If you’re considering speciality dining on Cunard’s Queen Anne, Sir Samuel’s Steakhouse & Grill is one of the restaurants you might be wondering whether to book.

Located at the aft of the ship with wonderful views out towards the ocean, Sir Samuel’s combines the feel of a traditional steakhouse with the more refined surroundings you’d expect on Queen Anne. You’ll find prime cuts of steak at the heart of the menu, alongside seafood, fish and meat alternatives.

So, what can you expect when you eat at Sir Samuel’s? Here’s a closer look at the menu, food, portion sizes, atmosphere and service — and whether it’s worth adding to your Queen Anne dining plans.

What is Sir Samuel’s on Queen Anne?

Sir Samuel’s Steakhouse & Grill is one of Queen Anne’s speciality restaurants and is named after Cunard founder Sir Samuel Cunard.

As you might expect, steak takes centre stage. However, you don’t have to be a steak lover to eat here. The menu also includes seafood, fish and other meat dishes, alongside a good selection of starters, sides and desserts.

Cunard describes the restaurant as celebrating produce from both land and sea, with particular attention paid to the provenance of its ingredients.

Where is Sir Samuel’s on Queen Anne?

You’ll find Sir Samuel’s on Deck 10 aft.

Its position is one of the restaurant’s lovely features. Large windows give you views across the aft deck and out towards the ocean, so it can be an especially attractive place to eat during daylight hours.

Inside, you can expect an atmosphere that feels quiet, relaxed and luxurious without becoming overly formal.

If you like speciality dining to feel like a treat while still allowing you to relax and enjoy your meal, Sir Samuel’s strikes that balance particularly well.

Does Sir Samuel’s cost extra?

Yes. Sir Samuel’s is an additional-cost speciality restaurant and isn’t included as part of Queen Anne’s standard dining.

The meal featured here was eaten in July 2024, and as prices can change, rather than giving you an old price that may no longer apply, it’s best to check My Cunard for the cost on your particular sailing.

That will also allow you to see availability and make a reservation before you travel.

What is on the Sir Samuel’s menu?

If you’re expecting a classic steakhouse menu, you won’t be disappointed.

There’s a substantial choice of steaks, but you’ll also find seafood, fish and other dishes, so you don’t necessarily have to order beef to enjoy Sir Samuel’s.

The example menus below are from Queen Anne in July 2024, so they’re particularly useful for giving you an idea of the style and range of food available. Menus, dishes and supplements can change between sailings.

The choice of sides is also extensive, which means you can build your main course around the things you actually fancy rather than receiving a predetermined accompaniment with your steak.

What is the food actually like at Sir Samuel’s?

This is where Sir Samuel’s really impressed.

Everything served during our lunch was hot, delicious and generously portioned. This wasn’t speciality dining where beautifully presented food arrives in tiny portions — you can expect a substantial meal.

Between two people, we were also able to try several different parts of the menu.

The bread

Before your starters arrive, warm bread is brought to the table with butter. It’s a simple start to the meal, the bread was beautifully soft and warm.

Sir Samuel’s Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

One of the starters was the Sir Samuel’s Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, served with Cajun tartare sauce and lime.

If you enjoy seafood, this is a lovely way to begin your meal. The portion was generous for a starter, arrived properly hot and was beautifully presented.

Grilled Asparagus

Another starter was the grilled asparagus with crispy poached hen’s egg and smoked hollandaise.

It’s also a good example of the variety available. Despite Sir Samuel’s being a steakhouse, you’ll find choices on the menu beyond steak and seafood.

What are the steaks like at Sir Samuel’s?

If you’re coming to Sir Samuel’s specifically for steak, this is probably the section you’re most interested in.

We both chose the 10oz (300g) Aberdeen Black, Queensland, 120-day grain-fed MSA grade sirloin, cooked medium.

The steak was the standout dish of the meal.

It was melt-in-the-mouth good — beautifully tender, served hot and cooked exactly as requested.

The menu makes a feature of where the beef comes from and how it has been produced, rather than simply giving you a list of cuts. That adds to the feeling that steak really is the main event here.

What sides can you order with your steak?

Your steak can be accompanied by a selection of classic steakhouse sides, so you can choose exactly how substantial you want your meal to be.

For our lunch, the table included:

• Tenderstem broccoli
• Creamed spinach
• Beer-battered onion rings
• Sweet potato fries, with a portion each

This is one occasion when arriving hungry is probably a good idea!

The generous portions continued with the sides, and having several on the table meant you could mix and match different accompaniments throughout the meal.

Save some room for dessert

And then there are the desserts.

Two very different options were the sherry trifle and New York-style baked vanilla cheesecake.

Sherry Trifle

If you’re imagining a tiny, delicate restaurant portion of trifle, think again.

The presentation alone makes this one memorable. Served in a large glass dish, it feels suitably indulgent after a steakhouse lunch and certainly isn’t a token mouthful of dessert.

New York-style Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

The New York-style baked vanilla cheesecake was another beautifully presented option, served with fresh berries.

If a huge trifle after steak sounds slightly ambitious, the cheesecake might look like the more restrained choice — although by this stage of the meal, you’re unlikely to be going hungry!

What is the atmosphere like at Sir Samuel’s?

Sir Samuel’s manages to feel special without feeling stuffy.

You can expect a quiet, relaxed and luxurious environment, which works particularly well if you’d like a slower meal away from some of the busier dining areas around the ship.

The location helps enormously too.

Those views across the aft deck and out over the ocean provide a lovely backdrop, particularly if you visit for lunch and can enjoy them in daylight.

What is the service like?

Service during our visit was welcoming, friendly and efficient.

That efficiency didn’t translate into feeling hurried. Instead, courses arrived at a comfortable pace and the whole experience remained relaxed.

Good service can make a considerable difference when you’re paying extra for speciality dining, and here it complemented the food and surroundings beautifully.

Do you need to book Sir Samuel’s?

If Sir Samuel’s is high on your Queen Anne wish list, booking in advance is sensible.

You can use My Cunard before your cruise to look at dining availability and the price applicable to your sailing.

It also means one less thing to organise once you’re on board — particularly useful on a shorter cruise when you only have a limited number of lunches and dinners available.

Is Sir Samuel’s on Queen Anne worth it?

If you enjoy steak and would like to have at least one speciality meal during your Queen Anne cruise, Sir Samuel’s is certainly worth considering.

You don’t need to book speciality restaurants to eat well on Queen Anne. There are included dining options elsewhere on the ship, so paying extra for Sir Samuel’s should be about wanting a different experience rather than feeling that you have to.

What you get is a quiet and luxurious setting, excellent aft views, friendly service, generous portions and a menu that allows you to create a proper steakhouse meal.

Most importantly, the food delivered.

Everything we tried was hot and delicious, but that exceptionally tender, melt-in-the-mouth sirloin was the highlight.

If you’re already looking at the Sir Samuel’s menu wondering whether you should make a reservation for your Queen Anne cruise, I’d be very tempted to say yes — and arrive hungry.

This visit to Sir Samuel’s took place aboard Queen Anne in July 2024. Menus, prices, dishes and dining arrangements can change, so check My Cunard for the latest information for your sailing.