Disneyland fans of pork ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and sausage links have reason to celebrate as Southern-style barbecue returns to the Anaheim theme park for the first time in nearly a decade.

I sampled the new menu Hungry Bear BBQ Festival During the soft opening of the renovated restaurant on Thursday, October 24, ahead of its official reopening on Friday, October 25.

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The new Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree brings a thematic, musical and menu overhaul to the Hungry Bear restaurant in the park’s re-themed Bayou Country area.

Updated restaurant will soon welcome a new neighbor Tiana’s Bayou Adventure It will officially debut on November 15th. annual pass holder and player previews.

Good but not yet perfect bbq joint still needs improvement. Luckily, there were a few places where Disneyland chefs could make a few easy changes to improve the menu.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland’s Hungry Bear restaurant brings back barbecue and Country Bears

I’m a BBQ junkie, so the revamped Hungry Bear was going to be a go-to spot for me from the moment it was announced. My greatest hope is that the new place will eventually deliver on its promise. Good news: Partial openings are all about ironing out kinks and translating the menu.

There hasn’t been a real barbecue joint at Disneyland since Big Thunder Ranch closed in 2016 to make way for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

The restaurant’s renovation focused mostly on the kitchen, but Walt Disney Imagineering sprinkled in a few Country Bears posters and signs throughout the dining area during the makeover.

Some country music played on fiddle and banjo, but I didn’t hear any of the familiar old Country Bear songs. And don’t expect to see Henry, Trixie, Teddi, or any of the other Country Bears wandering around the restaurant.

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Let’s take a closer look at the five best things I’ve had on the menu at the new Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree counter-service restaurant.

1) Smoked BBQ Combo Plate

Two house-smoked meat options: Pork Rib, Pulled Pork, Sausage Link, or Beef Brisket. Served with beans, house salad, white bread and pickles. ($21.49)

Pork ribs were the star of the Smoked BBQ Combo Plate. They were the reason I came to Hungry Bear and will come back in the future.

The dry rubbed ribs were tender off the bone and delicious. Since they did not go abroad, they accepted the sauces very well.

There was a decent amount of meat on each rib, but I came away wanting more.

Next time I’ll get the double ribs and skip the other options – sausage, pulled pork, and beef brisket.

The sausage served with the plate was good but nothing special. You can also get brisket and pulled pork as sandwiches.

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My only complaint about all the meats: They weren’t smoked enough. Meats are smoked anywhere from an hour to overnight. But they can definitely use more time in smokers.

The biggest surprise of the plate was the pickled vegetables tucked into the corner. I loved the bread and butter pickle. Hungry Bear should serve these as an a la carte side dish.

2) Corn Rib Plate

Chile lime aioli, parmesan, crispy onions, cilantro and scallions, homemade coleslaw, served with beer-battered fries. ($14.99)

The Corn Ribs were like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

Disneyland chefs sliced ​​the corn lengthwise the same way you would use a corer to peel an apple or pear. The corn strips on the cob curled a bit during the cooking process.

Clever presentation allows you to eat the corn like you would ribs and toss the “bones” in the trash when you’re done. It was a fun way to eat something we’ve all eaten before.

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The plant-based plate also included a pile of amazing beer-battered fries. Hungry Bear offers ketchup at the Fixin’ stand, but don’t bother bringing ketchup to the table.

Instead of dipping your fries, opt for a trio of bold and flavorful barbecue sauces. My favorite was the golden mustard sauce, which was tangy and not at all vinegary.

3) Banana Pudding

Bananas, whipped cream, crushed wafer cookies, dulce de leche and marshmallows. ($7.29)

Disney makes candy better than anyone, and Disneyland chefs have done this classic Southern dessert justice.

This magnificent treat offered layers of deliciousness. The toffee topping gave the whole thing a crunchy sweet bite.

The small portion size was just enough for one person; so tell your friends to get theirs.

4) Sparkling Strawberry-Pickle Lemonade

Lemonade, strawberry smoothie, lemon, lemon soda, pickle juice and pickle spear. ($7.49)

Most of the drinks at Disneyland are very sweet. Fortunately, this is not the case with Hungry Bear.

The refreshing pickle lemonade was the big winner of the bunch. The pickle juice wasn’t overpowering and added a pleasant sweet and sour flavor to the lemonade.

Added bonus: A pickle spear in the drink to sip while you sip.

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The strawberry shortcake lemonade on the menu also seemed overly sweet, but it was surprisingly smooth and delicious. The cream topping actually helped tone down the sweetness.

5) BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Tangy barbecue sauce, house salad, bread and butter pickles served with beer-battered fries. ($15.99)

The pulled pork sandwich needed some work, but luckily everything I needed to fix the problem was right in front of me.

The pork was quite juicy but more chopped than pulled. The meat was almost like boiled pork. I wanted more smokiness; just like with ribs.

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The biggest problem with the pulled pork sandwich was the house coleslaw. It was plain, soggy kale that desperately needed a little kick. A few bread and butter pickles and some pickle juice kicked it up a notch. The golden mustard sauce brought it all together.

The pulled pork sandwich was much better than the smoked beef brisket sandwich, which didn’t have much flavor and was tough and dry. The pieces of breast meat that were supposed to be tender and tender were too thick.

Barbecue fans who judge a place by its meat will be sorely disappointed.