Homecomin' or The Boathouse?

[PhoenixStrength]

As a surprise for my DH I've booked both The Boathouse and Homecomin for our first night at WDW. We can only go to one, and I'm stuck trying to decide which one. We've never been to either, and I know we would enjoy each of them. They are actually the 2 restaurants that each of us most want to try. DH has been drooling over the idea of the fried chicken at Homecomin' since we first looked at the menu, but we are also both HUGE seafood lovers. We will be back in WDW end of next year for a big trip and will definitely do the other one that trip, just trying to decide which one to do this trip is driving me crazy!

Budget isn't a big concern, but we are paying OOP for it. I am leaning toward picking Homecomin' just because it is cheaper as what tips one over the other, though I'd love to hear the experiences of anyone who has had both to compare, but even just had one of them they can tell me about would help.

Can anyone who has been to one or both give me their opinion?

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Boathouse. Unless your first night Chicken is a priority. Joking of course.

 

[sleepydog25]

Boathouse. Homecoming is merely decent fried chicken, very heavy mashed potatoes & gravy, and lots of fried stuff.

 

[kastoney]

For me its Homecoming all the way, but why choose??? Why don't you do an appetizer at the bar at Boathouse to try something there and then do dinner at Homecoming.

 

[sleepydog25]

Great idea, kastoney! I would suggest the beef carpaccio at The Boathouse. Superb!

 

[Lisa F]

Are you from either new england or the south? Then pick the one that is not your regional food.

I'm from New England and the Boathouse looks like every other restaurant around here. I'm sure it's good, just boring to me.

People from the south seem unimpressed with Homecomin'.

For me, Homecomin' is the one that is least like anything I have ever been able to get anywhere I've lived so that's what we are doing on our next trip. Also if @kastoney says so, it's good enough for me Seems fun and yes I'm a bit cheap, the kid and I can share a meal easily.

edited to add, it looks like maryland so you're kind of halfway between seafood and southern food. Both are meh there (with the edge to seafood, I used to live in MD outside of DC). So you could still go either way! But being from New England, I am consistently unimpressed by seafood at Disney, even at the "good" places. Though Boathouse is well reviewed, so was Narcoossees and it was not good. Then again southerners complain about homecomin' so take that with a grain of salt!

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I would pick Homecomin' over The Boathouse any day. We have dined at both several times and The Boathouse was just average while Homecomin' was excellent.

 

[KenHutch]

I would go the The Boathouse. It can be incredibly noisy but the food is great. Lisa F said it best though, I am from the South and found the chicken to be very average at Homecoming. I actually like the chicken at 50's Primetime a lot more. And Lisa F could be very correct on where you from matters a lot. I live in Kansas City and love seafood but I have to admit I would not know great seafood over good if it walked up to me and smacked me in face.

 

[sleepydog25]

Are you from either new england or the south? Then pick the one that is not your regional food.

I'm from New England and the Boathouse looks like every other restaurant around here. I'm sure it's good, just boring to me.

People from the south seem unimpressed with Homecomin'.

For me, Homecomin' is the one that is least like anything I have ever been able to get anywhere I've lived so that's what we are doing on our next trip. Also if @kastoney says so, it's good enough for me Seems fun and yes I'm a bit cheap, the kid and I can share a meal easily.

edited to add, it looks like maryland so you're kind of halfway between seafood and southern food. Both are meh there (with the edge to seafood, I used to live in MD outside of DC). So you could still go either way! But being from New England, I am consistently unimpressed by seafood at Disney, even at the "good" places. Though Boathouse is well reviewed, so was Narcoossees and it was not good. Then again southerners complain about homecomin' so take that with a grain of salt!

I would go the The Boathouse. It can be incredibly noisy but the food is great. Lisa F said it best though, I am from the South and found the chicken to be very average at Homecoming. I actually like the chicken at 50's Primetime a lot more. And Lisa F could be very correct on where you from matters a lot. I live in Kansas City and love seafood but I have to admit I would not know great seafood over good if it walked up to me and smacked me in face.

You both bring up an excellent point. It's hardly fair to compare what Disney offers to what you experience locally or where you call home. I was born in Louisiana, lived in MS for a time, and then spent many of my formative years in southeast Texas. All of those are southern locales, and my parents were born and raised in the South, as well. While I understand many absolutely love Homecoming, I have found it to be unremarkable. I will admit the chicken was moist, but the batter is clunky and holds a lot of grease. It's not bad fried chicken, just not anywhere near what I grew up with in three different areas of the South. Owing to my military travels, I have also eaten some superb seafood having been stationed on the East Coast (MD) and in Alaska. I agree that no place in Disney can compare to the fresh crab, halibut, salmon, et.al. that I've had in those places. And while I'm on the topic, it's tough for me to enjoy game foods since Alaska was also a great place for those things--elk, bison, moose, etc. All of that to say, pick a place that most appeals to you since you'll get loves and hates for nearly any place you choose, and the only way to know for sure is to go. Check out the menus, see what appeals to you, then go. Bon appetit!

 

[Lisa F]

I would go the The Boathouse. It can be incredibly noisy but the food is great. Lisa F said it best though, I am from the South and found the chicken to be very average at Homecoming. I actually like the chicken at 50's Primetime a lot more. And Lisa F could be very correct on where you from matters a lot. I live in Kansas City and love seafood but I have to admit I would not know great seafood over good if it walked up to me and smacked me in face.

you'd know it if you were smacked in the face with it, but most people who live in the middle of the country aren't exposed to it at all (it's impossible to get anything not pre-frozen). That said, you'd probably think my idea of good BBQ is ridiculous.

