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We visited the California Grill on 9/30/05,we were on the dining plan,(2 adults, 3 children), and we received the dining plan free for the time period we were visiting. We were disappointed with the food. It was very loud there, service was good, drinks were good, but the food was just ok. Nothing special and nothing to write home about, we thought the food at the Concourse steakhouse was actually better! My daughter got a steak from the kids menu asked for it med/well it was so over done it was gray! They rest of the meals were ok,appetizers we could have done without, same as the desserts. We do like trying new types of foods, but the only thing with the dessert and appetizers that was good was the presentation . I must say we will not be returning here, and are glad we only had to pay for the drinks! (Just wish we didn't waste 2 tickets a person for this meal!) (Brenda Chisolm, September 2005)

*****

We tried California Grill for the first time in September 2005 and had an incredible experience. We had a 7:30 dinner reservation. Although we checked in about 30 minutes early, we were promptly escorted upstairs and seated immediately.

At our table were three menus: the wine list, the reserve wine list, and the dessert menu. Ron, greatest server ever, came by with the dinner menus and took plenty of time to answer questions about the wine list and the regular menu. We ordered a bottle of Meritage, however, Ron brought us a taste of both the meritage and a California Cab that he suggested. He was right, we went with the cab.

Next, we decided to split the goat cheese ravioli and the heirloom tomato stack as our appetizers. These came out one at a time and were individually plated so that we didn't have to split them up ourselves. The goat cheese ravioli was wonderfully mild in a delicious vegetable broth with basil. The heirloom tomato stack was equally great with a variety of tomatoes (green, yellow, red, and purple), balsamic vinegar/olive oil, basil and a toast. Delicious!

After we ordered our main course, Ron suggested that we take our wine out on the observation deck to enjoy the sunset while our main course was cooking. What a great respite. When we returned we were seated for only a minute or so when our entrees arrived -- they are really very smooth in the service department.

For our main courses, I had the pork tenderloin with mushrooms and goat cheese polenta and DH had the filet with blue cheese potatoes and haricot vertes. Both were very tender and flavorful. Neither one of us being huge dessert people, we split the cheese plate which came with three generous portions of cheese, toast points, and apricot and quince pastes. We had a creamy goat cheese, a fantastic camembert, and a harder cheese called "sweet clover" that had just a hint of sharpness. Again, Yum!

In sum, this was a fantastic experience. I went in thinking "Well, this will probably be pretty good for a resort restaurant." At the end of the meal, however, I was thinking "this is one of the five best meals I've ever had." We'll definitely go back. (Heather Vanderberg, September 2005)

*****

This was a truly exceptional meal with great service. Our family of 6 (4 children) had reservations for 8:20 P.M. with 9:00 fireworks scheduled at the Magic Kingdom. We were seated by 8:35 P.M. and watched the fireworks (with piped in music) from the roof terrace -- what a beautiful night. The staff held our main courses until after the show was over. A wonderful Disney dining experience. True, the price is high, but the meal and service were outstanding and worth the price. (Bill Natbony, September 2005)

*****

We tried California Grill for the first time in July of 2005, and were amazed by how good it was! The atmosphere was beautiful, the server was friendly (despite repeated computer crashes) and the food was the best I have ever eaten on Disney property. The flatbread was delicious to start with, and the beef filet was simply the best I have ever eaten. It was cooked to perfection, and the potatoes that came with it were decadent. I can't believe it took us 15 years of Disney trips to try this restaurant! The best part of the whole night was the view. We watched the Epcot fireworks from our table over coffee and then proceeded to the observation deck to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. What a view! Before the fireworks, I popped a quarter into the binoculars on the roof and watched a bit of SpectroMagic as well. It was truly a magical night! (Shannon, July 2005)

*****

We dined at the California Grill on July 2, 2005. This was our 4th visit and as always, the food was outstanding. We split a Hearts of Romaine salad and they actually served it for us on two separate plates. We also tried something new - the cheese selections. We chose three of the five (the Matos St. George, the San Joaquin Gold Cheddar, and the Saenkanter) and all of them were fabulous! Our server, Lionel, told us they have only had the cheese menu for about two months, and I asked him to tell the chef it was a great idea. We will definitely eat that again. We both had the Oak-fired Beef Filet with Three Cheese Potato Gratin, Asparagus, and Tamarind Barbecue Sauce (which doesn't really taste like BBQ sauce). It was excellent. We shared two desserts - their traditional Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake and the Pearl Tapioca with Summer Stonefruit Compote, Sorbet, Toasted Macadamias, and Almond Brittle. Although we always love and order the Valrhona, I hope the tapioca is still available the next time we visit. This restaurant is worth every penny and the view can not be beat! (Chris White, July 2005)

*****

Dinner at California Grill was just a terrible experience. Service was extremely slow and not that friendly. Servers ignored us or just passed our requests to our designated server. There are many servers, but they are not team players. Overpriced, small portioned food on big plates. An appetizer, one California sushi roll on a big plate costs close to US $20. Taste of food was rather average.

