Ohana's - What A Disappointment!

[figmentgirl]

We have found that when there has been a major issue such as yours (whether at WDW or elsewhere) it helps to ask for a manager asap and simply explain the situation. More often than not, they will be sympathetic/eager to restore your faith and they have various means at your disposal to do so. (Waitstaff will rarely alert a manager themselves if the delay/oversight was their own fault.)

Lisa, this is also my advice. NEVER complain to the server. Politely ask them to fetch the manager and explain what happened in depth. Know that you not only stand a chance to get some form of compensation and sincere apology, but you also pave the road for future diners like myself to not have the same expereience. So sorry this happened to you sweetie

 

[magicbob]

waiter chased us outside for too low of tip

Wow! Talk about having some nerve. I generally overtip IF service is good. But I won't hesitate to "dock" a server if the service is poor. I understand that sometimes it's not their fault (kitchen backed up, etc.) and I don't hold those types of things against them. But if, say, my drink remains empty for more than a 10 minutes, the "meter" starts running (in reverse).

If a waiter ever had the nerve to tell me I'd left too low of a tip, I'd apologize for my mistake and ask for the check back so I could correct it. Then I would change it to ZERO!!!!!

 

[rookie2]

I hope this is just an odd attempt at being sarcastic? While I don't entirely feel the OP's pain (it is a meat eater's paradise, menu check would have helped), I can empathize with most of it. I don't think your 5 minute wait quite compares with the OP's 30...and then after your "wait" you got too much food? I can't find your problem...

Sorry, not quite the same.

It was at least 5 min wait constantly(actually probably longer) . Getting a plate full of steak was not what we thought the meal would be. The problem was we did not have a waiter....at two different times we had to ask a waiter at another table to please find our waiter. So maybe I low balled the wait time of 5min. The meal which usually takes us an hour to eat took nearly two. You're right no biggie(now thats sarcasim). Sorry I voiced my feelings.

 

[maxiesmom]

i understand your frustration but you didnt have to be rude to the waiter. im sure he was trying his best and it was an honest mistake. think about it, disney doesnt just hire slackers- im sure he really was super busy.

Being super busy is not excuse for ignoring a table for 30 minutes. The OP didn't even get the meat until after they complained! And telling that table that you were busy waiting on a "special" that whole time? Not a smart move and not an acceptable excuse at all.

 

[hygienejean]

Wow I could have written this review too! We were there on the 18th. While the food was delicious, the service was poor. We were served our drinks after a wiat of course.....waited....waited.....about 20 mins before the bread came out. The salad and sides came at once.... then we waited about 40 minutes for the meat! so you can imagine that we were getting full and really not too hungry for the meat by the time it came. Then we waited another 20 minutes and no waiter....I asked another waitress who went to look ,(he was MIA for most of the meal) found him and then he comes out after another 10 minutes and brings two cupcakes and bread pudding but never apologizes for the ridiculously slow service. We were there well over 2 hours by the time we got out of there. I do wish I talked to the manager, but at that time I just wanted to get out b/c we had been there for so long. That said I would still go back b/c I think the service was a fluke. I saw lots of wonderful servers working hard all around us. I thought the food was wonderful though.

 

[BridetobeDisney]

I love the food at Ohana. I'm not a big steak eater though. I fill up on shrimp and turkey. Plus I love the noodles and pot stickers. That being said, the service is hit or miss. I LOVE Lipoa, the entertainer. She is wonderful. But the servers are sometimes slow or too fast. We have eaten at many table service restaurants and definitely have good and bad stories for the same restaurant. It can change drastically between each visit. But one of my worst experiences was at Ohana. We had a late reservation, maybe 9 pm. We had our DS there with us. He was 3 at the time. The waiter was nice and chatty which we don't mind. Some people just want their food and to be left alone but we like to get to know our servers at Disney because they are normally from other countries or different states. Well, for some reason he decided he'd be funny with our child (who was only 3 btw) and came up in behind the chair with our child in a booster seat and leaned the chair backwards to make our child think the chair was falling. My son is sensitive. If something sets him off for some reason (you never know what it may be) it ruins him for hours. He's not autistic but does have a few sensory issues. My child screamed because he thought he was falling and the CM laughed. I looked at him like I could hurt him. I think he realized how much of a mistake he had made. He apologized. Said he was just playing. Of course, I'm now holding my crying 3 year old that was happily eating his noodles 5 minutes ago. It was towards the end of our meal. I didn't want to make a fuss and call over management. The CM brought DS a light up buzz lightyear drink which did get his mind off of his "scare." We paid and left. We still tipped since the CM had been so chatty and a good server but not alot. I wasn't very happy with that visit.

