Food!!!!! It's not worth the time. Hawaiian Malasadas are NOT like the ones they sold. Bismarcks…read moreare what they are. Pancit was tasteless. Chicken satey was ok, good thing I had it dipped in teriyaki sauce because their side side was pretty spicy for me. Mango smoothie was ok. Waited for Japanese pastry but they weren't open yet. Overall I'd give the food a 2 out of 5. Not worth it

Previous reviews have mentioned how it turned into a zoo. So there's that. It was run really well…read moreuntil the first half hour went by. I don't think that by having walk ins helped the people capacity. I think 50 dollars is pretty steep for the amount of food you realistically get. However I understood the amount of work to run a convention so it bumps the ratings to average. Food vendors is quite lacking but for what you did get was quite delicious. I think the main take away for future Japanese Food Festival goers is that to come at least at 12:20 (40 minutes before opening) to get in. Then, you can choose where you want to prioritize what food you absolutely want to get without wait. Sashimi took longer to roll out as you had to wait until the maguro cutting demonstration finished, which I recommend for people to zoom straight to the sashimi line. As someone who has done many other types of conventions, I am used to the claustrophobic conditions that happen (I.e. sdcc). So don't be swayed by other reviews to not go. I can be VERY intimidating for the non typical convention goers. I also highly recommend that children do not go as well as they can be easily swept away by people- also it's somewhat easier to access alcohol if they look old enough. Overall- good potential, food, and alcohol selections. Just be strategic and split your party and and you'll be fine. I do agree with others in regards to the size of the venue, of which I have to admit it's pretty small for the amount of tickets that were available. Pay for parking elsewhere. If you shop around parking can be 5 dollars if you keep a look out!

This event is consistently one of the most exciting foodie events in LA, if not the nation. The…read morehighlight for me this year was meeting Thomas Keller, and eating at the Bouchon booth this year, which had a total seafood feast (lobster claws and tails, stone crab, oysters, mussels, shrimp) and goodie bags filled with chocolate bouchons. There are so many to mention, but Cut also had a really great dish, with very tender new york strip steak paired with lobster claws and black truffles. There were a few things that went wrong this year, however. First, our table placard (and name in the brochure) was spelled incorrectly, which was ridiculous considering it was spelled correctly last year. There were a number of power failures, which made certain areas very dark (like Payard's dessert). There was no map this year...seriously?? There's dozens (hundreds?) of food and wine representatives in a large space, it was very difficult to find them. Advertised on the website were that Laurent Gras, Octavia Becerra, Walter Manzke, and Ilan Hall were supposed to be there (representing their respective restaurants). However, I couldn't find them, and without a map, I'm not even sure they showed up. Also, they ran out of the AWFF brochures before the night ended. In all, I'm definitely coming back next year - it's a great event. However, this year there were a number of annoying details. I do recommend this to anyone who is into the food scene.

This was a great event when you focus on what everyone was there for...the FOOD and WINE. This is…read morethe ultimate food and wine showcase and I was so excited that it was being held while I was out in LA. I just can't give this year's event 5 stars. Coming from Hawaii, we have events like Sunset on the Beach and Taste of Honolulu. At these events a very big concern for the coordinators is access to water. So I was disappointed that on one of the hottest days in LA there was never enough water for the guests. There were only a few water stations and they got broken down early in the night. Also, when an event staffer was transporting water, he got so upset that everyone was stopping him that he started ignoring people. Overall, a fun event for a great cause.

I have not been to Universal Horror Nights in 6 years and had been dying to go back. After a couple…read moreof years of convincing my easily-spooked, scary boyfriend, he finally agreed. I was also able to convince his sister and her family to join us. We decided to make a full day of it and bought Universal Studios access starting at 2 p.m. So glad we did because it was crowded. We managed to get on several rides before horror nights began and a few during the evening . We got on Transformers, Mario Kart World, The Simpsons Ride, The Mummy, and Flight of the Hippogriff. The longest we stayed in line was probably 35 to 45 mins. Around 5 p.m., we started the mazes and actually got through all of them (Terrifier, Poltergeist (maybe my favorite), Fallout, Monstruos 3: The Ghosts of Latin America, Terror Tram: Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse, Jason Universe, The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks (really liked this one too), Scarecrow: Music by Slash, Five Nights at Freddy's) by the end of the night. It was super fun, but the crowds were intense. Jason's maze was listed as a one-hour wait, but it ended up being over two hours. It got so bad that several people in line passed out, and medical staff had to come help. Standing in line for that long really killed my mood. My legs and feet hurt. To make matters worse, once inside the maze, it was so packed that the jump scares often happened to the group ahead of us, not us. But it was fun to see my boyfriend hide behind me scared lol. Overall, it was still a fun night and worth the trip. Going as a group made the real difference because we laughed and had fun together. I would return, but next time, I won't stress about doing every maze. I'm not standing in line for two hours again. The Universal Studios app really helped with picking mazes that had the shortest lines first.

