My party of 2 spent $50 at 50's Prime Time Café in Disney World, and we loved the retro vibes and big portions
- My mom and I spent $50 dining at 50's Prime Time Café in Disney World's Hollywood Studios.
- The restaurant looks like a kitschy 1950's kitchen where "mom" is cooking everyone's meal.
I visit Disney World all the time as an annual passholder, so I've dined at many of the restaurants in the theme parks.
On a recent trip to Hollywood Studios, my mom and I ate at 50's Prime Time Café.
The restaurant is themed to feel like a 1950s-style home
From the outside, 50's Prime Time Café looks like a cool 1950s California home with pastel railings, lots of windows, and a bright-blue door.
There's an adorable sign out front that rotates and looks like an old-fashioned TV that lets diners know they're in the right place.
After checking in for my reservation through the My Disney Experience app, I was greeted at the front door by an employee who introduced themself as "uncle" and took my mom and I to our table.
Everyone who works here has a backstory here, whether they're an aunt, uncle, or cousin, and everyone is one big family.
After passing the adorable kitchen setup at the front of the restaurant, I knew we were in for a good time. The entire restaurant is filled with kitschy decor, lots of vibrant patterns, and pastel everything.
The dining room is actually broken up into multiple small rooms
Unlike a traditional restaurant where there's just one large dining room, at 50's Prime Time, there are multiple small rooms with large walls breaking them up.
Each room has three to four tables that can seat small or large groups.
Because the restaurant is 1950s-themed, there are plenty of things to see, from antique cookie jars to oddly shaped Bundt pans. I made sure to take a quick gander at each room before leaving.
Getting a prized TV table was a highlight
After making our way to our designated dining room, I was delighted when we were seated at one of the few tables with an old-school TV. These seats are highly coveted by Disney fans, and typically cannot be requested, so getting one is a real treat.
The TVs show black-and-white clips of old shows and even a reel of Walt Disney's dedication speech at Disneyland.
I really enjoyed being able to watch some of the shows my mom grew up with and hear her stories about her favorite episodes.
The menu is filled with down-home classics, just like mom used to make.
Everything on the menu is good old-fashioned comfort food, with dishes like meatloaf, fried chicken, and pot roast.
Appetizers at the restaurant range from $9 to $12, and entrees range from $17 to $27.
50's Prime Time is also known for its super thick and creamy milkshakes.
Every guest must follow 'mom's' rules
Everything at 50's Prime Time is all in good fun, but the waitstaff warns every diner that "mom" has some rules that every guest should follow.
The first is that kids need to set the table with the basket of napkins and silverware. The second (and most important) rule is there are absolutely no elbows on the table.
Our waitress came over to introduce herself as our "aunt" and told us "mom" was hard at work in the kitchen making our dinner so we better behave.
My milkshake was a sweet indulgence
When I'm at 50's Prime Time, I always start with the iconic peanut-butter-and-jelly milkshake ($9).
The thick milkshake is a blend of creamy peanut butter, strawberry or grape jelly, milk, and vanilla ice cream. It's brought to the table in a shiny metal cup with a long milkshake spoon.
After tasting the milkshake, I can definitely say it's worth the price. The portion was so huge that even after splitting the treat with my mom, we still had some leftovers.
Our waitress got us a to-go cup for the rest before we left the restaurant.
Next up, I tried the fried herb-and-garlic cheese as an appetizer
For as long as I can remember the fried herb-and-garlic cheese ($10) has been an appetizer at 50's Prime Time, and it's always a hit.
It's made with creamy cheese that reminds me of my favorite cheese spread at home, and the outside is fried to make a crispy crust.
The dish is served with a tangy raspberry sauce, red grapes, granny-smith apple slices, and a crispy piece of garlic toast. The raspberry sauce cuts through the savory cheese, and the fruit is a nice sweet accompaniment.
My mom and I split an entrée, making our meal less expensive
There are a few great entrée selections on the menu, but we ultimately went with Mom's old-fashioned pot roast ($25).
The meal came with a large portion of succulent pot roast on top of creamy garlic mashed potatoes. The dish was topped off with brown gravy and a few sautéed carrots, onions, and celery pieces.
It isn't the prettiest, but it was scrumptious.
The meat was super tender and well-seasoned. The potatoes had a good amount of garlic without being overwhelming. They were also a little thicker than how I typically like mashed potatoes, but in this case, it was fine since they had to hold up the gravy and meat. The gravy was silky smooth and the sautéed veggies added a much-needed break from the strong beef flavor.
Splitting an entrée here is really the way to go, not only because it's budget-conscious, but also because the portions are huge.
Anytime my mom and I eat here we always walk out full, even when we share.
Since we finished all our food, our waitress let us be sticker-carrying members of the "clean plate club." It's a cute touch to the homey vibes, and you get a little sticker souvenir.
We ended up spending $50, and we'll definitely be coming back
In total, we tried one milkshake, one appetizer, and one entrée, which cost $50 with the tip.
We were able to use our annual-passholder discount and get 10% off of our total bill before the tip, which was also a great money saver.
There are plenty of places to dine across Disney World, but 50's Prime Time Café is easily one of my favorites. The cute atmosphere paired with fun employee interactions and delicious food makes for an overall great experience.
Next time I dine here, I'm looking forward to trying the beer-battered onion rings ($12) and Aunt Liz's fried chicken ($25).