California Grill

My husband made a reservation to celebrate my birthday; when we went we liked the atmosphere the menu, and the view. Unfortunately our dinner & celebration was ruined by the miscommunication of the server. We ordered the first course that the server recommended to us which was Goat cheese Ravioli, then ordered the Shiitake mushrooms flatbread ( it was delicious). Then Topher brought some old cold bread and uneatable bread with butter( It's a shame for this well known restaurant to serve like this bread. At the time of ordering the entree i asked the server (Topher) if we can have the oak filet (with sauce on the side because my husband doesn't like Teriyake sauce) he confirmed no problem, and to have the potatoes without the bacon, he replied that it's prepared with the bacon; the server did not give us other substitution until i asked him. So it was obviously that we don't eat pork. when i ordered the flounder for myself , Topher did not mention the meal also is served with bacon. When we received our course, my husband 's filet had sauce so we callled Topher our server and let him about the sauce, he did apologize and took it to the Chef and less than five minutes he brought the steak to us which i assumed that the chef just washed out the sauce put it in another clean plate and send to us. Anyways i did not liked how the steak looked and when my husband tried it he did not like the taste at all. We put the steak to the side and i asked my husband to share t he flounder with me; our server were passing by and said ""anything wrong with your food"" i replied that we did not like the steak, Topher apologized and asked us if he can order something else from the menu, my husband replied that he will go with the flounder fish while eating we discovered that there is some small pieces mixed with the sauce; we stopped eating and waved to Topher to come to our table, when he came we asked if the small pieces are pork and confirmed it. We were really upset and told him how come we asked not to have smoked bacon with the other meal and you never mentioned to us that the flounder also has pork; his reply was that he thought it was only one person not eating pork and made us feel like it was our responsibility to tell him that both of us. I strongly believed and shared with my husband that this server has no serving background and definitely is not professional, all what he cares about is just to take the order run through and get paid. i understand that the restaurant is busy but every guests deserves the best service especially in California Grill. After few minutes the manager approached our table (his name is Gary, he is bold and in his 50's or 60's) and apologized for the miscommunication; i replied that's the worst service we experienced; we've been to Victoria & Albert and other upscaled restaurant and always the server has to make sure to communicate with customer especially after requesting no pork on the other meal; the manager looked very upset after i expressed myself and then left to come back with the desert menu saying that of course we won't charge you for the two courses. I never imagined that we will get this very low class, awful service from California grill. My birthday was spoiled, we were so excited and looking forward to celebrate that night. We were very very disappointed with our dinner experience: very bad service. And from what i have noticed that the high volume of business is wearing off the service staff as well as management, it seems like they just love to make money but doesn't care about service. we won't go back again, and i will make sure to share this experience with all our friends. more

Very creative cuisine with prices to match. Beautiful views all around. A special place for special occasions. more

My husband and I heard alot of good things about California Grill...but WE were not prepared for what was to come. We went to Disney for our anniversary and was told California grill was the place to go for anniversaries.....and IT WAS! The best food We have ever had...I was very tempted to lick my plate. Let me not for get the sushi. They didnt have spicy salmon on the menu, so we asked and they made it happen. I didnt realize there was a world famous sushi chef there!!!! I crave there sushi!!!! CRAVE!We live in Alabama and We are very tempted to drive 8 hours for a night at California grill!!!!Awesome.We will be back! Pros: The Best sushi......EVER! Cons: Cant think of any! more

During our recent WDW trip, we had four dinner reservations at California Grill. We loved the place for years; fabulous meals, wine, and service. Pros: Creative Appetizers Usually Excite Cons: Cows enjoy a good salt lick; foodies not so much. more

Go for the view and skip the food. Pros: View Cons: Bad Service, Bad Fish, Long wait, reservations still have 30min wait. more

It?s pricey for sure, reservations typically need to be made way in advance, and the same clothes you wore to the theme parks that day might not be appropriate at this upscale restaurant. Nonetheless, this is my favorite restaurant in the entire world. The views in this penthouse restaurant on top of the Contemporary hotel are spectacular, especially at sunset and when the fireworks shows are going on next door at the Magic Kingdom. The food is equally exquisite, especially the art-like sushi plates and the flavorful flatbread pizzas. Be sure to save room for dessert! The apple pie I had was AMAZING! Pros: views, food, service, ambience Cons: expensive, reservations usually necessary more

