Le Cellier Steakhouse Review
Le Cellier is a popular steakhouse in the Canada pavilion of World Showcase at Epcot, with a fan following. This dining review looks at whether it’s one of Walt Disney World’s best restaurants or if it fails to live up to the hype. We’ll also share food photos from our various meals here and perspective on value for money. (Updated June 28, 2022.)
We can understand the appeal of Le Cellier: the delicious meats of Canada beckon carnivores like us from opposite ends of the park. We typically pay out of pocket when dining here, as this restaurant is not a good value on the Disney Dining Plan because it requires two credits. Le Cellier is located in Epcot’s World Showcase in the Canada pavilion. Le Cellier participates in the Disney Dining Plan, which is currently unavailable. (See When Will the Disney Dining Plan Return? for more details and analysis.)
For a long time, Le Cellier was one of our go-to restaurants–we ate there at least once per trip. However, that more or less ended when it became a Signature Restaurant for both lunch and dinner several years ago. We aren’t the only ones who think Le Cellier is overrated, which is quite the shift from about a decade ago when Le Cellier was the darling of the Disney fan community and one of the hottest restaurants at Walt Disney World. After years of being down on Le Cellier, we revisited it in Summer 2022…
We were pleasantly surprised by our experience, which confirmed that Le Cellier is still a good restaurant. It’s not one of the best in Walt Disney World, and whether it’s Signature caliber is probably is a matter of perspective. As far as cuisine goes, my biggest issue with Le Cellier is that I think the food, especially the steaks, is often over-salted and over-buttered.
This isn’t always an issue, but it sometimes happens. That is enough to knock it down a rung for me. Beyond that, the food is generally good, it’s just not as good as other Signature Restaurants–nor is the overall experience. I have only a few interior photos of Le Cellier because it’s almost always crowded, cramped, and loud in here. This wouldn’t be a huge surprise if it were a character dining experience, but this is a Signature Restaurant. To each their own, but it’s not quite the vibe we want when dropping $150+ for two people.
As far as theme goes, Le Cellier feels like a steakhouse you’d find in Canada. While the lighting and decor of the restaurant are fabulous, the spacing of the tables leaves a bit to be desired–but it’s not as bad in Le Cellier as in other restaurants.
It’s also nice that Le Cellier’s theming isn’t simply a caricature of Canada. It doesn’t feel like a rustic lodge, there aren’t antlers in all of the decorating, and the carpet isn’t red and black flannel.
Being overrated is relative, and my stance is that in comparison to its actual quality, the popular opinion of it (at least as expressed in the Disney online community), and more importantly, the restaurant’s pricing, is a little too high. People gush over Le Cellier (albeit not as many as used to) and it’s the restaurant I most frequently see ranked among Walt Disney World’s, but for me it just doesn’t live up to the hype, all things considered.
It is a good restaurant, no doubt, and the service is great, but there are some better restaurants at Walt Disney World, especially at Le Cellier’s price points. I think a big part of Le Cellier’s reputation is premised upon the value it used to offer on the Disney Dining Plan. (Even though the Disney Dining Plan is currently unavailable, it’s discussed here because its presence looms large over Le Cellier and how the restaurant has “evolved” over the last decade-plus.)
Le Cellier used to be a great value on the Disney Dining Plan, and an incredibly difficult Advance Dining Reservation to land. Much of its reputation was predicated upon these facts, and it retains some popularity as a result of that.
However, changes to the Disney Dining Plan and price increases at Le Cellier have decreased its relative value, and without that value, there’s really no reason to rank it so highly. There are at least 10 restaurants at Walt Disney World that are better than Le Cellier–probably more like 15-20, actually.
In terms of restaurants in World Showcase, Takumi-Tei and Monsieur Paul are both better on the high end. As compared to Signature steak spots that are convenient to Epcot, both Topolino’s Terrace and Yachtsman Steakhouse both surpass Le Cellier.
