Disney’s Hollywood Brown Derby Review
The Hollywood Brown Derby is one of the most iconic restaurants in the entirety of Walt Disney World. Modeled after the original 1926 Brown Derby in Los Angeles, California, the restaurant embodies the spirit of The Golden Age. In this review of The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we’ll discuss a few meals we’ve had at the restaurant to date.
Before making plans to dine here, you’ll want to know that the Brown Derby is considered fine dining. Reservations can be difficult to secure given the popularity of the restaurant. So you’ll want to try and secure one as soon as they become available for your trip.
If for some reason, you cannot secure reservations, the other option is to eat at the Brown Derby Lounge. The lounge is located toward the front of the restaurant and has a separate entrance. We have a separate review here. Walk-ups for the lounge are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For instance, the last time we dined at the lounge, we were given a 30-minute expected wait. A cast member took our number and texted us when our table was ready.
The Hollywood Brown Derby is located on the right at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. It’s in a semi-shaded area before you reach Animation Courtyard.
Inside, you can expect an air of classiness. Walls are adorned with caricatures of actors and other famous faces. The sketches complement the dark wood tones.
An autograph book is on display in the lobby. Per the inscription, “The following are signatures of celebrity guests who have dined at The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”
So, if you’re dining at the restaurant and a celebrity happens to be present, someone working there will retrieve the autograph book from the case. Then they’ll present it to the celebrity for their signature.
Unfortunately, I’ve yet to be present when such an event occurs. All the same, I always secretly hope that it might happen when I dine here. It’s not that I’m a fan girl of anyone in particular. But how cool would it be to look up mid-way through lunch and see someone signing the autograph book across the room? I can imagine a hushed wave as everyone looks on, wondering who is signing the book.
Those nearby, mouthing the name of the celebrity. For those of us who can’t read lips, we began to ask our table neighbors, “WHO IS IT?” in a loud whisper. Pretty soon, the shameless have their cell phone fully zoomed in on the table. What’s such an experience without proof, after all?
Every Disney news blog in town has the story out in less than five minutes. Thankfully, the celebrity is escorted to Club 33 while the news of their being in the park begins to reach the masses. When you leave, a small crowd of nosy on-lookers awaits outside, madly scrolling the My Disney Experience app for a reservation. With an air of dignity, you hold your head high with a smug look that says it all.
You, yes you, had lunch with…. I’ll let you fill in the blank. Okay, I got a little off track, but it would be fun to have lifetime bragging rights about the time you had lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby when a celebrity was present.
On this evening, we had spent the day at Typhoon Lagoon, and somehow, managed to make it to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the evening. Of course, our main reason for visiting Hollywood Studios was because we snagged a last-minute reservation for 8:30 p.m. at The Hollywood Brown Derby.
We got to Hollywood Studios at about 7:00 p.m., parked the car, and rode Runaway Railway and Star Tours. After that, it was time to head to our dining reservation. When we arrived at the Brown Derby, we were seated almost immediately. Even though it was late, the restaurant was pretty packed.
However, by the time we left, we were the last guests of the evening.
We were seated in one of the large half-round booths in the main dining room.
When our server came to the table, she took our drink orders and noted that one of us had a nut allergy. She then made a few suggestions for what we might like to order. Since we had all eaten at the Brown Derby previously, we had an idea of what we wanted. Kristen ordered the Cobb Salad. Brown Derby’s famous Cobb salad comes with roasted turkey, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, blue cheese, avocado, and dressing. It comes to the table, as shown in the photo below.
Before the salad arrives, someone will drop off a pair of tongs at the table. When the salad is delivered, your server will come by and ask if you would like to have the salad tossed. If so, they toss the salad, making a bit of a presentation.
Additionally, there’s an option to add chicken or shrimp to the salad for an extra cost. On another visit, I ordered the salad minus tomatoes.
At that time, the George Banks shrimp enhancement was available. Unfortunately, I didn’t see it on the menu during our last visit. But the shrimp were expertly prepared and a great add-on.
Kristen also ordered the filet mignon with Walt Disney’s roast beef hash to split with her son. The steak was well prepared, the asparagus delicious, and the mushrooms were outstanding.
I went with the sustainable salmon coulibiac. A coulibiac is a kind of fish pie. Traditionally, I believe the fish and other ingredients are stuffed in a pie-like crust. This rendition appeared to be a cut-out of puff pastry daintily laid on top of the best salmon I’ve ever had. Oh my, this dish was wonderful. I’ve thought about it many times since.
When I ordered the salmon, our server mentioned that the chef recommended it medium rare. So that’s the way I ordered it, and it was perfectly executed. You can preview the entire menu for the Brown Derby here on Disney’s site. It’s important to note that the menu is seasonal and changes often.
Bread service is included as part of the meal at the Brown Derby. These rolls always have a crispy exterior but are soft on the inside. The salted butter that comes with them is delightful.
Overall, Disney’s Hollywood Brown Derby and its lounge are both excellent dining choices. Both locations certainly keep us coming back with their unique menu options. Of course, this is an expensive restaurant. But since it’s located in a theme park, you won’t feel the need to dress up. Casual theme park attire is the norm.
We think there’s something a little extra special about dining at the Brown Derby. If you have an opportunity to dine here, I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do. Make sure to check out the complete list of Disney Dining Reviews. You might also enjoy these specific reviews:
In the Comments
Have you visited The Hollywood Brown Derby or the Brown Derby Lounge before? Did you find this review helpful? Let us know in the comments below.
