Where is Cafe Orleans? It’s in New Orleans Square, a themed land found at Disneyland Park. Based on 19th-century New Orleans, Louisiana, this roughly three acres was the first land to be added to Disneyland after the park’s opening, at a cost of $18 million. It is exclusive to Disneyland.
Café Orleans is a table-service restaurant located in the heart of New Orleans Square, serving Cajun and Creole cuisine. Views of the River of America, with the Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia make this a prime spot for a delicious meal during your visit to the “Happiest Place on Earth!” Seating is available both inside and outside. Warning! The area in front of this restaurant is a busy thoroughfare for park visitors. Be sure to arrive early enough to navigate the crowds here.
Fun facts: Walt Disney himself spent time here back when Cafe Orleans was called the Creole Café. Café Orleans has been a Disneyland staple since 1966!
How can I dine here?
Café Orleans is open for both lunch and dinner, with hours running typically from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Advanced dining reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 60 days prior to your visit, via the Disneyland app or website. If you are used to making dining reservations at Walt Disney World in Florida, rest assured there is not the mad rush for dining reservations at Disneyland. Things are much more relaxed at Disneyland.
Walk-ups are available on a limited basis, via the app. Be sure to cancel your reservation at least two hours prior, if your plans change. Otherwise, you will be charged $10 per person cancellation fee. If you have a reservation, you can check in up to 15 minutes early, on the Disneyland app or with a cast member at the restaurant entrance. Tip: Set your phone for push notifications to be alerted when to check in for your reservation. Should you have to wait for your table to be ready, there are benches around the entrance.
Outdoor Dining
If the weather is pleasant, I recommend sitting outside for the full experience. Outside seating is covered by a canopy, and shade trees abound in that part of the park. Mention your preference to the cast member at the podium.
Options
Café Orleans is often included in dining packages, such as the popular evening show “Fantasmic”. A dining reservation here insures you a reserved seat for the show. Check the Disney app or website for updated information. Be sure to ask for any available discounts, such as annual pass or Disney Visa cardholder.
Theming
The restaurant is decorated with vintage-style brass light fixtures, stained-glass panels, and details reminiscent of ‘the Big Easy’. Café Orleans is a great alternative to the popular Blue Bayou restaurant, especially during busy times when Blue Bayou reservations are hard to get. Like Blue Bayou, Café Orleans restaurant serves a Disneyland favorite, the Monte Cristo Sandwich, both the traditional turkey ham and Swiss with seasonal preserves and also a triple cheese version, with Brie, Swiss and mozzarella. These usually come with the Pommes Frites, with Cajun dipping sauce. Pommes Frites is made out of potatoes that are cut into lengthwise strips and deep-fried in hot oil. They are the best fries inside the parks, in my opinion!
Menu
Before diving into the entrees, wake up your taste buds with a delicious cup of New Orleans-style Gumbo, with ham, sausage, peppers and rice, or maybe a Caesar salad or fruit salad.
Plant-based items are available, such as Crudité with raw and pickled vegetables, crackers and red-pepper hummus, and Ratatouille Farro Risotto, served with vegetables and wilted greens.
Other enticing entrees on the menu include Beef Bourguignon, with mashed potatoes, garden vegetable and truffle red wine jus, Cajun Butter-roasted Chicken with vegetables and fingerling potatoes, and Blackened Shrimp Alfredo.
Desserts include an Assortment of Macarons and of course, Crème Brulé.
Children’s entrees are standard here and include chicken, shrimp and mac and cheese. Have a food allergy? Make sure your waiter is made aware as soon as they arrive at your table.
For the full New Orleans experience, be sure to try a Mint Julep, available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. Even the kids can try one! At the time of this review, a souvenir stainless steel cup was available with the non-alcoholic version. Other alcoholic drinks are available for those ages 21 and above, including wine and beers.
Experience
On the day of our visit, the weather was sunny and pleasant. We were seated outside, next to the railing. We couldn’t have asked for a better location to enjoy people-watching and the whole French Quarter experience.
One thing I like about Disneyland is that many of the cast members have been working there for years. Our waitress had been a cast member at Café Orleans for many years. She knew the menu well and made a few suggestions, which we appreciated.
Review
We started with non-alcoholic mint juleps, which we both enjoyed. As an appetizer, we ordered the Crudité, which was delicious, but enough for 3-4 people! Served with hummus was carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and Butter Leaf lettuce.
For our entrée, we ordered the three-cheese Monte Cristo Sandwich. From previous experience, we knew this was a shareable dish. The sandwich itself is huge! If you’ve had a Monte Cristo sandwich before, you know the powdered sugar makes this a messy dish to eat. Keep your napkin handy! As mentioned above, this comes with Pommes Frites, with Cajun dipping sauce. The fruit preserves that accompany this dish make this entrée over-the-top sweet! Nevertheless, it is delicious.
For dessert, we tried the crème brulee tart. It comes with raspberries, blueberries, and a garnish. It was tasty and well-prepared, a perfect end to a good meal.
Overall, I’d highly recommend the Cafe Orleans restaurant inside New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park. It’s one of my favorite restaurants for the quality food and the atmosphere. New Orleans Square is such a unique and iconic part of Disneyland- they don’t have it over at Walt Disney World- and it’s a must to dine in on your next visit.
Contact us your next Disneyland vacation with The Magic for Less Travel. We are experts at maximizing your visit to the original Disney theme park. You can walk “where Walt walked”!
