Liberty Tree Tavern

As soon as you step into Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom you feel as though you have been transported back to 1776. Although it has the smallest area of any of the lands of the Magic Kingdom, it may be the best themed of them all. From its replicas of the Liberty Bell and Liberty Tree to its wooden stockades and smaller details such as a window with two lanterns signifying “two if by sea,” Liberty Square actually features architectural representations of each of the thirteen original colonies. If Walt Disney were around today, Liberty Square would probably be his favorite place in the Magic Kingdom as he was once noted as saying, “If you could see close in my eyes, there’s an American flag waving in both of them.” Liberty Square features a little bit of everything. It has two of the most classic Disney attractions in the Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents, various little shops such as Yankee Trader and Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe, as well as both a counter service and a full service restaurant. The Liberty Tree Tavern is one of the Magic Kingdom’s limited options for sit down restaurants and, in my opinion, is the best dining location in the entire park.



Overview:
The Liberty Tree Tavern is a restaurant that gives you a totally different dining experience depending on whether you go for lunch or dinner. Lunch offers an al a carte menu featuring an array of classic Americana cuisine. Meanwhile, dinner is an all-you-care-to-eat meal served family style that includes roast turkey breast, carved beef, smoked pork loin, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and macaroni and cheese. Given the choice between the two, I prefer lunch over dinner because the lunch menu has some really good choices and at a cheaper price than the family style dinner. While the menu features nothing overly exotic or elegant, it does offer many traditional favorites. For this reason, it is a great restaurant for the entire family. Dining at the Liberty Tree Tavern, however, is just as much about the atmosphere as it is the food and the restaurant offers probably the most immersive dining experience at the Magic Kingdom in terms of detail and theming and one that is truly unique in all of Disney World.



Atmosphere:
One of the things I like most about the Liberty Tree Tavern is how well it carries the overall theme of Liberty Square inside. Every element of the restaurant, from the lighting to the furniture to the costumes worn by the servers, all contributes to the colonial/revolutionary era feel. One of the first words that came into my mind to describe the feel of the restaurant was quaint, its tremendous level of detail and authenticity giving it an old-world charm. The restaurant is divided into a series of smaller rooms, giving it a more intimate feel. Another benefit of these smaller dining rooms is that although the restaurant can get very busy during peak times it does not feel very crowded and is not noisy at all. As you walk through the restaurant you feel as though you are passing through different rooms in a house, each having an ever-so-slightly different feel in terms of décor and architecture.



The level of detail found throughout the entire restaurant is outstanding, and there are probably many things that go unnoticed by most guests. While larger objects such as the faux fireplaces, portraits and paintings of the Founding Fathers, and colonial-era muskets all contribute to the overall theme of the restaurant, it is really the smaller items which greatly add authenticity to the dining experience.





Everywhere you look throughout the restaurant your eye always seems to pick out some new detail, with many of the items looking as though they could belong in a museum. For me, some of the most interesting items included ceramic pipes, a copper tea kettle, an old-fashioned flat iron, a butter churner, and an alphabetical list of members of the Sons of Liberty.





Weather it be maps, lanterns, blankets and quilts, cooking utensils, or pewter dishes, all these little details complete immerse you in the overall theme of Liberty Square and make you feel as though you are dining in a colonial-era home. This level of detail and theming found in the Liberty Tree Tavern is definitely Disney at its best.





The Menu:
You should not go to Liberty Tree Tavern expecting gourmet cuisine, but you can expect to get a good, old-fashioned, home-cooked meal. The menu features an assortment of classic favorites, nothing too adventurous or exotic. In this way, the food choices go along with the décor in enhancing the overall theme of the restaurant. Appetizers include New England Clam Chowder, Crab and Spinach Dip, and Tavern Fried Cheese, which my server described as one of the more popular items on the menu. For entrees my server noted that the New England Pot Roast was his personal favorite and another popular item among guests. Entrée selections also feature Chicken and Dumplings, Vegetarian Pot Pie, an Angus Chuck Cheeseburger, and the Pilgrims’ Feast which comes with roast turkey, herb bread dressing, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. On the lighter side there is the Colony Salad, with apples, pecans, applewood smoked cheddar, and grilled chicken topped with a honey-shallot vinaigrette. Also, the Tri-Corner Sandwich with roast beef, Swiss cheese, liberty slaw, arugula, and a horseradish cream sauce served on multigrain bread. Among the desserts are the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake, a Chocolate Brownie served with vanilla ice cream, and an Apple Tart.

