What is all the hype....

[crisi]

We rarely go to steak houses-We get the reduced-price steaks from our local Winn-Dixie,and cook them ourselves!!!! And guess what-they taste quite good to us;Guess we're just not used to the high-end stuff!!! I think we'll enjoy Le Cellier just fine!

I suspect you will. I hope you do. But do us a favor and if you come back raving about "the best steak you've ever had in your life" (and I hope it is!) mention that you are normally getting the reduced price steaks from Winn-Dixie and cooking them yourselves - and that you aren't a high end steak person.

 

[utkscvol1]

Ok, I was lucky enough to have a diser give me their le cellier ressie for our upcoming trip. I have heard some many conflicting reviews that I hope we don't regret it. Hopefully the food will be good.

 

[irunnoft]

Le Cellier is a good restaurant, in my opinion. The mushroom filet is probably the best thing on the menu, as far as steaks go. That being said, there are several better steaks on WDW property. I thought the filet at Jiko, Cali Grill, Yachtsman and Shula's were better. Shula's has probably the best steak on WDW property.

 

[ShannonMB]

I agree with pretty much everything, especially the SMALL size of the restaurant coupled with the relative good deal on the dining plan. In Feb, our food was very good, but the atmosphere and service were nothing to write home about, just okay. I'm glad I tried it, but no one has to worry about me joining in the competition for ADRs in the near future -- there are far too many other places in Epcot I'm dying to try!

 

[crisi]

Le Cellier is a good restaurant, in my opinion. The mushroom filet is probably the best thing on the menu, as far as steaks go. That being said, there are several better steaks on WDW property. I thought the filet at Jiko, Cali Grill, Yachtsman and Shula's were better. Shula's has probably the best steak on WDW property.

And, quite honestly, we were disappointed in that experience. The steak wasn't "all that" - it was a good steak (the Jiko steak was better, but Jiko has one steak, Shula's is a steakhouse with a lot of choices). The service was excellent, but we had the bad fortune to be there during a business conference, so our romantic high end dinner involved being surrounded by several large tables of people on expense accounts.

 

[LUVDZNY2008]

During my recent trip, I had filet mignon at Jiko's, California Grill & Le Cellier. The best one was at California Grill..very tasty and it melted in my mouth

 

[Kaigler]

I have to actually completely DISAGREE with much of what has been said in this thread. I just got back from Disney a week ago and we had Le Cellier for the first time. I had read that it was greatest thing and also that it was the most over-hyped thing ever. Out of all the places we ate at on this trip, Le Cellier was by far the best dining experience we had at Disney World. Every part of the meal was such a delight that I didn't want it to end. And the service was perhaps the best I have ever had. Our waiter trully seemed to care about us and the experience we were having. So for my one experience I have to buy into the hype and say Le Cellier is every bit of what people say it is.

 

[BriarRosie]

I think part of the hype is also that it is a one credit restaurant for those on the dining plan. If it was made a two credit restaurant, maybe it wouldn't be so hard to get in.

Most definitely. Le Cellier I believe started out as 2 credits on the DDP, as did Coral Reef. When both of those places changed to 1 credit, people suddenly had difficulty getting ADRs there.

I fully believe the hype for Le Cellier was that it is:
1 table service credit
In a theme park
They serve steak.

I don't think the actual food itself mattered after those three criteria. Oh yeah. Because the seating area is small, as many others have mentioned, having a lot of people fighting for fewer tables than other places probably added to the hype.

But I do remember enjoying food there pre-DDP just fine. It could very well be that I enjoyed the meal prepared by the chef at the time. He left Le Cellier to go to Jiko, and most recently became the executive chef at California Grill sometime in the spring, I think.

 

[My2QTs]

I have to disagree with most of you as well. It is not even close to an Outback steak. I think that's ridiculous. And I doubt the hype is b/c they serve steak cause just about every TS place on property serves steak. The food is very very good. don't let people convince you otherwise. yes, Im sure its slightly overrated, but that's pretty typical. Ohana is overrated too, but it doesn't stop people from trying to get in. Im sure that for many people its just the thrill of the chase...trying to get an ADR, but all that aside, the food is very good, and restaurant is not THAT small, and you will enjoy it. If you got an ADR, keep it. If you end up being disappointed, then don't go back anymore, but I don't think you will. If you're disappointed in LeCellier, then you'll probably be extremely disappointed in every other place you eat, unless is a signature, which you would expect to be very top notch since you're paying about double OOP, and definitely double if youre using TS credits.

 

[smcabee]

I just love these threads. I hope that everyone gets it in their heads how terrible this place is so that those of us who really like it can get in like ME!!!!

 

[My2QTs]

smcabee.....that's hilarious!! I was thinking the same thing. If people can convince other people that its all just a hype then maybe those people will cancel, opening uhttp://www.wdwinfo.com/images/smilies/rotfl2.gif
p the time slot for them!!! Keep it OP.....don't give in to the peer pressure!!

 

[crisi]

I have to actually completely DISAGREE with much of what has been said in this thread. I just got back from Disney a week ago and we had Le Cellier for the first time. I had read that it was greatest thing and also that it was the most over-hyped thing ever. Out of all the places we ate at on this trip, Le Cellier was by far the best dining experience we had at Disney World. Every part of the meal was such a delight that I didn't want it to end. And the service was perhaps the best I have ever had. Our waiter trully seemed to care about us and the experience we were having. So for my one experience I have to buy into the hype and say Le Cellier is every bit of what people say it is.

Where else did you eat? Where do you normally eat? Are you a "steak from Winn-Dixie" steak person or a "Ruth's Chris" steak person?

