EPCOT is broadly considered Walt Disney World’s “foodie park” thanks largely to World Showcase, which some followers contemplate the culinary capital of WDW. Unpopular opinion, however we view this repute is essentially overblown. This isn’t to say EPCOT’s eating places are unhealthy, simply barely overrated.
To make certain, EPCOT does have a formidable meals lineup and the perpetual festivals contribute to that. If going by the sheer variety of choices which can be above-average, EPCOT is the #1 meals park at Walt Disney World. Nonetheless, we’d argue that many (if not most) of those are nothing particular as soon as the novelty has worn off. Good-to-great choices for first timers, however when you’ve been a number of instances–or can examine them to previous variations of the identical spots–they begin dropping their luster.
There are a number of true top-tier standouts, with Takumi-Tei and Monsieur Paul being among the many prime 3 eating places in all of Walt Disney World. Le Cellier has additionally made a comeback lately and is likely one of the higher steakhouses as soon as once more. One drawback is time. The primary two meals are multi-hour affairs, and even Le Cellier is time-consuming. That is in all probability a great factor given the costs, that are the second drawback. Takumi-Tei and Monsieur Paul will set you again no less than $200 per individual, and it’s laborious to get out the door at Le Cellier with out dropping $100 a head.
If I didn’t must pay the invoice on the finish, I’d do each single EPCOT meal at a kind of three eating places. Perhaps with the occasional cease on the different desk service eating places within the Japan and France pavilions, however even these might be hit and miss. Don’t get us flawed, we nonetheless love consuming our approach round EPCOT, however it’s normally for meals sales space favorites–the standard of the perfect dishes has improved through the years and worth for cash has really improved “thanks” to inflation and better restaurant menu costs.
Suffice to say, there’s a cause why By way of Napoli and Area 220 are the culinary representatives of EPCOT on our record of the 25 Finest Eating places at Walt Disney World in 2025. Nobody goes to accuse both of these of being the top of WDW eating, however they provide reliably enjoyable and unbelievable experiences together with largely good delicacies.
Anyway, that is all a long-winded setup to elucidate why we really do most of our EPCOT day meals outdoors of EPCOT when there isn’t one thing to be accomplished “for the sake of analysis” or an ongoing competition. If it’s only a meal for enjoyable, we normally look past World Showcase and head out the Worldwide Gateway exit.
That is doubly true once I’m touring solo. In all my years of doing this, I nonetheless haven’t gotten utterly snug eating alone in lots of high-profile desk service eating places–particularly within the parks. Most likely an insecurity that’s all in my head, however it’s there, nonetheless. What I’ve discovered is that the non-Signature resort eating places are far more laid again, are inclined to see extra solo vacationers (conventioneers), and are simply usually extra engaging to me.
Enter my new favourite (once more) restaurant within the EPCOT space: Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort.
Longtime readers may recall that Crew’s Cup Lounge was considered one of our favourite eating spots in all of Walt Disney World. There was a time once we dined right here greater than some other restaurant at Walt Disney World, save for maybe Sunshine Seasons and Cosmic Ray’s. That ought to let you know simply how far we’re going again–it was earlier than the opening of Ale & Compass across the nook.
Issues modified some time in the past. The deceptively easy however shockingly scrumptious burger that we liked a lot was changed. The alternative, whereas nonetheless good, acquired progressively dearer. To the purpose that we questioned why we have been paying a premium for an only-okay burger when numerous higher choices existed.
Equally as vital, we grew to become reluctant followers of Ale & Compass. The menu there improved and our opinion of the inside softened. It together with Trattoria al Forno proved to be glorious mid-tier desk service eating places within the Crescent Lake space. Similar goes for nearly a half-dozen choices over on the Swolphin. (I can’t assist however give a little bit of side-eye when followers bemoan the dearth of high quality sit-down eating choices at Crescent Lake. They’re considerable. It’s counter service that’s the difficulty.)
In any case, we lastly returned to Crew’s Cup following a menu overhaul in early 2020. Minus an underwhelming “fancy” scorching canine, the brand new menu was sturdy. Crew’s Cup was a champion as soon as once more! However we by no means acquired round to publishing a evaluation resulting from, ahem, intervening externalities.
