Specialty restaurants poll

[Home.Brew]

Do people go primarily for the food/ambience or the absence of children (if rules are followed - please don't get into a discussion on seeing kids in there at such and such a time, etc.)

 

Just curious as to what is the driving factor.

[BayMan123]

I can only comment on Portofino's, where the food was totally different. It was like eating a very nice restaurant. The food was freshly cooked and delivered hot.

 

When you think about the kitchen serving approx. 1400-1500 people in 2 - 3 dinning rooms, how can the food taste "just cooked for you"! You do not get gourmet cooking in the ships dinning room. They try really hard, but falls a little short IMOP.

[PeterPan]

I answered "other". The food is wonderful, and the service is a bit better just because the staff doesn't have as many guests to take care of. Ambience of both is fine for me.

 

I book the specialty rest. for the food.

[wrp96]

Both. I love the food in Portofino's but I also like the quieter, adult atmosphere as a change of pace.

[Rala]

I don't think the ambience is any better at the specialty restaurants, but the food is definitely up a couple of notches...maybe more depending on how good the dining room food is on any particular ship.

[syndyj]

I didn't try the specialty restaurants on adventure of the seas, but I want to try both on Freedom because of the menu, and the fact that we can have a nice, private dining experience outside of the schedule dining times. At the end of the week in the main dining room, my husband and I were joking that it felt like Groundhog Day. :)

[wraithe]

Where's the "I'm happy with the dining room and don't eat in the restaurants" button. Oh, dang, it's not all about me, you asked why people DO eat in the restaurant. LOL.

[hdawson]

I think maybe you over simplefied the poll. Certainly the ambiance and food are the primary reasons, but the upscale nature of the specialty restaurants, on all the lines, does represent a supper club setting rather than a family restaurant. A supper club indicates grown ups. Very romantic setting too.

[redhummer96]

I don't think the ambience is any better at the specialty restaurants, but the food is definitely up a couple of notches...maybe more depending on how good the dining room food is on any particular ship.

 

 

I agree with Rala. I think the food is great. Actually, I probably prefer the ambience in the dining room with the great personalities of the waiters and asst. waiters.

[lovemylab]

Everyone seems to rave about the food in the specialty restaurants and for this reason alone we intend on trying them on our next cruise.

 

When I was on the Explorer I noticed very few children in the dining room (I had the later seating) and loved the ambiance. I didn't eat at Portofino's on the last cruise but I wished that I would have.

[Perki]

Hubby & I are filet mignon lovers and we have never been disappointed in the ones we have ordered in the specialty dining rooms that is why we go. As for kids or absence of, we always have late seating for dinner so usually very few kids at that seating anyhow so that has never been a problem.

[cruznsugs]

My DH and I go on the cruise without the kids , so avoiding kids is not why we go. We went last time because of the boards. Everyone raved about the food. My husband can't resist a good steak so decided to give it a try. It was wonderful. Plus it was nice to have a meal on our own in a more intiment setting. More like a nice restaurant.

[LAKaye]

In the dining room the two of us love to sit at a large table to meet new people and enjoy the company of as many people as possible.

 

On one night a week, we eat at one of the specialty restaurants in order to have a romantic evening for just the two of us. We enjoy the better food and the ability to eat at a time other than our chosen regular dining room time, and if we ask for an early reservation (6 or 6:30?) we can get a table for two by the window.

 

I don't think I've seen many children at that time, or if they were there they were so polite and quiet that their presense did not interfere with the atmophere.

 

Leslie

[buchie614]

For our anniv. last year, our friends surprissed us with dinner in Chops,and it was great, quiet, and very romantic. The steaks were great, I like mine "well done, no pink" and it was PERFECT.

[MszKitty]

Hubby & I usually cruise with our young adult daughters and/or with other family members. So we use the speciality restaurant as our special dinner alone.

The funny thing is, on our cruise on the Adventure, my nephew and his wife wanted to do the same thing...have alone time. We decided to do that on the same night. Their reservations were about 15 minutes before ours. We get shown to our table and guess who is sitting at the table right next to us?...LOL We asked to be seated at another table, but they were all booked up. Luckily the tables are far enough apart that we could pretend that we weren't next to each other and it worked out fine.

We are going on the Freedom in June with family, but this time, when we eat at Portofino's or Chops, we will make sure we request a table away from any other family members...LOL

[Home.Brew]

I think maybe you over simplefied the poll. Certainly the ambiance and food are the primary reasons, but the upscale nature of the specialty restaurants, on all the lines, does represent a supper club setting rather than a family restaurant. A supper club indicates grown ups. Very romantic setting too.

 

I made the poll simple on purpose. I read a number of threads from pretty upset people that went to these restaurants and children were present past their stated times. So that made me wonder if the majority of people went there to escape children, or if it was more for the food.

 

Thanks to all who responded.