Dining Options

[Sharkmeister]

I have just spent the last few weeks working out my Disney ADR's. All was well until I suddenly realised I haven't even thought about dining for when we are at US/IOA.
Background: 4 nights, on site at RPH, late December, no car, kids 6 &7

What places are there around US/IOA to eat? Is it easy to get into Downtown Orlando to eat? This is our first trip there are I am clueless.

 

[macraven]

pull up the city walk website.
or use the universalorlando.com site to find dining options.
city walk will show hours and menus.
it is walkable from the on site hotels.

if you want to eat in the city of orlando, check out the city's website to see what would appeal to you.
you would need taxi, car rental, etc for some of the orlando resturants.

some of the regular chain places are walkable.
maybe i shouldn't say that as my idea of walking somewhere might be considered far by you.

if you eat on site, check out the web page to check out the menus.
if you don't find what you want, then try outside the park in orlando.

downtown orlando is not near universal.

 

[patster734]

pull up the city walk website.
or use the universalorlando.com site to find dining options.
city walk will show hours and menus.
it is walkable from the on site hotels.

if you want to eat in the city of orlando, check out the city's website to see what would appeal to you.
you would need taxi, car rental, etc for some of the orlando resturants.

some of the regular chain places are walkable.
maybe i shouldn't say that as my idea of walking somewhere might be considered far by you.

if you eat on site, check out the web page to check out the menus.
if you don't find what you want, then try outside the park in orlando.

downtown orlando is not near universal.

Another option is Jake's American Bar at RPR. Don't let the name fool you either, Jake's is more than just a bar. http://www.universalorlando.com/hotels/loews-royal-pacific-resort/restaurants.html#jakes

Another option is to catch the boat (or walk) to one of the other 2 Universal hotels and dine there. The pizza at Sal's at the PBH is very good! http://www.universalorlando.com/hotels/loews-portofino-bay-hotel/restaurants.html#sals

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

Tons of options at the resorts and Citiwalk to eat. Check out http://www.allearsnet.com/uni/menu/menus.htm to find menus for places to eat. With our children we like NBA City, Hard Rock Cafe, NASCAR Cafe, Pastamore, Islands Dining Room at RPR, The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Resort, and Sals Pizza in PBH. We also enjoy the pool side restaurants for a quick bite to eat poolside.

 

[traceycooper]

Do you book in advance or can you book on the day??
think i read on here that when you stay in a Universal hotel you get priority seating how does that work??

 

[patster734]

Do you book in advance or can you book on the day??
think i read on here that when you stay in a Universal hotel you get priority seating how does that work??

The only restaurants that require advanced (a month or more) reservations are Emeril in Citywalk and Emeril's Tchoup Chop at the RPR. For the restaurants in Citywalk (excluding Bubba Gump's), you can get priority seating by showing your room key to the host/hostess. During extreme busy times, I've read reports where the room key priority seating is temporarily stopped. I've never had that happen to me but I've seen posts from people who have had it happen. Your room key will sometimes get you priority seating at the table service restaurants in the parks (Mythos, Finnegan's, etc.) If you feel that reservations are safer, there are several dining reservation booths located around Citywalk and the parks. Reservations for some of the restaurants can be made at opentable if you're familiar with that dining reservation website.

 

[macraven]

a few trip reports had pictures of the reservation booth located in city walk.

don't worry about ressies.
if you go to city walk around 8, you will have a wait for a table no matter what.

there are so many great places at city walk for lunch and dinner, the problem you will have is "which one to go to first"

i have been to the hard rock cafes in 4 cities.
the hrc at orlando city walk is the best hands down.

show your hotel room key there and if you have a 5 minute wait, i would be surprised. last year the wait was for 1 hour, i showed my key and walked in.

 

[d4est]

Too funny...I have made a list of where AND what I want to eat! (Who cares what the family wants!)

UNIVERSAL TRIP EATS!


