Halloween Horror Nights may be known for terrifying haunted houses and scare zones, but the food has become a huge part of the experience, too. And this year, Universal Orlando has once again found some seriously creative ways to make the menu just as memorable—and sometimes just as disturbing—as the scares.
Our media team was invited by Universal Orlando to attend opening night of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida, which gave us the opportunity to experience the event and try several of this year’s specialty food items.
With so many options available throughout the event, narrowing down what to eat can be difficult. So, we’re making it a little easier!
Based on a combination of taste, creativity and theming, these were some of our favorite Halloween Horror Nights food items we tried—and the ones we think deserve a spot on your list.
El’s Battery Jerky – $16.99
Creamy Mac ’n cheese with garlic bread and battery jerky pieces
📍 Location: Stranger Things food booth
This one immediately caught our attention because of the presentation.
El’s Battery Jerky is served inside a themed can, making it one of those HHN foods that you’ll probably want to take a picture of before digging in.
Thankfully, it isn’t all about the presentation.
The mac ’n cheese itself was creamy and comforting, while the pieces of beef jerky added another flavor and texture that worked surprisingly well with it. Add the garlic bread, and you have a filling option that feels like more of a meal than a quick snack.
We love when HHN food manages to incorporate the theme without sacrificing taste, and El’s Battery Jerky accomplished both.
Lasagna Burn – $10.99
Szechuan pork potsticker lasagna
📍 Location: Evil Dead Burn food booth
We’re giving you the warning we wish we had before ordering this one:
It is SPICY. 🌶️
And that’s coming from someone who actually enjoys spicy food!
The Lasagna Burn combines Szechuan pork potstickers with the concept of lasagna for an unusual mashup that somehow works. There’s plenty of heat here, so we wouldn’t recommend going into this one expecting a mild dish.
Despite the spice level catching us completely off guard, it was still really tasty.
If you’re someone who loves spicy food and wants to try one of the more unusual savory dishes at Halloween Horror Nights, this is definitely one to consider.
Just maybe have a drink ready to go with it!
Meat Grinder Red Velvet – $8.99
Freshly ground red velvet cake with cream cheese icing, raspberry sauce and puffed rice maggots
📍 Location: Fearful Fare food booth
Okay, THIS might win for the most creative food item we saw all night.
The Meat Grinder Red Velvet looks exactly like something you probably shouldn’t be eating—which, of course, makes it absolutely perfect for Halloween Horror Nights.
The red velvet cake is presented as if it has been freshly pushed through a meat grinder, while raspberry sauce adds an appropriately gruesome finishing touch. And then there are the puffed rice “maggots.”
Appetizing? Maybe not.
Perfectly themed for HHN? Absolutely.
But don’t let the appearance stop you from trying it because underneath all of that gruesome theming is actually a really good dessert. The red velvet cake paired perfectly with the cream cheese icing and raspberry sauce.
It looks gross, but we promise—it tastes WAY better than it looks!
For the combination of presentation, theming and taste, this was easily one of the standouts of the entire night.
Annie’s Juke Joint Catfish & Grits – $11.99
Crispy catfish with low country grits, crunchy garlic and a side of Tabasco
📍 Location: Sinners booth in Café La Bamba
If you’re looking for something that feels more like an actual dish and less like a novelty Halloween snack, Annie’s Juke Joint Catfish & Grits was one of our favorites.
The catfish was crispy, the grits were comforting and the crunchy garlic added another layer of texture and flavor.
What we appreciated most about this dish was that it didn’t need an over-the-top presentation to stand out.
It’s flavorful, crispy and satisfying without feeling like you’re eating another novelty theme-park snack.
Add a little Tabasco if you want some extra heat, and you’ve got one of the more filling savory options we tried during the night.
Carn “Evil” Smash Tacos – $14.99
Smashed cheeseburger tacos, American cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, secret sauce and toasted sesame seeds
📍 Location: Jack’s Surplus food booth
Burger? Taco?
Why choose?
The Carn “Evil” Smash Tacos combine the flavors of a classic cheeseburger with freshly made tortillas, and this ended up being another favorite of the night.
They were super flavorful, with American cheese, lettuce, pickles and secret sauce delivering that familiar classic burger taste.
But what really stood out to us were the tortillas.
They tasted incredibly fresh and helped make this feel like much more than simply putting a cheeseburger inside a tortilla.
If you want something savory, filling and a little less adventurous than some of the other HHN creations, this is a great choice.
Halloween Horror Nights Food Is Part of the Experience
One of our favorite things about Halloween Horror Nights is that Universal doesn’t stop the theming at the haunted houses.
The creativity carries over into the food, and some of these dishes feel like attractions of their own.
Where else are you going to order dessert out of a meat grinder, eat mac ’n cheese out of a themed battery can and follow it up with cheeseburger tacos?
Of everything we tried on opening night, these five stood out because they weren’t just interesting to look at. We actually enjoyed eating them, too.
And that’s an important distinction because when you’re spending an entire night walking through haunted houses and scare zones, you’re eventually going to need something more substantial than a photo-worthy snack!
If you’re heading to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida, we recommend arriving hungry and adding a few of these to your list.
Our media team will be sharing even more from Halloween Horror Nights, including our thoughts on the houses, scare zones, food and our experience taking an RIP Tour, so be sure to follow along for more tips before your visit.
And if you’re ready to plan a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, an Academy Travel agent can help you plan your vacation at no additional cost, including your hotel, theme park tickets and Halloween Horror Nights plans.
Now we want to know: Which HHN food are you trying first?
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