Review: Halloween Horror Nights Taste of Terror Food & Beverage Event 2023

Universal Orlando Resort has added a new food and beverage preview event for Halloween Horror Nights this year called Taste of Terror!

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando doesn't start until September first, but this new Taste of Terror event is designed to offer an early preview of some of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights food and drink offerings at Universal Studios Florida.

From  Bloody Burgers to Surfer Boy Pizza, this year's HHN food is very exciting!

I attended the first night of the Taste of Terror event, and In this post I'll break down everything you get to try, the overall experience, and if the event is worth the price.

What Is Universal’s Taste of Terror Dining Event?

This speperate ticketed event previews some of the food and drinks that will be available for purchase at this year's Halloween Horror Nights event.

Taste of Terror is offered  on select nights from August 10 – 26, prior to Halloween Horror Nights kicking off on September 1st.

You'll need to have a separate park-to-park ticket and reservations slot in order to attend Taste of Terror. So, this cost is in addition to your regular ticket cost.

Taste of Terror originally cost $159.99 and included samples of select menu items coming to the event this September. The price for Taste of Terror has since decreased from $159.99  to $135.99 per person.

There's also a non-alcoholic ticket  option that was added for $89.00.  It does NOT include the blinky cup. No discounts are available on the non-alcoholic experience either.

Location:  Soundstage #33 in Universal Studios Florida

Event Runs: 6:30pm–8:30pm

What’s Included in Universal’s Taste of Terror Dining Event?

Enjoy an exclusive – before event start – all you care to enjoy preview of select food & beverage items that will be featured at Halloween Horror Nights this year! (Tasting size portions)

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All Non-Alcoholic beverages included
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Alcohol beverages included via a hosted bar. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to drink.

2023 Souvenir Halloween Horror Nights light-up cup (21+ Only)

2020 Halloween Horror Nights Coca-Cola Freestyle® cup*

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 Separate fee applies to activate
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1 digital download** of a photo taken at the Taste of Terror

Tate of Terror Check-In

Check in begins at 6 p.m. in the New York section of Universal Studios Florida, near Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the check-in time.

You’ll see a Team Member standing out front to check your event ticket. The Team Member also has menus available, so you can start mentally deciding what you want to eat and drink first.

Once you check in you’ll get a Taste of Terror wristband, and you can hang out in the courtyard and wait for the doors to open. The doors opened around 6:25 p.m., welcoming everyone into Soundstage 33.

Inside the Soundstage

As soon as you walk in you'll  see  the bar, several themed food “booths” and quite a few guest seating areas. Each section has its own theme, such as, Universal Monsters, “The Last of Us," and “Stranger Things.”

The decorations were very HHN and you definitely will get spooky vibes.

Every Taste of Terror food booth is set up similar to a wedding reception in my opinion. You can help yourself to the food  and desserts via the small plates.

The Team Member will pour you a drink, and some food items are made to order in terms of plating.

What to Expect at Universal’s Taste of Terror Event

The Taste of Terror event doesn’t offer everything you’ll be able to find at Halloween Horror Nights, but there’s a good amount of foods, desserts and drinks you can expect to see on menus. You can expect to see tasting sized portions, at this kind of all you can eat dinning event.

There are 6 different food area in the Soundstage, and 1 designated dessert area.

In the dead middle of the soundstage, is the Stellar Bar, which serves Electric Death and Ghoul Juice and cocktails, as well as a small selection of wine, beer, wine, soft drinks and bottled water.

There’s also a cute little Coffee and tea bar next to the dessert booth.

The 6 Themed Booths

“The Last of Us” FEDRA Ration Distribution Center

Left Behind Ravioli

Mini cheese ravioli with marinara, truffle cream, tempura fried enoki mushrooms, and pea shoots.

Vegetarian dish that features cheese ravioli with marinara, truffle cream, and tempura fried enoki mushrooms.

Note during HHN you’ll be given your ravioli in a FEDRA food ration can that you can keep as a souvenir.

3/10-- The ravioli was boring, and honestly tasted just tasted like regular canned cheese ravioli to me

Salt Lake City Iced Coffee

Brewed coffee, JF Haden’s Espresso Liqueur, Cruzan Light Rum, Vanilla Bean, Smoked Sea Salt, and Hella Smoked Bitters

9/10-- This alcoholic coffee drink was banging! The perfect combination of caffeine + rum.

