fbpx
Menu

‘Ohana Restaurant Review

‘Ohana Restaurant Review

As Lilo taught us in “Lilo and Stitch”, ‘Ohana means family and that couldn’t be a truer sentiment to how guests are treated at this classic Walt Disney World restaurant. While at ‘Ohana, guests are truly treated like family from the moment you sit down at your table.

‘Ohana is an all-you-can eat Hawaiian celebration that is served family style. Seating is in a large room filled with Tiki Statues, tropical plants and a fire pit, which is the restaurant’s focal point and location for where the main course is prepared. The room is surrounded by large windows that provide a stunning view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom. If you time your Advanced Dining Reservation just right, you might even have a front row seat to Wishes, the Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks extravaganza.

 

After you are led to your table, you are made a part of the family with a loaf of Welcome bread. My husband and I had never tasted bread this good. It is savory and sweet and filled with chunks of pineapple. This palate cleanser is a great sign of what’s to come for the remainder of the meal. No sooner did we take our last bite of Welcome bread did the server bring us our next course for the evening. This mixed greens salad comes dressed with passion-fruit vinaigrette and is a great start to the meal. The greens were light, fresh, and not over-dressed. However, we made sure to not fill up too much on salad, though, because we knew the next course was not to be missed.

Next, our server brought us two appetizers, pork dumplings and honey-coriander chicken wings. As chicken wings aficionados, my husband and I dove right in to the wings. This bird did not disappoint! The wings were tossed in a sauce that was sweet, and a little spicy, and the sesame seeds sprinkled on top gave a nice crunch as you bit into the wings. As wing fans, we asked for a second order of these delicious starters and it was worth sacrificing some wiggle room that should have been dedicated for the main course!

Speaking of which, our server next brought us plates of lo mein noodles and stir fry vegetables, which were to accompany the main course. The noodles were slightly greasy, but flavorful nonetheless. On the other hand, the stir fry vegetables were a light accompaniment to the main course. The broccoli, carrots and snap peas were cooked to a perfect al dente when usually such steamed vegetables come to the table soft and mushy.

As we were beginning to dish out our noodles and vegetables, our server came around with the main event: meat! As you are enjoying the beginning of your meal, you see the servers going around the dining room with the skewers of meat and you can’t wait until it is your turn! The first meat our server brought us was the chicken. Next up was pork and steak and then, finally, the shrimp. Each protein had a nice smoky flavor, compliments of the open pit over which it is cooked. However, a few pieces of the chicken and pork were a little dry. Dipping them in the peanut sauce, brought to your table with your first serving of the main course added the right amount of moisture.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote with new bookings contact our sponsor Magical Vacation Planner by calling: 1(407)442-0289 Or for a free no obligation quote with new bookings you can fill out the form by Clicking HERE!

Finally, after we had had our fill of four kinds of meat, our server delivered to our table the star of the meal! The ‘Ohana bread pudding a la mode with bananas foster sauce is tough to beat. I cannot stress to you enough, the importance of saving room to eat not one, but two orders of this dessert. The bread pudding is served warm and slightly crispy on the outside. The bread softens as the ice cream melts and the bananas foster sauce oozes its way into the crevices of the bread. This is a sweet dessert and a great finish to an otherwise spicy meal!

Overall, ‘Ohana is a great restaurant for couples and families, alike. The service is quick and friendly, and the meal is accompanied by a great view and a show! Plus, as a Disney legend, this restaurant should definitely be on your Disney bucket list, if not for the dessert alone!

‘Ohana FAST Review

Food: As ‘Ohana means family, your meal is served family style and is all you can eat. You are welcomed to your table with a loaf of Welcome bread. This first course is followed by an array if delicious starters, such as pork dumplings and honey-coriander wings. As if this wasn’t enough, your server will then bring you your fill of chicken, pork, steak and shrimp for your main course. Be sure to ask for seconds of the banana bad pudding with banana foster sauce and ice cam. My husband and I regretted not doing so after our first visit to this great restaurant.

Atmosphere: Dining at ‘Ohana has the ability to transport you to the South Seas. Tiki statues abound, as well as, large tropical plants. The restaurant’s focal point is the open fire pit on which your main course is prepared. Ask to sit next to the fire for a front row seat to the nightly ukulele performance and hula lesson, or hope for a seat by the large windows for a picture perfect view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom.

Service: The service here is not extraordinary, but is what you can expect from many buffet restaurants. Often, it can take a few tries to alert your server, but once you do your needs are generally met promptly. The food arrives very quickly; so quickly, in fact, that we had to ask the server to come back with the main course after we had finished our appetizers. With that being said, the servers are very good about bringing second helpings or ensuring any requests are met.

Tips: Arrive early for your advanced dining reservation to allow yourself to sit a spell in the Tambu Lounge. Order a Lapu Lapu, and let your cares melt away as you imagine yourself in your own tropical paradise.

About Angela Spece

An attorney by trade, Angela has a passion for all things Walt Disney World. She took her first steps into the Magic Kingdom in the fifth grade and has been a lifelong fan of Walt Disney World ever since. While she spends her days writing briefs and memos, in her spare time she enjoys writing about and sharing her Walt Disney World experiences with her family and friends in an effort to help them enjoy their time in Walt Disney World as much as she does. Angela and her husband, Gabe, recently discovered all of the amazing “adult” drinking and eating opportunities that can be found in Walt Disney World, and have made it their own personal goal to visit all of the pubs and lounges on property. When Angela is not daydreaming about or planning her family’s next trip to Walt Disney World, she enjoys snow skiing, spending time with her husband, fixing up their new home, and taking their black lab, Pearl, for a long walk each day!