Good Morning Restaurant Board! I just returned from 6 days/5 nights of bliss at WDW. We were on the Disney Dining Plan and took full advantage of all of our credits. I am going to post our dining reviews for the following restaurants:
San Angel Inn (Lunch)
Alfredos (Dinner)
Chef Mickeys (Breakfast)
California Grill (Dinner)
Tonys Restaurant (Dinner)
Coral Reef (Lunch)
Sci-Fi Dine In (Dinner)
Cinderellas Royal Table (Lunch)
As indicated, I am a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) and my DBF is a full on meat and potatoes carnivore, so you will be getting two very different opinions to help you make your decisions. I will be rating these restaurants on Service, Food, Value, and Atmosphere.
5 = Top Notch Highly Recommended, would make a point to eat here again
4 = Great would eat here again in it fit in my schedule
3 = Good but not exceptional may eat here again if we had extra time
2 = Poor would probably not eat here again
1 = Dismal would NEVER eat here again!
Please let me know if you have any questions!
OK then, lets get started!
San Angel Inn:
My DBF REALLY wanted to eat here as he LOVES Mexican Food. I was wary due to the bad reviews I had read on this board, so we compromised. Instead of eating a full meal here, we paid OOP and had a light lunch before our dinner at Alfredos. We checked in 5 minutes before our ADR and requested a table by the water. We waiting about 20 minutes until our table was ready, but that was fine as we had a special request! The table and the view were both WONDERFUL! The water and chips and salsa were brought the table in a timely manner and they were very good. Nice, warm chips with slightly spicy salsa. We both really liked them! Our waitress was very efficient and took our order as soon as we were both ready. We each had iced teas and split the Nachos de Pollo (with no chorizo and the chicken on the side). The iced teas were pre-sweetened and had a very odd, syrupy taste. I was not a fan, but DBF liked it enough to drink it. If you like regular iced tea, stay away from the tea at SAI. The Nachos de Pollo were SOOO good. I think they were the best Nachos I have every eaten. We cleaned our plate. Our server was very efficient with refills and made sure we were happy with our meal. We paid using our room charge was went on our way. We left the waitress a 20+% tip as she was very personable and efficient!
This is one of my all time favorite restaurants and is a must do every time I am at WDW. Though service can be spotty, I LOVE the fettuccini alfredo SO much it more than makes up for the sometimes less than stellar service.
We checked in at the podium about 10 minutes before our ADR and the place was CROWDED ,,,, most likely due to the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package. We only had to wait about 15 minutes, so it wasnt as bad as we thought it would be! We sat in the main room, along the back wall. Our drink orders were taken very quickly and we were ready to order when the drinks were brought to our table. We each ordered and iced tea, caesar salad for our appetizer, and fettuccini alfredo four our entrée. For dessert he had the panna cotta custard and I had the chocolate cake.
The salads were very crisp and fresh, the perfect accompaniment to the rich, creamy, and delicious fettuccini alfredo that came afterwards. We both left a lot of our entrée as the sauce is SOOOO thick and gooey. DBF did not like the texture of his panna cotta (he said it felt like uncooked tofu in his mouth) and left most of it on the plate. My chocolate cake was good and moist not the best dessert of the trip but definitely good! Our server was very nice, but he seemed spread very thin. He forgot to bring bread and we had empty plates left quite often. Again, he was not bad, just not stellar. The accordion player was out in full force and we had a napkin-twirling good time! We left full and energized!
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Food:
Value: N/A we used two DDP TS Credits
Atmosphere:
Thank you for the great reviews so far! Also Pandie is adorable!!!I had to visit her website!!! What you are doing with her means sooo much to the children and the families!!! When my daughter was in the hospital I always looked forward to seeing the therapy dogs! They were a great distraction!!! Once she was awake, she loved them also!!!!
Thanks momofdbsdc.....I am glad you are enjoying the reviews as well as Pandies Pictures. The kids get a real kick out of seeing their own pictures on Pandies website! She goes about once a week to the hospital and usually visits the hematology/oncology units (where a lot of the children have LONG hospital stay) so she gets to know a lot of the kids really well!
Alright back to the reviews!
Chef Mickeys:
I have eaten at Chef Mickeys for breakfast several times and it never disappoints! DBF is not a big breakfast fan, so this the only large breakfast we had the entire trip! We checked in about 5 minutes prior to out ADR and had our picture taken. We were then seated immediately. Our server greeted us and brought us out our drinks (We both had hot cocoa and orange juice), she was extremely friendly!
The characters that were at breakfast were Minnie, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy (Pluto was sick that day). I was a little disappointed that Chip and Dale were no longer there, and the server said it was a permanent change! Oh well! The characters started coming immediately and we saw all of them in a row without being able to get any food in between! I think that is kind of a bad design, especially for kids, but we just waited patiently until we had see them all. We had the best character interaction with Minnie and Donald, but we took pictures with all 4 characters. DBF has never been to a character meal and he REALLY liked meeting the characters and taking pictures!
