Has Tony's Town Square Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Gotten Any Better?

Tony's Town Square Restaurant has been an archnemesis of the DIS for a long time, but have recent changes to the restaurant actually made it better? Of course, we aren't going to tell you and spoil the review.
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[@kathrynsheehan8914]

The dessert is Mandarincello Custard. Like Lemoncello it is 60 proof I believe.

[@playsgamesfamily]

In Muslim countries where this would be a religious issue you will often see and “A” next to a dish with alcohol. That is a huge oversight on their part.

[@brianb2837]

The irony of a Chuck E. Cheese commercial during Pete’s review of Tony’s Town Square, lol. Great review as always, thanks Pete and everyone at the table!

[@TheFtm22]

That's epic!

[@LARKXHIN]

I'm so invested in these people, when Pete said "Nowhere in this menu did it say this dessert contains alcohol until I take a few bites of it." and I put my hands to my mouth in horror.

[@andrewmichi8186]

omg me too i was so scared

[@kittychatalot]

That is inexcusable

[@LaLunaLady]

I was horrified, too.

[@GrassJelly101]

I've had similar run-ins with peanut allergies where peanuts were never mentioned in the menu under the dish. Food intolerance and allergies can be deadly!! I'm astonished "family-friendly" Disney doesn't take alcohol more seriously Edit for clarification: the run-ins haven't happen in Disney since they've incorporated the allergy menus

[@wiggydebates3944]

Me too!

[@MaryTWells]

Why are you enduring this torture? Why can’t Disney realize this prime price of real estate needs to have a premier establishment?

[@em_casually8936]

Was thinking this exactly! I’m sure their ovehead cost is low by serving mediocre Italian food at Disney prices. However, if it was actually a good dining experience I’m sure they could charge more and people wouldn’t mind paying the premium.

[@phillipbennett692]

It's the same mentality when Disney raises the prices people complain and say they are not going anymore but the park is constantly packed. People complain about Tony's but it's still busy. People will put up with average food to simply say "hey we ate at Disney World".

[@williamoleary9330]

It’s absolutely ridiculous that they did not disclose it. To me it’s almost if not criminal because like Pete said it could set someone off. This is mind boggling reckless on Disney. Sorry Pete you had to go through this. Stay the course.

[@chrissygerwitz520]

No it's not ridiculous, just because it could set someone off. The amount of alcohol in this dessert is negligible and would not even bother a child. That is why it is not disclosed.

[@jpgcne]

I 100% agree with Chrissy on this.

[@williamoleary9330]

Then you’re as ignorant as she is. You both are ridiculous.

[@jolienanmarie]

He’s a Karen.

[@Melissaonline22]

I will never forget going to Boma at 10 years old and acting delirious and loopy at the dinner table, only for my parents to find out that the desserts I had been popping one after another from the buffet were alcoholic. Literally drunk. They were good sports about it but when Pete brought it up I was like 😅😅😅

[@luckygandolff]

Zebra Domes 😄

[@kimnied7023]

A cello liqueur, simply defined, consists of alcohol, sugar, and fruit and/or other nonalcoholic flavorings.

[@angelafoster7285]

As the wife of a recovering addict, I would have been furious had we ordered that dessert and discovered that it had alcohol in it. You definitely handled it better than I would have. We will definitely not be booking Tony's town Square on any future trips.

[@suejames503]

Disney does such a wonderful job with allergies/sensitivities. I don't understand why alcohol isn't part of that. Whether or not it's "cooked off", alcohol ingredients should be disclosed so people can make an informed decision for their particular needs.

[@michaeljensen1817]

I remember you doing a video a few years ago with the new chef that took over, and thought it might be going in the right direction. Wonder what happened to her. Also as someone who has a deadly form of nut allergy, if that wasn't disclosed, I'd be just as fired up as Pete is with the no alcohol disclosure.

[@chrissygerwitz520]

Not disclosing a food item that could case a "deadly form of nut allergy" is NOT the same as not disclosing a small amount of residual alcohol in a dessert. Spare us your dopey comparisons.

[@pamelaeldridge7396]

Pete, having 36 years in recovery I have to agree with you, I would have been angry too. Even the taste of alcohol is very unpleasant to me. Lack of respect for any allergy is unacceptable! Love you!

