Best low-key, monorail accessible lunch

[kermit116]

What's the best low-key, moderately priced, monorail accessible lunch?

-The Wave @ CR
-Kona Cafe @ Poly
-GF Cafe
-The Plaza @ MK

We are looking for a low-key lighter lunch at a location easily accessible by monorail. We don't want to blow the budget on this lunch since we'll have a late dinner at Jiko on the same day.

Of the restaurants listed, we've only been to The Plaza - which we liked for a simple sitdown meal that's moderately priced. I've listened to old podcasts & heard Kevin's poor review of the (very beige) Wave, but I've also seen some recent reviews that seem better. We'll be staying at CR and will either go to MK for RD & have lunch at noon or sleep in, skip breakfast & have lunch @ 11am.

I'm interested in opinions on these locations for lunch - especially from people who have visited these restaurants in the last 6 months.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I love Kona. I will get the Sticky Wings appetizer, which has about 12 pieces and a salad, and dessert as my lunch.

 

[Hootch]

is just so convenient though none of the others are that hard to reach.

Of the remaining I would recommend Grand Floridian Cafe over Kona. Both are good and the selection may depend on which menu you prefer. Kona tends more toward a Polynesian/Asian menu but has a club sandwich and a burger. GFC has a more American slanted menu.

The prices for both are similar in price to the plaza for most lunch items.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

The Grand Floridian Café, no contest. The dining room is beautiful, and they have a wonderful and reasonably priced lunch menu. There are a lot of lighter options so that you won't be stuffing yourself before your dinner.

 

[Mrs D]

We did Kona for lunch in Oct (the afternoon after the Wine & Dine race!) and everyone enjoyed it. It was just the right setting since we had been out late the night before. It was lively but not overwhelming.
I had the fish tacos and they were wonderful. My Mom had the Asian Noodles which was good, my Aunt has the Island Chicken Sandwich which was very good (can you tell we all had bites of each others?), and my Uncle ordered the Beef Teriyaki Salad but the runner brought him the Poly Plate Lunch with Teriyaki steak instead. The waitress was SO wonderful she said - the kitchen is all backed up - you eat the steak and I'll bring the Beef Salad out when it's up and plates for everyone. Seriously that was the best salad I've ever had! Granted I was starving from running the night before and inhaled everything in front of me - it was really a great salad.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Don't forget Captain Cooks at the Poly too!

 

[Kay1]

Another vote for Kona. It's just where we go. The menu is pretty good as is the food, and you can get a beer if you like.

Enjoy!

 

[Mickey_Man]

What's the best low-key, moderately priced, monorail accessible lunch?

-The Wave @ CR
-Kona Cafe @ Poly
-GF Cafe
-The Plaza @ MK

.

We have eaten at three of four of these in the past six months. The Wave is still pretty beige, and they are still pretty low key for breakfast and lunch. We have just never seen the place busy at either meal. The food isn't as good as Poly, but it would be a decent option. FYI - my wife was disappointed because she ordered the salad with chicken and the chicken was dark meat. A little weird IMO.

GFC is a beautiful setting- much more attractive than The Wave. However, I did not think the food was nearly as good. I love going to the Grand Floridian and this is a great meal to have there without a three figure price tag - it is a decent lower priced lunch. I am just less impressed with the food.

Kona is my vote, but we tend towards this type of cuisine. I love the atmosphere, love the food, love the drinks, and most resort restaurants are not hustle bustle during lunch time.

I haven't been to the Plaza in many years, but unless you were staying in the parks, I'd move on to a resort restaurant. I recall the Plaza being very small and when full, rather noisy.

Other options for you on the monorail would be Captain Cook's or Contempo Cafe. I like the food at both of these quick service places. The grilled cheese at Captain Cooks was great, while I enjoyed the flatbread at Contempo.

 

[rlovew]

We have eaten at all of these within the past year.

My DH would choose the GFC hands down- he loves their Grand Sandwich. I had a fantastic salmon salad there and my sister raved about their soups. In fact we have eaten there 3 times in the last 9 months.

We also really enjoyed the bread at Kona Cafe but our meal was only so so. My Dh enjoyed his burger but I only ate half my salad and left wanting a snack. I don't really remeber what the problem was I think the greens were just too bitter for me.

We have only eaten dinner at the wave and the food was quite good but we would choose GFC lunch menu over the Waves and in fact have lately.

