There are a LOT of restaurants in Disney World and it can be pretty difficult to eat at all of them (Trust us, we’ve done it!). That means that some restaurants end up less-visited than others and today we’re headed off the beaten path for a review!

If you’re not staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, you might miss The Turf Club Lounge. This casual bar is located inside the still-closed Turf Club Bar and Grill and has a light menu and refined atmosphere. The lounge reopened last December, and now we’re stopping by for a full REVIEW!

As we mentioned, The Turf Club Lounge is a bar service dining location with a menu of light American fare and cocktails themed after horseracing — fitting at Saratoga Springs!

This restaurant is a little out of the way and not as flashy as others, especially with Disney Springs nearby. We’ve tried cocktails and treats at this spot in the past, but today we’re giving the lounge a FULL REVIEW. Let’s see what we thought!

Atmosphere

The Turf Club Lounge sits on the side of the resort overlooking the water and the golf course if you sit outside or near the windows.

Tables are scattered around and there are a few TVs. Every time we’ve visited, the TVs have been showing golf which makes sense for a resort situated on a golf course.

The lounge is currently open from 4PM to 11PM but note that food service runs from 4-10PM.

The space is quiet and relaxing. It’s not your typical “lounge” in that it’s pretty bright and airy in here with high ceilings. Most Disney world lounges are small and cozy, but this almost feels the opposite of that. Prior to the closure, the lounge featured a pool table but it was removed when we were there so that tables can be distanced.

You’ll find your own seat at standard tables and chairs and diners are provided silverware and a cloth napkin with their food.

There is some outdoor seating as well. Right now, while The Turf Club Bar and Grill remains closed, all of the outdoor seating is available for lounge guests.

The lounge doesn’t feature a server. Instead, you order everything at the bar with the bartender. So, you tip when you order and pay as you go or start a tab. It’s traditional bar service!

If you order food, you’ll be given a number to take to your table.

But enough about the atmosphere, let’s talk about the eats!

Eats

Like most Disney World locations, The Turf Club Lounge offers QR code menus or paper menus. Parts of the menu were posted at the bar as well. On our visit, the lounge featured a pretty extensive cocktail list.

And a limited menu of bar eats. Note that, at the time of writing, the Tempura Fried Shrimp Tacos are not listed on the online menu.

To see other offerings, you can ask for that paper menu or scan the QR code at the bar with your phone. The lounge also offers non-alcoholic mocktails, beer…

…and wine! There’s a beverage for everyone at this spot.

For a drink, we ordered the Spicy Poblano Margarita for $14. This sip is made with Patrón Silver Tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde Liqueur, Lime Juice, and Pure Cane Sugar.

The margarita was VERY spicy; you’re gonna taste that pepper! The tequila didn’t stand out, but the Ancho Reyes Verde liqueur was the powerhouse in this beverage. It was refreshing with how cool it was and the slight tartness it had, but that pepper really kicked in at the back end of each sip. It was heat in liquid form!

If you like pepper flavors, then you may want to order this but we wouldn’t be able to drink more than one. It was a LOT of spice all at once. The flavors made us think it would make a good shot, but, as a full cocktail, it was a bit overwhelming. If you don’t like margaritas or, more importantly, spicy flavors, this is a hard pass!

Luckily, we had an appetizer to help break up the sips of the cocktail. We ordered the Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip for $11. This app comes with Spicy Buffalo Ranch Sauce and Saratoga Chips. Oh well, sorry taste buds, we’re going full spicy on this one. Spicy drink. Spicy dip. Let’s do this.

The dip was good! It was creamy with a slight kick from the buffalo sauce. Since Saratoga Springs is themed after upstate New York, you know it has to have legit buffalo sauce, right?! We tasted that classic buffalo sauce flavor without too much heat. There was chopped celery on top and in the dip itself which gave it a nice crunch that we really enjoyed.

Altogether, it was good but nothing amazing. We love a super cheesy buffalo chicken dip but there wasn’t too much cheese to this one. It DID have lots of chicken though! We liked the chips, which are house-made, and they made for a salty crunch alongside the dip.

We weren’t too pleased with the portion size, TBH. For $11, we’d hope a starter would be shareable but this one was really more of a one-person appetizer. If you like a creamy ranch/buffalo style chicken dip with LOTS of chicken, you’d enjoy this! If you’re looking for something with a kick or a shareable starter; skip it, order more than one, and/or ask for some hot sauce! (Or, in our case, keep sipping your margarita!)

