Food is a big part of the vacation experience and figuring out dining at Universal Orlando can be a challenge. There are so many options it can seem overwhelming. So let me break it down for you so you will be ready to start planning where you want to eat.
If you are brand new to Universal Orlando Resort check out my overall guide to the vacation destination.
https://4ears4eyesforthemagic.travel.blog/2020/06/09/introduction-to-universal-orlando/
Where Can You Eat?
Everywhere! There is food around every corner, you will definitely not go hungry at Universal Orlando. There are locations in the theme parks, at the hotels, in City Walk, and literally everywhere.
There are many styles of food locations.
Table Service – These are your traditional sit-down restaurants where you have a server come to your table and you order off a menu. These also include the styles of dining below.
Character Dinning – While you enjoy your meal costumed characters will mingle with guests offering you the opportunity to meet and greet and take photos.
Counter Service – These are locations where you place your order at a counter, pick it up and select a table yourself.
Snack Stands / Carts – These are small counter service locations that offer shorter menus typically all one type of food.
Gift Shops & Bakeries – Most gift shops also sell bagged snacks and treats.
Bars / Lounges – Found throughout the parks.
Festival Booths – Throughout the year there are various limited time festivals at Universal Studios park during which there are festival booths throughout the park that sell foods and drinks themed to that festival.
***** Lines are just a part of being at a theme park, but sometimes lines for food can be just as long as a line for a ride, and you’ll want to try and avoid that. Reservations at table service locations help reduce your wait times. Also eating at a quick service location at an off peak time. Eating your meal early of late can help you avoid crowds but make sure you keep your eye on the locations operating hours. ******
Mobile Order
Some quick service locations offer the use of mobile order though the Universal Orlando Resort app. Through the app you place your order and pay for it. When you are ready your food will be prepared and you can pick it up to dine there or in some cases as take out.
Availability of mobile order can change daily.
Check out all the details here:
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/mobile-food-ordering
Reservations:
Table service locations offer the use of reservations. You can book these reservations up to 6 months in advance. If you have your heart set on a restaurant I suggest booking it at early as possible. If you want to eat at a table service restaurant you more than likely will need to have a previously booked reservation.
You can make reservations on the website linked below or through the Universal Orlando Resort app.
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/dining-experiences/reservations
Dining With Special Dietary Needs
Many locations have vegetarian options and they are labeled as such. Many of these options are also vegan or easily modified to be such. Vegan as is options are labeled as such but not as available as vegetarian options.
You may find some locations especially in city walk that list allergens on their menus or have an allergy menu available but this is not standard at Universal as it is at Disney World.
You can also ask your server what your options are or what allergens are present in a dish.
The key is to do your research ahead of time and check menus to see what your options are.
Universal offers more details and resources as well:
https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/dining/food-allergies#executive-chef
Now let’s talk about specific restaurants and food!
Listed here are all the major dining locations at Universal Orlando. However, there are even more options for food as well. There are additionally small stands that offer snack options, for example the a baked potato stand in Harry Potter’s London, or Central Park Crepes in the New York area. Many of the shops also offer snack, drinks and bakery cases with treats. For instance the Kwik-E-Mart in Springfield offers Squishees and Buzz Cola. Food is really around every corner.
Universal Studios Florida
Hollywood:
Mel’s Drive-In
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Dine in 50’s fashion at this restaraunt themed to the famous Hollywood landmark, Mel’s. With classic cars and a 50’s dining vibe. Here they serve all sorts fo burgers and of course milkshakes.
TODAY Cafe
- Quick Service
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to the TODAY Show this cafe has a lot of quick options beyond what is offered at many of the locations in the theme park. A lot of sandwich and salad offerings as well as many coffee options. There are also many bakery options here.
Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone:
KidZone Pizza Company
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Very basic pizza options here are good for your littles that just want a quick pizza slice for lunch.
Springfield: Home of the Simpson’s:
Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- A variety of tacos are served here from the truck.
