Pinnacle or Rudi's .....?

[Qcruise]

We're HAL newbies,  gonna be on the Rotterdam in April with first time cruising friends.  As to our included specialty dining choice,  what would you experienced HAL folks recommend.....?  Pinnacle steak house or Rudi's....?  Thanks in advance......

[DaveOKC]

Are you sure you have a choice betwween these 2?  If so, I would definitely take Rudi's.

[aliaschief]

They are all excellent but the Tamarind is our favorite.Canaletto also really has some great Italian cuisine. Steak house, excellent seafood at Rudi’s, Fantastic Pan Asian or Sushi. Depending on your preferences IMO they are all good and we would have a hard time not going to all of them!

[Cruise Suzy]

If you have the best price fare (Havi It All), Rudi's is not one of your included choices. Here is what is available to book as "Complimentary Dining"

 

Specialty dining is based on cruise duration and ship type. For 6–9-day voyages, guests will receive one night at Pinnacle Grill or Tamarind. For ships without Tamarind, guests will receive one night at Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto. For 10–20-day voyages, guests will receive two nights: one night at Pinnacle Grill and one night at Tamarind. For ships without Tamarind, guests will receive two nights: one night at Pinnacle Grill and one night at Canaletto. For 21+ day voyages (excluding Grands), guests will receive three nights: one night at Pinnacle Grill, one night at Tamarind and one night at Canaletto. For ships without Tamarind, guests will receive three nights: two nights at Pinnacle Grill, one night at Canaletto. Offer excludes Specialty Dining Events in the Pinnacle Grill such as Sel De Mer, De Librije and Sommelier Dinner. Reservations and dining times will be available to pre-reserve. 

[SuzieTrue]

Having just got off of the Eurodam, our favorite specialty restaurant is Tamarind. The items for Pinnacle and Canelleto are good but not that far off the MDR menu.

 

[echoshipmate]

On NA for 21 days, Seattle to Fll in October, we loved all the specialty restaurants except Rudi"s, it was awful. So bad in fact, the Executive chef came and found us in the Pinnacle Grill the next night to apologize for the terrible experience we had in Rudi's. My wife had the dover sole, it was swimming in grease and my lamb shops would have been up and running around with a nice dose of vitamin B. I nicely explained to the server that they we underdone(bordering on raw) and he took them back to the kitchen. The manager came over gushing his apologies also and assured me they would be refired. After waiting 15 minutes or so, the same chops reappeared only his time covered in some brown gravy like substance. Meanwhile, while I was waiting for my entree, my wife made her way through her fish, which she described as barely so so. Anyway, all our meals at other specialty restaurants were great as we ate at all of the multiple times. Just my opinion that Rudi's was terrible. Will I give it another shot, no. Since that trip we have spent 14 days on Koningsdam and again enjoyed all the specialty restaurants multiple times, but no Rudi's for me.

Thanks for listening.

Doug

[The-Inside-Cabin]

If I only could pick one, I would choose Rudi's.    They are a more varied menu and you can still get a steak if desired.   But.....YMMV

[rodndonna]

3 hours ago, SuzieTrue said:

Having just got off of the Eurodam, our favorite specialty restaurant is Tamarind. The items for Pinnacle and Canelleto are good but not that far off the MDR menu.

 

 

We had a similar experience on Eurodam in December (our only cruise with Holland).

 

We were really impressed with Tamarind and felt it was quite unique to what we could get elsewhere and was really good.

Our experiences at Pinnacle and Cannelleto were nice from a change of ambience/service perspective, but the food was not noticeably better or different than the MDR depending on the night. In reality, my husband's steak/beef meals were at least as good, maybe better in the MDR than Pinnacle. The ambiance and experience was definitely a step up at Pinnacle though.

 

Our next cruise we have booked Tamarind and will likely still book Rudi's as it would be new to us to try. Canelleto we will likely do again as the price was quite reasonable.

