The Boathouse is a table-service restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs. Sitting along the water, the restaurant embodies it’s name both in atmosphere and menu. There’s a wide selection of food but much of it centers around seafood while guests dine in rooms filled with nautical decor. The restaurant does offer an Annual Pass discount and is a part of the Disney Dining Plan, as a signature (2-credits) option. In this post, we’ll review The Boathouse’s atmosphere, food and value.

We hadn’t dined at The Boathouse in quite a few years before our recent visit. I reviewed it all the way back in 2016 (please don’t read that one) but we’ve held the restaurant in high regard ever since, even if our return trip waited almost a decade. Others seem to love The Boathouse too, as it’s typically mentioned in the top tier of an impressive collection of Disney Springs restaurants. Availability bears this out, as this is one of the hardest reservations to snag last minute.

Part of that prestige comes from the restaurant’s prime location. There are a couple of other waterfront restaurants in Disney Springs but none of them show it off like The Boathouse. Case in point, check out the restaurant’s name! This is also home to the Amphicars that cruise the Lake Buena Vista waters. It’s all a bit cheeky, with a knowing Atlantic City tourist vibe but on a smaller scale. The restaurant pulls the bit off though.

If you didn’t already guess, The Boathouse resembles a boat shed. If you weren’t sure of that before you stepped into inside then the large boat just to the right of the check-in desk gives it away. The theme is well done, convincing from both the outside and in while also not infringing on a pleasant dining experience.

Moving further into the restaurant, each dining room has a slightly different design and there’s quite a few of those dining rooms. We were seated on the back patio and walked through each of them. On the walk back it felt like the hostess was mazing us through the Severance halls. Outside of the large boat and oyster bar (a good place to watch a game) in the first room, there were different plays on the theme. One room looked as if it was waiting for a boat to pull in, with big garage door like windows. Another looked like a relaxing place to hang out after a day on the water. All of the dining rooms included trinkets and decorations to remind you of the theme. Again, the theme wasn’t over the top but enough to figure out what each room is going for.

We ended up sitting outside and were pretty happy with the choice. While I think The Boathouse has a successful theme and is a generally nice place to have a meal, it’s crowded and loud inside. Even with a huge restaurant, they really pack the tables in. From my view, that’s the biggest downside of the atmosphere.

Eating outside is really pleasant though, you know, unless the Florida heat feels like the inside of an oven. We had a beautiful evening weather wise so sitting out on the back patio, while the sun was setting, was a treat. There’s also tables down near the water on a dock that we’ve enjoyed sitting at in the past. I’d recommend sitting outside if the elements are in your favor and they give you the option, but inside is enjoyable too.

Moving onto the food, here’s a look at the menu. It’s one of the largest menus in Walt Disney World and also one of the most diverse from a price perspective. You could get out of here by spending $20 and have a delicious meal, or you could spend much more. The food centers around seafood and American dishes.

Meals start with a fantastic bread service. These buttery rolls are served with a salted butter. The glaze on the rolls was a little sweet, making it all the more delicious. They were served warm and melted in my mouth.

We ordered the Maine Lobster Bisque to start. The creamy, rich soup had a generous portion of lobster in it and just enough tomato to taste. Simply put, if you like lobster then you’ll like this. At $9, this is a really good appetizer but doesn’t quite reach ‘favorite’ status.

Melissa had a Shrimp Caesar Salad for dinner and enjoyed it, although she regretted not getting a seafood dish after. For what it is, this was a really nice caesar salad that tasted fresh and springy. The shrimp were large and delicious, grilled perfectly. This came in at $20 after the shrimp were added ($11 without). That seems like a fair value although there are much better dishes on the menu.

The star of the meal was the Pan-Roasted Corvina. This was served with Crispy Yukon Potatoes, Wilted Kale, and a Green Onion Soubise. In general, I think Disney World does seafood pretty well. This dish was one of the best I’ve ever had there. The corvina was buttery and perfectly cooked, melting in my mouth. It paired perfectly with the soubise, adding even more flavor to the plate. The potatoes were also delicious but the fish is what will stick with me. I don’t repeat dishes often at WDW, in the name of research, but I will be back for this one. At $38, this was pretty standard pricing but was worth every penny.

We topped the meal off with a piece of Blackberry Cheesecake and a Key Lime Martini. The Martini was recommended to me by the waiter and tasted like pie in a glass. Absolutely delicious! We really enjoyed the cheesecake as well, made with a Blackberry Compote, Chantilly Cream and Graham Crumble. Most of the desserts came in at $10 and all of them looked fantastic.

I did think the value at The Boathouse was strong. For being considered a ‘signature’ restaurant at WDW, there was a wealth of price options to choose from. Even the Corvina that I just raved about was under $40, which isn’t always the case for restaurants in this tier. Going here on the Disney Dining Plan is a bad option, as you just won’t make up the value for 2 credits. But there are some great values if paying out of pocket.

Despite the crowded, loud atmosphere at The Boathouse, we really love the restaurant. I think it’s the most consistent seafood option at Disney World, level with the Boardwalk’s Flying Fish. Eating outside at The Boathouse on an evening that’s cooled down is one of my favorite dining experiences at Disney World, thanks in large part to the fantastic food offered here. We think it’s one of the best restaurants, and one of the most accessible menus, in all of WDW.

Overall Rating – 9/10

Have you tried The Boathouse? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! If you are planning a trip to Disney World, then check out our planning guide. This site has discount tickets to Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. You can do all of that on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!