We’re back with another DFB Video today, and we’re getting down to the serious business of RANKING Epcot’s Table-Service restaurants!
I’ve taken my time to do this video since it’s just SO hard to rank such different dining locations when you have to take experience, characters, food quality, service, price, and more into consideration! You might be surprised by a couple of these rankings, too…so take a look!
And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel!
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So check out the video and then let us know: What are your favorite Epcot table-service restaurants?
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this is a great video! True, while OF COURSE not everyone is going to agree on the breakdown of the list, this gives a really great overview of the table service options in EPCOT. Personally, service at Le Cellier has been lacking every time i’ve gone, and like you said — if you’re paying that much for a meal, you don’t want anything to be mediocre. I was actually glad to see that you had a better experience at Nine Dragons recently — I am always hoping that this place ups its food game because I love the China Pavilion and i feel like it deserves better!!
Two of my faves are in your top three, AJ! I love LeCellier and Tappan Edo. I also love the Coral Reef, but the food is only mediocre like you said, AJ. It’s the sea life that I most enjoy when going there!
I totally disagree about Monsieur Paul. The food is very high quality French. And I have had gracious servers. Just smile ! Most Americans don’t understand. The French are polite if you make a effort ! Say merci to the bread service the person will give you enough for breakfast ! This is not a place to rush through and they will make effort to bring you an American cocktail or anything special . you must read Paul bousce’s cookbook they do all his recipe. And I challenge you. I’ll take you to dinner and if it’s not your number 1 after dessert then I’ll buy ! They accommodate kids too. You should just taste the chicken and French fries! But it’s not a place to run through see Mickey or fireworks. It’s true fine dining and one of the last in all of Disney. I hear it was Roy’s favorite besides California Grill
It truly a foodies place and don’t forget dessert !
On tutto gusto. I’m glad you didn’t rank it higher or now I wouldn’t be able to get in!!! The service is wonderful and the Food is so fresh and cheeses to die for with warm focaccia. The wine list. Wow. No it’s not a place for Mickey eared kids. But when they sit and relax for a while you can’t get them to leave It’s great quality and ranks so much above Germany and others it is ridiculous ! You must have went on just your entertainment not your judgement of good food
I have eaten at every restaurant you’ve listed One of the reasons I love coming to Disney is the food experiences. Was shocked that 2 of our favorites were your last 2 picks. Coral Reef has always been enjoyable. We are sophisticated eaters and have never been disappointed. That being said, we have not eaten there as often as we would like because it is so hard to get a table.
The inn at San Angel is hands down my favorite spot for dinner at Epcot. I’ve eaten dinner there probably 10 they mes. The food has been delicious. But I can’t undervalue the service. One of the things that lifts Disney restaurants above many others is the experience provided by the servers. That has almost always been a highlight of the meals there. Service can easily make or break a dining experience. The servers we’ve had have lifted the ordinary to experience s we don’t forget.
I’ve agreed with everything except the French Restaurant. My friends and I ate here a few years ago and the service was so terrible that we all said “I’ll NEVER go back.” For me, that was a true statement. I’m in 100% agreement with the rest of your list.
Barbara, thanks for sharing your experiences! We do have a review coming soon with some great eats at Coral Reef — so maybe we’ll move it up the list someday!
One factor to consider with some of these is availability. One thing I love about Restaurant Marrakesh, for example, is that I can almost always walk up and get a table, while with other places reservations are needed well in advance and even with those reservations there is often a twenty-minute wait. Probably more than anywhere else, time is money in theme parks, so being able to get in quickly means that you have more time for fun between meals.
No serious arguments with anything on the list. I’m glad Nine Dragons has moved up, but I still wish they would go for non-Americanized Chinese food, as I can get that in Chattanooga.
DH and I watched this video last night and while I totally agree with your #1 pick, some of the other rankings surprised us.
We are Canadian so Le Cellier was top of our list to try this time. (We skipped it last trip) I think our best way to describe it was underwhelming. Steaks were ok, poutine was not…and trust me, we know poutine!
Coral Reef had the aquarium going for it but the food was mediocre at best. We had a reservation at Spice Road that in hindsight, I wish we had kept instead of switching to CR.
San Angel Inn, on the other hand, was not only the best food we had all trip but our server was amazing! I have an odd allergy (bell peppers) and she was able to list off which dishes could and could not be made safe for me. She recommended her favourite dish but pointed out that in her opinion it would not be worth it for me since removing the sauce (containing bell peppers) would make the dish not worth trying. DH and our 13 year old son had her recommendation and both loved it. She was friendly, knowledgeable and just a wonderful person to interact with. (Also, getting us to-go cups for the rest of our adult drinks, including rimming them with the appropriate salt/sugar was much appreciated!) This was the one place that we did not have a reservation for but we were able to get a walk-up table at prime lunch time without a wait!
Susan, thanks for sharing!
I did want to make a reservation for Tokyo Dining to try the bento box, but not sure if I want to now. Haha. My husband and I hardly ever eat fish dishes, and sushi is something I have to be in a serious mood for, which isn’t often. My husband won’t eat sushi, though, so may end up doing something else. Hoping to get some more input on that restaurant, though!
Hi Melissa! Here are two more reviews from DFB Team members: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/12/16/review-tokyo-dining-in-epcots-japan/, http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2017/01/09/review-tokyo-dining-in-epcots-japan-pavilion/
AJ – Your individual restaurant reviews are an invaluable service to Disney fandom. I exhaust all reviews of restaurants we are considering, even if we have been there before because you are great at announcing or noting changes in menus, etc.
Sadly, I think the ranking videos you are doing serve very little purpose and the time and effort might be better spent on the reviews. You have criteria you use to rank, but then you cherry-pick criteria to apply that really just illustrate your personal preferences most of the time. Hence, Garden Grill is #1 and Le Cellier is #2? Really? In what world and for what audience would someone be comparing these two for a dinner at Epcot?
We love your reviews. Your biases for certain cuisines and dishes are openly declared and taken into account. Just not sure the ranking videos really make much of a difference in helping crazed Disney-philes make their restaurant choices. Thanks, for all you good work.
Rich — I appreciate your thoughtful comment! In truth, these videos are VERY difficult to do for the reasons you state — very few people are legitimately going to be comparing Le Cellier to Garden Grill. So my goal with the videos is more to relay the pros and cons for each restaurant versus rank them against each other for every single circumstance. Thank you for watching and for supporting us here, and keep the constructive criticism coming.
Like nearly all “Best” lists, the choices are strictly subjective. I might argue a few, but one definitely one with which I agree is Monsieur Paul. Superb sounding menu but poorly executed. Service, as you say, was lacking (and just because you are friendly to a server doesn’t mean you get great service). Ambiance was deflating for a Signature, even if it does sit in a park. For the prices you pay, the food, service, and ambiance should all be worthy of your time and money. It isn’t.
i think San Angel is one of the best restaurants of all of Disney. We have always had fantastic food, phenomenal service there. Always made us feel special.
Just got back from WDW and San Angel in was delicious. We always go there due to excellent service and food. And I’m very picky about my Mexican food.