Downtown Disney

[ras1121]

This summer my wife and I will be visiting Disneyland for the first time. Any recommendations for a dinner in downtown Disney? Our first night we won't be in the parks, so we figured we would grab dinner in downtown Disney.

We appreciate you recommendations?

 

[nannyz]

My favorite upscale place to eat in DTD is Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen -- if you like creole food.

 

[Astylla]

My husband and I really enjoy ESPN zone. Great food and drinks with a good atmosphere and we are sports fans so that helps I've always had great food at Rainforest Cafe as well.

 

[Argento]

I've been to the following restaurants in DTD and was unimpressed:

• Naples
• Tortilla Jo's
• La Brea Bakery
• Rainforest Cafe

To be certain, they weren't terrible and they'll do in a pinch but I didn't walk away from any of them wondering when I could go back.

 

[Escape2Disney]

It really depends on your taste. We like the Jazz kitchen for spicy creole food, Catal for a somewhat upscale restaurant, Jamba Juice for grab and go, or across the street at Mimi's Cafe for sharable large servings of american food.

There are also options at GardenWalk. They have PF Changs, CPK, and others.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have been to the following restaurants in downtown Disney:
La Brea Bakery
Naples
ESPNZone
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen

Hands down Ralph Brennan's is the winner for me although I haven't yet been there for their dinner menu, just lunch and brunch. Our family also liked ESPNZone well enough, but the food, while tasty, didn't strike me as special and the restaurant can be a bit noisy and overstimulating and you really need to like sports to fully enjoy the atmosphere I think. Naples wasn't bad but didn't impress. La Brea always seems way overpriced for the quality of food; I'm just always underwhelmed by whatever I get there.

There are also restaurants in the resort hotels to try if none of the DtD choices sound enticing. While I've not yet tried either of these, I would like to try both the Tangaroa Terrace and Steakhouse 55 for dinner at the DLH. I have tried and enjoyed Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand.

Take a look at allears.net to see menus and prices for different restaurants:
http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/menus.htm

 

[ras1121]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[abbie13_15]

Another vote for Jazz kitchen!!!! If you go on Thursday night they have dueling pianos which was great last time.

 

[pixiemomof3]

The Disney Hotels have places to eat also and it is a good way to explore a little. There are a few restraunts and places to grab a bite in and around the hotels. There is also DLH's goofys kitchen or GC storytellers or Napa rose.

 

[newmouse82]

Ralph Brennan's was amazing it was so good me and my DH ordered $200 worth of food just to try it all and the service was amazing.

 

[AnnieDroid]

I went to Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen a couple years ago for dinner with family and it was amazing. The food was great (I had a salmon dish) the beignets for dessert were superb and the jazz entertainment was great fun. Also the decor was really great. We were inside by the stage and they had these old style ladies umbrellas hanging from the ceiling opened up. It sounds weird but it looked so cool. This was such a great restaurant and I will never forget my experience eating there and would love to go again. I can't recommend it more highly.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Here is another vote for the Jazz Kitchen. I've eaten at all the restaurants, and Jazz Kitchen would be the one I would take first-time guests.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

Ralph Brennan's is our go to DTD spot too. Get the chocolate soufflé or the bananas foster for desert, yum! Catal's is also nice. House of Blues has been serviceable for us, not noteworthy (have never tried their brunch).

 

[Pixiafurie]

I would say the Jazz Kitchen is the highlight of Downtown Disney. I am trying Tortilla Jo's for the first time in just a couple weeks (!!!), so I won't know until them.

In my opinion, House of Blues and Rainforest aren't too special, because the food is kind of 'meh'. The atmosphere is definitely the driving point of those establishments. But this is just my opinion!

 

[pixiewings71]

Jazz Kitchen is our favorite!! We also like RFC but not everyone does. Jazz Kitchen is heads and shoulders above RFC but again we do like it.

We aren't huge fans of Tortilla Joe's (eaten there twice, had bad side effects both times) or ESPN Zone but we did like House of Blues.

You can also consider eating at Storyteller's Cafe or maybe even Napa Rose in the GCH, and GK does a dinner buffet (we haven't done dinner there but we did not enjoy our breakfast) as well.

there is also Mimi's on Harbor and the Garden Walk has quite a few good places to eat, Bubba Gump, CA Pizza Kitchen, PF Chang's, Cheesecake Factory (to name a few) and there is a Joe's Crab Shack and a Red Robin down Harbor across from the Target. If you will have a car and plan on getting snacks/waters go to Target and then go eat at Joe's, it's really good!!

 

[kailuagirl]

Another vote for Jazz Kitchen! We've never eaten inside, only at the takeout counter and it was so delish! We even ate there 2 or 3 times on our last visit it was so good

We had Naples 2x, while it is okay, I think it is overpriced for what it is, but the calamari was the best thing there hands down, it was really good

 

[SilentFeline]

I haven't been to many restaurants in DTD. I've been to Napolini and ESPN Zone for dinner and Jazz Kitchen only for breakfast. Napolini is a definite miss, especially since they completely changed the only good thing on their menu. ESPN Zone is pretty good, but obviously not a place you should go if you're looking for a quiet atmosphere. Honestly, my vote would have to go to Storyteller's Cafe at the GCH even though it isn't technically in DTD. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is nice. The prices are very reasonable for a nice sit-down restaurant and for the quality of food.

 

[wdw_monster]

we just ate at naples last friday. it was very yummy! the pizza was perfect, the calamari was very good but the breading kept falling off. The only bad thing was the spaghetti the meatballs tasted like spaghettios. I would eat there again