8/3/20 8/3/20

California Grill Dinner Review

California Grill, located at Disney's Contemporary Resort, recently reopened in July 2020 after the Disney Parks & Resorts closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a restaurant that is typically one we only go to for special occasions or with friends and family who are visiting Disney World.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in July 2020. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, hazelnut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Dinner at California Grill

Our experience visiting the Disney Parks & Resorts this summer has been limited, with only one visit to Disney Springs at dinner at The BOATHOUSE in June. After some discussion about risk management and seeing what other bloggers and vloggers were posting, we decided to try a late night dinner at California Grill and a visit to the Contemporary Resort in early July. In this review, I'll highlight not only our meal experience but also how the restaurant handled safety protocols during our visit.

COVID-19 & Reopening Notes

On this particular visit, we made a last minute reservation on the same day that we dined. I used the My Disney Experience app and found that there was a 9:50 p.m. seating, which we decided to book. The app worked as it normally does, and we were able to add in our special dietary needs in the app and alert cast members of our needs when we arrived at the restaurant. We also utilized online restaurant check-in when we arrived at California Grill, which I'll talk about a bit in our review.

The Contemporary Resort itself featured many mechanisms to provide sanitization, social distancing, and safety for both guests and cast members. All cast members wore facial masks and some cast members also wore protective shields, as well. In addition, there were many portable hand sanitizer stations for guests to use. We also saw cast members regularly cleaning surfaces and restrooms throughout our visit. The resort itself was fairly quiet -- making social distancing very easy. The restaurant was a little busier than expected (it turns out it was opening night, but we didn't realize that until after we made our reservation), but the tables were well spaced out to provide social distancing.

As a note, at the time of writing this review, we have not been back to the Contemporary Resort or other Disney Resorts, so be sure to check with the restaurant and the official Disney World website for additional information about current guidelines and recommendations.

Atmosphere

California Grill has a modern, yet classic theme to it. In some ways, it feels very contemporary but also mid-century modern -- all combined in one theme. Both Brandon and I agree that we love the decor in the restaurant (the acoustics, on the other hand, are quite loud -- even when the restaurant isn't that busy).

California Grill - Entrance / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see by this photo, you arrive on third (I think it's the third!) floor of the Contemporary Resort. There you will fine a subtle but easy to find check-in counter. From there, you will take an elevator up to the top floor of the resort. Though it doesn't show in this photo very well, there's actually plexiglass at the check-in area.

California Grill - Mobile Check-In / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

When we arrived, the cast member at check-in recommended that we utilize the mobile check-in. It was super easy and can be done all through your My Disney Experience app. Our special dietary needs notes popped right up, and check-in was fast and efficient. We did have to wait quite a while to be seated, and this was primarily due to the socially distanced table spacing and opening night adjustments.

California Grill - Bar Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We were seated in the bar/lounge area, which we both weren't all that thrilled about initially. However, we absolutely loved the seating and actually found the lounge area to be even more socially distanced than the main dining area. It also gave us a great view of the bar area, which is bright and colorful. I so want the barstools featured there!

California Grill - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Here is a photo of the main dining area during our meal. It was busier than we expected initially, but Disney did a good job of spacing out tables. You can also get a good look at the modern, clean decor of the restaurant.

We found that the restaurant really cleared out about 15-20 minutes into our meal, and by the end of the meal we were the only guests in the restaurant. It was a very unique experience seeing it so empty!

No matter where you are in the restaurant, you get amazing views of Disney World. We especially loved seeing the Magic Kingdom in all its glory that evening. At the time of this review, Disney is not currently offering fireworks, but you can see great views of them if you dine at California Grill when they are offered. I also highly recommend going out on the deck, where you can view them too (side note: they had social distance markers outside on the deck for those who chose to go outside for the view and photos).

Here's a view of some of the great art and decor in California Grill minus guests!

California Grill / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see, our visit by the end of the evening was quite empty. It was a great time for a few photos of the experience.

A very popular restaurant, you can see just from these photos why so many enjoy California Grill. It certainly is modern yet gives me retro vibes too.

