Truly one of the most disappointing dining experiences we have ever had. A $1,000 bill for the worst service we’ve ever received and mediocre food. I’ll preface with - we have been DVC members for 10+ years, have eaten at every restaurant in Disney and one of our party members was a server for 5 years.THE ATMOSPHERE: The meal started off great, they explained the menu and the options really well. The views and the restaurant are absolutely stunning.THE WINE: The night started to decline during course 1 with the wine pairing. I cannot stress enough DO NOT GET THE WINE PAIRING. We didn’t get any wine for the first 15 minutes, and every wine we got was presented like it was nice but they were all $8 bottles of wine.THE FOOD: The food was good, but only okay. It had nice ingredients but the flavors just weren’t there. Especially for the price, I expected mind blowing flavors and it just didn’t live up to par. We also had a vegan who got the plant based menu and for the same price (???) it was incredibly bland and had no flavor.Finally, THE SERVICE: The service was absolutely horrible. Coming from a former server, they forgot to put some people’s drinks in, they forgot to put our second course in (and admitted to it) so we ended up waiting 40 minutes for course #2 and our second glass of wine I might add.The table next to us had 4 people serving them (they were seemingly important?) and the other 5 tables still there at 9pm had no one. We all waited probably 30 minutes between courses where we got no drinks, no water and the dirty plates sat in front of us. We didn’t get any bread service while the important table next to us got bread service with every course. It seems like this place has either no management or inexperienced management because they offered us nothing at the end of the meal. They admitted multiple times the service was horrible and all they offered was “sorry for your experience” and a $1,000 check.Do not waste your money, the food at Off the Hook next door was incredibly better for a fraction of the price and much better service.
C B
Outstanding experience! Food was delicious! Wine pairing was spot on. Absolutely recommend! Great wait staff. Eric was great!! Go at sunset - what a view!
Maria Alfonso
When I heard that Ama Ama reopened with a 5 course fine dining experience, I was hesitant. However, I heard the new menu was totally worth it, and it is. The food was incredible.However, the service is no where near fine dining level. The server spilled water on the table every time they refilled our glasses. There were several courses brought to the table without utensils for it. It just took a long time to get started, we were there a while before the dinner order was taken and dinner ran late. This was frustrating especially when you can visibly see the service staff socializing and lallygagging.Beautiful place, amazing culinary experience, awful service.Vegetarian options: plant based menu availableDietary restrictions: very gluten free and dairy free friendly
Stephanie Hughes
Ama Ama is an unforgettable experience. We ate here several years ago when they had the steamed fish that was reminiscent of lau lau. It was hands down the best steamed fish either of us had ever eaten.We were hoping to have the dish again but they changed their menu to a four course dinner. We decided to go for it and it was the best decision!Heather was our server and Kula assisted her. They were fantastic. Exceptional customer service. We started with the mango and honey signature cocktails. They were awesome. We both chose the smoked fish for our first course. It was excellent. 2nd choice was the poke and octopus with risotto. Both were great. We both chose the island fish for our main dish. It was perfect! We had the citrus and chocolate desserts. Everything was super delicious. The ambiance is calm, romantic, and quiet. Highly recommend. We will definitely return.
The Japan Dude
We’ve eaten here a few times, and the menu used to be a la carte. Now it’s gone Uber fru fru with a set course menu. That’s all fine, but it makes it difficult to eat what we want. We prefer the a la carte style. Work is divided into a captain, waiter, busperson set up. The meal was a bit tense at times because our waiter was leaning over our table getting too close to our food. He was breathing, spitting, and sweating way too close for comfort. Another issue was forgetting a drink we had requested to be timed with the arrival of a dish. When we tried to notify the staff, they were chatting and not paying attention. Then, that late glass of wine was charged at the full bottle opening price, even though that wine was part of the regular wine pairing menu. They’re shooting for a professional experience, but there’s a long way to go yet.
