Overrated Table Service Restaurants at Disney World for 2024
Walt Disney World has many great restaurants that are very popular, and a few popular restaurants that aren’t so great. This list of overrated table service restaurants at Walt Disney World for 2024 takes a look at ones that are worse than their reputation or hype might suggest. (Updated December 20, 2023.)
It’s not easy to define what makes a restaurant overrated. In our view, Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) availability, pricing, and cuisine quality are big factors. Equally significant is uniqueness–if a particular restaurant brings nothing special to the table and is surpassed by similarly-situated counterparts that are less popular, cheaper, or serve better food, it’s more likely to be overrated.
The important thing to underscore is that “overrated” and “bad” are not synonyms. There are plenty of notorious restaurants at Walt Disney World with deservedly poor reputations. Those are just bad–not overrated. At least, that’s our perspective on what makes for an overrated Walt Disney World table service restaurant. Not all of the restaurants on this overrated list are universally beloved, but all of them aren’t as good as the consensus suggests.
Obviously, this is highly subjective and not even remotely scientific, but at least it comes with identifiable criteria considering restaurants overrated. Believe me, it was very difficult to resist my impulse to simply bash restaurants that I dislike. That’s one reason why this list was more difficult to put together than our Underrated Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World.
There are several restaurants at Walt Disney World that I do not like for one reason or another. While it’s tempting to pile on to Rainforest Cafe, Tutto Italia, Planet Hollywood, Rose & Crown, Paddlefish, or Crystal Palace (to name a few), I’m not sure it’s fair to call any of those overrated.
That would imply that the consensus on them is positive, and I just don’t think that’s true anymore. If anything, I might still be including a couple restaurants on this list that are no longer highly-hyped. Time has passed them by as Walt Disney World fans have moved on to greener pastures.
To that point, Be Our Guest Restaurant is not overrated over one decade after it debuted. For one thing, it is the place that Walt Disney World fans love to hate. It may have been overrated, but that’s not even remotely the case now. Advance Dining Reservations are much easier, and if you ask 100 random fans their opinion on Be Our Guest, you will get more than 50 negative responses and fewer than 25 positive ones.
If anything, Be Our Guest Restaurant is now underrated. There’s far more hate than hype for it, and people pile-on to an extreme degree that, in our opinion, is not warranted by the actual quality of the cuisine or atmosphere of the restaurant. But I know I’m not winning any friends with my defenses of Be Our Guest Restaurant, so I’ll just cut that short before I lose too many of you!
There are actually several restaurants that, contrary to popular Walt Disney World fan sentiment, are not overrated. So stay tuned for an “unpopular opinion” list of restaurants you (as a community, not you as the individual reader) think are overrated but actually are enjoyable for the ambiance, theme, or cuisine.
But even this explainer is now tangential to the topic of the post, so let’s cut to the chase and start listing some Walt Disney World’s table service restaurants that we think are overrated…
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop – This is one of two modestly priced meals we were on the fence about including, with the other being Plaza Restaurant. Both used to be recommended for having entrees at counter service prices, but are now an upwards of $20.
The difference, and why Plaza Restaurant escapes inclusion, is the competition. In Magic Kingdom, there are no good alternatives at or around that price point. You’ll spend less for something inferior or much more for something superior. By contrast, Beaches & Cream is surrounded by great dining at a range of price points. Even with that said, Beaches & Cream does have a couple of tasty entrees (and I’d happily remove the restaurant from this list if they’d just bring back the Patty Melt and Pork Belly Cuban Sandwich).
Then there’s the ice cream, which is literally just Edy’s. That’s right–the ice cream so many Walt Disney World fans absolutely adore could be purchased in bulk at Sam’s Club for like $5. Don’t get us wrong, the novelty shakes are a ton of fun, and we’re suckers for a No Way Jose or Kitchen Sink, but the hype is too much. There are superior scoop shops all around Walt Disney World, including a short walk away in Epcot’s France pavilion.
Chef Mickey’s (Dinner Only) – Chef Mickey’s is overrated for its dinner buffet–meaning it’s fine for breakfast. If you’re fine with quantity instead of quality, you should be fine. To be clear, that’s not quantity over quality–it’s instead of, as there’s no quality to speak of. The ingredients are cheap, dishes are bland and flavorless, and just generally low-quality. It’s among the worst food you’ll find anywhere at Walt Disney World–even by buffet standards–almost inexplicably bad. Adding insult to injury, it’s really expensive.
