New Bourbon Steakhouse Opens at Disney World!
Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina is the newest table service restaurant coming to Walt Disney World in July 2025. This covers the latest official details of the signature steakhouse, what it’s replacing, when it’s opening, first look concept art of the reimagined interior, plus commentary about the latest changes at one of our favorite Deluxe Resorts.
This new restaurant is coming to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, which announced that Bourbon Steak Orlando by Michael Mina will join the hotel’s formidable lineup of 23 restaurants and lounges in a little over one month. This is just the latest of several changes at the three Swolphin Resorts that also includes the $275 million investment in guest room overhauls and convention space expansion and modernization.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts also recently opened Lagoon, an all-new dining & game room experience. This features a small dining space offering up light bites and American comfort foods, an arcade, and multiple bowling lanes. This isn’t an amenity that exists at any other on-site resort at Walt Disney World, and is a nice addition. We’re big fans of the bowling alley over at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and while this is not on par with that, it’s a nice plussing.
July 25, 2025 Update: The latest development is that Bourbon Steak Orlando by Michael Mina is now soft open at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts! The new restaurant debuted last night, two days ahead of schedule.
The new steakhouse is normally open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., but opening and closing hours may differ slightly during the soft opening. The dining experience may also vary in duration, as servers and chefs gain familiarity with the menu and gain their footing. In this case, we aren’t expecting any major issues as Bourbon Steak is an established chain.
We also have a first look at the interior of Bourbon Steak Orlando following the reimagining from Shula’s Steakhouse:
Advance Dining Reservations for the new Bourbon Steak Orlando by Michael Mina are now available on OpenTable or the restaurant’s official website. (As is often the case for restaurants at the Swolphin, it’s recommended to make reservations on third party sites as opposed to DisneyWorld.com or the My Disney Experience app.)
The first date guests can make reservations for the signature steakhouse by award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Mina is Saturday, July 26, 2025.
As mentioned above, Bourbon Steak Orlando is replacing Shula’s Steakhouse in the Walt Disney World Dolphin, which closed on June 14, 2025. What follows is our original article about the new steakhouse, prior to the soft openings starting. We hope to have a full review of Bourbon Steak within the next two months!
Here’s a look at the old interior of Shula’s Steakhouse:
The James Beard and Michelin-recognized chef and restaurateur will bring his celebrated, modern take on the quintessential American steakhouse to the Dolphin hotel at Walt Disney World. The restaurant will feature premium cuts of beef and seafood infused with global flavors.
Bourbon Steak Orlando will showcase the three primary elements of the award-winning chef’s culinary philosophy: product, technique and presentation. Chef Michael Mina’s menu will also feature decadent signature desserts, accented by world-class beverage offerings.
“The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin continues to distinguish itself with its food and beverage program,” said Sean Verney, area general manager of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. “Welcoming Chef Mina to our culinary offerings continues to push us forward in our efforts to provide guests heightened dining experiences.”
“The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin is the ideal location for Bourbon Steak,” added Mina. “Their strong commitment to culinary excellence aligns perfectly with our vision at The Mina Group. We see it as an ideal partnership, and I look forward to spending time with the local team to realize this dynamic new project. Each Bourbon Steak is uniquely designed to represent the environment it is in, and I’m excited to unveil what we have in store for Orlando.”
According to the restaurant’s official website, Bourbon Steak began its journey in the rich culinary landscape of California, setting the stage for what would become a nationwide symbol of culinary excellence and innovation in steakhouse dining.
At the core of Bourbon Steak’s menu is a tribute to the classic American steakhouse, elevated by Chef Mina’s innovative approach to cuisine. Bourbon Steak prides itself on bringing patrons on an unparalleled culinary journey that began under the visionary guidance of award-winning Chef Mina. Its story is one of passion, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in steakhouse dining.
The restaurant’s signature offerings include prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood, and an extensive selection of wines and spirits, including rare and vintage bourbon selections that have become a hallmark of the Bourbon Steak experience. Over the years, its cuisine has evolved to include seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, reflecting Bourbon Steak’s dedication to freshness and flavor.
Per the restaurant, dining at Bourbon Steak is more than just a meal; it’s an experience. From the moment you step through its doors, you are enveloped in an atmosphere of sophistication.
Bourbon Steak’s attentive staff is dedicated to providing impeccable service, ensuring that every aspect of your visit is perfect. The elegant yet comfortable decor creates the ideal backdrop for a memorable evening, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in the pleasures of a fine meal.
