Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in July 2017.

Dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub

Raglan Road Irish Pub is one of my favorite long-time staples at Disney Springs. This table service restaurant is a rollicking good time -- with live music and entertainment daily, plus amazing gluten free and dairy free food options. We go here pretty regularly, and it's a restaurant we're always sharing with friends who have never been before. That's exactly what we did on this recent visit, when we met up with friends who had never been to Raglan Road before. It was the perfect way to have a great time and enjoy traditional Irish food.

Atmosphere

One of the things I love most about Raglan Road is the live entertainment. During brunch and dinner hours, you will find live Irish bands playing.On this visit, we were seated in the main dining area near the stage. As a warning, it can get pretty loud when the bands are playing, so if you're not up for as much noise, I recommend asking a server to be seated in another area.In addition to the live music, Raglan Road also features traditional Irish step dancers. It's pretty impressive, and I never get tired of watching these entertainers show off their dancing skills.

The Food

But, for us, the food is the best part of the experience at Raglan Road. One of the things I appreciate most is that Chef Kevin Dundon and his team are extremely special diets aware -- and particularly celiac disease. Ireland has an extremely high amount of people with celiac disease, so Chef Kevin's experience in Ireland and his work with their Celiac Disease organizations really hits home when you dine here.On this visit, I ordered the Burger ‘R’ Way made with chargrilled sirloin beef burger with bacon, tomato chutney & Dubliner cheddar. This is gluten free and can be made dairy free by omitting the cheese. The burger is served on a gluten free (and dairy free) bun and served with a side of lightly dressed coleslaw. This is always a solid burger option and nice for something simple. Unlike the tomato jam I had at Territory Lounge, this one is done right and really goes well with the burger.Because I've reintroduced dairy back into my diet, I also ordered a side of their Garlic & Parmesan Truffle Chips which can be made gluten free. You can also get the burger with regular chips (aka fries) that are both gluten free and dairy free.If a burger isn't your speed, I always highly recommend the gluten free and dairy free Fish & Chips made in a dedicated fryer and served at Raglan Road. They are SO good!

Overall

Raglan Road Irish Pub is consistently one of the best restaurants in Disney Springs. With plenty of gluten free (and even dairy free) options to choose from and great entertainment, it's always a winner in my book. We love going here and enjoying a meal or a brunch whenever we can.Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What have you ordered when you dined there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in December 2016.Raglan Road Irish Pub, located at Disney Springs, is one of my favorite table service restaurants on Disney property. Though not owned & operated by the Disney Company, celebrity Irish chef Kevin Dundon and his team do an amazing job at accommodating guests with special dietary needs.Plus, where else can you get proper gluten free and dairy free fish & chips?! If it's gluten free and deep fried, you know I'm in! Of course, Raglan Road has some other amazing dishes too, and I'm partial to their sandwiches. But, if you're a first-time visitor, you simply must get the fish and chips.On this particular visit, I went to Raglan Road with my friend Ron, who is visiting from out-of-town. We both love Cookes of Dublin and Raglan Road and decided on getting dinner at the main table service restaurant for dinner.Before we ordered, we both got a pint of Magners Irish Cider. It's available on draft at Raglan Road and is oh so delicious. It's one of my favorite hard ciders, and there's something about getting it straight from the draft that makes it even better. You can also get Magners Pear Cider from the bottle.Because we both can't resist gluten free and dairy free deep-fried foods, we decided to order the onion rings as an appetizer to split. All of the gluten free and dairy free fried foods use the same batter, so if it's available deep-fried at Raglan Road, chances are you'll be able to get it gluten free.Along with the onion rings, I asked for a side of sweet chili jam and the mustard sauce. I'm such a fan of condiments that I couldn't imagine eating the onion rings without them. The sweet chili jam is still my favorite with the onion rings, but the mustard sauce was also really nice too.We both also opted to order the gluten free and dairy free fish and chips as our entrees. It's such a classic Raglan Road staple, that sometimes I have a hard time NOT ordering it when I go. It's that good.A word of note on fried foods. A lot of people say that the fried foods at Raglan Road are a bit bland. I think this is because they don't tend to overly salt the dishes. If you find the flavors too bland, simple add more salt. It's easy to do and makes a world of difference. I always add a bit of salt to my fish and chips immediately after it arrives to the table.The fish and chips on this night were piping hot and well cooked. The fries, as always, were outstanding. Dip your fish and chips in the gluten free and dairy free house-made tartar sauce, and you have a real winner on your hands. If you're like me, you may need to ask for more tartar sauce too!Overall, I can't say enough good things about Raglan Road Irish Pub. I really appreciate the quality of the food and the level of care that Chef Kevin and his team put into providing safe gluten free and special dietary needs options for guests that are just as good as the gluten-filled versions!Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What's your favorite thing to order when you dine there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in April 2016.When it comes to table service locations at Disney Springs, Raglan Road Irish Pub has long been one of my favorites and one of the most consistently good options for special diets diners. Plus, where else can you find proper fish & chips that are also gluten free & dairy free?!On this particular occasion, Brandon and I visited before the inaugural Star Wars Dark Side 5K race after we'd gone to packet pickup and before our very early bedtime. We knew we needed to carbload up, and I couldn't think of a better option than Raglan Road.I love all of their options, and I've been really happy that my gluten free choices have opened up even more now that they have gluten free and dairy free buns available.Having had gluten free & dairy free chicken tenders & chips the night before at Cookes of Dublin, I decided to go for a sandwich. It was a toss up between the burger or the chicken sanger sandwich, and our server Cameron suggested I go for the chicken.I've had this sandwich before both dairy free and with the addition of the cheese. On this visit, I did opt for the Dubliner cheddar, as I have been re-introducing a bit of dairy into my diet on occasion and did well with the cheese options at Raglan Road on previous visits.I also opted to get the garlic Parmesan & truffle oil skinny chips based on Gluten Free in Orlando's recommendation.I loved both the chicken sandwich which was topped with an herb mayonnaise, pancetta, lettuce, and tomato along with the Dubliner cheddar. The sandwich was super flavorful and not too overpowering, and the chicken was perfectly cooked.I adored the garlic Parmesan & truffle oil skinny chips and would definitely get them again. I've luckily had great success with very aged cheeses and this one was another successful experience. Plus, these chips just tasted amazing!I can't help but love Raglan Road Irish Pub. The atmosphere and decor are amazing (go for dinner when you can see the live Irish step dancing or Irish bands!) and the food is outstanding. It's always consistently good, and I love their dedication to making safe gluten free and special dietary needs options.Have you been to Raglan Road? What's your favorite meal of choice there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in August 2015.Raglan Road Irish Pub, located in Disney Springs, proves that you don't need the luck of the Irish for great food when you're dining at Disney Springs. Raglan Road serves up authentic and hearty Irish fare that you're sure to love. From sandwiches and entrees to proper fish and chips (fried in a dedicated fryer), there's something for everyone to enjoy here.I adore their gluten free fish and chips and fried onion rings (especially with sweet chili jam and tartar sauce); however, on this particular occasion, I decided to go with something a bit different.First up was a Magner's Hard Cider, which you can find on tap at Raglan Road. It's a must whenever I visit there! For my entree, I ordered the burger served with Irish bacon (more like Canadian bacon) on a gluten free bun with fries (aka chips) on the side. I will say that I liked the cornichon that they topped my burger with, which was more of a sweet pickle versus savory dill. I ended up not asking for any condiments, which I should have, as the burger was a wee bit dry.Overall, I liked the burger as an option at Raglan Road, though I think I'd likely stick to the other sandwiches or the fish and chips here. Still, they consistently put out a solid meal, and I really do love the restaurant and pub vibe. In my opinion, it's the best gluten free dining option in Disney Springs!Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What do you love ordering here?

