My Honest Review of Din Tai Fung in Downtown Disney

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Initially announced at Disney’s D23 fan expo in 2022, the five-time winner of the coveted Michelin star (at their original location in Hong Kong), Din Tai Fung, made its long awaited debut at the Disneyland Resort in June 2024.

Located in the west end of the resort’s Downtown Disney District, Din Tai Fung opened to much fan fare. In fact, the initial post-opening months often saw tables booked to capacity, with walk-ups waiting an hour or more.

During our last visit to Disneyland, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine here with friends. In the review below, I’ll discuss topics such as the food offerings, drinks, atmosphere, service, reservations, and more.

DIN TAI FUNG DISNEYLAND RESERVATIONS

As stated above, reservations at Din Tai Fung in Downtown Disney can be difficult to get. That was more-so in the months proceeding its opening, when tables were booked out nearly thirty days in advance.

These days, reservations are a bit easier to come by, though you’ll still need to plan ahead. For starters, you cannot make reservations for Din Tai Fung through the Disneyland website (or through Din Tai Fung directly, for that matter).

To make a reservation, you’ll need to do it through their Yelp profile. They accept reservations up to thirty days in advance. If you want one of the coveted dinner time slots, do your best to make it right at the thirty day mark, as they go the fastest.

Looking at their availability, lunch slots appear to be much easier to reserve, especially day of or next day. Joining the walk-up list is also an option. Just know that you could possibly wait up to an hour or more for a table at dinner time.

Takeout Option

If you weren’t able to book a table and don’t want to deal with the walk-up line, you could always order takeout through their online ordering system. There’s a lot more outdoor seating options in Downtown Disney than there used to be.

You won’t get the full dining experience, which is a major part of what makes Din Tai Fung so special, but it beats not be able to eat there at all. After you pay for your order and it’s ready, simply go to the restaurant and give the host/hostess your name.

Din Tai Fung Disneyland Dining Experience

Upon walking into the interior, you’ll be initially greeted by a bronze statue of Bao Bao, the official mascot of the restaurant. Beyond the statue, you’ll be greeted by a striking 360-degree bar adorned with a suspended, beaded installation that pays homage to the restaurant’s Taiwanese heritage, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The remaining interior showcases intricately detailed decor, including jade tiling on the walls and tapestry-like chandeliers hanging from above, contributing to a calming and elegant ambiance.

Floor-to-ceiling windows encompass the dining areas on either side of the bar, allowing a bounty of natural light to flood the space. Exposed, curved ceiling beams mirror the shape of the exterior roof, enhancing the architectural cohesion.

Guests can also observe Din Tai Fung’s artistry behind the dumpling-making process through a viewable kitchen, providing an engaging and authentic dining experience. If you have kids, this feature will sure to impress.

Din Tai Fung Menu Items We Tried

Din Tai Fung’s menu offers a wide-variety of traditional Chinese and Taiwanese dishes with a modern twist, most of which are served family-style for easy sharing. Needless to say, the four of us ordered to our hearts content.

Your table will be given an ordering sheet and a pen. Simply decide which menu items you and your group want to try, mark the quantity next to each item on the sheet, and hand it to your server (you could always add to it later, if you wanted).

To kick things off, our table ordered one serving each of the Cucumber Salad and Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs. Both were presented beautifully and tasted amazing.

The ribs had the perfect amount of “pull” off the bone. The flavor was amazing, with the meat itself seasoned well and accompanied sauce containing a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

The cucumbers were thickly sliced and had a great crunch to them. The sauce drizzled over them had a great balance of sweet and tangy (similar to the ribs, but thinner) and also contained mildly spicy notes.

To go with our meal, my wife and I decided to order their two most well-known cocktails; the DTF Old Fashioned and Pear Lychee Martini. The old fashioned’s base is a serving of Kavalan Taiwanese single malt whiskey and stirred with house-made Oolong tea syrup and orange bitters, topped with a Luxardo cherry.

