It’s been a looong time since we reviewed 50s Prime Time Cafe, which is strange as it’s one of my favorite restaurants!

If you have ever wanted to escape into a 1950s sitcom, then you must give this spot a try.

Located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it’s a fun hybrid of good comfort food with immersive entertainment. And you’re one of the stars (of course)!

I don’t get to dine here as much as I would like, but Wendy and I managed to squeeze in an advance dining reservation on a recent trip to Walt Disney World.

Come along while we take a tour, and stick around to see what’s for dinner!

Atmosphere

And we will get to dinner soon enough. We have lots to show you! But first, let’s take a look around.

The retro, Mid-20th Century vibe comes across as soon as you lay eyes on the sign. Check out the antennae!

Head in to the podium and let the hostess know that you’re there, and prepare yourself to be embraced like kin. Because you’ve just acquired a whole bunch of new cousins. Why? Well, when you step into 50s Prime Time, everyone here is a family member! Mom’s in the kitchen, and you’re usually being served by one of your cousins, aunts, or uncles. Really cute concept.

When your table is called, listen for your last name: “Wolfe Kids! Time for dinner!” (And don’t dilly-dally; you WILL get a talking to if you take your sweet time to come to the table.)

Before that happens though, have a look around. There’s TONS to see. The waiting room is fashioned after Dad’s Domain. You can practically see the slippers and smell the pipe smoke. 🙂

50s Prime Time also plays host to The Tune-In Lounge. This is a great bar. Beyond the vintage feel, I love that you can sit here and order from the 50s Prime Time Cafe menu! So if you can’t get an ADR, don’t despair; the digs here are pretty comfy and the bartenders are always great.

There’s additional seating allocated to The Tune-In Lounge as well if all the bar seats are full.

But…the stuff! It’s everywhere. I know you have a relative somewhere who holds onto all manner of knick knacks — that person clearly decorated 50s Prime Time.

Be sure to look at it all — the vintage appliances, the tchotchkes. There’s such a sense of the familiar here, and I figure it’s because if you look long enough, you will find something you recognize from childhood if you’re as old as I am.

See what I mean?

Seating areas continue the throwback feel, and of course you’re sitting in the kitchen, not the dining room. There’s formica and vinyl everywhere!

Even in the kitchen you’ll find TVs, however. And they play some cool stuff, so be sure to request a seat beside one!

But if this is your first timing dining here, I’ll give you The 50s Prime Time Cafe Primer.

As I mentioned, this restaurant is a fully immersive experience; it’s nearly as much entertainment as it is dining, and you’re part of the story! Your server will be giving you a hard time throughout your meal — after all, you’re just kids comin’ in for supper! It’s all part of the act, and lots of fans book tables here during every visit because it’s such fun.

Want to be really prepared? Check out a few of our readers’ favorite 50′s Prime Time Cafe experiences here!

But as always, participation is strictly voluntary. If you don’t want to play along, just let your server know from the beginning.

That way you can watch the antics, rather than being part of them.

Care to see what we ordered from Mom’s Kitchen? I thought you might. 🙂

Eats

The cool thing about the menu here is that, at its core, it doesn’t normally change all that much. That’s good, right? I mean, a spot that celebrates nostalgia really shouldn’t mess too much with a good thing.

We did have a chance to try a few new-to-us things this time out though. Stay tuned!

The first page of the menu is entirely taken up with beverages. Check out the fun options from Dad’s Liquor Cabinet!

As for food, the menu is pretty compact, taking up just one page.

Old-Fashioned Handmade Milkshakes are a specialty of the house here, and we had to try a couple!

The Red Velvet Cake Milkshake was calling my name for sure! Cupcake + Milkshake? What??

Incredible. Right down to the CHUNKS OF CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. I’m not even joking. They clearly had my number with this one.

In addition to regular flavors, they also have specials, so be sure to ask about them. During our visit, we also took advantage of the Blue Milk Milkshake, which obviously had a Star Wars theme.

The Blue Rasberry flavor was good, and well, I mean, it’s just cool, isn’t it? To be sitting down to Blue Milk. Luke would approve.

