The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant is just one of two table service restaurants located in Celestial Park at Epic Universe. The Blue Dragon officially opened with the park on May 22nd, and you can make reservations up to three months in advance by logging into the Universal Orlando site. Entrées range in price from $25 to $51, and all the food is cooked to order; meaning your dishes will likely come out at different times. The menu was described as a shareable experience but we found the entrées to be average portion sizes. We did, however, really enjoy sharing and trying multiple dishes. We even ordered what might just be the BEST dessert in all of Universal Orlando!
Just like the rest of Epic Universe, The Blue Dragon is stunning. Impressive neon carries throughout the restaurant from the blue dragon at the entrance to an incredible reveal of the restaurant’s “outdoor” ambiance. The neon signs pictured below are huge and feel as though you are walking through a busy alley to the restaurant’s main dining room. Some of the signage even features the names of popular menu items.
The largest seating area resembles an outdoor courtyard and the lighting even matches the time of day – during our dinner, the colors changed from sunset to nighttime. What pictures don’t show is the way the lanterns move across the ceiling as if they are floating. The large trees, pagoda, neon blue dragon, and cozy booths make the atmosphere feel both elegant and comfortable.
There are two smaller seating areas inside The Blue Dragon – the more formal Shoji room with images of Celestial Park and the Dragon Bar for those looking for just drinks or walk-up service.
Full Menu with Prices
Small Plates
- Double Fried “Korean” Wings – Korean “style” gochujang flavored ultra-crunchy wings – $16
- Cold Noodles (Vegan) – chilled noodles, cucumbers, dragon sauce, Sichuan spice, and peanuts – $16
- Smashed and Sour Calamari – sweet chili glazed crispy calamari – $17
Dim Sum
- Vegetable Spring Roll (Vegetarian) – with house dipping sauce – $13
- Wontons in Chili Oil – chicken wontons, dragon, sauce, and chili oil – $16
The wontons are delicate and steamed perfectly. While the chili oil adds a little spice, these are nowhere near as spicy as we expected! The order came with enough to share, but we could have eaten way more.
- Shrimp Siu Mai Dumplings – steamed garlic ginger shrimp dumplings with house dipping sauce – $17
- Snowflake Potstickers – lacy crust pork potstickers with dragon sauce – $18
The Snowflake Potstickers are a must-order dish! They are flavorful and the “snowflake lace” adds a nice presentation and crunch. I would say the potstickers are shareable for three people because each person is going to want at least two.
- Pork Soup Dumplings – seasoned ground pork with dragon sauce – $16
Noodles & Rice
- Peanut Shrimp Noodles – crispy shrimp, pan-fried noodles, shiitake mushrooms, gai Ian, Thai peanut sauce, and toasted coconut – $31
The Peanut Shrimp Noodles were described as similar to Pad Thai but maybe that’s just because of the strong taste of peanut sauce. The noodles are rich without having much spice and the shrimp is perfectly fried and flavorful. The rich sauce would make the Peanut Shrimp Noodles difficult to eat by yourself so this is one we recommend sharing.
- Beef Xi’an Noodles – spicy braised beef, Napa cabbage, Sichuan spice, garlic, hot oil, and dragon sauce – $28
- Dragon Fried Rice – wok fried rice, lump crab, shrimp, sausage, egg, and snow peas – $33
The Dragon Fried Rice is an average portion size, but could be a nice pairing with other entrée options. However, there was more lump crab than I would have expected! The flavors of the fried rice are good, but not mind-blowing. While not bad, I would likely pass on the Dragon Fried Rice on my next visit.
