California Grill Brunch at the Top Review
Brunch at the Top at California Grill is an all-you-can-eat meal with unlimited mimosas atop Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort with views of Magic Kingdom. In this review, we’ll share food photos from our meal, thoughts on whether it’s worth the money, and how brunch compares to other meals at Cali Grill. (Last updated January 26, 2019.)
In terms of basics, what’s true about dinner at California Grill is true of Brunch at the Top. As a Signature Restaurant, it will cost you two credits on the Disney Dining Plan. California Grill also accepts the Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount; AP/DVC members get 10% off, too. If you want to know how we’d enjoyed other meals here, read our California Grill Review or our Lounge at Cali Grill Review. Suffice to say, we’re fans of dinner, and think it has improved in the last few years.
As for how brunch at California Grill compares to dinner? There’s an obvious ‘apples to oranges’ challenge here, as brunch offers an all-you-can-eat buffet spread plus a la carte entree selections and unlimited mimosas whereas dinner is entirely a la carte. There were some really good–great, even–items available in California Grill’s brunch spread, but the best of these did not compare to the best of the dinner menu.
January 2019 Update: Sarah returned to California Grill for a “girl’s brunch” with a few friends. (I was not invited and instead had to subsist on frozen burritos from Trader Joe’s before foraging for food in Magic Kingdom–not that I’m bitter or anything.)
She and her friends ordered multiple entrees this time, an ‘aerial view’ of which is pictured below. Sarah shared that aside from a few seasonal changes to the buffet, everything remains as it was when we dined here last summer. It still remains one of the absolute best meals at Walt Disney World.
For us, California Grill’s brunch is the second-best dining experience we’ve had at Walt Disney World, behind only Victoria & Albert’s. Once you factor the nature of the meal, ambiance, price, and everything included, Brunch at the Top is very difficult to beat.
With regard to the Victoria & Albert’s comparison, it’s actually been a while since we’ve dined there, so we can’t offer a totally current assessment of that meal. We’ve heard absolutely nothing to suggest the quality has changed in any way, and it still wins awards and accolades, so it’s probably safe to assume.
Even so, Brunch at the Top is somewhat difficult to compare to Victoria & Albert’s. A big part of the appeal of California Grill’s brunch is that it’s sophisticated and refined, yet low-key and relaxed. It’s similar to Victoria & Albert’s in that it’s a departure from the normal Walt Disney World dining experience, yet almost at the other end of the spectrum in terms of ambiance and the nature of the meal.
If I had to choose one of the two meals, my pick would be Brunch at the Top. (Unless money were no issue, in which case I’m going nuts with all of the upgrades on the Victoria & Albert’s menu!) For what it is, Victoria & Albert’s is not particularly stuffy, but Brunch at the Top is still much more my speed.
Then again, we are millennials. To our people, brunch is an irresistible siren’s song that beacons with the promise of avocado toast, and California Grill provides the perfectly-relaxed setting for scheming about what we’ll ruin next. We millennials just love to ruin things. Or so I’m frequently told.
But I digress. We did Brunch at the Top on the last day of our Walt Disney World trip, and it was the perfect way to decompress and have a leisurely experience before heading home. It was almost like doing a land and sea trip, with the cruise after a week at Walt Disney World as a way to unwind.
Part of me is a bit apprehensive about making such an enthusiastic recommendation for Brunch at the Top. If I’ve learned any lesson in recent years, it’s that Walt Disney World has a tendency to ‘iterate’ on popular experiences that are high quality or good values until the only thing ‘high’ about them is the price. Look no further than Le Cellier 10+ years ago versus today for that.
Perhaps I should take solace in the fact that many of you don’t trust my opinions or taste. Before you race off to make an Advance Dining Reservation for Brunch at the Top, remember that I’m the same reviewer who showers praise on Country Bear Jamboree and pans breakfast at ‘Ohana. I’m definitely wrong about California Grill’s brunch, and you should totally go to Chef Mickey’s instead.
Now that we’ve established that the rest of this review is pointless because no one should go to Brunch at the Top under any circumstances whatsoever and instead enjoy the glorious cuisine of Chef Mickey’s (California Grill’s brunch is nearly the same cost and doesn’t even have Pluto preparing the food!), let’s set the stage for the experience you will (not) have when you (don’t) go to this brunch…
Upon taking the elevator up to California Grill, you’ll be greeted by a host who will hand you a mimosa or specialty non-alcoholic beverage, either of which are included in the brunch’s price. Throughout the meal, you can order additional unlimited mimosas or other drinks, which are also included. You read that correctly: unlimited alcohol at Walt Disney World.
Across from the mimosa station, you’ll see musicians performing beautiful renditions of Disney music (both attractions and films) as well as playful mixes of non-Disney favorites. “Africa” by Toto and “Grim Grinning Ghosts” were hits with guests at our meal.
You’ll then walk to your table, noticing along the way the light and airy daytime atmosphere of California Grill. Perhaps you’ll wonder why a restaurant with such a prime location and floor to ceiling windows mostly operates when it’s dark out. (It had been over a decade since we last had an earlier seating at California Grill, and I almost forgot how great the restaurant looks with natural lighting.)
Shortly after being seated, your waiter will arrive, and offer a tour of the buffet. They will explain some of the choices, their favorites, and that sort of thing. The server will also bring out additional drinks and take your entree order (this is something of a hybrid meal).
It’s difficult to convey in writing, but for us, this really set the tone for what would be an incredibly fun meal. The drinks, music, bright setting, a staggering buffet spread, our server’s friendliness–all of it–had us excited before we tasted anything. We had high expectations going in thanks to feedback from friends who had done the brunch, but this took our hype to the next level.
Thankfully, Brunch at the Top delivered on the hype. For my first round, I opted for sushi, selecting a mix of maki rolls and nigiri.
Normally, we prefer nigiri to rolls. The nigiri here was just fine, though. The cuts were a bit on the lean side, and not quite as rich or flavorful as we hoped. Still good, and adding a bit of wasabi helped. The rolls were surprisingly good, and I returned to the buffet a couple of times for more of these.
Next, it was time for the charcuterie spread. And wow, what a spread it was. Highlights included Napoli Salami, Serrano, Wagyu Sausage, Venison Terrine, Pork Belly Rillettes, Toscana Salami, Prosciutto, Tillamook Cheddar, Barely Buzzed Beehive Cheese, and Point Reyes Blue.
I had multiple plates of charcuterie, and was very pleased with the selection. It definitely wasn’t on par with the likes of Palo, but it far surpassed what you’ll find at any other buffet at Walt Disney World.
After that, it was time for more sushi, deviled eggs, parfait, some surprisingly good salad, and more. I don’t recall everything we had, but it’s not like you need a play by play on the meal.
There were also an assortment of breads, which I’m sure were high-quality and house-made, but you clearly do not know me if you think I touched bread on a buffet. That’s like getting fruit or vegetables–you don’t want to let the house win!
We made several more rounds to the buffet before the realization set in that we were getting really full and had still yet to order our entrees. After seeing a few gorgeous plates of it pass by our table, I opted for the Grilled Hanger Steak.
This was fantastic–a breakfast steak rivaling what just about any non-Signature restaurant at Walt Disney World is serving for lunch or dinner. My cut was tender, and the chimichurri sauce provided depth and a mild kick. When perusing the menu, I was concerned it might be there to mask a subpar cut of meat, but that most certainly was not the case.
Sarah ordered the Maine Lobster Eggs Benedict. Also fantastic, and topped with a generous portion of lobster. I personally preferred the steak, but both were really good.
Although we don’t normally comment on service in restaurant reviews since it’s hit or miss, I do want to pause here to note that our service here was exquisite. Attentive would be an understatement, as our server anticipated what we’d want and even offered to preemptively address a very minor problem later in the meal (so minor that I wouldn’t have even said anything). She was truly fantastic.
The meal concluded with a beautiful selection of desserts, which we got boxed for the road. We ended up eating these hours later at MCO, which was probably not the ideal scenario for evaluating they’re taste. They were still pretty good; very high quality stuff.
