Atlantic is a fine dining experience at Epic Universe, arguably the flagship in-park restaurant in all of Universal Orlando Resort. While this food review focuses on the lobster roll that and whether it’s worth that headline-grabbing $50 price tag, we’ll also take a look around the interior and assess whether Atlantic is worth your limited time, money, and stomach space.
That last part is key. And although menu prices at Atlantic Restaurant have been a big discussion point, I’d argue that the more pertinent considerations are the opportunity costs of eating elsewhere since you’ve only got so much stomach space. We’re already on record proclaiming that Epic Universe is currently the #1 food park in Orlando, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
Even after spending multiple days there, I’ve still only scratched the surface of what its culinary scene has to offer. What I have tried thus far has been largely exceptional, a fantastic mixture of fun, photogenic, delicious, and ambitious. I’ve started to document this in My Favorite Foods at Epic Universe & Must-Eat Restaurants. Spoiler: there are more good-to-great options than you can possibly enjoy in a single day (or even 2!) and that list is still growing. So that’s one element of the opportunity cost.
The other is in terms of time. Universal Orlando does not offer Annual Passes to Epic Universe, and there aren’t even multi-day tickets or park hopping until 2026. You’re paying $159+ per day, and that time can be very valuable for accomplishing your must-do attractions given the wait times, ride reliability, and downtime.
Atlantic Restaurant is a fine dining establishment. It’s arguably one of only two such experiences at Universal Orlando, with the other being The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant. This means it’s nice and expensive, but also that it’s an experience that’s commensurate with that pricing.
This high-quality is reflected throughout the Atlantic, but especially in the service and overall experience that’s being curated for guests. That’s a buzzword I hate, and it’s not exactly as if Atlantic Restaurant is some bespoke (another buzzword I hate) fine dining establishment, but by theme park standards, it kind of is.
Atlantic Restaurant is more like Flying Fish at Walt Disney World, or even Tiffins if we’re talking in-park counterparts, than it is Mythos or the other table service options at Universal Orlando. The attentive service reflects that, with servers being warm but professional and focused on delivering an exemplary guest experience.
This also means the meal isn’t rushed–there’s no desire to turn over tables as quickly as possible. If anything, it’s probably a bit too drawn out for the in-park setting. At least, as it presently stands with only single-day tickets.
Located in the Celestial Park area of Epic Universe, Atlantic Restaurant is nestled alongside a fountain-filled Neptune lagoon towards the front entrance. It’s essentially across from Super Nintendo World and Constellation Carousel, with big waterfront views out the floor to ceiling windows.
The design of Atlantic Restaurant is thoughtful throughout. You actually enter on the upper level, which is where reception along with the bar and lounge are located. This “surface” level overlooks the deeper depths of the main dining room, which is itself tiered. This layout is achieved by Epic Universe using a favorite tool in its kit: stairs!
You walk up a flight to enter the restaurant, and then go down a couple more to get to the main dining room.
En route, there are rich woods and statues along the stairs, all of which classes the place up. Down on the ocean (or restaurant) floor, you see colorful fish and bubbly chandeliers above closer to the surface. The brightly-illuminated “Atlantic” marquee hangs from the ceiling out the window, with tall letters beckoning guests from across the park.
The interior of the Atlantic is really quite lovely. It feels like a mix of Yacht Club and Las Vegas in the best way possible. The rich woods and detail work signals that it’s a fancy and classy establishment, while the vibrant glass fixtures and fish soften the atmosphere just enough to make it inviting and unintimidating.
There’s no air of pretension about the Atlantic. It is clearly a fine dining restaurant, but it’s not stuffy or snobbish. If anything, it’s the opposite of that. It’s light. It lacks self-importance. Just a fantastic ambiance all around. Exactly what I want out of a nice restaurant that’s located inside a theme park.
My only regret with the ambiance in the Atlantic was my own choice to eat here in late afternoon as opposed to evening. Everything I’ve seen suggests the optimal time for a meal here is night, when the moody lighting inside really shines and the colorful fountains outside really punctuate the scene.
Unfortunately, there are only so many evening hours per day at Epic Universe, and the opportunity cost of allocating those to the Atlantic as opposed to rides with lower waits or taking photos just wasn’t worth it for me. Whenever APs are finally offered, the Atlantic at night will be a must-do for me.
Here are more photos of the interior at the Atlantic:
Since I was dining at the Atlantic alone, I knew a comprehensive menu review was off the table. And I had already had multiple meals this particular day, so even going to town and ordering multiple appetizers, entrees, and desserts wasn’t on the table.
While I had heard great things about the Sea Bass and Atlantic Burger, there was one thing that really caught my attention: Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll.
Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll consists of 8 oz. freshly cooked Maine lobster, drawn butter, lemon dill aioli, grilled bun, and house-made potato chips.
The real reason it’s been garnering headlines (including this one) is the price. Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll costs $48.
So not technically $50, but once accounting for tax, my total was $51.12. After tip, that’s over $60!
Expensive food in Epic Universe is not, in and of itself, particularly notable. Although not much attention has been paid to this, there’s a pricing premium of about 15-20% over Walt Disney World parks, at least on the counter service end of the spectrum.