We then hit up the food, which was excellent. My favorites were the Mickey Waffles and Minnies Breakfast Pizza (peanut butter, jelly, marshmallows, and chocolate chips .soooooo good!). DBF really enjoyed the Plutos Corned Beef Hash and Minnies Breakfast Pizza. The only thing I didnt like was Goofys Breakfast Lasagna, which I felt was just too oniony for 8 in the morning. Refills were done consistently and the napkin twirling celebration occurred twice while we were dining. It really got us in the mood for MK that day!
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Value: N/A we used two DDP TS credits
Atmosphere:
This is another restaurant that I have eaten at many times and have always had great experiences! This dinner was to celebrate our 4 year anniversary, which was about 1 week earlier. By choice, we thought it would be neat to get completely dressed to the 9s even though it isnt really required! We checked in at 7:40pm for our 8:00pm ADR. The check in was on the 2nd floor and I told the man at the front that we were celebrating 4 years together, and it would be GREAT if we could get a window seat. He told me that it wasnt likely but he would try. He gave me the pager and told me to wait upstairs and we would be seated in about a half an hour after our ADR which would be a 50 minute wait. I thought I misunderstood him so I asked are we being seated at 8:30 so we can get a window seat? He said that we would probably not get a window seat but that the 8:30 seating was for a regular table.
I was a little bummed out but we went upstairs and hung out on the observation decks, just talking and taking in the scenery it is beautiful up there! Within 10 minutes of being upstairs, our buzzer buzzed and we went inside. They had given us the BEST table right by the window facing Cinderella Castle, plus the table was decorated with streamers and Mickey-shaped confetti! I was THRILLED to say the least. Our server came and asked us what we wanted to drink. I had wanted a Bellini but they do not make them. He said he would bring over a couple of different sweeter wines for me to taste. The Riesling he brought over (I dont remember the name, and I am very upset that I forgot it) was excellent, and DBF went with a white zinfandel.
For an appetizer, I had the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli; DBF had the Salad of Endive and Mache. As an entrée I had the Potato Gnocchi and DBF had the Oak-Fired Filet of Beef. For dessert, I chose the Raspberries, Chocolate, Raspberries (I modified to have no raspberry sauce and the cider spiced ice cream instead of the raspberry ice cream), and DBF has the Banana and Butterscotch Buzz. Everything was truly wonderful. My appetizer was the best thing I had eaten all week and I wished they made it entrée sized. The gnocchi was great as well, but not quite as good as the appetizer. My dessert was tied for the best dessert DBF of I had all week! DBF enjoyed his salad, but claimed that his filet was one of the top 3 steaks he had eaten in his life .and that is saying something considering how much he likes steak! He also really enjoyed his dessert. Overall, the best meal of the trip!
Service was stellar our server was intuitive, quick, and timed everything just right! Of course, the fireworks were breathtaking but we had an added bonus ..about 10 minutes before the fireworks went off, we were told to go out to the rear observation deck as the space shuttle was going to launch! It was such an amazing sight to behold! After the fireworks, we were able to see the fireworks from Epcot and the Electric Water Parade off of the 7 seas lagoon! That night was Disney Magic at its best. The total, including tax and tip (we tipped over 20%) was about $160. However, the night was well worth it to both me and DBF!
Awesome!!! Keep them coming! Your experience at the Califonia Grill sounds like it was magical!!! Fire works , space shuttle and Mickey Confetti!!! How can you top that!
Tonys was not one of our top choices based on reviews and the menu. However, we needed a TS restaurant in MK, and the LTT dinner menu was definitely not to my liking and we already had 2 character meals booked. We decided to give it a try, as I have eaten here before and it was pretty good. We checked in right at our ADR time and were seated within 5 minutes. We had a nice table in the back of the restaurant. Our server came by very quickly to take our drink order and was back with our iced teas very quickly.
We both ordered the Spinach and Artichoke Dip for our appetizer. For our main course, I had the Eggplant Rotini and DBF had the Chicken Florentine. I had the Ice Cream Bomb for dessert, while DBF chose the Lemon Walnut Layer Cake. We both thought the S/A Dip was good, but not the best we have eaten (we LOVE spinach artichoke dips!). DBF did not really care for his Chicken Florentine. He said it was palatable but he just thought the flavor was bit too strong for his liking. My Eggplant Rotini was excellent. It was basically spaghetti with marinara sauce, cheeses, and eggplant; but the flavor was just so good and the pasta was very tender. DBF ended up having quite a bit of mine as he liked it much better than his entrée. Both of our desserts were very very tasty in different ways and we cleaned our dessert plates!
Service was good, but a little bit rushed for our liking. The entrees came out way before we were done with our appetizers, but it was not a big deal to us. Our server always had our teas refilled, which is very important to me as I drink a lot of fluids with meals. Toward the end of our entrée, we decided to take a picture, imitating the classic sharing the spaghetti noodle scene from lady and the tramp. After our server took our picture (which turned out super cute as he placed us so the silhouette of Lady and the Tramp at Tonys was right behind us) he really embarrassed us by announcing what we were doing to the whole restaurant and making them sing part of Bella Notta! It was actually really fun and cute, and it made DBF blush! Overall it was a good meal, but not one of our top for the trip. However, I would still recommend it as it is a very fun location!
