David’s Steakhouse on Carnival Pride Review With Menus

Are you planning a special dinner at David’s Steakhouse on the Carnival Pride? Find out what’s on the menu and what the experience is like at this specialty restaurant.

During my solo cruise on the Carnival Pride, I wasn’t originally planning to eat at David’s Steakhouse. Mr. SBC and I love checking out the various specialty dining restaurants when we cruise together—especially the steakhouses.

But since I was cruising by myself this time, I had decided to skip this for-a-fee dining venue. I thought it would be too fancy to eat in alone!

I had requested set dining in the main dining room for the week, and that was fine with me. Carnival usually seats solo cruisers together, so I knew I’d at least have some dinner companions.

But one of my new MDR buddies had a complimentary dinner for two at the steakhouse (with a free bottle of wine!) as part of his casino-comped cruise. He offered to take one of us with him, and the group decided it should be me so I could write about it. Not one to turn down a free steak dinner (or wine), I agreed and soon found myself dining in the nicest restaurant on the ship.

Here’s my honest opinion about our dinner at David’s Steakhouse. I’ve also included everything you need to know to enjoy your meal—the complete menu and wine list, what’s included in the reservation fee, and what’s not. And of course which menu items we loved and what to stay away from!

Be sure to also check out my FAQ at the bottom of the page, where I answer the most commonly asked questions about this specialty restaurant on Carnival Pride.

The ambiance at David’s Steakhouse

As soon as you ascend the glass staircase to the restaurant on deck 10 you’ll immediately notice two things (at least I sure did!)

First, the glass-domed ceiling bathes the entire restaurant and its surroundings in an ethereal rose-colored light.

I didn’t put a filter on the picture below—that’s really what it looks like.

I originally thought that the restaurant designers just installed pink glass in the ceiling to give the restaurant a romantic glow. But a few days later while getting some exercise on the Sports deck, I discovered the real reason.

Carnival ships all have the iconic “whale tail” funnel, making their vessels very easy to identify. But Carnival Pride’s whale tail—like that of other Spirit-class ships—features a base made from panes of ruby-red glass.

The base of the whale tail actually creates the glass-domed ceiling of the steakhouse! Pretty creative, I think.

The second thing I noticed as I approached the restaurant is the massive statue of David. This reproduction of Michelangelo’s masterpiece now sports a fig leaf (several years ago Carnival creatively covered up some of the nudes on the Renaissance-themed ship).

Much like the rest of the ship, the restaurant has an Italian Renaissance theme, with that period’s classical revival elements including Ionic columns and windows designed after ancient Roman temples.

The restaurant’s walls feature reproduction oil paintings atop lattice paneling, a pattern echoed in the carpeting. It might seem a bit over-the-top compared to the sedate atmosphere of many steakhouses—but the Pride is a unique ship. The vessel is known for its ostentatious décor, so David’s Steakhouse fits right in.

The wine list at David’s Steakhouse

Perusing the wine list, I was impressed by the selection on the four-page menu. I love wine (but I’m by no means a wine expert), and there seemed to be something for everyone’s taste and budget from a $28 bottle of Chilean chardonnay (Santa Helena) to the $105 red Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

However, the selection of wines served by-the-glass is fairly limited, and range in price from $8 to $13.50 per pour.

I’ve provided the complete wine list for David’s Steakhouse below:

The menu at David’s Steakhouse

David’s Steakhouse menu is the same as the other steakhouse menus across Carnival’s fleet, including Fahrenheit 555.

Starters include:

• Iced and smoked fresh oysters
• Stuffed mushrooms
• Bone marrow and hand-cut beef tartare
• Heritage Berkshire pork belly
• Jumbo shrimp cocktail
• Risotto
• Tuna Tartare
• Maine lobster bisque
• Baked onion soup
• Classic Caesar salad
• Baby leaf spinach and fresh mushroom salad
• Young lettuce salad

Entrées at David’s Steakhouse include:

• USDA Prime New York strip loin steak (14 oz)
• USDA Prime cowboy steak (18 oz)
• Australian Wagyu
• Spice-rubbed USDA Prime ribeye
• Broiled filet mignon (9 oz)
• Surf & turf (lobster and filet)
• Grilled lamb chops
• Farm chicken
• Broiled lobster tail
• Colossal shrimp
• Dover sole

You can also choose a sauce to accompany any of the entrées:

• Three mustard
• BBQ
• Béarnaise
• Red wine
• Chimichurri

Tip: Order several sides for the table—they’re served family-style so everyone can share!