- Dan Dan Noodles – spicy numbing Sichuan noodles, Sichuan “style” pork, and peanuts – $26
- Tonkotsu Ramen – ramen noodles, rich pork broth, chashu pork, tare egg, shiitake mushrooms, and togarashi oil – $29
Big Plates
- Chicken Khao Soi – Thai coconut curry broth, grilled chicken, crispy egg noodles, green papaya salad, and Thai basil – $28
- Crispy Fried Snapper – crispy fried snapper, Japanese barbeque sauce, green papaya salad, and white rice – $51
- Beef and Broccoli – stir fried kalbi beef, caulilini, gai Ian, broccolini, and white rice – $31
The Beef and Broccoli is SO flavorful! While you’ve had beef and broccoli before, this might just be the best version of it. The stir-fried beef has a nice char while still being tender enough to cut with a fork. Plus, the broccolini is a nice, elevated touch!
- Kai-Ming’s Mapo Tofu (Vegan) – Sichuan chili crisp sauce, vegan ground pork, and white rice – $27
- Crispy Orange Chicken – crispy chicken, blood orange sweet & sour sauce, snow peas, and white rice – $28
Kids
- Orange Chicken Bento Box – orange chicken with white rice, edamame, and a kids’ fortune cookie – $13
- Beef & Broccoli Bento Box – beef & broccoli, with white rice, edamame, and a kids’ fortune cookie – $13
Desserts
- Kaffir Lime Rice Pudding – mango, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame ice cream – $12
- Banana Napoleon – miso butterscotch bananas, 5-spice wontons, and vanilla ice cream – $12
The Banana Napoleon is reason alone to visit The Blue Dragon! Our table all agreed it’s the best dessert any of us had enjoyed in a long time. The banana is fresh and light, while the miso butterscotch is literally a glimpse into heaven. The 5-spice wontons add a nice crunch and seem to caramelize with the butterscotch and every bite should be enjoyed with the melty ice cream. DO NOT MISS the Banana Napoleon on your visit to Epic Universe.
- Passion Fruit Mooncake – passion fruit cheesecake, dragon crust, mango, and passion fruit – $12
Cocktails
- Dalgona Khaosan Road – Mekhong Thai liqueur, black sugar syrup, Hokkaido milk tea powder, vanilla almond milk, coffee boba, and Dalgona coffee foam – $18
- Szechuan Smash – Kikori rice whiskey, crushed Szechuan peppercorns, yuzu juice, honey syrup, and sparkling water; topped with ginger aromatic fog – $18
We took a few sips before remembering to take a picture, so just know we thought the portion was an adequate value! Plus, we enjoyed the presentation of the Szechuan Smash coming out as a smoked cocktail. This cocktail is surprisingly refreshing with the right kick from the peppercorns and ginger aromatic fog. The peppercorns were plentiful, though, and hard to avoid if that’s not your thing.
- Titan Lin Fizz – St. Augustine New World gin, St=Germain elderflower liqueur, pear and lemon juice, lemongrass syrup, and sparkling water – $17
- Shiji Tiger – Choya Umeshu original sparkling wine, Aperol, lemongrass syrup, and an orange wheel – $12
- Chengdu Dream – Ming River Sichuan Baiju, DeKuyper blue curacao, BG Reynolds falernum, pineapple juice, and white grapefruit juice, with a golden sugar rim, pineapple fronds, and an edible orchid – $18
- Yuzu Drop – Ginza no Suzume “White Label” soju, yuzu juice, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, The Bitter Truth cucumber bitters, and dried dragon fruit – $16.25
- Dotonbori Smash – Nikka Days Japanese whiskey, fresh lemon juice, sugar, lemon, and mint – $17
Mocktails
- Golden Dragon – cream of coconut, lime juice, turmeric syrup, pineapple juice, jalapeno essence, and ground ginger – $11
- Thai Boba – Hokkaido milk tea powder, vanilla almond milk, black sugar syrup, coffee boba, and Dalgona coffee foam – $12
Assorted Sakes, Wines, and Beers were also available.
We so enjoyed the atmosphere, menu options, and the unique flavors at The Blue Dragon! This restaurant is perfect for a celebration or just a relaxing meal in a delightful setting. With so much great food at Epic Universe, it can be tough to squeeze in all the must-haves. However, The Blue Dragon quickly became one of our favorites and we can’t wait to visit again soon for the Banana Napoleon!
