Chops Grille has become a staple of Royal Caribbean dining and it is a restaurant guests come back to time and time again because they really enjoy everything about the experience.

The next time you make a reservation at Chops Grille, whether it is your first visit or you have lost count, be sure to look for these gems that are worth trying!

5. Pretzel bread

I am pretty sure I always forget about the pretzel bread is served at Chops Grille when you are first seated but as soon as I see it, I dig right in.

To be honest, it is difficult to screw up pretzel bread.  It is warm, salty and related to those tasty treats you always smell at the mall.  How can you go wrong?

The pretzel bread is the perfect way to start a meal off at Chops Grille and the only problem is remembering not to fill up on it before you even order anything!

4. All the sides!

Sure, Chops Grille has a lot of great steaks but no entree is complete without a few of Chops Grille's signature sides.

Truffled french fries, roasted mushrooms, mashed potatoes, grilled jumbo asparagus and more are available.  

My recommendation is just order one of everything.  It is the same cost to you and that way you can sample them all.  You will quickly find that the sides are a meal in of itself!

3. The view

Let us take a break from the food for a moment to point out that Chops Grille across the fleet have beautiful views of the ocean.

If you happen to dine in Chops Grille for lunch or have an early enough dinner to catch the sun still up, the view from Chops Grille is hard to beat.

Since I often eat at Chops Grille for dinner, catching a Caribbean sunset while I enjoy some pretzel bread, or some of those delicious sides is a great way to start my evening!

2. Red velvet cake

This part of our countdown is a salute to all of Chops Grille's desserts, but mostly the red velvet cake.  

Everyone has personal tastes about what they like but I dare you not to love this cake.  And the huckleberry cheesecake. And the cookies. But mostly the red velvet cake.

The thing about dessert is usually most guests are stuffed with the amazing appetizers, entrees and sides that dessert just seems impossible.  Until you look at the menu.

Make a note or tie a string around your finger to lay off a few bites elsewhere to save room for dessert because the red velvet cake is worth it!

1. Dry aged steaks

Royal Caribbean introduced dry aged steaks in early 2014 and the steak experience has never been the same.

Dry aged steaks are very popular at the premier land steakhouses, so Royal Caribbean's decision to bring dry aged steaks to sea is a big deal.

For those unaware, a dry aged steak is when steaks are stored in a climate-controlled room for nearly four weeks to achieve the pinnacle of flavor, tenderness and aroma.  It really enhances the flavor of the meat in a way conventional steaks cannot match.

Yes, there is an extra cost to trying the dry aged steaks, but it really does make a difference and if you consider yourself a steak fan, going with the dry aged steak is like a trip to the Vitality Spa for your stomach!

Royal Caribbean has filled its Quantum-class cruise ships with a slew of specialty restaurant choices and among them is Royal Caribbean's flagship specialty restaurant, Chops Grille. 

Chops Grille has been a fan favorite choice for years and on Quantum of the Seas, we took the opportunity to see if this Royal Caribbean classic holds up on its newest class of ships.

On Quantum of the Seas, the restaurant features an updated menu that offers what you would likely find at any great American steakhouse on land.  There's a mix of choices that have been staples of the restaurant along with some new choices, most notably dry-aged steaks.  Dry-aged steaks are aged for nearly four weeks to enhance the flavor, tenderness and aroma.  Royal Caribbean is particularly proud to be offering dry-aged steaks first at sea and it's a tremendous addition.

Atmosphere

Chops Grille is located in the aft section of deck 5, near the Schooner Bar.  Despite being onboard the ship for a few days at the time we dined here, I still found myself wondering where exactly it was located.  Odds are you will not be passing it by often as you walk around the ship (unlike Jamie's Italian or Wonderland) but once you look it up on a map, it's simple enough to find.

If you've been to any other Chops Grille on other Royal Caribbean ships, you will likely feel right at home at Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas.  The restaurant's familiar use of browns, reds and yellows give the restaurant an "earth tone" decor.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas to be more well-lit than other restaurants I've been to.

Chops Grille has never had much of a real theme other than looking like a nice steakhouse.  You will find a large room with tables in the center and booths on the edges.  There's some good use of steel or aluminum lighting that seem like they were borrowed from American Icon Grill that give Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas a little different touch.

