Best of Counter Service

[Lucille]

What are your favorite counter service restaurants?

DH and I used to only eat at sit down restaurants but now with our little bundle in tow, we realize that those days are over!

[BrerGnat]

My "top threes"

In DL Park:

1. Redd Rocket's Pizza Port-Tomorrowland

2. Bengal BBQ-Adventureland

3. Hungry Bear Restaurant-Critter Country

Runner Up: French Market-New Orleans Square

In DCA:

1. Taste Pilot's Grill (best CS location at DLR)-Next to Soarin

2. Farmer's Market-Near Bug's Land

3. Cucina Cucamonga-Pacific Wharf area

Honorable Mention: Pacific Wharf Cafe

In Downtown Disney:

1. Jazz Kitchen Express

2. Napolini

3. La Brea Bakery/Cafe

Honorable mentions: Wetzel's Pretzels, Jamba Juice, Haagen Dazs (for snacks/dessert)

In the hotels:

1. White Water Snacks-GCH

[Melanie]

Rancho del Zocalo at Disneyland, Taste Pilot's and Pacific Wharf Cafe at DCA are favorites.

[NotaGeek]

DL -- Tomorrowland Terrace for Breakfast

DL -- Hungry Bear for burgers

DL -- A great sit down place that's served buffeteria style is Plaza Inn, you or your DH can get a table and wait with your kid and the other can go and get the food ... I have seen lots of people do this.

DCA -- Taste Pilot's for awesome burgers or chicken sandwiches

GCH -- White Water snacks

[Melanie]

DL -- A great sit down place that's served buffeteria style is Plaza Inn, you or your DH can get a table and wait with your kid and the other can go and get the food ... I have seen lots of people do this.

Oh yeah, forgot about this. Totally yummy lunch!

[BrerGnat]

FYI:

Regarding Plaza Inn, it's a good spot for lunch or dinner, but be aware that there is a Character Breakfast that goes on there in the mornings. At 11:20 last week, they were STILL serving breakfast, so I don't know what time they begin serving lunch. Just something to keep in mind if you are looking to have an early lunch.

I forgot about Plaza Inn too. Should have mentioned it. It's sort of in between CS and TS. The meals are pricey for CS, but cheaper than TS.

I would like to also ENTHUSIASTICALLY recommend RIver Belle Terrace for BREAKFAST only. They have some very good, reasonably priced breakfast platters (comparable in price to IHOP, believe it or not). Good Mickey Pancakes! If you like sandwiches, this would be a good spot for lunch or dinner as well.

[Lisaj13]

I ate at River Belle Terrace for the first time last month. We had breakfast there (actually second breakfast!) and even my picky eaters enjoyed it. And sitting outside was lovely.

Tomorrowland Terrace and Hungry Bear were great too.

I was happy to see the healthier options for the kids menu. It was nice to have the choice of grapes or fries.

[Marla]

I think the only table service restaurants in Disneyland are: The Carnation Cafe, Blue Bayou, and Club 33. All the rest are counter service and buffet style counter service.
For Disneyland:
#1 choice is Bengal Barbecue
In DCA:
The Boudin Bakery (Shrimp Louie)
I can not think of a counter service in DTD I would pick for food, but Jamba Juice is nice.
And as for the hotels, I would pick White Water Snacks.

[MatterhornMiss]

I was a vegetarian most of my years at DL, so I enjoyed Redd Rocket's, Tomorrowland Terrace and Hungry Bear (because once upon a time you could get a veggie burger at both), and Rancho del Zocalo. Gumbo in a bread bowl at Royal Street Veranda was okay, but not great. In DCA, I liked getting cheese fries at Award Wieners, and Pizza Oom Mow Mow, well, is just fun to say. In DTD, there used to be a quick-service area outside Ralph Brennan's (I don't know if it is still there) where you could get BEIGNETS!

[forgettomorrow]

At DLR:

I have to second the replies for Rancho del Zocalo! I ate there two weeks ago and LOVED it, they also have Coke Zero, which I know is of some interest to some of you.

Also at DLR I love River Belle Terrace for Lunch/ Dinner! They have a toppings bar that puts Taste Pilots' Grill to shame. Their sandwiches are a little pricey for counter service, but well worth the price. In addition, the included sides are huge!

Wow, that sounded more like a review than an answer. Sorry all.

At DCA...

I love the 1-2-Punch of Cocina Cucamonga and Pacific Wharf (Boudin Bakery) on the Pacific Wharf. Both places have decent food and there's enough choice for all tastes.

