Reviews of Kona Cafe Lunch/Dinner
Read prices, menu items, and more
Menus at Kona Cafe
Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 07/12/2025
Rating: (10) Recommended
Had an absolutely wonderful meal at Kona Cafe during a quick 4th of July visit. We had no issues getting the reservation and no problems making a change when we got closer to the date to adjust to a change in our schedule. For dinner, we (2 adults) ordered 2 appetizers to share - the glazed wings and the pot sticker, the Big Kahuna burger, and the tuna poke bowl. The wings were delicious - perfectly cooked and covered in a sweet teriyaki style sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and bits of scallion. So messy but totally worth it, and the server offered us a hot towel after. The pot sticker was the highlight for me. I totally did not pay attention to the menu and was expecting traditional smaller size dumplings. Instead, it is one large pancake-sized pot sticker. The dough was tender but not too thick, it was delightfully crispy on the outside edges, and the filing was so tasty. I could have eaten this for my own meal. The burger was an unexpected surprise on the menu but also amazing, and they did not hold back on the corned beef or pastrami. It was huge! And lastly for dinner, the tuna poke will definitely be on repeat for future dinners at Kona. The fish was fresh and plentiful, and the yuzu mayo, rice, and a little crispy garnish all made for the perfect bowl. We have had many wonderful breakfasts at Kona and I’m so glad we finally had the chance to try it for dinner. It quickly made it to my list of favorites at WDW!
Pros:
*Fairly simple to get a reservation *Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner *Nice sushi offerings *The bread pudding dessert seems to be the same as what you get at ‘Ohana. *On the MK monorail line, and there’s a water ferry.Cons:
Only thing I can think of is that the front of the restaurant is open and some tables are very close to the main walkway around the upper concourse of the Polynesian, so people tend to stare at you as they’re passing by or waiting for their table.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 05/14/2024
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stayed at the Polynesian for years while our kids were growing up and somehow never managed to give this place a try. We finally decided to eat there for dinner (because we needed a break from MK) and couldn’t believe what we had been missing out on for years. Our kids are grown, so we were there alone, and were very impressed but the quality and flavor of the food. Our server was wonderful and when I asked for a recommendation between three dishes, he suggested I get the chicken. He said it was delicious and it really was. I’m not usually impressed by chicken at a restaurant but this was flavorful and tender. The bok choy that came with it was heavily seasoned with black pepper but still very good. The sticky rice was a nice balance to the black pepper on the veggie. The star of the dinner, in my opinion, were the port and vegetable pot stickers— amazing! They are served in a manner I’ve only seen at more traditional Chinese restaurants— they look like they are pan fried in a round skillet and come out attached to one another with like a lattice work of dough or something across the top and the sauce they are served on kicks the flavor up a notch. Amazing. My husband got the coffee braised short ribs and said they were delicious, as well. We will definitely be going back for dinner.
Pros:
Delicious and somewhat healthy food optionsCons:
NothingReviewed by DoleWhipDude Review Date: 04/30/2023
Rating: (8) Recommended
I'm surprised by the generally low rating for Kona Cafe, since my family really enjoyed it when we were there for dinner in October of 2021. Sure, the theming isn't all that immersive, and our service was less than stellar. But...the food! I ordered the deconstructed Mahi BLT - it was fantastic. I'm not sure what they used to season the bacon, but it was the best I've ever had, and my son agreed. My daughter ordered the sushi and loved it. Kona Cafe also has some good non-alcoholic drink options, which we enjoyed. Fortunately, we had heard through the grapevine that we could order the same pineapple-coconut bread pudding with ice cream and caramel sauce that was served at 'Ohana (it appears now to have been formally added to the menu, although it wasn't at the time). WOW. It was amazing! It was the best dessert we had during our entire time at Disney World (and we ate a lot of desserts!) It's worth eating here just for the dessert alone!
Pros:
At the Polynesian, affordable, great food, the best dessert ever!Cons:
Service wasn't great, lacks a bit in atmosphereReviewed by DisneyandUniversal4Ever Review Date: 02/08/2023
Rating: (10) Recommended
Amazing food and drinks for adults and kids! Amazing service and servers!
