Did you guess where I was going yesterday?!
First let’s back up to the day time events – I spent the day at Disney’s California Adventure with my fam. 
Snacks were enjoyed…
The new Cars Land was packed so we got in the single rider line for Radiator Springs Races for a shorter wait. Luckily my mom and I still got in the same car.
It was a fun ride, a little short but I liked it. 
California Adventure celebrates all things from the Golden State. I don’t know if you’re aware but I am a big fan of CA 
So, I dig it.
This area is modeled after fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco. We walked through the Ghirardelli store and they give you a free piece of chocolate. God bless it. 
Since Chinese New Year is upon us there is a special menu at one of the restaurants. They had a Ginger tea that caught my eye. I thought it would be like boba tea, which it kinda sorta is, just not as awesome (but the boba places around here ROCK).
The infamous smoked turkey leg had to happen too…
Eat like you mean it. (I think the guy behind me is judging my food choices.)
We also went on the big ferris wheel thing and it was freezing. So, I had to cuddle up with this complete stranger to keep warm. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Me: “Do you have a message for my readers since I’m going to post about you today?”
Ben: “No”
So there ya go. 
Okay now for the main event…
Club 33 is a member’s only club inside Disneyland. 
Located within Disneyland, discreetly above the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square is perhaps one of Orange County’s finest five star restaurants. With a limited membership of only 487, Club 33 is not open to the public. Members may however arrange for their friends and associates to experience the club.
Back in November Ben got special recognition at work for being awesome. The owner of his company is a member of Club 33 and invited him and 3 guests to have dinner at the club. You need to know 2 things about this:
1. The club is super expensive and exclusive, so this is a really big deal.
2. My little brother Matt is OBSESSED with Disney so this is an even bigger deal to him than anyone else in the world.
So, Ben obviously invited Matt, my mom and this girl for dinner.
When you get there you ring the doorbell and say the name the reservation is under. This door is right next to the Blue Bayou. 
This guy answered and ushered us inside. He gave us a quick tour of the tiny lobby and a history of the pictures on the walls.
Then, you take a teeny elevator up to the second floor with the dining room.
Club 33 has a ton of Disney history around. This end table was in the movie Mary Poppins (which I don’t think I’ve seen all the way through?).
There was a cute bachelorette party there too! I’m sure if I took Cindy here for her bachelorette she’d disown me, but it works for them. (Sidenote: her party is coming up in March!)
Club 33 is considered a 5 star restaurant and it really shows. The service, menu and dining room are all gorgeous. 
I started with a glass of Riesling. You guys know I am super not fancy, but this was fun to pretend for the night.
The menu is unique and everything sounded amazing. (Plus our reservation was for 8pm and I was starving.)
This is also a 5 course prix fixe menu. Note: dinner was included with the invite so we did not pay for anything but the drinks. Or I would have died because again, I’m not fancy.
Little Gem Lettuce Salad
Heirloom Lentil Soup
Calamari
King Crab Stuffed Maine Lobster
Even the washrooms were fancy… super kinda old style but I like that they’re keeping it original.
The sitting room outside the washroom. 
And because this is a full service blog and I know you’d want to know…
Dessert!
Unfortunately, my dessert was not the highlight of the evening. I ordered the Chocolate Truffle and it was served too cold and hard to be smooth.
But, Ben’s Almond Cake was Ah-mazing! I want it again.
Matt ordered the brownie and it came with a Club 33 chocolate on top.
Question: What’s the nicest restaurant you’ve ever been to?
This will probably it for the rest of my life. Back to Taco Bell now…
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Fancy schmancy! Did Ben lose weight (not that he needed to ) or something? He looks different…or maybe it’s because we haven’t seen him around these parts much these days. Either way it looks like a fun day.
Looks like so much fun! I’ve been to Disneyland only once about 20 years ago. I guess I need to go again.
oMG BEN!
Do you know it has made my day seeing Ben, on your blog, it has mad me, a lurker, comment.
I love reading your blog, but lately I’ve been worried about where your lovely ben is. You seem such a cute couple it was making me sad.
Also while I am here, I know you have been changing your blog content lately, and that’s up to you, but I liked it the way it was.
Ben stay in the blog
Hi Dawnie, Thanks for coming out of the woodwork to chime in
WOW! That restaurant is amazing. I had no idea it even existed! I just came across your blog and I love it
I can’t wait to read more.
I think it is really sweet you brought your Mom and Brother, really sweet
Wow that looks like so much fun! The nicest restaurant I’ve been to was at the top of Hera’s casino overlooking Lake Tahoe. A dentist friend of my parents treated us all. The only 5 course meal I’ve ever had and definitely the fanciest food place I’ve ever been to.
Loved reading this! Sounds like a great time:) And that picture with the guy in the background is too funny!
So what’s your over-all assessment, worth paying the $120/person for? My brother-in-law has a club 33 connection and we are all HUGE Disney fans as well. How exciting to go there! Thanks for the pictures.
The food was good, but I just can’t imagine paying that much for dinner
what a neat experience!
first of all, LOL at the guy in the background of you eating that turkey leg pic!
I’ve never been to disney so didn’t even know about Club 33 – but maaan, that looks so amazing!! I love fancy restaurants once in a while (when I can afford it!!).
I had to go back and look at that picture. TOO funny! If only he knew thousands of running women around the world were looking at him watching her!
I can’t stop laughing at the guy behind you while you’re eating your turkey leg. He is obviously overflowing with jealousy and can’t wait until he gets his own.
And the Mary Poppins thing, I agree! I don’t know that I’ve seen it all either… same with the Sound of Music. I’m embarrassed!
How else would you eat a gigantic turkey leg? Love it!