Next up on the food menu, we went with The Turf Burger for $17. Spoiler alert — this was amazing! You’re looking at Smoked Cheddar, Thick-cut Bacon, Bourbon Glaze, Crispy Onions, and Tomato Jam on a Brioche Bun served with Seasoned House-cut Fries.

We LOVED this burger. This is the only thing we ate that we would definitely come back to eat again. It was the perfect size and packed with flavor! The bartender asked us for our cook preference and we chose medium. When it came, our burger was perfectly cooked and deliciously juicy!

The bacon was thick and crisp, the tomato jam added sweetness, and the cheddar was thick and melted perfectly. Then, add the crispy onions on top and you’ve got ANOTHER layer of crunch and flavor. No condiments were needed because that bourbon glaze added all the right flavor, a little sweet and a little tangy to go with that smoky bacon and the creamy, sharp cheddar! This was the best burger we’ve had in a while! 

Our one complaint was that the fries were a little soft and didn’t have the crunch that we would’ve preferred. They did have a good amount of seasoning though, so points there. They could have been cooked a little longer though. Otherwise, we were WOWED.

If you love a juicy burger with a lot of flavors, you should give The Turf Burger a try! If you’re looking for a plain ol’ cheeseburger with ketchup, then this might not be the bite for you.

We also tried the House-made Cheese Pizza for $9.50. This was a great option for kids or picky eaters. It had good flavor like a stone-fired pizza and the portion was decent for being under 10 bucks.

We will say that you can get a bigger pizza for a better price if you order from a delivery service, so we wouldn’t recommend snagging this ‘za to feed a family. But, it would work shared between two kiddos or as an appetizer with drinks.

Alright, now that we’ve got a full meal in us, let’s check out some final thoughts.

Nosh or Not

You should RACE to eat at The Turf Club Lounge if…

• You’re staying at Saratoga Springs and are looking for an easy meal. Prices are steep on some items, but we could feel happy coming here after a day at the pool!
• You’re nearby and looking for a quick bite in a laid-back atmosphere and quiet setting. The Turf Club Lounge really is out of the way so you likely need to be close by to warrant a visit!
• You’re playing a round of golf with friends and are looking to unwind with a drink.
• We swayed you with that killer burger. You’re already drooling after we mentioned bacon and bourbon glaze on a burger!

You should SCRATCH plans for The Turf Club Lounge if…

• You’re not near Saratoga Springs. The eats here were fine, but we wouldn’t go out of the way for them. There are lots of other great options around Disney World!
• You’re REALLY hungry. The portions were fine, but you can get larger portions at other quick-service and table-service spots nearby in Disney Springs and elsewhere.
• You’re looking for a place your kids will love. The Turf Club Lounge definitely had a more grown-up vibe, but there were high chairs available.
• You want something fancier or elevated, Disney Springs is only a small stroll away for a wider variety of options.

Overall

We do love the laid-back atmosphere and gorgeous views from the outdoor seating, but we’re not sure it’s worth making the trek to Saratoga Springs just to visit The Turf Club Lounge. If you do end up nearby, we definitely recommend The Turf Burger! Holy SMOKES, what a good burger.

As you’ve probably guessed, we loved the burger, but it wasn’t enough for us to give glowing reviews about the rest of the meal. Honestly, nothing was bad, but when you’re at Disney there are SO MANY amazing places to eat. With Disney Springs just a short walk away from this resort, there are a LOT of awesome options super close.

If you are staying at Saratoga Springs or playing a round of golf, then this could be a good spot to grab a bite and chill with a few adults. If Saratoga Springs isn’t in your plans already, then this is not a destination we would say you need to go out of your way to try. This feels like it was put here just for guests at the hotel to fill a need — it’s not in the same class as other resort lounges like Trader Sam’s at the Polynesian or Enchanted Rose at Grand Floridian. Those are bars and lounges worth going out of your way to patron.

All in all, The Turf Club Lounge was passable, but just doesn’t stand up to some of the other wonderful dining choices you have when you’re at Disney World. As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney restaurant reviews.

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Have you ever dined at The Tuf Club Lounge? Let us know in the comments!

The post Review: The BEST Burger We’ve Had In a LONG Time is HIDING in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.