'Ohana Dinner Review
'Ohana, located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, has been a favorite dinner spot for my family since 2003. It's seen a lot of changes over the years, but I can't help but love the atmosphere, charm, and food served at this all-you-care-to-enjoy family style table service restaurant. And, it's not just my family that loves it. Like Cape May Cafe, this is one of those must-do restaurant traditions to enjoy whenever my good friend Ron is visiting Disney World. And, recently, he came to visit, so dinner at 'Ohana it was!
*This dining review took place in July 2019. This post contains a gluten free dinner review. It also includes information about dairy free options.
Dinner at 'Ohana
'Ohana, located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, has been a favorite dinner spot for my family since 2003. It's seen a lot of changes over the years, but I can't help but love the atmosphere, charm, and food served at this all-you-care-to-enjoy family style table service restaurant. And, it's not just my family that loves it. Like Cape May Cafe, this is one of those must-do restaurant traditions to enjoy whenever my good friend Ron is visiting Disney World. And, recently, he came to visit, so dinner at 'Ohana it was!
Atmosphere
I love everything about the theme at 'Ohana. It truly hasn't changed since I started dining there in 2003. And there's something magical and nostalgic about the Polynesian theme.
'Ohana - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
When you arrive at 'Ohana, you'll be greeted by a classic tiki theme. And, you'll even spot a few menehune too.
'Ohana - Exterior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I have no idea why, but I always associate Polynesian themes with mid-century style. Maybe it's because it was really popular back in the 1950s and 1960s. The Polynesian Village Resort combines these two themes a lot in their decor too. So, you'll see lots of this inside and outside of the restaurant.
'Ohana - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we got a great table location -- smack dab in the middle of the restaurant, near the open-flame grills and next to the windows with a spectacular view.
'Ohana - View / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
We were having dinner pretty early that day, but if we had been there during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, this would have been a fantastic view. Of course, even without fireworks, it was a pretty great location.
The Food
'Ohana does not offer an allergy-friendly menu or allergen guide. But, a chef will come to your table and talk to you about options. On this visit, we caught up with Chef Bodie, who has helped us on our last several visits to the restaurant. He let us know that most of the menu continues to be gluten free (and dairy free) and that he'd take care of us.
He did bring us some Deanna's Gluten Free rolls to start with Earth Balance vegan buttery spread. But, both Ron and I agreed that the rolls were pretty dried out and not properly heated. It's weird because 'Ohana shares a kitchen space with Kona Cafe, and Kona always heats the rolls well. Of course, we both agreed, we don't come to 'Ohana for gluten free rolls!
'Ohana - Salad / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Up first was a salad. This was both gluten free and dairy free. On this visit, the salad was totally different from the salad that 'Ohana was serving for the past few years. It now includes spinach, kale, arugula, and radicchio with a honey-lime vinaigrette and dried cranberries. I have to admit, that I was pretty disappointed by the salad.
The salad was just OK tasting, but I was not a fan of the kale, which was super tough. I also would have liked to have seen some other elements in the salad -- some red onion or crunchy nuts. It just felt a little boring and underwhelming. The positive to the salad was that it was very fresh, and I was happy to see the honey-lime vinaigrette back at 'Ohana (which was a staple for many years).
'Ohana / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Up next, we were served heaps of steamed rice, stir-fry vegetables, and chicken wings. Everything on the plate was gluten free and dairy free. The 'Ohana Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings have been a favorite of my for more than a decade. They have always been so crispy and delicious. And, on this visit...well, they were another big disappointment. Of the entire meal, I think this was the dish I was most sad to see changed.
Our wings were actually greasy and slimy because they hadn't crisped up the chicken wings usually are. I'm not sure if this is how the restaurant has been serving them or if we just got a really bad batch that night. Either way, we both ate just a little and gave up on the wings.
On the upside, the rice and stir-fry vegetables were all good. We were also served sweet and sour sauce and peanut sauce -- both of which were gluten free and dairy free. I liked both, but next time I will ask to see if they still have the gluten free teriyaki sauce on hand. I much prefer that than the peanut sauce.
