Flying Fish Review

Flying Fish is a signature dining restaurant located at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort. The restaurant specializes in premium seafood and oak-grilled steak selections. While some menu items change seasonally, guests can expect a selection of staple dishes like the New York strip steak and the potato-wrapped red snapper. We tried both on this visit, among a few other classics.

In this review of Flying Fish, we’ll share our experience dining here and what to expect. You may remember that we recently moved this restaurant to the top of our rankings for best signature dining restaurant at Disney World. As much as I hate to spoil the review early on, it’s just that good, especially if you have a love of seafood.

Flying Fish sits on the corner of Disney’s Boardwalk between the resort’s green lawn and Abracadabar. The restaurant shares an open area inside that connects to the magic-themed bar. However, Flying Fish is considerably more formal with a modern, contemporary feel. The interior offers that kind of black-and-white look with a true blue pop of color. The most attention-drawing feature is the restaurant’s light fixtures. Some look like clear bubbles from under the depths of the ocean. The centerpiece features a myriad of tiny glass fish appearing as though they are swimming like a school through the ocean.

We started with the restaurant’s complimentary bread service, which was served with a soft chive butter sprinkled with sea salt. It was a nice start to the meal.

Two of the couples in our party shared appetizers and an entree, and they ordered an extra side salad. The salad pictured below was not on the menu, but you can ask about options if you decide to go that route.

Here is one of those appetizers, the slow-roasted pork belly, which comes with braised greens, crispy cornbread, Cannellini beans, and Espellete-spiced honey. I didn’t get a chance to try this dish, but it was well-received. It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the cornbread and beans are stacked in layers underneath the pork belly. The meat itself was topped with the honey sauce.

Next, we have the shrimp cocktail, which was fresh and delicious. Per the menu, the jumbo shrimp were white-wine poached. A salad made from Palm Hearts rests delicately underneath. The house-made cocktail sauce had a nice flavor. This was not my order, but it’s an appetizer I would reorder on a future visit.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity to try the Chilean Sea Bass, but I think that most would agree that it was one of the most stunning presentations of the night. The fish is crusted with fork-crushed potatoes and served in a dill beurre blanc sauce. A selection of seasonal vegetables accompanies the dish. Ours even has a squash blossom and a crispy bite of pastry that was cut to look like coral.

Someone else in our party went with the char-crusted New York Strip, which is the restaurant’s signature steak. It is served on a Mille-Feuille Potato Gratin with Haricot Verts and a Béarnaise Sauce. If you’re looking for a good steak, look no further.

My friend Jody sat to my right, and she ordered the Plancha-seared scallops. This was another visually appealing dish, especially with the vibrant Peppadew emulsion. I am not a fan of the texture of scallops, so you’re on your own if you want to try them. Jody would tell you that she was very happy with her selection. I think visually, the dish sells itself. While I didn’t try a bite of every single dish, I also think it’s notable that there wasn’t a complaint from anyone the entire evening.

As far as the scallops, they come served on a bed of savory grits with sweet corn and a Vermouth-Peppadew emulsion. For reference, Peppadews are smaller red-orange or yellow peppers that offer a hint of heat blended with a mild sweetness.

My friend Jill and I were both going back and forth between the salmon and the snapper. Since the snapper is the restaurant’s signature fish dish, I kind of felt like I should order it for this review. So she agreed to order the salmon and split it with me in exchange for a share in the snapper. When our snapper was delivered, it was sitting to one side of the plate. The server then did a little tableside presentation where she poured a broth in the center of the dish.

Like its name, the Ash-crusted salmon comes with a crispy skin top. It sits on a bed of Ruby Beet risotto with a horseradish gremolata and compressed baby fennel. We both enjoyed this dish, but inevitably, it was hard to deny that the snapper was truly the star of the night.

So before ordering, our server did an incredible job discussing all of the items our group was considering. She mentioned right away that the snapper was “the signature fish dish” on the menu. She cautioned that most people love it, but that it was not at all what they expected. After trying it, I knew exactly what she meant. The potato-wrapped red snapper is comfort food. It’s kind of like eating a big bowl of homemade mac-and-cheese on a cold winter’s day. It’s not a dainty dish at all, and I was so glad that I ordered it. The leek fondue mixed with the Cassis-red wine reduction was fabulous, and it complemented the fish so well. I also loved the crusty texture of the potatoes next to the softer texture of the fish. It was so yummy.

By the end of the meal, the server asked what we thought. Jill and I both agreed that the snapper was the winner if we had to choose. However, neither of us had any complaints about the salmon. If we had not tried the snapper, we would have still had an incredible meal and been happy with what we ordered. Let’s face it. It’s pretty rare to feel that way about multiple dishes at the same restaurant.

Ultimately, we had a wonderful time, and the service we received was just as much a part of it as anything else. We had a primary server who guided us through the meal, and we were constantly attended to by a few others who would make sure our beverages and bread basket were kept full throughout the meal.

If you’re considering a meal at Flying Fish, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure reservations. For more on dining in this area, see our guide to Disney’s BoardWalk Restaurants. Or you might like to browse our list of Disney World Restaurant Reviews.

In the Comments

Have you ever dined at Flying Fish? Did you find our review helpful? Let us know in the comments below.