Cooke's of Dublin -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in March 2015.Cooke's of Dublin located in Disney Springs (aka Downtown Disney) has to be my favorite quick service location at Downtown Disney. Sharing some kitchen facilities with Raglan Road Irish Pub, Cooke's of Dublin offers a convenient way to grab your fish and chips and other Irish fare. One of my favorite things about Cooke's of Dublin is that they offer tons of gluten free (and dairy free) options including many fried options. Of course, I tend to prefer dining in at Raglan Road, but Cooke's of Dublin is my go-to when I need a delicious meal quickly at Disney Springs. If you're looking for a full review of Cooke's of Dublin, check out the review on the Disney Food Blog. There are tons of photos and background about the restaurant itself. (note: the food featured on the Disney Food Blog is not gluten free or dairy free). On this particular visit, I wanted to grab dinner after a work seminar before I headed home but didn't really want to go to a table service restaurant. And, I was craving fried shrimp. Cooke's of Dublin was definitely the obvious choice for my meal. When I arrived, I noticed that some of the menu options had changed and that the fried scallops & chips (which I adored) was no longer on the menu. This is such a bummer that they no longer carry this, but never fear. You can still get your fried scallops and sweet chili jam craving fixed by heading next door to Raglan Road. Raglan Road is still serving the scallops as an appetizer option. I placed my shrimp & chips order at the counter and always double-check with the staff that the batter is still gluten free and dairy free. I have to admit that the wait for this was a bit longer than normal, which was a surprise as the restaurant wasn't that busy (it was the end of Spring Break, so that was surprising). When it arrived, I could tell that my shrimp looked over-fried; however, it wasn't until I ate them that I realized how over-fried they were. They still tasted good enough, but weren't as delicious as they normally are due to the over-frying. Still, I had condiments on hand to smother the poor shrimp which helped.I've never had a bad frying experience at Cooke's of Dublin before, so I'm chalking this one up to some weird kitchen fluke and would still definitely get the shrimp & chips again. Cooke's of Dublin now has a gluten free dessert option (not dairy free): zucchini cupcakes. You can see photos and read about this new treat at Gluten Free in Orlando's website. Or, you can stop around the corner to Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC and grab tons of delicious gluten free and allergy friendly treats (which is exactly what I did!). Have you been to Cooke's of Dublin? What did you order when you dined there? 

