Editor’s note: The assignment: Review 70 restaurants in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney.

The deadline: six weeks.

The staff: a fast-food reporter tackles 50 quick-serve spots, the restaurant critic handles 20 table-service dining rooms. One photographer captures stunning, unposed, uncensored images of eating in the park with a perspective rarely seen before.

Are we crazy? Yes!

But these are the lengths to which the Register will go to bring our readers a Top 12 list of the best places to dine at Disneyland Resort.

Did these guys get sunburn? Heartburn? Soul-deadeningly sick of standing in line for ice cream, fried chicken and corn dogs? Oh yeah. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Here’s their report on the cream of the crop at California’s favorite playground.

TOP 5 TABLE SERVICE

1. STEAKHOUSE 55

Location: Disneyland Hotel, Downtown Disney

Quick hit: Breakfast, dinner. Full bar. American/steakhouse. Great service.

Food items: $12-$54

What to order: Prawn “cocktail,” bone-in rib-eye, 24-layer chocolate cake

What to skip: Shepherd’s pie

Review: If you’re in the mood for a superb USDA Prime steak while visiting Disneyland, this is the place to go, an old Hollywood-inspired steakhouse with old-school waiters, dirty martinis and bone-in rib-eyes. Save room for dessert; the 24-layer chocolate cake is legendary.

Reservations: Highly recommended but not always required

Need to know: The shrimp cocktail isn’t likely what you are expecting, but if you have an open mind you will probably love it.

Inside info: The adjoining bar – first-come, first-served – offers a fantastic burger but no steaks.

2. WINE COUNTRY TRATTORIA

Location: Pacific Wharf, Disney California Adventure

Quick hit: Lunch, dinner. Italian. Full bar. Wine flights. Great service.

Food items: $7-$23

What to order: Fettuccine Bolognese, tiramisu

What to skip: It’s all pretty good

Review: This is a very good Italian restaurant set beneath a canopy of grapevines overlooking the Pacific Wharf. The pastas are first-rate, especially the fettuccine Bolognese and the braised oxtail ravioli. You also can’t go wrong with the bruschetta or the shrimp and polenta. The tiramisu is fancier than most, and it is absolutely delicious. And as the name suggests, this is a place to relax and enjoy some wine, including Frank Family Vineyards chardonnay and a Lasseter Family malbec. All of the vintners have some sort of Disney connection. It can become chaotic at parade time when everyone wants a table at the edge of the patio overlooking the spectacle. The upstairs deck is reserved for nighttime “World of Color” guests, with a slightly limited version of the regular menu.

Reservations: Required, usually at least two days prior. Reservations to coincide with the daily parade or the nightly light show must be made several days or even weeks in advance.

Need to know: Most seats are on the patio, the outer edge of which offers the park’s best view of the daily parade. The indoor dining room is very limited and far less atmospheric.

Inside info: Three-course menu served upstairs only on the “World of Color” dining deck.

3. CARNATION CAFE

Location: Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland

Quick hit: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. No alcohol. American fare.

Food items: $7-$19

What to order: Buttermilk fried chicken, malts and milkshakes – especially the vanilla malt

What to skip: German chocolate cake

Review: Many people rave about the fried chicken across the street at the Plaza Inn, but the fried chicken at Carnation Cafe is far superior. The burger is very good, too, and the catch of the day is always supremely fresh. But the best reason to dine at Carnation Cafe is dessert – specifically the milkshakes and malts. This is the only place in Disneyland that sells malts, and they are pretty magical, both the chocolate and the vanilla. Meanwhile, if you see a grandfatherly chef strolling through the dining room greeting customers and chatting about the menu, that’s probably Oscar Martinez, who has been cooking at Carnation Cafe since 1967.

Reservations: Strongly recommended

Need to know: Although reservations are strongly advised, this cafe does hold some tables for walk-in customers; the wait generally is about 45 minutes.

Inside info: The sidewalk patio offers a close-up but somewhat obstructed view of the parade.

