! I will also add the Plaza Inn. Its a character breakfast ,but for lunch and dinner they have some nice selections like fried chicken, some nice salads (including a nice side salad that is not your usual hunk of iceberg) and pasta. The portions are huge and very shareable. Also, be aware that Burger Invasion at DCA is a McDonald's. We had friends who went to DL and only had one day and ended up eating there and were bummed they ate something the can have at home any day! Of course their kids were probably thrilled. But I second Taste Pilots for a good burger thats not McD's.

 

[tlovesdis]

Places we always eat every time:

Blue Bayou
Rainforest Cafe
White Water Snacks
Stage Door Cafe
Pacific Wharf Cafe

Places we avoid at all costs:

Naples pizza in DTD - YUCK! Overpriced, terrible food!
ESPN Zone - used to be good, but after the last two times of bad service and cold and untasty food, we will no longer go there

 

[TheZue]

We LOVE the pizza port place in tommorow land. We share a Marsinara everytime The meatballs are soooo yummy. We went to Goofy's Kitchen last time and it's now on our must have list as well

The only place we really have to avoid is the Bengal BBQ. Our son is allergic to sesame and I just found out that they use sesame oil in their sauces So we'll be avoiding that place like the plague I really wanted to try it too. The place I won't be going back to because the restaurant wasn't that impressive and the food was "meh" was pizza oo mow mow in DCA. I just wasn't impressed with it to ever go back.

 

[stampinshauna]

I also love the soup in sourdough breadbowls that they have at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in CA. Taste Pilots is good for a burger or chicken sandwich because they have all of the fresh fixings that you get to put on yourself. We will be trying out Cafe Orleans and Storytellers on our next trip. Carnation Cafe on Main Street is yummy and they have great fresh sandwiches, soups, and salads which only cost a dollar or two more than your typical DL burger.

 

[ZoZo]

Thanks for the info, everyone! I'm surpised no one has mentioned dole whips! One of my favorites.

 

[MateasMom]

I also love the soup in sourdough breadbowls that they have at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in CA. Taste Pilots is good for a burger or chicken sandwich because they have all of the fresh fixings that you get to put on yourself.

The soup in a bread bowl is my Disney favorite. I love the corn chowder, need to find myself a good recipe for it! Also love Taste Pilots. I enjoy the salad (though ordering at busy times is CRAZY becuase it's self ordering some people don't 'get' it).

The only place we don't eat is the place in fantasyland. From what pp said, maybe it's not gross anymore, but I don't feel the need to give them a try anytime soon!

and must have junk food. For us probably Dole Whips, Catch a Flave, and DH and the kids have to stop by the candy store outside of Winnie the Pooh.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Taste Pilots is good for a burger or chicken sandwich because they have all of the fresh fixings that you get to put on yourself.

eww I do not like the burgers from TP..they were cold I dont think there is anything I totally avoid over there but the things I do everytime is get a corn dog from the red wagon in DL, eat at Bengal bbq, and eat breakfast at PI

 

[Echo queen]

Places we always eat every time:

Blue Bayou
Rainforest Cafe
White Water Snacks
Stage Door Cafe
Pacific Wharf Cafe

Places we avoid at all costs:

Naples pizza in DTD - YUCK! Overpriced, terrible food!
ESPN Zone - used to be good, but after the last two times of bad service and cold and untasty food, we will no longer go there

Newbie here, do you need reservations for any of these places?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Newbie here, do you need reservations for any of these places?

Blue Bayou is the only one that absolutely requires a reservation. Call 714-781-3463 up to 60 days out to make one. Lunch is cheaper than dinner. It is inside the Pirates ride and can be fun to go to. The Rainforest Cafe is in Downtown Disney, its a good idea to have one there as well. Their number is: 714-772-0413. The rest are all counter service.
Echo Queen: Click on this thread, it has lots of good info on Disneyland dining, including a list of all the character meals and prices:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/Disneyland/dining.htm

 

[mystic_path]

As for these restaurants:

Blue Bayou
Rainforest Cafe
White Water Snacks
Stage Door Cafe
Pacific Wharf Cafe

Well the whitewater snacks is a pool side snack bar, so you dont need reservations for that. As for Stage door cafe its just a place I would walk in early and see if you can make reservations for later that day. Its not an overly popular place to eat. Pacific Wharf Cafe I believe is counter service so you wouldnt have to worry about it.