For Royal Caribbean fans that been dining at Chops Grille for years, this restaurant will feel a lot like others you have been to.

Eats

Once you are seated, you will be served pretzel bread and butter, which is pretty darn tasty.  It's the kind of bread that you will eat more of it than you probably like because pretzel bread, when done well, is a tasty treat.

The menu at Chops Grille offers a wide selection of appetizers and for your entrees, there's plenty to choose from too.  

To start with, I opted for a Chops Grille classic: French onion soup. A microcosm of the difference between a specialty restaurant and the complimentary restaurant can be found in this soup.  At the Grande, there's a French onion soup served but the one at Chops Grille is far superior because of the ingredients used.  At Chops Grille, there's more cheese, thicker cut of onion and in general it just tastes better.

French onion soup at Chops Grille

French onion soup at The Grande

We also ordered a few appetizers to share at the table, such as the charred beef carpaccio and crab and shrimp cake.  Both were tasty and light choices that we enjoyed.

I mentioned earlier there are a lot of entrees to choose from but considering Chops Grille is a steakhouse, I feel obligated to choose a steak. Since updating Chops Grille's menu, Royal Caribbean offers a number of dry-aged steaks that have an extra cost in addition to other steaks that are included with the price of the restaurant.

I tried the dry-aged steak when I was on Navigator of the Seas and I'll be honest and say I really could not tell much of a difference between the dry-aged steaks and a less expensive steak.  Personally, my palette can appreciate a steak up to a certain level and after that, they all taste the same.  Clearly, I am not a connoisseur of steaks by any means.

We both decided to order from the regular steak menu.  I went with the "petite" New York Strip Steak (6oz) and my table mate opted for the "petite" filet mignon (6oz).

Both steaks tasted great and my only regret is I ordered too little steak.  I went with the petite cut because I always left the restaurant feeling stuffed but not the case this time!

I think we both agreed the steaks were great and by far it's the best cut of beef we had onboard the ship.  

The hidden gem of any Chops Grille visit are the sides. There side dishes are designed to be shared among the people at your table and they are generally really, really good.  So good that I leave some room for them because at my first few visits years ago, I would stuff myself before realizing the sides are so darn good.

We ordered gruyere cheese tater tots, roasted mushrooms, mashed potatoes and grilled jumbo asparagus.  All were quite good except for the tater tots.  The cheese gave it a very odd texture and next time I will go with the french fries instead.  

For dessert, I always order the same thing at Chops Grille and for good reason.  The red velvet cake is something I always pick and I've never been disappointed with it.   On this visit, the cake was as good as I remembered and I can continue to recommend it as a great choice.

Overall

The reason I go to Chops Grille on almost every Royal Caribbean cruise I go on is because of how consistently good it is.  Some restaurants are a bit of a gamble in the sense that they can be hit or miss but Chops Grille has been always a good experience and on Quantum of the Seas, it's more of the same.

If you have dined at Chops Grille many times as well, you will find Chops Grille to be a familiar choice and very similar to other Chops Grille restaurants across the fleet.  If you're new to Royal Caribbean, Chops Grille is a solid choice for anyone that wants a really good specialty restaurant experience.  Great food, good service and a moderate cost are what you will find at Chops Grille.

There's many online that will debate the merits of the dry-aged steaks on the menu and if they are worth it.  If you want to sample the very best steaks out there, there's no question dry-aged are in style and perfect for you.  But if you just want a good steak without the additional cost, the steaks included on the menu will do you just fine.

I think on my next trip to Chops Grille, I will sample some non-steak choices just to mix things up.  

Royal Caribbean's steakhouse specialty restaurant, Chops Grille, price has gone up to $39 per adult on certain ships.

The price increase appears to have been made on Oasis of the Seas, although an upcoming Quantum of the Seas cruise still lists the $35 cover charge.  It's possible the $39 price will eventually make its way around the fleet at some point later.

Previously Royal Caribbean was charging $35 per person to dine at their most popular specialty restaurant. The roughly 11 percent increase is a new change for guests wishing to dine at the restaurant.

Royal Caribbean recently revamped Chops Grille's menu by adding dry-aged steaks as an option to the menu that carries with it an additional charge. The dry-aged steaks cost between $18-19 and the roasted maine lobster has an additional $21 charge.

