The Coral Reef is located right outside The Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot. Coral Reef is hidden around the corner from the entrance to the attraction. As you walk around the corner to enter the restaurant you feel as if you are being taken into a cove (think Ariel’s treasure cove in Little Mermaid). The doors are glass etched with wavelike patterns. The door handles are giant metal sea horses. You are immediately thrown under water as you enter the restaurant. The floors are all mosaic with seashells and blue and green glass. The walls have patterns reminiscent of waves. The lights in the ceiling are surrounded by colorful “coral”. There are artistic, color changing sculptures in the lobby.
We were greeted and seated within 10 minutes of arrival (we were seated 5 minutes before our scheduled reservation time). The seating at the Coral Reef is amazing. There are booths which are rounded and enclosed which look rather shell-like. The booths are for 1-5 people. We sat at the other option; a table. The tables are for larger groups (we were a group of 6). The tables are covered in linen, china, and candelight. The Coral Reef is rather small (hence the quick fill up of Advanced Dining Reservations). The feeling is very quaint. The Coral Reef lighting is dark. The walls are covered with dark glass mosaics and the carpet is wavelike. Again, you feel under water; immersed in the experience. Adding to that ambiance is the aquarium. Every table and booth has a view of the giant aquarium. The aquarium runs along one entire wall of the restaurant. It is full of exotic sea life: sea turtles to three different kinds of rays, all kinds of tropical fish to sharks. The view is ever changing and awe-inspiring.
The Food at Coral Reef is superb. There is a complete wine list to accompany your meal, as well as soda, specialty frozen drinks, and milk. The kid’s cups come with a (free) surprise jumping into their drink (a plastic dolphin). It is hard at first to get over eating seafood while surrounded by the ocean. But once we tasted the food we were well over that feeling. The food is fantastic. Some of the menu options are lobster salad, huge barbecued salmon sandwiches, and grilled Mahi Mahi. For those who aren’t too keen on seafood there is New York strip steak and grilled chicken. Kid’s Picks include chicken, mac-n-cheese, and Mahi Mahi (served on a china Mickey plate as well). Your dinner comes with a delicious sourdough bread loaf. The food is very upscale in taste and presentation. My mouth waters just thinking about that lobster salad! The desserts were fantastic. The Baileys and Jack Daniel’s Mousse was wonderful, but beware…all the liquor settles at the bottom so it’s rather strong! Some of the other options include a tasty key lime tart and a bitter but sweet Tropical fruit mango sorbet served with a seahorse shaped cookie. Kid’s can pick from build your own sundaes and a fruit cup.
The atmosphere at Coral Reef is fantastic. The food is mouth watering. If you have the time to spare (this was our longest meal) I definitely recommend Coral Reef at Epcot for an underwater adventure!
This review was contributed by Mynde, aka Esmerelda on the DisneyMouseLinks.com forums. Thanks Mynde!