Best Burgers at Disney World

Looking for the best burgers at Walt Disney World? This list shares our favorite all-beef patties in the theme parks, resort hotels, and at Disney Springs. There are even a couple plant-based Impossible and Beyond Burger options for vegetarians! (Updated February 8, 2023.)

Burgers are my passion and my calling (or so I’d like to think). If allowed to do so, I would eat them 4 meals per day. My life’s goal is for the staff at In-N-Out Burger to greet me by name, as if I’m Norm entering Cheers. Suffice to say, I have a lot of experience with burgers at Walt Disney World. I’ve had some great burgers there and some bad ones (and then there’s the short-lived Cosmic Ray’s Pizza Burger, which I just barely survived consuming), and this has been an “in progress” post for ages now.

That remains the case to this day with our February 2023 update, which is hopefully the first of many additions to the list this year. I’ve once again refreshed this list, revisiting familiar favorites to confirm their excellence and taste-testing newcomers to determine whether they’re worthy, all for the sake of very important research. Just as Disneyland will never be completed, this list of the best burgers at Walt Disney World never be finished…

Be confident that I will not rest on my burger-consuming laurels. I will leave no menu unturned in my consumption of burgers–all in the name of science, research, and the future of mankind. If a new burger appears on a menu at Walt Disney World, I will be there to try it, reporting back to you on the quality of each specimen.

Note that this list contains both table service and counter service burgers from around Walt Disney World. The table service options are almost universally better on a strict quality scale, but accounting for value, some counter service choices are worthy inclusions on the list.

They say everyone was put on earth for a purpose, and if that’s true, I’d like to think mine was “eating burgers.” It’s tough work, but someone has to do it. Let’s start in Magic Kingdom…

The Main Street Burger – The best burger at Magic Kingdom, and pretty much the only good burger in Walt Disney World’s flagship park, is right at the front in the Plaza Restaurant. Enjoy a view of Cinderella Castle while you savor this All-Beef Patty topped with Cheddar, House-made Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Sunny-side Up Egg, Beer-battered Onion Ring, and Roasted Poblano-Mayonnaise served on a Flour-dusted Kaiser Bun.

The Main Street Burger is simple but highly effective. It’s essentially a ‘by the books’ soda shop burger. Good quality ingredients and beef that are better than the norm for Walt Disney World, but not necessarily gourmet or inventive. The bun and egg are the real kicker. I love fried egg on my burgers, but adding one almost always results in a messy burger that falls apart. Not so here, as the oversized Kaiser bun was surprisingly resilient. That alone elevated this burger and the experience of eating it. Nothing revolutionary or envelope-pushing, but sometimes a solid burger served on the heart of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom is more than enough. That’s the case here, and I’d highly recommend this as a result.

Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger – If you’re in the for a good burger at Magic Kingdom and can’t get reservation for the Plaza Restaurant, you’re still in luck. There’s a new restaurant at Contemporary Resort that serves up what’s arguably the best burger of all: the Stack Burger. This Steakhouse 71 special features a Signature Blend of Beef, American Cheese, Lemon Aïoli, Red Onion, House-made Pickles on a Brioche Bun, topped with Pork Belly.

For the sake of research, I’ve ordered the Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger 4 times in the last year-plus, and can confirm that it’s consistently delicious. (As for why I’ve had it so many times–the bar here serves the full menu, making it the best and easiest place to eat within walking distance of Magic Kingdom.

Suffice to say, the Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger is up there as one of my top 3 burgers at Walt Disney World. Maybe #1. The Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger is a greasy diner burger, perfected. I’d liken it to a higher end version of Shack Shake’s ShackBurger, but with the amount of cheese you’d get at In-N-Out plus pork belly to top it all off. In case you haven’t had any of those options, that’s very high praise. It’s just not “very best burger at Walt Disney World” levels of praise.

Bison Bacon Cheeseburger – Another top 3 burger at Walt Disney World that’s also near Magic Kingdom is the Bison Bacon Cheeseburger at Geyser Point Bar & Grill. I’m not 100% sure it’s the absolute best (extensive research will be undertaken to conclusively determine whether that’s the case), but Wilderness Lodge is our favorite resort and we eat here a lot.

There’s a lot going on here, but none of the ingredients are out of place. To the contrary, this is a symphony of flavors. Everything adds something, be it in terms of texture (onion straws) or flavor (aioli). The Marionberry BBQ sauce is the highlight in this regard, and made the dish more like something you’d find in the Pacific Northwest. Some will claim that bison is too lean to produce a truly great burger, but I’m guessing those people have never tried this. It’s neither overly lean nor does it have a gamey flavor–it’s perfect in every way.

