The Tipsy Housewife Travels, 11 E. Walton, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL (2026)

06/18/2026

This is just my personal opinion and I welcome any other drink ideas.

06/18/2026

Disney Adult Tip: My 3 Favorite Year-Round EPCOT Cocktails

One thing I get asked all the time is what I drink at EPCOT when there isn't a festival happening. While the festival booths are fun, these are the three cocktails I order over and over again because they're always available and they come with some of my favorite places to sit, relax, people-watch, and escape the crowds for a little while.

🍊 Aperol Spritz – Italy Pavilion

My number one EPCOT cocktail is the Aperol Spritz from the wine cellar tucked behind Tutto Italia in the Italy Pavilion.

Most people walk right past this spot. If you head toward the back of the pavilion, past the main restaurant patio, you'll find the entrance to the wine cellar. This serves as the service bar for the restaurant, but it's also a walk-up bar. There is usually a host stationed outside who lets guests in as space becomes available.

I don't know what kind of magic these bartenders are working back there, but they make the best Aperol Spritz I've had anywhere. The Prosecco always tastes fresh, they never seem to skimp on the Aperol, and every single one I've ordered has been perfectly balanced.

This is one of my favorite places in EPCOT to take a break. It's cool, shaded, and usually much quieter than the main walkways. If the pizza window nearby is open, you can sit with your drink and watch people grabbing slices and coming and going through the pavilion. It's some of the best people-watching in the park. I usually order two and enjoy a nice long break before continuing around World Showcase.

💜 Violet Sake – Japan Pavilion

My second favorite drink is the Violet Sake from the little sake stand in the center of the Japan Pavilion.
I believe it’s called the garden house.

This drink is beautiful. It's vibrant purple, slightly sweet, surprisingly boozy, and one of those cocktails that feels very EPCOT to me.

After you grab your drink, walk toward the side of the pavilion where the small flowing stream and waterfall run through the gardens. Follow the pathway up the gentle incline and you'll find a quiet seating area surrounded by bamboo and landscaping that many people never notice. There are tables tucked away up there, plenty of shade, and even a hidden restroom nearby.

It's one of my favorite places to cool off, sit for a few minutes, and enjoy a cocktail away from the crowds. If you've ever needed a peaceful moment during a busy EPCOT day, this is one of my favorite spots in the entire park.

🥒 Hendrick's Gin & Tonic – Rose & Crown Pub

My third favorite drink can be found inside the Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom Pavilion.

I know a gin and tonic sounds simple, but this one is exceptional. The tonic they use is fantastic and really makes the drink. I always order it with Hendrick's Gin and usually ask for a double. Last time I checked, the upcharge wasn't much, though Disney prices change all the time so don't hold me to that.

What makes this drink special is how refreshing it is. It's loaded with ice, garnished with lime and thin slices of cucumber, and served perfectly cold. On a hot Florida afternoon, it hits the spot every single time.

After you get your drink, don't stop at the crowded bar. Outside the pub you'll see the host stand, and across from it is the walk-up beer kiosk. Between those two spots is a small pathway that leads down to a tucked-away patio area overlooking the lagoon. It's not reserved for restaurant guests, and anyone can sit there.

For whatever reason, it always seems empty. I can't count how many times I've enjoyed a drink down there with hardly anyone else around. It's one of my favorite hidden seating areas in all of EPCOT.

If you're a fellow Disney Adult, tell me your favorite year-round EPCOT cocktail. I'm always looking for something new to try on my next lap around World Showcase.

06/17/2026

One thing I've learned since starting this travel page is that there are a lot of different ways to travel, and not every travel creator travels the same way.

So I thought I'd share the kind of traveler I am so you can decide if my style aligns with yours.

I am not a thrill-seeker. I don't chase roller coasters, I don't need to ride every attraction, and I rarely feel the need to be first in line for anything.

I am a slow traveler.

