The TK Experience on Seabourn

[Isklaar]

Well, I don't care for the TK Grill on Ovation. Too big and service on our cruise (Holiday 2018) was insincere and unprofessional.

Have very much enjoyed TK on the O class ships.

Earth and Ocean is a triumph though. Excellent service on Ovation with Sebastien as Maitre d' and superb food. 

[tv24]

We were on the Quest in November & December and are currently on Cunard's Queen Victoria crossing the Pacific. Nice to have comparisons fresh in my mind.  While on the Quest I was a bit put off by the lah-dee-dah around TK with his brand everywhere.  I was underwhelmed by the traditional steak house cuisine in the restaurant, and sometimes the TK selections in the Restaurant did not work.,  But with a comparison to Cunard, I must say the quality of TK on Seabourn is far superior than any upscale steak on Cunard.  And for casual dining, the TK burger and Yountwurst were far superior than any lunch food on Cunard.  And I will echo others that I found Earth and Ocean to be the superior dining choice on the Quest because of the innovative cuisine.  Just my little opinion.

[Roxburgh]

On our recent 36 day Sojourn cruise we went to the TK Grill six times and thoroughly enjoyed  each meal. Service was excellent, the Maitre D' was very helpful and flexible with regard to our needs, we tried different dishes (lamb, steak, sole, chicken) and enjoyed every one.

[Emperor Norton]

TK on Seabourn is screwed up. Seabourn can’t maintain his quality. If you want to know more ask me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SLSD]

Please tell us what you know Emperor Norton.  Does your information involve sourcing of the ingredients?  The fact that the beef and fish has to be frozen?

 

 

[wripro]

To say that TK Grill is screwed up is absolutely ridiculous. It's not meant to mimic the French Laundry or Per Se. And even if the standards are a bit lower than in Keller's land based restaurants that's still far higher than most restaurants at sea. Personally I have enjoyed every meal I've ever had at the TK Grill. And like anything else if you don't like don't go.

[Mauzac]

38 minutes ago, wripro said:

 Personally I have enjoyed every meal I've ever had at the TK Grill. And like anything else if you don't like don't go.

 

Totally agree.  Every time we've been it's been really lovely.    I have 2 reservations coming up, looking forward to going again.  

[Drmitchwo]

We are on the Ovation and TO has been outstanding. So far we have had Dover Sole and the chicken. Two more reservations.

[fdnycruiser]

We've always enjoyed it,and never had any problems with the servers. To each his own I guess. Anyway,boarding the Ovation on March 2 for 36 days,and can't wait!

[lincslady]

'To each his own' can certainly apply to the food in any restaurant, but I think there have been quite a few reports on here of service in the grill being a bit cold and snooty, or other complaints, like trying too hard to sell premium wines,  that there must be times on certain ships with certain staff that this does apply, and if you have not encountered it you have been fortunate.

[Stickman1990]

22 hours ago, wripro said:

To say that TK Grill is screwed up is absolutely ridiculous. It's not meant to mimic the French Laundry or Per Se. And even if the standards are a bit lower than in Keller's land based restaurants that's still far higher than most restaurants at sea. Personally I have enjoyed every meal I've ever had at the TK Grill. And like anything else if you don't like don't go.

 

On Encore in Dec 2018 it had issues 

 

It was sub standard - in terms of dishes presented and the service 

 

and thats a fact 

 

so your advice is don’t go....hardly smart or acceptable when paying Seabourn prices - ignore one of the allegedly “special” offerings onboard...

[Mahogany]

5 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

 

On Encore in Dec 2018 it had issues 

 

It was sub standard - in terms of dishes presented and the service 

 

and thats a fact 

 

so your advice is don’t go....hardly smart or acceptable when paying Seabourn prices - ignore one of the allegedly “special” offerings onboard...

I too have never had a problem with TK Grill, and I go solo which can often be an excuse for poor service in some establishments, especially land-side.

And the advice "don't go" isn't much of an issue since you can only pre-book one reservation per cruise. Of course, if enough passengers, because of negative reviews, don't go, more openings for us fans!😉

[Isklaar]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

'To each his own' can certainly apply to the food in any restaurant, but I think there have been quite a few reports on here of service in the grill being a bit cold and snooty, or other complaints, like trying too hard to sell premium wines,  that there must be times on certain ships with certain staff that this does apply, and if you have not encountered it you have been fortunate.

 

Quite.

 

I'm still working on my belated review of Ovation, and as I've now managed to lose all of the notes I made during the cruise I'm trying to decide whether to create a thread which will consist of one post and one sentence in summary: "Didn't like it much" or whether to make a bit of an effort and post the details that I can still recall.

 

Anyway, to the point. We found one particular member of the crew in the TK Grill on Ovation to be dismissive, bordering on downright rude. None of us (group of six SB regulars) have ever encountered such an attitude on any Seabourn ship previously. The Sommelier in there was excellent - although we did purchase premium wines at each dinner so perhaps that helped. Other staff were either unprofessional, poorly trained, or insincere.

