Time to check in on one of Walt Disney World’s most popular signature dining spots — California Grill.
Located atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Grill has become nearly as well known for its stellar views as its market-inspired food. And those two factors can make this a tough table to book.
My last visit here, however, when the restaurant had just reopened after an in-depth refurbishment, was somewhat disappointing. At the time, I chalked it up to the kitchen having an off night; after all, I had enjoyed incredible dining here many times before.
I decided it was time to check in again. So we booked an early Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) on a recent visit, and up we went.
Atmosphere
If you’ve never visited California Grill, then there’s one thing you should know: you don’t just head to the 15th floor. Your journey actually starts on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary where you check in. Even if you’re just heading to the first-come, first-served Lounge, this is your first stop.
Second Floor Check In Desk for California Grill
You’ll then be escorted via a private elevator to the 15th floor. In this way, staff act as gatekeepers for the popular spot. If left unattended, it would get pretty busy up there, especially around Wishes-at-Magic-Kingdom time.
Once you make your way upstairs, a bank of Wine Fridges greets you straight ahead.
Entrance and Wine Fridges
You walk through the Lounge and Bar to get to the restaurant’s main seating area. That sounds as though these are different spaces; they aren’t. Basically, with the exception of a few private dining rooms, the restaurant features an open floor plan, accentuating the sweeping views and retro-meets-modern vibe.
California Grill Bar
If you find yourself without an ADR, there’s still hope. You can sit in the Grill’s Lounge and order from the menu, or just enjoy Drinks, Sushi, and Appetizers. Be forewarned, though: it’s not uncommon for this area to reach capacity as the night goes on. Here at 5PM, though, it was pretty bare.
California Grill Lounge
Wrap around to the main seating area, and you see that nearly every table commands an excellent view of the surrounding landscape, including Magic Kingdom and the Resorts situated around Seven Seas Lagoon.
Seating varies here and includes both tables and chairs and booths.
Seating
There are also a selection of tables that mix banquette and chair seating. Note that white tablecloths and cloth napkins are the norm here, lending to the upscale air of sophistication.
Table for Two
Booths are somewhat unique in that they are located in the middle of the floor. That means that you can enter from either side, and there will be traffic on both sides of your table, similar to what you find at Jiko. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it does mean that your booth won’t be as secluded as you might like.
But the view outside of the windows isn’t the only thing you have to look at.
California Grill Kitchen
The well-orchestrated, professional hustle and bustle that’s happening behind the counter in the on-stage kitchen can be fascinating as well.
Prepping for Dinner Service
Although we will focus today on the food here, the sweeping, panoramic vistas certainly bear mentioning. You can see for miles!
The View
And that’s one of the biggest draws of California Grill — this view, especially when it comes to seeing Wishes. If that’s an experience that you’re after, I recommend that you book your ADR to coincide with the fireworks show. But rest assured — even if you eat earlier (as we did), you can still come back to take in Wishes from the viewing platform outside of the restaurant.
Seeing the Fireworks from California Grill Should Be on Your Disney Bucketlist
Time to check out the menu items we tried during this visit.
Eats
I have my favorites, and you’re going to see them during our journey. But Chef Brian Piasecki and his staff also like to change things up seasonally…sometimes even weekly. So I’d like to think I’m offering you a glimpse of the best of both — classic and new.
However, note that on my last visit I changed up my order — getting chicken instead of the always-amazing filet. Not a good idea. I didn’t make the same mistake this time. 😉
California Grill Menu
We began by taking a look at the Grill’s extensive Drink Menu. You’ll find interesting cocktails with an emphasis on classics, although they’re often reinterpreted with fresh flavors.
Drink Menu — Click to Enlarge
We’ve enjoyed the Sake Martini on a previous occasion, and can definitely recommend this beautiful drink to start off your meal.
Sake Martini
This time out, my husband decided to enjoy an Innis & Gunn, a Scottish Beer. In addition to a fine wine list, beer and cider drinkers will find several excellent options to choose from. And we’ve enjoyed Innis & Gunn for the last couple of years at the Scotland Booth during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, so we knew this rich, oak-matured beer would be a winner.
Innis & Gunn
Nothing on the cocktail list was speaking to me tonight, so I decided to enjoy another classic, a Long Island Iced Tea. It was strong and tart — perfect.