'Ohana / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The best part of our dinner were the meats served at 'Ohana -- all of which are gluten free and dairy free. We both agreed that they were outstanding on our visit, and we both happily gobbled down steak, chicken, and shrimp. The best meat of the night was the chicken. And, it was literally falling off the skewers tender. The meat, veggies, and rice along with the sauces were the perfect dinner combo and reminded me why I love 'Ohana so much.
'Ohana / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
I was way too full to fuss much with dessert. But, Chef Bodie brought us Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC gluten free and vegan chocolate chip banana bread with fresh fruit, ice cream, and chocolate sauce. I forgot to ask for non-dairy ice cream, so I just picked it off mine. The bread itself was quite good -- though a bit filling after a meal at 'Ohana. Next time, I might ask to see if they have the gluten free and vegan tapioca pudding that you can get next door at Kona Cafe. That has been one of my favorite new desserts recently, and it would be a great lighter way to end a heavy meal.
Overall
While there were a few misses in terms of food options at 'Ohana, the overall meal experience was great. Both of us agreed the service we had was excellent and that the chef was very accommodating to special dietary needs. If you like Polynesian inspired food, you'll really enjoy the ambiance and meal you get at 'Ohana. It's definitely a restaurant I always look forward to going to.
Learn more about the options at 'Ohana in my YouTube video!
Have you been to 'Ohana? What do you think of this table service restaurant?
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian Village
*This dining experience took place in September 2016. 
Ohana, a table service restaurant located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, offers family style meals with an Asian and Polynesian flare. Ohana has long been a favorite in my family (fitting, since Ohana actually means family).On this particular visit, I dined with my mom and stepdad for dinner. Ohana also offers breakfast, but my family always prefers dinner. There's so many options, and it's such a solid and filling meal. You can read about my most recent visit in May 2016 with my friend Ron, here on the blog.After being seated, Chef Rodney came out to speak with me about options. For family style meals, they bring separate special dietary needs plates for me, except in the cases where the dish is already safe for me to eat.
First up was the Lilikoi Salad, which is both gluten free and dairy free naturally. My family has spent enough years with me gluten free that they know about sharing dishes and avoiding cross-contamination. Every makes sure to scoop salad safely, as they each got pieces of regular gluten-filled bread and already had that on their plates.I really like the Lilikoi Salad and often find it to be under-dressed. This was not the case this visit, as it was filled with a good amount of vegetables (including edamame, shredded carrot, and red onion) and papaya mango dressing. I really enjoyed it, and even had a second helping.
I was also given one Deanna's Gluten Free roll (formerly known as GNI Brand rolls) along with some Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread. I don't know what it is about Ohana, but they can never seem to heat these rolls well.This one was probably the most well-heated gluten free roll I've ever had at Ohana, but it was still pretty crumbly. I'm glad that Chef Rodney only brought me one out for my meal, as I wouldn't have eaten a second one.
Chef Rodney also brought out steamed white rice, chicken wings (plain without sauce), sauteed vegetables, and gluten free Sweet & Sour Sauce. I also asked for gluten free Teriyaki sauce, but didn't end up getting that with my entree.I am a huge white rice fan (don't ask me why; I just find it really comforting), so I love having a nice sauce to add to it along with the veggies. The vegetables always seem really undercooked to me and a little too crunchy for my liking. I usually end up eating a few pieces of broccoli cut up really well and mostly eat the sauteed onions and smaller vegetables that have cooked longer.
For my money, Ohana is all about the grilled meats. There are currently three grilled meat offerings at Ohana -- sirloin, sweet & sour chicken, and grilled shrimp. All three are gluten free and dairy free, and all three are really delicious.The steak for me is a bit iffy, as sometimes it's really good and other times the meat is really grisly. I had one really amazing piece on this visit, and the rest were kind of gross. I always love the grilled sweet & sour chicken and the grilled shrimp. Both were delicious, and I may have eaten my weight in both of them.
