The Myth that is LeCellier

[leebee]

Before the dining plan became so popular, Le Cel was basically a walk-up; if you didn't have ADRs (PS's in those days!), you knew you could go to Le Cel and get in, no problem. Now it's a great deal on the dining plan, so that makes it popular. I also think that some folks just aren't very adventurous eaters, so don't appreciate all the WS restaurants. Le Cel has familiar food, actually pretty basic compared to the other WS restaurants, which makes it popular also.

 

[dopeyone]

I agree, although we all like Le Cellier, it is rather average...nothing special (well, the cheese soup and pretzel bread is kinda awesome) we could live without it. We do go there once a trip, but would not be heartbroken if we couldn't get adr's. no doubt it's a good deal if your on the dining plan.

 

[OrangeCat04]

We weren't impressed with Le Cellier either. Everything was loaded with salt. The soup and the Filet w/ Risotto was sooooo salty that i was looking forward to dessert. I ordered the Chocolate Moose, and it was Blech.....


After 3 trips of trying to get a reservation, we finally did! And prob won't ever try again lol. That's ok though, it saves one more spot for those who love it.

 

[OhThePain]

I am not a fan of Le Cellier. You could change the sign that says "Le Cellier" with one that says "Outback Steakhouse" and I don't know if I could tell the difference. It by no means lives up to the hype it gets.

 

[goofy4tink]

The other Disney dining establishment that is a myth is Beaches and Cream. A generic malt shop that receives an almost cultish, pyschotic level of hype due to the mere fact it is (a) hard to get into (again due to small size and the fact you can't make ressies at it) and (b) a single menu item that is nothing more than a big pile of B- grade supermarket ice cream buried under K Mart sweets.

Man, you've got that right. We've waited 25 mins to get two cups of Edy's chocolate ice cream there....at 2:30pm!!! Never again. We have never been able to get in there to sit down. I just don't get it. But, many others like it there. We no longer try to get anthing there...we just buy the Edy's chocolate ice cream at home.

LeCellier?? The problem really started (yeah, I know, here we go yet again!!) with the ddp. Yachtsman was considered 'signature' dining and was 2 TS credits....Shulas wasn't on the ddp. Flying Fish (which has a very tasty piece of beef) is also 2 TS. Which makes LeCellier very popular. It used to be much nicer..you have more menu options. The prices have increased over the years (at least I believe they have) until they are close to FF and Yachtsman...which makes it 'seem' to be a better value.

Personally I prefer LeCellier to Yachtsman. I have had consistently good beef at LeCellier. Not at Yachtsman. I had an awful experience there last Dec...won't be returning any time soon. But, others love it there.

 

[Tiger926]

It used to be much better and we haven't eaten there in years. But, this July we are trying it again for lunch - when you are there for almost 2 weeks and have eaten pretty much everywhere, you start to run out of restaurants! No big deal as lunch isn't that expensive (we have TIW), but we wouldn't be eating there for dinner as it's really gone downhill over the past few years.

There are so many overhyped restaurants at WDW, IMHO, and this is just one of them.

Tiger

 

[emmabemmainc]

I don't like threads like this--it's almost like, "Why are so many people idiots?"

I loved LeCellier when we went a couple of years ago--and yes, like some of the PP said, it's one of the better 1 credit places.

If you don't like it or think it's just average--don't go. Easy as pie!

About Beaches and Cream--I've never been, be man, that No Way Jose looks amazing!

 

[smcabee]

I love Le Cellier even more than Shulas or the Yachtsman. I also enjoy threads like this. Keep telling folks how bad and overhyped it is and it makes my reservations that much easier to get. So all you haters out there keep getting the message out. *subliminal message* " You do not want to eat at Le Cellier, You do not want to eat at Le Cellier" *end subliminal message*

 

[dixonsontour]

You are forgetting the international visitors aswell.

A decent steak meal cannot be got for a reasonable price locally to me in England. I only really order steak in a restaurant in the US. So steak is a treat for us.

Add into that the DDP - a $45 meal (steak, dessert, drink) for 1TS is a good deal.

We liked le cellier food, not so impressed by server and yes tables were close together but they were at other places aswell. So yes i've made an adr at the 180 + 10 mark to go back in October, husband wanted to go twice!

 

[Bouncin-Tigger]

Was thinking the same things as the OP, we have been to Le cellier 4 or 5 times and it is average at best and do agree that food quality is slowly declining. Never understood the difficulty in getting reservations here. I recently read on the zagat website that "LeCellier would not be considered a top 100 steak house in the city of chicago and not even a top 50 in orlando."

 

[Brook1099]

My family and I LOVE our meal @ LeCellier and would not miss it. Now comparing it to Siganture restaraunts and there steak is unfairly unomparable. We eat @ Yachtsmen twice every vacation and enjoy a different kind of dining experience there. While I like somethings more at Lecellier that Yachtsmen and vice versa. If LeCellier were a signature maybe the HYPE wouldnot be so strong. But when u can get a tasty steak, and other good food options for 1TS or the price OOP is reasonable it should be a restaraunt too enjoy!

Everyone has there own opinion about alot of things related to dining and that is the fun part of going to Disney and experiencing these places so u can make your own decision about this place. And if you LOVE it, ENJOY it. If you Didn't, that saves room for me.

 

[Ramsfan28]

I like it for the burgers, salads, and soups. It is more of a lunch place for me to enjoy when I know I will be in Epcot. I usually get a ADR during my stays at the world but if I didn't, I think I would live.


If I want a steak I would hit Shula's or BlueZoo for dinner.

 

[antmaril]

I have been wondering this for years. We went for lunch once a few years ago (because of all the hype here on the Dis) and I just don't get it. It was fine, but nothing special and I really didn't like the atmosphere at all. Tables were close together, dark (like a cellar - I know) and dreary.

We have never been back.

 

[hsmamato2]

I agree with OP.....went there once,it was so overpriced for what they served.....the food wasn't 'bad' just not so great!

 

[Nebula]

I enjoyed Le Cellier and I would definitely eat there again. However, even with an ADR, we waited about 30 minutes to get in. Our steaks were cooked to perfection, but the servings were a bit small. The Maple Creme Brulee was the best dessert I had on our trip.

Being a steakhouse and 1 DDP credit, the place is always packed. We were SO close to the party next to us. It was a little awkward.

While the food was excellent, it wasn't my favorite restaurant this trip (that goes to Cape May Cafe). Once we actually got into the place, though, the service was the best of any TS restaurant we ate at.

 

[RMulieri]

I agree..I think it was the most overhyped place we ate at.The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't allthat great nor memorable.I have had better steaks at home from my own grill and local restaurants

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

We are going to give it another try in October. We went the first time during the monsoon rains in May of last year and were soaked (despite rain jackets) and they had their air conditioner cranked up high, so we were freezing!! We ordered some coffee-irish creme concotion to warm us up, which tasted wonderful!!

Anyway, we had reservations for two, and the table was so dinky, we could barely fit our meal, drinks, and appitizers on it...between freezing, and frustration for the lack of space (was sitted next to another couple so close, we could have eaten off of their plates!), it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Anyway, we booked ADRs in October for a table for THREE (which, the "third person" is going to be "sick"), so hopefully it won't be so cramped....looking forward to see how different it will be when we aren't freezing and hurting for space. From what I remember, the food was great, but it was hard to get a good impression between shivers.

 

[Hopefully]

I too find Le Cellier overhyped here on the DIS.
We went years ago and DH said it was the best steak he had ever had. Not so anymore. With the advent of the DDP (which I like, in general), the best cuts of meat have been removed from the menu.
We haven't even tried for a reservation in several trips.

 

[tiredsigh]

Here's my take:

I am trying the place for the first time next week. I don't expect fine dining. If I wanted to a high end steak house, I wouldn't expect to find it at WDW inside a park. Will it be better than something I can get at a restaurant in Six Flags? Of course. Will it be better than some of my local steak houses? Maybe, but probably not. I expect it to be "pleasant".

I don't go to WDW for fine dining. I have a feeling that I will be just fine with the food and service. I've got two kids (one is a toddler). If I can eat in peace and the kids have some food they like on their plates, we've cleared the first hurdle.

I won't be cancelling my ADR just because it's compared to Outback I also didn't cancel OHana's for dinner due to some bad reviews either. OR LTT. And the list goes on and on....

 

[PoppyGirl]

The soup tastes like bacon and people love bacon.