Jiko OR Narcoossees?

[mommykds]

We are planning 1 signature meal & would like to hear which my be better for us. Family of 5 with 3 seafood eaters & 2 not so much. Looking for a nice place to celebrate my sons 17 birthday. We are all foodies & also big dessert fans. Any help on either of these 2 would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[disneypanda11]

We LOVE Narcoossee's and have always had pretty solid (although admittedly "mainstream") food there. I'm a fan of their calamari and butter poached lobster tail. It's a staple for us every trip. We do feel that the service leaves a lot to be desired; IMO, their prices command a caliber of service they do not deliver. We tried Jiko for the first time this past December, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly without reservation. It was truly an elevated dining experience, and the food, wine, and service were memorable. I think you'd be happy at either, but if we were forced to choose just one, I think we'd return to Jiko.

 

[OKW Lover]

Both are very good choices so which every you pick you won't be disappointed. Personally, I'm not a fan of many of the african spices/flavors that Jiko uses so my pick would be Narcoossee. We've eaten at both in the past month or two.

 

[sleepydog25]

Jiko. Great food. Great service. Great location.

 

[minnie mum]

I would pick Jikos for its menu, wine list, and service. But, for a family with kids, I'd go with Narcoossees. To me, Jikos has a quieter, more adult vibe. Narcoossees is a bit livelier - I think the kids would appreciate it more.

 

[klove]

Jiko even from our seafood loving family. Enjoy!

 

[goofy4prez]

Oh my gosh, I am so divided on this one; These two are my favorite signature restaurants at WDW. I think they both offer excellent menu options with excellent service. Jiko is much quieter, is located in a breathtaking resort and has a bit of a bolder menu. Narcoossee's is also located in an excellent resort as well. Yes, the restaurant is a bit livelier than Jiko, but it does offer excellent viewing for the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes. Also for those who don't want seafood there are some excellent land offerings including an excellent filet. As for desserts, IMHO one of the best in all of WDW is found at Narcoosee's with their Almond Crusted Cheese Cake. It is simply to die for. If I had to chose between the two, while difficult, I would give the edge to Narcoossee's.

 

[dancemonkey]

Jiko! But if you want to see fireworks Narcooses. I think the food is better at Jiko

 

[Disney_Alli]

We did both on our honeymoon. I LOVE the atmosphere at Jiko and the food with the subtle African touch, however the view of the fireworks at Narcoossees was amazing! Whichever you choose will be awesome. I'd look at the menus and choose which appeals to the most members of your family. We had amazing desserts at both too. I'd check out the cake chatter thread to look in to possibly doing a custom cake for your son if you want something extra special.

 

[BumbleB]

We usually eat at both during trips to WDW. I love them both. However, I recommend Jiko for the location, as well as the food. We either arrive a little early or stay after our meal to wander around the resort and watch the animals. There are great places to watch the activity and if you get there around the animals dinnertime, it's fun to watch them. If you pay attention to the zebras, you can tell when it's close to feeding time, because they get restless and very impatient (typical equine behavior).

 

[JZCubed]

We are planning 1 signature meal & would like to hear which my be better for us. Family of 5 with 3 seafood eaters & 2 not so much. Looking for a nice place to celebrate my sons 17 birthday. We are all foodies & also big dessert fans. Any help on either of these 2 would be appreciated. Thanks!

It has been long enough that it might be wrong of me to comment directly about the food at Jiko, but you still have two disparate Signatures for a host of reasons.

1.) Narcoossee's menu is certainly seafood-centric....but Grand Floridian is a marvelous opportunity to stroll the shops and listen to the live music. We enjoy Narcoossee's for the fireworks versus the marginally better food and ambiance at Citrico's, combined with the ability to stroll the hotel gives advantage to Narcoossee's if I could only chose one place.

2.) Jiko offers a menu enriched by the aroma of spices from Africa....in a hotel that is incomparable to anything else at Disney because of the animals that can be viewed during daylight hours. If you could arrive during daylight hours, seeing those animals can feel magnificent.

3.) Transportation - getting Resort to Resort. Unless driving yourselves or you are OK paying for a taxi, getting from your hotel to another Resort is not always easy and is in the calculus of where some people are going to dine.

4.) Alternatives - my family is partial to Swan & Dolphin Signatures and Shula's Steak House is a 'manly' place for a 17 year old birthday (especially if he enjoys football), but Yachtman's Steakhouse along the Boardwalk and the charm of Artist's Point at Wilderness Lodge are other options. Also, while we've not been, Four Seasons has Capa and there is also Bull & Bear at Waldorf if you avoid Disney transportation (See: personal vehicle & taxi in #3.).

 

[nilla]

Both are great, but Narcoossee's is our favorite restaurant at WDW.

 

[autkidd]

We did Narcossees less than a month ago on our honeymoon and it was the best meal all trip. Fireworks view was awesome.

We did the cheese plate which was fun and unique to us as we had never done one before. Also got the calamari which was fantastic.

The 2 lb Maine Lobster I had was cooked perfectly. My wife got the New York strip and lobster, and as she doesn't eat seafood I got her lobster.

But the star of the show was the almond encrusted cheesecake. By far the best dessert I have ever had and in the top 3 of things ive ever eaten.

 

[mommykds]

Thanks for all the replies. We eat earlier (6pm or so) so seeing Wishes wouldn't be an option. Leaning towards Jiko though. Thanks!

 

[Asc341]

The food at Narcoossee's didn't wow DH and I - the view is lovely, though!