Are any of the specialty restaurants worth the price?

[CruizinSusan70]

3 hours ago, jordanaire said:

The Steakhouse is ABSOLUTELY worth the money! We always dine there at least once during our cruises. Best meal at sea.

As usual, food is very subjective and personally, not worth the 48 they are now charging.  For one meal at the steakhouse for two people, you could go to Jiji's three times each for only a few extra dollars.  Now that is value.

[CruisingWalter]

On 11/18/2022 at 10:56 AM, Sabre407 said:

 

 $48 for a steakhouse and then a la carte for the smokehouse, seafood place and sushi…those are a harder sell. Are any of them worth paying for? 

 

Rudi's Seagrill is amazeballs on Mardi Gras. Worth more than the per person charge honestly. If you want to see it, you can find my YouTube Channel, Where's Walter Travel and the episode "We Eat Almost Everything On Carnival Mardi Gras."  CC doesn't like it anymore when we link to our own videos, so I can't put the link here. There are chapter markers in the video so you can jump right to the Rudi's portion. 🙂

Edited November 22, 2022 by WheresWalter

[Drazil65]

Rudi's Seagrill is amazeballs on Mardi Gras. Worth more than the per person charge honestly.

 

We made reservations for our upcoming MG cruise partially based on your amazing video of the food and your review of the restaurant.  My family loves seafood and it was already on our radar so we are very excited to give this a try, thank you!

Edited November 22, 2022 by Drazil65

[CruisingWalter]

1 minute ago, Drazil65 said:

Rudi's Seagrill is amazeballs on Mardi Gras. Worth more than the per person charge honestly.

 

We made reservations for our upcoming MG cruise partially based on your amazing video of the food and your review of the restaurant.  My family loves seafood and it was already on our radar so we are very excited to give this a try, thank you!

 

Oh geez, it BETTER still be good or I'm going to call Rudi myself and say "What the heck man!"

I really hope you all enjoy it, such an unexpected surprise on that ship. And be VERY CAREFUL with Shaq's Big Chicken. SO ADDICTIVE. 😄

[jordanaire]

10 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

As usual, food is very subjective and personally, not worth the 48 they are now charging.  For one meal at the steakhouse for two people, you could go to Jiji's three times each for only a few extra dollars.  Now that is value.

To each their own. We personally don't like JiJi's at all. We'll stick to what we like, and that's the steakhouse. 

Edited November 22, 2022 by jordanaire

[Jasonsterling]

On 11/18/2022 at 9:56 AM, Sabre407 said:

Cucina and Jiji seems like a good deal. There aren’t any places on land that I’m aware of where you can get three courses for $18. 
 

 $48 for a steakhouse and then a la carte for the smokehouse, seafood place and sushi…those are a harder sell. Are any of them worth paying for? 
 

I love all food, if that helps. I probably wouldn’t be going on a cruise if I didn’t. 
 

edit: Also, room service. I love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Would I love it for $5?

 

edit edit: Those big cookies you can order in advance for your room to be delivered on the first day…are they superior to buffet cookies? I am a major cookie snob and heard a rumor that Carnival has terrible cookies. 

The Sushi place is quite good and a beautiful presentation. Is it a good deal? That's fairly subjective. It is cheaper than I can buy at home but only a little bit-maybe just 10-20 percent. The steakhouse is the same- it's pretty good if you've never been and it's an okay price. The quality of the entire experience isn't what it used to be, though it's still "good" and the menu feels like it has been around forever unchanged. I'm not going on my next voyage and didn't go on the last. The seafood place is ridiculously hit or miss- you never really know that quality of what you're going to get there and I avoid it entirely now- it was never a "great" deal, pretty comparable to land prices. I have only (in twenty years) used room service beyond a simple coffee, fruit, pastry set up at breakfast once. To me it was never worth the wait. The food is fine for free I'm sure but there's not a PBJ out there worth 5 dollars when I can throw it together for like 25 cents at home. Same for unbuttered, cold popcorn on deck for three dollars a pop, lol- not tried it, not going to. I've never had a problem with the cookies on the buffet. You don't have it on the list but I did enjoy the Ice Cream parlor on the Vista and thought it was worth it. 