Food was mostly very good though, comparable to the TK Grill on the O class ships. 

[SLSD]

lincslady, I think you are right.  We have a neighorhood Italian restaurant which is very popular and which we love.  We dine there at least twice a month.  One of my close friends dined their once (without us) and proclaimed the food terrible.  Likewise, I really don't care for the restaurants that she frequents and loves.  I think it a matter of different tastes.  

 

We are among those who have never encountered snooty service at the TK Grill or premium wine pushing.  There is always a first time!  We will be on the lookout for it this May/June aboard the Sojourn.  Of course there is always the possibility that what one person sees as snooty service would go right over our heads and be unnoticed. 

 

[offtoalaska]

We had dinner at TK Grill on the Odyssey three weeks ago during our first Seabourn cruise.  We had the  table side prepared Caesar salad, the roasted chicken for two, coconut cake for dessert.  Service was very good; we were impressed when the chef came out to answer a few questions we had about the chicken prep.  We loved our dessert and would return just for that.  The Parker House rolls, butter and sea salt were perfect.  The salad was not as good as the Caesar served in the Restaurant.   Our chicken breast meat was dry but the skin and dark meat were delicious.  The TK Grill atmosphere could benefit from a change in music.  We grew up in the 60s but were suprised to hear the Beatles and other rock and roll.  Sophisticated jazz would have been more to my liking.  We plan to dine in the Grill again in April but will order the steak and lamb.  

[SLSD]

offtoalaslaka, You bring up an interesting question--music  I've often wondered why SB doesn't do a survey and find out what music its guests really want to hear.  One of the first times we dined at the TK Grill, the music was VERY LOUD!  In fact, it was SO loud that we could not enjoy our dinner.  I explained this to our waiter and he told that that Thomas Keller himself wanted the music (and he chose it) at this volume.  I replied that Mr. Keller may want it at that volume, but his guests did NOT.  We were so glad that the manager of the restaurant heeded our request and substantially lowered the volume. 

 

I'm with you, I grew up with the Beatles, love their music, might like hearing it in another venue aboard ship, but NOT at dinner in the TK Grill.  Like you, I would have loved hearing jazz.  

[brittany12]

I've read through all the  good and bad comments from start to bottom, and there are a lot. You either hate it or love it.. I'm late getting into the game, and this thread seems to have run  its course, but....,  maybe others will weigh in further. And here is my take. From the top,  we are not TKG fans for many reasons, having tried in on 6 cruises. His TK menu suggestions in the Restaurant, however, we generally find interesting and an improvement over the regular fare offered..

While the TKG food is generally good, it is not that good,  (exception being dover sole, which is excellent) and I am not sure it offers a much more interesting alternative dining environment and experience that we would like to have onboard a ship. It does not live up to the huge hype. I am sure, however, that I do not much care much for the 1950's celery stalks, carrots and radishes on ice as the standard TKG amuse buche.  It was not that great in the 1950's and is not that great today in this updated, so-called, "classic" American 1950's restaurant. For a fine dining establishment today?  Please, This is 2019, not 1959.  And, as if  Parker House rolls, while nice, are really a big deal, except for those with no teeth. Give me some real tasty, hard crusted, freshly baked bread anytime.  First, I start with the idea that the Keller Gill concept itself is flawed. SB  obviously wanted someone to be their celebrity chef like Jacques Pepin is for Oceania. BTW, Oceania used to have, and according to a great many who have  sailed SS, SB, and Crystal,  and whose opinion I respect, still has the best food at sea, with their MDR and combination of four excellent true dining  alternative specialty restaurants - Italian, Steakhouse, French, and Asian.. For a while, and maybe again in the future, SB was giving Oceania a real challenge for this honor of best food at sea. We thought so, and still occasionally do with what comes out of the Restaurant kitchen. Keller has his top end, expensive US restaurants sprinkled around the US E and W coasts. Most people in the vast middle of the US and abroad never heard of him. He is  in no way, in my opinion, the  kind of celebrity chef that Pepin is, and in what he brings to the  cruise line brand. I submit that Seabourn when they tired of the R2 concept ( with good reason!!)  as their  higher end, slightly different, dining experience option  should have instead gone with a true dining alternative - like an excellent Italian restaurant or a steak/lobster restaurant concept . Not just a fancier, more exclusive "fine dining" version of their own Restaurant downstairs. Second, the pushing of the premium wines in TKG is offensive and just wrong. If this is still going on, after numerous complaints I've read, it is shameful. Any of us can choose to pay more if we want. Last time I looked, the TKG menu had the premium wine list attached in the back. AND NOT EVEN A MENTION in writing on the menu or from the servers THAT THE INCLUDED WINES that are available throughout the ship are available there too, unless one asks about it.  Like....risking the shame and embarrassment of having to ask in the TKG for what is already included in our expensive fares? Can anyone who recently sailed say whether this observation about lack of forthcoming has changed?  Servers and TK management,  I am guessing, have been told to downplay the fact of included wines. It  sounds like all part of the Keller bottom line arrangement that SB accepts as part of their deal. I know some passengers who were believing that in this restaurant because of silence on this subject that they had to order the premium stuff, and at nose bleed inflated prices. Transparency in selling a product is not a bad idea. 

