Coral Reef - extreme reviews

[sleepydog25]

As others have posted, you simply must try it to judge it. . .and it appears you're doing just that. As for personal experience, I've eaten there four times and had four good to excellent meals. I don't doubt that some have had sub-par meals as every restaurant has off night. In the case of CR, I believe they've been a bit more inconsistent than some other Disney restaurants. Still, my visits have all been enjoyable. Two visits ago, we had the seared octopus appetizer and it was sublime. Last year, we had it again and it was good, but they had changed the recipe a bit and it lacked the complexity from before. So, they can be inconsistent. Still, the different fish we've tried each time have been properly cooked, and the accompaniments largely a success. We'll be back at some point.

 

[Huff]

We have eaten there 4 times. We find it to be a bit inconsistent. Twice it was really really good. One of the best meals that I've had at Disney. The other two times that we have eaten there, it was just very mediocre. /QUOTE]

We've had that at pretty much EVERY restaurant at Disney. Sometimes great, other times not so good. Some of our worst experiences have been at highly rated restaurants.

 

[SM101]

My DD likes it because of the atmosphere, so we end up going most trips. I usually stick to the garden salad and whatever salmon dish they have and enjoy it. DD orders all over the place - from the kids menu to just an appetizer to any unusual entree they have - and her meals has always been as inconsistent in quality as her ordering style LOL. Nothing has been out and out inedible but it's definitely hit and miss. But she still asks to go back so that's what we do.

I put the food on par with Red Lobster (can be decent but probably not going to knock your socks off) - but it's a cool atmosphere with the tanks and fish watching.

 

[sleepydog25]

We have always had good food & service at Coral Reef. Our only bad experience there was when we sat by the tank & people let their kids push by you to get close to the tank. We prefer the second level.

Yes, that can be an issue. Our very first time there, that's exactly what happened. Honestly, if the kids had been polite, we'd have not been bothered. Instead, they came unattended by any adult and literally surrounded our table on both sides. Two different groups. After the second group, we shifted our chairs slightly to block access. The other two times we've had a table seat, it hasn't been an issue at all.

 

[bumbershoot]

Even inside of my family group we’re divided.

I hated my meal. The particular dish is no longer on the menu, but it was a vegetarian option and had a tomato sauce that tasted tinny, like it had been in the can for way too long.

We were towards the back, and the whole place felt dark and dreary to me.

I don’t remember our service.

My husband ate the rest of my meal (he’d gotten a different veggie option I think) and didn’t mind it at all. Was satisfied with his food.

I don’t remember what my son had or if he liked it, but he and I were 100% freaked, weirded, and grossed out by being around people eating dead fish in front of living fish.

I know that fish don’t care, but we did and it was unpleasant. Watching lovely fish swimming and then a platter of salmon was carried by us? Naw.


Husband (stbx, so he can go alone now) would happily go back. Son and I would NOT.


(Unless it became an all vegetarian restaurant. And I wouldn’t order anything with a tomato sauce.)

 

[Spencer Wright]

Don't forget to try the 'sad little crab cake'!

...but seriously, I say give it a try and see what you think. People can be pretty brutal when reviewing Disney restaurants, however I find them consistently at least very good.

 

[KenHutch]

Well for us Coral Reef falls into the 2.5 to 3.5 star range (out of five). The food is good but not great. I tend to rank a bit harshly thou. We have eaten in almost every restaurant on property at least once and in all that time I can honestly say that the only restaurant I would rate as 5 star was Jiko. My family likes Ohana so much we eat there twice every trip and I only give them a 3.5 to a 4.0 rating.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Well for us Coral Reef falls into the 2.5 to 3.5 star range (out of five). The food is good but not great. I tend to rank a bit harshly thou. We have eaten in almost every restaurant on property at least once and in all that time I can honestly say that the only restaurant I would rate as 5 star was Jiko. My family likes Ohana so much we eat there twice every trip and I only give them a 3.5 to a 4.0 rating.

