Today, we’re taking a look at a top notch restaurant on Disney property — Yachtsman Steakhouse.

The Yachtsman has been a consistently great restaurant throughout the years. We had heard some new things about the menu, so it was time to head back and get the scoop.

Atmosphere

Located at Disney’s Yacht Club, the Yachtsman Steakhouse is decorated with the same beautiful wood and neutral palette that you’ll find throughout the rest of the resort. Soft lighting and a nod to Arts and Crafts touches lend a refined yet relaxed air to the spot.

As you enter the restaurant, you’ll actually pass by the steak trimming room, which features a large window allowing guests to check out the steak aging process. At this point, you know you’re in a steakhouse that takes that moniker seriously.

En route to the dining room, you also pass by an open kitchen with its bustling activity and delicious smells.

The dining area is broken up into several smaller spaces. My favorite is a round dining room that soars two stories high and is crowned with a lovely Craftsman-style chandelier at its peak.

The circular space gives the room a bit of whimsy, and you dine while looking out on Stormalong Bay, the resort’s premium pool and water park.

Honestly, I’m not really bowled over by fantastic themeing here. But the setting is comfortable with big substantial chairs and warm lighting. It’s simple, and doesn’t include fussy accessories or extras — just like a good steak!

And since the food is usually exceptional here, you don’t really miss the distraction of flashy decor elements.

It was time to tuck into our own comfortable two top and take a look at the menu. Come join us!

Eats

Coming from a long, fun, warm day of theme park hopping, we were anxious to kick off our meal with a few interesting beverage options.

The menu here changes up regularly since it’s a signature restaurant; and since the Yachtsman chef moved over to Le Cellier in 2012, the restaurant has been searching for its legs under the new head honcho.

As is the trend with many signature restaurants, there is an emphasis on seasonal offerings; so some of the dishes that you see here probably won’t be on the menu when you head to Yachtsman. But if they aren’t, you’ll find similarly intriguing options during your visit! (For current offerings, be sure to visit our Yachtsman Steakhouse restaurant page, where you’ll find all updated menu links.)

Here is the Drink Menu on the Yachtsman menu from our visit. Note that most of these are straight out of the standard Disney Bar and Lounge menu.

I actually chose a drink that was from the bar menu and not listed in Yachtsman’s menu list — the Pimm’s Punch. I’d had it previously on the trip and wanted to see if it was still a winner! It includes Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur, Hendrick’s, Odwalla Lemonade, and Wil Strawberry. (Thoughts? Still good, but not AS good as the one I’d had previously. Bartenders make a huge difference.)

My husband surveyed the Beer Menu and found a few interesting options. (Nope — that green crayon streak is NOT from us; I promise.)

Ultimately, he chose the Full Sail Session Black Lager. A little shorter than a normal bottle (coming in at just 11 ounces), he agreed with the description that this dark beer was rich, but less heavy than most dark brews.

With our thirst attended to, we turned our attention to the Appetizer Menu. Because it was October (basically, still summer in Florida), you definitely see lots of fresh produce options here.

The Entrees also vary season to season. However, you’ll almost always find a selection of the most popular cuts of steak. What’s interesting to note is that, contrary to previous visits, the listed sides are no longer always interchangeable.

I used to be able to substitute any listed side for any other, but your server will tell you which sides are allowed to be substituted now.

The extra sides are, again, subject to seasonal availability. The chefs at Yachtsman are committed to bringing you what’s best at the time. That said, that truffle mac and cheese has been on the menu for ages, and it’s always a good choice.

Having chosen our appetizers, entrees, and sides, we were ready to savor the complementary Bread Service. Yachtsman offers something really special bread-wise — in addition to standard sourdough rolls, you’ll also find onion rolls with a rich, pull-apart texture.

To accompany the house-made breads, you’ll receive salted butter and a ramekin of roasted garlic that is super-soft, spreadable, and delicious. (Just be careful with the onion bread and roasted garlic if this is date night… .)

For our appetizer, we went with a new-to-us item on the menu — the Beef Pot Stickers. I love how the Yachtsman frequently takes a traditional dish and gives it a twist using steak!

The presentation was beautiful with the lotus root and daikon radish accent. (There was initially some confusion when our server thought the lotus root was cheese…obviously not the case. But we got it ironed out in short order.)

The Yuzu-Soy Glaze stood up to the hearty beef filling really well, without compromising the classic flavors of the dish. This was a win for sure.

My husband went with the Caesar Salad. The addition of Bresaola, an air-dried, cured beef, offered an extra punch of flavor to the dish. A classic steakhouse item, it was hearty, fresh, and crisp.

After experimenting with some different entrees during my last visit here, I went with my favorite menu item this time: the 16-Ounce Boneless Ribeye. The ribeye was served with bone marrow, sweet onion jam, and brioche in addition to the flavorful Red Wine Butter. However, I asked for Herb Fries as my side dish instead, and they had no trouble accommodating my request.

I kind of regret not ordering the bone marrow, as I have no idea what it would look or taste like, but those herb fries were worth the switch, I think. The salty, flavorful herbs on the crisp fries made an awesome side with the slightly sweet red wine butter.

As always, my steak was cooked perfectly inside.

My husband went with the 12-Ounce Prime New York Strip Steak, which was served with a beautiful Carmody Potato Gratin. The Brandy-Peppercorn Sauce was a great, savory accompaniment.

But of course, we couldn’t stop there! When you are in a steakhouse, there must be some classic sides; and you’ve never know us to shy away from the sides list! First, we chose that Truffle Macaroni and Cheese that we love so much.

This is just gooey enough to be comfort food, but brings in a few more adult flavors as well. The cheese sauce is flavored with Reypenaer, a sharp and tangy Gouda. The truffle essence comes through distinctly, so if you aren’t a fan, you should consider another dish. And the choice of orecchiette pasta is exactly right for cradling the rich cheese sauce. Pretty heavenly.

And I couldn’t resist trying the fresh Zellwood Corn as well. (Don’t worry — I shared. A little.) Grilled with rosemary butter and topped with bacon marmalade (!), the only thing that could make this better is a little cream… .

What a meal!

We did take a look at the dessert drinks and menu, but in the end, we decided nothing looked as good to us as the treats next door at Beaches and Cream. 😉

I’ve had both the Lemon Pudding Cake and the Habanero-Infused Flourless Chocolate Cake on previous occasions, and I can happily recommend both.

That Peanut Butter and Pretzel cake is pretty awesome as well! Here’s a bite-sized version I had at Party for the Senses at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

But on this particular evening, after all that beautiful food, what we craved most was a walk!

Overall

I’m always thrilled when the chance to review Yachtsman Steakhouse comes up. In a sea of Disney restaurants that can be vastly unpredictable, the meals that we have had here continue to be reliably solid, delicious choices.

Sure, it’s pricey. But usually it’s worth it. Our only complaint on most visits is that service is often very slow (and sometimes bumbling).

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, or you’re just looking for a way to wisely spend those Disney Dining Plan table service credits, I heartily recommend that you give Yachtsman Steakhouse a try. I have had some of my best Disney meals here, and I’m confident that you will as well.

Will you be dining at Yachtsman Steakhouse anytime soon? Leave us a comment and let us know!