Springfield’s Fast Food Boulevard
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This food court offers lots of classic theme park foods like burgers, hot dogs and fried chicken, but themed to the iconic foods and restaurants featured in The Simpsons. You can get a Krusty Burger or a Flamin’ Mo. All of these locations share one seating area and it is essentially a food court. There are many quick service options here. The stands include:
- Krusty Burger
- Cletus’ Chicken Shack
- Flaming Moe’s
- Lisa’s Teahouse of Horror
- Luigi’s Pizza
- The Frying Dutchman
Duff Brewery:
- Bar
- This outdoor bar and lounge area where you can grab a Duff Beer and watch clips from the Simpsons. Some snacks are also served here. The Duff Beer itself is locally hand crafted and brewed.
Moe’s Tavern:
- Bar
- You will feel like you just stepped into the location from the show and there are lots of great photo ops here. Here they serve Duff Beer, Flaming Moe and other specialty beverages including none alcoholic. You can also bring your food from Springfield Fast Food Boulevard into Moe’s to dine as it is right next door.
Lard Lad Doughnut:
- Snack
- Grab a pink iced doughnut as big as your head at this snack stand. There are also some great photo op’s at this location.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley:
Leaky Cauldron
- Quick Service
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- The iconic Diagon Alley pub from the books comes to life here with a quick service restaurant that takes the menu up a notch. At breakfast, served until 10:30, you have options of several kinds of breakfast platters with English touches. At lunch or dinner the options are very classic English fare including fish and chips, toad in the hold, scotch eggs, and more. For this looking for less adventurous fare they also offer both sausage and chicken sandwiches and a kids menu with macaroni and cheese. They also have butterbeer, draught beer, and wine. For Harry Potter fans you will defiantly want at least one meal either here or at Hogsmead’s Three Broomsticks. The Harry Potter locations are some of the most popular be prepared to wait in a line here, to avoid lines try eating at off peak meal times.
Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- Try some really special ice cream flavors here like Butterbeer, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Earl Grey and Lavender, along with some more classic flavors. This is not to be missed for ice cream fans.
Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshment
- Bar
- Here you can purchase non-alcoholic drinks themed as elixirs, each with a different power. It’s a small experience in itself as you get to pick out the elixir and mix it yourself.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune
- Bar
- This bar is a location where you can get Harry Potter beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic including butterbeer. Several of the beers here are specialty brews made for the land. There is also a very small snack menu here as well.
San Francisco:
Lombard’s Seafood Grille
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to the San Francisco Wharf this restaurant specializes in seafood.
Chez Alcatraz
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- This location is a bar themed to Jaws, if you want a show with your drink make sure to order the Ocean Attack!
Richter’s Burger Co.
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This earthquake themed location offers burgers and grilled chicken and several kinds of pluses up french fries.
San Francisco Pastry Company
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- Stop here for your sweet treat needs.
New York:
Louie’s Italian Restaurant
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Classic Italian food featuring pizza, as well as a meatball sub, and pasta dishes.
Finnegan’s Bar & Grill
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This location is theme as an Irish Pub and includes a lively bar area. They serve Irish fare such a Shepherd’s Pie and Guinness Beef Stew plus American fare. This location sometimes has live music.
Schwab’s Pharmacy
- Quick Service
- Themed to a 1930’s soda counter this location primarily serves ice cream.
Plus:
- Starbucks
- Hagan Daas
Production Central:
Bone Cillin’
- Quick Service
- Grab a slushee, beer, soft pretzel of other snack.
Pier 8 Market
- Quick Service
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- This location is a grab and go food court with options like salads, and sandwiches.
Classic Monsters Cafe
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to classic Universal monters like Dracula and the Wolf Man this location has a really fun interior, the menu features American classics like, rotisserie chicken, pizza, and ribs.
Festival Booths:
Throughout the year Universal Studios Florida also has seasonal limited time festivals with special decor, entertainment, shopping, and or course food throughout the parks. These festivals feature various food booths around the park each with a limited menu of options of smaller potion dishes. If you are visiting during this time these are great option for snacks or to sample several options for a meal.
