Le Cellier Steakhouse — Restaurant in Bay Lake

So my girlfriend and I made reservations here for a combination of Valentine's Day and our anniversary. Thank goodness we did, because when we got there and were waiting for them to prepare our table, they were turning away people saying that they are completely booked for the rest of the night. This place is super popular. Popular enough to be the 3rd best theme park restaurant of 2018 according to the readers of Orlando Weekly.

We got seated promptly and looked around. The whole dining room is almost in one giant room with huge columns spaced throughout. It was a smaller space than I was expecting, but the illusion of our only light being cande light made it feel super cozy and intimate and enjoyable.

So let me start with the bad. The service was pretty lackluster. The girl was super nice when we saw her, but we didn't see her anywhere near enough to have an adequate amount of drinks on our table. She also didn't mention our anniversary that we made the reservations for. All Disney restaurants do that. So that was a bummer. First world problems, I reckon.

Now, for the reason I gave this place the fourth star, our appetizer. From the Larder: Pig, Pig, and More Pig (Pork Mortadella, Maple-Pepper Buckboard Bacon, Pork Rillettes, Whipped Pork Fat Butter, Artisanal Cheeses, and Accompaniments).

This was the best appetizer I have had at all of Disney World with a close second being (or maybe it's tied with) the bread service at Sanaa with all those accompaniments. The bacon was superbly seasoned with the maple and the pepper flavors, a delightful combination. I don't really know what a rillettes is, but it was also wonderful. Very fatty and decadent. And that whipped fat pork butter. Oh my God, I wish I could have taken some of that home and used it on everything I ever cook. The flavor was so strong. SO strong. Take only a little bit at a time, because it'll shock you. A 5 star appetizer. Get this.

The entrees were absolutely fine. I got the Steak and Frites (USDA Prime New York Strip Steak, Chimichurri Butter, Smoked Paprika Yuca Fries, Saffron-Lime Aioli). She got the Le Cellier Filet Mignon (AAA Canadian Tenderloin, Mushroom Risotto, Asparagus-Tomato Relish, Truffle-Butter Sauce).

My steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, but the flavor play that they did with the chimicurri was just a little out of place with a thick, succulent steak like the strip they used. I think a smaller skirt steak would have been a more appropriate cut to use for this dish. But, the yuca fries were fantastic. Don't worry if you've never had yuca, they taste delicious. Fried to perfection with no greasiness.

My girlfriend's dish won the night, again. Her filet was dynamite. Seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper and atop a risotto that was so rich with mushroom flavor that I wanted to ask for my own bowl of it. All this with just enough truffle butter sauce to not get in trouble on an episode of Chopped. Her dish was also, definitely, a 5 star dish.

And for dessert we got the Warm Pecan-Brown Butter Tart (Maple Ice Cream, Brown Sugar Anglaise, Whisky Caramel). This was a quaint little tart. The little crust was packed to the brim with these fantastic pecans. The brown sugar theme made it the perfect level of sweet, too. Not too sweet, but still decadent enough to finish off the night right.

Overall, there were some high highs, the app and the filet, but there were some low lows, too, the services and the strip flavor play. I left mildly confused, but I definitely tasted some things where I feel confident claiming four stars here and I will be back at some point, because I love steak. I...

I have been several times and love the food. The service is top notch most of the time as well. It was just a little odd yesterday (08/29/2019). On arriving for my reservation (seems to be the only way to get in there), they mentioned my allergy and wanted certification because I listed it as other (I'm allergic to tomatoes). I was told I would get the allergy menu. I was a bit thrown that they would have a menu that caters to tomato allergies, but went with it.

After we were called 20 minutes past our reservation (as we were told when checking in) my party (of two) was seated, and the table next to us was empty. We got our menus and I was given the allergy menu. I took one look at it and saw it would be completely useless to me. I asked if it was a general allergy or for mine specific and was told general. My thought was, why bother. I know that Disney lets you talk to the chef when necessary and my waiter was a proxy in this case and I was fine with it.

Five minutes after we were seated the party for that table next to us arrived. They sat and ordered and 10 minutes later they bolted leaving their package behind. We told the waitress and she said they left tonsee the fireworks and will be back. One of the unfortunate issues with Le Cellier is that it is the only fine dining at EPCOT that you can't see the fireworks at all (San Angelus in Mexico has the fake ones on the ceiling which counts in my book). Although the other party was not there, they were served drinks and we did not have our water.

My friend was wondering about bread as we had been out and about all day and neither of us ate anything. Again, the other table was served bread before us, and they were not even there. We were served out appetizer of the cheese plate, which was extremely varied compared to most I have had lately. The price seemed high when I saw it originally and was comparing to my recent takes. This one had a hard gouda, a cream, and a blue I have never seen before. All five of the cheeses and the accompaniments were just right as either an appetizer or dessert, as it is offered that way as well.

When we finished, we sat for a few and then the neighboring table returned and their food was served. Ours came out five minutes later.

Because of my tomato allergy, I did not get the succotash and instead got green beans. The rest was normal. I had the ribeye and friend had the fillet. We did sides of brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. Everything tasted better than expected and makes me want to return soon.

Other then the price, location for late reservations, and the general odd experience, I would highly recommend going there if you can make a reservation prior to arrival in the park and possibly your...

(Last visited 1/19/2022.) Hanging out in Disney World for a few days and we have to eat right?! Well, today we're at Epcot and as a part of the "Drink Around The World" excitement there's this restaurant in Canada's section and it's a steakhouse! I wonder how good a steakhouse at Epcot could be! I'm going to tell you now!

Atmosphere/Appearance: So set back off of the beaten path and hidden is this gem. Reservations are REQUIRED and make sure you make them early. This place was packed and super busy. It was really big, but the ceilings felt a little low. It also felt like a log cabin up in the mountains of Canada somewhere and I think it was excellently decorated. I have never been to a cabin like this, but the place certainly looked like the ones in the movies! Lol.

Service: Cory took excellent care of us despite how busy it was. She was quick, patient, friendly and represented the most magical place on Earth very well!

Food: For an appetizer we tried the roasted Brussels sprouts and they were delicious. They had a perfectly crispy exterior and were cooked very well. They were decently seasoned and not too salty. For my entrée I went with the New York Strip cooked medium-rare. On the side came with a risotto, some roasted tomatoes, crispy onion strips and a steak sauce. Now, the steak felt like a small portion compared to the price. However, it was delightful. It was cooked well, seasoned well and the sauce went with it perfectly. I really enjoyed it and because the portion was small (load up on the complimentary breads) I savored my dinner a bit more!

Value: 1: This is Disney World, you didn't come here in an effort to save money. 2: This is a steakhouse. Lol. One of the cheaper wines on the menu was $55.00, but it was excellent, we had the Trimbach Pinot Gris 2015 Reserve. My entrée was $52.00. Like I practically mentioned, it's quality over quantity here and rightfully so!

In conclusion, I really enjoyed myself here. The food was excellent, the atmosphere was great and it was just the perfect way to end the day!

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