Hello everyone, I'm fairly new here so I thought I would go ahead and contribute by adding my personal reviews of the 7 restaurants (Table Service dining only) I've visited during my last trip in the World (May 16th to May 23rd 2009). If you have any further questions about these restaurants, please feel free to ask. Hopefully, these reviews will enlighten you when it comes time to pick a restaurant, wether you make ADR's or decide on-site (which I wouldn't advise if you want a pleasant dining experience, with merely no seating wait times)!
Here are my criterias
Atmosphere : Decor, ambiance, theming, overall feel to the place
Food Quality : Texture, taste, smell, presentation (know that i've tasted both my meal and my girlfriend's meal )
Service : Presentation, wait time (know that I had 7 reservations to each restaurants), speed, questions answered, drinks, helpfulness
Portions (replaced by Variety for buffets) : Size of the meal (this is a very subjective criteria, but know that I'm a big eater, and I usually enjoy large portions)
Price : Even if I was on the dining plan, I took a good look at every menus and prices to see what I would be paying normally. This criteria will relate to the price, in concordance with the criterias above. Higher rating here doesn't mean higher prices, but rather the opposite. Along with an evaluation of price/quality ratio.
Overall rating : An average of all 5 ratings
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes/No
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Nine Dragons Restaurant (Epcot - China Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
The decor is very nice along with a great attention to details. I've actually been to China, and this restaurant does have an authentic feeling to it. This only reason I'm not giving it a 5, is because it was very overcrowded, and also very loud in the restaurant, and it kind of ruined the overall atmosphere. The ambiance however was quite cheerful, everyone in the staff seemed to be having a good time.
Food Quality : 4/5
I had the Steak and Shrimp, my girlfriend had the General Tao Chicken. We both had the "Table d'Hôte" which included (along with the main course), a soup, and one appetizer. I have to say, I wasn't expecting much from this restaurant, but I was quite surprised. The appetizers we're incredible and also plentiful. I had sweet and sour soup, along with pork dim-sums. The food quality is beyond good, and it all smelled pretty delicious. Just being in there looking at other people's plate made me hungry. I can't say it was authentic Chinese taste from actual China, but I would say it's very high quality Americanized Chinese food (which I actually enjoy more than real Chinese food).
Service : 5/5
Wow, that's pretty much what I can say about the service. Our server was just great. He gave us a short course on how to use Chinese chopsticks. He answered every single questions we had about the menu, and he really helped us in our choice.Even thought our server had a strong Chinese accent, he really made an effort for us to understand everything he said, and he was very patient with us.All the staff we came in contact with was very friendly and cheerful. We didn't even wait a single second to be seated, even thought the place was crowded. The speed at which the drinks came was pretty amazing, even thought the restaurant was jam-packed. Our meals also came pretty rapidly considering how many orders must have been coming in. I really can't say anything negative about the overall service, it was a really great experience on that part.
Portions : 5/5
Another wow here, the portions we're very big. At first we thought the "Table d'Hôte" wasn't included in the Dining Plan, but after talking with our server, we found out we could order the whole deal. The soup and the appetizers we're bigger than what you would expect. The main course was also plentyfull, especially the General Tao Chicken, which had at least 25 pieces of chicken. My girlfriend didn't order any dessert because she was already full. Considering the quality and price factors, I can safely say that the portions we're really amazing at this restaurant. We litteraly rolled out of the restaurant because we we're so full.
Price : 4/5
Overall, we would have paid about 70$ for our whole meal for two (soup, appetizer, main course, dessert, drinks). I would say this is a very decent price, considering the portions we're amazing, and the food quality was great. I would definitely pay that out of pocket, have I not had been on the Disney dining plan.
Overall rating : 4,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing portions
+ Super friendly service
+ Great authentic Chinese theming
+ Well priced for such quality and portions
- Can get very noisy and crowded
- Service tends to be a bit too fast for some people
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone, wether you are already in Epcot that day, or not.
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Tony's Town Square Restaurant (Magic Kingdom - Main Street U.S.A.)
Atmosphere : 3/5
If you want a good themed dining experience, this is not the place to go. This restaurant looks like a regular home-town classic Italian/American restaurant, with a Lady and the Tramp fountain in the middle. For a Disney theme park restaurant, the atmosphere is quite average. The outdoor doesn't look like much either, at first we weren't even sure where to enter. When sitting inside, it sort of feels like a big cafeteria.
Food Quality : 5/5
I had the garlic shrimp and pasta combo, my girlfriend had the vegetarian lasagna. The food quality was great, everything was very flavorful, and the presentation was well orchestrated. The menu offered plenty of variety for an Italian restaurant. For desert, we both had the Tiramisu, which was quite awesome. Everything was quite appetizing. In this restaurant, it's all about your typical Olive Garden styled Americanized Italian food, with a touch of Disney quality added to the whole ordeal. However, we came out very pleased with the overall quality of the food.
Service : 3/5
The quality of service at this restaurant was a slight bit above average. Our server was doing his job, but nothing much more. He was very cheerful and charismatic, but he never tried to go the extra mile to make our dining experience special. The speed of service however was very good. We didn't wait to be seated, and we got served very quickly. If you want to make the max of your park visit, you should try this restaurant, because if you want, you can be done and out within 30 minutes, and still have enjoyed a great meal.
Portions : 4/5
The portions we're great. My meal came with 9 big shrimps and a great deal of linguini pastas. My girlfriend's vegetarian lasagna was also pretty huge, she had a hard time finishing it. The deserts we're also well proportioned to the rest of the meal, we came out feeling filled up for the rest of the evening. The portions are not too much, but it will fill every available inch in your stomach.
