We’re coming at you from the brand new Sebastian’s Bistro in Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort!

Named and themed after Sebastian from The Little Mermaid, Sebastian’s Bistro has replaced Shutters as the table service restaurant in Disney World’s Caribbean Beach Resort. This new table service restaurant was created with “island hospitality” in mind in keeping with the theme of the refurbished Moderate Resort.

You’ll find Sebastian’s Bistro in Old Port Royale at the Resort, where you’ll also find the Banana Cabana bar and Centertown Market quick service plus grab-and-go.

But for now, it’s time to turn our attention to Sebastian… because in our favorite crab’s own words, “Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there!”

Atmosphere

Yep, we’re talking about “life under the sea” because nautical elements are key to the atmosphere at Sebastian’s Bistro. It starts with the waterfront position of the restaurant facing Barefoot Bay, the lake which the entirety of the Resort surrounds. You’ll find the Bistro right next door to the newly revamped Banana Cabana.

Blues and greens provide the outer palette.

A short, cheerful walkway invites you inside.

Upon entering, you’ll find the check-in area enhanced with hand-painted beading placed in the background.

And stepping in further, that’s when you’ll really get to experience some of those “under the sea” vibes!

“Just look at the world around you” and take in some of the theming, with pops of various shades of blue throughout the well-lit space.

Be sure to look up at the beams to catch more of the colorful accents!

The chairs themselves play a role in lending to the feel of the place.

There’s even a bit of a coastal-home look which gives the spot an “at home” feel.

And the artwork also serves to remind of your host with the most!

Something else that definitely sets the scene is the fun background music — you may hear Sebastian crooning while you dine!

Let’s take one more look at the little guy before diving into the menu!

Eats

Latin and Caribbean flavors

are featured on the menu at Sebastian’s Bistro! Our first visit was for lunch, but Appetizers are similar to what you will find at dinner. (You’ll also find all of these options at Banana Cabana, where we had the Marauders Snack, the Conch Fritters, and the Caribbean Pull-Apart Rolls.)

See our review of Banana Cabana’s appetizers and drinks here!

Lunch offers an array of Sandwiches, including two vegan options.

The Island Curry “Eggless” Salad Sandwich, for instance, is a scrambled tofu that’s whipped to give the consistency of eggs. It’s topped with apple slices, squash, and a vegan mayo.

You’ll also find Lunch Mains, including the Grilled Skirt Steak “Chimichurri” which is also served during dinner.

We’ll include the Dessert menu a little bit later. But in the meantime, here’s a look at the Specialty Cocktails.

And some “mocktails” and other non-alcoholic beverages, while we’re at it!

Other choices include beer, wine, and — what else? — rum!

For starters, we chose the Jamaican Meat Pies and the Crab Cake.

The Crab Cake is plated with a watercress salad and spicy herb mayonnaise.

The crab cake is totally packed with crab meat with very little in the way of filler, so it has a very naturally rich flavor.

The accompanying spicy herb mayonnaise was a pleasant surprise, too. It has a tasty pickle acidity and carries a decent kick.

The Jamaican Meat Pies are served with Guajilo chili sauce for dipping.

These weren’t as memorable as the crab cake, but they were nicely seasoned and not too greasy.

The Crab Cake-Topped Burger from the Sandwich options is further topped with lettuce, tomato, and horseradish mayo, with some onion and pickle plated on the side.

Any sandwich comes with your choice of French Fries, Jicama Slaw, or — our choice — some yummy Sweet Potato Fries.

Let’s start with the good news about the Crab Cake-Topped Burger…

The Crab Cake itself was, once again, great! But the burger itself wasn’t very well-seasoned — pretty much all the flavor came from the crab cake. That said, at least the burger wasn’t cooked to oblivion!

So, I’d say if you really want the Crab Cake here, just go for it as the appetizer.

From the Lunch Mains we went with the Jerk Chicken Salad.

The veggies of the salad were pretty much what you’d expect — your basic mixed greens. Also in the mix were black beans, avocado, and pumpkin seeds for some texture variety. The jerk chicken itself was terrific — not overdone or chewy — and with a good mix of spice.

The dish is topped with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, but the cilantro wasn’t at all pronounced. The lime, on the other hand, was definitely the stronger flavor and it went wonderfully with the chicken.

And for dessert?

We chose Mile Marker Zero!

These chocolate-covered iced key lime pops are dusted with sea salt and plated with a tropical fruit sauce.

Not only is this dessert fun, it’s also super tasty — like, surprisingly so. Just look inside!

Tart, sweet, and rich — it’s a great treat. And while the tropical fruit sauce was good even on its own, I didn’t think the plate really needed it. It was a really nice ending to our first visit to Sebastian’s Bistro.

Nosh or Not?

You’ll want to visit Sebastian’s Bistro if:

• You’d love to check out the newly refurbished Caribbean Beach Resort and having an Advance Dining Reservation here gives you a great reason to do exactly that!
• You’re a guest at Caribbean Beach Resort and want a bit of a cozy, relaxing respite within the Resort’s main area.
• You’re drawn to the new menu and some its more unique offerings, like the vegan dishes or fun desserts.

You’ll want to pass by Sebastian’s Bistro if:

• You’re spending a lot of time at the newly redesigned Banana Cabana (can’t say we blame you!) and you know you can grab the full Sebastian’s menu there, if you’d like.
• Caribbean Beach Resort is simply not a convenient destination during your Disney World trip.

Overall

I really think Sebastian’s Bistro is a nice addition to the impressive renovations that have taken place at Caribbean Beach Resort. The look and feel of the place is much more pleasing that its predecessor, Shutters. However, I can’t say I would go out of my way to dine here if I wasn’t staying at the resort.

That said, I still think it’s a great option for the Resort’s guests due to its more unique and thoughtful menu and pleasing atmosphere.

Advance Dining Reservations are available for Sebastian’s Bistro (and they were also accommodating walk-ins during our trip). The Disney Dining Plan is accepted, requiring one Table Service credit.

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Will you be dining at Sebastian’s Bistro? Please let us know with a comment!