Boathouse was disappointing.

[Twende]

We were really anticipating a great meal at the Boathouse and left there disappointed.

The place is beautiful with lots of cool things to look at but several things left us with a we will not return attitude.

We love doing at least one signature/2TS meal every trip. Our favorite so far is Narcoossees and everything else gets compared to it. When we eat at Narcoossees we are left feeling well treated, respected, special or what ever you want to call that feeling when you are well served. The food is always worth the cost and the setting lovely.

The Boathouse noise level is over the top. No one could hear a word any one had to say at the table. The servers were friendly but had no idea of proper serving techniques. Coffees came in by the two and were plopped down between us. Food was served the same way and not placed in front of you.

The sides were extra and served family style. The asparagus was good but the macaroni and cheese was a tasteless starchy blob. We told the server that the macaroni and cheese was tasteless and terrible. He made no offer to replace or refund. He only nodded in agreement. Maybe he could not hear us either. The surf and turf for 2 steak was over cooked for medium rare and for two had a very small serving of steak with a huge, and I mean huge like 12" meatless bone served for looks. The lobster was okay but nothing special. Especially at a price of well over $100. The key lime dessert was good but again not signature quality.

The ladies restroom was a mess the entire time we were there. I had used it before we dined and again almost 2 hours later and both times it was a mess. I did ask to speak to a manager about it and he informed me that they checked it every hour. I told him that was strange since the same debris was on the floor when we entered as when we were leaving.

I really wished we had taken a table or several tables outside. That would have helped a bit I think but in total the experience was not what we have come to expect from signature dining in Disney.

We will not return there for dinner. Drinks out on the dock might be nice.

 

[ckcook72]

I was there on 12/11 and had a similar experience. It was SOOOO loud. And the ladies room - at least three of the stalls had no toilet paper. Took me four tries before I found a stall that did have paper. The food was good, but not exceptional. And I had to send my undercooked filet back to the kitchen. We ate at Yachtsman this trip, what a difference experience - tons better than the Boathouse.

 

[Twende]

I was there on 12/11 and had a similar experience. It was SOOOO loud. And the ladies room - at least three of the stalls had no toilet paper. Took me four tries before I found a stall that did have paper. The food was good, but not exceptional. And I had to send my undercooked filet back to the kitchen. We ate at Yachtsman this trip, what a difference experience - tons better than the Boathouse.

It looks like you were there the same night we were there. Because it is listed as a signature/2TS place, I can not help compare it to other 2 TS where we have eaten. Jiko and Narcoossees are miles better than Boathouse for us.

 

[DisOrBust]

Went for lunch and it was the worst meal ever at Disney. Usually I give a place three tries but this was unedible with poor service.

 

[JosephWDW]

The only time I have been to the Boathouse is to do the amp car which is $125 dollars it is worth it!

 

[Twende]

The only time I have been to the Boathouse is to do the amp car which is $125 dollars it is worth it!

We had it in our plans to return and do the amphi car but after the experience we had at dinner there we did not return. It did sound like a fun thing to do. I am happy to see you enjoyed it.

I really hope they can get some competent managers and employees at this place. It has lots of potential but is a disgraceful place right now.

 

[La Belle]

Ditto to the horrible food. We were there on Dec 20th. It was the last night of our vacation and had hoped to end it with a great signature meal. The food was not worth 2 TS credits each. As someone said above sides are extra. We did not know this so when my husband got his steak....we were surprised to see a lonesome steak on a plate. Server could have mentioned it. geez. The service and food did not feel "signature". Worst dining experience of our trip.

 

[JosephWDW]

We were really anticipating a great meal at the Boathouse and left there disappointed.

The place is beautiful with lots of cool things to look at but several things left us with a we will not return attitude.

We love doing at least one signature/2TS meal every trip. Our favorite so far is Narcoossees and everything else gets compared to it. When we eat at Narcoossees we are left feeling well treated, respected, special or what ever you want to call that feeling when you are well served. The food is always worth the cost and the setting lovely.

The Boathouse noise level is over the top. No one could hear a word any one had to say at the table. The servers were friendly but had no idea of proper serving techniques. Coffees came in by the two and were plopped down between us. Food was served the same way and not placed in front of you.

The sides were extra and served family style. The asparagus was good but the macaroni and cheese was a tasteless starchy blob. We told the server that the macaroni and cheese was tasteless and terrible. He made no offer to replace or refund. He only nodded in agreement. Maybe he could not hear us either. The surf and turf for 2 steak was over cooked for medium rare and for two had a very small serving of steak with a huge, and I mean huge like 12" meatless bone served for looks. The lobster was okay but nothing special. Especially at a price of well over $100. The key lime dessert was good but again not signature quality.

The ladies restroom was a mess the entire time we were there. I had used it before we dined and again almost 2 hours later and both times it was a mess. I did ask to speak to a manager about it and he informed me that they checked it every hour. I told him that was strange since the same debris was on the floor when we entered as when we were leaving.

