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You are here: Home / Blog / Tiffins Review and Is The Jungle Book Dining Package Worth It – Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tiffins Review and Is The Jungle Book Dining Package Worth It – Disney’s Animal Kingdom

May 30, 2016 ~ 25 minutes read58 Comments

Following up on yesterday’s Nomad Lounge review and Tiffins preview, which reviewed about 90% of the Lounge food and drink, we’ll cross the threshold for a review of about 95% of the menu at Animal Kingdom’s new signature restaurant. If you missed Nomad, see this review.

We again find ourselves on the walkway that once would have transported us into Camp Minnie-Mickey for the meet and greets there, in addition to where Festival of the Lion King used to sit. That is of course now the future home of Pandora.

To get here, just take a left before you pass Pizzafari as you head to Africa or just after if you’re walking through Discovery Island from Africa. There are doors to the lobby/check-in area straight back from the main Pizzafari entrance, but they are currently roped off with strollers on patrol out front.

As a signature restaurant that costs two credits on the Disney Dining Plan, prices come in higher than most other theme park restaurants, but special touches abound, whether we’re talking about the embroidered napkins or the menu that arrives in a leather-bound travelogue that smells just like the interior of a new car.

The appetizer menu:

Here at Tiffins, we are celebrating the Imagineers’ “bold spirit of global discovery” as they spent countless millions of dollars taking a magnifying glass to the illuvium in Manaus and then comparing that to the glacial till found in Punta Arenas along Cape Horn. Then Joe Rohde and company took all of that painstaking research, all of those thousands of sketches, and all of those millions of dollars spent and built the parking lot that is DinoLand USA. I suppose that we are lucky that Disney is sticking mainly to Asian, African, and Indian influences here rather than Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama. Otherwise we would probably see a hamburger on the menu that’s grilled on the pavement out back. It’s probably more of a logistical consideration than anything. With all of the food preparation for Restaurantosaurus going on back there, it’s unlikely that there’s capacity left for signature dining.

A total of nine entrees follow on two pages.

Entree prices range from $29-$53 with an average price of $39.67, which is in line with signature restaurants located in the other theme parks. Over at Epcot, Le Cellier offers seven entrees between $28-$52 with a higher average price at $43.57. Ignoring the Cobb Salad at Hollywood Brown Derby over at Hollywood Studios, the nine entrees range in price from $29 – $74 with an average of $42.67. Add the Cobb and the average comes down to $40.20, which is still higher than Tiffins. So while the prices here are “expensive,” they’re actually lower than the signature options at the other Parks and would compare favorably to signature restaurants located at the resorts. Tiffins is perhaps best compared to Jiko over at Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you’ll find eight entrees that range in price from $32 – $52 with an average of $42.63 or 7.4% higher than the signature theme park dining here.

While Nomad Lounge offers 13 cocktails, only four make the cut here:

My estimation is that they would bring a Nomad cocktail should you order one, considering drinks are prepared in the same place. While it’s not interesting at all, the Hightower Rocks is 25 cents cheaper here than Nomad.

The full beer menu is available, as are a variety of wines, first as part of the regular menu and then from the provided wine list:






As is usually the case, you’ll pay less of an upcharge compared to the store price as you spend more money. The Espiritu de Apalta is $49 in stores compared to $85 here. That’s about 74% more expensive. Compare that to the Veramonte Chardonnay, which is $12 in stores or $35 here. That’s almost a 200% increase. Of course, $35 is also $50 less than $85.

I think without exception I reviewed the drinks we enjoyed at Nomad Lounge positively and this Anapurna Zing – $8.50 Bombay Sapphire East Gin, Passion Fruit Purée, Mint, Lime Juice, and Ginger Beer appears there and at Tiffins. One of life’s greatest disappointments is perhaps that Bombay Sapphire is not actually blue…just the bottle is… but the East version of this gin is more interesting than most with the Thai lemongrass and Vietnamese black peppercorn giving the drink a distinct, but subtle pepper flavor on the front with a lingering, aromatic finish that’s sweetened up by the fruit and ginger beer. Very good and a bargain at $8.50 – it’s a lot of cocktail.

And the $12.50/$12.75 Hightower Rocks  -Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Watermelon, Sweet-n-Sour, and Lime Juice is another winner in my estimation. The tequila hits hard up front, but it’s sort of unbelievable that Disney is putting an $80/bottle tequila into drinks that are considerably less expensive than you’d pay at many of the new Disney Springs’ outlets or at La Jarra over at Epcot. So while you’ll taste the tequila up front, it’s incredibly smooth and immediately washed away by the watermelon and lime. Very refreshing and a drink that might catch up to you after you finish the second.

A reminder that the Kungaloosh Spiced Excursion Ale is exclusive to Walt Disney World. It’s brewed at Concrete Beach Brewery in Miami under the Boston Beer/Sam Adams umbrella.

Xingu (pronounced shin-goo) Black Lager is a surprisingly light beer that starts out tasting like your typical lager before ending with some subtle chocolate malts. At 4.7% it’s a lot more drinkable and a lot more refreshing than your typical dark beer.

