576392 Mon Dec 01 09:59:26 -0800 2008 66 2 Los Angeles Area 0 4211773 My review of various Disneyland haunts. I haven't tried them all so please chime in if I'm missing anything vaguely edible Ah Disneyland, home to fun and adventure for children of all ages. The happiest place on earth...except when it's time to eat, when it becomes a minefield of overpriced mediocrity and downright horribility. Is it possible to find great food in Disneyland? Not really...but there is the better and the worse. As a fairly regular guest, I thought I would share my experiences in Disney dining and help you identify the pitfalls and possibly, a few hidden gem. This week we will focus on the the popular Disneyland Park and next week, we will cover the less popular though in my estimation underrated Disney California Adventure, but first, a few helpful eating tips for both parks. Tips for the Hungry Mouse 1. You can bring outside food into the park. That's right, you can bring food from home or elsewhere and eat it in the park. Technically, you are supposed to eat such food in the front picnic area, but I've never had a problem setting up at one of the outdoor restaurant tables. (There is a Lee's Sandwiches that opens at 7:00 a.m. just a few miles from the park on Harbor Blvd.) Even if I don't bring a full meal, I usually bring some healthy snacks so I have some alternative to the high priced goodies that tempt you throughout the park. 2. Bring water. Even if you don't bring food or snacks, there is no reason to pay Disney prices for water. I usually bring at least a bottle per person. If you freeze them the night before, they stay pretty cool most of the day. 3. Avoid Hamburgers. Even at the places I say are decent, do not order hamburgers. I don't know what Disney does to their hamburger patties but they are revolting, grey discs that have no place between a bun. Anton Ego would not swallow. 4. Remember the First Corollary of Disney Dining: Nothing is Great/Everything is Expensive. You will have a better time if you accept this rule. As a food blogger, I suspend my usual standards when I enter the Magic Kingdom. There are a few good bites, but no amazing finds, and sweets tends to be better than savories. Just repeat the rule to yourself: Nothing is Great/Everything is Expensive. You'll live to eat another day. 5. Reserve a table. At some choice dining spots, particularly the Blue Bayou at Disneyland and Ariel's Grotto at California Adventure, reservations are required. Call Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE. 6. Disney is dry/California Adventure is wet. You won't find alcohol for sale at Disneyland park, but you will find it at California Adventure. And now for the food, by Disney location. First a few caveats for both this list and next week's. This list is by no means exhaustive but reflects some of the things I have experimented with, for good or ill, over the years. Also, it covers only food within the park, not Downtown Disney or food at any of the hotels. MAINSTREET USA About that corndog cart The only single Disneyland food that gets buzz among foodies is the corndog cart on Mainstreet USA. Even Jonathan Gold has sung the praises of the little red wagon. It's located on the right side of Main Street, from the direction of the entrance, right before you hit the Carnation Cafe. When done well, these things are indeed wonderful...a perfectly fried, sweet and chewy cornmeal coating, hand dipped such that it bulges at the top and locks in the hot dog juice. Of late, however, they have had a problem with the grease having a rancid odor, a smell that makes me nauseous before I even bite into the dog. If you can smell the grease before you can see the cart, you may want to pop across to Disney California Adventure's Corndog Castle, which I will cover next week. Same dog, fresh grease. NEW ORLEANS SQUARE New Orleans Square has some of the most promising food in the park, as you might expect from an area that is named after one of America's most prominent gastronomic destinations. Blue Bayou One of the most sought after seats at the Disney table, the Blue Bayou's main draw is the location. It is situated inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which gives you the feeling of dining alongside a bayou at night. It's fun to sit and watch the pirate boats pass by. The food is mostly mediocre, but they do serve one of the last great Monte Cristo sandwiches. I love a Monte Cristo...ham, cheese and turkey on white bread, battered and fried and served with jam. The BB does a near perfect version of this classic. My biggest beef with the Bayou is that the food is ludicrously expensive, and this includes the Monte Cristo which weighs in at almost $20 (although it is big enough to easily feed two). Overall, the BB is a great thing to do once, but call in advance for reservations, (714)781-DINE, because it fills up. Cafe Orleans For the food of the Blue Bayou without the fun of eating inside a ride, Cafe Orleans is a table service restaurant with a similar menu, including the vaunted Monte Cristo, and reservations are not required. French Market Restaurant The French Market Restaurant is a decent cafeteria style restaurant right next to Cafe