Compare Coral Reef Last Year vs. This Year

[tarheelmjfan]

For awhile, CR's reviews were all positive. Now it's seems like there's at least as much negative as positive. We've never been, & have an ADR next month. We're going regardless of reviews, because we're spending the entire evening in Future World & would rather try CR than return to GG. I am interested in your opinion of previous visits compared to recent ones though. TIA for your input.

PS: We're fine with the removal of crab legs from the menu.

 

[danny1649]

At Coral Reef in August and it was much better than dinner we had there 3 years ago.I had a steak that really was as good as I have had at LeCellier.The service was great and you can't beat the view.Not many seafood menu items for a seafood themed dining spot in my opinion. Danny

 

[Nie0214]

I have a dining review here: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1948898 if you want to check mine out.

The only real problem I had with the place was that it was freezing inside and very loud. Honestly I thought it was louder than the character breakfasts I had gone to!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I totally agree with Danny in that there should be MORE seafood choices here. That being said we dined there last Sept for the first time (despite the reviews) and really enjoyed it. It was actually the one 'must do' for our trip this year for the kids. We will be eating lunch there in 8 days so I will be happy to compare the one year from the next when we return.
PS Crab legs were a non-factor for us too.

 

[septbaby]

I totally agree with Danny in that there should be MORE seafood choices here. That being said we dined there last Sept for the first time (despite the reviews) and really enjoyed it. It was actually the one 'must do' for our trip this year for the kids. We will be eating lunch there in 8 days so I will be happy to compare the one year from the next when we return.
PS Crab legs were a non-factor for us too.

Lucky you! We had lunch there last summer I can personally recommend the BBQ Salmon sandwich. I had the kids make your own sundae, yummy and fun. I played with my food right along side my 5yo nephew!

 

[newtodis]

This is where I scheduled our special Birthday celebration meal. Honestly, DS4 has a shellfish allergy and we live in coastal South Carolina so seafood's not a huge factor for us (although DH loves seafood). I chose it more for the atmosphere and "perks" (diver and personalized menu). We'll be eating there on the 20th (one week from today ) and I'll be glad to let you know how it was when we return. Very much looking forward to it.

 

[ReneeA]

I had the Mahi Mahi there in August and it was absolutely fantastic. DS had it off the kid's menu and he loved it, too.

The cashew-jasmine rice that it's served over has a sauce on it that was wonderful. If we'd have been at home and not out, I'd have licked the bowl.

 

[JadeDragon]

We ate there back in February and I must say it was the best meal of the trip. (We'd never eaten there before.) We had a late dinner and it didn't seem that loud to me.

I had the NY Strip with au gratin potatoes and broccolini. Absolutely the best steak I had the entire trip. (Better than the one I had at Le Cellier that same trip.) The service was fantastic as well... and the view, wow!

I've always found that it's better to try it at least once, and judge for yourself. There are plenty of restaurants that people rave about, that I didn't care for. And vice versa. (Maybe I'm a mutant or something. )

 

[phlufster]

I hadn't been to Coral Reef for at least 8 years adn my husband had never been there. It was never on our "must-do" list, but in June we decided to give it a shot and it did not disappoint! I had the lobster soup, the salad and the chocolate dessert (whichi was to die for!) My DH had the Mahi-Mahi and LOVED it! We are heading back in Oct. and already have our ADR.

 

[lurkernj]

Just ate at coral reef last week and it was one of the best meals of our trip. I sampled DS10's steak and it rivaled leCellier. I had the catfish and DS13 had the Mahi Mahi, both very good, but I loved the Mahi Mahi. Hadn't eaten here previously, but I thought I read here somewhere that the chef from LeCellier moved here a few months ago.

 

[septbaby]

This is where I scheduled our special Birthday celebration meal. Honestly, DS4 has a shellfish allergy and we live in coastal South Carolina so seafood's not a huge factor for us (although DH loves seafood). I chose it more for the atmosphere and "perks" (diver and personalized menu). We'll be eating there on the 20th (one week from today ) and I'll be glad to let you know how it was when we return. Very much looking forward to it.

Our 5yo loved and devoured his entire kids pizza at Coral Reef. He had the apples appetizer and ordered it w/o the brown sugar and ate all those as well.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I am glad to see so many recent, positive reviews. It was sounding like CR was on the decline. The Mahi-Mahi sounds great, & I'm sure my guys will enjoy the steak. For those of you who have trips coming up, don't forget to come back & let us know what you thought.

 

[Momto3Girls&Max]

We ate here in 2006 and again last month. We had GREAT meals both times. Recently, DH had the steak, I had the MahiMahi, our older DDs had Seafood Linguini and my youngest DD had the MahiMahi kids meal. All meals were EXCELLENT and it's on our "MUST-DO" list for next year!

 

[goofy4tink]

Ate there in August '07 and it was incredible. We sat next to the tank (had a diver), and didn't find the noise to be an issue. Food was terrific. We liked it so much, that I canceled our LeCellier ADR for last weekend, and booked Coral Reef. It was a bad choice this time around. We were seated on the top level, and the noise was deafening. I'm not sure if free dining had anything to do with it, but it was so crowded and loud that my dh and I couldn't carryon a conversation. Our server was okay, not great. He seemed to be scurrying around, trying to take care of too many tables. We had a 5:20 ADR, got seated around 5:45ish. When we left at 6:50, it was just as bad crowdwise.

 

[Pakey]

I've eaten here at least a dozen times and I think it's been fairly consistent. Is it my fav place? No. But for lunch I think it's fine. We always get the earliest lunch ADR they have; I have found if we go later, it's so incredibly noisy with crying babies, crashing silverware, etc. The early lunches seem to be much better. I also like the mahi mahi better than anything else here.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks again for sharing your experiences. Hopefully, we'll get lucky & be seated near the tank. Loud restaurants can ruin a meal for us. We do have an 8:30 ADR. I'm hoping that will help with the noise issue too.

 

[lilsydney]

we did not eat at Coral Reef on our first trip in Jan but heard great things about it from our neighbor so I have late lunch reservations for Oct (2:50 so we can just CS before Illuminations)

any idea if the steak is on the lunch menu? it sounds like its getting really great reviews and my family are HUGE red meat eaters LOL sorry for any vegans etc


is there a menu posted somewhere that shows me the choices for lunch??

 

[tarheelmjfan]

we did not eat at Coral Reef on our first trip in Jan but heard great things about it from our neighbor so I have late lunch reservations for Oct (2:50 so we can just CS before Illuminations)

any idea if the steak is on the lunch menu? it sounds like its getting really great reviews and my family are HUGE red meat eaters LOL sorry for any vegans etc


is there a menu posted somewhere that shows me the choices for lunch??

http://allears.net/menu/men_crl.htm & http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?restaurant.ID=80

ETA: It looks like the 1st link is more recent.

 

[queenpatricia]

So glad everyone seems to enjoy the food at the Coral Reef. We will be there in Dec. celebrating anniversaries with our friends. Ours is 40 years & theirs is 32 years.

 

[disneyplanningdad]

Thanks for these reviews. We just ate, last saturday, at a restaurant with a tank of Moray eels. DS was mesmerized. I'm going to work Coral Seas into my itiniary.