Reviews of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
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Menus at Trader Sam's Grog Grotto
Reviewed by Momof4 Review Date: 07/18/2016
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
We were here on June 30th. We came from a blazing hot afternoon at MK and got right in at opening. We were looking forward to AC and a cold beverage. Huge disappointment. It was super dark and loud. The servers didn't do anything special other than pretend to swim. We ordered 6 drinks- 4 cocktails and 2 beers- no souvenir cups-and a few apps. (Wings and tacos, I think) Our bill was over $150.00. Ridiculous. I've had better food and effects at Rainforest and T-rex. We couldn't get out of her fast enough. We ran upstairs and grabbed some Lapu lapus and dinner at Kona and life was good again!
Pros:
Potential to be funCons:
noise.level, prices, quality of.food.and drinksReviewed by dmh2418 Review Date: 10/07/2015
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I waited for an hour to get in and was one of the first people there so I was able to get a seat. There were 3 of us and we each ordered a drink and one appetizer to share. It took about 20 minutes to get our drinks and it seemed like they made only one type of drink at a time. The drinks had so much ice in them that the taste was watered down. The pork tacos were dry and had no flavor to them. The atmosphere was nothing really special, I've seen better special effects in Rainforest Cafe or T-Rex. Some of the staff acted up but our waiter just kept yelling at people to stop taking flash photography, which there were no signs not to do so. We had much better service on the patio.
Pros:
noneCons:
too small, poor service, food was blandReviewed by tcg Review Date: 07/31/2015
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
We arrived twenty minutes before opening and were given a pager. At opening, many pagers went off at once, creating a bit of a stampede. The appetizers (sushi and poke) were delicious. I do find it odd that the sushi has a name, Headhunter Roll, but no description on the menu. The food was the only good part. The staff were bored and seemed tired, but we were there at opening. They seemed very tired of the "routine". We tried to play along and ordered the Uh Oa, it was a bowl of crushed ice, ground cinnamon and alcohol. The menu does not list prices for the specialty drinks. We paid $40.00 for the drink, as it came in a souvenir vessel. When we were leaving, the CM at the door handed us the first wrapped vessel he saw. We knew it was too small to be what we paid for so we inquired and another CM corrected the mistake. Sadly, Trader Sam's isn't worth the time or the money.
Pros:
Fantastic AppetizersCons:
Lackluster staffReviewed by EleanorofAquitaine Review Date: 06/25/2015
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
If you are by yourself, you may well enjoy Trader Sam's. But if you are traveling with even one other person, you have to take your chances. I was very excited to go see what all the fuss was about on my recent trip to the Poly. (June 15-17). But the crowds are still flocking and they don't take reservations. They will give you a pager and let you know when there is space for your party--- or so they say. The catch, as noted on this site, is that they let in 50 people but they do not guarantee all 50 will have a seat. They just send you in and you are on your own. My group of 4 was told we'd have to wait, so some decided to hit the pool bar instead. Two of us stayed behind and try out Trader Sam's, but when we went inside, there were several large parties and lots of people sitting at the bar, so there were literally not two seats together anywhere in the room. No one wanted to let even one of us join them at their table-- and I didn't really blame them. And the bar stools were all full. Finally one bar stool opened up, so I took a seat and my companion sat behind me. Someone was having a specialty drink delivered, so the bartenders were all busy doing the fun things they do when that happens. One was running around the room with a ghost on a stick, another was carrying out the drink, etc. It looked like the crowd was having a great time. Ten minutes later, having still not been asked for a drink order, we gave up and left. We felt like the nerdy kids at the popular kids' table at the lunch room--- invisible and unwelcome. I don't go to Disney to feel unwelcome. It was disappointing, because the theming was fabulous and, as I said, those who were seated with their big groups seemed to be having a great time. Maybe if we are there sometime during the slow season, we can get in when the crowds die down and see what the "popular kids" saw that night.
