Homecomin’ - Bad day or going downhill?

[ForEver2016]

We ate at Homecomin’ last week, and it was the meal I was most excited for on our trip. I try not to have expectations for any Disney meal but I really had heard nothing but good things about this place.

First off - the deviled eggs. It was pretty much why I had booked here in the first place. I am a huge deviled egg fan, I’ve never met a deviled egg I didn’t like. They were easily the worst deviled eggs I’ve ever had. There was no flavor, zip or tang to them at all. They were completely bland and under seasoned. It was almost like I was eating plain hard boiled eggs. So gross.

The hush puppies and my son’s Mac and cheese were phenomenal. My husband and I got the fried chicken and it was meh. The chicken was decent but the mashed potatoes were runny and unappealing. Niece had meatloaf and hated it. Mother in law luckily just got hush puppies for her main dish and did enjoy that.

We are not picky eaters. On our trip we enjoyed every single other meal we had except for this one.

Was hoping to get dessert here but was so unimpressed by our meal that we went to The Ganachery instead (which was amazing - that s’more <3 )

Now I’m planning our next trip and wondering if they just had an off night and if we should try again. We don’t get really great soul food here up north and the menu is something that really appeals to us, especially for a treat on vacation. What do you guys think - is Homecomin going downhill or should we give it another chance?

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Your review of it sounds like our opinion exactly!!! Just no kids meals, 4 adults. There are very few places we would not try again and this was one. Just can not figure out what all the hype was about. It was very loud, not full, and the only positive was our server.

Should add that we were there mid week in mid May.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Food is subjective. I'm from NY. I think it's the best fried chicken I've ever had... and can't, for the life of me, understand the hype that Via Napoli receives.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I detest deviled eggs. but man they had good mashed potatoes. Yes very subjective. If you didn't like it once I wouldn't go back.

 

[gillep]

I completely agree with your assessment. We found everything there (except my alcoholic drink) completely bland and unremarkable. I hated the mashed potatoes, all you tasted was butter and they were so runny. The chicken had almost no taste and was too greasy, plus we had a bit of uncooked coating between the chicken and the outside crisp part, it was like their oil wasn't at the correct temperature to properly cook it. We actually didn't like the hush puppies either, I found them to be way too cake like, and also bland, just not how I prefer my hush puppies.

 

[TheWitherington's]

I think it's like how Pete and the gang talk about Chinese food. If you have a favorite Chinese restaurant at home, nothing will ever live up to that. For me, the same goes for Mexican food and homestyle, "Grand-mama", food. I'm from Georgia, and my Mama and my grandparents on both sides cook like this weekly, so nothing will live up to that standard. I like Homecomin' for the atmosphere and I have had a great lunch experience there, I think we had some type of chicken sandwich. Go with your gut.

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I hope it's not the case. Homecomin' was one of my favorite meals on our last trip. Delicious, salty, crispy fried chicken. The best I ever had. Creamy mashed potatoes. And the best deviled eggs too. They were more sweet than zippy, but I personally like that in a devilled egg. . .

 

[smcabee]

We were not fans either. But we live in an area that specializes in southern comfort food and have multiple places that, on their worst days, are better than Homecomin'. Similar to those in the Northeast and Lobster Rolls etc. I can understand why some enjoy it but its certainly not anything special at all. We thought the biscuits were doughy and not cooked through. The mashed potatoes were gluey, the chicken was decent but way too greasy. Didnt try the deviled eggs so no opinion there.

 

[Cramden]

The varied reviews could be as simple as Kitchen staffing issues. If you lose a talented Chef or two and can't find their equals when you replace them the food suffers. Most likely it would be temporary until the new guys get up to speed or if bad enough they're replaced. This is the single largest reason for restaurant review variation.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Ya know, getting excited about fried chicken just makes me wonder what is wrong with me avoiding it while I am there. It is subjective I guess.

 

[Disneylover99]

I wouldn’t go back for the food you hated, but you could go back for the hush puppies and Mac and cheese and then maybe try something else on the menu.

 

[Jennasis]

An off night maybe? I thought those deviled eggs were out of this world good. The chicken was outstanding...more herbacious than salty like I typically expect fried chicken to be. The mashed potatoes were fabulous too. Not runny at all.

 

[krum]

When there first time last October and got the chicken sandwich and frankly was completely underwhelmed. I plan on going back again this October with an open mind and getting the fried chicken - hopefully it will be better. The drink I had though was really nice.

 

[ForEver2016]

Your review of it sounds like our opinion!!! There are very few places we would not try again and this was one.

What dishes did you guys order? Curious to see if there’s other things we should steer clear of if we do go again.

Food is subjective. I'm from NY. I think it's the best fried chicken I've ever had... and can't, for the life of me, understand the hype that Via Napoli receives.

Yes, very subjective for sure. I loved the pizza at Via Napoli but we do get much better pizza at home. Definitely beats the other standard QS Disney pizza that I’ve had!!

