Time to go back in time and dine with the Founding Fathers… . Or, at the very least, settle for the next best thing: dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern in Walt Disney World.

Liberty Tree Tavern has long held a special place in my heart — and in many of yours as well, I know. If you’re one of many longtime Tavern devotees, you already know that for years this Magic Kingdom Table Service has offered an a la carte menu for Lunch, while dinner has featured an All-You-Care-to-Enjoy meal served family style.

Both of those things are still true. But some notable changes to both the lunch and dinner menus took place just a couple months ago. For instance, Lunch still offers a la carte options (with some returning favorites among them), but you can also order the All-You-Care-to-Enjoy Bill of Fare, if you wish.

And the changes to Dinner? Well, there was only one. But it was a pretty darn big one, and I had to experience it for myself.

So please join me, my fellow citizens… .

Atmosphere

Liberty Tree Tavern is nestled in the heart of Liberty Square in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. It’s just a stone’s throw from Frontierland and down the Disney block from Fantasyland, but its unique personality ignites its own special brand of nostalgia.

The Tavern fits right in with its sturdy columns, moulding details, and distinguished dormers. We even spy some wrought iron, for good measure.

Stepping inside, the scene is no less stately. And it’s one of the places you can really get a taste of history and education along with your meal.

Sounds a little dull? Not at all, actually! In fact, I almost think that the crazy amount of detail surrounding you — from cozy fireplaces, to period style furniture, to the knick knacks, portraits, and artwork on the walls — is some of the best in Magic Kingdom, honestly. It’s like you’ve been invited to dine in the 18th century home of a well-to-do family at the birth of the nation.

And here’s the real kicker: thanks to the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, Liberty Tree Tavern is completely and totally on trend at the moment 🙂 .

It’s a great game: see how many nods to Founding Fathers you can find. Look! Here’s a Ben Franklin-approved key hook. (And let’s all note that quote as well… .)

How many historical figures can you name in the portraits below?

You see, that’s the whole gist. The six individual rooms of the Tavern celebrate many of the figures you’ll recognize from your history books: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, and Paul Revere.

You may be seated near this lovely mantel in the Thomas Jefferson room, simultaneously showcasing detail and simplicity.

The details go on and on, even tucked into little corners of the room, like this one in the Benjamin Franklin room.

There’s so much to see. But I’m sure you’re getting hungry, so let’s all pull up a stately wooden chair and see what the colonists are serving up these days.

Eats

If you’re in the mood for Thanksgiving eats any time of year, you’ve found your place at Liberty Tree Tavern!

Well, okay… there IS a bit more to it than that. But first, logistics: the Bill of Fare is All-You-Care-to-Enjoy served family-style, featuring Declaration Salad and the Patriot’s Platter. It also includes your non-alcoholic beverage.

Oh, and that change to dinner that I mentioned earlier? Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal. You see, the previous dessert for dinner was Johnny Appleseed Cake (or Tart. Or Bread Pudding. Depending on when you visited).

But now? Dessert at dinner is Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. And it’s only one of my all-time favorite desserts in all of Disney World (and possibly yours, too)! It used to be available only during lunch, but NOW you can try it at dinner, too! Naturally, we’ll be checking it out later in the post.

On the menu above, you can see the beverage options that are included with your meal, but you can also get some specialty drinks here (at an additional cost). Ariel or Pirate Punch for the kiddos comes with a glowing Ariel or Pirate Skull Clip-on Light.

And the yummy Patriot’s Slush can be served in a super-snazzy Souvenir Tavern Keeper’s Collector Mug (which has a bit of a copper Mule look to it these days). Fun!

Come to think of it, aside from the dessert change-up I mentioned earlier, there is one more change that has come to Liberty Tree Tavern’s menu. In December, four additional Magic Kingdom Table Service restaurants began to serve beer and wine (previously only served for dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant). Here are the selections at Liberty Tree Tavern:

And now, as the Founding Fathers most certainly said: “LET’S DIG IN, ALREADY!!”

Dinner starts with the Declaration Salad: a bowl of mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and slightly tangy vinaigrette. It’s a refreshing and light way to start the meal.

Good thing it’s not very filling, because you’ll need PUH-LENTY of room for what’s next.

The Patriot’s Platter is a truly impressive spread. We’ll go down the list one by one, but for now, just take a moment to enjoy the view…

And, remember: the name of the game is All-You-Care-to-Enjoy. If you and your dining party run low on anything (including the salad!), you can just ask for more!

The Platter presents three kinds of meat: Roasted Turkey Breast, Pot Roast, and Carved Pork Roast. (In the past, that Pot Roast was replaced by Prime Rib, so maybe don’t hold your breath on this one.)

