Boardwalk/BC & YC/Swan Dolphin dining

[hereforthechurros]

We’ve never set foot in this area and need suggestions: what’s your favorite lounge in this area and what’s your favorite dinner spot?

 

[SinCityMMAFan]

Lounge - AbracadaBar at the Boardwalk

Dinner Spot- Shula's Steakhouse at the Dolphin

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Another vote for Shula's - best restaurant on WDW property!

 

[LMO429]

We just spent 10 nights over at the Beach Club. Our favorite meal of that entire week was at Shula's. From the food to the service everything was perfect! We even had our 3 year old with us and he loved it as well.

We also enjoyed Flying Fish and IL Mulino

and Trattoria Character Breakfast was wonderful as well.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Bellevue Lounge in the Boardwalk - specifically, sitting on the porch - is my favorite lounge. I also enjoy Crews Cup and Ale & Compass. Bellevue and Crews Cup don’t open until later in the day but A&C opens at noon.

My favorite restaurant is Bluezoo in the Swan. They have a nice lounge too where you can order full menu or a separate lounge menu. Also really like Flying Fish ( no lounge but fun bar to sit at).

 

[chris benton]

Sushi at Kimonos at Swan is a hidden gem. No more expensive than your neighborhood sushi spot (for standard nigiri,) and just as good. This makes it a bargain considering you're in a hotel at Wallyworld. If I'm in WDW for more than four days, I'm probably going to Kimonos twice. If they were open for lunch, I'd go more. Hidden bargain.

Dolphin's newish "Fuel" has some stellar hot sandwiches.

Ample Hills on the Boardwalk if you like ice cream that is clearly not good for you, but doesn't have 6 syllable words in it.

 

[gharter]

Lounge either Bellevue Lounge in the Boardwalk, its quiet, Abracadabar on Boardwalk is fun.
Restaurant - lots of good choices, really like Flying Fish, Il Mulino at the Swan IMHO is the best Italian at WDW. BlueZoo at the Dolphin may be the best seafood. Have not tried Shulas.
Agree with Ample Hills for really good ice cream. They don't have the buzz that Beaches and Cream has, but the Ice Cream is better and more flavors.

 

[kastoney]

Another fan of Abracadabar. They have some truly unique libations in a fun atmosphere but note they don't have food. From a dining experience Flying Fish is definitely our favorite with Yachtsman being a close second.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Another fan of Abracadabar. They have some truly unique libations in a fun atmosphere but note they don't have food. From a dining experience Flying Fish is definitely our favorite with Yachtsman being a close second.

Is Abracadabar kid friendly?

Yachtsman and Shula’s both sound great just worried my five year old son won’t feel the same way

 

[kastoney]

Is Abracadabar kid friendly?

Yachtsman and Shula’s both sound great just worried my five year old son won’t feel the same way

Abracadabar is definitely more an actual bar and not all that kid friendly. We haven't done Shula's, but we've been taking my daughter to Yachtsman since she was 3 or 4 and have had no issues. Now she and I generally share all of our meals but all of the Disney signatures are certainly kid friendly.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Is Abracadabar kid friendly?

Yachtsman and Shula’s both sound great just worried my five year old son won’t feel the same way

Shula's is certainly kid friendly. As for your son, the little guys in our family love the fact that the menu is on an actual football!

 

[gharter]

Is Abracadabar kid friendly?

Yachtsman and Shula’s both sound great just worried my five year old son won’t feel the same way

I would agree that Abracadabar inside ins not really kid friendly. They have a large outside area that is fun to watch the boardwalk area.
We took our kids to Flying Fish multiple times when they were younger and really enjoyed it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My favorite dining spot so far in that area is Flying Fish. Could eat there any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Our forthcoming adult trip, we'll be eating at the bar at Shula's; hope the constant enthusiasm on this site lives up to my expectations.

Yachtsman was OK but nothing out of this world special. Keep in mind I've eaten at similar restaurants in New England before so maybe I can only do the ambiance there, LOL. Certainly children friendly and my traveling kiddos would be happy to return.

