Which Signature Resturant is you Favorite and Why?

southern_belle21

Always dreaming of Disney
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
613
The only signature dining restaurant we have eaten at has been California Grill about 3 years ago in June, which we enjoyed (I loved the view of Wishes we had during dinner), and we are thinking of trying another one this Dec. I know we will be there during free dining, which we are not doing because of going through the DVC, so we're paying OOP for the DDP. Which signature dining would be worth trying? There are several both DH and I have thought of (Citricos, Narcoossee's, Jiko, just to name a few). Do any of you have any sugguestions?
 
Although I haven't tried all of them, I love Jiko. We will be going again this fall. It is a beautiful restaurant, and we had a warm attentive server who recommended an excellent bottle of wine to accompany our delicious dinner. It was quiet and a very pleasant evening.
I have eaten at the Ca Grille, which I liked very much. I have also eaten at Narcoosee's and I would definitely return here. We ate at Citrico's back when it was Flagler's but not since then.
We did not like the Yachtsman Steakhouse at all. We have tried 3 times and we will not return. It is a beautiful restaurant and we had great service, but we just did not like the food at all.
Have a Great Trip
 
We've eaten at all of them except Flying Fish (but we'll fix that in 3 weeks!). To date, Jiko is my number one, with Narcoossee's being a close second. Jiko is beautiful and is a nice change from the usual food choices in many Disney restaurants. Narcoossee's is just so intimate and romantic. I can't choose between them, so we're going to all 3 this coming trip!

Brown Derby was fine, but I would only go again if paying OOP, since the prices aren't as expensive as some of the other signature restaurants. The Yachtsman Steakhouse was fine, but I am not a big steak eater. California Grill has a wonderful view, but on both of our recent visits, it was terribly noisy and crowded. Citrico's was enjoyable, but nothing about it really stands out in my mind (as compared to Jiko and Narcoossee's).

You'll find a variety of different opinions here. It's a matter of personal taste. You'll just have to keep going back until you've tried them all! ;)
 
Our favorite is Flying Fish...we have been there twice and the food is just out of this world..cannot tell you how much we love it there but the ambiance is nothing to get excited about.

We did Jiko last year and will go back this fall, the filet and mac and cheese were huge hits with DH, he loved everything about this meal and to this day still talks about it.

Tried Cali Grill in June and it was wonderful....the meal was great but the standout was the pork tenderloin with goat cheese polenta...and the view was nice in the beginning but a huge rain storm came in and for the rest of the evening we didnt see a darn thing.

Going to try Citrico's and Narcoossee's this Oct and cannot wait!
 

This is a tough one! I guess it would be a very close tie between Cali Grill and Jiko. I've only eaten at Cali Grill a few times and Jiko once. I wasn't a big fan of Narcoosee's (sp?) but I do like the location. I will, never, ever, ever go back to Yachtsman Steakhouse. Food was bland and our waitress was extremely rude (my favorite was her telling my poor sweet Dad who unknowingly asked if they had sweet tea to be told in the snootiest of voices "This isn't a redneck BBQ joint" followed by a condescending laugh). But I'm sure others have different experiences or else they wouldn't still be there :).

I was absolutely in love with Jiko (and extremely apprehensive about eating here as we didn't care for Boma at all). We sat in one of the wine rooms with about 4-5 other tables. Our server was absolutely amazing. He went over in detail just about everything on the menu. If one of us didn't really know what we wanted he would ask what we like to eat and then make a recommendation. Our meal lasted about 2 hours but it was the nicest, most relaxing two hours I've ever spent at dinner. Very well paced. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was so interesting and delicious. I can't say enough great things about it.

I haven't tried Artist Point yet. That's on my "to-do" list. Citrico's menu/atmosphere (from the pictures I've seen) doesn't really appeal to me but maybe one day I'll try it out.
 
We've been to all of them many times (the only one we have not been to in past 12 months is Artist Point) and our current favorite is Flying Fish. We've been very happy with our recent meals here.
 
