Mary R.

Best restaurant at Disney! Don't be afraid of the African food. It is awesome! Favorite things tamale, filet, braised short ribs, cherry kissed martini, any of the syrah selections, paper wrapped fish, and the pistachio creme brulee with a press pot for desert! Also, this is one of the few restaurants in Disney that has a romantic atmoshpere. Yes I take my kids, but when I go with just my husband I am happy too. The restaurant has lots of warm woods and is more darkely lit. It has 2 tops by the wall to wall window with a nice view of a babbling Disney brook.

Sam L.

Jiko was the first of three 'signature dining' reservations we had during our six day stay at Disney World and it did not disappoint! I'm sure you can walk in without reservations during the low season but be sure to make them during the 'free dining' season, tables go fast! BTW, they do have a dress code but it does not seem to be strictly enforced. I came in with a sundress and cardigan and the BF wore a v-neck and plaid shorts. The BF was a bit worried when I mentioned that the food was African/Indian/Mediterranean inspired but he ended up loving it! For appetizers we got the seasonal sweet corn bisque and curried beef rolls. I loved my bisque, not too sweet and perfectly balanced with lump crab and crunchy bits of celery. Best soap I ever had! I'm drooling just thinking about it now, hah. The beef rolls looked like tiny eggrolls served with a slaw that was quite delicious together. The BF ended up eating everything which was interesting cause he usually hates slaw. We got the oak-grilled filet mignon and the seared barbered duck breast entrees, both were delicious. The filet was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. I really enjoyed the mac and cheese which was rich, not too saucy and worked well with the filet and wine sauce. BF said the duck was the best he ever had and ate up the whole plate. Desserts were ok, I got the celebration special which was an apricot sorbet and cake and the BF got the spiced cake. Both weren't memorable like the other 'signature' restaurant desserts. Overall the restaurant was great; exotic flavors, delicious, intimate ambiance, and great service. Our server Michelle was wonderful, very nice and helpful. She informed us of the popular and personal favorites on the menu. Jiko also has a great selection of South African wines and the servers are extremely helpful in helping you finding a pairing with your dinner. I loved this place and definitely coming back and highly recommend it!

John C.

Absolutely my most favorite Restaurant in all of Disney...The food is amazing and the atmosphere is extremely enjoyable. The staff is amazing. The South African wines are delicious. Highly recommend the Tastes of Africa Appetizer.

Joe D.

We had dinner at Jiko's earlier this week. Prior to making our reservation we read the other yelp reviews to get a sense of what to expect. Now that we've been there we feel there are a few things you should know that aren't on any other reviews. First of all, this is a family restaurant. It is Disney dining after all. It is not a 'couples night out'. You are surrounded by kids. Kids crying, kids yelling, kids doing what kids do. It is all fine - just know it's not 'romantic'. It's like any other Disney eatery. The review that mentions this as a 'best place for a couple to celebrate their something special' must have had a 10pm reservation. Ours was at 6pm. This is key - the food is very good for Disney food - however it is not so good if you compare it to your home town high end restaurant. So remember, the prices are high but the food is just OK. Comparing it to a good restaurant is like comparing a 'cook' prepared meal to a 'chef' prepared meal. This is 'cook' prepared meals. Still good - but nothing special for the price. The price is $50-$70 per person w/o drinks or desert. The bottom line is this, if you weren't at Disney you wouldn't think this restaurant was worth a second look. But when you are at Disney it is fine just don't expect it to be as good as it would be in your home town.

John H.

I didn't know what to expect from an African restaurant, but one thing that sold us was their dairy free menu. I was able to enjoy the food without feeling sick and it was quite delicious. They gave me olive oil instead of butter for the bread, which I prefer anyways. I had the avocado soup for an appetizer which wasn't my favorite. My main course, the pork was very good. It was juicy and seasoned well. For dessert, I had dairy free ice cream which is usually gross, but this was very good. The atmosphere was intimate, yet family friendly at the same time. I'd definitely return here.

Sarah W.

excellent. One of the best resort restaurants Disney has to offer. The food is delicious with the beautiful ambience of the restaurant. This is my second time at this restaurant and it was as amazing as the first time. I tried one of their beef roll appetizers, the duck, and topped it off with an amazingly creative dessert...chocolate mousse (set up to be coffee, sugar cubes, cream...all edible) Service was excellent. The managers came around to make sure everything was to our liking. Would return again...crossing my fingers that it may be as good as the first and second time!

Salina H.

My boyfriend and I both agreed that this was the best fine dining restaurant we had in Disney World. The decor, the service, and the food were top notch. We notified the host that we were on a extremely tight schedule and they were so accommodating. Located inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the setting is beautiful, lightly dimmed and extremely romantic. We dined at the California Grill a couple of nights before and Jiko exceeded California Grill in every aspect, hands down. Since it's a little out of the way for those around the Magic Kingdom and not nearly as popular as California Grill, Jiko was rather quiet, spacious, and calm as opposed to the abundance of people, kids, and ruckus at CG. Our server was courteous, knowledgeable, and quick to meet our rushed demands. We were celebrating our anniversary and she gave us a card as well as a glass of champagne. Very nice touch! As our server noted, Jiko is a blend of African and Asian flavors with European style execution and you could taste and see each characteristic in the food. The bread basket was a great starter. My boyfriend usually steers clear of bread baskets but we ended up fighting for the last piece of bread. For appetizers, we ordered the flat bread and the crispy rolls - delicious and highly recommended. The crispy rolls were my favorite - very similar in flavor to samosas but with a tzatziki sauce so it was more light and refreshing. I had the duck breast and my boyfriend had the pork tenderloin. The meats were cooked perfectly, not overcooked like my fish at California Grill. Paired with the excellent wine recommendation, it was a great meal from beginning to end. My only complaint is that I hadn't given myself more time to thoroughly enjoy the food and the atmosphere. We dined at California Grill, Narcoosee's, and La Hacienda at Epcot and while those were all great in their own right, Jiko is definitely THE best place for a couple to celebrate their something special. It may not be the most convenient location, but in a place full of screaming children and families, Jiko was the perfect escape.

J H.

Overall 3.75 Food:3.00 Went as part of the Wanyama safari. Cost is about $150 for AKL Jambo house guests (non concierge level). I think the cost covers tax and gratuity. The safari itself is wonderful It rained alot but the guides really tried to keep everybody happy and dry. ^_^ Was our second time at Jiko but first for the safari. The chef was new. The food was okay. The appetizers were better than the main. Main was the filet beef with truflled mac/cheese but couldn't taste the truffle. The chicken was pretty good. Can't remember the last main course. Dessert was pretty good. Might try again since our first experience at Jiko was much better,

Paul D.

The must-go-to restaurant whenever in Orlando I've been going here every time I am in Orlando since they opened. This is probably my 10th time. They have a new menu, and it is better then the old menu. Everything I have ever ordered has been fabulous and delicious. You can't go wrong. The staff is great, as you would expect from Disney. Make a reservation and enjoy!!!

Joseph B.

Excellent and unique

Vanessa P.

Over this past weekend something magical happened at Jiko; my younger brother who (love him dearly) but rarely tries anything new, was introduced to an array of incredible food, and....he loved it. This sentiment alone could earn Jiko 5 stars (in my opinion). I'm not even sure where to begin, but I do know that the quality of food at Jiko was incredible. Our table shared a ton of food including: - Kalamata Olive Bread - Wild Boar Tenderloin - so delicious! - Ahi Tuna Salad - an incredible cut of tuna, we knew it was super fresh because it didn't have that "fishy" taste My entree dish was the grilled shrimp curry and it tasted as amazing as it looked. The curry sauce was complex but not overbearing and the basmati rice (citrus and coconut flavored) was scrumptious. I could have easily eaten a whole bowl of it. The rest of the table shared parts of their dish - and I tried the filet mignon and lamb, all which were exceptional. After thinking I consumed just about everything on the menu, I had to wonder if anything at Jiko was actually *not* delicious. But thankfully I didn't run into this problem. I'm not normally much of a dessert gal, but we all shared the creme brulee and if there;s one thing you have here, THIS should be it. Holy moly it was heaven on a plate. I've had creme brulee a few times and have never been all too impressed, but this was the perfect ending to an already special dinner. Although there is seating in the open, we were seated in a room off to the side of the restaurant, which was shared with about 2-3 other parties. This was actually really nice because there were musicians/performers in the main area, but this area allowed us to have a little more privacy (of course the performance would be great if you have kids in your group - we, however, didn't). As for the service, our server was pleasant and had no problem bringing out the chef to accommodate the needs of 2 members in our party (they have food allergies). All around everything at Jiko was top notch, and I feel a little embarrassed not knowing such great food existed in Disney World.

Sydney E.

Don't be scared by the "African-inspired" food because we had our best Walt Disney World meal at this restaurant. Get the short ribs and enjoy the ambiance. This restaurant is located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, not the Animal Kingdom park. The resort itself is beautiful, all dark wood and stunning lights, and the restaurant is just as gorgeous: modern, spacious, dim, romantic. Since Jiko is a signature restaurant, there is a dress code. Basically, no hats, tank tops, swimsuits, cover-ups, or cut-offs. Although I totally forgot about the restrictions, no one gave me trouble when I walked in with cut-offs. I'm not sure how strict the dress code really is, but every other time I made sure to wear a dress so as not to push it. The waitress started by giving us a bread basket. There were two kinds of bread. Both were chewy but one tasted of cinnamon and the other had flaxseed. Bf and I didn't enjoy the latter, much preferring the former. I wasn't too into the cinnamon flavor, but I loved that the bread was so soft and chewy. Feel free to drink the complimentary water. It must be filtered because it's not the strange tap I ran into at Yak & Yeti. Although everyone raves about the flatbread, we didn't get any appetizers since we weren't very hungry. Skipping to the entree, bf immediately picked out the short ribs ($42). I was interested, but put off by the description, as it mentioned short ribs that were "Botswana-style 'Seswaa'" and came with "Cassava-potato puree" and "sambal." The dish also came with fava beans and mushrooms, which were the only things I recognized (besides the beef), but you can see why I might have been a bit apprehensive. Still, I went with the short ribs because it seemed to be a popular dish. And wow. I'm so glad I listened to all the raves because the dish was amazing. Hands-down the best meal we had at WDW, and we'd visited quite a few signature restaurants. The short ribs had great flavor and I loved the sauce it came with. The potato puree tasted pretty much like mashed potatoes and although it isn't mentioned, there were delicious pearl onions on the plate as well. We skipped dessert, but enjoyed the small cookies the waitress brought with the check. Speaking of the waitress, we thought she was fine, but the service wasn't anything special. Prices, however, are on the high end. Still, that is pretty common for a WDW restaurant. You pay for the experience, not really for the food, but in this case the food was actually fantastic.

Rob N.

Jiko is my go to fine dining restaurant. I have never been disappointed by the service or the food. Highlights include the Taste of Africa and boar tenderloin appetizers, the duck and pork tenderloin entrees, and the creme brulee and coconut milk panna cotta desserts. Expensive, but I'd argue that it's worth it.

Dana W.

Fair but most of the other restaurants were better. Not a fan of ostrich or the app with various dips

Krissy M.

This is one of my favorite restaurants at the Walt Disney Word Resort. So good, in fact, that as I am planning for some 2012 trips, I realized that I had never written a review about this fine establishment and knew I would have to remedy that ASAP. The ambiance, first of all, is second to none. Taking a more sophisticated cue from the already amazing theming of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jiko kicks up the ante with subdued lighting and a relaxed yet upscale dining area: think decadent without being stuffy. Jiko boasts a unique menu, which is tastefully complimented by an array of South African wines...you're on vacation...order a glass with your meal, I demand it! :)

T H.

Used to be my fave. Not anymore. Food was "overly fussy" with no substance. Desserts were a mess and did not even follow the theme of the restaurant. And the killer...no more lavender ice cream. I won't be returning, and I'm very sad about that.

Kyle F.

I made my last dinner in Walt Disney World at Jiko and let me tell you, this place is a MUST on your list of restaurants. The food is prepared in an open style kitchen where the chefs/cooks can be seen preparing the food from any vantage point in the restaurant. The architecture, waiting area and bar is wonderful. The selection from their wine list is great, select choice wines from Africa. The cost is pricey but worth it. The customer service is excellent and the whole experience is one of the best restaurants I've eaten at EVER. Highly recommend and worth every penny.

George Y.

Fantastic dinner here at the end of our week in WDW. The whole visit was organized around fine dining, including Victoria & Albert's, the California Grill, Brown Derby, etc. This was as good as anything else (well, except V&A's but that's in a whole other universe) and quite interesting because it's so different. My entree featured pork in a complex setting including black-eyed peas and sweet potato (if I recall correctly). My wife had the Nigerian prawns, which were amazing creatures the size of lobsters--she said the best tasting prawns she'd ever had. A salad before these included watermelon, quite delightful. The waitress was delightful, I really with I'd caught her name. She told us she'd been there since they opened ten years ago. I was amazed that the restaurant was that old! Like everything else here, it looked sparkling and new.

Elizabeth O.

This is my favorite restaurant in WDW and one of my favorites, period. The atmosphere, in AKL's Jambo House, is magical. I love the Taste of Africa - so nice to try the different dips and breads. I had the grilled wild boar this last time and it was AMAZING, especially the sauce. I also went with the Peri Peri chicken, which was slightly spicy and excellent overall. Our server recommended the perfect wine for my meal and the service was wonderful in general. I must note that I brought a few people here who were skeptical about African food before our visit but complete converts after. Just go - you'll be glad you did.

Wen C.

My sister and I, along with our 10 year old brother, had a fantastic dinner at Jiko this past Saturday night. Before dinner we had cocktails at Victoria Falls Bar, upstairs from the restaurant. We had a South African Sauvignon Blanc and little brother had a Shirley Temple with extra cherries. Service was friendly and attentive. We had a reservation at 7 pm and we were seated immediately, great table by the window. Our server was extremely nice and made recommendations. We started with an appetizer called Inguday Tibs in Brik with Mushroom, Spinach, and Cheese in crispy Tunisian Filo with Curry Vinaigrette and Apple. Very delicate and flavorful. Little brother had the filet mignon off the children's menu. He loved it. I had Grilled Wild Gulf Shrimp Curry with Citrus-Coconut Basmati, Seasonal Vegetables, and Durban Curry Sauce. It was spicy and delicious. My sister had Braised Beef Short Rib with Truffled Potato Purée, Pearl Onions, Baby Carrots, and Cabernet-Tamarind Sauce. It was so tender, it did not require a knife. The sauce was was perfect. We enjoyed more wine with our dinner, another Sauvignnon Blanc. For dessert we shared the apple tart (no sugar in it!) with vanilla ice cream. I have never had a better dinner in Walt Disney World. I will definitely return to Jiko.

Jenna L.

Jiko is my favorite place to dine in Orlando. The resturant is beautifully decorated with great views of the Savannah at the lodge. Their wine list is predominately South African, as is their menu. The trio of African dips appetizer is not to be missed. The oak grilled filet mignon is amazing, but now comes with fingerling potatoes. If you ask, they will serve it to you on a bed of macaroni and cheese that is to die for. If you are going for a birthday, make sure to let them know. The staff will sign a birthday card for you with greetings in their native languages!

Bill M.

Jiko is amazing! Hands down best restaurant on WDW property. May be the best restaurant in the entire state of Florida! 5-star ambiance. 5-star food. 5-star service. Five stars all the way! My appetizer and entree have always been the same on every visit. We start with the Taste of Africa, which is a fantastic collection of African breads and spreads. I even love the curry spread, and normally i hate curry! Then for the entree it's (almost) always the filet medium-rare with macaroni and cheese in the red wine reduction. It just may be the best dish I've ever had at a restaurant (my mom's spaghetti and meatballs being the best dish period). One time I did stray from the filet, and got a white fish that was lightly crusted with maize,and while that was really good I don't know what possessed me and made me stray from the filet! It's the dessert that always varies with me. On this past visit, I got a pistachio creme brulee, which was refreshing and a perfect way to top of the meal. Great special occasion restaurant, with a nice wine selection and impeccable service.

Daniel W.

Ehh. It was nothing spectacular. Service was very slow. They couldn't keep drinks filled. Food was subpar. Not worth the $175 it cost for two of us. Go to Sanna instead.

Heather C.

For those of you in the plain 'ole regular world, Jiko might garner a solid 4-star review. For those of you in the magical world of Disney, it's "as good as it gets." By far, the best meal of our stay. Jiko is one of Disney's "Signature Dining" restaurants, which in theory is equivocal to upscale or fine dining, and therefore justifies the high price tag even by Disney standards. In reality, not always the case, but Jiko did live up. Although Disney apparently relaxed it's dress code somewhat, you'll find many diners here actually make an attempt to look like they did not just step off of the Kali River Rapids water ride. Jiko is billed as a fusion of African, Indian, and Mediterranean cuisines and accomplishes what many restaurants at Disney fail to deliver...food with flavor and excellent service! We arrived nearly 2 hours before our reservation since we left the park early, and the staff was very accommodating and we had only a short wait. Upon being seated, we were presented with an anniversary card signed by all the staff in their native languages! We started with the seared ostrich filet, which was delectably tender and well-seasoned. We also had the Taste of Africa, three dips and an assortment of breads and naan. I love samplers, fantastic concept! For my entree, the swahili curry shrimp, served with coconut rice. It was spicy enough to bring a tear to my eye. I was so happy to find not everywhere in Disney is afraid to put a little heat in the food. We were also given a small complimentary dessert for our occasion, but of course, we had full-sized desserts as well which were fantastic as well. The only downside to the meal was the entertainment provided by the family seated across from us. Mom never ate, and dad must have taken a half dozen cigarette breaks to get away from their out-of-control children. Might I have suggested Boma as a dining alternative for this family? I loved Animal Kingdom Lodge and Jiko so much, we're considering staying there on our next visit!

Michelle C.

Everyone else has already said it so I'm just adding to the rating at this point. The Ostrich appetizer was very good. Served very rare with a cooked edge. A little chewy, but that is just Ostrich. The sample of African dips and breads was fantastic. Heck, the free bread and cinamon butter spread was great. But be warned, 2 of the dips have some heat to them. I loved the Naan bread. My braised short ribs were wonderful but I think could have been better with less BBQ sauce flavor. My husband really enjoyed the seafood stew and the wine the server recommended. Our server was attentive and friendly and the decor was neat. But I have never found any fault in any Disney service or attention to detail. As fancy a place as this is, it is still Disney and kids are welcome and the dress code is lax for such a fine establishment.

Kevin K.

I was invited by a group of people for dinner at Jiko and was a little apprehensive (African food, what's that?). I was very pleasantly surprised. The table had a variety of dishes and everything was excellent. I really liked the bread that was served, and I had the Filet with the mac & cheese. Great stuff.

Andrea C.

My family and I went to Jiko last night for dinner. First and foremost, London Fletcher and his lovely family were at the table next to us. That was fun. I ordered a Malibu and pineapple and they used Parrot Bay instead (which was fine, it's good too). It was done perfectly for my taste, and upon ordering another one they made it so strong that I had to ask for a glass of pineapple juice so as I was sipping it, I could dilute it to my tastes. It was so strong that by the end of the dinner I was a giggling mess. So if you need to let the giggles out, this is the place I suppose! As for the food, For our table starter we had the "Taste of Africa." It came with multiple types of exotic breads, and four delicious different sauce/hummus dips. It ranged from mild to spicy, as did the bread. I really liked the Kalamata Olive Hummus best. Very fun! For my Appetizer I had the Avocado soup. It came with a poached egg and bacon. I'm not usually a fan of poached egg, but in this case it did complement the soup. Also, the bacon was thick and delicious! Really, I love bacon. Yum. It wasn't overly salty either, which I was originally concerned about. Very tasteful. The presentation was a bit odd, but that's okay! It all went to my stomach and I'm sure the presentation isn't lovely there! For my Entree I had the Short Rib. 8oz of tender no-knife-needed meat. The carrots were delicious, and the butter whipped potatoes were to die for. I wish there had been more potatoes, because I'm a potato hog and would have loved more. The reduction sauce was also perfect for the meat. Yum! For the Appetizer, we ordered the Strawberry Rhubarb Compote Cheesecake. Light and fluffy, and YUM! There was a very thin layer of oreo crust on the bottom of the cheesecake. Absolutely delicious. The environment was nice and quiet. The waiter was absolutely lovely. I would go back for sure!

Meredith M.

From the junior reviewer: This place is amazing!!!!!! Btw this is a kid talking. I had fruit salad for an appetizer, noodles with alfredo sauce and fondue for dessert. This was the first restaurant I had ever seen with kids' appetizers! From Meredith: A dinner at Jiko is a great parental treat at Disney. The African and Indian inspired dishes are incredibly flavorful, the South African wine list extensive, and the staff attentive and charming.

Michele V.

So great in every way. It is beautiful with wonderful service. The plating is beautiful and every course was fantastic. I would go there again anytime. But because of pricing it is a bit of a spurge. Mickey Mouse, If you ever read this review please add a prix-fixe menu for us locals so we can visit more often. Thank you.

Liz C.

We ate at the bar. It was a great meal and I had the Victoria Falls drink. So good! The bartender was really cool and friendly! Hope we can come back!

Kayj F.

Had the pleasure of dining two nights in a row at Jiko and tried several appetizers and entrees. All exquisitely prepared by Chef Jonathan O'Brien. The oyster, cauliflower flatbread and duck appetizers were wonderful and complimented perfectly nuanced with sauces and unique condiments. The filet mignon was magnificent, each bite bliss. The Tangine chicken was complimented with cinnamon couscous and the braised short rib with spicey pepper sauce and potato casaba purée was amazing. We enjoyed the Raats Chenin Blanc with dinner and the Kaluha Coffee with dessert. Here Chef O'Brien stunned me with his creme brûlée accented with lavender. Of such dreams are made. Thanks Chef O'Brien and the superlative waitstaff, Paula, Heidi, Precious and Jeff for making our 2 visits to Jiko so memorable.

Jill R.

AMAZING. If you are at Disney then you need to eat here. My boyfriend said it was the best meal he has ever had in his life. The flavor of the food is something you won't find anywhere else. I live in Philadelphia, which is known for it's food and I have never seen a restaurant like this. I really love Indian food and it kind of reminded me of Indian food but even better. If you are vegetarian or vegan - they have an entire menu for you! I was so excited at all the choices that I had. Everything we had from the appetizer to the dessert was just fantastic. And make sure you try some South African wine. Very tasty. The ambiance was beautiful too. The lighting on the back of the wall changes every few minutes to reflect a sunset. Beautiful place to eat. Tip though for people that are NOT staying at the hotel - this place can be hard to find and if you get lost you CANNOT call the restaurant directly. I would give yourself an extra 15 minutes to get there just in case you have trouble finding it. We were about 20 minutes late for our reservation, but luckily they still took us.

Sammy M.

This is the best dining experience to be had on Walt Disney World property, hands down. Preparation: It is located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, a Disney Resort hotel near Animal Kingdom theme park. If you are traveling by shuttle while visiting the parks, give yourself enough time to get here from wherever you're visiting (easiest/shortest from Animal Kingdom of course if you're planning your daily itinerary in advance). MAKE YOUR RESERVATION EARLY. This goes without saying but is especially true here. It's become one of the busiest restaurants on property, last time I made the reservation 5 months in advance to be safe. Dress code is enforced, however they are surprisingly lenient about it in most cases. If you look clean and presentable, you should be fine regardless of clothing choice. If you look like a wild animal (it happens, it's the happiest place on earth!), give yourself that extra time to stop off for a quick change. I could go on and on about this place. It is personally my favorite restaurant. Period. I'll try to keep it short(ish), as there are plenty of quality reviews already, and if you need mine to be convinced, well... then my mission is accomplished. The ambiance/decor is stunning. Not where you'll be distracted by it, it's just extremely tasteful, fitting, and well-maintained. A deep blue sky ceiling, excellently dim lighting by way of simplified birds-in-flight light fixtures, and comfortable seating combine with all of the other great touches to provide a truly relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. This is not easy to pull off in an environment that is uncontrollably filled with tired people and loud children. The prices are... high. I know, you're thinking 'it's Disney. Obviously it's expensive'. However, I don't think that way about this place. The care, attention, skill, and quality involved here are, if anything, underpriced. It's truly that good. The service is a high point among already high points. Many of the staff are native to Africa (various nations), and are extremely helpful and knowledgable. And from my experience, your waiter is sure to impress you with their charm, attentiveness, and genuine personality. I have dined here twice. Both times were the two best dining experiences I have ever had. I don't frequent establishments that run upwards of $150 per person (all-told with drinks, apps, etc. It's Disney. Plan to indulge!) very often, so my basis for comparison is limited I suppose... but still. STILL. See other reviews for great pictures of the different choices available on the menu, there are plenty available, obviously I'm not alone in saying how excellent the food truly is. As others have mentioned - if you like mac & cheese (I know, doesn't seem too classy of an offering... just try it. It's not what you think), ask for it. It was no longer on the menu as of 10/20/2011, however they still prepare it the same way they always have. Amazingly. The bread is some of the best I've tasted, and the tandoori/butter spread is dangerously addictive. The wine/beer/beverage list is uniquely focused on African offerings (although there is a wide global variety to choose from as well) which offers you the opportunity to broaden your horizons if you haven't otherwise. Last time our waiter described the decanting process in detail, and I learned a few new tips about enjoying wine that I've taken home with me. I was even able to sample a variety of wines to help me determine what I really was looking for, and I didn't even ask. The filet mignon is indescribably good. The cut is excellent, the grilling is timed and executed perfectly, and the seasonings are balanced on the razor-edge of exact. The cheesecake and creme brulee are both upper 1% examples of why people enjoy those desserts. I have sampled other things on the menu thanks to my girlfriend's plate, but these are what I remember the most. Needless to say, everything I have tasted has been excellent. Overall: Perfection. This is the peak dining experience of my life, twice over. Hopefully something will come along and surpass it, but if it never does, I am content believing that it doesn't get any better than Jiko. It really doesn't need to.

Alan L.

This is place is a must try! I was skeptical when I first heard about it years ago, but after hearing so many positive things I just couldn't skip it anymore. This is a signature dining restaurant at Disney World and they really do provide that extra level of service. From the moment we arrived they gave us a very personal experience. Since I have food allergies not only did they bring out the chef (which is standard practice at Disney restaurants) they also had a different menu that shows menu items for particular allergies. And to my surprise a lot of the items are dairy free, generally I assume most of the sauces have butter as a base but not here. I tried the Taste of Africa and the Braised Short Ribs. Both were excellent and came mostly as it is supposed to without any major modifications (which if you have dairy allergies, probably understand how great it is to eat the menu item as is). My wife had the filet and it was equally delicious. This place is fantastic but there is one draw back, it's at the Animal kingdom lodge. Meaning that if you are anywhere else on property it will probably take you over an hour to get here without a car. And yes, this place does have a dress code, so you might have to change before coming here and that could take even longer to get here from anywhere else on property.

Jenny A.

Oh my, this place is amazing!! We came on a Tuesday night for my birthday dinner. Seated almost immediately (made reservations back in May for dinner in August). Our maitre'd was a very sweet man from Botswana working in an exchange program for a year. Was so nice and made me feel very welcomed at this restaurant. The house bread is alright but with the tandoori butter - it's amazing!! We got a house couscous as well that had cucumbers and a yogurt sauce which was very refreshing. You MUST get the chicken flatbread. It is the most delicious flat bread I have EVER had. Would literally pay to go there again just to eat it!! The filet mignon is cooked perfectly and I substituted the regular side with their classic macaroni and cheese. SO DELICIOUS! one of the best dishes I have ever had. At $40, it is such a steal. We also got the pork loin which was good but didnt stand a chance with the filet mignon. They gave me a free creme brûlée for mu birthday and it had chocolate on the bottom - so perfect! For drinks we got the Victoria Falls Mist which is really nice and refreshing. Also we got the Mt. K-something. Which was like an African margarita that I too enjoyed. The next time I am back in Florida I will FOR SURE come back!

Catt A.

The service was excellent! The Wild Boar appetizer was amazing! My husband and I shared the braised short ribs and grouper for dinner. Both dishes were delicious! Best meal we've had in Orlando thus far.

Sarah G.

