Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina is the newest table service restaurant coming to Walt Disney World in July 2025. This covers the latest official details of the signature steakhouse, what it’s replacing, when it’s opening, first look concept art of the reimagined interior, plus commentary about the latest changes at one of our favorite Deluxe Resorts.
This new restaurant is coming to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, which announced that Bourbon Steak Orlando by Michael Mina will join the hotel’s formidable lineup of 23 restaurants and lounges in a little over one month. This is just the latest of several changes at the three Swolphin Resorts that also includes the $275 million investment in guest room overhauls and convention space expansion and modernization.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts also recently opened Lagoon, an all-new dining & game room experience. This features a small dining space offering up light bites and American comfort foods, an arcade, and multiple bowling lanes. This isn’t an amenity that exists at any other on-site resort at Walt Disney World, and is a nice addition. We’re big fans of the bowling alley over at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and while this is not on par with that, it’s a nice plussing.
The latest development is that the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts have now shared that Advance Dining Reservations for the new Bourbon Steak Orlando by Michael Mina are now available on OpenTable. (As is often the case for restaurants at the Swolphin, it’s recommended to make reservations on third party sites as opposed to DisneyWorld.com or the My Disney Experience app.)
The first date guests can make reservations for the signature steakhouse by award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Mina is Saturday, July 26, 2025. Note that the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts have not yet announced an official opening date for Bourbon Steak, so it’s possible the restaurant soft opens prior to then.
It sounds like this is going to be a race against the clock to convert this space into Bourbon Steak Orlando. The new restaurant is replacing Shula’s Steakhouse in the Walt Disney World Dolphin, which just served its last guests over the weekend on June 14, 2025. Scrims went up immediately around the venue after closing, and work will need to happen fast with a little less than 6 weeks of turnaround time.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts have also released the first piece of concept art for Bourbon Steak Orlando, which is shown above.
This looks somewhat similar to the current interior, swapping out the photos of Coach Shula and the Miami Dolphins for artwork of what I assume is central California landscapes. There’s also new upholstery, darker woods, and modern light fixtures. It actually looks like a nice plussing and tasteful modernization.
As with what it’s replacing, the new interior has a timeless appearance, with the look of classy steakhouse in the traditional style. It’s somewhat chic and with a subdued mood, but doesn’t have a trendy trying-too-hard look. If anything, I like the new interior of Bourbon Steak Orlando better than Shula’s Steakhouse (below). Of course, it’s just concept art–we’ll see how it looks in-person soon enough!
The James Beard and Michelin-recognized chef and restaurateur will bring his celebrated, modern take on the quintessential American steakhouse to the Dolphin hotel at Walt Disney World. The restaurant will feature premium cuts of beef and seafood infused with global flavors.
Bourbon Steak Orlando will showcase the three primary elements of the award-winning chef’s culinary philosophy: product, technique and presentation. Chef Michael Mina’s menu will also feature decadent signature desserts, accented by world-class beverage offerings.
“The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin continues to distinguish itself with its food and beverage program,” said Sean Verney, area general manager of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. “Welcoming Chef Mina to our culinary offerings continues to push us forward in our efforts to provide guests heightened dining experiences.”
“The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin is the ideal location for Bourbon Steak,” added Mina. “Their strong commitment to culinary excellence aligns perfectly with our vision at The Mina Group. We see it as an ideal partnership, and I look forward to spending time with the local team to realize this dynamic new project. Each Bourbon Steak is uniquely designed to represent the environment it is in, and I’m excited to unveil what we have in store for Orlando.”
According to the restaurant’s official website, Bourbon Steak began its journey in the rich culinary landscape of California, setting the stage for what would become a nationwide symbol of culinary excellence and innovation in steakhouse dining.
At the core of Bourbon Steak’s menu is a tribute to the classic American steakhouse, elevated by Chef Mina’s innovative approach to cuisine. Bourbon Steak prides itself on bringing patrons on an unparalleled culinary journey that began under the visionary guidance of award-winning Chef Mina. Its story is one of passion, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in steakhouse dining.
The restaurant’s signature offerings include prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood, and an extensive selection of wines and spirits, including rare and vintage bourbon selections that have become a hallmark of the Bourbon Steak experience. Over the years, its cuisine has evolved to include seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, reflecting Bourbon Steak’s dedication to freshness and flavor.
Per the restaurant, dining at Bourbon Steak is more than just a meal; it’s an experience. From the moment you step through its doors, you are enveloped in an atmosphere of sophistication.
Bourbon Steak’s attentive staff is dedicated to providing impeccable service, ensuring that every aspect of your visit is perfect. The elegant yet comfortable decor creates the ideal backdrop for a memorable evening, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in the pleasures of a fine meal.
As The Mina Group continues to expand its footprint globally, Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina will be the restaurant’s third location in Florida, including Miami and a recently opened location in Delray Beach. It will be the 10th location in the United States, joining the lineup of Bourbon Steakhouses in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington, Nashville, New York, and Orange County.
Bourbon Steak will likely be popular with average guests, and we’ve heard from many readers who are excited about this new restaurant, with more who are enthusiastic for something fresh than those who are lamenting the loss of Shula’s Steakhouse.
Bourbon Steak Orlando will undoubtedly be a big hit with the conventioneer crowd, which makes up a huge slice of the Swolphin’s business. Fancy and pricey restaurants are, unsurprisingly, popular among those paying with expense accounts!
It thus makes sense that the Swolphin is doing the closure and restaurant reimagining over the summer. That means Bourbon Steak will reopen in plenty of time before ‘convention season’ kicks off early in the fall. That’s when most of the restaurants in the Crescent Lake area have their biggest months of the year. (Not sure whether this is still the case, but Flying Fish used to get caviar and other upmarket dishes for September through November targeted at conventioneers.)
Ultimately, we’re cautiously optimistic about Bourbon Steak Orlando. The menu looks good and we’ve heard plenty of positives about the other locations and Chef Michael Mina. The recent track record of celebrity chef restaurants at Walt Disney World is definitely positive, and it’s fairly undeniable that time had passed by Shula’s Steakhouse.
On the other hand, I don’t want to lose the steakhouses serving up cuts of beef the size of my head accompanied by a huge pile of potatoes. Nothing fancy. Just magnificent meats, perfectly-prepared in a traditional manner, accompanied by more carbs than I should eat in a week.
There’s something to be said for places like Yachtsman Steakhouse or Turf Club or even Le Cellier–old school steakhouses in pursuit of trendy spots chasing flash in the pan culinary trends. My hope is that this new concept threads that needle, with a meat-forward focus that will knock me off my socks and put me in a food coma. I’m tired of leaving restaurants hungry after dropping over $150 for two.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be making reservations for Bourbon Steak Orlando? Surprised it’ll open in July 2025? Does that seem like a fast turnaround time given the before/after images of the interior? What do you think of the new Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina replacing Shula’s Steakhouse in the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel? Disappointed to lose the 1995 restaurant, or pleased to see something new? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
