Top 10 Disney World Table Service Restaurants
Walt Disney World has tons of table service restaurants, and this list ranks the 10 best in 2022. We’ve done all of the top dining in Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, resorts, Disney Springs, plus third-party hotels in Orlando, Florida–these are our favorites. With so many great options, it’s difficult to narrow down this list! (Updated September 18, 2022.)
Solid choices that didn’t make the cut include Hollywood Brown Derby, Boma – Flavors of Africa, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Morimoto Asia, Jaleo, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, Raglan Road, STK, and Skipper Canteen. Several of these are excellent, and we wouldn’t fault anyone for including them in their personal top 10 lists.
Frankly, over half of this list could be dominated by Disney Springs restaurants, which tend to offer better quality and value as they compete with real world dining options. Beyond that, restaurants in resorts tend to outperform those in the parks, with the exception of a few locations in EPCOT’s World Showcase (two of which–Takumi Tei and Monsieur Paul–are still closed as of Fall 2022).
It’s also worth noting that these rankings revolve around cuisine rather than theme. Many Walt Disney World fan-favorite restaurants, including some that we absolutely adore, have been “snubbed” from this top 10 list as a result. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t great options, especially for families. (See our Top 10 Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World for the most fun, family-friendly, and unique dining options.)
Below is a brief synopsis why each restaurant makes this top 10 list of Walt Disney World table service restaurants for 2022. Click the restaurant name for our full review of each restaurant. Okay, let’s take a look at which Walt Disney World restaurants made the cut…
T10. Sebastian’s Bistro – This sleeper pick at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is easy to access from the Skyliner, yet still flies under the radar of most Walt Disney World fans. The new family style service at Sebastian’s Bistro holds its own and offers exceptional quality on par with traditional table service dining.
It’s arguably the best buffet or family-style meal, right up there with Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Far superior to Cape May Cafe, Tusker House, and (sorry) even ‘Ohana. That’s all without even taking cost or value for money into account. Sebastian’s Bistro completely trounces both on that front. We had over $100 worth of food based upon the previous a la carte menu prices. All for ~$60. The tremendous value has made ADRs a bit more competitive, but it’s an exceptional pick.
T10. Tiffins – A tribute to the explorations and travels that provided the genesis of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, Tiffins simultaneously feels like dining in an art gallery, and eating at a high-end, low-key restaurant where globe-trotting Imagineers would themselves dine. Fortunately, it’s not a hodgepodge or scholar’s den of eccentricities, and instead is a carefully-curated art gallery, with great attention to detail.
The menu at Tiffins is delightful, with a variety of ambitious dishes that are adventurous and reflective of the restaurant’s overarching theme. Again, it’s all about attention to detail here, with everything from presentation to the confluence of flavors making Tiffins a winner. There are several approachable options here, but Tiffins is a great place to challenge your taste buds, step outside your comfort zone, and take a veritable adventure in dining.
T10. Yachtsman Steakhouse – A carnivore’s paradise, Yachtsman Steakhouse is the place to go at Walt Disney World for glorious cuts of meat. This is apparent as soon as you walk in the entrance where you see…a butcher in a case booth making the “magic” happen. It also manages an upscale setting, with sophisticated design, rich woods, and a classy interior.
You really can’t go wrong with the cuts of meat here–no matter what you get, you’re in for a treat. Although Yachtsman Steakhouse has other menu items besides colossal cuts of meat, these are where the magic happens. The ‘classics’ makes it the most approachable Signature Restaurant at Walt Disney World, and something that even “meat and potatoes” kinds of guests will enjoy and appreciate.
9. Sanaa — Sanaa scores a lot of points for offering a unique and excellent menu, and for better price points than the Signature restaurants on this list. Sanaa also has incredible ambiance, with views of animals grazing outside the restaurant. The out of the way location of Sanaa at Kidani Village means that Sanaa is rarely overly crowded, which adds to its intimacy and also means you will usually have an attentive server.
