Restaurant Reviews!

[real mad hatter]

Having just read some recent restaurant reviews on Debs All Ears. I was wondering. Does good or bad reviews play an important issue on you booking your ADRS.? .Also,if you do read them,which sites do you use.?..I recall our first visit to PORS in 2008 and " Boatwrights " had mixed reviews,most of them were uninspiring.However when I read the reviews in early 2012, most of them were very good,so we gave it a shot and we really enjoyed all our courses.Not one bad review from the three of us..Now I know everyone has a different opinion on restaurants and types of cuisine that they serve up,but I was just curious if the reviews on sites played a big issue or not.

 

[93boomer]

Hi Hatter! I read reviews but hardly ever take them to heart. I find that everyone has his/her opinion about food or anything that may or may not affect mine. Some will hate something then I try it and love it. Or love something and I hate it. I don't always go to a restaurant or a movie or anything based on someone's opinion. I have to try it for myself. But that's just me

 

[Gonzo79]

I never read reviews,or I at least don't pay attention to them.I would much rather experience it for myself and make my own opinion.

 

[real mad hatter]

Hi Hatter! I read reviews but hardly ever take them to heart. I find that everyone has his/her opinion about food or anything that may or may not affect mine. Some will hate something then I try it and love it. Or love something and I hate it. I don't always go to a restaurant or a movie or anything based on someone's opinion. I have to try it for myself. But that's just me

Totally agree..But when I read reviews that are 75% poor and 25% good. I tend to body swerve that place..Example's..ABC Com..or Planet Hollywood..

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

I read them, but if I have my heart set on trying a new restaurant, I keep the reviews back in my mind. I wanted to try BOG CS this year, reviews are mixed, but I'll try it anyway.

 

[real mad hatter]

I never read reviews,or I at least don't pay attention to them.I would much rather experience it for myself and make my own opinion.

Whoa! A dare devil..I do take on some advice but yes,I also like to experience it for myself,however if I read nothing but bad reviews,I ain't taking a chance that 99% of the people got it wrong..

 

[93boomer]

Totally agree..But when I read reviews that are 75% poor and 25% good. I tend to body swerve that place..Example's..ABC Com..or Planet Hollywood..

Oh yes! I would agree with you on that. If the reviews are that negative, I have to decide if I want to take a chance on it and see. Probably 95% of the time, I would not try it. I would find somewhere else.
When it's 50/50 is the time that you have to take a chance.

 

[BransonJ]

If its a place I really want to try then I never take reviews too seriously. Everyone is different as well as every experience. We have been to several restaurants multiple times and in those had 1 or 2 bad experiences, but we are willing to go again. Only time we stop is when we get 2 bad experiences at one location, for us that was Hollywood and vine. Just don't care for the food.

 

[real mad hatter]

If its a place I really want to try then I never take reviews too seriously. Everyone is different as well as every experience. We have been to several restaurants multiple times and in those had 1 or 2 bad experiences, but we are willing to go again. Only time we stop is when we get 2 bad experiences at one location, for us that was Hollywood and vine. Just don't care for the food.

H & V....

 

[lunchbox1175]

I try to take them with a grain of salt...having been a restaurant manager I always used to laugh at people that would complain that their food is never good every time they come in...me being the wiseass that I am would ask why they keep coming back if it isn't any good. I like to try everything once and make up my own mind...now if people are raving about a place saying how great it is, that may bump it up to the top of the list, but the complaints don't stop me from trying somewhere.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I do consider reviews and also pay it back by posting my own. I most commonly review on Trip Advisor (over 100 reviews) and Allears (TiggerTrigger on there). Its also honest reviewing IMO. Ive posted a few on here ... Really should post more here.

As for reading review, I do...but sometimes it's just for fact finding. Ex. Why was it Soooo bad for this person? Does it seem like an isolated incident? Could it impact me?

Sure, some of it is just drama or things that wouldn't bug most people, but others seem to be common issues or very serious concerns. Take a place like H&V...how many of you won't dare try lunch or dinner due to a plethora of abysmal reviews?

I had similar concerns with Tony's...and we were still going to take the chance until I'd read several bad reviews involving their poor handling of food allergy matters. In fact, a couple of allergy issues in reviews still have me fearful of Raglan Road. Sooooo, I know this isn't the run of the mill dining issue, but I find it another useful aspect with reviews.

 

[Gonzo79]

Whoa! A dare devil..I do take on some advice but yes,I also like to experience it for myself,however if I read nothing but bad reviews,I ain't taking a chance that 99% of the people got it wrong..

I guess I am a bit of a dare devil. The one thing that would make me think twice about eating somewhere is if I find out about there being some sort of health violations against the place. Then I would have no interest eating there.Also, I should add that my wife is the opposite and will read reviews and take some to heart sometimes. If a review of a place is pretty much all negative,she won't eat there.

 

[coachwnh]

For the most part, we have our favorites. We will try new places each trip. We do read reviews for those we haven't been to, but we rely more on what the menu has then what others say. If the menu looks good, we will give it a try.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I'll read the reviews but only ones that are recent, don't think ones a year old are very helpful because too many things change in that time. I like to read for what people recommend like a special soup or dessert.

 

[Disvillain63]

I've read the reviews, but that's about the extent of it. The menus are more important to me. If there is something on their menu that seems appealing, then I'm going to give that restaurant a try...3 tries for Sci-Fi and we haven't been back after the third strike.

 

[sgtmgd]

I read them, but if I have my heart set on trying a new restaurant, I keep the reviews back in my mind. I wanted to try BOG CS this year, reviews are mixed, but I'll try it anyway.

I concur with the very nice woman from New Jersey! I will read things but in the case of Mama Melrose last year we took a flyer on the Fantasmic Dinner package even though the reviews were less than generous and LOVED it! We are going again in a few weeks!

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

I concur with the very nice woman from New Jersey! I will read things but in the case of Mama Melrose last year we took a flyer on the Fantasmic Dinner package even though the reviews were less than generous and LOVED it! We are going again in a few weeks!

You're too kind Sgt!!! LOL

 

[tracyandalex]

I read the reviews, but our goal is to try every WDW restaurant so we will be brave if need be. For us the issue usually is do we want to sacrifice a place we really like for an unknown.

 

[jkl2000]

One thing about restaurant reviews is that I almost ALWAYS ignore any negative comments about the service, as I find that complaints about the service are usually based on certain unrealistic expectations, and rarely reflect the kind of service I receive or expect.

As far as reviews of the food, I do pay some attention to those comments, but more to comments about what's really good rather than what's bad - I feel like I'm pretty good at picking the dishes I'm going to like off a menu. I often can tell what to avoid. But if someone found something to be unusually or unexpectedly good, I'd like to know that.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I scan the reviews and photos all over to get an idea of what the meals are like. AllEars is good, and I'm enjoying the Disney Food Blog. I know what I typically like or dont like for food so right away I can pare down some of the choices. If something I am thinking about gets a good review I will give it more of a possibility of ordering, but even if something has gotten a poor review I will still try it out to see if I concur. Got to take a risk sometimes in life . Fortunately, I've never completely hated something or gotten ill from eating something at WDW.