Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier is the hottest ticket at Disneyland Resort—here’s everything to try at Disney’s Lamplight Lounge and soon you’ll see why it’s my favorite place to snag dining reservations.
This article was originally published in 2019 and is updated regularly to bring you the best, most comprehensive information.
Lamplight Lounge Quick Facts
Location & Reservations
Lamplight Lounge and Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk Dining is the place to be at Disney California Adventure, You’ll want to make advance reservations up to 60 days out to access the full menu—walk-ins are welcome, but with limited availability.
Views & Entertainment
Outdoor dining offers a side view of World of Color when timed right. Downstairs seating is themed and air-conditioned (sorta, it’s an indoor/outdoor kinda space).
Difference Between Boardwalk Dining and just Lamplight Lounge
Lamplight Lounge is downstairs and themed to the nines. Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk Dining is upstairs and all outdoors. The menus vary and are different! For example, you used to be able to get Lobster Nachos only downstairs, but now it’s only upstairs. Check before you go with the menus here and here.
Atmosphere & Vibes
Upstairs at Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk dining you have panoramic waterfront views and patio serving innovative, gastropub-style appetizers and signature libations.
Lamplight Lounge Brunch
When I first heard that Lamplight Lounge would open for brunch, my first instinct was, “sign me up!” My friend made reservations for our group before they had even published the menu.
When the Lamplight Lounge Brunch menu was made public, I was so glad we snagged those reservations because this menu is everything I had been looking for in a breakfast at Disneyland Resort.
Brunch service began Spring 2019 and I still can’t get enough of it.
The Lamplight Lounge brunch menu offers more than just a good meal, it’s food that just really speaks to me.
Once you look over the menu, you might end up doing what I do—order one of everything from Lamplight Lounge’s brunch menu. It was speaking my love language. Is food a love language? Because it totally is to me. That and sleep.
Keep in mind you can order from this brunch menu and the full drink selections that are also available during regular hours. You cannot however, order food off the lunch menu during brunch and vice versa. Brunch drinks are exclusive to brunch hours as well.
The first thing that caught my eye on the menu was the egg white frittata. If you’re watching your calories or counting Weight Watcher points at Disneyland, this is one offering (with some modifications) that is healthier and lower points. Read about healthy Disneyland dining here.
But since I was splitting with friends, we wanted to order several entrees we all wanted to try, so I went to my tied-for-first-place, next option: Lamplight Chilaquiles. You need this in your life! I am telling you, do not leave Lamplight Lounge without ordering these. I love chilaquiles and these stack right up against the best of them.
Chilaquiles is a loaded dish, big enough to share. Tortilla chips, cheddar-jack cheese, two eggs, queso fresco, red onions, cilantro sour cream, sliced avocado, topped with a red sauce. It’s what California dreams are made of.
Next, we needed a little something sweet and Indulgent French toast is all about it! This massive slab of goodness has a cinnamon-brown sugar coating on two slices (pretty sure these were actual loaves of bread though, massive!) of challah bread, Irish whip cream, maple syrup, berries and house made almond brittle.
And because one French toast dish wasn’t enough, we ordered the kid menu version too to see how littles would like the Lamplight Lounge brunch menu.
Our server explained it was a slightly different dish. Differences: served in thinner, dipping-stick type portions which is perfect for little hands and syrup (not the real maple syrup served with the adult entree).
Other things that kids might like on the menu? Everything: brunch omelet, brunch quesadilla, mini brunch burger, plus anything can be made and ordered a la carte like scramble eggs, bacon, fruit, etc.
Next up on the menu? Disney surprised us after we closed out our bill and offered to bring us a few more entrees to test. Yes, they knew I own The Happiest Blog on Earth and wanted to make sure I could show off even more menu items to you. I was stuffed to the brim, but I am committed and I tried each one of the following three entrees that Disney provided.
New York Avocado Toast. Simple avocado toast ain’t got nothin’ on this. Piled high, start with a sourdough toast base, topped with avocado mash, egg, piquillo butter sauce, tomatillo salsa and arugula salad. If you’re not on the avocado toast train, you just might be after this!
Brunch Burger. This is so my husband. He’s always throwing new and interesting things on his burgers. The Brunch Burger is one of the reasons I have already rearranged my summer family visit so my husband and I can sneak off for a little Lamplight Lounge Brunch (update: we did exactly that summer 2019). Made-to-order burger with one egg and a crispy hash brown patty. Delicious!
Vegan Potato Flautas. Disney has upped their game with plant-based food and drink options in the last year or two. And it’s not just vegans who are happy about it.
This stuff is good. Like so good sometimes you eat a slider at Food & Wine Festival and you don’t even realize it wasn’t meat. The vegan potato flautas feature plant-based chorizo, vegan piquillo crema and tomatillo salsa.
Now that we’ve shown off almost every food dish on the brunch menu, what will you order? Or better yet, how many people will you bring with you so you can sample a bite of everything off their plates? That’s what I’m saying because Lamplight Lounge Brunch is the best breakfast food in the entire Disneyland Resort. And I’ve eaten breakfast everywhere.
