6000 Universal Studios Plaza
Orlando, FL 32819
*Disclaimer: We were not paid for this review. All opinions are our own and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Mythos Restaurant, a unique themed restaurant at Universal's Islands of Adventure, has been rated the best theme park restaurant (on multiple occasions) by Theme Park Insider. Dining at this attractive restaurant offers a much needed air conditioned break from walking miles around the Universal parks in the intense Florida summer heat all day. The fun atmosphere perfectly compliments a day at the park. The unique cave design, creative menu, and fun views of the park make it a fun vacation experience to add to your Universal bucket list.
The menu at Mythos is small, yet offers a nice variety of options to please even the pickiest eaters. There are options for vegetarians, vegans, and paleo dieters on the menu. Appetizers include a hummus platter, fried shrimp, and Tuscan Tomato soup. The tomato soup was really rich and delicious.
Entrée sized salads are a good option for vegetarian guests. A variety of sandwiches and burgers are available to please guests seeking a casual meal before heading back into the park. Gluten-free buns are available. A few entrees found on the menu include: Seared Salmon, Pad Thai, Grilled Swordfish, and Brown Butter Gnocchi.
I really enjoyed the Pad Thai, as did everyone else at the table who sampled it. The spicy mixture of rice noodles, veggies, shrimp & chicken (can be replaced with extra veggies if vegetarian), and a sweet & sour peanut sauce was the perfect, filling vegetarian meal. A side salad and some gluten-free rolls served with olive oil rounded out the meal perfectly: I did not leave hungry!
Others we were dining with really enjoy the Beef Medallions and the Tuscan Tomato soup. The Seared Salmon sounds excellent as well.
The Pad Thai and Seasonal Risotto are 2 menu items which can be made both gluten-free and vegan. It's nice to have several options which can be made with no dairy, wheat, or meat, which unfortunately, is not too common in restaurants. All menu items which can be made gluten-free and/or vegan are marked as so. In addition, the staff is very catering to those with allergies and happy to answer any questions and/or make substitutions. Although the menu is small, they take care to provide at least one option for everyone.
Prices are high as you would expect to see at any theme park restaurant, however, the difference here being that you get to enjoy a nice setting, fantastic service, and a break from the heat of the day.
Update: The menu has changed a bit in recent years. As of 2025, new apps include: a spanakopita dip served with hot pita chips, olives, cucumber and tomatoes and a Mezze Platter featuring homemade hummus served with charred pita bread, kalamata olives, and baby ganoush. Both of these sound delicious: I am definitely trying these out on my next visit! One new entrees I would like to try out now that I no longer eat gluten-free is the Butternut Squash Mascarpone Ravioli, featured toasted ravioli, served with roasted Greek briam, lemon butter sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Fortunately, they kept the Pad Thai on the menu which I thought was fantastic.
Service was exceptional, as has been the case in the majority of the Orlando theme park area restaurants we have visited. Our waitress had no problem making substitutions, ensured us that our gluten-free meals were prepared properly, and even brought us out specialty gluten-free rolls without us even asking. She was very friendly and took the time to ask us about our vacation.
The cave-like design is very appealing, as are the beautiful views of the theme park via the large windows. After stepping in, you will see why this restaurant has won so many awards: the design truly is amazing! It's hard to dine out at a fancy restaurant during your park time as you feel as if you are losing precious ride time. Mythos is one of the few exception I will make due to the fantastic food and creative ambiance.
Mythos is the perfect place to take an air conditioned break after a long afternoon at Universal. It really gets hot walking around and standing in lines all day, so why not treat yourself to a nice meal inside an incredibly designed restaurant? At Mythos, you can sit down and give your feet a much needed break from all that walking. Relax in the cool air (as opposed to ordering from a quick service stand in the heat), enjoy a full meal, and most of all, enjoy dining alongside the unique design theme that has won Mythos so many awards. Be sure to make a reservation to ensure availability.
