OT: Help - where to eat at Universal Studios?

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

:dogdance:I would really appreciate any and all suggestions! Our boys are 10 and 7.

[AuntieM03]

I usually eat at CityWalk. The Saddle Ranch is pretty good, BBQ, but on the expensive side. They also have a food court that includes Dodger Dogs, Subway, Tommy's burgers and others things that I am blanking on.

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Thank you Michelle - I'll look into those, The Saddle Ranch sounds interesting. Does anybody else have any recommendations??? :charac4:

[simba_one]

I would also recommend Saddle Ranch Chop House. It's got SUCH a fantastic atmosphere. After a long day in the park you can go there sit outside and take a nice rest and enjoy some great food - much of which you probably won't even end up eating because it's SO filling and the portions are SO huge.

There's live entertainment (guys with guitars who wonder around and serenade people - very embarrassing when they sang at our table but all good fun nonetheless) and they give the kids marshmellows to cook over the fire pits outside. It's such a great place to dine. I love it there. Can't wait to go back.

There's a couple of other places which are nice to eat at in CityWalk too... the names escape me though. Towards the entrance (so the opposite end to where Saddle Ranch is) there's some small little places on the second level. Get your food and sit up there and just enjoy and watch the goings on in CityWalk.

Inside the actual park though I think that the place on the left right as you go in (name also escapes me - something to do with Frankenstein though) is the best. It's the normal "theme park food" served up here buy who cares. There's a nice patio to sit on outside (a lot less busy than the eating areas at Doc Browns - NIGHTMARE!) and the service inside is always good - even though it is a takeaway.

And the pizza place on the left hand side before you go down to the lower lot is good too. ;)

[indigoxtreme]

Here is the link for the restaurants, Hard Rock is good, the bbQ ranch is good.

http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/dining_restaurants.html

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Great suggestions - thank you everyone! :thumbsup2

[bjakmom]

Are there menus posted anywhere for the City Walk restaurants?

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

I was curious too, so I did a bit of googling. These may not be totally accurate to what is actually on City Walk though, but will give you an idea...

http://www.bbkingblues.com/menu/index.html
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/fd_index.asp
http://www.cafetututango.com/menu.html
http://www.camachosinc.com/camcantina_menu_b.htm
http://dailygrill.zgraph.net/location.cfm?subsections_id=28
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafes.aspx?LocationID=96&MIBenumID=3&MenuID=1
http://www.karlstrauss.com/PAGES/Locations/Menu/Start.htm
http://www.srrestaurants.com/menu.php?cid=23
http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/groupsales/pdfs/shanghaimeingroupmenu.pdf
http://www.tonyromas.com/files/menu.asp
http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/groupsales/pdfs/wasabigroupmenu.pdf
http://www.mouseplanet.com/sue_holland/sh050211.htm (this is a review of the cafe in Orlando, but gives an idea of what is on the menu)

[bjakmom]

Thank you, ZipaDeeDooDah!!! That is a huge help! :smooth:

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

You're welcome! :thumbsup2

[spazzyjazzy]

Buca Di Beppo and Tony Roma's are very yummy!! I am not sure when it is going to open but, Bubba Gump's is pretty yummy too.

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Cool! I didn't notice anything on the Universal website about Bubba Gump's - we'll have to watch for it when we're there! http://bestsmileys.com/eating2/5.gif

[zandjmom]

We ate Sunday at Saddle Ranch and loved it. We had a late lunch, got there around 2:30 and were seated by 3. The lunch menu ends at 3 but they assured us we could still order from it because we checked in before then. The portions are huge and could definitely be shared by 2 light eaters or even medium eaters! I had the grilled veggie and cheese sandwich which was fantastic and sweet potato casserole. There was enough sweet potatoes to feed4 people, I'm not kidding. It was $6.99.

DH got the Chicken Fried Steak, big portions with a huge baked potato. I thought the prices were very reasonable, especially for lunch although nobody got a steak.

We had a slight service problem, waitress punched in the wrong sandwich for me but the manager comped a dessert that 4 of us ate and still had left over. It was one of the best meals of our trip and we couldn't eat dinner that night. It's located right in front of USH so the walk is a cinch.

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Thanks for the info, we're leaning towards eating at the Saddle Ranch - I think the kids will really enjoy it! :)

[woody73]

. . . I am not sure when it is going to open but, Bubba Gump's is pretty yummy too.

I was at USH last Friday. Bubba Gump's is still under construction. There is a plywood barricade around the site with the Bubba Gump logo. It might have even had the opening date, but if it did, it is no time soon.

Woody

[NostalgicDad]

I posted this on another thread regarding the Saddle Ranch Chop House. I really don't want to be a big whine-bag and know this won't happen to everyone but our experience should be known as well others who had a good experience.

We ate at the Saddle Ranch Chop House on a Thursday night. The food was really good. I'm not one to typically complain and understand isolated incidents however we and several tables around us were having problems with the service being slow among different servers. I understand things happen but the restaurant was not busy at all. But, to top it off, my son's coke refill (they bring a new glass for each refill) had a disgusting foreign object in it and the manager refused to think anyone in his restaurant did it. Between that and his lack of concern, a really tasty meal was ruined.......one we'll never have again.

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

That's unfortunate that your dining experience wasn't what you expected or deserved. Thanks for the heads up - I agree, it's helpful to hear the good as well as the bad. :thumbsup2

[stagemomx3]

We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in June. It was very busy and they told us our group of 7 would be "at least and hour" wait, it wasn't they seated us in about 25 minutes. We were right by the kitchen door though, and the food was not good. Not horrible, but pretty bland. Also it is VERY loud in there so socializing is difficult.

[Anewman]

Couple more in Citywalk that I have not seen mentioned.
Panda Express= decent fast food chinese.
And I think they also have a Rubios.

[woody73]

Couple more in Citywalk that I have not seen mentioned.
Panda Express= decent fast food chinese. . .

There's also a Panda Express inside USH next to "Lucy, a tribute." (I have not eaten there.)

Woody

[moikturtle]

Inside the actual park though I think that the place on the left right as you go in (name also escapes me - something to do with Frankenstein though) is the best. It's the normal "theme park food" served up here buy who cares. There's a nice patio to sit on outside (a lot less busy than the eating areas at Doc Browns - NIGHTMARE!) and the service inside is always good - even though it is a takeaway.

I have a feeling Frank N Stein is closed permanently. I have an AP and have been there tons of times within the past year and have yet to see it in use.


As for restaurants inside Universal Studios...
I have found that most anywhere there surprisingly reasonable. I've been impressed by the El Pollo Loco place that serves Mexican food towards Back to the Future. Half a chicken, beans, rice, and tortillas is only $7.99 and there's enough chicken there that two people could share.

Doc Browns is very good, but right now it's very closed. Hehe. They're redoing it or something. I've had Mel's and it's pretty good. Also have had Panda Express "downstairs" and the combo choices there are much more limited than the regular Panda Expresses. The lines for there are pretty bad a lot of the time, but not as bad as Jurassic Cafe which is ALWAYS insane. There's also a place near the very front called...I think Hollywood Grill? Something like that. Anyway, if you're there early and haven't had breakfast, they sell breakfast there. Oh, and Cinnabon, oddly enough...I've found to be cheaper than the ones in the mall. Go figure.

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Excellent info, thanks everyone - I'm taking notes!!! :sunny: