Boatwrights yay or nay?

[TheRustyScupper]

Our Ratings of Boatwrights: (*rev 12/19/2015*)
. . . food price value: C
. . . food quality: C
. . . food quantity per serving: B
. . . food prep speed: B
. . . food selection: C
. . . seating quantity: C
. . . seating comfort: C
. . . eatery atmosphere: C
. . . eatery convenience: B
. . . staff friendliness: C
. . . staff attentiveness: C
. . . character interaction: n/a
.
Our Recommednations:
. . . appys:... Pirogue Platter
. . . entree:.. Sassagoula Short Ribs
. . . dessert:. Banana Pudding
.
NOTE1: Boatwrights used to get good reviews, but over the past few years has really
gone down hill in the food quality department. In our opinion, it is below avgerage, BUT
QUALITY IS COMING BACK. The VooDoo Chicken was true hoo-doo. We did enjoy the
Blackened Catfish. The steaks are average in quality, but tasty ONLY because of the
amount of added sodium. For dessert, the Banana Pudding Cake was heavenly. Yes, it is
convenient for the resort guests, but not very highly recommended. If staying at POR, we
recommend walking to the POFQ food court.
.
NOTE2: Hanging lanterns illuminate the cavernous dining hall, and the skeletal hull of a
lugger fishing boat is suspended on high as its centerpiece. Warm yourself by the fire as
you spy antique shipbuilding tools on the walls: C-clamps, saw blades, axes and more.

 

[mickeymom22]

We have eaten there twice. Both times we weren't impressed! The service was great, but the food was not. The first time everything was cold and tasteless. The second time the food was just bland. If you are staying at POR, and the new menu looks appealing I say go for it, but if you are not staying there, I wouldn't go out of my way! There are so many other great places to try!

 

[cluvsdisney]

It's one of our favorites. We'll always go there if we stay at POR or POFQ. If we stay some place else, we'll have dinner there for longer trips.

 

[christianweecare]

DH & I ate at Boatwrights in Dec. It was the first time in a very long time. Our first encounter years ago was a good experience so we thought we would try it again. It was a good meal. Not wow, but good. Our server was very attentive.

 

[awalker1015]

We had a terrible meal here last March. We stayed at POFQ and walked over. The walk over was lovely and we were seated right away. Our server was very attentive and the chef came out to talk to my friend about her food allergies. We ordered the pimento cheese fritters for an app and they were great. Things went south when our entrees arrived. My husband had the short ribs and they were ice cold. My voodoo chicken had the right flavors but was shoe leather after sitting under a warming lamp too long. Kids pizzas were terrible. Like school or hospital cafeteria awful.

That said, considering they had the flavors right we would possibly give it a second chance if staying at POR again. Would not go out of the way as there are too many other places to try. But considering the mixed reviews if I was staying at the resort I would probably give it a shot.

 

[karly05]

I ate there last April (not super-recently) and really enjoyed it. I was staying at POFQ so it was convenient; I'm with some other posters in that I don't know if I'd go to a great mess of trouble to get there, but since you're at POR, I would definitely give it a try.

I had the French Onion soup (beef stock, like Les Chefs, not veg stock like BOG's, which I didn't like as much), the pork chop (server recommended, it was good) and CORNBREAD! Maybe it was because I hadn't had cornbread in a long time, but I loved it! I'm going back to POFQ in April, and Boatwright's is on my short list for a possible return trip, depending on how my schedule works out. I say if the menu appeals to you, go for it.

 

[teacup princess]

Wow OP, you're getting a lot of really mixed reviews so I'm not sure this is too helpful but I'll give my opinion to further confuse you. We ate there in 2013 on a down day just because we were staying at the resort and didn't want to go anywhere. It turned out to be one of the best meals of the trip. The ambience is horrible and I wouldn't make a special trip there but if your staying at the resort I'd give it a try on a day when you're hanging out at the resort or tired or having a low key kind of day.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Best Prime Rib on site. Cheesy grits and shrimp. I've been going to WDW for 40 years and the term "less than desirable" only ever applied to guests

 

[LONES]

We ate at Boatwright's 2 years ago, and I thought it was the best meal of our trip. I had the NY Strip that was on the menu at the time. It came with roasted potatoes, and it was wonderful! We just ate there again last week, and I wasn't so impressed.

