A barbecue chicken pizza at Downtown Disney’s Splitsville Luxury Lanes, left; jambalaya-inspired pasta at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen; bartender Christian Diaz sends sparks up from an Uh-Oa cocktail at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times; Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
10 spots to hit for the ultimate food and bar crawl at Downtown Disney
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A free and public district that’s brimming with Disney spirit, Downtown Disney is practically an amusement park in itself. There’s a bowling alley, live entertainment and souvenir stores, plus plenty of places to grab a drink or a memorable meal.
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Take note that the boulevard is undergoing serious construction at the moment, with long-term tenant Catal (as well as its sister courtyard Uva Bar) recently shuttered for good. Exciting changes are coming over the next couple of years, including new locations for popular Taiwanese soup dumpling chain Din Tai Fung and L.A.’s iconic Porto’s Bakery, plus a Mexican kitchen and courtyard bar from Michelin-starred chef Carlos Gaytán. In the meantime, be patient as existing restaurants and bars shift menus and undergo renovations to align with the district’s broader upgrades.
These are the best restaurants and bars that serve cocktails, beer and wine across Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disneyland hotels.
Whether you need dining and drinking options to round out your Disneyland itinerary or just want to explore Anaheim’s buzziest neighborhood, here are 10 places to hit at Downtown Disney and Disneyland hotels for an epic day-to-night food and bar adventure.
Even more places to eat and drink in and around Disneyland
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Anaheim Brewery $$
Downtown Disney’s only brewery is where you’ll find more than 30 craft beers to sip — most of which are made by Southern California’s own Ballast Point Brewing Co. — but it’s also where to eat them. In addition to a lengthy beer, wine, seltzer, cider and hard-kombucha beverage menu, select food items at the gastropub are made with Ballast Point beers for dishes that aren’t just thematically on point but also delicious. The tender and meaty Sculpin IPA buffalo wings are baked and fried, then served in a skillet with the IPA-tinged buffalo sauce pooling at the bottom. House-baked pretzels are fluffy with a browned, just-crusty exterior, with a piquant Fathom IPA mustard and creamy California Kolsch beer cheese for dipping, while Longfin Lager helps flavor the light and airy batter on the fish tacos. Find all the gastropub requisites here, plus options such as poke bowls, aguachile and vegan brownie sundaes.
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(Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times)
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs
Anaheim American $
It seems silly to pick a corn dog shack as one of my favorite places to eat in all of Disneyland, but I must speak my truth. Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs brings pure corn dog goodness — possibly better than those in the park. The freshly fried dogs are juicy, with a great breading-to-meat ratio, and the specialty dogs are fun and actually worth trying. One called the Golden Dragon is covered in panko, giving it good texture, and comes with some fun, spicy sauces.
There’s also a pickle dog, which is exactly what you think it would be: A hot dog turduckened in a pickle, then made into a corn dog. It makes sense, when you consider fried pickles are delicious. I’d suggest a different dipping sauce, though, than the peanut butter it comes with, which seems put there more for the shock value than anything else. Maybe consider ranch or something savory? Either way, I’m here for it.
There’s also a pickle dog, which is exactly what you think it would be: A hot dog turduckened in a pickle, then made into a corn dog. It makes sense, when you consider fried pickles are delicious. I’d suggest a different dipping sauce, though, than the peanut butter it comes with, which seems put there more for the shock value than anything else. Maybe consider ranch or something savory? Either way, I’m here for it.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
CrazyShake™ Window by Black Tap
Anaheim Shakes/Smoothies Snacks $
Ready to quiet any screaming child into a state of silent and wondrous awe, CrazyShake lives up to its name with concoctions that tower above their plastic cups, featuring curling hills of whipped cream and crumbles of Oreo cookies, Fruity Pebbles, rainbow sprinkles and other toothache-worthy toppings. Whatever sweets you’re craving — birthday cake, mint chocolate, Nutella, peanut butter or cotton candy — you’ll find a CrazyShake to match. The cookies n’ cream supreme that comes with a cookies and cream sandwich, crushed Oreo, a whipped cream swirl and chocolate drizzle represents one of the more restrained options.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Earl of Sandwich Tavern
Anaheim American $$
One of the newer options in Downtown Disney, and an entirely new offshoot for the chain, Earl of Sandwich’s first Tavern location offers table service, publike entrées and cocktails adjacent to the fast-casual sandwich shop and right outside the park gates. In keeping with the brand’s nod to the British nobleman who popularized sandwiches, Earl of Sandwich and Tavern serve crisp-battered fish and chips; thick prime rib with green beans and mashed potatoes; and roast chicken with pan gravy in addition to burgers, wild-mushroom quesadillas and spaghetti and meatballs. There are a few sandwiches to be found, all unique to Tavern, and everything can be enjoyed on a patio with beer, wine and cocktails as the crowds go by. Inhabiting the former La Brea Bakery building, Tavern and Earl of Sandwich eventually will close to make way for Porto’s Barkery. But fans of sandwiches, hearty prime rib plates and a spot to grab a drink before exiting or entering the lands shouldn’t fret: Earl of Sandwich and Tavern are expected to move to a different location in Downtown Disney.
