Disney Dining Review Diamond Horseshoe “Revue”
“The Least Crowded Eatery in the West”
Nestled in the transition area between Liberty Square and Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom, the Diamond Horseshoe is a Quick Service restaurant that is open seasonally. And I can’t really tell you what that means. On our June vacation I tried to eat there and it was closed. In August it was open. So, you may or may not be able to eat here, and that may or may not be a bad thing.
The Diamond Horsehoe began its life back in 1971 as a live show (think Hoop Dee Doo Revue, but obviously not as good). After several renamings and reinventions of the show it closed in 2003. The restaurant still reflects this heritage with a stage and player piano commanding attention at the front, balcony seating around the top, and decor that speaks to the theater heritage of the mid to late 19th century (a bit saloon-like). Throughout the meal service the player piano plays off and on which can either contribute to the ambiance or the chaos depending on how you look at it. Today the space is used for dance parties, special events, and as a “seasonal” eatery. Although I have seen and heard of this restaurant serving all-you-can-eat fare during busy dining times (like free dining periods), this review will focus on the Quick Service Options. The menu consists of sandwiches and salads–most with a barbecue flair to match the theme.
As you enter the building you are immediately met with the menu board and cash registers. Here you place your order. It can get backed up if there are many people dining there. Once your order is placed you go to an area on the side for pick up. This is the most unorganized fast food distribution I have ever seen. We watched from our seats in the balcony as they had trays of prepared food sitting there while guests waited in a long line. It was really hard to tell how they were trying to make this efficient.
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On to the food . . .
There are hand-carved turkey, barbecue turkey, pulled pork, tuna salad and portobello sandwiches along with portobello and mixed greens salads. All of the sandwiches fall in at $8.99 with the salads in the $7 range. House made chips and fruit are offered for sides along with generic cake choices for dessert, and of course the Kids Meals.
On a past trip I sent my husband ahead to order while I picked up a hot dog for my picky eater son. I mistakenly told him I wanted the barbecue turkey sandwich thinking it would be the slices of smoked turkey I had in the past. Wrong. It was like pulled pork, but made with turkey. It wasn’t bad–with all of the sauce it was moist, but it wasn’t what I wanted.
On other trips I have enjoyed the hand-carved turkey sandwich with the house made chips. However, on this trip the turkey was very dry and the chips were hit or miss (some were soggy and some were burned). This could be a fluke, but basing this review solely on that experience–it wasn’t good.
The one thing that I really like about Diamond Horseshoe is that it is easy to get in to if I miss my preferred lunch time (early–11:00-11:30). I find that in the Magic Kingdom most of the popular Quick Service locations like Pecos Bill’s are so chaotic if I try to eat during peak lunch times. So, I enjoy being able to walk into the Diamond Horseshoe, order quickly, find a table easily, and enjoy (sometimes) a quieter atmosphere.
Although I can’t highly recommend the Diamond Horseshoe I will say that it is worth a try if you are hoping to avoid the crowds and have a decent meal. The fact that it is only open seasonally and that seems to be a bit random too also means I can’t give it a great recommendation.
FAST:
Food: Average and inconsistent. I’ve had some very good sandwiches here, but my most recent experience was disappointing in both the sandwich and the sides. The menu also lacks a bit of variety.
Atmosphere: Also hit or miss. If the restaurant is 2/3 full or more it can be noisy especially with the player piano. Although there is nothing wrong with the old west saloon or theater decor and theme, it isn’t anything spectacular either.
Service: Unorganized. It didn’t cost us much extra time in getting our food, but the non-system they have for getting out the meals did cause some trouble for the larger groups of people who came in after us.
Tips: If you are eating at a peak time and want a place that is a little less crowded try Diamond Horseshoe–if it is open.
