Coral Reef - is it really that bad?

[FrozenDuck]

We had to wait a few minutes to get seated, but we enjoyed it. I can't remember if I had salmon or steak, but it was good. Not as good as a high-end specialty steakhouse, but better than Applebees or most similar chain restaurants. We aren't adventurous eaters, so I can't compare it to more exotic or fancy cuisine though.

 

[Capang]

The food was ok when we went in 2014. The service was awful. The aquarium was great. It's worth giving it a try. You may really like it. We have heard bad reviews about other restaurants at WDW and eaten there to find ourselves pleasantly surprised. So,it's worth a shot.

 

[gtpoohbear]

We only went once and won't likely go again. The good was okay, nothing special. But the wait was sooooo long, and even once we were seated the service was very slow. (What really angered me was that even though they were running 40 minutes behind for ADRs, they were still taking walkups! And only telling them a 5 minute longer wait than those of us with CC guaranteed reservations. IMO, absolutely unacceptable)

We were seated in the very back, and could see the aquarium, but didn't have a great view. The restaurant at our local aquarium has better food and better views of the tank, so I see no reason to return here, especially when Epcot has so many great restaurants to choose from.

 

[Micca]

It's not so much that "it's really that bad", it's just that it's really not that good.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I've been 2x, both fabulous experiences.
The most recent was for the Candlelight Processional Package on Christmas Eve last year. We had one of the best servers (James?) that we've ever had in many trips to WDW. We actually had wonderful servers the whole trip, but he was one of the standouts who went above and beyond.
Some food recommendations:
The Mahi Mahi, The whole sustainable fish (snapper) and the Rainbow Trout
All the desserts we had (chocolate wave, Jack Daniel's Mousse, Coconut Mango Chiffon Cake, Turtle Cheesecake) were excellent.

You can politely ask to be seated as close to the tank as possible if it's important to you. Both times I did this and stated that I was willing to wait if needed. The first time I was a party of 4 and we were on the first level. Most recently I was a party of 5 and was told that parties of 5 were seated on level 2. The view from there was great as well.

 

[AzzySpazbourne]

My wife and I tend to live by the mantra "Try everything twice" before ruling something out... except Coral Reef. We found it stressful and the food mediocre compared to other Disney restaurants with seafood options. We found the dining room very loud, and when we requested a seat by the aquarium we were seated 40 minutes later against the very back wall farthest from it. It was our most disappointing honeymoon dinner. Kouzina was our favorite... but alas, it is no more. Luckily the head Chef, Dee Foundakis, from Kouzina is still there (at Trattoria al Forno).. would go there just because of her.

 

[supersnoop]

It's not that Coral Reef always terrible, but there are so many other, better options at Epcot. If you were to rank all of the restaurants at Epcot, Coral Reef would land at the bottom of the list. I'd rank it below most of the counter service restaurants, too. Mediocre seafood while staring at an aquarium? I don't need to do that twice.

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm of the opinion that it is good, but not great. It is not a must do for me, but it is one I will go back to again in the future. My only real complaint about Coral Reef is that the three times we have been there we have always had a pretty long wait past our ADR before we were seating. But with that said, I have learned to take opinions of restaurants with a grain of salt. Everybody has an opinion and rarely are they all going to be the same. Some examples of restaurants I absolutely hate or am rather neutral on but others love is Le Cellier, Chef De France, Via Napoli, Boma and California Grill just to name a few. Select the menus and themes that look interesting to you and try them out for yourself and ignore all of us "food experts" here on the DIS with our opinions... Including myself.

 

[dwight16]

went in may 2014 and my wife and i loved we both had the mahi mahi and it was quite good.....we are heading there next week and bringing our DD so i will be able to give an update report....with many many many things involved with eating in disney people get all jacked up thinking every meal should be Victoria and Alberts quality bc food costs more then a TGI fridays or whatever else they are used too......its a fine meal is it the best in the world no but your eating in front of a giant fish tank trust me you will never forget it......does Mexico have the best ever Mexican food no but you eat in what my option is one of the best settings in Disney world. relax no need to change plans.....always take review sites with a grain of salt i feel like you mostly get people who love it or hate it the average reports are few and far between....

 

[shortnsassy730]

Yes it's horrible if you actually enjoy quality seafood. On a good day there, I would rank it evenly with Red Lobster. I have had their signature dish more than once and every time its dried out and overcooked.

 

[angierae]

We haven't been since 2010, but I was very happy with the food. (We had the worst service I've ever had on Disney property, but I don't blame the restaurant wholesale for that.)

