Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express

January 2001 – January 2023

LOCATION

Downtown Disney – The Jazz Kitchen Express hugged the side of the larger Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. You’d see the giant building across from Tortilla Jo’s and Splitsville, between the circular courtyard and the LEGO Store.

EXPERIENCE

Details:

• Service Type – quick service
• Seating – adjacent patio
• Reservations – no
• Entertainment – none

Looking for the taste of the Jazz Kitchen, without sitting through table service? Jazz Kitchen Express offered a selection of favorites, available right at the counter. Whether you stopped by for a snack or a full meal, the Jazz Kitchen had good food and a nice patio overlooking a scenic section of Downtown Disney.

CLOSURE

In January 2023, Disney announced plans to re-theme the jazz kitchen within the Downtown Disney District. The restaurant would still serve Cajun inspired dishes, but the Ralph Brennan name would be removed and the building would receive a modernized makeover. The restaurant reopened a few weeks later as the Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio.

TRIVIA

My original rating: Jazz Kitchen Express has a decent selection of food, and one of the largest quick service breakfast menus at the resort. This is also a great place to grab a beignet! But I don’t think the Express version of the Jazz Kitchen has the same charm or character as the sit-down version. So if you’re debating between quick service or table service, I’d recommend table service for this location. (★★★☆☆)

The Jazz Kitchen (express and full service) and the Mint Julep Bar were the only locations that offer beignets as the Disneyland Resort.