The Hollywood Brown Derby is Hollywood Studios’ signature restaurant, mimicking the actual Brown Derby that opened in Hollywood in 1929. The setting is old Hollywood glamour with the celebrity caricatures lining the walls, cozy booths, and an elevated menu with seasonal items and staples like the Brown Derby Cobb Salad.
For those not looking to splurge on this two-credit table service restaurant, there’s also the option of dining at the outdoor lounge. The lounge offers walk-up availability only and the option to order from the full menu while enjoying the atmosphere of Hollywood Studios.
Unfortunately, there’s major construction happening at the Brown Derby Lounge which has moved the offerings to a temporary location just around the corner. While everything else remains the same, the views are pretty different. The temporary walk-up bar and lounge is in the patio space once occupied by Starring Rolls Cafe.
The good news is the menu and amount of seating is the same! In fact, we wish this space was always used as an extension of the current patio. Starring Rolls Cafe closed in 2017 and the large patio has been empty ever since. This space’s only purpose has been a cut through to get from Sunset Boulevard to the hub of the park. While Cast Members told us this was only due to construction, it could be a nice outdoor dining option similar to Carthay Circle at Disney California Adventure.
Since this area isn’t blocked off there’s quite a few people still cutting through. It would be nice to see more ambiance added to the area to make it feel less temporary.
The construction to the original space is in full swing with the concrete removed and the windows into the restaurant covered. It’s not clear if the updates are utility-based or if additional aesthetics will be added.
With all the change happening in Hollywood Studios, it would be nice to see the Brown Derby Lounge get new additions like theming, additional space, and new menu items.
