REVIEW: FREE Bread, Stunning Views, and the BEST Shrimp in Disney World! Need We Say More?!

Alright — you’ve heard us recommend DOZENS of Disney World restaurants you should visit on your next trip, but the problem you’re facing is you only have so many days to do it all. How do you know you’re getting the best of the best?

Here at AllEars, we know all the ins and outs of Disney World restaurants — including where you should definitely eat, and where you should skip. We recently stopped by The BOATHOUSE  at Disney Springs and are bringing you our FULL review!

Background

While you might not know it by name, you may have passed by The BOATHOUSE on a previous visit and seen its signature vintage car sitting just outside the restaurant. Its bright colors and chrome detailing attract both the young and young at heart for a cruise along the water — quite literally!

There’s an opportunity to take a captain-guided tour around Lake Buena Vista aboard one of these amphibious autos called Amphicars. These 20-minute tours are available daily, weather permitting, and advanced reservations are highly recommended to secure your cruise.

Just outside of the restaurant’s entrance, the Harbor Master will orchestrate daily flag ceremonies, accompanied by a lively musical performance of beloved bugle songs, performed aboard a classic 1800s antique steamboat.

Here’s what you need to know about dining at this restaurant.

Atmosphere

The BOATHOUSE is an upscale, waterfront dining experience featuring spectacular floating works of nautical craftsmanship: dream boats from the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. The menu you’ll dive into here highlights the freshest ingredients from both land and sea. As the menu changes daily, you might come to find that each time you visit The BOATHOUSE, it is different from your last — and that’s part of what keeps us coming back, too!

The BOATHOUSE has three distinctive bars, including The Captain’s Raw Bar, The Admiral’s Club Bar, and The Dockside Bar (which you’ll find outside, built over the water.) Other nautically themed rooms include The Runabout, Twin Transoms, and The Lake House. There are two private dining rooms for special events, conventions, and presentations aptly named The Regatta and The Trophy Room. Visitors dining here can enjoy either a  Lunch or Dinner menu featuring steaks, chops, fresh seafood, and a raw bar.

But enough about that. What are we eating?!

Food & Drinks

When you eat at the Boathouse, you will get complimentary bread! The bread is baked so nicely and covered in butter. They are super easy to pull apart, which is very satisfying. They were warm, fresh, and soft on the inside.

It was just regular butter on the bread, but it went with it so nicely. The rolls were also on the sweeter side. We were happy there wasn’t any extra sweetness in the butter, because that would’ve been a little too much.

First up, we grabbed the Filet Mignon Sliders for $22.50. The sliders were cooked perfectly, and the server made sure the medium temperature was good with us. The steak was amazing, and the filet mignon just melts in your mouth — it’s just so good.

Our only complaint is that they’re served plain — there is no lettuce or other types of toppings. It doesn’t necessarily need any of that since they’re so flavorful as they are, but just something to note!

You didn’t think we were finished yet, did you? We grabbed the Maine Style Lobster Roll for $36.  This is made with Chilled Maine Lobster, Lemon-Chive Dressing, Buttered Toasted split-top bun served with Kettle Chips.

The kettle chips were good. They’re similar to what you find around Disney World. They don’t crumble like a potato chip; they’re harder like a cooked kettle chip.

The lobster was perfect and was cooked beautifully! It was nice and soft, served with a lemon wedge to squeeze on top of it. There was a ton of lobster meat packed in the roll. The bread was buttered and toasted. This was EXCEPTIONAL, and one we’d say is a must-grab!

Out of the mains, we somehow save the best for last — which is crazy considering how good everything was! Next came the Dockside Shrimp Boil for $27.50. This is made with Corn on the Cob, Red Potatoes, Andouille Sausage, and BOATHOUSE Seasoning.

This was so good! The seasoning made it even more heavenly. Once you start to dig into the dish, that’s when the flavors really hit. It also came with cocktail sauce.

The sausages were nice and chewy, and even those who aren’t a fan of seafood will have a hard time disliking the shrimp. It’s easily one of the best, if not the best, shrimp dishes we’ve had at Disney World.

To wrap up our meal, we picked up the Caramel Apple Bread Pudding for $11. This is made with Butter Pecan Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream. This almost wants to be like a crumble. The bread is a little sticky on the bottom, and it’s also slightly burned to give extra emphasis.

You can really taste the apple slices; they had a bit of a cinnamon flavor to them. The pecans and crumble were a good at to the dessert. The ice cream was amazing as well. They provided us with caramel sauce on the side so we could drizzle it on as we liked.

This dish can 100% be shared amongst two to three people, in our opinion. If you’re on a mission for bread pudding, go to Boathouse! It’s not overly sweet, it’s not chocolatey, it’s a simpler option.

Magic or Tragic?

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You want good seafood! This spot was amazing. Everything tasted so great. If you want good seafood, or even just good food, go to Boathouse.
• You want something with lots of options. We found there were a lot of unique options, and everything we had was great!
• You want a spot that isn’t in the park. This is a little easier to get to, as you don’t need a park ticket to visit this spot.

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You want something more budget-friendly. It’s not crazy expensive, but Disney Springs has some other spots that are cheaper — granted, the food won’t be as good!
• You want something more for kids! Families and kids can eat here, but if they’re picky, they may want an easier menu.

Overall, we loved this spot! We will 100% be back here again, and we highly recommend this spot for you. In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more!

 

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Have you eaten at this Disney World restaurant before? Tell us in the comments.

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