There was even Blue Whipped Cream!

And of course, you can also still get the famous Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake as well. This is a long-time fan favorite.

While we enjoyed the milkshakes, I can never resist ordering something from Dad’s Liquor Cabinet. On this visit, it was an Ultimate Long Island Iced Tea. It certainly lived up to its name.

On a previous visit, I really enjoyed Dad’s Electric Lemonade though.

We started off the meal with a few appetizers. Of course, I can’t visit here without having the Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese. It’s probably my favorite app anywhere. I hate sharing it. (Don’t tell Wendy!)

When my husband and I visit this restaurant, we just get two so we don’t have to share. ;-D

Grandpa’s Crab Cake has been on the menu with one name or another forever, so we finally decided to give it a try.

The name is deceptively simple, but the plate actually has many more components than you’d probably find if you were enjoying crab cakes at the family potluck. The Lump Crab Cake itself is a decent size, although two would have been better, of course.

The Chili Sauce was more of a mayo-based Remoulade, which always works well with Crab.

The appetizer portion is served with a hearty helping of vegetables, of course. The Succotash has many of the classic ingredients, like Corn and Lima Beans. But you also find Bacon in there at the moment.

But if that wasn’t decadent enough for you, there are also loops of Crispy Fried Onions.

We didn’t have them on this visit, but we’ve enjoyed the Beer-Battered Onion Rings previously. And we especially like the rich Horseradish Sauce for dipping.

As we turned our attention to our entrees, we decided to sample Dad’s Pork Chop. Although it’s been on the menu for a couple of visits now, it was new to us.

The dish comes with two sides: Arugula, Fennel, and Apple Salad and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You should note that the salad is sautéed and served over the Pork Chop — good to be aware of if you were expecting something raw and on the side.

And so you could see the cooked-ness of the pork, I pushed the green off to the side. (Yeah. That’s why I did it. For YOU! Sure… . ;-D) The Bone-In Pork Chop itself was a teensy bit overcooked for me (as most pork is). I know it’s super dangerous to serve less-than-completely-cooked pork, but I think I’m going to request it a little less done the next time I’m in a Disney restaurant. The Garlic Mashed Potatoes, which are always wonderfully homestyle here, were a great side.

Although I didn’t eat much of the salad, the pan juices from the combination of Fennel and Apple were a nice match for the meat. I definitely enjoyed the dish.

We can never pass up the chance to order Mom’s Old-Fashioned Pot Roast. And so we didn’t! If you’re craving Pot Roast just like you had at Sunday dinners of old, you’ll want to give Mom’s version a try. Fork tender meat, thick gravy, and a garnish of savory vegetables, all served over Garlic Mashed Potatoes. It’s a tried and true favorite, and it never disappoints.

While we didn’t enjoy either on this visit, 50s Prime Time also offers a couple of homestyle Chicken dishes. Grandma’s Chicken Pot Pie and Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken have also impressed during previous meals. (I usually always order the fried chicken.)

Having begun our meal with Milkshakes, we decided to skip dessert. But we’ve tried several in the past. Fun and homespun are always the theme here. Go for Dad’s Sundae if Brownies and Ice Cream are your thing.

The S’mores are a fan favorite, although they always seem a little burnt and boring for me. Chocolate sauce just doesn’t do the job, you know?

While we haven’t really found anything to write home about, they’ll all provide a sweet ending to your meal if that’s what you’re looking for.

If a dessert experience is what you’re looking for, stick with those Milkshakes. They’re the star dessert here in my opinion.

Overall

So 50s Prime Time isn’t the BEST food I’ve had in Disney, but the combo of comfort food and a fun, unique atmosphere is what keeps bringing me back — and recommending it to others. The staff do a great job with their roles. They aren’t just servers — they’re actors! And it’s so fun to see what they come up with. They’ll keep you on your toes for sure.

The attention to detail — from the setting to the food — keeps this experience from getting stale. It’s worth a try, whether you’ve been to Disney World 50 times or are going for your first visit.

Is 50s Prime Time Cafe one of your favorite Disney spots for dining? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts!