What should you know?

Palo is the Magic’s one upscale restaurant, and is its own little island of adult serenity and food. Service is very good, and don’t be surprised if the maître ‘d and your server are from Italy.

Dinners at Palo are tasty and relaxing, especially with a glass or two of wine. That being said, we think Palo is better for brunch. Besides the best selection of mid-day food anywhere on the ship, the view out of Palo’s windows is much better during the day; once the sun sets at dinner, Palo’s spectacular windows just reflect the inside of the restaurant. If we could improve one thing at Palo, it would be the coffee served, which is Nescafé. A restaurant this good should offer better.

Note: An additional charge of around $40 per person charge will be added to your cruise bill for each meal at Palo. If you need to cancel a reservation, it must be done before 2:00 PM on the day of your reservation or the full per-person charge will be applied to your bill. Children are not permitted in Palo – guests must be 18 and up. If you can't get a reservation for Palo before you board, there'll be an opportunity to make reservations on the day you board. This is typically done in one of the main dining rooms, during the boarding process. Ask a member of the crew for the location when you board.

Masthead and photos courtesy of Robert Simmons.
Photo courtesy of Curtis Lannom.

What’s it like inside?

Palo sits across the entire aft section of Deck 10, which means that almost every seat has a spectacular view of the ocean sunset during dinner. On the Magic, Palo has a contemporary décor, with tan wood panels, round, leather benches and deep purple fabric on the wood chairs. A small bar is available for guests waiting for their table to become available; part of the kitchen is open to the view of guests sitting in the middle of the restaurant too. Red and white striped poles near the bar are references to Palo’s roots in Venice.

Because Palo has an adult-only policy, the restaurant is much quieter than Disney’s main dining rooms. The most quiet tables are those on the port side, aft, tucked away behind the curve of the restaurant. If you’re looking to do some people-watching with dinner, request a table on the starboard side of the ship, near Palo’s entrance. Brunch offers open seating, so sit wherever the view is best. Background music is mostly Italian and ranges from Vivaldi to Sinatra, as God intended.

What are the specialties?

For dinner appetizers, try the fish-and-seafood soup, which comes with a large portion of mussels, clams and lobster. The antipasto freddo, with a selection of familiar cheeses and cured meats, could be a little more adventurous. Our favorite entrees are the lobster ravioli in a truffle-butter sauce, the spicy penne arrabbiata, and the rack of lamb, roasted with garlic and shallots. The chocolate soufflé is by far the most popular dessert, and comes with both dark and white chocolate sauces.

Palo’s brunch menu is the best on board. One large table is dedicated to selections of breads, muffins and pastries, along with sliced fruits and fresh vegetables (the roasted asparagus is tasty). An entire aquarium’s worth of fish is available in another section, including shrimp cocktail, cured salmon, smoked trout mousse, seared tuna, scallops, crab legs, crawfish and mussels. Eggs cooked in every conceivable way, including Benedict, Florentine, Julia and customized omelets, are on the menu. Not enough? A selection of made-to-order pizzas are available.