The $13 Lobster-Popcorn Thai Curry Soup – Lime-Basil Emulsion and Popped Sorghum is delivered to the table as a bowl with a couple bites of lobster on the bottom before your server/food runner will pour the creamy, decadent, mildly spicy broth over the top. Popped sorghum is hull-less and would be an interesting appetizer to add to the Nomad Lounge menu, but plays a minor roll in the soup here, where the flavor profile is primarily coconut milk, garlic, and lemongrass with the lobster picking up the citrus from the lime and the spiciness of the basil. Very good and a somewhat unique presentation.

The $16 Marinated Grilled Octopus – Artichoke Barigoule, Saffron Aïoli, Lemon-Caper Olive Oil is exactly what you should expect from a signature restaurant. While octopus is a trendy ingredient at the moment, it’s still somewhat rare to find, at least grilled rather than deep fried, served here on top of artichokes that have been braised with onions, garlic, and carrots in a wine-based marinade that’s probably very similar to how the octopus is prepared. The aioli adds a creamy garlic component to the surprisingly tender octopus that serves to soak up the flavors of the other ingredients, not unlike shrimp or lobster. The artichoke serves a similar roll underneath. Altogether it is certainly an interesting dish.

While it’s somewhat irrelevant, we thought the $18 Grilled Octopus – purple potatoes, capers, and heirloom tomatoes at STK from the night before had a fresher, more natural flavor and there was more of the key ingredient.

The $11 Black-Eyed Pea Fritters – Zhough, Yogurt, and Peppadew Purée arrives with three light, crispy fritters. The green underneath is the zhough, which is a green chili paste from Yemen, and sort of like a spicy pesto sauce with the chili, garlic, cilantro, cumin, caramom, and caraway combining with olive oil. You have the option to spice the fritters up by pushing them through the spicy salsa or the mildly spicy, piquant peppadew sauce. It’s not an overwhelming portion, but it’s a light yet vibrant way to get your meal started.

The $12 Flash-fried Icy Blue Mussels – Za’atar Butter, Confit Tomato, and Persian Cucumber. The muscles retained a fishy, marine flavor with a soft texture inside of what was a surprisingly crispy exterior. Flash frying in a pan at a very hot temperature serves to instantly sear the exterior and lock the flavor of the bivalve molluscs without allowing much of the oil to seep inside. Again, it’s not a terribly large portion, but still a good value I think considering the flavor, ingredients, and uniqueness of the dish.

The $12 Archaeologist Salad – Spring Vegetable Variations, Pumpernickel Soil, and Champagne Vinaigrette is perhaps the most straightforward dish so far on the menu, though even here you’ve certainly got some interesting vegetables highlighted by bright flowers and other ingredients.

While pricey, this is what you’re going to pay for a salad that looks like this just about anywhere and all of the ingredients are extraordinarily fresh on top of what might look like bacon, but is actually finely ground pumpernickel bread. The effect almost makes it look like the salad is growing out of the ground, which is kind of neat, in addition to adding a mild sweetness to the salad which contrasts nicely with the vinaigrette. Very good if you’re in the market.

You’re on your own with the $14 House-made Head Cheese and Chicken Liver Pâté – Goji Berry Chutney, Accoutrements, Whole-Grain Mustard as I have very carefully covered up the “good stuff” with the bread.

The $15 Sustainable Seasonal Fish Crudo – Roasted Corn Salsa, Finger Lime, and Smoked Sea Salt was one of my favorite appetizers, combining the citrus of the lime with the smoked sea salt and acidity of the oil. Crudo, which is Italian for “raw,” means the fish is similar to sashimi, only other ingredients are used to enhance the flavor of the fish. And enhanced they were. Excellent.

The $14 Salad of Roasted Baby Beets – Goat Cheese Crema, Walnut Granola, and Sun-dried Cherry Vinaigrette is attractively plated and offers a smorgasbord of flavors depending on what you stick your fork into. The beet and granola were sweet on their own and those primary ingredients contrasted nicely with the creaminess of the cheese and mild fruity acidity of the vinaigrette. Very good too.

The $10 Tiffins Signature Bread Service with Harissa Yogurt, Lime Chutney, and Black-Eyed Pea Hummus may or may not be on the menu. It is not on the Nomad Lounge menu, but your server will likely tell you about it if it appears like you’re in the mood to order some food. And it was only on about half of the Tiffins menus we were given. I reviewed it in more depth as part of the Nomad review, but the portion size on the bread is rather paltry. With three people, each might have an opportunity to grab a small piece of each of the three options and then you’ll have 75% of the dips leftover.

Sanaa, which is popular for its incredible bread service, offers more than twice the number of accompaniments and easily four times as much bread for $4 more. And they will bring you more of their five different bread selections for around $2.50 per piece. In that respect, Tiffins’ entry is disappointing, even if it is delivered in a darling container.

