Ruth Chris Steakhouse?

[MHopkins2]

Has anyone ever eaten at a Ruth Chris Steakhouse? My aunt wants to eat there (offsite - sacrilege! ) instead of Narcoosee's, and I wanted to get some first-hand reviews if possible....

 

[MikeWazowski]

You can go to a Ruth's Chris in almost every major city. I've eaten at the Orlando, Louisville and Toronto Ruth's Chris.

All were excellent, but would pass them up for Shula's in an instant. Meals are very similiar with almost the same portions, sides, and desserts.

I'm not saying RC's is not good, but it only takes one trip to Shula's to taste the difference.

 

[MHopkins2]

Mike, that's *exactly* what I'm trying to explain to my aunt. But she isn't biting - she's heard from a friend (and no offense, but her friends tend to be little old ladies who would faint at the thought of eating a steak anyway) that she should go, so now she's "on a mission." It's a good thing I love her!!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

True, you can go to a Ruths Chris in most any major city, but if you have to suffer thru it with your aunt I wouldn't worry too much. Ruths Chris is excellent.

Never been to Shula's, but I imagine with RC and Shula's it is like the difference between 1000 thread count sheets and 1200 thread count sheets. Both are so far and above what you will sleep on (or eat) anywhere else that you can't go wrong.

 

[Ti2gerrr]

I agree with Mike, I would skip Ruth's Chris. For us we don't go to resturants that we have at home when we are traveling. As far as a review, I havn't been to Ruth's Chris is several years. We have several places for steaks in town that we like better.

Sorry to hear you may have to miss Narcoosees.

 

[MikeWazowski]

It don't matter if you pick Shula's, Ruth's Chris, or Narcoosees you won't be disappointed. Each have great food, great service, and real nice atmospheres.

If this was my Aunt, I would bite the bullet and go to Ruth's Chris. She'll be able to brag about it to all of her friends.

Enjoy

 

[MHopkins2]

True, you can go to a Ruths Chris in most any major city, but if you have to suffer thru it with your aunt I wouldn't worry too much.

LOL - yeah, DK, spoiled rotten little girl, aren't I?

 

[Eyesnur]

I'm in a minority here but I believe Ruth Chris to be superior to Shula's...Which is a chain also, btw...

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well--if she must go to Ruths Chris--she must go.
I'm not much on that place--went to the one in Baltimore once, and had an absolutely awful Filet.
Mortons and Shulas are both superior.

 

[DisneyKidds]

LOL - yeah, DK, spoiled rotten little girl, aren't I?

Yup, sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in life .

Here is a very key question when it comes to these kinds of steakhouses. How do they prepare their lobster? Really, it is an important question - if you are a surf and turf kind of person. Lobster MUST be steamed. At Mortons you have to practically twist their arm to steam the lobster, and if they are too busy they won't do it . Anyone know what they do at Shula's?

Ahh, the perfect meal - a nice filet or big T-Bone (filet and strip in the same steak- hard to beat ), and a two pound lobster on the side (to share of course). Can you tell it is lunch time?

Another note - Ruth's Chris has some very good non steak items, and the wine list has some very good REASONABLE wines.

 

[*Flower*]

I thought that the Porterhouse had the filet and strip on the bone.

I could be wrong.........

 

[justhat]

Ruth's Chris Steakhouses are by far the best anywhere. I have eaten at both in NJ, Baltimore, the original one in New Orleans, Phoenix, and a few others and have never had a bad piece of meat. For those of you who have had bad experiences, definitely go back and I think you'll change your mind. I'm not even a big meat eater and I love Ruth's Chris. It is always served perfectly how you ordered it and the meat comes out on a sizzling plate, lightly glazed in butter. So even if your meat in undercooked, you can literally grill it right on your plate! Their side dishes (spinach au gratin, garlic mashed potatoes, etc.) are delicious also so be sure to get some of those to share (they're big portions). We went to Shula's at the Dolphin, and the one in DC where we live, and the steaks were good, but nowhere near as good as Ruth's Chris. So if you do eat there, you'll have a great dining experience.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I thought that the Porterhouse had the filet and strip on the bone.

The T-Bone and Porterhouse both have a bone in strip and a filet. The Porterhouse (aka King of the T-Bones) also has a piece of tenderloin. Mmmmmm................

 

[gonga]

I have eaten at Ruth Chris's here in NY. I have to be honest and tell you that it was the worst steak I have ever had in my life. We know a little about steak houses, living in NY we have Peter Luger's, Mortons, Burton & Doyle, The Palm... I could go on forever and we have been to all.....you get the picture.

I had to preface that so you know that I am not kidding when I tell you that my steak tasted like liver and was floating in butter. I had a sirloin and my husband had filet. His also tasted like liver and was swimming in a ton of butter. I was very disappointed, as it was my birthday dinner AND it was so discusting. High priced liver tasting garbage. I didn't even take leftovers home for my dog!