We recently did a signature trip in July and ate at: Cali Grill, Citicos, Narcossees, and YSH. While they were all good in their own way, Narcossees remains our favorite. We have eaten here 5 times in the past couple of years and it has never disappointed us.
 
This is a tough one! I guess it would be a very close tie between Cali Grill and Jiko. I've only eaten at Cali Grill a few times and Jiko once. I wasn't a big fan of Narcoosee's (sp?) but I do like the location. I will, never, ever, ever go back to Yachtsman Steakhouse. Food was bland and our waitress was extremely rude (my favorite was her telling my poor sweet Dad who unknowingly asked if they had sweet tea to be told in the snootiest of voices "This isn't a redneck BBQ joint" followed by a condescending laugh). But I'm sure others have different experiences or else they wouldn't still be there :).

I was absolutely in love with Jiko (and extremely apprehensive about eating here as we didn't care for Boma at all). We sat in one of the wine rooms with about 4-5 other tables. Our server was absolutely amazing. He went over in detail just about everything on the menu. If one of us didn't really know what we wanted he would ask what we like to eat and then make a recommendation. Our meal lasted about 2 hours but it was the nicest, most relaxing two hours I've ever spent at dinner. Very well paced. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was so interesting and delicious. I can't say enough great things about it.

I haven't tried Artist Point yet. That's on my "to-do" list. Citrico's menu/atmosphere (from the pictures I've seen) doesn't really appeal to me but maybe one day I'll try it out.

Wow:eek: That was rude!! What was your response to her??!!
 
Jiko was the best. The food was great and the service was amazing. I don't think I have ever had such great service.
 
Jiko!!! In a gorgeous resort, unique options, amazing service and wine pairings. the food was just divine. We *loved loved loved* this place.
 
Our favorite is Citrico's. It is just a more elegant/quiet atmosphere than some of the others. I have ordered something different at each visit and it has always been the best meal of the trip.

Our second pick is Todd English's blueZoo at the Swan. This is completely not Disney and very upscale in atmosphere, service and food options. DH loves the Cantonese 2lb Lobster.
 
Excluding Shulas and blkuezoo, Jikos - it's very unusal and has great decor. I love it - the food is excellent and has a great wine cellar. Flying Fish is good too - the rest are OK - not really signature but great also is Bisto de Paris..........
 
Wow:eek: That was rude!! What was your response to her??!!

My brother (always the quick one) said "Do you have sugar packets for unsweetened tea? Or have all of the rednecks stolen them?" She just walked off and brought back a thing of sugar packets. She was also crazy about the bread plates. Any time she came by our table, even if she didn't bring anything, if our bread plate was in front of us and not over to the top left or right (I guess where it's supposed to be :confused3) she would move it there. It was insane. I'm sure we just got a crazy server and we look back and laugh now but at the time it was so uncomfortable.
 
My brother (always the quick one) said "Do you have sugar packets for unsweetened tea? Or have all of the rednecks stolen them?" She just walked off and brought back a thing of sugar packets. She was also crazy about the bread plates. Any time she came by our table, even if she didn't bring anything, if our bread plate was in front of us and not over to the top left or right (I guess where it's supposed to be :confused3) she would move it there. It was insane. I'm sure we just got a crazy server and we look back and laugh now but at the time it was so uncomfortable.

You should have reported her. I make sure to do so ( even if it's by email after the fact ) whenever I see EXCELLENT or TERRIBLE service. Best way for them to improve is through good feedback :) Cause really, that's not cool.
 
Our favorite is Citrico's. It is just a more elegant/quiet atmosphere than some of the others. I have ordered something different at each visit and it has always been the best meal of the trip.

We dined here for the first time last week and it is our new favorite signature :love: The food was excellent, the ambiance wonderfully relaxing and the service fantastic. :goodvibes

I would rate Artist Point and Flying Fish as a close 2nd and 3rd. :thumbsup2
 
I've only been to Citricos and Cali Grill, but let me tel you Citricos is wonderful!!!!
Here's a review I wrote of it:

I have been a California Grill devotee for a long time, but I think Citricos may have eclipsed it now!

