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Kona Café Review

By Jade Monzo, Owner, Rope Drop Travel March 11, 2020


To the left of the almost famous O’hana family-style restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort you’ll find the lesser known restaurant, Kona Café.  Boasting a delicious menu and the same ambiance as its neighbor, you may have find the only main difference to be its lack of Disney characters during the morning seatings. Where reservations for O’hana for sure need to be reserved at your 180 days in advance mark, you can usually find one a bit easier for your dining. You’ll find this restaurant to utilize one table service credit on the Disney Dining plans. My family and I have even had luck with just walking up for lunch and requesting a table. Keep reading for my Kona Café review!

Once you’re seated in the Polynesian open style restaurant, all meals begin with a sweet, pull-apart bread that is served with whipped honey butter. This may have been my children’s favorite part! It was absolutely delicious and feel free to ask for seconds…or thirds.

You’ll have the ability to order cocktails and they boast all of your signature cocktails, including a house favorite, the “Backscratcher” which is “Bacardi Superior Rum, Myers’ Original Dark Rum and Passion Fruit Juice topped with Jack Daniels’ Tennessee Whisky and a Bamboo Backscratcher.” While it was a bit strong for me, my husband thought it was wonderful.

While I ordered the Crispy Cheddar Burger, which came with a palm-sized cheddar cheese cracker, my more adventurous husband opted for the Pork Belly Noodle Bowl. We both found our meals to be ample in proportion and were flavored and seasoned nicely. Both were meals we would order again. Our children, the least adventurous of us all requested chicken fingers and French fries. A huge perk to dining at any restaurant on Disney property is that they will accommodate even the pickiest of eaters. If one of the basics, ie. chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, buttered noodles, isn’t on their children’s menu, you can always ask to have these made and Disney is happy to accommodate.  

One thing that Kona Café is well known for are its sushi rolls. My husband said they were some of the best he’s ever had! He chose the Large “Kona Sampler- Tuna Poke, three pieces of Nigiri, three pieces of Sashimi and five pieces of our California Roll.” Priced at only $28, it was a great deal as well as being tasty.

For dessert, Kona Café prides themselves on their miniature desserts where you can order any of six choices at $5 apiece ranging from Chocolate Ganache to Dark Rum Spiced Pipette to Banana Caramel. Having tried them all (in the name of work of course!) I would say the only one I wasn’t a fan of was their Key Lime Pie as I found it a bit too tart.

You won’t be disappointed by visiting Kona Café for your next meal, whether it be lunch or dinner!



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