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This dining experience took place in February 2015. Raglan Road Irish Pub located in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs) is always my favorite table service restaurant to go to the in the Downtown Disney area. It's so good, and how can you resist all the gluten free (and dairy free) deep fried goodness that they serve up here? Their gluten free and dairy free fish and chips are the real deal.On this particular occasion, I was joined by my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando (you can read her lunch reviews of Raglan Road HERE) and my brother. I had emailed the Raglan Road team ahead of time because they debuted a new spring menu, and I was curious about the offerings and if any of the new desserts could be made gluten free and dairy free.I was excited to hear that I could order the chocolate cake with advance notice gluten free and dairy free and that the strawberry crumble could also be made dairy free (it's already gluten free). The restaurant did ask for 24 hours notice to request the chocolate cake. You can contact them on their website for more info. For an appetizer, I had been wanting to try the Dalkey Duo which is gluten free and dairy free fried sausages with a Dalkey mustard. I have to say that while this was good, I'm not sure it would be a repeat on my appetizer rotation -- the Raglan Road onion rings and scallops are definitely crowd-pleasers and would be my first picks for appetizers.  The sausages themselves were quiet good, but more like a bratwurst than a smoked sausage which is what I was expecting. You get a decent sized portion (9 sausages), but these are definitely a sharing appetizer, as they were quite heavy and greasy. The mustard was a nice accompaniment as it cut the greasiness down a lot.  For my entree, I chose the lobster club with avocado and french fries. The sandwich came on a gluten free and dairy free bun. When I had visited Raglan Road for brunch, I got the same bun and was told that they ordered it from a local bakery. On this visit, the manager told me that they make it in-house, adhering to cross-contamination standards while baking. The bun itself tasted like an Udi's Gluten Free bun to me, so I hope to investigate this further to find out if they are made locally or in-house.  The lobster club itself was very good. Sometimes lobster salad can be over-mayonnaised (not sure that's a word but that's the best way I can describe the over-use of mayo) or overly seasoned (case in point - the lobster club at Artist's Palette at Saratoga Springs), but this version was perfect. The creaminess of the avocado and butteriness of the lobster were terrific together. This would definitely be a sandwich I'd order again.  For my dessert, I was surprised to see a fairly large gluten free and dairy free chocolate cake. This is definitely for splitting! The cake itself was good -- not overly sweet or rich. I would have liked to see a bit more of a fudgy texture (more like a lava cake), but it was still a great choice. The real winner to this dish was the fruit that accompanied it. It was so delicious and paired very well with the cake. With a touch Cointreau, everyone at the table agreed that the fruit was really delicious (yes, I made them all try it!).Overall, I enjoyed my lunch at Raglan Road. While I wouldn't probably order the sausages again (just too heavy for me), I wouldn't hesitate to pre-order the chocolate cake from Raglan Road. They do such a terrific job at handling special diets diners, and I'm glad they continue to be my go-to restaurant in Downtown Disney. Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What are your favorite dishes to order?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in September 2014. When it comes to good fish and chips and a pint of cider, there's no place better than Raglan Road Irish Pub, located in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs). With dedicated fryers and proper fried fish and chips (and more!), there's a reason Raglan Road has been voted as one of the best gluten free places in Orlando. It's my restaurant of choice, whenever I visit the Downtown Disney area, not only for great food but also for great entertainment.On this particular occasion, I stopped by on a mid-week evening for a quick bite. I had originally planned to go to Cooke's of Dublin for their delicious shrimp and chips (also gluten free and dairy free fried wonderfulness) but the quick service location was beyond packed. I was with my brother and his wife, and we quickly headed back to Raglan Road to see if they had any bar seating open. Thankfully, they did!Of course, the first thing I did was order a Magners Irish Cider. I asked for their pear cider, which is my favorite, but they were out. So, plain cider it was. Not really needing to go through the menu, I quickly ordered the gluten free (and dairy free) fish and chips and onion rings to split with the group. I always double-check with the server or the bartender to confirm that the ingredients are still safe for me to consume. I have to say, sitting at the bar with a proper pint of Magners is pretty much my idea of heaven after a long day (especially, after a long day of conferencing, which I was doing for the next several days). I love Raglan Road's onion rings. They are fried well and are nice and crispy. They are not overly battered which I really appreciate. My only slight complaints are that the gluten free fried items tend to be under-salted (which is a matter of opinion, but I don't consider myself one to be adding salt frequently) and that they need to have a sauce to accompany the onion rings. My vote? The sweet chili onion jam. It's so good! I do usually ask for it on the side but just forgot that night.My fish and chips were delicious as always. If you're not a big steak fry fan, you may want to ask for Skinny Chips as a substitution or on the side. I know Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando is a big fan of these! I absolutely adore their house-made tartar sauce which is just fresh and delicious. I think I need to do a top 10 condiments list one of these days. This would surely make the list (along with the sweet chili jam). Overall, Raglan Road continues to be the best non-Disney owned restaurant on Disney property (with Cooke's of Dublin being the best non-Disney owned quick service). Their attention to special diets and consistent offerings make this a location I will go to again and again!If you're not craving fried food, don't worry. They have plenty of non-fried options. I'm a huge fan of their citrus salmon salad, and their shepherd's pie has a huge gluten free following. Have you been to Raglan Road Irish Pub? What's your favorite dish to order? 

