REVIEW: This Disneyland Restaurant Is STILL One of Our Favorites…Even With NEW Menu Items

We always love a good excuse to revisit some of our favorite Disneyland restaurants. And when we spot new menu additions, we know we have to stop by to try them out!

Here at AllEars, we know all the ins and outs of Disneyland restaurants — including where you should definitely eat, and where you should skip. We recently stopped by Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure Park and are bringing you our FULL review!

Background

Carthay Circle Restaurant is inspired by the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles and hopes to take guests back to the Golden Age of Hollywood! You will find Southern California-inspired cuisine served in an art deco atmosphere right on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure.

The original Carthay Circle Theatre was a great movie palace of Hollywood’s golden age, and it was also where Walt Disney’s first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered in 1937. Here’s what you need to know about dining at this restaurant.

Atmosphere

Inside the restaurant, you will find a meticulous reproduction of the Carthay Circle Theatre. You can also see rare artifacts and references to the early Disney era. There are even Courboisier cels from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The restaurant feels opulent and luxurious, and we have always loved stopping by for a meal here.

We stopped by for lunch to try out some new items! During lunch, Carthay Circle offers a prix-fixe menu. The prix-fixe menu costs $59 per adult and $19 per child. The prix-fixe option is offered from 11 AM to 1:30 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. With this option, you get to choose a starter and a main course.

Now, let’s take a look at what we got to eat!

Food & Drinks

First up, we grabbed the Farmers Market Stone Fruit & Burrata Toast with prosciutto and tomato compote as our starter. This is one of the new items at Carthay Circle, so we were very excited to try it!

This one definitely did not disappoint! The stone fruit tasted similar to cherry with an earthier flavor. The focaccia bread was cheesy and herby, and we loved how it tasted paired with the prosciutto and tomato compote.

We thought the burrata was creamy and light, and it had a really great whipped texture. Not only does this dish look really pretty, but we thought the flavors worked so well together. We would definitely get this starter again!

For our main course, we got the Santa Maria Grilled Tri Tip. It is served with ranchero black beans, roasted poblano chilies, and fresh corn. This is another new menu offering at Carthay Circle!

We ordered ours medium and it came out cooked exactly how we ordered it. However, we might suggest ordering it medium rare to get the Tri Tip a bit juicier. Even cooked medium, though, the meat was tender, easy to chew, and bursting with flavor.

The corns, beans, and chiles were a great compliment and gave us lots of California and Santa Maria vibes. The corn was wonderfully sweet and the chiles surprisingly also brought a sweet flavor to the dish. The chiles weren’t spicy at all.

To drink, we picked up the Carthay Mai Tai. It is made with Surfrider Rum, Luxardo Maraschino and Orgeat Syrups, pineapple and fresh citrus juices, tapped with Myer’s Original Dark Rum, garnished with an orange wedge and luxardo cherry.

This drink was heavy on the cherry and pineapple flavors. We also tasted hints of orange, but the cherry and pineapple are the most prominent flavors. The rum was mixed in well, but you could still taste a hint of the rum flavor. However, we would warn to be careful with this drink as it is stronger than it tastes!

Magic or Tragic?

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You are looking for delicious food and a step back into the Golden Age of Hollywood. We love the food here and we also love how we really feel like we have stepped back in time!
• You are looking for a great deal on a prix-fixe lunch on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The prix-fixe menu option is a great deal. You get a starter and entree for $59 per adult and $19 per child.
• You are looking for an elevated dining experience while staying in the park. We think Carthay Circle offers some delicious food in a more elevated atmosphere, and you don’t even need to leave Disney California Adventure!

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You are looking for a budget-friendly location. Carthay Circle is on the pricier side, so you would be better off trying somewhere else if you are looking to stick to a smaller budget.
• You are short on time and are looking for a quick meal. We don’t think you should rush your experience at Carthay Circle. Plan enough time to really enjoy the experience, so if you are short on time, we would recommend stopping somewhere else.
• You are wanting a smaller or lighter meal option. While the food is delicious, it is also very filling! You could opt for lighter options, but overall, we don’t think this is a great location for a small meal.

Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Carthay Circle Restaurant, and we really think the $59 prix-fixe menu is a great option to try out this dining location. We loved both new items we tried, the Farmers Market Stone Fruit & Burrata Toast and the Santa Maria Grilled Tri Tip.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disneyland and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you eaten at this Disneyland restaurant before? Tell us in the comments.

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