Back with the cuts that started in late February, Disney began to forego offering complimentary bread at the majority of its restaurants by default, instead relying on diners to request free bread by name. For those of us visiting a restaurant for a second or third time and expecting a certain kind of bread to be served, it is perhaps not such a big deal to ask for onion rolls at Yachtsman or sourdough rolls at Be Our Guest. But at a restaurant like Tiffins, where nobody knows what to expect on day one and two, it would have been nice if any of our three servers asked us if we’d like some if they aren’t going to bring it by default. It turns out that they do offer complimentary bread and it’s one of the four offered with the $10 bread service, in addition to the unadvertised dip in the oil and molasses. So while the dips that arrive with the Bread Service are very good, you may want to put that money to work elsewhere and instead inquire as to whether they will bring you some gratis. One note on the dip is that the oil, vinegar, and molasses are very sour at first blush, but I think you’ll get used to it after the first or second bite. None of us really cared for it at the onset, but it was more palatable by the third or fourth piece. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them switch out accompaniments, but then Disney may be banking on you not liking it and not requesting a second plate.

That concludes the appetizer portion of the menu, which blends familiar flavors with what is potentially more out-there tastes for the majority of guests. The salad and bread are probably the “safest” choices, while we enjoyed everything else thoroughly. There isn’t a bad choice.

Moving on to entrees, we have the $34 Chermoula-rubbed Chicken – Couscous, Dried Fruits, Picholine Olives, Preserved Lemon, and Harissa Yogurt.

If you’ve dined at Jiko at any point in the last few years, you’ve probably seen something rubbed with “Chermoula,” which is a north African spice mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, and tumeric. The chicken has a delightfully lemony flavor profile, which could be spiced up with the harissa yogurt spread underneath if you wanted to go in that direction. Our particular dish was served a little dry, but you likely won’t suffer from the same problem. There are more interesting entrees available, but this is a relatively “safe” choice. Over at Jiko, the Chermoula-rubbed Lamb Chops are currently $52.

Next up is the $41 Berbere-spiced Lamb Chop – Mustard Greens, Lentil Stew, Tomato-Mint Chutney.

I am not usually a lamb guy, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed these chops – incredibly tender and the earthy, kind-of-sweet berbere spice is nuanced enough that it lets the natural flavors of the meat shine through. I didn’t care much for the bitterness of the mustard greens, but that is a personal preference thing as I don’t like wilted greens much either. The lentils underneath soaked up the spiciness of the rub perhaps more than the lamb and had a surprisingly fragrant flavor to them. Lots of cardamom and clove. Very good.

The Berkshire Pork Tenderloin – Huitlacoche Tamale, Hominy Succotash, and Red Mole Sauce is quite the plate of food with the pork tenderloin itself being the most flavorful. You might not want to Google “Huitlacoche” but ours was surprisingly dry. You might have better luck. The succotash underneath was cooked to a nice al dente and there were a surprising amount of vegetables underneath the meat. Very good overall and perhaps the biggest portion of food for those looking to share.

The $37 Grilled Head-on Prawns – Tomatoes, Roasted Fennel, Olives, Sea Urchin Butter Sauce, which is missing one of the prawns. Keeping the head and shell on the shrimp, while potentially awkward at first, makes for a significantly tenderer, juicier, more flavorful shrimp. And as gross as it might be, when you pop the head off you’ll likely see a squirt of that juice shoot into the air. But they do taste that much better. The sea urchin butter sauce is creamy, rich, and salty and tastes a bit like the ocean. The dish is a little out there overall, I think, but this is a good opportunity to try something new.

I almost always end up with the dishes that nobody else wants to order for the sake of #bloggability, which in this case was the $29 Roasted Market Vegetable Curry –
Millet, Spring Vegetables, and Lime Chutney.

We dined here two days in a row – the first time a la carte and the second time with the Dining Package, which I’ll cover at the end of this review. But because the Dining Package is a fixed price, it made more sense to order the less expensive items during the first meal and save the more expensive entrees for day two, so I went with the cheapest entree in the curry. And you know, it was impressive with a wide variety of perfectly prepared vegetables in a surprisingly creamy, spicy curry sauce that was only improved by the lime chutney. I’m not sure there’s a better vegetarian entree in the Park pending you like spicy food. They may also be able to tone down the spice by request.

The side of what is apparently millet provided a nice counterbalance to the spiciness of the main dish with some dried fruit mixed in along with the cucumber and chutney on top. It was a little dry and didn’t have a ton of flavor on its own, but I didn’t really mind considering the intensity of the curry.

What will certainly be the most popular entree on the Dining Package and perhaps also out of pocket, this is the $53 Wagyu Strip Loin and Braised Short Rib – Rainbow Carrot, Roasted Peruvian Potatoes, and Chimichurri. You might remember our joke-of-a-portion that was the $21 Wagyu at Nomad Lounge. The Strip Loin here, which is served medium rare by default, is easily ten times as much meat and it was tenderer and more flavorful. No sauces or accompaniments are needed though a bit of the chimichurri adds some garlic to the flavor profile. In case the four slices of beef aren’t enough, additional heft is added in the short rib, which is fork tender and nearly as flavorful. One of the better steak dishes on property. The Peruvian Potatoes are interesting in that they’re purple, but they could have used a bit more salt and didn’t have a lot of flavor. Still, an inside-the-park home run overall.