4. TORTILLA JO’S

Location: Downtown Disney

Quick hit: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Full bar. Mexican/Tex-Mex. Happy hour.

Food items: $6-$24

What to order: Combination plates, street corn, Margaritas

What to skip: Ceviche

Review: In no way, shape or form is Tortilla Jo’s one of the finest Mexican restaurants in Orange County, but nevertheless it is probably the best restaurant in all of Downtown Disney. The combination plates are as classic as it gets, with very good crisp tacos, soulful enchiladas and a reputable chili relleno. The fajitas are exactly what you would hope they will be. More importantly, this is where to find the best Margaritas in the resort, hands down. Stay away from the ceviche, which tastes like maybe everyone else already knows to stay away from the ceviche. As is the case with most restaurants in the downtown promenade, this place could use a good scrubbing.

Reservations: Recommended for dinner but usually not required at lunch. Best to call ahead anyway because the restaurant is sometimes rented out for private events.

Need to know: The patio offers a partial view of the fireworks.

Inside info: One of the best things on the menu is the street corn, sold only during happy hour (3-5 p.m.), but if you show up a little late, you can sometimes still get the corn if you ask nicely.

5. CATAL

Location: Downtown Disney

Quick hit: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Full bar. Spanish/American. Fireworks view.

Food items: $9-$40

What to order: Tuna crudo, chicken paella, suckling pig

What to skip: Desserts

Review: The kitchen got a desperately needed refresh last summer when a new chef came onboard and upgraded the menu. Start with the sushi-grade raw tuna served with watermelon radishes, cucumbers and olives. The Spanish tortilla frites are also great, but just know that a Spanish tortilla has nothing in common with a Mexican tortilla. These frites are big, fat, puffy contraptions, and they are delicious. The paellas are fantastic, too, especially the one with chicken and chorizo. The suckling pig is essentially a big slab of pork belly – rich, fatty and decadent. The burger here is more or less the same as what’s served at Uva Bar downstairs and always excellent. Prime rib won’t disappoint, either. Desserts are the only letdown. They’re too fancy for their own good. Avoid the “red velvet” cake like the plague.

Reservations: Recommended

Need to know: If you order only one cocktail, make it the Paloma: tequila, grapefruit, lime and soda.

Inside info: Check the fireworks schedule, then book your table and request the patio for a great view of the pyrotechnics.

TOP 7 QUICK SERVICE

1. JOLLY HOLIDAY BAKERY CAFE

Location: Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland

Quick hit: Counter service. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Bistro sandwiches, baked goods, espresso drinks.

Food items: $2.49-$7.19 (breakfast), $8.49-$10.79 (sandwiches, salads), $1.99-$5.99 (baked goods, desserts, pastries)

What to order: Roast beef sandwich, Chicken Waldorf Sandwich (seasonal), toasted ham and Swiss sandwich (seasonal), Jolly Holiday Salad, Market Sandwich, chocolate mousse brownie, Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron

What to skip: Caprese on focaccia

Review: By far, the best food in the park. From the latte in the morning to the specialty sandwiches, there’s hardly a dud on the menu. We wonder if the chefs at Jolly Holiday are smuggling food from premium vendors, because the ingredients used here are sadly missing at other quick-serve food stands. Let’s start with breakfast. While everyone is waiting in long lines for bitter and burnt Starbucks coffee at The Market House on Main Street, be smart and get your latte here. They grind beans fresh. My latte was smooth and balanced compared to one from The Market House.

Enjoy a light breakfast. This is a patisserie-style bistro that offers pastries, cookies, muffins and other baked goods. No egg plates. However, if you ask, the kitchen will whip up a breakfast sandwich for $7.19. The “off menu” item is a rather large buttery croissant stuffed with scrambled eggs, melted cheddar and bacon. It’s crazy good.

