Is Coral Reef really that bad????

[serrotak]

The official review on DIS was bad for Coral Reef. I have not really heard anything good about it yet. We have ADR's for dinner there in Feb.

I thought it would be neat with the big aquarium and theme, but if the food is not that great, I really may want to cancel my ADR and choose somewhere else.

Does anyone have any good reviews of Coral Reef? 3 adults and 3 children ages 12, 7 and 3 will be with us.

 

[bitohoney]

I love the Coral Reef and so does my DD16. We cannot skip this restaurant because the food and atmosphere are great! It's our must do at Epcot.

 

[BoomNLeon]

We've eaten at Coral Reef twice - both times were good. It can be a little noisy, but so relaxing watching the fish glide by. Love the theming, too. The food was good to great. Great concept for a restaurant.

 

[MariDisney]

In our opinion, yes it's really that bad. Bad service, fair food, louder than any other restaurant on property. We're never going back after several bad experiences.

 

[Pakey]

The official review on DIS was bad for Coral Reef. I have not really heard anything good about it yet. We have ADR's for dinner there in Feb.

I thought it would be neat with the big aquarium and theme, but if the food is not that great, I really may want to cancel my ADR and choose somewhere else.

Does anyone have any good reviews of Coral Reef? 3 adults and 3 children ages 12, 7 and 3 will be with us.

Reviews are very subjective; I believe everyone needs to try something for themselves and make up their own minds.

I've eaten at Coral Reef at least 6 times in the past 3 years as well as many times before that. Our first time to eat here was about 10 years ago when the concierge at GF recommended it to us. It's definitely gone downhill since the dining plan became popular because they have removed all of the good/unique items from the menu and standardized it.

I don't think the food is awful. I don't think it's stellar either but it's a 1TS place, you aren't going to get signature food. The portions are smaller than many of the other TS places, the service and seating tend to be very slow and the place can be crazy noisy.

The restaurant is very unique; the decor is underwater theming so you feel as if you are underwater with the tank. If you get lucky and hit a night that is not crazy/noisy, I think your family will enjoy the experience there. Just don't go expecting to get in/out quickly because I've never had fast service here and they consistently seat 15-30 min past ADR times.

 

[tony67]

Reviews are very subjective; I believe everyone needs to try something for themselves and make up their own minds.

I've eaten at Coral Reef at least 6 times in the past 3 years as well as many times before that. Our first time to eat here was about 10 years ago when the concierge at GF recommended it to us. It's definitely gone downhill since the dining plan became popular because they have removed all of the good/unique items from the menu and standardized it.

I don't think the food is awful. I don't think it's stellar either but it's a 1TS place, you aren't going to get signature food. The portions are smaller than many of the other TS places, the service and seating tend to be very slow and the place can be crazy noisy.

The restaurant is very unique; the decor is underwater theming so you feel as if you are underwater with the tank. If you get lucky and hit a night that is not crazy/noisy, I think your family will enjoy the experience there. Just don't go expecting to get in/out quickly because I've never had fast service here and they consistently seat 15-30 min past ADR times.

I think this sums it up very well.

I'd compare the food to Red Lobster with a limited selection.

If you go with these limited expectations you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

 

[pianoronni37]

We really did not like it. The food *tasted* fine, but it just wasn't good enough for the enormous wait. We were seated well past our ADR time (longer than 30 minutes), one group was waiting for over an hour. Yes, they were a larger group... but wow.

The server was not very quick, nor was she attentive. We got a seat right by the aquarium which was cool, but there were kids packed in next to us while we were eating, watching the aquarium and bouncing on DH's chair while he was trying to eat soup. I know kids get excited, and it was adorable (from my perspective... probably not from DH who was spilling hot bisque on himself), but it's the parents who should have said "hey guys, let that poor hungry man eat his tiny bowl of soup!"

I found a significant bone in my fish, so I traded lunches with DH since I didn't want to spear myself in the gums with another fish bone. The portions were very small, but I guess that's not too bad since we went for lunch.

Again, the food tasted fine, but it just wasn't for us. Maybe when we have children, and we sit waaay in the back, and we tell our kids not to disturb the people eating in the front. It took over 2 1/2 hours out of our Epcot tour day... we won't be going back for awhile.

