New York’s Black Tap tweaks concept for Disneyland outlet

Black Tap’s first California restaurant opened as a counter-service restaurant at Downtown Disney, a shopping center outside the gates of Disneyland. Since it opened last weekend, lines have been snaking outside the door into the bustling, tourist-packed shopping center. Black Tap scrapped its full-service model here to accommodate on-the-go theme park crowds.

Black Tap owner Chris Barish said his team is excited to open at Downtown Disney, the company’s first restaurant in California. “Black Tap Anaheim is truly the first of its kind with restaurant features never seen before, and a completely different dining experience, all within the magic of Downtown Disney District,” he said in a statement. The brand is among several emerging concepts that have recently opened at Downtown Disney. Salt & Straw opened last year, as did Splitsville Luxury Lanes.

Black Tap’s CrazyShake milkshake menu features a Disney Resort exclusive: Strawberry Shortcake. The rim is vanilla icing rolled in pound cake crumbles. The strawberry shake is decorated with a nostalgic strawberry shortcake ice cream bar and a pink and white twisty pop. And, of course, there’s gobs of whipped cream and a cherry. The shake is $15.

When Portland-based Salt & Straw opened an ice cream shop in Downtown Disney late last year, Disney asked the brand to add exclusive menu items at the location, too.

Another first for the brand, which has locations around the world, is the inclusion of a walk-up “Shake Window.” The menu features the brand’s classic and whimsical shakes.

A separate team is assigned to make shakes at the walk-up window.

The fast-casual format in Anaheim is a first for the New York-based chain. All the other Black Tap locations around the globe are full service. Customers order at the counter and are given table trackers so servers can find them anywhere within the restaurant. Seating is self-serve.

The location, which seats about 200, includes a large outdoor patio. The decor is a modern twist on a classic luncheonette with throwback neon, wallpaper and custom street art designed by artist Jason Woodside.

Guests place their tracking devices on numbered sensors placed at each table. This allows servers to deliver their meal to the table using a GPS-style tracking system.

Servers circulate the dining room clearing plates, assisting guests and delivering food, like this Cake Shake, which is topped with a giant slice of funfetti cake.

At the shake bar, visitors can see the shakes being made with such toppings as Pop-Tarts, Fruity Pebbles, Rice Krispy Treats, rock candy, Sugar Daddy and crumbled cookies.