I had a great time on NCL’s EPIC Cruise Ship and thoroughly enjoyed most of the food. Although, if I were you, I’d stay away from the room service pizza.
We also ate at off-port restaurants like Mezcalitos (Cozumel, Mexico), Señor Iguanas (Cozumel), Mamasitas (Costa Maya, Mexico), and even Burger King (Cozumel).
Dining Aboard the Norwegian EPIC
This Norwegian EPIC Cruise content was initially spread out among five pages, but I’ve compiled it all here in one place; that way, there are plenty of pictures to enjoy!
Cagney’s Steakhouse
I haven’t been on many cruises, but hitting up a steakhouse while on a cruise was a first for me. We got to Cagney’s Steakhouse relatively early, so we were able to snag a great view.
All of the steaks are premium black angus beef. The options are as follows: Ribeye (16-ounce), Petite Filet Mignon (5-ounce), Filet Mignon (8-ounce), and New York Strip (12-ounce). There are a couple of seafood plates as well.
After perusing the Cagney’s Steakhouse Menu, Marcela ordered her New York Strip, cooked medium well with a side of housemade steak sauce and truffle fries. I mean, it could have been worse if she had asked for well.
She loved every bit of the New York Strip and her truffle fries. I sneaked a bite of the steak and a few fries when she wasn’t looking.
My 8oz Filet Mignon came medium rare with a side of béarnaise sauce, and truffle mashed potatoes. After that first cut, the juices began to seep out. It was an exciting time.
The filet was cooked perfectly, and it left my plate looking like a murder scene. The kitchen must have taken one look at me and loaded up my mashed potatoes with butter. I’m not big on the whole truffle thing, but I’m a mashed potato-o-holic, so these were right up my alley.
Leave Room for Dessert
The original plan was to share one dessert, but we couldn’t agree on a choice. She chose the Creme Brûlée, while I stayed loyal to my McDonald’s roots and ordered the Apple Crumble.
Her fancy-schmancy Creme Brûlée came with a florentine crisp and a chocolate twist. Do you know, how do I know, that she loved it? She didn’t offer up a bite.
Please don’t feel bad for me cause I returned the flavor. The apple crumble came with a giant ball of vanilla bean ice cream. Shareable? Yes. Did I share? Nope, it was too good.
I’d say we’re off to a great start, except that we ate at Cagney’s Steakhouse on the last night of the cruise. However, Cagney’s is a must if you end up on the EPIC!
La Cucina
O’ Sheehan’s Bar and Grill
O’Sheehan’s is on the Norwegian Ship EPIC. It’s open 24 hours a day and has a neighborhood tavern feel. All the food served here falls into the comfort food category, aka my favorite zone. Eating here is free.
While you might associate that it’s free with the likelihood that it’s horrible, you’d be wrong. I ate here multiple times, and the food was pretty good.
Let’s run down the different dishes I had over the seven times I ate here. The hot wings were not the best nor the largest I’ve had, but they did the job nicely.
The sauce made up for the flavor that the wings lacked. The sauce was fantastic; there was not much heat, and I’m pretty sure some blue cheese worked into it.
I ordered a side of the hot sauce to dip my fries a few visits later.
The chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks were of the packaged warehouse chain variety; now, that doesn’t make them horrible, just passable. But, hey, at least the fish and chips were pretty tasty.
The burger was better than average. The bacon was good, and the shoestring fries were okay. Order the chips instead of the fries because they’re the thicker-cut fries and not chips at all.
My favorite dish at O’Sheehan’s was the chicken sandwich. It featured a grilled chicken breast on a toasted buttery bun topped with a slightly spicy mayo sauce.
After having had the burger the first two times and the chicken the third time, I became a chicken convert. So, I would highly suggest this as your go-to sandwich on the EPIC.
Teppanyaki
Onshore Restaurant Dining
Burger King in Cozumel, Mexico
Read more about my visit to Burger King in Cozumel and the Cheesy Whopper.
Mezcalito’s in Cozumel, Mexico
Two years ago, when I came to Cozumel, a sign outside Mezcalito’s said, “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” So, I’m going out on a limb here and assume this is a reference to the Jimmy Buffet song.
