Which resort is Walt Disney World’s best food hotel? This is a fun and not-so-hotly-debated topic among WDW diehards, and there are two candidates that should immediately come to mind: the flagship Grand Floridian Resort with its surplus of Signature Restaurants plus the only Michelin-starred restaurant at Walt Disney World, and Animal Kingdom Lodge with its adventurous eats and more diverse assortment of options.
Those are the easy picks, and it’s hard to argue that Grand Floridian is not #1. Maybe it’s not the top pick for many families (ours included), but with a more objective assessment, it’s difficult to contend anything else surpasses the Grand Floridian. Then there’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, which takes second-place thanks to Jiko, Boma, Sanaa, The Mara, Victoria Falls Lounge, and surprisingly good pool and Club Level food.
Third place is where things get more interesting, with contenders including Wilderness Lodge, Yacht & Beach Club, Contemporary Resort, and maybe Disney’s Riviera Resort. That last one has a really well-rounded lineup that makes it a contender. But there’s another dark horse contender…
The only non-Deluxe with a viable claim to being one of Walt Disney World’s best food hotels is Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This is arguably the #3 pick for hotels with the strongest restaurant rosters at WDW. “Arguably” is doing some heavy lifting here, as I don’t actually think it’s #3, but it is exceptional. Here’s the dining lineup:
- Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood
- Maya Grill
- Cafe Rix
- Rix Bar & Grill
- Three Bridges Bar & Grill
- El Mercado de Coronado
- Siestas Cantina
- Laguna Bar
- Barcelona Lounge
- Dahlia Lounge
- Chronos Club Level (not a restaurant, but great food service)
That’s a lot of restaurants! The most, by far, of any Moderate Resort due to it serving as the primary convention center hotel. And I think part of the temptation in ranking Coronado Springs as the #3 dining hotel in all of Walt Disney World is quantity, as opposed to quality. There are a lot of restaurants, but a few of them are fairly middling. Coronado does not have the same top-to-bottom lineup strength as GF or AKL.
However, there are also a few all-stars, including my go-to Three Bridges Bar & Grill and the Michelin-recognized Toledo. We’ve drawn a decent amount of attention to both, as we also view those as hidden gems. On the other hand, we’ve given far less attention on the blog to Dahlia Lounge, the secondary standout rooftop restaurant in Gran Destino Tower.
Dahlia Lounge is the posh rooftop lounge next door to Toledo — Tapas, Steak & Seafood, the aforementioned Michelin-recognized restaurant on the top floor of Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
The two are distinct dining options, each with their own entrances, as opposed to Dahlia Lounge serving as the bar for the table service restaurant. But they’re also close enough that you can grab a drink at Dahlia and take it over to Toledo when your table is ready–a common practice.
As with the rest of Gran Destino, Imagineering went with a deep cut for themed design and stylistic sensibility of Dahlia Lounge.
Both the bar and tower as a whole are based on the collaboration and friendship between Walt Disney and Salvador Dali. This ultimately resulted in the short film Destino, which was finally completed and released in 2003. There’s also Dali & Disney: Destino, a book that is really fascinating and beautiful.
Imagineering credits the surrealist animated short for the visual style of the tower, which it claims is “a whimsical, magnificent visual feast, diverse in its design and execution.” The lobby pays homage to the Catalan Modernism style, and there are flashes of famed Spanish architect Gaudí throughout the hotel.
Dahlia Lounge is probably the space with the most overt Salvador Dali inspiration in Gran Destino Tower.
The style is described by Walt Disney World as “surrealist flights of fancy,” with whimsical shapes and colors and mesmerizing décor & details, such as dandelion chandeliers and metal bell accents.
Ceiling coffers contain swirling patterns reminiscent of flowing hair. Architecturally, Spanish modernism prevails, mirroring the general look of Gran Destino Tower.
Dahlia Lounge has a really cool and distinct look.
The highlight is undoubtedly the bar itself, which warmly evokes shifting sands and melting mirrors that reflect back off the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. There are other deeper cuts, including the wall columns and more that I’m probably missing.
Suffice to say, Dahlia Lounge is stylish and sophisticated and definitely feels like one of the more “adult” lounges at Walt Disney World.
We often make a point of saying how, contrary to popular opinion, most of the lounges at Walt Disney World are actually very family-friendly. Aside from character meals, our young family usually prefers lounges for meals!
Lounges are a great in-between option when you want something more than counter service, but are not sure if you can “commit” to a fully-fledged table service meal. Lounges offer a faster turnaround time, and if the situation starts to, ahem, deteriorate, it’s easy to get out before things explode.
