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slapwhitey 
Mouseketeer
Registered: November 2004
Location: Always enroute to Disney
Posts: 756Review Date: Mon April 27, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Terrific service, fantastic view and satisfying meal Cons: A little chaotic at times
Let me start by saying that we're very much a casual atmosphere type diners. However, in September of 2008 we were celebrating our 1st anniversary at Walt Disney World and on the Deluxe Dining Plan to boot.
While trying to decide which restaurant would be our "official" anniversary dinner we bounced around a few ideas but ultimately decided on California Grill in the Contemporary Resort. This is a double credit table service meal when on the DDP but since we had the deluxe plan it really didn't make a difference to us. We showed up early for our ADR (as I always tend to do) and proceeded to check in and make our way up the elevator to the actual restaurant. This is where we encountered what I thought to be the only real downside to our evening. The waiting area is basically just the hallway as you exit the elevator. They did have a few small, low round tables with some comfy chairs but they were filled with folks having cocktails and ordering appetizers. We decided to pass some of the time by checking out the observation deck for a few minutes. It's a great view of the Magic Kingdom.
When we were finally seated we got a seat right by the window (that being said, most seats are right by the window). We were greeted by our server who realized it was our anniversary. We mentioned this during the booking of the ADR. I would recommend that to everyone who is celebrating a special occasion. We did this at the Yachtsmen and actually received personalized menus. I wish I could remember his name as he did a terrific job. He immediately explained to us that he was going to slow the evening down for us so we would still be there to watch Wishes while enjoying our meal. I will only be discussing what I ordered because I honestly can't recall exactly what my wife ordered for each course.
My appetizer course was a Roasted Chicken Flatbread. A brick oven roasted flatbread with chicken, applewood bacon, crisp romaine, sweet onions and lemon mayonnaise. This may sound like a bizarre combination but I gotta tell you that this is the best appetizer I've ever had on Disney property. We've decided that California Grill will remain a special occasion experience for us but I'd love to go there just for that appetizer alone.
For the main course we actually both ordered the Oak Fired Filet of Beef. It was served with cheesy yukon potatoes, broccolini I believe and the filet was served in a teriyaki bbq sauce. The filet was served exactly how I ordered and I could have licked the plate clean of the teriyaki bbq sauce. I thought it was simply to die for. We both agreed that this was probably the best piece of meat we've had on property. This includes the Yachtsmen Steakhouse.
For dessert I ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Raspberries. This is your typical molten lava cake with raspberry sauce but it also included a homemade raspberry ice cream. The cake was great but the ice cream was fantastic. I could have just had a bowl full of that.
As I mentioned earlier the server made sure our meal lasted long enough so we could enjoy the Wishes fireworks spectacular. This was the icing on the cake. They dim the lights and pipe in the Wishes music. The entire restaurant virtually shuts down as everyone enjoys the show.
All in all a great experience and I would highly recommend it. The combination of a terrific meal, a fantastic server and a great light show made for an A+ experience.
Chris
Ms. Belle
Today is my Unbirthday!
Registered: May 2004
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 455Review Date: Wed April 29, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7
Positive aspects of the product (pros): location, wine selection Cons: no more flatbreads!
I've been to the CG many times, but my last visit was disappointing. Chef Jens is no longer there and has been replaced by the chef from Jiko. The most notable difference is that the kitchen is very quiet now. I liked all the calling out and calamity that was there before. It's boring now. The biggest difference is on the menu; there are no more flatbreads!! I loved them and really missed them this visit. I had asparagus soup as my starter and it was just ok, not alot of flavor. For my entree I ordered the filet mignon. The meat was good, nothing spectacular, but it was served with a barbeque sauce on it that was way too sweet. None of the desserts appealed to me; they all had banana or strawberry in them, which I don't care for. The service was excellent as usual. I hope the new chef makes some dynamic changes quick. This was a bland snooze fest.
skunkvette
You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or an Eeyore.
Registered: March 2006
Posts: 607Review Date: Thu April 30, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Cuisine is novel, view is spectacular Cons: Slipped in quality recently
Our of our annual favorites, and quite the experience. Sushi is great hee.
Although we are skipping this visit since the overall quality has slipped slightly in our opinion over the last two years.
