Planning a vacation to Walt Disney World can be an adventure of its own, especially securing all the reservations! Between picking a resort, purchasing theme park tickets, and any extras, sometimes figuring out where you’ll eat every day can fall last on the list. Many people will tell you that the only way to have a delicious meal in Disney World is to make a reservation at a table service restaurant, but we’re here to tell you they’re wrong!

Whether you’ve entirely forgotten to make dining reservations or prefer to have a more flexible schedule and only stop when you simply can’t go another minute without food, here are the 25 BEST Walt Disney World restaurants you can eat at WITHOUT reservations!

Magic Kingdom

Columbia Harbor House

Columbia Harbour House is one of the many quick service restaurants at Magic Kingdom, and, in my opinion, it’s one of the only ones worth eating at. While you can find classic favorites like a chicken tender platter for picky eaters, the menu here is a breath of fresh air for anyone looking to switch up the burgers and fries for something different or a lighter bite.

The most popular menu item is the Lobster Roll. At the same time, light fare options such as salmon entrees or shrimp skewers are available for those trying to stay on the healthy side during a vacation that can be carb and sugar-rich. They offer plant-based options as well as kids’ meals, allowing the restaurant to cater to the whole family.

Liberty Tree Tavern

Just a few steps away from Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom is Liberty Tree Tavern. This table service restaurant serves family-style and all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving dinner year-round! Themed after America’s founding fathers and Colonial Williamsburg, the restaurant features six rooms of tables and plenty of food to keep you happy.

While it is recommended that you make a reservation to dine here, the restaurant is large enough that walk-up availability is usually available in Disney World without reservations. However, you may want to plan for at least a short wait time to be safe.

Friar’s Nook

If you’re really in need of a quick bite between rides in Magic Kingdom, Friar’s Nook is the place to go! This quick service outdoor restaurant is one of the only places to grab breakfast in Magic Kingdom without a reservation, and it rarely has long lines throughout the day.

The menu is nothing special — we’re talking loaded tots and hot dogs for lunch and dinner, and sausage, egg, and cheese bagels for breakfast. However, it’s fast and there’s a good amount of shaded seating outside.

Fantasyland is also a great spot for people-watching or a mid-park meeting point if your party splits up throughout the day!

EPCOT

Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Head to the back of the World Showcase to the America Pavilion, and you’ll find the perfect barbecue spot for anyone who may not be up for trying all the unique and new flavors around the world at EPCOT, with plenty of seating available. Pit masters smoke the meats in-house, and there are multiple house-made barbecue sauces to choose from to make your meal taste exactly how you want it!

House-smoked pulled pork, pork ribs, smoked chicken, and beef brisket are just some of the options in addition to classic burgers. And, as with any barbecue restaurant, the sides are essential! Onion rings, French fries, baked beans, coleslaw, and mac and cheese round out the entrees. A plant-based BBQ jackfruit sandwich is also available.

Choza de Margarita

Tucked away in the Mexico Pavilion is Choza de Margarita. A lot of people pass this up, thinking it’s a drink-only stand, but they’re missing out big time!

While there is no seating here, this walk-up bar serves some of the best quick service food (and margaritas) in Mexico! In addition to drinks, you can order pork tacos, barbacoa empanadas, quesadillas, and chicken tostadas!

I must admit that this is my favorite quick service spot around World Showcase in EPCOT right now – don’t skip it!

Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie

This French bakery located in (you guessed it) the France Pavilion at EPCOT has something for everyone! Perhaps the best perk of Les Halles is that it is open for breakfast, a rarity in theme parks these days for quick service options. Plus, you don’t want to miss the food! Not only are the they fantastic, but they are also a great value.

You can choose from quick snacks, including croissants, baguettes, and a selection of French pastries. Or, the bakery also offers entrees, including soups, sandwiches, and quiches. Be sure not to miss the French desserts, either!