Don Burns
Excellent food, friendly local service, good ambiance. Also very well plated food.Food: 5/5
Dax Wise
A memorable meal, with probably the best sunset on Oahu to cement the culmination of a beautiful vacation.Food: 5/5
Love’s Auto Detail LLC -Joey Love
Crazy good! Kula and Heather are an amazing duo. They really took care and made the experience 5 stars. Give them a bonus or something. Great food as well.
Jessica Colyer
Ama Ama takes you on a culinary journey for sure. This is perfect for a date night but not for kids who might be the tad pickiest. Aulani only has two restaurants requiring reservations. Given we are here over the holiday I went and booked without really looking. Disney is for kids, right? Not this one. We are used to Disney World where you can always find kid friendly options. For 55 dollars per kid and limited options, I was disappointed. What made it worse was when I asked if there was an ability to make any exceptions I was told they had done enough for us and would require asking a manager. On my end, I should have done more research. As a Disney resort, maybe be more flexible like at other Disney properties. It is what I have come to expect paying the Disney premium for vacation. A $500 plus dinner for 5 where one kid didn’t eat was disappointing.
Stephen R (Thae เท่ห์)
We used to come here when they had the a la carte menu. Now with this new prix fixe multi course menu is not the same. It sounds like a nice change but overall the food felt too fancy for a Hawaiian vacation and we all felt that money would have been better spent at Roy’s ( which we have eaten at twice already this trip). Aulani would have been better doing this special menu on Friday and Saturday and then the old a la carte menu the rest of the week. This works give guests better options for dining experiences rather than only expensive fine dining. I can imagine family’s dining here. I miss the AMA AMA lunch!
Tonight (12/04/22)we had dinner at Ama Ama in Aulani. Kapua was our waitress and like all the staff we have interacted with at Aulani resort so far, she was amazing! Actually, she was exceptional! She went above and beyond with us. I lost my voice and she didn’t skip a beat with accommodating me. She had me point out what I wanted on the menu and understood what I mimed to her when I had additional questions (such as what the catch of the day was). She offered tea and promptly brought it to me. She checked up on us numerous times and got to know us. When she heard we were celebrating our 3 year anniversary, she had a nice chocolate added to our dessert wishing us a Happy Anniversary. She recommend other things to do during our stay in Hawaii. If you ever have Kapua as your server, know that you will be treated with love, kindness, and warmth!
Meredith MacDonald
We had an amazing experience! With 3 kids. And 5 vegetarians in our group of 6. They have a whole plant based menu in addition to the regular meat one. We had to manage nut allergies. And an egg allergy. And it was AMA-ZING. Far better than I dared to even hope. My kids loved it. The adults in my group loved it. We got dressed up, put on leis and declared it our early Thanksgiving dinner. It wasn't just enjoyable food and a beautiful view - it was the whole experience. Our server Eric was fantastic. He worked hard, above and beyond, to help manage the allergies to keep my kids safe. He knew the menu inside and out, to every detail. He helped coach my 11 year old through being a big kid who gets the adult menu. He helped my 9 year old who was drawing pictures of fish in his sketchpad to entertain himself during the long dinner, and he was so kind to my 8 year old whose allergies are most severe. Paulette at the host desk was able to move our reservation from 8:30 (the only time I could get it 30 days out!) to a perfect 6 p.m. so we could watch the sunset. The photo does not do it justice - a quick phone snap of the gorgeous view!
Jarenn N.
Made reservations online and enjoyed their multi course menu with wine pairing! I highly recommend the wine pairing as it really elevates this fine dining experience! We came hungry and left completely satisfied! Enjoyed the ambience with live music, beautiful golden hour and sunset, and excellent service! Free valet parking for 4 hours with validation.
Michelle J.
