Your Top 5 Signature Restaurants & Your 1 least favorite Signature

[goofy4prez]

When we go to Disney a big part of our experience is dining at the Signature Restaurants. In fact we enjoy it as much as we do riding the attractions and watching the shows.

With that said I'm curious as to everyone's top 5 Signature Restaurants. Catch is this; they have to be on the Disney Dining Plan to be listed. With that please feel free to list the things you like about each one.

Also, I'm curious as to which Signature is your least favorite and why. Please try to elaborate a little further than just saying the food is lousy.


Here are my top 5 and my least favorite signature.

1. Narcoosee's: Love this place. The location is awesome and I have never, ever received anything less than excellent service. My favorite dish is the surf & turf... The Almond Cheese Cake is among the best deserts in all of WDW. Narcoossee's is our arrival day tradition.

2. Jiko: IMHO, there is not a better Disney restaurant for overall ambiance. The resort, while a bit inconvenient with it's location, is still well worth visiting for a few hours. Most importantly, the food is awesome as well. Steller service with a unique but not too bold of a menu. My favorite entree is the lamb two ways. Always a must do for me.

3. Artist Point. It took me until my fifth stay at WDW to finally dine at the AP. I can't believe after staying at the Wilderness Lodge three times in the past I never took the time to discover this gem. Unbelievable experience for us. The Cedar-Plank Salmon is to absolutely die for. I wish I could remember the dessert I had, but let's just say I almost licked the plate clean. Oh, and excellent service as well.

4. Flying Fish. I love this place. While it is not the quietest place to dine, the atmosphere and decor of this restaurant is breath taking. The NY Strip and Potato Wrapped Snapper combo is outstanding. In fact, I like Flying Fish's Snapper better than the similar dish at Monsieur Paul. And dinner is not complete without my favorite restaurant dessert in all of WDW; the Caramelized Banana Napoleon.

5. Yachtsman Steakhouse: I love the location of the Yachtsman being on the Boardwalk and I do like the resort it's located in (Yacht Club), but the only thing keeping the YSH from being ranked a little higher is that while the service was good, the decor is nice but nothing that takes your breath away. But with that said, IMHO, the food does the talking for it. The Black Angus Filet I had last time was melt in my mouth awesome.

Honorable Mention: California Grill. I must admit the location and the view is second to none. The sushi is very good, and the entree's have been pretty good as well. What is holding it back then from being rated higher??? Well, very spotty service the two times I have been there since the remodel and the dessert offerings in my opinion just don't measure up to the setting or to what I expect out of a Signature.

Least Favorite: LeCellier. IMHO, this place did absolutely nothing to justify going to a Signature. The restaurant is still cramped, it's still noisy, the menu has changed little, and with what it did change, IMHO was for the worst. I thought the service was very average. It took me over 30 minutes to be seated past my ADR. I was taken back by the attitudes of the servers toward customers who tried to get in as walk-ins (they were rude and openly joked about these customers to each other in the presence of guests). The food was average and very salty. To keep it short, I just did not find the Mushroom Filet to be all that exciting. If the place has changed in the last 4 years, I guess I will never find out.

 

[OKW Lover]

Interesting question and one that will get lots of different answers.

First I'll agree with the OP's choice of the least favorite - Le Cellier. IMHO, the only reason this is a "signature" restaurant is that it serves steak and is in a theme park.

As far as favorites go, right now my answer would be:

1. Victoria & Alberts - actually they would be in a class of their own. Just noticed the OP's qualification that they have to be on the Dining Plan so I guess they really are in a class of their own.
2. Yachtsman Steakhouse - Love the filet. The pull-apart onion rolls with roasted garlic and butter to slather on them makes me dream.
3. Citrico - love the elegant atmosphere
4. Flying Fish - Interesting menu and nice location
5. Jiko - Very different offerings. Not always thrilled with the african spices but that's just a taste issue.

Honorable mention - Artist Point. Used to be high on our list but we've had too many "variable" experiences there with food and service. They need to get their act together.

