Club 33
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The Details:
1313 South Harbor Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 781-DINE
Call Disney Dining (above) for hours and reservations.
Only members and guests of members may access Club 33.
The Los Angeles Foodie Rating:
The Summary:
My wife and I recently had the great pleasure of dining as guests of members of Disneyland’s Club 33. If you ever have the chance to visit this place, do what it takes to make it happen. Not only is Club 33 a beautiful and significant part of Southern California culture, it is one of the best American steakhouses I have ever visited.
The walls are covered with original Disney art. Many pieces are concepts for Disneyland attractions. It’s a giggle-inducing, fun experience starting with the secret entrance and ending with the “Mickey Mousse” birthday dessert. Just inside the door is a deep-red portal to the source of much Disney lore.
The Place:
If you are among the uninitiated, there is a private club at Disneyland that resides directly above the Blue Bayou restaurant in New Orleans Square. It is virtually impossible to know that anything is in the space that it occupies. Most people probably assume that the second floor balconies in this part of Disneyland are facades. The entrance to the club is an unassuming blue-green door marked with a small, ornate plaque that displays the number 33. Club 33 is the stuff of legends. Lore abounds. Some of it is true. Some of it is not. But one thing is for certain, and that is that Club 33 remains one of the best kept secrets of American food pop culture. There are plenty of resources online where you can read more about Club 33 including the Wikipedia entry and several fans sites. Membership is restricted to say the least, and the waiting list for new members has been closed for a number of years. But rumor has it that when membership was still open, the wait to even be considered was nearly 14 years.
The building is steeped in Disney history, and a walk down the hallways of Club 33 reveal concept art, sketches, and paintings that tell the Disneyland story all the way back to its beginnings. In short, Club 33 is beautiful. Once you are buzzed into the front entrance, you enter a waiting area where you are greeted by the host. The host verifies your reservation time, and you are offered to either ride the ornate, wrought-iron elevator or take the stairs to the dining rooms on the second floor. There are two dining rooms, two long hallways (one contains the cold bar, a cocktail bar, and the famous harpsichord), and a small separate area for the restrooms. Membership to this exclusive club is not cheap, and it shows. Like most features of Disneyland, every detail is important.
The Food:
It is no exaggeration to say that Club 33 is one of the best dining experiences that I have experienced in many years. The food is expertly-prepared, and the surroundings are gorgeous and especially exciting for a Disneyland fan like me. The chefs at Club 33 aren’t doing anything particularly innovative with the dishes, but were they to offer anything but the best of classic steakhouse fare (often with small embellishments), I would be disappointed. Club 33 feels familiar and brand new all at the same time, and its ability to marry a casual experience with fine dining is where it succeeds the most.
The cold buffet would have been enough. Smoked salmon, an assortment of cheese and cold cuts, cold bean salads, cracked crab claws and lobster tails, and an amazing caprese salad were just a few of the offerings. I had to behave myself knowing that the main courses were on their way. Now is also an appropriate time to note that Club 33 is the only venue inside of Disneyland that serves alcohol. Their wine list is world-class, but I stuck to beer (as usual).
My wife Lori ordered the Pan Seared Chateaubriand, Parsnip-Cipollini Onion Puree with a Cabernet Demi-Glace. At first, I assumed that the kitchen was shared with another restaurant like Blue Bayou (given its proximity), but when the entrees arrived, there was no question that our dishes were prepared by a dedicated kitchen no more than 20 feet away from where we were sitting. This was obviously a fine, aged piece of beef that was impeccably prepared by a talented chef.
I ordered the Colorado Lamb Chops, Apple Coffee Polenta with a Lamb Mint Reduction. Were I to eat at Club 33 again, I would be inclined to order the exact same thing. This lamb dish is one of my favorite meat dishes of all time – potentially my favorite ever. The sauce didn’t interfere with the lamb. Instead, they complimented one another exactly as they should. The Apple Coffee Polenta was a nice, subtle (if not whimsical) homage to our New Orleans Square surroundings.
The Service:
Those people who are familiar with the level of service that is to be expected at Disney resorts will not be surprised that the service at Club 33 is on-par with the finest restaurants. We were seated immediately and subsequently doted-upon by a server who clearly brought years of experience. The dining room was busy, but never did I feel pressured to finish my meal or my drink. In fact, we were encouraged to spend time inside the club. I took plenty of photos, and you can see the results in the gallery below. The most notable service experience didn’t even happen to me. I overheard an exchange between the host and a group that had been waiting a little longer than the club had anticipated. For their trouble, the Club 33 staff gave the diners complimentary front-of-the-line passes to any attraction of their choice. In my opinion, that is the perfect marriage of knowing your audience and preventing the possibility of a negative experience.
Photo Gallery:
Map To Location:
