Amanda Olynik

Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant Review at Hollywood Studios

The Solo Scale:

At the Hollywood Brown Derby, there’s plenty of tables to sit at, lots to look at, and delicious food to boot. There’s no bar to sit at and rare two-tops, but the reservation system means they’ll find you a place to sit. Book your table and don’t worry if you’re there on your own!

The truth is that Hollywood Studios probably isn’t in the same fighting class as Epcot or even Animal Kingdom when it comes to food. However, that doesn’t mean it’s devoid of options. If you want a delicious dinner in a cool restaurant, you have a couple of options. Those include Primetime Café, Sci Fi Drive In, and my favourite at Hollywood Studios — The Brown Derby.

Don’t forget to get your reservations if you’re planning to go. For tips, check out my article on securing your reservations at the 60 day mark!

One caution – once you check in for your reservation, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be seated right away. On my most recent solo visit, I had to wait about twenty minutes before my table was ready. That isn’t the longest time, but it is something you should be aware of when you’re planning your day. Make sure to pad the time around your dinner or you might end up having to hastily change your plans.

The Brown Derby recreates a restaurant in LA and you’ll see that in the decor around you. It’s god a very monochromatic colour palette and boasts celebrity caricatures on the walls. If you’ve been to the real Brown Derby, it’ll look awfully familiar. The menu will also reflect items that you can find at the actual Brown Derby. The two main claims to fame are the Cobb Salad and the Grapefruit Cake.

When you get started, you’ll get your menu and the feeding shall begin! I stuck to the sides & appetizers menu on my latest visit. That wound up being the perfect amount of different types of food.

The Meal

I began with the margarita flight, which were all delicious and tasty, but the blood orange margarita was truly head and shoulders above the others. They came in a fun little serving tray and were great to sip on through the meal.

Flight of margaritas connected in a drink tray.
The Margarita flight, of which the blood orange was my favourite

Then my food arrived — with the appetizer first and then two dishes that I spoke to my waiter about arriving together as a main. All together, I ordered the escargot, the caprese, and the mac & cheese accompaniment. The escargot was super creamy and filling, but the caprese balanced it out with a nice dose of veggies. While the mac & cheese looked small at first glance, it was so rich that it was as filling as a main.

Escargot appetizer with creamy tops and bacon bits and herbs scattering the puff pastry tops of the snails.
The escargot appetizer – incredibly rich and filling!
A table with multiple meal items on it -- including a bread basket, a caprese salad, a macaroni and cheese with crumbled breadcrumbs.
Caprese salad and the side mac & cheese. My go-to is always eating a bunch of small things and nothing here disappointed!

The experience did end up taking a while, between waiting for the table and dining, but it was a nice break in the park day. Plus, one of the perks of dining late is that you’ll end up getting the restaurant to yourself near closing time, which means you can explore the decor up close while also getting an emptier park experience when you leave!

The empty seats in the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant at Hollywood Studios. The seats are wooden and brown and on the wall are portraits of celebrities from multiple decades
If you make your reservations closer to park closing, you’ll get to experience the restaurant when it’s almost empty.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this for a sit-down meal at Hollywood Studios. It’s good quality, gets you out of the weather, and has a great theme. If you’re ready for a lunch or dinner among the stars, then pencil in the Brown Derby into your Hollywood Studios day! Check out the menu to see what’s on offer today!

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