Get ready for a rootin’ tootin’ good time!

Roundup Rodeo BBQ will officially open in Disney’s Hollywood Studios on March 23rd and reservations for the restaurant are now open. We’ve shared all kinds of details about this spot — from a look at the menu to details you’ll find within the restaurant, and more. But we got the chance to eat a ton of things from the menu and we’re sharing our honest thoughts!

There has been lots of buzz around Toy Story for a long time. Disney has announced another Toy Story sequel is in the works, and there has been lots of construction for years in Toy Story Land to make room for this new restaurant. But the time to explore Roundup Rodeo BBQ has finally arrived (thanks to a media preview event we were invited to).

Note that this was a preview event only so we weren’t experiencing the restaurant as a typical guest will once it’s opened to the public. We didn’t get the chance to try every single item guests will get to order off of the regular menu, the environment was different, and our food wasn’t served family-style. So just keep those things in mind.

Alright, let’s get to it and dig into the new Rodeo Round Up BBQ feast! To understand this restaurant though, you first need to know a bit about the atmosphere.

Atmosphere

This is a fully immersive western-style themed restaurant designed to help guests feel like they’re really part of the Roundup gang.

Seriously, everything here is DECKED out in theming…

…from the ceilings…

…to the floors.

Take a walk inside the restaurant with us! There are two main dining rooms — one themed to Jessie and one themed to Bo Peep and each has a different vibe.

Good morning from Roundup Rodeo BBQ! Look how colorful everything is! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #mediaevent pic.twitter.com/qDX6j7TW8d

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

 

 

You’ll find all kinds of characters represented in the space including Bo Peep…

…Trixie and Stinky Pete…

…and other friends.

And you may not be able to resist grabbing a photo with the GIANT Sheriff badge!

Calling all rodeo fans (and sheriffs)! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/FJsu1BhmVT

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

The idea is that Andy has built this play set — a rodeo arena — himself.

The detail here is SO fun – do you see the milk carton?? This restaurant blends seamlessly into the rest of Toy Story Land! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/dpCSTLEZ8n

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

He has taken his favorite games and play sets to create the entire scene.

That really comes through when you notice there are parts of other toys and sets mixed into the fun.

There is a LOT to look at here…

…so prepare to stare around the rooms for a while.

You may even want to pay a visit to the restrooms to check those out!

In terms of the seating, you’ll find some standard tables and booths with colorful chairs.

We also have to mention some other special things here in terms of the general atmosphere. First, listen closely to the audio being played in the restaurant. It can sometimes feature unique character theming or music (and one Cast Member indicated it could get special overlays during the holidays and Halloween). Plus, the audio will help with one crucial thing — the “Andy’s Coming” moment!

There will be an “Andy’s coming!” moment while guests are dining at Roundup Rodeo BBQ! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/PmlmDiMC99

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

You are an honorary toy, after all, so Andy can’t see you moving if he comes around. So if Andy comes near, prepare to FREEZE!

Do you hear that…Andy is coming! FREEZE! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/a6RBBk9QZG

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

Truly, every detail is carefully designed here, down to the plates that look like the paper ones you’d find at a backyard barbecue (a big theme throughout the entire restaurant). Don’t worry though, these won’t bend and fold on you (they’re real plates!).

Plate. Secured! There was no detail missed here, including these “paper” plates!#AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/R5EuOFoRCK

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

Now, let’s move from the atmosphere to the menu!

For more atmosphere details, click here!

Menu

During a “normal” meal here, the food will be served family-style.

Let’s get to the FOOD! Here’s a look at meats, salads, breads, and desserts that all guests will get to choose from! Remember, this restaurant will be a family-style dining experience! #AllTheDisneyThrills #WaltDisneyWorld #MediaEvent pic.twitter.com/dEAaAoImWe

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 15, 2023

 

Remember we were at a media event so our eats were served a bit differently.

The feast here is $45 per adult and $25 per child (ages 3-9) — same pricing for lunch or dinner.

The meal begins with some cheddar biscuits, then you can enjoy 3 salads to share. After that, your table will share a platter of house-smoked meats, or you can opt for the plant-based trio. There’s also a Cedar Plant Saloon Salmon available upon request.

Your table will then be able to select 4 of the sides to share, and each guest picks 1 dessert (mini pie-in-a-jar).

There are also some drinks to pick from including alcoholic beverages, beer and hard cider, non-alcoholic refreshments, and wine by the glass.

Alright, let’s dive into the food and drinks we got to try!

Eats

After you’re seated, you’ll be treated to a bread service of The Prospector’s Homemade Cheddar Biscuits with Sweet Pepper Jelly. You can see little melted cheddar bits in the biscuits, which were soft (but NOT flaky). These were great biscuits, but nothing that’ll totally SHOCK you. They were comparable to some of the biscuits you’ll get at chain restaurants (like Cheddar’s) but are probably even better when super hot and fresh.

The Sweet Pepper Jelly, though, levels up the biscuits. It was DIVINE! It was sweet and zesty with a savory tang, thanks to the pepper in it.

For the next course, you’ll be treated to three salad options — a Rootin’ Tootin’ Tomato Salad, Rex’s Romaine and Kale Salad, and Wheezy’s Watermelon Salad. 

Wheezy’s Watermelon Salad is the one we got to try and it was pretty simple — it’s just cubed watermelon garnished with freshly torn mint leaves. The watermelon was fresh and juicy, though, and the mint was a nice touch. Overall, it definitely fits the backyard BBQ theme here.

