Mouse Extra

The news of a brewpub coming to Walt Disney World was one that certainly put a smile on face, as I am sure it did for all beer-lovers and tavern-goers that vacation at the Mouse.  But does the Big River Grille and Brewing Works deliver the goods?  Maybe not entirely, but it comes close.

The Big River Grille is not a Disney owned and operated establishment.  It is part of an outside chain that has other brewpubs in Tennessee.  But when it comes to food quality and cleanliness, it has no problem keeping up with the Disney standard.

The Big River is part of the amazing Boardwalk area, just steps from Epcot’s World Showcase.  It has an outside deck that delivers the atmosphere of this wonderful corner of Disney World.  Inside, however, the atmosphere is somewhat dull.  It tries to go with a chic look, but ends up being a bit too “cold” feeling and can also be slightly noisy.  I wouldn’t call this a negative, but certainly not a positive either.

The food has always been good, each time I’ve been there.  Lunch offers a half dozen sandwiches that are all interesting, as well as entrees like ribs, salmon, and chicken Alfredo.  Dinner is similar, but with slightly fewer sandwiches and more entrees.  We’re not talking anything overly adventurous here, but this is a pub.  My only suggestion would be that they add more appetizers, as each menu only has three or four.  But overall, the choices are good and always tasty. 

But let’s be honest here, folks.  This is a brewpub.  Food and atmosphere are not nearly as important as the quality of what brings us here, the beer.  As a beer lover myself, I would say Big River delivers a product you should try.  They usually offer a reasonable variety, including light, wheat, pale ale, pilsner, red, and brown selections.  They are all good, but I have yet to find anything that really “wowed” me.  Having said that, these are all quality products and vastly superior to most beer selections found at Disney World.  If you are looking for a beer that’s totally out of the ordinary, you won’t find it at Big River.  What you will find is good, fresh and worthy beer.

Big River Grille is not a place for connoisseurs, either of food or beer.  It’s a nice pub, with decent drink and tasty pub food.  Give it a try and tell us what you think.