There are a LOT of Disney World restaurants out there, and it’s hard to choose where you should eat!

We’ve got so many recommendations to help you choose where to eat, but let’s be honest, there are some restaurants you should avoid right now in Disney World for various reasons. So which ones have made the list? Here are 6 you should watch out for.

California Grill

We know, we’re starting off really strong here with a hot take. California Grill is on this list because it’s a VERY expensive prix-fixe meal.

While the food we’ve had here has always been good, we, along with many others, have a hard time justifying paying this price for the meal you get. It costs $60+ per adult to dine at this signature dining experience, which is too much for many.

It is a wonderful place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks without being in the parks. However, there are other viewing areas around the Contemporary Hotel where you can watch the fireworks without a California Grill reservation, so that’s something else to keep in mind.

So where should you go instead? We suggest Steakhouse 71! While this is another expensive table service restaurant, it’s also got delicious food, and we think it’s a little bit more worth the price tag. But if you’re looking for dining outside the parks with fireworks views, you could go to ‘Ohana or Tiki Terrace at the Polynesian Village Resort, or Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian.

Read our full review of Steakhouse 71 here!

Grand Floridian Cafe

Why should you avoid the Grand Floridian Cafe right now? Well, because it’s a giant construction zone!

You quite literally have to walk through a construction zone to get to the restaurant! We really enjoy this restaurant, but getting to it right now is a hassle.

Construction on the resort is moving along, but it won’t be completed for quite some time. So for right now, we suggest keeping this one on your list for a later date.

Normally we would recommend Gasparilla Island Grill instead, but it’s also difficult to get to that spot right now due to the construction. Though the food choices will be different, you might consider hopping on a monorail and heading to Kona Cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — the price point will be similar. We’ve got a full guide to eating around the Grand Floridian that we encourage you to take a look at though, because there are plenty of other spots to explore!

Read our full guide on eating at the Grand Floridian here!

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Another hot take here, but we don’t think you should head to Be Our Guest right now, either.

This restaurant used to have a quick service option for breakfast and lunch that still hasn’t returned since the 2020 closures, and we miss it!

This is also an expensive prix-fixe meal. You’re paying for the atmosphere here — the price is high for the food itself. 

If you’re looking for a really great table service meal in Magic Kingdom, we recommend Skipper Canteen! You can watch our video review of Skipper Canteen right here!

Coral Reef

Heading over into EPCOT, Coral Reef Restaurant is a restaurant known for just not having the most consistent food.

The dining atmosphere is very entertaining and wonderful, and we love to watch all the fish, but the food is usually nothing to write home about.

Especially for the price of a table service meal? Yeah, it’s not one we would recommend. We suggest heading into SeaBase right next door to check out all the fish and then heading to festival booths, or some of our favorite spots in World Showcase. If you’re still looking for a table service meal, we recommend heading over to Garden Grill! Watch our video review of Garden Grill here!

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe & Pecos Bills Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

We’ve grouped these last two together because they’re both in Magic Kingdom and on the list for the same reason.

Why shouldn’t you eat at these spots right now? They both have food that benefits from customizing them with your own topping choices, but these restaurants no longer have full topping bars.

This means that you have to order your food with the condiments you would, or would not, like on it, which leaves more room for error. Or you may need to track down a Cast Member to ask for condiment packets. Overall, it’s just not the same experience it used to be.

Where should you eat instead? We recommend heading over to Columbia Harbour House. It’s another quick service location with some pretty great eats, especially if you enjoy seafood!

Read our most recent review of Columbia Harbour House here!

Need even more recommendations? No worries — check some more out below.

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney restaurants news and reviews!

Get our guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2023 right here!

What Disney World restaurant would you NOT recommend to someone right now? Tell us in the comments!