Pollo Asado Street Tacos Review: Fine Taste, Tough Value at SeaWorld Orlando
We went back for a second try of the Pollo Asado Street Tacos at Panini Shores Cafe. Here is what we think about the taste, portion, seating, and value of this SeaWorld Orlando quick-service menu item.
Some theme park dishes leave you saying, “I would order that again.” The Pollo Asado Street Tacos at Panini Shores Cafe in SeaWorld Orlando leave you saying, “Wait, that’s the whole meal?” We have ordered these tacos before, and we went back for another try to see if anything had changed. We have also tried the carne asada version a few times. So, this review comes from repeat visits, not one grumpy bite. Spoiler alert: taste is not the main issue. The price tag and the portion are.
Photo by Jon Self
For more context, check out our earlier SeaWorld tacos review of the carne asada version and our Caprese Panini review.
Photo by Jon Self
Where to Find Panini Shores Cafe at SeaWorld Orlando
Panini Shore Café sits near the Mako attraction. As of this writing, it opens with the park. That makes it a handy way to start your All-Day Dining Plan adventure, since most restaurants at SeaWorld Orlando do not open until 11:00 a.m.
However, do not picture a cozy cafe. Panini Shores Cafe is a glorified food and beverage kiosk. Please adjust your expectations for the word “Cafe” accordingly.
Pollo Asado Street Tacos: What You Get
The Pollo Asado Street Tacos menu describes the entree this way: “Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken served with cilantro, onions and salsa verde on a flour tortilla (3).” In plain English, guests receive three street size tacos and a bag of chips or a cookie. The entree costs $18.99 before discounts or dining plans. Platinum Pass members pay $16.14. Yes, that sounds very high. We agree! When we visited in May 2025, these tacos cost $17.99, so the price has climbed by a dollar since then. If you ignore the chips, that works out to about $6.33 per taco. That is a lot of money for tacos this small.
Taste and Portion Size: Fine, but Small
Overall, the Pollo Asado Street Tacos taste fine but nothing special. They are not offensive, and they are not memorable. They are the culinary equivalent of a polite handshake from a stranger. The portion size feels small, especially for the price point. We understand that street tacos are supposed to be small. Still, three small tortillas for $18.99 feels more like an appetizer with a receipt.
SeaWorld Orlando offers far better dining choices (and some worse ones). Take the Slow Roasted Smoked Pork at Waterway Grill. When we reviewed it in December 2025, it cost $21.99 à la carte and came with black beans and cilantro rice. For a few dollars more, that is a lot more meal.
Why Just a Bag of Chips With Tacos?
Here is our other confusion. You order tacos, and the side is a bag of chips. Not rice and beans. Not even a suspiciously small cup of queso. Just a bag of chips, as if a vending machine crashed the party. A bag of chips is not a side dish. It is a snack that wandered into the meal. I mean…we get a choice of white rice or rice and beans at BG Cuban Cafe over at SeaWorld Orlando’s sister theme park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
All-Day Dining Plan Value: No Additional Side With Pollo Asado Street Tacos
If you plan to use the All-Day Dining Plan here, note that there is no additional side. The chips (or a cookie) are it. We first ran into this during the “chips saga” in our carne asada review, and it once again lowers the value of this dining location.
Compare that with Waterway Grill. During our review there, the pork already came with black beans and cilantro rice, and we still added a cupcake through the plan. At Panini Shores Cafe, you get the chips or a cookie, and that is that. Three tacos, one bag of chips, zero extra sides. That is less of a combo meal and more of a math problem.
Street Tacos With No Place to Sit
Panini Shores Cafe offers no immediate seating area. Street tacos are meant to be eaten on the street, and SeaWorld Orlando seems committed to that authentic experience.
When the Throttle show is not happening during Howl-O-Scream Orlando season, you can walk toward the water and find some covered and uncovered outdoor seating. That is a solid backup plan. However, it means taking a walk before your first bite. Bring napkins and optimism.
A Panini Place With Almost No Paninis
Then there is the name. This location used to offer more paninis. Now, the only one left is the Caprese Panini, which we covered in our Caprese Panini review. It is ironic that a place with Panini in the name serves mostly tacos. That lone Caprese is basically the last survivor of a panini apocalypse.
Just look at the menu below. Carne Asada Street Tacos, Pollo Asado Street Tacos, a Doritos Walking Taco, and a Kids Taco all show up, so tacos outnumber paninis four to one. The panini is the understudy who never gets to go on stage.
Panini Shores Cafe Menu and Prices
Here is the full Panini Shores Cafe menu, including the Platinum Pass Member prices listed on the menu.
| Item | Description | Price | Pass Member Price |
| Street Tacos | |||
| All tacos are served on soft flour tortillas with fresh cilantro and onions. Includes a bag of chips of your choice. | |||
| Carne Asada | Grilled marinated steak (3) | $18.99 | $16.14 |
| Pollo Asado | Grilled citrus marinated chicken (3) | $18.99 | $16.14 |
| Doritos Walking Taco | Choice of chicken or steak, topped with melted cheese, tomatoes, onions, green onions, crema | $18.99 | $16.14 |
| Paninis | |||
| Caprese Panini | Includes a bag of chips of your choice | $15.99 | $13.59 |
| Kids Menu | |||
| Kids Taco | Choice of a taco (1) with chips | $10.79 | $9.17 |
| Drinks | |||
| All Day Unlimited Refillable Souvenir Cup | $22.99 | $19.54 | |
| Souvenir Cup Refills | $1.99 | $1.69 | |
| Fountain Soda | $6.49 | $5.51 | |
| Bottled Water | $5.49 | $4.66 | |
| Specialty | |||
| Bottled Beer | $13.99 | $11.89 | |
| High Noon | $13.99 | $11.89 | |
| Frozen Margaritas | Lime or strawberry | $15.99 | $13.59 |
| Desserts | |||
| Chocolate Chip Cookie | $7.49 | $6.36 | |
| Pass Member prices reflect the price for a Platinum Pass member, as listed on the menu. | |||
Yes, the Kids Taco costs $10.79 for one taco and chips. Even the smallest guests are not exempt from theme park math.
Should You Order the Pollo Asado Street Tacos at Panini Shores Cafe
So, should you order the Pollo Asado Street Tacos at Panini Shores Cafe? The tacos taste fine but nothing special, and SeaWorld Orlando has far better dining options. Our main concern is value. You get a small portion, a bag of chips, no seating nearby, and no additional side with the All-Day Dining Plan.
The one real advantage is timing. Since Panini Shores Cafe opens with the park (as of this writing), it can be the first stop on your All-Day Dining Plan adventure. If you are hungry at opening and want to avoid the below-average breakfast sandwich at Seafire Grill, these tacos will do the job. Otherwise, save your appetite and your money for a place like Waterway Grill.
For more theme park dining reviews, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. As always, eat like you mean it!
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