For my meal I decided on the Pan-Seared King Salmon Cakes. Normally the Salmon Cakes are served with mixed greens topped with a sherry vinaigrette, but I chose to substitute French fries instead. One of the first things that caught my eye was the large portion size. Not only were the salmon cakes big, but the amount of fries that came with them was huge. The cakes had big chunks of salmon as well as celery and onion which gave them added flavor and texture. While there was not too much celery, there was a lot of onion and even though this did give the cakes a strong onion flavor it did not overpower the flavor of the salmon. The cakes were served very hot and cooked to perfection; they were a nice golden brown on the outside but still moist on the inside. They were also extremely tender and could be easily broken apart with a fork. The salmon cakes were accompanied by tartar sauce which was very thick, creamy, and provided a perfect compliment to the flavor of the salmon (which is a slightly stronger flavored fish). The French fries were probably some of the best that I have had in all of Disney World and were cut nice and thick, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.



For dessert I decided on the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake, which has become one of my favorite desserts in Disney World. One of the things I like most about the dessert is the combination of flavors. The chocolate, caramel, toffee pieces, and vanilla ice cream all have their own distinct flavors, but combine together very well. The cake itself is very soft and rich and has the appearance and taste of a big, thick chocolate chip cookie. Topping the cake is a large scoop of vanilla ice cream which is very refreshing and compliments the cake very well. The toffee pieces that top the dessert give it added flavor and texture along with a healthy amount of both chocolate and caramel sauces. It is a very rich and filling dessert and, after having a big meal, can easily be split by two people.



Service:
I was very impressed by the efficiency of the service at Liberty Tree Tavern. Even though the restaurant was a little crowded the food was brought out very quickly, although not so fast that I felt rushed. I also noticed that the restaurant had a lot of servers, which gave each a smaller number of tables to wait upon and allowed them to offer guests better service. My server did a very good job of making sure that I was enjoying everything and getting me anything that I needed. One way I like to gauge service is something I call the “water test.” If the server comes to refill your glass of water before you finish it you know that they are paying close attention to you. At Liberty Tree Tavern, never once did my glass of water get more than halfway empty before my server came around to fill it back up. That being said, my server was not very personable and never really interacted with me beyond making sure everything was to my liking, although he did point out a couple of his favorite items on the menu and which were the more popular choices.

Dining on a Budget:
If you are looking to save a little bit of money, then lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern is definitely the way to go rather than dinner. Not only are the lunch prices more reasonable, but you also get a good selection of choices on the menu and portion sizes that are very large. One of the best values on the menu is probably the Pilgrims’ Feast, which gives you a full Thanksgiving dinner for just $14.99. I have gotten this meal in the past and have not been able to finish it because you get so much food. Other options for those dining on a budget would be the Colony Salad for just $13.49 or the Tri-Corner Sandwich which costs $11.49. Seeing other people get these I noticed that the portion sizes are likewise very big, but if you still wanted a little something more you could always get a cup of New England Clam Chowder as an appetizer or go with a dessert. Speaking of appetizers, the Tavern Fried Cheese is a great value at just $5.49. The fried cheese along with clam chowder and a dessert would probably be enough to fill you and offers a very economical option for a sit down lunch.

The Overall Experience:
One of the things that many people say about the Magic Kingdom is that it could use more sit down restaurants. While this may be true, the lack of quantity does not necessarily mean lack of quality. I highly recommend the Liberty Tree Tavern because it is truly the type of dining experience that you expect to get from Disney. It all starts with a great theme which is carried throughout the restaurant in the tiniest details and creates a fully immersive dining atmosphere. This combines with food that may be simple and traditional, but also extremely tasty, large portion sizes, efficient service, and reasonable prices to create a great overall dining experience that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Next time you are at the Magic Kingdom and are looking for a little break from all the hustle and bustle, lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern is a great way to relax, refresh, and get reenergized for the rest of your day.

Earl of Sandwich

Whenever I am looking for a quick bite to eat at Disney World, there is always one place that I know I can turn. Since the first time I ever ate there, the Earl of Sandwich has become my favorite counter service restaurant at Disney. The irony of this is that Earl of Sandwich is not actually a Disney restaurant at all, but part of a chain that has locations all across the United States. Nevertheless, when it comes to sandwiches, no one at Disney does it better. Located at the Downtown Disney Marketplace, Earl of Sandwich offers great food at a very reasonable price, and so it comes as no surprise that the restaurant is always packed with people. The Earl of Sandwich alone is a worth a visit to Downtown Disney and if you do not feel like waiting maybe an hour or more for a table at one of the full service restaurants, it offers a great alternative for both lunch and dinner.





