Will we be uncomfortable at V&A?

[Chelley00]

We have a reservation at Victoria and Albert's for my birthday. I'm really excited but I'm afraid we will be a little out of our comfort zone. With 4 kids (and 2 college tuitions), we don't spend much time at 5 star restaurants We love food, but we aren't necessarily foodies. Will we be uncomfortable? Should we skip it?

 

[aristocatz]

We have never been, so others may have better input......but, just some things to consider....

Are you & your guests ok with being a little adventurous with your meals? The reviews are typically top notch, but you won't just find standard dishes here.
Also, I am pretty sure its an evening long event-not just a 1-2 hour meal. I think this can be fun, but your party would need to be ok with dinner being an "event" rather than just a meal.

 

[strat68]

I would go. But don't forget, jackets required for men.

 

[Lisa F]

NO you will not be uncomfortable. Back in 1998 when I got married I was young and this was my first foodie experience. My now ex husband and I had no idea what we were doing honestly. He ordered the "consomme" and pronounced it "con-sum." The waiter did not say a thing - didn't correct him, didn't flicker, just took the order and was as warm and polite as ever. When he served it he said it correctly but without any kind of a "tone". I had already let my then husband know of his mistake and he was a little sheepish and said something like "that's what I meant to say." I don't remember what the exact response was but it was not an uncomfortable exchange at all. It's a fancy restaurant but it is still disney and there is a warmth and caring and lack of snobbery there that you don't find at many other fancy restaurants (and we went to many after that). I can snob with the best of them but at times have gone with family who can't and I have been horrified at how some waiters act. Not the case at disney! If you are going to dip your toes into the pool of foodieism (just made that word up) Disney is by FAR the place to do it. I would not skip it but just try to be open to things you have never tried before. There are many ingredients that are terrible if not prepared and balanced properly so try not to go in with any preconceived notions... but do it and have a great time!

 

[Pakey]

I have dined at V&A several times as well as other restaurants of this caliber in other locations. You need to look at V&A menus and see if you are excited or intimidated by the menu choices. As for the experience, we've never done it under 3 hours--longest was at 4.5 hours. This is not a meal; it's an evening experience. The restaurant is small and intimate. It's very quiet. It will not feel like a regular restaurant, even a high end one, because there's not going to be foot traffic/table turnover because diners are there for a long time. The service is impeccable. They will see to your every need without ever making you feel like you are eating too slow/too fast/etc. This is a meal to be savored, at a leisurely pace, with the focus on the food. From the amuse bouche to the unique coffee presentation at the end of the meal, it's an evening to enjoy.

I have eaten courses that I had no idea what half of the ingredients are or had a clue as to whether I would like it (but I've loved every course of every meal here). I've had to ask what some of the utensils are (gravy knife was a real mystery--looked like an ace of spaces on a stick). I figured it was better to ask than to end up on youtube using it incorrectly. I'm not some food person who knows what cardamom tastes like. However, I have decent manners, can converse quietly, don't mind an evening in dressy clothes, and I can certainly enjoy a fantastic meal with amazing service. And I've never noticed the other diners so it's doubtful that any of them were ever noticing me either (but thank goodness I asked about that gravy knife, lol).

 

[carmelhp]

Yes, you will, when the check comes.

 

[BayouQueen]

I think we spent about $300 pp, with wine, because there are up-charges for certain dishes -- not just things like caviar or lobster, but, for example, certain desirable beef dishes.

It is very expensive. I'm glad it is off my bucket list. DH was annoyed by the whole thing.

 

[goofy4prez]

Here's the truth, most of us don't dine at 5 star restaurants very often. I live a pretty comfortable life, but 5 stars are not a common occurrence for me either. But with that said, we loved our experience at V&A and don't regret it one bit. I would do as others have recommended; look over the menu and decide if it's for you. V&A is also very accessible and you can give them a phone call and they will also be able to help address any concerns you may have. As for items like up-charges, they are optional and not something you have to go with. If you decide not to get any of the up-charges on the menu you will not feel slighted in the least bit since everything on the menu is awesome. Lastly, evaluate your budget and decide if paying for a great night out to dinner costing you around $400-$500 won't cramp or set your budget back then I say do it.

 

[hopeful4fl]

You have 4 kids, with 2 in college. You have done well. Take this time to thank yourself. The price is high, but the experience is a one in a lifetime that will bring a smile to your face whenever you think about it.
Food - A+
Service - A+
Ambience - A+

They know what they are doing and will make you feel special. You deserve a treat. Have fun.

 

[MichelleWDWfan]

I dined at V & A for my birthday 2 yrs ago. I have never eaten at 5 star before.
I loved it. I didn't feel overwhelmed at all and was a solo diner.
I had 2 servers who worked as a team. The first server explained the entire menu from memory, answered questions and took my order...without writing it down!
They know the menu inside and out and will answer any and all questions you have. The menu can change daily.
The second server brought each course and explained each dish thoroughly.

