‘Ohana Dinner: Feast or Flop?
There are certain dining experiences on Walt Disney World property that, when mentioned to fans of said dining experience, create quite a fervor. The person you’re speaking with might immediately fade off into a euphoric daydream-like state while hearing the faint songs of angels in the background. One of these dining experiences that creates such a reaction is dinner at Disney’s Polynesian Resort’s ‘Ohana. I recently had the chance to try dinner at ‘Ohana for the first time in a very long time, and I’d like to take you along for the journey so that you and I can decide if it’s actually worth all that.
To bring you up to speed, Ohana is a family style. All you care to eat experience. It’s found in the back corner of the second floor just off of the the Polynesian resorts iconic lobby. I’m one of those people who can’t spend enough time at the poly, so getting to eat at Ohana already had me excited. Not to mention the fact that I was eating there with my sister and her family who are visiting from Maryland, as well as my husband and my son.
Our party of eight was seated at what our server called “the best table in the restaurant.” It’s a large round table set in the back corner, and with a 5:45pm reservation, we were there just in time to see tiki torches illuminated outside and dusk fall on the resort. With Cinderella Castle in the distance, it’s certainly a table at which any Disney fan would to be seated. it was dreamy from the word go.
‘Ohana has both a regular selection and a plant-based selection on the menu. The price is currently set at $65 per adult and $42 per child ages 3 to 9. Yes friends, this is an expensive proposition. There are no characters during the dinner seating at ‘Ohana, but there is a ukulele performer who comes out and sings periodically, which adds the most amazing tropical vibe to the restaurant.
Back in the day, the selection of meats offered in their regular entrée was delivered to your table on large metal skewers. With a flourish, your meat would be served from the skewer directly onto your plate; it was part of the fun and uniqueness of restaurant. After the pandemic, this was changed. Meats now arrive in bowls and on platters to be shared at the table. While this takes away some of the flair of the experience, I have to say that it was fine.
The first thing to land on your table will be your beverage selection. You can choose from tea and coffee, as well as POG juice and sodas. The second thing to grace your table will be the Signature Ohana Bread with Honey Butter. And by honey butter, I mean butter literally drizzled with honey. The bread is a classic at the restaurant and features a strong coconut flavor. When you combine the honey-soaked butter with the coconut bread, the overall effect is one that’s very sweet. Very.
The Mixed Greens Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette appeared at the same time as the bread, and again, was very sweet. Weird for a salad, I know. While I enjoyed both the fresh salad and the vinaigrette, I was struck by how sweet the overall taste was. When I mentioned this to my sister, she brought up the fact that we were getting ready to eat a bunch of salty meat, so perhaps starting with all things sweet was to offset what’s to come. Great point, and one that I don’t discount in the least.
Your appetizers will arrive next, and I am convinced that everyone will find something that they like among the offerings. From the iconic ‘Ohana noodles to the Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings and Stir-fried Vegetables to my favorite, the Pork Dumplings tossed In Garlic-Chili Sauce, our family savored every bite. For me, the pork dumplings stand head and shoulders above the rest. These delicate little dumplings were jam-packed with pork filling and beautifully fried. I could have eaten a truckload of those little babies.
While I’m on the subject of eating a truckload of something, please keep in mind that this meal is all-you-care-to-eat. Your server will frequently ask you if they can bring you additional amounts of any of the dishes. Friend, this is your chance to get more of what you love, so be sure to take advantage of it. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to order the meat dishes the way that you’d like them prepared. I enjoy my steak well-done (I know, I know), so I asked for well-done pieces of beef and received my own special little bowl. I was such a happy camper.
In this round of dishes, you’ll find Wood Fire-grilled Black Pepper-Mirin-Teriyaki Beef, Peel-n-Eat Shrimp coated with ‘Ohana Seasoning and Grilled Chicken with Guava-Pineapple Glaze
Stop and smell the meats here. Everything is beautifully prepared over an open fire, and the wood flavor absolutely shines.
The fan-favorite ‘Ohana Bread Pudding is the dessert at dinnertime, and is completely worth the adoration it receives. The bread pudding is studded with fresh pineapple, and when the sweet vanilla ice cream melts and transforms into something close to creme anglaise, this treat cannot be beat. Holy cow, this dessert, which was the one thing that my sister was most excited for during the meal, is the stuff of Disney food legend for good reason.
So, have you had dinner at ‘Ohana? What did you think of the experience?
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