REVIEW: There’s a Solid Sports Bar Hiding in Disney World

Get ready nacho fans and sports fans alike, we’re bringing you a DFB review!

Rix Sports Bar and Grill Eats

Rix Sports Bar and Grill is a casual sports-bar-style table-service restaurant located at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This spot isn’t a major stand out among Disney restaurants since it’s missing the heavy thematic element for which Disney is known. But it’s certainly serving up some yummy eats and filling a bit of a void when it comes to Disney dining! So how is it NOW?

Seriously, finding a spot to watch the big game in Disney World can be difficult — and that’s where Rix Sports Bar and Grill comes in handy. Did you know this spot has 31 TVs?! Let’s see if the food is worth the trip as much as those big TVs!

Atmosphere

As we mentioned Rix Sports Bar and Grill is located near the lobby of Coronado Springs Resort.

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

There’s a counter near the front where guests can place and pick up takeout orders. That’s good to know if you’d rather catch the game in your room or head outside to enjoy the weather!

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

As any good sports bar does, Rix has a TON of TVs. It’s one of the few places on Disney property where you can actually catch your game of choice. Sports watching at Disney is limited!

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

The restaurant sits in a wide-open space with standard options for seating — tables and chairs, booths, and bar seating.

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

The bar is long enough to accompany several parties as well. Nothing is too exciting from a decor perspective. We’ve always thought that it doesn’t quite match the theme of Coronado Springs. It’s fairly simple and modern.

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

But, TBH, you’re not here for the decor, you’re here for the big game (or some nachos. That’s fair too.)!

Rix Sports Bar and Grill

Once seated, you’ll find utensils wrapped in cloth napkins…

Rix Silverware

…and a selection of condiments on the table.

Rix condiments

Now let’s dive into those eats!

Eats

Like most dining locations in Disney World, this spot is currently offering a mobile menu accessible via QR code. You can ask for a paper menu as well.

Mobile Menu

The menu isn’t too large but there is a wide-enough variety of options that most everyone should be able to find something they like. If you’re like us, that Queso Fundido Burger is probably catching your eye. You KNOW we’ve tried that one before and yes, it’s yummy.

Menu

Unsurprisingly, this sports bar setting has a pretty significant drink menu with signature cocktails, liquor, beer, and wine.

Menu

Our big complaint about the drink menu here is that there aren’t really that many craft beer options. Finding a good place to try beers in Disney World is difficult (outside of EPCOT festivals) and beer is SUPER big right now. Rix seems like the perfect place to add a few brews to the menu. Sports bars=beers and bar food, right?

Menu

Today, we opted to try the Sweet Tea Old Fashioned as our beverage for $14. This combo of Rye, Sweet Tea Syrup, and Lemon Bitters was a little sweeter than we expected. It would be a good option for someone who would like to try an old fashioned but typically likes sweeter drinks!

Sweet Tea Old Fashioned

Would it really be a visit to a sports bar if we didn’t try their Nachos? We don’t think so. The Nachos at Rix are available for $15 and are Fresh Made Corn Tortilla Chips with House Blend Queso Blanco, Roasted Poblano Salsa, Scallions, Guacamole, and Sour Cream.

Nachos

We loved the chips! You could tell they were really fresh and they did a good job of holding up the toppings without getting soggy or breaking.

Nachos

Plus, there were piled high with lots of guacamole and toppings. The cheese was a little more amarillo than blanco but it had a really nice, creamy flavor. Not surprisingly, we’d love more cheese (have you MET us?!). We loved the peppers and onions in the salsa. The only thing they were missing was a little spice!

Nachos

Overall, these were a very good and filling order of nachos, but they maybe could’ve been a larger portion. Typically sports bar nachos are BIG plates and these were pretty small. More like the size of a side than a whole app. But they certainly were higher quality than most! We absolutely would order again.

Nachos

Moving on to our entree, we snagged the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (Nashville Hot Sauce, Buttermilk Chicken Breast, and Pepper Jack Cheese on a Sesame Brioche, Served with Southern Slaw and Choice of Side) for $18. And yup, we picked up Sweet Potato Fries on the side.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

This was a super solid chicken sandwich! There was a nice amount of heat but it wasn’t overwhelming. Basically, we’ve had hotter chicken sammies, but it had a surprising kick for a Disney entree!

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

The pepper jack cheese on top really completed the bite. Our one complaint was that the chicken was on the smaller side and it was SO tasty that we would have loved a larger piece.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

And those Sweet Potato Fries? Crunchy and perfect! (A rare feat with sweet potato fries that want to go soggy in a heartbeat!)

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich Side

And finally, we’re on to dessert! We opted to try the Lemon Meringue Pie for $8. You’re looking at Tart Lemon Filling and Fluffy Meringue Topping. This pic is basically as perfect as you can get with a slice of merengue pie:

Lemon Meringue Pie

Look how pretty! This slice was good but, honestly, it didn’t blow us away. Looks beat out flavor here. It was actually better than we would have expected for a resort sports bar, but we wouldn’t necessarily order it again. It didn’t really go with the rest of the food.

Lemon Meringue Pie

The textures were all there though! The meringue was super fluffy and the lemon was actually tart. No over sweetening here!

Lemon Meringue Pie

We do love a good browning on meringue though. This was pretty pale. Still, you could do worse for dessert. 🙂

Whew, now that we’re alllll filled up. Should you nosh or not?

Nosh or Not

You SHOULD eat at Rix Sports Bar and Grill if…

  • You’re looking to hunker down and take in the big game with some tasty eats to help out.
  • You’re a guest at Coronado Springs and don’t want to head too far for a table-service (or takeout!) option.
  • You’re looking to take a break from all the heavy theming in Disney World.

You should SKIP Rix Sports Bar and Grill if…

  • You want to try something adventurous or just want more options on a menu in general.
  • You’d rather not have TVs in every direction during your meal and want more ambiance.
  • You don’t have any other reason to head alllll the way out to Coronado Springs (it’s not really close to much!).

Overall

We had a pleasant enough meal at Rix Sports Bar and Grill! The food was good and our service was very attentive. Plus, we love having an option for catching a game or two during a trip.

Still, you’re paying Disney prices for a sports bar so it really is what it is here. If you love watching football, drinking beer, and eating classic dishes; you’ll probably enjoy yourself. As we mentioned, Disney needs more sports-watching locations and with ESPN Club closed right now, it’s great that there is a solid option. They have a good amount of bar seating so it’s a good spot to unwind or relax with a TV in the background. But just keep in mind you’re paying Disney World prices for food that you could probably find comparable options at your local Chili’s.

Now, don’t come here expecting a typical Disney restaurant. This place is far from themed. You’ll feel like you’re in a plain ol’ sports bar with some pretty good eats. It’s got kind of an “airport sports bar” vibe to it! Sports fans, those not interested in a Disney theme, and people who want to sit and snack on bar food for a while might really like this spot! Kids and families wanting something magical might not.

We also think the prices could be a touch lower or the portions a touch larger to feed into that sports bar feel. When you belly up to a bar and order an app of nachos to watch a game, you expect a hefty plate. Not the small portion we were served. Plus, that would encourage more ordering and more eating if you’re just going to sit for a while. Still, we thoroughly enjoyed our food and thought this was a relaxing experience. Rix remains a solid option for some unexpectedly decent food in a rather boring (by Disney standards!) location. If we didn’t find ourselves wandering around Coronado Springs, this spot would likely not be on our radar to visit. That said, Coronado Springs guests looking to catch a big game hit the jackpot.

Click here to see us review MORE eats at Rix Sports Bar and Grill!

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