Updated: This post originally appeared in 2013 and I am updating it now, in October 2018.
I have had the pleasure of going to Disneyland 3 times, and all three times were for runDisney races. We stayed for 4 nights each time and had the opportunity to eat at some fabulous restaurants. I don’t want to make one post per restaurant or go into a ton of detail, but I wanted to share with you all my favorite five table service Disneyland area restaurants and why I loved them. I hope you find a new favorite from my very best Disneyland restaurants list!
1.) Napa Rose: Hands down the best meal we have had at Disneyland Resort. It reminded me somewhat of Citrico’s in WDW which I love. The service was impeccable, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was relaxing but sophisticated. We ate here the last night of our trip on two separate vacations, and it was a great way to cap off a wonderful time. Don’t miss this one! They had a great steak for this meat lover.
2.) Blue Bayou: This one wins the top prize for best theming. What a cool idea to have a ride (Pirates of the Carribean) pass by the guests eating at the restaurant. The theming is amazing, and it feels like you are outside under the stars, on the bayou eating dinner. We loved the ambiance and the food was good for this Cajun girl, too. We asked to be seated by the water, (you may have to wait a little longer but worth it!) and got to watch the boats full of riders float by into the ride.
3.) Steakhouse 55: This restaurant is a fancy place at the Disneyland Hotel. It has a beautiful waiting area and the restaurant itself is quite swanky, reminiscent of old Hollywood. The food was top notch here, I would put it as second best in the food category food under Napa Rose. The mac n’ cheese was amazing. order it. Seriously. Another reason to stay on property. We just walked over from the Grand Californian for dinner. So easy!
4.) Café Orleans: Café Orleans is a quaint little place in the Orleans Square section of Disneyland park with an adorable outdoor eating area. I love that the weather in southern California is so mild that there is lots of outdoor seating at Disneyland. We sat outside and people watched and ate gumbo and other goodies under an umbrella. it was peaceful, and a perfect lunch spot. This says a lot coming from a New Orleans native who is usually very critical of places claiming to be “New Orleans-Y.” The Monte Cristo sandwich is to die for, but is very rich, so be warned!
5.) Storyteller’s Café: This was the first dinner we eat after arriving in Disneyland. It is at the Grand Californian where we typically stay and is a fun way to kick off the trip. Bobby loves a good buffet, and this one while not huge, had a lot of delicious food that we both love. It has a light and childlike atmosphere while still being beautiful! If you aren’t staying at the hotel this would be a great opportunity to check out the beautiful grounds.
QOTD: Have you eaten at any of these places? Which one looks the more appealing to you? Do you have a different Disneyland favorite?
Hate to be “that person” but my favorite Disneyland restaurant is Club 33. I had the amazing opportunity to eat there after Tinker Bell Half this year. You want to talk Mac and Cheese? Heeelllllloooo girl, you gotta get an invite to try Club 33’s version. To. Die. For.
You are SO being that person 😉 I’m going to go over to this corner over here and think about the time I got into the lobby knowing full well that is as close as I will ever get! 🙂
I nominated you as a Very Inspiring Blogger on my blog! Thanks for providing interesting and inspiring posts! http://heelsrunningtheworld.blogspot.com/2013/03/vib-very-inspiring-blogger.html
I ate at Blue Bayou and it was so delicious! Do you have any recommendations for Disney World restaurants? I want to go somewhere special for my anniversary during W&D
I’ve never been to Disneyland, but I’d love to go sometime! I’ve never had a WDW meal that I didn’t like, so I’m sure Disneyland would be equally delicious!
I’ve eaten at all of these except Storytellers and Blue Bayou. Steakhouse 55 was our favorite overall! I’m looking forward to returning to a few and trying new places as well. Storytellers is on my list!
We ate at Napa Rose back in 2009. I don’t remember what I got, but I remember it was amazing. The food, the wine and the dessert. I know I got something chocolate because it’s my weakness.
LOVE Blue Bayou, such a great atmosphere and very cool that it’s in Pirates! I definitely want to try Napa Rose this year. I went to Carthay Circle as well which was great, very upscale which feels a little weird while being at a park, but the food was excellent. I also loved breakfast a Goofy’s Kitchen, we went right after the half…I love a good breakfast buffet!
All great places! If I may give you a couple suggestions for new places to try when you visit over Labor Day- Carnation Cafe for breakfast. Beautiful Main Street atmosphere and hands-down best breakfast inside the park. Also, try the fried green tomato sandwich w/ sweet potato fries at the Hungry Bear. My husband and I made that our post DL 1/2 meal last year and I suspect we’ll do the same this year.
We had lunch at carnation and were seated at the table under the outside gazebo. It was lovely!
Yum! CANNOT WAIT for Dumbo!!
They all sound and look amazing!!! One day I WILL go to Disneyland!!!! 🙂
LOVE Blue Bayou!!!! It was my dream growing up to eat there (my dad would NEVER let us dine table-service while at the parks) and my cousin and I finally got to eat there in ’03. I love watching the people come through on Pirates!!
us to! We waited longer for a table so we could sit by the water.
