Looking for the best dinner at Animal Kingdom? Whether you’re looking for quick service, table service, or just a snack, this guide has everything you need to know!

Animal Kingdom has loads of great places to dine, drink and snack, especially for dinner. This may come as a surprise to you, but we consider Animal Kingdom to be the #2 park on Walt Disney World property to find a lot of delicious places to get great food.

Let’s dive in to all the best (and the worst) options for eating your way through Disney’s wildest park.

P.S. – If you’re going to be at AK earlier in the day, we also have guides to Breakfast at Animal Kingdom & Lunch at Animal Kingdom!

Best Table Service Dinner at Animal Kingdom

Tiffins Surf and Turf
Surf and Turf, Tiffins Restaurant

Tiffins Restaurant

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Fine/Signature Dining
  • Reservations Strongly Recommended
  • $35 – $60 per person
  • African, Asian & Indian Inspired

Dinner at Tiffins is the absolute best dining experience you can have at a restaurant in Animal Kingdom. Starting with the interior design, it’s decorated with beautiful sculptures, paintings, and relics that Imagineers brought straight from regions of Africa and India.

The inside is breathtaking, taking on the appearance of a masterfully designed art museum. No matter where you sit in the restaurant, you’ll get a nice view of one of the many art pieces on display throughout each room.

Be sure to book reservations for this one as this is the only Fine/Signature Dining location that Animal Kingdom has and is fairly popular for dinner, especially for adults or families with older children.

We highly recommend starting off with Tiffins Signature Bread Service for the whole table to share. It’s a nice selection of naan breads with different dipping sauces like hummus and chutney to start the meal off right.

Next, order the Braised Lamb Shank, Tamarind-braised Short Rib or the Surf and Turf for an entree. All of these are exquisite and we recommend you ask the restaurant sommelier to help you pair the right wine with the meal you choose. You also can’t go wrong with ordering a meal enhancement like the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese to split with a friend.

Finish up with a dessert cocktail and South American Chocolate Ganache to really sweeten a magical evening at Tiffins. This restaurant is the perfect place for celebrating a special occasion at Animal Kingdom with grown-ups in a relaxing and quiet atmosphere.

Yak & Yeti Restaurant

  • Location: Asia
  • Unique/Themed Dining
  • Reservations Strongly Recommended
  • $15 – $35 per person
  • Asian/Chinese Cuisine

Yak & Yeti Restaurant is a great place for going on a date or bringing the whole family. The food is tasty enough and the menu has such a wide variety of options that it’s sure to please anyone who steps through the doors, even the pickiest eaters.

It may not have the sophisticated decor like Tiffins, but the interior of this place is magnificent in it’s own way. It pulls inspiration from the mountain towns in Nepal complete with golden statues, ornate artwork and intricately carved figurines.

It can be difficult finding reservations for Yak & Yeti, since most people enjoy it, so we recommend you start looking for reservations as far in advance of your vacation as possible. If you aren’t able to book dinner here, get a lunch reservation and keep checking the app to see if you can move to a later time frame.

We always recommend getting the Dim Sum Basket (or multiple) to share with your table for an appetizer. The Pork Pot Stickers are another great option to start with. Yak & Yeti also has a pretty large drink list with cocktails, wine and beer for you to choose from.

For dinner, we suggest trying the Miso Salmon, the Bhaktapur Duck or the Soy Herb Glazed Ribeye. These among many other menu items are very delicious and combine flavors of multiple Asian countries and cultures.

Finish up with an order of Fried Wontons or the Chocolate Pudding Cake for a little something sweet.

Family-style Dinner, Tusker House

Tusker House Restaurant

  • Location: Africa
  • Character Dining/Buffet
  • Reservations Strongly Recommended
  • $35 – $60 per person
  • African & American Cuisine

Tusker House is one of the best options for families with younger children, or for those who really want to see characters without waiting in the long, outdoor lines throughout the day in the park.

It has more unique dinner items that most character dining locations, combining specialties from African countries with more American cuisine. All meal periods at Tusker House are served in a family-style buffet, so you can go back for seconds or thirds during the meal.

Many people like Tusker House for the food, as well as the character meet and greets, but we recommend this only if you place a high value on meeting characters like Donald, Goofy and Minnie since the food isn’t particularly outstanding.