The Food

Like most restaurants at Disney World, California Grill does offer an allergy-friendly menu. We were also told by our server that we could speak with a chef at any time. As far as protocols and offerings, we found the restaurant to be just as accommodating as they are during normal times.

Some of the menus are available online, while we were given a physical allergy-friendly menu. This was disposable, so we actually got to keep these too!

Because it had been so long since we'd eaten at a Disney restaurant, we celebrated with a few drinks. I miss the old Contemporary Resort branded swizzle sticks, and this is the first time I've ever visited where they didn't have them. Still, our drinks were great and a nice way to start the meal.

For bread service, I was served Bloomfield Farms allergy-friendly rolls along with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, tomato, and basil. The bread service was both gluten free and dairy free.

This was the first time that I had tried the Bloomfield Farms rolls. I've had the buns many times at locations like Three Bridges Bar & Grill and really love them. The rolls were great. They were well-heated, which always makes a big difference. I think I might prefer the Deanna's Gluten Free brand rolls (also served at Disney) over these, but I think I need to try them a few more times before I can fully decide which I prefer.

The extra virgin olive oil was a nice option -- though I will say that I enjoyed it much more than Brandon did (we received separate dishes to avoid cross-contamination). All in all, it was a nice way to start our meal.

California Grill - Bread in this photo is NOT gluten free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW — California Grill - Bread in this photo is **NOT** gluten free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon was served the regular bread, which is was a sourdough loaf. He really enjoyed this and said it was a great bread starter.

/ Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For an appetizer, we decided to split the cheese plate. They modified this to be not only gluten free but also nut free for Brandon by serving the nut related accompaniments on the side, which I was told were safe for me and the gluten-filled crackers on the side which were safe for Brandon.

I will say that I skipped the nut accompaniments, as they had a white substance on them -- which I guessed was cornstarch but didn't ask. We had so many dishes to try that skipping them was fine with me that night. But, I always recommend asking questions and speaking to a chef if you're concerned about a dish or ingredient and special dietary needs.

While I liked the cheese plate, Brandon loved it. We were served, I believe 3 different goat cheeses. If you're lactose intolerant or can tolerate goat's milk, this might be a good option. I really enjoyed the fresh peaches, honeycomb, and peach puree that came with the cheese plate too. While it wasn't my personal favorite cheese plate, it was still quite good, and I appreciated that the restaurant deconstructed the cheese plate so that we both could enjoy safely.

For my entree, I ordered the Black Grouper with Herb Basmati Rice, Cashew Chutney, Bok Choy, Baby Shiitake, and Kaffir Lime-Coconut Nage. This was marked safe for Egg, Milk, Peanut, and Shellfish Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu. It was modified to be gluten free (I believe the adjustment was gluten free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce).

Can I just say wow? This was an absolutely stunning entree and one of the best fish dishes that I've had out in a restaurant in a very long time. The grouper itself was perfectly cooked, and the accompaniments were just so flavorful and fantastic. I'm a huge fan of Asian inspired dishes, and this was just outstanding. The flavors were so well-balanced too. I would absolutely get this dish again without hesitation. I think it may be the best entree that I've ever had at California Grill.

Brandon decided to get the Oak-Fired Filet of Beef with Aged Gouda Macaroni and Cheese and Roasted Potatoes. Normally, this dish comes with Brussels Sprouts, but because Brandon is allergic to vegetables in the cabbage family, we were able to swap them out for potatoes. This dish is marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu. It was also made safe for cabbage and chicken & turkey allergies.

Our last visit to California Grill included great theming and company, but both of agreed the food wasn't as spectacular as we were hoping. This visit, Brandon said his steak was outstanding, so we both got really great dishes. He said it was cooked perfectly and very flavorful.

California Grill - Mac & Cheese in photo is NOT gluten free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW — California Grill - Mac & Cheese in photo is **NOT** gluten free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

He was also a big fan of the mac & cheese, and I think this might have been his favorite part of his entree. As you can see, it was very cheesy but also had a nice bread crumb topping too.

