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Restaurant Ideas
- Thread starter CrashNet
- Start date
CaesarBoxFan
Member
For Quick Service, I'd recommend Red Rockett's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland, Rancho Del Zocalo in Frontierland and Taste Pilot's Grill in Condor Flats at DCA.
For sit down restaurants, I'd recommend any of the DTD restaurants along with the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square and the Wine Country Trattoria at DCA.
For sit down restaurants, I'd recommend any of the DTD restaurants along with the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square and the Wine Country Trattoria at DCA.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I'd be a bit cautious of the following DTD restaurants;
Naples Ristorante: Notoriously slow, sloppy service.
Tortilla Jo's: Shut down for a couple days by the county health department in '07 for a dirty kitchen, and many afficianados of Mexican cuisine declare it to be pretty bad.
Rainforest Cafe: Unless you have 8 year olds with you, skip it. It's just like any other Rainforest Cafe in any major mall in the country.
La Brea Bakery: The espresso drinks made there are horrible; they come from an automatic machine and somehow even that doesn't do it right. The pastries tend to the dry side, and the counter service is alarmingly bad. The last time there I had trouble finding an employee who could speak English well enough to understand my coffee order. There's nothing you can get here that can't wait for the Blue Ribbon Bakery on Main Street, or the domeliner cafe just inside DCA. And the quality and taste is much better from the places inside the parks. Avoid La Brea Bakery unless you absolutely have no other choice!
On the flip side, I do recommend the following in DTD:
Catal: Great California/Continental cuisine, and dependably decent service. Good wine list.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen: The service can be spotty, some nights it's fine and some nights it's not, but the food is always spot on. Great New Orleans offerings from a restauranteur who is actually from New Orleans. The bartenders make great cocktails, and they always have live jazz in the evenings. The beignets are a must!
ESPNZone: Surprisingly good American comfort food in a fun atmosphere. They are a step above the usual themed restaurant when it comes to quality and presentation, and they have good service in a casual atmosphere. If you want hearty, classic food you can depend on, you can't lose. Sports fans will especially enjoy the atmosphere and memorabilia.
Uva Bar: Officially the outdoor bar/cafe for Catal, but it has a separate menu. The burgers and appetizers are great, and it's a quicker alternative than the other sit down places in DTD.
Naples Ristorante: Notoriously slow, sloppy service.
Tortilla Jo's: Shut down for a couple days by the county health department in '07 for a dirty kitchen, and many afficianados of Mexican cuisine declare it to be pretty bad.
Rainforest Cafe: Unless you have 8 year olds with you, skip it. It's just like any other Rainforest Cafe in any major mall in the country.
La Brea Bakery: The espresso drinks made there are horrible; they come from an automatic machine and somehow even that doesn't do it right. The pastries tend to the dry side, and the counter service is alarmingly bad. The last time there I had trouble finding an employee who could speak English well enough to understand my coffee order. There's nothing you can get here that can't wait for the Blue Ribbon Bakery on Main Street, or the domeliner cafe just inside DCA. And the quality and taste is much better from the places inside the parks. Avoid La Brea Bakery unless you absolutely have no other choice!
On the flip side, I do recommend the following in DTD:
Catal: Great California/Continental cuisine, and dependably decent service. Good wine list.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen: The service can be spotty, some nights it's fine and some nights it's not, but the food is always spot on. Great New Orleans offerings from a restauranteur who is actually from New Orleans. The bartenders make great cocktails, and they always have live jazz in the evenings. The beignets are a must!
ESPNZone: Surprisingly good American comfort food in a fun atmosphere. They are a step above the usual themed restaurant when it comes to quality and presentation, and they have good service in a casual atmosphere. If you want hearty, classic food you can depend on, you can't lose. Sports fans will especially enjoy the atmosphere and memorabilia.
Uva Bar: Officially the outdoor bar/cafe for Catal, but it has a separate menu. The burgers and appetizers are great, and it's a quicker alternative than the other sit down places in DTD.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Of course, there is also the Napa Rose. The Napa Rose easily has the best food and service of any Disney offering in America. (Magellan's at Tokyo DisneySea beats it for service and presentation, but that's Japan.)
Napa Rose isn't as formal as Victoria and Albert's, but the food is superior. The wine list is, of course, jaw droppingly amazing. And the fact that it has more trained Sommeliers, and even Grand Sommeliers, on staff than any other restaurant in North America speaks for itself. It's not cheap however, and reservations are a must.
A fun alternative is to go to the Napa Rose cocktail lounge attached to the restaurant. Have the artisanal cheese tray (always excellent!) and ask the server for suggestions on a wine, and you are in for a treat! You'll get the Napa Rose ambience, and can stroll through the dining room for fun, at a fraction of the cost. And no reservations required for the lounge. You could also sit at the bar and order anything from the menu.
Napa Rose isn't as formal as Victoria and Albert's, but the food is superior. The wine list is, of course, jaw droppingly amazing. And the fact that it has more trained Sommeliers, and even Grand Sommeliers, on staff than any other restaurant in North America speaks for itself. It's not cheap however, and reservations are a must.
A fun alternative is to go to the Napa Rose cocktail lounge attached to the restaurant. Have the artisanal cheese tray (always excellent!) and ask the server for suggestions on a wine, and you are in for a treat! You'll get the Napa Rose ambience, and can stroll through the dining room for fun, at a fraction of the cost. And no reservations required for the lounge. You could also sit at the bar and order anything from the menu.
If you're looking for something fancier than just a good burger and/or a chicken sandwich, then this might sound out of place; but quite honestly, I really enjoyed the Hungry Bear restaurant opposite Splash Mountain in Critter Country. Its veranda overlooking the paddleboats on the Rivers of America was a good get-a-way from the crowds on the main drag. It's a bit pricey for the limited take-away menu that it serves; but then, so is every counter service restaurant at the park.
And while I got a thrill out of eating in what is essentially the "prologue" portion of Pirates of the Caribbean, be prepared for the Blue Bayou to be incredibly dark inside - so much so, in fact, that one nearly needs a flashlight to read the menu.
And while I got a thrill out of eating in what is essentially the "prologue" portion of Pirates of the Caribbean, be prepared for the Blue Bayou to be incredibly dark inside - so much so, in fact, that one nearly needs a flashlight to read the menu.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
No, none were Italian. Italian isn't that big in SoCal, or at Disneyland. I can't think of an Italian restaurant at Disneyland, short of the Pizza Port in Tomorrowland.
Naples Ristorante is primarily pizza with a very thin crust. They do have a couple of pasta dishes, but it's not their specialty. And again, the service at Naples has never been good whenever I've been there.
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
There is a pizza place in California Adventure....Pizza Ohm Mow Mow or something like that. It is surfer themed and had good pizza and decent pasta.