Napa Rose, Disneyland’s flagship restaurant, has returned from a lengthy refurbishment with a new menu and atmosphere. The restaurant closed in 2025 and opened earlier this year to make way for a new look dining room, outdoor seating and plenty of fresh options to try. We had the chance to dine in the refreshed Napa Rose and this post will cover our thoughts on the restaurant’s atmosphere, food and value.

We have a history with Napa Rose. Our first visit came just over just a decade ago, as Melissa and I were celebrating one of our first anniversaries. Maybe we were young, bright eyed and bushy tailed (we don’t have tails), but I still count that as one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life. The following 2 trips, one in 2016 and one shortly after the pandemic, weren’t quite as good but still excellent.

The quick, personal history lesson won’t come with a quiz on my Napa Rose dining dates. I share it more as evidence to what the general consensus is of the Grand Californian restaurant – while still great, the quality dipped over time. When news of a remodel came last year, my ears perked up a little bit. You could say my tail wagged in excitement but, well, still no tail.

It’s not that Napa Rose had dropped off the map completely. Pre-closure, it was still a fantastic restaurant but just didn’t reach the heights of former glory. Now that the reopening is here, I’m happy to say that Napa Rose is better than ever, even if it goes about it in a different way.

There’s no doubting the ambition of the new look Napa Rose. This feels like a Michelin Star or bust mission. From the lighting to the menu to the price, there’s an exclusivity and upscale feel that the restaurant didn’t have before. That can be both good and bad, but by and large we liked what Napa Rose is now going for. Ambition is great, even if you might need to sell some plasma to get to experience the creativity.

Under the guidance of Imagineer Katrina Mosher, Chef Andrew Sutton and General Manager Jess Soman (among others), most details about the restaurant have been transformed. That starts with the atmosphere and design. Perhaps a ‘transformation’ is too strong of a word when it comes to the restaurant’s new look. I was somewhat relieved to see that Napa Rose still looks like Napa Rose. The craftsmanship and wood tones are evident and leaned into, some aspects even more heavily than before.

Plenty has changed but Melissa and I enjoyed the new looks. As I mentioned, the restaurant is dimmer. This fits in with the more romantic and exclusive aesthetic. I’m curious what the natural light will do for the restaurant when summer comes around, as there are large windows throughout. We went in February and it was nearly dark by our 5:30 reservation, so we relied on the warm, yellow glow the restaurant gave off.

The main dining room is outlined by wine bottle cases and flower (usually roses) murals above. The high ceilings remain and still look beautiful, with chandeliers hanging down giving a grape motif to fit in with the restaurant’s Napa theme.

The moodier lighting is exchanged for some of Napa Rose’s former personality. There are less murals and pops of color now. But there are some interesting touches including the rocks and minerals gathered from Napa that you can just barely see on the far left of the above photo. Sorry I couldn’t get a closer look with the people sitting there! The seating near the back of the restaurant, with the gigantic windows that overlook California Adventure, is still my favorite area.

We sat off to the side of that main room. It’s still gorgeous there, leaning into the wood tones and craftsmanship, but with fewer details. There is a lot of texture throughout and they’ve done a nice job at keeping the openness of the restaurant, with no actual closed off rooms. Again, there’s an elegance here that didn’t exist before the makeover.

The kitchen remains open and is chic, looking a little more modern than other spots. We were lucky enough to visit on a night when Chef Andrew Sutton was in the kitchen, you can spot him on the left of that photo. The chef’s counter would be a dream dinner for us but do cost an even prettier penny than the prix fixe menu does. Maybe someday! This whole section has a very clean look and is a little brighter than the other parts of Napa Rose.

This is the private dining area for larger parties. There are two tables but the other was full so I just went for the right side of the room in the photos. This is the most closed off section of the restaurant and actually has sliding doors for even more privacy. While the room was very pretty, I also felt it was the most generic spot in Napa Rose.

The new look bar, on the other hand, was outstanding. I love the ceiling feature as well as the rounded seating. The whole right side of Napa Rose acts as the lounge, with a separate a la carte menu. While still expensive, this is the most accessible spot in the restaurant and it still has an ambitious menu.

Finally, there is the outdoor terrace seating at Napa Rose. This area looks brand new and is absolutely gorgeous! Here are a few photos.