He also had roasted potatoes, which he agreed might not have been the best potatoes in the world, but they were very good. This was great to see he could easily swap out sides for his entree so that he could safely enjoy.

Brandon decided to skip dessert, but I was tempted by California Grill's cashew cheesecake. As an aside, I asked if I could get it to-go so that we weren't keeping the cast members there all night, as we were the last guests in the restaurant. However, our server while she was happy to oblige, she insisted that I eat it there and enjoy. I happily devoured this dessert while Brandon took some photos so that we could leave after I finished my dessert.

The Cashew Cheesecake includes Coffee-Cashew Cheesecake coated in Chocolate Glaze. It is not only gluten free, but it's also dairy free and vegan too. I have had this before, and it's a really lovely rich dessert. It's a great way to experience cheesecake in a totally different way. It's one I definitely recommend guests to try if they want something rich and decadent to end their meal that's gluten free and dairy free.

If you want to see more about our experience and our visit to Disney's Contemporary Resort, check out our vlog on our YouTube channel.

Overall

While California Grill has never been our top signature restaurant on property, we were blown away by the quality of the food and level of service on our recent visit after the restaurant reopened. Both Brandon and I thought our meal was the best we've ever had at California Grill. We also really appreciated the restaurant's commitment to provide a safe and pleasant dining experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. While we probably won't be back for a while, we had a lovely meal and experience at California Grill.

Have you been to California Grill? What was your experience at this signature dining location?

10/21/16 10/21/16

California Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Contemporary Resort

*This dining experience took place in October 2016.California Grill, located at Disney's Contemporary Resort, is a signature dining location with impressive views of the Walt Disney World Resort. Because of that, it's a popular restaurant and one that often books up 180 days in advance.I had not been to California Grill since 2013, when it had recently re-opened after a lengthy refurbishment. The food was great, the atmosphere amazing, but the service we had in 2013 (for my brother's 30th birthday) was not so great.On this particular occasion, I visited California Grill with a friend from college who was visiting from out-of-town. California Grill is one of his favorite restaurants, so it was a great excuse to visit.California Grill carries an allergy-friendly menu, like most restaurants at Disney. I had looked at the menu here on my site before going to dinner, but California Grill does frequently update its menu.Of course, you can always speak to a chef upon arrival if you have any questions or are interested in additional menu modifications (or your special dietary need is not listed on the menu). For instance, none of the beef options on the menu are currently listed as gluten free, but I'm sure with some easy modifications they could be.Prior to ordering, our server Donald brought me Ener-G rolls and some butter (you can request extra virgin olive oil too). I only tried a bite of the roll and decided not to even ask for olive oil. I am always so disappointed when a restaurant like California Grill serves Ener-G. They weren't well heated and turned hard very quickly.I would have much preferred the GNI / Deanna's Gluten Free rolls, which are much tastier.For an appetizer, I ordered the Artisan Tacos with Adobo Fish, House-made Cilantro-Corn Tortillas, Pickled Red Onion, and an Avocado mash. It normally comes with crema, but I asked for it to be served without it in order to make it dairy free. With this modification, the dish was gluten free and dairy free.The flavors on this were really nice. It was a bright flavorful dish -- though I think the flavor of the delicate fish was lost on the bold flavors of the accompaniments. Still, it was a really large portion for an appetizer and could easily be an entree with a side salad.For my entree, I chose the Pork Two Ways with Grilled Tenderloin, Goat Cheese Polenta, Mushrooms, and Lacquered Pork Belly. This is gluten free, egg, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut free, but does contain dairy (goat cheese).This was a beyond amazing entree. Simply the best thing I've ever ordered at California Grill, and it might be one of the best entrees I've ever ordered at a signature dining location. The pork tenderloin was unbelievably tender and well seasoned. The pork belly was the absolute star of the dish (because...well, pork fat rules!). It was so rich and tender and the sauce on it was insanely good. The goat cheese polenta was very flavorful but not overpowering in goat cheese.Overall, it all balanced so well. I may have nearly licked my plate, it was so good!For dessert, I could have ordered a sorbet, but because I've been reintroducing a bit of dairy back into my diet, I tried the Chocolate Pudding Cake with Nutella Filling, Meringue Kisses, and Chantilly Cream. It is both gluten free and peanut free.This was so super rich, so only a few bites were necessary for me, but wow. What flavors! The rich cake was really just dense chocolate with Nutella. The meringue and homemade marshmallows on the side were really nice too. Overall, this was a rich decadent dessert that if you're gluten free and can have dairy is a must!During dessert, I also opted for a pot of hot peppermint tea. The flavors were perfect, and it was excellent to have after a few bites of the rich dessert.California Grill has an entire tea menu, so definitely check it out if you like tea.After dinner, we walked to the observation deck and checked out the amazing view of Walt Disney World and Orlando. On a clear night, you can see a lot of the city, and it's a spectacular view. If you are at California Grill at the right time, you can also see Wishes on the deck too (they also pipe in the music). If you finish dinner earlier than the time for Fireworks, you are allowed to come back as a dining guest after your meal to enjoy the view, which is a nice bonus.Overall, I was extremely impressed with the dinner I had at California Grill. The food was incredible and the server was impeccable this time. I can highly recommend our server Donald, who was very attentive throughout our meal. California Grill is definitely a lovely spot for a special occasion, and it's great to know that guests with special dietary needs have many options while dining there.

