'Ohana - yea or nay?

[Karin]

I'm rethinking our dinner ADR at 'Ohana.

I'm just not sure about the menu. I somehow thought it was more extensive than I'm now finding out it really is.

I don't know why, but I somehow thought it was a buffet with all the items like at a traditional luau. Wrong!

Anyone been? What are your opinions?

[Pammer]

I'm a fan...lots of delicious grilled meat delivered to your table right from the skewers...YUMMMMM.... It IS a ton of food, though, so go hungry! ;)

[GusMan]

We consider 'Ohana one of our favorite places for dinner. Its a family style, with the different dishes brought to your table and the different meats carved in front of you.

We always walk out of there stuffed and satisfied.

[Mermaid]

The first time I went there, we loved it! It was the only repeat I did on my next trip.

The next time, with DH, it was eh. The food wasn't as good as I remembered it and it felt rushed. It may have been a case where I built it up too much in my head. We are in no hurry to go back.

It is a different experience and one I think is worth trying. There are games and things for the kids that go on during dinner and it is fun to have them bring the meat on the skewers.

[mom22gls]

The food is great, and it's a fun meal. They keep bringing the meat around, and there is more than enough to eat.

[GusMan]

...and it felt rushed.
Slight derail... and meant with some humor - but rule #1 - Never let anyone make you feel rushed. (Regardless of dining venue.) This is especially the case with family style and/or buffet eateries.

[fiona1188]

Love, love, love O'Hana. Good food that keeps on coming, good fun, nice staff, thoroughly enjoyed it. Hubby could not get enough of the pudding, he asked for seconds and we had to roll him out!:D

[THpoohbear]

Yea! Have been four times, once on each of our trips, the most recent being January 2010. I love the appetizers more than the meats. And the dessert is hands down my favorite in the World. Soooo worth it. Last time, we had seconds on desserts. I don't know how any of us found room for it. Skip the meat and save room for desset! Haha. Seriously though, the pot stickers are yummy, and the salad has this light and crisp dressing that is so tasty. I really like this place. It's not quiet though. Lots of kids running around. Cub might participate in a coconut race! :) If you've never tried it, I say give it a whirl.

If you did drop it, what would be the replacement?

[srusso100]

Slight derail... and meant with some humor - but rule #1 - Never let anyone make you feel rushed. (Regardless of dining venue.) This is especially the case with family style and/or buffet eateries.

Great advice. YOU are the customer and YOU control the pace. Let the server know if you'd like to go more slowly.

[Karin]

If you did drop it, what would be the replacement?

I don't know, that's just it. We really enjoyed LTT a couple of trips ago, but Cub was on;y 4.5 months old.

[TinaMouse]

DEFINITELY go 'Ohana. I went for the first time on the last trip and absolutely loved it. There's tons for the kids to do during the meal too. He'll have a great time if he likes to get involved in action around the room.

[Mermaid]

Slight derail... and meant with some humor - but rule #1 - Never let anyone make you feel rushed. (Regardless of dining venue.) This is especially the case with family style and/or buffet eateries.

I will have to remember this next time. We'll try it again, but probably when we are going with young kids. There is just so many other places I want to try, that now I don't feel like I have to go there every trip!

[Drince88]

I've gone once, with my sister, for her birthday dinner (lucky duck with a birthday in October, when we OFTEN visit WDW!). I don't think we quite were prepared for how LOUD the restaurant is. And our 'cousin' leading the singing and games and such got a bit on our nerves. I think if we'd been PREPARED for loud and boisterous, it wouldn't have seemed as bad. It's not like we were expecting quiet and calm, but this was louder than we expected.

I think they were bringing the food so fast and furious that we had to ask for more veggies, because the ones they'd brought at one point had gotten so cold by the time we had time to eat them or have seconds on them.

We also were seated in the main area, right next to the 'walkway' (vs next to the windows) so were a little more in the thick of the action than we'd otherwise have wanted.

The food was PLENTIFUL and tasty, and even though we now know they sometimes can go off menu for a vegetarian, we were glad we didn't go on our previous visit with our vegetarian-ish sister. (She'll eat seafood.)

[RunninDisney]

Not only yea, but heck yea! We LOVE Ohana. Make sure you save room for the pineapple bread pudding. MMMMMMM

[Karin]

I don't think we quite were prepared for how LOUD the restaurant is. And our 'cousin' leading the singing and games and such got a bit on our nerves. I think if we'd been PREPARED for loud and boisterous, it wouldn't have seemed as bad. It's not like we were expecting quiet and calm, but this was louder than we expected.


See... now... loud? Cub doesn't do loud well. Are we talkin' Whispering Canyon loud?

[dawz1026]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I cannot wait to go back on Birthday/ Anniversary in October..we love it! So much food and tastes greeeeeat!

[Mermaid]

See... now... loud? Cub doesn't do loud well. Are we talkin' Whispering Canyon loud?

