Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk is the name shared by the entertainment and retail districts located adjacent to the theme parks of Universal Parks & Resorts. CityWalk began as an expansion of Universal's first park, Universal Studios Hollywood, and serves as an entrance plaza from the parking lots to the theme parks. CityWalk can also be found at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan.

CityWalk Hollywood and CityWalk Orlando have some common tenants, but their respective architectural styles are quite different. Where CityWalk Hollywood incorporates a classic modern blend of Hollywood, CityWalk Orlando is almost entirely modern in appearance.

Universal CityWalk Hollywood
CityWalk is separate from Universal Studios Hollywood although it does serve as an entrance from the parking lot to Universal Studios. The inspiration came from the Horton Plaza according to Jon Jerde, the architecture of City Walk Hollywood tries to capture the architecture found all over Los Angeles. Universal CityWalk Hollywood is a three-block entertainment, dining, shopping promenade. It has more than 30 places to eat, a 19-screen movie theatre featuring IMAX, 7-night spots, indoor skydiving and more than 30 stores.

History
Designed by Jon Jerde, CityWalk opened in May 1993 adjacent to the Cineplex Odeon cinema. A $1 billion, 93,000 sq ft (8,600 m2). expansion opened in 2000. Planning done by Jerde Associates.

CityWalk's central plaza is topped by a 170-foot radial trellis designed and built by Pearce Structures (who also constructed Biosphere 2). The courtyard features a leaping fountain, created by WET. A huge television monitor brought in by Panasonic, is located above the multiplex, showing upcoming Universal movie releases, music videos, and NBCUniversal promotions stands next to the giant guitar towering over the Hard Rock Cafe.

Street performers (magicians and musicians) are a common sight.

5 Towers
"5 Towers" is an interactive outdoor concert venue on Universal CityWalk, featuring a technologically advanced staging system. The stage is equipped with thousands of LED fixtures, motion capture sensors, five soaring 42-foot light tower sculptures, a massive video monitor, and a state-of-the-art audio system.

The new staging system serves as the structural artistic centrepiece for CityWalk. It features live music.

Universal CityWalk Orlando
The Universal CityWalk in Orlando opened in 1999 as one component of the expansion that transformed Universal Studios Florida into today's Universal Orlando Resort. It was built over the former Universal Studios parking lot and entrance. Guests arriving at the resort park in one of the two-story parking garages then travel via covered moving walkways over Universal Boulevard into CityWalk. From there, guests can proceed into either two of the theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Dining

 * Hard Rock Cafe Orlando – This is the second Hard Rock Café built on Universal property. The first café was built near the Psycho house, Bates Motel, E.T. Adventure, and Fievel's Playland. Although the first café was considered to be one of the largest in the chain, the company closed down the restaurant to reopen in an even bigger facility and alongside Hard Rock Live in the CityWalk section. The old Hard Rock Café building was demolished in October 2011.
 * Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville
 * Antojito's Authentic Mexican Food (formerly Latin Quarter in 1999)
 * Starbucks
 * Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump (formerly Motown Cafe in 1999)
 * Cinnabon
 * Pat O'Brien's Bar – a franchise of the original bar/restaurant in New Orleans.
 * BK Whopper Bar – Limited service to the fast-food restaurant Burger King
 * Panda Express
 * Moe's Southwest Grill
 * Fusion Bistro Sushi & Sake Bar
 * Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
 * Red Oven Pizza Bakery
 * Cold Stone Creamery
 * Menchie's Frozen Yogurt
 * Vivo Italian Kitchen (formerly Pastamore Italian Restaurant in 1999)
 * Hot Dog Hall of Fame
 * Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches
 * The Cowfish Sushi and Burger Bar
 * NBC Sports Grill & Brew (formerly NASCAR Café in 1999)
 * The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen (formerly NBA City in 1999)
 * Voodoo Doughnut
 * Bigfire American Fare (formerly Emeril's Restaurant Orlando in 1999)

Entertainment

 * Universal Cinemark at CityWalk, previously operated by Loews Theatres until January 26, 2006, when AMC Theaters merged the Loews Theatres chain, and previously operated by AMC until 2018.
 * Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
 * CityWalk's Rising Star (Karaoke Club featuring Live Band and Backup Singers & Dancers) – opened April 2008, replacing CityJazz.
 * The Groove
 * Hard Rock Live, a separate performance venue adjacent to the Hard Rock Cafe
 * Red Coconut Club (Previously Decades Cafe in 2005)
 * Blue Man Group Sharp Aquos Theatre, a live show featuring Blue Man Group (Formerly Nickelodeon Studios, which was not considered to be a part of CityWalk).
 * Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Live bands take to the restaurant's stage to perform every evening.
 * Hollywood Drive-In Mini Golf – A miniature golf course harkening back to 1950s era drive-in movies. The facility has two different and intricately themed courses: "The Haunting of Ghostly Greens" and "Invaders from Planet Putt-Putt". Opened in March 2012.

Shopping

 * Tommy Bahama
 * BMG Gear
 * Candy Smith
 * CityWalk Hub Store
 * The Smuggler's Hold
 * Quiet Flight Surf Shop
 * Universal Studios Store
 * Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company

Former outlets

 * NASCAR Cafe
 * Kiddie Carousel
 * NBA City
 * Element Skateboards
 * Emeril's Restaurant Orlando
 * Family Feud Live
 * Fresh Produce
 * Island Clothing Co.
 * Fossil, Inc.
 * P!Q

Dining

 * Red Lobster
 * nolboo
 * Ganko
 * Shinobuan
 * Inaba Wako
 * Shabu Sai
 * YAKINIKU KARUBIN CHAMP
 * FUGETSU USA
 * Gottie's BEEF
 * Pommenoki
 * Fujin Raijin RA-MEN
 * Kamakura Pasta
 * Kobe Motomachi Doria
 * Moana Kitchen
 * Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
 * Hard Rock Cafe
 * Kushiro Monogatari
 * BISTRO 309
 * T.G.I. Friday's
 * AEN TABLE
 * Kyoto Katsugyu
 * Daikisuisan Kaitensushi
 * MOS BURGER
 * FUNFUN
 * POPCORN PAPA
 * Moomin Stand
 * MOMI&TOY'S
 * 551 HORAI
 * PIZZA NAPOLETANO
 * Kineya Mugimaru
 * Romaken
 * ST-MARC CAFÉ

Shopping

 * EDION
 * NOSTALGIA MUSEUM
 * ROCK SHOP
 * Little Osaka
 * LAWSON - convenience store chain
 * Matsumoto Kiyoshi - drug store chain
 * JUMP SHOP - Weekly Shōnen Jump official shop with character goods
 * claire's
 * maimo
 * Gap Factory Store
 * Boushiya Flava

Other

 * Takoyaki Museum (Takoyaki Dining)
 * The Original Takoyaki Tamade, Osaka Aiduya
 * Takoya Dotonbori Kukuru
 * Osaka Amerikamura Kougaryu
 * Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan
 * Juhachiban
 * Naniwa's Specialty Ichibirian