Flame Tree BBQ
Animal Kingdom
Lunch
Date of Visit: 3/7/2007
Time of Visit: 12:45
Adults in Party: 3
Children in Party: 1
Total Cost: $39.37
Average Price Per Adult: $11.79
Ten Point Scale
Food: 9.0
Value: 9.0
Service: 8.0
Environment: 8.3
Overall Rating: 8.6
One of the two counter-service eateries in DAK with a good reputation (the other being Tusker House), Flame Tree BBQ is a solid choice with many fans. As a barbecue joint, it doesn't disappoint, giving barbecue aficionados more or less exactly what they are looking for. 

Entrees come with a small corn on the cob (serviceable, if a bit overcooked) and baked beans, which are soggy but flavorful, and really quite good. The pulled pork sandwich ($7) is not that tasty in and of itself, but as a vehicle for BBQ sauce, it works admirably. There's a prepacked BBQ sauce that works well on this sandwich, and two varieties (one standard, one spicy) available by the pump. On the day we visited, the standard kind was out, and the Cast Member made no effort to replenish it when I let her know it was empty. The spicy one was as much taco sauce as BBQ sauce, but it was truly excellent on the half chicken meal ($8) or the kid's chicken wings ($4). The adult chicken was tender and reasonably tasty on its own. While the taste elements were there for the child's meal, the wings were fatty and greasy, and my four year old was not impressed. The pork ribs meal ($8) was six ribs, all reasonably meaty, but with an insufficient flavor on their own. With sauce, though, they sprang to life smartly.

A surprise winner was the side order of onion rings. Greasy and delicious, they were light to consume but heavy once eaten. And speaking of heavy, you may wish to steer clear of the key lime pie. It was the consistency and weight of cheesecake, not the usual key lime pie. After a meal already heavy with meats, sauces, and calories, this dessert goes over like... well, like a ton of bricks.

Service was not particularly fast at the window, though it was also not horribly slow. The above-mentioned problem of keeping the condiment stand fully stocked was fortunately counter-balanced by a crack team of bussers who kept tables clean, quickly wiping them down for the next party. But one hurdle in this restaurant isn't easily surmounted: it's outdoors only. Without climate control, it cannot keep patrons cool in the summer or warm in the winter, and the eatery suffers in comparison to others in the park for this reason. Given pleasant weather and a predisposition to BBQ (providing you use the right sauce), you might really enjoy this stop.