Our last night on board we had reservations for Chops Grille, the steakhouse offering.  We have eaten at Chops at least once on every cruise since 2012.  And if I am being completely honest, its hit or miss.  When it’s good, it’s REALLY good.  But its not always good.  So how was the Mariner?  Let’s See!!

Since we have been here multiple times and the menu hasn’t changed recently, we ordered our favorites…

Grilled Black Pepper Bacon.  If you like bacon, this is always good.

Forest Mushroom Soup.  I generally go back and forth between this one and the Three Cheese Roasted Onion Soup.  Both are really good.

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad.  We love this one!!

Next up…Entrees.  So no big surprise here…we both got steak.  I mean, its a steakhouse for heaven’s sake!  Plus, the real reason to eat at Chops is the sauces!!!  You can choose from Bearnaise, au Poivre and Bordelaise and they are all pretty fantastic…but for me, there is only one…

A medium rare Filet drowned in Bearnaise!!!  It’s almost embarrassing how much sauce I ask for, but those awesome waiters at Chops just keep it coming!  Not everyone is quite as gluttonous with their sauces…

But I guess if you are getting a 20 oz. Porterhouse, you really don’t need the extra sauce to be a glutton!!  But hey…we are on vacation, we certainly can’t eat like this every day!!

The sides are served family style and honestly, I usually don’t eat any because I am so full but I do still have some favorites.

So the fries are really just there in case there is some Bearnaise left after my steak.  I can’t let that go to waste!  The Gruyere Tater Tots are super yummy though!  Some other favorites are the creamed spinach, the roasted mushrooms and the salt jacket baked potato, if your in the mood!

By the time dessert rolls around I am so full I can barely move.  I am not a big dessert fan anyway, so it is super easy for me to skip this all together.  I do, however have a Haute & Steamy…caffeine!  That’s what I need!

It is a super yummy layered coffee drink, with vanilla vodka.

And some ice cream and berries…You know ice cream doesn’t fill you up…it just fills in all the cracks and crevices in your stomach.  At least that is what my BIL tells me!

So after a thoroughly satisfying meal at Chop’s, it was time to pack our stuff for disembarking in the morning.  Always the saddest day of the cruise!

As I said in the beginning, Chop’s Grille can be hit or miss depending on the ship.  On the Mariner of the Seas, it was certainly a hit.  I may not have raved about it like I did the other two dinners…that’s what comes with a comfortable familiarity I guess.  The other two restaurants were new and shiny.  Chop’s ended our trip like an old friend telling us: “See you soon.  I’ll be here when you get back.”

And when will I get back?  Actually in January I will be repeating this trip.  This time with the other kid.  I haven’t decided if I will do all of the same restaurants…but we will see.

But before that, I have a 14 day Journey’s Cruise in September, a trip to Universal Studios for Halloween Horror Nights, a solo cruise (my first solo) over Thanksgiving, and a big 21st Birthday/New Years Eve cruise to experience.  Plenty to come!  Hope you’ll stay with me!