Price : 3/5
Considering the overall experience and food criterias, I would say the prices we're fair. Maybe a bit high for some people, considering the meal isn't very different from what you would get at Olive Garden for 12.95$. Both of our meals we're priced over 20$ and our deserts we're over 7$. Our total tally was somewhere around 65$, as far as I remember. Comparing the prices here, to those found at the Nine Dragons Restaurant, I can say that we had less food, for almost the same price. I would pay out of the pocket for this restaurant, as it is probably the best option in the Magic Kingdom.
Overall rating : 3,6/5
Pros/Cons
+ Great food quality
+ Portions well above average
- Bland theming
- Fast-paced, ordinary service experience
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, definitely my favorite for dinner inside the Magic Kingdom, but if you have a chance to eat somewhere else outside the park, I would say go ahead.
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Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Hollywood Studios - near the Backlot)
Atmosphere : 5/5
This has to be one of the nicest themed restaurant in the World. Everyone from the decor to the ambiance just feels perfect. It's everything you would expect from an old style outdoor theater. The nightly effect that surrounds the theater is very well done, and it gives a great feel to the place. Similar to the San Angel Inn (in Epcot - Mexico Pavilion), it actually feels like you are outdoors eating in a car at an old Sci-Fi theater. The people responsible for seating you are all moving around with old style roller-skates, which just adds to the authenticity of the experience. To me, it is definitely one of the best atmosphere in concordance to what you would expect from that kind of restaurant. The only thing I would maybe change are the movies they play, for some old times Disney classics. I know this would totally break the idea of a "Sci-Fi dine-in theater", but still, it would definitely make it more family-friendly.
Food Quality : 3/5
We both ordered the St-Louis style prime ribs. This meal was served with sides of coleslaw and fries (which you could change for rice). The coleslaw and fries we're pretty stale, nothing spectacular here. It was a slight bit worst than what you would expect from your average American table dinner restaurant. The only thing stopping me from giving the food quality a 2, is the actual quality of the prime ribs rack we got. I gotta say the ribs we're quite flavorful and well presented. They really look and smelled delicious. If you don't mind the stale sides, this is probably the best meal you can get at this restaurant. The quality of the ribs wasn't exceptional, but it's a slight bit above average, hence why I'm giving this meal a fair rating of 3 out of 5. As far as the desert goes, we both had the apple crumble. My girlfriend didn't quite like it because she thought it was way too sugary. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than she did, though I gotta say I'm a big sweet tooth.
Service : 4/5
The service here was quite good. From the reception desk, to the seating person, along with our actual server, everything went quite well. We waited around 15 minutes to be seated, even with our reservation, but we didn't mind it at all since it was raining like crazy outside. We we're just glad to be out of the rain for a while. The drinks came quite fast, same goes for our meals and desserts. Our server was a very nice Argentinian lady who did he really best to make sure everything went smooth with our meal. I remember my girlfriend dropped her Key to the World card under the car table seat, and she came right up with her flashlight to help us find it. Overall the service was above average for the whole experience.
Portions : 3/5
The portions we're exactly what you would expect from your average restaurant that serves that kind of meals. The prime rib rack was average in size, while the sides we're a bit substandard (which was fine because they weren't that good anyways). The deserts we're quite big, but considering the price tag was somewhat high for an apple crumble, we we're excepting something of that size.
Price : 3/5
We paid 21.99$ each for our main course, and around 7$ for the desert. For what you get, I would the say the prices are a slight bit above average. Making this restaurant a tad bit pricy for what you get. However, I could say that the extra money spent goes to the experience you get walking into this restaurant, which is something you won't get anywhere else. Our total tally was around 65$, which I would have paid out of pocket for that kind of dining experience. Being on the dining plan and not shelling out a single dollar on site just makes it even better.
Overall rating : 3,6/5
Pros/Cons
+ Awesome theme
+ Enjoyable service
- Average food quality
- Uninteresting movies being played on the big screen
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, definitely my favorite for dinner inside Hollywood Studios, but if you have a chance to spend your dining credits somewhere else out of the park, I would say go ahead.
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Tusker House (Animal Kingdom - Africa)
Atmosphere : 3/5
This restaurant is themed to look like an operation base for African elephant poachers (hence the Tusker House name). From the outside, the location looks like an outdated gas station, which doesn't make the restaurant look attractive at all. Good thing we had our map, because this restaurant doesn't stand out very much. On the inside, it sort of looks like a giant cafeteria, with some decorations sticking on the walls. The only positive point about the atmosphere, is the awesome buffet section. It is themed to look like a North African marketplace, with carpets hanging from the ceiling. The overall mood inside was pretty bland, perhaps this is because of the terrible rain we had that day. From the staff to the guests, everybody pretty much looked like they wanted to go home.
Food Quality : 3/5
Most of the vegetable or pasta items offered in the buffet we're a tad bit above average. The couscous and rice from the African selection we're great. The fried potatoes and spicy vegetables we're also some of my favorites. The main gripe I have with this buffet was the quality of the meats. Most of the meats we're awfully dry and tasteless. The deserts are exactly what you would expect from typical Disney buffet. Small portions of regular cakes and pies you would find anywhere else, nothing spectacular here, but decent taste whatsoever.