READ OUR REVIEW OF THE NEW CHOPS GRILLE MENU

In the past, Royal Caribbean has honored the old price if guests have reserved Chops Grille and paid the old $35 per person price.

What do you think of the new price for Chops Grille? Do you think it's still a good value?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

There are less than 100 days until Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, debuts and every day we're counting down each day with something really fun on this brand new ship. Read our blog each day for a new post all about this amazing cruise ship.

Chops Grille

A Royal Caribbean staple, Chops Grille is coming to Quantum of the Seas and its bringing over a decade of quality, hand cut steaks for guests to enjoy.

Chops Grille markets itself these days as "the new American Steakhouse", which means it offers what you'd expect to find at any great American steakhouse but this one is at sea.

Royal Caribbean revamped the Chops Grille menu earlier this year and when you eat at Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas, you will find traditional favorites mixed in with what's hot in steaks today.

At the center of the new menu are dry-aged steaks, that are aged for nearly four weeks to enhance the flavor, tenderness and aroma.  Royal Caribbean is particularly proud to be offering dry-aged steaks first at sea and it's a tremendous addition.

READ OUR REVIEW OF NEW CHOPS GRILLE MENU

Of course, Chops Grille also offers more than just steaks.  You will find Maine lobster, veal parmesan, grilled branzino and more succulent dishes paired with addictive sides and amazing desserts.

Chops Grille is a specialty restaurant and has a cover charge to dine there. There is a smart casual dress code and it will be open for dinner.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!

Royal Caribbean will change the menu of its specialty restaurant, Chops Grille, across the entire fleet of ships by the end of August 2014.

Chops Grille new menu had debuted on Navigator of the Seas back in February. Among other changes, the new menu offers dry-rub steaks, veal chop parmesan and a slow-braised short rib of beef with bordelaise sauce.

This email was sent by Royal Caribbean to a cruiser on CruiseCritic, "We are pleased to inform you that we do in fact have a new menu for Chops Grille that is currently available onboard the Freedom of the Seas and the Navigator of the Seas. This new menu will be available fleet wide by the end of August. "

READ OUR REVIEW OF THE NEW CHOPS GRILLE MENU

The price for dining at Chops Grille will remain $35 per person.

Chops Grille on Navigator of the Seas isn't new to the ship but since the ship emerged from drydock in February 2014, they were the first ship to debut a brand new menu that if successful will be rolled out to the entire fleet.  We took it upon ourselves to try out the new menu to evaluate it for all of you (it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!).

A little background first, Chops Grille has been renamed, "Chops Grille: The New American Steakhouse" and is decribed as marrying "contemporary flair to traditional steakhouse offerings".  What this means is Royal Caribbean wanted to match what land based steak restaurants are doing with adding dry-aged steaks to the menu.

Like Sabor Modern Mexican, this new change is part of a larger effort by Royal Caribbean's new head of food operations to bring more contemporary food choices to the cruise line.   And also like Sabor, Royal Caribbean is using Navigator of the Seas as a test for how guests react and if positive enough, will roll the changes out to other ships in the fleet.

Atmosphere

The location and general decor of Chops Grille remains the typical dark wood with reds and gold you may be used to seeing at Chops.  

The restaurant on Navigator of the Seas has two distinct rooms that are connected, the first room is rectangular in shape and is what you see when you walk in, with a circular room attached to the end of the first room.

There was not much, if anything, noticeable that changed here since the refurbishment.  I can only assume the chairs or tables have been updated but it looked like the typical Chops Grille experience.

There is one wall of Chops Grille that is made up of glass that overlooks the ocean, but because it's night, the glare of the lights inside the restaurants makes seeing outside virtually impossible.  

Eats

The menu at Chops Grille is where the changes have really occurred and aside from the dry-aged steaks, there have been minor menu changes.  

We noticed some entrees and appetizers have been removed or changed.  As an example, there used to be two options for the filet mignon (6oz and 8oz) and now there is just one.  Most of the signature favorites remain on the menu.

There are some new options to the menu such as the Veal Chop Parmesan, slow broiled with caramelized shallots and topped with parmesan herb butter, a Slow-braised Short Rib of Beef with Bordelaise sauce, and a Dry-aged Steak Burger served on a brioche bun and topped with melted gruyere and pancetta.

