Carnival Mardi Gras - Restaurants & Dining

Mardi Gras® sets sail with Emeril Lagasse's first-ever restaurant at sea: Emeril's Bistro 1396™. Everybody knows about Emeril's love for Creole cuisine, and now you'll enjoy the authentic bayou flavors and fun New Orleans is known for on your vacation. If you haven't had the pleasure, we're talking about fried oysters, duck & sausage gumbo, po-boy sandwiches, fresh ceviche and more. We're serving up Emeril's faves all day… and because flavors this big don't just sleep in, we do some great ones for breakfast too! Raw bar, incredible desserts and Crescent City atmosphere round out the experience.

At Cucina del Capitano® on Mardi Gras®, who you’ve got gathered around the table is truly as important as what’s being served there. At our table you’ll enjoy delicious Italian favorites — we serve them family-style because we know that sharing large plates and sharing tales of your day’s adventures goes hand-in-hand. Speaking of which, our walls are adorned with old snapshots from our officers’ family albums, proving that the rustic Italian-farmhouse atmosphere definitely isn’t for show.

Tip: Great news! Your first meal at Cucina del Capitano is on the house… and additional visits are just $8.

So maybe you’ve had sushi before, but have you tried it at Bonsai Sushi™? This is Carnival’s onboard seafood-and-soy-sauce spot, and we think you’ll enjoy our latest location, aboard Mardi Gras®. Dine indoors or out amidst carefully-pruned bonsai trees, while enjoying a delectable menu with sit-down service. Rounding out the meal: soups, sides, sakes and desserts. So the next time you’re taking a stroll down the onboard promenade, stop at Bonsai Sushi for a roll, a box or maybe order a whole sushi ship — seaborne satisfaction for two.

It’s a meal, a performance, and it’s definitely unforgettable. The Bonsai Teppanyaki™ experience is set to delight guests aboard Mardi Gras®. Take a little time out of vacation to sit down to a selection of tempting appetizers, before your chef prepares the main course featuring selections of meats, tofu, fish, shrimp or lobster… right at your table. In the teppanyaki tradition — and Carnival’s tradition of fun — expect an interactive, satisfying meal full of surprise and delicious delight.

BlueIguana Cantina is Mardi Gras’s onboard taco-and-burrito place, featuring freshly-made Mexican faves. Because BlueIguana is all about you, we’ll make it with the ingredients you choose — tell us which meat, veggies, rice and beans you’re in the mood for — and then we’ll hand it over to you for the finishing touches. Here, that means a detour to the salsa bar to fire it up... or if you’re not feeling the heat, that’s cool too. Any way you dress it, expect a meal that’s suited up to satisfy.

When Shaq tells you to build a chicken joint on board, you start warming up immediately. The big guy brings his poultry know-how and good taste to the seas with Big Chicken™ on Mardi Gras®. Just like Shaq’s a multitalented entertainer, his restaurant is no one-trick chick. Step up to the counter for lunch or dinner and walk away with your choice of chicken sandwiches, crispy chicken strips or juicy fried chicken baskets... plus side dishes like potato salad and jalapeño slaw. Early-morning buzzer-beaters are invited to enjoy a breakfast of classics like chicken biscuits, a three-cheese omelet or our biscuit/egg combo featuring bacon or sausage. Snoozers are invited, too — breakfast is served until 3!

On Carnival ships, the captain tends to be kind of a big deal — almost a celebrity. On select ships, they’ve even got their own pizza spot. The best news? Pizzeria del Capitano is open morning, noon, and late into the evening… and you’re invited. And since our captains tend to be Italian, you know we’re talking primo ingredients. We start with hand-tossed dough, made from imported Italian flour, and add fresh mozzarella to form a solid base. Then there's a choice of toppings, to put the finishing touches on this piping hot, fresh-from-the-oven mealtime — or snacktime — classic. (Also, try our caesar salad — buono, capisce?) 

Piazza Panini can be found on Deck 8.

“Hey, which side does the fork go on?” is a question you’ll never have to ask at a dining room dinner aboard a Carnival cruise… we set the table for you. We also bring to the table a full three courses in an experience that’s satisfying, not stuffy — after all, you’re just as likely to catch waiters table-dancing as you are to order dessert.

