Quick service
Flame Tree Barbecue
The short answer
Animal Kingdom's best quick service, and the best seating of any counter on the property — covered waterfront pavilions stepping down to Discovery River, facing Expedition Everest, that most guests walk straight past. The ribs, chicken and pulled pork sampler is $18.99 and the smoked pulled pork sandwich, which is the value pick, is $12.49.
- Where
- Discovery Island, Disney's Animal Kingdom, on the water. Ordering is at the counter near the path; the seating is down a series of covered pavilions behind it that most guests walk past.
- Cuisine
- American barbecue
- Reservation
- Walk up — no problem
- Booking
- No reservations — order when you get there
- Typical spend
- about $18 a head · checked Sep 9, 2026
- Dress code
- None
- Noise
- quiet
- Non-resort guests
- Yes — with theme park admission
- Dining plan
- Quick-service plan, 2026 and 2027 · Disney’s own listing, Sep 22, 2026
$8.75cheapest$12.75median$18.95dearest
Mean main course from Disney’s own menu. Drinks, sides and tip are on top. Read Sep 21, 2026.
Is it worth the money?
The best seating-to-price ratio at Walt Disney World.
The food is good barbecue rather than great barbecue — properly smoked, generously portioned, and better than it needs to be for a theme park counter.
What makes it exceptional is where you eat it. The pavilions behind the ordering window step down towards Discovery River, covered, shaded, cooled by the water, and looking across at Expedition Everest. Most guests never walk far enough back to find the good ones. On a hot Animal Kingdom afternoon that is worth more than the meal.
At around $18 a head it is mid-priced for quick service, and the $12.49 pulled pork sandwich brings it well under that. Disney's descriptor here also says "under $14.99 per adult", which the sampler and the combo both exceed.
Who it’s right for
Anyone at Animal Kingdom at lunchtime, which is when that park is at its hottest and its shade is worth the most. Barbecue eaters. Groups sharing a sampler. And anyone who wants to sit somewhere genuinely pleasant without a reservation.
Who it’s wrong for
Anyone in the rain, since the pavilions are covered but open-sided. Vegetarians beyond the one plant-based option. And anyone who wants to eat quickly — the walk back to the good seating takes a few minutes and is the entire point.
What is actually good
The Ribs, Chicken and Pulled Pork Sampler at $18.99 is the order for anyone who wants all three, and it feeds one large appetite or two moderate ones.
The Ribs and Chicken Combo is $15.99, a half chicken $13.79, and the Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich $12.49 — which is the value pick and genuinely good.
Baked Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork at $12.99 is the comfort order. The plant-based option is now a Korean Barbecue Sandwich at $12.49; the plant-based burnt ends that older menus list are gone.
Sides are $4.99 to $6.99, or $8.99 for fries loaded with pulled pork and cheese, and the Black Garlic Truffle Parmesan Fries at $6.99 are the same ones Columbia Harbour House sells — they have quietly appeared across the property.
Beware the drinks. Fountain drinks are $4.79 and $5.59, and the cocktails $15.50 to $17.50 with a souvenir glow cube, which is more than most entrées. Prices from Disney's menu, 13 September 2026.
Portions
Barbecue-sized. The sampler defeats most people. The pulled pork sandwich at $12.49 is a full lunch. Kids' platters are $7.29 to $8.29.
Allergies and dietary needs
There is one plant-based main, a Korean Barbecue Sandwich, which is more than many barbecue counters manage. Beyond that the menu is what it says it is — smoke and meat — and coeliac guests should ask, because the sauces and the cornbread are where the problems live.
Disney publishes all seven of its allergen menus for this location — peanut and tree nut, fish and shellfish, sesame, egg, gluten and wheat, soy and milk — listing 72 allergen-friendly items from $4.79 to $18.99, read 16 September 2026. That is a menu you can check before you travel. Most locations have none, and there the conversation happens at the counter: see our food allergy guide.
Common questions
- Where is the seating at Flame Tree Barbecue?
- Behind the ordering counter, down a series of covered pavilions that step towards Discovery River and face Expedition Everest. Most guests stop at the first tables; the good ones are further back and are shaded, cooled by the water and frequently empty. It is the best quick-service seating on the property.
- How much is Flame Tree Barbecue?
- The Ribs, Chicken and Pulled Pork Sampler is $18.99, Ribs and Chicken Combo $15.99, half chicken $13.79, pulled pork sandwich $12.49, mac and cheese with pulled pork $12.99. Sides $4.99 to $6.99. Expect about $18 a head. Checked 9 September 2026.
- What is the best value at Flame Tree Barbecue?
- The Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich at $12.49. It is a full lunch, it is the cheapest meat option, and it is genuinely good. The $18.99 sampler is better if two of you are sharing, and defeats most single appetites.
- Is there anything for vegetarians at Flame Tree Barbecue?
- One real option: the plant-based Korean Barbecue Sandwich at $12.49 on Disney's menu of 13 September 2026. Beyond that this is a barbecue counter and the menu is smoke and meat, so a vegetarian in a group is served rather than catered for.
Sources
- Walt Disney World official — Flame Tree Barbecue menu, read 13 September 2026: the entrées, the plant-based Korean Barbecue Sandwich at $12.49, sides and drink prices. — Disney official · checked
- The Mouse For Less — Flame Tree Barbecue 2026 menu with prices (sampler $18.99, combo $15.99, half chicken $13.79, pulled pork sandwich $12.49, plant-based burnt ends $12.29, sides, drink prices, and the waterfront pavilion seating) — reported by · checked
- Walt Disney World — Flame Tree Barbecue, official restaurant page (location, quick-service designation and price descriptor) — Disney official · checked
- AllEars — Flame Tree BBQ 2026 lunch and dinner menu and prices (independent corroboration) — reported by · checked