As The Mina Group continues to expand its footprint globally, Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina will be the restaurant’s third location in Florida, including Miami and a recently opened location in Delray Beach. It will be the 10th location in the United States, joining the lineup of Bourbon Steakhouses in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington, Nashville, New York, and Orange County.
Bourbon Steak will likely be popular with average guests, and we’ve heard from many readers who are excited about this new restaurant, with more who are enthusiastic for something fresh than those who are lamenting the loss of Shula’s Steakhouse.
Bourbon Steak Orlando will undoubtedly be a big hit with the conventioneer crowd, which makes up a huge slice of the Swolphin’s business. Fancy and pricey restaurants are, unsurprisingly, popular among those paying with expense accounts!
It thus makes sense that the Swolphin is doing the closure and restaurant reimagining over the summer. That means Bourbon Steak will reopen in plenty of time before ‘convention season’ kicks off early in the fall. That’s when most of the restaurants in the Crescent Lake area have their biggest months of the year. (Not sure whether this is still the case, but Flying Fish used to get caviar and other upmarket dishes for September through November targeted at conventioneers.)
Ultimately, we’re cautiously optimistic about Bourbon Steak Orlando. The menu looks good and we’ve heard plenty of positives about the other locations and Chef Michael Mina. The recent track record of celebrity chef restaurants at Walt Disney World is definitely positive, and it’s fairly undeniable that time had passed by Shula’s Steakhouse.
On the other hand, I don’t want to lose the steakhouses serving up cuts of beef the size of my head accompanied by a huge pile of potatoes. Nothing fancy. Just magnificent meats, perfectly-prepared in a traditional manner, accompanied by more carbs than I should eat in a week.
There’s something to be said for places like Yachtsman Steakhouse or Turf Club or even Le Cellier–old school steakhouses in pursuit of trendy spots chasing flash in the pan culinary trends. My hope is that this new concept threads that needle, with a meat-forward focus that will knock me off my socks and put me in a food coma. I’m tired of leaving restaurants hungry after dropping over $150 for two.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be making reservations for Bourbon Steak Orlando? Surprised it’ll open in July 2025? Does that seem like a fast turnaround time given the before/after images of the interior? What do you think of the new Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina replacing Shula’s Steakhouse in the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel? Disappointed to lose the 1995 restaurant, or pleased to see something new? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
As a former fan of Shula’s, I was not disappointed by Bourbon. It’s remarkably similar to Shula’s and fundamentally feels like the same restaurant.
The only thing I’ll say is the fry flight reminds me of standing in the sun outside test track, it’s a little too comparable. Arguably this is death by association rather than an actual complaint about the quality. I still think this would work better as an optional side, but I understand that every modern steakhouse needs to have a twist these days. Like cop shows, they’ve done every twist there is. Not doing a twist is the only twist there is.
Tom, I am anxiously waiting for your review.
For our upcoming trip, the first in 15 years, my husband has only one request : go to a real steakhouse with a steakhouse ambiance.
I had planned initially to go to Shula’s – your opinion will probably weigh heavily.
Go to STK in Springs. If you can stand the music the steak is tops. Sit outside or upstairs if you can.
The thing is ; my husband is not only looking for a good steak. If he was, we could go to many places I guess, including Flying Fish or Yachtman steakhouse, as many other options such as the one you mentioned.
He wants the whole « deal » with decorum and everything. I don’t disagree as we don’t come from a country with any sort of steakhouse tradition, so it is really an oversea treat for us.
I loved Shulas and every trip we went over to their bar in the evenings from our park hopping in our shorts and shirts and were treated as if we were in formal attire and served excellent food each time. Over the years we got to know the staff and looked forward to seeing them as if they were our friends so I truly hope the Bourbon Steakhouse can fill their shoes. I look forward to our taste testing on our next trip. Hope to see familiar faces. Pat
I am not sad to see Shula’s go. It was not that big of a deal. Saltgrass makes a much better steak. The only thing I enjoyed from there was the lobster and dessert. It is very over-priced for what it is.
Shula’s was always noisy. Hope the decor changes include some sound-absorbing materials.
I’ve calmed down a bit since the last post on this. One thing giving me cause for optimism is being told that the staff is all remaining unchanged – that makes me think the changes will be more “evolution than revolution” since you can’t change personalities overnight.
If I get served something on a wooden board, though, I swear…
LOL