Paddlefish is a table-service restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs. Specializing in seafood, guests dine on a docked modern steamboat and have sweeping views of the surrounding area. Paddlefish takes part in the Disney Dining Plan as a signature restaurant (2 table-service credits) and offers a 10% discount to passholders and Disney Visa cardholders. In this post, we’ll review Paddlefish’s atmosphere, cuisine and value.

Disney Springs has had a massive overhaul in the last decade, resulting in a crowded and interesting dining field. To try to keep pace, the boat restaurant had a substantial change. That included the name switching from Fulton’s Crab House to Paddlefish. Aesthetically, Fulton’s wouldn’t have fit in with the new look Disney Springs. The old-fashioned steamboat would have looked out of place in a modern and airy shopping center. At least, that’s part of the reason given by Disney for the remodel.

I wouldn’t say Fulton’s was beloved but it had fans. And while we mostly like the redesigned look of Disney Springs, I’m not ready to say that it’s some hallmark in thematic design. An old steamboat would have been questioned about as much as the giant volcano at Rainforest Cafe, which is to say it wouldn’t have been questioned hardly at all.

With that out of the way, I find the redesign to Paddlefish underwhelming even 8 years removed from the change. Eating on a steamboat was cool, even if the restaurant was only so-so. Paddlefish is still termed a steamboat and the outside of it looks pretty good, if not a little contrived between the modern and classic. Inside is where I have a hard time with the restaurant. The views are beautiful and there’s a well executed modern design. But lots of restaurants have that without being on a boat. Maybe this is a bit simplistic, but if I get to dine on a boat then I’d like to be reminded that it is a boat.

That comes off a little harsh for what turns out to be a perfectly nice atmosphere. The lines are clean throughout Paddlefish and the gray, white and wood tones all work. Some rooms are prettier than others, with the hallways leading from the front to the back of the restaurant being my favorite spot. Each table gets a window spot in that section and the space is used well without feeling too crowded.

On the other end of the spectrum, the dining room in the back of Paddlefish was nondescript with a gray accent wall and some modern pieces. Nothing about the experience felt unique back there, unfortunately.

Dining in the front fell somewhere between the two. I liked the circular room that featured a lot of windows. There was almost a cruise restaurant feel to it, which is both good and bad. The windows and room shape were plusses, but I still felt unsure of the modern design.

Dining outside, atop Paddlefish would lead to the best atmosphere. That way you can really get a feel for the unique setting. Unfortunately, the weather won’t always cooperate. But if you find a beautiful evening that isn’t sweltering or storming then I’d recommend that option.

Moving on to the food, here’s a look at the menu. Seafood is the main offering here and the prices have a huge range, topping out at $70 for the Lobster but going as low as around $20 for some sandwiches. Like most 2 credit restaurants on the Disney Dining Plan, this is not a good value if you’re taking part in that. On the other hand, there’s some value for those paying out of pocket.

The meal started with a complimentary bread service. Five pull-apart rolls made with white bread were served with a creamy butter. Bread service is always a welcome addition and this tasted fresh. The rolls were a little on the plain side though, just being white bread with nothing to make them stand out. They were good just not memorable.

This is the Steamed Whole Main Lobster, served as a seafood boil with corn and potatoes. Melissa and I both love lobster and this was no exception. The meat was delicious, extremely rich and served with melted butter. But relative to all other lobster we’ve had, this was just okay. I didn’t think the seafood boil portion of the dish added much flavor. We were both happy to eat some lobster but didn’t think there was anything about this particular dish that stood out. At $70, that’s not what you’re hoping for.

We also had the Crawfish Etouffee which is another of my favorite dishes. I liked this more than the other options at Paddlefish but, again, wasn’t wowed. The Etouffee had a nice spice to it but not so much that it was unapproachable. There was a healthy portion of Crawfish in there, as well. This had more flavor than everything else we tried at Paddlefish but I was underwhelmed by the dish as a whole. There wasn’t as much depth as I’d like with the predominant flavor being the smoky and chili based sauce. After a while, it became a little one note. The dish was $33, which wasn’t totally out of line for a good but not great seafood option at WDW.

The standout of this meal was the Key Lime Pie with a graham cracker crust and torched meringue. We both enjoyed the texture here, with the pie being dense and a nice pairing with the fluffy meringue. The sweet and sour of the dessert were both evident. I would get this again. With the price at $12, this fell in line with other desserts throughout Walt Disney World.

We came away underwhelmed by our experience at Paddlefish. What should be a unique meal on a boat with a creative menu turns into a mostly bland atmosphere with dishes lacking in flavor. There are much worse restaurants at Disney World, for the record. But Paddlefish has a chance to be exceptional and doesn’t come close to those heights. For now, this is one of our least favorite signature restaurants at Walt Disney World. With the excellent Boathouse nearby, which offers a similar menu and exceptional food, I don’t see a reason to go to Paddlefish.

Overall Rating – 7/10

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