Universal's New Restaurant is one of the Best on Property
If you are looking for an excellent dining experience at Universal Orlando Resort, you will need to head to its new restaurant. Atlantic in Epic Universe is one of the best dining experiences you will have on property.
Dining at Universal Orlando Resort
If you are hungry, there is no need to worry at Universal Orlando Resort. In fact, Universal boasts over 100 places to get a meal or a snack among its theme parks, hotels, and CityWalk.
And, dining is relatively simple if you know the ins and outs of Universal. You can use mobile ordering to simplify the process at many quick-service locations. And, you can reserve full-service restaurants very easily. HERE is our guide for restaurant reservations at Universal.
Universal already had some standout full-service restaurants that will make you forget you are at a theme park. These include Lombard's Seafood in Universal Studios, the award-winning Mythos in Islands of Adventure, and Cowfish at CityWalk.
However, Epic Universe has added a new frontrunner into the mix. Atlantic is one of the best restaurants you will find at Universal Orlando Resort, and you might find it rivals Mythos!
Atlantic
Atlantic is a full-service restaurant located in Celestial Park at Epic Universe. It is themed to be an undersea adventure!
The theming permeates the restaurant. It is decorated with glass walls to mimic the feel of being inside an enormous Victorian aquarium. You will notice that illuminated fish and other sea creatures swim above you during your meal.
It specializes in steak and seafood, and, certainly, if you are a fan of either, you will be very happy dining here. In fact, you could almost forget you were in a theme park if the giant glass walls didn't give you an amazing view of the park. You can watch the fountains in Neptune pool play and see Stardust Racers shooting across its twin tracks from your table.
Location
Atlantic is very easy to find. If you are entering the park from the main gate, it will be to your left. It is right beside Neptune pool in Celestial Park.
Atlantic is easy to find since it is centrally located in Celestial Park.
If you are coming from Helios, it is a bit more of a trek. You will need to head right as you exit the hotel and pass the portals to Dark Universe and Super Nintendo Land.
Seating
There are plenty of booths and tables inside the restaurant. Some face towards the windows, and others are right by the windows.
It is possible to request a seat. But, honestly, the view is nice from most seats.
Dress Code
Essentially, if what you wear meets the clothing/costume policy for Epic Universe, then it will be fine for Atlantic. For example, you must wear a shirt and shoes, and the clothing cannot incite a disturbance or display offensive language or content.
Though it is an upscale restaurant, and you may see people dressed for a special occasion, theme park attire is fine, too. My (Kate's) family wore our theme park clothes, and we were not alone in this.
How Long Does it Take to Dine
This largely depends on you and your travel party. It can be a reasonably quick experience, or you can have it drawn out, especially if you order drinks and appetizers, and desserts.
For us, dining at Atlantic took no more than an hour. Our table was ready very quickly after we arrived. The service was quick. Our entrees came almost too quickly because I had just gotten into my salad, but that was not a problem.
It actually took us less time to eat here than it has taken us to dine at multiple Universal quick-service restaurants. We have had very slow experiences from time to time at places such as Hogsmead, Cafe L'Air De La Sirene, Fire Eaters, Mel's, Minion Cafe, and The Simpsons.
Appetizers and Salads
I really wish I had been hungry enough to try every last appetizer. However, I stuck with a House Seasonal Salad to start the meal.
This salad was made from Baby Beets, Goat Cheese, Frisée, Peach Oat Crumble, Blood Orange Vinaigrette. This was a magical combination. The beets, goat cheese, peach, and orange worked beautifully together for the perfect summer flavor profile.
It was absolutely divine, and I can easily say it is my favorite Universal salad to date. I am sad that i tis a seasonal offering and wish it were available all year round. I even felt a twinge of sadness when I could not finish the entire thing because it was that good.
Adult Entrees
The big problem with the dinner menu is that there are too many amazing options. Our own Kenny the Pirate and his wife enjoyed the steak and seabass when they tried Atlantic and recommended both.
My travel party finally decided to order the sea scallops, and we were not disappointed. They were grilled nicely and served with Arborio Rice, Trumpet Mushrooms, Charred Romanesco, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The scallops were plentiful and nicely cooked. The rice was fluffy and flavorful. And the mushrooms were the perfect accompaniment.
We also tried Captain Fernando's Half-Pound Lobster Roll. It is 8 ounces of Freshly Cooked Maine Lobster, Drawn Butter, and Lemon Dill Aioli served on a Grilled Bun alongside house-made potato chips.
If you live in Maine, you have probably had the world's actual best lobster rolls. But this was an impressive lobster roll in its own right. It is certainly the best lobster roll ever to be served in a theme park. The lobster was plentiful, and it was pure chunks of lobster rather than a lobster salad. They did not cut any corners on this dish.
I also like the house-made chips. They were a nice surprise and were a great treat to have alongside a lobster roll.
Lastly, we had an order of the Grilled Atlantic Salmon. This is grilled and served with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Corn Succotash, and Tomato Chili Butter.
The salmon was another solid dish. It does have a slight hint of heat, so be prepared for that. But overall, it is a unique salmon preparation that you don't see offered often.
Kids Options
There are three kids' options. These include mac & cheese, fish sticks, and char-grilled chicken.
Our littlest traveler tried the Junior Sailor Mac & Cheese. These are described as Golden Creamy Shells and Cheese. You should know that they are not regular elbow macaroni noodles if that matters to your child. They are shaped like little shells and things. The dish is served with Fruit Salad, fries, and a Cheese Fish Cracker.
Our little one liked the mac and cheese well enough. She also loved the fruit. The cracker was lost on her. It soaked up the moisture from the mac and cheese and ended up with the consistency of a chewy raw carrot. Of course, an oversized goldfish cracker was the only weak part of the entire meal, so we can't really complain.
Overall
Overall, Atlantic has become my favorite full-service Universal restaurant. I will certainly be delighted to dine there again and again. We had Blue Dragon booked for our second evening, but part of me wishes we'd have skipped the Mac & Cheese Cones we had for lunch at How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk and had lunch at Atlantic instead.
If you are not into seafood, this may not be for you. But if you are, a culinary treasure awaits under the sea!
Have you been to Atlantic in Epic Universe yet? Let us know. And, be sure to pass this review along to your friends and family who are planning a visit to Epic Universe so they don't miss out on some awesome food.