Service : 2/5
When we first walked up to the entry counter, we we're greeted by some of the rudest CM's I've ever seen in the World. A trio of three old and grumpy ladies we're in charge of taking your name and sending you inside. None of them actually looked at us, or even smiled at us. We we're wondering what was up with them, maybe it was the rain? Who knows. During our dinner, we had 2 servers. The first one was a Latino man who seemed as serious as an army drill sergeant. He never smiled, and never engaged into any conversation beyond the basic needs of service. We thought he was very rude, and we we're glad to see him getting done with his shift, only to be replaced by an awesome server named Luis (which I talked about in the CM gratitude forum). The only thing stopping me from giving the service at this place a 0 is the super cheerful second server we had waiting our table. He kept joking around, signing with his fellow cast members, taking pictures for people, talking about menu items, the whole deal... This guy was beyond amazing, if it was just for him, I would have given Tusker House a 5 on 5 for service. But because the overall experience from the start was so dreary, I can't give it anything higher than 2. Probably one of the worst experience I've had in my 16 trips to Walt Disney World. And trust me, I know service ratings are attributable strictly to individual experience during a set time period, so take this with a grain of salt! Some people might have amazing service experience at this place, but It wasn't our case
Variety : 5/5
There is one thing this buffet has going for it, and that's the variety of food choices available. There's about 15 African specialties, ranging from Marrakesh couscous (which is awesome!) to spicy tender marinated lamb. There's also your usual Disney buffet American food to complement the offer. There's also plenty of deserts along with the main course choices. This buffet will have you stuffed out if you try to have a bite of everything.
Price : 4/5
The price here is very good for an all-you-can-eat buffet. They charge 19.99$ so this would have been one of our lowest priced meal we had during our whole trip. For the amount of variety offered, and the actual decent taste of the food, the price is great. Considering you get unlimited food for a very good price, I think this is one of the most affordable restaurant in the World.
Overall rating : 3,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Incredible choice of items in the menu
+ Great price for this kind of buffet
- Bland and unfriendly service
- Terrible exterior decor
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? No, I'm not a big fan of all-you-can-eat buffets, I prefer the seated table service kind of dinner, On my next trip I will definitely be trying Yak and Yeti instead, or maybe Rainforest Café (if it's included in the Dining Plan)
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Biergarten (Epcot - Germany Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
This is one of the best themed restaurant within the parks. It looks exactly like a pleasant evening in Germany during Oktoberfest. Everything from the surrounding building replicas, to the handrails, the tables, and even the stage look quite authentic. All the waiters are dressed with classic traditional German clothes, which gives this place an enjoyable and authentic feel to it. This is the best place to experience Germany, without actually being anywhere close to Germany. They have a staged show that happens during your meal, which includes a traditional German band singing Oktoberfest party songs and some traditional Polka music. This place is definitely not quiet, actually it gets very loud during peak times, and since it's an open area restaurant, there's absolutely zero privacy. This can be seen as a positive aspect however, since it helps replicate the Oktoberfest experience. Depending on the style of dining you prefer, this can be a hit or miss for you. I enjoyed the experience, but once was enough.
Food Quality : 1/5
I have tasted quite a bit of authentic German food in my life, and I can safely say that (to my taste), this was the worst German food I've ever had. Everything from the sausage, to the meats, and the sauerkraut just tasted very bland and awful. The only two things I actually enjoyed about this buffet we're the much dreaded Disney mac and cheese served at mostly every buffet, along with the sweet Bavarian deserts. We left the place still hungry and slightly disgusted by the overall food quality. I wasn't expecting much from this restaurant, and I wasn't wrong at all.
Service : 4/5
If there's one thing I can say about this place is that the German people working there are quite friendly. Everybody we came in contact with was extremely friendly and nice. The only reason why I'm not giving this restaurant a 5 out of 5 is because it's a buffet with self-service, so we didn't quite get much interaction with our server, even though she was quite charming (looks back... and very cute too!). The people working at the reception desk we're quite nice, and we waited only about 2 minutes until we got lead to our table. The person who led us to our table gave us a small introduction about the ways of German cuisine, and the origins of the food and beer festival known as Oktoberfest. I'm sure this restaurant would benefit from being "A La Carte", because more interaction with the staff would definitely be beneficial.
Variety : 3/5
Let me start by saying that the German authentic food options was sort of lacking. There was maybe 3 choices of sausages, along with 5-6 other options. The rest was all American food, that you would normally find at any Disney buffet. However, one thing that was very good about this buffet was the choice of deserts. If you love sweets, this buffets is gonna win you over. Since my main course was so lacking, I had fun in the desert department. I mixed together a Bavarian chocolate cake, together with a load of vanilla sauce, and I threw a cup of mixed berries on top of that, god it was awesome. Back to subject. the variety of things offered was average, but nothing spectacular. It will give you a good preview of German cuisine, but it definitely isn't a culinary voyage.
Price : 2/5
The only reason I'm giving the price (20$ per person) such a bad rating is because I definitely did not enjoy the food there. It is worth it strictly for the nice Oktoberfest experience, but beyond that I would have definitely preferred spending my money on something else. I would not pay out of pocket for this restaurant, however, being on the dining plan made me feel better about trying new things in Disney.
Overall rating : 2,8/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing staff working there
+ Great themed (Oktoberfest) restaurant
- Terrible German food
- The music played during the shows isn't particularly great
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? No, once again I'm not a big buffet fan, but this one was definitely not to my taste as far as food quality goes.