The menu at Sanaa is quite remarkable for a Walt Disney World restaurant, with a lot of options that might scare away the regular tourist who simply wants meat and potatoes. You can find options like that at Sanaa (don’t worry, there’s a “regular” steak), but the majority of the menu is a bit more adventurous. This excellent unique menu is what separates Sanaa from a lot of other Walt Disney World restaurants, and reasonable prices (especially at lunch) on many delicious menu items makes it one of the 10 best table service restaurants at Walt Disney World.
8. The Boathouse — The transformation of Disney Springs has absolutely reinvigorated the dining scene. This district has gone from a place only to be visited if you wanted to get some shopping done, or maybe dinner at Raglan Road, to an integral part of any Walt Disney World vacation. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main one is unquestionably the upscale dining scene.
Our list of the best table service restaurants at Disney Springs features 5 locations that arguably could’ve made this list. The best among these is The Boathouse, which offers fine dining and a fun atmosphere. While the theme may seem at odds with the Signature status, it works for the style of restaurant on the waterfront at Disney Springs. Then there’s the food, which is almost all excellent, and it’s easy to see why the Boathouse has already attracted a legion of dedicated fans.
7. California Grill — Offering incredible ambiance, sophisticated decor, and undoubtedly the best views of any restaurant at Walt Disney World, California Grill is a winner. When dining here, a window table is almost a must. Make ADRs for about an hour before the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks, and be willing to wait for a window table.
California Grill falls a few slots this year due to its prix fixe menu for the 50th Anniversary. While we enjoyed our experience (see Review: California Grill 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner), this menu is undeniably limiting and unexpected of a Signature Restaurant. Additionally, we miss the (still!) temporarily unavailable “Brunch at the Top”, which was the best meal at California Grill. Hopefully it regains its spot in the top 5 after the celebration concludes in April 2023.
6. Toledo Steakhouse – Walt Disney World always has some “hidden gem” restaurants, but rarely are they both this good and still underrated. In fairness, a big reason why Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood isn’t particularly popular right now is the lack of conventions at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort (those events are the reason Gran Destino Tower was built in the first place)–it’s pretty out of the way for most casual tourists.
Nevertheless, Toledo’s concept is ambitious and fun, the food is delicious, the views are exceptional, and the prices–for the quality of the cuisine–are not inflated too much by Walt Disney World standards. The fact that Toledo caters heavily to conventioneers plays a huge part in all of this, and will likely ensure that the restaurant maintains its high standards. Toledo is absolutely worth the challenging commute.
5. Jiko — The Cooking Place — After taking longer to reopen than most restaurants, Jiko is back and as good as ever. The wild boar, lamb shank, and beef short rib are still all-stars, and are every bit as good as we remember. These dishes are also inventive while being approachable, which is a common theme of our favorite Signature Restaurants.
Moreover, ambiance of Jiko continues to make it an Animal Kingdom Lodge highlight. The color palette of the restaurant changes to mimic an African sunset as the night progresses. The service is also excellent, with servers who are knowledgeable about the menu and the extensive drink list. Its prices are in line with other Signature restaurants, so it’s no gem from a value perspective, but the cuisine is worth the prices.
4. Citricos – We’ve never been huge fans of Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in the past, but the reimagined restaurant that won us over. The menu is superlative, with sophisticated Floridian cuisine and an abundance of citrus infusions. These dishes are inventive, beautifully-plated, delicious, and in keeping with the spirit of Citricos. The only downside is portions and pricing–this is arguably the closest Walt Disney World gets to haute cuisine.
The atmosphere is a marked improvement over the previous incarnation of the restaurant. The style is supposedly influenced by Mary Poppins, but that’s almost totally unnoticeable. It’s simply modernized with design motifs that vaguely evoke visuals from the film. Citricos is now practically perfect, and this reimagining was a supercalifragilistic upgrade to both the menu and interior.
3. Flying Fish – Located on the BoardWalk, Flying Fish is the perfect adult’s night out, as you can enjoy the ambiance of the BoardWalk after a meal at the restaurant. The ambiance of Flying Fish is also great, with nice decor and an open kitchen and nice bar that add to the energy of the restaurant.
