After years of visiting Magic Kingdom Park, we’ve come to one conclusion about the food….sometimes it’s just not that great. As the Disney park with some of the worst quick service restaurant options, average theme park food is what you can expect at Magic Kingdom. Nevertheless, even among endless menu changes, there are still a few places that rise to the top. Because, with so many dining options at Walt Disney World, the food has to do more than just be available. And especially because it’s easy to just leave the park and grab better food at any of the monorail resorts. That said, if you’re looking for the Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants for your day in the park, this is it.
Restaurants in the Magic Kingdom include sit-down restaurants, quick service restaurants and snack counters. And frankly, the Snacks at Magic Kingdom usually come out as the winners here. With some of the best snacks at Disney World, Magic Kingdom offers up cheeseburger spring rolls, and Totchos that could easily make parts of a meal. Nevertheless, for Disney Foodies, there are only a few places to eat in Magic Kingdom that will transport you to a foodie wonderland. We’ve even rounded up our favorite Quick serve restaurants in Magic Kingdom to help you along the way. So, whether you’re looking for a sit down restaurant at Magic Kingdom, a buffet, or a great snack to hold you over, here are some of our favorite ( and not-so-favorite) places to eat at Magic Kingdom.
Contents
- 1 Liberty Tree Tavern | Liberty Square
- 2 Crystal Palace | Main Street USA
- 3 Tony’s Town Square Restaurant | Main Street USA
- 4 Skipper Canteen | Adventureland
- 5 Sleepy Hollow | Liberty Square
- 6 Pinocchio’s Village Haus | Fantasyland
- 7 Gaston’s Tavern | Fantasyland
- 8 Friar’s Nook | Fantasyland
- 9 Magic Kingdom Restaurants To Skip
Liberty Tree Tavern | Liberty Square
As one of the best restaurants at Magic Kingdom, this table service restaurant brings you into the dining rooms of colonial Williamsburg. Complete with imposing fireplaces, tables, and framed portraits on the walls of our country’s four fathers. Liberty Tree Tavern makes this list because it offers a great meal, with a traditional food options that the whole family will love. the quality is consistent and the price is budget-friendly.
- Where: Magic Kingdom
- Views: an Inn
- Theme: Traditional American
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Thanksgiving Meal
- Table Service: Reservations Recommended
- Style: Family Style, All You Care To Enjoy
- Cost: $42/ per adult $23 per child (3-9)
We Recommend it Because:
Best during the colder months in Florida we like Liberty Tree Tavern for the hometown comfort of Thanksgiving Dinner food and the Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake. Perfect for families and larger groups this is an all-you-care-to-enjoy meal. But really we love it because the food here is really good. A selection of meats, sides, and bread gives you a variety of foods to eat, no matter your mood. Liberty Tree Tavern Menu
Crystal Palace | Main Street USA
This Character Restaurant at Magic Kingdom includes Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and Rabbit, ready for meets at your table, and a little parade around the restaurant with the kids. We recommend the breakfast at Crystal Palace, for the budget-friendly cost, and atmosphere. Serving omelets, eggs, meats, potatoes, bagels, pastries, cereals, oatmeal, and even ice cream, there are plenty of foods here for both kids and adults to enjoy. For lunch and dinner, the menu is basic country fried chicken, mashed potatoes, prime rib, pasta and a variety of sides.
- Where: Main Street USA
- Views: Crystal Palace Conservatory
- Theme: Victorian
- Character Dining: Yes, Pooh and Friends
- Food: Buffet, Classic American breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Table Service: Reservations Recommended
- Style: Buffet, All You Care To Enjoy
- Cost: Breakfast: $48/ per adult $30 per child (3-9) Lunch and Dinner $61/ per adult $40 per child (3-9)
We Recommend it Because:
As character dining restaurants go, dining at Crystal Palace is a nice way to see the characters at Magic Kingdom without having to wait in line. We also love that it’s a great way to start the day if you book a breakfast reservation. Note, that during the morning hours, the staff is less rushed, and the atmosphere naturally feels calm and easy. As the day goes on and more and more people arrive, and the restaurant tends to feel more hurried. And at the higher cost at lunch and dinner, feels less like a value. Crystal Palace Menu
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant | Main Street USA
Featuring a Lady in the Tramp fountain and patio seating, with views of Main Street Square, this sit down Disney restaurant has had it’s ups and downs. Nonetheless, with a recent menu change, Tony’s Town Square is a good restaurant at Magic Kingdom to try. We like it for families, couples, and friend groups. While the restaurant is a traditional one with individual items to choose off the menu, we found that dinner still remained budget friendly and the service here was fantastic.