Orleans. They do a fine fried chicken, and I like the pork on the BBQ pork po-boy, though the bread is perpetually stale. At the service window on the patio of the French Market you can get little apple dumplings and the popular "mint julep" which is also served at the Cafe Orleans and the Bayou. Now, as a fan of real mint juelps, I have to say that I am deeply offended that anyone would call this non-alcoholic, fluorescent green elixir that smells and tastes like something you would polish furniture with, a mint julep. I don't know what it is; I don't know that I want to know what it is, but it certainly does not contain mint or Bourbon and therefore, has no business being called a mint julep. Royal Street Veranda The Royal Street Veranda is a window near the Pirates ride which serves clam chowder and gumbo in a sourdough bowl. It's not bad when doused with Tabasco (think a decent canned soup in a Boudin boule) and pretty quick if you are trying to get on with your day at the park without a long lunch break. TOMORROWLAND Tomorrowland Terrace The futuristic Tomorrowland Terrace is a large circular stand at the center of Tomorrowland. In the world of tomorrow, food will apparently have lost all redeeming value and have been reduced to tasteless burgers, wilted lettuce and flavorless chicken sandwiches. Tomorrowland Terrace may be the worst food in Disneyland, which is saying a lot...AVOID, AVOID, AVOID. Redd Rockett's Pizza Port Big slices of pizza and pasta are available at the Space Mountain adjacent Redd Rockett's. It's pretty similar to a Sbarro or similar mall-Italian place. They do have some decent pastas with some nice garlic in the sauce. Pizza Port is a pretty safe bet in the otherwise dangerous culinary world of Tomorrowland. ADVENTURELAND Bengal Barbecue I'd heard some good recommendations for the satay-style skewered meats at Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland. The skewers looked like satay, but they were salty, really, really salty. I won't be returning. Tiki Juice Bar One of the few places you can get a Dole Whip outside of Hawaii is in the juice bar outside the Enchanted Tiki Room. Personally, I'm not fan of these popular tropical fruit sherbets which come out of the soft-serve machine. They have an artificial/chemical taste I find off-putting, but if that's your thing, you can get it here. Now, an Enchanted Tiki Bar, that would be cool. FOOD CARTS AROUND THE PARK There are lots of carts that serve food at multiple locations around the park...here's a guide to just a few of them. Churros Disneyland does a pretty decent churro. They are crispy on the outside, chewy within...my standard Disney breakfast. Ice Cream Bars There are carts all over both parks selling various ice cream novelties such as mouse shaped ice cream sandwiches, frozen bananas and chocolate covered Mickey Mouse ice cream bars. Most of these are pretty decent. I particularly like the chocolate covered Mickey Mouse bar. The chocolate is rich and the ice cream isn't too sweet. However, these ice cream bars come with two caveats: (1) Do not read the ingredient list...just don't; (2) I don't know what Disney uses in their freezer carts, but these things are hard as rocks. Seriously, you could chip a tooth on one of these things...or kill someone if you threw it hard enough. I literally wait 15 minutes before eating one of these mouse-eared treats, maybe less on a really sweltering summer day. Well, that was pretty bleak wasn't it? The food is actually a bit better and Disney California Adventure, which we will review next week, so stay tuned Disney diners. http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2008/11/mediocrest-place-on-earth-disney-dining.html Mon Dec 01 09:59:26 -0800 2008 10132 sku 1 4211888 You may do it all the time, but The Mouse does not appreciate you bringing in your own food. According to Disneyland's website http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/help/detail?name=DiningFAQPage the only food items allowed to be brought into the part are ones for guests with specific dietary restrictions (and an allergy to overpriced food ain't going to cut it). Yes, this includes bottled water. Drinking fountains are plentiful around the park. The reason such food is allowed in the front picnic area is because that area is not inside the park proper. Mon Dec 01 10:40:55 -0800 2008 4211773 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 2 4211956 That may be the official rule, but I've never seen it enforced. They search your bags on the way in and I always have multiple bottles of water and snacks and have never had any problem. Now, if you set up an elaborate outside meal, you might have problems, but I'm talking about more subtle stuff. Mon Dec 01 10:58:36 -0800 2008 4211888 10132 sku 2 4278750 "Tough beans" if The Mouse doesn't like it. The prices there are outrageous -- admission AND food. If they don't wring every possible dollar out of every possible "guest" then they'll manage very nicely nontheless. I would add plan food for the trip home as well. The restos in the surrounding area are, as is typical of most tourist areas, overcrowded, overpriced and entirely disappointing. Tired, overstimulated kids don't