 

[Anal Annie]

Trying Ohana for the first time on our spring break trip coming up. By the time I decided to add it the only time I could get was 9:10. Hope they don't shut it down on us! We're staying at BLT so I thought it would be the perfect time to get there with the monorail. After umpteen trips I thought it was time we tried it. Not really sure what to expect but DS should love the potstickers and DH LOVES him some meat...so I hope it's OK. I am concerned about the ressie time though. Do they tend to shut things down before the last ressie is seated? (What time IS the last seating anyway?)

 

[pigletto]

We go to Ohana every trip, sometimes twice. Dh loves the food, and he is the kind of easy going guy that never asks for much, so when he finds something he loves I am happy to try and book the reservations for him over and over.

So in about 6 or 7 times eating there we have had pretty bad service twice.. twice in a row actually (2 separate trips though).
Both times, no bread ever came, and the salad had NO dressing. But by the time we had it corrected we were mostly through the rest of the meal. There were other small issues as well. No drink refills etc. And one of those meals we waited a good 25 minutes for the bill after we asked for it.
The place was full and the servers were being run off their feet so I didn't complain. I used to serve and those nights are a nightmare. I get the feeling every night is one of those nights at Ohana so I feel bad for them. I also feel it is likely a staffing issue. They need more servers obviously if your staff is literally running to get their work done.

I will say both of the bad nights were the same server, and also he has been mentioned in this thread already. So I don't know if maybe it was this particular server having a harder time than usual as well.

 

[Anal Annie]

We go to Ohana every trip, sometimes twice. Dh loves the food, and he is the kind of easy going guy that never asks for much, so when he finds something he loves I am happy to try and book the reservations for him over and over.

So in about 6 or 7 times eating there we have had pretty bad service twice.. twice in a row actually (2 separate trips though).
Both times, no bread ever came, and the salad had NO dressing. But by the time we had it corrected we were mostly through the rest of the meal. There were other small issues as well. No drink refills etc. And one of those meals we waited a good 25 minutes for the bill after we asked for it.
The place was full and the servers were being run off their feet so I didn't complain. I used to serve and those nights are a nightmare. I get the feeling every night is one of those nights at Ohana so I feel bad for them. I also feel it is likely a staffing issue. They need more servers obviously if your staff is literally running to get their work done.

I will say both of the bad nights were the same server, and also he has been mentioned in this thread already. So I don't know if maybe it was this particular server having a harder time than usual as well.

I want to know from the beginning if we've got "the one" we don't want to get!!!

 

[bowlingchicaroo]

Well this is not good to hear as I'm going for the first time in April. However, I do know the menu and if we're waiting long I now know to speak up about it. I'm looking forward to this dinner.

We've been there twice in the last 2 yrs...Always have to make a trip to Ohana's before we leave Disney. The food is great and experience is priceless...Our kids absolutely love it!! This last time we didn't have the Dining Plan but we made it a point to pay oop and waited 40 mins to get in...

So just keep your ressie for April...I hope you will love it as much as we do...going again this September for free dining and its on our list of ADR's...

 

[Jty1220]

I don't think it is fair to condemn a resteraunt based on one bad server. Stuff happens. And as for the mostly meat part, did you not know what was on the menu before you went?

I like O'Hana but it is not my favorite. But I think you have to manage your expectations.

I disagree. Service is just as important as the actual meal and any bad experience will move me to not come back

 

[mommy2twinprincesses]

If a waiter ever had the nerve to tell me I'd left too low of a tip, I'd apologize for my mistake and ask for the check back so I could correct it. Then I would change it to ZERO!!!!!

 

[DW2010]

Most of the places we ate at didn't have great servers, even California Grill. With that being said, we did love 'Ohana but I would feel the same way as you if we were forgotten!

