Thinking of dumping Yachtsman for Narcoosee's. Thoughts?

[hoverpumpkin]

So... yeah. For our upcoming trip we're doing DxDP and I have a reservation at Yachtsman for our first night at Disney (we're staying at a Universal hotel for the first part of the trip).

I recently have become uncertain about this reservation as I've been told the quality of the food and service can be hit-or-miss, and I think maybe I'd like to switch to Narcoosee's. I've also heard Yachtsman can be a little stuffy, and we are an awkward, nerdish mid-twenties couple who don't do really well with that environment.

The other places we're eating are:
Le Cellier
Jiko
Artist's Point
Victoria & Albert's (making an exception to our aversion to stuffiness, obviously)
California Grill (CG will be out of pocket as that one will be before we're on property. Ouch, but... it's my birthday!)

So, knowledgeable people: what would you do? Swap Yachtsman for Narcoosee's, or not? :

 

[vettegirl]

If you like excellent steaks then I would stick to the YM. We ate at both places last month as the YM was excellent, Narccoosees was just okay.

 

[disneystick]

My DH and I did not care for Yachtsman at all. We had the steak and it was very bland. Maybe I am not a pure steak person...I like my steak flavored or marinated and the steak we had last time at Yachtsman was not very tasty at all. Maybe it was just a off night. We did lots of 2TS dinners that trip and felt the best steak was at Flying Fish.

However, we LOVED Narcoosee's!!!! Love the view to the MK and we time it to watch the fireworks at night. The whole lobster is excellent and so was the steak.

 

[vicki_c]

Just to be contrary I guess, we thought Narcoossee's was decidedly average and not worth the price at all (even considering that nothing at Disney is really worth the price for the food, but I'm okay with that in general).

I've only heard almost all very good reviews of the Yachtsman.

 

[CookieDiva]

We have never eaten at Yachtsman, so I cannot compare the two, but we have had a couple of wonderful meals at Narcoossees.
But I agree with the PP, probably the best steak that I've ever had was at Flying Fish. Had a wonderful meal there as well. And the service - it was perfect.

 

[septbaby]

I had two wonderful dining experiences at Narcoossee's, first as a first night family meal and also for a quiet adult meal. I wouldn't trade either of those experiences. We also had the fireworks as part of our experiences as well. I think you will have a more diverse menu at Narcoossee's vs a steakhouse, but I have not been to YM so I can't offer a direct comparison, just a great endorsement of Narcoossee's. Also you have one steakhouse booked on LeCellier, perhaps venture out a bit with Narcoossee's.

Had an amazing evening at CG last week, my first visit. It can be very pricey, but should be an excellent experience.

 

[Pakey]

Although Narcoosees is more casual, I have never felt Yachtsman was stuffy. I think it's also the better of the two.

 

[Minnie824]

I had to laugh when I read your post...we, just last week, decided for our July trip to drop Narcossee's for Yachtsman. They're both really good. We just haven't been to Yachtsman for so long, and we're staying at the BCV so we thought we'd go again. Just check out the menus and see which you think you'd rather do. Honestly, we love them both.

 

[Madhatter266]

Everyone has their own opinion based upon their own experience. We have been to both of them several times and we feel that overall Narcoosee's was better. The food and service was excellent. To us, we felt that our dining experience at Narcoosee's was special and at Yachtsman - not so much - maybe too hurried - too assembly line. Again, everyone has different opinions and different service. If I could only go to one, it would be Narcoosee's.

 

[Hopefully]

I have eaten at both. And I agree that everyone has different opinions and varying likes and dislikes.
I do not feel Yachtsman's is too stuffy, but Narcoosee's feels less formal to me.
Yachtsman's is one of only 2 restaurants in all of WDW we will not return to. We have tried it 3 times and we just do not like the food. I was very disappointed as it is a beautiful restaurant, the service was great and it is conveninet to where we stay at the BCV. But the meal was not good.
I would go with Narcoosee's.
Good Luck.

 

[TxRabbit]

When debating these things, you really need to go with your own feelings. People can argue this back and forth all day.

You seem concerned about atmosphere... here's my take:

At YS, we were stuck in the backroom. Because it was summer (and a heatwave), the fireplace was not lit. The atmsophere was "OK." I debated asking for a change, but didn't. There were still the white table cloths and all the beautiful wood work in the room. The ceilings felt very low and since we were in the back, we didn't have any windows in our room, however, we could see the windows in the front room of the restaurant. Turns out our server was such a great one. He bent over backwards to make us feel special. We loved our appies, we loved our steaks (went with the house special, the NY Strip), and DH loved his dessert. I think I was too full. Overall, it was a nice meal. Not overly special, but nice. The food was good. The service EXCELLENT. Didn't feel that it was stuffy.

This is my review of that night:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32549960&postcount=88

At Narcoossee's, we had a window view, off to the side. The atmosphere is high ceilinged, bright, and light-filled. More casual with navy blue tablecloths. Our server was okay. Our appies were AWESOME. I ordered the lobster because I felt like it, but wished I hadn't gotten sucked into it. DH ordered a different fish special and it was SO GOOD. The lobster was just lobster, nothing special about it really. But DH's meal had character. One of the best things was that the pressed coffee pot was a part of the DxDDP.

This is my review of that night:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32578791&postcount=107

I hope this helps you visualize the kind of dining experience you might have at each one to help you decide what you would enjoy most. That's really the key, the make the decision for SOME reason that will be pleasing to you. This way, if something falls short in your experience, there should still be at least one part of the experience that is pleasing to you.

 

[Bob NC]

Read my Yachtsman experience here---->

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=225270

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

Yachtsman was amazing, and out narcoossees dinner was not great at all. Don't drop it!!

 

[TheNewMrsB]

I agree, everyone's going to have a different take on the food based on their own experiences. I've eaten at both and love them both, and am going back to both in September, but it's all subjective.

I have never found Yachtsman's to be stuffy. The servers are super friendly and chatty if you're willing to indulge them. On our honeymoon, our waiter took our camera and snapped our picture, then took a few more pictures of the restaurant for us. By the time our next visit was over, I felt like our waitress was an old friend - we practically knew her life story, and vice versa. If you have questions about the food (even something as mundane as "why do you put sea salt on the butter?"), they are more than happy to oblige you with an explanation.

 

[CandyMandy]

We did dinner at the Yachtsmen back on Memorial Day.

Our experience overall was somewhere between B and B+. Service was A-, the vaunted steak was B- at best. I had the ribeye and while it was reasonably flavorful, the cut I got was not in any shape, manner or form anywhere near top shelf steakouse standards (which I have now concluded don't exist anywhere at WDW outside Shulas). What I received from the supposed Disney expert beef chefs at Yachstmen was a thin cut with far too much gristle (quality ribeye is cut thick and has marbling which when cooked properly literally melts into the beef).

Granted, my standards may be a little high because I compare every ribeye I get to one I had almost twenty years ago at the Ruth Chris in Scottsdale, AZ.

I still remember that steak....

 

[mjp12831]

Yachtsman was our best meal of the trip last year AND one of the better restaurant meals I've ever had.

Also nice to take the trip over to Yacht and Beach Club area.

We went with our 3 young kids and my brother in law's 2 young kids - they put them at a table of 5 separate from us. Based on this (allowing a kid's table where none of the kids were older than 8yo), I'd have a difficult time classifying it as "stuffy".

I'd advise you to keep Yachtsman - would be shocked if you regretted this choice.

 

[goofy4prez]

For me Yachtsman and Narcoossee's are two of my favorite restaurants in WDW. Looking at your list and being on the DxDP, I'd keep both of these and drop Le'Cellier. I like both the Yachtsman and Narcoossee's steaks much better than Le'Cellier which was good but IMHO not the level of the ones mentioned.

 

[Magic2000]

We've also eaten at both, and have enjoyed both.

The food and service we've received at Yachtsman has always been super - we've never had a bad meal there! In fact, my DD says the creme brulee at Yachtsman is the best on property!!! Yachtsman is a MUST DO for our "last meal at Disney"!!! We just ate there June 4, and the food was so, so good!!!

We've eaten at Narcoose's twice, and really enjoyed our dinner there too. My DH enjoyed the lobster too! Everything was great - and the view of the fireworks was unbelieveable!!!!

Of the two, we have chosen to do Yachtsman EVERY trip, and Narcoose's will probably be every other trip!

Enjoy your dinner! Either way, you're in for a great meal!!!!!