We swung by Epic Universe to try some new eats, and found LOTS of great flavors to rave about!

Loaded Fries & Mac and Cheese!

Since Epic Universe officially opened earlier this year, we’ve been regularly popping over to check out all of the rides, entertainment, and, of course, FOOD that Universal’s new park has to offer. On a recent trip to the park, we picked up several new menu items, and there were some definite winners in the mix!

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First off, we stopped by The Oak & Star Tavern in Celestial Park, which specializes in barbecue dishes and sides.

The Oak & Star Tavern

And before we get to the food, we just have to give a quick shoutout to how pretty it is inside, especially with the seasonal decorations. This is one of our go-tos for a quick and filling meal in Epic Universe!

The Oak & Star Tavern

Now, on to the food! We ordered two different “loaded” dishes here, starting with the Loaded Brisket Mac and Cheese for $8.99. This came in the same size skillet as the restaurant’s side items, so keep in mind that it’s not necessarily a huge, heaping portion, and would be better as a snack, or part of a larger meal, rather than a super-filling meal in itself. But as far as the flavors go, we have NO complaints there!

Loaded Brisket Mac & Cheese

The mac & cheese itself was creamy, gooey, and all around lovely. It had a white cheddar flavor, which we enjoyed, with a smooth shell-shaped pasta. The brisket had a classic barbecue flavor, and the crispy onions and scallions on top added a nice texture. Of the two dishes we tried here, the mac & cheese was our favorite, and we would definitely get this again as a snack or a fancy side to go with the rest of our meal!

Loaded Brisket Mac & Cheese

But even though the mac & cheese was the “winner” the Loaded Pulled Pork Fries ($8.49) were also worth grabbing if you prefer a crispy fry base over creamy mac & cheese! The fries have a barbecue seasoning on them and taste like a barbecue chip in fry form. It’s topped with melted cheese, pulled pork, bacon, and scallions.

Loaded Pulled Pork Fries

Our only complaints about this were that we could have used more cheese, and we wished the bacon was crispier instead of chewy. But all of the flavors were still there, and we still enjoyed this dish overall, even though it wasn’t quite as much of a home run as the mac & cheese. If you’re on the fence, we’d say either go with the one that has your preferred base, or get both to sample since they’re smaller, side item portions as opposed to entree-sized!

Pulled Pork Fries

Next up, we headed to Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel in the Isle of Berk for MORE mac & cheese!

Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel

This snack stand is known for its mac & cheese cones, and we grabbed the Snoggletog Harvest Cone for $18.99. It’s a mac & cheese cone topped with pulled maple glazed turkey, spiced lingonberry drizzle, roasted sweet potatoes, sage chimichurri, and crispy stuffing crumbles. This is literally like a Thanksgiving feast in a cone, and the flavor of every ingredient came through — seriously, we were amazed how it all came together!

Snoggletog Harvest Cone

The cone itself was seasoned like an everything bagel, just like the other ones on the menu, and the bread was soft and fresh. The sage chimichurri added a nice extra spice of flavor to go with the other ingredients, which were basically Thanksgiving classics all in one bite. The only downside is that the toppings are all loaded at the top of the cone, so once you get through them, you’re left with plain mac & cheese. The mac & cheese itself is still a nice, white cheddar flavor, so it’s not that it’s bad after the toppings are gone, there just aren’t as many exciting flavors happening!

Snoggletog Harvest Cone

The Snoggletog Harvest Cone was a fun, festive offering if you’re craving a Thanksgiving dinner remix, and we’re glad to see them experimenting with seasonal items!

Overall, we’d say everything we tried on this latest trip was at least good, and some were even great! We’ll continue to check back for new items from around the Orlando theme park restaurants, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest!

A Definitive Ranking of Everything To Do in Dark Universe

Which of these items are on your must-try list? Let us know in the comments!