Any Restaurant that SURPRISED you....

[MassJester]

I agree that Trattoria al Forno is better than it was. I'll go back.
People have fussed about Beaches & Cream, but I still enjoyed it.
Didn't love Brown Derby--and was sad about that.

 

[Simba's Mom]

...the second time around, whether good or bad? We had eaten at Trattoria al Forno and thought that the food was 'generic'. However, 2 years later, we decided to give it another try, especially since it has an extensive GF menu. Wow, I have to say that they stepped up their game considerably. Had anyone else given a "thumbs down" restaurant a second chance for redemption? Or, how about the location just didn't cut it the 2nd time around?

Yes, the Boatright breakfast when they had it. The first time I went, the whole experience was terrible and I vowed "Never again!" Years later, I decided to give it a second try, and this time I loved it. Shortly thereafter, the Boatright's breakfast was cancelled. So my recommendation-don't wait to give a restaurant a second chance.

 

[gharter]

We were very happy with Flying Fish when it reopened, the food and service were great.
Similar with Jiko.
I would agree with a pp about Docking Bay 7. For QS, I thought it was very good.

 

[jemtx]

...I don't ever recall seeing BIG MIckey waffles....hmmmm....

Contempo Cafe has large size ones.

 

[CynBeth]

I don’t want to jinx anything but I have family members with food allergies so we mostly do TS and have always had great food and service at our favorites which are WCC breakfast, Boma breakfast and dinner, BOG, Tony’s, Chefs de France, Le Cellier, Tutto Italia, 50’s PTC, Hollywood Brown Derby, and Rainforest Cafe at AK. We were there in November and tried for the first time Ale & Compass breakfast, Space220, The Boathouse, PizzaRizzo, and Pizzafari. It was also our first time at LTT with the platter for lunch before we ordered off of the a la carte menu. We absolutely loved those. We stayed at CBR and some mornings had breakfast in the food court and were amazed at how fast the mobile ordering was even with the allergy items.

 

[imbelle]

The newly revamped Citricos suprised me. Not that it was bad before but it turned out to be the best meal of the trip.

 

[kimmar067]

Contempo Cafe has large size ones.

...hmmm....interesting.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

GOOD SURPRISE: ABC Commissary, La Hacienda, CRT Breakfast post pandemic

BAD SURPRISE: Yak & Yeti, Hollywood Brown Derby (both insanely overrated imho and my familys ho)

SURPRISE NO LONGER AVAILABLE: The Southern CA quick service across from Fantasmic pre pandemic was amazing! Now its hot dogs

 

[kimmar067]

BAD SURPRISE: Yak & Yeti, Hollywood Brown Derby (both insanely overrated imho and my family's ho)

...what a shame....we have eaten there and the food was FABULOUS! [that WAS a while ago - mebbe 2 or 3 years...]

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

...what a shame....we have eaten there and the food was FABULOUS!

Between the two "bad surprises" yak and yeti was definitely the better of the two....it was just so underwhelming and the food was mediocre at best. We had far better asian food elsewhere, including EPCOT.

 

[Her Dotness]

Agreeing about HBD. We've eaten there twice and had less than Sig quality food both times. A disappointing use of two DDP credits as much as most rave about it.

Oddly, Tutto Italia for a single DDP credit has always been excellent for us. Maybe it's suffered due to the pandemic. We didn't eat there last fall and really missed it.

Il Mulino wasn't enjoyable for us about 4 years ago. Food only adequate and service inattentive. We thought more than once we'd have to send out a search party to get basics like more water or coffee. Another that didn't live up to all the raves for us.

Geyser Point was a most pleasant surprise last fall even amidst pandemic service uncertainties. Good service, great food, super-relaxing atmosphere. A bright spot in an otherwise bittersweet return to WDW for the first time since the reopening. We'll definitely return to GP.

 

[gmi3804]

Toledo, and the adjacent Dahlia Lounge. A fantastic adult night out, and the "moderate" price point (it's all relative, I guess) is the icing on the cake, not the raison d'être.

