National Burger Day is here and in honor of that now is as good a time as any to tell you about the last burger I ate in The Most Magical Place On Earth. I’m talking about the Stack Burger from Steakhouse 71.
Steakhouse 71 is located at Disney’s Contemporary Hotel, next to Magic Kingdom, in Walt Disney World. The restaurant is located on the first floor past the check in desk. Steakhouse 71 took over the space that once housed The Wave of American Flavors. The name pays homage to the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. In that vein you will see artwork featuring early imagineers and park construction details. If you’re a die hard Disney fan you will definitely want to take some time to check these out while waiting to be seated.
Steakhouse 71 offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and despite the name, they have plant based and vegetarian options making this a great choice for all. This was my second time visiting Steakhouse 71, my first time for lunch. Previously we had breakfast here during our Fall 2021 trip and I still think about those seasonal pumpkin pancakes. Seriously, so good!
On this trip I was visiting with my fellow agents as part as an AEP – Agent Education Program. An Agent Education Program provides us with on-site training where we learn about new and upcoming resort or park offerings, experience new attractions, get practical experience in parks with things such as using Genie+ and so much more. These programs are jam packed and exhausting, but I am so happy for the opportunities, so that I can bring that information back to all of you when planning your trips.
Ok enough of the behind the job magic, let’s get to the real reason you’re here, the food!
Besides seasonal pancakes, other options on the breakfast menu include a traditional two-egg, cooked to order American breakfast, Eggs Benedict, Walt’s Prime Rib Hash, steak and Eggs several omelet choices and avocado toast. My husband opted for the steak and eggs. It’s a 4oz filet cooked to order, served with two-eggs any style and breakfast potatoes. Gluten free Mickey waffles are one of the allergy options on the menu, but the kitchen was able to make gluten free pancakes for my son per his request.
One of the great things about Disney dining is their amazing culinary teams and their ability to accommodate dietary restrictions. When making your advanced dining reservations, which is highly recommended, 60 days prior to your arrival, there is a place you can mark your allergy or special dietary needs. As your travel agent, I am happy to make these reservations for you!
During our family visit the seasonal pancake offering was their pumpkin pancakes. The pumpkin pancakes were topped with a delicious cream cheese drizzle, pecan praline butter and topped with pecans. They are served with a side of espresso-infused syrup, though you can get regular maple by request. You also get your choice of bacon, pork sausage or chicken sausage. I for sure would book another Fall Walt Disney World vacation just to eat these again.
The lunch and dinner menus have offerings such as the Steakhouse 71 Chopped Salad, Fennel and Citrus-Crusted salmon, Turkey Club, Stack Burger, Vegetable “Wellington”, Salisbury Steak, Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Top Sirloin, Chicken Chasseur and the famous Bacon & Eggs, a throwback from The Wave restaurant. Not all items are served at both lunch and dinner so be sure to check the menu before booking. For dessert you will find things like Creme Brûlée , Apple Tart Tatin and the steakhouse 71 Chocolate Cake. If you are looking for chocolate decadence this cake is for you! Layers of Jack Daniel’s-infused chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and raspberries. I suggest sharing this with friends, but if you eat it all yourself, good for you!
I ordered the Stack House Burger which is described as a signature Blend of Beef, Pork Belly, American Cheese, Lemon Aïoli, Red Onion, House-made Pickles, on a Brioche Bun. Served with choice of Petite Caesar Salad, Parmesan Fries, or Pasta Salad. I opted for the salad since I had ordered the Bacon & Eggs appetizer and didn’t want to be too stuffed since we were headed to our Capture Your Moment photo shoot after lunch. If you havn’t heard of Capture Your Moment, it’s a private personalized 20-minute photo session with a Disney Photo Pass Cast Member and is a great way to commemorate your trip.
While I thought the salad was tasty, I definitely want to try the fries next time. I have heard about how amazing the bacon and eggs were for so long I finally decided to try them. The Bacon and Eggs appetizer is described as Maple-laquered Pork Belly, Smoked Cheese Grits and Perfect Egg. Here’s my maybe controversial take. While I found the overall flavors of this dish quite enjoyable, I just could not get over the textures. I don’t mind over easy eggs, but when combined with the grits and the pork belly, everything was just too soft for me to say I enjoyed this dish overall. I am happy I finally tried it but it’s a one and done for me. As far as the Stack Burger is concerned I have no complaints. It was a delicious burger and I would definitely order it again.
If you are a guest at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, or just looking for a quick bite and cocktail, Steakhouse 71 also has a lounge. The lounge is open from 12:00-11:00pm daily and serves signature cocktails, wine and beer, as well as select items from the restaurant menu.
I will say the service we received at breakfast in 2021 was better than this most recent visit in 2023. As I mentioned we were there as an agency so were a larger party, however we were broken up into several different tables and had different servers so it wasn’t just one for our entire group. I am not quite sure what was going on this day, but when I asked for my burger to be well, no pink, our server explained since it’s a stack burger they all are like that. Ok great, except my colleague who also ordered the burger did have pink in his.
The service in general was somewhat slow. Our order was brought out in phases so not everyone at our table got their items at the same time. Our server never brought out the dessert that we ordered. Our table of of four opted to share a Creme Brûlée since we were all pretty stuffed as is. Our server brought us four spoons but never came back with the dessert. It was a major bummer too because Creme Brûlée happens to be my favorite dessert and that one looked amazing. I don’t know if he realized his mistake and then just avoided us since he never returned to our table to apologize or acknowledge it in anyway. Since we were all on one bill, that wasn’t coming to our table, he didn’t have any other reason to come back. Well besides that dessert we had asked for. We made sure we weren’t charged for it, which we hadn’t been, but overall it was just strange end to our experience.
This wouldn’t dissuade me from returning to Steakhouse 71 again in the future, but it’s just something to take note of. Overall I think Steakhouse 71 is a wonderful option on your Magic Kingdom Day. Whether you decide to get here bright and early for breakfast, so that you are just a quick walk over to the Magic Kingdom, or if you’re wanting a midday break outside of the park to rest, get some A/C and lunch before heading back to tackle the mountains, or if you want to end your park day here with dinner, you can’t go wrong. If you time it right you may even be able to see some fireworks! Check out this view.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This makes a great photo spot for you and your family.
Have you visited Steakhouse 71? If so did you try the Bacon & Eggs? What is your favorite thing to order here? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. I would also love to help you plan your next adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere!