Jiko is a 5 star for me too, so I think I will be with you on Coral Reef as well. Oh well - we are going, and I am looking forward to it!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Try it. Don't listen to us ...uh we love it.

 

[LYSE]

We used to love it but I think we finally got an off day...and sadly it was when we were doing a dinning review on it, you can read about it here if anyone is interested: https://www.mainstreetchat.com/2018/03/06/epcot-coral-reef-restaurant-review/

 

[Lisa F]

Coral Reef is an old favorite of mine. It is the first Disney TS I ever did as a 17 year old, my friend and I went and ate our weight in sourdough rolls - I had a bowl of the creamy lobster soup and she had tuna sashimi (this was in 1991 so it was her first try at raw fish, sushi was much more uncommon then), we drank water and they still had the molded butters. Back in the 90's it had a lot of interesting things, like alligator sausage. I have always loved the creamy lobster soup there too.

Every few years I read the bad reviews, take a deep breath, and go. Every few years we have a great meal there. Last time was 2016, the shrimp and grits was MILES better than the same thing I had at Narcoossees and the kids steak was tenderloin tips served with a mountain of fries. Kid loved the dessert cupcake and I had the chocolate wave.

And now i see they have a kid portion of shrimp and grits, it may have just made our list for our next trip. I can't eat much anymore and with my favorite for only $11 and I won't have to throw 2/3 of it out... I'm there.

 

[freshmanjs]

Hated it.

- we were seated more than 1 hour past our reservation time
- there were kids running around to look at the fish
- food was awful. much worse than a low end chain at home
- service was terrible. waiter disappeared for 30 min and we couldn't get our check
- the whole thing took well over 3 hours including our wait time

 

[Lisa F]

also I always book restaurants at opening. Always seated on time, always get your seating request met, staff is fresh, kitchen isn't backed up, restaurant is mostly empty until you leave. There is not a single restaurant at WDW that isn't made better by going right at opening.

 

[freshmanjs]

also I always book restaurants at opening. Always seated on time, always get your seating request met, staff is fresh, kitchen isn't backed up, restaurant is mostly empty until you leave. There is not a single restaurant at WDW that isn't made better by going right at opening.

LOL. Coral Reef opens for dinner at 3:45. Great time for dinner. You always go there at 3:45? Really?

 

[Lisa F]

LOL. Coral Reef opens for dinner at 3:45. Great time for dinner. You always go there at 3:45? Really?

I go for lunch at 11:30. Table for two by the tank, great service, fresh food, out of there in an hour.

I love 'Ohana at 3:45 though. it was the perfect pre MVMCP meal for us in 2016 and I'm planning to book it on our arrival day, we'll take an early flight and we'll be back at the resort at 6ish in time to chill and relax, since it's vacation. We get a nice window table overlooking the castle, the food is all hot and fresh, the wait staff isn't harried, no wait for our table because they are just opening. It's awesome.

I love California Grill at 5pm, we tend to go in winter and the sunset is pretty nice from up there. I never have trouble getting a window table and my son is enthralled. The view of the fireworks from up there is no big whoop to me, I own DVC and can go to the top of BLT any time I want.

Crystal Palace PPO at 8am, awesome - only had to wait for a table because we were early, were out of there in time for the welcome show fireworks, rode rides in frontierland and adventureland with no waits and almost no one around for 2 hours

Garden Grill PPO, was out of there by 8:45 and rode soarin' before the park even opened. The crowds hadn't arrived yet so they let us stay on and ride again.

LTT at 11:30 - got a great table in the Ben Franklin room with a 5 minute wait (kiddo requested it) and it was awesome, in the bay window. Lovely atmosphere, no one else was there yet, service was quick, didn't take much of our day.