I have never been to WCC so I am sure someone will chime in- but it is pretty darn loud, sorta like Peter Piper without the game sounds. They have hula lessons, coconut races and a konga line going on for the kids (at different times). During that is is pretty loud. In between events (usually 10-15 minutes of off time) it isn't much louder than, say, TGI Fridays.

[Drince88]

Mermaid is probably correct, but I seem to remember the 'cousin' talking or singing some in that break time.

You don't have groups of people yelling for ketchup or their waiter like you do in WCC - and the baseline noise is probably a bit lower at 'Ohana, but then I always thought TGI Fridays was a loud restaurant, too.

[mom22gls]

We did not find the noise level overwhelming, and it was actually a good place for young kids, because they are encouraged not to sit still at the table for an eternity (for them), but can play games and march around. If a child has sensory issues, and can't deal with a noisy environment it might be an issue, but we were able to enjoy our meals there. I even took my parents and they enjoyed it.

[TinaMouse]

If there's a sensitivity to sound, then avoid 'Ohana, WCC, etc.

[Mermaid]

Mermaid is probably correct, but I seem to remember the 'cousin' talking or singing some in that break time.

You don't have groups of people yelling for ketchup or their waiter like you do in WCC - and the baseline noise is probably a bit lower at 'Ohana, but then I always thought TGI Fridays was a loud restaurant, too.

hmmmmm..... I would remember the "cousin" singing because that would get on my nerves! Maybe our cousin wasn't into it! Yeah, I think TGI Fridays is fairly loud too, but not overly so. More of a "your kid can throw a fit and no-one will really notice" type level. That's how I would describe the normal noise at 'Ohana.

[Alex S.]

I've only eaten there once but I'll put in a nay vote.

If you're menu limited (which I am) that would be an issue, plus the food really wasn't all that great. Sure, you can't really screw up meat on a stick but it wasn't anything remarkable either (maybe the meats I don't eat were fantastic).

Plus the "entertainment" that makes it a very loud environment was a pain in the butt.

[danyoung]

I'm going to completely disagree with Alex on the quality of the food. I've experienced several meals there, and have enjoyed every one of them. You mentioned doubt about the menu, so let me go over it in some detail -

You start out with a polynesian bread, which is kind of gentle pineapple bread - I could make a meal out of the bread alone - totally yummy! Also you get some mixed greens with a light sweet dressing. Go for a few bites, but save room for later. Next appetizer course is some honey glazed chicken wings and pork dumplings with a trio of dipping sauces. Again, I could fill up on the chicken with the peanut dipping sauce! And then they start bringing around skewers of meats - turkey, pork, steak, and peel-n-eat shrimp, all done to perfection over an open fire in the show kitchen. And they'll keep on bringing 'em till you say STOP! But leave a bit of room for dessert. On the menu is bread pudding with bananas and caramel sauce, which is pretty tasty. But if you request it they might bring you out the dessert they used to feature - very simply, pineapple chunks with a caramel dipping sauce. Sounds simple, but the light taste so perfectly finishes of the meat-heavy meal that you can't stop eating till all the pineapple is gone!

As to the entertainment, they'll have a "cousin", a strolling singer and ukelele player, singing some songs and leading the kids in some simple contests like hula hoop or coconut rolling. And occasionally, if you've done something dumb like request ketchup, they'll bring a select group of adults up to the fire pit and make them beg the gods for forgiveness. I was singled out for this honor once when dining with friends, and it was a fun element of the evening.

So no, it's not a quiet restaurant. But it's not shreeking screaming either. It's a lively, fun place with terrific food and a great atmosphere. Eat lunch early so you're totally hungry - you will NOT regret it!!!

[tappenfeat]

We've been to Ohana once...for breakfast. It was lovely and we met our neighbors there and dined.

I just love family style...so anyplace with family style is good with me.

Also, the view from Ohana is fantastic!!!

However, I just can't get enough of Kona Cafe'....mmmmmmmmm :p

[mickeymom5]

We ate there in 2008. We had 8:30 pm reservations. Yes, it was late, but it ended up being great. My kids were 11, 8 and 2 at the time. The two year-old hated the fireworks, but when the MK fireworks started the whole restaurant got quiet and they piped the music in. A kind couple that had a table by the window let my kids stand by their table to see the fireworks. It was really great! She couldn't hear the "loud booms" and she loved the pretty colors. It was also great that we didn't have to fight for a "spot" to view them!

Since it was late, I think people were probably "quieter" than they would be at 5:00 pm. The restaurant was full and there were plenty of kids, but I just don't remember it being overwhelmingly loud. My kids enjoyed the games and we all enjoyed the food! None of us like bananas, but we were all fighting over that dessert! My family enjoys trying "new" things when we go to WDW...this time we are trying Boma...I think you should go for it! :)