The Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio at the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort recently underwent a fairly substantial renovation. Guests walking through the Downtown Disney District could see the changes happening as it transformed to its new vibrant look. The transformation wasn’t just happening on the outside, however. This restaurant also saw a transformation inside its walls and also to its menu. The result is a culinary celebration of two coasts, one being the coast found by New Orleans and the other here in California. It is a wonderful evolution in the history of this restaurant that builds on the past and will make Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio a must-visit destination in the new iteration of the Downtown Disney District. Daps Magic was invited to check out this new approach to this restaurant that has been at the Downtown Disney District for over 20 years.
The Building
The building is a celebration of sunsets on both the Louisiana and California coasts. Walking through the restaurant one will find original art, a beautiful sunset mural, some intriguing lighting, photos, and if you keep your eyes open you will find the lid of the piano that once was played in the restaurant. Each room has a theme and is worth paying attention to while walking to your table. Even the wallpaper was artistically created for the Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio. The overall vibe of the restaurant is happy, fresh, and relaxing.
One last thing that should be acknowledged about this location. Sitting upstairs or on the patio outside on the second floor gives some of the most beautiful sunset views anywhere at the Disneyland Resort! It is the epitome of the California experience seeing the sunset over the Disneyland Resort with the silhouette of palm trees!
The Experience
The experience at the Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio builds on the fresh new look of the building. Along with the enjoyable atmosphere, the service is friendly and polished. The staff at the restaurant seems to genuinely love working there. This can be seen from the hosts, to the servers, to even the Chef who spoke with invited guests at the preview of Jazz Kitchen Coastal Gill & Patio. There is a passion to create a unique and quality experience that celebrates the two coasts represented throughout the restaurant.
Along with the setting and the staff, there is also some incredible entertainment to be enjoyed while at Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio. For the preview night, The Amanda Castro Band performed. In this case, the band included singer Amanda Castro along with a piano/trombone player, drummer, and saxophone/clarinet player. They were joined by a tap dancer as well. Throughout the night they entertained with classic jazz pieces and also jazz version of songs from The Beatles, Disney, classic swing songs, and even pop songs! This brought an already vibrant location to life anymore. Elsewhere in the restaurant a jazz saxaphone could be heard entertaining guests as well. Overall, it was a lot of fun to listen to and experience. The Amanda Castro Band, in particular, was very enjoyable to listen to if you were a lover of jazz. If one didn’t love jazz yet, it was a great way to discover it with the fusion of jazz and pop songs that were performed.
One of the highlights of the Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio IS the entertainment that is offered there. There are different entertainers at the restaurant at different times. In the near future, not only will Amanda Castro be returning to the restaurant, but other great entertainers like Art Dragon, Doug Legacy, Pat Aranda (who also plays with Amanda Castro), and Rob Verdi will be performing. Lovers of jazz should make Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio a regular destination to experience these performances.
The Food
It had been a few years since I had visited was was formerly Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. To be honest, I couldn’t completely remember the menu because it had been so long. The good thing about that, however, is I came in with fresh eyes and taste buds this time around. I was very pleasantly surprised with everything that was offered throughout the nights. Throughout the night, there were beautiful cocktails, appetizers, a delicious salad, shrimp and grits, salmon, and even filet mignon offered. It seemed that each dish continued to be even better than the one before. The night wrapped up with iced mint juleps and iced hot cocoa that was accompanying delicious beignets. To say I was a happy camper would definitely be an understatement. I will have a very hard time picking a favorite and ordering it the next time I visit.
The new menu builds on the legacy of the previous one at the location, but isn’t held back by it. It is fresh, it is a California take on beloved classics from New Orleans, and it is delicious. Days later I’m still thinking about a couple of the different tastes I had throughout the night. My favorite appetizer was the calamari that was offered while we were sitting on the patio as the event got started. I also really loved the filet mignon followed by the shrimp and grits. The salmon comes in right behind them too… it really is hard to decide. The beignet that was offered at the end of the night was also a wonderful way to end the night! The full menu for Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio can be found here. At this point, I am making it a goal to work through the entire thing at some point.
Final Thoughts
The Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio is a wonderfully fresh new approach to this classic location in Downtown Disney District. With all the changes that have been happening in Downtown Disney District, I just hadn’t made it over to try out the new menu in the re-imagined building. I’m very glad that this was changed this week however. The food was delicious, the entertainment delightful, the team wonderful, and the building is vibrant and lovely. I’m very thankful to have been able to check out the new Jazz Kitchen Coastal Gril & Patio and you will be too. I definitely suggest stopping by and giving it a try! When you do, let me know what you ended up getting, how you liked it, and who was performing! I definitely have no problem taking my hat off for the new Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio. It’s a wonderful experience and I look forward to visiting it again in the near future!
Mr. DAPs Hat Rating Scale
- No Hat – Didn’t meet expectations
- Hat Nod – It was ok
- Hat Tip – It was good
- Hats Off – Loved it!
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Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio Media Preview Photos
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