At lunch and dinner, it gets even better. We love almost everything. Each sandwich surprises you with umami flavors – from the apple chutney on the hot ham and cheese sandwich to the manchego cheese and arugula on the roast beef on a baguette. The Market Sandwich, with salami, capicola and prosciutto, is perfect for Italian hoagie lovers. Rounding out the meal – addictive housemade chips and crazy good desserts. Don’t miss the Mickey-shaped macaron stuffed with fresh raspberries and the decadent chocolate mousse brownie, which is cleverly shaped like a cupcake. Our least fave? The Caprese sandwich. The focaccia looks swollen, overpowering the thin layer of mozzarella. Still, a solid option for a vegetarian if you don’t want a grilled cheese sandwich.

Inside info: The bistro offers prime seating facing Main Street, U.S.A., so time your meal to a parade. Cushioned parlor chairs and umbrella-shaded tables are plentiful. Our favorite spot: the wraparound veranda.

Need to know: The menu changes seasonally, affecting sandwich selections and ingredients. Each sandwich is served in a takeout container. If you can’t finish your meal, ask for a plastic lid and a bag so you can save and eat later.

2. GHIRARDELLI SODA FOUNTAIN AND CHOCOLATE SHOP

Location: Pacific Wharf, Disney California Adventure

Quick hit: Counter service. Dessert, ice cream, coffee and espresso drinks.

Food items: $4.95-$39.95

What to order: Warm brownie sundae, Nob Hill Chill, Ocean Beach, World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae

Review: We’re calling it. Outside of Disneyland, this is truly the Happiest Place on Earth. California Adventure’s food partnerships have been spotty from the get-go. (Robert Mondavi and Wolfgang Puck fled early on in the park’s short history.) As part of a 2012 reboot of California Adventure, Disney replaced the old Mission Tortilla Factory with San Francisco icon Ghirardelli. Genius move.

The soda fountain cranks out premium chocolate decadence in all forms: more than 20 chocolate-infused sundaes, shakes, floats and drinks. The best is the warm brownie sundae – the chewy bar cookie is set atop brain-numbing vanilla ice cream and drenched with soul-warming hot fudge. It’s an addictive combination that will keep you coming back for more. Want an extreme chocolate experience? Get the sundae with Ghirardelli chocolate ice cream.

The hot fudge sundae is also a classic, but if you want something more portable, try the Nob Hill Chill – vanilla ice cream blended with hot fudge and topped with semisweet chocolate chips. We gilded ours with whipped cream. The Ocean Beach, a sea salt caramel sundae, is another decadent treat topped with a signature Ghirardelli milk chocolate square.

Inside info: You can buy the chocolate brownie a la carte for $4.95. Order it warm. Most sundaes are $10.95 and big enough for two to share. You can get an eight-scoop Earthquake Sundae for $39.95.

Need to know: As is the case in the rest of the parks, Dreyer’s ice cream is served here. Exception: Chocolate, for obvious reasons, is a Ghirardelli exclusive. You can substitute any ice cream flavor in any sundae.

3. TROUBADOUR TAVERN

Location: Fantasyland, Disneyland

Quick hit: Counter service. Lunch, dinner, snacks. German and American fare.

Food items: $5.39-$8.19

What to order: Loaded russet potato, bratwurst, stuffed potatoes, pretzel bites

Review: Triumphal trumpets should sound in celebration as you climb the sloping hill toward this Medieval-themed food stand near the Fantasyland Theatre. The limited-menu tavern teases with four slam-dunk items: a bratwurst, two stuffed potatoes and pretzel bites. The snappy sausage is tasty and served in a garlic and herb brioche that is the best bun we’ve tasted at the park.

Brace yourself for the swoon-worthy stuffed potatoes that have a cult following among Disney passholders. The large and loaded russet is our favorite. The 7-inch, piping-hot potato is cracked open and stuffed with butter and mounds of sour cream, then topped with chives, bacon bits and shredded cheese. The other potato is smothered in cheese sauce and steamed broccoli florets. That same, slightly spicy cheesy sauce is served as a dip with the pretzel bites, another great snack.

