Pecos Bill Review: Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

One of my favorite ways to save money in the Disney World theme parks is to choose quick service (aka counter service) dining instead of table service. Many quick service restaurants are excellent, but some are disappointing.

Let’s check out one of the popular quick service locations in the Magic Kingdom in this dining review, which is the first installment in my Best of Disney World Quick Service Dining series!

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is located in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom. It takes you into the story of Pecos Bill, the “meanest, roughest, toughest cowboy of them all” who appeared in the 1948 Disney short film collection Melody Time. 

A few years ago the menu at Pecos Bill’s changed from mostly burgers to Tex-Mex (with one token burger). It is open every day for lunch and dinner and gets VERY crowded during peak dining times.

And while the items on it have changed, the famous “toppings bar” has survived the menu shift! Let’s look at what I’ve eaten there recently and what all is available on the current menu.

The ground beef nachos are my favorite item on the menu (at least from what I’ve had). They are tortilla chips topped with seasoned ground beef, queso, tomatoes, and lettuce, and cost $12.49.

I visited the toppings bar and loaded up on guacamole, roasted corn, and salsa. I recommend asking for a second plate (say you want to share it) for your toppings because the nachos are difficult to get to when piled high with toppings!

I also recommend the Vegetable Rice Bowl which comes with roasted veggies, yellow rice, and black beans for $9.99. Of course, I added much more at the toppings bar, as you can see. It was delicious and didn’t leave me feeling weighed down by a heavy lunch.

Here are a few (kinda blurry) pictures of the toppings bar, so you can get an idea of what to expect there:

Unfortunately, guacamole is no longer available on the toppings bar. I believe you can still purchase a side order of it. There are also sliced jalapenos and a mild green salsa available on the toppings bar.

Here’s what else is on the menu:

Southwest Salad with Spicy Beef – Mixed Greens topped with Spicy Barbacoa Beef, Roasted Corn and Bean Salsa, Tomatoes and Tortilla Crisps – $12.99

Southwest Salad – Mixed Greens topped with Roasted Corn and Bean Salsa, Tomatoes and Tortilla Crisps – $10.99

I tried Mobile Ordering at Pecos Bill’s a while back, and it worked out wonderfully for us. It’s a great way to avoid long waits at busy quick service restaurants like Pecos Bill’s. You can get my tips and tricks for using Mobile Order at Disney World in this post.

Overall, I love the choices at Pecos Bill and think the food quality is excellent. It is a decent value on the Disney Dining Plan, though there are places where you will get more for a quick service dining credit. I think it is an excellent value out of pocket since there are SEVEN items on the menu under $13.

I also think the food now fits the theming of the restaurant better, and unlimited guacamole at the toppings bar? Yes, please!!!

You can get a detailed backstory of Pecos Bill, included a look at all of the “artifacts” found around the restaurant, over at AllEars.net. The details are amazing in this place, so I suggest spending at least a few minutes walking around and checking them out.

Have you eaten at Pecos Bill’s recently or do you want to? Please leave a comment below or join the conversation over in The Budget Mouse private Facebook group!