I don't know why there are so many terrible reviews for the Epic. I've cruised with Carnival and Royal Caribbean before and Epic didn't disappoint. The majority of the complaints from other reviews were debunked when I sailed the Epic.
Food: Definitely no complaints here. Food always came out hot and tasted great! The Manhattan Room and Taste have the same menus so if you want to dress down a bit then eat at Taste. Our servers were very friendly and one had a great sense of humour.
Smoking in the casino: I hate the smell of smoke and did not have a problem with passing by and playing in the casino. The only time I smelled a lot of smoke was when someone beside me was smoking.
We stayed in the Mini Suite and loved it! We didn't mind the weird bathroom layout because it allows one person to shower while the other has to use the toilet. Our steward was very friendly and always filled our ice buckets without us even asking! Also, when the shipping is docking you'll feel a lot of shaking within the room. No need for an alarm clock!