Exploring the Unique Cuisine, Drinks, and Atmosphere of Disney's Nomad Lounge
5 Things to know about Nomad Lounge?
Nomad Lounge uses a waitlist to seat guests rather than a reservation system. Get on the waitlist as soon as possible! It's better to be early than to wait a long time after you realize that it's time for a meal break. You can join the waitlist through the My Disney Experience app or by walking up to the podium
This is not your typical eatery where you go to simply have a meal. The lounge's drinks menu and the calm, serene ambiance are as much of an attraction as the food options
Seating is available indoors and outdoors. The air condition is a big reason to stay in, but the outdoor patio can be just as relaxing with the lush surrounding and overhead fans creating a cool environment, literally and figuratively
The churros are arguably the best at Walt Disney World. Give these delectable fried pastries a try
A flotilla of Disney characters and musicians come down the river next to Nomad Lounge where you can watch, listen, dance, and wave for a moment of merriment
What is the Nomad Lounge?
Nomad Lounge in Disney's Animal Kingdom is a tranquil oasis that provides a relaxing escape from an exhausting day in the park with cozy couches and cool vibes, and offers an eclectic selection of sumptuous small plates, swanky cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as a delightful assortment of wine and beer from around the world.
How can I get to Nomad Lounge?
This hidden gem can be found just before the bridge that leads to Pandora – The World of Avatar, and is the bar area for the adjoining Animal Kingdom Signature-Dining experience, Tiffins. Both the lounge and restaurant portray a sense of travel and adventure, and showcase African, South American, and Asian inspired décor and cuisine.
Indoor and Outdoor Seating Area
The lounge has seating indoors and outdoors with comfy, cozy chairs and couches around the tables. The indoor lounge also has a large high table or island at the center, as well as the bar, offering additional seating, and of course, air conditioning that will provide relief from the sun and heat.
Nomad Lounge: Outdoor Seating
Enchanting Entertainment at Nomad Lounge
The outdoor seating area overlooks Discovery River, where from time to time, you may be pleasantly surprised by the flotilla of Disney characters coming down the river with music playing out loud and characters dancing and waving to guests above.
Nomad Lounge: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Pluto Flotilla
As soon as you begin to hear the music, you may want to head for the edge of the patio, by the guardrails, and watch the flotilla pass by. Take pictures, take videos, wave; have a moment of whimsy that you can only experience at Disney World.
Nomad Lounge: Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Scrooge McDuck Flotilla
Is Nomad Lounge walk-up only?
Nomad lounge does not take reservations but instead uses a waitlist that you can get on by using the My Disney Experience app, or by speaking to a cast member at the lounge. The waitlist at Nomad Lounge starts to fill up quickly as soon as it opens at 11 am.
What's the best time to get on the waitlist?
You can try to time when to get on the waitlist so that a table can be ready for you at your preferred time, but to play it safe, you should get on the waitlist as early as possible. While you’re waiting, and depending on the wait time, you can get on a ride or two, shop, or explore other nearby areas within Animal Kingdom.
After a morning of rides and an early jungle safari, we stopped by Nomad Lounge a few minutes after it opened, and waited a short 10 minutes to have a table on the outside patio.
How is the outdoor dining at Nomad Lounge?
Indoor tables were available, but we chose to enjoy the great outdoors and take in the lush scenery. The outdoor lounge is a relaxing tropical haven; a wood deck-covered patio with a pleasant view of the surrounding foliage and water, overhead fans spinning and the occasional breeze, overall providing a serene backdrop to your retreat from the day.
What's on the menu at Nomad Lounge?
Nomad Lounge offers bold and daring flavors on its menu of small plates such as the Chicken Manchurian Nomad Bowl and Honey-Chili Glazed Pork Belly, and additional specials from the table menu that aren’t shown on the online menu.
Nomad Lounge: Menu Barcode
The special lounge menu items can vary from time to time, and on our visit, the specials included Beef and Pork Sliders, Smoked Pork Ribs, Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, and a Charcuterie.
Can kids eat at Nomad Lounge?
You might think that Nomad Lounge is a bar or adult lounge where children are not allowed. Not so! Like most everything at Disney World, Kids rule, and everything is catered towards the kiddos' enjoyment. The lounge is no exception and children are perfectly welcomed.
The children’s lounge menu has some interesting selections, from the Falafel with Garlic Yogurt appetizer to the Grilled Shrimp with Ginger-Tamari Glaze, Grilled Chicken Teriyaki, Beef Skewers, Basmati Rice, and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. We would venture to guess that if you find these dishes tantalizing, you can order them for yourself from the kid’s menu or ask for an adult portion.
Nomad Lounge: Grilled Chicken Tenders Kids Meal
Also, keep in mind that for the picky eaters, such as our little one in this case, you can ask a cast member if they would allow you to order from a standard Disney menu for the less adventurous fare such as chicken tenders and fries.
Nomad Lounge: Fried Chicken Tenders
What are some of the interesting drinks at Nomad Lounge?
The drinks on the menu are wide and diverse, featuring wine and beer from the US, Africa, South America, and Asia, as well as Sweden and Germany. The hand-crafted cocktails with liqueur from the same regions of the world sound especially intriguing with names such as Green Shimmering Margarita, Night Monkey, Tempting Tigress, Leaping Lizard, and Annapurna Zing.
