The Thirsty Fish at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, one of the three on-site hotels at Universal Orlando, is a small cafe-style lounge that sits at the bay’s edge. It features wine, beer, cocktails, and a small menu of items for snacking.
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The Thirsty Fish at Portofino Bay Hotel.
As with my review of Royal Pacific’s Orchid Court Sushi Bar, what makes Thirsty Fish a best kept secret is that fact that so many guests don’t realize Universal has on-site hotels, let alone that the hotels have such impressive venues such as The Thirsty Fish.
Indoor seating.
Outdoor seating overlooking the Harbor Piazza.
Imagine this: It is early evening, the sun is setting in the background, you and your wife are sitting down in a beautiful outdoor plaza overlooking Portofino bay, sipping on wine, listening to live music, and watching your fellow travelers coming and going from the nearby water taxi dock. The shops and boutiques around the bay bustle with activity. All of a sudden it’s 8:00pm, and a small group of Italian opera signers walk out onto a patio across the plaza from you. For the next twenty minutes their songs fill the air as the romance of the evening fills your senses.
The Thirsty Fish share a building with Bice next to the bay.
My friend, you are at Thirsty Fish. Sure, it takes just a pinch of imagination to complete the feel, but not as much as you might think.
OI tip Portofino Bay Hotel is located next to Hard Rock Hotel, which sits next to Universal Studios Florida. If you want to stretch your legs, I highly recommend walking from the parks to Thirsty Fish. The pathway, which starts just next to the main gates at USF, takes you along the landscaped waterway connecting the hotels and the parks. It is a very lovely and relaxing walk, and when you take the final turn onto Portofino property, you great an incredible view of the hotel. If you’re tired, you can also take the complimentary water taxis (they only start asking to see room keys in the late evening).
Official website: http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Portofino-Bay-Hotel/dining/lounges
Map
Complete photo gallery
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Dan is a former Universal Orlando team member, student at UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management, and the OI guy who works full-time to bring you the very best Universal vacation planning information. Originally from St. Paul, MN, Dan now lives in Ocoee, FL (on the edge of Orlando) with his wife Rosie, their daughter Noa, and a new baby on the way!