[SLSD]

brittany12, Thank you for your review of the TK Grill.  While we have never had the  extra cost wines pushed on us in the TK Grill, I understand that some have.  I can buy your assertion that the whole idea of the TK Grill is a flawed concept--especially for those who don't really dig an old fashioned American steakhouse.  This is what the TK Grill seems to be.  We are not people who often go to this kind of restaurant in our home city.  

 

Here's the way I see things.  This is a cruise ship we are talking about.  If you really want to get down to it, NONE of the restaurants are fine dining.  They are all just dining rooms on a high end cruise ship.  The ship has kitchen(s) making food for several hundred people three times a day.  It is a huge catering operation--and as such, they do a fairly decent job. 

 

I'm not sure that guests would like an Italian restaurant any more than they like an old fashioned steak house.  I KNOW that we would not like an Asian style restaurant--and would never go there for a single meal  

 

Perhaps the idea was that most people could find something on the menu of the TK Grill that they would like.  

 

I've heard others say that the food on Oceania is not very good.  I do think the whole food assessment is totally subjective.  

 

All this being said, I've enjoyed most of our meals in the TK Grill--not because the food was so great, but because we were having a good time.  

[Mauzac]

But it's not just about the food is it.. it's about the ambience.  And I do think they've pretty much nailed that.  It's different to all the other restaurants on board, it has more of a quiet intimate atmosphere and I do quite like that.  

(This opinion might be down to the fact we've had such a lovely time with people we've met and joined up with for a meal there) 

[lincslady]

I have come to the conclusion that your first visit to TK colours your opinion a lot - understandably .    Ours was on an Odyssey  class ship, when the TK grill was fairly new.    The hostess was a bit snooty; we were given a table for two very close to others; I ordered Caesar salad which was prepared  badly by a very new waitress, and was awful; the wine server tried to sell us the TK wines - etc. etc.  We did not opt to return.  However, I am sure that when all the omens are working right it can be a pleasant experience.  Though still not, to me, anything special.  I can't help thinking that Seabourn must be regretting sinking so much money and effort into the TK idea, which was not all that brilliant to start with.

[Mr Luxury]

I have eaten many times in a TK Grill on several Seabourn ships and had a good meal and a lovely time on every occasion.

[saminina]

And I have eaten many meals in TK Grill on all ships minus Ovation.   Have experienced the snooty hostess on Odyssey.  She was one and done.   For the most part, can see valid points in each comment posted.   Table five or nothing.  Seating is half the battle for an enjoyable time. 

[n2wdw]

Having never been able to get into TK's restaurants in Napa, I'm looking forward to eating at his restaurant on our upcoming cruise in May.  I appreciate the comments here as I've adjusted my expectations.  But if it feels like a steakhouse then I know I'll like it, although the wife maybe not so much.  Although, we plan to bring a nice bottle of wine, and a cocktail beforehand, so I'm sure we will enjoy it!

Edited April 8, 2019 by n2wdw

[tv24]

51 minutes ago, n2wdw said:

Having never been able to get into TK's restaurants in Napa, I'm looking forward to eating at his restaurant on our upcoming cruise in May.  I appreciate the comments here as I've adjusted my expectations.  But if it feels like a steakhouse then I know I'll like it, although the wife maybe not so much.  Although, we plan to bring a nice bottle of wine, and a cocktail beforehand, so I'm sure we will enjoy it!

It is a steakhouse with classic steakhouse dishes.  I, too, have never been able to get into the French Laundry.  Note Keller has a new restaurant in Yountville that serves Mexican cuisine;  I've seen that menu.  I've many friends who've been to the French Laundry.  From all reports, and from the menu at the new Mexican spot,  the TK cuisine on Seabourn is not what is served by Keller in Napa.

[markham]

The TK restaurants on the smaller Ody class ships have an intimate feel and the ones on the Encore size ships have a more grand and gracious vibe. But they all show attention to detail and rigid attention to TK's standards which is fine with me. I believe if you want a different sort of meal and/or a meal prepared differently you should be seated where customizations are possible such as the MDR.

 

I always look forward to our TK reservations. The food is very good and the staff are all hardworking. They know we have high expectations for them and I try to encourage them when they are trying to do their best.

 

My issue with the TK experience when it has been subpar has been due to other diners. They too can interfere with the atmosphere! Hollering and talking very loudly is OK around a birthday cake for a minute, but spare a thought for guests at nearby tables who are trying to hold a conversation- hearing and speaking - at a reasonable volume.

 

That sense of where you are is what distinguishes people who "get it" from those who think the world is theirs alone, I guess, and the idea of sharing common space apparently does not enter into their heads.

 

We will be on Sojourn soon for a few weeks and we are looking forward to returning to the TK Grill.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by markham