Steak Smackdown - RCI Chops vs NCL Cagney's

[tomservo]

For those who have eaten at Chops on Royal and Cagney's on NCL, who has the best steak? Which steak did you enjoy and why? Who has better apps, sides, and desserts?

 

Bonus questions - what are your favorite can't-miss items on both?

Edited October 11, 2019 by tomservo

[Arzeena]

Chops wins by far. Sorry Cagney's.

Apps, sides, desserts.....I would rank Chops slightly better.

No favorites or cannot do withouts

[chill6x6]

Haven’t eaten in Cagney’s lately but will in a little over a month. Ate in Chops less than a year ago on Oasis. Shouldn’t be too hard to beat....

[tomservo]

35 minutes ago, chill6x6 said:

Haven’t eaten in Cagney’s lately but will in a little over a month. Ate in Chops less than a year ago on Oasis. Shouldn’t be too hard to beat....

 

What did you get at Chops? I’ve heard the filet is good, but I’m more of a ribeye guy. 

[gmbhardy]

I’ve never eaten at Chops but it has to be better than Cagney’s.

[chill6x6]

12 hours ago, tomservo said:

 

What did you get at Chops? I’ve heard the filet is good, but I’m more of a ribeye guy. 

NY strip. Crab cake appetizer was great however. 

[tomservo]

4 minutes ago, chill6x6 said:

NY strip. Crab cake appetizer was great however. 

 

Good to know, guess I’ll avoid the strip. I was planning on skipping the crab cake but I’ll have to try it. It looks like I’ll be ordering all the apps now!

Edited October 12, 2019 by tomservo

[graphicguy]

Ate Ribeyes on both.  Pretty similar.  Steak was better at Cagney’s.  Sides were better at Chops.  Both were good, though!

[JillK]

I ate twice at Chops last spring and twice at Cagney's last December.

 

Honestly, I found little difference in both experiences. 

 

We had an excellent experience in both venues on both occasions. 

 

We generally eat simply so perhaps for those of you who are foodies would have a different perspective but we were happy with both. 

[peteukmcr]

Although we think the ‘special’ in cruise ships steak houses as been diminished over the years as the charges have increased, after our latest experience at Cagney’s on Escape and Chops 3 weeks earlier on Independence, I’ll vote for Chops. Neither are stunning, but the al a carté pricing at Cagney’s is a joke. Chops was $39 per person, so $78 for 2 of us. 

 

Cagney’s would have been $168 for the 2 of us and it wasn’t worth that. 

 

We had the Colossal Shrimp to start at $13 per person, a Wedge and Caesar Salad at $7 each and a 9oz Filet Mignon each at $35 per person, 3 sides (mashed potato, mushrooms and onion rings) at $6 per serving and 2 desserts also $6 each. A total of $168 including 20% gratuity. As our steak orders were mixed up in terms of cooking, (which was not apparent until we had each eaten some), we were not charged for the sides or desserts, so the final charge was $110 plus 20%, a total of $132. We still consider this too high for a cruise ship steakhouse. 

[graphicguy]

Just a quick note....off of Breakaway last week.  CD on board mentioned that 85% of the passengers had the dining package.  So, a la carte pricing does not apply to the vast amount of NCL  passengers.

[peteukmcr]

7 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Just a quick note....off of Breakaway last week.  CD on board mentioned that 85% of the passengers had the dining package.  So, a la carte pricing does not apply to the vast amount of NCL  passengers.

I agree, but we only had a 3 dinner package and had enjoyed that at La Cucina, Le Bristro and Teppanyaki. We used obc for Cagney’s, but my point is that if you were to pay, it isn’t worth it in our opinion. 

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, peteukmcr said:

I agree, but we only had a 3 dinner package and had enjoyed that at La Cucina, Le Bristro and Teppanyaki. We used obc for Cagney’s, but my point is that if you were to pay, it isn’t worth it in our opinion. 

I Understand.  Truth told, I wouldn’t eat on any cruise line’s specialty restaurants without a dining package.  
 

Ate twice at LaCucina with the dining package because it was so good!

Edited October 12, 2019 by graphicguy

[AlexandNessa]

Lamb at Cagney's v. lamb at Chops? Chops, hands down. (Chops, May 2019/Cagney's July 2019).

[Cruising89143]

Just ate at Cagney’s earlier this week and will do so again this evening. We found Cagney’s to be better then Chops. RCI has removed side items from Chops and the cuts of beef were not good. Allure had the worst Chops that we have experienced. Add to it the Waterside dining which RCI does not have. 

[UFMOM]

It’s been almost a year since Cagneys (Bliss)  and was at Chops this August(Symphony). I would say Chops wins but not by much. Mostly for the sides. Filet was ordered at both. I will be on the Encore in January so I will see if scale swings back the other way. One thing I liked about Chops was they still offer a baked potato as opposed to just mashed potatoes at Cagneys. 

 

Mary Ann

 

[tomservo]

8 hours ago, AlexandNessa said:

Lamb at Cagney's v. lamb at Chops? Chops, hands down. (Chops, May 2019/Cagney's July 2019).

 

I hadn’t considered the lamb but I will definitely think about it now! I’m on the Anthem in a month and plan on checking out Chops. 

[tomservo]

7 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

RCI has removed side items from Chops

 

What do you mean? I saw them listed on the most recent menu. It would be weird for a steakhouse to not have any sides. 

[Cruising89143]

32 minutes ago, tomservo said:

 

What do you mean? I saw them listed on the most recent menu. It would be weird for a steakhouse to not have any sides. 

I wasn’t clear. RCI “used” to have more sides than they offer now. Also someone mentioned the baked potato being gone from Cagney’s. It was on the menu this week. 

[graphicguy]

Baked potato is still offered at Cagney’s.  Had one when I ate there less than 2 weeks ago.

[xcell]

I think the old Cagney's beat out Chops for variety -- you could get a Tomahawk at Cagney's but now, I think very similar (which is not saying a lot).