The menu is amazing — and included in your cruise fare! — with fan-favorite Carnival cornerstones now being joined by innovative selections from Emeril Lagasse and our chefs. New choices like Pappardelle with Braised Lamb, Coffee Glazed Roast Duck and Hawaiian Shrimp Poke are sure to please, to be honest… almost every palate. That’s why Carnival’s new vegan dining room menu is so important to making sure everyone finds food they love. Look for plant-based options like Baked Vegetable Au Gratin, Eggplant Cutlet a la Parmigiana — and even modified versions of Hawaiian Salmon Poke and Spaghetti Carbonara! Our chefs always work to accommodate dietary needs, but this menu puts delicious choices front-and-center.

Tip: When you book, choose Early Dining or Late Dining for reserved seating nightly, or go with Your Time Dining to chow whenever the clock strikes “hungry.”

DINING ROOM BREAKFAST

If looking forward to the whole day of fun that’s ahead isn’t enough to make an early riser out of you, we have something else that’s sure to do the trick. Join us for breakfast in the main dining room and sit down to the kind of menu that might make you want to start things off a little slow. Order up some eggs any way you like them… even benedict- or omelet-style with your choice of filling. Get pancakes, waffles or french toast hot off the griddle — each comes with a surprising and delicious flavour twist like vanilla, pecan or salted caramel. There’s breakfast standards like oatmeal, granola and a generous selection of fresh fruits and cereals. Add crispy bacon, awesome sausage — which is actually the only kind — or ham to any dish… or go for more of a curated flavour with a selection of breakfast entrees, including some lighter choices.

If you’re thinking that’s all nice, but who has time for all this… you do! The very first item on the menu is a plate that kicks your day off with an express selection of all the classics.

STEAKHOUSE SELECTIONS

Whoever said you can’t always get what you want certainly never said it on a Carnival cruise. Odds are that something from our steakhouse sounds good — filet mignon, New York Strip, lobster or surf & turf — and you know what? Now you can get these signature steakhouse dishes on your plate anytime you’re enjoying dinner in our lively main dining room. Whether you’re with friends, have the kids in tow or are just in the mood for something different in a familiar setting, you’ll find great options on your dining room menu.

So here's the problem: you're having an amazing fun time on your cruise and a craving strikes. You need pizza! Your options are: 1) let the craving go, 2) put the fun on hold to go get a slice, 3) pull out your phone and snap a selfie — and now one's on its way! If you're wondering when you became a wizard, may we remind you that you actually used the Carnival Hub app? Any time of day, or night, pick your toppings, tell us where on the ship you’re hanging out and, optionally, take a selfie to help the delivery folks find you. (Delivery’s just $5 per pie… and the pizzas are always free!) Wow, you look hungry — we'll get a fresh one on its way to you, ASAP(izza)!

Maybe you take your coffee straight-up, or perhaps you prefer your pick-me-up with an upgrade. From the simply caffeinated to the simply sublime, nothing satisfies your coffee craving like JavaBlue™ Café, featuring fun twists on the hot and cold drinks you enjoy. While the coffee is the main event here, there’s more to JavaBlue — enjoy the baked treats we like to call “comfort snacks”… which you’ll call “delicious!”

Treat your taste buds to the experience of a lifetime, culminating in a sumptuous multicourse dinner hosted by the Master Executive Chef. Your VIP experience starts with a champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres for a select group of 12-16, followed by a tour to see the galley in operation. The evening concludes with a mind-blowing full-service dinner of amazing appetizers, entrées and desserts not found on our regular dining menus.

Tip: Reserve early because this once-in-a-lifetime experience has limited seating. Reservations can be made online after booking your cruise.

Featuring an amazing variety of casual dining spots, each just a few flip-flopped steps from the last, Lido Marketplace always has a special something ready to satisfy your latest craving spectacularly. Here we do it with dozens of what-to-eat options... great choices like BBQ, a deli counter, salad bar, an Asian station and a pasta bar... plus one spot where the chef serves up a different surprise daily! At Lido Marketplace, there’s tons of indoor and outdoor seating made for gathering around, so you can enjoy your personal faves in your favorite company for lunch or dinner, or even breakfast! Lido’s also where you can find soft serve, frozen yogurt and fresh pizza... which so far seems to be enough to satisfy everybody.

A good seafood dish… mmm, quite the catch. However you like yours — roll, bowl or platter — Seafood Shack™ is Mardi Gras's place for you to cast your net. Imagine a seaside spot in New England, where the locals gather for great meals served with a bit of a breeze and a lot of a view. (That said, nowhere on land will you get 360-degree ocean views like ours!) Look to Seafood Shack for rustic favorites like Crab Cake Sliders, Lobster BLT, Fried Buffalo Shrimp, Snow Crab and more. Steer a course for Mardi Gras®... that’s where you’ll find this little shack by the sea, wherever in the world you happen to be!

Rudi’s Seagrill™ is the brainchild of cookbook author and master chef Rudi Sodamin. He has years of experience pleasing palates of vacationers… and this guy loves serving up a smile as much as Carnival does! But he’s serious about seafood, and an evening at Rudi’s proves it through the courses. Enjoy selections like seafood bisque and crab-stuffed lobster tail imperial — all served with an elegant flair that pays proper tribute to the beauty of the ocean from which so much fun, and flavor, arises.

Some of the world’s favorite flavors aren’t found in restaurants, but on the street in trucks, stalls and carts where flavor, convenience... and quality matter. That’s right, when you’re just feet from the chef, you know they’re cooking to impress! Street Eats is Carnival’s tribute to this food phenomenon, debuting aboard Mardi Gras® with three ever-changing open-air stations. The first, Steam Dream, specializes in the steamiest stuff this side of the spa, featuring favorites like bao buns and pot stickers. Then there’s Mad Sizzle, which puts the “skill” in skillet with the likes of kebab and satay. And we’re definitely not about to forget Time Fries, which serves up every cruiser’s dream: fries loaded up with culinary creations from our chefs, like cheesesteak fries! On Mardi Gras you may be far from the street, but flavor’s right around the corner.

You’ll detect some delicious Chinese and Mexican culinary traditions in the atmosphere at Chibang!™, our new restaurant… but even more importantly, you’ll notice them on your plate! We’ve brought together favorite dishes from the two cuisines, into an amazing menu that invites you to spread your culinary wings across the Pacific. Try a little from each side by mixing, matching and sharing in a dinner of flavor explorations. (Plus cocktails made from authentic ingredients!) Or stop in to Chibang! for a casual lunch that features noodle and burrito bowls based on our favorite ingredients from both of these worlds.

Tip: Great news! Your first meal at Chibang! is on the house… and additional visits are just $8.

Forget what “they” say — the most important meal of the day is brunch. Slumberers can sleep in and still enjoy breakfast favorites, while early-risers get a head-start on lunch. And Seaday Brunch brings everybody’s favorite mid-morning meal to your Carnival cruise, and does it right. You’ll enjoy huevos rancheros, special french toast, loaded mac-n-cheese… and yes, more ways to cook eggs than we even thought was possible. Chow down and fuel up — you’ve got lots of exploring to do, across the ship, for the rest of the day.

You know how, in the world of Dr. Seuss®, things can get… perhaps a bit wonderfully backwards or upside down? Well, the mischievous Thing 1 and Thing 2 are having a birthday party at sea — on your cruise — but in typical Seuss style they’ll actually be celebrating YOU. That’s right! Whether your birthday is near, was last week, or even last year, we want to celebrate your uniqueness at Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast!

You’re going to find that special spirit all throughout the party, so get ready to celebrate as you enjoy unforgettable interactions with the stars of Dr. Seuss, fun music… and let’s not forget the delicious menu with great selections for kids and adults. It’s packed with dishes that are as fun to say as they are to eat, like One Berry, Two Berry, Strawberry And Peach Waffles; Who-Ville Red Velvet French Toast; and of course: Do You Like Green Eggs And Ham? This meal is proof: it is fun to have yums, but you have to know how! 

Got room for dessert? Sure you do! Swirls™ lets you enjoy the sweeter side of brain freeze with a treat that’ll have you smiling from ear to ear. Choose from chocolate, vanilla or strawberry… or make your own mix swirled as high as you can balance it. Open on Lido deck until midnight, our frozen yogurt and soft-serve ice cream is a sweet way to beat the heat, plus makes the perfect nightcap after a long evening of fun.

So you're in the mood for some good eats, but you’d rather stay in your comfy, cozy stateroom? Really, who could blame you? Simply pick up the phone and order something tasty from our extensive room service menus. And since you get hungry when you get hungry, room service is available any time of the day (or night), and it’s always delivered right to your door.

Tip: There’s a menu of yummy breakfast selections we’ll bring you, completely free!