Disappointed in Kona Cafe

[Renwoman]

I had really wanted to get into Ohana, but was unable to get reservations. Many people had mentioned that they liked Kona Cafe so we gave it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn't what we were expecting and our experience wasn't good.

If you are just looking for a good -cafe- experience or are looking for a decent place for your family for dinner you may be happy with the restaurant. It just wasn't what we were expecting at all.

Atmosphere: The tables in Kona Cafe are very cramped. There isn't one secluded or romantic table in the restaurant. The restaurant is wide open to the second floor of the Polynesian. The longest side of the restaurant is open to the busy second floor walkway, the sushi bar is crowded up against Kona, the kitchen is along one side, and there is a walkway and seating between Kona and the large window of Poly. The two of us got seated at a tiny table sandwiched between two other larger tables that were only a foot and a half from us on either side. We could hear and see everything happening at the other two tables.

Demographic: 75% of the tables had children under 10 years old. The tightly packed tables only enhanced the amount of children there.

Food:
You can order sushi from the Kona Island Sushi bar with your meal. The two sushi dishes we got were decent to good and better than the entrees.
Eel (Unagi) Hand Roll - good, one of the best parts of the meal
Volcano Roll - Least spicy, spicy tuna I've ever had, though decent.
Ginger Crusted Ribeye - DH thought it was pretty good
Mahi Mahi dish (can't find the name online) - one of the worst fish dishes I have had in a while. Mahi Mahi was cooked decently though it is a mild fish. It was covered in a gross, flavorless cream sauce, and was sitting on top of a mango "salsa" and fried, hard, flavorless bread? I almost sent this dish back to the kitchen, but after the sushi decided to eat little and save room for desert.
Chocolate, Banana Creme Brule - good
White, Chocolate Cheescake - Decent

Value:
Dinner prices were high for the quality and atmosphere (or lack there of)

This might be a decent place for breakfast (I've heard the tonga toast is good) or even lunch (when the prices are lower) or for families. It certainly was not the nice dinner that this honeymooning couple was hoping for.

 

[vicki_c]

Sorry, but a quick question of anyone here would have told you it wasn't a place for a romantic honeymooning couple. It's not that type of restaurant and many have posted that they don't like how it's open to the lobby. As for kids - well that's no different than anywhere @ Disney, except for V&A's and maybe Bistro de Paris and a few other less-kid-centric locations. Even the signatures will always have quite a few children in the restaurant.

edited: just wanted to add that I don't think you would have had the kind of experience you were looking for at 'Ohana either, with the singing and the kids' coconut races and all that.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm kind of confused as to what type of experience you were expecting. Ohanas isn't a quiet or romantic restaurant either, and if that is what you were looking for you were in the totally wrong place. Actually those type of places are hard to find on Disney property as even the "fancier" restaurants have plenty of children in them. Only one, V&As, is an adult only restaurant.

As far as cost goes, I have found the prices at the Kona to be in line with most other Disney restaurants. You can find the same type of food off property much cheaper, but on property you will be paying a bit more.

Was this your first trip to WDW? It seems you were taken aback by a few things that someone with a bit of experience or research would have known.

 

[Renwoman]

Because a lot of people raved about Kona here and elsewhere I expected it to be a good full service restaurant. It was because of these recommendations that we made the reservation in the first place. I don't want someone else to make that same mistake. While the price was in line with other full service restaurants at WDW the food and the atmosphere did not warrant it.

We had much better experiences at Raglan Road in Downtown Disney, the Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios, Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Les Chefs de France at Epcot, Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot, Liberty Tree Tavern at MK for lunch, and Yak and Yeti at AK for lunch.

I was expecting an ultra romantic experience just a decent one. The tables were way too close and the restaurant too open. The food wasn't that great. We were in Disney and ate with kids all week but it was so cramped it was more pronounced. I wouldn't recommend Kona for dinner it isn't worth it. There are better places to go in WDW.

 

[maxiesmom]

I was expecting an ultra romantic experience just a decent one. The tables were way too close and the restaurant too open. The food wasn't that great. We were in Disney and ate with kids all week but it was so cramped it was more pronounced. I wouldn't recommend Kona for dinner it isn't worth it. There are better places to go in WDW.

I can see how where you are seated at can change your point of view a bit. I have had many meals at the Kona, but only sat at one of the more crowded tables once. There are lots that have more space, but that one section is cramped.

I have always enjoyed both breakfast and dinner at the Kona. Sorry it wasn't what you were expecting, but I think it is right in line with what most people expect of theme park dining. Quiet and romantic it ain't!

 

[Tiger926]

Because a lot of people raved about Kona here and elsewhere I expected it to be a good full service restaurant. It was because of these recommendations that we made the reservation in the first place. I don't want someone else to make that same mistake. While the price was in line with other full service restaurants at WDW the food and the atmosphere did not warrant it.

We had much better experiences at Raglan Road in Downtown Disney, the Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios, Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Les Chefs de France at Epcot, Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot, Liberty Tree Tavern at MK for lunch, and Yak and Yeti at AK for lunch.

I was expecting an ultra romantic experience just a decent one. The tables were way too close and the restaurant too open. The food wasn't that great. We were in Disney and ate with kids all week but it was so cramped it was more pronounced. I wouldn't recommend Kona for dinner it isn't worth it. There are better places to go in WDW.

Sorry you were not happy with your Kona experience. The food and dessert really is very good at Kona, IMHO. We find the food and atmosphere are in line with many other Disney restaurants, but the service has always been very good for us, as has the food for all meals. We've eaten pretty much everywhere, including Signatures, and there aren't many romantic restaurants on property. Victoria and Albert's would have been your best bet, as no children are allowed. Even most Signatures are full of children!

It's amazing how each of us is so different - we happen to think that Brown Derby is one of the worst restaurants on property, Boma is way overrated and overpriced (very loud and unorganized as well), Chefs de France is more crowded, noisy and cramped than Kona, and Liberty Tree Tavern's food leaves so much to be desired in terms of their food.

Hope you had a great honeymoon! Tiger

 

[TigerKat]

I agree with the previous posters as to the fact that KONA has never been said to be "romantic" in any way. That said, I agree with you totally on the overall experiences we have had at KONA three years in a row...overrated is an understatement. We've never had one dish that would be considered "really good", we've always had sub-par service and there is no atmosphere at all. To us, one of the worst restaurants in all of WDW!