Le Cellier Review

Le Cellier Dining RoomLe Cellier Dining RoomGiven the fact that everyone loves Canadians the world over, it is surprising to see how divisive the issue of Le Cellier Steakhouse has become. Because it is likely the single hardest dining reservation to get in all of Disney World, many people have decided it's simply not worth the effort. I had dinner there recently to try to decide whether Le Cellier is worth all the hype.

Appetizers

We'll start with the less contentious elements of the Le Cellier experience. First of all there are the breadsticks which are pretty much universally loved. There are three varieties: Sourdough, Multi-Grain and Pretzel Bread.

They each have their own charm, but the pretzel bread is a particular specialty. It can be dipped in another favorite on the appetizer list: The famous Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup. Now I don't love this soup quite as much as everyone else seems to, but I will definitely admit it's very tasty and goes perfectly with the pretzel bread. I miss the beef & barley soup, but alas it is no longer with us. Instead we get the rich and intense flavor of the cheddar cheese soup. You can definitely taste the Moosehead Beer in the soup.

Le Cellier BreadsticksLe Cellier Breadsticks

Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese SoupLe Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup

Le Cellier also offers a Caesar salad which is a pretty typical Caesar for Disney World. I've generally had pretty happy experiences with Caesar salads in Disney however, so I have no problem ordering them. They are generally a pretty mild dressing but still pretty tasty.

Le Cellier Caesar SaladLe Cellier Caesar Salad

Then we come to a more controversial element of the first course: The Poutine. I very much enjoy this concoction of fries, cheese and gravy but the Canadians among us will be lining up to tell you that this is not authentic poutine.

I will not disagree with them, but I also won't deny that it's tasty. The fries at Le Cellier are quite good, so they're working with a good base. They are crisp but with a considerable amount of potato in them, so they provide some interesting textures to go with the cheese and gravy. I recommend this appetizer, just don't let any Canadians see you eating it.

Le Cellier PoutineLe Cellier Poutine

Entrees

On this particular trip we ordered the mushroom filet. This dish, in conjunction with the breadsticks, is one of the big things that keeps me coming back. The meat itself is delicious, but isn't really superior to Yachtsman Steakhouse and certainly not to the Bull and Bear Steakhouse at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, but it's the accompanying risotto that gives it the drawing power. It's deliciously rich and the taste of mushrooms isn't overpowering at all. Count me among the many people who aren't big fans of mushrooms but still love this side dish.

At lunch time I also highly recommend the burger. It is one of my favorites in Disney World, along with the Liberty Tree Tavern burger.

Le Cellier Mushroom FiletLe Cellier Mushroom Filet

Desserts

One of the biggest problems with Le Cellier, other than having to call 180 days in advance to get a reservation, is the dessert. After such a wonderful meal it's disappointing to end with mediocre desserts. They aren't bad, they just aren't very compelling.

We had the maple creme brulee, which is probably the most consistently good offering there. It has a very nice maple taste and a great consistency, but I can never get that excited over a creme brulee. I enjoy it, but I wish they'd add something to the dessert menu that I truly crave.

Le Cellier Maple Creme BruleeLe Cellier Maple Creme Brulee

Is it Worth It?

Overall I'd disagree with the growing crowd of Disney fans who argue that Le Cellier simply isn't worth the trouble. I think it's a wonderful dining experience and one of my favorite places to eat in Disney World. I wouldn't however wake up early 180 days out to get the reservation. If you don't get it, there are plenty of other great places to try. Go if you can, but don't be overly disappointed if you can't get in.

Jenn wrote on Tue, 01/18/2011 - 13:22:

Jenn's picture

Unfortunately I'm in the category saying that Le Cellier just isn't really worth it. We do go semi-regularly b/c it's good, just not fabulous. The last 3 times we went, every single appetizer and entree we got was almost unbearably salty. I've heard that complaint a few times from other people as well. For my filet, I literally had to cut off the outside sear marks and only eat the inside of the meat b/c I couldn't deal with all the salt. :( Hopefully when it goes to a 2 credit dinner place, they'll upgrade the menu!

Vettelover wrote on Tue, 01/18/2011 - 15:25:

Vettelover's picture

Brad this is a very good review of a great dining establishment and as far as I am concerned you are spot on in your assesment. The breadstcks are all great BUT the pretzel ones stand out, way out, I also greatly miss the beef and barley soup and was very disappointed when they did away with it. A wonderful extra would be the addition of a French Onion Soup and I feel it would be a wonderful "partner" to the Cheese soup and i think it would be right at home in Le Cellier. As far as the "poutine" goes heck I am of French Canadien ancestry and I would definitely NOT turn up my nose at it. Steakwise my steak of choice is the filet. But when lucky enough to scoff up a reservation, I have mine without the mushrooms, they are a fungus you know :>) , There are better steakhouses in WDW, Shula's and Yachtsman come to mind, and are much easier to get reservations for. As for dessert I am sure the Chefs of Le Cellier could come up with something different without too much trying.

Mischa wrote on Tue, 01/18/2011 - 17:34:

Mischa's picture

I love LeCellier and make the effort to get reservations here. The food is good and is not too outrageously priced. The one thing I think it is NOT worth is 2 points when using the Dining Plan. Very disappointed in that change, so we'll be trying for lunch reservations from now on rather than dinner.

JeffC wrote on Wed, 01/19/2011 - 03:25:

We've gone only once, and the only reservation I was able to get was dinner at 4:00 pm. I wasn't thrilled with that, but we really wanted to try it (this was in 2008) so we booked it. I think it was really good - the pretzel breadsticks were devoured, and our everything was quite tasty.

That being said, if I can't get a reservation or a time that is more appealing to us nowadays, I don't think twice and just move on to something else. Not a must-do for us. And definitely not something we would spend 2 points on in the future when they make that change.

Thanks for the review!

Brad wrote on Wed, 01/19/2011 - 03:43:

Brad's picture

@Jenn - You know I can't say that the salt taste has ever been too bad when I've been there, but I don't find it hard to believe that it happens. I also might not be terribly sensitive to salt.

@VetteLover - I'm glad I'm not alone in missing the beef soup. We should form a club or something!

@Mischa - I've heard the opinion about the 2 credits quite a bit. They're in a strange spot: With one credit, you can never get in. With two credits they're too expensive. I'm with you though, I'd stick with lunch if I'm going DDP.

@Jeff - That's about how I feel. I really enjoy it, but I'm not going to wake up at 6 am to get reservations.

caitiesus wrote on Sun, 01/23/2011 - 05:06:

caitiesus's picture

I love this place...I would go JSUT for the soup!

I have to disagree about the desserts - i LOVED the Maple Creme Brulee and the Campfire Smores are SOO good!

DonaldDork wrote on Thu, 01/27/2011 - 03:13:

DonaldDork's picture

on my 4th trip to WDW, I was finally able to get a reservation. I had heard alllll the buildup so I half expected to be disappointed. But I WASNT! I loved it... we had a great server, and I wasnt disappointed in the food. I had the Prime Rib which WAS quite tasty, BUT... my brother had the NY strip and I've got to say, his was much better.
That said, my dessert, the chocoloate mousse moose, was much better than his smores lol.
I'd definitely go back.. in fact, I have lunch reservations in March!

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