One of the things I love about Disney World’s Epcot is the ability to sample cuisine inspired by countries from around the world. It certainly doesn’t hurt that there are alcoholic beverages for each nation as well.

On a recent trip during January 2023, I had the chance to sample the cuisine and beverages at the Regal Eagle Epcot after hearing positive buzz about it from the Internet. I’m a big fan of smoked meats as someone who regularly smokes fish, poultry, beef, and pork. Smoked pork shoulder holds a special place in my heart after years of living in North Carolina and growing accustomed to the wonderful delicacy you can get from a shoulder smoked low and slow. But I digress.

Regal Eagle Vibes

Out front is a giant functional offset smoker under a rustic gazebo, and the air is full of delicious smoked meat smells. The seating is shaded picnic tables out front or rustic wooden tables with bench seating inside as well as red, white, and blue ribbons hanging between massive columns and some old-timey kitchen kitsch.

Towards the back of the interior is the cafeteria style order and pickup area adjacent to the kitchen. I highly recommend using the online reservation system during busy times so you can stroll up and grab your food from the designated online order counter.

Just outside the pickup area is the condiment area, and this is an area where this place shines. They have a great selection of sauces available for the various styles of barbecue that I would argue are a good representation of various sauce styles of American barbecue. They have brisket sauce, vinegar sauce, smokehouse sauce, and sweet mustard sauce in addition to ketchup.

The Outdoor Bar

Next door to the main restaurant is the outdoor walk-up bar where you can pick from a selection of specialty cocktails with classic liquors like Tito’s, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. They have a number of beer, cider, and wine options from around the country as well. I found the bartenders very friendly at this spot, and it wasn’t as crowded as other bars from the countries of the world can get. I sampled a refreshing beer and cocktail here, though my memory of which ones is a little cloudy as I sipped my way over to this part of epcot as I passed by the countries along the way. I still remember enjoying them.

Classic Smoked American Cuisine

  • Baked Beans with Burnt-ends - The Beans had excellent smokey BBQ flavor with a couple of pieces of burnt ends thrown in.

  • Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich - Chow down on slices of tender smoky brisket on buttery garlic toast. Pick a side, and throw some extra sauce on it for a hearty meal.

  • North Carolina Chopped Smoked Pork Butt Platter - This was good chopped pulled pork BBQ. It wasn’t too dry, and had a good helping of smoke.

  • Macaroni & Cheese - This was pretty standard fare. It wasn’t a standout, but it was a decent accompaniment with the smoked meat stars of the show.

  • Tiana Banana Pudding - This was a decent banana pudding.

The food exceeded my expectations for Disney offerings in Epcot at a relatively affordable price point. I’m not saying this is the best BBQ you’ve ever had anywhere, but it’s pretty darn good and a treat to have in the park.

The Low and Slow-down

All things considered, this is a nice relaxed spot to eat though the tables can get pretty full outside. All-in-all I was impressed with the offerings and the barbecue is authentic in my opinion, and the prices were reasonable at roughly $13-$14+ for most entrees of smoked meat including a side. This is a great option to have in the mix at Epcot, and I foresee myself making a stop here at the Regal Eagle Epcot on future visits. My companions on the trip thoroughly enjoyed dining here as well.

If there was one thing I would request as a former southerner, it would be a collard greens side option, but alas thats just my preference when I’m chowing down on good smoked pork.