[@Paulxl]

The name of the dessert is a really obvious reference to an incredibly famous Italian alcoholic beverage

[@jolienanmarie]

Exactly!!! This guy 😂

[@katrinlausch3078]

No no no. A menu always needs to directly show if a dessert contains alcohol or not, not everyone may know the name of this dish.

[@prosandconsfilms6933]

Completely with Pete on the dessert, that's absurd and downright gross (can't even think of a word to use). There are people in my family who don't drink anymore and this alone would ruin not only the meal, but maybe the trip. However, on another note, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences in Tony's forever, and I by no means have a low appreciation for good food. The setting/location are unbeatable, the food is Italian but not overly fancy/expensive, and as a Lady and the Tramp fan, it's exactly what you'd want as a connection to the movie.

[@alexsandrakelly7586]

I think for those in recovery it would be good to treat it like an allergy and declare on your reservation. My heart sunk seeing Pete's face describing the realization he had alcohol. Shame on Tony's for not disclosing the alcohol. I know the consequences from first hand experience. It's a challenging road....kudos to you Pete .

[@annaxbarie]

Mandarincello is an orange liquor. It told you there was alcohol in the desert, in the name. You just didn’t know what it was.

[@SciFi2285]

Mandarin is a particular type of Orangecello. Cello liqueurs are typically around 30% alcohol. Whether the menu gives you a meaningful description of how the dish is prepared seems to be consistently inconsistent as far as Disney is concerned.

[@Matt-fl8uy]

Mandarin is also a type of orange. If it's a liquor, explicitly state that. In the US, it's not unusual to say "mandarin orange".

[@myxxstorie]

'Mandarin' isn't an alcohol, it's a type of citrus fruit. If I, or I suspect, quite literally anyone else on the planet, saw a 'Mandarin' dessert on a menu, we would assume it has orange in it. There is simply no excuse for shoddy description here, and nobody can be expected to know 100% of the different alcohol names and brands, especially when virgin cocktail inspired desserts are so popular. What if a child had eaten that? Legally there should absolutely be markers for anything containing alcohol, because its against the law in so many places for people under a certain age to ingest it!

[@mckenna8663]

@@Matt-fl8uy no. I think that what the original poster is saying is that Mandarin is a type of citrus (close to an orange). But that cello is a name for a liqueur (which DOES mean alcohol). I agreed that there should be some icon next to the name of the dessert that indicates alcohol. They do it for everything else, why not alcohol? But also, if you are trying to avoid alcohol for any reason (or any ingredient for that means) you start uncovering all the little cutesy names that chefs use to name a product without actually naming it. If you want to avoid alcohol, don't pick an item that has anything followed by the syllables: cello.

[@SciFi2285]

@@mckenna8663 Exactly. Mandarin is a type of orange. Cello is a liqueur. "Mandarin" (orange) + "Cello" (liqueur) = orange flavored alcoholic beverage. Certainly the menu could have been more explicit since many people aren't familiar with Italian drinks. But they did say it.

[@meameowmewmew]

I came here to say this as well. That cello is a liqueur. But obviously not everyone knows that. And I don't know why they wouldn't just have it in the description.

[@BriggsBackingTracks]

Thats nuts! Just look at the name! "Tony's Town Square." That should be a giveaway. Who wants to eat food prepared by the town square anyway! They should rename this joint to, "Tony's Fulla-Bologna's"

[@lindadoesvancouver]

I think the cello should have been a giveaway that it's a liqueur

[@biancosdodisney3217]

MandarinCELLO shouldve been the first clue it had alcohol

[@gan1440]

LimonCello …pretty popular and most people know it’s alcohol. But it should have some fine print for people that don’t realize.

[@tf51d]

You're right Mandarincello is a liquor (I had to look it up, I wouldn't have known) but it's not a common one, many people wouldn't know what it was, so it should have been disclosed, especially in a place like Disney where kids eat there regularly. Many parents wouldn't want their kids having something with alcohol in it even if it was cooked off, and they claim it wasn't.

