CHOP'S is it worth the cover charge?

[mom2threecuties]

We love both specialty restaurants, but my husband and I both preferred Portofinos' to Chops.

[mom2threecuties]

Thank you all for the wonderful post!

 

I can not wait to go. I guess I will have to dine at both Chop's and Portofino since we will have 8 wonderful nights! What was your favorite desserts?

 

Mud pie at Chops, tiramisu at Portofino's. I'm getting hungry...

[flagger]

Sorry but we did not find CHOPS on FOS to be worth the cover charge. We felt the steak is far better at Outback than the flavourless piece of cattle that was proffered at CHOPS. Service was slow if not indifferent. Several at our table felt the same way.

 

We will never cross CHOPS threshold again based on that one experience.

[Murphy]

Sorry but we did not find CHOPS on FOS to be worth the cover charge. We felt the steak is far better at Outback than the flavourless piece of cattle that was proffered at CHOPS. Service was slow if not indifferent. Several at our table felt the same way.

 

We will never cross CHOPS threshold again based on that one experience.

 

Wow, sorry to hear about your experience. It was just the opposite for us. We were soo disappointed with the regular dining experience on the Freedom that Chops was a haven for us.

 

Recommendations for any dining can be iffy, don't you think? I know I've highly recommended a local restaurant (or taken someone's suggestion) and found the experience to be quite different that expected.

[skandls]

The service in Chops and Portofino is 'timed'. The dinners are meant to be an experience not just a meal. Fine restaurants allow time between courses. If you want to get out fast just let the staff know. They will speed up your dinner.

 

Chops is great - so is Portofino. But we like Chops better.

 

Have a fabulous cruise. Our next is on the mature ship Monarch - so we eat in the dining room - no Chops no Porto on that ship.

[mikeblum]

flager i think you situation must have been an isolated one becuase you are the 1st person on these threads that has sounded back about either chop's or portofino's thyis way...was the food bad asnd the service much better...was the restaurant filled to capacaity when you went...this kind of talk blows me away...personally i nothing to gain or loose with this thread i just find it a little weird that after 100's of threads that one has finally come up negative...please elaborate if you want...

[Sue L]

We did both on the Brilliance last week and the food was excellent in both spots. We did feel the service in Chops was a tiny bit rushed. As soon as you finished the one course the next was there almost immediately. In Portofino's we thought that there was more time in between courses which was nice having a couple of minutes to talk as well as digest a bit.

[BobBeaSea]

We've done both Chops and Portofinos and actually prefer Portofinos. Both are a wonderful dining experience. The beef selections on the Chops menu, while good, simply can't be compared to a top land based steakhouse IMHO.

 

For the OP, do try it, you will be happy you did. :)

[dizzy205]

Yes, yes yes!!

Relax and enjoy being pampered.....

[CarolinaGirl]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I will not spend the money again to go to Chops. My first experience there was last fall onboard the Mariner. Food was cold, and the service was absolutely terrible. I was with a large group of people, and we were all disappointed.

[flagger]

You are not in the complete minority. As posted before, we dined with a large group at CHOPS on our FOS trip and it was horrible. I literally have had a more flavourful steak and better servce at Outback Steakhouse than we had at CHOPS.

[BethCarp]

My filet mignon was good at Chops on Radiance, but it wasn't nearly as good as the beef tenderoloin I had in the dining room on another night. DH really liked his prime rib though. I would only go back if DH really wanted to.

[henny penny]

:rolleyes: Hello everyone, a novice first time cruiser - do you have to book for either of these restaurants? Just wondering if we decide on the spur of the moment would that be possible?

 

Many thanks.:cool: :) :)

[shockin]

Ruth's Chris Steak House and Morton's. The best Filet I've had beside here is at Black Angus out in CA. Chops is a 5 course meal that will leave you very satisfied and feeling the experience of a fine dining est.;)

[mtebor]

Chops had one of the best Filets I have ever had the first time my wife and I went. The second time it wasn't as good as the first but it was still very good.

 

For our last anniv. we went to a local place that had steaks comparable to Chops...My Filet was $38.00.

 

So IMHO, the cover charge is well worth the experience, and I can't wait to go again

[VernRDH]

I would say yes. We have done both and DH likes Portofino better and I like Chops more. While we both enjoyed both, the service in Portofino was better. The food was fabulous in both. So much so that we could not evern think about dessert in Chops.

Food is such a subjective thing. And as someone else said, you can get the recommendation of a local restuarant that someone you know has been to and they love it. You go and you hate it. Every night is different-staff, other diners, other factors (weather, menu selections etc). There is no "cookie cutter" dining experience, unless you go to MickeyD's. (and even then you never know!!)

Go and try it with an open mind. If you love it, it was worth it and you will go back. If not, then you tried it and it was not for you.

[Suzanne74]

We just got off the Navigator. We ate at Chops and Portofino. Chops was by far superior in service and food. We loved it so much the wonderful manager let us come our last night for a late sitting. It was FABULOUS. I got the filet the first night and the scallops/sausage the next. Both were great but the filet was so good. Almost as good as Morton's - which is my all time fav. It is perfect for a nice romantic dinner. Let them know it is your anniversary and they will put you in the nice quiet table.

[Jim&JaneFromWV]

How should my wife & I dress if we are dining @ Chops on a non-formal night onboard the Mariner?

Thanks,
Jim

[teacher2cruiser]

Is the cost to eat there, $20 per person? Any entree and any dessert?

[big al]

[quote name='Jim&JaneFromWV']How should my wife & I dress if we are dining @ Chops on a non-formal night onboard the Mariner?

Thanks,
Jim[/QUOTE]

Jim-I wear a nice Hawaiian Shirt (Tommy Bahama) with dockers,my wife a skirt & blouse..just no jeans,shorts,t-shirts,etc....we go usually 2-3 times a week at both Chops & Portifinos...enjoy!

Big Al

P.S.-Make reservations as soon as you board-don't get shut out!!

[logan1_2000]

we've gone so far as on our last cruise on the radiance, we blew off the dining room altogether, and enjoyed three casual nights in the windjammer, and did three nights in specialty restaurants, twice in portofino and once in chops. (we did go to the dining room maitre' d on embarkation day and offer up our table so they could accomodate people on a waiting list for changes, and not just blow off the dining room and leave the wait staff with an unused table).