If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girlfriends. Orson Welles dating notes: Ruth Chris - suggested for birthday's, anniversaries, Valentines Day, going all out on that important first date... Ambience: Very classy white tablecloth place. Great place to take a date and watch the sun setting into the sea. Very attentive friendly service Food notes: The complimentary sourdough bread is excellent when hot and fresh. Nice crunch to the crust and smooth creamy inside with a delicious sourdough flavor. The filet mignon served on a 400F plate is hot as the waiter warned. Excellent quality Prime dry aged beef. Cooked medium well as requested the beef was tender and had excellent flavor. It's one of the best steaks I've had. The shrimp. Excellent fresh, tender, and flavorful. The perfect accompaniment with the filet mignon. :-) The french vanilla ice cream was sourced from Hagaan Daaz. Liked the thick rich vanilla flavor. Additional tips: Close the night out with the chocolate sin cake. Super rich. Pure chocolate. Girls love chocolate. Short drive to the beach for romantic walk at dusk.
(5)
Troy A.
Arriving at this Ruth's Chris location is somewhat puzzling. The location is not appealing at all. You might drive right by the place, because it's not easily visible from the street. For the record this wasn't my choice to come here. I've tried Ruth's Chris enough to know what to expect. For dinner I went with the Ruth's Classic. For my entree I chose Salmon with creamy spinach. Although the Salmon was tasty they use way to much butter. Overall dinner wasn't bad, but the location is mind boggling. Our server Lynn was great.
(3)
Chance S.
Came on Monday night for our anniversary! We got seated right away there was valet.. Great customer service awesome cowboy ribeye and mushroom
(5)
Dave K.
Service at this Ruth's Chris is disorganized. After 20 minutes of waiting at our table no one had taken our drink order. We were just starting to get up to leave when one of the two disorganized waiters responsible for our table arrived to take the drink order. I wish we had just left. The service wasn't just bad, it was bizarre to the point it felt like we were in a TV sitcom. At a place serving $50 steaks I expected service as least as attentive as Denny's, but that was not the case. There were many ancillary helpers but no one seemed to be in charge so there were flurries of activity -- yet no one thought to take our drink orders until we had been sitting, waiting patiently, for 20 minutes! I was also surprised to see the place to be chock full of children. This Ruth's Chris would definitely not be a suitable place to have a business dinner. I had the NY strip which was generally very good but not nearly as good as the NY strip I had at the Ruth's Chris in Palm Springs where last week I had perhaps the best steak I'd ever eaten and service was spot on. I did not expect the Carmel Valley location to be so substandard. There's just never an excuse for such wacky, poor service. And it's disappointing to look forward to a pleasant experience only to have extremely poor service ruin it. This place has an excellent, revenue-generating location. Perhaps they don't feel the need to provide acceptable service. Avoid! There are far better steakhouses in San Diego.
(3)
Kellie N.
Had one of the best dinners here at Ruth Chris. Reserved a table for 4, came in and everything was already set and ready for our table. While the hostess was walking us to our table each and every employee that walked by greeted us, first time where we felt so respected by the employees. Place is beautiful inside and out. The only thing I have to warn you though is the price here is a tad bit expensive but I have to say everything was so worth every penny. Started off with some appetizers; The Spicy Lobster would have to be my favorite. Simple. Juicy. Delicious. We also got stuffed mushrooms and calamari, both were out of this world! The steak was extremely tender, juicy and flavorful. As for the desserts... S P E E C H L E S S! Ordered New York cheesecake, Chocolate Explosion, and Banana Creme Pie. Man oh man, all 3 dessert dishes were incredible! Best desserts I have ever tasted! When my cravings come crawling back up I might just stop by for just the desserts! I must dedicate a second paragraph to the wonderful service we received from our server Adam. He was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable about the various items on the menu, not just that but he was very pleasant and enthusiastic, made us laugh several times and joked around with us which made our experience there 10x better! All in all, I really enjoyed my experience at Ruth Chris, I am sure that you can dine well here if you are looking for a place that adds some class but also delivers the food and service on the scale of "you get what you pay for." Service was the best, and every bite was worth each penny
(5)
valerie m.
Just the best bar service. Lovin Bubba. They've got the cocktails down, fantastic happy hour. Prepare for a line at the door prior to opening. It's nuts. The lobster fritte think fried calamari is so yummy. About 5 chunks of battered and fried lobster served with a nice aioli. The steak sandy is giant and the girls loved theirs. I split a burger with a friend which was cooked perfectly. It was much smaller than the bun though. Scricha on the side of course. Cosmos, vodka presses, Jameson, ahi tuna sliced perfectly and perfectly seared with soy. Not a huge HH menu but a variety of nice choices and a great atmosphere. The best service.
(5)
Kimmy Y.
One of my favorite restaurants!! I always make it a point to come during restaurant week (it's definitely on the pricy side without the aid of restaurant week). The food and service here is always more than satisfactory. They also have an amazing happy hour from 4:30-7 depending on location. It's called $7 Sizzle, Swizzle & Swirl Menu. Everything on their happy hour menu is $7. I recommend the skewers, seared ahi, and steak sandwich.
(5)
John G.
Sometimes a server can make a good meal great. Ruth's is always dependable for a good meal. The calamari and crab cakes are good appetizers. My salmon was cooked perfectly. The meal was special because of Buba. He usually manages the bar area but we had a big group and needed a more quite area. He moved us and still saw to our orders. His suggestions, conversation, and enthusiasm energized our enjoyment of our meal.
(4)
Daniel P.
Absolutely AMAZING!!! My GF made a reservation for my 36 birthday and when we got to the restaurant the table was decorated with my name and sparkly things :) I had my own birthday menu with my name printed on it. (It's the little things that matter to me) We had Marco as our waiter and he was phenomenal!!!! He was attentive, informative and full of grace. Marco knew the menu backwards and forwards and had great recommendations for both of us; he also came by the table when we were halfway thru our filets and surprised us with 2 plates fresh out of the oven 500 degrees and re-placed our steaks on them which gave them a fresh sizzle!!! Absolutely awesome. If you have the opportunity to make a reservation here you will be missing out if you don't sit in Marco's section..... 5 STARS
(5)
Ryan G.
We have a family tradition of going to Ruth's Chris for all of the extended family members' birthdays, which are scattered throughout the year. Every single time, they mess up every order. The menu is "as is" if you try to make any changes, modifications, exclusions, adds, the order will be wrong. It is the waiter's/waitress's responsibility to make sure the kitchen followed the order. Not just assume they did. The food is good, when they finally get it right, which is probably why we continue to go back, but I think I'm over it. Too many other good restaurants with better service.
(1)
Faye L.
SIZZLE, SWIZZLE, SWIRL $7 Happy Hour Menu... Did you know they had a Happy Hour here at there Del Mar location ? *I* sure didn't until very recently. MON-Fri 4:30p-6:30p. Not sure why yelp has this place opening at 5p. They open at 4:30p - note that so you can take advantage of their HH deal. The bar area was 100% full by 5:15p. It was probably 90% women too (single guys out there *rejoice*...single women out there *boooo*). They have valet parking which is a bit deceptive because it makes you think that's the ONLY parking option for this restaurant. BUT, it is NOT. When you first pull in, there's a self park section before you head down (to the front of the restaurant). So use that instead of paying for valet. HH Drink Menu (This is their Swizzle and Swirl part of the Happy Hour ) : Not a bad selection of cocktails for $7 (normally priced b/w $10-12). I was curious to see how good these drinks could be. Classic Cosmo Pomegranate Martini Ruth's Manhattan Blueberry Mojito Rocks Rita select wine & beer We tried: - Blueberry Mojito $7 (normally $12): Bacardi Rum, freshly squeezed lime juice, muddled blueberries and Mint Leaves Oh man. Words cannot describe how I loved this drink so (dang...why can't I say this about a guy). The drink was incredibly refreshing and beautiful. I could taste the fresh blueberries (some left whole and not muddled). I'm a huge fan of fresh mint as well so this mojito was truly a delight for me. The portion size was alright ( the drink had a tad too much ice) but hey, it's happy hour. Easily the best cocktail I've had in 2014 (well, granted I haven't exactly had many cocktails this year). - Snap Dragon Cabernet $7 Donovan , our awesome bartender, was honest and said the red wine offered during HH isn't *the* best per se BUT it gets the job done ( all three of us were laughing so hard at that statement). Happy Hour food $7 ( The Sizzle part of their HH ): Prime Burger with Fries Tenderloin Skewer Salad Crab BLT with Zucchini Fries Spruce PointTM Smoked Salmon Steak Sandwich with Fries Seared Ahi Tuna Spicy Lobster * Just noticed it's 7 items, all $7 bucks. They should title their HH that instead of Sizzle, Swizzle, Swirl. * We tried: - Steak Sandwich with Fries (normally $13) The sandwich was alright. The steak ( 6oz filet portion making this a nice HH deal) was prepared nicely but it was a bit chewy. Usually I'm a lover of bearnaise sauce but their version was a bit strange to me. Bearnaise typically has butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, herbs, egg yolks. But their bearnaise just tasted muddled and unappetizing that night. - Spicy Lobster $7 (normally $18) Of course I had to get this because it was the most expensive normally priced item on the HH menu (see what a good thinker I am when ordering...taps finger to temple)... I'm not sure if they use real lobster in this dish. I thought at first it was langostino versus actual lobster. But now, thinking about it, I'm not really quite sure. This dish tasted like Honey Walnut shrimp with the creamy white glaze over the fried crustaceans on the plate. It was a bit spicy and tasted alright. But, it was mostly batter I tasted in each bite versus actual 'lobster'. It was served piping hot which was appreciated as the batter was crunchy at first. The pickled cucumber on the side was terribly limp and tasted a bit too sour for me. - Crab BLT with zucchini fries $7 (normally $13) This is actually just crab meat with no fillers served between two slices of garlic bread. The bread was yummy as all heck but the crab meat tasted a bit 'fishy' to me. Bummer b/c good fresh crab meat is AMAZING. There's bacon in this sandwich but it was lost in the crab (which should be a good thing if the crab was fresh that day). Service was attentive and the bar area was still bustling with lots of people by the time we were done. Friend and I both agreed that the happy hour food was just 'shrug-alright'. I felt disappointed b/c I wanted to show her how good Ruth's Chris could be compared to her beloved Donovan's Steakhouse in LJ. She said she felt the Happy Hour at Donovan's was better than Ruth's Chris (I swear it's b/c Donovan's hands out free prime rib sliders but you gotta stalk them like a hawk for those things). We had a nice night but I don't think we'd come back for the food. I still stand by their Blueberry Mojito though - that was definitely the best thing from that night.
(3)
K t.
This is usually my go to steakhouse but something was off tonight. I don't know if it was because it was busy or what. We had a party of 3. Our server was great. I ordered the meal that had the 3 courses for $55. My other 2 friends ordered a la carte. Both of their steaks were way over cooked- I mean not like it was slightly, it was 2 degrees overcooked. The birthday girl eats at a lot of steakhouses and she wasn't impressed with her rib eye at all that she only ate a few bites. The other girl requested med rare and the steak was not even pink at all! Of course they corrected it but it was a surprise that a high quality Steakhouse would mess up on this. The cream of spinach was on the cold side and the asparagus side was way over cooked. Again, usually the food comes out on point but today was off.
(3)
Nikkie N.
Great atmosphere, felt it was a little too dark for dining. Entrees were prepared to perfection, service was excellent and staff was friendly & fast. I will visit again and refer family & friends.
(5)
Joe D.
Solid meal. I made everyone get the cowboy ribeye. Gotta go big here to get the better cuts of meat. Sides were great too. Steak was sizzling for a long time. I ate way to much but every bite was delicious. Service was awesome as expected. Only weird thing about this place is the $8 valet when there is parking right there. For $400 bucks valet should be free.
(5)
Lauren C.
I came here for a graduation dinner on a Sunday night.. I probably never would have went to this place if it weren't for that... But anyways.. This place lives up to their prices, reputation, and their restaurant name. Trust me, if you're coming here, plan on having an empty stomach, a loaded wallet, and a big ol' hunk of steak! Our table got a TON of stuff, so I'll just give y'all the run down: Appetizers: Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes- very good, two large crab cakes, nice and crispy on the outside. Spicy Lobster- marinated in who knows what, this spicy lobster was served with cucumber vinaigrette, and SO AMAZING. Shrimp Remoulade- EXCELLENT shrimp with some crazy amazing sauce. Sides: Asparagus- 8-10 spears served with a hollandaise... so-so, nothing amazing Lobster Mac and Cheese- 5 star mac and cheese! Just get it. Potatoes Au Gratin- Not too crispy, and not too soft... just RIGHT! very tasty Shoestring Fries- eh.. nothing crazy.. served with ketchup, it's just shoestring fries! Creamed Spinach- YUMMY! If Popeye's could have this spinach, he'd stop with those silly cans Sauteed Mushrooms- great to go with your steak! For the steaks, they're served on 500 DEGREE hot plates, topped with some butter (I asked for extra!!) and that's it. So you definitely wanna get some sides to fill you up! As far as cuts go, it's a personal preference! Go at it as you please :) Service was impeccable. I mean, there was 17 of us, and we had two lead servers and a dozen waiting on us. It was so great!
(4)
Catherine C.
The best au gratin potatoes ever! Ambiance and high quality food , for me the best part are the sides. I'm not a huge red meat fan, but this place was unbelievably good.
(5)
Michelle O.
Absolutely one of my favorite steak houses. Everything literally melts in your mouth. But what food wouldn't smothered with that butter goodness? Came to this location for a drug sponsored dinner event. Ordered the petite fillet medium. It was cooked to perfection. But careful cause when they serve their steaks that plate is 500 degrees hot! These steaks are made to eat right away. So if you stay too busy talking to friends your steak will very well become well done sitting on that plate. The sides go wonderfully with the steak. Had the mashed potatoes and spinach. All accompanied well with my glass of cab. Also had room for a few bites of their decadent chocolate cake. Gotta say the meal tasted extra special when it's free. Thanks aztra Zeneca!
(5)
Matthew S.
Impeccable all around. This is the best location in San Diego.
(5)
Cat C.
Disappointing. Went here with my husband to celebrate our 10th anniversary on Saturday. Filet had gristle and not just a little. The pieces without tasted good. Potatoes Au Gratin were dry. Lobster were going on rubbery. The worst part is how long we waited when we were done before the waiter came back to check on us I would say 15 minutes plus. We have eaten at Ruth's Chris in different parts of the country and it was always a good experience.
(2)
Maria C.
Damn has it been 3 years since I've been to this RC location? We came in for Happy Hour 430-630p. They have a several specials for $7. What a steal!!! The bar area is very small, so you either get there right at 430p or you get lucky. We were lucky and ended up at a nice cozy table. There are a couple TVs to watch the games, so I though that was pretty cool. The ambiance is pretty dim as some people were using their cell phones as a flashlight. The noise level is pretty loud so you have to raise you voice when conversing. We opted to order the following: -Comp warm bread and soft butter: MMMMM -Pomegranate Martini: Pretty strong. Wow, I got buzzed... -Blueberry Mojito: The better of the drinks. Sweet and refreshing. I'll have to get this next time. -Spicy Lobster: Portion was small. 8 little pieces. Kinda tastes like honey walnut shrimp. Not spicy but does have a little kick. One of the popular appys. -Prime Burger with Fries: I ordered my meat med rare and with Swiss. The fries are julienne fries and I ordered them well done. Portion was big and you can share it with 2 people. Very tasty. -Steak sandwich with Fries: The sandwich bread is actually garlic bread, but it's just too much bread. Eat the meat! Our service was great. Although our drinks took a while to get since it was so busy. What I appreciated is that our server was very attentive and so were the rest of the staff that floated around clearing our table and refilling our waters. What I didn't appreciate is that the manager only made rounds to tables of people he knew (regulars, I'm assuming). I watched him go to 3 tables in a row and inadvertently skipped our table the 2 other tables next to us. DUDE, be consistent. What kind of customer service is that?! Nonetheless, happy hour is a great deal here and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Note: Valet is $6, but if you get there early enough you can park on the top level of the structure for free (visitor parking).
(5)
Vanity T.
Omg I just love the stuffed chicken its EVERYTHING great service great people that work here just love them even tho I order same meal lol #MustHave twice a month
(5)
Nathan M.
The customer service is amazing. Their servers are top notch. They're experts with their menu and know exactly what compliments what dish. My mom is quite fond of the manager Bob, and he always seems to have the time to stop by our table and say hello. If your planning on a dinner to celebrate, he's the place to do it. They'll make the preparations for your anniversary, birthday, promotion or what have you. They'll wen toss in some confetti and a dessert. All you have to do is ask. Cheers
(5)
Germain L.
I don't really give 5 Stars unless they really deserve the credit ... That in mind I want to tell you guys about this restaurant, me and my wife went to celebrate our 10th anniversary.....WOW this guys went above and beyond on making this day extra special everyone had congratulated us and made my wife feel extra special. Personalized Menu that said "Happy 10th Anniversary" Rose pedals, little pieces of confetti that said Happy anniversary well you guys get the point, the fact of the matter is that this guys will take care of you for everything FOOD WAS AMAZING, desert looked and tasted really good. Hoped this helps!
(5)
Lyndsie C.
Just left dinner that should have been lovely as it's Valentines day. Our server which I believe her name is Rebecca or something, wasn't nice, she really lacked professionalism in the restaurant industry. When you dine in a 5 star restaurant and pay a nice check you should be treated greatly by the server. What a shame that we left unhappy. We will think twice about where we dine for a special occasion. I gave it a few stars because we have been to this location several times and enjoyed our time very much when we served by an outstanding server named Lynn. They need more like him who care about their job and costumers.
(3)
Kimberly M.
Absolutely stellar! From the atmosphere to the service to the food, everything here is top notch. One of my favorite places to eat in San Diego. Their wine list is extensive but they make a mean house margarita here, too. I simply have to get their seared ahi appetizer here everytime they come. It's a steakhouse, so get a steak! But the chicken & the scallops are also excellent, too. Service is EXCELLENT, wait times are reasonable & the bar is generous!
(5)
Audra H.
Got a lot of dough? Wanna spend it on a meal that'll leave you feeling satisfied and you may need to roll yourself out the door...but, it's worth it!! I went with a friend for restaurant week and ate from the $40 menu. A-Mazing! Prior to your apps coming out, you get some bread to enjoy with butter, which was a nice treat. For my app, I had a Cesar salad for an appetizer. It was a good sized salad! My friend had a gumbo soup with chicken sausage and I tried it and it tasted nice and zesty. For my main course, I had stuffed chicken breast and it was absolutely delish!! The chicken was perfectly cooked & wonderfully moist. The stuffing (cheese and a tad of garlic?) was amazingly rich. I couldn't eat the whole piece of chicken, that's for sure! The helping was definitely plentiful. In addition, I chose a side of garlic mashed potatoes along with my meal. Those mashed potatoes were full of butter and I LOVED them!! My friend had a 6 ounce filet for her main meal and it melted in my mouth when I tried a bite!!! For dessert I had a flourless chocolate cake. It was very rich and I also could not eat the whole dessert. Overall, the restaurant scores BIG TIME for the quality of their food. I'm thrilled I was able to try such a wonderful, upscale place. If you have the $$$$, defiantly hit this place up and enjoy every last bite!
(5)
Ricardo S.
I came to celebrate my birthday with my family and I had a great experience! Upon receiving my menu, I realized that they had personalized it with a "Happy Birthday Ricardo" at the top; WOW, very impressed at the level of dedication that they go for special events! Our server Michael was great; he was very attentive and recommended several drink and dinner items, some of which I ended up getting such as the filet mignon. Now to my meal, it was awesome; the filet mignon and mashed potatoes were cooked to perfection! And since it was my birthday, I got a dessert on the house, which the staff prepared with candles and "Happy Birthday" written on my dessert plate. A big thanks to everyone at Ruth's Chris for making my birthday dinner a memorable one :)
(5)
Chad C.
Another larger business lunch here 40+ today. They honestly need to work on the timing of when the food is brought up as it was a solid hour from the point at which orders were taken to the time the food actually arrived. The entrees were excellent and brought out extremely hot (400°F+), but the side dishes asparagus and spinach were cold tough. There seems to be quite a variance in service day to day which is disappointing.
(3)
Aman M.
We went in there first time with great expectations. However, was not impressed. We were seated at a separate area reserved for our private party. The room was spacious but the ceiling was falling apart with big cracks and a gaping hole visible. Certainly not expected from a high-end steakhouse. The steaks served were warm at the best. Our server took a repeat order of our drinks and changed his table after that. So no drinks came after that. Desserts took forever. The cheesecake dessert was good and absolutely humongous. Perfect for sharing.
(2)
LJ M.
This is my favorite restaurant on the planet. When I travel I always look for one. I have never, ever had anything on their menu I did not love. The steaks are perfect 100% of the time..and the butter with it is amazing. Their plates are 500 or 400 degrees keeping every byte warm..why didn't anyone else think of that? I just received a 500 gift card from my mom to Ruth's, meaning many guilt free visits are on The way.
(5)
Cindy P.
My favorite steakhouse and trust me when I say I have eaten at many steakhouses! My husband love good quality steak :) service is always excellent when you are paying so much $$$ though
(4)
Sunny W.
One of the better chain steak houses in San Diego. Service is always good and they have a good happy hour 4:30 to 6:30pm, M to F. It's not a huge bar area, so come early to get some drinks and stay for dinner.
(4)
C G.
I had an unfavorable experience with the valet service and presented a complaint. It was addressed professionally and to my satisfaction..,.demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction !!! Kudos!
(5)
Rebecca F.
I'm so excited this location is right down the street from my new work! Excellent customer service and food! We like to sit at the bar for Happy Hour and watch all the fun Cocktails being made, everything on the happy hour menu is $8. Best deal in town for quality food!
(5)
Ken W.
Where do you start with a place like Ruth Chris? 4 stars and $$$$ later - great service, great food, great ambiance. Bring a date (or two) and at least a $100 (or two). FOOD Highly recommend the mixed greens salad, or I could just be cuckoo for goat cheese, love that stuff. The yellow beets have a milder flavor compared to its dark red counterpart. I've always loved me some rib eye, but after reading the reviews about the filet and tasting it.. I think I might be a convert. Super tender, melt in your mouth type goodness. Sitting in a hot plate with butter probably wasn't good for my arteries, but it was so good for my taste buds. My wife got the sea bass, super tasty and it sat on top of some delicious veggies. For our sides we got the mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. Each side was big enough to share, and they were both amazing. Seriously, who says that about brussel sprouts? They weren't bitter at all and they were topped with bacon - yum. Seriously though, Ruth Chris could have served booger sprouts and we would've thought it was amazing. The only negative thing about the meal was dessert. The meal came with a chocolate flour less "sin" cake which was gooood.. but we decided to upgrade one of ours to the banana cream pie, and that one I wasn't feeling. I love me some banana cream pie, but this one had way too much banana and way too little cream. Underwhelming, but not enough to ruin the dinner. Overall great place.