The normal breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey’s is a different experience. To be sure, it’s still not the pinnacle of the culinary arts, but it’s perfectly satisfactory. The kind of quantity over quality breakfast you’d expect from a buffet. Our memories of Chef Mickey’s at breakfast are fond; it’s generally a good experience that also costs less. Both meals are overpriced given the cuisine, but there’s something to be said for the experience of these characters in their culinary costumes before a day in Magic Kingdom.
Le Cellier Steakhouse – How the times change. A decade ago, this would have been a highly controversial pick. Then, Le Cellier was a great value on the Disney Dining Plan, while offering some excellent appetizers and good (albeit slightly over-buttered and over-salted) cuts of meat. It was almost impossible to land an Advance Dining Reservation at Le Cellier.
Over time, buzz increased and reservations became more difficult to land. Disney made changes to the Dining Plan and, eventually, to Le Cellier’s status at dinner. Finally, Le Cellier became a two-credit restaurant for lunch, too, making it a full-time Signature Restaurant. It also moved to a lunch/dinner menu, removing many cheaper options that were popular with those paying out of pocket.
By now, I think the perception of Le Cellier has soured with many Walt Disney World fans. Nevertheless, it remains a difficult ADR even as many steakhouses in or around Epcot have ample availability. On that basis, Le Cellier remains overrated despite not being as overrated as before. It’s still a good restaurant with some solid options, just not deserving of its enduring popularity or price points.
Chefs de France – Another World Showcase entry joins Le Cellier on the list of overrated restaurants. Although Chefs de France never had the same buzz as Le Cellier, it has had high price points and enjoyed popularity thanks to relatively approachable and crowd-pleasing cuisine.
The only problem? It’s overpriced, pedestrian, and like the fourth best dining option in the France pavilion. Actually, it’s the fifth best if there’s a festival happening that has a moderately-good menu–so pretty much always! It doesn’t help that the restaurant is always chaotic and there’s no atmosphere to speak of–it’s a get people in and out as quickly as possible kind of place that focuses on efficiency over experience.
This is probably going to be a controversial pick, but we just don’t think Chefs de France lives up to the hype, and we’ve had eerily similar meals from Costco’s premade bulk meals. (In fairness, those were very good, but frozen food shouldn’t compare to one of World Showcase’s most popular restaurants.)
Hollywood Brown Derby – There are two restaurants from Disney’s Hollywood Studios that we routinely see Walt Disney World fans call overrated: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater and 50’s Prime Time Cafe. Neither of them made this list. This comes down to both not really being rated that highly (if so many people hate them, it’s tough to say they’re overrated) and, frankly, fans missing the point. Disney is best at atmosphere and theme, so if a restaurant excels at those things, it’s deserving of praise.
Instead, our first of two picks for overrated restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the Brown Derby. This is a tough one, and even as I write this, I’m ready for it to have a redemption arc. It pains me to see Brown Derby, a restaurant we once loved, on this list. However, our last couple of meals here have been bad. Low quality dishes poorly prepared in small portion sizes at astronomical prices.
It seems like Brown Derby’s reputation as the “fancy” restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has made it more popular and is resting on its laurels as a result. Regardless, we’d rather dine at any of the the table service restaurants at DHS–including the next entry–before overpaying for another mediocre meal at Brown Derby.
Toy Story Roundup Rodeo BBQ – Two years from now, Roundup Rodeo BBQ probably won’t make this list. But as of 2024, it still will due to having that new toy-restaurant smell. Reviews among Walt Disney World fans haven’t exactly been glowing, and word has already gotten out that Roundup Rodeo BBQ is not great.
There are a number of reasons Toy Story Land’s new restaurant doesn’t live up to the hype. For one, it’s not a character restaurant nor is it Pizza Planet–two things just about every Toy Story fan would’ve preferred. Beyond that, it’s essentially a windowless warehouse, with atmosphere that’s loud and chaotic (unsurprisingly, given the target audience).
On the food front, there’s both bad and good at Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Quality is generally about on par with Regal Eagle Smokehouse, a counter service restaurant at Epcot. Even with the good items, you’ll likely notice that Roundup Rodeo BBQ is more about quantity than quality. All in all, Roundup Rodeo BBQ is an enjoyable restaurant in Toy Story Land for families wanting a place to eat unlimited crowd-pleasing cuisine while immersed in characters from the movies, and having fun in the process. Anyone without young children should stay far away.
Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’Â – We’ve enjoyed every meal we’ve had at Homecomin.’ We’ve met Chef Art Smith there on several occasions, and he seems like a great guy who really cares about his guests and the quality of the food being served to them. From those experiences, I can understand why Homecomin’ routinely ranks as the #1 restaurant at Disney Springs in fan polls.
