According to the story of the Yak and Yeti, the restaurant is the center of a bustling boutique hotel in the foothills of the Himalayas. Adventure travelers seek out this location for rest and rejuvenation before moving ahead on their path, and the hotel’s owner, Arjun, is delighted to showcase the hodge-podge of antiques and decor he’s collected on his trips through Southeast Asia.
So, imagineered with exotic touches from the proprietor’s travels, Yak and Yeti succeeds as a well-themed restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Asia area. The surrounding architecture, decor, room configuration, and even light fixtures transport guests to that relaxing and beautiful hotel restaurant in the middle of exciting Anandupur, India.
Yak and Yeti Restaurant
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Atmosphere
You’ll have to build in a bit of time on your visit to Yak and Yeti to just…look. Peek your head into each and every room. Check out the gorgeous artifacts, the decoration, the unique wall-painting, and the stunning…and mismatched…light fixtures.
Art
Exotic Travels
Lighting
Dining Area
Beautifully themed
Asian Artwork
Imagineering details!
Suggested Table Request
Here’s a little tip: make a late lunch reservation at Yak and Yeti at around 2:30 or 3:00pm and request a table upstairs by the windows.
Table at window
When the Jammin’ Jungle Parade comes around the bend a little after 4:00pm, you’ll have the best (and most air conditioned!) view possible!
View from window
Parade View
View from table
Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade
Wave to Mickey!
Eats
The menu at Yak and Yeti is Pan-Asian, but even picky eaters will find things they like here. Adventurous eaters can sample the Dim Sum Basket for Two or the Malaysian Seafood Curry. Those who prefer more recognizable tastes can stick with the ribs or the burger.
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While you’re waiting for your table, stop by the full-service bar — quite beautiful — but don’t forget that you’ll have to sip your drink through a paper straw! Plastic straws (as well as plastic drink lids and balloons) are prohibited in Disney’s Animal Kingdom to ensure the animals’ safety.
Bar
Paper Straw
Speaking of drinking, I started my visit with a brand new cocktail!
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The Shaved Ice Martinis were new on the scene at that time, and I after careful deliberation, I chose the citrus version. It was delicious — very tangy with Citrus Vodka, Midori, Sweet and Sour, and Pineapple Juice. (C’mon, Disney; more of these great drink introductions around the World, please! :-D)
shaved ice martini
Presentation
We started our meal with a couple of appetizers as well: the Dim Sum Basked for Two and the (ever-beloved by Disney guests) fried green beans with a thai chili dipping sauce.
The beans were crispy and delicious (though, sadly, I’ll still take fries any day).
Crispy Green Beans
The Dim Sum Basket for Two was not only gorgeous, it was actually quite good! It includes Pork Pot Stickers, Shrimp Siu Mai, Cha Su Bao (barbecued pork buns) and Pork Siu Mai steamed on a banana leaf. The dipping sauce is soy lime. I highly recommend the pork buns and the pot stickers!
Dim Sum Basked for Two
Cross-Section of Cha Siu Bao
Cross-Section of Pork Pot Stickers
Entrees continued the positive experience. We ordered the ribs with hoisin BBQ sauce, chicken fried rice, and sweet chili slaw; and the crispy honey chicken with broccoli, carrots, and honey sauce.
The ribs were fantastic. Very flavorful (though the BBQ sauce didn’t taste all that Asian-inspired), fall-off-the-bone tender — but not mushy. I easily could have polished off the whole rack.
Ribs and Chicken Fried Rice
The honey chicken was akin to what you can expect from a high-end Chinese chain restaurant (like P.F. Chang’s). The chicken wasn’t overdone or tough, and the sweetness wasn’t too strong. Plus, we got our veggies!
Honey Chicken
Dessert was what I was really looking forward to, though. There are several that have already made Yak and Yeti famous, and you won’t have to worry about finding any tired creme brulee and lava cake here. The ice cream sundae is massive, but we chose instead the Mango Pie and the Fried Cream Cheese Won Ton skewers with pineapple and vanilla honey drizzle.
The Mango Pie was different from anything I’d ever had. A cream pie, it’s light, sweet-tart taste is perfect for a hot Orlando day; and the portion size is generous, so there’s definitely enough for two.
Mango Pie
The same is true of the portion size on the cream cheese won tons. And what a fantastic and inspired dessert. It’s fun, it’s different, and it’s…enjoyable! The cream cheese has only a hint of sweetness, and the won tons aren’t “greasy” fried at all. The effect of this dessert is a light, sweet dish that won’t leave you weighed down — especially if you share.
