The new Disney Vacation Club Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (as part of the larger DVC Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows) is now open. We were able to try out Wailulu Bar & Grill at both the media preview and our own visit. Of course, we decided to review the entire menu so you don’t have to.
As invited media, Disney provided WDWNT with a gift card for food and beverages, so some of the following coverage was hosted. As always, WDWNT will still provide our honest thoughts on all below.
Table of Contents
Interior
The entrance to the restaurant is marked with an open, large wooden door and a sign overhead.
The restaurant is open for breakfast from 7-11 a.m., with the restaurant side operating from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the bar open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Moana and island-inspired art can be found throughout the space, from this painting on the far left, to 3D sculptures and fiber art.
There are even fish sculptures that hang from the ceiling, and stained glass in bright shades of blue, yellow, and green.
Wailulu Bar & Grill has indoor and outdoor seating.
The only real unique breakfast item is the pineapple-coconut bread, which we reviewed separately.
Lunch/Dinner
Lunch/Dinner Menu
Starters | Mains | Dessert
Starters
- Ahi Tuna Crisps – $17
- Sweet Potato Hummus – $12
- Musubi – $12
- Grilled Shishito Peppers – $11
- Sticky Pork Ribs – $15
- Crispy Chicken Wings – $15
- Garlic Shrimp – $16
Mains
- Short Rib Loco Moco – $33
- Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl – $26
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl – $22
- Grilled Tofu Poke Bowl – $22
- Grilled Fish of the Day – $32
- Wayfinder Burger – $23
- Teriyaki Chicken Sliders – $19
- Sautéed Shrimp Chow Mein Salad – $22
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Chow Mein Salad – $18
- Grilled Tofu Chow Mein Salad – $18
- Marinated Pork Chop – $31
Dessert
- Vanilla Crème Brûlée – $11
- Chocolate Cake – $11
- DOLE Whip Sundae – $8
Lunch/Dinner Reviews
Starters | Mains | Dessert
Starter Reviews
Ahi Tuna Crisps – $17
Marinated Ahi Tuna, Crispy Fried Wontons, Avocado Crema, Sriracha-Aïoli, Soy Glaze
This is a fantastic combination of flavors, with not one ingredient overpowering the other. These are entirely different than the poke nachos you can get at the Polynesian. These “crisps” are lighter, crispier, and thinner. The tuna is fresh though not overly flavorful. The aioli and the soy glaze complement each other well with the salty and sweet. There are also sliced peppers that aren’t listed on the menu.
Rating out of 7: 6
Sweet Potato Hummus – $12
Crispy Chickpeas, Espelette Pepper Dust, Breadfruit Tostones
The tostones are very thick. There is a lot of salt on the tostones, but it works well. The hummus is quite spicy thanks to the pepper dust, but it is phenomenal and offers a rich flavor. The tostones are perfectly cooked with a little crunch on the exterior and are nice and soft inside. We would get this every time we come to Wailulu Bar & Grill.
Rating out of 7: 7
Musubi – $12
Glazed Spam, Crispy Rice Pearls, Furikake, Sriracha-Honey
This is good! The spam is nice and salty, and works well against the sweetness of the soy sauce. The rice pearls on the outside offer a pleasant crunch and makes the entire dish unique. This isn’t as incredible as everything else we’ve eaten at this venue, but it’s still very good. This is a great introduction to musubi if you’ve never tried it before.
Rating out of 7: 5
Grilled Shishito Peppers – $11
Eggplant-Tahini Purée
These peppers are well-cooked, though very oily as you’d expect. There’s a sesame seed salt on top that is great. The eggplant-tahini puree is outrageously good and elevates this dish to a must-get item. It’s somewhat like hummus in texture, and is very rich and creamy.
That being said, this isn’t a huge portion for the price, which is disappointing.
Rating out of 7: 7
Sticky Pork Ribs – $15
Salt-cured Green Cabbage, Furikake, Jicama Slaw, Pineapple Chips
These pork ribs are super tender. There’s some really strong flavor up front. Ours were quite charred thanks to the sugary sauce, which we liked. That being said, it could turn some people off who dislike that texture.
These are very messy, but you get five ribs, which is a great deal for the price. Flavor-wise, these are right up there with our favorite Disney ribs from Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. You get a wet napkin with these, and trust us, you’ll need it.