This is why we’ve become big on lounges. And it’s why there’s a growing number of bar reviews as opposed to Signature Restaurants.
There are exceptions to the general rule that most lounges at Walt Disney World are family-friendly.
Reasonable minds may differ on this, but I’d say that Dahlia Lounge borders on being one of them. This isn’t to say that it’s not family-friendly. If you take your kids here right at 5 pm (or even 7 pm!), you are almost assuredly going to have a lovely experience that’s perfectly appropriate to guests of all ages.
It’s the final few hours of the evening that are more questionable, when Dahlia Lounge takes on the character of whatever group is at the Coronado Convention Center (if there is one). I mention this in part for families to plan accordingly, and in part because almost all of my meals at Dahlia Lounge in the last 3 years have been by myself, coming back to Coronado after a late night in the parks. I usually eat here after 11 pm.
Although the style is still surrealist, Dahlia Lounge sort of shape-shifts and takes on the personality of the prevailing event guest profile in the later evening hours.
Oftentimes, it’s a “convention-bro” vibe. A bunch of dudes in Patagonia vests who work in medical sales, IT or whatever. On other occasions, I’ve seen cheer moms and dads. I swear one time was karate parents. My favorite was during Jersey Week, and I mean that sincerely–down to earth folks from the Garden State bring a fun energy to late nights at Walt Disney World!
Fortunately, this is escapable–assuming you want to escape it. On the evening when many of these photos were taken, the bar area was quite busy when I first arrived and had a “convention-bro” vibe. Meanwhile, the lounge seats at the entrance and the balcony outside were all fairly quiet and uncrowded. I still wouldn’t have taken our toddler up there at ~11 pm, but I’m guessing most of you aren’t debating ‘where at Walt Disney World to dine with your toddler at 11 pm?’ in the first place. Unless you’re West Coasters!
The best seating area of all at Dahlia Lounge is outside.
This is one of the biggest views in all of Walt Disney World, with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the foreground and the rest of DHS and EPCOT also in view. But you can see even more off in the distance; it’s a great location for taking in the sweeping vista at dusk or the evening.
The outdoor balcony is fairly straightforward, and the large windows offer views back into the main lounge so you’re still enjoying a bit of that sophisticated and surreal stylization, just in a setting that’s often quieter and more peaceful. What I like most about the outdoor deck is the seating, which is comfortable and cozy; some of the tables, chairs and bench seating inside (and it’s often a mix) are a bit awkward. At least, if you’re trying to eat.
Turning to food, Dahlia Lounge has a variety of small-plate tapas options, any of which can serve as a meal.
This menu has been almost completely overhauled since Dahlia Lounge first opened, with most of the changes aimed at adding more bar-friendly and crowd-pleasing cuisine. It’s still ambitious, but not quite as much as the mussels, head-on prawns, roasted beets, and (our favorite) savory churros previously served here.
This being a lounge, there is also a lengthy drink menu.
This includes specialty cocktails crafted by mixologists, a wine list highlighted by Spanish wines, and hot drinks. There are also a couple of non-alcoholic beverages.
Honestly, I’m surprised there’s not a longer list of ‘zero-proof’ cocktails. I attended a presentation by the Walt Disney World culinary team (at Toledo!) earlier this year, during which they discussed how zero-proof cocktails are a big emerging area of emphasis.
For one particular late night meal at Dahlia Lounge, I ordered the Dahlia Sliders: Beef with Chorizo Spice, Crispy Serrano Ham, Manchego, and Sweet Pepper Relish on a Brioche Poppy Seed Bun.
These sliders have been on the menu for over a year, but they changed at some point within the last few months (they weren’t this way back in March). The sauces are different, as is the accompaniment.
Most curiously, the price of these also decreased. Last time I ordered them, they were $17. Now, they’re $14. Is this a case of Disney Deflation?!
Eh, I don’t know about that.
The $3 price decrease has been accompanied by a corresponding decrease in beef patty size. They now cover about two-thirds of the bun and aren’t quite as thick. Personally, I preferred the higher price and more meat.
This wasn’t a one-off, either. The night after having this meal, I joined friends at Dahlia who ordered the sliders and theirs were similarly-sized.
These sliders are still very good. Even with an unfavorable bread-to-meat ratio, the flavor shines through and the toppings provide a bit of unique pizzazz. They’re not as juicy as before, but still tasty, and satisfying as a meal or shareable.