(4)
Kristi D.
Ok went in for light lunch and always come for Hh but "Donavan " was a great bartender and server...met also the manager : forgive forgot name was very kind . He assures me the staff working today "xmas " will be very spoiled! If it's anything like the service I got just sitting in bar having ceasar salad and ossoBuco ravioli which was amazing a great dish to share and was a true delight...merry Xmas to all and have a Ruth Chris tonight... Went the other night with friends and ask for "bubba" he is king! In the bar, he makes things happen and please tip your guys well they earn it!!
(5)
Scott P.
What can I say this place is awesome every time I go to it we just had a giant company party there and that was great. Great service it's quick the bathrooms are amazing Donely thing I wish that it had was free valet parking
(5)
Leo M.
We had a great time celebrating Dep "Q" bday 5/23/14 and most of them are first timer without disappointment. Steak was superb and craftedly cooked to perfection. Waitress Rebekah was so attentive to our needs enjoying our extravagant dinner experience. Surprisingly, dinner menu was personalized with bday greeting...nice touch to enjoy the evening. Reason why Ruth chris was my favorite steak house in SD. Can't wait to go back again and again.
(5)
Jamie M.
I have never had a bad experience at Ruth's Chris. The wait service is top notch and the food is always cooked to perfection. Only hiccup on this visit was they were out of the wine I like. But I tried one I had not tried before and really enjoyed it. So it was a wash. We normally go to the Harbor st location but felt like staying closer to home this time. View isn't the same but the atmosphere inside is much nicer. I must say the last time we were at this location was Christmas and we sat on the second floor. I felt the view up there was nicer. Two small suggestions..... The tables are a little low... Or the chairs are to high. As a 5'3" women it is very odd not being able to cross my legs under a table. Secondly the plates our food was served on were WAY to small. Oddly small. Fix those 2 things and I would give this location a 5 star.
(4)
Shaun S.
My review is in regards to their happy hour which is offered from around 4:30 to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday. Ruth Chris is located near the 805/5 freeway merge so expect a good amount of traffic of people heading home from work, and some of them driving like idiots. My wife and I arrived around 5:15 and the bar area was full. Fifteen minutes and a cocktail later we were able to find seats. We ordered a few items from their $7.00 happy hour menu which included the burger, steak sandwich and spicy lobster and a few drinks. Ruth Chris does a nice job offering a variety of menu items and cocktails during their happy hour. The burger and steak sandwich include french fries and are a pretty good value for $7. The burger was a bit bland for me. I would have to put it behind Flemings and West Steak in terms of 1/2lb happy hour burger. I enjoyed the steak sandwich more and would order that if I came back. I thought the fries were quite tasty and they give you a good amount of ketchup. My wife ate the spicy lobster and enjoyed it although it is more of an appetizer. I am glad I was able to try out some of their happy menu items. My wife and I had a nice time. However in my quest to find my favorite 1/2lb happy hour Flemings still holds the title for Me. If you come for happy hour get here early. If you can afford it I would recommend eating in the main dining area and ordering the porterhouse for two, super yum.
Ruth's Chris is definitely a favorite for me. The food comes out sizzling and tastes great. Wonderful place to grab dinner and a cocktail. Perfect for group dining. The Carmel Valley location is slightly more casual than the downtown one as well, in my opinion.
(5)
Judy S.
I didn't dine in, I stopped in to pick up a gift card & the customer service fell way short of my expectations! Maybe $185 is not enough to be appreciated here? If it wasn't for the recipient's love of this place I would have left w/o getting it :(
(2)
April A.
Great happy hour. Drinks - their Cosmo is fantastic and strong. $8. Do not get the pomegranate martini. It literally tastes like pomegranate flavoring syrup. The prime burger was perfectly cooked and came with some seasoned fries (delicious).The seared ahi (4oz) was great too, but id get it with the sauce on the side if I order it again because it was wasabi based and I'm not a big fan. Overall great happy hour! Just get there early or expect a short wait for a seat as the bar is pretty small.
(4)
Reuel A.
I came here earlier this year and the food, service, ambiance was great! Outstanding! 5 stars! I often recommended this place to friends and family. I came back two days ago... Meh. My ribeye was on the dry side, our lobster tails came 30 mins after the steak came out. And twice I had to get our waiter to change out my water because one of the bus boys kept pouring watered down sprite in my glass. Then I heard the bus boy say to him, "What? Are they allergic to Sprite or something?" Our waiter was friendly, gave us a complimentary glass of wine because of the wait for the lobster tails. Time to find a new favorite steak house.
(2)
Heather s.
Ruth's Chris - always a reliable steak house. I've been to their locations in Chicago, NYC, SF, Phoenix, etc.... This location stays true to the chain. I love their signature presentation of piping hot 500 degree plates with butter to keep your meat warm throughout the meal (nothing sours a meal like a steak growing cold as you try to take the time to enjoy it). This particular location in Del Mar is in a random area surrounded by business parks in Carmel Valley (their targeted weeknight clientele, I suppose). There's an unappealing view of Hwy 5 during the day, but at night the large window lets in the moonlight. It's one large dining room with two smaller offshoots to the side and upstairs. It's not the most romantic place, but it consistently serves up a great steak... and we have yet to find a better steak in San Diego thus far. (Suggestions anyone?) My husband and I typically share either an appetizer or a salad and a vegetable side. For apps, we like their BBQ SHRIMP and CRABMEAT STUFFED MUSHROOMS. The sides are large enough to share - we usually opt for sauteed mushrooms, fresh asparagus, creamed spinach, or sweet potato casserole (which is really more like a scrumptious dessert!). My usual order here is the 8 oz PETIT FILET MIGNON. I also like their RUTH'S CLASSIC prix fixe option, which allows you a choice of salad, entree (ie. 4 oz filet and lobster tail), and dessert for prices ranging from $43-53. Service is excellent, as to be expected - on point, but not intrusive. They offer valet parking, but why pay when you can self-park for free 20 steps away?!
(4)
Barbara S.
Love their steaks and dinner menu. Their happy hour is the best. If you like burgers the happy hour steak burger is Fantastic. Perfect atmosphere for drinks or dinner. Great service.
(5)
Marquita D.
If you're looking for something upscale, classy, and quiet. This is the place! The service was great and we didn't have to wait on anything. The waiter made it seem like he was just there for us, loved it. Also the food is one of the best places I've been to in San diego! The food melts in your mouth, just soon good!
(5)
Angelo F.
Happy Birthday bud! Tonight's your night, pick any restaurant you want...... Ruth's Chris? Fine with me! As you can read, I love steaks... especially steaks from Ruth's Chris. I enjoy coming to this Ruth's Chris since the dining tables are more spaced out and it's not as busy as other steak houses. On to the food: For an appetizer we started out with the Barbeque Shrimp. You get 5 large pieces with piece of bread. The shrimp was buttery and full of garlic. Just the way I like it. Just cut up the bread and soak it in the butter sauce.... Sooo good! For entrees I ordered the Cowboy Ribeye which is bone-in, rare. I like mine seared and bloody and I made sure the waiter knew. It came extremely hot and the butter from the steak just made is delish. Ruth Chris has never disappointed when it comes to ordering my steaks rare. The ribeye was soft, juicy and full of ohh so much goodness! My friend ordered the Filet which I told her was going to be small in comparison to my steak but she was fine with it.... The problem here is that I don't get to eat her leftovers... hahaha! For the sides we got: Sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and potatoes au gratin. All complimented our steaks perfectly. For dessert we shared the crème brulee. How can you not like crème brulee? The carmalized top was perfect and the custard filling wasn't too sweet but just perfect. As always, the service at any Ruths Chris is top notch. Our server was attentative and informative. Definitely a place to consider for special occasions.
(5)
Nick B.
I understand that this place is a corporate entity. But a good steak is a good steak. I ate here a few nights back and I was very impressed with the menu and service. Surf and turf might possibly be the greatest combination of all time and when you have a restaurant that not only does it, but does it right.....I'm in. I ordered the Calamari appetizer and was pretty impressed. It was nice and crispy and the Calamari wasn't chewy at all. Now I warn you. Some people hate the whole sweet and savory combination, and if this is you, than do not order the Calamari. Its flavored with a sort of spicy Asian dressing that I personally found delicious. For my main meal I ordered the two petite fillets with shrimp. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the steak came out with a great seared crust. One of the best things about this restaurant is the fact that they can cook a steak in between the regular styles. For me this is perfect. I love my steak in between a rare and a medium rare and the server was happy to notify me that they could accommodate me. All in all Ruth's Chris' is a great restaurant in a gorgeous part of San Diego and I will be back soon. Very soon.
(4)
Fran T.
Ribeye-Mideum Rare--BOMB
(5)
Skip C.
Seriously fantastic steakhouse. This is a place that knows how to prepare a steak perfectly. A perfect meal, which is hard to find. Two of us split the aged "Porterhouse For Two", cooked rare. It was a special occasion so we brought some great wines, including a 2000 Mouton. Some place are resentful when you bring your own wine. They couldn't have treated us any nicer. The server and Somm really know how to handle these wines. I CANNOT wait to return. The manager, Bobby, has the show completely under control, and we were fortunate to also have the regional manager, Joe, there.
(5)
MaryAnn C.
Went here on Saturday for restaurant week...OMG! It was so worth it. I got the $50 deal which I got the seared Ahi Tuna (to die for!), 12oz ribeye steak (juicy), mash potatoes, and topped it off with their delicious cheesecake (came with fruit n bits of chocolate). Everything was so yummy! If I remember correctly, the waiter said the extended their restaurant week special for 2 more weeks...so there's still time to try it!! Highly recommend...
(5)
Christina T.
When restaurant week rolls around, you can bet you'll find me here, indulging on a succulent hunk of rib-eye steak or filet Mignon. Everything is cooked perfectly to order, served with a nice helping of mashed potatoes, crab-stuffed mushroom caps, or creamed spinach. I'd like my meat buttered up any day by their chefs. *wink wink* I'm by no means a steak connoisseur, but damn, do they butter up a good steak, perfect marbling and all. Crazy as it sounds, Ruth's Chris has my favorite fruit-inspired salad of all time. I've always been a fan of fruits, but as of late many restaurants have been offering salads with fresh apple, (straw)berry, and mango in them. Citrus or berry-infused vinaigrettes are the icing on the cake. Ruth's Chris' strawberry salad, although simple and subtle, is so fresh and has just the right amount of dressing every time. if you're interested, keep in mind that this is more of a summer offering, so keep an eye out for it once summer rolls around! I usually finish off my dinner with a generous helping of creme brulee. I'm a not a fan of desserts that are loaded with sugar, but the creme brulee is subtle, yet satisfying. Our waiter was very friendly and really made my most recent anniversary date memorable. I always put Ruth's Chris, especially the Del mar location, as one of my top pics for any special occasion. I love how spacious and welcoming the wait staff and hostesses are. They are consistently courteous, knowledgeable, and professional.
(5)
Judy A.
The food was good once it arrived at the table but we were in the restaurant for almost hours from start to finish. Drinks didn't take too long but we waited for our salads for almost an hour, then waited for our entree almost another hour and almost walked out before the dessert came about 50 minutes later. One couple at the table didn't get their entree until everyone else had finished theirs. The manager didn't charge for those entrees but this is NOT the experience you expect to have at a Ruth's Chris. NEVER is when we'll go to a Ruth's Chris again!!
(1)
Jeremy G.
Okay - so this is a typical chain restaurant where the food and drinks are standard, nothing exciting. What pumps this Ruth's Chris up is the architecture and customer service.
(3)
Jeff B.
Ruth's Chris steakhouse is by far the best restaurant in San Diego if not the country. The service is impeccable, the food is amazing and the atmosphere cannot get any better. We have been to three different locations, all were excellent. I made reservations at the Del Mar location and enjoyed dinner with my wife, it was our anniversary and the folks at Ruth's Chris made sure our evening was a night never to be forgotten. Table for two overlooking the ocean at sunset, rose pedals scattered around the table and floor, Giant bouquet of beautiful flowers with her name and a card. champagne waiting for us in a tableside cooler/holder. It was incredible, my wife almost started crying when she opened the menu and our names were across the top with a happy anniversary message. Absolutely incredible. Thanks Jacob (our waiter) and the manager for going out of your way to make my wife feel incredibly special. (because to me she is.)
(5)
Michael C.
Not the best Ruth Chris location I have been too. Filet was over cooked when asked for medium well. Was a bit slower and I did not like that the lights were on brighter than the other locations. Was not very Dim... Made it feel like we were eating at a crappy cafe....
(3)
mike k.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and my most recent experience was by far the worst. My wife and I came here on a whim so we were dressed in jeans, not sure if we were judged since we didn't come all dressed up. Having been here many times we knew what we wanted but it took more than 20 minutes to get our orders in. My wife's steak came way over cooked and had to send it back. Now that puts me in the situation of eating with her watching or waiting for her new steak and now I have a cold steak. The reason for 2 stars is that the sweet potatoes were amazing. I get them every time and they are great. The steaks are really good as well when they prepare them correctly. Just hope they get their act together with their service. Overall it seems that this place isn't what it used to be.
(2)
Luke B.
This review isn't about the food (which is great, btw) as much as it is about the way it is served. I was told by my waiter to "be careful it's hot." I interpreted that to mean the food is hot. I mearly grazed the plate with my forearm and got burned, badly. I don't get it. Donovans and others places serve their food fresh on plates that don't require gloves to handle. Fleemings Steakhouse uses wooden skillets. I can't be the only person who has been burned by touching the plates here. The server did bring me a cup of ice for my hand. Food = excellent. Getting injured trying to eat the food = not cool.
(3)
John M.
Dinner was amazing, it was our birthdays and we were pampered and spoiled. Chris the manager greeted us and the door with a welcome and happy birthday. Ryan our waiter was spot on with the suggestions. He give just the right amount of attention, but let us enjoy our special dinner. The busser Scott never let the glasses get below half way and cleared our plates quickly when finished. This was one of the best dining experiences in a long time. Ryan, Chris and Scott all made this a birthday to remember. Thank you very much and we will be back again for sure.
(5)
Amanda S.
This is my rating based on our horrible experience at Ruth's Chris Del Mar on Saturday, February 15, 2014. Last night at Ruth's Chris Del Mar my husband was having a discussion with the Assistant Manager about military discounts and how the corporate policy is to not offer a discount to military. We get it, not all companies value veterans. He did offer us a free dessert. But then the conversation went horribly wrong when he said to my husband, "You have two arms, two legs and two feet." I saw my husband completely shut down so I took action. I declined dessert. I told the AM that my husband has served for 20 years, deployed 13 times and is a 3-time Iraqi War veteran. He may have two arms, two legs, and two feet, but he knows many that do not. What the AM said and the way he acted is inexcusable. My husband and I are disgusted and will never set foot in another Ruth's Chris again. We urge everyone that supports our military service members, active or retired, to not dine at any Ruth's Chris. I will be writing a letter to the company and asking them to formally apologize to my husband and to donate the amount we paid for dinner (approx $200 which included a $50 gift card and tip), to the Wounded Warriors Project. We refused dessert and I paid the bill in full. Unfortunately the AMs actions caused a scene in a very busy restaurant. The GM Bobby called us on the phone after we left to apologize and my husband spoke to him for a while. This in no way redeems the experience we had and how the company manages their restaurants. I do not want any gift cards as an apology. Instead the company should work more diligently on training and maybe they should show their support for the brave men and women than sacrifice their lives everyday to keep us safe. While my husband goes to war to keep us safe, this company finds it funny to comment on his physical appearance downplaying the sacrifices he's made, dismissing the numerous airmen he's lost or have been wounded. Shame on you Ruth's Chris.
(1)
ChicagoFoodie S.
I have been to this location 2 times for happy hour and once for dinner. Happy hour is pretty good with their selection and the steak sandwich is pretty darn good. Good bartender. In the dining room, their staff is great!! They go above and beyond to make sure you are having a great dining experience. Plus, last time I joined for happy hour, the manager was nice enough to seat us in the dining because the bar was full. Nothing wrong with a large booth to relax in ;) I'd recommend and come back ;)
So, my fiance and I are starting a tradition of going to San Diego and enjoying Ruth's Chris each year on our anniversary. Last year we went to the one in Little Italy. I can say my experience here was beyond amazing. We walked in to our reservation at 7:30pm on a Sunday, which my fiance had made online. He had also made a note that it was our anniversary. As we were seated, the hostess spread across the table "Happy Anniversary" confetti. It just added a little something extra. We were greeted and told "Happy Anniversary" many times and they made us feel special. Our server was Gavin. He also had a couple of guys helping him and bringing out our food, who were great as well. The services was amazing, and one of the managers even replaced our candle on the table since it went out. He made sure that we were enjoying ourselves, which we definitely were. For appetizer we had crab cakes, came out smokin' hot. For our entrees, I had the petite filet and my fiance had the cowboy ribeye. Both medium rare and melted in our mouths. We had au gratin potatoes and asparagus which was so good. I could barely finish our sides! For dessert, we had the creme brulee. On the plate the wrote happy anniversary and presented with a candle, very cute and nice touch! I definitely felt they treated us better at this location than the one in Little Italy. We will keep coming to this one to continue on our anniversary tradition! Thanks guys!
Came here for happy hour. The hostess did not even look up when I walked in, not a 'hi' or anything. Then I sat down at the bar and, after reviewing the happy hour menu, dared to ask the two bartenders if they happen to have a sparkling wine on happy hour too. 'Bubba' behind the bar is a very special kind of rude. "Did you look at the happy hour menu?!", he yelled. "Do we have one on there?! You can order one of those, here, from the regular menu, 25 dollars, do you want that?!?" I responded that there ARE places that have sparkling wine on happy hour that's not on the menu - case in point: Truluck's. There I did NOT get yelled at when asking for a sparkling wine but was served the happy hour cava. Food was alright. Service bad. To sum it up: Rude.
(1)
Chad H.
um, how about the BEST STEAK YOU WILL EVER EAT! get the filet, you'll love it. Prices are steep for this quality of food (which is top notch but not world famous). and the best part is the happy hour (4:30 -7:00). $7 filet sandwiches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Â!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(4)
Bernadette C.
My server Rebekah was horrid :( first time to this location and it happened to be business meeting with one of my physicians I work with and my birthday. She seemed irritated he had questions about what wine to choose especially because he had a thick accent. Not once did she smile. Granted I had great company with me so I was happy but definitely not the service. I definitely recommend going to the one in downtown San Diego!!
(1)
Heather S.
Been here a few times and had such a great experience last weekend. Lynn was our waiter and he went so out of his way to be nice. We had such a great, 5 star experience because of him. I had the BBQ shrimp for dinner, which was amazing and came with these mashed potatoes unlike any I have ever had. Great lobster bisque. And amazing cheesecake for dessert!
"It's absolutely unfair for women to say that guys only want one thing: sex. We also want food." And Steak at Ruth's Chris is better than having sex. Amazing 1. Parking is a lot easier 2. It's not as packed 3. Service is amazing
(5)
Anthea W.
I can't go to any other places for steak anymore. This place has ruined me. That petite filet is so tender and cooked to perfection. Make sure you get the bleu cheese crusted on top!!! Adds to the deliciousness. And the mashed potatoes! DO IT, YOU WON'T REGRET IT! Great service. Great wines. Great dessert. Not too keen on the view of the freeway, but who cares when you have the best filet in front of you?!?
(4)
Daniel L.
This place is definitely pricey for the quality of the food and the quality of the service. And here's my take on this very highly thought of restaurant for rich people, as a not so rich person. We went here as a group of 12 for a friend's birthday and one of the biggest things that was on our minds was paying the check. Some restaurants limit the credit cards to 2 per group, but they allowed us to individually have our own check, so that was very thoughtful of them to have in mind and to not have us worry about. Me and the birthday boy shared the Porterhouse for 2, which was clearly for two. Even when sharing, my thought was, "wow...that was a lot of meat." Surely a Ron Swanson meal. Our other friends got the ribeye, the t-bone, so we swapped and tried other cuts, and they were all exceptional. And while enjoying this great food, the servers and our waitress, Ashley were very hospitable and caring. Not just serving food/drinks and attending to other needs of the restaurant, but actually like caring about how we enjoyed the food. The only thing that we weren't mind-blown, collectively as a group, was the some of the side dishes weren't the best, since there were many that were left unfinished. Maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes, but we just decided that mash potatoes were the best side dish. Overall great service, and great great quality for the meats. If I want to feel poor again, I'll come here.
(5)
Chris H.
Let me preface this by saying we love Ruth Chris in general. Having said that, I would not recommend this location during a Holiday. Maybe the fault is ours for dinning out on a holiday but this place really dropped the ball this year. Our reservation was delayed about 30 minutes and our server Marco, who we have had before and we do like him, seemed overwhelmed this year. My cowboy ribeye was ordered at medium rare and it came well done. We preordered dessert because last time we came they ran out. After we finished our meal with a 6 yr old and a 3 yr old we sat at our table for 40 min. We asked 4 people to get our server and finally he came as if nothing was awkward. The dessert was sold out!! A manager finally came and gave us some comps which we appreciated but I'd rather have a great experience than get comped. It almost makes you feel worse or cheap when you get comped because it's not about the money it's about getting what you asked for. For us the worst part is that our server played the oblivious card and blamed miscommunication but I don't feel that was the truth. Very disappointed but maybe we learned our lesson about eating out on a holiday!!!
(3)
Antonio C.
We booked a reservation for 7:30 pm on a Saturday. We were there on time but it took around 45 minutes to get seated. That said the staff were wonderful. We had lots of time to choose what we wanted (none of us had been there before). And we all had great meals. Pa had the surf and turf (live lobster was gone at 8:30 or so on a Sunday) with a side of Mushrooms and the birthday cake of banana cream pie (his meal also included a ribeye (I think). Ma had the lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and crab stuffed mushrooms (I think she enjoyed those the most). One of the sisters had a filet mignon w/ mashed taters and the other had the ribeye with baked potatoe. I had the veal chop and started with the lobster mac and cheese (you have to have this) and also a baked potatoe. I'm sure I've missed some of the early parts of the meal and could spend time talking about the bee's knee's. Everything was cooked to our liking. It is expensive but based on this experience totally worth it.
(4)
Dave P.