The Pear Lychee Martini is one of their signiture cocktails and is made with Grey Goose La Poire Vodka with St-Germain, fresh lemon juice and topped with a piece of lychee fruit. Both cocktails were supremely delicious and worth a second round.

Keep in mind that the cocktails won’t be listed on the ordering sheet. You’ll need to order those with your server separately. After you’ve made your selections, your food will start coming out of the kitchen fairly quickly.

The staff do their best to stagger the food but in my experience (at this and the Las Vegas locations) your table will run out of space fairly quickly. By the way, that’s pretty much my only complaint about Din Tai Fung. I wish they would stagger your selections better.

The Xiao Long Bao is one of their specialities. They’re stuffed with a variety of meats and seasonings, in addition to hot broth. Each bao is then hand-folded using their “Golden Ratio” 18-fold method.

If you’ve never eaten Xiao Long Baos before, don’t be intimidated. The restaurant provides instructions at every table on how to enjoy them without making a mess of yourself. Your server will also walk you through it, if requested.

We ordered a variety of their baos, buns, and noodles. I’ve also tried additional dishes when I dined at their Las Vegas location a couple of months later. For easy reading, I’ll list the entrees we ordered below and post their photos in the order listed:

• Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao

• Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Dumplings

• Kurabuto Pork Buns

• Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Pot Stickers

• Noodles with Spicy Sauce

• Noodles with Minced Kurobuta Pork

• Chocolate Buns with Sea Salt Cream

In short, all of the food we tried at Din Tai Fung was nothing short of fantastic. I will say I preferred the noodles with spicy sauce over the noodles with minced pork. Additionally, I personally enjoyed the two pork buns over the broth filled Xiao Long Bao.

Definitely DO NOT skip on dessert. The chocolate baos (filled with chocolate sauce) are divine! Also, do yourself a favor and spend the additional $1.00 for the accompanying sea salt cream (topped with matcha powder). Those two, combined, are out-of-this-world delectable.

Does Din Tai Fung Live up to the Hype?

In my opinion (and those of my wife and our two friends who came with us) the answer to that question is a resounding “yes”! The food is outstanding, the service is world-class, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

In recent years, Disney have stepped up their restaurant game in a big way in Downtown Disney. Centrico, another DTD upscale restaurant, serves up authentic Mexican cusine (see my review here) and their upcoming steakhouse, Arthur and Sons Steak and Bourbon, is sure to please.

Could Din Tai Fung be the best of the new crop? I believe so. It’s certainly an expensive place to eat, with our group of four paying nearly $300 for our meal. That said, it’s worth every dime, in my opinion. If you have the money, definitely don’t skip it.

*If you’re researching hotels for your Disneyland vacation, see my number one recommendation here!

Details of New Downtown Disney Steakhouse ‘Arthur & Sons’

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Earlier this year, Disney confirmed what fans have long known, that one of the original eateries from Downtown Disney’s early days, Tortilla Jo’s, would be shuttered and something fresh and new would be taking its place.

Soon after the restaurant’s closure in April, it was then confirmed that a new steakhouse and adjacent barbecue restaurant would be taking its place. This announcement was significant, as the Disneyland Resort hasn’t had a proper steakhouse since the 2020 closure of the Disneyland Hotel’s, Steakhouse 55.

Speculation began as to when the structure of the former Tortilla Jo’s would be demolished, and when construction would begin on the new steakhouse. While we still don’t have any concrete dates, we were given new details and concept art of the two new restaurant concepts coming to the resort.

Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon

It’s been confirmed that the new steakhouse, being opened by Michilin-starred Chef Joe Isidori, will be called Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon. The restaurant is named in honor for Isidori’s father, Arthur Isidori, who worked as a butcher by day and ran a restaurant at night.

In the concept art above, you’ll notice the black accents of the entry atrium, which features a cascading crystal ball chandelier in the interior, and the rest of the exterior being made up of brick, which gives it a classic steakhouse vibe.

