Alternatives to Disney’s California Grill during its renovation
The famous California Grill closed Feb. 1 for a renovation that will last until the end of summer. What’s a fine-dining-and-fireworks connoisseur to do until September? We have some suggestions, depending on what you’re looking for:
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Disney Parks Blog photo
An artist’s rendering of the renovated California Grill.
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If you want something new: The Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom is open and solidly booked, and the guest reviews have been very good. We haven’t been there for dinner, but we have for lunch, and we found the food to be very good. The setting is certainly beautiful, but the ballroom is massive, so if you’re looking for romance, you may want to keep looking. But if it’s a classic Disney setting you’re after, this may be it. It’s tough to get reservations, though, so have a backup plan.
If you’re going for the fireworks: You don’t need to go far from the Contemporary to find a stunning view of the fireworks. At the Polynesian, ‘Ohana offers a view of the fireworks through a wall of windows, but the buffet restaurant is sometimes described as “chaotic.” At the Grand Floridian, we like Narcoossee’s, which features seafood but also offers a couple of serious steaks. Best of all: It’s a lovely spot to watch the fireworks. You’ll want to leave your table and step out onto the wraparound porch to catch the show.
If you’re going for the oak-fired filet: When Disney announced the California Grill was closing for renovations, several online commenters had only one demand: Don’t touch my oak-fired filet. Thankfully, there are a lot of quality steaks at Disney World. Top of our list: the aforementioned Jiko, the magnificent restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which serves up a wonderful oak-grilled filet, with sides that change periodically (keep your fingers crossed for the mac and cheese with red wine sauce). The filet at Le Cellier has a lot of fans, but for me, it’s too saucy and rich. If you like the simple preparation at the California Grill, you might agree.
If you’re going for the sushi: Try Tokyo Dining at the Japan pavilion in Epcot. You may not even need an advance reservation — it’s typically pretty easy to get into. But if you plan ahead, you can get a table by the window and a fabulous view of Illuminations. Our favorite spot for sushi at Disney World is a little less glamorous: the bar at Wolfgang Puck Cafe at Downtown Disney. It’s never crowded, and you can drop in for a drink and some low-stress sushi while you take a break from shopping.
If you’re going for the wine list: We’ll defer to Wine Spectator magazine for the best Disney wine lists. In the most recent awards, given last summer, seven Disney restaurants won Awards of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine last year, including:
- Flying Fish Cafe (Boardwalk)
- Citrico’s (Grand Floridian)
- Il Mulino New York Trattoria (Swan)
- Jiko (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
- Narcoossee’s (Grand Floridian)
- Todd English’s Bluezoo (Dolphin)
- Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht & Beach Club)
Two more stood out above those, winning the Best Award of Excellence: Victoria & Albert’s (Grand Floridian) and Shula’s Steak House (Dolphin). V&A is in a class by itself, so we’ll set that aside. Shula’s offers more than 700 wines, many from California — and, of course, there’s a 12-ounce filet on the menu.
If you want the whole package: My vote for the best all-around alternative to the California Grill goes to Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian. Its menu should appeal to fans of the California Grill — the lobster tail and filet surf-and-turf with mashed potatoes and green beans positively flies out of the kitchen. And the fireworks are the perfect way to end an evening.
