ABC Commissary Review: Hollywood Studios’ Hidden Gem
Is ABC Commissary worth it? Here’s my honest review of the food, seating, menu, and why I think it’s one of Hollywood Studios’ most underrated restaurants.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
I feel like ABC Commissary has a reputation problem.
Whenever I hear people talking about where to eat at Hollywood Studios, it almost never comes up. Or if it does, it’s usually because someone remembers what it was like years ago.
I can’t really speak to that because I never ate there before Disney changed the menu.
What I can tell you is this…
I’ve eaten here twice now, and both meals were really good.
In fact, it’s currently my second favorite quick service restaurant at Hollywood Studios, behind only Woody’s Lunch Box.
I know that’s probably higher than a lot of people would rank it, but every time I’ve eaten here, I’ve walked away thinking, “Why don’t more people talk about this place?”
The food has been consistently good.
The location is great.
And if you’ve ever been at Hollywood Studios in the middle of July, you’ll appreciate the fact that it has a huge air-conditioned dining room.
Sometimes that’s almost as important as the food.
If you’re still deciding where to eat, be sure to check out my complete guide to the best quick service restaurants at Hollywood Studios, where I rank every quick service location I’ve personally tried.
The Shrimp Tacos Won Me Over
The first thing I ordered here was the Shrimp Tacos.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much.
Theme park shrimp can be…questionable.
These weren’t.
They were fresh, flavorful, and just a really solid lunch.
Nothing about them felt like they had been sitting around waiting for someone to order them.
If someone asked me what to get at ABC Commissary, that’s probably where I’d start.
I’d absolutely order them again.
Don’t Forget About the Kids Meals
The second time I ate here, I wasn’t all that hungry.
I’d already been snacking around the park, and I knew I didn’t want another giant Disney meal.
So I ordered the Kids Meal.
One thing I love about Disney is that adults can order kids meals too.
I wish more people knew that.
I ended up getting the grilled cheese with chips and a Cuties orange, and honestly, it was perfect.
The grilled cheese was really good, it was plenty of food for me, and I still had room later in the day for more snacks.
Sometimes that’s actually the smarter way to do Disney.
One of the reasons I like ordering a Kids Meal here is that it leaves plenty of room later in the day to sample some of the best snacks at Hollywood Studios.
There Are Still Things I Want to Try
One thing that says a lot about a restaurant is whether I want to come back.
ABC Commissary is definitely one of those places.
I still haven’t tried the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese.
Mostly because…
I’m just not a buffalo sauce person.
Everybody seems to love it.
I’m sure it’s great.
It’s just probably never going to be the thing I order.
I have, however, tried one of their frozen lemonade drinks, and that really hit the spot on a hot afternoon.
It’s the kind of thing that’s easy to overlook until you’re melting in the Florida sun.
Then suddenly it sounds like the best idea ever.
Honestly…
The food is only half the reason I rank ABC Commissary so highly.
The other half?
Air conditioning.
Lots and lots of air conditioning.
Let’s Talk About the Air Conditioning
If you’ve read any of my Disney dining reviews, you probably already know that I put a pretty high value on air conditioning.
Especially at Hollywood Studios.
There just isn’t as much shade here as there is in some of the other parks, and after a few hours of walking around in the Florida heat, sometimes all I want is a place to sit down and cool off.
ABC Commissary is one of my favorite places to do exactly that.
The dining room is big, it’s comfortable, and every time I’ve eaten here, I’ve been able to find a table without too much trouble.
If one of those famous Florida afternoon rainstorms rolls through while you’re at Hollywood Studios, this is also a great place to wait it out.
You’re probably not going to be the only one with that idea, but because there are so many tables, it usually works out just fine.
Honestly, there are days when I choose ABC Commissary as much for the break as I do for the food.
I Also Love the Location
Another thing that makes ABC Commissary so convenient is where it’s located.
It’s kind of right in the middle of everything.
You’re only a short walk from Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, and the Animation Courtyard.
It’s one of those restaurants that doesn’t require you to completely change your plans just to grab lunch.
If you’re spending the day bouncing around Hollywood Studios, chances are you’ll walk right past it at least once.
That makes it really easy to work into your day.
If you’re hoping to eat at the popular Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant but can’t get an Advance Dining Reservation, ABC Commissary is a great nearby quick service alternative.
And if you’re planning to grab a drink or pretzel at Baseline Tap House later in the day, ABC Commissary is an easy place to stop for lunch beforehand since they’re only a short walk from each other.
A Few Tips Before You Go
Like most Disney quick service restaurants, I’d recommend using Mobile Order if you can.
It’s not absolutely necessary, but it usually saves some time, especially around lunch.
I’d also keep the kids meals in mind.
I know I already mentioned them earlier, but I really do think they’re one of Disney’s best values if you’re not looking for a huge meal.
And finally…
If it’s one of those ninety-five-degree Florida afternoons where you’re questioning all of your life choices…
Go eat here.
Seriously.
Sometimes forty-five minutes in the air conditioning is exactly what you need before tackling the rest of your day.
Is ABC Commissary Worth It?
Absolutely.
I think this is one of the most underrated quick service restaurants at Hollywood Studios.
No, I don’t think it beats Woody’s Lunch Box.
The food at Woody’s is just more memorable to me.
But ABC Commissary does so many things well that it’s become one of my regular stops every time I visit Hollywood Studios.
The food has always been good.
The dining room is comfortable.
The location couldn’t be much better.
And I already know there are several other things on the menu I’d like to try.
That’s usually a pretty good sign.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- One of my favorite quick service restaurants at Hollywood Studios
- Excellent shrimp tacos
- Great kids meal options
- Huge air-conditioned dining room
- Centrally located
- Easy place to escape the afternoon heat or rain
- Mobile Order available
Cons
- Doesn’t have quite the “wow” factor of Woody’s Lunch Box
- I wish I had more room to try more of the menu every trip. 😂
(I actually love ending the cons like this because it’s honest. You really don’t have many complaints.)
Final Thoughts
ABC Commissary is one of those restaurants that quietly does everything well.
It may not have the hype of Woody’s Lunch Box.
It may not have the incredible theming of some of the restaurants over in Galaxy’s Edge.
But every time I’ve eaten here, I’ve had a really good meal.
And that’s why it sits comfortably at number two in my Hollywood Studios rankings.
Would I tell someone to skip Woody’s and come here instead?
Probably not.
But if Woody’s is packed, it’s blazing hot outside, or you just want to sit in the air conditioning for a while, I honestly think ABC Commissary is one of the best choices you can make.
It’s good food.
It’s comfortable.
And I have a feeling I’ll keep coming back here for a long time.