For dessert, Chef Rodney brought me Rice Dream non-dairy ice cream, sliced strawberries, fresh raspberries, topped with Enjoy Life Crunchy Cookies and Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. It's pretty much what they serve me on every visit.Usually, I'm so full I can't eat much of it. I did my best though on this visit. I'd love to see them change up the dessert offerings here. Maybe even offer a version of the Pineapple Dole Whip. I'd much prefer that to ice cream I get when I visit. Or, even better, I remember when Ohana used to serve fresh pineapple slices for dessert. That to me would be a perfect way to end such a big meal.Overall, I can't help but love Ohana. The food is delicious and plentiful. It's definitely one that my family and friends enjoy visiting, and I always look forward to a meal here.Have you been to Ohana? What did you think of your meal there?
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian Village Resort
*This dining experience took place in May 2016.You can also hear me talk about Ohana in depth (including covering the character breakfast options) on Episode 37 of the podcast. You can also check out the YouTube video of the Electrical Water Pageant that I took while at the Polynesian Resort after dinner at Ohana. 
Aloha cousins! Ohana, located at Disney's Polynesian Resort, is a popular table service restaurant that offers up family style meals with Polynesian and Asian-inspired flavors. It's definitely a family favorite in my family. I just love all the gluten free and dairy free offerings here and always end up stuffing myself silly with all the delicious food.On this particular occasion, I dined at Ohana with a friend (who is also gluten free and dairy free) who is in Orlando visiting. In fact, the last time I dined here was with my friend when he visited back in November, so it's definitely a tradition to go here for dinner. We also went to Kona Cafe the week before, so we were making our rounds with the Polynesian Village restaurants.When we arrived at Ohana, we were greeted by the chef who went over the options with us. Thankfully, much hasn't changed since last fall, so both my friend and I knew the drill on options.
First up, we enjoyed the Lilikoi salad. It comes with a fruit based vinaigrette and has fresh red peppers, chopped red onions, mushrooms, and edamame (aka soybeans) tossed in with it. While, I like this salad well enough, both my friend and I thought it was pretty underwhelming and not very well seasoned or dressed. I've had better versions of this salad, and I do miss the honey lime vinaigrette that Ohana used to serve years ago.
We were also given Deanna's Gluten Free rolls (aka GNI brand rolls) with some Earth Balance vegan buttery spread. Sadly, these rolls were so poorly heated that they were a dry styrofoam mess. Not even the Earth Balance could save them.Both my friend and I agree that for some reason Ohana just can't seem to heat these rolls well. It's strange because they were heated well next door at Kona, so you'd think they would have no problems. Next time I go, I'll probably skip the bread.
Because we were both gluten free and dairy free, we were served a large platter of steamed white rice, sauteed veggies, and chicken wings -- all safe for both of us to eat.I also asked for a side of the gluten free and dairy free sweet and sour sauce and teriyaki sauce, which make for great dipping sauces.The chicken wings were some of the best I've had at Ohana. They are the same recipe but for some reason they just tasted really good this particular visit. They had lots of meat on them and were nice and tender.The sauteed veggies were a disappointment to me because they were basically raw veggies. They were barely sauteed and so raw that they weren't really very palate pleasing. Next time, I will ask that they cook the veggies a bit more, as I like that medley just not the way in which they were cooked.And the white rice is always a solid starch for me. I don't know why but I could literally eat white rice all day every day.
My favorite part of any Ohana meal is the meat course. Ohana grills three different kinds of meats currently on an open oak fire (which means the restaurant smells amazing). This includes beef, chicken, and shrimp. All three meats are currently gluten free and dairy free, which is kind of amazing.The beef marinade almost has a peanut sauce type marinade on it. We both liked the beef but found that if you're not careful, you'll end up with rare meat. This always seems to be the problem with the beef here, it's either undercooked or overcooked for my taste. We got some very rare beef early on and asked our server if we could get some that were more well done, and she was happy to oblige.The chicken is a real palate pleaser for everyone. Simple and delicious, this is one I always get seconds on.But the real favorite for me is the sweet and spicy shrimp. These are peel and eat, so prepare to be a bit messy (it's totally worth it!). In fact, I may have eaten my weight in shrimp on this visit. They were so good!In fact, I was so full I didn't even get dessert. Neither of us did. You can get dessert options that include non-dairy ice cream, cookies, and brownies (depending on your special dietary need).