Would go back to try again next visit.
dkrause19
Earning My Ears
Registered: June 2008
Posts: 53Review Date: Fri May 1, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Great Food! Cons: Very Expensive
We ate here for our one year anniversary. We made reservations during wishes and were treated to a seat right by the window. The atmosphere is great and the food was excellant. for desert the chef made us a custom made dessert congratulating us on our anniversary. It was a special time.
rn4val
Mouseketeer
Registered: February 2008
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 434Review Date: Fri May 1, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8
Positive aspects of the product (pros): spectacular view Cons: long wait and noisy
Had to wait about 30 mins after our ADR. Had it timed to watch Wishes so because we were late being seated had to leave our meal to go watch. Food was very good but expensive. Rather noisy. Alot of kids even though it was late.
Mickey_Man
DIS Veteran
Registered: February 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 1148Review Date: Fri May 1, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): view, apps, wine, sushi Cons: entrees, crowds
It is a little unjust to say the entrees are a negative, but they are sometimes uninspired, not well plated, and they don't have the same level of flare and creativity that the rest of the menu does. The apps are great, flatbreads a must have, and sushi, while limited, is the best on property. The California inspired wine list is excellent as well. Yes, it is crowded. Yes, little kids are going to walk by your table if you are in view of the fireworks. Hey - it is Disney World!
Daycounter
Earning My Ears
Registered: May 2008
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 35Review Date: Sat May 2, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Great view, tasty food Cons: A little pricey
This is a great date location. It feels like an "adult restaurant." The food was delicious and the staff attentive. If you can work it out, this is a great place to watch the MK fireworks. This isn't really a great place for kids (unless they are really well behaved). Besides the great view there really isn't much to keep the kids occupied. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
dpuck1998
I'm innocent I tell you...innocent! I've been framed!
Worlds second largest Miami Dolphin fan
Registered: April 2003
Location: Vicksburg, MI
Posts: 10334Review Date: Mon May 4, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): View, Food Cons: Price
One of the most consistent and best all around meals I've had on property. The views speak for themselves, but the food is fresh and well put together. I've always had great service and good food. The price is high, but it has been worth it.
DemoBri1
Surfin' at the Beach Club Villas
Registered: June 2002
Location: SW 'burbs of Chicago
Posts: 1438Review Date: Tue May 5, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): view, service, food Cons: pricey
DW and I went to California Grill for our 10th anniversary dinner in November of '08. This was our first visit, and to say the least we were extremely impressed. We had our kids along with us, and surprisingly enough they had a good selection of kids pics on their menu.
The service was fantastic. I hope to go back through our notes and find the name of our waitress, but she was terrific. We asked for a view of MK for fireworks, and we received a wonderful table right next to the window. Unfortunately we were victims of the fireworks show cuts at MK that night. However, we were treated to the shuttle launch from the viewing platform outside the restaurant.
We had a wonderful meal. The Caesar Salad that I had was the best that I've had anywhere. My wife and I both ordered the filet and it was cooked to perfection. We wanted to order a bottle of wine, but we weren't sure which to pick from the menu. We asked our waitress for a selection, and she ended up bringing us a sample of glass of three different bottles. Never have I had that happen before. We were not rushed whatsoever, and I would highly recommend that you try the California Grill at least once during an upcoming stay at WDW. It is pricey, but it's well worth the $$.
raftislander
Mouseketeer
Registered: May 2008
Location: Gig Harbor, Washington
Posts: 463Review Date: Wed May 6, 2009 Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7
Positive aspects of the product (pros): great food, observation deck for fireworks Cons: noise, variable menu, price
We chose this restaurant to celebrate my husband's 64th birthday. Our 15 year old daughter is not the most adventurous eater and we were a little concerned that she would find an entree to suit her liking. The menu we were looking at (3 mos ahead of our trip) had many flatbreads listed, so we though she could always order one of these as her entree. Many people had raved about how good these flatbreads were, so we were a little surprised to see NO flatbreads on the menu when we got there. I know that the point of the restaurant is to have a changing menu and use the freshest ingredients, but this was a whole category of foods disappearing, not just a dish. Beware if you have picky eaters -you wont know what you will find on the menu until you get there. The check-in desk on the second floor is very serene and calm. It does not prepare you for the chaos that greets you when you get off the elevator on the top floor! They were way behind getting people seated for their dinners. The bar was filled with people three and four deep and every seat was taken in the lounge area. They had put extra chairs along the wall but some of these were inside the dining area and left you staring at people eating their dinners. Not good. While waiting for our table, we saw two families decide to order and eat while sitting in the lounge. The decor is very contemporary - the restaurant is essentially a glass box with very little to absorb/soften the sounds. This is not a restful or relaxing enviroment. We shared the goat cheese appetizers and they were delicious. My daughter saw nothing on the menu to her liking but our helpful server suggested that she order the roast chicken and the kitchen would serve it on a bed of Mac &cheese instead of the usual sides. This worked well and she loved her meal. My halibut and my husband's pork was also top notch. The food was very good. We also enjoyed watching the fireworks from the observation deck. This was the most relaxing part of the evening away from the noise inside. In sum, the food was good but the experience was lacking. Nothing about the atmosphere of this restaurant made me want to linger over my meal. I expected something more considering the prices you are paying. We did not have a bad meal, but I doubt that I will ever eat here again.
