Reviews - How do we navigate them?

   Very good Point - I am an italian from NJ - so I agree, I don't expect what my grandmother cooks, I just expect a decent meal.  

Oh and in regards to 50's prime time- That is a very interesting topic, where does it cross the line for a CM? . I understand your wife, she shouldn't feel uncomfortable. At Whispering Canyon I think they try to act rude on purpose so its funny but they don't go over the line.
I have no issue laughing at myself and have no issue being mocked, but my wife would have been upset too. 

I completely agree.

One's opinion about a restaurant may differ from another one's opinion. My wife is a faster reader than I am so she reads a lot of reviews...doesn't matter if is about a restaurant, a hotel or even buying a new stove.

Our opinion about whether to try a new restaurant or not is based on what the reviews say especially the negative reviews. If the negative reviews all complain about the same thing (cold food or bad service for a restaurant or dirty sheet or bugs for a hotel) then there has to be some credibility there if everyone is complaining about the same problem. If the negative reviews are all over the place and don't have anything to do with the restaurant (as you are reading the review, you can tell that either the person likes to complain or their complaint is irrelevant to the restaurant), then we take the negative reviews with a "grain of salt".

One's review or opinion can be influenced by a lot of things that don't have anything to do with the food which is one main reason to go to a restaurant. Things like: was the wait staff rude, was the customer at the next table rude or loud, were kids running around acting uncontrolled, was the music too loud or the lights too dark, or was the person writing the review just having a bad day and took it out in the review.

We have eaten at a lot of restaurants that have had mixed reviews here at WDW and around the world. Examples are: California Grill, Le Cellier, Pecos Bill's Tall Tail Inn, Backlot Express, Whispering Canyon, Kona Cafe, Restaurant Marrakesh, Coral Reef Restaurant, and Grand Floridian Cafe. We would go back to all of them except California Grill due to the fact that it was too noise which was one of the common complaints but overall the food was good.

At the same time, there are others with mixed review that we haven't tried because of the mixed reviews. Like: Flying Fish, La Hacienda de San Angel, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Tokyo Dining, Katsura Grill, Nine Dragons Restaurant, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, or Sci Fi Dine-In Theater.

My wife tends to right our reviews and tries to include everything from the food, atmosphere and overall experience so that when other read it they might be able to see themselves at the restaurant to determine if it is right for them. Overall, though, a review is just one's opinion which may or may not agree with your opinion.

I would be glad to hear about it

We just tried out a few news ones ourselves and have mixed reviews on them. A few were great, and a few didn't live up to their price tag. My husband kept up with cost of the meals and compared them to what a meal "off campus" would be. Now, I felt that we paid a lot for "extras" like the Princess parade at one restaurant and the "newness" of said restaurant. But, after getting our heads together...I can't wait to share what I thought of these places and get some feedback.

Good discussion. I read tons of reviews and often its just complainers or people thinking that they deserve more. Or if its just a simple mistake, they don't give the CM's a chance to make it right. As far as staples, DW and I always do Rain Forest Cafe, Yak and Yeti, Brown Derby, San Angel Inn, and Tutto Italia, We love almost all of the park Restaurants except for a few, such as Tony's, Skipper Canteen, Hollywood and Vine, and 50's Prime Time. All of these are because of food quality and service. DW and I both cook and our youngest DD is a registered chef. I guess we're spoiled. I like quality and good service. I Don't mind paying more for good food.

-Yak and Yeti is another place that has been consistently good - even their quick service is a great value for what you get.