There have been a TON of things returning at reopening in Disney World lately, even more are on the way!

We’ve recently seen Monsieur Paul reopen in EPCOT, buffets return to Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, and characters come back to places like Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Another spot that recently reopened is Kona Cafe because the spot underwent some renovations. So, come along with us to check out what’s new and try some breakfast food!

Atmosphere

Kona Cafe is located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and is a table service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The restaurant has a whole new look to it now after the renovations!

We’re going to take a look at some of the before and afters! Here is what the restaurant looked like before:

And, here’s it after!

It has a totally new entrance. The inside also looks quite different. Take a look at it before:

And now, after:

Even the tables have changed! Here’s before:

And after!

It has a very different vibe, with new tables, chairs, carpet, and even light fixtures. These lights actually represent the fishermen’s baskets that are used on the real Kona in Hawaii.

The booths have changed, too. Here’s before:

And, after:

Check out the bar area before:

And, after. We learned that a Kona tattoo artist actually designed the new look for the ceiling, which shows water meeting the land, the teeth of sharks in the water, the land meeting red lava form the volcano, and the hardened lava that is creating more land.

We also saw some very cool new wall art on a wall filled with new stone work.

How fun are these flowers?

If you look closely, you might even find some hidden Mickeys!

These flowers are a great backdrop for the new look over here.

Now that we’ve seen the new look, let’s talk about the FOOD!

Menu

The menus even got a new look over at Kona Cafe! Here’s what the new outside of the breakfast menu looks like.

On the inside, you’ll find familiar favorites like Tonga Toast, as well as other breakfast items we’ve seen on the menu before the closure. But, there are seem new things, like a Spice-Rubbed Salmon Plate, a Ham & Cheese Omelet, and French Toast!

We’re only eating breakfast here for this review, but we’ll give you a look at the new lunch and dinner menus, too! This is the new outside of the lunch menu.

Inside, you’ll find things like sushi, burgers, poke bowls, dashi bowls, and more. We also saw that the Crispy Cheddar Burger is no longer on the menu, but the Big Kahuna Burger has taken its spot!

The dinner menu has a new look as well!

On the menu are appetizers like pot stickers, chicken wings, and more. And, there are also sushi rolls available! There are a few changes to the entrees with the addition of Sautéed Red Quinoa and Verlasso Salmon.

Now, let’s eat some breakfast!

Eats

We got three breakfast entrees, because we gotta try as much as we can, right?!

First, we started with the famous Tonga Toast with a side of bacon for $17. This is a banana-stuffed sourdough French toast rolled in cinnamon-sugar, served with a strawberry compote, and with your choice of ham, spiced ham, bacon, or sausage.

This portion size is hefty for sure, which is how Tonga Toast usually is. It’s a great one for sharing (unless you’re really hungry!).

Tonga Toast is like a super thick piece of regular French toast, but it’s stuffed with those delicious bananas, which is amazing. And, there’s definitely a generous amount of cinnamon-sugar!

The strawberry compote was very tasty as well and really elevated the dish. But, this is SUPER sweet, it’s basically dessert for breakfast, so it’s nice to have a side of protein like the bacon to break up everything with some saltiness.

Next up, we got the Ham and Cheese Omelet for $17. This entree is a ham and cheese omelet with home-fried potatoes.

The diced up ham in the eggs were delish! However, our eggs were super salty, so watch out for that. The portion was also a great size for a big breakfast!

The potato wedges on the side were tasty too, but we wish they had been a little more crispy.

Finally, we got the NEW French Toast with sausage for $15. This is French toast with a caramel-banana sauce and your choice of ham, spiced ham, bacon, or sausage. The caramel-banana sauce added a ton of unique flavor to and otherwise standard French toast!

But, other than that, this is a pretty basic dish. The sausages on the side had a good flavor and were a decent size to fill you up if you were just getting this entree for your breakfast.

Nosh or Not

Book your breakfast at Kona Cafe if:

• You want a casual, laid-back atmosphere that’s been redone recently to give it a fresh look
• You’re staying at the Polynesian or another Monorail resort and want a convenient spot to grab a decent breakfast
• You want a spot where you can get standard breakfast fare as well as some more adventurous dishes. Kona Cafe has eggs and bacon, but they also have things like Loco Moco!

Head to another breakfast spot instead if:

• You want a breakfast spot that has super unique offerings that are going to blow your mind with flavor. This spot is good, but not something we’d go super out of the way for.
• You want a restaurant with more Disney theming. The theming here is for the Polynesian Resort, not for anything specifically Disney. And, you won’t find any characters here!
• You want a spot with some more privacy and/or space. This is open so it can be seen from a lot of different spots in the lobby, and there are a lot of tables in here! You might be really close to some other people if it’s busy.

Overall

Overall, this is a decent breakfast option in Disney World! It’s not something we would suggest you have at the top of your list for your advance dining reservations though, unless you’re staying in a nearby hotel and want something convenient. It does have good portion sizes though, and it has options that should be good for picky and slightly adventurous eaters alike.

The new look in here gives the space a fresh feeling compared to how it was before, and everything is basically new, so that’s a plus! The stonework and colors as well as the decor perfectly fit in with the Polynesian Resort. We also want to note that the service here was exceptional!

But, like most places in Disney, it’s not the most affordable. In terms of Disney table service restaurants, it’s really not bad, though. But, just know that you can probably find some more unique offerings for a similar price at other places around Disney World.

Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World food news, info, and reviews!

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Will you be reserving a table at Kona Cafe soon? Tell us why or why not in the comments!