“Stranger Things” Surfer Boy Pizza

Surfer Boy Vegan French Bread Pizza

French bread style pizza with vegan sausage crumble, pineapple chutney, jalapeño, and vegan mozzarella

Surfer Boy Hawaiian French Bread Pizza

French bread style pizza with crispy spam, pineapple chutney, jalapeño, scallions, and mozzarella

6/1— There wasn’t very much sauce on it, mostly cheese!

Surfer Boy Tropical Dream Punch

Cruzan rum, orange, pineapple, lime, passionfruit, and grapefruit juice with vanilla bean

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non-alcoholic option as well
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8/10

Yeti: Campground Kills

Yeti: Campground Kills is 1 of Universal Orlando’s original haunted houses this year. Make sure you check out the open cooler of ice!

Bloody Campground Poutine

Crispy fries topped with Asian inspired gravy, char sui roasted pork, cheese curds, scallions, and crispy chilis

 Sweet and spicy. I went back for thirds!

7/10

Vegan Burnt Ends Poutine

Crispy fries topped with beefless burnt ends, gravy, vegan cheeses, and scallions

Hands down one of the WORST items I tried. 0/10 recommend!

Lost Explorer Coconut Cupcake

Vanilla cupcake with coconut filling and graham cracker dirt

10/10— Really delicious if you like coconut

Día de los Muertos

This was absolutely my favorite Taste of Terror booth of the night!

Fall Harvest Salad

Arugula, frisee, red oak, roasted sweet potato, roasted corn, golden apple, heirloom cherry tomatoes, candied walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, with apple pumpkin vinaigrette

The Fall Harvest Salad from the Día de Los Muertos is exclusive to the Taste of Terror.

11/10— I loved this! I went back probably 3-4 times to get one of these

Vegan Walking Taco

Fritos chips topped with vegan chorizo, shredded mozzarella, roasted corn salsa, black beans, vegan sour cream, pico de Gallo,shredded lettuce, and cilantro in a bag

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7/10— Very much a comfort food item
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Chicharrónes de Harina

Deep fried flour crisps seasoned with cinnamon and sugar

Monsters Tinseltown

Peanut Blooder Smash Burger

Smash burger with peanut sauce, raspberry jelly, cheddar cheese, shaved onions, jalapeño bacon, cherry peppers, and vampire bun

9/10-- I was actually shocked I enjoyed this one! I expected to hate this burger but the flavor profile on this awesome. The most powerful flavor is the smoky bacon, with some nice fresh pepper flavor.The jam did add sweetness, but not in an over powering way that turns this in to a joke. There is no peanut butter, but just a hint of peanut  sauce.

Tinseltown Torment

Old Forester Bourbon and Cherry Brandy with orange and cranberry juices, chocolate and cherry syrups, and orange bitters

Chucky

Mutilated Pork Loin

Slow smoked applewood bacon wrapped pork loin, roasted root hash with fig and pear, and red wine demi-glace with silver dollar rolls

The mutilated pork loin is another item that’s exclusive to Taste of Terror

8/10

Fried ‘Til the End Chicken

Fried popcorn chicken tossed in Nashville sauce, drizzled with ranch, topped with scallions and chili threads

7/10

Dessert Booth

This was by far the biggest and most halloween decorated booth!

“Stranger Things” Hellfire Mini Cake

Layered chocolate cake with mango cayenne filling topped with chocolate guitar

4/10— I was not a fan of the spicy mango cayenne filling at ALL

Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Puff

Pumpkin and dulce de leche filled puff topped with whipped ganache, pumpkin seeds, and gold accents

7/10

MummyOreo Cheesecake Pop

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Mini Oreo Cheesecake Pop
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3/10— Not much flavor at all

Trick or Treat Bucket

Chocolate crème brulée topped with peanut butter buttercream, caramel popcorn, candy corn, M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces

12/10-- My favorite dessert offered during Taste of Terror! This is an absolute must try

The trick or treat bucket dessert was my favorite followed by the pumpkin dulce de leche puff was a close second. The Hellfire mini cake was disgusting in my opinion.

