Two-Minute Review: Upperdeck Sports Bar and Grill

Good food, if you can get it.

When I heard that a sports bar and grill was going to be replacing Pairings in its refurbished-house location between Springfield and Nixa, I was skeptical. But after eating at Upperdeck Sports Bar and Grill (381 Guin Rd., Nixa, 417-724-2555), the news isn’t all bad. The space feels at least as natural as a minimalist sports bar as it did as a fine-dining spot.

That’s pleasing. The bad news: More than a month after opening, Upperdeck has some business-side issues. They were out of the crab cakes we ordered. They were also out of “desserts,” as our waitress informed us. We heard the bartender say they were out of Bud Select. These are problems owner Travis Dibben is going to have to solve—as are some obviously unfinished trim work on the paint job. The décor is overall pleasant, but the paint flaws just look amateurish.

Here’s more good news: the food on hand was quite good. My wife said the salmon dish—served with pineapple salsa ($14.95)—was one of the best she’s had in Springfield. My flat iron steak ($12.95) was extremely tender and just the right portion, though it was on the medium side of medium-well. The steak was also too salty—I should have scraped some of the crusted spices off onto my plate. The garlic mashed potatoes were divine, as were the huge dinner salads.

With plenty of customers—mostly an older crowd—on a Wednesday night, Upperdeck seems to be doing well so far: We’ll see how it goes this fall, when football weekends either fill Upperdeck or render it a ghost town—if inventory problems don’t do that first.