Jiko's at Animal Kingdom

WDFAN1977

New Member
I'd like to try this restaurant out when I visit. I am staying at WL, and I hear it can take forever to go between resorts. My question, is this unique dinning experience worth the time? If anyone could, just tell me what the food, and atmosphere is like and is it worth my time? Thanks.
 
It is worth it.

Jiko is some good food that can't be found in other places on Disney property. The wine list is very good and the dishes themselves are great. My wife and I ate there last October and we really want to go back soon. The staff was great and offered some great recommendations on wine pairings with our meal. This is an experience that you won't get many opportunities to have so I say go for it.

To make the trip a little easier for you try to go to the AKL from the Animal Kingdom after spending the day there. There is more than enough to see at the AKL as well so try to make some time to see the resort.

Have a great trip.
 
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nickcarraway

New Member
I've never tried Jiko, but Boma is definitely worth the jaunt. (I'm sure the food is very similar.) I think it's one of the best restaurants on property. Getting there from another resort isn't easy, but I don't think it's really that difficult. Then again, I'm from New York City where mass transit is the status quo. You can take a bus to Animal Kingdom (or any of the parks or Downtown Disney) then transfer to an Animal Kingdom Lodge bus.
 
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FatBoy976

New Member
nickcarraway said:
I've never tried Jiko, but Boma is definitely worth the jaunt. (I'm sure the food is very similar.) I think it's one of the best restaurants on property. Getting there from another resort isn't easy, but I don't think it's really that difficult. Then again, I'm from New York City where mass transit is the status quo. You can take a bus to Animal Kingdom (or any of the parks or Downtown Disney) then transfer to an Animal Kingdom Lodge bus.


I agree about Boma. I have not eaten at Jiko, but I love Boma and South African food in general. If you have the time for mass transit, I think it's worth it. If I were in your shoes, I'd do it.
 
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ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
Both Jiko and Boma are terrific. Boma being a buffet allows for more experimentation at a single sitting and costs a bit less.

Jiko provides a superior dining experience for the adventursome an steak/potatoe's types as well.

As for transportation, it varies depending on where you are staying, but as tigsmom said, it really isn't bad...just a little confusing to begin. Generally, your best bet is to go from your resort to a park then take the AKL bus from there. Most of the AKL busses are dedicated, so you will have a direct ride. Reverse the process or go through TTC on your return. Worst case scenario, like if you have a real late meal, talk to the hotel concierge and they will arrange transportation for you.
 
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futurepres

New Member
It is well worth the price, but if you use the wishes, then you'll be better off. The food changes every now and then, but you can't go wrong. They've actually been written up in some editorials for the food quality and service. If they still have monkfish and chocolate purses, get it; very popular dishes. Send me all the leftovers.
 
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lukacseven

Well-Known Member
Been to Jiko a few times. While the food is above average and slightly unique, I'm not sure I would include it in my personal top 10 list of Disney places to eat.
 
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disneydawg

New Member
Jiko is now in my list of places as a must eat whenever I go to WDW. If you go, try the duck and pork firecracker as an appetizer. The tastes and atmosphere were unique, and our server was excellent.
 
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Jekyll Baker

New Member
The food at Jiko is excellent, see if you can sit at the Cooking Place and watch some of it actually prepared.

I ate there last September, and I was staying at WL. I took the bus and it took just over an hour to get from WL to AKL (but at the time I was a bit inexperienced with WDW transportation and went around the wrong/long way - I went from WL to TTC, thinking they might have a bus to AKL - wrong. It was already after 5:30p so AK was closed, so I took the monorail to Epcot and waited for the bus to AKL. Would have probably saved time to take the bus from WL to Epcot, MGM or DD, and then to AKL)
 
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poohbear6103

New Member
Jiko's is a must on any of my trips. We are only going for three days in December and I made sure that was our first meal there. It is soooo good and the atmosphere with the wood oven in view and the "sunset" theme with the walls changing colors from yellow to orange to red as the evening goes by. I was afraid the menu would be too "advanced" for my taste but there is something for everyone who is willing to try something different. A dining experience like no other on property!
I hope you decide to go. Enjoy your trip :wave:
 
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barnum42

New Member
Not eaten at Jiko - I did the math and went twice to Boma :D

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a wonderful place to visit and has superb food. I stay offsite and so use a rental car, therefore I can't comment on transport from personal experience. However I trust Tigsmom when she says she is not sure why people complain.
 
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cherrynegra

Well-Known Member
I cannot highly recommend Jiko enough. The food there is superb. Any "foodie" from a top restaurant town like New York, LA, San Francisco, etc, will definitely feel at home here. The same goes for Boma. And the atmosphere of the Animal Kingdom Lodge just adds to the whole experience.
 
