Since Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue disappeared from the landscape of Disneyland Park several years ago, fans have mourned its loss. Despite the loss coming for a greater good…Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge…there was still an empty space in the stomach of Disneyland visitors that only good barbecue could fill.
Since big changes were coming to Critter Country with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the Disneyland powers-that-be decided it was also time to make a change to Hungry Bear Restaurant by adding some barbecue.
The newly renamed Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree opened recently, keeping some of the burgers from its previous menu, but adding barbecue platters, new sides, and more.
In order to sample as many of the barbecue delicacies as possible, I called upon the help of my good friend and former Disneyland podcast colleague, Mary Jo.
We debated about whether or not we should use Mobile Order, but decided to just wait in the long line. In my recent experience, waiting in line seems to be the better option unless you are looking to dine at a specific time in the distant future.
Each Smoked Barbecue Combo Platter [$21.49] features a choice of two meats, baked beans, cole slaw, picked vegetables, and a slice of white bread. There are four different meats available: pulled pork, beef brisket, pork sausage, and pork spare ribs. Since we wanted to try everything (or nearly everything), we ordered two platters with different meats on each.
Before we discuss the entrees, I wanted to mention the sauces that are available to enhance your barbecue experience. In addition to ranch and ketchup dispensers, Hungry Bear offers three different barbecue sauces: classic, golden, and hot smokey.
We both enjoyed the flavor of the hot smokey sauce, but the classic would be good for someone who doesn’t want the spice. We were neither fans of the mustardy golden sauce.
Mary Jo chose a platter with the pulled pork and the sausage.
I started with the brisket and ribs.
Of course, we shared, so we were able to try everything and I think the consensus is that I made the better choices. Not that it was a competition.
All of the meats were done really well, but there were a few that stood out and the first was a surprise to both of us. Neither of us are generally fans of ribs and seldom order them. I believe the term that Mary Jo used was ROI (return on investment)…too much trouble for so little meat. However, it turns out the pork spareribs were a favorite for both of us. The meat was tender and so well seasoned that you (almost) didn’t need barbecue sauce.
My other favorite was the brisket (though Mary Jo puts it third). The smokey meat was so tender you didn’t really need a knife. It might have needed a bit more seasoning, but it was the perfect vehicle for that hot, smokey barbecue sauce.
Mary Jo was a big fan of the pulled pork and placed that as her second favorite. The pork was tender and flavorful, I just thought it needed a little something.
The sausage was nice, but paled in comparison to the other three meats. Still, you couldn’t go wrong with any combination of the four.
As far as the sides go, it was a split decision. Both were very well done, but Mary Jo enjoyed the meaty baked beans, while I was more a fan of the vinegary cole slaw. The pickles on the side were tasty and I would’ve enjoyed a few more of those.
With all of the other delicious food on that plate, the white bread was mostly forgotten. I understand why it’s there, but we probably could’ve enjoyed our entree without it.
We also ordered the plant-based entree, which was the Corn Ribs Plate [$14.99]. The corn was served with (more) cole slaw and beer-battered fries, which we were excited to try.
The fries were crispy and delicious, so even if you order “just” a burger at Hungry Bear, your meal will be elevated above any other burger meal in the parks. The fries are that good.
The corn was a fun idea and tasty; however, we thought that this plate was not substantial enough to make it an entree. The corn would be nice as a side, though.
For dessert, we knew we had to try the Banana Pudding [$7.29]. The bananas were layered with whipped cream, crushed wafer cookies, dulce de leche, and toffee.
Lucky for me, Mary Jo was nearly full from the entrees. She took one bite of this masterpiece, then handed the rest to me, and I promptly devoured it. This was a perfect balance of flavors and not overly sweet like many of the desserts you’ll find in the parks. Next time, I will be ordering my own and not offering to share.
Even with our slight criticism of the corn ribs, the flavors of everything we ate were on point. The price of the platter, however, is a bit high for counter service. Some folks may be able to split the platters to make it more cost-effective. The prices for the burgers and other entrees are more on par with other eateries in the parks.
Still, the barbecue is definitely the way to go at Hungry Bear and we will be back “beary” soon to enjoy it again.