My visit was in April and I picked Jiko for our "signature" restaurants we have to go eat while we were in Disney World. We made reservations and we were told that once our table was ready they'll call for us. Well, after 15 mins or so of waiting and see other people who came after us got seated, we asked if our table was ready. I think they forgot about us to tell you the truth because when we asked, they seem surprised that we weren't seated yet. I don't remember the names of the dishes we order, but we started off with an appetizer that consisted of different types of bread and four dipping sauces that had different spices. I think out of four, we preferred only two of the dips, but enjoyed all the variety breads. For our entree, I had the duck and my bf had a white fish (not sure what kind of fish it was). Both dishes were great, but I think mine was a bit too salty. It's the kind of dish where it's fine at first, but as you continue to eat, it gets saltier. My bf really enjoyed his dish and I think I liked his better than mine, but don't let him know that =X Service was excellent as expected from a Signature restaurant in Walt Disney World.

Tina W.

Everyone raves about the filet and mac and cheese. I ordered mine medium and it came out mooing. Blood everywhere. I sent it back and it came back barely better and VERY chewy. Tough. Bad piece of meat. The mac and cheese was flavorless and gritty. The others enjoyed their meals, so it may have very well been one of those nights. Had that been the only issue, I would have done 3 stars. But the service wasn't that great. Our server pretty much stood and talked to us about her daughter for 20 minutes. We were trying to be gracious because she was obviously having a difficult day, but it was highly inappropriate. The flat bread was good.....

Jennifer L.

This review is for Jiko's Wine Tasting event that is held every Wednesday afternoon. However, their dinner is just as amazing! We arrived at Jiko a little early and they were still setting up, so we wandered for a bit. After seeing other guests waiting by the bar area, we wandered back and hung out with the crowd. The sommelier came around to each group to check us in. We were then ushered into the main dining room of Jiko where we all took our seats around a single long table, which sat around 16 or 18 people. The wines were already placed at each seat on top of a place mat that listed the name of each wine sample. As guests started to greet and meet each other, the cheeses were quickly laid in center of the table. One of the Jiko chefs came to our table to explain the cheeses that we would be having during the pairing. It was impossible to keep track of which was which during the explanation but they were kind enough to give me a print out of all of the cheeses that we sampled. Before tasting the wine, the cheese plates were passed around the table and everyone took a sample from each onto their own plates for the wine pairings. The sommelier, Raul, gave us a brief rundown of the history of South African wines. He explained how the wine industry there is still relatively a young industry and still starting out. He then went into detail about each wine, one at a time. Giving the history of the vineyard, he then explained the grapes used, and asked that we all try the wine. After taking guesses of other ingredients used in the making, he jumped in and told us how correct (or incorrect) our guesses were. After a sip (or two, or three), he requested that we then try the wine with a bit of cheese or fruit and discuss how the taste of the wine changes. All three wines we sampled were delicious on their own. With the correct cheese & fruit? The flavors were definitely enhanced! This went on for all three wines and then we were able to sit and enjoy the remainder of the event. Raul would walk around and talk with the guests and answer any questions they had. All wine glasses were also refilled on request until the bottles ran dry. I can honestly say that this one of the most memorable and enjoyable events I've attended at Walt Disney World. For the price ($25 plus gratuity), this can't be beat. It's a fabulous way to spend an afternoon away from the parks and a chance to try some delicious wine & cheese. Would I attend a Jiko wine pairing again? I'm already planning my next trip and definitely including this in my itinerary! The Jiko dress code was not mentioned when making the reservations, but almost everyone in attendance was dressed up in slightly nicer attire. We were the 4 that came directly from the parks, so next time I might want to freshen up before heading over.

Glenn F.

Jiko isn't just a restaurant, it is a dining experience. I think it is one od the best places to eat a WDW. I had the black grouper filet that was lightly breaded in corn meal. It was a home run and easily the best dish at our table. After dinner, go out to the back of the lodge and experience the wild and adventurous view. Yes, even at night one may see a giraffe. .

Kelly B.

This is my all time favorite place to eat at WDW! If you are looking for fine dining while on your trip to WDW it doesn't get better than Jiko's. Located inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge, this place is festive and different. Make sure to dress up as this isn't a shorts kind of place. I don't know about you but how many times have you had South African food? I live in Los Angeles and we have great variety of ethnic food but South African has escaped me until I paid a visit to Jiko's several years ago. It wasn't until I feel inlove with Jiko's that I found a cool South African bar near Sherman Oaks. If I can't make it to Florida I go there. Anyhoo, I digress. I have been to Jiko's four times now and each time has been exceptional. The food is just fabulous. It's exotic enough to excite a foodie and not too exotic to scare away people like my dad, who is a fast food/chainy kind of guy. Speaking of Dad, I took him here for the first time on this last trip and the guy was making sounds as in mmmm and yumm throughout the meal. The guy loved his coconut bread pudding so much that he refused to share with anyone nor take a bit of anyone else's dessert because he wanted to keep the flavor of the dessert in his mouth!!! Can you believe that? I about died laughing. (Dad is not one to spring $$$ on nice food too much) Oh yeah, did I mention he hates coconut (although he loves bread pudding hence why he choose it) but savored every last bite? I think I have finally convinced him that paying $$ for really good food is an okay thing to do. Even my little one and a half year old nephew loved the place and he is picky!! You can read about what other people love. It's all pretty good. But I will tell you a few of my musts when visiting: 1. You must order flatbread. BBQ chicken is a good one. But any flavor will do. 2. You must order South African Beer or Wine. Drink the wine with dinner and have them pair it with your entree. (Best wine of my life was a South African wine I had here). 3. The Mac and cheese is delicious! 4. You carby people who are watching calories need to put your fears aside when it comes to the bread basket. They make kick a** bread with a spicy butter. You have to have a piece or two or three! 5. The Filet Mignon is my absolute favorite thing to eat. (Oh yeah, make sure to ask for the side of mac and cheese). You can substitue it for the asperagus or sometimes if you smile you can get both! When the chef changed a while back some people said they stopped serving it. But just ask and they will give it to you! Do it! 6 You must save room for dessert! They have so many good ones you are bound to order just the right one. If you are in a group you better all order something different and share bites. 7. Don't forget to tip your waiter. They deserve it. They guys work hard here! The service is great! 8. Go here your first or second night because if you wait till the end you will be full from your dining plan and believe me you want to be able to eat your heart out here. 9. Bring cashola!! Lots of it. But its worth it. Better yet, use two meal points fromt he dining plan and pay for another cheap place. Its soooo worth it!! 10. Most importanly make reservations now!! Do not wait till the last minute. You want to make sure you get into this place.

Kerrie M.

This was my vote for BEST restaurant during our stay at Disney World. Luckily it was located right inside our resort (Animal Kingdom Lodge) and we just happened to make reservations out of convenience!! We would have never thought to try "New African Cuisine" with our 11 and 13 year old but we all left RAVING about the food!! We started out with the Taste of Africa appetizer which is a sampling of dips and assorted bread for dipping. The only dip we were familiar with was the hummus which had an African twist. The other three were all delicious but we were not able to identify the spices that were used. It was fun to try unfamiliar tastes and both our kids were very adventurous and dug right in. Fresh cinnamon bread was also brought to our table with sweet whipped butter. I ordered the Corvina with a tomato cream reduction. The fish was halibut-like, cooked to perfection, slightly crisp on the outside and light and airy on the inside. It was my first time trying Corvina and it is a fish I will be looking for on every menu! The sauce was rich and a perfect complement to the Corvina. My husband ordered the Braised Beef Short Ribs with a Cabernet-Tamarind Sauce. He said it was fork tender and scrumptious. My kids both had the seared salmon with mac n cheese from the kids menu. They are huge salmon fans and they were not disappointed in their choice. Whenever I leave a restaurant and think about what I ordered for days, I know it is a keeper. This one is a keeper. If only it wasn't a plane ride away!!

Laurel M.

Went here after a hot, rainy day (gotta love Florida!). It was beautiful! Went on a double date and we all had a great time. The food was fantastic. The lighting is moody and ambient. It was just amazing to go from such a busy exhausting day to a classy intimate dinner. Everyone working was so nice and professional. We had a great booth right across from the chefs station, and I'd request to be close to the chefs station again! Not your average Disney, few (if any) children. African theme done up well in decor and food.

Maura S.

I just had dinner at Jiko. It was fabulous. I had the wild boar appetizer, which was outstandng. It was 3 ounces of wild boar meat, seared, and served on a delicious tomato stew. If you order this, be sure to use the bread to soak up every last bite. My entree was the monkfish, which is coated with maize and panfried. It was also delicious. For dessert I had the chocolate and coffee pot de creme, which was very smooth and deliious. It was topped with whipped cream flavores with almonds, and raspberries. The food was very, very good, the service and the ambience was excellent. Most of the staff is from Africa. I ate at "The Cooking Place" which is what Jiko means. It is a bar where you can watch the chefs prepare appetizers and salads and talk to them. The chef I talked with was a nice South African man named Pierre, who chatted with us and told us about the food, how it was prepared, etc. I asked about "caviar lime" which was an ingredient in one of the dishes, and he gave me a taste of it. It was a small black skinned lime. When you cut it open, you can squeeze out small caviar-like beads that have a lime flavor. I enjoyed dinner at Jiko so much, I might go back again tomorrow night before I return to California.

Stephanie M.

Jiko is my favorite restaurant on Disney property. Don't let the thought of African food scare you..the food is not spicy (well, for the most part) and this is a quality dining experience! The atmosphere here is very subtle and calming. The back wall changes from bright yellow to deep orange to simulate the rising and falling of the sun in the horizon. This would make a great date spot, but kids are of course welcome. My favorite meal is the Oak Grilled Fillet Mignon with Macaroni and Cheese. It doesn't sound like a natural pairing, but this is no ordinary steak and mac and cheese. The steak comes out buttery and juicy. As fillet mignon is the leanest steak you can get, the fact that this is full of flavor and taste is astonishing. The macaroni and cheese is made with a red wine reduction which gives this a mild flavor, not at all like the blue box stuff. My favorite appetizer is the Taste of Africa which is a variety of dipping sauces and breads. These can be a bit spicy, but they are worth trying. The desserts I've had here were all very good, especially the Tanzanian Cheesecake. The service we've had at Jiko has always been exemplary. Many of the servers and somaliers are from Africa and can delight you with stories of their homeland. This is not you average theme park restaurant and well worth visiting again.

DJ M.

Jiko which mean the cooking place in Swahili fuses the bold flavors of traditional African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. It is located on the lower level of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The restaurant is modern and semicircular. They showplace a gorgeous open kitchen atmosphere, with beautiful twin wood burning ovens. I loved the kalamata & goat cheese flat bread. I thoroughly enjoyed a very tender and juicy oak grilled filet with red wine sauce. The high heat sealed in those juices and the flavors worked well with an excellent macaroni and cheese. Hubby was on a curry kick and had the curry cauliflower soup and the curried shrimp with a coconut rice and he loved both, refusing to share. He did however share the Savanna Rolls, which were very good, so I gave him a bite of my flatbread appetizer. Flocks of sculpted long winged birds, mythical kanu birds who are known in African legend as birds of promise, decorate the blue background ceiling. If one of these birds fly over your village you will have good luck. No need to wear a hat, they are ornamental. The food is spiced, yet not spicy with unique ingredients. Only open for dinner and offering the states only wine list that is 100% African wines and why not, with Africa having the climate of California and the soil of France. Jiko and Boma have won many awards locally, which are framed and posted all over the walls. I think that speaks volumes. Kudos's to both of these restaurants! This restaurant is very popular with local residents and books fast, so if planning on dining here call well in advance.

Paul P.

One of the best meals I've had in a really long time. Everything, including the wine that was suggested, was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the sampling of breads and sauces. The wild boar appetizer is to die for and the duck as an entree is cooked perfectly and has some flavors I've never experienced before. Absolutely amazing! I also tried some of the short ribs and they were so tender. Delicious. I want to go back tonight.

Caren C.

Wow. Jiko (which means The Cooking Place in Swahili) was our best meal on our entire Orlando trip. Even better than California Grill, for those who are trying to narrow down where to make their "signature" dining reservations. First off, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful resort, worthy of a visit by itself. My boyfriend and I WISHED we had splurged a little more to stay here instead of the Pop Century resort. Okay, splurged a LOT more. The lobby was absolutely gorgeous! The restaurant is gorgeous as well. I don't think pictures do Disney justice..you really just have to see in person, and to also feel the ambiance. I'll try my best to describe. The main dining area is dimly lit, with a wall that changes color every half hour, to mimic the African sunset. There are "cranes" hanging from the ceiling, which supposedly bring prosperity I think? The hostess seating us explained all these little things about the restaurant as we walked to our table. Jiko also has the largest South African wine collection in the entire United States. Something like over 200 different wines. Now I can't comment on how "authentic" the food was since I have never been to Africa before. BUT I can say that it was delicious! Since we were on the Disney dining plan, we only ordered 2 entrees, 2 desserts, and 2 non-alcoholic drinks. My boyfriend got a glass of the Clover wine per the waiter's suggestion and said it was really, really good. Rundown of the food: -bread with butter: it's this delicious fluffy slightly sweet bread served with a curry flavored butter. I don't remember what it is exactly, but it was yummy. -duck: do yourself a favor and definitely order this dish here. it was AMAZING, my boyfriend, who has a lot of duck and loves it, says it's one of the very best he's ever eaten. Cooked and flavored perfectly, and served with these delicious little caramelized figs on the side. YUM! -filet mignon: cooked a true medium as requested, and tender and juicy. Not the best I've ever had, but pretty darn good for Disney! -creme brulee: very yummy, dark chocolate is swirled into it, which makes it a little more unique -I had a cake with vanilla ice cream...it was almost like bread pudding, I forget, but it was yummy. We topped dessert off by sharing a chai tea (chosen from a pretty extensive tea selection) and it was yummy! Served with honey. Also, since it was a birthday celebration, the very friendly and knowledgeable waiter brought over the phone, and Goofy gave me a recorded birthday message. SUPER CHEESY but actually very cute and all in good fun. 5 stars, Jiko. Thanks for a really memorable evening!

Adam H.

Great food, but the service has a lot of work to do to become a great restaurant! I was here with 4 adults and 4 children and the best parts of the meal was the food was excellance. The issue is the service, ever time you ask for something the answer was no, can the kids have chicken fingers or nuggets "no", can the kids have normal macaroni and cheese "no", the menu is the menu, ok I get it but the final issues was the server never on time offered me a drink, not from the time I sat down to the time I left, in fact I went to the bar and ordered from the bar my own drink and came back to the table and made a point to show the server the drink I got from the bar and the server never said a word! $457 dollars for a dinner doesn't bother me at all, bad service is unacceptable! The server made me look bad by picking this restaurant. The rating on the food is 4 stars the service is zero stars and that is how I arrived at a 2 star rating.

Sue T.

My husband and I went out of our way to go to dinner here - none of Disney's buses went directly to the Animal Kingdom Lodge from the Yacht & Beach Club resorts, so we had to transfer at the Animal Kingdom Park stop. Thus, it took an HOUR to go a few miles. One of these days I'm going to write a review of all the things I hate about Disney World's bus system. Anyway... We had an advance reservation, recommended when the parks are busy. We were there during New Year's week. We still waited for our table. When we were finally seated and I was able to study the menu I was disappointed to find hardly anything African. There was more Indian influence, and the ever-present American. Just for kicks we ordered the samosas - chewy breading and not enough filling - forgettable. The other appetizer was better - a skewer of meat - I honestly can't remember what type now. The wine list was nice. We had a delicious South African varietal. My entree was a supposedly African curry -- turned out to be a gummy mixture of shrimp and garden-variety American green peas. The shrimp was nicely prepared, but the whole dish was just too thick and heavy, and there wasn't much seasoning. To top it all off, there was a table with five unbelievably badly-behaved children nearby. Two sets of parents enjoyed adult conversation while their children shrieked and wrestled in the aisles. Our server admitted it was one of the worst groups he'd seen, but the restaurant did nothing about it. Thus that table had a fun evening while everyone around them suffered. Our server took a very long time to come back and ask if we wanted dessert. By then we'd had it, so we skipped dessert and started the long bus ride back to our resort, transferring through Downtown Disney as our only option at that time of night (around 11 p.m.). Another hour on the bus. The ONLY reason I would eat here would be to explore the South African wine list -- just don't expect the meal to match. By the way, this subpar experience cost around $150 for two.

Shannon O.

Our meal at Jiko was really a wonderful experience. It was somewhere between a 4 and a 5 star meal. We didn't get entrees, but were extremely happy with what we did eat. This was our last meal before heading home. In truth, my palette had a bit of a workout at Disney and I was getting a bit tired of rich food. However, I had heard excellent things about Jiko and had high expectations. Jiko fulfilled and exceeded them. When we looked at the menu, several things stood out, but none of the entrees screamed 'you must order me!' Instead, we decided to order 3 appetizers, a starter and wine. Ultimately, we had a great and tasty meal. We started with 'Taste of Africa.' 3 dips, 3 breads. In truth, the breads looked more like a taste of my favorite chaat Indian restaurant in Austin, Swad. However, the dips were hummus, a cilantro one, and an African inspired masala one. The last one was excellent. It had cardamon in it and some vinegar as well. I'm going to try to play with it at the house to see if I can replicate it. They warned us it was spicy, but on a scale to one to 10, it was a 3. It wasn't all that bad...heck, if the husband ate it, it wasn't spicy. The cilantro one was the most spicy followed by the hummus. Overall, the dips were good and a nice start to the meal. Next, we had the BBQ chicken flatbread. It was good, but the flatbread at California Grill was better. All the flavors were nice, but it was mostly just inoffensive. We also were served an heirloom tomato plate with shaved cheese and a bit of oil. The tomatoes were exceptional. I really enjoyed their flavor. They tasted as if they were picked at the peak of season. We also both ordered the corn soup. I loved loved loved this soup. I wanted to take a bath in it. I wanted to order a gallon of it and chug the stuff. The soup arrived after Taste of Africa and before the flatbread. Hands down, this soup was one of the best things I have eaten in months. The soup arrived with cold fresh shredded crab at the bottom of the bowl. It also had a bit of pickle dashed on top of it. The corn soup arrived in a hot carafe that was poured atop the crab. For the first couple bites the cold crab and the hot soup exploded in my mouth. The soup was velvety smooth with that earthy sweetness that can only come from corn picked in season. The soup was fan-freaking-tastic amazing. I was happy this was the meal I ended on. The soup hit a high note and was worthy of 5 stars in any restaurant anywhere.

Howard B.

We tried this restaurant during a family Orlando trip - we made a reservation on the Disney website though we were not staying on a Disney property. This was easy to do and worked as advertised. I find it somewhat funny that at this reading, the restaurant is rated as "not good for kids". For heaven's sake, it's a Disney property, of course it is fine for kids. They just have to be well-behaved. Over half of the many tables on our night had children. We started with a wine selection recommended by our waiter which was quite tasty. We ordered most of what he recommended, and this worked out well for us. Unfortunately, he keyed in an entree incorrectly, and they did not get the corrected dish to the table before I had finished mine, but they appropriately did not charge us. We enjoyed the cheeses, a spring-roll type appetizer, the lamb and a vegetarian entree, and dessert, all of which were exceptional. Our 9 year old had the kids menu salmon - an unusual dish for a kids menu, and was very happy with it. The atmosphere and design of the place is lovely - there is practically a river right outside the window. Our bill with 2 adults, 3 children (well, 2 kids under 3), 2 glasses of wine, appetizers, and dessert, was $160. We'll be back.

Laura H.

Went to Jiko for dinner while staying at Disney March 1, 2011. I had made reservations prior to leaving on vacation. However, during the day of the reservation I called to see if I could "bump back" our time from the original reservation from 7:00pm to a bit later, we were told the only reservation was at 9:45. We took it. I quite enjoyed my meal at Jiko. I shared the Kalamata Olive Flatbread, had the Butternut Squash Soup as a starter, and the Piri Piri Chicken as my main. My favourite was definitely the butternut squash soup which had coconut and spicy cottage cheese as the garnish and gave it that little je ne sais quoi! The Piri Piri chicken was spicy and the plate was beautifully assembled with the side dishes of green beans and mashed potatoes cooked to perfection. The restaurant was quite empty (only 4 other parties) when we arrived and it seemed suspicious that we couldn't have had a slightly earlier reservation. Overall though, I enjoyed my meal and the interesting decor!

Kevin P.

Jiko is my favorite place at WDW to dine. I have never been disappointed with the food. Considering I've gone here four times, and always order something different, that is rare. Everyone has their recommendations but my favorite is the lamb. The last time I came to WDW I did a "lamb tour" of: - Yachtman - California Grill - Kouzzina - and Jiko, of course Jiko was the winner by far, and it's not even what they're famous for. What are they really famous for though? The decor and ambiance. Gentlemen, if you want a romantic evening with a decent wine list, 4 hours and a hundred or so bucks to burn, go here. My only dislike: - Takes FOREVER. I haven't had a dinner here that took less than 3 hours. Yes, I understand the decor and everything is meant to be laid-back but... my dislike remains.

Jessie W.

Best meal I have ever had in my life. Period. Every morsel of food was delicious--even the things I was hesitant to try. The service was impeccable. I still have dreams about this meal.

Paul H.

Great Mac and cheese and I don't like Mac and cheese. The oak filets great. Always good anytime I come.

Diana L.

If you are n Orlando, and do not know what to eat, and do not want to eat in the park, Jiko is the place to go. The food was AMAZING. Yes, the pricing is high, but there's enough to share. My cousin and I shared and appetizer, entree, and dessert. The total came out to be $50 (tip included! and it was a good tip). The hostesses and waiters are really nice!

Mike S.

My family stayed in at the Animal Kingdom Resort for a week last spring and ate here almost every night. Starting off, the service was great. Out waitress was quick to pick up on our preferences and suggested great dishes. The appetizers are the best part of the menu. The African bread and sauce tasting menu is a mainstay, with a variety of flavors and heat. Also, make sure to try the ostrich. As for the entrees, one of the best steaks I've had in my life. They also have the largest selection of African wines in the Western hemisphere which shouldn't be missed.

Meghan C.

We had an interesting experience at Jiko. I came here with my family, many of whom are picky eaters, but everyone found something that fit their tastes here, so definitely don't be scared to try it if you're not a foodie. The food was outstanding and I would totally give it a 5-star rating...if it wasn't for the service. For one of the more upscale restaurants at Disney, I was incredibly let down by the quality of the service here. It started when I asked our server to describe the cheese platter and got the response, "Well, it's cheese on a plate." Me: ***Blank stare**** She continued, "...uuhmmm...I don't know what the cheeses are. I'll get you the list." She then brought the list and just handed it to me and said, "There's like 5 or 6 of them on there." Yes, the cheese list had descriptions but...couldn't she just have described them to me using the printed list as a cheat sheet? We did end up ordering it, and each cheese was paired with a fruit/nut/jelly...but since the plate was just plopped down in front of us unceremoniously, we had no idea what any of them were (I volunteered as the guinea pig to try the pairings, especially a weird translucent cube that I believed to be apple gelatin...still unsure?). By contrast, we were at the California Grill two nights later and got a similar cheese plate, but had a full description of all the cheeses and their pairings. We had a similar issue with the wine at Jiko. My aunt asked for a wine recommendation and the server just tossed four bottles and a glass on the table and told her to try them all, then walked away. Even worse, apparently one of the wines was rancid (said my aunt, and agreed the server). Gross! Finally, while they have a gluten free menu (for my aunt), there was a lot of confusion between the food runners and the server over whether her dish was indeed gluten-free or not, which was something we stressed was of supreme importance. The lack of attention to detail was innapropriate for a high-end setting, even if it is in Disney. Thankfully, after we let the server know that we were disappointed by the way my aunt's gluten allergy was handled, she really tried to make up for it and do everything she could to make the situation better, which is why I am not going to let all the service issues detract too much from my rating. When just considering the food, I was extremely impressed. The short rib was all kinds of slow-cooked amazing and served on top of a bed of truffled mashed potatoes. I don't like chicken, but those who ordered the chicken dish seemed to be a little bit obsessed with it! Also loved the sweet potato and pineapple soup. And the desserts! Because of the issues surrounding the first half of our dinner, we were comped two bowls of the parsnip creme brulee which was divine, it kind of had a pumpkin pie flavor. I had the coconut bread pudding as well and it was SOOOOOO GOOD! The toasted coconut ice cream on the side tasted like Lucky Charms! Why? I don't know, it was weird, but I loved it! Just get it!! Honestly, nothing I put in my mouth at this restaurant was anything short of perfection. Please Disney, iron out the service kinks here, and you'll have a winner.

James B.

The best dinner we had during our trip to Disney! The atmosphere and service for the adults was outstanding. The kids also loved their meals. My 11 year old son said it was his favorite restaurant and still talks about the Mac N Cheese. We also enjoyed the wine list!

Bibiana G.

went here upon a disney cast members recommendation, and they told us that we had to dress up. no shorts or sweatshirts allowed. however, when we went there people were dressed like they came straight from the park- so i guess it's no big deal? my table ordered semi- family style so i'll list dishes and my opinion on them. :] in the appetizers/soups and salads we had: -grilled wild boar tenderloin; this was my absolute favorite dish of the night -taste of africa; this variety of breads with condiments was okay, not something i'd order again -jiko seasonal salad; the most flavorless blehh salad i've had at such an upscale restaurant as for the entrees we tried: -seared duck breast; holy eff soooo delish! -vanilla rooibos spiced berkshire pork loin; ehh strong flavor that was not for me -chermoula tanglewood chicken; this was soooo good the next day when made into sandwiches -south african tamatiesmoor; it was the south african version of ratatouille with a rice cake, pretty tasty for desert our waitress brought us a mini pistachio creme brulee, on the house bc my sister and i were celebrating both our graduations! great service made our evening especially nice, and they even adjusted a few dishes to accommodate my lactose intolerance! :]

Kurt N.

Good but not spectacular. Slow service, and the Lamb kefta at Sanaa had more flavor than my one here.

H K H.

Great dining experience with excellent atmosphere at Jiko in WDM Animal Kingdom Lodge. Plan for $75 / person dining.

Michael M.

Are you planning your trip to Walt Disney World? You are!? OK, then get on the phone NOW and make a reservation for Jiko. You will thank me later. Jiko is by far the best restaurant on the Disney property. I don't even think it is a contest. Jiko is the best, bar none. On our most recent trip, we went to Jiko not really knowing what we were going to have. My wife made the reservation based solely on rave reviews she had read on the internet. Well, they are all true. First of all, the restaurant is beautifully decorated and the view out on the resort's gardens is gorgeous. Now the important part, the food. We started with the cheese plate and as soon as we each took a bite, we knew this was going to be an amazing meal. I am your basic Midwesterner and I have lived in Milwaukee so I know my cheese. I can honestly say though that this was the best cheese plate I have ever had. Absolutely delicious. For our entrees, I had the lamb loin and my wife had the shrimp curry. Of course, we both tried a little bit of each dish, and both were cooked expertly and were very impressive. The creme brulee was also very good, but the entrees were so good that we were still thinking about them during dessert. The one thing that I regret is that we did not partake from their extensive wine list. (We arrived early and I had already had some African beer from the bar which was good as well.) I know you might think that going to Jiko would be a hike especially if you are staying at another Disney resort, but you really should go. Just take any Animal Kingdom bus and then transfer to the Animal Kingdom Lodge bus like we did. You will get a great meal and you get to see a really cool resort as well. It is totally worth it. I assure you.

Deanna B.

So I would completely rate Jiko as one of my favorite restaurants in the world. I love the food, LOVE the wine list, and love the ambiance. Why only 4 stars...the African thing, but can you blame Disney? Their whole shtick is to make everything as appealing to the masses as possible...therefore I'm sure the culinary delights of Africa would fall upon deaf (mouse) ears. I do love the food and wine here. My husband gobbles up the braised short ribs each time, while I enjoyed the curried shrimp on this past encounter. The wine list though has made me a HUGE fan of South African wine. We discovered many a gem here and will return to surely discover more with every visit.

Erin O.

