Family-Style Dinner Review: ‘Ohana Means ???
‘Ohana is one of Walt Disney World’s most popular restaurants, with a reputation that precedes it built up over decades. It has been a fan-favorite since long before we got engaged on the beach of the Polynesian Resort ages ago. We always sort of assumed future generations would still be vying for those coveted ‘Ohana ADRs when we’re old and subsisting on a diet of bread pudding.
As one of Disney’s most beloved restaurants, it was thus surprising that ‘Ohana did not return last June when the Polynesian Villas & Bungalows reopened. Then fall came and went. So did the popular Christmas season. Easter brought with it spring break and pent-up demand, but still nothing.
All the while, we heard from countless Walt Disney World fans wishing upon a star for the return of ‘Ohana. If other all-you-can-eat meals could be modified to facilitate their return, why not ‘Ohana?! Finally, their wishes were answered, and with them, one finger of monkey paw curled…
Dinner at ‘Ohana runs from 3:30 pm until 10:00 p.m. nightly, and is a family-style all-you-can-eat meal. It’s priced at $55 per adult and $33 per child, which makes it the most expensive modified meal of this sort without characters. Fortunately, ‘Ohana accepts the Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount (there can’t be many of those still in circulation) as well as Disney Vacation Club or Annual Passholder cards for 10% off.
In normal times, ‘Ohana participates in the Disney Dining Plan as a 1-credit table service restaurant for dinner, which has historically made it among the Best Uses of Table Service Credits. Of course, that’s temporarily suspended right now, but presumably that info will be relevant again in the not-too-distant future.
Most guests will be seated in the main dining room at ‘Ohana, which is filled tiki statues holding torches, island animals, other themed decor, plus an abundance of authentic Polynesian patterns and textures. During normal times, this area would be raucous rather than serene, with fun and games for kids.
Off to the side of this room is the open kitchen where the meats served at ‘Ohana are grilled. The center of the room features a vaulted thatched roof, while tables around the perimeter offer exceptional views of the lush hotel grounds, Seven Seas Lagoon, and even Cinderella Castle in the distance–but we’ll come back to this. For now, let’s cut to the chase–the cuisine served for dinner at ‘Ohana…
First up is the Mixed Greens Salad.
Our salad had a couple pieces of almond brittle on top, which contrasted with its vinaigrette dressing. Otherwise, this was a very ordinary and unremarkable salad.
Next, ‘Ohana Coconut-Papaya Scones and Cheddar-Bacon Biscuits with Honey Butter.
These were mostly fantastic. A great savory and sweet combo, with both having a crisp exterior giving way to warm and doughy centers. The cheddar bacon biscuits were dense and heavy, and nicely offset by the honey butter. We really enjoyed both, but I’d give the edge to the coconut scones (which is really a misnomer–they’re more like rolls). My only minor quibble with the scones is that some bites were surprisingly salty.
Continuing to the starters, we have the Pork Dumplings Tossed in Garlic-Chili Sauce.
These are fantastic, a minor twist on the dumplings previously served for dinner at ‘Ohana. They feature a crispness on the outside and are tender and meaty on the inside. Perfect texture, flavor, abundant filling, and the right amount of sauce. So far, so good!
The other starter for dinner at ‘Ohana is the Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings.
Prior to “noodlegate,” if you had asked me what the most iconic dish at ‘Ohana is/was, I would’ve guessed these wings. They are/were my favorite thing served at ‘Ohana, and are just as delicious as ever. The skin is crisp and the wings are perfectly-glazed. Underneath that, the meat is tender, juicy, and most. These are perfection. At this point of the meal, we started talking about how maybe the outrage over the changes at ‘Ohana was an overreaction.
Then came the main courses. Here’s where almost everything changes as compared to the old ‘Ohana.
We’ll start with the Island Shrimp Casserole with Herbed Breadcrumbs. This received the most raised eyebrows when the menu was announced, for obvious reasons. Admittedly, a small part of me hoped it’d be a surprise favorite. I have a soft spot for seafood casserole–one of my favorite guilty pleasures at Tokyo Disneyland’s Splash Mountain Restaurant is the Seafood Doria.
Our server referred to this as a stew when we were first seated, which was initially confusing as I thought it was a casserole. Upon digging into it, I understood why–the “casserole” had the consistency of soup or stew. I tried to make the most of this by focusing on the crispy and cheesy top layer plus the hearty shrimp underneath, but it was an abomination.
