Tell me about the Uptown Grill

[bangzoom6877]

We are going on the Breakaway in July, and we avoid the buffet during breakfast because of how crowded it is. We usually go to the MDR for breakfast on cruises. But for lunch, we sometimes go to the buffet or the grill to grab something on cruises.

 

Is Uptown Grill generally less crowded than the Garden Cafe buffet? Is it relatively easy or difficult to find a table by Uptown Grill?

 

In case we want to grab something quick for breakfast one morning and decide not to go to the MDR, is Uptown Grill less crowded than the buffet, or is it basically the same crowds and should we avoid it? What do they serve for breakfast?

 

For lunch, how are the burgers? We've found cruise ship burgers to range from awful to just ok, but certainly not the greatest. Are they much better at Uptown Grill or just the same old burgers?

 

Any info or tips about Uptown Grill would be much appreciated. Photos would be even more appreciated!

[sixesandeights]

The Uptown Grill is basically like an outdoor extension of the buffet area. It serves basic food (Hotdogs, Hamburgers, etc) The Hamburgers are nothing special, but are edible (think frozen patty burgers). There are a few tables in this area, but for the most part it is a place to grab a quick bit while on the pool deck.

 

6&8

Edited April 14, 2015 by sixesandeights

[bedfordmom]

The Uptown Grill is basically like an outdoor extension of the buffet area. It serves basic food (Hotdogs, Hamburgers, etc) The Hamburgers are nothing special, but are edible (think frozen patty burgers). There are a few tables in this area, but for the most part it is a place to grab a quick bit while on the pool deck.

 

6&8

 

We thought that the burgers were fantastic at the Uptown Grill; larger and freshly made; much better than the buffet. An added bonus is that you can order chopped salads (though I felt that they had more salad items on the buffet). Make sure that you go either the first day (if open) or as the weather gets warmer. On our Feb 1 cruise, the Grille was closed the 2nd, 10th and 11th and 12th day due to wind and rough seas.

 

I thought that the breakfast which opened at 8am was nothing special. The premade sandwiches were just OK, the yogurt parfaits were better but there was more of a selection of items on the buffet.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

We are going on the Breakaway in July, and we avoid the buffet during breakfast because of how crowded it is. We usually go to the MDR for breakfast on cruises. But for lunch, we sometimes go to the buffet or the grill to grab something on cruises.

 

Is Uptown Grill generally less crowded than the Garden Cafe buffet? Is it relatively easy or difficult to find a table by Uptown Grill?

 

In case we want to grab something quick for breakfast one morning and decide not to go to the MDR, is Uptown Grill less crowded than the buffet, or is it basically the same crowds and should we avoid it? What do they serve for breakfast?

 

For lunch, how are the burgers? We've found cruise ship burgers to range from awful to just ok, but certainly not the greatest. Are they much better at Uptown Grill or just the same old burgers?

 

Any info or tips about Uptown Grill would be much appreciated. Photos would be even more appreciated!

 

Loved the burgers. They had beef and turkey and lots of toppings. They are made to order. Also great salad bar where you pick exactly how you want them to make your salad. I don't know what the poster above is saying how it's an extension of the buffet. It is not anything like the buffet. We never had a problem getting a table. You might also like to try modero for breakfast. Not crowded at all because not to many people know there is a buffet for breakfast in there.

[WMQueenie]

We thought lunch was very good and worth the wait. Breakfast was nice because we never encountered a big crowd! They were making eggs fresh to order, there was bacon, sausage, premade egg sandwiches, pastries, coffee, and juice. We enjoyed it up there.

[swim25]

We liked the Uptown Grill for Breakfast on our cruise last year also. It was never crowded in the morning!

[braddillman]

There's a youtube video:

 

(just joking)

[RikkuCat]

We loved Uptown Grill for breakfast. It was never crowded on our Breakaway cruise - in fact, it was almost empty a lot of the time. There's a smaller selection of food there than at the buffet, but we preferred the atmosphere at Uptown, since it's quieter and outdoors. If I recall correctly, they had breakfast sandwiches, omelets, various side items (breakfast meats and potatoes), fruit, yogurt parfaits, bagels, and probably a few other things that I didn't notice or can't remember. My only beef with Uptown was that they don't open until 8am - while I can generally wait or grab something light if I wake up earlier than that, it didn't work for us on early port days.

