Artist Point Review
Artist Point is a Signature Restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Wilderness Lodge. In this dining review, we’ll share food photos from our meal here, and weigh the pros and cons of this Pacific Northwestern restaurant. The Artist Point menu has a lot of seafood, game, and other dishes you might expect to find in a Pacific Northwest steakhouse, but prepared with a refined twist. In this sense, Artist Point is unlike both a normal steakhouse, and also unlike a trendy restaurant serving haute cuisine.
It’s somewhere between the two (probably much closer to the steakhouse). As mentioned, it’s a Signature Restaurant, meaning that it costs 2 credits on the Disney Dining Plan. We recommend paying out of pocket when dining here, as this restaurant is not a good value on the Disney Dining Plan because it requires two credits. It does accept Tables in Wonderland for a 20% discount.
The theming at Artist Point isn’t exactly what you might expect from a Signature Restaurant, either. Disney describes it as “rustic elegance,” and I think that’s about the most apt way to describe it, rather than just marketing-speak. Really, there’s a lot to love about Artist Point. I think it’s probably the unheralded Signature Restaurant at Walt Disney World…
This starts with the dining room, which is cavernous yet elegant. The murals, paintings, and fixtures throughout the dining room are all gorgeous, but they portray the beauty of the National Parks and the American frontier. Not exactly what you’d expect from normal fine dining, but beautiful nonetheless.
In terms of general feel, it reminded me a lot of the well-appointed Ahwahnee Dining Room. Much like the Ahwahnee, Artist Point offers great views out into the “nature” of Wilderness Lodge, with views of Bay Lake and the falls at Wilderness Lodge.
By no means do I think this is a bad thing–the look of Artist Point is right up my alley. The big reason why we tried Artist Point after passing on it for so many years was because I recently visited Yosemite National Park and hiked to the actual Artist Point (which I’m told is the basis for the restaurant’s name).
Although it’s hardly a deal-breaker, I was a bit disappointed that there were no murals or paintings of the view from Artist Point (at least that I saw), which is one of the most stunning views in Yosemite. Artist Point management, if you’re reading this, you’re welcome to use this photo in your restaurant. I call it, “Strategically-placed Antler on a Rock at Artist Point Just After Sunrise.” Pretty catchy title, right? It’d look nice in the restroom.
Artist Point was actually the last Signature Restaurant to cross off our “list” (if you don’t count the 2-credit character meals) despite having a theme that strongly appealed to me. This is because we have heard a lot of mixed reviews of the place over the years.
Usually, these were just in the form of people telling us they liked it or disliked it without much in the way of support. Besides Yelp and Travelocity, there really aren’t many reviews of Artist Point out there. It definitely doesn’t have the same buzz as the other Signature Restaurants, but that doesn’t mean much…I think most aspects of Wilderness Lodge are underrated.
Our meal started with bread service, which was really good (in general, I think the bread service at Walt Disney World restaurants is usually pretty solid). The bread itself was fairly standard, but the butter was the standout here.
I ordered a plain ‘ole Coke to drink (which tasted like plain ‘ole Coke, for those curious), while Sarah tried the French Press Coffee. Artist Point is said to have a great wine list, but we know nothing about wine, so it would have been wasted on us. (Can anyone else comment on this?)
I know people rave about Kona Cafe having the best coffee at Walt Disney World, but we both thought this coffee was superior. Certainly a sharp contrast to what you’ll find in the parks! (At least during the Nescafe era.)
Not really knowing what to try, I started out the meal with Smokey Portobello Soup. Sarah wasn’t too hungry so she didn’t order an appetizer (I wish she would’ve tried the Confit Natural Bacon, as it looked great!). I don’t normally order soup, so I was a bit reluctant to order it here, especially with the $10 price, but I’m a sucker for mushrooms, so when our waiter recommended it, I took the plunge.
Don’t be fooled by the look of the soup in the photo here–it’s incredible. It had an amazing layered texture and incredible smokey mushroom flavor. I ended up soaking up every last bit of the soup with my bread. I just wish I could have ordered a larger portion. It was the highlight of the meal–and that’s not because the entrees and dessert were bad. The soup was just amazing! I would consider going back to Artist Point for that soup alone.
For our main courses, Sarah had the Seared Diver Scallops and I had the Slow-Roasted 64°C Buffalo Strip Steak. We both debated on getting the highly-recommended Cedar Plank-roasted King Salmon, but Sarah makes an excellent plank-roasted salmon, so we ultimately decided against it.
After seeing the fun table-side presentation and hearing positive things about it from other guests there, I think I’d order that on my next visit. Sarah’s scallops were good; large-sized, tender, and flavorful. The risotto on which they were served was also good and not too rich, but it just seemed a little uninspired of a choice to me. Overall, she liked the dish and thought it was a generous portion-size.
My Buffalo Strip Steak was pretty good, too. It had a good flavor to it, although it was a little tougher than I expected it to be (bison is typically leaner and tougher than beef, but this seemed a tad tougher than normal), but it was still good.
It was still good, but it didn’t wow me.
What did wow me was the truffle mac & cheese that was served as a side. I think I have a soft spot for truffle mac & cheese, but even so, this stuff was incredible. Rich, great texture, and outstanding flavor. I would have been satisfied if my meal were double servings of the soup and the mac & cheese!
We were pretty full after our entrees, but we felt obliged to have dessert…for the sake of you readers? (At least that’s what we tell ourselves…we’ll make up any excuse to “have” to eat dessert!)
Our waiter recommended the Artist Point Cobbler, which did not disappoint. It had fresh berries and excellent house-made raspberry ice cream. This dessert was definitely “on-theme,” too, as it totally felt like something we could have ordered at the Ahwahnee Dining Room.
Overall, if you’re looking for a fine dining experience that prepares delicious seafood and game dishes in a setting that’s more rugged than what you’re likely to encounter elsewhere, we highly recommend Artist Point. The style definitely won’t be for everyone, but anyone who loves the theme of Wilderness Lodge is likely to love Artist Point, as well. It’s not at the very top of our list for its entrees (which were good, but not great), but all other elements of our meals were standouts and it’s a quiet restaurant with great food, a good theme (for us), and great views. Artist Point may not draw the rave reviews of other restaurants or have a cult following, but it does everything really well–well enough to sneak into our Top 10 Walt Disney World Restaurants list. It may not be as popular of a choice as some “big name” Walt Disney World restaurants like Le Cellier or California Grill, but it is an excellent choice for a romantic night in a beautiful setting. We’d go as far as to call it one of Walt Disney World’s unheralded dining gems.
Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
Not many reviews of Artist Point are available online, so if you’ve been, please share your thoughts of it in the comments–your comments will help give readers additional perspective! Do you think it’s one of the best Walt Disney World restaurants, or not? Planning on going? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Just ate here a week ago and we were blown away. I am afraid you missed out on the best salmon of your life. I eat it everywhere I go (that includes Norway and Washington) and make it at home and I have never had another salmon better than this one. I actually considered going back the next day to order it again! We were with a party of two other couples and everything everyone ordered was superb from the appetizers to the dessert. I will definitely make this a must on my Disney dining plans in the future!
Wait!
We visited Artist Point restaurant a few years ago, and then visited Yellowstone in Summer 2016. I distinctly remember our waitress saying the murals were so beautiful, but couldn’t do justice to the real Artist Point in Yellowstone… We wanted to go back to Artist Point for a meal, and I was reading your review, and wanted to share… the “Artist Point,” referenced in the naming of the restaurant isn’t Yosemite, it is Yellowstone!!
I don’t know about fine dining but I couldn’t wait to get out of this establishment. After having bread and the awesome soup you recommended I waited 45 minutes for my entrée. I ordered the cedar plank salmon and if you mean by fun table-side presentation, a guy coming out with salmon on a board and tongs and dropping it on my plate, that is not a definition of fun in my book. So after a hour and a half I was ask if I wanted dessert. No, I just wanted out! Sorry, if this is fine dining, but I did not like it.
Just reserved dinner here for my wife and I the day after Valentines day!
Really excited to try it out. And I think I’m trying that strip. Looks delicious. But some of the pork dishes look amazing too.
