Have you ever been to one of the most POPULAR restaurants in Magic Kingdom? If you haven’t (or even if you have but it’s been a while or you’re wondering what’s going on now) relax and pull up a chair. We’ve got some deets to share!

Be Our Guest as we pay a visit to…well, Be Our Guest Restaurant! This Beauty and the Beast-themed spot in Magic Kingdom is beloved by many for its stunning theming. There’s no denying it — the theming is on point. But our last visit left us loving the experience while feeling a bit underwhelmed by the food. And lest we forget the fact they serve an octopus cocktail right now. (Y’all it is a SIGHT to behold .) So, how does Be Our Guest hold up? Should you be fighting to get a reservation here? Or is this spot not necessarily for you? Come along with us, friends, on a little journey!

Atmosphere

Be Our Guest Restaurant is inspired by Beauty and the Beast (of course!) and stepping into the dining rooms can feel a lot like you’re stepping right into the film.

There are three separate dining areas: The Grand Ballroom (AKA the fancy main room — just about everyone seems to want to eat in here!)…

…The Rose Gallery…

…and The West Wing.

And yes, there is the famous rose!!

While you’re eating, you might spot the Beast saying “hi” from a distance! Note, however, that this isn’t a traditional character dining restaurant or even a modified version. The Beast doesn’t really come by the tables individually to pause for (distanced) photos. Instead, from what we’ve experienced, he traditionally just walks throughout the space, waving and bowing, but doesn’t really stop too much.

In each dining room, you’ll find standard tables and chairs as your seating options.

The tables are set with cloth napkins and a set of utensils plus QR Codes for the menus. Paper menus are also available as needed.

But enough about the atmosphere, let’s eat!

Eats

Currently, Be Our Guest is only serving lunch and dinner, and both operate under the same prix fixe menu and are priced the same. Previously, Be Our Guest served a quick service breakfast (that is on pause) and had a quick service lunch that we thought was a pretty good deal if you wanted to visit this space (lunch is now prix fixe and table service). Of course, things with the set up at Be Our Guest could change in the future, so just be sure to check and see what’s available during your trip.

We visited Be Our Guest for lunch this time so let’s take a look at the lunch menu! Again, keep in mind that the prix fixe option is the same at lunch and dinner. You choose one Appetizer, one Entrée, and either the Dessert Trio or a plant-based option for a price of $62 per adult.

Kids have a few options to pick from through the Kids’ Create-Your-Own Meal for $37. Kiddos can opt for an Appetizer, Entrée, two Selections, and a Dessert. This meal comes with a Small Lowfat Milk, Small Dasani Water, or Small Minute Maid Apple Juice.

There are a few Signature Non-Alcoholic Drinks available, like The Nautilus, a specialty cocktail for the 50th Anniversary.

Be Our Guest also has an extensive wine list…

…and a beers and ciders menu!

And we HAVE to mention that Squid’s Revenge drink, which is on the Beer & Cider menu as part of the 50th Anniversary. There is a literal CHARRED OCTOPUS in this cocktail. It’s…a trip. Click here for the full review of this drink!

While we mulled over the options, we tried out the bread service.

The bread that was offered here was plain bread with salted butter, which was fine, but nothing too amazing.

We also snagged a Latte because it was CHILLY out when we visited. Listen, we know what some of you all from the north are thinking. COLD?! Florida doesn’t know cold!! But in Florida, we consider it cold when it drops below the 70s!

Ours was a plain latte which was pretty generic (and in all likelihood from a coffee machine somewhere). If you’re looking for something warm with a bit of caffeine to give you a boost of energy, this will satisfy you. It was (like the bread) fine, but nothing amazing. Keep in mind it is a small upcharge to get this latte, but soda, tea, coffee, juice, and select other drinks are included with your prix fixe meal.

For our appetizer, we picked out the French Onion Soup which is made with Toasted Crouton, Gruyère, and Provolone.

This soup was VERY good. It’s one we’ve truly enjoyed in the past, so there’s no big shocker there. It had a lot of melty cheeeeeeese that made it flavorful without being too heavy before a big meal. We do wish it would have had more onions though (it is french ONION soup after all?). We also think that this soup isn’t quite as rich as some other Disney World French Onion Soups (like the ones over at Steakhouse 71 or Yachtsman Steakhouse), but it did set the meal up nicely.

For our main course, we went with the Center-cut Filet Mignon, served alongside Robuchon Yukon Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Cipollini-Garlic Purée with a Red Wine Purée.

If you’re reading this and wondering “WHAT ON EARTH are Robuchon Yukon Potatoes and why are they named that way?” — we’ve got you. According to Time, this signature style of potatoes comes from legendary chef Joel Robuchon. It’s basically a mashed potatoes or potato puree dish. Chef Robuchon’s secret for “elevating” this dish? Some serious amounts of BUTTER. Oh yeah. A chef after our own hearts. Apparently Chef Robuchon’s potato dish became such a hit that it earned him a Michelin star!