The dinner buffet typically consists of pitas, breads and dips, chicken, pork, fresh fish, curries and salads. They’ve also got a Vegetarian option and special kid’s items like deli meats and cheeses, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese and nuggets.

The characters will each come around to your table for photos and signatures during your meal. While you’re waiting, hit up the dessert bar for brownies, pudding and cake.

Tiffins Animal Kingdom River
Nomad Lounge Patio

Nomad Lounge

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Lounge
  • No Reservations Necessary
  • $15 – $35 per person
  • African, Asian & Indian Inspired

Nomad Lounge is a great place to hangout during the day, before or after dinner. It may not be the most ideal eating location for dinner, but if you didn’t score reservations for Tiffins, it’s a nice backup.

Nomad Lounge is located on the banks of the river, looking out to Pandora and is directly attached to Tiffins. You don’t need a reservation to sit at the bar here or ask for open seating inside or on the patio. The only drawback is that the lounge offers a limited menu from Tiffins.

The best menu items for dinner are the Chicken Manchurian Nomad Bowl, the Togarashi-spiced Tuna Nomad Bowl and the Nomad Sliders. You can also order Tiffins Signature Bread Service which is a great way to start off your meal, especially if you plan to order smaller plates than the ones mentioned previously for dinner.

If you plan to eat dinner in the lounge, don’t leave without ordering the most notable cocktail in the bar. Try the Snow Leopard Salvation, which mixes Snow Leopard Vodka with pear liquer, mint, lime juice and ginger beer.

We would definitely consider Nomad Lounge for dinner if your dining as a couple or with only a few adult friends. If you have children or a larger party, a traditional restaurant is going to be a much better option for you.

Safari Bar Rainforest Cafe Animal Kingdom

Rainforest Cafe

  • Location: Main Entrance
  • Unique/Themed Dining
  • Reservations Strongly Recommended
  • $15 – $35 per person
  • American Cuisine

Rainforest Cafe is the ultimate dining experience for kids who are super into animals as you’ll be dining right in the midst of a life-like jungle full of animatronic forest creatures.

This is definitely more of a recommendation for families with young children more so than older children or adults, but the food options for dinner will be satisfying for most everyone.

The menu is pretty extensive and be difficult to pin down what you might be in the mood for. We suggest choosing from the Sandwiches & Burgers menu or the Beef, Pork & Chicken menu for dinner.

If you’re celebrating a birthday, Rainforest Cafe is a perfect way to make a child feel special. They have a Sparkling Volcano for dessert piled high with brownies, ice cream and whipped cream.

Best Quick Service Dinner at Animal Kingdom

Satuli Canteen Combo Bowl
Roast Beef Bowl, Satu’li Canteen

Satu’li Canteen

  • Location: Pandora
  • Fast Casual
  • Mobile Orders Available
  • $15 and under per person
  • Asian, African & Indian Inspired

We consider Satu’li Canteen to be one of the top places for quick service dining in Animal Kingdom. It’s a very large facility and has mobile ordering available on the My Disney Experience app, indoor and outdoor seating and uniquely delicious adult and children’s meals.

We would highly recommend Satu’li Canteen for a quick service dinner as it serves up hot meals that’ll hit the spot. Our top choice for meals here is the Grilled Chicken Bowl with potato hash and creamy herb dressing.

The children’s menu is worth a look, even if you aren’t a kid, for the tasty Cheeseburger Pods. This meal will be slightly smaller than ordering a bowl, but it’s just as delicious. Satu’li also has a number of different beers on tap and it’s own specially made cocktails.

Flame Tree Barbecue Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Fast Casual
  • Mobile Orders Available
  • $15 and under per person
  • American Cuisine

Flame Tree Barbecue is another great quick service dinner, though it doesn’t have quite as much seating as you’ll find in Satu’li Canteen. It’s right at the front of the park, so it’s the perfect place to hit up for a quick meal if you’re about to head back to the resort for the night.

At Flame Tree, you can dine on a number of very filling barbecue dishes with various meats like chicken, brisket and pork with fries and other sides. There’s not a whole lot of variety in the creation of the dishes, but if you’re in the barbecue mood, nothing will cure it like Flame Tree.

