What do you think about chops new menu

[ksuds]

I have recently heard that CHOPS has had another increase on their surcharge to $35.00. I personally think they have overpriced what you get and lowered the quality. The apps used to be my favorite reason to go to dinner there. Now there isn't a thing I really love. Even with the BOGO, I will not go an longer.

[dacsmom]

I have recently heard that CHOPS has had another increase on their surcharge to $35.00. I personally think they have overpriced what you get and lowered the quality. The apps used to be my favorite reason to go to dinner there. Now there isn't a thing I really love. Even with the BOGO, I will not go an longer.

 

I am looking forward to the new menu next month on the Allure. I really liked the old menu but I am looking forward to trying something new. As with almost everything else in the world, prices go up. I don't like it but it is still worth it to me to eat at Chops.

[Clarea]

I have recently heard that CHOPS has had another increase on their surcharge to $35.00. I personally think they have overpriced what you get and lowered the quality. The apps used to be my favorite reason to go to dinner there. Now there isn't a thing I really love. Even with the BOGO, I will not go an longer.

Add us to the folks no longer interested in Chops.

[golfer1966]

They gotta pay for the Quantum somehow....

[PuterMonkey]

The way I view any of these restaurants is....a 'nice' dinner out, shoreside, will run you say $20-25 a plate. So while anything out on an island or ship is bound to be a little more expensive, $35/pp is already pushing the limit of what is, to me, reasonable. Then you remember that the $35 is on top of the cost of the included/free meal you paid for as part of the cruise fare, and that's just ridiculous.

[mn1111]

I personally would prefer that they raise the price a bit more and make it a truly exceptional dining experience with prime steaks etc. Something like a Craftsteak or even a Palm (with their double cut lamb chops). When they first rolled it out, it was really good, but over the years the options have shrunk along with the quality (what they did to the mud pie was awful). I think if they offer a top quality product many people would be willing to pay a little extra.

[Aquahound]

What I always order is still there (filet), but my wife's prefered dish is no longer there (lamb chops). It's a very limited menu so for $35, we'll only eat there on BOGO nights.

[jticarruthers]

We have typically done Chops once on each cruise, enjoyed it less each time. If its a TA freebie, we would probably still go, but not likely to pay for it.

[jaredgold33]

We've done Chops on Allure before and after the new menu was implemented. Their food now is still good but nothing close to what it was like on the old menu.

[north29]

Even on the BOGO, [Note: we are not big steak eaters} but have tried Chops on two occasions with out great results including service. I do feel that it is slightly over priced, but then again for a upscale land base restaurant about the same. I might try it again, if some wine were included in the price.

One good thing is, that the specialty restaurants are, at least for us, are much quieter and a more pleasant dining experience. BTW, we prefer Portifino

[TM38Rob]

Voted for "Dislike new menu- not worth the value" for no apps I would like and the price is high compared with Outback or Longhorn.

 

After voting, I realized Chops may be more of an upscale experience, so I checked the menu of a local upscale steakhouse and some of the prices are comparable. 10 oz. Filet Mignon $32.95 + tax before any apps compared to the $35 extra charge for Chops.

 

For me, the extra cost isn't worth it when I already have (or had for future reference) a meal paid for in the MDR. From Royal's perspective, the already paid for meal becomes fish food if you don't eat it when you eat at an upcharge restaurant like Chops, so they don't deduct the wasted complimentary meal from the extra charge.

 

The BOGO does nothing for me when I sail solo. Unless I travel with some one in the future and have a special occasion to celebrate, there would have to be some other discount to get me to eat at Chops.

[kontraxed]

Most evening meals we eat in the MDR but we do like one or two specialty evenings during a cruise. I have heard so many good things about the Sabor (Mexican) restaurant and the new Giovanni's Table (Italian) restaurants, that I believe we will "chop" Chops from our selections. If I'm going to pay $35 on top of what I have already paid for the MDR - it has to be special!

[cruisegirl1]

We did not bother the last few cruises, even with the D+ BOGO. (Chops was our only choice on the ship)

 

I think the novelty has worn off for us.

 

 

M

Edited September 3, 2014 by cruisegirl1

[kahcarre]

I never tried the old menu but I enjoyed my meal at Chops on Freedom with the new menu in June! I only paid $30pp (prepaid online before they raised the cover) but I felt like it was worth it. My filet was great and we had delicious apps and soup. For what it's worth, I live in an expensive area of a big city, so a $60 meal isn't a "nice" meal for my husband and me (unless we only got entrees, and even then it would probably be a little more).

