Jiko, Boma, Marrakesh...All, None, or Some?

[GoofItUp]

I am going with a group including MIL, FIL, SIL & her husband & 2 kids (DD 4 & DS <1), DH and myself Thanksgiving week for 7 days. We like to try different things and are trying to pick restaurants accordingly. So far, we have picked CRT for breakfast (if possible), Ohana's for dinner, Le Chefs de France OR Le Cellier for lunch, and 50's Prime Time for lunch. I really want to try Marrakesh this trip, but also would like to eat at a restaurant at AKL just to have the opportunity to check out this resort. I've thought of doing Jiko or Boma early in the week, and Marrakesh later in the week. Is this too much of the same food? I've looked at the menus and am not sure how similar it will all be. Also, which is better...Jiko or Boma?

 

[ducklite]

Jiko is my favorite WDW restaurant. It is an upscale dining establishment. Boma is a buffet with something for everyone, although many if not most of the foods will be things that you haven't tried before.

Boma is much more child friedly, and is casual. Jiko doesn't actually have a dress code, most tend to dress up into resort wear before dining there.

Anne

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Jiko is one of our favorite restaurants at WDW. We have tried to eat here on every visit since it opened, it is a gret restaurant. On our last visit we started with the olive flatbread and it was great. For our entree's we had the beef tenderloin w/ macroni & cheese and pork tenderloin with sweet potato dumplings and they were both outstanding. Give Jiko's a try you wont be disapointed.

 

[Maggi May]

Sounds like you have a nice selection of restaurants lined up.

Dining at the AKL is a great way to check out the resort and enjoy the atmosphere. Boma and Jiko are both great restaurants, offering a taste of African--influenced fare, along with more familiar foods. It really comes down to the type of experience you're looking for.

Boma is a bustling buffett-type restaurant. On the plus side, you can try a dozen different dishes and go back as many times as you want. My DH and I kept discovering new dishes to try. Even though its a serve yourself buffett, the waitstaff is very attentive. The food is prepared right behind the serving area, and the chefs are right there to answer questions and offer suggestions. For example, once I saw a 10-12 year-old girl hesitate by the soup station because she wasn't familiar with the offerings (hmmm, what does carrot-ginger soup taste like??). One of the chefs grabbed several plastic spoons and led her through each one of the soups so she could try them and decide which one she liked.

Jiko is more of a sit-down neuveau-cuisine restaurant. Excellent service and food. It's quiet, and a nice place to try a menu of inspired cuisine.

I haven't tried Marrakesh yet -- last time we were at Epcot we peeked inside, looked at the menu and decided to include it in our plans for our September trip...So I'm not sure if you and your familiy will think that Jiko, Boma and Marrakesh will be too much of the same thing. Marrakesh has entertainment (Belly Dancing) and has a much different atmostphere. The menu at Marrakesh seems to be much more traditional than the food at Boma and Jiko.

So many decisions!

 

[tar heel]

Marrakesh is not at all like Boma. We haven't eaten at Jiko. We like Boma and Marrakesh both a lot. Leave extra time to walk around and look for hidden mickeys at AKL. Marrakesh is a really good place for lunch -- prices are much lower and you can get specials that include appetizers or even dessert.

 

[motaei]

GoofItUp - Thank you so much for posting this. I was having similar questions about Jiko & Boma. I definitely want to go to Marrakesh just because of the dancing.

From this thread, I will probably choose Boma due to the casual atmosphere & more kid friendly menu. Also, the whole meal at Boma's is the same price of just an entree at Jiko.

 

[GoofItUp]

Thank-you so much for the excellent replies. Sounds like I will be happy any way I go! I think we will definitely schedule Marrakesh for a lunch and do one of the others - depending on which the family votes on - later in the week for dinner. This gives me much more information to share with the family!

 

[mrsltg]

I've eaten at Boma and Marrakesh and loved them both. This December we're going to give Jiko a try. You've got seven nights... try them all!!!

Erin

 

[musicmom3]

I ate at the Tangerine Cafe at Morocco for lunch and loved it. That night we had PS at Boma, and while I also loved Boma, I wished I had not eaten at these two restaurants back to back. There was some similarity of ingredients (lentils, legumes, couscous, spices, etc.). If I had to do it again, I would definitely do these restaurants on different days.

 

[crisi]

We have both Marrakesh and Boma booked for our next trip. Marrakesh is an old favorite and will be dinner the first full night. Boma we've never been to before and will be the last dinner.

Jiko is a little too upscale for our four and five year old. We are going to try one upscale restaurant this time - Narcoosees - but Narcoosees is about as casual as upscale gets at WDW. Can't wait for Jiko on a trip when the kids are a little older.

 

[KathyTX]

We also like Marrakesh. Pretty traditional and tasty food, belly dancer, usually not crowded, so you can frequently get in with no PS. And unlike anything we have at home!

 

[Belle5]

We dined at Jiko with kids in May. We dined at Marrakesh this year and last. We have dined at Boma several times. Boma is the family favorite. We just all love it. The dancing is interesting at Marrakesh. The food isn't something that we find ourselves craving (like we do Boma's food) --just different and nice. Jiko was good. DH is the only one of all of us that has any desire to ever go back. But even he agreed he would choose Boma any day over Jiko. Just one family's perspective for you.