Pros:
cute atmosphereCons:
no seatingReviewed by Iluvvacations Review Date: 12/21/2022
Rating: (8) Recommended
Glad we went since we were staying at the Poly but probably not worth a special trip. I put our name in 30 min before they opened and we got in 15 min after they opened. Atmosphere is as cool as advertised; however, people didn’t seem to order the drinks that cause the best effects. A lot of people order the Zombie and Pearl. I would suggest ordering one of the shareables and if you are not sharing just do your best and accept that you spent a lot of money for cool effects. We were a party of 3 and sat on a loveseat on one side of a coffee table across from another party of 3. It was fine but a little awkward since the others were not very chatty. The servers are where the magic is, but if no one is ordering the “fun” drinks it’s a little too much of a relaxed vibe.
Pros:
Fun atmosphereCons:
A lot of down time.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 05/31/2022
Rating: (10) Recommended
So much fun to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. I am under 21 so i can’t review the drinks but I did enjoy the room changing as people ordered specific drinks. We went to the hostess and she took our name and party size and after a short wait we got in. I thought we would be seated at a table but to my surprise we had to find any 2 seats. This isn’t a bad thing though my mom and i met a wonderful couple and enjoyed talking to them.
Pros:
atmosphere!!Cons:
If you’re shy the seating arrangement may not be for youReviewed by ChefsWife70 Review Date: 04/10/2022
Rating: (9) Recommended
What a fun experience! I've been coming to WDW since 1975 and this was my first time at Trader Sam's. Since this was our first time traveling without kids or a big family group, my husband and I were excited about finally having the opportunity to visit the Grog Grotto. We put our name on the return list around 2:45 and were called back via text around 3:45. We were seated with a larger family group at the surfboard table in the center. They were ordering food so we got to see and smell the yummy offerings even though we had already eaten at Capt. Cook's earlier. Since it was our first experience, we ordered several drinks and bought souvenir Tiki mugs. It was a little pricey, but worth it for a special occasion. The drinks were strong, but really good. The fun atmosphere and antics combined with the special effects were really enjoyable. This was a great way to spend a resort day afternoon before a dining reservation.
Pros:
Fun, unique atmosphere. Tiki souvenir mugs. The Spikey Pineapple (Dole Whip blended with rum) is worth the visit alone.Cons:
Limited seating can make it difficult to get into if you don't plan ahead.Reviewed by MouseHouse36 Review Date: 03/28/2022
Rating: (7) Recommended
This is a one and done for me. The drink was ok but not worth the price or the work to get to the Polynesian. I am glad I got to come to trader sams on a not so busy Thursday and break up a busy magic kingdom day. That being said next time I’d rather go some place quieter with better drinks and more food options like steakhouse 71
Pros:
Fun environmentCons:
Expensive drinks, loud, not relaxingReviewed by FleurDeLys Review Date: 12/14/2021
Rating: (10) Recommended
We left MK mid-afternoon to go over to Trader Sam's, knowing that they opened at 3pm and that there may be a wait to get in. The cast member at the door took our name and cell phone number (no pager) about 45 minutes before opening time, and we casually wandered about the lobby and shops. About 5 minutes before opening time, we returned to wait with all the others on the list. Our name was called in the first batch and we were ushered inside to a specific table (we didn't have to find our own). There were only two of us, and a cast member later brought around a party of one to join us at the table. We have been to Sam's before, so we mostly knew what to expect. The special effects are... well, they are special. The space is literally filled to the rafters with details! The servers and bartenders seemed to enjoy the antics, as did we. Our server was especially sassy, to the point of being snarky (but not rude). When I asked about the Jungle Cruise tiki mug, she said that they did have it - and in perfect unapologetic deadpan, told me "But the drink it comes with is not very good. It's bad." I had it anyway, and she was right, but I got the mug. Our food was good, but the small plates are ... well, they are small. I recommend that playful people try Trader Sam's for a unique experience.
Pros:
atmosphere, and a tiki mug full of funCons:
it's got limited capacity, so it may be hard to get inReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 08/11/2020
Rating: (10) Recommended
Trader Sam’s is the ULTIMATE must do in pretty much all of Walt Disney World in my opinion. I visit 5-7 times a year from out of state and have never had a bad experience. The staff is always so into their characters and almost every drink is top notch every time. The prices can be a bit on the higher side but for the top tier quality of the drinks, food and service, its always a spectacular way to begin a monorail crawl around the resorts