While it’s far from confirmed, the concept art does suggest the restaurant’s dining room will be single-story. This is a departure from the old Tortilla Jo’s building, which featured a two-story dining area. In case you’re wondering, yes, the old building will indeed be demolished and a new, custom structure will take its place.

Arthur & Son’s exact menu hasn’t been released just yet, but it will consist of many steakhouse classics and favorites, such as prime cuts of beef, chops, seafood, sandwiches, and salads. Additionally, a center bar will be featured, serving up a variety of inventive, bourbon-focused cocktails.

Pearl’s Roadside BBQ

Pearl’s Roadside, a new quick-service barbecue restaurant that will accompany Arthur & Sons, will be located adjacent to the new steakhouse, facing eastward towards Splitsville Luxury Lanes. Its menu will feature numerous barbecue favorites, such as smoked wings, beef brisket, pulled pork sandwiches, and smoked turkey, as well as a variety of craft beers and moonshine cocktails.

The restaurant’s bright white exterior with red and green accents will be a stark contrast to the neighboring steakhouse, which perhaps was done with intentional purpose. The concept art features an outdoor deck-style seating area with a u-shaped bar and hanging patio lights. It’s unclear if there will be interior seating.

About Chef Joe Isidori

Isidori served as Donald Trump’s executive chef at Mar-a-Lago and earned his Michelin Star at the DJT restaurant, located inside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Additionally, he runs several Arthur & Sons restaurants in New York City, with a focus on Italian fare rather than steak.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in 2000, the celebrity chef has appeared on numerous Food Network shows, including “Iron Chef America” and “Beat Bobby Flay”. He’s been cooking since the young age of five, helping to prepare salads and side dishes in several family-owned restaurants throughout New York City.

Isidori is no stranger to the Disneyland Resort either, as he’s the co-founder of the ever-popular chain, Black Tap Craft Burgers, which has a location in Downtown Disney (a other top-tier destinations). It opened in 2019 during the district’s initial construction phase. Additionally, he owns “Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew” at Disney Springs in Florida.

Turning to commentary, my wife and I ate at Black Tap during one of our visits earlier this year. It was one expensive burger, no doubt about it. However, it was easily one of the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve eaten a lot of burgers). If Black Tap is any indication as to how the food will be at “Arthur & Sons” and “Pearl’s BBQ”, I’m here for it.

When Will the New Steakhouse Open?

That’s the million dollar question at the moment. As of right now, we don’t have any firm dates as to when demolition and construction will begin, let alone an opening date. However, with the work on the forthcoming Parkside Market nearing completion, I do have ideas.

Disney has been working on their modernization of the Downtown Disney District since around 2017. In the first phases, we saw the openings of Ballast Point (which rumor has it may be closing up shop), Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes, and Splitsville.

Then, more announcements came, and work eventually began to bring us Jazz Kitchen’s refresh into “Jazz Kitchen Coastal Patio and Grill”, a trio of restaurants by Chef Gaytan in “Centrico”, “Paseo”, and “Tiendita”, Michelin-starred Taiwanese classic, “Din Tai Fung”, “Palm Breeze Bar”, a Disney-owned restaurant, and local favorite,“Great Maple Modern American Eatery”.

Additionally, we still have a number of restaurants opening in the near future, including “Porto’s Bakery”, a new location for “Earl of Sandwich”, and the aforementioned “Parkside Market”, which in of itself will contain four individual eateries, such as “Sip & Sonder”, “Vista Parkside Market”, “Seoul Sister”, and “GG’s Chicken Shop”.

As of the time of this post’s publishing, Parkside Market has yet to receive a firm opening date, with Disney only stating, “opening this winter”. Considering the progress workers have made on this recently, I anticipate it’ll either open in December 2024 or January 2025.

*NOTE: Parkside Market did indeed open in January 2025

Additionally, after multiple months of doubt and speculation, we finally have confirmation that Porto’s Bakery is indeed on its way. Porto’s has been in a state of flux, so-to-speak, ever since Disney announced their impending debut over two years ago at D23 2022.

