Allure question. If you had to pick one and only one specialty restaurant...

[jenster1974]

Which would you pick?

 

I have a hard time justifying spending more money on food when so much is available with the cost of admission, but I'm starting to think we might need to try one specialty restaurant for a great "date night".

 

Let me know which one you'd pick and why.

 

Thanks!

Jen

[Clarea]

Giovanni's Table, because we like the food.

[jtpost84]

had the same question! looking for everyones opinion on the best choice...

[mechcc]

Giovanni's Table

[vrock]

Chops

[Cruisin' Again 86]

GT

 

Great food, atmosphere & service !!!

[bpphoto]

We are going to try Chops for my B-Day dinner and maybe do G.T. once one board.....?

 

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[momzcruzing]

I love them all and have eaten in all of them many times. I suggest you buy the Central Park Package and try them all. My personal favorite is 150 Central Park. Many of the menu items are things I normally avoid, but there they are delicious--YUM! Whatever you choose, enjoy!

[reedl]

Personally I like Samba the best. I found the food at GT to be nothing compared to the local Italian restaurants near me that have fresher and better food. Chops for me also is a disappointment since I prefer steaks cooked over hardwood charcoal, and of course that will never happen on a ship.

 

OTOH the food at Samba is endless, and has a myriad of tastes that will never disappoint. Everything there was so good, we ate there twice on our recent cruise.

[thejewgernaut]

GT has always been the best value for us on Oasis (price:food quality). If you're a foodie and want to go all out, try Park 150, although it is definitely pricier. For both of those places, we've gone every time (4x, all Oasis), and never been disappointed. We really enjoy Giovanni's outside on embarkation day for dinner. It tends to be quiet and scenic.

 

I can't speak to Samba, because I haven't sailed the Allure, only Oasis. I do know it has less cuts of meat (8 or so) than major chains like Fogo de Chao (which usually do 12-15) -- then again, you still have 8 cuts of meat! So if you want to unleash your inner carnivore, that's the destination.

[Chuggiebug]

I love them all and have eaten in all of them many times. I suggest you buy the Central Park Package and try them all. My personal favorite is 150 Central Park. Many of the menu items are things I normally avoid, but there they are delicious--YUM! Whatever you choose, enjoy!

 

Agree with this, but if you can only do one, our favorite is Chops.

[CntPAcruiser]

Definitely Giovanni's Table. We thought Chops was only so-so, and you can get much better steakhouse experiences on land, but GT has a nice experience overall (though we never seem to have luck with our entrees).

[HeartCruzs]

I've eaten at both Chops and Giovanni's Table. I highly recommend Chops!

[alfaeric]

So the real answer is what kind of food do you like?

 

And since I'm not aware of any of the specialty restaurants actually overbooking, ever, you could easily go on board, check the menu, and decide then. Oh, and don't forget to factor in drink prices when deciding. Since 150 Park is there, and does include the drinks on one of the prices- even though it is considerably more, the final cost may not be as bad if you drink a lot of wine.

 

Have fun.

 

(my choice is 150, but that's just us)

[Cruisegirl6]

I just got off the Allure and will be posting a review. We tried every specialty dining except for Chefs Table and I have a lot to say about this topic. My review will be written asap.

[Dave85]

We ate at GT and Samba this last week on Allure and Samba was AWFUL. Poor quality meat, poor preparation, both DW and I felt icky afterwards. Avoid.

 

GT was excellent, the steak was simply delicious and the seasoning was great. We've done Chops in the past and had a great meal. I don't think you'll go wrong with either.

 

 

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[riclop]

Another vote for Giovanni's table.

[Cruisegirl6]

I will write my review tomorrow but I do have to totally agree with Dave85!

 

Samba Grill was the most horrible place I ever eaten on any ship!

 

We have experienced Chops the past few years on different ships and found it going downhill each time, after going there twice this past week on the Allure, we will not go again.

 

If I had to choose a date night specialty restaurant I have to choose Giovanni's. My next choice is Vintages, although not a total dinner, you can choose many different plates to share, we loved Ventages and it was very quaint and a great place to go for your date night.

Edited May 19, 2014 by lyndamr

[cruisenshop]

150 Park with the cucumber martini.... Ah.....

[Cruisegirl6]

We dined at 150 Central Park once, but I have to say its a tasting menu, you have to eat what the Chef orders, it may not be all to your liking. I do have to be gluten and dairy free they did accommodate me totally but I have to warn you its a tasting menu, not a lot of food but enough for me especially since we went on the last evening and was tired of food lol. Because of its set and limited menu I don't recommend this on date night, you want a place that you can choose what you want to eat I would assume.

[dodgersmom]

X whatever on GT. Eat outside. Great atmosphere. Also agree that Samba should come off of your list.

[BecciBoo]

Let me just say this, after returning from Allure this afternoon...Probably the best and most exquisite meal I have ever eaten was served to us in Central Park 150! Yes, they pick the dishes, but each and every one was fabulous IMHO and I was stuffed when finished! So the quantity was perfect to us.

 

Absolutely superb. An experience I won't soon forget!

 

You must try it! And with our Travel Agent perc of two dinners plus the 20% off for first night diners, it was almost free! But I would've paid full price for this meal!

 

Giovanni's Table was a close second even for lunch! And Izumi's was excellent as well.

Edited May 19, 2014 by BecciBoo

[Cruisegirl6]

150 Central Park was a very good experience but it certainly didn't wow any of us 7 adults. It was definitely so much above Samba Grill and Chops if you compare the three.

[Oville]

We dined at 150 Central Park once, but I have to say its a tasting menu, you have to eat what the Chef orders, it may not be all to your liking. I do have to be gluten and dairy free they did accommodate me totally but I have to warn you its a tasting menu, not a lot of food but enough for me especially since we went on the last evening and was tired of food lol. Because of its set and limited menu I don't recommend this on date night, you want a place that you can choose what you want to eat I would assume.

 

It's a five course tasting menu and I have never been able to eat it all nor has DH. Perhaps do to your limited diet there wasn't enough food to sate you, but we have never left there feeling anything but stuffed. I also think it's the perfect date night as it is quite elegant to eat there.

 

GT is okay, Chops better and love the tapas at Vintages.

 

As others have said, try the Central Park dining package. You are basically eating at GT for free.

[Cruisegirl6]

No it was enough but most people would say it wasn't. If you dine at 4/5 star restaurants as I do often, you will be satisfied, but again, it didn't blow us away that we would rave about it.

 

I would definitely rate it much above the Samba Grill and Chops.

Edited May 19, 2014 by lyndamr