Tabla near Universal and beyond: a local's take on Orlando's go-to Indian, Indo-Chinese, and Thai spot

If your crew spills out of the parks hungry, or you're meeting friends on Park Avenue after work, Tabla is the Indian restaurant I point people to first. The original Orlando location sits a few minutes from the Universal Orlando entrance at 5847 Grand National Drive, and it stays open later than most sit-down spots nearby, serving from 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and again 5:00-11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, plus a straight 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Winter Park's outpost is planted right on Park Avenue at 216 N Park Ave #H with earlier closing times most weeknights, while Lake Nona's dining room sits in the Town Center at 9971 Tagore Place, Suite 9, convenient to MCO and Boxi Park. If we're choosing based on schedule alone, that near-Universal address is your late-dinner safety net.

What's the move if you're hungry near Universal?

At the Orlando flagship, I treat the menu like a choose-your-own adventure and steer first-timers toward the greatest hits. If you want a clear read on the kitchen, order the Butter Chicken $23 and a round of Garlic Naan $6. The tomato-cream sauce is textbook North Indian comfort and the naan has the chew to drag through every last spoonful. If you'd rather skip dairy, the curry section lets you swap sauces across proteins for the same price tier, so a Vindaloo $23 or Madras $23 will land with equal confidence.

Sharing plates always win at a theme-park table. Two that come back clean: Appetizer Manchurian $15 and the Indo-Chinese Chili Garlic $15 in your choice of veg or chicken. If you have a group that grazes, start with Pani Poori $12 and Bhalla Papdi Chaat $9, then add a tandoori pick like the Chicken Tikka $23. The Tabla's Mix Grill $41 is the one-platter way to keep everyone busy while you decide on curries.

Quick meal on a weekday? Orlando runs a lunch special Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. A platter runs $14 and includes soup and a samosa up front, a main, rice and butter naan, plus a small dessert. If you're visiting on a weekend, the kitchen switches to a full thali format at lunchtime: the Weekend Thali $18.99 is served Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and stacks soup, salad, naan, rice, biryani, a starter, and a dessert on one tray. For Orlando visitors staying late at the parks, those 11:00 p.m. closings on Friday and Saturday are a real advantage compared with many I-Drive neighbors that shut down earlier.

There is a full bar, and Happy Hour runs daily at varying times, so if you're meeting locally between check-in and dinner, that window is when I slide in for a Mango Lassi $6 or house mocktail like the Bollywood Blush $6 and a plate of Chicken Lollipops $17. Dessert is worth saving space for: the Rasmalai Tres Leches clocks in at $7 and the Gajar Halwa at $6 is the warm finish that makes a night of walking the CityWalk loop feel complete.

Lake Nona or Winter Park: which Tabla suits your night?

All three kitchens cook from the same playbook, but the setting and schedule tilt your decision. Lake Nona's dining room lives in the Town Center, minutes from MCO, with hours 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 4:00-9:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 5:00-10:00 p.m. Friday, and continuous service 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Sunday. It's the location I recommend when your group is split between airport runs, Lake Nona hotels, and nearby neighborhoods like Meadow Woods or Narcoossee. Their weekday lunch platters are a tidy deal at $14, and they spell out exactly what comes in the box: lemon-coriander soup, a samosa, butter naan, jeera rice, entrée, and a sweet like rasgulla.

Winter Park is my Park Avenue plan. Hours there skew earlier: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 4:00-9:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 5:00-10:00 p.m. Friday, plus 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Saturday and 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Sunday. The weekend thali window also starts earlier, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. If you're shopping on the avenue or catching a show at Rollins and want dinner without driving back toward I-Drive, this is the spot. They also offer outdoor seating, which is rare for a full Indian menu on that strip and very handy on mild evenings.

All three locations run a seasonal three-course "Magical Feast" at $30 for dine-in, available August 1 through October 31. If you're budgeting around that time, it's the simplest way to plan a predictable bill: one appetizer, one entrée, rice and butter naan, then a mango sundae to close.

What should we order for a mixed table of spice levels and picky eaters?

Tabla is one of the easier Indian restaurants in town for groups that don't agree on heat or even cuisine. For the heat-sensitive, the Korma $23 and Palak $23 sauces are rich and mild, and the Aloo Gobi $21 and Dal Tadka $21 land with plenty of flavor without a chili chase. At the other end, Vindaloo $23 or the Kadai $23 bring a brighter, spicier profile that still plays well with naan and rice.

When you've got a diner who says "I don't do curry," the Indo-Chinese and Thai lanes save the night. The Hakka Noodles $20 and Fried Rice $20 let you pick the protein and sauce, and Thai curries like the Red, Green, or Massaman $20 are straight, satisfying bowls. For the tandoor-leaning guest who wants grilled rather than sauced, Chicken Tikka $23 and Tandoori Shrimp $29 are the reliable anchors, and the Tabla's Lamb Chops $39 are a nice splurge that shows off the clay oven.

