Recommend a QS at CA

[MICKEEP]

First Timer going to DLR next week. Please recommend a QS (Quick Service) at CA (Disney's California Adventure) and why.

We have a long list of places at DL (Disneyland) (more than we will have the time for) but no recommendations, as of yet, for CA.

 

[jcarwash]

We've had consistently good meals from the Paradise Garden Grill, and last visit we were surprised with a really good experience at Cocina Cucamonga.

 

[FCDub]

Someone didn't read the question.

OP, I'd recommend Flo's (which has fun theming for kids and pretty non-traditional theme park food) or Pacific Wharf (nice outdoor seating by the water).

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Places we like:
Award Wieners: all-beef hot dogs, tasty hot dog buns and fries, good if you're looking for simple
Lucky Fortune Cookery: Asian rice bowls, only place in the parks to get this type of food, lines not usually too bad
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta: really good pasta dishes and salads; big portions; we avoid the pizza
Ghirardelli Ice Cream: I have been known to use an ice cream sundae as meal replacement when on vacation.

Places we skip:
Pacific Wharf Cafe: Great soup in Boudin bread bowls, but Boudin isn't a novelty to us where we live, the other menu items don't excite us, and the lines are generally very long so we have become in the habit of skipping this place these days. The new mobile ordering option should at least help with the line now.
Smokejumpers: Disney counter service burgers are unexceptional and I just never liked the atmosphere of the old Taste Pilot's Grill, so we still haven't been back since it's been changed to Smokejumpers.
Flo's: We haven't actually deliberately skipped this spot yet, but I've crossed it off my list of must visits now after this latest menu revision. We gave it a chance this summer with the new menu and were disappointed by portion size, food quality, and time of preparation. This used to be a go-to location for us even as they've tinkered with the menu over the years, but now it's just not worth it. These latest menu changes especially have made the choices more pedestrian than ever.

 

[Malcon10t]

We like Flo's. Nice atmosphere. Also consider the Cozy Cones. If you like pizza and pasta, try Boardwalk Pasta and pizza. Food is good, and seating is good. Award Wieners also has some interesting hot dogs!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Hot link corn dog at Corn Dog Castle in DCA: yummy, fun, and only available at this location. Agree that Flo's is nice, even with the new menu. If you like RSR, try to sit on the far left side of the restaurant (left side facing the registers) which overlooks the race part of that ride.We like Paradise Garden Grill for the various ethnic menus -- currently the menu is Mexican food. The food is usually tasty and very shareable. You can eat while listening to live music. Agree about sundaes from Ghirardelli's making fun meal replacements.

 

[gerilyne]

I like Flo's for breakfast; both the old and newer lunch/dinner menus don't appeal to me to much. But it is a must do for breakfast for us.

 

[LilyJC]

Flo’s for breakfast is our favorite. The chicken tamale was really good as is the brioche French toast (minus the bananas ).

We like Pacific Wharf Cafe and right now they have my favorite - the tomato bisque. My kids like the Mac n cheese option.

Our favorite treats right now are the warm chocolate chip cookie from Jack Jack’s Cookie Num Nums and the Frosty Parfait from Adorable Snowman. We also frequently grab treats from Ghirardelli.

And definitely give mobile ordering a try if you’re pressed for time. So easy and helpful.

 

[ktlm]

It depends on what kind of food you want. We were there a few weeks ago. We think CS is much better at DLR than at WDW, and we prefer the CA food to the DL food. You can find all of the menus on allears just like you can find the WDW menus there. I would look and see what appeals to you.

As far as our recent trip:

We really liked the Pixar Fest menu at Paradise Garden Grill. That is Mexican food. We thought both the tamales (vaporcitos) and the mole verde chicken were good. The Pixar Fest Celebration cake (layers of lemon, blue vanilla and red velvet cake with rasberry puree and cream cheese frosting) was also good.

We have not liked Flo's that much in the past, but we really liked the new menu. I had the Fillmore's pot pie and it was really good. I will definitely order that again if it is on the menu next time we are there. Actually, sitting here thinking about it- I'd really like to have that today for lunch!

If you are in a Corn Dog mood-- Corn Dog Castle makes great corn dogs. In our opinion, they are so much better than the ones from the Little Red Wagon over at DL. They are not as greasy.