Inside info: A slightly tweaked version of the stuffed potatoes used to be sold at Harbour Galley in Critter Country. But they moved to the tavern, so this is the only place you can find them.

Need to know: Good news: Outside of Jolly Holiday, this is probably the best all-around food stand in the park. Bad news: The tavern’s hours are seasonal. We found it closed multiple times during the week. On busy days or weekends, when there’s a show at the theater, it should be open.

4. BOARDWALK PIZZA & PASTA

Location: Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure

Quick hit: Cafeteria service. Lunch, dinner. Italian.

Food items: $6.99-$9.99

What to order: Campanelle pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto, chicken sun-dried tomato pesto, five-cheese ravioli (a rich cheesy dish, so not for the lactose-intolerant)

What to skip: Spaghetti with meatballs

Review: Hands down, this is home to the best pasta you’ll find at any of the quick-serve restaurants at both parks. It’s carb-o-licious. Don’t come here to snack. It’s as if your Italian grandmother is feeding you. Portions are huge – great for splitting.

Of the three pasta dishes served at the pasta station, our two favorites are the campanelle pasta tossed in a creamy sun-dried tomato pesto sauce with a hint of cayenne pepper, and the five-cheese ravioli smothered in pesto and topped with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan. The latter is an uber-rich dish that will make cheese lovers swoon.

By comparison, the spaghetti and meatballs are rather plain, but a decent choice for picky eaters. The two other food stations serve pizza by the slice and tossed salads. Of the three salads, the chicken Caesar and the Boardwalk Fields with Craisins and caramelized pecans are solid options. You can also walk next door to Paradise Grill for a great Greek salad. Overall, a great bang for your buck at Boardwalk, which offers plenty of shaded seating and occasional entertainment at the Garden Bandstand.

Inside info: Depending on how busy it is, each station (pasta, pizza or salad) prepares dishes to order. Sometimes, meals sit on the counter for quick grab-and-go service, but for the most part, we’ve found that dishes are not sitting around too long.

Need to know: At the soda fountain/beverage station, you can fill up any paper cup with ice water and you won’t be charged.

5. COZY CONE MOTEL

Location: Cars Land, Disney California Adventure

Quick hit: Counter service. Lunch, dinner, snacks. Americana with a twist.

Food items: $3.59-$8.25

What to order: Chicken verde bread cone, Red’s Apple Freeze, flavored popcorn

What to skip: Doc’s Wild Grape Tonic

Review: Cars Land is an eye-dazzling experience, with its cleverly reimagined replicas of Mother Road restaurants, rides and landscapes. At the Cozy Cone, you’ll find five orange cone-shaped food stands that sell junk food with a gourmet twist. Cone 3 is our favorite stop – home of bread cones stuffed with comfort food classics: chicken verde, chili topped with corn chips, mac and cheese, and pulled pork. Each variety is solid, but we prefer the zesty, green sauce-slathered chicken verde.

Downside: Eat the hearty 6-inch bread cone if you must, but keep in mind that it was designed to hold a bowl of meat. It’s like eating Teflon bread. Our second favorite is the chili con queso – stuffed with a zesty bean and meat chili that’s blended with melted cheese and topped with shredded cheese and corn chips.

Each cone also offers a signature drink. Our favorites are Red’s Apple Freeze, found at Cone 4, a slushy drink that resembles Butterbeer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Fla. (and soon coming to Universal Studios Hollywood). The frozen beverage is made of 100 percent apple juice with passion fruit and topped with an elegant mango foam. We also like pomegranate limeade at Cone 3 and Ramone’s Pear of Dice Soda at Cone 1. The latter is made with Sprite and pumps of pear and mojito syrups – essentially creating a refreshing Italian soda.

Our least favorite was Doc’s Wild Grape Tonic, which is basically carbonated grape juice topped with fruit foam. Nothing innovative here. Finally, if you like popcorn, Cone 5 is your stop. We dig the wacky flavored popcorn – from dill pickle to bacon cheddar – even though the prices are ridiculously high. Flavors rotate daily. Ask for a sample before buying.

