Jiko - The Cooking Place Reviews

[ajcatman]

Looking for opinions. We have reservations there for Aug 31st.

 

[CarolMN]

There's a whole forum just for dining reviews:

Disney Dining Reviews

If you do a search for Jiko over there, you get lots of Jiko reviews to read.

 

[JWG]

It was good. Very good. And expensive.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Jiko is the restaurant and The Cooking Place is the counter within the restaurant. The counter is at the appetizer/salad prep area. If you choose to sit there you will be able to chat with the chefs while they work. If that sounds good to you just ask for a place at the counter when you check in. It is first-come, first served so there may not be room at your reservation time. In that case they would sit you at a regular table. If you would prefer a regular table you don't have to do anything as that is the default seating.

 

[jillmc40]

It was good. Very good. And expensive.

+1 and totally worth it!!!!! I love it!

 

[Anal Annie]

While we enjoyed all of the restaurants at AKL, Jiko was our least favorite. We thought it was overpriced in comparison to Sanaa and Boma. Boma is the only one we go out of our way to repeat. JM2C.

 

[JWG]

While we enjoyed all of the restaurants at AKL, Jiko was our least favorite. We thought it was overpriced in comparison to Sanaa and Boma. Boma is the only one we go out of our way to repeat. JM2C.

Jiko is a signature dining experience. I wouldn't suggest doing it more than once (unless on the premium dining plan).

So many people like Boma, we ate there and weren't thrilled. Though, we don't typically like exotic foods so an African buffet was tough.

 

[crisi]

We've found it uneven over the years. The first time it my meal was OK, my husband loved his, and the service was lousy. But my husband really loved his, so he was down on business and went again, and came back raving again. So I gave it another chance, and this time the whole thing was wonderful. I went a third time last year, and it was ok - service was good and the wine we chose was excellent, but the food really wasn't that good for the price - and this time my husband's meal was only OK as well. The menu has changed quite a bit over the past few years, not for the better.

Haven't been to Sanaa. I've been to Boma twice and am not impressed. Its a big buffet and Disney buffets are overpriced for food sitting in vats under heat lamps. We do like exotic food - even my kids.

 

[Anal Annie]

Jiko is a signature dining experience. I wouldn't suggest doing it more than once (unless on the premium dining plan).

So many people like Boma, we ate there and weren't thrilled. Though, we don't typically like exotic foods so an African buffet was tough.

This is why we love Boma - everything is so different from what we can get at home and the soups are wonderful. We like the variety and we love the African flavors and spices! The lobby of AKL smells so good when you walk in...

 

[lucyem]

We've found it uneven over the years. The first time it my meal was OK, my husband loved his, and the service was lousy. But my husband really loved his, so he was down on business and went again, and came back raving again. So I gave it another chance, and this time the whole thing was wonderful. I went a third time last year, and it was ok - service was good and the wine we chose was excellent, but the food really wasn't that good for the price - and this time my husband's meal was only OK as well. The menu has changed quite a bit over the past few years, not for the better.

Haven't been to Sanaa. I've been to Boma twice and am not impressed. Its a big buffet and Disney buffets are overpriced for food sitting in vats under heat lamps. We do like exotic food - even my kids.

I am actually glad to hear someone else say this about Jiko. We had a bad meal there. Some of it was good (mmmm flatbread), some bad (cold inside the food, leather like beef), poor service. While this is so typical of the WDW restaurant inconsistencies, the cost was so much that we do not want to chance it for a second trip.

 

[jillmc40]

I have had amazing service both times I was there. We have little kids...DD6 and DS4 now. My DS was probably 1.5 the first time we were there, 3 the second time I think. Both times we had such nice, patient servers. They were women both times and they would talk to us and thoroughly explain everything and anything on the menu. Very attentive. We tend to eat early, so maybe part of it is before the main rush. The first time we went we were the first adr for the day, the second time maybe an hour after opening.

I will say the service for Boma and Sanaa was the same. Very thorough, explained everything. We go at Easter and Presidents week, so it was certainly a busy time, but they were very nice, so that surprises me.

Everything is hit or miss and to each their own, so I like to try every place and decide.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Jiko is a signature dining experience. I wouldn't suggest doing it more than once (unless on the premium dining plan).

So many people like Boma, we ate there and weren't thrilled. Though, we don't typically like exotic foods so an African buffet was tough.

We thought Boma was "just another buffet". LOVE Jiko though as long as it isn't during free dining. We have had more than one meal ruined there by too many toddlers not being watched by parents who are only eating there because its "free".

I must say though, we haven't eaten at Jiko in 2 years because Sanaa has taken over the favorite spot in our hearts for eating at AKV. LOVE Sanaa!

 

[VrBchJ]

Jiko has always been on of my favorites ever since Chef Annette opened the restaurant many years ago. After she left Brian Piasecki took over and it was still excellent. He left to go to Cali Grill and since then the dining experiences have been spotty. The service (ask for Ron) has always been wonderful, the wine unique but the food itself has been hit or miss. Hate to say that because of all my wonderful wine dinners and other great times I've had there.

 

[JWG]

We thought Boma was "just another buffet". LOVE Jiko though as long as it isn't during free dining. We have had more than one meal ruined there by too many toddlers not being watched by parents who are only eating there because its "free".

I must say though, we haven't eaten at Jiko in 2 years because Sanaa has taken over the favorite spot in our hearts for eating at AKV. LOVE Sanaa!

Some restaurants need a minimum age and/or should be exempt from eligibility during free dining. Signature restaurants, be definition, should not require free dining to fill them up. There should either be a free dining exclusion for high end or they should lower their prices to draw in more guests.

The last thing I want to do is pay for signature dining and have an Olive Garden experience at Oceanaire prices.

 

[jillmc40]

We thought Boma was "just another buffet". LOVE Jiko though as long as it isn't during free dining. We have had more than one meal ruined there by too many toddlers not being watched by parents who are only eating there because its "free".

I must say though, we haven't eaten at Jiko in 2 years because Sanaa has taken over the favorite spot in our hearts for eating at AKV. LOVE Sanaa!

Mine were sitting next to us . Ds was eating Cheerios, but he was happy doing it. Haha!

I have never done the ddp. I always do tiw. I want to eat whatever and wherever I want. I dont want that to be my deciding factor on where or how i eat. It really is a nice special place I think and it should be treated as so. We love Sanaa as well and are excited to go back!

 

[roselark]

I am not a fan of "fancy" foods, so I have not typically enjoyed the signature restaurants I have tried. I do love ethnic foods, however, so I have really wanted to try Jiko for years.

In January, my solo trip overlapped the solo trip of a friend by 2 days. He is vegetarian and has been wanting to try Jiko as well, so we decided to go together. I try to eat vegetarian as often as I can (I hate onions and mushrooms so vegetarian choices tend to be limited at WDW for me), so we both ordered off the vegetarian menu. It was AMAZING!! One of the best meals I have had on property. I am looking forward to going back.

I have to say that I enjoyed Sanaa almost as much and it was certainly much cheaper. I have been to Sanaa twice and have ordered vegetarian each time there as well.

I would do both again without hesitation.