[silversneakers]

6 hours ago, Qcruise said:

We're HAL newbies,  gonna be on the Rotterdam in April with first time cruising friends.  As to our included specialty dining choice,  what would you experienced HAL folks recommend.....?  Pinnacle steak house or Rudi's....?  Thanks in advance......

Why not do Pinnacle for lunch one day and Rudi's for dinner as I don't think Rudi's is open for lunch but I could be wrong.

[rkacruiser]

Rudi's for dinner and consider Pinnacle Grill for lunch.  For whatever reason, Pinnacle Grill is more consistently good for lunch than it is for dinner in my experience.  

[Sharon in AZ]

I would choose Rudi’s over Pinnacle Grill for dinner if you only have that choice. But Rudi’s isn’t on the HIA package. We love Pinnacle Grill for lunch and more recently I really enjoyed the crab (an upsell item) at dinner. 
 

I’m not a huge meat eater so I loved the options at Rudi’s. I had the cheese soufflé which was excellent!

 

 

Enjoy whichever option you choose. 

[jeh10641]

Here are my reviews of th.e food on Rotterdam in December 2021. You will not go wrong on any choice you make.

 

 

 

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

     The food quality and quantity were up to, and maybe even better than, HAL’s standards. The variety may have been a little less but it was understandable under the COVID supply chain shortages.

     We ate every breakfast in the LIDO Buffet. The bagels were very good (only had two, diet concerns) with lox and cream cheese. The made to order omelets were terrific. Asked for and received sour cream to which I added a banana. The staff behind the counters and the servers at the tables were friendly and efficient. Outstanding staff in the LIDO Buffet included Genesis, Nadia, Ayuk, Meredith, Luki, Azani and especially Rini. If you see them, say “hi” for us.

     We ate dinner in the Main Dining Room for all but four dinners. Most often, we sat at table 80 with our two cousins and usually two strangers. Megan (male) was our table captain and the servers were Ali and Andhika. Hazel was the hostess every night at the entrance (lower level) and made sure we had the same table even though we had open seating. There were about 4 or 5 items every night that cost extra. They included jumbo shrimp, lobster and filet steak. The main courses changed daily, not 100%, but more than enough that we could pick and choose something different each time. There was a sugar free dessert each night. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free meals were present at all food venues.

     Our first specialty dinner took place at Canaletto where we celebrated my wife’s birthday. The food was excellent and plentiful. They made a special dessert for my wife’s celebration that we could all share. We had dined at previous Canaletto’s.  It is located in an area that is part of the LIDO Buffet but was separate. It had many windows to see out of when it was light enough (Deck 9). The night we were there at 7 PM, maybe 20% of the tables were occupied. The staff were smiling and professionally top notch. It felt as if we were at an Italian trattoria in Florence. We were there in 2016 preceding our HAL cruise on the Oosterdam. Give yourself 90 minutes to enjoy the experience fully. Staff members to remember were Ana and Maria. RECOMMENDED.

     Tamarind was our second “night out”. This was new to us as a venue. It is an Asian fusion specialty restaurant that included a bar (really good pina coladas, our first of the trip) and Nami Sushi Bar. It overlooks the stern of the ship on Deck 12. Staff members we want single out are Maria (again), Azani and Ayuk (again). The main courses were great. The five side dishes were included for the whole table (four of us). Again, it takes 90 minutes to two hours to fully enjoy it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

     Another new to us venue was Rudi’s Sel De Mare (on Deck 2), the brainchild of restaurateur Rudi Sodamin. It is basically a French bistro with an emphasis on seafood. However, I had steak tartare for my main course (ordered two appetizers) and my wife had a 12-ounce Maine lobster tail that was the best. (I went to college in Maine and ate a lot of lobster.) We celebrated the birthday of one of my cousins. They made him a special dessert to celebrate it. The hostess at the door was Genesis (LIDO). They treated us royally. Budget at least two hours for the best experience. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

     Our final extravaganza dining spot was The Pinnacle Grill on deck 2. It too had windows for when it is light enough to see out. This is primarily a steakhouse but other options are available. We had dined previously at Pinnacle Grills but this was far and away the best. My steak was done to perfection – tasty, tender. Impeccable service added to the two-hour experience. Our server was Boris who was friendly and efficient. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

     Just to reiterate, all dining venues had vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. One of my cousins is gluten free and she was happy with her choices. The servers and the kitchens were able to make many of the meals gluten free even if not listed as such. Because of my experience with specialty restaurants on previous cruises, I felt they had not been worth the extra expense.  These four dining experiences changed my attitude. They were off-the-wall awesome.