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Value: N/A we used two TS credits
Atmosphere:
Coral Reef is another restaurant that I just adore, and I was so excited to see that it had changed from 2-1 TS credits per person. Of course I HAD to go there even though neither DBF of I are big seafood lovers but the atmosphere is amazing! I am going to try and be VERY specific as it seems that reviews for this restaurant are truly all over the place! Please let me know if you would like any clarification!
We checked in about 10 minutes before our ADR and were seated immediately at a front of the tank. DBF was in complete awe the moment he stepped inside! Our server came by to take our drink order and brought them back so quickly, we werent even ready to order yet .I liked this server already! For my appetizer, I chose the Mixed Greens Salad with blue cheese dressing and DBF had the Braised BBQ Beef with Polenta. I decided on the Vegetable Strudel for my main course and DBF had the Grilled New York Strip Steak. As for dessert, I opted for the Chocolate Wave while DBF had the Butterscotch Brulee. My salad was just OK for a salad, and the blue cheese dressing was a touch overpowering. I didnt really eat too much of it, s I new I had a lot of (hopefully) better food coming. DBF LOVED his Braised BBQ Beef so much I thought he might lick the plate clean. Our entrees proved just the opposite. My Vegetable Strudel was one of the best vegetarian options I have ever eaten on property! However, DBF was very unimpressed with the steak. He felt that the cut of meat was not very high quality .and the meat was very fatty. He only ate about ½ of it, but he did love the potatoes au gratin. Both desserts were very good, but the chocolate wave was tied with the CG chocolate cake as the best dessert either of us had for the whole trip. The Brulee did not have enough of a butterscotch flavor, but it tasted great all the same.
Service was great (we had good luck with servers this trip) and our dirty plates were never left of the table long, or our tea glasses ever left empty. The inside of this restaurant is so unbelievably stunning, and the restaurant has such a peaceful feel. I am always shocked when I read comments that the restaurant is loud or too dark and gloomy. I think Coral Reef is actually one of the quieter park restaurants and has the MOST beautiful setting of any park restaurant! Overall, we both had an awesome experience and will definitely be back next time.
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Value: N/A we used two DDP TS credits
Atmosphere:
I'm loving your reviews! Thanks so much for the detail. You make me want to try Coral Reef again. We haven't been in many years, but now I really want to go!
That's sounds cute how you recreated the spaghetti scene from Lady & the Tramp .
Glad you enjoyed Coral Reef. We ate there when it was 2 TS credits and enjoyed it very much. We are eating there again in Feb. for DD's b-day because she likes the atmosphere of the restuarant.
This is another one of those restaurants that gets very mixed reviews on the board, but I really like it. The food isnt fancy but what they do, they do well. Also thoroughly enjoy the car hop/drive-in theme and think it is really well done! DBF was not really interested in eating at a regular burger place like something we could have at home but I convinced him that it was not just a regular burger place, so he acquiesced!
We checked in right at our ADR time and I requested the front of a car. We were told to take a seat and they would call us when our table was ready. We waited about 10 minutes and were taken to the very back of one of those 3 row cars. I politely told the girl who sat us that we requested the front, she apologized and said that it wasnt written on her paper. There were about 5 completely empty cars, so I am not sure why she couldnt take us t one of those, but we waited another 5 minutes and were seated at the front of a great light pink car! I was thrilled and did not mind waiting, as we ended up with a great seat!
Our server came over and told us we could get shakes but not flavored sodas with the DDP (which seems odd to me, and was a bummer as I was craving a good vanilla Coke not the servers fault, though). We each ordered an Oreo Milkshake and a regular water. When she returned (it took a while as she made the shakes herself) we ordered. We both got the spinach artichoke dip to start, I made a special request for a veggie burger with cheese and onion rings for my entrée (the new veggie option is seared tofu, which I do NOT like!), while DBF opted for the steak. For dessert I had the Chocolate Tart and DBF had the Apple Crisp. The Spinach Artichoke Dip was the clear winner for best s/a dip either of us had ever had. Wow, is all I can say. It has regular dip covered with a thick cheesy crust which was amazing. I ate my whole thing and was full by the time our entrees came. The veggie burger was fine, nothing special but nothing bad. They gave me fries instead of onion rings, but I was SO full I didnt really care. Our server was super nice and brought be more, which I gave to the folks hitchhiking behind me since I was so full! DBF liked his steak just fine, he said there was nothing that stood out (either good or bad) about it. Dessert was good for me, nothing to write home about, but DBFs apple tart was great to him one of the better desserts he ordered all week!
We both thought it was fun and romantic to be sitting in a drive in and I was happy that they added some new clips to the loop, so we only saw two or three clips twice....not bad at all! We will return!
Service: and 1/2
Food:
Value: N/A we used two DDP TS credits
Atmosphere:
Last one coming up soon lunch at Cinderellas Royal Table!
Most helpful posts I've read since joining the board. I had cancelled Coral Reef reservations due to the negative posts here. Now I'm wondering if we should reconsider.
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= Top Notch
Highly Recommended, would make a point to eat here again
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