-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Garden Grill dinner .. opinions and timing?
- Thread starter Jess G
- Start date
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
If you have kids it is a good character meal for them. We ate there in May for lunch (same menue for dinner) the food was IMO average for the price. ADR @ 7 you should have plenty of time to make the illuminations @ 9
We don't have kids. Do you think its a bad option for 2 adults?
NYwdwfan
Well-Known Member
Paging @JenniferS
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
This is just my opinion. DW and I ate for lunch on the spur of the moment not realizing it was a character meal. The bill came to $114.00 with tip for lunch. For the price both my wife and I thought the food was just average. We ate at the Rain Forest Cafe and the Coral Reef Resturant also for about the same price and the food was much better (order off menu) Garden Grill you can't . Look at the menu, looks the same as when we were there in May pot roast, turkey, mac and cheese, mashed potatos, sasuage and peppers and onions IMO nothing special. We would not eat there again but some people love it just not us. Hope this helps
Last edited:
JenniferS
When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
We were just there in September. Two adults, no kids. Our ADR was for 7:00, and we most certainly would have been out in time for a less than prime viewing location of IllumiNations, but chose to do Soarin’ instead.
This was in the days leading up to Irma, so the restaurant was not busy. Service was very quick, and due to the scarcity of patrons, the characters had plenty of time to linger. We took our time, and could certainly have been done 15 minutes earlier if we had tried.
We really enjoyed the food. Everything was hot and fresh, and it was a great use of a DDP credit.
It is definitely on our list for next year again, as it was just below ‘Ohana for our favourite non-Signature meal.
This was in the days leading up to Irma, so the restaurant was not busy. Service was very quick, and due to the scarcity of patrons, the characters had plenty of time to linger. We took our time, and could certainly have been done 15 minutes earlier if we had tried.
We really enjoyed the food. Everything was hot and fresh, and it was a great use of a DDP credit.
It is definitely on our list for next year again, as it was just below ‘Ohana for our favourite non-Signature meal.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
I enjoy Garden Grill - most of the time. It is a very "safe" all you care to enjoy family style restaruant. By safe, I mean there is something on the menu for most people, even the picky people, to enjoy. By most of the time, I mean that most of the time the food is good (good, not great) but sometimes they really seem to have a bad night.
When their flank steak is done right, it is excellent. I make it myself (the marinade is in the receipe thread in this section)./ I also use the marinade for Londo Broils if I am feeling on the cheap side (Flank steak and hanger steak have both been steadly rising in price over the last few years). When they are having an off night, then everythign just seems bland and overcooked. I see the above post mentions pot roast. I havent eaten at GG in about 2 or 3 years or so. Did they switch to pot roast? If so, I may reconsider my opinion on recommending it (unless you love pot roast)
Most of their food is very simply prepared. That dies not mean it is bad, it is just straightfoward food. It's how I normally cook on weeknights at home (and how I serve it too).
If character interaction is your bag, then GG does not disappoint. They seem to have a LOT of time to spend at each table, and seem to be more nteractive than at many other places.
If you eat at 7:00, and maybe show up a little before 7:00, say 6:45 PM, you should have no problem getting to see Illuminations. However, you will most likely NOT get a good spot. Not sure if you have seen Illuminations before, but I have seen it so many times I no longer try to get a good spot. I like to stand back by the path back to FW, so I can book it out of there and beat the crowds. You coild definately do that with at 7:00 reservation.
-dave
When their flank steak is done right, it is excellent. I make it myself (the marinade is in the receipe thread in this section)./ I also use the marinade for Londo Broils if I am feeling on the cheap side (Flank steak and hanger steak have both been steadly rising in price over the last few years). When they are having an off night, then everythign just seems bland and overcooked. I see the above post mentions pot roast. I havent eaten at GG in about 2 or 3 years or so. Did they switch to pot roast? If so, I may reconsider my opinion on recommending it (unless you love pot roast)
Most of their food is very simply prepared. That dies not mean it is bad, it is just straightfoward food. It's how I normally cook on weeknights at home (and how I serve it too).
If character interaction is your bag, then GG does not disappoint. They seem to have a LOT of time to spend at each table, and seem to be more nteractive than at many other places.
If you eat at 7:00, and maybe show up a little before 7:00, say 6:45 PM, you should have no problem getting to see Illuminations. However, you will most likely NOT get a good spot. Not sure if you have seen Illuminations before, but I have seen it so many times I no longer try to get a good spot. I like to stand back by the path back to FW, so I can book it out of there and beat the crowds. You coild definately do that with at 7:00 reservation.
-dave
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
No flank steak in May 2017 pot roast, looked @ current menu today still pot roast personally I found it to be fatty not like mom made
carriebeth
Well-Known Member
I find that allowing and hour and a half for table service meals seems to be pretty much spot on for us. Sometimes we are done a little quicker but i allow an hour and a half and it always works out well. Now we have a lot of kids in tow, many smaller children so it might take us a little longer.
We liked the food at Garden Grill. Its sort of a classic homestyle type meal. However, if it were me and I had no children with me, I would choose somewhere else in Epcot to eat THere are so many choices and so many great spots to try different type of foods.
We liked the food at Garden Grill. Its sort of a classic homestyle type meal. However, if it were me and I had no children with me, I would choose somewhere else in Epcot to eat THere are so many choices and so many great spots to try different type of foods.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
I find garden grill to be a little quicker, because there is no ordering per se. You sit down, and they bring the food. It comes our faster, because they are not cooking individual meals and everyone is getting the same thing.
-dave
It is very basic, and does not represent good value for money.How do you all like Garden grill for dinner? We've never been there before. I have a 7pm ADR and illuminations is @ 9 that night... do you think I'm clear to see the show?
TIA
Outside of the character component, you can do better at nearly any other Epcot table service restaurant.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Ugh, then pass.
Frst the fish changed, and now the steak is gone.
I mean I like pot roast and all (made one last week actualy) but not at those prices.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Evening strolling along World Showcase is one of our favorite times at Epcot, (except during Food and Wine) and we don't like to waste that time with a long, sit down meal. I can go out to eat any time. Can't stroll around Epcot enjoying the best part of the day any other time except when we are there.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Just my opinion, but Epcot has so many unique dining choices -- and I've read dozens of reviews of them all, whether I've visited or not -- that the idea of going somewhere and spending $50 a head to eat turkey and green beans and see the back-side of Living With the Land (even if my beloved Chip 'n Dale are there) has always left me cold. We can get similar food (for far less money, and with better ambiance) at Liberty Tree Tavern or even 50's PrimeTime, if we're in the mood for pot roast or mac 'n cheese.
Last edited: