Thoughts on these restaurants?

[3littlecuties]

The 180 day window for our spring break trip opens in about a month so I'm starting to consider dining options. Wondering if we should try some new places or stick with tried and true favorites!

What are your thoughts on Garden Grill, Coral Reef, or Via Napoli in Epcot? I know people love Via Napoli but when I consider a pizza place vs some of the other great restaurants in Epcot, I always pass on it. Also, I think our kids would think Coral Reef is cool but I've heard the food is bad. We love Biergarten, Teppen Edo, and Chefs de France. We would easily go back to any of them but should we consider one of these others? (I have no desire to go to China or Morocco restaurants. We did San Angel in Mexico and the ambiance was really cool but I'm not rushing to go back there).

In Hollywood Studios, we've done 50's Prime Time a couple of times and we are doing Sci Fi in December. Is Mama Melrose worth checking out? Or stick with one of the others or just QS? I don't want to do Hollywood Brown Derby with my kids.

At MK, we've never done BOG dinner and despite it being a difficult reservation to get, I've heard mixed reviews on the food. We've done lunch there and liked it. Should we try for dinner there? We've also never done Crystal Palace. Not really interested in spending the money for CRT. We've done Liberty Tree many times and are trying Skipper Canteen in December.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[DeterminedOne]

I see from your signature you are fortunate enough to visit often. With that in mind - try something new!!
Although you have dined at BOG for lunch, dinner would be new because of the Beast.
It has been a long time since I've been to the World, so even though I have eaten at some of the places you asked
about, my opinion doesn't really count because a lot can change in 11 years. My strategy for picking restaurants this
time started out with the old tried and true. Weeks later I changed everything around and decided to try some new things.
Seven of the ten ADR's we have booked are places we've never eaten. Go for it!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

The 180 day window for our spring break trip opens in about a month so I'm starting to consider dining options. Wondering if we should try some new places or stick with tried and true favorites!

What are your thoughts on Garden Grill, Coral Reef, or Via Napoli in Epcot? I know people love Via Napoli but when I consider a pizza place vs some of the other great restaurants in Epcot, I always pass on it. Also, I think our kids would think Coral Reef is cool but I've heard the food is bad. We love Biergarten, Teppen Edo, and Chefs de France. We would easily go back to any of them but should we consider one of these others? (I have no desire to go to China or Morocco restaurants. We did San Angel in Mexico and the ambiance was really cool but I'm not rushing to go back there).

In Hollywood Studios, we've done 50's Prime Time a couple of times and we are doing Sci Fi in December. Is Mama Melrose worth checking out? Or stick with one of the others or just QS? I don't want to do Hollywood Brown Derby with my kids.

At MK, we've never done BOG dinner and despite it being a difficult reservation to get, I've heard mixed reviews on the food. We've done lunch there and liked it. Should we try for dinner there? We've also never done Crystal Palace. Not really interested in spending the money for CRT. We've done Liberty Tree many times and are trying Skipper Canteen in December.

Thanks in advance for your input!

I agree with your sentiments on Epcot. Via Napoli while the food is good, to me is like dining at my local italian eatery and not really very unique. Coral Reef would be my pick of the 3. The food is getting better. La Hacienda del San Angel is good and while the atmosphere isn't as cool as San Angel, the food is much much better and worth it. For HS, you and the kids will enjoy Sci Fi dine in. I found the food to be pretty good and their milkshakes are great too. Typical diner fare.

Dinner at BOG at MK is different meals than lunch but IMO it's the atmosphere and if you weren't impressed at lunch time with the beast's castle it will be no different at dinner. If your kids really wanted to meet the beast I would say do it, but otherwise I would pass. Crystal Palace is ok - not my favorite but not the worst either. Skipper will be a good change from Liberty. I like Liberty for lunch and Pinocchio Village Haus (QS) for dinner

 

[gharter]

I would agree with trying new places. We are still working our way around.
Starting with BOG, we've done lunch and dinner and prefer dinner. Similar experience, but the kids will love meeting the beast.
Love Skippers Cantina.

Hollywood Studios, really enjoy Sci Fi. Its been a few years since we ate at Moma Melrose, but really liked it in the past. We are going back to it in October.

EPCOT, the kids should love Coral Reef. We've not had a bad meal there, but others have. The aquarium from inside is very cool.
We really liked Tutto Italia. Have not tried Garden Grill or Via Napoli (was good at Disneyland).
As an alternative option, one night we are walking from EPCOT to Flying Fish for supper, then back to the park.

 

[Rich M]

For me Via Napoli Pizza was very good but again its pizza. I love Coral Reef and go every trip except my upcoming trip. The food has always been good in my opinion but I have had bad service there.

BOG dinner was good for us when we had it. We had steaks and they where as good as other places we had been. We were curious about the cauliflower side they offered and the server brought out some for us to try and it was great.

We do 50's Prime most trips but are thinking of doing Mama Melrose this trip if I can grab a reservation that works for us. We gave up a Hollywood and Vine to eliminate buffets since we are on the dxDDP and want to try APPS.