The Plaza we ate burgers and they were fine and the service was fine but again we have opted for GFC instead the last couple of times we have had lunch. The food here was perfectly good but nothing we raved about.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Although we haven't eaten at the Plaza in years I thought the food was a bit pricey and the menu is the most limited of the other 3. The quality of the food is quite good but it is pretty boring place it eat. If you don't want to leave the park eat here.

I'm not a big fan of the cuisine but that is my personal preference.

My personal preference would be GF Cafe as I love their grand sandwich but that is NOT a light lunch.

I would take Kevin's review into account and eliminate the Wave then look at the menu's at the other three and see what appeals to you.

 

[vinotinto]

We ate at The Wave and Kona for lunch in September. The service at The Wave was awful - the only time I have ever had bad service at WDW. This was disappointing because we had dinner there the year before and had a wonderful meal - it had been one of our favorites. The issue with The Wave is that CR is a convention resort. If there is a convention, the dining room fills at lunch with conventioners. It took an hour and a half just to do apps (soups/salad) and entrees. We sat and waited and sat and waited and sat and waited. At that point, I grabbed whoever I could find and asked for our bill. The table next to ours (a single diner) was also pretty upset as she was also being left to wait. There were a couple of huge tables of conventioners (20+ people at each) and each person was paying separately. Even though they were seated after us, they received all their food and their bill before we were even offered dessert. They just did not have enough waitstaff to handle a full restaurant at lunch, and especially, that many separate tabs, and it was clear that the conventioners had priority. I think I only saw 3 waitresses for the entire place. It's a shame as I think the food itself is very good, but I would not risk it for lunch. I was dissapointed to leave before trying their wonderful dessert trios and their specialty teas. Oh well.

Kona was much better, IMHO. The food was not as interesting, but certainly good and better than anything we ate inside MK. The service was also very good - everything came out in an appropriate amount of time (not rushed but not left to wait). My DH had the fish tacos and I had the noodles with shrimp. Everything was tasty and fresh.

Have not tried GF or The Plaza, although we're contemplating The Plaza for one of our lunches at MK in September. I'm also thinking we may go back to Kona. Or maybe I'll call CR and ask if there are any conventions going on

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I have an off-the-wall idea for you.
2) Take the monorail to Grand Floridian.
3) Go outside and eat at the Pool Bar.
. . . sandwiches in the $5-$6 range
. . . sit almost on the beach
. . . enjoy the scenery of both water and GF courtyard
4) Now, that is low key and reasonably priced !

 

[vinotinto]

1) I have an off-the-wall idea for you.
2) Take the monorail to Grand Floridian.
3) Go outside and eat at the Pool Bar.
. . . sandwiches in the $5-$6 range
. . . sit almost on the beach
. . . enjoy the scenery of both water and GF courtyard
4) Now, that is low key and reasonably priced !

I like this idea! Do they take the dining plan? Since we're paying for DxDP, it's hard to justify OOP costs.

 

[JessicaFaye508]

GF Cafe for sure.

 

[OKW Lover]

Instead of the monorail, how about a nice boat ride to Fort Wilderness and lunch at Trails End?

 

[mkleinbe]

How is GFC for kids? I have 2 DDs. I just checked the lunch menu and it looks yum!!! (and yes, I know it's Disney and they're all kid friendly, blah blah, but some are much less kid friendly than others if you know what I mean...) Thanks guys! We're looking for a new place and this might just be it!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

How is GFC for kids? I have 2 DDs. I just checked the lunch menu and it looks yum!!! (and yes, I know it's Disney and they're all kid friendly, blah blah, but some are much less kid friendly than others if you know what I mean...) Thanks guys! We're looking for a new place and this might just be it!

The GFC is definitely not one of those places that are less kid-friendly. It's great for kids.

 

[wdwpirates]

I would boat to the Poly for lunch at Kona if you really want to leave the park. Great place. We always enjoy it. They have awesome pasta salad on the lunch menu!

The Plaza is also a great place to eat lunch if you can stand to stay in the park. It is a little more hustle and bustle than Kona would be, however.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

For lunch my choice would be the GF Cafe, I just don't like Kona as much for lunch as I do for dinner, and I thought the food was better at the GF Cafe then at the Wave, though I've only been there once.

 

[SarahKate]

Another vote for Kona! We've been there 3x for lunch and 1x for dinner. ALL fantastic. Food has been consistently good for us as well as the service.

Their menu has a lot of seafood with a Hawaiian/Polynesian flair to it. They have a traditional lunch that has sticky rice, macaroni salad and different types of seafood. I've had that and it's great.

The desserts are to die for! The banana chocolate creme brulee is amazing.