Yak & Yeti Local Foods

  • Location: Asia
  • Counter Service
  • $15 and under per person
  • Asian Cuisine

Yak & Yeti Local Foods is a good option if you weren’t able to get into the actual restaurant. It doesn’t have the exact same meals as the regular Yak & Yeti, but it’s got a very similar style in the way the dishes are prepared. The good news is that they are often packaged in an easily carried container so you can take your dinner in line for Everest or Flight of Passage.

We suggest ordering a hot meal like the Honey Chicken with a side of Chicken Fried Rice, the Teriyaki Beef Bowl or the Vegetable Tikka Masala. You do have the option of enjoying these along the side or the back of this walk-up counter, but it can be tough to find an open table, especially if you have a larger group.

Restaurantosaurus

  • Location: Dinoland, U.S.A.
  • Counter Service
  • Mobile Orders Available
  • $15 and under per person
  • American Cuisine

Restaurantosaurus Burgers & Sundaes opens up for dinner at 5pm every day to accommodate families looking to get off their feet for a quick sit-down meal with their children before hitting up the last few attractions of the day.

It’s a very casual dining atmosphere with good meals for children and adults alike. Try one of their delicious burgers for dinner like the Mushroom and Swiss or the Chili-Cheese Corn Chips Burger if you’re feeling adventurous.

Kids will like the selection of chicken, sandwiches or mac and cheese and the option to Build-Your-Own Sundae from the special dessert menu.

Pizzafari

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Counter Service
  • Mobile Orders Available
  • $15 and under per person
  • Pizza & Flatbreads

Pizzafari is another restaurant that does partial table service and quick service at dinner. If you missed out on doing table service here, you have the opportunity to order personal pizzas, pizza slices, flatbreads and Caesar Salads from the counter.

The Pizzafari quick service has limited seating but it actually has more options to choose from than Pizzafari Family-Style Dining, so if you’re craving pizza in Animal Kingdom, we recommend doing quick service here.

Caravan Road

  • Location: Asia
  • Fast Casual
  • $15 and under per person
  • Asian Cuisine

Caravan Road is one of the stands you’ll find on the walkway from Asia to Africa and it only serves two menu items – right now it’s the Ginger Slaw Dog and the Char Siu Pork. These are small but delectable and we would recommend ordering both for a satisfying meal.

This stand has pretty much no seating anywhere close to prepare to stand and eat or walk a little distance to find a seating area.

Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery

  • Location: Africa
  • Counter Service
  • $15 and under per person
  • Multiple Cuisines

Kusafiri is perfect if you have been wanted Curry while in Animal Kingdom. This is a sure place to find it and it’s their specialty, so it’s always bound to be good.

This quick service spot only offers curry dishes as a meal, but pick up a pastry or danish and an iced coffee while you’re here for dessert.

The Smiling Crocodile

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Counter Service
  • $15 and under per person
  • American Cuisine

The Smiling Crocodile is another walkway stand that doesn’t offer huge portions for dinner, but could serve as an appetizer or a side item for your dinner from another stand.

They’ve got nice Pork Tamales and Street Tacos. Or if you want to go out on a limb, try the Pulled Pork Jelly Donut Sandwich.

Eight Spoon Cafe

  • Location: Discovery Island
  • Counter Service
  • $15 and under per person
  • American Cuisine

Eight Spoon Cafe while delicious, isn’t one of out top choices for dinner simply because the portions are small. If you are eager to try these tasty macaroni and cheese dishes, we suggest ordering two of them to make a complete meal.

The best ones to get are a combination of the Baked Mac with Pulled Pork and the Baked Mac with Shrimp and Sweet Chili Sauce for a nice variety.

Dino Diner

  • Location: Dinoland, U.S.A.
  • Counter Service
  • $15 and under per person
  • American Cuisine

Dino Diner is pretty on par with the other quick service places that you’d hit up for lunch. If you find yourself watching your children playing the fair games in Dinoland, U.S.A till nightfall, grab a Chili Cheese Dog from Dino Diner.

The Corn Chip Pie makes an excellent appetizer or snack item to pair with your meal, as well.

Planning a Trip to Animal Kingdom?

Chances are if you’re eating dinner at Animal Kingdom, you’ll want to make plans for breakfast and lunch earlier in the day. We’ve got great resources for you to reference as you plan your trip. Read up on Animal Kingdom Breakfast and Animal Kingdom Lunch as you book your vacation!