Guest Review -- Disney World with Special Dietary Needs Trip Recap Day 2

This series of guests posts comes from reader Kathleen. Her love of Disney and passion for bringing awareness to special dietary needs on her college campus makes her the perfect guest writer for Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW. I’ve been following along on her college journey where she blogs about dining at college with special diets. Check out this great article on allergy friendly dining that she wrote last fall for her campus. Thanks again, Kathleen, for taking us along on your Disney special diets journey! (if you aren’t hungry, you will be after you read these reports)I’ve broken up Kathleen’s posts, and today we’re checking out her last days at Disney World on her vacation. You can catch days 1-3 on her previous post, and you can also recap with her visit to Universal Studios Orlando on her previous guest post! Hi everyone! My name is Kathleen and I’m currently a senior at NC State University in Raleigh. A few years ago, I found out about several food allergies that I have (gluten, corn, dairy, tomatoes, apples and peanuts) and ever since then, I’ve been on the lookout for new and exciting foods to try. Disney is a big deal in our family, and on our annual trip each summer, we love eating at new restaurants to mix things up. This was my third Disney trip with allergies, but my first without dairy, since I found out about that only a year ago.Day #3 – 7/23On Wednesday, we didn’t have any dining reservations for once, so we ended up having a big lunch at Whispering Canyons Café in between MGM – errr, Hollywood Studios – and Magic Kingdom. This time, Chef Angela helped me out. She said that she could do plain pulled pork for me (unlike the other night), and that she had a gluten and corn free bun in the kitchen that I could have to make a sandwich. I was going to order the sweet potato fries and coleslaw, but after checking the ingredients, she ended up making my coleslaw with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (the regular one had apple juice), and a cucumber-dill salad, both of which were great. That sandwich was huge, but not to worry – I polished off the entire thing!The bagel that she gave me for the bun was also very good, but she later told me that it was an Udi’s bagel. Since I ended up having another skin flare up later that day, I checked the ingredients that night and corn syrup solids was one of them. I’m not sure why two different chefs (this one and Margaritaville) who were so adamant about the bread not having corn, would overlook that. However, the experience was still really good.That night we were all set to watch the Spectromagic Parade at 11 (wayyyy past my normal bedtime of 9 PM – look at me staying up!), and I used that opportunity to try out the Rice Dream ice cream at the ice cream parlor on Main St. When I ordered, the cashier asked if it was an allergy or a preference, and when I told him it was an allergy, he got one of the servers to put it in a cup instead of a cone. Pretty impressive for a quick service stop.The ice cream itself had an interesting flavor – I liked it, but not as much as the So Delicious coconut milk ice cream I get at home. Still, I’m glad I got to try it. Unfortunately, right after I sat down with my ice cream, they announced that the parade was cancelled due to the one drop of rain that had apparently hit someone. Well, just kidding…there was supposed to be an impending storm that never ended up happening, so for the first time in forever, we were unable to see the parade. Oh well!Day #4 – 7/24Thursday was our “day off” from the parks. Usually on these days we’ll hang out at the pool for a while before moseying on over to Downtown Disney to shop and eat dinner. This year, I convinced my family to try out Whispering Canyons Café for a third time – breakfast! I was happy to see Chef Angela again, and she remembered me from the day before (regular, at last!).Now, there were two things that I was on a mission to find and try before leaving Disney. One of them was the famous allergy Mickey waffles. Chef Angela said that there were two types of batter – one with corn and one without. The batter also has applesauce. Usually they mix the two batters together for the allergy waffles, but she was able to make me Mickey waffles with no corn and no apples, and with pure maple syrup and earth balance butter on the side! She told me that the waffles were lighter in color and had a different flavor due to the lack of applesauce, but honestly, I wouldn’t have known the difference. They were fantastic! I stayed away from the earth balance since I knew it had corn in it, but the waffles and syrup were so good, I didn’t miss it. The waffles also came with bacon or sausage. I was in a bacon mood (who isn’t?), and let me tell you, the chefs at Whispering Canyon know how to cook their bacon. It was perfectly crispy – just how I like it.Later that evening, after soaking up some rays by the pool and going on an impromptu bike ride to the campgrounds, we took the bus to Downtown Disney to eat dinner at Raglan Road. Originally, I was planning on getting the gluten free fish and chips or chicken curry with an appetizer of onion rings (provided that the batter was corn free). Unfortunately, the onion rings were not dairy free so I couldn’t get those. (*Note from Sarah: These have been dairy free in the past; however, ingredients and recipes do change, so it's important to always check with a manager or chef when you dine at a restaurant at Disney)This was not my week for curry, because it contained at least one of my allergens. Three strikes and it was out. In the end, I ordered the butternut squash “Raglan Risotto” because I love butternut squash, and it was something unexpected. Plus, the fries looked like steak fries and I’m not a huge fan of those, so I was unsure about the fish and chips. The risotto was really good – it was super creamy. I’m not sure how they got it to taste like that without milk or cream, but I liked it. The pear cider was also good. It’s possible that the risotto was too creamy to be true, however, because I ended up having a really bad skin reaction right after dinner. (*Note from Sarah: in the past this has been the restaurant's default vegan dish; always check with a manager or chef when you dine at a Disney restaurant for current ingredient listings, as products and recipes can change). Overall, I think this was my worst experience during my week at Disney. Not to say that it was awful, because the waitress was really nice and attentive to my allergies, but it was a little hard to hear and I wish I could have spoken with the chef since there ended up being some sort of cross contamination or unwanted ingredient in my dinner. Next time, I think I’ll try the fish and chips and hopefully that will work out better.Day #5 – 7/25On Friday, our only reservation was at Crystal Palace and it was an early dinner. The rest of my family had gelato in Italy, and I just brought a snack from the hotel to tide me over between breakfast and dinner. Normally we do a lot more character meet and greets, but this ended up being the only one we did this year!The chef was great – she took me around the buffet to show me what was okay for me to eat, and said that she could prepare a couple of the hot bar vegetables plain for me. Remember when I said I was on a mission for two specific things? Well, the allergy chicken tenders were the second. I knew that Crystal Palace offered them, so I asked the chef if she could make those for me. She said that was not a problem, and that she would bring those out with the vegetables. I was able to try the sweet potato salad (!!), beet salad, and cucumber/pickled ginger salad from the salad bar. They were all good. You know I love sweet potatoes, and I’m also a fan of beets and fermented vegetables so it was a good appetizer.I was very excited for my entrée to come out. The colors on the plate were so pretty I almost didn’t want to mess up the food. Ha! Yeah right! I haven’t had chicken fingers in quite a while, and these were definitely worth all of the hype I’ve been reading about them.After bringing that out, the chef told me there was rice dream and a chocolate brownie that I could have, and she brought those out for me for dessert. I already knew what the rice dream was like, but that chocolate brownie was the bomb. In the words of Princess Anna, I wanted to stuff some chocolate in my face, and I did. Just more gracefully. I think Crystal Palace was the best experience I had during the trip – those chicken tenders and brownie sealed the deal!Day #6 – 7/26The last day of the trip is always sad for our family, but luckily we’re so busy enjoying the parks that we don’t really realize it until we’re in bed. Our last dinner reservation was at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. I’ve come to realize that I prefer buffets for dining with allergies because I can see what’s available and know what it is instead of just reading a name off of a menu.The chef, Chef Trevor, was very nice. He was surprisingly young, and cute too! This buffet had a lot more protein options that were safe (as opposed to Crystal Palace), so I had the carved turkey. I also got the steamed broccoli, and broccoli salad from the buffet. The chef brought me some plain green beans and plantains (twice in one week, what up!) that I could eat as well. Not to sound like a broken record, but everything was delicious. That broccoli salad was so good, I went back for seconds! I love mixing fruit and nuts into my salads, and the combination of broccoli, soy nuts and cranberries worked really well.The allergy brownie at this place was made with corn flour, so I couldn’t have that, but Chef Trevor brought me out a bowl of So Delicious Coconut ice cream. I’ve never had the coconut flavored one before, and I think it’s my new favorite! To make it even better, I topped it with an enjoy life cookie that I brought from the hotel. Ta da! Cookie Sundae.Overall, this trip to Disney was fabulous. I got to spend time with my family, eat good food, and hang out in the happiest, most allergy friendly, and my personal favorite, place in the world – Walt Disney World! Now I just need to grow three inches so I can be a princess and I’ll be set. All I can say is, thanks to Sarah for letting me share my experience with you all. I had a wonderful time and I’m so excited to see what’s in store for next year!A huge thank you to Kathleen for her great trip report! If you want to learn more about Kathleen’s experiences as a college student with special dietary needs, you’ll get that chance at the upcoming Food Allergy & Celiac Convention held at Disney World on November 22, 2014.