Long Island Iced Tea
That wasn’t stopping us from checking out the Wine List, however. And really, if you’re a wine drinker, you have to give it a once over. While the emphasis here is California Wines (natch), you’ll find an incredible — and lengthy — list of wines from all over the world, available by the glass or bottle. I love this, since it makes pairing with different courses a cinch, and allows everyone at the table to enjoy the wines he or she likes.
Wine List — Click to Enlarge
And I did actually order a glass to go with dinner! Because how better to enjoy this wonderful view? 🙂 (Yep, that’s right. If you’re keeping track, that’s my second drink of the night. )
White Wine and the View
The Menu at California Grill isn’t as long as the one at your local Denny’s. But pay attention, because every dish is multifaceted with lots of components. And if you don’t understand something, be sure to ask! The wait staff are well accustomed to explaining the ins and outs of the menu.
Menu — Click to Enlarge
After we made our choices, we began our meal with complimentary Bread Service. Breads are baked fresh for the California Grill, and include Rolls and Focaccia. The bread came with a small plate of salted Butter.
Bread and Butter
In short order, our appetizers began to arrive. My husband, as usual, opted to begin with an Artisan Romaine Salad, the Grill’s upscale take on a Caesar. Baby Romaine Hearts (no babies or hearts were harmed in the making of this salad) are topped with Boquerones (marinated anchovies), Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Brioche Croutons. The salad is lightly dressed with a flavorful Roasted Garlic Dressing. He enjoyed the fresh, sharp flavors and beautiful presentation.
Artisan Romaine Salad
As I prefer a soup to a salad (you guys know this about me by now), I gave the Caramelized Spring Onion Soup a try. The soup was pureed to a velvety smooth consistency, and was supposed to be served with Marinated Jumbo Lump Crab Meat, which I requested be left off. A garnish of Spring Onion Oil further intensified the flavors, and a Crouton topped with Gruyere gave a nod to traditional French Onion Soup.
Caramelized Spring Onion Soup
This one was fine, but not great. The flavors were there, but it just didn’t capture my attention. I’ve had several soups at Cali Grill that were super wow, so when I get a dud — or a relative dud — I’m a bit annoyed. I know what they’re capable of. ;-D
California Grill also makes deft use of its oak-fired wood grill for all kinds of dishes, and we’ve enjoyed their Flatbreads in the past. They often change with the seasons, however. So what we show you may not be available the next time you dine there.
The Chili-Coffee Rubbed Pork Flatbread was quite good. Think of the best smokey-sweet barbecue flavor that you’ve ever enjoyed, and you’re getting the idea about this one, which also featured Washington Red Pear Butter and amazingly flavorful Jack Cheese. It was the perfect sweet/salty combo, but taken up, like, a thousand notches.
Chili-Coffee Rubbed Pork Flatbread
While we enjoyed all of these new-to-us dishes, there was no way I could pass up ordering one of my favorites — the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli. I have enjoyed this dish time and again, and it was just as delicious and full of flavor as ever. I know it doesn’t seem like much when you see it on the plate here, but it is, in fact, very much indeed.
Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli
But let me take a moment here to share an overall negative of our meal. The service. I’ve had great service at California Grill, and I’ve had so-so service at California Grill. But I’ve never had straight up bad service here. And that was my experience on this visit.
What I encountered is something I would have expected at a MUCH lower price point restaurant. For example, when I asked that the ravioli be cut in half and brought on two plates so that my husband and I could split it, I was immediately told no. I mentioned that I’d had this done time and time again, and could he please go and ask someone in the kitchen if it was at all possible. He walked away for about 2 minutes, then came back and said no again. The rest of the evening followed suit. For the amount on the bill, the service was just plain bad. Maybe it was just an off night for this guy, but if it had been my one-and-only visit to California Grill, he would have made me truly regret my decision to spend that kind of money. OK, off my soap box now.
Soon, our entrees began to arrive. As I mentioned, I had learned from my previous visit, when I had ordered the Chicken, not to stray from what I like! And here, I like — no, love — the Oak Fired Filet of Beef. Dude, it’s ALWAYS good. And it was.
On this visit, it was served with a Florida Heirloom Tomato Risotto and Tomato Butter…which was awesome, but it was waaaaaaaay too robust to pair with the filet. The flavors were IN. TENSE. That risotto could easily have made a fantastic entree, but pairing it with the filet simply overpowered the steak.
How gorgeous are those tomatoes, though?
Oak Fired Filet of Beef
As I am wont to do, I ordered a side of the risotto simply to have as another dish since I LURVE risotto, but I pretty much took three bites and was done. Amazing. But suuuuuuper rich.
