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 have been twice and will be back this coming Sunday. We go once a year and love it. We have been 3 times for dinner, but the brunch “captures” us more. The restaurant is a bit quieter, the view spectacular and I love the live music. We are typically there two hours or more and consider it a decent value as a signature meal goes.
Never did V & A as DH would revolt at cost ….but CG Brunch has been hands down best…. by far meal at WDW
We’ve done the brunch twice now, and both times had the same server. The food is fantastic. The view is unparalleled. But this one server? She was just awful, both times. She was slow to get everything. Our entire meal took over two hours, and we missed out on some of the dessert spread because it was put away before we got done with the entrees. Our reservation was for 11:30 and we were literally the last people out, at nearly 2:00. I’d love to go back on a future trip, but I’m afraid we’d have to make a scene if we get the same server, so we probably won’t go back.
Not in the article, but from the comments, looks like it’s Sunday only?
My fiancé and I have reservations for brunch for our honeymoon in May and can’t wait! We are also doing Victoria and Alberts on our last night and are excited about that as well.
We experienced the brunch at the top in June. It wasn’t bad but it t wasn’t the awesome experience I had imagined. Our waitress was not friendly and rarely showed up.
Thanks for the review. Would love to go for a birthday or holiday. Now if only I can find a reservation for 2….
I’m sorry, but we had a terrible dining experience at California Grill this past summer. After years of reading extraordinary reviews for this place, we decided to use 2 table credits to eat dinner there (foregoing dinner another night at Hollywood Studios because that’s always a wise option). The steak was okay, if you like way too large a steak for one person, but it was much better than my teen daughter’s dinner there. She ordered a seafood pasta (not being a “steak” person). She did not like it, but trying to be respectful, didn’t say much except that it didn’t taste good. When we were near done, I tasted her dish & not only agreed with the awful taste, but it was also full of hard seafood shells! I could not believe that that would happen at a restaurant of this reputation, but it was at the end, so we let it go. Lastly, our meal was easily 2 hours or longer due to the slow service by our waiter. There was only one “how is everything” right after we were served. It’s pretty bad when 4 people are all playing on cell phones because they are waiting on the waiter for the check. As for our experience at California Grill, it was the worst out of any that we have ever had at Disney and I can’t believe that we wasted 2 table credits there – it wasn’t worth 1 and we won’t be back there to eat.
This is a PRIME EXAMPLE of why people should NOT hesitate to ask for a manager when their dinner (both food and/or service) are not to their liking. I used to wait tables. Now when I go to a restaurant, I make sure to speak up–politely,of course–when I’m not satisfied with something. Managers can’t help if they don’t know there’s a problem.
Exactly. The last time I ate at California Grill, my pork dish was dry, and I immediately had it sent it back for another one. Our waitress was more than accommodating with the request, and a few minutes later a perfect version showed up in front of me. For $55 to $60 a plate, the food has to be right. If it’s not, speak up until it is.
With that, while wait staffs’ service across WDW has been pretty consistent, kitchen staffs’ willingness to work around food allergies has gone downhill significantly over the last 10 years. Gone are the days of any restaurant’s chef coming to your table to speak with you personally, and happily work out an altered component of your requested dish (such as a sauce without garlic) . The last time I dined at Jiko (admittedly, a terrible place to dine when someone in your party has a garlic allergy), the chef seemed so annoyed with having to actually use his skills to create a different sauce. He did a great job in the end, but he wasn’t happy about it! I guess the sauce is the sauce at WDW now – take it or leave it.
I agree!
One of the most exquisite Sunday brunches I’ve ever enjoyed
Perfect food, service, ambiance
I spent 3 gorgeous hours there last December and look forward to doing it again this Dec
Love your reviews
We ate there last Sunday for my birthday. What a delicious meal! And I couldn’t believe we could see all the parks ; at dinner I just watch Magic Kingdom and have never looked out the other side of the restaurant. I was disappointed in myself for getting too full too fast. 4 days on the deluxe dining plan will do that to you! I loved the bourbon roll and ice cream dessert!
Is this typically difficult to book? After seeing your review, I was trying to book for our trip in January but all three sundays we are there say no availability.
It’s not that difficult. Almost looks like reservations haven’t been released yet for December and January. Hopefully they aren’t discontinuing the brunch!
This looks so good! I am now really bummed that we are arriving Sunday night, as we are testing out your saving-money-on-the-deluxe-dining-plan strategy, and this would have been a great use of two credits if we were arriving a day earlier. I want that Lobster Benedict soooo much. Also, I’m not sure how they do it, but you’re right that the service we had at CG for dinner was next level good–if only I could say the same for every signature restaurant.
Also, I completely agree with you that Ohana breakfast is ghastly. Runny scrambled eggs and soggy potatoes, with lighting too dim for decent pictures, made this disney-holic a sad panda.
How does it compare to Palo brunch on DCL?
It’s the same idea in terms of ambiance and experience, but the California Grill brunch is not as good as Palo brunch.
Loved this brunch when we went in 2016! Definitely the best meal of our trip. We were on DxDP and did multiple signature restaurants and this experience was by far the best. 🙂
Hello Tom, just wondering if you would still consider th California Grill brunch a good value if you don’t drink the mimosas?
It’s definitely not as good of a value, but I think it’s still good. Really depends upon what you eat at the buffet and order from the menu, too.
After not (not) reading this not pointless review, I’m wishing we had a Sunday to spend at WDW. Well written review and great pictures.
Love the California Grill. We just got home from WDW today (Mon) and had dinner there on Tuesday. Based on your review, Tom, next trip will be brunch!!! You’ve given me a great excuse for going there two trips in a row!! Thanks!
Omg this sounds amazing. I hope I can convince my husband to go sometime. 🙂
Because I think you will want to know, there is a typo in the second to last paragraph:
“We ended up eating these hours later at MCO, which was probably not the ideal scenario for evaluating they’re taste.” instead of “their taste”. You always have excellent grammar, so I mention it not to be snarky but because I think you (like I) would want to know. 🙂
Also, did you know we millenials are ruining napkins now? We really do ruin everything. Love your excellent humor as always! It really makes this blog stand out from the masses of Disney blogs and reviews.
Thanks as always for the burden of reviewing Disney meals! 😛
What’s the cot per person?
$80/adult, $49/child. Two ddp TS credits.
We got to experience this amazing meal for my birthday in December and I definitely might have shed a tear or two afterwards because it was that amazing. Our server was also fantastic and when we ordered our entrees he asked us if we liked steak and suggested that we get it to share on top of our two entrees that we ordered. Our reservations were at 11:30am and after eating the very leisurely meal and drinking all the mimosas we weren’t hungry for the rest of the day. We did some light snacking much later in the evening so while it was an expensive meal it was actually our cheapest day when it came to food during that trip.