One of my favorite things to do at Disneyland is try all of the various food offerings. There are so many options to choose from and most people go for the quick service options because they are faster and you can eat there when it’s convenient for you. But honestly, I enjoy eating at nicer sit down restaurants in the parks at least once every trip because of the atmosphere and experience that they provide, plus they give you a nice break to sit and relax for a bit.
Yes, they are more expensive and they will take a bit more time to eat, but I think that’s totally worth it. You don’t have to stand in a long line to order or place a mobile order super early, or try to compete with other people for tables. You can just sit back and relax for a bit and take in the restaurant. So if you are planning on doing some fine dining at Disney, here’s a brief overview of all of the sit down restaurants I have tried and my thoughts on them.
All of these restaurants accept reservations which you should try to make 60 days in advance, especially for hard to get spots like Blue Bayou, Lamplight Lounge, and Oga’s Cantina. I will get into how to make reservations a little later, but first, let’s take a look at the spots the parks have to offer.
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I would say this is Disneyland’s most infamous restaurant because of its ambiance and location. My husband and I first ate here on our honeymoon when we happened to get lucky enough to get a table by walking in and asking and ever since then we have eaten at Blue Bayou every trip. It’s one of my favorite Disneyland family traditions. Now there are tons of reasons to love this restaurant. Hands down it has the best atmosphere and ambiance of any Disney restaurant. I mean how can you beat a restaurant that is located inside of Pirates of the Caribbean? You hear the crickets, see the fireflies over the water, and you can smell the ride for your entire meal. I have also never had a bad experience here with wait times or wait staff. Our waiters/waitresses have always been so nice, our food has come out quickly, and we’ve always had a great time. If you want to eat at Blue Bayou, eat between 4-4:30. You’ll beat the dinner rush and have quicker service. Also make sure you check the menu ahead of time because their lunch and dinner menu’s vary slightly so make sure you reserve your meal for the meal time that offers the food you want.
When it comes to the food, I have liked almost everything I have had here. I’ve tried various chicken, lamb, and steak dishes and I have enjoyed them all. Some more than others, but I’ve never regretted eating here. Their chicken gumbo starter is my favorite item on their menu and I highly recommend trying it out if you visit. They also have delicious desserts as well as amazing drinks like the famous Mint Julep or another delicious option of Louisiana Lemonade. Blue Bayou now also serves alcohol, making it one of the few areas in Disneyland where you can get an adult beverage.
I will tell you that this restaurant is pretty pricey, it’s the most expensive one in Disneyland itself so be prepared to drop a decent chunk of cash. But in my opinion the price is totally worth the experience and I would say you have to eat at Blue Bayou at least once!
Once Fantasmic! begins running again, it is likely that they will bring back Blue Bayou Fantasmic! dining packages that will get you reserved seating for the show.
For a more in-depth review of Blue Bayou, click here!
As you walk along the Rivers of America and pass Pirates of the Caribbean, look over your left shoulder and you’ll find Cafe Orleans. This is another Cajun style restaurant kind of like Blue Bayou but not as fancy and less expensive! This restaurant is home to the famous Monte Cristo sandwich.
The best part about getting the Monte Cristo is the pommes frites that come with it. They’re garlic parmesan fries that you dip in a cajun remoulade. They also have dishes of various sizes to choose from so if you’re not super hungry, they have some smaller options and they also have plant based options as well. This location was recently added to the Disneyland restaurants that now serve alcohol, so you can have various alcoholic options as well as non alcoholic like the mint julep. You’ll want to make a reservation here, we tried to walk in once and it was a super long wait. Also, if you have the option, ask to be seated outside so you can look out over the Rivers of America because it’s a great view!
Carnation Cafe was one of Walt’s favorites places to eat. When you look at the menu, there’s a whole section titled “Walt’s Favorites,” so this restaurant just has a lot of history behind it which die hard Disney fans will appreciate. This is located about halfway up Main Street USA on the left hand side and is open for every meal of the day.
This place is another one of my family traditions. We always have breakfast at Carnation Café every time we do Disney. I’ve tried the country fried steak and eggs as well as the Mickey waffles. Both were super good, but I’d recommend getting the waffles, they are so classic, filling, and delicious! And be sure to get a hot chocolate with your breakfast because they have the best hot chocolate! Nothing beats sitting along Main Street USA taking in the sights and sounds while enjoying a delicious cup of hot chocolate to start your morning.
Their lunch and dinner menu’s are also really good and have a good selection. They vary slightly based on meal time, but they have burgers, sandwiches, salads, short ribs, a catch of the day, and more. I have had salmon here which was really good, the chicken fried chicken which was also good but more on the heavy side, and the braised short rib which had a good flavor as well. But my favorite part of eating at Carnation Cafe during lunch or dinner is the baked potato soup and fried pickles starters. They are both absolutely amazing, and it’s even better when you dip the pickles in the baked potato soup! Definitely give both of these starters a try if you eat here.
This is a very popular restaurant and it’s actually kind of small compared to others, so you will want to make a reservation ahead of time because it gets really busy and you may not get in if you don’t book a time early! Depending on the day or time of day, you may get lucky and be able to join the walk up list and get in, but I’ve seen other times where it’s so busy that people are turned away because they don’t have tables. If you can, get there 10-15 minutes before your meal time and request to sit outside so you can take in the sights of Main Street USA while you eat. This is a great sit down option if you’re on a budget as it is the cheapest sit down restaurant in the park.
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Carthay Circle
If you’re looking for fine dining at Disneyland, this would be my go to spot. This restaurant is beautiful inside and inspired by the golden age of movies and in my opinion, has the best food offerings of any restaurant in both parks. There are two dining options here, the normal restaurant and the lounge that offers alfresco dining. The alfresco dining is a quicker dining experience typically with smaller entree options while the restaurant has more substantial meal choices.
