Orlando

Walter’s Tavern Brings Full-Service Sports Bar to Orlando

Walter’s Tavern is an elevated sports-tavern concept now in soft-opening in Orlando.

Walter’s Tavern is currently in its soft-opening phase at 2105 North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804, introducing an elevated sports-tavern experience to the Packing District. We came across the story first from Bungalower.

Led by General Manager Zachery Zeisloft, the tavern opened its doors to guests for the first time during its soft-opening weekend of November 14–16 and is now operating regular hours Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to midnight. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration is scheduled for December 6th.

Concept & Atmosphere

Walter’s Tavern offers an elevated sports-bar experience with rustic tavern décor, lounge seating, and live-edge wood tables. The space features over 15 large TVs and a massive 130-inch video wall, ensuring guests have a clear view of every game from anywhere in the 3,000-square-foot venue. Seating includes roughly 100+ covers plus 20 bar seats, with plenty of standing room for busy game nights.

As Zachery put it: “There’s not a bad spot to watch a game. Anywhere in the house is a great spot to watch the game.”

Craft Cocktails, Wine & Local Beer

The beverage program is a standout feature. Walter’s Tavern delivers:

Fresh-juiced, house-made cocktails using no premixes
A curated, approachable wine list selected personally by Zeisloft, a Level One Sommelier
A focus on local breweries, including their own white-label “Orange Lager” brewed by Orange County Brewers
A broad lineup of popular domestic and imported beers

Everything on the drink menu emphasizes freshness, quality, and local partnerships. “The cocktail menu features all fresh ingredients—nothing is pre-made or pre-mixed,” Zachery explained. “We juice everything in-house and make all of our sweeteners in-house.”

A Unique Partnership With Great Southern Box Company

While Walter’s Tavern does not operate its own kitchen, the tavern is directly connected to the Great Southern Box Company, a modern food hall featuring 11 diverse food vendors—from pizza, wings, and burgers to Mediterranean, Thai, Brazilian steak, Jamaican cuisine, and sushi.

Guests order food via QR code at their table, and vendors hand-deliver directly to the tavern. This setup creates a full-service dining experience supported by Walter’s servers and bartenders, with the added variety of a multi-vendor food hall.

Service Style

Walter’s Tavern blends full-service hospitality with the convenience of food-hall ordering. Guests are greeted, served drinks, and attended to by staff while their food is seamlessly delivered from the connected vendors. It provides a traditional sit-down feel with unlimited culinary options.

The variety is impressive—pizza, burgers, wings, Mediterranean, Thai, Brazilian steak, Jamaican cuisine, sushi, and more.

“There’s a little bit of everything for everybody,” Zachery said. “Every time you come back, you can try something new.”

Ownership

Walter’s Tavern is owned by Scott Kotroba and Matteo Tarassi. General Manager Zachery Zeisloft oversees day-to-day operations.

Together, they operate under the umbrella of Pine Street Hospitality, a group with a 20-year presence in downtown Orlando. Their portfolio includes a quick-service restaurant and five nightlife concepts Bullet Bar, McQeen's Social Lounge, Attic, Basement, and Sessions.

Walter’s Tavern becomes the seventh concept in their expanding hospitality group.

A Tribute to Local History

Walter’s Tavern pays homage to Walter Phillips, the youngest son of philanthropist Dr. Phillips, whose name is deeply tied to the development of Central Florida.

Dr. Phillips Charities—founded from the family’s historic citrus groves—has contributed millions (likely approaching a billion, according to Zeisloft) to Orlando’s growth, including redevelopment efforts in the Packing District.

Walter, a World War II pilot who later became a crop duster for the family groves, inspired the tavern’s theme and identity. The space celebrates his legacy and the history of the land on which it stands.