Universal CityWalk Hollywood Guide

Universal CityWalk Hollywood is the shopping and dining district located right next to Universal Studios Hollywood. There are a large variety of quick service and table service dining options including popular favorites like Voodoo Donuts and The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Kitchen. Universal CityWalk Hollywood also offers nighttime entertainment, a movie theater, and family activities.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about Universal CityWalk Hollywood.

Universal CityWalk Location & Hours

Universal CityWalk Hollywood is located steps away from Universal Studios Hollywood. The physical address is 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608.

If you are familiar with Downtown Disney, Universal CityWalk Hollywood is a similar idea. You do not require theme park admission visit the shops, dining, or entertainment at CityWalk.

Visiting Universal CityWalk Hollywood is a nice addition to a day at Universal Studios Hollywood. The hours for CityWalk are usually 11AM to 10PM. If you want to visit CityWalk, you can easily walk over during your park day or visit on a day you won't be in the parks.

Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets

We all want to save money and be more efficient with our time, and one of my biggest Universal Studios tips for saving money and experiencing more is to purchase your tickets in advance.

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Purchasing your tickets before you arrive eliminates the time you would’ve spent in line at the ticket booth and gets you into the park quicker. Another benefit to advanced ticket orders is the opportunity to save money. We partner with Universal Studio's top travel partner to offer discounts on tickets exclusively for our readers.

Universal CityWalk Hollywood Dining

Universal CityWalk Hollywood features plenty of dining from quick service (grab and go) and table service (sit-down dining) options.

Quick-Service Options

We have separated the unique quick-service spots from the usual chain restaurants so you can get a good idea of what is unique on Universal CityWalk Hollywood. Here are all the locations that are more than just a restaurant chain.

The Crepe Café

This location serves sweet and savory crepes along with coffee. This can be a great place to grab a coffee without a long line and great crepes with large portions.

Mini Monster

This Instagram-worthy drink spot is where you can find teas, boba, and giant dessert drinks.

Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs

Pink's Famous Hot Dogs is a landmark restaurant in Los Angeles and its original location in Hollywood opened in 1939. This is worth a stop so you can enjoy these famous hot dogs in their CityWalk restaurant.

Sparky’s Mini Donuts and Chocolates

This spot serves homemade mini donuts, chocolates, truffles, and more from the local Trish's Mini Donuts.

Voodoo Donuts

Voodoo Doughnuts is a popular doughnut shop offering more than 50 types of doughnuts with humorous names and themes. This is easily one of the most popular quick service stops in Universal CityWalk Hollywood due to its famous donuts.

The quick-service options include some popular chain restaurants guests will be familiar with:

• Ben & Jerry's
• Jamba Juice
• Panda Express
• Poke Bar
• The Habit Burger Grill
• Taco Bell
• KFC Express
• Pizza Hut Express
• Cinnabon
• Firehouse Subs
• Chik Chick Chicken
• Menchies
• Wetzel's Pretzels

It's nice to have these familiar chains close by to Universal Studios Hollywood if you're looking for a cheaper meal or something to take back to the hotel with you.

Sit-Down Dining Options

Antojitos Cocina Mexicana

Antojitos Cocina Mexicana is an authentic Mexican restaurant in Universal CityWalk Hollywood. The menu here features traditional favorites like signature guacamole and tacos plus over 100+ tequilas, handcrafted cocktails, and imported draft beers. This is the best spot in Universal CityWalk Hollywood to enjoy authentic Mexican food.

VIVO Italian Kitchen

This Italian restaurant serves Italian favorites in a modern setting with a visual, open kitchen. The menu includes hand-tossed pizzas to homemade pasta. If you're looking for Italian food, this is a great spot to enjoy.

Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets serves cooked-to-order hamburgers, Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and milkshakes. The setting of this popular franchise is inspired by traditional 1950s American diners. This is a good place for a casual meal with traditional American food.

NBC Sports Grill & Brew

NBC Sports Grill & Brew is a themed sports restaurant with high-definition screens inside and out of the restaurant showcasing all the popular sports coverage. The menu includes burgers, ribs, steak, chicken plus over 20 beers on tap. Sports fans will love this spot!

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company is an American seafood restaurant chain inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump. The first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant opened in the 90s in California so it's fitting to have a location here at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. You can find a variety of shrimp meal options here and many guests will likely be familiar with this restaurant chain.

Wasabi

Wasabi offers traditional Japanese cuisine and Wasabi originals like their handcrafted signature rolls. The menu includes classics like sashimi and short ribs, to restaurant-specific dishes like the Marilyn Mon Roll. If you are looking for Japanese food at Universal CityWalk Hollywood, this is the spot!

Dongpo Kitchen

If you're looking for traditional Chinese food, Dongpo Kitchen is based on Meizhou Dongpo’s first casual dining concept in the U.S. This restaurant is dedicated to modernizing and perfecting traditions of Sichuanese cuisine and has been a popular restaurant in China since the 1990s.

Buca Di Beppo

Buca Di Beppo is a family-style Italian restaurant which means that you will order dishes for your entire dining party and share amongst yourselves. Not quite a buffet but think larger, shared plates for the table. If you have a large family and are looking for Italian food, this is a great place to try.