I've been coming here for about 5 or 6 years now. Used to be outstanding but over the years prices have gone up while service has gone down. Dined here a couple weeks ago, was seated right around our reservation time. Waiter came by introduced himself (he has literally waited on us 3 or 4 times before in the past but whatever, not holding it against him that he didn't remember us). Then that was it. 20 minutes before we even got water. Had to flag a bus boy down for a wine list. By the time we got our drinks and food orders in I was quite annoyed. Food arrived, steak was a touch over cooked but still good, things got better as the night progressed until an annoying group of patrons kept exiting via the emergency exit letting in cold gusts of air into the dining area. Many of the folks dining in the vicinity complained yet nothing was done. Manager came by to apologize, said he would return to see if he could do anything for us, never did. Hostess said manager would give me a call, never did. I've said previously I would not return, but I keep going back because it is convenient to me. Going to take me some time to forget this episode before I go back...
(2)
Christina M.
Another wonderful Valentine's Day at Ruth's Chris! Wonderful service, ambiance and of course, filet mignon.
(5)
Thuy T.
Came here for a friend's birthday for the first time. It's nice that they have Happy Birthday Rob on top of the menu. Very nice touch. And also little glitters on the table. They give him a free dessert too, on top of the dessert that he already has. The foods to me are good. I have the chicken soup, creamy spinach, 6oz fillet with 3 shrimps, and a rice pudding dessert, all for $43 which my bf won't reimburse me since he can't come. lol I just wish I could tell the different between all the steaks because they taste pretty much the same for me at other steak house. The service is good, just like most non-asian restaurants I go to. I guess if you want to impress your date, bring her here.
(5)
Sarah W.
My absolute favorite place to eat dinner and tonight was no exception. I normally get the filet but decided to go outside of my comfort zone and get the lamb chops. I'm so glad I did. They were delicious. And then the sweet potato casserole, there are no words. Our waiter was great, He told us since it took a little longer for our meals to come out (honestly we hadn't even noticed) he was comping 2 of our sides and both our desserts. We couldn't have asked for better service. Thanks Ruths Chris for making tonight great! We will definitely be back soon.
killer food! killer service! best steak house in town!
(5)
Flossie Z.
We went to Ruth's Chris tonight for the special occasion of my son's graduation from graduate school. Our waiter, Lynn, was entertaining and an awesome waiter. He suggested we not be put off by the specials. He was right, they were the perfect way to have just the right size of all three courses. All six of us had filet. One had just the filet while one had it with the lobster tail and four of us had it with shrimp. The filet was tender and delicious. Everything was delicious and we will go there again and will request Lynn as our server.
(5)
Krystina C.
Happy hour was very affordable for great food. I had the steak sandwich off the appetizer menu, the portion was large and served with fries and the steak was amazing. Service was not the best, the bar tender took a long time to get drinks and orders. However, for the great happy hour prices at such an upscale restaurant I thought it was worth it.
(4)
Adrienne K.
Ok, caught like a rat. Never thought I'd believe the hype. It's hard for me to embrace a chain establishment, but holy gosh da**, it's like the chupacabra of chain restaurants!! The steak is freaking mouth watering, melt in your mouth, cuts like butter, heaven sent, pure goodness!!! OMG, I highly suggest the surf and turf. Pure ecstasy flavors! White glove service, awesome, awesome!
(5)
Sarah M.
Ordered: wild salmon, 12 oz ribeye (medium rare), steamed broccoli, mashed potato Service was friendly and the food was exactly as I expected, sizzling and buttery!! Definitely a higher end place. Not somewhere I'd go often since the prices are up there. But overall a good experience.
(4)
Sumi A.
We go to Ruth's Chris about once a year to satisfy our desire for a great steak, and it never disappoints. We started with the stuffed mushroom appetizer and that was really tasty. Then ribeye for him and petite filet for me Oscar style. No sides and no desserts because we have learned in the past that if we do we end up uncomfortably stuffed. Still ended up taking some of the meat home for sammiches the next day. Overall a solid meal as always. And we were sitting in the main dining room and got to see a beautiful sunset over Torrey Pines beach while we ate. Couldn't ask for a better view.
(4)
Lisa W.
A real deal for restaurant week! The best steakhouse deal, it's the only one that let you have an option of a 12 oz ribeye and a filet. Other steak places only offer like a "cheaper cut" such as the sirloin or a flat iron, but none a ribeye. And a good appetizer on top of that! I got the seared ahi tuna, which was plentiful, fresh, and delicious! The ribeye steak was good, they always season it right, only problem was the steak cooked fast on their 500-something degree hot plate. Which is bad and good because your steak can overcook, but it'll stay warm throughout your whole meal. I still like the idea of the hot plate anytime over a cold steak. The dessert was okay, I got the chocolate cheesecake, it was a little bitter, but I did like the raspberry sorbet. This is the real steal from the steakhouses on restaurant week!
(4)
A B.
Outstanding dinner service even on the busiest night. We celebrated a family member's special birthday and the staff made it EXTRA special! Louie was an awesome waiter, even with our special food requests for a party of seven. (Thank you, Louie)! A fabulous place with delicious food plus a good view! Go and enjoy!
(5)
Mai K.
We took advantage of Restaurant week and decided to try this place out. I have never been happier with my choice of restaurants. Their restaurant week deal is definitely worth trying out. Their ribeye was amazing. Tender, very flavorful, and filling. Our waiter was also very nice helping us out with our choices of food and drink. They have a usual prix fixed meal that is a bit more than the $40 restaurant week deal, but since my experience with restaurant week was amazingly tasty, I may come back and try their other items.
(5)
Terrence M.
Great steak overall and the sides too! The service is great and our waiter/server Richard, very attentive and professional!! Five to him! I highly recommend this exquisite this Steakhouse!
(5)
Sam B.
If you don't know how to cook a steak then this place is probably worth the 4-5 star rating. I was always told they have a special grill or oven that can cook at 1300 degree F and that the meat is prime, etc. Well we cooked a prime steak from Costco at our house on our grill and the result was just as good if not better maybe. The steak had nothing special to it. The sides were a little disappointing. The scalloped potato, potato au gratin were not bad, but were not great either. For the same amount of money, I would much rather go to some Fine Dining restaurants where the food will excite and intrigue me. Overpriced. Nice atmosphere, but not worth it.
(2)
Jay R.
My bf and I went here for Restaurant Week last week. Im only giving it 3 stars because of the following: The Wait: They were backed up and super busy since it was Restaurant Week so unfortunately, we had to wait for a table to be open. In my knowledge, there SHOULDNT be a wait because we made a reservation. What was the point of making a reservation if the time wouldnt be accommodated? Considering that this is supposedly a fine dining restaurant. Good part was the hosts were very nice so I happily waited, patiently. Food: Appetizers: Crab Stuffed Mushroom and Seared Ahi Tuna. Seared Ahi Tuna was tasteful. Not fishy at all. Crab Stuffed Mushroom... DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED! Crab stuffing was TOO SALTY and it was still cold when it was served to us. 3 mushrooms were still raw and there was only ONE crab stuffed mushroom that was actually hot and cooked. Sadly, the cooked one was the last one I ate and didnt realize thats how it was supposed to be since in my head I thought they purposely had the mushroom raw, so I couldnt complain. Main Courses: Rib Eye Steak and Salmon with Garlic Mashed Potatoes= Both were delicious! I cant complain. Both courses came out with sizzling butter underneath in a very hot plate which made the food even better! Desserts: Sin Cake and Key Lime Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice Cream. The cheesecake were delicious as well, but the sin cake isnt exactly a "cake" as my bf thought it was. If youre not a chocolate lover, definitely not for you. It's literally a block of chocolate with espresso. No bueno for me or my bf. I did try it with the vanilla ice cream I had with my cheesecake and it made it a little better. Even though my experience at this place wasnt what I expected it to be for a fine dining restaurant, my server was very nice, attentive and friendly. The key to pleasing me as a customer. He would crack little jokes here and there which made my experience at this place nice. Everything was served fast. But since I am a tough critic, 3 star rating is what Im giving them. I do like finer things, but for $40/person with that kind of menu??? Neh! I can take that $40 to buy the same ingredients from their menu and feed 2 or more people with that! But this place is very memorable to me and my bf...... You know why??? Because even though our expectations werent met that night, this is where he asked me to be his girlfriend, officially... So at the end of the night, I left happy :)
(3)
Kristie L.
Not that this place needs any more good reviews, but here goes... I love love love Ruth's Chris & I love love love this location! It is only 10 minutes away from my house. If I could afford it sans monetary & weight issues, I would come here every day! My boyfriend and I came here for dinner around Christmas, and once again, I had a WONDERFUL experience. The service is superb and the atmosphere is perfect. We ordered the porterhouse with potatoes au gratin and had creme brulee for dessert. Everything was cooked to perfection and served on the classic hot, buttered plate! We couldn't even finish everything (and my boyfriend is a big guy!). I highly recommend this restaurant and location for anyone looking for a great meal. You really get what you pay for when you come here.
(5)
Greg S.
First, the food deserves 5 stars and there isn't anything bad that can be said about that. However, if you want a finer dining experience, I would suggest that you go to their location on Harbor drive. This location is more casual, more kids, a tad bit louder and for the price of a dinner with drinks, I personally want my dinning experience to be on par with the price. Service was super SLOW. I made a reservation online for 7:15, and was seated shortly thereafter. After being greeted by our server, Rachel, she explained how the food is prepared, asked if we had any questions, took a drink order and that's when things went downhill. At 7:28, after our server pulling a disappearing act, I got up and had to explain this to Daniel Hecko, the assistant GM. Just as I was talking to him, that's when Rachel starts walking towards the table; Daniel was kind enough to offer drinks which was greatly appreciated. After placing our order, it was another 15+ min before the food was served and at 8:17 PM, the check finally came; yes, for a party of 2, it took that long. In my opinion, I don't think it was that busy as a 1/4 of the tables downstairs were empty. If you aren't in a rush and want a more casual experience, this is the place for you. However, if your expectations are for the service and experience to match that of their Harbor location, then this isn't for you.
(3)
Scoop A.
Seniors Beware!! We arrived at 6:30p for the reservation made through OpenTable. This was a momentous day. We were celebrating my father's 85th birthday. We had specifically requested a table downstairs (two weeks ago!) and the 20-something snooty hostess escorted us upstairs to a dark round table tucked right next to another table with a 2 year old. It was obviously this is where they stick folks they think won't care. Well we did! We requested then insisted on being downstairs in the light- and we got all sorts of excuses about how the other tables were already reserved. The restaurant was half empty. The grey haired 40-year-old manager- wish I had his name- refused to accommodate. He BS'd about others wanting special tables. Really? When was the last time you went to a restaurant and knew exactly what table you would sit at before you arrived?? You're the manager. It's your job to make executive decisions like granting a sweet table to a man who has lived to see his 85th birthday and chooses your restaurant to go to. This lack of respect for our seniors is unacceptable. We won't ever go back. We left and went to Arterra.
(1)
S S.
Went here for Restaurant Week. I ordered the 12 oz. ribeye with a side of creamed spinach and a cheesecake for dessert. My appetizer, of the choices available for their Restaurant Week menu, was the stuffed mushrooms. The steak was huge! Nice marbling and flavor. That butter they put on top is killer. Adds flavor to the steak, but does not take away from the flavor of the meat itself. Great service as well. Can't get any better than this.
(4)
Scott T.
I've been to other Ruth's Chris locations and always had a wonderful experience. Went to the one up by Del Mar last night...and I was less than impressed and definitely disappointed. Met some friends there for a birthday dinner - and had early reservations. Our waitress was cute and nice and the staff were all friendly. Let's dive right into what made this a visit to forget. 1. My Cowboy Ribeye was overcooked. Also charred on the outside with that burnt taste. I even got the blue cheese topping and that was overcooked too. It was also not very big for a Cowboy Ribeye - I've ordered this before at other locations and this one was about a third smaller - I thought maybe I was remembering wrong but then my girlfriend commented on it during the drive home and confirmed my perception as being reality. This is Ruth's Chris. You don't get the meat wrong - period. I should have sent it back, but it was a friend's birthday - they invited us - and I didn't want to cause a scene. 2. I had a diet coke with my meal. At some point early on, someone took it away and never brought it back. I had to ask for a new one. Then, it didn't get refilled after that and I was tired of trying to flag someone down so I gave up. Normally in a place like this your glass stays topped off all the time and you don't have to think about it. 3. My girlfriend told me her lobster was very dry - overcooked. Wow - what's going on here? She said her filet was decent but not great. 4. I was excited about ordering the bread pudding. When I did I was informed that they were out. What? We got there at 5:45pm and it wasn't packed. How could you be out? Ok...so I ordered something else. I then saw 3 other bread puddings being delivered to other customers - 1 of them was after I got my dessert. Huh? Were they really out? What the heck? 5. I wouldn't normally mention it, but I am here on a roll so why not. The table for 4 people was kind of small. They do the a la carte dishes so you have all these extra plates and I found myself constantly trying to rearrange things to that I had enough space around me. Did you really need to squeeze that one extra table in there? Just put bigger tables in the restaurant for crying out loud. 6. Garlic mashes potatoes...tasted like regular mashed potatoes...no garlic. They were ok but not what was advertised. Oh and the bread...was just ok. I expect in a place like RC to turn to my date and say - "Oh my god couldn't you just eat a loaf of this bread?" Maybe I expect too much? 7. Calamari was good - had a sweet n sour thing going....but they were kind of skimpy on the portion for an app. 8. Creamed spinach was yummy. 1 person got succotash and expressed that she wished she'd gotten the creamed spinach. 9. My dinner mates all got the inclusive dinner classic meal that came with a desert...which was TINY....everyone was laughing and joking about it...but underneath I could tell they were all 3 disappointed. Haven't you heard? Size matters. :) 10. Our friends didn't complain - but they didn't compliment either...and that is almost as loud a message. This meal cost us over $300 for 4 people - and I think there was only one alcoholic beverage included in that total. For that kind of money, you don't get it wrong in so many ways. I wish we had turned down the invitation. I could have bought a ribeye, filet, and lobster tail and cooked them up myself better and saved a couple of hundred dollars. I recommend either going to a different place - there are so many great ones out there, or going to the downtown location instead. I shouldn't have had to write this review.
(3)
Rick L.
been here a few times for lunch (friday is the only day they serve lunch) and ordered off the lunch menu. service is good, the setting is nice albeit a very businessy atmosphere (slightly uptight), and the food was just meh. on all occasions i ordered the ny sirloin. it's just ok (and one time it was over cooked). honestly, given a broiler and a slab of costco meat, i could do a similarly decent job. shoestring fries are ok. creamed spinach was surprisingly disappointing. the potatoes lyonnaise, that come highly recommended, were similarly not as delicious as you thought they would be. same with the potatoes au gratin. all lacked a bit of...flavor. that's the word i was looking for. i think it's the same problem associated with restaurant week; when some of the more expensive places try to make their menu more affordable, they end up with a subpar product (that impacts their brand a little, maybe). now, if i wanted to book a nice steak dinner i would probably choose somewhere else. as an upscale chain steak restaurant (that might be an oxymoron), if you're going to have a more budget friendly menu, the quality still has to be there. bottom line, if you're in del mar on a friday (if it's less than a 3 mile drive, go for it) and craving a steak during lunch time, check it out. but come in with managed expectations. think more texas roadhouse than peter luger.
(2)
Scott R.
Best steakhouse in San Diego, by far. Friendly, professional service, great food (bbq shrimp alone is the worth the trip!), lively enjoyable atmosphere. Well done, RCSH Del Mar!
(5)
Victor C.
I've been here twice. I enjoyed it more the first than the second. Not that this place is bad or anything. They're anything but. They have the best steak in San Diego. Everything must be deliciously bathed in butter because I can't get enough of the steak, the mashed potatoes, etc. The second time here, however, they over cooked the medium-rare steak I ordered. Possibly because they were cooking them in a group of steaks? I'm not sure but it wasn't as tender as I'd have liked. They did try to make it right by offering desert/wine which was nice. I'll probably go here once more since I think the second time must be a fluke. Right?
(4)
Taylor D.
Who doesn't love a big juicy piece of meat looking all delicious, laying down for all the world to see....at least thats what my girlfriend says about me. Ruth's Chris is some fancy shmancy shizznit, in most cases I'd say make sure to wear your stretchy pants because the steaks and sides are more filling than Scarlette Johannsen in a push up bra. Decor is old fashioned, the only hang up I have is I wish they would add a little bit of a face lift when it comes to this place. I want to be whisked away when I dine here, I want those vibrant flavors to pop out and the decor of the room act like foreplay to my senses before I blow my load from that slab of meat they serve. Staff here knows whats up when it comes to good service, and rightfully so. I want a waiter/waitress to be polite, at least sounding like an upstanding citizen. Ruth's Chris trains their staff well to be absolutely respectable, and thats all the charm. Granted don't walk in there like Benito Mussolini because you'd be just asking for a verbal beatdown by myself or somebody equally gifted in gab. Whats that feeling in my pants? Oh yeah its just my wallet getting thinner, what do you expect though this is a nice place and you pay for it? Lets talk about eats: Special things to order come in all shapes in sizes try this one on for size. Indulge yourself, give back to that faithful stomach that just had to tough through breaking down that nuclear waste you ate a week ago called Taco Bell (just cause it's open late doesn't mean it should go in your mouth, thats what she said) order yourself the calamari. Chili flavored goodness with just the right layer of batter on those little squiddies.
(4)
Kathryn L.
Regarding the food, I was a little disappointed with their ribeye. I thought I'd enjoy the taste more so than Morton's, but I was mistaken. The ribeye was tender, but a little past medium - which is what we ordered. My biggest beef (ha) with it is that it didn't taste seasoned. There was no salt, just a ton of unsalted butter on it. The char flavor of the flame hitting the meat was missing too...which is one of the best parts of eating steak. I ordered a scallop entree, and it was cooked okay, but no seared crust. Worst of all, it was put on top of this weird menagerie of vegetables that don't really go together...like the chef got a sudden itch to try to give my dish an Asian flare by sauteing baby bok choy, ginger, and carrots together and then tossed it with roasted red bell pepper pieces and added cream to the sauce. It was a weird dish and for 5 scallops was $30...I was disappointed with this for sure. The sides were great though - creamed spinach, pomme frites, and tempura onion rings. However, the pomme frites & onion rings were also lacking salt. We did thoroughly enjoy their creme brule - but then again, it was your pretty run-of-the-mill vanilla bean brule. Now on to the reason this place earned 3 stars with me instead of 2...the service rocked. Our server, Rick, gave us PHENOMENAL service that we rewarded with a nice tip. We had our 4 & 2 year old children with us and needless to say, Ruth's Chris isn't really a kid friendly joint...but he made it kid friendly for us. He brought out fun cups with lids for them to drink milk out of, and was genuinely warm and accommodating to the noise they made and the mess they made...which earns major points with parents of toddlers. Because of him and the busser assigned to our table, we were able to enjoy a night out to dinner without getting irritated looks from our server. Also, 2 managers came out to visit our table to see how we were doing. At the end of the evening, we made it a point to tell one of the managers about the great service we got and he chatted with us for a while about where we were from, etc. Lovely staff and just because of them and the experience they created, we'd push to ourselves to find something on the menu to enjoy.
(3)
Lianna S.
I've been to the Charlotte and Scottsdale locations before but this was my first visit to the San Diego one. Predictable, but I love that you know what to expect: great service and a really nice meal. Everything from the apps to the salads to the sides and entrees was delicious. I wasn't in the mood for steak so i got a scallop dish and the bf had a ginormous t- bone that he devoured. Just be prepared for everything to be loaded with butter, a good thing of course every once in a while, but I probably gained a good 5 pounds from my meal:) I can't give 5 stars only because as far as fine steakhouses go, Mastro's has them beat by far. Plus they have a weak seafood selection.
(4)
Thao L.
Went here for restaurant week in September. Was celebrating 2 years since our first date with my boyfriend. The service was great and since it was our anniversary they sprinkled rose petals on the table for us. It was a very nice touch and made the evening feel that much more special. I wish I remembered our server's name because despite how busy the restaurant was (it was restaurant week after all), he did a good job serving us. From the restaurant week menu, we got the seared ahi tuna and the stuffed mushroom appetizers. I liked how light my tuna was, but it wasn't the best tuna I've ever had. Overall it was good in a rather generic way. The mushrooms were better in my opinion. They were very large and well seasoned. For our entrees, my boyfriend got the 12 oz rib eye cooked medium rare. I got the petit filet which was NOT petit and was a very generous portion, cooked a little more on the rare side than medium (I'd asked for a little bit more rare because the dishes arrived at our table on sizzling hot plates and I didn't want my meat to be overcooked). I would actually just recommend asking for the meat cooked the way you like and sort of regret asking it be a little more rare than usual because despite the super hot plate, I don't think it cooked anymore once it arrived at our table. The meat itself was suppper tender and I was basically ripping and tearing it apart with my fork instead of needing a knife. That butter sauce that they cook the steaks in is PERFECTION (though I bet it's making me that step closer to a heart attack). There is a reason why people say Ruth's Chris steaks are the best (BECAUSE THEY FREAKING ARE!!!). Sooo so good. For the sides we got the creamed spinach the mashed potatoes. These are pretty meh in comparison to the holiness that are the steaks. The spinach tasted a little watered down and my boyfriend commented on how the mashed potatoes tasted a little boxed and not fresh. I personally enjoyed the potatoes but I love the boxed stuff so take that with a grain of salt. For dessert we got the symphony duo (which was a cheesecake with a side of berries in cream) and a chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was WAY choclate-y, but I enjoyed the expresso in it. The cheesecake was kind of normal, though I loved the side of berries in cream. Also since it was our anniversary, they wrote happy anniversary in chocolate sauce on our plates which was another nice touch. It's this kind of detail that makes the service stand out. Bottom line: COME FOR THE STEAKS! You won't be disappointed. Everything else is a little meh in comparison, but seriously... THE STEAKS ARE AWESOME!
(4)
Anthony K.
5 Stars hands down!! Great looking steaks that come to you on a hot plate smothered in sizzling butter! Everything is cooked perfectly. I take my wife here for our Anniversary and they have the best Lemon Drop martinis. Try the Carpaccio its amazing. We also order the side of mashed potatoes and its good to share. You might want to dress accordingly tho because it is the most high class "chain" restaurants Ive ever been too. I first went when I lived up North in San Jose and we used to drive to San Fransisco to get these steaks!! The Del Mar location is just as nice and a great place to have a nice quiet dinner with that special someone!!
(5)
I P.
We love the exceptional food and service at Ruth Chris. They have always been very consistent with the quality of their creations. They are also very good at making a special occasion feel "special". One of our favorite places to eat in Carmel Valley.
(5)
Bernadette M.
