Kona Cafe

[DisneyStarWisher]

Right now, we have a reservation for Kona Cafe on Halloween night. The plan is to eat at 5:45, head over to Ft. Wilderness to walk around and see the campsite decorations, and then head over to TOWL to view HalloWishes. After looking a little more closely at the new Kona Cafe menu, I'm really not impressed. I'm really not sure I want to eat there. Has anyone tried it lately and enjoyed it? If so, what was good?

ETA: I have already thought about changing to Trail's End, but we prefer non-buffets. And we want to save Hoop dee Doo for when we go with our entire family. Also, we will be staying at CCV and eating at WCC for lunch.

 

[LilDisHelper]

Kona cafe is really good and And the Kona Toast at breakfast is really good , but the dinner is really good at well and i think it would be fun for kids to see the Chefs makinh there Dishes infront of them in the Evening , the portion are not really tine , but they arent big ...

 

[JAMIESMITH]

We've been to dinner there twice. The first time was in January of 2015 and then in a April of 2016. The steaks are awesome! They also had these skewers of grilled shrimp that were pretty good. The Hawaiian bread they bring out is really good too.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Kona cafe is really good and And the Kona Toast at breakfast is really good , but the dinner is really good at well and i think it would be fun for kids to see the Chefs makinh there Dishes infront of them in the Evening , the portion are not really tine , but they arent big ...

We've been to dinner there twice. The first time was in January of 2015 and then in a April of 2016. The steaks are awesome! They also had these skewers of grilled shrimp that were pretty good. The Hawaiian bread they bring out is really good too.

Oh, I've been there for dinner. And I loved it! My problem is the menu has changed. I think the steak they used to have is gone. There is a strip loin now, which may be as good but I don't know. I love shrimp, and the only shrimp entree I see is one that has lemon vinaigrette. I hate anything lemon. The only thing that is appealing to me right now is a couple of appetizers. I may go that route with Ohana bread pudding for dessert.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

We ate at the new menu on August 23 and it was amazing! We got the wings, pot stickers, and sushi all were extremely good and fresh. The kids salmon and pasta dishes were wonderful as was the turkey sandwich. The service was amazing the waitress even picked up my daughters cups to ensure they did not need refills as you could not see through them. When she heard me say that I was going to get a Dole whip for dessert and then my daughter mentioned they were not her favorite she brought the girls out a mini cupcake and never charged us. IMO it was soooooo much better than Ohana.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I'm really not a fan of Kona. The restaurant itself is so dated and in dire need of a refurb and I think the food is quite mediocre. I would consider The Wave at CR instead. The food and atmosphere are so much better and you can simply take the boat there from WL and then take the boat over to Ft. W. Another option could be GF Cafe, but we like the food at the Wave more.

 

[HollVoll]

Great question. Kona has always been a favorite for us. However, like you, the new menu didn't appeal to us when we read it. So we are skipping it this time. Interested in reading the reviews.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

This is my debate right now too. I have it booked for our upcoming trip. Used to love the noodles but they took them off the menu. I've never had good service at Kona but love the location and hoping the new menu is just as good. I'm undecided whether to cancel Kona and go for The Wave instead (never been to the Wave).

 

[B-Ride]

My favourite at Kona is gone but it might still be worth a trip for pot stickers, wings, the great bread and the Kona Kone for dessert.

 

[bucky1023]

I'm sure if you ask they would leave off the lemon sauce from the shrimp

 

[NYCgrrl]

I enjoyed the food at Kona Cafe which served as my introduction to DW this July. I expected it to be "fast food gone expensive" and had a severe case of the grumps when I sat down at the table with all the expected and unexpected hiccups of an short term planned trip in hand; 2 weeks after my granddaughter's graduation from elementary school we were there and our long planned for regular camping trip was gone.

