Bourbon Steak - A Michael Mina Restaurant

Bourbon Steak — A Michael Mina Restaurant sits inside the Walt Disney World Dolphin, a Marriott-run hotel tucked in the walkable, boat-connected pocket between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. It replaced Shula’s, and the upgrade in ambition is obvious: this is a James Beard-winning chef’s modern American steakhouse that happens to live on Disney property, not a “nice Disney restaurant” wearing a steakhouse costume. Premium dry-aged beef, serious seafood, and a bourbon-forward bar drive the room, and the whole experience leans grown-up celebration over family-night-out.

What makes it worth a table is exactly what makes it dangerous to your wallet: the steak is the reason you came, but sides, cocktails, and gratuity are where the check quietly doubles. Walk in with a plan — a set drink count, a set side count, and a steak you’ve already decided on — and it feels like the splurge dinner you wanted. Walk in cold and the bill lands like a surprise. The room is polished and destination-y; if you want a traditional, no-scene steakhouse instead, Shula’s-style classicism this is not.

Because the Dolphin isn’t Disney-owned, a few rules differ from the parks: the Disney Dining Plan does not work here, the dress code is genuinely enforced, and you’ll want to budget real travel time to get to your table. Treat it like any high-end steakhouse off property and it delivers.

This is the most upscale steak dinner you can get on Disney property — book it when you want an anniversary, a milestone, or a kid-free grown-up night, not a quick refuel between parks. If the polished, celebration-forward vibe sounds like too much scene, the area has more straightforward options. But if you came to Walt Disney World wanting one real fine-dining steakhouse meal, this is the pick — just dress for it, don’t rush it, and bring a spending plan.