Flying Fish — Restaurant in Bay Lake

I'm usually not one to review these places, but I feel I owe it to the server who did an impeccable job that night. Flying Fish Cafe was one of the best dining experiences, I've ever had and a lot of it had to do with our server. Went with my two daughters (6 and 8) and wife on my 40th birthday last week. Reservations for 7:30, seated promptly. Server was Chris. Was probably the only server we had all week who didn't ask "Can I start you guys with some appetizers?", something you'd expect to hear at a Bennigan's in the 80's. Chris got us our drinks, wife and I shared a half bottle of Chateauneuf. When he came back to take our order, my daughter and I were discussing the tuna tartare and sushi roll app, I told him I'd share it with her and he said he would split it for me. So instead of me giving her portions, the chef split it and it looked like we had both ordered our own. Also, I mentioned that on the menu I saw on the website, they had shrimp cocktail, which my wife likes (she's very picky and doesn't eat much). He said that the menu changes every day, but he could have them prepare it for her, no worries. The appetizers were perfect. Now for the entree I ordered the NY strip and red snapper. The sauce on the menu I knew was like Bernaise, but they called it something else so I asked about the sauce. He said it comes with "Bernaise". So there was another plus for the kid. My wife ordered a bolognese pasta. My daughter ordered the pork tenderloin and for my 6 year old we got the Mickey Pasta. Everything was outstanding. Portions were perfect. Food wasn't rushed, but didn't take too long. Just perfect. Our server was there to fill our glasses, but he wasn't hovering. We all shared our meals, everything was amazing. My 8 year old said the red snapper and tuna/sushi app were the best things she had the entire trip. For me, nothing stood out more than the other, I just felt like everything about the food, taste, quality, presentation, was excellent. I can't even say that any course was in my top 5, but the overall experience, it was probably in my top 5 and I've been to hundreds of top rated restaurants. Put it this way, I ate at Fulton's over 20 years ago when it was the Empress Lilly, the highest rated restaurant in Florida.

For dessert my daughters shared the trio of sweets, and my wife and I usually split a dessert. She insisted I chose since it was my birthday. Chris overheard this and brought back both desserts we were contemplating, mine with a candle. I was thinking like dude how did you know it was my birthday? That is the sign of a good waiter - he's not part of your meal. I didn't even notice that he was nearby when we were having this discussion. He explained he had the chef make smaller portions so we weren't charged for both. I left my card out before he brought me the check. Every other server I had last week rushed the check or brought it without me even asking which is so amateurish. I almost forgot, Chris also brought me a glass of the same wine we were drinking toward the end of our meal, when the bottle was dead. Even at the best restaurants here in NJ and NYC, you don't get that kind of competence consistently. Chris is the kind of kid you want running a restaurant. This dude was on point. bill was only 200, tipped 60 cash. Spent almost double this at Fulton's (with in-laws) the next night and that wasn't 1/10th the experience. Even Kona the night before was about the same amount, and wasn't nearly as good. As we were leaving, there was a performer on the boardwalk, who was really good. Kids loved it. Had a nice buzz going, stomach felt great. Kids were happy, wife was happy. What more could you ask for. Anyone going to Disney, Flying Fish is a very safe bet, even if you don't end up with the server we had. Turf Club was also excellent. Next year we hope to finally get res at California Grill. But we'll definitely go...

My sister and I dined at Flying Fish last night for NYE. We've been going to Disney for almost 20 years, yet we've never been to this restaurant before. I hadn't even really noticed it at the Boardwalk prior to booking the reservation. I didn't look up anything online and I didn't really know what to expect.

Upon entry, I was immediately blown away by the restaurant decor. It's a beautiful restaurant. The food is excellent. This is probably one of the best, if not the best, restaurants I've been to at Walt Disney World, so far. Possibly in general. It is my new favorite.

