Club 33 Lunch Review
Club 33 is a private club in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square. The entrance of the Club is adjacent to the Blue Bayou Restaurant at 33 Royal Street and is only recognizable by a circular sign with “33” on it. If you didn’t know the Club was there, you’d probably walk right past it, thinking the door and sign were just more “Disney Details.” Then again, if you found this review, chances are you already know a fair amount about Club 33. If you don’t, check out our Club 33 dinner review that also contains some more history of Club 33.
Surprisingly, there have been some changes at Club 33 since we last visited in May. Beginning in 2012, the cheaper Gold membership ($3,600) for Club 33 is no longer an option for new members. New members must join at the Platinum level, which costs $25,000 in initiation fees plus $10,000 per year in dues. For this amount, membership perks will include: Premier Annual Pass for the member (valid at all Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort parks) and four additional Premier Annual Passes for family and friends; Access to Club 1901, the new VIP lounge in Carthay Circle Theater in Disney California Adventure, and 5 VIP guided tours per year. Regardless of what past and present Club literature may say, the Mark Twain Wheel House and Lilly Belle are not Club benefits. These are experiences open to the general public. Another substantial change is that members are now limited to 50 guest passes per year (if guests have their own ticket into the park, they do not count against this number). The changes have led to substantial dissent among members, who were not consulted regarding the changes.
For a Club so rooted in tradition and history, these are pretty substantial changes. Unchanged when we dined at Club 33 for lunch in November was just about everything else. It still oozed historical significance and elegance. We were a bit hesitant to return to Club 33 given our previous meal, which wasn’t terrible by any means, but was definitely not worth what we paid for it. If you read that review and have read other Club 33 reviews, you may notice that I’m one of the few people to have written a less-than-glowing review of Club 33. Part of the reason for this, I think, is due to the mystique of the Club. If you’re dining at Club 33, you’re having an awesome experience regardless of the cuisine by virtue of where you are. It’s such a spectacular location, rife with Disney history, that it’s difficult for any Disney fan to say anything negative about the place. That was the case for us the first time, and was ultimately a big reason why we returned. Even if the cuisine was worse than the previous time, we were still dining in Club 33.
Even though Walt never stepped foot in the completed restaurant, it seems more lore surrounds Club 33 than anything else in Disneyland, and it also seems more like a Disneyland “original” than most of the rest of the park (nevermind that New Orleans Square didn’t open with the park in 1955).
The other part of the reason for wanting to return was because we heard so many positive comments after dining there the first time that I was sure that our meal was an outlier. After dining again at Club 33, I am very happy to report that the dinner we previously had was not indicative of the quality of food at Club 33. Our second meal there was beyond excellent.
Club 33’s lunch/buffet is typically regarded as the lesser of the two meals, but our lunch was far superior to dinner. For lunch, members and guests order items from a standard menu and also enjoy a cold buffet while their plated items are prepared. Desserts are contained in the buffet as well.
We were seated by a man who I would presume was around our age, and was filling in for our waitress. He started the experience out on the right foot, joking around with us and offering a few drink suggestions. Although the Club is far from stuffy (in fact, I would say the dress code is far too lax), it was still nice to have a server with whom we could relate a little better. Although our normal server was fine, we all wished he were our server for the entire meal.
Since we were in New Orleans Square, it seemed appropriate to order a Mint Julep. All I needed was a seersucker suit and a bowtie and I would have fit in perfectly in turn-of-the-century New Orleans. Sarah ordered a Lemon Drop. Both drinks were excellent. Not overly sweet, with the perfect kick to them without being gag-inducing. The bartender clearly knew what he was doing.
After the fill-in server took our order, we headed to the buffet. Normally, I don’t associate buffets with great food. It’s a quantity over quality compromise. While the buffet wasn’t as good as my main course, it was far from mediocre. It was easily the best buffet-food we’ve consumed, and had some great options.
The mozzarella and tomatoes were the surprise hit for me, but it all was great. Shellfish including lobster and shrimp; an assortment of deli meats; cheeses; and fruits. The only thing that was missing was someone to fan me and feed me grapes as I contemptuously lounged across a throne!
