Yachtsman Steakhouse
We left Magic Kingdom mid-afternoon tto head back to SSR for some pool time, and then get ready for our 8.30pm Yachtsman Steakhouse ADR. I was SO EXCITED for this dinner!! Especially after last night's disastrous CG experience!
Now, the plan was to get the bus to HS and get the boat across to the Yacht Club. However, the bus came and the busdriver beckoned us over asking us why we were going to HS (interrogation!) He informed us HS had a private function on that night and we’d be better off getting the bus to DTD, then the bus to the Yacht Club. So, we did!
However, this would turn out to be a living nightmare. When we got to DTD, we waited aaaaaaages for a bus to YC. Like, 30 minutes. And then, the actual bus took AGES. It took 25 minutes just to get from Marketplace to Pleasure Island. COME ON PEOPLE! Our fellow passengers were losing it as everyone was trying to get to a dinner reservation and we were all thinking we were gonna be late. I had serious rage, but what can you do? We eventually got to the YC about 8pm, so slightly later than we’d planned but it could have been worse! I was feeling pretty flustered and grumpy though
We went to check in for our ADR and the CM directed us into the bar for a drink. It was cray biz in the bar with noooo free chairs. Nightmare! I spotted a lady taking up a table for 4 people…I asked if it would be okay if we sat down, and she completely ignored me! Cheer up love, you’re in Disney! So we schooched down on the very end and she didn’t say anything. Score. I ordered a glass of wine and Benj had a beer. Our server was rushed off her feet and we didn’t get our drinks for aaaagggees. I was a little frosty with her when she walked past as we’d been waiting so long. However, our grumpy tablemate shouted at her because she’d taken so long to bring her coffee! I felt so bad for her! So, when she bought our drinks I reassured her that it wasn’t a problem at all. She was really sweet and seemed sooooo relieved we weren’t mad at her! I downed my wine in like 5 minutes ha and I was going to get another, but thought maybe I should wait until actual dinner. Prices weren’t cheap in there sistah! It was super cold in there though, so ladies bring a cardie! I had a cardie and I was still cold! We paid for our drinks and then we got called through to the restaurant.
We had a LOVELY table! Yayyyyyy! A lovely big table for 4, all for us
I was chuffed! And then, our server came over. And I freaked out. His name was Ricardo and I recognized him from countless dining reviews I’d read….he was a legend! He has a blue CM badge which basically means he’s amazing. So if you get Ricardo, you’re in for a good night! He straightaway apologized because he’d taken a while to come over to us, but it had been like 2 mins! Bless him! I told him I had seen his photo online of people saying how amazing a server he is and that I was thrilled he was looking after us! He got really excited bless him and said he was looking forward to the evening! He was honestly so sweet and funny, he couldn’t do enough for us! I ordered a glass of Pinot and Benj got an Angry Orchard. We perused the menu for aaages as we just couldn’t decide! I’d been looking forward to this meal for so long and now the pressure was almost too much! Eventually though, I was there.
We recreated my grumpiness from the bar
And my happiness of being at YS!
Ricardo bought us out the bread, another thing I’d been excited for.
But, OH MY GOD did this exceed all expectations. Honestly, make an ADR at YS for the bread alone! You get the most amazing onion popover rolls, which comes with salted butter and slow-roasted garlic bulbs. SLOW-ROASTED GARLIC BULBS. It is slow roasted for 4 hours, until it goes dark and caramely and sticky, and you can literally spread it across bread like butter. Sweet mother of all that is right with this world, is that stuff good. The combination of the onion rolls, the butter and the garlic…well, I was gone. I was in heaven! Ricardo sensed this and bought me out another basket of bread…I love him.
We aren’t sure what’s on Benji’s fork here…possibly just a fork
For starters, I chose the lobster bisque. It was absolutely incredible! So creamy and tasty with big chunks of buttery lobster in. I was in my element! I ate the entire thing haha so was already feeling preeettyyyy full after having like 4 onion rolls too ooooops.
Oh lobster bisque. The angels truly were singing as I ate this.
Benji chose the cheese plate! He was excited to get this as it’s not always an option on appetizer menus! Ricardo bought out a menu for him to read about all the pairings too. He loved it!
Helpfully blurred photo of the menu
Then came our main courses…and a CLASSIC case of eyes bigger than belly syndrome. Because I wanted the truffle fries and I’d read that the chefs weren’t too keen on guests swapping sides, I decided to get the porterhouse. Which came with the fries. Thing is, I doubt they would have said anything really so I should have just got the ribeye, my fave, and asked to sub in the truffle fries rather than the bone marrow it comes with (vom! ) Ohhhh Libby when will you learn?
It was mahoosive and delicious but unfortunately I was only able to eat a bit of it. I remember really getting meat overload during this meal as the steak was lovely, but the fries were amazing! And I wanted to carry on eating the bread too!
Benji chose (well, I say chose, he kinda had to…) the Potato Gnocchi, Forest Mushrooms, Black Truffle, Fava Beans and Pea Nectar. He said this was absolutely awesome and he still remembers it now! Success!
We chatted to Ricardo quite a bit inbetween courses, he literally couldn’t do enough for us. We found out he was a big Beatles fan and we think we might buy something Beatles-y and bring it along when we go next time
I was horrifically stuffed after all the food I’d shoved into my face, but there was no way I wasn’t trying the peanut butter pretzel cake HELLO! So I ordered the Chocolate-Peanut Cake - Pretzels, Salted Caramel Gelato, and Liquid Ganache and I don’t think I have to tell you it was a life-changer.
Benji chose the crème brulee which he loved, but unfortunately I don’t have a photo of! But, he loved it! I feel like I always say we just loved the food but the majority of the time, we did!
Oh my goodness, this was such an incredible dinner. It was by far my favourite meal we’ve ever had in Disney (!), everything was just perfect. We gave Ricardo a biiiiig tip and we wrote a cute little thank you note on the receipt, and he wrote thank you back to us! CUTE. We then had to say goodbye
But we promised we’d be back!
We were so unbelievably full that getting a bus back was simply out of the question. It was very late too, we’d been in there like 3 hours haha! So we went out to the front and asked for a taxi. There were a couple in front of us so we had to wait a bit but it was all good. I’ve written in my notes “Taxi driver was dodge, v odd convo but did reset meter so bit of a bargain” haha! Just asked Benj for explanation and he said yes he was weird, just mumbling about organic vegetables on the way back (?) and suddenly said ‘oh, that’s expensive’ and reset the meter…hmmmm, odd! Fine by me though if we got a cheapy taxi ride!
As ever, it was straight to bed when we got in and probably sweet, sweet dreams of WDW
<3
The Verdict
This was my favourite meal of the whole holiday, it's a wedding dress!!
so I need all the WDW food I can get between now and then!! 