The Turkey Breast is, of course, most reminiscent of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. All year long!! This had great flavor, and while I’m not a huge turkey fan most of the time, I went for seconds on this.

Accompanying it, the tender Pot Roast is doused in savory brown gravy. And though the Carved Pork Roast has no dedicated sauce, it retains its juiciness and offers terrific flavor with its crisp browned edges.

We really enjoyed all of the meat options on this visit, but the turkey and pot roast were the winners.

The three meats surround a mound of Herb Stuffing, dotted with soft onions and herbs and loaded with flavor. It’ll take you right back to Grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner.

All truths told, though, if you’re anything like me then you agree that Thanksgiving is really all about THE SIDES.

Warm Yeasted Rolls are served with Whipped Honey Butter.

The creamy, satisfying Mashed Potatoes are delivered in a generous portion, complete with red potato skins.

Naturally, with mashed potatoes, roast turkey breast, and yeasted rolls, one must have a flood of Gravy.

Fortuantely, there’s a boat for that.

Now, maybe not all traditional turkey dinners come with our next addition — but they should. This Macaroni and Cheese is all carbs and cheese and love in a bowl. I used to love that Liberty Tree Tavern served Stouffer’s mac and cheese (what can I say — I’m a comfort food kid who grew up in the 80s), but now they clearly note on their menu that the mac and cheese is made in house from scratch.

The Seasonal Vegetable during our visit was a great corn creation featuring green and red peppers. This was the only down side for me…because I was really looking forward to the yummy green beans I had gotten used to at Liberty Tree Tavern dinner, and corn didn’t really scratch that itch. This version was fine, but wasn’t my favorite.

Sooooo…my server was THE BEST EVER, and when I asked him if there were any green beans in the kitchen (they’re served at lunchtime), he came back with this! Check out this epic bowl of Green Beans. These are tossed in a salty garlic oil or butter that adds a lot of flavor. I loved them and actually put a pretty good dent into the bowl! ;-D I do love my green beans.

Oh! And did you know that you can request Cranberry Sauce to round out all those Thanksgiving vibes? It’s not on the menu and doesn’t come automatically, but they have it. Just like during the holidays, the tart cranberries help to cut through the heavier savory dishes.

Think of it as a palate cleanser between servings of meat.

So now that we’ve enjoyed AAAALLLLL of that… HERE it is, at long last! My dream ending to dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern, formerly available only during lunch: OOEY GOOEY TOFFEE CAKE!!

In case you haven’t experienced it for yourself — either with lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern or by making it on your own — you might be surprised to learn that Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake is not actually a cake. Though it’s difficult to see, what with being covered by a mound of vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauces, and buttery toffee bits, the base itself is more like a warm, thick, soft — and yes, gooey on the inside — chocolate chip cookie filled with toffee. It is so completely decadent, and one of the more memorable desserts not just in Magic Kingdom, but in all of Disney World, in my opinion.

One thing to note: the portion size of the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake was much, much smaller for dinner. Like tiny in comparison to what I’m used to at lunch. What you see is what we were served for two people?!??!?!???! Presumably, this is because the meal you’ve just had is huge compared to the a la carte lunch options, and you may not have much room. But you’re gonna wanna make room. So remember: when the meal is All-You-Care-to-Enjoy, you can care to enjoy as much of this as you want, with a simple “please” and “thank you” and a tip of your tri-corner hat!

Overall

Liberty Tree Tavern offers comfort food wrapped in a history lesson, and I love it for that. What I appreciate, too, is that the recent changes to both the lunch and dinner menus seem to reflect guest preferences. (I know I’m not the only one who has been clamoring for the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake at dinner! Plus those lunch changes include the return of some much-loved and missed a la carte meals). Though changes don’t come often to Liberty Tree Tavern, I think these recent ones have made a Magic Kingdom classic only better.

Nosh or Not?

Dinner At Liberty Tree Tavern Is Great For:

• Comfort food fans
• Picky eaters (because Liberty Tree Tavern also serves kid-favorites like burgers and fries at lunch, they usually have these items in the kitchen if needed)
• Meat-lovers
• Those looking to maximize their dining dollars
• Families

Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern Might Not Be Best For:

• A romantic date night
• Light eaters (since this is a prix fixe meal, you’ll be paying the same price no matter how much you eat)
• Vegetarians or vegans (though the chef will always make a suitable meal for you)

Does Liberty Tree Tavern rank among your favorite restaurants? Let us know in the comments!