Rating out of 7: 6
Crispy Chicken Wings – $15
Adobo-marinated, Soy Glaze, Tomato-Fresno Pepper Relish
These taste as good as they look. The wings are crispy, flavorful, and not too sloppy or messy. These are everything you’d want in an order of wings, not too spicy but just enough to let you know it’s there, and not hot at all. There’s also a distinct citrus flavor to them, which is typical of an island-inspired wing. We would definitely get these again.
Rating out of 7: 6
Garlic Shrimp – $16
Smoked Paprika, Black Garlic Emulsion, Garlic-Lemon Butter, Crispy Garlic
Unfortunately for our wallets, these garlic shrimp are delicious. We’d go as far as to say we like them better than the crispy chicken wings. While they may not be the best value at $16 for just three shrimp, they are very tasty.
Rating out of 7: 7
Main Reviews
Short Rib Loco Moco – $33
Shiitake Mushroom Gravy, Crispy Rice Cake, Fried Egg
This is a huge piece of short rib. This is very sticky. We love that the rice is presented with a crunchy outer shell and soft rice in the middle.
Normally we’re not huge fans of short rib, but we think it’s delightful here. We sampled this dish earlier in our day, and this time around, it was much more fresh and warm. This mushroom gravy is so dark and intense and tastes great along with the rice.
Rating out of 7: 7
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl – $26
Sushi-style Rice, Pickled Cucumbers, Vegetables, Spicy Poke Sauce, Macadamia Nuts with Ahi Tuna
You can also get this dish with grilled teriyaki chicken or grilled tofu over the tuna. The tuna is just okay but there’s a good amount. Everything else is fresh and crunchy. The avocado is especially great. It’s a nice refreshing dish.
Rating out of 7: 5
Grilled Fish of the Day – $32
Green Curry Broth, Jasmine Rice, Chickpeas, Sweet Potato
The grilled fish of the day during our visit was kampachi, also known as yellowtail or amberjack. This might be the biggest cut of fish we’ve ever had at Walt Disney World, other than getting a whole fish.
This is great, and if you’re not a beef eater, it rivals the short ribs. The vegetables and rice a really good too. This is a huge dish with plenty of accompaniments. We would eat this all the time if we could.
Rating out of 7: 7
Wayfinder Burger – $23
Two Pressed Patties, American Cheese, Onion Jam, Volcano Sauce, Sweet Bun served with Mac Salad or Sweet Potato Fries
Our server recommended we try this burger, and it looks amazing. We opted for the sweet potato fries over the mac salad.
This is almost like a dessert burger, thanks to the sweet bun, the sweet potato fries, and the sweet onion jam. The Volcano Sauce changes the whole flavor of the burger and is hot for Walt Disney World. That being said, it really mellows out the sweetness of the jam and is almost like a spicy Big Mac sauce.
This burger has flavors that we think hit the exact notes that it sets out to hit, but they’re not exactly flavors we love. We still think this is really good, though. The fries, however, are pretty basic.
Rating out of 7: 5
Teriyaki Chicken Sliders – $19
Kimchi Slaw, Sweet Bun served with Mac Salad or Sweet Potato Fries
The chicken on these sliders is very tender, but also super sticky. We can’t quite figure out if the chicken is grilled or fried, based on the texture.
The teriyaki flavor here isn’t very distinguishable, more like a soy-ish flavor that doesn’t quite hit the mark.
The Mac Salad we chose as our side was good, even better than Publix. While we think the sliders are a good value and taste decent enough, this dish was the weakest of all the entrees we tried.
Rating out of 7: 4
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Chow Mein Salad – $18
Charred Cabbage, Shishito Peppers, Hearts of Palm, Pickled Sweet Potato, Sunflower Butter Dressing
We got this with grilled teriyaki chicken but you can get it with sauteed shrimp or grilled tofu. The chicken tasted the same as the sliders. It was charred and nice. The salad itself is refreshing but doesn’t have a lot going on, plus it’s a small portion. It feels more like an appetizer than an entree. If you’re eating plant-based and get this with the tofu, it’s not going to be very filling.
Rating out of 7: 3
Marinated Pork Chop – $31
Smashed Potatoes, Bacon Vinaigrette, Kimchi Slaw
We think that Disney might have brined this pork chop for a long time, because while it’s not easy to cut through, it is pretty tender when you bite into it.
There’s a lot of juicy flavor here for a pork chop. We liked the smashed potatoes, but aren’t the biggest fans of kimchi so the slaw was a miss for us.
Overall, while it’s not a bad deal for the price, we don’t think we’d order this again.
