Excited about Boma...should I be?

[Laura]

We would have enjoyed it far more had we had reasonable expectations, so unqualified praise such as yours can backfire.

That is true. I ate a Dole Whip for the first time before I read all the high praise for those things here. If I'd tried it because everyone told me they were sooooo goooood, I'd have been extremely disappointed. I thought they were good, but not THAT good.

Food is so subjective; people can't predict whether someone else will love a restaurant as much as they do. That's why I'm always puzzled by the "will I like ______ restaurant" questions on this board. Nobody knows if they're going to like it.

 

[ReneeA]

Everyone has their own opinions. Most of the reviews of Boma are great...I for one am excited to be eating there in August. I tried getting an ADR for our last trip and they were booked our entire trip.

I'm hoping that since we have a 5 p.m. ADR everything will be fresh out of the kitchen.

 

[mking624]

I just always find it amusing that people are so incredibly dependent on another person's review of a restaurant...and then they walk away talking about how disappointed something was because that person's (or peoples) reviews raised their expectations (BTW, EVERYTHING here is unqualified...both praises AND criticisms). YOU know your own taste buds...not anyone else on this board. I don't let others dictate what I will and will not enjoy, I don't let them dictate what will and will not be disappointing, etc. This is why I rarely give reviews. If you're willing to try new and different things...then go for it! Just make sure you follow your own instints and tastes and don't base your decision on what others are telling you.

 

[Haley Whippet]

We love it! So much food, so many different things!
Don't miss the zebra domes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are Magic!
Deb

 

[scrump]

We love Boma! Still, it is always safe to manage your expectations. We've always had very memorable CMs serve us, and great food!

 

[crisi]

I just always find it amusing that people are so incredibly dependent on another person's review of a restaurant...and then they walk away talking about how disappointed something was because that person's (or peoples) reviews raised their expectations (BTW, EVERYTHING here is unqualified...both praises AND criticisms). YOU know your own taste buds...not anyone else on this board. I don't let others dictate what I will and will not enjoy, I don't let them dictate what will and will not be disappointing, etc. This is why I rarely give reviews. If you're willing to try new and different things...then go for it! Just make sure you follow your own instints and tastes and don't base your decision on what others are telling you.

You are right. We were being very silly. I know I don't like buffets. But somehow I was talked into this being food that was above buffet quality and worth going to despite not liking buffets. When you get reviews like "zebra domes are the BEST dessert at Disney" its hard not to set your expectations somewhere above the Banana Napoleon at Flying Fish (one of the best desserts I've had at Disney). Its hard when Beaches and Cream burgers are described as "the best" not to be disappointed by a rather ordinary burger, not on par with the one at Le Cellier. I feel sorry for people booking Le Cellier now - it is one of our favorite restaurants, but if its the best steak anyone has ever had, I have pity for you - you need to have a really good steak once in your life and the one at Le Cellier is generally a good steak, but seldom a really good steak.

However, I do know my own taste buds. We LIKE African food. We eat it out at home - I've been to Egyptian and Ethopian restaurants at home, I have a friend who is from Camaroon. This just wasn't GOOD African food.

Expectations set the tone for a restaurant. We really enjoyed our meal at the Sci Fi, because our expectations of the place were "order burger and shakes - enjoy the atmophere - and pay through the nose." We didn't enjoy our B&C experience because we expected a better burger and better ice cream for the price (and the service was lousy and the restaurant dirty - that was really the kicker) - even though our expectations had already been lowered. We enjoyed Biergarten because our expectations were nil - it was a last minute choice made for a guest who is a Germanophile, something I'd have never picked (despite my love of spaeztle and red cabbage - it isn't worth paying for a buffet to get speaztle). If a restaurant exceeds your low expectations, most people are happy. If it doesn't meet high expectations, most people are disappointed.

 

[Schucraig]

We love the breakfast and the dinner!

 

[mking624]

You are right. We were being very silly. I know I don't like buffets. But somehow I was talked into this being food that was above buffet quality and worth going to despite not liking buffets. When you get reviews like "zebra domes are the BEST dessert at Disney" its hard not to set your expectations somewhere above the Banana Napoleon at Flying Fish (one of the best desserts I've had at Disney). Its hard when Beaches and Cream burgers are described as "the best" not to be disappointed by a rather ordinary burger, not on par with the one at Le Cellier. I feel sorry for people booking Le Cellier now - it is one of our favorite restaurants, but if its the best steak anyone has ever had, I have pity for you - you need to have a really good steak once in your life and the one at Le Cellier is generally a good steak, but seldom a really good steak.