Ultimately, California Grill’s brunch is an experience that will not disappoint. While the price might induce some sticker shock, we view this as a good value as compared to other Signature Restaurants. At dinner, you’ll easily pay as much or more for a meal, and won’t have access to unlimited alcohol, sushi, or fine meats and cheeses. With that said, it’s easy to focus on these “unlimited” components to the meal to evince its value or quality, but that’s only one part of the equation. The atmosphere here is something special, with the rarified quality of California Grill cut with a “chill” vibe. Brunch at the Top just feels like a different dining experience than other Signature meals at Walt Disney World, and it’s all the better for that.
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Your Thoughts
Are you a fan of California Grill? Have you done Brunch at the Top? Do you agree or disagree with our take on the meal? Is Brunch at the Top something you’d like to do on an upcoming Walt Disney World trip? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We definitely (don’t) have reservations for brunch in two weeks and I am absolutely (not) looking forward to going! It makes it even better that we have dinner there the night before, that’s like winning the California Grill lottery! However, we do have slinky dog dash after brunch so that should be fun after all the mimosas!
well you’ve convinced me that I want to go here for our anniversary trip in October! However there are no reservations available. Is there a phone number so I can get on a waiting list?
Also, I’ve read elsewhere that you can bring your receipt back in the evening to view the fireworks from the balcony. Does this also apply to Halloween party fireworks? It would be neat to be able to see them since we aren’t doing the separate Halloween party admission.
Reservations aren’t wait listed here. Just keep checking. I’ve gotten them as soon as a week before. People always cancel.
And yes! Keep your receipt and you can return that evening for the fireworks! Just keep in mind that HalloWishes is usually around 10p.
My comment is a simple observation. From the photos in the article it did not seem that there were a lot of guests at that this dining location. Was it the positioning of your photos, or were there really not that many guests in this location?
I love brunch, and I love the Cali grill, but I’m having a difficult time understanding why this meal costs $80.. are the a la carte plates unlimited too and are there unlimited non-alcoholic drinks?
I love brunch, and I love the Cali grill, but I’m having a difficult time understanding why this meal costs $80.. are the a la carte plates unlimited too and are there unlimited non-alcoholic drinks?
You can order more than one entree. Also, the mimosas are bottomless.
California Grill Brunch is the meal I am most excited about on our first trip to WDW later this year…and it happens to fall on my husband’s birthday, so what better way to celebrate! May I ask what time your reservation was for? We definitely want a window table (there’s 4 of us) and I have 10:15am reservations for a 10am opening. I hope that gets us a good seat!
Also – “I don’t recall everything we had, but it’s not like you need a play by play on the meal.”…um YES WE DO! I love finding CG Brunch reviews online and looking over photos.
Love your page, btw. I’m a first time commenter but a lurker since I began researching WDW last December. Thanks for the constant, updated content!
Love, love, love California Grill for any meal. Like you, brunch here is my second favorite dining experience on property. The Chef’s Table at Victoria and Albert’s takes the top spot. We typically visit WDW 6-8 times a year and California Grill is on the list at least twice per trip with one of the reservations being brunch. It has been fantastic every single time in terms of both food and service.
Signed,
Another Country Bear Fan.
Never have done V&A but have done Brunch at the Top and LOVED it. First ressie I made for our upcoming Sept. trip; we too like to enjoy this our last day; couple mimosas eases the pain of MCO 🙂
“Perhaps I should take solace in the fact that many of you don’t trust my opinions or taste. ”
This made literally LOL!
Tom you hit on all of the points that make the California Grill Brunch my favorite dining experience on property. Although I’ve yet to experience V&A and can imagine the two aren’t really comparable anyway.
The brunch is a must-do for us on every visit to WDW now. I’ve done it more than once and the experience has been consistent every time. The last was in January and I’m glad to hear that it’s still up to par (especially coming from you). I go for the hangar steak as well and haven’t deviated from it although next time I may. Glad you enjoyed it.
We are obsessed with California Grill and brunch is the best time to go!! We have gone 3 times its 6 months; its the best way to celebrate a rundisney race!! Ha or a bad mistake after running 13 miles when you can drink all the mimosas you want, and then end up taking a 3 hour nap. We’ve had both amazing and average servers and if we hadn’t been before the average server would have ruined the experience.
