over rated- Ohana dinner

[sluggozmom]

We just ate here last Thursday and our family thought it was the best meal of the trip (most expensive though too). My Dd10 is vegetarian and I'm vegan, they brought us each out our own appetizer with flatbread, won ton chips and various dips/hummus and a separate platter of noodles and veggies. We also each got our own huge bowl of veggies and tofu even though one bowl would have been more then plenty for us to split. Dd14 asked for mac and cheese and got brought out a bowl and for dessert they brought out cupcakes, bread pudding and I got my own vegan dessert. It was a great experience, I've never dined anywhere else besides HDDR where I've been given such great vegan options!

Thanks for this post!! and the one with the desert picture.
I love Ohana, but I'd like more of a variety. I know DD14 would much prefer mac n cheese. On our last visit she had a $50 chicken wing
Also, I have zero interest in the bread pudding, and the picture of your desert looks fabulous!!
I can't wait to go back in August!

 

[CatNipRules]

DH and I spent 2 weeks at WDW Nov-Dec 2016. I was sooooo excited when I got a notice that I could finally book an ADR for Ohana, after attempting this for months! Had read such glowing reviews, families that have loved it for years... I was really looking forward to this experience!

I have to say, that this was the WORST meal we had in all of WDW. EVERYTHING from the bread and salad, appetizers, to the main entrees, (meats, shrimp, etc), to dessert, were so overloaded with sugar, it was all just inedible. Each and every item on the menu was dripping in sticky sweet sauce(s).The Hula lady on microphone was sooo loud, and yet not in our dining area, so had no idea what was happening.

We felt so rushed through the entire meal- they kept bringing out courses, before we had a chance to start eating the last course.

The price was so high, for such an uncomfortable, unappetizing and such a rushed meal. We will never go back.

We enjoyed many other meals at WDW, but honestly, this was a complete disappointment for us.

We had the same experience. The food wasn't that good. I can't eat shrimp and the wait staff was horrible. It's one of the few places we won't ever eat at again.

 

[Carys]

Thank you for this post - we ate earlier this trip on our first night. Last time I visited it was a wonderful meal, and this time I was so disappointed, especially as the others in my party of 3 were first timers at Ohana.

Cold dry bread. I asked for butter 10 mins in because it was practically inedible (didn't it use to come with butter automatically?)

If there was any vinagrette on the salad, I couldnt find it. Mainly just dry lettuce leaves.

Noodles were cold, stir fry was half onion, and the platter only had one sesame chicken wing per person, which seemed stingy.

I had to ask the server to give me better cooked chicken pieces because I could see raw centered bits being pushed down the skewer.

Dessert - one small scoop of icecream for three adults. We asked for more, since a tablespoon each was just silly.

Something must have been up with the sound system because the performer singing somewhere else in the room was off key with the backing track.

We were out in 47 minutes flat. Pushy fast service.

I don't think we will be back.

 

[CinderellaCupcake]

It's so disappointing to hear everyone's negative experiences! 'Ohana is our restaurant that we make sure we go to every single trip. I do not eat beef or shrimp, so I stay away from those skewers, but still eat the chicken, and I do not eat pork so I ask for the noodles and wings on a separate plate. They are always accommodating to do so and always send the chef out (as almost all Disney restaurants will do) to speak with my husband who has a severe tree nut allergy to make sure there haven't been any menu changes since last time we visited.

The only somewhat negative thing is we've had some servers here and there that don't seem super friendly, but it really doesn't matter to us since every time we go there is always another person waiting on us (filling our glasses, offering skewers, clearing plates, etc.). Of course the tip probably goes to the grumpy one haha. Oh well! It is also a little pricey, but my husband makes sure he "gets his money's worth" by eating so much he looks like a balloon.

But overall, the food is so delicious (especially the dessert!), I love the atmosphere, and Poly is our DVC home resort so we don't have to travel anywhere to get there. I hope everyone who has had a not-so-great experience tries again if they're up for it. You may have a different experience!

 

[nco91590]

I don't love Ohana's either. Mostly because I find it hard to pay $60 for a salad, dumplings and a few cubes of meat (I am SUPER picky about wings and I don't eat shrimp). The bread pudding is awesome...but I make a good BP too. The experience was fun...the food was alright. But I just don't see the value. At least with some of the buffets there's a wider variety of foods. The AYCTE set menu family style restaurants are just not appealing to me.

 

[minoh]

I keep trying for Ohana's reservations that come up as they are dropped by others, and keep missing out. We so want to try Ohana's because it sounds amazing, but I guess there's always a chance it wouldn't live up to what we'd be hoping for. So maybe it's ok if we miss out? It's always interesting to read everyone's reviews because they're all so different!

 

[1andrea]

Thanks for the info it helps when deciding whether to book here! Xx

 

[RockChalkMicky]

DW and I loved it. We didnt feel rushed at all. I can confirm as a 300+ lb former College football player that it was ALOT of food even for me. Hope you end up going though, it is one of our favorites!

 

[gillep]

'Ohana was our worst meal on Disney property, and the only restaurant that we will not give a second chance. I thought that the vegetables and meats were overcooked and inedible, and the wings and salad soggy. The dumplings and bread were the only things that I ate (I don't like bread pudding but I went into the experience knowing that dessert was not for me).

 

[KMarston]

I'm taking my 20 month grandson, 80 yo MIL (first trip) and daughter next week! I have a ton of expensive ADRs for character meals that I know I won't enjoy! I'm so looking forward to 'Ohana though! We always go every trip, it's our family favorite! I will say four years ago we felt very rushed and if that happens again I'll just politely let them know that we'd like to take our time!

