When it comes to Disneyland dining, Cafe Orleans is one of our favorite spots.

Located in the heart of New Orleans Square, this casual table-service eatery boasts architecture and atmosphere inspired by — you guessed it — New Orleans. The menu is filled with Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes, including the Monte Cristo Sandwich, which will forever have a special place in our hearts. Heck, this restaurant in GENERAL has a special place in our hearts! Today, we’re headed back to Cafe Orleans. The best part? We’re taking you with us!

When we say we’re taking you with us, we mean the whole shebang — start to finish. So, since this is a table-service restaurant, we highly recommend making advance dining reservations just to ensure you have a table for the exact time you want to eat. However, one of the unique things about Cafe Orleans is that it’s actually one of the few restaurants inside the parks that has a walk-up waitlist!

You can join the waitlist without a reservation — either through the Disneyland app on your phone, or by using a QR code posted near the entrance to the restaurant.

Then, you’ll be notified when your table is ready. Walk-up availability changes throughout the day and could mean a long wait, but it could work for you in a pinch!

Now, let’s go inside!

Atmosphere

Almost immediately, you’ll notice the New Orleans influence on the space. Check out the decor! The room is filled with standard tables and chairs — nothing fancy schmancy — but it’s still pretty cozy.

When you visit Cafe Orleans, you can see this very vintage espresso machine — it’s been here since Walt himself was drinking coffee at Disneyland.

If you were to eat inside, here’s what your table might look like.

What’s preferred by many, though, is the outdoor seating area. It has the classic iron work and awnings you see in many outdoor dining locations in New Orleans, and it offers views of the Rivers of America.

This is where we sat, and this is what our table looked like. How cute is the little vase of tulips?! The cloth napkins and silverware elevate the experience just a bit more.

Now that we’ve gotten our table, let’s check out the menu!

Menu

We visited on this day to try the NEW Haunted Mansion Prix Fixe menu, but we’ll get to that in a sec. First, let’s take a look at the rest of the menu at Cafe Orleans! Cafe Orleans serves the same menu for lunch and dinner.

Small Bites here include a New Orleans classic — Chicken Gumbo — as well as Ahi Tartare, Burrata & Prosciutto, and Agrodolce.

The star of the show for entrees at Cafe Orleans (AJ’s favorite!) is the Monte Cristo sandwich. You can get it in TWO versions — the traditional turkey, ham, and cheese; or a triple-cheese sandwich. Either way, you’ll get a battered and fried sandwich, served with preserves for dipping and either potatoes or a salad.

Other entrees on the menu include Pasta Jambalaya, Red Wine Braised Short Rib, and Roasted Chicken. 

There’s also a plant-based menu that includes Panzanella Salad, Ratatouille Farro Risotto, and a vegan version of Creme Brulee.

You have the choice to order a side of Mashed Potatoes, and the dessert menu is pretty limited — just Macarons and that plant-based Creme Brulee.

Now, we can’t talk about the Cafe Orleans menu without mentioning beignets. Mickey Beignets used to be a classic part of the menu here, so you might be expecting to find them on the menu. Disney took the beignets off the menu in 2021. But all hope is not lost — right now, you can get Mickey Beignets at the Royal Street Veranda in Disneyland. And since Disneyland is currently turning the former French Market Restaurant into the NEW Tiana’s Palace, we expect some New Orleans Square menu shakeups in the future. Who knows? We might just get Mickey’s Beignets back at Cafe Orleans!

Looking for Beignets in Disneyland? Here’s Everywhere You Can Find Them!

Moving on to drinks at Cafe Orleans, you’ll find your classic soft drinks as well as Disneyland’s Mint Julep. Now while this minty drink generally contains bourbon, it’s important to note that the Disneyland version is non-alcoholic.

Finally, let’s look at the Kids Menu here! It is a “Create Your Own” menu where kids can choose one entree and two sides — we love these customizable options! Entrees include Roasted Chicken, Short Rib, Sauteed Shrimp, or Macaroni and Cheese.

Now, on to that special Prix Fixe meal! Is this as close as we can get to having dinner with those Grim Grinning Ghosts in the Haunted Mansion? Let’s find out!

The Prix Fixe menu is $45 per guest. You get to choose an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. The prix-fixe menu does offer a few different menu options, as well as choices from the regular menu. We chose the spooky route and were able to order the Cup of Chicken Gumbo Soup, the Seafood Boil, and a Haunted Mansion Candle Dessert.

Now, let’s eat!

Appetizer

For our appetizer, we got the Cup of Chicken Gumbo Soup, which was served at a nice, warm temperature.

We liked that you could taste all the ingredients with the Creole flavor mixed in. However, the Creole seasoning wasn’t overpowering at all. The one and only complaint we had about this dish was that there wasn’t enough of it! The portion size was a little too small for us. It was so yummy that we wanted more! Well, at least we have room for our entree!

Entree

For the entree, we chose the Seafood Boil, which consisted of clams, sausage, corn, and potatoes.

This was our first time having clam, and we were surprised to find that we REALLY liked it. It had a slight cajun flavor with a hint of lemon. The texture was good, too. The sausage was great — it had a nice smoky taste mixed with the typical cajun flavor. The corn and potatoes were the part that threw us off a little. The corn was almost sickeningly sweet, while the potatoes were just kind of … eh? However, we’d still recommend this to anyone who loves seafood and cajun seasoning.

Dessert

Alright, it’s time for the Haunted Mansion Candle Dessert! This was a white chocolate shell filled with vanilla mousse — all with a pecan cookie underneath. Then, underneath all that, is a blood … whoops, we mean cherry compote.

This dessert hit the spot! The vanilla mousse inside the white chocolate shell had a light and cool texture. Plus, we were pleased to find that there was actually caramel sauce between the “candle” and the pecan cookie underneath. The sweet caramel taste paired really well with the vanilla and white chocolate. The cookie wasn’t bad, but it was the least exciting out of everything. We really thought that the fruit flavor of the cherry compote helped tie everything together. We had absolutely no complaints!

Overall Experience

This restaurant is a DFB favorites for a reason! The atmosphere is casual but cozy, the servers are attentive and kind, and for a three-course meal in Disneyland, $45 isn’t a bad price! For the most part, the portion sizes are large, the food is delicious, and we almost always leave content.

Nosh or Not?

Dine at Cafe Orleans if …

• You love cajun and creole flavors.
• You want a “classic Disneyland” dining experience.
• You want to take time out of your Disneyland day for a relaxing meal.

Pass by Cafe Orleans if …

• You’re not a fan of New Orleans-inspired cuisine.
• You’re looking for some quick eats.
• You have a large party that wants more variety on the menu — you won’t find a burger or ice cream here.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney food news and reviews. In the meantime, make sure to follow along for more Disney and travel-related content!

Looking for more Disneyland eats we love? Click here!

Have you ever eaten at Cafe Orleans? Let us know in the comments!