Samba Grill Review

[Duke95]

Since others have asked, thought I would put together a quick review of our night at the Samba Grill. We had reservations for a party of 6 at 7:00 on Thursday of last week.

 

Upon arrival, we were invited to help ourselves to the very extensive buffet featuring multiple cold cuts of salamis and sausage meats which were very nice to whet the palate. (As you will notice, I did not mention the salad - no self respecting carnivore would talk about the salad bar in a place like this. My wife did say the salad was very nice, however and they really loved the cream of asparagus soup.) While enjoying the appetizers, they brought out some cheese-bread balls (think cheese in the middle of a piece of dough) that were deliciously sinful. One bottle of wine gone, we finally got around to pushing the button to turn our light green and the heavenly meats began appearing.

 

I'll try to list them in order, but I think may be off here:

 

1) Chicken wrapped in bacon - this was much better than I thought it would be. The chicken got a little too much saltiness from the bacon, but was surprisingly tender. I normally am a steak nut, but this was not my least favorite like I thought it would be.

2) Filet mignon - this was very good. Made rare to my taste, it was a wonderful piece of meat that was cooked perfectly and had good flavor. Again, a little salty for me but otherwise it was very nice.

3) Sirloin - Again, a very good piece of meat. I have to admit that at this point between the wine and the dancers, some of the meat started looking and tasting the same, but it was still very good.

4) New York Strip - this was incredible. Again rare for me and it was done to perfection with some nice marbling and a good fatty flavor without being gristly. I had 2 helpings and should have had three.

5) Lamb chops - I'm normally not a huge fan of lamb but this was a very good cut of meat. A lamb fan at our table said it was amongst the best she has had.

6) Top Round - We normally consider this to be a stew beef type steak and were all a little surprised at how tender this beef was. Very little in the way of marbling so it was not my favorite but I was really surprised at how tender they kept it.

7) Skirt steak - Again, not something that is normally a high end steak, the skirt steak surprised me more than the top round. It was very good with great flavor that seemed to permeate the meat a little better than the other steaks. If the Strip hadn't been so good, this would have been my favorite.

8) Pork Loin - I don't love pork, but this was very tasty.

9) Sausage - At this point late in the meal, things were really beginning to slow down. I love sausage and this was good, but it wasn't memorably great.

 

I had 2nds of filet and strip. I wasted way too much room eating those cheese breads which probably cost me a few more bites of beef, but otherwise I was proud of my meat consumption overall.

 

Dessert for me was a custard which was not so different from the custards I saw at the Mexican food restaurant. It was good, not great. The rest of the desserts at the table looked good but most were so full they really didn't comment much.

 

Overall, it was my favorite dining experience (we also did Izumi, tapas at Vintages, Rita's fiesta, Central Park 150) barely nudging out Central Park mostly because of the vast quantities of meat.

 

I'll try to answer any questions.

[BrianAlt]

Thanks! Write ups on Samba Grill are pretty lacking.

 

Did you find the restaurant to be very warm? Was it very warm outside that night?

[Duke95]

On a sea day in which we were traveling west from Jamaica towards Cozumel, it was pretty warm that whole day. Even in a sports coat, I did not notice that the temperature was unbearable in the shaded areas.

 

The restaurant was extremely warm in parts of the Solarium when we first got in there. The "signature table" as they called it, was in direct sunlight until about 7:30. We decided against that table and stayed in the shade towards the salad bar. We all agreed that was a good decision. The table further out away from the salad bar area certainly had amazing views though. Guess it all depends on what you can handle.

[BrianAlt]

Yeah, that's why I asked. On Oasis in the Solarium Bistro I was BAKING! It was formal night and I was wearing a suit. But it was July and most days hit or flirted with 100º.

[mepclu]

I keep hearing from "official" sources that they have fish at Samba -- shrimp and salmon and the like -- however none of the reviews and menu pictures have shown this.

 

My husband and I are booked to eat there on our anniversary based on the fact there was seafood (he doesn't eat meat that isn't seafood) and I am now very nervous that it was a poor choice! Everytime I call Royal (it has been multiple times...) they tell me there is fish... do you have any light to shed on this conundrum? Are there seafood options?

[bajathree]

They did have salmon when I was on Allure March 13th. Samba was my least favorite of all the specialties....and I dine exclusively in the specialties. It wasn't really the food, it had to do mostly with the atmosphere. The restaurant bakes in the sun....when they first sat us the table was in complete sun (as was most the restaurant)....after 5 minutes we had to move...that became an issue as no one wanted to sit in the sun and they gave us a bit of a hard time at first. Why they don't have sheers that drape across the windows I have no idea. Then you have to deal with the fact that the restaurant is surrounded by the solarium....so expect bathers to sit right on the other side of the glass...not very pleasant. Also the interior just still looks like an expansion of Windjammer that they used some screens to block certain pieces of equipment and threw some table cloths to cover the tables. My advice would be to dine in here only after the sun has set as you will feel like you are eating in the middle of the pool area if it's still light out.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the nice review. We dined twice at Samba's back in January. We found it good. Not as good as Chops or my favorite place which is Giovanni's.

