Cody Pham
Unfortunately, I was disappointed with my first visit to the Carthay Circle Lounge. We had a reservation at 3:30pm, but we weren’t seated until 3:50pm. Once seated, we were given water, but our order wasn’t taken until much later. I suspect they may have been understaffed as several tables were empty in the lounge despite our delayed seating.
We visited during the Disney California Adventure 2026 Lunar New Year celebration, so there were seasonal items featured throughout the park. I had my eye on the Golden Moonfire Cocktail. Although this item was only listed on the menu for the Carthay Circle Restaurant, I asked my server if I could still have it. She said yes, so that is what I got. To be frank, I did not like it. The drink felt heavy and weighed down by a thick, suffocating, medicinal syrup. I would liken it to cough syrup. It was not palatable. I also did not think this drink was on theme with the Lunar New Year celebration. Sure, it was red. But the flavors didn’t make sense to me. Why pomegranate? Why strawberry? These are not flavors that I would associate with an Asian flavor profile.
I also stole a bite of my friend’s Spicy Ahi Tuna Spring Roll. I personally did not like it. I thought the sauces didn’t really make sense with it. I think a spring roll is supposed to be light and fresh, and the chili oil and the saltiness from the soy sauce contradicted all of that. Peanut sauce, fish sauce, or hoisin sauce would have all been better choices. My friend liked it though.
Some positive notes – the lounge itself is quite nice. It feels like you’re sitting in the lobby of a nice hotel. The bar is very pretty as well. I love the dark wood with the bottles illuminated in warm light. It’s a comfortable place to sit, chat, and rest your feet after a long day of park hopping. I also liked my friend’s Mai Tai. It was a well crafted drink, and I had nothing bad to say about it. It gave me some reassurance that the drinks here are usually good. Also, our server was very nice.
But drinks aside, I felt like operations had a lot of room for improvement, from inconsistent reservation times to delayed service. I understand that there may be a degree of variability due to the seasonal menu items and unexpected factors that may affect service, but I just feel like so many things went wrong during this experience that I could not overlook everything. I will leave a 2 star review for now, which I think is fair, and would be open to revisiting Carthay Circle Lounge in the future.
… moreAndrea
The atmosphere was perfect. while the lounge is on the ground floor, it is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the park allowing for a nice quiet reset to enjoy tasty bites and a cocktail. We had two kids with us and they were welcomed in the lounge. If you’re not super hungry, I recommend ordering a number of appetizers to share with the table. the backstage and sopes were our favorite.
… moreJanet Q
Carthay Circle Lounge is an absolute must!
Absolutely delicious food from start to finish. We began with the spring rolls—so good—and then the lettuce wraps and bao buns arrived… WOW. Completely blown away! Those two were hands-down our favorites. Incredible flavor, beautiful presentation, and every bite felt special.
The ambiance was over the top in the best way—elegant, festive, and welcoming. We also had excellent seating in the perfect spot to catch the end of a parade and watch the Christmas tree lighting, which made the experience even more magical.
Everything about this visit was exceptional. We will absolutely be returning—this is officially a new favorite in our happiest place on earth!
… moreAdam Forstrom
The first thing I wanted to highlight is that if you’re reserving the lounge, be aware that at least half of the seating is outside. It is mostly covered, but there will be areas that are in direct sunlight. If it’s hot out, you will still going to be hot. It’s also clear that people will sit inside longer if it’s hot out and the Disney way is not to press that issue. Apart from that, the food was good, although a bit pricey for what it was (which others have mentioned). Our server was quick, kind and informative as the vast majority of customer facing cast members tend to be. This is an issue with the way Disney manages things here (and it seems to be a bit different than the East Coast) and they should make very clear when you make a reservation that there is a strong possibility that you will be seated outdoors. Pics of Ratatouille and chicken meatball dishes
… moreGabriela John
It’s a reservation-only spot, perfect for a park day lunch. The portions are just right—not too big and not too small—so you can keep enjoying your walk without feeling overly full. The flavors are fresh and well-balanced, and the service is attentive and friendly
… moreHw
The Soy Glazed Salmon with Soba Noodles and Cashew Cucumber Salsa was amazing. The salmon was melt in your mouth tender, and the sauce was delicious & balanced.
We reserved beforehand but it took about 10-20 minutes more to be seated.
… moreab6485
We have dined at Carthay Circle many times but never at the lounge downstairs. We very much enjoyed it. I had The North African Roasted Organic Chicken Breast and Jovita had The Moroccan Roasted Chicken Meatballs. Both dishes were savory and delicious with good flavors. For our drinks she had Berry Lemonade and I had a Bloody Mary and a Disney 70th draft IPA. We both had ice water as well. We love coming here!
… moreClemens Wan
We reserved that morning for a lounge spot and thought it’d be overpriced or too fancy, but it was the best meal I’ve had in both Disneyland resort and DCA. For an extra few dollars, I thought the food and drink quality was top notch. All their drinks are doubles. The chicken (while it’s a protein I don’t usually order) was extremely juicy and fresh. The kid’s chicken skewers was devoured by my daughter (and she barely eats anything). I think the Vietnamese lettuce wrap was the star of the meal. I wound up putting the extra chicken and other bits into the butter lettuce and cross dipping sauces. I’d come here just for the drinks, but it was all delicious. French onion soup is fantastic. Shout out to Jacob who steered us in the right direction and was so lovely with suggestions and small talk. Can’t wait to come visit again!
… moreRene Galvan
We came and were kindly greeted by Kylie and Serina. They were very attentive and polite to us. Their excellent service is one of the reasons we love coming here.
We ordered two Tequila Daisy’s and one espresso martini. If you enjoy a refreshing drink with a little extra tartness, the Tequila Daisy is for you. On the other hand, the espresso martini’s were a perfect 10/10 so we even ordered a second round!!
Highly recommend coming when visiting DCA!
… moreEgirl Kalamanani
What a lovely place in DCA to feel a little grown up just steps away from the fun cartoons atmosphere. The decor is on the elegant side but without feeling stuffy. We sat inside the lounge without reservations. Had flavorful appetizers and cocktails. My double pear martini was light and refreshing. Carthay Sopes with Duck was very tender and you don’t taste a gamey meat. Spring Rolls with crab was light and not too filling despite the large portion size. The hazelnut Mickey ice cream was delicious! I’ll be back every time I go to DCA.
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