dgthree
DIS Veteran
Registered: January 2009
Location: Hardyston, NJ
Posts: 706Review Date: Wed May 6, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7
Positive aspects of the product (pros): the view Cons: the value
Watching Hallo-Wishes from the balcony at the California Grill was one of the highlights of my trip last fall. The meal, on the other hand, wasn't worth the hype, IMO. If I had only stuck to a flatbread and a salad, it would have been great. Live & learn. But it's definitely worth trying to see the fireworks from there.
msc_idiot
Mouseketeer
Registered: January 2009
Posts: 90Review Date: Mon May 11, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Absolutely everything Cons: The price
This is the best place on property. The atmosphere is beautiful, the seating is nice and open, and the food is amazing - the flat breads are a favorite of mine. I have never had anything that I didn't like and there are few things as beautiful as a sun set over WDW from the top of the Contemporary. If you are sitting in the right area, you can see both Epcot and the MK, which just can't be beat in my opinion. The prices are very high, but completely worth it in every way.
BlueFairy
DIS Veteran
Registered: August 1999
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 1443Review Date: Tue May 12, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): LOCATION and VIEW! Consistently top notch cuisine Cons: busy
We eat here as often as possible. The sushi, flatbreads, pork and beef tenderloin are consistently done to perfection. Extensive wine list, all available by the glass. Superbly attentive service. The fireworks viewing is a must-do if you are also interested in the dining. But after once or twice, we've opted for late seatings to avoid the Wishes crowd. DH has eaten at the bar when he wasn't able to get an ADR.
Nooshkin
I'll be your best friend if you get me into Club 33 just once!
Registered: September 2007
Location: Schaumburg IL
Posts: 196Review Date: Tue May 19, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): great food, great view, great service Cons: high noise level
We dined at the California late in the month of October and made our reservation to coincide with the Magic Kingdom fireworks. It was our first time dining there. We both enjoy dining out and don't mind paying more for good food, good service and a pleasant atmosphere. However, if I'm being honest, I grudgingly went along with the plan to eat here. It was the end of our trip and at the time I really did not want to stop having fun at the park, go back to the resort to clean up, get dressed up and go to dinner. We had experienced a lot of rain, higher than normal humidity and unexpected crowds during the previous week so it would've been nice to run around and do some of the things we hadn't been able to get to. I did not have the best mindset that night. I was sort of just thinking, "OK-Lets get this over."
We checked in about 20-30 minutes early and were sent right up to the restaurant. As we stepped out of the elevator, my first impression of the restaurant was, "Oh no. This is not good!" The noise level was deafening! There were kids running around and the front area by the bar was packed. The noise was just bouncing off the walls. We didn't have to wait long to be seated and as the hostess led us to our table on the other side of the restaurant, we were pleased to leave the noise behind us! We were seated at a very pleasant table with the windows facing the Grand Floridian behind us and the kitchen in front of us. Our server was extremely friendly and very welcoming. I am not a wine drinker due to allergies and I did not feel pressured in any way to order wine, drinks, or anything else for that matter. We both started out with the Lobster Bisque with brandy whipped cream...and it was dee-lish! I'm a soup person and I could've have made a meal out of a big bowl of the soup and the crusty bread. My entrée was Grilled Pork Tenderloin with creamy goat cheese polenta, zinfandel glaze, and sage. Again it was excellent! I could've licked the plate clean! My boyfriend had the Oak-fired Filet of Beef with root vegetables and teriyaki barbeque sauce. It was so good, he's still thinking about the tasty veggies! I really didn't have room for dessert but everything was so good up to this point that I just had to have something. My boyfriend chose the Year of a Million Dreams- Honey Crunch Cake with Chantilly cream, oven-roasted golden pineapple and crunch candy crumble, which he enjoyed tremendously. I had the Green Apple Trio- apple jalousie tart with caramel foam, green apple shooter, and green apple meringue with apple sorbet. It was all good but I could eat that apple sorbet by the bucket! When my boyfriend made the reservation he mentioned that we were celebrating my birthday so when the dessert came it included a little white chocolate HAPPY BIRTHDAY sign. Also, at one point a man came to our table and took our photo. Later on he presented it to me with a Dreams certificate for my Birthday. It was such a nice touch! When it came time for the MK fireworks, we got up and moved outside to the viewing area. It was a Halloween party night at the Magic Kingdom so it was fun to see the Hallo-wishes fireworks from a different perspective. As you can tell, The California Grill won me over. I began the night not very excited about going. But I ended the night very pleased with every aspect of our dining experience. I would love to go there again!