I hate that you had a bad experience, it's not for everyone, but I guess nostalgia plays a large role in out love for the place! I pulled out an old album today of my now college sophomore son's first trip and my husband still had black hair!! I think it'd take much more than a bad trip to turn me off for good! I remember taking my 80 old grandmother on a trip years ago and the sun was setting and the castle was lighting up and our sweet waiter was giving her tons of attention which she was eating up and she asked me how much the meal was as I paid the bill, I didn't say because she was the most frugal lady! She asked the server when he came and I just winced, $23.00 a person! She said, "well that's a deal, this is the most delightful meal I've ever experienced in my life!"

 

[vikster1]

I have a 7:00 ADR.

How long is the typical dinner service?

Just to clarify the chicken skewers. white or dark meat?

 

[Ian W.]

Visiting in January, and was on the fence for a while about dinner at 'Ohana. Decided instead to try for the character breakfast there; we were already going to do a character breakfast for my daughter's birthday anyway, and since we're staying at the Poly, this will be more convenient than trying to make a reservation elsewhere.
Plus, since both my wife and daughter are vegetarian, it seemed silly to book at such a meat-centric restaurant with a lone carnivore in the family (I've still got my eye on you, big bowl of Grand Floridian Café chicken wings ).
Hopefully breakfast will be a bit easier not to screw up.

 

[mster425]

add us to the list of people who've had similar rushed experiences. I had to ask the cast member "hey can you slow it down please, there's no room for more food on this table." It was really awkward- I'm a former server and it takes a lot to make me criticize anything. I will miss the noodles but we'll get bread pudding at the Tambu lounge this trip instead.

I was expecting to be waiting 45 minutes past our ADR time and the $200 cost for my kids not to eat anything, which also happened but the service pushed it over for me.

ETA: that did not stop me from booking breakfast this trip though, Stitch will get me every time. Hoping breakfast is different!

 

[jknc]

DH and I spent 2 weeks at WDW Nov-Dec 2016. I was sooooo excited when I got a notice that I could finally book an ADR for Ohana, after attempting this for months! Had read such glowing reviews, families that have loved it for years... I was really looking forward to this experience!

I have to say, that this was the WORST meal we had in all of WDW. EVERYTHING from the bread and salad, appetizers, to the main entrees, (meats, shrimp, etc), to dessert, were so overloaded with sugar, it was all just inedible. Each and every item on the menu was dripping in sticky sweet sauce(s).The Hula lady on microphone was sooo loud, and yet not in our dining area, so had no idea what was happening.

We felt so rushed through the entire meal- they kept bringing out courses, before we had a chance to start eating the last course.

The price was so high, for such an uncomfortable, unappetizing and such a rushed meal. We will never go back.

We enjoyed many other meals at WDW, but honestly, this was a complete disappointment for us.

Bummer. I love it.

 

[texaslovesdisney]

i was totally looking forward to make reservations to Ohana this year but i guess if i don't get one its ok. Must have happen for a reason.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We had dinner here on our trip a few years ago and I enjoyed the food but our server wasn't very personable and DH said he didn't really enjoy the meal at all. He is picky about how his meats are prepared and thought the meats on the skewers were too tough. He also didn't like the noodles and prefers his wings to be crispy. We ate at Whispering Canyon for dinner on our trip last week and he said he enjoyed that a lot more than 'Ohana. 'Ohana breakfast is on our list to try on our next trip. We probably won't do the dinner again.

 

[PiperMickey]

We ate there in June 2016 after not having been for a few years. We enjoyed it immensely. The food was good and the server was very responsive when we asked him to come back if he came before we were ready.

 

[North of Mouse]

add us to the list of people who've had similar rushed experiences. I had to ask the cast member "hey can you slow it down please, there's no room for more food on this table." It was really awkward- I'm a former server and it takes a lot to make me criticize anything. I will miss the noodles but we'll get bread pudding at the Tambu lounge this trip instead.

Not sure what you expected them to do??
They bring out bread, salad, noodles, veggies, wings/dumplings as a 'family' type meal. Which would you rather them not bring out? There was plenty room on our two top for the dishes, then they add the meats (but only to your plate). It's not meant to be 'courses'! It's 'one' meal!

Maybe you were a 'server', but was it at a family style food restaurant? That's the way we have been served at any family style meals we have ever had.

 

[mster425]

Not sure what you expected them to do??
They bring out bread, salad, noodles, veggies, wings/dumplings as a 'family' type meal. Which would you rather them not bring out? There was plenty room on our two top for the dishes, then they add the meats (but only to your plate). It's not meant to be 'courses'! It's 'one' meal!

Maybe you were a 'server', but was it at a family style food restaurant? That's the way we have been served at any family style meals we have ever had.

I don't know why you are questioning my post in particular when many others have said the same thing? My service there at dinner was not good, whether you put my previous job experience in quotes or not, and the woman waiting on us was borderline rude. We were there for breakfast this week and the cousin waiting on us was delightful and we had a completely different experience, and the food served family style. YMMV, obviously.

 

[North of Mouse]

I don't know why you are questioning my post in particular when many others have said the same thing? My service there at dinner was not good, whether you put my previous job experience in quotes or not, and the woman waiting on us was borderline rude. We were there for breakfast this week and the cousin waiting on us was delightful and we had a completely different experience, and the food served family style. YMMV, obviously.

Well, if you go back and read your post, then my reply, along with your quote - "hey, can you slow it down please, there's no room for more food on this table" you can understand what I wrote. I did not see anyone else mention that they didn't want all the food brought to the table at once. That's actually the way it's supposed to be - it's not 'courses' where they can slow it down - it's served 'family style'.

If they tried to rush you to eat and then leave - that's a different matter altogether. Once the food is served, you can take as long as you want - serving it is 'not' rushing you. If it's not clear now why I chose to quote your post, I have no other way to clear it up. If you do not like this type service, then maybe 'family style' is not for you.