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Teppan Edo (Epcot - Japan Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 5/5
From start to finish, I actually believed that I was in Japan for an hour and a half. The experience at this restaurant is quite awesome. The dining rooms are designed into small split areas that contain 4 giant 8 person tables and a big grill in the middle of it. The staff are all dressed up in authentic Japanese clothes, with the wooden sandals, which only adds up to the experience. When the cook arrives to your table, you can't take your eyes of him. Our cook put on a real show, from ninja-like skills with his cooking tools, to building a steaming volcano out of onion rings, it was quite awesome to witness. It is an experience I recommend to anyone visiting Walt Disney World, especially if you are already in Epcot that day. Every Cast Member plays their part perfectly in recreating the authentic Japanese cook house experience. Everything from the sounds and sight in this place just add up to create the perfect dining experience. It's basically a 30 minute long very entertaining cooking show that ends up with a delicious meal in your plate.
Food Quality : 5/5
Japanese cooking isn't overly complex, but the overall quality of the food was quite awesome. I had the chicken and shrimp combo, while my girlfriend had the steak and shrimp combo. Every meal is pretty straightforward : your choice of meat (either single or duo) along with Japanese udon noodle and stir fried teriyaki vegetables. It's hard not to like such a simple, yet very tasty meal. Everything is cooking right in front of you, with a variety of Japanese spices, along with soy and teriyaki sauces. The meats we're very tasty and quite tender. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the quality of the food served at Teppan Edo. I haven't tried Tokyo Dining yet, but from what I've heard, out of the two Japanese restaurants, I can definitely say that this one will be my favorite for years to come. The deserts we're maybe the weakest point to the meal, but still, they we're something new that I had never tried before, so I still enjoyed that part.
Service : 5/5
Our waiter was a charming Japanese lady who was quick to bring drinks and very helpful with the menu. She gave us a quick lesson about Japanese pronunciation, which added a very nice touch. Most of the actual service however, is done by the cook that gets sent to your table. Our cook's name was Shinsuke, and boy what a showman he was. His display of skills was quite impressive, he was lightning fast on the grill and very entertaining. Along with playing finding Nemo with the shrimps, and writing Disney in reverse on the cooking grill with oil (I have no idea how he wrote Disney so well, with the actual calligraphy, in reverse from his view, with oil), he was a very friendly cook. We came in not knowing much about the Japanese people, and we came out wanting to visit Japan in the near future.
Portions : 3/5
The portions we're perhaps the weak point of this meal. You would get a slight portion of noodles and vegetables, along with a couple of cut shrimps, and maybe half a chicken breast. For some people this is mighty fine, but for someone who is a big eater, such as myself, these kind of portions can be a bit too light. The deserts we're also a tad bit small to my liking.
Price : 4/5
I have to be honest here, the price tags we're quite steep. Our meals we're both priced over 30$, and our total tally was somewhere around 95$ (with drinks and desert). However, considering how much fun I've had at this restaurant, I would gladly pay out of pocket for this kind of meal anytime during our next trips. I highly recommend this to anyone capable of shelling out the extra bucks to enjoy a very special dinner experience. The price might be high, but the price/quality ratio is also very positive.
Overall rating : 4,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing and entertaining live cooking experience
+ Great decor
+ Flawless food
- Pricy, if you don't really care about the experience
- Noisy
- Small portions for a big eater like me
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, even if the food was terrible (which is far from the case), I would definitely return for the awesome experience alone.
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Tutto Italia (Epcot - Italy Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
If you are looking for a high class dining experience, this is the place to be. It has everything, from the beautiful chandeliers, to the classical music playing lightly in the back, and to the servers wearing bowties and keeping a towel on their forearms. If you have a big family, with young kids, I wouldn't advise this as the place of choice for you. The decor is fantastic, everything looks great and authentic. This restaurant has all the elements to make it feel and look like a real high class 5 star Italian restaurant.
Food Quality : 4/5
At this restaurant, I ordered the classic New York strip steak (with an Italian name), and it was quite good. My girlfriend had the meat sauce lasagna, and I gotta say it was something special (in a good way). The food didn't feel quite like your authentic Italian Mama's cooking, but it was sure a quality dining experience in terms of taste/scent/presentation. In fact, our meals we're so well presented that we took pictures of them just for show! For desert, my girlfriend had the Tiramisu (to compare with Tony's) and I had the lemon sorbet cup. The deserts we're perhaps the highlight of the meal, very high quality stuff being served here (with the hefty price tag that comes with it).
Service : 3/5
The best word to describe the service here is : cold. But I guess that would fit with the overall experience of the high class restaurant. The service experience was on par, nothing special, but nothing negative to say about it. The front desk person was an old man who spoke about 7 languages (had all the pins) and I gotta say he took his job very seriously. He wasn't really friendly or anything, but then again I guess he played his part.
Portions : 4/5
I've see a couple of people complaining (in the dining section of the site) about the portions at this restaurant. Are you nuts? I'm a big eater and I though the portions we're huge! Maybe something has changed at this restaurant, because the portions we received we're plentiful and we came out feeling very satisfied with our meal. The deserts we're also quite big.
Price : 2/5
This is probably the weakest part of this dining experience, the price tag was gigantic. I was awfully glad to be on the dining plan when we received the 100$ bill (with absolutely no extra charges beyond what's included in the dining plan). My meal was around 34$, and my girlfriend's was around 24$. The Tiramisu was priced at 9$, and my lemon ice cream cup? 14$ ! Yeah, that IS crazy. Probably the priciest deserts I've seen in my life. I would definitely not pay out of the pocket for this restaurant, but if you're on the dining plan, it's nice to get something that you normally wouldn't pay. If you are on a tight budget, I do not recommend the Tutto Italia.