If you time your dinner right, you may be at Ohana during Wishes. They do have great views of the Magic Kingdom, and they will dim the restaurant lights and pipe in the music. On top of that, there is great entertainment throughout the evening with live music and fun activities for the kiddos (can you say coconut races?!).Overall, Ohana remains a favorite of mine for great solid gluten free and dairy free options. It's tasty; the food is plentiful; the ambiance great; the entertainment fun!Have you been to Ohana? What did you enjoy while visiting there?
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian Village
*This dining experience took place in November 2015. 
Ohana means family, and this restaurant, located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is a favorite among my family and friends. It's one we repeatedly go to for special occasions and big get-togethers or when my friends come into town for a visit. There's just something about the family style meal and tropical atmosphere that makes Ohana fun for everyone.On this particular occasion, I had dinner with my friend who was in for a visit to Disney World. Both he and I love Ohana and having dined at Boma on a previous visit, knew we wanted another all-you-care-to-eat meal (yep, we're totally foodies for life!). Both of us dined gluten free and dairy free, so our food was easily shared among us -- something that rarely happens when I dine out, so it was nice to have a "normal" meal experience.
Ohana does not have an allergy friendly menu currently, but the chef will still come out and speak with you. The chef let us know that he would bring us safe rice, chicken wings, sauteed vegetables, and sauces, and that the grilled meats and salad were all safe for us to eat as is.
First up, he brought out GNI brand rolls for us with Earth Balance vegan margarine. The rolls weren't as well heated as they could be and were a bit crumbly, so neither of us really ate much of the rolls. And let's face it; we were there for the grilled meats that Ohana is famous for!
The Lilikoi Salad has been at Ohana for a bit now. It replaced my beloved house salad with honey lime dressing (oh, how I miss it!). I will say that I do like this salad a lot. It's got a bit of a sweet and sour taste and the addition of the edamame, red onions, and shredded vegetables is nice. It's not my favorite part of any meal at Ohana, but I do often go back for seconds on it, which is saying something for a family style salad.
After our salad, the chef brought out a plate filled with heaping amounts of white rice, sauteed vegetables, and chicken wings. We were also given gluten free sweet and sour sauce and teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki is definitely my favorite of the two, but both are really good and great for adding to your rice and veggies.
The piece de resistance of Ohana are the grilled meats prepared over an oak wood open flame found directly in the center of the restaurant. In years past, only some of the meats were safe but now, the shrimp, beef, and chicken are all gluten free and dairy free. Of the three, my hands down favorite is the shrimp. Grilled to perfection and smothered in a sweet and slightly spicy chili sauce, these peel and eat shrimp are worth every bit of effort you have to give in peeling them. Don't worry, you'll be given a warm washcloth to help with any messiness from the shrimp.The steak and chicken were both also delicious. The chicken probably being my second favorite meat. I love the marinade on the beef but find that the beef can be either perfect for my tastes or too underdone. It's hit or miss for me when I dine there. But the flavor is great on the steak for those who are steak lovers.
By the time dessert came, my friend and I had already indulged in several rounds of meat skewers and oh too many chicken wings to count. Suffice it to say, we were stuffed. The chef did bring out some Rice Dream, fresh fruit, Enjoy Life cookies and Hershey's chocolate syrup as a dessert option, but both of us had a hard time eating it. We were just too full! This is one of those restaurants where I really don't feel badly skipping dessert.Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Ohana. We both left completely stuffed, which is exactly what I expect every time I dine there. It continues to be a favorite.Have you been to Ohana? What did you think of your meal experience there?