Raglan Road -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in May 2014.Raglan Road, located in Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs), has been one of my favorite gluten free and dairy free go-to places for a while now. It's my hands down favorite spot in Downtown Disney (with Cooke's of Dublin a close second!). The received the 2014 Best Restaurant in Orlando award and have also received the best gluten free restaurant award in the past as well. With it's offerings of gluten free (and dairy free) fish and chips, onion rings, and more, it's fair to say it's a great dining option at Disney.I recently attended a work conference at Disney and the conference was located near Downtown Disney, which meant I was there a lot. Every day for the 3 day conference, actually. I also visited Cooke's of Dublin during the conference and enjoyed the scallops and chips which were divine. Trust me, go visit them too!But back to Raglan Road. I stopped by for lunch with my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando. I can't say that we've been there together since the Lunch & Learn this past fall, and it was nice to go for a long lunch break and catch up with her.When we arrived, we both decided to order the Citrus Salmon Salad. It's naturally gluten free and dairy free on the menu, and a great light choice for a lunch (or dinner). The salad is served with fresh salmon, orange segments, almonds, and a citrus vinaigrette. I had it for the first time in December 2013, and I fell in love with it immediately.I found the salmon to be cooked perfectly again and the salad well dressed (key with a good salad!). I love the almonds and citrus segments in the salad too. So good! I think the presentation the first time was a little nicer but overall, it's still a gorgeous plate of food. And tasty as well as safe - the most important thing to me! Alexis also ordered dessert (there just really aren't great gluten free AND dairy free options there), and I have to say that I wish they'd make a dairy free version of her dessert. She got the strawberry and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream and fresh cream. It looked amazing! Head over to Gluten Free in Orlando to see the pictures and full review. I have to say, gluten free diners should definitely order this dessert.Overall, it was a great meal, as always. The staff are very knowledgeable and always ask if there are dietary needs before they even take any orders which is great. It's also nice to get a fair amount of variety in a restaurant, so you don't just always order the same thing (although I am partial to those fish and chips!).I give this a solid 8 out of 10 for great service, special diets offerings, and of course, fabulous company (that gets a 10 out of 10!).Have you been to Raglan Road? What are your favorite gluten free and dairy free dishes to order there?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in March 2014. It includes my gluten free & dairy free review and a gluten free & yellow food coloring review. 'Tis the luck of the Irish that I had a chance to visit Raglan Road Irish Pub during the Mighty Festival celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Downtown Disney. Not only were the festivities really fun but it gave me an opportunity to enjoy one of my favorite restaurants at Disney.Raglan Road Irish Pub is known for their pub fare and especially for their gluten free offerings. In fact, they have continuously been voted one of the best places in Orlando for gluten free offerings. Their fish & chips are probably their most well-known gluten free dish, but they can easily make most of their fried options gluten free!On this particular occasion, I joined my friends for a meal to celebrate their birthdays. Having dietary needs as well, it worked out that they chose Raglan Road for the celebration. One thing we didn't realize though was that it was Mighty Festival in Downtown Disney and so that meant it was very busy. Add that together with the fact that Downtown Disney is under massive construction AND it was a Saturday. Well, it was nearly impossible to park here. Note to self. Do not drive to Downtown Disney any time soon.Once we got to Raglan Road though, we were able to quickly get in, despite the crowds. Of course, after all that parking and crowd navigating, a cold pint of Magners sounded perfect. I grabbed a pint of Magners Pear Cider which was newly added to the tap at Raglan Road. I'm a huge fan of the pear cider, so I was so glad to see it added. It's a little more mild and tart than the traditional hard cider and it's a nice variation. I would definitely recommend it. Ask your server for a small sample if you aren't sure you'll like it!After ordering drinks, we moved to appetizers and we split the gluten free onion rings. Super yummy as always. And even better if you ask for a side of the sweet chili jam. You know me and my dipping sauces! I gotta have them! My friends all really liked that pairing and said the onion rings definitely needed a sauce to go with them.I have to say that our server was probably the least on top of things Raglan Road server we've ever had. I'm not sure if it was just too busy or if he didn't feel comfortable with the menu but he didn't seem to be as adept at the gluten free offerings as most servers are there. My friend kept asking him questions and he really didn't seem to know (thankfully, I've dine there enough that I could sort of help navigate through the options). One thing the server did mention which I want to check the next time I go is that the calamari is the only gluten free fried dish that is not dairy free because they soak the calamari in buttermilk. He also said that the sausages can be made gluten free (no one's ever offered this so I'd like to check it out). If they are, I know what I'll be trying next time! Our friends got the regular version at the table and they all raved about them.For my main dish, I got the fish and chips. You know I can't resist them. Really no complaints here. They were just as good as they always are. And that tartar sauce. Oh that tartar sauce. I wish I could bottle it and take it home with me. It's so good.My friend go the Shepherd's Pie (which is not dairy free). And I have to say, I was surprised by the presentation. I expected something more homier looking. This was a bit "fancier" in terms of the presentation. Taste-wise two people at the table got the dish and both said it was just OK. Both agreed that the dish needed more sauce. So, it seems like this dish might just be mediocre. It's a shame because I've had some pretty stellar dishes (not just fried ones) here.While we waited for our entrees, we also took the chance to watch some of the Irish dancing. Wowie, those dancers are fast! It's really impressive to see these dancers on stage. I have several videos here that I took that night.[embedplusvideo height="500" width="700" editlink="http://bit.ly/NljlZR" standard="http://www.youtube.com/v/sGoqLmgqWd8?fs=1" vars="ytid=sGoqLmgqWd8&width=700&height=500&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=" id="ep3056" /] [embedplusvideo height="500" width="700" editlink="http://bit.ly/NljWdZ" standard="http://www.youtube.com/v/IZxYJ_kuy90?fs=1" vars="ytid=IZxYJ_kuy90&width=700&height=500&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=" id="ep9343" /]Overall, we had a good meal and a great time at Raglan Road. They sure know how to celebrate for St. Paddy's Day! A rollicking good time was had by all topped off by great fish and chips and a Magners Irish Cider.I give this visit a 7 out of 10, mostly for the lack of knowledge by the server.