[@biancosdodisney3217]

@@tf51d Pete's from jersey and puts alot of emphasis on Italian words. He should've known what cello was

[@penneya3911]

Disney serves other things named after alcoholic drinks/food (Disneyland’s mint julep for example) that have no alcohol, so it would be easy to assume it has no alcohol and is meant to imitate the flavor of the original. It’s so easy to make a note on the menu. Not cool to potentially reset someone’s progress.

[@colingalubinski9722]

@@penneya3911 you can’t make alcohol free “cello”, that would just be juice BUT they still should have been more descriptive under the title for sure in case!

[@TheFtm22]

Didn't they figure out who you were? There are lots of businesses not disclosing things they should (I just fired one which didn't disclose that they didn't have air-conditioning and I lost $500 doing so). That is unacceptable - what if you had given a 10 year old that dessert?! I am glad you are evidently not horribly triggered by such a mistake. I have known people who can't even have vanilla extract in the house. I don't blame you for refusing to step in there again. Maybe Tony started talking to Maria and Enzo - just a little levity here. So sorry you experienced that. Great job to Erica and John/Panda on this review - enjoyed you both on this!

[@VideoWithSound]

major respect for pete’s honesty 👍🏼👍🏼

[@stephbytibbs]

video quality is really great on this one!

[@kristindewitt9059]

I audibly gasped when you said it contained alcohol. You buy a $5k drink on the Wish and don’t touch any of it but go to MK and are deceived by a dessert that has no mention it contains alcohol. I am so disappointed. Never should have been on the menu.

[@LARKXHIN]

NEGL, I saw this and thought "Well, Deni's gone, Fiasco is gone, who is even left to suffer?"

[@franklinmimi]

Would be nice to see Craig and Ryno with Pete.

[@brandonbergeron4668]

Pete you are right to be angry, not disclosing alcohol in a dish is a big deal, not excusable, and easy to correct.

[@mattrg3]

“that’s why it’s coming off the menu; they want to make sure everything is crap.” Bahahaha.

[@Letsfallasleepletsfallasleep]

I think it sucks that you aren't told, but I mean for a guy who has his own show about food, you should know what chello is! You also sound Italian and its very Italian ! hence at the Italian restaurant ! You also taste it when its cooked off it just isn't going to get you drunk.

[@jackpast]

Pete, sorry you had to experience this and bring this major omission to Disney’s attention…and to all of us! We ate there as a large group in 2017. The food was just ok but my memory is everyone stated how over salted their dish was.

[@colingalubinski9722]

The alcohol is in the actual title/name of the dessert but it’s a niche alcohol most wouldn’t recognize therefore should have mentioned in description as well

[@vince6115]

Fyi- It’s pronounced mozzarella (mozzare’lah) not mozzarel’.

[@jolienanmarie]

The fact they bring a mic with them to a restaurant 😂

[@chelseae.7063]

I think the disclosure of alcohol is in the name of the dessert. Mandarincello is like lemoncello, which is alcohol. It’s like expecting that a dessert called “rum cake” needed to also disclose that the cake contained alcohol- it’s reasonable to expect someone to assume it has alcohol because the name of an alcohol is in the title.

[@mattbecker3610]

Pete I'm so sorry for your experience at Tony's. Alcohol should have been disclosed on the menu for that dessert. Inexcusable!

[@eugenelaporte8159]

I really love Pete's brutal honesty. Disney should wake up by disclosing what they are serving.

[@marymccloskey9450]

Inexcusable!! I’m so sorry you experienced such a thing Pete!❤️

[@christinegeraci5203]

Oh Pete. I'm so sorry about the dessert.

[@judyminton8227]

Ya , we see all the Jewelry!!!

[@stevenweatherman7325]

Pete, I love the shirt you're wearing!

[@justinschrank4806]

For being the premiere theme park in the world, the magic kingdom has terrible dining options.

[@zombiebbq14]

I agree but it's not surprising. Disney has this down to the dollar. They've hired people to determine where and when people spend money. The money is at Magic Kingdom regardless of good food and their research tells them there isn't enough desire for fine dining / the lack of fine dining hasn't hurt spending at Magic Kingdom. That is exactly why the food offerings remain weak compared to other parks where they've determined good food is important to guests. All this stuff is fine tuned at mega corporations like Disney.