1. NBA City-
• New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• NBA City Philly Cheese Steak (lunch)
• Towering Cheesecake or Brick Oven Pastry
• Oreo martini

2. Pat O’brien’s-
• New Orleans Spicy Cheese Fries
• Coppertop Steak and Potato (dinner)
• Pat O's Courtyard Cheeseburger (lunch)
• Bag O' Beignets or Towering Cheesecake (looks awesome)
• The World Famous Hurricane

3. Hard Rock Café
• Homemade Nachos or Original Hard Rock Onion Rings
• Grilled Sirloin Steak or New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• Legendary 10 oz Burger (lunch)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Pudding

4. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Volcano Nachos
• Sirloin Steak (dinner)
• Cheeseburger in Paradise or Pulled Pork Sandwich (lunch)

5. NASCAR Café
• Queso Cheese & Chips or Tower of O-Rings
• King Ribeye (dinner)
• Chicken Tenders or Brick Yard Bacon Onion Cheddar Burger (lunch)

6. Mythos Restaurant
• Chef's Signature Pizza
• Mythos Bistro Filet (dinner)
• Buffalo BBQ Fried Chicken Wrap
• Dessert Shots

 

[Bluer101]

We are there all the time and just recently last week for 7 days. We always eat at citywalk restaurants, there are plenty to choose from and all good. This last time we ate at Jake's in RPR and was pretty good, did out breakfast at the Island Dinning Room RPR and has a lunch at Beach Place HRR.

 

[patster734]

Too funny...I have made a list of where AND what I want to eat! (Who cares what the family wants!)

UNIVERSAL TRIP EATS!


1. NBA City-
• New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• NBA City Philly Cheese Steak (lunch)
• Towering Cheesecake or Brick Oven Pastry
• Oreo martini

2. Pat O’brien’s-
• New Orleans Spicy Cheese Fries
• Coppertop Steak and Potato (dinner)
• Pat O's Courtyard Cheeseburger (lunch)
• Bag O' Beignets or Towering Cheesecake (looks awesome)
• The World Famous Hurricane

3. Hard Rock Café
• Homemade Nachos or Original Hard Rock Onion Rings
• Grilled Sirloin Steak or New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• Legendary 10 oz Burger (lunch)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Pudding

4. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Volcano Nachos
• Sirloin Steak (dinner)
• Cheeseburger in Paradise or Pulled Pork Sandwich (lunch)

5. NASCAR Café
• Queso Cheese & Chips or Tower of O-Rings
• King Ribeye (dinner)
• Chicken Tenders or Brick Yard Bacon Onion Cheddar Burger (lunch)

6. Mythos Restaurant
• Chef's Signature Pizza
• Mythos Bistro Filet (dinner)
• Buffalo BBQ Fried Chicken Wrap
• Dessert Shots

There's a nice way of making that burger from HRC even better. Get it with either a shake or malt!

 

[LeslieR]

Too funny...I have made a list of where AND what I want to eat! (Who cares what the family wants!)

UNIVERSAL TRIP EATS!


1. NBA City-
• New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• NBA City Philly Cheese Steak (lunch)
• Towering Cheesecake or Brick Oven Pastry
• Oreo martini

2. Pat O’brien’s-
• New Orleans Spicy Cheese Fries
• Coppertop Steak and Potato (dinner)
• Pat O's Courtyard Cheeseburger (lunch)
• Bag O' Beignets or Towering Cheesecake (looks awesome)
• The World Famous Hurricane

3. Hard Rock Café
• Homemade Nachos or Original Hard Rock Onion Rings
• Grilled Sirloin Steak or New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• Legendary 10 oz Burger (lunch)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Pudding

4. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Volcano Nachos
• Sirloin Steak (dinner)
• Cheeseburger in Paradise or Pulled Pork Sandwich (lunch)

5. NASCAR Café
• Queso Cheese & Chips or Tower of O-Rings
• King Ribeye (dinner)
• Chicken Tenders or Brick Yard Bacon Onion Cheddar Burger (lunch)

6. Mythos Restaurant
• Chef's Signature Pizza
• Mythos Bistro Filet (dinner)
• Buffalo BBQ Fried Chicken Wrap
• Dessert Shots

I like the way you think! I did the same thing--sort of--and added up approx. how much each resturant would be. I may have to copy off some of your choices...