Pros:
Amazing food and drinks for adults and kids! Amazing service and servers!Cons:
Not really anyReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 02/06/2023
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
So disappointed with the Pupu Platter as appetizer for dinner. The breading was salty & overpowered taste of calamari, Rick shrimp & fish. Should have sent it back.
Pros:
Service was goodCons:
Unsatisfactory food, especially for a Disney hotel restaurant.Reviewed by lauren94 Review Date: 08/16/2022
Rating: (5) Not Recommended
This place was not my favorite. The food was very average.
Pros:
In a great location.Cons:
FoodReviewed by Mommacolorado Review Date: 02/07/2022
Rating: (9) Recommended
I'm sorry but is the bread pudding what dreams are made of? ok so we only went here because I couldn't sit through another preset menu... I can't eat that much food and not being able to take left overs really felt wasteful. I was dying to try the Bread Pudding from Ohana that everyone talks about and even though it wasn't on the Kona menu.. we rolled the dice and made Kona reservations. Okay.. it was really good. We got basically all the Ohana sides and they did not disappoint.. plus our waiter noticed my son's Star Wars gear and showed off his star wars tatoos! It was awesome and instantly made him my kiddos favorite server of the week. We hadn't had the best service throughout the week and having that moment was such a great relief. We really had a great night here and a great dinner. It wasn't cheap but everything was great!
Pros:
Ohana food without having to book OhanaCons:
noneReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 08/06/2021
Rating: (8) Recommended
We went to Kona Cafe for dinner the first night of our trip. We started out with Keiki juice which was really good. The apps, which were the wings and potstickers, did not disappoint! Very yummy. The bread service was also quite good. Our sushi was fresh and delicious, and my son’s strip steak was wonderful. My husband had the mahi BLT and was expecting a sandwich. It’s actually a salad. For dessert we had the bread pudding which is amazing. Our server Macarena was fantastic. This place was great!
Pros:
Great apps, sushi, pineapple bread, dessertCons:
?Reviewed by PixieDust6 Review Date: 08/01/2021
Rating: (9) Recommended
Since Kona Cafe offers TOGO from the restaurant, I could not pass up getting an order of Sticky Wings ( Glazed Chicken Wings) to eat poolside. These wings are a long time favorite of mine and to get them without table service seemed like a great thing to do. They were quick with my order and it came in a nicely sealed brown box. Their were 6 meaty wings (separated) at least and they did not disappoint. They are not spicy but have a wonderful sweet sauce with a bit of tang. You can add more spice if desired but I think they are great just the way they are. Great snack option (they are an appetizer on the menu) or have as a meal and get some fries at Capn' Cooks. Would get again if TOGO stays as an option longer.
Pros:
TOGO is a great option to dining insideCons:
NoneReviewed by Merlovesdisney97 Review Date: 06/29/2021
Rating: (9) Recommended
I was so nervous to come based on some previous reviews but all my worry was for nothing. This place is amazing! Our server, Carol, made us laugh all night long and gave us excellent, quick service. We had a later dinner, around 8:30… we didn’t have to wait for a table at all, in fact they seated us a few minutes before our reservation. The bread basket was just average bread but after a long day at the parks, it hit the spot. Started off with some sushi and it was great. Perfect size to eat by yourself, but we split it three ways (it comes with 8 pieces). I had the short rib and it instantly tied for the best entree I’ve ever had at Disney (next to the mahi mahi at coral reef). My boyfriend had the airline chicken and it was ok, just not what we were expecting and probably wouldn’t get it again because it just doesn’t compare to that short rib. I mean everything on the plate was perfection—the rib was insanely tender, not too well done, and shreds so easily with just a fork. The broccolini and mashed potatoes were a perfect compliment to the beef. To finish us off, our server brought the pineapple bread pudding that they usually have at O’hana and my soul was singing. Also, someone in our party is vegetarian and was nervous to find something on the menu to fit her needs, but the chef made a stir fry with tofu just for her. It definitely added some extra Disney magic to our day! Our service was just excellent all around. Keep in mind, Polynesian Village is under construction (summer 2021), and it was kind of hard to find since we are not familiar with the resort layout and a few minutes walk from where an Uber dropped us off. Overall a great experience to end a great day at Disney. Will definitely be back.