Oh, and Cipollini? Merriam-Webster notes that it is a “small, somewhat flattened onion that has a thin skin and a sweet taste.” The more you know!

We ordered our steak cooked medium-rare and it came with a really nice char and flavor. We absolutely LOVED the red wine sauce. The sides were both tasty too. We got some green beans, which had a buttery snap and the buttery potatoes were our favorite thing on the plate. (We totally get why they earned Chef Robuchon a Michelin star!)

So we know what you’re thinking — should I get this steak? Is it a good quality steak? How does it compare to other steaks in Disney World? Well, this was a pretty good steak and (in our opinion) was better than several others we’ve had in Disney World.

BUT we (personally) don’t think it was as good as some of the other awesome steak options we’ve had at places like Space 220 or Le Cellier (both in EPCOT). We also wish there were more of the green beans to help balance things out.

Still, the steak was good (the potatoes were amazing!) and we do think this is probably the best main course to pick here if you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck!

Finally, let’s get to the best part — DESSERT and the famous “Grey Stuff.” For dessert, we got the Dessert Trio! This set of treats comes with a Lemon Jam Macaron, a Dark Chocolate Truffle filled with Dark Chocolate Grand Marnier Ganache, and a Chocolate Tart with Grey Stuff, Crisp Pearls, and a White Chocolate Wafer.

The macaron is an almond cookie with raspberry filling and lemon jam. It was probably our favorite of the three as it had a nice balance of tart and sweet and it was baked perfectly, with just the right amount of crispiness and chewiness all built into one delicious bite!

The truffle was SUPER rich, with a prominent chocolate flavor put up against the contrasting fruit filling. We liked it and it wasn’t bad by any means, but it also wasn’t nearly as unique as the other parts of the trio.

Finally, we get to the Grey Stuff. Let us make ourselves very clear here — we LOVE the Grey Stuff. It is, in fact, as Lumiere once said DELICIOUS! In fact, we love it SO much on its own, we kinda wish the chocolate tart shell didn’t even exist or that there was simply MORE Grey Stuff. Just give us a giant bowl filled with the grey stuff and hand us a spoon and we will be happy.

While we could shovel the Grey Stuff into our mouth on its own, the shell did add a nice crunch and richness, so there’s that!

Whew! Now that we’re full, let’s talk about our overall thoughts!

Nosh or Not

You SHOULD pay a visit to Be Our Guest if…

• You’re a Beauty and the Beast or princess fan or have one in your travel party. This restaurant has spectacular details, and just standing in the dining rooms can be worth the reservation.
• You’re celebrating a birthday or a special occasion. Between the tasty eats and the spectacular environment, this restaurant lends itself to a special occasion!
• You’re looking for an upscale, leisurely meal that still has a big dose of Disney magic to it.

You should SKIP Be Our Guest if…

• You’re on a budget. Be Our Guest is expensive at $62 per adult and there are certainly dining locations where you can get a LOT more bang for your buck for less cash.
• You don’t want to spend over an hour of your Magic Kingdom day eating. There is a LOT to do in Magic Kingdom and eating a long meal, like this one, could mean missing other must-dos. If eating here is a top priority but you don’t want to take away from your day, consider grabbing as late a reservation as you can or as early a reservation as you can so you either “get it out of the way” early or can do the things you want to do and then end your day with this meal. Just note that ride lines can get shorter near the end of the day so you will miss out on some of that potential attraction time.
• You’re a plant-based eater. The plant-based options at this spot are limited and certainly don’t feel worth the $62 price tag (to us at least).

Overall

It certainly makes sense why Be Our Guest is so popular. It’s literally looks like Beast’s castle and, as we know from Cinderella’s Royal Table, that can make for a HIGH-demand experience. Plus, you might get to see the Beast (who otherwise isn’t in a ton of places) and you can explore the different dining rooms too.

On the other hand, this meal is COSTLY. For a family of two adults and two kids, you’re looking at almost $200, not counting any up charged beverages or gratuity. The food is good, but we’re not sure it necessarily warrants the high prices. We like visiting for the theme, but that really is why you’re paying the premium. This spot used to offer a quick-service meal option so that guests could see the restaurant and try the fare without the MAJOR expense, so we certainly miss having that as an option here.

Overall, we think this spot is a must-do-at-least-once kind of place. Seeing the dining rooms is an awesome experience and the food is good (but not knock your socks off good), but it is a pricey, pricey, pricey experience and a LOOOONG one to try to fit into your Magic Kingdom day.

Keep an eye on DFB for more updates on Be Our Guest and MORE Disney World reviews.

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Will you be visiting Be Our Guest on your next trip? Tell us in the comments! 

The post REVIEW: Is Be Our Guest Still a Must-Do Disney World Restaurant? Let’s Find Out! first appeared on the disney food blog.