Cookes of Dublin Dinner Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2018. It includes information about dairy free options.
Dinner at Cookes of Dublin
Cookes of Dublin is a quick service restaurant located in Disney Springs. It has been a long-time favorite of mine for reasonably priced meals and lots of gluten free (and dairy free) options. Recently, we stopped by Cookes of Dublin for a quick dinner before we saw a movie. We've seen several movies at the AMC Dine-In Theatre there lately, and sometimes getting a quick and affordable meal before the movie is a nice treat.
Atmosphere
Since we recently dined at Cookes of Dublin and wrote a dining review of that visit, I won't go into a lot of detail about atmosphere. I think one of the things that makes Cookes of Dublin charming is that it looks like a proper take-away fish & chips shop.
Cookes of Dublin - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
One note is that we did go on a Friday night, and it was very busy. We found a table but only after waiting a bit for one to open up. As you can see, the restaurant interior is quite narrow and small. There is also seating near the bar outside and in front of the restaurant too. On this visit, every seating area was full.
Cookes of Dublin - Table Marker / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Once we found a spot, I placed my Cookes of Dublin table marker up at my table. This helps identify to the cast members which table an order goes to. I'd still love to see them use electronic table markers like D-Luxe Burger, as I think it would really help the cast members from having to wander around looking for tables a lot -- especially on a busy night.
The Food
On this particular visit, I let the cast member at the register know about my special dietary need. She immediately let me know that they were out of several items and also had some equipment issues so some items would not be an option either. Essentially, I could have gluten free sandwiches & French fries (made in a dedicated fryer) and a modified version of the Hog in a Box entree. With that in mind, I opted for the Grilled Chicken Sandwich.If you’re gluten free and dairy free there are a few of the options currently available if you dine at Cookes of Dublin and are typically available. You can see that list here along with links to reviews I've written about these different options.
Hog in a Box (with quite a few modifications)
Cheeseburger & Chips
Onion Rings
Cookes of Dublin - Chicken Sandwich / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I ordered the Char-grilled Chicken Breast with Herb Aioli, Tomato Chutney, and Greens on a Gluten Free Bun served with French Fries and a side of Dalkey Mustard and Tartar Sauce. I also added bacon and cheese to the sandwich, which was suggested to me by the cast member who took my order. Everything here is gluten free. Both the Dalkey Mustard and Tartar Sauce are also dairy free. But, I believe the herb aioli contains dairy.
While I do tend to order the gluten free & dairy free fish and chips at Cookes of Dublin, it was a nice change of pace to have the chicken sandwich. The flavors were excellent, and I really liked the addition of the bacon and cheese. The tomato chutney on this sandwich isn't my favorite, so I might order it without it the next time. The gluten free bun had some issues holding up well to the herb aioli on the sandwich. So, be warned that this might get a little messy to eat.
The French fries were good, as always, but the stars are really the sauces. I always recommend sauces on the side. Unfortunately, they were out of cocktail sauce on this visit, but the Tartar Sauce and Dalkey Mustard are always very tasty too.
Overall
Cookes of Dublin is a tasty and affordable option if you're dining in Disney Springs. If you're craving gluten free fried foods, you really can't go wrong with the options they serve here too. The sandwiches are also excellent, which means you'll find a good amount of options when you dine at Cookes of Dublin gluten free.
Have you been to Cookes of Dublin? What did you order when you dined there?