A beautiful fine-dining culinary journey and representation of the true spirit of aloha. My wife and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary by booking a trip to Oahu and staying at Disney's Aulani Resort in Ko'Olina. I read about AMA' AMA's reopening and reimagining through some Disney travel articles and channels and tried to book a reservation on our actual anniversary day, however, the reservations were full for that day so we booked a reservation a couple days before the actual date. Our experience exceeded any expectation I may have had prior to our arrival. The restaurant layout lends to a beautiful open shoreline view, letting the nature of the island truly speak for itself. Additionally, the entire staff was so pleasant and warm, they each took their time to lead you into your dining experience with extensive knowledge and care. After some discussion with our wonderful server (Brittany) I went with the wine pairing along with my decided pre-fixe menu course selections. Each plate was beautifully and meticulously crafted to an extent that allowed the flavors in each bite to highlight the ingredients individually and really showed the Chef's overall vision for each collective dish as a whole. Furthermore, the wine pairing selections were in perfect compliment to the dishes and elevated the overall experience by adding another layer of flavor complexity. ((A few favorites of mine were: the Vension Tartare (exquisite flavor and texture complexities), He'e (rich flavors with a surprising touch of home-cooking comfort), Local Catch (changes frequently, sadly I can't remember the name of the type of fish I had, but it was a beautiful white fish and the preparation was stunning) and the Ribeye (perfectly cooked portions with ingredients that once again complimented one another layer-by-layer) while my wife loved the Kiawe Smoked fish, Pork Belly, and Lamb)). After our meal we were greeted by the restaurant manager and expressed how much we enjoyed the experience. She let us know that if we really wanted to dine there again on our anniversary that we could call day of to see if there were any cancellations. Sure enough, we loved the experience so much we checked day of and they had reservation availability for us. Our second experience was just as delightful as the first and felt like visiting friends! The staff was so kind and attentive, they truly made our celebration that much more special. If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion with an elegant and delectable dining experience then AMA' AMA' is a must! (Or if you just appreciate the complexity and deliciousness of good food, perfect culinary vision and execution, and the ever-present spirit of aloha, Chef Nick Amoriello and all of the AMA' AMA' ohana has a treat for you!) (Also I wish I took more pictures but I got a little swept up in the moment of enjoying it! A good problem ;) )
mike r.
was so excited when the restaurant finally reopened. unfortunately all the changes are for the worse. the cozy hawaiian resort atmosphere has been replaced with a stark cafeteria feel. although the service remains excellent the menu is pretentious and unappetizing. when making a menu selection you don't pick what sounds good but rather what doesn't sound bad.
Truly one of the most disappointing dining experiences we have ever had. A $1,000 bill for the worst service we’ve ever received and mediocre food. I’ll preface with - we have been DVC members for 10+ years, have eaten at every restaurant in Disney and one of our party members was a server for 5 years.THE ATMOSPHERE: The meal started off great, they explained the menu and the options really well. The views and the restaurant are absolutely stunning.THE WINE: The night started to decline during course 1 with the wine pairing. I cannot stress enough DO NOT GET THE WINE PAIRING. We didn’t get any wine for the first 15 minutes, and every wine we got was presented like it was nice but they were all $8 bottles of wine.THE FOOD: The food was good, but only okay. It had nice ingredients but the flavors just weren’t there. Especially for the price, I expected mind blowing flavors and it just didn’t live up to par. We also had a vegan who got the plant based menu and for the same price (???) it was incredibly bland and had no flavor.Finally, THE SERVICE: The service was absolutely horrible. Coming from a former server, they forgot to put some people’s drinks in, they forgot to put our second course in (and admitted to it) so we ended up waiting 40 minutes for course #2 and our second glass of wine I might add.The table next to us had 4 people serving them (they were seemingly important?) and the other 5 tables still there at 9pm had no one. We all waited probably 30 minutes between courses where we got no drinks, no water and the dirty plates sat in front of us. We didn’t get any bread service while the important table next to us got bread service with every course. It seems like this place has either no management or inexperienced management because they offered us nothing at the end of the meal. They admitted multiple times the service was horrible and all they offered was “sorry for your experience” and a $1,000 check.Do not waste your money, the food at Off the Hook next door was incredibly better for a fraction of the price and much better service.
Outstanding experience! Food was delicious! Wine pairing was spot on. Absolutely recommend! Great wait staff. Eric was great!! Go at sunset - what a view!
