How to Make Dining Reservations at Universal Orlando

For many theme park fans, dining at Universal Orlando doesn’t have the same cache as dining at Walt Disney World. However, the expansive Central Florida complex — including Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, and the on-site hotels — offers several dining experiences that match anything the Mouse has to offer.

So, how can you book reservations at Universal’s cream of the crop restaurants? We’ve got you covered.

The process of making reservations at Universal Orlando should be somewhat familiar to Disney World dining connoisseurs, as the principal ways to do so are through Universal Orlando’s official website or smartphone application. Simply navigate to the restaurant’s page on either of those platforms and click the button to make dining reservations.

The Universal restaurants that take reservations are as follows, broken down by location at the resort. First, we’ll be looking at the restaurants located inside the resort’s two theme-parks. Each of these require valid theme park admission in addition to a reservation.

Universal Studios Florida

Lombard’s Seafood Grille: Located in the park’s San Francisco area, Lombard’s – named for the real San Francisco’s famous street – has been the park’s flagship restaurant since it opened and features an American-style menu that focuses on seafood dishes including lobster bisque and fish tacos.

Finnegan’s Bar & Grill: A traditional Irish pub located in the New York Streets area of the park, this restaurant features “authentic Irish dishes like Shepherd’s Pie and Guinness Beef Stew as well as classic burgers, (and) salads…”

Islands of Adventure

Mythos: Arguably the most renowned of Universal Orlando’s in-park restaurants, Mythos – located in The Lost Continent – has offered a full service menu including Mediterranean, Asian, and American food.

Confisco Grille: While it doesn’t quite have the cache of Mythos, Confisco Grille – in the Port of Entry area of the park – features a full-bar and a menu geared towards those who enjoy Italian, Asian and Greek cuisine.

Moving outside Universal Orlando’s theme parks, there are numerous restaurants that offer reservations.

CityWalk

Bigfire: Openfire cooking featuring traditional American fare including steak and seafood. Be sure to save room for the trademark s’mores for dessert.

Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food: Tacos, empanadas, fajitas, a full bar, and Mariachi music? What’s not to love?

Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom: This restaurant, housed in a “replica of the legendary musician’s home on 56 Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica” features Jamaican food and live music.

Cowfish: Known for burgers, sushi, and the Burgushi which combines both.

NBC Sports Grill & Brew: A huge bar and grill style restaurant which features over 100 high-definition screens showing every major sporting event one can imagine.

Pat O’Brien’s: A replica of the Bourbon Street original, this New Orleans-themed restaurant features a menu of Cajun favorites and dueling piano players.

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen: A chocolate lovers delight, housed in a massive Steampunk-themed facade.

VIVO Italian Kitchen: Authentic Italian cuisine, including numerous pizzas and pastas, and the perfect wines to pair with them.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville: A tropical favorite for generations, this restaurant features a menu of favorites themed to Jimmy Buffett’s songs including the famous Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Hard Rock Cafe Orlando: The grandaddy of all theme restaurants, this massive Hard Rock features a litany of rock memorabilia and a performance space in addition to the classic menu.

Beyond CityWalk, there are several restaurants that offer reservations at Universal’s resort hotels. These include:

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Mama Della’s Ristorante: Italian dishes from Tuscany, Naples and Piemonte including “the best lasagna this side of Sicily” as well as freshly-prepared desserts and pastries.

Trattoria del Porto: A family-friendly, casual Italian restaurant featuring traditional breakfast and dinner fare.

Bice Ristorante: Northern Italian cuisine, including fresh pasta, seafood, and pastries, served in an elegant atmosphere.

Hard Rock Hotel:

The Kitchen: Universal touts this restaurant as featuring “amped-up American favorites like burgers, flatbread pizzas and a monumental mac & cheese” and “some of the most jaw-dropping desserts you’ve ever seen.”

The Palm: A New York-style steakhouse, with a menu heavy on Italian favorites.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

Islands Dining Room: Featuring a Pan-Asian menu featuring dishes including “tailored wok creations and sweet and sour tamarind-infused Salmon.”

Jake’s American Bar: A full service bar and restaurant themed to “fabled South Seas explorer, Jake McNally” whose seaplane floats in the hotel’s lagoon.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

Amatista Cookhouse: Caribbean-inspired island dishes.

Strong Water Tavern: Specializing in tapas and a large variety of rums, including rare and vintage varieties.

Some further quick notes for those planning their Universal Orlando dining:

• While the Universal’s official website and app are the best ways to make reservations at these restaurants, they can also be made by phone. The numbers for the vast majority of them are (407) 224-FOOD (3663) for the in-park and CityWalk restaurants and (407) 503-DINE (3463) for the hotel restaurants. However, several of the restaurants feature their own number for reservations. These include: Bice Ristorante (407) 503-1415), The Palm (407) 503-7256), and the Hard Rock Cafe (407) 351-7625).
• Several of the third party-owned restaurants like Bice Ristorante and Hard Rock Cafe Orlando at the resort offer reservations on outside services including Open Table.
• While the headline restaurants of the two Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands — the Three Broomsticks/Hog’s Head at Islands of Adventure’s Hogsmeade and The Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios Florida’s Diagon Alley respectively — don’t technically include reservations, guests who book Harry Potter-themed packages are guaranteed breakfast at one of them depending on their package.
• While the Fantastic Four-themed Cafe 4 at Islands of Adventure is normally a quick service restaurant, reservations are required for the Marvel Character Dinner character dining experience, which can be booked on the Extra’s section of Universal’s website.

Do you have a favorite restaurant at Universal Orlando? Any reservation tips to share? Let us know in the comments below.

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