Lamplight Lounge Lunch & Dinner
Lamplight Lounge has a small menu for lunch and dinner, which is typical for most Disneyland Resort sit down restaraunts. Be sure there’s something you want to try, don’t go in without taking a quick look at the menu.
Let’s take a look—and remember the menus upstairs and downstairs vary and are different! For example, you used to be able to get Lobster Nachos only downstairs, but now it’s only upstairs. Check before you go with the menus here and here.
I usually order the nachos, and since I was feeding a gaggle of kids I ordered them with chicken instead of lobster. You can really customize your nacho options here with steak, chicken or go vegetarian.
Kid meal sliders are also a popular pick in my family. I’d skip the potato skins which I thought were lacking. They tasted like soggy hash-browns and wasn’t what I was expecting.
One starter I absolutely recommend is the Brussels Caesar. It’s listed under the vegetarian options, but it’s good for an appetizer to share with friends. It’s AMAZING!
More incredible choices include the Al Pastor Pork Chop (above) and the Peruvian Ceviche (below).
The dessert menu is small—mini donuts for dessert, which they sometimes change up for various festivals and seasons.
Lamplight Lounge Drinks
If you’re not here for the Lobster Nachos, my next guess is you’re here for the drinks. Cove Bar was famous for their cocktails and that’s one thing Lamplight Lounge has going for it as well.
True to my style, I have ordered every non-alcoholic drink on the menu and we weren’t disappointed. My youngest ordered Goofball Island which is a fruit punch, lemonade and raspberry mixed drink.
These cool dudes ordered the crowd-pleaser, Infinity Fizz with moutain berry Powerade, apple juice, cherry pearls and amazing effects!
The 2319 is of course a nod to Monters, Inc. featuring frozen strawberry purée, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and Coca-Cola. Not pictured, we also ordered Mint to Be (because I can’t resist any drink with mint!) and Falling with Style to round it all out.
Now if you’re looking for drinks with a little more punch to it, you’ll find a huge variety of cocktails, along with draft, bottle and can beer selections. I love the Pixar connection with all the names! Note these prices have likely changed since I first took this screenshot.
Lamplight Lounge Gluten-Free Menu
I’ve covered gluten-free dining at Disneyland here, and at press time gluten-free options include:
- Gluten-free lobster nachos
- Gluten-free potato skins
- Gluten-free bun, burger
- Gluten-free kids bun with burger slider
Lamplight Lounge Q&As
If there’s something I didn’t cover above, chances are the answer is here. But my comments and email is always open to any Disneyland Resort questions you may have!
Does Disney’s Lamplight Lounge have Lobster Nachos?
Yes! One of the first things Disney revealed to us as we said good bye to Cove Bar, was that Lobster Nachos would make a comeback at Lamplight Lounge. You can also customize these babies with various meats or vegetarian options.
Is California Adventure Cove Bar closed?
Yes, Cove Bar is now Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Pier. Many of your favorite drinks and menu items have returned, including Lobster Nachos. Thumbs up to Lobster Nachos and more imaginative drinks at Lamplight Lounge!
Is Princess Breakfast Ariel’s Grotto closed?
Yes, Ariel’s Grotto is now Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Pier. Click here for information on the Princess Character Breakfast now at Napa Rose.
Does Lamplight Lounge take reservations?
Yes, you’ll need a reservation. Click here to book up to 60 days in advance.
Can you watch World of Color from Lamplight Lounge?
Yes, if you time it right. I’ve done it and it is nothing short of amazing. Here’s more details on reserved dining spots for World of Color.
Can I visit Lamplight Lounge without reservations?
Yes, both the upstairs and downstairs lounges accept walk-ins but you’ll want to join the mobile waitlist early!
Does Lamplight Lounge serve breakfast?
Yes, since 2019 Lamplight Lounge serves brunch on select days. Check out more breakfast options at Disneyland here.
Are children allowed at Lamplight Lounge?
Yes, children are allowed to dine at Lamplight Lounge. Keep reading for all the incredible Pixar-themed drinks kids can order.
Pixar Pier’s Lamplight Lounge is the number one spot all Pixar fans needs to visit when vacationing at Disneyland Resort. Grab your discount tickets here and start planning!
Just want to add a comment about the potato skins, to me they were perfect and I loved every single bite. I shared it with people at the table and they also love them so very much. Mine had a crispy outside edge and delicious fluffiness inside and I love the sauces they came with. I highly recommend them.!
I wonder if they’ve changed the way it’s prepared, or simply different tastes. Thank you so much for sharing your review. I am glad everyone loved it.
I have never been to Lamplight Lounge but went to Cove Bar and I plan to go in November and have already made my reservation for lunch. I hope the Lobster Nachos are just like they used to be, because that is why we are going.
Awesome Roxanne, yes these are the same nachos you are used to! Delicious at every bite. Glad you got a reservation since they can be hard to snag.