Coral Reef

[Trish5768]

I would love a review of this restaurant. Like it, hate it, love it etc. My Mom wants to go here for Mother's Day and I've never been and really have not heard too much about it. Thanks for any help.

Trish

 

[MelissathePooh]

Listen. This is just my opinion, but I think I know the secret of Coral Reef.

Actually, it is the secret of a lot of wdw restaurants, but in particular coral reef.

But first, let me say that the atmosphere is cool, the service can be professional, and it can be really nice to have a "window" table to watch the aquarium at your leisure. Also, it can be expensive.

Now, let me say that I've had a not very good meal there, and I've had a great meal there, and I suspect that you will find people who have great things to say, and people that say you should steer away.

So here's the secret. Keep it simple. At Coral Reef, I'd say stick with the shrimp. Remember that it is in a theme park and they go through a ton of people. Keep it simple. Don't go for the chef's fresh selection new recipe of the month. Have the shrimp cocktail. Maybe venture out to the lobster bisque. Stick with the basics and the things that have been on the menu for a long time. Ask your server. Have the house-labeled lager.

DR

 

[gopherit]

Our party of 8 had dinner there. We were seated near the fishies in a big booth that faced the tanks (it's sort of like theater-seating in that the restaurant is "staged" in levels to give a ll a view... some views will be better than others.) My SIL had a lo0vely view of a big post of some sort right in front of her -- very hard to see around -- so 1/2 way through, we did some seat-swapping so she could see. The kids loved the fish... but not their food (of all the places they dined -- this was the worst kid's food. Just plain didin't look too good.)

As for us 4 adults -- the lobster bisque was good. Wish I had some now. So does my dd -- at the tender age of 2, she downed nearly my whole cup, the little mooch. But true confessions -- the next night at Chef Mickey's, I SWEAR it was the same soup used as a sauce for a seafood pasta. DD and here discerning little palate agreed.

Anyhoooo -- at Coral Reef I ordered the tuna and also the "paired" wine that went with it, some crisply chilled white wine if I recall ... and for some reason ended up with the blackened catfish. Waiter insisted that's what I ordered. Whatever. Tried to argue the wine case, but waiter was so adamant I figured what the heck -- it looks good, I'm flexible. I admit it was good, at least. My SIL got the tuna -- it looked good too. DH had what looked to be the best -- some sort of mahimahi dish. BIL had shrimp. It was my and dh's anniversary, so they brought us a little cake, just to be nice! Divers came into the tank and we enjoyed watching them swim with the fishies. But all in all -- it was just so very very highly priced, even by Disney standards. And dh did not care for all the "fussiness" of the food (mind you, he breaks out in a cold sweat reading menus with words like "wasabe"... he's a simple eater, to say the least.) And I wanted that tuna... (or at least to be acknowledged by waiter I had ordered the tuna -- then if he ASKED if I wanted the catfish, I would have said, Oh sure -- don't worry!!")

We decided it was "ok" and the experience was "fun" but nothing we ever care to do again. Some folks have mentioned going at an "off" time and just having dessert -- I think this would be a really good options if it's just the ambiance you're after, not the food / big bill!

 

[laceemouse]

We ate there on our trip down 2 weeks ago. We have 4 kids, 12, 11, 8, and 6. Everyone in the family, except the 6 year old, LOVES seafood. The restaurant was beautiful and the kids loved watching the fish swim by. The service was superb, some of the best we have ever had in WDW. Most of us had the Mahi, it was on the kids menu too. The youngest had chicken strips and had no complaints. The mached potatoes served with the fish were good, and the crispy green beans were excellent. The fish was good but not fantastic. The flavor was good but I found the texture a little mushy. Oh yeah, we had shrimp cocktail before the meal and it was good, pretty much the same as it always is. We had lunch there, did not order dessert. We agreed we have had better seafood elsewhere. We may try it again sometime, but no time soon. There are just too many places in EPCOT we have not even tried yet!!!