This is not to say that Le Cellier is bad. It’s still a very good restaurant, and has great options for appetizers (the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup is universally loved), entrees, and desserts. Beyond that, Le Cellier is a beer-lover’s paradise with several great options from Unibroue.
Our Le Cellier servers have always been exceptional and very knowledgeable regarding the different entrees. It’s nice to have servers who are actually willing to make a recommendation instead of indecisively saying “they’re all good.”
One one occasion, our server offered descriptions of the beers that actually persuaded us to each try one, when initially we were unsure of whether any of them sounded good. He really was a great salesman for the restaurant. I had the Trois Pistoles and Sarah had the Blanche de Chambly; mine was a darker, heavy beer yet one with fruity and spicy tastes, Sarah’s was a lighter, hopsy and somewhat lemon or orange beer.
Unibroue has become one of our favorite breweries since first trying it at Le Cellier many moons ago. (It’s also now served outside of the restaurant at the beer stand and is our top pick for Drinking Around the World at Epcot.)
Beyond the beer, Le Cellier’s bread service is reliably good. There’s a reason the pretzel bread here is a favorite among fans. It’s absolutely fantastic–top 5 bread service at Walt Disney World.
Le Cellier now serves up a couple of different poutines. My favorite is the Le Cellier Beef Bourguignon Poutine, which features Fresh-cut French Fries, Gruyère, Beef Bourguignon Gravy, Garlic Aïoli, and Truffle. The Le Cellier Signature Poutine features Canadian Cheddar Cheese Curds, Truffle, and Red Wine Reduction.
Both of these are good options for a shareable starter, especially if you’re worried about leaving hungry. They’re delicious and decadent, but I wouldn’t call them must-order dishes. Definitely higher quality than the poutine served at nearby Refreshment Port…but that indulgent snack is shockingly good.
One menu staple at Le Cellier is the Bison Strip Loin. Accompaniments change seasonally, but mine was served with Celery Root Purée, Butter-braised Carrots and Turnips, Roasted Apples, Cider Reduction, and Seasonal Greens.
In the past, there was a version with truffle béarnaise sauce. To each their own, but I preferred that. Bison is a lean and earthy meat, and typically doesn’t have the same robust and fatty flavor of beef. It’s still fantastic
Although it’s a Canadian steakhouse, many of the meats served at Le Cellier are USDA Prime. This is one definite made since going Signature, as the cuts at Le Cellier are now higher quality with better marbling, tenderness, and more flavor.
One such example of this is the Ribeye at Le Cellier. It’s not quite as good as the one served at Yachtsman Steakhouse, but it delivers. This ribeye perfectly melds meatiness with fattiness, great texture, and a bit of char.
While we have sample a variety of entrees at Le Cellier, the one I keep coming back to is the New York Strip Steak. I am always tempted by the filet, especially with those mushrooms, but the larger, slightly more marbled cut is more up my alley.
I really like the taste of a good NY Strip, especially the USDA Prime cut. Le Cellier never disappoints here. I enjoy a good filet mignon, too, but I’ll take the size combined with the taste of a strip over a filet most any day.
There’s also the fact that the Le Cellier Signature Filet Mignon is a mainstay of the menu at the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. Now, this isn’t the same size–and not the same quality cut of beef–but it’s good enough for me to get my fix.
I’ve become so accustomed to eating the Le Cellier Filet Mignon at Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival that it’s been years since I’ve had it at the actual restaurant. I should probably remedy that, but in the meantime, I can’t give a credible review of that particular cut. (I will say that there’s probably a reason it’s the steakhouse’s signature cut and the other AAA Canadian Tenderloins I’ve had have been fantastic.)
As far as desserts at Le Cellier go, my favorite is the Maple Créme Brulée.
This ranks right up there with the best desserts at Walt Disney World, in my opinion.
We’ve tried a variety of other desserts at Le Cellier, but once I discovered that Maple Créme Brulée, it’s the dessert I have always gotten since.