It's the best food in the Magic Kingdom. It's at the animal kingdom lodge, and I've been there two times now. Each time, the service was excellent, you are not rushed, the waitstaff is excellent, and the food quality is super. They have an South African wine list that provides great options at pretty reasonable prices, and the appetizers are very good. The menu is westernized enough to not scare, but adventurous enough to be interesting. Kids are not running around screaming, so it's a nice break from most of the park environment. I am also a huge fan of the waitstaff not having canned speeches, which is an issue in most of the Disney property locations. It's a way to ensure consistent quality, but they just have good waiters and cooks, which I think is the best way to ensure quality.

Larry S.

Very good cousine , African style. We tried wild boar. It was tasty. Also had filet mignon, short ribs, filafel with bunny chow in our party. Appetizers we had flat breads with a variety of dipping sauces.

Phil S.

Not to be missed if you are in the area. You don't need to have a Disney ticket to get there! Everything we had was very good. The ostrich appetizer and coffee and donuts dessert and the pistacho crème brulee were fantastic. The beet salad was very good. We have been here a couple of times and never been disappointed.

Britt W.

Jiko is without a doubt my favorite restaurant in Walt Disney World and one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. I first visited Jiko in 2002 while on a business trip in Orlando because I thought it would be different than the typical business travel restaurants. Wow, did I ever discover a gem. After my first visit I did a little research on Jiko and discovered that a big reason for this being such a special place was executive chef Annette Grecchi Gray. She was a hot ticket on the WDW property and moved to Jiko after receiving several accolades at Artist Point in Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. On my second visit the food was better than I remembered and chef Annette even visited my table and talked to us for a few minutes (that huge for a food geek like me). On my last visit I learned that chef Annette had left Jiko to go work for Carlson Co's the parent company of TGI Fridays. I was fearful that the food wouldn't be as good but chef Anette's legacy carries on and I still think Jiko does it better than any other Disney eatery. The food at Jiko is based on Africa but that doesn't mean you will be feasting on exotic endangered animals. All of the dishes are familiar to the American palate but the method of preparation and seasoning give a nod to the dark continent. As an added bonus the wine list is heavily South African and according to Disney the largest South African wine cellar in North America. If you have never tried South African wine you are in for a delicious treat. I think the Taste of Africa appetizer is a good start for people that are unfamiliar with African food. If you like dipping pita in hummus you will probably love this dish as it is very similar. I really like the Ostrich Filet as a starter. For the main course it's a toss up between the Kenyan Coffee BBQ-Braised Beef Short Rib with Crushed Potatoes and Onion-Garlic Sauce and the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese and red wine sauce. Both dishes scream out to be paired with a nice big South African Shiraz. Trust me on this one, you will not be disappointed. Dessert is the one course where I think you should force yourself to try something exotic. On one visit they had cardamon cookies that didn't sound that appealing but they were heavenly. I have craved them ever since but they haven't been on the menu for a while. Now I know I have mentioned this a couple of times already but you really need to try the wine while you are here. Yes it will cost a little extra and even if you aren't a wine drinker the food at Jiko is really, really, really enhanced by a matching glass of wine. I always have a different wine matched to each course and it is heavenly. Be sure to reserve a priority seating time through Disney Dining so you can assure a table at this wonderful restaurant.

Steven M.

The food was good, but the service left a lot to be desired. We arrived early for our 8pm reservation, but they weren't able to seat us until 20 minutes after the appointed time. They had many empty tables throughout the night, so my assumption is they were understaffed. They also left us sitting there for 10 minutes before taking a drink order. Again, the food was good, but the service was a mood killer. Don't try going during peak hours.

Pearl B.

I was a little hesitant in dining at Jiko, not really knowing the menu very well, and not having the best dining experience (as far as tastes go) at Boma. Now after dining there, it's definitely on my list to revisit. The decor is a bit darker than what you see at Boma; I really liked the birds that dotted the ceilings and walls. For appetizers, I had the Tastes of Africa bread selection, which came with dipping sauces. I have a really sensitive palette for spicy foods, so I didn't really try the green and red sauces. The hummus dip was really good, as was the bread, though the flat bread was a bit salty. My boyfriend had the olive flatbread, which was also delicious. For entrees, I had the crusted Wreck fish, definitely a good choice if you're not planning on having the filet mignon. It came with a wonderful collection of vegetables and topped with strips of fried sweet potatoes, then surrounded by a creamy tomato sauce. My boyfriend had the filet mignon (which he says was cooked as he ordered and delicious) with mac 'n cheese. We weren't really feeling the dessert menu, but I did have a cup of tea before leaving. I highly recommend the Nobo Fruit Tea to close your meal - it's a really great mix of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries and one of the best teas I've ever had. They also serve this tea at Narcoossee's. I'm giving Jiko a 4-star rating because the service was not on the same level as other table service restaurants at the resort. The hosting staff was really friendly, but we saw our waiter sporadically.

Jeff J.

Jiko is one of the restaurants in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is the more high end restaurant where you sit down and have a server compared to Boma, the buffet. I ate here a few years ago. Certainly the Lodge and Jiko are beautiful. The food was interesting and decent, but nothing really stood out as spectacular. The restaurant tries to emphasize an African theme and offered Moroccan tangines. I've had a tangine in Paris, and I actually think the one at Jiko was more to my liking. If you are trying to choose between restaurants, Boma is decent and a buffet. Jiko is more pricey and good. Sanaa, the new Indian-inspired restaurant, is new and I have not tried it. The food at Jiko and Boma are interested, and the ambiance is unique. The food, however, does stand out for me as anything I would want to have very frequently. I would gladly go back with friends for the total experience of ambiance, the hotel lobby, and the food.

Randy W.

Delicious, friendly, creative, and convenient. The Animal Lodge (which is Jiko's home) is a little off the beaten path from the rest of Disney so the crowd is less. My girlfriend was nervous about "African food" but honestly the chef has come up with some truly brilliant combinations. My Filet was one of the best I've ever had! The Goat-cheese Mac n Cheese was delicious and I can imagine it being a hit with kids! The wine list was immaculate. After dinner we wandered around back and listened to a traditional African folk tale being told around the camp fire and watched giraffes, zebras, and other animals as they roam the grounds of the hotel. Honestly, I think this may be the best restaurant in terms of total bang for your back at Disneyworld.

tee w.

we came in here without reservation because, well, i'm lazy and there is nothing more i hate than going by schedule when I'm on vacation. we walked in, i was wearing my sundress and hubby was wearing his mickey mouse t-shirt. I was afraid they were going to tell us to come up to our room and get changed. But they didn't. there is no wait either if you're eating on the cooking place. it's more like a bar seating, with couple chefs making appetizers. we ended up ordering the fillet mignon and few appetizers. Everything is great. Fillet was the best. It's so tender and juicy. I also love the wild boar tenderloin with truffle oil. My favorite was the corn soup. it's so good! We also had a bottle of wine, which is good as well. Love this place. Will come back and visit whenever we're at disney world. And we'll be back!

Steve D.

Great food & great service. Fantastic selection of South African wine.

M B.

Party of 7 (3 vegetarians) was thoroughly satisfied. Best food in all of Disney (beats California Grill by a mile). Simple salad of greens, tomato and watermelon was outstanding - fresh, crisp, delicious. Perfectly cooked delicate tiny squash were perfection. Great place to try flavors you wouldn't ordinarily experience. Expensive but worth it, especially for vegetarians.

Glenn S.

Fabulous Disney Resort. Very upscale.Wifey says Mussels & Scallops best ever. Filet Mignon- Top Notch. Magnificent décor. Highly recommend.

Alicia C.

OMG! This place was fantastic! First, we got there early so we could explore the grounds. Absolutely gorgeous resort! You should check it out even if you're not staying there. Anyways we got seated by the windows which was overlooking a lovely but small little stream. The atmosphere was dim and quiet, which was great after a day at the Animal Kingdom. We started off with a cheese plate. There were six different cheeses accompanied with their own baked crustini's, jellies, and jams! OOOhhh so nice! For my entree, I had the filet mignon which was so tasty and juicy! I'm not remembering my sides because at that time, it didn't matter! The steak was the only thing in my vision along with our nice bottle of Merlot! Dessert....terrific. Our waitress comped out a creme brulee with a chocolate bottom for us as a treat for us graduating college (Yay)! We also ordered a chocolate cake with lavender ice cream! The lavender was so refreshing and light, I could have totally done without the cake part! This place can be expensive, so I definitely recommend using your Disney Dining plan for this restaurant, and I guarantee you, it will be totally worth it!!!

Jessica H.

Once again the butter ROCKS. I was looking forward to this reservation for days and it lived up to every expectation. I followed the suggestions for ordering from my main guy at my hotel and he was right. I started off with the bread and tandoori butter. Ugh....the butter was sooo good. I then went to the kalamata olive flatbread and a glass of pinot noir. I'm just beginning to explore the world of red wine but my server was able to guide me to the right choices. The flatbread was really good - good cheese, flavorful olives, soft bread. I then moved to the main entree of the oak-grilled filet with a red wine reduction over a bed of macaroni and cheese - yes, mac & cheese. BEST MAC & CHEESE EVER. The fillet was amazing as well - good sized, soft and melt in your mouth, perfectly red in the middle. But, oh, the mac & cheese - it was rich without making you sick, paired perfectly with the steak and reduction. I really wish that I knew their secret. Makim (my waiter from Morocco) suggested the cab with the fillet and after taking a couple of sips of the pinot with the meat, then the cab I was shocked at how much different wines really change the experience of a meal. I found a corner of room somewhere for dessert and got the chocolate cheesecake with lavender ice cream. The ice cream was like the hibiscus margarita - not sure what it was supposed to taste like but it was great. It was like vanilla ice cream with just a bit of sweetness and it had a clean crisp taste. I would like a carton of it for my freezer. The cheesecake was really good too - not too rich to turn my stomach, great crust. I'm not a huge Disney person but I can't wait to go back to have some more food here.

Diana H.

Beautiful restaurant that transcends one's perception of theme park dining. Jiko is all elegance and fine dining. Not only is the service superb, as one would expect from a Disney establishment, the plates are presented with finesse and flair. The food is delicious with exotic African flavors. The duck was cooked beautifully and the perch was great as well. The plating of all of the dishes were that which you can find at the finest restaurants in LA. Desserts were beautifully executed as well. This restaurant is a great addition to the Disney dining scene providing a more upscale yet still relaxed experience. A great change of pace after a day of running around the parks in extreme Florida heat. The desserts were incredible as well. Would definitely recommend the cheesecake and olive oil cake.

Alden D.

Everything was perfect. Short ribs were very tender and delicious.

Aimee A.

I dined at Jiko this past Monday night, our last night at Disney World after a wonderful 7-night trip with 2 of my girlfriends. We had a great trip, and Jiko was the perfect place to end it and talk about all of the fun memories we just made! In my party we had one omnivore and 2 vegetarians (myself included), and Jiko was able to satisfy all of our wishes. We shared an appetizer dish (called the Taste of Africa) which included hummus, masala, some spinach-lentil dip with a few different types of bread. It was delicious! I ordered a Namibian beer and my friends tried different cocktails. We all tried everyone's drinks and agreed that they were all delicious! For our entrees, us vegetarians each had the Grains, Peas, and Vegetables dish. I don't think I've ever had such good vegetarian food! I cannot describe how delicious and fresh it was! It was just perfection. Jiko's staff was also very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable! They really make the whole experience special. We ate at quite a few restaurants during our 7 nights at Walt Disney World, and this was our favorite for sure. Great food, great drinks, great service, and atmosphere. I would recommend this place to anyone! Just be sure to make advanced reservations!

Scott R.

Open disclosure - it's been over a year since I ate here; but a friend who's heading to DIsney next month asked me for some tips - and it reminded me what a great meal we had here. Food was solidly 4 stars - we had a great flatbread thing, I remember my lamb entree was really nice, and even our 9 year old loved everything (I can't remember what he had, but I know we made him order real food, not more chicken finger type nonsense.) Maybe it was just great because we found nothing but soggy fried chicken fingers and institutional iceberg lettuce all day. Or maybe it was the excellent selection of African wines by the glass. Or maybe the very pleasant wait-staff, who was a bit more authentic than the rest of the Disney experience. But even though our son got to ride Space Mountain an incredible 5 times within a few hours on this trip - we considered dinner here one of the highlights of our quick 2 day trip.

Michelle L.

I admit it. I'm a food snob. I'm also a wine snob, and I'm a stickler for proper service. I don't expect five star dining when we go to IHop at three am, but if I'm dropping a lot of money on a meal, I want it to deliver. Jiko does. It is, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant in Orlando, and in my top ten list in the country. When we have out of town guests who are foodies, this is where we go. When we want to celebrate, this is where we go, and when we just want an incredible meal...you guessed it. After reading a lot of the reviews here, I feel I need to address a couple of things. First of all, it's 'Jiko', not 'Jiko's'. The name is neither plural nor possesive. Second, yes, the filet with mac and cheese is good. However, you are wasting the opportunity to taste some out of this world, imaginitive cuisine if you don't step out of your comfort zone. Get a steak at Del Frisco's or Bern's; try something different at Jiko. The menu changes seasonally, but the last time we were in they had a market salad with a perfectly poached egg on top that was to die for. The flatbreads are always good, and the chef's special never fails to please. If that doesn't appeal to you, try the BBQ chicken with caramelized onions and a four cheese blend. The wild boar was the stuff that foodie dreams are made of, served over a polenta-like starch called 'mealie pap' and surrounded with a tomato-onion sauce and finished with white truffle oil. The Taste of Africa is a trio of breads and three or four different dips that is a great introduction to Southern African cuisine, which is heavily Indian influenced. Some are spicy, so be aware. If you are a carnivore, the short ribs served over a truffled potato puree are insanely good. The ribs aren't fatty and fall apart at the touch of a fork, and the potatoes are heaven. I normally don't order chicken in restaurants, but one of our less adventurous friends did, and it was spectacular. Crushed potato, perfectly cooked green beans and a mango chutney were just right with the peri-peri rub on the chicken, which was savory and delicious without being spicy. The duck is exceptional; breast meat cooked med rare and served over a mix of spinach, potato and mushrooms that have been tossed in a ridiculously good, slightly spicy curry. The plate is finished with a port wine reduction that made me want to go into the kitchen and kiss the saucier. The perfectly cooked shrimp in a coconut cream curry were served with the most outrageous, aromatic basmati rice I've ever encountered. However....if I were to have one last meal on earth, it would be the halibut at Jiko. It's lightly dusted with corn flour and then cooked to perfect, crisp happiness. It's served over seasonal roasted vegetables and the plate is surrounded with a tomato buerre blanc that is as close to heaven that I've come. Desserts change pretty often, but the last time we were there we had a coconut bread pudding that had us battling over the last bite and something called 'just one cup', which was a gorgeous chocolate mousse shaped like a coffee cup with a tuille cookie 'spoon', chocolate shaving 'steam', white and brown cookie 'sugar cubes' and a little cream pitcher filled with a chocolate sauce to pour as you wished. Imaginative and delicious. The wine list is exceptional, and they offer a great selection by the glass. The sauvignon blancs are particularly good, as are the chenins, which South Africa is known for. South Africa does a good job with syrah and cab., but the merlots are, in my opinion, less than stellar. The service staff is incredibly well-versed about the wine list. Give them an idea of what you enjoy and what you want to spend and you'll be pleasantly surprised at what they will come up with. Don't be afraid to try something different. South African wines are very affordable and a good bang for your buck. The room is beautiful, and if you make a later reservation you don't run as much of a risk of being seated next to a family with a stroller as you do earlier. They ask that gentlemen wear collared shirts, and I was thrilled to overhear the hostess ask a man to remove his baseball cap. Apparently, hats aren't allowed in the dining room! What a pleasant surprise to see that some places still hold people to certain standards of decorum. Now if they could just force people to check their cell phones at the door. I've rea

Aj T.

Good wine selection. Good, not great, menu selection. We had the fillet mignot, halibut, pork tenderloin. All were very good. Slightly overpriced. Good service. Beet salad was good.

Jane F.

Awesome restaurant, from the decor, (the hanging lamps that were a flow a birds), to the waiters and waitresses, and the food. Everything was wonderful. The shrimp dish I had, was just full of shrimp, and full of flavors, not too hot, not too mild, just right. Service was quick and pleasant, everything with a smile. The waiter was well versed in there African wines and helped us order a nice pinot noir.

Dan B.

I both agree and disagree with my fellow Yelpers on this one. It certainly has to be one of the best, if not the best, meals on the Disney mega-compound. The ambience is stunning - that same flair for design and detail but applied to a more mature setting. The lights look like a flock of birds, the lit walls subtly change colors, and the whole place looks like a set for the Broadway production of Lion King. But it ain't five star food. It's real good. Just not great. Huge props for making the whole menu (and wine list!) African - although I have my doubts the steak on a bed of macaroni and cheese is really African. We had a great flatbread basket with dips - the highlight of the night. But my fish entree was merely decent and I realized what I was really digging was a night at Disney away from the throngs.

char c.

My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate our anniversary. It was very lovely. The hostess and waiters were very friendly and nice. They were very talkative and easy to talk to. The service overall was very good! The food...we ordered each an appetizer one the grilled wild boar and the grilled flank steak flat bread. They were both VERY good especially the wild boar the flavors were wonderful and not expected but complimented each other wonderfully. For our entrees it was the seared barbarie duck and the fillet mignon. Both were excellent! The duck had WONDERFUL flavors that were hidden and complimented each other perfectly. The glazed figs that came with the duck was such a wonderful touch. The fillet mignon was delicious. It was to me a wonderful steak dinner so being that we were suppose to be in Africa it wasn't exploring too far out off the boat, but the cut of meat was delicious. It literally fell apart in your mouth and had a wonderful beef flavor. The serving size was huge! If we weren't in the hotel room and had a place to store the food we would have taken it as left overs. The desserts were delicious too! We got the cape malva pudding and the Tarzanian chocolate cherry chocolate. Being that we were STUFFED, it was not quiet as enjoyable, but I personally liked the cape malva pudding and the mango ice cream that came with it. The cake was like a lightly spiced cake that was so nicely complemented with the mango ice cream and a hint of mint that made it so very refreshing. As for the chocolate cherry chocolate it was very rich but not. It was so nicely complemented and there was this thing in the middle that had this wonderful interesting surprising smoked taste to it that went very nicely with the chocolate. The overall experience was wonderful. The decor and ambiance of the dinning area along with the service and the food made it a wonderful experience!

Jeff C.

The second best restaurant in WDW (after Victoria and Albert's). The cauliflower soup was one of the best things I've ever eaten, and I hate cauliflower.

Kat S.

The food is outstanding and the atmosphere is so warm and inviting. I can't wait to go back. It is like no other restaurant on WDW property. The food is creative and different and yet still seems homey and familiar. Do not be scared off because the food is African! You won't be disappointed. Get the flatbread and "Taste of Africa" (trio of dipping sauces with bread and naan) to start! The decor is beautiful and romantic and I would highly recommend it as a special dinner for a special occasion or no occasion at all!

Laura S.

One word: DELISH! My boyfriend and I stayed at the lodge for a week and decided to take a chance and try this restaurant. I am a very picky eater and do not eat alot of meat or fish so I was hesitant to try this place but I am very glad I did. The atmosphere is dark and romantic and the decor is beautiful. Our server was nice but nothing outstanding. I like that they bring you warm handcloths to cleanse your hands before your meal, nice touch. There were alot of great appetizer options but we stuck with something light and went with a salad. It was field greens, bacon, croutons topped with a delicately poached egg and sherry vinagrette. The dressing was delicious. For entrees, I was extremely happy to see a chicken dish, called Peri Peri Chicken. Its basically chicken with a delicious spicy rub, over potatoes, caramelized onions, onion jus and green beans. It was by far, the BEST chicken dish I have ever eaten. I savored each bite, my boyfriend even remarked that he had never seen me eat so much! My boyfriend had the filet, which was cooked perfectly. It came with fingerling potatoes, green beans and a red wine sauce. He loved it and remarked that it was the best steak dish he has had. We have gone to numerous big name steak houses and this filet topped them all. For dessert, we went with this bread pudding cake with apricot sorbet. When it came out it was one this huge plate and the dessert was so tiny, I thought the waiter had forgotten something! While it was very small, it was really really good. I just wish, for the price they would give you a decent dessert portion....not that I could have eaten much more after the delicious entree! Be warned though that it is pricey, my chicken dish was about 29 and the fillet was 41. Add to that some of the great african wine selections and your bill is soaring but DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT miss this place....it is so so so worth it!

Peter C.

Amazing meal...incredible even. This is by far the best food I have had anywhere in Orlando. First, the butter served with the bread was an indicator of things to come and had us very excited...it was flavorful and unique. Next, the Katamala Olive Flatbread and Curried Samosas had complex flavors indicative of a skilled chef. My short ribs were excellent, and desert was also impressive. My wife's shrimp dish was only good, not great, but the rest was so good I have full confidence that the remainder of the menu should delight. I can't wait to go back and try more at this place.

Ted N.

If you have the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan (which we did) you would be crazy not to eat here. Great decor and ambiance. The flat breads are great. I had the filet w/ mac & cheese and it was great. I like the open kitchen and the overall vibe of the place. Great selection of wines as well. The Jambo House is such a cool place. One of my favorite places on property. Go at night and use the night vision monocular (after supper) to watch animals.

Gordon A.

I've been on trips to Disney World six years in a row now and each time I visit, I DEFINITELY make a point of visiting Jiko. With a few exceptions, the secret to great food at Disney World is that it's found in the resorts and not in the parks. This would apply to Jiko which I believe is the best restaurant on Disney property. Jiko is found at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is an African safari lodge themed resort adjacent to Disney's Animal Kingdom. The restaurant is located in the lower level by the pool area and across from Boma, a buffet service restaurant. The decor of the restaurant is very warm and inviting with deep lush color tones of brown and dusty red which compliments the dark color of the wood tables and chairs. Now for the food, wow! I can't tell you how awesome the food is here. Since the theme of the resort is Africa, it's no surprise that the cuisine at Jiko is primarily African with influences from India, Europe, and the Mediterranean. For a starter course I would suggest the cucumber, red onion, and tomato salad. It's very light, it's got just a bit of tang to it but it's not tart. If you'd like a soup then you can't go wrong with their butternut squash soup. For your main course I would recommend the lamb shank, so filling and so rich and it falls off the bone because it's so tender and moist; the pan roasted scallops which were incredibly buttery; the tamarind-braised short ribs which is a little sweet which only compliments the beef; or the oak-grilled filet mignon which is accompanied with macaroni and cheese in a red wine sauce. One of my friends who is a meat and potatoes gal will only order this dish when we dine there. The mac & cheese is good as sin. For dessert I would recommend the pistachio creme brulee or the flourless chocolate mocha cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. The service here is very attentive and very friendly. If you do plan on going, then I would suggest asking to be seated at Mohammed's area. He is incredibly nice and he's always at your elbow when you need him. He once saw my glass was empty and he came over and poured my glass full again...crazy thing?...he wasn't even my server!! Please believe me when I say you will not go wrong dining here. On my last trip my friends and I skipped the appetizers and ordered all the main courses so we could try a little of everything. Writing this is enough for me to book a flight just to eat there.

Stacy D.

There's not enough stars for me to rate this. This is by far the best food I've had at Disney. Their drinks are amazing. The staff is extremely nice. The decor is beautiful as well. Hard to get to if you don't know where it is. We didn't see proper signage. We ended up having to go back to our car and drive over to it. It is in the Jumbo House at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Geoffrey K.

Wow. Just wow. Your mouth just doesn't know what to do with those flavors. An absolutely delicious meal from start to finish. Pricey, but tasty meal!

Jonathan P.

"Relax as twin wood-burning ovens roar and the soothing, warm colors of an African sunset bring energy to this remarkable restaurant's comfortable setting. Taste creative American cooking that is a unique blend of multi-cultural influences --- from the Mediterranean coast, India and Europe. Savor seafood, steak, chicken and vegetarian offerings infused with the vibrant flavors and fragrant spices of Africa." That's what Disney had to say. This was our last meal at Dinsey World, and arguably the best. The lamb that I had fell off the bone, so tender and flavourful; but, the entree to get is their short rib, a slow stewed slab of meat with a tangy sauce marinated into it, served on a bed of sweet potatoes au'gratin. The restaurant is on the bottom floor, dimly lit except for the back wall that slowly changes colours to represent the changing colours of the African sunset. The prices are a bit high, but not as high as I was expecting from the ambiance. It's just too bad that they didn't find a way to incorporate, into the restaurant, a view of the 33 arce wildlife reserve that borders the hotel.

George M.

Let me just say this: I don't dine out in a lot of expensive restaurant, but I've had dined in some nice places in my life, including the L'Orangerie in LA. I've lived in the USA for 10 years now and apart from L'Orangerie in LA (that is now closed) and Kokomo's in Las Vegas, Jiko managed to satisfy all my senses the most. The place looks nice, the service was impeccable. Their wine list is actually very nice and we had an amazingly wonderful Shiraz from Australia that I will have to buy at least a case of. The portions are not big, but if you have an appetizer and a dessert, you will get more than full. There were two of us and my friend who usually doesn't see the value in find dining was absolutely loved everything and for the first time, he agreed that sometimes the money spent on fine dining actually is worth. We started off with two of their signature cocktails. They were really good and they were cheaper than anything in a bar in West Hollywood. You must have one of their flat breads as an appetizer. They're both fantastic. My friend had the Kenyan Coffee BBQ-braised Beef Short Rib and said it was amazing. I had the sea bass special and although it was mouthwatering, it was a tiny bit too salty for my liking, but otherwise it was fantastic. We each had two glasses of wine (I had a Sauvignon Blanc). We shared the Chocolate Cheese Cake with lavender ice cream. It was really good. I can't recommend this place enough. The other night in Orlando we went to the one of their other signature, fine dining restaurants, Artist Point and we just wished we had gone back to Jiko instead. I think that's enough said.

This is the fine dining establishment at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge resort, counting for two table service credits on the Disney Dining Plan. The food is gourmet, with many different meat and fish available, with an African twist. There is also a vegetarian and children's menu. It is a great restaurant to have a leisurely adult meal. They also have great wine offerings.

Mr C.

The food texture and taste were worth the expense. Unfortunately, the service was very poor. Our server did a "switch and bait" with us on our wine order. We specifically ordered a South African wine (over priced at over $100.00 per bottle) and didn't return to our table until much after our entree was served. At which time he informed us that they were out of that vintage. He suggested another varietal of lesser quality but did not produce the wine menu to compare prices. Needless to say, it was much more expensive. Too much for the bottle for too late delivery. It arrived at the end of our meal. I asked the manager to approach our table. He was unapologetic and with an attitude. Perhaps constipated from over indulging in the kitchen. I will NEVER return here. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area has taught me what real service is about. In this regard this restaurant fails...Big Time!

Will B.

This is one good restaurant. Service is excellent and food tastes unbelievable. Since it is African cuisine, the spices are earthy and tasty. You can not get tastes such as these anywhere else in town. It is a great place for a special date, but I would get reservations. Be open to trying new things and new tastes. Explore Africa!

Steven S.

The human mind makes generalizations of repetitive experiences. Jiko is not one to be generalized. Their flavors and creative pairings boldly stand out. They are not to be forgotten. I recall having my (first) ostrich filet some years back and still vividly remember how delicious it was. I'd tell you my thoughts on their wild boar, but that might entice me to get on the next flight to Disney... Their duck is incredible and inspiring. I've recreated a similar dish on my own. Jiko without doubt is my favorite restaurant from start to finish. It's the most consistent, exciting, and again inspiring eats out there. OK. Just booked a flight, c'ya in August. :-)

Glenn M.

If you're a meat lover you must sink your chops into the bbq beef ribs... despite the menu changes they go through every now and then, I hope they keep this dish b/c it's seriously mouth watering... I literally feasted to the bone! They have a great African beer selection... I forget the beer I tried but it was from Kenya and it was a lager. After I finished my first bottle I could not resist a second. We had this great ostrich snitchzel appetizer which I highly recommend if you've never had ostrich. And like other yelpers have said, the flatbread with the dipping sauces is really good, ambience is perfect as it lulls kids down from bouncing across the walls, and sets the mood for a fantastic evening of safari treats. For dessert we ordered a bunch of items, all good, but my "inspired by the year of a million dreams" selection topped everyone's order. (Yes that is the actual title of the dessert... unique, a little cheesy, but definitely memorable) If you're caught waiting, since this place packs on a nightly basis and reservations are harder to get, you can always check out the zebras, wildabeasts, birds, etc as the restaurant is located in the animal kingdom lodge/park. We didn't get to see it, but there is a night vision area where supposedly you can see the giraffes. Food is mui delicioso, service is awesome, atmosphere is great... and don't forget to have the bbq beef ribs... I guarantee you won't be disappointed

Kat C.