do well with waiting. Sun Dec 28 19:36:24 -0800 2008 4211888 17969 rainey 3 4278771 Agree, the food at Disneyland sucks, but I don't think a blanket statement that there is nothing chow worthy in the surrounding area is quite accurate. Maybe not in the immediate tourist area adjacent to Disneyland, but in not to far distant neighborhoods in Orange and L.A. counties are plenty of places frequented by chowhounds. One example is Renu Nakorn, a few miles north on I-5, and then maybe a half mile east on Rosecrans. Sun Dec 28 19:45:27 -0800 2008 4278750 10059 ChinoWayne 4 4278781 Rightly said! I haven't been down there in more than a decade and I was thinking of having the "Disney" experience with kids as a local rather than considering what someone who does the area only rarely might not want to miss. Sun Dec 28 19:50:13 -0800 2008 4278771 17969 rainey 5 4280047 If you haven't been down here in a decade how on earth do you know what's in the adjacent area? While I don't eat on Harbor Blvd. (nobody who lives here does) there is plenty of delectable stuff within a 5-10 minute drive of Harbor and Katella. Mon Dec 29 10:18:27 -0800 2008 4278781 10811 Das Ubergeek 6 4280709 And if you haven't been there in more than a decade , you have no idea what the food is now like inside Disneyland, the new Park (Cal Adventure), the new hotel, blah blah blah. Mon Dec 29 13:29:50 -0800 2008 4280047 71215 mlgb 1 4212022 This review was not nearly as negative as your title made it sound. "...they do serve one of the last great Monte Cristo sandwiches." "The French Market Restaurant is a decent cafeteria style restaurant." "They do a fine fried chicken..." "The Royal Street Veranda...serves clam chowder and gumbo in a sourdough bowl. It's not bad when doused with Tabasco." "Redd Rockett's [has] some decent pastas with some nice garlic in the sauce." "Disneyland does a pretty decent churro. They are crispy on the outside, chewy within..." "Well, that was pretty bleak wasn't it?" No, not really. Mon Dec 01 11:16:18 -0800 2008 4211773 168597 The Old Man 2 4212364 Fair enough, but keep in mind, when I say "decent" in the Disney context, it means decent for Disneyland, which is a bit below the standard I would use in the real world or in any other post on Chowhound. Mon Dec 01 13:13:06 -0800 2008 4212022 10132 sku 3 4212723 As a Disneyland fanatic I certainly agree that there isn't great food at DL and it certainly is overpriced. But I think that's true of any theme park. That said I appreciate your detailed review and look forward to its next installment. Mon Dec 01 15:15:56 -0800 2008 4212364 168597 The Old Man 1 4212104 Thanks for the review. I've got to tell you...the popcorn is the best. I just love it. And the big dill pickles...and the pinapple spears. I agree with you the food is not generally good..(and downtown disney is even worse) but I still eat my way through the magic kingdom. Oh yeah...and the frozen banana... Mon Dec 01 11:44:58 -0800 2008 4211773 219993 LA Buckeye Fan 2 4212121 I totally forgot about the big dill pickle. Thanks for the reminder. Mon Dec 01 11:50:00 -0800 2008 4212104 10132 sku 2 4212315 "...and downtown disney is even worse..." Not to be a naysayer here but Napa Rose is one of the top rated restaurants in the state. For a family dinner Storyteller's is good and as is Whitewater Snacks. Mon Dec 01 12:55:09 -0800 2008 4212104 168597 The Old Man 3 4212672 I've heard the same, and to be honest I've never eaten there. But the Spanish restuarant (Cava I think?) is horrible. As is the italian. I do like the La Brea Bakery pretzel bread and thick cut bacon for a yummy breakfast! In summation, I stand corrected. :) Mon Dec 01 14:58:56 -0800 2008 4212315 219993 LA Buckeye Fan 4 4214683 I've actually had decent meals at Catal, especially after long days at the park. My daughter especially likes the huge bowl of macaroni with butter / olive oil, and at 6- it's not a bad deal; in fact, the pricing, especially in relation to Disney, is quite fair. I even went to a winemaker dinner there one night with Silver Oak, and the food was above average and the wines were poured like you wouldn't believe. It was certainly a different experience wandering around the "Magic Kingdom" afterwards. Napa Rose is fine, but I think somewhat overrated- if you happen to be there when they are serving a large group / meeting- try to leave because service will be slooow, but not next door to Storyteller's, where I've had nothing but mediocre food. As an add to the food at the park itself- Rancho Zocala (Frontierland) - Del Taco at Disney Prices Village Haus (Fantasyland)- Tomorrowland Terrace with a Gepetto theme Big Thunder BBQ- actually decent in the context of the park, but closed and unlikely to return. Hungry Bear Inn (Bear Country)- used to be my go to place when I was a teen- somehow my friends and I had convinced ourselves that the burgers there were better than anywhere else. Carnation Cafe on Main Street- breakfast were not too bad here. RIver Belle Terrace (Adventureland)- used to be ok for breakfast, since remodeled. Plaza Inn (Main Street)- Buffeteria style stations- had maybe the saltiest pot roast ever! Of note, I have not been to any of these places in 10+ years, as