Stayed here for a quick visit to WDW...and really enjoyed it! My only complaint is the parking...much too far if you arent staying in Pref. Room locations. I enjoyed the themeing very much...brought back fond memories of my childhood. Very comfy beds out of all Values. Will stay here again...but in Pref Room.
Artist Point is the high-end Dinner Only restaurant at the Wilderness Lodge. The food is fresh and inventive and the quality is superb! Some of the offerings include Duck Confit with Pear Salad, Crispy Venison Spring Rolls, Beef tenderloin, and Buffalo steak. The desserts are also excellent. The servers are knowledgeable about the food and wines that they offer and are friendly. The restaurant theming is average but nice, but really the best part about it all is that it is quiet and has great quality food and service.
The Whispering Canyon Cafe sounds like a great idea on paper, but fails in many ways. The first and foremost problem with the restaurant is that it is the "Cafe" for the resort, also known as the least expensive, table-service location for the resort. Anyone and everyone who travels expects a "Cafe" for simple table-service, where you can get common food items, at a reasonable price, in a quiet environment with little wait. The Wilderness Lodge Resort only has two other dining options-Artist Point, the high-end end dinner only restaurant (which by the way is excellent), and the Roaring Forks Snack Bar (a self-serve counter that specializes in food that is fast and poor quality) With this said Whispering Canyon is your only option if you want to sit down to a table service meal for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. The premise is that you are dining in the Old West. Apparently, in the Old West, everyone is hard of hearing, because all the servers at the restaurant think that you need to SHOUT to be funny or authentic. The servers joke throughout your meal using words like, "Partner" and other typical western phrases to evoke a smile or embarass their diners. They threaten to force you to do the dishes and if you ask for ketchup they bring you 30 bottles and scream through-out the restaurant that you wanted ketchup. Later, when another, unsuspecting visitor asks for ketchup, then the first table's patrons take all 30 bottles to the next table and so on. Admittedly, the first time you see this, you will laugh as long as it isn't your table. Ultimately the jokes are good for kids, but adults will be irritated that this is their ONLY Table Service Option for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Wilderness Resort. Before or after a long day at the parks, the last thing you want is to be SCREAMED AT, while eating POOR QUALITY FOOD, that is too expensive for what it is. Really, the jokes and yelling would be acceptable if the service and food offered was better. The food is sub-par at best, the skillets that are served at Breakfast and Dinner are ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT, but the food served is very poor quality. You will begin to notice that most of the food offerings are strikingly similar to those found in the snack bar, only you pay more money and you get to get yelled at! How enjoyable! The Breakfast skillet includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, formed hash browns, (like at McDonalds) and rock-hard biscuits that you would never serve to guests. The Breakfast Plate at the Roaring Forks Snack bar is almost identical for a fraction of the price. The Dinner skillet includes smoked pork ribs, smoked pulled pork, potatoes with onions, & link sausage. Most items are smoked meats that frankly taste FAKE. The smoke flavoring tastes nasty and has a really bad aftertaste. Anyone who barbeques or smokes their food at home will know immediately that what they are eating is not very good. But, because you are on vacation, with the kids, and at Disney World the adults at the table feel forced to shut-up and just eat what's in front of you. As mentioned, there's really no other option, aside from leaving the resort, which we were forced to do. We ultimately went over to the Grand Floridian Cafe which has excellent common breakfast options (like Eggs any way & Eggs Benedict) and the service that is way, way better. I did overhear others on some of the transit buses while on our stay talking about avoiding the Whispering Canyone Cafe simply out of frustration and irritation with the format of the restaurant. Ultimately, the Whispering Canyone Cafe could be great at the Wilderness Lodge if there was another regular Cafe at the resort. In this fashion, those who wanted to experience the oddity of the Whispering Cafe could do so optionally. The FOOD and SERVICE must be significantly better though to be successful. Also, the pricing for what you get in return is a Poor Value.
If you're tired of burger and fries and want good healthy meals, then I highly suggest Tusker House. I personally think Animal Kingdom has the best counter service park food of all the WDW parks, and Tusker House is at the top. The grilled salmon with rice and vegetables is a wonderful change from the average. The rotissire chicken is also another great choice. I wasn't too impressed with the turkey wrap, but the corn chowder that came with it more than made up for it. Yummy!! They also had a vegetable stuffed pita with a side of grapes that was also quite good. If you're trying to eat healthy in the parks, you can't go wrong eating here.
I cannot think of one critical thing to say about the cuisine at Jiko. I live in San Francisco which considers itself a serious food town and I have to say that Jikos has beat all the restaurants I've tried in SF. The food is just that delicious. In fact I've voted it my favorite restaurant in the world. Jiko means "the cooking place" in swahilli, and they have two large earthen like ovens in the center of the restaurant. The decor is warm and cozy incorporating dark woods in the floor and seats, and rich earth colors in the fabrics. The forced perspective flock of birds that hang above the diners is also a nice touch. As is the simulated dawn to dusk lighting in the restaurant. As for the menu, I highly recommend the lamb shank, the scallops, and the pork loin. The braised short ribs are also not to be missed. Try something different for dessert and order the cheese platter selection. Excellent. One of my companions is a very picky eater and always orders the sirloin cooked very well done. They butterfly the sirloin so that it is cooked well done but not dried out. You may think the menu won't have anything for children, but they do have a children's menu. And judging by the happy faces of the children we did see on the evenings we were there, it must be good. The service is superb. On my last trip I dined at Jiko three times on my last trip. On two occasions I had a server named Hassan. He was very warm and welcoming and always knew when you needed something. On the one night we didn't have Hassan he came over to welcome us anyway and at one point he walked by our table and saw my glass was empty of water. He quickly picked up my Pelligrino bottle and filled my glass! To me that's the mark of quality service. Taking care of the needs of diners who aren't sitting in your section!! Really, I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this restaurant. It's completely spoiled me and I will now compare all others to it.
Read the early reviews and see how the changed this from the best value on site to a place where there is no fun or value. Akershus was like Germany is now, where you picked the food you wanted, now you order each item and have to wait for it to be cooked and then if you want another item you order it and wait again. This is suppose to be "all you can eat" of anything you want, but if you don't know the foods it is hard to guess what to order. The old days it was right in front of you and you picked it yourself. We now go to Germany for the food and show.
Where can you go and get a GREAT sandwich at such a great price Earl of Sandwich is the place.
Very tasty pizza! I didnt particularly care for the bread sticks and ended up tossing them (they were a bit hard and untasty to me even with the side of sauce) The pizza is VERY GOOD and if you're visiting with kids...you can NEVER go wrong with pizza.
Great food, but very weak theming. I wish it was open more often, as it is the only mexican food in MK.
A fast food noodle shop, ok, but with so many tastier places to eat this isn't high on my repeat list.