Flying Fish is simultaneously fancy but approachable, with ambitious and inventive menu items that are also comforting, tried and true favorites. For entrees, the Flying Fish’s Signature Chef’s Duo is the Char-crusted New York Strip Steak and Potato-wrapped Red Snapper. These are superlative, arguably the best 1-2 punch in all of Walt Disney World dining. While those are the unequivocal highlights, the menu is strong from top to bottom, with unique appetizers, desserts, and other entrees. While it doesn’t push the envelope as much as Citricos, Flying Fish delivers delicious results that make it more appealing, in our view, to a wider range of guests.
2. Topolino’s Terrace – Along with Toledo, this is one of two new restaurants that offer superlative rooftop dining that surpasses perennial favorites. Since it opened, we’ve done several dinners at Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera, which has become our go-to restaurant for a high quality and filling fine dining experience that also offers great views and atmosphere.
Located at Disney’s Riviera Resort, it’s an easy Skyliner gondola ride from several resorts plus both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and offers fireworks views of both parks. While dinner is the main reason it makes this list, families should not overlook the exceptional Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends, which is our new favorite character meal at Walt Disney World. Topolino’s Terrace is a lot like Flying Fish, in that it’s both inventive and approachable–this gets the slight edge of the two thanks to its rooftop setting and slightly deeper menu, but you truly cannot go wrong either way.
1. Victoria & Albert’s — Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is the absolute best restaurant at Walt Disney World, and by a wide margin. Everything about the restaurant is exquisite, making it far and away the best restaurant at Walt Disney World. It’s the only AAA 5-Diamond restaurant in the Orlando area and one of the top-rated restaurants in all of Florida. The restaurant is quiet and well-appointed, and the service is exquisite.
Victoria & Albert’s offers a prix fixe six-course meal consisting of gourmet and specialty fine dining options, along with other “premium” items that can be ordered for an additional charge. If you’re a real foodie, you can also book the Chef’s Table for a unique, albeit less romantic, dining option. Given all of this, why would Victoria & Albert’s not be #1 on anyone’s list?
Price. The fixed-price cost for the regular dining room starts at roughly $300 per person. With wine pairings and upgrades, the cost can easily eclipse $800 for a couple–maybe even $1,000. That alone makes us tempted to even exclude Victoria & Albert’s from eligibility, since it’s unlike any other restaurant at Walt Disney World. If a meal here costs 5 times as much as the other entries, one would hope that it’s a bit better! Beyond that, most planners probably aren’t debating between Sebastian’s Bistro and Victoria & Albert’s for their night out. The two simply are incomparable in every way, save for both serving meals of food.
There you have it, our top 10 list of table service restaurants at Walt Disney World. You may notice that a lot of popular restaurants didn’t make this list. This includes a handful of Signature Restaurants, a high number of superlative Disney Springs options, and a few under-the-radar fan favorites. As we said above, it was difficult to narrow the list down to the 10 best table service restaurants at Walt Disney World…but we managed to do it!
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree with our top 10 table service restaurants at Walt Disney World? Any restaurants that you’d add to the list? Any dining spots we list that you do not think are worthy of a spot? What are your favorite table service restaurants in Walt Disney World? Any questions? 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!
Another vote for Brown Derby. Had a great meal here . Loved the relaxing atmosphere. And the Cobb salad is great! Hoping to get a reservation at California Grill in December but the 50th menu seems limited and disappointing.
The only (permanent) restaurant on this list that will, without fail, provide 100% consistency across service and cuisine is Victoria & Albert’s. (And at those prices, how can they not?) The rest of the (somewhat) rotating cast may come up short on any given visit for either seating, service and/or food if you are unlucky. And I say unlucky, because a less-than-expected meal will happen at most two days out of seven during a week with them. (More likely, one day.) Book with confidence for the restaurants that are not V&A, but be ready to send a $50+ plate back if it’s not right too.
