Toadstool Cafe is the restaurant inside Super Nintendo World, the Mario-themed land at Universal Studios Hollywood. This eating assessment options meals pictures from our meals right here, a glance across the inside of Toad’s House, ideas on lunch & dinner, whether or not it’s value your time & cash, and the way it compares to different choices in USH.
One of the primary issues to do in Super Nintendo World, Toadstool Cafe is the place Chef Toad invitations you into his house to take pleasure in dishes he’s cooked up whereas watching playful surroundings of the Mushroom Kingdom going down exterior through the screen-based window visuals. It’s positioned between 1-UP Factory Store and the doorway to Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge–instantly beneath Bowser’s Castle.
Super Nintendo World just isn’t notably giant, so that you shouldn’t have any hassle discovering Toadstool Cafe. Because of the land’s compact structure, accessing Toadstool Cafe is perhaps difficult. On busier days, it’s probably that you simply’ll encounter a digital queue for the restaurant.
Due to using the digital queue, our advice could be checking on the standing of Toadstool Cafe whenever you first enter Super Nintendo World. On busier days, you’ll present your telephone quantity and can obtain a textual content message when it’s your flip to hitch the bodily line for the restaurant.
During certainly one of our visits, we have been in a position to enroll in the Toadstool Cafe digital queue (after ready in a ~30 minute line to register for it), then journey Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge as soon as, after which return to Toadstool Cafe to hitch the common line. Another time, we have been capable of merely be part of the common line for Toadstool Cafe.
The exact course of is prone to differ based mostly on crowd ranges and the way Universal refines issues over time. Super Nintendo World is prone to be very standard, and what you expertise per week from now may differ from the procedures after we visited, or a month or 12 months from now. The backside line is that, if Toadstool Cafe is a vital cease throughout your go to to Super Nintendo World, it is best to scope it early in your go to.
Once you do be part of the standby line, there’s a counter for ordering the place you’ll obtain a numbered monitoring gadget. Your total occasion is then seated by Chef Toad’s hosts when you wait to your meals. Shortly thereafter, meals is delivered to your desk utilizing mentioned monitoring gadget.
This protocol is clean and seamless, and undoubtedly beats ready at a counter to select up objects. Most crucially, it additionally eliminates desk hoarding, stalking tables ready for one to open up whereas your meals will get chilly, and so forth. Those might look like minor issues or a non-issue, however they completely could be points given the shortage of seating in Super Nintendo World and the chance that it’ll use a digital queue for entry on busier days–that means folks received’t wish to go away the land as soon as they’re inside it.
As for the inside itself, it’s primarily one large room with out actual home windows, however with screens that simulate the out of doors world of the Mushroom Kingdom. In a way, it’s harking back to the Ballroom at Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom (with the entire ordering and seating course of working equally to the previous counter service lunch there).
Personally, I believe the eating room at Toadstool Cafe “works” higher than the Ballroom at Be Our Guest Restaurant. The latter offers off “opulent mess hall” vibes, whereas the house is healthier damaged up at Toadstool Cafe with cubicles and tables. The motion occurring “outside” within the Mushroom Kingdom can also be far more compelling than the snowfall out the home windows at Be Our Guest Restaurant.
In addition to views exterior, you even have simulated views into the kitchen–each within the bodily line for the restaurant and after being seated. This is a pleasant contact that provides selection.
Another design ingredient that helps break up the house is the big Warp Pipe within the middle of the primary eating space. Ceiling particulars and sales space seating movement outward from this, with sections of tables and cubicles alongside the partitions. In brief, it’s well-organized and designed regardless of being one massive room.
Toadstool Cafe’s design can also be aided by extremely substantial furnishings. The exaggerated ‘wood’ furnishings, archways, and different design thrives are all fairly good. On prime of that, there are many hidden particulars and nods to Nintendo characters that maintain issues attention-grabbing–even when it’s the screen-scenery that’ll seize your consideration.
Another level in Toadstool Cafe’s favor is using actual silverware and themed plates. Cups and napkins likewise sport Super Nintendo World branding. All good touches that make the general expertise extra upscale than a easy counter service restaurant.