Universal Island’s of Adventure
Port of Entry:
Confisco Grille
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This location has an Asian touch with a married menu included pad thai, roasted fish, chicken, udon noodles and ribs. Lots of appetizer options on this menu too. This is a good option for a group that wants to share a few items.
Backwater Bar
- Bar
- Snacks
- Connected to Confisco Grille you can get many of the same appetizers and a full bar menu.
Croissant Moon Bakery
- Quick Service
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Pre-made sandwiches, pastries, and snacks.
Plus!
- Starbucks
- Cinnabon
Seuss Landing:
Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Pizza, burgers, and fried chicken in a circus setting with lots of indoor seating.
Green Eggs and Ham
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- This stand offers several options including green eggs and ham and even who hash, some served in fun containers.
Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- A stand with ice cream and frozen treats.
Moose Juice, Goose Juice
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- This stand offers drinks and basic snacks. The title drinks and icees of differing flavors.
The Lost Continent:
Mythos Restaurant
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- A mix of Mediterranean, Asian and American cuisines this full service restaurant has a really fun setting inside a cave, themed to greek gods. It is one of the highest end locations inside of the park.
Doc Sugreue’s Desert Kebab House
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This stand offers Mediterranean kebobs and snacks like hummus and fruit.
Fire Eater’s Grill
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- The options here include gyros, and also traditional theme park food of chicken fingers, hot dogs, and salads.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmead:
Three Broomsticks
- Quick Service
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- With highend theming this pub in Hogsmead serves breakfast served until 10:30 you have options of several kinds of breakfast platters with English touches. At lunch or dinner the options are very classic English fare including fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and more generally rotisserie chicken and ribs. They also offer a basic kids menu. Here you can also get a butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, or draught beer. For Harry Potter fans you will defiantly want at least one meal either here or at Diagon Alley’s Leaky Cauldron. The Harry Potter locations are some of the most popular be prepared to wait in a line here, to avoid lines try eating at off peak meal times.
Hog’s Head
- Bar
- Stop into this bar to grab a butterbeer, pumpkin juice, along with domestic and imported beers, the pub’s exclusive Hog’s Head Brew, specialty drinks, wine, spirits, and mixed drinks.
Jurassic Park:
The Watering Hole
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- Grab a beer, wine, soda or theme mix drink. Some snacks available at this location as well such as soft pretzels, and nachos.
Pizza Predattoria
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Grab a quick pizza or sandwich with outdoor seating.
The Burger Digs
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Burgers and fries
Thunder Falls Terrace
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This location is in a really fun Jurassic Park setting with a lot of platter options including, ribs, chicken, and turkey. This is a good place to stop if you want quick service but not a burger or pizza.
Toon Landing:
Blondie’s
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Made to order subs including the iconic Dagwood Sandwich.
Cathy’s Ice Cream
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- A quick stop for ice cream in this land.
Comic Strop Cafe
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to old school newspaper comic strips this location serves burgers, pizzas, and salads.
Whimpy’s
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This stand sells burgers, chicken fingers and fries. Plus soft serve ice cream.
Marvel Superhero Island:
Cafe 4
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This location themed to the Fantastic Four comic books has a large menu with pizzas, and Italian pasta and sandwich entrees.
Captain America Diner
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Of course here they serve American eats with burgers, and both grilled and crispy chicken sandwiches.
Chill Ice Cream
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- Your stop for ice cream in this land.
City Walk
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
- Table Service
- Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
- This restaurant has a really fun steam punk meets chocolate factory look and the menu features dishes with lots of chocolate touches. Known for their huge jar milkshakes. Brunch is served here and they also have a full service bar here and a quick service window for the milk shakes.
Bigfire
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Dine while watching the chef’s in the open kitchen and its fires featured in the restaurant. Them menu is American fare and a lot of grilled options.
Cowfish
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Choose between burgers or shush or have a little of both. The menu here has many options of both.
Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- As titled this colorful restaurant offers Mexican food.
Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to Bob Marley’s life this location serves Jamaican food including jerk chicken, seafood, beef patties, plantains and yucca fries.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to Forest Gump and a southern shrimp shack the menu of course offers shrimp, and other seafood as well as other American fare.