[@gr8vbplaya18]

Love the Pete is back!

[@lozatarify]

Panda said he'd prefer the garlic bread on Italian bread... Ciabatta is Italian

[@lozatarify]

OMG!! Just got to the bit with the chello pudding !!! Thats terrible!!!

[@Paulxl]

Well. The "mandarine-cello" gives you a clue about having alcohol tho. 😅

[@melissaslater2575]

Disney should not assume guests know the names of alcoholic components in a dish (mandarincello). There are WAY too many of them and it should be clearly disclosed. In addition to people with addiction issues you have many people who have religious reasons for abstinence. As serious as Disney has become about allergies they should do better with this issue.

[@theresa7744]

I love Pete! I’d watch anything he stars in. I agree with his final comments about disclosing alcohol in food….I would be FURIOUS!! People in recovery do have triggers and “bravo” 👏 to Pete for openly saying so. This is unacceptable on every level. Enjoyed todays review 😊 Theresa xo

[@wewonderandexplore]

You complain that something is spicy, when the dish is billed as "spicy tomato" sauce. Really?

[@LARKXHIN]

To be fair a lot of Disney food is below bland, so it might have been a shock.

[@danielsullivan2098]

One, the alcohol doesn't get cooked off in custard. The fat from the eggs and milk/cream envelopes the alcohol. Two, how could you not know there's alcohol in the dish. The description said so. Mandarincello is the orange version of Limoncello.

[@wdwnanab6221]

Not everyone knows this. Especially someone who isn't drinking. I've never heard of it. Perhaps if they included "liqueur". But they are responsible for making it clear to their guest. The guest isn't responsible for being fully knowledgeable about all alcohol products.

[@thomasadrianna]

Just like a tourist that comes to Disney and never heard of a Dole Whip. It’s obvious that it looks like an ice cream but may not know that it is non-diary, so everything should be described in details…especially in a theme park for families.

[@zombiebbq14]

Is Pete okay? his comment about his appetite these days made me wonder

[@markherron1407]

Today is the OFFICIAL Birthdays of Tony and Joe October 15 Happy Birthday to Tony and Joe! Go HUG someone today IF they're been vaccinated or not 🚫 Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!

[@honeybunny5222]

Thank you so much for bringing up the alcohol. I am very allergic to alcohol and it's scary when they don't say anything about alcohol.

[@dannygrau2983]

We ate there back in 2021 , we really wanted to hate this place but we were wrong. Food a 7.6 and the service a 10.

[@ophthodoc]

Pete, I love your dining reviews especially when there’s room for improvement!!

[@pt190]

I had a similar experience at Tony’s years and years ago. I’m 25 when I was a senior in high school around 18 let’s just say I had a dessert there that had amaretto in it. Really odd to see 6/7 years later it happened to Pete

[@MaryTWells]

Everything with alcohol should have a disclosure, I do not want to find alcohol in something I didn’t expect.

[@lostinwanderland8318]

Lots of Italian dishes are made with alcohol - scampi, tiramisu

[@amydoran9987]

We are in Disney this week. We usually eat at Tony’s, but we skipped it this trip to try liberty tree.

[@maureenbeckwith128]

feel so bad for Pete, he was clearly upset,anyone would be when trying to avoid alcohol,and like he said,any parent would give a spoonful to a child unknowingly.

[@larkendelvie]

Thanx all - Tony's has never been anywhere near the top of my MK list. Honestly, if only Tony's had a table left I'd leave the park and head to one of the lodging places for lunch.

[@Disgirl]

I’m so sorry to hear that happened to you, Pete! That’s incredibly upsetting. I’m glad you got the chef got involved. Hopefully they will change things about disclosing the alcohol content in their dishes (and not just at Tony’s, but all restaurants on property).

[@natashafreeman2220]

Sounds like you are in a cafeteria or mess hall

[@johng689]

When I saw where they were eating, I was hoping that Pete was there. I think he is right they can tell you about gluten, plant based they should be use better labeling. I don't like many items cooked in wines or alcohol so I would have wanted to know too.