     We did have lunch twice at Dive-In Burgers and once at New York Pizza and Deli. The former offered hamburgers and Nathan’s Hot Dogs. I loved the burgers wrapped in lettuce (no buns for me) with cheese, bacon and frizzled onions. My wife enjoyed the Nathan Hot Dogs (no bun for her either). The fries were pretty good as well. The pizza my wife ate had very little cheese or pepperoni so she ordered four slices to get enough to eat. She scraped the toppings off the crust, which was NOT a New York pizza crust at all. I tried the Reuben (no bread) which also failed miserably in taste, quality and quantity. DIVE IN is RECOMMENDED. NY PIZZA and DELI is NOT RECOMMENDED.

     The other days, we had lunch in the LIDO BUFFET. I had salads every day and the toppings were very tasty and varied.  My wife also had some salads and some noodle dishes from the Asian section. She, too, loved her food. We did not have any desserts for lunch. One day I did have a chocolate chip cookie from the GRAND DUTCH CAFÉ. It was one of the best ever. Both venues are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

     We are not alcohol drinkers so we did not test any of the bars’ alcoholic beverages except for a couple of pina coladas that were excellent. My wife did have coffee, tea or soft drinks on numerous occasions from the bars. The service was timely and friendly.

[mrspeck]

The filet with an added tail was the best meal I’ve had at sea.  Rudi’s - Nieuw Statendam - Dec 21.

[cruzin4us]

I like both!   Pinnacle Grill is more of a steak & seafood kind of place and I would call Rudi's more French inspired.    We eat at both every cruise 

 

[rkacruiser]

What an excellent review; thanks for posting it.

 

Expressing a differing thought regarding my cruise on Nieuw Statendam:  The NY Pizza and Deli was excellent.  Tasty pizzas and sandwiches with Caesar Salads and a custard type dessert that were very good.  Different people in charge/working?  That does make a difference.  Did not try Canaletto on my cruise because it has been a "hit or miss" dining experience on others.  Since cruising has re-started, the reports about Canaletto have been positive.  

 

15 hours ago, mrspeck said:

The filet with an added tail was the best meal I’ve had at sea.  Rudi’s - Nieuw Statendam - Dec 21.

 

Looks delicious!  Did you order the Escargots as an appetizer?  (Delicious and a different preparation as what is served in the MDR.)  Next time, try the Dover Sole.  Every time that I have ordered that--have not been disappointed.

[janmcn]

You can check their menus online and see what you prefer. We like all the special restaurants on board but felt Rudi’s was too over the top food…all outstanding but just too much. Pinnacle is better proportioned food. You can’t go wrong with any of them!

[mrspeck]

7 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

What an excellent review; thanks for posting it.

 

Expressing a differing thought regarding my cruise on Nieuw Statendam:  The NY Pizza and Deli was excellent.  Tasty pizzas and sandwiches with Caesar Salads and a custard type dessert that were very good.  Different people in charge/working?  That does make a difference.  Did not try Canaletto on my cruise because it has been a "hit or miss" dining experience on others.  Since cruising has re-started, the reports about Canaletto have been positive.  

 

 

Looks delicious!  Did you order the Escargots as an appetizer?  (Delicious and a different preparation as what is served in the MDR.)  Next time, try the Dover Sole.  Every time that I have ordered that--have not been disappointed.

Yes, escargot every time!  I’ll have to give the Dover Sole a try!

