Universal Dining - My Thoughts

captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Sorry this is so late. I just wanted post a quick dining report from our Universal trip a couple weeks back. Not much to say.

Hard Rock Cafe - Went there 3 times simply because every place else we tried kind of sucked. Their food is always good.

Pat O'briens - Food was very "eh", and piano player was beyond "not our taste".

Pastamore - This place is awful. Tried it before and it was nasty, but thought we'd give it a 2nd chance. I've had better Italian food at Olive Garden.

Margaritaville - This is nobody's fault by my own. The food was just fine, so no problem there, but I absolutely loathe Jimmy Buffett, so I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there.

Islands Dining Room - One of the better buffets in Orlando, and a la carte menu is very good as well for breakfast.

Jake's - Menu is so small, shouldn't even be considered a restaurant. I had soup because there was nothing appealing on the menu.

Sorry to be so boring about the food. I know there are more expensive, better places to eat, but with the kids in tow, I wasn't gonna bother with Emeril's or anything at Portofino. We've been to NBA City and NASCAR and those were both just crappy versions of Hard Rock.
 
experiment624

experiment624

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
Sorry this is so late. I just wanted post a quick dining report from our Universal trip a couple weeks back. Not much to say.

Sorry to be so boring about the food. I know there are more expensive, better places to eat, but with the kids in tow, I wasn't gonna bother with Emeril's or anything at Portofino. We've been to NBA City and NASCAR and those were both just crappy versions of Hard Rock.
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That's what you get for going to Universal -- Hee hee :)
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
The last time I went to Universal was years ago, one of the main reasons we didn't go back, was the food. We thought Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville was HORRID (as I type this, they are building a Margaritaville here in Atlantic City)
 
GLaDOS

GLaDOS

Well-Known Member
Universal really needs to up the choices in the parks. Most of it is pretty good, but it's basically all the same stuff at each location. It's the one thing they really need help on.

CityWalk restaurants aren't really their fault, considering they don't own or operate them.
 
LuLaSue

LuLaSue

Well-Known Member
We made a quick trip to Universal Memorial Day Weekend. We found the food well...not so great.

We ate at the Hard Rock and Jimmy Buffett's both meals were okay. Nothing Applebee's couldn't prepare.

We also ate at Emeril's Tchoup Chop and found the atmosphere lovely, the service good and the food good.

In my opinion Universal needs some better options. We left property one night to eat at Jiko and it was by far our best dinner that weekend.
 
captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
GLaDOS said:
Universal really needs to up the choices in the parks. Most of it is pretty good, but it's basically all the same stuff at each location. It's the one thing they really need help on.

CityWalk restaurants aren't really their fault, considering they don't own or operate them.
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Their fast food burgers and chicken always seem cold.

Louie's has decent pizza. The BBQ place at Jurassic Park was very good I thought.
 
GLaDOS

GLaDOS

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
Their fast food burgers and chicken always seem cold.

Louie's has decent pizza. The BBQ place at Jurassic Park was very good I thought.
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You know...I don't think I've ever had a burger at Uni...I usually eat at Louie's or Cafe 4, which has really good pizza, for a theme park at least. Three Broomsticks is my favorite counter service in the parks, and yes, Thunder Falls in JP is very good.

Blondie's is also a good choice in IoA. Their sandwiches are pretty good.

Usually I try and stick to the sit down places though. Mythos, Confisco's, and Finnegan's are all tasty, and usually don't take that long from your park experience.

But seriously, they need to work on differentiating their counter service offerings.
 
RozFan

RozFan

Member
i LOVED the enchanted oak before the potter-verse opened but looks like that menu was transferred to thunder falls terrace. i always have consistently good food there and the cast seems friendly and happy.

studios side i always opt for lombards as you can order a burger there for roughly the same price as a quick service location but you can sit outside on the harbor and soak up the atmosphere away from the theme park crowds.
 
ShookieJones

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
Totally agree. We had a great time the two days we spent visiting Universal last year, but I have to say the food left a VERY BAD and lasting impression on us..Thank god WWOHP, Spiderman and Butterbeer made up for the major grub FAIL that Uni displayed.
 
HTF

HTF

Well-Known Member
If you want a good meal at Universal your limited to a select few.

Emerils Tchoup Chop
Bice Ristorante
Mythos

I have not visited Churrascaria yet but have heard mixed reviews. If you want a better variety go to the greatest food option out there Epcot.
 
JohnnyDollaz89

JohnnyDollaz89

Well-Known Member
I wanna try Margarittaville when I go in a week and a half but not sure my Dad or Brothers would like anything there. We usually eat at the Hard Rock once or twice.
 
ShookieJones

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
captainkidd said:
I had one non-frozen last year, and wasn't as crazy about it. All frozen for me.
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100 percent. My daughter got one of the regular ones I tried it and I wasn't a huge fan.
The rest of the time it was Frozen all the way. The wife and I even snuck off when the kids were on Dueling Dragons and got one of our own. They came back and we had foam on our lips. ;)
 
HTF

HTF

Well-Known Member
ShookieJones said:
100 percent. My daughter got one of the regular ones I tried it and I wasn't a huge fan.
The rest of the time it was Frozen all the way. The wife and I even snuck off when the kids were on Dueling Dragons and got one of our own. They came back and we had foam on our lips. ;)
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Butterbeer sales alone have made enough to build a clone of the Mummy. In case anyone was wondering.
 
M

maxairmike

Well-Known Member
I really don't get the frozen Butterbeer love. I had one and thought it was worse than a typical slush drink in terms of the flavor. It will always be the regular style Butterbeer for me.

As for the food choices, Studios could use some real help. Louie's is the only really good location there in my opinion. IOA on the other hand has lots of places for me to choose from. Love 3 Broomsticks, Thunder Falls Terrace, and Mythos. Circus McGurcus and Blondies also are fine, but prefer the other three. Out in Citywalk I've only ever eaten at Panda Express and Hard Rock. I am a big Hard Rock fan because of the atmosphere and memorabilia, but the food is pretty much average fast table service like Applebee's. Starbucks and Cinnabon if I'm there in the morning, but that's about it.
 

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