Disappointed in Chops

[vawalkers]

We ate at Chops on our first Royal cruise last month while we were on the Jewel of the Seas for our 25th anniversary. It was incredible with the fillet and the sides being perfect! We were so impressed we changed our reservation for the last night of our cruise from another specialty restaurant to Chops. I wish we had not. The fillet was OK, the sides had little to no seasoning ( ordered the same exact meal as before), but the noise was the real killer. We could not hear ourselves talk. We were seated in the center of Chops with the conversations from some of the other tables drowning us out. I think it was a combination of some people being loud and the acoustics of the room. There seemed to have been a lot of wine flowing that night, and we could clearly hear word for word the conversations from a couple of tables. We took our dessert to the Windjammer to eat. Chops was a lot busier the last night of our cruise which may account for the food being off. Chops was certainly on their game earlier in the week when they were better than the steakhouses on Carnival.

[Turtles06]

We ate at Chops on Anthem in February. We'd been looking forward to the meal very much, as we had a wonderful dinner at Chops on Anthem's inaugural TA in the fall of 2015. Well, what a difference a couple of years made! This time around, the service was terrible, and the quality of the meat was mediocre. Easily the worst meal of the cruise.

[Retired LEO]

Last year on Grandeur in Chops I had a filet that was really bad and did send it back they brought it back to me and it was still really bad so I gave up on it. They offered me a free lunch to replace it and I agreed and they said they would hand pick me a really good filet which they did and it was delicious. I don't understand why they had to make a special effort to give me a good steak it seems to me they should all be good if they are the premium steakhouse they claim to be.

 

The probably went into the Captains private stash for when he eats in there.

[CarpeCerevisi]

I ate in Chops on Oasis about a week and a half ago. The 9 oz. filet was perfect and rare just as I ordered it. The restaurant was full that evening but I must say it probably did help that I was dining with the Captain and Hotel Director. Even if we did get special treatment it still shows that they can serve good food when they want to.

 

 

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[sdear]

We ate at Chops on Anthem in February. We'd been looking forward to the meal very much, as we had a wonderful dinner at Chops on Anthem's inaugural TA in the fall of 2015. Well, what a difference a couple of years made! This time around, the service was terrible, and the quality of the meat was mediocre. Easily the worst meal of the cruise.

 

We found the same thing on our recent cruise. We hadn't cruised in almost two years, and last month it was just mediocre

[Zach1213]

I’m a steak guy and appreciate very high quality steak - business and personal trips see me at high end steak places 10-12 times a year (Capital Grille and similar).

 

I had Chops last week and went in expecting mediocrity, but my ribeye was shockingly good. My wife’s fillet was good, not great. Everything else was good, but great. But really, I was shocked at how good my ribeye was.

[sdear]

I’m a steak guy and appreciate very high quality steak - business and personal trips see me at high end steak places 10-12 times a year (Capital Grille and similar).

 

I had Chops last week and went in expecting mediocrity, but my ribeye was shockingly good. My wife’s fillet was good, not great. Everything else was good, but great. But really, I was shocked at how good my ribeye was.

 

It really must vary ship to ship. Last week my ribeye was just ok......and we frequent high end steak houses occasionally as well. I am still going to give them another try on our next cruise.

[Cauzneffct]

Am I the only one that thinks "my food came out the way I ordered" isn't really a strong selling point? That's kind of what I expect.

 

 

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[Zach1213]

It really must vary ship to ship. Last week my ribeye was just ok......and we frequent high end steak houses occasionally as well. I am still going to give them another try on our next cruise.

Yeah and that variance is worrisome. I would hate to go on another cruise, try to recreate the experience, and end up with a crap steak.

 

To be fair, it helps that we only paid $20pp so my expectations were low. But I was still very, very happy. Even the fat was delicious, and that’s how I judge a good cut. Also cooked flawlessly. I wouldn’t expect that again, though, and that’s frustrating.

[LMaxwell]

Last month on Navigator our experience was "meh". Service was fine. Our main entree was good (not great); cooked as ordered and enjoyed the sauces. But the apps and sides were same as found throughout the week in Windjammer, not bad but underwhelming, the deserts flavorless, and presentation with those little bowls that don't fit the 3 piece of asparagus kind of odd. Also, being annexed to Windjammer with open doors meant it was not that quiet. Something more intimate with a live piano would have been nice. Found upcharges for seafood tower laughable and offputting; many of same items were available at WJ seafood night FYI. Like others my salted baked potato was just a completely plain baked potato that they poured melted butter on, like popcorn butter.

 

Did not leave hungry, but did not think it was worth the fee. We got it with a deal and probably would have been better off with another trip to Giovanni or even Izumi.

 

I think Chops is what RCI management thinks people think is an upscale steakhouse experience. It's Longhorns with fancier lamps and flooring.

[Ladysilver]

We've been to Chops twice. Once on Liberty and once on Vision. Both times were excellent.

[BEENSAILING]

We have been to Chops on several Royal Cruises. Always good service. We have found quality of the steaks on the cruises from mainland US ports, Puerto Rico and in South America superior to the steaks we have had in Chops when our cruises began in Australia and Rome.

[SRF]

Am I the only one that thinks "my food came out the way I ordered" isn't really a strong selling point? That's kind of what I expect.

 

 

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Have you ever been to Vegas?

 

Even the higher end restaurants cannot accomplish this.

 

One steak house, I sent my steak back 3 times for being overcooked.

[ReneeFLL]

I don't even want to tell you about our experiences on Chops especially the most worst horrible experience we had on the Oasis last month. I agree, the place is not good at all and all Chops on every cruise we went to are all the same. Why we keep going?....because we only eat at specialty restaurants and keep hoping that the Chops on that particular cruise got better, but it never does and after our last horrible experience we never ever go back!

Why would you only eat in speciality restaurants? The food in Chops isn't really any better than the MDR or the Windjammer. I just don't understand the reasoning behind it. RC will never make the food any better or reduce the prices because people keep eating there so why should they? They are laughing all the way to the bank.

[Lfehlauer77]

We are just recently off Rhapsody. Dined in Chops night one. It was a good experience, but after we dined in Giovannis the next night....Giovannis blew us away in service and food quality!

[queenfrostine22]

Not a fan of Giovanni's on Oasis but loved it on Allure.

Thought 150 on Allure was better than Oasis.( Love the squash/pumpkin soup on both)

Didn't care for Chops on either ship.

[GeorgiaGuys]

Considering Chops for lunch on our first day to avoid the crowds in the WJ. Lunch at $22 seems a better deal than dinner at $39.

[marci22]

Considering Chops for lunch on our first day to avoid the crowds in the WJ. Lunch at $22 seems a better deal than dinner at $39.

Keep watching the price I think it was on sale for $17 at one point on our cruise planner.

[TC1957]

Agree. Chops was lot better when first came on Royal ship's 20 years ago. Now it's still good, better then I eat at home, but not as great...

If I'm paying for something and isn't too my liking will send it back. Most of time what they bring me back is something better...

 

Based on our experience I can honestly say I am truly sorry. That means...in my opinion...you don't know how to cook a steak (if you mean when you eat at home) or the restaurants in your area suck (if you mean when you eat out).

[shellunderwater]

Thank you, we have quite a bit of OBC for our Adventure cruise from New York next year so thinking about what to spend it on.

 

 

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We had that once.... ended up buying some outrageously priced (for us) wine for dinner. $45 per glass. And they let us use a BOGO coupon with it, so we had two glasses. It was something we wouldn't normally do, so it was kinda memorable. Bought it at Vintages, walked into MDR with it last night.

 

Just pitching ideas for you.