The first top tier dining experience I ever had at a theme park was at Mythos in 2010. Mythos is located in Islands of Adventure, which is part of the Universal Orlando Resort. We’ve revisited Mythos twice since our first experience, most recently we traveled there in November of 2024.
About Mythos
Mythos opened up on opening day of Islands of Adventure on May 28, 1999. The restaurant is a multi-award winning location at Universal’s second Orlando theme park. Theme Park Insider’s readers voted Mythos as the #1 theme park restaurant in the world 2003 to 2008, as well as again in 2018.
“This award-winning, full-service restaurant offers exceptional modern cuisine in a mythical setting that sparks the imagination,” is listed on the Mythos webpage. “Featuring a mix of Mediterranean, Asian and American fare, Mythos’ casually elegant menu includes options like Greek salad, pad Thai, sandwiches, burgers, and more. There’s also a separate children’s menu for little ones.”
Universal further explains that: “The exterior features towering rock formations, cascading waterfalls and ancient figures carved into the side of the restaurant. The cavernous interior creates the feel of a craggy grotto on a distant ocean. Outdoor seating offers a spectacular view of the park’s inland sea and colorful lands.”
Full service at Universal Orlando locations
Mythos is considered one of five “casual” dining locations at Islands of Adventure. Strange enough, the Universal website does not consider Mythos “full service” in their dining options when filtered. The individual Mythos page, however, notes the location is full service.
Confisco Grille is the only other full service restaurant at Islands of Adventure. Over at Universal Studios proper, Finnegan’s Bar & Grill and Lombard’s Seafood Grille are full service, and of Epic Universe’s 28 dining establishments, they list Atlantic and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant as the only full service locations.
As a sidebar, it’s our opinion that Universal Studios dropped the ball on not having more full service dining options. The Harry Potter locations, for example, could have really done some serious flexing on themed full service dining.
Further, with the newly launched Epic Universe, we would have expected more than two full service locations–again, Harry Potter full service options would have been awesome, as well as Super Nintendo themed sit-down dining.
And competitor, Walt Disney World Resort/Disneyland, really screwed the pooch on not having full service restaurants at their Galaxy’s Edge land. Oga’s Cantina is the closest they have to an experience that I would have expected out of the House of Mouse.
High quality sit-down full service dining at theme parks are a must!
The menu
As noted, Mythos has a mix of culinary options consisting of Mediterranean, Asian, and American dishes. While we very-much-so enjoyed our 2010 visit to the location, it was not until 2018 until we visited again. Both of those visits, we loved the food and the atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for something light or a more heavy dish, Mythos has you covered.
For drinks, Mythos has a whole line of different soft drinks–including milkshakes–as well as spirits, beer, and wine.
“Everyday” menu
Starters
- Mediterranean Lamb Flatbread
- Baked Lamb Meatballs*
- Semolina Crusted Calamari
- Lemon Hummus
- Spiced Charred Octopus
- Spanakopita Dip
- Mezze Platter
Soup & Salads
- Vine Ripe Tomato Soup
- Chef’s Signature Greek
- Wedge
- Heart of Romaine Caesar
Entrées
- Butternut Squash Mascarpone Ravioli
- Brick Oven Roasted Chicken
- Beef Loin Medallions*
- Souvlaki Couscous Bowl
- Seared Sea Scallop Risotto
- Catch of the Season*- MP
- Pan Roasted Salmon*
- 12 oz. Bone-In Pork Chop*
- Pad Thai
Sandwiches
- Mythos Signature Lamb Burger*
- Fork, Knife and Spoon Grilled Cheese
- Traditional Bacon Cheeseburger*
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Desserts
- Butternut Squash Crème Brûlée
- Cinnamon Bread Pudding
- Chocolate Banana Gooey Cake
- Citrus Baklava
Kids’ menu
Entrees
- Garlic Cream Penne
- Beef Skewer
- Grilled Cheese
- Chicken Fingers
- Mythos Burger
- Cheese Pizza
Sides
- Applesauce
- Oranges
- Grapes
Desserts
- Mythos Ice Cream
- Mythos Mini Banana Split
Our selection process at Universal Orlando Resort
During our November 2024 visit to Universal Orlando Resort, we park hopped between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. As a rule, we try to plan one civilized sit-down full service meal per day when traveling. That does not always happen, but when we can, we do.
Options are somewhat limited, with Finnegan’s Bar & Grill, Lombard’s Seafood Grille, Confisco Grille, and Mythos being the only full service locations within the two connected parks. Yes, there’s CityWalk, and that’s a whole other ball of wax, but we were looking for in-park dining.
To date, we’ve yet to check out Lobard’s Seafood Grille, but have it on our list to visit. Confisco, we dined at in 2023, and truthfully, we did not like it. Finnegan’s Bar & Grill, we first visited in 2011, loved, and have returned to several times.
We ended up making advance reservations at the location prior to the day of our visit. In the past, we’ve dined with reservations, as was the case in 2010, and walked up, as was the case in 2018. I’ll note, getting reservations for this location is strongly recommended.
Our trip to Mythos
Our reservations at Mythos were towards the end of our park day. We were actually exiting the Simpsons ride in Universal Studios as our reservation was coming up. My travel companions and I hoofed it over to Islands of Adventure and made it with time to spare.
Earlier that day, we lunched at Three Broomsticks restaurant and grabbed a few snacks along the way. We were not super hungry, so we did not go all Mardi Gras when ordering our food. We kept our orders simple and fairly light.
In the past we’ve tried different dishes. To note, the lamb meatball appetizer stuck out as being a dish worth a try. On this most recent trip, my eldest roommate ordered the seared sea scallop risotto, I got the souvlaki couscous bowl with chicken, and our junior adventurer had a cheeseburger.
Seared Sea Scallop Risotto
The scallop risotto was a well presented dish. The portion was not too small, but it also was not a belly buster. The scallops were fresh and large. The risotto was creamy and had a hint of wine. Overall, this was a good dish.
Souvlaki Couscous Bowl
I wasn’t super hungry, so I opted for this bowl. This great medley of Mediterranean delights was a perfect balance of flavor and sustenance. I would recommend, regardless of how hungry an individual diner is, getting this dish with one of the optional proteins. The couscous bowl is something that I’d normally not gravitate to, but I was glad I dove in.
Kids’ Cheeseburger
The kids’ cheeseburger was nothing outstanding nor was it lackluster. Our junior adventurer–who does have a demanding pallet at times–had no complaints with his cheeseburger, which was accompanied by some grapes and orange slices.
Overall experience
We love Mythos. This is a solid go-to when it comes to full service theme park dining. The ambiance is wonderful and the food always delivers. If you’re visiting the Universal Orlando Resort, Mythos is a restaurant that we’d recommend. While Universal does not have as many full service options as competitor Walt Disney World Resort, two out of the three we have experienced, we have revisited time and time again.
