Step through Epic Universe's Isle of Berk portal and you'll find the quick-service spot Spit Fyre Grill, serving up grilled meats, roasted veggies, and the famous mac & cheese bread cones.
On our last trip to Epic Universe, my friend (who has affectionately asked to be referred to as Mr. Grump) and I stopped by to see what this little grill had to offer.
In this review, I'll share our thoughts and everything you need to know before planning your own visit.
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Location & Atmosphere:
Head into the Isle of Berk and take the right-hand path to find this outdoor quick-service location. If you see an ice dragon, you've gone a little too far, just take a few steps back.
The exterior looks straight out of a Viking village, featuring carved wood details and a wooden dragon perched on top of the awning. Beneath it, you'll find four walk-up windows for ordering and mobile pickup.
If you're looking for seating, look across the path to find a large covered outdoor dining area filled with plenty of wooden tables, benches, and utensils. The seating area sits right next to the Fyre Drill water ride, so you can watch the boats pass by while you eat.
On this trip, Mr. Grump and I had no trouble finding seating. About half of the tables were full, and others under the pavilion were interacting with the Ruffnut and Tuffnut characters who occasionally roam the area.
The Menu:
On the Spit Fyre Grill menu, you'll find an assortment of grilled meat bowls such as steak, shrimp, chicken, and even a vegan option. Each bowl comes with a different blend of roasted vegetables along with rice and/or salad.
If you or someone in your party has food allergies, the list of allergens can be found under each item on the online menu, or you can ask a team member for an allergy guide. If your allergy is severe, definitely let a team member know so they can better accommodate you. Many locations have an allergy chef on site who can prepare your food in a separate prep area.
You'll also find a handful of the famous mac & cheese bread cones on the menu. These are made with French bread that has been hollowed out, coated in garlic butter, and then filled with mac & cheese and various toppings. They're definitely a bit intense-but delicious!
If you're looking for an adult beverage, there are also a handful of beers and wines available, along with classic Coke products and water.
Note: The photos shown here are not the full menu-just a few of the most popular items to give you an idea of what's offered. To view the full and most current Spit Fyre Grill menu, click here.
Service & Ordering:
As with most quick-service locations at Universal, ordering is primarily done through the Universal Orlando app. Within the app, you can place your order, mark any dietary restrictions or allergies, and pay directly from your phone.
Once your order is placed, select "I'm Here" in the app when you arrive at the restaurant. You'll then receive a notification when your food is ready, along with a pickup window number and confirmation number to retrieve your order.
Seating is self-serve, but there is plenty of it available under the large covered awning across the path from the restaurant. You'll also find utensil and napkin stations located throughout the seating area for convenience.
What We Ordered:
After looking over the menu, I decided to go with Stoick's Steak Bowl: sticky rice, tenderloin steak, roasted balsamic mushrooms, sweet potato hash, manchego cheese, and horseradish sauce ($19). To drink, I ordered Gobber's Mead - a boysenberry-blackcurrant mead with vanilla and Grains of Paradise infusion ($14).
The Gobber's Mead is actually the same as the Darkthorne Mead found in Dark Universe, and it's one I've had several times before. The best way I can describe it is classic Welch's grape juice. Even though it has a 6% ABV, there's almost no noticeable alcohol flavor, just sweet grape juice with light undertones of nutmeg and a very subtle hint of vanilla. The pour is fairly small for the price, but it's tasty nonetheless.
As for the steak bowl, I shared it with Mr. Grump as a snack, but the portion size would easily work as a full meal for one hungry person. The bowl itself had some weight to it, which made the $19 price tag feel fairly reasonable.
The steak was slightly overcooked, but not tough. I expected that going in, since this is fairly common with quick-service theme park food that's being prepared in large batches. Thankfully, it wasn't overcooked to the point of becoming rubbery like you sometimes find elsewhere.
The rice was simple long-grain white rice seasoned with garlic butter. Nothing fancy, but very tasty. It had a slightly sticky texture, which I personally enjoyed.
On the side were onions and mushrooms sautéed in balsamic. They were cooked well, with a savory and tangy flavor that paired nicely with the steak.
The roasted sweet potatoes were mashed and lightly salted, which I really loved. In fact, I've recreated this at home several times since!
The horseradish sauce had a very mild flavor, not spicy, just a subtle hint that you can almost feel more in your breath than on your tongue. (If that makes sense!)
Overall, everything worked really well together. Was it my absolute favorite meal in the park? No. But I would definitely order it again if I was craving something hearty with meat and vegetables.
Meanwhile, my friends Mr. and Mrs. Grump ordered two of the famous mac & cheese bread cones:
- Classic Mac & Cheese
- Dragon Fire Chicken Spire: creamy mac & cheese topped with Nashville-style pulled chicken.
The bread cones themselves are large halves of French bread that have been hollowed out, coated in ultra-savory garlic butter, and then filled with mac and cheese.
The mac and cheese itself has more of a cafeteria-style texture, large noodles with a thicker, slightly congealed cheese rather than a creamy sauce. The flavor is fairly mild on its own.
The Classic Mac & Cheese cone is topped with Goldfish crackers for a little extra crunch, while the Dragon Fire Chicken Spire adds spicy chicken, hot honey, Calabrian peppers, chimichurri, and crispy onions.
The toppings on the Dragon Fire cone were spicy and flavorful without being overpowering. After trying both, the group consensus was clear: the Dragon Fire Chicken Spire was the winner.
Would we order these again? Maybe.....especially if we were visiting with friends who had never tried them before. But they are definitely on the heavier side, so you might not want to hop straight onto a roller coaster right afterward.
Know Before You Go:
- No reservations required. This is a quick-service restaurant.
- Hours: Spit Fyre Grill serves lunch and dinner and is typically open from around 11:00 AM until near park close.
- Dietary options: The menu includes a few allergy-friendly items as well as a vegan option.
- Portion sizes: Portions are fairly large-enough for one very hungry person or to share between two people as a snack.
- Seating: Seating is located across the path from the order windows under a covered pavilion.
- Ordering: Orders are placed through the Universal Orlando app. If you're unable to order on your phone, simply let a team member know and they can assist you.
Overall, Spit Fyre Grill is a solid quick-service option if you're looking for something a little more substantial while exploring the Isle of Berk.
If you're in the mood for something lighter, the meat and veggie bowls are a great option. But if you're craving a more indulgent, classic "fun theme park" snack, you really can't go wrong with the mac & cheese bread cones.
Have you tried Spit Fyre Grill yet? I'd love to hear what you thought!
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