BUT It is best if you make reservations for Blue Bayou and The Rainforest Cafe. Especially the Blue Bayou as it is one of the most popular places to eat in the park, and the lines for it can be really long.

The rainforest cafe is outside the park in Downtown disney, but the lineups there are quite long if you dont make reservations. Just keep in mind that if you make reservations for both places, you can call up the disneyland resort to make reservations, but they will only allow you to make reservations for the Blue Bayou through the resort, and not the Rain Forest Cafe. You have to make the Rainforest reservs by calling up the Rainforest Cafe on its own.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Everyone seems to love these Dole Whips, can someone please tell me what that is? smoothie? piece of fruit?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Everyone seems to love these Dole Whips, can someone please tell me what that is? smoothie? piece of fruit?

Sort of like soft smooth ice cream with lots of pineapple in it. You can get a float that has crushed pineapple on the top for even more pinappley yumminess. You can find them in Adventureland, right by the Tiki Room.

 

[MadfordaMouse]

Disney is the only place I chuck the ol Weight Watchers right out the window and just bury my head trough deep in whatever I'm craving at the moment! Heres some favorites:

The Riverbelle Terrace for Mickey pancakes and BBQ chicken and ribs

Blue Bayou monte cristo (I know, no brainer)

Blue Ribbon Bakery on MS for coffees and pastries in the morning, and the awesome cookies anytime!

Bread bowls with soup and salad at the French Market

I second the corndogs at the Red Wagon

I have a sickness for the frozen bananas, I don't know why, its been that way since childhood. The chocolate...the peanuts....great, now I'm hungry. Oh, and the churros! Love the churros!

We ALWAYS hit the Gibson Girl icecream parlour on our last night on our way out of the park for a giant waffle cone sundae--YUM

I'm going to live on celery and egg whites for the next two weeks so I can eat whatever I want when we get there! Good thing they don't have frozen bananas in AZ...

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Madforda Mouse -
Do you have a Sprouts nearby? I know of one in Scottsdale & one in Glendale (may be more?) - but they sell the makin's for frozen bananas!!! Go to the produce section, beneath the banana stand they have boxes of chocolate, strawberry or peanut butter dip to make the frozen bananas from! Comes w/ popcicle sticks too. (Edited to say They're only $1.49 a box! .... plus bananas.

We made a lot of these this summer!

Oh! Everyone keeps mentioning the Red Wagon corn dogs ... where is this place?

 

[minnietoo]

The only place we don't eat is the place in fantasyland. From what pp said, maybe it's not gross anymore, but I don't feel the need to give them a try anytime soon!

It's still bad - the hamburgers are very dry and tasteless - unless of course you like cardboard. The fries weren't even that good - now how can you ruin fries? There was no potato taste at all! Skip it!

 

[kjhgarden]

Madforda Mouse -
Do you have a Sprouts nearby? I know of one in Scottsdale & one in Glendale (may be more?) - but they sell the makin's for frozen bananas!!! Go to the produce section, beneath the banana stand they have boxes of chocolate, strawberry or peanut butter dip to make the frozen bananas from! Comes w/ popcicle sticks too.

We make these too, they are yummy, and only 60 calories per frozen banana . I will have to try a DL one when I am there as I love frozen bananas.

 

[mystic_path]

Sort of like soft smooth ice cream with lots of pineapple in it. You can get a float that has crushed pineapple on the top for even more pinappley yumminess. You can find them in Adventureland, right by the Tiki Room.

Can you get other Dole Whips flavors other then pineapple? I am one who really doesnt like pineapple.