This location is nestled in a corporate park. Parking can be a hassle during happy hour or during restaurant week when everyone wants to try it out. I've been to this location twice now and been happy with my food every time. The service is always on point. The upstairs seating is definitely more quiet and intimate than the downstairs dining room. The crab-stuffed mushrooms are definitely very rich and filling. I would share this appetizer. The calamari is OK. It is drizzled with an asian-style sauce which kinda of makes it just taste like sweet and sour calamari. Maybe I could ask for the sauce on the side instead next time. My favorite thing here is the filet and lobster tail. The filet just melts in your mouth. You just don't get the same results with the ribeye. They have some pre-fixe menus as well and I think those are a good deal (even though no matter what you'll end up spending a lot of money here). I don't particularly love the creamed spinach here. It tastes as if maybe the spinach was burnt and cream was added? I normally get the mashed potatoes (can't really taste the garlic). The corn and edamame succotash is also good and garlicky. For dessert, I recommend the banana cream pie or the raspberry sorbet. I find the lime cheesecake to be a little too citrus-y tasting.
(5)
John D.
First, let me admit that I am a big fan of Flemming's Steakhouse, so I am a bit biased. However, I must say that my experience here was very mediocre. Considering this price, I would rate this a 5.5 on a 10 scale. The quality of the steak was average..extremely salty. I had the wedge salad and the lettuce was not very fresh and overall a very dry salad. The atmosphere was pleasant, but not outstanding. I will say that the view was nice and we did catch a great sunset. All in all, this was somewhat disappointing and I will not likely return.
(2)
Dwight C.
Another fantastic dinner with family and friends. I inhaled that steak. :)
(5)
Dolce D.
I met friends for drinks last night and we sat in the bar. We ordered food. I ordered the crab sandwich and had to send it back because the crab was so fishy I couldn't eat it. Bad crab. My friend ordered a burger, medium. She had to send it back as it was still raw inside. They brought another burger and the same situation; this time rare inside. The service was poor. This is so surprising as my various other experiences over dinner have been great. What's going on in the kitchen?
(1)
J T.
Any "steak" house that doesn't even have dry aged steaks as an option is NOT Legit in my book. Won't come back.
(3)
Tina L.
Pricey, but what wonderful and delicious food! I'm a fan! The few times that I've been here, I've always left with such a wonderful and friendly experience. My server, Ashley, was super friendly and made our experience very lovely. She definitely knew a lot about the different types of wines that Ruth Chris offers, and helped us pick out a wine for our meal. My boyfriend ordered the cowboy ribeye and I had the 12oz ribeye. The steaks were cooked to perfection, and just melted in your mouth! It was the best steak I've ever had. The only complaint, which is a very small one, was that it tasted a little salter compared to my last visit. Regardless, it was still delicious, but maybe next time I'll ask for light seasoning or something. Bottom line : pricey, but worth every penny! Dress up, find a special occasion that is worth celebrating, and enjoy yourself at this yummy steakhouse!
(5)
Choy L.
The first time i came here, it was with a broker of mine who wanted to treat me dinner as a thank you for a job/s well done. Since then, it has become my default "go-to" spot for taking my SD clients for casual meetings. The place is fancy enough to impress but casual enough not to intimidate. Perfect as I try to make my clients feel at ease with me even when we are talking shop. As you have prolly surmised, the food here is exceptionally good at best, above average at WORST. out of the numerous times i've been to this location, never have i had anything to complain about with regards to the food. although i pretty much stick to the same things every time. which of course would be my recommendation to first timers. Start with the French onion soup (soo good), and have the rib eye (med-rare) for your entree and Asparagus (but don't pee with-in nose shot of anyone, garlic mushrooms for the sides. If it's your first time here, let the wait staff run you through what they do and how they cook their steaks, I definitely picked up a couple things I can replicate at home. Ruth's Chris is definitely my first choice among the steakhouse chains out there, it does cost a pretty penny but when you think of it, it is very reasonable considering what you are getting. Try buying premium dry aged meat at a reputable butcher and you'd quickly understand why the prices are what they are. Over-all, its a small price to pay for an enjoyable dinner, and if you're like me, perhaps a business opportunity. Word of caution, This place can be a bit confusing to get to as its right by the freeway interchange, so make sure you map the place out prior to coming here if you're not familiar with the area.
(4)
Craig W.
We enjoyed a fantastic dinner of cocktails and appetizers here the other night. Everything was delicious and the service (thank you, Donovan) could not have been more attentive or friendly. The location is a little strange but once inside, the bar/lounge is a beautiful setting with dark wood, low lighting and a great soundtrack of old time jazz vocalists. The dining room is in charp contrast to the lounge and is very open and airy. I've never had a bad time or a bad meal here. They deliver consistently high-quality food and service. Highly recommended.
(5)
Shelly M.
We always come here for celebrations. I would recommend the downtown location over this one for the feel and vibe. This location feels more cheesecake factor then Ruth Chris. Try to stuffed chicken!! I also recommend wine paring.
(5)
Meg D.
This place was so delicious!!! I'm from Kentucky, so you know I love me some steak!! haha Seriously the best steak I have ever had. I got the Petite Sirloin mashed potatoes, where my husband got a four course meal of salad, petite sirloin, lobster tail, mashed potatoes, and a creme broulee dessert. Oh and I had the blackberry sidecar... AMAZING DRINK. Kudos to this place, it's not often i'm this happy with restaurant service, food AND drinks. We got out of there after a $20 tip spending about $140. So it's not for every day for us, but it was our anniversary so it was worth it! Speaking of... they put out little rose petals on the table with happy anniversary confettie pieces.. it was sweet. :)
(5)
Cindi B.
If you are on a budget or looking for a cheap meal, stay away. If you enjoy a really good steak and don't mind paying for it, go here! Ruth's Chris is my favorite steakhouse and I frequent the Del Mar and downtown locations as much as possible. The memory of the hot sizzling platter of butter and steak is enough to make my mouth water. Since we discovered that the Del Mar location is open on Friday for lunch, we have come here with the co-workers frequently. My favorite lunch items are: Mixed Grill - Who would think of ordering a dish that contained chicken in a steak house. BUT, this is the best roast chicken I've ever had, and it is stuffed with ooey, gooey, cheese sauce. Steak Sandwich - juicy, tender, sliced steak on garlic bread with your favorite cheese. I ordered mine with blue cheese, of course. Filet and shrimp - excellent combo Calamari - sweet and tender Sweet potato casserole - OMG, if you have never tried this, go there immediately and order one. you will thank me. (And I'm not even a big fan of sweet potatoes, but this is more like a dessert than side dish). Ruth's Chris food and service has always been 5 stars for me.
(5)
Jamie Y.
Although the service was wonderful and food was spectacular, i overhyped this place for myself. Maybe I expected too much... I came in expecting that this would be the best steak of my life and how no other place would be able surpass this... (oops). I ordered the ahi seared tuna - DE-LI-CIOUS! I picked up my newfound love for seared tuna right then and there. Everything was perfect - the degree to which they seared the tuna on the outside, leaving the inside with a perfect soft yet fluffy texture. can you say fresh?! Oh and the stuffed mushrooms let my tongue try out some ecstasy - YUM! entree - petit filet because i only eat filet mignon! I was quite surprised on the size of the filet mignon. usually when i go out to order steaks in upscale restaurants, they are just a little bit biger than the size of a tennis ball. Well, this one was around the size of my hand! (~5-6inches). The cut was great, but their steaks are just a little bit too buttery for me... I prefer the taste of the steak, seasoned and grilled over a sizzling fire, but nevertheless, I enjoyed it. Dessert - raspberry sorbet - nothing too crazy or wild; i just wanted something plain and light to help my big meal go down =) one thing i would change about this place... is the dinnerware. that's pretty much it. great experience!
(4)
Linda F.
Went there spur of the moment a couple Saturday nights ago. No wait, which was good. Ordered off the full menu instead of the prix fixe because we wanted different sides and didn't care about dessert. Ordered the petite fillet and told the waiter I wanted it a little pink. He said, then you want Medium Well." I should have questioned that, but I've been to so many steak houses that undercook, I figured I'd go with it. It was a HUGE disappointment. First of all, they butterflied it, which I hate. If I can cook a fillet at home without splitting it in half so it comes out looking like a TV dinner Salisbury steak, then I'd think a professional could do it. And if they were going to do that, I should have been informed. The meat was gray and completely flavorless, even with the extra butter it was slapped with. They took it off the bill, but I'd been SO looking forward to an excellent prime piece of beef, and I've had just that at Ruth's Chris before, but this was a terrible disappointment. We were supposed to go for my birthday late this month, but now will look around for somewhere else.
(2)
Sarah G.
If you can afford to visit this place, DO. the ambiance is nice, the food is amazing. I always tell people who have never been.... the steak melts in your mouth! Usually the staff is awesome as well but this past time my waitress tried to give my table flack for wanting to get our drinks from the bar, IT WAS HAPPY HOUR, that means more drinks. She kept insisting that we just order from the table (@ full price) instead of sending our 2 husbands to the bar for a quick minute...... Other than that RC was amazing as usual. Will be back for sure.
(5)
Destany K.
If this place was called Joe's Steak House and not very popular, I would give it 5 stars. However, it's Ruth's Chris Steak House, and supposedly one of the better places to eat in San Diego. When my date and I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised since he did not tell me ahead of time where we would be going. Perhaps from all the years of hearing wonderful things about Ruth's, I created an idea of perfection. I expected to be blown out of my mind...but I was not. The calamari was so so. The spicy shrimp tasted much like the calamari, but a little spicier. The asparagus was, well, steamed asparagus. The mashed potatoes (which my date had RAVED about on several occasions) tasted like normal mashed potatoes at any given restaurant. Finally, the steak was a little too salty and chewy. My date had even mentioned how his was cooked a bit too much on the outside. To the chefs defense, we did get there pretty late, and the food didn't come out until about 9:30PM, but I was still expecting much more. Don't get me wrong, the food was great, maybe even better the second day around for leftovers. It just wasn't mind-blowing. I've had better steak and especially better mashed potatoes. I can steam my own asparagus and the calamari was eh. I love food, and most places I go, I thoroughly enjoy and rave about. Unfortunately, I heard too much about the place before going and my expectations superseded the actual taste of the food.
(3)
Joe M.
After my last disappointing experience at their downtown location, I was eager to give Ruth's Chris Steak House a second chance. However, this time it would be at their renowned Del Mar location. Overlooking the bustling Interstate 5, and the Pacific Ocean in the distance, Ruth's Chris sits exclusively at the top of a high, fortified cliff. In the evening you can see the sun dip below the Del Mar horizon as it sets, making for an especially romantic setting to share a very rich meal. To start our luxurious meal, regular water simply would not fit the bill so while some ordered wine, we also enjoyed several bottles of imported Italian still water called Acqua Panna. Crisp and refreshing, it was a fine example of a luxurious beverage, albeit ridiculously expensive at $9/bottle. Fresh bread and fine, whipped butter were also brought to whet our taste buds for the meal to come. The special Summer Celebration promotion has since ended, but due to its overwhelming popularity, the restaurant offers the Chef's Choice menu, which is exactly the same thing. It's a spectacular deal at $89 for two and I decide to perform an apples to apples comparison against my first dreadful experience at this upscale meat eatery. My first course was the Louisiana Seafood Gumbo. Far heartier than my last sipping experience with this soup, I was extremely impressed with the abundance of real crab and other essences of seafood in the thick broth. Paired with the light rice pilaf, the combination was a fantastic prelude for the meal ahead. Opting once again for the Mixed Grill, I remember the fond memories of enjoying the combination of many different flavors from my previous visit. This was one dish that did not ever let me down. Everything on the plate was seasoned spectacularly well and the charbroiled tomato was arguably the best part. I have never tasted such a naturally sweet tomato in my entire life and it paired perfectly with the excellent stuffed chicken and buttery brew petite filet. Side dish selections for our Chef's Choice meal included the buttery, garlic mashed potatoes and creamy spinach casserole. These extremely rich sides complimented the main course wonderfully, and like most of the dishes served at Ruth's Chris, were likely made with many sticks of butter. After all, butter makes everything taste better! Dessert at Ruth's Chris is always a treat and this time we decided to mix it up with the Warm Apple Crumb Tart. The enticing aroma of fresh granny smith apples and copious amounts of cinnamon and sugar were counterbalanced by the cooling effects of the scoop of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream melting down onto the crumbly tart. By now I'm thoroughly stuffed and, while we managed to finish about 70% of the homely tart, I simply could not go on. Sad to see it go to waste, it performed its duty of providing a palette cleansing finish to a phenomenal meal. The service at this location was absolute impeccable. Gone were the experiences of dropped steaks and in-your-face servers, this was the real, polished deal. Our server and his crew were all extremely polite, attentive, and professional, and were a delight to talk to. If you're looking for excellent service, definitely request for Adam as your server. He was a core contributor to the fabulous experience, and he can definitely make your dinner a dining nirvana. Overall, the entire experience package served up at Ruth's Chris in Del Mar trumped that of the Downtown location. It really was no contest. The food, service, ambiance, attitude, and overall attention to detail were far greater at this restaurant. If you're craving a juicy, USDA prime steak, make the pilgrimage up to the top of the mount, all the way to Ruth's Chris Steak House in Del Mar. You and your stomach will be glad you did. Food: 9/10 Service: 10/10 Price: $$$$ Atmosphere: 9/10
(5)
Kelli O.
Just visited for restaurant week in San Diego and the service was impeccable. Richard was our server and from the very beginning of our visit made us feel like one in a million in a crowded busy Friday night setting. Highly suggest using open table to make a reservation in the future especially during restaurant week this place has the best menu for the week. We ordered the ahi tuna/crab stuffed mushrooms for appetizers, filets, one side and desert all for 40$ Per person! Our steaks came out over cooked, though Richard was right on top of it. My boyfriend and I brought our own wine for a 15$ cork fee. We were enjoying our wine and didn't mind the error on the overcooked steaks. They left our side mash potatoes for us to enjoy while we waited. It only took about 8 extra minutes when the error was acknowledged. When the steaks came back they were perfect, and came along w complimentary sides again (mashed potato). Thought that was a nice touch. The manager came by to make sure everything was to our liking, very professional. Richard checked back frequently and his demeanor is what all servers should be like when you go out for a nice dinner, like a family member! What could have been a terrible/hangered upset turned out just fine due to Richard handling our table. Thank you Richard, we had a wonderful evening, left stuffed and satisfied.
(5)
Ann Beth C.
What is not to like about Ruth's Chris? Hmmm, wish it was less expensive so I could come here more often! We sat in the lounge and our server was great. Wish I remembered his name, but so friendly and helpful. You could tell he really enjoyed his job. We had cocktails, I had the blueberry mojito. The blueberry was subtle, but the sweetness added to the drink. And if nothing else, you have to get the sweet potato cassarole. I could make a dinner of just this. This location was very nice and we will certainly return.
(4)
Patricia Y.
Meat drowned in butter? I'm a fan. A place that actually cooks your steak rare when you ask for rare! It's amazing.. really. It's probably some kind of blasphemy, but I prefer Ruth's over Donovan's. It's pretty pricy but worth it. If my wallet was fatter, I'd probably be too..
(5)
Duke C.
Best service I ever got at a Ruth's Chris. Food's just like any other Ruth's Chris, favorite still being the New York Strip and their calamari. For their calamari, nothing beats the sweet & sour sauce they toss it in! Awesome shoe string fries too to make your own steak frites! As for the service after the group ordered (we had around 8), we waited for awhile for our steaks even after we finished our appetizers. Because of our wait when they brought out our steaks they even added free sides just to compensate. Nothing better than free mashed potatoes and mushrooms! Our server actually also noticed that a few of our steaks were overcooked and he personally took it back, and had new steaks grilled to how we ordered. Because of that, he even comped us another bottle of wine to thank you for our patience. It was a little annoying having to wait while others were already eating but the free bottle of wine was definitely worth it. They make you feel like you are the most important guest in the whole restaurant. Just for that, it deserves praise. Nice location and great service makes this one of the best Ruth's Chris I've been to.
(5)
Beth W.
Perfectly cooked filet mignon with shrimp, a fresh steakhouse salad, delicious creamed spinach and rich mashed potatoes...Ruth's Chris, I love you. Marry me filet mignon and I promise you a wedding that rivals Jack-in-the-Box's "marry bacon" gimmick. I've been to Ruth's Chris' Del Mar location on several occasions, primarily for business, and it has yet to disappoint. The food is wonderful, service is impeccable, and the wine list leaves precious little to be desired. However, the restaurant is located in a sterile business district next to the freeway, so if you're on a date try the downtown/Harbor Drive location instead for a fantastic view and some romance.
(4)
Albert C.
Came here to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. It was our first time here. Our server was excellent and gave us great recommendations for what to eat. Steaks were marvelous. The downside is that all things on the menu are a la carte. There is so much room in the restaurant but the waiters sat everyone next to eat other.
(4)
Albert A.
5 stars for this place for excellent service, ambience, and most importantly, the food. i came here for my anniversary with my girl. i called ahead to make reservations, and let them know it was our anniversary. they set up a table with special decorations, and offered a complimentary dessert to help us celebrate. even without this, our dinner was an exceptional experience. parking was very easy. there is a guest parking lot just a short walk from the main door. they have a valet service, but i don't see how it is anywhere close to necessary. once we got in, the server, amy, was very helpful with all our questions, and everything we requested was acknowledged with a smile. i have a feeling that even if we were the most annoying customers ever, she would still have kept up her smile and great attitude. on to the most important part: the food. the delicious, succulent, food. i ordered the cowboy ribeye with the bone in. it was pretty effin delicious. the default topping of melted butter made the seasonings on the steak become finely crisp, and accentuated the texture of the meat very well. my girl ordered the special bone in filet mignon, which was by far our favorite dish of the night. there were no parts of fat, cartilage or inedible pieces. each bite was tender and flavorful. it is what we will both most likely order once we go again. we also had the spicy lobster appetizer served with pickled cucumber, sweet peppers, and lemon wedges to squeeze at your own pleasure. it was a very good dish, but one i would return to after i've tried other items on the menu. as a side dish, we had the au gratin potatoes, which were another excellent dish. the cheese was melted perfectly on the potatoes, and the potatoes themselves had a soft texture that lent itself to be mixed with the cheese. i had to remind myself i was there for the steak, not the potatoes. that complimentary dessert we had was the creme brulee. it was served with various berries, and was another example of why ruth chris is as famous all around as it is. the crisp, sugar-caramel crust was like sugar chips that melted with the soft pudding. 5 stars for an awesome dining experience. it is obviously a pretty expensive place. the steaks will probably run around $60-70 and the sides will run about $15-20, but believe me that it is worth every pretty penny, especially if you are taking a date for a special occasion, or trying to impress her.
(5)
Christopher W.
San Diego has these "Restaurant Weeks" a couple times a year. Ruth's Chris has been on there and they have the best steakhouse deal, it's the only one that let you have an option of a 12 oz ribeye and a filet. Other steak places only offer like a "cheaper cut" such as the sirloin or a flat iron, but none a ribeye. Medium-rare is the way to go! Not only are their options better, but their appetizers are great and the bread comes nice and hot with great butter. The waiters have an awesome tool to get all the crumbs from the table in a quick and efficient manner. The service is outstanding. I have heard that Morton's is the best of these high-end steakhouses and I cannot wait to give them a try when the time comes because Ruth's Chris is great in my eyes and I can't wait to see how a place would top them.
(4)
Kristen L.
When I made reservations I put in the comments that it was our anniversary. When we were seated there was rose pedals & happy anniversary confetti on our table- very cute touch. The only problem was that we were seated in the very small back room & was very loud & felt like a closet. We decided to ask to be moved because he is a bit claustrophobic. They moved us right away without hesitation & even remembered our rose pedals and confetti for the new table :) To start we ordered crab stuffed mushrooms and seared Ahi tuna. OMG! The tuna was to die for and the mushrooms were great also. For the entree we ordered the Ribeye and filet- the filet was the most tender I have had & my boyfriend loved the Ribeye. Chocolate Sin Cake is a must try but you have to LOVE chocolate :) This is my boyfriend's favorite steak house in San Diego now, so he would give it 5 stars but I only gave it 3...I feel like the location was a miss, like it's on the wrong side of the freeway, not a great view, and not very romantic but good food nonetheless. We'll probably go again :)
(3)
Tiffany H.
For someone who is not a big steak fan, I guess this is pretty good.. I typically would get lamb chops at a steak restaurant, but I decided to get filet mignon (asked for rare plus) this time! I had the prix fixe menu, and it was so filling! couldn't even finish the steak! the garlic brocolini was really good! the service was really nice! be sure not to touch the plates b/c they are 500F HOT HOT HOT!!!
(4)
Alex P.
This place has gone way downhill . The service, the food and the class have diminished substantially. Ironically enough however the price have gone way up . When I told the manager it was the worst experience there in my life and that my once favorite steak restaurant let me down big time he made no attempt whatsoever to make up for my poor experience in any way, shape or form and merely attempted to blame the waiter. Last time ill ever be eating here.
(1)
Mark A.
This place is amazing!! I went with my wife and we both agreed that their appetizer and dessert was enough to make us content to give them a five star rating. You'll have a great experience with the food. I wanted to give them a 5 star rating but their service staff was a little inattentive to give them a 5 star rating. Often times we had to ask for refills and other requests. Food is fantastic and the location is great. Tip: It's enjoyable regardless of their steak dishes. We would go here just to have their creme brulee.
(4)
Walter M.
This is as good as it gets, if you can put aside the price. Each time I've come here I was prepared to spend over $100 per person. Yeah I've come here a half a dozen times and usually on dates (anniversary, birthday) and once for work, but if you figure it's the best it's going to get, then you'll really enjoy it. Part of my rating is based on experience and value, so I find it hard to spend that much when all the ingredients can be artistically procured and recreated with the right tools to similar perfection. The Ahi is good, nicely seared and fresh. Crab cakes are pretty large and the lemon butter is great, I save some for my baked potato or Lyonnaise. It's a simple dish, classic French, but not many places do it. Very herbal. The wedge salad is always fresh, crisp and if done correctly involved very little fork/knife work. Despite the handful of desserts I always get the Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, probably because I never see it anywhere else so I have to get what I can't get elsewhere. Ok so market price basically means whatever they want to charge you, but most places it's hard to find a 2+ lb lobster, but I went with a 2.5 lb which was huge, amazing and done to perfection. I could tell they salt the water nicely. The drawn butter bowl is pretty large and appropriate considering they sometimes offer up to a 5lb lobster. Lamb chops are good, no bigger than a regular chop, but juicy and I'm not sure how they plate it still sizzling, the mint is a nice touch. Steak, of course I've had their steak, I've had a few steaks. Most people go with the filet and petit and the fan's go for Ribeye, but my favorite cut is still the NY. I find ribeye to be flavorful, but a tad fatty. The uniformity of the NY is what I like. Apparently they cook at an extremely hot temp. My grill, stove, oven or smoker usually doesn't get above 550-600 let alone 1000. I go with a side of butter and steak sauce at most places, but at a steak house I go bare and I go rare. The NY isa good size and the Ribeye is about what most can handle. If you can eat and enjoy a large steak go with the Porterhouse, but if you're a beast then go Cowboy cut Ribeye. It's huge, not enormous, not food challenge sized, but if your getting an appetizer, dessert and drinks it's pretty hard to handle. Next time I'm going to ask for the baseball cut filet. If I get steak I generally go medium, if I go to a steak house I go medium rare-rare depending on the restaurant, but here I go rare, extra rare on the thinner cuts. Black & Blue is the general term for it. The small things. You figure the service would be better and you figure the waiter would know more about the steaks than the wine. It's kinda nice to not be intrusive, but when I ask for something I expect it. Like having the butter for my steak. 2 occasions I asked for it with my appetizer so that it would come with my steak and it didn't. I sometimes like to melt butter(not the regular kind, but with the lemon like on the crab cakes on the steak and by the time it got there it didn't sizzle off. Also The location is kind of in an industrial area and the valet is a bit of an unnecessary charge. I can understand if valet is the only option, but they have a private lot, garage and valet, overkill.