This was my first meal of the day, and I was fully prepared for it. I made the most of the buffet, but was still left plenty hungry afterward so that I’d fully enjoy my meal. Although it was a cold buffet, it wasn’t your typical assortment of buffet items that are generally bland and/or slightly past their prime. Everything sampled was flavorful and delicious.
Between courses, I headed to the lobby to take some foods and take in the atmosphere. While there, I also shouted down at people in New Orleans Square, “foolish commoners, I let you eat cake!” and other derisive comments while loudly blasting out a deep belly-laugh.
Prior to lunch, it was suggested to us that we try the Chateaubriand with Truffled Mac & Cheese. Had I not tried mac & cheese with steak at Jiko last year, I probably would have dismissed this suggestion out of hand. However, knowing that the similar Jiko combination was excellent, I decided to give it a try at Club 33, too.
Sarah wasn’t quite so brave, instead opting for the Colorado Lamp Chops. As I was underwhelmed by the Chateaubriand (widely regarded as the Club’s signature item) on our previous visit, I was apprehensive about trying it again, but I figured I would give it a second chance. After all, if so many people love it, chances are that my dinner plate from our last visit was unrepresentative of the norm. That made more sense than so many people being wrong.
My Chateaubriand was nothing short of phenomenal, and the mac and cheese was the best I’ve ever consumed. My vocabulary doesn’t contain a sufficient number of superlatives to describe the meal. Tender, flavorful, moist, and perfectly cooked. This steak basically had its doctorate degree in tasting awesome.
Sarah’s Colorado Lamb Chops were perfectly prepared. If poorly prepared, lamb can be tough, but these chops were tender and moist. Sarah was able to cut through them with ease, and I can attest to the fact that they were excellent. The seasoning was light and the cut was exquisite. They were no Chateaubriand, but not much could have compared to that cut of meat!
After dinner, it was time for the dessert buffet. No one else was up at the buffet while Sarah was to confirm this story, but legend has it that a chef was up there while she was and encouraged her to try every dessert. So she did. Having in the past experienced Sarah’s penchant for sweets, I’m a bit incredulous of her story, but I don’t fault her for sampling the whole selection of desserts. Most of the ones I tried tasted great.
After dessert, we again headed out to the balcony and enjoyed our surroundings. Normally, I’m not all that keen on dragging out meals. I have the patience of a miniature dachshund (I assume all of them are as impatient as ours), and unless something entertaining is happening, an hour is about my limit for a meal. However, I barely noticed that our meal had far exceeded two hours by that point. I probably could have stayed there for another few hours without growing restless. When we finally did leave, approximately two hours and forty-five minutes had elapsed since our arrival. It was a bit painful as the door of Club 33 locked closed behind us, but it was another great experience, and hopefully we’ll be back again in the future. In the meantime, we had our SUITED UP Disneyland Resort bar crawl in front of us to help ease the pain…
Overall, Club 33 lived up to its reputation during our lunch there. It was head and shoulders above our dinner experience, which makes us want to return for dinner. At the same time, lunch was so impressive that we’re not sure we’re ready to pass on the wonderful buffet. Club 33 is expensive, to be sure, but it’s an experience unto itself and is something no Disney fan should pass up if afforded the opportunity–it belongs on every fan’s Disney Bucket List. Even if dining there means eating Ramen Noodles for the other 364 days of the year. It’d still be worth it!
Your Thoughts…
Did you enjoy this Club 33 revew? Would you prefer to do lunch or dinner at Club 33? As always, please leave your thoughts about this post in the comments!
Hello everyone,
My husband is turning 33 next week and I am desperate to bring him here this month as my gift for several reasons. The boy inside could use a surprise like that. I’ve spent past year leading him to believe I am anti Disney after working on a film. ( So he would never see it coming) If anyone would be willing to share their membership and make a reservation for 2 for us it would be much appreciated. I could design a custom piece of clothing for you in exchange? Please email me at [email protected] if anyone might be able to help out
Pretentious snoozeville to me.
