My party of 2 spent $130 on lunch at Steakhouse 71 in Disney World, and the $20 burgers are totally worth it

Steakhouse 71 at Disney's Contemporary Resort is one of the newest full-service restaurants at Walt Disney World.

It opened in October 2021 as part of Disney World's 50th-anniversary celebration.

No park ticket is needed to visit the resort spot, and it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The first thing we noticed was a hallway adorned with photos from the early stages of building the Florida theme park.

Photos continued as we made our way to the check-in desk and include images from the opening-day festivities at Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.

Colorful artistic renderings of attractions, including Space Mountain and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, can also be found in the restaurant.

Behind the check-in desk is a large lounge area that's available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Here, guests can sit around the bar or at a number of cozy seats and booths and order from the smaller lounge menu.

I was able to make advanced reservations for the main dining room, but when available, last-minute reservations can also be made through the Disney World mobile app's walk-up function.

The dining room is outfitted with a modern feel and is decorated with abstract Disney-inspired art pieces that offer nostalgic 1970s vibes.

I was really impressed by the drink menu, which features a large number of signature cocktails, beers, and wines from the Disney family of wines.

We opted to start with two signature cocktails.

The vodka gimlet ($13) was made with Tito's vodka, green chartreuse, Seedlip Garden, lime juice, simple syrup, and lemonade.

It was a refreshing way to start the meal and the addition of Seedlip Garden, a non-alcoholic spirit, added a welcome bit of herbal flavor.

We also tried the cocoa boulevardier ($17), made with Knob Creek Disney single-barrel reserve bourbon, Campari, Carpano antica-formula vermouth, and chocolate bitters.

This was very booze-forward but wonderfully balanced. The bourbon was created for the Disney parks and has a high proof at 60%, but it has a smooth finish with notes of vanilla.

The boulevardier is now one of my favorite cocktails on the property, rivaled only by the Manhattans from AbracadaBar.

We opted to try two appetizers: the French-onion soup ($10) and the sea-salt-dusted potato brioche ($12).

The soup was described as a rich beef broth with croutons and gratinée cheese, and it was an absolutely perfect presentation of French-onion soup.

The broth was incredibly flavorful without being too rich. I found that it had just enough cheese on top without going overboard, and it was broiled the perfect amount. I would gladly come back for this.

The sea-salt-dusted potato brioche was good but a little underwhelming compared to the fantastic soup.

Served with butter and a roasted-garlic-tomato spread, the bread was fairly standard — what you would expect to be served for free. We enjoyed the tomato spread and the '71-emblazoned butter, but I'm not sure I'd order this again.

I specifically came for lunch because I'd heard that the restaurant has the best burger on Disney property, and it's only available during the afternoon service.

I'm always cautious when I hear such bold statements as Disney World is home to several standout burgers, including those from Kona Café and Geyser Point. Steakhouse 71's burger is also one of the most expensive at $20.

It's described as a signature blend of beef, American cheese, lemon aioli, red onion, and house-made pickles on a brioche bun. The burger also comes with a choice of side, and we went with the parmesan fries.

I now understand the hype because this was without a doubt the best burger I've ever had at Disney World — possibly the best I've ever had period.

The meat was flavorful and cooked to a perfect medium, as requested. All of the ingredients worked in tandem, with both salty and savory notes shining through. The accompanying fries were also delicious and topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I would describe this as an upscale version of your favorite greasy, diner-style burger. It's definitely something I'll be returning for.

Although we were full, I couldn't resist trying the restaurant's signature dessert: the Steakhouse 71 chocolate cake ($11).

With layers of whiskey-infused chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and raspberries, the presentation was beautiful, and it was another win for our meal.

The cake itself was incredibly moist and the flavors of the berries added a bit of sweetness that balanced out the richness of the chocolate.

We paired the cake with a bourbon cold-brew cocktail ($13), made with Maker's Mark, Joffrey's cold-brew coffee, maple, and vanilla-bean cream.

It proved to be another solid choice and a nice way to end the meal.

In total, we tried two appetizers, three cocktails, one entrée, and one dessert, which cost about $130 after tip. But we were able to use our annual-passholder discount, which took 10% off the food items.

The food was impressive, and we found the portion sizes generous.

The entire meal was paced out well and made for a lovely afternoon experience. We didn't feel rushed, and it was a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the nearby theme parks.

Steakhouse 71 may not have elaborate theming like other restaurants at Disney World, but it's family-friendly and offers a little something for everyone.

After dining at hundreds of restaurants, lounges, and quick-service spots across the property, I believe this stands out as one of the best. Our service, food, and cocktails were all excellent.