Cagney's Steakhouse: A Steak Review

[swedish weave]

I just returned from a wonderful Christmas dinner at Norm's Restaurant. Filet Mignon (8 oz)cooked to perfection with soup, salad, baked potato hot french bread, and veggies plus a delicious brownie ala mode for dessert. Price $12.99 plus tax. It rivals the delicious filet (tenderloin) at Le Bistro on the NCL Star which I think is better than Cagney's.

 

No white tablecloth --- Just damn good food at a great price. I will stick with the restaurants in So Calif.....

 

And ------ I don't care what the cow ate !!!!

Edited December 26, 2011 by swedish weave

[FLAHAM]

The steaks and service at Peter Lugar's and Ben Benson's are excellent (and very expensive). However, the atmosphere at both leaves a lot to be desired. Neither is particularly quiet, relaxing, or pleasant. Almost no women dining at Benson's. Definitely not date-night choices. Cagney's has some decent menu choices and is just a more pleasant place to have dinner. In addition, Peter Lugar's refusal to accept credit cards is just plain annoying.

Edited December 26, 2011 by FLAHAM

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

... In addition, Peter Lugar's refusal to accept credit cards is just plain annoying.

 

I had to look that up -- yep, it must be nice to have the clout to only accept ONE card: the Peter Luger Card, for which you can fill out a credit app with them!! LINK

 

Looking at a couple of their pictures - a few tables and chairs look like they have been there since they opened (1887)!!

 

A very simple looking menu, especially when compared to Bern's (Tampa). Deciding on a steak from Bern's likely takes a couple of drinks worth of time! Check it out! LINK

 

Tom

[notmyccname]

The steaks and service at Peter Lugar's and Ben Benson's are excellent (and very expensive). However, the atmosphere at both leaves a lot to be desired. Neither is particularly quiet, relaxing, or pleasant. Almost no women dining at Benson's. Definitely not date-night choices. Cagney's has some decent menu choices and is just a more pleasant place to have dinner. In addition, Peter Lugar's refusal to accept credit cards is just plain annoying.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about. Not a date night choice? Almost no women dine there?

 

Just within the last month I witnessed actual women dining in Ben Benson's with their husbands/boyfriends or their dates, families with children, senior citizens and groups of friends/family.

Is the restaurant quiet all the time? No, but neither is any restaurant all the time since you have no idea who the other guests will be. Is the steak expensive? Yes. But you get what you pay for.

 

Peter Lugar likes to be exclusive and therefore only accepts their own credit card. It's nice when you find someone with a low number card, knowing they had it for decades. I don't see the problem with paying cash. Will someone give up the opportunity to experience one of the best meals out there, just because you have to pay in cash?

 

One of a kind or exclusive steakhouses should be experienced at least once. Only then will you realize that places such as Ruths Chris or Old Homestead are just good places for steak, not exceptional.

Cagney's is good for the price you pay. Simple as that. We didn't go in expecting anything more than a good meal. It was good, so we got our moneys worth.

 

One of the nights in Cagney's the "atmosphere" wasn't great. Tables near us were loud as the drinks were flowing and others had smaller children who were very fussy and bored. It's happens. Our meal was still good and the only thing we did differently was skip an after dinner drink in order to find a quieter bar. Not a big deal. Only once do I remember Peter Lugar being loud, but that was due to a large party we were close to.

 

The porterhouse blocked it all out when it arrived.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

 

One of a kind or exclusive steakhouses should be experienced at least once. Only then will you realize that places such as Ruths Chris or Old Homestead are just good places for steak, not exceptional.

 

Cagney's is good for the price you pay. Simple as that. We didn't go in expecting anything more than a good meal. It was good, so we got our moneys worth.

 

...

 

Good perspective.

 

Tom

[MATHA531]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Not a date night choice? Almost no women dine there?

 

Peter Lugar likes to be exclusive and therefore only accepts their own credit card. It's nice when you find someone with a low number card, knowing they had it for decades. I don't see the problem with paying cash. Will someone give up the opportunity to experience one of the best meals out there, just because you have to pay in cash?

