In the past few years, there’s been a restaurant in Disney World that we believe is truly underrated.

It’s not too expensive, it’s not too crowded, and it serves up truly high-quality eats with some delicious twists. It’s great for a special occasion or it’s acceptable to visit when you’re in your theme park clothes. What IS this magical place? It’s Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and we recently stopped by to do a full lunch review. You’re gonna want to stick around for this one!

Atmosphere

Steakhouse 71 is located on the first floor of the Contemporary, where The Wave used to be. This spot opened in 2021 for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, and we’ve been several times since to try out different things on the menu…and because we genuinely love it here!

You enter from the hotel lobby under the Steakhouse 71 sign, and as you walk in, you’ll take this hallway filled with photos from Disney history. At the end of the hallway, you can check in at the host’s stand.

There’s also a small waiting area here…

…and it’s home to the Steakhouse 71 lounge.

The dining room has a variety of table setups with booths and regular tables. It’s all one big room, but there are some dividing walls.

Now let’s dive into the menu!

Menu

Today, I’m here to show off the lunch menu! First off, it starts with an impressive selection of appetizers — from French Onion Soup to onion rings to the Sea Salt-dusted Potato Brioche.

For entrees, most of the options are traditional steakhouse fare. You could order the Prime Rib Sandwich or Stack Burger, or even go a bit more elevated with the Steak “Frites.”

For dessert, they have four different choices: the Popcorn Crême Brûlée, the Carrot Cake-Cheesecake, the Lemon Cream, and the famous Steakhouse 71 Signature Chocolate Cake.

They also serve up a variety of beverages, including specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and more.

Eats

I started out my meal with something I love…BREAD. I ordered the Sea Salt-dusted Potato Brioche for $12 as my appetizer. It’s served with butter and a roasted garlic-tomato spread.

This might be the fluffiest bread I’ve ever had! It was light and moist, making it so easy to pull apart. The inside was incredibly soft, and the salt on top added a really nice depth of flavor. The bread was slightly sweet, which paired well with the salt.

The tomato jam was bright, fresh, and a little watery with a strong herbaceous flavor. The butter was smooth, rich, and creamy. This might be one of my favorite bread options in all of Disney World.

I wanted to get a good scope of the entree options for this review, so I snagged two of the popular ones. First up is the Steak “Frites” for $28. This is made with hangar steak, steak fries, and served with a truffle aioli.

The first thing we spotted was that our steak wasn’t cooked to our request. We requested medium but ended up with something closer to medium rare, thanks to the warm pink center. Aside from that, the steak was fairly juicy, but the outside was a bit tough.

It had a nice char, but some bites were overly crispy and tough. This came with the signature Seakhouse 71 sauce, which was slightly smoky and paired well with the steak. The fries were super soft and slightly crisp on the outside! Compared to other options I’ve had, like the Stack Burger, this one was a bit of a let-down.

The other entree on my list was the Gourmet Grilled Cheese for $17 (that’s almost as low as quick service pricing, you guys!). It’s toasted brioche with Gruyère, smoked Gouda, shredded pork belly, arugula, and caramelized onion jam, served with your choice of petite Caesar salad, steak fries, or pasta salad.

When Disney said gourmet, they weren’t kidding! This sandwich was piled high, and there was a hefty side of fries. The bread is the same brioche from the rolls that I loved. It was soft, delicious, and buttered and toasted to perfection. The cheese didn’t pull, but it melted together, making it nice to enjoy and not stringy, which you tend to find with grilled cheeses.

The argula added a bit of bitterness and earthy flavors to balance the cheese. The pork belly was super tender, meaty, and savory. The onion jam surprised me by being slightly sweet, which made the sandwich a bit sweet. It was filling and unique in the best way. The fries were the same as the ones that came with the Steak Frites.

And for dessert, you know I absolutely could not resist the iconic Steakhouse 71 Signature Chocolate Cake! This thing is 15 layers of Jack Daniel’s infused chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and raspberries for $13. It’s HUGE.

Can I go on a date with this cake? I want it to be my best friend. I am a big fan of chocolate, and this one still manages to stand out! This might be my favorite chocolate dessert in Disney World! It’s light, fluffy, and rich but not overly heavy. It was decadent, but slightly dry at times.

The mousse helps to balance that out. The frosting is thick and almost reminds me more of fudge than a traditional icing. The raspberry adds a much-needed tartness, making the flavors sharp and bright. It was a serious hit for me!

Nosh or Not

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You love a nice dining experience without breaking the bank
• You need a place to celebrate something
• Or you love an amazing dessert that’s shareable

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You want the best steak in Disney
• You want to save some money
• Or you need a smaller meal

Overall

The vibes here are so broad in the best way! Some people were in suits, some were in theme park clothes. Some people were on Disney trips, and some were convention guests. I like how chill it was and always seems to be. The lounge is seriously so stunning. The entire team loves stopping by for a tasty meal, close to the Magic Kingdom.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you tried Steakhouse 71 before? Tell us in the comments!