 

[dburg30]

I wasnt too impressed. Granted I ordered steak at a seafood place but......... my wife and friend ordered fish / seafood and they werent really too impressed by it. Unless I'm missing something the tank wasnt really even that cool. Again, as others have stated, reviews will change person to person, day to day, heck, probably even hour by hour, especially as far as service goes. I wouldnt say it was 'bad' but it wasnt something we were excited we had spent our money on either.

 

[TX~tink]

the one time I went there, the food was mediocre for the prices and the atmosphere was really bad. I mean the aquarium was pretty but I couldn't even enjoy it because there was a kid running up and down the isle next to my table and their parent's didn't even care. And I was in the waaaaay back. I wouldn't go back there it really is not worth the wait or the price.

 

[serrotak]

I agree that a review can change. Some people did say they enjoy it, while others did not. I will have to try for myself and see. I think the kids will enjoy the theme at least.

And I definitely will not let my kids rum down the aisles or jump up and down by the aquarium. I hate it when parents let their kids do those things.

I definitely will let everyone know how it goes for me when I go in Feb.

 

[jb01]

The surroundings are fantastic. The food is nothing special. If you haven't eaten there before it is still worth going.

 

[serrotak]

The surroundings are fantastic. The food is nothing special. If you haven't eaten there before it is still worth going.

Thanks

BTW I tried to catch your bug...

 

[Mouseturtle]

This just may be the most controversial restaurant on property. So many conflicting opinions. I wasn't sure I wanted to try it either, but I went for our 1st trip in May. We got a seat right next to the tank...it was awesome. So, the view kind of made up for the food, which was not so awesome. I had the salmon "sandwich" which was open faced, it was VERY fishy. when I asked for fruit instead of fries the waitress said that the chef "wouldnt like that" and she brought me the most pitiful fruit cup I had ever seen. It was one grape, one strawberry cut in half and 2 chunks of cantaloupe. She had a good sense of humor about it though.

HOWEVER, that being said, I will go back. I want to give it another shot because it really did have a great theme. Even the waitress said there's not a bad seat in the house. And DS12 is insisting we go back just for the chocolate wave dessert, which IMO saved the place from being a dining disaster.

I would try the steak which I heard good reviews about.

As with anything, you will make your own experience. I think it's worth giving it a go. Check out the menu on allears.net

 

[lazydazy8]

We love the CR. It is one of our family's favorite restaurants on property. My DD9 is a hoping to be a marine biologist someday, so she is absolutely fascinated all through our meal. Our servers have been polite, as we really enjoy interacting with our servers.

We love the mahi mahi. My DH had a pumpkin risotto. I find the menu to be more diverse than a lot of the other places on property. I personally, do not know of any other restaurants anywhere, where you can watch giant sea turtles settle in for a nap with sharks swimming past them!

Other people's uncontrolled kids are unfortunate, but not the restaurant's fault. Go with an open mind and it may become one of your favorites, too!

 

[lesliejmorris]

OUr favorite lunch of the trip, 44,46,16 and 5

 

[SRICE100]

We all love Coral Reef. DD and DS request it every trip. We have had great food and service!

 

[jamstew]

I've only eaten there once and thoroughly enjoyed it. No, it's not Signature quality, but the blackened catfish with cheese grits was really very good.

 

[Frothy]

Have to agree with those who say it's not as good as it used to be. The food is just average, the wait time unacceptable and the overall experience really does depend on who serves you.

Also, the restaurant tends to be very cold.

 

[jemgumby]

We have eaten there twice and never had a bad experience. I don't really like seafood but was happy with my steak. My husband liked his fish. As a matter of fact the last time we ate there was about 3 years ago and the restaurant made a good job of making a big deal about my inlaws 50th anniversary. They brought out a special dessert. From the ages of 60+, 40+, 20+, 30+ and 7 yrs old we all liked it!!! Give it a shot.

 

[TifffanyD]

We used to love this place and it was a must do on every trip. I dreamed about the Mahi Mahi.

Went back 3 weeks after our last visit and the menu had changed - way for the worse. Now I still dream about the Mahi Mahi but it won't be realized. I miss liking this place but we won't be back til it improves.