I like sleeping in on vacation. I like having coffee on a balcony. I like wandering around a resort with no particular destination. I love finding a comfortable chair by a pool and spending hours reading a book while occasionally ordering a cocktail and a snack.

I travel for atmosphere more than adventure.

One of my favorite things to do is sit in a hotel lobby and people-watch. I notice the music, the landscaping, the smell of the lobby, the comfort of the beds, the quality of the coffee, and whether the staff makes guests feel welcome. Sometimes I think I pay more attention to the hotel than the destination itself.

Food is also a huge part of how I travel.

I will happily plan an entire day around a restaurant reservation. I love finding unique local foods, hidden gems, classic cocktails, bakeries, supper clubs, resort lounges, and signature dishes. Some people collect souvenirs. I collect meals.

If I'm visiting a new city, I'm usually looking for the hole-in-the-wall places before I look for a fine dining establishment. I'm talking about the kind of place where someone tells me there's a person selling incredible homemade food out of the trunk of their car. That's where you'll find me before you find me at a Michelin-starred restaurant, although I enjoy those too.

I also tend to travel alone quite a bit, which means I travel at my own pace. If I want to spend three hours sitting by a lake, looking at a castle, watching boats go by, or enjoying a quiet resort afternoon, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

At Disney, you'll find me riding Carousel of Progress and sitting in resort lounges more often than you'll find me on a thrill ride.

In Wisconsin and Michigan, you'll find me sitting by the water with a brandy old fashioned, hanging out at a supper club, bowling alley, or corner bar, or entertaining family and friends at home with a huge dinner. I love filling the house with people, good food, and plenty of laughter.

I'm also fortunate that I don't have to travel on too tight of a budget. Mr. Tipsy and I are D***s, double income, no kids, and we're both in our 50s. We're enjoying everything we can now instead of waiting until someday, because tomorrow isn't guaranteed and we're making the most of today.

I don't travel to check things off a list.

I travel to enjoy where I am.

If your perfect vacation involves a comfortable hotel, good food, a great view, a little bit of luxury, and absolutely no rushing around, then we might just be travel soulmates.

Tell me what kind of traveler you are. Are you a schedule every minute traveler, an adventure traveler, a food traveler, or a sit-by-the-pool-and-do-absolutely-nothing traveler like me?

06/17/2026

I got a lot of messages asking me about how I felt about universal versus Disney. This was my first time staying at Universal and I’ve only been to epic universe one time before last year when it opened. I am done with my trip so I put together my thoughts below ⬇️

After six days at Universal, I think I have finally figured out how to explain my feelings about this trip.

Before I say anything else, I think it's important to give some context because I realize I am probably not the typical Universal guest.

First, I usually travel to these destinations alone.

Second, I am not really a theme park person. I love Disney but I do not typically go to theme parks.

I know that sounds strange coming from someone who spends so much time at Disney, but I don't go to Disney for thrill rides. I don't like roller coasters. I don't spend my day trying to ride everything. I like the resorts, the food, the atmosphere, the landscaping, the people watching, and the little details.

I also don't watch many movies. In fact, I've probably only seen about twenty movies in my entire life. So a lot of the movie references, characters, and storylines that people are excited about at Universal simply don't connect with me the same way they do for other people.

I think that's important to understand before reading my thoughts.

After six days here, I have realized that I am probably just not a Universal person.

And that's completely okay.

That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with Universal.

It just means it isn't the type of vacation experience that speaks to me personally.

The first thing I will say is that the food was excellent.

In fact, I was shocked by how good the food was throughout my stay.

Some of the best meals I've had anywhere were during this trip. BiCE was phenomenal. Bar 17 Bistro was fantastic. The food at Portofino Bay was consistently excellent. Even Volcano Bay surprised me with how good the food was.

The resort itself was also wonderful.

I absolutely loved Portofino Bay.

If I lived in Florida, I could easily see myself booking a long weekend there every couple of months just to enjoy the pools, relax, read books, eat great food, and unwind.

The staff throughout the resort were exceptional.

Everyone was kind, welcoming, helpful, and professional.

My room was immaculate.

The bed was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I have ever slept in.

The housekeeping team was incredible.

I truly loved the resort.

At the same time, I could definitely feel the age of the property.

I know Portofino Bay dates back to the late 1990s, and while it has been maintained beautifully, there were moments where I could feel that age in the infrastructure, pathways, concrete, and some of the common areas. I feel this way about The Grand Floridian as well.

Disney has always impressed me with how aggressively they maintain, refresh, repaint, replant, and update things. There is a vibrancy that Disney somehow manages to preserve, even in older resorts.

That doesn't mean Portofino Bay wasn't beautiful.

It absolutely was.

It just felt different.

Another thing I struggled to explain throughout the week was the overall atmosphere.

I felt lonely.

Not unsafe.

Not uncomfortable.

Just lonely.

At Disney, even when I am traveling by myself, I never really feel alone.

People strike up conversations.

Families talk to each other.

Guests compare plans, share recommendations, discuss food, and help each other.

There is a camaraderie that I personally feel whenever I am on Disney property.

I never really felt that here.

In fact, many of the guests seemed to keep entirely to themselves.

There were also times where I felt like there was a language barrier for me with some guests, which is completely understandable when you're visiting an international destination. It simply meant that a lot of the casual conversations I usually end up having while traveling didn't happen. I only speak one other language besides english and I am not amways confident about it

I also noticed that guests seemed less respectful of shared spaces than what I am used to.

Again, Disney certainly has messy moments too.

No vacation destination is perfect.

But I frequently saw cups, wrappers, and trash left behind when there were garbage cans nearby.

The staff did a great job cleaning up after people, but I found myself noticing it more often than I expected.

The other thing that stood out to me was smoking.

There were ashtrays throughout the resort, and while they were being maintained, I often encountered cigarette smoke walking around the property. Many of the elevators smelled like cigarette smoke or ma*****na smoke.

Seeing the cigarette butts soaked from the daily rain storms all around and on these ashtrays just grosses me out after i accidentally drank a beer with a butt in it in college, so this is super gross to me.

Even when I went to Aventura for dinner, I came out of the elevator reeking of w**d. Again, no hate to anyone who enjoys that, i totally get and y’all should enjoy, i just don’t want to smell like that. I know some love it!

There is absolutely no judgment from me regarding what people choose to do.

It just isn't something I personally enjoy being around, and it affected my overall experience.

If you are looking for a smoker friendly resort, this is it!

I also didn't love CityWalk.

Again, that's more about me than it is about CityWalk.

It felt loud, crowded, and centered around a nightlife scene that just isn't my thing.

Then again, I don't spend much time at Disney Springs either, so this isn't really a criticism of Universal.

It's simply not how I enjoy spending my evenings.

The funny thing is that I spent almost no time in the parks.

Other than Volcano Bay, I chose to spend most of my trip enjoying the resort itself.

My friends, who are much bigger ride people than I am, absolutely loved the parks and repeatedly told me that Universal is far easier to navigate than Disney when it comes to Express Passes and ride access.

So if rides are your thing, your experience may be completely different than mine.

At the end of the day, I think this trip taught me something important.

Sometimes trying something different helps you understand what you truly love.

What I discovered is that what I love most about Disney has very little to do with rides.

It's the atmosphere.

It's the landscaping.

It's the flowers.

It's the music.

It's the attention to detail.

It's the feeling of familiarity.

Universal gave me a beautiful resort, excellent food, wonderful service, and a relaxing week by the pool.

Disney gives me a feeling that is hard to describe.

For me personally, that feeling is worth the difference.

Would I stay at Portofino Bay again?

Absolutely.

Would I choose Universal over Disney for a vacation?

Probably not.

But that says more about me than it does about Universal.

