You’re in Disney World. You need to eat lunch (or dinner). There’s absolutely no shortage of options. If anything, there’s an overflow between the theme parks, the restaurants in the Disney Springs complex, and the resorts. Obviously, the quality will differ in all those different spaces. It may not be surprising to know that the resort restaurants can have an edge on the quality of the food (though sometimes not the theming). If you’re near the Magic Kingdom, maybe you’re thinking about having something in the parks. Just a monorail stop away is a far superior choice for dining — Steakhouse 71.

Located in the Contemporary hotel at the ground floor, you’ll find this restaurant. Keep taking the escalators all the way down, and if you hit the check-in desk, you’ve gone too far.

It’s hard not to have heard about the key item at the restaurant — most vloggers and blogs will also tell you to get the Stack Burger, and I was no different for my first visit. That said, while the wedge salad was one of the best I’ve ever had (particularly the salad dressing, and that’s coming from someone who usually hates salad), the burger was…good! It was just good. Far from the best one I’ve ever had, and definitely leaves me excited to try some other options. The food around me looked excellent, but I was super pleased with my lunch. The most surprising of all was that the salad was the star of the meal.

In terms of ambiance, the atmosphere in the dining room itself can get a bit noisy. This may be a scenario where eating at the bar might be the optimal choice (if you’re in a small party or on your own). The service was excellent, though if you’re looking for a quick bite, this might not be the option for your party as the popularity of the restaurant does mean that it may take a little longer than you’d like.

That said, the wait staff are attentive, kind, and will make sure that you have an amazing experience. The portions are generous without being extremely filling. The air conditioning is a fantastic break from the heat. If you’re looking for a longer break while staying close to the parks, this might be the option for you.

UPDATE as of 2025:

For my latest trip, I decided I would once again dine at Steakhouse 71 for a lunch meal. It wasn’t difficult to get reservations. I was even able to amend my timing to be a little earlier so I could optimize some Lightning Lanes. Getting my table was also quick, even though I arived right in the middle of lunchtime. Even with the rush, my waiter greeted me very quickly.

I got the grilled cheese with the side salad. Compared to the burger, this was a bit of a letdown. The side salad is good, but the wedge salad is immensely superior and while the grilled cheese is tasty, the brioche bread with the caramelized onions and the jam means that it’s sweet on sweet on sweet. It’s something that I had been interested to try, but wouldn’t come back for.

Would I go back again for lunch? Probably not. I feel like I’ve exhausted a couple of the lighter bites in just two visits, so if I went back, it would be for breakfast, drinks, or a more substantial dinner.

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Interested in adding Steakhouse 71 to your plans? Check out Disney Dining: Securing Your Reservations at the 60 Day Out Mark to avoid missing out on one of Disney’s best options!

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