Unfortunately, that each one fars aside as soon as the meals arrives…
For those that have been following Super Nintendo World protection because the unique incarnation of the land opened at Universal Studios Japan opened, we might strongly encourage you to regulate your expectations.
Both the menu and high quality at Toadstool Cafe are very totally different from these at Kinopio’s Cafe in USJ. While cute touches have been equally added to dishes, a whole lot of objects are perplexingly absent (no Princess Peach’s Cake?!?!), and the meals is just not of the identical caliber.
Let’s begin our meal with the Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots. These are mini mushroom formed knots brushed with garlic butter, parmesan cheese, parsley, and a aspect of marinara sauce.
This ought to be like taking pictures fish in a barrel. Garlic knots are a staple of the grocery retailer frozen meals aisle, and as long as you observe the directions, cooking them for the suitable period of time and consuming them shortly thereafter, they will solely be so unhealthy.
Or so I believed, till attempting these. Ours have been rock laborious–so unhealthy we didn’t even find yourself ending them. So unhealthy that we didn’t really feel it was value playing on them after we returned to Toadstool Cafe for one more meal.
Other mates who’ve dined at Toadstool Cafe have reported higher success with these, however that hasn’t been common–extra like 50/50. These garlic knots are nonetheless probably value ordering as cheap filler, however don’t anticipate something above frozen meals high quality knots at finest.
For a lighter entree or one other starter, now we have the Super Star Chicken Salad. This options romaine and cabbage combine, grape tomatoes, and mushrooms tossed in creamy mushroom truffle dressing topped with parmesan Super Star, star croutons, and grilled hen.
The salad and greens are precisely what you’d anticipate right here; it’s a very serviceable salad from that perspective. We actually appreciated the creamy mushroom truffle dressing, which was savory and scrumptious. The parmesan Super Star can also be a minimize element, and shockingly scrumptious. Unfortunately, our grilled hen was rubbery and hard.
Continuing to the sandwiches part of the menu, now we have the Mario Burger. This is an all beef patty, bacon, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and American cheese served on a brioche bun with a aspect of truffle French fries.
Let’s begin with the optimistic: the crinkle-cut truffle fries have been good. Unlike the knots, these are frozen meals performed properly; the truffle seasoning additionally makes them attention-grabbing. Unfortunately, the all-beef patty on the burger tasted prefer it had been slow-aged below a warmth lamp for a day or two, and in the event you advised me the “all” beef was really a mix of 20% cardboard, I’d imagine you. The Clogger Burger at Krusty Burger is much better. We revisited the Mario Burger to see if we have been simply unlikely; it was no higher the second time.
Next up, the Luigi Burger. This consists of grilled hen, basil pesto, Swiss cheese, inexperienced pepper, and spinach served on a brioche bun with a aspect of truffle fries.
Same concern right here with the grilled hen being a bit on the dry and hard aspect, however nonetheless higher than the salad. The flavorful basil pesto sauce and toppings additionally assist masks that, making this a serviceable choose in order for you a healthyish possibility that tastes okayish. We’ve additionally had this twice, and it was about the identical each occasions. This is certainly one of two objects that we’d suggest, virtually by default.
Moving on to what I assume is Mario’s favourite dish, now we have the Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs. This is spaghetti with mushroom marinara sauce, meatballs, Fire Flower parmesan crisp, shaved parmesan, and chopped parsley.
Out of every little thing we’ve ordered at Toadstool Cafe, that is the winner to date! The meatballs have been juicy and flavorful, the pasta was appropriately ready, the mushrooms added taste, and the marinara sauce was surprisingly good. Granted, I ate this after having the knots and the “beef” burger, so the bar was fairly low. Still, I’d fortunately order this once more and really loved it. The Fire Flower Spaghetti & Meatballs is a Top 10 entree in all of Universal Studios Hollywood (the competitors just isn’t fiery).
Turning to the youngsters’ menu, now we have the Mario Mini Burger Adventure Set. This features a cheeseburger, truffle fries, corn on cob, broccoli, and a coin cookie.