Overall rating : 3,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ High class dining
+ Great portions
+ High quality food
- Cold and distant service experience
- Not ideal for families with young kids
- Astronomical price tag
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Mixed opinion here, I would probably prefer to try something new, but you can't go wrong with Italian food.
Here are my criterias
Atmosphere : Decor, ambiance, theming, overall feel to the place
Food Quality : Texture, taste, smell, presentation (know that i've tasted both my meal and my girlfriend's meal )
Service : Presentation, wait time (know that I had 7 reservations to each restaurants), speed, questions answered, drinks, helpfulness
Portions (replaced by Variety for buffets) : Size of the meal (this is a very subjective criteria, but know that I'm a big eater, and I usually enjoy large portions)
Price : Even if I was on the dining plan, I took a good look at every menus and prices to see what I would be paying normally. This criteria will relate to the price, in concordance with the criterias above. Higher rating here doesn't mean higher prices, but rather the opposite. Along with an evaluation of price/quality ratio.
Overall rating : An average of all 5 ratings
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes/No
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Nine Dragons Restaurant (Epcot - China Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
The decor is very nice along with a great attention to details. I've actually been to China, and this restaurant does have an authentic feeling to it. This only reason I'm not giving it a 5, is because it was very overcrowded, and also very loud in the restaurant, and it kind of ruined the overall atmosphere. The ambiance however was quite cheerful, everyone in the staff seemed to be having a good time.
Food Quality : 4/5
I had the Steak and Shrimp, my girlfriend had the General Tao Chicken. We both had the "Table d'Hôte" which included (along with the main course), a soup, and one appetizer. I have to say, I wasn't expecting much from this restaurant, but I was quite surprised. The appetizers we're incredible and also plentiful. I had sweet and sour soup, along with pork dim-sums. The food quality is beyond good, and it all smelled pretty delicious. Just being in there looking at other people's plate made me hungry. I can't say it was authentic Chinese taste from actual China, but I would say it's very high quality Americanized Chinese food (which I actually enjoy more than real Chinese food).
Service : 5/5
Wow, that's pretty much what I can say about the service. Our server was just great. He gave us a short course on how to use Chinese chopsticks. He answered every single questions we had about the menu, and he really helped us in our choice.Even thought our server had a strong Chinese accent, he really made an effort for us to understand everything he said, and he was very patient with us.All the staff we came in contact with was very friendly and cheerful. We didn't even wait a single second to be seated, even thought the place was crowded. The speed at which the drinks came was pretty amazing, even thought the restaurant was jam-packed. Our meals also came pretty rapidly considering how many orders must have been coming in. I really can't say anything negative about the overall service, it was a really great experience on that part.
Portions : 5/5
Another wow here, the portions we're very big. At first we thought the "Table d'Hôte" wasn't included in the Dining Plan, but after talking with our server, we found out we could order the whole deal. The soup and the appetizers we're bigger than what you would expect. The main course was also plentyfull, especially the General Tao Chicken, which had at least 25 pieces of chicken. My girlfriend didn't order any dessert because she was already full. Considering the quality and price factors, I can safely say that the portions we're really amazing at this restaurant. We litteraly rolled out of the restaurant because we we're so full.
Price : 4/5
Overall, we would have paid about 70$ for our whole meal for two (soup, appetizer, main course, dessert, drinks). I would say this is a very decent price, considering the portions we're amazing, and the food quality was great. I would definitely pay that out of pocket, have I not had been on the Disney dining plan.
Overall rating : 4,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing portions
+ Super friendly service
+ Great authentic Chinese theming
+ Well priced for such quality and portions
- Can get very noisy and crowded
- Service tends to be a bit too fast for some people
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone, wether you are already in Epcot that day, or not.
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Tony's Town Square Restaurant (Magic Kingdom - Main Street U.S.A.)
Atmosphere : 3/5
If you want a good themed dining experience, this is not the place to go. This restaurant looks like a regular home-town classic Italian/American restaurant, with a Lady and the Tramp fountain in the middle. For a Disney theme park restaurant, the atmosphere is quite average. The outdoor doesn't look like much either, at first we weren't even sure where to enter. When sitting inside, it sort of feels like a big cafeteria.
Food Quality : 5/5
I had the garlic shrimp and pasta combo, my girlfriend had the vegetarian lasagna. The food quality was great, everything was very flavorful, and the presentation was well orchestrated. The menu offered plenty of variety for an Italian restaurant. For desert, we both had the Tiramisu, which was quite awesome. Everything was quite appetizing. In this restaurant, it's all about your typical Olive Garden styled Americanized Italian food, with a touch of Disney quality added to the whole ordeal. However, we came out very pleased with the overall quality of the food.
Service : 3/5
The quality of service at this restaurant was a slight bit above average. Our server was doing his job, but nothing much more. He was very cheerful and charismatic, but he never tried to go the extra mile to make our dining experience special. The speed of service however was very good. We didn't wait to be seated, and we got served very quickly. If you want to make the max of your park visit, you should try this restaurant, because if you want, you can be done and out within 30 minutes, and still have enjoyed a great meal.
Portions : 4/5
The portions we're great. My meal came with 9 big shrimps and a great deal of linguini pastas. My girlfriend's vegetarian lasagna was also pretty huge, she had a hard time finishing it. The deserts we're also well proportioned to the rest of the meal, we came out feeling filled up for the rest of the evening. The portions are not too much, but it will fill every available inch in your stomach.