It’s hard to imagine this outdoor space looking any better. As of now, this spot has the prix fixe menu. Even with how beautiful the setting is, I prefer the inside. There’s just a different level to the main dining room and we both agreed that it would be disappointing to sit outside and miss out on the indoors, despite both loving the look of the terrace. In the future, I hope they make all of the outdoor seating part of the lounge.

We were blown away by the Napa Rose makeover. There are over 1,500 wine bottles displayed throughout the restaurant, paying homage to the restaurant’s namesake. The lights and soft murals play into that theme, as well.

While the restaurant has been ‘classed up’, it doesn’t feel snooty. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Napa Rose feels cozy and warm. The wood tones throughout certainly play a role in that. That feeling is a holdover from the original Napa Rose design.

But the texture, openness and modern design have added another dimension here. Heck, even that dimmer lighting seems to make the place glow like a fireplace in a mountain lodge. A fancy mountain lodge, but still cozy. From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, it felt like Napa Rose had been leveled up.

That feeling extended to the service. While always excellent in the past, both in the kitchen and wait staff, there’s a noticeable sense of pride in the remodeled restaurant. I don’t know if that will last longer than the ‘new restaurant smell’ but we felt it in every interaction we had at Napa Rose. Our wonderful waiter was eager to show us around the restaurant after our meal, taking time out of his busy night to do so. The whole service team was exquisite and every situation seemed to be thought of ahead of time.

Moving to the food, as I mentioned the main dining room has a prix fixe menu and costs $188/person. More on the cost below the food reviews. Here is everything that was offered, as of late February 2026:

• Beginning
  • Amuse Bouche
• First Course
  • Apple-Pacific Shrimp Flutes: Crème Fraiche and Emerald Oil
  • Sautéed Seasonal Fish: Lobster Toast, Avocado Relish, Lemon Bubble
  • Oak Roaster Forest Mushrooms: Kyoto Carrot, Lime Salt
  • American Waygu N.Y.: Thinly Sliced Medium Rare, Grape Mustardo
• Second Course (All Pastas Made In-House)
  • Sorpresine Pasta: California Crab Broth, Pacific Uni Butter
  • Wild Boar Agnolotti: Tuscan Kale, Butternut Squash Puree
  • Warm Heirloom Beets: Sea Beans, Black Sesame Cloud
  • Winter Goose en Croute: 72-hour Goose Preparation, Merlot Jus
• Entree
  • Sautéed Sustainable Fish: Ancient Grains, Green Beans, Hijiki
  • Tangerine Roasted Rocky Chicken: Green Garlic Velvet, Sweet Potato Cashew Tots
  • Colorado Rack of Lamb: Lamb Pot Roast, Dried Fig-Orange Gremolata
  • Prime Eye of the Rib-eye: Braised Cap, Chipotle Butter Roasted Roots
  • Miso Cabbage Scallion Crepes: Black Lentil Sauce, Green Garbanzo Falafel
• Dessert
  • Elevated and Reminiscent Valrhona Chocolate Bar: Hazelnut Praline
  • Nantes Carrot Cake Cremeux: Compressed Pineapple, Coconut
  • Warm Apple Honey Brioche: Pecan Crumble, Green Apple Sorbet
  • Fiscalini Reserve White Cheddar Cannoli: Quince, Savory Almond Crumble
• Lastly
  • A Parting Nibble

You select one item per course. There were vegetarian options available for every course.

We did have several drinks through the night, sticking to Napa Rose’s inventive cocktail list. My favorite of those was the Sequoia Skyline, a rye-led, smoky drink that is meant to make you reminisce about sitting around the campfire. It had that taste, being absolutely delicious and warm but not overly smoky. The presentation was fantastic. I also had the NR25, which is Napa Rose’s classic play on a Bee’s Knees cocktail. It was also tasty!

The Amuse Bouche was a Mushroom Cappuccino, a fan favorite brought from the original Napa Rose. It’s silly to say that the Amuse Bouche was one of the best things we’ve ever tasted but it was! This is essentially a Mushroom Bisque with a delicious foam. The flavor was powerful, earthy and savory. If they served a Gatorade sized jug of this, I would have a hard time not eating/drinking it all. Thankfully, they don’t do that and I want to formally apologize for putting that picture in anyone’s head.

In the first course section of the menu, this is the Sautéed Seasonal Fish including Lobster Toast, Avocado Relish and Lemon Bubble. The fish had a nice crust to it and we enjoyed it paired with the Lemon Bubble foam. The Lobster Toast was a fun accompaniment, both playful and colorful. This didn’t leave as lasting of an impression on us but it was tasty.

