Are These Table Service Restaurants Overrated? You Decide! Round 5!
We’re back with another look at five of the table service restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort to determine whether they are overrated or worth a visit! Let’s dig into the atmosphere, décor, and pros and cons of each of these locations, and you be the judge whether they are overrated or not!
Before getting into it, be sure to check out Round 1 where we discussed ‘Ohana, Whispering Canyon Café, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Chef Mickey’s, and Le Cellier Steakhouse, Round 2 with California Grill, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Wine Bar George, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, and Cinderella’s Royal Table, Round 3 featuring Grand Floridian Café, Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, The Boathouse, and The Crystal Palace, and Round 4 with Olivia’s Café, Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen, 50’s Prime Time Café, and Yachtsman Steakhouse.
Let the round 5 debate begin!
Tusker House Restaurant
Tusker House Restaurant is an immersive and charming dining spot located in the Harambe area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom that is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The interior is themed to feel like a bustling African marketplace with the offices of a local safari company situated above, and Guests can check out authentic African artifacts on the walls while greeting Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and other friends decked out in their safari gear.
Each menu at Tusker House Restaurant features family-style platters of food for a set prix-fixe price. Guests who dine at the table service restaurant can enjoy menu options including Mickey & Simba Waffles, Safari Bread, Durban Chicken, Moroccan-spiced Beef, Berbere-marinated Pork, African-inspired Salads, and Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp.
Tusker House Restaurant definitely nails it with immersive theming and unforgettable character dining interactions, but the prix-fixe price is a little high, especially when considering that the family-style platters have a lot of options that younger Guests or picky eaters might not enjoy. Guests might be better off enjoying a meal elsewhere in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, like at Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Tiffins Restaurant, or the quick-service Satu’li Canteen.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
The Magic Kingdom is home to several table service restaurants, including Tony’s Town Square Restaurant which can be found right inside the main entrance on Main Street, U.S.A. Inspired by the famous location from Lady and the Tramp, there are several references to the film as well as a charming theme made to reflect the turn-of-the-century décor found throughout the area. Guests can also enjoy an outdoor patio that overlooks Town Square and offers up great views of the Festival of Fantasy Parade each afternoon.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner and serves up a menu of traditional Italian favorites in decent sized portions. Guests can dig into menu options including Fried Mozzarella, Tony’s Garlic Bread for the Table, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Butcher’s Steak, Chicken Parmigiana, Oven-Roasted Shrimp Scampi, Tiramisu Cannoli, and Italian Strawberry Shortcake.
While the theme is charming at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, the food leaves a little to be desired. There’s nothing outright wrong with the cuisine, there are just so many other better options in the Magic Kingdom, like the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. Alternatively, Guests who are looking for a truly mouthwatering Italian meal should instead opt for Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in EPCOT or Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk.
Paddlefish
Disney Springs has one of the highest concentrations of Dining locations at the Walt Disney World Resort, including Paddlefish, a table service restaurant that invites Guests to dine aboard a docked steamship on Lake Buena Vista. Featuring modern interior dining rooms and several outdoor decks, Guests can take in stunning views of the area and enjoy the sunset and nighttime lights of Disney Springs twinkling off of Lake Buena Vista.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Paddlefish almost exclusively focuses on fresh seafood, with an extensive menu of coastal favorites. Some popular menu options that Guests enjoy ordering include Crab-topped Fries, Crab Cake, Whole Maine Lobster, Stuffed Cod, Catfish, Lobster Roll, Fish Tacos, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Scallops, Mahi and Rib-Eye.
Paddlefish is absolutely the best table service restaurant at the Walt Disney World Resort for seafood lovers as it features some of the freshest options paired perfectly with beautiful water views. However, Guests who are not fans of seafood have very limited menu options to choose from and may be better off enjoying other nearby locations in Disney Springs such as Morimoto Asia, The Edison, or Splitsville Dining Room.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop
Disney’s Beach Club Resort brings the charm and relaxing atmosphere of coastal resorts to life through a pastel palette, relaxing pathways, Stormalong Bay, and Beaches & Cream Soda Shop. This table service restaurant is themed to feel like a vintage diner found on the Atlantic seashore at the turn of the century, and Guests can enjoy an intimate indoor dining area featuring whimsical painting of Mickey and friends at the beach.
The menu at Beaches & Cream Soda Shop focuses on American favorites and Guests who dine there for lunch or dinner can enjoy options such as the French Dip Sandwich, Angus Beef Burger, Beaches & Cream Grilled Cheese, Cheese and Bacon Tots, Onion Rings, and Reuben Sandwich. The table service restaurant is also well known for its over the top ice cream creations like the Kitchen Sink, which is big enough to serve four Guests, Classic Banana Split, No Way Jose, and Old Fashioned Sundae.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop definitely features a charming interior that will transport Guests to the Atlantic seaside, however the menu is pretty limited and the food can be relatively heavy on a hot day at the Walt Disney World Resort. Guests who are looking for more options might be better off enjoying a meal in nearby EPCOT or stopping at the quick-service Beach Club Marketplace for lighter options.
Space 220 Restaurant
One of the newest additions to EPCOT is Space 220 Restaurant in World Discovery, found right next to the thrilling Mission: SPACE. This futuristic restaurant invites Guests to blast off 220 miles above the Earth to dine amongst the stars with stunning views of space and Earth that can be enjoyed from comfortable seating surrounding the massive windows.
The menu at Space 220 Restaurant focuses on contemporary American cuisine with futuristic names, served up on prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner. Guests who dine at the table service restaurant can enjoy delicious options like the Starry Calamari, Big Bang Burrata, Tuna Tataki, Steak & Frites, Quinoa Burger, Galactic Salmon, Slow Rotation Short Rib, and Space Glazed Duck Breast.
Space 220 Restaurant is undoubtedly one of the most immersive dining experiences available to Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort, however the menu is very expensive for a prix-fixe meal. Guests who aren’t completely set on enjoying the atmosphere at the restaurant should instead enjoy a meal at one of many other table service restaurants in EPCOT like La Hacienda de San Angel, Biergarten, Chefs de France, or Teppan Edo.
Do you love these restaurants? Or are they unworthy of the hype?