 

In January it was dark both times that we dined and as a matter of fact it was a little cool in Samba's. I think some people have an issue with this resturant as they have different expectations over what it really is.

[mepclu]

Thanks so much for the info! :D

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I am curious about the salad bar. Hubby loves steaks and pork and he is very find of this type of Brazilian restaurant but I eat only a plant-based diet. We would have gone to Samba Grill, but we weren't sure if there would be anything I could eat and the price was too high to pay if I couldn't eat.

[billiebob]

I'll try to answer any questions.

 

I have always wanted to have dinner in a Japanese Restaurant--just to experience the "show" the chef puts on when he is making your meal right in front of you. :D Does the Izumi Restaurant do this? If so, at lunch or just dinner?:confused:

Thanks :)

[QTMichele]

Thanks for posting this. One of the reasons we didn't book Samba was due to the lack of reviews. My husband lives meat, but I'm fine with just a few bites. Give me a salad and some fish. ;) I too am interested to know if you had fish/seafood offered, een if you didn't eat it.

 

Thanks again.

 

I'll try to answer any questions.

 

I have always wanted to have dinner in a Japanese Restaurant--just to experience the "show" the chef puts on when he is making your meal right in front of you. :D Does the Izumi Restaurant do this? If so, at lunch or just dinner?:confused:

Thanks :)

 

No, Izumi is strictly sushi and hot rocks. Don't expect a show, but expect great service and good sushi. :)

[BrianAlt]

Sounds like you mean Teppanyaki style restaurant where they cook your food on a grill in front of you. This is not that kind of restaurant. If you mean making sushi in front of you, there is a sushi bar that you can watch them prepare your food.

[onefishtwofish]

We too have been looking for a comprehensive review, so was very happy to read yours!! :)

 

Also - thanks to those posting regarding the venue....We had been in the Solarium Bistro on Oasis for lunch, but not there for dinner, so never would have thought about evening temps in there. We have a last reservation (8:30) but still will be warm, so will dress accordingly! ;)

 

We have been to several Brazilian steakhouses, so am excited that it sounds like we won't be disappointed! :D

[Smack664]

We had a 9pm reservation for Samba last week. Our table of 4 was in the corner and had a great view and a nice breeze but that's about all we enjoyed. We found the appitizers pretty good but the meat was just blah and we got so sick of it we never made it through all the courses. The only seafood I remember seeing is some shrimp in the salad bar.

[billiebob]

No, Izumi is strictly sushi and hot rocks. Don't expect a show, but expect great service and good sushi. :)

 

 

 

Thanks, Michele. I won't bother making a reservation at Izumi--I'll wait and go to a Japanese restaurant in Toronto that will put on a show. :rolleyes:

 

By the way, thank you for your awesome review and photos (so far). That's a lot of work and it is greatly appreciated!! We are going on the Allure in October and are really excited about seeing the ship--especially after seeing your beautiful pictures. :D

 

[billiebob]

Sounds like you mean Teppanyaki style restaurant where they cook your food on a grill in front of you.

 

 

That's exactly what I am looking for and was hoping to find it at Izumi's. :) Oh, well! It isn't going to ruin my cruise by any means! :p Thanks for the explanation--I'll know for another time.

[QTMichele]

Thanks, Michele. I won't bother making a reservation at Izumi--I'll wait and go to a Japanese restaurant in Toronto that will put on a show. :rolleyes:

 

By the way, thank you for your awesome review and photos (so far). That's a lot of work and it is greatly appreciated!! We are going on the Allure in October and are really excited about seeing the ship--especially after seeing your beautiful pictures. :D

 

 

You're welcome, and thanks for the nice comments. :) You don't have too much longer to wait - October will be here before we know it! (Summer always flies by for us, unfortunately.)

 

Keep reading... I'll be posting some final thoughts and more pictures tomorrow, and, of course, will answer any questions anyone has.

 

Take care. :)

[Duke95]

I am curious about the salad bar. Hubby loves steaks and pork and he is very find of this type of Brazilian restaurant but I eat only a plant-based diet. We would have gone to Samba Grill, but we weren't sure if there would be anything I could eat and the price was too high to pay if I couldn't eat.

 

I think that the salad bar only option is just $15.

 

I really shouldn't have downplayed the salad bar so much. It did look very nice and there were lots of different options up there. I believe there was shrimp ceviche along with your regular salad greens and such. There were also some nice deserts and things to get at the salad bar when you were done.

 

Could I make a meal out of it? Probably. It was certainly as good as any salad bar elsewhere on the ship. Not sure I would want to pay for it, however.

 

It is simply shocking to me that anyone would find the meat cuts at this restaurant "blah" unless you just don't like meat. I guess to each their own.

