There are quite literally hundreds of restaurants in Disney World, and we’ve been to ALL of them.
Cinderella Castle
We’ve reviewed every restaurant in Disney World, and we continue to revisit them every once in a while to see if things have changed. Sometimes spots get new menus or new offerings, and sometimes we return to a place that we previously loved to find it a little bit disappointing. And throughout our 15 years of Disney food reviews, we’ve tried quite a few spots that are “hated” by most fans!
There are quite a few Disney World restaurants that get a bad rap, and some of them are justified. Others though? We’re not so sure! Today, I’ve rounded up two popularly “hated” restaurants that I actually legitimately liked. And hopefully, I’ll convince you that they’re worth another shot!
Table Service — Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Late in 2023, I headed to Tony’s Town Square Restaurant at Magic Kingdom to try out some new menu items they were offering. This Italian eatery has often been criticized for being “no better than Olive Garden,” or in our team’s personal experience, wayyyy too salty.
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
But when they updated that menu and added foot-long mozzarella sticks, I knew I had to stop by and give it a shot! And you know what? My meal was DELICIOUS. From the cheesy mozzarella sticks, to the delicious garlicky bread slices with parmesan fondue, to the rich and vibrant pasta that I ate…I had zero complaints.
YUMMM
During my meal, I was informed that the restaurant had hired a new head chef who was mixing things up and focused on changing Tony’s reputation for the better. And BOY did the chef succeed! In recent months, we’ve even seen several comments from our readers and followers saying that they’ve tried the new menu and been impressed as well.
Pastaaaaa
So if you’ve written off Tony’s Town Square, now’s your opportunity to give it a second chance. If you’re a cheese lover (like me!) you definitely won’t regret it.
Click Here to Check Out My Review of Tony’s Town Square!
Quick Service — Pinocchio Village Haus
Also in Magic Kingdom is my quick service pick, Pinocchio Village Haus. This spot serves flatbread pizzas, breadsticks, salad, soup, and select other Italian-adjacent items. It’s located in Fantasyland, across from Cinderella Castle and behind Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.
Pinocchio Village Haus
Now, fast food pizza in Disney World doesn’t have the best reputation. Typically, you’re either getting the “puffy” pizza (like they serve at PizzaFari and PizzeRizzo), or you’re getting the flatbread kind. But I’m here to tell you that the flatbread version is far and away the better choice! When I’ve eaten “puffy” pizza in Disney World, I’ve often found that the sauce is too sweet and the crust might not be cooked all the way through, but I don’t have those issues at Pinocchio Village Haus.
Full spread
Here, the crusts are soft with a little bit of crispiness on the edges, and Disney is not stingy with the toppings. I’ve also had a few different seasonal or specialty flatbreads, including my personal favorite — the buffalo chicken flavor. And if you want something in addition to pizza, you can always check out the add-ons like breadsticks, french fries, or tomato soup to fill you up.
Okay, now we’re talking!
Plus, the atmosphere in this restaurant is so charming! You could find a seat on the first floor overlooking “it’s a small world” or even near the Wishing Book left by the Blue Fairy. If you want a little more privacy, try heading upstairs to the balcony. The indoor balcony is usually pretty calm, but the outdoor balcony provides a lovely view of Fantasyland.
Upstairs at Pinocchio
So ultimately, I’m pretty convinced that both of these restaurants are just misunderstood! I’ve had multiple delicious meals at both of them this year, and if you haven’t stopped by in a while, you might want to try them one more time.
Stay tuned to DFB for more food news and reviews from Disney World!
Our Favorite Meal at Every Magic Kingdom Restaurant — Click Here!
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Years ago I was at Magic Kingdom and my wife wanted to do some shopping. I didn’t want to shop and ventured off on my own. I ended up at Tony’s Town Square restaurant. This was just after Thanksgiving and there was almost *nobody* in that restaurant.
I asked the hostess if I could be seated for coffee and dessert. “No,” she replied. “Tony’s Town Square is for full meal service customers only.” Good golly, what a crock. If the place was bursting at the seams, sure, I can almost understand that attitude. But such policies sure don’t make me want to come back.
These two have always been two of our favorites for the theming, and we’ve stuck with them through good menu options and otherwise. I guess I’d have to say our go to is Crystal Palace, we have a tradition of doing our first MK day breakfast there. The service is great here – the staffing levels, or the layout, or something just makes it one of the places that we have consistently received great service, and not felt particularly rushed either. Skipper’s Canteen has become another must-do (that bread appetizer!). We love most of the MK restaurants, but none of the others are a must-do every trip.
We usually eat at Pinocchio for lunch, not so much for the quality but rather the variety on the menu. There is something for everyone in our party. Plus you can always find a table! If we have more time for a relaxing meal, we love the seafood in Liberty Square… Columbia House? Is the fruit stand still near Haunted Mansion? That was always a nice pick-me-up! And we occasionally treat ourselves to a Mickey chocolate covered vanilla ice cream on a stick.
My MK go-to restaurant is Skipper Canteen. Greta food, great service – I’ve never had a bad experience here!
I am glad to hear that Tony’s has upped their game. I am willing to give them another shot. The old Tony’s was like a frozen Stouffer’s dinner, no where near as good as Olive Garden, but DFB has not steered us wrong yet, so we will give them another try. The theming and location is perfect. MK has never been known as a great restaurant park, save for the old Quick Service lunch available at Be Our Guest, but some genius decided to change that for the worse. Thanks for the review.