The $43 Whole-fried Sustainable Fish – Fermented Black Bean Sauce, Som Tam, and Peanuts is yellow snapper in this case and literally a whole fried fish, which may be disconcerting-looking if you’re not expecting it. The uncensored picture is available here. Like the head-on shrimp, the preparation here seals in as much flavor as possible and keeps the fish moist and tender. It’s a bit of work going to town on extracting all of the meat while dodging the eyes and scales and whatnot, but it’s worth it for the best-possible-tasting fish. Recommended if you can handle it.

The $39 Pan-seared Duck Breast – Leg Confit, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Parsnip Purée, Truffle Reduction, Peach Gastrique was the closest entree that came to a disappointment. The portion on the duck wasn’t particularly large and what was served didn’t have a lot of flavor. There was a bit of fruitiness to contrast with the richness of the duck breast and leg confit, but that was about it. You may do better.

On the entree front, the beef is assuredly going to be the most popular entree, though there’s certainly something to say for the pork and the lamb, in addition to the curry that most vegetarians should find satisfying.

Five desserts are offered with prices ranging from $9 – $12. It’s surprising perhaps that a cheese plate isn’t offered – those are a staple of most signature restaurants, including Jiko.

Press Pot Tea is available.

As is coffee, tea, and a boozy coffee from the Nomad Lounge menu.

The $12 Calamansi Mousse – Mango Lava and Coconut Meringue is a pretty dessert that’s light and airy with a faint, fruity mango flavor and a bit of sugary sweetness. While attractive, I thought it was the most forgettable taste-wise.

The $10 Lime Cheesecake – Almond-Sesame Tuile and Green Tea Sponge, like the Mousse, is on the small side, but much richer in flavor with less pronounced lime than you might expect. It was also a lot more creamy than it was dense, which I appreciated at the end of a meal. The earthy flavors of the matcha in the Green Tea Sponge on the bottom contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the cheesecake on top. Very good.

The $9 Passion Fruit Tapioca Créme – Chocolate Crumble and Citrus Fruits was light and delicious with several layers of different flavors.

I am not traditionally a tapioca person, but it worked really well here topped with the creme and chocolate. I didn’t care much for the chunks of grapefruit in between the cream and tapioca layers, but you might appreciate the contrasting sourness of the fruit against the sweetness of the chocolate and cream. As I broke into the cream, the chocolate crumble and thin pieces worked their way down into the rest of the dessert so I got a little bit of a chocolate-y punch in each bite which I appreciated. Altogether, it was a surprisingly light, flavorful, refreshing dessert and a breakaway favorite of the group. Very good.

The $9 Sorbet Tasting – Kaffir Lime Syrup, Passion Fruit Curd, and Crunchy Vanilla Crouton is kind of confusing in that you’ll select two flavors from four choices, none of which are listed on the menu. They are all fruity in nature – passion fruit and jackfruit and two others or maybe neither of those and a few others I don’t really remember. This is probably the lightest way to end your meal if you feel the urge to spend $9 on what amounts to two dollops of very light, flavorful sorbet. It was really good and as part of the Dining Package, you might want to attach it at the end if you’re feeling full, but it’s certainly an expensive few bites out of pocket. You couldn’t easily replicate the quality though.

The $12 South American Chocolate Ganache – Caramelized Banana and Cocoa Nib Tuile was far and away the most popular of the desserts at our table. The ganache is also the basis for the Taste of Tiffins at Nomad Lounge and is a very bold, soft, dark chocolate. The sugary creaminess of the banana contrasts nicely if you want to go in that direction. It’s a very rich dessert that could also be shared if you’re paying out of pocket. Half of this goes a long way.

Coffee and teas are pressed tableside and arrive with about two-and-a-half cups-worth. Decaf is a nice way to end a later meal or you might want to go Full Caffeine if you’re planning to stay up through the whole Jungle Book show.

Tiffins is a beautiful restaurant that’s broken down into three separate dining rooms. According to Disney:

Dining inside Tiffins is like sharing a meal inside a renowned adventurers’ club: the theme of travel can be seen and felt everywhere you look. Hike your way through the rustic front doors and behold an enormous map of the globe, before unearthing 3 elegant dining rooms honoring the spirit of Africa, Asia and some of the world’s most exotic animals.

Lavish artwork—including photograph collages, paintings and sculptures inspired by actual notes and field sketches of the Imagineers who created Disney’s Animal Kingdom park—can be found throughout the restaurant, while earth tone colors give this hideaway an authentic, warm and inviting feel… perfect for explorers looking for something new.

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“Insane messes of wire that somehow work” describes the back of most of our computers.

The Safari Gallery is my second favorite of the dining rooms. There is a lot to see, though a dining-room-themed-to-the-construction-of-a-theme-park might be a strange concept initially.

The Grand Gallery is my favorite:









Artifacts here include concept art for Rivers of Hahahahaha, artifacts from Pizzafari, and carvings from Camp-Minnie-Mickey.

My favorite piece is “Tiger Surrounded,” which is a painting in the center surrounded by wooden buildings that represent their habitat lost.

