Looking to book an ADR at one of the AKL restaurants and just don’t know which to pick. Experiences with or advice on any of the three restaurants would be great! Thanks!
Depends what your looking for, we like Boma’s you can get to try a lot of different things. We have always had children with us so haven’t tried the others.
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I’d heard from someone that Sanaa is a neat experience because you can watch the animals grazing while you eat, but I’ve not found very detailed descriptions anywhere else of this experience. That’s the only thing I’d be interested in specifically, as DH would enjoy it.
We finally took the advice of liners on Boma! Love it! It’s a must do for us now. Also, have eaten at joke but not in last few years. Really enjoyed it too!
What’s the buffet situation like at Boma? DH is dairy, gluten, peanut, and yeast intolerant, so I usually steer clear of buffets since he can’t often eat things as they’re prepared. But it also just depends on the style, layout, and content of the buffet, too.
I’m sure like every where else they can tell you if it contains those things. But since it is different dishes I can’t tell you off hand. Sorry.
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I tried Boma for breakfast. Sanaa for lunch and Jiko for dinner my last trip. Jiko was the best dining experience I have ever had. The wild boar appetizer was the best single food item I have ever eaten. I loved everything about Jiko, the food, the service , the atmosphere. I went with my son and we both had a couple of drinks and with TiW that meal was almost $200. I liked Sanaa almost as much and for the two of us at lunch it was under $50. We split the bread service, the buttery chicken/beef/rice and the dessert trio. It was plenty of food and we had a window seat. Many people love Boma. I just did not think the breakfast was worth the money. The service was great. The food was good. It is a beautiful restaurant, I just found I was just as happy eating breakfast at the QS.
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No worries - I may call ahead on some of our reservations to check out the gluten/dairy/peanut/yeast free situation at each place we’re getting ADRs.
Check the menus… They might say?
They usually have a list of major ingredients, but gluten and yeast often hide in dishes or sauces as binders and fillers, so it’s safer just to ask. It adds a couple steps to our dining experience wherever we go, but it keeps DH healthy and happy, so I don’t mind doing the extra legwork 
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When you book your ADR’s they give you a place to book allergies. We had a couple join us for a trip two years ago. He was allergic to coconut. We put in the allergy to coconut & at each restaurant we made ADR’s for a chef came to our table to confirm!
I think I saw but missed that when trying to book an ADR the other day (I was rushing because it was BOG dinner reservations and I just wanted to make sure it went through, haha). I’ll go back and see if I can add it.
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Boma for breakfast, a must do for us. I love Jiko for dinner.
Can you watch the animals grazing and such from all three restaurants or just Sanaa? I’ve never been to WDW, so no idea what the layout is for AKL and its three restaurants.
Only Sanaa, Boma and Jiko are near the pool at Jumbo House. Sanaa is at Kidani.
Can only see the animals from Sanaa
Thank you for that info! I think I’d like Jiko the best from the sound of it, but I know DH will love seeing the animals at Sanaa, so Sanaa it is! Thanks for the help!
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The food at Jiko is amazing; second only to CG as my favorite in WDW. For a buffet, Boma is one of the better ones in WDW (I think the soups, salads, and desserts are generally better than the entrees). The two are entirely different experience. Jiko is gourmet meal in a relatively quiet environment with subtle decorations and an attentive wait staff. Boma is a large buffet in a very large, crowded, and noisy room, brightly decorated, and filled with families. I have not eaten at Sanaa yet, but having walked through it, I would say that it appears to be midway between the other two extremes, and has the added benefit of animal viewing during daylight hours. I have an ADR there in Nov…
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Dairy allergy here. Noted on ADR. Chef took us through the line and told us what was ok and what they would make special for us. Typical dessert situation though. All if the yummy goodies have dairy
If it’s an adults only meal and money is no object, then Jiko for sure. Go hungry and try some appetizers, too.
If you’re traveling with kids, then I’d choose Boma. Some of the selections might be a little “weird” for some kids, but there is enough food to choose from that everyone should find something they like. The casual and almost festive setting is also a plus for family dining.
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