DiningWalt Disney World (FL)

Kimonos Serves Up Sushi, Karaoke, And Fun

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Photo by Betsy Bates

Have you been looking for something to do at night after a fun day in the parks?  There seems to be a lack of nightlight around Walt Disney World property these days, but one of my favorite places to hang out into the wee hours is Kimonos Sushi Bar.  Kimonos stays open until about 12 a.m. most nights (although the signage outside the restaurant simply says “late”) serving drinks and sushi to karaoke singers, but it is also open for dinner starting at about 5:30 for folks looking for a more relaxing sushi experience.  At that hour Kimonos would also make a great place to stop in for a happy hour cocktail during a break from the parks.  Karaoke gets started around 9:30 pm so if you are interested in belting out a few songs, stop in later in the evening.

Photo by Betsy Bates

Located in the Swan resort, Kimonos Sushi Bar is an easy walk from any of the Epcot area resorts or from Epcot’s International Gateway entrance.  Guests could also easily access the Swan via a boat from Epcot’s International Gateway or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  If you’d like to visit this restaurant from another location, hop on the next bus heading for the Swan and Dolphin from any park.  Of course the easiest way to get to any resort restaurant is with your own car, and valet parking is available at this location.

 

The decor here is modern with Japanese details including bamboo, paper

Photo by Betsy Bates

lanterns, and actual kimonos.  There is a small stage for karaoke performers at the front of the room and a bar at the back.  The space isn’t huge so it creates a more intimate setting especially with its lounge-like lighting and atmosphere.  There a few seating areas including a more traditional table set up as well as more lounge like seating groups.  You may select whether you’d like a regular table perhaps if you intend to eat, or maybe a couch will be more your style during the late night karaoke festivities.  Guests may also sit at the bar if they so desire.  A fun feature of the restaurant’s design is the open sushi kitchen where diners can watch their dinner being prepared.

 

Photo by Betsy Bates

Kimonos is by names sake a sushi bar so you can expect a lot of rolls and sashimi on their menu.  There is a small soup, salad, and appetizer menu, but the majority of their offerings center around fresh fish.  I am just starting to ease my way into sushi so I have not eaten here, but I have heard nothing but good things about their rolls.  The Orlando Sentinel even voted Kimonos as the best sushi restaurant in Orlando!  Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World seem to agree since they have given Kimonos a four star rating!  It is also a more affordable than WDW’s other sushi hot spot, California Grill.

 

Photo by Betsy Bates

The restaurant also offers a fairly extensive bar menu, especially as far as Disney bars go.  They serve some unique cocktails which cannot be found in the standard bar menu found around property as well as well as wine by the bottle and glass.  If you are looking for a Japanese libation to accompany your sushi a selection of sake, plum wines, and Asian beers are also available to guests.  Even if you aren’t hungry Kimonos is a great place to hang out with friends and have a few drinks, especially after the karaoke festivities begin.

Like I mentioned, the karaoke festivities get started around 9:30 each night.  Now, let’s get one thing clear.  I cannot sing.  Nope, can’t carry a tune and therefore you will probably never see me attempt karaoke.  I will make a fool of myself in a lot of ways, but this isn’t one of them.  So I enjoy Kimonos for the sheer entertainment factor.  I like to laugh with (maybe at) my friends as they sing along with the most ridiculous songs they can find.  Some other guests may take themselves a bit seriously when hopping up on stage, but we’ve always taken a more humorous approach when we visit Kimonos.  There is always a karaoke host or hostess on hand to organize singers and queue up the requested songs.  I’ve had experience with really great hostesses and also some not so stellar ones.  If you’d like to sing just select a song from their list fill out a card for the host/hostess.  Then, run right up for your moment of glory when your name is called.

Photo by Betsy Bates
Photo by Betsy Bates

There are few things to note before you head over to Kimonos.  They do accept the Tables in Wonderland card, but they do not take the Disney Dining Plan. Also since the Swan is not technically a Disney property, they do not allow guests to charge their room card for their tab.  Advanced dining reservations are also not available at this location.  If you are in the mood for sushi and have no plans for dinner, stopping into Kimonos should be no problem since reservations are not taken!

I can heartily recommend Kimonos for a night of good food and good times with your friends.  It is a little off the beaten path, so it is rarely very crowded, the food is good, and karaoke is often a riot.  Have you been to this night time fun spot?  Let me know what you think about Kimonos in the comments!

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Kristen Helmstetter

Kristen Helmstetter is an Unofficial Guide researcher who will share her 20-something perspective of all things Walt Disney World with blog readers. Kristen’s email address is khelmstetter05@yahoo.com. You can also follow her on Twitter: @khelmstetter.

5 thoughts on “Kimonos Serves Up Sushi, Karaoke, And Fun

  • Have not been there, but I’m very curious to check it out now. Thanks for the write up!

    Reply
  • We had a great meal at Kimonos while staying at the Boardwalk last October. We brought our 5 year old son and it was fine. He loves Japanese food and we saw many other families with young children as well.

    Reply
  • There are some nice dining choices over at the Swalphin! Our favorite is the bluezoo, and especially the bar. We’ll certainly try out Kimono’s on our F&W trip in November–maybe sooner if we manage to make it down for the final shuttle launch in July. I’m really interested in the bar and really good sushi is hard to find. Thank you, Kristen, for the write-up.

    Reply
  • @Ben, you can actually find them for as low as $2 (ok.. only $1…)

    Does anyone have any comments on how kid friendly Kimono’s is? Other than the menu, am I going to feel comfortable dining here with my 4 year old or am I going to get funny looks for bringing him in?

    And about that parking fee, I wonder if an AP or Tables in Wonderland gets you in for free?

    Reply
  • Another great reason to visit Kimono’s (and other Swan & Dolphin Restaurants) is that many of them, including Kimono’s, can be found on Restaurant.com. If you keep an eye out for a promo code, you can get a $25 gift certificate for $3. Not bad. There are usually some minor use restrictions so be sure to read the fine print before purchasing. And also be aware of this caveat: if you are not staying on-property and plan to drive over to the Swan, you’ll have to pay an $11 parking fee, so you’ll lose some of that money you saved thru Restaurant.com. However, its worth looking into Restaurant.com if you are planning to eat at Kimono’s, bluezoo, Shula’s, etc. And, the gift certificate never expires, which is nice. We had planned to eat at Kimono’s in May and bought a gift certificate, but ended up not using it. Great to know we’ll still be able to use it next time!

    Reply

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