Vegetarian and gluten-free eaters are easy to accommodate here because the online menu labels dishes with dietary icons and allergens. Between the veg curries, biryanis, and tandoori paneer, you can build a full meal without feeling like you're ordering off the margins. Breads run $6-$9, from Tandoori Roti $6 to Lamb Keema Naan $9, and it's worth mixing a plain naan for scooping with a filled kulcha or a pepper-spiked green chili naan to keep everyone happy.

For kids or anyone living on comfort food after a long day, the Orlando location's kids menu includes Butter Noodles $6, Chicken Tenders $7, and simple sides like Fries $5 and Butter Rice $6. If you want a one-plate rice feast that travels well back to the hotel, the biryanis are consistent across the board: Vegetable or Paneer Biryani $20, Chicken Biryani $22, and Goat or Lamb Biryani $24. Pro tip: pair biryani with Raita $4 and a bottle of water for a complete, mess-light meal in a theme-park room.

How much will dinner actually cost?

Tabla prices are steady across the Orlando-area dining rooms. Starters like Vegetable Samosa $10, Pani Poori $12, and Chicken Lollipops $17 set you up well without overspending. Most curries sit at $23 whether you pick tikka masala, rogan josh, or makhani, with vegetarian classics typically at $21-$23. Rice specialties range from $20-$24 depending on protein, and breads start at $6. If you split two appetizers, two curries, one biryani, two naans, and a dessert for a table of three or four, you'll usually leave full without wandering out of that predictable mid-range.

On weekdays at lunch, the value math shifts. Every Orlando-area location offers a $14 weekday lunch platter that includes a soup, appetizer, entrée, rice, butter naan, and something sweet, served from 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Orlando and Lake Nona and from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Winter Park. On weekends, the $18.99 thali at each location is the better choice if you want to taste broadly without ordering à la carte.

If you're in town between August and Halloween, pencil in the three-course "Magical Feast" at $30 for dine-in only, running August 1-October 31. You'll choose an appetizer and entrée, get butter naan and rice, then finish with a mango sundae. It's straightforward, and it keeps the decision-making simple when you're coordinating multiple families.

Takeout from a hotel: smart picks and timing

All the Orlando-area kitchens offer online ordering for pickup and delivery, and the Lake Nona page calls out spill-resistant packaging that travels well. For a drive back to I-Drive hotels, I go with thicker sauces and grill items that won't steam into mush: Butter Chicken $23 or Korma $23, a sturdy Chicken Tikka $23, and a pot of Jeera Rice $5. If you're watching the clock before fireworks or a late ride queue, the lunch platter at $14 is the fastest in-and-out play during its window, since it's a set format. Add a Mango Lassi $6 and a Gulab Jamun or Rasmalai $6 for the ride back.

Key things to know

• Near Universal, head to Grand National Drive. Dinner runs late there, with closings at 11:00 p.m. most nights, so it's the easiest post-park option.
• Lunch math is simple: the weekday platter is $14 across Orlando, Winter Park, and Lake Nona. The weekend thali is $18.99 and runs through early afternoon.
• Plan around seasonal value. From August 1-October 31, the three-course "Magical Feast" costs $30 for dine-in and includes naan, rice, and dessert.
• Ordering for a crowd? Pair a couple of curries at $23 each with a biryani $20-$24 and two breads $6-$9. Add a Mango Lassi $6 and one dessert $6-$9 to share.
• Winter Park closes earlier most weeknights and offers outdoor seating on Park Avenue, which is perfect for an early dinner after shopping or the boat tour.
• Lake Nona is the airport-friendly pick. Hours land 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. most weeknights and until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, with the same $14 lunch platter formula.

Reader Q&A

Is Tabla a good late-night option after Universal?

Yes. The Grand National Drive restaurant near Universal serves dinner until 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 11:00 p.m. the rest of the week too, which is later than many sit-down spots in the I-Drive area. If you want a full meal after rides, that schedule is the most forgiving of the three locations.

What's the best value for lunch?

The weekday lunch platter is the move at all three Orlando-area spots. It runs $14 and includes a soup and samosa, entrée, rice and butter naan, plus a dessert. Hours are 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Orlando and Lake Nona, and 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Winter Park.

Do they offer a sampler that lets me taste a bit of everything?

On weekends, the thali checks that box. It's $18.99 and served 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Orlando and Lake Nona and 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in Winter Park. You'll get soup, salad, a starter, naan, rice, biryani, an entrée, and dessert on one platter.

We have a picky eater and a vegetarian in the group. Can Tabla handle that?

Yes. The menu labels dietary notes online, and there are multiple vegetarian mains like Dal Tadka $21 and Aloo Gobi $21, plus mild sauces like Korma $23. The Orlando location also lists a kids menu with basics such as Butter Noodles $6 and Chicken Tenders $7, so everyone can settle in quickly.

If you want the shortest path to a good meal, choose by schedule and location, then build the table around one curry, one grill item, a biryani, and a couple of breads. That plan works whether you're five minutes from Universal, strolling Park Avenue, or waiting on a flight in Lake Nona.

Published: September 28, 2026 · Reviewed by the Visit Orlando editorial team