Based on our experience, you really can’t go wrong with any of the Le Cellier desserts. The dessert menu changes at Le Cellier, with one of the only constants being that Maple Créme Brulée (for good reason!).
Overall, I think Le Cellier is a very good restaurant, but I think much of its reputation is built upon internet hype and scarcity of reservations. When Le Cellier became a full-time Signature Restaurant, that was probably the last straw for us of it losing its luster. If we’re on the Disney Dining Plan, it’s not better than other Signature Restaurants to justify using the credits, and if we’re paying out of pocket, the prices have been inflated such that’s also not worth it from that perspective. It’s definitely a solid restaurant, but I don’t think it compares with any of the Signature restaurants we’ve visited.
Anyone willing to spend the money or Dining Plan credits will find a good restaurant in Le Cellier. The meats aren’t the only great things at Le Cellier, as the desserts and beer selection at Le Cellier are also fabulous. I know all of this seems like praise given my “overrated” stance, but this restaurant is frequently cited as the best restaurant in Walt Disney World, and that is not the case, in my opinion. It’s a good option, but not even the best restaurant in World Showcase, let alone all of Walt Disney World.
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Your Thoughts
If you’ve been to Le Cellier recently, do you think it lived up to the hype? Do you think it’s one of the best Walt Disney World restaurants, or have you had better steak at Walt Disney World? What about the atmosphere at Le Cellier? Are you planning on going? Hearing from readers is half the fun, so please share your experience at Le Cellier in the comments below!
The DDP is approx. $55/person/day. So approx. $35 for each table service credit that we have pre-paid. At Le Cellier, in addition to using 2 table service credits each, my husband & I paid $100 out of pocket in addition to the $140 we had pre-paid. The meal at Le Cellier was not worth $240.
$240 for a meal at Le Cellier? HOLY COW! Yeah, no way is it worth that!
Thanks for the great review! We are heading to WDW in a month and had a reservation for Le Cellier. We decide to change it to Yachtsman because of this review. We were able to get the same time and day with no problem.
Thanks again
Don’t thank me until you eat at Yachtsman Steakhouse and actually enjoy it. Hope your experience is good! 🙂
I went to Le Cellier in Feb. 2013. We were able to get dinner reservations relatively last minute, and although I felt tentative about dining there after reading your review, I went for it anyway. I have to say that not only was it the best steak I have had in Disney World (we’ve had the steak at Kona, Hollywood Brown Derby, etc.), but it was one of the best I have had in any steak house I’ve been to anywhere, and I’ve had delicious steak all over the country. My husband and I both had the mushroom fillet, and it was so tender that we didn’t need a knife to cut it. It was perfectly cooked. The risotto was beyond delicious. I also enjoyed the bread service, cheese plate, and deserts. The waiter was delightful, and the restaurant was very accommodating to food allergies (as is every place in Disney World). I think it was worth the 2 meal credits for sure (of course we were having trouble utilizing all of the meal credits anyway and needed to do some signature restaurants just to avoid wasting them). Maybe it is because we didn’t have any sort expectations going in, and maybe it was because we happened to hit the restaurant on a good night, but it was great all around.
We went in October last year, and I wish we would have eaten elsewhere and just gotten the tapas at the Food and Wine Festival instead. The food was good, but not great, service was far from what I expect and get at other Signature Restaurants and like others stated, the floor was really messy. We waited 45 for our reservation and I missed most of IllumiNations waiting for our bill. Glad that our dining on that trip was saved by Artist’s Point and the Yachtsman. To be honest, our dinner at the Captain’s Grille was better than Le Cellier. Definitely not looking to go back unless their are same major changes there.
I love the atmosphere (although it’s a little tight in there). Great breads, appetizers, and desserts….. The two filets that I have had there were… Okay. They weren’t bad, but far from great steaks. I really like Le Cellier and will go back. But for the price, I’d say 7.5 is spot on.
I completely agree with you. It is a good restaurant and the cheddar cheese soup is awesome but Yachtsman is superior in almost every way. I have had some the the best service ever at Yachtsman.
We ate at le cellier for the first the very first time in Dec 2012, and we were very disappointed. The staff was great and the chef did help when adjusting menu items for my six year old daughter with severe food allergies but the food itself was nothing special. It definitely did not live up to all the hype. My mother-in-law and daughter actually got sick after eating there. The mushroom filet,cheese soup, and pretzel bread were good but it’s not worth going back for.
I too got sick at Le Cellier, both in 2010 and 2014. I had the Mushroom Filet Mignon. I am celiac (no gluten)and thought maybe in 2010 that a food from a snack earlier that day had made me ill, but it happened again with this last trip. Unfortunately, we ate at Le Cellier our first day in Disney, and I had double-over pain the rest of the week. I’m wondering if there is some unusual thing in the dish that I don’t have at home (such as truffel oil)that I have a problem with? It’s such a fine restaurant with really good food that I find it hard to believe they would just be careless with gluten.
I think the main reason why this place was so popular is that it was a place where the “dinning” plan hordes could get a steak for one credit. Before the dining plan, it was usually a walk-up. Granted, I last went there in 2006, but I never recall it being a particularly hard table to get.
Steakhouses I can take or leave anyway, as getting a good cut of meat and cooking it well at home isn’t that hard. I never thought the cheese soup or the pretzel bread were the bees’ knees, either.
Used to be one of my favorite place in DW. But, it was the upgrade in price and credit.
Since then they took off some items on the menu and changed some others ( or I think they only carry it some time throughout the year ).
So I would agree with you. Le Cellier by any mean is a good restaurant. BUT, with the price increase it’s not worth it anymore. I’m giving a try ( based on your review here ) to Yachtman and Flying Fish for my honeymoon this summer.
It’s kind of a shame.. being Canadian I loved knowing that Le Cellier was way up there in DW restaurant, showing the skill we have here in Canada for food ( many amazing restaurant, specially here in Montreal ). Maybe they will realize this soon enough and “fix” it.
My husband and I enjoyed Le Cellier in 2012 for our honeymoon. I think it was just before it went to 2 credits for lunch, so we got a lunchtime reservation (but still chose to pay out of pocket in the end). We both had the excellent burger (not sure if that is on the menu anymore?) and we both tried beers (through your recommendation!) We both really enjoyed the meal, but very much agree that it is a little overrated.
The burger is not on the menu anymore. The beer still is, and is still delicious!
You completely beat me to this review … we ate at LeCelliar last trip and would never go back. Trash on the floor in the lobby (it was their both before and after our meal, I picked it up in front of a manager and put it in the trash right next to her on our way out.) The floor in the actual restaurant area was trashed with crumbs and napkins, the only thing that was good was the pretzel bread, wine and meat. Service was horrible putting it mildly.
The fact that they are calling this signature dining borders on insanity. Don’t waste your dining plan credits on this.
Wow…that’s pretty bad. I won’t say that we’ll never go back, but our last meal plus the price/credit increase has sealed the deal that we won’t be back for a long time. Too many other good restaurants in the Epcot area that we like much, much more!
I’ve never eaten at Le Cellier. But I too have a fondness for garlic and salt, so perhaps I should put it on my list! 🙂
I agree completely not worth 2 credits and definitely not a signature restaurant. We at there December 2012.
Pretzel bread was the highlight of the meal if that tells you anything. Steak and risotto were okay (but I had better at California Grill and JIKO). My parents desserts were inedible. The bathrooms were horrible!
We will not be back ever – there are simply too many other restaurants in the World.