Halloween Horror Nights is an annual event for me. I anticipate for the day tickets go on sale. For…read moreme it's a VIP Pass that includes a cut the Front of line access. One of the best Halloween experiences I've ever had. Ok, so upon arriving you'll come into the park and immediately come across a wall of noise with booming fire balls and lights flashing on and off. The chainsaw people are terrifying as they chase you around the area. So you've made it in and 3 choices must be made immediately. You need to make one asap and that's going to lower lot or explore upper lot or grab the TERROR TRAM to be transported to a land of zombies, Bates Motel , psycho house and awesome airplane crash site with bodies everywhere... Me , I go directly to lower lot for those houses and rides. The Mummy ride is my favorite & always thrilling for it goes forward & backwards with blazing fast speed... Yes, I cut the line many times for this ride since I take a ride 4 or 5 times. After completing houses & rides I venture back to the escalators for the long ride to the top. Terror Tram is my next stop and then back to THE SIMPSON'S ride. Ok somewhere I'll fill up on refreshments and a bag of blood. Ok it's not really blood but an IV Bag drink that's red. Once finished I'm ready to complete the rest of my Horror Nights journey. Now my all time favorite haunted house was THE ROB ZOMBIE 3D house about 10 years ago. FLIPPING AWESOME ! Ok by midnight I'm exhausted and have well over 10,000 steps in so I'm walking back to Universal Hilton and crash! It's up to you to accept the challenge of coming but it's so worth it!

This was one of the best horror maze attractions ever. Spectacular and long mazes. I do HHN, Dark…read moreHarbor, Knotts scary, Delusion almost yearly and this is still one of the ones I thought killed it. I desperately want them to do it again.

I wish it came back. It was one of the best horror mazes I've been to. My favorite maze was from…read morethe nun.

We wish you a Merry Grinchmas, we wish you a Merry Grinchmas, we wish you a Merry Grinchmas and a…read moreHappy WHO YEARRRR !! Festive area with lots of holiday fun! It's the Who-ville set with the halls decked out for some Christmas cheer. This event area is located across from the Dreamworks Theater and is based off the classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". It's a must stop for the holiday season, both during the day time and during the evening when the Whoville tree is completely lit up! For Grinchmas, you 're able to meet the characters from the movie wandering around and interacting with guests, like Cindy Lou Who, the mayor of Whoville, the postman, etc. All of them have their masks on! To meet the big man himself, I'm talking about the Grinch, you gotta wait in line! Throughout the whole day, even when the park closed for the special event, the line NEVER got shorter. Super popular guy and he's very interactive with everyone. We opted to only visit the Grinch's dog, Max, who admittedly has a super short line. Cute doggo though, love his holiday head gear! There's also photo ops with items from the set and decor. I think there was even a place where you can send letters or something out and then they make a donation out to a charity, not entirely sure. There were also seasonal foods such as cake jars, Grinch cotton candy and cookies, and boozey stuffs but we didn't get a chance to try since they closed when it was the special event...drats! There's a Tree Lighting show a couple times a week. It's cute, fun and short and you get to see the main Grinch characters doing their thing. Lots of pretty lights, colors, music, and even "snow" at the end! You can say my heart grew three sizes that day with all the holiday warmth and cheer!

Amazing! This is the reason we come annually to universal :) they have a lovely show with the tree…read morelighting ceremony which is awesome. Great for all ages. They have some seating this year which is new and good standing space.

They offer a true imax experience with a very large screen (floor to ceiling). A very large theater…read morewith many different movies being played. The restrooms could've been cleaner. Staff were fine. Parking is $5 in the same lot for Universal Studios, just show the parking attendant your barcode from your email for the movie ticket confirmation. It's great because you can watch a movie and grab a bite to eat without worrying about crazy parking prices. Without the AMC validation, parking can be $40.

I spontaneously stopped by Universal Cinema to watch Obsession, which turned out to be a funny…read morehorror film that I truly enjoyed. Before the movie, I visited the bar upstairs and tried one of their tamarindo margaritas. It was delicious, the service was great, and although the drinks were a bit pricey, it was expected for the location. The ambiance was relaxing since the bar wasn't too crowded, and service was quick. The theater itself was packed, which made for a fun movie going experience. However, a few things were a bit distracting during the screening. Some people were being a little loud, the theater door was left open at times, and a few phones rang during the movie. My only complaint was the condition of the restrooms. They didn't seem to be well maintained during my visit, as both toilet paper and paper towels were missing and unavailable. Aside from that, I had a great time and would definitely return for another movie and drink.

Leia was amazing so patient and fun positive energy. Guided us through every step and our art came…read moreout amazing!

Such an incredible night, positive energy really great helpful techniques…read more Such a fun holiday thing to do

This place was nice, my friend took me because she is back in night school at harbor college and…read moreneeded to make up some credits for a bad grade!!! And my expectations were low but just had a day off and was like, let me TRY it. So it was better than expected because I learned a LOT and it really gives you a strong sense of history which is NOT always the case.

A slice of local flavor just outside Universal Studios…read more Campo de Cahuenga is a small museum and park located just off the 101 FWY at the corner of Lankershim Blvd and naturally Campo de Cahuenga. They have a rich history dating back to the late 1840s. It's registered as #151 for Historical Landmarks of California/California Historical Landmarks, #29 for the city of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument), the fountain inside the courtyard is a memorial fountain additionally noted as part of the history here, according to several listings such as the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreations: "The Treaty of Cahuenga was signed in 1847, ending hostilities in California between Mexico and the United States." Which lead to the acquisition of California become apart of the U.S. You can reenactments of all the history here annually, not to mention walk throughs, special events and memberships that include some fun perks. CdC additional allows rentals of their parking area, filming and has free parking. It's directly across the street from the above ground LA Metro Hub for Universal/Studio City and just above the connection for the B/Red Line to North Hollywood Station as well as Union Station and various stops throughout Los Angeles. The construction of the station here did lead to some foundation issues, but it's been preserved and sustain to the best ability by the city of Los Angeles and members of Campo de Cahuenga. Currently open from 10am to 2pm on Thursdays and Fridays, you can call ahead for more details, but also keep an eye on their calendar. A beautiful hidden must of the San Fernando Valley's Studio City/Universal City adjacent culture.