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Woody13

New Member
They have a great sense of humor at Jiko. Any place that serves filet mignon with macaroni and cheese....well you just have to laugh (as I did). Don't think I'll eat there again.:)
 
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dvm

New Member
I have eaten here twice.

The bread that is provided prior to the entrees is unedible - a foul fenil taste, or some other strange flavor, that is only worsened by the spread they give you to put on it.

Filet and mac and cheese is an absurd pairing.

The only reason we went a second time was due to the fact that they offered us a free meal for me, wife, and son, since our first meal was terrible - My filet was rare, not medium, and the mac and cheese was burnt (how do you undercook a filet and then burn mac and cheese). My wife nicely informed them via email to guest services and this and a few other jiko oddities occurred, and the head chef sent a personal letter to us which requested that we return for a free dinner at our next visit. Ironically, that meal was good, we knew better than to eat the bread (yuck), but then my son 3y.o. puked his ice cream allover the table at the end!!!!!!!!!!!Don't know if that makes for a better meal than the first one or not.?.?

just my 2 trips/2 cents.

Jiko - bottom line, I'd never go back, and instead just check out the awesome lodge, great sights, and then go to the steakhouse at the yacht club.
 
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dvm

New Member
tigsmom - we did enjoy ourselves, moreso on the second dinner trip, except for the puking, and especially because we knew not to eat the bread.

The bread has a yellow corn bread color to it, and they give it to you at the beginning of the meal. I eat anything, and it is the first and only bread that a restaurant has ever served that i couldn't eat.

And the reason for the puking kid - another Jiko foul up. He wasn't truly sick/ill. The wait staff brought him a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and it was supposed to have the mickey mouse jimmies on top. Well it didn't. But of course he ate some of it, because who would take ice cream away from a baby?... So they brought him another bowl of ice cream with mickey jimmies on top, and after all of that and a dinner too, he hurled. Which made for a sad ending to a better meal.

Worst of all, the chef who was nice enough to send us a personal letter requesting us to give Jiko a second chance for free, wanted to meet us at the end of dinner, and we had to leave in a hurry because there was puke allover my kid and the table. You can imagine how that meeting went: Hi, the meal was great, but my kid just overdosed on ice cream and puked allover, gotta go, bye... In the end, we look back on it and laugh, and know that we learned his limit on the quantity of ice cream he can consume.

My simple point was watch out for the bread :eek:
 
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MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
barnum42 said:
Not eaten at Jiko - I did the math and went twice to Boma :D

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a wonderful place to visit and has superb food.
I couldn't agree more. Normally, I'm not a big fan of buffets. Boma is the exception. Also, if there is a vegetarian in your party, it is one of the best options on property.
We have been there twice. We got around the transportation issue like this: We took the bus from AK. Chilled out in the awesome lobby, had an early dinner...and then took the bus from AKL to MK for a few more rides (it was a school vacation week).
 
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kverdon

Active Member
Just got back from WDW and though we stayed at Boardwalk, we made the pilgrimage to AKL to eat at Jiko's. The first time we ate there I thought it was one of the best meals I've ever had and the return trip confirmed it. We ate both there and at LeCellier and I rate Jiko's higher. Having said that, you have to be a fan of different food and spices to enjoy the meal. We had the taste of Africa appetizer and I had the Lamb and my wife had the scallops. The Berber Braised lamb shank is to die for is you like lamb. The Wine list is prmarilly S. African and the waiters are VERY helpful in coaching you on the S. African wines. The wine is a little spendy (~7-15 / glass) but they are large glasses and its great wine. Definately an unique and very good dining experience. When we go back next year in Dec., even if we don't get in to AKL, we'll make another pilgimage out there to eat at Jiko's.

Merry Christmas,

Kevin :xmas:
 
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AkiraRaptor

Meega, nala kwishta!
We've eaten at Jiko twice now. Once was a normal meal, the second was just this October as part of the Sunset Safari tour available to guests at AKL.

We had a fine dinner the first time, and I'd highly recommend on just that meal, but after doing the Sunset Tour, WOW, even better.

I'm not normally an adventursome eater. But on the tour (their were 8 people) they sit you down at a table together and server you a prepaired dinner which basically has a little bit of everything they server, paired with wines all the way through.

So I tried some of the breads and spreads, the meats, and even a bit of Mac and Cheese. :lol:

Great meal. If you get a chance to take the tour, and you like Jiko, you're gonna like a whole lot more after that meal. The chefs even come out and tell you all about the foods and wines.

Ok, now I'm hungry....
 
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