I could go on and on and on but I won't. PPO breakfasts, signature restaurants right at opening, early lunches and sometimes oddly timed dinners work for us. My kid is on the spectrum so waiting a while for a table can be tough, as can a long, drawn out meal. I am not super fussed about what time I eat and my child is up at the crack of dawn, 11:30 isn't too early for lunch when you've been up for 6 hours already. But feel free to have dinner at peak times with peak crowds and then complain about how bad it is! You and everyone else

 

[freshmanjs]

I go for lunch at 11:30. Table for two by the tank, great service, fresh food, out of there in an hour.

I love 'Ohana at 3:45 though. it was the perfect pre MVMCP meal for us in 2016 and I'm planning to book it on our arrival day, we'll take an early flight and we'll be back at the resort at 6ish in time to chill and relax, since it's vacation. We get a nice window table overlooking the castle, the food is all hot and fresh, the wait staff isn't harried, no wait for our table because they are just opening. It's awesome.

I love California Grill at 5pm, we tend to go in winter and the sunset is pretty nice from up there. I never have trouble getting a window table and my son is enthralled. The view of the fireworks from up there is no big whoop to me, I own DVC and can go to the top of BLT any time I want.

Crystal Palace PPO at 8am, awesome - only had to wait for a table because we were early, were out of there in time for the welcome show fireworks, rode rides in frontierland and adventureland with no waits and almost no one around for 2 hours

Garden Grill PPO, was out of there by 8:45 and rode soarin' before the park even opened. The crowds hadn't arrived yet so they let us stay on and ride again.

LTT at 11:30 - got a great table in the Ben Franklin room with a 5 minute wait (kiddo requested it) and it was awesome, in the bay window. Lovely atmosphere, no one else was there yet, service was quick, didn't take much of our day.

I could go on and on and on but I won't. PPO breakfasts, signature restaurants right at opening, early lunches and sometimes oddly timed dinners work for us. My kid is on the spectrum so waiting a while for a table can be tough, as can a long, drawn out meal. I am not super fussed about what time I eat and my child is up at the crack of dawn, 11:30 isn't too early for lunch when you've been up for 6 hours already. But feel free to have dinner at peak times with peak crowds and then complain about how bad it is! You and everyone else

If a restaurant is only capable of delivering a good experience right at opening, it's a terrible restaurant.

 

[Lisa F]

If a restaurant is only capable of delivering a good experience right at opening, it's a terrible restaurant.

I don't know if it's ONLY capable but as a single working mom who works her butt off to afford Disney vacations traveling solo with her autistic son, I like to do what I can to stack the odds in my favor.

Do what you want, I don't care. But dining at peak times in ANY super crowded vacation destination (and I happen to live in one) is something I avoid unless I am ok with being flexible about timing and patient with a server in the weeds. Restaurants that are amazing out of season here go to crap during peak times in peak seasons. It doesn't mean it's a terrible restaurant, I just go when I know I am going to get the food and service that I want.

I don't care what you do but for anyone looking to up their odds on a good experience at a popular and crowded location, going at opening time is a good tip. Mock all you want and I'll enjoy my vacation.

The DIS is a place for tips and I thought I'd share what works out really well for me in case it helps someone else. You want to try a place that traditionally gets backed up at peak times? try going when they open. It's lovely. If it doesn't work for you, the polite thing to do is move on rather than imply someone is an idiot for doing what they do.

 

[pooh2001]

DH love fish, DW does not eat fish
We loved the view of the fish tanks
The tables and colors of the restaurant are wonderful blues and greens.
We both found entree's we liked.

 

[gharter]

I would do it for lunch. There are many better options for dinner.
We have eaten there several times because the atmosphere is so fun.
The food is average. I've never had a terrible meal (had worse at other WDW restaurants), and I've never had an amazing meal.
Go in with average expectations and you should be fine.

 

[Natasha Steele]

We have eaten at the Coral Reel 3 or 4 times & we have always enjoyed it. Last year we had a little bit of an issue but we'll still probably go back again.