Yachtsman Steakhouse

[mmcoleman1]

Has anyone been to the Yachtsman Steakhouse lately? I'm not sure if it was an isolated experience or if anyone else had any issues since the reopening. I asked the waiter for my steak medium rare plus and was told it can be medium or medium rare and that the chef cant read my mind they had too many problems with it. I was absolutely floored that a "premium steakhouse" actually told me they couldn't cook my steak to the temperature I requested. Can't people complain with a medium that they don't think is "medium" enough, so i didn't understand the logic. The ironic part about the whole thing was I learned about medium rare plus from the waitress at the Yachtsman last time I was there! I was then told they couldn't split the wedge salad or our lobster bisque into two plates/bowls. (all done with last visit pre-Covid) I was really looking forward to this past visit and sadly it fell so short of what I previously experienced there.

 

[DisneyHardin]

It's been a few years since I ate there, but when I did, "Medium" meant cooked to a charred hockey puck. I sent the first steak back and the new one was cooked the same way. I was so disappointed because that was the ADR I was most looing forward to that trip.

 

[OKW Lover]

I asked the waiter for my steak medium rare plus and was told it can be medium or medium rare and that the chef cant read my mind

I don't work at a steakhouse but I've not heard the term "medium rare plus" before. What is it?

 

[SteveMouse]

Never heard the term before today. I’ve no idea what medium rare plus is.

 

[Dismama2boys]

My husband is….picky. He basically only eats steak, so we’ve eaten at most of the well-known high-end steakhouses out there (there are none of those at Disney, BTW). “Plus” added to any cooking temp is well-known among those places, although we didn’t know it either, until a wait person told us about it. Since then, DH has ordered a “medium plus” everywhere and they all know what is is. So if you didn’t know about it, and you like your steak say, between a medium rare and medium, order a medium rare plus! If a Disney place refuses, I guess I’m not shocked, but disappointed. It’s not weird or unusual. Oh! Bull and Bear, just a minute from the parks, DOES have a great steak, just FYI.

 

[Runnsally]

MediumRare+ is a $15 upcharge

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm guessing this probably said more about the staffing and how busy the kitchen was than any sort of real policy change. There's still a staffing shortage at a lot of restaurants--even if a restaurant is half empty, if they are running short staffed (and they all are now) it can be a challenge for a kitchen to keep up. In those cases, it might be they don't really have the time to do these kinds of custom adjustments that can't be easily ordered through the computer system.

It's also possible you may just have gotten an untrained server who didn't know what was and wasn't allowed and erred on the side of saying no rather than risk promising something they couldn't delivery. There's also a lot of that going on right now at WDW (see above note re staffing shortage). I was fairly shocked, for example, that when we recently ate at Tusker House, the waitress insisted that we could not order the vegetarian option for just one person in our party, we had to choose meat or meatless for everyone at the table. Of course, she was wrong, and a manager came out and apologized with our one vegetarian meal and explained our server was still training, but yeah, that did hit home to me that there is some patchiness there that is not up to the usual Disney standard.

 

[mmcoleman1]

Never heard the term before today. I’ve no idea what medium rare plus is.

It’s in between medium rare and medium so basically in between the two not quite medium rare and not quite medium.

 

[mmcoleman1]

I'm guessing this probably said more about the staffing and how busy the kitchen was than any sort of real policy change. There's still a staffing shortage at a lot of restaurants--even if a restaurant is half empty, if they are running short staffed (and they all are now) it can be a challenge for a kitchen to keep up. In those cases, it might be they don't really have the time to do these kinds of custom adjustments that can't be easily ordered through the computer system.

It's also possible you may just have gotten an untrained server who didn't know what was and wasn't allowed and erred on the side of saying no rather than risk promising something they couldn't delivery. There's also a lot of that going on right now at WDW (see above note re staffing shortage). I was fairly shocked, for example, that when we recently ate at Tusker House, the waitress insisted that we could not order the vegetarian option for just one person in our party, we had to choose meat or meatless for everyone at the table. Of course, she was wrong, and a manager came out and apologized with our one vegetarian meal and explained our server was still training, but yeah, that did hit home to me that there is some patchiness there that is not up to the usual Disney standard.

That’s exactly what we thought, as like anywhere in the U.S right now it’s staffing issues. I do know however the waiter has been there for quite sometime so I know he wasn’t new. I get the whole staffing situation I just feel like if your spending $244 for a table of 2 that you’re held do a higher standard. We went to the Boathouse asked for the same thing and the waitress had no problem at all when I asked for it to be cooked the same way. The Boathouse meal also was 10 fold better than the Yachtman as well. I’m just posting to let others know just in case you’re deciding on a special place to go, maybe until staffing is up to pre pandemic levels you may want to check out other options, the quality of the steak was also not what it used to be.

 

[5Tulips]

We had our anniversary dinner there at the end of August. It was nothing like we remembered and left very disappointed. I’ll take a steak from Texas Roadhouse over YS any day. Our server was great.

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

We have an ADR for Yachtsman for the night after Thanksgiving only because I've been waiting to hear on Flying Fish. Reading these posts just reaffirmed that we would rather deal with the chaos that will be Disney Springs on Black Friday so we can go to Jaleo instead.

 

[OKW Lover]

It’s in between medium rare and medium so basically in between the two not quite medium rare and not quite medium.

OK, so this brings up another question. Some places I've been to have definitions on their menu of what constitutes various levels of done-ness in their kitchen. Something like "seared, cool red center", "seared, warm pink center", descriptions like that.

This leads me to believe that there are different interpretations of what constitutes each level of doneness. Perhaps the server/chef was trying to understand exactly what the OP was requesting?

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’ve worked, managed, and administered various food establishments in my time; never heard the term” medium rare plus” so perhaps it’s a regionalism. Next time you are in a steakhouse outside of your area you could explain you want a steak based on the minutes it’s cooked and thus get an entree more to your DH’s liking.

Ive eaten at both restaurants and in general prefer the food and service @ Boathouse.

 

[Blondie58]

Have enjoyed visits pre-Covid at YS with no issues. Have eaten across the country at Mortons, Flemings, Wildfire, and Capitol Grills. I have not heard of medium plus nor has DH who is a foodie. I am guessing there may be a "regional reference" here as another poster stated. I think if all is as posted, being told the "chef can't read your mind" is a bit harsh. I always order medium and sometimes if a bit too rare just ask to cook a bit longer. Never a problem or issue and has only been the case once or twice over many years.

 

[Eastern]

It’s in between medium rare and medium so basically in between the two not quite medium rare and not quite medium.

I dunno I think that's setting the Disney cooks up for failure. Right now, I think MR success would be that it's not rare or well done. Our steaks at Steakhouse71 were all ordered MR and were more or less MR, some a little over, some a little under.

 

[Blondie58]

I dunno I think that's setting the Disney cooks up for failure. Right now, I think MR success would be that it's not rare or well done. Our steaks at Steakhouse71 were all ordered MR and were more or less MR, some a little over, some a little under.

I agree. A little flexibility is good. Every cut of meat is not exactly the same and every definition of rare and medium is not "exact;y" the same. I think well done is easy though - cook it until it is tough as leather. lol I hope yur visit to Steakhouse 71 was good. We have reservations in November.

 

[Eastern]

I agree. A little flexibility is good. Every cut of meat is not exactly the same and every definition of rare and medium is not "exact;y" the same. I think well done is easy though - cook it until it is tough as leather. lol I hope yur visit to Steakhouse 71 was good. We have reservations in November.

Yes, everything we ordered was good. Meal pacing was good, not rushed. The manager was checking on everyone multiple times. Read the cocktail menu carefully, the specialty drinks have very particular flavors.

 

[Blondie58]

Yes, everything we ordered was good. Meal pacing was good, not rushed. The manager was checking on everyone multiple times. Read the cocktail menu carefully, the specialty drinks have very particular flavors.

Thank you.

 

[mmcoleman1]

I’ve worked, managed, and administered various food establishments in my time; never heard the term” medium rare plus” so perhaps it’s a regionalism. Next time you are in a steakhouse outside of your area you could explain you want a steak based on the minutes it’s cooked and thus get an entree more to your DH’s liking.

Ive eaten at both restaurants and in general prefer the food and service @ Boathouse.

I originally learned the Medium rare plus from the yachtsman that’s the funny part of all this! I thank everyone for their input on this!

 

[mmcoleman1]

My husband is….picky. He basically only eats steak, so we’ve eaten at most of the well-known high-end steakhouses out there (there are none of those at Disney, BTW). “Plus” added to any cooking temp is well-known among those places, although we didn’t know it either, until a wait person told us about it. Since then, DH has ordered a “medium plus” everywhere and they all know what is is. So if you didn’t know about it, and you like your steak say, between a medium rare and medium, order a medium rare plus! If a Disney place refuses, I guess I’m not shocked, but disappointed. It’s not weird or unusual. Oh! Bull and Bear, just a minute from the parks, DOES have a great steak, just FYI.

I’m so glad one other person has heard of this! I mean the concept isn’t that unusual to me, if u do 6 mins for med and 4 for med rare split the difference to 5 mins it’s not rocket science. I get that steaks can be different thicknesses but if you charge $68 a steak you should know how to cook between 2 temps. I wouldn’t request/expect that from a place that isnt a true “steakhouse.”