Unless service is just atrocious, I will go to a place I know to have terrible service if the food is good. So, in that spirit, I give Jiko five stars, despite having less-than-stellar service we had (starting with having to wait over half an hour AFTER my reservation time to be seated in a less-than-full restaurant). We started with the Artisan Cheese Selection and we loved it. My only minor complaint is that there were not enough crostini-type crisped breads to eat the cheese on, but luckily they served a complimentary bread that I used when it ran out. The bread came with an African spread - I don't know what it is, but it didn't take long to disappear. Our companions had the Taste of Africa dips to start with, and I tried each of those dips - the curry dip was my favorite and my husband loved the red pepper dip. He hates olives but still liked the kalamata hummus, as well. The chef sent out a small dish of complimentary cauliflower bisque that was insanely good, even to those at our table who hate cauliflower. For dinner, we had an order or Peri Peri Chicken and an order of the Short Ribs, and both were excellent - except the raw green beans that came with the chicken. Our server recommended the beef short ribs as his favorite thing on the menu, and although they were completely awesome, I have to say the Peri Peri Chicken was the real star. It is, hands down, the most tender chicken I have ever put in my mouth. In all, the meals were amazing, and every person at our table was pleased (though we did have a cheap diner who complained about prices, though he practically licked his plate). We finished with cheesecake, which was served with a caramel sauce and chocolate covered espresso beans. It was smooth, creamy, and perfect. This was our favorite meal for our entire stay in Orlando - highly recommended.

Ashley K.

I will NEVER come here again. Terrible food for the price. Grand finale? The waiter went into the partitioned off corner by our table and barfed his brains out during our dessert. I mean hacking, in your face vomiting. He walks out, grabs a tray of food, and proceeds to deliver it to a table. O.M.G. It was so bad (and we're nurses) that we felt compelled to tell the manager. He went back to the corner in search of vomit, spent about 10 minutes back there, walked out, had a serious looking conversation with the waiter, comes back to our table and tried to tell me it was a hotel guest OUTSIDE the restaurant that threw up. 1. Ya effing right, I know the sound of vomiting, it was about 10 feet from me, and I watched the dudes face before he went in and after he went out. 2. How would you know it was a guest? I've been watching you the whole time, and you've talked to no one except lecturing the waiter. It was kind of funny though- he denied the whole thing, and then comped our meal. I guess it was in his best interest to protect the business' butt, while keeping the customer happy, but I don't like being lied to. Disney "fine dining" is the biggest joke ever. We went to 3 of Disney's fancy restaurants and were severely disappointed by all of them.

Marcus P.

In the middle of Disney World, surrounded by magic and make believe, is a real life dining and wine experience. Jiko, Swahili for cooking place, offers the most exclusive South African Wine lists in the United States. Most of the selections are available by the glass, which provides a great opportunity to try some new wines that are rarely available anywhere else. The South African climate is not that much different from the northern California coast so many of the same grape varietals are available, such as Chardonnay, but there are also many new and unusual wines to tempt your palate as well. The food is a multicultural infusion of modern styles and dishes with traditional African inspired flavor and ingredients. Each dish offers beautiful colors and spice, which pair beautifully with many of the available wine selection. I've been told that the menu changes often but no matter what they happen to be serving you are sure to find a fantastic meal. Definitely try one of the exotic fish dishes, which include pan-roasted monkfish or banana leaf-steamed Chilean Sea bass. The interior is both simple and exotic with earthy tones of brown and orange and two huge wood-burning ovens as the centerpiece of the open kitchen. Throughout the restaurant and across the back wall are suspended white birds that fly gracefully in front of a lighted backdrop that slowly changes through the cycle of an African day from dawn to dusk. Overall the whole dining experience is a feast for the senses and an amazing opportunity to branch out and try something a little exotic.

Katie A.

I must be in the minority, but our service at Jiko was terrible. Jiko was the "fanciest" restaurant we went to while on our honeymoon at Disney, and we received the worst service of anywhere we dined. The waiter was snotty, and gave us a weird, almost dirty look when he saw our honeymooner pins. No congratulaions or anything (which is more than commonplace at Disney), just a sneer. We were on the dining plan which I think also turned him off, and we didn't take any of his dinner recommendations (they were all fish, and we're allergic) so I think that was the last nail in the coffin. Dinner (as mentioned by many others) took a very long time- something we came to expect at every Disney restaurant. EVERYONE else in the restaurant received a free tasting of wine, and a sampling of a new soup from the chef. We were offered neither. We had to practically beg for refills on our drinks. The service was terrible, and the food was not that impressive. Very small, and nothing special in my opinion. We had better food at some of the buffets. It was definitely not worth the money, even on the dining plan. The best thing we had there was the coffee-out of this world, but like I said I had to beg for refills. I wouldn't reccommend Jiko, and would never go back even for the fabulous coffee.

Matthew D.

One of the best of the premium WDW restaurants, and probably the only one of them that makes a serious effort to break out of the (albeit good) mold of Americanized Continental basics.

Jennifer K.

Amazing vegan menu. We got the jiko salad, roasted cauliflower flatbread, grilled seitan, Egyptian kushari, and the coconut panna cotta. Everything was super flavorful and I was especially impressed with the texture of the seitan. Our server Hind took great care of us. It's nice to see Disney has such good vegan options, since universal studios almost seems to be against it.

Patti C.

Just ate here again, and again I am so impressed. Service and wind recommendations were excellent.

Walter G.

Quite a surprise to find one of the best meals I've ever had right there in our lodge. Thoughtful and sophisticated cooking. Well-balanced dishes that are no more simple or complex than they need to be. The artisanal cheese plate appetizer is a must. Stop by. You won't be sorry.

JD W.

Fantastic meal! Had such flavor in every dish and the service was exemplary. Accommodated our sons gluten free needs as well as my own need for vegetarian without any issue and in fact dazzled our son with gf bread and desert!! Yay disney!

Jin G.

We came here 5 years ago and fell in love with this place. In March of this year, we came back for the same delicious meal. -Taste of Africa: this is the real reason why we came back...absolutely delicious -Lamb two ways: after the first bite, one word "wow" -Oak-grilled Filet Mignon: very good but we missed the flavor from 5 years ago -Avocado Custard cake: good -a glass of Rudi Schultz is a must -overall service is excellent: we had Leslie to serve us. He was very attentive.

Jennifer M.

I had one of the best vegan meals of my life here and that's coming from someone from NY. Disney has gotten much more vegan friendly over the years but this is your best option. They have a dedicated vegan menu. Whatever you do, order the seitan. The seitan flatbread is amazing as well as the seitan entree. The flavor is out of this world. They also have tofutti ice cream and a vegan panna cotta. I wish I could eat here every night while in Disney. It is somewhat pricey. At over $100 for two with no alcohol. Great for a date night. Stick the kids in Simba's Clubhouse which is on sight for $15/hr. Enjoy!

Rebecca E.

I had an amazing meal here on my last trip. I have a medical condition that is very food sensitive so I have many dietary restrictions. The servers and chef here did a great job at doing what they could to help me out and find me something safe to eat. They really went out of their way. This was also where I first tried boar as they have a boar fillet appetizers. Very good! I then had the beef fillet for my entree which they had to make some changes to. The flavor was amazing even though I could not have the sauce that usually comes on it (due to the tomatoes in it). I didn't miss it one bit that is for sure!

Dorothea P.

This place is phenomenal!!!!! I decided to go on a spur of the moment trip to disney and one of my friends co workers had recommended this place so as we were driving up we made a reservation. When we got there the restaurant was full so we had to wait about 5 minutes to get our table. When we sat down the hostess brought us warm hand towels to freshen up (it felt awesome because the restaurant was a little cold). Then our waiter came and he was friendly and really funny, we could tell he was pretty busy because he was also waiting 3 other tables near us but when he was talking to us he took his time and he paid attention to what we wanted. He gave us a few suggestions and gave us a minute to decide. I ordered their spin on a margarita which is called mt. somethingrita I forgot the exact name but it was delicious it was a little fruitier than a regular margarita but thats because it was flavored. Regardless it was yummy! They have a huge wine list too. For dinner I ordered the short rib the waiter warned me that it might be a little spicy but in reality i discovered that the spice is this sauce that they put at the bottom of the plate and if you don't like spicy you can certainly avoid it. It was cooked perfectly and I loved both of the sauces it came with. For dessert we ordered this dark chocolate almond type mousse, i was in the mood for something fruity but i'm so glad that i changed my mind las minute. it comes with whipped cream and fresh raspberries on top and also these crunchy nuts that when you grab a bite with a little of each ingredient it was absolutely perfect. the combination was exquisite!! Last but not least when we got our check the waiter brought out these two macaroons... and its safe to say that they were the best macaroons i have ever had in my life!!!! when you first bite into them they tasted and had the texture of coconut but as you kept on chewing them the taste of passion fruit came out. it was so good that i asked the waiter if i could buy them but unfortunately the chef only makes enough so that it could be a little treat for everyone with their check. But when he came back with my card he brought me two more.

Gretchen D.

Definitely one of the better places to eat at Walt Disney World. Lovely atmosphere. Unlike others, we had great quiet competent service. The young woman who seated us gave a 'tour" of the room explaining symbolism, etc. She had only been in the states a month or two. Like others, we enjoyed the wild boar appetizer. The bread basket was food. Husband had the short ribs and really enjoyed them. I had the swordfish, which I enjoyed, but it was not spectacular. The tomato salad was especially great! Multiple flavors--wonderfully presented. Too full for dessert!

Elizabeth C.

My favorite restaurant at Disney. Ask to sit with Nasser. Do not pass up the duck bobotie or the wild boar appetizer. They make cute desserts. If Nasser's section is full or if it is his night off, ask to sit at The Cooking Place....a counter where chefs cook flatbreads, make salads and will talk to you. Just like FoodTV only better!

Joey D.

Fine dining African style... Kind of. First off the decor and ambience is amazing. The dusk to night time color changing wall, table settings, and fixtures were all wonderfully unique and impressive. The service here is also equally impressive. The hostess gave us a nice rundown about the theming of the restaurant and provided the table with nice warm towels to freshen up before the meal. Scented too. I felt like a princess. But the real winner here is the food. The whole song and dance doesn't mean as much if the meal can't deliver. Thankfully, they knocked it out of the park. I got the filet and macaroni and cheese and man it was delicious. The way it was cooked, the spices and seasoning, and the reduction made it taste unlike any steak I've ever had in my life. It truly transformed the entrée into something unique. Drinks were very good and service stayed friendly and attentive throughout the entire meal. This is an absolute must do if you are looking for a unique fine dining experience while you are visiting Disney World.

Daniel M.

It has been way too long since I last updated this review. Jiko continues to be the bravest and best of the Disney high end restaurants, and it is one of Orlando's true culinary treasures. If I had to choose a place for a last meal, it would be Jiko. Jiko is a like dance of African inspired spices performed by a statuesque and balanced ballerina. Its boldness and exotic flavors are perfectly approachable in a way that is difficult to describe, and its sauces are consistently masterpieces of flavor. Jiko is an adventure, but one conducted by such a skilled guide that your palate will revel in the change instead of shrinking back from it. If in doubt, order the short ribs. The sauce used will vary depending on when you are there, but I've yet to have a variation that didn't blow me away. Today, the ribs were served with two sauces, one of which was an earthy, roasted hot pepper type sauce. Incredible. Before that, for starters, we had the wild boar tenderloin. Tender, savoury, and rare. It was served in a sauce of tomato, onion, and polenta sauce with a hint of truffle oil. We also shared a chicken flatbread and a carrot and garlic ice cream soup. Both were incredible. The wine list, composed largely of unique, spicy South African produced variations of Cote du Rhone or Bordeaux style blends, is unique, varied, and a delight in and of itself. For dessert, we had the decadently textured Ghanaian Chocolate and Kenyan Coffee Pot de Creme and a Marva Pudding (think cross between a lemon meringue and bread pudding). The dark, postmodern interior is intimate and familial without sacrificing elegance. It's Disney, which means that there will be some inattentive parents with their exhausted children. Show up early for your reservation, and beg to be seated somewhere relatively quiet, even if you have to wait. There are a few good restaurants on Disney property, but very few great ones. Jiko, tucked away from the convenient guest areas of the parks, is its most precious culinary jewel. Go there. It's calling for you.

Lacey C.

Stand aside Three Chefs of France, restaurant. Jiko is my new favorite fine dining at The Mouse. First off, you're clear out in the middle of nowhere driving here. It's easy to get lost, and at night--you genuinely wonder if wildebeasts and lions are gonna jump out of the tall grass after you finally find the place and park your wheels. The ambiance? Sterling. Business casual is strictly enforced. Feel free to be fancy--I daresay it will help you capitalize on the experience. The service is welcoming, accommodating, and was (in my party's experience) top-notch. Jiko does some food better than others--don't think it's perfect. I'm not saying it is. But the wait staff will help steer you towards what you desire. My advice? Choose your food, and make it something more traditionally South African, like their divine pork shank or crazy short rib (with some magical barley-saffron risotto stuff that knocks it out of the park). Ask their sommelier to choose a wine (by the glass) for you, or a whole bottle if you're going cray. I was given a black rose that I am gonna be thinking about for a loooong time. It had the most beautiful fragrant nose, and drank like it was at least $40 more expensive than it was. Don't be afraid, even if you don't like wine. The beer? Avoid the Casablanca brew and heed my words: Never buy booze from a Muslim country. (they don't drink, dummy!) My friend ordered a South African Tusker and liked it, but novelty aside... it was just a lager. The cheese plate? I liked it, but having sold cheese myself--I was surprised at the low-tier cheeses chosen. Cremont? Really? It's $14 a pound and NBD. Bayley Hayden blue? It's really not that strong of a cheese (in character, not flavor). Come on. You failed to impress me. Try Sottocenere or a more robust wash-rind cheese, Jiko. Turn up your cheese game for us snobs. xoxo MUST ORDER: The wild boar tenderloin appetizer and the Malva cake for dessert. Save room. Part of me just wished I'd ordered two of the boar and two of the Malva and called it good. They're both good enough to come to Jiko by themselves. I also enjoyed the "Taste of Africa" bread and dip platter, but it's not for everyone and frankly.. a little overpriced. Tasting that Moroccan bread really took me back though. It's legit. Giovanni, our waiter, was kind and patient with our large group. Shout out for making our night out extra special! You the man. Get ready to part with your pretty green paper, though. You've been warned.

Ken H.

Jiko never disappoints. Always an amazing meal. Excellent African flavor and amazing wines. Highly recommended for all who enjoy a great evening at an interesting location, themed to African culture. Very nice.

Emily B.

I love Jiko! It's probably my favorite fine dining Disney restaurant. I've been here 5 times, and every time it was fantastic. Some things that I remember loving are the Jiko Salad, the Tomato Salad, Crispy Duck "Bobotie" Roll, Vegetable and Tofu Sambusas, and the Piri Piri Swordfish. The African wines are lovely too. The only thing that wasn't amazing was the cheese plate, it was very good, but it was nothing special, I swear it's the exact same as the cheese plates I've had at every other fine dining Disney restaurant. On our most recent trip we went with friends that brought their kids, I've never seen scallops on a kids menu before, they loved it! I'll be back soon!

XiaoHwa N.

I feel guilty betraying the 5 star trend. Ok, I'm going to preface this review with the fact that I'm from NYC, particularly Queens, and am acquainted with North African, African and Middle Eastern Food. So with all the (well-deserved) hype about Jiko, I'm going to walk in with high standards. Food: The Taste of Africa - an assortment of dips and breads - really tasty but awfully familiar to common street food here in Queens. Then they served a basket of bread. I kinda wish they served the bread first. Knowing that there was complimentary bread would've reflected on my appetizer order. Nigerian Spiced Berkshire Double-Cut Pork Chops - OMG I wish I ordered this dish. My husband was the lucky one. The chops were melt in your mouth and perfectly cooked and seasoned. Beef Short Rib - I love short ribs. Unfortunately, Pro Tip: Don't order something you kick-ass at making at home. It was definitely delicious (a little more heavy and fatty than it needed to be) but nothing hurts more than paying $46 for something you could've done yourself. But hey! If you have no idea how to make short ribs but love them, then this is the dish for you. The little one ordered Mac and Cheese which was actually pretty darn good. We had to skip dessert, we were too full, though the desserts looked freaking amazing at the other tables. The server was so nice, she brought us complimentary cookies. Service: Amazingly sweet. Almost too sweet. Very rehearsed. But who am I to judge the fact that our server was TOO good and TOO seasoned. 5 stars for service. Overall, I wasn't blown away by my visit to Jiko though, for WDW, it is one of the best, if not the best, meals I had. But if I'm going to give 5 stars to a restaurant that wants to be held to a higher standard beyond WDW then I'm going to give 5 stars to the restaurant that wows me.

Heidi M.

Excellent ambience and service. Does not feel like you are in "Disney". This will be a 5 star restaurant anywhere! All the dishes are flavorful and balanced. The wine list is extraordinary. Don't forget to order the duck bobotie appetizer!

Lyn R.

One of the best restaurants that I have been to. First off, our waiter was great. We loved him. He was knowledgeable and seemed to love his job here. Beautiful setting. Although, off the pool, it seemed to be in a world of it's own. Big selection of African wines. We shared a bottle. The food was some of the best that I have ever had, just amazing. It was one of the few times that a really expensive meal was worth it. We had a wild boar appetizer and some spinach thing(?) Both perfect. We all three had the filet. Me, my husband and my 11 year old. Cooked, well, perfect. I am smiling just thinking of this place. Save up a little money and go here. But, please people, leave your dirty, nasty hoodie at home. Even on vacation, bring one collared shirt. The ambience was beautiful, why ruin it with your presence??

Amy J.

Jiko was the first restaurant we dined at during our six-day stay in Disney World. It wound up being the best. In fact, I seriously regretted not making another reservation there. After five nights eating mediocre food in other areas of the WDW, the vibrant flavors would have been a welcome reprieve. Things started on an awkward note when an unfamiliar pre-dinner hand washing procedure was brought to the table. With no explanation, what looked to be two servers brought warm towelettes to us on a plate. We hadn't ordered yet, but assumed they were for us in case of messy fingers. (Reminiscent of BBQ joints?) But then the two servers just stood at the table. And stood there. Still not a peep for explanation, just an expectant stare. Hmmm...ok, maybe my hands looked a little questionable. I did, after all miss that memo about the Magical Express taking four hours to get your luggage to the room, so there I sat in the same clothes I wore on a coast to coast flight. But no, we finally got it...just wipe and hand them back. The ceremony ends with a smile and a nod, our grubby paws back in tip-top shape. On with the food! I was charmed by the names of several different appetizers on the menu. Tibs in Brik, Taste of Africa, Duck Bobotie Rolls, it all sounded very exotic and wonderful. We wound up with a Grilled Boar Tenderloin and the Crispy Duck Bobotie Roll. The tenderloin was served very rare, which we liked. It was meltingly tender and had a spice note that we couldn't quite put our (very clean) fingers on. That was a common theme throughout the entire meal. If you like to be adventurous with flavors, this should be a happy place for you. The tenderloin was set atop a bed of delicious mashed turnips with chopped onions, garlic, amd tomatoes scattered around in a rich gravy. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the Bobotie Roll. I had been intrigued by this dish since I first spotted it on the menu months ago, while making the reservation. It lived up to the expectation. Resembling a thin egg roll, the outside crunch was familiar, but the savory, mildly spicy flavors of the filling definitely were not. I loved the bold colors that really made both of our entree presentations shine. My plate of short ribs was adorned with a bright yellow and red splash of sauce that added so much to the succulent meat. The BF's Lamb Two-Ways was another winner with a portion of fork-tender pulled lamb paired with a nicely grilled, rare lamb chop. Both entrees came accompanied with roasted root vegetables. These were the only small disappointment in an otherwise perfect meal. Those vegies could have used another two or three (or seven) minutes of cooking time. Some of them were rock-hard. Once the hand washing debacle was forgotten, service was exemplary. Even being embarrassingly under-dressed, we were still treated like VIPs. Looking around the room, I noticed that we weren't the only ones who were told it was ok to come casual. There was a variety of people dressed to the nines and then there were also quite a few slackers like us. There were also a few well-behaved (thank goodness!) children being treated just as special as their parents. We were exhausted and skipped dessert, but there were a few addictively delicious complimentary crackle cookies served with the check. When the BF mentioned how much he enjoyed them, the waiter smiled and brought out six more for him to take back to the room. It was a perfect end to a fantastic meal.

Chris G.

"Jambo" - which means "hello" in Swahili - is the greeting you hear when you enter Jiko - the cooking place, that is located in the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge. The restaurant is equally as beautiful as the place it occupies. In the middle of the restaurant is an open kitchen that has two large ovens as its focal point. Once seated, I quickly noticed the sculptures of birds flying hanging from the ceiling. This is very impressive and lends to a great ambience. This restaurant serves African inspired cuisine. All of the wines served are from South Africa. Even the beer is from Africa. I started off the evening with a beer from Ethiopia. I think this was my first time drinking a beer from Africa. The beer was very refreshing. For an appetizer, we ordered the Peri-Peri roasted chicken flatbread. The flat bread was excellent. The crust was thin, crispy on the outside, and had a slight chewy texture on the inside. I'm not use to having African inspired food so it is hard for me to describe the flavor of the spices used on the flatbread but it was good. My entree was the spicy Botswana style "Seswaa" beef short rib. The short rib was served with Cassava-Potato Purée, Sambal, Mushrooms, and Fava Beans. The presentation of this dish was visual stunning. My short rib was very moist and one of the most tender piece of beef I have ever eaten. I ordered dessert, but unfortunately I don't remember what I had. It was good. Our server was excellent. So if I had an excellent meal and a great dining experience why did I give a four start rating? The prices are extremely high. For example, short ribs are a cheap cut of beef. The prices of the shorts ribs are equivalent to order a 16 oz. dried age steak. Because of this, I had to deduct a star. The restaurant does have a kid's menu which is a plus for parents who want to dine upscale and have an option for the kids. All in all, this restaurant does not disappoint and is a great dining experience at Disney.

YuhLi T.

I visited here using the Disney dining plan. It counted as 2 table services. It was a 2 hour meal and not because we had a tasting menu, but because the service was so slow. Our waitress was nice but her friendliness seemed a little bit fake. But i'm giving 4 stars b/c the food was all delicious. However, I don't know if it's worth it if I had paid retail. There were 2 types of bread, honey & some spiced/seeded one. I LOVED the honey bread and the butter with spices tasted so good. I ate 3 pieces of bread which is probably why I did not enjoy the meal as much as I should've...I was too full from bread!! The wild boar appetizer was not included in the dining plan and we had to pay extra from it, but because of the awesome reviews about it I just had to try it. The meat was very tender and the sauce was tasty. The tomatoes were cooked well. But I didn't find this appetizer as amazing as the other yelpers and sort of wished I didn't order it b/c I was already so stuffed. For the entree I got the braised short rib which was a delicious and slightly unique mix of flavors. Typically I don't like to mix my food, i tend to eat a little bit of everything. But for this dish it needed to be mixed together to show its full flavors. I usually don't like eating fat or tendon or anything and I did not taste any of those things in this dish. Although I'm sure there was some fat since the meat was so soft and juicy. For the dessert I had I believe it was called malva pudding which essentially was a cake. It was very moist and had a light flavor. I really liked it, it wasnt too sweet but tasted great. Overall I had a nice experience here. If only I wasn't full in the beginning of the meal from all of the bread!!

Sarah D.

Being a solo trip, I was able to grab a seat at the bar which offers the full menu. The bartender was friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable about the drink menu. They specialize in a selection of African wines, and the red blend I had was amazing! All I did was tell him what I like and he was able to pick the perfect wine for me. The atmosphere is gorgeous, if a little loud due to the number of families. But the restaurant is low-lit and I think you could also have a nice date here. I ordered off the appetizer menu and got the Taste of Africa - a selection of bread and dips, and the duck bobotie. The dips really blew me away with their flavor profiles, some sweet, some spicy, etc, and it was fun to figure out which of the three offered breads they were best with. The bobotie was slightly less impressive but had a very nice texture. It was basically a duck eggroll but I enjoyed anyway. I was able to have the two apps and a drink - a full meal for just me - at a very affordable amount at an upscale Disney restaurant. All in all I'm very impressed and can't wait to go back with friends to try the entrees!

Stephanie D.

Worth every penny. Dining does not get better than this, and you cannot go wrong with the menu.

Tai M.

We really loved Jiko and would definitely go back again. Out of the signature restaurants we dined at (Citricos, Le Cellier, Jiko, California Grill, Hollywood Brown Derby), Jiko was my husband's favorite meal and dining experience hands down. For me, it was a tie between Jiko and Citricos. The ambiance is nice - dimly lit, big windows, beautiful decor. Not too noisy. For dinner, everything was excellent - both service and food. We shared the duck spring rolls appetizer (they had another name) at the recommendation of the waiter. So glad we did. These were delicious. I wish we had more. The ground well-spiced duck paired nicely with the refreshing raita-like sauce and carrot slaw. I had a tilefish, which reminded me of flounder in consistency. The waiter recommended it, and I'm glad he did. Perfectly cooked and tender, and perfectly crispy maize coating. Sauce was light and tasty. My husband had lamb two ways - braised and a chop. I'm not a huge lamb eater and I loved the taste of both. For dessert, I had a lemon meringue sponge cake. It had the consistency of rum cake, great flavor and texture. Meringue peaks on top. Husband had the chocolate pot, which was not too sweet, not too rich. Had a pudding consistency. They brought me a small chocolate pot since it was my birthday. I ate the entire thing, in addition to my lemon dessert. They had a nice selection of African wines. You can truly immerser yourself in to the experience here at Jiko. We'll be back on our next trip!

Mandi S.

Jiko was one of the best meals I have ever had. The ambiance is very cool, relaxing and dark lit at dinner. We didn't wait long for our table & had a drin while we waited (some sort of martini that was wonderful. Our service was top notch, we wanted for nothing. I ordered the grouper and was delighted! My husband ordered some sort of steak and is still talking about it. I especially love this place because it has worldly foods for adults and kid friendlt meals as well. I can not wait to go back to Jiko!!

John R.

Go into Disney on time but late to dinner as reservation issues with the room got sorted out. After travel, etc, it was nice to finally sit down and relax to not only a great meal but also the beginning of the Disney experience. Since it is Disney you always have the best of both worlds around you -- meaning access to the higher end restaurant experience in an environment of selection that also manages to keep any kids at the table happy as well. I had the Botswana-style Seswaa Beef Short Rib for my main dish and was very satisfied. This, combined with the total experience of the meal from start to finish, will certainly put Jiko at one of the top must do picks for any return trips.

Liz W.

I am not the right person to write a review of Jiko. I live in downtown Orlando and I don't go to Disney unless I am forced. So I am not the usual person who would be eating here or loving all things Disney or comparing Jiko to other Disney restaurants. But since I spent some hours and a sum of money here, I might as well summarize. So, I guess this building is supposed to be something like a British lodge in colonial Africa. Why that is something we would want to have recreated for us, given the ugliness of that history, I am really not sure. But a lot of people seem to love it, so what do I know? There is a Pinterest site devoted to recreating British colonial design, so I seem to be in the minority in being offended by faux British sitting rooms filled with faux artifacts that faux colonizers brought back from Africa. I am also the only reviewer to be offended by the fact that Disney gathered all their brown employees together and dressed them in "African" garb and had them play the drums and pretend to be "African" as they welcome guests to Jiko. Our server, while brown, was clearly Pakistani and not from any part of Africa. But no one else seemed bothered by any of that. So, onward with the review. The restaurant is cavernous and decorated in dark woods. Basically, an African-themed Cheesecake factory. The menu consists of fish and ribs and lamb, all purportedly prepared according to some version of some African country's recipe. The fish I ordered was actually good and cooked well, and the stuffed squash blossom was delicious, but $40 was excessive. I will say that our service was truly excellent. Ron knew his wine, and was friendly and attentive without smothering us. Everything was timed well, and the service was well-coordinated, as you would expect of Disney. Would I go back? Not unless my Disney-loving friend had another important life event to celebrate. But if you are at Disney and eating rubber chicken and tater tots (or whatever it is that people eat at Disney), then this is probably a nice break. Not quite sure how to give appropriate stars for: offensive and overpriced, but well executed. Extra star for a nice hot towel service, though.