But, again, garnished with those uber fresh tomatoes. I love it.
An Extra Side Order of Tomato Risotto
My husband also went with a classic — the Bison Strip Loin. I say classic because Cali Grill will often have a bison dish on the menu, but it changes up regularly.
Bison Strip Loin
The dish is served with Extra Virgin Olive Oil Potatoes and Baby Brussels Sprouts that are pan-roasted with Cherrywood Bacon. A Huckleberry Veal Jus provides a sweet counterpoint.
Bison Strip Loin
And this thing? Truly out of this world. Did you READ what’s IN this? EVERYTHING on this dish worked. It was just perfect. We both quickly decided that this was the winner of the night and commenced fighting for every bite.
Bison Strip Loin — Up Close
Although we had enjoyed a bountiful table of treats, we weren’t passing on Dessert.
Dessert Menu — Click to Enlarge
Desserts tend to be pretty interesting and labor-intensive here, so I looked forward to trying some unusual things. We began with the Peanut Butter and Peach Jam on Cinnamon Toast. Baked Florida Peaches (whaaaa???) are served with Peanut Butter Gelato and Cinnamon Sugar Gaufrettes. (If I’m not missing my mark, yep — those are fancy Potato Chips.) A thick Peach Jam and a sprinkle of Chopped Peanuts completed the comfort food-leaning dish.
This one was good, but weird. It tasted as weird as it sounds. The flavors and textures didn’t really mesh, but the peaches were fantastic. Oddly, something in the gelato and jam felt gritty. I wish they’d just brought me a big bowl of those peaches. ;-D
Peanut Butter and Peach Jam on Cinnamon Toast
For our second dessert, we had to give the Sundae Sampler a try. It reminds me, of course, of the Trio of Concession Sweets at Flying Fish Cafe. And, yes, that’s the fabric of the banquette behind the sampler. Why? I won’t get on my soap box again, but let’s just say that our server was being less than helpful when I requested the shade be drawn on the window so we weren’t bombarded with direct sunlight.
Sundae Sampler
The sampler comes with three mini desserts, which are takes on Ice Cream Treats. You’ll find a colorful Banana Split.
Sandae Sampler — Banana Split
The Reverse Root Beer Float wins the prize for cutest dessert ever, with its tiny soda bottle and glass.
Sundae Sampler — Reverse Root Beer Float
And the Frangelico Toffee offered two bites of rich, caramel flavor.
Sundae Sampler — Frangelico Toffee
While desserts like this are more about visual impact to me than anything else, it’s clear to see that a lot of work went into each component. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for just a couple of bites of sweetness to round out your meal.
Overall
California Grill is…sort of…back.
It’s good. The quality and innovation are there. Still, you are paying a premium to dine at California Grill. So it’s fair to expect that each and every visit would be more of an experience than just a stop to fuel up, and you expect the service to be top-notch.
I can still recommend going, but be prepared that they seem to be having more “off” nights than I’ve ever before experienced with them. I’d say that half of our dishes were great (flatbread, goat cheese ravioli, bison) and half of our dishes were really just hum-drum. And with the bad service, it made us give this experience a solid B-.
With two not-the-best experiences back to back, here’s hoping my next one hits it out of the park! 😉
Will you be dining at California Grill during your next visit to Disney? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts about this classic Disney dining spot!
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We’ve been to California Grill a couple of time since it reopened. The service we had was always fantastic. I would have complained about that particular server…especially for the price! I’ve also gone to Guest Services in the past to compliment a cast member. 🙂
California Grill has always been a tough one for me at Disney. I’ve only been 3 times since 2004. The first visit was fantastic – so much so I scheduled my 40th Birthday dinner there while on a trip to Food & Wine in 2011. That visit was a disaster – not because of the food and wine (both great), but because of absolutely terrible service. We knew we were off to a bad start when it took 40 minutes for the waitress to even visit our table and bring water, but it actually got worse thereafter. I was with a group of 6, 3 of whom (including myself) are former servers, so we are EXTREMELY forgiving when someone is in the weeds – this waitress just didn’t even care. I normally enjoy myself in spite of service, but considering my dinner tab that night was hovering around $1000 for my wife and I (we really like wine), I was absolutely ticked. It was so bad that the manager, who had heard we had a fireworks cruise the next night, actually sent us a bottle of great wine and a cheese tray to enjoy on our cruise.