SheenaXena21
DIS Veteran
Registered: February 2005
Posts: 1239Review Date: Tue May 19, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Good service Cons: Rude waiter, not worth 2 credits
The food was good, just not as good as other 1 credit TS I have eaten.
IMO, not worth the 2 credits.
tx2tn
"What fortuitous circumstance be this"
Registered: January 2006
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 1521Review Date: Thu May 21, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): The View Cons: None
We have made California Grill as our first nights dinner tradition every time we visit WDW.
We love eating at Cali Grill. The atmosphere is just as good as the food. We love the sushi and the goat cheese ravioli.
Cali also make wonderful cocktails.
missminniemouse
DIS Veteran
Registered: September 2004
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 890Review Date: Thu June 11, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): nice atmosphere Cons:
Everything we had to eat here was very good. The flatbread we had for an appetizer was especially good.
The view from here is amazing. We made a point of walking out onto the observation platform to look at the Magic Kingdom all lit up. unfortunately we weren't there when Wishes was going on at the Magic Kingdom, but it was still very magical even without the fireworks.
exwdwcm
wishes she was Wendy Moira Angela Darling
Registered: August 1999
Location: Pixie Hollow (Dallas)
Posts: 5060Review Date: Thu June 11, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Fabulous menu, great atmosphere Cons: None!
I would have to say this is one of my favorite restaurants on property. Also know, this is coming from a pretty picky eater.....
I've had the pleasure of dining at Ca Grill about 5 times now, for both business and pleasure.
The location is great- with incredible views of the Magic Kingdom and Bay Lake. Even if you can't get a table, you can always sit at the bar or in the lounge area and simply enjoy a drink or appetizer. In fact, the few lounge area tables have some of the best views out the window!
THe menu here is amazing- something for everyone and the Filet is my favorite. On one trip, my sister and I decided to share it, as we weren't extremely hungry. THe waiter was kind enough to separate the food and bring two separate plates, with pretty much a full serving of the side for each of us. The service has always been superb.
Of course we usually try and time our meal to be able to watch WISHES. While you may not have the best view from your table, you can alwasy step out onto the balcony area outside.
Don't forget dessert or the wine list! Both are amazing as well. For a special romantic dinner, or even just a nice end to the day, Ca Grill is perfect.
GraceLuvsWDW
DIS Veteran
Registered: March 2007
Location: Texas-halfway between The Land and The World
Posts: 2314Review Date: Mon June 15, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Ambiance, FOOD, Service, Wishes! Cons: children present, confusing check-in, hard to get ADR
By far my best meal EVER on property! This restaurant exceeds all expectations of "Theme Park" area dining. We had 4 adults dine here on 6/3/09. We had a reservation for 7:40pm, dropped the kids off at the Neverland Club at the Poly and were a little late for our ressie. It is somewhat hard to get to, you are supposed to check in on 2nd floor of CR, but we finally made it up and were seated promptly at a table overlooking the MK! There was a storm off in the distance and the lightning backdrop for the MK was beautiful!
Our server was Walter, a 12 year veteran server at Cali Grill, who previously was a server at Narcooses. TOP notch service from him! He did not rush us to turn the table and our meal was 3 hours long! There were children around that somewhat took away from the "upscale" dining ambiance. I do understand, however, it is WDW and some people are not comfortable leaving their children at the kids clubs.
We ordered a flatbread, sushi, sashimi, and the corn bisque soup for appies and they were WONDERFUL. The corn bisque soup was amazing and the sushi was very original-not the everday rolls you see at most sushi restaurants.
For entrees, we orderd 3 beef filets and one soft shell crab. The filets were amazing! The sauce used was a delicious blend of sweet and tangy, which went very well with the steak. It was served with Mashed potatoes (amazing!) and the freshest asparagus I've ever had. The soft shell crab entree was very good too, served in a very large portion with two crabs and caper berries.