My husband and I ate here in January 2013. And I agree with your article, Tom: the food is good. It’s just not great. Admittedly, I have to eat gluten-free, so I couldn’t try the delicious looking pretzel bread or lots of other things on the menu (though it was nice that they did have a gluten-free roll to offer). I had a steak with garlic risotto– well, I guess it was supposed to be a mushroom risotto, but all I could taste was garlic, and I don’t even think it was fresh garlic, at that. I love garlic and I love risotto, but I couldn’t even eat half of that. I think the steak was fine, but it says something that I can’t remember which steak I had. For dessert, I tried the peppermint sorbet, hoping to get the garlic taste out of my mouth. It worked, but I didn’t finish the sorbet, either. It was like eating a cold Altoids- which, if you like Altoids, that’s fine, but they’re too strong for me. My husband’s meal included the lobster mac-n-cheese. A dish like that- man, doesn’t it sound incredible? Instead, he described it as “okay.” What a let down! The ambiance definitely qualifies as romantic and our server was very sweet. But “signature status” I would say is undeserved, as are the lunch prices. I’d rather eat at California Grill or Raglan Road any day; they’re well worth the prices.
Sounds like a pretty lousy experience. The chefs at Le Cellier have a fondness for garlic and salt, for sure.
We still have not visited Raglan Road! We both really want to go there, but getting to Downtown Disney without a rental car is a real chore. Maybe once the first phase of Disney Springs is done…
Chore? Good Lord, man, driving, and dealing with its circus of a parking lot, is the last way I’d want to get to Downtown Disney. You’re DVC owners, right? It’s really a short walk from Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. I’ve staggered my way “home” many an evening from last call at Raglan Rd.
Back when the Adventurers Club was open, we stayed at Saratoga Springs (in Congress Park) and did exactly that. Since, we haven’t had much interest in Downtown Disney…besides Raglan Road. Is it really THAT good? I’ve heard good things, but never anyone suggesting it’s good enough to justify staying at SSR to experience.
It’s not a place around which to plan your stay, so, no. I begrudge every minute I’m in the car, so I’m not nearly as down on the Disney buses as so many others.
I think you and Sarah would enjoy Raglan Road. Great food, band and Irish dancing. Oh and a Bailey’s Milkshake that cannot be beat!
Ate there in ’11, ’12 & ’13 most recently. Over salted dishes are becoming more the norm than they used to be. I’ve taken it off of my list of places to eat as a result. Flying Fish is a much better & consistent option.
Flying Fish is much better, as is Yachtsman Steakhouse. With both so close to Epcot, there’s really no reason to dine at Le Cellier for a “Signature” meal.
Impeccable timing on this updated review- we have a reservation there for our anniversary next week. Trying to decide between le cellier, flying fish, or maybe something else in epcot!
Without question, I would do Flying Fish or Yachtsman Steakhouse. Both are GREAT options. Price points are comparable among all three restaurants.
Ate here for first time earlier this month. Hubs and I alone. We both rated mushroom filet and risotto as best food ever (anywhere- and I”m from new orleans). Appetizer didn’t wow us but the pretzel bread was memorable. We call it ” the place to get the mushroom steak”. Otherwise we much prefer California grill for signature dining. Unibroue was a draw for us and did not disappoint.
As non-DDP users (though we use Tables in Wonderland), we are more disappointed that there is no separate lunch menu anymore (that began 1/16/2013, I think). My husband loved the burger and we certainly enjoyed the lower prices. We can no longer afford to bring our kids with us (not necessarily a bad thing!).
I suspect the removal of cheaper lunch menu items was to free up room for people who would spend more. On our Facebook page, someone suggested a counter service restaurant in Canada offering cheaper items (the now-gone burger, soup, pretzel bread, etc.). If there’s room for it, I think that’s a great idea and a compromise that would make everyone happy!
We were there last week and were very disappointed this time. We paid out of pocket because we didn’t want to use 2 TS credits, but were surprised to see that the prices are now the same for lunch and dinner. $43 for a steak at lunch is quite high! And to top it off, the risotto was very salty. Don’t get me wrong, the steak was great, but not worth that much. We won’t be going back.
Yep, they consolidated menus and removed many of the cheaper lunch items. Really disappointing for those of us who pay out of pocket!