 

[Aimeedyan]

Over the years, I've had a really good steak or two there. I think its steadily gone downhill since we first went in 2002.

A lot of people like steak. And they don't get it that often. And they either prefer the "Outback" type steak to the "Ruth's Chris" type steak - or they have never been to a high end steak house so steak is steak. The cheese soup also has a really big following - and I think is a regional thing (we live in Minnesota, fifteen minutes away from the cheese soup capital of the U.S. - Wisconsin. My understanding is that cheddar cheese soup of quality is not something easily found in other parts of the country).

I think the expectations thing is critical though. When a lot of people say something like "best steak I've had in my life" those of us who prefer the Ruth's Chris type steak - and have had some excellent steaks - set the bar about there. Then even if you get a good Le Cellier steak, it isn't going to meet your expectations. I've learned the hard way with the DIS boards to take the hyped restaurants with a grain of salt....I'm much better off going into a place with expectations that say "More DISers like this place than don't" than "DISers LOVE this place." And I always watch for the naysayers - the folks that don't like Le Cellier (or whatever) who pop up. They are usually the ones with actual criticism.

Agree 100%.

Yachtsman Steakhouse has much better steaks than Le Cellier, no question about it. But it's also more expensive and my budget doesn't stretch that far too often. I agree that expectations can play a big role in how you feel about LC.

See - that's the thing about the cost. So many have it in their mind that signature spots are SO much more expensive, and I think it's the 1 credit vs 2 credit argument. Reality is that the filet at Yachtsman is $39, the filet at LeCellier is $35. So for $4, you get better atmosphere, more consistent service, and a steak that is head's above the quality found at LeCellier.

Unless you're on the DDP, I can't see how anyone wouldn't spend the extra $5 and dine at Yachtsman (or another signature spot).

 

[Don Disney]

I suspect you will. I hope you do. But do us a favor and if you come back raving about "the best steak you've ever had in your life" (and I hope it is!) mention that you are normally getting the reduced price steaks from Winn-Dixie and cooking them yourselves - and that you aren't a high end steak person.

We have been to Ruth's Chris a couple of times-compliments of a staff MD at Christmas time,and that was'nt the best steak I ever had either!!! The BEST steaks I have ever eaten,were from a local joint here in New Orleans called Copelands-absolutely delicious.So,I don't think I'll be raving about Le Cellier,but will be pleasantly surprised IF they are as good as our Home-cooked,budget-friendly,Winn-Dixie(The Beef People),reduced-price,$3.99/lb T-bone,NY Strip,Boneless Black Angus Ribeye,New Oleanized,Fork-tender,Slap your Momma,and your Grandmomma Plum deeeelicious food we cook here in N'AWLINS!!!!!!!! And I ain't EVEN gonna start on the Seafood and Everything else!!!! Just because it might be cheap,don't mean it ain't GOOD!!!!

 

[crisi]

We have been to Ruth's Chris a couple of times-compliments of a staff MD at Christmas time,and that was'nt the best steak I ever had either!!! The BEST steaks I have ever eaten,were from a local joint here in New Orleans called Copelands-absolutely delicious.So,I don't think I'll be raving about Le Cellier,but will be pleasantly surprised IF they are as good as our Home-cooked,budget-friendly,Winn-Dixie(The Beef People),reduced-price,$3.99/lb T-bone,NY Strip,Boneless Black Angus Ribeye,New Oleanized,Fork-tender,Slap your Momma,and your Grandmomma Plum deeeelicious food we cook here in N'AWLINS!!!!!!!! And I ain't EVEN gonna start on the Seafood and Everything else!!!! Just because it might be cheap,don't mean it ain't GOOD!!!!

Absolutely. I'm a huge fan of a big plate of cheap pasta, enjoy my ribs, and we have hash for dinner around here regularly. But there is a difference between a cheap steak you buy at the grocery store and an expensive steak you get from a high end restaurant. If what you are expecting is the steak from a high end restaurant, and you don't get that steak, its disappointing. Not that Le Cellier is a cheap steak, most of my steaks there have been pretty good (one inedible, one excellent, four or five in the "Outback or a little better" range.)

 

[RMulieri]

I agree. I was really disappointed with Le Cellier.It wasn't bad, just nothing to rave about and much over hyped.

 

[Don Disney]

Absolutely. I'm a huge fan of a big plate of cheap pasta, enjoy my ribs, and we have hash for dinner around here regularly. But there is a difference between a cheap steak you buy at the grocery store and an expensive steak you get from a high end restaurant. If what you are expecting is the steak from a high end restaurant, and you don't get that steak, its disappointing. Not that Le Cellier is a cheap steak, most of my steaks there have been pretty good (one inedible, one excellent, four or five in the "Outback or a little better" range.)

I hear you-check out the beef ratings chart/info;You'll find that there is very little"Prime" in a lot of restaurants,but there is some at your high-end establishments.Choice Grade "A" is the best that most of us are able to get;of course unless some of us have taste-buds that can ACTUALLY taste the difference-which I think not.The flavor of a steak definately can be elevated,or brought down-just depends on the cut,how it is seasoned,how it is cooked,and who is cooking it!!! I know some people who can take anything and make it taste like a million bucks-myself included;EXCEPT,we won't,and don't have to spend a lot to get excellent tasting steaks,or anything else for that matter.So it's all a matter of personal preference I guess
.Just can't see spending a bunch of money on steaks that my taste-buds cant distinguish as "Prime"!!!! Also,just because they say it's "Prime",don't mean it is! Bon Apetit' Mon Frere!!!!