The best part of this meal was the Vahlrona chocoate cake dessert-simply amazing! And we ordered wine and our server brought out several bottles to sample from to help us make our choices. The wine selection here cannot be beat!
Overall, an excellent choice for a special night out. Be prepared to spend $85 per person and 3 hours for the full experience-part of that time was spent watching Wishes on a crowded observation deck. Not the best viewing possible due to the crowds but something to experience nonetheless! This restaurant is VERY HIGHLY recommended!!
MickeyNicki
It is pretty darn sad when a valet picks you out as a big Boma eater
Registered: September 2005
Location: Naples Florida
Posts: 21452Review Date: Tue June 16, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): A view to die for! Cons:
We ate here on June 4 durning a torrendous rain storm. We were seated right at 5:40 at a window seat overlooking MK and the GF/Poly. It was goregous for 10 minutes and then the worst storm ever blew in and took our view away.
The service is impeccable. The food is incredible.
Dh had the caesar, awesome! I had the lobster risotto, to die for!
Dh had the filet, cooked to a perfect medium but the teriyaki sauce overpowered the meat.
I had the pork with cheese polenta and it was to die for, so tender and flavorful
Dh had the chocolate cake with warm sauce in the middle and strawberry ice cream. I had the black walnut cheesecake...both were very decadant!
Will go back for sure!
irunnoft
I'm What Willis Was Talkin' 'Bout!!!!
Registered: July 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 710Review Date: Mon June 22, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Sublime menu, freshness of the food, quality of food, atmosphere Cons: None
Last December, the one stand out dining experience was the California Grill. I'm thrilled to know that continues to be the case with this restaurant. We have dined there twice on this current trip and are due to dine one more time before we return home.
One consideration, especially for those booking for 'the view,' if you want the amazing MK & Cinderella's Castle view, plan on having a late dinner. With the summer sun, the Grill is awash in the, as of late, intense heat of the setting sun until about 8:00pm or so. To combat the heat and the light of the setting sun, the restaurant has semi-transparent blinds drawn on the westward facing windows. Seating on the Bay Lake side of the restaurant did not have to have the blinds drawn. The last time we dined at the California Grill, it was December and the sun was down by 6:00. I didn't think about that when I was making ADRs for this trip, so all my 6:00 reservations are not coming with that awesome nighttime view of the castle. However, for anyone who wants to see Wishes from atop the observation platforms, they will let you back up to see the fireworks. All you have to do is take your receipt from dining earlier in the night to the check in desk on the second floor. They will let you back up so you can go out to the observation deck to see the fireworks.
Ok, now on to the review.
Night 1 - For starters, my wife ordered the hearts of romaine salad. It's basically the CG version of the Caesar salad. It came with freshly made croutons, sardines and a roasted garlic dressing. She thought it was excellent. I ordered the Spring salad that came with peaches, candied pecans, blue cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. If you love blue cheese, this is the salad for you! The blue cheese wasn't hard and crumbly. It was smooth and rich - very, very creamy. I don't know where they got their peaches, but the flesh of the peaches was white and they were amazingly, naturally sweet. This salad is an excellent mixture of sweet and salty sensations. I loved it.
For entrees, my wife ordered an entree that I don't see on the allears or wdwinfo menus. I really don't know what came with it or how it was prepared. I just know that she said it was simply amazing. I ordered one of the staples the CG is famous for. I ordered the grilled pork tenderloin with goat cheese polenta, button mushrooms and zinfandel glaze. Up until this point, I'd had the pork tenderloin at the Brown Derby and the Wave. The Brown Derby was the winner up until this point. The California Grill's presentation was definitely my favorite. This was simply delicious. This pork was, by far, the most tender of the tenderloins I'd had. By the way, I order mine cooked medium. Anything more than this and you run the risk of it drying out and becoming rubbery in texture. The goat cheese polenta is to die for.
For the dessert, I followed my wife's lead and tried a dessert called a sweet celebration. It was a small cake topped with peaches and a peach syrup along with a type of ricotta (but not cheesy) filling. I can't describe it other than to say it was delicious!