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian
*This dining experience took place in November 2015.
Aloha! Ohana located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has long been one of my family's favorite restaurants on Disney property. We love the fun and friendly atmosphere, the Polynesian theme, and, of course, the food! The menu itself has changed a lot over the years, and while we often lament some of our favorites that are no longer on the menu (oh, how I miss the honey lime vinaigrette salad dressing), we still very much enjoy the offerings available at Ohana.On this particular occasion, I visited with a friend, who also happens to be gluten free and dairy free too. It's always fun to dine out with friends, and especially those that have special dietary needs!I actually dined at Ohana this summer, but I realized I hadn't blogged about it yet (yikes! We'll chalk that one up to all the new job and moving craziness). But, as I was telling my friend, I actually haven't dined at Ohana in a couple of years because it's often hard to get a reservation when you are local and don't make 180 day in advance plans (I know, I know, local problems!). So, it was awesome to be dining here twice in the span of a few months!
Both my friend and I were ready to dig into our meal at Ohana and both knew going in we were going to be plenty full by the time the meal was over. Ohana definitely keeps the food coming, as a family style dining option.After being seated, the chef greeted us and let us know that we would be getting salad (with the removal of wontons), GNI brand rolls with Earth Balance vegan margarine, white rice, sauteed veggies, chicken wings, sweet and sour sauce, and could enjoy all three grilled meats: Shrimp, Chicken, and Steak. I also asked if they still had the gluten free teriyaki sauce (which they do) and was able to get that as well. And, of course, everything began to come out quickly...Let the food photos begin!
First up was the salad. This contained shredded vegetables (such as carrot), mushrooms, edamame, and red onion along with a vinaigrette. I really enjoyed this in July but both my friend and I found it to be woefully underdressed this time.
The GNI rolls we received were also poorly heated. Very crumbly and dry, while I ate one of them, my friend opted to skip, because -- of course -- it's all about the other food here!
We also got a plate to share of steamed white rice, sweet and sour sauce, teriyaki sauce, sauteed vegetables, and chicken wings. The chicken wings continue to be a favorite with a nice spicy dry rub. I also love having some rice and veggies along with the sauces they provide. Overall, it's definitely a good mix of options.
But, the best part about Ohana are the grilled meats that come out Brazilian Steakhouse style on skewers. All three grilled meats are now gluten free (which I love). I do miss their pork but the new sauces and rubs on the meats have definitely improved the meats offered. The steak that I had in July was perfectly cooked to my liking and nicely seasoned. This time, I found the meat to be just a bit too rare for my taste, so I didn't go for a second round. The chicken had a nice sweet and sour sauce on it and was delicious. Yep, I totally went for seconds on that. And, my hands down favorite is the shrimp. Sure, you have to peel them, and they are messy, but if you aren't enjoying a messy meal like this...you're doing it wrong! Between my friend and I, I think we ate our weight in shrimp!Between all the courses, we were both quite stuffed. Though we were brought dessert both of us didn't eat much of it.
Dessert at Ohana is always underwhelming. But, then again, it's not why I go there. Served Tofutti with Enjoy Life cookies, fresh fruit and Hershey's Syrup, it was just OK. Still, props for the cute hidden Mickey on the plate!Overall, we both really enjoyed our meal at Ohana. Our main courses were exactly why we dined here and while some of the sides were just OK, we both left the meal satisfied and totally stuffed. Ohana is definitely a must do tradition for my family and friends. Plus, the entertainment there is great. Kiddos can get in on coconut racing and the live singing is delightful.Have you been to Ohana? What did you enjoy most there?
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian
*This dining experience took place in February 2013 and includes a gluten free & dairy free review as well as a gluten free & yellow food coloring review.
Ohana means family, and this is a great place to visit with your family & friends which is exactly what I did for my birthday celebration. I hadn't been since May 2012, so it had been quite a while since my last visit so I was excited to head back.
