Jiko~The Cooking Place

[KateMW]

I never see it mentioned much on here, so I'm curious...does everybody hate it?

I saw a sample menu on some site and I thought it looked great. We wanted to try it, but I'm nervous since nobody ever talks about it being their favorite.:thanks:

[SBETigg]

It's one of those really great little restaurants that gets lost in the shuffle of so many good WDW places to eat. Most people gravitate toward the more popular, family-friendly places, or the single dining credit places on the DP. A lot of the Signature Dining (more expensive, less kid friendly, more elaborate cuisine, no characters) restaurants share the same fate of being overlooked though often offering superior service and dining experiences.

Award-winning chef Anette Grecchi Gray helmed Jiko from opening to just last year and the menu is still hers, though a new chef has taken over. We have FL friends who think it is one of the best restaurants anywhere. The other reason Jiko isn't as discussed as some of the other signature dining could be location. Unless you're staying at the AKL, it is a bit more out of the way than some of the options. Don't make the mistake of avoiding a dining experience just because it isn't talked up on the boards.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

:) A couple of months ago there was a thread about Jiko and it was overwhelming...everyone who had eaten there loved it...I think the problem is that it is a Signature restaurant (takes two credits) and so many people love Boma that they just don't consider Jiko.

[KateMW]

Thanks for your post! I'm glad to hear all the great info about it. It looks so yummy. I read the menu to DH and he really wants to try it. We'll have DD4 with us, but as long as she can have meat, she's pretty happy...LOL She also loves spicy food. In fact, I'm more worried that she isn't going to want to eat chicken fingers and hamburgers every day then about not finding anything for her to eat at the signature places. She's reverse picky..she's a kid food snob! LOL Don't get me wrong though, the girl loves Chick-Fil-A.

That being said, we were thinking about going to AK mid morning and spending the rest of the day until early evening there, then going over to AKl to eat at Jiko's. Then we'd be back at Poly for some fireworks or some swimming. Would that work? How far is AK from AKL? How much time should I allow to travel there using WDW transportation?:D

[KateMW]

:) A couple of months ago there was a thread about Jiko and it was overwhelming...everyone who had eaten there loved it...I think the problem is that it is a Signature restaurant (takes two credits) and so many people love Boma that they just don't consider Jiko.

Was the thread just about Jiko? I'll go search it if it was. We're doing DDDP, so we'll have extra credits. That's actually why we did it!

[SBETigg]

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That being said, we were thinking about going to AK mid morning and spending the rest of the day until early evening there, then going over to AKl to eat at Jiko's. Then we'd be back at Poly for some fireworks or some swimming. Would that work? How far is AK from AKL? How much time should I allow to travel there using WDW transportation?:D

The AK is close to the AKL. We've only gone to AKL once from the AK and it took about fifteen minutes, most of which spent waiting for the bus. It's only a short ride, maybe five minutes. But as always with Disney transportation, factor in wait time. I would give myself a half hour to be safe. Chances are it will be faster.

Traveling from the Poly to AK, count on an hour, though it could also end up taking less or more time. To return to Poly from AKL, your best bet is to grab an MK bus from the AKL and then boat or monorail back to the Poly.

[xipetotec]

I never see it mentioned much on here, so I'm curious...does everybody hate it?

I saw a sample menu on some site and I thought it looked great. We wanted to try it, but I'm nervous since nobody ever talks about it being their favorite.:thanks:

Quite the contrary from I've read! Everything I've read has rated it one of the best ( if not THE BEST) place to eat in all of WDW !

We're booked for Feb 28th and looking forward to it!

[TexasPrincessAurora]

It's a wonderful place to eat! The service is great and the atmosphere is really unique. The menu is one of the most unique on property, down the bread they make the kids PB&J's on. It really is a dining experience and I would highly recommend it.

[KateMW]

Great! I am going to add it to the list for AK day then. I figure if we go to around late morning, we can make a 5ish reservation for dinner and make it back to Poly for fireworks...what time are the fireworks that people have told me you can see from the club lounge or the beach? Am I making that up?

[SBETigg]

Great! I am going to add it to the list for AK day then. I figure if we go to around late morning, we can make a 5ish reservation for dinner and make it back to Poly for fireworks...what time are the fireworks that people have told me you can see from the club lounge or the beach? Am I making that up?

No, you're not making it up. :) The Polynesian beach is a great place to view Wishes, the fireworks show at the MK. But the timing depends on time of year and park closing. You should check at Info Central for the park and event hours. If your month isn't scheduled yet, you can look under Historic Park Hours to get an idea of what to expect based on last year's schedule-- though all schedules are subject to change.

[mudpuppysmom]

I've been making and changing our ADR's for next weeks vacation. Originally DH said to "make sure" I made a ressie for Jiko, then yesterday he said "you know we don't have to eat there EVERY time we go to Disney, why not try something new".....I just about fell off the chair!! We LOVE Jiko and discovered it when we were waiting for our buzzer to go off at Boma, which DH did not like (hmmmmm).

Anyway, we thoroughly enjoy the place!!! In fact, if we could stay at AKL every time we went I'd be nice and relaxed and have a super fun vacation........which I normally do, just not as relaxed as when we stayed at AKL!!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Was the thread just about Jiko? I'll go search it if it was. We're doing DDDP, so we'll have extra credits. That's actually why we did it!


I think it was one of those that was asking the opinion between two restaurants....but Jiko would have been in the name of the thread, its been a month or two ago though.....their menu choices look good....

[KateMW]

Ok, last October Wishes was at 9pm. So, what time would I need to do dinner at Jiko to be back at the Poly for the show. We'll be taking Disney transportation and we're moderate eaters. We don't want to wolf our food done, but how relaxed can you be with a 4 year old? :mickey:

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

:thumbsup: The post on Jiko that I was thinking of was dated 10-15-07 and was titled "Jiko Reviews" the person who posted was emerzmom

[SBETigg]

Ok, last October Wishes was at 9pm. So, what time would I need to do dinner at Jiko to be back at the Poly for the show. We'll be taking Disney transportation and we're moderate eaters. We don't want to wolf our food done, but how relaxed can you be with a 4 year old? :mickey:

If you're planning on going over from the AK, you may want to take an early seating, say five? The AK can be an all-day park, but it's tiring. You'll need rest stops and you'll probably be ready to go before five if you get there early in the day. You can always take some time to explore the AKL, which is lovely. Also keep in mind that Jiko has a dress code (not much of one, just nicer shorts or capris and polo shirts, that kind of thing-- same with most of the Signature Dining).

So dining at or around five or no later than six would be the way to go, I think. Count on the bus back to the MK to take an hour and add twenty minutes to get back to the Poly beach. It could end up to be less time, but why risk it? You can also view the Electrical Water Pageant on the beach. It makes the rounds right around the same time, but with a slight delay if the fireworks are going off.

[DVC Mike]

We absolutely love Jiko -- one of our favorite restaurants!