Review- Smokejumpers Grill (Disney California Adventure)

By Jennifer Stuart

Smokejumpers Grill is a counter service restaurant located in the Grizzly Peak area of Disney California Adventure, just off Carthay Circle.  Read on to find our review and photos.

This restaurant is fairly centrally located  in DCA as it is relatively near the entrance and you can head in three different directions from here.  This location was renamed and re-themed during the makeover of the area from Condor Flats to Grizzly Peak.  The theming now pays homage to America's national parks.  Look for some of the amazing details and memorabilia on the walls.  They really add to the atmosphere. 

There is a good amount of outdoor seating that is shaded either by the adjacent buildings or big umbrellas.  We found that in a heatwave these provide a nice break from the sun.

On to what we thought of the food.  This is a counter service restaurant and all of our items came very quickly.  Note that Annual Passholders receive a discount if they show their card at time of ordering.

First up is the Bacon Cheddar Burger served with a side of fries (or coleslaw--not pictured). This is a hearty burger with a good amount of bacon.  It is also served on a bun that is upgraded from the usual fast food offerings.  Definitely a satisfying meal or good to split between 2 smaller eaters. As this is California Adventure several locations serve alcohol. Doug enjoyed this with a Karl Strauss Handcrafted Beer $8.50USD (Budweiser and Bud Light also available for $6.75USD).   I can't drink and then go on rides but he has a much stronger stomach than I do.

As an update the fries have changed and now come as  waffle fries. It makes a fun change form the usual french fry but has no noticeable taste difference in  our opinion.

We also tried the Cheeseburger with side of Fries $11.49USD  (pictured with a side of onion rings ---available for small surcharge).  We decided to try it with the onion rings and there was no problem making the substitution.  The onion rings were a nice change of pace from the usual fries.  They were pronounced good by our onion ring taste testers.  Onion rings can also be ordered separately for $3.79USD.

If you are tired of burgers and fries there is also the  Grilled Chicken and Feta Salad on a bed of spring greens with tomatoes and crispy wonton strips $9.99USD.  This was a good sized meal salad with plenty of chicken.  It was a little light on the feta cheese for me, (I love feta) but that is a pretty minor quibble.

We also tried the Snowy Vanilla Shake ---topped with whip cream for $4.69 (also available in Chocolate Peak). This was a family favourite!  A very good thick shake that tasted fantastic in the heat. As you can see they didn't skimp on  the whip cream. It was so good that we made a stop later in the week just for shakes.

We also tried the Kids meal chicken breast nuggets (we substituted fries for carrots and apples). It also comes with either a small milk or small bottled water for $7.49USD.  The nuggets were good but standard, and all of it came hot.  This is a good sized meal for a kid or an adult who just wants a smaller portion. The adult sized version is  $9.49USD .  The kids size is a great value as it also includes a drink (or if you really want a shake to go with it, just keep the bottle of water for later).

A great new addition to the kids meals is a grilled chicken skewer.  The chicken is lightly seasoned with just salt and pepper (as far as we could taste0 so is sure to please kids who don't want a lot of added flavour.  This is a great healthier option for an adult who wants a lighter meal.  This meal is shown with fries but is also available with apple slices or baby carrots.  Comes with a dannone yogurt "smoothie" and   a drink ( chocolate milk, juice box or small water) 

The stand out value here is the toppings bar.  This is what sets this location above the other burger bar choices.  The toppings bar is almost a mini salad bar!  Everything looked fresh and was well stocked.  There was green leaf lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, sliced dill pickles, jalepeno peppers, and pickled red peppers.  This is also where you can get little cups of dressing, and condiments.  There is so much variety here it would be pretty easy to put together a decent side salad to go with your burger.

Insider Tip:  If you are thinking of getting a soda pop to go with your meal you might want to head across the street to the Coke Freestyle location for a fun change of pace.  Read our review here.

If you liked this review you may be interested in our review of Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe or Cafe Orleans both located in Disneyland.

All photos by Jennifer Stuart and Kim Stuart

Thought? Questions?  Do you have a favourite menu item?  We would love to hear from you.