Summer House on the Lake Review (including The Cookie Bar)

Updated: November 18, 2024

Welcome to Summer House on the Lake, one of Disney Springs’ newest restaurants that opened on December 14, 2023.

From the California-inspired menu, to the beach vibes, to the gorgeous lake views, to the in-house cookie bar, Summer House on the Lake has a lot to offer. But — is it worth your time and money?

Keep reading for my Summer House on the Lake review. The following includes information from the first time I ate here on January 16, 2024 and when I returned on June 18, 2024.

In this article

What is Summer House on the Lake?

Summer House on the Lake is a Table Service restaurant located on the West Side of Disney Springs. It’s directly across from Salt & Straw.

summer house on the lake entrance and host stand

Lunch and dinner are offered here, along with brunch served on Saturdays and Sundays. The menu embodies California vibes, whereas the restaurant itself is perfect for beach lovers.

This restaurant is huge. There are several different spaces, tables, bars, and views. You can even get a table that overlooks the lake.

outdoor tables at summer house on the lake

You can make dining reservations via OpenTable, on the Walt Disney World website, and in the My Disney Experience app.

summer house on the lake reservation in open table

Tip: Reservations are always recommended for any Table Service restaurant at Walt Disney World. You can make these at the 60-day mark online or via the My Disney Experience app beginning at 5:45 a.m. ET (sometimes they don’t open until 6 a.m. ET). If you have issues, call (407) WDW-DINE. If you can’t get a reservation, you can always use a Disney dining reservation alert service, like MouseDining. If you can’t get a reservation, you can try to join the Walk-Up List for the restaurant (if available) in the My Disney Experience app.

There is an advantage to making dining reservations on OpenTable — you can book out farther than 60 days for some restaurants. And Summer House on the Lake isn’t the only restaurant in Disney World you can make OpenTable dining reservations.

More on How to Use OpenTable to Book Disney World Dining Reservations

How much does Summer House on the Lake cost?

It’s important to note that prices and menus frequently change at Walt Disney World. The following is based on my most recent visit.

Pricing varies based on what you order. But, I will say, the menu is on the more expensive side.

Annual Passholders get a discount, so be sure to ask! You can also use a Disney Gift Card to pay. The restaurant does not accept the Disney Dining Plan. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members also receive 10% off the regular price of food and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding tax and gratuity).

Here are photos of the menu, where you can see what’s offered, along with the cost of each item.

Food Menu

Drink Menu

Dessert Menu

While not pictured, there is a kids’ menu that features chicken fingers, grilled cheese, cheese pizza, cheese quesadilla, macaroni and cheese, and more — all priced at $9.95.

Summer House on the Lake Review

I enjoyed Summer House on the Lake both times I visited.

First of all, it’s a gorgeous space. I love the openness and how it embodies beach vibes. During the daytime, there’s a lot of natural lighting, which is super inviting and welcoming.

It’s a big restaurant that can accommodate many parties at the same time. There is covered outdoor seating at the front of the restaurant, several indoor dining spaces, and also tables outback that overlook the water.

The restaurant does get quite loud when busy, so that’s something to keep in mind.

A downside to the restaurant is it’s on the more expensive side. Of course, it depends what you order. That said, it seems like you get a good portion size for the price.

During my first visit, I tried the Orlando Spritzer for $15.00. It comes with grapefruit, Giuliana Prosecco, and soda. This was really good. It wasn’t sweet and the grapefruit comes through perfectly.

orlando spritzer at summer house on the lake

The fresh slice of grapefruit as a garnish was a nice touch. If you don’t like super sweet cocktails and are a grapefruit fan, I definitely recommend this.

Another fantastic cocktail is the Lavender Haze. This costs $15.00 and comes with Aviation Gin, blueberry, lavender, and lemon. I really loved the flavors and thought the other flavors came through nicely.

lavendar haze at summer house on the lake

However, I cannot highly recommend the White Sangria for $14.00. This was fine, but nothing outstanding. I’ve had much better sangrias. You should definitely order a different cocktail.

white sangria at summer house on the lake

There are a range of starters at Summer House on the Lake. When I dined here in June, my family and I ordered the Jalapeño Corn Bread served with honey butter for $12.95.

You get a lot, making this perfect for sharing. If you cannot handle heat, don’t order this. Even though I don’t like spice and my mouth was on fire after having only one bite, I recognize this is a great menu item. Plus, the honey butter was lovely.

jalapeno corn bread with honey butter at summer house on the lake

Summer House on the Lake is also known for its fresh salads that are massive. There are so many delicious ones.

First, the “A Nice House Salad” that comes with tomato, cucumber, croutons, white cheddar, and a homemade vinaigrette for $9.95. Overall, this was a really nice house salad.

