Honest Food Review of Universal Studios Japan: What to Eat
Last Updated on June 6, 2025 by Kay
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As someone living in Osaka, I am obsessed with Universal Studios Japan (USJ) and visit nearly every month. So, it goes without saying that I have tried a lot of different foods at the theme park over the years.
This is why I decided to share everything I’ve tried and my thoughts on them. Hopefully, this will give you an idea of the best restaurants to spend your yen when you visit Universal Studios Japan and what food to get.
Perhaps this might be surprising, but the food at Universal Studios Japan is quite good! I like it a lot, and I think it’s the best food offered at a theme park in Japan. It can be pricey, but I think it’s worth it. However, although USJ has many hits in terms of food, they have had some misses as well. In this article, I’ll be sharing both.
I will also be updating this article regularly with new eats, so make sure to bookmark and check it frequently!
Keep in mind that there are lots of limited foods at Universal Studios Japan that may or may not make a comeback. I’ll make sure to make a note if a dish I’ve tried was only offered for a limited period.
Table of Contents
The Best Food and Drinks at Universal Studios Japan (Must Try Dishes!)
Food at Super Nintendo World
I’m going to start with food that likely everyone is interested in (and my personal favorite) — eats at Super Nintendo World.
There are two places to get food in Super Nintendo World’s Mario area — Kinopio’s Cafe and Yoshi’s Snack Island.
Kinopio’s Cafe
I absolutely adore Kinopio’s Cafe. The food here can be expensive, but it is delicious. Another thing I love about this restaurant is the fun decor and that the staff will take a photo of you with your phone!
(FYI, Kinopio is the Japanese name for Toad.)
The restaurant is reservation-only, so you’ll need to enter Super Nintendo World first and then scan the QR code displayed on a board located right in front of the restaurant. But do not fear if you see all the spots snatched up! New spots open every 30 minutes (so 1 PM, 1:30 PM, etc) and sometimes people cancel as well, so not all hope is lost.
Here’s what I tried at Kinopio’s Cafe and would recommend.
Mario’s Bacon Cheeseburger
This is super filling and juicy with fresh ingredients. As a mushroom-lover, I think the mushrooms are an especially great touch. I also love the little Mario hat-shaped pick on top that you can take home as a souvenir!
Cost: 2500 yen
Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs
This is a meal that I honestly crave from time to time. I am obsessed with tomato pasta. Now add meatballs to the mix and a tiny kick of spice, and I am in heaven. This is exactly what the Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs offers. Best of all, they use fresh pasta, so this isn’t something I can cook easily at home, making it well worth the cost. (And yes, it also contains my beloved mushrooms.)
Cost: 2400 yen
Food at Donkey Kong Country
This is the newest area in Super Nintendo World. I wrote an entire guide about my experience visiting a few times. To cut to the chase, there are only two places to get food and drinks at Donkey Kong Country and both are food stands with only one option.
DK Wild Hot Dog
This is a loaded hot dog that will absolutely fill you up — actually, it was a little too much for my tiny frame and I wish I had someone to share it with. The chips on top are crisp with the perfect amount of seasoning, the sausage has a perfect bite to it and is juicy, the bun is fluffy and slightly sweet, and the cheese sauce with a hint of avocado is delightful.
Cost: 1,100 yen
DK Crush Sundae at Jungle Beat Shakes
I absolutely loved this drink! It blends a banana milkshake with a sundae, and it’s absolutely brilliant and refreshing. I especially enjoyed the salty popcorn on top, which was a nice break from the sweetness.
You can get this drink with a souvenir DK mug to take home (which I did) or forgo the mug.
Cost: 2000 yen (with souvenir mug), 1300 yen (without souvenir mug)
Louie’s NY Pizza Parlor
The pizza here is so, so good. It’s hard to find good pizza in Japan, so if you’re craving it like I do from time to time, this is the place to go. I also like how it’s usually not crowded, so you don’t have to wait in line for very long (or at all) to be served. You can either eat at the restaurant or take it to go.
The pizza pictured above is the Bolognese.
The only downside is that you can only order a set (Louie’s Pizza Meal) that comes with fries and a drink — you can’t order a slice of pizza on its own.
Cost: 1750 yen to 1950 yen, depending on the type of pizza.
