When it comes to Disney World hotels, there’s a reason many guests claim Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort as their favorite. That’s due to a multitude of factors like the resort’s Hawaiian theming, the newly renovated Moana rooms, and the smell (seriously, it SMELLS SO GOOD IN THERE).

But another reason guests love the Polynesian is the food — because there is some GREAT eating here. For those who have never dined at the Polynesian, though, we’re going to break down ALL the food options there and give you some tips on what to eat!

Barefoot Pool Bar

Okay, so we’re going to start with the bars at the Polynesian because this hotel has SOME of the best bars on Disney property. If you happen to spend some time at the Lava Pool, you’ll probably be visiting the Barefoot Pool Bar — in fact, we suggest you make it a point to visit this tiki hut-inspired bar!

Sure, maybe we’re a little biased because one of our cocktail hacks ended up on the menu here, so yes, we’ll recommend you order The Voyager (which we called a spiked kakamora float when we first requested it) if you get a chance (trust us on this one!). It’s made with a mix of Parrot Bay coconut rum, pineapple juice, piña colada mix, and blue curaçao.

However, this little bar also packs some delicious food (and we’ll point out here that you can use Mobile Order, too!). The Black Pepper Parmesan Chicken Wings, which are tossed in Fresh Garden Herb Dressing, are delicious. But we can also recommend the Fried Wonton Chips, which are served with  Spicy Duck Sauce.

Now that’s some good snacking!

Read our full review of the food at Barefoot Pool Bar

Oasis Bar & Grill

If you’re spending time at the Oasis Pool, you can also give the Oasis Pool Bar and Grill a try. You’ll find some DELICIOUS Polynesian-inspired food, as well as some great drinks. Yes, Disney World has some of the best pool bars in the world! This one might not be in a tiki hut, but it’s also well worth a visit.

First up, the drinks here are top-notch. You can get a  Frozen Margarita with Dole Whip Lime, for example, and who would turn down a boozy Dole Whip drink? Certainly not us! But we’re also fans of the Cucumber and Mint Vojito, made with Ketel One Botanical Cucumber and Mint Vodka, Lime Juice, and Pure Cane Sugar topped with Soda Water. This is THE drink you want on a hot day.

The food here is also great. This is another location where you can get the Black Pepper-Parmesan Chicken Wings and Fried Wonton Chips. The Teriyaki-Glazed Angus Chuck Burger is a solid burger. It’s made with Angus Chuck Burger, topped with Pork Belly, Grilled Pineapple, and teriyaki sauce. You can also choose a side of either Fries or a Green Cabbage Slaw.

This burger could be one of Disney World’s best-kept secrets, so be sure to try it out!

Read a review of Oasis Bar’s food!

Tambu Lounge

So you’re not feeling like hitting the pool bar but want a relaxing South Seas-inspired place to chill out for a while. You’ll find Tambu Lounge in the waiting area for ‘Ohana (we’ll get to that in a bit) — and yes, this is a great place to pick up a drink before dining at ‘Ohana.

You can sip on the delicious Lapu Lapu here, made with Plantation Original Dark Rum and Tropical Fruit Juices served in a fresh Pineapple topped with Gosling’s 151 Rum. There are also plenty of other tropical-inspired cocktails available, like the Polynesian Mai Tai, made with Plantation Original Dark Rum, Bacardí Superior Rum, Bols Orange Curaçao, Lime Juice, Orgeat (Almond), and Pure Cane Sugar.

You’ll also find some appetizers available here, including a California Roll, Pot Stickers, Big Kahuna’s Hot Wings, and Kaikane’s Barbecued Pork Ribs.

At one point, you could order that amazing ‘Ohana Bread Pudding here, but it’s no longer on the menu.

Read a Tambu Lounge review!

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Okay, so there is probably no bar in Disney World as popular as Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, which is the “happy hideaway” of Trader Sam, who you may know, thanks to Jungle Cruise. This bar is an entire EXPERIENCE with interactive special effects and wacky bartender antics. 

If you do manage to get a spot in this bar, take time to look at all the artifacts, pictures, souvenirs, and other decor. Even the lighting fixtures are unique. This is Disney theming at its best.

This is also where you can get those sought-after collectible souvenir tiki glasses. The drink list is HUGE, with special cocktails you won’t find anywhere else in Disney World. Guest favorites include the Krakatoa Punch, made with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Orgeat (Almond), Sam’s Gorilla Grog, and Hibiscus Grenadine…

…and the Uh-Oa, made with Plantation Original Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit Juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for Two or more Guests.

But it’s not just impressive drinks you can find here. There’s also some REALLY good food! We LOVE the Thai Chicken Flatbread, with bacon and peanut sauce on it — it’s one of the more delicious flatbreads we’ve found in Disney World. Be sure to also order the Kalua Pork Tacos.

Here’s the thing, though, Trader Sam’s does NOT take reservations, so the lines to get in can get long — be sure to read up on how the virtual line system works. So your best bet is to go early. Also, it’s good to note that after 8PM — this location is ADULTS ONLY, which means only those guests over 21 and up are allowed in.

Here’s a recent review of Trader Sam’s

Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace

If you don’t want to wait in line to get into Trader Sam’s, you can just hit up the Tiki Terrace. It’s a relaxed outdoor lounge OUTSIDE Trader Sam’s with live music and an outdoor waterfall. It may not have the same atmosphere as Trader Sam’s, but you’ll get the same wacky service from Cast Members.

