You can’t eat everywhere on your trip. After years of researching Disney, I have heard quite a few complaints and even had bad experiences myself. Every restaurant has its ups and downs, so be sure to pipe in if you disagree with any restaurant on this list.
Here are 7 restaurants to skip in Walt Disney World:
- Electric Umbrella – Probably the most boring restaurant in all of Epcot. With the huge variety of food choices, don’t waste your time here.
- Biergarten – If German food and community dining don’t appeal to you, skip this one.
- ABC Commissary – The food in this restaurant has been known to remind Guests of cafeteria food that might be served at the ABC studios.
- Le Cellier – With the high price tag (it requires 2 dining credits), you would expect them to have a better atmosphere. The tables are crammed close together and the food sometimes lacks taste and is heavy on the salt.
- Chefs de France – This is another restaurant who has a reputation of less than stellar food.
- Akershus – The Norwegian food is a major turn off in this restaurant. The one time we ate here for lunch we had a miserable experience. Once we discovered that they serve traditional American favorites for breakfast, we started booking a breakfast here instead. A much better choice!
- Tony’s Town Square Restaurant – We had 2 bad experiences here with bland, tasteless Italian food. We did find it tasted better on our last visit but I still wouldn’t recommend it to someone who has better options to choose from.
Learn more about Walt Disney World Dining and get suggestions for where to eat, how to use the Disney Dining Plan and more.
Tony’s is our FAVORITE every time! Great food and impeccable service!
Never had a bland meal and have always had helpful and engaged servers!!
I can’t say enough good things about it.
*we dine out 2-3 times a week regularly and go for Italian frequently as it is one of our 4 major food groups.
I only had one bad experience at a disney world restaurants. My family eat at via Napoli restaurant in Italy at epcot in disneyworld. At the time my son was very young and a picky eater, so I had a packed him a separate snack for him to eat because there was nothing on the menu he would eat. I thought nothing of it to give him a his snack while the other 5 people in my party eat over $200 dollars work of pizza and other foods. I was scolded and told my head management that my 4 year old son could not eat this food at the table. I had to take my son’s food away from him and I left the restaurant to have him eat outside. I was so upset I never even eat my dinner. There was no one to complain to about my experience and I never got to eat my meal. I will never eat there again to this day.
We had a very similar experience last Christmas at the Choral Reef. We had a party of 9 and my 3 year old would have anything so I gave her some Mickey crackers. Not only did the waiter fuss at me for it, but one member of our party got the wrong good, twice. The final blow was when they double charged us gratuity. We split the bill, and while both parties giving grutity is standard, my husband have more then 30%. We called the restaurant manager as well disney’s hotline and never got further then a dialtone. While I live WDW, we will never go to that restaurant again and will be more viligant next time.
Biergarten is the best! My husband’s only request is to eat here! Beer and wine are the best! Entertainment is amazing! Our kids eat the rolls and chicken.
Akershus is great too! The princesses alone are worth going! My daughter had pizza and loved it. They can snack on crackers and bread. You’re really paying for the princess experience.
Why not the Biergarten??? Best place ever with excellent food and great entertainment. I love the Biergarten, where they celebrate
Oktoberfest all year around!!!
The Biergarten was the best place we ate at! ABC Commissary wasn’t bad. I had the ribs. They just weren’t amazing.
Le Cellier definately not worth it! WORST STEAK EVER!
I had the best steak I’ve ever eaten at Le Cellier!! One of our favorites in WDW!
We love the pot roast hamburger at Electric Umbrella, we never skip it on a trip. What I find about resorts and restaurants at Disney, someone hates and loves each one. So ignore these lists and eat and stay where you want!
I didn’t really like the Garden Grill at Epcot. The food was okay and we got to meet Chip and Dale, Mickey, and Pluto but it was loud, hot, VERY bright, and difficult to walk through because of the layout. The five of us were squashed in a booth and it was uncomfortable. Also, the building the restaurant is in felt more like an office building lobby than a Disney attraction. Terrible atmosphere, imho. I liked every other place we ate, though.
Totally disagree with #7. We love Tony’s Town Square! Especially when we eat outside and have a 2:15 reservation. Amazing view of the 3o’clock parade. Under cover for the afternoon rain shower and elevated for an amazing view! Food was great with nice size portions!
Love it and must agree! My husband and I time it in the evening, sit outside with a bottle of wine, and the view and atmosphere is amazing! I am there for the Disney and not the food. You need to take is some of the meals at that value and you will never be disappointed ❤️
Biergarten is on our list as a must-do every time we go! Dinner is a better choice, because they have the traditional band playing. We have so many great memories of our kids dancing there. They do have some kid friendly food.
We loved Akershus. I had one of the best chicken sandwiches there I’ve ever had. The interaction with the princesses was also terrific.
If you only want traditional American food, you are better off not eating in Epcot at all.
I don’t see Chef Mickeys on this list???