Well, if you read the other reviews on this restaurant, it should convince you to pack your bags or get in your car if you live close enough and make your way straight to the California Grill. Our first experience was back in 2001--AWESOME! Next, we went in 2004 (2 x during our 5 day visit to Disney World)--AWESOME AGAIN! And then we just got back two days ago from Disney World and of course, eating at the California Grill--IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING HOW PLEASED WE WERE. I would recommend you make reservations at least 3 months in advance. If you don't like to preplan, they will still seat you w/o a reservation, but you will eat in the bar/lounge area--not bad, but you feel awkward sitting in Lazy Boy style chairs or on a sofa while downing one of their mouth watering meals--can put a damper on the ambience. Each time we've gone to this restaurant, we have NEVER been disappointed. The sushi is outstanding and fresh; in fact, I think their head sushi chef (a woman?) is world renown for her craft. The service is over the top!! We enjoy quality food and this restaurant definitely deserves recognition for giving their customers the best. I suggest if you do visit Disney World, to patronize this restaurant, as well as the Flying Fish Cafe (on the Boardwalk outside of the Epcot Center). Enjoy!! Pros: Food, View, Service, Atmosphere Cons: Need to reserve months in advance more

My hubby & I went here to celebrate my birthday. Our table had Mickey Confetti on it & the best view in the house! Space Mountain, Cinderallas Castle, the Grand Floridian, all right there. Then we met Ron, our waiter. What a great guy! He went over the wine menus with us, asked us to ponder if we wanted dessert (as they take some time to make) was off to get water & main menus with a sincerely meant ""Let's have some fun tonight!""We tried the spicy sensation sushi appetizer. Ick! The fish was not fresh, the nori was so dry you could hardly chew it, and the sauce was more like a goopy gravy. We had a couple bites, then pushed the rest aside. Certainly not up to the standards I expected.That's the only bad expereince. We then moved on to the Goat Cheese Ravioli & a Peach/Walnut Frisee salad. Both were yummy, but the Ravioli was to die for! It was served in a nice broth, not a sauce, which was nice to see.For dinner I had the beef tenderloin with bacon/garlic mashed potatoes and haircot verts w/garlic. Hubby had the snapper with a coconut curry lime sauce & asian rice patty. My tenderlon was very good! The sauce was yummy & the potatoes were awesome. Hubbys was very good. Fresh, not a bit fishy, a lovely light sauce and fantastic presentation. We tried four wines.A Riesling with the sushi. A great combo if the sushi had been to par. Then 3 different Cabernets. We really dont' do dessert but it being my birthday they brought a special sliver of dark chocolate with Happy Birthday from the California Grill on it. Dinner came to $200 but with our DDE we saved 20%. Afterwards we went out on the catwalk & took pictures of the fantastic sunset.All in all, a great evening, very good food, nice wine selection (albeit it from California) great service! NOT a place for the kids! Everyone was actually dressed to code the evening we went but I can see how a bunch of down dressers could ruin the mood for some. A lesser server could ruin this terrific experience Pros: Great service, nice wines, delicious food Cons: Tourists who dont obey dress codes and/or bring their kids more

Have had the pleasure of eating at the California Grill several times. Absolutely nothing compares to it. Pros: Food, Service, Ambience...one of a kind experience. Cons: Not for the weak of wallet kind or then non- appreciater of the finer side of life's experiences. more

We went to the California Grill on 4/7/07 to celebrate my son's 10th birthday. I was unsure about going there because of his age and the price on the menu but that is where he watned to go and we went. It was fabulous. We had a window seat and watched the sunset which was fabulous. The service was beyond great. The food is fabulous. We had the filet of beef that was to die for.The firebread and sushi melted in your mouth.I don't think there is anything on the menu that could possibly be bad.We came back later that evening to watch the fireworks from the rooftop and it was unbelievable.They made sure to help us make this the best birthday possible for my son. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to experience a really nice evening. It is not stuffy and made to feel uncomfortable by any means.It is warm and inviting and everyone working there wants to make sure you have a great time. The experience is worth the price.The only thing that bothered me when we went was another family was there with there teenage daughters that were dressed horribly.They were told about their attire but put on sweatshirts to cover themselves. They had on short shorts and it was not acceptable for dinner. Other than that one incedent I would recommend everyone to dine there.I will be going every year I come back to Disney! Pros: Fabulous- only great things to say about it more

