An Inside Look At Disneyland’s Princess And The Frog Restaurant
I’m still thinking about the shrimp and grits.
Tiana isn’t almost there anything — she’s finally made it. Tiana’s Palace has officially opened at Disneyland, and now, guests can experience the restaurant from Disney’s The Princess and the Frog IRL. The quick service spot in New Orleans Square is situated right next to the Haunted Mansion, and offers both dine-in and mobile order options — which is really great if you don’t want to wait in line. I actually got to visit Tiana’s Palace at Disneyland a week after its opening to get an inside look at the restaurant, check out all of its hidden easter eggs, and taste some of the Louisiana-style cuisine on the menu. As a Disney foodie, this was like a fairy tale dream come true.
The first thing you’ll notice when you approach Tiana’s Palace is the yellow and green canopy that leads right to the glowing sign up top. It really does look like the concept art, which was released back in January. However, the inside really is where you’ll find most of the nods to The Princess and the Frog film. You’ll find one of your first easter eggs right away as you enter. To your right, in the corner, is the adorable picture of Tiana and her dad from the film framed on the wall next to some letters from previous guests who enjoyed visiting Tiana’s Palace. You’ll also see a mounted coat rack near the exit with Tiana’s green coat and hat from the movie as well.
The Princess And The Frog Easter Eggs At Tiana’s Palace
The restaurant works kind of like cafeteria-style. While you may be too distracted by the food in front of you or watching them fill the beignets with the lemon ice box pie filling, do make sure to look up as you’re going down the line. There are so many easter eggs in the murals and shelves that you don’t want to miss, like the instruments from Louis’ Firefly Five Plus Lou band and the Evangeline and Ray stars in the painting of the bayou night sky. I really loved the gorgeous glass ceiling and lily pad motifs throughout, including the water lily lanterns. As beautiful as Tiana’s Palace may be, the real reason to visit is, of course, is the food. And if you’re a lover of Cajun, Creole, and southern cuisine, Tiana’s Palace does not disappoint.
The Tiana’s Palace Menu At Disneyland, Reviewed
Tiana really is a princess after my own heart, because she lives by the motto dessert first. This is why the house-filled beignets are listed at the top of the menu, and it was the first thing I tried. I’m a lemon bar lover, so I was very excited to see these beignets, that are exclusive to Tiana’s Palace, are filled with a lemon pie filling. The filling is citrusy, sweet, and not too rich, so you really can have this as an appetizer to your meal. I’ve seen people on TikTok complain that the beignet is not as crunchy as the famed Mickey Mouse beignets that are available at the Mint Julep Bar next to Tiana’s Palace, but I actually liked that. Any other texture would have made these beignets soggy or too thick, so that you wouldn’t be in the mood for more food. I liked how light and delicious they were. I’ve also seen people say they wish there were regular beignets on the menu, but personally, I think it would be redundant to sell regular beignets at both locations.
After my dessert, I moved on to some entrees. If you’re going to Tiana’s Palace, you have to get the gumbo. After all, it’s her speciality and what she used to make with her dad. The House Gumbo is a solid choice, and really has a lot of kick to it with the spices. There’s also a plant-based Seven Greens Gumbo for vegetarians, which has white beans, okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice. If you want the best of both worlds, Hannah Montana-style, I highly recommend the Seven Greens Gumbo with Chicken & Andouille Sausage.
This dish, which was recommended by almost everyone, takes the vegetarian gumbo and adds the braised chicken and andouille sausage from the House Gumbo on top. The sausage is what adds the spice to the gumbo, and really gives you so much more flavor to enjoy. I really thought the House Gumbo was going to be a winner for me, but after a while, it was just a lot of the same. With the Seven Greens Gumbo, you can switch it up with your ingredients in each spoonful so you never get bored. I also thought the Buttermilk Cornbread was great to have on the side. The cornbread may not be as moist as I would like on its own, but that just makes it the perfect cornbread to have with some gumbo.
I also tried both the Muffuletta Sandwich, which is a Tiana’s Palace TikTok fave, and the Beef Po'boy Sandwich. They both come with a side of red beans and rice with house-made pickles. The red beans and rice was delicious, though not as good as my mom’s red beans and rice. (I’m a bit biased.) And I liked the pickles, but just know that they’re a bit more sweet than sour. Overall, I really liked both of these sandwiches, and I was told by one of the chefs at Tiana’s Palace that the bread is brought in from Louisiana. In fact, a lot of the ingredients are shipped to Disneyland from Louisiana for an authentic New Orleans taste, and that extra bit of attention to detail is what Disney does best.
Out of the two, I might be leaning more towards the Muffuletta Sandwich, because the house-made olive relish was unique, but don’t sleep on the po’ boy. I’ve seen some people say it’s missing a sauce, but I felt like the slow-cooked beef was juicy enough on its own. I’d only recommend adding on some hot sauce if you’re looking for the same heat that the gumbo brings.
Out of all the dishes, though, my personal fave was the Gulf Shrimp and Grits. Just like the bread for the sandwiches, the shrimp in this dish comes straight from New Orleans. It’s authentic and I liked the seasoning, but I think I could just eat a plain bowl of the cheesy grits if it was available. Cheese lovers must try this dish. Also, if you’re a coffee fan, Tiana’s Palace has a Chicory Cold Brew on the menu that was so good as well. It may not be as interesting as the viral Cold Brew Black Caf from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but I thought it was just as delicious and not too sweet. It’s a solid cold brew option that I’m glad to see is now permanently available in the park for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Overall, Tiana’s Palace really won me over and I think it’s a perfect (and tasty) addition to the park. It makes me even more excited for the Princess and the Frog ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is expected to open at Disneyland in late 2024.
