Kona Café Dinner Review
*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2018. It includes notes about dairy free options.
Dinner at Kona Café
Kona Café is a table service restaurant located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. It used to be one of my all-time favorite restaurants at Disney World for a delicious allergy-friendly breakfast, but I admit that it's slipped off my list the last few years due to menu changes and reduced options. So, it's been a while since I've been to Kona. On this particular occasion, Brandon and I decided to get dinner at Kona Café during a weeknight for a rare mid-week restaurant meal to see how the dinner options were.
Atmosphere
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is hands down one of my favorite resorts on Disney property. I love the island vibe and the charm of the mid-century modern décor. Kona Café is bright and cheerful, though I have to admit I think it could use a bit of a refresh.
Kona Cafe Entrance / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon had actually never eaten at Kona Café before -- though we've walked past it a million times -- and his initial reaction was that it seemed like it needed a refurbishment. I can't say that I disagree, as the benches and general seating area fabric has seen a lot of wear and tear.
Kona Cafe Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
As you can see, the décor definitely reflects a bit more of a contemporary (or perhaps a early 2000's) version of Polynesian décor.
Kona Cafe Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
There are lots of bright patterns and quite a few seating areas with fabric benches.
Kona Cafe Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
All in all though, the restaurant is bright and chipper, which I think I prefer more for breakfast versus dinner. Both Brandon and I agreed that the restaurant could benefit from a bit less lighting, as it was very bright inside. I'd love to see this restaurant get a bit more of a mid-century modern refurbishment too!
The Food
Like most restaurants owned and operated by Disney World, Kona Café has an allergy-friendly dinner menu. Guests can also speak to a chef at any time if they have questions or want to discuss options available to them. On this visit, I did not speak with a chef, as I ordered an item on the menu with a slight modification that was easy to make without talking to a chef.
Kona Cafe - Allergy-Friendly Rolls / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
First up, our server brought me some Deanna's Gluten Free rolls which are both gluten free and dairy free. I was impressed that they were well-heated on this visit. I have had hit or miss experiences with these rolls being heated well at the Polynesian Village Resort restaurants. So, I was very happy they were heated properly on this visit.
The only dairy that I had on this visit was the Macadamia Nut Butter that came with my rolls. Kona Café also carries Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread, so be sure to ask if you are dairy free or vegan for this option. I decided to try the Macadamia Nut Butter on this visit, as I have never actually tried it before.
Kona Cafe - Macadamia Nut Butter / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Overall, I thought it was tasty but entirely too sweet for my personal preferences. Next time, I think I would just get the Earth Balance instead. I think this butter would be terrific with gluten free & allergy-friendly Mickey waffles or pancakes though!
Kona Cafe Allergy Friendly Rice Bowl with Chicken / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entrée, I ordered the Chicken Asian Stir Fry in an Allergy-Friendly Sauce. This dish normally comes with rice noodles (that are gluten free), but I much prefer rice. When I ordered I asked the server if I could swap noodles for rice, and he said that was not a problem. I've done this pretty much every time I've ordered the stir fry, so it's nice to know it's an easy swap.
The Chicken Asian Stir Fry is listed as safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, and Tree Nut Allergies. It does contain peanuts in the dish.
This was such a delicious entrée. Brandon ordered the chicken stir fry with noodles and regular soy sauce and also loved his version too. We both thought the portion size was decent for the price and that the flavors were outstanding. This will definitely continue to be my go-to dish at Kona Café for dinner.
Overall
While I wouldn't say that our meal was anything special, we both found the Chicken Stir Fry to be extremely tasty and filling. In looking at the dinner menu at Kona Café, we both agreed that the Chicken Stir Fry is going to be our go-to at this restaurant. Add in some delicious gluten free rolls, and you have a delicious and easy table service meal.
Have you been to Kona Café for dinner? What did you order when you dined there?