When I go to Disney I am not expecting the "best of" anything anywhere. I am expecting Disney, which is some mix of theming (that weighs heavily into my restaurant choices), decent to good food, and an overall pleasant experience with the Disney level of service I've come to expect. I loved the shrimp and grits at Coral Reef but I'm sure the atmosphere enhanced that for me and the pleasant waitress who treated my son like a little prince helped too. I'm sure there is better shrimp and grits to be had in this country! But overall it was a worthwhile experience.

So that's why I want to try Homecomin'... because some people really like the chicken, my kid is a fiend for mac and cheese, he is begging to try it, and moonshine. The place looks cute and it's new to us (I've done 50's PT plenty of times in the past). We are also doing Trail's End brunch this trip as well. But I am not a fried chicken expert, I eat it SO infrequently it's a huge treat for me. I like KFC and Popeyes just fine the once or twice a year I have it. This local place had a fried chicken bucket special and it was nothing special, tiny dried out pieces of chicken... It's like crack to me though so I just never really indulge unless it's a special occasion... like going to Disney!

Boathouse's menu is "every other restaurant around where I live" and while I'm sure it's nice and good and charming it's just super low on my list for that reason alone. Waterfront doesn't even appeal to me since I live on an island and can be waterfront any time I want.

I just like to go for something different than I can get at home when I travel.

 

[KenHutch]

you'd know it if you were smacked in the face with it, but most people who live in the middle of the country aren't exposed to it at all (it's impossible to get anything not pre-frozen). That said, you'd probably think my idea of good BBQ is ridiculous.

When I go to Disney I am not expecting the "best of" anything anywhere. I am expecting Disney, which is some mix of theming (that weighs heavily into my restaurant choices), decent to good food, and an overall pleasant experience with the Disney level of service I've come to expect. I loved the shrimp and grits at Coral Reef but I'm sure the atmosphere enhanced that for me and the pleasant waitress who treated my son like a little prince helped too. I'm sure there is better shrimp and grits to be had in this country! But overall it was a worthwhile experience.

So that's why I want to try Homecomin'... because some people really like the chicken, my kid is a fiend for mac and cheese, he is begging to try it, and moonshine. The place looks cute and it's new to us (I've done 50's PT plenty of times in the past). We are also doing Trail's End brunch this trip as well. But I am not a fried chicken expert, I eat it SO infrequently it's a huge treat for me. I like KFC and Popeyes just fine the once or twice a year I have it. This local place had a fried chicken bucket special and it was nothing special, tiny dried out pieces of chicken... It's like crack to me though so I just never really indulge unless it's a special occasion... like going to Disney!

Boathouse's menu is "every other restaurant around where I live" and while I'm sure it's nice and good and charming it's just super low on my list for that reason alone. Waterfront doesn't even appeal to me since I live on an island and can be waterfront any time I want.

I just like to go for something different than I can get at home when I travel.

I agree with you 100% because I have never even seen good barbeque in Florida and one of my best friends sends me Care packages from New York because he insists that there is no such thing as good lox and bagels west of the Mississippi.

 

[sleepydog25]

you'd know it if you were smacked in the face with it, but most people who live in the middle of the country aren't exposed to it at all (it's impossible to get anything not pre-frozen). That said, you'd probably think my idea of good BBQ is ridiculous.

When I go to Disney I am not expecting the "best of" anything anywhere. I am expecting Disney, which is some mix of theming (that weighs heavily into my restaurant choices), decent to good food, and an overall pleasant experience with the Disney level of service I've come to expect. I loved the shrimp and grits at Coral Reef but I'm sure the atmosphere enhanced that for me and the pleasant waitress who treated my son like a little prince helped too. I'm sure there is better shrimp and grits to be had in this country! But overall it was a worthwhile experience.

So that's why I want to try Homecomin'... because some people really like the chicken, my kid is a fiend for mac and cheese, he is begging to try it, and moonshine. The place looks cute and it's new to us (I've done 50's PT plenty of times in the past). We are also doing Trail's End brunch this trip as well. But I am not a fried chicken expert, I eat it SO infrequently it's a huge treat for me. I like KFC and Popeyes just fine the once or twice a year I have it. This local place had a fried chicken bucket special and it was nothing special, tiny dried out pieces of chicken... It's like crack to me though so I just never really indulge unless it's a special occasion... like going to Disney!

Boathouse's menu is "every other restaurant around where I live" and while I'm sure it's nice and good and charming it's just super low on my list for that reason alone. Waterfront doesn't even appeal to me since I live on an island and can be waterfront any time I want.

I just like to go for something different than I can get at home when I travel.

Superbly said!

 

[cgattis]

my kid is a fiend for mac and cheese, he is begging to try it, and moonshine

Sorry, drinking age in FL is 21; your kid won't be able to try the moonshine. LOL

I've never done Homecomin' (although I detest the apostrophe--so "trying to hard to sound Southern"), and I thought the food at Boathouse was fine not amazing. But both menus appeal to me and I'd eat at either. Whatever you choose, make sure to stroll around the Boathouse docks and check out the cool vintage boats. Really enjoyed that.

 

[sweetpeakaris]

Really enjoyed our meal at Homecomin, can't wait to return!