 

quote]

 

 

Absotively, posilutely. This is the 21st century. I don't walk around with that kind of cash....besides this quarter my Chase freedom visa card is giving me 5% cash back on restaurant charges and when the quarter is over, beginning 01 January, I switch over to my American Extress card from Fidelity gives me 2% cash back.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Absotively, posilutely. This is the 21st century. I don't walk around with that kind of cash....besides this quarter my Chase freedom visa card is giving me 5% cash back on restaurant charges and when the quarter is over, beginning 01 January, I switch over to my American Extress card from Fidelity gives me 2% cash back.

 

Being a business owner myself, I can understand why those establishments who can avoid accepting credit cards (and still thrive) would do so.

 

When you come to my office and pay with a credit card - let's say $100, in a couple of days that full $100 shows up in my bank account. However, at the end of the month fees are assessed for all the cards accepted during the month. Typically it approaches 2% - thus I might only realize $98 from the transaction in the end. However, when certain cards are used (where people have extra perks such as extra cash back and bonus points) - who do you think helps foot the bill for your windfall? It's the business that accepted your card - thus that ~$98 takes another hit.

 

It's no wonder that some gas stations have separate cash and credit prices ... those percentage points (or two or three) ADD UP!! If gas is $3.00/gallon (good luck finding that), then the station might only be realizing a sale of perhaps $2.95 or so -- basically giving a nickel to the CC company for each gallon they sell.

 

OH TO BE A MIDDLEMAN LIKE THAT!! The American dream - a piece of all the action!!

 

Tom

[DKAL]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Not a date night choice? Almost no women dine there?

 

Peter Lugar likes to be exclusive and therefore only accepts their own credit card. It's nice when you find someone with a low number card, knowing they had it for decades. I don't see the problem with paying cash. Will someone give up the opportunity to experience one of the best meals out there, just because you have to pay in cash?

 

quote]

 

 

Absotively, posilutely. This is the 21st century. I don't walk around with that kind of cash....besides this quarter my Chase freedom visa card is giving me 5% cash back on restaurant charges and when the quarter is over, beginning 01 January, I switch over to my American Extress card from Fidelity gives me 2% cash back.

 

Peter Lugar is the only steakhouse mentioned that only accepts cash or their own brand credit card.

 

Ben Benson's which is our favorite, Delmonico's & Keens all accept credit cards, so feel free to save your 2% or 5% in those restaurants.

 

Getting back to Cagney's, I wonder if it were a land based restaurant, what the charges would be. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be $25 per person, so it is a good deal when you look at it that way.

[wdh]

Just returned from The Pearl. I agree with the writer...Cagney's was a HUGE Disappointment . We were disappointed in the entire cruise. From musty towels to rude server....Norwegian is not for us. :(

[DMH15]

Just returned from The Pearl. I agree with the writer...Cagney's was a HUGE Disappointment . We were disappointed in the entire cruise. From musty towels to rude server....Norwegian is not for us. :(

 

Was there nothing you liked? C'mon, surely somerhing was positive? I was not that fond of Cagney's myself, but thought Le Bistro and Il Adagio were great. Did you try any other specialty restaurant? One server was rude? How was your steward? Cruise Director? Bar Tender?

 

NCL has an awesome suite life? Did you try it?

 

My point is, every ship, itinerary and even sailing can be very different. To write off a cruise line on one sailing is unfortunate. My friends who are food critics always try a restaurant at least twice to guve the benefit of the doubt.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

... My friends who are food critics always try a restaurant at least twice to guve the benefit of the doubt.

 

LOL - then I can come to a reasonably valid conclusion (which at least satisifies me :) )that Cagney's can't do Prime Rib justice. I have tried it there on four different sailings (Sky, Epic, Pearl, Epic) and none of those times did it touch what Carnival serves in the MDR. I REALLY REALLY wanted to like it --- really I did! (Can you tell that I wanted to like it?) :D

 

Their au jus could have passed for dark tea, just to look at it.