Fast forwarded to last year – we were with some friends who really wanted to watch Wishes from up there. We agreed to go back, tentative after our last visit, but hopeful that the “redo” would make it a nice experience. So glad we did, because we had one of our best nights dining ever in Disney (and we’ve been just about everywhere). Our server – Tom – was the best I’ve ever encountered, managing a table of 12 with no problem at all. Every single appetizer was perfect. Our table ordered all 6 of the entrees that night between us, and it was a challenge to decide which was best. Even the kids were raving about their (ridiculously priced) kid’s menu items.
We’re going back this trip and I’m excited about it – hopefully this time is just like our last.
My fiancé and I are going back for the second time for our anniversary after he proposed to me there during Wishes last October. We had a fantastic experience last time so much so that I thought the server knew of his plans only to find out he had no clue! I hope this year will be great. We have heard about California Grill having off nights, but I hope it won’t be the case for our anniversary dinner! Any server recommendations from those who go more?
I LOVE California Grill. this was my first every Sushi experience ever and to this day my best.!! (This was when chef Yoshie Cabral was was still at CG.) I have been back to try many lovely items at CG( One of my favorites was the ostrich steak) and I fall more and more in love with it every time. I will say however that out of WDW signature restaurants service here has always been spotty for me.
Went to California Grill on my recent solo WDW trip and it was blowaway good. I was on the Deluxe Dining Plan as part of a 30th birthday present and went all signature for dinner (Cali Grill, Artist Point, Flying Fish & Yachstman Steakhouse).
Started with the Blood Orange Mule cocktail, which very quickly moved the Moscow Mule to the top of my cocktail leaderboard. Tart, sweet and just a little spicy from the ginger beer.
My mom and sister had dined at California Grill on their trip a couple weeks earlier, and I was all set to follow their recommendation of starting with the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli, but then I saw it on the menu — FRIED SOFTSHELL CRAB. It’s so ultra-seasonal that I couldn’t resist getting it while on the menu, and it didn’t disappoint. Two perfectly-fried halves stacked vertically on grilled sourdough (my server jokingly called it the “Tower of Terror”), garnished with roasted peppers, red watercress and an amazing espelette pepper aioli that perfectly accented the briny sweetness of the crab. Thank god for the presence of the grilled bread for allowing me to sop up even more of that glorious aioli.
For my main course, I was dead set on Pork Two Ways and it was sensational. The tenderloin was a juicy, perfect medium rare, and even though I’m not a big fan of mustard, it provided a perfect crust for the pork. It was complemented beautifully by rich, creamy goat cheese polenta and roasted mushrooms. But the highlight, by far, was the lacquered pork belly. PORK BELLY ::drools::. Fatty and unctous and hearty and offset nicely by a sweet, tart homestyle applesauce. I will dream about this pork belly.
I went with the sundae sampler for dessert, and while it was delicious, this was definitely more about the whimsy than complex flavors. I loved the reverse root beer float, with root beer ice cream and the super-tiny Coke bottle of cream soda.
Definitely a memorable meal.
Asking shades to be closed so other diners can’t see out?
Wanting the very busy kitchen to separate a small plate so your partner can try a “taste”?
Sounds like more of annoying guest than bad service to me.
i visited California grill in early May and had my first bad experience. The food was mediocre and the service was terrible. When you have a $250 bill and suggested tips of 18% and 20%, I expect the service to be better than a restaurant where the bill would be $50, not much worse. We finished about 30 minutes before the fireworks but we decided to just leave because it had been so disappointing.
We dined at California Grill for the first time a few weeks ago. I must report a wonderful experience, although at first it was semi questionable whether we would even get in. I made an ADR several months ago, but when we reached the podium, the attendant said the system was showing we had already checked in earlier in the evening. Turns out someone with a similar name was checked in under our reservation. Luckily (for them), we were able to be seated, and they even gave us a fabulous window table so we could see the gorgeous view.
Our service was great, as was the food. Our server was attentive and kind, and even discussed our day with our five-year-old daughter, who was visiting WDW for the first time. We ordered the mushroom flatbread appetizer along with an imported beer for my husband (I forget which one) and the Mai Tai for myself. For dinner I ordered the sea scallops, my daughter ordered steak and my husband ordered the bison (which even my daughter loved!). We skipped dessert (although I saw others eating the really cute sundae sampler) because we were so stuffed! Overall we had one of the best dining experiences of our entire vacation!