(4)
Keakulina G.
Went here for my birthday, which happened to be restaurant week. The service is amazing. The menu for restaurant week was perfect, an appetizer, entree and dessert. I had the seared ahi, which was pretty amazing, just a little heavy in the wasabi (but that's the point), so if your not a fan of wasabi, not the way to go. The stuffed mushrooms were pretty good, not too much butter, made just right. The entrees also come with a side dish, (which I suggest ordering something different that the people/person your with) they are decent portions and can be easily shared, they are served on their own plate. The mashed potatoes and spinach are good!. I ordered a medium rib-eye And it was THE BEST steak I have ever eaten. It comes served on a sizzling plate, over 300 degrees. And when you say medium, it's medium!!! Not undercooked or overcooked, it's just as you ordered. My all-time favorite steak house. The dessert was petite and the perfect way to end the night, just to top off your tastebuds. I got a sweet cream with fresh berries. Very decadent.
(5)
Jade A.
My fiance and I came here for Valentine's Day and had the best experience. We called and asked if any reservations were available and was told they were all booked but we were welcome to sit in the bar/lounge and have dinner. We didn't mind that, so we came in. The hostess showed us to the bar but it was completely full so asked us to wait a minute. She came back and sat us in the dining room right away (score!!) Our service was amazing and the food was like something the Gods would eat (haha jk) but it was pretty much perfect. We had the calamari, which is something we order often but this has to be one of the best we've had. Steak and lobster which melted in your mouth and ended with the chocolate cake. Our server was on top of his game. This put a great ending to our Valentine's night. It is a bit pricey, but is totally worth it.
(5)
Cecilia S.
Very disappointed with our lunch. We waited 20 minutes for our food, only to have my filet so overcooked. Waited another 10 minutes (at this point, my husband was almost done with his meal), then got my filet. It was still over cooked. For an upscale steakhouse, they should know how to cook a steak to medium rare. My husband's fries were cold but we didn't send those back as we were too hungry.
(2)
K. W.
Took my guy for his bday. I ordered the peach tea from the bar, sweet potato casserole, and Maine lobster. Also had the spicy shrimp appetizer. Food/drink was awesome but I had no idea my lobster would be $76. Next time I will ask! Service was wonderful!
(4)
Faisal A.
Always go here for special occasions! It's the BEST. The Cowboy Ribeye and the Bone-In Filet are great! I'd say the steaks there are the 2nd best in SD!
(5)
Mel S.
As I prepared myself to leave dinner missing one arm and one leg, I was pondering why, with so many absolutely amazing steakhouses within a 20 minute radius, do people constantly come to Ruth's Chris and spend substantially more money on their meals? I found out the answer is because Ruth's Chris ALWAYS delivers their tried and true menu in PERFECT form. Plus I have discovered that their $40 value menu still allows you to substitute their SCRUMPTIOUS lobster bisque for no additional cost, so I am super duper stoked. Unfortunately, our party had to wait almost 40 minutes to be seated with a reservation, and since we arrived 30-45 minutes early to drink at the bar our group was pretty fed up by the time we were finally seated. In addition, the hostesses obviously did not give a rat's hoo ha that we were waiting so long, which was irritating. I'd like to say once we were seated everything was great but I have to say even though we ordered drinks soon after sitting, it still took another 10 minutes for water and 20 minutes for wine to hit our table. If they didn't do so much making hungry people wait, this would have been a 5 star review. Once the drinks arrived everything was great. We ordered a very reasonably priced Malbec & Pinot Grigio (only $30ish) both were AMAZING. For appetizers we shared the Stuffed Mushrooms, Seared Ahi, Spicy Lobster, Calamari, Barbeque Shrimp. Mushrooms & Shrimp were good, but nothing special. The Ahi and Calamari were perfectly cooked and yummy, But the Spicy Lobster was the star of the show, no one could get enough and I will order that every time I go here for sure. There is a great "value meal" if you will For $40.95 you can get a 3 course meal including a choice of soup or salad, choice of 4 or 5 entrees that you would actually want to order, including the 6 oz filet & jumbo shrimp entree which is what I got, and then the cheese cake for dessert. There was also a $49.95 option which offered upgraded choices of entrees. This was a fantastic set of meal deals and every bit was perfectly cooked, full of flavor and the meat really shines. As a lobster bisque fanatic (I have tried it at probably 50+ in town establishments), I have to say Ruth's Chris' bisque is as good as it gets. Perfectly balanced flavors, terribly rich and always leaving you wanting more...; ]\ My hubby got the Cowboy Ribeye, he opted for that over the bone in filet because he wanted the marbling aka yumminess over the tenderness. The Cowboy was flavorful, perfectly cooked. For sides, we shared the potatoes au gratin (BEST!) and the mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus which were all perfect but nothing crazy special. By the time we were done w dinner, all the cheese cake was gone but the delish chocolate mousse cake they made was to die for. It was smooth, velvety and not too rich. The berries put it over the top and made a nice finish to our meal. All in all, this is definitely somewhere to go to spend a special evening when you are craving some serious beef and aren't looking for any thrills and frills in your food. If you are looking to see something new & different this is definitely not the place for you. But perfectly cook steak with yummy sides? Check! Leaving with a lot lesss $ Double Check! Still, im sure i will be back. Amazeballs - SPICY LOBSTER Bummer - WAY too long of a wait for a party that spent $2000+ on dinner.
(4)
James S.
{MESSED UP STEAK, AWESOME SERVICE, & A NEW STEAK} Sometimes even good Restaurants make MISTAKES. In this case, Restaurant Week Medium-rare Ribeye came out Medium, and cooked many parts to a medium-well on the 500F plate. I'm sure it was cooked the same amount of time as Monkey's, but hers was well-cooked. Mine was over-done. When the Assistant GM asked how everything was after having eaten 1/2 my steak, I said to be honest, things are good, but my steak is overcooked. He said well that's not how we do it here at Ruths Chris! Let me bring you another one! I said no that won't be necessary (I hate to waste meat - something that has died for consumption). He insisted. I resisted. He won and I said okay just bring me a little piece. He said okay. 5 minutes later a sizzling buttery PERFECTLY cooked Medium-rare steak came out. Amazing service. {Pluses} -Creme Brulee is still delicious as ever. Paired well with late-harvest Riesling -Ordered the 06 PRIDE Cabernet that was on the menu and they gave me the superior 07. YUM. -Awesome Service by the AGM and Ashley the server. {Minuses} -Messing up the first steak -Appetizers: very heavily spiced tuna, but lacked salt. I would have put maldon sea salt on the pieces or some fleur de sel -Crab mushroom tasted like mushroom. Tried hard to find the crab flavor. Didn't. -Bleu Cheese crust used to be free! And, it used to be entirely bleu cheese. Now it's a mixture of Bleu Cheese and breadcrumbs. The former was wayyyy better. RC has a special place in my heart after 12 years. TWELVE YEARS! It's like my best friend in life. I like it better than Peter Luger's, Mastros, Donovans, and (Morton's shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence). Because of its accessibility, I like Ruth's Chris better than THE CUT in Beverly Hills. (IMO it's the BEST steak experience but with (good) wine it's $350-450/head.) Ruth's Chris with a nice Pride Cab and a few additional glasses ... $265 for 2.
(5)
Nathanael L.
The filet mignon is definitely one of the best out there. The cut is so tender and gives the impression that it melts in your mouth. It is about the size of your fist and 1.5 inches thick. My recommendation for wine pairing is the Seghesio wine, which is offered around $14/glass. FYI, a bottle of Seghesio costs around $25 at BevMo, so wine pricing is reasonable. The lobster tail isn't bad either. The setup is quite impressive as with each order, they give you a personal dish of melted butter with a live flame to keep it nice and warm. The lemons are wrapped to keep the seeds from coming out. The service was wonderful. The waiter knew when to tend to us and when to leave us alone. The ambiance was a bit louder than I would have liked and from what I have experienced at other locations.
(5)
Barbara S.
CHECK YOUR BILL!!!! It has been years since I have been to Ruth's Chris and I remember loving my steak. So, I was thrilled to know we were headed back. The restaurant itself is very noisy. We managed to get a table on the lower level which was great. Our server seemed a bit impatient with us from the very start. Bottom line is that 1 ribeye ordered med. rare came well done. Once the food was dropped at our table, waiter never bothered to come back to check on us. Baked potato-loaded came with a TBS of sour cream. It was dry and not worth eating. Two other filets came as ordered. We finally got another server to take back the overcooked steak 20 minutes later. The kicker is that when the bill came, we are overcharged by $100!!! We asked to speak to the manager, Bobby, who took 15 minutes to come to the table and then acted as if it was no big deal being overcharged and all he kept saying was that they took that crappy overcooked steak off the bill. Yes, as they should have! But then to be over charged $100 and have the waiter act as if it was no big deal??? Makes me wonder how many times they get away with that!!!! We won't be going back!
(1)
Jennifer C.
We've been to this Ruths Chris a few times and each time has been fantastic! Everyone is so friendly and the food is delicious! Parker is the best server they have working there, always pleasant. I always get the filet and have never been dissapointed. The sweet potato side dish is so good we asked for the recipe and make it every Thanksgiving!
(5)
Melissa M.
This is my absolute favorite place to get a steak in San Diego. I don't like my steak on the rare side, so the waiter suggested they butterfly the filet minion so it will cook all the way through. People are probably screaming at me for doing this such a fine piece of meat but it was so delicious and buttery i would do it again and again. Hint: whatever you do, do not touch the hot plate that your steak comes on.
(5)
Tom C.
Best steakhouse I have tried so far. The quality of meat is that of most other high end steak houses but the what sets them ahead is the butter sauce. I makes the steak amazing.
(4)
Lina L.
Ruth Chris Steakhouse was a random "Yelp it" and see which steakhouse was open around 9:45pm. Since We all know LA has bunch of open 24hours restaurant, but not so many when traveling to San Diego. So glad this place was just up the street from our hotel, although it was hidden between business buildings. Although we felt under dressed, we sat by the window and watched the architecture sculpture outside moving little by little. Our waiter was very nice, believed that I was old enough to drink without checking my ID (so extra points for him, yes I AM old enough to drink) Start off with a glass of Riesling (very good) Calamarie (sweet and sour) was definitely different Filet (medium-well) very good! Boyfriend got the Ribeye (medium) Cream spinich is like artichoke and spinich but without the artichoke Baked potato split in two was very good fulfilling We definitely enjoyed our late night dinner, because we didn't feel like we had to rush to eat so they can close. Our bill came out to be $150 + $20 Tip
(5)
Dr. K.
Underwhelmed. We decided to try Ruth's Chris because we heard from a friend that it was good. The steak was excellent...great piece of meat cooked perfectly. No complaints there. The price was a bit steep, but basically what we had expected. The salads were okay, and the baked potato was very good, although $8 for a potato was more than expected. Descent drinks. The dining room was tastefully done, and the tables were nicely set. So why not 5-stars? I took 1 star off because the dining room was very loud. Something about the acoustics of the room made the background noise very distracting. After dinner, we passed through the bar, and that room was much quieter, which was weird. I took off another star because our waiter was a pain in the @$$. He kept coming over making jokes that weren't funny, interrupting our conversation, and generally being obnoxious. We may try this restaurant again, but if that waiter comes to our table, we'll be asking for another.
(3)
Roland F.
Ruth's Chris restaurants are a mixed bag. I've had downright bad, like in Jacksonville, Florida, and I've had really great, like this one in Del Mar. The food is fabulous and the addition of the new Bistro menu is a very welcome change (more casual food at lower prices). Try the burger or the steak sandwich, but I'd avoid the sushi (it's just okay). In the bar, maybe you'll get lucky and get the affable and always entertaining Bubba, who is one of our favorite bartenders. Everyone though, from hostesses to bartenders, servers to bus staff (Juan is great) is well trained, helpful and nice. In the main restaurant, get the steaks which are buttery delicious, the halibut (but ask for it to be prepared on the rare side to keep it moist) is awesome, especially with the garlic crust and the surprise star is the stuffed chicken. I know, I know, but it really is that good! Oh, and be sure to take advantage of their summer specials (which run pretty much all year) and grab a complete meal for $49 or even $39.
(4)
Tan D.
Hands down the best steak in town... This steakhouse has a certain aroma that just makes my mouth watery. And it taste fantastic! And you can not eat steak unleast it is rare!!! it should be illegal otherwise. I would say, this steakhouse is much better than donnovans, sorry donnovans, but they are the best.
(5)
Lysabeth L.
The crab cake appetizers were hot, sizzling, and yummy! My steak and lobster were perfect! The broccoli au gratin and baked potato fell below my expectation! Staff was very nice!
(4)
Tommy C.
My wife and I came to Ruth's Chris to celebrate my 30th birthday. We have always wanted to try it since I love steak and heard that it's the best. Made a reservation online for 7:30pm Friday night. The atmosphere is pretty casual, not uptight like I was afraid of. I ordered the 3 course combo with tomato soup, 11 oz filet (medium cooked) with mashed potatoes, and strawberry chocolate cheesecake for $60. My wife got the 12 oz ribeye and a glass of red wine ($15). It was the best steak I've ever had. The filet was sizzling, hot (and stayed hot), fresh, tender, tasty, and cooked to perfection (pink on the inside). The ribeye was just as good (big portion) but not as tender. The waiter brought out my dessert with candles and "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate. I was relieved that they did not embarrass me by singing but later another waiter came by and was joined by a random customer who sang real quietly. They helped us put the leftover ribeye in a small fancy silver sealed bag (which I ate the next day and was still tasty). Although the bill for two came out to almost $150, it was worth it for a special occasion. Will be coming back in another couple years. Only negative was when I asked for water no ice the waiter gave us a $8 bottled water. Oh all the waiters are very polite and thank you on your way out. Parking is very close, no need for valet unless you have a baller car.
(4)
Valerie L.
This restaurant can easily be missed because it's located around office buildings. Most people compare Ruth's Chris to Donovan's but I think both restaurants have their unique flavors and I love them both! Appetizers: Calamari- This came in a big portion. It was fried and had a sweet and spicy sauce on it. Shrimp Cocktail- Jumbo shrimp! It came with a really good side salad. Entree: Filet with Lobster- 6oz steak and 8oz lobster for $45! Such a good DEAL! The service was excellent. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Kathy H.
Great place for lunch...pricey for dinner. Location is good. It's by a lot of businesses in Carmel Valley. I used to work within walking distance of this restaurant and would come here occasionally with a large work group celebrating someones birthday or a special occasion. The ambiance is nice, decor is very nice and the service was always good. They have great salads, chicken sandwiches and calamari. I never tried the steak.
(4)
Rigo B.
It is rare that we come upon a place that has GREAT mouth-watering food. The port house for two was phenomenal including the salad and dessert (banana pie). Outstanding food! Highly recommend the cucumber gin cooler. The main purpose why we decided to write a review instead of just rating it was the 5-star service we received tonight. Shelby you were a doll and we appreciated very much your warm welcome and beautiful smile, also, thanks for giving us a great table. Our server Ashley was superb. Her knowledge of the menus was impeccable. Attentive but not intrusive. Overall, a delightful person. Thanks Ashley for an amazing evening. This is by far the best Ruth's experience we have had.
(5)
Cheav C.
I've been here twice. Once for the hubby's birthday and most recently to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. The location is in a nice business district, no oceanview, just a view of the 5 Freeway, buy hey, you don't have to deal with finding parking in Downtown, so we come here. The service is very good here, as far as the servers/ waiters being very courteous and always checking in on you so you never feel like they forgot about you. Rose pedals on our table and complimentary dessert choice with "Happy Anniversary" written on the plate was a nice added touch. However, took off 1 star because our waiter messed up twice. First he took my order wrong & brought out the filet and shrimp when I ordered filet & lobster. He did apologize and even the manger came out to apologize (which I thought was really nice and exceeded my expectation). I was totally okay with having to wait for my entree again, but the second mistake was our waiter forgot to take the incorrect entree off of our check so we got charged double. The situation was quickly rectified, but still, come on, you messed up twice and if I'm paying $40 (gulp) for a piece of steak, I expect impeccable service. Food was good, pricey, but RC is place to go to commerate special occasions.
(4)
D D.
An incredible disappointment! I first went to Ruth Chris's Steakhouse in the 90's in Phoenix. It was memorable but given where live I haven't frequented the restaurant in years. There were 9 family members and we decided to head out to what we thought would be a great dinner. Whoa...wrong!! Lackadaisical help, left hand didn't know what the right was doing, less than mediocre sides...one high note medium rare filet and that was about it. Then the bill came....over $600 for 5 adults 4 children. The quality and care that once was synonymous with Ruth Chris is gone...
(1)
Bailey Z.
Ruth's Chris was quite disappointing. The night started off with three different appetizers. We all shared the Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes, Crabtini and a Calamari plate. The crab cakes were not that jumbo, but worse, it was very very mushy. It was good that it wasn't too breaded, but it should at least be nice and crispy on the outside and solid meat on the inside. It was like eating a processed crab cake, but at least the flavors were there. The Crabtini was probably the best appetizer we had. But you can't really screw up making a crab salad with big crab chunks, salad and a dressing. If they did, then I would've made a wisecrack about how it should be called a Craptini. The calamari was also not very good. Calamari should be crispy, but it was chewy and soggy. Not the way to go. I like how they went the Asian route with the flavors. It had sweet and Thai flavors. Onto the steaks! The servers make it a priority to always remind you that the plates that they come in are around 500 degrees so don't touch! I tried three different types of steak, but I had the Cowboy Ribeye myself. First impression was wow, do not come here if you are on a diet. To make the plate sizzling when it arrives, they basically add like a stick of butter on the steak. It marinates in its own juices and a ton of butter. I think the best cut has got to be the Filet. It is the most tender out of the three and has very little fat. Because the Ribeye has a lot of marbling, the fat content is higher. Cooked medium-rare, the steak texture is very good. Flavor-wise the steaks were juicy and delicious, but the fact that it had so much fat on it was a turn-off. The side dishes at Ruth's Chris are served family style. We opted for two different kinds of potatoes. The mashed potatoes and the steak fries. Holy moly, the steak fries are huge. They are the size and shape of those giant pickles in those jars. They would go great with a nice burger. The mashed potatoes were also good, but not worth $8; I could make those same potatoes so not that impressed. How could dinner not be complete without dessert? Nothing sounded that great, so we just went with the Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. It had the typical banana cream pie flavor but looked fancier. The whole plate was glazed with caramelized sugar. You can't even scrape it off with a fork. I would hate to be the guy who has to wash that off. The atmosphere was nice and it was not as fancy as I thought it would be. But dinner for that price was not worth it. It would be better spent going to purchasing steaks at Costco and cooking dinner myself.
(3)
Nancy P.
I came here again for my birthday this year and I was not disappointed at all. Expect to spend a good chunk of money when you come here as everything is a la carte. I decided to try the petite filet and lobster tail this time around. Both were cooked medium well and perfectly juicy! I also ordered a side of potato au gratin, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli and fries. You know the steak is seasoned well and delicious when you don't need any sauce. The blueberry mojito was very delicious Customer service is excellent . They gave me a free dessert for my birthday. My date ordered me a cheesecake while I stepped out for a second, but I don't like cheesecake so they let me choose another. I chose the creme brulee. They were nice enough to let me keep the cheesecake. I'll come here again and again special occasion or not.
(5)
Sarah M.
I am not the biggest steak connoisseur, but I must say that Ruth's Chris Steakhouse has been my best steak experience. I have only been to one other comparable steak house, and that was Donovan's in La Jolla. I have been to Ruth's Chris three times total, and every time has been a great experience. The most recent time I visited, I went with Wilmar D. We ordered the house Chianti (Da Vinci) which was very good (will get back to this later). They also gave us bread, which was very warm and tasty :) We then ordered the crab cakes, which were pricey, but expected of a place like this. When they first arrived at our table, they were decent in size but there were only two. I was discouraged until I took my first bite. It was the best crab cake I had ever tasted. Many of the crab cakes I have tried in the past have tasted a lot like imitation crab meat, but these crab cakes tasted very fresh and were delicious. I highly recommend these. Wilmar D. and I then received our main meal: Wilmar D ordered the T-Bone and I ordered my usual, Filet Mignon, except this time I ordered it medium (I usually order it medium rare). I know that Wilmar D. very much so enjoyed his steak, but I can't speak for him so I'm going to recommend that he write a review for himself. But my steak was AMAZING. I have found that depending on how you ask them to cook your steak, they will undercook it a little. Although I enjoy my steaks medium rare, I had found in the past that they were a little too bloody for my taste. But being more knowledgable about the workings of Ruth's Chris, I ordered my steak medium, and that was the best decision I could have made. The steak melted in my mouth with every bite and the large amounts of butter complimented the steak very well :) In addition to our steaks, Wilmar D. and I ordered the Sweet Potato Casserole. This side is a lot like a dessert, but nonetheless, very good and a great matching to our meal. Suprisingly, what matched with the casserole well was the Chianti we ordered (weird, huh?). I thoroughly enjoyed taking a bite of the casserole then sipping my Chianti. We ended up not ordering any dessert in this trip, but in the past, I have ordered the Creme Brulee, which was topped with fresh fruit and a mint leaf. It was very tasty and I highly recommend it!! Overall, Ruth's Chris is a great place to get steak and the appetizers, sides, and desserts that I've tried are all very delicious.The place is a bit pricey, but it's a great place to eat occasionally for a special occasion. I also like it better than Donovan's. Wilmar D. and I will definitely be going back in the near future.
(5)
Jim L.
I've been here a few times and this is a great place to go when you want to bring out the carnivore in yourself. This location has nice views and I recommend arriving early and enjoying a drink at the bar. I've only had the steak here because I figure why would I come here for anything else....it's a steak house. My meal has always been prepared perfectly, piping hot and quickly. Everything here is a la carte so be prepared to throw out some dollars but every bite is worth it. Service has always been excellent and the attitudes as you walk into the restaurant has always been pleasant and welcoming. I would have liked to give it 4 stars because of the price but you know what you're getting before you walk in door, therefore the 5 stars.
