Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux St. Johns, FL — Restaurant in Fruit Cove

🏈 Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux — Grand Opening in St. Johns, FL

We were so glad to attend the soft opening of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, the highly anticipated sports bar and restaurant that officially opened its doors on October 6 at The Pavilion at Durbin Park. This marks their 80th location and the first in Northeast Florida—and what a debut it was!

The moment you step in, the energy hits you. The place is vibrant, lively, and full of upbeat vibes. Everywhere you turn, there’s a massive screen 📺, making it the ultimate spot to catch your favorite game while enjoying drinks and delicious food with friends.

Co-owned by former NFL quarterback Drew Brees and founded by Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, Walk-On’s brings Louisiana’s bold flavors to a casual, family-friendly sports bar setting. The menu is packed with scratch-made Southern favorites, craft beers, and signature cocktails.

We sampled a variety of dishes during their “Pre-Game Shifts,” and everything impressed us: • 🦐 Louisiana Platter – A generous feast of hand-battered jumbo shrimp and catfish, served with crawfish étouffée, seasoned waffle fries, and hush puppies. A true Southern classic. • 🌶 Boom Boom Shrimp – Crispy shrimp tossed in a tangy, creamy sauce that had just the right amount of kick. • 🥗 Zydeco Salad – Sweet chili-glazed fried shrimp over fresh greens with candied pecans, jalapeños, tortilla strips, and red onions. A vibrant mix of textures and flavors. • 🍤 Sweet Chili-Glazed Fried Shrimp & Cheddar Grits – Comfort food at its finest.

Portion sizes are huge, and everything tasted fresh and flavorful. Their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is a customer favorite, and after seeing a few go by to other tables, it’s on our list for next time.

A special shoutout to our server Anna, who was exceptional, and Mackenzi at the host stand, who greeted us with a big smile. We even had a chance to meet Manager James and COO Partner Bobby, who were casually shooting hoops with guests—such a fun and welcoming touch.

Whether you’re here to cheer on your team, enjoy a night out with family, or simply indulge in some Louisiana-inspired comfort food, Walk-On’s hits the mark. If you haven’t checked it out yet, hurry over—it’s a great time with delicious food and fantastic service.

📍 Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux 495 Durbin Pavilion...

Soft Opening Success: Walk-On's Hits a Home Run! My group had the pleasure of attending the soft opening for Durban location tonight, and we are already calling it a success.

The atmosphere was vibrant, perfectly matching the sports theme—and the staff made us feel right at home, complimenting us on our jerseys!

The service was impeccable, which is particularly impressive for a soft opening.

Our server, Sienna (just like the Toyota minivan!), was super friendly, attentive, and clearly passionate about the menu. The staff consistently checked in, and every single dish arrived at the table fresh and piping hot.

The Food Lineup

We dove into a variety of dishes, and everything was delicious:

Wings: We started with the 18-piece, split between Buffalo (classic heat) and the savory, tangy Lemon Pepper. They were notably big and meaty—definitely worth getting.

Redfish Tacos & Sweet Potato Fries: I had the Redfish Tacos, featuring perfectly seasoned blackened fish topped with a bright, refreshing Mango Salsa. The side of crispy sweet potato fries with the dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment.

Seafood Entrees: Another in our group enjoyed the Salmon (also with the delicious mango salsa), and two others raved about the hearty Catfish with Shrimp Étouffée—a true Cajun comfort dish that looked amazing.

Prime Rib Sliders: The final two members of our party enjoyed the savory Prime Rib Sliders, which looked like a great, meaty option for a game-day meal.

Overall, the variety of the menu is excellent, offering something for everyone, from traditional bar bites to quality seafood and comfort classics.

Congratulations to the entire team on a wonderful soft opening. We can’t wait to come back for the...

We were able to attend a soft opening event for lunch today. We had the mozzarella logs (credit card sized card in photo for size reference... these are huge!), bayou pasta, and grown up grilled cheese. The cheese logs were impressive, with a light, crispy panko breading and unbelievable cheese pull...definitely not the standard, waxy string cheese sticks you generally get elsewhere. The pasta was creamy but not too heavy. The 6 large shrimp were nicely butterflied and grilled just until done, still plump and juicy. The sandwich was buttery and crispy. I'm a crispy bacon fan so I would ask for the bacon to be extra crispy next time, but with the crispy bread and all the melty cheese in the sandwich, the less rendered bacon did not slow me down. I forgot to take photos before we started eating so the presentation in my photos is not a perfect representation.

Server Bella H. and all of the dining area staff were fantastic. Bella answered all of our questions with cheerful enthusiasm. She kept our drinks full without us needing to ask. They serve Coke products which makes me happy, and my husband liked their sweet tea. Everyone was quick to remove used dishes and things like straw wrappers from the table. A couple of gentlemen who looked like they might be managers stopped by to make sure we were satisfied with the food and service. Tables were nicely spaced out so it did not feel too noisy or crowded, which we appreciated.

We are excited to have a new sit-down meal option in our area, where most options are fast food, Mexican, or Italian. We will be back regularly. The happy hour specials look like...