Lunch at Be Our Guest
When we visited Disney World for the first time since New Fantasyland had been added, we knew that we wanted to dine at Be Our Guest Restaurant. We traveled during September and got in on the free quick-service dining plan offer, so we chose to eat lunch there, rather than dinner. 
Lunches at BOG are quick-service and dinners are table service. In other words, for lunch, you order at a register or kiosk, find a table, and the food is brought out to you quickly. It is like fast food.
Dinner, on the other hand, requires a reservation. At dinnertime, the tables are already prepared for you and the setting is more formal.
We’d read recommendations not to eat here for lunch because the number of people can lead to long lines and cause the large ballroom to sound more like a loud “mess hall.” But, wanting to take advantage of our free quick-service meals (and also knowing that we wouldn’t make a reservation for dinner, both because of the price and because of our two, small, wild children), we chose to do it anyway. We have no regrets. In fact, we went back for a second lunch during our trip and we’re anxious to have lunch there again.
There are some big differences in this quick-service dining experience versus others in the Parks. First, is obviously the extravagant atmosphere. Many of the quick-service restaurants are themed and I think they are adorable, but Be Our Guest is taken to a whole new level. You are completely immersed in the experience of this restaurant when you’re there.
Secondly, while your food is done quickly (fast-food style), it is delivered to your table. Also, you use “real” dishes and silverware at this restaurant. I rather enjoy the cute paper plates that Disney World has all over the place, but it was a nice change to eat on something nicer (until our son very loudly dropped and broke a plate. … Don’t worry, even if that happens. The Cast Members were so nice and were at our table practically instantly to clean it up and make sure no one was hurt.).
Let’s Begin the Tour!
Come with me on a photo tour of Be Our Guest. As Lumiere says, “Ma chere, Mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents – your dinner!” … or lunch, in this case.
As you come toward Be Our Guest, you will wait in line on a bridge walkway. From there, you ‘ll get a beautiful view of the Beast’s Castle in the distance.
Six of these gargoyles line the bridge. I thought their faces were adorable. Apparently, these guys were all given the name “Frank” (Source: MousePlanet). Make a point to notice him while you’re there. He’s pretty sweet.
While you wait on this not-shaded bridge, Cast Members offer large umbrellas. These offered a very nice reprieve from the sun. When I was there, they also had cups and drink dispensers full of infused water. They brought menus for us to view while we waited too, to expedite the process once we were inside. Nice touches.
The entrance to Be Our Guest is impressive. If you pay attention, you’ll see realistic moss “growing” on the stone. These massive statues guard the doors. MousePlanet taught me that the designers called them “golions” because they combine attributes of a goat and a lion. Above them are “sneagles” (snake/eagles). In the center are mosaics that tell the Beast’s story. Beautifully intricate.
Inside the front doors are more large statues. These act as pillars. From here, you can see into the ballroom…or you could be like me and try to avoid looking so you could have that catch-your-breath moment later, when you’re ready to find your table.
To the right, the line continues through the hallway that you’ll remember Belle visiting in the movie. Pay close attention because these suits of armor may talk!
The next room is where you place your lunch order. There are quick kiosks or registers with a cashier. Notice the details in this room: the large fireplace, the numbered signs for the kiosks, the heavy drapes, and especially, the rose that you’ll receive so your food can find you at your table.
After ordering and getting your rose, you are free to find a table. You can pick from the the Ballroom, the Rose Gallery, and the West Wing. The room where you order leads directly to the Ballroom. On either side of the Ballroom are the other two rooms. Personally, I just had to eat in the iconic ballroom.
The Ballroom
Yes, the Ballroom was a little bit noisy at lunch, but, to me, it didn’t hurt my experience. I was too enthralled by my surroundings to care much. 
Looking toward one end of the oval-shaped Ballroom, you’ll see the balcony.
Facing the other direction are the tall windows. With a closer look, you can see that it is snowing on the balcony outside, which overlooks the french countryside. So beautiful and peaceful. 
Can’t you almost imagine Belle and the Beast out there?
The West Wing
The West Wing is not forbidden in the Beast’s Castle. But, Cogsworth did warn that there is “absolutely nothing of interest at all in the West Wing. Dusty, dull, very boring.”
He wasn’t entirely wrong. It is “dusty” in there, as well as very dimly lit. We thought about eating there on our second lunch, but our 3-year-old was kind of scared by the atmosphere of this room.
The Enchanted Rose is in this room, as well as the mirror that the Beast gives to Belle, and the ripped portrait of Prince Adam. 
The Rose Gallery
The Rose Gallery features this huge music box, along with tapestries, pictures, mosaics, and roses everywhere.
It is fun to see pictures of Belle and the Beast’s life that aren’t in the movie.
The Details
In the Ballroom, you’ll hear a beautiful arrangement of instrumental music from Beauty and the Beast. The Rose Gallery has music box renditions of the songs, and WDW Magic points out that the West Wing has a somber version of the songs.
While you’re there, make sure you notice the bathroom signs, even if you don’t have to use the restroom: knights and princesses.
Even the beverage center is themed! I absolutely love this detail, and it’s open for you to fill your own cup, so I believe there are free refills.
Don’t quote me on that, though.
The Food
Here are some of the foods we tried at Be Our Guest lunch:
Kids’ Meal: Carved Turkey Sandwich with Sweet Potato Wedges and Peach Applesauce. The peach applesauce was really good.
Croque Monsieur and Pommes Frites. I was hoping for a more authentic version of this sandwich, with melted cheese on the top, so this was kind of average to me. Good, but nothing to write home about.
Braised Pork (Coq Au Vin Style): Eight Hour Slow-cooked Pork with Mushrooms, Onions, Carrots, and Bacon served with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans JardinièreI. Oh. My. We loved this so much that it’s probably why we went back for a second lunch at BOG (and the atmosphere, of course.) I can’t wait to have it again. The mashed potatoes are underneath all of this. The meat is so tender and those green beans are amazing. I couldn’t believe that I was that excited about green beans, but I really was.
Lemon-Raspberry Creme Puff. This was beautiful, but I liked the next dessert better.
Passion Fruit Creme Puff. Yummy. We ordered it twice.
Kids’ Meal: Whole Grain Maccaroni. This is generally served with marinara and mozzarella cheese, but we ordered it plain for our kids. I honestly don’t remember much about it. I was too busy enjoying my Braised Pork to think much about the kids’ buttered maccaroni.
The Exit
On the way out, you’ll be sure to notice this large, beautiful mosaic of Belle and Prince Adam. 
My Tips
I cannot speak for the length of the lines during a peak season or for the quality of its table-service dinners, but I can say that I enjoyed seeing the details of the Be Our Guest Restaurant and eating lunch there.
My biggest suggestion is to come here for a late lunch, like around 2:00. Check the Times Guide that you’ll pick up at the front of the Park, but BOG usually closes at 2:30 to prepare for dinner. As we were finishing our lunch, the crowds dwindled and didn’t refill because the front doors were closed to new people. By the time we were done, we practically had the place to ourselves. We were able to casually look at the rooms and details and take photos. We got a Ballroom photo without a ton of people in the background. We also saw Cast Members folding rose napkins for the dinner table settings. They even offered to teach my son how to do it. It was really great to experience the Beast’s Castle at that time of day.
Enjoy your lunch at Be Our Guest. Why not even dance a little in the Ballroom
(or at least pose that way for the fun of it!)?
Last but not least, here is a mini tour of the ballroom and my son’s review of the place. I don’t agree with his conclusion (Gaston’s Tavern was more his style), but I still think this video is funny.
Be Our Guest Restaurant from DisneyMomma on Vimeo.
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