HELP! We do love all these flavors but if you had to choose just 1......My feeling is..Mexico would be 1st and it looks soooo pretty-LeCellier good food..period and Coral Reef-oh the fish tank but the food? there willbe a 3 year old involved lol..14 year old as well
Kathy
I've been to all three the Mexico one didn't like it at all the food we felt was not good, but we are from Southern California with lots of wonderful Mexican food here...Le Cellier food is wonderful, we always book there....Coral Reef the food is great and the fish tank just adds to it.....of course I'm more for Coral Reef we had a family wedding there and it was great.... I think the 3 year old would love it ...but I'd try very hard for seating right next to the tank and that would help kept the little one interests going.... they have fish and real people in there...at the wedding we had scuba mickey swim up to the window for pictures (we had to paid for that thou) not sure he swims normally in the tank.... try for the lunch it's a bit cheeper but really good.... have a great time....
I have been to all 3.
We just tried Coral Reef for the first time in November while on the DDP. I thought the service, atmosphere, and my soup was great. My meal (Lobster Ravioli) was not so good. Comparable to Lobster Ravioli I've had a TGI Fridays. I actually prefer the one at Friday's more. My mother got the Tilapia. It was a broiled piece of Tilapia on a plate with a scoop of mashed potatoes. So the presentation wasn't fantastic.
We ate at Mexico again this trip even though we thought the food has been lacking in the past few times we have been. It was alright. Nothing to write home about. I would have been just as satisfied eating at the counter service. It is very beautiful though.
I dined at Le Cellier in 2006. I am not a steak fan, but will eat it if I have to. Luckily they had something on the menu that looked good that wasn't steak. It was pasta with shrimp, bacon, and a cheese sauce. Not good. We were on the DDP (appetizers included at that time) and I had the cheddar cheese soup as an appetizer. Well my meal was spaghetti with the soup poured over it with some shrimp. Not good. I have to say though that everyone at my table enjoyed their meal very much. There were 9 of us and they all lef their very happy. The service is great and the bread they have is awesome too.
Le Cellier is very hard to get an ADR for. Now we returned to WDW on the DDP in August with the same group that we went to Le Cellier with. We couldn't get Le Cellier so we decided to use 2 credits and eat at Yachtmen's Steakhouse. Beat meal I ever had on Disney property. The service was a little much for me (sir, miss, ma'am after every sentence seems a little robotic for me), but our waiter was very attentive. Every single thing that we ordered was perfect. Fantastic place.
Kristin
Go with your instinct if you have to choose between those three. Like Orchid2, I am from Southern California and wasn't impressed with the food at San Angel. But keep in mind that I am a total Mexican food snob so my standards for this genre are pretty high. The inside is nice though but I would say the atmosphere is more romantic and maybe a little less appealing for a 3 and 14 year old.
I have a difficult time recommending Coral Reef too. I don't think there is a rstaurant on the WDW property that has declined in terms of menu quality as much as Coral Reef has. Give me the days when you could have a whole Maine lobster. I think the best way to describe the menu is "safe" because there aren't really any exotic entrees available. This is great for people that are unadventurous with their seafood but bad news for foodies like me. But, with a 3 and 14 year old in tow, the fish tank might be a welcome distraction for the youngsters which might make for a more pleasant dining experience. My 4-year old niece loved Coral Reef because there was a lot to look at.
I can't help you on Le Cellier. I know a lot of people enjoy it but I've never dined there.
I can help you with Le Cellier, We had dinner there this past November and it was the worst steak that I ever had on Disney property. The free DDP has cut the values of these restaurants, they used to be the best reasons for going to WDW. I would go to Yachtsman steakhouse or the house of blues myself.
Also Le Cellier is very highly overrated. If you do decide to go there please give your opinion.
San Angel isn't showing to be on the dinning plan anymore, if that helps your decision.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
-1 Corinthians 9:24
If you are looking at the 2010 DDP it will most likely be. They just have to sign into it again. Every year that happens.
Kristin
I must agree with the Yachtman's Steak House was the best..... would go back there every time....
If you want to go to Le Cellier, order the filet, not the New York. It's fabulous and the NY is so NOT. Their cheddar cheese soup and tomato stack appetizers are amazing! The pretzel bread and cheese soup are worth the trip alone.
San Angel is really not that great at all. Mediocre Mexican food at best.
We've not been to Coral Reef, so I can't comment on it's menu.
Karin
Out of your three I have only eaten at Le Cellier and it was delicious. Our best meal on property and best service.
If no-one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle man (Billy Bragg)
The best thing I can say about Coral Reef, is the fish tank. I was not impressed with the food, or the service. We went there when the tip was still included in the Dining Plan, and our waiter was horrible. I guess he knew he was getting a good tip either way.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
-1 Corinthians 9:24
I've been to all three. Le Cellier twice, Coral Reef twice, and San Angel once. I did not enjoy San Angel. I don't plan on trying it again. The decor was nice, but I'm spoiled by the Blue Bayou at DL, so I wasn't that impressed by it. Also, we didn't have a prime table so that probably didn't help. It was the worst meal of our trip, and unfortunately, it was on our last night! But, that was in 2006. There are a few out there that really love this place, so if you really want to try it, go ahead and do so, but be warned that this place earns mediocre reviews, at best.
Coral Reef is hit and miss with my family. It's either really yummy or just really bad. I think they easily get behind on ADR times in the evening. The first time I went the service crawled. We were there for over two hours... after waiting 45 minutes past our ADR time. We had checked in early, even. We were on the DDP and we had to take our desserts to go to run and catch Illuminations. Problem was that they would only package up one of their desserts because they others contained alcohol, and DH was not a happy camper about this. He hates being rushed out of a restaurant. The second time we went DH liked his meal less, but I loved mine (whereas the first trip I thought my entree was pretty gross, but DH LOVED his - favorite meal of the trip). We made ressies for the first lunch seating, so no waiting, got a table right by the tank, and service was much faster. With this one I'd say go to enjoy the tank and then be pleasantly surprised if you really enjoy your meal.
Just the thought of Le Cellier makes me drool. I really think it is fabulous. But I have a thing for beer and cheese soup.Of the two meals I've had there, my whole party thought both were highly enjoyable.
Hope that helps!
~Nancy~
Well, you asked for opinions - and now you're getting them! Let me add in my take:
I've been to all 3 many times. While the atmosphere at the San Angel Inn is really nice, the food has always been sub-par, especially the out-of-the-bag Tostitos and bland tomato sauce that they call chips and salsa. The entrees have been OK, but overall not anything special. And they tend to taste like they've been sitting on a steam table for a while. If you do go there, ask for a table down by the water - worth the wait.
Le Cellier is one of the hardest reservations to get - no one really knows quite why. They do serve an excellent mushroom-stuffed beef filet, and you could easily fill yourself up on the 3 varieties of breadsticks. Great meal, nothing really special about the atmosphere.
The Coral Reef is my #2 favorite restaurant in WDW, right behind the California Grill in the Contemporary Resort. I always wait for a table down by the glass, and love sipping fine wine while gazing up into the tank. If you're lucky you'll see divers floating by as they tour on the other side of the glass. I've had many meals here, and almost all of them have been terrific. My one complaint is that with the increased popularity of the Disney Dining Plan, their menu has been way simplified, to where they have maybe 7 entree choices now, and only 3 of them are seafood. The menu used to be much much larger. But I've always been able to find something that works for me, and the service has always been stellar. Prices are high, but hey, it's Disney - you gotta expect that!
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
We ate at the San Angel Inn for my birthday lunch a couple of weeks ago, and we really enjoyed it...the tortilla chips were yummy, as were the chicken enchiladas!
I wanted to try Le Cellier again, but it was totally booked during our entire trip. I remember their burger was very tasty, as were the pretzel sticks!
I haven't tried Coral Reef yet, as it's a bit more pricey.
