My favorite casual restaurant in all of New York City is coming to the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, and I couldn’t be more pumped! From their eye-popping CrazyShake milkshakes, award-winning burgers and hip New York diner vibe, this restaurant has something for everything.
The Downtown Disney District location will be the first for Black Tap to introduce its enhanced counter service style. After ordering and once you’re seated, a Black Tap team member will take any of your other menu, drink and CrazyShake orders. This will also be the first location where CrazyShakes can be ordered to go from a take-out Shake Window.
What’s so crazy about these shakes? Why are these burgers award-winning? The Disney Parks Blog caught up with owner Chris Barish to dish out more info:
This is your first location in California. What can guests at Downtown Disney District expect?
It’s the perfect spot for us and we can’t wait to open and welcome new and long-time fans of Black Tap. Downtown Disney guests can expect a fun and over-the-top experience. At Black Tap, we bring together great ‘80s pop and ’90s hip hop music, cool and engaging design, energetic team members, and of course, amazing burgers and famous CrazyShakes, to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
Tell us about the custom shake bar. That sounds fun!
Our guests can watch their CrazyShake milkshakes come to life during a “shake show,” right in front of their eyes, and see all of the different crazy candies and toppings you can have on a shake. It’s very interactive, but also so exciting to see someone get their CrazyShake for the first time. Their eyes light up and it’s pure joy.
What’s your favorite menu item?
I always recommend first-timers get our All American burger – it’s the classic. My personal favorite is the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, and the Cotton Candy is my favorite CrazyShake!
Your burgers are award-winning. Can you give us the secret to what makes them special?
The key to a good burger is quality meat. We use a custom burger blend that you can recreate at home by visiting your local butcher. You want a blend of chuck and brisket, that’s 80% lean. We grill our burgers to a chef’s medium, with a perfectly seared outside and juicy middle. The trick is to only flip the burger once. Also, our sauces are house made and chef inspired, using unique ingredients to create a depth of flavor that really complements our burgers. We also use a Martin’s Potato Bun; it’s a great complement to all our different burger options.
Your CrazyShakes really are crazy-fabulous! How did this start and where do you get your inspiration?
The creation of the CrazyShake was very organic. We’ve always had our classic shakes on the menu — and our team was having some fun testing out different ideas of how we could change up the shake — and we came up with the “Cotton Candy.” We put it on Instagram, and our guests went nuts asking for it, so we knew we had to add it to the menu. Stay tuned for exclusive shakes!
Your Black Tap locations all have a distinct, New York-inspired vibe and décor. Can you give us an idea of the look for the Downtown Disney District restaurant?
Black Tap‘s design is a modern twist on a classic luncheonette. We have custom street art and neon signage, while incorporating a prominent black and white palette. When designing the restaurants, we always try to pull elements in that are familiar, but use them in new and creative ways. For example, the stacked subway tile, the vertical black brick and our angled black and white and stripes are very New York.
Black Tap Burgers & Shakes is the latest exciting example of the Downtown Disney District’s continual evolution to bring dynamic new dining, shopping and entertainment options to our guests. Many specialty experiences include The Disney Dress Shop, Disney Home, Splitsville Luxury Lanes, The VOID and the reimagined World of Disney. Other delicious new spots include Ballast Point Brewing Co., Salt & Straw scoop shop, the re-designed Naples Ristorante e Bar, Napolini Pizzeria and Wetzel’s Pretzels.