Our server Izzi was amazing. We were lucky to get him and we definitely plan on requesting him in the future if we can. We started with the caviar with accoutrements, and added the bibb salad. If I can remember correctly, I believe the caviar is Ossetra. The salad is large enough to be shared, which is what we did, or, in my opinion, to be eaten as a small entree if that's what you're looking for. To drink, we had some Veuve and an extra dirty gin martini. I requested Gin Mare, which wasn't available, but had Hendrick's instead and it was just as good. The full-service bar is great, too, and the blue cheese stuffed in the olives is super pungent and perfectly salty, just how I like my blue cheese.

We had the sea bass and red snapper entrees. Initially, I couldn't decide between the two fish but I eventually settled on the snapper mainly because I've never had that fish before and wanted to try something new, and it is plated on top of a leek fondue, and I love leeks. My sister had the sea bass which I had a bite of and it was delightful but a little too buttery for my tastes (Izzi did explain to us beforehand that it was very buttery. I don't like butter and my sister loves it, hence why she ordered it and not me). The fried potato around the snapper is thin, crispy, and not greasy at all. Having red snapper for the first time here was a wonderful culinary experience. The presentation for all of the dishes was simple, sophisticated, and aligned with the overall restaurant theme. We finished with the white chocolate and Bavarian cream dessert, but I had to take it home because we were so full. The portions are very sizable and filling and I was stuffed at the end. I haven't tasted the dessert yet but, rest assured, it will be consumed today.

But the real MVPs of the night were the caviar and Izzi. The caviar is...I can't even properly explain it and give it the justice it deserves. Just try it for yourself if you have the chance to. It is worth the money. Once again, Izzi is an amazing server. He takes such pride in his profession and is extremely good at it. Talking with him was like catching up with an old friend we hadn't seen in years. Flying Fish and WDW are lucky to have him. Honorable mention is the bibb salad. It's crazy that I would feel so strongly about a salad, but Disney's version of Green Goddess dressing is out of this world.

If you're a fan of fish and dining experiences with a menu that features different culinary elements that blend together to create a harmonious, cohesive whole, then Flying Fish is highly recommended. It can be expensive and the menu may seem limited to some, but you always have the opportunity to view the options online to determine if the offerings are worth the time and price for you,...

I was brought here for my birthday. I had a hankering for seafood, so reservations were made at this place. The interior is a wonderfully open space with floating glass balls and lights. It felt like you were under the sea, in a way. It was very nice. There was one massively long bench running down the center of the restaurant that turned into booths within the semi-circle of the curved. It was neat.

So I get seated and our server comes over. He's very nice. He was solid the whole evening. He brings us our bread, which was awesome. The butter it was served with had a light sprinkling of crumbled seaweed, for a salty, ocean-like element. I honestly wish there was a lot more seaweed on the butter. It really made it interesting and added a nice flavor.

We split an appetizer, the Local Soft-shell Crab (Blood Orange, Piquant Coulis). It was very small. It was a mistake to share it. Don't worry, I understand the idea of quality over quantity, but I'm still saying, don't share this. It was, however, very delicious. Super crunchy and crabby, added in with the brightness of the blood orange. Very unique. I liked it a lot.

For my entree, I chose the Sardinian Seafood Pasta (Shrimp, Lobster, Scallops, Garden Herbs). The pasta was an orzo-ish pasta, which was something I had never had with seafood before. It was fun. The shrimp and the scallops were cooked absolutely perfectly. The lobster was overcooked, which was a shame. Lobster can be so delicate. But it still tasted good. The whole dish was very light and fresh and it had a tomato-based sauce that tied it all together nicely.

I also got to try the Hokkaido Scallops (Antebellum Grits, Sweet Corn, Peppadew Emulsion). Scallops cooked well. The grits and the corn were also super fun. I really liked the unique pairings this place tried with their seafood. It all worked. It was all good stuff.

For dessert, I got the Cocoa Breach (Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake, Warm Ganache). There were several different layers of textures within the cake, and the ganache on top made the whole thing start to melt. So good. Very decadent. There is no relief from the richness here, so get a coffee.

Overall, I loved it here. It was solid. If you're looking for upscale-ish seafood dining on Disney property, I would recommend this...