I think the DIS has murdered another restaurant!

[crisi]

We ate at Kona in August, and I'm sorry to say we didn't enjoy our meal here like we have in the past. The sticky wings were tough, like they'd been sitting under a heat lamp for too long. DW's favorite is the macadamia mahi mahi, but she didn't like it, either. They changed the presentation to remove the onions on top and the macadamias are ground into a meal that's not as tasty, she said. And she said it was dry, kind of like my wings.

The service was wonderful, and we enjoy the atmosphere there. Maybe we just caught them on a bad night. But we did sense a decline.

I could have written the same review two years ago - so I'm not sure it is a decline. Chicken wings barely had meat on them, terriyaki steak was tough, the mahi mahi was OK, but not great.

 

[MichelleVW]

MichelleVW

what did you order?



.

We ordered the Sticky Wings and loved them. DH ordered the
steak and I ordered the Prime Rib. I got the white chocolate cheesecake for dessert and DH go the chocolate fondue.

 

[NaplesRI]

This is such an interesting thread for me, as I had just posted a thread of whether we should go to Kona or 'Ohana.
Based on bad reviews of 'Ohana, I was considering Kona...

Some days it just sounds like all the food isn't good at Disney
I have changed my mind of where to get ADRS so many times already! Good thing I have to wait till the system comes back online

 

[disnut8]

Let's take this with a grain of salt (no pun intended). The only person I know that is even aware there is a restaurant called Kona Cafe at Disney World is me. None of my family or friends. Sure, if you read these boards every single day, you will take notice of the reviews (or ignore them as I do). As much as we'd like to think the group makes up the majority of the guests at Disney World, we are such a very, very small percentage of the people there.

My brother-in-law cannot stand to eat at Applebee's. He refuses to go into that restaurant and advises his family and friends not to eat there. I don't think his local Applebee's has anything to worry about from him.

This is why I ignore reviews. No one knows me and what I like and don't like. I've eaten at Kona Cafe and it wasn't for me. Would I go back there for a second try? Probably. Would I rush over there, having to eat there? No. But that absolutely nothing to do with any review I've read here.

 

[Stacerita]

When we were last there we tried Kona and I was less than impressed. The food was just ok. And the service was not good. It wasn't bad, just not good. I might give it another try in the future. But I just don't see what the hype was all about.

 

[Harambe]

Let's take this with a grain of salt (no pun intended). The only person I know that is even aware there is a restaurant called Kona Cafe at Disney World is me. None of my family or friends. Sure, if you read these boards every single day, you will take notice of the reviews (or ignore them as I do). As much as we'd like to think the group makes up the majority of the guests at Disney World, we are such a very, very small percentage of the people there.


This is why I ignore reviews.

This is very true, disnut. But I still feel some restaurants are hyped up and more folks try it, due to the reviews.

I'm glad you choose to ignore most reveiws, but I see that you still read them!

MUSICMOM3 - We had a 5:30 ADR on Aug. 27, which was a Thursday night. The entire area between Kona and 'Ohana was packed with families, strollers, etc.

 

[AbbyPan]

I, like disnut, read reviews, but don't necessarily make my decision based upon it simply becuase my taste isn't particulary the same as anyone else's. I've never had a bad meal at Kona's, it's one of our family favorites.

One thing to remember is that you can visit a restaurant twice and have 2 completely different experiences. Happen's all the time.

 

[Micca]

This might sound weird, but the food is only one part of the "dining experience" at WDW. The theming, the CMs, and the feeling of being somewhere new & different for a meal are also important. Even mediocre food can be enjoyable if there's something else to compensate for it(Mickey Mouse coming to your table, for instance).

 

[disneygirlinnj]

oh no! i had dinner there in December and lunch and breakfast in May and we loved it!!

 

[Praying Colonel]

I could have written the same review two years ago - so I'm not sure it is a decline. Chicken wings barely had meat on them, terriyaki steak was tough, the mahi mahi was OK, but not great.

Our meal there in 06 was awesome, as was our meal last year, so at least from our experience, it's a decline. But since different people have had and are having widely different experiences there, maybe it's not so much a decline as inconsistency.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I, like disnut, read reviews, but don't necessarily make my decision based upon it simply becuase my taste isn't particulary the same as anyone else's. I've never had a bad meal at Kona's, it's one of our family favorites.