I always dine in the actual restaurant and everything I’ve had there is good. I’ve had steak, lamb, pot roast, and salmon and every dish was absolutely delicious. I also really enjoy the warm cheddar parker house rolls and highly recommend adding them and the mashed potatoes to your table to enjoy. All of the desserts I’ve tried have been equally good and this location offers both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.
The alfresco dining is a little easier to get into by walking up then the actual restaurant is, but I would recommend making reservations 60 days in advance if you want to eat here.
Lamplight Lounge
If you’re looking for dinner with a great view, Lamplight Lounge is the spot to go. If you can request a seat outside, you can look out over the water and it’s just a beautiful place to eat. This restaurant also has two dining options, the boardwalk dining option and then the restaurant itself. The boardwalk option is smaller bites and is walkup only, reservations cannot be made for the boardwalk. But Lamplight Lounge does offer reservations and I highly encourage making them 60 days in advance because this location is very popular and tables can be hard to get.
I will say Lamplight Lounge was good, but I did enjoy other restaurants like Carthay Circle more. The Kung Pao Bao’s were good but pretty spicey, but have been removed from the menu. The lobster nachos were good but a very large portion, do definitely share these with someone. You can also change the meat on them as well so ask your server about that if you don’t like lobster. I did like the kids option, the pb&j sushi was a fun idea, but I think it has since been removed from the menu as well. I would recommend eating here for dinner because then you can get their specialty donuts. The flavors change every so often, they were cookies and cream when I had them and they were delicious.
If you’re looking for alcoholic drinks, Lamplight Lounge is the place to go as they have a wide variety of cocktails that they are famous for, but also wines and other beverages. But if you are like me and don’t drink alcohol, they also have a few delicious non-alcoholic options you can choose from. I had the falling with style which is a mango lemonade and I really liked it. But just check out that view!
One recommendation I have for you is if you want to eat at Lamplight Lounge, try to get the last reservation of the night and arrive about 10 minutes before your reservation to request to be seated out on the patio. Then, you can order your food and watch World of Color from your table. It is a side view and you won’t see everything straight on, but this is a great option if you want to see the show while sitting or away from the large crowds that the show brings in.
Oga’s Cantina
I don’t know if Oga’s is really considered a sit down restaurant, but I also wouldn’t consider it quick service either. You are seated at a table and usually you’ll be there for at least 30 minutes, but they don’t have actual meals, more of quick bites to have with your drinks. If you like Star Wars, the environment is cool but honestly I was a little let down by this experience, especially with how hard it can be to get a table here. Unless you have a big group, you’re seated with people you don’t know and you may be put at a standing only table as well and it just feels really crowded inside. If you drink, there’s plenty of alcoholic options to choose from but if you don’t drink, you are much more limited in what you can experience here.
I tried the cliff dweller which was a good drink as well as the blue bantha which is just blue milk served with a cookie, but the cookie was definitely the highlight it was so good! If you do visit Oga’s I highly recommend getting the five blossom bread, it was super yummy.
Overall, I wasn’t very impressed with this dining option especially for the price, but it’s something fun to experience at least once but like I said, if you drink this would probably be a much better experience as there are a lot of options to choose from. You will want to make your reservation for here as soon as it opens 60 days in advance at 6 am pst as reservations go fast. If you can’t get a reservation, you will want to join the walk up list on the Disneyland app first thing when you get to the parks because it is a very popular spot.
River Belle Terrace
Another great spot to grab a bite to eat along the Rivers of America is River Belle Terrace. River Belle has indoor and outdoor dining available for brunch and dinner and is all about down-home style cooking so many of the options that you can choose from are total comfort foods.
I have had brunch and dinner here and both times my observation was that the food tends to be on the heavier side. For brunch, I got the biscuits and gravy which were good but very heavy. Their pimento mac and cheese isn’t on the menu anymore but it was also good but again, a very heavy meal. If you want a meal that’s going to stick with you for a long time, this is the place to go, but if you’re looking for something lighter I would recommend a different location. Overall, River Belle is good, not my first pick, but a decent spot to have a meal. When Fantasmic! returns in May 2024, this location will likely offer a dining package for the show where you can watch from your table or sit in the reserved seating area.
Looking for somewhere quick to grab a bite in the parks? Check out my review of the quick service restaurants at Disneyland
HOW TO SECURE YOUR DINING RESERVATIONS
Reservations for restaurants in the parks become available 60 days in advance and can be made on the Disneyland App, online, or over the phone. Most dining reservations go up at 6 AM PST. I set an alarm to wake up a few minutes before they go live and log into my Disney account on the Disneyland app or website and wait until 6 AM on the dot to make sure I can get a reservation for the restaurant, day, and time I want. Many restaurants do fill up very quickly so you will want to make them as early as you possibly can. If you have a larger group, often times you won’t be able to find a table online or on the app but you can always call and see if they have anything available.
Now if you don’t get a reservation, don’t panic. You can get notified of any dining reservations opening up by signing up for Mouse Dining, they offer free and paid plans where you can select the restaurant, date, and time frame you’d like to dine and if anything opens up they will notify you, then you can jump on and grab the reservation. You can also check back on the Disneyland app or website to see if anything opens up, plans change and people cancel so keep checking back, sometimes people will cancel a few days before or even the night before. If you still can’t get a reservation, some of these restaurants allow you to join a walk-up list on the Disneyland App that you can get onto or you can go to the restaurant first thing in the morning and ask to join the wait list.
BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW
Remember to eat at any of these restaurants, you must have theme park tickets and a theme park reservation for that park that day. You can purchase tickets or book your package here!
Hopefully this list helps you on your next trip and if you try any of these restaurants, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