 

[Knights on the Beach]

We had a so so experience at the steakhouse on Mardi Gras. The food was pretty good but not as amazing as it had been on other ships, service was off and we were seated in an odd location behind the bar. I think we paid $38 pp that time. On the other hand, a few months later we had a far better experience at the steakhouse on Freedom. Everything was spot on - the food was delicious, service was probably the best we've ever had and the atmosphere was more like an elegant old world type restaurant. We didn't book that in advance so we paid $42 pp and it was worth every penny.

 

We love Teppanyaki on Mardi Gras and will do it again on the next cruise. Someone mentioned small portions but that was definitely not the case for us. I have a shellfish allergy and have never liked going to those types of restaurants on land. But now I've been to it on two different ships with no issues and I love it.

 

Cucina is one of my all time favorites. It's included on MG but I'd pay for it on another ship.

 

Next cruise on MG, we'll be going to Rudi's. I'll be eating steak because I don't eat seafood so we'll see how this goes.  

Edited November 22, 2022 by Knights on the Beach

[CruizinSusan70]

6 hours ago, jordanaire said:

To each their own. We personally don't like JiJi's at all. We'll stick to what we like, and that's the steakhouse. 

I will agree regarding your positive assessment of the Grand Marnier Souffle, but I think that the value and quality of the steakhouse was substantially better 10+ years ago and has been going downhill since.   Certainly can find better ways to drop 96 bucks for two, but having choices are a good thing.

[jordanaire]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I will agree regarding your positive assessment of the Grand Marnier Souffle, but I think that the value and quality of the steakhouse was substantially better 10+ years ago and has been going downhill since.   Certainly can find better ways to drop 96 bucks for two, but having choices are a good thing.

It sure is

[aml3679]

The Steakhouse 

[Iluvmykindle]

The three of us enjoyed the Italian rest. on the Magic a couple of weeks ago.  It was $18 each and well worth it.

[CruizinSusan70]

28 minutes ago, Iluvmykindle said:

The three of us enjoyed the Italian rest. on the Magic a couple of weeks ago.  It was $18 each and well worth it.

Cucina was a really great value when it first debuted, only 12 bucks.  Still is at 18, especially with the tomahawk pork chop.

The choices, entrees and sizes have changed on the Excel Class, but it is included as part of the MDR.

[Bandman]

Our dinner at Rudi’s last June on the Mardi Gras was not a good experience. Service was surprisingly bad. And our entrees ranged from eh to nearly inedible.  We understand this could have been an unusual experience, but after the price hikes, we won’t go back to find out. 
 

We have found the steakhouse to not be what it once was. Service isn’t the same and the food is usually good, sometimes great, but sometimes disappointing.  I have started ordering the steakhouse selections in the MDR and those have been excellent every time. 

[mouche]

Rudi's and Emeril's on the Mardi Gras are excellent, worth every penny especially Rudi's.

[JimmyTheSaint]

Just my opinion but JiJi's is the best specialty restaurant that Carnival have. I was really disappointed when they decided not to put it in the Excel class of ships. Having eaten at Chibang last week on Mardi Gras I still believe it was a bad decision. Terrible concept, mediocre food.

 

We've eaten in the steakhouse on previous sailings but never thought it was worth X3 the cost of JiJi's or Cucina. We had a fairly poor experience in the steakhouse on Pride earlier this year. I certainly won't be booking the steakhouse at $48 per person.

 

The worst dinner we've ever had on any cruise ship was last week on Mardi Gras in the Pig & Anchor Smokehouse. Thank goodness it was free. Served on a metal tray like a prison meal, served cold and tasteless.

[justafem]

Only been to Nick and Nora's steakhouse on the Miracle.  One time paid, other 2 times comped from the casino.

 

I wouldn't pay for it again, but I will take it for free.  

 

I will do chefs table again, that was worth the price.  

