REVIEW: Can a Hot Dog Change Your Life? Apparently, This One at Epic Universe Can

Planning a trip to Epic Universe soon and really want to make sure you know ALL of the options available to you?! Look no further because you’ve come to the right place!

Celestial Park

We’re trying out EVERY place you can stop to dine, snack, and drink your way around Universal’s newest park. We recently stopped by Comet Dogs at Epic Universe and are bringing you our FULL review!

Background

At Comet Dogs, you can treat your tastebuds to out-of-this-world hot dogs with all the best toppings. Its location inside of Celestial Park allows for the perfect opportunity to grab a bite and enjoy the music and sights of the Constellation Carousel.

©Universal

Don’t get too attached to a specific flavor though because you never know when they’ll blast off from the menu and trade out with a few new ones seasonally (more to come on that later)!

Atmosphere

Comet Dogs is a small snack stand you’ll find sitting in the shadow of Constellation Carousel in Celestial Park of Epic Universe. It has a menu on two digital screens, which includes three galactic choices of hot dogs along with several beverages to choose from.

Don’t worry — if these choices aren’t quite the cosmic blast off of flavor you’re looking for and you’re more prone to a familiar and tame hot dog option, the Team Members are happy to assist with taking off toppings or stripping the hot dogs down to their plain form (which comes in especially handy when ordering for kids).

Comet Dogs stand

We were also surprised to see a vegan hot dog option on the menu, too! This one is made of a roasted carrot in place of the all-beef dog, seasoned to taste like a true hot dog. Interesting to say the least, but we’ll leave that option for a future visit to try!

Sadly, though, that’s all you find here. This isn’t the type of snack stand where you can order a hot dog with a side and a beverage to make a full meal. If you’re not looking for all the extra bells and whistles, though, that could be a great option, but if you find yourself in search of something quick, easy, and a little more than just a hot dog, you shouldn’t expect to grab more than the dog and a drink here!

Food & Drinks

We grabbed the Bulgogi Hot Dog for $13.99. This hot dog comes topped with kimchi slaw, salsa verde, and yuzu aioli. Our first impression of this hot dog really struck a chord with its outer shell — the bun. We loved that it was more of a sandwich roll feel to it, that’s soft on the inside and yet buttered and lightly toasted on the outside edges. But the hot dog wasn’t really what you would expect a standard “hot dog” to look like. To us, this took on the appearance of a seasoned sausage look and feel, like what you might expect Bulgogi to look and taste like.

All that to say, though, we really liked this one! It’s peppery but not spicy in a hot, burning way — it is heavily seasoned. The sausage is round but split down the middle and grilled, which we appreciated, since it allowed for plenty of room to nestle in those yummy toppings. The pickled, vinegary taste of the kimchi slaw and the creamy tang of the yuzu aioli, all against the sweetness of the Bulgogi sausage, were a great combination.

However, we took issue with the steeper price, but do recognize that it truly is more of a gourmet style hot dog over a standard theme park hot dog that could take eating several in one setting to fill you up.

Magic or Tragic?

This Epic Universe restaurant is a must-visit if…

You’re someone who really enjoys an adventurous hot dog! If you don’t mind some twisted flavors and weird toppings on your hot dog, it’s worth a try.
Looking for an Epic Universe eat with a GREAT walkability score? Look no further, this is one of the most walkable meals you can grab in the entire park.
You don’t need a big meal to fill you up. If your cravings are satisfied by a hot dog and a drink, and you don’t need much else with your meal to be sustained, why spring for all the extras when you don’t have to?!

You should skip this Epic Universe spot if…

You need seating. While this is a great meal option to grab and take with you, don’t expect to find any nearby seating — unless you’re headed to sit by the Celestial Park fountains for a while.
You like extras or choices in your menu. Hot dogs are beverages are all that’s served at this snack stand. No pretzels, no chips, no extra sides.
SHADE. Celestial Park might be most known for its curb appeal, but not exactly the best place in the park to be when you’re looking to get out of the sun for a bit. You’ll have to walk to the outer edges of the world to find shaded areas or into another portal to find somewhere to duck into while you eat.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Epic Universe and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Universal news and more!