Disneyland Resort: it’s the land of ridiculously amazing churro toffee & corn dogs that’ll make your mouth water. But sometimes you’ve gotta dust that funnel cake powder off of your pants and get in a more fancy mood ya know?

When it’s time to step things up a notch and impress your friends & family with the finer things in life (pinkies up!), there’s one iconic spot you might want to try in Disney’s California Adventure Park — Carthay Circle Restaurant. But is this signature spot worth the hype (and the cost)?! We put on our stretchy pants and made our way to this spot to find out!

When Disney California Adventure partially reopened in 2021 with some shopping and dining, the only thing open at Carthay Circle was the Carthay Circle Lounge — Alfresco Dining. However, after Disneyland Resort more fully reopened, Carthay Circle Restaurant returned with a modified menu. We made our way there a few months ago to find out.

Atmosphere

Carthay Circle Restaurant, located on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure, is based on the Carthay Circle Theatre, where Disney’s first film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered. The restaurant itself is upstairs and can be reached via stairs or an elevator. From the moment you step into this space, even before you’re in the main restaurant, you can already tell how different it feels from say, your ordinary quick service spot. Pull out those monocles folks, it’s time to get fancy.

The concept of everything inside the restaurant is old Hollywood, and you can see that in the warm golden colors, wood accents, lighting, and decor.

There are also gorgeous murals painted on the ceiling.

Carthay Circle legitimately looks like the kind of place Walt himself would hang out in. (He is frozen somewhere so you never know, he could just pop out at any time right? We kid, we kid.) For seating, there are standard tables and chairs, as well as cozy booths.

Pro tip: if you can, walk around and take a moment to admire all the great photographs in the restaurant of Walt, often with celebrities!

By the way, when you sit down here, the servers generally unfold and put your cloth napkin in your lap FOR YOU — so yes, this is where you want to go when you want to be treated like royalty. Just call us “your royal highness.”

This place just OOZES old school class. But enough about the atmosphere — let’s check out the menu and get our eat on!

Menu

When we visited, we were provided with an actual menu, not a QR code. As we previously mentioned, when the restaurant fully reopened last year it got a new menu, but most of the beverages appear to have returned.

There is a good selection of wine and we’d expect nothing less from a classy restaurant that showcases the best of Californian cuisine!

Here’s another look at some of the after dinner drinks and dessert wines…

…and the Disney family of wines available here.

You can also order some classic cocktails, including the Carthay Old Fashioned and Pimm’s Punch.

Non-alcoholic drinks are available as well.

At the time we visited in 2021, Carthay Circle was serving their Summer Menu, featuring seasonally inspired starters, entrees, and desserts. Keep in mind that the menu can and does sometimes change!

Coming with kiddos? They won’t be forgotten! There are some kids’ menu items as well, including entrees and desserts.

Alright, let’s get to our eats and drinks!

Eats & Drinks

We stuck with water for this meal and got straight down to ordering food.

We started with the Bread for the Table. This time the bread was Warm Cheddar Parker House Rolls with Calabrian Chili-Pinenut Romesco for $10. These replaced the previous Signature Fried Biscuits.

The bread was very soft and had a nice cheddar flavor (if you know us, you know we LOVE ourselves some CHEESE! ) on the outside. The inside was a standard, soft, and fluffy well-baked roll. One thing we would have liked to have changed — the bread wasn’t quite as warm as we would have liked.

Romesco is traditionally a bold, zippy sauce full of roasted tomato and pepper flavor. This version had a nice and light flavor that worked well with the bread, but it was almost a little TOO light in flavor. These were good but we definitely could have done with more of a PUNCH of flavor from the sauce and a bit warmer bread.

In terms of starters, we also ordered the Chicken “Arepa” for $18. It’s made of Slowly Braised Chicken with Poblano Chiles and Pepitas. (Pepitas are pumpkin seeds!) This was a wonderful fusion of Latin flavors and was fresh and light. And folks, we have to say it — this was DELICIOUS!

The chicken was SO flavorful and the appetizer as a whole had a nice, balanced texture & flavor. The chicken appeared to be infused with the peppers, giving it a great flavor. The cilantro and creme fraiche garnish gave it just the right zip to keep each bite light and balanced. We really had NO complaints about this starter, and it’s something we would totally order again if/when available! It’s also a good size for sharing — if you’re willing to part with a few bites that is!

Now on to the entrees. We chose the Grilled Sustainable Fish for $47, which turned out to be Sea Bass during our visit. It was served with Red Flame Grapes, Fresno Chiles, and Tomatillo Salsa. And it is the WHOLE fish. Like the whoooole fish, tail and all, similar to what we’ve had at Tiffins at Disney World. So if you don’t like your food staring at you or picking your way around bones, take note. But we have to tell ‘ya — this fish was tasty!

If you’re expecting heat from the salsa, note that the Tomatillo Salsa really didn’t have much in terms of spiciness. But that was okay with us! This was a mild salsa that we think could please just about anyone. It didn’t overpower the fish, which was great. That let the fish itself shine. The fish, by the way, was cooked nicely (not overcooked and dry!). We think this is a dish that could really make any seafood fan happy!