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| Meats are grilled on an open flame! Delicious! |
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| View of the grill area |
Upon being seated, we were told (as usual) that the chef would come to the table. One of my friends at the meal is also gluten free and is allergic to yellow food coloring, so this would be a first to see how inclusive the typical offerings I get would be. (See previous reviews for gluten, dairy, and soy free as I have another friend who has been able to eat with me there successfully)First up, I will note that we had a bit of a chaotic meal, in that they usually don't bring anything out until the chef comes, but they did bring out salad & such while we were talking to him. I was so looking forward to the honey lime dressing & salad that Ohana normally has, but I was surprised to see a new salad. Turns out they have a new chef and they are trying out a new menu. Ugggg. Why mess with a good thing?! The new salad was another vinaigrette with greens and diced papaya & mango. The dressing was a papaya mango dressing. I was able to eat this, but to be safe the chef gave my friend a salad with balsamic vinaigrette (and ended up bringing me one too! That's too too much salad for a person with Crohn's, but nice of him to think of me). I will say, I liked the new salad but I really missed the honey lime. It was good, but the original salad was much better in my opinion. The side salad with the balsamic vinaigrette was so-so. I found it to be an unbalanced dressing (very tangy).
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| New salad, papaya mango dressing with diced papaya & mango |
On a non-allergy related note, I will mention that the other big change to the menu was the removal of the sauces for the appetizers & meats. They used to have 3 sauces and now they only have a peanut sauce (which has changed recipes). The group was a bit bummed to see the lack of sauces. For allergies, we still were able to get the safe Teriyaki & sweet & sour sauces.
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| Side salad with balsamic vinaigrette |
The chef also brought the GNI brand rolls out to us. Blech. These were particularly bad, as they didn't heat them properly and they were very crumbly and dry. Not a big fan of these in general, but these were really not so good. Not even Earth Balance could save them!!
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| GNI brand rolls. I wish we had a tastier option. |
Next up were the chicken wings. Thank goodness these weren't changed!! And also thank goodness my friend could eat these. Hurrah! These were tasty as usual.
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| Chicken wings with sides of sweet & sour sauce and teriyaki sauce |
I will mention that in the midst of all of these we were being brought over the beef (which I don't eat and my friend said was too rare for his taste--and my mom's too!) and shrimp. I really love the shrimp, so I was happy to scarf them down. Only bummer...a few were still a bit raw! Yikes!! Just an excuse to get more thought right?! Somehow I forgot to take a pic of them though. Whoops!Then the chef brought out the safely cooked chicken & pork with rice and veggies. I liked that they grilled the meats in the back--usually they are pan fried--that was a nice touch! The rice was not very good. It was gummy and overcooked. Not quite sticky rice and not like regular rice. Of course, if you put enough sauce on anything it will taste ok. The veggies were also nice. Usually I just get broccoli & carrots, so this was a good change. Overall, I found the main part of the meal to be OK, not quite as good as I have had in the past.
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| Other than the gummy rice, everything was great on this plate. |
I mentioned before that they seemed a little scattered at Ohana that night. I found the waitstaff to be a little overwhelmed and the chef was REALLY hard to get a hold of. My friend wanted more chicken wings, and they misinterpreted it and gave him grilled chicken. I found the meal to just feel a little more frazzled than usual, which is weird because I didn't think they were that busy comparatively.For dessert, we both got a tower of Rice Dream non-dairy ice cream (my poor friend always gets stuck with the non-dairy when he's with me!), Enjoy Life chocolate chip cookies, chocolate syrup, and berries. I found this to be much improved over the OMG It's Gluten Free brand items (which I'm not a huge fan of).
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| View #1 of dessert! |
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| View #2! |
Overall, I had mixed feelings about Ohana this trip. I really love this place so much that it's been a staple for my family over the years; however, I was a bit bummed by some of the new changes and the general experience this particular trip. I know change is important in restaurants, but I will definitely miss the honey lime dressing if they choose to replace it permanently. Hopefully, they'll listen to guest feedback to determine what the right choices will be for the menu. In terms of service, I'm sure we hit a bad night so I won't fault them and not visit again because of it, but I do hope the next experience is a little bit more like what I normally experience there. Perhaps with the new menu changes things are a little more chaotic than usual.I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this trip. Still solid, but could have been a better experience overall.