When I heard that Ama Ama reopened with a 5 course fine dining experience, I was hesitant. However, I heard the new menu was totally worth it, and it is. The food was incredible.However, the service is no where near fine dining level. The server spilled water on the table every time they refilled our glasses. There were several courses brought to the table without utensils for it. It just took a long time to get started, we were there a while before the dinner order was taken and dinner ran late. This was frustrating especially when you can visibly see the service staff socializing and lallygagging.Beautiful place, amazing culinary experience, awful service.Vegetarian options: plant based menu availableDietary restrictions: very gluten free and dairy free friendly
Ama Ama is an unforgettable experience. We ate here several years ago when they had the steamed fish that was reminiscent of lau lau. It was hands down the best steamed fish either of us had ever eaten.We were hoping to have the dish again but they changed their menu to a four course dinner. We decided to go for it and it was the best decision!Heather was our server and Kula assisted her. They were fantastic. Exceptional customer service. We started with the mango and honey signature cocktails. They were awesome. We both chose the smoked fish for our first course. It was excellent. 2nd choice was the poke and octopus with risotto. Both were great. We both chose the island fish for our main dish. It was perfect! We had the citrus and chocolate desserts. Everything was super delicious. The ambiance is calm, romantic, and quiet. Highly recommend. We will definitely return.
We’ve eaten here a few times, and the menu used to be a la carte. Now it’s gone Uber fru fru with a set course menu. That’s all fine, but it makes it difficult to eat what we want. We prefer the a la carte style. Work is divided into a captain, waiter, busperson set up. The meal was a bit tense at times because our waiter was leaning over our table getting too close to our food. He was breathing, spitting, and sweating way too close for comfort. Another issue was forgetting a drink we had requested to be timed with the arrival of a dish. When we tried to notify the staff, they were chatting and not paying attention. Then, that late glass of wine was charged at the full bottle opening price, even though that wine was part of the regular wine pairing menu. They’re shooting for a professional experience, but there’s a long way to go yet.
Excellent food, friendly local service, good ambiance. Also very well plated food.Food: 5/5
A memorable meal, with probably the best sunset on Oahu to cement the culmination of a beautiful vacation.Food: 5/5
Crazy good! Kula and Heather are an amazing duo. They really took care and made the experience 5 stars. Give them a bonus or something. Great food as well.
Ama Ama takes you on a culinary journey for sure. This is perfect for a date night but not for kids who might be the tad pickiest. Aulani only has two restaurants requiring reservations. Given we are here over the holiday I went and booked without really looking. Disney is for kids, right? Not this one. We are used to Disney World where you can always find kid friendly options. For 55 dollars per kid and limited options, I was disappointed. What made it worse was when I asked if there was an ability to make any exceptions I was told they had done enough for us and would require asking a manager. On my end, I should have done more research. As a Disney resort, maybe be more flexible like at other Disney properties. It is what I have come to expect paying the Disney premium for vacation. A $500 plus dinner for 5 where one kid didn’t eat was disappointing.
We used to come here when they had the a la carte menu. Now with this new prix fixe multi course menu is not the same. It sounds like a nice change but overall the food felt too fancy for a Hawaiian vacation and we all felt that money would have been better spent at Roy’s ( which we have eaten at twice already this trip). Aulani would have been better doing this special menu on Friday and Saturday and then the old a la carte menu the rest of the week. This works give guests better options for dining experiences rather than only expensive fine dining. I can imagine family’s dining here. I miss the AMA AMA lunch!
Restaurantji Recommends
Tonight (12/04/22)we had dinner at Ama Ama in Aulani. Kapua was our waitress and like all the staff we have interacted with at Aulani resort so far, she was amazing! Actually, she was exceptional! She went above and beyond with us. I lost my voice and she didn’t skip a beat with accommodating me. She had me point out what I wanted on the menu and understood what I mimed to her when I had additional questions (such as what the catch of the day was). She offered tea and promptly brought it to me. She checked up on us numerous times and got to know us. When she heard we were celebrating our 3 year anniversary, she had a nice chocolate added to our dessert wishing us a Happy Anniversary. She recommend other things to do during our stay in Hawaii. If you ever have Kapua as your server, know that you will be treated with love, kindness, and warmth!
