Universal CityWalk is putting football on the menu. NBC Sports Grill & Brew has four new items for NFL Kickoff 2026, and Universal introduced them with a line I’m not going to try to beat: “Down. Set. EAT!”
Football season comes back Wednesday, September 9, and the new items stick around all season long. Chef Robert Hainer built each one with game day in mind. Three plates and a drink.
What’s happening at NBC Sports Grill & Brew on September 9?
Kickoff night gets its own entertainment block from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A live DJ plays, referee-themed stilt walkers work the room, and the Prize Guys are around before the game goes up on the big screen.
The entertainment runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on September 9 as the game premieres on the big screen.
What’s on the NFL Kickoff 2026 menu?
Four quarters, four items. The lineup covers an appetizer, a burger, a bowl, and a soda that has no business being this involved.
Start with the “Crunch” Corn Fritters, a crispy batch served with arugula-radish slaw and creole remoulade. Standard sports bar territory, done right.
Then there’s the Mac and Cheeseburger, which stacks two comfort foods into one sandwich. A mac and cheese croquette sits between two fluffy brioche buns with melty cheese, barbecue sauce, and pickles. Putting a croquette inside a burger is a bold structural decision, and I’m glad somebody made it.
The “End Zone” Bowl goes a different direction entirely. Cilantro rice, chicken tinga, and black bean corn salsa make up the base. Chipotle aioli, jalapeño queso, Jack cheese, and pico de gallo go over the top. It’s served with a side of french fries.
The drink is the Berry Fizz, and dirty sodas are having a moment. Muddled strawberries, strawberry crisps, and vanilla cream go into lemon-lime soda, then a sweet cold foam finishes it off.
How long is the football menu available?
Through the end of football season. Universal is running all four as limited-time items through the end of football season, so kickoff night isn’t the only shot at the Mac and Cheeseburger.
That’s a long runway for a seasonal menu. This limited-time menu is available through the end of football season.
Shark Take: The food is around for months, but the DJ, the stilt walkers, and the Prize Guys are a one-night thing. If that’s the version of this you want at Universal CityWalk, get there before 8 p.m. on September 9.
Source: Universal Orlando Resort
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