Thanks for the review
I spent 4 days at WL in Feb. 2012 and enjoyed 2 lite dinners at AP. The smokey portobello mushroom soup IS awesome, so much so that i had to have it again the next evening. I also tried the heirloom beets one evening and the mixed field greens salad another night. Soup and salad along with their delicious bread and butter was enough dinner for me both nights. Service was great, and the room was not noisy at all. My family is looking forward to having dinner at AP during our upcoming trip.
Any chance you could rank the signature restaurants? Trying to decide one for our anniversary dinner in September and would be interested to hear your thoughts.
I’ll probably do that after we get a chance to try Monsieur Paul and California Grill’s new menu. We do have an overall Top 10 list for table service, though: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/table-service-restaurants-top-disney-world-2/
Thanks!
We had planned to go here a few years back for a birthday celebration. Unfortunately, the wilderness lodge had an invasion of actual wilderness creatures (as in, bats). The bats were flying in the lobby and were also swooping into Artist Point intermittently. We ended up going to the wave, which was great apart from our very awkward and perhaps intoxicated server. Someday I will try Artist Point, but the memories of the bats is a little too fresh!
I’ve had two meals at Artist Point. Both were good – one more so than the other – but I’m not convinced AP is befitting the “signature” name (or price tag!). On my last trip, my filet came out lukewarm and severely overdone. I’ve had better entrees at non-signature restaurants on property, although AP’s sides, desserts, and wine list are all standouts.
I think my biggest issue with AP is the dining room. On both occasions it felt like we were seated next to far more (unhappy) children than I’ve ever seen at other signature meals, but maybe the acoustics of the room were just amplifying the noise. Whatever the reason, it was harder to enjoy our meals with the chaos going on nearby. Also, I love the architecture of the room, but I think the decor is bordering on dated.
I love Artist Point in theory, and really want to love it in reality. Unfortunately I walked away with very mixed feelings.
At the VERY least, it’s better than Le Cellier. I’d put it above a couple others, too, but I really like most of the Signature Restaurants. I don’t think it’s any more dated than the actual National Park dining rooms upon which it’s based.
We didn’t have any issues with kids during our meal. In fact, it was one of the least crowded Disney restaurants we’ve experienced, and I’ve heard that it’s rarely busy. So I assume that you’re less likely to have issues with kids here (at Signature Restaurants, that has to just be a numbers game).
We ate there with my family around Thanksgiving time. The meal was great–they even persuaded us to get dessert, and we usually don’t. My mom also used the wine pairings with her meal, and she said they were unusually good. She normally drinks red wine, but tried the white paired with her fish and loved it. I had something with marrow, and I was reluctant to try, but the waiter explained to me how to eat it and it turned out great. Everyone got something they loved (fish, meat, etc). Definitely a slumber pick if you’re adding it to your trip. We ate there the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it wasn’t too packed, another plus. It’s also such a nice resort to walk around, so we took a lovely walk after dinner before heading out.
Truffle mac is AWESOME. I got it first at the Flying Fish when I was staying in the area for business and I didn’t feel like ordering a huge meal. I ordered the truffle mac a la carte and it was so filling but amazing. Whenever I see it on a menu at Disney I have to order it now. I’ve also had it at the Yachtsman.
Fun fact: in the main room there is a huge painting/mural thing with a Hidden Mickey! Our waiter pointed it out and we had a lot of fun looking for it. I’m sure there are a lot more Hidden Mickeys in all the restaurants, but it was great that the waiter drew our attention to it.
I also concur with previous comments about multiple Artist’s Points. I’ve been to the one in Yellowstone National Park. The main hotel of Wilderness Lodge is based off the Yellowstone Lodge right near Old Faithful. Not sure which the restaurant is actually named after — has anyone actually looked it up/asked? Could be just a general “Artist’s Point.”
Great review!
