Jiko or Sanna?

[Mfgs]

I would love a recommendation. We are staying at Kidani (our home resort) the week b/4 Christmas but we have never eaten at any of the AKV restaurants. I am trying to decide between a ressie for Jiko and Saana. Who loves Jiko and who loves Saana? What do you love about either restaurant?

 

[adminjedi]

We loved our food experience at Jiko.
Haven't eaten at Sanaa, but I think it is more Indian flavors.
I suggest you check out the menus for both restaurants to see which has the most options that appeal to you and your party.

 

[DMKEDM]

We've eaten at both...and Jiko is wonderful, but Sanaa is among our very favorite restaurants anywhere...

Jiko is much more "high-end"...(also, not surprisingly, much more expensive)

Sanaa is more ethnic, but we found the food beyond wonderful...they have a lamb patty--kind of like a hamburger--on a piece of crispy pita-like bread with the most marvelous barbeque-y type sauce, that is to die for. The curries are wonderful, too, as are the chutneys. And the desserts are SO worth the calories!

LOVE LOVE LOVE Sanaa!

Jiko has steak, lamb, fish, etc ... it's also got some ethnic twists, but it's more like a high-end "regular restaurant"...really really like it...

Love Love Love Sanaa...really really like Jiko.

Boma is also very good, for a buffet restaurant. And Mara is one of the better food courts.

Can you eat at both Jiko and Sanaa? They are very, very different experiences (and w/Jiko at Jambo and Sanaa at Kidani, you'll feel like you're in different places, too)...

Good luck...

 

[nolanboys]

I'm going in October and have reservations at both. Haven't tried them yet, but so excited to be trying them both. We looked through the menus and they both sound delicious. Just decide if you want a more casual or higher end dining experience. I'm sure you won't be disappointed in either - I've heard great reviews about both.

 

[DenLo]

We've eaten at Jiko, Sanaa and Boma. I like all three and maybe Boma the best because we don't eat at signature restaurants more than a few times a vacation. But I'd gladly eat at Boma nightly.

Jiko is an elegant restaurant. Very dark. The food is excellent and I just heard that the best chef at Jiko just returned. The food is definitely signature quality with the price to match. I was not impressed with the wait staff, they were just not attentive. Sort of left us alone wondering when our food would arrive. That's so different from every other Disney signature restaurant we have dined at. I missed the special attention and advice from the waiter regarding the food and wines.

Sanaa is brighter with a wonderful view of the animals on the savanna. The wait staff is very attentive and cheerful. The food was very good and in some ways the food is not at top notch as at Jiko, but a great value for the dollar. And the food might have more of a curry influence. The seating wasn't as crowded as at Jiko or Boma. The tables were spaced further apart.

Boma, is a buffet, but wow what a buffet. The soups are to die for. There is such a variety of meats, vegetables, breads and desserts that you can dine with a plate of African influenced dishes or some lesser spiced dishes. Very friendly wait staff.

 

[Chuck S]

I agree, they are very different dining experience , and would try both of them if you have the opportunity. It really is hard to pick one over the other. Since you're staying at Kidani, I'd probably pick Sanna for convenience.

 

[billsfan]

We are also going in October and during our three night stay at Kidani Village we will be doing a AKV/AK food tour.

Saturday for lunch - Mara
Saturday for dinner - Sanaa
Monday for dinner - Jiko
Tuesday for brunch - Boma.

We also have never eaten at Jiko or Sanaa and we are looking forward to trying them both.

 

[AirGoofy]

We ate at both in June and would say Jiko was better. I am not a huge fan of Indian-style cuisine, but the food was prepared well. The service at both restaurants was outstanding. Sanaa has a great view of the animals, but I liked the menu selections better at Jiko.

 

[lmb]

We have eaten at all the AK restaurants and our favorite is Saana. Loved the atmosphere at Jiko but we ate there 1x and haven't felt it necessary to go back. Saana we go to every trip.

 

[canluvpooh]

We have eaten at both and they are both good

If it is just a quiet adult meal I would definitely choose Jiko - for a family meal I would choose Saana.

A tip if you choose Saana - try to get an early reservation so you can get a window seat. The view is fabulous

 

[lucyem]

I have ADR's for both this fall. They both look very good and both get good reviews. Based on the menus I know my husband & I will like Jiko. Sanaa also sounds good but for my husband it will be more of a stretch so I am going before he arrives. From what I have read Sanaa does have a view of the animals from some seats but not all. I am planning to go at an off time mid afternoon to try and get a window seat.

 

[Mfgs]

Thanks everyone for all the great info. I think we will do Jiko. I am pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new and different foods, but my DH and kids are not. After taking in all your advice and looking at the menus again I think there will be something to please everyone at Jiko. Would really like to try Saana sometime though! Thanks again!

 

[JWG]

Question, do you need reservations to get into either Boma or Saana? We'll have our 4 year old with us, so no Jiko (for your sake and ours).

Would love to try both Boma and/or Saana but really don't want to have to pick a time given their location to everything else and the intentional planning required to get there, would much rather just show up at a convenient time.

We are going to be there during free dining, so maybe this hope is a lost cause? That's the one nice thing about OKW, Olivia's is not overun with diners.

 

[podsnel]

Question, do you need reservations to get into either Boma or Saana? We'll have our 4 year old with us, so no Jiko (for your sake and ours).

Would love to try both Boma and/or Saana but really don't want to have to pick a time given their location to everything else and the intentional planning required to get there, would much rather just show up at a convenient time.

We are going to be there during free dining, so maybe this hope is a lost cause? That's the one nice thing about OKW, Olivia's is not overun with diners.

I think you need ADRs for both- sometimes on off hours Sanaa can be had, but not always. We were there in May and tried to switch our Sanaa ADR so a friend who LOVES it there could join us- and it was no go. I will be dining at Sanaa for the 4th time this fall, and Jiko for the third. I prefer Sanaa- I think it is absolutely gorgeous, unique, the food is amazing, the price is reasonable, and the servers and the chef are really, really nice. I could also very happily LIVE on the bread service! On this last trip, it was the favorite dinner of three of us. Good luck!

 

[Hmom03]

I have same issue with my kids and DH! They were just fine at Jiko. Since you are staying at Kidani Village, you might consider ordering room service just for yourself. It looked to be the same menu as Sanaa. Maybe they could all get a pizza and you could have a special treat one night.

 

[drusba]

Both are excellent. I like the room at Sanaa better than Jiko including because you can get a savanna view. If staying at Kidani, I would choose Sanaa.

 

[Anal Annie]

Jiko is our least fav. of the 3 AK restaurants. Boma is our absolute fav. I thought Sanaa had a better price point than Jiko. The food is completely different. IMO Jiko is over priced & the lighting is almost TOO dark for me - I like to see my food before it goes in my mouth. We liked Sanaa OK but I think we're best off at Boma. We've never had a bad experience at Boma.