[ledges1]

Three of us ate the Trash Nachos and Wings on the Horizon recently. The Nachos were stale and the BBQ was average. The Wings tasted like TGI Fridays you buy precooked in the grocery store. I can cook much better Boston butts on my Komado grill at home. It was a nice change from the MDR but not worth the cost. If you had bought this meal at a true BBQ restaurant on land, you would have been extremely disappointed and would not go back.

[ray98]

56 minutes ago, ledges1 said:

Three of us ate the Trash Nachos and Wings on the Horizon recently. The Nachos were stale and the BBQ was average. The Wings tasted like TGI Fridays you buy precooked in the grocery store. I can cook much better Boston butts on my Komado grill at home. It was a nice change from the MDR but not worth the cost. If you had bought this meal at a true BBQ restaurant on land, you would have been extremely disappointed and would not go back.

Exactly.  We tried to like it multiple times always hoping they stepped it up because I really want to like it.  The only thing I can think for those who rave about it is they simply do not have a selection of real BBQ at home to compare it to.  We are disappointed every time.

[CruizinSusan70]

9 hours ago, ledges1 said:

Three of us ate the Trash Nachos and Wings on the Horizon recently. The Nachos were stale and the BBQ was average. The Wings tasted like TGI Fridays you buy precooked in the grocery store. I can cook much better Boston butts on my Komado grill at home. It was a nice change from the MDR but not worth the cost. If you had bought this meal at a true BBQ restaurant on land, you would have been extremely disappointed and would not go back.

 

8 hours ago, ray98 said:

Exactly.  We tried to like it multiple times always hoping they stepped it up because I really want to like it.  The only thing I can think for those who rave about it is they simply do not have a selection of real BBQ at home to compare it to.  We are disappointed every time.

Cruise on the Excel Class and go to Pig n Anchor which is included and enjoy the Filet Mignon, which is one of the daily specials.  Better than the downgraded strip loin that is offered in the MDR and at the sea day brunch.

[keels81]

I was diagnosed with a pretty serious shellfish allergy last year and have had cross-contamination experiences where while the encounter didn't cause anaphylaxis, it DID ruin my life/vacation for a couple days after with gastro issues ... so, I'm hyper vigilant about it and while I've never had a bad experience in the MDR, these days I tend to err on the side of caution and spend money on the specialty dining where the kitchen is smaller and more controlled than the MDR galley.

 

My favorites (in no particular order):

Fahrenheit 555/Steakhouse: Escargot, tartare, carpaccio, onion soup -- all things I won't make at home and usually don't find on the menu when I go out. I don't have an issue with the cut of meat because it's likely about the same as the strip or filet I get at the grocery (not the good butcher). I love the béarnaise and wild mushroom sauces, and I could easily make a meal out of mashed, mac and mushrooms sides. We always go on the first night so I have a bottle of wine that's essentially included in the price to take back to the stateroom for the next few nights.

Bonsai Sushi: The menu on the Mardi Gras is a little bit more expanded -- don't sleep on the ramen bowls or yakitori, especially the chicken -- but I've never had a bad lunch or late night dinner at any Bonsai Sushi across the fleet. 

Ji-Ji Asian Kitchen: Good grief, this place is a revelation. My most recent experiences was on the Vista with my girlfriends for my birthday ... we had a LATE dining reservation, essentially the last of the night, and we let our waiter basically order and course out the whole menu for us. The kitchen was so gracious, they waited to make the shrimp and crab items for the table very last so I didn't have to worry about any potential cross-contamination issues. It's the little things like that that mean a lot. I would pay Steakhouse/Hibachi level money for Ji-Ji and not bat an eye.

Bonsai Teppanyaki: This is more because I'm a sucker for teppanyaki, but I usually cruise with a group and this makes for a really fun dinner experience -- especially when we have kiddos with us. Plus, that tuna tartare appetizer and the bento box dessert are enough to get me in the door in general.