We ate at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta for the first time this trip. We all had pasta. We all thought it was good. It is a good choice if you are in a pasta mood.

The Cozy Cones- particularly the chile con queso- are fun to try for the novelty of it.

We have not been fans of Pacific Wharf or Lucky Fortune---- the one time we got food from Lucky Fortune, we all wound up throwing it in the trash and getting something else- even DH who will eat about anything.

Cocina Cucamonga has a new menu. We did not try it, but heard others really like the changes. It is pretty heavy on the black beans. I am not crazy about them, but if you like black beans, you might really enjoy it.

We missed dessert at Ghirardelli chocolate this time, but we have been there in the past and it is always terrific.

 

[gillep]

Pacific Warf Cafe and Corn Dog Castle are our favorites. Not a fan of Flo's at all but we had lunch so maybe breakfast is better.

 

[DznyPrnces]

My favorite is the Lucky Fortune in the wharf area. I always get the teriyaki chicken bowl, it’s so good.

We also like Flo’s and Smokejumpers.

For snacks, definitely try the dill pickle popcorn at the Cozy Cones in Carsland, our favorite!

 

[smartlabelprint]

We always eat at boardwalk pizza & pasta. I like the food

I also get the vegetarian chili at the cozy cones.

Also the veg sandwich at award wieners. Very tasty.

 

[whoever]

Smoke Jumpers - Love the ambiance , cohesive theme, the kids love the chicken and Amy and I always get onion rings. To make it even better, they serve my favorite beer in the park (Tower 10 IPA).

Award Weiners - Good dogs and the film-strip fries are great.

Flos - good stop-off for breakfast in DCA.

Boudin Bakery (love the chowder and sourbread)

 

[jcarwash]

Someone didn't read the question.

Question was edited after my initial answer.

 

[Leesha.Monster]

I don’t like Flo’s that much for the food but the seating itself is pretty cool.

I like Smokejumpers Grill for their burgers and the onion rings are yummy! Plus the toppings bar is great too. It has basic stuff like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, ranch... But something about controlling the amount that goes on by myself is appealing. Haha.

 

[DLgal]

I like Flo's. Their fried chicken is better than Plaza Inn, IMO. Its battered vs.dredged in flour and it is far crispier and more flavorful. Their club sandwich is also good.

Smokejumpers, but NOT for burgers. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and Onion Rings. YUM!

Hot Link Corn Dog and/or Cheese Stick from Corn Dog Castle.

I like the Obviously Nachos at the little food truck looking place in Hollywood Land in the back. They are a huge portion of chicken nachos.

Cocina Cucamonga has always been solid Mexican food.

 

[tarheelalum]

We always eat at boardwalk pizza & pasta. I like the food

I also get the vegetarian chili at the cozy cones.

Also the veg sandwich at award wieners. Very tasty.

The spaghetti and meatballs there are great and cheap!! My wife loves their pasta with pine nuts.
We also love the Lucky Fortune and most anything from Cozy Cone.

 

[ktlm]

I like Flo's. Their fried chicken is better than Plaza Inn, IMO. Its battered vs.dredged in flour and it is far crispier and more flavorful. Their club sandwich is also good.

I agree. I don't understand why so many people love the Plaza Inn's chicken. Maybe it is because I am from the Midwest and we have a lot of fried chicken, but we don't like the Plaza Inn's chicken at all- way way way too greasy. DD had the fried chicken at Flo's a couple of weeks ago and she said it was really good. She won't eat the chicken at the Plaza.

 

[whoever]

I agree. I don't understand why so many people love the Plaza Inn's chicken. Maybe it is because I am from the Midwest and we have a lot of fried chicken, but we don't like the Plaza Inn's chicken at all- way way way too greasy. DD had the fried chicken at Flo's a couple of weeks ago and she said it was really good. She won't eat the chicken at the Plaza.

Blasphemy!!! Plaza chicken is awesome!! It reminds me of Zhender's famous fried chicken from back home.

 

[agamble]

We feel that the fast food at DCA is superior to the food at DL and more unique. It looks like almost every quick service location at DCA has been mentioned. My two favorites are the bread bowls at the bakery with soup and Cocina Cucomunga. Both are very tasty and the wharf is an ideal place to eat because there is ample seating. We are vegetarian so our choices are more limited, but we always find good food to eat. If you eat meat you will find plenty of delicious choices all around DCA.