Snoopy’s Backlot Cafe
Located in Universal Wonderland, an area mainly for young children, Snoopy’s Backlot Cafe has meals for all ages. And unsurprisingly, their dishes feature Snoopy and his friends.
I got the Teriyaki Beef Burger meal, and it was pretty decent. I don’t like patties that taste too meaty so it was perfect for me, especially since it wasn’t loaded with toppings. If you want a very filling meal, this is probably not for you.
Cost: 1450 yen for a set including a drink and fries.
Demon Slayer Meal at SAIDO
This was a limited collaboration between the Japanese restaurant SAIDO and Demon Slayer.
Although pricey, the set Japanese meal was very delicious, although I still felt a little hungry afterwards.
I also got a grape drink, pictured below, which is meant to represent Shinobu Kocho. This was amazing, I wish USJ would sell this all year! It also came with a special coaster featuring a random Demon Slayer character (I got Rengoku).
Chili Meat and Avocado Hot Dog from a Food Cart
I tried this to-go meal from a food cart during the Halloween season at Universal Studios Japan. Although a little messy to eat, the cheese, avocado, and chili perfectly complemented the sausage. I would absolutely get this again next Halloween season.
Butterbeer from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
What’s a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter without a cool glass of Butterbeer? A few years back, they had a frozen Butterbeer (which I’m holding in my right hand in the image above), but it seems like they no longer sell it…?
Anyway, regardless, Butterbeer is something I love to have occasionally, but be warned, the line is very long to get one!
Cost: 800 yen without a plastic souvenir mug, 1400 yen with the mug
Halloween Plate at Three Broomsticks (Harry Potter World)
Unsurprisingly, this is a limited item that was only sold during the Halloween period at Universal Studios Japan. I think it was only available for one year, and they never brought it back for some reason. Nonetheless, I’m including it here in case it ever comes back!
(Don’t mind the half-eaten pumpkin pastry in the image above, I was too excited and hungry.)
This plate had a little bit of everything — roasted chicken, braised pork, a whole corn on the cob, other veggies, a sweet potato tart, and a Halloween lollipop!
It tasted like a delicious home-cooked meal, and best of all, the size was just right for me.
I haven’t been to Three Broomsticks in a while (just because of timing and cost), but next time I go, I might try the Rotisserie Smoked Chicken and Shepherd’s Pie Meal because it’s the closest to the Halloween one I had.
Fruity Italian Cream Soda Mario’s Strawberry Soda at Mario’s Cafe and Store
Mario Cafe & Store is thankfully outside of Super Nintendo World (near the Hollywood Dream rollercoaster), so if you can’t get in, this is a great place to get a taste of Super Nintendo. This Italian soda is super refreshing and perfect for quenching your thirst. I really enjoy it, especially since it’s not too sweet.
Mediocre Food and Drinks at Universal Studios Japan
Here’s where the food at Universal Studios Japan that isn’t the greatest but not quite terrible goes. Try it for the fun factor, but don’t expect much in terms of taste!
Minion Minced Cutlet Burder Meal at the Happiness Cafe
Located near the Minions area, the Happiness Cafe is obviously a must-visit restaurant if you like the movie and characters.
Now, this isn’t a particularly remarkable meal, but it still tastes good enough to save it from the Worst Food category. It doesn’t feel very heavy, and I also like that it comes with a salad in a cup. Lots of greenery here!
Cost: 2100 yen
Studio Stars Restaurant
This restaurant usually always has a collaboration with an anime, such as Pokémon (during Halloween) or Doraemon.
They do a fantastic job when it comes to how their meals look. I mean, look at these Pokémon plates featuring Gengar and Mimikyu!
However, I’ve never really been a fan of these meals in terms of taste. I’ve had so many themed meals from here, and so many are just… okay. You mainly get these dishes for a great photo.
Sailor Moon Meal at the Beverly Hills Garage Boulangerie
A few years back, USJ had a collaboration with Sailor Moon. This included a 4D show and some Sailor Moon-themed food at the Beverly Hills Garage Boulangerie.
The food was… okay? It wasn’t mind-blowing and not something I would recommend anyone get unless they’re a Sailor Moon fan. (Since I’m a fan, though, I would get this again in a heartbeat.)
