There are a LOT of truly spectacular restaurants in Disney World, and then there are some that are…well…NOT.

With hundreds of restaurants spread across the property, they can’t all be winners, and we often see the same spots falling to the bottom of the list again and again. Recently, one of those restaurants got an updated menu, so I stopped by to see if it was still as lackluster as we remembered. Come along with me to review The Turf Club Bar & Grill!

Atmosphere

The Turf Club Bar & Grill is tucked away inside the main building at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. To get there from the lobby, you’ll need to walk down a long hallway lined with equestrian memorabilia.

Before you come to the restaurant, you walk through the lounge area. Here, you’ll find plenty of casual seating as well as a bar. This is a great spot to sit and chill or watch a game.

However, if you’re dining at the restaurant, you’ll check in at the host’s stand!

The inside of Turf Club Bar & Grill is pretty dark, with most of the decor made of wood and dark colors. There’s a mix of tables and booths throughout the dining area.

And fitting the theme of the resort, you’ll find lots of horse and equestrian memorabilia throughout. We noticed several framed photos and framed pieces of equipment. It’s an interesting restaurant theme, for sure!

If you prefer to dine outside, you can request to be seated on the patio. This would be a lovely view on a day with nice weather, especially if you want to watch the golf course.

So now that we’ve gotten the tour, let’s take a look at the menu!

Menu

The menu here is kind of varied, with options like French Onion Soup, Charcuterie, Golden-fried Calamari, and Ahi Tuna on the appetizer list. 

For entrees, they’ve got everything from prime rib to salmon to steak to burgers to fried chicken. It’s somewhat of a challenge to find a theme throughout.

The dessert list has a few different options, including the Signature Chocolate Cake, a New York-style Cheesecake, and a Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée. 

So now that we know what the options are, let’s order some food!

Eats

To kick off my meal, my server brought out the bread service, made with white rolls and black salt butter. The rolls were pretty fluffy and light with a tiny bit of crust on the top, and the salted butter added a nice depth of flavor. Ultimately, they weren’t anything too special, but not bad. 

For my appetizer, I ordered the Golden-fried Calamari for $18. It’s served with classic aïoli, Roma tomato sauce, pepperoncini peppers, and lemon. This was fried to a crisp and not too greasy, with a great chew on the calamari itself.

It’s actually kind of spicy because they spread peppers throughout and then the sauce reminded me of a spicy cocktail sauce. The lemon added some freshness to the top layer of the dish and I honestly thought this was quite delicious!

I ended up trying out two entrees, and for the first, I got the Pappardelle Scallop Pasta for $35, made with caramelized scallops, and served with asparagus and truffle sauce. The scallops were meaty and tender with a nice sear on the top, lightly sweetened from the caramelization. But that’s kind of where the good things about this entree ended.

The pasta noodles were a bit overcooked and incredibly sticky — they kept sticking together to the point where it was difficult to twirl them on my fork. There’s not a lot of sauce, so the main flavor in the pasta is buttery and oily. And while the asparagus had a nice chew, it was also pretty bitter. I don’t think I’ll be ordering this again unless they make the sauce more substantial.

For my second appetizer, I decided to try the Buttermilk-fried Herb Chicken for $28. This is served with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and herb gravy. The sides were a bit confusing because while the potatoes were creamy and garlicky and SUPER delicious, the corn and pea succotash was one of the worst vegetable dishes I’ve ever had in Disney World. It tasted like someone had accidentally salted it three times, and the flavor was so strong that it spread to other things the succotash touched.

However, the chicken itself was pretty good! It was nice and juicy with a crunchy/crispy breading and a decent amount of salt. I would love to eat the chicken again, just with a different veggie on the side.

Last but not least, I had to get dessert! Of course, I wanted to order the Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée for $11. It’s served with a caramel mocha Biscotti on the side. The presentation is stunning, and tbh, this was absolutely delicious.

It’s incredibly creamy and smooth with a strong caramel flavor and a hint of saltiness. The raspberry on top was tart and fresh, and the Biscotti was crunchy and dry with a hint of chocolate flavor.

So how did Turf Club fare overall?

Overall

Well, in the end, I left Turf Club Bar & Grill pretty confused. My appetizer and dessert were both spectacular, but the entrees weren’t really anything to write home about. The pasta was fairly disappointing and the chicken would’ve ranked higher had it not been for the veggies on the side.

Ultimately, I don’t really think this spot is worth going out of your way to visit, especially when there are so many better options right next door at Disney Springs. If you’re staying here, maybe give it a try once, but it’s definitely not a must-do.

Nosh or Not?

Make a reservation at Disney World’s horse restaurant if…

• You’re already planning to be at Saratoga Springs. If you’re staying here or you’re heading to the hotel to golf, this might be a good option for an evening meal that’s convenient.
• You want a golf course view. One of the best things about this restaurant is undeniably the view from the patio. If a golf course view is your dream, you can check it out!
• You’re just going for apps and ‘sserts. If you really just want to grab an appetizer and a dessert or a drink, then this might be a fine place to stop and get a bite.

Skip the horses and golf and head to Disney Springs if…

• You’ve got high food standards. The food wasn’t all bad, but it wasn’t all good either. There are definitely better options nearby if you’re willing to head over to Disney Springs.
• You’re on a budget. This isn’t the cheapest table service spot out there, and there are quick service options that I think offer better value and taste than Turf Club.
• You’re not planning to be in the area. I wouldn’t make a trek to this resort just to eat here — go to Disney Springs instead!

Thanks for coming along on my Turf Club review! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates about all the best (and worst) places to dine in Disney World.

The Best (and Worst) Disney World Hotel Restaurants — Click Here!

Have you ever been to the Turf Club? Tell us in the comments!