Kevin and the Coral Reef Restaurant

[DisneyKingpin]

Kevin made me laugh in this week's podcast when he said he has given up on Coral Reef and will never go back nor give it another chance to redeem itself.

Just wondering how big of a donation to GKTW would it take to get Kevin to go back and give it another try? Consider it like being put in the dunk tank for charity. I feel like this would have the potential to be the best dining review yet. I will donate to GKTW to make this happen.

 

[jcb]

I would be concerned about him becoming a Puppymonkeybaby.

 

[disneysteve]

Kevin made me laugh in this week's podcast when he said he has given up on Coral Reef and will never go back nor give it another chance to redeem itself.

I think he actually said he wouldn't give them any more of his money. So he might be willing to go back if someone else was paying the bill.

 

[buccikulju]

As an avowed fellow foodie, I think it would beyond cruel to send Kevin back to Coral Reef!!! Even for charity, I couldn't do that to him!

I know Kevin is in my clan because he often comments on the seating arrangement. Seriously, this is an important consideration in dining...the setting must be right, not too crowded or too dark or too light or too noisy and so forth. Its not that we are prima donnas or hard to please or anything like that. It is that we take our dining seriously. So the food, the setting, the atmosphere, all of it is important to Kevin and I LOVE IT! For a real foodie it doesn't matter if it's a hamburger stand or Michelin Star dining, we like things to be appropriate to the situation and to meet the expectation that has been presented to us. Sorry Coral Reef....you're just not making the cut ever again!

 

[disneysteve]

I know Kevin is in my clan because he often comments on the seating arrangement. Seriously, this is an important consideration in dining...the setting must be right, not too crowded or too dark or too light or too noisy and so forth. Its not that we are prima donnas or hard to please or anything like that. It is that we take our dining seriously. So the food, the setting, the atmosphere, all of it is important to Kevin and I LOVE IT! For a real foodie it doesn't matter if it's a hamburger stand or Michelin Star dining, we like things to be appropriate to the situation and to meet the expectation that has been presented to us.

It is so nice to hear from someone who understands this. I'm the very same way. I have favorite restaurants that are standing-room only hot dog places in Manhattan and I have favorites that are formal, high-end, French fine dining restaurants in Philadelphia. It doesn't matter if it's pizza, pasta, seafood, or what. Good food well prepared and thoughtfully served is an experience to savor. I've never been to Coral Reef, and don't expect to since DW is allergic to seafood, but from the reviews, it sounds like I'm not missing much.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's been years since we ate there and I found it ok - the giant fish tank is pretty cool - but food not worth the cost (and I mean, by Disney standards of cost)

I have read some positive reviews of it - though most often that person has ordered the steak, not seafood, so I think that is telling

I agree with the above that when it comes to eating out the entire experience matters - setting, service, food, plating, wine/beer offerings, etc.

My favorite experience include eating seared foie gras at a fancy NYC restaurant but also having a sausage from a stand along the river in Zurich with a beer.

 

[SoCalTrojanSkip]

I just listened to his last review on Coral Reef so when Pete mentioned something about sending Kevin there for their next dining review I lost it...

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I went there on my honeymoon and found my blackened Catfish and grits to be well done. I'm sad to hear it hasn't kept up the standard.

 

[doconeill]

It think it was just a couple months after the Sad Little Crabcake review that we ate there - and I had seriously considered changing it - and it turned out to be a very nice meal with very good food. At any time a restaurant could have a bad night, etc. But in Kevin's case he's been several times and each time it has been bad. With all the other options, why would you go back after that?

Despite our own experience, it's not high on my list to go back.

 

[samsteele]

Kevin should never be asked to go back. Too cruel. Not his thing and not his taste. Bad experiences get etched in our minds. Just scary. However, I have had 2 good lunch experiences at Coral Reef. I have never paid OOP and prob never will. The cost for value is prohibitive. I feel a bit like a broken record since I have posted this over & over in the dining forum but never on this thread. However, when on the fall free dining plan, Coral Reef has been both a good lunch dining experience & good deal for me. I make my ADR for 11:30 am on the dot or as close as possible. Coral Reef chronically suffers from over crowding and terribly long seating waits. Get there with an ADR right at opening for the best shot at tank side tables. I only order the Mahi-Mahi for my entree and love the cute turtle cheesecake. Mahi-Mahi is a very firm textured fish (like lobster in consistency) but here it is served in a cream sauce with heavy cilantro. If you don't like creamy sauce & cilantro you are out of luck. I have never had the strip steak but have watched it come out to neighbouring tables. Since the tables are practically on top of one another (close), you can smell it and see it "up close" and the strip looked tasty. Fat & thick & charred nicely. I had great service last Fall 2015. In fact, my best WDW table service in 2 weeks. Go figure. So much of our dining experiences is out of our hands. Best advice? Look at the updated menu. If you see 2 entrees you would enjoy, go for it. The tank experience is great. IMHO, much better than the viewing in the "free" adjacent aquarium. Which I also love.

 

[mazdabug]

We had dinner there in December for the first time. And we found the food was excellent. Not to mention my 20 month old daughter loved the fish in the tank.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It think it was just a couple months after the Sad Little Crabcake review that we ate there - and I had seriously considered changing it - and it turned out to be a very nice meal with very good food. At any time a restaurant could have a bad night, etc. But in Kevin's case he's been several times and each time it has been bad. With all the other options, why would you go back after that?

Despite our own experience, it's not high on my list to go back.

Especially in EPCOT - there are so many good options that I think that adds to the fact we don't think to go there. Now, if this was in MK and replaced Tony's, I think it would be a better option

 

[RebelHawk]

We have done Coral Reef twice over the years and after two bad experiences we said we would never go back. Fast forward many years and we are going to be doing Dive Quest for a second time so wanted to see divers from the other side of the glass. We are once again braving dinner on our upcoming March trip. I'm crossing our fingers that something has changed. Of course I was already thinking about playing it safe and getting a caesar salad.