NCL Escape Favorite Specialty Dining Restaurants

[I want to cruise]

Sailing on Escape August 4. Never been to specialty dining venues before but we chose this as one of our free at sea perks this time. Can you please give me your top 3 favorites? Also need help choosing some complimentary shows to NOT miss. Thanks for any help:)

[JamieLogical]

19 minutes ago, I want to cruise said:

Sailing on Escape August 4. Never been to specialty dining venues before but we chose this as one of our free at sea perks this time. Can you please give me your top 3 favorites? Also need help choosing some complimentary shows to NOT miss. Thanks for any help:)

 

If it's still available in the main theater in August, be sure to see Choir of Man. Also, several nights in Headliners there is a show called "Howl at the Moon" that you will definitely want to attend. It is so much fun!

 

As for favorite specialty restaurants, I would say Teppanyaki and Le Bistro are probably the ones you want to make sure you don't miss with your dining package. I also really like Moderno.

 

Not covered under the package, but still great to check out for an a la carte option is Pincho Tappas. A lot of people will also tell you to check out Food Republic (not covered under the dining package), but I was underwhelmed by it.

[I want to cruise]

Thanks so much for your input. Have you ever dined at Cagneys? Our group has some steak lovers in it. Is there a fee for Choir of Man and would children ages 8-13 enjoy it?

[JamieLogical]

2 minutes ago, I want to cruise said:

Thanks so much for your input. Have you ever dined at Cagneys? Our group has some steak lovers in it. Is there a fee for Choir of Man and would children ages 8-13 enjoy it?

 

All of the main theater shows are free. Choir of Man used to be in the Supper Club and have a charge associated with it (like all Supper Club shows), but it was recently moved to the main theater and is now free.

 

Yes, I have eaten at Cagney's. I found the filet at Le Bistro to be better and what Moderno may not have in quality, it certainly makes up for in quantity. So I personally would opt for either of those over Cagney's. Though I am sure MANY people on here would beg to differ, since tastes are so personal.

[sid_9169]

Pincho Tapas is covered by the SDP with a $7 up charge, and is my favorite dining venue on the Escape... You can order as many items as you want, as many of each item that you wish... Second favorite is Food Republic, which is not part of the SDP whatsoever, but still worth a visit...

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, sid_9169 said:

Pincho Tapas is covered by the SDP with a $7 up charge, and is my favorite dining venue on the Escape... You can order as many items as you want, as many of each item that you wish... Second favorite is Food Republic, which is not part of the SDP whatsoever, but still worth a visit...

 

Oh, you are correct. I forgot about that because I never use my SDP credit for Pincho's. I don't eat a ton of food, so I prefer to pay a la carte there and save my SDP credit for one of the other venues. No way is the amount I eat there worth an SDP credit AND a $7 upcharge. But if you are a big eater, it might be a good deal.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, I want to cruise said:

Sailing on Escape August 4. Never been to specialty dining venues before but we chose this as one of our free at sea perks this time. Can you please give me your top 3 favorites? Also need help choosing some complimentary shows to NOT miss. Thanks for any help:)

So, we like Pinchos for lunch on a sea day. They charge an extra $7 upcharge, but it is worth every penny. Teppanyaki would be a second choice. 

 

Here’s the shows this week. There are a couple with an additional charge shown below. The rest are free. 

 

For other things happening on the Escape this week, see my live post 

 

 

[suzequ]

DH and i were on Escape last fall. In order of preference:  1)  Pinchos was a wonderful surprise; the small plates were flavorful, enticing, a pleasure  (and surprised it was empty both nights we dined there).  2) Bayamo (Ocean Blu) was very good, excellent service, everything we ate was high quality.  3) Moderno, Le Bistro and La Cucina were all good to very good, in no way disappointing - good food, good service. We had dinner one night at the Supper Club - it was acceptable, in no way memorable, but the show (The Choir of Men) was why we were there and it was fantastic.

[gizfish]

Last week on escape, ate at cagneys three times.  Each time it was superb.  Had the prime rib, porterhouse and ribeye.  Each perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.  The prime rib was as good as the one in the haven restaurant, and husband said filets in body places also on par.  Cagneys has gotten some poor reviews on various ships lately.  But the food and service was so good, we were wondering if we were eating at the same cagneys as the others.  We really enjoy a good steak, and being from long island, good steaks are not hard to find.  Honestly, cagneys was right up there for us.

[luvincruising]

  For steak, Cagney's does a good job.  For a filet, Le Bistro is even better;  Also, ask to be seated far away from the entrance.  The smoke from the casino will ruin your meal.  In Teppanyaki, they will add more meat to your entrée.  You just have to ask.

 

[BirdTravels]

We had awful service at Cagney’s last week. Epic fail. 

 

Agree that the filet at Le Bistro is far superior to Cagney’s. 

[myjillian]

11 hours ago, gizfish said:

Last week on escape, ate at cagneys three times.  Each time it was superb.  Had the prime rib, porterhouse and ribeye.  Each perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.  The prime rib was as good as the one in the haven restaurant, and husband said filets in body places also on par.  Cagneys has gotten some poor reviews on various ships lately.  But the food and service was so good, we were wondering if we were eating at the same cagneys as the others.  We really enjoy a good steak, and being from long island, good steaks are not hard to find.  Honestly, cagneys was right up there for us.

Ditto

[myjillian]

9 hours ago, luvincruising said:

  For steak, Cagney's does a good job.  For a filet, Le Bistro is even better;  Also, ask to be seated far away from the entrance.  The smoke from the casino will ruin your meal.  In Teppanyaki, they will add more meat to your entrée.  You just have to ask.

 

The thing I don't like at Teppanyaki is that they will put shrimp on the plates of people who didn't order ship instead of giving the people who did order it...more shrimp...I don't like it because my husband doesn't like it and will complain throughout the meal about it😍😪

[SSFun]

On 4/6/2019 at 10:41 PM, gizfish said:

Last week on escape, ate at cagneys three times.  Each time it was superb.  Had the prime rib, porterhouse and ribeye.  Each perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.  The prime rib was as good as the one in the haven restaurant, and husband said filets in body places also on par.  Cagneys has gotten some poor reviews on various ships lately.  But the food and service was so good, we were wondering if we were eating at the same cagneys as the others.  We really enjoy a good steak, and being from long island, good steaks are not hard to find.  Honestly, cagneys was right up there for us.

We were on the Jade a few weeks ago and although the food was wonderful, the entire dining experience was not up to par. The meal took 2 - 3 hours. Water was never filled, drink orders were filled upon finding a server to do so, our waiter seemed to disappear for fairly long stretches. Overall, the service made it so that the experience was not one I would wish to repeat. I'm glad to hear that Cagneys on Escape is still superb because we sail on her in mid-June and have already made dinner reservations there.