Disney is the best in the world at what they do. Period. Their theming of every element throughout their parks is top notch. Including their restaurants. I am a huge Disney fan and on top of being an Annual Passholder for Disneyland, I’ve also been to Walt Disney World a few
I’ll split this into two posts. Disneyland first because I spend more time there and have been there much more recently. Walt Disney World second because It’s been a few years but my favorite restaurants are still there so don’t worry about this being outdated!
My Favorite Restaurants At Disneyland and California Adventure
*I tend to stick to old favorites with my family so there are a few popular restaurants that I haven’t actually been to. I’m going to try some new ones on my next trip so I’ll post an update on that as well.
The Hungry Bear
Okay, this one is mostly nostalgia/family joke based but we ALWAYS eat at The Hungry Bear when we go to Disneyland.
Long story short: There used to be a big bear statue in front of the restaurant. When I was about 5 years old I had to go to the bathroom. Bad. While running to the nearest bathroom my dad saw the bear statue and decided that it was a great time to take a picture with it. Because when your 5-year-old is about to pee her pants you should absolutely stop to take a picture on the way to the bathroom. Anyways he sat me on the bear and took a quick picture and then we ran to the bathroom. I swear on my life, I did not pee on the bear. My dad always asks the nearest Cast Member what happened to the bear. Sadly, none of them have ever been able to tell us (if I can find that picture I’ll come back and add it later!).
Enough of that semi embarrassing story…
The Hungry Bear is located in Critter Country right by next to the Rivers of America. Also right across from the corner of Splash Mountain. They have two levels of seating but they tend to pretty much always be full. You may have trouble finding a spot especially if you have a large group. The seating looks right out over the water and there are always ducks wandering around you while you eat. As tempting as it is, please don’t feed them.
The theming doesn’t make much sense anymore if you haven’t been to the parks before. Also if you haven’t seen any of the Country Bear stuff. Right next to the restaurant, there used to be a show called The Country Bear Jamboree. Now that spot is home to the Winnie the Winnie The Pooh Ride. Country Bear Jamboree was removed back in 2001 but a small piece of it remains in the Winnie the Pooh ride. Check out this link and don’t forget to look up next time you’re on the ride!
If you have tried The Hungry Bear in the past but haven’t in a while, I think you should definitely try it again! Disney has recently upgraded their burger patties to thicker, better, more delicious ones. I was very impressed with them on my last trip back in September! My mom is a big fan of the fish sandwich, and my dad and I can’t stop talking about the churro funnel cake!
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe
The Mary Poppins theming is precious #1, but The Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe is also an awesome spot to pick up a snack or a quick meal at any time of day. I love stopping by in the morning for a muffin or breakfast croissant if I haven’t had breakfast. Have you seen the adorable Mickey shaped raspberry macarons? You can get those at Jolly Holiday. I tell myself I’m going to get one every single trip, but I still haven’t done it.
You can also grab water, hot chocolate, coffee, grilled cheese sandwiches, and more. Usually, when I can’t decide what to eat, I end up at Jolly Holiday.
They have outdoor seating with the cutest little white cafe chairs. I love it. The seating can definitely fill up because there isn’t a ton of it. So far it hasn’t been a major issue for me.
3. Corner Cafe
Honestly, I don’t eat a lot here. But It’s the perfect place to stop for a late night Mickey pretzel after most/all of the carts are closed. I’ve gotten them at midnight here before on my way out of the parks. It’s also connected to the candy shop right next to where you can get the frozen drinks. Perfect spot if you want to grab both.
4. Red Rose Tavern
The Red Rose Tavern is obviously Beauty and The Beast themed and seriously if you’ve never been inside, go now. It’s pretty dark in there which isn’t my favorite thing but they have the Grey Stuff which is honestly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted in my life. If you haven’t had it or don’t know what it is, it’s basically like a cookies n’ creme mousse on top of red velvet cake all on top of a biscuit/cookie thing. Also, it has sprinkles. It’s basically heaven.
They also have Lafou’s Brew which looks like beer but is really just fruit juice with foam on top. It’s good but I do NOT recommend having it with The Grey Stuff because my friend and I both got sick from doing that once. I can handle my sugar but that was way too much.
The Red Rose Tavern has indoor and outdoor seating. Obviously, for hotter days you’d prefer to eat inside, but as I said, it’s pretty dim in there so you might want to choose a seat outside if that bothers you.
They have other food on the menu but I’ve only tried those two things.
#5 Flo’s V8 Cafe
Flo’s V8 Cafe is over in the Cars Land area of California Adventure. They recently changed their menu and now have burgers and some other new additions. The old menu was more homestyle food and it was good but I’m a big burger girl so this was a very welcome change.
The line is always kind of long but it moves fairly quickly. All of the waitresses have the cutest 50’s diner uniforms and I love them. There is so much seating but most of it fills up quick.
Quick tip: after you order go to the right to find another lesser known eating area. It’s kind of hidden and I’ve never had a problem getting a table there even when people are trying to squeeze into every other seating area.
You can always check the menus in advance on sites like this one. Also, if you have the official Disneyland App many places in the parks now allow mobile ordering so you can order in advance and pick up your food at the window.
These are my favorite restaurants at Disneyland but I’d love to hear what your favorite Disneyland restaurants are! Make sure to come back later to see my list of Restaurants I love at Walt Disney World!
xoCait
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My Walt Disney World Restaurant post will be up in the next few days. In the mean
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