[BillOh]

I'll try to answer any questions.

 

Thanks for starting this. You like things rare, how does that work? I would prefer closer to a medium. If the hunk of meat so big he can go to the middle for rare and outside for medium or well, or do you just have to wait till one comes around that is cooked the way you want? Did you have to wait long at any time once your light was on. Do they do one style of meat at a time and if you pass you don't see it again? I'm looking forward to this, but on the other hand, I think I scheduled it for day 6, so the cruise will be almost over.

[Duke95]

I think in general the meat tends more to the rare side.

 

However, our gaucho was very good at noting people's likes and would come out with a few pieces that were cooked more towards medium along with one which was burnt (and ruined from my perspective).

 

They were very accommodating for temperature wishes.

[BillOh]

I think in general the meat tends more to the rare side.

 

However, our gaucho was very good at noting people's likes and would come out with a few pieces that were cooked more towards medium along with one which was burnt (and ruined from my perspective).

 

They were very accommodating for temperature wishes.

 

Thanks, I hate my chicken and pork rare :p

[Duke95]

I think I may be part lion because if any health facilities would let me I would order that rare too.

 

Salmonella be damned.

[CruisersfromMD]

Since others have asked, thought I would put together a quick review of our night at the Samba Grill. We had reservations for a party of 6 at 7:00 on Thursday of last week.

 

Upon arrival, we were invited to help ourselves to the very extensive buffet featuring multiple cold cuts of salamis and sausage meats which were very nice to whet the palate. (As you will notice, I did not mention the salad - no self respecting carnivore would talk about the salad bar in a place like this. My wife did say the salad was very nice, however and they really loved the cream of asparagus soup.) While enjoying the appetizers, they brought out some cheese-bread balls (think cheese in the middle of a piece of dough) that were deliciously sinful. One bottle of wine gone, we finally got around to pushing the button to turn our light green and the heavenly meats began appearing.

 

I'll try to list them in order, but I think may be off here:

 

1) Chicken wrapped in bacon - this was much better than I thought it would be. The chicken got a little too much saltiness from the bacon, but was surprisingly tender. I normally am a steak nut, but this was not my least favorite like I thought it would be.

2) Filet mignon - this was very good. Made rare to my taste, it was a wonderful piece of meat that was cooked perfectly and had good flavor. Again, a little salty for me but otherwise it was very nice.

3) Sirloin - Again, a very good piece of meat. I have to admit that at this point between the wine and the dancers, some of the meat started looking and tasting the same, but it was still very good.

4) New York Strip - this was incredible. Again rare for me and it was done to perfection with some nice marbling and a good fatty flavor without being gristly. I had 2 helpings and should have had three.

5) Lamb chops - I'm normally not a huge fan of lamb but this was a very good cut of meat. A lamb fan at our table said it was amongst the best she has had.

6) Top Round - We normally consider this to be a stew beef type steak and were all a little surprised at how tender this beef was. Very little in the way of marbling so it was not my favorite but I was really surprised at how tender they kept it.

7) Skirt steak - Again, not something that is normally a high end steak, the skirt steak surprised me more than the top round. It was very good with great flavor that seemed to permeate the meat a little better than the other steaks. If the Strip hadn't been so good, this would have been my favorite.

8) Pork Loin - I don't love pork, but this was very tasty.

9) Sausage - At this point late in the meal, things were really beginning to slow down. I love sausage and this was good, but it wasn't memorably great.

 

I had 2nds of filet and strip. I wasted way too much room eating those cheese breads which probably cost me a few more bites of beef, but otherwise I was proud of my meat consumption overall.

 

Dessert for me was a custard which was not so different from the custards I saw at the Mexican food restaurant. It was good, not great. The rest of the desserts at the table looked good but most were so full they really didn't comment much.

 

Overall, it was my favorite dining experience (we also did Izumi, tapas at Vintages, Rita's fiesta, Central Park 150) barely nudging out Central Park mostly because of the vast quantities of meat.

 

I'll try to answer any questions.

 

Thanks for the detailed review!!

 

My husband and I will be dining at Samba when we cruise on the Allure in July. We just made our reservation for the 8:30 seating (before we go to the 11:30 Comedy Show) so hopefully there will not be any sunbathers sitting out at that time and the weather won't be as hot.

 

Since we are not going on a formal night, what is the typical dress code?

 

I saw on the RCCL site that there is a charge for dessert, yet I have read from some previous posts that it is included. You mention a dessert table. Was there an extra fee for that?

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[Duke95]

I would think that typical dress code for a non formal night would be casual - khakis and polo shirt for men and sun dress for ladies. Even on a formal night, I would wear some pretty breathable clothes as you are outside the entire time.

 

I'm going to preface my answer to the dessert question by saying that I didn't pay for our dinner that night (we had prepaid and I did not win the rock paper scissors for the wine bill), but I do not remember there being an additional charge for dessert.

[Cruising89143]

There are three desserts to choose from and they were included.