- Where: Main Street USA
- Views: Main Street. Lady and the Tramp
- Theme: 1940s, Italian-American
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Classic Italian
- Table Service: Reservations Recommended
- Style: Individual Entrees
- Cost: $15-$35 per person
We Recommend it Because: Tony’s Town Square Restaurant offers a variety of flavorful Italian dishes. From delicious pastas, to a garlic bread for the table appetizer, there are plenty of reasons to add this restaurant to your day at Disney. We also love the pizza, steak, and chicken and the desserts are to die for. All were perfectly cooked in a wonderfully put-together meal. And if you book a dinner close to parade times, you can even request patio seating for great views. Tony’s Town Square Menu
Skipper Canteen | Adventureland
Located just inside Adventureland, this restaurant for explorers features multiple rooms decorated to the nines with traveler mementos from trips into the wilds. From butterfly displays to treasured books, boat parts, and collectibles from the the corners of the Amazon, you can enjoy the decor and the dining here. Food at Skipper Canteen comes with interesting names, and even more interesting flavors. Still, all of it is good. Specially seasoned with bright flavors, and unique twists on original dishes, you can surely find something you enjoy here. There’s even a kid’s menu for future explorers.
- Where: Adventureland
- Views: Rare and beautiful objects from your last adventure
- Theme: 1930’s British Outpost
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Exotic, adventure-themed
- Table Service: Reservations Recommended
- Style: Individual Entrees
- Cost: $15-$35 per person
We Recommend it Because: A pun-filled restaurant, Skipper Canteen has a variety of adventurous foods that you may, or may not, like. If you like interesting food and new flavors this restaurant could easily get on your Must-Do list. We loved the falafel appetizer, the chicken, and the curried vegetable dish. And of course, you’ll need to be in the mood for the puns. Skipper Canteen Menu
Sleepy Hollow | Liberty Square
Best for breakfast or an afternoon snack, the fruit and hazelnut chocolate waffle at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom is a favorite. This walk up counter is right across from Cinderella’s Castle as you enter Liberty Square and offers tables outside and an excellent view. Perfect if you’re looking for a last minute meal in Magic Kingdom, and want more than typically theme park food.
- Where: Liberty Square
- Views: Cinderella’s Castle
- Theme: Vintage
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Waffles, Drinks, Treats
- Quick Service
- Style: Snacks
- Cost: $5- $15 per person
We Recommend it Because:
While some of the other walk-up counter service restaurants in Magic Kingdom tout your basic theme park fare. Sleepy Hollow kicks things up a notch with specialty waffles. The Nutella and Strawberry Waffle is a favorite. Add an Iced Mocha and you have breakfast or a late-night snack. Sleepy Hollow Menu
Pinocchio’s Village Haus | Fantasyland
While Pinocchio’s Village Haus, right next to “it’s a small world”, may earn some controversy on food quality and menu changes, it’s begun to become our GO-TO Quick Service Restaurant at Magic Kingdom. Why? First, because we love pizza of any kind, and Second, because the flatbreads here are not of the greasy and gross induvial slice kind. In fact, the flatbreads at Pinocchio’s come in a variety of unique options, and also cheese of course, and can easily be shareable between two people. The food quality is good, consistent and fast when you Mobile Order. While not as gourmet as what you’ll find at the Disney Resort Restaurants this menu offers a nice cheap lunch or dinner in Magic Kingdom.
- Where: Fantasyland
- Views: Cinderella’s Castle
- Theme: Old World
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Flatbreads, Salad, Soup and Fries
- Quick Service
- Style: Individual Entrees
- Cost: $5- $15 per person
We Recommend it Because:
Great views, tons of seating, and a Key Lime Pie dessert that you should definitely get, for pizza at Magic Kingdom, this is the place to be. Plus on cold days, you can grab garlic bread sticks and a tomato basil soup that is also quite good. Plus, you can also grab seasonal snacks here. And the bonus of enough indoor and outdoor seating to help you get a place to sit, even during busy times, makes it a surefire bet for a meal. Pinocchio Village Haus Menu.
