Review: The Ham and Gruyère Sandwich and Crème Brûlée Croissant from Gaston’s Tavern
I will be the first to admit that Magic Kingdom is my least favorite park when it comes to dining. I struggle to find items here that feel like a good quality or are just overall enjoyable. Enter Gaston’s Tavern, which had fallen off my radar. In fact, more years ago than I would like to admit, we frequented this location for their turkey sub sandwich. When it was removed from the menu, we quit going there…until recently.
Over the past year or so, I’ve repeatedly seen guests talking about the Ham and Gruyère sandwich and Crème Brûlée Croissant from Gaston’s Tavern. I do not order a ton of sweets, so I had no plans to try the croissant. It really didn’t even sound appealing, but the ham and Gruyere sandwich sounded right up my alley. So on one very chilly evening, I ended up here for dinner. Suffice it to say, Gaston’s quickly moved back to the top of my radar for quick-service dining at Magic Kingdom. Let me tell you why.
When I arrived at Gaston’s Tavern this evening, there was a line out the door. I was a little surprised to find so many guests waiting. In the past, I’ve almost always been able to walk right in and order, as you can see in the photo below.
Normally, I like to dine outside at one of the tables under an umbrella. This evening, however, it was downright cold. Also, it was so crowded that I became worried about finding a seat while I waited. If you’ve never been inside Gaston’s Tavern, it’s worth a walk through. It’s a fairly small establishment. One of the dining rooms has a huge fireplace with a portrait of Gaston surrounded by antlers. It’s quite impressive, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from a guy who eats five dozen eggs for breakfast.
Don’t forget to look up at the antler chandelier.
Anyway, back to this meal. I waited approximately 15 minutes just to order my food. Then, there was some sort of mishap with the order ahead of me, which made the wait even longer. The cast member must have felt bad, so when she brought my tray, she mentioned that she threw in the creme brulee croissant to help make up for my wait. This is how I ended up with dinner and dessert.
The Ham and Gruyère Sandwich is a crispy croissant dough that’s filled with ham and gruyère cheese. It comes with a small bag of potato chips. If you’ve ever had puff pastry, this is pretty much the same thing. However, it’s stuffed with hot ham and melted cheese.
The melted cheese was very similar to a bechamel sauce, adding a bit of richness to the sandwich. For less than $11.00, I was more than happy with this offering.
Next, we have the “Crème Brûlée Croissant,” which is a crispy croissant dough filled with vanilla bean custard. This one surprised me. I expected it to be warm to the touch, but it was just room temperature. There was no way I was going to like this.
But I was wrong. I devoured this entire little square of goodness. And no, after the first bite, there was no way I was sharing it with anyone. The croissant envelopes a layer of soft vanilla custard. After a bite or two, it made sense that it wasn’t a dish served warm. Oh, and as far as the croissant goes, it’s been brushed with a layer of what I can only describe as crystallized caramel sauce. It adds a bit of crunch to the soft layers of bread and creamy center. You’ll totally get the whole “creme brulee” thing after a bite or two. It’s delicious.
Final Thoughts
If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom, don’t sleep on Gaston’s Tavern! The often-considered snack location is a great place to have lunch or dinner! Worth noting, this location takes the Disney Dining Plan. Make sure to check out our Disney Dining Plan Restaurant Finder for more locations:
2026 Disney Dining Plan Restaurants List (With Free Spreadsheet)
In the Comments
Okay, have you tried the ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich or the creme brulee croissant at Gaston’s Tavern? Let us know if you enjoyed it as much as we did! Tell us in the comments below or on our social media.
