Jump to content

Review: Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort at Walt Disney World


Recommended Posts

When it comes to getting a great steak at Walt Disney World, there’s no shortage of intriguing options, including our current favorite steak on property: the Wagyu Beef at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs.

And when you visit a steakhouse in the World, you enter with certain expectations for mind-blowing excellence. Today we visit Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort. Will it live up to expectations?

Yachtsman Steakhouse has a solid reputation as a place to get a reliable steak with tasty sides (and awesome pull-apart onion bread…). Located in the subtly elegant Yacht Club, with its nostalgic lobby smell and clean, nautical lines, Yachtsman is a convenient out-of-park place to grab a meal, being proximal to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

We’ve enjoyed our visits here in the past, including the Porterhouse for Two and a delightful Boneless Ribeye. Would this visit be as successful as those in the past?

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Atmosphere

The decor in Yachtsman Steakhouse is understated and warm, with light colored woods and tons of craftsman-style lighting.

Dining Room at Yachtsman Steakhouse

Dining Room at Yachtsman Steakhouse

The dining rooms are adorned with unobtrusive wallpaper and nautical paintings. Some of the dining rooms feature vaulted ceilings, while others are low-ceiling’d and cozy.

One of the Yachtsman Steakhouse Dining Areas

One of the Yachtsman Steakhouse Dining Areas

We do love this vaulted ceiling with massive chandelier.

Chandelier

Chandelier

And because this is a steakhouse, there’s also steak (and the butcher’s crew) on display as well.

Butcher On-stage

Butcher On-stage

Which brings us to the food…

Eats

Unsurprisingly, Yachtsman Steakhouse has a menu full of fabulous steaks and great steakhouse-worthy sides — plus some less expected options like risotto. In fact, compared to other Disney Parks restaurants where menus seem to stretch for miles, this one is pretty petite.

Yachtsman Steakhouse Menu

Yachtsman Steakhouse Menu

Meals here start with bread service — Pull-Apart Onion Rolls and Sourdough. The sourdough is standard fare, but that pull-apart bread? It’s killer. I could come just for bread and a side or two and be perfectly content.

Onion Pull-Apart Bread

Onion Pull-Apart Bread

Bread is served with Roasted Garlic, which is a unique accompaniment that goes great with both types of bread.

Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

I wanted to try a variety of steaks, so I ordered the Braised Beef Short Ribs with Polenta Cream, Feta Gremolata, and Cipollini Onions. The saucy short ribs are rich and tender, and the toppings are done in an innovative way. The polenta cream is a necessary foil, providing some simplicity to the otherwise complex dish.

Appetizer

Appetizer

I also wanted to try the Yachtsman’s version of Wagyu Strip Loin. This portion is 5 ounces and prepared simply — as it should be. This cut of meat has a Miyazaki Prefecture Marble Score of A5 — so it’s a spectacular cut of meat.

Wagyu Beef

Wagyu Beef

It’s not as succulent and outstanding as the Wagyu at Morimoto — or even at Teppan Edo. But it’s delicious and juicy. Worth the $125 price tag? Not when I was there.

Wagyu Beef Interior

Wagyu Beef Interior

The 12-Ounce New York Strip Steak is an impressive piece of meat — and big enough to share if that 32-ounce Porterhouse seems excessive for you. ;) This is served with Potato Gratin and a Peppercorn-Brandy Sauce – both of which are excellent partners for the beef. This is a great option.

12-Ounce New York Strip Steak

12-Ounce New York Strip Steak

In addition to the Potato Gratin served with the Strip, I ordered the Butternut Squash Risotto side. It’s sizable and a a stunning color. The texture is creamy, and the garnishes of Italian Sausage, Delicata Squash, and Rapini are a lovely contrast. (Vegetarians could enjoy this without the Italian Sausage!)

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto Side

Desserts at a steakhouse often tend to be a little hit-or-miss, and Yachtsman’s is no exception. The Admiral’s Cake is presented well and rich with dark Valrhona Chocolate Brownie, Sponge Cake, Bananas Foster Jam, Caramel Crisps, and Sea-Salted Ganache. It’s a great play of textures and structurally interesting.

Admiral's Cake

Admiral’s Cake

The day’s no-sugar-added Carrot Cake was a total bust — despite being plated beautifully. The too-dense cake has a Cheesecake Frosting, and it’s served with Caramel Ice Cream and Walnuts. But it was… not good. Bland and washed out with very little going for it.

Sugar-Free Carrot Cake

Sugar-Free Carrot Cake

The last dessert was by far the best: The Lexington Sundae. This confection is comprised of Salted Caramel and Popcorn Gelatos, Brown Butter Cookie triangle, Caramel Sauce, Whipped Cream, and Toasted Honey marshmallow. Aside from the sort of dubious-looking shape of the marshmallow, this was dynamite! Yes, please, all day long!

The Lexington Sundae

The Lexington Sundae

Nosh or Not?

Navigate to Yachtsman Steakhouse if:

  • You are on a mission to try all the steaks in the World.
  • You are staying at the Yacht or Beach Club Resorts and want a reliable, nice meal.
  • You want to eat somewhere that’s not so Disney-fied.

Steer your ship for other shores if:

  • You want to try only the very best steaks and sides in the World — which are served elsewhere.
  • You’re not interested in dining in a steakhouse that could really be located anywhere.
  • You aren’t interested in table service dining (especially if you have to leave a park to get it).
  • You need a faster meal. Yachtsman service is slooooooow.

Overall

Yachtsman Steakhouse, while not serving my favorite Walt Disney World steak, is a good overall dining experience…IF you’re OK with your dining experience being glacial. Service here is veeeerrrrrrryyyy slow, and not always great. So heads up on that.

Sides are delicious, and the steaks are cooked well. The location is also terrific, which adds to the appeal of this otherwise fairly standard steakhouse. Still, I’ll be back when I’m in the mood for the familiar warmth and good eats of the Yachtsman.

See Our Steakhouse Battle And How Yachtsman Stacks Up Against Other Disney World Steakhouses Here!

Are you a Yachtsman fan? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below! 

Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to check out our DFB Disney World Dining Guide e-Books! Find great deals at DFBStore.com! Also, come on over and:


View the full article

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...