Gaston’s Tavern | Fantasyland
Home to LeFou’s Brew, Gaston’s Tavern has only a few items on menu, but still makes it worth the trip if you’re looking for higher quality food than you will find elsewhere in the park. With minimal seating inside, you’ll want to claim a table, or a spot outside to sit before the crowds arrive. This restaurant offers a delicious Ham, Provolone and Swiss Sandwich, served with chips, fit for Gaston, of course, and makes a great hearty meal at less than $12. Plus, you can also get the giant Warm Cinnamon Roll, which lets face it, is always a reason to stop here.
- Where: Fantasyland
- Views: Cinderella’s Castle
- Theme: Antlers
- Character Dining: No
- Food: From the Movie
- Quick Service
- Style: Snacks
- Cost: $5- $15 per person
We Recommend it Because:
The menu items at Gaston’s Tavern are ONLY available at Gaston’s. Meaning if you want any of this deliciousness, you have to come here to get it. So whether you’re looking for a great sandwich meal, or a cinnamon roll and LeFou’s Brew, you can only grab them here. Plus, you can also get The Grey Stuff Cupcake here! A HUGE deal, for Disney Snacks fans. As one of the restaurants that we often overlook in Magic Kingdom, it’s been nice to see the consistency in quality and the return of the Grey Stuff… because it’s delicious. Gaston’s Tavern Menu.
Friar’s Nook | Fantasyland
This unassuming counter service restaurant at Magic Kingdom doesn’t include any seating, but can be found right near the Carousel, and offers some of the better street food at Magic Kingdom. Home to the most amazing Caramel Apple Hand Pie dessert, you can also grab breakfast sandwiches, tot bowls for breakfast and lunch, little doughnuts and loaded mac and cheese. While very much theme park food, Friar’s Nook kicks it up a notch with great portion sizes, and unique menu items you can’t get anywhere else.
- Where: Fantasyland
- Views: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride
- Theme: Nottingham
- Character Dining: No
- Food: Mac and Cheese, Tots, Brats
- Quick Service
- Style: Snacks
- Cost: $5- $15 per person
We Recommend it Because:
With a varied menu, and easy access counter service, Friar’s Nook offers an alternative to Starbucks for breakfast, with a eggs and tots bowl, as well as a pretzel bun sandwich. And for lunch and dinner, you can grab a hearty meal here that costs less than $13 without waiting too long in a line. If you’re feeding a family, or enamored with cheese, Friar’s Nook offers some great choices at a budget-friendly Disney restaurant price. Friar’s Nook Menu
Magic Kingdom Restaurants To Skip
While we can’t say these are some of the Worst Restaurants at Magic Kingdom, they do sort of fall into this category for us. Whether it’s because they’re overpriced, have limited menu options, or just hail the “basic theme park food” vibe, we’d recommend you skip these. We’ll just say it; Don’t waste your time or money at these Magic Kingdom Restaurants. While some of these may be controversial, since they get rave reviews on other blogs, we’ll try to give our honest opinion on why we think you should avoid these restaurants at Magic Kingdom Park.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
This Restaurant in Cinderella’s Castle can easily be a once in a lifetime dining experience at Magic Kingdom, for many. As such, if you’re bent on eating in the castle and having lunch with the Disney Princesses or any other meal, then you really only need to come here once. Why? The food quality is decent, but not necessarily better than Topolino’s Terrace, Sebastian’s Bistro or anywhere else where the food costs HALF as much. At $70 per adult for breakfast and $90 per adult for lunch or dinner, there’s just a ton of price gouging here. You’ll note from our Cinderella’s Royal Table review that a piece of toast with some avocado and arugula on it hardly warrants a $70 price tag. Similarly, you’ll need to pay extra for any cocktails or wine at lunch or dinner too. And while we are all for seeing the princesses all at once to save on waiting in line, Akershus in EPCOT, also featuring all the Disney Princesses, offers a more family friendly meal with family style food options that allows seconds, and costs about $20 less per person for each meal. You can make your own call on this one, but we just wouldn’t waste the money. Cinderella’s Royal Table Menu
Columbia Harbour House
We used to love Columbia Harbour House, but random menu changes and a complete lack of plant based options, or kid friendly foods has left us moving this to the “don’t waste your time or money” part of this list. Offering almost ALL seafood, you need to really like theme park seafood to eat here. With a chicken strips option, which you can get almost anywhere, the hush puppies are really the only thing on this menu we actually like. The plant-based crab cake, is great for vegetarians who like crab, but as a vegetarian, I can say we typically don’t like the taste of meat or seafood, that’s why we’re vegetarians. Previous staples on this menu included an amazing broccoli salad, and a pot pie that was excellent. Of course due to menu changes, neither are no longer available, and we’re just not impressed with what’s left to eat here anymore. Columbia Harbour House Menu.
