Hello hello hello! Today I am so excited to bring you a review of one of my favorite restaurants on Disney property. This review is of the Coral Reef Restaurant, located in The Living Seas pavilion at EPCOT. I am a huge seafood fan, and the fun atmosphere around this place make it one of my go-to reservations!
Let’s take a look at the food and fun you’ll experience when you visit this restaurant, as well as price and dining plan specifics. I guarantee you’ll want to take a dive into this menu after reading!
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The Concept
The Coral Reef Restaurant is a fine dining seafood restaurant but with a twist! The restaurant is small and compact, with the entire northern wall of the restaurant being made up of an aquarium! That’s right, the entire wall is a glass viewing area that allows you to sit up close and personal with a number of sea creatures while you eat. Hopefully they aren’t judging you TOO much by what is on your plate!
The restaurant is set up with multiple levels of tables, so no matter where you sit, you have a view of the tanks. Check out my video below of our view from one of the mid-upper levels at our last trip (so pretty far back in the restaurant). We could still see a ton of fish and sharks as we ate! Look for it around the 9 minute mark:
I personally also think the location of this restaurant is great. If your kids still have energy after dinner, take them on a relaxing ride with Nemo and Friends next door while your food digests, and let them run around to their heart’s content looking at all the sea creatures at The Living Seas pavilion!
Food
Hanging out with aquatic creatures while you eat is fun and all, but the most important thing is obviously the food! First off, this restaurant has some of my favorite cocktails at Disney. They have a lot of fun and fruity island inspired drinks that go perfectly with the seafood and overall theme. My favorite is the Pina CoLAVA, a raspberry twist on this classic drink.
For appetizers and starters you’ll find creamy lobster bisque soup and New England clam chowder as classic offerings. As for dinner, Mahi Mahi and shrimp and grits can be found – along with less fishy options like a rib-eye and herbed roasted chicken breast. For me, though, I’m a shellfish type of girl. I have to get the Lobster Seafood Boil, which is basically a big bowl of all your favorite pieces of a classic lobster meal!
The best part of dinner is always dessert, and Coral Reef has some of the best at EPCOT. I always get the Chocolate Wave, which is just as it sounds – a chocolate cake with more chocolate! The raspberry gelato on top also adds a nice touch. If chocolate isn’t your thing, the Key Lime Tart is amazing and ties with the Chocolate Wave as my favorite dessert on the menu.
Cost
On par with most seafood restaurants, Coral Reef runs a bit on the pricey side. Most entrees are around $30, with the Lobster Boil being the most expensive at $40. There is a child’s menu, running at around $10-$13 per meal. You’re also partly paying for the experience of sitting next to the aquarium tanks as you eat, which drives the cost up JUST a bit.
However, if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, this restaurant costs only one table service credit, which is a nice change as most seafood places at Disney require two table service credits! Therefore, I recommend this restaurant if you’re on the dining plan, but unless you REALLY have a hankering for seafood, you might want to seek out cheaper sit down options if you’re paying out of pocket. Considering most food at EPCOT is internationally based, however, this often ends up being one of the cheaper sit down options as well.
Overall
Coral Reef is a fun, delightfully designed restaurant that is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of The Living Seas at EPCOT. It may be a bit on the pricey side, but if you’re looking for good value seafood at Disney, this is the top place to check out. You’ll find yourself spending your meal watching all the sea creatures as they swim by, getting swept up in their natural beauty. Have a question about something you see? Ask your server! They’re often very knowledgeable about the fish in the tank!
Have you been to Coral Reef Restaurant? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below! And for more tips on Coral Reef Restaurant be sure to check out my favorite Disney planning guide, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. They update it every year and give you TONS of valuable tips and tricks.
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