 

[JKanownik]

DH and I went last May for dinner and were very disappointed. The atmosphere is nice, but that is about all it has going for it. I do not eat seafood, but DH does, so I was excited to eat here as we rarely go out to a seafood place and I knew he would enjoy it. Boy, was I wrong! I decided to go with the pork chop and I don't remember what he had, but I can tell you we would have had a better meal at Red Lobster. This place is way too expensive and is highly overrated. If you are planning to spend money here, don't! If you are looking for a good seafood place, I don't have any suggestions. If you are just looking for a really good meal, go to the California Grill instead. The price for our meals was comparable, atmosphere is just as good, if not better and the food at CR could not touch CG!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Like most, glad we did it once. Don't care to do it again. OK food at really high prices. Servings were small and our waiter while professional, was very cold and almost rude. We love watching the fish, but you can do that up stairs for a lot less money!!!


Jordans' mom

 

[msteddom]

I had lunch there last Aug. I loved the atmosphere, but I thought the food was way overpriced. Sheer sticker shock led me to have a meal of lobster bisque and the bread for the table. The soup was excellent and the sevice was good, but there is no way I'm paying that much for lunch no matter how good the view is. Stick with the soup!




Melissa

 

[kashkdz]

We had a b-day dinner there (celebrating each person's b-day in our family of 5---3 kids) on our last trip. As stated it is a little expensive, and you do pay more for the atmosphere. We had a curved booth that faced the fish tank on the floor which kept our kids busy the whole time. The food was pretty good, but yes it on the expensive side. I had the steak and my wife had crab cakes.

 

[dawgfan]

Ahi Tiuna=about $18
Pan Seared Yellow Tail Snapper=about $18
Grilled Mahi Mahi=$17

These are not high prices and in fact I would expect that price at any restaurant outside WDW. If I got it for less that would be a bonus. I certainly do not think it would be that much less.

Apps: Crab Cakes (Delicious by the way) $10=expensie but again youwill pay this almost anywhere for REAL crab cakes hand patted out and cooked well.

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail=$10 Now that is a little pricey

The non seafood items on the menu seem to be a little pricey to me but you have to remember they are set out to be fancy dishes.

When I went with my wife she had the Mahi and I had the Tuna. We had the Lobster Bisque and the Crab Cakes. Everything was excellent and we loved the place. We made up our mind to take the kids there this year.

My only suggestion is with small kids go eat first and see the aquarium after. The view inte restaurant will entertain the kids while waiting for the food to arrive. They will be less mesmerized if they have already seen the aquarium.

 

[DVCTiff]

We had dinner there last October while on our honeymoon. It was one of the best meals I'd ever eaten (had the special Australian lobster tail) and we had a wonderful server (Tony). We did switch tables right when we sat down so we could be closer to the fish tank. All in all, we had a wonderful experience there and didn't find the prices to be much higher than anywhere else. (The prices at Yachtsman were waaayyyy scarier).

 

[MemphisDad]

Last time we were there they had a dessert that was a hollow chocolate Geosphere about 6 inches high filled with raspberries and pieces of white chocolate. I will rarely if ever order a chocolate dessert because I don't have much of a sweet tooth - I prefer pie or fruit based desserts. However, I'm glad we ordered this to share. The filling, which I ate, was great, and DW almost passed out in a fit of chocolate ecstasy.

Overall we had a wonderful meal, but it was expensive thanks to me who ordered the lobster at market price without asking what it was.

 

[CSandi]

I totally agree with gopherit. Well said. We have just returned from Disney (April 5-10) and ate at the Coral Reef for supper one evening. We had a party of 12 and also sat in the large sofa sectional facing the tank. Only 10 fits in this booth area so 2 of us were at a table directly beside. The atmosphere was wonderful (the tank was sooooo cool) and the service was great, however. The menu selections (including the childrens menu) are very limited. Prices were a little high for what you got but all of the food was really good. It was our anniversary and we received a decatant desert of chocolate mousse in a solid chocolate glass with strawberrys on a plate and a chocolate shaped heart with chocolate fudge (to dip the strawberrys). It was REALLY good.

Really liked it but will probably not go there again. Atmosphere is definetly the draw here. One wonderful experience is enough for me.

 

[pirateeast]

Everything about this restaurant was great but the one thing i go to a restaurant for, the food. I don't see myself ever going back with all the other options in Disney with better food and cheaper prices.