like the OP mentioned, you can get away with bringing a certain amount of "snacks" into Disneyland. The only places I've eaten at recently are the Corn Dog Cart and Tomorrowland Terrace, which is as bad as advertised, except for decent fries, but I was held hostage since my child wanted to do that Jedi thing. However, they do offer a 3.99 toddler meal which includes a color changing straw, a drink (incl. milk or juice), apple sauce, and a small cup of arroz con pollo (the chicken is just a few bits of meat) that my kid seemed to like. She also loves just the pineapple juice from the tiki bar. Of course, there's a wealth of info on the web- just search disneyland dining Tue Dec 02 10:32:03 -0800 2008 4212672 15180 kdoc 4 4280822 When I was in Nha Trang, Vietnam, they served their banh mi on a dense, pretzel-like bread.... they were magnificent. I smell a business opportunity! :) Mr Taster Mon Dec 29 13:59:13 -0800 2008 4212672 17579 Mr Taster 2 4213022 LOL....I'm with ya on this. I loved reading this thread because now I'm reminding myself I need a Disneyland fix. I go to Disneyland to escape....many times I've thought of hiding there and staying all night :). The food, the rides, the people watching, the children laughing and the popcorn, dill pickles, pineapple spears and those memorable frozen bananas....yum. Thanks for the review of all the restaurants....over the years I think I've hit them all at one time or another and the food, as you say, isn't all that fabulous. But, really, who goes for the food anyway? Mon Dec 01 17:27:40 -0800 2008 4212104 239340 latindancer 1 4212110 I love those corn dogs. You can also get them in California Adventure. Mon Dec 01 11:46:27 -0800 2008 4211773 234367 wienermobile 1 4212705 While *water bottles* are expensive, you can get a cup of tap free from any of the restaurants. This actually is kind of convenient; I always, always seem to lose every water bottle I have. Probably a sea of my water bottles sitting at the bottom of Space Mountain. Mon Dec 01 15:09:15 -0800 2008 4211773 25613 Queequeg 1 4213744 Let's not forget about Club 33: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/567255 I believe it's the only place where you can get booze in Disneyland proper. Tue Dec 02 00:52:12 -0800 2008 4211773 54503 kevin h 2 4214517 Ah Club 33. I'm already loosing loosening my belt a notch in memory of their decadent dessert bar with the best macaroons I've ever had. http://famishedla.blogspot.com/2008/11/mickey-and-me.html Tue Dec 02 09:37:00 -0800 2008 4213744 97644 ReelMike84 3 4221417 The macaroons, happily, are available at the bakery on Main Street, U.S.A.... and wow, are they good. Thu Dec 04 17:16:09 -0800 2008 4214517 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 4214553 I love this! I have it in my books to do my own complete food review of the park from mickey ear pretzels to monte cristo sandwiches. I agree with some of what you said. I loved the monte cristo, I'm not a fan of the dole whips, and if I'm getting a corn dog it comes from Corndog Castle. Of the few times I've eaten at the cart once the better was undercooked and another time the batter to dog ratio was WAY off. I never have a problem at the Castle. I do like the Bengal BBQ place though, but I agree sometimes they overdo it with that salt shaker. Things I do like that you didn't mention in Disneyland are the chocolate covered bananas, the fruit boxes, the giant pickles, and the Plaza Inn fried chicken. Tue Dec 02 09:47:10 -0800 2008 4211773 97644 ReelMike84 2 4214663 And the, meal for three (at least for us) turkey leg. Tue Dec 02 10:26:10 -0800 2008 4214553 168597 The Old Man 1 4214654 Out of date the day it was posted. For updated menus, see Allears.net . French Market revised their menu at least as far back as October, no fried chicken, no po-boy. The new "healthy" French Market menu: http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_fren.htm Actually, the really good "broasted" chicken was always at the Plaza Inn. You'll want to check out River Belle Terrace for BBQ pork. Rancho del Zocalo has a reasonably good chicken Caesar salad and a Pollo-loco- style grilled chicken. Royal Street Veranda is mostly about the bread, there's hardly enough soup to bother, but of the three I actually like the veggie gumbo best. We also like the fritters (really more like cream puffs with a gloppy lemon curd). The deep-fried snacks (fish sticks and mozzarella sticks) with dipping sauce at the Golden Horseshoe are pretty good, and usually freshly made. Tue Dec 02 10:21:45 -0800 2008 4211773 71215 mlgb 2 4300430 I went back to try the French Market revised menu last weekend. It was terrible. It appears that they are trying to make it more healthy, but they were much better with the fried chicken and po-boys. I had a "jambalaya" which had very little rice and was bathed in a pretty flavorless tomato sauce...it was more of a ratatouille with meat. The only redeeming quality was that they still have the little Tabasco packets. The citrus chicken was pretty much bland hotel-style rubber chicken and the salmon looked the same. I missed the fried chicken and stale bread po-boys. Tue Jan 06 08:38:56 -0800 2009 4214654 10132 sku 1 4214675 I go