Les Halles has limited nearby seating because its popularity has exploded, leaving too few tables during busy meal times. Luckily, most of the food is easy to eat on the go, making it a perfect midday stop! So don’t let a long line scare you off. The line splits into two identical sides, and the cast members work quickly!

Spice Road Table

In the Morocco Pavilion, Spice Road Table has a very unique menu, serving everything tapas style. Here you can order a variety of Mediterranean small plates, such as hummus platters, lamb kefta, tagine, calamari, and more.

Spice Road Table does accept advanced reservations, but the restaurant is rarely full and there is usually no issue finding walk-up availability. The table service restaurant is an al fresco eatery that also offers a great vantage point for viewing the fireworks — just be sure to make a reservation for the EPCOT Fireworks Dining Package to get prime seating!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is made for hungry travelers and offers out-of-this-world food options! Docking Bay 7 has ample indoor and outdoor seating just outside the main marketplace. The quick service restaurant offers the same menu for lunch and dinner, and it’s your go-to spot to grab a Ronto Wrap after Ronto Roasters closes at 3PM.

What makes Docking Bay 7 unique is its menu options. You can choose from entrees like smoked beef with vegetables, tuna poke, beef and sweet potato salad, and fried chicken instead of the traditional theme park fare of cheeseburgers and hot dogs.

It feels more like a restaurant meal than a quick theme park snack, making this a great place to visit without a reservation.

Woody’s Lunch Box

Woody’s Lunch Box is peak children’s comfort food for all ages! Though there is no inside seating, this is one of the best quick service restaurants at Disney World! And, it’s one of the only spots in Hollywood Studios that serves breakfast.

You can enjoy a breakfast bowl or a seasonally flavored Lunch Box Tart (Disney’s play on a Pop-Tart). For lunch and dinner, indulge in grilled cheese, tomato soup, BBQ brisket melts, or “Totchos” (which are tater tots topped with chili, cheese, and more)! Plant-based Totchos and grilled cheese are also available.

Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge

If you want a more luxurious, upscale dining experience without needing a reservation, the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge is for you. The lounge features a small outdoor seating area with walk-up availability only and serves the full Hollywood Brown Derby menu.

Elegant appetizers include corn bisque, charcuterie, and escargot, while the entrée menu offers filet mignon, lamb shank, salmon, and more.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Nomad Lounge

Tucked back off of Tiffin’s restaurant just before you enter Pandora — The World of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Nomad Lounge is a popular spot inspired by traveling the world and the adventures of the Imagineers who played a part in designing Animal Kingdom.

Nomad Lounge offers indoor seating, a walk-up bar, and outdoor patio seating that overlooks the water. In addition to handcrafted cocktails, beer, and wine, the lounge offers African and Asian inspired small plates for guests to enjoy, such as poke bowls and chicken wings.

Plus, you can also order the Tiffin’s signature Bread Service here, and don’t skip the churros!

This restaurant doesn’t accept advanced dining reservations, and the walk-up list fills up fast. If Nomad Lounge is on your list of must-do’s, try to get in line before they open. While the lounge opens at 11AM, a cast member is usually outside filling the waitlist around 10:30AM.

Flame Tree Barbeque

Another great Disney World restaurant without reservations to eat at is Flame Tree Barbeque. It serves exactly what the name suggests — barbecue!

Here, you’ll find ribs, smoked chicken, pulled pork, and baked mac and cheese, along with classic BBQ sides like beans and coleslaw. This won’t be the best BBQ you’ve ever had, but it will provide a shaded spot to sit and enjoy a good theme park meal.

In addition to good food, views of Expedition Everest and its surrounding areas give you a breathtaking scene!

Satu’li Canteen

Located in Pandora—World of Avatar, this quick service restaurant offers a healthy take on quick service dining, with flair inspired by global flavors and Na’vi art and culture. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, and there is plenty of it so you won’t have trouble finding a seat.

