Yachtsman Steakhouse Review
Yachtsman Steakhouse is the real “T-Rex Cafe” in Walt Disney World. Except instead of being themed to dinosaurs, Yachtsman Steakhouse is a restaurant for dinosaurs. Well, at least the carnivorous ones. The place should have been named “Disney’s Awesome Salute to Carnivores Restaurant (of Excellence).” Unfortunately, Disney went with the more conventional “Yachtsman Steakhouse.”
Yachtsman Steakhouse is a signature restaurant at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. Although we both love steak, it had taken us a while to visit Yachtsman Steakhouse because we always kept putting it off in favor of other favorites. We finally decided to visit Yachtsman Steakhouse when on the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and trying to get the most bang for our buck. The restaurant is themed to a New England steakhouse, with masculine woods and some almost-kitschy coastal accents. While the restaurant is fairly well-lit, the rich woods and nice-looking rooms give it a look of understated elegance.
There are a few other items on the menu, but Yachtsman Steakhouse’s clear specialty is steak (hence the name…although wouldn’t its specialty be a touch more clear if they went with my proposed name?). As a signature restaurant participating in the Disney Dining Plan, Yachtsman Steakhouse is a 2-credit table service restaurant, and one of the restaurants at Walt Disney World that now requires a $10 per person deposit to secure reservations. It also accepts the Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount.
I’ve already touched upon the decor and its kitsch, but it’s probably worth discussing a bit more (and at the front of the review, to get all negatives out of the way first). Yachtsman Steakhouse looks nice with its masculine woods and understated dining room, and the highlight is when you first walk in and see a butcher room with meats aging and, when we were there, a butcher in there actually making his cuts!
However, there are also a few random accents that make the restaurant feel as if it’s stuck in the mid-1990s. I know plenty of New England restaurants have this same “look” to them, but I think Disney could convey the theme of the restaurant without the dated paintings and wallpaper. These are just little things, and it’s difficult to point to any one element of the design that made it feel dated, but I think all of these little things are more noticeable because the dining rooms are otherwise very understated.
That said, we ate there prior to the restaurant’s August and September 2012 refurbishment, and I have not yet heard what, if anything, changed with the look of the restaurant. Hopefully this decor was freshened up during the refurbishment, and if so, Yachtsman Steakhouse would be flawless to us. (Has anyone been there since September 14, 2012? How did it look?)
Our waiter for our meal at Yachtsman Steakhouse was Ricardo, and he was flat out awesome. He was incredibly fun, yet formal and knowledgeable of the menu. How he managed to strike this balance was beyond me, but he was basically the perfect Disney server–easily one of the best we’ve ever had at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. A bit of whimsy combined with knowledge and appropriate demeanor for a nicer restaurant.
Before diving into the substance of our meal, I should preface this review with some basic information about my food preferences. On a scale of “Vegan to Velociraptor” in terms of carnivorousness, I’m approximately “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” which is a step beyond Velociraptor (see how happy I am in the photo above? I’m like a kid in a candy store when I’m at a steakhouse!). So I’m off the chart as far as my enjoyment of meat goes. I actually view vegetables as unnecessary filler that gets in the way of meat. Except potatoes, but I’ve been told countless times those are not vegetables, so I guess they get a pass. Obviously there’s some hyperbole here, but my point is that if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, it’s likely that you and I will not share similar views of Yachtsman Steakhouse.
In short, Yachtsman Steakhouse brings the A-game for steak-lovers. The meal started out with a bread basket, the highlight of which is the delicious onion bread. That onion bread plus the roasted garlic and butter is a deadly combination (for anyone you talk to later in the night). It’s also a highly, highly delicious combination. Normally we don’t like to overdo it on bread, but when Ricardo asked if we’d like another basket of bread, the answer was an unequivocal “YES!”
For appetizers, we both ordered the same fried crab appetizer, and it was incredible. Not only was the crab perfectly breaded and prepared, but the tomatoes and other garnishes were excellent!
Now, on to the glorious entrees! Sarah had the Surf ‘n’ Turf (butter-poached Maine Lobster and Prime Strip Steak), and I had the 24 oz Porterhouse.
My Porterhouse was amazing. Flavorful, perfectly marbled, and with the perfect amount of seasoning. The roasted garlic butter added a great flavor to the steak, but it wasn’t doused in this butter so heavily that it masked the steak’s own natural flavor. Those who like incredibly lean cuts might not be as big of fans of this Porterhouse (or any Porterhouse, for that matter), but I like a bit of fat for flavor. If Yachtsman Steakhouse sold post cards, I would have bought one, because that steak was something to write home about!
At $46 it was pricey even by Disney standards, but it was 24 ounces and amazing. Given that, I don’t think it was out of line compared to other steak on property, especially for the size. It was certainly better than the $66 entree I had the day before at Narcoossee’s! I would not recommend visiting Yachtsman Steakhouse with an eye towards “dining on a dime,” but the Porterhouse was definitely large enough for two people to split if you want to go that route.
Usually I try to only post one or two photos of each entree we have in these reviews, but I’m having a tough time cutting anything here, so I’ll just present this glorious tribute to the Porterhouse:
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I may not look all that happy in this photo, but really, I’m just in the zone. Eating a steak this excellent requires dedication and concentration. No time for posed photos.
Truly the best overall steak I’ve had on Disney property. The filet mignon at Napa Rose comes close, and it’s difficult to compare two radically different cuts of meat, but I’m going to give the edge to Yachtsman Steakhouse.
As for Sarah’s meal, Sarah reported that her lobster was better than the lobster she had at Narcoossee’s. If you recall, she had a whole Maine Lobster at Narcoossee’s, so this is assessment is impressive since usually the lobster on a combo lobster/filet dish is inferior to the lobster on a dedicated “whole Maine lobster” dish. She described the lobster as tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked, and similarly really liked the steak. I tried some of her strip steak, and while it didn’t compare to my Porterhouse, it was very excellent. Tender and juicy, especially for a strip steak.
After dinner, Sarah ordered a cup of cappuccino. I’m not really sure which one, and I know almost nothing about coffee, so I can’t accurately assess it, but to my uninformed palate, it tasted delicious!
For dessert, I had the Peanut Butter and Pretzel Gianduja Cake, with salted caramel gelato and liquid ganache. This dessert was the bomb(dotcom)! Even though it was really rich, I didn’t mind at all, because I love peanut butter and it wasn’t too large (who am I kidding, it could have been 10 times this size and I would’ve eaten it all!). The mix of flavors and textures in the cake were excellent, and I had never had caramel gelato before this–it was also quite good. At $11, it was fairly expensive for a relatively small dessert, but it tasted excellent. I probably wouldn’t have paid that much for it out of pocket, but as a Disney Dining Plan dessert, it’s a great pick.
Sarah had the Lemon Pudding Cake, which she said was pretty good. She said it was incredibly moist, and that the blueberry shake that accompanied it was also excellent. I’m not quite sure about the war paint in the middle of her plate there, but I guess that’s how New England steakhouses present their desserts. Chowder-heads! 
All in all, Yachtsman Steakhouse was amazing. Our meal was, essentially, a tribute to America. That meal at Yachtsman Steakhouse cemented the restaurant as one of our top Walt Disney World restaurants. Our meal surpassed Bistro de Paris by a tad to claim the #2 overall slot for best restaurants at Walt Disney World (behind only Victoria & Albert’s). Although there are some dated elements in the decor, that was hardly enough to ding Yachtsman Steakhouse’s score.
The next time we eat at Yachtsman Steakhouse, we definitely won’t use the Disney Dining Plan, and will skip appetizers and desserts in favor of the many steakhouse-style sides that can be ordered to accompany the steaks. We saw a few of these pass our table, and they looked excellent. Our appetizers and desserts were good, but they were expensive (especially the desserts), and I’d rather focus on steakhouse strengths when at a steakhouse. It’ll be difficult, but I’ll probably also order the Beef Wellington next time instead of the Porterhouse. The Porterhouse was absolutely amazing, but I suspect just about any cut of meat will be amazing at Yachtsman. We highly recommend Yachtsman Steakhouse to anyone who enjoys a good steak.
Are you a fan of Yachtsman Steakhouse? Share your thoughts, especially any experiences with their other (glorious?) cuts of meat, in the comments!
Overall Score: 10/10
22 Responses to “Yachtsman Steakhouse Review”
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I really loved the Yachtsman when I was there back in 2010. My dad grew up in New London, CT, and actually was able to find a table in the Yacht Club that matched on in his childhood home. The decor is a tough kitchy, but it’s dead-on to fancy restaurants you’d find all along the shoreline here. It’s tons of rich woods and brass, and pictures of old ships from the past. The food when I was there was also fantastic. It is CERTAINLY somewhere I’ll go again.
Dated theming is dated theming, even if it’s authentic (but dated shouldn’t be confused with “aged” or “period” theming–aged and period theming are all around WDW, and they’re perfectly fine). I’m sure there is an upscale steakhouse somewhere in New England that doesn’t look like it’s straight out of 1992! It’s only a minor complaint, but one that I’d like to see addressed nonetheless.
thank you so much for this review…am really glad its on my adr’s for december trip!
You’ll have to report back on how you like it–enjoy the meal and the trip!
omg, this looks so good, we’re visiting in december this year and this looks like a great pig out spot and I’ve been wanting to try it, I have an ADR for Sanaa but I’m thinking we should go to the Yachtsman instead, should we should we should we???
Sanaa is a pretty great restaurant, too. It’s also very much different (and cheaper) than Yachtsman Steakhouse. If you can, I’d try to do both. If it’s one or the other and money is no issue, I’d go for Yachtsman.
Wife and I always make a point to hit this place up every September. We went there again this September on 9/23. The decor was ok. You can tell they freshened the place up, but nothing that made me say WOW.
As far as Ricardo goes, we ALWAYS request him when making our ADR’s. He is THE BEST server I’ve experienced at Disney. My wife and I are 30 and he kept things professional, but had us laughing as well. He’s been there ever since Yachtsman started and has been with Disney way before that.
I finally have reservations for the Yachtsman for our trip in April. I have been telling my husband about it. We too have our favorites & have a hard time adding in new restaurants because we don’t want to skip our favorites. California Grill is closed when we will be there & we added a day to our trip this year, so we added Yachtsman & Victoria & Albert’s this trip. Can’t wait. Thanks for the review!!!
As DVC members, we are fortunate to visit WDW every other year. The Yachtsman is a never-to-be-missed restaurant on our schedule. In my opinion, it is THE best Disney Restaurant in their portfolio of Restaurants. Our advice, share the side dishes–they can easily feed 3 to 4 people. The service is excellent. One word of caution–thare is great danger in over-eating. Although there is a Handicap ramp that you can roll down on your way out.
The words over-eating and danger do not belong in the same sentence!
I know after our meal, I was feeling pretty sluggish. Still, I really wish we had some of those sides. I guess now we MUST go back…IN THE NAME OF RESEARCH!
Tom…I have to agree with you about the food at Yachtsman! My hubby and I ate there a few years back on Free Dining and decided to try this restaurant as one of our options, since I knew I’d never want to pay that much for a steak. I too opted for the Porterhouse, because it seemed like the best value on the menu. So, imagine this tiny girl, with a HUGE steak in front of her!
I ate most of it and thought the same things you did. It was a nice mix of fat and meat, the butter was fabulous, and it was like heaven in my mouth.
I believe for an appetizer, I had the lobster bisque soup, which I thought was delicious. For dessert, I had some trio, which I thought was quite over priced at $11. It seems like we had very similar experiences. Both delicious!
Now, I would go back to Yachtsman again in a heartbeat. It was an absolutely delicious meal and I agree with you, one of the best I’ve ever had on Disney property.
If I were a betting man, I’d say that steak is more likely to eat you than you are it.
I think desserts around property are over-priced at table service restaurants, but they aren’t out of line compared to the real world (adjusted for “Disney inflation”), so I can’t really complain. When paying out of pocket, we often skip dessert, both because we’re full and because there are so many excellent snacks around property that are just as good as table service desserts for a fraction of the price.
Ah…but you are not a girl…dessert is an important part of the meal.
Then I eat a snack after dessert…
I ate at Yachtman’s back in 2008 and really enjoyed it! I agree the food and services are some of the best on property. I’ve often thought about crashing in the Crew’s Cup Lounge (next door) which shares the same kitchen. Maybe I’ll swing by there in February, since it’s considered a Table Service and not a Signature, you can get many of the same items without the 2 credit expense (for those on the dining plan).
Great review and pics!
P.S. I believe it’s “Chowdah-Heads”…
I just stopped at Crew’s Cup a few days ago and I still believe they have the best bar staff of any lounge I have visited on property. Never had food there but the atmosphere is great and it’s usually pretty quiet.
Great review, Tom. I’m taking my young family to this restaurant in a little over two weeks and can’t wait to taste the delicious porterhouse. Two questions for you and only one is related to this post. One, where is the best place to park in relation to the restaurant and two, have you ever thought of doing a write up of Universal Studios? I would love see a pictorial of the parks and a write up by you. Everyone values your perspective and would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance!
This is on our list of places we WILL eat at WDW! We are planning an amazing vacation with your help! Your post have been invaluable and I can only describe with one word “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”!!!
Excellent choice of word! Enjoy your meal!
Added to our plan for August. I know you said that was a garlic butter on the steak, but it sure looks like some sort of peppercorn brandy sauce. Either way, looks amazing. Now I need to choose between the Porterhouse and the Wellington.
Is your Tables in Wonderland review still around? Following the link leads to a missing article.
-Dave
In the photo of you, no one else is in the restaurant. What time do you all go? I love the comment about vegetables being a fillet & getting in the way of meat!
My hubby has been dying to try Lecellier. We have not been to Yachtsman either. I’m guessing from this review, that you recommend the latter? Please help as I now will have to try to convince him that this is the route we should take! Thanks! I am new to your blog and am living it so far!
I absolutely love steak! We tried Le Cellier before it was 2 dining credits and we were both disappointed (except for the soup and bread). We always go on the dining plan and only 1 credit table services. However, after so many amazing reviews we have read and pictures we have seen, Yachtsman has become a Must Try for us hopefully sometime soon in the near future.
Your steak looked simply delicious and perfectly cooked!!