 

[hotcarib]

'Ohana is a must-do for us, an intrinsic part of our WDW stay...however:
I'm going to agree with feeling both rushed AND abandoned.
I am a slow eater and hate feeling rushed so I always advise the waiter to take things slow. Sadly this usually leaves us abandoned and flagging the waiter down for the next course. I realize they are busy and encouraged to keep a set pace to turn tables (which is why I always book the last res. of the evening) but honestly I don't want shrimp when I've yet to eat a bite of salad. Also, I'd like a chance to enjoy my Lapu-Lapu (yes, I realize I can order it before being seated; I choose not to) before being bombarded by the food.
Also, it is a pretty meat intensive menu which DH loves and I'm o.k. with salad, veg. and bread pudding.
That being said IMO 'Ohana is far more about the atmosphere, immersive experience than the food.

 

[Emma1987]

Hmm, I'm getting kinda worried now because I had really wanted to eat at Ohana on our trip this year because I have never been.
After all of the negative comments, I'm not sure what to be expecting. Especially since I'm going during the high season, it will probably be extra busy and service will be even worse than I'm reading...

What's a girl to do eh? lol!!

 

[goofyintoronto]

Hmm, I'm getting kinda worried now because I had really wanted to eat at Ohana on our trip this year because I have never been.
After all of the negative comments, I'm not sure what to be expecting. Especially since I'm going during the high season, it will probably be extra busy and service will be even worse than I'm reading...

What's a girl to do eh? lol!!

I have the same worry, but im gonna try it anyway and form my own opinion of the place. Im not the most patient person, so i have that working in my favour. LOL! I WILL speak up (sooner than most) if i see something isnt right. But dont get me wrong, im always very polite.

 

[Anal Annie]

We just got back from our spring break trip and tried O'hana for the first time. It was a trip full of "new" (to us) restaurants and we enjoyed most of them. We had a late ressie at O'hana (9:10) and thought it was good and we were able to watch Wishes from our seats while we ate.

I especially liked the shrimp and my DH really liked the pork while DS cleaned up serving after serving of the dumplings and most of the noodles & broccoli. Our main server was OK and stopped by several times - but I wouldn't call him warm & fuzzy and the guy who came by with the meats most of the time seemed to barely speak English and was a complete zero on the personality scale. Personality aside between the 2 of them they kept the food flowing the whole time.

Since it was our first time there I had sort of expected that someone would explain the meal process or something when we were first seated but nobody did. They just started bringing food out. DH was like "what's going on" and I said I think it's like a buffet that they bring to you.

While the food was good and it was an interesting dining experience I am not sure what the hype is about to get a reservation. I mean it was GOOD but I wouldn't be crushed if I couldn't get a ressie. O'hana was worth trying and we will likely try it again on another trip but it won't replace Boma on our "must do" list. Personally, I thought MY best meal all week was at La Hacienda de San Angel in Epcot and I can't wait to go there again.

 

[davedmaine]

We've eaten at Ohana countless times and a lot has to do with when you're seated regarding the pacing of the meal. You'll notice that people tend to be seated in the same sections at around the same time. If you're seated first in the section you typically have a longer wait in between courses. If you're seated towards the end of the seating they're piling the food up on your table before you can finish it. The reason is that the wait staff has to get the side items -- salad, wings, pot stickers, lo mein, veggies, etc, out of the way before they can start serving the skewers..

 

[Tinker Bell Fan]

I'd be upset too if we weren't served and waited forever! DH & I haven't been to O'Hana's for dinner (only breakfast) and we've had a great time and the food was really good. Well, actually, the first time the bacon wasn't as done as i'd like, we told our server who got us crispy bacon (just the way I like). Pineapple bread and crispy bacon (and the fruit & juice) - I was in heaven!

OP - hopefully you'll try O'Hana's again - and you don't get the same server!

 

[kendzee94]

We LOVE 'Ohanas! With that said, we had one bad server, and now when we go, I ask who our server will be, just to make sure we don't get him again! We had one bad experience in 10+ meals there. I would not let one server dictate that you don't go back. Definitely give it another chance. When you get ready to be seated, you can ask who your server is. Just a thought!