Jeff-I can’t say for certain, but I would assume that the shades are such that you can see out but that they block the sun in your eyes. I think the larger point is, when you pay as much as you do to eat at a place like California Grill, those small requests should never be denied.
Every time I think it would be nice to try CG, I read a review like this and decide it is too expensive to risk such disappointment. We had a great meal with excellent service at Il Mulino last year under $200 for three of us including tip, and that’s where we’re headed back next trip to see if we can repeat our good experience (fingers crossed). However, in this case, I think I would have asked to speak with the manager and requested a different server if the one I was assigned to was not doing a good job (and I don’t mean slow on a busy night but rather being rude or neglectful). I’ve done this in other restaurants and the management has always been happy to be alerted to the problem.
That said, I would have requested a small empty plate and done the dividing of the ravioli myself. Less annoying to staff and I get to manage it the way that suits me best.
My husband and I dined at Cali Grill before the refurbishment in 2010 and had outstanding food and service. We were very surprised last year when we went back because the food and service didn’t come close to our first experience. Our waitress was efficient but less than friendly. I made an ADR for our trip this October. Keeping my fingers crossed we have a better experience.
Question: We are going to California Grill for the first time in August. How does it work for viewing Wishes if you are in the middle of dinner? Our reservations are for 9:35 PM and Wishes is at 10 PM. Do people just get up and go to the window or outside to view the show in the middle of eating and being served? Is it considered rude or just par for the course? Thanks in advance!
Eean — Keep us updated on how it is when you go back! Fingers crossed!
Sandra — Hi friend! Hope you’re well! You’re right that I should have asked for a separate plate. I just automatically assumed they would split it since they’d done it that way every single time prior! Didn’t even occur to me to ask for a plate. ;-D
Jeff — Ha ha! My husband can attest that I am, indeed, high maintenance! But, as Jill said, the window shades here are see-through, and all I needed was for it to be lowered about 5 inches to block the direct sunlight — it wouldn’t have blocked anyone’s view of the parks or surrounding resorts — just of the bright sunlight and maybe a couple of airplanes. ;-D It really wasn’t an out of line request. And with the ravioli, as I mentioned to Sandra above, they had always, always done it this way, so it didn’t even occur to me to just request and extra plate. I would think a high-end restaurant would prefer to cater to the guests’ whims than have them cut the dish themselves, but I’ll certainly request the extra plate next time and allow them to offer to bring it out on two plates if time allows.
Jill — Yep — that’s exactly the case. Thanks for your support 😀
Julie — I’m SO glad to hear that!! Yep, that’s the kind of experience I have 50% of the time at California Grill, so I know they’re capable of it!
Adam — Wonderful! I love that pork two ways, and I’m so glad you got the opportunity to take advantage of the Chef’s seasonal dishes. They do a great job bringing local and market-inspired menu items in at Cali Grill!
Jared — Thanks for your feedback. Have you had the sushi since Joshi left? Would love to hear your review!
Andi — Congratulations!!! No server suggestions from me, but I would suggest going on a weekend night if possible — that way you know the head chef is there and the “A Team” is on.
John — Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!! Yes; I have had very similar experiences — it’s either amazing or it’s just kind of “off.”
Samantha — Thank you for your review and feedback! 🙂
My husband and I are planning our F&WF trip and are trying to narrow down our choices of fancy-shmancy dinners. We ate at Cali Grill last year and it’s going to be tough to beat that bison strip lion. We both had it as our entrees and we still talk about it. I wasn’t wowed with the service, but it wasn’t poor service, just not above and beyond.
Our other option this time is Jiko. It’s kind of a toss up at this point.
Melissa – If you haven’t dined at Jiko before, I would would really recommend you try it. While my experiences at Cali Grill have been hit or miss, Jiko is by far the most consistently excellent restaurant I’ve been to at Disney. Service is always welcoming and attentive, dishes are unique and always well prepared, the wine list is incredible and there is just something fabulous about dining at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Cost will be about the same, but Jiko has never let me down. I wish Cali Grill could be as consistent in delivering as Jiko. I’m just sad that I won’t be getting there this summer … My brother in law really want to do both Le Celier and Brown Derby and since I end up getting my restaurants every time, I thought we’d let him get a say this time.