Quick-forward one other ~5 years, and Crew’s Cup menu is as soon as once more formidable. So I headed out to see whether or not my favourite meal from that final overhaul that had been restored nonetheless lived as much as my reminiscences, or if nostalgia was clouding my judgment.
That is already lengthy, so I’m going to dig proper into the primary course earlier than working backwards with feedback on the inside and ambiance of Crew’s Cup Lounge…
My new favourite EPCOT meal is the Prime Rib Sliders at Crew’s Cup Lounge. Once more.
This combines Yachtsman Steakhouse’s signature Onion Rolls piled excessive with Prime Rib together with horseradish cream and au jus on the facet. They’re served with Home-made Chips.
The ‘backstory’ on the sliders is mainly the Walt Disney World culinary equal of a late night time kitchen raid. The cooks at Yachtsman Steakhouse mixed their iconic pull-apart onion rolls with prime rib on a lark and, voilà, it grew to become an instant-favorite of the Forged Members. If you happen to’ve ever had the signature rolls or the prime rib at Yachtsman Steakhouse, you may think about how this tastes.
The Prime Rib Sliders at Crew’s Cup Lounge have rapidly develop into a fan favourite for a similar causes. Surely, the entire is inexplicably higher than the sum of its scrumptious elements.
The onion rolls are one of many prime 3 bread companies in all of Walt Disney World, proper up there with Sanaa and Sebastian’s Bistro. They’re dense, buttery, and flaky, permitting you to peel off their layers…like an onion! We order these each time we dine at Yachtsman Steakhouse, and I used to be tempted to get a standalone order of them at Crew’s Cup Lounge, too.
The prime rib is equally unbelievable. It’s tender, thinly-sliced (however not shaved), and served heat. The meat is juicy and has the right quantity of fats for taste. This combo alone is a top quality and scrumptious one-two punch, and the sliders could be unbelievable with out anything.
The additionally glorious horseradish cream actually places them excessive, although.
All it takes is a lightweight quantity to reinforce the flavour of the already glorious meat and onion rolls. You don’t wish to get too heavy-handed, as a result of the prime rib and roll ought to have the starring position. (Get it? Talking of which, we actually miss Starring Rolls Cafe. One other factor to carry again, Disney.)
The au jus was fantastic. I’ve zero complaints about it, however felt it didn’t add as a lot because the horseradish; the 2 collectively have been an excessive amount of. For the sake of analysis, I additionally examined the Black Garlic Aïoli with the Prime Rib Sliders. That is glorious on just about every little thing, however I discovered it to be a tad an excessive amount of right here. Once more, the onion rolls and prime rib are so good on their very own that you simply actually don’t need something getting in the way in which of that.
Talking of which, the Prime Rib Sliders are served with the house-made chips, that are additionally a stand-alone menu merchandise (Home-made Chips with Smoked Paprika Salt and served with Black Garlic Aïoli).
These have been tasty, however nothing to write down house about. At greatest, a slight improve to the pretty normal house-made chips served round Walt Disney World.
The problem, from my perspective, was that the chips paired with the Black Garlic Aïoli have been simply an excessive amount of. And I say this as somebody who loves Black Garlic Aïoli. It didn’t assist that my chips have been bathed in that smoked paprika salt.
However, the Truffle Fries have been unbelievable. These are Hand-cut Fries lined in Herbed Parmesan and served with that very same Black Garlic Aïoli.
These have been a staple of the Crew’s Cup Lounge menu for so long as I can bear in mind. Not less than a decade. A part of the rationale we liked the burger again within the day was getting a substitution of the Truffle Fries to associate with it.
The presentation has modified a bit over time and the accompanying sauce is totally different, however these maintain up. They’re each bit the all-star right now that there have been 10 years in the past. And that’s uncommon with Walt Disney World menus.
These house-made fries could be glorious on their very own, however everybody is aware of that truffles make something higher. That plus the wealthy Black Garlic Aïoli makes these fries wonderful. It’s nearly superior overload, however in contrast to the chips, the flavors simply work collectively.
The Truffle Fries at Crew’s Cup Lounge are a flawless, 10/10 no notes facet. You should order these.
With all of those reward heaped on Crew’s Cup Lounge, it isn’t with out points.
My criticism again within the day was that every little thing stored getting dearer. Shock, shock: that’s nonetheless true! On this case, I’d be much less aggravated by worth will increase over the course of ~5 years since every little thing has gone up. Not simply at Walt Disney World. In every single place.