Eating is one of the best parts of vacation--no counter service here (if I have my way)

 

[d4est]

There's a nice way of making that burger from HRC even better. Get it with either a shake or malt!

Sounds good to me. I'll take a chocolate malted!

I like the way you think! I did the same thing--sort of--and added up approx. how much each resturant would be. I may have to copy off some of your choices...

Eating is one of the best parts of vacation--no counter service here (if I have my way)

Too funny! But I didn't add $ up--don't think about it, I tell ya! It's vacay...money doesn't count and neither do calories! And DH would be right there with ya--as long as I feed him well he lets me plan the vacations and doesn't complain!

 

[patster734]

Sounds good to me. I'll take a chocolate malted!

 

[d4est]

Now that's what I'm talking about!

 

[macraven]

Too funny...I have made a list of where AND what I want to eat! (Who cares what the family wants!)

UNIVERSAL TRIP EATS!


1. NBA City-
• New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• NBA City Philly Cheese Steak (lunch)
• Towering Cheesecake or Brick Oven Pastry
• Oreo martini

2. Pat O’brien’s-
• New Orleans Spicy Cheese Fries
• Coppertop Steak and Potato (dinner)
• Pat O's Courtyard Cheeseburger (lunch)
• Bag O' Beignets or Towering Cheesecake (looks awesome)
• The World Famous Hurricane

3. Hard Rock Café
• Homemade Nachos or Original Hard Rock Onion Rings
• Grilled Sirloin Steak or New York Strip Steak (dinner)
• Legendary 10 oz Burger (lunch)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread Pudding

4. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Volcano Nachos
• Sirloin Steak (dinner)
• Cheeseburger in Paradise or Pulled Pork Sandwich (lunch)

5. NASCAR Café
• Queso Cheese & Chips or Tower of O-Rings
• King Ribeye (dinner)
• Chicken Tenders or Brick Yard Bacon Onion Cheddar Burger (lunch)

6. Mythos Restaurant
• Chef's Signature Pizza
• Mythos Bistro Filet (dinner)
• Buffalo BBQ Fried Chicken Wrap
• Dessert Shots

and you say you are staying 3 weeks there...........


i can't do places i have missed before cause i keep going back to the places i love.........

i need a month at the park.

 

[macraven]

if you go and say it is your birthday at some of the city walk places, you get free dessert.
i said, if you say its your bd, they don't card you...

but i did go for my bd one year at hrc and got a great ice cream sundae.

i think in tlinus trip report last year they got free stuff at margaritaville and bubba gumps.

i would have to go reread to be for sure....


now i go solo to orlando on my vacay.
i order dessert first and then i order the entree or appetizer if i ordered 2 desserts....


i don't care what you think.
it is the only time in my life i can do that.
Mr Mac would walk out the door if i did that with him at the table with me.
in fact, i stayed and ate the ice cream while he stewed in the car outside....

so i only order like that when he is not with me or the sons are not with me.
they like to use blackmail for extra money

 

[d4est]

and you say you are staying 3 weeks there...........


i can't do places i have missed before cause i keep going back to the places i love.........

i need a month at the park.

3 weeks...I wish! I'd be on

When there's a dinner and lunch on my list, I've just made picks for both, depending on the time of day we decide to dine at said places. But we WILL dine at said places...

And Mac, I like the way you think...two desserts and an appie, hmmmmm...

 

[dsmom]

hey Mac - I do the same thing! I live for dessert.

d4est- I have had a lot of the foods on your list- they are all great!
my main reason for going to Universal is the resturants. I plan to eat at every one of them.
the NY strip at Nba city is the BEST!! Also try the parm. chicken tenders there- they were the best I have ever had. The fried strawberry dessert is great also(we LOVE NBA City)

The pulled pork sandwich at Margaritaville is wonderful.
Loved the onion rings at Hardrock Cafe. The hamburger there was my son's favorite. And speaking of Hardrock- WHY did they do away with the French Dip Sandwich!!???? That was the best ever! They also did away with it at Nascar and Nba city. Is there any place now that has a good French dip sandwich?