While The Grand Gallery focuses on the Imagineers’ time in Africa and the concepts behind Harambe, The Trek Gallery is all about Asia and the creation of Anandapur:


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There is some interesting art on the walls, but this is my least favorite of the three dining rooms and in my opinion, the least intimate, particularly considering that they parade your party through Nomad Lounge from the check-in area to get to it.

The Dining Package

Tiffins offers a Dining Package that includes a seat in the reserved section for what is now The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” and what will hopefully be “Rivers of Light” in the future.

I’ll review the show and offer some tips on seeing it in a separate post, but there is the opportunity to save some money with the Package even if you don’t have any interest in the Jungle Book show, not unlike the Fantasmic Dining Package at Hollywood Studios at Mama Melrose or Brown Derby.

For $67/adult and $32/child ages 3-9, you can pick any appetizer/entree/dessert/non-alcoholic drink from the menu:

To maximize the value, you could order the $16 Octopus, $53 Wagyu, $12 Chocolate Ganache, and $6 Zingiber Fizzie (which is included) and come out with a meal that costs $87, or a savings of 23% over the cost of the Dining Package. On the Dining Package day, I ordered the $15 Fish Crudo, $41 Lamb Chop, $9 Tapioca Creme, and $3 Diet Coke, which came out to $68 or just about the same money as the $67 Dining Package price. While it was a filling meal, it wasn’t an overwhelming amount of food considering my Disney appetite and if you come to eat, you would likely be able to finish most of each course without a lot of trouble.

So if you plan to order two or three courses at Tiffins, you might see if the Dining Package is available. We saved some money and the reserved seat basically acts as an extra FP+ for the show, which opens your evening up to add a late FastPass+ at Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Here’s the Kids/Dessert menu:

Kids have much less of an opportunity to save on the package, which is a bummer.

On one hand, I give Disney credit for continuing to push the envelope on what most kids are willing to try. On the other hand, there’s no way 7-year-old-me would eat anything off this menu. While I might like the flavor of the chicken or ribs, I don’t see me even willing to take a bite if it’s touching multigrain rice and arrives with a weird sauce. This is potentially Disney’s way of turning most families off of the restaurant. After all, if there’s nothing the kids will eat, then the fam is probably heading towards Restaurantosaurus instead. On one hand, it’s nice for adults that want to enjoy a quieter, more peaceful atmosphere sans disruptive children. On the other hand, it seems like Disney could throw families a bone and simply add a hot dog and hamburger to the menu. If they’re really that concerned about menu integrity, they could add a bunch of bizarre toppings to a $12 kids’ burger and then underneath it say – Also available plain – $9.

Breaking the Restaurant Down:

Atmosphere – 10/10

The restaurant is gorgeous with a variety of dining rooms with lush theming. Only at Walt Disney World.

Food – 9/10

Almost everything we tried was fantastic with more imaginative presentations and ingredients than just about any other restaurant on property. I would swap out almost any of these entrees for anything currently offered at Jiko etc.

Value – 8/10

Always a contentious topic when it comes to Disney Dining. You could very easily take a look at that salad, look down at the menu, and look back up at the salad and say “that’s not a $12 salad.” Or “that’s not a $50 steak.” And you’re not necessarily wrong. But we do compare this restaurant to Walt Disney World’s other offerings and I think the quality of the ingredients, attention to detail on the presentation, variety in the menu, size of the portions, and the caliber of the experience put it on the same level as any of the other restaurants at this price point. Certainly there will be those that don’t enjoy their meal here, but objectively, it’s going to be hard to say that Tiffins isn’t worth the money while another signature restaurant definitely is.

Service – Score Mostly Irrelevant

We dined here three days in a row – once for a soft opening, once on opening day, and then again for the first day of the Jungle Book package. They were only filling about half of the tables and service was still slow – attentive, but they were pretty clearly overwhelmed. Our first server wasn’t real sure which items were appetizers and which were entrees. Our second server was much more knowledgeable, but very slow. When you’re paying these kinds of prices, you don’t want to be the one that has to ask if waters can be refilled or remind the server that we hadn’t put in our entree orders yet despite our menus being taken away after ordering the appetizer course. But things will undoubtedly get better as time goes on.

But that does play into one other thought I have with price points this high at signature restaurants in the theme parks. If you’re looking for an intimate meal for an anniversary, birthday, or what have you, then I’m not sure Tiffins/Brown Derby/Le Cellier etc. are your best bet. People are generally dressed in their theme park gear and you’re much more likely to sit next to parties that just happened to walk up to the restaurant and ask about mid-day availability. Not that this is the worst thing in the world, but if you’re looking for a special night out, I think your chances are better at a restaurant like Citricos or California Grill where people are planning to dress up a bit and enjoy a special experience. YMMV of course.

Those looking for the best food at Animal Kingdom certainly need to look no further.

Overall

Tiffins is spectacular. Beautiful restaurant. Imaginative menu. Excellent food. I’m excited to see some seasonal changes in the coming months so I have an excuse to go back. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A special thanks to the Corless family for their patience in my picture taking and being willing to order the Head Cheese so I didn’t have to.