Cream Cheese Won Tons
Cream Cheese Won Ton Cross Section
Overall
I had been here once before, when it first opened, and was impressed with the food and service. It seems to have continued to be a decent place to dine, though I do hear some negative reviews from time to time. For us, it’s one of the better table-service eateries in Animal Kingdom, and we’ll gladly switch back and forth between Yak and Yeti and Tusker House depending on whether we want full-service or a buffet.
Once again, the atmosphere at this place just adds to the intrigue, and the opportunity to get such a great Parade view is a great reason to stop in.
What are your opinions of Yak and Yeti? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Great review. I’d like to point out, though, that since this restaurant is not owned/operated by Disney, they do not have to abide by the same cocktail menu that the other Disney-owned venues on property do. So you’ll likely find more variety/uniqueness here than you will elsewhere on property. Having said that, it’s certain that they get their liquor from a distributor, so they are likely to have some sort of pre-fab menu they use.
I love Yak & Yeti! I’ve been wanting to try some of the other restaurants (both CS and TS) at AK, but I just can’t bring myself to go anywhere else when I’m hungry for a meal and I’m in AK! The theming and decor are just beautiful. It’s such a great place to take a break from touring.
Might have to give Yak and Yeti a try on our next AK visit. The honey chicken looked quite good:)
There duck is good enough to be at a signature dining location; it is some of the best that I have ever had. We can’t wait to go back.
Last time I was there, I had the duck, which was simply out of this world and perfectly done. My wife was a bit disappointed with her meal, though, and she can’t even remember what she had.
That Dim Sum looks great though…
Another beautiful Disney themed restaurant, but this time with a positive review. As J hints at, it seems the non Disney run restaurants seem to get most of the good reviews while the Disney owned places are hit or miss.
While we cannot taste the pictures the dumplings look great. With AJ’s numerous cross sections – she reminds me of some of the civil engineers I’ve worked with.
Wow that looks amazing! We never have done sit down at AK, but I think we have to now!
We dined at Y&Y last month for the first time and loved it – immediately became one of our favorites. The portion sizes were hearty and the food was quite good. They have a great kids menu, too with some unique items that our 2.5 year old son loved. We actually had a table upstairs by the window, which makes for a great seat no matter what time of the day (with a young kid we were eating lunch right as they opened – there was no way we would make it until parade time for lunch!). Our server, Mark, was also really good about describing the menu items, interacted really well with our son (who talks nonstop these days especially about animals), and gave us some good tips on when/where to go to watch the parade. My wife had the House Salad, which was anything but your typical house salad. She loved it and although it was an appetizer, was a good-sized portion. I had the Chicken Lo Mein and thought it was very flavorful. AJ’s comparison to a PF Chang’s type of restaurant is a good one. We highly recommend this restaurant if you’re looking for a table-service spot at AK, followed by a cupcake from Kusafiri Bakery for dessert!
I’ve read many mixed reviews about this restaurant but honestly the food looks and sounds amazing. Let’s see… I definately want a shaved ice martini, dim sum, and the wonton desert, so yummy. Next trip maybe.
Matt and I ordered the Dim Sum Basket once and we both really enjoyed it. We split everything but I ate the Shrimp Siu Mai while he ate the Pork Siu Mai (he’s not a fan of shrimp). It was a nice, light meal at the bar with a couple of tasty beers!
So glad you had a great experience there. We love Y&Y! We had the dim sum basket on our first visit, and that is truly what led me to fall in love with the restaurant. The char siu bao was spot on flavor-wise to what I ate in many Chinese restaurants in Houston’s Chinatown as a child. (FWIW, Y&Y is owned and operated by Landry’s restaurant group, based here in Houston!). They were one of my favorite treats, and I am thrilled to find a place in Disney where I can get them.
My husband had the ribs on our last visit and liked them just as much as you. I absolutely must save room for dessert during our meal there in December! Both desserts look yummy.
Oh, and sign me up for one of those grown-up snow cones, please!
I will take a bunch of the pork buns and cream cheese wontons and call it a day. I am adding this to my list of restaurants to try after reading this review.
Love the tip about watching the parade from the window.
Hate the paper straws.
We love eating there. I usually get the ribs & my husband gets the Beef & Broccoli with the Wonton Soup. The soup usually comes with fried wonton chips & I will usually order a side of that just to munch on. You get chips & salsa at a mexican restaurant, so I want my fried wonton chips here.
It’s not on the Tables in Wonderland listing, but you do get an annual pass discount here, so that even makes it more affordable.
We can always get right in for lunch without a reservation if we go when it opens. For a late lunch, the most we’ve waited has been about 20 minutes. But that time we had to take a tiny table downstairs in what felt like a walkway from the kitchen to the rest of the restaurant. We’ll make sure we have reservations from now on, if we’re not eating early.