 

I'm like you and enjoy eating in the MDR for breakfast, but I found it inconvenient on the Breakaway. Taste and Savor were open for breakfast, but only for about an hour each - and they overlapped by a half hour, so you only had an hour and a half window to go to breakfast in the MDR. O'Sheehan's is open earlier for breakfast if you need an earlier option, but I found myself at the buffet for breakfast twice on the Breakaway, which is NOT normal for me.

 

For lunch, I thought Uptown was Ok. Prior to our cruise, I had seen it described as made to order sandwiches and salads and I was expecting a NY deli with salad bar or something. They did have sandwiches on our cruise, but only two selections each day and it was generally something like pastrami or corned beef - not my personal favorites. Other than that, they had burgers, hot dogs, brats, fries, potato salad, pasta salad, and a very random beet salad. It was all fine - it's just not my style for lunch. I liked the beet salad, though, and enjoyed a brat or something one day. I think we only ate there once for lunch because it was just a little too fast-foody for me. Good once in a while, but not what I want to eat every day! If that sounds good to you, you'll probably love it - my husband sure did! On the plus side, if one person wants something lighter and the other wants a burger from Uptown, it's very easy to run down to the buffet to get a salad and bring it back upstairs to eat together.

[luvtheships]

The burgers and the salad bar are exceptional!! B

 

The breakfast choices were more than sufficient

 

Uptown is well run and comfortable

 

I highly recommend it

 

The sabrett hot dog truck is there too

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[johnql]

I enjoyed lunch at the Uptown Bar & Grill but I never got around to having breakfast there. Here's the menu (someone will post a newer one if mine is obsolete):

 

[HarpHarp]

Another place for breakfast is O'Sheehans Made to order omelets brought to you while your sipping your coffee , an express option & they never seemed very crowded.

[Sand and Seas]

We thought lunch was very good and worth the wait. Breakfast was nice because we never encountered a big crowd! They were making eggs fresh to order, there was bacon, sausage, premade egg sandwiches, pastries, coffee, and juice. We enjoyed it up there.

 

Totally agree! Nice quick place to grab breakfast and lunch. Once in a while a little line. Also plenty of tables available. Many of the people on the ship never knew this great little place was there;)

[jusstice]

Another place for breakfast is O'Sheehans Made to order omelets brought to you while your sipping your coffee , an express option & they never seemed very crowded.

 

 

O'Sheehan's is the best option for breakfast on the BA. Food and experience is better than the buffet. I could never manage the main dining room for breakfast more than once because of the timing.

[bangzoom6877]

Wow it actually sounds terrific! I love a good burger made to order, and it sounds like they're good at Uptown Grill. Breakfast sounds good too. If that menu posted is up to date, it really looks fantastic. The puff pastry breakfast sandwich sounds very good.

 

How are the cinnamon rolls? I think I saw a picture of them on CC a while back, but I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly.

 

Thanks everyone for the info!

Edited April 14, 2015 by bangzoom6877

[bangzoom6877]

Loved the burgers. They had beef and turkey and lots of toppings. They are made to order. Also great salad bar where you pick exactly how you want them to make your salad. I don't know what the poster above is saying how it's an extension of the buffet. It is not anything like the buffet. We never had a problem getting a table. You might also like to try modero for breakfast. Not crowded at all because not to many people know there is a buffet for breakfast in there.

 

How is the food at Moderno for breakfast? What do they serve? Do you know how late they serve breakfast? I wouldn't mind a breakfast buffet, it's just that the main buffet at breakfast time always seemed too crowded for us, and by the time we got our food and sat down everything was cold. Plus seemed like forever waiting in the omelette line. One time on the Jewel, I thought I got lucky that there was only one person ahead of me in the omelette line. As it turned out, she was having the crew member cook 6 omelettes for every person in her party as they got other food from the buffet. I was ticked off and got into the other omelette line with 3 people ahead of me. I was finished before the woman on the previous line got all 6 omelettes...and as she got each one, a different person from her party came over to her and took it from her. Some might think this is ok, and yes, maybe getting 2 would be fine, but 6 for one person is just rude of the passenger.

 

There's a youtube video:

 

(just joking)

 

Lol of course like a fool, I had to be curious and click on that. By the way I love that song and Billy Joel too! :)