Lobster ‘Thermidor’ Burger – One of many menu highlights at the underrated Grand Floridian Cafe (also within walking or boat distance of Magic Kingdom), this burger features an Artisanal 7-oz Burger Patty and Lobster-Parmesan Thermidor Sauce on a Seared Brioche Bun served with Cafe Signature Seasoned French Fries. This is one of those rare cases where the official Walt Disney World description of something dramatically undersells it. (Perhaps because Disney knows this burger sells itself?!)

In actuality, this is fantastic burger is topped with a hearty helping of tender lobster chunks and then is slathered in the signature Lobster-Parmesan Thermidor Sauce, which is rich and delicious–almost like thicker, creamier lobster bisque. All of that is topped with a parmesan crisp, which gives the burger a crunch and texture that offsets everything else.

While I appreciate dishes with a variety of textures, I typically eat the parmesan crisp separately. The burger itself is far from one note, and literally melts in your mouth with that crisp removed. It’s a decadent indulgence, and the ingredients come together shockingly well–I always worry that ‘gourmet’ toppings will be gimmicky–in this iconic dish at Grand Floridian Cafe. The biggest challenge is deciding between this and the equally-excellent Buttermilk-Fried Chicken!

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Burgers – This hyper-themed table service restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has long been known for its burgers. These have changed a lot over the years, starting with the All-American Burger about a decade ago, devolving to the Picnic Burger (topped with hot dogs), and then evolving to seasonal specialty burgers.

You really can’t go wrong with any of these. They now use a Signature Blend of Beef with House-made Burger Sauce and have unique toppings. I’d say these are among the best burgers at Walt Disney World. My favorite is the “Pork-on-Pork” or “Double Pork Burger,” which features a pork burger patty topped with pork belly, rainbow cabbage slaw, cheese, and house-made mustard bbq sauce.

This burger is fantastic. The pork patty is leaner than the normal signature beef, but that’s more than offset by the pork belly. The acidic slaw and sauce has a light kick to it, and the cheese just melds everything together perfectly.

Three Bridges Signature Burger – The eponymous burger at Coronado Springs’ fantastic over-the-water bar and grill is another gem. The Three Bridges Signature Burger is topped with crispy potatoes, Manchego cheese, roasted garlic-lemon aioli, arugula, and tomato.

Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, this is juicy and delicious. The biggest challenge is deciding between this, the lamb, and steak!

Kobe Beef Burger – This option at the underrated Yak & Yeti Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one pricey burger, but it’s made of Kobe beef, and I’m pretty sure Kobe means “expensive” in Japanese.

Now, something tells me that a burger made by a Landry’s restaurant is probably Faux-be beef since only scarce amounts of real Kobe are actually available in the United States, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is easily one of the best (if not the best) burgers at Walt Disney World.

Connections Cafe Burgers – Depending upon which of us you ask, the French Bistro Burger is either the best burger on the menu at this new EPCOT eatery, or the worst. Sarah favors the Mediterranean Burger, whereas this is my go-to.

This likely reflects differences in our preferences more than anything else. The French Bistro Burger is by far the heaviest on the menu, whereas the Mediterranean Burger is the lightest. In between are the Southwestern Burger (great middle-of-the-road option) and Banh Mi Burger (most unique). All have superior patties to normal counter service burgers at Walt Disney World, and use toppings to enhance rather than mask. We highly recommend giving any/all of them a try.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse – This restaurant in Epcot’s American Adventure pavilion is a salute to all foods, but mostly barbecue meats.

Both the plant-based BBQ Jackfruit Burger and its regular counterpart (both are pictured on the left side of the above photo) are very good. They’re not revolutionary, but they’re currently among the best counter service burgers in any of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

Wild Toad Brat Burger – Returning to Magic Kingdom, we have a counter service burger that tastes pretty good for what it is. There’s a pronounced brat flavor to the burger, and it’s juicier and more flavorful than an average patty at Cosmic Ray’s or other counter service restaurants.

With that said, the patty is not juicy or flavorful enough to “carry” this as an ordinary counter service burger. There’s a reason that Walt Disney World often offers burgers with heaping helpings of novelty toppings–it’s to mask the dry and underwhelming flavor of the normal burger. This doesn’t quite have that issue, but could use just a bit more seasoning or porkiness for this to work. This is a good option in a pinch, but the Main Street Burger or any of the table service options within walking distance of Magic Kingdom are far, far superior.

