If there’s a new Disney restaurant, you can bet we’ll eat there!

Our latest foodie adventures took us to the Disneyland Resort to try the brand-new Small Bytes pool bar at Pixar Place Hotel. Themed after Pixar Animation Studios films, this bar easily subverts expectations in several ways that surprised us. What do we mean by that? Let’s dive into our review and find out!

Atmosphere

As previously mentioned, Small Bytes can be found by the outdoor pool in Pixar Place Hotel. The area is not quite halfway up the hotel, but it is elevated enough to give great views of the Disneyland Resort.

The restaurant has odes to Pixar, including pixelated character panels. It’s a fun contemporary setting that features some of the best upbeat music in all the Disneyland Resort.

Seating here is VERY easy to get, with several options available. You’ll easily find bar seating, tables, and lounge areas.

Most seating is covered by umbrellas, which are truly welcomed when the California sunshine isn’t shy.

Vibrant, colorful, simple yet classy, and full of good vacation vibes, the dining area around this little bar is plentiful, spacious, and a great spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of Disneyland.

While the bar is near the hotel pool, you don’t need to be staying at Pixar Place to eat here. Speaking of eats, let’s take a look at the menu!

Menu

While glancing over the menu, you’ll notice that Small Bytes serves a wide array of elevated bar food. We also noticed a heavy Southern California influence in some of the offerings.

Main entrees include healthier options like a fruit cart and salad, and mains such as a Smashed Burger, nachos, Chicken Fingers, and a vegan wrap. Sides include shrimp ceviche, a giant pretzel, and chips and dip.

This is also a bar, so you’ll find a large selection of alcoholic beverages, including spiked floats.

So how does everything taste? We have a ton of thoughts!

Eats

We tried the Mega Soft Pretzel, Shrimp Ceviche Duo, Smashed Burger, and Full Stacked Nachos to get a good feel for the menu.

We started with the Full Stacked Nachos for $15. As with everything we reviewed, it comes packaged to-go.

These chips are served with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and jalapeños. You can add protein for an additional cost.

In terms of portion size, you get plenty. We also didn’t feel shorted on the toppings. With that said, our nachos became soggy quickly, so we recommend you eat them fast.

Overall, we thought the taste was pretty average. You could taste each individual topping, but the chips were kind of bland and this snack didn’t stand out, especially compared to everything else we ate. We recommend trying this with a protein option, but we also think it’s already expensive for nachos, so we understand if you want to give it a pass.

Next, we tried the Mega Soft Pretzel for $12. The pretzel is accompanied by cups of mustard and queso dip.

This large pretzel was very good! It was soft as advertised, very tasty, and the queso dip had a nice spicy blend that provided a flavorful kick.

It’s big enough to share, which only makes the value better. It’s hard to go wrong with a giant pretzel and Small Bytes nailed it.

After the pretzel, we tried the Smashed Burger for $18. There weren’t any listed ingredients, but we tasted two smashed patties, a secret sauce, lettuce, pickles, onions, cheese, and mayo. The burger is served on four Hawaiian rolls.

The flavor here is INCREDIBLE. This burger was easily our favorite dish that we tried. The smashed patties were nice and crisp, the bread added a sweetness that perfectly complimented the patties, the pickles gave an excellent crunch texture and acidity, and the cheese added a nice taste to the meat. The lettuce and sauce were reminiscent of a typical Southern California burger, and it was honestly so delicious.

The biggest downside was the price. $18 for a burger and no sides is steep. Regardless, if we’re judging just based on taste, we think burger fanatics need to give this one a try!

Finally, we finished off our meal with the Shrimp Ceviche Duo for $20. We got ours served two ways with red (Clamato juice, hot sauce, and jalapeños) and green (cilantro, lime, and cucumber). It also comes with tortilla chips.

This ceviche comes packaged to-go in a nice compact kit that also includes limes and some Cholula sauce. 

The ceviche has a very fishy taste and scent, which is to be expected.

We found the red side to be bland initially, but the aftertaste was zesty (especially if you used the limes) and the avocado gave it a soft texture while the onions provided a crunch.

We thought the green side was super interesting. It was hotter than red, and the cucumber was the star of the show. Every bite with cucumber was delicious. 

Overall, we think this is a good snack to share. It’s spicier than you’d expect, and the ingredients taste remarkably fresh, so we’re giving this one a recommendation to ceviche fans. Avoid if you dislike seafood.

So what did we think overall?

Overall

Small Bytes is much more than a pool bar. It offers elevated takes on simple dishes that make it worth the visit.

Definitely check out the burger if you visit, and you can’t go wrong with the Mega Soft Pretzel! The pricing is on the higher end, but if you’re a Magic Key Passholder, you do receive a discount here. We will definitely be coming back.

Nosh or Not?

Stop on by this pool bar if…

• You want to escape the chaos of the theme parks. This bar is fairly secluded and won’t likely be crowded often. With pretty views and relaxing music, Small Bytes is a great getaway.
• You’re looking for a good smash burger. Smash burgers aren’t as common around Disneyland as they are in other parts of the country. If you’re looking for a tasty take on this burger, Small Bytes’ Smashed Burger is a good option.
• You’re looking for something on-the-go. Everything we tried was packaged to be taken elsewhere. This isn’t a typical sit-down restaurant and the food is prepped with that in mind. You won’t get quick service here (the food is cooked to order), but everything is transportable.

Pass on this Pixar restaurant if…

• You want a classic dining experience. Small Bytes is primarily a bar, so if you’re looking for table service, we recommend Great Maple inside the hotel.
• You’re on a budget. It may be bar food, but it’s not cheap. If you’re looking for easier-to-swallow prices, you’ll have better luck at the quick-service restaurants inside the parks.
• You want something closer to the parks. You have to venture to Pixar Place Hotel to experience Small Bytes. If you’d rather stay close to the parks, Downtown Disney has plenty of great dining options.

That’s a wrap on our review of Small Bytes! For more Disney restaurant reviews and Disneyland news, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest!

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Have you eaten at Small Bytes since it opened? Share your review in the comments below!