Restaurant Poll Series: Kona Café

[Pugmalion1]

Located right around the corner from the monorail entrance, or on the second floor of the lobby/main lodge in the Polynesian Resort, depending on your perspective, you will find the Kona Café. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, your overall opinion of the place is the subject of this installment of the Restaurant Poll Series.

As always, please vote 'Yea' or 'Nay' in the above poll, and if you feel like it, post your reasoning below. Thanks!


You can find all of our previous polls by clicking the link below. Feel free to vote on any polls you may have missed that are still open!

All Previous Restaurant Poll Series Threads

 

[maxiesmom]

The Kona Cafe gets a big Yay! from me. I have had both breakfast and dinner there more than once, and both are very delicious.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I say YES for breakfast and lunch but NO for dinner

 

[csjordan]

Had Thanksgiving dinner here November 2009. My daughter ordered the traditional meal, which was delicious! My entree was, as well. I think I had a macadamia crusted fish...can't remember. My son ordered the steak, which was a little over cooked. It wasn't Kona's fault, though, it was my DH's, for ordering well done. This trip was the second time we have eaten dinner there. We have enjoyed it both times.

 

[StacyMarie]

We ate at Kona Cafe a few weeks ago for breakfast. We were staying at the Poly so we decided to try it for breakfast. While the foods was terrific, I found that my family ordered things off the menu that we found in one for or another at Captain Cook's (Kona cafe counts as table service, Captain Cooks is quick service). The only difference is the Tonga toast at Kona comes with a strawberry sauce where as at Captain Cook's it does not. The eggs, sausage, Mickey waffles, and Tonga toast, etc. could be ordered at Captain Cooks and not count as a table service like they do at Kona Cafe. We did not eat there for lunch or dinner.

 

[honeydiane1953]

The banana chocolate creme brulee is to die for

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Kona gets a "yay" from us for both breakfast and dinner. Love the Tonga Toast for breakfast and have had two really good dinners there!

 

[TillyMarigold]

Remind me again what the standard for yea or nay is? I doubt I'll ever feel the need to eat there again, but on balance it's an okay place to eat, I wouldn't try to talk someone out of it or anything.

 

[Pugmalion1]

Remind me again what the standard for yea or nay is? I doubt I'll ever feel the need to eat there again, but on balance it's an okay place to eat, I wouldn't try to talk someone out of it or anything.

Sounds like a borderline yea vote to me, but that's your opinion.

I guess think of what you would consider the most average Disney restaurant, one that is neither good or bad, one that you wouldn't recommend or detract from, a place to which you are completely indifferent. For me, that would be Paradiso 37 or Olivia's for breakfast. Whatever that restaurant is for you, whichever side Kona falls on, that's how you should vote.

Oh, and if it is Kona, then I've got nothing for you.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

It's a conservative yea for me. I don't love the breakfast menu the way some people do and I think the atmosphere (or lack thereof) leaves something to be desired, but it's all worth it for the dinner appetizers, sushi bar and sweet bread with honey macadamia nut butter.

 

[nyz2004]

Kona cafe same as captain cooks? I thought captain cooks is pretty bad.

 

[TotallyTink]

Kona Cafe was my favorite meal on my last trip. I enjoyed my dinner there even more than Le Cellier. The bread, the crab cake appetizer and the banana chocolate creme brulee were all great. The service was also fantastic. It is lacking a bit in atmosphere but the meal was fantastic.

 

[vcgirl925]

Definitely a Yay!

It is one of our top favorites. We've had lunch there and we are doing breakfast on our upcomming trip.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I had a horrid breakfast once and also an equally horrid dinner. Two strikes and it is out.

 

[followthatmouse]

Kona is a Sunday lunch tradition for us. The pot stickers and sticky wings are fun to share. It's lovely to be able to sit in a cool spot in the heat of the day, munching on tasty fare.

Then there's dessert!

 

[cyb]

We've eaten there several times, it has always been good.

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

We ate there for the first time last December and thought it was great! The bread was amazing and being able to order sushi from the sushi bar next to it was great as well.

We'll be eating there again in 3 weeks!!

TX

 

[Pugmalion1]

The sushi bar is a great addition. It was something that was kind of an unofficial trial up until earlier this year when they made it permanent. I'm glad they did. It's nice to be able to get a decent sushi roll outside of the Epcot area.

 

[Merryweather27]

Nay. The only things we really liked there can be had either at Ohana or at the bar. (That would be the sticky wings, Island Sunset drink, and the infamous Lapu Lapu...LOVED all three.)

Otherwise, we had really poor and slow service, never got any bread, and weren't fans of the entrees or desserts we got.

My coconut almond chicken was soggy, and DH's shrimp and scallops seemed to just be steamed with no seasoning/flavoring/sauce of any kind added or served alongside. He asked for cocktail sauce and our waiter said they didn't have any...he brought out sriracha (the hot sauce with the rooster on it) instead.

The desserts were just ok...the "fondue" was basically just Hershey's syrup in a bowl. The fruit with it was nice and fresh, though. DH got the Kona Kone..."didn't taste nearly as good as it smelled" were his words. They had been baking up a batch of cones while we were waiting to be seated, and the yummy smell of them is what led him to order it the first place.

 

[MRS AR]

We always make a point of eating breakfast at least one day at the Kona. It's become a wonderful tradition.