there a lot and pretty much stick to: -vegetable skewers at Bengal BBQ -the giant burgers at Storyteller's Cafe in California Adventure -cupcakes and cookies in the Pooh's corner store. -mango from the fruit stand carts. I still need to try the Enchanted Cottage place in Fantasyland that has brautwurst and knockwurst. Tue Dec 02 10:29:52 -0800 2008 4211773 105532 EatinThePizzaNaked 2 4215481 Storytellers...How could I forget that corn chowder! Great stuff. We also like the freshly prepared grilled sandwiches and fries at Whitewater Cafe. And not many people seem to use it midday. We usually get the chicken breast one, but the burgers look good too. Tomorrowland Terrace must be the worst food in the park. I'd just go over to Pizza Port, you can carry your food over to the Terrace to watch the Jedi. Tue Dec 02 14:43:49 -0800 2008 4214675 71215 mlgb 3 4215634 The last burger I had there wasn't very good but the shredded beef nachos were fabulously filling and delicious, not to mention inexpensive. Tue Dec 02 15:31:37 -0800 2008 4215481 97644 ReelMike84 4 4216004 Are those from Whitewater? They do look good. Waaaay better than the bad, bad ones from Cucina Cucamonga. I wouldn't even eat there if someone offered to pay for it. On a par with Tomorrowland Terrace for worst food in both parks. Tue Dec 02 17:58:56 -0800 2008 4215634 71215 mlgb 5 4216330 Whoops! Yea I forgot to mention that those nachos were in fact from Whitewater. You can also get chicken as well. Tue Dec 02 20:14:42 -0800 2008 4216004 97644 ReelMike84 2 4274502 The Enchanted Cottage wursts are pretty good. DH and I had one type each and shared recently, though now I can't remember which one I liked better... This location also has the advantage of being somewhat hidden and hence has almost no line and easy-to-find table seating. Fri Dec 26 14:11:23 -0800 2008 4214675 10223 madoka 1 4215541 We live near the park and have annual passes, so we rarely feel the need to eat inside the park for eating's sake. We'll either bring food with us (sandwiches, which although technically against the rules, is never enforced), or go home at meal times. We're not usually inside the park for more than 3 hours at a time anyway. Having said that, there are some good food places inside Disneyland park as you've mentioned (and more in California Adventure, so can't wait for your next installment!). One of my personal sinful favorites is the Chimichanga. Located near the end of main street, usually in front of the corn dog cart, they sell these deep fried, beef and bean stuffed monstrosities side by side with the turkey legs. The crunchiness of the fried tortilla wrapping, and the yumminess of the beef and bean interior is just delightful. My wife hates them, but like I said, they're my little secret habit. The broasted chicken at Plaza Inn is another good one. If I'm not in the mood for a big meal, the kid sized chicken (with just one drumstick) for $5.99 works as a small snack. Plaza Inn also allows 1 refill of your drink, if I recall correctly, which is something most of the other places won't do, despite all charging the same price. Gibson Girl Ice Cream is a great place to get your cone on, as is the Blue Ribbon Bakery for a cup of coffee. There are definitely some stinkers to avoid, like the hamburgers at Tomorrowland Terrace. yuck! Tue Dec 02 15:04:48 -0800 2008 4211773 31764 kingkong5 2 4215649 I never thought the chimichanga looked very appetizing so I've always just passed them by. Plus their close proximity to Thunder Mountain makes me think of hurling said fried burrito in a train car. Tue Dec 02 15:37:31 -0800 2008 4215541 97644 ReelMike84 2 4216014 Yes, BRB has the good coffee/latte, although the line is so slow. Some of the deserts are good. Krispy Treats, Choc Chip Cookies, even the biscotti (choc dipped of course). Tue Dec 02 18:02:47 -0800 2008 4215541 71215 mlgb 2 4216089 Just had the chicken at the Plaza Inn for the billionth time a couple of weeks ago as it is my go to place for lunch. Very disappointing this time. The chicken had a "chlorine" taste. Tue Dec 02 18:27:57 -0800 2008 4215541 98631 Fru 1 4215975 Go to Napa Rose. Go to Napa Rose. Go to Napa Rose. Tue Dec 02 17:49:29 -0800 2008 4211773 23583 EclecticEater 2 4280888 We had a group of six at Napa Rose, and it was just so-so, but the price was so so expensive. It's a pretty restaurant, and you can get a decent cocktail, but the food is way over-rated, imho. I won't say to not eat there, but be prepared for a costy meal that is just a tad under-great. Mon Dec 29 14:21:44 -0800 2008 4215975 65821 Golem 1 4216453 Wow, thank you for this wonderful and informative post! Speaking as an ex-Disneyland castmember, all I can tell you is that, well, the brains in between those mouse ears know two things: (1) guests are captive audiences; and (2) most people don't go to Disneyland for the food. A good rule of thumb nowadays is to consider grazing while in the park (as you mentioned above, a corndog here and a churro there) and then having a nice meal outside the park either at Downtown Disney or in the Grand Californian Hotel. Tue Dec 02 21:29:49 -0800 2008 4211773 99199 OCKevin 2 4223716 The bag check people will let you take an "appropriate" amount