Be Our Guest
New to the “fallen from glory” Magic Kingdom Worst Restaurant List was a previous favorite restaurant of ours, Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom. After a menu change and a price increase to a $70+ lunch and dinner Prix Fixe Menu, we’ve been lamenting the good old days on this one. Previously offering a decent breakfast and stellar quick-service lunch menu, Be Our Guest now offers limited menu items, in tiny portions in a Prix Fixe meal. It’s expensive with only 1 plant-based option that is literally a piece of squash and some toast. Tiny portion sizes make nothing on the menu worth the cost. The reservations are still difficult to get, no doubt filled with first-time visitors and the Beast only sometimes makes the rounds at dinner. But, if you’re hoping to Belle and the Beast together at Magic Kingdom, that does not happen here, and you will be disappointed. While this may be on your “must-try” list, keep your expectations in check, as in its current state we no longer think Be Our Guest is worth it. We’d say head to Gaston’s instead for the Grey Stuff, and call it a day. Be Our Guest Menu.
Tortuga Tavern
With news that Magic Kingdom is getting a Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge, featuring everyone’s favorite Pirates of the Caribbean Parrot, we have high hopes that the menu at Tortuga Tavern may change, or step up. Currently Hot dogs and a pork sandwich leaves much to be desired at Tortuga Tavern. Thankfully this restaurant is able to handle the overflow from the much more popular Pecos Bill’s next door and sometimes only even open for the busy season. We only ever venture here when seating is needed or to take a break from the rain. Tortuga Tavern Menu.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
One of the largest quick service restaurants in Magic Kingdom, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe serves a combo of American and Mexican foods featuring tacos and burgers. Typical theme park fare, much of the food here is just mediocre and tends to be either under or over-seasoned. Previously offering a toppings bar, you could elevate your bland meal with extra flair, but that is no longer the case. As such, you’re in for just a basic meal of a burger, rice dish or nachos. And with better food at other locations around the park equally priced and portion-sized, we’d recommend skipping this one. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe Menu.
Casey’s Corner
Ok, if you’re a hot dog fanatic then take this with a grain of salt. While not huge hot dog people, we have had the benefit of living in places with whole restaurants committed to the art of hot dogs. So Casey’s does little to impress. What’s more, is that it gets super crazy in the summer! We blame this more on location than any foodie merit. Long lines, limited menu and non-existent seating leave Casey’s Corner on our “don’t bother” list when it comes to Magic Kingdom restaurants. If you want a kid friendly slushy at Magic Kingdom, the Frozen Mint Julep Lemonade here is fantastic, but that’s the only thing we ever order. Casey’s Corner Menu.
Cosmic Rays
If you’re looking for very large portion sizes and bang for your buck then you’ll be fine with Cosmic Rays. Serving Burgers and Fries, this is basic American fare. Quintessentially theme park food, if you’re looking for a better burger and fries option, we’d recommend STK or D-Luxe Burger over in Disney Springs, for a better meal. As a larger restaurant in Magic Kingdom, Cosmic Rays features a cafeteria vibe here along with a side of chaos as a result of impromptu dance parties for the kids. Very fun for families with small children that need to shake their sillies out, the food here just doesn’t warrant a visit for us. That said, you can enjoy the newer outdoor seating with views of the TRON ride beyond. Cosmic Rays Menu.
The Best Restaurants in Magic Kingdom Park
There it is. Our lineup of all things Magic Kingdom restaurants, so far. Let us know if you have favorites! Or maybe there are some restaurants here we need to give another shot! While we’re never at a loss for things to try, we are pretty committed to identifying the best food everywhere. So let us know!
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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