Because after spending six days here, I can confidently say there is a lot to love.

It just isn't my kind of magic.

06/16/2026

Sal’s Market Deli, Universal’s Portofino Bay Resort

06/16/2026

I cannot say enough good things about Portofino Bay Resort.

In fact, I loved it so much that after my first day there, I decided to spend most of my week actually enjoying the resort instead of running around to all the parks.

For the cost of staying there, I wanted to really experience what the resort had to offer.

I am not a huge rides person. My friends are much more intense theme park people than I am, and with the Florida summer heat in full force, I just was not in the mood to stand in lines all day. I love Florida heat when I am sitting next to an ocean or a pool. I do not love Florida heat when I am standing in line at a theme park.

At Disney, I know all my hiding spots.

Since I was new to Universal, I decided this was not the trip where I was going to try to figure all of that out.

Instead, I did a deep dive into the resort, and one of my favorite parts was checking out all three pools at Portofino Bay.

I love the Florida heat and sunshine, and if there is a beach or a pool, you will find me at it. There is nothing I love more than to sit and read by the water all day long.

I spent time at each of them, and while all three were great, I definitely have a favorite.

* all the pools had plenty of towels, so you do not need to bring a towel

** All three pools had lifts to help people into amd out of the pools that could not use the stairs or ladders. All three pools also were accessible by a mobility device either by a ramp or flat services that would accommodate wheelchairs or scooters.

👙The first pool I visited was the Beach Pool.

This is the main family pool at Portofino Bay. It has a sandy beach, a zero-entry pool area, a Roman aqueduct-themed water slide, a children’s pool, two hot tubs, cabanas, and Splendido Bar & Grill nearby for food and drinks.

There were plenty of chairs when I got there, and servers were walking around taking food and drink orders. If you are traveling with kids, this is absolutely the pool I would recommend. It has the most going on and definitely feels like the main activity pool.

Since I am not a huge fan of sand, this was not my personal favorite, but I still thought it was a really nice pool. My day there was cut a little short because a classic Florida summer thunderstorm rolled in and decided to stay for the rest of the day.

👙The next pool I tried was the Hillside Pool.

This one was located near the end of the East Wing, which was the building I was staying in. It is much quieter and more tucked away. There was no poolside server walking around while I was there, so I came prepared.

I stopped downstairs at Starbucks, grabbed my favorite drink and a ham and cheese croissant, brought my book, and spent the morning relaxing.

For most of the time I was there, I was literally the only person in the pool.

There were nice steps where I could sit and read, plenty of chairs, and a peaceful view near the water where you could see the boats going by. I could also hear music coming from Universal in the distance, but it was not loud or intrusive. It just made it feel like there was activity happening nearby.

There were not a ton of umbrellas in this area and the chairs were not as cushioned as the other pools, but I really enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and all the greenery around it.

Now let’s talk about my favorite.

👙The Villa Pool.

If I ever go back to Universal, one of the reasons I would stay at Portofino Bay again would be to spend a couple of days at this pool.

The Villa Pool is located directly across from the Beach Pool, and somehow I had completely missed it at first.

This pool is spectacular.

It feels more like a luxury resort pool in Italy than a theme park hotel pool.

The design is beautiful with different levels, gorgeous landscaping, flowering trees, palms, bushes, stonework, and so many pretty little areas to sit and relax. Whatever flowers and plants they planted were so fragrant. It just smelled amazing over there as well.

The lounge chairs were beautiful and comfortable with soft cushions and fluffy white terry cloth chair covers. There were plenty of towels, spa water, spotless bathrooms, outdoor showers, and a hot tub and cold plunge area.

There were also beautiful cabanas available to rent. When I asked, they were around $175 for the day, although cabana prices can vary. The cabanas included loungers, comfortable furniture, a refrigerator, and a big screen TV. If I ever go back, I would absolutely rent one.

