Well folks, I have a new favorite restaurant in Disney Springs. Throughout the years, The Boathouse has been consistently brought up in the blogs and Facebook groups I follow, as one of the best spots to eat in Disney Springs. I have been wanting to go for a while, but my fiancé is not a fan of seafood, so we have never tried it out. However, my most recent trip to Disney World was a mother daughter trip, and lucky for me, my mom loves seafood. So, I finally got to try out the fan favorite. Let me tell you- the rumors are right- The Boathouse is definitely one of the best eateries in Disney Springs and now I have joined the bandwagon of recommending it to anyone who will listen.
Location
One of the best attributes of The Boathouse, is the fact that it is located right on the waterway of Disney Springs. If the weather is nice, I HIGHLY recommend getting a table outside, as it will give you an amazing view of the water and the Saratoga Springs skyline on the opposite bank.
If you can line up your dinner so that you are eating dinner after dark, you are offered an even more striking view, as the lights on the water are beautiful. You also can watch the ferry shuttles and "car boats" as they glide right by your table. It is a very peaceful setting, and you can tell right away by the ambiance that this will be a very nice meal.
I will note that there is also indoor seating, which is themed as a retro boathouse with related memorabilia hanging on the walls. The indoor seating seems crowded and loud, and I much preferred sitting on the outside dock for our meal.
If you are so inclined, before or after your meal, you can rent one of the car boats. These are 1950's themed cars that can drive in the water. It looked like a fun concept, until I learned the price- $125 for a 20-minute ride. I think I'll pass and just be entertained watching the folks that are willing to pay that.
The Boathouse restaurant first opened in 2015 and is located in "the landing" portion of Disney Springs. This is one of the first sections that was created as Downtown Disney was transitioned into Disney Springs. It is a convenient location, as it is close to the newer shopping district featuring both Disney themed shops as well as well-known brands like Kate Spade, Vera Bradley, and Francescas. It is also just a few steps away from the loved Gideon's Bakehouse. Finally, The Boathouse is just over the bridge from the area that used to be the original "Downtown Disney" area. This is where you'll find the best store in Disney Springs and the only one you'll need to visit- World of Disney.
The Food
After being seated, you start off your meal with a plate of warm rolls. The rolls are on the sweeter side and taste like they are dipped in honey butter. They are fantastic, and it is hard not to fill up on them before your meal is served.
The Boathouse is a Table Service restaurant and is considered "upscale." The menu features items you would expect to see at an upscale steak and seafood restaurant. There is a broad range of salads and starters to choose from. Mostly all of the appetizers are seafood.
Both my mom and I started with a salad. I got the Caesar salad, which was tasty but I did wish there was a bit more dressing on it. It had a very authentic Caesar taste though and was a decent size to warrant the $11 sticker price.
My mom opted for the wedge salad. It was huge! She said it was very good, but filling. I truly think you could have just the wedge salad as a meal, especially since you could add a protein to it for an additional fee. The wedge salad cost $15.
For entrees, The Boathouse offers seafood, sandwiches, and steaks. The prices are what you would expect to pay at an upscale seafood steakhouse. I ordered the Dockside Shrimp Boil which was absolutely delicious! It was shrimp, andouille sausage, red potatoes, and mini corn on the cobs all cooked together with an Old Bay type seasoning. It was served with melted butter for the corn and very authentic tasting cocktail sauce for the shrimp. The portion of food was a good amount to fill me up but not make me feel stuffed. The shrimp boil cost $26, which was reasonable in my opinion based on the amount of food provided and how delicious it tasted.
My mom ordered the firecracker shrimp for her dinner. This was actually an appetizer item. However, it was a pretty large portion and my mom ended up having trouble finishing it. The shrimp were breaded and tossed in a sauce made from sriracha mayo, sweet peppers, and sesame seeds. The shrimp were on top of a bed of crispy noodles. She said it was very good. This item cost $18, which I think is a but high for just an appetizer. It definitely was enough shrimp to effectively share amongst a few people as a starter though.
The menu also offered several different sides to share, as well as a delicious looking dessert menu. Unfortunately, neither of us had room for dessert after our meal. There was also an extensive wine and beer menu.
Availability
The Boathouse is one of the hardest reservations to get at Disney Springs. Dinner spots seem to fill up first, probably due to the beautiful view from your table during the night hours. If you are not able to get a coveted dinner reservation spot, you will likely be able to get an early dinner spot or a late lunch spot pretty much up until day of.
Even though we had a reservation, we found ourselves waiting in a line upon arrival, just to "check in" with the hostess. I should note that this restaurant does not allow mobile check in on the My Disney Experience App like so many other Disney restaurants do. Therefore, you have to physically wait in line to reach the hostess. We had a 7pm reservation and ended up having to wait in a 15 minute line to reach the hostess. The line out the door just added to the notion that this is a very popular spot to eat. However, once finally checked in, we were seated within 5 minutes.
All in all, I highly recommend The Boathouse. The food is absolutely delicious, the ambiance cannot be beat, and the service was timely and professional. I didn't mind paying the prices at this restaurant, because at least you were getting high quality, rather than paying similar prices (and usually more) for lesser quality food at a character buffet. Definitely be sure to check out The Boathouse next time you are in Disney Springs! Just make sure you get a reservation.
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