Favorite restaurant Disneyland

[shaynakeegan]

What is your favorite restaurant and meal at Disneyland? with Kids and without

 

[Bruin_mouse]

I can’t speak to with kids. Without kids the atmosphere at Blue Bayou (request a table near the water) and Carthay Circle are amazing. I’ve read mixed reviews about the food at Blue Bayou but I personally have always enjoyed my food there.

 

[SteveH]

Bengal BBQ tops my list.
Lamplight Lounge
Blue Bayou for the atmosphere, food is okay
Docking Bay 7
French Market
Jolly Holiday
Smoke Jumpers Grill

 

[LilyJC]

Best TS at DLR is outside the parks IMO:

Steakhouse 55 at the DLH for breakfast is a favorite as well as Afternoon Tea

Napa Rose at the GCH is probably the only restaurant I’d suggest to skip with kids

Carthay Circle in DCA is nice with or w/o kids

Lamplight Lounge in DCA is also fun

Blue Bayou is another fun experience with kids - I don’t think it’s incredibly romantic though as the people in boats frequently yell for rolls

DLR also has many great QS options:

Rancho del Zocalo
Troubadour Tavern
Pacific Wharf Cafe
Flo’s for breakfast
Tangaroa Terrace (DLH)

Granted everyone has different taste buds... People who like fried chicken enjoy Plaza Inn. Check menus at allears.net to see what might be appealing for your family.

 

[shaynakeegan]

Bengal BBQ tops my list.
Lamplight Lounge
Blue Bayou for the atmosphere, food is okay
Docking Bay 7
French Market
Jolly Holiday
Smoke Jumpers Grill

I haven’t eaten at the French market yet- I always forget it is there tucked away. Favorite dish?

 

[shaynakeegan]

I haven’t eaten at the French market yet- I always forget it is there tucked away. Favorite dish?

Oh and bengal smells SO good every time we walk by. I need to try it when we go back.

 

[shaynakeegan]

I can’t speak to with kids. Without kids the atmosphere at Blue Bayou (request a table near the water) and Carthay Circle are amazing. I’ve read mixed reviews about the food at Blue Bayou but I personally have always enjoyed my food there.

I like Blu Bayou too- but we always get placed in the back when we have our son with- coincidence maybe.
We’ve eaten at Carthay but I usually stick to the steak. What meals have you had there that you would recommend?

 

[SteveH]

I haven’t eaten at the French market yet- I always forget it is there tucked away. Favorite dish?

I haven't been enough to have a fav, but my wife/son/I all had good meals there twice on our last trip.

 

[Bruin_mouse]

I like Blu Bayou too- but we always get placed in the back when we have our son with- coincidence maybe.
We’ve eaten at Carthay but I usually stick to the steak. What meals have you had there that you would recommend?

I have eaten there twice. The first time was a steak (sorry it's been too long to remember the cut), the second time was a special they were running. I wish I could remember exactly what it was, but it was a white fish filet seasoned with Moroccan spices. I'm not much of a seafood guy at all but that was excellent. Also, I forgot to mention if you're a drinker that they're cocktail menu is great as well. With Carthay Circle just make sure you have a dining reservation in hand. Every time I've been there they don't even let you in the door without an ADR.

 

[fly girl]

Carthay Circle
Hearthstone Lounge GCH (club sandwich is really good!)
Wine Country Trattoria (great quiet escape to have a glass of wine and snack)
Lamplight Lounge

Quick Service:

Rancho Del Zocalo
Cocina Cucamonga

 

[nkereina]

Just FYI that there's a Disneyland forum where you get more responses. IMO, Blue Bayou has the best atmosphere but we liked the food options at Café Orleans better.

 

[Comicbookmommy]

I have four kids, so I can only really say which ones were great with them.

- Storyteller’s Cafe, great buffet, and love the storyteller theming, not to mention getting to walk around the Grand Californian and visiting the shop and checking out the lobby is always nice.

- Any character breakfasts, my kids liked Mickey’s Surf’s Up (now Donalds), and food is more interesting. Goofy’s is okay, high priced, but still fun. Storytellers, I haven’t been to since they switched it from Chip & Dale’s, but that was just just okay as well. Plaza with Minnie had the lesser breakfast food, but better characters, plus its in the park.

- Carnation Cafe, I love sitting outside at lunch, and yummy food! Althought I’m sad Oscar isn’t around anymore!

- Blue Bayou, Food is okay, better at lunch for two reasons: Better prices, and it feels more “magical” to go in from bright daylight into a sudden nightime scene. And of course, sit by the water!