Next, you’ll choose from Trixie’s Plant-based Trio or a Platter of House-Smoked Items.

The house-smoked items include Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs, Buttercup’s Beef Brisket, There’s A Sausage In My Boot – Fire Grilled Pork Sausage, and BBQ Chicken with Style!

The Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs were delicious and tender enough to fall off the bone. They were pink on the inside (which can happen in the smoking process) but not super smoky but enough to give you that feeling of being at a BBQ. They were more on the sweet side of BBQ. And the charred texture on the outside added a nice texture.

Also, kudos to Buttercup, because Buttercup’s Beef Brisket (hand-sliced beef brisket, smoked then slow-cooked to juicy perfection) was FANTASTIC. We didn’t even need a knife to cut into this tender meat — it was very soft and almost melted in our mouths. Again, it was more on the sweet side rather than smoky, but we didn’t mind. It’s not tough or super fatty. We liked this one the best because it was great to try the sauces with.

Speaking of the sauces, you have three to try — Classic, Sweet, and Spicy.

Yes, we tried them ALL. The sweet was LOVELY and reminded us of Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce — it still had a kick, but it was mild.

The Spicy Sauce had a Louisiana hot sauce vibe. It wasn’t SUPER spicy, but that heat could build up as you eat it and add more.

The Classic Sauce was peppery and vinegary — there’s just a little kick from the vinegar, but not a lot of heat. This is the one you’ll want to try if you like a Carolina or vinegar-based sauce.

For the sides, you’ll be able to choose four for the table of the following: Mean Old Potato Salad, The Married Spuds, Veggie Slaw, Force Field Fried Pickles, Campfire-roasted Vegetables, Slinky Dooooooooooog’s Mac & Cheese, Buckin’ Baked Beans, and Cowpoke Corn on the Cob.

We had the Mean Old Potato Salad (Homestyle with red-skinned potatoes) and liked it. The skins are still on these potatoes, so it was nice and chewy. We also liked the peppery flavor of it and how creamy it was.

The Veggie Slaw (crunchy shredded veggie slaw) was light, juicy, and crunchy. It had an earthy taste and…well, we’ll just say it was one of those things that just tastes “healthy.” The vinaigrette in it is kind of sweet though, too. It might not have been the best cole slaw we’ve ever had, but it was enjoyable.

For the big finish, Roundup Rodeo has five different desserts to choose from and you can select one per guest! The options given are Bo’s Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake, Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie, Goat’s Apple Pie, Gruff’s Peach-Strawberry Pie, and Cupcake a la Forky.

Goat’s Apple Pie tasted homemade, which was so nice. The apples were cooked but still had some snap to them. The dessert also had lots of cinnamon, too. It reminded us of the baked apples at Cracker Barrel. Here’s the thing, though — it was served cold, but we do think it would’ve been BETTER if served warm.

We also tried Bo’s Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake and we have to say, this might have been our favorite. The lemon on top was nice and tangy, but the best part was the delicious whole blueberries in it. The cheesecake cuts the tang of the lemon and the overall sweetness. Add in the texture difference of the crumbles at the bottom of the dessert, and this one was a WIN.

The Cupcake a la Forky was more of a kid-geared dessert. This is a classic chocolate cake with a gooey chocolate ganache center topped with velvety graham cracker buttercream and a sugar cookie. It was very sweet, but also a little basic. It sort of reminded us of the kind of cupcake you can pick up in any grocery store. There’s a gooey chocolate center in it, though, which was really nice (and helps add some needed moisture to the cake), plus the buttercream was wonderful. And the cookie on top is sure to be a kid-pleaser!

It was made with a crumbly buttery shortbread with fondant on top. The little gummy neck tie was SO cute. And we also loved that Forky had different faces on different cupcakes so it adds a bit of uniqueness to each one!

And that brings us to the end of the food, so let’s talk drinks.

Drinks

During our time, we tried some of the Peach Iced Tea, which was SO good. It was sweet, but not overly sugary (like tea that’s been OVER sweetened). It reminded us of a Starbucks peach tea in the best way possible.

This one had a very summer vibe and was wonderfully refreshing.

Overall

Overall, Disney really nailed the theme of a backyard barbecue here, both with the atmosphere and the food. The food is really tasty. On the one hand, we do feel like it’s a pretty solid option when you combine the family-style food and the theming. On the other hand, it does feel like really good backyard barbecue food — sort of like the very BEST your family has to offer (like the amazing cupcakes from grandma and the incredible brisket from your uncle Joe).

So if your family is made of backyard barbecue pros that absolutely CRUSH the cooking game, this might not feel all that special to you. But that’s not to say that the food isn’t delicious, because much of it really was.

And aside from the food, the atmosphere might really draw you in. One of our reporters shared that it was the most they’d ever felt like a toy in Toy Story Land and was far more impressible than they expected.

One important thing to note is that this is NOT a character meal — that might be something you’ll truly enjoy or something you’ll dislike about it. Regardless, it’s something to keep in mind.

All in all, we were really pleasantly surprised by the experience and we think a lot of families would be really happy eating here. What do you think? Would this spot be worth the $45 per person or is it a skip for you? Tell us in the comments!

Again, remember that we only experienced a media preview but we’ll be back with more thoughts once we try the FULL thing, so stay tuned for more news and reviews!

Can Anyone Tell Us Why THIS Mickey Waffle Is Rated R?

Did you grab a reservation to try out Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ

The post We Ate a LOT of Food at Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Disney World — Here Are Our Honest Thoughts first appeared on the disney food blog.