Price : 3/5
Considering the overall experience and food criterias, I would say the prices we're fair. Maybe a bit high for some people, considering the meal isn't very different from what you would get at Olive Garden for 12.95$. Both of our meals we're priced over 20$ and our deserts we're over 7$. Our total tally was somewhere around 65$, as far as I remember. Comparing the prices here, to those found at the Nine Dragons Restaurant, I can say that we had less food, for almost the same price. I would pay out of the pocket for this restaurant, as it is probably the best option in the Magic Kingdom.
Overall rating : 3,6/5
Pros/Cons
+ Great food quality
+ Portions well above average
- Bland theming
- Fast-paced, ordinary service experience
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, definitely my favorite for dinner inside the Magic Kingdom, but if you have a chance to eat somewhere else outside the park, I would say go ahead.
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Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Hollywood Studios - near the Backlot)
Atmosphere : 5/5
This has to be one of the nicest themed restaurant in the World. Everyone from the decor to the ambiance just feels perfect. It's everything you would expect from an old style outdoor theater. The nightly effect that surrounds the theater is very well done, and it gives a great feel to the place. Similar to the San Angel Inn (in Epcot - Mexico Pavilion), it actually feels like you are outdoors eating in a car at an old Sci-Fi theater. The people responsible for seating you are all moving around with old style roller-skates, which just adds to the authenticity of the experience. To me, it is definitely one of the best atmosphere in concordance to what you would expect from that kind of restaurant. The only thing I would maybe change are the movies they play, for some old times Disney classics. I know this would totally break the idea of a "Sci-Fi dine-in theater", but still, it would definitely make it more family-friendly.
Food Quality : 3/5
We both ordered the St-Louis style prime ribs. This meal was served with sides of coleslaw and fries (which you could change for rice). The coleslaw and fries we're pretty stale, nothing spectacular here. It was a slight bit worst than what you would expect from your average American table dinner restaurant. The only thing stopping me from giving the food quality a 2, is the actual quality of the prime ribs rack we got. I gotta say the ribs we're quite flavorful and well presented. They really look and smelled delicious. If you don't mind the stale sides, this is probably the best meal you can get at this restaurant. The quality of the ribs wasn't exceptional, but it's a slight bit above average, hence why I'm giving this meal a fair rating of 3 out of 5. As far as the desert goes, we both had the apple crumble. My girlfriend didn't quite like it because she thought it was way too sugary. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than she did, though I gotta say I'm a big sweet tooth.
Service : 4/5
The service here was quite good. From the reception desk, to the seating person, along with our actual server, everything went quite well. We waited around 15 minutes to be seated, even with our reservation, but we didn't mind it at all since it was raining like crazy outside. We we're just glad to be out of the rain for a while. The drinks came quite fast, same goes for our meals and desserts. Our server was a very nice Argentinian lady who did he really best to make sure everything went smooth with our meal. I remember my girlfriend dropped her Key to the World card under the car table seat, and she came right up with her flashlight to help us find it. Overall the service was above average for the whole experience.
Portions : 3/5
The portions we're exactly what you would expect from your average restaurant that serves that kind of meals. The prime rib rack was average in size, while the sides we're a bit substandard (which was fine because they weren't that good anyways). The deserts we're quite big, but considering the price tag was somewhat high for an apple crumble, we we're excepting something of that size.
Price : 3/5
We paid 21.99$ each for our main course, and around 7$ for the desert. For what you get, I would the say the prices are a slight bit above average. Making this restaurant a tad bit pricy for what you get. However, I could say that the extra money spent goes to the experience you get walking into this restaurant, which is something you won't get anywhere else. Our total tally was around 65$, which I would have paid out of pocket for that kind of dining experience. Being on the dining plan and not shelling out a single dollar on site just makes it even better.
Overall rating : 3,6/5
Pros/Cons
+ Awesome theme
+ Enjoyable service
- Average food quality
- Uninteresting movies being played on the big screen
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, definitely my favorite for dinner inside Hollywood Studios, but if you have a chance to spend your dining credits somewhere else out of the park, I would say go ahead.
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Tusker House (Animal Kingdom - Africa)
Atmosphere : 3/5
This restaurant is themed to look like an operation base for African elephant poachers (hence the Tusker House name). From the outside, the location looks like an outdated gas station, which doesn't make the restaurant look attractive at all. Good thing we had our map, because this restaurant doesn't stand out very much. On the inside, it sort of looks like a giant cafeteria, with some decorations sticking on the walls. The only positive point about the atmosphere, is the awesome buffet section. It is themed to look like a North African marketplace, with carpets hanging from the ceiling. The overall mood inside was pretty bland, perhaps this is because of the terrible rain we had that day. From the staff to the guests, everybody pretty much looked like they wanted to go home.
Food Quality : 3/5
Most of the vegetable or pasta items offered in the buffet we're a tad bit above average. The couscous and rice from the African selection we're great. The fried potatoes and spicy vegetables we're also some of my favorites. The main gripe I have with this buffet was the quality of the meats. Most of the meats we're awfully dry and tasteless. The deserts are exactly what you would expect from typical Disney buffet. Small portions of regular cakes and pies you would find anywhere else, nothing spectacular here, but decent taste whatsoever.
