Sometimes the quick service dining options in Magic Kingdom can be…a little lackluster.

We haven’t always been overly impressed with spots like Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe or Casey’s Corner (outside of our beloved corn dog nuggets, of course!), and even the more unique spots like Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe can fall flat. But through the many quick service choices in that park, there’s one spot that often gets overlooked — and we headed there recently for a review!

Atmosphere

For this review, we’re heading to the one and only Tortuga Tavern! This restaurant is located in Adventureland across from Pirates of the Caribbean, and it is ALSO pirate-themed.

Here, you order at the counter because they don’t have Mobile Order available through the My Disney Experience app. Because of this, service might be a smidge slower than other quick service restaurants.

The hours at Tortuga Tavern are fairly restrictive, which leads some people to believe that the restaurant is only open seasonally. They’re open daily, but only from 11AM-5PM. Outside of those time frames, they’ll put a sign up that says the restaurant is unavailable.

There’s a decent amount of seating here, but it fills up quickly during the lunch rush. The restaurant is semi-outdoors, with most of the seating under an open-air space with ceiling fans.

There’s also a separate, more enclosed, dining room with a few tables. This room has more pirate theming.

They’ve got murals and artifacts to check out in here!

This room is also home to some of the best-hidden bathrooms in Magic Kingdom. They’re usually nice and quiet.

And of course, like any other quick service spot, Tortuga Tavern has a small selection of condiments at various stations.

So what’s on the menu?

Menu

The reason this place often gets looked over is because the menu is fairly small. There are just four entrees and one specialty beverage, and there’s no kids’ menu. There’s a Barbecue Pork Sandwich and a Barbecue Slaw Dog for those who enjoy pulled pork.

If you’re a bit more adventurous, try out the Orange Chicken Strips or the Peanut Butter, Chocolate-Hazelnut, and Banana Sandwich. The Desert Pear Lemonade Pirate Slushy is one of our favorite specialty drinks in the park!

Eats

During my visit, I decided to try just a little bit of everything! Here’s the full spread.

I kicked things off with the Desert Pear Lemonade Pirate Slushy for $6.49, since it tends to melt a little bit when it’s warmer out. There’s no description or ingredient list for this item, but it reminds me a LOT of the violet lemonade at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.

It’s tart and sweet, and there’s a really decent portion — it’s a lot for one person to drink! I could taste the lemon most prominently, with a little bit of the pear flavor underneath. If you like floral or citrusy beverages, this is a MUST.

Moving on to the food, I went next for the Barbecue Pork Sandwich. It comes with house-made chips for $11.79. I’m not particularly a fan of Disney World’s house-made chips, as they can be underseasoned and overcooked. I’d much prefer if they gave you the option to get a bag of Lay’s with this sandwich.

But the sandwich itself? Not bad at all! It’s topped with a hearty portion of pulled pork that’s definitely drenched in a sweet barbecue sauce — to me it tasted like it was made with brown sugar. The pork was tender and not too fatty.

It also has coleslaw on top, and that can make the center of the sandwich a smidge soggy. I pulled some of the coleslaw off to make it a little easier to eat. Otherwise, the sandwich is very tall.

This is definitely better than some of the cafeteria pulled pork sandwiches I’ve tried in the past, but not anywhere close to the best barbecue you’ll ever eat. I was pleasantly surprised with it, if I’m being honest!

My second entree was the one that sounded the most unusual to me — the Peanut Butter, Chocolate-Hazelnut, and Banana Sandwich for $10.29. This one is also served with house-made chips, and I had the same complaints about this batch as I did about the chips that came with the pulled pork.

But really, we’re here to talk about the sandwich! This was SHOCKINGLY good. I expected it to be a little bizarre, but the fillings work incredibly well together. You get different kinds of sweetness from the chocolate, the hazelnut, and the banana, while the peanut butter brings in the nuttiness and salty flavors.

The bread on the sandwich was toasted, but I could tell that the loaf had been a little bit stale. It honestly didn’t bother me though! All in all, the sandwich was really rich and I could only eat about half of it in one sitting, so beware if you’re averse to a lot of sugar.

Last but not least, I’ve got to tell you guys about one of my FAVORITE lunch entrees in Magic Kingdom! Say hello to the Orange Chicken Strips, tossed in a sweet orange-soy glaze, and served with house-made chips for $11.29.

This is an entree I’ve eaten at Tortuga Tavern several times, and based on my experience, it doesn’t disappoint! You get four chicken strips smothered in the glaze and topped with green onions. They’re sweet and sticky and those green onions add a nice tang.

You can taste the orange flavor pretty strongly and they’re not exactly like the Orange Chicken you get at an Asian restaurant, but they’re similar. With four strips, it’s also a really good portion!

So what did I think of Tortuga Tavern overall?

Overall

Listen, you guys are SLEEPING on Tortuga Tavern! Two of the entrees were stellar, and the pork sandwich was still pretty darn good, especially by Magic Kingdom’s quick service standards. The slushy is also very unique and fun, so I think this restaurant deserves more love!

It’s probably not going to be the BEST theme park food you’ll ever eat, but I’ve been back several times for those chicken strips and have not been let down yet. The one thing to consider before going to Tortuga Tavern is that EVERY item on the menu is sweet. If you want more savory-based foods or can’t eat much sugar, this might not be the spot for you.

Nosh or Not?

Dock your pirate ship and head to the tavern if…

• You want to try some unique quick service eats. The Orange Chicken Strips and the Peanut Butter, Chocolate-Hazelnut, and Banana Sandwich are both unlike anything you can get elsewhere in Magic Kingdom.
• You’re eating lunch or a midday meal. Since Tortuga is only open from 11AM-5PM, you’ve got a limited amount of time in which you can visit. If you’re eating dinner, they’ll likely be closed.
• You love a pirate theme! If you’ve got Pirates of the Caribbean fans or kiddos who love the sea, this is a very cool theme for a restaurant. They even have a pirates’ code posted on the wall!

Keep on sailing to the next port of call if…

• You have lots of kiddos in your party. There’s no kids’ meal here, so the little ones will have to order an adult entree if you decide to eat at Tortuga.
• You’ve got picky eaters. There aren’t many options on the menu, and most of them are fairly adventurous. This isn’t the place for chicken nuggets and burgers.
• You’re in a time crunch. Since this restaurant isn’t super popular and they don’t have Mobile Order, getting your food can take a little extra time.

Stay tuned to DFB for more restaurant reviews from the Disney World parks and resorts! We’ll keep you in the loop with the best food recommendations for your vacation.

The 10 Best Quick Service Restaurants in Magic Kingdom — Click Here!

Have you ever eaten at Tortuga Tavern? Tell us in the comments!

The post REVIEW: A Magic Kingdom Restaurant BLEW Me Away…and It’s Not the One You Think! first appeared on the disney food blog.