Should I give up one of these for Jiko?

[nicksmom87]

We have dinner ressies for Kona, Cali Grill, LeCellier and Artist Point. Would you keep these or give one up for Jiko?

 

[laughinplace199]

I haven't eaten at AP, but I'd give up Kona or LC for Jiko in a heartbeat.

I thought the food at Kona was pretty good, but there's not much atmosphere. I've never been overly impressed with LC. It's decent steak, but in my opinion, not deserving of all the hype it gets here.

Jiko has fabulous food and great ambiance as well.

 

[JohnNYC]

Kona, without a doubt. It's good, but not close to Jiko.

 

[IloveDisney77]

I would absolutely agree with previous posters. I would give up LC or Kona for Jiko. Personally, I would give up LC over Kona (overall I like food better at Kona but the ambience is much better at LC) but that is just me. The soup, breadsticks and smore's desert is great but the steak...I can take it or leave it (for full disclosure we will still eat there every trip but always for lunch, we do TIW and not DDP, that way we still get what we want without the overpriced dinner cost).

Jiko, Cal Grill and Bistro de Paris are always our must haves for our trips. Jiko being our favorite restaurant at the World next to V&A's.

 

[cbg1027]

I would give up Kona for Jiko without any thought. Kona was just OK. Jiko, however, was FABULOUS.

Le Cellier was good, but not great. I'd give up Le Cellier for Jiko if someone in the party was really really wanting Kona.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I agree-give up Kona.

 

[Flossbolna]

I would agree with the previous posters: I would give up Le Cellier or possibly Kona. I would even give up Artist Point and maybe even Cali Grill. I think Jiko is the better than all of them...

But that is only for food and atmosphere. I think there are other reasons why one would want to keep a certain restaurant, even if another one is the better choice for food. Depending on how you plan to tour the parks easy access might be important. Kona is only a short boat or monorail ride from the MK, Le Cellier is inside Epcot. Jiko is just a bit more difficult to get to except from AK. Since you have already three restaurants in the MK area, it might make sense to substitute one of these with Jiko.

 

[blanq]

I really enjoy Kona, but Jiko tops it by a mile. I would not hesitate to give up Kona to eat at Jiko.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Please give up Artist Point. Jiko is so much better than AP.

 

[MrsLS]

Yes, I would give up Artist Point. we liked the side dish - mac & cheese - it was gourmet & very good but the apps weren't good, entrees were so so & the desserts were okay. The waiter wasn't very attentive and would forget about us. We were just there in April. I don't plan to go back but I do plan to go back to Jiko this November.
We go to Cali Grill every trip & Kona on most trips.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

Please give up Artist Point. Jiko is so much better than AP.

Yes, I would give up Artist Point. we liked the side dish - mac & cheese - it was gourmet & very good but the apps weren't good, entrees were so so & the desserts were okay. The waiter wasn't very attentive and would forget about us. We were just there in April. I don't plan to go back but I do plan to go back to Jiko this November.
We go to Cali Grill every trip & Kona on most trips.

I'll be the token defender of Artist Point. The setting is magnificent, with wood beams, high ceilings, and massive paintings. The chef did an awesome job with my buffalo sirloin and my wife's salmon. Every part of the meal worked well for us, including the wine pairings and dessert. The flavors were true to the region, where we now live. (The same blackberries that are in the cobbler grow wild in our yard. I've heard less educated diners refer to these little fruit gems as "seedy raspberries".)

Jinko - meh. Atmosphere is nice and the wine was great. Our friends raved about the lamb. But the entres that my wife and I ordered (beef and chicken?) were rather pedestrian and unremarkable. We also thought the creme brulee was over-rated. It's nice table service restaurant, but not worth the 'signature dining' designation.

 

[AirGoofy]

We ate at Jiko last week and it was great. The Oak grilled filet mignon was really good, but not the best steak I had at WDW. The flatbread was a great appetizer. I agree with post about pistachio creme brule - it was good - but not the best ever desert.

For me, would I eat at Jiko again? Yes. If I was staying at WL, would I take a bus over to AKL - no. I would eat at Artist Point. For me, location is just as important as food.

 

[wdwbride2005]

Another vote to give up Le Cellier for Jiko-nowhere close to one another in quality, atmoshpere, etc.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

I've never eaten at CG, but I would definitely give up any of the others for Jiko.

 

[Naively Occur]

Another vote for Kona - nice, but nothing special

 

[TillyMarigold]

I'd have said Kona also, but honestly I'd give up *any* of them for Jiko.

 

[moxiemom]

Would Boma be a suitable sub for Jiko?? Just trying to be cheap with my DDP credits

 

[kristina87]

Jiko is SO good, definitely get the breads and dips! give up Artist Point or Kona, i was not impressed with Artist Point. le cellier is delicious i wouldn't give that up

 

[sleepydog25]

I'm another defender for AP. As with any restaurant, there will be times when it doesn't meet standards--you can't find a single restaurant in the World which doesn't have its detractors because of a bad experience or two. However, I've eaten at AP seven times over the past few years and never had bad food nor poor service. As a previous poster mentioned, in addition to the very good wine lists and good food (the smoky portobello soup, the buffalo, the salmon. . .), the ambience is superb. After the meal, it's lovely to go strolling around the grounds of the WL, as well. It remains a fairly hidden gem, so I actually hesitate to remind people of AP since I want it to stay relatively uncrowded.

As for what I'd give up, Le Cellier in a heartbeat. I haven't had a bad experience there, but I've never been impressed, either. You sit very close to neighboring tables; the wait even with an ADR can be long; the food, while good, wasn't anything better than I've had at numerous steakhouses (except for a mussel dish I had there a few years ago which was very tasty); and its hype generally tends to exceed the payoff. . .for me. I would also give up Kona. Again, I've nothing particularly negative to say about it, but the overall quality can't match Jiko's combination of exceptional food, great wines, good service, and enjoyable atmosphere.

 

[Golf4food]

I'd have said Kona also, but honestly I'd give up *any* of them for Jiko.

Ditto. I find Cali Grill to be over-rated. If it weren't for the view it would just be another Narcoossee's or Citrico's. People get blinded by the elevation. It is noisy, crowded, hectic, not at all romantic, not very nicely decorated (it is Contemporary, of course), and the food is no better than other signature restaurants on property depending on what you want to order.

Would Boma be a suitable sub for Jiko?? Just trying to be cheap with my DDP credits

No, no it wouldn't. Boma is a nice buffet, but still just a buffet. Maybe the best buffet on WDW property, but still just a buffet.

Jiko is one of the best meals DW and I have ever experience anywhere. (Not Victoria & Albert's nice, of course, but for a "normal" nice restaurant it is the best we've experienced.)