Service : 2/5
When we first walked up to the entry counter, we we're greeted by some of the rudest CM's I've ever seen in the World. A trio of three old and grumpy ladies we're in charge of taking your name and sending you inside. None of them actually looked at us, or even smiled at us. We we're wondering what was up with them, maybe it was the rain? Who knows. During our dinner, we had 2 servers. The first one was a Latino man who seemed as serious as an army drill sergeant. He never smiled, and never engaged into any conversation beyond the basic needs of service. We thought he was very rude, and we we're glad to see him getting done with his shift, only to be replaced by an awesome server named Luis (which I talked about in the CM gratitude forum). The only thing stopping me from giving the service at this place a 0 is the super cheerful second server we had waiting our table. He kept joking around, signing with his fellow cast members, taking pictures for people, talking about menu items, the whole deal... This guy was beyond amazing, if it was just for him, I would have given Tusker House a 5 on 5 for service. But because the overall experience from the start was so dreary, I can't give it anything higher than 2. Probably one of the worst experience I've had in my 16 trips to Walt Disney World. And trust me, I know service ratings are attributable strictly to individual experience during a set time period, so take this with a grain of salt! Some people might have amazing service experience at this place, but It wasn't our case
Variety : 5/5
There is one thing this buffet has going for it, and that's the variety of food choices available. There's about 15 African specialties, ranging from Marrakesh couscous (which is awesome!) to spicy tender marinated lamb. There's also your usual Disney buffet American food to complement the offer. There's also plenty of deserts along with the main course choices. This buffet will have you stuffed out if you try to have a bite of everything.
Price : 4/5
The price here is very good for an all-you-can-eat buffet. They charge 19.99$ so this would have been one of our lowest priced meal we had during our whole trip. For the amount of variety offered, and the actual decent taste of the food, the price is great. Considering you get unlimited food for a very good price, I think this is one of the most affordable restaurant in the World.
Overall rating : 3,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Incredible choice of items in the menu
+ Great price for this kind of buffet
- Bland and unfriendly service
- Terrible exterior decor
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? No, I'm not a big fan of all-you-can-eat buffets, I prefer the seated table service kind of dinner, On my next trip I will definitely be trying Yak and Yeti instead, or maybe Rainforest Café (if it's included in the Dining Plan)
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Biergarten (Epcot - Germany Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
This is one of the best themed restaurant within the parks. It looks exactly like a pleasant evening in Germany during Oktoberfest. Everything from the surrounding building replicas, to the handrails, the tables, and even the stage look quite authentic. All the waiters are dressed with classic traditional German clothes, which gives this place an enjoyable and authentic feel to it. This is the best place to experience Germany, without actually being anywhere close to Germany. They have a staged show that happens during your meal, which includes a traditional German band singing Oktoberfest party songs and some traditional Polka music. This place is definitely not quiet, actually it gets very loud during peak times, and since it's an open area restaurant, there's absolutely zero privacy. This can be seen as a positive aspect however, since it helps replicate the Oktoberfest experience. Depending on the style of dining you prefer, this can be a hit or miss for you. I enjoyed the experience, but once was enough.
Food Quality : 1/5
I have tasted quite a bit of authentic German food in my life, and I can safely say that (to my taste), this was the worst German food I've ever had. Everything from the sausage, to the meats, and the sauerkraut just tasted very bland and awful. The only two things I actually enjoyed about this buffet we're the much dreaded Disney mac and cheese served at mostly every buffet, along with the sweet Bavarian deserts. We left the place still hungry and slightly disgusted by the overall food quality. I wasn't expecting much from this restaurant, and I wasn't wrong at all.
Service : 4/5
If there's one thing I can say about this place is that the German people working there are quite friendly. Everybody we came in contact with was extremely friendly and nice. The only reason why I'm not giving this restaurant a 5 out of 5 is because it's a buffet with self-service, so we didn't quite get much interaction with our server, even though she was quite charming (looks back... and very cute too!). The people working at the reception desk we're quite nice, and we waited only about 2 minutes until we got lead to our table. The person who led us to our table gave us a small introduction about the ways of German cuisine, and the origins of the food and beer festival known as Oktoberfest. I'm sure this restaurant would benefit from being "A La Carte", because more interaction with the staff would definitely be beneficial.
Variety : 3/5
Let me start by saying that the German authentic food options was sort of lacking. There was maybe 3 choices of sausages, along with 5-6 other options. The rest was all American food, that you would normally find at any Disney buffet. However, one thing that was very good about this buffet was the choice of deserts. If you love sweets, this buffets is gonna win you over. Since my main course was so lacking, I had fun in the desert department. I mixed together a Bavarian chocolate cake, together with a load of vanilla sauce, and I threw a cup of mixed berries on top of that, god it was awesome. Back to subject. the variety of things offered was average, but nothing spectacular. It will give you a good preview of German cuisine, but it definitely isn't a culinary voyage.
Price : 2/5
The only reason I'm giving the price (20$ per person) such a bad rating is because I definitely did not enjoy the food there. It is worth it strictly for the nice Oktoberfest experience, but beyond that I would have definitely preferred spending my money on something else. I would not pay out of pocket for this restaurant, however, being on the dining plan made me feel better about trying new things in Disney.
Overall rating : 2,8/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing staff working there
+ Great themed (Oktoberfest) restaurant
- Terrible German food
- The music played during the shows isn't particularly great
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? No, once again I'm not a big buffet fan, but this one was definitely not to my taste as far as food quality goes.
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Teppan Edo (Epcot - Japan Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 5/5
From start to finish, I actually believed that I was in Japan for an hour and a half. The experience at this restaurant is quite awesome. The dining rooms are designed into small split areas that contain 4 giant 8 person tables and a big grill in the middle of it. The staff are all dressed up in authentic Japanese clothes, with the wooden sandals, which only adds up to the experience. When the cook arrives to your table, you can't take your eyes of him. Our cook put on a real show, from ninja-like skills with his cooking tools, to building a steaming volcano out of onion rings, it was quite awesome to witness. It is an experience I recommend to anyone visiting Walt Disney World, especially if you are already in Epcot that day. Every Cast Member plays their part perfectly in recreating the authentic Japanese cook house experience. Everything from the sounds and sight in this place just add up to create the perfect dining experience. It's basically a 30 minute long very entertaining cooking show that ends up with a delicious meal in your plate.