They’re obviously still tweaking the preparation–ours looked very different from the shrimp casserole served to guests who had dined here reopening week and ours had zero breadcrumbs. This is a colossal misfire, and I cannot imagine it’ll stick around the menu for too long. Even if you’re into seafood comfort foods, this is just not good. I’m confident I could make a better casserole than this, and the only kitchen appliance I’m allowed to use is the microwave.
There’s no such thing as “so bad it’s good” food, but there is “so bad it’s memorable” food. We’ll quickly forget the roasted chicken and sausage over time, but will undoubtedly remember whatever this was forever. Years from now, we’ll still have a good laugh over its atrociousness. If this stays on the menu, it’s only a matter of time before those rascally youngsters on TikTok turn eating the whole thing into a new “Beverly Challenge.” So I guess if making memorable or viral cuisine was the goal, mission accomplished with this shrimp casserole?
Alongside our shrimp stew/casserole came a skillet with Roasted Eight-way Chicken with Polynesian-inspired Chimichurri Sauce, Kielbasa Sausage, ‘Ohana Noodles, and Roasted Broccolini.
Let’s start with the meats. The sausage was fine, but nothing special–not the kind of thing I’d expect from ‘Ohana, either. The chicken tasted like it had been slow-cooked under a heat lamp with a mix of spices that did it no favors. This could’ve been poor luck on our part, as we’ve had pretty much this exact chicken at every other newly-modified family-style meal, and it’s generally passable.
Of course, there are also those beloved ‘Ohana noodles.
When dining at Walt Disney World all you can eat meals, I channel my inner Joey: here’s where I win all my money back! Which is to say, I usually eschew the cheaper filler in favor of high-dollar meats. Consequently, I had only ever tried a small portion of these noodles prior to this meal.
After giving them a full and thorough taste-testing session for the sake of research, I see what some of the hubbub is about. These noodles have a nice balance of savory and sweet flavors, with a good elastic consistency, chewiness, and thickness.
Another main course served in a separate skillet is the Woodfire-grilled Teriyaki Beef.
This beef used to be served on a skewer, and still has the same general flavor. The teriyaki sauce is sweet and works well with the smokey flavor of the beef. Most of our meat was cooked medium rare, so that was also good. However, it was all very tough and the chunks were unnecessarily huge. While the preparation was delicious, this meat was definitely a quality downgrade as compared to the beef at the other family style meals.
Here’s a plate of everything (minus the seafood stew/casserole, which I sampled directly from its skillet since it was so runny).
Although there were some significant misfires, we loved the wings, dumplings, and noodles, focusing almost entirely on those and having a delicious meal as a result. It did make us uncomfortable requesting refills of that trio while nearly-full portions of everything else went to waste. I know that’s the nature of family style feasts, but we still don’t like it–I guess at least Walt Disney World has a robust food waste program.
Finally, we have the famed ‘Ohana Bread Pudding served a la mode with homemade caramel sauce.
I can’t quite put my finger on what, but something has changed about the preparation and consistency of this bread pudding. Nevertheless, it’s still one of the better desserts at Walt Disney World. I would still give a slight edge to the twist on this dish at Sebastian’s Bistro, but this one is a 10/10. A great way to end dinner at ‘Ohana on a high note.
To emphasize those highs and minimize the lows, we’d request no shrimp casserole, teriyaki beef, roasted chicken, or sausage from the outset if/when we do dinner at ‘Ohana in the future. Obviously, that’s a lot of high-dollar dishes to be skipping, begging the question of whether ‘Ohana is even worth doing at such a high price point.
However, there is more to the ‘Ohana dinner experience than the food.
The live music and Polynesian atmosphere was so relaxing, and a huge change of pace from the usual vibe at ‘Ohana. Normally, I’d describe ‘Ohana as “controlled chaos,” which is no knock. After all, the name means family, and this restaurant radiates joy and fun. It’s usually like a convivial cookout among friends and extended family–it just works.
Now, ‘Ohana borders on being romantic.
Between the roaming live musician performing songs on the ukulele and the fact that around 25% to 33% of the tables at ‘Ohana were filled during our dinner (common right now due to staffing shortages), the scene was downright serene.
As the night at ‘Ohana wore on, we were able to enjoy day transition to night, with what felt like a “private” performance of Electrical Water Pageant outside the window.
