Is anyone else disappointed with menus at Chops and Jamie’s?

[bluebelt]

I have been away from RCCL for a while and just booked Harmony for the fall. I am really excited to be sailing on Harmony and know we will have a great trip! For at least our last 4-5 cruises we have either purchased or had a dining package included. Our last 4 cruises have been on NCL. The specialty restaurants have always had a lot of options And I usually have trouble deciding what I want. I was just looking over the menu’s for Chops and Jamie’s and there are very few if any appetizer options I would order. Jamie’s there are a few apps but the entres seem blah. I can’t stand seafood or mushrooms and that seems to be part of the problem...I miss the French onion soup chops used to have. Giovanni’s menu was fantastic. Just my 2 cents. Is anyone else disappointed? It will probably be the 1st time in years we don’t purchase a package.

[Paulxyz2004]

I have been away from RCCL for a while and just booked Harmony for the fall. I am really excited to be sailing on Harmony and know we will have a great trip! For at least our last 4-5 cruises we have either purchased or had a dining package included. Our last 4 cruises have been on NCL. The specialty restaurants have always had a lot of options And I usually have trouble deciding what I want. I was just looking over the menu’s for Chops and Jamie’s and there are very few if any appetizer options I would order. Jamie’s there are a few apps but the entres seem blah. I can’t stand seafood or mushrooms and that seems to be part of the problem...I miss the French onion soup chops used to have. Giovanni’s menu was fantastic. Just my 2 cents. Is anyone else disappointed? It will probably be the 1st time in years we don’t purchase a package.

 

I rarely visit the pay for dining venues onboard, but have to say Jamie´s is my absolute favourite and I went there several nights. The only aspect Jamie´s lacks IMO is desert, but then I´ve been full after the first two courses:D. The plank is fantastic as an appetizer and I love their Pasta. BTW I don´t eat mushrooms and seafood either.

[jasper15]

I don't like mushrooms either but I love the food in both Jamie's and Chops. We ate at Chops 4 times on our recent 10 night cruise on Voyager and the food was great (all 4 of us loved it) on each occasion. Plenty of variety, and couldn't fault the food or service.

Haven't been to Jamie's since we were on Anthem 18 months ago but it was brilliant. Much better than Giovanni's IMHO, plenty to choose from. If you tell your waiter your likes and dislikes they will recommend things and also bring several dishes for your table to share.

[bluebelt]

Thank You! That gives me hope that I will be pleasantly surprised (we have a TA dining perk at either Jamie’s or Chops) :D. The last time we were on RCCL we LOVED Chops and Giovanni’s and they were our 2 favorite restaurants at sea. I was really looking forward to going back!

[TrojanUSC]

My issue with Chops is that all the menu items are pretty staid. It's like going back to a medicore steakhouse in 1975 where everything was plain, not much creativity was involved and people were easier to please. There's not much on their menu that's creative, inspired or original. It's nice to have the steaks but offer up some more unique side dishes. It would be one thing if the stuff was executed flawlessly but it's not - much of it is tasteless. All the sides taste like they're right out of the Windjammer. The Caesar salad is no different than you can get at the Park Cafe across the way. The new seafood tower is thawed frozen seafood. The sauces are as plain as can be.

 

I happen to think Jamie's is pretty good, but you're right in that a few more appetizers could help. The meat planks proved so popular that they cut back the rest of the options a bit. So popular, in fact, they rolled it out at Giovanni's now. The pastas however are pretty outstanding, particularly the truffle one.

[parrotfeathers]

On Anthem I also had the seafood tower. The only impressive part of the meal is that it was on a tower. I didn't think Jamie's was anything special. I ordered the lamb and it was overcooked. I haven't found the specialty restaurants on any of the ships worth the extra charge. But that's just me.

 

One time we sat next to a father/son and they ordered a baked potato. The server insisted they should not get a baked potato and they kept insisting that is what they wanted. I think the server just wanted them to try something more exotic with their steak.

 

Service has always been excellent.

[N2DFIRE]

I think the chops steaks are very tasteless and dry.

 

 

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[vacationlover_mn]

If you haven’t tried it yet, Wonderland is fun and unique :). We really liked it on Harmony, and will be going there again on Symphony...