11/25/13 11/25/13

California Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Contemporary

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.

Set atop the top floor of the Contemporary Resort, California Grill offers guests not only an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom but also a taste of culinary and seasonal offerings. Long hailed as one of the best places to dine on property, it was with great fanfare that this location went down for a lengthy refurbishment this past year. Having re-opened early this fall, many guests have been flocking to California Grill to see the new decor and taste items from the new menu. I finally was able to dine at this location after much anticipation.If you have read my past blog posts, you'll recall that I had my 30th birthday celebration dinner at California Grill. I adored the sea bass dish that I had, as well as the sushi (which California Grill is renowned for). I also had one of my favorite desserts there--a custom chocolate cake with non-dairy chocolate mousse and raspberry coulis. See that full review HERE. So, it was with great expectations that I went into this meal experience. It also happened to be my brother's 30th birthday meal celebration with friends & family, so it was an extra special night.

I love the new Mary Blair inspired decor

The first thing to know when you head to California Grill is that the main check-in is located on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary Resort. From there, you receive a pager and are taken by a cast member to the top floor of the resort to the restaurant. Once there, you can either spend time in the lounge enjoying a cocktail or wait for your seat to be ready. Our pager happened to go off while we were in the elevator, so we were seated quickly. It was also an early reservation 5:20 and the restaurant was not very busy yet.It was exciting to see the changes made to the restaurant. I like the wide openness of it and the new bright colors. It is said to be Mary Blair inspired (Mary Blair is a prominent Disney artist; you can see her touches all throughout the Contemporary Resort - including the large mural by the monorail - and by her work on rides like "It's a Small World."). Overall, it was a very big redesign. Everything is very streamlined and chic.

We had a large party (9) and were seated against one of the walls with a nice view of Walt Disney property. It's really impressive, especially as it gets darker! One of the new things I noticed was that there were iced containers located next to various groups of tables. This turned out to be where they serving their "house water" and keeping it here to chill. Someone posted that they use super purified water that is filtered 5 times. Our server didn't say, but it came out in big glass bottles that were then poured into our glasses.Speaking of our server, I have to say she was particularly unpleasant. I had been hearing some horror stories about the new California Grill staff and I have to say that unfortunately she lived up to those stories. She kept skipping over certain people at our table for drinks and was very grumpy. She seemed really grumpy after our orders and it only went downhill from there. Now our group was a family based one - we also had two children with us, one was 9 and the other was 11. As far as kids go, these two are extremely well-mannered and well-behaved. They are very polite and never fussed at the meal. They were also very engaging with the server which seemed to be off-putting to her. The kids certainly didn't notice but I was disappointed by her general lack of niceties. (*Note: at the time of day there were a lot of families with kids around in the restaurant).I was given a special diets sushi menu. This is kinda cool! It was nice to see that they gave some options right away for guests interested in sushi. It wasn't the clearest special diets menu I've ever seen but at least it was something. I was surprised then to learn that they didn't have any special dietary menu (some locations do this for ease for the guests & servers).