My wife and I were amazed at the excellent food, service, and atmosphere. First of all, the service was incredible. Our waiter, Ron, was super friendly. He talked to us about everything, even his future career plans. He was very quick to serve us and made sure our drinks were full and food was good. Secondly, the food was great. Definately worth the price. Try the sushi, even if you don't like seafood. It will make you think twice. The sushi chef is supposedly among top 10 in Florida sushi chefs. Lastly, the view was incredible at night. You got to see almost all of the Disney Resort area. And seeing the Magical Kingdom lit up with fireworks, was to say the least, ""magical"". Price is high, but quality is high too. You get what you pay for. Make sure you make reservations 3-5 of weeks ahead of time. Pros: Great Food, Awesome Service, Romantic Atmosphere Cons: Pricey more

We have had a wonderful time during each trip we have made to the California Grill. The food is amazing (try the romaine salad with green goddess dressing and any type of sushi), the view is really neat, and the menu has something for everyone, including kids. The servers that we have had were very knowledgeable and their wine selections were great. It is especially fun to sit at the sushi bar, because the chefs are really fun. We had a great experience. Make sure to get priority seating as soon as you can in advance, because it fills up quick. Very much worth the price! Pros: Food, Service, View more

This restaurant has a GREAT view of Cinderella's castle and the fireworks. Just be sure to get a seat overlooking the Magic Kingdom when you dine here. Unfortunately, the restaurant thought they were doing us a favor by seating us in a more 'private area' which we overlooked nothing but darkness. The food was wonderful and I highly recommend the california rolls for an appetizer! Pros: atmosphere, service, food Cons: price more

This is a fantastic restaurant! We spent our first dinner in Orlando here, with our 6-year old daughter. Since this restaurant overlooks Cinderella's castle and the fireworks, it's a magnet for families with kids, so it's quite noisy. Our evening started off badly because the folks at Disney quoted us the wrong time for the fireworks and we ended up missing them. However, our server ""Ron"" made up for it! He was pleasant, suggested a fabulous appetizer of Tempura-style breaded ""Sushi"" (words don't do it justice!). We had a great pork tenderloin with creamy polenta and the most spectacular kids' mac & cheese we've ever had. Definitely worth visiting, albeit a little pricey. Pros: view, service, food Cons: noisy, parking, crowded more

My husband and I celebrated our 2nd aniversary at the California Grill and it was a night to remember!!! We had priority seating at 8:00, so when we arrived we requested a table by the window. We had to wait 15 min. for our table, but we didn't mind, we sat in the lounge area at a table by the window and had some cocktails overlooking the castle. Our table was perfect by the window, off to the side so it was a little more private than some of the other tables. Our server was attentive, but not in our face all the time, our every need was met and then some. And his recommedations were excellent. The pork eggrolls with a spicy voo-doo sauce were surperb! All in all we had a wonderful experience at the California Grill and would recomend it to anyone..... So enjoy!! Pros: View, Food, Service Cons: Kids, A little bright more

California Grill is the best restaurant Disney has to offer. The California wine selection is superb, and the food is unbelievably wonderful!! more

Located on top of Disney's Contemporary Hotel, you will find a restaurant that will offer you great food, drinks, service, and a view. I recommend a later dinner, this way you can see all the lights, and lightshows(hint,hint). A great selection of sushi and sashimi. The flatbread pizza's are very tasty. And the main meal selections are prepared with perfection in mind. Even the bread that comes with extra virgin olive oil to dip into is high on my list. If you like to have a cocktail, this is the place. Go there once and you'll be hooked. The service is extremely great, as they run around the place doing so much to keep you, and everyone else, happy. Make your reservations, it can get quite busy. Hope to see you there. Pros: Food, View, Service more

Terrific ambience, lots of fun. We had an excellent dinner and a great time. Everything was superb and the service was excellent. The menu changes daily and reflects the freshest ingredients available. Try the sushi platter or the frisee and butter pear salad. The pork tenderloin is delectable with creamy polenta and mushroom demi-glace. For desert, have the Vahlrona banana bread pudding or the butterscotch creme brulee. It will be a memorable occasion. Pros: Excellent food, Good Service, Great View Cons: Popular, hence crowds, Not cheap, can be noisy more

My daughter did an internship at THE California Grill and I was a guest there one night and the food and employees are the BEST...She is now back there for her second year working and Loves it. more

I too had a terrible experience at California Grill! The place was noisey, The food was not as good as some everyday restaurants, and the price for what you got was excessive. I will NEVER go back there again. There was no place to sit down when we got there the wait was excessive and the service was so so at best Cons: expensive, noisey, cold food more