The Edison -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Disney Springs

*This gluten free dining experience took place in July 2018.

Dinner at The Edison

The Edison is one of the newest table service restaurants opened in Disney Springs. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner table service meals and becomes a 21+ nightclub in the evening -- making it one of the more unique dining locations at Walt Disney World. Recently, I stopped by The Edison for dinner with Alexis from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures while she was here on vacation. It's always so nice to catch up with a good friend and check out a new dining spot!

Atmosphere

The Edison has a retro 1920s steampunk vibe to it. From the moment you walk in, you'll find industrial gothic style decor that will take you on a trip back in time.Even the exterior of the restaurant sets the tone and theme for the restaurant.The Edison reminds me a bit of Toothsome Chocolate Company, another steampunk inspired restaurant, located at Universal Orlando. The big difference is that The Edison provides nighttime entertainment, like live music and cabaret dancers, while Toothsome Chocolate Company is more of a full service restaurant all day.When you arrive at The Edison, you will find yourself on the 2nd floor. Guests can either dine on this level or the level below, where a lot more of the action is.As you can see, the theming is quite extensive and the overall look and feel of the restaurant is really well done.I really enjoyed checking out all the little details throughout the restaurant. It's the little details, like the fact that the gears on this giant industrial clock actually worked.We were seated at a high-top table on the lower level near one of the restaurant's many bars. I can't say I loved the high-top tables, as the seats were actually fairly wobbly and the backs of the seats moved a lot. I couldn't see sitting here for a long time comfortably (which might be part of the point!).

The Food

The Edison is not owned and operated by the Disney Company, which means they do not offer an allergy-friendly menu. However, our server seemed quite knowledgeable about the gluten free options available in the restaurant and also noted that he could check with the kitchen on any questions we might have.First up though, we had to try a signature drink from The Edison. I ordered The Clock Strikes Orange made with Gin, Aperol, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, and Absinthe Wash. This was an absolutely delicious drink that wasn't too sweet or too bitter. I loved the combination of flavors and ordering a more old fashioned style drink.Alexis ordered Mistress (also shown in my photo above) with Vodka, Prosecco, Grenadine, and Lemon Juice. Our server mentioned that these were both newer drinks on The Edison's extensive drink menu.For an appetizer, we split the DB 'Clothesline Candied Bacon' served with Maple, Black Pepper, Fruit Mustarda, Sweet and Spicy Pickle. The presentation was super unique, which made for a fun appetizer option. This is gluten free, and I have heard from other readers that this is also dairy free, though I did not ask on this visit.Both Alexis and I liked the candied bacon. I think the bacon might have been a little more soft than I was expecting, and I found the candied bacon flavor to be a bit milder too. I would have loved to have seen the candied flavor pop a little bit more. Adding the fruit mustarda (a combination of essentially jam and stone ground mustard) actually really helped enhance the flavor. So, I would recommend that if you like condiments.I'm not sure if I would order this again, mostly because the price was a lot for only 4 pieces of bacon.Unfortunately, The Edison does not currently carry any gluten free or allergy-friendly buns for sandwiches. I wasn't in the mood for steak or fish that night, so I ended up getting the Edison Burger without a bun. On the plus side, the restaurant does have a dedicated fryer, so I was able to order their French Fries with no worries.The burger is made with a Signature Beef Blend of Sirloin, Short Rib, and Brisket topped with Cabot Cloth Bound Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, House-made Pickles, Lettuce, Tomato, and Special Sauce. You can make this dairy free by omitting the cheese. In terms of flavor, I found the burger to be good, but definitely nothing special. In fact, it was just a bit bland for a burger with a higher end beef blend. Honestly, if you want a good burger with or without a gluten free bun, my recommendation is to get one from D-Luxe Burger also in Disney Springs. They have hands down some of the best burgers on Disney Property.The French Fries, though, were really good. They were the definite stars on my dinner plate.If you are a fan of condiments, I highly recommend The Edison's Special Sauce. It's essentially Thousand Island Dressing and tastes great. You can definitely tell this isn't the stuff from a bottle, which was a nice touch. This sauce was great both on the burger I had and the as a dipping sauce for the French Fries. You know I can't resist a dipping sauce, and this was an excellent one.

Overall

While I thought my food wasn't bad, I also didn't think it was amazing either. I think both Alexis and I thought it was just OK. And neither one of us feel it's a restaurant that we'll be rushing back to soon. I'm really glad that The Edison does have some options for special dietary needs guests. But, I'm not sure it's really a sit-down meal kind of place. I think if we go back in the future, we'll plan to order drinks and maybe an appetizer or two, but not a full meal. For more about her experience at The Edison, check out Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures too!Have you been to The Edison? What did you think of your dining experience there?