No Ressie’s. No Problem. What’s our must do counter service meals in both parks?

[MickeyT]

Our third trip out west (first since 2014) and we were all set up with dining for the week of March 15th 2020.

Well we’re back and now wanting to hit the best of the best counter service meals that are available.

Whatcha got? I’ve dug through the menus but the menus don’t tell all. I need real life favorites.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

I don’t know if anyone will agree with this but we REALLY like Award Weiners.

 

[goooof1]

off the top of my head:
Don't miss Paradise Garden Grill if they have their Mediterranean skewer platters..... so good !
Lots of goodness at Jolly Holiday...
Fried chicken at Plaza Inn....
Brioche french toast at Flo's.... huge breakfast to share !

 

[crystal1313]

We like jolly holiday and ronto roasters. Plus bengal bbq. The bao and lumpia were also really good at tropical hideaway. At DCA we like pacific wharf.

 

[DLgal]

Plaza Inn-Fried Chicken meal
Pym's Test Kitchen- chicken sandwich
Docking Bay 7- pot roast or tip yip with mashed potatoes and herb gravy
Bengal BBQ-ALL the skewers
French Market-roast beef sandwich
Rancho del Zocalo- everything is good here
Jolly Holiday Bakery-grilled cheese and tomato soup or roasted Turkey on ciabatta sandwich plus a raspberry or Matterhorn Macaroon
Flo's V8 Cafe-fried chicken
Ronto Roasters
Corn Dog Castle

Not a QS, but doesn't take reservations and has AMAZING food, Hearthstone Lounge at GCH. Opens at 4pm. Best chicken quesadilla I've ever had and FANTASTIC desserts.

 

[dragonflymom]

I don’t know if anyone will agree with this but we REALLY like Award Weiners.

I really like Award Weiners pre-Pandemic. I was there on Thursday and like many other counter-service places, the menu is trimmed down--there are only three choices for hot dogs (bacon, chili & plain) + one plant-based choice. They didn't have my favorite spicy hot dog--I was so disappointed.

On the other hand, I discovered a new favorite snack--lemon soft-serve swirled with Dole Whip at Adorable Snowman!

 

[kappyfamily]

To me the best are Rancho Del Zocalo and corn dog castle. Yum.

 

[StarlitNight05]

My favorite is probably Craftsman Grill in the GCH. Yes, not technically in the parks, but I don't think I ever had a bad meal there, from breakfast to lunch/dinner. I'm a vegetarian, but others in my family loved the burger (I liked the Impossible version). Their pizzas are also very good and sharable with 1 or 2 other people.

I second the Jolly Holiday grilled cheese and tomato soup and everything at Rancho Del Zocalo for DL.

For DCA, we like Smokejumpers (admittedly not THE best, but predictibily good), and Flo's V8 Cafe. Flo's is pretty amazing for the views of RSR too. We are excited to try Pym's when we go in November for the giant pretzel!

 

[skellinton]

Jolly Holiday is my favorite from trips past.

 

[KippyKip]

I am sure I am in the minority but I really like funnel cake at Golden Horseshoe or Hungry Bear.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

At Disneyland, I actually really enjoy Hungry Bear and Docking Bay 7 and Stage Door Cafe. Stage Door Cafe had some amazing fish tacos last time we went that I don't think were on the menu before. If they were, I never paid attention. But they were amazing (a little spicy though if you're sensitive to spice). Edited to add that I guess they moved the fish tacos to Rancho Del Zocalo now that it's open again. They're super good though!

At DCA, I really like Flo's for the ambiance and Smokejumper Grill.

 

[emmybee]

I really like Award Weiners pre-Pandemic. I was there on Thursday and like many other counter-service places, the menu is trimmed down--there are only three choices for hot dogs (bacon, chili & plain) + one plant-based choice. They didn't have my favorite spicy hot dog--I was so disappointed.

On the other hand, I discovered a new favorite snack--lemon soft-serve swirled with Dole Whip at Adorable Snowman!

