Best Dining for Adults at Disneyland and California Adventure

In an effort to maximize your visit to the Disneyland Resort, a proper meal may fall by the wayside as you scurry to the next attraction with a hot dog in hand. Yet, look beyond the grab-and-go grub, and you’ll discover a diversity of sit-down restaurants that provide a welcome respite from the parks’ hustle and bustle with transportive settings, table service, and menus that swap chicken tenders for creative, sophisticated fare. Plus, you won't miss out on any of the fun, immersive atmosphere that Disney does best. You can enjoy a miso-glazed fish of the day in a swanky replica of a Golden Age Hollywood restaurant, slurp Andouille sausage gumbo under a perennially twilight, Louisiana sky, or sip a tiki cocktail in a setting befitting the Jungle Cruise. If you do have kiddos in tow, rest assured that nearly all restaurants offer a separate menu that’ll please the little ones. Just note that wherever you choose, you’ll want to make reservations up to 60 days in advance via the Disneyland Resort’s online reservation site or the Disneyland app.

Disneyland

Carnation Café 

This cheery, all-day eatery welcomes guests with hearty comfort fare dished up in a throwback Americana setting within Main Street, U.S.A. Given its proximity to the park’s entrance, this Disneyland classic draws a breakfast crowd with fruit-compote topped buttermilk pancakes and savory egg-and-sausage skillets. At lunch and dinner, you’ll find burgers, a fully loaded baked potato soup, and a rendition of Walt’s favorite chili. Grab a seat in the Victorian-themed dining room or on the outdoor, red-striped umbrella-shaded tables that offer views of Main Street parades.

Blue Bayou Restaurant

Situated smack-dab within the Louisiana-themed environs of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, this enchanting eatery likely holds the most coveted reservations at the Disneyland Resort. It’s little wonder given that lucky diners are seated at candlelit tables on a lantern-strung, waterfront deck overlooking the ride’s simulated bayou, surrounded by twinkling fireflies, mossy trees, and shooting stars. When the immersive restaurant debuted in 1967, it was the theme park’s first fine dining establishment, and, today, you can still order the toasty Monte Cristo sandwich that graced its original menu. There are classic New Orleans drinks as well including a Hurricane and non-alcoholic Mint Julep (add a glowing, blue ice cube to mirror the atmosphere). If you aren’t able to reserve a table in advance—reservations are usually released in the wee hours of the morning—join the walk-up list when the restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. 

Tiana's Palace

While it doesn’t offer table service, this New Orleans Square eatery is worth seeking out for its exceptional Creole and Cajun cuisine. Located adjacent to Tiana's Bayou Adventure and tucked behind a charming New Orleans townhouse facade, the counter-service homage to the Big Easy dishes up colorful bowls of gumbo, muffuletta sandwiches, and beignets oozing with lemon icebox pie filling. Take your meal to the tables on the shaded plaza, and let the good times roll.

California Adventure

Carthay Circle Restaurant

Set within a stunning replica of the 1926 Carthay Circle Theatre, a former Los Angeles movie palace that hosted the 1937 premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this mesmerizing restaurant offers a taste of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Decked in polished woods and golden drapes, the second floor dining room transports you to another era far from the bustle outside its doors. An a la carte dinner menu offers refined dishes that change with the seasons such as Peruvian sashimi and a fall-off-the-bone pork chop. The venue is often credited for the park’s best cocktails with professional bartenders stirring up expert renditions of the classics, from martinis to mojitos. Note that the downstairs Carthay Circle Lounge serves a separate, Cal-Med menu throughout the day, and includes al fresco patio seating that makes for exceptional people-watching.

Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier

Named after Pixar’s bouncing desk lamp mascot, this waterfront gastropub will thrill fans of the animation studio with a museum’s worth of film memorabilia and original artwork scattered throughout its interiors (ask a cast member about the secret, private dining room called The Office). Seating on the outdoor deck is just as inspiring with sweeping, front-row views of Paradise Bay and Pixar Pier rides. The menu brims with creative, crowd-pleasers including a marinated al pastor pork chop, salmon PLT—crispy pancetta fills in for bacon—hulking plates of lobster nachos, and clever cocktails such as the piña colada-inspired Scream Canister. Reservations are a must, especially during weekend brunch. For walk ups, try the restaurant's first come, first serve outdoor rooftop, officially dubbed Boardwalk Dining, which features a separate, more limited menu.

Wine Country Trattoria

Set amidst ochre-colored walls and grapevine trellises, this alluring, al fresco restaurant channels Tuscany by way of Napa Valley. Fittingly, it’s regarded for its more than 25 wines by the glass. You’ll also discover Cal-Italian dishes such as a citrus-marinated tomato salad with housemade ricotta, and pasta faves such as a creamy fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti Bolognese. Just don’t miss the pull-apart focaccia bread with gooey strands of melted mozzarella. Time your visit to coincide with one of the park’s parades to take advantage of the restaurant’s vantage point of the route.

Hotels

Napa Rose

With a coursed dinner of composed plates that change with the seasons, this fine dining restaurant within Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa recreates the culinary experiences of California’s Wine Country. Beautiful Craftsman details fill an airy dining room where guests can opt for a four-course, prix fixe tasting menu or order a la carte. Examples of dishes include an herb potato gnocchi with lamb ragout and a duck breast with oak-roasted mission figs. For a more intimate experience, try to snag reservations for The Chef’s Counter which offers a personalized, multi-course meal served at twelve seats overlooking the restaurant’s open prep kitchen. While dining room reservations are available via the Disneyland app or site, The Chef's Counter requires guests to request a reservation via the restaurant’s voicemail (714-300-7170), ideally at 12:01 a.m. on the first of the month, two months from your desired date. For those without any reservation, a small bar offers open seating and the restaurant’s full dinner menu.

Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Decked in globetrotting artifacts attributed to the fictional explorer Trader Sam, this spirited tiki bar glows with animatronics, tropical concoctions, and a convivial crowd that frequently breaks out in chants. A pan-Asian menu spans ahi poke bowls, tonkotsu ramen, and pork dumplings, yet the real fun are the tiki drinks, some of which are served with more fanfare than a little paper umbrella. Order The Shipwreck on the Rocks, and a bottle-encased galleon behind the bar is sunk amidst a blast of thunder and lightning. The Krakatoa Punch triggers a volcano to erupt, while the flaming Uh-Oa!, named after a mythical tiki goddess, summons your fellow bar patrons to chant her name. Kids are welcome until 8 p.m., yet because the indoor lounge can have an adult-oriented vibe, most families opt for tables on the outdoor deck. 

Great Maple Modern American Eatery

This popular Southern California restaurant comes to Pixar Place Hotel with a menu of contemporary spins on American comfort food. The easy-on-the-eyes interiors feature tufted booths, tongue-in-cheek portraits of Pixar characters and roll-up glass walls that open onto a fire pit-dotted patio. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served all day, and as you might expect, maple features into signature items including made-to-order maple bacon donuts and French toast logs drizzled with warm maple bacon syrup. There are plenty of savory dishes, too, such as a ribeye melt with aged cheddar and pesto aioli, and buttermilk fried chicken served alongside those aforementioned donuts.