Are These Table Service Restaurants Overrated? You Decide! Round 7!

We’re back with another installment of this series where we discuss five table service restaurants found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort and debate whether they are worth enjoying a meal at or can be categorized as overrated. We’ll discuss the theming, location, menu, and more for each restaurant, but it is up to you to make the final decision!

Before we dig into this round, be sure to check out the previous rounds to decide about other locations:

Round 1: ‘Ohana, Whispering Canyon Café, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Chef Mickey’s, and Le Cellier Steakhouse

Round 2: California Grill, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Wine Bar George, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, and Cinderella’s Royal Table

Round 3: Grand Floridian Café, Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, The Boathouse, and The Crystal Palace

Round 4: Olivia’s Cafe, Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen, 50’s Prime Time Café, and Yachtsman Steakhouse

Round 5: Tusker House Restaurant, Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, Paddlefish, Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, and Space 220 Restaurant

Round 6: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, Kona Café, Rose & Crown Dining Room, and Chefs de France

 

Without further ado, let’s check out some table service restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort!

The Edison

Disney Springs is home to dozens of popular dining locations for Guests to enjoy, including The Edison, a unique table service restaurant that is themed to feel like an electric company from the 1920s and combines an industrial décor with steampunk and gothic elements. In addition to the immersive theme, Guests can enjoy live entertainment, including jazz musicians, aerial acrobats, stilt walkers, and more while dining in rooms with unique names like The Patent Office, Telegraph Lounge, The Tesla Lounge, and The Radio Room.

The Edison is open daily for lunch and dinner and features a menu of American favorites that have been elevated with bold flavors and are presented in unique ways. Some popular menu items to choose from include the DB ‘Clothesline Candied Bacon,’ Electri-Fries, Fried Calamari, The Edison Burger, Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, Queen Cut Prime Rib, and Spare Ribs.

The Edison is absolutely one of the most immersive and uniquely themed table service restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort that also features a menu of some pretty indulgent American classics. For Guests looking to enjoy a good theme, The Edison is definitely a must, but for those looking for a more calm and low-key meal, they might be better off at nearby locations like The Boathouse or Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano.

Boatwright’s Dining Hall

Guests who enjoy time at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside can soak in the charming details of the South, including a delicious meal served up at Boatwright’s Dining Hall. This table service location welcomes Guests into a large and rustic dining area designed to feel like a craft shop for local ships, and there are plenty of charming details to check out, including the massive hull of a ship hanging from above.

Open for dinner only each evening, Boatwright’s Dining Hall focuses on American favorites infused with classic flavors popular in Louisiana and the bayou. The relatively limited menu is not lacking in flavor and Guests can dig into options like the Mardi Gras Fritters, Boudin Balls, Boatwright’s Jambalaya, General Fulton’s Prime Rib, Nashville Hot Chicken, Deep South Shrimp and Grits, and Pecan Pie Cheesecake.

Boatwright’s Dining Hall is a charming and laid-back location that features a menu of comforting and indulgent southern cooking that Guests love. While a meal at Boatwright’s Dining Hall is enjoyable, Guests have to decide whether it is worth the time spent traveling to and from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside or whether it makes more sense to eat somewhere more conveniently located.

Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria

EPCOT’s World Showcase brings international cuisine to life at popular restaurants, including Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in the Italy Pavilion. This large table service restaurant features an airy dining room with old-world charm where Guests can check out frescoes depicting the Italian countryside, as well as bright posters advertising some of the most beautiful destinations in the country. A highlight of the dining room is the three wood-fire pizza ovens, which feature caricature faces and are named after the three great volcanos of Italy.

It comes as no surprise that the menu at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria focuses predominantly on wood-fire pizzas, with some traditional antipasti and pasta options as well. Open for lunch and dinner each day, Guests can order up Calamari Fritti, Mozzarella Caprese, Spaghetti e Polpettine, and Branzino in addition to pizza options including Prosciutto e Melone, Piccante, Carciofi, and Quattro Formaggi.

Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria is undoubtedly home to the best pizza at the Walt Disney World Resort, and Guests can even customize the size of their pizza to accommodate the size of their party. Those looking for a delicious pizza shouldn’t miss out on a meal here, but those who are looking to enjoy other international cuisines should opt for one of the many other dining locations throughout EPCOT’s World Showcase.

Ale & Compass Restaurant

Ale & Compass Restaurant is an often overlooked table service restaurant at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, which continues the coastal theming of the Disney Resort with an open and nautical feel. The interior features moody blue tones, small porthole accents, and large windows that look out into the lobby all coming together to form a laid-back and relaxing location located conveniently just steps from the lobby.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Ale & Compass Restaurant features a menu that focuses on fresh coastal selections and American favorites, all elevated with delicious flavors. Some menu options to choose from at the restaurant include Salted Caramel-Apple French Toast, Dark Chocolate Waffle, Crab Cake Benedict, Lobster and Corn Chowder, New England Seafood Pot Pie, 10-oz New York Angus Strip, Cabernet-braised Short Ribs, and Twelve-Layer Chocolate Cake.

Ale & Compass Restaurant definitely features a calming and laid-back atmosphere that pairs well with the menu of American coastal favorites, however, it can be argued that there are better table service dining options located nearby. Guests have several options surrounding Crescent Lake just moments away, and those looking for a truly indulgent dinner can enjoy Yachtsman Steakhouse right there in Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

Steakhouse 71

The final table service restaurant that we are going to discuss today is Steakhouse 71, a relatively new location at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that was previously The Wave…of American Flavors. Steakhouse 71 celebrates the year that the Walt Disney World Resort first opened with a retro, yet modern, décor, charming black and white photographs that showcase the era, as well as Walt Disney himself, and bright works of art lining the walls.

Steakhouse 71 is open each day for breakfast and lunch where the menu focuses on contemporary and retro American classics, as well as dinner where the focus turns more towards traditional steakhouse cuts and favorites. Some menu options to enjoy while dining at Steakhouse 71 include Steak and Eggs, Floridian Eggs Benedict, Avocado Toast, Shrimp Cocktail, Prime Rib Sandwich, Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Salisbury Steak, 8-oz Beef Tenderloin Medallions, and 6-oz Filet Mignon.

Steakhouse 71 is a delicious and popular dining option at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that Guests have quickly come to love. It serves up a unique and indulgent menu for all meal periods, and the only argument against it might be that nearby California Grill is the better dinner option, thanks to its unparalleled views of the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon.