Get the DFB Newsletter

if you’re a creature of habit, disney world might be a tough place for you right now.

While some things in the world of Disney have stayed the same, we’ve also seen a lot of changes. Menu revisions, price increases, construction changes, supply shortages – there’s a lot going on. At the 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the menu has been revamped, with some new items and some returning favorites. So what can you expect if you stop by this fan favorite spot now? We went to try it and we took you with us!

Reading: 50s prime time cafe review

atmosphere

hop on folks, let’s go to… the 50’s?! 50’s prime time cafe is a restaurant located in disney’s hollywood studios that really embodies that retro feeling.

the restaurant theme makes you feel like you’re in mom’s kitchen. You’ll be waited on by cast members claiming to be your cousin, uncle, or other “family members,” and they’ll treat you just like you too!

no elbows on the table! Arrange the utensils on your own! Don’t forget to finish your veggies! It really is like being back home!

the interior of the restaurant really takes you back in time with that retro design that runs through all the furniture.

We’re in the 1950’s prime time cafe at Disney’s Hollywood studios trying out all the new menu items! 🍽 pic.twitter.com/gxrgvj5kjd

— disney food blog (@disneyfoodblog) June 7, 2022

if you’re looking for a unique place to eat at disney world that isn’t filled with characters but is packed with fun and entertainment, this is it.

We just want to give a quick shout out to the cast members here. The cast member who served us our food was phenomenal!She really knew her stuff, she was helpful and had all the commentary and humor needed to make this dining experience something special. the cast members really make this place shine.

Just remember that the cast members are in character! don’t take them too seriously. This is all meant to be fun! however, the theme and humor can definitely surprise people, so this is something you want to be prepared for.

okay, let’s go back to the restaurant! inside, you’ll find standard tables and chairs, booths, and those awesome tables with TVs right next to them (you might want to request one of those!).

There are several rooms for dining. And if you can’t get a reservation but still want a drink, visit the Tuning Lounge, which is connected to the restaurant.

for our 1950s prime time meal, we open the menu on our phone via qr code, grab our paper napkin and utensils…

…and sat down to eat!

As for entrees, the big change here is grandpa jean’s chicken pot pie is back. this is a renowned and slightly different version of a dish we had here in the past. Entrées also include a number of staples here, including Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken, Cousin Megan’s Traditional Meatloaf, and Mom’s Old Fashioned Roast.

More big changes come with desserts. new on the menu is a grasshopper bar, lemon meringue pie, pineapple upside down cake and a dessert made for the little ones called stained glass dessert. stained glass dessert is not listed on the adult dessert menu online, but listed instead for allergy friendly kids who create their own selection. if you want to try it, be sure to ask your server!

in 1950s primetime, you’ll also find a kids’ menu with appetizers, entrees, sides, and a kids’ drink.

The menu also includes soft drinks (the peanut butter and jelly shake is a must!), cocktails…

…wine…

…and beers.

There are also allergy-friendly items available. Now let’s eat!

eats

for our meal, we started with the roasted tomato soup, priced at $9. this dish is made from a savory mix of plum tomatoes, onions, herbs, garnished with croutons of focaccia.

the tomato soup was so good! our reporter who tried it fully admitted that they are not fans of tomato soup, but they really enjoyed this dish. the plum tomatoes gave it a more unique flavor, and the added onions and herbs balanced out the tomato flavor.

had a good level of pepper and even a bit of basil, which added a bit of spice (in terms of flavor, not spicy). it was also a bit thick, which we enjoyed. that helps add a little more texture. this soup is something to chew on, not just slurp down, so keep that in mind!

you can tell the dish was actually made with real plum tomatoes, as they added a wonderful sweetness, with a hint of salt on the plate to round things out.

the croutons on top were slightly crispy and added a really nice texture to the soup. but be careful: if they are left in the soup too long, they will be mushy!

Next, we got the deviled eggs from the appetizer menu, priced at $11. during our visit these were deviled eggs with a jalapeno popper. again, remember that this is an item you can change. you’ll want to ask your server what flavor of deviled eggs is available during your trip.

first on the menu: appetizers! 😋

🥚 deviled eggs with jalapeño popper🥫 the creamy tomato soup

which one would you like? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/e0v590enfw

— disney food blog (@disneyfoodblog) June 7, 2022

It was slightly cheesy and had a bit of the bacon flavor from the bacon bits. there was a jalapeno on top that added a little kick, but it wasn’t too spicy. if you don’t like spice, you can remove the jalapeño, as that’s where the kick really came from.

The eggs were soaked in jalapeño juice, which is what gave them that yellow tint. however the main spice seemed to come from the jalapeno on top. but overall, we’d say if you don’t like jalapenos, you should stay away from this!

our reporter who tried them shared that they don’t normally like deviled eggs (simply because they don’t like eggs), but these were really good (even for them!). the combination of bacon, cheese, and jalapeno, plus the little bread crumbs (which added a nice crunch) was great.

our biggest issue here is price. for $11 you only get 4 deviled eggs. we really wish there were more for that price.

for our main course, we tried the returning grandpa jean’s chicken pot pie priced at $24. this dish is made with a traditional puff pastry filled with chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, corn and peas.

you know we had to get grandpa jean’s chicken pot pie 🥧 I wish you could smell this! 🤤

📍: 1950s prime time cafe pic.twitter.com/buiyesblcm

— disney food blog (@disneyfoodblog) June 7, 2022

how is this version? well, the puff pastry is super crunchy on the outside. It almost reminded us of a croissant, but in a good way!

The peas and corn, however, weren’t our favorites. They basically tasted like they came out of a can, so…not an ideal situation. the carrots, celery and onions, on the other hand, tasted nice and fresh and had a great crunch. so, some wins, some losses there.

The pie says it has potatoes on it and we looked for them, but we really had a hard time finding them there. The sauce was super light and creamy and (from what we tasted) tasted like it had a milk base. it did have a small amount of pepper that added a bit of bite, but only if you’re really going for it (so don’t worry about being overpowered by that pepper).

the chicken was very juicy and tasted fresh. It didn’t have much seasoning or flavor on its own, but when combined with the other ingredients in the dish, it was good.

Overall, it was a good chicken pot pie! If the corn and peas had felt fresher, that would have really taken this to the next level. more potatoes would have been nice too. but still, if you’re looking for a meatloaf that feels like it was cooked at home, this is a decent option!

Just don’t walk into the plate expecting to be slapped with flavor. it’s more of a mild touch, as the flavors in the dish were quite subtle.

Of course, we had to order dessert. for our meal we first chose the grasshopper bar, priced at $8. this delight features white chocolate mint mousse with chocolate chips on top of a chocolate chip cookie topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

this dessert was amazing, so fluffy and light! If you like chocolate, don’t hesitate, this is your dessert!

the white on top of the mint was a white chocolate mousse, while the green was a light mint with a chocolate chip cookie background. everything is topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

time for dessert #1! 😋

💚 Grasshopper Bar: White Chocolate Mint Chocolate Chip Mousse on top of a Chocolate Chip Cookie topped with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Chips 🍪✨ pic.twitter.com/lilvtrc6c7

— disney food blog (@disneyfoodblog) June 7, 2022

actually, we would have liked more biscuits on the bottom to add more texture/crunch to balance out the mousse. but we still think it’s a win for fans of chocolate and mint.

finally, we finished our meal with the stained glass dessert. this dessert is made with whipped pineapple fluff sprinkled with strawberry, lime and orange jelly cubes.

It’s not listed on the regular dessert menu, but (as mentioned above) is listed as one of the build-your-own selections/sides for the allergy-friendly kids’ menu. we were able to order it solo and get it for $3.

and last but not least, dessert #2 ✨

🍍the stained glass dessert: whipped pineapple fluff sprinkled with strawberry, lime and orange jelly cubes 🎨 pic.twitter.com/wpxjp0nbxh

— disney food blog (@disneyfoodblog) June 7, 2022

okay, but other than appearance, how do you know this? well folks, sometimes simple is best. This dessert was amazing!

It was so light and refreshing that we couldn’t get enough of it! we loved all the flavors of jelly that had been mixed together. It felt like eating fresh fruit but in dessert form! It wasn’t too sweet and the fact that it was served chilled made it so refreshing !

seriously, there’s nothing we’d change about this one (except maybe ask for more because it’s that good!).

if you love jello, trust us when we say you have to try this.

and that’s it for our lunch! So should I eat here, especially after these menu changes? we have thoughts!

to eat or not to eat

pass by the prime-time 50s cafe if:

you’re looking for a fun atmosphere that gives you food and a show – there may not be a full dinner or character experience, but a 1950s prime time cafe delivers entertainment through its hilarious cast members. If you’re okay with being interrupted and having a little fun, this might be the place for you.
You’re looking for classic meals that feel like Mom’s kitchen: The main theme of the 1950s primetime diner is that it’s Mom’s kitchen, and the menu delivers on that. Fried chicken, meatloaf, chicken pot pie – these are comfort foods that will truly make you feel at home. not the most unique things in the world, but if you’re okay with that, then you might really enjoy it.
You’re looking for a meal that won’t break the bank: While this isn’t the cheapest meal you can have at Disney World, it’s not the most expensive either. Entrees range in price from $17 to $27. Of course, the $27 entrees aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re not as bad as the $62 you’ll spend per adult to be our guest (considering that the $ 62 include more than just one entry). so if you’re looking for better than fast service but not as expensive as some of the upscale places, this might be a good middle ground.

skip the prime-time 1950s cafe if:

you seek to eat in peace and quiet: the cast members here are really playing a part/character, and they do it well. they will interrupt you, make fun of you for putting your elbows on the table, and really treat you like family does. so if you don’t want to be interrupted, you don’t want to be made fun of (in a sarcastic way), and you don’t want to play along with the history of this place, skip this place.
you’re looking for a place that feels very open and spacious: seating here is all indoors and there are a bit of a tight spot. if you’re looking for a place where things feel really spread out, consider going somewhere else.
You want food that’s fancy or really unique: If you want something that makes you feel fancy (like, pinkies up, fancy), this isn’t it. You’d be better off heading to a place like the Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios for a fancier meal. Also, if you’re an adventurous eater looking for unique snacks that you can’t find anywhere else, this isn’t exactly the place. you’ll find more exclusive foods at epcot as you dine around the world.

overall

Getting a dinner reservation at the prime-time 1950s cafe can be a little tricky, so be sure to try to plan ahead or check back. Dinner reservations seemed full at first, but after repeatedly checking the Disney website, we were able to find something, so it pays to be persistent!

again, we have to give up servers here. our server was fantastic. they played the part of his character perfectly, giving off both good and bad vibes, and really stayed true to his performance the whole time. but they also knew the food and the menu well, played with the guests and really made things special.

our good came out very quickly as well, which was something of a surprise given how busy they were at the time of our visit.

overall, the food is really good, and we really enjoyed some of the new additions (the desserts we had were fantastic, the deviled eggs won over even egg haters, and the tomato soup was great too), but it’s the atmosphere and the cast members that really make this place special.

what do you think? Is the prime time coffee from the 50’s a “must” for you? Will you make a special trip just to try their newest or returning items? tell us in the comments!

Looking for other places to eat around the Hollywood studios? Click here for our list of hollywood studios restaurants, or click here for our ultimate guide to dining at disney’s hollywood studios.

You can also check out our video below where we rank all the restaurants in the park! And as always, stay tuned for more Disney news and reviews!