STK Burgers – Located at Disney Springs, STK (sound out the name instead of spelling it…) is a steakhouse that also happens to serve some of the best burgers at Walt Disney World.

We’re particularly partial to the Linz Angus Burger for lunch, but the Wagyu Burger is also fantastic. A thick and juicy patty that’s a tad fatty (I normally order burgers medium-rare, but think this one is better medium because of the fat) and incredibly filling.

The Donut Burger – Another option at Disney Springs is available at Everglazed, which is otherwise a donut and coffee shop. The Donut Burger features two patties, American Cheese, Ketchup, Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato and B&B Pickles.

You might be weary of ordering a burger at a doughnut shop, but this is fantastic. We feared that this would be an unmitigated disaster of clashing flavors and over-the-top decadence, but it works. It really works! Against all odds, the sweetness of the doughnut melds beautifully with the patties and toppings and coalesces into one fantastic burger.

D-Luxe Burger – This is the Walt Disney World burger spot, with a solid lineup from start to finish. Usually, I’ll order their seasonal specialty for the sake of trying something new. If I had to pick a favorite beyond that, it would be Southern Classic Burger, which is topped with a fried green tomato, pimento cheese, bacon, and lettuce. The pimento cheese and fried green tomato add excellent texture and round out the flavor on an already great beef patty–it all just wows. I’m also a fan of the the El Diablo Burger.

There’s also something to be said with keeping it simple and letting the high-quality beef patty speak for itself with the Classic Cheeseburger. Whatever you do, be sure to order fries and try the various dipping sauces. They’re addictively delicious!

Braai Burger – This hidden gem is the “best Walt Disney World burger you’ve never heard of.” Available at Animal Kingdom Lodge, of all places, in the Victoria Falls Lounge.

The Braai Burger is cooked on a wood-fired grill, and has a lovely smokey flavor as a result. The patty is topped with Black Diamond Cheddar, Applewood Bacon, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Red Onion Marmalade. It pairs perfectly, but as you can imagine based upon its height in the photo above, the Braai Burger can be very messy. Totally worth it.

Yacht & Beach Club Burgers – Few experiences at Walt Disney World top grabbing a seat at the counter in Beaches & Cream, enjoying a burger and sundae, and then recovering from my food coma by floating around in the Storm-Along Bay lazy river for an hour or so.

The same could be said for the burgers at Ale & Compass Restaurant and Crew’s Cup Lounge. Personally, I prefer the latter (when open), and think the quality is just a tad higher at those two locations than Beaches & Cream.

Bronto or Megasaurus Burger – It’s a huge disappointment that this burger served at T-Rex Cafe isn’t made of actual dinosaur, but until science gets its act together and clones dinosaurs, I guess we’ll have to settle for beef.

I can’t penalize T-Rex Cafe for the shortcomings of science, though, and this burger deserves accolades for being surprisingly good. It’s not the leanest burger ever, but it tastes fresh and is plenty juicy, making it a great, safe option at T-Rex Cafe. (Note that these are the same thing, the Megasaurus Burger is simply “Mammoth-sized.”)

Spicy Jackfruit-Carnitas Burger – Served in the Centertown Market Food Court at Caribbean Beach Resort, this plant-based “burger” is topped with spicy jackfruit, bbq mushrooms, cabbage slaw, and chipotle mayonnaise. (This same burger has been added to many more menus throughout food courts at Walt Disney World.)

Juicy, lightly spiced, and full of meaty flavor, this Impossible burger was good enough to trick me. I could’ve done without the abundance of slaw, but everything else worked together flawlessly. It’s truly incredible the strides Walt Disney World’s vegetarian cuisine has made in only a few years—I remember when this stuff bordered on inedible, and now it’s among menu highlights.

Ultimately, there are dozens of delicious burgers at Walt Disney World, and I’ll continue to sample them all–for very important research. However, that covers it–for now–when it comes to my favorite burgers at Walt Disney World. Hundreds have entered (my stomach), few have emerged to take their place on this honorable list.

In Memoriam: Le Cellier Burger and Pork Belly Burger at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. This post is dedicated to your juicy deliciousness; you were both taken from us too soon.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS…

Now, the question I have for you, carnivorous readers, what other burgers at Walt Disney World should I try? Have you consumed a delicious burger at Walt Disney World? What’s your favorite burger at WDW? Any burgers you recommend avoiding? Do you agree or disagree with my best burger picks? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!