Flame Tree BBQ Review
Flame Tree BBQ is the best Counter Service restaurant in Animal Kingdom. Actually, it’s right up there with Sunshine Seasons and Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe as the best Counter Service restaurant in Walt Disney World.
It’s no secret that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is my least favorite of the United States Disney theme parks (long story made short: its theming is great, but is no substitute for substance, which DAK severely lacks). Heck, I even prefer Typhoon Lagoon to it! That said, Flame Tree BBQ is one of the real highlights of the park, and a restaurant I’ll rarely pass up if Sarah will let us eat there.
I love Flame Tree BBQ for a number of reasons, but reason #1 is Smoked Specialty #1. The 1/2 Slab of St. Louis Ribs, served with baked beans and coleslaw. At over $10, it’s the most expensive menu item, but it’s seriously better than some Table Service meals we’ve had at Walt Disney World, and absolutely worth the money. Flame Tree BBQ might as well not even have any other menu items, because there’s really no point in ordering anything besides the ribs (okay, in all fairness, I’ve never tried anything besides the ribs, but they’re so good that I can’t bring myself to order anything else.
If a delicious plate of smoked meat isn’t enough to propel this restaurant to the top of your Disney’s Animal Kingdom “Must Do” list, then dine at Flame Tree BBQ for the amazing details of the restaurant and the ambiance. If you’ve dined at Flame Tree BBQ before, you might be thinking, “ambiance?” as that’s what I would have said until recently participating in the Great Disney Scavenger Hunt, which included several Flame Tree BBQ questions.
As a result, I noticed the very morbid predator-prey motif of the restaurant that is carried out throughout the seating area, and is really cool–and even subtle in places. It’s interesting to think about the Guest’s place in the whole process, especially as you essentially become an active part of the Circle of Life in a restaurant actively hinting at that circle.
The great ambiance doesn’t stop there, as the secluded dining area also offers great views of Expedition Everest across Discovery River. Eating an early or late lunch in this seating area is especially enjoyable and tranquil, and really takes you away from the hustle and bustle of being in a Disney theme park. With the abundant jungle foliage and real-looking mountain across the water, it feels like anything but a theme park eating-area!
Overall, Flame Tree BBQ is the full experience. A flagship menu item that everyone (even vegetarians!) will enjoy, and additional menu items that are probably excellent as well. Wonderful ambiance and views, and intricately understated theming. All of this combines to make Flame Tree BBQ one of the top Walt Disney World Counter Service restaurants, and to give Sunshine Seasons a serious run for its money as the best counter service restaurant!
Overall Score on the Disney Dining Brick-o-meter: 10/10
What do you think of Flame Tree BBQ? Best counter service at Walt Disney World? Share your thoughts in the comments!
7 Responses to “Flame Tree BBQ Review”
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I think we found Flame Tree BBQ the first time we visited Animal Kingdom, and we’ve never seen the need to even consider trying anywhere else in the park (although we only eat one meal in AK per trip, so it’s not like we’re spending a ton of time in this park)…
This is the ONLY place to eat in the AK as far as I’m concerned. If you ever feel like eating something that won’t require you to bathe before touching your camera, try the pulled pork sandwich. It’s huge and delicious…although I understand not being able to pull yourself away from a favorite…the idea of ordering anything other than the cookie ice cream sandwich at Sleepy Hollow for example is blasphemy.
I agree. Definitely the best place to eat counter service at WDW. We’ve found that for 3 of us a good deal is to get the half-chicken plate and the fruit plate. Keep in mind it’s not your average fruit plate of canned or mass pre cut fruit. You get actual slices of cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, pineapple, orange, and some grapes plus a yogurt dipping sauce. So with all that plus the half of a chicken and the sides with it it’s a great meal to share. I think one time when we added a fourth person to the deal, they got the kid’s chicken drumstick plate with the fruit/veggie options and was satisfied enough that we didn’t need to share any of the rest of the food with them.
Good article Tom. I agree that Flame Tree Barbeque is very good especially since there are very few barbeque places where I live. Regarding the AK itself, I admit to being a huge defender of the park and on my last trip to WDW in December 2008, I went there five days out of my six day trip. I understand to an extent the “lack of substance” argument but I feel Epcot has this same problem, especially in World Showcase where its basically all dining and shopping around the American Adventure. To each his own though.
My other complaint is that large portions of DAK are a glorified zoo. Disney has disputed this, even launching the “nah-ta-zu” campaign. The thing is…if it really didn’t closely resemble a zoo, that marketing wouldn’t have been necessary in the first place. To me, the fact that they have to market it as “not a zoo” is a tacit admission is that it’s strikingly similar to a zoo.
As for Epcot, World Showcase is only half of the park. If that were the entire park, I’d agree with you. But it’s not.
Flame Tree is indeed amazing! As for Animal Kingdom, it is great for my 5 year old. He really loves it but if it weren’t for him, I’d probably skip it and head for Epcot more days. There is some great stuff there and I have learned to like it much more than I had originally.
Absolutely always eat at Flame Tree when at Animal Kingdom. Actually it is the only place we eat at Animal Kingdom. Food has always been good and to me the value also.