I absolutely love Artist Point. Went there last October when we had our Signature Resturant tour. It was one of my favs, beating out California Grill, Brown Derby and Le Cellier (Narcoosee’s too, but I my opinion, that’s not hard). I am a total sucker for Arts and Crafts design, if I could have taken home the light fixtures, I would have LOL! I will also take any excuse that I can get to head over to the Wilderness Lodge as well, so that’s a bonus too. You are right, the the Portabello Soup is worth the trip alone. I have heard that you can order the soup at the Territory Lounge. Never tried this theory, but I fully intend to soon. I had the C.A.B. Filet Mignon and it was one of the best steaks I have had on property (besides Yatchsman, of course). The cobbler was great. My hubby had a chocolate dessert (can’t remember the name) that he actually devoured when I took my daughter to the restroom (I agree your picture should be in there). I also have to add that our service was fantastic there. Carlos was really great. My 11 year old was a little reluctant to try some of the menu items and Carl’s took the time to go through the menu with her and help her construct a meal she was willing to try. He even brought out some things for her to sample. It is also worth mentioning that their wine flights were really good, but I LOVED the sake flight. It was fantastic. Glad that you enjoyed it as well!
I’ll give you California Grill, Le Cellier, and Narcoossee’s (all of which I think are overrated to varying degrees), but better than Brown Derby? I’m impressed. I’d put Brown Derby above it.
Funny you mention Territory Lounge…I actually almost asked in the article if anyone knew whether the soup could be ordered there. If you give it a try, you DEFINITELY need to report back! Imagine relaxing at Christmas with a bowl of that soup in Territory Lounge…that would be the ultimate inexpensive dining experience!
Unfortunately you can’t order the soup in Territory Lounge…I tried in January. We have had most every entrée on the menu and I do go back to the Salmon after trying others. Territory Lounge is worth a review even though you can’t get the soup. The apps you can get there are fantastic and can become a meal in itself for much less than you would spend at Artist Point.
Oooooo, if the Territory serves it and then the beer cheese fondue, I think my life might be officially complete. Add in a couple of cocktails sans kids and I’m in heaven!!!!!!
As for the Brown Derby, don’t get me wrong, I really, really liked it a lot. I would give Artist’s Point a slight edge over Brown Derby for several things. I think that the ambiance and decor outshine BD. Although the menus are close, I think that Artist Point’s is better as well. I did love my Cobb Salad, but I can not say that it is something that I have craved since I had it unlike the Portobello Soup. My Filet was pheonominal compared to the Bison at BD(although the BBQ sauce was to die for!) I was disappointed in the grapefruit cake and AP’s cobbler was perfection. Add on the stellar service, wine flight and sake flight and it took it over the top for me. Had I ordered differently, or had a different waiter, my opinion might be different. I fully intend on putting this to the test in subsequent trips for sure!
I completely agree with your assessment of the service. In addition to a wonderful meal (the Mushroom Soup is ridiculously good), our server was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu, and equally helpful with our young son. Additionally, having a soft spot in our hearts for wine from the Pacific Northwest, we also had an excellent conversation about the wine at Artist Point, and helped us make excellent selections for our meals. At some point in our conversation, our learned that it was our last night in Disney World and our last meal of the vacation. When our dessert was served my wife and I were given complimentary glasses of sparkling wine from Washington state, I believe, and our son was given a fancier sundae than is normally served. It was a great end to our vacation. I would highly recommend dining at Artist Point.
I’m guessing a reason for not having a mural of Artist Point from Yosemite is that many National Parks have an Artist Point.
Here’s a link to the one in Yellowstone: http://mms.nps.gov/yell/features/canyontour/artistpt.htm
Perhaps it would be cool if they had murals from various Artist Points across the country.
As a National Park junky, I will definitely have to try out Artist Point on my next Disney trip. The interior reminds me of dining at the Lake Yellowtone Hotel.
Well that makes sense! It does seem like a location that might exist in multiple National Parks. I love the idea to have paintings from all of them (or at least the ones in the West)!
There is also an Artist Point in the North Cascades Nat’l Park in Washington. They should definitely play that up and have paintings of the various “artist points” in the parks. How cool!
My husband & I tried Artist Point a year ago and loved it. We enjoy fine dining, but are not wine drinkers, so cannot comment on that. I had the same soup and he had the same truffle mac and cheese. Everything was outstanding. Now we wonder what took us so long to visit this establishment!
What did you have with the truffle mac & cheese? Although the cedar plank salmon is next on my list of things to try there, I really could see going back and just ordering mac & cheese and the soup. Would be a decadent and relatively inexpensive meal!