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in January 2014.Raglan Road Irish Pub located in Downtown Disney is truly not just a great restaurant, but it's also a terrific and authentic Irish pub. With a variety of drink options to choose from and the full menu to order while you grab your pint, it's the perfect place for a proper meal or some quick pub grub.On this particular occasion, I visited not for dinner but for drinks and some snacks. The pub has an extensive drink menu, and while there are certainly some great options for gluten free & dairy free guests, I went with my tried and true gluten free Irish pub standby: Magners Irish Cider. This is hands down a must-do for a pub visit. Not only is it authentically Irish, but it's also delicious! With a mildly sweet taste and a crisp finish, it's the perfect accompaniment to some gluten free onion rings.And yes, there were onion rings on this visit. Our group decided to get an order of the gluten free onion rings and chips (aka French fries). I made sure to let the bartender know that we needed them to be gluten free, and he did a great job at making sure that was noted. When the servers brought out the onion rings & chips, they said immediately that these are the gluten free & allergy order. We also asked for some of the sweet chili jam and tartar sauce that I love (both gluten free & dairy free).The others in the group said they all though the sweet chili jam was perfect with the onion rings but that they could understand why it was paired normally with the scallops. This was a big winner and the jam was quickly devoured along side the crispy onion rings.The chips were also well received, and I may or may not have slathered them in tartar sauce (hey, what can I say, I like their version!?). So good! The group all liked that they were big steak fries and not the wimpy versions you find throughout the Disney parks & resort.Overall, this was a great place to grab a drink and just relax. We visited in the afternoon so it was quite calm but I can imagine this place is packed on a weekend evening. I wouldn't hesitate to drop in sometime for a good pint of Magners & some traditional Irish atmosphere!Have you been to Raglan Road for drinks? What were your favorites?