The big change is the addition of the dry-aged steaks. There are two new premium selections, a 16 Oz. dry-aged NY Strip Steak and a 20 Oz. dry-aged Porterhouse Steak (an additional $18 and $19 respectively), each USDA prime beef, dry-aged for four weeks to achieve the pinnacle of flavor, tenderness and aroma.

Royal Caribbean is touting the fact it is the first cruise line to offer dry-aged steaks to its guests.

There are also new sides added to the menu, Truffled French Fries and Gruyere Cheese Tater Tots

Also new is the bread you are served when you are first seated.  Now you get a pretzel bread roll with spread (the salted butter spread appears gone).  Being a fan of pretzel bread, I liked the change and as far as I know, it's the only place onboard the ship to get pretzel bread.

For appetizers, I started out with two favorites from previous trips to Chops Grille: the charred beef carpaccio and french onion soup.

The beef carpaccio is very delicately sliced beef that you literally have to scrape off the plate to eat.  You certainly won't fill up eating this but it's mighty tasty and it's something I seem to always try.

The french onion soup is always a good choice at Chops Grille too, especially when you compare it to the french onion soup offered one of the nights in the main dining room.  It doesn't taste like soup that came from a vat, and the baked cheese that sticks to the side of the bowl is just perfect.  

My wife opted for the crispy goat cheese salad, something new to her, and found it good as well.  I prefer my goat cheese au natural (not fried) but I sampled a few bites and found it a good salad choice overall.

For the entrees, I felt obligated to try the dry-aged steak to see what the big deal was all about. For those unaware, dry-aged steaks is the process of hanging the meats and letting time and microbes do their magic to enhance the flavor of the beef.  

Dry-aging beef takes time, usually 21-28 days, and as a result costs more money because the restaurant ties up cash in inventory that’s just sitting around, losing water weight and literally shrinking.  The benefit is the flavors get concentrated, similar to how a reducing sauce becomes richer.  It's become a big fad among steakhouses these days and Royal Caribbean wanted in on the action.

It will cost you extra to try the dry-aged steaks, about another $20 to be exact.  So your $35 meal jumps to $55 for just one person, but you are getting an opportunity to sample arguably one of the best cuts of steak at sea and when you factor in the appetizers and desserts you also get for the price, it's still not a bad deal overall.

I chose the dry-aged NY strip steak and as you might imagine it tasted really good.  Sometimes when I order steak I get halfway through and start to feel "steak fatigue", but this cut was quite good and I really enjoyed the whole thing.  

I'm by no means a steak expert or someone who knows steak well enough to really know if the extra cost was worth it but I figure if you are going to order steak, go with their best choice.  It certainly among the better steaks I've ever eaten.

My wife, far less adventurous than me, stuck with her tried and true filet mignon.  She reported it tasting as good as ever and that's one thing I really enjoy about Chops.  It's a very consistent experience and one place you can count on for an excellent meal.

As I mentioned earlier, there were two new sides and we ordered both the tater tots and fries, along with mushrooms.  The tater tots weren't as good as they sounded but the truffle fries made up for the difference.  The mushrooms were great as always and remains one of my favorite sides at Chops Grille to have with my steak.

Dessert was next and of course I felt so full by this point, like I do every time I eat at Chops.  Nonetheless, we ordered some dessert to try.  

My wife wanted to order just the fresh baked cookies but our waiter actually warned her to order something else too.  He didn't say the cookies were bad by any means, but that they were not nearly as good as some of the other dessert options.

The cookies were better than what you could get anywhere else on the ship but the waiter was correct in that they were not overly special.

I went with my tried-and-true red velvet cake.  There had been rumors it was removed from the menu but it was available, although it did seem smaller and with less frosting than other red velvet cakes I've had at Chops.  Nonetheless, it's hard to go wrong with red velvet cake and I enjoyed it.

My wife ultimately chose the huckleberry cheesecake, which the waiter reported was not only new to the menu but also quite popular.  What I liked about it was the huckleberries were not baked into the cake, but just adorned on top.  Once again, the waiter was right that this is a great choice for dessert.

Overall

This visit to Chops Grille was about evaluating the new menu and seeing if this is something we think Royal Caribbean should expand to other ships and I think the answer is a definite yes.  I think the new menu offers quite a bit of choices that do not cost extra but for steak lovers, the dry-aged steaks are a real treat.