Overly priced and hyped up gimmick, and for less money and more entertainment, you can just fly to New Orleans itself and go enjoy a delicious meal at the court of 2 sisters or commander’s palace.
Disney isn’t magic to me….it’s plastic 🙁
Then why are you here? Talk about pretentious …
I was lucky enough to work for a company with membership to Club 33, so I went a few times. By far, the best bang for your buck is Sunday morning brunch, because in addition to the buffet mentioned above, they also have characters walk around to tables for photos. One of my favorite pics is of me and my now husband/then boyfriend, with Mickey and Pluto. Really hope we get to go again one day.
It will be interesting to see whether the character brunch returns once Club 33 finishes its refurbishment.
Great review, but I can’t help but notice the dearth of monkeys is your dining experience. Let me attempt to rectify that situation: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rowanb73/8165953007/in/set-72157631796966361/
In case anyone’s interested in the context, I had a chance to visit Club 33 as part of an Adventures by Disney tour of Southern California. We ate breakfast there, which was interesting in that we had the place all to ourselves (about 20 people with the tour group and guides). I would have liked to try lunch or dinner, but I’m glad I got to see the club and talk with the servers about some of its history. Thanks for sharing your experiences about the meals I have yet to experience.
Wow! Great review! I have looked at your pictures many times, both here and on “another” website, and I’m always impressed.
I am so excited that I’ll get the chance to eat there in July. Maybe I’ll try the chateaubriand. You make it sound so scrumptious.
I am curious though, why did you want to take ‘some foods’ in the lobby? 😉
Just got back from lunch at the club. This review perfectly sums up our experience as well. The only cautionary note I would add is with regard to the extraordinary expense this unique experience incurs. Guests of members must pay for park admission in addition to their club tab. The lunch, with buffet selections, runs $95 per person. So, with admission for four, this lunch ran to about $900. Not for the faint of heart.
But to just try it once would be an experience. I’m completely jealous but it’s lovely to hear all these experiences.
I had the opportunity to dine at Club 33 after the Tinker Bell Half Marathon in January. I so looked forward to this meal, but I was totally underwhelmed by the experience. I loved being in the room, but the food was nothing special.
Perhaps my experience was colored by being the last seating of the day, in a nearly empty room, the lift wasn’t working, and we’d just run a half marathon. Having had a fantastic meal at Victoria and Albert the previous month made the food seem all the more lacking.
Dining at V&A was an experience I’ll probably never have again, I’m more a counter service kind of gal, but if I am fortunate enough to get invited back to Club 33, I’m hoping it’s for lunch.
Love this! I had no idea this club exists. Beautiful pictures! 🙂
How did you even get on the list? I heard it was like a longggggggg waiting list?
Not anymore at $10,000 annually plus initiation.
Interesting to see Club 33 has improved. We also had a bad exterience with the Chateaubriand at lunch. All 5 at the table ordered it for lunch and all of us received a touch, flavorless cut. The buffet had mostly empty plated and the staff seemed off that day. We all felt it was a huge waste of money and very valuable time at the park.
I am happy that our experience was an isolated experience. I really loved the decor and am happy that we had the opportunity but I don’t think it will be a place we try again.
Thanks for the wonderfull review and pics! I’ve only been to Club 33 once. My wife, then girlfriend, got me in to Club 33 on my 33rd birthday. The funny thing about the trip happened while I was waiting on her to finish in the restroom. While I was waiting, there was a guy there with his son. They were waiting for the mom of the family. When I told them that it was my 33rd birthday and it was my first time to Club 33, the kid looked at me and asked if I was going to Club 34 the next year.
Anyways, thank you for the wonderful pics that took me down memory lane.
That’s hilarious! Great story!
My vocabulary doesn’t contain a sufficient number of superlatives to describe how jealous I am that you’ve been to Club 33 so many times. I’m dying to go just once! The downside is I would probably spend all day there and not experience a single attraction.