This makes some degree of sense when you’re eating in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or Super Nintendo World, where there’s a Butterbeer Tax or Luigi Levy. Between the popularity of those IPs and the likelihood that Universal is paying licensing fees on every receipt, the higher prices check out.
On the other hand, it seems unlikely that Captain Fernando is getting a big kickback for his name being on the menu.
The explanation for this $48 lobster roll is, quite simply, that lobster prices have skyrocketed in recent years.
On of the things that piqued by curiosity about this $48 lobster roll was an article in the Bangor Daily News detailing prices for lobster rolls in Maine over the summer. Prices there ranged from $24.95 to $43.19, although sizes and sides varied. The average by the end of summer was $35.41.
That’s in Maine, not a theme park, and nearer where all of this lobster is caught in the first place. As it turns out, Maine lobster landings have been at a 15-year low, at about 86 million pounds last year–that’s down by 10 million pounds year over year. That decrease came after landings dropped by another 10 million pounds from 2022 to 2023; from what limited data I can find for 2025, landings are also down again.
As a result, it’s unsurprising that Maine lobster prices have been skyrocketing in the last few years. I would hazard a guess that higher labor costs–across the board–have only exacerbated this. Nevertheless, I can’t help but think back to the “good ole days” when we visited Acadia National Park and enjoyed some amazing, heaping lobster rolls for under $20 each. But I digress.
Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll gave me a chance to relive those good ole days, except in a theme park in Central Florida and for nearly triple the price. So slightly different circumstances.
This lobster roll absolutely lived up to the hype and exceeded my expectations. I’m not going to say it could hold its own against one of the heavy-hitters in Maine that I last enjoyed roughly a decade ago, but it was the best lobster roll I’ve had in years.
Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll was the best lobster roll I’ve ever had outside of the Northeast.
The meat itself consisted of huge chunks of delicate and tender tail, claw and knuckle meat–a half pound of it in total, as the name suggests. The lobster is very lightly dressed, with a conservative amount of the lemon dill aioli to offer a little creaminess.
More of the flavor probably comes from the delicate split-top brioche bun, which itself was appropriately buttered and just a bit garlicky. I added just a little of the drawn butter, but honestly, even that was not necessary.
Letting the tender and flavorful lobster meat stand on its own is the way to go. I was really impressed by the overall quality, as I was not expecting something this fresh and delicious from a theme park in Central Florida–even for ~$50.
The only drawback to Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll is that it’s not particularly filling.
This wasn’t a huge issue for me as the goal was to eat several meals at Epic Universe on this particular day, but if you went in expecting this $50 dinner to leave you full, you’d be in for disappointment. I could have easily eaten two of these bad boys and still been hungry. A half pound of lobster is not quite the same as a half pound of burger or steak.
One fix to this issue that I did overhear a table adjacent to me implement was substituting the chips for the thick cut fries served with the other handhelds. I get why the Atlantic would serve chips with the lobster roll, as it’s the more traditional choice, but if you want this to be a more filling meal, consider inquiring about this substitution. (I can’t vouch for the quality of the thick cut fries; the chips were fine–you’re not missing anything by swapping them out.)
For the sake of Very Important Research, I ordered the lobster roll at the Conrad Orlando the very next day after dining at the Atlantic. I absolutely loved everything about this hotel, which is one of the finest luxury hotels in all of Florida. One of the nicest hotels at which I’ve ever stayed, period (full review coming soon).
However, Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll absolutely blew the Conrad’s lobster roll out of the water. It wasn’t even a remotely close call. That was still good, but more in line with what I would’ve expected when having a lobster roll in Central Florida. I was actually surprised with the quality difference between the two.
It’s not like the Conrad has a weak food scene, either. Everything else I ate there was fantastic. I was nevertheless shocked that Epic Universe’s lobster roll so easily won the comparison. A year ago, if you told me that Universal Orlando won a ‘food battle’ against a 5-star luxury hotel, I never would’ve believed you. And yet, here we are!
Ultimately, the answer to the titular question is a surprising yes. Don’t get me wrong–I’m not going to make a habit of dropping $50 (or $60 after tax and tip) on lobster rolls. But this one was fantastic and far exceeded my expectations for something being served at a theme park in Orlando. Part of what you’re paying for with any meal is the bigger picture experience, and the Atlantic Restaurant over-delivers in that regard.
When it comes to the overarching dining experience, the Atlantic Restaurant is absolutely something I’ll make a habit of revisiting. Even though the lobster roll is an easy 10/10 dish for me, I’m nevertheless eager to try other options. Ones that strike me as more suited to fine dining, such as the sea bass, seared scallops, or filet mignon. I look forward to some unknown date in the future when we can enjo
Need trip planning tips and comprehensive advice for your visit to Central Florida? Make sure to read our Universal Orlando Planning Guide for everything about Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Also check out our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for everything about those parks, resorts, restaurants, and so much more.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you had Captain Fernando’s Half-Pound Lobster Roll? Think it lives up to the hype? Is this or any lobster roll actually “worth” $50? Any other favorite menu items at the Atlantic? If you’ve eaten here, what was your experience? Other restaurant recommendations or food finds at Epic Universe? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
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