Universal CityWalk Dining Guide 2023: The Best Restaurants You Need To Visit During Your Next Trip to Universal CityWalk 

Whether you’re planning your next vacation to Universal Studios or just looking for a spot in Orlando for your next dinner date night, Universal Orlando CityWalk has something for everyone. The entertainment complex might be best known as the entrance to Universal Parks, but it is home to some fantastic dining, drinking, and entertainment experiences. 

Delicious Destinations: Universal CityWalk Full Service Restaurants

indulge in a culinary escapade like no other as we venture into the heart of Universal CityWalk’s Table Service Restaurants. This section of our comprehensive Universal CityWalk dining guide takes you on a tantalizing journey through the diverse and vibrant dining options available in this entertainment district. From the artfully crafted dishes to the lively ambiance, each restaurant promises a feast for the senses. Whether you’re a food enthusiast seeking innovative flavors or a family in search of a memorable dining experience, Universal CityWalk has something for everyone. Join us as we explore the top-notch menus, charming settings, and the essence of each restaurant that makes this gastronomic adventure truly unforgettable.

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar 

While sushi and burgers aren’t a combination most people think of immediately, Cowfish does both excellently. Don’t let the unusual nature of the restaurant turn you away. You won’t find anything quite like Cowfish anywhere else in Orlando. The sushi is fresh and delicious, with a lot of staple rolls available. There are over a dozen specialty burgers on the menu, including American classics and some uniquely Korean and Japanese-inspired options. Sides range from truffle fries to seaweed salad, depending on your mood. There’s a reason this is a favorite for visitors and locals alike. 

The quirky theming (their mascot is the eponymous cowfish) and cheerful interiors make for a fun experience. The restaurant also overlooks CityWalk, so you’ll get quite a view if you’re near a window! This is one of our favorite restaurants at CityWalk for the varied menu and fun atmosphere. 

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen

There’s no way we could talk about Universal Orlando CityWalk restaurants without mentioning Toothsome. This impressive restaurant is the first in CityWalk to come with its own story and immersive theming, so complete it would be at home in some other Orlando theme park shopping areas. The restaurant is themed around a steampunk chocolatier – Penelope Toothsome – and her marvelous chocolate creations.

There are walk-around characters, a well-designed dining room, and a lot of sweets! The menu is expansive, with a little bit of everything: burgers, pasta, flatbread, and steaks. The quality is consistently good. The portions are beyond generous (we probably could have split an entrée on our last visit), and the food is good. It’s also heavy, so keep that in mind if you are just starting your night out. 

While Toothsome is the most popular restaurant in CityWalk (and likely all of Universal Studios’ property), it’s really all about their specialty milkshakes. These things are monstrous in the best possible way. Their selection of flavors – including rotating seasonal options – often comes with brownies, fresh fruit, and even cake slices as toppings! 

Even if you don’t make it into the restaurant, make sure you stop by the location. At the front of Toothsome, you will find a chocolate shop and merchandise store where you can pick up some goodies as well as a milkshake bar with to-go options if you’re in a rush! 

VIVO Italian Kitchen 

If Italian is what you are craving, you’ll love VIVO. We know that it’s easy to find a mediocre Italian restaurant just about anywhere. Trust us when we say you’ll get a lot more than that here. VIVO is the perfect way to start a night out at CityWalk – or wind down a long day at the parks with a hearty meal and glass of wine.

They have amazing fresh pasta, great flavors, and a quiet, intimate atmosphere to unwind after a long day – or to set the mood for a date night. The food is good, and your server always knows the best wine pairings for whatever’s on the menu. It’s a little more traditional compared to some of the wilder restaurants on our list but the food speaks for itself! 

Bigfire Universal 

Designed to resemble an open forest lodge, Bigfire’s theming is subtle but effective. The place gives off cozy summer vacation vibes with outdoor firepits, indoor fireplaces, and lawn games for the kids. It feels more upscale than most of the restaurants at CityWalk, and the menu reflects that as well. 

The menu is heavy on classic American cuisine with a “fire-kissed” flare. After all, the focal feature of the restaurant is the giant custom wood-fired grill at the center of the dining room. The open kitchen gives patrons a great view of their food being cooked (and the accompanying smells will make you hungrier than ever). 

Everything is cooked on the open flame here, so be prepared for a menu heavy on steaks, burgers, chicken, and salmon. You’ll find some great flavor combinations with all this meat, though. We recommend splurging on the Tableside S’mores for dessert before you leave. 

