Opinions on Coral Reef

[timandlesley]

Please share your recent oppinions on the food. I went a LONG time ago when I was in high school, but we are planning a trip to WDW for my 30th b-day and I was thinkiing of booking here because the menu looks good and I know the fish would keep the kids busy and I would stand a chance at having a nice b-day dinner. I also love Teppakanayi and want to do that during the stay and want to try LeCellier. I was considering doing Teppakanayi on my b-day and LeCellier instead of Coral Reef, but wanted to get Diser's oppinions on Coral Reef first. Thanks! I want a special b-day dinner.
Lesley

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I have friends who just love this restaurant, great food, great service. I have not been there in more years that I care to say so hopefully others here can comment on their experiences there..

 

[MickeyP]

Is this still open? One of them closed and not sure which one.

 

[mcsstokes]

The decor was changed from a more subdued theme to a more lively, coral theme. Not sure if I like the new theme.

The food was good. Expensive. Better bet is to do lunch and get the same meal but smaller portions if $$ is an issue. They usually have lunch specials that can be quite good.

 

[OurDogCisco]

We ate there last May. The atmosphere is awesome. The fish tank definitely kept our children busy. They had a map of all of the fish in the tank and the children had a great time finding them. They were 4 and 7 1/2 at the time. Anyways, the service was great. We didn't have tank seat we were up a ways. Well, my youngest really couldn't see the tank because of a wall in the way. Even though there were no other tables available the waiter moved the table over so she could see.

As for the food it wasn't our favorite meal. The fish was overcooked for us. We might have just been there on an off day. We also ordered the crab cakes and the ones at Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant in the MGM were much better. We didn't find it that great. We really liked Le Cellier. That was an awesome meal.

Tina

 

[Aunt Cawa]

DH and I ate there at the end of October. One of the best meals of the trip!
Service and food were great. Of course, we both like seafood. Wine list was also very good.

All in all a very enjoyable evening!

 

[Forever42]

We just went this weekend, I do plan on doing a review on it for once, but it was hands down the *worst* experience we've ever had at Disney. Edit: I don't say this lightly, either. We're very easy-going and understand a lot can go wrong in restaurants/stores/etc, and we've had very very few times when we say we've had a bad experience at Disney.

My fiance and I ordered filet, and we were brought 4oz portions of sirloin, not filet. My friend ordered the shrimp dish, and the odor nauseated her, but she ate it anyway since we were running late (we were seated 30 min late, though we were there over 40 min early). We expected some kind of nice plating for the money we spent, but our food looked like it was unceremoniously plopped on the plates.

Service was poor, the atmosphere was like a character dinner, and we can't believe we spent the money we did. We were going into this expecting a good time, since we had recently been for lunch and enjoyed it. We noticed when we were coming in, many other people were leaving looking angry and I was wondering why. Now I know - the transition to a 1 credit restaurant quality has already happened.

 

[timandlesley]

Wow, really?? So where would you recommend a b-day dinner at then? If you were in Epcot would you do LeCellier? I am concerned about the kids there, that is why I was thinking Coral Reef. I LOVE TEppakanayi but don't know if they would do anything for my b-day.

Lesley

 

[Forever42]

Wow, really?? So where would you recommend a b-day dinner at then? If you were in Epcot would you do LeCellier? I am concerned about the kids there, that is why I was thinking Coral Reef. I LOVE TEppakanayi but don't know if they would do anything for my b-day.

Lesley

Le Cellier is one of our favorites, and I'd highly recommend it for a birthday dinner, we took one of our friends there for her birthday recently, in fact.

How old are your kids? Does your birthday dinner have to be at Epcot?

I can't comment on Teppanyaki and birthdays, since we've never done a birthday there. Also, don't necessarily go expecting to have a restaurant do anything besides say happy birthday, when we went for our birthdays this year (same day), San Angel Inn did nothing.

 

[timandlesley]

No, it doesn't have to be at Epcot. My kids are 2 1/2 and 5, I would love to give Le Cellier a try but worry about their attention span during the meal, that is why I was leaning towards Coral Reef, I may just do Teppakanayi on my b-day though and then LeCellier on the day I had booked for Teppakanayi, I can't decide.

Lesley

 

[Forever42]

If you don't necessarily have to be at Epcot, you could always try a restaurant such as Whispering Canyon - I'm guessing you may have been there since you stayed at the WL this summer? There's 'Ohana, as well.

We don't have kids, so you would probably be the best judge of attention span and where they could handle going.

What about trying Le Cellier at lunch? It tends to be somewhat quicker than dinner, since there are usually fewer people.