Side dishes at David’s Steakhouse include:

• Baked potatoes with trimmings
• Sautéed medley of fresh mushrooms
• Garlic rapini
• Yukon Gold mash with wasabi horseradish
• Onion rings
• Mac n’ cheese
• French fries with bourbon-smoked paprika

Dessert selections include:

• Chocolate sphere with pear confit and praline pâté
• Cheesecake with hazelnut biscuit
• Art at Your Table (read on to find out all about it!)
• Fresh fruit (in-season selection)
• Selection of homemade sherbet and ice cream
• Selection of cheeses

The non-alcoholic drink menu at the restaurant is rather small, including:

• Freshly-brewed coffee
• Sodas
• Selection of teas from The Art of Tea
• Specialty coffee drinks

Just like in the main dining rooms, soft drinks do come with an added charge, with the exception of tap water, hot tea, and drip coffee.

Tip: If you have the CHEERS! Beverage Package, you can order large bottles of water at no additional charge in all specialty restaurants and in the MDR.

Adult beverages (outside of the wine list) include:

• Mochatini – $10.95 (Grey Goose, Bodega Nero Chocolate Liqueur, espresso)
• Ultimate XO (Grey Goose, Chilla ‘Orchata, Patrón XO Café)
• 555° – $11.50 (Starr Rum, pineapple chipotle syrup, orange juice, fresh lime juice, Beso del Sol Sangría)
• Watermelon Martini – $10.95 (Belvedere Vodka, fresh watermelon, watermelon syrup, fresh lime juice)
• Seven Seas – $10.50 (Barcardí Limón, Patrón Citronage, white cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, Blue Curaçao)
• 555 Sidecar – $10.50 (Rémy Martin 1738, Grand Marnier, fresh lemon juice, sugar rim)
• Hendrick’s & Tonic – $9.95 (Hendrick’s Gin, cucumber, coriander, Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic)

Our meal at David’s Steakhouse on the Carnival Pride

Ordering wine

I had the task of selecting a bottle of wine for the table (which I love doing), but I had an extra-special challenge this evening.

Our complimentary bottle of wine could be anything up to $40, which was easy enough with the selection available. But! My new friend wasn’t a wine drinker and didn’t think he liked wine at all.

One evening in the MDR he had turned to me as I sipped my sauv blanc and said, in all seriousness, “Do white wines and red wines really taste all that different?”

I knew it would be a challenge to choose a bottle that we’d both enjoy, so I settled on the Domaine Ste-Michelle Brut Rosé, a Columbia Valley blush sparkling wine. It’s definitely not the wine a sommelier would choose to accompany a steak dinner, but I had a feeling it would be light and refreshing, just right for someone who “doesn’t like wine”.

But when the bar runner appeared with just a carafe of wine and poured a serving into one white wine glass and then another into a Champagne flute, I was perplexed. Flagging down our waitress, she apologized and removed the glasses, promising to come right back with our bottle.

She returned with a bottle as promised, but then had no idea how to open it! Service at the restaurant wasn’t the top-notch experience you’ll usually find in cruise ship specialty restaurants. But this was just a couple of months after the cruise restart, and I know a lot of the crew members were brand new to their roles.

The sparkling wine was delicious, though. My friend and I each had three small glasses, so I think it was a hit!

Before dinner and starters

A server quickly brought us bread and butter—a croissant-like dinner roll accompanied by basil butter as well as a pat of plain butter. The roll was flaky and buttery, and especially delicious with a schmear of basil butter—yum!

Next was the amuse-bouche, seared salmon wrapped around a savory ice cream. David’s Steakhouse makes their own ice cream, and the flavor was amazing.

We both ordered the same starter, the Tuna Tartare, and were excited to try it. With a yuzu sphere “egg yolk” atop a crispy bird’s nest of shredded phyllo, the appetizer was almost too pretty to eat!

The dish tasted like ceviche crossed with the fresh flavors of tabbouleh. This appetizer is served in all of Carnival’s steakhouse restaurants, and I’ll absolutely order this again on my next sailing!

My friend also ordered a Caesar salad, prepared tableside. I enjoy the artistry of tableside preparation, so I was surprised that the dressing was pre-made.

The main courses

When I’m at a steakhouse I nearly always order a petite filet mignon, medium-rare. But when I spied the Australian Wagyu entrée, I knew I had to try it.

What a mistake! Wagyu is known for being tender and flavorful, but this steak (despite being cooked to a perfect medium-rare) was tough and flavorless.

On earlier iterations of Carnival’s new steakhouse menu, the Wagyu was listed as A-5 Wagyu, 10 oz Flat Iron. But the option on the current menu only specified Australian Wagyu, with no hint of the cut, quality, or even the size.

Could I have sent it back and asked for a different steak? Of course. But I was ravenous, so I decided to chew my way through half of it.

My friend ordered the Ribeye—an 18 oz. spice-rubbed USDA Prime center cut steak. He raved over its flavor, tenderness, and especially the seared crust. We traded a bite of each steak, and I agreed the ribeye was wonderful (and he agreed that my Wagyu was awful).

We each ordered a side dish of the Yukon Gold Mash with Wasabi Horseradish, and it was tasty—not too much horseradish but just enough for a little kick.

I liked how the sides arrived in mini cast-iron cocottes and not right on our dinner plates. Next time I’ll remember to order a few different sides for the table to share.

Dessert and after dinner drinks

As we still had plenty of our sparkling wine left, we skipped trying any of the after-dinner drinks.

But we definitely weren’t going to skip dessert! One of our tablemates at the MDR had dinner at David’s Steakhouse a couple of days prior. She raved about the presentation of the dessert called “Art at Your Table”—though she warned us that it was an absolute sugar bomb.

My friend was going to order this special dessert so we could see what all the fuss was about, and I was torn between the cheesecake and the chocolate sphere. But when I started to order our server stopped me, explaining that Art at Your Table is for two people.

As the dessert artist approached our table with an enormous chilled serving board, I realized just how large this confection was going to be. The board took up half the table!

We watched as he dolloped sweet sauces on the platter in swoops, starbursts, and whimsical dot patterns. Then he artfully spread a multitude of sweet treats on the board—colorful jujubes, meringue poufs, chocolate truffles, and Turkish delight—finishing with a white chocolate sphere.

Cracking open the shell, he revealed a decadent chocolate cake smothered in ganache with ice cream on top.

If you have a sweet tooth, this dessert is a must-try experience after your steakhouse meal.

Tip: If you don’t have room for dessert, order something portable—like a slice of cheesecake or a fruit or cheese plate to go. You’ll thank yourself the next day when you open your stateroom fridge to find a yummy steakhouse treat!

How much is dinner at David’s Steakhouse?

Dinner at David’s Steakhouse on the Carnival Pride costs $38 per person. This includes an appetizer, salad, entrée, side, and dessert. Alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water, and specialty coffees are extra.

Kids are welcome at the restaurant, and the reservation fee per child age 11 and under is $12. Children’s menus are available, with selections including mac and cheese, chicken with fries or onion rings, and of course a kid-sized steak!

Gratuities are included in the reservation fee, although you can always add more for excellent service.

Learn more: Tipping on a Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities

Is there a charge if you order more food at the steakhouse?

Frequent Carnival cruisers know that portion sizes in the main dining rooms are really small. I don’t have a huge appetite, but I regularly order more than one starter because I know I’ll be starving if I don’t!

But portion sizes at David’s—like at all of Carnival’s specialty restaurants—are much more generous. That said, you’re welcome to order more than one starter or side dish without an additional charge.

What should you wear to David’s Steakhouse?

Like all steakhouses on Carnival ships, the dress code will be the same as in the Main Dining Room for that evening—either Cruise Casual or Cruise Elegant.

For women, Carnival suggests casual dresses, skirts, pants, capris, or nice jeans for Cruise Casual nights. For Cruise Elegant, you can wear a cocktail dress, pantsuit, elegant skirt and top, or an evening gown.

Men’s suggestions for Cruise Casual include dress pants, chinos, nice jeans, and collared sport shirts. For Cruise Elegant, Carnival recommends dress pants and shirts with a sports coat (suggested), or a suit and tie or tuxedo.

Shorts and flip-flops aren’t allowed in the steakhouse, even on casual evenings.

Is David’s Steakhouse worth the money?

Based on my experience, I think David’s Steakhouse is absolutely worth every penny. Even with the service hiccups and my not-so-great Australian Wagyu, enjoying a steakhouse dining experience like this for only $38 is a steal.

I know some cruisers avoid all specialty dining restaurants that come with an upcharge, since there are plenty of complimentary dining venues that also serve excellent food.

But considering that a similar meal at an upscale steakhouse on land is going to cost you at least $100 (or much more in major cities), this small splurge is an excellent value.

Want to save some money at the steakhouse? There’s usually a wine special on embarkation day as well as on day two of your cruise. You can choose a free bottle of house red or white wine or a 50% discount on any premium bottle with dinner.

I have another Carnival Pride cruise booked for autumn 2022, and I’m planning to make a steakhouse reservation (and I’m ordering the ribeye!). I’m hoping by then the service issues will be worked out, and I’ll update this post with any differences I notice.

More resources for your Carnival Pride cruise

• Carnival Pride Fun Times Transatlantic Journeys Cruise
• Ultimate Guide to Room Service on Carnival Cruise Line (With Menus)
• Carnival Cruise Line Drink Packages: The Ultimate Guide
• Faster to the Fun: The Ultimate Guide to Carnival’s Skip-the-Line Pass
• How to Get Onboard Credit for Owning Carnival Stock

David’s Steakhouse FAQ

Have you dined at David’s Steakhouse on the Carnival Pride? Or do you have an upcoming Carnival Pride cruise? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!