Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/news/gardenwalk-disney-downtown-1923549-retail-stoffel" target="_blank">http://www.ocregister.com/news /gardenwalk-disney-downtown-1923549-retail-stoffel</a> >>Former Beach Boy Brian Wilson picked GardenWalk to debut the first of 10 restaurants bearing his name. And Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., which Saturday will be the first business to open at GardenWalk, has wanted to be in Anaheim for about seven years. A few other restaurants will trickle in this year and early next year, but May 17, 2008, is the grand opening for GardenWalk, a three-level lushly landscaped outdoor mall. With 440,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment, GardenWalk is roughly half the size of The District at Tustin Legacy, which opened this spring, but larger than Downtown Disney.<< Much more at the link
Originally Posted By jonvn Bubba Gump is in Monterey and at Pier 39. I don't care too much for it. If you're a fan of the movie Forest Gump, you'll like it. Otherwise, it's a bit perplexing.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer I been to a couple, and saw some of the prices at the AGW version last weekend. <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/3808516/6/219908030/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/3808516/6/219908030/Large</a> <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/3808516/6/219908513/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/3808516/6/219908513/Large</a> Looks like a better deal than anything in park. I think it is a good mix, definitely a tourist type of place, but the food was good when I have been to other locations. Here are some other opening dates... <a href="http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/" target="_blank">http://ocresort.freedombloggin g.com/</a> >>Dec. 3: The Cheesecake Factory. Dec. 20: P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and M&S Grill (part of the McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant company). Beginning of January: Roy’s Restaurant. Jan. 28: California Pizza Kitchen.<<
Originally Posted By jonvn We have a CPK right near us. Everything they sell is bread. Not a good low carb place. PF Changs, never been to. I'm surrounded by excellent chinese restaurants, but I'd like to give it a try. M&S, never heard of. Heard of McCormick and Schmik, and we have a McCormick and Kuletos near here. These are all pretty nice places. Not a fan of cheescake factory, mostly because it's not worth the wait. Big portions, but only ok food. Sounds like an ok mix of very touristy and faux high end places. I'm not sure any of it is worth the walk over, though.
Originally Posted By dshyates FYI: I posted some links to some info about the 2nd Hard Rok Park coming to Garden Grove/Santa Ana just down the road over on the other theme parks thread.
Originally Posted By dlkozy >>>" I'm not sure any of it is worth the walk over, though."<<< It is if you are feeding a family. I am tired of paying DLR prices for food that tastes like cardboard, for the most part. I am sooo looking forward to having more choices! Maybe this will encourage the DLR to take their food up a notch or two!
Originally Posted By ArchtMig I've been to the Bubba Gumps at CityWalk at Uni Hollywood. Wasn't impressed with the food or service, and the fact that they kept interrupting our meal to involve us in Gump trivia quizzes and that they actually came around periodically and tried to sell souvenirs right at the table was all a real turn off. A long run-on sentence, yes, but point is, I don't plan to go to any Bubba Gumps ever again.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt >>"We're so excited to get going" at GardenWalk, said Joher, Heat Ultra Lounge vice president. He hopes to attract celebrities such as Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani to the Anaheim club.<< LOL. "I am tired of paying DLR prices for food that tastes like cardboard, for the most part." None of the eating establishments coming to Garden Walk are better, and certainly aren't any more affordable.
Originally Posted By jonvn I didn't get the souvenir hawking at the table the times I went. But what is so great about this one movie that you'd want to immerse yourself in it for a meal? I don't get that, but apparently people like it. "It is if you are feeding a family." I'm not sure these places are all that much better. I think they are pricey for what they are. But you're right, in that they probably won't be as outrageously pricey as Disney property places.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer >>None of the eating establishments coming to Garden Walk are better, and certainly aren't any more affordable.<< HUH??? Once the entire complex opens in May of 2007 (except the hotels and time shares), there will be plenty of place to eat, and a lot of them will be cheaper than Disney. >> Full sized Johnny Rockets (Great Burgers, Shakes and Fries) Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf (Lisa prefers them to Starbucks) Mrs. Fields Auntie Anne's (Pretzels) Peking China Express Mongolian BBQ (I am a fan of this place, where you make your own meal, and then they cook it.. EXTRA garlic!) Hawaiian BBQ, great Plate meals (2 scoops) Great Steak and Potato Ultra Heat Lounge Bar Louie Garden Sushi<< If the pricing is the same as the Johnny Rockets at Knott's, the burgers will be cheaper than what you get at Taste Pilots Grill and other similar options. As for Better, have you ever eaten at a Roy's.... Amazing food, as is P.F. Chang's You want a pizza from Pizza Omm Mow Mow or Redd Rockets, or CPK... I know that my answer is CPK by far (and I prefer other places than CPK, such as Oggi's). As a seafood fan, I am looking forward to trying the M&S Grill, which I understand will be an upscale McCormick and Schmidt's. It has to be cheaper the Yamibuki's, which I love, but since the remodel, it is really expensive, as they are trying to make it the "Napa Rose" of the PPH. Should be a fun year, and a lot of new places to taste and enjoy... I am personally looking forward to it.
