As the Downtown Disney to Disney Springs transformation slowly starts to draw to a close after many years of dedicated changes, a vast variety of new dining options have opened their doors. Perhaps one of the more popular options has been The Boathouse. On a recent trip, we finally got the opportunity to give it a shot. Here’s a closer look at our experience.
The restaurant itself is truly one of a kind from a theming perspective. It’s unique position on the water lends itself to that “beach” look and feel that so many guests truly appreciate, while being quite a ways away from the ocean itself. On the water, The Boathouse features a gallery of boats that really are pieces of art along with an outstanding bar that quite literally sits on the dock. The entire restaurant’s position lends itself to a wonderful viewing of those iconic Florida sunsets. The reflection off of the water creates a look and feel that is honestly hard to put into words without experiencing it for yourself. On the rainy night we got to experience this beautiful location, the sunset was really remarkable, even with a few clouds thrown in the mix.
The interior sets up a cozy feel on a rainy day and would be quite impressive to experience on a beautiful day. Each dining room is surrounded by windows looking out onto the water. Each and every table is prepared with white tablecloths staging a truly first class level of theming. Of course, the iconic aspect of The Boathouse is the boating influence. The classic dark woods, real life boat parts, and waterside viewing make for an impressive theming experience.
As for the food, it was outstanding. However, you do pay a fairly hefty price for the portion size you do receive. Each and every item we tried was quite impressive and uniquely different that what you may expect. The focus of the menu is in fact seafood and steak, but there are many other wonderful options that will please a variety of paletts. We tried a few different items. We, of course, ordered the fried fish, along with filet mignon sliders, and a “side” of macaroni and cheese to share.
The fried fish was absolutely delicious. The fried coating was light and crispy, and the accompanying fries were great as well. The filet mignon sliders were my personal favorite. It was a fairly strange concept to wrap your head around, but the taste was amazing. The beef was soft and incredibly tender, and the best way to describe the flavor is simply rich and creamy. Last, but certainly not least, was the macaroni and cheese. This was an enormous “side” portion. Two of us shared it as an additional side, and it was more that enough food. The flavor was rich and creamy once again, and the cheese was much higher quality and more bold in flavor that any of us expected.
We had an outstanding experience, and it was a really great way to kick off our week long vacation. The atmosphere was perfect for a slightly rainy day, but it could be amazing on a beautiful sunny day as well. If you’re traveling with family, you can really find something for everyone here. I do recommend a reservation if you decide to add this to your itinerary. This is a high quality setting for a meal but, it is not a place where you should feel required to dress up. The dining experience offers everything from a casual bar style atmosphere to a classy sit down dining experience. It really checks a lot of different boxes for most guests and is likely why it is one of the top Disney Springs dining locations. We will certainly return in the future. Of course, it is a bit pricey, but the menu options lend themselves to a variety of budgets.