Also, you can order most of the same food and drinks that Trader Sam’s offers on its menu, so this is a great alternative for those who just don’t want to wait.

Read a review!

Capt. Cook’s

Okay, it’s on to quick service restaurants and Capt. Cook’s is where you can get that counter service experience, but it will still come with all the Polynesian’s tropical vibes. This is also a Mobile Order location, although seating is available if you want to enjoy that feeling of an island getaway.

You can get the Disney staple, Mickey waffles, here for breakfast, but this is also where you can grab that world famous Tonga Toast (Banana-stuffed Sourdough Bread, Battered, Deep-fried, and Dusted with Cinnamon-Sugar served with Bacon or Sausage) if you can’t get into Kona Cafe (more on that later, too).

For lunch and dinner, we’re just going to tell you to get the Pulled Pork Nachos topped with Cheese, Spicy Mayonnaise, Pico de Gallo, and Pineapple Salsa. Trust us — you’ll want this for ALL your Disney World dinners once you taste it.

This is also where you can get the Refillable Mugs, as well as where you can refill them with your favorite soft drink, tea, or coffee.

Here’s our review of those nachos!

Kona Island

You’ll find Kona Island right next door to Kona Cafe. It’s a little spot that offers up a nice variety of specialty coffee drinks, as well as pastries. In other words, it’s a great spot to grab a quick breakfast. However, you’ll find things in its bakery case you won’t find anywhere else, like the Banana Macadamia Nut Loaf, and yes, CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON. Need we say more?

During lunch and dinner, you can grab some sushi from here, too! There’s a little bit of seating here, too, which will put you overlooking the Polynesian’s lush gardens.

Here’s our most recent Kona Island review

Pineapple Lanai

If you love all things Dole Whip, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not visiting Pineapple Lanai, which has one of the best selections of Dole Whip snacks in all of Disney World! It’s basically just a window where you order up these delicious treats, but that’s all you need, right?

Sure, you could get just a regular pineapple Dole Whip, but each day brings other unique Dole Whip flavors, too! Also, hint, get the Dole Whip with Rum Floater. Yep, more boozy Dole Whip! You never know what kind of delicious Dole Whip concoctions will show up here, but if you see a specialty float or Dole Whip on the menu, grab it! It won’t disappoint.

Here’s a review of one of those specialty floats

Kona Cafe

Alright, it’s time to talk about table service restaurants, and the two at the Polynesian are OUTSTANDING, as well as guest favorites. First up, we’ve got Kona Cafe, the ORIGINAL spot where you could get that Tonga Toast for breakfast (which is worth making the advance dining reservation alone). This spot also recently got a remodel and has a very island, tropical, and Moana-inspired feel to it now.

Okay, so you know about the Tonga Toast for breakfast, but what about dinner? Well, the menu is MASSIVE and includes a variety of sushi rolls, several poke’ bowls, great steak and chicken entrees, and more. But save room for dessert because you can also get the Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding, which is VERY similar to the ‘Ohana bread pudding.

That being said, if you can’t get a reservation at ‘Ohana, you might have an easier time finding a reservation here — it’s a great alternative!

Read our most recent review of breakfast at Kona Cafe

‘Ohana

Even if you’ve never been to Disney World, if you’ve read anything about dining in Disney World, you’ve probably seen ‘Ohana mentioned many times. It’s a guest-favorite restaurant in Disney World (and has been for a very long time). This glassed-in restaurant has a huge cooking fire in the center, which is where meats are grilled.

If you have dinner at JUST the right time, you can enjoy the Magic Kingdom fireworks outside the glass windows — the restaurant pipes the music in so you can experience the fireworks WHILE YOU EAT.

Breakfast is a character dining experience where you can meetLilo, Stitch, Mickey, and other Disney pals, while food is served family-style. Expect to eat fresh Pineapple-Coconut Breakfast Bread, as well as a Breakfast Skillet with scrambled eggs, sausage links, Mickey-shaped waffles, and more.

Dinner is also served family-style, and includes Signature ‘Ohana Bread with Honey Butter, as well as fan-favorites like the Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, Pork Dumplings Tossed In Garlic-Chili Sauce, and the ‘Ohana Dinner Skillet with Wood-fire Grilled Teriyaki Beef, Spicy Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, Grilled Chicken with Polynesian-inspired Chimichurri Sauce, ‘Ohana Noodles, Roasted Broccolini. Note: those noodles are SO beloved that there was a panic when they disappeared from the menu in 2021.

However, as we previously mentioned, most guests come here for that ‘Ohana Bread Pudding, with is served À la mode with Homemade Caramel Sauce. This is a DISNEY staple, folks, and if you’ve never had it, you’re missing out.

Note that ‘Ohana is VERY popular, so you’ll need to make those advance dining reservations as soon as you can (60 days from the first day of your trip). It’s one of those restaurants you SHOULD leave the parks for.

Here’s a recent ‘Ohana review

Whew — that’s a LOT of dining options for just one hotel, but that’s what makes Disney’s Polynesian Resort so popular. Even if you’re NOT staying there, it’s worth a visit just for the food alone. With the hotel being right on the Monorail, it’s easy to get to from Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, too!

With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World. We have reviews, pictures, and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2023 at checkout for 25% off!

Have you ever dined at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort? What’s your favorite restaurant there? Let us know in the comments!