Ohana -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Polynesian
Ohana is one of my hands down favorite restaurants of all time at WDW. It's the best. I loved it before food allergies and I love it with food allergies. It's amazing. The attention to special diets is really great, and the food is so tasty! But, I've always had dinner here, never breakfast. This past July (2011), I decided to give it a whirl and see if it lived up to the dinner's standards.
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| Fruit platter |
Overall, I would say it did! If you like character meals, this is a good one. It's busy, but the kids seem to get a lot of character interaction in. It's also big enough that you don't feel overwhelmed by characters (at some character meals, like 1900 PF, I feel like I'm being constantly inundated with characters). And it's Ohana! I love the vibe there.Essentially, I got very similar food choices to Kona. The exception was a fruit platter, which I really enjoyed. I love grapes and pineapple, so I scarfed those down! My travel companions got a roll and bread platter which they liked.For my main breakfast, I got scrambled eggs, bacon, mickey waffles, and breakfast potatoes. Essentially, they really all tasted the same as Kona (in my opinion). I might have had ham in the platter, but I don't remember. I actually said something to the chef about the Mickey Waffles and he said that Kona got their Mickey waffles from their side of the kitchen. Interesting. Hadn't heard that before. Either way, they are my favorite Mickey waffles on property...to die for!!I would definitely go to breakfast at Ohana again. For me, I prefer Kona Cafe just because I like the calm quiet vibe and the food is the same as Ohana. I would go to Ohana if I wanted to do a character meal or had a special occasion for sure!I'd give it a solid 9 out of 10!
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| Breakfast platter...Mickey Waffles a plenty! |
Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian
*Note: This review is from summer 2011, and the dessert offerings (i.e. gluten free / dairy free brownie) are no longer available.Just thought I'd give you another one of my Ohana reviews. Especially because lately, I've been able to get the shrimp from the BBQ! And they are my favorite...oh are they my favorite. I could eat them for days....but I digress. Onto the rest of the review...
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| Skillet with steamed white rice, broccoli, carrots and snow peas, grilled chicken skewers and cellophane noodles |
Ohana is one of my favorite restaurants. Who doesn't love grilled meats? And the ambiance? Forget about it! It's amazing. I love the family style meal and the overall vibe. Once I had to go gluten and dairy free, I was worried about food offerings. Would I be able to eat anything? But, it's been one of the best for food allergies. Things have changed and evolved over the past few years and so this review is pre-Nov. 2011 vendor changes. The only real change that I noticed after 11/11 was the switch from the above pictured bowl (no more noodles) to a more scaled back version (still it's a lot of food!). The last two times I've had to ask for grilled chicken skewers, because they tell you that the beef and shrimp are the two safe meats from the grill. I don't eat beef, so I always ask for chicken (I didn't once assuming I'd get the same bowl above, but didn't--lesson learned). It's not that they don't want to do it; they have all been very happy to, but I believe more that maybe they are cutting back? Too much waste? Hmm, who knows. In any event, make sure you ask if you want chicken skewers (or any other kind).Of course, the salad with the honey lime dressing is safe as usual. Love this. I can't usually eat too much salad because of the Crohn's disease, but I always have just a little here. That dressing is to die for! The chicken wings are also great. I usually don't eat all of mine, because there is just so much food! Essentially, they are the same wings as the rest of the party except they don't have the sauce (i.e. they only have the dry rub). I do know that both the salad and wings are gluten, dairy, and soy free (have been several times with someone who has a soy allergy).
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| Chicken wings, minus the sticky sauce. They are still quite delicious (and messy)! |
One of my favorites in this meal are the shrimp. See I told you I'd get back to them? They are so delicious. I loved the grilled flavor and the sauce. I can eat a LOT of these (once I only had shrimp to eat and had about 25-30 of them, no joke! And that included the rest of my meal--still not sure where my stomach stored it all that meal). They are just the best!