Ale and Compass didn't "touch" me. I guess I was done when I ordered lobster and corn chowder and it had potatos in it. They were very gracious about allowing me to order something else (fish and chips) however I prefer the version made at Yorkshire County Shop in Epcot.

Not a fan of most buffet restaurants so bypassed Cape May although we did do a walk through. A bit loud but the hotel dishes were constantly refilled and folks looked happy to be there.

I've never visited a bar with DGD so can say nothing about Abracadbra to date. Maybe we'll hit it up this december since she won't be w/ us. Looks like fun.

ESPN Club has no appeal for me so I just walk by it with the man looking wistful.

I'll prolly never eat at Il Mulino or the Tratorria place as the man and I eat Italian in our at home city unless we are traveling w/ DGD.

All I can think of .

 

[JZCubed]

We’ve never set foot in this area and need suggestions: what’s your favorite lounge in this area and what’s your favorite dinner spot?

Favorite Lounge may be the lobby in newly (little more than 1-year) designed Dolphin. Big bar, plenty of seats, and frequently they have live music.

The Signatures at Swan & Dolphin each have lounge areas that are accommodating, yet slightly different. And since my tastes may not be yours, just walk through each......

My favorite restaurant is BlueZoo, but the bar area and marginally separate lounge can be noisy and feel-dark. Always amazes me that the sound does not 'bleed' into the main dining room. But this may be the only place on property that has choices for grilled whole fish....even served at the bar.

Il Mulino has a long bar that you can see from their front door. Some nights they have live piano player. It's not noisy and it's well lit.

Shula's served me one of the best steaks I have ever had. While the wood-paneled walls decorated with football memorabilia is (mostly) tastefully done, it may not appeal to every person. But my wife has enjoyed more than her fair share of the amazing chocolate souffle in the lounge (when our baby was too young to be out so late).

Some bar menus are included:
https://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/

 

[Pookie9922]

Last week we ate at the Garden Grove at the Swan and were happy with it. It wasn't wow but it was good. We picked it because it was a fairly low-priced buffet (plus has a AAA discount), it had a character meet & greet (Pluto and Goofy) and it had food that I knew our kids would eat (they're picky).

The walk-up pizza place on the boardwalk was very very good. Ample Hills (Ooey Gooey Butter cake ice cream!) was amazing. We also had Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake at the Liberty Tree Tavern in MK and I think the ice cream at Ample Hills was far better!

 

[100acreHiker]

We love Bellevue as it's quiet and comfortable. For dining, Il Mulino was excellent; can't wait to go back.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I would agree that Abracadabar inside ins not really kid friendly. They have a large outside area that is fun to watch the boardwalk area.
We took our kids to Flying Fish multiple times when they were younger and really enjoyed it.

Good to know. We will save that place for when the dude and I can enjoy it on our own

 

[heidijanesmith]

I am not a huge buffet type person, but we really like the Cape May Seafood Buffet for dinner.

The food is always plentiful, hot and many options. It's a must for us.

We love people watching on the boardwalk, so we try and grab a seat outside at the Big River Brewery.

 

[SwanVT2]

Tratorria Al forna is better than il mulino we thought. Less pricey too. They make their own pasta! Kimonos in the Swan has the best sushi on property! Both are super kid friendly

 

[ClapYourHands]

Last week we ate at the Garden Grove at the Swan and were happy with it. It wasn't wow but it was good. We picked it because it was a fairly low-priced buffet (plus has a AAA discount), it had a character meet & greet (Pluto and Goofy) and it had food that I knew our kids would eat (they're picky).

The walk-up pizza place on the boardwalk was very very good. Ample Hills (Ooey Gooey Butter cake ice cream!) was amazing. We also had Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake at the Liberty Tree Tavern in MK and I think the ice cream at Ample Hills was far better!

Garden Grove at the Swan is the lowest priced character meal at Disney. Granted, it doesn't have as many characters as some of the others, but we just walked in on a Sunday morning, were seated immediately with no reservation, and met Minnie and Goofy while eating a decent breakfast buffet.