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My family recently enjoyed a wonderful stay at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando. It is a really nice hotel that is within walking distance of the Universal Orlando theme parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) and CityWalk. We really liked our stay for a number of reasons. We liked the location, the rooms, the comfortable beds, their great pool, etc.
But one of the biggest reasons we loved our stay there was the great onsite restaurant. Amatista Cookhouse is a wonderful restaurant on the first floor of the hotel, right by the boat dock (yes, they also have boat transportation to the theme parks, too!). It is not only convenient. But it is a wonderful option for meals.
We’ve already told you about how we enjoyed their buffet breakfast. But today I want to talk about how much my family loved our dinner here.
Reservations
First of all, I recommend you get a reservation beforehand. That way, you can make sure you’ll get dinner here. Otherwise, they could have no available tables or you could wait a long time.
We got a reservation and I think we would have been fine, but we weren’t visiting at a peak time. If it is say on a Saturday night in July, you’ll probably need it. And any time, you never know, so to be safe, I would get a reservation. And make sure you leave the park in time to make the reservation.
But I will say, the area outside the restaurant where you can wait is so beautiful and perfectly in theme!
Amatista Cookhouse Atmosphere
Speaking of the theming, Sapphire Falls has a great Caribbean theming. This is apparent in Amatista Cookhouse, too. It has a great Caribbean feel. It also has a great laid-back atmosphere. At the same time, it does have a bit of an upscale feel. It is a wonderful mix of feeling like you are at a nice restaurant while also feeling like you are on a relaxing vacation.
The restaurant is a nice, wide-open space, where you can even see where the cooks are preparing the food. I also really like the decor up in the restaurant. It fits its atmosphere, like the decorative shells on the walls. I also love the light fixtures.
There is also a nice bar area that was playing a Memphis Grizzlies/Boston Celtics NBA game while we were there.
Another great thing about the restaurant’s atmosphere is the views. Depending on where you sit, you can see great views of the water, the dock, and the boats transporting guests to the theme parks.
Amatista Cookhouse Food Review
One thing I really liked about the menu at Amatista Cookhouse was the variety. As you would expect at a Caribbean-themed restaurant, they serve Caribbean cuisine. For example, you can get Housemade Jamaican spiced chicken with housemade Jamaican spiced chicken, Seafood Arroz Caldoso with Cuban sofrito, or Caribbean Rum Cake for dessert.
But having said this, most of my family got burgers. They had a char-grilled black Angus burger.
You can get it with some great toppings.
It comes with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles (though you can hold any of them).
One thing I really like about the burgers is that you had a choice of cheese. You could choose between American, Swiss, cheddar, provolone, pepper jack or bleu cheese. You don’t always see that many options, so I really liked having the choice. I loved my burger with bleu cheese.
And the burger itself was so delicious. One of the best burgers I have had on a theme park vacation. My family highly recommends the burgers. The French Fries were also delicious.
I liked how before the meal came, they had multiple types of bread they brought to the table. I especially liked the cheese bread. It was really delicious.
Amatista Cookhouse Drinks
So you know how I mentioned there is a bar at the restaurant? Well, one of the great things about this restaurant for us adults is all the drinks you can order. If you are staying in the hotel, it’s great because you can have a drink with your meal and then walk back to your room without having to worry about having a designated driver or using a ride share service. We really liked the drinks.
They have white wines, sparkling wines, and red wines. You can have a Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, etc.
They also have a lot of specialty cocktails like:
- Sapphire Margharita
- Havana Colada
- Bahama Bourban Smash
- Smoked Tequila Old Fashioned
- Cookhouse Punch
- Grapefruit & Rose Paloma
- First Mate
- Top of the Palm
- After Dark
Then they have a lot of beers like:
- Corona
- Voodoo Ranger IPA
- Peroni
- Budweiser
- Miller Lite
- and more
Conclusion
Amatista Cookhouse is a wonderful restaurant for an upscale, relaxing end of your day at Universal Orlando. It has a wonderful atmosphere, delicious food, great Caribbean theming, and a wonderful selection of alcoholic drinks. It is especially great if you are staying at Sapphire Falls because it is a quick walk from your room. Click here to book Sapphire Falls at a great rate.
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