The next time you’re exploring Epcot at Walt Disney World, enjoy dining under the sea at Coral Reef Restaurant. This table service restaurant located in the World Nature area of the park allows you to dine alongside rays, sea turtles, and even sharks!
The cool, soothing atmosphere is the perfect way to take a break from the heat of the Florida sun, and they have something on the menu for everyone, even people with seafood and shellfish allergies. It’s one of those restaurants that the kids always request, so we find ourselves returning again and again.
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What Is Coral Reef Restaurant?
Coral Reef is an “Under the Sea” themed table service restaurant, located in the World Nature area of Epcot in Disney World. It is situated on the eastern portion of the “The Seas with Nemo and Friends” pavilion. The restaurant features huge picture windows that peek into the 5.7 million gallon Caribbean Coral Reef Aquarium.
As you might imagine, the interior is decorated in calming ocean tones of blue and green, from the walls and carpets to the seating areas. Soft, rippling light and blissfully cool air conditioning make it feel as if you are truly dining in the “big blue”. In our experience, this restaurant is almost always quiet, providing a nice break in what can be a crazy, overstimulating day at Epcot.
The restaurant tables are situated stadium-style, giving all diners a nice view of the massive aquarium. Smaller parties, from 1 – 4, may be seated directly in front of the eight inch thick glass, while larger parties are seated at open-sided booths facing the tank (see photo below). When guests are seated, they are given not only menus, but also a guide to several of the fish and other animals that they may catch swimming by.
Occasionally, guest may also see scuba divers feeding the sea creatures on the other side of the glass. Rumor has it that Mickey Mouse also used to scuba dive, but nowadays he only braves the water for very special occasions!
What Type of Food is Served?
While the focus of this restaurant is seafood, Coral Reef recognizes that fish isn’t necessarily for everyone. There are also red meat, chicken and vegan selections for those who care to enjoy them.
And if you have a food allergy, you’re in luck. Disneyworld does an excellent job of providing for guests with dietary needs, not just at Coral Reef, but at all table service restaurants. The menu features choices that are safe for guests with gluten/wheat, egg, fish/shellfish, milk, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergies.
If you DO have food allergies, be sure to let them know when you make your reservation. Often, the chef makes a tableside visit to speak with guests individually about their food needs. They recognize that choosing foods can be stressful when allergies are an issue, and they do all they can to provide a worry-free dining experience.
Children’s menus are available here. In Disney terms, a kid meal at a table service restaurant is for children ages 9 and under. These meals are usually not as heavily spiced and are portioned down for kids, but the choices at Coral Reef tend to be healthier options, like grilled chicken, fish, and shrimp. If your child is super picky, check out the latest menu at Coral Reef before making your reservations. That way, you can see if the kid meals here match your child’s palate.
Coral Reef also offers a large (and I mean LARGE) selection of mocktails, cocktails, wines, beers, and hard ciders and seltzers. Wine can be ordered by the glass or the bottle, with glass prices typically ranging from $10 to $16 and bottles from $39 to $65. Flights of wine can also be ordered, featuring a preselected variety of three whites or reds ($18) for those who enjoy tasting different varieties.
Now, on to the FOOD!
Shrimp and Grits ($32)
This creole-spiced Shrimp and Grits is my personal favorite Coral Reef entrée. The shrimp is pan-sauteed just right, providing an ever-so slight crispiness on the outside. They are spiced moderately and served alongside succotash, which I had heard of but never tried before my Coral Reef experience. It consisted of a mixture of fresh, locally grown corn, lima beans, onions, and Andouille sausage. All of this was served on a bed of cheesy grits.
The grits were the perfect accompaniment to the shrimp and succotash, bringing a mild touch to the spiciness of the protein and vegetables. The portion size was perfect for me, with about ten shrimp and somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of grits.
When I think of Disney eats, I think of this dish first and foremost. I am always tempted to lick the plate when I’m done. It even inspired me to play with my own shrimp and grits recipe at home!
Seared Mahi Mahi ($32)
According to our waitress, the Seared Mahi Mahi is a favorite of many restaurant-goers, and we can see why! It has a delicious savory-sweet sauce that absolutely screams summertime, made from mango, shrimp, red pepper, cilantro, and coconut milk. Our fish was mild flavored, as mahi mahi should be, and cooked perfectly.
The fish and sauce was served over a bed of jasmine rice, which is hearty and slightly sticky. It was wonderful for sopping up that delicious Caribbean-inspired sauce. The mild rice and fish allowed the sauce to really shine, as it should. I would eat this sauce as a soup if I could!
Grilled Vegetable Skewer with Impossible Kefta ($24)
We were very pleased to see a vegetarian dish that wasn’t a salad on our menu. My vegetarian daughter can be difficult to please when it comes to eating out, but she couldn’t say enough about the Grilled Vegetable Skewer and Kefta. The skewer itself consisted of baby eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers in a variety of colors, and red onion. It was seasoned with something zesty that we couldn’t quite place, and grilled to the tiniest bit of char.
It was served with a buttery-tasting rice and lentil mix that provided bulk to the meal, a tomato-based eggplant spread, and an Impossible kefta ball. Kefta is a meatball (in this case, a plant-based ball) that is spiced with Middle Eastern style seasonings, such as mint, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. My daughter would’ve liked a second kefta with her meal, but in spite of that, she didn’t walk away hungry!
The Chocolate Wave ($10)
This is another Coral Reef favorite! The Chocolate Wave is, in my opinion, the best way to wrap up a meal at this restaurant. This flourless chocolate cake is served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar. It is plated with raspberry sauce and a scoop of raspberry gelato.
The cake is soft, moist, and almost molten. Almost. It is pure decadence and can be very rich, especially if you don’t indulge in sweet treats very often. I believe this is exactly why it’s served with gelato. The creamy raspberry helps smooth over the lusciousness of the chocolate while adding even more flavor.
I love scooping up all three components with every bite… a bit of cake, a swoosh of sauce, and a bit of gelato all on one fork. If you’re a fan of the great chocolate-raspberry duo, you’ll be in love with this dessert!
Do I Need a Reservation?
If you really want to dine in the cool, relaxing underwater ambiance, you’ll want to book a reservation. You can make your reservation up to six months in advance of attending. Please note that you DO need a park ticket to dine at Coral Reef, and depending upon the time of your dining reservation, you may also need an Epcot park reservation. If you are park hopping, keep in mind that if Epcot is at capacity, you will not be able to hop in after 2pm.
While you may be able to occasionally snag a table as a walk-up, it is best to not rely on that. However, if you have a back-up dining plan, such as quick serve restaurants or festival booth foods, you can add your party to the walk-up waiting list at Coral Reef. The easiest way to do this is by using the My Disney Experience Mobile App, but you can also visit the host station at Coral Reef to ask to be added to the list.
If no reservations are available, try not to be upset. Epcot is a foodie paradise, with many, many wonderful restaurants, each with something special. But if your heart is set on Coral Reef, I get you! My advice is to keep checking for availability on My Disney Experience. Often time, people’s plans change and reservations are dropped a few days or even a few hours before their dining time. Cross your fingers, refresh, and hopefully you’ll be exploring Coral Reef in no time!
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