10 Best Restaurants in Universal Orlando, Florida

Billed as a "hotel lounge," Strong Water breaks all the rules for hotel dining: the surroundings are comfortable, and the food is some of the most memorable in Orlando. Specializing in the cuisines of "the rum latitudes," the menu features dishes from Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Colombia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico. Every item is a hit, from familiar and unusual ceviches to remarkable chicken tenders in buttermilk batter to the Jamaican curry goat. The list of rums from around the world is longer than the food menu; the deceptively potent milk punch made with Nicaraguan rum and black tea is a must.

The massive and very noisy Antojitos brings the specialties of Mexican cantinas and food carts to CityWalk. The outside looks like it's been spray-painted with shocking pastels, but inside, the grand two-story space is chic yet rustic, sparse but dotted with Mexican folk art. Neon sculptures on the ceiling depict hip versions of Day of the Dead figures. Start with guacamole, made table-side, and follow up with beer-and-chile-braised pork tacos topped with pineapple and guajillo salsa or the Mixiote stew made with beer-braised goat. End with a coffee crème brûlée with churros or the molten dulce cake. The restaurant stocks 200 tequilas and a range of handcrafted tequilas.

In your hurry to reach the attractions upon entering the park, you could (like many people) walk right past this full-service restaurant without noticing it, but it's a good place to enjoy a sit-down meal. The menu is American with international influences, and offerings include exotic wraps and sandwiches as well as entrées ranging from chilled tuna noodle bowls and pad Thai to sweet-and-sour ribs.

Burgers, sushi, bento boxes, and a combo the founders call "burgushi" bring Universal goers to this contemporary second-story restaurant. The setting is flashy, with colorful booths and playful decor complementing video screens showing schools of fish swimming by, aquarium-style. Unwind with a cocktail like Buffalos and Bacon, a bourbon-cherry liqueur combo garnished with candied bacon. The rolls and burgers defy traditional rules, with bento boxes combining the two and other mixes and matches such as a sushi "fusion" roll that might be a sushi roll—or it might have filet mignon layered in. And a burger might be a hunk of ground beef, or it could have peanut butter, banana, and bacon.

This Irish pub would look just right in lower Manhattan during the Ellis Island era. The menu offers classic Irish comfort food like shepherd's pie, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, and fish-and-chips, plus a healthy assortment of wines, cocktails, and beers, including Guinness on tap and a five-beer sampler. If shepherd's pie isn't your thing, opt instead for a steak, burger, entrée salad, or sandwich. Irish folk music, sometimes live, completes the theme in this beautiful, atmospheric place.

British pub staples are fitting fare for Diagon Alley's signature restaurant. The drinks menu complements hearty meals like stews and cottage pies with kooky-sounding beverages from the Harry Potter books like Tongue-Tying Lemon Squash, Otter's Fizzy Orange Juice, and Fishy Green Ale. Order at the counter, then be seated; a microchip in your "candlestick" will tell servers where to bring the grub. The Ploughman's Platter, with its cheeses, Scotch eggs, and apple-beet salad is food enough for two average eaters. English sausages can be had in toad-in-the-hole, bangers and mash, or a sandwich with three-mustard mayo. The fish-and-chips has an excellent flaky crust; the cod is flown in daily. End with the indulgent sticky toffee pudding. There are iconic treasures throughout the Cauldron, from the replica movie art on the walls to the actual leaking sign.

Designed to resemble a Fisherman's Wharf warehouse from 19th-century San Francisco, Universal Studios' flagship full-service restaurant serves fresh fried fish, fried shrimp, and assorted other takes on seafood. You can also get a Boursin steak sandwich with fried onion strips, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and big salads. The New England clam chowder is a standout, especially for the price.

At the corner of Hollywood and Vine is a flashy 1950s-style eatery with a retro spaceship design and several vintage cars parked out in front. Thanks to its location and look, this is one of the most popular choices in the park, so you might have to brave crowds for an extra-thick shake (recommended) or an order of the decadent chili-cheese fries. Basically, it's the burgers that draw crowds in. In case you and others in your group decide to go your separate ways, Mel's is also a great place to meet up.

Though the giant beer tanks are just for show, this bar has plenty of brews to accompany everything from loaded nachos, fish tacos, giant pretzels, and sturdy sandwiches to ½-pound premium Black Angus beef burgers (the Grand Slam features a pound of beef), sirloin and strip steaks, cedar-plank salmon, and ribs. If you're looking to watch a game, this is the spot: it has more than 100 giant TV screens.

Rickety staircases and gaslit chandeliers set the tone for this counter-service restaurant, where you can feast on ample portions of shepherd's pie, fish-and-chips, turkey legs, and Cornish pasties. The Great Feast option includes salad, rotisserie smoked chicken, spareribs, corn on the cob, and roast potatoes for $72.99 for a party of four. The full English breakfast (from park opening until 10:30 am) features eggs, sausage links, black pudding, English bacon, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and potatoes. Look (and listen) for hidden Harry Potter Easter eggs, and ask your server for the facts.