However, it is worth pointing out that Coronado Springs is also home to the aforementioned Three Bridges Bar & Grill, which itself is home to one of the Best Burgers at Walt Disney World. If forced to choose, I’m picking that every single time. These are very good and unlikely to disappoint, whereas that burger is something I crave. As I type these words, my mouth is starting to water–something that even photos of the sliders couldn’t accomplish.
The sliders are now served with house-made chips. These are ordinary; good filler is about the best I can say.
While the sliders are enough for a normal person meal, I also ordered the Calamari: Crispy Calamari, Sweet Pepper Confit, and Roasted Garlic Aïoli. This is currently priced at $16.
If I’m being honest, I don’t know why I ordered the calamari for the purpose of this review. In the history of this blog, I doubt we’ve ever had a negative calamari review. It’s one of those guilty-pleasure comfort food dishes that I love, and this is no different.
The preparation here was excellent, with the right amount of breading, texture & consistency, and tenderness to the meat. The roasted pepper and aioli are what make this dish unique, and they fulfilled that role well. My only disappointment is that there’s not more making this unique, or punching it up–seasoning or something. The calamari is arguably a bit too much of a crowd-pleaser.
This is a very good portion for $16, and I’d be inclined to order this again over my previous go-to (those sliders) now that they’re smaller.
As noted above, I’ve made several late night visits to Dahlia Lounge, often coming back after a long day in the parks or with friends and without my camera. Accordingly, I’ve got a couple of quick hits. The first of these is the Jamón Croquetas; these little crispy comfort foods are delicious, with a great flavor and texture–but the portion (3 of them) is too small.
The Warm Churros are the must-order at Dahlia Lounge. These are the very best churros in all of Walt Disney World. Even if you go just for these, Dahlia Lounge is absolutely worth the detour. I feel kind of silly for not ordering them with my recent meal, but I was already pushing my luck trying to eat two tapas (mission accomplished–and I could’ve polished off the churros, in hindsight). I thought I could find a file photo of them in my archives, but alas, no such luck. I’ll remedy that with my next visit and update accordingly.
Finally, as mentioned above, I returned to Dahlia Lounge the very next night with friends. One of the new-to-me things they ordered was the Bocadillo: Mushroom Steak marinated in Beet Juice, Pickled Onions, Arugula, and Grain Mustard Plant-based Mayonnaise on a Toasted Baguette served with Smoked Paprika Chips.
This was something we all really wanted to like, as the idea for a plant-based dish is a good one…but this just is not it. The Bocadillo reminded me of something I had at Galactic Grill in Disneyland a while back, and a comparison to food in Tomorrowland is one you never want to see. This is just trying too hard to make a plant-based sandwich stand-in for one with meat, and it falls short. There’s also an odd, unpleasant medley of flavors between the beet juice and plant-mayo that dominates.
On the plus side, the bread is very, very good. I ended up having multiple bites thanks to that delicious bread pulling me in, and it was almost enough to overcome the substance of the sandwich. Even so, no one in our party who tried the Bocadillo would recommend it. I miss the old sandwich Dahlia Lounge used to serve. Great bread and delicious meats–best of both worlds!
Ultimately, Dahlia Lounge is one of the better hidden gem restaurants at Walt Disney World. It’s a spot I find myself often with friends or on late nights by myself after coming back from the parks during solo research trips when I’m staying at Gran Destino Tower. It’s a lounge both of us enjoy, although we’ve yet to do it as a family of three.
There’s a reason Dahlia Lounge ranks reasonably highly on our list of the 25 Best Bars at Walt Disney World! The problem for me is that, as much as I enjoy Dahlia Lounge, there are two alternatives at Coronado Springs that I personally prefer. Three Bridges Bar & Grill remains my favorite for lounge food, and late night solo meals; what it lacks in the rooftop view it makes up for by being along the waterfront. For rooftop restaurants, Dahlia cannot compete with Toledo; it’s just in a class of its own.
Dahlia Lounge still has a lot of its own selling points, from the menu to the sophisticated setting to the sweeping views of Walt Disney World. As a destination for guests not staying at Coronado Springs (or having their own vehicle for easy transportation), it probably works best as a companion experience to Toledo. Even as a standalone night out paired with stops around Gran Destino and stroll around the Coronado grounds, this underrated lounge has a ton going for it.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you dined at Dahlia Lounge since the new menu debuted? Do you agree or disagree with our review? Any thoughts on the menu, service, seating, sophisticated setting, or anything else covered here? If you’ve yet to dine here, is this restaurant on your ‘list’ of places to try at Walt Disney World? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