Bob Marley—A Tribute to Freedom 

One of the least-known spots on our list, Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom is a unique restaurant with an interesting story. The restaurant is inside a full-sized replica of the musician’s Jamaican home and offers a look into his music, life, and legacy alongside a Caribbean-inspired menu. At night, there is a DJ and live music in the courtyard (though you will need to pay a cover to enter that area). 

This is a cool spot that often feels tucked away compared to some of the bigger and flashier venues at CityWalk. If you are in the mood for something different – and enjoy reggae music – we highly recommend giving it a try on your next visit! 

NBC Sports Grill & Brew 

This restaurant takes the sports bar concept to a whole new level. With nearly 100 giant HD TVs, foosball tables that are also dining tables, and an open grill kitchen, NBC Sports Grill & Brew is a laidback experience that will keep your night out casual and lowkey. 

Their beer on-tap selection is expansive, though not as broad as the menu itself. You’ll find a ton of typical bar fare here, though all of it is consistent quality. They’ve got wings, burgers, nachos, ribs, flatbreads, and more available. American cuisine is a good fit for picky eaters who are more in the mood for comfort food than an adventurous dining experience. 

The venue is loud and lively, especially during a popular game. It will appeal to the big kids of your group – and the sports fans – for a fun night out. 

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company 

Named after the beloved 90s film starring Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company is a seafood restaurant styled after the fictional shrimp boat empire in the movie. Much like the name would have you believe, this is a seafood restaurant. There are plenty of southern-style seafood dishes – most of them battered and fried – with a few salads and ribs for variety. Entrees include shrimp po’boys, surf’n’turf, shrimp scampi, or an old fashion shrimp and crab boil. 

If you don’t have any attachment to the original film, you may not find the interior – with its multiple homages and references – as charming as you might otherwise. The chain has several locations across the United States, so it isn’t as unique as others on our list. 

Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food 

Day or night, you cannot miss Antojitos at CityWalk. The vibrant façade highlights the energetic nature of this authentic Mexican restaurant. The interior is bright, cheerful, and overwhelmingly neon. Antojitos has very little of the traditional Mexican restaurant décor, instead favoring a modern, exciting look that fits in well with the nightlife at CityWalk.

At night, you’ll find live music to the tune of a roaming Mariachi band that serenades guests with contemporary pop hits while they eat. The tequila selection is excellent, and the drink menu is ripe with delicious cocktails that will charm even the most skeptical margarita naysayer. 

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville 

What is a visit to Florida without a trip to Margaritaville? It’s everything you would expect it to be, really – summery vibes, brightly colored cocktails, and incredibly kitschy. The interior theming is a lot of fun. You’ll find a full-size sailboat, submarine, and the biggest margarita blender we’ve ever seen as part of the décor. That isn’t even counting the giant volcano that occasionally erupts inside the restaurant. Honestly, it feels like you just stumbled into a vacation that happens to take place in a Buffet song. 

The menu is decent, though you won’t find anything spectacular in their kitchen. The food has a lot of tropical flavors, with shrimp, grilled chicken, steaks, burgers, and hearty sandwiches. 

For fans of Buffett, Margaritaville is a must-visit. The restaurant is a popular spot for families and groups, making it a loud restaurant. However, if you aren’t all that much of a fan, you might want to skip this spot in favor of something a little more unique. 

Hard Rock Café Orlando 

We’ve talked about Hard Rock Café Orlando at length before (you can read our article all about the restaurant) as one of the original stapes of CityWalk. Not only is it the largest Hard Rock Café in the world, it’s also one of the coolest! Where else can you find full rooms devoted to Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Woodstock artists, and Florida locals (yes, that does include Jimmy Buffet)? They have a full-size pink Cadilac spinning over the circular bar that serves as the restaurant’s centerpiece. If you like music (and burgers), you really can’t miss checking out this place. 

While the food is pretty standard (as we’ve said before, if you’ve eaten at One Hard Rock Café, you’ve experienced the menu), the drink menu often features specialty seasonal cocktails that align with the park festivals. You’ll find burgers and fries are the mainstay here, though the vibes (and the memorabilia) are really the main event. 

Where do you usually eat during your next visit to Universal Orlando CityWalk? What’s your favorite spot for a date night? Where does your family go for a sit-down meal? Let us know! 

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