Top 5 Disney World Steaks
Currently, alternative and ‘healthy-living’ diets are an incredibly hot topic in the blogosphere. Same goes for the Walt Disney World fan community, where discussions of how Walt Disney World restaurants can accommodate all sorts of health preferences, food allergies, and special dietary restrictions are prevalent. It’s truly great that people are concerned with their diets and that Walt Disney World does everything it can to provide a great experience to everyone. However, there seems to be a lot less buzz about delicious meats at Walt Disney World. The fact is, Walt Disney World can also “accommodate” those of us who love a good steak.
Whenever we’re dining at Walt Disney World, my eyes instantly lock-in on whatever steak is on the menu, and often times, that’s what I order. It’s almost like a sixth sense (or perhaps my super power involves some sort of “steak sensing ability”). Of course, we haven’t had every steak on Walt Disney World property (now that would be a good entry for the Bucket List!), but we have had our fair share. Based on those meals, here’s our list of the top steaks at Walt Disney World.
#5 – Hollywood Brown Derby Charred-glazed Filet of Beef – This one makes the list at Sarah’s insistence. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a top notch steak, but my favorite entree at the Brown Derby is actually the Duck Two Ways. Unpatriotic, I know, but it’s just so good. As for this steak, not only is it tender and succulent, but it also is served on a bed of White Truffle Forest Mushroom Whipped Potatoes that are absolutely to die for, and are easily the best potatoes at Walt Disney World.
#4 – Kona Cafe Teriyaki-Style New York Strip Steak – I’ll bet not many of you saw this coming. I mean Kona Cafe…a Polynesian restaurant?! Not exactly what you think of when you think of great steaks. However, not only is the Kona Cafe strip steak a perfect cut cooked to perfection, but with its inventive pineapple teriyaki glaze, it’s a steak that tastes a bit different than what you’ll find elsewhere on property. Throw in a side of Yukon Mashed Potatoes (although the current menu looks like rice is the side–yuck!) and you have one of the best meals at Walt Disney World for steak lovers.
#3 – Monsieur Paul Grilled Beef Tenderloin – When Bistro de Paris became Monsieur Paul, one of my biggest concerns was that this mushroom crusted tenderloin would disappear. Fortunately, it did not, and it looks as good as ever. The tenderloin itself is everything you’d expect from a great tenderloin, and the Bordelaise sauce was a nice compliment, and there was no overpowering seasoning or over-salting, which is an issue with some Disney steaks. The real star of the show here is the mushroom crust, which ties the whole entree together and makes it a standout. Overall, the tenderloin has a great flavor with a certain richness that gave each bite a wonderfully complex mix of flavor. The only disappointment here is the mashed potatoes, which are basically a throw-away side.
#2 – Jiko Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with Mac & Cheese – Confession: I’m not a big filet mignon guy. Don’t get me wrong, any steak that’s put in front of me is going to quickly disappear, but filet mignon is just not my preference. Because of that, it takes a pretty special filet mignon to rank highly for me. Well, the Jiko Filet is that special steak. A big part of the appeal is the interesting South African Red Wine reduction, which gives it a distinct flavor. The bed of mac & cheese doesn’t hurt either, and melds the entree together with an oddly perfect mix of flavors. You’ll have to go off-menu to order the filet with the mac & cheese, but this is such a popular order (it used to be on the menu and was a fan favorite for years) that it will typically be no issue. Not your most adventurous meal at Jiko, but an amazing steak that cannot be missed.
#1 – Yachtsman Steakhouse Porterhouse – Since I prefer something larger and with a bit more marbling, this Porterhouse is right in my wheelhouse. While strip steaks are great, my all-time favorite cut of is a porterhouse. From the moment you walk in the door and see the in-restaurant butcher, you know that Yachtsman Steakhouse is going to be a paradise for carnivores. Yachtsman Steakhouse truly delivers with its Porterhouse, a no-nonsense cut the size your head. It’s so juicy and delicious that it would make Ron Swanson shed a single tear. Yachtsman Steakhouse really ought to offer a “clean plate” sticker for any guest who finishes this–as those folks are true heroes.
So, what didn’t make the list? The most notable “omission” is probably a steak from Le Cellier Steakhouse, such as the eponymous Le Cellier Filet. However, these steaks didn’t make the list for good reason: they’re not better than what’s on there. We’ve been to Le Cellier many times (but won’t be back again anytime in the near future), and I would describe it as a fading star. Its over-salted steaks aren’t bad, it’s just that they are overpriced and none of them are top 5 material.
Another conspicuous absence from the list is the Oak-Fired Filet of Beef at California Grill. This is (was?) one of my favorite steaks at Walt Disney World before California Grill closed for its extensive refurbishment earlier in 2013. Disney has confirmed that several favorites are returning on the new menu, and our fingers are crossed that this is one of those favorites. If it does return, pencil it in as #3 on this list!
Unsurprisingly, no counter service steaks made the cut either. The words “counter service” and “great steak” are not normally found in the same sentence, although there are a couple of counter service steak options that are shockingly good–for what they are. The best of these is the 6 oz New York Strip Steak at Liberty Inn (American Adventure, Epcot). Once one of the worst restaurants in all of Walt Disney World (and still a huge disappointment when presented to “the world” as what American cuisine can offer), this steak is one of the menu items that has started a turn-around for the restaurant. Just go in with appropriate expectations. It is a $10 steak, after all.
Also absent from the list are the steaks served at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin restaurants. Namely, Shula’s Steak House. We’ve heard that these are some of the best steaks at Walt Disney World, but we have yet to dine there. As mentioned, this is a list based on what we have tried, and we haven’t consumed every cut of beef at Walt Disney World. Yet.
In the end, Walt Disney World is a very carnivore-friendly place, so you don’t need to feel left out if you’re not a vegan, gluten-hater, etc. In fact, some sort of steak is served at just about every table service restaurant in Walt Disney World, so you can have a good time sampling steaks at Walt Disney World. As we point out in our Disney Dining Plan “Value Maximization” article, steaks are typically the most expensive menu items, so you might want to consider the Disney Dining Plan (or a second mortgage) if you plan on undertaking the noble goal of “Steaking Around the World” at Walt Disney World. Just remember, not all steaks were cooked equally, so make sure to try some of these top picks on your tour!
Read our Walt Disney World restaurant reviews and Walt Disney World Trip Planning resources.
Your Thoughts…
Which steak is your favorite at Walt Disney World? Do you agree with our picks? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
That SHULA’S at the Dolphin is not even on this list is criminal. And spare me the “not on property” argument as the Swan and Dolphin are as much off-property as The Boradwalk, so…not.
My guess is it wasn’t listed as the Dolphin isn’t a Disney owned hotel.
Bingo.
First timer family staying at Yacht club May 21-27. Great informative blog. Thanks Tom. I can’t wait to try the porterhouse! I’m also enjoy buffalo. Thanks Eric for the tip. What are the best locations for fresh or craft beers?
For craft beers, your options are somewhat limited. A few countries in World Showcase have good stuff. There’s this new spot in American Adventure called Block & Hans that has about 5 beers, including Bell’s Oberon (a favorite of mine).
I LOVE the steak at the Brown Derby, it’s really yum!! We eat there at least once a trip. Their cobb and grapefruit cake are also great, and the service is always wonderful! Makes a great rez for right before Fantasmic. Looking forward to trying the new lounge there in late August.
2 steaks that need to be on this list for me: The char-crusted strip from Flying Fish and the Filet from California Grill with the Teriyaki-BBQ glaze (no longer on the new menu, but they can still make it happen)!
Looking forward to yachtsman in March (already got my reservation) but my traditional last night is artist point and the buffalo top sirloin. Yum. Never had a bad meal there. Love your site
You can’t go wrong with Artist Point. Thanks for the tip on the buffalo!
I wish I remembered the name of the steak, Maybe somebody can help me out, It was at California Grill, And it had an orange sauce on it. It was absolutely the best steak ive ever had in my life
Was this recently? California Grill reopened with a (largely) new menu in Fall 2013.
The only counter service meal my family liked this last Sept. was in Epcot in America. The $10 with fries was very adequate for a $10 steak. My husband is fairy picky about steak & this was able to satisfy him (we’re not saying it’s 5 star, but for what it is & some of the burgers we ate there, this steak was very good). We had the meal plan & so we also got the apple pie. The apple pies were also delicious & huge! For our $10 quick service meal, we were more than happy. We would definitely go back to the good ole USA in Epcot for our meal. Also, decent amount of seating inside where it was air conditioned! For us, it was a home run!!
We ate at the Yachtsman and Le Cellier on our trip a few weeks ago – Yachtsman was the winner by far! Even my 6yo ate all of his steak skewer after claiming he wasn’t hungry. They were wonderful and we agreed we’d go back there on our next trip.