The music around the Villa Pool was perfect. It was Italian-themed with a mix of classic Italian music, Dean Martin-style songs, and retro American Italian music. It created such a great atmosphere without being too loud.

The poolside service was also fantastic. The server working that day was incredible. There was a great menu of food and cocktails, and I had two drinks that I loved.

For me, as a childless adult traveling, I would choose the Villa Pool every single time.

This is also the one and only place I actually had conversations with other guests staying at the resort. I’ll talk more about this in my wrapup post about universal versus Disney. But I felt very lonely at this resort as no one really talks to one another, which is very much unlike Disney. But at this pool, it was a very friendly atmosphere with a lot of camaraderie, but not too much where it felt annoying.

If you have older kids who are able to swim independently, I think it would be perfect to rent a cabana at the Villa Pool and let them go back and forth between the Villa Pool and the Beach Pool.

One thing to note: I saw plenty of lifeguards at the Beach Pool, but I did not notice lifeguards at the Villa Pool or the Hillside Pool while I was there.

All three pools were great for different reasons.

Beach Pool is best for families and kids.

Hillside Pool is best for quiet and privacy.

Villa Pool is best for a peaceful, beautiful, resort-style pool day.

For me, the Villa Pool was the winner by a mile.

It had immaculate old-school resort energy. Almost like old Las Vegas meets Italian villa meets Florida vacation.

I loved it.

06/16/2026

Despite being a Disney Annual Passholder and having been to Walt Disney World more times than I can count, I somehow had never spent a full day at Hollywood Studios.

I don't know why. In my brain, Hollywood Studios always felt inconvenient. I know that makes absolutely no sense because it's not inconvenient at all, but for whatever reason it was always the park I skipped. This trip, while we were staying at Universal, we decided to spend a day at Disney before heading over to EPCOT for After Hours that evening, and I finally gave Hollywood Studios the attention it deserved.

And let me tell you, I was shocked by how much I enjoyed the park itself.

My main mission for the day was lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby. This is one of those Disney restaurants people talk about constantly, and I had built it up in my head for years. Unfortunately, my experience was a bit of a letdown. Before anyone comes for me, I will absolutely give it another try because this very well could have been an off day.

Things got off to an odd start when my friend got stuck on a ride and wasn't sure she'd make our reservation. I checked in and explained that I was happy to dine alone if she couldn't make it, but there seemed to be some confusion about why I would keep a reservation for two if only one person was there. After a brief conversation, I was seated, though it felt a little awkward.

I ended up tucked behind a pole, and between that and how dark the dining room was, I never really got to take in the atmosphere everyone raves about. The room felt much dimmer and less lively than I expected.

The bright spot right away was my server, Said, who was absolutely wonderful. Friendly, attentive, and welcoming from the start. He immediately brought water and I ordered the famous Grapefruit Cake Martini while I waited for my friend.

Then came one of the more bizarre dining experiences I've had at Disney.

A child at the table next to me started coughing. No big deal. Kids are kids, and Disney is full of families. I genuinely don't get bothered by children being children. But the coughing turned into choking, and then vomiting... and instead of taking the child to the restroom, the adults at the table handed him a soup bowl and allowed him to continue getting sick right there at the table.

For about 20 minutes…

Obviously, it was a little icky to be watching somebody get sick like that while at a restaurant but more so I was concerned for the kid being on display for everyone while he was having a vulnerable moment. There was more than enough time in between sick sessions that an adult could have taken him to the bathroom.

The parents were mostly looking at their phones while the grandparents looked increasingly concerned. Eventually the grandmother finally insisted the child be taken to the restroom. It was honestly more confusing than anything else. The poor kid clearly wasn't feeling well, and it just seemed like there were multiple opportunities to get him somewhere more comfortable and private.

Needless to say, it wasn't exactly setting the mood for lunch.

The bread service arrived and was good. Nothing life changing, but good. The salted butter was probably my favorite part. The Grapefruit Cake Martini was decent, although the cream seemed a little curdled, which made it less enjoyable than I hoped.

While waiting for my friend, I ordered the Prosciutto Croquettes and now for the good news: these were fantastic. Crispy, flavorful, and easily my favorite thing I ate all day.

Once my friend arrived, neither of us wanted a heavy lunch because it was blazing hot outside, so we both ordered the famous Cobb Salad.

I know people LOVE this salad.

It just didn't do it for me.

Everything tasted fresh, but the dressing felt underwhelming and despite containing what seemed like half a hog's worth of bacon, the overall flavor was surprisingly bland. I kept waiting for something to pop and it never really happened.

After lunch, my friend wanted to share a slice of the famous Grapefruit Cake because it held a lot of nostalgic memories for her and her mom. The moment it arrived, she immediately noticed it wasn't the same cake she remembered. She said it used to have beautiful pink layers, while this version was more of a plain white cake with grapefruit glaze drizzled over the top.

The French press coffee was excellent.

The cake, unfortunately, was not.

The best way I can describe it is that it tasted freezer burned. Not just slightly stale, but noticeably freezer burned to the point where neither of us really wanted to finish it.

So all in all, between the unusual dining room situation and food that never quite lived up to the hype, Hollywood Brown Derby ended up being one of the more disappointing Disney meals I've had.

Ironically, one of my Disney friends who has taste buds very similar to mine warned me ahead of time that I probably wouldn't love it.

Turns out he knows me pretty well.

That said, I absolutely loved Hollywood Studios itself and I can already tell this won't be my last visit. As for Hollywood Brown Derby? I'll give it another chance someday. Even Disney legends deserve a second date.

06/15/2026

Hi Friends!

I've noticed quite a few new followers lately, so I thought I'd take a minute to introduce myself and explain what you'll find here.

My name is April, but most people know me as The Tipsy Housewife. While many of you may know me from my recipe page, this page is where I share my travel adventures, hotel stays, dining experiences, road trips, and all the little details I discover along the way.

I am based in Chicago, but I spend a lot of my time traveling. One of my biggest passions is Walt Disney World and Disneyland. I'm an annual passholder and have spent years exploring the parks, resorts, restaurants, lounges, bars, and hidden gems. While I enjoy the rides and attractions, what really fascinates me is the food, drinks, resorts, and overall guest experience. If there's a snack, cocktail, bakery item, lounge menu, or hotel room to investigate, I'm probably already on it.

That said, Disney isn't the only thing you'll find here.

I also spend a lot of time at our second home in Watersmeet, Michigan, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula just over the Wisconsin border. Because of that, you'll often see me exploring the Northwoods of Wisconsin and Michigan, discovering small towns, supper clubs, local restaurants, resorts, roadside attractions, and hidden gems that many travelers might otherwise miss.

You'll also find cruises, city trips, beach vacations, weekend getaways, hotel reviews, theme parks, and whatever other adventure I happen to wander into.

One thing that's important to know about this page is that my goal is to provide helpful information. When I share a hotel, restaurant, attraction, cruise, or business, I'm sharing my personal experience in hopes that it helps someone else plan a trip, save money, avoid mistakes, or discover something they may enjoy.

A few quick housekeeping rules:

• This page is not a complaint department.

• If you've had a personal issue with a hotel, restaurant, attraction, or business that I feature, please feel free to address it with that business directly or share it on your own page. This page is not intended to be a place for airing personal grievances.

• It's perfectly fine if you had a different experience than I did, but repeated negativity, unnecessary complaints, or attempts to derail conversations about a destination or business won't be tolerated.

• Anyone who is rude, hostile, insulting, or unkind to me or other followers will be blocked and banned. Life is too short, vacations are too expensive, and there are too many beautiful places to see for us to spend our time fighting in Facebook comments.

• We can absolutely disagree, but we can do so respectfully.