The second night we dined at the California Grill was just as amazing as our first. For starters, my wife tried the Corn Chowder. It was an amazingly rich soup that had a cream drizzled on it and bacon and corn hushpuppies (2 of them) in it. It really was very good. I had the Maine Lobster risotto. This was the perfect size portion for an appetizer. It was probably about half a cup of some delicious risotto that contained chunks (not large chunks, but still chunks nonetheless) of tender lobster and it was finished with a lobster oil. Again, neither of these apps appear on the current menus online, but both were outstanding.
For an entree, my wife ordered a salmon that was prepared in a Mediterranean style. It had kalamata olives, blistered grape tomatoes as well as artichoke hearts and olive oil. She said it was wonderful. I'm not a huge salmon fan so I refused a bite when offered. I was also still full from my substandard shaved prime rib sandwich at Le Cellier earlier at lunch, so I was trying to save room for the food I'd ordered!
I ordered another dish the CG is famous for - the filet with the barbecue sauce. It was served atop a dollop of delicious cheesy mashed potatoes and next to three spears of PERFECTLY cooked asparagus. This asparagus, unlike the ones I left on the plate at Le Cellier, was delicious. They were cooked perfectly and had a hint of buttery flavor to them. They were wonderful. If I wasn't already so full, I'd have swiped the three asparagus stalks from my son's plate. He ordered the child's filet which really was the same meal I was getting. He had a slightly smaller filet, no barbecue sauce on it, served on a bed of heavenly mashed potatoes and with asparagus.
This is, by far, the best filet I've eaten anywhere. I like my steaks cooked medium rare and that is exactly what I got. The outer portion of the meat had a crust from where it had been grilled at such a high heat very quickly. That just sealed in the juices in the meat and it was not only moist, but also buttery tender. The potatoes were also just phenomenal! Again, the asparagus was also divine, so all in all, this was the best meal of the trip so far. My son's filet was so tender (he orders his medium) that he cut it with his butter knife. He did this more out of necessity because he was never brought a steak knife, but, as it turns out, he didn't need it!
We didn't order dessert, but we didn't miss it. We didn't miss it because we were celebrating our anniversary and we were given a HUGE piece of chocolate cake with raspberry sauce drizzled on the plate. The cake was large enough to feed all three of us! It was EXCELLENT! I always wondered what the quality of the "free cake" would be like - now I know. It's truly delicious. The cake was a moist, dark chocolate with a light chocolate icing. The icing, unlike the Chocolate Whiskey Cake at Le Cellier, was smooth, creamy and rich. The cake was moist and delicious. Couple the chocolate with the raspberry and it was amazing. The cake was so good that I would consider ordering it as a separate dessert choice.
All in all, the California Grill continues to be the pinnacle of excellence in both food and service. Both times that we dined there, we had excellent servers. They were both extremely professional. They never let our drinks run out. They checked on us several times, but weren't intrusive. They weren't overly chatty, but they made sure that they answered any questions we had about the menu.
youngaussienurse
self confessed princess
Registered: January 2005
Location: melbourne, australia
Posts: 156Review Date: Fri June 26, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): wonderful food and atmosphere Cons: none!
Love this place! We have been 3 times. Last year 2008 we went twice because we found it so good! Aussiedaisy had the delux sushi platter on visit one, and they made me a special sushi platter as I am allergic to shellfish...both sooo good! Second visit Aussiedaisy went with the delux sushi again and I had the beef with the mashed potatoes...the best meal I have EVER had!! The bread was also the best I have tasted! For dessert, I had the banana cake 2 ways with creme brulee mmmmm! and Aussiedaisy had the chocolate molten cake with ice cream gooooooddd!!! We both had perrier water to drink (sparkling). The waiter was excellent both times and the window view was amazing. Our table was also decorated with castle confetti. Highly recommend this place...we will be back in November to take Aussiedad there!!! The girl mannning the podium also remembered us from our previous trips (well, we are identical twins!) which was really nice:) Ten Aussie stars from us!!
CAJUNWDWFAN
Do or Do Not, There is No Try!
Registered: April 2003
Location: A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
Posts: 4545Review Date: Sun June 28, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Decor, Service, Food Cons: Popularity has made it difficult to get reservations
I wanted to review our dining experience from my wife and I's honeymoon two months ago. This was going to be our signature dining experience for our honeymoon. It certainly met all our expectations. The staff at the check in desk were very nice and upon check in escorted to the elevator and upstairs to the dining area. We were given a beeper and waited maybe 5-10 minutes before we were called. While waiting we ordered drinks from the bar and soaked up the atmosphere. The reputation of this restaraunt was that it was an upscale place but we found there to be several kids here. No problem for us, after all this is Disney World. We were seated right next to the window with an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom and 7 Seas Lagoon. The menu was explained to us and the waitress asked if we had any food alergies. My wife is alergic to nuts so the waitess recommended what she could and couldn't eat. So we both ordered the steak filet and caesar salads for appetizers. The food came quickly and was cooked just right. We were offered complimentary champagne for our honeymoon but neither of us drink champagne. So we were offered dessert but most desserts on the menu contain nuts so we passed on that as well. So instead the waitress brought us a card congratulating us on our marriage. We then watched Wishes from the outside observation deck. Overall it was a magical experience that will never be forgotten. We highly recommend the California Grill.