However, I do know my own taste buds. We LIKE African food. We eat it out at home - I've been to Egyptian and Ethopian restaurants at home, I have a friend who is from Camaroon. This just wasn't GOOD African food.

Expectations set the tone for a restaurant. We really enjoyed our meal at the Sci Fi, because our expectations of the place were "order burger and shakes - enjoy the atmophere - and pay through the nose." We didn't enjoy our B&C experience because we expected a better burger and better ice cream for the price (and the service was lousy and the restaurant dirty - that was really the kicker) - even though our expectations had already been lowered. We enjoyed Biergarten because our expectations were nil - it was a last minute choice made for a guest who is a Germanophile, something I'd have never picked (despite my love of spaeztle and red cabbage - it isn't worth paying for a buffet to get speaztle). If a restaurant exceeds your low expectations, most people are happy. If it doesn't meet high expectations, most people are disappointed.

I totally understand what you're saying. I guess I just learned to take what people say about food with a grain of salt...and it's really helped us out a lot and if we come out disappointed, it's only by our own doing.

 

[cmm]

My family really enjoyed dinner at Boma last year and we are going again in August. Our waiter was so awesome, we even took a photo of him! He even gave us some jungle juice (from breakfast) to go. If you like beer, try the Tusker - it's fun to have a beer that Africans actually drink (although they obviously don't make the best beer in the world).

 

[Garden Stater]

boma should be on your not to be missed list!

boma is the only buffet we will eat at - it is different than most disney food - it has flavor, there is a lot a variety and many vegetarian options.

 

[northcapemaymom]

We just ate at Boma on 6/22 for the first time and we loved it! The food was different than what we're used to, but the variations they serve are delicious. Our server's name was Barbara, and she was wonderful with service and conversation. My husband even approached the manager on duty to pay compliments on the service and staff. The six of us in our party decided that Boma is on our "must do" list for future visits. Enjoy the experience and have fun!

 

[Micca]

Our family really enjoys Boma for dinner. It is probably the second favorite in all of WDW for our group. Definitely try the soups, they are really special.

 

[WAHMto5]

I have heard so many great things about it, that I have ADRs for Breakfast and Dinner on our up~coming trip

 

[ENSOCK]

My DS6 still talks about the mushroom soup that he ate at Boma's. It was his favorite resturant from our trip. We all loved Boma's. The Zebra Domes were killer.

 

[DisTeach1]

Well, it really depends on what you like. My mother hated it, but as I've said before, she is a very plain, Depression-era Midwesterner, who thinks pepper is "spicy". And, she doesn't like smoked meat. I don't like food that I don't recognize. To us, it was just okay. I booked it again for our first night, because we are staying at AKL and I always give a restaurant more than one try if it is just "okay" to us, but my Mom said she didn't want to eat there again. So, we will try breakfast.

Having said that, the one thing I will say is the truth about the DIS, is that everyone has different opinions on what restaurants are great, and which ones are terrible. It all depends on you, what you are used to, what you consider to be a "great" dining experience versus an average one.

But, I would never let what anyone said on the board change my mind about at least trying a restaurant. I would still go, and make up my own mind if I liked it. It's only one meal, you won't starve, you can always find something else to eat, even if it's an ice cream sundae to round out your meal.

 

[slimplaw]

We enjoyed both dinner and breakfast at Boma. My BIL and his family went to Boma when his youngest was about 8 and Boma is the only thing she remembers from that trip.

 

[TTFN]

One quick tip about Boma...it is a "start anywhere" kind of buffet. On our last visit, people lined up in a huge line from the right (where the meat is) thinking this was a typical work-your-way-down-the-line buffet. You need to just walk directly to what you want. I always start with one of the coconut curry soups! Yum!

 

[GC&S]

We've been there twice; first time was absolutely wonderful, the food was very fresh and we loved everything (which suprised me because I'm a picky eater ). Second year was good, but not as great as we remembered. Service was excellent both times. I think anywhere you eat for the first time should be exciting. This trip we are eating at all new places, even those that have not gotten stellar reviews.

 

[Brygida]

Food is so subjective; people can't predict whether someone else will love a restaurant as much as they do. That's why I'm always puzzled by the "will I like ______ restaurant" questions on this board. Nobody knows if they're going to like it.

Well said! You are so right.

Me and my sister have had a favorite restaurant in Connecticut for 24 years. Newer ones have come and gone... but it was always our favorite. We recently got our other sister to try it and she didn't think it was very good. We looked at her like she was from outer space! or maybe adopted?

 

[Ms.Mouse]

It's GREAT for breakfast and dinner..... Have fun...