Special diets sushi offerings - see the menu transcribed HERE

When I started to talk about my special diet with the server her response was "We DO NOT bring the chef out." and that she would be working with me on this. I mentioned that I did not feel comfortable with this given Disney's policy is that chefs or managers consult with guests who have a special diet. This turned into the "We're not a typical Disney restaurant therefore the same rules do not apply" conservation began. Still, I insisted that I talk to a chef. When one came out, he seemed like this is not something they normally do (again, surprise on my end). He basically wouldn't give me any ideas of what to order for any portion of the meal, except dessert (I'll get to that in a minute). He said that they would "just substitute" whatever needed to be substituted. It was really quite strange overall. It was almost edging on the experience I had once at Jiko (which I have hailed as the worst dining experience I've ever had on property...see that HERE). But, I was optimistic. For dessert, the chef said my option was a pomegranate lime sorbet with fresh & seasonal fruits (he suggested pears). He did not take my order but rather told me that I would need to tell the server and they would coordinate. Again, this was feeling very strange given Disney's normal procedures.Meanwhile, the server brought out the GNI brand rolls with extra virgin olive oil. Nothing really special to report on these. These were the same old rolls I get most places. Luckily, they did heat them properly.

GNI Brand rolls with extra virgin olive oil

I decided to order the Bell & Evans Chicken which normally comes with mashed yukon gold potatoes, Braised Lacinato Kale, Caramelized Onion Jus. Mine came out with smashed sweet potatoes and the other accompaniments. It also had some type of mild chicken sausage patty on the bottom (imagine my surprise when I discovered it!). The chicken itself was encrusted with spices (and was skin on) including fresh sage. There was only one bone included in the piece of chicken and the remaining portion was boneless (much easier to cut that way but ensures that flavor).

Bell & Evans chicken

When I first bit into the chicken, I assumed the crust had some type of breading to it and I just wanted to confirm that it was safe. The server again did not want to get the chef and said that it was safe. "Just trust me." Clearly, she doesn't know what it's like to live with a special diet. Once I felt safe eating the dish, I found it to be delicious. It was very flavorful with a rich complexity that you don't often see in many dishes outside of signature dining locations. The chicken itself was perfectly cooked and the seasonings were outstanding. The kale was delicious and well sauteed as were the onions. The mashed sweet potatoes were good and complimented the dish, though I think the yukon golds would have been better. In general, everyone seemed very pleased with their meal choices which ranged from the filet of beef to the pork two ways to sushi and flatbreads. I think the only dish that seemed to be less than well received was the three-meat signature meatball dish. I decided to forgo sushi this time or another appetizer for the dessert, as the sorbet sounded intriguing and even more intriguing with the fruit. The server basically said gluten & dairy free options are fresh fruit or this sorbet only. When it arrived, I was very disappointed that 1) it didn't have any fruit with it as the chef had mentioned and 2) that it was literally just scoops of sorbet (and not pretty scoops either). I was just a wee bit shocked given that many restaurants that are not signature dining locations go out of their way to make visually appealing presentations even just of sorbet.

Pomegranate Lime Sorbet

Just so you can see for comparison how many of the other desserts looked like, here's a non special diets dessert....

This is NOT gluten free & dairy free - this is the Sundae Sampler dessert

Taste-wise, the sorbet was good. It was very limey and I enjoyed it a lot. But, it was also really sweet. It needed some other taste profile to counter-balance the extreme sweetness.

Gorgeous view of the Magic Kingdom!