My DH had the shrimp and grits, and he thought that was very good. My Dad had the prime rib. He said it tasted pretty good, but was ice cold. I had the NY Strip with crawfish mac and cheese. I did not like the steak at all. I ordered it medium, and it was medium well, leaning more towards well done. I really didn't care for the peppercorn sauce that was on the steak, but that is maybe just more of a taste preference. I was really excited about the mac and cheese, but that was quite disappointing. We had a very late dinner, and I'm thinking it just isn't something to order later in the evening. It was in it's own bowl, and was very dried out and crusty, like it may have been good at 6pm... but had sat under a heat lamp for a couple of hours.

My daughters both ordered off the kids menu... and their meals were much better than mine. One had broiled fish with potatoes and green beans. My other daughter had roast turkey. They were both very large portions for a kids meal, and quite good. The only issue was that they were also pretty cold when we got them.

 

[SoCalTrojanSkip]

We are squarely in the give Boatwright's a chance column. Their menu has changed from the last time the Pod Squad reviewed it, and it's much improved from what I gathered.

We stayed at the POR and didn't feel like fighting buses or crowds so we walked over to Boatwright's and got seated almost immediately and had a wonderful dinner. Our server was wonderful and personable even though it was towards the end of the evening> The restaurant itself was tucked away and quiet, but we could still could hear the ruckus from the Yee Haw Bob show over in the lounge, which was fun. The food was great, I had Salmon, DGF had the Jumbalaya. The French Onion soup was good, if not a little on the salty side and the Bread Pudding was spot on. I second what was said about the drinks here...they don't skimp.
In a trip that was full of good meals, this one was right up there.

 

[jon18uk]

We had two great meals there, the jambalaya portion was huge!

 

[Mazz519]

Just ok not great, a lot of other places to go

 

[Mazz519]

Yay definitely

 

[mikeyg1479]

It was decent, but nothing crazy special. If you are staying at Port Orleans and want to eat at the resort and the menu looks up your alley its good enough. I wouldn't travel from another resort/location to eat here though.

 

[DisNerdsince08]

Thanks for all the input. We might give it a try since we are staying there. We probably wouldn't try it if we weren't staying at the resort. But we will try anything once!

 

[crazycatlady]

One of the surprise standouts from our last 10 day deluxe dining trip. DH loved the jambalaya and put it on his "for sure" list of ADRs for this summer.

 

[awalker1015]

And they do make a mean hurricane if you enjoy cocktails.

 

[GaRain]

My family is going there next week.
I have some family that lives in the area, so every time we go to Disney, we (meaning I) plan one dinner/lunch/ meal together.
I like to book resort restaurants although we may go back to Disney Springs again, now that there is the parking deck!
All adults - do I don't like to book character meals (but I have done that to them in the past!).

The point of all this - we are trying it out next Wednesday for dinner.
Will try to remember to come back here with my review!

 

[Eastern]

I agree with most in that I would go if it was a convenient spot. I went about 2 years ago and it was good, not great. Cornbread and onion soup were good. Someone got the pork chop, said it was dry. Another got a crawfish dish, and he liked that. Overall my family liked it but there are funner/better places if you are not looking for convenience.

 

[sdomino11]

Here now and just got back from Boatwrights. We're staying at POFQ in the building closest to the lobby. The walk over to POR was beautiful and lasted about ten minutes. The food was really good! We had Bacardi mojitos, cornbread, jambalaya (nice and spicy), and chicken and waffles. Our kids had the multigrain pasta. We all loved the food (and we live in Texas and are no strangers to Cajun/Louisisna food)! In fact, we're already hoping to find time this trip to return. Fern was our waiter and he was excellent.