Cowfish is One of Universal’s Best Restaurants

If you are looking for delicious dining during your visit to Universal Orlando, search no further. You can get amazing food at The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, and you don’t even need a theme park ticket to dine there! Here is a review complete with pictures of some of the best items.

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar

If you are looking for a fun meal during your trip to Universal Orlando or on a visit to CityWalk, you can count on The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar. The restaurant is named after the unusual-looking cowfish, a creature that typically dwells in the Indo-Pacific. It really makes a perfect restaurant mascot given the menu offerings.

The Cowfish offers a unique fusion of sushi and burgers. There is something for everyone regardless of whether you are craving sushi, burgers, or BOTH.

Like many of CityWalk’s eateries, the restaurant is not unique to Orlando. You can find other locations in both Raleigh and Charlotte. However, it is definitely worth a visit, especially if you do not have a location near your home.

Location

You will find the Cowfish at Universal CityWalk, the “epicenter of awesome” in Universal Orlando. It is very close to the entrance to CityWalk, so finding it is easy.

Regardless of whether you park your own vehicle or take a bus, you will have to go through security before you can head to CityWalk. Once you finish your journey down the moving walkways, head under the “Welcome to Universal Orlando Resort” sign. You will see it where the buildings start curving to the left.

The host stand is easy to spot on the corner between Red Oven Pizza Bakery and Vivo Italian Kitchen. If you are arriving via boat, you will be dropped off at the dock, but it is also close to Cowfish. Just head away from Universal Studios, and you will find it as you near the exit to the moving walkways.

Atmosphere

The Cowfish has a fun and funky vibe, to say the least. It is covered in unique decor for an eye-catching aesthetic. It is a lively, energetic place to enjoy a meal.

Pirate Tip: Ask for outdoor seating overlooking CityWalk!

You can dine inside or outside, but we definitely recommend asking for a spot on the patio if the weather is right for it. If you time your meal correctly, you can enjoy seeing CityWalk go from day-to-night.

Do You Need a Reservation

Although there is a walk-up list at The Cowfish, reservations are strongly recommended. Some Universal restaurants allow you to book up to 6 months in advance, and Cowfish is one of them.

However, as it stands, you do not have to plan that far out. You can easily wait until closer to your visit to book CityWalk reservations if you wish. And, often next-day availability is doable.

Appetizers

Cowfish’s menu features around a dozen appetizers. There are a number of options for those who are interested in both land and sea!

My travel party chose to try the Crab Rangoon Dip. This dip is made from creamy crab rangoon with Parmesan panko crust, wonton crisps, sweet chili sauce, and chives.

We also had an order of edamame. However, many of the dishes come with edamame, so consider checking before you ask for it to avoid ending up with an overabundance.

Entrees

You can order salads, sushi, or burgers at Cowfish. However, if you are feeling indecisive, you might prefer to try Burgushi Rolls, a burger-sushi hybrid! Or, you might consider a bento box, which contains a mini burger and sushi!

My travel party gave in to indecision and ordered 2 Fusion Specialty Bento Boxes. They each came with a mini cheeseburger, a sushi roll, and sides.

I asked for the Philly roll, but you can also select an option from the specialty sushi if you like! I had the cucumber salad and the sweet potato fries with my meal.

I have to say the sushi and burger were both fabulous. The burger was so good that it definitely left me wanting more, and I think next time I will have to have the full-sized portion.

We also had the Spicy Crunchy Roll. This one is made with shrimp tempura, kani, spicy mayo, crispy tempura flakes.

Another member of the group had Doug’s Filet Roll. It is made with avocado, kani, cream cheese inside, topped with thin slices of seared filet mignon, spicy mayo, scallions, masago. It comes served with a side of pounded ginger sauce.

Every bit of what we ate was fantastic. I would eat it all again if I could.

Libations

The Cowfish also serves some interesting alcoholic beverages. My table ordered three different drinks.

First up is the strawberry fig. It is made with St. Augustine vodka, fresh lime juice, agave syrup, fig and strawberry jam. It was a little less fruit-forward than I wanted it to be, but it was still a good option.

Another member of the party tried the Mango Ginger. It is made with Milagro Silver tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, agave, and mango ginger purée.

Overall

Cowfish is delicious and fun and will make a great addition to your visit, especially if you are visiting on a day when the parks close early and you’d like a late dinner at CityWalk or if you want something fun to do on a non-park day.

I am certainly looking forward to returning during a future Universal trip! The hardest part will be deciding what to order next.

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Have you been to Cowfish? Where is your favorite place to eat at Universal Orlando? Let us know in the comments. And, be sure to share this review with anyone you know planning a trip to Universal so that they know where to eat.