But c’mon. In a place with Jaleo, The Boathouse, Morimoto Asia, STK, and Raglan Road, it’s very difficult to crown a comfort food spot #1. There is just so much ambitious and envelope-pushing cuisine at Disney Springs, whereas Homecomin’ is serving up fried chicken, doughnuts, country fried steak, short rib, and other such specialties.
Don’t misinterpret this: Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ is very good for what it is, and we enjoy it! Again, “overrated” and “bad” are not synonyms. We’re not trying to troll or stir up controversy…we’re just saying that maybe Homecomin’ is not best-of-class and its legion of diehard fans make it out to be more than it actually is.
If this selection made you mad, you probably aren’t going to love our choice for this list’s final entry, either…
‘Ohana – Our most recent review of ‘Ohana encapsulates the emotional highs and lows of a meal at this beloved restaurant far better than a couple of paragraphs in this run-down. In a nutshell, ‘Ohana is a Walt Disney World institution for good reason–but that reason is not the food. It’s also not the prices. Or its ease of booking.
For many longtime Walt Disney World fans, revisiting ‘Ohana is an emotional experience evoking all sorts of nostalgia and fond memories. There’s also something to be said for the actual atmosphere, with the fireworks, views of Cinderella Castle, and Electrical Water Pageant. Then there’s the communal energy and vibe that yes, in fact, ‘Ohana does mean family.Â
Given all of that, we can hardly fault Walt Disney World fans who love ‘Ohana. We love ‘Ohana! However, our love for ‘Ohana is based more on the idea of the restaurant as it exists in our hearts and fond memories of past experiences. Trying to untangle that from today’s actual ‘Ohana experience is messy, but to the extent that we can, our perspective is that present-day ‘Ohana is overrated. If we were first-timers visiting Walt Disney World, booking ‘Ohana based on all of the recommendations, we’d leave scratching our heads, wondering what all the hype is about. Walt Disney World first-timers, eat at Sebastian’s Bistro instead of ‘Ohana. Trust us on that.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Which Walt Disney World table service restaurants would you consider overrated? Do you agree or disagree with our list? 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!
Would be helpful to list location for each restaurant.
I just wanted to cry about everything even though I’ll keep going. You know, so I got in with the crowd. Y’all are terrible. Go somewhere else already
So correct with ‘Ohana. Years of breaking bread with different family members built into the idea of ‘Ohana rather than the actual product. Mediocre food held up by powerful memories.
Chef de France is a most worthy inclusion in this list. Last time we ate there the food was so disappointing and nearing grossly bland that we decided to never go back. We always speak to the chef because of food allergies and the last time he wasn’t French like all the times before….
Chefs de France seems to be the quintessential Epcot Restaurant, and yet we have never dined there despite visiting Epcot twice a year for over a decade. You know what’s actually a much cooler experience than people give it credit for? Biergarten.
@Mitch – Yes!! My family adores Biergarten. It’s especially enjoyable for lunch in the summer months, when the dark, “nighttime” vibe is a sharp contrast to the burning sun and humidity outdoors.
For those who don’t visit often or for the first time, it’s the experience. Sure, I can find better restaurants outside of Disney, but that’s not the point. For folks that visit often you may have stagnated your expectations. Lastly, if you’re worried about the cost then eat somewhere else. We have to remember that we endured COVID, inflation, and a whole host of other things. Just enjoy it for what it is. Nothing is perfect.
I have to agree with most of the restaurants, especially Le Celliar. Definitely overrated. Used to be good, but better options in WDW.
I miss Ample Hills. That is all.
Agreed. That place was amazing
Downfall of dining was the dining plan which obliterated care in preparation and quality. The masses arrived for free dining and portions went wonky.
The double credits elevated the cash price.
Meanwhile most meals aren’t prepared with more than Olive Garden standards.
All the while they increased lunch prices to be the same as dinner.
Of course, there is no senior menu for smaller portions so the waste is incredible.
They never ask people, they just do stuff.
I would now add the Cape May Restaurant. The best thing about that Buffett was the crab legs. Now being you will have to upwards of $30.00 to add the crab legs to an already expensive subpar menu there is no reason to go back to the location we visited two to four times a year and recommend to everyone. The menu would not even draw me with free dining credits. RIP Cape May.
I would absolutely add Be Our Guest to the list. I’ve been a few times and while I enjoyed the older version of lunch a lot, the pre-fix is not worth it, especially in the ballroom which feels like a cafeteria.
I agree on adding Be Our Guest in it’s current form to the list.