One tip I can give is don't drink alot during the meal, and don't eat all of the bread they serve between courses.
The meal is slow paced but I left there so full it took hours to digest. LOL
I enjoyed the entire meal...including the Celebes Coffee service at the end of the meal with dessert. Don't skip this.
Just watching the coffee brew in the unique way they do it at the table was awesome.
I loved everything and can't wait to go again sometime.

 

[BayouQueen]

OP, you're getting lots of encouragement here, and I'm no wet blanket. I see on your post that you go to WDW pretty regularly, and so V&A is probably gonna be a bee in your bonnet until you see what it's all about. I didn't interpret your post to be asking if you'd be comfortable with the 5-star experience. As to that, there is really nothing intimidating. The wait staff is wonderful and other diners are pretty busy discussing and analyzing the different courses. Anyhow, it's your birthday and I'd join those who encourage you to have the splurge. You only go around once. Have a Very Happy Birthday!

 

[OKW Lover]

We have a reservation at Victoria and Albert's for my birthday. I'm really excited but I'm afraid we will be a little out of our comfort zone. With 4 kids (and 2 college tuitions), we don't spend much time at 5 star restaurants We love food, but we aren't necessarily foodies. Will we be uncomfortable? Should we skip it?

The servers at V&A will make you feel quite comfortable. They are used to dealing with folks who don't regularly dine at that type of restaurant. They will explain anything you need explained. The table will be set with the proper silverware for each course. The whole atmosphere of the place is serine.

 

[AGoofykindagirl]

I have eaten here only once, in the early to mid 1990's. So I admit it has been a while, but for us it was once in a lifetime. My sister (in her 40's), our parents, and me (in my 30's at the time) found that this was actually included in the meal package we had purchased (added to the list after we arrived).

When we walked in, all we could think was "oh no!". Mom asked our "Victoria", "We are really out of place here. Will you please help us to not embarrass ourselves completely?" Our waitress said we were fine, not to worry, and gave a reassuring pat on Mom's shoulder.

What I remember the most:

1. None of us drink wine, but they had chilled bottles of Evian in buckets on ice like champagne. They kept our glasses nicely filled.

2: "Victoria" and "Albert" made us feel like we were millionaires who ate in those types of restaurants all the time. We had no feelings of inadequacy after those first few moments.

And 3: there was a man playing the harp. He was playing songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber all throughout our meal. We timed our departure with a short break in songs so we could thank him. I told him "All I Ask of You" was my favorite song at the time, and that his playing it made the evening truly magical. He thanked us for telling him.

Enjoy your meal and Happy Birthday. Hope this story helps you feel more confident. They won't let you down.

Sarah

 

[kiford]

don't eat all of the bread they serve between courses.

But it's really, really hard not to. The breads are heavenly.

They will explain every dish to you and I've found are always very pleased when you tell them if you like something in particular. They're more concerned if you are going to like the food than whether you are a foodie with lots of experience or not. And I second the person who said to let go of preconceived notions of what you think you like. The first time we ate there, I didn't tell them that I hated mushrooms and one of the courses had a choice between a morel mushroom pasta and something else that I was allergic to. I also didn't tell them that I was allergic (I didn't realize at the time that they would have made a substitution for me). So I selected the mushroom pasta. Fifteen years later, it's still one of my favourite food memories from V&A. It was soooo good - earthy and creamy and very flavourful. I can still remember how it tasted. It's the only place that I will eat mushrooms. In fact, I've decided that I will eat anything made by the chef at V&A unless I am allergic to it. Nowhere else will I do that. I told our server this last December that story and she was so pleased and said that she would tell the chef. They really want to please you, not intimidate you.

If you have any uncertainty about what to order for any particular course because you're unfamiliar with the ingredients (or even just have a problem deciding), ask your server what they would do or what their preference is. They'll be very happy to tell you what they like. Some of the servers have been there for years and are really enthusiastic about food and are really pleased to share that with you.

Definitely schedule at least 3 hours and don't plan to do anything afterwards. You'll want to just plop yourself down and zone out.

 

[soniam]

I love good food and have eaten at gourmet restaurants before, but I am typically not an adventurous eater concerning meat/proteins. We ate at Remy on DCL Fantasy, which has a menu from the chef at V&A, and I was astounded. Things that I never thought I would like, lamb carpaccio, not fully cooked egg, were amazingly fabulous. It really opened up my palate. We then went to V&A, and it was just as fabulous as well. We never felt uncomfortable for one single second. The staff are genuinely friendly, and the food is very delicious and actually inviting. You won't be disappointed in your experience. The only downside, besides the price, is how many things won't compare afterwards

 

[Belle5]

The main reason DH and I have never dined at V&A? We know we could never, ever sit still that long and enjoy it. We would be miserable. If they could guarantee us 1 1/2 hours...we'd jump on it! Our backs just couldn't take it.

 

[TCARON]

Love V & A and have eaten there many times. They recently stopped taking Tables in Wonderland and jacked up the price so we stopped going.
We miss it but the 20% off was attractive to us.
Will probably go again just not as often.
A wonderful dining experience. You feel like you are somewhere else and not in WDW. Takes you away from the noise.