June 2018 – present
LOCATION
Pixar Pier – Lamplight Lounge sticks out over the waterway known as Paradise Bay. To find the restaurant’s entrance, head over the bridge with the Pixar Pier marquee. You’ll see the doorway on your right, before the adjacent patio.
EXPERIENCE
Details:
- Service Type – table service
- Seating – two levels of patio seating and an indoor dining room
- Reservations – yes, up to 60 days in advance
- Entertainment – no
- Menu
The Lamplight Lounge is Pixar Pier’s only table service restaurant, and this dining spot steals the show. Whether you visit for the fancy drinks or to enjoy a meal, Lamplight has tons to offer, with almost every seat offering an incredible view of the Pier and surrounding water. The drinks draw inspiration from Pixar classics, and the menu mixes appetizers with larger options, so you can customize your meal based on the experience you want to have.
MY RATING: ★★★★★
I cannot say enough positive things about Lamplight Lounge. This spot has fantastic drinks, great food, and just the best views you can possibly get at the resort. If you sit on the upstairs patio, you overlook the sweeping pier and can see all the way to Paradise Gardens Park. And if you sit downstairs, you’re literally out on the water. If you’re considering a sit-down dining experience as you tour California Adventure, I would highly encourage you to add Lamplight to your list.
MY FAVORITES
- Crispy piggy wings
- Potato skins (ask for them extra crispy!)
- Salmon PLT
- Plot Twist
- Scream Canister
TRIVIA
Previously, this dining spot split itself into two separate locations: the Cove Bar upstairs, and Ariel’s Grotto downstairs. Today, the Lamplight Lounge combines both areas into one dining spot.
Lamplight Lounge has a fictional backstory. According to Disney lore, the Lounge was an old warehouse, converted into a lounge where Pixar artists could hang out after a long day designing animations.
Along almost every wall, you’ll see tributes to Pixar movies, including artist sketches, toy versions of characters, quotes, and signs.
The Lamplight Lounge also has a private dining room, called “The Office”, accessible through a fake vault door.