Food came out very slowly, so slow that my 4-year-old cried from hunger, even though we asked the server to bring out food quickly for our hungry child. The floors were dirty, littered with bits of food, pair of sunglasses, straws, etc. We had advanced reservations, but still waited about 20 minutes before being seated. We were told we were only allowed on the observation decks to watch the fireworks at 10 p.m. if we had dinner there. For a US $130 dinner for 2 adults, 1 preschooler and a 1-year-old (who only drinks milk) just to enjoy the fireworks (view was spectacular) ...I don't think we will return to this restaurant again.

However, we love the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot. We also enjoyed Chef Mickey's and Concourse Steakhouse also in the Contemporary Resort. Food at Hollywood & Vine is good-tasting too. I definitely recommend these other restaurants for families. (Jennifer, June 2005)

*****

In May 2005, we had dinner at the California Grill. We made a priority seating for 8 o'clock so we could see the fireworks. We were basically ignored the whole time we were there! The waiter took our orders and the food had still not shown up at 9 when the fireworks started. I must say though, the view was amazing of the fireworks. Where we were sitting, we saw the end of Illuminations at EPCOT. The food finally came and it was decent. It took another 30-45 minutes just to get the check. The funny thing is that all the other tables around us were in and out of the restaurant with in an hour or so. We were there for over 2 1/2 hours. I really wouldn't recommend this. (Ashley, May 2005)

*****

My wife and I had a special anniversary dinner at the California Grill which I have to say was incredible! We were on the dining plan (it's the only way to go to Disney, what a money saver) so the only things we had to pay for were cocktails. It was amazing. Our waiter, Dave S., took great care in explaining everything on the menu and never rushed us at all. Food was amazing and service was even better. Dave made sure that our dinner order was set to come out just after the fireworks so we would be able to enjoy them with out having to worry about our food getting cold. Great place to eat and see fireworks! It's a must go to place for dinner! (Steve, May 2005)

*****

My wife, two daughters, son-in-law and I had a wonderful time at the California Grill. We decided to eat at this restaurant because we were interested in seeing the fireworks over looking Cinderella's Castle. We were not disappointed. An excellent view of the fireworks compared to looking at them at the park which we did the day before.

The food was expensive, but everything was delicious. Not one of us complained about the food because everything was so good. If you don't mind spending a little extra for an excellent meal, I would highly recommend eating at this restaurant. If you like fish, I would highly recommend the salmon. The best I have ever tasted. My daughter and son in law are picky on food and they had no complaints on the food and my son in law is an ex waiter. What also made our experience even better was that our waitress did an excellent job serving us.

When I return to Orlando in the future, the California Grill is on my list to eat at. It is pricey, but well worth it. There were kids there, but it wasn't like a daycare center as one of the reviewers mentioned. We visited on Thursday, May 26th, 2005. The bill for five adults with drinks, sushi, dessert, and meals was about $420 with tip. Not cheap, but well worth it. Try it out for yourself. (Carter Wright, May 2005)

*****

We recently had a wonderful dinner at the California Grill. I had made a reservation to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday. I was a little concerned because we were bringing our two children (ages 10 and 8). And I wasn't sure if they would like the food. Well, we had the best night. They sat us at a window table, with a fabulous view. The food was great. Even the children loved there meals. My son loved his sushi desert. After dinner we went outside to watch the fireworks. It was just a magical night. Can't wait to go back. (Alicia Towne, May 2005)

*****

My husband and I recently had a horrible experience at the California Grill. The food was lovely as always. But there were so many unruly children that it felt like we spent $230 to eat dinner in a day care center. We have been going to this restaurant for the past six years, and have noticed more and more people bringing their very young children. California Grill is hardly the ideal location for a child's meal, and now I unfortunately have to say it's not the ideal location for a romantic dinner anymore, either. We were completely surrounded by children who stood on seats, jumped up and down, screamed, and played tag throughout their meals. We had the misfortune of being seated next to the window near the castle--and when the fireworks started, the other parents and children surrounded our table for a better view and screamed their way through our dessert. It was an incredibly stressful meal--I've never been so glad to get out of a restaurant in my life. You know, we like kids. Disney is full of 'em. But for heaven's sake--if you insist on bringing young children to a nice, expensive restaurant, please insist they behave and respect others around them. Your fellow diners will thank you profusely. As for the California Grill, we'll pass and head for Bistro de Paris in the future. (Karen, February 2005)