Overview:
The story of the invention of the sandwich is fairly well-know, but does provide the back-story for the Earl of Sandwich restaurant. John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, was commander of the British navy, a noted explorer, and also someone who greatly enjoyed card games. As the story goes, Montagu was so busy that he had very little time for food and he came up with the idea (possibly while playing a game of cards) of putting meat between two slices of bread for a quick and easy meal that could be eaten on the run. As a result, in 1762, the sandwich was named in honor of its inventor. Now, nearly 250 years later, the Earl of Sandwich restaurant continues this tradition and boasts that it is home to “The World’s Greatest Hot Sandwich.” Earl of Sandwich is also probably the only counter service restaurant that I know of that has an official charter, and one which aptly describes its premise and objective:



Atmosphere:
Earl of Sandwich has become extremely popular and as a result is always crowded no matter what time of day you go, but especially during the peak dining times. For this reason, seating (or lack thereof) becomes a real issue. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, but it is often very difficult to find a table. This becomes even more of a problem on extremely hot or colder days or when it is raining because then people do not want to eat outside and there is not enough space inside to handle everyone. The best piece of advice I have for when eating here is to just be patient; a table will open up eventually. Another problem is that the seating areas themselves are not very big and the tables are packed very tightly together. Combined with the large crowds, it can get a little noisy inside. If you are looking for a quieter spot to eat, it is probably best to find a table outside.





All that being said, there are several aspects of Earl of Sandwich’s atmosphere that I really like. The restaurant’s high ceilings give it a much-needed open feel (especially with the tables so close together) and the light fixtures, book shelves, faux fireplace, and fresh-cut flowers on every table give a little touch of refinement. I also thought that the classical music playing in the background was a nice added touch, even though it can be somewhat difficult to hear at times, helping to give the restaurant a little taste of 1762. If it was not so crowded, you could almost feel as though you were sitting in John Montagu’s parlor waiting to play a game of cards.





An aspect of the atmosphere that probably does not get noticed by most guests, but one that really helps give some added depth to the restaurant, is the Earl of Sandwich Historical Society. Located around the corner from the counter where you place your order, the Historical Society is a full wall that features maps, pictures, paintings, and other information about the history of John Montagu. Here you can find, among other things, a portrait of the Earl of Sandwich as well as the family coat of arms. It really helps to give the restaurant a level of detail and theming that goes beyond a regular sandwich shop.







The Menu:
One of the things that stands out most about the menu at Earl of Sandwich is the sheer number of options. In all, there are thirteen different sandwiches offered on the menu. Among my personal favorites are The Earl’s Club, which comes with roast turkey, smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato, as well as The Italian, which combines salami, capicola, roasted ham, mortadella, mozzarella cheese, roma tomato and a zesty Italian dressing. Other sandwich options include The Full Montagu, featuring roast beef and turkey with cheddar and Swiss cheese, romaine lettuce, tomato and the Earl's mustard. The All American combines roast turkey, cranberries, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and buttermilk ranch dressing. For vegetarians there is The Caprese, which has sliced fresh mozzarella, roma tomatos, fresh basil and drizzled balsamic vinaigrette. There is also The Veggie has feta cheese, lettuce, roma tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers and a Mediterranean dressing. And these are only just a few of the sandwiches found on the menu.

The menu does not stop with sandwiches, but also includes an array of wraps and salads as well (you have the option of getting these items as either salads or wraps). The Chicken Ceasar combines grilled chicken, mixed greens, and fresh croutons, tossed in classic Caesar dressing with parmesan cheese. The Mediterranean Chicken features grilled chicken, feta cheese, field greens and romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, red onion and a Mediterranean dressing. The Earl’s Cobb comes with grilled chicken, applewood bacon, Swiss and cheddar cheese, roma tomatoes, cucumber, cranberries and a buttermilk ranch dressing.

There are also various side items available, including potato salad, pasta salad, the Earl’s Slaw, and Potato Chips. It is really a menu that offers something for everyone, but the problem I have is that I have three sandwiches that are my favorites and I always end up ordering one of them even though I want to try something new and different.