Until recently, rumors swirled as to if that was still the plan, as there’s been zero progress on the project. However, we’ve recently learned that not only is it still happening, but Downtown Disney’s Porto’s will be the chain’s first location with table-service dining and a bar.

It is unclear as to when they’ll begin construction on Porto’s, but they’ll likely want to get started on it right away, as it’s already been delayed for far too long already. It’s also unclear whether Disney is heading up construction on the restaurant, or if Porto’s itself is taking charge.

2025 Update on Arthur and Sons Steakhouse

*Big thanks to friend of the blog, Amber, for the great pics of the construction walls

Nearly a year after Tortilla Jo’s closure, construction walls donning graphics of the upcoming Arthur and Sons Steakhouse have gone up around the building in the second week of February. This is a clear indication that movement on this highly anticipated steakhouse is imminent.

Exactly when that’s supposed to happen is unclear, as is an anticipated opening date. I previously assumed that Disney would fully demolish the old Tortilla Jo’s building to make way for Arthur and Sons but after looking more closely at the concept art, I’m not so sure now.

In the concept art above and below, you’ll notice that the entryway for Arthur and Sons is strikingly similar, in shape, to the former entryway for Tortilla Jo’s. It surely differs in color scheme and design but structurally, it’s nearly identical. I never noticed the similarities until seeing the concept art lined up with the building in its current form.

Fully demolishing a structure like the one currently in place could take several months. They’ll then need to move and flatten earth in order to lay a foundation and piping, which could take an additional several weeks or longer. Then, and only then, would construction go vertical, which would take many more months.

By comparison, it took 18 months for a full build-out of nearby Din Tai Fung. If the same timeline ended up applying to Arthur and Sons and they begin demolition in March 2025, we would be looking at a late summer or early fall 2026 opening.

Conversely, if they’re indeed just redesigning the current building, with possibly just minor demolition at play, that’ll significantly improve the timeline. Without needing a full demo, moving earth, and installing plumbing, it’s entirely possible we could see Arthur and Sons Steakhouse opening by the end of 2025, or possibly sooner.

Of course, all of this is conjecture at this point. As always, I’ll be updating this post as more information becomes available.

My Honest Review of Centrico in Downtown Disney

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

During the 2022 D23 Parks Panel presentation, one of the few exciting announcements was the next phase of Disney’s overhaul of Downtown Disney with a slew of new and exciting restaurants. One of those mentioned was a modern, upscale Mexican restaurant, later announced as Centrico, would be taking over the space formally occupied by Uva Bar.

After nearly two years of construction, Centrico, as part of a trio of new restaurants by the same chef, would open to Disneyland Resort guests in May 2024. Along side neighboring eateries Paseo and Tiendita, Centrico became an instant success for Michelin-Starred Chef Carlos Gaytan. Both locals and tourists alike raved about the fresh entrees and tasty cocktails.

Shortly after their grand opening, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine here. We were so excited to finally be able to try the food and to no surprise to either of us, we loved everything we ordered. The service was impeccable as well. Below, I’ll share our experience in greater detail, including photos and prices of the food and drinks we ordered. Let’s get into it.

Centrico Downtown Disney Reservations

When it initially opened, you couldn’t make a reservation. You just showed up to the stand-by queue and put your name down. Recently, though, Centrico has been added to the Advanced Dining Reservation page on Disneyland’s website. Meaning, you can make reservations for Centrico up to 60-days in advance.

Additionally, you can make a reservation through Centrico’s website if you prefer. It looks like they use the OpenTable software, which means you won’t have to provide a credit card guarantee like you would if you booked through Disney.

Reservations don’t appear to be too hard to come by. I’ve been looking for the last several days for last minute table availability and always found an open slot. Like most things at Disneyland, it all depends on season, time of day, etc. If for whatever reason you could not make a reservation (or simply forgot to), you can still utilize the stand-by option.

