Disneyland Restaurant rec?? help!

dteng · April 11, 2012, 4:53am

Oyyy…
Family is going to Disneyland in a few weeks…and I guess I’m expected to go…being the father of the family…
Staying at one of the hotels.
No worries, I’ll live.
Is there a decent restaurant or should I just forget about any good food for a few days?

(help!)

jdietz · April 11, 2012, 4:59am

Napa Rose Is first rate in the Grand Californian http://disneyland.disney.go.com/grand-californian-hotel/napa-rose/

JKim · April 11, 2012, 5:22am

Big +1. Sit at the Chef’s counter.

Nancy_Dolce · April 11, 2012, 5:26am

Ah, may be less painful than expected, Doc!

jdietz · April 11, 2012, 5:29am

And if you drive 20 mins or so, you could enjoy Marche Moderne at South Coast Plaza. Arguably, some of the best food in OC. http://www.marchemoderne.net/

dteng · April 11, 2012, 6:10am

Great Jim!
I was just looking at Napa Rose - the name threw me off, sounded a little weird, cheesy.
Good to hear it’s first rate. Location will make stumbling back to hotel possible.

Joe, can you sit there with kids?

Nancy, I’m hoping to have a good anesthetic, er I mean wine there.

Bob_Wood · April 11, 2012, 11:40am

As I recall, the jelly beans on Main Street are first rate.

Jim_Brennan · April 11, 2012, 11:58am

Actually there are several fairly good restaurants at Disneyland. We went to Jiko and thought it was excellent. I’ve heard Steakhouse 55 is pretty good. And there are a few others also.

JKim · April 11, 2012, 2:31pm

The restaurant is pretty high end, but there’s lots of kids there. The Chef’s counter is 2 different counters with four chairs each. The kitchen is an open showcase type affair where you get to watch the food being prepared right in front of you. The chef comes by and explains all the dishes, nice personal touch. You can do their wine pairing, but I brought a bottle with me ($25 corkage if IIRC). Great, albeit very over-priced, wine list. I wouldn’t do the counter with kids, it’s a lengthy dinner where you take your time with the meal and mingle with the staff. Prob a table would be better where you can let your kids play on the iPad/iPod/iPhone to entertain themselves. Just the thought of multiple days at Disneyland with the family makes me tired. I’ll PM you some tips and a different way to see Disneyland.

jdietz · April 11, 2012, 2:54pm

JKim:

dteng:

Great Jim!
I was just looking at Napa Rose - the name threw me off, sounded a little weird, cheesy.
Good to hear it’s first rate. Location will make stumbling back to hotel possible.

Joe, can you sit there with kids?

The restaurant is pretty high end, but there’s lots of kids there. The Chef’s counter is 2 different counters with four chairs each. The kitchen is an open showcase type affair where you get to watch the food being prepared right in front of you. The chef comes by and explains all the dishes, nice personal touch. You can do their wine pairing, but I brought a bottle with me ($25 corkage if IIRC). Great, albeit very over-priced, wine list. I wouldn’t do the counter with kids, it’s a lengthy dinner where you take your time with the meal and mingle with the staff. Prob a table would be better where you can let your kids play on the iPad/iPod/iPhone to entertain themselves. Just the thought of multiple days at Disneyland with the family makes me tired. I’ll PM you some tips and a different way to see Disneyland.

Dr. Joe, don’t be so private with the advice. We now have annual passes, which I dreaded, but it let’s us feel ok about going for 3 hours and then heading home (all of 10 mins!). I still don’t use the speed pass thing cuz sometimes your time is hours later, but if you’re staying at the park that could work. Share your ideas!

JKim · April 11, 2012, 4:05pm

jdietz:

JKim:

dteng:

Great Jim!
I was just looking at Napa Rose - the name threw me off, sounded a little weird, cheesy.
Good to hear it’s first rate. Location will make stumbling back to hotel possible.

Joe, can you sit there with kids?

The restaurant is pretty high end, but there’s lots of kids there. The Chef’s counter is 2 different counters with four chairs each. The kitchen is an open showcase type affair where you get to watch the food being prepared right in front of you. The chef comes by and explains all the dishes, nice personal touch. You can do their wine pairing, but I brought a bottle with me ($25 corkage if IIRC). Great, albeit very over-priced, wine list. I wouldn’t do the counter with kids, it’s a lengthy dinner where you take your time with the meal and mingle with the staff. Prob a table would be better where you can let your kids play on the iPad/iPod/iPhone to entertain themselves. Just the thought of multiple days at Disneyland with the family makes me tired. I’ll PM you some tips and a different way to see Disneyland.

Dr. Joe, don’t be so private with the advice. We now have annual passes, which I dreaded, but it let’s us feel ok about going for 3 hours and then heading home (all of 10 mins!). I still don’t use the speed pass thing cuz sometimes your time is hours later, but if you’re staying at the park that could work. Share your ideas!

Haha, I’ll pm you the same info I gave to Dan.

CFu · April 11, 2012, 6:22pm

downtown disney has quite a few restaurants, they are all “fine”. Nothing fancy but certainly not all amusement park food. Even ESPN zone is half decent in a pinch.

JKim · April 11, 2012, 6:49pm

I don’t know who you are anymore.

CFu · April 11, 2012, 7:00pm

someone who likes greasy food while watching sports. Can’t be drinking Dujac all day. Just a lowly ESQ =(

dteng · April 11, 2012, 8:19pm

Steakhouse 55 was the other that I considered.

dteng · April 11, 2012, 8:20pm

Jim_Brennan · April 11, 2012, 9:15pm

Fwiw, we took our 7 and 10 year old kids to Jiko and had a great time. Service was great, food was a hit, and they has some interesting south African wines also.

Nancy_Dolce · April 12, 2012, 12:45am

I bet I know Joe’s way to enjoy Disneyland. I may need this advice later this year when we take my avatar partner there for the first time. She will be 2.5 years old then.

paul_hanna · April 14, 2012, 5:01am

Thought this was actually very good.

Also enjoyed Napa Rose, a pretty good wine list as well…

Jason_Hagen · April 14, 2012, 5:45pm

Catal has had some ups and downs but usually solid.

As for Napa Rose … pass. Not a fan. Maybe things have changed but I found the food average at best and you can get a better atmosphere at Red Lobster.

Jason