KONA... I've heard raves...What's so GOOD @ it??

[sahlink]

Everyone Raves about KONA's. Is it just spectcular food? Is there entertainment? good abiance(sp?) What is it that makes it worth going here?

 

[TigerKat]

I hate to start off with a negative comment but we've been twice for dinner and we won't be giving it a third try. I know I'm in the minority by a landslide but we've had horrid dinners there. The appetizers are fair, the entrees we had were awful, the desserts were good. There is no ambience or atmosphere IMO, just a crowded, loud coffee house kinda feel.

 

[kldmom2000]

We tried it for the first time last August for dinner before the P & PP since it got such rave reviews here. We got one of the first seatings @ 5pm when they opened. I thought it was "ok"... got the chicken/noodle dish for an entree. Nothing spectacular. My appetizer was the Maytag salad? Again-it was good.... not WOW! DH got the coconut crusted chicken and the sticky wings. The sticky wings were and his entree was good so he says... our girls got a hot dog? and burger I think off the kids' menu. I was too full for dessert but DH got something... can't remember what exactly. I liked that it wasn't crowded at all when we got there... but this time we'll give Ohana a shot since we've never eaten there and the NEW menu appeals to me more than their old one

I would like to try the infamous tonga toast though @ breakfast so we may have to either make an ADR here for breakfast or stop by Capt. Cooke's....

 

[Princess Peach]

We really enjoyed the prime rib there back in '06. Waitress was a little condescending to my kids though, so that kinda soured my taste on the restaurant.

 

[mickeynut1]

We've eaten at Kona twice (Sept. 07 & March 08) and both times it was GREAT!! Their Prime Rib and Fillet were awesome Kona will definitely be on the ADR list for our December trip

 

[sahlink]

bump

 

[allisonswonderland]

I am trying breakfast there for the first time in May, sorry no help - but we are giving the Tonga Toast and the Pineapple Macadameia nut pancakes a try

 

[rick1235]

I have tried it twice. It is OK. Nothing to rave about.

 

[minniekissedme]

Everyone Raves about KONA's. Is it just spectcular food? Is there entertainment? good abiance(sp?) What is it that makes it worth going here?

First time in Feb...AWESOME! Get the tuna or mahi-mahi. Chef recommendations and at one time were off the menu and people wanted them back. It's in the Poly...that's always good to see. After dinner, get the Kona Kone!

 

[Emme]

We LOVE the Kona . It is our first night dinner every time we visit. The appys of potstickers and sticky wings are AMAZING!! My hubby loves the Beef Teriyaki and I adore the Shrimp and Scallops - panko breaded shrimp and pan-seared scallops with sticky rice and ponzu, spicy guava-passion fruit and wasabi cream sauces. The atmopshere is tropical and laid back, service is accomodating .

Don't even get me started on the desserts...I have eaten the Kilauea Torte religiously for the last 8 years or so...OH MY, a little bit of melted chocolate heaven My son who is 19 swears by the Kona Kone with it's yummy ice cream and treats not to mention the cotton candy adornment.

You'll only hear praise from us on this one...one of WDW's best IMO .

 

[ZoZo]

I think Kona is great! We always go there at least once (often more than once) on our trips.

The food is consistently good, and there's lots to choose from. I have tried the filet mignon, seafood chowder, sticky chicken wings - all were just wonderful. There is no real "ambiance" or entertainment (it's just a regular restaurant), but I've always had great meals there.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I can give a breakfast review....I agree with a PP. We felt like we could have been in a coffee house or a Denny's just about anywhere. The food wasn't great. Just sort of Denny's-ish. None of us got the Tonga toast b/c it sounded too rich, but Dh did get the Macadamia nut pancakes. He got a big serving, but they were just ok. The rest of us just got normal b-fast fare and it was normal.
Dh has been wanting to try it out for dinner for quite a while and I suppose we'll do that in June, but I just didn't think it was very Disney-ish. As we sat there eating, I looked all around me and realized that the decor must be the exact same as it was when it was opened. I felt stuck in a 70's time warp. which isn't always bad in my eyes, but we were there for Disney and it just didn't feel right...and the food was def. not over the top.

I will say that I think the menu makes it worth trying once for dinner. Then I'd imagine we'd be done with Kona for awhile.

 

[Tricia1972]

We went once for breakfast and won't be rushing back. I agree with the PP about the ambiance not being there, it's kind of crowded and feels like a coffee house or even a cafeteria because it's so exposed to the hotel.

We went for breakfast and had an omelet and tonga toast. The tonga toast made me literally ill and the omelet was nothing special that you couldn't find at Denny's.

 

[TigerKat]

I will say that I think the menu makes it worth trying once for dinner. Then I'd imagine we'd be done with Kona for awhile.

It's funny, I was about to post that we may try it for breakfast once. We're not doing dinner there again. First time we all ordered the teriyaki steak, none were cooked to order and the pineapple salsa on top was frozen.

Next time we got the Tuna Oscar - disaster. Fried green tomatoes were hard as rocks, very little crab in the tempura, no wasabi in the "wasabi" hollandaise. The asparagus were good.

 

[ObsessedwithMickey]

I've got reservations at Kona next weekend and have no idea what to try! I'm dining at Chef's de France the night before and have decided to get filet at one place and fish at another. But I'm not sure where I should get which. Suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[ExBellhop]

Everyone Raves about KONA's. What is it that makes it worth going here?

I haven't seen as many raves about Kona Cafe in general, but there have always been plenty of people praising the Tonga Toast.

I believe this item was a carry over from Minnie's Menehune Breakfast at the Polynesian. It may have been a buffet breakfast over in the building where the arcade is now. Am I remembering this correctly? Anyone?

Anyway, the Tonga Toast is one of those legendary Disney food items. If I recall, after Minnie's Menehune closed, it was originally left off of the Kona Cafe menu. However, the outcry was so great, it was put back on.

We ate breakfast at Kona last Summer. I thoroughly enjoyed my Pineapple Macadamia Nut Pancakes, and many folks in our party enjoyed their Tonga Toast. My highlight was the French Press pot of 100% Kona Coffee - something I had never had before, but truly loved.

I know Kevin reviewed the Kona for dinner, but I have not eaten there, so this is where my post ends.

Thanks!
ExBellhop