- Not in the park, but my kids love LOVE the IHOP across the street from the entrance. I wouldn’t say there’s anything amazing about it, but the food did seem higher quality than usual, and the kids ask for it every trip.

- Every trip we’d go to Rainforest Cafe first for dinner, of course, that is sadly closed now

Wish I could say I’ve had a great time somewhere in CA but nothing really stands out except the Boudin Bread place, and Ghiradelli, both of which we visit every time and the kids enjoy.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

What is your favorite restaurant and meal at Disneyland? with Kids and without

Be aware that all the above information is pre-COVID and there will likely be menu changes if you visit during the reservation period. No one knows yet what the dining situation will be like once the parks reopen, so keep up with this board to get the latest news on which locations will reopen and what menu items will be available. It was reported that WDW made changes to the kids menus, so be sure to double check the DLR menus before you visit if your kids are picky eaters.

 

[cruisehopeful]

My new favorite is the Craftsman grill at the the Grand Californian. I ate several meals at both the quick service (formerly white water snacks) and the outdoor bar/table service.

We also like to eat at Carthay Circle in DCA.

I've had a couple meals at Blue Bayou, but that was more about the atmosphere and it was very enjoyable.

Breakfast at Carnation Cafe is really good.

All of those places are good with and without kids.

 

[mentos]

So many restaurants for so many reasons

1) Blue Bayou -- All atmosphere, food is pretty god too...even the occasional heckler-in-a-boat that asks you to toss them some bread. It's like dining with real pirates on the water!

2) Lamplight Lounge -- New favorite, the lower level is sunken down below walking level and makes for a nice quiet time on the water watching the world go by. We get the lobster nachos and add steak for an off-menu surf-and-turf treat.

3) Jolly Holiday -- Grilled cheese & tomato soup! Also, great place to people watch & listen to the DL band off in the distance when they're in the front of the castle.

4) Plaza Inn -- Fried chicken plate. Mostly because it's the best deal in the park IMO (most food for the $$ -- you can probably share a plate if you're not too hungry). Great history behind the space if you know it.

5) Red Rose Tavern -- Poutine! Okay, not the best poutine, but it's poutine. Also, another nice people watching spot in Fantasyland. Pearly Band is sometimes nearby enough to listen.

6) Craftsman Grill (formerly whitewater snacks) -- Burger is best in the park. Also, tends to be a fairly underutilized space.

 

[whoever]

Disneyland

1) 21 Royal - Best meal of my life
2) Club 33 - Always amazing fare
3) Blue Bayou - Ambiance can't be beat
4) Cafe Orleans - Gumbo and Pommes Frites
5) Plaza Inn - Great value with the Fried Chicken

DCA

1) The old Cove bar for the Lobster Nachos. LLL has ruined them though....
2) Smoke Jumpers - Great Deal
3) Carthay Lounge
4) Carthay Circle (has traditionally been a let down)

Hotels:

1) Napa Rose Chef's Counter
2) Napa Rose Table Service
3) SH55
4) Trader Sam's

 

[lalasmama]

With kids:
Snacks-- Dole whip, the twists at Maurice's.
Quick service-- Bengal BBQ
Counter service-- Smoke Jumper, Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
Sit down-- we're never adventurous here. River Belle Terrace at the fence, or Cafe Orleans at the fence so the 7 yo has something to look at.

Without kids:
Snacks-- Maurice's twists, or Dole Whip w/ Mickey sugar cookie, or begniets, or ice cream, or... Or... Or... Well, just about anything, lol! We tend to snack our way through the parks.
Quick service-- Bengal BBQ all the way!
Counter Service-- Smoke Jumpers or Boardwalk
Sit down-- it all depends. Solo: Cafe Orleans or Blue Bayou. Lamplight. Hubs and I: Blue Bayou or Carthay. Hubs, Teen and I: she always wants Blue Bayou.

 

[violina]

Don't know what it's like with kids, sorry. But without kids, my favs: Napa Rose, the Afternoon Tea at Steakhouse 55, and Carthay's. Napa Rose and Carthay have seasonal menus and the meals I've had have been fantastic.

 

[whoever]

We have no issues taking our kids to ANY restaurant at the DLR except 21 Royal. They've eaten at C33, Napa Rose, SH55, Carthay (lounge and Restaurant), etc. All work great.

 

[James From Utah]

I love the burger and donuts at Lamplight Lounge. I always request a table by the water.