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Kitchen

Easily the most popular table service restaurant at Universal CityWalk Hollywood is The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Kitchen. This 19th-century-themed, Steampunk-style restaurant is easily the most themed dining experience on this list. If you're looking for a larger-than-life style theme park dining, this is the best spot for it! The menu here includes steak, seafood, crepes, milkshakes, gourmet chocolates, and one-of-a-kind desserts. They're especially known for their over-the-top, Instagram-worthy milkshakes.

Can you make reservations for restaurants at Universal Hollywood?

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen offers advance dining reservations which you can make online through the Universal Studios Hollywood website.

Otherwise Universal often utilizes Open Table for their reservations. Currently, Buca di Beppo is the only one on Universal CityWalk Hollywood that is taking reservations on Open Table.

None of the restaurants inside Universal Studios Hollywood require reservations with the exception of Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World. Once you enter the land, you simply scan a QR code by the entrance of the restaurant and pick a time to dine.

Universal CityWalk Hollywood Shopping

Universal CityWalk Hollywood offers tons of shopping opportunities that are unique to Universal along with conventional, popular stores.

Let's start with the unique Universal shopping spots! We have highlighted the shopping options at Universal CityWalk Hollywood that aren't something you will find in your run-of-the-mill mall.

Dodger’s Clubhouse Store

This store sells LA Dodgers fan gear from team apparel, novelties, and memorabilia. If you're a fan of the LA Dodgers or baseball, this store is worth a stop.

IT’SUGAR

IT'SUGAR is a trendy candy store specializing in innovative sweets, fun novelty gifts, and giant candy. This is a chain with more locations across the country but you'll see this one more often in larger cities.

Nectar Bath Treats

Nectar Bath Treats features bath bombs, body scrubs, bubble bath, and treats made from natural ingredients.

Super Nintendo World Store

The Super Nintendo World Store is stocked with all the merchandise you can find in Super Nintendo World. Nintendo fans will love this stop as its full of Nintendo apparel, plushies, home decor, and anything else you can think of. You can also buy Power Up Bands here which work in the interactive Super Nintendo World.

The Los Angeles Sock Market

From whimsical designs and quirky themes to professional looks and everyday comfort. Browse through a seemingly endless collection of socks in all colors, styles, and sizes.

The Raider Image

This store sells Las Vegas Raiders fan gear from team apparel, novelties, and memorabilia. If you're a fan of the Las Vegas Raiders or football, this store is worth a stop.

Things from Another World

This theme park-level comic book store includes Manga, comics, graphic novels plus a large variety of pop culture-related souvenirs.

Universal Studios Store

This is easily one of the most popular stores in Universal CityWalk Hollywood which is jam-packed with Universal Hollywood souvenirs including most of the merchandise from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can even buy your Harry Potter wands here!

The other shopping locations include some popular chains guests will be familiar with:

• Abercrombie & Fitch
• Billabong
• Fossil
• Francesca’s
• Hot Topic
• Lids
• Locker Room by Lids
• Sephora
• Shoe Palace
• Sunsations
• Tilly’s

Depending on where you live, you may not have these chains close to you so that can also be a nice opportunity for shopping options.

Universal CityWalk Entertainment

Universal Cinema

Universal Cinema is a movie theater in Universal CityWalk Hollywood with a newly redesigned 18-plex and a 7-story IMAX with LASER theatre. The 18 auditoriums include reserved deluxe power- reclining seats, Dolby sound, and RGB Laser projection. If you are attending. movie at Universal Cinema then your parking fee is only $5.

iFly 

iFly is an indoor skydiving experience at Universal CityWalk Hollywood with a vertical wind tunnel that is perfect for anyone, no experience is required. You will put on a flight suit and step into the vertical wind tunnel. Once you lift your feet off the ground, you will float in the air.

CityWalk Fountain

The Universal CityWalk fountain is a large interactive area full of dancing water and technicolor lights. Think of it as a large glowing splash pad!

5 Towers Stage

5 Towers at Universal CityWalk Hollywood is a concert venue with over 5,000 LED lights and large sound system. This is the place to go to enjoy live music.

Universal CityWalk Hollywood Parking

You do need to pay for parking at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. There is a discounted price if you are there to see a movie though.

Here are the daily parking fees per vehicle:

• General parking before 5PM: $30
• General parking after 5PM: $10
• Movie ticket parking: $5
  • You will still pay for general parking but when you show your parking receipt at the Universal Cinema ticket window they will give you a refund of the price difference.

There are locations for charging electric vehicles but only on certain floors of the garages.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (the rate is $0.35/kWh):

• Frankenstein Garage: 4 ports (Level 2 and Level 7)
• Jurassic Parking Garage: 8 ports (Level 1 and B1M)
• ET Garage: 16 ports (Level B1)
• Woody Woodpecker Lot: 1 port (near Front Gate Parking)
• Curious George Garage: 2 ports (Level 1)

Is Universal CityWalk Free?

Yes! Universal CityWalk Hollywood is free and does NOT require theme park admission.

What's the difference between Universal Studios and Universal CityWalk?

Universal Studios Hollywood is the theme park with the popular Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal CityWalk is the shopping and dining district located just steps away from the entrance to the theme park. You do not need theme park admission to go to Universal CityWalk.

Can you bring food from CityWalk into Universal Studios?

You can bring food from CityWalk into Univeral Studios so you're good to go if you've grabbed a Starbucks from CityWalk and want to carry it into the theme park with you.

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