For my meal I chose one of my mainstays, The Original 1762, with fresh roast beef, cheddar, and a creamy horseradish sauce. I think the best place to start talking about the sandwiches is the bread because this is really what makes them so special. While bread alone does necessarily not make a sandwich, it can certainly break a sandwich. The bread at Earl of Sandwich, however, is a highlight unto itself. Every sandwich is made to order so you know it is always going to be fresh and hot. The bread is perfectly toasted, slightly crispy on the outside but soft and warm on the inside. The bread is so good that I could just go there, order some toasted bread, and be completely satisfied. I am a little picky when it comes to roast beef because I do not like it too rare and yet I do not want to have it overcooked. While there have been times that I ordered The Original and the roast beef was a little too rare for my liking, this time it was absolutely perfect with just the right amount of pink color. For those of you who might be scared away by the horseradish sauce, it is not too strong at all; it compliments the roast beef rather than overpowering it. The sauce really adds to the flavor of the sandwich, gives it a little bit of a kick, and makes it something more unique than your standard roast beef sandwich.



Along with my sandwich I got the potato salad, which was very refreshing and provided a perfect compliment to The Original. The potatoes were red-skinned and were cooked just right, not too soft or mushy and yet not too hard. The potato salad does have a strong mayonnaise flavor, but also a slight hint of dill. While the potato salad did not have the same “wow” factor as the sandwich, it was still a good side order for the meal.



I had never gotten dessert at Earl of Sandwich before, but this time the peanut butter-filled brownie caught my eye so I decided to try it. The one word I could come up with to describe this dessert is heavenly. It is safe to say that I will now be getting this every time I eat here. The brownie was extremely moist and also had chocolate chunks in it that gave it added texture and flavor. The peanut butter filling was extremely smooth, sweet, and creamy and the combination with the chocolate brownie was just perfect. This is a very rich and heavy dessert, but it was so good. It was big enough that it could easily be split by two people, but I ended up eating the whole thing myself.



Service:
Like with every quick service dining location, the Earl of Sandwich is able to serve a large number of guests in a small amount of time. Because the restaurant is so crowded, this efficiency takes on an even greater importance. The way it works at Earl of Sandwich is that you place your order at one end of the counter and are given a pager to let you know when your food is ready. You then make your way down to the other end of the counter where you pay. The service was so fast that by the time I had paid for my meal, my pager was already vibrating to let me know to go pick up my order (and this was in the middle of the lunchtime rush). The service at Earl of Sandwich is so quick in part because they have so many people working behind the counter. The only problem I noticed was that they sometimes resorted to yelling as a way of keeping the guests moving in line. It seemed that all they really cared about was serving as many people as possible. While this is a good thing, it was unfortunate that it came at the expense of their interaction with the guests. I have seen other quick service locations throughout Disney World that are able to provide speedy service but still be able to interact with guests in a way that is both pleasant and personable. This might be due to the fact that Earl of Sandwich is not a Disney-owned restaurant.

Dining on a Budget:
It is my opinion that Earl of Sandwich is the best value on Disney property. The prices are all very reasonable, the food is great, and the portion sizes are big. The sandwiches, wraps, and salads are all just $5.95 each, which is cheaper than most of the offerings found at other Disney quick service locations. In addition, side orders are just $1.55 each and desserts range between $2.00 and $3.00. If you want to save even more money, most of the side orders and desserts are big enough that they can be split between two people. If you are looking for an affordable meal, Earl of Sandwich is definitely the place to go.

The Overall Experience:
One of the reasons why I like Earl of Sandwich so much is consistency. All the times that I have been there I have never been disappointed. I always know my sandwich is going to be hot and fresh, the portion size is going to be big, and the price is going to be reasonable. This is the recipe for success that has made Earl of Sandwich so popular. The quality of food that you get there is definitely worth having to wait in line and deal with the hassle of trying to find a table. Even though it is a chain restaurant, for me Earl of Sandwich has become synonymous with Downtown Disney. While there are several good dining locations to choose from here, I still find myself continually returning to Earl of Sandwich. Next time you are looking for somewhere to eat at Downtown Disney and you do not feel like waiting a long time for a table at one of the full service restaurants, definitely consider giving Earl of Sandwich a try. Its cuisine may be simple (just sandwiches, salads, and wraps), but its quality is on par with any sit down restaurant and at a price that is far cheaper. After you try it once, you will want to go back again and again.