We went to CG after it re-opened for our 25th wedding anniversary. Disney had been promoting unique special event cakes . I called to see about a special dessert after our meal. I was given the CG Chefs number. I called multiple times and never received a return call. We are DVC Members and I seek some help. Someone from their executive team reached out on our behalf and they had problems getting a call returned. I spoke to the front desk who explained upon check in just ask for a cake and they would start “thawing out” a cake! Just how I wanted to celebrate with a just thawed out cake. Well, the member of the DVC Team reached the chef who promised to do “Something Special”.
We arrived at CG walked off the elevator to see strollers with balloon tied to them. Really? Really? We had a 9 pm reservation and people had their toddlers and infants in the bar area. Why parents can’t get a babysitter ? We had a fantastic view of the fireworks! We had a good meal. I don’t recall what it was now 5 years later…….I do recall the “Special Dessert” arranged was a half frozen cake not a thawed out one. I guess the special part was the ice crystals in the center of it.
My anniversary present to my wife was not getting upset. I don’t know who was more upset me or the DVC executive team representative who called the next day to follow up on his arrangements and to make sure it went well. We never heard a word from the manager of the California Grill. It was better when it was the Top of the World………….
We’ve never eaten at California Grill, but I am hoping to get an ADR for our 25th anniversary dinner during our December visit. All the entrees look delicious and I’m super excited to watch Wishers from there.
AJ, I have had the sushi since chef Yoshie’s departure and in some ways I always seem to be not as stunned. there was just something magical about how Chef Yoshi created such amazing Sushi. LOL (I hope I’m not crazy for thinking that Sushi can be Magical)But the Sushi continues to be both high quality and well crafted at CG. I just think its lost a little something something
We enjoyed both the ravioli and filet a month ago. I can’t stop framing about both. We have visited twice – Valentines in 2014 and my wife’s 40th birthday last month. On the first visit service was super-stupendously-fantastic. The server added to the night with little tips and tweaks of the menu. The last visit, service was super-fantastic. Nice attention to the occasion and a great since of humor. I can’t wait to visit again.
John,
Thanks for the insight. We’ve never been to AKL so now I’m leaning toward Jiko.
Enjoy your trip!
Thanks for your review ~ sounds like it can be hit or miss. I have a couple of questions. You mentioned that you can watch Wishes from the viewing platform if you finish up eating at the CG before the fireworks begin. Do they allow any guests to go out there, or do you have to be either staying at the Contemporary or have dined at the CG in order to watch from out there? My second question is about your cute little sundae sampler. Do they allow you to keep the tiny pop bottle? It really is very adorable!
Love your blog. But please order something different! It’s tiresome reading about the same dishes……
Oh, I don’t know… I’ve had consistency issues at both California Grill and Jiko. In fact, consistency issues are a larger concern for me than price when dining at any of the Disney Signature restaurants. I don’t have any issue with an expensive meal, but for the prices being charged, the service and the food should be “bend over backwards” fantastic, more frequently than what’s being reported. Some of the hidden pocket restaurants seem to be so much better with constantly delivering great food and service. Locations like Flying Fish Cafe, Olivia’s, and Sanaa may not be prestigious, romantic, or “once in a lifetime” eateries, but I’d rather go to one of those knowing there’s less of a chance that the evening is going to tank… no matter the cost.
My husband and I try to get to Disney once or twice a year (we live in Canada), and we are fortunate enough to usually dine here every trip. Someone asked who the better servers were…..WALTER is fantastic! So much so that we usually request his section on our visits!
Our favorite server is Billy – though our last visit was just pre-renovation (December 2012).
We absolutely love JIKO – one of our favorites.
Unfortunately, the experience AJ had just makes me want to go somewhere else. I expect signature service with signature dining and there are too many other choices (next up I want to try Citricos or Yachtsman). I did not feel as though she was too demanding (especially considering that CG wasn’t that busy and all that they ordered).
I don’t know that you can request the kitchen withhold a main ingredient and then cal the dish a “dud.” While I get that people have allergies or proclivities for not liking things, it doesn’t seem to be a fair critique.
That said, our one visit to CG in 2013 was also a total miss.
We went to the Calfornia Grill for the 1st and last time 2 yrs ago. Spent a great deal of money. Send back a poached egg on a salad because it was not cooked ( and I think I know what an undercooked egg looks like). The waiter did not agree with me and tried to convince me this was “the way it was suppose to look”. Are you kidding me. Again 1st and last time
Visited once. 7.25pm ADR, food arrived at 8.55pm… cold. Considering a major reason for visiting is the view of the 9pm fireworks, you’d think they would ask if we wanted to delay service by 10 minutes (considering we had already waited 90 minutes). Not fun, especially with 4 kids (youngest was 8). Server was disinterested and ignored my request to speak to the manager, instead pointing out he had taken one glass of wine off the $450 bill. Experience was so bad the manager waived the whole bill and credited $150 to our hotel account. This was September 2014, hopefully things have improved since then. For the cost there are so many better choices at WDW.
