This Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas Review is 10 years in the making. Having sailed with Royal Caribbean numerous times, we somehow never once dined at this specialty restaurant. Perhaps it was the ubiquitousness of the venue or the pricey cover charge.

But, we are glad we finally decided to try this restaurant.

Exterior of Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas

Looking to make our 7 year wedding anniversary special, we booked Chops Grille on night 2, traditionally formal night. With pre-reserved tickets to CATS in the main theater, we were going to have an elegant dinner to begin the memorable evening.

Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas Review

The Restaurant

This specialty restaurant currently has an up-charge of $42 on Oasis of the Seas. You can make reservations prior to your cruise using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean’s website. Or, you can also make reservations onboard, but prime dinner times do fill up quickly. Chops Grille was open every night of our cruise from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. On the last sea day, there was also a special lunch for $35, which included a backstage galley tour along with an abridged three course lunch menu.

Chops Grille on Oasis of the Seas is located on deck 8 in Central Park. The decor inside is comprised of dark wood with gold and red accents and plush velvet seating. It has a slightly retro and metro vibe, like a New York steakhouse, complete with an open kitchen. We were seated near the kitchen, and it was non-stop action the entire time we were at the restaurant. When we arrived for our 6pm reservation, the restaurant was already busy, but by the time we left, there was not an empty table in the house.

Inside Chops Grille on Oasis of the Seas

Chops Grille on Oasis of the Seas also offers outdoor seating. If you enjoy al fresco dining, then you should consider a later reservation here where you can spend your dinner time admiring the nighttime views of Central Park.

Central Park at Night

The Food

The dinner menu contains your usual selections of meats and seafood. Yes, there was one chicken dish for the Princess. There are also additional entrees available for an up-charge including the dry-age steaks and a Maine lobster. Given the price we paid already, adding upwards of $21 more for these offerings seemed a bit expensive to us. Included in the flat fee is one entree and as many starters, sides, and desserts as we wanted. If you are dying to eat more, you can order a second entree for $10.

Chops Grille Menu

You can’t go wrong when the waiter brings over an entire loaf of freshly baked bread with whipped butter to start off the dining experience. While the main dining room has an array of bread selections, the crunchy crust and warm doughy center of the bread at Chops Grille wins hands down.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Getting Dinner Started Right

With the Ultimate Beverage Package, we also ordered a few cocktails. With no specialty cocktail menu, we just ordered our usual pre-dinner drinks. It seemed like our waiter had to leave the restaurant to get the drinks. Perhaps he went to the Trellis Bar to get our libations? Either way, there was a slight delay, but he eventually returned with my Manhattan and the wife’s Cosmo.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Going with our Regular Drinks

Starting with apps, I ordered a few of course. The first of them was the Dungess Crab and Shrimp Cake. Chocked full of seafood and light on breading, this dense cake was fresher than the similar offering in the main dining room.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Starter #1 For Me

Next out of the kitchen was the colossal shrimp cocktail. Need I say more? These giant shrimp were cool and crisp. The accompanying sauces were difficult to access given the shape of the containers, but that was fine as I prefer the taste of shrimp with little embellishment anyway.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Starter #2

Lastly, I had to try the grilled black peppercorn bacon. I mean, what about those four words doesn’t make your mouth water? I found it quite flavorful, even if it was equally unhealthy. The Princess also ordered this appetizer, but she was not as impressed with it.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Third and Final Starter

Luckily, the Princess also ordered the goat cheese salad. She found the combination of flavors to be satisfying; at least she was one for two so far. I was batting a thousand with my choices so far at Chops Grille on Oasis of the Seas.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review- Goat Cheese Salad

For entrees, I went with the grilled Filet Mignon, cooked medium. Finally, a steak on a cruise ship that was actually cooked to order. It was tender, without an ounce of fat, and was lightly seasoned. The “homemade steak sauce” was not memorable, but that was okay because I like my food plain and simple anyway. A juicy, well cooked steak needs no accompaniment in my opinion. Hands down, this was the best steak I have ever had on a cruise ship.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Filet

Being a picky eater, the Princess went with the only poultry on the menu, the roasted organic chicken breast. Served as a French cut of chicken with a light glaze, it met her expectations. After all, there is not much you can do to roasted chicken.

Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas Review – The Only Chicken Dish

We ordered three sides to go along with our meals, as if we needed any more food. The wife chose the creamed corn and the garlic mashed potatoes, and I chose the creamed spinach. The mashed potatoes were a step above those served elsewhere on the ship but only had a slight hint of garlic. The creamed corn was pretty standard, and the creamed spinach was my favorite of the selections.

Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas Review – Some of the Side Dishes

Of course, we still found room for a few desserts. The dessert menu offers some interesting choices. The Princess went with the mud pie. The chocolatey combination, with vanilla ice cream, satisfied the wife, but I preferred my dessert.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – Wife’s Dessert

I got the red velvet cake. While not usually a big fan, I am happy I ordered it. The cake was moist, and the cream cheese frosting was rich and sweet adding a nice layer of flavor to the dessert.

Chops Grill Oasis of the Seas Review – DB’s Dessert

Having experienced Chops Grille for the first time on Oasis of the Seas, we are sure to eat at this restaurant again. While we do find it a bit pricey at the current rate, the food, service, and atmosphere of this specialty restaurant make the occasional indulgence a good investment. For special occasions or a break from the main dining room, Chops Grille provided us with the experience we were expecting given the rave reviews from fellow cruisers. After experiencing the restaurant first hand, we can confirm that this is one venue worth paying for on a cruise.

Comments

Have you eaten at Chops Grille Oasis of the Seas? Perhaps you prefer a different specialty restaurant on the ship? Drop us an anchor below to share your foodie stories from cruising with Royal Caribbean.