For me it came down to the cost of paying extra to eat at Chops Grille to begin with and then adding more cost for the dry-aged steaks.  Considering a very good steak on land would likely cost around $50 alone, it's still a good value overall considering you get your other food with it.  

For Royal Caribbean, it will come down to how many people opt for the dry-aged steaks versus do not and if there are enough people ordering them, then perhaps we will see this option on other ships soon.

Otherwise, eating at Chops Grille was a treat and as good as any other Chops Grille I've dined at.  

Chops Grille is an iconic Royal Caribbean specialty restaurant and is consistantly a restaurant Royal Caribbean fans flock to on every cruise they take.

So when our cruise on Jewel of the Seas came around and we had just one night to check out a specialty restaurant, everyone in our group picked Chops Grille and so we gave it a try (again).

Atmosphere

On Jewel of the Seas, Chops Grille is located on deck 6 near the Schooner Bar.  Walking in, you will find a restaurant that looks like the Chops Grille on other Royal Caribbean ships.  Dark woods complimented by lighter brown and beige colors in a large room of tables of various sizes.  Because of the restaurant's required dress code, you will find the restaurant with a more upscale look than other places on the ship.

Something we noticed immediately as we walked in was the noise.  Not from the restaurant, but from outside at the Schooner Bar.  Our reservation was at 8:30pm (the latest reservation possible) and the Schooner Bar was playing their music quite loudly.  So loud that it came right into the restaurant and since Chops Grille keeps its doors open when in operation, it was easy to hear the music inside the restaurant.  We asked for a table much further inside the restaurant and there was less noise but you could still hear the bass as well as cheers from the bar. 

I mentioned the noise factor to our waiter, who seemed to agree with me but kind of shrugged it off as just something that they can do about it.  She was sympathetic about it but mentioned that's just how it is.

Unlike our experience at Chops Grille on Freedom of the Seas, the entire restaurant was in one large room.  One wall is made up of glass that overlooks the ocean, but because it's night, the glare of the lights inside the restaurants makes seeing outside virtually impossible.  Perhaps someone sitting at the window might be able to see something if they peered against the glass directly but I can't comment on that.

Eats

The menu at Chops Grille is pretty simple and I think that's part of why it's so consistantly good.  Bread is served to you upon being seated with two spreads.  Starting with the appetizers, there's a lot to choose from.  Our group of 4 chose the Asian-Inspired Spicy Tuna, Not So Traditional Caesar Salar, Oyster Duet and Cheese N' Onion Soup. 

Three of us got the Spicy Tuna, which was more of a tartare than say thin slices of tuna.  From a consistancy basis, some might not love it but I found it very tasty (I have yet to find a tuna appetizer I have not loved).  The wasabi and chips that accompany the tuna were great compliments and as someone who loves sushi, this was right up my alley.

Next I had the Cheese N' Onion soup, which is essentially french onion soup.  I commented to my tablemates was certainly not something out of a can and or me, the first sign of a good soup is determining that it was infact made from scratch and this one certainly fit the bill.  I thought it was good at the time but I didn't get a real appreciation for it until later in the cruise when they had French Onion Soup on the menu in the main dining room and I could see (and taste) the difference.  

The oyster duet was also quite tasty and a nice choice for seafood fans.  It's also not a typical steakhouse appetizer, which was nice to see as a choice.  The oysters tasted fresh and since there were no side effects health wise later on, we deemed it a good appetizer as well.

Lastly, the Caesar salad is, well, massive and came across as good.  My wife had the Caesar salad at dinner every night in the main dining room and commented this Casear salad from Chops was definitely better.

Now was time for entrees and not surprisingly, we all opted for steaks.  If you recall from my Freedom of the Seas Chops Grille experience, the waitress talked me out of getting the New York Strip steak because of complaints from other guests. So this time I once again tried to order the New York Strip and succeeded.  I found the strip steak to be quite good, albeit not as flavorful as say the porterhouse.  That being said, I found the strip steak to be a much more manageable cut of meat and part of my reasoning for ordering the strip instead of the porterhouse was to not eat so much steak that I could not enjoy the sides.  Overall I liked the strip steak and found very little fat on it.