• Compliments, travel tips, recommendations, and stories about your own adventures are always welcome. Some of my favorite discoveries have come from suggestions made by followers.

For those of you who found me through travel and don't know about my other page, I also run The Tipsy Housewife recipe page where I share Midwest-inspired recipes, cocktails, comfort food, and family favorites. Many of my followers enjoy both pages because, let's be honest, half of traveling is figuring out what we're going to eat.

Thank you for being here. Whether you've followed me for years or just discovered this page yesterday, I appreciate every one of you who reads, comments, shares recommendations, and allows me to take you along on my adventures.

Now tell me where you're from and what's your favorite place you've ever traveled to!

06/15/2026

I went to Zero Universal Parks and I am not mad about it.

06/15/2026

Yesterday I finally left the beautiful grounds of Portofino Bay for one reason and one reason only.

I wanted to check out Bar 17 Bistro at the top of Aventura Hotel.

Several people had recommended it to me because of the rooftop views and the Korean-inspired menu, and as someone who spent over a decade working for a Taiwanese family and has a deep appreciation for Asian food, I was very curious.

I ended up taking an Uber from Portofino Bay, which cost about $10 and dropped me right at the front entrance of the hotel.

One thing I loved right away is that there is a dedicated elevator in the lobby that goes directly to the 17th floor where the restaurant and rooftop bar are located. No wandering around trying to figure out where you're going.

I arrived around 6:30 PM thinking I had perfectly timed sunset.

Turns out sunset wasn't until 8:30 PM.

We'll save that story for another day.

The second those elevator doors opened, I understood why people rave about this place.

The rooftop is absolutely stunning.

You get incredible panoramic views of the Universal Orlando Resort area. You can see Volcano Bay, Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and in the distance you can see the beautiful Helios Grand Hotel and Epic Universe.

The side facing the setting sun was pretty intense heat-wise when I arrived, so I chose a table facing Helios instead, which ended up being perfect.

I had a wonderful server named Jennifer who took great care of me throughout the evening.

I started with their version of an Old Fashioned, which was refreshing, balanced, and a perfect sipping cocktail while taking in the views.

For my second drink, I ordered one of their watermelon cocktails, which was equally refreshing and exactly the kind of thing you want on a hot Florida evening.

One thing that surprised me about Bar 17 Bistro is that the menu isn't just typical rooftop bar food.

There are strong Korean influences throughout the menu and a lot of dishes that felt unique compared to what you'll find elsewhere on Universal property.

I started with the Korean Grazing Board.

This may have been my favorite thing I ate.

It included a delicious gochujang pimento cheese served with honey butter potato chips, sweet Asian pear slices, cold grapes, dumplings with a spicy chili dipping sauce, seaw**d snacks, and several other little bites that all worked together beautifully.

Every time I thought I had found my favorite thing on the board, I discovered another bite I liked just as much.

I also ordered the Banchan Board.

If you've never had Korean food before, banchan refers to the variety of small side dishes traditionally served alongside a Korean meal.

This board featured a collection of Korean-inspired pickled vegetables, fermented items, and other small bites designed for sharing.

I especially loved all of the pickled components. They were bright, refreshing, flavorful, and balanced out some of the richer items on the grazing board.

The funny thing is that both of these dishes are really meant for sharing.

Since I was dining alone, I was full long before I wanted to be.

There were at least ten other things on the menu I wanted to try.

The Korean Fried Chicken, Bao Buns, and several other dishes all sounded fantastic.

This is definitely a place I would return to with friends so we could order half the menu and share everything.

Between the food, the cocktails, the views, and the atmosphere, Bar 17 Bistro ended up being one of my favorite discoveries of this trip.

Even if you don't order a full meal, I think it's worth making the trip for a cocktail and the view alone.

Just maybe double check the sunset time before you go.

Check the captions of the photos for descriptions.

The Tipsy Housewife Travels

06/18/2026

06/18/2026

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

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