Centrico Menu and Photos of What We Ordered

Centrico’s menu consists of high quality ingredients, used to prepare some of the most authentic Mexican cuisine in Anaheim. Many dishes on the menu are inspired by Chef Carlos Gaytan’s childhood in Mexico and it shows. The menu may come off as intimidating but trust me, even the pickiest of eaters won’t have trouble choosing a dish.

We kicked off our meal with a couple of carefully crafted cocktails and an appetizer. The appetizer we chose was the Shrimp Aguachile ($22). It’s made with shrimp, charred tomatillo, aguachile, cucumber, red onion, avocado and corn tortilla strips. I’m not a fan of shrimp, but my wife thoroughly enjoyed it and it could easily be split between two people.

The two cocktails we ordered were the El Mariachi in Manhatten ($20 - pictured above) and the Carajillo Expresso Martini ($18 - pictured below). These were two of the smoothest whiskey-based cocktails I’ve ever tried. If you appreciate good whiskey, the cost is justifiable.

For her entree, my wife ordered the Cochinita Pibil Tacos ($22). It’s a three taco dish with fresh corn tortillas, guerrero-style pork shank, black bean puree, pickled red onion and fresh habanero salsa. The flavor of the pork shank was out of this world. It definitely didn’t need the onions or salsa, but they made excellent compliments.

I’m a sucker for quesabirria so when I saw it on the menu ($22), I had to try it. The dish came with two, rather large corn tortilla tacos with lamb birria, Oaxaca cheese, onion, cilantro, avocado mousse and a side of consomme for dipping.

It was far and away the best quesabirria I’ve ever had. Every other “quesabirria” I’ve had involved beef as the protein. I can now attest that it is much better with lamb. Additionally, the consomme was thick and incredibly flavorful.

To cap off our meal, we ordered the Guava Meringue ($13) dessert. It’s a classic Mexican meringue and guava sorbet encased in a fresh horchata-orange foam casing. The outer exterior of the dish is solid, needing only a few taps of a spoon to crack it open, exposing the delicious meringue and sorbet inside.

We didn’t try any other desserts so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but you can’t go wrong ordering this. All of the flavors worked flawlessly together. The only negative I have is I could’ve done without the edible floral sprinkled over it. For me, they didn’t add anything to it other than making it more photogenic.

All told, our experience was nothing less than top notch. It’s so exciting to have these upscale dining options in Downtown Disney now. With Centrico, Great Maple American Eatery and the newly opened Din Tai Fung, Disney has been on a roll lately implementing elevated dining experiences into the resort line up.

Needless to say, I highly recommend giving Centrico a chance. Yes, it’s on the high-end of the pricing spectrum but considering they use fresh ingredients, the fantastic service, and eating delicious food crafted by a Michelin-Starred Chef, I say it’s well worth the expense.

New Downtown Disney Restaurants Opening Soon (+ More Announced)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

It’s time to ready your stomachs because two new, highly anticipated restaurants are opening soon in the Downtown Disney District! Additionally, we now have word of what’s coming to the location formally occupied by Tortilla Jo’s, which has recently permanently closed.

The two upcoming restaurants (well four, technically) I’m referring to are Din Tai Fung, Paseo, Centrico and Tiendita. These eateries were announced during the parks panel presentation during the loathed 2022 D23 expo and while progress has been slow, we’re now just a month or so away from these culinary delights making their debuts.

Let’s dive into the details of these restaurants and what we know about what’s taking over Tortilla Jo’s spot. Additionally, we’ll discuss the status of a few other eateries that have been confirmed, but haven’t yet began construction.

Paseo, Centrico, and Tiendita in Downtown Disney

As recently announced by Disney Parks Blog, this three-in-one eatery will open to guests in May. No specific date was given but considering that Mother’s Day is a massively profitable weekend for restaurants, I would imagine they would push to be open by then.

These concept restaurants are being brought to the Disneyland Resort by Mexico’s first Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytan. His dishes inspire a multi-cultural journey to his homeland of Huitzuco, Mexico, with style and technique from his culinary training in France.

