Drew Brees-owned sports bar franchise Walk-On's coming to Viera Touchdown! Walk On's could open in spring 2019.

Suzy Fleming Leonard | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption Walk-On's Coming to Brevard Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar, a sports bar co-owned by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, is coming to the Space Coast next spring. Check out some of the dishes on the menu. Video by Suzy Fleming Leonard. Uploaded July 5, 2018.

As a Florida State alum and football fan, Nate Fowler of Melbourne was less than happy with last fall's 7-6 record.

But the season wasn't a total loss. The Seminoles ended the year with a 42-13 win over Southern Mississippi in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Fowler discovered a new business opportunity.

Walk-On's Bistreaux and and Bar, a Louisiana-based sports bar and restaurant co-owned by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, is relatively unknown in Florida, but Fowler and his wife, Courtney, want to change that. They plan to open a Walk-On's in Viera or Melbourne next spring.

"Six or seven months ago, we had never heard of it either," Fowler said.

While watching the Independence Bowl, he got curious and did a Google search on Walk-On's.

"I got more and more intrigued," he said.

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The Fowlers, who both are in the medical device sales business, had been thinking about opening a restaurant for a while, and Walk-On's seemed like a perfect fit.

Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, co-founders of the original restaurant, came up with the idea as teammates on the LSU basketball team in 1997. Both were walk-ons.

They opened the first Walk-On's in Baton Rouge in 2003. In 2012, ESPN named Walk-On's the No. 1 Sports Bar in America. Brees signed on in 2015 as a co-owner and partner. Now, with Brees and Landry leading the team, Walk-On's has expanded to more than 100 locations in 15 states.

Ann Maloney, who covers food and dining for NOLA.com and the Times-Picayune, said the franchise has gained a huge following in her city.

"The spot is extremely popular with football fans," she said, "particularly LSU fans who want a place where they can eat, watch and cheer. It's packed around game time."

The Walk-On's menu features sports bar fare, such as fried pickles, waffle cheese fries and burgers. But there are plenty of items with a Louisiana accent, such as Cajundillas, a quesadilla with chicken, andouille sausage and boudin; and duck and andouille gumbo.

Courtney Fowler admitted Cajun isn't her favorite cuisine, but her husband loves New Orleans, so when he got excited about the franchise, she supported him.

As she learned more about the restaurant, she got excited, too.

"A lot (of sports bars) are just for guys to go drink beer and watch a game," she said. "This is family-oriented. It's kid-oriented. It's a place you could go for girls' night out."

And while there are several Cajun dishes on the menu, there are also several salads and seafood dishes, things that will appeal to everyone.

She raved about the ahi nachos on the Walk-On's Lenten menu.

"It sounds so simple, but this was the best ahi I've ever tasted," she said.

Brandon Landry introduces Drew Brees Walk-On's CEO Brandon Landry introduces Drew Brees

Nate Fowler said they're still in the site-selection process now, but they're getting close to pinning down a location, probably in Viera. It needs to be a space that can hold an 8,000-square-foot restaurant and more than 130 parking spaces.

"We want somewhere the whole county can get access to," he said.

If all goes as planned, the restaurant should open in spring 2019, making it the third in Florida. Walk-On's restaurants are scheduled to open in Orlando and Tampa in the coming months.

Anticipating the new restaurant has definitely taken some of the stink out of the Seminoles' less-than-stellar 2017 season.

"I like to think they tanked just for us," Nate said.

Leonard is food and dining reporter at FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Leonard at 321-242-3614

or sleonard@floridatoday.com.

Facebook: /SuzyFlemingLeonard and /321FlavorWhereBrevardEats

Instagram: @SuzyLeonard

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Saints QB Drew Brees talks with Acadiana's best athletes Drew Brees was the special guest for The Daily Advertiser's Sports Awards May 15, 2018, at the Cajundome Convention Center. He and sports editor Kevin Foote talked about Brees' career and his advice for high school students.