(5)
Jared G.
I took my Girlfriend here for Valentines day one year and we were both expecting just a little bit more. Growing up ive always heard how amazing Ruth's Chris is and finally had to try it out for myself. We both love steak so it was a natural choice to give it a shot. I think one of the problems is we came here for valentines day and the vibe i got was they were getting us in and getting us out as fast as they could because it was a busy night. I didnt like that feeling at all but i can understand why they do it, there is money to be made! But both my girlfriend and i could feel that vibe and wasnt a great start to a romantic evening. we both ordered rib eye steaks. they came out on the signature sizzling plate. The side orders are ala carte and we got mushrooms and mashed potatoes, both were forgettable. The steak: i ordered medium and this was overcooked. Im not overly picky and i finished it, but it wasnt the memorable steak experience i was expecting. 3 stars for now. I will revise and update my yelp review when i come back here. I have several friends who really love this place and ill definitely try it again.
(3)
christopher m.
Bone-In Rib Eye was excellent Service was beyond reproach Thanksgiving Plate was superb as well. Expensive but worth it.
(5)
Joann R.
I'm not a steak person. i actually hate steak, it takes me ten minutes to chew each bite before I realize I will never break it down enough and it's time to spit it out.. But because i'm dating a t-rex who loves steak I find myself at Ruth's Chris for anniversaries, birthdays and other fancy restaurant type holidays. I'm not complaining at all because they have the best CRAB STUFFED MUSHROOMS on the planet which the t-rex and I share every single time. I've switched it up quite a few times on my main entree but don't have a favorite because it's difficult to make salmon and chicken stand out for me to say "o m g that's amazing." However, those crab stuffed mushrooms are so good that I will have to say "o m g that's amazing." I've never complained about the service, but then again when you spend close to two hundred dollars for dinner (and a couple martinis) for two, the service BETTER be good. They started doing a lounge menu which doesn't empty your pockets but still fills you up and feeling satisfied. I had the crab cake sliders on the lounge menu and would try it again =)
(4)
Parris B.
Came here for dinner and sat in the bar area. Ordered from the prix fixe menu: ribeye steak, house salad, and cheesecake and chocolate bark for dessert. The steak was amazing, served sizzling on a hot-hot plate, just the way I like it. Loaf of bread was served hot and fresh, nice outer crust. House salad had some really garlicky croutons. Loved the cheesecake, slightly tart, and the chocolate bark was delicious. Costed about $45.
(4)
L A.
Although a chain, RCSH never disappoints me. I have enjoyed many meals with this company in about a dozen different cities and the quality of food and service is consistently excellent. My dinner with my wife at Del Mar was equally satisfying. We had a cocktail with Donovan at the bar on a seemingly slow Sunday evening. The martini was hand stuffed blue cheese olives. The wine my wife enjoyed was a Da Vinci 2008 Tuscan Chianti. Both wonderful. The sky was overcast so looking out over the marsh didn't give us the brilliant sunset we usually get, but the scenery was gorgeous none the less. Nicole was our server. Friendly, suggestive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. And luckily, not everything was her favorite. We enjoyed the osso bucco stuffed ravioli and spinach . . . DELICIOUS although i could have had those as the meal if there were more. I had a salad called a Pancheta or something like that. Mixed greens, corn, balsamic dressing that was perfect . . . I had the garlic encrusted sea bass . . . thick cut, light taste and seasoned just right. This was accompanied by au gratin potatoes and creamed spinach. The dessert was the can't miss creme brulee topped with fresh berries. Bill, the mod, came by the table and chatted with us. Very pleasant. Like Steven, I am never wowed by RCSH, but I am also always happy to eat here. Oh, one suggestion that my wife made, and we've done it before for parties, if you have a favorite bottle of wine, bring it . . . they will charge a modest corkage fee, but you can enjoy the wine you like vs what they have for you. happy dining!
(5)
April W.
Best place - much better than SD location - they always prepare meat according to your request - top notch all the way as far as service & quality is concerned and consistent every time!
(5)
Heather G.
One of my favorite steak house, love this place, excellent service!
(5)
Tracy H.
Great steak, not so great lamb chops. Carrot cake was disgusting as was the chocolate mousse cups. We ate here quite a lot for birthdays and celebrations, but much prefer the West Steakhouse in Carlsbad for taste and service. Time to step it up Ruth's Chris!
(3)
Meer S.
Wanted to love it. Went there Sunday before Valentines with family. Ordered ribeye. It was oversalted and covered in butter, I mean greasy. They claim 1800 oven, but the steak had the texture of something baked at 600. The steak was maybe 3/4 of an inch thick and grisly @ $40! Save yourself a lot of money and get a prime ribeye from costco, sear and broil at home. Sides and dessert were delicious. But I'm here for the steak. Not what i expected. Sad.
(3)
Pen U.
Had a double date and it was a great time! Delicious, high quality steaks, sides, and desserts; as well as kind quality service that was worth every penny! Can't wait for the next occasion spent here.
(5)
Johnny N.
Great experience. Awesome dinner. From the salad, to the rib eye, lobster tail. Everything was excellent. Staff was highly professional and nice.
(5)
g.o. d.
Just ate there for the first time for anniversary. We had a big ol' gift card someone at my wife's work gave her so it was on the cheap side...still dropped over $75 of our own when all was said and done, but we did the whole thing--drinks, sides, what have you. Drinks: pomegranate 'tini & a sort of citrus margarita. Both yummy & not too sweet (a common mistake!); the 'tini edged out the 'rita in overal deliciousness. Starter: harvest salad w/ bleu, candied pecans, etc. Very very good; personally i didn't like the fried shallots on top (though I LOVE shallots); they jst didn't fit the rest of the flavor profile. But otherwise an excellent salad, and the shallots didn't bother my wife. I got surf and turf. Fillet was great. Lobster tail was pretty tough but tasty. Wife got the ribeye. She liked it; I didn't think it was the best I'd had. Sides of au gratin taters -- wife loves them; in general not my fav way to have tater, but these were really good. Also asparagus w/ hollandaise. Solid, not amazing. They should grill the asparagus. That would put it over the top. Dessert: it was our anniversary and they gave us a flourless chocolate/mocha cake. OMG, so f***ing good. It was orgasmic. Good coffee too. Large shout out to Ashley, our waitress, who was the best. So nice, very cool. We chatted. We bonded. We're BFFs. Overall: good food and service, like you'd expect. Price to value: so-so. If we'd paid the whole thing out of pocket I'd have been disappointed. Still, comparing this 1 visit w/ my 1 visit to Morton's, it was a more pleasant and higher-value meal here. Wouldn't go back to Morton's; I would go back here. Note: Surprisingly busy for a Sunday night--you'd not know there was a recession on; people were there w/ their little spawn, their grannies, their nannies, everyone w/ a fanny. Where do people all get this green to go out w/ their posse and munch down at RC's?? Even w/ a $100 gift card we dropped ducats. A good time was had, though, and that's the point, i'nnit?
(4)
Ryan W.
Why would I bother writing a review of a chain steak place? Because even chains have their ups and downs. This one is in the middle of the pack. First off, it's in a weird location right in the middle of an office park. Unless you valet, parking is kind of tight (as in the spaces are small). The restaurant is fine, but nothing special and the low-lighting I'm sure improves the ambience. The meal itself was fine. Steak was cooked properly (it's amazing how many steak places can mess this up). The sides were fine, but nothing out of the ordinary. Service was friendly, but there were definitely large gaps of time where our server was missing - so water glasses went unfilled, etc. All-in-all, it was fine - your typical, non-descript, high-end, chain steakhouse experience.
(3)
Mike M.
So the host was good , the waitress was good the food was good but surely not worth the 12.00 more than I pay at Outback for the same size steak It was ok, even good
(4)
Robert S.
5 BIG RED STARS. I am pretty young (graduated from undergrad in 2009). And I hate when 'fancy' restaurants belittle or treat people my age like they're worth less than the other patrons. However, this was simply NOT the case here at Ruth's Chris! The service, as expected, was very attentive! My water glass was never even near empty! SIDE DISH. I had the creamed spinach with my steak. This was the ONE thing that I did not like about RC. The creamed spinach tasted bland and my date agreed. We tried to finish it but we didn't even finish half of it. MAIN COURSE. For the main course...I had the Ribeye with a Blue Cheese crust. I love 2 foods in life. Ribeye! and Cheese! This steak was the PERFECT fusion of the two! The meat was succulent and it definitely met my high expectations for Ruths Chris. If you love ribeye and cheese, this is a must try! DESSERT. This was great. The waitress asked if we were celebrating a special night. We, in fact, were celebrating. So she asked what our favorite dessert was and we said Creme Brulee. The next thing you know, she comes back with creme brulee and says that it is on the house! and she very politely wishes us congratulations! ***** = 5 stars right there! (I also noticed that the waiter for the table behind us asked his table the same thing. So Im assuming that they ask everyone?) And of course, the creme brulee was delicious. (and not just because it was free) Warning: The steak plates come out hotter than the sun. The waiter reminds you that the plate is hot so unless you like getting burnt, be VERY careful!
(5)
pete b.
Had gone here for years along with Donovan's about 6 miles away. But over time Donovan's got better and RC became less consistent. Last time the service was inattentive and the waiter offered only 2 types of tea. That seemed odd, so I phoned the manager the next week to ask if they've eliminated their broad tea selection. He said no, it was probably laziness on the part of the waiter. He identified the waiter from my description and date and time we dined. Said he would have a talk with him, but no incentive to return. Why should I go back and be subjected to poor service when the prices charged calls for fine service. RC's, learn from Donovan's. Better food and service that puts RC to shame..
(3)
Christina T.
Hands down BEST STEAK PLACE EVER. I love that the plates are hot to keep the steak warm and delicious. The service is great and the decor is very romantic. Great for dates, anniversaries, Valentine's Day. If only I could afford to go to this place more frequently...
(5)
A M.
Yes its pricey but the service and the ambiance is impeccable. The servers are really attentive here but we did go for lunch and it wasn't crowded at all. Appetizers: Calamari- Fried deliciousness! A huge portion of calamari coated in a sweet chili sauce Crab Cakes- Buttery, flaky, and heaven in my mouth! Sides: We ordered something off the menu, I believe it was a sweet potato casserole? It's been a while. It was sweet, almost like a dessert. I ordered the New York T-bone steak. It was huge but was decent as leftovers. It comes sizzling on a hot plate with a pool of butter. Don't touch! We each had a creme brulee for dessert. It was a bit too sweet for me but i still managed to devour most of it. It was definitely hard to sit still at work after this huge lunch but a great experience overall.
(4)
Robert P.
Went here for my brother-in-law's surprise graduation party and was completely and utterly underwhelmed. Waitress started off by hassling us about the placement of our high chair, to the point it was just rude, redundant, and condescending-really, it's not like it was our first time bringing our daughter to an expensive restaurant. After the third time of her chiding us for no apparent reason and her even going so far as to move the chair herself back to where she'd asked us to move it from, it was painfully obvious she didn't have kids of her own and clearly wasn't used to seeing them at her restaurant. Our daughter is extremely well behaved and our family definitely didn't deserve to be harrased just because she was out of her comfort zone. Anyway, that all would have been tolerable except that we waited half an hour just to have our orders taken, then another hour for a salad that had so little dressing it was like chewing on my freshly cut lawn. Another half hour later my steak finally came out but without its side. It took ten minutes between flagging someone down and waiting for it to be delivered to finally be able to enjoy my dinner. My wife and I had considered just getting our bill and leaving at that point, and really we should have, but since we were celebrating and had both chosen to order Ruth's Classics-hence our desserts were already paid for-we felt obligated to stay. Big mistake; between dessert and getting the bill we wasted another hour on this grueling, all-night dinner marathon. 6:30-10:40pm, I kid you not. The food was decent and the ONLY reason I would not give this a 0 star review-if that is even possible. Almost everyone ordered Ruth's Classics so there was not a high degree of challenge to the kitchen here, and frankly they should have been well stocked and well prepared to crank out our orders. Also, please let me strongly emphasize the word decent with regard to the food here, because at best it really was the bare minimum I would have excepted for the price tag and was far from making up for the atrocious service. I won't be coming back to this location again and would encourage others to avoid it as well. There are just too many other places out there that offer waaaaay better service and overall value for your money, especially when you're bringing them the incredible boon of large party business.
(1)
Jocelyn O.
I've been here before with my girlfriends during San Diego Restaurants Week a few years back. This restaurant has two levels. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we were seated on the bottom level next to the windows with an ocean view. The decor on the bottom level seemed more elaborate then the second level. Ok, let's talk about the menu. I was surprised at the variety of items available. Maybe because I was used to coming here with a prix fixe menu. Anyways, we ordered the Seafood Gumbo, Lobster Bisque, Ribeye, Ruth's Duo, and Ziti and Cheese. The Ruth's Duo was a special that they had for $29.95. It included a 6 oz. Filet along with your choice of Crab Cake, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Fresh Fish Selection (which was Sea Bass) or Grilled Shrimp. I chose the Sea Bass. My husband enjoyed his Gumbo and the Lobster Bisque that I had was ok (not the greatest). It didn't take long from the time we finished our soups that the steaks had arrived. You can literally hear the steaks "sizzle" in fresh butter on the plates. Both entrees looked good. The Sea Bass was bread crumb/chive encrusted which really enhanced the look of the Sea Bass. The Ziti and Cheese was basically a fancy Mac and Cheese. We don't normally get dessert but since it was a special day our server gave us a complimentary NY Cheesecake (which usually costs $9.70). My husband liked it and I felt it was ok. I did notice how huge it was. Definitely meant to be shared. All and all, the dinner was A-OK. It wasn't like the BEST steak I've ever had but it's good enough to go back once in a while. The price was right since my entree was nearly $30 which was much lower than other entrees on the menu. This is one of those places to go to say you've experienced it.
(3)
M.J. E.
Second time in my estimated 20 times that I have eaten here (+ the times at the downtown location) that I've had to send my medium-rare, cowboy ribeye back for being over-cooked to a medium. However, I don't get upset because their steaks and sides are just too darn good. Service is always wonderful. The ribeye was exceptionally good as diner-style steak and eggs in the morning :)
(4)
Lucy B.
I just love to eat at this place. If I have a special occasion (or want a great steak) then this is THE place to go. The steak is servced piping hot and is covered in butter. The servers are always wonderful and attentive - with the manager talking to us about our anniversay a few weeks ago. The view is also one of the best in San Diego, perfect for a sunset dinner.
(5)
Jackie Y.
I'm giving this place about 3 1/2 stars. I've heard so much good things about this steak house and finally got the chance to try it out. Over all it's a decent place- it's a place where you can have a romantic dinner, business meeting or family gathering. The food tastes very good and they give you decent sized portions. My only complaint about this place is that they use corn-fed beef. I know that they say that they are prime quality, but now a days, you can pick up prime steak at any market. The aroma and taste of corn-fed is much different than grass-fed. I'm a huge fan of Wagyu and Niman Ranch beef. I'll come more regularly if Ruth Chris offers these kinds.
(4)
Teresa T.
I wanted to give this place a 3 1/2 because I tried their summer special, 3 course including dessert for $39. The salad was good, the crab cake with mash potatoes were good, the dessert....not so good. It was way too sweet for me. For $39 it was a lot of food to eat, and if you been to Ruth Chris you know that it cost a lot of money just to eat there so the price was great.
(3)
Grace C.
best steak ever. now i can't have steak without dousing it in butter. love it. anytime a friend has a birthday event here i am secretly ecstatic even though my wallet suffers.
(5)
Miss Maggie C.
This place has amazing steaks! I've been here twice for Restaurant Week already, and their food is delicious, the staff is always VERY attentive and friendly and knowledgeable, and their prices and portions are very reasonable. This place also has a great ambiance. I just took off one star because while their side dishes are huge, I don't think they really stand apart in any way from other restaurants'. If you come here, stick with the steak entrees rather than the seafood. Calamari appetizers were good, they were sweet. Lobster bisque was ok, too salty, although it did have a good amount of lobster in it. Their stuffed lobster was only ok.
(4)
Ed G.
The steak is always good, but the pecan crusted yams are to die for!
(4)
Veronica B.
For those who haven't been here.... expect to pay about $80 a person out the door... and that includes salad, sides, entree, dessert and a few drinks. Not too bad and definitely worth every penny. By far, the best meals I have ever eaten have been here. I love the ribeye and the stuffed chicken, potatoes augratin, broccoli augratin, and sweet potato casserole. Many people would never order the chicken in a steak house but let me tell you.... you have to try it once. I did and never went back to steak. Service is always great.... we ask for Greg
(5)
Oriana C.
Again, Great Service. We already know the food is great here so no point in me going into details about it. =p
(5)
Andy H.
I'm what you call... a frugal person. A person who thinks spending over $15 bucks on a meal is simply ridiculous given the times. Although, if the place is known for their quality and worth the price... I'll make the effort to pay a visit. People who know me, knows I'll drive far just to try a place. A foodie in training. I came here for restaurant week $40 for a 3 course meal? You can't beat that. I made my reservations through opentable.com and made a comment about placing us at a table with the view. They were very accommodating given the fact our reservation was in the evening and there wasn't much of a view left lol. I even got the same server from year or 2 ago (before I was a yelper)! I believe her name is Teresa. She introduced me to my favorite white wine: Estancia Pinot Grigio. The service was good. I can't complain. She was very personable and helpful. So i had the ahi and shared with a friend on her stuffed mushrooms. I didn't care for the seared ahi cuz it had an unpleasant spiciness to it. But I loved the stuffed mushrooms. For my entree, I had the filet and mashed potatoes. The filet is buttery goodness and super tender. But seriously, don't touch the plate. You will burn yourself. I did that to move it and got burned from it. I like my steak medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. For dessert, I had the chocolate sin cake. It's super rich. Whew! Side note: I'd recommend getting the lyonnaise potatoes. It was super delicious (although a bit on the salty side). I loved the firm texture with the soft sweet onions. If you're willing to spend 8 bucks more... I'd get it. Parking: it sucks. Its like a small strip over a valet only parking garage. The spaces are small so good luck finding something.
(4)
Fabi R.
Ruth's used to be our "go-to" place for celebrations. It was the one place you could always count on for great quality and great service. Sadly, this isn't the case anymore. The past few times we've been, the place has been deserted. The employees say it's the economy, but I'm going to beg to differ. We went for my birthday last week and sat at our usual spot in the bar - the two very private, end seats called The Penalty Box. We know the bartender from our many years of coming, and as always he was polite and friendly, remembering our son and other details of our lives that we've shared. Used to be you'd get some super-yummy, extra crispy house made potato chips at the bar. No more. We ordered drinks and a pricey (well over $100) bottle of wine, which he opened and left to breathe. We ordered two rib eyes - medium rare, the lyonnaise potatoes with blue cheese and asparagus, but switched the asparagus to french fries after seeing what they looked like. For anyone who has ever had a ribeye, you know they are fatty and tend to be on the round side. Well, it took a remarkably long time to get our food, especially considering the place was empty. When we did, the steaks on our plates did NOT look like rib eyes. As a matter of fact, they looked like New Yorks - long and thin. One cut in and they were both tough as leather, despite their pink interior. Inedible. We ended up sending them back they were so bad. We FINALLY got our rib eyes, again after a ridiculous wait. Our bartender was nice enough to bring out fresh sides since we'd had a long wait, but by now our nice bottle of wine was almost gone and we were both getting cranky. The steaks were okay this time, but overly fatty and gristly - literally 1/3 of each was inedible. The potatoes, which are one of my favorite foods in the universe, were so salty I left half of them. The fries were delicious - sadly the highlight of the meal. We overheard the bartender making a comment that the person cooking had messed up several tables that night. The manager came over and apologized, thanking us for speaking up instead of simply not coming back. We got the check - and were charged full price for everything. After the check, the bartender offered to buy us a "coffee drink on the house". Seriously??? It was my birthday dinner, we were there HOURS waiting on incorrect, then inedible food. We ordered a great bottle to enjoy with our dinner, and didn't have the chance to do so...and the fact that the manager came and spoke to us and then didn't bother to take any money off our bill was...irritating. I understand restaurants have off nights, but when you're spending upwards of $100 a person on a meal, you'd better be spot-on every time...and if you're not, you'd better work a little harder than normal to make sure your clients are happy. Even Denny's will take a meal off the tab if it wasn't right! Sadly, I think that will be our last trip to Ruth's. We'll be looking for another high-end steakhouse to patronize, preferably a locally-owned one that values our business. One that gets our order right, or at least makes it right when they don't. Two thumbs way down for what used to be one of our favorite joints.
(1)
Osamu I.
I love new York strip in here Also there is a bar space which is nice
(5)
Maureen P.
had my birthday dinner here.... the ambiance will never be beat by any other restaurant IMO. my experience was perfect.. great customer service, and a beautifully cooked steak with lots of flavor.... no sauce necessary.. :] i would definitely go back on any special occasion.
(5)
Henry T.
Great decor, very wide open, and I love the fact that there's valet to park your car. The entire place is very roomy and accessible. I actually felt kind of underdressed when I went there for the company Christmas party. The food is interesting. The steak is served in this very thin plate and is still sizziling from sitting in all the fat and juices and stuff. Very tasty red meat, soft and juicy, not hard to cut or chew or anything. The carrots and potatoes that accompanied the steak was also very good. The staff was timely and helpful, but not invasive, which is a good thing. They let you enjoy your food and with the army of servers they have, I never felt like I was inconvenienced. Chocolate fudge ice cream dessert is especially recommended. The one problem I had with the place was the placement of the men's restroom, which required everyone to move up a small elevator to the second floor location or go up some windy stairs.
(4)
Yong L.
One of the best meals I've ever had in my life. I know there are better steak houses out there, and Ruth's Chris is somewhat of a cookie cutter typical type of upper-echelon steakhouse - but the day I went there, everything was perfectly made according to my palate. They had a special which included filet mignon, lobster tail with a lump of crab meat on top, so I ordered that. I also had the shrimp appetizer, which was good but nothing to rave about - you cant really ruin a garlic sauce shrimp appetizer, I suppose. Their calamari appetizer, on the other hand, was phenomenal. After the meal itself, which was amazing, we had their cheesecake. This cheesecake isn't a standard cheesecake, but rather the crust is different. It's hard to explain, but the cream cheese of the cheesecake was soft and succulent. I am a huge fan of steak, lobster, crab, shrimp, and cheesecake. Ruth's Chris in SD delivered. Also, my friend used to work at another location so we got 50% off. Their bathroom was also very clean and well maintained, which was to be expected for a restaurant of this caliber I suppose. I hope to be able to go back soon.
(5)
Matthew T.