Originally Posted By jonvn Full sized Johnny Rockets (Great Burgers, Shakes and Fries) Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf (Lisa prefers them to Starbucks) Mrs. Fields .... Mall food court stuff. eh.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer ^Gee, amazing, just like how Wetzel's Pretzels, Haggendass and Rainforest Cafe are "Mall Food Court Stuff" located at Downtown Disney... Yes, both DtD and AGW are Shopping Malls and have a lot of shops that you can find in many other malls, plus both places has some unique locations (such as the new Brian Wilson restaurant at AGW). So what, more choices is a good thing
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<Sounds like an ok mix of very touristy and faux high end places. I'm not sure any of it is worth the walk over, though.<< They'll probably get a lot of business from people staying at Katella hotels.
Originally Posted By dshyates Jon I don't get you. Should they not open restaurants in a shopping Dining resort. Or should they only go out and find signiture chefs and each open a $120/person unique eateries. Just build the hotels with no "mall" or restaurants? What would make you happy? If you can't enjoy a meal at some place as pedestrian as M&S then remind be to only go to dinner with you when your paying. While the restaurant selection may not inspire someone to walk from DLH thru DtD past all those restaurants. If I'm staying at one of the new GW Disney hotels I would hate having to walk to DtD for something better than McDonalds.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I hope the PF Changs and Cheesecake are good - We have 3 PFC within 30 min's of us and only one is really good the other two are REALLY hit or miss. Cheesecake is okay but again hit or miss and the portions are way too much - I hope the Johnny's is regular priced (like knotts) as it's a good deal and much better than MCd's... It sounds like they are really trying to get a good variety of places in there from "mall" food to high end restaurants. Should be good for families - Darkbeer do you know if there is a delivery service in the area - you know the type that go to restaurants and pick up your food for you for a fee (I think the one we used up here in the past was called the food taxi) - If there is a service like that with this new garden walk it should do very well.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 There was a sort of standing rumor that if AGW ever actually opened, that Disney would open "DTD East" - in other words, their own expansion of DTD between the esplanade and Harbor to compete with AGW, especially with all the Harbor Blvd. hotel guests. Any word on that? It makes a certain sense, long-term. If I were staying at a DLR hotel, I don't know that I'd walk all the way to AGW just to go to a restaurant I could go to at home (although Wilson's, if it's any good, would not fit into that category). There's enough variety in food type and price between DTD, the parks, and the hotels that I wouldn't need to. But if was staying on Harbor, I might well do so.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Once the entire complex opens in May of 2007 (except the hotels and time shares), there will be plenty of place to eat, and a lot of them will be cheaper than Disney." While I welcome more choices at the Anaheim Resort, I am completely underwhelmed by what is being offered at Garden Walk. This is just the same old cookie-cutter stuff that can be found anywhere. And as for affordable, I hardly think that $2 for a cookie at Mrs. Fields is a bargain, and certainly not worth the hike from the parks.
Originally Posted By mater4 All of these choices sound good to me. DTD restaurants are not much better than the places at AGW. Rainforest cafe has crappy food and is overpriced in my opinion. My favorite in DTD is ESPN. It is pretty much the only place we eat at in DTD. Looking forward to Chang's lettuce wraps and hoping the sushi place is good.
Originally Posted By CoasterKrayzie Anyone know what the Brian Wilson restaurant will be like? I'm picturing a surf themed place like Islands
