City Works Disney Springs offers a gastropub vibe with a sports bar twist. Find out what makes this spot a dining gem at Walt Disney World.

Disney Springs, the entertainment and shopping district at Walt Disney World Resort, is home to a wide variety of unique dining experiences. Among the vibrant mix of restaurants is City Works Eatery & Pour House. This modern gastropub offers an impressive beer selection, elevated comfort food, and a lively atmosphere. During a recent media invite, we had the chance to experience all that City Works has to offer, from its curated menu to its inviting ambiance.

We visit this City Works Eatery & Pour House location often, as indicated by our Bottleneck Rewards point total. For example, we recently visited to try the Smash Burger Tacos. However, on this occasion, we are being hosted. Still, based on the amount of reward points in our account, we will be back a few more times before our points expire.

First Impressions: Industrial Chic Meets Sports Bar Energy

Located on the West Side of Disney Springs, City Works Eatery & Pour House greets guests with a welcoming facade featuring large windows and a contemporary industrial design. Inside, high ceilings, exposed brick, and sleek steel fixtures are paired with massive flat-screen TVs playing the latest in sports entertainment. The vibe is a nice blend of upscale and laid-back, appealing to both beer enthusiasts and families seeking a high-quality meal.

The Beer Wall: A Craft Lover’s Dream at City Works Disney Springs

One of City Works’ most distinguishing features is its extensive beer list. With over 90 beers on tap, including local craft brews, international selections, and hard-to-find seasonal rotations, this is a true haven for beer aficionados. Whether you prefer hoppy IPAs, rich stouts, or crisp lagers, there’s something on tap for everyone.

City Works also offers an impressive cocktail menu, featuring highlights such as the Tito’s Texas Mule, Luxe Old Fashioned, and White Sangria. For non-drinkers, mocktails and house-made lemonades are also available.

Service and Staff

Throughout our visit, the staff were friendly, informed, and enthusiastic. The service was also top-notch. The servers took the time to explain the menu and make personal recommendations, which added to the welcoming atmosphere.

Ambiance and Entertainment

City Works strikes a balance between the excitement of a sports bar and the comfort of a sit-down restaurant. Dozens of HD TVs line the walls, showing everything from baseball to international soccer matches. However, even during big games, the noise level is well-managed, allowing for conversation at the table.

The venue is family-friendly, with a kids’ menu and attentive service. There is also ample indoor and outdoor seating, including a covered patio that’s ideal for Florida evenings.

The Menu: Elevated Comfort Food with a Twist at City Works Disney Springs

City Works Eatery & Pour House Disney Springs does not just rely on its stellar beer program. The food deserves a place to shine as well. This establishment offers a diverse selection of appetizers, hearty entrees, and decadent desserts. As we learned from speaking with Chef Zach, this eatery focuses on fresh ingredients and creative takes on American classics.

Our Experience at City Works Disney Springs

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon. As a result, we expected it to be busy. City Works Eatery & Pour House was busy, but we have seen it far busier during certain sporting events being broadcast and shown on the massive screens.

After checking in for our advanced dining reservation, we were seated soon after. Our server, who did a fabulous job, took our drink orders. We got a non-alcoholic Athletic beverage and a Diet Coke. Sadly, for one of us, City Works Disney Springs does not have Coke Zero Sugar.

For our hosted media dinner, we ordered four items that were new additions at City Works Disney Springs. We shared these items among our group.

Appetizers

We ordered two appetizers, the Crab Fondue and the Nashville Hot Chicken Nachos. The Crab Fondue appears to be quite different looking from the original press photo we saw with the recent menu changes.  Still, that did not bother us. Additionally, we received more of the bauqette pieces than we expected, which was a good thing.

The Crab Fondue costs $20.95. It consists of “Jumbo lump crab meat, goat cheese, Parmesan, garlic herb butter, toasted baguette.” Our Crab Fondue was served very hot, which was terrific. As our server informed us, this appetizer is considered a heavy one. This is not just some light bite to have before ordering something like the Smoked Meatloaf at City Works.

