Geyser Point Bar and Grill -- Lunch -- Quick Service -- Wilderness Lodge
*This dining experience took place in March 2017.
Lunch at Geyser Point Bar and Grill
Geyser Point Bar and Grill is Disney's newest restaurant to open. Located in the new Disney Vacation Club Boulder Ridge Villas area of Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Geyser Point Bar and Grill offers quick service food in an open-air bar setting. It's a unique concept that includes a quick service counter to order breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with a seated lounge area that includes the quick service menu along with a special bar menu that offers additional food options. I've been hearing a lot about the new restaurant, so we finally had a chance to check it out. I dined with a large group, including some friends who were visiting from out-of-state, so we got a chance to see a lot of the menu.
Atmosphere
I have to say that the restaurant / lounge seating area is very nice. It's all open-air which means, you'll be technically eating al fresca (aka outside) with a covered roof. At this time of year, the temperature was perfect with a nice breeze and a bit of warmth, but I can see that it could get a bit uncomfortable in very hot or cold temperatures. They do have fans and heaters so it will be interesting to see how it is at less than ideal temps.
We had a big table near the edge of the restaurant with a great view of the water. I really loved the big comfy chairs, though I'll admit they presented a bit of a challenge trying to eat later on. But, if you're there just getting appetizers in drinks, you'll be so comfortable that you may not want to leave. We sure didn't!
The seating area does include a large bar. I really liked that they had the cocktail menu on a screen along with Disney park information too.
The best part about this restaurant is the view. The outdoor dining on a nice breezy and warm day was just perfection. The views of the water were so nice and just made for a really relaxing and low-key meal.Unfortunately, I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked to. For more photos of the interior of the restaurant area, definitely check out Disney Food Blog's review for tons more photos!
The Food
I've been dying to check out the food options here. I've always had great luck at the Wilderness Lodge restaurants, so I was figuring I would have the same great options at Geyser Point Bar and Grill. Currently, they do not have an allergy-friendly menu, but I was able to speak with a chef. They must be really popular with special diets now, as I was asked to come up with several options prior to ordering as the chefs were busy and may not be able to speak with me that long.I had been eyeing the salmon BLT, bison burger, and crab cakes on the regular menu. I didn't ask about the lounge menu, but I really want to next time because it looked like there were some nice options. When the chef came out, he said that the crab cakes were not gluten free (they contain panko) and that the cheeseburger, bison burger, and Salmon BLT could all be made gluten free. The waffle fries are also gluten free and made in a dedicated fryer. Well, you know what I had to order...waffle fries!
I asked the chef his recommendation, and he said the Salmon BLT, which is what I ordered. He noted that the Bison Burger was a bit gamey, and it's not something everyone likes. Brandon and his friend ordered the Bison Burger did mention that it was a bit gamey, so if you're not a fan of game meat, you may want to get a regular burger instead.The Salmon BLT was served on Udi's Gluten Free bread with arugula and a Lemon Caper Mayonnaise. I found the sandwich to be good, but not amazing. I actually thought the Salmon was not the best quality. It definitely wasn't as amazing as the Salmon BLT I got at the Boathouse. The mayonnaise on it was good but definitely nothing too special.The best part of my meal were the waffles fries. Holy cow they were good. Everyone at the table raved about them. They had a slight seasoning to them and were extremely well fried. I seriously could have eaten a plate of them. On the side, I actually tried the Marionberry Barbecue Sauce that comes with the Bison Burger, and it was good. It's more like jam and sweet, so if you're not up for sweet barbecue sauce, you may want to avoid it. I seriously just wanted to take it home and put it on gluten free toast in the morning.On a side note, I did not ask about dairy free at this meal. Because I've been reintroducing dairy back into my diet a bit, I did just ask about gluten. I would suspect that the only potential dairy in this dish was in the mayonnaise. Otherwise, none of the other components would have had dairy. That being said, there are definitely dairy free options here if you ask.
Overall
We all thought that Geyser Point Bar and Grill had solid lunch options. The portions were large and the food quality was definitely a step up from most quick service options. I would definitely like to go back again and try some other dishes, especially from the lounge menu. Brandon and I loved the view here and can see just coming back for a drink and relaxing. Plus, it looks like it'd be a killer place to have brunch!What do you think of the newly opened Geyser Point Bar and Grill? What would you like to order on the menu.