Trader Sam's for Dinner?

[Mark P.]

Hoping to finally make it in after one of our MK days this summer. I've read plenty about the ambiance and the drinks, but is the food menu worth it for a dinner visit, or should we just stop by for cocktails and then head elsewhere (on the MK monorail loop or otherwise) for dinner? We already have a breakfast reservation at Kona and a dinner reservation at The Wave.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Hoping to finally make it in after one of our MK days this summer. I've read plenty about the ambiance and the drinks, but is the food menu worth it for a dinner visit, or should we just stop by for cocktails and then head elsewhere (on the MK monorail loop or otherwise) for dinner? We already have a breakfast reservation at Kona and a dinner reservation at The Wave.

There are only appetizers available:

Headhunter Sushi Roll $14.99
Salmon Oshizushi $13.99
Chicken Lettuce Cups - with Hoisin ginger sauce $10.99
Roasted Chicken Pork Pate Banh Mi Sliders $9.99
Kahlua Pork Tacos - with cabbage and pickled vegetables $9.99
Corn-Battered Portuguese Sausages - with curry ketchup $8.99
Pan-Fried Dumplings - with soy-sesame dipping sauce $8.49
Hawaiian Poke - with Sriracha aioli $12.99

So if you are OK with that, then go for it. Some have reported the food to be good, others were not impressed. Take all of those reviews with a grain of salt, as people have different expectations and tastes.

 

[NMBC1993]

Personally, I'd say keep The Wave reservation. A friend and I visited Trader Sam's about 4 months after opening and needless to say the drinks are strong but the apps are really disappointing (on top of being expensive). We ordered the Portuguese Sausages which came with three sausages smaller than the tiny corn dogs they sell at the parks. The big kicker for us was that we were a party of two and we got three sausages. We ended up trying to cut the last sausage in half with the plastic shish kabob style stick that came with the app as we never actually received silverware. Everyone says the tacos are good, but I can't justify paying that price for three tacos that are 1/4 the size of a regular taco.

So all in all, unless your party is a VERY light eater or you have tons of cash to blow for no reason then yes, I'd recommend dinner at Trader Sam's. If not, keep the reservation at The Wave (or might I recommend a dinner at Trail's End. The best kept Disney dinning secret).

Anyway, hope this helps

Edit: Also, it just dawned on me that if you don't mind sitting in the outdoor area, you might be able to bring in food from Captain Cooks, which is a much better value for about the same price as the apps. But I'm not sure what the rules are regarding that.

 

[Mark P.]

Some have reported the food to be good, others were not impressed. Take all of those reviews with a grain of salt, as people have different expectations and tastes.

Personally, I'd say keep The Wave reservation.

Thanks! The Wave is actually on a different night already -- we had a great time at the bar there during our last trip and definitely want to check it off our Disney dining bucket list for our honeymoon. Sounds like we're better off stopping by for a drink or two and then heading elsewhere for dinner.

 

[NMBC1993]

Thanks! The Wave is actually on a different night already -- we had a great time at the bar there during our last trip and definitely want to check it off our Disney dining bucket list for our honeymoon. Sounds like we're better off stopping by for a drink or two and then heading elsewhere for dinner.

Good call in my opinion. Like I said above, if you're looking for a quality meal that is worth the price, I'd recommend a stop by Trail's End. Never had a bad meal there and you always leave feeling full and satisfied. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Wildflower]

We really liked the tacos and the poke....both were great. the sushi, lettuce wraps, sliders and the dumplings were decent. sausages were meh. didn't try the salmon. It would be a rather expensive tapas style dinner if you do it, which is what we did and did enjoy it. we did bring food into the outside/terrace portion from Capt Cook's for our 5yr old..

 

[dreamfinder]

Several of the items are available with tofu instead of pork if that is more your thing. Personally, skip dinner and just go for the drinks and then a dole whip. Makes for a cheaper date if you don't have food in your stomach.

 

[jrlbc06]

Personally, I'd say keep The Wave reservation. A friend and I visited Trader Sam's about 4 months after opening and needless to say the drinks are strong but the apps are really disappointing (on top of being expensive). We ordered the Portuguese Sausages which came with three sausages smaller than the tiny corn dogs they sell at the parks. The big kicker for us was that we were a party of two and we got three sausages. We ended up trying to cut the last sausage in half with the plastic shish kabob style stick that came with the app as we never actually received silverware. Everyone says the tacos are good, but I can't justify paying that price for three tacos that are 1/4 the size of a regular taco.

So all in all, unless your party is a VERY light eater or you have tons of cash to blow for no reason then yes, I'd recommend dinner at Trader Sam's. If not, keep the reservation at The Wave (or might I recommend a dinner at Trail's End. The best kept Disney dinning secret).

Anyway, hope this helps

Edit: Also, it just dawned on me that if you don't mind sitting in the outdoor area, you might be able to bring in food from Captain Cooks, which is a much better value for about the same price as the apps. But I'm not sure what the rules are regarding that.

The Wave is great.

Trader Sam's is great for drinks, OK for apps. If you had a big lunch and are ok with eating light go for it. Otherwise, maybe just cocktails.
Despite the exaggeration and hyperbole of the poster above, the tacos are not 1/4 the size of regular tacos. They are normal sized and very good! We also liked the lettuce wraps and dumplings!

 

[NiarrNDisney]

You could easily make a meal out of the appetizers offered on Trader Sam's menu but if your anything like me I prefer to snack around at a few places. We tend to do the monorail resort loop and stop at a couple lounges and have a little nosh at each place usually starting or ending at Trader Sam's. Though I have found that going around when they open is usually the best time since your chances of getting a seat are slimmer as the sun goes down.

Other great places to get a drink and a small bite to eat around the MK:

Kona Island (Poly)
Mizner's Lounge (GFR)
Territory Lounge (WL)
Wave Lounge (CR)

Plus you could hit up any of the CS restaurants found at the resorts including the pool bars.

 

[alissafalco]