@Jason, add me to the Be Our Guest petition. I loved the original lunch experience, The breakfast there is offensively bad, though, and I can’t find value in the new lunch set up.
This list makes perfect sense to me. As Tom so often points out, your mileage may vary on this topic. I’ve been fortunate to live in NYC and the surrounding area for most of my life, where it’s always been possible to find a wide variety of high quality dining options, spanning all price ranges. My in-laws live in an area where Applebee’s and Olive Garden are the special occasion restaurants. They perceived ‘Ohana to be the most interesting meal of the decade, whereas I was angry about being charged a fortune for cold lo mein and dry meats.
I totally agree about Ohana. I would add Flying Fish. Both had mediocre food and career waitstaff who got the job done in a business-like way. Not a comfortable, relaxed, welcoming experience.
Our experience at Flying Fish was the complete opposite. Lovely atmosphere, excellent food, very relaxing. Excellent service.Loved it.
I would give Flying Fish another chance. We just went last week (after its reopening) and had a terrific dinner — the scallops were the standout. Our waiter was even the nephew of the gentleman who did the beautiful woodwork there and we had excellent service.
Interesting list. We haven’t eaten at Chef’s De France in ~10 years. We went during free dining, making it a good option for value-per-dining-credit and I recall having some very good beef tenderloin there. But again, it’s been 10 years.
Please give crystal palaces revamped lunch buffet a chance! Our party really enjoyed it (minus the need to label most dishes at Walt’s favorites). It was so nice being able to eat there for the cheapest it’s been in several years because of the lack of characters. We followed the filling lunch on a hot day with a ride on the people mover to relax and it was an incredible 1 + 2 punch. (I would not vouch for crystal palace pre Covid)
My parents ate at Crystal Palace in January and said it’s better than it’s been for years – maybe a decade! (The grandkids loved them some Pooh.)
My personal take is that the Plaza Restaurant may still underrated if reservations are still easy to get with plenty of walk ups (things may have changed, of course). In addition, Hollywood and Vine’s special meals are so much better than the regular meals, and some people get confused and overrate the regular meals. DO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE!
We were at Tusker House a few weeks ago and thought the food and service were excellent. We also disagree with the comment about the lack of diverse cuisine. There was a good variety of cuisine and use of spices, etc.; we literally enjoyed every bite of every variety of dish that came out. Compared to Hollywood & Vine (which we went to in December), the food at both were on par with one another with H&V maybe only slightly better. We were actually a bit nervous booking Tusker House because it seemed to be the most available relative to others (and maybe a sign that it’s not good); I’m glad we went. We just booked it again for April. Completely agree about Chef Mickey’s though. The food is not great but edible, definitely a waste of money.
I think the thing is that Tusker house *used* to have genuine African foods, buffet style, which apparently is no longer the case. We’re adventurous eaters and it was so nice to have something unique and with characters. Now, for cuisine, sounds like Saana might be a better bet for the flavor.
I completely agree on Chefs de France. I don’t think it is good at all. I’ve had the worst wine of my life there; completely undrinkable. And what kind of French restaurant serves cafeteria style pats of butter?
You sure it wasn’t dish water instead.
I would definitely add Be Our Guest to this list. We loved it when it first opened, but it very quickly became a rushed, chaotic experience where families are rushed through as quickly as possible to make room for the enormous crowds of people waiting outside for more than an hour past their reservation time. The noise level was so uncomfortable the last time we were there that we walked out before ordering. And the food is just OK.
IMO, overrated restaurants include: Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table. Both are overpriced, have mediocre food, mediocre food selection and guests are rushed through their meals. Jungle Navigation. This used to be a top choice; but food quality has deteriorated since re-opening (probably cost cutting). Narcoossee’s. This used to be our favorite signature restaurant. Since re-opening, food quality, food selection and service have gone downhill. Agree with your Le Cellier and Chefs de France picks. Both used to be high on our list; but again, recent visits were disappointing. One other disappointment: since re-opening, Disney has replaced great fish selections at several (but not all) restaurants with much lower quality fish selections for the same or higher price.
So, was the not mentioned hard-to-get-reservations-for restaurant Cinderella’s Royal Table or Space 220?
Genie+ is awful and Disney stinks.
I totally agree have been going to Disney since 1970s. They are money hungry now. Slowly getting rid of free perks like fast pass free shuttle from airport, free parking at the resorts. Price going up quality going down. $6000 for a family of four to stay 2 nights at the Star War hotel , or $1000 gold Mickey hat. Seriously? No thanks but people obviously will pay it because they had their best quarter. Just not me.