8 Of The Best Bars At Universal Studios Orlando

If you're planning a trip to Orlando, Florida to visit one of the area's theme parks, you might be surprised by what Universal Studios offers. Unlike nearby Walt Disney World, Universal Studios is generally geared towards older children, teenagers, and adults. Consequently, the park offers more adult entertainment and dining options, including bars for anyone (of legal drinking age, of course) looking to enjoy some alcoholic beverages while on vacation.

While there's no shortage of alcoholic options available at Universal Studios — and plenty of places to find drinks that you're already familiar with — there are also several locations that go above and beyond the typical draft options and cocktails. These bars offer exclusive drink options, with ambience and theming that make the whole experience memorable.

I've had the opportunity to visit the parks in Orlando more than a dozen times per year for the last five years — primarily on adults-only vacations — and have enjoyed searching out the best food and beverages inside the Universal Orlando bubble. This includes establishments at its two major theme parks (Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure), its shopping and dining hub at City Walk, and several of the restaurant and bar options in the Universal Resort Hotels. Without further ado, here are eight of the best bars to find one-of-a-kind drinks at Universal Studios Orlando.

Chez Alcatraz sits on the central lagoon waterfront in the San Francisco neighborhood of Universal Studios, just outside of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Strung up beside the walk-up bar is one of the ocean's most famous movie stars: the great white shark from "Jaws." And while that film was set in the fictional coastal Atlantic town of Amity Island, the disaster-prone Pacific coast city works when space is limited.

Now, the bar might be named for the infamous prison on an island off the coast of San Francisco, but its most popular drink is a bloody-looking, Jaws-themed cocktail — and frankly, it's delicious. The not-so-subtly named Ocean Attack (a riff on the popular tropical Blue Hawaiian cocktail) is ocean blue, and made with blue curaçao, coconut rum, pineapple juice, Sprite, and a gummy shark garnish. Plus, this is when the Chez Alcatraz bartenders turn things up a notch, donning a shark hand puppet and performing a ridiculously cute shark attack while splashing bright red grenadine across the top of your drink. The whole thing is just silly enough to be one of the most memorable parts of your day, and you get to walk away with a cute and tasty beverage afterward.

It's worth trying the rest of the drinks on the menu too, which have a variety of adventurous and nautical-inspired themes. You can also find the Alcatraz Double IPA here, which is brewed locally at Alcatraz Brewing.

The only beverages you'll find at outdoor stands in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are the various non-alcoholic Butterbeers and bottled "Gilly" Water. If you want something a little stronger, then, you'll have to head inside to The Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head pub (which is technically still attached to The Three Broomsticks). Of course, standing in the dark, cool, air-conditioned space is a welcome relief from the searing Florida sun, even if you have to wait a little while to place your order or receive a drink.

Here, beer lovers will find several special wizarding-themed drinks, including the exclusive Hog's Head Ale, as well as the Dragon Scale and Wizard's Brew beers. Shots of fire whiskey are available in singles or doubles, as well as Honey Mead (which is actually a beer, not traditional mead), and the Hog's Tea — which might sound tame, but is the strongest drink available at the bar. Essentially the Wizarding World's version of a Long Island Iced Tea, this cocktail is sold exclusively at the Hog's Head bar.

While seating inside the bar is extremely limited, smaller groups can typically find a stool or two to enjoy their drinks if you aren't visiting during the peak lunch hour. No matter what, though, you'll want to stick around to see the hog's head grunt and shake before departing.

At the very end of the Jurassic Park area in the park (just before the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or the turnoff to the VelociCoaster), you'll find The Watering Hole. A walk-up beverage stand that's part soda fountain, part bar, this is one of my favorite spots in Universal Studios Orlando to grab a drink, thanks to the selection of dinosaur-themed tropical cocktails and, most importantly, frozen cocktails.

These frozen drinks are a great respite from the relentless Florida heat, and come with your choice of liquor and flavors, including rum runner, piña colada, wild berry, and guava (among others). If you ask your bartender nicely, they might even let you mix your favorite flavors together to create your very own frozen concoction. I'm partial to a rum guava piña colada, or a tequila mango passion strawberry mix. Of course, if you make it to The Watering Hole during a slower time of day, don't be afraid to ask your bartender about any other specialty drinks they may be making.

Several draft beers are also available at The Watering Hole, including Universal's exclusive Isla Nublar IPA, which Jurassic Park lovers will notice is cleverly named after the island that the ill-fated park was built on. A small selection of wines and a large selection of Coca-Cola fountain drinks are also available here, but seating is sparse. Instead, a few standing tables are available for those looking to take a short break.

Not to be confused with Moe's Tavern (which is across the street in the Simpsons Springfield area of the park), Duff Brewery is situated entirely outdoors. It's instantly recognizable by the Seven Duffs topiaries out front — like the Seven Dwarfs, but inebriated. And although it's outside, Duff Brewery is more like an animated beer garden, with seats around the entire perimeter of the covered bar.

Now, more often than not, I've found a seat as soon as I've walked up. Of course, if people are taking cover from a passing rainstorm or the park is exceptionally busy, it may take a few minutes for seats to open up — but your feet will thank you for the break. On the menu, you'll always find the original Duff beer, as well as Duff Lite, which are both easy-drinking brews that can appeal to just about anyone. If you happen to visit sometime between late August and the end of October, make sure you try the special Dufftoberfest beer, a seasonal Marzen-style Oktoberfest beer that's well worth a detour.