This always will be our favorite steak restaurant and it definitely didn't disappoint tonight. Steak was cooked exactly how we wanted it and our waiter Louie was attentive during our entire meal. It was a very busy Saturday night also which made it even more impressive. We'll be back soon! Thanks Ruth's Chris for another wonderful meal!
(5)
Tony T.
I am not sure what the hype about this place was all about but i gave it a try during restaurant week and was pretty dissapointed...the stuffed mushrooms were incredibly salty, the steak wasnt very flavorful but the service was speedy
(3)
Troy K.
Ribeye. Ribeye. Ribeye. My absolute favorite. I've eaten at Mortons, Donovans, Flemings, Rainforest and many more great steakhouses. Many people bitch about the butter on their steak. It creates flavor. And when I go out for steak, I'm enjoying a great evening and not counting calories. Besides, most those people will order a 1000 calorie desert and not even be concerned w the amount of butter in IT.
(5)
J C.
The best part was the food yumm!!! service was okay most people there foo foo white (upper class) felt a bit outta place But it was good!
(4)
Eileen P.
Went here for my second time on Father's Day. I forgot how good my first experience was about 5 years ago, but we wanted to treat dad out to a nice dinner. My family doesn't usually eat at nice restaurants like this, in part because it's tough to get my dad to dress up, but we were able to this time and I figured this was a good choice that would make him feel special. I had reservations for 4 originally, but with a last minute addition, we had to wait 10-15 minutes upon arrival. No biggie - there were chairs against a wall and also a lounge to wait in. This was a perfect time to get a drink at the bar. I decided on a special cocktail and got the pomegranate martini. Very well made! Strong, but no cringing for me. Sweet and tart, but not too much. The yellow sugar rim was a nice touch. Finally seated, the table was beautifully arranged. Our server, Lynn, was a very nice man who really took the time to answer our questions, offer informed suggestions, checking on us often, and even joked with my dad a bit. Knowing that my brother and I were in charge of the dinner plans, I really appreciated that Lynn came to my brother or I about small details of the dinner like the timing of when our steaks would start to cook and also their estimated arrival to the table. I'm glad he was our server that day because I could tell my dad had an enjoyable experience. Most of us ordered from the 3-course set. This was a great deal because you get a choice of salad, choice of steak, choice of side and a dessert for a flat price of just under $50. I got the steak house salad, filet medium-well, side of green beans, and upgraded my dessert for $3 to creme brulee. I had to ask the stupid question if steak came in the steak house salad! Since they are a steakhouse, they call it such rather than a house salad. Duh! Anyways, that salad had different leafy greens and I chose the vinaigrette - it was the perfect size that I could finish without feeling full. I ordered my filet medium-well, which was perfectly pink in the center. I like how the menu explains the different ways to have your steak, in case you forget and don't want to look stupid asking the server what medium-well means. I'm not a huge meat person but I finished every bite of that steak - it was perfection! The flavors and seasoning they use to cook their steaks make me drool just thinking about it. We didn't need to be warned not to touch the scorching hot plates because we heard our steaks sizzling! I chose the side of green beans for something different, also since I could just reach over and taste my mom's mashed potatoes. I expected the garlic mashed potatoes to be amazing, and they were! But I was surprised how good the green beans turned out - a little salty, buttery, garlicky... mmm! I love creme brulee and their's is soooo goood! It's a larger oval dish, big enough to share, and it came with fresh berries. I finished that off almost on my own! Just when I thought I couldn't eat anymore... I found room for creme brulee! We were all very pleased with everything. Definitely a great place for a special occasion.
(5)
Captain C.
Oh the joy of a beautiful piece of cow superbly cooked, simply and elegantly, with a glass of your favorite red...is there anything like it? The expectations where high; I was thinking Gauchos in Adelaide, or Cha Cha Char's in Brisbane... I was not disappointed. The meat was butter-knife soft, full flavored and perfectly cooked. (I asked for rare, wanted blue, and got blue.) There was even a Peter Lehmann Shiraz available by the glass. A sweet night, perfect service, and they even threw in a small birthday treat! All expectations were exceeded and we will be back before we head home!
(5)
Brian K.
"I really love the ambiance and service at Ruth's Chris but their food offering is not as nice. Don't get me wrong, they serve USDA certified Prime steak and they have the usual side offerings of numerous potato and vegetable dishes and lots of salads to choose from. Overall, we had a good time, but personally, I like Fleming's and Morton's a little better in terms of being well rounded. This Ruth's Chris is VERY casual. When I came here, people were in swimming trunks and sandals. I'm not saying you should dress that way but don't feel like you have to be over-dressed. Guys, dark jeans or slacks, a collared shirt and black shoes will do fine. Girls, a skirt, nice top, and some flats will be fine. If you wear black pants, they will give you a black napkin to avoid lint (which I thought was clever). I say avoid the desserts and go someplace else; even to a Baskin-Robbins. To clear up some statements that another reviewer left for the Ruth's Chris on Harbor (no names...)... 1) "The meat was very subpar. It lacked flavor, and the cuts were poor." - I find those statements strange. The cuts, especially for a nation-wide steakhouse, is almost exactly the same. It's not like a fingerprint; almost all the steaks will be consistent in terms of its cut. The flavor "could have lacked" (I think he means the marbling) but of course, because USDA Prime beef if so unique and rare (less than 1% of all beef), you will get variation from time to time. 2) What's up with a Kobe steak costing less than a 8 oz. filet mignon? Probably trying to unload some expiring beef. " - It costs less because Ruth's Chris does not serve Japanese Kobe beef ("true" Kobe beef); it is "Kobe" beef from the US. Even if it was "expiring," the cut would be very expensive (a fresh 6-8 oz filet of Kobe will be ~$100). Also, I doubt Ruth's Chris would "unload" expiring beef. It's not worth it for someone to get sick and come back with a lawsuit. 3) "Another peeve I noted was that the waiter didn't let me taste my wine when he opened it. $25 for corkage and he couldn't even extend me the courtesy and etiquette of respecting my wine." - $25 corkage sounds about right, and pretty decent. It was $35 at The Palm and $30 at Roy's just to give you a comparison. As for "the no tasting," the waiter simply did a "hard pour." I find that a lot of new and young/old wine drinkers are into the sniffing and swishing wine stuff. Next time, try asking for a "hard pour" and you will actually sound and look like you know what you talking about when it comes to wine. Also, keep in mind that when you bring in your own wine, which is completely legitimate and okay, be in the waiter's shoes....he is thinking that he already lost the 15% for tip on a wine the patron would have ordered. By no means is this the right way for a waiter to think, but again, be in their shoes..."
(4)
Alyssa V.
Ruth's Chris Steak House ~ Definitely in my top 10 steakhouses of all time! If you have never been before you must go, and soon! You will be treated like royalty, and you may not be able to go back to one of those other chain steakhouses again...You know that one place where we all like to go occasionally for their famous onion appetizer? This place is so not that type of steakhouse. I love putting on a beautiful dress, jewelry and high heels for dinner, that is this type of place. The place where you go for that onion appetizer, well I still like to look pretty when I go out, but I notice not everyone is that way, last time I went a saw a girl with flip-flops, torn jeans and holding a Mt. Dew can, while waiting to be seated! Um no. Steakhouses should be a lovely dining experience, and if that is what you are looking for, then please read on, as that is what you will find... I wouldn't say that this was simply a nice dinner out, I would go so far as to say that this was a dining experience. White tablecloths, pretty ambiance, fabulous food, excellent service. Everything from the wine to the dessert was above par, and far better than I could have ever expected. I hate using the word server, but our server was phenomenal and very friendly, not fake friendly either, genuinely helpful and extremely knowledgeable about their menu and wine list. We each had 2 drinks before dinner, some wine with dinner, and enjoyed garlic mashed potatoes, steaks (perfect filet ~ medium rare), and then dessert, oh my goodness, please do not skip the dessert! Shrimp Cocktail, yum! This is what I will always start as a prelude to my steak dinner. Delightful, light, always delicious and never quite too filling. There are other tasty sounding appetizers as well if this is not your thing. Caesar Salad, again a staple for me as a prelude to my steak dinner wherever I may be dining, and this one was wonderful. There are other salads & you can get a wedge salad, always a nice idea to cleanse the palate after an appetizer & prior to your steak's arrival. Steaks, can you get something else for dinner, sure you could, but I am not the type of person to order a salad or seafood at a steakhouse for dinner, if you are, check their online menu as I'm sure you can find something to your liking. Steaks are brought out to you literally sizzling on a 400°F metal type of plate topper. Wow! I so love that, I am the girl you see in a Mexican Restaurant who orders fajitas and loves when they cross the restaurant to me in front of everyone with a steaming plate of yummy goodness. Ruth's Chris makes that event even better, because it's a steak hello! If you are a steak lover, call as soon as you finish my review and make yourself a reservation, not even kidding. Have you ever heard the saying, 'cuts like a knife through butter'? That saying most definitely applies here with their steaks, the knife just slid through, and bite after bite I was thinking, I could really live on steak daily if it were always cooked like this one! I already am making plans to go back soon. Dessert, something I love almost as much as steak! Usually I love to order anything made of chocolate, and I am sure it wouldn't disappoint. If you love chocolate, there is a decadent dessert for you on the menu, however a good friend told me beforehand, that if I were going to Ruth's Chris, I must try the Bread Pudding & Whiskey Sauce ~ My first thought was, umm no, this is California not Kentucky, Bread Pudding? What? However, I tried it, thinking I would not like it at all, boy was I wrong! This is one of my new favorite desserts, first of all, do not picture pudding, like Jello Pudding out of a box, haha this is so not that, I do not have a picture because we just dipped our spoons right in and polished off about 75% of this incredible, indescribable, delicious sweet treat, but trust me when I say that you must try this, especially if carbs are of no concern to you. Make Reservations ~ Peruse The Menu ~ Take Your Appetite ~ Enjoy! PS ~ Remember The Bread Pudding!
(5)
Mitch W.
4.5 Stars! My faith in Ruth's Chris steakhouse has been restored! We came here for restaurant week and the food was good, but not great. It was very crowded and I think the quality went down some. On Friday night, we came back to Ruth's Chris and the food was delicious! We didn't have a reservation, but with everyone at Coachella, there wasn't much of a wait around 7pm. We were seated upstairs and the dining area was about 1/3 full when we arrived. It's a bit quieter upstairs. Looking over the menu, they have a three course prix fixe menu (similar to restaurant week) and two price points - $43.95 and $54.95. Both of us selected the $43.95 prix fixe. I got the 1) Steak House Salad, 2) 6 oz filet with shrimp, 3) Mashed potatoes, and White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Almond Bark was the only dessert selection. My friend got the same except 1) Caesar Salad and 2) Sauteed mushrooms. There are several other selections for the $43.95 prix fixe menu which include: Butter Lettuce BLT salad or| Chicken Tortellini Soup. Other entrees include: Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops, Stuffed Chicken Breast or Chef's Fresh Fish Selection. Other sides include: Fire Roasted Corn, Green Beans with Roasted Garlic or Creamed Spinach. I also had an Oatmeal Stout which was very good and almost like a meal in itself! My friend had their Riesling. Service was very good and the food was brought out HOT, HOT, HOT! I really like their warm bread (soft inside, crispy outside) with whipped butter. Great meal, I'll be back! Please see my pictures! Cheers. Xie Xie!!!
(5)
Alyssa L.
Came on a random Monday night with my boyfriend who suggested we eat at this place. Surprisingly I haven't heard about this place until he told me about it. So i was like why not you're paying for it haha. Parking in this plaza is easy to find (maybe cuz it was dead when we went and a monday) but they do offer valet parking right at the front. We were immediately greeted by their hostesses and they were very nice and led us to our table. It was dead slow when we went and there were plenty of non-occupied tables. Our server was very nice she suggested her favorites as well as the most popular on the menu. She did think my boyfriend and I were underage so she automatically didn't talk about any of their wine pairings. WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE MY BOYFRIEND AND I LOOK 18 STILL. (to be honest) but she did grab the drink menu and i was able to order something off that (i turned 21 this month haha) FOOD: The bread and butter the food runner brought out was really good. Easy to eat and WARM and FRESH. I also ordered an alcoholic beverage which was their blueberry mojito. Which was actually very refreshing and the right amount of mint, blueberries, and alcohol. It kinda reminded me of the mint juleps you can get at disneyland. For my main dish I ordered the 3 course combo which came with a choice of soup or salad, an entree, and dessert. I got their chicken soup (forgot the whole name of it ) and it was just DELISH. The broth is so tasty especially mixed in with all the different vegetables. For my entree i got their petite filet with 3 jumbo shrimp cooked medium. AND LET ME TELL YOU, whatever herb seasoning sauce they used was just incredible. It was so tender and so soft and it was so juicy in every bite. The shrimp as well was cooked perfectly and paired so well with the steak i got. My boyfriend order the three course meal as well and got the same soup as me and got the ribeye steak. His steak was HUGE, a very good cut of meat indeed. He definitely enjoyed his steak. For dessert we had their white chocolate raspberry cheesecake (as i can remember) and it was soft and creamy it was really good. Although I couldn't eat the dark chocolate that was also included on my dessert plate (the chocolate was too hard for my braces to consume and chew) so I gave them to my boyfriend which he enjoyed through every bite. SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE: Service was pretty on point and everyone was very accommodating and nice. The interior of this restaurant was very "fancy" so fancy that when my boyfriend and I showed up we thought we may of underdressed....haha but the experience was nice and it overlooked the freeway but it was still nice because we were able to catch the sunset at dusk. OVERALL good place to go out on a date. A little on the pricier edge but do expect that before coming here. Will definitely come again and totally recommend for anyone in need of a steak fix !
(5)
Alan C.
After many, many, many years I finally gave Ruth's Chris a try. Came for their Restaurant Week $40/$50 deal. 1. Their appetizer portions are huge! The stuffed mushrooms were awesome, though I was basically half full after eating those. 2. Steaks- while they are not dry aged or anything fancy like that, the meat was well seasoned and the very tender. The heated plates do tend to cook the meat more so you may want to consider opting for a bit less cooked than you normally order. I personally prefer the rib-eye over filet. 3. Most of their dishes contain butter, a lot of it. I highly recommend bringing or ordering some red wine to cut the fattiness of the steaks and their side dishes. Service was very friendly and attentive. Overall I enjoyed my evening at Ruth's Chris- 4 stars.
(4)
Omar A.
Second time here, and they don't seem to know how to cook steaks beyond medium rare. Medium doesn't mean well done. And medium well doesn't mean burned. I know I am in the minority because I don't like my steaks to be bloody, but "how do you like your steak done?" suggests that my request would be honored. What's the deal? I have been to many cities and Ruth's Chris never disappoints me. Except for this location. The lobster appetizer was spot on, but the steaks were awful. The dessert was also very good. The creamed spinach side was meh, and I typically love Ruth's Chris' creamed spinach. It is an expensive meal to screw up. And when you're here for a special occasion, you don't want to ruin the occasion by being fussy and sending your meal back.
(2)
Mark S.
Great service and great food. The steak melts in your mouth, no need to chew. Nice atmosphere.
(5)
Shalini G.
i can't believe i have lived near here for so darn long and never even came here!! We decided to do a group HH ...which is 4:30-6:30... i arrived a few minutes before 4:30 and all tables were taken...leaving us to stake out the bar...we pretty much had all but 4 seats at the bar for our party. The HH menu is fabulous! Choice of burger/fries, steak sando/fries, crab BLT, seared ahi, spicy lobster...all for $8 each.. drinks were also $8 each... i ate the ahi & the lobster...both were amazing!!! they were the smaller portions, so if you're a big eater...you will need to order more food...but it was more than enough for me. i took a bite of my friends steak sandwich...yum! that was a full meal in itself..for s great price! there were 3-4 different bartenders cycling through and helping us and they managed to keep everything straight... we each got our own bills, without any fuss (that's a major plus!)... i can't wait to go back for HH again! next time i'll arrive earlier to snag a table...but i actually enjoyed sitting at the bar if we had been a smaller group (not easy for conversation with such a large group)...
(5)
Emerald P.
Best Ruths Chris ever!! The service is top notch, and the food is superb. Chris the manager and Dan the assistant manager are the best hosts of the restaurant. Also if you are lucky enough to be dined with Jon, you will get the best service available. Also you can't go wrong with laughs at the bar with Bubba.
(5)
Mary B.
Came here for dinner before my boyfriend left for deployment. It wasn't busy bcuz it was a weekday, so the service was on point. Got my usual filet mignon, with mushrooms and mash...It was perfect. It was so perfect, I forgot what my date ordered bcuz I was too into my steak LOL The crowd here is older businessy people, so we kind of felt out of place being a casual young couple just here looking for good steaks! Overall I'd recommend this place to anyone who brings up steak! There just isn't any other place that can satisfy my steak cravings now but Ruth Chris.
(4)
Ken R.
The entire experience for my family and me was excellent. The wait staff are true professionals and all the food was excellent. The porterhouse for 2 is a unique cut that many steakhouses don't offer so it is worth going there with a hungry friend to try it. My 16 year old son did remark that the disclaimers about the temperature of the plate seemed excessive.
(4)
Eric P.
Yeah, it's a chain restaurant and normally I don't like chains, but Ruth Chris is one of my few exceptions. I've had steaks at Donovans, Flemings, Mortons, and Greystone and I think Ruth Chris tops them all. Usually start with the ahi appetizer and go with the petite filet w/ garlic mashed potatoes for my main course. By then I am usually too stuffed to have any dessert. What I like about this location is its not as busy as the downtown location. Yeah, it doesn't have a waterfront view, but I like the interior better with the vaulted ceilings. Overall, great place for a special occasion!
(5)
Kathleen R.
Never had a problem when dining here!!! My family and I come here for special occassions. It is expensive but well worth it :). Excellent service!! LOVE LOVE LOVE all of their veggies!!!
(5)
U S.
I like to celebrate special event there. The service is very good.
(5)
Ellen M.
You really can't complain about a buttery-good Ruth's Chris steak ... unless it is not prepared to the correct doneness. I ordered my steak rare and it came to me fairly well done. They were very sorry and replaced it, but that means I got it after everyone else had finished their meals. Sigh. This place was packed on a week night. EXTREMELY busy. So I can understand the mix-up, sort of, but not at these prices. It was quite delicious once they got the order right.
(4)
DMF u.
Attended a work Christmas lunch as a guest, and was so disappointed in this place. There were 16 people in our party, and 3 sent their steaks back to have them re-cooked. Since I was a guest, I didn't want to make a scene so I picked at my hockey puck..er petite filet medium rare..instead of sending it back. So that's 4 out of 16 in the party where the food was not cooked properly. If you are going to be a steak place, you gotta' know how to cook a steak. I think the night cook at Carls Jr could do a better job than the chef on duty when I ate here. Ate at the Ruth's Chris in Wailea last month as it was just awesome - the cowboy ribeye was perfect; this Carmel Valley location just doesn't live up to the brand. Someone from the corporate HQ should send some secret diners to check this location and get them up to snuff.
(2)
Carrie H.
Amazing service Fabulous Food Steak is a must as far as sides go: the sweet potatoes are A-Mazing!!!! i recommend the special set menus they have that give you options for salad, entree, side, and dessert! best bang for your buck for sure!
I made the mistake of giving Ruth's Chris another opportunity, my fiance and I had dinner last night and the experience was terrible! The waitress left us at the table for long periods of time and if it wasn't for the bell boys picking up dirty plates, we would have not had water at our table as well as we would be sitting with our empty salad plates. The steaks were pretty fatty I had the filet, and it had "way too much fat?" and my fiance had the New york steak, he ate 40% meat and 60% remained on the plate as it was also just fat and grissle? The onion rings were super soggy, the mushrooms were okay, nothing spectacular they needed to be cooked with some flavor. The thing that sent me over the edge was that it was a birthday celebration for my fiance, he called in and stated it was his celebration and when the hostess walked us over to the table way in the back against the wall at the door opening??? very cramped, she asked about a special occasion and she replied "Well at least you're still alive?" without having knowledge that we were celebrating his birthday at a later- as he had a life threathning incident, I guess that was a bad sign but he wanted to have dinner here so I complied. The dinner for 2 was over $200.00 which I don't mind paying if the food and service were spectacular but they were absolutely Not! This is the last time I waste my hard earned money on a D restaurant. Lastly, there was a man with a suit that walked around asking how things were, but rushed by while we were in mid-bite. Do not waste your money or time, when we got home both of our stomachs were queasy, probably because everything was so darn greasy. Our plates were left with a substantial amount of food, that should have been an indication for the waitress to inquire, but she did not care. We will not be returning to this restaurant, we were highly disappointed, I will be visiting a first class restaurant like Flemings, were we always receive amazing service and incredible food, even pricier than this one but it's worth it, you leave satisfied because the meal and the service are impeccable.
(1)
Ann A.
I came here in early January during a last minute trip in the area. PARKING It was easy and plenty of it. Nice change since you either have to pay or valet to park in LA. We arrived about 15 minutes early so we had cocktails in the bar. We had a Moscow mule, champagne and a martini. All of us were happy with our drinks. FOOD We all had the Ruth's Classic which included a salad, main course, 1 side and a dessert. I ordered the house salad, rib eye, mushrooms and some sort of chocolate dessert that I could not eat. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium and it was a bit overcooked. SERVICE Service was okay. Not horrible and not great. However, out of all the Ruth's Chris locations that I have visited, this is by far my favorite location.
(4)
Jessica T.
I LOVE all Ruth Chris Steakhouses!! I've been to three and none of them have let me down. The steaks are always prepared just the way I like it. Tender and succulent with a warm pink center. The way their meat seems to soak up the butter to make every bite delectable is extraordinary. And not to mention, the lobster tail!! I always get the filet mignon and lobster tail, the best of the best for surf and turf meals. :] And even though I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes and gravy, I'll have to admit that their mashed tots are pretty up their in flavor. But for those of you who can't stand too much sodium, I'd suggest something along the lines of the string bean veggies for your side. Even their mushrooms are pretty bold in flavor. But other than that, this place is an all-time favorite for steakhouses. Friendly tip: During Restaurant Week, Ruth Chris offers a 40 food menu which includes some pretty awesome 3 course meals. :]
(5)
Erin M.
Wow! This place really knows how to make it's customers happy. This will be a long review so bare with me. We went to RC for the first time in September for my hubby's birthday. We went to the one in SD by the bay. It was the most awful experience of our lives. Tonight however, we went back but this time to a different location. We are so glad we gave RC a 2nd chance! The dining room was booked for well over 90 minutes when we arrived (we went there on a whim and didn't have time to make reservations since there were Christmas parties going on) so we sat in the bar/lounge. Donovan helped us and he was amazing. He was super personable, made killer drinks and was so fast. He didn't keep anyone waiting and he never once looked like he was, as they say, "in the weeds". The food was out of this world amazing. We got calamari and Cesar salad to start and for our entrees, we got filet's. As a side dish we got garlic mashed potatoes which were delicious. For dessert we shared the lava cake or whatever it is called with the ice cream and chocolate syrup(the bartender ordered it for us so that's why I can't recall the name). It was so savory! We made sure to tip our waiter 20% and we look forward to going back there again soon. P.S. Do the valet it's so worth it and our guy was doing it all by himself tonight. He did a stellar job too.