If you are looking for a grilled thick steak, the kind with grill marks and crispy edges, then do not waste your money. The steak is cooked in a "special oven" on an iron plate in tons of butter, not grilled or broiled as you would expect. The steak never browns but kind of braises in the butter and stays brownish -gray. The sides are nothing special, but typical and certainly not worth the money as like all steak houses everything is a la carte. I foudn the creamed spinach too heavy and "green" tasting - the sweet potato fries were very greasy. Shrimp cocktail very disappointing.


If there was a "smilie" of a yellow guy throwing up - I would use it on this post - its that bad.

 

[justhat]

If you do go, you can request no butter, extra butter, or lightly buttered. I haven't asked for any of these as the regular amount of butter is just fine. I've hardly noticed it on the plate and you definitely don't taste it. My fiancé usually gets extra butter and I really can't tell the difference. Our steaks, as I mentioned before, have always tasted great, prepared perfectly, and were never bad pieces of meat (I always get a petite filet and others in our party get filets or t-bones). I really think a bad experience was a fluke as I eat there often and have never had a bad steak or side dish. Also, their desserts are great, flourless chocolate cake and the sour cream cheesecake especially. Since I live in northern NJ part of the year, I too have eaten at Peter Luger's, Morton's, The Palm, etc. I was not impressed at all with The Palm and actually had rotten OJ, a wilted salad, and my uncle was actually sick after eating there. This was at the one in NYC and I tried it again in both DC and Puerto Rico and though I did not get any rotten food, it still was not that tasty. So you guys should definitely go back and give it another chance, and remember you can ask for no butter!

 

[DisneyKidds]

High priced liver tasting garbage. I didn't even take leftovers home for my dog!

Wow. So not my experience with Ruth's Chris. I have been to the Ruth's Chris in Manhatten, Tarrytown (NY), Philadelphia, Atlanta and Tampa. All very good. I've been to numerous Morton's, a few Palms, local NY premium steakhouses like Ben Benson's and the place where what's his name the mob guy got whacked (was that Smith and Wollenski's?), local Atltanta premium steakhouses like Bones, as well as a host of other lesser known (but very good) places............etc., etc.

Not that I doubt that gonga had a bad experience. They can happen anywhere. However, such an experience is not the norm for Ruth's Chris, at least not in my experience. Ruth's Chris has always compared favorably and has been on par with these other places.

 

[MHopkins2]

It is always served perfectly how you ordered it and the meat comes out on a sizzling plate, lightly glazed in butter. So even if your meat in undercooked, you can literally grill it right on your plate!

I'm really glad you mentioned this! If we go, I will make sure to request that my steak NOT be brought out this way. I like my meat very, very, VERY rare, so that still-cooking plate thing would be bad for me.

True story: I was eating at a Lone Star once, and a friend of mine was our waiter. Knowing my rare preferences, he had the busboy bring out a steak that had been cooked for about 10 seconds per side. I was 1/4 of the way through it, LOVING it, when my friend came over horrified, saying, "Dude! That was a joke! You're eating it that way???" LOL. I showed him!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'm really glad you mentioned this! If we go, I will make sure to request that my steak NOT be brought out this way.

That is your perogative, but completely unnecessary, IMHO. Your steak will come out exactly how you want it (or they will rectify the situation). With regard to 'literally grilling it right on the plate', yeah, I suppose when the steak first comes out you could literally cut small pieces off, press it to the plate, and cook that piece a little more. However, what the plate really does is keep your steak warm while you eat it, without changing the 'doneness' (is that a word ) of the steak. I hate it when my steak gets cold - and that doesn't happen so much at RC.

Enjoy, however you have them bring it out.

 

[justhat]

Yes, DisneyKidds is correct. The plate will not continue cooking your food. What I meant was that the plate is literally sizzling (they tell you the exact temp when they bring your steak) when it arrives at the table. On one visit my 4 year old cousin (who does not like to see any red in her meat at all, since she doesn't realize 'steak' is an animal) ordered a petite filet and it came out slightly pink in the center (we wanted it well done, but not butterflied). Well, she didn't like it this way so after we cut it in half, we turned the middle of the steak face down on the plate and it instantly browned the meat. Regular cutting/eating of the steak will not cause this to happen. My mother only eats her steak very rare as well (and tells them in advance that if it's not rare she can't eat it) and she has never had a problem at Ruth's Chris, which is not the case in every steakhouse we've been too. The Palm and Sam and Harry's both overcooked her steak, which Ruth's Chris has not. Also, we've eaten at Ruth's Chris many times (at least once a month for the past few years) as it's my fiancé's favorite restaurant and I have honestly never had a bad piece of meat, compared to my 2 visits to the DC Smith and Wollensky, where I received a very fatty filet the 2nd time. Over half of it was inedible (1st time I had a fish). And yes, Ruth's Chris makes a tasty lobster too, steamed and very tender.

 

[MHopkins2]

Gotcha. I was thinking it was like the "sizzling platter" thing one of my local restaurants uses for their filet, which actually does continue to cook your steak while you eat it. Sounds like this is a different story.