I really wished we had taken a table or several tables outside. That would have helped a bit I think but in total the experience was not what we have come to expect from signature dining in Disney.

We will not return there for dinner. Drinks out on the dock might be nice.

This is the general manager
Patrick McKinney.
(407) 939-2628

 

[Twende]

This is the general manager
Patrick McKinney.
(407) 939-2628

Thanks for this. I will add it to my file. We are working with Disney right now to come to terms and resolve some of the things that happened the night we ate there and previously that week. Until we are done with Disney's legal/customer service department, there is not much else we can do. Disney has stated that they will make us "happy" but who knows. I am pretty disgusted at this point and for the first time in decades we do not have a return trip in the works!

It was a bad trip in general but the night we ate at the Boathouse brought everything tumbling down and brought the week of problems to a head.

Then we returned to our villa to have an very frightening incident with what turned out to be a flying squirrel. Fortunately DH is recovering his health and no one else got deathly ill from the critter. The whole mess was not what we expect or normally receive from Disney.

 

[mickeymom629]

Wow, sorry to hear about all of this. I had ADRs for dinner at Boathouse for our recent trip (just DH and me), but I ended up cancelling them because they didn't fit in our plans (long story).

However, we did eat lunch at Morimoto Asia without an ADR and we loved the food we got there!

 

[disBEAST]

I agree the food at Boathouse is disappointing. The bar at the end of the pier is one of my favourite places in DS to have a drink though.

 

[lithoet]

My family and I dined here 1/22/16 and used Deluxe Dining Plan. We will not go back, we agree with the extremely loud noise, just could not have a discussion at the table without yelling it out. The food was nothing to write home about, I have had better at a Lone Horn steakhouse which isn't saying much. My steak, which was the porterhouse, was very basic tasting.
In short, not worth the 2 credits or money for this eatery.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

When the Boathouse was new I was eager to try it because I like the theme, but when I did have lunch there, the food was just OK, and I felt it wasn't even close to being worth what they charge for it. The person I dined with ordered something different, and had the same reaction. Therefore I'm not eager to eat there again, although I'd go if I was with someone who wanted to go -- but if they have already been there, my guess is they wouldn't want to go either. Unless the food gets drastically improved and/or the prices go way down (something that doesn't seem to happen), it might remain a "one and done".

 

[wdwfan1]

Thanks to all who posted. I will be canceling our reservation.

 

[ciera321]

Wow, until reading this, I thought I was the only one who didn't think Boathouse was memorable. We stopped for lunch a while back and left feeling the exact same way. We had the fish tacos, which were the blandest thing I've eaten in a very long time. We also had a salad which was a large pile of lettuce with an overpowering amount of extremely tart dressing. The fries were fine, but not anything special. I agree that Narcoossee's is a very hard act to follow. It's our very favorite restaurant! Glad it wasn't just us....

 

[Pinkocto]

Thanks everyone for the reviews. I'll be crossing this one off the list!

 

[Zip-a-dee-dude-da]

I loved it!! The crab stuffed lobster may be the best thing I have ever eaten...and the service was fine ..what do you need someone to wipe you face

 

[Twende]

I loved it!! The crab stuffed lobster may be the best thing I have ever eaten...and the service was fine ..what do you need someone to wipe you face

No! I can wipe my own face when given a napkin. I can even order my own food when I have a menu and a server appears to take that order. I can even eat my own food when given silverware. I can pay the bill when given the bill. But without a server, menu, silverware, napkins, and the bill.......things get a bit uncomfortable. Now add poor food quality, over priced items like $9 for an inedible Mac and Cheese for a toddler and you will find me unhappy. Continue with the problems with had with our table as we were seated and then rudely told by a server that we could not sit there and that we had to move immediately. We did not seat ourselves, we were seated by a CM.

Considering this is a signature restaurant, I expect the servers to serve the food properly and remove dishes as courses are finished. I do not want multiple plates for multiple people plopped down in front of me! And I expect a restroom to be clean and not full of trash with dirty sinks and no toilet paper and this was not just one time, it was the same after I informed them the hour before!

 

[brertoad]

We went in December as well, it was ridiculously crowded. We had to wait 45 mins past our ADR to be seated, the dining room is very loud. And the food wasn't anything special at all. Dinner took about 2 hours + and ruined our plans to get over to HS on time to see the Osborne Lights.

 

[robinb]

Then we returned to our villa to have an very frightening incident with what turned out to be a flying squirrel. Fortunately DH is recovering his health and no one else got deathly ill from the critter. The whole mess was not what we expect or normally receive from Disney.

Holy cow! Your DH got sick from a flying squirrel at (I searched) OKW? I hope he's OK now!

Back to the OP, I like to give new restaurants at WDW a little growing room before I try them. I'm not surprised to hear such bad reviews.