Last modified: June 5, 2018 Filed Under: Blog

Comments

  1. Linkura says

    May 30, 2016 at 2:38 pm

    THANK YOU for censoring the fish picture. I saw the fish uncensored on another site yesterday and almost puked.

    Reply
    • josh says

      May 30, 2016 at 3:20 pm

      Hehehehe you’re welcome.

      Reply
    • Anon says

      May 30, 2016 at 3:23 pm

      I was about to ask why he bothered to censor a picture of a fried fish… but I guess he knows his audience better than I do.

      Reply
  2. John says

    May 30, 2016 at 3:01 pm

    Hey kids, I found Dory! OMG that fish. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK TO THE EXPLICIT PHOTO! Do they double plus warn you that they will bring out what looks like a deep fried baby Coelacanth to frighten the rest of the table?

    Reply
    • josh says

      May 30, 2016 at 3:21 pm

      Whenever a family with kids tries to secure a walk-up maybe they will parade that fish through the lobby to dissuade them.

      Reply
  3. Tina says

    May 30, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Thanks for the review! Maybe I’m just not used to “fine dining”, but there’s not enough food on the plates to justify the high prices, IMO. So I’m going to have to skip this one and continue to dine at Yak & Yeti. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Julie HFJ says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:04 pm

    Dinner at Tiffins sounds delicious. What was the sustainable seasonal fish in the crudo? What meat is in the head cheese? (If they had just called it a terrine it wouldn’t seem so revolting. But not so exotic, either.)

    Reply
  5. BUTCH says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:32 pm

    yep, with 3 kids under age 10 this place is not for us.

    Reply
    • John says

      May 31, 2016 at 7:41 am

      Disney needs more plain children’s menu items, like a burger or nuggets. While my 4 year old might eat the roast chicken she wont like the rice. So we’re out. When we are at Skipper’s Latrene we had to get her another meal after we left.

      Reply
      • andrew says

        May 31, 2016 at 9:19 am

        Which is why they are going to tame the menu…

        Reply
      • Melissa says

        May 31, 2016 at 5:25 pm

        I would say plain rice is a great plain children’s item. Kids love plain rice!

        Reply
  6. Emily says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    Our daughter is atypical and almost always ordered grilled fish (or chicken in no fish available) with veggies, so this is right up her alley. However, I’m hoping they take Tables in Wonderland in the future!

    Reply
  7. Sebas says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:45 pm

    I heard the first JB show was cancelled that day, what happened to the dining plan tickets? Did you loose them?

    Reply
    • Heather says

      June 2, 2016 at 1:14 am

      Can we just order a box of those Dining Package tickets from VistaPrint?

      Reply
  8. Lea says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:47 pm

    Looks incredible! And I know my kids are less picky than others, but when we were in Disney last November, my 4-year-old daughter consistently ordered the roast chicken at table service meals, not anything else. And I know she would love the short ribs too!

    Reply
  9. Danielle says

    May 30, 2016 at 4:54 pm

    You probably know, but it looks like the container they serve their bread service in, is actually a tiffin. Which is a nice touch.

    Reply
  10. Dawn says

    May 30, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I bit…fish picture was down right mean!! thanks for trying to spare us!! Would you say the Lobster popcorn appy was like a bisque? just curious

    Reply
  11. April says

    May 30, 2016 at 6:48 pm

    I was okay with the uncensored fish picture, but please listen to Josh and do not Google “Huitlacoche”. I may never recover.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      May 30, 2016 at 7:32 pm

      I couldn’t help myself and looked it up. Ick.

      Reply
      • Mrs Darling says

        May 30, 2016 at 8:25 pm

        I would have never googled it if Josh hadn’t said “don’t google” it. What is wrong with me?!!!
        Great review though.
        I love eating vicariously through Josh! It saves me a ton of $ and keeps me away from deep fried Dory.

        Reply
  12. MKS says

    May 30, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    Does anyone know why the Forbidden Rice is forbidden?

    Reply
    • JulieHFJ says

      May 31, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      Black rice was rare and reserved for the Emperor and his family in Imperial China. (Like the Forbidden City.)

      Reply
      • MKS says

        May 31, 2016 at 3:47 pm

        Very cool. Thank you.

        Reply
  13. Kathy says

    May 30, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    I think it’s hilarious that people are freaked out by whole fish?? They are served a lot in the Caribbean Latin restaurants in the Bronx – about as down home, unpretentious as you can get.

    And I think the kids’ menu is really good looking actually. My non-picky kid would like any of the options, and my super picky kid would love the pasta – which I am SURE could be ordered with just butter and parm. Much more “approachable” than Skipper’s Canteen, I think.

    Reply
    • Linkura says

      May 30, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      It’s not the whole fish part- it’s the fact that they’re fried makes them look like zombie fish or something. Regular old whole fish is fine… these just look gross.

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        May 30, 2016 at 9:33 pm

        That’s how they look whenever I’ve seen them other places? Frying makes the mouth pop open I guess. I still don’t see it as creepy – and definitely not censor worthy. But everyone’s different I suppose.