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in December 2013Raglan Road Irish Pub has quickly become a favorite dining place for many gluten free diners. Well known for its simple & fresh Irish flavors and ingredients, while providing safe gluten free options, it's no wonder Raglan Road was voted one of the best gluten free restaurants in Orlando in 2013. As a frequent visitor to the Walt Disney World Resort, this has also become a fast favorite of mine as well.On this particular occasion, I visited with my family in the afternoon on the day after the 2013 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We were all a bit tired and  really wanted to just relax after a morning of shopping and packed evening the night before. As you can see, we visited in December and the restaurant was festively decorated for the holiday season.Our server immediately asked if anyone in our party needed gluten free or food allergy accommodations, which I love. It's really a nice touch that the servers are well equipped and prepared to assist with special dietary needs. Because I've been to the location several times, I more or less knew many of the options available to me. I also knew that there was one thing I really wanted to try...the Scallop Forest: Georges Bank scallops in a a golden batter served with citrus lime dipping sauce and sweet chili jam. I also decided to go with a salad for something lighter after eating deep fried appetizers. We also ordered gluten free onion rings, so I really didn't want to push it by ordering Fish and Chips too. That being said, I love their fish and chips!First up were the scallops. Wow, these were really good. I actually prefer these to the onion rings hands down. The scallops were of high quality and the breading, which is the same that they use on all of their deep fried products (made with a Domata Flour base), was crisp and flavorful. The server said both sauces were gluten free & dairy free, but I skipped the citrus lime dipping sauce just to be on the safe side. The sweet chili jam was out of this world. Sweet and spicy all at the same time. It was the perfect accompaniment for seafood. You can actually purchase this sauce in the Raglan Road store as well! My only complaint for this dish was that I thought the scallops were slightly overcooked, but given the taste of these I'm not going to complain too loudly!In my hunger, I managed to forget to take a photo of the onion rings, but you can see a recent photo of them in a guest review here on the blog. These were nice and crisp and the onions were well cooked. They were slightly underseasoned, but luckily I still had some sweet chili jam to smother them in. That jam works on everything!For my entree, I ordered the new salmon salad: Citrus Salmon - Grilled fillet of Atlantic salmon with mixed greens, carrots, orange segments & toasted almonds tossed in a citrus herb vinaigrette. It replaces the "Slim Salmon" salad and I think based on the taste of this one, it's an improvement. The portion of salmon was huge, very high quality and perfectly cooked. The salad itself was delicious - well dressed and seasoned. The citrus herb vinaigrette was so flavorful and the addition of fresh fruit and almonds really accented the dish. I would not hesitate to order this one again. It balanced out my deep fried indulgences at the beginning of the meal nicely.Overall, I continue to impressed by Raglan Road. As I begin to branch out into ordering other dishes, I'm really appreciate the fresh flavors, seasonal and quality ingredients. In addition, the staff is really knowledgeable about gluten free offerings and worked well to make sure everything was dairy free too.I would give this visit a solid 9 out of 10. The meal was divine, the service terrific and the special diets accommodations excellent.Have you been to Raglan Road? What do you think of their gluten free offerings?

Raglan Road -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in February 2013 and includes a gluten free & yellow food coloring review in addition to my gluten free/dairy free review.

Irish Step Dancing at Raglan Road

Of all the Downtown Disney restaurants, this so far has been the one I've felt the most comfortable eating at GF/DF. It's only been a few months since I had been for the first time, but this was a great opportunity to go with other friends who hadn't been. I was also curious (and somewhat hopeful) that I could get something besides the fish & chips. My friend who is gluten free & also allergic to yellow food coloring was also looking forward to checking out the offerings.I will say that it gets busy here on a weekend evening! Our group had dinner slightly early (5pm) but it was still fairly full. We were seated in one of the back corners and not in the middle of the restaurant, which actually was a good thing because it gets a little loud in here with the live entertainment. I think if we had been in the middle of the dining room it would have been even harder to have a conversation. And don't worry if you think you'll miss the live entertainment--they will come to your area! We did get a chance to see the Irish step dancing up close as they do rotate areas.But on to the food and drink...the important stuff!! First up, we ordered drinks. I had planned on a hard cider since I'm not a huge fan of the Redbridge gluten free beer; however, the server mentioned that they had Omission Beer which I've been semi-curious about trying. On the one hand, I've been skeptical (it's a craft beer made using traditional ingredients but the gluten is removed during the process and tested to ensure there is no gluten), but also curious. I thought it might taste more like beer considering the process by which it's made. So I gambled and tried it. I was surprised. It tasted like beer! And I didn't get sick--thank goodness. I wasn't a huge fan of this particular lager and might try the pale ale, but I don't think Disney is serving that. The manager came out later and did mention to me that they've replaced the Redbridge with Omission which I was very surprised with. Now if they could just get New Planet Beer on the list, I'd be very happy (I love their raspberry ale!).

Omission beer

Next up were the food orders. As we found out, there didn't seem to be great options for either of us with food allergies. Mine was more limited because of the dairy and I was mostly relegated to a burger with no bun (and I don't eat beef) or fish and chips. I could have had a salad but as many of you  know those of us with Crohn's do not do well with lots of fresh veggies. Good thing I liked the fish and chips. My friend could have had Shepherd's Pie and a few other dishes in addition to the burger and fish and chips. Because of the concern with the yellow food coloring and some less than stellar accommodation for it, he ended up with a burger with no bun and fries. We also ordered some of the gluten free onion rings for an appetizer.

Onion rings

Close-up of the onion rings--look at those beauties!

The onion rings were better than they were the first time I had them--crunchy and the onions seemed more done to me. I do almost wish they had a sauce of some time (or some of that tartar sauce!). GF/DF sauce would be great (hint, hint Raglan Road).