Rating out of 7: 5
Dessert Reviews
Vanilla Crème Brûlée – $11
with Macerated Berries
This is a shallow yet wide crème brûlée, and tastes pretty solid. If you’re a fan of this dessert you’ll no doubt enjoy it.
Our only complaint is that it’s a bit shallow, maybe only half an inch deep.
Rating out of 7: 5
Chocolate Cake – $11
Salted Caramel Ganache, Coffee-infused Chantilly Cream
This is really creamy. Between the salted caramel, coffee, and everything else, this is intense. We like the way the structure of the treat holds up too, the firmness at the bottom is the foundation, and gets more delicate with the mousse texture in the middle, and is light and fluffy on top. The caramelized bananas are also really good. This is a safe bet from the dessert menu if you’re a chocolate lover and not a fan of DOLE Whip.
Rating out of 7: 5
DOLE Whip Sundae – $8
Hibiscus Meringue, Macerated Pineapple, and Berries
This looks beautiful. The hibiscus meringue is very crunchy and tasty. The macerated pineapple goes great with the treat overall, as do the blackberries and raspberries at the base of the sundae.
This will for sure be a crowd pleaser, everyone loves DOLE Whip and so do we. It’s great to see Disney experimenting with DOLE Whip outside of simply offering different flavors.
Rating out of 7: 7
Kids’ Menu
Appetizers | Entrées | Sides
Appetizers
- Sweet Potato Hummus – $3.25
- with Carrots and Cucumbers
- Apple Slices – $3.25
- with Sunflower Butter
Create-Your-Own Entrées
served with choice of two (2) Selections and choice of Small Lowfat Milk, Small DASANI Bottled Water, or Small Minute Maid Apple Juice
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken – $12.50
- Grilled Whitefish – $13.50
- White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese – $10.50
- Cheeseburger – $12.50
Create-Your-Own Selections
choose two with purchase of kids entrée
- Steamed Baby Carrots
- Steamed Broccoli
- Jasmine Rice
- French Fries
- DOLE Whip Pineapple
Drinks
Drink Menu | Drink Reviews
Drink Menu
Non-alcoholic Specialty | Specialty Coffee & Tea | Cocktails | Zero-Proof | Wine | Draft Beer & Hard Tea | Beer & Hard Cider
Non-Alcoholic Specialty Beverages
- Hibiscus Iced Tea – $5.79
- Yuzu Oolong Tea Lemonade – $5.79
Specialty Coffee & Tea
- Espresso-based Beverages – $4.49-$5.99
- Espresso, Cappuccino, Caffé Latte, or Americano
- Assorted Twinings Hot Teas – $4.49
- Freshly Brewed Joffrey’s Coffe Hawaiian Kona Blend – $4.49
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee – $4.49
- Hawaiian 100% Kona Press Pot – $10.25
Signature Cocktails
- Passion Fruit and Pineapple Daiquiri – $15.50
- Oceania Espresso Martini – $16.50
- Pandan Gin Gin Mule – $15.50
- Passion Fruit Garibaldi – $16.50
- Banana Old Fashioned – $17.50
- Kula Strawberry Sake – $16.50
- Lili’uokalani Mai Tai – $16.50
- Hibiscus Margarita – $17.50
Zero-Proof Cocktail
- Zero-Proof Piña Colada – $12.50
Wine
- Kim Crawford ‘Illuminate’ Sparkling | Italy – $11 for glass, $49 for bottle
- La Fête du Rosé | France – $15 for glass, $59 for bottle
- Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc | New Zealand – $15 for glass, $59 for bottle
- Scarpetta Pinot Grigio | Italy – $16 for glass, $64 for bottle
- Protea Chenin Blanc | South Africa – $13 for glass, $50 for bottle
- Evening Land ‘Seven Springs’ Chardonnay | Oregon – $18 for glass, $75 for bottle
- MacMurray Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir | California – $17 for glass, $70 for bottle
- Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel | California – $17 for glass, $70 for bottle
- The Prisoner Red Blend | California – $24 for glass, $110 for bottle
- Simi Cabernet Sauvignon | California – $18 for glass, $75 for bottle
Draft Beer and Hard Tea
- Kona Longboard Island Lager | Kona, HI– $11.50
- Kona Hanalei Island IPA | Kona, HI – $11.50
- Kona Big Wave Golden Ale | Kona, HI – $11.50
- Owl’s Brew Black Tea & Pineapple | New York, NY – $12.75
- Modelo Especial Lager | Mexico – $9.75
- Yuengling Traditional Lager | Pottsville, PA – $9.50
Beer and Hard Cider
- Bud Light Lager | St. Louis, MO – $9.50
- Terrapin Luau Krunkles Passion Fruit-Orange-Guava IPA | Athens, GA – $11.25
- Maui Brewing Co. Coconut Hiwa Porter | Maui, HI – $11.25
- Blue Moon Belgian White Ale | Golden, CO – $10
- Cigar City Jai Alai IPA | Tampa, FL – $12.25
- Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider | Cincinnati, OH – $10.75
- Athletic Brewing Co Upside Dawn Golden (non-alcoholic) | Millford, CT – $8.25
Drink Reviews
Non-alcoholic Specialty | Cocktails | Zero-Proof
Signature Cocktail Reviews
Passion Fruit and Pineapple Daiquiri – $15.50
Ten to One Caribbean White Rum, Minute Maid Passion Fruit Orange Guava Juice, Pineapple, Lime
This is basically POG in alcohol form. It’s a very, very strong drink, enough to make you wince on the first sip. There’s a tart pineapple flavor here as well. It’s a little too intense for us up front, but we think we’d be fine on the second sip. There are other drinks on the menu we’d get again over this.
