For its opening weekend, we hit up the brand new Palm Breeze Bar at the new The Villas at Disneyland Hotel Disney Vacation Club (DVC) and got a really good taste of what the full menu has to offer. The poolside menu features a robust offering of shareable appetizers, entrees, and drink options.
Here’s our review of everything we’ve tried at the Palm Breeze Bar at the new The Villas at Disneyland Hotel.
The Location
Inspired by Palm Springs lounges at the turn of the century, the Palm Breeze Bar is a delightful open air space underneath the Discovery Tower. It serves as the bridge between the Monorail slide and the Palette Pool making it perhaps even more conveniently located than Tangaroa Terrace because it doesn’t require you to exit the gated pool area. A bar top with a load of seating plus a mix of regular tables, high-top tables, and comfy couch lonugers create a relaxed vibe that is accented by the jazz music that plays in the pool area.
A beautiful mural lines the back of the location while the Mary Blair-inpsired design motif of the whole hotel continues into the backsplash of the bar. Kooky pink planters inspired by Alice in Wonderland add a splash of kitschy color. Television screens surround the bar showing an animated intricate version of the printed mosaic. Although we didn’t see it change from this image, we can imagine during high profile sports games that those televisions will come in clutch for those who belly up to this watering hole.
What We Tasted
We tried several of the drinks, appetizers, and entree options available. Here’s a complete look at our thoughts!
Drinks
The Palm Breeze Bar offers a full bar with a range of options but if you’re looking for some signature drinks, there’s a fun selection to chose from. Here’s what we tasted.
Chilly Mango
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Virgin Chilly Mango features Frozen Mango Purée, Mint, Chamoy, Chile-Lime Seasoning ($10) or you can get it with Don Julio Blanco Tequila ($16). This is an absolute fantastic option if you’re familiar with this flavor profile, it will not disappoint. Great during the summer but available all year round, this is a winner.
Fifty–Five–Fifty
RATING:
Virgin Fifty–Five–Fifty features Frozen Coconut Purée, Peach Juice, Mint ($10) or you can get it with Selva Coconut Rum ($16). We tried the virgin option and found it to be a nice light and airy slush drink that was satisfying on its own but felt like it really needed the zing of some coconut rum. We’ll be trying that option next time!
Citrus Ginger Ale
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️⚫⚫
Citrus Ginger Ale ($9) features Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Grenadine, Ginger Beer is fizzy and delightful. It’s very citrusy and could have done with a little more ginger beer or grenadine to balance it out but still a bright and tasty bubbly option.
Strawberry Thyme Fizz
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️⚫
Strawberry Thyme Fizz ($17) features Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Cynar, Strawberry-Thyme Syrup, Lemon Juice, Prosecco. It’s fussy, it’s frou frou and its tasty! The sweetness of the strawberry is cut by the herbs floating in the drink. Pretty sweet overall.
Tropical Shandy
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️⚫
Tropical Shandy ($15) features Flor De Caña Rum, Pineapple Shrub, Lime Juice, Smog City Mango Pango Ale. This is a delightful blend of flavors that you’d be hard pressed to even tell was made with beer. For us, that’s a very good thing. We expected it to be sweeter but this was a great balance.
Orange Bourbon Punch
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️⚫⚫
Orange Bourbon Punch ($22) features Angel’s Envy Bourbon, Lemon, Simple Syrup, Strong Brew Orange Tea. The bourbon here is very strong, perhaps overly so, overpowering just about any other flavor in the drink. If you’re cocktails with a lot of fuss but still a little flair, this is a great choice.
Appetizers
This is a mixed bag of shareable and individual sized appetizers.
Cheese Fry Poutine
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Cheese Fry Poutine ($19) features Demi-Glace, Cheese Sauce, Chive Sour Cream, Pimento is the winner of the bunch. For size, value, and flavor this one is our all around top pick. It’s a loaded MOUNTAIN of fries with deep fried cheese curds and a whole bunch of flavor. This one is definitely shareable and will go quickly once it gets placed on your table.
Ahi Tuna Tataki
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️⚫⚫
Ahi Tuna Tataki ($29) features Aji Amarillo Ponzu, Persillade, crispy Wonton. The dry rub was a little intense, it was very flavorful but also a bit powdery. Still, it paired well with the fish but the whole dish comes together with the fantastic ponzu on the fish. In-between bites of the salad and it’s a refreshing and delightful option.
Cocktail Chicken Wings
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️⚫
Cocktail Chicken Wings ($22) features Bourbon Barbecue Glaze, Chile Aïoli are a solid and you get five. We weren’t blown away by this one, it was well cooked although slightly on the dryer side. The barbecue glaze was a winner but the chili aïoli was an odd one, giving vibes of honey mustard that were largely informed mostly by its color.
Coctel de Mariscos
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️⚫
Coctel de Mariscos ($29) features Fresh Market Fish, Gulf Shrimp, Snow Crab Claw, Avocado. This is a fantastic appetizer but it’s a stretch to call this one shareable. The flavors here are incredible and well balanced but there was two total shrimp, a single small claw, and small chopped pieces of crab and shrimp intermixed with the veggies. It was robust and flavorful but hard to say worth the hefty price tag.
Entrees
Heirloom Beet Salad
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Heirloom Beet Salad ($19) features roasted & marinated Beets, Baby Kale, Persian Cucumber, whipped Stracciatella Mozzarella, candied Walnut, Herb Vinaigrette. You can add Grilled Chicken Breast ($8), Salmon ($9) or Grilled Prime Flag Iron Steak ($16). We wish there was a little more greens here but this was one of our favorites of the whole menu. The steak was tender and the salmon as flavorful.
Garden Pizza
RATING: ☀️☀️⚫⚫⚫
Garden Pizza ($24) is a plant-based dish with Cheese, Romesco Sauce, Soy Chorizo, Cilantro-Mint Chimichurri, shaved Asparagus, Crimini Mushroom, Sun-dried Tomato
Palm Breeze Burger
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️⚫⚫
Palm Breeze Burger ($26) features Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Pesto, Burrata, Arugula. Served with French Fries, House Potato Chips, or Fresh Fruit. The burger hit the right notes for a simple elevated burger but the patty left a little to be desired.
Spicy Crisp Chicken Sandwich
RATING: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Spicy Crisp Chicken Sandwich ($23) features Zesty Slaw, spicy Aïoli, Bread & Butter Pickles. Served with French Fries, House Potato Chips, or Fresh Fruit. We’re living through a golden age of Chicken Sandwiches and this one comfortably sits on the shelf amidst the rest. It’s tender and juicy and crispy and all the things you want it to be. This will not disappoint.
Jumbo Lump Crab Roll
RATING: ☀️☀️⚫⚫⚫
Jumbo Lump Crab Roll ($29) features Tarragon & Lemon Aïoli, Fresh Dill, Brioche. Served with French Fries, House Potato Chips, or Fresh Fruit was so promising on paper but two different people in our group ordered it and were disappointed. The shredded crab (didn’t find any “lump”) and overpowering mayo were giving less high-end crab roll and more standard tuna sandwich.
Hungry for More?
Check out the entire menu including the full list of drinks at our posting below.
MORE INFO: FULL MENU (with prices) for Palm Breeze Bar at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
See it for Yourself
Palm Breeze Bar is now open at the The Villas at Disneyland Hotel. The hotel officially opened on September 28, 2023.
MORE INFO: MouseInfo coverage about The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