 

I'm am pretty picky about Prime Rib - even taking my own bottle of reasonably hot horseradish on cruises with us, as most of what is served onboard could be rubbed in your eyes without concern!! :eek:

 

 

 

Tom

[halos]

Just returned from The Pearl. I agree with the writer...Cagney's was a HUGE Disappointment . We were disappointed in the entire cruise. From musty towels to rude server....Norwegian is not for us. :(

No cruise line fits-all. I'm sorry you were disappointed.

 

Was there nothing you liked? C'mon, surely somerhing was positive? I was not that fond of Cagney's myself, but thought Le Bistro and Il Adagio were great. Did you try any other specialty restaurant? One server was rude? How was your steward? Cruise Director? Bar Tender?

 

NCL has an awesome suite life? Did you try it?

 

My point is, every ship, itinerary and even sailing can be very different. To write off a cruise line on one sailing is unfortunate. My friends who are food critics always try a restaurant at least twice to guve the benefit of the doubt.

 

While I agree with you about giving any line a second chance, I also understand the poster you question.

My cruise on Royal Caribbean left me pretty unimpressed and although I won't write them off by any means, I can find no reason to book with them any time soon after that one not-so-good cruise because there are so many other options....

Besides, I don't want everyone to love NCL anyway...the prices would go up if that were the case. :p

Edited December 26, 2011 by halos

[insidecabin]

That's the insane thing...When we had breakfasts at Cagneys and my DH ordered the steak & eggs, the steak (tenderloin) he had for breakfast (probably 5 out of 7 days) was far better than any steak we got at Cagneys for dinner.

I don't get it...

 

They both come from the same full fillets, the breakfast cuts come from the thin end, the larger cuts from further up the piece.

 

Watched this last week in the meat room, forgot to ask if all the fillet on board is from the same stock.

 

I think NCL cut most of ther own steak from full joints, the only steak I have seen pre packed were T-Bone and Porterhouse but this was some years ago, when they did provision displays on a sea day.

 

I suspect as others that something has changed(probably supply) in the last couple of years, thing is the ships have to work with what they are sent.

[luckycruisers2]

We sailed on the Epic recently and LOVED Cagneys - ate there 3 nights and I had fabulous fillets each time. Everyone in our party had different items and all enjoyed their meals. The service was excellent.

 

We were disappointed in Le Bistro. My French onion soup had no taste and my duck was tough and fatty. Rest of party had similar experiences. Service was lacking also.

 

Enjoyed Le Bistro on the Pearl and Jewel - definitely inconsistency between the ships.

[johnsak123]

Ate at cagney's steakhouse on the gem for new years eve

I learned my lesson well having two previous cagney's steaks at the evening steakhouse on the jewel.

that is why I ordered the lamb chops and were satisfied. Not the best, Not the worst but all in all i think the meal was worth the price.

It was extremely crowded because it was new years eve and the waitress kept apologizing for the delay including many offers of additional appetizers etc

[travelerpair]

We ate at Cagney's in 2013 on two ships, the Star and the Dawn. Both were extremely awful. $30.00 will buy a good meal at a good restaurant in Southern California and our prices are high. We did not dine alone and everyone later admited to awful food. Do Not Waste Your Money! We should have refused to pay, but we did not want to ruin a good evening with good friends (later found out we all felt the same). Noticed alot of plates being picked up with alot of food on them.

[maremike]

just off sun-east meets west is cagney style replacement-was not good

[Ilovesailing]

Have to agree on Cagney's. We only eat in the specialty restaurants and out of 20 sum tries at Cagney's we have never had a decent steak or prime rib and have sent many back.

Now when we go we load up on shrimp cocktails and their salmon Oscar was good as well.

I seem to get a better steak out of Le Bistro.

[Poohsmommi]

I'm a little annoyed that Cagney's raised the price to $30pp, and also removed the 10 ounce filet. This restaurant is not 5-star quality by any means. More comparable to an Outback (which I do like) ... but at $30 pp and the largest filet you can get is 8 ounces, no thanks. Definitely not worth it anymore to me.