It’s no secret that some of the best restaurants in Disney World are NOT in the parks!

There are several restaurants run by James Beard Award-winning chefs in Disney Springs, and many of the dining locations at the hotels are absolutely spectacular. Recently, I got the chance to visit one of those beloved Disney World hotel restaurants, but not for the meal you’d think! And now, I’m bringing you my full review.

Atmosphere

Not too long ago, I stopped by Kona Cafe at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! This spot is beloved by many for its breakfast menu, filled with the likes of Tonga Toast and Macadamia Nut Pancakes…but I wasn’t there for that. Nope, we’re heading to Kona Cafe for LUNCH!

The restaurant is located on the second floor of the Polynesian’s Grand Ceremonial House, right next door to ‘Ohana. Lunch is served daily from 11:30AM to 2PM.

A few years ago, Kona Cafe got a big makeover to modernize it a bit. You’ll notice bright colors, wood accents, and tropical details all around the restaurant. Windows along one wall add some natural light to the dining space.

I found that Kona Cafe wasn’t particularly busy during the lunch shift, and reservations were fairly easy to get. Let’s see if the food is worth visiting for!

Menu

Taking a look at the menu, Kona Cafe offers three lunch appetizers — pot stickers, glazed chicken wings, and a new seasonal soup. The menu is filled with a variety of Asian-inspired eats, including sushi rolls, Poke’ Bowls, and Dashi Bowls.

Main entrees include stir fry options, a Teriyaki Steak Salad, and a NEW Hawaiian Reuben. They also offer a Big Kahuna Burger and a Turkey Banh Mi for sandwich lovers.

If you’d like dessert, Kona Cafe serves a Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding, a Molten Chocolate Cake, a Passion Fruit Layer Cake, and a no-sugar-added Pineapple Haupia Cake.

And of course, there are a number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available to pair with your meal.

Now that we’ve covered the menu, let’s see what the eats look like!

Eats

I ordered a couple of the new items on the menu, as well as some Kona Cafe classics!

My meal started out with a complimentary bread service! Here, they bring out Pineapple Rolls served with butter. They were a smidge tough on the outside, but still very soft on the inside.

The pineapple flavor here was very mild, and I honestly wish there was more of it overall. They were delicious with the butter spread on top, but what bread isn’t? I think these were fine, but definitely not top of the bread service list in Disney World.

For my beverage, I chose the Keiki Lemonade, made with Odwalla Lemonade, pineapple, passion fruit, and citrus. It’s available for $5.99.

I thought this was spectacular! I could taste the pineapple and citrus flavors even more than the lemonade, as you get the lemon flavor toward the end. It’s definitely sweet, but not so sweet that I couldn’t drink the whole cup. Overall, very refreshing and fruity — probably my new favorite Disney World table service mocktail!

For my appetizer, I ordered a new item — the Seasonal Soup for $9. During my visit, the option available was Miso Soup.

It was filled with tofu chunks, seaweed, green onions, and rich dashi stock. I thought it was nice and savory, and the green onions gave it a good sharpness. The tofu chunks were soft and mild, but added a chewy textural element. The seaweed helped vary the flavors even further with some earthiness and it all blended together really well. I would order this again!

If you’re a sushi person, then Kona Cafe is a great stop for lunch or dinner! I got the Hamachi Tuna Roll, which is made with hamachi, tuna, avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, and ponzu. You can snag it for $21.

This was very fresh and bright with the tuna and avocado. The tuna had a rich ocean flavor without being too “fishy” and the jalapeño added a slight spice on the tip of my tongue. It’s mostly fresh, bright, and green-tasting — perfect for spring!

The Hawaiian Reuben is one of the new items on the menu here, and it’s made with corned beef, pulled pork, kimchi, swiss cheese, marble rye, and spicy mayonnaise. It’s served with seasoned fries on the side and is available for $20.

This was an EXCELLENT tropical twist on a Reuben! There’s a decent amount of meat and it’s very rich in flavor with a mild cheese. The kimchi adds a good crunch and the spicy mayo has a slow heat that builds on your tongue after you take a bite. All of the elements work well together, and I would totally recommend it for Reuben or sandwich fans.

Also, I just have to tell you that these are the BEST fries I’ve eaten in Disney World! They were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and spectacularly seasoned with salt, paprika, and a touch of sugar. WOW.

Last but not least, I wrapped up my meal with the Molten Chocolate Cake. This is $10 and made with Valrhona Espresso ganache, Kona Coffee ganache, and caramel latte anglaise.

It was VERY soft and gooey in the middle, and had a deep, rich chocolatey flavor that was more dark than milk. It’s a smaller portion, but it would likely be overwhelming in a larger size, so I didn’t mind too much. I would place it a step above a regular chocolate lava cake — very delicious, but not the top thing I ate during my meal.

So how does Kona Cafe stack up?

Overall

Ultimately, I was more impressed with Kona Cafe than I expected! The Hawaiian Reuben (especially with those fries!) and the Hamachi Tuna Roll were the standouts for me, but I would also go back just to have that Keiki Lemonade again.

I was only slightly underwhelmed by the pineapple rolls, and I would order the Miso Soup or the chocolate cake again. If you’ve only been going to Kona for breakfast, you might be missing out!

Nosh or Not?

Make a stop at Kona Cafe midday if…

• You’re a fan of sushi and Asian eats. Most of the menu here is Asian-inspired, so if that’s your jam, you might really enjoy it! They’re also one of the few spots in Disney World that serves sushi.
• You want a more low-key meal at the Polynesian. Other dining options at the Polynesian Village Resort, like ‘Ohana and Trader Sam’s, are a bit more over-the-top. Kona is a much more chill and relaxing meal.
• You’ve only been there for breakfast. If you’ve been to Kona for breakfast before and you haven’t tried lunch, now is the time! I was seriously impressed with some of the eats.

Try a different spot for lunch if…

• You’re in a hurry. As a sit-down restaurant, this likely won’t be the fastest meal during your trip. If you’re on a time crunch, I might not recommend it.
• You won’t be near the Polynesian Village Resort. This is a great stop if you’re staying on the Monorail loop or visiting Magic Kingdom, but if you’re out of the way, I would save this for a time when you’re already planning on being in the area.
• You don’t like Asian food. This isn’t exactly the best recommendation for a picky eater, so I would skip it if you don’t like Asian eats.

Thanks for coming along on my trip to Kona Cafe! Stay tuned to DFB for more restaurant reviews from around Disney World!

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Have you ever been to Kona Cafe for lunch? Let us know in the comments!