Kevin D.

AMAZING!!! Came for mothers day weekend with wife and daughter and the food, service, atmosphere were all amazing. I had the pork and my wife the filet and we both agreed it was possibly one of the best meals ever. The African spices were different but awesome. We will definitely come back again to try more of the amazing dishes.

Thomas B.

My brother, wife and I ate here Friday April 24th. We haven't been in a while but it has always been a favorite of mine, not my wife though. We sampled the African beers for drinks and we had the cheese plate for an appetizer, all of it was good. For our entrees my wife had the peri peri flathead that she really enjoyed, my brother had some tofu dish that he liked and my wife concurred. I had the coffee spice rubbed pork chop, which was flavorable and tasty but not real tender (good and bad). The biggest downside was the same bugaboo we always have had here...Service. I recognize that Jiko is a very slow dining experience, we like that, we don't like being ignored in favor of our waiters other tables though, which certainly seemed to be the case. I think creatively Jiko is one of the better Disney restaurants but it is a bit pricey and service always seems an issue though not major.

Nora M.

Pros: tasteful, flavorful & good food. Family atmosphere . Cons: Super limited and short menu. Waiter kept disappearing.

Paul W.

I honestly can't praise our experience here enough. This was, without a doubt, the most favorite of the restaurants my party of 4 patronized of the 20 or so we sampled during our 7-day stay. We were a LITTLE worried when we saw the dress code posted, since we arrived in casual Disney wear after a full day at Animal Kingdom, but they seated us with no problem since luckily none of us were wearing tank tops or flip flops, and the only thing they asked was that the men remove their hats. So, while shorts and T-shirt is OK for here, make sure you cover your feet. We were seated in the center of the place where we could see the cooking going on and all the intricate decor, and our waiter was extremely attentive and took all the time we needed recommending various dishes as well as the best wine pairings to go with them. Since we were using the dining plan, our orders were as varied as we could make them, and everything we got was cooked perfectly, appealing in its presentation, and had just the right balance of savory herbs to it. Boar and steak were tender, every bit of salad crispy, washed well, and refreshing, and mashed potato sides smooth and creamy. Even the artisan cheese plate was fresh and appealing. Of particular note is that even though the Truffle Mac & Cheese is no longer on the menu, they will still make it for you if you ask for it...something I did not know before having a conversation with a stranger while waiting in line for Expedition Everest. And it was VERY worth it...yummy! Of course, if you're not on the dining plan you will be paying quite the pretty penny to eat here, easily over $100 a person, especially if you add wine, which I do recommend. But if you're only going to indulge one place for a meal, this is where you want to do it.

Yesi T.

From the moment you arrive at Jiko you are treated like royalty. The service is impeccable! I was seated at the "Chef's Table" and it was nice being able to talk to the chefs there and getting their suggestions. They were very informative, funny, and entertaining. Marty was my waiter. Very friendly and knowledgable about the menu and wine list. I had the Spicy Botswana-style "Seswaa" Beef Short Rib and to me it wasn't anything out of this world. The meat was tender and it was tasty but honestly my Grandma's beef stew tastes very similar to this and it's cheaper. Lol. I understand it's a fine dining experience and the restaurant is beautiful and all but for the portion size and overall food I still think it's overpriced.

Someone A.

I came here as part of the "Wanyama Safari" where they take out on the Savannah for a tour and then you get to have an amazing dinner here. The food was absolutely delicious! The place is gorgeous and the ambiance is so elegant. I liked that they have a dress code, so that it maintains that sophisticated feel. We got African wine pairings with our food and they tasted incredible. All of the food was delicious; if you are deciding on what side to order, chose the Mac & Cheese... Trust me! The only thing I didn't like was the Chef's attitude when he came out to talk to us and describe the meal courses, he seemed aggravated and spoke very softly. I sent a letter to Disney about that, because for $190 per person, I expect "Disney personality" from every cast member! But if you are just eating dinner there, you won't have to interact with the chef, so you won't have a problem with that. I strongly recommend this restaurant!

Jeanine L.

Perfect birthday celebration! It's been 12 years since we've eaten at Jiko and so glad we made our way back. We were seated in the wine room and we enjoyed being in a cozier area. My daughter started with the carrot soup and it was delicious. Her entree was the Lamb two ways. Perfectly cooked to medium rare and the pulled lamb was very flavorful. My husband always tries anything with duck. The Bobotie roll didn't disappoint. Its accompanied with a spicy rata. I enjoyed the Beet salad. Wonderfully fresh and earthy. Loved the crispy figs! The Short ribs were cooked perfectly. They are prepared off the bone and very tender, no need for a knife. It had a spicy sauce as a garnishment. The Sablefish was mild, buttery and melted in my mouth. It was amazing! We paired our meals with the featured South African wines. If you eat at Jiko I recommend getting the Kenyan AA pressed pot. The coffee is smooth and bold. The Malva pudding was a bread pudding and paired with the lemon curd was yummy. My favorite was the Pot de Creme with the almond Creme. If you're a chocolate lover you can't pass this one by. It was smooth and creamy and the almond Creme paired so well. It was the perfect end to a wonderful meal.

Joanna N.

As a foodie and disney snob, I must say that Jiko is my absolute favorite restaurant on Disney property and also one of my top dining experiences of all time. Ambiance, food, service -- everything was absolutely impeccable. The restaurant itself is quite beautiful. Huge, with a very modern decor and open kitchen. They have a bunch of these bird sculptures hanging from the solid blue ceiling and gigantic, vibrantly colored bread ovens. We had come for a 5:30 reservation and were seated immediately next to the windows that overlooked this beautiful rocky water feature with a bunch of swimming ducks in it! Our waitress was so personable and fun to chat with -- we spent quite a bit of time exchanging stories! We ordered: Artisanal Cheese Selection -- Solid cheese plate with a a great variety. The "tasting" portions were rather big! The accompaniments all paired very nicely with each individual cheese. My favorite was the "Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert - US (Blend)." It had a very creamy buttery taste, yum. Jiko salad -- One of the best salads I've ever had. The peppery mizuna greens worked so well with the blackberry vinegrette. The goat cheese and melon bits also gave each bite a refreshing burst of contrasting but complimenting flavors! South-African Vetkoek -- These were described as naan pastries. Think samosas! There were three of them and had accompanying chutneys -- One was rabbit, one was a coconut-egg curry and the last was a vegetable curry. Delicious! So fluffy but crispy at the same time. My favorite was the coconut-egg curry paired with the mango chutney! Roxanne's Kitfo Leb Leb Flatbread - yum! Flatbread was nice and toasty. The beef carpaccio was so tender. With the greens and goat cheese, it had such a great balance of flavors! Spicy Botswana-style "Seswaa" Beef Short Rib - their signature. Absolutely amazing!! The beef was melt in your mouth. The mushrooms it came with were so fresh and flavorful. It also came with this potato puree and a sambal sauce that I wish there were more of! Gave the whole dish a nice spicy kick. We had split this and finished it in about 5 minutes, haha. Lastly, Chocolate and Tea Safari -- This was a chocolate cake topped with a vanilla rooibos flavored mousse and came with a "kit kat" and a scoop of green tea ice cream. I love vanilla-rooibos!! The mousse was so light and creamy with a distinct tea flavor and worked so well with the chocolate cake which was dense, but not too sweet. The green tea ice cream complimented it quite nicely. The kit-kat bar was okay. It tasted like a better version of a Crunch candy bar, hha. Overall, excellent experience. I've tried 70% of the restaurants on property so far and Jiko remains my #1. P.S. -- Now that I think about it, I've had excellent meals at the handful of African inspired restaurants that I've dined at.. -- Wish there were more options in NYC!

Ali D.

Such a classy, beautiful, romantic restaurant. We had the wild boar appetizer (small portion but delicious and so tender), bbq chicken flatbread (don't waste your time/money/appetite), and the filet mignon (with couscous and asparagus - AMAZING!) and we were blown away. Overall, highly recommend.

Bill S.

Being a DVC owner and from NYC, when I vacation in Disney for dining, I'm expecting the best the Disney hospitality company has to offer. Trust me, I've had my share of family dinners at Ohana. (which is great) When the kids are doing their thing, the weather is perfect and I have a free moment, I'd like to have a quite dinner alone with my wife on our family vacation. Jiko is at the top of my dining choice list. They have South African wines that rival European wines and the cooking! OMG, the spices and flavors are something that can't be compared to other resort restaurants. I'm not a fan of Riesling, my wife is and orders a glass. I ordered a nice South African Pinot noir that knocked my socks off. We both started with a huge Shrimp Cocktail that came with Prawns, Grilled Octopus and Caviar. Amazing. We also order the Artisanal Cheese plate which is always a favorite. I'm starting to get full and our meal hasn't come yet. I'm sitting and just admiring the restaurant decor. Its very intimate and tastefully decorated. If you're thinking character meals, you need to have an adult dinner at Jiko. Our meals come out, I ordered the pan-seared scallops and my wife orders the Monkfish. I was pretty packed and the scallops were just the right amount. My wife says her Monkfish gave her a bellyache the next day. I tasted it, I was fine and she's not writing this review! Overall, Jiko is one of our top favorite restaurants at Disney.

Brian W.

You have to make reservations ahead of time. Although, if you really beg because your kids are starving they may bend the rules. The pricing for the food is priced ok for a Disney resort. Could have more African flavors to choose versus a few dishes

Erin M.

My husband and I recently went to Jiko for an amazing dinner. We checked in early and were seated quickly. Our waiter was attentive and personable. We did use the dining plan (2 sit down meals, although it was 1 when we made the reservation a few months ago) but we were aware of this change before we attended diner. The Tusker beer was recommended and my husband enjoyed it, African wine options were appealing and I tasted 2 options. The bread tasting appetizer was fun, my husband had a fabulous filet and I had the scallops which were well prepared. The hotel is fun to walk around and we had drinks at the pool bar after dinner and saw animals through night vision glasses ( activity I found out by asking what we could do there). We did have to take a taxi back to our hotel but it is possible to We take multiple buses to a different things. I would love to return here and highly recommend it if you like to try new things.

Richie L.

One of the best restaurants at Walt Disney World. Such unique flavors. Started with the Taste of Africa which featured three kinds of bread (including Naan) and four dips. Yummy start. For the entree we had the Botswana Beef Short Ribs. So tender and tasty with three kinds of sauces. Our waiter Giovanni was excellent too. I admit it is pricey but for those special occasions or every now and then it is so worth it.

Andrew G.

This is the second time my family and I have dined here, the first being 5 years ago. Our first time it was a novelty and the meal was good enough to not detract from the fun time we had. It wasn't very memorable to be honest. This time around it was wholly disappointing. Jiko draws much of its appeal and charm from being an "extremely authentic" African dining experience, as our waiter put it. And therein lies the first of a handful of major problems. The restaurant boasted of how many employees they had that were born and raised in Africa, and that this made their food increasingly authentic. This seemed charming and promising as we were introduced to a young and witty employee that had only spent a month or so in the USA. He told us stories of the application process for the Disney exchange program, and he said he was leaving to get our drinks and Jiko pulled a bait and switch on us. We looked up from the menu a moment later expecting to see the charming young South African man only to be greeted by a brusque and pushy waiter from "New Yawk." After a confused scan of the rest of the restaurant, it became obvious that the only African staff present were the hosts and the busboys/girls. An expensive restaurant such as this shouldn't rush you because a luxurious dining experience moves along at a measured pace, letting the customers savor the experience. Instead the New Yawk waiter who tapped in for the South African "waiter" was surprisingly unpleasant and rushed us. The waiter that Jiko substituted for us would have been right at home at a diner in NYC, pushy and intolerant of anybody wanting to take their time with their meal or curious about the specials. The food was disturbingly hit or miss for a restaurant with such high ratings and prices. I had the halibut and it was the size of the slice of Kraft American cheese--about 4" x4" on top of a bed of cold, undercooked vegetables which were tasteless. The short ribs were delicious as was the lamb. I gave it two stars instead of one because the entrees that were palatable were very good. The chicken and cous cous had so much cinnamon that it was inedible and my fiancé had to send it back. I genuinely think the lid may have come off the cinnamon container in the kitchen. Totally inedible. When it came back it was much better but the chicken was strangely cooked both times. Slimy in some places and dry in others. Overall it was a disappointing experience. Once the novelty of the "extremely authentic" cuisine and staff quickly wore off, the ill-prepared food reared its ugly head and the experience never recovered. If you're not using the Disney Dining plan, steer clear of the Russian Roulette of miniscule entrees that all cost $45+. tl;dr Very expensive. Terrible value. Jiko's novelty wore off quickly due to cold food that was, in separate cases, tasteless and over-seasoned to the point of being inedible. We ordered five entrees: all were very small (especially for being $45+), two tasted good, two were cold and tasteless, and one had enough cinnamon to make my fiancé gag and cough and send the dish back. I genuinely think the lid came off the cinnamon container on her food. We left the restaurant feeling dejected, wishing we had spent the $360 worth of Disney Dining meals somewhere else...

Katherine C.

Excellent willingness to work with food allergies: Chef came out several times to talk with us about our allergies and menu options. We did not feel that the taste was sacrificed based on our necessary modifications to their African-inspired cuisine. It was all delicious and unique. Great service. Excellent wine options. The changing colors of the back wall to resemble a sunset were beautiful. Disney-romantic atmosphere.

Carlos R.

Without a doubt one of my favorite fine dining experiences at Walt Disney World, Jiko combines expertly-crafted cuisine and fine wines (much of it unfamiliar to American audiences) with exemplary service. Of course, this is Disney, and even if you're a Cast Member and have a discount, you're still probably paying through the nose, right? It's worth it. If you're on the Dining Plan, and your party is made up of adventurous diners, this is precisely the kind of meal you should be spending your points on. There are plenty of "safe" options of kids as well, should that be a factor. I have been fortunate enough to come here multiple times to try different entrees and appetizers, and you simply can not go wrong, from the Taste of Africa appetizer and bobotie rolls, to pork tenderloin and braised beef short rib and flatbreads. If you're a Disney old-timer and remember a dish they used to serve, like the "special mac and cheese", they'll quietly serve you that, too, but prepare for the extra charge. But honestly, just go with whatever sounds good to your palate.

Sherri P.

Very expensive but delicious! Loved the Wild Boar starter, the Filet Mignon & Harissa Chicken! Dessert of Cherries & Pistachio Cake (no sugar added) was delectable!

Jen G.

Jiko- more like jik-tastic! Amazing dining experience. The food and wait staff are wonderful. The Black Pearl is a great red blend wine. Appetizers are delicious, order the chicken flat bread! Our party shared multiple dishes, monkfish tastes like lobster, filet mignon was flawless and the desserts were equally scrumptious! Don't worry if you have kids with you, their menu is wonderful for the pickiest of eaters! Three cheers for Jiko! So much better than the buffets! Worth every penny!

Jeff H.

Wonderful place for dinner! The avocado custard cake for dessert is absolutely delicious! must get! The main course was fantastic as well - we ordered the short ribs (which came bone-free) and the scallops which were perfect, fresh and tasty.

Dakota W.

We had a very good experience here at Jiko. Of course there were some loud kids at an almost 5 star restaurant but it is disney what do you expect. The food was pretty good. The food had me tasting some african traditions. They use cinnamon in most of there cooking, and almost all foods have a sweet an tangy taste. Overall, it was a very good restaurant.

Shad C.

Wonderful restaurant! Complex flavors in every dish I had. Sitting at bar with the chefs is a lovely experience. You learn so much about the dishes. It was a lovely experience. Highly recommend.

Katie K.

Such an amazing experience. We started with the Taste of Africa and loved it! My boyfriend had the secret menu item Filet Mignon with Mac and Cheese and I had the short ribs for our main courses. We loved both of our items! They made a mistake and gave our food to another table but they came out and apologized for the mixup. They gave us a peach and ginger sorbet to sample as we waited. It was all absolutely wonderful. I would definitely recommend the short ribs to anyone who dines here. We will be back!

Blake W.

Definitely one of the better places at Disney...not the best but one of the better ones. Also, if you're not staying at Jambo House (where the restaurant is located), you may not know the resort has a savanna with a large variety of African animals that roam the savanna. Unfortunately the restaurant has no views of this but its still cool. We went last year and I thought the food was a "C". This year I noticed a big improvement. The fish was great, the apps were good, and the filet was about what you'd expect. The atmosphere is pretty cool (as are most expensive Disney restaurants). It is African inspired as well as the food. The service was at par. Overall it was a pretty good experience but good food. Nothing mind blowing but certainly worth a visit.

Prithi D.

I literally take everyone I know here. Love everything from the bread with tandoori butter to the African inspired vegetable dish. Service is always awesome!!!

Christina L.

One of the best restaurants I've ever had in the Disney food industry! Jiko is an African flavor restaurant that has a gorgeous interior and a wide variety of food choices to try. I highly recommend making a reservation beforehand (we made ours several months in advanced before our vacation). We tried the flat bread and their crispy duck bobotie roll. The Peri peri roasted chicken flat breads flavor was good, but definitely try the bobotie and make sure to top with the veggies and sauce it comes with to make it delicious. My boyfriend and I had the sockeye copper river salmon and the beef short ribs. Both were cooked perfectly with good side pairings. Desserts were okay but not the best, but we has the lavender creme brûlée which had good flavor and the pistachio and cherry trifle. If I HAD to bring up downfalls, we were seated in an area where we can see a majority of the kitchen through the kitchen doors, and a part of my salmon had a couple pin bones I had to pull out. However, customer service was ok and the food was amazing and definitely worth it. I will definitely be coming back when we come back to Orlando for another vacation. Excellent food and great atmosphere.

Cathryn G.

I live very close to Disney and have eaten at every restaurant on property. Jiko is definitely a favorite. They used to serve the filet with some wicked awesome mac n cheese. Now they serve it with this corn spoon bread stuff. I was worried I would miss the mac n cheese, but the spoon bread is super good as well. However, last time I was there they would still give you the mac n cheese if you asked. For an appetizer they have this Taste of Africa dish that is really good, and the soups change every so often, but every soup I've had here has been good.

Sheri P.

Make no mistake about it, this restaurant is outstanding. From the service to the wine selection and everything in between. It is no secret that you don't got to Disney World for gourmet food, but this is truly a hidden gem. We ate here the very first night of our stay and it was so good, we went back the last night too. The atmosphere is very cool. Really neat wine racks with an amazing selection of wines from South Africa. The lighting changes very gradually every 15 minutes or so, from sunrise to sunset. It is very subtle. They have metal sculptures hanging from the ceiling as if birds are flying over head. When you first sit they bring house rolls, with a delicious house made butter. That was so incredibly flavorful. Then the bring you a little tasting spoon of a yummy little treat. We started our meal with Inguday Tibs in Brik as an appetizer. Mushroom, Spinach, and Cheese in crispy Tunisian Filo with Apples and Curry Vinaigrette Next came the Jiko Salad Poached Pears, Heirloom Spinach, Kabocha Squash, and Pear Vinaigrette with Pumpkin Seed and Black Lentil Brittle I had the Lamb Two Ways Autumn Vegetables, Pumpkin Seed Duqqa, Grilled Olive Ciabatta, and Mango Demi-glace The others in my party opted for the signature dish, Oak-grilled Filet Mignon Grass-fed Beef, Pole Beans, Spoon Bread, and South African Red Wine Sauce, Every bite, better than the last. Then came dessert. Ghanaian Chocolate and Kenyan Coffee Pot de Crème Almond Crème with Almond Crunch and Raspberries. I can't even describe to you how good this was. Another nice touch was that when we sent compliments to the chef, he graciously, and personally came out an thanked us. If you enjoy trying different types of food, don't miss out on this incredible restaurant at The Jambo House at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was a wonderful experience. Make sure you try the carrot soup with black garlic ice cream. I had it the second night, and I am so happy that I did. We already made reservations for dinner here on our next Disney Trip.

Karen P.

I am not a fan of Disney and the crowds that often accompany Disney attractions. So it was with some trepidation that I made a reservation at Jiko. The yelp reviews were so good but I was put off by the amount of information Disney demanded when I made an online reservation. Disney now has my address, phone number and birthday...all for a restaurant reservation. Nonetheless on the eve of the dinner, I followed the circuitous google maps directions to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to meet friends which live in the area. Upon walking down the stairs to the restaurant, I was surprised to see a buffet - not the fine dining experience that I had hoped for. I then realized that it was another restaurant, packed very close to Jiko and full of families waiting for a table (Disney makes good use of space). i was happy to see that Jiko was quieter. I started with the Beet salad which was a plate featuring 3 types of beets, salad greens and a mild cheese with a mild dressing. It was very good The Tofu samosas were very good as well. The wine list featured only South African wines, a region of which I have limited knowledge. The list is not published online so I wasn't able to research the wines ahead of time. We originally ordered another diner's recommended wine but found our waiter had a much broader knowledge. He was very helpful in selecting a wine that we really enjoyed, a Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch.

Hion L.

Sometimes Disney ends up saving me money. Instead of booking a trip to Africa, all I had to do was book a dinner at Jiko. Of course, there is no way that I can tell if the food is authentic, but I will prescribe to the "ignorance is bliss" theme. The decor is elegant (aka premium prices) and you feel like you really have been transported to the Serengeti and are now awaiting your meal at your bush camp. The only telltale sign that may indicate otherwise are all the tourists in their Disney souvenir garb at the buffet just across. The only way I can describe African cuisine, which I know I am generalizing, is a melting pot of Mediterannean, Middle Eastern and Indian flavors. We started withthe Taste of Africa which is a bread basket. They give you a card that describes everything you are eating. The basket we got that night was composed of pappadom, poppy seed lavash, and naan. Accompanying it were 4 dips that were each uniques in flavor. I could go into describing them in detail, but really, you will probably end up calling them by color like we did - the red sauce, the green, red with green specks, and tan. The red was my favorite, it had a bit of kick to it. Looking around, almost every table had a wood-fired flatbread. So we picked the pickled artichoke which had sun dried tomatoes, piquillo peppers, goat cheese, ricotta, and parmesan (and the namesake of course.) It was such a great starter being relatively light. The crispy beef bobotie roll came next. This reminded me between the love child of a taquito and egg roll. The filling inside was a ground beef mixture with a mild spice mix, with a hint of curry seasoning and a touch of sweetness. For the entree, I went with Chad A's recommendation of Seared Barberie duck breast. It was served medium rare and very tender. The port emulsion was a great pairing adding a bit of sweetness. My wife ordered the Bunny Chow and Falafel which was the only vegetarian option for entrees. The name was the most exciting part of the dish. Jiko represents a uniques semi-formal dining option that really lets you taken in the dramatic scenery of the Wilderness Lodge. The only thing missing is the Hakuna Matata song playing in the background.

Chris C.

Great ambience. Great food. Highly recommend this place if you're visiting Disneyworld. Appetizers: Wild boar tenderloin - delicious, wish the portion was bigger though! Chicken flatbread - good, average Entrees Filet Mignon - AMAZEBALLS. Get it. Medium rare cooked to perfection. Went with Mac and cheese per yelp advice but ended up ordering a side of the spoon bread ( $3.50) which I wish I just ordered in the first place. They changed the menu for a reason! Beef short rib - good but not $40+ good. I think I'm spoiled with great short ribs in Asian food culture so it takes a lot for short ribs to stand out. Monkfish - brother in law loved it. It was okay for me. Not a huge fan of monkfish texture. Would definitely come back and get the filet again! Service was excellent (Ryan took care of us) from start to finish. Make sure to make reservations!

YJ L.

Im giving this place 5 stars( in the realm of disney dining) for one reason and one reason only.. they had hot sauce! Ok seriously this is the only restaurant that dabbles in flavor all of the other disney dining options have that same one dimensional bland taste. I am assuming Disney does this to cater to the average patron that dines at their restaurant: obese mid westerners.... But for me, burgers and fries won't cut it. I will say that their food was good, but even here it was definitely not what I would call authentic, most of the spices have been taken down a few notches to taste more americanized. Even so, i definitely enjoyed the food here, partially because they had hot sauce. Side story: I asked the guy for some red pepper for my pizza and he said they didnt have any, so then I asked for hot sauce. He said," OOhh, we do have a very unique hot sauce but it is verrrrry spicy." So i got all excited and waited.. then i saw what he brought out... Sriracha. hahahah anyway made me laugh. Oh one other thing,we enjoyed an ammmazing south african white wine here, I don't remember the name but it realllly was great. Definitely give this place a try if your sick of all the bland food disney is trying to feed you. Another plus is there aren't too many kids here and the ambience is really nice. Cheers!

Gabe M.

Service was excellent. My filet mignon was a bit fatty, and was not cooked evenly. I think my friends' filets were ok because they didn't have to chew as long as I did. :) Wine selection is nice. Environment and ambience is really nice...and very quiet. Perfect break from the parks. Being a Disney restaurant, be prepared for a pricey bill...but a memorable culinary experience. None of the dips or foods are very spicy. Definitely recommend the Taste of Africa to split as an appetizer and maybe a flatbread of you're really hungry. Our waiter tried to up sell us on some wine but we had already made up our minds. We told him we would taste his recommendation and compare to ours...and ended up going with the less expensive and nicer-tasting wine somehow. I would definitely come back for a special occasion to try more.

Sara M.

My favorite restaurant on Earth. Period. I honestly wish I could give more than 5 stars to Jiko. It is so well-deserved. The ambiance, the service, the FOOD, everything is perfectly tied together in this amazing find. I would have never tried this place if it wasn't for my husband. Usually when I see a restaurant in a resort I skip right over it... but this is Disney World and everything is top notch. I've been to Jiko twice now and my experience both times (first in October 2011 and second in March 2015) was exactly the same. Outstanding. I love going to restaurants where you are not rushed. In Disney World, especially, I want to enjoy my time wherever I am. The servers recommended delicious wine to pair with our orders. Of course we wanted to try everything - appetizers to desserts - and the food was delicious all around. The filet mignon at Jiko is the best filet mignon I've ever tried. Perfectly coupled with delicous, creamy macaroni and cheese and fresh, crispy green beans. The perfect bite of food. I wish I had some right now. My only complaint is that I live in NJ and wish I could visit this restaurant a lot more often. Try it! You will not be disappointed.

Emily R.

For my 800th review I decided to save it for a restaurant we enjoyed for our anniversary dinner while at Disney World. We decided to make reservations at Jiko based on all the great reviews. Using our Disney Dining Plan, we knew in advance that it would count as two table service meals on our plan. The restaurant has a slight dress code. Men and women are recommended to wear dress shorts or nicer and although no coat is required for men. We arrived a few minutes early for our 7pm reservation so we checked in at the hostess podium and decided to get a drink at their bar. The bar is quite small, but luckily there were two seats available for us to sit while we waited. Our drinks had just arrived when we were notified that our table was ready. We were seated quickly and water and drink orders were taken. Complimentary bread was also brought to our table. The bread was interesting, but the tandoori butter was what really caught our attention. It was very flavorful, with a hint of sweetness and tangy flavor that we both enjoyed. For dinner, I decided on the shot ribs while my fella ordered the filet. The waitress brought us an amuse of ostrich while we waited and this had some very interesting flavors. Not my favorite text-wise, but it was definitely a burst of flavors that I wasn't used to, but I liked it. My fella was a big fan of this dish. Our entrees came out quickly after that and they were very pretty and well-presented. My shortrib was extremely moist and well-seasoned. I'm not well-versed in African cuisine so a lot of the flavors were very new to me. I really enjoyed most of them and hope to get more accustomed to the others that weren't really doing it for me this time. My fella's steak was also well-cooked and seasoned. Both dishes were enjoyable. For dessert I opted for the cheesecake while my fella got the chocolate and tea safari. By far, the desserts were my least favorite dishes of the meal. I took a small bite from each and didn't care for them at all. The flavors just weren't for me and they were just too extraordinarily sweet for me to enjoy. My fella enjoyed them quite a bit and polished off his dessert before eating about half of mine. I do find it important to note that this was the only restaurant during our stay at Disney World that didn't congratulate us on our anniversary or give us a special treat despite it being the only restaurant we called ahead to let them know we were celebrating. If you're celebrating a special occasion, might be important to keep on top of them or remind them when you arrive. Overall, the food and ambiance were very nice and we would definitely be interested in trying the place again. African cuisine is known for being before flavorful with unique tastes and flavors and this is what you get here at Jiko.

Lloyd M.

By far the best restaurant at Disney, and I have tried many of the signature ones. Started with the duck rolls, which were great. My friends had the set of African dips, which were also fantastic, vibrant with very different flavors. I also really enjoyed their bread, served with an excellent curry butter. For an entree, I had short ribs, a dish I always like but that was prepared perfectly here. It was a tremendous dish. Finished it with a sugar free dessert, which was probably the weakest link but still excellent. I also had a fantastic bottle of wine (The Missing Virgin) and was impressed at the breadth and depth of wines available for under $60/bottle. I have tried California Grill and several other signature restaurants but next time at Disney, my first stop will be Jiko.

Devin R.

After not being able to get a decent reservation time at California Grill, my wife and I were looking for another decent option to go to for one of our last nights at Disney. Jiko was very highly rated, so we gave this a try and were not disappointed. Jiko is the upscale option at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you haven't been, you really need to get there extra early and spend some time exploring the grounds. The hotel lobby is really beautiful and has lots to see inside. You have to go out back and see the animal viewing area. If it's after dark, I would also cross to the far end of the back patio area and they have a ranger with some night vision goggles so you can see the animals milling about in the distance. Pretty cool. The restaurant, as you would expect, has a lot of African-inspired art and decorations. There is a tiny bar near the entrance with just a few seats. My wife was pregnant on this trip, so we didn't spend too much time here, but might on a future trip as they have a lot of unique drinks to choose from here. (Which, in my opinion, Disney could do a better job of, as you'll tend to see the same handful of drinks at just about every restaurant.) I had the Mount Kilmarita, a margarita variation which was pretty tasty. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. The service was very attentive throughout the night, though I found her to be a bit devoid of emotion. Maybe I'm a bit heavy on the expectations, but I feel like at a place like this where I'm paying top dollar, you should get a memorable service experience in addition to a memorable food one. I recall being very impressed at the California Grill. Anyhow, we started with Taste of Africa, which is an assortment of dips and breads and was a good way to experience a lot of different flavors on one dish. Having not eaten much African-inspired food living in the New England area, I wanted to challenge myself with this one, so for the main course I went with the monkfish, which was served whole in a tomato-based sauce with potatoes. This made for an outstanding presentation, and was really flavorful. It wasn't the easiest thing to eat having to pick through the bones, and weeding out a lot of the smaller ones, but I was pretty happy to have given that a try. If I go back, I would probably get the filet that the wife ordered and the flavor of the red wine sauce with it was off the charts. Really awesome. So if you're forced to be down at Disney and want to try something different, tasteful and memorable, you will probably not be disappointed with Jiko.

Ryan Z.

I loved this place. I was a bit concerned that Disney would dumb-down the African cuisine for generic American palettes, but I think they struck the right balance with a very interesting menu that will have something for everyone. We were forewarned that this "signature" restaurant had a dress code so we specifically went back to the hotel to change, but that (sadly) was not necessary. The dark, elegant dining room was filled with a plethora of shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops. The hostesses all were from Southern Africa, and they greeted us with a warm smile, and upon seating, we were given a lavender-scented washcloth to clean our hands - a nice touch! I have to say that the fish I enjoyed at Jiko was some of the best I have every had in my life. I also had my first Tusker House beer which I would recommend. Jiko was definitely the highlight of a week of dining at Disney World and you would be remiss not to dine here at least once.

Victoria K.

Jiko is hands down one of my favorite Disney restaurants. I think my top two would be a tie between Jiko and Flying Fish Cafe. Not only does a visit to Jiko come with the incredible ambiance of a visit to the gorgeous Animal Kingdom Lodge (a resort where I hope to stay one day), but it features some of the best and most creative food you can get for your money on Disney property. The vault of wines at Jiko is the largest selection of South African wines outside of South Africa. If you're a wino, this is the place for you! My sister and I both enjoyed delicious glasses of Shiraz during our meal, which started with a selection of delicious breads with Tandoori butter and an amuse bouche of sweet potato gnocchi. We were definitely going good places with this introduction to the restaurant. Furthermore, we ordered a couple of starters. First and foremost, you MUST try one of their flatbreads. They are famous for them, and I'm sure any variety you choose with be exquisite. We tried one topped with Kobuto squash and kalamata olives and absolutely loved it. We also ordered a side of their famous macaroni and cheese. It was deliciously cheesy. Unfortunately, I started to get kinda full from all the delicious starters and had quite the challenge to finish my entree! I went with the very popular maize-crusted corvina, which is essentially a cornmeal crusted fish. It was prepared perfectly and paired with a delicious creamy tomato and butter sauce and crisp vegetables. The dish was fantastic, and I regret my stomach's failure to finish what it started. My sister ordered the short ribs (which I believe change in their preparation style from season to season). She said they were the best short ribs she has ever had. I took a bite and would not argue with her. They were fantastic. As a final treat for my birthday, our waitress brought over a little duo of two of their current dessert selections. One one side was their Kenyan coffee creme brulee topped with koeksisters (or little donuts), and on the other was their white chocolate cheesecake. Even though we were full, we sampled bites of these delicious sweets and were so grateful for the opportunity to try dessert (against our stomachs' wishes). And of course, in true Disney fashion, the service at Jiko is excellent. I truly cannot wait until I get another opportunity to dine at Jiko, and hopefully this time lick my plate clean!

Bernard C.

What a wonderful dining experience...had a Pork Tenderloin that was just out of this world...wine was delightful & the service was was superb!!!! Highly recommend

John P.

Jiko could have been so much better, but slow service and poorly cooked food ruined our experience. The setting is beautiful, inside is really nice. We made reservations which I would highly recommend. We were a party of 4 and spent 3 hours here, didn't do anything special, I just felt that they wanted you to really take your time. We all had the dining plan and keep in mind its two points unless you are on premium in which case its one point per person. We had the scallops, chicken and filet. All food came out as requested with the exception of my fathers Filet. He specifically asked the server if ordering the Filet medium well would result in a well done steak, she explained that the cooks are amazing and it would have a warm pink center. The steak came and it was more than well done. I pushed on it with my finger (an easy test for steak doneness) and could easily tell that it was well. I am confused as to why, at a signature dining option a cook, expo or QC person could let this slip. There really is no excuse for over cooked steaks. We told the server, but didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for a new steak so my father just ate it. She was apologetic, nothing really she could do. They comped him his glass of wine which wasn't included on the dining plan dinner. The wine was terrible as well.

Alexander R.

It's been about two months since I've eaten at Jiko, and I cannot stop thinking about it. The ambiance was amazing, not too much of a caricature of African culture like much of the Animal Kingdom lodge, but an elevated dining experience. We were sat in this small room off the beaten path even with reservations, which was a shame, because they had some great tables open in the middle of the restaurant. Started with some this sweet red wine, was blown away by its taste profile. Would highly recommend the wild boar - it was a melt-in-your mouth treat, and my date lamented that she hadn't ordered it. The beef short rib was to die for. Cooked perfectly, by this point I was gone into a strange, new world of flavor. I can't remember what dessert I had for the life of me because I think I blacked out from how amazing it was. The service was incredibly detailed and our waiter was extremely attentive. His recommendations were choice, and I don't think I would have ordered my meal any other way. My overall experience was really great here, and the small things didn't detract from the food, service, and atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

Angie L.

last time we stay at the animal kingdom lodge i wanted to try this place, but there are so many restaurants in disney that we didn't have time to eat here. however on this trip i was determined to try jiko and i wished i had eaten here the first time i was in orlando! it was such good food and wonderful service. the atmosphere was amazing and very peaceful. we have never had african food so we were eager to try anything. unfortunately the whole menu looked fantastic! we ended up getting the boar and chicken flat bread for appetizers - both of which were phenomenal! i could have had the flat bread as my meal itself it was that good. i got the monk fish and my bf got the short ribs both also excellent. overall an amazing meal and i can't wait to come back to try the other items on their menu!

Leo M.

Wonderful - but just not up to snuff Jiko is the signature dining restaurant at the Jambo House and focuses on African food and wines. We had dined here a few years ago with our children but this was our first opportunity to eat here as a couple. The boar appetizer is one of the restaurant's signature dishes and its status is well deserved - it is delicious. The lamb served two ways was equally delightful - flavorful and meaty with wonderful sides. The Jiko Salad was worth ordering...but not fabulous. The Taste of Africa was just OK - I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try poppy seed lavash but most of the dips were boring and the other breads were dry and flavorless. No where near as tasty as the bread dish at Sanaa. And we found both of the desserts to be less than they should be - the chocolate/coffee pot de creme was particularly disappointing. All in all, Jiko just isn't up to the level of most of the other Disney resort signature restaurants. I can't imagine travelling to Jamba House to dine here. And even if you are staying at AKL, Sanaa is better and Boma is much cheaper. The only circumstances under which I would recommend Jiko are the ones we had - you found someone to care for your children (or are travelling without them) and the nicer, quieter, more romantic atmosphere of Jiko justifies the experience.

Billy S.

If you've never been to Jiko you must go. The atmosphere is amazing. The service is exceptional. And the food is like nothing you've ever had before. My wife and I have been there on many occasions and have loved it every time. It's a well themed but very elegant restaurant. My biggest recommendation would be to order the Taste of Africa appetizer. Enjoy. :)

Patrick I.

Jiko was an amazing dining experience. You are treated like a king from the moment you walk in the door. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable when it came to the menu. The wile boar tenderloin appetizer was a home run. I also recommend the tibs with shaved apples. As for the dinner, the filet is top notch and as tasty as anything I have ever had. Lastly, my daughter had a terrific children's steak that was tasty. Highly recommend!!

Tawny L.

Reading the rave reviews of this restaurant, I was excited to bring my family here on my Disney trip. Getting reservations was easy. The restaurant is location inside Animal Kingdom next to their buffet. While we waited for our reservation time, my family and I explored the safari in the back and saw a bunch of animals. The decor of the restaurant was beautiful. Our waiter explained to us that the lighting changes colors throughout the night to mimic the sun setting in Africa. The area was spacious and it definitely didn't feel like I was in Florida anymore. The service was ok. The server did not seem enthusiastic at all and just went through his script. He was pleasant though, but I would expect more from a restaurant that's trying to be a 5 star. We got the Jiko salad as an appetizer. That's hard to mess up since it's just salad. I ordered the prawns. The flavor and presentation was really good. My only complaint is that it was overcooked. The prawn wasn't succulent and juicy at all. It was still edible. My family enjoyed their dishes though. They ordered the Wild Boar tenderloin and the Short Rib. Again, the seasoning and flavoring was really good, but it wasn't cooked the way we would have liked it. It's as if the chef's were so afraid we'd all get food poisoning from undercooked meat that they over compensated. My mom got the yellowtail. The fish was flaky, but it's harder to overcook this fish because of its fat content. She enjoyed it but said that she liked her fish from the Fish Grill we went to the night before much better. For a disney restaurant, it was really good and it is 5 stars if we only compared it with other high-end disney eateries. However, having eaten in other diverse U.S food capitals like New York, Chicago, LA and S.F, the food and service is just not worth the cost. I'd trade in my meal here for an Earl's Sandwich in downtown disney any day.

Andrew T.

Jiko features beautiful decor and beautifully prepared dishes with an African theme. Yes, there's some Mediteranean and Indian influence in there too! but as a Midwestern American I'm always excited to try new exotic favors. Gluten free eating here was really easy and wonderful. We enjoyed the Taste of Africa appetizer on gluten free unleavened crackers that were quite tasty. The lamb two ways and filet mignon were excellent. I had the maize-crusted monkfish and it was one of the best pieces of fish I have ever eaten. The creme brûlée was quite good, infused with Kenyan coffee and topped with a citrus-y whipped cream. A little fu-fu to be sure but yummy all the same. I'm torn on a ranking for Jiko between 4 and 5. It is very expensive to eat here. However, if you are looking for a fancy meal on Disney property in a more upscale and quiet environment, I highly recommend Jiko.

Clay P.

What can I say - Disney leaves me wondering what the big deal is sometimes. Stayed at the lodge and it was impressive and unique for sure but Jiko just didn't live up to what I expected given the hype and prices. Hostess was a plain bitch, the table service was good, the food was OK and I don't care if the wine list is longer than a phone book. I Wouldn't recommend or condem this place; but, I think there are better options at disney - California Grill (when re-opens) is tops & Flying Fish, Citricos, Artist Point, Le Cellier, are good plus orlando is full of good and great places to eat.

David L.

After reading all the rave reviews on Yelp about how great Jiko was, I put it on my must-try list at WDW. The decor inside was very modern and attractive. However, that's where the magic ended, at least for me. Our waiter was rude, unhelpful, and unintelligible. Browsing through the menu and checking with Yelp reviews, I decided on the braised beef short ribs as did my boyfriend. The portions were tiny and expensive, but that would have been ok had it not been EXTREMELY salty. We decided not to send back the items, considering it would've taken another 45 minutes for a replacement most likely and we had other things to do in the parks. I wanted to like Jiko, I really did, but the lack of service and lack of food quality have turned away a future repeat patron. I highly suggest California Grill instead.

Pat M.

Jiko serves very good, very interesting food. I have to say the wild boar appetizer is very flavorful and delicious. Without a doubt this is one of the best places to eat at walt disney world.

Jennifer N.

We went here while staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge in February 2011. The food is unbelievably amazing. It has been a while since I've been there so I can't remember what I had specifically, but we started off with a few different types of African/ Indian breads and they were all really different and good. For my entree I had shrimp with a curry sauce and it was SO GOOD!! Definitely the best curry I've ever had, but I'm far from a curry lover so that doesn't mean a whole lot.

Roy R.

The review by Victoria K of Rhode Island, posted on 5-15-13, says it all, so I need say nothing else. This restaurant and the Animal Kingdom Lodge are must see and do's when vacationing in Orlando, whether you do a Disney Park or not. I do have trouble with Victoria's comparison of Jiko to the Flying Fish Café, however. That is just crazy talk. Do make a reservation and plan to get to the Lodge in plenty of time to view the animals that wander in from the "African Plain" at sunset. Bring your binoculars. This is a freebee that you will enjoy. Then go and have a wonderful sit down dinner and be prepared to spend $200.00 at least (for two adults who drink). Do not bring children to Jiko. Let them play outside with the lions and tigers while you and your mate enjoy all that is Jiko! Happy dining.

Kait C.

Like the rest of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jiko has a very authentic African theme. The warmly decorated restaurant has an orange and bright blue color scheme which was inspired to resemble the serine African sunset. The restaurant also hosts an open show kitchen complete with coral colored wood burning ovens. We started our evening by splitting a cold appetizer, we ordered the Roasted Beet Salad from the vegan menu, which was made with 3 different types of beets, candied beets, golden beets, and roasted red beets, the salad was topped with watercress and Frisee and a beautiful burgundy colored blackberry Shiraz Vinaigrette which was drizzled over the plate. The non vegan beet salad came accompanied with pistachio crusted goat cheese and thinly sliced Serrano ham, so our server, Mike brought out a side dish with the two non vegan ingredients for my aunt to enjoy! She raved about the creamy cheese and the slightly salty ham. Next we had our hot appetizer, a delicious Puree of Sweet Potato Soup made with pineapple, red pepper, and grated plantain fries. This soup was delicious the combination of crispy fried grated plantains topped with the velvety smooth soup puree had a unique texture. Our server also brought us out each a basket of bread. My basket contained whole wheat flax seed focaccia and thin crispy papadum bread. Both breads were delicious! My Aunts basket contained the whole wheat flax seed bread with a side of creamy honey butter,which she raved about. It took some serious willpower from both of us to resist eating our entire baskets full of bread. Next it was onto the main event. I selected the Egyptian Kushari Entree Made with Lentils, Israeli couscous, fresh chickpeas, tomato sauce, almond,and a a light Harissa Vinaigrette. This dish was great, it had a slight kick to it but the vinaigrette seasoned couscous topped with the spicy chunky tomato sauce and slightly salty sliced almonds made for a wonderful combination of flavorful ingredients. After Indecisively changing her mind several times my aunt finally selected the Grilled Wild Gulf Shrimp Curry served over a bed of coconut basmati and seasonal vegetables, topped with plump raisins in a durban curry sauce. She loved her dish especially the combination of spicy curry sauce with the plump raisins which provided a bit of sweetness to the dish. Three courses later we were quite comfortably full, yet there was still one course to go and I wasn't stopping until I had it. My Aunt on the other hand claimed she was too full for dessert, yet a run down of the items on the dessert menu by our server seemed to make the idea of dessert suddenly attractive to her. Within five minutes of being handed the dessert menu she had decided on the warm coconut bread pudding topped with caramel rum sauce and accompanied by the house made caramel ice cream. Despite being full she finished her entire dessert, somethings just don't deserve to be wasted! I selected the Sorbet, a selection of three house made sorbets, creamy coconut, red raspberry, and sweet mango topped with a selection of fresh berries. A perfect light and delicious dessert and end to our dinner. I also enjoyed a warm cup of freshly brewed chai tea with my dessert, made with the aromatic blend of comforting Indian spices! We left Jiko completely stuffed but extremely happy with out excellent meal! Jiko is a great restaurant and extremely accommodating, in addition to their dinner menu the restaurant also offers Vegan, Vegetarian, Lactose intolerant, Gluten intolerant, and PKU menus making it a great place for those with special dietary needs. This is a signature dinning restaurant so entree tend to be priced between $28- $44 however, I think you'll find the quality of food absolutely worth the price!

Craig R.

Despite a loud, crying child and a slightly annoying older couple celebrating their 25 anniversary trying to give us pointers on how to make a long lasting marriage work, my wife and I were still able to share a romantic, delicious meal together at Jiko, one of the best restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort. Jiko- The Cooking Place, is located inside the gorgeous Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel. This beautiful restaurant is dimly lit and elegantly decorated. They have these huge glass wine cases that house hundreds of bottles of wine and these large, colorful pillars located throughout the entire dining room. Jiko's high ceilings are painted royal blue and the lights that hang from it are made to look like big, white birds in flight. The dining room is really an awesome sight. The menu here is made up of African and American dishes. Right after we were seated we were given the most fantastic complimentary bread basket yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… . This basket contained two types of bread, the first being a sweeter bread and the second a super soft, more traditional wheat style bread topped with sesame seeds. This bread was served with a spiced butter that was simply amazing. After the bread, my wife and I decided to order some appetizers, both of which turned out to be amazing. These are the apps we ordered; Crispy Beef "Bobotie" Roll- Cucumber Raita, green mango atjar and honey-roasted groundnuts yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… Merguez Sausage Flatbread- Piquillo peppers, onions, Midnight Moon, provolone, arugula and muhammara yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… After we demolished these five star apps, we ordered our main entrées; Braised Beef Short Rib- Truffled potato puree, pearl onions, baby carrots and Cabernet-Tamarind sauce yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon- White truffle risotto, Berbere green beans and a red wine reduction yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… After we annihilated these five star entree's, we ordered up some dessert; Caramel & Toffee Cheesecake- Creamy Madagascar vanilla cheesecake W/ salted caramel, Macadamia-Almond toffee, whipped cream and chocolate-covered coffee beans yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… Orange and Anise Olive Oil Cake- Citrus Mascarpone mousse, blood orange sauce and orange segments with candied fennel yelp.com/biz_photos/IsGx… Just like every other piece of food we had at Jiko, each dessert was five star worthy. The service here was as phenomenal as the grub. Our server, Jeff, was on his game. He got us refills before our glasses we half full, went into in-depth detail about each and every item on their menu, and even offered to move our table when the tired boy at the table next to ours started misbehaving and screaming. Jeff was by far one of the best waiters I have encountered in a while. Since this place is an upscale restaurant, don't come here looking to spend fifty bucks, come here with a fat wallet and an empty stomach, because you'll need them both. I highly recommend Jiko- The Cooking Place, the best restaurant I went to while visiting Florida and WDW.

Allison M.

Amazing food, beautiful decor, incredible flavours. I loved everything about our meal at Jiko. The waitstaff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and made the whole experience that much better. It was fun to come here for dinner, and then explore the Animal Kingdom Lodge afterwards. They have giraffes and zebra wandering the grounds of the hotel, and some of them come up pretty close. Beautiful dinner and a safari, whats not to like?

Tom O.

The type of restaurant that justifies your confused look and eye roll that is sparked by friends who ask you "isn't Disney for kids?" The food and South African menu was excellent as was the decor; though looking around it did appear as though some sections were darker than others. Everything was unique and first rate, from the bread basket filled with breads whose name now escapes me and tandoori of butter. The menu is so well selected that you will be torn between multiple items. I will save you some time when I suggest the Wild Boar Appetizer- one of the best foods I have eaten in Disney and believe me, I have eaten in Disney. The filet mignon competes with the one served at Narcoossee's at the Floridian, but I would say Narcoossee's prevails triumphant. However, without that reference point, I'd probably be writing a sonnet about it, in place of a review. It's expensive, but if you're searching for a part of the Kingdom without boisterous and poorly behaved children, you have arrived.

Uncouth T.

Had a wonderful meal here with my wife. The wild boar appetizer was absolutely amazing. Both the coffee crusted grouper and the short rib entrees were terrific. The server was attentive and helpful. A true 5 star experience.

Ian G.

The food was amazing. The Bread taster was great as was the bread accompaniment. The decor is beautiful and walking through the AKL really is a nice touch. Service all along the way was great too. There were 4 outstanding things here: 1. Oxtail Flatbread. A little on the small side but absolutely amazing. This is not only filled with flavor but the oxtail texture is phenomenal. (Oxtail was a staple of my early childhood) 2.Wine List: Being all South African wines limited me, but it was an appropriate limitation. It forced us to try things we would not have, and they were all great. 3. Coffee Crusted Grouper.- Perfect Flavors, portion and preparation. 4. Nasser: Our server was supremely attentive on a saturday night, always smiling and very knowledgable. The only reason I could see not to go here is it is a little out of the way, but definitely worth the trip, and a necessity if staying on Disney Property.

Marie M.

This place is AWESOME! We met up with some friends who were visiting from NY and staying at the hotel, for dinner here in the early evening. The atmosphere of this place is lovely and quiet. The decor understated and appropriate. The staff is wonderful! Our waitress was funny, knowledgeable and attentive. I wish I could remember her name! I had the corn meal encrusted Perch and it was amazing! I'm not a big fish eater but I would have this meal again! Their wine selection is wonderful too. I highly recommend Jiko for dinner! And then walk "the safari" after dinner to walk off some of the wonderfully delicious calories!

John M.

Woohoo! I'm going back to Disney World! & for the 1st meal back on Disney soil, the girlfriend & I joined 1 of her coworkers for dinner at Jiko- The Cooking Place. After 1 week at Disney World over 2 separate visits & eating at 10 different restaurants on Disney property, 3 of which were Disney "Signature" restaurants, Jiko was my overall favorite. Jiko is African Fusion. Checking into our reservations, we were seated after a few minutes.The decor is a clean & stunning execution of an African theme. Ambiance was quiet & relaxed while being a bit light & playful. Service was friendly & very professional. Our server didn't just facilitate our meal, she complemented it. Ordering was easy. The girlfriend's coworker knew the menu well & our server was an excellent guide to the choices available. We started off with an order of Crispy Beef "Bobotie" Roll & the Taste of Africa for the table. For entrees, I got the Braised Beef Short Rib with Truffled Potato Puree & the girlfriend got the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon with Sweet Corn Risotto. The girlfriend's coworker had eaten here a number of times before & showed off his Jiko cred by ordering an item for us to try that is available but not on the menu: Mac & Cheese. Apparently, it was once the accompaniment for the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon but was replaced by the Sweet Corn Risotto. While contemplating drink to go with our food, our server recommended some African wines. We were all unfamiliar with these wines so our server provided us with a few rounds of tastings, after which we chose a South African Pinotage. Our starters were out shortly & were absolutely delicious.The Bobotie was meaty, spicy, savory goodness. The Taste of Africa was an assortment of tasty breads & tantalizingly spicy sauces. It was a good start to a meal that would get even better. Our entrees did take a little while, but our server was all over it. When the food arrived, it was so fabulous that the wait was quickly forgotten. My Braised Beef Short Rib was cut-it-with-a-spoon tender. Taking a full bite with some Truffled Potato Puree & washing it down with the Pinotage was a sublime symphony of flavors. I tried a couple bites of the girlfriend's Filet Mignon & it was exceptional. Only 4 days prior, we had Wagyu for the 1st time at a highly rated steakhouse in San Francisco. This Filet Mignon at Jiko was close to the quality of that vaunted Wagyu. Finally, there was the secret, off-menu Mac & Cheese. I liked it. I thought it was pretty good, but not supremely superb. I can see why the Sweet Corn Risotto replaced it on the menu as I preferred that slightly. The girlfriend, however, loved it. She's a bigger fan of Mac & Cheese, in general, than I am & she swore the Jiko Mac & Cheese was fantastic. There was no room for dessert. We were done. Which was fine. Our dinner at Jiko was my best dining experience of all at Disney World. Decor, ambiance, service, food & wine were all outstanding & memorable. If I'm ever back at Disney World yet once more, I'll be going back to Jiko again as well.

Joe R.

Food was good and unique. The variety and newness brought a fresh approach to the menu. Service was so-so. Could do better for the price point. Short ribs were very tender and flavorful. Flatbread also very good. The two African beers I tried were lacking but Africa is not strong beer market. Good restaurant and would go again. But didn't knock my socks off liked I thought it would.

Katie W.

Yum!!! This place was really tasty! First of all, the place just LOOKS COOL! Awesome-ly decorated, loved the ambiance. The service was pretty good too. It took him a little time to get to our table the first time, but after that it was good. We had $150 in gift cards so we decided to go all out. Started with the chicken flat bread (I thought it was really good, hubby not as much), then Taste of Africa which was a selection of African breads and dips. I didn't care for this as much, but it was interesting. Hubby enjoyed it. I also HAD to try the mushroom soup which was SO good, but SO tiny!!! Smallest ammt. of soup that I've ever been served!! Next wee entrees, we both ordered the Filet Mignon. I always order my Filet well-done....I know, I know SIN SIN SIN....whatever, get over it...I don't like my food bleeding. It was, I think, the best or 2nd best Filet I've EVER had. It was SO tender! OMG....so good. It was in an African red wine sauce and served with some kind of African rice stuff. Delicious! Good size too. We both loved the meal. For dessert we split the cream brulee and it was delicious as well. They are known for their extensive African wine list and while it was HUGE, not alot of whites on the list & we do not partake in red. However, they did have a white blend which I've never seen a white in a blend before and it was pretty darn good. We spent our $150 and then some, but it was WELL worth it! I would definitely return if I was back in Orlando!!!

Jonah K.

Best restaurant I have been to in Orlando. Some things are a bit cheezy with the menu and the staff, but overall the food was superb and the wine last was excellent as well. I would come back here, it's worth the extra drive to get to the property.

Holly K.

Sigh, I think my expectations were just way too high for this place. I'm talking sky high. I follow the Disney Food Blog and this place is always listed as one of the top places to eat in Disney, specifically the filet, with wine reduction, and mac and cheese dish. They took this specific combination off the menu so I ordered the mac and cheese separately. Everything was just okay nothing bad, but the price was pretty steep for just okay food. If you are not already staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge to me it's definitely not worth the trip.

Alicia K.

This place is an overall awesome dining experience. They have great service, a beautiful, clean, and classy restaurant/atmosphere, and the food is super yummy and served on really nice plates. :] Many other reviewers have already sung the praises of Jiko, so I'll skip straight to the food: Appetizers - all 4 stars! -DIPPING SAUCES were excellent and came with some tasty bread in small pieces to make it easy to sample each of them. -TIBBS WATTS was great! Had a nice little kick to it. -CRISPY BEEF BOBOTIE ROLLS were also fantastic. Great flavor. -JIKO SALAD was super fresh and a great blend of flavors. -BBQ CHICKEN FLATBREAD was exactly as you'd expect it to be. It tasted good, but it wasn't one of the more "fun" Jiko style flavors so I would stick with something else. Entrees -GRILLED SHRIMP CURRY was delicious. It had a fantastic flavor and there was a good amount of shrimp. -SHORT RIBS were pretty good, but we'd definitely had better at other places. Dessert -CAPE MALVA PUDDING was interesting, but very good. Nice, light finish to an excellent meal! -CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE (it was Christmas time) wasn't what I expected. I'm a big peppermint fan, but this didn't really taste like peppermint to me, and instead had almost a tart flavor in it. -AMARULA CREME BRULEE was very good, but nothing fancy. Just another yummy creme brulee. We really enjoyed ourselves there! A few of the dishes could use a facelift, but they're all beautiful with tasting "good" being the baseline! Stick to the more tasty items (ask your server - they know!) and you will love it here, too. :]

Rachel Z.

For how pricy this is there shouldn't be annoying issues you would expect from an Applebee's! Didn't get seated right away had a reservation on our anniversary. We were only 10 min late and the hostess didn't greet us right away either! Also flagged down a server to bring us water took 15 minutes for water from the time we sat down! The people who sat next to us waited 13 min until water reached thre tale unacceptable for that pricey of a restaurant! Bread and butter ewwwww! Both entrees were amazing! Husband had the chicken entree very different and exciting flavors! Delish!!! I had filet mignonette Yummy! Oak flavor and it had a great sauce and both a great presentation! Fantastic unique flavors! Ordered chocolate dessert after we tried the small version they gave us for our anniversary!! Very good and I'm not a huge fan of chocolate but we scarfed this down!! Pretty ambiance at cool hotel and walked outside to see the animals at resort after was fun! Friendly courteous staff! 3.5 stars

Gwen F.

Jiko is best eating experience I ever had In Disney. As soon as we walked in the staff was very friendly, even complimented me on what I was wearing. We were seated promptly, and our waiter was very friendly. The crispy flat bread with Tandori butter was to die for. It was really out of this world. The food was really good. The flavor of the gravy was full of spices that complimented each other very well.

Chris R.

One of the best restaurants you'll find in the Disney restaurants. Service is incredible and food is even better.

James W.

Why doesn't everyine eat here? It's amzing. I guess it's a pricing issue. It's not inexpensive but the food can't be beat. Ate here last night. Delicious food from start to finish. Taste of Africa appetizer, beet salad, carrot soup, Jiko salad, lamb two ways, filet and swordfish. Dessert was chocolate pot of creme and cherry trifle. Wines by the glass were very nice for the price as well. Cancelled a reservation for Sunday night in order to eat here again. My only 'negative'....service could be crisper. Restaurant could use some extra people to clear tables, clean up crumbs, etc.

Sarah D.

This place is amazing with decor and food. The carrot soup is simply wonderful and they put a scoop of garlic ice cream in the middle. It's spicy and cool and sweet all at same time. I also got the duck rolls and again just amazing. We also had the pork chop. This is a Disney place worth trying.

Patrick R.

Absolutely fantastic! Had the taste of Africa for apps. Taste of Africa has several dips, pita, breads and crackers. The maid dish that I has was the grilled scallops with a jerk seasoning on it. Could use a little more on it. The set with it was basmati rice with red quinoa, sautéed veg and cocoanut curry sauce. My wife had Tagine chicken. It was the very moist and flavorful. Oh server was great helpful with the menu and wines. Great service. Jiko is just a great place, you can see small open kitchen, that is called the cooking place that's how they got the name Jiko. After dinner you can walk out side and see the animals. Just book it on your "My Diseny" app.

Dawn G.

This is probably one of my most favorite restaurants. I have been here several times and never had a bad experience. Love the décor--make sure you really take in the interior of the restaurant. This restaurant does have a dress code but it is not a jacket and tie so tidy resort wear will be ok. If you enjoy wine, let the server suggest one for you based on your mood-or try the Jam Jar-fantastic! Get the Taste of Africa-this is a great sampler of breads and toppings. Enough to share but you probably won't want to. Soup of the day has always been interesting and yummy. Scallops are done well. I love the samosas. Desserts are always tasty. And have a cup of coffee-it really is great. Pricewise: moderate/high but the quality of the food has always been well worth it. Located in the Animal Kingdom resort-not in a park, so park admission is not required to enjoy this fabulous restaurant.

James J.

I really enjoyed this establishment. Our server was knowledgeable and very accommodating with our little boy. Now on to the food: First we shared the Inguday Tibs in Brik, which were flavorful, though I would have enjoyed a stronger curry taste. We also shared the Beef Short Rib and the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon. The short rib was packed with flavor (a bit spicy for my wife) and and the Filet was cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed the spoon bread that came with the filet; kind of like a really nice corn cake. We didn't drink, but their wine selection is pretty expansive (all African wines according to the hostess). You pay a little bit of a premium for the ambiance but the overall experience is great. This a really unique dining experience, not just for Orlando, but for Disney.

Jenn W.

Jiko's is AMAZING!! The waitstaff was very attentive and friendly. One of them even brought over a cordless phone to our girls and told them they had a call from Goofy. It was a short recorded message but they were excited about it. I had been told about the filet with mac & cheese and was disappointed not to see it on the menu. I asked if they still served it and they told me that I could order it. So glad I did because it was the most amazing dinner I have had. My husband ordered the swordfish and said it was great. The girls had steak and said it was the best steak they have had. It was so tender that I could cut it with a fork. For dessert we had Melva pudding and it was delicious. We will be going back to Jiko on our next trip to Disney.

Melissa M.

In truth, for us, the experience failed to match the hype. Or server was polite and knowledge about wine and the menu, but a little pretentious. She seemed over-educated for her role, like a cross between a social worker and an elite college professor, with a little bit of food & wine snob ruled in for good measure. Our food was rushed. Appetizer was on the table before the words "wild boar..." were out of our mouths. It was delicious, however. But before we were even part way through the boar, my soup and my husband's salad were delivered. When I declined to allow them to be placed on the table, the server delivering them asked me twice if I was sure I wasn't ready. Really? Fine dining with wait staff trying to talk me into taking my soup when my app isn't half gone yet?! No. Take it back, try again later. When we did finally get to the soup and salad I was underwhelmed as was my husband. The main course was acceptable but nothing stellar. My pork chop was much closer to raw than mid rare, and I stopped consuming it when even the darkened environment failed to cover that up. I suspect this is a consequence of the hugely thick portion. The "ancient grain risotto" that came with would have made a great vegetarian entree, or a base for a longer cooked, smoky, braised bit of pig. The delicate chop was lost in it. Husband's filet was quite good, but the spoon bread had a canned-corn, stale flavor that was less than inspiring. Give me Boma where South African natives with delicious accents tell me which dish on the buffet reminds them most of home. Jiko was over-priced, failed to reach up to its hype, and generally left me yawning, but broke. Three stars because: the chocolate and coffee pot de creme and wild boar were brilliant, and the flavor on the chop and filet were delicious. Won't go back, and indeed wish we'd gone to Boma instead, even with the screaming kids who's magic has run dry.

Emily C.

There is only one thing I order here, because it is amazing. It is no longer on the actual menu but those people in the know can still order it. Do yourself a favor and order the Filet Mignon on the Mac n Cheese, you will thank me later for your mouthgasm. The meat is tender and the mac n cheese is amazing. Get yourself a nice glass of wine to go with it. We like to do birthday meals here, or even a just because dinner. This is a semi formal restaurant, so dress nice and come enjoy dinner. Please leave your sweatpants and uggs back in the hotel room

Tess A.

This place was great! The ambiance + service + food was awesome. We ordered the roll from the appetizers & it was fabulous. Along with the chicken Piri Piri flatbread - a must try! Everyone got a different dish and loved it. I thought this place was great. Definitely one of the better meals we had at Disney. Dessert was good too. Oh & they have a wonderful selection of South African wines - so definitely a good place to try something new!

Jacob H.

The first time we ate here was in January, 2012. My friend was a little ill from a raw oyster earlier in the vacation, and couldn't enjoy the full experience. We vowed to return. Return we did in October, 2013. This time, it was my friend's birthday. She was treated to a special dessert, a thin slice of cheesecake with a candle, and a birthday card with hand-written greetings by the staff in their native languages -- and since it is a Disney property, there were people from different continents! It was very nice. The service was excellent. The food was excellent. We ordered two appetizers, the Roasted Cauliflower flatbread (with Chuna Masala, roasted Cipollini onions, lamb chopper cheese, and Mitmita Gremolata) and the South African "Vetkoek" (three house-made naan pastires filled with herb-braised rabbit, coconut-egg curry, and Durban vegetable curry). It was all delicious. The bread and butter were warm and lovely, a nice neutral item before starting on the main course. We split the Spicy Botswana-style "Seswaa" beef short ribs, with cassava-potato purée, Sambal, mushrooms, and fava beans. It was tender and juicy, and just the right amount to save room for dessert. We couldn't decide on only one dessert, so we got two: a milk tart, with a fig & port reduction, and a pistachio cake with cherry compote. They were both yummy and not overly sweet; the pistachio cake was made with added sugar and was perfect. After the meal, we receive two, small chocolate crinkle-cookies. Four desserts in one evening! I should also note that we overslept and awoke right at our reservation time. We called in to say we were arriving late, and they were still able to seat us within 15 minutes of our arrival. The hostess also expressed appreciation that we called, since they were able to juggle seating times. Jiko is a Signature restaurant at Walt Disney World, and has a moderate dress code. I believe they even accept t-shirts now, but they don't welcome swimsuits, flip-flops, running shorts, and the like. Business casual is fine. Overall, I could find no fault with any part of the dining experience, and would gladly return there. Anyone who enjoys trying new foods would love the options at Jiko, and I'd heartily recommend the experience. Just be sure to get a reservation!

Tom H.

I returned here again because the food was so delicious. If you have a dining plan- must go here (unless you want to pay, but even then it is worth it). The food has an African flare but will appeal to all Yelpers alike. I had the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon and it was superbly cooked, a beautiful crust on the outside and seared just the way you want it on the inside. The sauces and creams provided as decor on the plates are extremely flavorful and add substance to the deep flavors of the meats. The Peri Peri chicken is outstanding; juicy tender breast with a flamboyant burst of spices on the crust. On the last day I had coffee crusted black grouper and it was also great. The meals usually come with a starter plate of African breads with a tasty humus spread and finish up with a small pistachio flavored chocolate cookie. If you want an appetizer, get the Wild Boar in White Truffle sauce, you won't regret it. If you are looking for drinks, they offer a lot of interesting concoctions but my wife loved the Victoria Falls, good flavors, barely know you are having alcohol, still packs a punch. Located at the Jambo House, across from Boma

Christopher W.

I've eaten at 90% of the upper tier restaurants at Disney world, and this is the winner by a landslide. The staff is wonderfully delightful, and the food is out of control perfection. It's pricy, but you know that going in.. And it's worth it. In my opinion it leaves the fancy shmancy restaurants at the Grand Floridian in its shadows. No matter what recipe they are currently using for their short ribs, you can rest assured that it will be the best meal you've ever eaten, and then go into a deep depression when you realize you cannot eat it every night. Helpful hint: find the Disney Recipes thread on disboards.com , there are some Jiko recipes that i've attempted to recreate with pretty decent results.

Jim F.

We had modest expectations and were extremely pleased at how great our meal was at Jiko. We scored a window table with a view of the zebras and giraffes for a late lunch, so our six year old was well entertained. The server (as expected) was wonderful with kids, and all of his recommendations were perfect. We especially enjoyed the banana sundae that is unlike any banana sundae you've ever had - trust me, order it!

J-Bobz A.

If you are used to good food, this may the only place that will deliver satisfaction in the whole of Disney World. The appetizers are far more interesting than an overpriced standard entree. You can order 3 apps and be more than satisfied. The wild boar appetizer was by far one of the best meat dishes I've ever had. I'm still dreaming of it. Down side: Trying to make a reservation at JIKO was like getting vetted for Vice President.

Chrissy W.

My husband and I chose to celebrate our 1 year anniversary at Jiko on New Years Eve 2013. Words cannot describe how amazing of an experience we were given while dining at this restaurant. Our waitress started the evening by asking us if we were celebrating anything that evening. Once we told her it was our 1 year anniversary, the fun did not stop. My husband and I like to share dishes when we dine out because we have similar tastes and we want to try as many menu items as possible, so we ended up ordering 2 appetizers and 1 entree. The waitress was clearly a foodie because I asked her if she would recommend a wine that would compliment our meal. What she ended up doing was bringing out each course, one at a time, with a different wine pairing for that particular dish. Each course was split into two individual plates so that my husband and I wouldn't have to serve ourselves and we each received a glass of the 3 different wines. The wines paired perfectly with each of the 3 dishes we had; the wild boar (our favorite pick of the evening), the hand pies (African street food) and the lamb two ways. At the end of our meal we chose to share the African coffee creme brulee. This was by far the most outstanding creme brulee we have ever had. The waitress also brought us out two shots of Amarula African Creme Liqueur to pair with our creme brulee. When we received the bill, we were shocked to see that we were only charged for 3 glasses of wine although we were given 6 and the Amarula was compliments of the chef for our anniversary. After our dinner, we went to the boat docks at the Grand Floridan hotel and watched the Magic Kingdom Fireworks. We will never forget this evening as we had such an intimate experience between dinner and the fireworks while thousands of other Disney patrons fought through the crowds in the parks.

Dee E.

While our waiter was attentive and informative the food most certainly did not live up to the hype. The bread was lousy. Prices expensive especially considering the entree was small (short rib ..not plural!) and without any side dish. My husband had the scallops which he enjoyed but again not enough food. The only thing that was tasty and different was the assorted dips and breads as an appetizer. Most definitely a tourist restaurant who are unaware of the outstanding alternative restaurants outside the parks. Oh and parking! Had to use valet so that added another $20 bucks.

Laura F.

Not good. Service was mediocre at best . We waited forever for our glasses of wine , no bread , I didn't care for my monkfish entree , my daughters mac and cheese had no taste , and my husband ordered coffee that never came . Cost $150 for this . Not impressed.

KSU S.

Tusker beer from Kenya was light tasting and delicious after a long day in the parks. Taste of Africa appetizer came with four dips and three breads. Filet with red wine reduction and seared duck breast with potato and masala -- both fantastic.

S O.

LThe food was amazing here!! Portions are small but we didn't care. Apps had the wild boar and taste of Africa. The family loved it. I had the braised short ribs. Husband had the lamb. It was delicious. We are on the deluxe dining plan. Worth every penny! The blend wine is a must!

Wendy S.

I want to preface this by the fact that my husband and I only get to dress up and dine at nice restaurants 2-3 times a year. We only visit Disney World every 3-4 years (we're Disneyland locals). I saved up my Disney Visa Reward dollars in order to be able to dine at Jiko on our recent trip and our parents agreed to babysit for us. So this was a big deal! We decided on Jiko after reading the rave reviews and based on the fact that my husband likes more unusual cuisine. We got dolled up and headed over there for our reservation time of 7:10 PM. From the get go our server was less than friendly. She was polite but not very warm. She also took a long time to get to us, which I realize is not necessarily her fault. Although I'm used to better service with Disney (especially at a Signature restaurant), that wouldn't have ruined our experience alone, just was odd. The next issue was that I ordered the Braii Pie which was good but the cabbage salad side was a disaster. I took one bite and it tasted like someone had dumped a jar of salt on it. It had no taste but salt. My husband took a bite and agreed something was definitely wrong! We NEVER send things back but I decided to ask for something different. Our waitress asked if I wanted a rice dish (which was delicious )but the odd thing was she never apologized and made us feel like we were inconveniencing her by being picky. Other than that incident we had an enjoyable meal and walked around the resort after dinner for a half an hour until my husband got really sick all of a sudden and had to spend the next half hour in the restroom. He had eaten the scallops and maybe they were undercooked? Anyway I have never ever written a bad review of a restaurant and I am not a picky/complainy type of person. I'm just disappointed that our big splurge turned out to be such a bust. I know we just had bad luck because I'm sure normally it is a great place to dine. I guess it goes to show that even the best places can have an "off" day.

Brian R.

We started with a Wild Boar appetizer with spicy tomato and a grit-like risottoish thing that rocked! Obscenely expensive but the food is beyond beyond! Our server brought us a mint cucumber sorbet between courses that was refreshing and perfect! For dessert they brought a Kenyan French press coffee, banana bread pudding and a chocolate tart with green tea ice cream. This is the resort's top top eatery. Service is da bomb!

Ryan N.

Jiko is by far one of the best restaurants at Walt Disney World! Our most recent visit was perfection. From the amazing flatbreads to the unique desserts, everything was 5-star. The signature dish is the filet mignon that is cooked to perfection. Be sure and ask for the mac & cheese as the side, you'll thank me! Be sure to add this restaurant to your Disney must-do's. You won't be disappointed!

Max Z.

Over rated. Service was great but the food didn't blow me away. I wish I could take that meal back and just go to the Sizzler. Their lamb chops were undercooked the filet mignon was overcooked. I had better hummus from a Sabra package.

Deb S.

Outstanding! Outstanding service, outstanding food, just outstanding. We were seated a few minutes after our priority reservation time of 8:00pm, but no matter. We enjoyed a few beverages from the upstairs bar - very smooth cocktails. Our wait staff could not have been more friendly, attentive, conversational, and informative. The house bread was delicious, I only wish I had known it was coming! Our appetizer of naan bread and quartet of African-inspired dips was divine. We shared a couple of appetizer plates, creamy soup, and fresh fish here. Oh my goodness - everything was delicious. We were very full but managed to swallow a few bites of dessert with creamy homemade ice cream. You can choose anything on this seasonal menu and be happy. No rushing, just a pleasant meal at the Animal Kingdom. Oh, and there's a dairy free menu to boot - yippee!!!

Mary D.

Service and ambiance are great. We had a large party and they accommodated us with separate checks. We ordered the cheese plate, carrot soup and duck egg rolls as appetizers. All were outstanding. Main course of scallops for many as well as the salmon and consensus was average. One person ordered tofu as main course and said it was very good. All in all good value for the price which is expensive. Would definitely recommend for a special occasion at least once.

Becky N.

Their house bread was delicious with an herbed butter that was a little sweet and salty. It reminds me of the butter you get when u order scones from Tilth in Seattle. The flax seed bread was the better of the two. Onto the food...... -Buffalo and pork bow sausage with tomato date jam, manchego cheese, topped with napa cabbage and watercress - 5 stars -Taste of Africa - came with 4 different wonderful dips and three different kinds of bread including their house made naan. 5 stars -Braised beef short rib with a Cabernet tamarind reduction fork tender. 5 stars -Maize crusted corvina was a tiny bit over overlooked, but really delicious. The fish was very similar to grouper with a very light crispy crust. What made it even more special was the rich tomato butter sauce it came with. 5 stars

Kim G.

By far the best restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. When walking in, the restaurant is very elegant. To the right You see where they hold the wine and behind that is where the bar is. When walking to your table the host gives you a bit of history about the art in the restaurant. We were seated at a beautiful marble table in the middle of the dining room. Our waiter greeted us and was super friendly and helpful. I decided on the cheese plate and the filet mignon. Their was 5 different tastings with the cheese plate. 2 cow a sheep a goat and a blend all with accompaniments(fruits nuts preserves toast). This was my first cheese plate and it was really good. The cheeses were creamy and went well with everything. I was really happy with my app. The filet mignon was cooked perfectly and served with asparagus and root veg mash. The sauce was a red wine reduction which was delicious. Everyone else order different dishes which included the chicken flatbread which was really well prepared and not spicy. It was served with a goat cheese and it was really light. My brother ordered Scallops that had some spice to them but was really good. It was served with faro and it was a pretty large portion. And my cousin ordered a app beef boboti roll that reminded me of a spring roll. It was deep fried and really tastey. Desserts were just as good i ordered a really unique dessert that had green tea and flax seed. Green tea was sort of pungent but good. Someone else had white chocolate cheesecake orginal. If you stay at Animal Kingdom you must try this restaurant!!

Lilo S.

Hands down my favorite restaurant at Disney World. This is one of the few gems at WDW that could actually do well as a stand alone restaurant outside of the context of the theme park setting. The servers and host staff are amazing - very welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is gorgeous - you really feel like you've stepped out of the hustle and bustle of the parks. And the food is fantastic. I've been multiple times and never had a bad meal. The filet is always great, they have fantastic seasonal soups, and the desserts are always creative and flavorful. Oh, and don't even get me started on the amazing South African wine list! So many great things to love about this place - I would recommend it for foodies who are visiting Disney and skeptical about whether you can get a truly great meal on a theme park property. Here, you can.

Maddie C.

Sadly for us, only 3 stars. The evening started out with such promise! We had cancelled our Narcoossee's reservation since my toddler was injured (long story) and we were staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's very convenient for those staying at the hotel. The service was severely lacking and at the standard Disney 18% gratuity (which we gave anyway), was definitely NOT worth it. The pacing was very very off. It took us about 15 minutes to get seated, another 10 minutes to get drinks. While we got our appetizers w/in 5-7 minutes of ordering, our entrees took another 20-30 minutes. By the time we got our entrees, we packed the entrees up (after a few bites) and dessert up to go since we had been at the restaurant for about 1.5 hours already. Not acceptable, especially since we had 2 kids with us and did not order alcoholic drinks. On to the food. Appetizers 1. Pork, Wahoo, Arugula salad---4 stars for the melty, delicious pork. 3.5 stars for the arugula salad and dressing (hard to mess up, though), and 1 star for the Wahoo. The pork was braised and fatty, crusted with a sweet char. Delicious. Salad average. The wahoo was disappointing. It was caked in some of super salty coating. The fish was not seasoned well, and every bite was super salty on the outside, bland on the inside. For $17, this salad was a MISS. 2. Chicken Flatbread----5 stars, if you love goat cheese (which I do). If you don't love goat cheese, this thing will stink you to high heaven. It's basically a flatbread pizza topped with goat cheese, a bit of pesto sauce and chicken. Very fresh, very good. 3. Beef roll ---ugh skip. Its like a curried beef fried in oily, dense pastry dough. The texture is not appetizing, and the curry spices overpowered the meat. SKIP. Entrees 1. Oak fired Filet Mignon w/Mac & Cheese----DELICIOUS. 5 stars. Melt in your mouth goodness, cooked perfectly medium rare. Good char, good flavoring. We ordered it with the Mac & Cheese (not on the menu any more) and the mac was disappointing and grisly. Overall a 4 star plate, since the Mac didn't live up to expectations (or reviews). 2. Seared Duck breast---1 star. Gamey, chewy, sinewy, and overcooked. So so so so sad that I ordered this and not the Filet. I took one bite of this, frowned, Took one bite of the filet, and packed the rest of this "to go." Never ate a bite of it afterwards. Yuck. 3. Swordfish---we made sure to order this medium rather than cooked well done as the Chef prepares it. At medium, the fish was cooked perfectly. The seasoning was good but it was nothing spectacular. A good solid fish choice for a restaurant that focuses on meats. Dessert 1. Cheesecake--surprisingly tasty. Not overly sweet. 2. Flourless Chocolate Cake--overpowered by a liqueur taste. Ugh. Can't get that taste out of my mouth. Definitely skip. We were disappointed by our visit to Jiko, especially because we stay at Animal Kingdom all the time and wish that there was a Signature restaurant we liked. For the price, I would have preferred to have kept our Narcoossee's reservation or even have tried out Yachtsman Steakhouse or Artist Point. The worst part was the very very poor pacing of our dinner. It was disappointing and created kind of a bummed out atmosphere as we waited and waited and waited for our food.

Alex C.

I had read many reviews and recommendations before I finally decided to try this place, and I have to say many of those reviews lived up to their expectations. I ate here on my latest trip on a very special day. The entire atmosphere of the Animal Kingdom lodge is great and it carries downstairs to its restaurants. We checked in with our reservations and were told we would have to wait a few minutes extra and that they were booked up that was no problem. We only had to wait maybe an extra 3-4 minutes before we were sat down. The host and hostess were both very kind and quickly took us to our seats where we were quickly greeted by a very friendly server. We were brought hot towels to wash our hands in and then explained the menu and the wine menu. I had wine and my Fiancee had a margarita and both of our drinks were wonderful. The artisan cheese selection was probably my favorite part of my meal, I love cheese and this was some really good cheese, especially the Bayley Hazen Blue with a little bit of honey. For our entree I had the Maize-crusted Tilefish and it was pretty good, it had a very lobster like texture I think next time I would like to try something different but it definitely wasn't bad, it was actually wonderful if you like that lobster like texture. I'd have to say I would like to try this place again on a future trip. Excellent service, excellent drinks, excellent food, and excellent atmosphere.

Bibi D.

Omg!!! Is all I have to say! I must say this is now one of our fave places to dine in Disney! I was told by a few friends it was great and we were curious to try it since we do love exotic food! Everything was so tasty!!! Especially the wild boar starter I know it sounds strange but we loved it!! A must try and will at the flat breads too ,crispy duck rolls and the filet as well! We will def. be dining here on our next visit to Disney!!!

Bryon C.

Jiko was the last restaurant we dined at in Walt Disney World. It was a great way to wind down. We experienced a fantastic meal with beautiful ambiance and extremely attentive service. I ordered the wild boar as an appetizer. Wild boar! Yah! Never had that before. But I certainly will again. At first glance, it may seem a bit pricey for the small portion you get. But it is so worth it. I loved it. I want more. I want to go back, if for nothing else, just to get the boar once more. Maybe boar is better in Hawaii? I certainly wouldn't know. But I feel no shame in raving on about Jiko's wild boar. I think you should get it and make me jealous. The fiancée got the yellowtail with french lentils in beurre blanc sauce for her entree. It was a new item on the menu. It was pan seared, crusted, and yummy. I had the West African braised beef short rib with roasted peanuts, roasted vegetables, and spicy tomato demi-glace. Loved it! SO good. I wish I had reviewed Jiko closer to our actual meal (we ate there almost two weeks ago) because I could give better details of the food. All I can say is the braised short rib is a winner by all counts. You cannot go wrong. The wait staff was so very friendly and helpful. I was pleasantly surprised at the very generous pour of an expensive glass of wine. Not only that but when the bill came at the end of the meal, that glass was nowhere to be found in the breakdown. Woot, free alcohol! Thanks Jiko! What a wonderful restaurant. If you are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you have no excuse good enough not to try it out. If you are staying elsewhere, you should also give it a try.

Chad A.

Jiko is actually one of the easiest places to rate and review because everything they do over there is virtually flawless. How they are not more popular is beyond me, but that's perfectly fine! Located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge I believe it might be its location, menu, and price tag that might keep the majority of people away. This African inspired fine dining restaurant is a fantastic choice for not only Foodies, but also for the average person as you'll receive great service and great food all in the ambiance of the great African backdrop (minus all the Tourist heavily clad in their Disney merch of course!) First you'll be given a basket of their fluffy soft and delicious complimentary bread: yelp.com/biz_photos/jiko… that comes with the most deliciously seasoned butter that will elevate the taste of the bread... shoot you better be careful with this one because you don't want to ruin your appetite for their main course. The basket we received was made up of of Pappadom, Poppy Seed Lavash, and Naan. Being an avid duck lover I simply had to order their Seared Barbarie Duck Breast: yelp.com/biz_photos/jiko… which comes with a Potato and Spinach Masala, Tender Royal Trumpet Mushrooms, and a most robust and flavorful Port Emulsion. Not only is the presentation beautiful, but the dish itself was flawless. The dish was not gamy, fatty, or rich and possessed the most wonderful balance of flavors and textures that proved ever so delicate and tender with each slice of the knife and fork. Service is also impeccable making one feel warm and welcome with a true sense of genuineness. I loved being made to feel right at home here. They have self parking here, but we just trammed it over from our Disney Hotel which is yet another one of the nice perks to staying on property at one of the Disney Hotels. This great restaurant is located right across from the more casual buffet spot Boma. Their dimly lit dining room is quite beautiful and subtle. I smiled as I walked through its majesty yet humbleness. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance by calling Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE

Christine N.

Amazing meal! Jiko was such a wonderful experience for me. They served us really late at night since we didn't arrive to Orlando until about 9:45pm. Our server was very patient with us and the dinner was very pleasant. I had the scallops, which were probably one of the most well-prepared scallops I've had in my life. The sauce that it came with was both spicy and delicious and I love the preparation of the entire plate. I would definitely come back when I'm back in Orlando.