We love watching Electrical Water Pageant and have seen it almost a dozen times since its return. However, this was the first time watching from an air-conditioned, bug-less setting. I could get used to that!
Not too long after Electrical Water Pageant, it was time for Happily Ever After.
I wish I would’ve brought my tripod, as we had a perfect view of the fireworks. The music being piped in also made ‘Ohana the perfect place to watch the Magic Kingdom nighttime spectacular. During the fireworks, almost everyone in the main dining room turned their chair to face the windows.
As intimated elsewhere, we’ve thought ‘Ohana was slightly overrated and had been resting on its laurels for at least a few years. While I’ve held that view in the back of my mind for some time, I could never quite articulate why. The fact is, our first dinner at ‘Ohana as adults was on our honeymoon. It was one of the most memorable meals of the trip, and everything about the experience was perfect.
Revisiting familiar favorites at Walt Disney World is as much about chasing nostalgia as the thing itself, but you can’t go home again. There’s that rush of fond memories and sentimentality, but it’s never quite the same. I didn’t know if it was ‘Ohana that had changed, or our tastes. Maybe the fan-favorite restaurant was as good as ever, but could just never live up to the idealized version of it that lived in our minds. Conversely, maybe we were still romanticizing ‘Ohana and it was amidst its Le Cellier-like fall.
Or maybe it was a little of both. The new menu, modified meal–whatever you want to call it–is an unequivocal downgrade. Of that much, I’m certain. We went in skeptical, but hoping it would exceed our expectations and be something special.
The food was not, yet ‘Ohana still is. We’ve now been married for some time, and have learned that strolls down memory lane can be even more satisfying when they take delightful detours. Just being there brought back a flood of emotion and fondness we have for ‘Ohana. Seeing Electrical Water Pageant and the fireworks was downright saccharine. And those schmaltzy memories are now forever inextricably intertwined with a “WTF casserole” that will always make us laugh.
So, as much as I want to tell you that there are easily two-dozen superior restaurants at Walt Disney World and the current cuisine is an overpriced mixed bag, there’s more to it than that. I know this will sound cheesy, but there’s a certain understated wisdom in ‘Ohana meaning family. At its core, ‘Ohana has always been about the bigger-picture experience as much as the food. Even as we’re in no rush to return on the basis of the menu, those memories are a powerful pull.
Perhaps you likewise have ‘Ohana nostalgia that you’re eager to revisit. Maybe you don’t, but want to forge your own. If you’re looking for the bottom line and the cuisine is all that matters, skip ‘Ohana. Even with a few standout dishes, it’s not worth the money. But like so many things in life, the full story is a little more complicated than that. You’ll have to decide for yourself what ‘Ohana means to you.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Does the modified family-style meal served for dinner at ‘Ohana sound like it would be worth the money to you? Thoughts on that seafood “casserole,” the beloved noodles, wings, or anything else on the menu? Have you done ‘Ohana at Walt Disney World in the past? Do you agree or disagree that food is only part of the overall experience at ‘Ohana? Will you be booking an Advance Dining Reservation for dinner here? What did you think? Worthwhile for the food, atmosphere, or for both? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
February 2022 Update:
Long time fan of both ‘Ohana and Tom/Sarah. Let’s get to it… the ‘Ohana many of you remember and love is not as good (re food and some pre-Covid experiences that have not returned) and at the same time the setting still is great. We just got back from a 6 night stay at the Polynesian, including dinner for 8 at ‘Ohana. The good: I still love the setting, ukulele singer during dinner, a tasty Lapu Lapu, and if you are lucky a table with a view (after a few visits with prime window tables, we did not get so lucky this time, but I got over that). The food: noodles were still great, shrimp was tasty (albeit they cooled fast because the servers bring out the food WAY WAY too fast – a complaint that I have had for many years. Zero pacing of the courses), chicken was also good (thigh meat), wings were still great, pot stickers still great (like others have said no dipping sauces anymore), only veggies were Broccolini (which was fine with me). The bad: the bread has changed, still okay, but not like before. Nothing that detracts, but not memorable like years ago. The steak – sucked! cold, tough, cheap. Super disappointing. Select grade sirloin at best. That said, I have the same complaint about the steak quality at Space 220 and Be Our Guest. Dessert was fine. I miss the fun activities they used to do for the kids. All gone. Although my kids are teenagers now, we have such fond memories and family favorite photos of the coconut races. As our kids aged out of that event, it was still fun to see the joy in younger families kids. Sad that has not returned (likely in the name of turning tables faster). I have long complained about all the food coming out at once, as soon as the salad drops, it is minutes before you are given EVERYTHING. I was just putting pot stickers and wings on my plate when they dropped off the steak, shrimp, and chicken. So all of that got cold before we could even have a little bit of the first course. I didn’t even touch the salad because I was worried about everything else getting cold (which it did get cold). There simply is no valid reason for not properly pacing the meal. Overall, I still like ‘Ohana and it still is a great meal, just not what it once was. Honestly, if they would just pace the meal and let you eat actual courses before dropping off the next thing, I would be happy. I am not trying to discourage anyone, but I do want you to be prepared for how much they unreasonably rush the food. This is still better than Be Our Guest and Space 220.
