Flora Taverna — Restaurant in Oak Ridge

We were so excited to try this place for breakfast made a reservation for Monday 845am upon arrival the valets were super very attentive and both the hostesses were very welcoming. The decor looks superb however it was just a very lackluster and underwhelming experience.

Our server Pattiy was very helpful very pleasant, but she was literally rushed off her feet. She had seven or eight tables to attend to it appeared like she was the only person in the restaurant that was working. There was a manager who was walking around that didn’t seem to do a thing.

The buffet has a very weird way of presenting the food. All the hot items are in very large la crueset Dutch ovens the ones with the massively heavy lids. They’re not heated at all and it’s very cumbersome to try and get food. I don’t understand why they don’t just use the normal ban marie’s with the glass lids. The chef who is making the omelette wrote down every omelette order the omelette was fine nothing major there was very odd potato dish for breakfast, which was heavily seasoned with rosemary, and it gave off a very strong flavor and taste not very breakfast oriented There was nothing wrong with any of the food. It was just very lackluster Our server was so busy our plates were not cleared timely and we just felt unattended At this price point $180 four people for buffet breakfast I just...

We recently dined at Café L’air De La Sirène and ordered the Baguette Ratatouille Provençale (with gluten-free bread), along with a few other items. The food itself was delicious — beautifully presented and flavorful — but what truly made the experience stand out was the exceptional service we received from Jason.

Our order took longer than expected, and several other tables were served before us. When I inquired, Jason explained with complete professionalism that gluten-free meals are carefully prepared in a separate area to avoid any cross-contamination — something I deeply appreciate. He not only handled the situation with grace and transparency but went above and beyond by bringing us two complimentary desserts from the chef: a Crème Brûlée (his recommendation — absolutely world-class) and a Crêpe Buttercream, both of which were outstanding.

Jason’s calm, courteous, and guest-focused approach turned what could have been a frustrating wait into one of the most memorable dining experiences of our visit. His professionalism and thoughtfulness truly reflect the best of Universal’s hospitality standards.

(5/5) — Exceptional service, delicious food, and special thanks to Jason for making it...

I’d love to return to Flora Taverna—the food was excellent and the service (especially Patty!) was outstanding. However, our experience ended on a frustrating note. When it came time to leave, we were told there was no way to enter Epic Universe because we weren’t hotel guests. There was no walkway, no option—only the inconvenience of calling another Uber to get to the other side of the park.

This highlights a major disconnect: the hotel accepts public reservations at its restaurants, but there’s no clear communication that non-guests will have zero access to Epic Universe. To be clear, we didn’t expect the expedited security and perks reserved for hotel patrons. But the lack of any alternative walkable path—or even a heads-up when booking—feels unreasonable.

We chose Flora Taverna for our anniversary because of its setting and reputation (and yes, to see the famous espresso machine). The dining lived up to that promise. But the end-to-end experience fell short because of this surprise restriction, which could easily be addressed with clearer communication and better planning for...