[floatel_lvr]

I personally would prefer that they raise the price a bit more and make it a truly exceptional dining experience with prime steaks etc. Something like a Craftsteak or even a Palm (with their double cut lamb chops). When they first rolled it out, it was really good, but over the years the options have shrunk along with the quality (what they did to the mud pie was awful). I think if they offer a top quality product many people would be willing to pay a little extra.

 

I totally agree.

[KristyM79]

I never had the old menu, but tried Chops for the first time on FOS in August. Based on previous posts, my expectations weren't that high. But I was pleasantly surprised at how perfectly cooked and tasty my filet mignon was. The crispy goat cheese salad was yummy. Soup, sides, and desserts were good but not exceptional. For us, it was a nice change than the tired MDR menu. But, we enjoyed Portofino much more.

[jaredgold33]

When they first rolled it out, it was really good, but over the years the options have shrunk along with the quality (what they did to the mud pie was awful). I think if they offer a top quality product many people would be willing to pay a little extra.

 

RIP Mud Pie:( . It was our favorite dessert on RCI. Now the closest thing I can find to it onboard is the Chocolate Pear Tart from Room Service and even that doesn't compare.

Edited September 3, 2014 by jaredgold33

[KristyM79]

I never had the old menu, but tried Chops for the first time on FOS in August. Based on previous posts, my expectations weren't that high. But I was pleasantly surprised at how perfectly cooked and tasty my filet mignon was. The crispy goat cheese salad was yummy. Soup, sides, and desserts were good but not exceptional. For us, it was a nice change than the tired MDR menu. But, we enjoyed Portofino much more.

 

 

Ok, so now I'm confused. Out of curiosity, I googled Chops' new menu after my post. I checked the press kit and the Royal Caribbean website. Neither were the menu that I ordered from a few weeks ago. That crispy goat cheese salad was delish, so I'm sad to not see it on either menu I viewed. Which menu is the new menu??

[Clarea]

Ok, so now I'm confused. Out of curiosity, I googled Chops' new menu after my post. I checked the press kit and the Royal Caribbean website. Neither were the menu that I ordered from a few weeks ago. That crispy goat cheese salad was delish, so I'm sad to not see it on either menu I viewed. Which menu is the new menu??

See the new Chops menu attached to this post:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42678037&postcount=21

Edited September 3, 2014 by clarea

[ryano]

Chops was still 25.00 pp last time I went. I vowed not to return again because they took the bone in ribeye and the REAL cheesecake off the menu.

 

I think its hideous that they charge you 35.00 pp and THEN offer a Prime steak for additional money when Carnival charges 35.00 pp and the PRIME cut is included.

[akcruz]

We pre-booked chops for the first night of our recent Vision sailing at $25 PP, then got the 20% off on the ship. For that price it was fine, for $35, no way worth it to us. Did we have a good meal, yes, but not for that much extra. Had not been to chops in a while so decided to try it, glad we did when we did. Back to other specialties if we want to dine there.

[ejnsb]

We have Chops booked on the Enchantment 9/15. Price was $30 (minus a first night 20% OBC). Since it was the old price and their website still has the old menu I'm guessing that's still active on the Enchantment although I think I prefer the new one. I will be glad to report back which one they serve.

[KristyM79]

See the new Chops menu attached to this post:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42678037&postcount=21

 

Thank you. Then I did have the new menu a few weeks ago. I found the addition of the dry aged steaks to the menu to be interesting. I was expecting a high pressure sales pitch on those, but the server seemed pretty nonchalent about. She went through the menu, but that's about it. That was refreshing considering you experience aggressive sales tactic throughout the cruise in other venues.

[critterchick]

I'm looking forward to trying the new menu and then will decide what I think. If the desserts are as horrid as they were on Rhapsody, then at least I'll save some calories.

 

Our Chops waiter on RH told us that they are no longer buying desserts from outside, but are making them in house. The mud pie was a chocolate mousse with a little flavor, but none of the sinful richness of what they used to serve. The passionberry duo was a disgusting glob of what looked and tasted like Jello pudding. A couple of years ago, one of the specialty waiters told us that the reason for the higher upcharge in Chops over Portofino (now Giovanni's Table on most ships) was that the Chops' desserts were purchased from an outside vendor, while the Portofino desserts were made in-house. So now they're saving money by making them in house with inferior ingredients, but they've raised the cover. Lovely.

 

But I am intrigued by a bacon appetizer that can make Gina drool just typing about it, so we'll give it a go.

[Cheryl H]

So the crabcake is gone for good? I thought they put it back on there as a standard. I will really miss the old mudpie and the crab cake. You would think they would have the crabcake at least on the Alaskan run.