        Reply
        • Boski says

          May 31, 2016 at 9:10 am

          Thats how I cook spot.

          Reply
      • Heather says

        June 2, 2016 at 1:22 am

        Yep, the frying makes it look like a nuclear fall-out fish. Broiled trout usually has its head, but doesn’t look like its suffering from leprosy.

        Reply
  14. Ray says

    May 30, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    My kids would love that fish. I showed it to my 9year old and now he wants to go.

    Reply
    • Christine says

      June 6, 2016 at 2:06 am

      LOL!! I was thinking the same thing. When my son was maybe 4, we ate at a Greek mezze-style restaurant. We ordered a plate of grilled fresh sardines, expecting only we grown-ups would eat them. He said “OOH tiny fish, can I have one?” He ate all my sardines. He’d be all over a non-tiny fish.

      Reply
  15. Ava says

    May 30, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    This review makes me want to dine here, and that’s saying something because as a family of vegetarians we usually aren’t thrilled by the menus at a lot of WDW restaurants. Even though there’s only one vegetarian entree choice, the three (four if you count the bread service) appetizer options would probably give us enough variety to be satisfied. One or two more safe options on the kids menu would be nice, like maybe a “flatbread” (i.e. pizza) and a burger, but as others have said perhaps Disney wants to discourage families from bringing young kids in here. At least the kids club at AKL is just a 10-minute bus ride away.

    Reply
  16. Julia says

    May 30, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    “drinks that are considerably less expensive than you’d pay at many of the new Disney Springs’ outlets or at La Jarra over at Epcot”

    Is that La Cava you are referring to?

    “Sanaa, which is popular for its incredible bread service, offers more than twice the number of accompaniments and easily four times as much bread for $4 more.”

    This does not seem to be the case anymore. From WDW website: $12.00 Indian-style Bread Service
    Choice of Five Breads – Traditional Naan, Garlic-Ginger Naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kucha, or Paneer Paratha. Choice of THREE Accompaniments – Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Tamarind Chutney, Coriander Chuntey, Garlic Pickle, Red Chile Sambal, or Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle

    The Vegetable Curry sounds good. Is it big enough to share?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Anon says

      May 30, 2016 at 11:09 pm

      Not sure why it’s not on the website, but there are 2 price points on Sanaa’s bread service: one with 3 accompaniments and one with all of them.

      Reply
      • Heather says

        June 2, 2016 at 1:28 am

        In April we were served 9 accoutrements… i think it’s $2 more than getting just 3. Totally worth it, was fabulous! Definitely try Sanaa, you won’t be disappointed.

        Reply
  17. Daz says

    May 31, 2016 at 4:16 am

    It’s like Christmas to see a review of a new Disney restaurant from you! Thanks Josh!

    Reply
  18. Websteroni says

    May 31, 2016 at 5:38 am

    I read on another website that diners are given a Joe Rohde original bit of artwork as they leave. When I saw that I thought they couldn’t possibly maintain that. Have they abandoned that already or did you get a trinket to take home? Great review and something I look forward to trying!

    Reply
    • Heather says

      June 2, 2016 at 1:32 am

      I’ll take the Tiger Fresco on stucco, and the Chronology of Flower Wood Carvings thanx 😀

      Reply
  19. Tammy says

    May 31, 2016 at 7:02 am

    Looking forward to our dining package even more now this September. The dining room is beautiful, with it looking like an art gallery I’m wondering if it will be open early in the day to have a look around and take pictures? I would love to browse through the rooms, but with people dining I wouldn’t want to be rude. Thank you Josh, great review as always.

    Reply
  20. Andrea says

    May 31, 2016 at 11:57 am

    Everything, but the fish, looks amazing. I have no problems with whole fish being served. That one just looks…too grey and encased.

    Tiffins looks beautiful, and I might actually be tempted to splurge there one of these days!!

    Reply
  21. R&RMom says

    May 31, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    I was served a whole fried fish like this in Bali (Indonesia), and will never forget the monsterous look on that fish’s face before it was fried up! However, in those parts it is most common. The entire table enjoyed picking at it. Don’t think I could ever get my kids to try it though!

    The food here is beautiful! And the setting is the perfect backdrop.

    Reply
  22. PeasandCarrots says

    May 31, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    Thanks for the detailed review! I have plans to try this in the fall.

    Reply
  23. Laura says

    May 31, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    The fact that you can order a Berry Blast Powerade here seems amusingly incongruous with the rest of the menu.

    Reply
  24. Kim says

    May 31, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    What happened to the “Is the Jungle Book Dining Package Worth It?” part of the story. Did I miss it?

    Reply
    • Christina says

      June 1, 2016 at 3:47 am

      I believe the “Is it worth it?” question is covered from more of a dollar cost standpoint for someone already planning to eat there. My family is going regardless, so the question becomes, to package or not to package?

      My husband and I will each almost certainly break even, or come out ahead, on the dining package because we generally order apps at unique restaurants just to try something new, and we’ll each order one of the pricier entrees (with the current menu). So if we’re going to spend that much anyway, of course it’s worth it–might as well get the package and the ticket as a bonus.