You can get a full look at the Nomad Lounge food and drinks menu from the Disney site.
Our Nomad Lounge Food Review
So what did we end up getting? Following the convention of appetizers and tapas style dining, we ordered our choices all at once and sampled each one as they arrived. We ordered the Pork Ribs, Beef Sliders, the Tuna Poke Bowl, Lobster Mac and Cheese, and of course, the Chicken Tenders with Fries.
Lamu Libation and Singha Lager
The drinks came first and aside from hydrating with iced water, we tried the Lamu Libation and the Singha Lager from Thailand. The beer is a golden lager, and it was light and refreshing.
Nomad Lounge: Lamu Libation and Singha Lager
The Lamu Libation is made with Starr African Rum, Cruzan Banana Rum, and Guava Purée with Orange, Lime, and Pineapple Juices topped with Gosling's 151 Rum.
This delightful cocktail was sweet and had the distinct fruity flavor of the juices. Oddly enough, despite the double dose of rum and the finishing touch of rum 151 as a floater, this drink did not taste of alcohol, which was concerning in that it may sneak up on you later and take its hold. Drink carefully and enjoy!
Smoked Pork Ribs
The spare ribs are smoked with a sweet soy glaze, and we thought they were fall-off-the-bone tender and incredibly tasty. This is not the first time that we’ve had this dish and they are always a hit.
Nomad Lounge: Smoked Pork Ribs
Can the smoked pork ribs compare with any other?
One other place where we've had spare ribs that were outstanding was Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs. Both receive high ratings from our group, and it may be interesting and worthwhile to do a side-by-side comparison of the spare ribs from these two restaurants.
Oh well, someone's gotta do the dirty work! Let us know if you'd like to see us do this spare ribs challenge.
Beef Sliders
The sliders looked perfectly delectable in the way it was plated alongside the yucca fries, but sadly they were a bit dry and substandard.
Nomad Lounge: Beef Sliders
The yucca fries were a hit and miss in our group. Some, although daring to try unfamiliar dishes, did not like this alternative to traditional fries; yet others in our group appreciated the novelty and taste of this uncommon side dish.
Try out the yucca fries and let us know what you think!
Tuna Poke Bowl
The tuna poke bowl had super fresh ingredients of tuna, red cabbage kimchi, edamame, and steamed rice, with a finishing touch of a sesame-chili glaze. It was a terrific assortment of unique flavors. It was remarkably delicious and gets the highest compliments.
Nomad Lounge: Tuna Poke Bowl
We would absolutely get this again, and recommend it to all that like fresh tuna and Asian flavors.
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
The lobster macaroni and cheese was rich and creamy. It was absolutely delicious and filling; although, it may be too much of a good thing. It was decidedly heavy and could weigh down on you, especially on a hot day with a lot more walking left in your day.
Nomad Lounge: Lobster Mac and Cheese
The Legendary Churros at Nomad Lounge
Legendary might be a bit much and raises expectations that might be hard to live up to; however, they are quite good. Of course, no visit to Nomad Lounge would be complete without trying out the Churros. The churros here are wonderful and are perhaps the best at World Disney World. The churros are sweet and savory, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and come with dipping sauces that amplify the flavors.
Nomad Lounge: Churros
The dipping sauces change from time to time. On our visit, we had the vanilla crema and coffee flavored dipping sauce, both of which were yummy.
What did we think about Nomad Lounge?
Overall, Nomad Lounge gets the highest praise from our group despite some lackluster impressions on some of the menu items. This restaurant is one of our favorites at Walt Disney World, and we always make a point to drop by for the menu items and unrivaled ambiance.
Lastly, the service is always impeccable. Without fail, the cast members are friendly, helpful, and accommodating. They truly contribute largely to completing the amazing experience that guests have at the theme parks, restaurants, and resorts.
Would we go back?
The next time we’re at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we would hope to visit this restaurant again. We would love to try out other specialty cocktails such as the Tempting Tigress or the Leaping Lizard, and more of their menu items such as the Honey-Chili Glazed Pork Belly and the Tiffins Bread Service.
Bread Service Comparison?
The Tiffins Bread Service brings to mind the Indian-Style Bread Service at Sanaa, located at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village. If and when we sample the Tiffins Bread Service, it would be interesting to do a comparison to the Sanaa bread service, which we've tried several years back.
Both bread services allow you to sample various types of bread at Nomad Lounge or naan at Sanaa, along with several accompanying sauces or spreads. It's been a while since we tried the Sanaa Bread Service so we wouldn't be able to give a proper comparison, but it would sure be a delight to sample both Bread Services again and do a more precise review.
Let us know what you think and give us your ideas on future articles and videos that you’d like to see.
Should you go to Nomad Lounge?
On your next visit to Disney's Animal Kingdom, we hope you can spend some time at Nomad Lounge, and get to experience for yourself their amazing food and drinks, and wonderful atmosphere. This is an absolute must-do and is worth giving up some time from your already limited day at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Until next time, enjoy the journey!
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