If you have to ask if kids are welcome, if you can go just for dessert, and/or if you can wear theme park clothes there, go somewhere else. There are 200+ restaurants at Disney.

 

[loves to dive]

I rarely repeat places so it's hard to say if there was something that was good before but not now or somewhere that I didn't like before but was pleased by now. However, I did eat at Coral Reef for the first time ever in Dec. and while it wasn't the best food I've ever had, I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't bad. I'd read all sorts of reviews thru the years about how bad it was but I was walking around and a little hungry and they had an opening so I thought why not. My service was good after I got seated. It took a while to get seated and the checking in process was confusing. They had a person at a podium outside where you were supposed to check in with, then they sent you inside and there was another counter to check in again. Not sure why. A lot of people were just by passing the outside person and even people who came in after me and got seated. It was long after my ADR, maybe 15 min. before I got seated. I'm assuming because I was a party of 1. Once seated though, my server was attentive but not too much so and my food was good. Not great, but good.

I'll also say I've always been a fan of HBD and almost always eat there, lately at the outside lounge but I'm not too thrilled with the new menu so may have to take the inside restaurant off my list.

 

[jsbowl16]

We ate at Jiko for the first time a few nights ago and it is not worthy of being called a signature restaurant. We got the filet which I would rate around the 10th best on property behind some single credit dining locations. The cauliflower had no taste and the Mac and Cheese that is supposed to be life changing was on the lower end of counter service Mac and Cheese and I can say that because my daughter has had most of them over the last two weeks.

On the other hand, we had Coral Reef and it was very good for the second year in a row. It has moved to our must do list. Not up there with WBG which is still the most consistent restaurant on property but it is a great option. The salmon was great both years at Coral Reef.

 

[gharter]

We ate at Jiko for the first time a few nights ago and it is not worthy of being called a signature restaurant. We got the filet which I would rate around the 10th best on property behind some single credit dining locations. The cauliflower had no taste and the Mac and Cheese that is supposed to be life changing was on the lower end of counter service Mac and Cheese and I can say that because my daughter has had most of them over the last two weeks.

On the other hand, we had Coral Reef and it was very good for the second year in a row. It has moved to our must do list. Not up there with WBG which is still the most consistent restaurant on property but it is a great option. The salmon was great both years at Coral Reef.

Sounds like you hit them on a bad night. Your experience was completely different from ours. Hope it doesn't become a hit or miss location.

 

[Mousetopia]

We ate at Jiko for the first time a few nights ago and it is not worthy of being called a signature restaurant. We got the filet which I would rate around the 10th best on property behind some single credit dining locations. The cauliflower had no taste and the Mac and Cheese that is supposed to be life changing was on the lower end of counter service Mac and Cheese and I can say that because my daughter has had most of them over the last two weeks.

On the other hand, we had Coral Reef and it was very good for the second year in a row. It has moved to our must do list. Not up there with WBG which is still the most consistent restaurant on property but it is a great option. The salmon was great both years at Coral Reef.

WBG?

 

[MillauFr]

I'll be the Debbie Downer. These days, I'm finding the opposite is true. My good old reliables aren't so good anymore.

At Disney? The food today is light years better than it was 20 years ago. Back then it was all greasy burgers and fries.

 

[whiteness]

Well, they actually do put malt in the batter, hence the malt taste And what makes them somewhat different

This is apparently what Disney uses. I've tried it and it tastes exactly the same:

Carbon's Golden Malted Pancake & Waffle Flour Mix, Original

And you can get one of these to make them:

Disney DCM-12 Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker, Red

 

[Mrs.AMC]

This is apparently what Disney uses. I've tried it and it tastes exactly the same:

Carbon's Golden Malted Pancake & Waffle Flour Mix, Original

And you can get one of these to make them:

Disney DCM-12 Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker, Red

Thanks!

 

[PPFlight75]

Il Mulino this past June was a big disappointment. Every dish was off and service as well. This was a bummer bc this is our family favorite and a must do every trip. It is now off our list for awhile.

Ale and Compass was a big hit for us this summer. We have not eaten here is years so decided to try it again. Everyone loved it and the service was great.