I went here with my grandmother on our last night at Disney on 4/2/09. We were both extremely impressed with everything.

We had ADR for 5:30 and we arrived a few minutes before and they seated us in about 30 seconds. The hostess was attentive and greeted us promptly.

We had an absolutely lovely waitress named Keira and another waiter, Jose, also helped serve us. Jose liked to tease Keira and give her a hard time, so the repartee between the two of them certainly added positively to our meal.

One of the first things Keira asked us when we sat down was if anyone had any special dietary needs. Well my grandmother is somewhat lactose intolerant, which can be difficult to explain. She can eat butter and most cheeses, just not milk or cream. Well not a problem, according to Keira. She said just a moment and came back with the sous chef, Edward. He told my grandma what she could eat, and what he could modify for her to eat.

I ordered the Romaine Salad to start with, and it was delicious. Crispy, fresh hearts of romaine, hearts of palm, and blue cheese crumbles with a Riesling vinaigrette. The salad had just enough dressing, it wasn't too much or too little.

A few minutes after I finished my salad (and not while I was still working on it!) our entrees arrived. They graciously let my grandmother order off the kids menu. She had the beef tenderloin which came with broccolini and mashed potatoes, but they made her some wonderful little roasted potatoes instead. It was probably a 4oz cut of tenderloin, and my grandma and I both thought it was the best steak we've ever eaten! And for $14 bucks! It was perfect for her because she eats like a bird, so even though she loves a good steak, she won't usually order them at Disney because they are $40 and up.
I had the Seared Halibut with Butternut Squash Risotto and a Red Wine Sauce. It was perfect! The fish was crispy on the outside, and perfectly moist, flaky, and tender on the inside. It was sparingly seasoned, as it should be, because the sauce was very flavorful. The risotto was amazing. My grandmother wanted to taste it so we asked Keira if it had any milk or cream. She quickly found out that it did not. So my grandmother tasted it, and loved it of course. I suppose Keira was watching because a few minutes later, Edward, the sous chef, came out with a little dish of the Risotto for my grandmother!

All of this time, our water and club sodas with lime, no ice, were always filled and we were being entertained by Jose poking fun at Keira.

After we finished our entrees, Keira offered us dessert, and we said we'd like to wait a bit before ordering. No problem....she never made us feel pressured to order and leave. At one point I noticed the awesome Mickey straws the little kids got with their drinks. Well call me silly, but I asked Keira if I could have one to take home. She then brought me out four, one in each color they had!

We had a table across from the dessert station, so it was fun watching the pastry chef prepare the desserts, and a great way for us to choose what we wanted! My grandmother settled on the Berry Gratin with a Champagne-Grand Mariner Sabayon - the only dessert she was able to eat on the entire trip due to her dietary restrictions. I tasted it, and it was amazing. The berries were so good....I don't where they got such amazing berries that early in the season! I had the Chocolate Banana Torte with Vanilla Ice Cream. I admit, I totally picked out this dessert because I loved the presentation. The warm little torte was topped with 3 caramelized banana slices and a purple candy Mickey Head. Next to the torte was a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. The plate was decorated with chocolate sauce and various fruit sauce drizzles. Behind the torte and ice cream was a chocolate cage-like piece with a little white medallion with the Cinderella castle that said "Celebrate Today!". Everything was edible. It was so pretty. And the torte was delicious! Warm, moist, dense cake like chocolate around a creamy banana filling. The ice cream had vanilla bean specks in it. It was too good for words.

I finished the meal off with a giant cappuccino. They sprinkled it with some cinnamon. Not too scalding to drink, but hot and delicious.

The chef came back to our table to schmooze and we about got down our knees to thank him for such a wonderful meal. He gave us both big hugs, his card, and told us to make to come back and see him!

Our meal was about $86 total, the same I paid for a lackluster meal at Les Chefs de France.....but this was a bargain in my book. I tipped 35%.

I would rate Citricos as an 11 if possible!
 
