We are back in Disneyland today with another fun look at Flo’s V-8 Cafe in Disney California Adventure!

This diner is a throwback to all that was good and cool about eating while on the Great American Roadtrip, when Route 66 was in its heyday. And since it opened, Flo’s has quickly become a favorite for its incredible themeing and terrific eats.

While breakfast is phasing out at Flo’s, we recently had the chance to take in lunch here as well, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! Read on for all the details and lots of pics…

Atmosphere

Visiting Flo’s anytime of the day is a treat, because there’s just so much rich detail to experience. But we especially love the views at night, when the whole place is decked out in neon lights.

There’s some fun lighting inside, too! The entrance, which is a rotunda of sorts, features soft lights that change colors. I caught this pic when the room was decked out in bubble gum pink. Check out the cool chandelier!

One thing to note about Flo’s — it’s enormous! And the seating areas all have different themeing, so be sure to schedule a little extra time for this lunch stop if checking out incredible Disney detail is something that you enjoy.

The restaurant is actually much larger than it looks from the outside. That’s because part of the seating area is themed as a car clinic — both inside and out. Here’s the outside view.

And here’s the inside!

Don’t you love the X-ray machine? It’s one of my favorite imagineering touches.

Much of the front seating section is decorated with touches that are a throwback to the 1950s, and a lot of the memorabilia centers around Flo — a member of the illustrious Motorama Girls.

The story goes that Flo gave up her glamorous career to settle down in Radiator Springs, where she opened up the coolest diner, ever.

The Mechanic Room is a tribute to Doc Hudson’s glory days as a championship racer. With rich details like dark wood and leather-esque booths, it has a more masculine, “old boys’ club” feel.

There’s also some great outdoor seating overlooking the desert as well as the Radiator Springs Racers attraction. What a great spot to take in the scenery!

Back at the front of the restaurant, we’ll take a closer look at the ordering area.

Flo’s is a counter service spot, so the ordering process is familiar. Once it’s your turn (there’s usually a line, but it seems to move quickly), you’ll give your order to a cashier and pay at the same time.

And here’s where I’d like to park for a minute (ha!) and take in a little detail.

Remember your favorite little neighborhood restaurant? You know, the place you went with your grandparents, and they had, like, the best pie and cakes ever? Well, I bet you they had some of those swell, rounded glass display cases that made you want a giant slice of lemon meringue pie in the worst way. Right?

Well, they have those here at Flo’s! Only they’re little, and sit directly in front of each of the cash register bays. I just think this is a really fun touch, and it’s helpful to see what your food will look like before you order.

Inside, you’ll find examples of some of the food served here, including the Kids’ Meals.

For extra fun, the kiddos in your party can get their lunch served in the Lightning MacQueen Racer.

You can also see examples of the Flo’s Classic Shakes here, which you can order with or without the Souvenir Glass.

I snapped a pic of the beer taps for you. You’ll see more of the menu in just a sec, but it’s fun to note that only two beers are available at Flo’s, and they’re both craft beers from Bear Republic, a microbrewery in Sonoma, California.

After you order, you’ll head to the condiment bar for napkins and (real) silverware as well as any condiments you need.

We have lots more pictures of the Flo’s theming in our recent review of their breakfast, so be sure to pop over there if you’d like to see more detail. In the meantime, let’s get down to the serious business of eating!

Eats

Homestyle diner cooking is what you’ll find on the menu at Flo’s. This isn’t fancy food; it’s food that will stick to your ribs and get you back into your car and onto the Mother Road fast. Entrees mostly center around rotisserie meats. There’s a vegetarian option as well as a salad, for guests who are after something lighter.

It is interesting to note though — there aren’t a huge number of options here. But there’s also not a hamburger in sight!

You’ll find the customary beverage offerings at Flo’s, plus a couple of more interesting choices. You can try a Mater’s Tulsa Tea if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary.

As I mentioned before, there are a couple of craft beer selections, or you can choose wine sold by the glass — all from California vineyards, of course, and many from vineyards with Disney ties!

On a warm day, a beer sounded good to my husband, so he decided to try the Red Rocket Ale. The red ale is a little on the sweet side, but he thought it was pleasant, and that it would pair well with our lunch choices. Of course, this is Disneyland, so alcohol is served in these neon yellow glasses.

I also snapped a pic of one of Flo’s Classic Shakes. Don’t you love the garnish? The shakes are topped with “Road Gravel”! Gotta love the Disney sense of humor. 🙂

We both decided to try Spit-Fired Rotisserie Specialties. Each of the three options comes with your choice of two sides, plus a dinner roll.

My husband decided to go for the Pork Loin Dinner. The generous serving of meat is topped with a dark Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce. He opted for Peas and Carrots and Vegetarian Baked Beans as sides.

While nothing stood out as particularly “gourmet” about the meal, he enjoyed the comfort food, and said it was nice to have an option for a few veggies. Both the sauce on the pork and the beans were on the very sweet side. The pork could have been a bit more moist, but at least there was ample sauce!

The Dinner Rolls were really lovely. Big as your fist and pillowy soft, they are old-fashioned, and remind me of the yeast rolls from holiday dinners growing up.

I opted for the Roast Beef Dinner. Served with Home-Style Gravy, I chose Mashed Potatoes and the Roasted Corn Medley as my side items.

I would like to have seen a little pink in my meat. But I appreciated the healthy serving of rich gravy to lend flavor and moisture.

By the way, Flo’s Veggie Tater Bake is pretty interesting as well.

Soon, it was time to turn our attention to dessert. And we decided to try just about a little bit of everything!

We began with the Chocolate Mud Pie, which was AH-MAZONG! The pie featured a chocolate center, inside a brownie-type cake, surrounded by a chocolate crust. This is a chocoholic dream come true! And while I’m not a huge fan of all-chocolate desserts, it was the best part of my meal.

And you can see from the cross section, it’s dense and fudgy and gorgeous.

The center reminds me a bit of those wonderful Mickey Tarts over at Jolly Holiday Bakery. This only needed a big scoop of ice cream to be perfect.

In fact, that’s a suggestion I’d make for all of Flo’s Pies. A la mode should be an option here for sure.

We had heard all about Flo’s “ugly crust” pies, and couldn’t wait to try them for ourselves! The other pie we tried was Peach Blueberry.

The pie had a nice, flakey crust, and the filling was fresh and delicious — not too gummy. But seriously — how much more awesome would this be with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream? I’d even settle for soft serve, Disney.

And having tasted nearly everything on the menu, we were ready to go take our turn on the Radiator Springs Racers!

Overall

So here’s the deal: you probably aren’t going to rave about the amazingness of the lunch and dinner entrees at Flo’s V-8 Cafe. They’re fine and good, and they are certainly a great alternative for guests who want counter service eats, but are tired of burgers and the like. But I don’t think you’ll lie awake, dreaming of them.

Still, if you take Flo’s as a total package, and consider the hearty food, plus the delicious desserts and the amazing theming, I think it’s worth it to take in lunch or dinner here at least once. And if the movie Cars is a favorite of yours, I’d say that Flo’s will rate high in your book for sure.

What’s your take on Flo’s? Is it a must do, or a skip it? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts below!