      For kids–it’s nearly impossible for them to even break even, so from a pure cost standpoint , you’re paying a premium for their package.

      I’m sure he’ll go into more detail on the seating and such on the next post, but I took the cost comparisons to be the “worth it” portion.

      Reply
      • Kim says

        June 1, 2016 at 10:34 am

        Thanks, Christina,
        I misunderstood. I thought the title meant there was an extra cost to getting seating in the reserved area for the show.

        Reply
  25. Kevin says

    May 31, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    Every day you live every Disney geek’s dreams. Lucky.

    Reply
  26. Kevin says

    May 31, 2016 at 9:53 pm

    I’m proud of the kids menu. My 7-your old would eat probably anything on there. I’m tired of going to a restaurant like Marakesh and seeing :cheeseburger, chicken nuggets.. blech..

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 1, 2016 at 10:38 pm

      I thought the kids menu at Skipper Canteen was great for the same reason. Turns out my four year old loves yucca!

      Reply
  27. Tarantula says

    June 3, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    I’m so excited to have truly interesting food inside the parks! To me, half the point of travelling is to experience the local culture and foods. But to take the exotic flavors and ingredients of world travel and combine them with the skill and attention to detail of a signature Disney restaurant – Wow, I’m there!! After reading your review, I booked the Jungle Book package instead of the regular ADR we had before. For the menu items we want to try, it’s actually a good deal. Plus we get a bonus FP which I wasn’t able to secure the regular way. (I gotta say, the fish thing really doesnt scare me but I just dont like to pick thru bones and skin…and I totally googled the other mushroomy thing which doesnt sound that bad if you’re OK with mushrooms/truffles etc. This will be my first time trying octopus and head cheese but I know Disney will make it an easy-going but exciting experience lol!) So here we go on another culinary adventure – for the first time at Animal Kingdom! Thanks for the great review – I’m totally psyched for this place now, may even end up having lunch at Nomad and dinner at Tiffins!

    Reply
  28. dusty cheatham says

    June 5, 2016 at 8:33 am

    wow that short rib beef thingy looked good. after 2 average meals at cittricos may give tiffins a try in sept . my 60th birthday & 21st wedding aniv .

    Reply
  29. Molly says

    March 1, 2017 at 10:32 am

    I’m surprised in reading the comments that people even bother complaining about the kids menu. There are plenty of places for picky kids to eat at Disney and it’s GREAT that they have options that cater more to refined tastes and adventurous eaters. Not everything in Disney has to be for the kids or “chicken nugget only” eaters. But, speaking of the kids, it’s refreshing to see a place with a kid’s menu that is actually refined. We have a non-picky 7-year-old who would inhale all of these food options because we’ve raised her to be adventurous with food, so for us, this is actually a win. In fact, she’d want to order that whole fish and would proudly eat it, too.

    Thank you for such a thorough review. We will definitely make a reservation here – adventurous 7-year-old in tow!

    Reply
  30. Tracey says

    June 29, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    Looking forward to dining here for the first time tmrw night!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Nomad Lounge Review and Tiffins Preview as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Embarks on Historic Summer – easyWDW says:
    May 31, 2016 at 11:35 am

    […] See this post for a full review of Tiffins, including pictures and thoughts on every appetizer, all-but-one entree, every dessert, and every drink. […]

    Reply
  2. Chef Mickey’s Brunch Review at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Plus A Walk Around the Grand Canyon Concourse – easyWDW says:
    June 14, 2016 at 11:50 pm

    […] Brian Piasecki, in addition to its sushi chef a couple of years ago. You may remember the recent Tiffins review, where I pointed out that while the menu there was “expensive,” that it was actually […]

    Reply
  3. Taste of Tiffins Lunch Review and a Return to Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – easyWDW says:
    July 19, 2016 at 3:50 pm

    […] reviewed every appetizer, all-but-one entree, every dessert, and every drink on the dinner menu in this post and I won’t spend a ton of time rehashing what we learned there. But we will discuss value […]

    Reply
  4. Jungle Cruise Skipper Canteen New Menu Review at Disney’s Magic Kingdom – easyWDW says:
    October 4, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    […] into each bite of the delicate, flaky, mild white fish. The firmer texture and less brittle bones compared to what Tiffins is serving over at Animal Kingdom, makes this a lot easier to eat than that version and each bite is succulent with a mild lingering […]

    Reply
  5. Animal Kingdom Avatar Construction Update, New Menus, Harambe Market Warm Malva Spice Cake Review – 10/5/16 – easyWDW says:
    October 10, 2016 at 3:30 pm

    […] might remember that I reviewed every original appetizer and entree in this post. Otherwise, the Duo of Lamb replaces the Berbere-spiced Lamb Chop and  the Apple-Walnut Salad […]

    Reply
  6. Review: Tusker House Rivers of Light Dining Package Lunch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – easyWDW says:
    February 22, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    […] write a new review for Tiffins as well, but you may remember my initial review here is quite positive. That package is $67/adult and $26/adult. That includes any appetizer, any […]

    Reply

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