If we know that we’re doing extra magic hours – we’ll usually ask for reservations for dinner, but other then that, we usually will just walk up around 11:30-12noon & be fine.
DAK is my favorite park (although I’m a bit biased), and I STILL haven’t made it to Yak & Yeti! After reading this, it is going to the top of my list for in-park places to eat, for sure. The tip about the parade viewing is an excellent one. I have seen both the Jammin’ Jungle and the Jingle Jungle parades a hundred times (usually twice in one day, working in Harambe!), and I still try to see it every time I am at DAK. Such an adorable show. Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful pics! I would have to agree this is one of the best restaurants on WDW property! I’m an Asian food fanatic and I found this food absolutely divine! Can’t wait to go back again.
My husband and I ate at Yak & Yeti on our honeymoon and absolutely loved it!
He got the ribs, which were super tasty, and I got the crispy honey chicken.
My highlight was the cream cheese wontons. I loooooove those things. So tasty. I still randomly bring them up occasionally. At some point, we will definitely go back to Y&Y, for sure.
I heard a rumor that they use MSG at this restaurant . . . can anyone verify or deny that for me?
I would L-O-V-E to try this restaurant; the theming looks fantastic, we love asian food, also I think my husband would love being able to have a great view of the parade. But he doesn’t do well with MSG and I would hate to get him sick on our WDW vacation!
Never been to Y&Y, but definitely putting it on the list for next time! So great to see a restaurant in a park that has an ethnic flair that follows through and has options for the adventurous eater. If only they could bring this food to the China pavilion in Epcot!
Good and thorough review, as usual!
That said, I long for a time when I’ll be able to read a Disney food post from someone who, like me, is not at all picky and, in fact, will try *anything* once.
I for one am disappointed to see some menu changes since we were last there. This was the first place I tried Pho and it was PERFECT. I was looking forward to another bowl when we go back for the food and wine festival, now I’m not sure if I want to keep the reservation. 🙁
We love the Yak & Yeti and make it a must-stop every trip. Some of the best food we’ve found, and I still daydream about that Mango Pie. And I don’t even care for mango! It was awesomely delicious.
J — Great point on the cocktail menu!!
Abby — So true. And rarely busy in my experience.
Deej — You guys would like, I think.
Jason and Adam — I’ll have to try the duck next time!!
Alan — I don’t imagine you’ll get to this one soon, but it is quite good! And I’ve never…EVER…been compared to an engineer, so I’m honored!
Caitie — Indeed! Let me know what you think!
Ben — Thanks for the review! Great point that the kids’ menu is pretty inspired here.
Blanca — Let me know if you go!
Sarah — PERFECT thing to get at the bar. Great idea.
Shayne — I’m glad your return experiences here have been good. For everyone else — Shayne wrote up a guest review of Yak and Yeti for us here!
Mark — Aw. I love the paper straws. Makes it feel “special.” 😉
Janet — Thanks for the walk-up tips and the fried wonton chips info!
Lenore — You’re welcome! Parades are great no matter what, but they are much better in the air conditioning IMHO.
AFoodie — Thanks for the review!
Victoria — Thanks for the review and suggestions!
Bethabee — Not sure on that one 🙁 Sounds like a good opportunity to call Disney Dining and speak to a chef.
Laura B. — Good point!
Jeff W — Aw, Jeff, I’m letting you down! 🙁 In just a few days I’ll have a Bull and Bear review that will knock your socks off! Also, why aren’t you doing guest reviews for Disney Food Blog a la Andrew Zimmern?! (Noting that there’s not that much “off the beaten path” food at WDW as it is, sadly…)
Ryan — Aw! Pho would have been awesome!
Easily my favorite resturant in the AK (even the QS is good!) and its tied for my favorite resturant in “all the land” (aka- all of WDW). I love asian food- and they do it up so well! The salmon I had there was the best salmon I’ve ever had- anywhere, and those wontons are awesome!
They had Pho! I love that stuff.
This is my husbands favorite restaurant in the whole world, not just Disney! I love the ribs, and he always tries something different, although we always start with the Dim Sum Basket, yummy! We have always had the same table, near a window and gone right before parade time to watch it go by. I usually end up freezing since we go to Kali River first, and I end up soaked and then the air in Y&Y, brr! But nice in contrast to all that heat. Never had a bad experience there!
I have an ADR there in November. I can’t wait to try it.
Yak and Yeti is, by far, my favorite sit-down restaurant in DAK. My favorites from there are the egg rolls, the ribs, and the cream cheese won tons. All of them are so yummy, and now I’m craving the won tons. 😛
Shaved Ice Martinis!? Why I hadn’t thought of that myself I’ll never know. The dimsum and dessert wontons look wonderful. I’m heading to Orlando for a family reunion this August, I can’t wait to bring everyone here!
