The Dining Room at Victoria & Albert’s — Restaurant in Bay Lake

I wanted to absolutely love Victoria & Alberts seeing as it’s the closest you can get to a Michelin on Disney property. However; my experience left a little to be desired & improved upon. For reference we spent around $1200 per couple. They start with amuse bouche of langostine tartlet, ibérico ham over eclair, and a pink pineapple all of these were good. They offered complex flavors and a lot of thought and presentation: They seem to be staples on the menu and were one of the best bites. First course was the cauliflower panna cotta with the caviar. I love caviar so I was excited for this. The cauliflower is very mute so you really taste the flavors of the caviar. The squid ink tuille didn’t add much in flavor but did add in finesse. Next was hiramasa crudo in a carrot purée. I remember loving this dish as I am a big fan of any seasonal crudo. The sauce was delicious. I wished there was more, which was a reoccurring theme for our meal. Having the upgraded menu there was both a tautog & a Chilean sea bass the tautog being the addition. The tautog was not much to write home about to justify the upgrade but most do it for the wagyu to be fair. It was good but nothing special. The Chilean sea was delicious. It was a perfect texture and the sauce & accompaniments were great. I can see why it’s a staple. We then had the Rohan duck dish served with figs & balsamic. The duck was cooked & prepared perfectly. Across the board this one was one of if not the favorite dish. We wished there was a bit more! The lamb dish with blueberries was good but it seemed like something you could find at most steakhouses or fine dining establishments. This course, like the tautog, did not feel elevated. Next we had the A5 wagyu served with a beef fat hash brown. Of course this was delicious because hey it’s wagyu. It’s the best of the best. It was cooked well & tasted good. However, I have a couple of the same sentiments for this dish as well. I feel the prep could’ve been something more intensive & elevated. I also wish due to the price point it would’ve been a bit more. They do serve it toward the end so most are probably full by then. We then had the cheese course which again were teensy portions but really at this stage in the meal that’s all you need. The cheeses were very good and I wish they had been printed on the menu. I love a good cheese plate and all were the proper temperature for serving. After this we enjoyed their spectrum of chocolate, I think another dessert, and then the selection of mini pastries. The spectrum of chocolate is a house specialty & guests all over the Disney blogs rave about it. While it was tasty & rich we weren’t blown away by this. The chocolate candies sort of dominate it and there’s only so much of those candy chips you can have. I wish the interior was fleshed out a little more. The mini pastries, candies, and chocolates were divine. This really offers an opportunity for their pastry kitchen to shine & utilize different techniques. Very good! There were chocolates, hard candies, meringues, Something should also be said for the bread service at Victoria & Alberts. Also a great opportunity for pastry kitchen to show their skills & they do. Through-out the meal they served many different breads & housemade butters. Service is also impeccable. Servers work as a team and no server has more than two tables to focus on at a time. They really do go above & beyond to answer questions & provide top notch service. To providing slippers to the bathroom for ladies in heels, sommelier level recommendations, to displaying their knowledge of food & beverage on the menu, it’s by far some of the best service you’ll ever encounter. Some of my feedback may be critical but we dine out often. If you plan Victoria & Alberts for a special occasion meal & have never been before, you won’t be disappointed. It will hit all of the marks. For me, for the price, I expected a little more elevation in the menu & experience but that is a small criticism. I would still go back to try it again but they don’t change up the...

It seems like opinions about Disney’s Michelin star restaurant are split between the Disney die-hards who can only see it as magic and those who find the place overpriced for what it offers. As someone who finds a restaurant less appealing if visiting it requires me to brave the crowds and chaos of Orlando theme park land, please hear me when I say that this restaurant is awesome.

After waking up at 5:55am to unsuccessfully attempt to snag a reservation, we signed up for a free MouseDining account and—this is where the magic comes in—happened to score a reservation for the Queen Victoria room. One of our servers mentioned that calling and asking to be placed on the waitlist can be a good way to do it, but patience is required either way.

Arriving at the Grand Floridian, we had to wait in a line of cars to get through the security gate. This process took about 5 minutes. Security asked for a driver’s license and last name on the reservation before waving us on to the hotel valet. From there, the restaurant can be accessed on the second floor, down a hallway and to the left of the check in kiosk for another dining place. We were greeted by name and welcomed into the dining room and guided to our table. They had a small ottoman/stool set up which was super convenient for setting down a purse, sweater, etc. Such a nice touch! The seats were incredibly comfortable and the wallpaper is this beautiful, cushiony fabric with intricate details that helped to dampen some of the sound.