Chef's Table: This is a must-do on every ship for me. Yes, it's pricey and it's absolutely not for everyone, but they attention they pay to their dishes and presentations -- along with the dietary alterations they can make for me -- makes it worth it. The chefs and wait staff are SO proud to show off what they do and their creativity outside of what we see on the plate in the MDR. 

 

Still Worth It:

Cucina del Capitano: I'll almost always eat at Cucina, but on shorter sailings where the Chicken Parm is offered in the MDR, I might skip paying the $15 because the Chicken Parm is just as good and is included. Those meatballs and the bread service though. *chef's kiss*

 

Not For Me:

Emeril's: Don't get me wrong, I love Chef, but I also live in New Orleans and eat red beans & rice every Monday. My husband and friends absolutely love it though, especially when the oyster shooter trolley rolls by, as well as the breakfast po-boy.

Rudi's Seagrill: The menu just doesn't make the value worth it for me. I ordered the lobster mac & cheese, sans lobster, only to be told later that there is lobster base in the mac & cheese sauce/bechamel. So I was left with a salad and grilled chicken (I don't eat cooked fish). In honesty, I won't go back until they add a true vegetarian/vegan entree on the menu like a risotto or something.

Seafood Shack: See above mentioned shellfish allergy, though sometimes I see crab legs or shrimp at good prices that make me wish I could risk it for those sweet delicacies I used to enjoy so much.

 

I didn't bother with the paid Pig & Anchor offering on the Horizon, so I can't speak to that. 

[Joebucks]

19 minutes ago, keels81 said:

Bonsai Sushi: The menu on the Mardi Gras is a little bit more expanded -- don't sleep on the ramen bowls or yakitori, especially the chicken -- but I've never had a bad lunch or late night dinner at any Bonsai Sushi across the fleet. 

 

This is exciting to me. I've seen multiple menus out there and feared that the one you spoke of was an old menu. A bowl of ramen and a california roll for $12 sounds good to me!

[keels81]

1 minute ago, Joebucks said:

 

This is exciting to me. I've seen multiple menus out there and feared that the one you spoke of was an old menu. A bowl of ramen and a california roll for $12 sounds good to me!

 

It was SOOOOOOOOO good! Looking forward to it again on the Celebration in a little over a week!

[ray98]

11 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

 

Cruise on the Excel Class and go to Pig n Anchor which is included and enjoy the Filet Mignon, which is one of the daily specials.  Better than the downgraded strip loin that is offered in the MDR and at the sea day brunch.

Now I did enjoy that when we were on the Mardi Gras.  I was referring more to the standard menu.

[CruizinSusan70]

4 hours ago, ray98 said:

Now I did enjoy that when we were on the Mardi Gras.  I was referring more to the standard menu.

With everybody, including myself that puts carnival down for all of their cutbacks and misgivings, you have to give them props when they deserve it and this was a nice upgrade on the MG.  When we went it was on Saturday night, the first night, but I believe it has been pushed back to Sunday, which would make sense to alleviate some of the numbers that go to the MDR for lobster on night two.

[jimbob22]

On 11/22/2022 at 7:39 AM, WheresWalter said:

 

Oh geez, it BETTER still be good or I'm going to call Rudi myself and say "What the heck man!"

I really hope you all enjoy it, such an unexpected surprise on that ship. And be VERY CAREFUL with Shaq's Big Chicken. SO ADDICTIVE. 😄

I watched your vids on this.  We just got off MG today.  We loved all the 'quick serve' and 'street eats foods'.  We basically enjoyed Cucina, were ok with Chibang (some 'meh' stuff, some pretty tasty, better the 2nd time when we knew going in that it is ALL small-plates).  We didn't do Rudi's or 455.

 

But MDR and P&A were let downs for a couple of reasons: no way to know ahead of time if you'd get a normal-sized meal, or a 'carnival cutback' 300 calorie dinner, and they are now putting lot of meal sides in those little metal ketchup holders.  This is pathetic.  The meat portions were mostly pretty normal--but they are skimping out on sides, which can't actually be that expensive.

 

We really wish Shaq's and Guy's were open for dinner.  I think their MDR has lost some luster for us.