This is on my must do list. We haven’t managed to find a reservation yet, but I’m hopeful we will get on (we have until December to find one). When you say unlimited alchohol, is that just the mimosas, or does that include their mixed drinks? Unlimited mimosas seems perfectly generous, but they do have a couple of mixed drinks that sound tasty as well. Thanks for the review!
Unlimited alcohol only includes the mimosas and glasses of champagne. The specialty cocktails and bloody Mary bar costs extra.
We were on the dining plan they let us get the Bloody Mary bar as the included DP drink!
Yes, yes! My wife and I have attended brunch on our last 2 visits to WDW and have never been disappointed. We are huge charcuterie fans and this is definitely the best you are going to get on property. The combination of atmosphere and food is really great here. On our first visit it was actually in “test” mode and we filled out a survey after our meal with highly positive reviews and a bit worried that they wouldn’t keep it running, but super happy that it’s getting good feedback. We have a reservation on our upcoming trip and very excited!
You had me on Africa by Toto.
Yesss thank you for this review! We have an ADR in September and I am so excited (being a millennial too)… my only worry was that until now it didn’t have the Bricker stamp of approval.
So excited to see another positive review of the brunch. The dinner at California Grill is my hands down favorite, but for my upcoming trip hubby and I are forgoing dinner for the brunch. I’m not much of a brunch person (the horror!), but it looks so amazing I’m going to give it a try.
I’d been wondering when we’d see a brunch review on the site. I’m glad to see your ranking for #’s 1 & 2 match mine. So far we’ve had Crispy-fried Chicken Thigh, Vanilla Bean French Toast, & Eggs Benedict. I’ll queue up the Hanger Steak on our September trip. We enjoy this so much we have reservations for all three Sundays that we’re there.
You highlight the service as being terrific, and I’ll second that. We’ve requested the same server each visit (Jason), but I’ve paid attention to the rest of the folks working the tables and I can say that they’re almost as attentive. It’s rare enough to not be rushed through a meal, but the staff seems to genuinely want you to take your time and they go out of their way to make sure you have a superior experience.
I was there and did. It have the experience you had at all. In fact the lobster Benedict was over cooked and bland. We did not get a tour of the buffet and had a table not far from us who had a server who got them loud and rowdy. The buffet wasn’t well stocked and the flavors were incredibly bland. This was a complete waste of not just two credits but my time as well. We had dinner there as well and the flavors were bland. The table service stopped when the fireworks started and it really took one hour to go from appetizers to the main course. My opinion is that it’s a great way to see fireworks but don’t waste your time eating there!
That first sentence should read “I was there and did not have the same experience you had at all.” Sorry for the horrible grammar!
Were there any kids there? I have reservation for my birthday next month and I have a fairly well behaved 6 year old, but also a 14 month old toddler who is therefore unpredictable.
I really want to go but I don’t want to be that person with the loud kid. It doesn’t matter at chef mickeys, 93% of the people there have a loud kid
I wouldn’t worry about the 14 month old. If it gets particularly rough, the outdoor fireworks viewing area would probably work for recomposing (weather permitting). The atmosphere when I’ve been there is leisurely paced…I can see taking time away from the table as being tough on the pacing at other restaurants on property, but my experience at brunch suggests that you would be fine.
From what I’ve seen you can also order multiple entrees, should you choose. Did you notice if this seemed to be the case? Thanks for the post!
I believe that’s the case, but we didn’t test it. We made the (foolish, in hindsight) decision to eat a lot at the buffet and weren’t all that hungry come entree time.
I’m already plotting a mulligan on this meal–hopefully around Christmas-time to see if they do any seasonal dishes or desserts!
Yes me and my wife each ordered an entree and then we ordered a third to share.
Yes, you can. I ordered a dish I didn’t care for, so the waiter was very clear in letting me know I could order whatever I wanted. My 2nd entree was delish, and I filled up on that, but my husband then decided to also try a 2nd entree.