Yak & Yeti Dinner Review
*This post contains two dining reviews that took place in November and December 2019. It includes information about gluten free options, in addition to dairy free, fish/shellfish free, cabbage free, peanut free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free options.
Dinner at Yak & Yeti
Yak & Yeti, located in Disney's Animal Kingdom, is our go-to table service restaurant in the park. Recently, we stopped by Yak & Yeti a few times over the holiday season, including once to use Brandon's birthday reward as Landry's Select Club members.
Atmosphere
Yak & Yeti can be found in the Asia area of the Animal Kingdom. And, its theme reflects its location acting as a home in the fictional land of Anandapur that has been turned into a restaurant.
Yak & Yeti Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Landry's did an exceptional job with the theme of this restaurant, and you'll be transported to a far off place the moment you walk up to the Yak & Yeti's entrance.
Yak & Yeti Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant includes two levels for dining. On our first visit, we dined on the first floor in an area that has posters and other artifacts related to traditional Bollywood films.
Yak & Yeti - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On the first floor, you'll also find various artifacts -- some in fact are actually from locations throughout Asia, which is really neat.
Yak & Yeti - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our second visit, we dined on the second floor, which both Brandon and I prefer. We both remarked that the second floor seems to have a lot more artifacts and cozy areas to dine. But, no matter where you are in the restaurant, you're bound to enjoy the delightful and charming theme.
The Food
Because Yak & Yeti is not owned and operated by Disney, they do not have a traditional allergy-friendly menu. They do, however, offer a gluten sensitive menu for guests. If you dine at Yak & Yeti, I always recommend that you speak directly with a chef.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
As I learned awhile back, the gluten sensitive menu is not necessarily safe for those with celiac disease, as some items are actually made in shared fryers. On both visits, we looked at both the gluten sensitive menu and spoke directly with a chef.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our first visit, both Brandon and I got noodle bowls. I ordered a beef and shrimp noodle bowl (a modified version of the vegetable bowl listed on the menu), which was made using rice noodles and gluten free tamari sauce. This dish was both gluten free and dairy free.
While I really enjoyed this dish, it's not my favorite at Yak & Yeti. In fact, the previous time we visited, I had a modified Teriyaki Beef and Shrimp Stir-Fry from the seasonal menu. And, it was by far my favorite dish that I've had at Yak & Yeti in a while. Unfortunately, it's no longer on their seasonal menu, so I opted for a noodle bowl instead. It's definitely a solid option and one I try to get every once in a while.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon absolutely loves the noodle bowls at Yak & Yeti. He ordered the beef noodle bowl, which was made fish/shellfish free, peanut free, hazelnut free, cabbage free, and chicken & turkey free. The big differences between my bowl and his was the GF tamari sauce and the omission of bok choy and shrimp. His dish was also made with rice noodles.
As per usual, Brandon really loved this dish a lot. He got it again on our next visit, though the chef that time made some slightly different changes to the vegetables in his noodle bowl.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our second visit, I wasn't feeling like a super heavy meal, so I decided to try one of their new salads and the Chicken Consomme soup. The soup is both gluten free and dairy free and contains Chicken Broth, Tofu, Onions, and Carrots. I've had this on several visits, and I do really enjoy it. I would say that the flavors are very mild and understated, but it's definitely a nice change of pace for something lighter. Like everything at Yak & Yeti, the portion for the soup was really big too.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I ordered the Asian Wedge Salad which is gluten free and contains Baby Iceberg Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Carrot Ginger Dressing, and Pork Belly. I also opted to add Grilled Cilantro-Lime Chicken to the dish too.
The chef recommended this to me, and while I was a bit dubious at first, because the flavors sounded a bit odd to me, I was actually pretty impressed with the salad. I absolutely loved the carrot ginger dressing, and the addition of pork belly was a great one. Oddly, the blue cheese worked really well, and all of the flavors ended up making for a great meal. Next time, I probably would just order a salad and not get any appetizer (like the soup), because this salad was legitimately huge. Yak & Yeti definitely does not skimp on the portions.
Yak & Yeti / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon went with the beef noodle bowl again on our second visit. This time, the chef only included carrots, green onions, and some cilantro instead of the vegetable medley he had on the first visit. Brandon loves both carrots and green onions, so he was pretty good with this vegetable medley. As per usual, he really enjoyed his noodle bowl a lot.
Overall
Yak & Yeti has been a consistently great option for us for a table service meal when we're visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom. We both really enjoy the pan-Asian food, and we've been pretty impressed with the options and the attention that the chefs give to guests with special dietary needs. It's definitely a location we'll keep going back to again and again.
Have you been to Yak & Yeti? What do you think of the special diets options there?