Home of the Tonga Toast, Kona Cafe gets a lot of love from Disney World fans. We just LOVE stopping at this spot for breakfast. Dinner at Kona Cafe we found to be a bit less of a home run. The cuisine here is Asian infused American and the dinner menu was very limited – nothing seemed to excite us.
Kona Cafe can be found on the second floor of the Polynesian Hotel right next to the famous Ohana (we which loved). Its open air directly into the happenings of the lobby, so depending on what’s happening there it can be noisy. When we stopped in one evening we were surprised how quite it remained in the restaurant despite everything else happening immediately outside. The atmosphere really doesn’t have anything too special about it other than getting to look in on one of my favorite Disney resort lobbies.
Kona Cafe Quick Breakdown
- Service: Table-Service
- Type of Food: Chicken, Seafood, Vegetarian-Friendly, Allergy Options
- Price: $$
- Location: Polynesian Resort
- Disney Dining Plan: Yes, 1 Credit
- Discounts: Annual Passholder, Tables in Wonderland
- Features: Reservations, Alcohol
- Good For: Casual Dining
- Menu: Official Disney Dinner Menu
Kona Cafe Dinner Dishes
The following is a few of the dishes we have tried from their menu.
It’s no surprise that we had to give a try to the filet that is now on the new Kona menu. The steak was melt in your mouth good and got two thumbs up from the two of us.
So the downside to ordering the steak is there are no sides. Normally ordering a side no biggie right? Well, the sides here at Kona seem to serve four people. We hardly made a dent in this side dish and the picture above does not do the size of this dish justice.
Hoping for something light for dinner I went with the Turkey Banh Mi. The sandwiches here are no joke and serve up a ton of food. This sandwich is filled with slow-roasted turkey breast, black pepper bacon, pork pâte, cilantro, jalapeño, onions, and grilled poblano mayonnaise served with french fries.
Asian Stir Fry
The Asian Stir Fry is Yakisoba Noodles paired with wok-seared Vegetables, Roasted Peanuts, and your choice of Chicken or Tofu in a Soy-Citrus Sauce. We thought this dish was a little on the spicy side and we just can’t handle the heat, not so spicy that I couldn’t eat more, like the level of the chicken at Chipotle. I would order this dish again.
Lemon Grass-scented Airline Chicken Breast
This is a look at the Lemon Grass-scented Airline Chicken Breast. The dish is served Asian-style chimichurri, creamy Jasmine Rice and seasonal vegetables. My husband wasn’t a huge fan of this dish but I really enjoyed it. Maybe it’s because I love all this rice and cream?! The chicken was nice and juicy, no overcooked dry meat here.
Sushi – California Roll
The sushi at Kona Cafe came out super fresh, it was almost on par with the sushi we get over at the California Grill. I say almost because I think the crab chunks are bigger and well it’s just hard to let anyone else take over the spot that California Grill has in my heart.
Dessert Options at Kona Cafe
Here is a look at your six different dessert shooter options at Kona. Starting in the front left is a Key Lime Curd and Blood Orange-Mango Jam piped between Passion Fruit Curd and topped with Passion Fruit Boba, Meringue, and a Chocolate Curl. Behind that is the S’more. It is a milk chocolate pot de crème, marshmallow cream, and graham cracker crust topped with toasted marshmallows.
Now on to the middle front a Tiramisu. This slider is a mascarpone cream with a mocha crèmeux topped with fresh whipped cream, cocoa, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. In the back is a Coconut Tapioca. This comes with a Pineapple-Coconut Jam base topped with Fresh Fruit and Assorted Boba.
In the back of the last row is the Banana Trifle is filled with a banana pastry cream with a chocolate pot de Crème center topped with Creamy Caramel. And last but not least is the Cheesecake with no Sugar Added. This is topped with seasonal fruit and with fruit sauce.
Let’s not forget to mention the hidden dessert at Kona Cafe. Everyone loves eating at Ohana for their amazing bread pudding dessert. However, reservations are not always the easiest to secure. So good news, you can get the same dessert here at Kona but unfortunately, it’s not all you can eat. The portion, however, is still a good size. The other added benefit is you can eat at Kona for far less than Ohana.
Kona Cafe Breakfast Dishes
Tonga Toast
So just what is a Tonga Toast? It’s a banana-stuffed French Toast rolled in Cinnamon Sugar and served with a Strawberry Compote and your choice of Ham, Spiced Ham, Bacon, or Sausage! Kona Cafe is famous amongst Disney fans for this dish. This shot was taken before the wonders of the strawberry compote smothered it! SOOOO good this is something that every Disney fan should try. They even can make it allergy friendly : )
Fruit Plate – With fresh seasonal fruit and homemade banana bread
Really fresh no complaints other than it wasn’t Tonga Toast.
Kona Cafe Recommendation
If you love the Polynesian Resort this is a great spot to stop in for a meal. Enjoy the lobby while munching away on some fresh food. While I didn’t love the options for dinner I do love that the food was fresh and healthy. If you have a vegetarian in the family this is an excellent choice as it has more than one option versus other dining spots that can just be limited to one menu item. The Kona Cafe can be easily accessed from the Magic Kingdom via resort monorail or a fun boat ride. Also, it is a short walk from the ticket and transportation center.
It’s important to also mention if you haven’t yet experienced the wonder that is Tonga Toast be sure to add it to your Disney World bucket list.
If you are interested in booking a reservation for Kona Cafe you can do so through My Disney Experience.
Want more dining tips? Check out our Best Disney World Restaurants recommendations along with Worst Disney Dining Sit Down Restaurants. If you are visiting with young ones read our Best Places to Eat with Kids at Disney World.
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!
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