Just ate at Ohana’s on January 2nd 2022
My kids and I had waited a year and a half to dine at our favorite restaurant in all of WDW
Oh my what a disappointment
So much so I will not be eating there for quite some time
It was always one of those must do for a trip to Disney, but this meal is no longer worth the price nor the trouble trying to get ADR
We were only served the scones—dry and stale
The salad was nothing special
Pork dumplings were soggy and not cooked enough—ordered a new batch and they were just as bad—no crunch and inside meat was foreign looking and gray????
Steak —tough , didn’t even receive a steak knife so basically we sawed tirelessly away with a butter knife
Chicken was odd—just baked I believe with a whole jar of pesto poured on top
Barely could find the meat off of the bone
We’re not really big wing fans so no comment on those
Only thing we could basically fill up on was the noodles and dessert
Only good things that are almost the same
We’re devastated that our old favorite has declined so much
It’s just not good and I almost could feel the disappointment with other guests as well
Sad to say but it’s not anywhere near the same
Our family was at Disney world 2 weeks ago and I could hardly wait to eat at Ohana’s telling everyone it was our favorite restaurant and how very much we enjoyed eating there several years before. So we ate again 2 weeks ago and we were all terribly disappointed. Someone mentioned how the quality did NOT match the price. I did not enjoy any of the dishes quite frankly, but I did eat the salad. I would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone now – a complete 180 degree turn around! I personally would not eat there if offered a free meal! So very disappointed!!!
I agree wholeheartedly
I was there about the same time as you and the number of people waiting every single night is astounding!!!
We were staying at the Poly and I thought, Oh, maybe they have improved and they’re back like it used to be.
I guess not 🙁
It was always for years our favorite restaurant but last Ohana’s visit (2021) was bad–the meat has zero quality
We have a Saturday evening reservation here coming up and I’m wondering if we should keep it… We have never been and it will be my daughter’s 5th birthday. Excited for a firework view after dinner as we will not be at MK this day but concerned about the food/if it’s worth it. Was hoping the dining plan would be back Any thoughts?
We have huge ‘Ohana news!
We just finished dinner at ‘Ohana. Based on the recent reviews we weren’t very hopeful walking into our favorite restaurant – in fact we were brainstorming how to make our own “magic shot” while pointing at the shrimp casserole and looking scared. I will get to our thoughts on the meal in a moment, but first an important piece of news. We were not served the bacon/cheddar rolls, only the scones. I asked if we would be getting the rolls and our server smiled apologetically and told me they don’t have them. She said that is part of the reason they aren’t handing out menus. They are out of some things because they are (“shhhhh it’s a secret”) GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MENU ON AUGUST 17th! Though service will still be family style, they will return to grilling the meat on skewers in the open kitchen in the center of the restaurant! This news worth celebrating for ‘Ohana fans.
For those of you with an ADR before the 17th, it isn’t all bad. We actually enjoyed our meal this evening. Maybe they have been listening to the reviews and trying to improve things. We even enjoyed the shrimp casserole. What we got seems to be yet another version. Lightly sauced shrimp in herbed panko crumbs that had a buttery/garlic taste almost like a scampi. Certainly far from Campbell’s and rubber toys. The table next to us asked for seconds!
We can’t wait to see the reviews after the 17th. Sadly we will be home by then. Fingers crossed for a big step forward in returning the ‘Ohana we all remember.
We dined at Ohana last week. It is one of our favorites but I agree that nostalgia plays a big part. We much prefer the proteins served via skewers. The atmosphere is still great. Love the ukulele player/singer. We’ve been told that you can order the noodles, wings and dumplings in the Tambu Lounge. I think we will go that route next time around.