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DLR Restaurant / Food Thread

CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Figured based on recent discussions I've seen about food quality changes it would be good to have a general thread on Restaraunts and food in the park.

In addition to post pandemic changes there have been many changes made in Summer 2022.

I was at Disneyland last month and before going went on Yelp / Trip Advisor and sorted by recent reviews. I strongly advise anyone to do this even if you've been to the park in the past.

Some changes I've noticed in the few times I've been post pandemic as well as the recent reviews are:

Smaller Portions
Menu Changes
Lack of Bread at Table Service

Blue Bayou:
-Blue Bayou in particular seems to have taken a turn for the worse since it reopened after a refurbishment in August 2022. For example, the "Surf and Turf" is now just "Turf" with the lobster tail removed so is just a very small streak, instead of Mashed Potatoes there's only a vegetable side.
-Reports that they play pop music instead of jazz music
-Super bright in there now (used to always be dark to the point that menus had built in lights)
-The reviews are abysmal now ever since the reopening.
-A poster on here showed they were served raw chicken

Carnation Cafe:
-The Chicken Fried Chicken is now 1/3 the size it used to be. This is all over Yelp / TripAdvisor and isn't isolated cases.

Cafe Orleans:
-Pomme Frites are now Steak Fries instead of Shoe String Fries
-The Monte Cristo is half the size it used to be

Stage Door Cafe:
-Chicken Breast Nuggets now different and worse, most likely from a different supplier
 
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mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Wow I have no Desire to go to Blue Bayou until I hear things get better. I had been wanting to go too as it’s been a while. I heard recently they removed the lobster tail from the surf n turf (and probably charge the same price) but the mashed potato’s too? I mean I don’t even remember the mashed potato’s when I ate the surf n turf years ago. I’m sure they were fine but this is just greed. So filet mignon and steamed vegetables?
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
mickEblu said:
Wow I have no Desire to go to Blue Bayou until I hear things get better. I had been wanting to go too as it’s been a while. I heard recently they removed the lobster tail from the surf n turf (and probably charge the same price) but the mashed potato’s too? I mean I don’t even remember the mashed potato’s when I ate the surf n turf years ago. I’m sure they were fine but this is just greed. So filet mignon and steamed vegetables?
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We actually went to Blue Bayou in April 2021 and besides lack of bread, it was great and they did have the Surf and Turf.

Worse about the new "Filet Mignon" from reviews I've read is it's still the same petite Filet Mignon but without the Lobster tail.

Based on the raw chicken picture someone posted who knows if they can even cook a steak still anyways.

Has anyone been to Carthay Circle in recent months? Curious if they also declined.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Seems like all of these issues hit the table service restaurants worse. With that said I did have an excellent patty melt at Carnation recently.

As far as the places I frequent, food at Plaza Inn’s food is more or less the same portions and quality it’s always been. The chicken pieces might be a little smaller and it may not be quite as good as before but I’m not 100% sure.

The corn dog I had from Red Wagon recently was barely warm and the breading was stale. I returned it.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
We actually went to Blue Bayou in April 2021 and besides lack of bread, it was great and they did have the Surf and Turf.

Worse about the new "Filet Mignon" from reviews I've read is it's still the same petite Filet Mignon but without the Lobster tail.

Based on the raw chicken picture someone posted who knows if they can even cook a steak still anyways.

Has anyone been to Carthay Circle in recent months? Curious if they also declined.
Click to expand...

Ahh that’s too bad. We were planning on going for a date night/ V Day thing in February but it didn’t work out. Wonder if it was still good earlier this year.
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
mickEblu said:
Seems like all of these issues hit the table service restaurants worse. With that said I did have an excellent patty melt at Carnation recently.

As far as the places I frequent, food at Plaza Inn’s food is more or less the same portions and quality it’s always been. The chicken pieces might be a little smaller and it may not be quite as good as before but I’m not 100% sure.

The corn dog I had from Red Wagon recently was barely warm and the breading was stale. I returned it.
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That's awesome to hear about Plaza Inn. When we went there last month we also went to Plaza Inn and it was the best its been for us (and portions seemed the same to us).