Cost: 1800 yen
Strawberry Lassi at Yoshi’s Snack Island
This lassi can be found at Yoshi’s Snack Island inside Super Nintendo World.
I was so excited for this but found it way too sour for my liking, as did my daughter. I wouldn’t get this again.
SPYXFAMILY Drinks at Finnegan’s Restaurant
This is another limited collab, this time between the anime SPYXFAMILY and Finnegan’s Restaurant. I chose the drinks, a pink strawberry milk featuring Anya (for my daughter) and an apple cola featuring Yor for me. I liked my drink but my daughter’s tasted watered down and like something you could get from a convenience store.
The Worst Food and Drinks at Universal Studios Japan (Skip These)
When it comes to food that I absolutely do not recommend at Universal Studios Japan, these take the cake.
Painter Doraemon’s Fluffy Omelette and Hamburg Steak Meal at Studio Stars Restaurant
This meal is currently available at Universal Studios Japan, although for a limited time, and that’s probably for the best because it’s among the worst things I’ve had. The hamburg steak was fine, but the rice in the omelette just tasted like butter. The first few bites were fine, but I quickly started to feel a little gross about a third of the way through.
So I did something I usually don’t do in Japan — I didn’t finish my meal.
Pteranodon Burger Meal at Discovery Restaurant (Jurassic Park)
The Pteranodon Burger was okay-ish. I liked the avocado salsa, but the piece of breaded chicken was just too fatty for me. When I bit into the burger, I could see yellow globs of fat in the meat and taste how oily it was, which was gross to me.
The fries were also overcooked. They were dry and made me feel like I was chewing on a hollow stick of wood. These fries were probably the worst I had tasted in a very long time. I’m not sure what happened, but I ended up throwing them out.
Flying Dinosaur Cupcake at the Discovery Restaurant (Jurassic Park)
This is another dish I disliked at the Discovery Restaurant, and a reminder to myself to stop eating here. The cake was so dry and tasteless. Absolutely disappointing.
Super Mushroom Pizza Bowl at Kinopio’s Cafe (Super Nintendo World)
I know earlier I mentioned that I liked the food at Kinopio’s Cafe, and generally I do. However, this one is just awful, which is surprising because it’s one of their recommended meals. The bread topping tastes stale, and the pizza bowl sauce is bland and uninspiring.
Super Star Lemon Squash at Kinopio’s Cafe
This was another miss for me. It was both too sweet and too sour. I wanted a break from this drink, but I still finished it.
Rice Croquettes at Louie’s NY Pizza
These were another bland disappointment, especially compared to how good the pizza is. Don’t waste your money on this.
Demon Slayer Meal at Studio Stars Restaurant
This meal was a collaboration between the anime Demon Slayer and Studio Stars Restaurant. It was a hamburger steak set featuring Rengoku, and I was so excited for it.
Unfortunately, this was probably the worst hamburger steak I have ever had! The rice was also disappointing, which surprised me because rice is the easiest thing to make and usually tastes delicious in Japan!
Elderflower Drink at Louie’s Pizza
There’s a small Baskin-Robbins drink stand connected to Louie’s Pizza; however, you can only order outside the store, not inside.
During USJ’s Christmas season, I tried their hot Elderflower drink topped with hot mascarpone, and I was quite disappointed. It was way too sweet for me and too sour for my daughter. Since this was a limited item, I’m not sure if they’ll ever have it again, but if they do, I suggest you skip this.
Chicken Waffle Cone
This to-go snack was another limited food item, this time served at a streetcar at Universal Studios Japan’s Christmas Market.
Believe me when I say this chicken waffle cone is unbelievably delicious and needs to come back every year! Everything in this — the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, tortillas — is super flavorful and leaves you wanting more. I think this is one of the few things at USJ that I wish they would make bigger, honestly.
I suggested this snack to two of my friends who were visiting USJ, and they both messaged me after thanking me for the recommendation, so I feel pretty confident that you will enjoy it as well.
Wrap-up: What to Eat at Universal Studios Japan
As you can see, I’ve had my fair share of meals at Universal Studios Japan. Most were good, but occasionally there were misses. I’ve found that usually, the meals that weren’t great were limited items that were seasonal or anime collaborations.
I’ll be updating this article whenever I try something new, so make sure to check back often!