As far as the meal went, I enjoyed the food that I did eat very much. I thought the entree was really excellent and I almost wish I would have gone for sushi instead of the dessert option. As my brother put it, food was terrific, service was terrible. I'm hoping that this location is working on improving this, as I keep hearing very consistent feedback from others indicating the same disappointments service wise. I'm also still very disappointed by the chef and servers lack of concern and/or communication with me about special diets options. They really made me feel like an after-thought and that I was putting them out at this meal. It's not something that I normally get at Disney, and quite honestly it will likely deter me from heading to California Grill for a while. I can easily head to so many of my favorite places that have just as high quality offerings but better service overall. It's a gorgeous location and terrific for special occasions but if this is their special diets accommodation, I personally would go elsewhere. I'd rate this particular experience the following: food here an 8 (it lost a point for me because of the dessert, but would otherwise have been a 9) and 6 for the lousy service. Have you been to California Grill yet since the location re-opened? How as your experience?

4/5/10 4/5/10

California Grill--Table Service--Contemporary

Welcome to the California Grill!

Happy Birthday to me! This was my birthday dinner, and I was not hopeful after my experience during the day (although I was very relaxed after my facial and pedicure! Loved, loved, loved the spa!) but we gave it a shot. A couple of days before I got an email from the Contemporary bakery asking me if I wanted a cake or a dessert. It's a good thing I had my laptop with me (uggg, though the Internet fees were outrageous! why can't WDW have free wi-fi? McDonald's does!) otherwise, I'd have not known. In any event Jessie the sous pastry chef said she would make me some kind of chocolate dessert that was gluten and dairy free.

Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated in a small, quiet wine cellar room, located off of the main dining room. Hurrah! The table was decorated for my birthday! How nice!

Look at the Mickey confetti!

They said that they try to put special events in this quainter room, because it is more secluded and quiet. It was lovely. I was so glad to be there over the main dining room. And the view wasn't of the Magic Kingdom, but it was still spectacular. And, of course, we could have gone to the fireworks viewing (which occurred while were there), but we decided to enjoy the quiet ambiance. Chef Jason came to visit me, and he offered me a variety of things. He was so friendly and very accommodating. I mentioned that I'd be interested in sushi and he said no problem. I could have the sashimi or california roll and some others, but I can't remember which ones. They have GF Tamari too. I got the Sashimi, which is just sliced raw fish, though I wish I would have gone for the roll. I could have gone for the rice! However, it was very tasty and very fresh. You can tell they use very high quality fish. The tuna and Hamachi were so good. I didn't eat much salmon because I was already getting pretty full, but don't worry it didn't go to waste. Others in my party ate it. When the sushi arrived, they made sure to mention that it was a special Gluten Free sushi, so at least the sushi chef was aware of it.

Sashimi (tuna, hamachi, and salmon)

Then for my main course, I ordered the pan seared sea bass with stir fry vegetables, sticky rice, and ginger-soy-hijiki broth. I was so amazed, by the way, at the level of accommodation these chefs were making. Chef Jason gave me so many options and said that he would do whatever I wanted to make sure I had a good meal. After some of the resistance from chefs at other restaurants, this was so nice. My main course was AMAZING. Beyond amazing. I literally could have licked the plate, it was that good. The sauce was so flavorful and the sea bass was cooked to perfection. Well worth the price!

Sea bass with sticky rice and ginger soy hijiki sauce!

My mom and step-dad said the food was very good. My mom said it was one of the best steaks she's ever had. (Le Cellier used to have that honor with her, but California Grill bumped it off the list)

Next up...DESSERT! When we got there, they even double checked to make sure that there was a dessert for me. Sigh of relief! What they brought out was nothing short of amazing. Bar none, most amazing dessert I've had GF/CF! Unbelievable. It was a chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse wrapped in chocolate sheets and topped with fresh raspberries and accompanied by a raspberry coulis! The coulis made the dessert. Even the non-dietary restricted thought it was amazing.

Me and my dessert. Very happy!

Close-up of the dessert. Look at that attention to detail!

Overall, this made my birthday. What a great meal. Yes, it was pricy. Would I do it every day? No. But a special occasion? Most certainly. From the attention to detail to the quality of the food this restaurant went above and beyond my expectations. Kudos to Chef Jason and the rest of the staff for a job well done. 10 out of 10 for quality, service, and accommodation.