Sadly, this is very good advice. One of the reasons we don’t review on service is because it is way too inconsistent, in both directions. The same applies to the kitchens.
All of our faves with a few we have to try! We had the incredible experience (massive splurge) of V&A’s chefs table one visit. I’m still full (it was 4 years ago). Unreal. And the updated Citricos! I couldn’t agree more! I’m not a huge cocktail drinker but I think about the special citrus cocktail I had and want to go back. Everything was so delicious! Flying Fish is our go-to. Always absolutely wonderful. Jiko- so nice, and Boathouse (I’ll actually eat the bread here- it’s too hard to say no) I’ve been recommending to friends who can’t get into flying Fish – they’ve been so pleased. Which one to choose for our upcoming weekend trip (to run the Orlando half)? Simply too many fantastic choices. Help!
The Boathouse would definitely not be in our top 10. We ate there in January and much of our food was cold by the time we received the food. The only good item was the salad. Other than that, we were very disappointed. Also, I did not think the service was great.
Other than that, I think your list was spot on. Tiffin’s, Jiko’s, California Grill, and Citricos are some of our favorites. The last time we went to WDW we found reservations at these locations very difficult to obtain.
My favorite in the parks is probably the brown derby.
Oddly We’ve only had a meal out of the parks at animal kingdom lodge while staying there and the last visit we stayed at wilderness lodge and did artist point storybook dining- was pretty good.
Brown Derby is excellent–and was on the list until the last update, which brought back several Signature Restaurants.
Artist Point is likewise way better than I’d ever expect from character dining. Given its popularity, I wouldn’t be surprised if its quality is reduced or menu options are dumbed down at some point. That hasn’t happened yet, though, so hopefully I’m wrong!
We ate at a few of the places on this list and Brown Derby was our favorite as well. Can’t wait to have the Grapefruit Cake again!
Chef Art Smith undisputed number 1. How is it not on the list?
I won’t dispute that Homecomin’ is the best comfort food at Walt Disney World, but it being the best overall restaurant is very much disputed. 😉
Are there any rumors as to when this will reopen?
Loved Be Our Guest when it first opened. You had more choices of a main meal and desserts and it was delicious. Have gone once since they changed and will not go back. Was not impressed.
I got food poisoning at Via Napoli years back.
I got food poisoning at the Grand Floridian years back. It has forever marred my view of that hotel.
I LOVE the Cobb Salad at Brown Derby but the last time I had it I was asked if I wanted the cheese mixed in. This was a mistake! There was SO much cheese mixed into the entire salad that about all I could taste was blue cheese. I’ve had the Cobb salad before and it’s much to get the blue cheese on the side.
I was going to make a pitch for Shula’s, since the Dolphin is as accessible as the Yacht Club and Shula’s now offers the same quality steaks as the Yachtsman but at non-Signature prices. HOWEVER, I’ve been thinking that as long as Takumi Tei is temporarily closed, Teppan Edo should “warm its spot;” solid restaurant and theme, reasonable prices, and per Tom’s rules, it being inside a park makes it tourist friendly.
(Given their location and various changes to WDW benefit access, the Swan and Dolphin deserve a second look in general, but they have some great restaurants that I often forget about. Besides Shula’s, there’s bluezoo, Kimono’s, and Il Mulino; I’d probably pick the first two over the Brown Derby to finish off a partial day at the Studios.)
I wish it was easier to navigate the restaurants and find out who has vegan options.
There are blogs online for all sorts of dietary needs, from allergies to vegan. The menus should be better about designating it. There’s a tofu vegetable dish at Tiffins and a veggie tofu stew at Jungle Skipper Canteen that look likely vegan. I’d check out the hummus fries and dolmas at Spice Road Table as possibilities for you too. Boathouse, for all that it’s not a vegetarian restaurant, was excellent. I can’t have gluten, at all, and the chef happily came out to show options and suggest how he could modify them. Finding quick service would be the hardest.
Almost every restaurant has a plant based option now. Some are better than others of course. Multiple YouTube sites do vegan dining reviews.