Ceiba — Restaurant in Dr. Phillips

Zero stars if I am honest. We stayed at the conrad and of all the restaurants cieba was the worst. We had reservations but we felt so rushed and did not like the atmosphere, as it was not relaxing or settling, definitely not a standard luxury vibe. It was difficult to hear the server and he was definitely screaming at us. Do not take reservations 15 minutes to closing if it will effect guest experience, the server told us to order food as soon as we sat down because the kitchen was closing at 10. It was similar to a taco truck experience. The first visit we tried BARBACOA TACOS which the lamb was cooked well and flavors were as expected giving us hope and commending the 5 star reviews. As our entrees we ordered the ENCHILADAS VERDES DE POLLO FLAUTAS DE PATO and FLAUTAS DE PATO The meat in the chicken enchilada and the was extremely dry, it tasted like it had been cooking for hours. The duck meat in Flautas was delivering but smothered in queso and cojita did not complement the taste and was overpowering the duck. We visited again hoping it was the lateness of our reservation that tarnished our first experience, the second visit was planned right in time for the fireworks and we were sure to leave enough time for a memorable experience. Complete failure. My husbands back to fireworks, The table for two is extremely small and the plating size makes it difficult to have comfortable dining it also felt as though we were dating the other couples to our left and right. We asked to move to a four seat table the server said no and that this was their busy time, the four person table remained empty throughout until close, horrible experience. Server barely checked on us this time. I asked for soda water and lime 3 times. This time we did the ceiba guacamole very basiic, lacking crab and caviar which didn’t match the pricing. The chips were certainly not fresh. We then chose the BARBACOA DE CORDERO thinking the lamb would be as good as the previous night again left dissatisfied and wrong - it was so difficult to eat as the meat was so over cooked. We also tried the FLAUTAS DE PATO again removed the queso the meat was also so dry it was difficult to say if it was duck or chicken. It left us feeling bad food waste We didn’t box leftovers because of awful taste. Thus my ending in me questioning why this restaurant is so highly recommended. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Possibly for beef or pork what about the other diners? The property is beautiful but ceiba both nights detered us and was the worst experience we encountered on property. Not only culinary wise but also service was very poor both nights. They need training. I would also like to note all the other properties have tip included could this be the reason for lack of service and...

My party of 6 arrived 30 minutes early for our 8:15 pm reservation. We were informed that the wait time from our reservation time would be about 30 minutes more due to the lack of available tables. We were directed to the bar to order drinks while we waited. Everyone from my party ordered drinks, while I was still deciding as I am a bit indecisive. As I was still perusing the drink menu, the host approached my party and asked that we clear the bar area and directed us to sit in the waiting area. We found it strange being that there was only one other person at the bar, but complied. After about 30minutes of waiting, the host notified my party that we would be sat shortly - which was around 8:45 pm. After being sat, the waitress took 5 minutes to greet us and10 minutes to get us water. We ordered appetizers and our entrees. The food was tasty and the food presentation was nice. The only time we saw our server was when she took our order, and brought our food out. Because our server was hardly around, my husband had to resort to going to the bar on his own to order his drinks. My water glass went empty on multiple occasions and I resorted to taking my husbands as his was untouched. Once the bill arrived, the server interrupted my conversation to let me know that she had placed the bill on the table and to pay at my convenience. 5 minutes later she attempted to pick up the book with the tab, but I was still conversing with my group and had not yet put my card in it. She walked away, and shortly there after picked up the book and asked me if I was ready to pay, again. At that point, I felt as if we were being rushed out, so I handed the card to the waitress to pay the bill. She brought the book back with the receipt to sign and within a 5 minute time frame she came back to the table twice to open the book and asked if I could sign it. As a former server, I understand if she had been cut and was waiting on us to go home, but she still had at least three more tables that she was waiting on and the restaurant was still quite full, at this point. It was also all about the delivery. Though the restaurant views were amazing and food tasted well, I feel as if though my party and I were being rushed from the moment that we stepped foot into the establishment. As much money as we spent there, I should be able to enjoy my dining experience without being rushed. Orlando has many fine dining options and I don't have any desire to...

The approach to the new Conrad Hotel is not very promising, which makes the experience of stepping into the stunning lobby all the more spectacular, with the resort's massive water feature spread out before you. The interior finishes are impressive throughout.

Equally stunning is the view from Ceiba, the Modern Mexican restaurant on the eight floor. This is probably the best place to wow out of town visitors, with a better view of Epcot and Magic Kingdom fireworks than anywhere except the Contemporary.

The menu is unique to Orlando: truly modern Mexican cuisine, with some familiar names such as flautas and tacos, but gourmet preparations inside, such as duck confit and braised lamb shank.

We started with the guacamole which, at $29, seemed pricy, but proved to be a generous serving, topped with ample crab meat, and spiced with salmon roe and thin slices of jalapeños. Delicious.

We'd planned on sampling several such botanas, but the serving was so generous that we went straight to entrees. Well, not exactly. My wife selected the Ceviche De Hamachi Verdi as her entree. Again, it was a generous serving of hamachi, but I would argue that it isn't really a ceviche, as the fish hasn't really been marinated in citrus, but rather is just served in a verde sauce. It was accurately described on the menu as coming with salsa verde, green apple, serrano, cucumber, and jicama, but I don't think she'd order it again.

I had the Flautas de Pato, very crispy corn tortilla rolls (really more taquitos, if you will) filled with duck confit, and served with avocado serrano salsa, cabbage, and queso fresco crema. They were delicious, and I could only eat half of them...

...because I was saving room for the Tsokolate, a flourless chocolate sphere filled with dark chocolate mousse, accompanied by an assortment of delicious crumbles and gels. It was wonderful, and plenty for two people to share.

There's a good wine list and a very extensive tequila list. I tried several interesting and creative cocktails.

Service was top notch. The entire staff was welcoming and attentive, and our server, Christian, was a genuine host, who made the...