Does anyone prefer Sabatinis over Crown Grill?

[winncruiser]

Always read wonderful reviews of Crown Grill but would love to hear positive feedback of Sabatinis. We will be onboard The Ruby March 10 and want to convince my family to try it. Thank you for your input!

[chrysalis]

A quick search provided this thread with a number of reviews/comments...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1753428&highlight=sabatinis

[pppatpc2]

I definitely prefer Sabatini's. Crown grill is very nice, great service, great menu (especially the parmesan garlic fries), but there is only so much you can do with a steak if you are not allowed to grill it over an open flame. IMHO If we do go to

the Crown Grill I order the rack of lamb because it is prepared in the oven.

 

I have not had anything bad at Sabatini's. I have tried the lobster, the langoustines, and the fish baked in salt. Desserts are terrific. There's my 2 cents.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Sabatinis is nice and will go back again, but if I want a meal with friends I go to the Crown Grill, if I want a romantic meal with DW I go to Sabatini,

 

if going with a family and want to try out things, take time over your meal etc Sabatiniswill be fine.

 

yours Shogun

[Cobraman]

On some ships the Crown Grill is not a "stand alone" venue, such as onboard the Sapphire where it is a section of the buffet dining area. That helps drive our decision to pick Sabatini's.

[Cruise Junky]

I've only done the Crown Grill once and it wasn't that great. We seem to do Sabatinis on every cruise. I'd give Crown Grill a second chance though but yes, we prefered Sabatinis.

[akeasley]

I've done both several times and prefer Crown Grill.

[pris993]

I am sure I am in the minority... looked at the steaks on display in the Crown... looked way too fatty for my taste. We went to Sabatini's several times on the Ruby... would recommend the veal chops. May try the veal in the Crown on the Grand in September if it looks good.

[lois1112]

On some ships the Crown Grill is not a "stand alone" venue, such as onboard the Sapphire where it is a section of the buffet dining area. That helps drive our decision to pick Sabatini's.

 

that is true...Sterlings steak house is in the buffet...but when you go, you think your in a seperate resturant. they block it off and do it very nicely.

 

I perfer the grown grill (Sterlings) but that is a personal prefrence.

[cr8tiv1]

Just returned from a voyage on the Golden. I had the opportunity to dine both at the Crown Grill and Sabatini's.

 

The Crown Grill was excellent. I had several appetizers including a pot of mussels that could have been dinner itself. They were in a milky bath rather than a clear broth. Then I had the grilled lobster. So moist, yet "dry". Perfectly cooked. Enjoyed the dessert mini collection; a bite of each selection. More food than you could ever want.

 

Dinner at Sabatini's was extra special. I was in a suite. One of the perks was breakfast at Sabatini's everyday. So I had become familiar with the staff which made the dinner very enjoyable. Very Italian. Anti-pasta appetizer, salad, made to order pasta, and this was all before the main course. The main dish was a lobster with a lobster bisque gravy and lobster risotto. The best was the expresso brulee. This was better than any dessert I have ever had. So creamy, smooth, and rich.

 

I asked what was the main difference between the two. The Crown Grill caters to an American crowd with meat and potatoes. Sabatini's is more popular on European cruises. So on my voyage to Hawaii, the Crown Grill was much more used than Sabatini's. The wait staff in both restaurants were attentive and excellent.

 

I would check out both menu's to see which suits your fancy. I am not sure that my opinion of Sabatini's was slightly influenced by the rapport I had developed with the staff. Regardless, if you are looking for a nice alternative dining, either would be great.

 

PS...I did not eat at the Horizon Court once during my 14 day voyage. I did step through their doors to get my lemonade on more than one occasion. Wish they offered lemonade in more venues.

 

Renee (displaced local girl)

[skf]

We tried both Crown Grill & Sabatini's on Crown Princess. Both had great staffs & food. The big difference is that at Sabatini's you really get much too much. I think you hurt their feelings if you do not take something from everything from each course.

Of course you can over-feed at Crown Grill too. Our tablemate had the appetizers, a steak, a second steak, & a lobster, plus 2 desserts.

Steve

[Sunviking]

We prefer Sabatini's as well, although we enjoy both and eat at both on every cruise. I love the tomato with seafood soup (it's similar to a cioppino but not quite). We have always enjoyed the veal chop and the sea bass baked in the salt crust. Every night the Chef makes a different pasta and some of them are wonderful. We have also asked in advance for a pasta with seafood and had that. It was lovely! The desserts, as someone else mentioned, are great too. I think the venue itself on the Ruby and her sisters is superior to the Crown Grill as well. The room is beautiful and it's very nice having the windows and the little fountains bubbling on the terrace. The placement of Sabatini's down in the central Piazza area on the Royal is one of the design changes we didn't really like when the deck plans became available.

[Cruise Junky]

We tried both Crown Grill & Sabatini's on Crown Princess. Both had great staffs & food. The big difference is that at Sabatini's you really get much too much. I think you hurt their feelings if you do not take something from everything from each course.

Of course you can over-feed at Crown Grill too. Our tablemate had the appetizers, a steak, a second steak, & a lobster, plus 2 desserts.

Steve

 

They don't do that anymore at Sabatini's. They changed the menu, no more family platters, it's all courses now.

[OCruisers]

We went to Sabatini's several times on the Ruby... would recommend the veal chops.

 

We have also very much enjoyed the VEAL Chops in Sabatini's on both Emerald and Crown. One or the other of us will order every time we go to Sabatini's.

 

I like Sabatini's better. DH likes Crown Grill better. Both of us are actually happy with either. :)

 

LuLu

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[pris993]

We prefer Sabatini's as well, although we enjoy both and eat at both on every cruise. I love the tomato with seafood soup (it's similar to a cioppino but not quite). We have always enjoyed the veal chop and the sea bass baked in the salt crust. Every night the Chef makes a different pasta and some of them are wonderful. We have also asked in advance for a pasta with seafood and had that. It was lovely! The desserts, as someone else mentioned, are great too. I think the venue itself on the Ruby and her sisters is superior to the Crown Grill as well. The room is beautiful and it's very nice having the windows and the little fountains bubbling on the terrace. The placement of Sabatini's down in the central Piazza area on the Royal is one of the design changes we didn't really like when the deck plans became available.

 

Agree 100% with you on the location of Sabatini's on the Ruby and the disappointment of what they have done on the Royal. Too bad.

[Bimmer09]

If I chose based on favorite cuisine then you'd find me in the Crown Grill as I am Mr Meat and Potatoes ( I am from Ireland).

 

Based on ambiance and fun, attentive, service it would be Sabatini's, especially on the Super Grand Class with the view over the fountains and wake.

 

I usually do both because someone told me that "you only live once". They are both great value for the small spend. You can't eat such great food on land for $25 unless you cook it yourself.

 

Norris

[critterchick]

On the Star, we greatly preferred Sabatini's. Crown Grill was ok, but I didn't find the food to be worthy of a $30 premium. And it did get crowded, so service was lacking a bit IMO. Sabatini, on the other hand, was simply divine in both food and service.

[2 to cruise]

We like either one, it depends on what we want to eat on any given night. We have had fabulous service at either venue!:)