Nevertheless, this fondue contains plenty of crab meat. Also, the cheese does not overwhelm the flavor of the crab. The balance of flavors also worked well with this appetizer. Additionally, the texture of the baquettes complements the fondue. They also offer a nice touch of seasoning. Overall, this fondue exceeded our expectations.

Nashville Hot Chicken Nachos

Our second appetizer was the Nashville Hot Chicken Nachos. These cost $17.95. The menu description tells diners to expect “Crispy chicken, Nashville hot sauce, pepper jack cheese sauce, pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, white beans, avocado, cilantro lime cream, tortilla chips, micro cilantro.”

City Works Disney Springs has offered a variety of non-traditional nachos over the years. The current menu presents guests with Duck Nachos and these. Duck Nachos have been a staple at City Works for many years. City Works Eatery & Pour House uses a thicker chip as a base. However, City Works nachos usually involve pieces of avocado, white beans, and pico de gallo. Those elements work well.

The Nashville Hot Chicken Nachos offer more than a typical theme park-level spicy kick. However, they will not impress a true Nashville hot chicken fan with the level of heat. In fairness, this is a sports bar, not a Nashville hot chicken stand. Nevertheless, those who avoid spicy food should skip these. Of course, the name of the nachos should serve as a good clue for that.

Overall, we found these nachos enjoyable. However, our only concern relates to the size of the chicken pieces. We found them too large to stay on the chips. So, we ate many of them separately from the other components.

City Works Disney Springs Entrée: Tex-Mex Protein Bowl

After chatting with Chef Zach, we knew we had to try the Tex-Mex Protein Bowl. The bowl entrées are new at City Works Eatery & Pour House. This one costs $23.95. It consists of “Adobo braised chicken, chipotle salsa roja, kale, cilantro rice, black beans, charred corn, avocado, pepper jack cheese, red onion, cilantro, tortilla strips, cilantro lime cream, spiced citrus vinaigrette.” The components come separated in the bowl. We suggest mixing these ingredients before devouring this entrée.

Our bowl arrived at our table very soon after we ordered it. It offers a good portion size. Guests could easily share this if you do that sort of thing. On a positive note, this Tex-Mex Protein Bowl delivers precisely what it promises in the menu description. The adobo chicken offers some spicy kick, but nothing like the Nashville Hot Chicken.

After eating this, it became clear why it has gained such popularity. The flavors merge nicely in this lighter entrée. Nevertheless, once again, we found the chicken pieces to be larger than most guests would want with a bowl entrée. Still, the chicken looks and tastes like the chicken in the Chicken Tinga Tacos. The size of the chicken pieces works well with that entrée, making it a fair trade-off.

Dessert: Sweet Endings with the Fried Strawberry Cheesecake

Of course, we ordered dessert. Since we had enjoyed Hot Cookie Hour at Gideon’s Bakehouse earlier in the day, this dessert had a tough act to follow. The Fried Strawberry Cheesecake has been an elusive dessert to enjoy at City Works Disney Springs. Still, it is a permanent part of the menu now. It costs $11.95. The menu description reads, “Strawberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar.”

This sweet treat resembles an “egg roll”-style appetizer. It has a strawberry filling. It comes in four pieces, so it could be shared if you share food. Although it lacks an authentic strawberry flavor, we thoroughly enjoyed this dessert. Although the components should not add up to such a tasty dessert, they do. We found ourselves wondering why we like this so much. I suspect we will try it again on a future visit.

Our other concern would be the chocolate. Though we know City Works wants to prepare dishes for a wide variety of guests, we found the chocolate was not needed. In fairness, we understood why chocolate was included in this dessert. Our group thought it did not enhance the dessert. Despite that, we loved the Fried Strawberry Cheesecake.

Final Thoughts: City Works Disney Springs

Whether you’re a local seeking a new favorite hangout or a tourist looking to explore beyond the theme parks, City Works Eatery & Pour House offers a memorable experience. With its diverse menu, incredible selection of beer, and inviting atmosphere, it truly has something for everyone.

In a destination full of magical experiences, City Works manages to stand out as a grounded, flavorful, and fun dining option. Next time you’re at Disney Springs, be sure to stop by. You might find your new go-to spot for food, drink, and good times.

For more theme park dining reviews, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. As always, eat like you mean it!

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