Being from NYC--would I be underwhelmed by food at Disney?

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Hah! And don't get me started on those freakishly large bagels too many now sell here all made at the same mutant bagel factory. And and where the heck are the bialys and hand made kasha knishes?!? Glad there are some younger bakers trying to relive the glory days but wish they weren't so far away from beloved and established purveyors of expertly hand cut lox, chopped liver, herring in cream sauce and such.

A few years ago it was like a light switch went off. I said to myself “I never need to eat another bite of herring in cream sauce for the rest of my life.”

Bialys all day though.

 

[scionchigirl]

I was born in rural Appalachia we did not even get electricity until the year I was born 1960. And you are right about the different kinds of barbeque. I also enjoy Memphis and Carolina styles. As for the Yankee thing you should have been in one of my platoons. I had some kids actually stop and stare at me when I called them (one word) goddamnyankees. Ah the joys of The Corps.

I love the musical "Damn Yankees"...whose got the pain when they do the mambo?

When I was a kid in the 70s, we'd drive from Chicago to St Pete Beach to see my Grandparents and see some rural areas...I was teasing you, I hope you know! I love all parts of our beautiful country and our citizens...so many traditions,culture, foods. We are all good people at heart who just want to be happy & healthy!

That being said, I do like Carolina style barbeque! I also love southern cooking! I make very amazing buttermilk biscuits and hummingbird cake for a Yankee! Lol...

 

[scionchigirl]

I'm from NYC, now in Chicago for 16 years, and there's way (way) better Mexican food here in Chicago, by far, than in NYC or WDW. (I cringe when I think about what I used to consider good Mexican food when I still lived in Brooklyn.) That said, I'd still eat anywhere in the Mexican pavilion in World Showcase. Just being at Disney counts for a lot. You kind of have to manage your expectations. The food is much better than Six Flags. (Ewww--I'm looking at you, Great America.) But not necessarily as authentic as it might be in the "real world." (Sometimes it is.) If you can deal with eating with your suburban friends at Olive Garden, you'll be just fine and surprised when TS is better than that. But I do think it's a little silly to expect that WDW dining is going to be competitive with world city dining. That's just kind of setting oneself up for disappointment. WDW dining is kind of on its own terms.

Pilsen and Little Village have INSANE Mexican food, with Melrose Park and Joliet the best in the suburbs. Chicago has a wonderful Mexican community!!!

 

[MarBee]

I'm super excited to go to all the restaurants in Disney (first timer!) as I hear how much people love them, do disney food tours, or would go out of their way just to stop by a restaurant. But I realized recently that being from NYC, am I bound to be underwhelmed by the food?
My friends are coming with me on this Disney trip (also from NYC), and I'm so hyped up about everything related to the trip. I talk about all the cool things there are (since I researched/planned everything), but I'm worried I may be overselling them on the food and they'd end up being disappointed.
FYI I've booked ADRs at Jikos, Victorias and Albert, and BOG.

Edit: forgot to add I have an ADR at Cinderella's Royal Castle too, but that is more for atmosphere than food

Edit 2: I think maybe I worded my concerns incorrectly. While I definitely got my answers (thanks to all the responses!), I also just wanted to clear up what my actual question was: There are plenty of terrible food in NYC (wouldn't be surprised if some of them were even rat infested haha) so I'm not saying NYC only has amazing food. I've seen lots of people being super excited for Disney food, going out of their way or paying extra to go back, telling everyone else they have to try it, etc- but is the quality of most of the "favorites" really that good, especially when compared to big city standards? Or just good for a theme park (but would be considered average outside of Disney)?

The restaurants at Disney are good. They’re not amazing. There’s so much to do at Disney that eating isn’t my priority, but I’ve never been wowed by the food. I have had some really good meals, but nothing where I’d make a trip just to eat there.
Go in with the expectation that you will have some good dinners even if they aren’t great. And if you wind up being disappointed just focus on the other fun stuff and atmosphere in general.
Just my two cents.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Hah! And don't get me started on those freakishly large bagels too many now sell here all made at the same mutant bagel factory. And and where the heck are the bialys and hand made kasha knishes?!? Glad there are some younger bakers trying to relive the glory days but wish they weren't so far away from beloved and established purveyors of expertly hand cut lox, chopped liver, herring in cream sauce and such.