[Aisling]

If you are in the mood for a nice bit of grease, then you can't beat Corn Dog Castle. I absolutely love these huge fried bits of meat and corn stuffing (or whatever it is!) on a stick. And the best part, you can stroll around with them (okay, not really since they are rather large and can be unwieldy if you're trying to steer a stroller at the same time.)

[jrkcr]

HAHAHA! I had forgotten about eating at Corn Dog Castle! It's over in the Paradise Pier area of Ca adventure.
DH happens to like corn dogs, so I had it on my list of places to try. They were really good! And inexpensive, and huge. We tried the regular dogs and also the sausage dogs.
If I ever go back, it will be on my list again!!

Also, we ate at Ralph Brennans jazz kitchen,in DTD, and they have a take out area-really good food and prices!! You can sit outside on a patio to eat, or take it back to your hotel. Coffee and beignets from 8-10am, then cajun foods till 10 pm. Yum!!

Thats all I can remember for now....
now I'm hungry!

[MegaDisney]

My picks:

Disneyland:
Redd Rocketts Pizza Port - A pasta dish (the fusilli alfredo is yummy) and two salads are enough for two (if you don't mind sharing the pasta!)
Rancho de Zocalo - underrated IMHO. Good food, large portions, decent price.

DCA:
Corn Dog Castle - Try the Cheese Dogs!
Taste Pilots Grill - Best Burger at DLR!

DtD and Resorts:
White Water Snacks - Grand Californian - Great quiet spot for lunch. Nachos and French Dip ROCK!
Croc's Bites and Bits - Disneyland Hotel - The Nachos are REALLY good and it is adjacent to the Lost Bar !!!

[MNNHFLTX]

We tried out quite a few counter-service places for the first time a couple of weeks ago and the two best ones (hands-down) were Redd Rockett's in Tomorrowland and the French Market in New Orleans Square. The Chicken Fusilli at Red Rockett's was fantastic (and very generous portions) and the pizza was very good also. At the French Market, I had the Royal Chicken (on red rice and beans), which was good, but my son had a wonderful dish, the Riverfront Fettucini, which include a tasso-ham and creamed crabmeat sauce. Delicious!

We also thought the Hungry Bear served up the best hamburgers, better than the ones at Taste Pilot's in DCA, which were somewhat bland and rubbery patties.

[quest4dl]

We really enjoyed French Market - excellent wild mushroom soup in a bread bowl, jambalaya, cajun fettucini, and fried chicken. The quantity (except for the amt of soup in the bread bowl) was good and price reasonable.

We also enjoyed Taste Pilot Grill - my ds 11 enjoyed his burger with blue cheese and steak choice, and the chicken sandwich with the chipotle mayo was very tasty too. The waffle fries were exceptional - crisp and not greasy. We didn't try them but the ribs looked really good too.

[DoomBuggyDude]

If I had to choose one winner in the entire
resort for counter service, (envelope please)...
the winner is.... Rancho del Zocalo!

I base this on food, atmosphere and service.

The Carne Asada is so well tenderized it almost
falls apart while you build your tostada. Even
better.. skip the tostada part completely.

The bbq ribs are wonderful when they have them.
Usually weekends and peak season after
2pm. (The info. board at the hub can find out
if they will have them during your visit.)

The grilled chicken is always a hit with
everyone and they grill it right in front of you.

Little known bonus: Off to the far left is what
appears to be a dessert bar. Look again! There
is a salad bar where you can have them build
your salad the way you want it! Can't go wrong
there!

On warm days you can sit inside by a doorway
and get a blast of cool air. The outside is all
shadecloth if that's your thing.

Rancho is the place I take my out of town
visitors and have never been disappointed.

[disneymother]

Our favorites are Rancho Del Zocado, always good; French Market, the seating there is so nice; and Bengal Barbeque, something a little different than the other counter restaurants.

[DisneyLandMomma]

White Water Snacks - Grand Californian - Great quiet spot for lunch. Nachos and French Dip ROCK!

YUM YUM!! I agree...it's our new favorite place. The nachos are the BEST!! SOooo good.

[PhilHarHarMagic]

This is a very helpful thread! We're going in 3 weeks or so and there are several places I've never tried before.

Must....try....something....new!

[disneymama09]

Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, They have Pizza, but also suprisingly good Alfredo Pasta as WELL , I was shocked!!!!