Have you gone to Angry Dog? They have a spicy hot dog that hubby and I enjoy. Plus it comes with a bag of hot Cheeto fries! I never had them before, and they are now one of my favorites. I don't know if it's comparable to Award Weiners as I have only been once. I forget what I tried, but it wasn't very hot, and I found it disappointing.

 

[Pluto468]

Our favorites have always been Hungry Bear and Plaza Inn. The last time we were there (2019) I went to Jolly Holiday every day! Everything there was so good, especially the breakfast sandwich.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

Corn Dog Castle in DCA or the Little Red Wagon in DL for corn dogs
Plaza Inn--fried chicken dinner is great and big enough to share, and we really enjoyed the apple salad we got there last week
Bengal BBQ--the bacon-wrapped asparagus skewer is great, and we really like the sweet beef one, as well
The giant pretzel at Pym's is awesome--get the extra cheese sauce, because one cup is NOT enough. We thought the Pymini was decent, too.
Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk Dining is fun (I guess it's technically table service, but it's first-come, first-served.) We went right when they opened and didn't have to wait. Sliders were very tasty, and the non-lobster nachos were good, too.
If Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta is open, my husband really likes the sundried-tomato chicken pasta there
We didn't do Ronto Roasters in DL, but we've had it in Florida, and it was delicious

I really miss the skewer meals at Paradise Garden Grill someone mentioned above. I am afraid they may be gone for good, even though they were delicious and pretty healthy. (Also, RIP Fried Green Tomato Sandwich at Hungry Bear. You were delicious.)

 

[DontSpamMe]

Plaza fried chicken dinner.

 

[MickeyT]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Have been looking at menu's and locations all day!

 

[Bossy22]

We love Rancho, almost everything is filling and tasty.
French Market, see above. Everything is pretty tasty that we've tried.
Plaza inn, fried chicken is the bomb and big!
They're our must eats for counter service
In DCA we don't have any must eats but Award weiners has been growing into a must eat!!! Really some good options here!!!

 

[Babybears]

Award Weiners and Flo's are must-do for us each trip. Our daughter always has to get the milkshake with "road gravel" aka oreos at Flo's. When menus open up with full options again, I think both these favorites of ours will have several more options, so make sure to keep checking menus as your trip gets closer. Another favorite, which is not available now and is table service, but sooooo good is Carnation Cafe. Awesome food and people watching and menu has something for everyone (even our picky kiddos). At Disneyland, we also like Refreshment (coke) Corner. They have really good chili dogs and we were able to order a fritos chili snack that is basically a bag of fritos with a large scoop of chili added with cheese on top. It wasn't on the menu, you had to ask for it, but we got that suggestion from one of the these boards and had it on our last trip. My family also liked the Lucky Fortune Cookery at DCA. They had the Shibu Ramen item said it was really good. And lastly, for a snack, anything at Adorable Snowman and the chili lime corn on the cob are more favorites! Now I'm getting all hungry..............

 

[SillySpook]

My personal favorites for counter service/quick dining are:

Disneyland

Rancho del Zocalo. Consistently good food over the many years we've gone to Disneyland. And will definitely fill you up.

Alien Pizza Planet. OK, I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually dig the giant pizza slices, and the pastas are tasty and filling. On a lighter day, the salads are actually quite good, too. So if you're crew is starving and you don't want to have to hoof it to Frontierland, APP is a safe bet.

River Belle Terrace (get on walk-up list). Pulled pork sandwich is "da bomb." Paired with a house salad, c'est magnifique. Not sure if we'll be able to get in here on our next trip, since they started taking reservations and I'm not sure how successful we'll be on the walk-up list, but it's worth it if we can swing it.

French Market. New Orleans Square ambience, often with live music, and as an alternative place to Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans the creole/Cajun choices are quite tasty.

DCA

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta. Have never had a bad meal here, and it's usually not overly crowded due to its location on the backside of the Midway.

Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill. Think Rancho del Zocalo, but with a peekaboo water view and a nautical ambience.

Pacific Wharf Cafe. Can't remember what we ordered here, but my entire family remarked, "Why haven't we eaten here before now?!"

Bon appetit!

 

[tlovesdis]

DL = Rancho del Zocalo
DCA - Corn Dog Castle