A special thanks to Disney and Jaleo for inviting us to experience this dining location at Disney Springs. Our meal was complimentary but our opinions are our own.
Disney Springs is not the first to get a restaurant from Chef Andres. Jaleo serves up authentic Spanish at several locations around the United States. To say Jaleo is large is an understatement. This massive 22 thousand square foot restaurant will be Andrés’ largest to date.
Jaleo Breakdown
- Service: Table Service
- Type of Food: Authentic Spanish
- Price: $$$
- Location: Disney Springs
- Disney Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit
- Tables In Wonderland: Yes
- Features: Spanish Cuisine
- Good For: Romance, Special Occasions
- Menu: Official Disney Menu
A Look Around Jaleo
As you look around the inside Jaleo you will notice punches of red throughout the restaurant.
There are tons of special things to uncover around the restaurant. You have the giant cooking station for the paella.
Also here is a look at some of the seating inside Jaleo.
Jaleo Menu Items
Let’s take a look at the large sampling of menu items we got to test out at Jaleo.
Appetizers at Jaleo
This is Ferran Adrià’ which is liquid olives and gordal olives stuffed with piquillo pepper and anchovy. They are like little pockets of olives. The texture threw me off at first but they were good.
This is a 36 to 48 month cured ham from “legendary free-range, acorn-fed, black-footed ibérico pigs of Spain”. It had a salami taste it was very good and the crackers are a perfect pairing.
Chef selection of Spanish cheeses. I am not a big fan of just eating plain cheese so I didn’t get to try this one at the table but others loved it. It was also a great tip someone mentioned of mixing it with the aged ham pictured just before this.
Pan de Cristal con Tomate is a crispy bread smothered in a tomato sauce. It was chilled so this isn’t your typical warm bread service at a restaurant. Still, I have to say this is one of my favorites of the night. Even though it was bread it was still light enough that it didn’t fill you up before your next course.
This is a look at the Croquetas de Pollo, a traditional chicken fritter. These were fried deliciousness and a popular item at Jaleo and is the only location you will find it served on a pillow. For me, it is reminiscent of either the Magic Carpet from Aladdin or the glass slipper pillow from Cinderella. The other locations serve it in a shoe but they wanted to do something special for Disney World.
The inside is filled with a very creamy smooth chicken mix. It was a nice contrast to the crispy crunchy exterior of the fritter.
This is the Patatas Bravas another favorite of the night. This dish is fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and alioli. The unique thing about these fried potatoes is they are actually boiled first.
Entrees from Jaleo
I was worried how spicey these would be but they were perfect. Hardly any spiciness to these sliders at all. Of course, I will give out the disclaimer that I pulled off the jalapeno before I ate.
While they have five different types of paella they serve at Jaleo they only have two flavor options each night. The one above is a chicken and rabbit mix. If you are looking for it on the menu it’s called Valencia Paella. To get specific it’s a chicken, rabbit, lima and green beans and the seasonal veggie of artichoke.
The rabbit was pretty gamey but still wasn’t too far off from the chicken in the dish. The flavor was a little too overwhelming for my taste but not being a fan of saffron didn’t help.
Dessert at Jaleo
Quesada Asturiana is a Basque-style cheesecake made with goat cheese and a side of seasonal sorbet. What I liked about this cheesecake is it was so light and refreshing. I highly recommend taking your strawberry sorbet and eating them together. It gives you the effect of having a strawberry topping as you find on a lot of NY style cheesecake. By far and away, this way my absolute favorite of the night.
Drinks from Jaleo
This is a red wine sangria. It had a dry taste so I could tell it was red wine but on the plus side, it was still nice and fruity so I could enjoy. Normally I don’t care for the taste of red wine.
Ultimate Gin and Tonic was a rave hit with the group. This special G&T comes with Hendrick’s gin, Fever Tree Indian Tonic, lemon verbena, juniper, lemon, and lime. The secret to the whole drink is that large ice cube in the middle. It makes it so the drink doesn’t get watered down too fast.
Overall Recommendation for Jaleo
Before heading to Jaleo know that you are in for an experience. I would expect to be here for more than an hour we were here for almost three hours on our trip. Jaleo is open for both lunch and dinner so you have two opportunities to experience this famous Spanish cuisine.
Let us know what you think of dining at Jaleo in the comments below! Is this a beloved family favorite for you? If you are looking for more food recommendations read Disney World Resort Dining.
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!