Inside info: The pomegranate limeade can be spiked with vodka for an upcharge of nearly $4.50. Avoid the long lines for soft-serve at Cone 2 by heading over to Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. The stand along the boardwalk near Ariel’s Grotto sells the same vanilla and chocolate swirls, along with soda floats, but the line is typically shorter.

Need to know: Limited seating. We recommend taking your food “across the road” to Flo’s, where there’s plenty of air-conditioned indoor seating, as well as outdoor tables.

6. LITTLE RED WAGON

Location: Main Street, U.S.A, Disneyland

Quick hit: Food stand. Lunch, dinner, snacks. American fare.

Food items: $8.75 (includes corn dog and choice of sliced apples or bag of chips)

What to order: Hand-dipped original corn dog

Review: If you’ve got only one day at Disneyland, there are a few bucket list tasks: Get monogrammed Mickey Mouse ears, take a picture in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and devour a hand-dipped corn dog at Little Red Wagon. Disney chefs have sprinkled some magical pixie dust on this classic fried fair food made with a chicken and beef hot dog. The exterior is a perfectly browned crunchy crust that gives way to a sweet cornbread interior. The piping-hot corn dog is, without a doubt, the best you’ll ever eat.

Inside info: The line can get long, but it goes fast, as the corn dog is the only entree-type item sold on the limited menu.

Need to know: There’s no place to sit other than random benches surrounding the Plaza Inn fence. Try sitting at Refreshment Corner, which has plenty of umbrella-shaded seating. If someone in your party doesn’t like corn dogs, Refreshment Corner offers gourmet hot dogs and pretzels.

7. HARBOUR GALLEY

Location: Critter Country, Disneyland

Quick hit: Counter service. Lunch, dinner. Seafood.

Food items: $9.59-$14.99

What to order: Lobster roll, clam chowder, shrimp salad, tuna salad sandwich

What to skip: Lobster bisque

Review: This tiny shack along the Rivers of America gets dwarfed amid the crowds clamoring to get into the Haunted Mansion. It doesn’t stick out – and that’s what we love about Harbour Galley. The lines are seldom long at this seafood-centric shack. Nearly every dish stays true to its roots – from the split-top New England-style bun used on the lobster roll to the creamy, snow-white clam chowder.

The lobster roll comes with plenty of claw meat and a side of housemade chips drizzled with Old Bay-style seasoning. We loved the chips, but some lacked crunch, making them taste stale. Still, we applaud the scratch-made effort.

We also liked the shrimp salad, served with six chilled shrimp, chopped egg, avocado slices, bacon crumbles, tomatoes and feta cheese. It’s essentially a Cobb-style salad with shrimp, and is a light alternative to heartier meals on the menu. The only downside: The salad is prepackaged and comes with a choice of packet dressing from Kraft.

Another great choice is the tuna sandwich. Served on a toasted bun, the tuna salad is packed with loads of finely chopped red peppers and celery. The thick and creamy clam chowder is one of three soups on the menu. The other is a lobster bisque and a seasonal soup (broccoli cheddar during our visit.) The chowder is thick and luxurious and will soothe your soul on a chilly day.

We witnessed a young couple returning their rusty-red-hued bisque because “it just wasn’t good.” We agree. The funky smelling bisque had a watery roux and was short on lobster meat. Not sure which soup to order? Ask for a sample.

Inside info: This place lacks seating. There are a few tables overlooking the Rivers of America, but that’s it. We recommend taking your food over to Hungry Bear Restaurant, where there’s plenty of seating on two decks.

Need to know: If you’re looking for Harbour Galley’s signature stuffed baked potatoes, they are no longer on the menu. Boo! They’ve been relegated to Troubadour Tavern, an out-of-the way food stand in Fantasyland. Warning: The tavern, near the entrance of Mickey’s Toontown, has spotty hours.

Contact the writer: bajohnson@ocregister.com, nluna@ocregister.com