Universal Studios Hollywood is great. You can hang out with Mario & Yoshi (sorry, Luigi), say hi to the Minions, cosplay as Hermione and much more. There is so much to do, and Super Nintendo World really gave the entire theme park a whole new 1-Up.
With so many adventures ahead of us, it can be easy to forget about our hunger. But don’t worry, friend! There are plenty of fun and cool spots inside Universal Hollywood where you can enjoy great food, refuel your energy, and get back out there to enjoy more rides.
Just a heads-up: Almost every restaurant at Universal Studios Hollywood is counter service, meaning you order at the counter and then find a table to eat. I don’t think there are any traditional à la carte restaurants inside Universal Studios Hollywood anymore, but you can definitely find those at Universal CityWalk if you’re looking for something fancier. You will probably spend around $15-20 per main dish at a counter service restaurant inside Universal Studios Hollywood.
In this guide, we will focus on the restaurants you can find inside Universal Studios Hollywood only. We are going to list all the options you can find there, what you should definitely try during your visit, answer some important questions and also list our top favorite restaurants and talk a little bit more about them. Lets-a-go!
Can I have breakfast at Universal Studios Hollywood?
There are two restaurants inside Universal Studios Hollywood that serve breakfast: Three Broomsticks and Jurassic Cafe. However, they only offer breakfast if the theme park opens at 9am. They won’t serve breakfast if the park opens at 10am. Alternatively, you can always get breakfast at one of the two local Starbucks.
Is there Character Dining at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Not really. There isn’t any dedicated character dining where you can meet characters while having dinner at Universal Studios Hollywood. However, you will find a variety of characters, such as Mario, the Minions, and even a few dinosaurs, wandering around the theme park.
List of restaurants at Universal Studios Hollywood
Variety
- Toadstool Cafe: The newest restaurant at Universal Studios Hollywood is also one of the most fun ones, and definitely the most popular. Taste what the Mushroom Kingdom has to offer in a variety of american and italian dishes like the Chef Toad Short Rib Special, the Mario Burger and the Bowser Fireball Challenge.
- Three Broomsticks: The main Harry Potter-themed restaurant at Universal Studios Hollywood offers a fantastic atmosphere and a variety of dishes inspired by British cuisine. You can try the Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, and dine like a true Hogwarts student.
- Panda Express: Yes, there’s a Panda Express inside Universal Studios Hollywood, offering a variety of Asian-inspired dishes. Just a heads-up, though, prices here are higher than at your typical Panda Express.
- Hollywood & Dine: A quick service restaurant that offers american food. You can find burgers, pizzas, salads and more.
- French Street Bistro: sandwiches, salads and freshly baked pastries. They also serve Starbucks coffee.
- Cocina Mexicana: This one is all about good Mexican food. Enjoy a good Burrito, Ground Beef Tacos, salads and more while enjoying a margarita or a pina colada.
- Minion Cafe: A typical counter service restaurant for the Despicable Me fans. You can try Gru’s Backyard Rotisserie Chicken, Specialty Sandwiches, Salads and also lots of different desserts.
- Palace Theatre Café: This one serves a variety of packaged meals, including sushi, sandwiches, soups and desserts. Perfect for those that want to save time.
Comfort Food & Burgers
- Jurassic Cafe: For the dinosaurs out there that want a good burger. You can find a lot of different dishes at the Jurassic Cafe, like the signature Jurassic Burger, a Gourmet Personal Pizza and a Citrus Marinated Roasted Chicken.
- Krusty Burger: Located in Springfield, guess what you can find here? Yes, burgers. It was a hard guess, I know. You can have the classic Krusty Burger, a Clogger Burger, The Ribwich or Sideshow Bob Footlong. You can also find the Buzz Cola here and even drink the authentic Duff Beer.
- Cletus’ Chicken Shack: This one is all about chicken. We are talking about chicken sandwiches, fried chicken, chicken nuggets and a lot of other options.
Pizza
- Luigi’s Pizza: That’s the main pizza restaurant inside Universal Studios Hollywood. Get your choice of Cheese Pizza, the Meat Hater’s Pizza, the Meat Liker’s Pizza, or even try the Fat Tony’s Penne Pasta & Meatballs or a standard caesar salad.
Snacks & Coffee
- Power Up Cafe: This grab-and-go restaurant opened in 2024 and offers a variety of snacks for fans of the Mushroom Kingdom. Menu items include pretzels, calzones, popcorn, and soft drinks.
- Starbucks: this one doesn’t need introductions, right? There are actually two Starbucks inside Universal Studios Hollywood, one in the Upper Lot and another one in the Lower Lot.
- Lard Lad Donuts: This place is all about donuts, and let me tell you one thing: these donuts are huge, and can feed an entire family. You can also enjoy a good cup of coffee here.
- Suds McDuff’s Hot Dogs: Hot dogs, churros, Buzz Collas and more.
- Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck: This one is all about getting a quick taco and a snack and then getting back to the rides.
- Despicable Delights: you can try a lot of frozen beverages inspired by the minions. This place also offers a lot of snacks like churros. Everyone loves churros, right?
The Best Restaurants at Universal Studios Hollywood
Toadstool Cafe
Best dishes: Piranha Plant Caprese, Mario Burger, Bowser's Fireball Challenge.
I’d say this is the best restaurant at Universal Hollywood for several reasons: it’s the newest spot, the atmosphere is fantastic, the food is good, and it’s all about our favorite plumber in the entire universe.
Before going any further, you should definitely try to make a reservation for Toadstool Cafe as soon as you arrive at the park, or you might miss the chance to dine there. A good strategy is to purchase the early entry ticket for Super Nintendo World, head straight to Toadstool Cafe, and reserve a spot. Just a heads-up: reserving a spot doesn’t mean you’ll enter immediately. You’ll get a specific return time, then wait in a standard queue before being let inside the restaurant.
Let’s be honest, the main reason to eat here is because it’s new and all about Nintendo. The food is good, but not much different from what you’d expect at a theme park. However, it’s fun to see burgers and desserts shaped like Mario or a Super Star, and kids definitely love the overall vibe. The restaurant offers a variety of salads, along with burgers, pasta, and plenty of dessert options.
Three Broomsticks
Best dishes: Shepherd’s Pie, Fish and Chips, The Great Feast.
If you love Harry Potter, then you must come here. If you don’t even know who Harry “Yer a Wizard” Potter is, then you should also come here. The Three Broomsticks might as well be the best restaurant in all Universal Studios if we take in the food alone, and the atmosphere is also great. It also doesn’t get as crowded as the Toadstool Cafe (but, well, it definitely gets packed) which is a plus.
This place is a replica of the Three Broomsticks tavern from the movies and books, offering traditional British cuisine. Some of the most requested menu items include Shepherd’s Pie and Fish & Chips. The Great Feast is also very popular and a great option for families, as it offers a generous assortment of roasted chicken, spareribs, corn, potatoes and a salad.
The Three Broomsticks is also open for breakfast if Universal Studios Hollywood opens at 9am. However, it will not serve breakfast if the park opens at 10am or later.
Jurassic Cafe
Best dishes: Isla Chicken Sandwich, Citrus Glazed Chicken
I love the Jurassic Cafe for a very simple reason: you can find some dishes here you won’t food anywhere else, since this restaurant also offers a lot of Costa Rican inspired dishes. Sure, you can also find lots of burgers at the Jurassic Cafe, but other options include the Citrus Glazed Chicken, the Roasted Chicken Salad, the Isla Chicken Sandwich and the Isla Burger. Its also one of the few restaurants at Universal that offers rice and beans in a very good quantity, and you should probably opt for it instead of the fries.
The Jurassic Cafe is also open for breakfast if the park opens at 9am. Do try the breakfast burrito accompanied with fried potatoes and cheesy scrambled eggs.
What should you Eat at Universal Studios Hollywood?
With so many options available, choosing the perfect restaurant and snacks can be challenging. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Be sure to have dinner at one of the three restaurants we’ve listed - Three Broomsticks, Toadstool Cafe, and Jurassic Cafe - and also make time to sample some unique snacks to complete your Universal Studios Hollywood experience.
Here are some items you simply can’t miss when you are in Universal Studios Hollywood
Butterbeer
Price: Usually $8.99
Of course, we couldn’t forget this one. Every proud wizard should try Butterbeer at least once, whether it’s the traditional cold Butterbeer, frozen Butterbeer, hot Butterbeer, or any other variations you might encounter. Butterbeer is fantastic - so fantastic, in fact, that we wrote a whole guide about it and Universal Orlando.
Korean Corn Dog
Price: $11.99-$12.99
This might be underrated, but it’s pretty good. It’s essentially a hot dog sausage on a stick, covered in cheese, corn dog batter, and crunchy breadcrumbs. It’s tasty, scout’s word! You can find it at Mummy Eats and Hollywood and Dine.
The Big Pink
Price: $9.99
If you are in Universal Studios Hollywood, then you must try this special donut that you can find at the Lard Lard Donuts. The Big Pink is a huge, huge, huge (...), huge donut that even Homer Simpson would have trouble eating. It’s delicious and perfect for a family of four.
Block Tiramisu
Price: $9.99
This is our dessert recommendation for the Toadstool Cade. The Block Tiramisu is often considered the best dessert on the whole menu, since the Princess Peach Cupcake is basically all sugar and the Mt. Beanpole Cake is good, but not that much different from a standard chocolate cake. The Block Tiramisu definitely stands out. It’s creamy, soft, and delicious, with a wonderful combination of chocolate and coffee. Definitely give it a try.
