On a recent trip we had the pleasure of dining at the Yachtsman Steakhouse located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. The Yachtsman is a true steakhouse in that their meat is aged and cut in house. In fact, as soon as you walk in you are greeted by the sight of their wide selection of beef. The dining area of the restaurant carries on the nautical theme of the whole resort. Pine beams, an abundance of windows, and other sea faring touches bring to mind a New England sea side town. The Yachtsman does not lack in ambience with its warm lighting and exclusive feel. However, this signature dining experience does not come across as pretentious in any way. While there is a dress code, families with children will not feel out of place.
The Yachtsman Steakhouse is very confident in their identity and takes pride in the simplicity of their menu. If you are looking for fancy, complicated dishes — this isn’t the place for you. But if you are after an excellent steak at a good value, you’ve made the right reservation. On our visit, we both got a little more dressed up than we normally would and made a full on date night of the occasion. Our server was warm and personable, taking excellent care of us throughout our meal.
We started with the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for $22. There were 5 large shrimp on a chef’s smear of house made cocktail sauce. The shrimp were light and flavorful and the perfect way to start our meal. We also enjoyed the complimentary bread service of pull apart onion rolls and multi-grain sourdough with salted butter and a whole head of roasted garlic (YUM!). My allergy friendly rolls were the standard rolls found at most Disney restaurants, however the butter and garlic really added a punch of flavor.
For our main courses, my husband had the 22-oz Angus Bone-In Rib-eye, Prime (medium) for $65, which is normally served with Yorkshire pudding. He opted for the loaded baked potato instead. Having been disappointed in several of the filet selections on property, I chose the 12-oz New York Strip Steak, Prime (medium), also with a baked potato for $59.
Both of our steaks were PERFECTION! Cooked exactly right and so flavorful it would almost make you weep. The only other steak on property (of those we have tried) that even comes close was the filet at Topolino’s. Neither of us could decide which cut was better but we both felt like winners. When it comes to the choice of side, I’m not sure if we chose poorly or if it were just an off night but the baked potatoes were undercooked and just not great. Anything would have paled in comparison to that gorgeous steak but I did expect a little better of such a simple dish. Perhaps next time we will try one of their more signature sides.
All in all, this is definitely a great value even if on the expensive side. Especially when you consider that similar portions are found for nearly twice the price at other locations on property. There are still many more steaks to be tried on property before I am ready to declare Best Steak on Property, but Yachtsman Steakhouse — you are definitely a contender!
