REVIEW: Garlic Bread and Hauntingly Good Drinks – The Burning Blade Tavern at Epic Universe

The Burning Blade Tavern is located in Dark Universe, to the left of Frankenstein Manor. The entrance is also behind the Curse of the Werewolf attraction.

The Burning Blade Tavern is based on the flaming windmill seen near the end of the classic “Frankenstein” film. The exterior is shaped like a run-down wooden windmill with a tavern built into the lower half of the building. There is a section of outdoor tables with a roof structure that leads into a second, indoor seating area. Keeping with the name, the blades of the windmill periodically catch fire throughout the day.

The inside of The Burning Blade Tavern matches the wooden, somewhat run-down exterior appearance. The tavern is supposed to be a gathering place for the Hounds, the in-universe band of monster hunters who protect the citizens of Darkmoor. The area behind the main bar is covered in the stuffed heads of monsters and some of the weapons used to defeat them.

Stay tuned for our full photo tour of The Burning Blade Tavern.

Check out the full menu (with prices) for The Burning Blade Tavern.

Burning Cheddar Bites (Vegetarian) – $11.99

Crispy fried poppers with siracha ranch

There is a little spice kick in the poppers themselves, but the overall flavor is basic cheese. The siracha ranch is a serious improvement, and we highly recommend dipping. These work as a general bar snack, but we wouldn’t rush to get these over some of the other items on the menu.

Rating out of 7: 5

Hunter’s Garlic Stake (Vegetarian) – $11.99

Crispy garlic butter pretzel with garlic dipping sauce

Getting the salt topping everywhere is kind of inevitable when eating this. The pretzel bread is soft and very buttery, with just the right amount of garlic. The sauce has a lot more of the garlic flavor and isn’t as creamy as we would like. The theming of the dagger-shaped bread and custom paper makes this a win for presentation.

Rating out of 7: 6

Charred Loaded Potato – $11.49

Hickory char-crusted, Monterey Jack, sour cream, jalapeño bacon, and chives

To get the best bite, you need to mix all of the toppings and break the bacon into smaller bites. It has a very strong smoky flavor, in a good way. This potato grows more addictive over time. The portion is great for the price, the bacon is perfect, and the outside of the potato is crispy.

Rating out of 7: 7

Burning Blade Burger – $12.99

4 oz. black angus patty with American cheese, caramelized onions, jalapeño bacon on a potato bun

Though it looks nothing like the online pictures, this is one of the better Epic Universe burgers. The bacon was small, but the patty was amazing. You can taste the grilled smoky flavor on the meat, plus the house chips were good too. The black burger bun will still stain your insides, but this is worth it.

Rating out of 7: 7

Staked Grilled Chicken – $11.49

Char-crusted chicken skewer with garlic naan, garlic tzatziki sauce, shaved cabbage, and salsa roja

The chicken was cooked well, though it was nothing spectacular. The garlic naan was nicely seasoned with just enough garlic to not overpower the salsa, which was excellent. We would rank this higher, but we wish there was a little more chicken for the price.

Rating out of 7: 5

Monocane (Non-alcoholic) – $12

Monin Pineapple syrup, Monin Blue Raspberry syrup, Monin Passion Fruit syrup, emerald luster dust, and Sprite mocktail

This green drink comes in a hard plastic flask that guests can take home as a souvenir. The flavors of the Sprite, pineapple, and passion fruit mix well to create a fun fruity drink. While this beverage is definitely leaning on the aesthetics, we would be happy to order it again.

Rating out of 7: 6

Lagoon’ita – $16.25

Bacardi Superior, Pallini limoncello, green color, lime, blackberries, and mint sprig

The drink is nice and refreshing. It is not nearly as syrupy as the description suggests, plus it has a nice balance of tart and sweet. It is definitely a rum drink, but not so much that you can’t taste the other flavors. The presentation is inspired by the Creature from the Black Lagoon, which is an added bonus.

Rating out of 7: 7

My Only Weakness – $16.25

Hayman’s London Dry gin, Aperol, Bols cherry brandy, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, Angostura orange bitters, and soda water, with a lemon wheel and a cherry

This drink really confirmed for us that whoever created the beverages for The Burning Blade Tavern must live in Orlando, because this was another refreshing beverage perfect for the outdoor heat. It has a hint of rosemary or herbal aftertaste, but it is not overpowering at all.

Rating out of 7: 7

Pure of Heart – $18

Misguided Spirits Hinky Dink’s Workingman’s Whiskey, The Bitter Truth Violet liqueur, DeKuyper Creme de Cassis, lime juice, pineapple juice, honey syrup, and blackberry essence, topped with ginger beer

The violet liquor is the dominating flavor in this drink. We wish the other ingredients were a little more present, and the texture is just a bit sticky. It is definitely still solid, but this was one of the weaker beverage options on a menu stacked with 6 and 7 ratings.

Rating out of 7: 5

Crossbow– $14

Darkthorne Mead and Strongbow Gold Apple Cider

The Crossbow is a version of the Darkthorne Mead that is mixed with Strongbow Gold Cider. The cider cuts through some of the sweetness from the berries in the mead. You get more of the upfront bubbling of the cider. We prefer the mead by itself, but this is still a solid choice.

Rating out of 7: 5

Reaper’s Reserve – $13

Classic brown ale with nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon, exclusive to Epic Universe | 5% ABV | Florida

This had a surprising cream soda flavor we weren’t expecting, so much so that we initially thought it was a different drink. It has a flavor similar to Butterbeer, though definitely heavier. We would almost prefer this in a smaller size, because it would be difficult to finish alone.

Rating out of 7: 6

Darkthorne Mead – $14

A blackcurrant-boysenberry session mead infused with pink peppercorn

While somewhat similar to the drink at Mead Hall, this has a stronger presence of boysenberry. It doesn’t look fizzy to the eye, but it does have a bubbling sensation when you actually take a sip. We had nothing negative to say, this was excellent.

Rating out of 7: 7

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen – $13.50

Rauchbier | 5.1% ABV | Germany

The beechwood smoke is easy to smell from a distance, and is even more present when you actually taste it. There are definitely people who like wood-heavy drinks, but we are not those people. Our reporters commented this was like “drinking wood” and “tastes like a Home Depot.”

Rating out of 7: 2

Stay tuned for our complete video review of The Burning Blade Tavern.