I've been to all the signature restaurants at one time or another.

Our current family favorite is Citricos. We had an absolutely incredible meal there last November. It's the one place we'll be going back to this December. We tried a variety of dishes between the 4 of us and all of them were wonderful. I'm really looking forward to returning to this restaurant.

Artist Point and Jiko would probably be the next 2 on my list. The salmon at Artist Point is outstanding. The mushroom soup is also incredibly good. Jiko had the best service we've had outside of V&A. The steak with mac and cheese was great. Our DD latched onto the chocolate dessert we brought back to the room and finished it off promptly, declaring it the best dessert she's had at Disney.

Cali Grill is somewhere we hadn't been to in a long time, but went back to last November. It was good, but not anywhere near as good as Citrocos! The big advantage to Cali Grill is the atmosphere. It was fun to walk outside before we left and get the wonderful view of the Magic Kingdom. We also had a spectacular view right from our table, overlooking Bay Lake.

For in park dining, I like the Brown Derby. It's certainly superior to anything else that is offered in the Studios. Although, we only go there once every couple of years because it is pricey for Theme Park dining and our kids do like going to other places at the Studios.

I don't really have anything bad to say about any of the signature restaurants. They've always been top notch whenever we've gone to any of them. ::MinnieMo
 
This is a tough one! I guess it would be a very close tie between Cali Grill and Jiko. I've only eaten at Cali Grill a few times and Jiko once. I wasn't a big fan of Narcoosee's (sp?) but I do like the location. I will, never, ever, ever go back to Yachtsman Steakhouse. Food was bland and our waitress was extremely rude (my favorite was her telling my poor sweet Dad who unknowingly asked if they had sweet tea to be told in the snootiest of voices "This isn't a redneck BBQ joint" followed by a condescending laugh). But I'm sure others have different experiences or else they wouldn't still be there :).

I was absolutely in love with Jiko (and extremely apprehensive about eating here as we didn't care for Boma at all). We sat in one of the wine rooms with about 4-5 other tables. Our server was absolutely amazing. He went over in detail just about everything on the menu. If one of us didn't really know what we wanted he would ask what we like to eat and then make a recommendation. Our meal lasted about 2 hours but it was the nicest, most relaxing two hours I've ever spent at dinner. Very well paced. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was so interesting and delicious. I can't say enough great things about it.

I haven't tried Artist Point yet. That's on my "to-do" list. Citrico's menu/atmosphere (from the pictures I've seen) doesn't really appeal to me but maybe one day I'll try it out.

That was soooo mean!!! I like sweet tea as well and they do not serve it in Orlando( except for Mc Donalds) but in south Florida you can find it everywhere.
We love Jiko the filet with mac n cheese is so good. We also get the taste of africa appetizer.
 
We loved all the ones we have tried (Brown Derby, Citricos, Flying Fish, Jiko and Narcoossee's) but if I had to chose one I would chose Narcoosee's for the food and the location. We have to try California Grill and Yatchman on our next trip.
 
The Flying Fish.

We traditionally have a late ADR on the evening we arrive. We always sit at the chef's bar and have wonderful relaxed meals. After enjoying some nice wine it is such a nice stroll back to the Beach Club, what a way to start our trip!

As it turns out we have had the same waiter for the last 5 or so years (Bob) Knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list, we always have him do a wine pairing for us. Last year I was going to have the pork dish but they had run out of pork. Bob went back to the kitchen and chef offer to make the dish with wild boar that he had on hand for the food and wine. it was easily one of the best meals I have had anywhere.

After that I would list upstairs at Wolfgang Pucks, Jiko and of course V&A chef's table but that probably doesn't count as a signature meal.

-Richard
 

New Posts


Disney Vacation Planning. Free. Done for You.
Our Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are here to provide personalized, expert advice, answer every question, and uncover the best discounts. Let Dreams Unlimited Travel take care of all the details, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a stress-free vacation.
Start Your Disney Vacation
Disney EarMarked Producer






DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter

Add as a preferred source on Google

Back
Top Bottom