The burger right here is smaller than the Mario Burger, which some may argue is a bonus. It additionally features a smaller model of the fries, plus rubbery corn on the cob and surprisingly good broccoli. So for all of you who’re heading to Super Nintendo World on a broccoli quest, that is the choice for you!
For dessert, we begin with the Princess Peach Cupcake. This is a raspberry crammed Funfetti cupcake with buttercream frosting and Princess Peach chocolate crown.
You know these 4-packs of cupcakes made within the grocery retailer bakery? This is that, however with a Princess Peach crown. On the one hand, grocery retailer cupcakes could be surprisingly good for what they’re, and are a pleasant responsible pleasure. They’re additionally fairly sizable. On the opposite hand, they normally price $5.99 or so for a 4-pack, and that is $9.99 for a single cupcake.
Finally, now we have the ? Block Tiramisu. This is tiramisu layered with espresso soaked woman fingers topped with cocoa powder and chocolate power-up.
The ? Block Tiramisu is a bit tastier and better high quality than the cupcake, but it surely’s additionally so much smaller. There’s no state of affairs during which that is definitely worth the $9.99 price to me. I’d have been underwhelmed if this solely price $6.99. Speaking of which, that’s the value of the desserts at Three Broomsticks, all of that are better-tasting and bigger than this.
Ultimately, Toadstool Cafe is a blended bag. The meals is totally common, and there’s no compelling menu merchandise that makes this a must-visit restaurant in Universal Studios Hollywood. (The spaghetti is nice relative to the remainder of the menu, but it surely’s nonetheless nothing particular.) However, the delicacies can also be not unhealthy sufficient to make Toadstool Cafe a spot to keep away from. It’s merely middle-of-the-road, which is about par for the course with the in-park eating at USH.
As a Super Nintendo World expertise, Toadstool Cafe is below-average. I’d go so far as to say that is my least favourite a part of the Mario-themed land, at the least in relation to the main issues to expertise. If I solely had sufficient time to do two of the three massive attracts, I’d choose the Key Challenge minigames and Mario Kart over Toadstool Cafe, and it’d be a simple resolution. Heck, I’d go for one other journey on Mario Kart over consuming right here. That journey is superb and infinitely repeatable–I’ve performed it a number of occasions and nonetheless can’t get sufficient.
However, the sensible actuality is that using Mario Kart just isn’t an acceptable substitute for consuming a meal of meals. No one is on the market saying, “Gee, I’m hungry–should I ride Mario Kart or eat?” (Although I can’t be the one online game addict who has skipped a meal to maintain enjoying!)
So the operative query is de facto whether or not it is best to dine at Toadstool Cafe or some place else in Universal Studios Hollywood? That actually relies upon upon your fandom allegiances. In my view, Three Broomsticks in Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the park’s finest restaurant (by a large margin), adopted by the assorted Simpsons choices in Springfield (my favourite is Cletus’ Chicken Shack, however there are robust menu objects in any respect of those eating spots), adopted by Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World. Just like in Mario Kart, the competitors for third place just isn’t precisely fierce.
If you’re a diehard Nintendo fan and a completionist, it is best to completely dine in Toadstool Cafe. But you most likely didn’t want this assessment to inform you that. There are enjoyable meals, well-done particulars, and the screen-based surroundings is amusing to observe. With that mentioned, it’s a bit on the underwhelming aspect as in comparison with the remainder of Super Nintendo World, and also you shouldn’t really feel badly about prioritizing every little thing else and probably skipping this in the event you run out of time or the wait time is just too lengthy. Toadstool Cafe is cute and price experiencing if time permits, but it surely’s not recreation over if it’s important to miss out on it.
If you’re getting ready for a Southern California trip, take a look at our different planning posts, together with our exhaustive Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood. Need recommendation for LA? Read our Ultimate Los Angeles, California Planning Guide. Visiting different SoCal theme parks? Consult our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide and Knott’s Berry Farm Planning Guide.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you wanting ahead to consuming in Super Nintendo World? Have you dined at Toadstool Cafe? What was your favourite or least favourite menu merchandise? How does this restaurant rank as in comparison with the options at Universal Studios Hollywood? What about relative to different issues to see and do in Super Nintendo World? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of Toadstool Cafe? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!