[@Onniesprairiegarden]

I'm so surprised that alcohol was not disclosed. Wow! Kids would be eating that! Disney could really work on getting better gourmet food for the price. 😒

[@JUNIORPHX]

This is one restaurant I suggested back in the Saturday show. He even invited me, couldn’t go because I had a flight the next day to Disneyland 😆

[@TheMagickhands]

The word "cello" should have been a dead giveaway. If you don't know what something is, you ask if you may have a problem. What you don't do is order something you have no clue about, eat several bites and then cry because you can't have something.

[@blacksheep11277]

Oh no, Pete I am so sorry. I empathize with you. Alcohol in any dish should be disclosed. Good grief! 😟

[@Traveling_with_christina.]

i agree disney need too put it on the menu because if a child gets one disney could lose its linces for that

[@darce2019]

It’s called cello how’d did the server not know there was alcohol in it?

[@diamond28269]

Was just there last week! Loved it! ☺️

[@Chellekathryn]

this review is my roman empire

[@diannesmothers2171]

Pete is right...alcohol should always be noted as an ingredient. Many parents...including me...have no problem with adults drinking but don't want to serve my children dishes with it...please let everyone make their own choice. It's very simple..

[@pamelapetrosino4437]

Disney should be ashamed of themselves!! Pete, so sorry that you had to experience that. I give you a lot of credit for actually returning to Tony’s. One horrible meal years ago at Tony’s traumatized my family for life! I will never return.

[@AJT607]

Our toddler loves pasta so we had to do Tony’s on this trip, and I concur with most of the thoughts on this video. The meal was acceptable but not great - but at least our little one ate a good portion.

[@mckenna8663]

I'm going to stop the video early in order to comment. I worked in an elementary school for many years. That sounds like the lunch room. That is not how I want to spend my vacation, nor is it how I would like to enjoy a meal that is costing me table service prices. If I can't comfortably listen to the people at my own table because the other folks are that loud.. I am not interested at all. I don't care how good it is or how convenient it is.

[@MaryTWells]

Wasn’t bad isn’t how I want to describe a meal that costs that much!

[@rosalielandis2621]

I’m so sorry that happened Pete. Unbelievable.

[@Neverstopsports]

Missed these shows with Pete!

[@marjchan]

While I have never dined there and most likely will never (too many other options), I am truly disappointed in the non disclosure about the alcohol content in the dessert. I usually think I could trust Disney to disclose. They seem so willing to accommodate for every thing else. Thank you Dis Team for trying again.

[@lisagimblett8646]

I have never dined there and don't plan to. The only reason would be for the location and I would rather eat at The Plaza

[@ericburns5359]

I agree Pete. They should disclose that in the menu for people to make the judgement. Hopefully, Disney will make changes not only to improve the food at Tony's but disclose the fact that they use Alcohol, CBD, or whatever in the menu to be transparent to guests .

[@marjielalonde3875]

Couldn`t believe Pete went back there lol! I`m totally disgusted by the fact that they don`t disclose alcoholic content in their food! I was really upset when Pete talked about it, how triggering that would be! Especially, as Pete said, there`s a huge chance a child would order that, maybe not a young child, but easily someone over ten years old. The food to me seemed barely passable at any price, but for it to cost that much seemed beyond the pale.So sorry you had to experience that Pete, don`t blame you for never going back!

[@ck2d]

How do you start a social media campaign to change Disney? This is a relatively easy and important important change and one I would support.

[@SaltyGreene]

Pete was right when he took the broad shot at Disney properties related to non disclosure of alcohol content. His comment that, “Disney has done far more to accommodate far less,” sounds spot on. That’s policy that isn’t set by Tony’s. The solution lies in a corporate decision. 😢

[@flobaby50]

I am so sorry to hear that Pete was served a dish with alcohol in it and it wasn’t disclosed on the menu☹️

[@repboy1]

When Pete looked at the camera and said I ordered the dessert 🧁 I was scared 😱

[@heybeautiful3647]

To an addict at ANY point of their recovery, this deeply disturbed me. See heres how that could have gone. Addict finds out they’ve just consumed alcohol, they (could) quickly spiral out of control. This isn’t a, whoops kind of thing. Have we really gone from Walts wish of no booze in the park, to SLIPPING it into things???