Food Quality : 5/5
Japanese cooking isn't overly complex, but the overall quality of the food was quite awesome. I had the chicken and shrimp combo, while my girlfriend had the steak and shrimp combo. Every meal is pretty straightforward : your choice of meat (either single or duo) along with Japanese udon noodle and stir fried teriyaki vegetables. It's hard not to like such a simple, yet very tasty meal. Everything is cooking right in front of you, with a variety of Japanese spices, along with soy and teriyaki sauces. The meats we're very tasty and quite tender. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the quality of the food served at Teppan Edo. I haven't tried Tokyo Dining yet, but from what I've heard, out of the two Japanese restaurants, I can definitely say that this one will be my favorite for years to come. The deserts we're maybe the weakest point to the meal, but still, they we're something new that I had never tried before, so I still enjoyed that part.
Service : 5/5
Our waiter was a charming Japanese lady who was quick to bring drinks and very helpful with the menu. She gave us a quick lesson about Japanese pronunciation, which added a very nice touch. Most of the actual service however, is done by the cook that gets sent to your table. Our cook's name was Shinsuke, and boy what a showman he was. His display of skills was quite impressive, he was lightning fast on the grill and very entertaining. Along with playing finding Nemo with the shrimps, and writing Disney in reverse on the cooking grill with oil (I have no idea how he wrote Disney so well, with the actual calligraphy, in reverse from his view, with oil), he was a very friendly cook. We came in not knowing much about the Japanese people, and we came out wanting to visit Japan in the near future.
Portions : 3/5
The portions we're perhaps the weak point of this meal. You would get a slight portion of noodles and vegetables, along with a couple of cut shrimps, and maybe half a chicken breast. For some people this is mighty fine, but for someone who is a big eater, such as myself, these kind of portions can be a bit too light. The deserts we're also a tad bit small to my liking.
Price : 4/5
I have to be honest here, the price tags we're quite steep. Our meals we're both priced over 30$, and our total tally was somewhere around 95$ (with drinks and desert). However, considering how much fun I've had at this restaurant, I would gladly pay out of pocket for this kind of meal anytime during our next trips. I highly recommend this to anyone capable of shelling out the extra bucks to enjoy a very special dinner experience. The price might be high, but the price/quality ratio is also very positive.
Overall rating : 4,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ Amazing and entertaining live cooking experience
+ Great decor
+ Flawless food
- Pricy, if you don't really care about the experience
- Noisy
- Small portions for a big eater like me
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Yes, even if the food was terrible (which is far from the case), I would definitely return for the awesome experience alone.
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Tutto Italia (Epcot - Italy Pavilion)
Atmosphere : 4/5
If you are looking for a high class dining experience, this is the place to be. It has everything, from the beautiful chandeliers, to the classical music playing lightly in the back, and to the servers wearing bowties and keeping a towel on their forearms. If you have a big family, with young kids, I wouldn't advise this as the place of choice for you. The decor is fantastic, everything looks great and authentic. This restaurant has all the elements to make it feel and look like a real high class 5 star Italian restaurant.
Food Quality : 4/5
At this restaurant, I ordered the classic New York strip steak (with an Italian name), and it was quite good. My girlfriend had the meat sauce lasagna, and I gotta say it was something special (in a good way). The food didn't feel quite like your authentic Italian Mama's cooking, but it was sure a quality dining experience in terms of taste/scent/presentation. In fact, our meals we're so well presented that we took pictures of them just for show! For desert, my girlfriend had the Tiramisu (to compare with Tony's) and I had the lemon sorbet cup. The deserts we're perhaps the highlight of the meal, very high quality stuff being served here (with the hefty price tag that comes with it).
Service : 3/5
The best word to describe the service here is : cold. But I guess that would fit with the overall experience of the high class restaurant. The service experience was on par, nothing special, but nothing negative to say about it. The front desk person was an old man who spoke about 7 languages (had all the pins) and I gotta say he took his job very seriously. He wasn't really friendly or anything, but then again I guess he played his part.
Portions : 4/5
I've see a couple of people complaining (in the dining section of the site) about the portions at this restaurant. Are you nuts? I'm a big eater and I though the portions we're huge! Maybe something has changed at this restaurant, because the portions we received we're plentiful and we came out feeling very satisfied with our meal. The deserts we're also quite big.
Price : 2/5
This is probably the weakest part of this dining experience, the price tag was gigantic. I was awfully glad to be on the dining plan when we received the 100$ bill (with absolutely no extra charges beyond what's included in the dining plan). My meal was around 34$, and my girlfriend's was around 24$. The Tiramisu was priced at 9$, and my lemon ice cream cup? 14$ ! Yeah, that IS crazy. Probably the priciest deserts I've seen in my life. I would definitely not pay out of the pocket for this restaurant, but if you're on the dining plan, it's nice to get something that you normally wouldn't pay. If you are on a tight budget, I do not recommend the Tutto Italia.
Overall rating : 3,4/5
Pros/Cons
+ High class dining
+ Great portions
+ High quality food
- Cold and distant service experience
- Not ideal for families with young kids
- Astronomical price tag
Would I eat there again on my next trip ? Mixed opinion here, I would probably prefer to try something new, but you can't go wrong with Italian food.
