Was not expecting it to be this good!

This seafood restaurant really satisfies in every way. I’ve passed by here over the years when our family has come to visit and it looked cool – how could it not? A restaurant inside a paddleboat? But usually these places are over-costed and overly hyped. Paddlefish was not. The food was delicious and cooked to perfection. The service was A+! And I walked out feeling it was worth every penny.  If there was one thing I might have criticism about was the interior ambience of the place was lacking. Although easy to clean and probably way more hygenic, it didn’t have the look of a Southern river boat decked out in all its glory. However, who’s looking anyway? The view of Disney Springs out of every window was beautiful.

FOOD: Ordered the miso salmon and fried green tomatoes. It was a little too much miso for me but that’s a “me” thing. The salmon itself was cooked perfectly. If you order seafood regularly like I do you know the danger is overcooking it or putting too much sauce to make up for overcooking it. Here they were able to give the outside a nice crispy texture while still making the inside perfectly medium. Yum. The potatoes were terrific too. I was a little leery since they were a wasabi mash and sometimes they can go overboard on the wasabi. Not here. What a perfect balance. Just a hint of heat to make it different but not overpowering. The fried green tomatoes were also cooked perfectly so they had some “meat” to it and still come out crispy and tender. The remoulade was the best. And I loved the sprinkling of queso fresco over the top. I was so full, I didn’t bother with dessert, but I’m sure it would have been great – especially that key lime pie. There were so many things I would have liked to have tried from the stuffed cod to the corn meal crusted catfish to the crab cake BLT! They also had whole lobster, crab, shrimp and other dishes for your palette. For the non-seafood people among you they do have a selection of rib eye steak, filet mignon, burgers, and a caprese sandwich among salads and soups, but it’s the seafood you need to come here for.

SERVICE: I can’t really say enough about how great the service was. Attentive yet genuine and made you feel truly welcome. Helped me navigate the menu to find what was right for me. Seriously It was some of the best service I’ve had. They were friendly and made you feel such great hospitality. I’d go back just for the service.

COST: Is it pricey? Yes. But worth it. I walked away so full. You always spend more at a resort but you hope they make it worthwhile and Paddlefish did just that. Would recommend to anyone looking for a nice place to eat. (Just a tip the sound does reverberate so if you want a quiet dinner you may not find it here but the quality of food and service can’t be denied).

Location: Disney Springs
Type: Table service
Specialty: Seafood done fresh!
Cost: Expensive but worth it! (on average $30-$40 although they have some dishes both lower and higher)
Craig’s Favorite: The awesome service – and that perfectly cooked salmon