May 4, 2015 – As you turn the corner from Wizarding World and see the “Welcome to Springfield” sign, you are instantly transported to the world of the Simpsons.
With “The Simpsons Ride” and carnival games behind you, the Kwik-E-Mart and Springfield DMV to your left, 24 multi-level building facades in front of you, Duff Brewery, Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck, and more to your right, it’s hard to realize that you are anywhere but Springfield.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the city of Springfield if Universal didn’t include its food! While we weren’t able to sample all of Springfield’s dishes, our team of editors were able to sample some of the more prominent dishes in the Springfield universe. Read what the Inside Universal editors have to say about Springfield’s multitude of beverages, entrees and desserts in this comprehensive rundown.
The Flaming Moe is nothing more than a frequently referenced drink throughout the Simpsons television series. Although the drink would be considered to be alcoholic (given its name), Universal has actually created a family friendly drink for theme park guests. To maintain the authenticity and unique access to the drink, the Flaming Moe can only be purchased inside of Moe’s Tavern located within Springfield at Universal. Once you order the drink, which comes at a premium price of nearly $10, you are served a special souvenir cup which separates in half to expose an area where dry ice is inserted. A small amount of orange soda and seltzer is then added to the drink to simulate a fun and family friendly experience of a drink that is on fire.
The Flaming Moe is a staple of the Simpsons experience. The drink is not going to quench your thirst or offer refills. Rather, the emphasis here is the experience of ordering the Flaming Moe within the confines of Moe’s Tavern. If you’re willing to pay for the experience, I highly recommend it. However, I’m less inclined to order the drink again for a second try.
A small note: while the drink is not alcoholic, children are not allowed to sit at the counter in front of the bar. Parents may bring the drink to children seated elsewhere.
Chris Lord
You might think Duff Beer would be a gimmick item or at least an area that Universal could skimp on, but I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. For me, it’s right in the sweet spot between too hoppy on one end and too light on the other end. I think this beer will appeal to a wide range of beer drinkers. At $11 it is a little pricy, but it is a substantial size so you feel like you get your money’s worth.
The drink comes in a plastic Springfield cup – the same as Buzz Cola. If you’re willing to spend more, you may also purchase a Duff pilsner for an additional fee. Both Moe’s and Duff Brewery each have their own individual designs that you may collect.
Christopher Tillman
Like Christopher Tillman, I was also skeptical of the notion of a themed drink. However, also like Christopher, I turned out to be pleasantly surprised at the taste of Buzz Cola.
While definitely reminiscent of Cherry Cola, Buzz Cola doesn’t seem to be as sweet. If anything, the soft drink has a zingier taste that Coke drinkers may find somewhat familiar. While not completely unusual or unique, Buzz Cola does manage to create a slightly unique taste for Springfield.
In other words, Universal appears to have added just the right amount of “different” alongside the familiar, promising not to offend most drinkers. The drink isn’t radically different for the sake of being different, so if you’re looking to try a slightly different flavor of Cola, I recommend the Buzz.
Jon Fu
Perhaps one of the more highly anticipated food items from Springfield, the Krusty Burger is your typical burger (with pickles, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce and buns) with a bit of special sauce mixed in.
Unlike some of other Universal’s burger offerings (which I’ve found somewhat dry, if not comically big), the Krusty Burger is mouth-wateringly moist sandwich packed with flavor! Krusty’s secret sauced topped with two soft buns produce a medium sized burger that’s actually a surprisingly delicious (if not a bit messy) item to eat. For the Californians reading this, imagine if In-N-Out added too much ranch to their Double Double and you’ll get a similar experience eating a typical Krusty Burger.
While the burger was fantastic, the french fries were unfortunately less so. While the waffle cries are a novel concept, my dealings with them have almost been consistently cold or dull. Universal seems to have taken note, and have replaced the traditional waffle fries with crinkle fries which I hear fare slightly better.
Overall, for the burger lovers out there looking for a pretty fine sandwich with a bit of Springfield mixed in, I can’t recommend the Krusty Burger enough. However, be weary of the fries regardless of what form they take.
Jon Fu
I have to start by saying that I am not a vegetarian and don’t normally choose the non-meat option. However I will say that I found this “burger” to be tasty and substantial. The best part to me was a guacamole spread that really plussed up the taste. I think this option will satisfy and sustain you through the course of a long theme park day.
Christopher Tillman
Bumble Bee Man’s Nachos. What can I say? They are nachos!
Just like the Nacho bowl at Gru’s Café, these two come in a fluffy and delicious tostada bowl. The nacho cheese is classic state fair style nacho cheese, nothing gourmet about it, but that’s part of its charm. Other toppings include sliced jalepenos, and a generous serving of guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. You can also add your choice of either chicken, carnitas, or carne asada to your nachos.
All said and done the Nachos make a tasty, light meal to be shared between one or two people, or as an awesome side dish for your whole family.
