Le Cellier or Coral Reef?

[dizneydiva2005]

I can't decide between Le Cellier's or Coral Reef? I've been to Le Celliers back in 2000 but never Coral Reef. I took a peek at the menu's and to be honest the menu at Coral Reef sounded better. I have 3 kids, if that matters to which to pick.

Can you help me decide?

 

[VW_Guy]

I have been to both, and I would say the major difference between them is that Le Cellier has better food, but the Coral Reef has better atmosphere. The Coral Reef doesn't have bad food, but its only average seafood (think Red Lobster) and not quite up to par against Le Cellier. However, the Coral Reef does have plenty for kids to look at (in the aquarium) and when we were there, all the kids had glow-in-the-dark drinks, which seemed really cool. (I think they had light-up plastic ice cubes in them). I'm not sure how the prices would compare, but I remember Coral Reef being VERY pricy. (but if you have the dining plan, it won't matter)

So, the decision would be between better food, or occupied kids. Or, for the best of both, I would recommend getting an early ADR for Le Cellier and then a late ADR at Coral Reef for dessert and coffee--its worth it to see the place.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[01Sweetpea]

We are at Le Cellier in 2004 and enjoyed it so much we are going back this year. We are also trying Coral Reef for the first time. I don't htink you can go wrong with either.

 

[smep013]

We have ADRs at both for this August! Can't wait!

 

[ougrad86]

That's hard. I think I agree with the other poster that Le Cellier has the better food and Coral Reef has the atmosphere. However, for my young son, he said the mac & cheese at the Coral Reef was his favorite EVER! The aquarium is way cool, and he loved watching the fish.
The food at both were very good, Le Cellier (cheese soup and steak) edging out Coral Reef (chicken). We hit Coral Reef for an early lunch, and had Le Cellier the next day for dinner.

 

[bicker]

I've had the opposite experience with regard to food, with Coral Reef always being superlative and Le Cellier always being mediocre at best. Coral Reef does have much better atmosphere; Le Cellier is very cramped. Having said that, the menu at Coral Reef has recently seen some significant changes, so I'm probably going to give Le Cellier another (final) try next year.

 

[Silverraindrop84]

I wasn't impressed with the food at the Coral Reef, but the aquarium was really cool to look at. The food at Le Cellier was awesome, can't wait to go back!

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

Here is my take, last weekend on a girls trip we ate at both. Coral Reef was FABULOUS, the lobster bisque was WAY YUMMY and my friend who DOES NOT eat seafood almost ordered herself a cup. I had the crab cake YUM YUM YUM, I didnt care for the potatoes that is came with but ONLY because I dont like Chorzio(sausage). We had the most awesome dessert, it was a chocolate brownie with marnier sauce in the middle and white chocolate ice cream TO DIE FOR. My friend had the shrimp cocktail, NY strip steak and the same dessert. We ate here on Thursday night and we had tried to cancel it to book O'hana's but it was booked.
On Saturday we ate at Le Cellier, we both had Cheddar cheese soup, Filets and since we did not care for the adult desserts, we ordered a Kids chocolate mousse and a smores.

WE BOTH feel that Coral reef was the better meal, the ambiance was so GREAT, the acquarium was neat, service was superb, dessert was out of this world. Dont get me wrong the filet from Le Cellier was great but its a SMALL place and not a lot of room to move.

My family and our best friends and their kids, 4 kids in total, ages 8,7,4,15 months had Le Cellier booked for our trip in Ocotber, but we changed it to Coral Reef, more for the kids to "look" at and the ice cubes will be a big hit!!!

Good luck with your decison, I hope I helped and didnt confuse more LOL

 

[scrump]

Coral Reef for atmosphere, definitely.

Foodwise, I can see it go either way, though you will see more negative reviews for Coral Reef. Personally, Le Cellier is pretty standard for me, and I feel it lacks a "Disney quality" - I feel like I'm just downtown.

Kids might like the aquarium, I know I loved it!!

 

[donaldsgal]

We have eaten at Coral Reef twice - 2003 and 2004 - and both meals were excellent. The ambiance was great: once in the highest tier and once up against the glass. We were 2 adults and 4 adults, respectively. I highly recommend this restaurant and would go back regularly if it weren't for WDW - especially Epcot - having so many appealing restaurants we've yet to try.

We plan to try Le Cellier, and not to discourage you, but I've read that the wait even with an ADR can at times be substantial with slow-ish service. I bring that up because, even without kids, I get frustrated when I wait more than 20 minutes with an ADR (in normal circumstances, not when the staff explains the hold-up or keeps me informed that they're trying to seat me). So just an FYI.

Give Coral Reef a try.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

Hi!

We booked both for August and boy am I glad that we did!!

YUM YUM......

 

[tinagirl]

I vote for Le Cellier if you love seafood -
What I mean by that is this:

I'm originally from Alaska, and live in California. I've had much much much better seafood at local places than at the reef. To me, the reef felt much more like a trendy chain than a Disney restaurant.

Yes, the fish are cool to watch, but most kids I know have issue with watching the same species that they're consuming anyways...

I have always liked Le Cellier's baroque ambience more. It is likely because I'm a geek, and it makes me feel like I'm dining in the Renaissance.

The pretzel bread, the cheese soup, and the second best steak I've ever had (second only to the fabulous filet I had at Chefs de France) and I can tell you that it is no question for me. *besides, the glowing ice cube drinks are served up at Le Cellier too - in the Northern Lights drink.

At the end of the day, it seems to be a personality thing. If you like ambience like the Swan or Beach Club, then go to the reef. If you're more of a Wilderness lodge family, you'll probably have a better time at Le Cellier...

-Tina.

 

[kimberh]

I love the atmosphere of Coral Reef but the food at Le Cellier. what I didn't like about LeCellier were the tables were so close together. I felt like we were eating with the family next to us, they even said Happy Birthday and have a safe trip home when they left. I didn't eat at Coral Reef on the Dining Plan so the food was expensive and not much of it.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Le Cellier.

 

[rponseti]

I already have Le Cellier booked and debating on Coral Reef. Can anyone tell me if they have sharks in the aquarium? I have a daughter that is very afraid of them. I'm pretty sure they don't, but I'm just checking. Thanks!

Richie

 

[Silverraindrop84]

yes they do have sharks.

 

[rponseti]

Are they the big scary kind? We had some in our aquarium in New Orleans that had the big ragged teeth that showed all the time. Not good!!! Thanks for the help!!!

 

[ougrad86]

The sharks weren't all that big, but they did have the teeth . Must be well fed, they didn't try for any of the other fish.
You might ask not to sit right next to the aquarium, it might not alarm her if she is a little further away.

 

[rponseti]

Thanks! Will take that into consideration. Might just be easier to eat some place else. I really wanted to try it though.

Richie

 

[firkat]

I have not eaten at Le Cellier . . . yet . . . but plan to in Oct! However, I have eaten at Coral Reef and although the food was not memorable, I will never forget the experience of eating in a room with those huge aquariums. It was other-worldly!