We go to CG a few times a year. Walter is the best.
HIGHLY recommend the cucumber fizz!
@Mealtrip — Isn’t it strange how few of the restaurants are consistently good bets? And those that are seem to have been doing it right for years.
Amy — You have to have dined at CG (they may even ask for your receipt if it’s a crowded night or a specialty fireworks night) to watch Wishes out there. 🙂 Pretty exclusive! And, no, they don’t let you keep the pop bottle 🙁
Jared — There is a “magic factor” when you have a great chef who’s been doing it forever; they have special tricks up their sleeves!
I think AJ really hit on a nerve with this review – the biggest complaint in Disney Dining (especially at Signature Restaurants) is consistency. Very few restaurants deliver consistent experiences every time, and for the prices they are charging, they should. In most any other major city in the world, $500 would guarantee you a fantastic dinner out. Not so at WDW.
Not to get sidetracked, but personally, I’ve found the decline in consistent experiences coincides directly with the rise of the Dining Plan. When everyone pre-pays for dinner 6 months ahead of time, and reservations are booked solid for 180 days, who cares if you deliver ? It’s not like the future of the restaurant depends on it. Back when everything was out of pocket and Disney cared more about guest experience and less about “volume”, I don’t recall ever shelling out hundreds of dollars for dinner and being disappointed. Not to mention the menus at the restaurants were actually different and unique – not variations on the same 5 high-profit entrees .
My wife and I have ate here more than a dozen times and have never had a bad meal. We call this our “Safe spot” when dining in the World, albeit expensive.
We are usually visiting in August but last year did July. By August the Bison is usually gone off the menu so I was a kid in a candy store able to try that last visit.
Walter is a great bartender as someone stated above…
And if I may, Jeff from above, as the writer stated it wasn’t during busy time and cutting a ravioli in half at the diner’s request is something that SHOULD ALWAYS be done, what were you the ignorant waiter?
We’ve been to California Grill a handful of times and have always loved it, including the service, so it’s unfortunate you had a less than great experience. Maybe, they couldn’t cut the ravioli because it would gush all over the place? Might get a little sloppy, in any case they should’ve done what you wanted. Was recently there in February and had a great time; the pork, the same still on the menu now, was OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Sorry to hear about the poor service. We were there in Mid-May and had amazing service from start to finish, with many helpful suggestions. We also learned about some of the wait staff and their histories, including some cast members who have been serving their since the restaurant opened their doors. I really love your blog, but i am not sure you should complain about a soup after leaving out one the ingredients the chef used in the construction of the dish. I don’t think we are actually getting a review of how the soup was meant to taste, but of how it tasted after you changed the receipe. I understand we have the right to ask for a dish to be changed, but we should recognize that the dish will be different if you decide to modify it and that impacts the usefulness of your review. Like I said I am dedicated fan of your blog but feel that you should review food exactly the way the chef meant it to be served.
We had the dining plan for 2 weeks on our honeymoon last year and the worst experience by far was California Grill. The service was painfully slow and our server was completely uninterested. The ravioli was fantastic but the rest wasn’t what I’d expect from a restaurant of that standard.
My brewer husband pointed out that your beer is badly poured – it’s an ale and should have a head!
AJ–LOVE your photo of the castle through the wine glass. I am scheduled to go to CG for my anniversary in September. I hope I can sit next to the window because I’m going to try to copy that awesome shot! Thank you for the inspiration.
Also, if the food is sub-par and the wait staff isn’t fantastic, I’m going to keep telling myself the opportunity to watch Wishes is the worth the price of the food…..crossing my fingers the whole night will be great.
What John said!
We’ve been to WDW many times in the past 10 years, and it’s been a shame to witness the overall decline in quality, consistency, and originality at many of the sit-down restaurants. We had one of our all-time favorite meals ever at CG in about 2008, but now it’s an automatic pass, even when we’re staying at BLT. Interestingly, we had a great meal a few months ago at Bluezoo–which doesn’t participate in the DDP–with top-notch service. On hearing of my tween daughter’s love of truffles, the waiter there even surprised us with a special dish of truffled fries with truffle aoili!