My husband and I ate here during our honeymoon. We used the dining plan for it, and we thought it was worth it, being Canadian ourselves. It was kind of cool to get “special treatment” from the staff when they found out we were visiting from Canada. That being said, we went in Feb of 2012, and I already can’t remember my entree… I remembered having the cheese soup as an appetizer, but can’t remember what the main course was. It didn’t wow me food-wise like Artist Point or Flying Fish did. Still, it was fun and every Canadian that visits should try it out :p
“It didn’t wow me food-wise like Artist Point or Flying Fish did. Still, it was fun…”
That’s pretty much why I’ve adjusted our review. It’s fun/good, but it’s not nearly as good as Signature Restaurants–and it’s now a Signature Restaurant.
Recently, it was announced that Le Cellier would charge 2 dining credits on your Disney Dining plan for lunch effective 1/1/2013. As luck would have it, we have a reservation for lunch on 1/1/13!!! I have tried to move the reservation to an earlier day of our trip, but as Le Cellier is very popular, nothing is available. I LIKE Le Cellier, but 2 dining credits for lunch seems too much. Disney said that the prices are determined by each restaurant and that although our reservation was made prior to the change, we will still have to use 2 credits for our 1/1/13 lunch. We would just change to a different restaurant, but we have relatives going with us for this year and their only request for a restaurant was Le Cellier. So our hands are tied. Hopefully the menu will be improved to justify the 2 dining credit charge.
“Success in any aspect of life can be achieved through a little due diligence and with effort. If more people took that to heart, I think our society would be a lot better off.”
Love this!! (and the whole review of course! Can’t wait to try it as a ‘Signature restaurant’ in December)
Please tell me you cancelled. I think all the people who left a good review have never had a good steak that was cooked proper. You are better off eating at the Irish pub in downtown Disney. The strip in bourbon sauce is about 20 times better than the rib eye (AKA Delmonico) my boyfriend had…and they don’t burn it like they did my Filet.
We visited here in early November 2011 after reading the hype of Le Cellier. We waited a good 30 minutes before being seated, even though we were there a few minutes early for our 2pm lunch reservation. Service was VERY slow at lunch and my hubby’s strip steak was really gross. Very fatty and just not too flavorful to be honest. He didn’t eat it. I had their cheese soup which was fantastic and their signature burger which was delicious, but I don’t know that I’d make another reservation to go back any time soon. Certainly would not pay out of pocket here.
The Irish pub in Downtown Disney, or now Disney Springs, is named Raglan Road, and the steak there is excellent — I go there 2-3 times for late dinner after the parks, or a good afternoon break, per weekly trip to Disney. It’s a family tradition that I’ve begun, taking my 4 younger brothers, when they turn 21 there for pint of Guinness on tap. You haven’t really lived or experienced Downtown Disney until you see about 20 men and women in kilts dancing on the table tops. I don’t think they were CM’s either. (It was after Epcot had closed, Drinking around the World at Epcot Food and Wine Festival.) Cannot wait until my 6 nephews turn 21. It’s very popular with the Irish and ex-pats. locals. However, I digress, back to the steak reviews: I’ve had both good steaks there and bad steaks too; the same applies with Le Cellier. Sometimes it’s the chef, and sometimes it’s the cow. As they’d say in Quebec, “C’est la Vie”. The Guinness on tap — never bad. Tom is correct: The Cellar is not as good as other older, SIGNATURE restaurants. I personally believe Disney classified it that way just to cut down on the long reservation lists. I’ve found it’s often the first place at Epcot to be “booked solid” at 180 days out… even in the middle of raining wet week days in Sept or October fall, non-peak days.
On my very first trip to WDW I ate here in 2007 with my mom, the food was amazing including the service. I tried to get another reservation in 2010 but they were completly booked up the entire trip. Were coming back this fall just made my reservations last night. Can’t wait to take my husband whom has been hearing so much about the food. Hereing everyones comments makes me feel the food might not be as good as it used to be, but then again everyone has an opion.
If you liked it in 2007, you’ll like it now. If anything, the quality has improved since then.