I have always enjoyed Yak & Yeti ever since it opened. The fried green beans are always nice and crsipy, and I have never had a complaint about the entrees (usually ribs for me) and dessert (oh my that mango pie!). Haven’t been in a few years but hoping to go again soon!
This is not a new drink (icecone martini) it was new last Oct and infact removed from the menu when I returned in March. So is it really back?
Wow, no reviews since last July. Guess I’d better add my $.02 – lol.
Partner and I had dinner here Presidents Day weekend. Neither of us had eaten here, and we’re all about trying new places out when we go to WDW. We loved the decor. It really fits the Asia area, especially with Everest not far away.
We were sad the frozen martinis weren’t offered anymore. So, we stuck with vodka/cranberry since that’s what we were drinking at the Dawa Bar right before.
Our server was very nice and we never felt rushed, which is a big deal to us as most times we just like to sit, relax and enjoy the theming.
We shared the pot stickers and they were very flavorful. Liked them a lot. For our main courses we shared the honey chicken and the beef and broccoli, both with brown rice. The beef was definitely the winner between the two. It was SO GOOD! The chicken honestly was kind of boring. It wasn’t very sweet and there were MAYBE 6 pieces on the plate, that was it. And the brown rice was mediocre at best. I’m used to brown rice being much nuttier in flavor. This, wasn’t. It was fine, just not memorable.
Would I go back if I was in the mood for Chinese? Absolutely!! But I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to trek to AK just to go here.
Matt, thanks for the updated review!!! We need to get back to Yak and yeti! 🙂
Just want to point out, since I didn’t see them mentioned…. the LETTUCE WRAPS are absolutely fantastic. They’re one of the reasons my husband and I consider this restaurant a must-do on every Disney trip.
Now that you’ve shown me that dim sum basket, I’m thinking that for our next visit there, we might do “array of appetizers” as the whole meal!
Me and my partner Ventured out to the Yak and Yeti last month. We had been dying to go after reading so many great reviews.
Firstly i will say the restaurant itself is awesome, lots of fun things to look at, and the atmosphere was nice. we got sat at a small table of two on the 2nd floor by the stairs (the exact one photo’d here!) I was a bit bummed about that…i really hate getting those tiny tables (im 6 foot 1) crammed next to another small table right behind me and infront of me…i get it party of 2(does anyone else feel my pain here?)….still…it detracted from the overall experience. Lets face it, we know at Disney we are going to spend more money than usual, i openly accept that because i so love my disney experiences that i recieve no matter where we eat- so i expect a certain level of comfort.
I feel that maybe my love for PF Changs was what kept me a bit underwhelmed thru out this dinner. If you frequent PF Changs and love it like i do, i fear you may make the same comparisons.
We got The Pork Dumplings and the Fried Green Beans to start….I kept thinking they were no where better than pf changs…My boyfriend however really enjoyed both, so i felt i was being hyper critical..we did after all, eat them.
We opted to just share an entree since disney dining tends to be generous, and got the Bourbon Chicken. It was pretty good. My boyfriend again liking it much more than i did. nothing to really write home to. We made a huge mistake sharing this dish, the portion of the chicken was so scant i felt really ripped off for the price to be quite honest. But our waiter was so nice and the experience in itself was nice…i just left wanting something more, and for the first time a bit dissapointed in a disney dining experience.
Would i go back? yeah i would i suppose, mostly for my boyfriend who really truly and honestly liked it a lot more than i did, but i would certainly try other dishes, and wouldnt really repeat anything i got…save the dumplings.
Being an ex-yachting chef, this was the best food I had experienced in all of the Disney parks. While on my five day visit to all the Disney parks. Rocco Valentino the General Manager and Landry’s, you have the best Kobe burger!
As an ex-chef, they offer the best quality food at Disney! No question!
Best Regards
Gary Gianotti
Milford, CT. 06460
Our fave restaurant at all of Disney World! We’ve eaten a variety of food from here…from the dim sum to the Kobe beef burger, to the honey chicken and the ribs. Ut our absolute favorites are the Anandapur Duck (oh, such crispy skin and wonderfully tender meat) and the Malaysian Seafood Curry (luscious flavor with all kinds of interesting seafood.). This place has become one of our must-dos EVERY time we’re in the parks. Interesting theming. Even better food!
We were there yesterday 8/11, the food was awesome, the waitress Aubrey was amazing. Thanks for the EXCELLENT service. We will be back..
Recently tried Yak and Yeti’s seasonal items 12/21/2019. Korean beef and the Lemon grass chicken. Overall the items were a tad salty and the presentation tries to mimic a PF Chang’s presentation. They are trying to be savory but are not accomplishing the task. Left half the food on the table. I liked their regular menu the best.