We like Akershus because the princesses all come to the table. It’s another chance for my daughter to meet more princesses without standing in line.
We have never done Le Celier because we go to Canada every summer and the menu here doesn’t look very accurate to me lol.
Never eaten at Tony’ s or Chef Le France.
I hear the food at Biergarten is great. I’m German so want to check it out.
The food at Biergarten IS excellent! I am German too so when I went in May of this year, I had to try it and I’m so happy I did! Definitely worth the price of the buffet! :)
I agree with Chef Mickeys! They should really change this place up for the price. The food was not good at all!
Let Cellier is one of our cash restaurants. But my husband and I share a meal. We really like the pretzel rolls and share a steak.
We always book Le Cellier. It’s our favorite. The food is top notch and so is the service. Always #1 on our Must Do List.
Your problem with Beirgarten is the German food, and your problem with Akurshus was the Norwegian food??? What else did you expect, in the Germany and Norway pavilions?
Exactly! I thought the same thing, lol.
That struck me as well. Rather like Americans who go to Europe, then get upset because they can’t order American food there. Why go to Germany if you don’t want to eat German food? Five of the seven restaurants are in Epcot. But it was funny to see Electric Umbrella on the list because it served “boring” food when there are so many other choices in Epcot (none of which she liked lol)
You’d think a Disney blogger would know what these restaurants serve and how they serve it before going there.
Aukerhaus was AMAZING! If you want traditional American fare then don’t eat there! Otherwise go and enjoy!
We had a great lunch at Tony’s a year ago.
We had an amazing experience just last week at Tony’s. Out of the 6 table services we had during our stay, Tony’s is in the top two.
We had an absolutely horrible experience at Teppan Edo in Japan with a 3 hour dinner that started at 8:20 and tasteless underwhelming food and hibachi experience.
Our second favorite table service that we hadn’t originally booked but happen to come upon during our day at Epcot was at Nine Dragons in China. The service was impeccable and the food was amongst the best chinese we’ve ever had
I miss when Tony’s used to do breakfast. It was THE place to go for breakfast!
My family of 4 (all adults) just ate at Tony’s on Saturday and we all loved the meal (one got steak, another the salmon, another the pizza and I got the chicken parm). The tiramisu for dessert was delicious. I would definitely eat there again and my husband already mentioned this morning how good the salmon was. We had reservations so only waited a few minutes to get seated and our waitress was delightful. We would definitely eat there again.
I love Tony’s and have eaten there many times. Never a bad meal.
Same here every time we go to Disney we have to go to Tony’s they have great food for dinner and so much fun for kids with the theming
I agree with Tony’s but we love le cellier
I have actually never had a bad experience at any of these listed. Chefs de France is my very favorite. Yes, some of your choices are cafeteria style while others have tight quarters, but I will continue to eat at all of these! My worst experience ever has been at another 2 ticket favorite – Narcoosi’s – but we have since returned there and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Tony’s was the worst Italian I ever tasted and limited food options. Never tried the others.
I totally agree with this. My only BAD food experience at WDW. And I love Lady and the Tramp so it was really sad.
Chefs Mickeys—-birds flying around the restaurant. That sums it up. Dont waste your time there.
We loved Chef Mickey. It was the first character meal we ever did. Good food, good atmosphere. We also loved Tonys l, just went this past Saturday, portions seemed a little small but taste was amazing.
Chef Mickey’s is good if you are looking for character pictures/autographs. The food is bland, but super kid friendly.
I disagree with 2,4, and 6 100%! We love the German restaurant that we sometimes go twice on a visit, the best Mac n cheese around along with many other tasty German culture findings. Le Cellier is the go to steak place,and we have tried many along with their soups.I may agree with the tight seating,but more seats mean shorter wait,and in Disney it’s all about getting to things in a timely matter. Chef Mickeys is a staple of disney vacationing,I mean it is a buffet style so if you want top notch food offerings no buffet will provide that,however with mickey and friends coming to personally meet and greet your children I’ll just add a little pepper to my food instead:)
Loved Le Cellier until it went to two tickets. We do love Biergarten and Akerhaus though. Biergarten has a fun show my kids love and we like the German food. Akerhaus has actually toned down the Norwegian food from pre-princess times, believe it or not. We wish they didn’t because we loved it. It’s definitely different but in good way for us.
We had a TERRIBLE experience at Tony’s and will never go back. For me, there has to be a better option… Anything is.
I totally disagree with two of these! EVERY time we go, we book Le Cellier….best steak EVER! And it is worth the 2 table services, provided you like to eat meat! And Chef Mickeys had a great variety and was a fun atmosphere for the kids!
I completely agree with you, Janet. We’ve never had a bad experience at either of these restaurants.
Chef De France and Chef Mickey are not the same restaurant
I love the atmosphere but the food was not good well to us. 100+ dollars for a meal that is not good was just disappointing.We went there many many years ago and I remember it being better. Maybe it was breakfast.