Is Coral Reef still....bad?

[vinotinto]

It's been years since we ate at Coral Reef. I would expect it to be a seafood restaurant, given the beautiful setting, but the menu is more like a chain restaurant: Caesar salad is the only salad offered as an appetizer and for entrees, there's a pasta with chicken and a prime rib, all of it very 'meat and potatoes' and plain. There are only two fish dishes (Mahi Mahi and salmon) and they are both served with rice. Just nothing exciting.

And, I don't know if it has gotten better, but it used to overbook and there were always long waits for a table. It has a beautiful location, so I am keeping an eye on the menu. My daughter likes the idea of the impossible skewers with vegetables, but I don't see anything in that menu to get excited about.

 

[DVC Sue]

The food was fine when we went. It was really the atmosphere that we went for.

 

[slickpoetry]

Thank you everyone for your input

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I've never felt that it was really bad, just that it's not really good, and the value for the food isn't there. Some feel the atmosphere can override that.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

The aquarium is large and you can certainly see the fish for free if your main interest is the aquarium. I would spend my dining budget somewhere else.

 

[Kameron Milne]

I think you will not regret.

 

[oceanmarina]

The trip advisor reviews haven’t been too positive last time I checked, I would look there. We just came back last week and we were very disappointed with the dining in general. We have eaten at Coral Reef many times pre- Covid, good but not great (didn’t love the steak). Mainly for the beautiful tanks ambiance
I noticed there was a lot of availability the week we stayed (8/12-8/19), which can also mean not many people are eating there.

 

[_19disnA]

We have eaten there in the past and enjoyed it. Restaurant reviews are very subjective and what is a big deal to some isn't to someone else. I have seen reviews where someone bashes the restaurant since they ran out of breadsticks. You just never know if a reviewer is the type of person who complains about everything or if their likes/dislikes are similar to yours. In my view every restaurant included two elements......atmosphere and food. Clearly at Disney part of what you are paying extra for is the atmosphere of the 'themed' restaurants.

What that ride first opened, we found eating at that restaurant a more enjoyable way to view the aquarium without all of the added theatrics to see it. Disney has since modified that ride and eliminated much of wasted time it used to involve.

 

[Mazz519]

We love Coral Reef, never had a bad meal there, we dont go every year but its in our rotation...

 

[lovethesun12]

I've never been, and the pictures of the space look amazing to me but it routinely fell at the bottom of most peoples' rankings for restaurants in Epcot. Has there been any improvement in the food/service?

My suggestion is to try yourself and decide. That's what I did and was really pleasantly surprised based on the reviews. We love the atmosphere there, we've always had good service and good food.

I've eaten at La Hacienda, Via Napoli, Akershus, Garden Grill, Space 220, Rose and Crown, and liked them all. Still choosing a repeat of Coral Reef on our next trip though, because the kids are too young to remember our last time dining there and I think they will love it.

Also, just to add, the bottom of the rankings (on food only) for Epcot may still not be that bad. Epcot has so many awesome restaurants. If I asked which ranked last between California Grill and Boma, Boma might rank last but it is still a great place to eat.

 

[gatordoc]

What that ride first opened, we found eating at that restaurant a more enjoyable way to view the aquarium without all of the added theatrics to see it. Disney has since modified that ride and eliminated much of wasted time it used to involve.

Well, I loved the original ride. And the movie (the deluge!). And the hydrolators. But to each their own.