My party of three paid $118 at Nomad Lounge at Disney World and enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and delicious beverages

Nomad Lounge is located in Animal Kingdom at Disney.

Nomad Lounge is located in Animal Kingdom at Disney.

Megan duBois

After sampling a number of Disney’s restaurants, I decided to dine at Nomad Lounge, which is famed for its range of small dishes and beverages.

The lounge is situated near the entrance to Pandora – The World of Avatar, in the heart of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It is also connected to the table-service restaurant Tiffins.

To dine at Nomad Lounge, park admission and park reservation are required, but no dining reservation is required. To obtain a coveted table at Nomad Lounge, you can add your name to the walk-up list via the Walt Disney World app or at the hostess stand in front of the lounge.

I added our names to the walk-up list via the Disney World application.

While waiting for a table, I saw an outdoor seating area.

Megan duBois

I promptly joined the walk-up list through the Walt Disney World app after parking. Using this method, I noted the size of my gathering, any dietary requirements, and whether or not we were celebrating anything.

After verifying my information, I was given an expected wait time of approximately 40 minutes, while our real wait time was closer to 20 minutes.

There are outdoor tables, but we chose to sit inside in the air conditioning.

The indoor seating area includes a bar and a communal table.

Megan duBois

I noted that Nomad Lounge has two primary seating sections. The first was a spacious, open area filled with plush lounge chairs, couches, and low tables, in addition to a communal table with stools and a bar with seating.

The other seating area was a covered outdoor porch with comparable soft loungers, couches, and low-rise tables. The majority of the outside area was sheltered, and several tables offer a spectacular view of the boats and characters on the Discovery River.

My party elected to wait somewhat longer for an indoor table with air conditioning, despite the fact that I usually enjoy sitting outside.

The lounge honors the spirit of exploration.

Huge banners were suspended from the ceiling.

Megan duBois

Once entering Nomad Lounge, I observed numerous references to the theme park’s animal kingdom concept and the spirit of adventure.

Large banners depicting the various animals and people featured in the amusement park were suspended from the ceiling.

You could also describe your favorite journey.

The lounge’s motif complements adventure tags.

Megan duBois

Guests could fill out bookmark-sized pieces of paper located over the bar and on bulletin boards with their favorite adventures.

You can request that the waiter bring you one to fill out.

Photographs of Imagineers decorated the walls.

I observed photographs of individuals who contributed to the creation of the theme park.

Megan duBois

Along the corridors leading to the restrooms, I observed shadow boxes containing photographs.

There were photographs of current and former Walt Disney Imagineers on research trips during the construction of the theme park, with Joe Rohde and his signature earring standing out.

We began with some beverages.

The Hightower Rocks cocktail was what I ordered.

Megan duBois

When we sat down, I was impressed by the lounge’s drink menu, which contained more than Disney’s normal sugary drinks and cocktails with glow cubes. My mother and I chose Hightower Rocks, while my father chose the stronger Tempting Tigress. Each beverage cost $16.

The Hightower Rocks reminded me of a really delicious and potent watermelon margarita. It was composed of Casa Dragones Blanco tequila, watermelon, sweet-and-sour syrup, and lime juice. The cocktail was topped with a slice of watermelon, which I allowed to soak up the flavors before removing it.

My mother and I both enjoyed Hightower Rocks and would purchase it again.

The Tempting Tigress was a powerful opponent for me.

My father drank the Tempting Tigress.

Megan duBois

The Tempting Tigress created by my father was a unique combination of 10-year Russell’s Reserve whiskey, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, tamarind syrup, and lime juice.

One taste was sufficient for me. I think the bourbon flavor came through strongly to make a potent drink.

Next, we received the bread service from Tiffins.

The Tiffins bread service included many types of bread and spreads.

Megan duBois

Our first small plate was the $12 signature bread service, which is also available at the adjacent signature dining restaurant Tiffins.

The bread service was presented in two-tiered bowls, which we disassembled at the table. The uppermost bowl included three varieties of bread, including a thin, cracker-like slice, a naan-like slice, and a bit of brown bread. The bowl on the bottom shelf had three distinct spreads, including red-pepper hummus, a spicy coriander-yogurt dip, and a sour ginger-pear chutney.

We delighted in combining bread slices and spreads to create novel and tasty combinations.

Also sampled were smoked pork ribs.

The glaze on the pork ribs was delicious.

Megan duBois

Following that, we sampled the $10 smoked pork ribs.

Four sweet and sticky soy-glazed ribs were served with an additional cup of sauce and apple and jicama salad.

The sauce on the ribs was actually lip-smackingly delicious. I found myself attempting to consume every last bit of sauce before the next dish of food arrived.

Finally, we tried the pork belly with a honey-chili glaze.

Portion size of the pork belly was somewhat lesser than anticipated.

Megan duBois

$15 honey-chili-glazed pork belly was the last savory item on our menu. The dish was comprised of chorizo, a cheese biscuit, a poached egg, and Tasso gravy.

The pork belly was extremely crispy on the exterior and tender on the inside, and the biscuit tasted like an upgraded version of a traditional Southern-style pastry.

Even though the portion was smaller than I had anticipated, I felt the flavor was excellent, and the extras on the platter perfectly complemented the pork belly.

Nomad Lounge is renowned for its churros, so we also sampled them.

The churros had a pillowy interior and a crisp outside.

Megan duBois

We want something sweet after the savory dishes, so we ordered the $9 churros with two dipping sauces.

This food was not like the normal churros available at Disney World theme parks. The churros I’d heard so much about at Nomad Lounge arrived at the table sizzling hot and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The exterior of the churro was slightly crisp, while the interior was fluffy and airy.

The churros were served with vanilla crème and a fruit compote. The vanilla crema added a wonderful, silky texture to the meal, which I enjoyed. According to the current menu at Nomad Lounge, the berry compote has been changed with a coffee crème anglaise, which I assume would be equally delicious.

Every time I visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Nomad Lounge is at the top of my to-do list.

I will definitely return to Nomad Lounge.

Megan duBois

After spending approximately $118 on four small plates and three beverages with my family at Nomad Lounge, I believe the dinner is mostly worth the price.

The food was delicious, however the portion sizes were lower than I would have expected for the price. For instance, I expected the $15 honey-chili glazed pork belly to be larger, so I was startled when we were handed what I considered to be an insufficient amount.

Regardless of whether you were seated inside or outside, the ambiance was peaceful and there is a lot of unique decor to enjoy. I believed that the complex concept let us forget that we were in a crowded amusement park so that we could relax in a social, adventure-filled space.

After dining at a number of lounges and restaurants at Walt Disney World, I can confidently declare that Nomad Lounge will be my first stop the next time I visit the Animal Kingdom.