Pecos Bill Review: The Magic Kingdom Quick Service I Never Expected to Frequent

A few years ago, I would have laughed if you told me that I would become a regular at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. However, over the last year, I’ve visited the restaurant more often than I ever expected. So when I saw that a couple of new items had recently debuted at the Frontierland restaurant, I thought to myself that I really needed to stop by there and try them.

The next thing I knew, I was at Magic Kingdom on a scorching hot afternoon, completely by myself, ordering a few new things, plus my usual queso fries. To be fair, I wouldn’t usually order such a large meal, even for the purpose of a review. But it was lunchtime, so I thought I would order the new burger for lunch and the churros for dessert. It wasn’t until I was standing there in line that I realized the churro loops were probably going to be somewhat substantial for nearly $8.00 an order. Then, I noticed the menu board said you could upgrade the fries that come with the burger to queso fries for a small fee. At that point, there was no turning back.

I was lucky to be able to stop for a few napkins and condiments and carry my (very heavy) lunch tray all the way to my favorite dining spot in Adventureland. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of dining in the dark inside Pecos Bill. So I always make my way to Tortuga Tavern. That way, I can find a sunny spot to photograph my food, and then enjoy my meal somewhere nearby in the shade.

a trio of items on a table from Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

As you can see, this meal was plenty enough for two people to split, and at almost $30.00 with a soda, that sounded about right.

an order of queso fries, churro loops, and a cheeseburger from Pecos Bill at Magic Kingdom

We’ll start with the barbecue bacon cheeseburger, which is described as Angus beef, American cheese, house-made bacon jam, and barbecue sauce. I couldn’t tell you the last time I ordered a theme park burger at a quick-service restaurant. I expected a generic (probably previously frozen) flabby hamburger patty. That was not at all what I got. Instead, the patty was thick and tasted freshly prepared.

I was overwhelmed in a good way after my first bite or two. It was so tasty, and I couldn’t believe how much I liked it. That said, after a few bites, I got a mouthful of salt. So I checked the bottom of the hamburger patty and realized a thin layer of salty crust had formed during the cooking process. I was able to scrape off the coating, and it resolved the issue. As for the burger, it had a strong smoky flavor that was accompanied by the tasty bacon jam. I didn’t look at the ingredients, but it reminded me of liquid smoke or possibly a Worcestershire sauce.

bacon jam covering the top of the cheeseburger

Next, we have the reason I have frequented Pecos Bill so much this last year: queso fries. Now, if you read this site regularly, you know we’ve already reviewed the queso fries a couple of times. They are a great stand-alone item if you need a snack, and that’s typically how we order them. But when I saw that you could upgrade the fries that came with the burger to queso fries for $2.00, it was a no-brainer. I was even more surprised to receive the same size order of queso fries that costs $6.99 as a stand-alone item.

Pro Tip: For this visit, I had a couple of gift cards with small balances that I needed to dump. So I decided to wait in line for my order. But we almost always use Disney’s mobile order service for most quick-service restaurants. I did a quick double-check, and the option to upgrade the fries is also available on the mobile order app.

an order of fries with toppings from Pecos Bill

So, if you’re interested in the queso fries, I can’t recommend them enough. I don’t even like tomatoes, and I love these fries. Granted, I do pick most of the tomatoes off or order the fries without them.

Lastly, I tried the new churro loops. I knew without a doubt they were going to be better than Tiana’s beignets, which are pretty terrible. Per the menu, the churro loops (bent churros) are tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a house-made chocolate ganache. They were okay.

an order of churro loops from Pecos Bill at Magic Kingdom

They were actually better-than-okay. Well, some of them. My only complaint was that some were more overcooked than others. I didn’t feel like they were consistent texture-wise. However, the chocolate ganache was quite a delicious sauce. It reminded me of an old-fashioned chocolate gravy. After a few bites, I noticed that I kept going back for more. So I think these are good (way better than Tiana’s beignets), but they weren’t incredible or anything.

an order of churro loops with chocolate ganache sauce

My main test when I’m reviewing something is: would I order it again? We already know I’ve had at least five orders of queso fries over the last year. So that’s a yes. As far as the burger and churros go, I would order them again if I were with friends or family who wanted to eat here. I have a feeling someone in our travel party will want to try those churro loops at some point.

Overall, the big point here is that Pecos Bill has become a credible dining spot at Magic Kingdom. I’ve been impressed with the quality of the food here lately, and hope that the restaurant will remain worthy of a quick service meal. (I had a really terrible meal here a few years ago and didn’t think I would ever return.)

I hate to say it, but dining is one of the biggest weak spots at Magic Kingdom. Of course, we’ve seen some improvements this last year at Gaston’s Tavern with the Ham and Gruyère Sandwich and Crème Brûlée Croissant. And there are always spring rolls in Adventureland, which might be a little overrated but make for a decent snack.

For the most part, though (other than those queso fries), my go-to quick service is a kids’ chicken strips meal from Cosmic Ray’s. If I’m ever at the park late enough to see the fireworks, you’ll usually find me sitting on the Fantasyland wall, watching Happily Ever After with my brown tray from the Tomorrowland quick service. (I just realized that apparently I like to walk my food long distances at Magic Kingdom.)

But I digress. Yes, Magic Kingdom could use some help in the quick-service dining department. Thankfully, Pecos Bill has seen some of that help in recent years. Let’s hope for even better theme park food in the future.

For more of our dining reviews, see our complete list of Disney World Restaurant Reviews. If you’re just getting started, you might also enjoy our beginner’s guide to dining at Disney World. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.