[@dee_mcgee11]

What are they doing serving a dessert with aǃcohol in a Lady and the Tramp themed restaurant anyway?

[@debbrown995]

Geez! They should just replace that whole restaurant with Olive Garden and be done with it. Seems like it was Olive Garden-quality food at a premium price. And the boozy dessert? Not cool.

[@sharikessler5699]

Went to dining at Steakhouse at contemporary. Nothing on the menu says the burger had bacon in it. my husband ordered it and won't eat bacon. He opened the burger to put on sauce/ketchup and bacon was on the burger. It wasn't on the menu! After we complained, you would think the chef would come out? nope. just gave us a new one. didn't even apply a credit on the check for good faith apologizing . he was thankful he checked and didnt' eat it because of his religion he won't eat bacon. Went back another time, it's still not listed on the menu.

[@fatboyslam901]

So we just gonna act like Mandarincello isn't an alcohol?

[@walkingmiracles9706]

new segment: pete& opando do disney italian! try every italiam place on property

[@terrancedull1393]

So sorry for you guys ... especially Pete with his desert. We always get Chicken Parm, Spaghetti & Meatballs, and buttered pasta with Alfredo on the side. Always enjoy it. But I do see that they removed the best thing on the menu ... the caprese salad. It was the best we ever had, anywhere. On a positive note, we do enjoy your content so we booked a stateroom on the Wish for March thru Elaine!!

[@michellebrill5328]

Thank you for this review. I am not an alcohol drinker. Even if it’s cooked off I can taste it. I would not have finished it and asked for something else. I’m not paying that price to be lied to.

[@buffywyrick8603]

Having ate at Tony's on various trips I can attest that the food is lackluster. A wonderfully themed with a prime location like Tony's should not have the lackluster food it offers. It's a waste of relastate and I can't help but think that Disney coasts on the theme and prime location to draw in crowds knowing they don't have to provide quality food.

[@chrissygerwitz520]

I'm sorry, but this review really annoys me. I am usually the last person to defend Disney, but this hysterical rant against an orange-tinged custard dessert is really over the top. First of all, do you really think Disney is going to put a dessert out there that would be dangerous or inappropriate for a child without a serious warning? Do you understand that the amount of alcohol in this *cooked* dessert is negligible and wouldn't affect the smallest child? THAT is why there is no warning on the menu. So your argument should only be that Disney should make sure that nothing on their menu would ever trigger recovering alcoholics? And you talk about catering to a small audience? Diabetics are a large audience. Gluten-free people are a large audience. Recovering alcoholics are *not* a large audience in restaurants. Additionally, have the sense to know when something might be flavored with a bit of alcohol. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out that "Mandarincello" might be something like "Lemoncello," a common liqueur. If you aren't sure, then just ask! But don't flame this place just because you are triggered by a custard dessert. You need to keep *some* objectivity when doing these reviews. The world doesn't revolve around your personal problems.

[@floridawoman]

They don’t even give you a paper menu anymore. I’m no tech expert, but I imagine it would be pretty simple for Disney to add CONTAINS ALCOHOL to the online menu.

[@jenny71WDW]

last episode you reviewed this there was a new Chef. What happened to her? the food was supposed to be much improved??

[@debbieschmidt1661]

Pete, all I have to say is WOW! that is so wrong of that restaurant not to have disclosed that very important detail on the menu. I have never eaten there and will never try it now.

[@ellieplanit]

Sure, I'm curious about the review. But I'm mostly just here to see Pete eat at Tony's! I'm SHOCKED!!

[@Spykid2002]

My mom and i went there recently due to it being the only thing available. We got one cesar salad and one pasta and it was $70. My moms salad was dry and the pasta was bland and pretty bad. We were sad with this honestly. The theming is so great and it was right before fireworks. We tried enjoying the fireworks because they are amazing. But the meal kinda ruined our mood

[@squidward_tortelllini]

thats absolutely horrible that they didnt disclose that im so sorry pete ;/

[@hazeltarr9016]

It’s such a shame but I agree its not the best. And Pete, I’m so sorry that happened with the dessert.