Is there anything better than Disneyland food?!

The correct answer is no! But seriously though, Disneyland food is just a step above the rest and we’ve had some of our favorite treats and eats there. Speaking of eats, we thought we’d head back and check in with one of our favorite spots and see how it’s fairing these days. Let’s grab a bite to eat at Blue Bayou!

If you’ve even been hungry in Disneyland and looked for food that isn’t just the typical corn dogs and pretzels, you’ve probably thought about grabbing a bite at the Blue Bayou Restaurant.

You’ll find this restaurant tucked into a corner of Disneyland’s New Orleans Square and it offers Cajun and Creole-inspired cuisine. We love this restaurant and it had been far too long since our last visit, so we knew we had to come in and enjoy some of their eats.

Atmosphere

Guess what? When you dine at Blue Bayou, you get to dine on the shore of a New Orleans bayou! That’s right! Also, it’s not just any bayou. It’s actually one where you can watch boats from Pirates of the Caribbean passing by while you fight your food coma from all the delicious Cajun and Creole foods.

The vibes are excellent. It totally has dark, moody lighting that 100% transports you to a New Orleans swamp at night.

You’ll find that you’re eating in a courtyard. There are wrought-iron chairs and hanging paper lanterns overhead.

Pro-tip: If you want the “best” views while you eat, make sure to request a table by the water when you check in. (It’s not guaranteed that they can accommodate, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.)

Now that you can feel the atmosphere, let’s have a look at the menu.

Menu

As we said, there is an entire world of Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes on this menu for you to enjoy. For starters, some of the standouts are the Chicken Gumbo and the Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad.

You’ll definitely find filling entrées here like a Blackened Ribeye, Oscar-style Filet Mignon, Sustainable Market Fish, Creole Roasted Chicken, and a Pistachio Lemon-Basil Pasta. Also, you’ll find a decent selection of wine, cocktails, beer, and a few non-alcoholic drinks as well.

For dessert, you can choose from a Crème Brûlée Tart, Chocolate Basque Cheesecake, Petite Sundae, and Assorted Macarons.

The kids menu at Blue Bayou is pretty straightforward (really not too much to write home about) but sometimes you can’t beat a simple menu for the kiddos.

Alright, enough reading about food. It’s time to eat!

Eats

Ultimately, we decided to try the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad as our starter, the Pistachio Lemon-Basil Pasta as our entrée, and the Crème Brûlée Tart as our dessert.

Let’s start with the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad which is made with Greens, Agave Crema, and Pickled Watermelon Rind & Shallot Vinaigrette and will set you back by $15.

What we liked most about this was how light and refreshing it was. Everything tasted really fresh especially the tomatoes and greens. The tomatoes were juicy, sweet, and full of flavor. The shallot vinaigrette wasn’t the most special (it just added a tangy and vinegary taste).

Also, the watermelon didn’t have a whole lot of flavor and there wasn’t much of it in the salad either.

Next, we set our eyes on the Pistachio Lemon-Basil Pasta, which is made with Asparagus, Squash Blossoms, Pea Tendrils, and Cherry Tomatoes in Pistachio-Basil Pesto and will cost you $29.

This dish was simple and tasty. The pasta was cooked perfectly and had hints of basil and light lemon flavor throughout. It was also a generous portion of pasta.

The pistachio flavor wasn’t the strongest. You could really only taste it if you happened to get a bite that had some of the chopped-up pistachio that was put on top. The cherry tomatoes added a refreshing and sweet flavor to the pasta. Oh how we wish there were more of them!

Last but not least, we had to entertain our sweet tooth with a Crème Brûlée Tart which was Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée in a Tart Shell and it’ll run you $10.

The berries were sweet and fresh which went well with the rich vanilla bean flavor. The top did have a caramel and burnt sugar taste. The tart shell tasted like shortbread and had a crumbly shortbread texture.

We seriously wished the portion was larger because it was delicious and at $10 we felt a little slighted.

Overall

Overall, we loved our time here. Our server was great (very personable, quick, and helpful). All of our food came out quickly and it was all fresh and well prepared.

The restaurant’s location and ambiance are some of the best on the property. It’s definitely one of the pricier options at Disneyland, but for the experience and food quality, it’s worth doing at least once.

Nosh or Not?

Stop by Blue Bayou if…

• You want to get away from the crowds and have a nice and relaxing meal.
• Celebrating a special occasion and wanting your meal in one of the best-themed restaurants.
• You’re a Pirates of the Caribbean fan since the boats travel right through the restaurant (also it’s one of the last projects Walt worked on)

You’ll probably want to find another place to dine if…

• You’re looking to dine on a tighter budget.
• You want a quick meal.
• You have little kids and want to take them somewhere with a more substantial kids’ menu.

We’re always looking for all the latest menu changes and additions to restaurants around Disneyland so we can keep you updated. Until then, stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for even more!

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Will you be heading to Disneyland to eat at Blue Bayou in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!

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