I’m hoping to get a reservation at Napa Rose for Sunday night after Dumbo is over. Super excited to try some of these places!!
You will LOVE it!
Club 33 and Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland hotel! They make amazing cocktails! Before flying out we always enjoy a drink there 🙂 Also love Carthay. Have you ventured into Downtown Disney restaurants much?
The only one we ate at was ESPN and it was not a good experience!
It’s not fancy or anything, but my husband and I were pretty floored with how good the food was at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Cars Land!
I don’t know why, but this post made me think back to the good old days when you had to run from the park entrance back to Pirates to get a reservation for the Blue Bayou. No call ahead reservations- you had to run! Ah, the DL of my childhood 🙂
That said- I would LOVE a post on your recommendations for food at WDW!
Thats so funny you had to do that! I will be working on one of those for next week probably!
Napa Rose is delicious!! And I love Blue Bayou for the atmosphere. Carthay Circle is also fantastic and my favorites in DTD are La Brea and Naples. Mmm, I’m getting hungry!
SO EXCITED for Dumbo weekend! We’ll be there 6 days!
me too!
Okay – So I am guessing you are nominating “finer dining” and skipping the casual places. I am a “been to WDW” once girl (a long time ago)… the Land is where my loyalties are. I am WEST coast girl after all. So – I would like to mention some others (in no particular order)… 1 – Plaza Inn on Main Street (for breakfast later menus are nothing special) Love this one for location and ambiance! Best Character Breakfast at DL! 2 – Hungry Bear in Critter Country… nothing on this counter service place will disappoint… get your food an walk all the way to the back… enjoy the Columbia ship and Mark Twain going by and goodness sake feed the ducks. 3 – Carnation Café on Main Street – once again for Breakfast… get the Oscar Special and he (Oscar) might come out and tell what the park was like in the beginning – he has been there that long. 4 – White Water Snacks! (in the way back past Napa Rose at the Grand CA.) Do not miss this amazing little gem – always a quiet place and excellent food anytime of day! 5 – Bengal Bar B Que (also counter service) in Adventureland… order the bacon wrapped asparagus and ask for the bacon crispy… yum! Those are just a few of my personal favs… I do love all of the ones you mentioned as well… especially Blue Bayou – many fond memories as a child… we could Never afford to go there when I was a kid… when we would ride Pirates my mom would always say… “Wave at the rich people”… I remember the sound of the clanking glasses as a kid thinking to myself… “I am going to eat there someday”… and I have …several times. Wave at the rich people!
I don’t consider cafe orleans or storyteller’s as fine dining at all. My list was just for table service restaurants in particular. 🙂 How sad about Blue Bayou! I am by no means rich but we ate there and will go back labor day weekend! 🙂
It wasn’t sad… as a kid we didn’t really know what we were missing but it kept it (the Blue Bayou) as such a mystery. By no means were we “poor” I mean we were at Disneyland after all… My mom would pack us a big paper sack of sandwiches and snacks… that is what we ate there… we NEVER bought food at the Land when we were kids. We lived close enough that it was a day trip… back then. this was way back… early 70’s. I can remember when they had burro rides… my husband laughs at me.. I live in WA state now and barely make even a yearly trip. (sniff sniff) We have 3 young kids so we have to save up. So when we go everything is a splurge and a big deal. When I ate there for my first time on my honeymoon… it was sort of surreal… we have been back several times since now. Love it! I have only eaten at Napa Rose once… and that was the free buffet at the Tink Half Meet Up last January… it was pretty in there and we will have to try that one next time sans the kids.
Now I am very hungry! It was interesting to see the differences in eating on the other side of the country: from the weather to the sustainable fish. Lol
I love Tortilla Jo’s at Downtown Disney. Ammmmazing margaritas!
I have never been to DisneyLand, but think it would be a lot of fun after my trip to DisneyWorld for the marathon in 2012
yes! I really enjoyed it
ok, if someone from NOLA is recomending a place that has NOLA food… then it must be good, right? Do they sell those (wait for it) begenegenennnneees? Did I spell that right?
We need to organize a meet up (hopefully with food) while we are there.
Lol! Cafe Orleans has something similar. Pretty good! And heck yes I will be SO SAD if we don’t meet up. You don’t understand how sad.
Napa Rose and Blue Bayou sound great! Thanks for sharing these 🙂
I LOVE Napa Rose! Blue Bayou is fun, too, but this year, you have to try Carthay Circle at DCA…it’s amazing!
Hmm…I wonder who you went to storyteller’s with the first time… 😉
I have yet to try steakhouse 55…I hope to go eventually.
Other places to try this year:
Bengal BBQ (my fave CS in DL for sure…love!)
Goofy’s Kitchen character breakfast (best.lemon.bars.ever)
Naples (really good spaghetti…like really good)
I have heard great things about naples!