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(Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times)
Kayla's Cake
Anaheim Confections $
The Kayla’s Cake kiosk primarily sells macarons, those pretty little French cookies that some people seem to go gaga for. I’m not particularly fond of them, as they seem to epitomize form over function. But I will say that another of its products, the cake in a jar, despite being slightly gimmicky, is pretty good and actually practical. Who wants to carry a naked piece of cake around an amusement park? A jar makes this a portable, no-mess cake experience. And if you only want some, you can take a little bite out of the jar and put the lid back on, saving the rest for later. I tried the birthday cake, which is a nice mixture of vanilla sponge and icing with layers of strawberry jelly.
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(Cindy Carcamo / Los Angeles Times)
Naples Ristorante e Bar
Anaheim Italian $$
After a dizzying day at the parks, sitting down for a leisurely meal at Naples Ristorante e Bar may be exactly what your feet and stomach need. The spinach ravioli is satisfying: Each raviolo at this Patina Group restaurant is stuffed with spinach and ricotta, and served with a Parmesan broth, garlic and sautéed spinach. Skip the underwhelming lasagna and order the stellar thin-crust pepperoni pizza. You’ll get pepperoni in every bite. The wine and beer list is pretty standard, offering labels you can find at most grocery stores. Instead of wine flights, the restaurant offers flights with three different sangrias, mule cocktails or Neapolitan beers.
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(Cindy Carcamo / Los Angeles Times)
Napolini Pizzeria
Anaheim Italian American $
Sometimes all you want to do is curl up in your hotel room with some delicious takeout. The personalized pizzas at Napolini Pizzeria are my go-to for an easy, soul-comforting meal. If you’re a carnivore, don’t miss the salsiccia with spicy Italian sausage, roasted red bell pepper, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. Vegetarians might prefer the Margherita with basil, mozzarella and tomato sauce or the funghi with roasted mushrooms. But I find that the pepperoni pizza hits the spot, even if it’s not quite as good as its counterpart at Naples Ristorante e Bar. The service is pretty fast, which is also a blessing when your feet ache from so much walking.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
Anaheim Southern $$
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen and neighboring Jazz Kitchen Express are undergoing remodels, resulting in a limited menu at the express counter that includes the signature beignets and hot chocolate but not the beloved Cafe du Monde chicory coffee. Soon, Jazz Kitchen, Coastal Grill & Patio and Beignets Expressed will reopen in the same locations with a slight rebrand that blends California influences with the existing New Orleans pride. Some of the reimagined dishes are already on the menu, including a starter of fried crawfish lettuce wraps with a handful of buttermilk-battered crawfish nestled in cups of gem butter lettuce with pickled red onion, cilantro, lime and a flavor-rich chili-garlic sauce for dipping. Longtime favorites such as shrimp and grits likely will remain the same. Nab a seat on the second-story patio for a Bourbon Street-inspired view of Downtown Disney.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Splitsville Luxury Lanes
Anaheim American $$
Whether you need a live sports update or want to take a break from Disney to knock down some pins, Splitsville’s only California location has you covered with plenty of TVs and 20 bowling lanes across two floors, plus live music every evening on the covered patio. Two kitchens crank out food that ranges from pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and salads to sushi and entrées including pasta dishes and a poke bowl. The pizzas are convenient if you’re taking turns bowling, including one that’s slathered with barbecue chicken and smoked gouda and a barbecue-drenched Hawaiian option with two types of bacon, pineapple and cilantro. There are two bars, in case you want to pair your food with an adult beverage.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Tangaroa Terrace/Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar
Anaheim Hawaiian $$
Technically just outside the bounds of Downtown Disney but still deserving of a visit, Disneyland Hotel’s dual poolside, courtyard restaurants are a bit of a respite from the crowds, with ukulele music drifting through the air. They’re also where you can find some of the area’s best tiki drinks served with Polynesian-inspired bites. At breakfast, the quick-service Tangaroa Terrace offers fluffy Japanese-style pancakes; loco moco breakfast burritos; toast slathered with citrus custard; and short rib with eggs, all garnished with a purple orchid. At lunch the adjacent Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar opens, sharing the same food menu and patio as Tangaroa Terrace but also serving tropical, boozy concoctions poured into colorful ceramic mugs brimming with mint and citrus (inside the bar, it’s all colorful kitsch and a bit of theatricality). For lunch and dinner nosh on pu-pu platters, takoyaki, chicken-and-macadamia salad and poke bowls, but don’t skip one of the best secrets of the parks: This is the only location serving the iconic Dole whip as a boozy float, with your choice of either dark rum or light coconut rum.
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