Restaurant Review

One of our favorite family restaurants is Islands. Have you been lately? They have revamped their kids menu to the new Gremmie Menu and added some delicious new menu items for grown ups. The kids menu has enough choices that even the pickiest kid will find something they like. Anything from mac and cheese to a hamburger, all with healthy side choices.

First off, there is the new Football Happy Hour Menu that includes new items like the pineapple-topped Hawaiian Sliders, which were awesome and great to share. It is easy to get filled up on just these great tasting appetizers and if you choose well, it might even me an inexpensive option versus entrees. However, some of the new entrees are not to be missed.

The steak tacos were well seasoned and come with a side of beans. We fought over these! They are loaded with Grilled Steak, Caramelized Onions, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro-Chili Sauce, Lettuce & Pico de Gallo, and stuffed into Two Corn Tortillas.

We don’t drink, but we brought friends that do. They tried the new Makaha Maggie, a pineapple-infused tequila cocktail with Grand Marnier, Lemon-Lime Juice, Crushed Pineapple, Agave Nectar and a Cinnamon Sugar Rim. It was so good, they drank two!

Classic starter items round out the happy hour menu including the Spinach Artichoke Dip. The chips are light and flaky and this dip is to die for. Nothing on the menu will run you over $7, with the majority of food coming in under $5.

My husband had the miso salmon veggie bowl. He isn’t a person that eat a lot of vegetables, but he finished his entire bowl.

Don’t wanna make dinner tonight? Take the family over to Islands. Odds are there is one nearby and if you hurry you can probably still make happy hour!

*This is not a compensated post. Islands invited us to try their new food. All opinions are my own.

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to celebrate my son Mikey’s birthday at Goofy’s Kitchen. What’s Goofy’s Kitchen you might ask?? It’s Disney Character Dining at it’s finest.

It was fun from the very first moment. We checked in with a very friendly hostess and while we waited to be seated we were able to take a family picture with Pluto. The kids were in heaven. We proceeded to be seated and enjoyed a scrumptious buffet(we went for brunch). The food was fantastic and they had a few gadgets that I could recognize. You can read this article and learn few things about the gadgets in Goofy’s Kitchen. The hubby and I absolutely loved the waffles and well the kids loved every single morsel of food.

After we sat down and started to eat the parade of characters kept coming by and giving our family individual attention. It’s a pretty special experience because let’s face it – meeting a favorite character at the park is usually not the most pleasant experience. There is always a pushy adult and the interaction is very limited. The experience at Goofy’s Kitchen was the complete opposite. The characters interact with the little ones in a take your time kind of pace. It was so much fun. The look on the kiddos faces was priceless as they were able to have their picture taken with Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale and Minnie. My daughter was in princess heaven as she was able to meet Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Mulan. The best part is that she was able to have a conversation with them. They took their time and the interaction was priceless. The characters were warm and friendly and posed for many photos and of course signed a million autographs.

The buffet servers were fantastic. They kept our drinks refilled and the quality of the food was amazing. As parents we were in heaven. Our children cleaned out their plates and they actually hit the buffet line for seconds. It was almost a miracle. I loved their made to order omelettes. Make sure you order one if you go for brunch or breakfast.

Almost forgot-Two times an hour there is a little show and the children were able to participate with the Goofy and Pluto. Make sure to bring a camera to capture all of the wonderful memories your little ones will make. For the parents, one aspect of the kitchen that will catch your eye is the kitchen itself. It has the best color, design scheme. I could not take any pictures of the actual kitchen but you can refer to kitchen cabinets Burlington as a reference.

Would I recommend this to anyone and everyone? You bet. It was a very special experience and it was worth every penny. If you are visiting Disneyland for the first time and you are visiting from out of town- This is a must. If you are a local- I would save this place for a special event. It can actually be a good alternative to a pricey birthday party. It can be a little expensive but trust me on this – Your family will be enjoy a truly magical experience.

Goofy’s Kitchen is located inside the Disneyland Hotel. If you are planning on taking your family Make sure to call ahead for reservations. You can call (714) 781-DINE. You don’t want to just show up because you will probably have to wait for some time to find a spot.

Oh almost forgot.. Kids under 3 are free. Kids 3-11 – 18.00 for lunch ( I believe)and adults $32.00. I know.. I know.. kind of a silly review since I can’t remember the exact price. Oh and by the way if you are an Annual Passholder you will receive either a 10 percent or 15 percent off if you are a Premium Annual Passholder.

P.S. I know I’m a biased mom but my little boy is such a cutie pie!!!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway. You have until Sunday to enter. Good luck!!!

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