The Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Fries promise big flavor and portions, but does SeaWorld Orlando’s Lakeside Grill deliver? We visited to find out.

Lakeside Grill at SeaWorld Orlando underwent a revamp in the last few months. As a result, the Tex-Mex entrées disappeared from the menu. However, it appears that some tacos moved from Lakeside Grill to the Panini Shore Grill near Mako.

Lakeside Grill resides in a nice location near the water, with some outdoor covered patio seating. The SeaWorld Orlando official website states guests can “Take in the waterfront breezes on the outdoor patio or enjoy air-conditioned comfort in the dining room next to a 600-gallon aquarium. This restaurant combines a Classic American menu with coastal-inspired decor, great music, and panoramic views. Discover a fantastic family-friendly dining experience on the Waterfront next to Oyster’s Secret.”

Lakeside Grill Menu Changes

Lakeside Grill was closed when we visited SeaWorld Orlando two months ago for an all-day dining adventure. Additionally, it has been closed for most of our subsequent visits. However, Lakeside Grill reopened with this new menu. It includes:

• Applewood Bacon Cheeseburger – Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, pickles, onions, garlic mayo
• Grilled Pineapple Chicken Sandwich – Marinated chicken thigh, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, and garlic mayo on a Brioche Bun
• North Atlantic Fish Sandwich – Beer battered Haddock, lettuce, tomato & tartar sauce on a Brioche bun
• Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Fries – Seasoned French fries smothered in cheddar cheese, steak, peppers, and onions.
• Crispy Chicken Tenders – Seasoned breaded chicken tenders.

On the surface, this new menu looks fairly dull compared to a Tex-Mex menu. Given that there are numerous other standard theme park dining options, such as chicken tenders, pizza, and burgers, would this menu change significantly improve the dining experience?

Since we’ve been reviewing loaded tater tots frequently lately, we decided to give the Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Fries a try. Though we doubted these could match the portion size of the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay loaded tater tots, we expected slightly higher-quality food from Lakeside Grill with the menu revamp.

Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Fries at Lakeside Grill – $18.99

Even though the interior of Lakeside Grill looks like more than a standard quick service at SeaWorld Orlando, the price point for the entrée here hurts your eyes. Most entrees are $18.99. Only the chicken tenders cost less, a dollar less. Yes, annual pass discounts are applicable here, and you can utilize the All-Day Dining Plan. Still, that price point (and the annoying 5% surcharge at SeaWorld Orlando on everything) suggests that the entrées at Lakeside Grill are high quality. As you might imagine, that level of implied promise sets things up for many guests dining here without the dining plan to go wrong.

Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Fries Review

So, how did these taste? On a positive note, the fries that served as a base for the entrée were pretty tasty and held up well. They avoided becoming oversoggy.

Nevertheless, the menu description states that guests will receive an entrée “smothered in cheddar cheese, steak, peppers, and onions.” It should be noted that the menu board and the online menu have different descriptions; however, the term “smothered” is consistent in both. The entrée we received fell short of that promise. Unlike the covered tater tots at Tot Topia at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, our meal at Lakeside Grill did not provide a large portion of toppings. Also, for the record, the covered tater tots at Tot Topia cost a dollar less and do not have a 5% surcharge.

The amount of steak with this entrée stood out as the most significant omission. Overall, it failed to be a very filling item. This was more than just a snack; it was a legitimate meal. Still, it does not live up to the promised menu description. The theme park entrée costs over $20 when one calculates the 5% surcharge and sales tax. Guests should expect more for that price, even considering the SeaWorld Orlando pricing structure, which is designed to steer people toward the All-Day Dining Plan, a reasonable deal at $60 per day.

Regarding flavor, the cheese sauce was standard theme park cheese sauce. The cheesesteak mixture tasted average by theme park standards. Sadly, nothing stood out about this entrée. We were glad to give this new-ish menu item a try. However, we will order other menu items when dining at Lakeside Grill in the future.

For more theme park dining reviews, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. As always, eat like you mean it!

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