There is now a Jimmy Buffet restaurant in Cozumel, and the sign from Mezcalito’s is gone, so make of that what you will. It’s located right off the beach and decorated with t-shirts all over the ceiling (there isn’t much wall space since it’s open-air) and signs.
It’s a very relaxed environment here, and I could envision most folks spending an entire afternoon here enjoying the view, breeze, food, and drinks.
Is Everything Delicious?
I’m looking over their fancy laminated menu and read the proclamation, “Everything is Delicious!!” Really? In that case, I’ll have the Gilligan Cheeseburger!
The bartender referred to it by that name, yet it was not reflected on the menu unless the term Gilligan Burger was a code word to the kitchen. And to wash it down? Of course, it’s a refreshing ice-cold Mexican Coke, except here, it’s just a Coke.
The cheeseburger is topped with manchego cheese. If you’re a cheese fan and have never encountered it, I suggest you seek it out. It’s made from sheep’s milk and is creamy and intense (in a good way).
The burger was nicely seared and retained its moistness even though the beef patty was cooked slightly more than I would have liked. The bun was toasted, which, of course, is always a good thing.
This guy was about half a pound of deliciousness. The fries were just the regular stuff you’d expect to get anywhere, and no, I didn’t eat the lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Sit Back and Relax
If you’re looking for a non-touristy area of Cozumel to sit back, relax, and enjoy the breeze, then this is the place for you. Just a reminder: the menu says, “Everything is Delicious!!” (I can confirm the burger is); it’s time for you to try the tacos, and then let me know!
Mezcalito’s is open daily from about 9:00 AM until dusk.
Señor Iguanas in Cozumel, Mexico
My sister was shopping for who knows what on the north end of Cozumel’s east coast a few years ago. But unfortunately, it left us zero time to stop and eat.
When we arrived in Cozumel for this visit, this area was at the top of my must-visit locations. On this corner of the island, there are two restaurants, Señor Iguanas and Mezcalitos, and a couple of shops.
It is not a tourist spot in Cozumel, so you will need to hire a taxi. We hit up Señor Iguanas first, so we pulled up a couple of high chairs to their bar area and asked the dude behind the counter, “Which beer should we have?”
We asked in Spanish, although he did speak some English. He suggested Cerveza Barrilito.
Cerveza Barrilito was refreshing on this warm afternoon and made much better by the breeze from the beach area.
Chicken and Tortilla Chips FTW
I ordered their chicken tacos, which, oddly enough, were flour tortillas; I would have expected corn.
The tortillas were doubled, and the abundant chicken wasn’t skimped on. The moist chicken was cut into chunks and seasoned with lime.
The sides on the plate were beans and fresh guacamole. Marcela loved the beans and the guac, but I never tried them.
My focus was on the fresh tortilla chips and pico de gallo that came first. We probably could have sat there for hours just having chips and beers. But, while we didn’t, we’re ready for the next time.
Make time in your schedule for Señor Iguanas if you’re ever in Cozumel.
Mamasita’s in Costa Maya, Mexico
Mamasita’s Taqueria was the only food stop we made during our brief visit to Costa Maya. Unfortunately, it was a tourist trap, and we knew it the minute we sat down and looked at the shiny menu.
Mamasita’s Taqueria is located right at the port of Costa Maya. We paid a man to take us deep into the city, and then we were stopped at a checkpoint.
After checking out what local spots there were, I decided it might be safer to eat at the port (for sanitary reasons).
Once upon a time, Mamasita’s Taqueria and its sister restaurants Bandito’s Lobster House, Sandpiper Terrasta, and Chico’s Paradise had locations in Roatan, Honduras, and Belize.
I was eating in a cookie-cutter chain restaurant while on vacation, yet I was okay with that. All I felt like doing was sitting back in my chair and enjoying a meal with my family.
In retrospect, though, I probably should have taken my chances with the other grub.
And Now For Some Food Pics
of cheese & chicken served with guacamole, sour cream, and fresh salsa.
Recipe for Mamasitas Chicken
I had this recipe saved from the Mamasita’s website in 2010, right around the time we visited. Unfortunately, based on all of the intel I’ve gathered, all their restaurants closed early to mid-2011.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 dash of hot pepper sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced