With so many new (and not-so-new, but still greatly loved) dining experiences in Disney Springs, it can be tough to decide where to make your precious Advance Dining Reservations.
So on a recent visit to Disney Springs, I checked out Paddlefish — this time in the dining room (as opposed to the top deck bar) to get an overview of some of the menu’s most popular items. And while most of it was good, some of it was great (and one item — spoiler alert! — was just bad).
Paddlefish is a brand new restaurant in an old, established building. You’ll recall that Fulton’s Crab House used to reside here, in the docked, multi-storied Empress Lily on Lake Buena Vista; and actually this spot has been a restaurant since 1977. When Paddlefish opened, guests were greeted with a combination of old and new. Neutral and trendy gray paint gave the restaurant a streamlined look, but some details of old remained, like brass railings and the fabulous sternwheel.
So what do you say? Shall we paddle in?
Paddlefish
Atmosphere
The first floor bar at Paddlefish is a beautiful space, with its curved, recessed ceiling, wall of windows, and various seating arrangements. Definitely a comfortable place to grab a drink or two!
First Floor Bar
Tables are also available on the second floor, which continues the industrial-meets-seafaring theme and incorporates more windows so guests can drink in aaallllll the views.
T Seating
Seriously. Every seat has a great view — even if you’re not right by a window. You might even catch sight of an Amphicar from The Boathouse bubbling by!
Amphicar
And the bright design details with white chairs and light paint help to create a breezy atmosphere.
Paddlefish Dining Room
Table settings feature a neutral color scheme and shiny glassware. It’s elegant without being stuffy.
Paddlefish Table Setting
It’s a beautiful environment in which to dine. So, let’s do this!
Eats
The drink menu at Paddlefish is fairly extensive. And while the seasonal Dark and Smoky is gone, guests can find plenty of options to satisfy every grown up diner.
Drink Menu
My friend and I wanted to give the Southern Sangria another try on this visit. The combination of Medley Bros. Bourbon, Peach Liqueur, Tempranillo, and Seasonal Fruit is as delicious as it is lovely to look at. Plus, it packed a nice punch!
Southern Sangria
The Prohibition Mai Tai is a refreshing combination of Scarlet Ibis, Orgeat (a sweet syrup of almond, sugar, and rose or orange flower water), Banana Liqueur, Fresh Lime, Scrappy Orleans Bitters, and an Amarena Cherry. It’s fruity, but dense, while still being strong.
Prohibition Mai Tai
With the drinks came some warm pull-apart bread with whipped seasoned butter.
Bread
The menu is pretty darn big, too, with options from sea and land.
Menu
I started my meal with a massive bang: Lobster Corn Dogs! The corn meal breading on the dogs has tremendous flavor, but the pepper sauce is totally killer! It’s not overly hot, but it is super flavorful.
Lobster Corn Dogs
In my opinion, the Lobster Corn Dogs are the best thing on the menu!
My dining companion and I also tried the Crab Fries. These are Skin-on Potatoes, Lump Blue Crab, and Louie Dressing (mayo with red chili sauce, green onions, and minced green chili peppers). The dressing has a nice kick to it, and there was oodles of crab meat. It’s kind of a seafood version of poutine, which is pretty brilliant.
This is a signature item for Paddlefish — you’ll see it all the time on their instagram account — and it’s good; but those lobster corn dogs are better.
Crab Fries
My friend ordered the Market Catch of the Day, which on this visit was Mahi Mahi.
Market Catch
The fish was cooked perfectly and rested on a bed of rice. The slaw on top was a fresh counterpoint to the savory components. This was my companion’s favorite dish of the day.
Market Catch — Mahi Mahi
The Shrimp and Grits were fine, but not outstanding. Cheddar Grits provide a pillowy base for the (noticeably few) Shrimp and a Spicy Black Pepper-Butter Sauce. The sauce was tasty, but I wouldn’t go back for this dish.
Shrimp and Grits
The Burger (yep, that’s the proper name) at Paddlefish is great — the best of the entrees, actually, in my opinion. Maybe it’s the Pimento Cheese. But then, you know me and pimento cheese… .
The Burger
The Burger is served on a beautiful Brioche Bun (I’m not the only one who thinks bread is beautiful, right?) and comes with Pickles, Red Onion, and a creamy slathering of that Pimento Cheese.
The Burger
The nine-ounce burger (a proprietary blend of cuts) was cooked exactly to my specifications. It was juicy, flavorful and carried the components deliciously. Seriously good.
Cross-Section of The Burger
We tried a side of a traditional Louisiana dish called Maque Choux. This is a warm and satisfying combination of Roasted Corn, Roasted Red Pepper, Onion, Cream, and Hot Sauce. You can’t really go wrong with those ingredients, can you? And this was tasty!
Maque Choux
The last savory option of the day was the side of Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Diners have raved about it ever since Paddlefish opened last year, so I figured I should give it another shot. But this was my second time trying it, and I just can’t get into it. There’s something in the five-cheese blend that does not work for me, and it’s simply not creamy and gooey enough for my liking.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Desserts at Paddlefish are hit-or-miss, so I wanted to give a fair shot to a few of them.
Dessert Menu
Let’s get the worst out of the way first: Charred Carrot Cake. I know, I know: I never thought I would meet a carrot cake I couldn’t love. But this one… frankly, it’s been completely underwhelming both times I’ve tried it.
Charred Carrot Cake
The cake itself is made with Caramelized Carrot Puree, and it’s just a block of dry, chunky… blah. The frosting is a Cream Cheese Mousse that can’t save the cake. On the side is a White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Mousse with Fried Carrots (huh?) and Shortbread Crumble. The whole thing is a hard pass.
The Chocolate-Bourbon-Pecan Tart came highly recommended, but mine was dry and waaaay too smoky from the bourbon. The Bacon garnish is tasty in the Whipped Cream, but the rest didn’t work for me. (I do like the presentation, though.)
Chocolate – Bourbon – Pecan Tart
Even the best dessert of the night isn’t going to knock off anyone’s socks, but if you’re determined to eat dessert here, I recommend the Key Lime Pie. It’s SUPER tart, which I love. The toasted Meringue was a light partner to the rich Key Lime filling.
Key Lime Pie
Now you may have already seen the signature Paddlefish brownie milkshake. It’s intensely photogenic:
Brownie Milkshake
Like, stunning.
Brownie milkshake
But, again, this dessert just didn’t do it for me. I know it’s the trend to blend baked goods into your milkshake these days, but all of those brownie crumbs in there just made it feel like there was a forgotten, soggy brownie in my shake — and the texture was like having coffee grounds in your milk. Not a good thing IMO.
So, I guess the Paddlefish dessert menu just isn’t for me at the moment.
But, there you have it… the highlights, the lowlights, and everything in between.
Nosh or Not?
Make an ADR for Paddlefish (or stop into the rooftop bar without a reservation!) if:
- You love seafood and want to check out this iconic Disney seafood restaurant.
- The idea of Lobster Corn Dogs is too compelling to ignore. (Follow your instincts!)
- You’re drawn to the unique views of Disney Springs that Paddlefish offers and want to dine in a quietly elegant setting.
Skip Paddlefish if:
- You’re not a big fan of seafood (though the burger is great).
- There are too many other new places you want to try.
- You would rather spend your time browsing in World of Disney than sitting for a Table Service meal.
Overall
Paddlefish has a lot going for it. The location can’t be beat, with sweeping views of Disney Springs and the lake. And the food is pretty good across the board (with the exception of those desserts…). If you’re looking for seafood in Disney Springs, this is still one of your best bets. But with so many other options that are outstanding (Homecomin’ fried chicken, Morimoto wagyu beef!!!), it’ll be hard for us to justify coming back more than once a year or so.
What’s your favorite new Disney Springs dining experience? Let us know in the comments!
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WoW. So disappointed. Where to begin.
First off, inside looks like a high school cafeteria, especially when one can remember how grand the original, The Empress Lilly looked in the day.
Second, prices are OUTRAGEOUS. $ 30 for shrimp & grits.
Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Pinot Noir is $ 20. I paid $ 14 at Mizner’s and the same at the California Grill just this past Christmas. That’s a 43% upcharge. I have the receipts!!!!
The place, to me, doesn’t resemble any kind of a boat. Sad, but the industrialized, de-Disney look is spreading.
Have you seen the new Yacht Club rooms??? If someone just took you into a room there, you’d be hard-pressed to know your actually at DisneyWorld.
I liked Paddlefish a lot, but the price keeps me from going very often. I like simple, so the scallops did it for me. And I loved the rooftop bar with the “Not Everyone’s Margarita” (I think that’s the name) if they still have it. Has a little kick from Jalapeno, and it’s not what you think!
Eat there in September. Worse meal we had in a while. My wife order was not cooked. Waitress did not offer another meal or to remove it from the bill. On the way out the manager asked about the meal. After I explained what happened she asked me to wait a minute she would see what she could do. After 20 minutes she never returned and could not be found by the hostess. The worse experience in years
I don’t know why, but it’s been very hard to leave a message on your blog as the printing lags so much. I don’t have a problem anywhere else!?!? Anyway, good report. Why mess up good simple food? I can’t even see where a good milkshake needs pastries or caramel corn! I do love seafood, but cooked simply with butter and salt!
Essie,
I have the same issue. I thought it was my computer.
Frank, that is exactly what I’ve been trying to put into words when I see some of the new restaurants, ie Maria and Enzo’s-an industrialized de-Disney look. There are better places to get seafood or fresh fish on the property. This is a hard pass for me.
We stumbled upon Paddlefish last month. We loved it and can’t wait to go back. The crab cake appetizer was amazing and my husband, who doesn’t usually eat them, ranted and raved about it. I’ll be sure to try lobster guac next time. Server was friendly and attentive, however, it did take a bit to get our food.
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Paddlefish four months ago. Agree completely on the awesomeness of the Lobster Corn Dogs. Great food overall!
But we skipped the disappointingly sterile dining room and ate on the fantastic rooftop lounge.
I hate to agree, but leaving a comment really is a nightmare because of the print lag.
Hopefully this site can get some tech help with that..
AJ, several people have commented about system problems. I agree typing this was a chore and loading is now super slow. I appreciate you need to make a buck, but pop ups are killing this site.
My husband and I absolutely loved Paddlefish. I would eat their crab ceviche and lobster guacamole every day if I could. In addition, we had a water-view table, and our server was phenomenal. Excellent experience for us!
Mark — Thank you SO much for your comment. I sent you an email to get further information from you.
Jeff — Thanks so much for letting us know about the comment issue. We’ll look into it. If you continue to have trouble, please let me know at AJ @ disneyfoodblog.com
Essie and Frank — Hi my friends 🙂 Thank you for commenting about the…comments ha!…being slow. We’ll definitely look into it. As always I appreciate you and am so grateful to see you so often here on DFB.
Frank — I HATE THE NEW YACHT CLUB ROOMS!!!! That is all.
My husband & I ate at Paddlefish this past May & were very disappointed. We were seated in the large dining room with a lot of large groups. We asked to be moved to another area that would be a little quieter. Told us nothing was available, but there were a lot of empty tables in other areas.
Children yelling & running all around. Our meals were subpar & this is one place we won’t hurry back to.
We’ll take Narcoosee’s any day!
Hey! Thanks again for the info and insight. I was planning to skip this one, but the Lobster Corn Dogs have me intrigued. I’ll be solo for at least part of my next stay at WDW, and I was wondering if the menu items are available at the bar? I can definitely picture sitting at a bar and having a cocktail, some lobster corn dogs and maybe a cup of chowder without having to indulge in a whole huge meal sans companionship. Also, is it still super duper loud? I only went to Fulton’s once and it was so loud that my dinner companions and I could not even have a conversation without shouting and I had a headache by the time we left.
(Just on a nostalgia note, I remember going to a character meal as a kid on the Empress Lily and there was a huge, colorful archway of Mickey balloons. It’s one of my earliest Disney memories and it seemed like the most magical thing in the world!)
Amy, the Lobster Corn Dogs are on the Paddlefish Lounge Menu — so you’re in luck! You can always inquire about getting the full menu in the Lounge. AJ reports that she hasn’t noticed the restaurant is abnormally loud, so hopefully it’ll be more enjoyable for you!
Dinner for 2 June14,2019. Disaster. Scallops came out raw. Truly. Haddock special cool but the cauliflower puree was cold! Not surprising as the plate was cold. Very pricey. Very industrial atmosphere. Plus very cold food. Not a keeper.