EDuke98080
Have a Magical Day!
Survived the 'Sweet Baby Jesus" drive
Registered: March 2005
Location: Western MA home of the Big Y, the Big E and cider donuts
Posts: 1284Review Date: Sat July 11, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Excellent Service, great allergy consideration Cons: Later reservations tend to not be seated on time
We had the most wonderful birthday dinner at CG on June 1st. Our ADR was for 9:40PM and we got seated just before 10PM. We didn't mind though we went up to the bar on the next floor and relaxed while waiting. We went up when our table was ready.
Our server got us drinks and then we went out to watch the fireworks from the observation deck. It was amazing! Our table was in the private room around to the left in the restaurant and it was quiet and intimate. Because we were there for a birthday, the table had mickey confetti all over it and the waitstaff took pictures of our party of 6.
We have 2 people with gluten allergies yet our food options were vast. We started with vegtable sushi. There were gluten free rolls that were warm and delicious. The entrees were divine, I had filet, others had pork tenderloin and a fish dish. All of the food presentation was awesome and we ate with leisure even though we were seated late, noone ever rushed us at all. Our desserts were to die for, even the gluten free choices superb.
We had preordered a gluten free birthday cake (on the cake line) which was served beautifully and then boxed for us to take "home".
We closed the place. It was a birthday to remember for years to come. If you are looking for something special, this is the place to go.
DisneyTech
Earning My Ears
Registered: March 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 42Review Date: Wed July 15, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Great view, fantastic food, nice service Cons: Bit noisy
After much debate, we decided to try California Grill first night of our honeymoon. Great decision! When making the reservation, I mentioned it was our honeymoon. Upon arrival to our table, we were pleased to see small, colored Mickey head confetti decorating our table. Our waitress was great and attentive. After ordering, we went to observation deck for pictures. I was worried about our appetizer getting cold while we were gone. Our waitress waited until we came back in and were settled to bring it. All of our food was presented nicely and tasted fantastic. At the end, they brought our desserts with small chocolate signs that said, “Congratulations from the California Grill!” It was a nice touch. The view was spectacular. We loved watching Wishes from the observation deck.
goodfood4ursoul
DIS Veteran
Registered: September 2009
Location: Southern Virginia
Posts: 508Review Date: Thu October 8, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): ambience, good service, good food Cons: 'token' vegetable was not satisfying
CG is a levely restaurant, and like all the others we did have a wonderful time there celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary.
They gave us a lovely window table and had scattered celebratory "pixie dust" all over it
DH had a BLT flatbread app which he loved. I had an appetizer that I have forgotten... but his app was better.
dH had some kind of fish on a bed of vegetables and it was most excellent.
I had the filet of beef which came with sour cream mashed potatoes and zuchinni... and much to my disappointment there was one teeny tiny zuke the size of my pinkie, embedded in a mound of mashed potatoes, and covered by the filet.
The potatoes and filet were good, but at such a nice place I really was disappointed to get one measely sprig of zuchinni. I would gladly have traded half my filet for more zuchinni...
I really appreciate BALANCE when eating out.
I'm not a vegetarian, but at most WDW restaurants I guess you have to order vegetarian to get more than one little veggie, and I would LIKE to get some meat and some veggies without overloading on either.
For dessert I had a sampler with three mini desserts, and DH had the apple cobbler w/ ice cream style dessert.
Neither were our favorite desserts in WDW.
But we DID really enjoy our evening!!!
And I would like to go back if we ever get back to WDW.
tammyroo
Mouseketeer
Registered: September 2008
Location: Suffolk VA
Posts: 218Review Date: Fri October 16, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 10
Positive aspects of the product (pros): food was outstanding, view, service was stellar Cons:
DH and I came here to celebrate our anniversary and were eagerly anticipating the experience. This was our first time to WDW without our kids and so we were excited to be able to try this restaurant without worrying about picky eaters.