of food inside the park. That is, if you are a family of four, they'll let you through with four sandwiches, etc. Not ten sandwiches, and not the separate components of sandwiches to assemble inside the park. Any restaurant that serves soft drinks will gladly give you a large glass of ice water at no charge. I bring a wide-mouth Aquafina water bottle into the park so I can transfer the water and ice cubes into it instead of the flimsy paper cup (easier to take onto rides and carry in your sack). Redd Rockett's pizza is 90% crust. Not worth the money. But their pasta is ok. Kid portion pastas are decent. Grownups can order kid's meals. Cafe Orleans serves good fries tossed with parmesan cheese and garlic. We always nosh on an order of these while waiting for our entrees. I agree that the burgers at Tomorrowland Terrace are not good but some of the other sandwiches are not bad. Fri Dec 05 13:14:39 -0800 2008 4216453 141313 saucydiva 2 4280892 Yes, that's what we usually do, and you are right, it works best that way. We don't go to Disneyland for the food, but we never leave dissatisfied for the experience. Mon Dec 29 14:23:20 -0800 2008 4216453 65821 Golem 2 4280903 ....or go to banh mi che cali beforehand and smuggle in some outgrageously delicious banh mi into the park (3 for $5). Mr Taster Mon Dec 29 14:26:48 -0800 2008 4216453 17579 Mr Taster 1 4274496 I concur about the Monte Cristo sandwich. Really good rendition (though I can eat at most one a year). If you are seeking this specifically, keep in mind that the Blue Bayou only serves it at lunch time. Cafe Orleans is a better choice to get the Monte Cristo if the atmosphere of the Blue Bayou is not a must for you. At the Blue Bayou, the cajun salmon is decent. I like the Bengal BBQ, though their prices are quite high if you make a meal of the skewers. Between DH and I, 4 skewers each, a Mickey pretzel to share, and 2 fountan drinks set us back $40. I agree the sauces are on the salty side, though I'm a self-prescribed salt queen so I don't mind them. I think the best skewer is the bacon-wrapped asparagus. The smoked turkey leg is also very tasty and not a bad value for the size and amount of meat you get. I love turkey legs and get them every year at Renaissance Festivals. The Disney leg is both tastier and cheaper (!) than the Ren Faire staples. Fri Dec 26 14:07:43 -0800 2008 4211773 10223 madoka 2 4275465 I am new to this board and found very few Anaheim threads that didnt mean a hot pepper. Is there a thread regardding restaurants outside the park? We were looking at Joe;s Crab Shack and Bubba Gump's and various other establishements. OR taking the time to leave the park going out to one of these restaurants and back to the park take up too much time that were better off eating the mediocre food for convenience??? We will have 3 days here. If a link to outside park food could you please refer it to me. Also is target the place to pick up some water? thanks so much! Sat Dec 27 06:11:20 -0800 2008 4274496 251660 palmtree38 3 4276894 Joe's Crab Shack and Bubba Gump are far worse than the food inside the park. If those are your favorite restaurants then I wouldn't worry. There are chain restaurants continuing on Harbor near the Convention Center such as Buca de Bepo, or however it's spelled. There is a Mimi's Cafe not far from the park entrance on Harbor. For water there's a 7-11 at Katella/Harbor; and a Food for Less on Katella at Euclid. The restaurants at Downtown Disney are not especially cheap for what you get. Sat Dec 27 20:09:55 -0800 2008 4275465 71215 mlgb 3 4277168 "...that didnt mean a hot pepper..." What does this mean? Anyway, Whitewater Snacks and Storytellers are both good and they are in the Grand Californian hotel next to DCA. Mimi's, mentioned below, is also a good tip. Never eat at Captain Kidd's across the street from the park entrance. Sun Dec 28 00:39:41 -0800 2008 4275465 168597 The Old Man 4 4277335 Never eat at the Baker's Square on Harbor Boulevard, either -- truly the most G-d awful place on the boulevard. In fact other than Mimi's, Red Robin, Buca di Beppo and Joe's Italian Ice, skip Harbor Boulevard altogether. Sun Dec 28 06:57:14 -0800 2008 4277168 10811 Das Ubergeek 3 4277334 Wow... I wonder what the search did to you, because I can tell you from long experience that we have at least one "what's near Disneyland" thread a month. First of all, if you're in the park, stay in the park, because by the time you get back to your car, drive somewhere, eat, pay, drive back, and get back to the park you're out three hours of your day at Disneyland. If you want to eat outside the park, bookend your visit to the park with breakfast or dinner (you can see the fireworks from miles around, though you'll miss the soundtrack, which I don't mind). Certainly don't leave the park just to go to Joe's Crab Shack or Bubba Gump's (these places are terrible and they know you're tourists who may never return and it definitely influences the service). You can buy water anywhere. There's a Target on Harbor and Chapman, a Vons grocery store on Chapman and Haster, a Mexican market called Fiesta Mexicana on Ball Road and Anaheim Blvd., another Vons on Lincoln and Anaheim, an Albertsons on