 

[civileng68]

Coral Reef:

Great great, incredible, unique atmosphere.

Food: poor, below the quality you would expect. You leave feeling as if you just paid for the atmosphere.................whether that is worth the $ to you is only up to you!

 

[timandlesley]

Is the steak bad too? That is what my hubby will be getting. I would probably get the shrimp, any input?

Lesley

 

[Forever42]

Is the steak bad too? That is what my hubby will be getting. I would probably get the shrimp, any input?

Lesley

Are you asking the poster above you, about Coral Reef? It's hard to tell, sometimes, without quotes. I mentioned both in my other post The steak was a tiny, chewy piece of sirloin. I felt insulted that we were served that, for $31.

 

[bavaria]

We just went this weekend, I do plan on doing a review on it for once, but it was hands down the *worst* experience we've ever had at Disney. Edit: I don't say this lightly, either. We're very easy-going and understand a lot can go wrong in restaurants/stores/etc, and we've had very very few times when we say we've had a bad experience at Disney.

My fiance and I ordered filet, and we were brought 4oz portions of sirloin, not filet. My friend ordered the shrimp dish, and the odor nauseated her, but she ate it anyway since we were running late (we were seated 30 min late, though we were there over 40 min early). We expected some kind of nice plating for the money we spent, but our food looked like it was unceremoniously plopped on the plates.

Service was poor, the atmosphere was like a character dinner, and we can't believe we spent the money we did. We were going into this expecting a good time, since we had recently been for lunch and enjoyed it. We noticed when we were coming in, many other people were leaving looking angry and I was wondering why. Now I know - the transition to a 1 credit restaurant quality has already happened.

Yet again I have to agree with Forever42 (we definitely share some brain waves...)

I have given them a few tries and it just seems that they exist off the aquarium. The service seems lacking and the food quality doesn't live up to expectations.

There are many other excellent choices around WDW. I hope that Coral Reef manages to move their standards upwards in future.

 

[civileng68]

Yet again I have to agree with Forever42 (we definitely share some brain waves...)

I have given them a few tries and it just seems that they exist off the aquarium. The service seems lacking and the food quality doesn't live up to expectations.

There are many other excellent choices around WDW. I hope that Coral Reef manages to move their standards upwards in future.

I think that is EXACTLY what was on my mind with this restaraunt.

Seriously, Im sure some like it, but at the same time, some are so biased because they are at WDW and enjoying themselves so much that they dont really pay attention this sort of thing.

I love aquariums and that was my first choice, and I was so disappointed, I also felt insulted that I had to pay so much for such lousy food.

let me just say this about this restaraunt. Take away the atmosphere and just compare food WITHOUT prices........if this restaraunt was side by side with TGIFridays in my town, I'd hit Fridays.

The food is just not very good, and many reviews have said this for the past couple years. If you go, you will be paying for atmosphere.

For LESS $$$, you can find better food nearly anywhere on the property.

 

[timandlesley]

That does it, thanks for your help guys. I'm going to Teppakanayi for my b-day. That is my favorite as far as food so I know it will be great and we will give LeCellier a try too this year. THANKS!!! I love the Dis for honest oppinions.

Lesley

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I haven't been to the Coral Reef since 2001, so I really can't comment on how it is now. But in the past, it seems like it has always been a hit or miss restaurant.

In 2001 we went for a dinner one night and had a great meal. DH liked it so much that he really wanted to go again so we switched some plans around and went back for lunch 2 days later. It was terrible.

I mean honestly, I am the worst cook in the entire world, but even I can make a salad. Truthfully, they tried to serve me a salad that was clearly at least 2 days past its expiration date it was so wilted that McDonald's would have been ashamed of it. That is the only time in my life that I can recall ever just sending food back to a kitchen. Out of our family, the only one who got anything resembling an edible meal was my youngest son -- I think he had grilled cheese or chicken nuggets or something -- heat and serve from the kids menu.

I'm taking my Mom there next week. We aren't incredibly fussy eaters and she has never been. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the best.

 

[michaelwilliammidd]

We dined at Coral Reef for the first time last week and really enjoyed it. DMIL had Mahi Mahi, DFIL had Barbeque Catfish and I had a Crab Cake and the Creamy Lobster Soup. All of it was really, really good and we loved the restaurant itself, the decor was very cool and the aquariums were wonderful.

 

[bwv4me]

Coral Reef used to be a favorite of mine. Hit it just right twice in 2003. Went back again, expecting the same fabulous food, in 2005 and it wasn't as I remembered it. This used to be a clear fav of mine. I will give it another chance, though. I LOVE the atmosphere and except for one meal, have loved the food. Maybe management/chefs were changed or something?