 

[starousse]

Top 5
Flying Fish
Jiko
Artist Point
Yachtsman
Cali Grill

Worst
Brown Derby

 

[figment_jii]

My top 5 would be...
1. Narcoossee's - this is my favorite restaurant in all of WDW. The food and service have always been outstanding and the view of Wishes is a nice added bonus.
2. Artist Point - I've always enjoyed my meals here. The service is outstanding and the restaurant tends to be on the quieter side.
3. California Grill - The food and service have been good. Good view of Wishes and a lively feel to the venue.
4. Flying Fish - Good good and service. I like the whimsical decor.
5. Le Cellier - cramped quarters, but the food has always been very good. Service has been hit or miss, but overall okay.

My worse...that's harder because it's always going to be someone's favorite. I suppose though, I have to go with my experiences alone...which would put Citricos at the bottom. The wait to be seated was long (45+ past ADR), the service was out of sync with the kitchen (long waits between courses), and the food arrived at the table cold.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Putting the DDP restriction hamstrings me a bit as 3 of my top 5 favorites are NOT on the Plan.

Anyway from what's left here are my top 5:
Flying Fish
Citricos
Narcoosees
Jiko
California grill

Least favorite is Artist Point--lackluster menu and an atmosphere reminding me of Hoss, Ben and Little Joe.l

 

[BeerMe]

I like all of them but my absolute favorite is Flying Fish and least favorite is Brown Derby.

We've never been to V&A because I don't like getting that dressed up on vacation. Maybe sometime but we've eaten at several 5 star restaurants in other places so I don't feel a compelling need to go.

ETA: I don't consider le Cellier a signature. Maybe that's just me.

 

[2102raven]

My List in descending order of favorites:

Jiko: unique food selection, lovely atmosphere, great service
Flying Fish: gotta love those crab cakes and snappers dishes
Brown Derby: despite the naysayers, always have enjoyed my meals. Nothing beats a glass of wine, Cobb salad and the dessert samplers.
Le Cellier: much better steaks here and always cooked to my preference (rare or blue), excellent risotto, warm ambiance
California Grill: sleek decor, fresh fish for sushi and sashimi, great wine list

Honorable Mention: Artist Point: love the rusting feel about the place, disappointed that the bison was taken off the menu but excellent salmon.

Least Favs: Citricos & Narcoossee: mediocre run off the mills fine dining restaurant. Nothing unique about the menu, the selections, and varieties

 

[NickEslick]

1. California Grill - Favorite restaurant at Disney and maybe even in general
2. Flying Fish
3. Narcoose's
4. Yachtsman Steakhouse
5. Brown Derby

These are my top 5. For one, I have never had a bad meal at any of them. Also, the cast members at these 5 restaurants are some of the best I have met.

Other Greats:
Monsieur Paul - In Epcot above Les Chefs. Amazing French experience and great food.
Citricos
Artist Point
And there are plenty more

Least Favorite:
My last few trips would be Le Cellier - used to be one of my favorites, but it's not as good anymore

 

[Masonmj84]

I've eaten at all of the Disney-owned signature restaurants except V&A, Monsieur Paul and the ones in DTD. Here's how I would rank them:

Top 5:

1. Jiko - best combo of food and atmosphere and pretty consistent, plus I love visiting the AKL.
2. Artist Point - quietest and most underrated signature IMO while being relatively consistent for both food and service.
3. Flying Fish - love the snapper and NY strip and service has always been good.
4. Citricos - not as crazy about the menu as the restaurants listed above it but have always had good service and love the atmosphere of the GF.
5. Cali Grill - I liked it better before the refurb and it's the most noisy resort signature but it still makes the top 5.

The rest:
6. Narcoossee's - can be hit or miss depending on the seasonal offerings (the regular menu items, many of which feature lobster, are the most overpriced at WDW IMO)
7. Yachtsman - while the filet is excellent, everyting else is rather meh, including the atmosphere/restaurant decour
8. Brown Derby - while I like the Old Hollywood atmosphere, nothing really stands out about the food or service
9. Le Cellier - non-signature masquerading as a signature because of one signature-esque menu item (filet) and very crowded and noisy