For breakfast, offerings include French toast, a frittata with beef, and a pork and potato hash. For lunch and dinner, you can build your own bowl, choosing from base options such as potato hash, noodles, or rice and beans, along with various sauces and proteins, including beef, chicken, tofu, or shrimp. The cheeseburger steamed pod bao buns are one of the most popular entrees at Animal Kingdom, and the desserts both look, and taste, delicious!

Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes

If you head to the back of the park through the Asia land, you’ll walk right into Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes!

Breakfast is served at this quick service spot, including breakfast bowls and English muffin sandwiches, but the real stars are its lunch and dinner options. Here, you’ll find quick Asian inspired fare, including egg rolls, pot stickers, chicken fried rice, tempura chicken or shrimp, teriyaki salads, and more!

The menu is extensive, as are the seating options. Additionally, kids’ meals still include classic burgers and chicken, making Yak & Yeti Cafe an accommodating spot for the whole family.

Disney Springs

City Works Eatery & Pour House

Located on the West Side of Disney Springs is City Works — a.k.a. a sports fan’s dream!

With over 90 beers on tap and 17 big screen televisions, this is the spot to go if you can’t miss that important game. City Works offers indoor and outdoor bar seating, table service seating, and an upscale American cuisine menu.

You’ll find a variety of good bar food here, from tacos to burgers and wings, as well as more upscale entree options like pasta, steak, or salmon.

The restaurant is big, making it a good option for walk-up availability if you don’t have a dining reservation. Just keep in mind that it can still book up in advance during busy seasons. That being said, we have had plenty of success walking up and getting a table with minimal to no wait time.

Cookes of Dublin

If you can’t snag a reservation for Raglan Road Irish Pub at Disney Springs but are craving Irish fare, Cookes of Dublin is your spot! This quick service restaurant is family-owned and connected to Raglan Road, offering you a high-quality, yet fast, option.

Fish and Chips, burgers, chicken tenders, meat pies, and salads are available here, along with Irish cheese dips, onion rings, and classic mushy peas.

D-Luxe Burger

Made-to-order grilled burger patties and house-made buns are just two reasons why D-Luxe Burger should be put high above any other burger spot at Disney World. Bacon and Blue Burgers, Classic Burgers, and Barbeque Burgers are just some of the offerings, with a personal favorite of mine being the Beef Wellington Burger!

Additionally, the restaurant is renowned for its artisanal shakes, which are available in flavors such as Cookies and Cream, Salted Caramel, S’mores, and Mango.

Frontera Cocina

A restaurant by Chef Rick Bayless, Frontera Cocina is a table service restaurant located in the heart of Disney Springs serving authentic Mexican cuisine for lunch and dinner, with a weekend brunch as well!

You can start the meal with appetizers such as guacamole, queso dip, tortilla soup, and flautas, and then indulge in a variety of taco options, including carne asada, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more, for your entree. In addition to food options, Frontera Cocina serves up a variety of handcrafted margaritas that will have you raving to everyone about them!

Frontera Cocina does accept advanced dining reservations, but is one of the easier dining options for walk-up availability. Just head to the restaurant and let them know that you’d like to be added to the waitlist and they’ll text you when your table is ready!

The Polite Pig

Widely known as one of the best values at Disney Springs, The Polite Pig is one of the most popular quick service locations in Disney World.

This BBQ joint offers a variety of appetizers, salads, southern sides, and meats smoked on-site for you to choose from. They are also known for their whiskey bar, offering an on-tap selection of rare whiskeys. Indoor and outdoor seating are available. Meals are served in a fast-casual style. so you’ll order at a counter, and then servers deliver the food directly to their tables, creating a relaxed and casual hangout vibe.

House of Blues

Like Frontera Cocina, the House of Blues accepts advanced dining reservations but typically has a decent amount of walk-up availability. House of Blues offers lunch, dinner, and a weekend brunch!

If you’ve been to a House of Blues restaurant before, you’ve probably experienced the same (or very similar) menu, and I’d consider this an underrated dining option because so many people look past it! The Southern-inspired menu features items such as crawfish étouffée, BBQ nachos, jambalaya, pulled pork, smash burgers, po’ boys, and more.