My husband and I were both disappointed in Le Cellier – we would only go back there for the beer, not the steak.
That’s about how we feel about Le Cellier. Unfortunately, they’ve even jacked up the price on the Unibroue!
The filet with butter poached lobster tail at Narcoose’s is amazing! Add the view of castle, monorail & fireworks – perfect! And the wine list is great too.
Hands down jikos is my favorite! We are going to Disney in under 75 days, (no ones counting right) and now I want to eat at jikos so I can have it again!
Add me to the list for Mama Melrose. Their steak is amazing.
Tom,
So we went to WDW back in August for 15 days. We hit most of your Top recommended restaurants. We are returning end of June through July 5th. We are going to Jinko for our Anniversary dinner. I have made reservations at Le Cellar because other blogs mention it frequently. We felt your #1 steak at Yatchmans Steakhouse was comparable to our favorite steak restaurant The Metropolitan(The Met) here in Seattle and Gallagher’s Steakhouse at the NEW YORK NEW YORK in Las Vegas. My husband and I LOVE steak. He will usually have steak and shrimp, me on the other hand only want the steak, potatoes, and maybe salad (Desert if I have room). Reading your review of best steaks I am second guessing the reservations at Le Cellar. My Tom (Husband) loved the Biergarten so we are going there for lunch. Where in the Epcot area should we hit for a steak dinner? We were considering Victoria and Albert’s but instead chose to go to Jinko and one other nice place for the cost of V&A.
Le Cellier is all about hype. A lot of people hype it up (moreso in the past than recently), but it doesn’t live up to that. I would do Yachtsman Steakhouse again, or even Flying Fish (if you read the other comments, they have a good steak).
My now husband is quite the carnivore and we are dining at 4 out of 5 places on this list next week on our honeymoon (I decided on Boma instead of Jiko for this visit). We actually decided to go to the Yachtsman Steakhouse based on a review of yours :D. I haven’t tried steak at any of the above mentioned restaurants before so I am definitely looking forward to it as much as he is now! 🙂
Exciting! You’ll have to report back on your carnivorous adventure! 🙂
My family and I love the NY strip steak at the Coral Reef. It’s always very tasty and juicy. We eat there every trip and on our last visit to Disney we went there twice. Also love the steak at the Brown Derby. So tender, it just melts in your mouth, but it’s a lot more expensive, unless you have the luxury of the free dining plan!
My family has agreed that the best steak we have had at WDW would be at Il Mulino at the Swan. It was amazing and the Italian food there is also great.
Thanks for the info. We’ve heard good things about Il Mulino!
Tom…
I would agree with your assessment of Yachtsman’s porterhouse. I attempted to eat it myself a few years back and thought it was amazing. Honestly, it really has trumped many other steak places at Disney for me. The butter sauce (I think that’s what it is) just is incredible. If and when I ever get back to Yachtsman again, I don’t care how big it is, I’m getting that steak again.
(I also agree with Kona’s steak…probably my second favorite choice. And would agree not to put LeCelllier on the list. I much prefer the cheddar cheese soup, pretzel bread, and maple creme brûlée to make up my meal there.)
Yeah, I think that steak could safely be described as “life-altering.” 😉
I will definitely get it again, but I’d also love to try some of their other steaks. I suspect they have a few gems. It’s just difficult to pull myself away from the one I KNOW I love…
I’m glad you didn’t put Le Cellier in your top five as we finally visited it this past year and were a little disappointed. We thought the Grand Floridian Cafe had a real nice steak.
Two mentions of the Grand Floridian Cafe. Wow.
I had an absolutely wonderful steak a couple years back at the Grand Floridian Cafe when we went over there for lunch during the D23 thing at the Contemporary – the whole experience there was one of the best in my many trips to Disney!
And to add another one, The Flying Fish does have a ridiculously delicious steak! I am the fish lover, but my wife always raves over the steak, and after trying it once, yeah, it’s very good.
You might want to consider trying The Turf Club at Saratoga Springs Resort. They have a killer NY Strip, and the Chocolate Espresso Torte for dessert is a perfect match! This place is a true hidden gem.
Speaking of The Turf Club, try the Prime Rib…you’ll want to lick the plate!
Thanks for comment about the prime rib at the Turf Club…will try on our next visit in July. Any other recos for the best WDW prime rib restaurants? Thanks for the help!