Liberty = Chops or Portofino???

[artvlay]

Which do you think is better on Liberty? On Serenade recently Giovanni's was much better than Chops.

[Clarea]

I would choose any venue over Chops. The quality has declined and the price keeps going up. No longer even consider it.

[Ashland]

Which do you think is better on Liberty? On Serenade recently Giovanni's was much better than Chops.

It can be a hit or miss and varies.

[ryano]

I would not choose Chops. Period. I went to Chops on Freedom just to see if the complaints are valid. They most certainly are! Nowhere even close to the same experience we had at Chops on Radiance a few years ago in both food quality and service.

 

Giovannis on Freedom, however, was excellent in all areas!

 

I dont think Ive ever read one single negative thing about Portofino.

[George C]

I loved Giovanni's on Navigator and I am picky and Italian, we had lunch and dinner there, lunch was just 12 dollars for a great 4 course meal. Chops did not impress, will most likely skip it next cruise, Izumi was very nice also.

[sauvichick]

I was fine with the new Chops menu on the Allure and plan on going there when we sail on the Liberty. I agree the menu is nowhere near the original, but there are a decent number of choices. Despite all the negatives we enjoyed it. We had the salad with goat cheese, short ribs, mushrooms and spinach. Of course we had to try those controversial tater tots (which were nothing to brag about). We plan on going to Portofino too and I'm sure that will be good too. There aren't many choices in specialty dining so we will gladly do both. The point is to try to avoid the MDR.

Edited May 27, 2015 by sauvichick

[cheers55]

Windjammer or MDR

 

 

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[chawkjewel]

We ate at Portofino's but can't make a comparison because we didn't want to pay that much more for Chop's. I did have a filet at Portofino's and it was awesome. I will go there again (or Giovanni's).

Edited May 27, 2015 by chawkjewel

[artvlay]

Thank you for the great answers. I don't understand how the quality of Chops could be allowed to go so low. I have heard the same responses as you have all posted, and that goes for most ships.

[cruisingbajan]

The best steak I have ever had in my life was at Portofinos onboard the Adventure in 2011.

 

I was very unimpressed with Chops on our Oasis cruise.:(

[dacsmom]

I agree with the others that the quality varies. In October, Chops on the Allure was fantastic, we ate there two nights. The last time I ate in Portofinos it was also very good.

[Ashland]

Windjammer or MDR

 

 

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Actually for dinner more often than not it's the WJ for us...it's dark and quiet and far different than the loud atmosphere of the dining room.

[MADflyer]

While I find the Chops on Liberty to be excellent, with the current opinions floating around and the fact that Portofino's will most likely be removed at the January dry dock, Portofino's sounds like a great choice.

[drmal]

While I find the Chops on Liberty to be excellent, with the current opinions floating around and the fact that Portofino's will most likely be removed at the January dry dock, Portofino's sounds like a great choice.

 

How long ago were you on Liberty? My bf and i were thinking about going to chops and skipping the portofino for our liberty cruise next week. But reading all the comments we might do the opposite.

 

Also are lunch in the speciality restos common on liberty? We heard about it on other ship but never on liberty

[Clarea]

How long ago were you on Liberty? My bf and i were thinking about going to chops and skipping the portofino for our liberty cruise next week. But reading all the comments we might do the opposite.

 

Also are lunch in the speciality restos common on liberty? We heard about it on other ship but never on liberty

No specialty restaurant lunch on Liberty.

[drmal]

No specialty restaurant lunch on Liberty.

 

Thanks bob!

[NightOne]

Which do you think is better on Liberty? On Serenade recently Giovanni's was much better than Chops.

 

 

My opinion:

 

Go to both.

 

Food is VERY subjective and the only opinion that is really going to matter is your own.

[Rala]

I would choose any venue over Chops. The quality has declined and the price keeps going up. No longer even consider it.

 

I would agree with this !:)

[MADflyer]

How long ago were you on Liberty? My bf and i were thinking about going to chops and skipping the portofino for our liberty cruise next week. But reading all the comments we might do the opposite.

 

Also are lunch in the speciality restos common on liberty? We heard about it on other ship but never on liberty

 

I have not been on Liberty since the Barcelona season last year. I was on a TA on Liberty where I dined 2 times at Chops and the service and atmosphere were wonderful. My expectations of the food are very realistic and I left satisfied with the experience.

 

Liberty offered suite (gold card) seating in Chops for breakfast and lunch with no regular lunch opening hours.

 

I often do specialty restaurant lunches on the ships that offer it. Vision, for instance, has (had) Chops open for lunch on sea days along with Giovanni's. For me specialty dining is more about the personal attention than the food and I always find the lunch experiences to be fantastic.

[karmacats]

i don't know if this counts as a "recent" trip, but i went to chops on liberty in april/may 2014, and it was fantastic.

 

we'd been to chops before on liberty and it was "meh", but that was in 2008 i think, so we decided to give it another try, and were really glad we did. great server, and great food.

 

iirc, the new menu had just gone into effect on some ships but not yet liberty, so we had the old menu. so, obviously, food selections will be different now. but everything was cooked perfectly (i like my steak well-done, we were with friends who like it rare - there were no problems at all with either), and our server was fantastic.

 

we've also been to portofino, and while it was ok, i've heard they've really been skimping on things like the seafood skewer which was the draw there. so i think we are going to stick with chops for our next liberty cruise in august.

[E&D]

Portofino's was the first pay restaurant we went to when they started to add pay for restaurants on the ships. We are sailing the Liberty later this year and I already have our reservations. I have a feeling after dry dock there will be no more Portofino's. We enjoyed this restaurant very much.

[Clarea]

Portofino's was the first pay restaurant we went to when they started to add pay for restaurants on the ships. We are sailing the Liberty later this year and I already have our reservations. I have a feeling after dry dock there will be no more Portofino's. We enjoyed this restaurant very much.

You are correct, every ship that goes into dry dock with Portofino gets it changed to Giovanni's Table.