We like to do Disney here in this family clearly, and I’m also a big foodie. We’ve been lucky to go to some nice restaurants in Disney over the years. With this I thought I’d write an article ranking my favorites.
14. Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
I like this restaurant, it’s very cute. It’s based on the lady and the tramp restaurant where they share their doggie kiss. The food is Italian based and it’s on your right as you walk into Magic Kingdom. You can get lady and tramp’s autograph as you leave which is a cute touch. It’s just this low because while the ambiance is okay and the food is okay, that’s what it is mostly. Ok. The most fun part is the lady and tramp autograph. My wife would probably say this is blasphemy (she’s a proud Italian) but it’s just ok to me. I like it though.
13. Carnation Cafe
One of few west coast restaurants on my list, while living in San Diego we frequented Disney Land or I guess as much as one can over 7 months (4 times, that’s with either a very pregnant woman or new baby all 4 times, so impressive) we went to this place our last trip to Disney Land. It’s a small little restaurant on Main Street there. A hole in the wall that almost feels like a Disney version of a French cafe. I enjoyed the pancakes and some of the ambiance was very cute. The food was mostly okay though and that’s why it’s at this spot on my list.
12. Goofy’s kitchen
A buffet works for a guy like me always. My family and friends always tell me I eat too fast, and guilty as charged. So a buffet somewhat combats that for me and this place is a very solid buffet. Goofy is one of my favorite characters and it’s very fun to see him at the beginning and Miles was so young when we went to this place he’s mostly just a red potato in the picture, but still cute and it’s a good memory. I actually like this place a lot, it reminds me a lot of chef Mickey’s on the east coast, with that it’s just not the best buffet compared to the rest and that’s no slight. Just shows you how good Disney is at the buffet game.
11. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
The fact that this is this low shows you how good Disney dining is. This is an AMAZING show, but that’s the thing. You’re mostly paying for the show. Now I’m not gonna spoil the show for you, but it’s a blast, it’s basically a modern day roadside theater show and that’s all I’ll tell you. But the food while decent homestyle cooking is not the best homestyle cooking on this list by far and that’s why it just misses my top 10.
10. Be Our Guest
This is where it started to get tough for me, because ambiance was never low in any of these, nor was food quality low. It really started to become just preference.
This restaurant really does look like a castle and you get to meet beast and the grey stuff really is delicious, but I’m kind of more a backyard grill type than Gordon Ramsey type. So the menu wasn’t super towards my tastes and beauty and the beast while I enjoy it, it is not my FAVORITE Disney movie by any means.
9. Roundup Rodeo BBQ
I love Toy Story. So sue me. My kid is starting to like it a lot too. Which makes me happy. This restaurant puts you in Andy’s backyard and makes you feel like the size of well a toy. The restaurant will have a periodic moment where the waiters yell out “Andy’s coming!” And you’re supposed to stop. They classified my son as a wind up toy and that’s why he could get away with it.
The whole game and feeling is really fun, especially as a Toy Story fan. The food isn’t bad. It’s barbecue family style, but this is definitely mostly this high because I liked the story aspect.
8. Chef Mickey’s
This is probably my favorite buffet at Disney world food wise. In the words of an iconic SNL character “this place has everything”.
At least food wise. The desserts were some of my favorites and the interactions with the original Disney characters (Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Daisy and Donald) and the view is nice. We’re supposed to go here on our next visit to Disney and we’ll see if it moves up or down the list.
7. Garden Grill Restaurant
This is a really fun one, if I ever go back I can see this rising a few beats. All the food is farmed in house at Epcot at this restaurant making it exceptionally fresh, and you get basically a show as the restaurant rotates throughout the garden and also its character meal so you get to see some of your favorites in this place.
6. ‘Ohana
This has become kind of staple for my family. If I had to guess (and I think I know her pretty well) my wife would say this is her favorite.
This meal has some American classics and Hawaiian twists. The food here is very solid and I love the breakfast here and you get to see lilo and stitch. Another character my child is starting to grow an affection for.
I enjoy this place a lot. It’s just not my favorite mostly because of sentimental reasons.
5. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
As I’ve said on this blog before. I adore movies and movie theaters. And sci-fi diner is a cinephile’s delight.
The idea behind this place is essentially an old drive in playing horror/sci fi movies from the golden age of Hollywood.
Your table is an old muscle car statue and they make the ceiling look like stars on the west coast and there’s a big screen playing clips.
Ambiance wise it’s my favorite restaurant in Disney, the food besides the milk shake are mostly okay though, but I like the vibes what can I say?
4. Plaza Inn
My highest Disneyland restaurant ranking, this is another buffet that I love and you got a great view of sleeping beauty’s castle from the windows (as small as it is, sorry west coasters) we went here for breakfast and I love me a good breakfast buffet, you also get to meet the hundred acre wood clan. It’s basically the Crystal palace of California. Which brings me too.
3. The Crystal Palace
I’m one of the few that actually probably prefers Disneyland to Disneyworld. I like the small quaintness of it and seeing Avengers campus was the only time I’ve ever been somewhat wistful seeing an amusement park.
But this is one the few things east coast does better than west coast. It’s this restaurant.
Just slightly bigger and better than plaza inn.
And the pageantry is just a little bit better and the food just a little bit better, so close that the separation between 3 and 4 on this list is thinner than a thimble.
2. Hollywood & Vine
I’ve told you I like buffets and I like Hollywood. Well this is a good intersection for me. The buffets great and there is Hollywood vibes all around and it’s a character meet and greet meal so you get to see the gang and some snazzy outfits. It’s a lot of fun and a combination of a lot of things I care about in one place.
1. 50’s Prime Time Café
I love me some homestyle cooking and I think 50’s prime has the best in the game of Disney. It’s also like being in a live interactive theater as you’re transported into a 1950’s baby boomer era style home of the south. The waiters and waitresses can be a little “rude” (I’m from Massachusetts I thought if anything they were quite nice if anything) but the ambiance of being in basically a live theater period piece mixed with some of my favorite food in the place makes it my easy number 1.
Adventures by Begley 