Additionally, entertainment is a must-do at House of Blues! Most nights, there are live performers on the inside stage as well as outside at their Front Porch bar, making this a perfect spot to grab a drink and wait for your table to be ready!

Morimoto Asia Street Food

Morimoto Asia Street Food is a great quick service option for those looking to experience some of the Famous Iron Chef, Chef Morimoto’s food, without the high price point or long wait times.

It serves Pan-Asian street fare and features an open-air patio, allowing you to savor your food while taking in the view. The selection is limited, but nothing on the menu costs more than $15 which is a great value considering how expensive the full-service restaurant can be. The menu features a selection of ramen bowls, sushi, and small plates such as Pork Egg Rolls. The famous Morimoto Baby Ribs are featured on this street food menu, the exact item as those served in the table service restaurant. They are a MUST!

Disney Resorts

Ale & Compass

When you think or hear about restaurants at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, you’ll usually hear about Beaches and Cream or Yachtsman Steakhouse (understandably so – they are both great!). However, this leaves Ale & Compass to fall through the cracks, when it really shouldn’t be overlooked!

Ale & Compass offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner of New England comfort food and nautical inspiration. For breakfast, options include dishes such as crab cake benedict, steak and eggs, quiches, and waffles. Lunch offers a light fare of salads and handheld sandwiches, while dinner rounds out the menu with steaks, pastas, seafood pot pies, and more.

Ale & Compass is a short walk from Disney’s EPCOT International Gateway, making it easy to dine here even if you aren’t staying at a nearby resort — just tack it onto your EPCOT day! Dining reservations are recommended, but this hidden gem has had walk-up availability every time we’ve dined here.

Primo Piatto

Located at Disney’s Riviera Resort, Primo Piatto is a quick service spot that is so good many people go out of their way just to eat here!

The menu options are more elevated than those of most quick service restaurants in Disney World, featuring dishes like Croque Madame, Frittatas, and Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes for breakfast, as well as pizzas, Beef Bolognese, Seared Tuna Salad, and Focaccia Chicken Sandwiches for lunch and dinner, among others. They also offer a hot and cold grab-and-go counter, as well as a variety of desserts.

Indoor seating is available, and the restaurant is more upscale than most quick service locations. Instead of waiting in line to grab a tray of food or picking up food from the cafeteria counter, you’ll order with a cast member, receive a pager, and take your seats. This is an excellent spot for a midday break from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks, especially if you are spending your day at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. A short, relaxing trip on the Disney Skyliner is all it takes from either park to get to Riviera Resort.

Geyser Point Bar & Grill

Shifting gears to the Pacific Northwest of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Geyser Point Bar & Grill is an al fresco eatery and bar full of rustic beauty with wide-open views of Bay Lake.

The restaurant does not accept reservations, making it a great spot for walk-up availability when you’re looking to eat at Disney World restaurants without reservations. However, you may experience a wait during peak times. The good news is that the resort is beautiful and a great spot to spend some time waiting for a table. The menu features handheld sandwiches, including burgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as ribs and a variety of salads.

The Electrical Water Pageant water parade floats right past Geyser Point every night, making it a prime viewing spot at the end of the day as well!

Steakhouse 71 Lounge

Steakhouse 71 is a popular restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort where advanced reservations are a necessity. However, the lounge (where there’s no need for a dining reservation) is often overlooked!

The lounge doesn’t offer the full menu (or even a kids’ menu); however, this is a great spot for adults or non-picky kids to escape the hustle of Magic Kingdom for a bit. The restaurant is themed after the early days of Disney World and features tributes to Walt and Lilian Disney, something you won’t want to miss if you are into the history of Disney.

The menu features burgers, chicken wings, onion rings, shrimp cocktail, mac and cheese, and other small bites, all designed for a comfortable lounge setting with couches, small center tables, and a bar.

Comments

Where do you go when you’re looking to eat at Disney World restaurants without reservations? Let us know in the comments if your go-to restaurant made our list!