Hard Rock Cafe
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Like the other locations around the world this location features music and other memorabilia throughout the restaurant. The menu is American food with a lot of options.
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Themed to the tropics and Key West this menu offers American foods with an island flare and of course a large menu of margaritas.
NBC Sports Grill & Brew
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- A classic sports bar theming and a great place to watch the game while on vacation. This location offers over 100 beers and a menu full of appetizers like soft pretzels and nachos. The menu has a ton of options from burger and wings to chicken pesto pasta and brisket.
Pat O’Brians
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Here you will find a piano bar with a New Orleans theming and a menu to match including classic po’boy or a hurricane cocktail.
Vivo Italian Kitchen
- Table Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Classic Italian fare with lots of menu options.
Red Over Pizza Bakery
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Made to order fired pizzas taking it up a level from the pizza inside the theme parks.
Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- Fresh deli hot and cold sandwiches that you can customize.
Fat Tuesday
- Quick Service
- Drinks
- A New Orleans staple Fat Tuesday has a rainbow of frozen drink options.
Hot Dog Hall of Fame
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- This ballpark themed location serves a variety of gourmet hot dogs.
Bend the Bao
- Quick Service
- Lunch & Dinner
- A twist on traditional bao buns.
Voodoo Doughnut
- Quick Service
- Snacks
- A great place to stop on your way out of the theme parks to grab a dessert for later. Made famous by it’s Portland, OR location this is a gourmet doughnut shop with a large array of flavors including many vegan options.
Plus!
- Starbucks
- Panda Express
- Auntie Anne’s
- Burger King
- Cinnabon
- Cold Stone Creamery
- Dippin’ Dots
- Menchies Frozen Yogurt
- Moe’s Southwest Grill
- Fusion BIstro’s Sushi & Sake Bar
Volcano Bay
Bambu Jungle Kitchen
- Quick Service
- Here you will find burgers, chicken and salad.
The Feasting Frog
- Quick Service
- This location has some more varied options with tacos, nachos, and poke bowls.
Kohola Reef Restraut and Social Club
- Quick Service
- This is the largest dining location in the park and has the wides menu with breakfast options in the morning. With Hawaiian flavored options, flat bread pizzas, chicken, and sushi jus some of the options.
Whakawaiwai Eats
- Quick Service
- Here you will find pizza, hot dogs, Mac and cheese and more.
The Fish Tail
- Snack Stand
- Pretzels, churros and frozen drinks
KoKa Poroka
- Snack Stand
- Ice cream stand
There are also two bars / lounges:
- Dancing Dragon Boat Bar
- Kunuku Boat Bar
Hotels
All of the hotels that are a part of Universal Orlando Resort have dining options as well. Anyone can enjoy these restaurants though for the typical vacationer I would not suggest planing to dine here unless you are staying on property. It can take time to get from the park to the resorts and as a day guest your time is best spent in the parks or City Walk. If you are staying on property make sure to know what your dining options are at your hotel and if you want to explore other hotel options check out the ones near yours.
Character Dining:
There are a few character dining opportunities at Universal Orlando. Reservations are required for these meals.
Despicable Me Breakfast – At the Lowes Royal Pacific Resort you can have all you care to enjoy breakfast with Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes, and the minions. The plus side to this meal is that its is at a hotel and not inside the park so no park admission is needed.
Marvel Character Dinner – Have dinner with Marvel comic book super hero at Cafe 4 at Islands of Adventure for an all you care to enjoy buffet experience. Superheros like Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the X-Men will be in attendance.
The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast – During the Christmas season you can dine with the Grinch at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous all you care to enjoy buffet inside of Universal Island’s of Adventure park.
Halloween Horror Nights Scareactor Dining Experience – During Halloween Horror Nights you can dine at the Universal Studios’ Classic Monster Cafe at Universal Studios Florida park for an all you care to enjoy experience with several frightening scare actors up close.
As you can see there is no shortage of food at Universal Orlando Resort. Time to start making those reservations.
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