Walt Disney World has plenty of restaurants here and there lounging around. But there are a few that can become quite hard to actually visit. Le Cellier Steakhouse is one of these defining examples, as for the past several years has become an adventure and a challenge to be able to obtain a reservation—lunch and dinner. It has become such a popular place it has recently transformed into one of Disney’s “Signature” restaurants, one of the few to boast that honor. Open since the opening of Epcot, this place boasts some of the best steaks around and easily the most popular soup in the history of Disney World. After years of trying, I finally nabbed a reservation, so the question is, will this place be worth the hassle of getting a reservation and worth its stellar reputation?
Buried in the Canadian Pavilion in Epcot, Le Cellier is located right next to the beautiful garden that is located at the entrance of the themed land. The restaurant’s difficulty of obtaining a seat can be traced to its shortage of tables. It is a very small restaurant with much less tables than most full-service restaurants on property. The ambience is borderline-romantic, as the area is dimly lit, and the aura is a bit more high-class. Perhaps as a way to limit interruptions or annoyance, the reception of our cell phones were all extremely weak. I’m actually surprised that more places in this country don’t attempt that strategy: big churches, fancy restaurants, movie theaters.
Back on topic: we were seated and our delightful server Alyssa gave us a brief history of the place and recommended several items. She also brought up the cheddar cheese soup, which is hands-down the signature item of the restaurant, as it’s a recipe that has been in the place since the 80s when Epcot first started. It’s also among the most popular items to eat during the Food and Wine Festival. I ordered that along with the New York Strip. Warning, while it is a steakhouse, they don’t have as much variety in terms of steak as other places. So steak experts, be wary of this. Among the other items ordered in this lunch: baked mac and cheese, and their house burger.
The breadsticks first arrived with the butter. There were three types: sourdough, multi-grain, and pretzel. I had no faith in the pretzel bread (not a pretzel fan) but it delivered immensely, as it was very warm, very soft, and still had that pretzel kick. It was by far the best of the three breads. Shortly after, we got our appetizers, which was the soup and mac and cheese. The cheddar cheese soup is by far the best soup, I’ve ever had, as I usually don’t like soup but this is more along the lines of addiction. Their soup is cooked in beer and contains meat, onions, bacon, and much more. This soup is never runny, as it is thick, wholesome flavor with great kicks of meat packaged amongst the layers of hot cheese. It is a pure delight and a must-have if you ever arrive here. The baked mac and cheese was spectacular as well, and amongst the best I’ve ever had. It was very cheesy, very hearty, and the breadcrumbs were a nice added touch.
The appetizers definitely were good, and made up for the fact that we had to wait quite a while for the actual main entrées to arrive. After around 10-15 minutes, all the main courses arrived, piping hot. Le Cellier didn’t know this, but I’ve had steak that has been voted the best for the past several years (Charley’s Steakhouse) so it has some competition. Let me just say though, this steak was mightily impressive. While the steak wasn’t as crazy thick (or as crazy massive) as what I experienced in Charlie’s, it definitely held its own by being thick, bursting with flavor with every bite (even towards the end), and the best added toppings I’ve ever had on a steak.
Seriously, the butter on top of the steak was utterly fantastic, and gave the steak juice that remained an extra afterkick of flavor long after I finished the main hunk of meat. And as the juices overflowed towards the potatoes, it made them better. Kyle’s cheeseburger was quite a unique one, as it has a special sauce, a specific type of cheese (black diamond), and instead of lettuce they used other fresh greens. On the burger scale Kyle ranked it a six (Margaritaville), while I ranked it a five (Five Guys) as it was impressively good and was helped by all the added toppings.
And of course, the dessert. Since we knew we were not going to return here for a long time (not because of quality, but because of difficulty) we decided to go the whole nine yards and ordered three different things. The chocolate moose was very small, but delicious and creatively-made. The smores dessert was quite trippy, as different-flavored syrups was on the plate, with a small square of chocolate and graham cracker on top and a marshmallow stick planted in the center of the square. Yes, you must see it to truly understand it. That one was also good, although a bit high on price. The whiskey chocolate cake however: fresh, thick, and like a chocolate grenade exploding in your mouth. If you like chocolate, you must order their cake, because that was calorie-infested goodness.
Bottom Line: Le Cellier is a wonderful restaurant that delights the tastebuds with its excellent array of meaty foods, wonderful service, and extensive wine and dessert menu. While it is very difficult to justify a place you have to try to book 6 months in advance and will punch your wallet heavily, Le Cellier is a special place in Walt Disney World that deserves at least one visit from everyone, despite the trials that precede it. The soup is not just good, it’s legendary. The steak isn’t just decent, it’s quite phenomenal. But---the prices aren’t just high, they are deadly. So carry several wads of $20 while enjoying your meal, because you will be spending good money, even if it’s worth it.
Verdict: Highly Recommend
Le Cellier
Walt Disney World
Epcot Center
407-WDW-DINE
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