REVIEW: We Keep Going Back to This Disney World Hotel Restaurant Again and Again and We’re Not Sorry

Disney World is packed with different dining options, and it can be challenging to know where even to start. There’s so much to consider, from sit-down to counter service to in the theme park or outside. That’s why we’re here! We try all the Disney restaurants so you can know if they will work for you and your family.

We headed to Jiko — The Cooking Place in Animal Kingdom Lodge to try their most popular items and leave you a FULL review. Come with us and let’s eat!

Background

Jambo! Welcome to Jiko! “Vibrant spices, crackling wood-burning ovens and boutique South African wines transport you to the heart of Africa” while you eat at this Signature Dining, Disney’s word for fine dining, restaurant.

You’ll want to make advance reservations before you come, and they have very limited same-day availability. Jiko is located in Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is convenient for guests staying at the resort but available for anyone with a reservation. You can take the bus from the parks to the resort, or ask to park at the resort with proof of reservation. After you enjoy dinner, don’t forget to walk around the lodge to view different savannah animals.

Now that we know where we’re going, let’s go in!

Atmosphere

Right when you walk in, you feel like you have been transported to Africa. Deep oranges and dark blues surround the room, with gold accents tying it all together. Two wood-burning ovens cook guests’ food, and you can see into the open-concept kitchen as the chefs bring the flavors of Africa to your dish.

The warm red, orange, and gold tones of the African sunset are mimicked on the side of the room with the lights, making the whole space gorgeous. Make sure to look up at birds flying over (and remember that shape—it will be important for dessert!).

Tables, booths, and a bar with high-top stools are available. If you sit at the bar, you can see the chef working right in front of you.

All the details surrounding us excite us for dinner, so let’s eat!

Food & Drinks

For our appetizer, we had the Braai’d Wild Boar Tenderloin for $19.

It’s made with a creamy pap, tomato chakalaka, and herb-smoked oil. We still had a lot of food, but we couldn’t help but eat every little bit in the bowl. The creamy and buttery pap had a perfect amount of salt mixed through, and we could have eaten a whole bowl of the pap alone. On top was thinly sliced tenderloin, cooked medium rare with that stunning warm, pink center. Even though this was a starter dish, we couldn’t believe how filling it was! Next time we visit, we might order this again with a drink and have ourselves a light and fast meal.

Our meal also came with giraffe bread!

The bread has a fun crackling pattern, just like the spots on a giraffe. The side of creamy butter and dark sea salt was the perfect combination and got us ready to try.

For our first entree, we tried the From the Oak Grill for $62.

This is your choice of bone marrow-crusted Filet Mignon or Braai New York strip, with four cheese macaroni, seasonal vegetables, and topped with a chocolate-red wine demi-glace. We went with the filet cooked medium rare, and once we cut in and saw that dark pink center, we knew that was the way to go. The dark demi-glace brought most of the flavor to the dish, and we loved swiping our steak pieces in it. While the bone marrow didn’t bring in too much flavor, it added a different texture to the steak. It was easy to cut into and a lovely size, as well.

The dish came with a four-cheese mac and cheese, and we loved dipping into the toasted parmesan topping. Once you get a bit of the noodles with the steak, you get a great level of flavor, and the mac and cheese helps to cut down on the savory components.

Next, we had the Moroccan-spiced Lamb Shank for $51.

This is made with preserved lemon potatoes, date chutney, peas, and minted lamb demi-glace, and let’s say this might be the most tender lamb we’ve ever had. As soon as we put the fork in, it completely fell apart — in the best way! The Moroccan spices and oil layer toward the bottom paired well with the lamb’s earthiness. The lemon potatoes could have used a pinch more salt, but we ate them with the lamb and loved them together. You’ll need to try this dish if you’re a lamb fan.

We also ordered an enhancement or additional side dish! We had the Bobotie Mac & Cheese for $17.

This is made with four cheeses, spiced beef, almonds, raisins, Kachumbari, and a red wine reduction. Heads up: this isn’t your boxed mac and cheese! The fresh almonds inside bring a welcomed crunch and chew, and the small chunks of ground beef inside bring a heartier flavor. It’s a great size to share and has a strong flavor of African spices. If you love the mac and cheese at Boma, you’ll want to try it here!

We finished our meal with the Malva Pudding for $14 for dessert.

This is an amarula-infused Malva cake, caramel-sea salt gelato, Kataifi, Kanu Tuile, and Cabernet Gelee. Please take a moment to admire how gorgeous this dish is. Remember those birds from the ceiling of the restaurant? Yep, that’s the same shape! It’s a shortbread cookie that brings in some crunch, and the Malva cake reminded us of a fig or apricot pudding, being so dense and rich. Soaked in South African liquor similar to Baileys, the cake has a deep flavor that made us return for more.

To drink, we had the Shanghai Rose Tea for $9.75.

Jiko offers specialty loose-leaf teas, and this one is made of fragrant red rose petals and the sweet, sultry flavor of seductive lychee in a rose petal black tea. It was light but still had a prominent flavor, and the rose was right on the nose. The rose brought in a darker and richer flavor with every sip, and while we loved it, we wish it were bigger for the price. We could only get about a cup and a half out of the pot, which wasn’t enough to share.

Magic or Tragic?

Jiko is a must-visit if…

• • You love trying cuisines that you might be unfamiliar with
  • You want a relaxing, sit-down meal after a long day
  • You enjoy rich spices and dark flavors

You might want to skip Jiko if…

• • You want a faster and less expensive meal
  • You prefer more traditional and familiar cuisine options
  • You enjoy a lighter dining option

Overall, Jiko is where we go time and time again. Everything was cooked beautifully, and the spices paired well with the meal. African cuisine may seem intimidating to those not familiar with it, but Jiko makes it approachable and understandable while delivering on delicious flavors. We’re still dreaming about that beautifully tender lamb and the creamy pap, and we might have already started looking at reservations for our next visit.

Keep following AllEars for more food reviews so you can have the best Disney World vacation yet!

THE BEST FOOD IN ANIMAL KINGDOM

Have you ever eaten at Jiko? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

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