For once the chicken wasn't dry. In the many years I've been going this is the only time I've been served chicken that didnt have the dryness and taste of cafeteria food.

I guess these declines are entree dependent. Totally check out recent reviews for any restaurant you want to go to and see what to avoid. For Carnation I usually get chicken fried chicken and my wife gets pasta, but the pasta was gone and the pictures/negative reviews about the abysmal size of the chicken made us not go there.

We did also get the "Hungry Bear Dining Package" which were the worst meals I've had in DLR period. I wouldve gladly taken a burnt Hungry Bear dry burger on their cardboard bread and their sand fries over these prepackaged meals any day.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
That's awesome to hear about Plaza Inn. When we went there last month we also went to Plaza Inn and it was the best its been for us (and portions seemed the same to us).

For once the chicken wasn't dry. In the many years I've been going this is the only time I've been served chicken that didnt have the dryness and taste of cafeteria food.
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Interesting. Maybe my taste buds get dulled by the charm of the Plaza Inn. Maybe my expectations go down when I’m eating in a Disney park or I just really like fried chicken in all forms. But I’ve taken many family members through the years and I’ve gotten some similar reactions to yours from about 3-4 people. They didn’t particularly say it’s dry. They just didn’t care for it. And all these people enjoy fried chicken.

There have been a few times where it’s not as good as usual but I’d say more often than not throughout the years it’s been good for me.
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
mickEblu said:
Interesting. Maybe my taste buds get dulled by the charm of the Plaza Inn. Maybe my expectations go down when I’m eating in a Disney park or I just really like fried chicken in all forms. But I’ve taken many family members through the years and I’ve gotten some similar reactions to yours from about 3-4 people. They didn’t particularly say it’s dry. They just didn’t care for it. And all these people enjoy fried chicken.

There have been a few times where it’s not as good as usual but I’d say more often than not throughout the years it’s been good for me.
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I was pleasantly surprised, it was pretty good this time. I wonder if I've just had bad luck the numerous other times I've been.

I hear people online call it "the best fried chicken ever" sometimes which to me is over the top. But that being said, if it is consistently as good as my last visit I will have to go there again.
 
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mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
I was presently surprised, it was pretty good this time. I wonder if I've just had bad luck the numerous other times I've been.

I hear people online call it "the best fried chicken ever" sometimes which to me is over the top. But that being said, if it is consistently as good as my last visit I will have to go there again.
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“Best fried chicken ever” is way over the top. It’s good fried chicken and it’s in Disneyland at my favorite place to eat at the park. I get the old school cafeteria feels. I like the Victorian theming and love eating outside under the umbrellas. I can’t think of a more “Disneyland” place to eat.
 
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mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Also just in case the sourdough bread goes away soon for San Fransokyo I recommend you try the Turkey leg sandwiches I’ve been talking about. So Good.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
Good to hear Flo's is still good. I've never felt the fried chicken was any good at Disneyland. It was ok the last time I had it. Maybe a slight step up from KFC but still felt institutionalized.

Knott's fried chicken is still far superior.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Phroobar said:
Good to hear Flo's is still good. I've never felt the fried chicken was any good at Disneyland. It was ok the last time I had it. Maybe a slight step up from KFC but still felt institutionalized.

Knott's fried chicken is still far superior.
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I have to try the Knotts chicken one of these days. Well, I guess I should go to Knotts first. It’s been 18 years.
 
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Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
mickEblu said:
I have to try the Knotts chicken one of these days. Well, I guess I should go to Knotts first. It’s been 18 years.
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You could always go to the Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant outside the park or even get it to To-Go over the counter.

Inside the park, it is mostly rotisserie chicken instead of fried. I think Ghost Town Grub has fried.


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truecoat

truecoat

Well-Known Member
Phroobar said:
Good to hear Flo's is still good. I've never felt the fried chicken was any good at Disneyland. It was ok the last time I had it. Maybe a slight step up from KFC but still felt institutionalized.

Knott's fried chicken is still far superior.
Click to expand...

KFC is bottom of the barrel. DL chicken is much better than that.
 

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