REVIEW: You’re Missing Out on This Overlooked Disney World Hotel Restaurant

Sometimes you stumble upon something so great, you can’t wait to share it with everyone.

And while Disney World has plenty of iconic restaurants, some tend to fly under the radar — even when they shouldn’t. If you ask us, the best underrated spots are hiding at Disney World’s hotels, and right now, we’re bringing you along as we check one out!

Background

When you want that Disney World table service feel but forgot about making a reservation, you might think you’re stuck eating quick service hamburgers and pizza (which we still love occasionally!) — but you’re not. Consider checking out a table service lounge, like Citricos Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian hotel!

Citricos Lounge is the lounge version of its table service counterpart, Citricos, and we think it’s one of the best-kept signature dining secrets in all of Disney World. Here, you can dine from the entire Citricos menu — without a reservation. The lounge is first come, first served and is located just on the outskirts of the regular restaurant.

Inside, you’ll find large windows, sleek tables and chairs, and an open kitchen. Citricos features a subtle Mary Poppins Returns theme, much like the rest of the recent Grand Floridian room refurbishments.

There’s also a full bar with seating that is first come, first served as well — and you can order the full menu there, too.

Atmosphere

Like we mentioned, Citricos is Mary Poppins Returns themed and you can see some of that reflected in the lighting and chandeliers — which are shaped like umbrellas!

The lounge is primarily made up of, well, lounge chairs and low coffee tables. It’s certainly a different dining experience and is more “laid-back” than sitting at one of the booths or dining tables in the regular restaurant.

We were seated at a low table with cushy armchairs, which we found perfectly comfortable but we know everyone is different — so keep this in mind if you’re thinking about strolling in to grab a table in the lounge.

But enough about tables and chairs — let’s talk about the FOOD!

Food & Drinks

We started off with the Passion Margarita for $18. It’s made with Don Julio Reposado Tequila, house-made orange reduction, passion fruit, and passion fruit pearls. We weren’t wowed by this, but it was a solid, fruity margarita with distinct passionfruit flavors. We could taste the smokiness from the reposado which balanced the sweetness of the drink. Definitely worth grabbing if you’re after a tropical tequila drink!

We needed something to soak up the alcohol, and this complimentary bread service arrived just in time. This ciabatta bread, olive bread, and guava butter were SO good. Both types of bread were fresh and warm, and perfectly chewy.

The guava butter provided a distinctly fruity flavor, but it had some basil on top that helped bring a nice earthiness to the whole situation.

We ordered the Clam Chowder, which is made St. Augustine-style with Cedar Key clams, purple potato, and applewood bacon for $17.

This was excellent and the ingredients all came together wonderfully. It was creamy without being too thick and was served piping hot. The fresh veggies and potatoes provide a nice crunch that helps break up the monotony of soup. The bacon gives the soup a nice smoky flavor.

And now, onto the main event! We grabbed the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon served with potato purée, seasonal vegetables, and guajillo beef jus for $59.

This dish is pricey, but WORTH IT. The steak was incredibly tender and cooked medium just as requested. It was so easy to cut, we probably could have done it with a butter knife.

The veggies — spring onion and asparagus — were fine but nothing to write home about. But, those potatoes were so buttery and soft and tasted especially great when combined with a bite of the onion or steal. This was one of the better steaks we’ve had at Disney World in a while!

As an additional side, we ordered the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. This is made with house-made gnocchetti, black truffle, sottocenere al tartufo, and tarragon for $23. This was COVERED in creamy cheese and the gnocchetti is layered with black truffles. It’s incredibly rich and truffle-forward, and we recommend sharing it because it’s quite a hefty dish!

To finish things off, we had the Macchiato dessert for $14. It’s made with Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur coffee creameux, espresso veil, coffee sponge, mascarpone ice cream, and warm morita chile chocolate sauce.

Coffee lovers, this is a MUST try! The combination of the chocolate cookie on the bottom and the mascarpone ice cream with the coffee liqueur cream is just the best combo of sweet, smoky, and rich.

The mousse was light and fluffy and that is where we found most of the coffee flavor to be hiding. This dessert was a knockout and one we’ll certainly be thinking about for a while!

Magic or Tragic?

If you’re thinking about visiting Citricos Lounge, stop by:

To dine like a king without needing a reservation. The service here is great and we felt pampered, even in the lounge.
For a secret hideout with excellent eats and drinks to enjoy with friends. Don’t miss those sunset views!
If you want a signature meal at the last minute or are looking to have that fine dining experience without all the pomp and circumstance.

You should skip dining at Citricos Lounge if:

You have a large party and are looking for something a bit more low-key.
You’re in the mood for burgers, fries, and pizza — or something quick.
You want a traditional table-service experience. Try snagging a reservation at the regular version of the restaurant instead!