[DaveOKC]

Is the 12 oz lobster tail included in the price at Rudi's?

 

Also, if you prebook Rudi's online (and pay of course), how do 4/5 Star Mariners get the 25% discount?

 

[albingirl]

On 2/7/2022 at 2:48 PM, echoshipmate said:

On NA for 21 days, Seattle to Fll in October, we loved all the specialty restaurants except Rudi"s, it was awful. So bad in fact, the Executive chef came and found us in the Pinnacle Grill the next night to apologize for the terrible experience we had in Rudi's. My wife had the dover sole, it was swimming in grease and my lamb shops would have been up and running around with a nice dose of vitamin B. I nicely explained to the server that they we underdone(bordering on raw) and he took them back to the kitchen. The manager came over gushing his apologies also and assured me they would be refired. After waiting 15 minutes or so, the same chops reappeared only his time covered in some brown gravy like substance. Meanwhile, while I was waiting for my entree, my wife made her way through her fish, which she described as barely so so. Anyway, all our meals at other specialty restaurants were great as we ate at all of the multiple times. Just my opinion that Rudi's was terrible. Will I give it another shot, no. Since that trip we have spent 14 days on Koningsdam and again enjoyed all the specialty restaurants multiple times, but no Rudi's for me.

Thanks for listening.

Doug

that is too bad about Rudi's.  We went there while on the NS and found it to be excellent.  It didn't hurt that Rudi was on the ship and in the restaurant when we were there.  Pretty cool.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Is the 12 oz lobster tail included in the price at Rudi's?

 

Also, if you prebook Rudi's online (and pay of course), how do 4/5 Star Mariners get the 25% discount?

 

 

Lobster is on the menu; size?  I don't know.  But, the Lobster listed is not extra cost.

 

I believe that there will be a price adjustment on your account if you book and pay online.  I have not done that, but, I recall learning that others have experienced that scenario.  It would be a good idea to remind the Manager of the restaurant when you are that you are due the discount and to check your onboard account to insure that the proper price has been charged.  

Edited February 26, 2022 by rkacruiser

[crystalspin]

I would vote for Pinnacle Grill. We don't eat much seafood, but if you do, you can still have shrimp cocktail, crabcakes, lobster bisque appetizer; for main -- scallops, crab legs (+$18), lobster (+$20). When I last ate in Pinnacle Grill with family, I don't believe there was a surcharge for the crab legs. But things can change. 

 

Here is a menu of all of the specialty menus by Roger :

https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-specialty-restaurant-menus/

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Is the 12 oz lobster tail included in the price at Rudi's?

 

Just check another source for the menu and the Lobster Tail is the 12 oz size.  

 

46 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

We don't eat much seafood

 

There are other items on Sel de Mer's menu that are not seafood/fish and sound very tempting as well as being different as compared to the Pinnacle Grill, MDR, and Tamarind menus.  

[victory2020]

4 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I would vote for Pinnacle Grill. We don't eat much seafood, but if you do, you can still have shrimp cocktail, crabcakes, lobster bisque appetizer; for main -- scallops, crab legs (+$18), lobster (+$20). When I last ate in Pinnacle Grill with family, I don't believe there was a surcharge for the crab legs. But things can change. 

 

Here is a menu of all of the specialty menus by Roger :

https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-specialty-restaurant-menus/

Were the scallops good in Pinnacle? That's what I would go for.

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, victory2020 said:

Were the scallops good in Pinnacle? That's what I would go for.

I don't believe anyone in my family party had them, sorry! Maybe someone else can answer?

 

I tried the ribeye (which I also don't think was upcharge at the time) and vowed to stick with the lamb hereafter. I see there is now a specialty offering of ShortRibs. Mr.Spin maybe having those, or the halibut!

[kazu]

15 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Also, if you prebook Rudi's online (and pay of course), how do 4/5 Star Mariners get the 25% discount?

 

 

If you book on line, the discount appears on your on board statement within 24 hours (usually by that evening) as OBC just as it does for the other specialty restaurants.