Taste of Terror Photo Opportunity

Included with your Taste of Terror ticket is one free digital download of a photo from the event. As you exit, a photographer is stationed and ready to take your photo in front of a festive pumpkin display.

I was pretty disappointed  with this photo op, not going to lie to you. I thought for sure there would be a Scareactor at least for a photo.

HHN Taste of Terror Souvenirs

As you exit the Taste of Terror event, a Team Member will hand you your gift bag and stamp your wristband to show you’ve picked it up.

If you purchased the Taste of Terror ticket with alcohol included, you’ll get  this year’s 2023 souvenir Freestyle cup and Blinky cup.

If you purchased the Taste of Terror ticket without alcohol included, you’ll be given a plastic Halloween Horror Nights themed drinking cup and  the  Freestyle cup.

**Photo Credit: @Sam.iin.wonderland via Instagram + TikTok!**

HHN 2023 Freestyle Cup

Note— The Freestyle cup doesn't come activated, but you can bring during your next visit and  activate at anytime.

HHN 2023 Blinky Cup

For those who buy the Taste of Terror ticket that includes alcohol, you get the new 2023 Halloween Horror Nights blinky cup. This iconic souvenir can be used to get discount refills on alcohol throughout this year’s HHN season. The Blinky cup also lights up.

Taste of Terror Pros

📝The Taste of Terror event includes lots of food and drink options that'll be available during HHN without crowds and waiting in long lines.

📝You can enjoy these HHN food and drink offerings without the stress of planning around haunted houses, Nightmare Fuel showtimes, peak HHN crowds, AND you don't have to worry about waiting in line for the HHN Freestyle cup or HHN Souvenir Blinky cup.

📝 Having these items available buffet-style makes it convenient and easy to grab your food and go. Which again, really beats waiting in long lines for the food booths during HHN.

Taste of Terror Cons

❌ Not all of the HHN 2023 food & beverage items are offered

❌  You don’t get one of the themed FEDRA ration cans to keep during Taste of Terror

❌ No Scareactors walking around like there were during Universal Orlando's Scareactor Dinning Experience

❌ Universal Orlando did not release menus in advance,  making it hard to determine whether the event would be worth it

Is It Worth the Price?

If you can drink and eat a lot and are able to try everything, Iwould say it's worth it.

 Alcohol is unlimited so you could go ham if you wanted.  The vibes and atmosphere are great. There are multiple tables to sit and eat, which during HHN is a hot commodity.

Food lines for Halloween Horror Nights can be extremely long at times, so doing the Taste of Terror event allows you to try some of this year’s food, leaving you more time for the Haunted Houses + Scare Zones during HHN.

For a price comparison, most items  at Halloween Horror Nights cost $5.00-15.00, $4-8.00 for a dessert, and $10-15.00 for a 12 oz. drink. Blinky Cups cost about $15.00 and The Coca-Cola Freestyle cups are  $18.00.

Overall Review of Taste of Terror

This is an awesome, relaxed  event for foodies. Especially foodies who are too afraid to attend  Halloween Horror Nights! There's no lines for food or drinks and plenty of seating.

The themed food booths around Universal Studios Florida are only open during HHN event nights, which means you have to attend the event to try the food. With Taste of Terror, you can easily enjoy some of the highlights of the offerings in an extremely chill setting.

Taste of Terror event gives you the opportunity to try a good variety of items without waiting in a long line for a food booth to only to find out you hate the Hellfire Trifle's spicy mango cayenne filling.

After trying several food and drink items at Taste of Terror, you'll  know which items you'll want to order during HHN.  With you already having a HHN Freestyle and blinky cup, it'll also save you time and help you get a jump start on those discounted refills during HHN.

I did appreciate the themed tables in each section, but It would have been nice to have a few Scareactors walking around. I also wish we would have been given the can from The Last of Us.

If Taste of Terror was an option on select nights during Halloween Horror Nights, I would absolutely buy 1 more ticket to avoid the long food lines during HHN.

Review: Halloween Horror Nights 2023 Taste of Terror Event at Universal Orlando Resort!