Lamplight Lounge is a laid-back, Pixar-themed spot with a great view of Disney’s California Adventure Park and great eats! We absolutely love the lobster nachos, great drinks, and the amazing atmosphere of this waterfront spot!

Formerly known as Ariel’s Grotto, the Lamplight Lounge has gotten some major upgrades in the past few years! With all sorts of details and a fun secret menu, this has become one of our favorite spots to dine in California Adventure! Recently, we stopped by Lamplight Lounge to try out their new walk-up Boardwalk Dining Experience! Spoiler alert: it’s amazing! So, without further ado, let’s check it out!

Atmosphere

Located right at the entrance to Pixar Pier and the bridge to the Paradise Gardens Park section of California Adventure, the Lamplight Lounge has a beautiful location overlooking the water!

Themed after Pixar and its animators, the Lamplight Lounge’s playful and colorful ambiance makes it a relaxing getaway from a busy day at the parks! Inside there are lots of little details and nods to Pixar from posters to memorabilia! This is a great spot for kids and adults alike!

Usually, when you go to Lamplight Lounge, you book a reservation and dine downstairs in the indoor dining room! With this new walk-up Boardwalk Dining Experience, you dine in an outdoor “al fresco” dining area with a nice cool breeze and a great view!

Getting a table is as easy as joining the mobile walk-up list on your phone! Using the Disneyland App, we added ourselves to the walk-up list and waited for our notification to come back and be seated! It only took about 30 minutes to get a text.

The Eats

When we were seated, we got some lovely Pixar-themed menus with lots of cute sketches on them! Since Lamplight Lounge is dedicated to Pixar, it’s only fitting that the menus be works of art too!

The first thing we recognized about the menu is that it’s a different menu than the indoor dining room! There are still plenty of great drinks and dishes to try, including many of our favorites from the Lamplight Lounge’s main menu!

Although the menu is limited, there are still plenty of great options, including the new Pork Belly “Bahn Mi” Brussels Sprouts, a dish you won’t find in the indoor dining room! The beloved Lobster Nachos, a favorite here at DFB, is also available!

The first dish I tried out was the Angus Beef Sliders with Beer and Bacon Cheese Sauce, Tomato-Habanero Chutney, Lettuce, and Pickled Onions on Toasted Amish Buns! With a price point of $22, these are a bit pricey for sliders, but they’re super tasty and the beer cheese sauce is the perfect pairing with the smokey Angus patties. Full disclosure: this is the exact same one they serve at the indoor dining room and they’re just as delicious!

Plus, these usually come out pretty fast after you order them! The bread is nice and fluffy, the patties are not too thick, and everything comes together for a delicious bite! We definitely recommend this one for anyone who’s craving a delicious burger and anyone looking to share (especially with kids!).

Next, we got the Spotlight Nachos: Barbacoa with Chile-spiced Beef Barbacoa and House-made Tortilla Chips with Pinto Bean Purée, spicy Tomatillo Salsa, Onions, Cilantro, Chipotle Cheese Sauce, Queso Fresco, and Pickled Jalapeños for $21! This dish is the perfect snack to share (or gobble up on your own!) and it has a nice kick from the peppers without being too spicy! Just like the sliders, we’ve had these nachos at the indoor dining room of Lamplight Lounge and they’re just as amazing as we remember! 

Last, but most certainly not least, the Pork Belly “Banh Mi” Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Togarashi Aïoli, Sweet Glazed Pork Belly, Pickled Carrots and Daikon, Jalapeños, Cucumbers, with Cilantro and Chicharron! For $15, this dish is a steal because it’s AMAZING! The sprouts, the aioli, the pork belly…we’re drooling just thinking about it! The flavors are savory, spicy, and full of umami! 

Everything in this dish works together so well and it really does have the flavors of a banh mi! The crunch of the veggies and chicharron with the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and crisp brussels sprouts made this an amazing combo! This is a seriously delicious dish, you have to try it! If you’re a fan of banh mi, Vietnamese flavors, or just great food, this is the one for you!

Nosh or Not

Grab a table at the Lamplight Lounge’s Boardwalk Dining Experience if…

• You’re with your family! This spot has lots of yummy options for kids and adults alike!
• You’re looking for unique cocktails you can’t get anywhere else! 
• You couldn’t grab a reservation for downstairs! This spot is walk-up only and good if you still want to try food from Lamplight Lounge! 

Try another option if…

• You’re looking to dine on a budget! Some of the dishes can be a bit pricey for what you’re getting! 
• You’re looking for a full meal! The Boardwalk Dining Experience is more small plates and shareable dishes! 
• You’re in a rush to see all of California Adventure! This isn’t the quickest dining experience, so plan accordingly

Overall

This is definitely a great spot to eat in Disney’s California Adventure! Great food, excellent service, beautiful view, and a nice laid-back atmosphere make this the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the parks! The only complaint we have is the price of the sliders, and that’s not even that big of a deal. However, all the food we got was amazing and perfect for sharing. There are plenty of great options for drinks and kids’ food so we definitely recommend this spot!

Click here to get a first look at the reopening of Wine Country Trattoria!

What do you think of the new experience at the Lamplight Lounge? Let us know in the comments!