Nine Dragons Restaurant — Restaurant in Bay Lake

Nine Dragons Restaurant, located in EPCOT’s China Pavilion, continues to be one of the most consistently reliable dining experiences in the park. One of its greatest advantages — and perhaps its most underrated — is the remarkably fast service and the near non-existent wait times, even during peak dining hours. In a park where securing a table can often be a test of patience, Nine Dragons is a refreshing exception.

The service here is consistently friendly, attentive, and accommodating. Staff members are quick to greet guests, take orders, and offer menu suggestions when needed. The dining experience is undeniably efficient — in fact, almost too efficient at times. It is not uncommon for entrees to arrive at the table before appetizers are fully finished, making the pacing feel somewhat rushed. For those who enjoy a leisurely, drawn-out meal, this might detract slightly from the experience. However, for guests who appreciate promptness and wish to maximize their time in the park, this speed is a major plus.

As for the food itself, it remains consistently good. The menu offers a wide range of classic Chinese dishes, all prepared with solid execution and generous portion sizes. Dishes such as the Honey Sesame Chicken and the Spicy Mala Shrimp stand out for their bold flavors and satisfying quality. While the culinary offerings may not be groundbreaking compared to more upscale Asian dining establishments, they are reliably tasty and presented with care — exactly what many park-goers are seeking after a long day of exploring.

In terms of atmosphere, Nine Dragons offers a pleasant, calm respite from the often bustling energy of EPCOT. The interior, featuring intricate woodwork and traditional Chinese decor, adds to the authenticity without feeling overly ornate or contrived.

In my opinion, Nine Dragons remains a hidden gem within EPCOT’s World Showcase — offering good food, exceptionally fast service, friendly staff, and a consistently stress-free dining experience. If you’re looking for an easy, sit-down meal without the hassle of long waits or complicated reservations, Nine Dragons is an excellent choice. Just be prepared for a quicker meal pace than you...

To elaborate how our experience went... We started off with ordering the food. We weren't heavily invested in eating heavy, and were looking to be fiscally aware of our budget since we were hopping different eateries at Epcot.

The male waiter, with spiky hair, then gestured to us with a greeting, which at first was welcoming. But once he noticed that we only ordered appetizers, he made us feel like we needed to order more by hasting his service, and changing his behavior with undesirable expressions and word usage.

The taste of our food was unimaginably distasteful. You could recognize the rice was semi-frozen and was used for fried rice. The Dumplings tasted microwaved, and had an extra doughy/chewy texture. The Lo-mein noodles were left on the plate since it was flavorless and the chicken potstickers were subpar to the taste of a 2 star rating restaurant.

We felt put in an awkward situation, and moreso, since we're from Japan, felt compelled not to say anything as it would put us in an awkward spot with the waiter and our disney experience. (We just wanted to get done with it, and leave)

Once we received our check, we asked if this could be split. We were one of the only ones in the restaurant, so we thought this could be manageable, but in fact, he expressed a rage with slamming motions and frustration that put us in distraught. We were hoping the Waiter would be understanding, and if not, we would've only hoped that he could've mentioned to us that this wasn't possible, or generally this isn't done.

Instead, he shouted "HOW, HOW', and we were more than horrified by the yelling and the authoritative voice used against us. After a few minutes, we gave him our individual food selections, and he cashed us out.

Once he gave us our receipts, he individually took each of them from us, stared at the tip section, and scrutinized it as if he's making sure there's a tip amount written.

Mid-day at Epcot, this left us with a distasteful experience and a horrible mood to enjoy the rest of the day. I've spoken with the manager as well to express our complaint with only a mention that this will be discussed in a meeting...

When I have Chinese food, it is usually take out, so I rarely go to a Chinese restaurant, let alone a Chinese restaurant, in a theme park! But it was hot and we were hungry for Chinese food, and the quick service option only has outdoor dining, so into the AC we went. I also wanted to try a drink on their menu, which you can only enjoy inside; they are not available to go. We were quickly greeted and seated without a reservation. I was impressed with the dining room. It was really one large room, but the screens gave the impression of more intimate dining areas. The lighting was nice with bamboo and lantern accents. Our server, Xu, was the best. She acknowledged us even though she was busy with a large party, brought us water to drink right away because you know Florida and hot summers. Throughout the meal, she was attentive and even reminded us to use our discounts, which we forgot about because we rarely enjoy table service restaurants where the discount can be enjoyed. We got the Sichuan Chicken Dumplings to start, and these were delicious, absolutely the best bite of the night. I was also putting some on the sauce on my rice when my meal arrived. If you are sensitive to spice, it may not be a good choice for you, but if you enjoy a little heat, I highly recommend it. For dinner, I got the Spicy Mala Happy Family Beef, Chicken, Shrimp, and Vegetable. Again, if you are sensitive to spicy foods, this one is not for you. Despite spicy being in the name, I personally could have used more heat but overall it was nice heat that builds gently as the meal is consumed. To drink, I got the Lychee martini. I was considering the dragon fruit lager and if I was able to get a drink to go, I would have tried one of the Jade Beauty but for sitting and sipping the Lychee martini was the way to go. The portions are a decent size. My friend actually took some of her Spicy Honey Crispy Chicken to go. It was a new experience carrying leftovers around the park and...