OTOH, snacks and counter service meals at WDW seem to be getting better and better, so now we rely on them, supplemented with sit-down meals we prepare ourselves in our (DVC) kitchen.
My husband and I first visited California Grill back in 2010. Our visit was so amazing; the food, service, and just overall atmosphere. We ended up canceling our reservation the following night at Coral Reef in order to enjoy CG two nights in a row. Fast forward to 2013, we were getting married at WDW in mid September. Without hesitation, we wanted our first meal as a married couple to be at our favorite Disney restaurant, CG. We scored a late reservation for the night after our wedding. We were sat in the Sonoma room, which I was slightly disappointed because I was hoping for a window seat. Our server was horrible and even quite rude at times. No one recognized the fact we were celebrating our wedding. A large group of people were also sat in the same room. Unfortunately, the young child that was with their group went on to scream throughout our entire dinner. Being in that room, it only echoed the screams. It was like eating at a Chuck E. Cheese. The server even mentioned multiple times how disturbing it was becoming. The food was good but I couldn’t not have been more disappointed with our overall experience, especially with us celebrating our wedding. I sent an email to Disney regarding our experience after returning home and I got a less than mediocre email back from the GM. I would have expected more from CG and Disney after the great experiences we have had there in the past. It makes me sad to read that others have had similar disappointments at CG after the renovations.
I have been to California Grill two times now and both experiences were totally different. The first time, the food was just so-so and our service was terrible. Also, there was a family next to our table that had two children watching shows on their tablets SO loudly. I myself have a child so I get wanting to have a nice night out, but come on. Put some head phones on the kids or something. This of course is NOT the restaurants fault, just saying it added to our already not great experience.
The second time around the food was great but again, not the best service. We are returning to Disney in August and plan to try to just grab a drink and watch the fireworks. While the food can be amazing, it is so hit or miss with the service I don’t find it worth the money anymore to sit down and eat. There are plenty of other fine dining restaurants on property that do a much better job.
Our new favorite is Narcoosse’s. While the view of the fireworks doesn’t compare to the viewing deck at California Grill, the food and service every time is spot on. My suggestion, eat there and then head over to California Grill for a nice glass of wine to watch the fireworks. Hoping that so many people seem to be reporting less than par service the management will work on this for the future.
My daughter and I went there June 12th for my birthday, We had the Chili Coffe Rubbed flatbread, and the Crispy Rock Shrimp Salad for appetizers, the Bison Strip Loin which was amazing, and the Birthday Creme Brulee and a Blueberry Napolean for dessert. Everything was great our server Micheal was the greatest and when I had a problem with the women sitting next to me having had taken a bath in perfume, and asked to move because my eyes were burning, my throat was getting raspy and I was getthing a headache. I knew they were packed but, could he possibly find somewhere else to sit. When we came back in from watching the fireworks, he had all our stuff moved and the rest of the evening went by without a hitch. It was a great dinner and experience.
Just wanted to update earlier comments on this – just got back from another trip yesterday, and we dined at California Grill last Monday. We had a group of 20, split between the two long tables along the window closest to the viewing platform. It was a beautiful night for Wishes, and the restaurant was packed from when we arrived at 7pm, until the time we left at 10:30pm. Just like last year, the experience was nearly perfect – food, service … everything. We were never rushed, had two very attentive servers, and each and every dish (from the sushi and apps to dessert) was nailed. The server even heard my wife going on and on about how she hadn’t had a cupcake yet in Disney and surprised her at the end with a trio of gourmet cupcakes that someone had run downstairs and gotten from another restaurant. I was so happy with the experience – it’s clear that Disney has been working hard to make Cali Grill a more consistent signature experience over the last year, and it’s now right up with Jiko as my favorite. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Great service, great meal, and great view but I would never use 2 Disney dining passes for this experience again.
Meal came with non-alcoholic beverage, entree, and dessert.
Appetizer or salad not included.
It would have been less expensive to pay off the dining plan for it.
My daughter and Granddaughter wanted to take me to a special restaurant.My daughter checked on food allergy accommodation requests.Such was not my case.I found the waittress was rude and overwhelmed,the atmosphere was ruined by a 3 year old whiney kid who ran around our table indisciplined.I was brought a salad with 2 uncut wedges of lettuce,3 tiny pieces of peach,and 4 thin slices of cucumber.15.00,that was my horrible meal.Have told everyone I know to avoid this hrrible place.