If you need a lunch break from the crowds and sensory-overload that is Magic Kingdom, I suggest visiting one of the nearby Disney Resorts Collection Hotels for a midday meal. Several resorts are just a quick boat or monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom’s gates. There is also a walking path you can take to get to Disney’s Contemporary Resort in as little as 10 minutes. Literal steps from the magic? Yes, please!
Over at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, an opening day Disney deluxe resort, you’ll find Steakhouse 71. Steakhouse 71 made its debut October 1, 2021, just in time for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. You’ll find this steakhouse tucked away in a first floor corner not far from the check-in desks. There is an attached lounge that serves up a variety of drinks as well as select menu items from the restaurant. As a side note, just outside of Steakhouse 71 are some of the cleanest, quietest restrooms I’ve found on Disney property.
Atmosphere
I’m going to describe the atmosphere of Steakhouse 71 as retro-modern. The design features 1970s aesthetics and a modern, casual twist. The restaurant’s decor leans into geometric patterns, wood accents, and artwork that gives a nod to history (check out the photos from when The Contemporary was under construction!). The chairs and light fixtures are also delightfully retro-feeling. Overall, the layout of the space felt relatively open, even considering the lack of windows. I am happy to say that the tables are arranged such that your table won’t be right on top of your neighbor’s!
Service
Our server was friendly, knowledgable, and attentive. She checked in on our table several times throughout the meal, and our glasses were never empty. The service was honestly one of the highlights of our dining experience.
The Menu
While the MouseHouseNews.net team has dined at Steakhouse 71 for dinner several times, this was my first experience with lunch. Both meal periods offer the same selection of appetizers and desserts. However, the entrees and sides available for each meal differ dramatically. At dinner, you can choose from multiple cuts of steak and traditional steakhouse sides. In contrast, most of the lunch options center around sandwiches and salads. In case you’re wondering, the only steak option you’ll find on the lunch menu is Steak Frites.
The Stack Burger
The main draw for most people during lunch at Steakhouse 71 is the Stack Burger. The Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger is described as signature beef blend, pork belly, American cheese, lemon aïoli, red onion, and house-made pickles on a brioche bun. It’s served with your choice of petite Caesar salad, steak fries, or pasta salad. Two of my dining companions ordered the Stack Burger during this lunch outing.
The Good
First, let’s discuss the presentation. It looked great! The embossed logo on the bun was a fancy touch. The plating of the food felt upscale but approachable. That was kind of where the magic ended, however.
The Not-So-Good
There were divided opinions over the pork belly. The flavor profile was distinctly sweet. In fact, one of my companions described it as tasting like a snickerdoodle cookie (the taste of cinnamon was definitely prominent). Given that the slice of pork belly was almost as thick as one of the patties on the burger, there was quite a bit on there. One person felt that the sweet cinnamon-y taste just didn’t go well with the savory flavor of the burger while the other really enjoyed the addition of the pork belly. In the end, it clearly comes down to personal taste.
Unfortunately, one of the burgers also had massively undercooked patties. Check out the amount of pink! I’m aware that some restaurants will ask diners for the desired cook level for their burgers. Here, there was no such question when the burgers were ordered. Additionally, the other half of that same burger wasn’t nearly as pink. The second Stack Burger delivered to our table was fully cooked (this person obviously enjoyed their order much more). This definitely indicates a consistency problem.
In the end, one of my dining companions would order the Stack Burger again and the other would not. The Stack Burger often receives glowing reviews from popular websites. Unfortunately, this seems like one of those situations where a food item gets lots of hype, but could end up being a massive disappointment depending on your flavor preferences and how it is actually cooked. Your mileage may vary.
The Gourmet Grilled Cheese
In an effort to try something different, I ordered the Gourmet Grilled Cheese. This grilled cheese comes on toasted brioche and is composed of Gruyère, smoked Gouda, shredded pork belly, arugula, and caramelized onion jam. It comes with your choice of petite Caesar salad, steak fries, or pasta salad.
The Good
Presentation was, once again, top notch! I must say that I enjoyed the crescent shaped salad bowl in particular. But, what about the grilled cheese itself? Well…
The Not-So-Good
Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy it. First of all, it had lots of shredded pork belly on it. Once the comparison was made to “snickerdoodle cookie”, I couldn’t un-taste it. It might not have been such an issue except for the fact that, in my opinion, the ratio of cheese-to-pork belly was also off. I’ll admit I’m a cheese-lover. I expect lots of cheese when I’m ordering a grilled cheese. There was just too much pork belly on there as compared to the amount of cheese (you can see it in the cross-section picture). I wanted more cheese!
Sadly, I also felt like the cheeses on my sandwich weren’t “cheesy” enough. Perhaps the sandwich had cooled too much by the time it made it to the table, or maybe there just wasn’t enough of either cheese on there to begin with. Either way, the cheese didn’t have any stretch or “pull” to it. It wasn’t gooey or hot. It made me kind of sad.
The grilled cheese was ultimately just okay. While it had all of the ingredients to be a decadent, elevated grilled cheese, this just wasn’t “it” for me. I wouldn’t order it again. I wish I had chosen something else (although not the Stack Burger after seeing how those turned out!).
The Cost
At dinner, Steakhouse 71 can be considered one of the “best value” steakhouses on Disney property. The prices are much less expensive than you’ll find at other Disney World steakhouses. As far as lunch, entrees range from $17 to $34. Steakhouse 71 does participate in the Disney Dining Plan (for 2026 and 2027, meals are 1 Table Service Credit). Disney Visa Cardmembers and Annual Passholders can receive a 10% discount (excluding alcohol).
The Verdict
Steakhouse 71 is a casual restaurant that can provide a leisurely sit down meal before, during, or after a busy Magic Kingdom day. One of the biggest advantages of Steakhouse 71, obviously, is its proximity to the theme park. Another positive is that it’s typically pretty easy to secure a dining reservation here. That makes it a good choice for someone who wants a table service meal without the stress of making reservations far in advance. Finally, it’s a decent value for the price paid (especially by Disney pricing standards). While not everyone in our group loved the menu items we chose for lunch, we would consider trying other lunch items on a future visit. The times we’ve dined here for dinner have been excellent, so we would recommend a dinner reservation more than lunch if it’s your first time.
In case you’re wondering what’s good at dinner, here are my top recommendations:
- the 7-oz center cut filet is a classic
- the au gratin potatoes are out of this world good!!!!
- the sauce flight is a fun add-on so you can try all of the sauces and find your favorite
- the Steakhouse 71 Signature Chocolate cake is pure decadence
- the Last Concourse is one of my favorite specialty beverages around Disney World
Final pro tip: if you ordered a soft drink or water with your meal, you can request a drink refill “to-go” at the end of your meal!
Plan A Trip!
Whether you want to stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort or elsewhere on property, there are lots of great deals you can take advantage of to plan your Disney vacation. You can start by clicking the button below to request a free Disney vacation quote from Marcus with Purely Luxe Vacations.
For more Disney dining reviews, stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net. I also encourage you to subscribe to the MouseHouseNewsNet YouTube channel for more news, reviews, and ambiance from around Disney World. We’ll see you real soon!