Our one qualm with this dish is that it really could’ve benefitted from a side dish. It came just as the whole fish with the red flames grapes which acted more as a garnish than as a side. So if you’re getting this one, you might want to order a side to go along with it, but that’ll be an added cost so keep that in mind.

We also ordered the Grilled New York Steak for $58. It’s served with Creamed Corn, Hushpuppies, and Raspberry Chimichurri. Our steak was cooked really well, and the Raspberry Chimichurri paired well with it! We liked that it wasn’t TOO sweet but still added a touch of sweetness to the dish. If you’re hesitant to try the chimichurri or are worried it won’t pair well with the steak for you, you could probably ask for it on the side.

The steak is nice and all, but we were REALLY excited about the Hushpuppies served with it! Think about it — little spiced nuggets of cornbread, deep-fried to a crisp golden brown with a soft, warm center. Sounds like heaven, right? Well, these might sound like heaven, but they were…just ok.

We were a little disappointed considering the potential they had. Now, don’t get us wrong — they weren’t bad by any means! But they weren’t great either. They were…fine. C’MON Disneyland, ya make so many other amazing fried things!!

Now let’s move on from the savory items to some dessert (which might just be the most important course — don’t @ us, we don’t make the rules! ). During our trip, we decided to get the Warm Apricot Butter Cake for $15. It’s served with a California Apricot Sauce and Apricot Sorbet. First, let’s all just take a second to admire this amazing presentation. Disney chefs, sometimes y’all are just too much and we are HERE for it.

In terms of taste, the cake itself was awesome! There was a great crunch on the outside, while the inside was warm and soft. YUM! The sorbet was fresh and tasty, too. Our biggest complaint is that we wanted more of it!

One important note — this cake did have a STRONG apricot flavor, so if that’s not your jam (pun intended), you might want to opt for another dessert instead.

And that’s a look at our meal from Carthay Circle. So, should you stop by this spot during your next trip? Here’s what we think.

Nosh or Not

Head straight to Carthay Circle if…

• You want a premium dining experience and don’t mind paying extra for it. The menu here isn’t exactly cheap. You’re looking at likely over $15 for appetizers and right in the $30s-$40s range (if not more) for entrees. Add on sides, desserts, and drinks and you’re looking at a pricey meal! But the atmosphere is fantastic and some of the eats are absolutely delicious.
• You’re celebrating a special occasion. This is a signature dining spot, making it a great location for those special occasions — a birthday, anniversary, graduation, special date, etc. That old Hollywood atmosphere lends itself to that kind of thing and can really make YOU feel like a part of that famous moment in time.
• You’re looking for an escape from the theme park crowds & standard food items. The atmosphere here will totally take you away from the feeling of long ride lines, sweaty crowds, and popcorn. So if you’re looking for a little escape without having to venture out of Disney California Adventure Park, this can be a great option. The menu is also full of more “signature” items. Some can be more unique (like that whole fried fish) while others are more standard (like pork shops, salads, etc.) so while some things aren’t wildly unique, they are more unique than say burgers and fries.

Just walk on by Carthay Circle if…

• You’re on a tight budget. Like we’ve mentioned before, the cost here is pretty high. If you’re sticking to a tight budget during your trip, this is a spot you’ll likely want to skip unless you’ve carved out a specific part of your budget to make it work.
• You want a quick meal. Like most table service meals, a meal here can take a bit of time. If you’ve got a list of 100 things to get accomplished in the parks that day, taking an hour or more out of your day to sit down and eat can really throw off those plans.
• You’ll be traveling with a bunch of kiddos or are looking for a spot with entertainment. This a signature spot with a more sophisticated atmosphere. That doesn’t mean kids can’t come and eat here and enjoy their time here, but it is a different feel. Kiddos can come and eat here, but they don’t have a ton of menu options and frankly they might just not enjoy the atmosphere. If you’ve got a ton of kiddos in the group or you’re looking for a spot that offers a meal + some entertainment you might want to opt for a character meal or different spot.

Overall

Carthay Circle Restaurant is an iconic dining experience at Disneyland particularly due to its theming, and we’re happy to report that this has not changed. The Cast Members here go to great lengths to ensure that your dining experience is as special as possible and make sure that you leave the restaurant feeling like you’re royalty.

With that being said, the menu WAS different during our visit, but the new menu was still reflective of the restaurant’s atmosphere. For both of the entrees we tried here, the main centerpiece of the dish was excellently executed! But we were disappointed with the sides, either because of the lack of them or their unrealized potential. There’s also the cost to consider. It’s very pricey. We do feel like the cost is worth it for many of the items, but you’ll want to take a close look at the menu options that will be available during your trip to make sure the flavors are ones that fit your palette.

As good as some of the food items are, we think the service and atmosphere is what really can make the experience worth the cash. What do you think? Have you eaten at Carthay Circle and would you do so again in the future? Tell us in the comments! And be sure to check back with us for more reviews and Disney news!

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Have you ever been to Carthay Circle Restaurant? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments!

The post REVIEW: Is This Signature Dining Experience at Disneyland Still Worth the $$$? first appeared on the disney food blog.