Where to eat?

[sfeisen]

We are spending one day in DL/CA Friday Nov. 18th.

I just read on a few trip reports that in general, most people are pretty disappointed with the food at the parks.

Any recommendations on favorite places to eat?

TIA,

Susan

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

My family just loves the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. Also, we very much enjoy the Blue Bayue next to Pirates of the Carribean. Those are the two restaurants we like to get to every time we visit Disneyland!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Dakota Lynn mentioned two of my favorites! Blue Bayou is better for lunch in my opinion, you can get the famous Monte Cristo sandwich. Those are both sit downs that need priority seatings to be made in advance. For counter service options here are my favorites:

In Disneyland:
Rancho del Zocalo. Great Mexican food, probably our favorite counter service place. I think they have bbq too, the menu has changed some, plus we just always order the Mexican. Very good nachos and taco salads.

Redd Rockets Pizza Port: Decent pizza, salads and this chicken pasta that is very good. Kind of noisy in there but a great place to grab a bite while you wait for your Space Mountain fastpass to come up since its right next to the ride!

French Market: Very nice atmosphere, fried chicken, jambalaya and bbq beef sandwiches to name a few. Sometimes (maybe weekends only) they play live jazz.

Riverbelle Terrace. For breakfast they have Mickey shaped pancakes, the rest of the day they have soup served in bread bowls and some other things that have all been tasty when we have eaten there which hasn't been in awhile.

In California Adventure:

We love Taste Pilots Grill. Great burgers, chicken sandwiches and ribs. That is almost always where we eat counter service at DCA unless we do the character meal at Ariel's Grotto.

I don't know why people don't like the food so much, to me it is way above the usual theme park selections. I also think the food at Disneyland is better than the food at Disneyworld but that may just be me and my family. Things are pricey and most places have HUGE portions that can be shared. So check out what other's are eating as you go in so you don't spend money that gets basically thrown away!

 

[cryssi]

Another vote for Blue Bayou! It's my favorite...

I tend to crave Disney corn dogs, but then again I'm weird...

I don't think I've ever been to BB for lunch, but I am a total sucker for the jerked pork chops with root beer apples at dinner...

 

[da disney fans]

Yet another Blue Bayou vote! The atmosphere is great and the food is delicious. And I'm having lunch there on Saturday! Woohooo!

A favorite of mine for breakfast is the Carnation Cafe (Main Street) -- Mickey Waffles here! And of course, I'm having breakfast there on Sunday.

My favorite snack place is the Tiki Juice Bar (Adventureland, near the Jungle Cruise) for the infamous Dole Whip. If you haven't had one.. you must!

 

[BlueBayou]

If you want counter service there is Bengal BBQ right across from Indiana Jones. I also like the bread bowl gumbo from the place underneath the Disney Gallery (I think it is called Royal Street Veranda).

Of course sit down is Blue Bayou (note my screen name). I also Rocket Rodds Pizza Port.

 

[CamColt]

As mentioned above Blue Bayou in DL is a must do. We were pleasantly surprised with the counter service at Pizza Ooo Mow Mow in CA.

Outside of the parks for table service we like Goofys Kitchen in the DLH for breakfast and I was very impressed with Napa Rose in the GC for dinner.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I like the places mentioned above. I also really like Storytellers Cafe located at the Grand Californian Hotel. You can get there from California Adventure.

For counter service, I also like Pacific Wharf. I think they have good Mex food for quick take-out, and the soup in bread bowls are really tasty.

 

[smilingmouse]

I ate at the Blue Bayou for the 1st time 2 days ago, and I'm now crsving another Monte!

 

[tinagirl]

Another vote Blue Bayou. Don't forget to get a ressie if you plan on dining here.

DL: Best Table Service: Blue Bayou.
DCA: Best Table Service: Ariels Grotto.
Hotels: Best Table Service: Storyteller's (Grand Californian)
Hotels: 2nd Best Table Service: Yamabuki (Pier Hotel).
DL: Best Buffeteria: I like lots of it, but am especially partial to French Market and the Plaza (used to like Zocalo, but hate the menu change.
DL: Best Counter Service: Stage Door. Fresh fried cheese sticks, YUM!
DCA: Best Counter Service: Taste Pilots.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Shhhhh, all this talk about the Blue Bayou is probably why we can never get PS's there...J/K

I prefer the food in DCA to DL overall--except for the candy shop in Critter Country--just LOVE the goodies in Pooh's Hunny Corner...awesome brownies, cookies and other snacks. The candy apples are incredible.

I like Pilot's Grill as well, and I love the food at the Grand Californian Hotel...Storyteller's Cafe, Napa Rose and even the Whitewater snacks have better than average tasting offerings for their price level.

I like the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney--both sit down restaurant and take out place next to it have really great food. Restaurant is pricey, though. I had the 15.00 banana's foster dessert for my birthday recently and it was incredibly good!

Honestly, I like the atmosphere in Rainforest Cafe but haven't found the food too good, by our standards. Just a personal thing, I guess. I also am not crazy about most of the counter service food in Disneyland, but I do like the Carnation Cafe and the hot popcorn served around the park.

I probably like the Bengal chicken skewers the best out of the CS options at DL.

 

[tarheel]

Last Friday my husband took the kids to Carnation Cafe on Main Street for dinner. I was holding down the bench for the fireworks. Anyway, he raved about it saying it was the best food he'd had at Disney. I think he had potato soup and a sandwich. He was able to walk right up and get a table right before the 7pm parade.

I will also vote for the chicken pasta from Pizza Port. My daughter and I shared and there was still some left. My son was not impressed with the pizza there though.

 

[stampinshauna]

In DCA there is the Tortilla Factory & Boudin Bakery. They have great soup in sourdough bread bowls at the counter service restaurant right there. It was like $8 each.

 

[pppiglet]

Blue Bayou and Hungry Bear at DL, Jazz Kitchen and Rainforest at DTD, and we like pretty much everything at DCA. Especially the corn dogs and cheesesticks. Also you have to get the triple chocolate brownies from Poohs corner or at Marcellines in DTD. We bring those home and put them in the microwave for 30sec and they are to die for!

 

[lou7401]

Don't know why some people think that the food at DL is so bad - seem to be about the same as WDW to me. I really enjoyed my breakfast at the Carnation Cafe, we had lunch at the Blue Bayou which was really good and what an atmosphere! Dinner was at Redd Rockets Pizza Port - which was great too- I had some really yummy pasta. The next day we had lunch at Ariel's Grotto at CA and dinner at Taste Pilot's Grill - both were great, especially Ariel's.