That meal lifted my spirits considerably. A center cut of salmon (hate when you get measly overcooked bits and pieces of fish!), perfectly and succulently cooked with some nicely roasted veggies on the side. In deference to my feelings, DGD ate the pot stickers but said my version are better (whadda schmuzzer!). I'm not a major fan of wings in general but like the way these were seasoned. The salad was overdressed to my mind but everyone else slurped the dish down and any day little people eat their veggies is a score in my world.

During a quick pre-study of DW I was aware of the vaunted niceness of CMs and initially took the attitude of the waiter as par for the course (ie he wanted a tip).
I was wrong in thinking it was a total money grab.
He was professional w/o being over the top and did his job exceptionally well.

The next morning I visited KC for a solo breakfast after walking to GF, and was served efficiently with no complaints. Ordered 2 eggs any style minus the potatoes which is a bit of a "trick" dish for me. When I say I want soft scramble ...err that's what I want. I'm a total horror in the mornings, "vant to be alone" and refuse to engage in convos until several cups of tea have slide down my gullet and I return to humanoid again, LOL. The waiter read me well, asked if my booth was to my liking since other people where starting to "crowd me in" and let me read my newspaper w/o much more interaction. I ordered 2 eggs sunnyside up to go for the man with all the sides, wandered over to Kona Island for French pressed coffee, juice and pastries for the sleeping people and all happy when I returned.


This was my back to back meal experience with Kona and with that remembrance in hand I made an ADR for a Christmas Eve meal there for our next trip.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

The restaurant itself is so dated and in dire need of a refurb

I could be wrong, but I always assumed that the dated decor was intentional so as to give off a: "We are the Brady family on vacation in Hawaii in 1972" vibe. The whole "Tiki decor" thing is a product of the 50's and 60's so I figured that that is what they were aiming for making the dated decor a feature instead of a glitch. At least, that's always been my take. Or perhaps you are right and the place is dated and my interpretation is simply an ironic spin.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My take is the decor is purposely lighter in feel than 'Ohana's for contrast and identification purposes. Didn't find it dated in a food stained threadbare manner but certainly retro as if Howard Johnson's met Hawaii with a quick stop in Tacoma, WA for glass and metal interest.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

My take is the decor is purposely lighter in feel than 'Ohana's for contrast and identification purposes. Didn't find it dated in a food stained threadbare manner but certainly retro as if Howard Johnson's met Hawaii with a quick stop in Tacoma, WA for glass and metal interest.

I wonder how many people reading these boards have ever had the Clam Strips, or "Little Boy Blue" or "Simple Simon" at a HoJo's?

 

[lucas]

I'm sure if you ask they would leave off the lemon sauce from the shrimp

What comes with the shrimp? Only veggies?

 

[Colleen27]

Great question. Kona has always been a favorite for us. However, like you, the new menu didn't appeal to us when we read it. So we are skipping it this time. Interested in reading the reviews.

That's where we're at too. I used to love the place but all of our favorites are gone from the menu now and the latest update just doesn't do anything for me. I'm watching the reviews with interest because DS would really like Kona as our last lunch if it is still as good as we remember, but for right now I've got Sanaa planned instead because that menu just looks so much better.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Well, after discovering the 30% DVC discount for several restaurants has been extended, I decided to change my Kona Cafe ADR to Citricos. I've wanted to eat at Citricos for a long time. It's one of the last signature restaurants I haven't tried. With 30% off, now's the time to try it. So the plan is to eat at Citricos and then walk over to Tambu Lounge to get Ohana bread pudding for dessert. That was the main reason I was going to Kona Cafe anyway.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Good for you!

 

[samsteele]

I wonder how many people reading these boards have ever had the Clam Strips, or "Little Boy Blue" or "Simple Simon" at a HoJo's?

And in the late 70s/early 80s, they also served a mean French Dip Roast Beef Sammy. I remember road trip vacations with my family and HoJo's was a staple.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Well, plans change again. Just heard the 30% off discount has NOT been extended. That means Citricos is out. We just can't do two signatures on this trip without a sizable discount. So after thinking briefly about switching back to Kona, we decided to go with The Wave instead. Its menu just appeals to us more.