Pam
DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
I'm glad you had a nice dinner, but I'll say it again - right out of the bag Tostitos. Sure, they're not bad. But then they're not bad when I buy a bag of 'em at my local Kroger store. It's practically sinful that a high dollar Mexican restaurant would stoop to out of the bag chips instead of making their own, or at least serving some authentic Mexican tortilla chips. But Tostitos? Very bad form!Originally Posted by Pammer
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
I've eaten at all three. #1--LeCellier (Filet is excellent! Got to eat there with GusMan and Mrs. GusMan for his b-day last year); #2--Coral Reef (LOUD and crowded together, but the food was so-so. Should try it again to be fair); #3--San Angel (Haven't had a good meal here ever. Tried 3 times.)
Working hard for that next WDW trip! December 2013
Tina, as many times as I've eaten at the Coral Reef, I don't think I've ever experienced "loud". But then I sit down by the glass and tend to get lost with the fishies. Unfortunately, "crowded together" is the way Disney does most of their restaurants. I found this especially bad in Tutto Italia, where I was practically sitting at the same table as the folks around me. It's their way of cramming in more paying customers, and it's just as stupid as Disney selling unlimited cheap annual passes to Disneyland until the park is choked with people year round. Very dumb, short term thinking.
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
To chime in with everybody else, my pick for you would be Coral Reef, primarily because you have a 3 yr old and a 14 yr old. My recommendation for best food is Le Cellier, but the atmosphere isn't the best for small children and I would say it's a bit more "adult" than the other two. The atmosphere at Mexico is good, but the food leaves something to be desired.
I think for the combination of food and atmosphere, Coral Reef is the way to go. Our food was good, not our favorite meal in WDW, but it was still good. Our service was the only complaint as our server was a bit slow, but the fish tank gave us something to view. I just recommend leaving plenty of time between your reservation and the next thing planned (like Illuminations), especially if you're going for dinner.
Sam
"When you wish upon a star..."
Dan are you just making a statement here of your opinion? I wound not want to think, it's negativity towards Disney. Just asking.
I too have experienced to cramped together feeling in the park restaurants, the the resort restaurants, like artist point, yachtsman, riverside, are much better, with more elbow room, they may cost a bit more but have a much more relaxing atmosphere, and I have found the food much better.
Dan, in all fairness, it was an isolated LOUD, I'm sure. It was some VERY, VERY unruly and drunk adults with even louder and unrulier children next to us. I should've asked to speak to the manager, in retrospect.....
Working hard for that next WDW trip! December 2013
First of all, I don't recall you being elected as the arbiter of negative vs. positive posts. Second, there are many many negative aspects of a Disney vacation, and a lot of them are continually pointed out on this and other forums. There is no requirement on this forum to remain totally positive, and I would not be a participant if that were the case.
Now, as to my statement - I think Disney is extremely greedy in the way they pack in the tables in the restaurants. They significantly take away from a fine dining experience by forcing you to eat shoulder to shoulder with people you don't know. Sometimes you can strike up a conversation, and that's fine. More often, though, it's just uncomfortable. There are very few nice restaurants in the outside world that cram people in the way Disney does in their park restaurants. There are some exceptions, of course, like the incredible California Grill. But more often than not they pack you in way too tightly.
And I feel very strongly that the severe overcrowding in DL is a result of way too many annual passes being sold at very cheap prices. Not at all cool, Disney.
So, if that's too negative for you, ls, then so be it.
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
Dan I was trying to make a point, Why can you speak negatively and I can't. no need to get hostile. Sorry you missed it. Nothing personal.
Now for the Disney dinning setup with tables being so close, I totally agree with everything you said, it takes away from the pleasant dinning experience. It was one of the things I pointed out in my Le Cellier post and was accused of being negative about things in the capt jack thread. That can get into another discussion to, so I will leave it at that.
Disney is out to make a dollar anyway they can, I really think the free dinning plans have hurt the dinning experience that used to excellent, no matter which restaurant you went into.
Dan have a good Christmas, and a safe trip, I hope Santa brings you new Disney Tickets.
Last edited by ls3015; 12-17-2009 at 02:13 PM.
ls, if you look back at your submission above, you were not so subtly hinting that I shouldn't be caught being negative about Disney, which was something that I object to. On another thread you personally attacked another participant of that thread, which again was something I objected to. There's nothing inherently wrong with negativity, as long as it's not overwhelming or delivered in the form of a personal attack. Thanks for the warm Christmas wishes, though, and the same back at you.
Dan
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
Karin
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