Questions about Kona Cafe

[Masonmj84]

Out of all the Disney restaurants, this may be the one for which I've seen the fewest negative reviews. Anyone ever had a bad experience here?

If you are a Kona fan, would you go so far as to say that from a pure food quality perspective, it beats all the non-signature theme park restaurants, including all the World Showcase ones?

Put another way, even if I choose a better non-signature World Showcase restaurant, am I likely trading some World Showcase ambiance for food quality if I pick that restaurant over Kona?

Also, I've heard that the difference between Kona and 'Ohana can simply be summed up as quality versus quantity. Is that true, and which, in your opinion, delivers more bang for the buck (assume I like meat and have a decent but not huge appetite)?

 

[Technosavant]

Never done Ohana, but Kona is one place we do enjoy (we've only done breakfast there). The food seems to be of consistently high quality and the service is good. I don't know that I'd place it above every other non-signature restaurant, but it's worth a visit.

It's hard to compare it to restaurants in the World Showcase; we've generally been quite pleased with all the WS restaurants we've visited... the only time we came away disappointed was because of all the hype for Le Cellier (it was good, but not so divine as many would have you think).

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I like Kona. I could happily eat multiple dinners there choosing from the appetizer and sushi selections alone. I wouldn't say that their food is the highest quality of all non-signature table service restaurants at Disney, though. I wouldn't even say that they're the best in the Magic Kingdom area. And that is my opinion based on food quality alone. If you factor in ambiance, eating at the Kona Café is like eating in an airport food court. Ambiance is non-existent there.

 

[Sappermont]

I've only eaten there for breakfast and really enjoyed myself. Have fun!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I like Kona. I could happily eat multiple dinners there choosing from the appetizer and sushi selections alone. I wouldn't say that their food is the highest quality of all non-signature table service restaurants at Disney, though. I wouldn't even say that they're the best in the Magic Kingdom area. And that is my opinion based on food quality alone. If you factor in ambiance, eating at the Kona Café is like eating in an airport food court. Ambiance is non-existent there.

I have to disagree with this. We love Kona Cafe, but I like it at night the best. I find the ambiance at night to be very nice. While it is open so that you can see out, you don't feel like you are in a food court at all to me. I really don't even notice it at all. The service is great, the food is great and the location is perfect.

We have dined all over Disney and Kona has never let us down. In fact, the next time we go I may book it twice.

 

[wdwrich]

DW and I have been dining there (breakfast, lunch and dinner) since 1982 when it operated under a different name. We've never been disappointed and will surely go again.

 

[lemondog]

I don't know that I would go so far to say it is the single best non-signature restaurant at WDW, but we have always enjoyed our food there. It does not have the ambience of some of the more "themed" restaurants but it's nice and the service has always been good. It is "open" to the 2nd floor of the Poly lobby so it can get loud especially when there is a huge crowd waiting to get into Ohana which is right next door.

Don't know about the quality vs. quantity thing as 'Ohana is our favorite restaurant in all of WDW and we like the food there just as much as we do at Kona, it's just not as varied since it's a set menu.

 

[MNDisneyChick]

I don't know that I would say Kona is the BEST in all of WDW, but it's good. I do agree with a previous poster that it is like eating at an airport food court. The ambience is horrible, but worth it for the food. I like it because it seems like it has some fresh/light options rather than just all fried foods.

I wouldn't compare them to Ohana either, just because it's two completely different restaurants and they really are not alike at all, in my opinion. I would choose Ohana any day of the week.

 

[VelvetGloves]

In May of 2010, my husband and I ate their twice. On a whim, we decided to head over there from MK because we didn't have any lunch plans. It was wonderful...one of the best meals of the trip!

We liked it so much that we went for dinner a couple nights later. Our reservation was for around 8:30. We checked in half an hour early because we were content to look around the Poly. Unfortunately, we didn't get seated until after 9. I know that isn't a huge wait, especially since we were the ones that chose to be early. Once we were seated, it was so noisy and crowded that I was just overwhelmed. Our service was terrible that night, but the food was still excellent.

Overall, I love Kona Cafe. I will probably go for lunch more often than not, as it was much less crowded and much less noisy. With less customers, the servers are more likely to be awesome. I'm sure the only reason our service was poor for dinner was because they were so busy, which is understandable. I agree that there is not a focus on theme at Kona, but the food was so good that I didn't care.

VelvetGloves

 

[jazz0007]

We have only been there for lunch on several occasions. Food has been wonderful for both me and my hubby. The kids meals were just 'eh. They didn't seem to mind and LOVED the desserts. I agree about the ambience...it's very cafeteria-ish. But we keep going back! We have a dinner adr for our upcoming Oct trip....we'll see how that compares! Can't seem to get Ohana, which we've never tried. I wouldn't cancel my EPCOT ressies because of it.....but it is very good food as Disney food goes.

 

[Tink127]

Love Kona, we make it a point to eat there every trip. The sushi bar right next to it is awesome!

 

[grace&philipsmom]

Kona is my favorite 1TS meal - based purely on the food itself.

 

[Bibbidi]

We love Kona Cafe. Have it booked twice during our upcoming Poly stay in 10 days

 

[TammyNC]

We love to eat at Kona. We would rather have lunch there as we like that menu better but also had a great breakfast there as well.

 

[Magic3forme]

we have been to Kona twice... 1st time Awesome!

We went to Kona last year, and my steak was cold and way under cooked. I was given a new steak, but by the time it came out, my family was 3/4 of the way through their meal. needless to say I was disappointed.

I am being totally optimistic it will be awesome again in 2 weeks!!

 

[#1MMFan]

I've eaten in Kona Café on several occasions. Whilst I find the menu a little limited (we're faddish) I have always had a good meal there and it's probably our favourite WDW restaurant although it can be noisy with kids. Our service has been great and last occasion we were disappointed that the soup had changed to one we wouldn't like so asked our server if the chicken noodle was no longer available and he said we sure could have that instead of the soup on the menu so we were really pleased. The bread they bring is fab too. As is the coffee.

 

[rznhal]

We ate at Kona a couple of weeks ago....it was a good experience, riding the boat over from MK, checking out the Poly, riding the Monorail back...etc.

The ambiance was non-existent. It's kind of like eating in the lobby! There is just a half wall that separates the cafe from the lobby....the PP that called it a food court wasn't too far off...I can totally understand why they got that feeling!

Our meal was good, not the best, not the worst. The service was very slow. The food was ok. The bread and desserts were awesome and the salad was very good. The chicken and steak was average. The kids meal was not good.

I'm glad we tried it, but I doubt we will go back.

Good luck!!

 

[ReneeA]

Kona is my favorite restaurant...never had a bad meal there. I will say that it's pretty noisy there, but the food and service have always been very good.

 

[Havana]

I am a big fan of WDW restaurants and want to try them all. I heard so much good things about Kona that I was excited to go there in May. Maybe my expectations were too high. While the food was different and good, it didn't make my must do go back to list.
The atmosphere was lacking, again maybe I expected more with it being in the middle of the Poly.
What is does stand out for is the different flavors. At least they offer different tastes and foods, that makes for a unique meal.

 

[WDW2012]

We've eaten there a few times and have never been disappointed. It has always been one of the favorite meals of our trips. That being said, I wouldn't say it is better than a signature and I do agree about their being not much ambience. Overall we've had great meals and anyone that I've suggested it to has never complained.