We were fortunate to have Jenna and James taking care of us, with visits from Maître d’hôtel Israel Pérez and other team members. The hospitality they extended to us was really incredible. From describing each dish or zero proof drink to answering questions with proud enthusiasm to the perfect balance of checking in on us and being there when we needed while otherwise giving us space to enjoy things, there’s really nothing more I could ask for.

Having tried a few fine dining tasting menus in Orlando, one thing that stands out about the dining experience (other than a live harpist!!) in the Queen Victoria room at Victoria & Albert’s is the portion sizes. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so full after a chef’s tasting menu, which may help to explain the price point beyond the “Disney tax,” so to speak. Each course offered more than just a bite or two; you get to really savor the dishes for a few minutes before hitting the bottom of the bowl.

Everything was prepared and plated with precision and skill. The creativity of each course stands out as well, with excellent zero proof pairings that enhance the flavor and complement everything from ingredients to colors and textures. Everything tasted fantastic, and they do such a great job of pacing the courses so that you get plenty of time to enjoy without feeling like you’re wondering when the next dish will arrive.

While our budget and (the near Olympic sport of securing reservations) really doesn’t allow us to visit more than like once a year, this is definitely somewhere I’d be thrilled to go to again in the future. Victoria & Albert’s deserves 2 Michelin stars for sure, and it’s no wonder they’ve been a AAA five diamond restaurant for so long. We went in with tempered expectations based on other reviews and just the Disney vibe that isn’t quite our thing, but we left feeling like our expectations had been far exceeded, in a bit more of a joyful Disney spirit than we’d probably...

Victoria & Albert's recently just got awarded their first Michelin Star. I've been to many One, Two, and Three Star restaurants before, and I am actually a little offended for V&E's that they didn't get Two Stars. The attention to detail, the focus they put on their drink pairings, and the quality of the food honestly is on par with Three Star restaurants.

But I guess I understand Michelin not wanting to go from zero to two or three right off the bat. But if the 2025 list still has them at One Star, I'm going to be mad. For many people in Florida, this is going to be the nicest meal of their life. Let's dig into why a little bit.

First of all, the ambiance is exquisite. All of the tables are so large, but simultaneously spaced so far apart from each other. It's a full dining room, but it feels like your own personal private dining room with your own live harp player.

Second of all, the service is unparalleled. Not only do you have your own server, but you have other servers that are dedicated to only one other thing, like drinks, or snacks, or the dining room manager coming over to check in on you. Your every need really is catered to.

Now, the food. I'm not going to go into every course, because there are way too many, but I will note some highlights and reasons to drop the cash to come here.

So the Zero-Proof Beverage pairing is phenomenal. They have undergone so much effort to ensure that these beverages aren't just different mixings of fruit juices. They have fermented things and zero-proof wines and specialty brewed teas. Each drink is unique and complex. I'm very happy that I did this pairing.

Next, there is a choice to make. The short or the long tasting menu. I can't recall what options are missing from the short menu, but honestly, if you're coming to a place like this, don't skimp. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Some of the courses are full courses, and some of them are snacks. I love the elevation of the snack, though. For example, the caviar and celery root course is served in a fun chips 'n' dip presentation. I loved it.

The next few courses are amazing seafood dishes. A nice king crab and a nice bass dish. Some of the best seafood I've ever had in Orlando. And then, the main event of seafood, the uni pasta dish. Very unctuous.

Then comes a nice hunk of bread as a halftime event between the surf and the turf of the meal.

The first turf dish was probably my favorite of the whole evening. A perfectly cooked piece of quail with a faux-risotto made from sunflower seeds. Very fun. Very full of flavors and textures I've never had before. This was my main event.

Next was a nice lamb dish and what they probably consider the main event, the A-5 Wagyu. It was a nice Wagyu. This is the main event at most traditional tasting menu restaurants, though, so it lacked that uniqueness. Not a bad thing, though.

Then came a nice cheese course to prepare us for the dessert courses. They are served simultaneously with a magically coffee preparation at tableside that's a lot of fun to watch.

The main dessert is a thing I've never heard of before, but it's basically a filled ball/cream puff thing that's filled with some of the most delicious pretzel-based filling I've ever had. So good.

A few more little desserts more, and you're done! One of the best meals of my life. I have nothing more to say about this place. If you can swing it, and swing it right, come on in....