I took the photo above in March and as you can see, much of the infrastructure of Centrico and most parts of Paseo are already done. Since this photo, they’ve begun installing tables and decorative features, indicating that an opening date is imminent.

In Paseo, a stunning wooden staircase leads you upstairs to the main dining room and bar lined with rich tiles, woods, textures, leathers and accents that showcase Mexico’s proud culture of craftsmanship. In addition to the main dining room, there will be an extended patio offering a unique view of Downtown Disney.

A full menu hasn’t been released yet, but a few examples you can expect include elevated versions of ceviches, roasted marinated pork, lamb barbacoa and mejillones (mussels). These dishes, and more, celebrate Chef Graytan’s love of his homeland, with nods to the French culinary style.

The courtyard bar and restaurant, Centrico, will occupy the space of the former Uva Bar in the center of the walking space through Downtown Disney. Its open, airy space designed with lush greenery and wooden elements create an upscale, yet relaxing environment for guests.

Again, we haven’t seen a full menu, but elevated quesabirria, chicken enchiladas, tlayuda (an Oaxacan, pizza-like sharable), Caesar salad and an assortment of tequila-based cocktails make up a few of the featured items.

Tiendita, the third and final element to this new concept, will serve as the quick-service location, with a variety of selections such as fish tacos, roasted corn, ice cream-stuffed chocolate tacos (you read that right) and breakfast favorites such as a chorizo burrito will be served.

This is great as the resort, Downtown Disney specifically, is severely lacking in the breakfast department. It’ll be great to have an option in the morning (and a quick one, at that) for a pre-park meal. Furthermore, Tiendita will feature self-ordering kiosks instead of traditional cashiers.

Din Tai Fung and More Upcoming Downtown Disney Restaurants

The next restaurant we’ve finally received an update on, and the one I’m personally looking forward to the most, is Din Tai Fung. Much like Paseo and Centrico, we don’t have a firm opening date yet, but Disney is advertising a summer 2024 opening.

Din Tai Fung is another Michelin-level restaurant coming to the resort, with the brand being based out of Taiwan. They’re known for the house-made baos, but also feature signiture soup dumplings, wontons, noodles, steamed buns, pork chop fried rice and a variety signature, crafted cocktails.

Furthermore, we now know the highly anticipated Ponto’s Bakery will move into the space currently occupied by Earl of Sandwich, in the building adjacent to the entrance to Disney California Adventure. Earl of Sandwich is in the process of moving into a temporary location near the Star Wars Store to accommodate this move.

Presumably, the current building will be demolished to allow Ponto’s to build a custom space. Earl of Sandwich will finally get its permanent space in the west end of Downtown Disney near the guitar pick-shaped stage.

New Steakhouse and BBQ Concepts Coming to Downtown Disney

Tortilla Jo’s, a long time Downtown Disney restaurant that’s been open since 2004, recently closed its doors for good. It simply didn’t fit in with the new aesthetic Disney is going for with the new Downtown Disney. For a while, what would take its place was a mystery. Until now, that is.

While Disney remains mum on the details, we now know that a new steakhouse and bbq concept will take the place of Tortilla Jo’s. Disneyland has been without a steakhouse since the closure of Steakhouse ‘55 at the Disneyland Hotel a few years ago and the resort has never had a proper BBQ eatery, so these will undoubtedly be welcomed additions.

It’s unclear if the steakhouse will be a revitalized version of Steakhouse ‘55 or one run by a third party. The latter of which is the most likely, as Disney already has a relationship with STK Steakhouse at Disney Springs in Florida. Personally, as long as it isn’t a Ruth Chris, I’m good either way.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? If you’re considering staying on property, read about our tour of the new Pixar Place Hotel. Additionally, get tips and advice on purchasing tickets by reading 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Tickets. Furthermore, stay updated on ride closures by reading and bookmarking my 2024 Attraction Refurbishment Calendar. Finally, to save money on Disneyland tickets and vacations packages, see my friends at Get Away Today.