The Lamplight Lounge is a popular dining location in Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure that offers stunning views, fun cocktails, and a unique menu. The Pixar-themed restaurant and lounge offers table-service dining for brunch, lunch, and dinner, as well as walk-up reservations on the outdoor patio and bar seating areas. We do highly recommend getting a dining reservation if you can or trying to join the walk-up list early in the day (once in the park through the Disneyland app).
Lamplight offers a lot of open-air seating providing *incredible* views of the Incredicoaster, Pixar Pal-A-Round aka Mickey’s Fun Wheel and the Paradise Bay (World of Color lagoon).
The details inside the lounge are just as stunning as the views, with a chandelier made of storyboard art from every Pixar animated film, a wall of Luxo balls, movie posters, and other memorabilia straight from the Pixar Animation Studios.
The DIS Unlimited team recently enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the lower patio. The Lamplight Lounge menu features colorful cocktails, California craft beers on draft, shareable appetizers, and full-size entrees.
Java Martini – tequila, coffee liqueur, Licor 43, and hazelnut cream cold foam – $19
Ryno very much enjoyed this take on an espresso martini. The tequila blended well with the other ingredients and the hazelnut cream cold foam really made the drink such a treat.
Tamarind Cucumber Cocktail – tequila, cucumber, tamarind, and lime juice – $19.75
Chloé enjoyed the refreshing flavors from the cucumber and lime. The tamarind was on the lighter side but overall this is a perfect easy-drinking cocktail for a beautiful California day.
Goofball Island – Simply Fruit Punch®, Minute Maid® Lemonade, and raspberry purée – $8
Jackie decided to order one of the non-alcoholic specialty beverages aptly named after Inside Out. The raspberry purée was fresh and while the drink was sweet, it was light enough to sip on and enjoy.
Berry Smash – rye whiskey, blueberry syrup, mint, lemon juice, passionfruit syrup, and blueberries – $17
I chose the Berry Smash and I’m *berry* glad I did! The whiskey comes through and is a nice addition to the blueberry and mint. The passionfruit syrup was overpowered by the whiskey, but I actually preferred this – the cocktail was well-balanced and not “too syrup-y”.
Potato Skins – crispy Yukon gold potatoes with brown butter-caper yogurt, smoked paprika aïoli, and Manchego cheese – $17
We decided to start with the Potato Skins as a sharable appetizer. These were phenomenal and nothing like your typical potato skins from your hometown bar. The potato “skin” was more like a potato cake with creamy potato that had been fried to a crispy texture. This combined with both the brown-butter caper yogurt and spoked paprika aïoli was divine. Even better, the plate had plenty of both sauces for sharing. We all agreed this is a must have item at Lamplight Lounge.
Tuna Tataki Salad – Furikake-crusted seared tuna, mixed greens, edamame, cucumber, orange segments, avocado, wasabi spread, fried lotus root and orange vinaigrette – $29
Ryno was unfortunately disappointed with the flavor or lack of with this dish. Without the wasabi spread and orange vinaigrette, the tuna would have been incredibly bland. This Tuna Tatki Salad had potential but, unfortunately, is not one we would order again.
Vietnamese BBQ Pork Chop – with spicy garlic noodles and Chile-marinated cucumbers – $30
The pork chop was both tender with the right amount of sear and was a hearty portion. The Chile-marinated cucumbers also pared nicely with the pork chop, adding a perfect crunch and spice level. Unfortunately, the spicy garlic noodles fell flat for Chloé as they were lacking in garlic and were overly salty.
Charbroiled Cheddar Burger – lettuce, house pickles, tomato, grilled onions and Lamplight spread on a sesame bun, served with seasoned fries – $26
Jackie picked one of the menu favorites and was happy with her choice. The burger had a backyard, grill flavor while also being elevated enough to make it feel worth the price and the special atmosphere of sitting outside at the Lamplight Lounge. The fries were also perfectly crispy and well seasoned. We all agreed this is an entrée we would order again!
Chicken Saltado – citrus marinade, soy-glazed potatoes, pearl onions, and blistered mini sweet peppers with Aji sauce – $28
I went with the “chicken dish” and was pleasantly surprised by how much it stood out from the other entrees we ordered. The serving size was half of a rotisserie-style chicken and was very flavorful and well-prepared. I also really enjoyed the addition of the Aji Sauce – which sort of reminded me of a more complex honey mustard. There was enough sauce to also enjoy it with the potatoes, peppers, and pearl onions. I would describe this as a comfort meal that won’t leave you overly sluggish for the rest of your day at California Adventure.
At the end of our meal, we all agreed Lamplight Lounge is a must-do experience at the very least for the incredible atmosphere. Since there are so many great food options at the Disneyland Resort, it can be hard to decide which restaurants to prioritize! We would definitely prioritize the Lamplight Lounge even if to just split the famous Lobster Nachos from the upstairs patio on the pier.
Be sure to watch our full lunch review for some Pixar fun and incredible views! And let us know in the comments if Lamplight Lounge is a Disney California Adventure must-visit for you.