We thought the American Waygu N.Y, consisting of thinly sliced medium rare Wagyu and Grape Mustardo, was the superior first course. The Mustardo added just a touch of sweetness to the delectable wagyu. Pairing that with the beets below gave the dish more depth than we anticipated. After this dish and the Mushroom Cappuccino we thought we might be heading toward the best meal of our lives.

In the second course, we ordered the Winter Goose en Croute. This play on a pot pie included a 72-hour Goose Preparation and Merlot Jus. The pastry was so beautiful that I felt breaking it open. Once I got past ruining the art, the goose was incredibly tender and juicy. Pairing the rich, and slightly gamey, meat with the sweeter Merlot Jus is a good move. This was delicious but was the only item we questioned on how well it fit in with the rest of the meal. That said, it’s making my mouth water just thinking about it so I must have enjoyed it!

Our other second course was the Wild Boar Agnolotti which included Tuscan Kale and Butternut Squash Puree. There were only 2 dishes that we thought were good but not great and this was one of them. The boar was rich enough to overpower other tastes. While we liked all of the flavors on the plate, this one didn’t quite come together for us.

Moving to the entrees, this is the Prime Eye of the Rib-eye served with a Braised Cap and Chipotle Butter Roasted Roots. This dish is phenomenal, with an excellent crust on the outside of the Rib-eye and a perfectly cooked medium rare in the middle. The accompaniments brought the whole plate together and were delicious but the star of the show is the beef. This is one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

Our fish was less successful. On that night, they served seabass. It was a chunky piece of seabass, probably the biggest I’ve ever seen, and was cooked well enough. But the dish felt a little more one note than others and the fish was so big that portions of it came off a little dry, even though it wasn’t actually dry. I’m not sure that made sense. All in all, we liked the entree but didn’t love it. I know at the media preview they served swordfish and I’d be more keen on that option.

The desserts were especially playful! This is the Nantes Carrot Cake Cremeux. Served with Compressed Pineapple and Coconut, the dessert was cheerful and bright with all of the additional flavors adding some citrus to the moist Carrot Cake and rich Cremeux. This was complex for being a dessert and we were both tickled by the presentation.

Our other dessert was the Warm Apple Honey Brioche, including a Pecan Crumble and Green Apple Sorbet. We were just as impressed, if not a little more, with this dessert. The Brioche was incredible, sweet and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The Green Apple Sorbet and tiny apple pieces added a little tartness while the caramel sauce completed the symphony. As much as I love Carrot Cake, or plays on Carrot Cake, I preferred this dessert.

Finally, our meal ended with these tasty chocolates. The flavors change frequently but they are a perfect ending to an all-encompassing meal.

Now, we’ll circle back to the price. This 4-course (or 6-course if you include the amuse bouche and chocolates) dinner costs $188/person. Once you add in a drink or two plus the tip, a dinner for 2 will cost over $500. That’s a ton of money and I know many people will immediately balk at that price. Fair enough, I’m not here to advocate spending $500 on a date night. You could do a weekend away for nearly that price!

What I can say is that I never questioned if the meal was ‘worth it’ while dining at Napa Rose. There’s so much thought behind each dish and the flavors are complex enough to where, if I was to blind guess the price, I’d probably say somewhere in the $200 range. Factoring in the atmosphere and level of service, the $188/person makes sense relative to restaurants both in the real world and at Disney Resorts.

If you’re dying to go here but just can’t afford it, grab a drink or two along with small plate in the lounge. That experience is still expensive but not nearly as much as the prix fixe menu and you get a taste, both literal and figurative, of the Napa Rose experience.

The price is hard to swallow and our trips to Napa Rose will certainly be less frequent now. But, I still came away thrilled to see the restaurant reach for the stars. This is among the most ambitious, and downright best, meals I’ve had anywhere.

I certainly don’t want all of Disneyland Resort to start going to these astronomical experiences and prices but I’d rather the flagship restaurant go all out and try to fit in with Southern California’s culinary elite. If that means I need to save the pocket change a little longer in order to go back, I’m okay with that trade off. Napa Rose is back and better than ever.

Overall Rating – 10/10

What do you think of the new look Napa Rose? Let us know, along with any questions you have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Disneyland Resort? Check out our Disneyland Trip Planning Guide to help you out. This site will have you covered for discount tickets. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends and like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!