This was by far the best dining experience we have had at the World and we will definitely return in the future. In fact, we tried all new dining experiences and this is the only one worth repeating.
We were on the DP and our server, David, was outstanding in knowledge of the DP, the menu, and tips overall for making the most of our experience. He was very experienced and it showed in his attentiveness (without being intrusive).
The manager came over as soon as we were seated and sprinkled our table with "pixie dust". We were seated by a window with a nice view of the lagoon and MK.
David suggested we could order the cheese plate as a starter in place of one dessert, which we did. Neither of us really cared for it though. Before it arrived, David brought us complimentary glasses of champagne, which was very sweet.
DH ordered the tomato soup and raved about it. I ordered the hearts of romaine salad and, I'm not lying, it was the best salad and dressing I have ever had. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
For entrees: DH ordered the filet and I ordered the pork medallions. He, again, raved about the filet. I tasted it but didn't care for the BBQ sauce on it. I prefer my steak in its birthday suit. It was cooked perfectly and was very tender. Now, my entree on the other hand, was outstanding. It was the best pork...so tender. I could only eat one and a half. The goat cheese polenta was outstanding as well. I really cannot say enough good things about this food.
Atmosphere was great as well. It is casual inside, more modern but most folks were dressed up. The shades were drawn due to the sun setting. Right before it set the staff opened the shades and announced the "California Grill sunset". Nice touch and it was beautiful.
Dessert arrived...the chocolate lave cake which again was outstanding. They added a stencil of Happy Anniversary.
Since our meal was early, we stayed around about an hour downstairs and then came back up to view the fireworks. Again, this was an incredible experience.
Since we were on the DP I always gauge the "worthiness" of a restaurant as to whether or not we would have enjoyed it had we paid the full cost of it. Our meal would have cost about $168 (ordering no alcohol, ordering appetizers not included, including tip). It would have definitely been worth it for us. We could have shared food as well since neither of us could finish everything.
The only drawback I could see for some people would be that it has some noise due to the open kitchen. I, however, found that fascinating since I enjoy watching cooking shows and such anyway. It was kinda cool seeing a true working kitchen.
We have eaten at Narcoosee's and thoroughly enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service there as well but if we had to choose between the two we would definitely pick Cali Grill because of the view and the fireworks.
Dobbee69
Earning My Ears
Registered: October 2009
Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
Posts: 26Review Date: Tue November 3, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Food, Fireworks, staff Cons: none
Visited September 2009- This reservation was the hardest to get but worth the effort! My husband and I made this our first nights stay dinner reservation. We had a wonderful waiter named Ron that made us feel very special and we enjoyed our time with him very much. He let us order our appetizers and told us to go and enjoy the fire works which was absolutely the best with the narration and music from Disney characters. It brought tears to my eyes I was so happy to be there! After the fireworks we headed back to the table and Ron was putting our appetizers on the table. My husband had Steak for dinner and I had the scallops which were both amazing. Dessert was so hard to pick from that I left the decision up to Ron and was not disappointed. He set the bar high for the remainder of the wait staff for the entire week. We had a wonderful time there that evening and plan to go back next year. Thank you Ron and Disney!
tlhbdm
1354.40 miles away from the mouse
Registered: February 2007
Location: Des Moines (wishing I was in Florida), IA
Posts: 1351Review Date: Mon December 7, 2009 Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 8
Positive aspects of the product (pros): Food, view, atmosphere Cons: slow service
The food was amazing, best sushi and steak in all of Disney World!!! The view is absolutely amazing. The only bad thing is the service was really slow, we were sat down at 5:30 and we wanted to get to MNSSHP by 7:00, our server was really slow, not so much the food, it took 20 minutes to get our drinks. I will go back though just not go when we're in a hurry.: Posted via eTicket
nottingham
Earning My Ears
Registered: January 2008
Posts: 58Review Date: Wed December 16, 2009 Would you recommend the product? No | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 7
Positive aspects of the product (pros): location, view, fireworks Cons: expensive, service only average
we ate here on the last night of our trip. we booked a time so we could wishes. the location is hard to beat. the view is fantastic. that is the best things about the restaurant. there were 6 of is in our party and we all ordered different things. the general feeling was that the food was nice but no one really was blown away by it. for the price I possibly expected better. also the service was a bit slow but that may have been due to the time we went. our server was adequate but we have had better at other restaurants. not sure we would go back every trip. : Posted via eTicket
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