Our table ordered two filet mignon steaks, which were both cooked to perfect and as tender as steak gets.   The girls loved it and for anyone unsure of what to order at Chops, I'd recommend the filet because it's consistantly the best cut available and the safest bet.  I should mention my wife ordered her steak with bleu cheese on top, which is not standard.

The porterhouse was as big as expected and a really juicy cut of meat.  The porterhouse offers arguably the best flavor but does have a fair amount of fat to cut around.  Having had the porterhouse on Freedom, I was okay not having it this time but next time I might just order the porterhouse and only eat what I feel like (although I have yet to actually leave food on my plate in Chops Grille).

From our last trip to Chops Grille, we knew about how great the sides are here and so we made sure leave plenty of room for them.  We ordered the mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes with prioscutto and parmesan and the broccolini.  I really think the side dishes are the hidden gem of Chops Grille so leave plenty of room for them.  The roasted potatoes were probably the best of the sides, with the melted parmesan cheese on top mixing with the soft potatoes.  

As good as the entrees were, the desserts at Chops are also really good.  All over the restaurant we saw tables ordering the crème brûlée, which was noticable because the dish came out of the kitchen on fire.  From my last visit I remember the red velvet cake so I had to get that.  

The crème brûlée was good, but the red velvet cake was just as good as I remember.  Frankly, the cake part is just fine but it's the icing that is amazing.  I'm sure it's the pure sugar combined with some sort of animal fat that makes it so tasty, but if I ever need a food to eat before the apocolypse, this is a strong contender.

Overall

What I like about Chops Grille is the consistancy and on Jewel of the Seas, it was another solid meal.  The price per person is $30 is a bit pricey but if you need one night out for dinner, then it's hard to go wrong at Chops Grille.  And given the amount of food you get for the money, it's still a good value.

In terms of the food offered it's good steakhouse food and if you like a good steak, then this is the place to eat onboard.  Given the uninspiring steaks offered in the main dining room, there isn't much choice really for anyone looking for a good steak dinner.  The ambiance, despite the noise factor, also make it one of the better romantic places on Jewel of the Seas.

In short, Chops Grille is a great choice for a specialty restaurant meal on Jewel of the Seas, despite the price and noise outside the restaurant.  The food holds up and even across Royal Caribbean's fleet, Chops Grille is too consistant to worry about having an off night.

One of the oldest specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships is Chops Grille, their steakhouse restaurant and fan favorite

Chops Grille is featured on all of its cruise ships, and it offers patrons a steak lunch or dinner that costs extra.

While the restaurant has a cover charge to dine there, it's a great choice for a special night out.

You might be wondering if it's worth it to eat at Chops Grille, and there's a few factors to consider.

Chops Grill menu

Atmosphere

Being a specialty restaurant, Chops Grille typically has an elegant, steakhouse look to it.  Many ships feature dark woods, with light beige accents throughout the restaurant. 

Given the restaurant's smart casual attire, dining here definitely has the look of an upscale appearance.

The exact look and size of the room will vary from ship to ship, but it's usually one of the larger specialty restaurants.  The Oasis and Icon Class cruise ships have their Chops Grille located in the Central Park neighborhood, with outdoor seating available.

Chops Grille on all other ships feature large windows with a view of the ocean, usually located near the Windjammer marketplace.

Chops is open for dinner on all nights, and lunch on select days.  It's often open for lunch on embarkation day too. You will want to make reservations whenever possible.

Royal Caribbean wants to evoke a classic steakhouse vibe, so there isn't much here to surprise in its aesthetics if you've ever been to a similar restaurant on land.

Many restaurants have a view into the kitchen, where you can see the chef preparing the steaks and of course plenty of tantalizing smells too.

Chops Grille food

Chops Grille offers a fairly simple menu of appetizers, entrees and sides.  The appetizers and entrees are served individually, but the sides are served family style. Given the serving size of the sides, it makes sense to share them although it does require some planning to ensure you don't over order.

After you are seated, a selection of breads and butter will be brought to your table to try. The pretzel bread rolls in particular are really good. 

For our appetizers, we went with the Asian-Inspired tuna tartare and crispy goat cheese salad.  In Chops, you can order more than one appetizer or side if you choose. They do limit you to one entree per person.

The fried goat cheese alone is worth ordering this entree, and it's something we order on every visit.