A good snack.When snacking around the world we are usually full by the time we get here. Probably better to start here to really be able to enjoy them.
Whispering Canyon Cafe has some of the best food and at exceptional value. The all you can eat Canyon Skillet is one of the best deals to be found anywhere. Many people think this is primarily a "barbeque" restaurant, which it isn't. They do have some barbequed and grilled items on the menu, but they offer much more than that. However, the barbequed and roasted dishes they do have are outstanding-- the ribs, pulled pork and chicken especially. The Cowboy Beans are delicious along with the corn on the cob. Since my wife and I were dining alone for dinner, we asked for a quieter table, which you might think would not be possible at this venue, but it is. We had to wait a few minutes since the restaurant was full, but it was well worth it. We were seated at a cozy table for two next to a fireplace. Our server, "Lazy" Susan, was wonderful and took great care of us. This is one of my favorite restaurants-- delicious food and great service. I never need to look at the menu-- I just say "I'll have the skillet, please".
NICE STOP FOR A LOCAL SNACK WHILE DRYING OFF FROM THE RAFT RIDE.GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO THEME FOOD TO THE AREA
In addition to the excellent ribs, we enjoy the seating area at Flame Tree BBQ. You can go all the way down to the edge of the water for a peaceful meal with fantastic views of EE.
The Buffalo was overcooked and almost too tough to eat. The Salmon was average, at best. We spent over $200 for family of four, two children ages 8 and 10. We wanted this to be special and the room was nice and view equally nice. But this was a dissappointment.
The theming was amazing. They missed on the food quality and seating. The food was the same as if you would have gone to counter service but it was higher priced. The seating was uncomfortable and cramped. The overall experience was poor other then the theming. If you are a Sci-Fi fan this restaurant is a must see but only once. I would not go back again. But being a huge Disney fan I have to try every attraction and restaurant at least once.
Hoop Dee Doo Revue is a great dinner show. The show hasn't changed much over the year which to me is the only down fall. The show is entertaining and the food is great. If you are a fan of fried chicken and fixins this show is a must. This show is great for the whole family. I have attended with a large group and a small group and it is great either way.
This restaurant is great for the whole family. The wait staff keeps you entertained the whole time, it is like you are attending a dinner show. The staff interacts with guests and it is always a good time. The food is great and there is always plenty to eat. I go to this restaurant every time I visit WDW.
Best burgers in WDW! This is a must-stop eating establishment when we're in the MK. Topping off the burgers is a fantastic fixin' bar, complete with the usual toppings and sauteed mushrooms. If burgers aren't your thing, they have a wonderful chicken wrap, full of chicken, tomatoes, cheese, and just enough sauce to keep it from drying out. My wife always gets this and can never finish it because of the size. Remember, it is counter-service, so don't expect a lot there, but you can't go wrong with a lunch at Pecos Bills. Oh, beware of the birds if you choose to dine outside!
This is my favorite resturant in any of the parks, it is the best! I'm a passholder and I have to go to this place every couple of months, just fabulous...
We had lunch at Rose & Crown for the first time in July. Boy have we been missing out! We tried the Cottage Pie, Chicken Pasty and Fish & Chips. All three meals were fabulous. Our waitress was so friendly, making jokes and providing us the recipes for our food! The portions are HUGE. I was so full but didn't want to stop eating. We didn't try dessert, but it looked good when I saw it going by. We ate inside because it was raining, and it was very warm and cozy. I felt like I was in an English pub. I can't wait to go back
If you've ever passed by and wondered should you give it a try....the answer is YES! The food is really good. The rotisserie chicken is a change for counter service and it's so darn good comparable to Pollo Tropical (if you've ever dined there). The Garlic Mash Potatoes are excellant and I ate mine and my girlfriends. She loved the veggies but she did mention they needed more salt. Overall, it was a great experiance and we will def. eat at Tuskers again.
I had breakfast at the Crystal Palace on my birthday Oct 10th and LOVED it sooooo much that the day after my birthday i called to make PS for breakfast again! Our waiter was so excited and friendly and really made my day special. I hugged him with tears in my eyes after our meal. The characters were very attentive and visited our table often. The food is yummy with a wide selection of foods for EVERYONE! For a buffet the price was great and the food was hot...all the time! Def. my favorite restaurant in WDW! I loved it!!!!!
This was the best place we eat at during our stay. We eat there twice!!! The breadsticks are good, the appetizers, the steaks. I had the chocolate whiskey cake one day and the raspberry sorbet the next time, two words, flippin sweet!!!!!!! We had lunch both times, couldn't get dinner reservations. I'm so glad that we got the chance to eat there. I'm def going back next time!
I had fun. I just expected more at the buffet. They had good food, just not enough variety. The desserts were really good. The characters came around twice and was really fun. The mashed potatoes are really good. And try the bread pudding w/ Bailey's Irish Creme. Excellent!
I really enjoyed the food here! I ordered off the menu, instead of the all-you-can-eat deal. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, I can't remember what it was called, but it was really good. My aunt had the all-u-can-eat and she really didn't like it. I had some of it and I liked it. The banana dessert was awesome! We weren't seated in the main dining room, but that was ok. We enjoyed listening to the things that went on in the main didng area. The waitress was really nice too. I give it two thumbs up.
We visited Artist Point Sept. 28, 2005. We had a 6pm res on a Wednesday night, and the restaurant was half full. Very quiet, very few children, exceptionally romantic and upscale. I ordered a beef filet med rare that I could cut with my fork and brought tears to my eyes. It was the best meal we had all week. Our server was friendly, unobtrusive, and knowledgeable about the menu and wine list. We had dined at the California Grill two nights before, and I enjoyed Artist Point much more. A hidden gem!
One of our favorite places to eat! Even our picky eaters found things they loved. My 8 yr loved the chicken Schnitzel among other things. Wish they didn't cook the weiners in kraut...OK for me but kids weren't thrilled. And for those of us who like to try new things, there were plenty of choices. The entertainment was fun, but they could have gotten the audience invloved more. Our server was excellent and very friendly. We enjoyed talking to him about his homeland. Recommend putting the vanilla sauce on the apple strudel! Also, try the different sauces for the meats,yum! Everyone left very full. My 64 yr Dad said it was the best meal at Disney. Rec. a late lunch Ressie, get the cheaper lunch price but this much food covers lunch and dinner. Plus, the buffet is continuous, so you don't have to worry about them putting everything away.
While I know a lot of people have had great experiences here, we are not one of them. We ate dinner here one night in August. I thought the menu choices to be slim. When I ordered a sandwhich, I requested something be left off. The cashier looked at me and said "But that is how it comes.". I commented since they make them fresh, couldn't they omit something. It was a big hassel. When we did get our food, it was just not very good. I left most of it uneaten. The kids did seem to enjoy theirs, though. But it was not a hit with the aduls. There were also many dirty tables, and while the place was not very busy, it was hard to find a place to sit due to the mess. While the A/C was nice, I would not go here again. I hope we just got them on a bad night.
I got the Strawberry Flavor Burst, and let me say that it was definitely missing the "burst". I couldn't even taste the strawberry at all, even when I ate only the parts with strawberry. It's just like vanilla soft serve. I haven't had the other flavors so i'm not sure if they're any better, but in my opinion if you want strawberry, get a Strawberry Swirl at Enchanted Grove in the MK.
My family loves fettucini alfredo so they were excited to dine here. While the adults enjoyed the pasta, my 2 girls did not think the alfredo sauce tasted like it was supposed to. It is delicious, but it does not taste like an Olive Garden type sauce that my kids are used to. They had more than enough to eat though since I shared lasagna off of my huge platter of food with them. The desserts were gorgeous although we were to full from the huge portions to try any. The beautiful restaurant and cozy atmosphere made for an interesting place to rest for a meal. It was loud, and the server had a hard time reaching or hearing everyone since it was a very long table with its end pushed against the wall and squeezed between a wall partition and another long table of people. I think it is worth eating here once, but I will try all the other restaurants in Epcot before coming back here again.
This is a wonderfully decorated, themed restaurant with comfortable seating in a peaceful atmosphere. I wanted to dine here for the experience of the different foods and the entertainment. I was surprised at how much everyone, including myself, actually liked the taste of the food. The kids had a great time dancing beside the table as the belly dancer did her thing. Our waiter was very patient in explaining items on the menu.
This breakfast was truly magical for our family. It is mighty expensive, but as long as you remember that you are paying for the entire experience rather than just some fruit and french toast, it will seem well worth it. The castle is realistic looking inside with a lovely view overlooking magic kingdom. My husband thought the service was too hurried...like we were being rushed, and he didn't get time to ask for a refill of juice. I was too caught up in the meeting of princesses to notice. The fruit they served was fresh and cold. My kids liked the basket of assorted muffins and croisants. My daughter asked for more sausage and it was quickly brought out. I have heard this advice before and it is worth repeating, don't let the servers make you feel rushed. When you shell out that kind of dough for a meal you have earned your time in the booth. I would definatly have breakfast with Cinderella again; hang the cost. Oh yes, if you have a liitle girl, have her wear a princess costume dress. My 6 year old wore a cinderella dress and all the princesses commented on it. Also, all the cast members said, "Hello, Cinderella." to her all day making her feel quite special.
such a fun hotel it was only been open a few months when we stayed there so it was all new and clean staff were so friendly and the place ad music played everywhere you went i felt like a kid again it was brill
We were RIPPED OFF. Milky Way sundae has a bundt. Ours had none. My finace was fine with this. ME, no. This was NOT free on the dining plan. No one said anything and I was left diving through the mass of whip cream that was sneakily added to divert my attentions, in search of the delectable delight only to find the bottom of the bowl. As you can see, I am traumatized. RIP missing bundt cake. Overall Rating: F (not bitter. Honest.)
Love it here. I ordered the Lamb Shawarma Sandwich which is huge, a side of fries, that I couldn’t finish and really didn’t even need, and Baklava. It is delicious. If you like gyros, you will love this sandwich. The Baklava is the same they serve in the restaurant Marrakesh. Overall Rating: A+
My fiance got lunch here one day. He ordered the Shogun Combo (teriyaki chicken, sukiyaki beef and rice). Beware the sukiyaki beef. He expected it to look like teriyaki beef but it looks more like dog food. He didn’t touch it but he did like the teriyaki chicken and he said he’d order there again getting just that. For dessert (you get them free on the dining plan which is why we have one at every meal) he got a ginger cake and he did like it. Not sure what he’d give it overall.
On a recommendation that I got on these boards, I tried an almond covered sweet pretzel. To me, it was just ok. I wouldn’t get one again. But it was worth a try. I don’t think it’s fair to give a grade to something that was good, just not my taste. So I will leave it at that.
I only stopped in here to try the pot stickers (peking dumplings). I was disappointed. They overcooked which made them crunchy and they had the wrong type of dipping sauce. Usually they have a ginger soy dipping sauce but these came with a thick sauce that I’ve seen put on other types of Chinese food. If I’m really craving them, they do taste the same and maybe they’d be cooked better next time, but if this is your dining option, I’d go to Pinocchio’s. Overall Rating: C but I think they may have just had a bad day.
This change is a very very good change. While I still miss the pickles they offered on the bar, I like the new menu, which is Italian. And Figaro Fries are still an option! But we have yet to try them. My fiance, JD, ordered a Pepperoni Pizza, side salad and chocolate cake for dessert. He gave the salad to me but he really liked his meal. He prefers the pizza at Pizzafari only because they cook it better, he likes it well crisped, but it’s the same exact pizza. The chocolate cake was also delicious. I ordered the Italian Sub Sandwich. It was on a Tuscan roll which seemed to be a whole wheat or multigrain roll. It was very filling and I really really liked the taste. If you like Italian subs, it was a smaller version but the same taste. I had a side of fries that I had a couple of and so did JD but we didn’t finish them since there was so much food! One of the cool things about this place is they give rice crispy mickey head treats as a dessert option. I love those!! Overall rating: A+, change is good! (We had the DDP)
If you have skipped this restaurant like I used to, thinking pizza is boring, like I used to do, you are missing out! You can always count on coming here and finding a nice open space to sit. DON’T sit where everyone does, in the first room. Get your food and walk down the hallway to the very last dining room. We have been lucky in both August and December (Christmas week) to find it relatively empty and gleaming with cleanliness. A nice relaxing place to have lunch. My fiancé (JD) ordered the pepperoni pizza and he loved it. He ordered chocolate cake for dessert which was an actual slice of cake and very very good. We also got a side of breadsticks which are garlic and with a bit of cheese baked in and dipping marinade, very tasty. I ordered the Hot Italian Deli Sandwich, it was the most amazing counter service meal I have had on property. It was warm with a hint of pesto, just right. It was also huge on a really weird bread. Which I found out was actually pizza dough. I loved it. In fact, we both loved our meals so much that we went back again later in the week! For dessert I had an apple tart one day of which I only ate the apples, it was ok. And a frozen strawberry lemonade the other. I didn’t care for that much. Overall rating: A+, best counter service meal of the week! I wouldn’t waste my money on the desserts though unless I got the chocolate cake. (We had the DDP)
I have to say, for the price you do get quite a bit of food. I was sufficiently stuffed after this meal. I had to go it alone, my fiance went to the McDonalds in Dinoland haha and came to eat with me down by the river. The one cool thing about this place is that you can sit in so many different seating areas that I didn’t know existed. We were able to sit next to the water and watch the boat with the characters go by. Very cool! I ordered the ½ rack St. Louis Ribs, Corn and Beans. I also got a dessert so I chose the frozen lemonade which was completely melted by the time I was done with my meal. I gave the corn to my fiance who really liked it. The ribs and beans were great, much better than most counter service meals in Disney. Overall Rating: A, for counter service, this is good stuff!
Our reservation was at 7:50 am and it was our very last day. I was a combination of sad and tired. And the restaurant was mostly empty when we got there. So I think it would have been more fun at a different time in the day and I don’t think I appreciated it enough. The service was great, the characters were fun, and the food was standard breakfast buffet. Our seat overlooked the MK but it was covered in dead bugs and you couldn’t see out it because the condensation was so bad at that hour in the day. Yuck on many levels there. Our photo came out bad because we were so tired hehe. I did like Goofy’s Vegetable Breakfast Lasagna, the mini croissants and the cheesy potatoes. My fiance ate the standard waffles and liked them. Mickey waffles are the best of course! So I have to say for a breakfast buffet it was ok. Probably good for kids. But for the money, the Polynesian’s breakfast buffet is 100 times better in my opinion. Overall score – B, go to the Poly for better food and a more fun atmosphere.
This restaurant is so cool. You are seated with 8 people no matter how many are in your party so we were with 6 people we didn’t know. The rooms are set up so there are 4 dining areas of 8 in each and 4 chefs. Our waitress came out and gave us our drinks. We had a couple of special mixed drinks, don’t recall the names but they were good but the ice in them melted down fast from the hot table and they were a bit watery after that. Appetizer – I tried the Sushi Sampler and California Roll. This confirmed that I’m not a fan of sushi. I managed to choke down a few pieces so that we didn’t look rude, I was near green by the time our chef came out. Dinner – JD (my fiance) ordered Tonosama (chicken & steak (surprised?)) and I ordered San-Kai (cold water lobster and steak). Our server did some tricks with the vegetables that we all got which included making a smoking volcano with onions. It was neat how fast he worked. We were all served a type of vegetable lo mein with bean sprouts along with white rice and our main course. It was excellent, especially the lobster. We both cleaned our plates. They give you a ginger sauce and a soy type sauce to dip your meat in. It’s all very tasty. Dessert – JD ordered vanilla ice cream and I had the Chestnut Cake. It was great but I was too full to eat it! Overall Rating – This is a dinner show. Would we pay for it? Probably not. I think it was over $100. It was good but not THAT good. If we had the dining plan? For sure, it was entertaining and good. Overall rating: A
This buffet is extensive and very different. I will say that it does have some favorites like chicken fingers on there for the JDs of the world. So you can bring a picky eater and they will be satisfied. We were seated about 5 minutes after we arrived. We both headed straight for dinner and skipped salads and breads, though I did go back and try a few salads and the only one that stood out was the kool slaai (cole slaw) which they give you a little hard bread to put on. Very good! There is so much here so I will just post the things we really liked and some that I personally really disliked. Liked: Potatoes with Afritude (JD’s favorite of the meal), Malabu Pepper Steak, Curried Coconut Seafood Stew, Falafel, Chicken Tenders , Fufu and Pap. The falafel was my favorite. I think it tasted really great. Disliked: All of the other soups. For desserts the Zebra Domes were a bit disappointing to me only because I’m not a fan of Mocha. Had they been vanilla/chocolate I would have loved them. However the best dessert was a fudge brownie I had. Unbelievable! I didn’t see any Simba Paws?? Maybe they are either not at this restaurant or not available anymore? Overall, you really can’t go wrong. This buffet is really good and has many things that are tasty. It’s worth the money. Overall Rating: A
Well this menu is limited IMHO. And there wasn’t much on it that wasn’t “weird” except for the Polletto Ruspante all’Uva or as what us Americans know as Chicken on the bone hehe. My fiance doesn’t like skin and he doesn’t really like chicken on the bone or chicken with any juice in it, or Italian food in general. So I was afraid we were definitely stopping after this meal for a burger… Appetizer – I ordered the Caesar Salad and asked JD to order the Calamari as his appetizer. Hey, it was free and he was going to choose nothing, so I freely stuffed my face. SOOOOOOO good. Both of them. Just amazing. I didn’t eat too much because we had more to come! But the Caesar salad was great, the dressing was like none I’d ever tasted before. The girl in the couple sitting next to us commented that it was “the first salad she may actually finish”. I think that speaks for itself. Dinner – We all know what JD ordered. I ordered the Fettuchini Alfredo of course. They said it was their “famous” dish. I had to try it. It was good. Not the best fettuccini ever. But very good. I added a lot of pepper though to taste. It was a little bland. And what of the chicken? JD devoured the entire thing. If bones were edible, those would have been gone too. He said it was amazing and he’d never had chicken like that before. He also ate the rolls they give you with the dipping oil. The dipping oil was a bit plain as well, but the rolls were excellent. We also ordered a carafe of Sangiovese. It gave us 3 glasses of wine each and we were on top of the world by the time the meal was though! LOL Dessert – We ordered the dessert special for 2 which gave you miniature pieces of all the desserts. JD liked them all. There was tiramisu, yogurt covered strawberry, canoli and some type of pudding thing. I only liked the canoli but the other desserts to me were just ok so I didn’t want to stuff myself with them. Overall Rating – We were literally sitting on top of the other couple next to us and they didn’t speak to each other the entire meal except for the salad comment and we were blabbing to each other getting louder and louder I’m sure with ever sip of wine for our whole meal. No doubt they were either fighting or annoyed with us So it was a bit awkward in that respect. Would we pay for the meal? Yes. Though I think we’d both give this restaurant different scores. So I’ll have to average it out. Ambience: A+ Seating Arrangement: C- Food: A
OK I can't help but write a mostly glowing review here. We have 2 favorite restaurants in Disney. Ohana and Le Cellier! All I have to say about this meal really is that if I had to eat one thing, everyday, for the rest of my life, this would be it. The restaurant is under the Canada Pavilion, hence the name, Le Cellier. It is dark and almost gothic looking, with low chandeliers and wine cases lining the room. The only problem with this restaurant is that they sit you right on top of the couple next to you. I felt like we were dining with them and at one point we were talking to each other. It is such a romantic atmosphere I would have liked it to have been a bit more private. Oh well, the food makes up for this 10 fold. Appetizers – I ordered the cheddar cheese soup and JD had the Grilled Beef Tenderloin Kebab. Probably the only appetizer he really loved the whole trip. The Cheddar cheese soup is unbelievable. Topped with bacon it tastes like cheese, bacon and beer. Sounds gross eh? Not so! It’s delish. You also get fresh long breadsticks of sourdough, pretzel bread and multigrain. All were tasty! We both liked the sourdough best. Dinner – We both ordered the 14 oz. NY Strip Steak. We love us some steak! It literally melts in your mouth, it is cooked to perfection. I don’t know what they rub on the steak but whatever the marinade is, it is amazing. Though it came with roasted Yukon potatoes, which JD really liked, I wanted the Cream Cheese Mashed potatoes instead. They were the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had in my life. Honestly, whatever meal you choose here, you can’t go wrong. And one good thing about this meal, in case you haven’t heard, Disney decided to drop it down to 1 DDP point instead of 2. So we only used 1 meal for this!! Our server said they were trying to change this and bring it back to 2 but for the time being it’s 1. Dessert – I’m a fan of Crème Brulee, the most diet deceiving dessert on the face of the planet. Take a good look at it folks, how much fat is in something so small, light and delightful?? More than in your entire meal AND your lunch! But the Maple Crème Brulee was unbelievable. And who was I to count fat? I was drinking regular coke like a fiend and eating ½ a 14 oz steak!! LOL JD had the new Happiest Celebration on Earth Chocolate Fudge Cake. He really liked it and ate most of it, it was a large slice. Overall – I have to say, this was our favorite meal of the whole trip. Just unbelievable. An A+ doesn’t do it justice.
We arrived to MK for our 8:50 am breakfast. We were in the castle foyer for about 3 minutes before our name was called. Up the stairs and into the room, it was gorgeous! I really wish it wasn’t a restaurant and they could do something with the castle to make it an actual walk through attraction. I think that would be much cooler and a much better use of the space though probably not as profitable!! We were seated in the best seat in the house, the table for 2 right at the window overlooking the carousel. What luck we thought… about 5 seconds later we found out why. Our server thought it was our Honeymoon!! Haha Don’t know why he thought that!! But hey, we’ll take the perk! The food here is just ok. And in my opinion, for the price, unless you have kids who want to go here or are really dying to try it just once, it’s not worth it. I wanted more since there were a couple things I didn’t like and I wanted to skip lunch that day, but I felt guilty asking. I did ask for more potatoes, those were great, but my server forgot and by the time he remembered, we were ready to leave. JD didn’t like anything, he’s a picky eater. So he filled up on croissants which we asked for more of. The meal consisted of a kind of au grautin potatoes, 2 links of sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, scrambled eggs and a little cheese stuffed toast type thing. I didn’t like that. I also thought the serving was small. Maybe it was because the plate was so large. You start with fresh fruit which was great and some pastries. I only liked the croissants. JD liked all the pastries, there were cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffins as well. It was just standard breakfast fare. I had to try this once in my life. That’s really all I need. But I’m sure if we have a little girl somewhere down the line, we will go again for her. It’s worth it if you have kids that likes the princesses and yes, the castle is really cool inside!!! Overall Rating: Ambience: A+ Food: B- For a character breakfast, if you can skip the princesses, I'd suggest Ohana.
I went here on my very first trip to Disney when I was 12 or 13 and I ended up loving Cous Cous after that. So I was excited to try the restaurant again. We arrived 30 minutes early because we were hungry and wanted to get to our end show that night. They seated us right away one table away from the dance floor. I was a little irked at this because there was NO ONE sitting next to the dance floor. I think it was because the servers were better able to get to your table that way. The belly dancer had just done a set so we had to wait another 45 minutes for her performance, which was fun since we have such an elaborate meal plan! I ordered the Marrakesh Feast but substituted the Lemon Chicken with the Roast Lamb Meshoi. This meal comes with soup, Beef Brewat Rolls for appetizer, Lamb, Beef Shish Kebab, Cous Cous with 7 veggies for dinner and tons of Baklava for dessert. JD ordered the Chicken Bastilla for appetizer, Shish Kebab dinner and Crepes Atlas for dessert. The appetizers came out and I didn’t really like the soup. To be honest, it tasted like Campbell’s Vegetable Alphabet Soup. It was good but I could have it at home so I only took a bite or two. The Beef Brewat Roll was like a pastry covered with confectionary sugar and stuffed with beef. It was sweet. I actually really liked it. The Chicken Bastilla was just ok. It looked like a fried pastry saucer with chicen inside. JD didn’t like it but keep in mind he’s not very adventurous when it comes to dining. Our dinner came out very quickly. I have to say here, the Lamb tastes like dirty laundry. I tried, but it tasted like some of the dirty kid smells I was running into in the parks. EEW. The Cous Cous was as I remembered, perfect! So very yummy. I seriously could have eaten a big bowl of that. The Shish Kebab we agreed was excellent. The beef was cooked perfectly. The one thing that I didn’t like but JD didn’t mind was the tomato sauce they put it in. I’d have rather had it plain. Our dessert came and I absolutely love Baklava so I was in heaven. I tried the Crepe and I didn’t like it, tasted like straight honey. JD liked the ice cream but not the Crepe. The belly dancer came out as we were eating dessert and she was only on for about 5 minutes and that may have been stretching it. It was actually funny because two little girls went running up and she danced with them. Now that was funny for about a minute. You could tell she was annoyed that their parents just sat there laughing and taking photos and did nothing to remove them from the stage. Then she kept motioning for them to go back to their seats and they refused. Still the parents did nothing. This stopped the show. They were on there almost the entire time she was. Here’s my nasty side coming out… A quick note to parents out there… yes, your kids are cute. Yes, kids are funny. However, your kids will never be AS cute or AS funny to the rest of the people on vacation who are trying to enjoy a show or the Disney workers who are trying to do their job, as they are to you. When they are disrupting something, please take a quick photo and remove them. Thank you! (can you tell this happened A LOT on our trip?! Hehe) Overall rating: A-, I still can’t get the horror of the lamb taste out of my mind. I wouldn’t pay to go here as a regular diner… but if on the DDP, I would try it again and get the Chicken Cous Cous.
This was the longest wait we had once we arrived for our PS right on time at 6:30 pm. We waited about 15 minutes before we were seated. Our waiter was really great. The buffet, however, was not. It is decent if you are just looking for a heavy meal. There’s nothing WRONG with the food. But it is standard buffet fare. Nothing fabulous about any part of it. I was really looking forward to this meal because it was the only Disney buffet or nice dinner I had on the college program and I remember it being amazing. Looking back, that was probably because I was living on Canned Soup, Mac & Cheese and Pasta Roni at the time!! LOL It was a virtual feast back then! I was looking forward most to the steamers. I love steamed clams with butter so I planned to have many. They were ridiculously small. Not what I’m used to in the summer up here in Boston. They were tasty, but too small to even put a dent in my appetite without having loads of plates filled with shells on the table and I wasn’t interested in going up that many times. Nothing stood out except for the mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are the reason I left there full. Very creamy with a cheesy garlic taste, it’s the only thing on this buffet that I can highly recommend. The dessert bar also had a really tasty treat, an oreo cookie/fudge pastry. I had 2, they were petit. (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) Just your average fare and not worth the price IMHO, I was super glad it was free and a little bummed we didn’t try somewhere else. Overall rating: Ambience: A, we like the Beach Club! Food: C – If you have only one buffet option, go to Ohana.
We arrived again 30 minutes early for our dinner. The only other time we had a PS before this trip was for Le Cellier in Canada and we waited at least 20 minutes that time for a seat so we thought we’d run into that on this trip, hence getting to dinner early. But we didn’t! September crowds rock! We were seated in the far back section of the restaurant against the windows looking out over Norway. The restaurant wasn’t too crowded, it was 6:00pm. Our waiter greeted us right away and brought out water and soda. With the Disney Dining Plan, we were allowed 2 sodas, 2 appetizers, 2 meals, 2 desserts. MOO MOO MOO. For appetizer, JD ordered beef skewers and I ordered Pot Stickers. They came out not 5 minutes later. There were 3 very small beef skewers. The beef was tender and very good, JD loved it. The pot stickers were the best I’ve ever tasted. These are my favorite Chinese food option so I have much experience in trying them from different restaurants. If you like these, try them here! For main course, we ordered a side of fried rice which they didn’t charge extra for and JD ordered General Tso’s Chicken and I ordered the Honey Sesame Chicken. Both were excellent and melted in your mouth! The portions were large and very filling. I did not really care for the fried rice, I’ve had better at home. JD didn’t seem to either. JD finished his meal completely, it was so good. I personally loved the Honey Sesame Chicken more but JD preferred his meal. But with either, you can’t go wrong. For dessert I ordered the red bean ice cream and JD ordered ginger ice cream. The bowls were small with 1 scoop, perfect in my opinion since we were already stuffed. Red bean ice cream is very strange but sweet. I wasn’t expecting that. I really liked it, the beans just reminded me of nuts, though they didn’t taste like beans or nuts, but just added a crunch. I did NOT like the ginger but JD did. In general, I just don’t like ginger, if you do, this ice cream is very strong so you may like it. Good ambience, great food, private table. We wouldn’t pay $7.99 for the beef skewers, they were too small a portion. But everything else was worth the price. Overall Rating: A+
We have two favorite restaurants in all of Disney. This is one of them!! We arrived 30 minutes early and decided to have a drink in the Tambu Lounge. We sat at the bar and ordered a Lapu Lapu for me and the Tradewinds for my fiancé, Johnny Disney (JD). The Lapu Lapu was extremely strong, I tasted no fruit and all alcohol. I’m a wuss and I really like “girlie” drinks, like the Tradewinds, but was enticed by the pineapple… I’m a sucker for fun mugs, cups, straws, etc. The Tradewinds was TASTY. JD loved it as well; he too is a fan of the “girlie drinks” . The Lapu Lapu is large. It is also $11.99 so there’s no way I was going to let it go to waste. I finished it and was feeling pretty good by dinner… We were seated not 5 minutes after we finally checked in. The table we were at was for 3 people, right against the windows in front of the castle. Perfect view! At this restaurant you are referred to as “cousin” by the waitstaff. We started with Hawaiian bread, it has pineapple in it and is very tasty, but filling! Don’t eat too much; there are better things to come. Our waiter, who was fantastic, brought over a lazy Susan of chicken wings, shrimp and vegetable won tons, salad (who eats that?! Certainly not I), and 3 types of dipping sauces: fruit, peanut and cilantro ginger. Usually you also get rice with this but we got Au Gratin Potatoes instead. And can I just say here they were fabulous. I liked them so much more than the rice. Ohana offers long skewered tips of steak, turkey and pork as well as shrimp. Your server brings them over in rounds and puts as much or as little as you want onto your plate. Here’s where they save money at Ohana, they do have a long wait time (at least every time we’ve been) between each round of Steak/Turkey and Pork/Shrimp. So the longer time you have to wait, the more time you have to digest, then you’re not hungry by the time the next option rolls around. I hate this. I wanted to stuff myself like the glutton I can be, but I was too full too fast. However, I will say that the steak was marinated and cooked just right, not too pink, not burnt. We both like our steak well done, and we were really happy with this. I preferred the steak and shrimp while JD really liked the steak and Turkey. At the end of the meal our waiter told us the dessert was different. They were no longer doing pineapple and caramel. Instead he brought us over a rum cake with vanilla ice cream. It had an awesome warm caramel/syrup sauce that tasted like it had some cinnamon in it. We LOVED the new addition and though we also loved the pineapple, we both agreed this cake was much better!! Overall Rating: A+
After hearing such wild reviews my partner and I dined here and honestly it wasnt to our liking. The food temp. wasnt hot and I didnt find it all that seasoned. I understand that the menu encompasses African foods and being African American with family from Africa I honestly wasnt impressed w/ the selections. I did enjoy the zebra domes and my partner enjoyed the other desserts. We both agree that the ambiance is beautiful. Everyones experiance is different..for us, we wouldnt dine here again. It just wasnt what we expected considering the reviews.
Gosh, I love this place! From the moment I took to the stairs to be greeted by the hostess I was amazed! I loved the beauty of the dining area it was so amazing. When we were seated our waiter called me princess and explained the menu perfectly. To me the prices are a bit expensive for what was on the menu but it was our vacation and we didnt mind. The selections on the menu were okay. The services was great and being that it was my birthday my table was sprinkled with pixie dust. I loved it and dine here all the time. I felt like a princess!
ONE WORD: YUMMY! I love this place. I had never dined here before and wanted to try it out...I'm so glad we did. We dined at The Cafe' and I had the fettecinni. It had these little bacons or something in it...to die for. I loved the bread that was brought out prior to the meal and the salad was fresh. I wish I had room for dessert because it looked like heaven on a plate. I refuse to dine anywhere else downtown...i'd feel like I was cheating on on the Cafe.
I loved this restaurant. Our "mom" was the bomb! I have to admit that I havent hid my veggies since I was a little girl. It was so much fun! I put my veggies on my partners plate and she ended up sitting in the corner for not finishing her meal!!!!! I didnt like the meatloaf as it was dry and untasty to me. I then switched to the fried chicken and it was AWSOME and HUGE! I will never forget my experiance dining here and I told all my friends who now LOVE this place. Dine here...you won't regret it...Just keep your elbows off the table!
My partner and I never miss a chance to dine here. We love the pasta and chicken(me)/shrimp(for her). The portions are HUGE.Honestly, the service you get depends on the server. The service can sometimes be hit or miss, it depends on your server. We have a favorite and when she's not there we don't expect to be "wow'd". All in all, the food is yummy and the atmosphere is nice. Try it..you just may walk away a few pounds heavier and a fan for life!
I like the fast food here, and the nautical theming is well done. I know then I should consider a better overall rating, but it really bugs me that there arent' enough windows to see out from the first level.
Typical Disney hot dogs, but the theming is great, and the view of the Castle while sitting under an umbrella really makes this a nice fast food dining experience.
This is a pre-Soarin' review of this eating area, I don't know how the selections or appearance has changed since. This is a better than average food court due to the diversity of the selections. The theming is nothing noteworthy and even a bit dated (again, pre-Soarin' days), but the food here is better than at most of the WDW hotel food courts.
I think it was something called the potato bread I tried. Anyway, I loved it. I also had a smoked salmon sandwich which was pretty good. Because there is only one line, service can be slow.
Typical Disney fast food stand with nothing real noteworthy in the theming. The one thing I really enjoy about this place however is eating outside watching the Innoventions Fountain.
Never had lunch or dinner here yet, but the breakfast is a slight step above you're typical fast food breakfast, and the theming in this place has a very geniune feel to it. Favorite restaurant at Animal Kingdom.
Your average WDW burger. Nothing special or stand out about it. Nothing noteworthy about the theming, except that since it's outdoors you can see everything on Sunset Boulevard, but that's not really a part of the actual restaurant's theming, it's more a side benefit of the surrounding area.
My least liked restaurant at WDW. I would not eat here again. Granted, the last time I came was in '99, so the menu may have changed, but back then I detested my quesadilla club sandwich. It sounded like a good idea, but given how it actually tasted I can't imagine this item ever catching on anywhere. We took a peek inside the restaurant recently and noticed the theming hasn't changed since '99, and it was just as dreadful now as it was then, a boring cafeteria with a bunch of TV's blatantly (and loudly I might add) advertising ABC shows. Never have I been so irritated by a restaurant's theming.
I've read the food at dinner is just average, but I've been impressed enough with my entrees the 2 times I've been there. My wife loves the "pretzel" bread. Dinner isn't really a character affair, but what can you say about eating inside the Castle -- one of the most fun dining experiences to be had anywhere in WDW.
I've had better French cuisine in nicer restaurant settings for similar dollar amounts, but this restaurant is still passable. I've yet to try the upstairs Bistro, which I hear is better.
My salmon was pretty decent. Service was very friendly and fast. What you're really paying for is to eat by that gigantic fish tank. That makes it worth at least an initial visit in my opinion.
I had such a good time there. This is a very classy restaurant, an exact copy of the old Hollywood Brown Derby that no longer exists. If it had to be in a theme park, Disney Studios is the most obvious fit, though I'd say it's out of place to be in any theme park, it's too nice for that. The Cobb Salad is wonderful.
This is a unique buffet experience where instead of leaving your table to get to the buffet line, the servers bring the buffet to your table. There are some great appetizers and salads to start, while the meat and seafood is brought to your table on 2 foot skewers. Most tables have a view of the fire pit. There are games w/ a Polynesian twist for the kids. There's a great view of the MK fireworks and the Electric Water Pageant. And the caramel-dipped pinapple is fantastic.
Typical Disney breakfast buffet. The food is always good, how can you go wrong with breakfast? Since it's a character breakfast, it's naturally very kid friendly and there were plenty of kids there. I wasn't impressed w/ the decor, it's really just a large cafeteria hall w/ some plants, Victorian wallpaper, and the big pipe organ.
The food is as good as any comparably priced L.A. restaurant. I was a bit surprised the sushi was straightforwardly traditional Japanese, rather than w/ a California-cuisine twist. But it was still good as traditional goes, fish was very fresh. Our entrees were tender, cooked just right. How can you not like a restaurant where you get to see/hear the fireworks and music?
I really felt this was not as good as most of the travel guide reviews said it was. The main reason to try this place is supposed to be the seafood, but I found it really wasn't that fresh at all. I feel some of their fish items was comparable to that from a cafeteria. It just seemed like an ordinary buffet with nothing that stood out. For my money, Ohana's is the best dinner buffet @ WDW.
BBQ sauce is a bit too salty and rich for my taste. Nice view of the river though, and so much seating provided that it's not too difficult to find a table away from others, if you're looking for a quiet respite.
My wife and I have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed. The soups (Cheddar Cheese and Beef & Barley) and complimentary breadsticks are excellent.
The smoothies are delicious (especially with ice cream added). And last time I got one (with ice cream), it came with a cool Pluto straw. The Africa food locations are all good. Tusker House for a meal, Harambe Market for fresh fruit and Tamu Tamu for ice cream. One problem: Even though there are two lines, they don't move extremely quickly.
This is a great resturaunt to eat at if you're looking for a filling meal and a good time. Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale compliment the whole atmostphere nicely with their outfits, and the Turkey and Mashed Potatoes are just to die for! I keep going back, this is one of my fav. character Dinners!
The Fra Diavolo was one of the best tasting meals I've eaten. I will eat there every trip! It was really that good!
As someone who has lived in Norway, I find the food to be very good. Most of the menu has been tweaked to favor the average American. It's great to speak to the staff in their native tongue... their face lights up right away when you address them with a tradiditonal hello in Norwegian...(God Dag "goo dog" / Good Day) The only thing I find lacking is more of the traditional foods found in Norway, like cloud berries, reindeer stew, and lutefisk.
This was my third trip to Mama's. Once years ago with my family. I liked it then but the DW didn't appreciate food that was Italian that didn't taste like it can out of a can. Second time was the lunch you get on the Back Stage Magic tour which is served family style with nearly everything they have on the menu plated. I discovered several dishes I loved that I would not have picked from the description on the menu. Most recent visit was June 05. I had the seafood/pasta dish described earlier which was very good. One off point - they served a clam that was unopend. My understanding is cooked unopend clams are NOT good and should not be served. I bypassed that one. The real focus was the Italian dessert tiramisu. The quest, which is better tiramisu, Tony's Town Square Resturant in the MK or Mama's? I know it is suppose to be ladyfingers soaked in coffee/liquor but I'm afraid Tony's took it too far. It was a sloppy mess of flavors. Mama's wins this one hands down. As I told our server, this resturant is the standard to which I judge all other resturants Disney or not. For attention to service and a willingness to accomodate your needs they are unbeatable. Like our tour guide on the Back Stage Magic tour said, "It's a kitchen! They can make anything.", AND they are willing to do whatever is reasonably in their power. I have a special drink I like mixed when there is a full service bar and they were able to match the mixture exactly. No prob, Bob!