I had no idea that this place existed but it looks awesome! Fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been to was the Forge in Miami. Every time we went there we were surrounded by Miami Heat players. It was so delish and wonderful.
I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Club 33, but I’ll probably never get the opportunity, so thank you so much for sharing!
I think the fanciest place I’ve ever eaten is the Blue Duck Tavern in Washington, DC. One of those places you’re glad you’re not paying.
I can’t believe you got to go there!! That is so awesome!
We went to a place once that served sorbet in between courses and then big cream puffs at the end. But like you, it is too fancy for me.
The Kidless Kronicles
I’m living vicariously through this post. Love Disney!! Super cool!!
Totally jealous!! I just bought my year pass to Disney World and my first trip for the year will be next weekend, I can’t wait.
The fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been to has to be the Eiffel Tower restaurant in Vegas. OMG it was soooo good. If you ever go, you have to have the pistachio souffle, sounds weird, but it’s amazing.
When I was little I thought the Blue Bayou was super fancy! Little did I know…
It is so awesome you got to go there, practically for FREE. I almost gagged when I saw the prices on the menu. Now I have a new life goal!
O.M.G. I LOVE places like that – I mean don’t get me wrong I LOVE food but amazing food + amazing experience = AMAZING!?!
I have two favorites- well in Tampa…
Bern’s Steakhouse: the largest private wine cellar in the world and they have their own organic farm where everything is grown/raised/whatever else happens at Farms. http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/
And Bern’s Dessert Room: Haha I’m creative! Next time you’re in the FLA this is a MUST!
omg! so jealous!!! glad it was so much fun!
Wow what a nice restaurant! Look at how nice everyone (except your family) is dressed.
Sounds like fun. I absolutely love your sunglasses!
I went to Per Se in NYC two times – once when my PR client hosted a dinner there, and another time when our friends TREATED us. It was insane. Robert DeNiro came in the second time (it’s a small place, you can see everyone).
That is sooooo cool!
I am so jealous! Ive been to Disney World about a billion times. They don’t have anything like that in Orlando. I’ve been to plenty of nice restaurants but now I must find a way to get my butt up to Club 33!
They totally do! Check out Victoria and Albert’s. It’s not exclusive, although reservations book up fast, but it’s fancy
Had a wonderful Reunion dinner (Chinese New Year eve) with family at Westin Kuala Lumpur. Nothing fancy but it good all around. Have the pics up on my blog.
I’ve been to Disneyland so many times I can’t count and never knew Club 33 even existed…fail on my part being the Disney expert I thought I was…have been to some pretty upscale restaurants but Ruth’s Chris in Maui is definately my favorite!
Ha ha! I’m sure you’ll go fancy again! My favourite place is The Sportsman, a rustic country pub near a seaside village in England that serves Michelin-starred food. It’s the best of both – a relaxed atmosphere with waiting staff in jeans and food that still makes my mouth water at the memory over a year later…
I think this means that you are officially Disney elite. I love that there’s basically a secret society at Disneyland, makes it even cooler!
If that man is judging you for your food choice, then the woman behind you in the photo is judging him for judging you…
I have NEVER been to Disneyland
You are so lucky! I told my husband last night that you were going so he will want the full report! We are both OBSESSED with Walt Disney World!!
I’ve never heard of Club 33. That teeny little salad is ridic! It sounds like you had fun! I keep asking hubs if we can get Disney passes if we move back to LA. He keeps telling me, “No!!!” Why is he a Disney hater????
This looks incredible. Do you know if there is a similar feature/club at Disney World?
i LOVE that guy in the background of your turkey leg picture
I saw it on FB and I laughed my head off. I’m so jealous that you got to go to Club 33, I am a huge Disney freak! I’m starting to think you are fancy using words like “washroom” 
That was one fancy toilet!
I’ve never been to Club 33. Looks way too fancy for me. BUT, I have been to Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian in Disneyworld. It is open to the public, but they enforce a strict dress code, I.e. no jeans, or t-shirts etc. Women wear dress pants or a dress, for men a coat and tie are required. The food was amazing. Since it was our honeymoon, they gave us personalized menus, with the suggested wine pairings. The dining room was like eating dinner in a Victorian living room. We had a table near the fireplace.
So much fun, and such good food! You know it made an impression when I can remember it after 17years!
So cool you guys got to go there, good job Mr. Ben for being so awesome!
A dear friend of my Mom’s was a member and she used to let us use her membership often. Such great memories. The part I liked best is when you time your reservation right you can sip your after dinner cocktails on the balcony watching the Fantasmic show out of all the crowds – best night ever!
My two super-fancy dining experiences were “The Polo Lounge” at the Beverly Hills Hotel (Thanksgiving dinner nearly 20 years ago!) and The Clubhouse at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel (our honeymoon).
a tragedy really!
I’ve also been to BoLo in NYC which is owned by Bobby Flay, but sadly, the handsome redhead wasn’t there when I was!
Happy Monday!
Wow, thats amazing, what a treat. I’ve never been to California so I’ve only heard about Disneyland but this restaurant seems pretty cool. The only super nice restaurant I can think of that I’ve been to is the Capital Grille. One time we went for my ex-boyfriends birthday and we ordered a ton of food, sides, desserts, bottles of wine- the works. When the check book came, there was no check inside- apparently his dad had connections at that location and someone comped it.
My hubby and I went to Victoria & Albert’s in Disneyworld on our honeymoon. By far the fanciest place I’ve ever been. I guess anywhere you go where your dinner costs more than your mortgage is a special occasion
Club 33 sounds fun! My husband and I went to a super nice French restuarant for our anniversary last year. Wasn’t outrageously expensive, but we probably spent about $100. Fun for a special occasion.