First Look at New Menu for Reopening of Turf Club, Disney World’s Top Sleeper Restaurant!

Walt Disney World has officially revealed the reopening date of Turf Club Bar & Grill, along with a first look at new dishes, desserts, and drinks coming to the underrated-est table service restaurant at Saratoga Springs Resort. Here’s a rundown of the new menu with food photos, reopening details, and our commentary.

Turf Club Bar & Grill is probably the Walt Disney World resort restaurant that even diehard fans are least-likely to have dined at. Unless you’re a DVC Member who owns at Saratoga Springs (or a golfer), there’s a high likelihood you’ve never eaten here. It might be a different story with DTB readers since we’ve drawn a lot of attention to it over the years, but we’d hazard a guess that this is the Disney restaurant that Walt Disney World fans are least likely to have even heard of in the first place.

There’s also a reason why Turf Club is one of the top picks on our list of Underrated Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World for 2026, and our Saratoga Springs vs. Old Key West comparison called it criminally underrated. We’re big fans of what you might call the sleepiest restaurant or hiddenest gem of Walt Disney World. Still workshopping superlatives, but the point is that Turf Club is flying so far under the radar that it’s basically cruising on land.

Even Disney agrees with our assessment! Walt Disney World’s website also calls Turf Club a “hidden gem,” one of only three restaurants to earn that distinction. Alongside Olivia’s Cafe and Grand Floridian Cafe; I’d agree with all three, although I personally prefer underrated for Grand Floridian Cafe, since it’s not-so-hidden.

According to Walt Disney World, Turf Club is an “intimate venue [that] recalls a romantic and bygone era.” Disney invites guests to “head on through to the restaurant, where dim lighting and wood-paneled walls create a sophisticated, gentlemanly ambience.” “Be transported to turn-of-the-century Upstate New York as you browse vintage equestrian memorabilia: photos of jockeys and their horses, antique riding gear and racing articles of yesteryear.”

That’s about to change, as this refurbishment marks the most significant attention Turf Club has received in years. Perhaps ever? It’s likely to be a top to bottom interior overhaul that’ll qualify as restaurant reimagining in addition to the refreshed menu.

Turf Club Bar & Grill Reopening Date

The phased refurbishment of Turf Club was originally slated to start in mid-March. It was then pushed back to late April, and then finally to early May, which is when work actually started.

Fast forward to August 31st, and the Turf Club Lounge reopened with a fresh look and a new menu. The Turf Club Lounge is already open from 4 pm to 11 pm nightly, with indoor and outdoor seating right outside the main restaurant.

On the same date that the lounge reopened, the Turf Club Bar & Grill restaurant closed for its refurbishment. Walt Disney World has now officially announced that Turf Club Bar & Grill will reopen on September 30, 2026.

Not really “new news” here, as the official WDW calendar had hours for the restaurant side of Turf Club posted starting September 30, 2026. The restaurant also started accepting Advance Dining Reservations for that date and all thereafter, minus Mondays and Tuesdays, when it’s closed. Nevertheless, it’s nice to have official confirmation, especially since this is a tight turnaround and there was always the possibility of a delay.

Along with this, Walt Disney World has released a sneak peek at the refreshed menu. Let’s dig in:

Turf Club New Menu: Appetizers

Here’s a rundown of the dishes served up at Turf Club Lounge, via the updated menu that’s been shared by Walt Disney World:

• Crispy Chicken Wings served with choice of buffalo or garlic-Parmesan sauce, blue cheese, and celery
• Sweet-and-Spicy Brussels Sprouts with a piquant agave glaze, and crispy Vidalia onions (Plant-based)
• French Onion Soup: Savory sherry beef broth, melted fontina, and Gruyère
• Wedge Salad with bacon, buttermilk-chive ranch dressing, pickled red onions, tomatoes, and marigold garnish from The Land Pavilion at EPCOT
• Golden-fried Calamari with Shishito Peppers with toasted sesame aïoli and sweet chili-lime sauce
• Lemon Butter Shrimp with sun-dried tomatoes, feta, capers, and toasted bread

Next up, the main courses at the new-look Turf Club Bar & Grill…

Turf Club New Menu: Entrees

• Slow-roasted Prime Rib with a baked potato with butter, sour cream, chives, seasonal vegetables, au jus, and horseradish sauce
• Smoked Salmon-wrapped Halibut with seasonal risotto, citrus beurre blanc, and nasturtium garnish from The Land Pavilion at EPCOT
• Braised Pork Shank with New York cheddar grits and bacon-bourbon glaze
• Spinach and Mushroom Linguini: Mushroom “cream” sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and basil-tofu “ricotta” (Plant-based)
• Char-grilled Butcher’s Steak with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and house-made steak sauce
• Turf Club Burger with applewood-smoked bacon, New York white cheddar, house-made pickles, onion straws, lettuce, and tomato served with seasoned waffle fries
• Corn Flake-breaded Fried Chicken and Waffle with roasted jalapeño maple syrup and candied bacon butter
• Pappardelle Shrimp Pasta: Shrimp, asparagus, and truffle sauce