Brian M.

First, a disclaimer. I researched this meal like no other I've ever had. Read reviews, looked at pictures from multiple resources, did extensive research on the wine list, etc. So I had expectations walking in. High ones. What I hadn't taken into consideration is the fact that, after all, this place is at Disney World and has to play to the Disney World crowd. Now I'm going to sound like a...four letter non-Disney word...here but that crowd is not a crowd who typically is exposed to a great dining scene. For many of them Olive Garden is what exists as Italian food, and a decent night out may be at the local Chili's or other chain establishment. No knock on these people, just a factor of where they happen to live. For those people this place is likely 5-stars and rightfully so. Jiko is a very good meal. For those people it's probably the best they've ever had. For me - well I'm doubly fortunate. Fortunate to live in a GREAT, approachable food city like Philadelphia. Fortunate to have the time/money to eat out a good amount at the city's best restaurants. This context is important. To avoid a book here I'll be concise. The food at Jiko is excellent. Entree portions are huge. It is expensive - more so than much better restaurants in Philly. But it's at Disney so I expect that. But nothing I ordered or tried (boar, taste of Africa, filet, duck) knocked my socks off. But it was all very good. Big, bold, wild. Like Africa I suppose. Same can be said for the wine, Kanonkop Pinotage 2010, which I understand to be less impressive than the 2009 or 2008 (award winning) versions but was solid if a bit rough around the edges. Not worth $67 though at most places. But was happy to try a unique varietal. So - if you are lucky enough to dine out a lot in a good food city this will be a very solid meal. The best I've had in Disney for what that's worth. If you are used to chain restaurants and this is one of your first exposures to different cuisines you will likely love it, as the portions are familiar and flavors push the boundaries just enough to make it memorable.

Meredith V.

This is the best meal I have had on Disney property bar none. I was most interested in the appetizers so we made a meal out of them. Standouts were the wild boar tenderloin and the duck confit flatbread. They were to die for!

Stephen D.

Really one of the finest restaurants I've been to. The service was impeccable, the wine selection is vast, and the prices are fairly reasonable for the quality and selection. Great design, really comfortable and not kitschy at all. My wife and I came here for our Anniversary, they accommodated us greatly. We got a little congratulations card at the start of the meal. They had less than 1 glass of the wine I ordered and gave me a taste then recommended a better wine. We ordered - Grilled Wild Boar Tenderloin - with Mealie Pap, Chakalaka, White Truffle Oil and Micro Cilantro -- Tender and awesome - Crispy Beef "Bobotie" Roll - Cucumber Raita, Green Mango Atjar, and Roasted Groundnuts - Jiko Salad - bitter greens, frog hallow pears, spicy glazed walnuts, aged goat cheese and citrus vinaigrette -- Large portion, but light - West African Braised Beef Short Rib - peanuts, roasted vegetables and spicy tomato demi-glace -- Perfectly tender, and rich flavored, not your normal short rib with 2 glasses of wine, roughly $100+tip, not bad for this experience. It's a treat to just see this resort, eating here will make it even more worth it

Kelly W.

This place is delicious. You don't always have to have a reservation. Actually we normally just walk in. There's a couple of bars in the lodge, so if you have to wait its no big deal. The bread basket is amazing, we normally add on the bread and the dips though - its extra but worth it! If you're looking for a great steak, order it here. Oh and even though its not on the menu anymore, ask for the mac and cheese as your side. I limit my dairy intake like whoa and I will ALWAYS get it there. Omg, I need to go there now and get some... The service is normally really good as well. And the beer and wine selection is all from Africa (I believe that's right...) As many times as we've been here we always look forward to going back!

Elizabeth C.

We always sit up at the bar over by the pizza ovens....it is just like FoodTV only BETTER because the chefs on the other side of the bar talk back to you!! They make the salads and flatbreads right in front of you.

Rob B.

The food and service were excellent. A menu you don't normally come across but definitely worth the risk! Great from appetizers to deserts. I would have given it 5 stars, but it is at Disney where people don't always know how to behave. Children running around, people taking flash pictures of their food. But I would come back

Noelle L.

Jiko was pretty fantastic. Their "taste of Africa" appetizer was not that great and I would definitely recommend getting something else for an appetizer. We got it because we were a group of 7 and had a lot of picky eaters, so we figured bread and dipping sauces were best for the group. The duck confit flatbread was fantastic and had deep, rich flavor. The salad with pork belly, arugula, and wahoo was wonderful as well. All of the food that was ordered was enjoyed. Big tip: order the drink that all the other reviewers on here recommend: The Victoria Falls. It's fabulous. I hate being cliche and as a result, ordered another drink of theirs, the "Hanging out in Capetown"... well, after tasting the Victoria Falls, I knew that the reviews did not lie, so I had that for my second... and maybe third drink ;) Enjoy! It's a great atmosphere and has quality food.

C K.

At the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney. Very nice food and it's always great to get a chance to eat a different style of food. I think it is pretty Americanized even though it is more exotic than most places in Orlando. The decor is nice and the staff are professional.

Meredith L.

Awesome and unique vegetarian menu! Great, attentive service. Cool atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Angela M.

So good!! Had the wild boar to start and it was fantastic. Animal kingdom lodge is just an amazing place to stay also. I've been back a few times so far and can't wait to go back. :)

Voodoo M.

Overall a very nice meal. Certainly upscale compared to most Disney restaurants, but no where near a 5 star restaurant in a major city. I was surprised by the very limited "exotic" menu. Given the African theme, I wanted to see more traditional foods (kitfa anyone?) or at least some echoing African ideas. The menu, while super delicious, was very mainstream Mediterranean. Yes, Morocco and Egypt are both African and Mediterranean, but it was clear they were trying to appeal to more generic tastes with the menu. We tried the four dip sampler (Taste of Africa) but as tasty as they were, they were more Indian than anything. Saag Dhal and a basic tomato curry. Hummus and cheromula continued the Med theme Pretty simple flavors. The entrees were great. I had lamb two ways: chops (perfectly cooked, mid rare) and braised (tasty, like brisket.) Wife had super-lame beef filet. Cooked right on the money mid rare plus, but boring. Our fault, not theirs. Sides were fine, if generic. I'd like to give the place another go. Two dining credits is a bunch, and given the menu prices, I'm not sure it's the same bang for buck as Le Cellier. But it's delicious.

Erika C.

Don't believe the hype y'all. It was a good meal with good service. It was not the be all end all. I live near a major city and found while everything was good nothing was great. The appetizers were superior to the main courses. The spinach with mushrooms and goat cheese in filo was the best item of the evening. The desserts were a disappointment. The single standout was the wine list. There were some exceptional South African wines priced modestly by the glass. If this wasn't billed as the best meal at Disney I could have ponied up another star but let's keep it real.

Tiffany L.

Jiko was the first Signature dining experience that we had on our 9 day trip to Disneyworld. We were traveling with Disney Experts...and they made all of our dinner reservations. Thank goodness! I probably would not have made a reservation here because of sticker shock ($18/20 appetizers and $40/50 entrees! Yikes.) But I am so glad that they did because the food and service were amazing. I highly recommend the wild boar appetizer- we all got that at our table and everyone loved it. I decided to get two appetizers instead of an entree so I could try more things. I got a ginger soup with a garlic ice cream melted in it...absolutely delicious and unique. I also got the roasted cauliflower flatbread which was excellent. Our entire party loved their meals. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Sarah S.

My dinner at Jiko was one of the best meals I've ever had at Disney World. The service is excellent, the atmosphere is romantic & fun with great decorating and detail in the dining room and the food is delicious. The sweet corn bisque was the second best soup I've ever had in my life! Second only to the soup at Artist Point. It had a little kick to it but not too much for my spicy sensitive taste buds. We had the Artisan Cheese Selection - Five Goat and Sheep Cheeses from Around the World which were all quite interesting and new to me. I truly enjoyed this appetizer. My filet Halibut was cooked perfectly, I savored each bite. My dish was called Maize-crusted and Seared Halibut with Vegetables of the Moment, Tomato-Butter Sauce. Nomnomnom~ I highly recommend this restaurant. It's two credits on the Disney Dining Plan and it's great being on the plan and not having to worry about prices for this slightly expensive meal. :)

Scott C.

The place is so nice, the staff was even better. They recommended a perfect wine pairing. I ordered the Lamb Two Ways and my wife ordered the Braised Short Ribs. Both were so delicious we cleaned our plates. That is saying a lot for my wife whom RARELY finishes a meal. The lamb was so tender and I could probably say was the best I've ever had. The Taste of Africa was ok, I was glad to try it, but would probably get something else in the future. This place is a definite win.

Jen G.

This place was surprisingly good -- the best meal we had in disney. The restaurant itself is very pretty. The staff was unbelievably nice. The menu was really interesting and everything was very good.

Warren H.

I don't give out 5 stars lightly and I am honored to give Jiko 5 stars. If I could give them 10, I wouldn't hesitate to do so. By far, this has got to be the best restaurant that I have visited......ever. Great food (understatement of the year), great service, beautiful location, it's all there. Long and the short of it, make your reservations, and gooooooo...you will NOT be disappointed. The Place - Jiko is located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort on the lower floor and the place is absolutely beautiful. I took pictures of the outside as you approach the main lobby and a picture of the lobby itself. You truly get transported to a different country/world/environment and you almost forget that you're in Florida. As a person who enjoys escaping reality, I REALLY enjoyed the fact that Disney aims to transport individuals to the world that they want to emulate. It's simply amazing. The restaurant itself is very elegant, while I didn't get to tour around the whole dining room since I sat at the bar, I could tell that Jiko was a place of class and that they pride themselves on delivering an authentic feel to their guests. The bar is quite small and if you dine there, you can tend to feel cramped as people arrive to claim their reserved tables since the bar is the first place individuals go to kill time as they wait for their table to get ready. All in all, the environment that Jiko creates is amazing to say the least. Bravo Jiko, bravo. The Service - I was in town for a Conference so I wanted to make sure I took full advantage of being at Disneyworld. I saw the rave reviews for Jiko and made it a priority to make it the first place I visited while I was in Florida. The first day of the conference concluded around 4:00 and gave me some time to freshen up. When I arrived at Jiko, they had just opened up for dinner service and I approached the hostess table to let them know I was a walk-in. She looked at me as if I was crazy for not making reservations and said that they were all booked for the evening; however, I was more than welcome to sit at the bar. Since I had arrived at the very beginning of dinner service, there was no one at the bar. I quickly took my seat and prepared myself for the ride I was sure to enjoy. The bartender that was my waiter for the evening was very friendly and made it seem as if I was regular at Jiko. Answered all my questions about the menu and made some recommendations. REALLY great service and I have no complaints at all. The Food - Now, onto the main event....the delicious offerings of Jiko. The menu is very focused only offering a certain amount of dishes. I ALWAYS like to see a focused menu and not pages upon pages of options. It lets me know the Executive Chef has a certain style and wants to stick with it. A lot of the appetizers seemed very appealing; however, I wanted to make sure I saved room for the main entree and dessert as that is what I was more interested in tasting. I started off with a glass of the Jam Jar "Sweet" Shiraz....a REALLY good wine for those that like to have a sweet flavor profile as this is a REALLY sweet shiraz, as the name implies (See Pictures). Absolutely delicious and refreshing. For my main entree, I chose to go with the Spicy Botswana Style "Seswaa" Beef Short Ribs (See Picture). It was served with a cassava-potato puree, sambal, mushrooms, and fava beans. I've had quite a few short rib dishes during my food adventures and I have to say that Jiko has now taken the spot on my list as THE best short rib dish I've ever had! It was absolutely delicious and I HIGHLY recommend it! The short ribs were very tender and fell apart as my fork cut through it like butter. The accompanying spices, sauce, and other accoutrements made for an EXCELLENT flavor profile, texture, and gave it a little kick in the right direction. I TRULY enjoyed this dish and can only WISH I could have it again. Following the greatness of the short rib dish, I expected the dessert to not disappoint either and I was right! The "Coffee & Doughnuts" dessert was REALLY good and a very innovative take on the traditional duo. The "coffee" portion of the dessert was presented in the form of a Kenyan Coffee & Amarula Creme Brulee and the "doughnuts" portion came in the form of 3 cake koeksisters dusted with cinnamon and served with a creme anglaise (See Picture). The creme brulee was creamy and delicious with the prominent coffee flavor. The doughnuts were crispy, light, fluffy, had a great taste with the cinnamon dusted on, and was just that much more delicious with the creme anglaise. Truly an EXCELLENT meal! Overall - Before I reach the character limit for writing a review, I just wanted to keep it simple. GO TO JIKO!! You will NOT be disappointed! Enjoy!

Joan N.

Jiko is one of the best restaurants in Disney World. The dining room is decorated with simple elegance and dim, romantic lighting, and does have a dress code though not strictly enforced. . It was nice after a day at the parks to dress up a little for our Christmas Eve dinner. Our waitperson discussed the various options on the menu and helped us choose two very nice wines. She then presented us with warm rosewater scented cloths to wash our hands before dinner. For our appetizers, we had the Taste of Africa sampler, a trio of breads and dips. It consisted of naan, papadam, and lavash. The dips were hummus, masala, and pesto. Delicious! My husband had the Oak Grilled Filet Mignon accompanied by fingerling potatoes fresh green beans in a red wine reduction. The flavor was excellent, and the disappointment was that the filet was an end cut, and therefore not as tender as hoped. I had the Seared Barbarie Duck Breast with a fingerling potato and spinach masala, accented with chantarelles and figs which were glazed with a port wine emulsion. I could have eaten a whole plate of the figs. The flavor of the duck was very good, seasoned very well, but it was so tough I was having trouble cutting it with my knife. We are hoping it was just an off night for the meats, as we could see that the execution of both entrees had the potential to be 5 star. We finished the meal with the Amarula Creme Brulee, which had a nice addition of chocolate on the bottom, and that was served with two white chocolate, cranberry and pistachio biscotti. The desserts were excellent, and a great way to end the meal. The filet was $42, the duck was $39, the Taste of Africa was $9, and the Creme Brulee was $9 as well. We chose wines on the lower end, at $12 per glass.

Julie D.

This restaurant was our second choice. First choice, California Grill was unfortunately completely booked. We arrived on time for our reservation time, but still had a brief wait. The restaurant is very beautifully decorated and also very quite and relaxing. A perfect place to dine after a crazy day with Mickey Mouse. We got a beautiful table in the center of the restaurant. Our server was very nice but seemed a bit awkward trying to follow her perfect server etiquette booklet. Kinda funny. For starters, Jim had the cucumber, tomato, and red onion salad - with rocket, cottage cheese, and watermelon vinaigrette. This salad was a great combination of flavors. We both really loved it. I had roasted sweet potato soup with spiced yogurt and roasted chestnuts. It was definitely the best soup that I had ever eaten. Really. The flavors were almost explosive. Yeah, I know. Crazy good soup. For dinner, Jim had the scallops with butternut squash gratin, apple slaw and vinaigrette. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the presentation was very appealing. I had the oak-grilled filet mignon with macaroni & cheese and red wine sauce. Unfortunately, my medium filet was not so medium. It was well done. Our server took it away. When she noticed that Jim wasn't eating without me, she took his back to the kitchen warmer. Second steak was cooked perfectly. All in all, a nice dinner experience, in spite of the over cooked steak.

Katherine M.

I adore Disney. And their restaurants. And their incredible attention to design detail. Back when I started college, some Disney employees who had worked on designing and creating the atmosphere of the Animal Kingdom Lodge visited my college to discuss the process. It was truly amazing, and I have wanted to go to this hotel since. I've been to Disney about 4-5 times since, and hadn't made it until this April. The restaurant is tucked away in the lower corner of the level. It does not have a overlook of the 'savannah' with the animals, but it does have large windows that overlook a pond at the hotel. It is very beautiful inside with comfortable seating and a nice soft light. They have a really amazing selection of wine that is made primarily in South Africa with a map to show where the wine comes from. I chose a white German style wine that was delicious. The bread they serve is one of the highlights of the meal for me. The Ethiopian honey bread is one of the best table breads I have ever had - and my husband loved it too. The foccacia which is topped with flax seed is good, but nothing to write home about until you add the 'tandoori' spiced butter. We enjoyed this part quite a bit. Now the part of the meal that I must insist you order is the African flatbreads. These little pizzas, so to speak, were SO delicious. We chose the African spiced fire roasted chicken and it was amazing. The dough is well cooked and tasty, the chicken was perfectly cooked, the peppadews added a great taste, and the 'zough' sauce added a delicious spice unlike anything we have ever really had before. And bacon to add to it. I could have eaten like three of these. I would come back and order this alone. The low point of our meal was our steak. The oak grilled filet just didn't compare to any other steak we have had at Disney, let alone some other places. I found it to be dry and tasteless and without enough sauce. The sauce itself was great - but there wasn't enough of it. The risotto style couscous was too starchy with the steak and hard to eat - the mix of the two ideas was weird and not my favorite thing. I avoided eating it. We finished our meal with a cheese plate. The cheese plate was good, but again, not in my top. The selection and cheese itself was good, but the pairings were fairly normal and nothing I couldn't find even back here in Pennsylvania. But still good and a great finish, especially after the disappointing steak. Overall, I really do suggest this restaurant. It's a good one, but stick to the more 'African-inspired' dishes like the wild boar tenderloin, flatbreads, etc. The location and decoration alone is worth the visit.

Andre S.

Such a great experience! This is the 3rd time I've eaten here, each visit spaced by a few years and each time has been equally good. They offer a great variety of food choices and tastes, and the drinks as well as the wine list are unique and delicious. Don't skip the appetizers, they are wonderful from the shortbread to the Taste of Africa. I, this time, did not love my entree, but it wasn't due to poor preparation, just was not my taste...I had the scallops. My friends had fish and the lamb and were each thrilled with their entree. We were stuffed and a little buzzed so I can't recall if we had dessert. But the whole meal was so wonderful, including the bar and table service before and during the meal. Can't wait to go back...

Katie S.

By far the best restaurant on Disney property and by far the best signature restaurant as well. This is my favorite place in the world and you can always get a same day reservation or walk in. The bread and butter is amazing! Get the cheese plate to start and have the serve suggest a blended red wine. I love the ones you can't get anywhere else. For the main dish the filet or short ribs but get it with the mac and cheese not what it comes with. The server will know what you are talking about. Get a coffee liquour drink for dessert or more wine! The desserts are the least impressive part of the meal. Stay at AKL for awhile after and hit the wine bar and then check out the animals through the night vision goggles outside. Perfect evening.

Julie P.

What an amazing place! So good that my husband and I almost always go here when we're at Disney. It's our favorite signature dining experience at Disney World and better than the California Grill even. The bold flavors are amazing! I usually get the filet with macaroni and cheese. My husband usually gets the short ribs and no matter which way they are prepared or seasoned he's always over the moon about them. We have had the same waiter nearly every time, Oscar. And once had a wonderful waitress by the name of Tina I think. YES, I indeed remembered their names. They were that memorable and made our experiences so unforgettable. They both recommended and served us very nice wines that complimented our meals fabulously. We did have a really tasty chicken flatbread and DELICIOUS fish in a tomato butter sauce (it's a signature sauce they are pretty well know for). The desserts aren't mind blowing to me but I'm pretty picky and would rather have a savory snack later. However the little chocolate cookies they serve with the check are perfect, not too sweet. All I need is just a bite of sweetness anyhow :)

Hector S.

This was probably the most disappointing meal at Disney World. Not because it wasn't tasty, but because for the extra cost it should have blown me away. The food was good. My favorite was the ostrich sample. The rest was tasty, but the flavors weren't really doing it for me. They were almost overpowering.

David M.

To start, this review is ultimately no reflection of the cuisine. The food quality and flavor combinations are an absolutely amazing journey. We have been here once before, and the service and pairings were unique and enjoyable. What makes a complete experience though is not just the food, but the entire journey from entry to exit. This Valentines evening, by far, was a complete disconnect between food and service. We had 5 main areas of concern. Maybe my beautiful signifcant and I have high expectations being foodies, but frankly, if you are spending this type of money on a special occasion out in this town, there are plenty of options that deliver. 1) Making a reservation: I spent 24 minutes talking to guest services call center to make this reservation. Normally, in any restaurant, you call, answer specific questions, and you can close the deal in under 5 minutes. I did not even receive an email confirmation after I provided every single bit of personal information that is required to make a reservation from the canned Disney brand's script. Fail. Absolutely offered no value for the consumer's time. 2) Hostess costumes: We walked in to hostesses dressed like Aunt Jemima. I was a bit offended. Here are beautiful and pleasant women themed in costumes that seemed rather irrelevant and not matching the modern combination of theme and cuisine. Fail. Dress them in more upscale modern decor representative of the quality of food and caliber of presentation. 3) Bar: The bar is known for a place of socializing, experimenting, and personal flavor matching to beverages. I'm surprised at how small the actual bar is in this restaurant. There are other bars in the lodge, but we were here for this experience. The bartender warmed up, and he provided us several tasting options of various south african red wine varietels that were all extremely interesting blends. 4) Service: The server "Ron", completely lacked wine knowledge and severely lacked listening skills. He went through his script, and called out the prawns, and a few other items. We mentioned we were already drinking red wine, and asked for recommendations to pair with the Yellow Tuna dish. He brought 3 white wine options instead. We kindly stated that we had been drinking red wine, and would prefer to stick with that direction. I just asked for another glass of the Post House Pinot Noir, which he immediately responded without hesitation "We are out of that". I said, "Really? The bartender just poured me a glass before we sat, 15 minutes ago." As a server, wouldn't you check on that before you assumed? He left than brought a full bottle over to refill my glass. Indeed they did have it. We were enjoying our conversation, waiting for our entrees and sure enough the main item he mentioned (that we expressed no interest in) was served to my girlfriend, Prawns. So...we went through a fiasco to pair wine to Yellow Tuna, clearly ordered Yellow Tuna, and he still entered the order as Prawns. Then avoided us for 15-20 mins while the expediter took care of the error. That's high end customer service there! On the high note, we received our lamb loin and yellow tuna entrees another 15 mins later, and they were totally amazing. When it was time for the check, the server delivered the bill booklet below a plate with 2 small cookies. I asked, "oh, those look great, what are those?", expecting for him to describe the cookies. In a condescending voice he said "You do have to pay your bill eventually." That once again, made us feel totally uncomfortable. When you are dropping several bills for a romantic dinner on a special occasion, this is how you should be treated? I provided my card to pay, and it was declined twice. My significant and I are professionals, and I knew there were plenty of funds in both accounts. The server was even more condescending. I had to call my bank and found out the few bills I paid earlier that day had exceeded the daily limit. The daily limit was increased so I could run the charge and everything was fine, but the attitude and looks during that process were quite uncomfortable. 5) Manager: The manager came to our table to ask how everything was going. We were honest and unloaded the details. She apologized, ran my card again, and returned with the receipt. Most managers would have extended the customer service, provided comped desserts, discounts for next visit, wished us Happy Valentine's Day...something. She gave me her business card and said "please come back soon and visit us again, we hope it is better for you next time". Me and my significant both looked at each other utterly perplexed, thinking HELL NO. Tell me...why would we drive to the touristy side of town, deal with the fanny pack crowds for service like this?

Rob B.

This was our favorite from our last visit, but they let us down at nearly every point this time. Reservation was 7:40 we arrived 7:39. We were given a pager and seated at 8:05 not too bad. Then we sat at least 10 minutes till we found we had a waiter. He was very nice and took our order. Meantime the table next to us got an amuse bouche, a treat from the kitchen, and seemed every table got a interesting basket of mixed breads. Neither came to us. Dinner arrived and the a medium oak grilled fillet came a dry, with a mud brown center. Our gracious server apologized but we were over it at this point. And on eating the wild mushroom couscous, we encountered gritty sand. The wine and selection was awesome as decore. But there were more than a few misses. Our server had the manager visit, nice gesture and he was kind to reduce the tab, but we had much rather have had a replay of our last visit.

Tia M.

Wonderful service and food at this African inspired restaurant. If I was comparing this only to other theme park restaurants it would be a five star. Highlights of the meal included the taste of Africa sampler of dips and breads, the chicken flatbread and the scallops. The French press pot of Kenyan coffee was some of the best coffee I've ever had in a restaurant. This was truly the most shocking part of the meal, considering most of the coffee at Disney is undrinkable. The children's entrees were uneven in quantity. The grilled steak was a full sized portion but the scallops came with only two small scallops. Otherwise no complaints. Other reviewers have complained of poor service. We had attentive and knowledgeable service.

Lauren B.

This restaurant is fantastic. They have a large variety of South African wines, the bread basket was delicious, especially the Ethiopian Honey Bread and smear on a little of their tandoori butter, and you're golden! For an appetizer we had the wild boar and it was AWESOME. A definite Disney "must do" if I do say so myself. The filet was very good, but not as good as the one we had at Narcossee's! But still excellent. The service was fantastic and the decor was really elegant. Beet ice cream I will say was not my favorite. I like beets but in the case of the ice cream, you must have to LOVE beets. I guess you might say it's something Dwight Schrute would love... But, either way, I'm glad I tried it. It's a definite must do! Have some wine, enjoy the African and Indian flavors in this fine dining setting! Enjoy!

Saul S.

Ate here this week. A little pricey but, delicious. The service was good. I had the whole fish. It was very good. But, having had the whole fish at Cat Cora's, Kousina, several days before, I was a little disappointed. But not enough to down grade this restaurant.

Diana P.

Totally overrated and perhaps that's because my husband and I are foodies and have dined at some of the most incredible restaurants. There's no way we could give this place a 5 star, not does it deserve it so not sure what these other reviewers are experiencing dining here. Food is basic, they try to be 'fancier' and use an African inspired theme but it didn't do it for us. Very salty food and what really pissed us off was the size and price of the kid meals. A tiny piece of chicken, seriously 2 bites worth. We ordered veggies and got three small carrot sticks and 3 small celery ones with peanut butter. I was shocked!!! I mean, 3 tiny pieces? Anyway, we felt our money was wasted and we didn't enjoy our meal as we should have. Our waitress was so Disney fake and that bothered me.

Jonathan F.

It's been a while since my last visit but this restaurant remains an excellent choice for continental cuisine with "Afrittude" (African Attitude). While the menu has gone through a few transformations, the flavor profiles remain the same. Classic cuisine featuring African flavors and spices.

Michael B.

Without question, the best restaurant on the Disney properties. Everything was amazing! The service is top-notch and Grace, Ally, Ryan, Lucius, and Mphikeleli are awesome. Do yourself a favor and visit JiKO!

Ann K.

I really enjoyed Jiko. We started with the cheese platter, all were really good but the Dutch cheese (can't remember the name) was to die for. I had the lamb entree - the waitress warned me it was spicy and she was definitely right. I love spicy foods but this one was a little over the top. It wasn't the lamb that had the heat, it was the spinach underneath - it was good but it completely overpowered the lamb if you took a bite of both at the same time. So, I ate the separately and was happy with my dish. My husband had salmon that was really good as well. The South African wines were really good - if you like dry reds, try a Pinotage!

Dave T.

Went just before Christmas for a birthday. I had only been to the buffet many years ago, but am an avid fan of African food (have mostly tried Ethiopian). Jiko by far wowed my taste buds. From the seasoned roasted nuts at the nearby bar, to the delicious ostrich bites. Between all of the members at our table we had a good sampling of African delicacies. Cheese samplers, African wine, filet mignon, lamb, etc, there was nothing I wasn't impressed with. We even suggested that some of the appetizers should be turned into entrees. Great service....and of course Disney decorated ambience. Dafe

Heather B.

I can't add much here that others haven't already said. We visited a few years ago and this was our best meal during our stay. We enjoyed the Taste of African appetizer (array of Dips with Assorted Breads and House-made Naan) and both ordered the Oak-Fired Filet Mignon. I'm guessing I had the cheesecake for dessert, if it was on the menu at the same. Sadly, I can't quite remember. I do wish that this restaurant was less family friendly; the DVD player a child had set up a few tables away distracted from the otherwise intimate ambiance. I'm guessing we'll be back in a few years for our anniversary!

Michael O.

This is my favorite restaurant anywhere! I love Jiko! The food is always great and the service is awesome. I am not much of a wine drinker but I have asked to have one of their wines paired with my meal and it has always been amazing. Whenever I am in Disney World I make it a point to eat at Jiko.