Salamanders Sports Grill

Heads Up: This restaurant is taken over by Giants fans during the football season :)

I really, really like this place. It's pretty small in size but the helpful wait staff, the food choices, and the craft beer selections make up for it. As of right now, they don't have a liquor license but I'm not one for liquor so that's fine with me!

So far I've had the muscles, the fish sandwich, and the chicken fingers... all were really done well and not too pricey. Don't miss out on the salamander sauce if you opt in for the chicken fingers, or even ask for it for your fries!

They've got a lot of TVs and are pretty willing to change the smaller ones for you if you ask politely. Occasionally there is live music outside with plenty of patio seating, if that's your thing.

I'll definitely be back. GO GIANTS :)

Ok, first off,  offering three basic salads with nothing special and  typical ingredients, does not make it special.  A salad with different toppings and various greens could be classified as appealing, but I question any other description.  Nothing stood out from the ingredients that makes it one of a kind, amazing, great, refreshing, gorgeous, beautiful or the like.   Typical greens,  tomatoes, peppers, cheese and throw on salmon, steak or chicken.  Those are your salad choices.

 Second, the majority of the menu IS typical "fryer" bar food. Especially the chicken tenders, which after you're finished hacking away at the breading, you find some chicken.  But the taste isn't chicken, its more like eating a meaty french fry.  After my son had a few bites of his, he asked if he could go next door to another establishment for food.  he's eaten chicken tenders all over the east coast and most of his life, if he doesn't like them, i believe him.  

 The flat bread was disappointing.  I had the sprinter.  Lacking creativity, the chicken was dry.  The flat bread itself wasn't your normal crispy crust, as you would assume it should be.  Nothing stood out as I ate it.   I even remember wonder if maybe some sauce or something could be added to bring some flavor.

 I didn't try them, but i was told the Mussels were great from a very reliable source.  Which is odd to me.  Not everyone can fix a decent mussel, but your generic flat bread or chicken tender is sub-par?  

The beer menu is another typical selection.  I wonder when new places are going to see that Orlando has been moving towards real craft beers?  sure, offer your watery yellow beers, but how about a better selection of real craft beers.  if you can walk in a store like 7-11 to buy beer for your business, I feel you need to broaden your horizon a tad.  Visit some local brewers in florida.   Cigar City is one that comes to mind.  Shocktop, bluemoon and the like aren't craft beers, in my opinion.

There are a few specialty items that are fine, but that list is lacking enough that "specialty" is hardly defined.  

its a small place, which I like.  open floor plan, great.  The TV's are easily seen and large enough for big parties.  The two main tv's could  and should be positioned higher on the wall though.  if you're sitting at one of the tables directly in front of the two tv's (no idea why you would put a table in front of a tv that is mounted so low) , the people behind you trying to watch their favorite sports team can be quite upset, and rightfully so.

For a large party, the service is confusing.  They can lose track of who they saw first, who wants what drinks or dishes, who to bring out checks for and  take extra time getting drinks.  the place is small, i don't understand the amount of time it takes.  maybe its from not having the process down fully?

this place has potential, but needs a menu revamp and "on their toes" staff.  I hope they can pull it together, its close enough for me to visit for sporting events, just can't see the reason with the food and beer selection.

Good luck

The good news: This is probably the best food in Winter Springs. The bad news: It can take a l-o-n-g time for your meal to arrive. It's not that the service is inattentive; it's that the kitchen is slow. Definitely check it out but you might be better off doing so during off hours.