Rating out of 7: 4
Oceania Espresso Martini – $16.50
Mr Black Cold Brew Liqueur, SelvaRey Chocolate Rum, Joffrey’s Coffee Espresso
Espresso martinis are pretty simple, but this is one of the better ones we’ve had at Walt Disney World. The creaminess on the top is excellent.
Rating out of 7: 7
Pandan Gin Gin Mule – $15.50
Pandan-infused Fords Gin, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer
This is certainly something, though it’s tricky to describe. There’s a lot of mint in your face when you drink this, and it is cool and refreshing. There’s something early in here that we can’t quite put our finger on that’s almost pine-y in flavor, likely from the pandan-infused gin. The ginger beer does help to chill out the flavor, but this is a weird drink. We don’t hate it, but we don’t like it either.
Rating out of 7: 2
Passion Fruit Garibaldi – $16.50
Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, Campari Liqueur, Minute Maid Orange Juice
We really like this drink, almost to the point of wondering if we are being too generous with our scores. For the right person, this could be a 7. It’s a simple drink that’s executed very well.
Rating out of 7: 6
Banana Old Fashioned – $17.50
Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey, Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Banane, Appleton Estate 8 yr Reserve Rum, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram Liqueur, Angostura Bitters
There’s a lot of stuff in this, yet it somehow tastes pretty simple. We think it’s delicious. There’s always a risk when using a banana liqueur that it’ll take over the whole drink, but the flavor is not overpowering here at all.
Rating out of 7: 7
Kula Strawberry Sake – $16.50
Wildflowers Junmai Sake, Campari Liqueur, Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur, Wild Strawberry
This is fruity but not syrupy, sticky, or overly sweet. The sake comes through. It’s refreshing and perfect for relaxing at Wailulu for lunch.
Rating out of 7: 6
Lili’uokalani Mai Tai – $16.50
Lili’uoakalani Tea-infused Vodka, Jamaican Rum, Passion Fruit, Guava, Lime, Orgeat (Almond), Falernum
This is excellent. It’s the best theme park Mai Tai we’ve had. It’s light and refreshing. There’s not too much sweetness or fruit juice flavor.
Rating out of 7: 7
Hibiscus Margarita – $17.50
Teremana Blanco Tequila, Sorel Liqueur, Cinnamon Syrup, Hibiscus, Agave
This is pretty good and exactly what you’d expect from a hibiscus margarita. That said, it’s nothing remarkable.
Rating out of 7: 4
Zero-Proof Cocktail Review
Zero-Proof Piña Colada – $12.50
Lyre’s Cane Non-Alcoholic Spirit, Coconut Cream, DOLE Pineapple Juice, Lime
This tastes weak and watered down, like cream poured into coconut water. It doesn’t taste like a piña colada.
Rating out of 7: 2
Overall Thoughts
Our overall impression of Wailulu Bar & Grill is positive, and we think this venue will be quite popular for fireworks viewing or to get a drink outside on the patio. We’re impressed and we think this restaurant will be a quick-service hit.
Video Review
Watch part 1 of our review:
Watch part 2:
Have you tried any of these items from Wailulu Bar & Grill? Do you agree or disagree with our reviews? Let us know in the comments and on social media.
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