Additionally, the bar offers wine and cocktails, along with pretzels, hot dogs, and various bar snacks to satisfy smaller cravings. But be warned: If the Simpsons motion simulator ride makes you queasy, save this stop for after you ride it. Your fellow riders will thank you.

It can be easy to skip over the Backwater Bar, or miss it entirely due to its location. Situated at the end of the Port of Entry walkway as you're entering Islands of Adventure to the right (just before Seuss Landing), the prospect of stopping into a restaurant when you're excited to get on a few rides may not be appealing. Then again, Backwater Bar is really just a walk-up bar inside of a restaurant — specifically, the Confisco Grille.

The main benefit of this setup is, without a doubt, the air conditioning. After all, you have to walk all the way to the Hog's Head at the other end of the park to enjoy the comfort of another dark and air-conditioned bar, so you might as well enjoy Backwater Bar while you're there. Some of the cocktails are similar to the tropical punches you'll find elsewhere in the parks, but others are more complex than what you'd see at other bars (a benefit of being attached to an indoor restaurant). If you're feeling adventurous, try the Mornings in Bali, Seafarer's Spice, or Jalapeño Margarita for a more specialized cocktail experience.

There's limited seating inside, but you're allowed to linger with your drink or take it to the patio outside. Plus, if you find yourself waiting for a table at the Confisco Grille, the Backwater Bar is a great place to pass the time without standing in the sun.

While I generally try to stick to bars that are exclusive to Universal Studios, the Lone Palm Airport bar — an extension of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant — is worth an exception. While the late Jimmy Buffett's very own seaplane, the Hemisphere Dancer, is usually parked behind the bar (with its wings shading guests as they relax with drinks), the plane is undergoing refurbishment as of 2024 and will hopefully return to the Lone Palm Airport some time in 2025.

It should come as no surprise that this Margaritaville bar specializes in margaritas. There are no fewer than a dozen margaritas on the menu, along with a sizable menu of dockside cocktails, frozen rum beverages, drafts, and bottled beers. In a word, there is no margarita on this menu that I would turn down. In fact, I'm ambitiously on a quest to taste them all, although it may take a couple more visits to accomplish.

Stop here on days when you're looking to take a more relaxed approach to your visit. Skip the early morning crowds and grab a margarita alongside some Volcano Nachos in the early afternoon, or stop by for a bite and one last drink before heading back to your hotel at the end of the night (it's usually open for a few hours after the rest of the park has closed). Seating is available at the bar itself, or at patio tables around the bar, most of which have umbrellas.

There's something to be said for taking a break from running around the theme parks and enjoying a relaxed evening at your hotel bar without the adrenaline rush of the Hulk. You don't have to stay at a specific Universal Resort property to enjoy the hotel restaurants and bars, but some are good enough to warrant a special trip or sway your decision on which hotel to choose — like the Strong Water Tavern.

Located at the Loews Sapphire Falls Hotel in the back of the grand lobby space, this bar looks over the water features, canal, and sleek water taxis shuttling people back and forth to Universal's City Walk. Aside from the atmosphere, the bar is known for its extensive selection of rums, that will impress both novices and aficionados alike. Strong Water Tavern is also a full-service restaurant, with an unusual menu layout. Instead of your typical starters, entrees, and desserts, the menu is divided into dishes grouped by the Caribbean nation from which they originate.

Pairing rum with a dish from the same nation that produced the alcohol takes your meal to the next level, giving you the ability to explore different types of rum that you might not have tried otherwise. The restaurant and bar don't typically open until at least 4 p.p., but dinner is served till 11 p.m., and the bar is open till at least midnight every night of the week.

There are three ways to get impressive sunset views of Universal Studios Orlando. You can get an expensive hotel room with a park view, ride the VelociCoaster and enjoy the view at 70 miles per hour from upside-down, or head to the Bar 17 Bistro on the roof of Universal's Aventura Hotel as the sun goes down. The last option offers one of the most impressive views in the Orlando area, with a spectacular sight of the park and surrounding resorts at night (no express pass required).

Alongside such a view, I'm more than happy to drink or eat just about anything the bar serves, even if it's peanuts and water. Luckily, there are plenty of tasty beverages and snacks to choose from. Bar 17 Bistro has a convenient selection of beers, wines, and specialty cocktails to sip on while you take in the view of Hogwarts glowing in the distance. It also serves the usual food suspects (burgers, steak & frites, and Caesar salad, to name a few), as well as some Asian fusion bistro dishes and creative bao buns.

My only wish is that Bar 17 Bistro opened earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the elevator won't even make stops on the 17th floor until 5 p.m. Once open, though, food is served every night until 10:30 p.m. and the bar stays open until 12 or 1 a.m., depending on the night of the week.

Given how many things there are to see and taste at Universal Studios Orlando, when I find a place I end up stopping at every time I visit the park, and daydream about when I'm back at home nearly 1,000 miles away? I know I've found something that's itinerary worthy.

Since part of the theme park experience is enjoying a taste of something that transports you to a place and time that often only exists in the movies, I tend to prioritize bars that offer drinks or foods I can't get outside of Universal Studios. Whether the menu items have been created exclusively for the theme park or are made locally by a nearby brewery or distillery, I'm always eager to try something new and exciting. In particular, the selected bars in this list offer something I can't otherwise shake together myself in my kitchen (or would simply be more work than is worth undertaking for one or two cocktails).