The larger situation is that my go-to meal right here used to encompass three Prime Rib Sliders and have been served with a facet of fries (which you’ll or might not have been capable of improve to Truffle Fries) that was the case the final time I ordered these, on March 3, 2020. As of 2025, it’s two sliders and the inferior chips. You continue to may be capable to improve to Truffle Fries because the facet–I didn’t attempt. (It was hit and miss prior to now; I think that’s nonetheless true.)
I hate complaining about one of these factor, as “shrinkflation” is ubiquitous, and it isn’t precisely useful to anybody studying this. Okay, cool story dude. Let me go bounce proper in my time machine and return 5 years to when every little thing was larger and cheaper. Most of you in all probability don’t have time machines, and those that do may in all probability put them to higher use than acquiring bigger and cheaper sliders. I dunno.
Except for the triumphant return of the Prime Rib Sliders, the opposite cause I paid a go to to Crew’s Cup Lounge was to look at the Detroit Lions sport on a display bigger than my cellphone. One of many causes I didn’t actually care about dropping ESPN Membership was as a result of I’ve at all times most well-liked watching video games right here.
The lighting is low right here, it’s normally fairly quiet and uncrowded (as you may see from my pictures) particularly earlier within the night. To every their very own, however I’m probably not a fan of sports activities bars–I want bars that occur to air sports activities. One individual’s “high-energy” ambiance is one other’s obnoxious one. I’d somewhat watch the sport in peace, and that’s doubly true if Sarah is with me–it’s a compromise that we’re consuming someplace with a tv, within the first place. Your mileage might range on that, although.
The within of the Crew’s Cup Lounge is subtle and upscale–precisely what you’d anticipate from the Yacht Membership. It has an abundance of masculine woods, and jogs my memory of a quiet place Teddy Roosevelt would come for some whisky after a protracted day of sculling. Even should you don’t get down with rowing, it’s the right place to decompress throughout a day at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Listed below are extra pictures of the inside of Crew’s Cup Lounge, together with seating and thematic particulars and the encompassing space (for these unfamiliar with Yacht Membership):
The underside line is that should you’re eating at Crew’s Cup for the primary time right now, unburdened by the information that they was larger and cheaper, you’ll love these Prime Rib Sliders and the Truffle Fries. We’d extremely advocate inquiring together with your server as as to if it’s potential to substitute the chips for fries because the slider’s facet.
As for the opposite objects on the menu, the Lobster Bisque soup was glorious the final time we had it at Yachtsman Steakhouse. I’ve no use for salads besides as a way to an finish (healthiness, I assume), so I’m the flawed individual to evaluation these. I’ve heard good issues, if that’s your jam.
I’m additionally not significantly eager on charcuterie or shrimp cocktails in a restaurant setting until it’s one thing actually particular (so mainly, simply St. Elmo’s). In any other case, I really feel like I can prepare meats and cheeses on a plate at house; identical goes for shrimp.
To be absolutely clear, I point out all of those different dishes on objective…so I don’t really feel guilted into ordering that stuff sooner or later “for analysis” once I return. I do hope that Crew’s Cup additional distinguishes itself from Yachtsman Steakhouse and brings again a number of extra long-lost menu objects, as there are some gems which were misplaced to time.
For now, I already know my favourite objects on the present menu at Crew’s Cup are, with out query, the Prime Rib Sliders and the Truffle Fries. I can be putting this precise order “for enjoyable” at Walt Disney World sooner or later, which is the very best reward I may give any meal–that I’d vote with my pockets/abdomen and purchase it time and again.
These two dishes on this decompressing setting whereas watching the Detroit Lions and seated subsequent to the butcher’s window are about probably the most Distinctly Patriotic expertise you may have at Walt Disney World. It’s all sufficient to overpower the senses and make Sam Eagle (who’s not a Birds fan!) shed a single tear.
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Your Ideas
Have you ever dined at Crew’s Cup Lounge in Yacht Membership Resort at Walt Disney World? If you happen to’ve had the Prime Rib Sliders or the Truffle Fries, how would you price them? Assume famed Detroit Lions fan Sam Eagle (that’s canon now) would dub this probably the most Distinctly Patriotic WDW eating expertise? Do you agree or disagree with restaurant evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