I had read some recomendations of it being not so good but due to other locations at MK being booked up I tried Tony's in May 05. I returned in June 05 and specifically booked a dinner here. This resturant is very strong on service and above average on food quality. VERY Italian - as if the name doesn't make it's point. Portions are WDW oversized. One hickup during the June 05 visit. The server INCORRECTLY refused the Disney Dinning Experience Card discount for our dinner saying it was only for LUNCH. Wrong! Rather than cause a scene I paid the bill as it was. What was I to do? Carry by DDE letter around with me? So...I went to Guest Relations at EPCOT the next day and asked just what was were the discounted meals at Tony's? BL&D they said. Then I plopped down the receipt from the night before. Guest Relations credited the $14 and change back to my room charge after calling the resturant to straighten them out. Not to pick on this resturant as I have seen this before. Clearly the wait staff in resturants are as confused as anyone about the various dinning plans out there. I suspect the confusion is between the Disney Dinning PLAN and the Disney Dinning EXPERIENCE.
again another good choice---tasty food, plenty of room for seating and the lines were well coordinated here. i'd recommend this counter service to anyone
the service here left a lot to be desired, as did the menu selections for children, well at least my picky young eater, who suffered through the hot dogs after they were wiped off of the baked beans they were served in. anyway, the lines were long and disorderly, we were served warm bottles of water and there was little or no seating to be found----5 of us squeezed at a table meant for 2 and as soon as we got up were nearly shoved out of the way for someone else to have a seat! on the bright side, my turkey wrap was tasty anyway...
we used the dining plan and used a counter service each day in each park. this was, by far, the best run counter service we experience. the food was very good and hot too. there was a fixings bar for your hamburger to add what you wanted to it. there was no confusion or back up of the lines and a good selection for a limited menu.
we chose this counter service for our day at MGM thinking it would have lots of different choices, which it did not--- while the food was very tasty, the service left much to be desired. the lines were out of control and it seemed the staff was not sure at all of what they were doing in the production line way they were supposed to be running it---there was plenty of seating though, so that was good, because we had to wait a while for our entire party to get their meals and finish them!
The restaurant is fantastic. Most dinner entrees were priced between $25-$35, and they had a nice selection of 8-10 entrees. The wine list is extensive, and the desert selection was very nice. My only complaint is that the lighting in the restaurant was quite bright. If the lighting was a little dimmer, it would make for a more relaxing, and potentially romantic environment. It was nice not being surrounded by a ton of kids. Most families seem to eat at Whispering Canyon, which is for the better.
I've been to quite a few of the House of Blues locations and the one at Disney is my second favorite. Mind you my favorite is the one in New Orleans so it's got a special place in my heart....... The food was excellent and the atmosphere was cool, just like HOB should be. You must check it out!
We went here on our last Disney trip. The food was good, but being a family-style meal there weren't alot of choices. I liked everything so it wasn't a big deal for me. The characters looked pretty neat in the period costumes. The service was excellent as expected. I'd recomend it to anybody!
We've been to this restaurant twice and had a great experience each time. The food was great as was the service. If you want something different you must check it out.
Just spent a week at Pop Century and was very disappointed with the cast. Long lines in food court, often overlooked. Housekeeping quick to get us out of room day we were checking out.
Housekeeping denies your request for additional towels and other amenities. Not a choice hotel to stay at for those quick Disney weekends.
We walked all the way over from World of Disney to the House of Blues location at the end of Downtown Disney across from DisneyQuest and next to Cirque du Soleil for lunch. It was well worth the trip. You won't leave hungry. This was a walk-up and my wife and I were seated in about 3 minutes. We were seated on the main floor and had full view of all the various artifacts/architectual details there is to see and there are plenty from the bottle cap decrative adornments to the ceiling mediallions of R & B artists. You would come here many times and not see all there is to notice. Service was prompt, pleasant, and efficient. We had the iced tea for drinks and for "first flavors" we split the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, served warm, with Roasted Salsa, Sour Cream and Tortilla Chips which was about what you'd expect from any dinning out establishment. We also tried side of Skillet Baked Rosemary Cornbread with Maple Butter. When people talk about the cornbread they aren't kidding and it isn't like I haven't had cornbread before having been raised and still residing in the South. HOB is worth the trip just for the cornbread. My wife played it safe and had the Spicy Buffalo Chicken Tenders served with Blue Cheese Dressing, Celery Sticks and French Fries which was good but strong on the blue cheese. Being adverturesome I had the Creole Jambalaya with Shrimp, Chicken, Tasso Ham, Andouille Sausage and Roasted Green Onions. I've had jambalaya with Andouille before and realize a true jambalaya calls for it but have always found it to be "dry" as a sausage and perfer a kasaba sausage. The Tasso Ham was however wonderful. The jambalaya is served in a large bowl that masks just how much the portion size is. It was impossible to finish it and would be a canidate for splitting with someone else. We were just barely able to save some room for dessert. For dessert we split White Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels Crème Anglaise, Whipped Cream, and a Caramel Halo. This was a great dessert but I make a better Jack Daniels sauce for bread pudding which I adapted from a Planet Hollywood receipe for bread pudding. My suggestion to HOB is to load the sauce up with more butter. I had always wanted to try the resturant at HOB but never had due to its location. This time I made the time to try it out and I'm glad I did. It is on my list of placed to be sure and visit.
I did a walk-up for two and was immediately seated. For drinks I had the Live Love Eat and the wife had the Tangerine Dream which was better. For starters she had the Butternut Squash Soup which she is still talking about now 2 weeks since. I had the shrimp and octopus sushi which was good if you like sushi. The wife had the Chinois Salad as the main course for which she didn't care. She admits she was warned that it was much like a cabbage slaw by the server before she completed her order and says it was her own fault for ordering something she didn't like. I had the meatloaf and was plesantly suprised at the delicate seasoning. Having watched W. Puck's show on Food TV I didn't expect something so lightly crafted. We finished up by splitting a carrot cake with a couple of coffees which was good. Total cost was $75.15 minus $15.03 with the 20% Disney Dining Experience discount plus tip. For adults I would recommend W. Puck's as an upscale eatery with excellent service and good food at theme park prices. I wouldn't take the kidos here. There isn't any associated entertaining value other than the dining and a great view of the lake across to Saratoga Springs to occupy the younger set.
WITH SO MANY GREAT PLACES TO EAT I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR BURGERS AND HOTDOGS IN THIS AREA. BUT IF YOU MUST IT'S AS GOOD AS ANY OTHER.
They have the biggest and best Ice Cream Sunday in WDW, its called the kitchen sink! It has every flavor of Ice Cream every topping, and a WHOLE CAN OF WHIPPED CREAM. It feeds desert for about 4 people.
We went to this show in February 2004, and you should be aware that on a cool night you will be FREEZING! The food is OK but nothing to rave about. The first two segments of the show are about equal to a high school musical production. The third segment of the show, which features the various authentic dances, is really great. They could dispense with the first two segments and just use this part. Young kids will probably be bored by this, especially if they are tired from a long day in the parks. My 6-year old only wanted to go back to the hotel to go to sleep.