by: guide4wdw – Collin

D-Luxe Burger – A Good Meal With A Great View!

In its simplest form D-Luxe burger is, in my opinion, a rustic and charming restaurant at Walt Disney World that tends to exceed expectations. Sure, at first the menu doesn’t seem all that creative and the options are somewhat limited for those who don’t necessarily want to eat a burger and fries. However, this isn’t your average cheeseburger and fries and it’s incomparable to the somewhat typical Starlight fast food cheeseburger you used to find nearly anywhere on Disney property. Thankfully those “cookie cutter” meals that you could find in nearly every park and resort foodcourt have basically gone away in favor of location based menus and more price worthy meals. 

When I say “price worthy” I do so for one main reason and that is to say that Disney food is obviously and undoubtedly expensive, but at the same time in recent years menu changes across property and new offerings are really helping guests feel like what they’re paying is now a “good deal” despite the high cost. 

D-Luxe Burger is the perfect example of that aforementioned concept and even tends to remind me of another dining location we went as far as to call A Disney Hidden Gem Dining Location! The prices are expensive, but at the same time you get a fair amount of food and a high quality meal with a few added perks along the way for the high cost. 

Location

This unique dining opportunity was one of the very first locations to officially debut in the Town Center section of the Disney Springs project and an opening that I can remember rather vividly. It became the talking point and what many considered the first true example of what this new area could be and should be as the construction project unfolded. The location was met with rave reviews and it quickly became one of the most talked about portions and openings in the new area. In many ways, D-Luxe quieted the skeptics of the Downtown Disney to Disney Springs overhaul and in many ways gave a “sneak peak” of what was coming and the level of detail we could expect. 
 
I can still remember the very first trip we made down after this place opened (I’m a little shocked it took me this long to review it) and the one thing that stood out to me more that anything else was how foreign and unrecognizable the expansions were but also how familiar it all seemed despite being entirely new. To me, the whole expansion and redesign always made sense and met and/or exceeded my wildest expectations. 
 
I’m not a huge shopper but projects like this one and other restaurants in the area gave me a reason to return to Disney springs for more that just shopping. If you like food… you have so many options, if you like shopping… thats covered too, and if you can simply enjoy a nice view… they’re everywhere you walk! To me, that last point is a huge highlight of D-Luxe Burger. After grabbing your meal, you can head our onto the deck and enjoy your food with a shockingly picturesque view of the glowing lights over the turquoise waters of the Springs. The lighting is perfect and a warm and inviting glow, and it sets the stage for a memorable sunset with a great cheeseburger and a friend or family to enjoy a little conversation with along the way. Of course, indoor seating is available (and we were actually almost forced to use it do to a pop up storm during our last visit) and it follows the rather rustic theming trend that encompasses many of the neighboring restaurants and shopping locations. The detailing has a somewhat industrial look to it (which seems to be all the rage right now… I have no idea lol – Obviously I don’t watch enough HGTV) and I have to admit it’s a surprisingly pleasant environment even on a the busiest of days.
 
If I had to pick out one week aspect of this particular venue, it would be the seating availability. On select nights, especially weekends, it can be quite difficult to find a seat with an average sized group and nearly requires a “runner” elected by your party to go and find a table while the others order the meals. It’s not ideal, but is certainly easy to work around.   
 

Food 

As mentioned, there isn’t a huge array of choices on the menu outside of burgers and fries but there is a rather excellent lineup of different burgers each with a unique flavor. Personally, my favorite options here are the Classic Cheeseburger described as a Signature Blend Beef Patty topped with Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Onion and Pickle or the Barbecue Burger described as a Signature Blend Beef Patty topped with a Fried Onion Ring, Smoked Gouda, Bacon, Barbecue Sauce, Grilled Onion and Lettuce. Both options are outstanding and full of flavor but other more uniquely topped creations are available like the El Diablo Burger described on the menu as a Chorizo and Signature Blend Beef Patty, Fried Banana Peppers, Pepper Jack, Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Onion and Chipotle Mayonnaise. Burgers range in price from $9.99 to $13.99 and everything is ordered at a counter and then you are given a pager so that a runner can find your table and deliver your meal.

Fresh Cut French fries are served as sides in two sizes: Large – $7.49 and Regular – $4.99. A large is easily sharable among two or so guests and 6 different dipping sauces are available by request! I love trying sauces so this was and is a huge bonus every time we dine here. In the lineup of sauces you can find Three-Mustard and Honey, Garlic Ranch, Curry Ketchup, Chipotle Mayo, Horseradish, and Buffalo. The Curry Ketchup is a little strange but the variety of options is always a plus in my book and we almost always end up trying every sauce during our meal.

On the kids side of things you can find chicken nuggets or cheeseburgers. Lastly, there is a huge variety of shakes, but I’ll let you dive into the details of each of those here.

Overall 

From a “big picture view” I’d put D-Luxe Burger firmly in the above average category. It’s not going to blow you away with excellent food and while it’s very good food, the atmosphere is really the only thing that sets it apart compared to other Disney quick service offerings. Is it worth a try? Absolutely! We’ve eaten here multiple times and enjoyed it every single time, but there are better options if you’re looking for something a bit more unique to try while you’re at Disney Springs. 

When trying to put this one on a ranking scale, I struggle for a couple of reasons. One, if I took the location away from the food and the views away from the food, I don’t think I’d enjoy it all that much. On the flip side of things, compared to a traditional “fast food” or counter service of years past at Walt Disney World, this will vastly exceed expectations of returning theme park and Disney Springs guests. My opinion is largely a mixed bag and one thing in particular stops me in my tracks every time we eat here and it’s the cost. Let me reiterate, the food is great and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this dining location, but it is rather expensive and almost off-puttingly expensive even by Disney standards. An average meal is going run you around $20 per adult assuming you’re careful about what you order. For that kind of money I’d head over to Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge and enjoy a quieter meal, a better cheeseburger, and some amazing waffle fries for $3-$5 less that D-Luxe! Of course, that’s just my two cents, and obviously we’ve been back anyway for any number of different reasons but the cost is certainly something you’ll want to consider before putting this one on your list of dining location for your vacation.

If you’re willing to spend the money, I’d almost recommend walking around the corner to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Kitchen where you can spend around $10 more and get a much larger meal, table service, and a far more unique menu for a few dollars more (depending on what you order). At that point, the cost is easier to rationalize and it’s more of an “experience” rather that simply a place to eat.   

If this particular dining option doesn’t strike your fancy, be sure to look at our other reviews here on the site on our Disney World Dining Tips – All Our Dining Posts In One Place page! 

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