Dinner at Jiko: A Disney Dining Review
By Rikki
It’s been well known that if you’re looking for a great meal at the Walt Disney World Resort, especially one that’s on the fancier spectrum, Jiko has always been a go-to. The signature table service location is well known for its oak-grilled filet mignon and mac and cheese. (And for those who enjoy a glass of wine, they have a large wine selection.) So we recently decided on a celebration trip that we were going to have dinner at this often talked about restaurant.
The Atmosphere at Jiko
Jiko is located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Jambo House. The restaurant features crackling wood-burning ovens, as well as gold and orange tones, which are supposed to represent the African sunset. There’s also unique art above, as “birds” fly above Guests.
As mentioned, this is a Disney Signature Dining experience. Therefore, to dine here, Guests need to dress a little more upscale.
The Food at Jiko
Now, I had heard about Jiko for YEARS. About how delicious it was. The flavors are a blend of traditional African, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine with a seasonally changing menu. So, for this celebratory dinner, I knew it was the only choice I wanted to experience. After dining here, however, I honestly don’t think I will be returning any time soon.
You know it’s sad when the best thing we ate was the pre-dinner bread. It was fantastic. I loved the etching on the top which made it look like a giraffe! And the butter that came with it was spectacular.
I, of course, chose the oak-grilled filet mignon as my main course. I had been dreaming about this steak. It was a Bone Marrow-crusted Filet Mignon that was served with a Four Cheese Macaroni, Seasonal Vegetable, Chocolate-Red Wine Demi-glace.
And let me tell you…it was nothing to write home about. It was about as basic of a steak as you could eat. There were no outstanding flavors paired with it. Not even the demi-glace, which was incredibly disappointing. I felt that I could have gotten a steak at Texas Roadhouse and had better, for cheaper.
Even the mac and cheese was just ok. As were the seasonal vegetable of broccolini.
My husband got the Botswanan Seswaa Short Rib. This is a Merlot-braised Beef Short Rib, Spiced Carrot Bredie, Cassava Hash, Marinated Pearl Onions.
I’m gonna be honest….our reservation was later in the evening. It wasn’t terribly late though, but certainly after the main dining times. Now, I don’t know if this caused part of the problems, (it shouldn’t, by the way and I don’t count that as a real excuse) but this was honestly the worst short rib I’ve ever tried. The meat was incredibly tough and chewy. My husband, who doesn’t send food back, legitimately almost sent this back. That’s how bad it was.
The meal was so disappointing that we didn’t even order dessert and instead opted to grab Zebra Domes from the quick-service location, The Mara instead.
Final Thoughts
The main feeling I left with after dining at Jiko was disappointment. I was so looking forward to a great meal after hearing just raves about this place for years. Instead, I left feeling that almost everything was lackluster and that I’d spent too much money for a meal that was only ok.
If I’m going to dine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge from now on, it will be at Sanaa, Boma, or heck, even The Mara. All were much better than this meal. In order for me to return to Jiko, I’m going to need to hear that this restaurant has a new chef or has had an updated menu or something. Because this meal just wasn’t worth it.
Get more Disney dining reviews here at A Disney World After All.
But now, I want to know your thoughts. Is Jiko a must dine for you? Am I off my rocker for thinking it wasn’t great? You can share with me in the comments or on social! Find me on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok.
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