*****

Families might consider avoiding the California Grill (at the Contemporary Resort). The food is "high brow," but not really better than other restaurants like the Coral Reef at Epcot. It is not at all kid friendly, and the service is not friendly either, unlike at the other Disney restaurants. (Julie, December 2004)

*****

My boyfriend and I recently returned from a wonderful week in the World. We had never been to the California Grill before, but we wanted to check it out since we both love new and different, good food. We made no priority seatings our whole trip (since we went the first week in December, an off time), but we were able to walk right up to the California Grill!! We were seated at the sushi counter, and let me tell you, there is no better place to sit!! The sushi chefs were amazing; they talked to us the whole time, and gave us TONS of free samples! We were not sushi fans before now, but we LOVED it here!! Everyone should try the sampler platter, which is essentially what we ended up having. Our meals were amazing also - I got a pork tenderloin of some kind and my boyfriend got some kind of fish. Dessert is also a MUST-- we had the apple crepe dish, and we STILL talk about it today! After dinner, we walked out on the balcony for the fireworks....in one word, AMAZING!!!!!! (Ashley, December 2004)

*****

We dined at the California Grill for our anniversary on our recent trip to WDW. We are from New Orleans so we are a bit spoiled with good food down here. But might I say that the California Grill was EXCELLENT. The view, wine lists, atmosphere (though a bit noisy) food and service all make for an excellent dining experience. If you go, you have to try one of their flatbreads. My husband and I each had the filet and it was wonderful. And for dessert, you have to try the warm chocolate cake with the syrup inside and white chocolate ice cream- to die for!!! My favorite restaurant in all of WDW!! (Tiffani Ducote, November 2004)

*****

Our party of 6 adults visited the California Grill for a late dinner. What a fantastic experience! While we were waiting for our PS-reserved table, we were able to watch the Wishes fireworks display at the MK. It was a bit chilly on the balcony, but well worth the birds-eye view. We were then seated in the private rear dining room, which was a peaceful haven after a busy day at the parks. The service was terrific; our waiter even informed us when the Electrical Water Pageant would be going by... we took our wine out on to the smaller back balcony and watched the Pageant as our entrees were being prepared. Our vegetarian companion felt right at home with the fresh, Californian cuisine; the desserts (especially the warm chocolate cake) were to die-for, and over all, the six of us felt very pampered and sated. (Kate, October 2004)

*****

We dined at the California Grill the night of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We were shown to our table in the middle of the restaurant and I asked is it to late to ask for a window seat. The server sat us at our seats and went to ask about changing our table. Within minutes, we were switched to window seats. What a beautiful view! Fireworks that night went off all around the MK. My daughters ages 2 & 7 could not quit coloring on the table long enough to watch the fireworks. My daughters were served a basket of goldfish. When I made the PS, I thought this was not a family oriented restaurant, but at my husband's request we went. Of all the character meals we went to, my daughter says this was her favorite place to eat at Disney World- mine too! Great food- be sure to have dessert. (The Joyce's, October 2004)

*****

We had dinner for our 30th Anniversary on Saturday, August 7, 2004 at the California Grill. This was our second trip to the restaurant. The view is fantastic. The service is incredible. The food is to die for!! I had the Tomato Extravaganza for an appetizer. Absolutely wonderful. My husband had the Hearts of Romaine Salad with Green Goddess dressing. Loved it. For my entree, I had the Roasted Free-Range Chicken Breast with Globe Carrot Risotto, edamame, and curry-citrus broth. Wonderful! My husband had the Halibut Steamed with Banana Leaf, Basmati Rice, Cucumber Salad, and Spicy Hong Kong Vinaigrette. Twice!! He loved it so much the last time that he ordered it again! For dessert we had coffee and we shared the Three Berry dessert. The food here is wonderful. We will go again and again and again!!! Any day of the week is a special enough occasion to go to California Grill! (Jackie Wyatt, August 2004)

*****

We made a PS arrangement with the California Grill to celebrate our 40th anniversary with eight people in our party. The reservation was accepted and we were escorted to the restaurant on the 15th floor right on time. The view of Cinderella's castle is perfect. We all had different dinners and each selection was excellent in preparation and taste. The service was attentive and we were never rushed. We had wonderful soft-shell crabs while others had steaks or pork dishes. The children were given crayons and the table had paper on it for them to draw to their hearts content while we chatted over cocktails. At the end of our meal, we went out onto the observation deck and watched the fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom. A perfect ending to a perfect celebration! (Virginia, June 2004)

*****