The Costa Mesa salad costs $18.95 and is served with queso fresco, corn, pico de gallo, avocado, quinoa, crispy tortilla, chipotle crema, and lime vinaigrette.

I loved the crunch the crispy tortillas added to the salad. This was quite good and I’d definitely order it again.

costa mesa salad at summer house on the lake

Finally, the Shaved Brussels Sprouts salad. For $19.95, this comes with manchego, bacon, avocado, toasted almonds, green peas, and mustard vinaigrette.

You can order this without the bacon, which we did. This was light, fresh, and is the perfect choice after a long day in the theme park.

shaved brussels sprouts salad at summer house on the lake

Summer House on the Lake is the place to visit if you want solid pizza.

The Shaved Mushroom Pizza for $21.95 has gruyère, onion, truffle, rosemary, fresh parsley, and parmesan cream. This was fantastic. I love mushrooms and it did not disappoint. I loved how the crust was on the thinner side. I didn’t feel overly full after eating this, either, which was nice.

shaved mushroom pizza at summer house on the lake

Full disclosure: The kitchen actually burnt my first pizza, but they didn’t serve it to me and instead made me a brand new one and didn’t charge me for it. Because of this, it took a bit longer to receive my entrée, but the restaurant certainly made up for that.

I’ve also had the Classic Cheese pizza with mozzarella, parmesan, and tomato sauce for $19.95. This was so good for a cheese pizza. It’s one of the best I’ve had at Disney World.

cheese pizza at summer house on the lake

Then, for dessert, of course, you need to order Summer House on the Lake’s highly-discussed cookies.

I’ve tried the Lemon, Vegan Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Scothchie, Chocolate Chip Walnut, and Double Chocolate Cloud. These were all great and you can order them right at your table! The Oatmeal Scotchie was hands-down my favorite.

Note: As of November 2024, the Vegan Snickerdoodle is no longer available. But, there is now a vegan and gluten-free Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie that I’ve yet to try.

oatmeal scotchie at summer house on the lake

I want to go back to Summer House on the Lake to try brunch and also look into the restaurant’s vegan offerings.

While nothing on the menu is noted as plant-based and the restaurant doesn’t have vegan cheese for the pizzas, they have several plant-based options and their dishes are customizable for dietary and allergy preferences. All you have to do is ask your server for assistance.

Gideon’s Bakehouse has some cookie competition. If you didn’t know, Summer House on the Lake has its very own cookie bar called, “The Cookie Bar”. The menu here also has a variety of coffees, cocktails, and zero proof beverages available to order.

the cookie bar at summer house on the lake

What’s nice about this is you don’t have to dine at the restaurant, nor do you need a reservation, in order to try Summer House on the Lake’s cookies. This is a walk-up counter, where you can order cookies to go.

lemon cookie at summer house on the lake

Note: If you are dining at the restaurant, you can order cookies right at your table (to eat in-house or to go). There’s no need to make a separate stop at The Cookie Bar!

There are a lot of cookies to try. I appreciate all of the variety.

vegan snickerdoodle at summer house on the lake

So, how are the cookies? Pretty darn tasty. Not only are they massive, but the ones I tried were really good. They’re also reasonably priced. Plus, unlike Gideon’s, The Cookie Bar actually has a vegan option!

My favorite was the Oatmeal Scotchie. You definitely need to try this, especially if you like oatmeal cookies and butterscotch chips.

I know you’re probably wondering, “How do Summer House on the Lake’s cookies compare to the cookies at Gideon’s Bakehouse?” Well, you can read all about that right here.

Is Summer House on the Lake worth it?

If you’re looking for a more upscale meal that also has a casual vibe, Summer House on the Lake is for you. Plus, it’s a great spot if you want food that is lighter and won’t make you feel super heavy, which can sometimes be hard to find, especially at the theme parks.

While the menu is pricier, you get a lot for your money. There also seems to be something offered for everyone.

shaved mushroom pizza slice at summer house on the lake

From plant-based and allergy-friendly options (don’t forget to ask), to pizzas, to salads, to tacos, to pasta, to sandwiches, to kid-friendly items, to the massive cookies that are reasonably priced (and don’t have a long line), Summer House on the Lake has many pros.

Based on my dining experiences here, I think the food is delicious, the cocktails are lovely, the space is clean and beautiful, and the service is great. How can you argue with a dining experience like that?

I think Summer House on the Lake is a great addition to Disney Springs. It fits well into the West Side and is yet another solid restaurant at the shopping and dining location on Walt Disney World property.

Have you eaten at Summer House on the Lake? What did you think?