 

[Micca]

What are your thoughts on Garden Grill, Coral Reef, or Via Napoli in Epcot?

Haven't done Garden Grill for many years, it would be different now. I don't see a ton of great comments on the boards about it. I've had Via Napoli a couple of times (pizza) and it was good but I don't think it lives up to the hype it gets here on the boards. Note that place is LOUD, if you're looking to chill out over some pizza, this ain't the spot. We ate at Coral Reef for the first time in years this spring and we thought it was good--better than we had remembered it.

Is Mama Melrose worth checking out? Or stick with one of the others or just QS? I don't want to do Hollywood Brown Derby with my kids.

Tough call for me, HBD & Sci-Fi are really the only places we eat at DHS. We have been to MM and it's ok. If you live in an area where Italian cuisine is abundant you won't be blown away by MM.

At MK, we've never done BOG dinner and despite it being a difficult reservation to get, I've heard mixed reviews on the food. We've done lunch there and liked it. Should we try for dinner there?

We've done BOG lunch twice, that's it for us. In fairness a lot of folks think the dinner is much better. If we eat in MK it's at CHH, otherwise we exit the park and eat at one of the monorail resorts.

 

[Allie B]

I know coral reef gets bad reviews but we had a very good meal there and watching the aquarium was amazing and memorable.

BOG dinner is always a must do for us. Delicious food.

 

[#1MMFan]

Not massively impressed by Via Napoli on previous trip. I normally try to dine at Coral Reef - we like the ambiance and the food for us (and we're fussy) has usually been nice. The Jack Daniels/Bailey's dessert is lovely. Unfortunately the entrees this trip had changed and the dessert wasn't enough to entice us to book there. We'll probably try for it next time. (We're not big on polenta or quinoa etc). Garden Grill doesn't appeal to us - we're UK'ers and the options always seem a little too biscuits/gravy style (which is not something we're used to).

 

[BRWombat]

I'd recommend Garden Grill of the three -- the food was great, the atmosphere (rotating above the Living with the Land attraction!) cool, and wonderful character interaction! But it has been a few years since I've been there, so I can't vouch for it lately. My family has a December ADR there as part of the Candlelight Processional dining package, so I'll try to remember to report back.

 

[Oneanne]

I do Garden Grill most trips, as my one character meal: with the configuration of the restaurant the character interactions feel more intimate, and Chip is a personal favorite. The food and service has always been good.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Love Mama Melrose and Via Napoli...they are two of our favorite repeats.

 

[Shanti]

The 180 day window for our spring break trip opens in about a month so I'm starting to consider dining options. Wondering if we should try some new places or stick with tried and true favorites!

What are your thoughts on Garden Grill, Coral Reef, or Via Napoli in Epcot? I know people love Via Napoli but when I consider a pizza place vs some of the other great restaurants in Epcot, I always pass on it. Also, I think our kids would think Coral Reef is cool but I've heard the food is bad. We love Biergarten, Teppen Edo, and Chefs de France. We would easily go back to any of them but should we consider one of these others? (I have no desire to go to China or Morocco restaurants. We did San Angel in Mexico and the ambiance was really cool but I'm not rushing to go back there).

In Hollywood Studios, we've done 50's Prime Time a couple of times and we are doing Sci Fi in December. Is Mama Melrose worth checking out? Or stick with one of the others or just QS? I don't want to do Hollywood Brown Derby with my kids.

At MK, we've never done BOG dinner and despite it being a difficult reservation to get, I've heard mixed reviews on the food. We've done lunch there and liked it. Should we try for dinner there? We've also never done Crystal Palace. Not really interested in spending the money for CRT. We've done Liberty Tree many times and are trying Skipper Canteen in December.

Thanks in advance for your input!

We liked Garden Grill breakfast a lot, but disliked the dinner. We thought the food at Coral Reef was just fine. Crystal Palace is a nice place for breakfast, but just average for lunch or dinner.

 

[CynBeth]

We have always had good food and service at Coral Reef. We have never tried VN but love Tutto Italia. We love dinner at BOG!

 

[Arielfan98]

I would bypass on Via Napoli if you have great pizza at home like I do because I'm in the NYC/NJ region. Garden Grill does a fantastic breakfast with great character interaction. I recommend getting an early reservation then hopping on Soarin' with no FP. My family likes to save the FP for the Frozen ride. If you're looking to try a new restaurant, I cannot recommend Rose and Crown for dinner. Make a reservation close to illuminations and you may be seated outside to watch it or they'll take you to their special viewing area if seated inside.

 

[robl45]

We did mama melrose when we did the fantasmic dining package. It wasn't too bad and no one had any complaints. Garden grill is nice if you want to see characters and not have a buffet. The food is okay, nothing super. Coral reef the kids may enjoy, the fish are fun to see, but you really want to be sitting down at the tables that are near the tanks. BOG is fun to at least do once. I eat steak and its the same steak as everywhere else. I'd say the food there is at least better than 50% of the places at disney not including signature restaurants.