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| SHRIMP!!! |
It's amazing that after all this food, I somehow have room for dessert, but I seem to...everytime! I was really loving what I was getting for a while, which was the French Meadow gluten free/dairy free brownie, rice dream, nestle syrup, and cherry on top sundae. Yum! That's what I got this trip. But, they no longer serve this brownie since they switched vendors. The OMG I can't believe it's Gluten Free brand has dairy in it and no longer in the options. I've been getting the OMG gf/df chocolate chip cookie with rice dream, etc. Not quite as good, but ok.
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| Brownie sundae...I miss these! |
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| This is a gluten, dairy, and soy free variation. |
On this trip, I was with a friend who's GF/DF and soy free. This is what he got. I can't remember short of the lack of brownie what the other modifications were. The "ice cream" might be different than what I got; I can't recall. The last time I was with him, I know he had sorbet instead of this (that post-vendor change).Overall, I can't say enough great things about Ohana. I always feel like family here! 9 out of 10!
'Ohana -- Polynesian -- Table Service
Aloooooha, 'Ohana! One of my favorite restaurants on property. I love the grilled foods and the ambiance. I love hanging out with my "family." The last time we went to 'Ohana, I had the most amazing experience with Chef TJ. I have to say, besides Chef Williere at 50's Prime Time, he has to be one of my most favorite chefs on property. The man is a food genius! He has such dedication to folks with special diets, and he makes feasts for those people. Unfortunately, he is no longer at 'Ohana and has moved on to 1900 Park Faire (where I will hopefully get to visit sometime in the near future!). I was curious to see how this experience, minus Chef TJ would be. Upon arrival, the same procedure as the last time occurred, in which a plastic flower was placed at our table, by my seat to notify the chef that there was an allergy.
I was then greeted by the chef was nice enough, but seemed rather busy. He said that the salad was fine (which I love), he'd bring me wings with no sauce, the shrimp on the grill was safe (interesting, since last time they brought me shrimp on my main plate) and that all the other meats would be prepared with white rice in a bowl and that he had a premade sweet and sour sauce and a GF teriyaki sauce too. For dessert, he said I could have the French Meadow brownie and vanilla rice-dream. This was all fine by me.
First up was the chicken wings. The wings were the same used by everyone else, minus the sauce. They were pretty good (yeah I ate a LOT of them) as they had a rub on them. Very messy! I do wish they had been sauced, like the ones Chef TJ made me, but still they were extremely tasty.
Somehow I managed to eat most of these wings!
Yum, honey lime dressing!
That's a lot of shrimp!
Main course--very tasty!
Kind of boring, but good.'Ohana--Table Service--Polynesian
Upon arrival, the hostess verified that I had allergies. After we were seated, they had placed a fake polynesian flower on the table and they said that this would notify the chefs to come to see me. Well, sure enough I see chef T.J. walking my direction. I was so excited. He was terrific. I explained to him that I had Crohn's and that I just been sick, so I couldn't eat salad that night (rats, I was looking forward to that too!) So, he said he would do a few things for me, and take it easy on my tummy. First up, chicken wings. Oh my goodness, these were amazing. He gave me, something like 10 chicken wings! They had some spicy, sweet and sour glaze on them. Yum! T.J. came back to check on me and asked if I liked them because I hadn't eaten that many. I kept telling him how good they were, but that I was trying to pace myself since I hadn't much in the last day.
Spicy Chicken Wings
Entree at 'Ohana! So tasty!
My entree after I was done. You can see how much I had left!Then, it was time for dessert! T.J. brought out the most amazing decadent and FUN dessert! Chocolate brownies, soy chocolate ice cream, pineapple, bananas, and cotton candy with some chocolate syrup on top. Holy cow! I had help eating this one. We couldn't let it go to waste. It was so good.
That's one big tower of dessert!