State College and South... As for restaurants, it will help if you give us some guidelines -- not more than X minutes' drive from Y intersection, or not more than Z dollars per person (including/not including tax/tip, wine, etc.), certain kinds of cuisine you want to try... Sun Dec 28 06:56:22 -0800 2008 4275465 10811 Das Ubergeek 4 4278527 Hello .thanks for the responses. We will be in the garden grove area and read on Trip advisor about bubba gumps/joes crabshack for decent meals not fancy for children/families. Also cheese cake factory was mentioned. So yes you have a good point this would take about 3 hours of our time to leave the park to get all the way there. I went under california search and put in Anaheim and there was several threads on a type of hot pepper used in food dishes not the location anaheim near disney. So children in mind. fun places not really fancy as we will be going to higher end restaurants in san diego on our holiday. Italian. mexican, or decent pub foods. These will be for lunches that I am looking for in the park or walking outside. We will go to one dinner near garden grove area that we could use a recomendation on if bubba gumps and joe crab shack are "crappy". thanks everyone. Sun Dec 28 17:39:02 -0800 2008 4277334 251660 palmtree38 5 4280082 TripAdvisor is full of people who want the same exact food they can have at home, but near Disneyland instead. Bubba Gump's and Joe's Crab Shack are huge, expensive chains that do nothing very well. The same with the Cheesecake Factory... a waste of time, and an expensive one at that -- you can eat a way better main dish for $15 elsewhere. As far as Italian, two recommendations for you: Marri's, on Katella and Walnut in Anaheim (just at the southwest corner of Disney property) is decent red-sauce Italian-American, OK pizza, just avoid the tortellini (they're not very good and they tend to be heavy, though the menu lists them as house specials). The other is Carolina's, on Chapman and West in Garden Grove. Stick with red-sauce (don't order anything weird like "Italian enchiladas" or "Mexican cannelloni" or any such nonsense). If you order a glass of wine you can expect a glass that is filled to brimming, and they give you a little dish of spumoni after each meal. Mexican -- if you're willing to drive 10-15 minutes from Disneyland you will run into one of the best Mexican seafood restaurants in the LA area, Mariscos Puerto Esperanza, on the corner of Tustin and Taft in the city of Orange -- basically you go up to Ball Road (which turns into Taft Ave. when you cross the city line), turn right, and just before it ends make a left into the parking lot of the minimall. You can do a search for this place on Chowhound and see reviews. Decent pub food -- we don't have too many English pubs but if you want to head up Harbor Blvd. to Fullerton, you can go to The Olde Ship, which isn't bad and feels very homey. They have decent fish and chips and excellent sticky toffee pudding. Or if you want Spanish pub-type food, also on Harbor Blvd. in Fullerton is Lizarran, which is the only US branch of a Spanish chain of tapas restaurants. For Garden Grove -- that is one of the towns that make up our Little Saigon. If you go just a little further you could go to Xanh, on the corner of Brookhurst and Edinger in the corner of a large plaza. It's Vietnamese food, very fresh and very accessible to people who may not have tried it before (menus are in English, waitstaff speak English perfectly, it's totally kid-friendly and the service is excellent. http://www.marrispizza.com http://www.carolinasitalianrestaurant.com http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/575857 (my review of Puerto Esperanza) http://www.theoldeship.com http://www.lizarran-ca.com http://www.xanhbistro.com Mon Dec 29 10:32:25 -0800 2008 4278527 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 4278758 Will you do the eateries at the hotel? I haven't been to Disneyland in over a decade so I wouldn't venture an opinion on any resto but I will say when the kids were small and we were regulars, we always took the monorail outside the park to eat at the hotel. It wasn't that the food was so much better as that we could clear our heads, sit down and get table service and let the kids unwind a little. It was a strategy that really made the whole experience more enjoyable and endurable for us. Sun Dec 28 19:39:59 -0800 2008 4211773 17969 rainey 2 4278891 our hotel offers complimentary hot breakfast and dinners a few days a week. We thought we would take advantage of them when we could and dine out the other times. We do have a character lunch booked for one lunch. Sun Dec 28 20:52:22 -0800 2008 4278758 251660 palmtree38 3 4278933 Sounds like that's working for you. But I was referring to the fact that the Disneyland Hotel is one option for anyone. It's not restricted to guests and there is a complex of eateries, shops and recreation opportunities. Once upon a time at the hotel there was a water feature with a miniature marina and radio controlled boats that my kids really loved. Funny thing: that radio controlled boat thingie and what amounted to a traditional playground out on the Tom Sawyer Island is what they really