Kaley Cyrino
Composed of a fried chicken patty, lettuce and two waffle buns, Cletus’ Chicken & Waffle sandwich is a fantastic blend of sweet syrupy waffles and zingy crispy chicken – at least on paper.
Sized slightly larger than your average Krusty Burger, the Chicken & Waffle turned out surprisingly dull for an otherwise unique dish. While the waffle buns were delicious, the chicken turned out to be rather tasteless – leaving you to wonder what’s the primary taste of this entrée. If Cletus uses a special sauce, I couldn’t taste it, leaving what I consider to be a somewhat decent filler plate aimed at filling you up for the day. Too much syrup with a tasteless chicken patty result in a rather conflicting experience – as if something crucial is missing from the flavor equation.
Considering Springfield’s other wonderfully delicious offerings, I recommend passing the Chicken plate until Universal can nail the taste of their chicken.
Jon Fu
For those fans who were disappointed when Universal did away with Doc Brown’s Chicken, you’ll be happy to know that Cleatus’ Chicken Shack menu brings what you loved about Doc Brown’s and adds to what was already a fan favorite. Fans can rest assured in knowing that Universal brought back the same Chicken Platter meal you’ve come to know and love. The Chicken Platter at Cleatus’ gives you two pieces of fried chicken, corn on the cob, biscuit, cole slaw, and red skinned mashed potatoes with gravy.
The breading on the chicken was fried to perfection allowing the chicken to stay moist and delicious. The corn on the cob and red skinned mashed potatoes provide a great compliment to the chicken. However, the only downside to the meal was the biscuit. I highly recommend getting lots of butter, because the biscuit is unusually dry and chalky.
Cleatus’ Chicken Platter definitely provides that southern comfort food you’d expect leaving you ready to return on your next visit to Springfield U.S.A.
Jonathan Green
The carne asada tacos at Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck are possibly my favorite food item in Springfield. You receive two-corn tortillas filled with carne asada, onions and cilantro. Along with the two tacos you’ll get two types of salsas (red and green), corn tortilla chips and a lime wedge. If lime is something you enjoy, then I highly recommend taking the lime wedge and sprinkling the juice upon the tacos, which only enhances the taste. My only complaint is not necessarily with the food itself but the time it takes to receive the food. If the line is long, be prepared to wait quite a while to receive your food.
The $7.99 you’ll pay for the carne asada tacos is definitely a good value for what you receive and I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed.
Jonathan Green
Over my many years of ice-cream-eating, I have come to one conclusion: the items with the most unappealing names are always the greatest.
Growing up, there was an ice cream shop with a topping they called “Floor Sweep.” Much to the disgust of my friends, I would proudly ask for extra “Floor Sweep” because I knew just how awesome this topping really was. You see, what my friends didn’t understand was that the “Floor Sweep” was actually a collection of different toppings all in one! Since then, I have never been able to find another ice cream shop with nearly as good of a topping. Imagine my curiosity when I walked up to Phineas Q. Butterfat’s Ice Cream stand to see a sundae called “Everything but the Kitchen Sink.” Naturally I had to check this out, because I’m stubborn and was convinced that nothing could beat my beloved “Floor Sweep.”
Suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how incredibly good this sundae was. No topping outweighed the other, and the whipped cream was easily one of the best whipped creams I have ever had. I highly recommend trying this sundae on your next trip to Springfield, but beware! The amount of sugar in this sundae is either going to make you super energized or make you want to curl up in a ball and sleep forever. Either way, it is totally worth it.
Kaley Cyrino
I love donuts and I was a big fan of the big pink doughnut Universal sold in the park before the Springfield expansion.
So Lard Lad Donuts was my most anticipated addition and it has not disappointed. These donuts are fantastic. The options are varied and interesting. On the S’mores donut they actually toast the marshmallows for that campfire taste. The donuts topped with cereal also have an icing that tastes like milk to give you that complete breakfast experience. And the maple bacon donut is exactly as good as you think it would be. If you have seen the large (about 8”) sizes and are intimidated, don’t worry, they have a more donut-y size that also comes in all the flavor options.
If you have a sweet tooth, Lard Lad is an absolutely must visit on your trip to Springfield.
Christopher Tillman
If you’re looking to cool off with soft serve ice cream, you won’t have to look any further than Phineas Q. Butterfat’s Ice Cream Parlor. The Choco/Strawberry Sundae at 8 is a great way to relax and enjoy something sweet. The Choco/Strawberry Sundae at 8 is a vanilla or chocolate soft serve with chocolate and strawberry sauce along with a whipped cream topping.
Even though they give you a generous amount of ice cream, the $5.49 price tag is a bit high for soft serve. Also, depending upon how the server puts together the sundae it may not be the best option to get on the go (since it can get a bit messy).
Jonathan Green
» Springfield USA Officially Opens at Universal Studios Hollywood! (video)
» Behind the Scenes of Springfield at Universal Studios Hollywood
» Springfield Food Report
» Daytime Photo Tour of Springfield U.S.A. (video tour)
» Nighttime Photo Tour of Springfield U.S.A. (video tour)
