My votes are;
Disneyland
The Blue Bayou - Enough said. Those that don't already know about this 1967 gem belong at Six Flags.
Cafe Orleans - A pleasant, casual table service restaurant with the Bayou's Monte Cristo.
Plaza Inn - Pretty good food, and a great patio to dine on.
DCA
Wine Country Trattoria - The DCA version of Cafe Orleans, but with modern California wine country bistro fare.
Grand Californian Hotel
The Napa Rose - The best restaurant in the Disney empire, at least in North America. Simply fabulous food and presentation. Decent view of Grizzly Peak.
Storytellers Cafe - A pleasant coffee shop type place, but with great California food and good Disney service.
Disneyland Hotel
Steakhouse 55 - Not quite as good as Ruth's Chris or Morton's, but a decent copy of those famous steakhouses. The decor is very chic, and the 1940's/50's pictures of Walt dining with movie stars is a nice touch.
Paradise Pier Hotel
Yamabuki - Surprisingly good Japanese fare. Sushi is very well prepared. Hip & stylish dining room. Service is very gracious. A secret and quiet locale' is nice too.
DTD
Catal - Best food and service in Downtown Disney. California/Continental cuisine.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen - Good food, great jazz, but sometimes spotty service.
ESPNZone - Surprisingly good American comfort food with good service in both their restaurants in the complex. A must for sports fans.
Places to avoid at all costs
Tortilla Jo's at DTD. Bad food, bad service, shut down for several days recently by the County for kitchen violations. Stay away.
Rainforest Cafe at DTD. Available in any big mall in America. Loud, obnoxious atmosphere. Poor service. Food only an 8 year old could love.
Naples Ristorante at DTD. Mediocre food with truly sloppy, unpolished service. Only clueless tourists eat there.
Ariel's Grotto at DCA. Crummy theme park food, surprisingly poor service, and a loud obnoxious atmosphere where you are rushed in and then rushed back out. Unless you are a seven year old girl crazy about mermaids, stay far away.
For Napa Rose, Blue Bayou, Catal, and Ralph Brennan's, you need to get on the phone to Disneyland Dining immediately and see if there are still reservations left.
(714) 781-DINE.
Remember, Disneyland sits in the middle of one of the largest cities on the planet, and there are 20 million other SoCal'ers who also use DTD and Disneyland as their hangout. The good restaurants book out weeks in advance, especially Blue Bayou and Napa Rose. Good luck.
") lunch.
