Victoria & Albert’s is a AAA 5-Diamond restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort.  It is without a doubt the fanciest and most expensive restaurant on property.  Consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in America, Victoria & Albert’s serves a mix of cuisines (if I had to say just one it would be American) and is the epitome of fine dining.  The restaurant is only open for dinner, reservations are hard to come by and doesn’t accept any discounts.  We recently had dinner at Victoria & Albert’s and this review will cover that experience.

This was a hard review to write largely because I don’t think it will have a major impact on whoever reads this.  For some, the price of Victoria & Albert’s is simply too high to stomach (pun intended) and whatever I have to say won’t make a difference.  For others, this restaurant is already on their Disney bucket list.  So, hopefully this review find those people in between who know little about Victoria & Albert’s and may be interested.

Unlike other dining reviews I typically write, I’m not going to go into full detail about specific dishes.  For one, Victoria & Albert’s menu changes often so going into detail about a dish probably isn’t worth anyone’s time.  Secondly, each meal is at least 7 courses (plus bread) and no one wants to hear rambling about 10 different dishes.  Instead, I’ll just detail the experience because that’s what dining here is –  an experience.

The Grand Floridian Resort is the most lavish of Disney World resorts.  Adorned in Victorian theme, the resort’s lobby is beautiful.  Victoria & Albert’s sits on the second floor of the lobby.  Stepping behind the door to the restaurant feels sacred in a way but the inside of Victoria & Albert’s feels like a continuation of that beautiful lobby but more exclusive.

After checking in, we were promptly seated and given a foreshadowing of the incredible service we’d receive that night.  Our table was right next to a harpist who serenaded us throughout the evening.  A glorious chandelier hangs down in the middle of dining room under a hand painted ceiling.  I can only guess how exquisite the Chef’s Table or Queen Victoria’s Room but the dining room is stunningly beautiful yet somewhat understated.

During our meal we had two waiters (known as butlers in Victoria & Albert’s) who took great care of us.  I’m sure that we looked as if we didn’t belong there and yet we never felt that way.  Our waiters explained each course and option in great detail.  The service we received that night was unmatched by any restaurant I’ve ever been in.  Frankly, it wasn’t even close.

While there were numerous options of which to order we went for the cheapest, the 7-course meal which is also known as the cheapest option.  As with most fine-dining, the courses were delicate and small but every single one was full of flavor.

The plating was phenomenal, which each course looking innovative and delicious.  And delicious it was.  Each plate was so much more than a simple cut of meat or fish.  The flavors were complex and expertly crafted to compliment each other.

Among the highlights were the fish (above photo) and the main course – I chose the lamb.  While some dishes absolutely left me wanting more, all of this was by design.  By the time we got to the 7th course (dessert) we were both completely satisfied and full.

Naturally, the desserts were incredible.  Maybe the most impressive plating of the night was Melissa’s dessert…

Frankly, the food was the best I’d ever eaten.  I can’t pick a favorite course and there might be singular things at different restaurants that I like more than anything I had here.  But, the meal in totality was far and away the best food I’ve ever had.  The amount of flavor in each dish was unlike anything I’ve tried before.

At the end of our meal we were given candies, special menus, a special bread to try later on, and Melissa a rose.  The hostess was kind enough to take our photo at the end of the night, as our 3-hour meal came to a close.

While you can clearly see that I loved our meal, the question comes down to if Victoria & Albert’s was worth the price.  The 7-course meal was $185 per person and is the cheapest of the options.  Typically, Melissa and I would never think about spending that on one meal but V&A was very high on our list of Disney splurges.  We absolutely have no regrets about spending the money we did here.  The price was accurate to the meal and service we were given.  On top of that, compared to other restaurants of the same caliber around the country, Victoria & Albert’s isn’t overpriced.

Now, we won’t be doing this meal every time we go to Disney World.  This will instead be a special splurge to celebrate an anniversary or other occasion.  As spectacular as the restaurant is I can’t justify spending $500 on a meal very often.  So, think of this as a “Try to do this once” experience instead of something that will become an annual tradition.  Unless you have the means and extra time to go every trip then please do and tell us about it!

All in all, Victoria & Albert’s is unlike any other Disney restaurant open to the public.  While you certainly pay for it, V&A served the best meal I’ve ever had accompanied by the best service I’ve ever experienced.  The elegance and flavors are unrivaled and worth experiencing at least once in your Disney fandom filled life.

Overall Rating – 10/10

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