 

[amandals2007]

ive been there SO MANY TIMES and LOVED IT!! to each their own, please try it and make your own opinion on it

 

[BobC]

I like Coral Reef, but take it as a caveat I'm nostalgic and ate here many many times. Also a big fan of Full House and a scene was taped here (LOL!)

I always find the food quality good! I know I'm a sinner and usually get a beef entree here vs fish, but I can never complain.

My only "bad" experience here was seating during my last dinner. It was just a party of 2 and the restaurants were very crowded due to FD. They placed a very small table 8 inches away from a table next to us (no exaggeration) and we felt like we were sitting with the other party next to us. Very cramped and guests and wait staff kept bumping into us since basically we were sitting in an aisle packed in like sardines.

Other than that experience, I have no complaints. Fun watching the fish and you get a decent view of the aquarium in almost any seat....even the higher up raised booths get a decent view. .

If you have kids though, they'll be disappointed if they go here and do not sit 'on the glass' right by the marine life even though they have a good view anywhere.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

We like it...it somehow always ends up in our rotation. Food has always been good...nothing earth shattering but good.

Having said that, we have been on the dining plan every trip for the past 5 or 6. If I was paying out of pocket, the cost for what you get might make it on the cutting room floor.

Our only complaint is that this is one of the few places we always wait past our ADR time to be seated at. Service after that is usually quick but getting that seat is miserable!

We will be there in December.

 

[Princess Mulan]

After several visits of increasingly declining quality, we've taken Coral Reef off our list. Despite ADRs, the wait for a table can be extremely long (as in an hour or more). The food is forgettable. Service can be lackluster. Sitting next to the aquarium can be fun, unless you find yourself squashed by other diners who decide to leave their tables and squeeze in next to you for a better view. Epcot has much better choices for food, service and atmosphere, and the aquarium simply isn't worth paying for a mediocre meal. But, as with all things Disney, your mileage may vary.

 

[Pmlocke]

We have eaten there every year for the past 6 years, twice in 2013, and have never had a bad meal. Actually one of the best meals for the entire trip. It all depends on circumstances. Every restaurant has to have a bad day once in awhile. Remember, no one person or one thing is perfect. I've been lucky enough never to have been there for that one bad day.

 

[Fizban]

Yes it really is that bad (IMO).

 

[heidijanesmith]

Our family loves to Dive at The Seas every year and has seen the restaurant from inside the aquarium. The kids really wanted to eat there. The atmosphere is fantastic, the aquarium is amazing...........but that is it. We had terrible food and terrible service. I have no interest in trying it again.

 

[cnavarrete]

Just as others have said - you don't go there for the food (which I don't think is bad at all), you go there for the atmosphere, which is fantastic! We try to get the earliest lunch time (as close to opening as possible) and request a table by the tanks. My kids (same age range as yours) love it.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Remember that restaurant reviews are a matter of personal preference and opinion. I mean - if every review is telling you that the food is terrible or that it's dirty, then I wouldn't go there. But it's all based on mixed reviews. I'll give an example... I'm from NY, which means I'm snooty about bagels and pizza. I just went down to OCMD and my friend's GF said I "HAD" to try this bagel place. It's the closes to NY you can get, she exclaimed. It wasn't very good, but that's because I've been eating the best bagels in the world for so long. These were good, but not on the same level as NY bagels. Another example - there was a thread not too long ago about biscuits with gravy. As a NYer, I may think that the biscuits with gravy are the best at Disney!!! But someone from, say, Louisiana may find it disgusting.

Anyway - Coral Reef is one of the older restaurants at Disney. It has a reputation as a "Disney classic." I don't know - the food just doesn't do it for me. My dad loves it because the tank, but it's not a restaurant I'd fight for. The seafood is okay and the steak you could get anywhere. The biggest turnoff for me was the lava cake. Now - a lava cake should be a soft, spongy cake and when you cut into it, a chocolate syrup should pour out. It's very hard to make - you either cook it perfectly, undercook it and have a cake that's too soft, or overcook it and have little to no "lava." My sister ordered it and had it perfectly cooked. My mom's was undercooked and mine was overcooked. This isn't the Goldilocks. You expect some consistency at a Disney restaurant.

Just to further show that you can have a bad experience - we didn't like Chefs de France. Our food was cold, it was very close quarters and our server seems a bit rude. BUT - it was Christmas Eve and it was incredibly busy. Maybe we just had a bad experience - because many people seem to LOVE it.