Equally good was the tuna. I love ahi tuna, and the small cubes along with avocado are a great choice for anyone that enjoys sushi-grade tuna.

Another very popular appetizer is the wild mushroom soup. It has a good flavor to it, and seems to be such a good fit when having a steak dinner.

Of course, the steaks are the star attraction at Chops Grille.

The Chops menu has a few different steaks to choose from, and all are included with your cruise fare. It's really a matter of personal preference as to which cut of steak is best for you: filet mignon, New York strip, or a ribeye.

I generally go with the filet mignon since it's usually regarded as the best cut of steak.  If you prefer a richer flavor, the ribeye is the way to go.

If you're new to steaks or just not sure what to order, it's hard to go wrong with filet mignon because of how soft and flavorful it is. 

Your waiter will ask what temperature you like to have the steak cooked.

In any case, the steaks are usually very consistent in flavor across the fleet.  

Chops Grille also offers for all their steaks various sauces to try including classic bearnaise, chimichurri sauce, green peppercorn sauce and cabernet reduction.  

Personally, I'm of the opinion a steak should taste good on its own, but I did try the chimichurri sauce on the side.  I thought it was a nice change, but I think steak lovers will prefer their steaks to remain au natural.  You can, however, ask for the sauces on the side to try.

If you don't want a steak, you can also order chicken breast, lamb, or even a filet of salmon.

Having sampled each of these alternatives, they're all quite good, but I'm not sure I would book a reservation at Chops just for those dishes. I've found the non-steak dishes are satisfactory, but nothing special.

Sides include cheese tater tots, jumbo asparagus, mashed potatoes, French fries and more.

Sides come in small pots that you can serve yourself with from the table.  Your waiter will give you the choice of ordering individually or sharing with your tablemates.

We just had to try the desserts and I went with the red velvet cake and my wife chose the chocolate mud pie.  These desserts were very rich and very good. I ordered the red velvet cake simply to have a taste but before I knew it, I had eaten half the slice.  Saving room for either of these is a must-do.

Overall

You can expect to pay $69.99 per adult to eat at Chops Grille for dinner on an Oasis Class ship, and $24.99 per adult for lunch. Kids will pay $14. Children under the age of 6 are free.

Dinner at Chops Grille is not cheap, but it's designed to offer an alternative choice for a special night out, or simply somewhere to get steak every day of the cruise.

You can knock down the price by purchasing an unlimited dining package, and if you plan to eat at more than 2 specialty restaurants, this can be a great saving.

Quality wise, their steaks are good, but maybe not the best I've ever had.  Certainly if you want a good steak onboard the ship, this is as good as it gets and when you try for the beef filets they have in the main dining room, Chops' steaks will seem like divine intervention.  The rest of the food (appetizers, desserts and sides) are good choices and all met or exceeded our expectations.

The bottom line is I enjoyed eating at Chops Grille for its good food, but I have reservations about the cost.  For a special night out, Chops is a good choice especially for people that really like steaks.  

Royal Caribbean has changed the way guests pay for a few of its specialty restaurants.  Chops Grille, Rita's Cantina and the Seafood Shack have all changed from a one price for everything to a "surcharge plus a la carte" menu.  Basically you will now pay a fee to dine at these restaurants and then pay a price for each item you order on top of that.

Royal Caribbean had recently increased the the fee to dine at Chops Grill from $25 to $30 per person earlier this year. Rita's and the Seafood Shack also changed earlier this year when they charged a $3 up-front service fee, and all items are a la carte. In addition, a 15 percent gratuity may be added to the bill.

So why the change in pricing structure?  Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Janet Diaz told Cruise Critic that, "increases bring the cover charges in line with the premium and exclusive offerings found at our specialty dining venues, which offer a high quality experience at phenomenal value.  A la carte allows guests to better customize their experience and what they would like to pay.  Rather than charging one cover charge for a person who may just want a salad and another guest who may want shrimp, there are different price points based on what a guest orders, similar to land-based restaurants." 

Diaz also mentions that the price change wasn't generating sufficient gratuities for the restaurant staff, which added to the reason to change, "We looked at what gratuity split is taken out of a typical traditional cover charge and applied a similar formula to the a la carte menus, making the necessary adjustments based on concept, service level, etc. With this system it allows to cover for the gratuity, while keeping the menu pricing at the lowest level possible."