liked about Disneyland. (I understand they've completely gutted all those things like the teetering rocks on Tom Sawyer Island.) But, I digress. My point was that a simple ride on the monorail at mid-day with a stop at the hotel affords additional resources outside the confines of the park proper. And it's accessible to anyone. Sun Dec 28 21:09:12 -0800 2008 4278891 17969 rainey 4 4279028 I'm definitely going to be trying some hotel food. In response to the post I did on California Adventure (see link below), many people said the food at the Grand Californian Hotel, which is adjacent to Calif. Adventure, was good, so I'm planning on hitting that up. I hadn't considered Disneyland Hotel since, as a local, I never really have a reason to be over there but maybe I'll check it out as well. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/578290 Sun Dec 28 22:53:02 -0800 2008 4278933 10132 sku 5 4279312 good ideas.. thanks for the input.. Funny if you go on trip advisor so many mention restaurants that on here are poor service low end food. (bubba gumps joes crab shack) are these restaurants like Senior Frogs/hard rock cafe? that people go to for the name? We have been to 2 senior frogs and service was horrible food was average and long waits. (mexico and bahammas) we said we would never dine at one again. Mon Dec 29 05:56:39 -0800 2008 4279028 251660 palmtree38 6 4280084 That is exactly what Bubba Gump's, Joe's Crab Shack, etc. are like. Just awful. Mon Dec 29 10:33:03 -0800 2008 4279312 10811 Das Ubergeek 5 4280473 Try the Storyteller's Cafe or the more upscale, adult-taste oriented Napa Rose at the Grand Californian Hotel. The hotel is within a short walking distance of both Disneyland and California Adventure. Expect to pay between $20-$30 at the cafe and $30+ at Napa Rose. The food is a bit overpriced but way better than anything at the parks. If you have a time crunch or the park is crowded, skip the fine dining experience and have fun on the rides and enjoy the shows. Mon Dec 29 12:28:25 -0800 2008 4279028 123319 jojoma 2 4280893 If you do hotel restaurants, I'd recommend Yamabuki for Japanese (at the Paradise Pier hotel) and Napa Rose for upscale (at the Grand Californian)--both are very, very good. I believe both have good reviews if you do a search. Mon Dec 29 14:23:22 -0800 2008 4278758 12873 OCAnn 1 4280724 I recommend that you actually open up all of the replies in this response, as well as sku's other posting on California Adventure, and you will get some recommendations for places to eat (and to avoid) within the "Resort Area". Better than just making and accepting blanket statements. Mon Dec 29 13:32:27 -0800 2008 4211773 71215 mlgb 1 4281199 While technically not in Disneyland proper(nor the California Adventure park), I recommend ducking into the White Water Snack Bar off the pool in the Grand Californian for your lunch needs... you don't have to be staying there and they have a really tasty grilled chicken sandwich with guac and fire roasted green chiles. They also serve cerveza in case you want to have a buzz without paying for the park hopper ticket. They have some grab and go salads. Also, the nachos are supposedly pretty good. Sigh... I can't believe I'm sacrificing my new favorite place to go get some chow to the chowhounders. I hope you enjoy it. Mon Dec 29 16:02:44 -0800 2008 4211773 89472 DrBruin 2 4281648 dR BRUIN now i like what your mentioning .. yumm.. steak dinner at disney and over crowded kids screaming to enojoy a overpriced meall NES PASS.. I LOVE Guac and chicken type wraps and natcho like fixings.. and nice cold beer that is not DOUBLE THE PRICE.. w LIKE CASUAL but not the mcdonalds type crapole.. Will this white water snack bar be open in january>>>> Mon Dec 29 19:02:52 -0800 2008 4281199 251660 palmtree38 3 4282997 It's always open. Half the time in January we're in the seventies (temperature, not decade) anyway. Don't knock the steak dinner. Most people with kids pass on the fancy restaurants. I can only think of one time I had kids at all in the fancy places, and that was at Yamabuki right as Disney's California Adventure closed for the day. Steakhouse 55 is better than Morton's... Tue Dec 30 09:48:06 -0800 2008 4281648 10811 Das Ubergeek 4 4305935 What is the ESPN Zone Restaurant like?? We are meeting a friend from La who suggested going here rather then bubba gumps/joes crab shack. I dont remember seeing his hotel mentioned before? Wed Jan 07 18:12:58 -0800 2009 4282997 251660 palmtree38 5 4306114 ESPN Zone is half sports bar, half Dave & Busters.... Wed Jan 07 19:18:30 -0800 2009 4305935 12873 OCAnn 5 4306458 Are they really trying to drag you to every possible chain? ESPN Zone is fine, if you like Coors Light and chicken strips with fries. If you like food, try elsewhere. Ninety minute waits, too. Really, honestly, if you don't want to go far, eat at Marri's. Wed Jan 07 22:27:31 -0800 2009 4305935 10811 Das Ubergeek 6 4309483 yeah and football game playing and no reservatioins allowed.. They suggested rainforest cafe next.. we got one of those here. pay for atmosphere for fries and chicken strips lol i hear that ESPN isnt cheap either for this crap.. Thu Jan 08 18:59:49 -0800 2009 4306458 251660 palmtree38