We had an amazing experience! With 3 kids. And 5 vegetarians in our group of 6. They have a whole plant based menu in addition to the regular meat one. We had to manage nut allergies. And an egg allergy. And it was AMA-ZING. Far better than I dared to even hope. My kids loved it. The adults in my group loved it. We got dressed up, put on leis and declared it our early Thanksgiving dinner. It wasn't just enjoyable food and a beautiful view - it was the whole experience. Our server Eric was fantastic. He worked hard, above and beyond, to help manage the allergies to keep my kids safe. He knew the menu inside and out, to every detail. He helped coach my 11 year old through being a big kid who gets the adult menu. He helped my 9 year old who was drawing pictures of fish in his sketchpad to entertain himself during the long dinner, and he was so kind to my 8 year old whose allergies are most severe. Paulette at the host desk was able to move our reservation from 8:30 (the only time I could get it 30 days out!) to a perfect 6 p.m. so we could watch the sunset. The photo does not do it justice - a quick phone snap of the gorgeous view!
Made reservations online and enjoyed their multi course menu with wine pairing! I highly recommend the wine pairing as it really elevates this fine dining experience! We came hungry and left completely satisfied! Enjoyed the ambience with live music, beautiful golden hour and sunset, and excellent service! Free valet parking for 4 hours with validation.
A beautiful fine-dining culinary journey and representation of the true spirit of aloha. My wife and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary by booking a trip to Oahu and staying at Disney's Aulani Resort in Ko'Olina. I read about AMA' AMA's reopening and reimagining through some Disney travel articles and channels and tried to book a reservation on our actual anniversary day, however, the reservations were full for that day so we booked a reservation a couple days before the actual date. Our experience exceeded any expectation I may have had prior to our arrival. The restaurant layout lends to a beautiful open shoreline view, letting the nature of the island truly speak for itself. Additionally, the entire staff was so pleasant and warm, they each took their time to lead you into your dining experience with extensive knowledge and care. After some discussion with our wonderful server (Brittany) I went with the wine pairing along with my decided pre-fixe menu course selections. Each plate was beautifully and meticulously crafted to an extent that allowed the flavors in each bite to highlight the ingredients individually and really showed the Chef's overall vision for each collective dish as a whole. Furthermore, the wine pairing selections were in perfect compliment to the dishes and elevated the overall experience by adding another layer of flavor complexity. ((A few favorites of mine were: the Vension Tartare (exquisite flavor and texture complexities), He'e (rich flavors with a surprising touch of home-cooking comfort), Local Catch (changes frequently, sadly I can't remember the name of the type of fish I had, but it was a beautiful white fish and the preparation was stunning) and the Ribeye (perfectly cooked portions with ingredients that once again complimented one another layer-by-layer) while my wife loved the Kiawe Smoked fish, Pork Belly, and Lamb)). After our meal we were greeted by the restaurant manager and expressed how much we enjoyed the experience. She let us know that if we really wanted to dine there again on our anniversary that we could call day of to see if there were any cancellations. Sure enough, we loved the experience so much we checked day of and they had reservation availability for us. Our second experience was just as delightful as the first and felt like visiting friends! The staff was so kind and attentive, they truly made our celebration that much more special. If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion with an elegant and delectable dining experience then AMA' AMA' is a must! (Or if you just appreciate the complexity and deliciousness of good food, perfect culinary vision and execution, and the ever-present spirit of aloha, Chef Nick Amoriello and all of the AMA' AMA' ohana has a treat for you!) (Also I wish I took more pictures but I got a little swept up in the moment of enjoying it! A good problem ;) )
was so excited when the restaurant finally reopened. unfortunately all the changes are for the worse. the cozy hawaiian resort atmosphere has been replaced with a stark cafeteria feel. although the service remains excellent the menu is pretentious and unappetizing. when making a menu selection you don't pick what sounds good but rather what doesn't sound bad.