The chicken had almost no taste and was too greasy, plus we had a bit of uncooked coating between the chicken and the outside crisp part, it was like their oil wasn't at the correct temperature to properly cook it.

Oh wow!! The words “uncooked” in the same sentence as “chicken” gives me the major creeps! Yuck!!

I think it's like how Pete and the gang talk about Chinese food. If you have a favorite Chinese restaurant at home, nothing will ever live up to that.

I think another reason why I was expecting to love it is because we don’t have any similar restaurant where I’m from. Sure, there’s places with fried chicken and Mac and cheese but I’ve never had a hush puppy with a side of pimento cheese in my life. And go figure, that was pretty much the only thing I liked from the place!

I wouldn’t go back for the food you hated, but you could go back for the hush puppies and Mac and cheese and then maybe try something else on the menu.

This is what I’m leaning towards. There’s so many other restaurants I want to try in DS, but I’m desperate to love this one for some reason lol.

An off night maybe? I thought those deviled eggs were out of this world good. The chicken was outstanding...more herbacious than salty like I typically expect fried chicken to be. The mashed potatoes were fabulous too. Not runny at all.

To you, what did the deviled eggs taste like? Someone mentioned that they were more sweet than zippy, is that an accurate description for you too? I like mine with a little tang! They were so bland, and at one point I even questioned whether the eggs had gone bad (I tried a couple to determine whether it was just one bad egg - it wasnt). I had other members of my party try them, they agreed that they just weren’t that good.

 

[Jennasis]

To you, what did the deviled eggs taste like? Someone mentioned that they were more sweet than zippy, is that an accurate description for you too? I like mine with a little tang! They were so bland, and at one point I even questioned whether the eggs had gone bad (I tried a couple to determine whether it was just one bad egg - it wasnt). I had other members of my party try them, they agreed that they just weren’t that good.

I found them tangy. I dislike sweet deviled eggs. I also hate when they taste of mustard or relish.

 

[JerseyJanice]

JMHO, but with all the choices in WDW, why go back so soon to a place that didn’t serve good food?

Look, every restaurant can have an off night. Happened to us Saturday night. A relative was visiting from out-of-town and we went to a place that is almost always very good, but it was really lacking in a few areas.

(Side rant: why have restaurants stopped stocking Worcestershire sauce? I hate A-1. From now on, I am asking if I get Lea & Perrins before I order a steak. This is the third place I’ve been to where you can’t get it.)

I’m annoyed and won’t be in any hurry to return this eatery, but I haven’t written it off forever. You don’t have to go back next trip, but try it again another visit.

 

[markb681]

We were not fans either. But we live in an area that specializes in southern comfort food and have multiple places that, on their worst days, are better than Homecomin'. Similar to those in the Northeast and Lobster Rolls etc. I can understand why some enjoy it but its certainly not anything special at all. We thought the biscuits were doughy and not cooked through. The mashed potatoes were gluey, the chicken was decent but way too greasy. Didnt try the deviled eggs so no opinion there.

This times 1000...People from the south...I'm talking the REAL south (Florida is only geographically southern) can get fried chicken better than Homecomin' at some local roadside diner....my grandmother made fried chicken in a cast iron skillet that would put Homecomin' to shame...and lets not even talk about the price! Thats a whole other story!

 

[Jennasis]

To be fair...EVERYBODY thinks their grandma made the best _______ (insert food here). Because it's what you grew up eating and know and love. I cannot count the number of cookouts and picnics and church gatherings I've been to here in NC where everyone extolled how amazing Aunt Junie's _____ is or just wait til you try Granny's _____! And when I got to try it I had to smile a politely choke down whatever it was and act like it really was amazing when it was just blech.

Taste is subjective. There are 1000 fried chicken places here in NC. None of them have chicken like Homecomin's. It is very different and delicious IMO. I can find great fried chicken here at home, but I can't find fried chicken like Homecomin.

BTW, it will be a cold day in the pits of hell before I eat another Aunt/Grandma So-and-So's deviled egg around here. Loading it with pickle relish and mustard and dusting paprika on top does not a delicious egg make LOL.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I can’t even fathom paying $12 for deviled eggs in a restaurant. They are such easy things to make and so inexpensive.

When I used to host Christmas Eve for my family, I made a festive platter of them in red and green. The red were spicy with a horseradish filling and sprinkled with paprika. The green were sweet with relish and topped with chopped parsley.

 

[Barbydoll8]

We went there not long after it opened an honestly, I don't ever need to go back. The food was not good period. There were a few stand outs but nothing to rave over or pay those prices for. The kitchen screwed up 2 of our orders and the food was just not anything I couldn't get anywhere else or better in my own kitchen.
I know I might get flamed for not liking Home Comin' but it just didn't live up to the expectation. Too many other better places to eat that are more reasonably priced with better food and experience.