Review: Smokejumpers Grill

Smokejumpers Grill is a quick service eatery located in Disney California Adventure’s Grizzly Peak Airfield area. Reservations are not accepted, nor required. Food service is available for lunch and dinner everyday.

Ambiance

There is a very familiar feel to Smokejumpers Grill. It is basically the same design as its previous incarnation (Taste Pilots’ Grill), just with a different color scheme and décor. The architecture and framework have not changed at all. However, Imagineers did rework the grounds surrounding the exterior seating area. Gone are the faux rocks. Now there are plenty of tables and chairs for guests to dine.

The outside looks more open and inviting than before. Although the tables and chair are identical to Taste Pilots’ Grill, the foliage surrounding the dining area is more attractive. In a sense, it almost looks like a picnic setting at a rustic campground.

Inside is a tribute to the famed Smokejumpers, the specially trained firefighters who parachute into remote areas to combat fires. As the Disneyland website puts it, this restaurant is “Inspired by the heroic men and women who fight wildfires in California’s lush forests.” As previously discussed last month, this place looks like it comes straight from the movie Planes: Fire and Rescue. With that said, the interior décor looks very nice. The theme is rustic and ties in seemlessly with Grizzly Peak.

Menu

While the décor has changed much, the menu has not. The only twist from Taste Pilots’ Grill is the Bleu Cheese and Bacon Burger, which is now the Bacon Cheddar Burger. The Chili Cheeseburger, Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Grilled Chicken Salad are all the same with slight variations in nomenclature. One would hope by naming the place “Smokejumpers” that they serve something resembling BBQ. Personally, I was hoping they would bring back the barbecue ribs from last year.

In any case, our friend Michelle Murry had a chance to eat here. She indicated that the burger was pretty much the same as before. You basically get a hamburger patty with cheese and bacon served inside a regular bun. According to Michelle, the slice of cheddar is rather small.  There are no condiments that come with your order. A toppings bar is where you customize the burger or chicken sandwich the way you want. It’s the one unique thing about this restaurant that no other has in the Disneyland Resort.

As for side items, there is a choice between french fries, chili-cheese fries and onion rings. The kids’ meals consists of either hamburger or chicken nuggets, the same as before. Lunch and dinner have identical menus.

Service

This is a quick service establishment, so ordering food is fairly straight forward. There are multiple cashiers who take care of the guests in front. Meals are distributed at a counter located behind. Since this place is new, it is quite popular at present. Michelle indicated that it was very busy. Nevertheless, the lines go relatively quick.

Overall

Apart from the theming, there is nothing vastly different about Smokejumpers Grill. As indicated earlier, the menu is almost identical to the one from Taste Pilots’ Grill. Fortunately, they kept the one thing that made this establishment stand out from the other quick service eateries, which is the toppings bar. This is a nice place to grab a quick bite, but not a unique dining experience with regards to the food. If anything, Smokejumpers Grill is fun to check out and appreciate the homage paid to our California wildlife firefighters.

Thanks to Michelle Murry for the great photos!

Are you looking forward to trying Smokejumpers Grill? If so, what would you order?

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