These Disneyland restaurants serve delicious food you’re not going to want to skip, even if they are a bit off the beaten path.

If you’re planning a visit to Disneyland Resort, odds are you’ve got a list of the best restaurants handy and you’re hoping to dine at each one. But I’m here to tell you that you’ll be better off skipping those popular dining spots instead, I suggest you head to less popular restaurants and instead try some of Disneyland’s hidden gems.

Little is truly “hidden” at Disneyland and California Adventure, but there are a few restaurants that get overlooked. With so many delicious options across the theme parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney, there are enough options that some incredible restaurants with less extensive menus have become gems that aren’t in high demand.

So, as someone who’s at Disneyland at least once a month, I’m sharing my favorite tucked-away spots to grab a standout meal. And trust me: They won’t keep you waiting for a table.

While the restaurants I’m highlighting below as hidden gems are far less popular than staples like Plaza Inn or Lamplight Lounge, they do still get some traffic and they’ve been known to draw attention when certain menu items go viral on social media (I’m looking at you, Harbour Galley cookies!). So, while you likely won’t see super long lines at these less-frequented restaurants, you never know when they might catch a sudden spurt of popularity.

Hearthstone Lounge

Hearthstone Lounge is truly tucked away and off the beaten path you’ll have to leave the theme parks in order to find it. Head to Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, and you’ll find this little table service restaurant just off the lobby, to the left of the Great Hall Cart.

Hidden down a short hallway is Hearthstone Lounge. Here, you’ll find a bar and a scattering of tables, but the restaurant extends outdoors, too, with tables located on the covered walkway just outside of the lobby.

While you might assume Hearthstone Lounge is somewhere to grab a drink and relax, it’s actually so much more. This lounge turned restaurant does offer some standout drinks, both cocktails and mocktails (and it was one of my favorite places to relax with a non-alcoholic beverage while visiting Disneyland while pregnant). But in recent years, it’s added a growing menu of delicious food items, too.

The fare at Hearthstone Lounge is elevated, and much of the menu is similar to what you’ll find at the nearby Craftsman Grill. The pizzas here are standouts, along with the Truffle Mac & Cheese and the Short Rib Lasagna. If you’re looking for drinks and a satisfying charcuterie platter, I highly recommend the one here.

Hearthstone Lounge is starting to garner more attention, thanks to special seasonal offerings like its first-ever holiday-themed tea experience in 2024. And it’s even expanding its offerings in 2025, adding a breakfast buffet and lunch service. But it’s still pretty under the radar and usually, unless you’re visiting on a very crowded evening, odds are you can pop over and grab a table without much of a wait (especially if you’re willing to sit outside).

Troubadour Tavern

I’ll be honest: For years, I walked right past Troubadour Tavern, never giving this quick-service kiosk outside the Fantasyland Theatre a second glance when hunger hit. But when I discovered they had oversized, cheesy baked potatoes on the menu in the late 2010s, it became one of my favorite places to dine at Disneyland.

Troubadour Tavern isn’t fancy, but it is where you’ll want to head if you’re a die-hard potato enthusiast like me or someone who wants great bang for their buck. Here, you’ll find large, toppings-covered baked potatoes for less than $12 (less than $10 if you opt for the classic!), and the potatoes change regularly to offer unique flavor combinations and something fresh. I personally love the Troubador Baked Potato, since it’s a classic, but variations like the Chicken Al Pastor Potato are well worth trying, too.

Another reason I love Troubadour Tavern is their drink selection. You can easily pick up a picky-eater-friendly kids’ meal here and grab a coffee I can’t get enough of the Chocolate-Butterscotch Cold Brew right now for yourself.

And while social media has caught onto the baked potatoes here, I’ve found Troubador Tavern is still one of Disneyland’s hidden gem restaurants. Stop by early in the day, and there will be no line at all. As long as you’re visiting during slightly off hours, like 2 PM instead of 12 PM or 4 PM instead of 5 to 6 PM, odds are the wait for your potatoes will be super short.

Royal Street Veranda

If you’ve ever noticed a crowd gathering near Port Royal Curios and Curiosities in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square, it’s not for the shop it’s probably for Royal Street Veranda. This quick-service restaurant is a hidden gem, not only because it’s literally a spot many guests walk right past, but also because its menu features some of Disneyland’s best foods in a grab-and-go format.

Royal Street Veranda isn’t obvious, unless you know it’s there; it’s incredibly easy to skip past. But the walk-up dining spot serves dishes you definitely don’t want to overlook. Here, underneath the wrought-iron balconies of New Orleans Square, you’ll find soups in sourdough bread bowls, Waffle Cristos (a breakfast spin on the iconic Monte Cristo), and snack-sized versions of the park’s beloved Monte Cristo.

If you can’t score a reservation at Blue Bayou or Cafe Orleans, this is where you’ll want to head to try the famed fried sandwich. But in my experience, there’s another reason to stop by this Disneyland hidden gem restaurant: Delicious seasonal snacks.

Every so often, the Royal Veranda menu changes, and the seasonal additions are often standouts. Just take the Baked Cheesy Biscuits added in 2025, for example; they’re so delicious that I order these every visit now. And for Mardi Gras, the Monte Cristo gets a seasonal twist (special powdered sugar) that makes even this staple extra-special.