One thing to remember is that you can visit a restaurant twice and have 2 completely different experiences. Happen's all the time.

I go along with AbbyPan totally. I love to read all the reviews of all the different resturant's, but even though I may read bad reviews, I still go there and make my own decision as to if I like it or not. Everyones tastes are so different.

 

[CDNCA]

We were staying off-site during Fay, we were drenched and desperately needing some Disney. Called at 6:00 and got in at 9:20. We were seated 10 minutes after our "time" but we did not care as we just toured the shops and lobby.

Food was exactly as described in the menu and we enjoyed it very much.

Service was what we expected from Disney - Efficient but not over the top.

We would definitely return.

 

[NejTheLion]

I don't think the DIS has nearly as much impact on a restaurant as the Disney Dining Plan does.

 

[xipetotec]

Well, it may still be breathing, but I definitely hear the death rattle.

I've notice a trend, since I've been posting and reading on the Disboards. One restaurant seems to get rave reviews, and we all jump on the ADR train for that particular restaurant. Then it becomes hard to get an ADR there, and securing one allows for bragging rights.

Then the restaurant can't keep up . . . service is slow . . . food quality slips . . . "great expectations" aren't met . . . restaurant is flamed . . . people stop seeking ADRs . . . restaurant recovers, and is once again a pleasant place to eat.

Past "darlings" have been Coral Reef, Boma, Chef Mickey's. More recently, LeCellier.

But I fear the next one to take a tumble: KONA CAFE

Our meal was sub-par, and I just read a few other sad reviews over on the reveiw board, complaining of bland food. The service is still excellent, but that won't pacify folks for long.

Well I don't know about KC, but just this past March, we did Boma ( twice! Breakfast and dinner ), and Le Cellier and they were simply FANTASTIC.

 

[Tink3Bell]

Ate there this year and last year, last year was definatly better. I hate the new way they present the kona kone with the metal box????
We had two reservations there this time and two different entrees steak ok but
the shrimp and scallops were very good. Waitress one blah, waitress 2 was good. oh well . . . something new next year perhaps.

 

[Dizzytime]

"I think the DIS has murdered another restaurant! "

Well, it may still be breathing, but I definitely hear the death rattle.

I've notice a trend, ......

I've also noticed a trend , and I know this is all fun stuff and DIS members have a great variety of opinions, but posts like this baffle me. I suppose people have different reasons for joining this type of forum, but I joined not only to get useful information that would help me, but hopefully return the favor and give back something that makes other's trips better, too. I'm new so maybe way off base, but so far for every hint of something that I have shared I've learned 100 times back in great, new! information I would not have known otherwise. One of my goals here is to post something nobody else knows but would love to learn about. It will never happen, but let's share what we know. Karma, whatever, good things come back to you, right? Whatever I will ever post here will never make a line longer or shorter, a restaurant better or worse, a bus come faster or slower. You think I'm right? What da ya think? If I'm wrong let me know. Harambe, it's nothing personal and maybe I misunderstand.

Have a magical weekend!!

 

[crisi]

Our meal there in 06 was awesome, as was our meal last year, so at least from our experience, it's a decline. But since different people have had and are having widely different experiences there, maybe it's not so much a decline as inconsistency.

Also, not everyone has the same standards - I'm a pretty big food snob.

 

[musicmom3]

Ate there this year and last year, last year was definatly better. I hate the new way they present the kona kone with the metal box????
We had two reservations there this time and two different entrees steak ok but
the shrimp and scallops were very good. Waitress one blah, waitress 2 was good. oh well . . . something new next year perhaps.

OK, I'll bite! WHAT metal box? Sounds scary!

 

[ChefColette]

It might seem so, but I doubt that the increased traffic from here is significant. I think statistically the number of Dis-ers going to any particular WDW eatery over 365 days makes the impact minimal. That doesn't mean that the reviews here aren't valuable. I think it's more likely an indicator that enthusiastic reviews increased expectations beyond the norm. BTW, I really enjoy Kona for breakfast.

I agree.

 

[mvmarcz]

we ate there last week and it was great! They were the ONLY place at WDW to cook my DH's burger the way he liked it. I was, sadly, sick and didn't get to eat my burger but everything else I ordered was GREAT! And the service was good and our server was friendly!