NBC Sports Grill & Brew Restaurant Review

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on December 1st, 2017 | No Comments »

The fine folks at Universal Orlando Resort treated me to a dinner at the NBC Sports Grill & Brew; my opinions are my own.

From the ambience, service, food, and location, NBC Sports Grill & Brew should top your list of places to eat when visiting Universal Orlando Resort. I mean, why should your theme park food consist just of churros, turkey legs, and other fast food, when you can enjoy a fun experience with amazing entrees like the better-than-traditional-pub food at NBC Sports Grill?

Check out these other awesome places to eat at CityWalk on your next trip to Orlando.

NBC Sports Grill and Brew-Universal CityWalk

Ambience

Foosball tables that double as dinner tables? How fun is that? NBC Sports Grill & Brew does a terrific job of communicating the sports theme (it has 100 high-definition screens playing sporting events) without overdoing it. It is not too loud, making it a perfect spot for families, and it is fun. Plus, it's a 2-story venue, which means it can pack a large crowd without making guests feel crowded. Score!

Service

I have eaten at NBC Sports Grill & Brew twice (on my last two visits to Universal Orlando Resort) and the service both times was top notch. Our servers added so much to our already delicious meal by their kindness, attention to detail, and clear communication. They were always on top of our drinks and got us our food quickly as well. After a long and tiring day getting your theme park fun on while walking 10,000+ steps, great service makes all the difference. Shout out to our most recent server, Reagan, for going above and behind to ensure our experience was top notch.

Food

NBC Sports Grill & Brew's menu wasn't created with serving up the best bar food in mind. Though it has tried and true favorites you'll find in many sports bars, this sports bar's menu differentiates itself from other pubs in quality, in diversity, and by offering a wide array of choices.

For appetizers, the gigantic pretzel for only $12.95 (not the official name) was an awesome variance from the traditional bread basket.

NBC Sports Grill and Brew-Universal CityWalk

But my favorite? The Blue Cheese Chips (only $8.95 and made with house-made kettle chips, blue cheese crumbles, white queso, applewood smoked bacon, chives). You don't have to be a blue cheese lover to fall head over heels in love with this delicious dish. The mixture of blue cheese with white queso atop the kettle chips was the perfect combination. Trust me. Try them!

For my entree, I got the Cedar Planked North Atlantic Salmon ($22.95) served with grilled asparagus, Yukon gold mash, olive tomato relish, lemon caper butter sauce and I also tried the Chicken Pot Pie ($14.95), the Grand Slam Burger ($19.95), and the side of Mac & Cheese ($3.95). If you order the Mac & Cheese, keep in mind that the Mac & Cheese entree ($14.95) and side order are not the same. I much preferred the side.

Last but not least, dessert. 7-Layer Big Banana Cake, anyone? I could hardly squeeze it in after the Blue Cheese Chips and I'm not a big dessert fan to begin with, but this had me wanting to lick my plate clean. I am not seeing this dish on the current menu, so if I just made your mouth water, make sure to ask your server if it's still available.

Location

NBC Sports Grill & Brew is situated right next to the entrance of Universal Studios Florida, making it the ideal restaurant to stop at on your way out of the parks, after attending Blue Man Group, during lunch, or on a night out to enjoy CityWalk. Also, it is right at the top of the stairs from the water taxis, so if you are heading there from your onsite hotel, you can jump off the water taxi, walk up the stairs, and voila! You'll be enjoying a delicious meal in no time.

Looking for more recommendations on what to eat at Universal Orlando Resort? Check out these posts:

Have must-visit restaurants at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida? Please share them in the comments along with tips on what to order.

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.