Ha, this is what NOT to eat at Raglan Road--my friend's schnitzel complete with beer and malt vinegar--a GF/DF nightmare! lol But my friend said this was good.

Here's the GF/DF goodness--my fish and chips with that yummy tartar sauce

My fish and chips were good as usual. Again, I don't think they are really the best GF/DF fish and chips I've ever had (I have a local British pub who has dedicated fryers and fish and chips that kick this one's butt) but it's still a good solid GF/DF option. I really like the thick fries. But the thing that makes this dish for me is the tartar sauce. It's sooooo good. I love it. And I probably could have eaten a few dishes of it. Yum!

Cheeseburger minus the bun with steak fries and tomato relish on the side

My friend got the cheeseburger, which I didn't realize until I saw it that it had Irish bacon on it (more like Canadian bacon). It normally comes with a tomato relish, but my friend got it on the side which was a good thing too, I don't think he liked it). Overall, I think he enjoyed the burger itself--as far as burgers go it looked good. I think he was more excited about the french fries. If you're GF you can relate because we hardly ever get an opportunity to get safe fries!Overall, I'd say this was an OK experience. What they do have GF/DF is limited but at least it's good. I wish they had better options or maybe could accommodate a little better, but if I know I want something greasy this is my go-to place.I'd give this a 7 out of 10. What I had was good, but somewhat limited in options.

Raglan Road -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in December 2012.

View of Raglan Road in Downtown Disney

I've been getting recommendations from blog readers for a while for Raglan Road at Downtown Disney. Everyone has been raving about gluten free/dairy free fish and chips and onion rings. If you're gluten free/dairy free, you know that getting anything fried out in a restaurant is often a tricky situation--especially when cross contamination is concerned. Disney is probably one of the rare exceptions where you can occasionally get french fries, fish and chips, and other deep fried dishes with a lower cross contamination risk.I've had the fish and chips at Cooke's of Dublin, the quick service location next to Raglan Road. Having really enjoyed them, I hoped to check out the dinner at Raglan Road for more offerings. We ended up heading here for a mid-afternoon lunch/dinner. We got there just before 3pm, so we were given the lunch menu but after looking at both menus they don't seem that different. Since Raglan Road is non-Disney owned their allergy procedures are just slightly different (but still very good compared to most restaurants outside of WDW!). Our server asked if anyone had an allergy (I noted it on our reservation, but it didn't translate to the table--they don't print out sheets like Disney owned locations). I told him that I can't have gluten or dairy. He took our drinks and then told me that most of the entrees are easily made gluten free and talked about the gluten free fish and chips and onion rings. He also said he would get the manager.

Raglan Road main dining room

The manager came over and was very helpful. He told me that they can easily work with gluten free and that dairy free would also not be too difficult. He asked what I was interested in, and I told him about the onion rings and fish and chips. He said they use sparkling water and chickpea flour for the mix. I decided that it made sense for the first time to check out those fish and chips--and since other blog readers had raved about the onion rings, I should try those too (turned out a little too much deep fried goodness). He said I was a really easy order but that I should enjoy the meal. (On a side note, I loved his Irish lilt--always nice to see someone who is Irish working at an Irish restaurant!).

GF/DF Onion Rings

First up were the onion rings. Yum! I admit, I don't eat something like this very often and I found these a little greasy. But they tasted divine. I wish they had some sort of dipping sauce, but in general, they were really good. You can see from the picture that they use some sort of greens in it (parsley, I think); it added a nice zip to the batter. The batter was very light and flavorful and the onions were sweet and tender. Very good! At first, I asked the server if these were the GF/DF ones (ok, I'm suspicious when it looks so "normal") and he said yes. My family test tasted them too and they assured me that they were GF/DF batter (evidently my taste buds have changed so much, I have difficulty telling when it tastes really good! lol). I would definitely order these again, but maybe not order the fried entree to balance out the grease.

Bar in Raglan Road

Next up came the entree. Oh yeah!! I could tell the fish and chips used the same batter for the fish. This was good, as I really enjoyed that. The chips looked pretty much like the ones I had at Cooke's of Dublin (and also tasted the same). First up is the fish. It was a large portion! I found the taste to be really good and the fish to be flaky. I did like the batter a lot. The fish was less greasy than the onion rings. The french fries really didn't seem greasy at all to me. They rocked. I loved these--they had the perfect amount of salt too. And then, the best part--the tartar sauce. OMG this was so good. I admit, it was my favorite thing of the meal. I should have asked for a second dish of it (seriously, I was drowning my fries and fish in it). It tasted like it could have been homemade mayonnaise. So good. This was definitely the big winner for me. In fact, if I go there I will ask for it for french fries even if I don't order the fish and chips. Seriously!

Fish, Chips and that amazing tartar sauce!

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to head back to Raglan Road. I loved the restaurant decor and the food. The service and manager assistance was also very good. I like that it's a good option at Downtown Disney and that they can easily accommodate. And fish & chips and onion rings!? Why that's a big plus for many GF diners. Now, I have heard that Rose & Crown has a fish & chips that they can do too--I need to head there to compare :) The only downside to this meal for me was the greasiness, but that's because I normally don't eat fried foods much. With gallbladder removal, my stomach's a little more sensitive to it, so I think I'd do one or the other next time.I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10! Definitely a DTD must-do!!

Other Bar section of Raglan Road