During the past 30 years, many restaurants have come and gone at the
Marketplace in Downtown Disney. The one location that still remains is
Captain Jack’s, although the menu today is different from what was offered
in earlier years.
Originally a spot primarily for seafood appetizers, Captain Jack’s now
offers a full menu with a variety of different types of items is in place.
The food is good, prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is nice, making
Captain Jack’s an excellent choice for lunch or dinner.
Generally, the Rainforest Café draws the big crowds at the Marketplace,
thanks to the elaborate theming. However, people seeking a calmer dining
experience without the long wait would do well to walk next door to Captain
Jack’s. Situated right on the water and next to the marina, the restaurant
is a great place to beat the heat of the day while enjoying a beautiful
water view.
Captain Jack’s sits out over the water.
The restaurant is not particularly large, but makes good use of the many
windows to ensure every table has a great view. It also is not usually
too crowded, particularly during the day. I had the pleasure of enjoying
lunch at Captain Jack’s twice recently, and both experiences were excellent.
During the second visit I dined solo, and the service was just as prompt
and friendly as when I was part of a larger group.
The décor is somewhat nautical, with lots of shiny wood. It is not
formal, but is very nice. Whether you are in theme park clothes or are
dressed up a bit, you will not feel out of place here. There is a large
bar-type area in the main room, although I never saw anyone seated there.
Most likely it is left over from the restaurant’s days as a cocktail and
appetizer place. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside, however. They
do have a full bar and a number of specialty cocktails in addition to
a wine list of mostly California wines.
The tables in the main room are situated around the bar area.
The primary reason to visit Captain Jack’s is the food. At both lunch
and dinner the appetizer menu is the same. One of the most popular (and
delicious) items is the Italian Tomato Salad. A number of people recommended
it to me before my visit, and I was not disappointed. They put a few pieces
of focaccia bread in the bowl, then put diced tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette
and pieces of raw mozzarella cheese on top so the flavors blend together.
It was a meal for me, and I would really recommend sharing it with someone
if the intent is to have it as an appetizer before the rest of the meal.
This is a cool refreshing choice, particularly in hot weather. Most of
the other appetizers are either seafood or salads, and are listed below.
Prices shown are as of June 2003.
- Crab Cakes – Served with Cajun horseradish sauce and Napa
cabbage slaw: $11.99
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail – Served with a Floridian Cocktail
Sauce: $9.99
- Italian Tomato Salad – Tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette,
mozzarella cheese and focaccia bread: $6.99
- Mixed Baby Greens Salad – Served with a papaya vinaigrette
dressing: $4.49
- Caesar Salad – $6.99
- New England Clam or Manhattan Style Conch Chowder – Specialty
of the house: $4.49
- Spinach and Artichoke Dip – Served with tortilla chips:
$7.29
- Peel-n-Eat Shrimp – regular: $9.99; double: $16.99
Simple yet attractive décor is found throughout Captain Jack’s.
Entrees at lunch consist primarily of sandwiches, with most of the heavier
meals saved for the dinner menu. There are meat, seafood and chicken selections,
and everything we tried was very good. Most of the menu items are “ordinary”
enough that even picky or nonadventurous eaters should find something
to eat here.
Lunch Entrees
- Shrimp and Crab Pasta – Linguine tossed with a creamy
lobster sauce, sugar snap peas, crab and shrimp: $14.99
- Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs – A full pound of slow-cooked pork
ribs smoked over oak wood chips. Served with red skin mashed potatoes
and mixed greens with papaya vinaigrette dressing: $15.99
- Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushroom Sandwich – Served
chilled on focaccia bread with sun-dried tomatoes, a Boursin cheese
spread and Napa cabbage slaw: $8.99 - French Dip – Roast beef sandwich served warm with au jus
and kettle chips $8.99
- Chicken Caesar Salad – A classic Caesar salad with grilled
chicken: $9.99; substitute shrimp: $10.99
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich – Grilled chicken with provolone
cheese, red pepper mayonnaise with kettle chips: $9.99
- Crab Cake Melt – Crab cakes with smoked mozzarella cheese,
tomatoes and Cajun-horseradish sauce on focaccia bread, served with
Napa cabbage slaw: $11.99
- Tuna Salad Combo – tuna salad on a croissant with your
choice of soup: $7.99
- Broiled Grouper Sandwich – Served with lettuce, tomato,
and cajun horseradish sauce on focaccia bread served with Napa cabbage
slaw: $9.99
Dinner Entrees
- King Crab Legs – One pound of steamed crab legs served with
drawn butter, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables: $29.99
- Catch of the Day – Oven-roasted North Atlantic salmon topped
with a maple pecan Glaze. Served with Rice Pilaf and seasonal Vegetables:
$21.99
- Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs – Slow-cooked pork ribs smoked over
oak wood chips, served with mashed potatoes and mixed greens with papaya
vinaigrette dressing. One pound of ribs: $15.99; one and a half pounds
of ribs: $21.99
- Seafood Pasta – Linguine tossed with a creamy lobster sauce,
sugar snap peas, lobster, crab and shrimp: $19.99
- Oven Roasted Breast of Chicken – Served with pan-broiled
gravy, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables: $14.99
- Butcher Tender Steak – Served with herb butter, mashed potatoes
and seasonal vegetables: $19.99; add a lobster tail: $12.00
- Crab-Stuffed Filet of Grouper – Served with citrus herb
butter, rice pilaf and vegetables: $22.99
Desserts are the same at both lunch and dinner, and consist of only three
choices. Double chocolate cake with ice cream is available for $5.29,
or take your choice of either key lime pie or white chocolate raspberry
New York cheesecake for $4.29. Smoothies and milkshakes are also available
for $3.75.
The menu is posted outside the restaurant.
Children are welcome at Captain Jack’s and those age 3 to 11 have their
own menu. Children’s meals all cost $5.29 and there is a choice of a grilled
chicken breast dinner, penne pasta with marinara sauce, hot dog or grilled
cheese with goldfish crackers. They also have a “worms and dirt”
sundae available, which is chocolate pudding with Oreo cookie crumbs and
gummy worms.
Captain Jack’s is a restaurant that I will definitely visit on future
trips to Walt Disney World. Whether you are shopping at the Marketplace
and decide to take a break here, or make a special trip just for a meal,
I am confident Captain Jack’s will not leave anyone disappointed.