Have you tried Yonah Schimmel’s Knish?
or
Kossar’s for bialys?
or
Russ and Daughters?

 

[Dakota731]

There are great (and terrible) restaurants in cities all over the US big and small. Some of the best places I've eaten in my semi-long life are little dives in out-of-the way locales in the middle of nowhere. I certainly don't think large cities have the monopoly on good food - there's just more choices. And let's not forget WDW is a theme park! And after three roller coaster loving kids and travelling to amusement parks all over the country, Disney's food is better than most.

 

[Koogs]

Being from NYC is not the only place that would make the WDW restaurants underwhelming! There are lots of restaurants over the US that would beat out their restaurants in a heartbeat. Being from Louisiana, there are lots of restaurants that just cannot be beat, but we still enjoy eating at Disney. Being in the 'Magic Bubble' and the ambiance gives the very high priced food a special 'flavor'!!

So, yes, a lot of it would be average (or less) outside the Bubble compared to any standards, but there are some places there with excellent food. That's our opinion anyway.

ETA: After going back and reading some of the posts, I'm quite convinced, as always, that quality of restaurants is in the individual 'mouth' of the diner! There are food snobs for every restaurant at Disney, and elsewhere. Just go with an open mind and enjoy your trip and dining adventure - don't have preconceived notions from what you hear from others - there will never be a 100% for any restaurant - anywhere!!

I'm from NYC area and I've had plenty of good meals in NY but, the best eating trip I have had hands down was spending 5 days in New Orleans. if it wasn't for the heat and humidity, I'd be a resident. Everything from Emerils restaurants, District Donuts and Sliders, the Cafe Du Monde, a bunch in the Marigny, to the new orleans school of cooking was fantastic. There were so many other ones that I wanted to try while I was there.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I think you would be underwhelmed by Disney's Italian food, I am from Jersey and have yet to enjoy any type of Italian food or pizza there. As a matter of fact I steer clear of it all week and when we come home we always order a pizza while we unpack lol.
Also Chinese food isn't great, Teppan Edo is fine for Japanese Hibachi (like anywhere else around here in NJ, could probably even get better habachi here, nothing spectacular, but good).
We have found in recent years the signature meals are more the way to go. I really enjoyed California Grill last year, and we have always eaten at YAchtsman Steakhouse, just taking a break this year to try CRT for the first time, going moreso for atmosphere though.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Have you tried Yonah Schimmel’s Knish?
or
Kossar’s for bialys?
or
Russ and Daughters?

Sure but none of them are near where I live now. Easier to reach when I lived in Brooklyn but once I moved to the UWS shopping uptown made more sense. Normally buy my Jewish deli goods @ Murray's Sturgeon and Zabar's on the West Side. Everything was fine uptown until H& H Bagels closed down.
I make it down to the Lower East Side when a Katz's craving starts at which point it's a good thing to stop up and down that neighborhood for a meal of cold deli goods for later in the week.
Darn it! Now I want some schav and a little sable for dinner.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I'm from NYC area and I've had plenty of good meals in NY but, the best eating trip I have had hands down was spending 5 days in New Orleans. if it wasn't for the heat and humidity, I'd be a resident. Everything from Emerils restaurants, District Donuts and Sliders, the Cafe Du Monde, a bunch in the Marigny, to the new orleans school of cooking was fantastic. There were so many other ones that I wanted to try while I was there.

From NJ, and I have a good friend who also says one of his fav places to eat is in New Orleans. Want to go one day, but I feel thats more of a trip to do without the kiddies lol.

 

[DeeCee735]

I couldn't afford to eat well when I lived in NYC....actually I probably can't afford to eat well now in NYC.

I don't think you'll have to worry about Jiko and V&A not living up to the hype.

I think Tiffins is good and the decor would be hard to find in NYC.

Is there better Mexican in NY, sure. But you can't eat Mexican food AND get a picture with Donald nearby in NY.

Love Jiko. Never had V&A. Flying Fish on BWV delicious. Have a fantastic 1st trip.

 

[Koogs]

From NJ, and I have a good friend who also says one of his fav places to eat is in New Orleans. Want to go one day, but I feel thats more of a trip to do without the kiddies lol.

We did it without the kiddos and I certianly would recommend it without the kiddos. We had a great time and want to go back. Although we did the cliche Pat OBrians one night, it is certainly a city you can enjoy as an adult without attending the frat party that is bourbon street.

 

[WDWGeek1971]

I think Via Napoli is very overrated and overpriced.

This one cracked me up. At one point, there was a Via Napoli in the old PanAm building (in the heart of Manhattan!) I like their truffle and artichoke pizza, but the noise in that restaurant is enough to keep me away! It is part of the Patina Restaurant Group which has establishments in NYC, LA and Florida. [One of these is not like the others.] ;-)

 

[Dean Marino]

Deleted

 

[dk413]

This post is making me crave aaaalllll the food. Going to be dreaming about cheesesteaks and bagels now! Anyway grew up in Philly and lived in NYC then London and now DC and this thread is totally accurate. I did just want to add: there is one place that really surprised me in a good way. And maybe it’s just because our expectations were SO low (I went here with a bunch of Brits)...but I really liked the fish and chips from Rose and Crown. I thought it was pretty similar to the fish and chips I used to get in good pubs/ chip shops in enlgand. The Brits agreed. It wasn’t the best we ever had (that was in cornwall). But it was pretty darn good! So maybe definitely cancel CRT and BOG (unless you’re really into princesses) and go to Epcot instead. FWIW I also liked Morimoto in disney springs and one of the restaurants at the grand Floridian that’s i forget the name of. Oh and the Mickey waffles from anywhere. Buuut that’s about it.

 

[lila]

I live in NYC and eat out almost always. I have rarely had a meal I thought was particularly good in Disney and view the food options as a negative / neutral and keep my expectations low, My parents have a house in the area so I have an annual pass and visit often - we almost always leave the park for meals although I have made it a point to try the on site restaurants at least once each. I’ve had slightly more positive experiences at the resort restaurants.

 

[NightStar]

Originally from NYC. I found the food to be not good at CRT and BOG. Atmosphere is great but the food left something to be desired. As long as you are going to the right restaraunts, the food will be good just do not expect Le Bernardin. It is no where near that level. Except for maybe V&A (I have never been). As long as you manage your expectations you will have a great time. My favorites are California Grill, Sanaa and Jiko's. The only pizza I will eat here is Via Napoli, I love it, it is not NY style, it is what you would get if you go to Italy.

 

[sethschroeder]

I mean there is a ton of food in New York that is underwhelming. Just saying being from NY doesn't mean you eat good food. As with every major city I am in (in NYC every month as example) I get some terrible suggestions from locals and some great suggestions from locals.

Yes some of the very best restaurants are in New York but that is like 1 in 1000 restaurants.

I think you will be fine though unless you have really high standards.

 

[KenHutch]

I love the musical "Damn Yankees"...whose got the pain when they do the mambo?

When I was a kid in the 70s, we'd drive from Chicago to St Pete Beach to see my Grandparents and see some rural areas...I was teasing you, I hope you know! I love all parts of our beautiful country and our citizens...so many traditions,culture, foods. We are all good people at heart who just want to be happy & healthy!

That being said, I do like Carolina style barbeque! I also love southern cooking! I make very amazing buttermilk biscuits and hummingbird cake for a Yankee! Lol...

Oh I was not bothered it just ,made me think back to boot camp. Our senior DI was an African American from Georgia and he made the joke that he could tell Southeners from goddamnyankees from how we treated our M-16's. People from the North would listen to him intently and take notes during Rifle Instruction. Southeners would just look bored. As one said to him the target is only 100 Yards away and not moving. How could we miss?

 

[moonshadow]

I’m originally from NY and I would say add Flying Fish as a great place to eat.