Finishing up the meal, we have desserts…

Turf Club New Menu: Desserts

• Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake: Hazelnut mousse, and berry sauce
• Vanilla Bean Cheesecake: Strawberry sauce, and graham crumb
• Salted Caramel Pot de Crème: Vanilla bean panna cotta, pecan crunch, and citrus shortbread
• Apple Tart: Caramel sauce, streusel, and “gelato” (Plant-based)

As of right now, you can still see the old menu for Turf Club Bar & Grill here if you want to compare or contrast.

The biggest changes are a trio of entrees. The Bourbon-Apple Glazed Pork Chop has been replaced by the Braised Pork Shank, Char-grill New York Strip Steak has been swapped for the Char-grilled Butcher’s Steak, and Tempura-fried Hen of the Wood Mushroom is gone in favor of Spinach and Mushroom Linguini. Turf Club’s Pork Chop was really good, but I’m not one to argue with Port Shank. The jury is still out on the other changes for me.

Technically, the dessert menu has been totally revamped, but if you look closely, most of the new dishes are pretty much 1:1 replacements over similar items there before. For instance, the Salted Caramel Pot de Creme replaces Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée. Obviously different, but not a dramatic departure.

Finally, a rundown of the new drink menus presented without commentary…

Turf Club Cocktails

Beer & Hard Seltzer

Wine

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Coffee

What follows are our original thoughts about what the overhaul of Turf Club restaurant could entail…

When we last reviewed Turf Club Bar & Grill, I described it as transporting guests to a mid-1980s country club, complete with rich woods, green-and-blue plaid carpet with gold swirls, and stained glass panels. The words “retro” and “old school” were used to describe the interior design in a non-derogatory way.

There is something intimate and cozy and calming about the aesthetic that you just don’t get in a lot of modern Walt Disney World designs (I don’t want to use the word “soulless” to describe those, but you’re welcome to do so). It’s not the pinnacle of themed design, but it’s cozy and comfortable.

Even so, there’s also no denying that Turf Club is stuck in a very specific, bygone era. The restaurant dates back to 2004, when Saratoga Springs Resort opened, and as far as I know, it’s never had a significant refurbishment until 2026.

Twenty-two years is a long time. If Disney were going to give any resort restaurant a makeover, Turf Club would be near the top of the list based purely on age. And although I find the current interior charming, there’s little denying that an update here is needed.

Consequently, I’m pretty bullish (horseish?) on the reimagining of Turf Club Bar & Grill. As for what’s likely to change, look no further than SSR as a whole. (Or, for that matter, the recently reopened Turf Club Lounge.)

Expect Disney to retain the equestrian theme but give it a modern, elevated take. Less “1980s country club” and more contemporary, with nods to horse racing history, along with a few overt and obscure Disney character references. Updates the color palette, refreshes the finishes, modernizations the lighting, etc.

This refurbishment won’t impact the overwhelmingly majority of Walt Disney World guests for the exact reason mentioned above. Turf Club has never been a must-do dining destination. It’s not within walking distance of a park, it’s not on the monorail or Skyliner, and it’s not in a “destination” resort.

Unless you’re staying at Saratoga Springs or deliberately seeking out a quiet, off-the-beaten-path dinner option, you’ve probably never considered eating here. As we’ve written before, Turf Club is most likely to be one of the restaurants that even Walt Disney World diehards have never even heard of.

For DVC members who stay at Saratoga Springs regularly, this refurbishment is worth noting. Or for anyone who savors not-quite-old-school early aughts Walt Disney World and wants to experience the original interior before what’s likely to be transformative changes. The good news is that SSR is a short walk from Disney Springs, and that unlocks a world of options; maybe give STK a try for the exact opposite experience of Turf Club while still enjoying a steakhouse.

Ultimately, I’m optimistic despite my nostalgia and sentimentality for the charmingly old school dining room. This refurbishment to Turf Club is welcome and arguably overdue. Even with old school Pizza Huts making a comeback, there’s something to be said for updating the interior to make it feel fresh and modern while enhancing the equestrian theme and “Disneyfying” the space just a bit.

Hopefully, the project team manages to thread the needle on the design to maintain its appeal among old school fans and a newer generation of guests. At worst, we lose a dated-but-charming restaurant and get back something generic. At best, we get a refreshed Turf Club that introduces a new generation of guests to one of Walt Disney World’s better-kept secrets.

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YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of Turf Club’s updated menu? Did you like the old school vibe of the restaurant interior, or do you think it was too dated? Optimistic or upset about this refurbishment? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!