 

 

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[iahawkfan21]

We did Chops recently and thought it was excellent. While there is nothing mind blowing on the menu, they were done well. My wife had lamb chops and said they were fantastic, my NY Strip was cooked perfectly. Can't remember what else we had, but it was all very well done.

[Paulxyz2004]

My issue with Chops is that all the menu items are pretty staid. It's like going back to a medicore steakhouse in 1975 where everything was plain, not much creativity was involved and people were easier to please. There's not much on their menu that's creative, inspired or original. It's nice to have the steaks but offer up some more unique side dishes. It would be one thing if the stuff was executed flawlessly but it's not - much of it is tasteless. All the sides taste like they're right out of the Windjammer. The Caesar salad is no different than you can get at the Park Cafe across the way. The new seafood tower is thawed frozen seafood. The sauces are as plain as can be.

 

I happen to think Jamie's is pretty good, but you're right in that a few more appetizers could help. The meat planks proved so popular that they cut back the rest of the options a bit. So popular, in fact, they rolled it out at Giovanni's now. The pastas however are pretty outstanding, particularly the truffle one.

 

To be realistic, whatelse but thawed frozen seafood could they ever offer on a cruise ship;) and a Ceasar Salad is a ceasar salad. If we are talking ceasar salad it´s a fixed receipe with no leeway or it´s not a ceasar anymore.;)

 

I appreciate your desire for more insprational side dishes. Everybodies tastes are different there. I for one want a my plain steak and sides should be as plain as they could be as well.

[time4u2go]

My issue with Chops is that all the menu items are pretty staid. It's like going back to a medicore steakhouse in 1975 where everything was plain, not much creativity was involved and people were easier to please. There's not much on their menu that's creative, inspired or original. It's nice to have the steaks but offer up some more unique side dishes. It would be one thing if the stuff was executed flawlessly but it's not - much of it is tasteless. All the sides taste like they're right out of the Windjammer. The Caesar salad is no different than you can get at the Park Cafe across the way. The new seafood tower is thawed frozen seafood. The sauces are as plain as can be.

 

I happen to think Jamie's is pretty good, but you're right in that a few more appetizers could help. The meat planks proved so popular that they cut back the rest of the options a bit. So popular, in fact, they rolled it out at Giovanni's now. The pastas however are pretty outstanding, particularly the truffle one.

Agreed. They could stand to add a little creativity to the menu. It's gotten quite uninspired.

[BillOh]

I think the chops steaks are very tasteless and dry.

 

 

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We did Chops recently and thought it was excellent. While there is nothing mind blowing on the menu, they were done well. My wife had lamb chops and said they were fantastic, my NY Strip was cooked perfectly. Can't remember what else we had, but it was all very well done.

 

 

Our Chops experience has varied quite a bit, Wonderful twice on Freedom, Ok on Navigator, So-So on Oasis and Allure, Really good on Adventure, About to try Jewel. Tried the Veal Chop on Allure in 2013, thought it was good, but it was discontinued.

[katiel53]

I haven't been on Harmony yet, planning to go in January, but on Allure we ate 4 nights out of 7 in Chops. I do wish they had the French Onion soup as those who travel with me wont eat the mushroom soup or lobster bisque, but I love both of them so it works for me.

 

I think the rib-eye steak is not bland at all. It is nicely seasoned and it was done perfectly for me every time I had it. I also loved the salad with goat cheese, so I had no problem with appetizers.

 

I am looking forward to trying Jamie's when we go on Harmony. I am hoping it is better than Giovanni's as I didn't really care for it at all. The filet was no where near as good as the one I had in Chops the first night I went there. I also didn't like the pasta Carbonara, but that was my own fault as I didn't notice that it had a poached egg on top of the pasta. I have never had Carbonara that didn't have the egg mixed in.

[TrojanUSC]

On Anthem I also had the seafood tower. The only impressive part of the meal is that it was on a tower. I didn't think Jamie's was anything special. I ordered the lamb and it was overcooked. I haven't found the specialty restaurants on any of the ships worth the extra charge. But that's just me.

 

One time we sat next to a father/son and they ordered a baked potato. The server insisted they should not get a baked potato and they kept insisting that is what they wanted. I think the server just wanted them to try something more exotic with their steak.

 

Service has always been excellent.

 

Izumi sushi and teppanyaki are great and worth the charge. I also think Sabor is weirdly outstanding.