(5)
Brian A.
Ruth's is definitely the standard.
(5)
Tammy C.
This place is great. I went into Ruth's Chris during restaurant week and I was extremely pleased with everything. My family and I were seated right away and our server was very nice. We ordered off the restaurant week menu ($40 three-course meal). I got the Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, 12 oz. ribeye and Chocolate Sin Cake. Everything was cooked perfectly. The Crab Stuffed Mushrooms were delicious. The 12 oz. ribeye was yummy and stayed hot from beginning to end. The Chocolate Sin Cake was also good, but a little too rich for my tasting. The entire time, the staff was extremely friendly and did a great job keeping our table clean and our waters filled. I am pleased with everything. I definitely recommend trying it out.
(5)
Princess N.
This would have to be my 5th time eating here and their rib eye never cease to amaze me. The rib eye portions are very generous too. The crab corn chowder, MUST TRY. Don't bother leaving if you haven't tried it! The last time I ate here was for restaurant week and the dessert selection was a little disappointing (then again it's restaurant week), but usually I get the creme burlee and that's torched to perfection! Bread is best when right out of the oven. Customer service is always top notch. Noise level - perfect. I didn't have to yell across the table to talk to my girlfriends. Entertainment - some man purposed to his gf that night, it was so sweet! Bathroom has mouthwash for you. Oh, and don't forget the complementary mints at the door, they're my favorite! Ruth.. Chris.. I love you ;D
Great steak. I had to start off the review with that statement. I went here for my birthday last year for the first time. I have been to a few other steakhouses previously and had high hopes that this one would be good as well. The ambiance is really nice. It oversees the ocean so that's a plus. It also has that nice feel to the place which is a business casual type place. I felt more comfortable here than other steakhouses that try to seem too high class. As far as the food goes, this place is excellent. I ordered a filet mignon and it was so tasty. The meat is so soft and you can slice it with a knife by barely putting and pressure. Get the steak medium rare here. You won't regret it. The price doesn't seem so bad either for what you're getting. I'd probably say that was the best steak that I've tried so far. This place is great. Go here for your special occasions. It's definitely worth the money.
(4)
C M.
This place is fantastic! Not only is their food absolutely delicious but their customer service it's up to par too...our wedding was on the day of the black out last year and to reminisce they setup a room filled with candles for us to eat which we had to ourselves..it was so romantic! This will be our future anniversary spot! The BEST!
(5)
Paul C.
Amazing steak and their side dishes are really good. As for their service, they always have someone checking on you which can be good and bad but I don't mind it at all.
(5)
Amanda H.
I am definitely a fan of this location. The view is great, the wait staff is efficient and the food is memorable. My party and I ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms, BBQ shrimp, and shrimp cocktail for apps. The BBQ shrimp was AMAZING!!! My entree was the fennel and caper buttered salmon, which was melt in your mouth. My table shred sides of asparagus, creamed spinach, and scalloped potatoes, which were all decent, the asparagus being the best. On the next visit, I would likely try different sides. As a table we all shared for dessert, the sin cake (OMG!) the creme brule, and the banana cream pie, all note worthy. Parking blows!
(4)
Kristy H.
Ruth's Chris is one of my favorite steak houses in Boston and the one here didn't disappoint. It's an odd location, but great inside. It's spacious (the one in Boston is super tiny!) The filet is perfect, wine list great. They go above and beyond in service. I ordered a Syrah to go with the Filet (what the menu recommends). I had never had a Syrah before and I hated it, they took it back and didn't charge me for it. Let me order a new wine I knew I liked. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Pauline M.
Great service, consistently amazing food, nice ambiance: I've been here several times before, but I recently stopped in during restaurant week to see what they were offering for 40 bucks. I have to say, Ruth's Chris is probably one of the BEST steals during restaurant week considering the large amounts of quality food you get. I started with the ahi tuna which was good, but ask for lighter sauce if you can't handle spice. My Mom had the crab stuffed mushrooms and oh. my. god. I highly recommend ordering these even if you're not a mushroom fan such as myself. For the entree I got the petite filet which as always, never disappoints. The fact that it's covered in butter doesn't hurt either. The Restaurant Week menu also included a side of mashed potatoes (sooo creamy) or creamed spinach and they give you the full-sized side. Dessert was pretty standard... I got the cheesecake and truffles, but nothing to write home about. I've gotten the apple cobbler in the past which was AMAZING. I also have to add, great service considering how busy they were. My water glass was always full and the table always had piping hot bread to nibble on. Overall, another wonderful experience.
(5)
Morefield M.
Always a favorite when you want something nice, you'll get the best every time! Ribeye steaks from here are my favorite anywhere alongside Azul's in La Jolla. One of my very favorites and one place I'll visit continuously even though there might be places I haven't been. Ruth's Chris is fail-safe for a perfect dining experience.
(5)
Emily M.
I came here for the first time during restaurant week with a few friends. LOVED this place. For $40 (restaurant week fixed menu): -Crab Stuffed Mushrooms -Petite Filet -Mashed Potatoes -Symphony Duo (dessert) Some thoughts: Bread: I like to rate bread. Bread is a favorite food for me. Good bread, but not my favorite (Cheesecake factory brown wheaty bread ftw). More of a sourdough type of bread. Crispy outer layer, with very soft inside. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms: VERY flavorful. Definitely a lot of garlic and butter flavors. The bulk of the flavor was concentrated on the crab/stuffing. It's good in small portions, but the flavor is a bit strong, and too much of it can be salty. Best enjoyed in bits. Petite Filet: (Medium Rare) REALLY tender. Just really delicious, well seasoned meat. You can tell something is cooked well by the way you're able to cut through. Eligible for baby trading status. Mashed Potatoes: Good, but not my favorite. It had a really creamy consistency, almost like a puree. It was well seasoned and flavored, but the butter kind of sunk to the bottom. I personally prefer mashed potatoes to be of a thicker consistency with the skins mashed in. Symphony Duo: Cheesecake + dark chocolate bark. Cheesecake was pretty good. I wasn't expecting the cheesecake to be that good since the focus is meat. The chocolate bark was a pleasant surprise as well. I really liked the play of the semi-sweet chocolate with the salted walnuts. Service: Excellent service! Waiters/hosts were very attentive. This is the only location I've been to, so I can't compare to other Ruth's Chris locations.
(4)
Mark F.
Ate there last week. Ordered my usual fare, combo deal with salad, side dish and regular filet. Price was great, less than $60 for all three. I ordered the filet medium rare and although it was good, I would have preferred it to be a bit pinker on the inside (hence not 5 stars). That said, it's hard to go wrong with butter coated meat! Will go back again but probably in a few months.
(4)
Brent S.
A friend and I were in the mood for a steak last night, so instead of going to La Jolla, we stopped off the 56 and went to Ruth's Chris. Since we weren't in business attire, we sat in the bar lounge which was really nice as well and offered a full menu, so that was great. After we ordered our Vodka cocktails, decided to try the Seafood Gumbo soup which was great. Another cocktail then Ribeye entrees with sides of Mashed Potatoes, both of which were great, and cooked as ordered. Our server Jaime was great, and on-point. Almost gave 3-Star rating because the $160 bill we didn't feel quite justified teh amount of food we got, but then again, this isn't exactly a cheap steakhouse and the service was REALLY good, so 4-Stars it is, and yes I'll be back for special occassions!
(4)
Greg D.
Food at Ruth's Chris is always amazing food. The location is a bit odd given that it overlooks a freeway, but you can expect the same high quality food here as you can at the other locations.
(5)
Lefev J.
The husband and I ate here for our anniversary dinner. I have to say I love this place, it was our first time eating here and we will be back. We got to the restaurant early, so we went to the bar and had a drink and some apps while waiting. I had a glass of Conundrum, which I always enjoy and he had a beer. For apps we ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms and the shrimp cocktail, both were very good and I could have just eaten those with a couple glasses of wine and been content. We got seated in the lower level and had some bread, which I didn't eat but my husband really liked it. I ordered the petite filet medium, which was cooked to perfection. The only draw back I could see was the popping butter all over, but do like they say and hold the napkin up to protect your clothing and it's fine. The husband had the bone in ribeye medium rare and his was also cooked perfectly, if he could have he would have picked up the bone and knawed all the meat off like a dog! For sides we got the asparagus and the au gratin potates, both were very good and much like the apps I could have just eaten those and been perfectly happy. They gave us a complementary dessert which was nice and a very good way to end the dinner. All in all, I have to say it was a very nice evening, the service was perfect and the food was great. The only downside is the noise level in the place, very loud since there are a lot of tables, but it's not enough of an issue to really complain about.
(4)
Trish F.
Very disappointing, not the Ruth Chris it used to be. Here for my husbands last night, right when they opened. Waiter was very mediocre for a restaurant of this caliber. Placed our order and waited for bread. My steak, a petite rib eye was served on a white small plate. What's happened to the sizzling black pan? It was hot yes, but presentation not nearly as good. Had to send my steak back it was very "nervey" and not medium rare as requested...very medium. Now there were only 3 couples in the whole place at this time. If a steakhouse at the beginning of the night cannot get the steak cooked properly, what happens when it's busy? Manager did apologize actually a few too many times and got me another steak pronto. This one was cooked fine, but truthfully Costco's rib eyes have more flavor. What we always loved about Ruth Chris was the clarified butter on top. To me, it tasted like it was just butter, not clarified on top now. My husband was not impressed with neither the potato or broccoli gratin, just too mush cheese and mushy. When they brought us more bread, they took our butter...and to finish the evening off...when I had first come in I made sure I mentioned to the hostess to please tell our waiter that it was my husbands bday. When dessert time came the waiter asked if we wanted dessert or coffee without saying about bday dessert. I felt dumb having to ask, but I did. He brought him a dessert and then charged for it and I had to have bill corrected. Just not the experience we remember at Ruth Chris! Don't know if it's just this one or across the board. Guess I should have read reviews first. Disappointing expensive dinner!
(2)
Holly S.
They forgot our appetizers, but we ended up with free take away deserts and a free bottle of champagne following serious management apology. As ever, a real class act.
(5)
Kelly J.
This is a very nice restaurant due to the inside decor and the top notch service. However, the steaks are pan fried with lots of butter and I prefer my steaks grilled. I would rather go to Iowa Meat Farms and grill my own steak. Not only will I enjoy the steak more but will save a lot of money in the process.
(3)
B. D.
When a customer pays this much to dine out, there is an expectation. My gf and I visited this location to celebrate New Years (1 Jan 2013) - we will not return. True to Ruth's Chris style, the food quality was AWESOME. Service? -FAR from it. We are both in our upper twenties and were appropriately dressed for the semi-formal atmosphere I've observed at every Ruth's Chris locations. The 50-year old manager made a stop at every table but ours, to include a five minute stop with some tool who wore a bright blue sports jersey and sported three obnoxious kids. Within closing hour (i.e. it wasn't busy), we ordered dessert, and our waiter disappeared. It took over 20min to arrive. Of course, we were then all but ushered out of the restaurant. My plate was grabbed by an interrupting employee before I was even finished. Drinks. Without contest, San Diego is the BEST craft beer city in the country, with 60+ local breweries. However, this location has no draught beer. -Why? When I inquired to the beer selection, I was offered (bottle) Bud Light, Miller... where am I? Terrible, what a disappointment! Also, the red wine pairing recommendation listed for the dinner special was lousy and more expensive than better options. Why was I not surprised? Also, i find the name very irritating, "Ruth's Chris." I feel dumb just saying it. Although the food was great, when you dine out, you're typically paying for the service, which is not worth the price at this location. We'll opt for the SD waterfront location next time.
(2)
Kevin B.
Best all around restaurant I've ever dine at. The price definitely makes this one of those special date-night places, but is worth every penny. Took the fiance here for restaurant week. To prepare for the feast, I ate a $15 steak at Hunter's Steakhouse for lunch so that I can compare it to my $40 prime rib later at night.
(5)
Valerie G.
Best steak I've ever had! I was visiting the del mar area on a one night vacation. Ruth's chris happened to be right by my hotel and I had always heard they had the best steaks ... But this was my first time ever making it. First off, I made my reservation thru yelp which is great and awesome an so convenient secondly. I was again only in town for one day and I didn't have any nice clothes with me. So I was worried I would be out of place. But adding a Peacoat to jeans was enough. The staff was super friendly from the guy on his break in the parking lot to the waiter. My girlfriend had the white bean and chorizo soup and said it was delicious. I hadthe t-bone steak and it wad fantastic. Absolutely perfect. It's not that expensive when you put in perspective the quality of food you are getting.
(5)
Annie T.
Ruth's Chris is a shameless hussy when it comes to butter. My guess would be that with every steak they serve, they pressure pump it with 2 sticks of butter. J/k I doubt that's what they do. However, they do take no shame in buttering generously....and the result is SPECTACULAR. I've been here on 3 different occasions now and have never been disappointed in their medium-rare rib-eye perfection. Really. It is PERFECTION. I doubt I'll ever order anything but a medium rare rib-eye there...it is that good I promise you. Other dishes I don't really care for, but the rib-eye deserves 5 stars all by itself. Oh and you people who hate butter on steak? You're lying to yourself. Minus 1 star to the waiter who is confused by who ordered what and that some dishes had unmelted butter on it. Guests do not pay 50 bucks to have a block of butter in their face. Other than that. Insanely awesome. Now, get yourself to a Ruth's Chris ASAP and order yourself a fabulous rib eye.
(4)
Sherryl C.
One of the best steaks and service I've ever had. Every dish is served on a screaming hot plate swimming in butter. Dinner here is certainly the type that leaves you feeling full and satisfied. We splurged and ordered 3 courses with wine (celebrating a birthday). I prefer a ribeye over most cuts, but that's just me. My husband and I LOVED the sweet potato casserole. I think it's better than my recipe :( The prix fix menu is the way to go, unless you're willing to spend a pretty penny. As soon as I took a bite of my steak, I turned to my husband and proclaimed that we will ONLY come to Ruth's Chris for special occasions. Sadly because it was a expensive, otherwise we'd go here a lot more often.
(5)
James S.
Nice steaks and they offer a dinner menu including a starter and a veg. Service was good but the waiter didn't know much about the wine's available and didn't help suggest anything. Decor is nice but a bit like a hotel lobby. Decent views of the wildlife reserve area and the sunset and a weird, but yet nice, statue outside. Despite it being quite upscale you can still dress a bit casually (well, it's San Diego).
(4)
Paula A.
They do not honor reservations made from opentable or if they do they will seat you in the worse table they can find. Food is very expensive for what you are served! They have become a chain that mass produces their product. Most steak houses today serve better quality at less expensive prices. I for one will never eat again at the Del Mar location. Perhaps another Ruth Chis steak house without a rude hostess and a manager that encourages business not turns it away would be an option for those persons that have fond memories of the Ruth Chris name and reputation from years ago. Save your time and money and choose a better place to dine!
(1)
Ulysses M.
Really hard not to like this place. The service is good, the meat is bomb, and oh man do they have awesome Ahi Tuna and Mashed Potatoes. Oh yea, and the steak is good too. Personally, whenever I go here, I go for the Rib eye - medium rare. It's so nice and juicy. Man, writing this review is making me hungry. The best times to go here would probably be during Restaurant week, where you can get more bang for your buck or during a special occasion, like a date or something. You can't lose.
(4)
Kortney G.
Very disappointing. I went here with my boyfriend for a nice dinner last week while I was in town. We made reservations and still sat waiting for our table for 15-20 minutes. After being seated we had average at best service from our waiter. Our entrees were brought out and as the waiter sat my food down, he knocked over a glass that not only spilled the drink in my lap but also, might have broken glass into my food. The waiter said he needed to remake my dish just incase glass got in there, which was fine with me. We then sat and waited for 10-15 minutes while my dish was remade. In the meantime my boyfriends food just sat there, getting cold. I completely understand that accidents happen and I was not even upset with the waiter. Honestly the tables were a little small for all the food, appetizers, drinks, bread etc. so it is understandable that he accidently knocked the glass over. What I didn't appreciate was the lack of offering to remake my boyfriends food, offering a desert, offering a wine while we wait... none of that. Also, in the approximately two hours we were there we heard not one, but two trays crash to the ground and glass break. I just expect a little more from a higher end steak house. I have honestly had better service and food at Outback. Save yourself some trouble and don't go here.
(2)
Carole J.
First Impressions: This place is tucked away and you would never think of driving up this road. Thankfully Ruth's Chris has a long standing reputation, I don't think any other restaurant could survive here. I think this location is actually best when you have some day light hours, there is a great view of the valley. It is of course, very beautiful inside and on what you would expect from this kind of fine dining. The Service: Our sever was really wonderful. She was friendly, made suggestions and was very knowledgeable about the menu. She offered historical insight about the use of espresso in the World War and why lemon is used. She was friendly and attentive. I was very pleased with the service. The Food: We all decided to take advantage of the special, which was a choice of select meats, an appetizer and a dessert. It was a really great deal. We all order the Rib Eye, all three selected a different salad. We also got mashed potatoes and the corn side dish. The steaks were perfect. The mashed potatoes were amazing and the corn side dish was surprisingly refreshing. The dessert was nice, not as good as the rest of the meal, but we ended the evening espresso and a cappuccino; the best we'd ever had. Overall: This was an incredible meal, perfectly fit for celebrating a birthday (which is why we came). Thank you for a wonderful evening.
(5)
Melissa P.
Came in for dinner recently for my boyfriend's birthday. We usually go to the downtown location, but live in north county now so thought we'd try out this location. We had a reservation, but I'm not sure that's as necessary at this location as it was not very busy when we were here. As others have noted, it's located in a corporate area, which is a little odd, but made parking simple on a Saturday. If you don't feel so inclined to walk the few extra feet, there's also valet available. Our server Rachel was fantastic. The old fashioned my bf ordered got high remarks, which says a lot coming from him. For dinner we both ordered from the classics menu, I got the scallops and he got the strip. Both were good. We upgraded one of the sides to the sweet potato casserole. If you get anything here, get this. You will not be disappointed. We also upgraded one of the desserts to the bread pudding which was also great. The dessert that came with the classics this night was a strawberry shortcake thing, it was decent. The only thing I don't love about this location is the (lack of) ambiance. It feels like you're sitting in a banquet hall.
(4)
Nory B.
Wow. So underwhelmed. Came for a special occasion--wish we'd gone to Bertrand's or Mr. A's instead. Requested a window table in our reservation, they tried to seat us in the middle of the room at the table with the most glare; had to wait 15 minutes for a table closer to the window. Okay, not a deal breaker....service was really solicitous up until the point that my husband's steak came out rare instead of medium, slightly pink as he ordered. Took several minutes before the server even checked to make sure the steak was properly cooked; when it came back out it was nuked--no pink at all. And the server didn't check to make sure it was cooked properly before he took off--it took over 10 minutes before he checked back, even though my husband tried to get his attention. The sides of broccoli, corn and Brussels sprouts were just okay--nothing special. The "barbecued shrimp" was bland and seemed boiled, not grilled, and the sauce on it was heavy and thick creamy--not a white wine sauce as described. The quality seems to have gone down in the last couple of years. And lastly, I had requested a piece of chocolate cake with Congratulations on the plate to commemorate our special occasion--the maitre' d was aware of it because he congratulated us as he seated us, but when we were offered the dessert menu, no mention was made of my request. At this point, we weren't feeling special, so I didn't bother asking about it. They did comp my husband's uneaten steak... For over $400, I expect a lot more--we will not be back.
I haven't been to this location in years. Stopped by recently for Happy Hour around 5:30pm. The bar was packed and all the tables in the lounge were taken. One of the hosts, Chris, added my name to the list for tables and made sure I knew he was working on finding me a place to sit. Great service and great HH menu!
I decided it was about time for my crew and I to do a happy hour. One of my friends said she had never been to Ruth's Chris for happy hour so we all agreed so we meet up there. My friend arrived at about 430 which is when happy hour starts and there were no bar tables available. So she sat at the bar and saved a few seats for the rest of us which was fine. It ended up being nine of us but it all worked out fine. Happy hour was from 430 to 630 and everything on the happy hour menu was $8. I ordered the steak sandwich with fries which was good but a little bland for my taste. The fries didn't have much seasoning and probably could've been cooked a little longer, but add a little ketchup and everything was yummy. One of my friends ordered the ahi tuna which was delicious! I would have to say that was my favorite dish on the happy hour menu. Another friend ordered the spicy lobster which was tasty but not as good as the ahi tuna. As far as drinks go, like I said everything was $8 on the happy hour menu. I ordered a Cosmo which was pretty good and my friend ordered the Cabernet. I must admit I will be looking for that cab stores! Ha ha. All in all, it's a pretty nice happy hour. Next time I plan on ordering the burger and a side of the sweet potato casserole which is one of my favorites at Ruth's Chris. We will definitely be back very soon!!!
(4)
Sang P.
One thing I really like about Ruth's Chris is its consistency. Whichever Ruth's Chris I go to, they all make their steaks with equal amount of seasoning and sear. They're always spot-on medium-rare and delicious with perfect amounts of butter. I got the cocktail shrimp, baked potatoes, NY Strip and asparagus. Cocktail Shrimp: Fatty shrimp pieces...a bit pricey but delicious nonetheless. Baked Potatoes: Standard. NY Strip: cooked well. Not too much fat. It was good. Asparagus: Nothing special. Overall, I had a good meal but it was very pricey. It's amazing how pricey this establishment became since last time I came here (10 years ago). This place has a good view and good service.
(4)
Tricia C.
Came here with my coworker for happy hour. The bar area was super packed but I was lucky enough to get a small table. There was only one chair at the table so the waiter went and got me a extra chair so we could sit there. The happy hour menu had good options. Every item sounded really appetizing! We both ordered the prime burger with cheddar cheese and the lightly seasoned fries and a glass of wine. The burger was super juicy and a really nice size. It came with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes on the side. The french fries were cooked really nicely with a crispy outside and a fluffy inside. I love that they are right down the street from work. I plan to come back here to try the full menu with my bf for date night. I can't wait!
(4)
Maddie M.
"I heard you feeling, nothing's going right," then honestly come to Ruth Chris for some culinary therapy and let the culinary masters go to work! Dressed to a 10! Birthday Dinner Celebration Ready! As we sat down at our reserved table for four adorned with Happy Birthday Confetti. Our waiter was so polite to give us his suggestions on what his preferences were, which I'm sure no matter what you get it will be amazing! Appetizers and wine started flowing into everyone's starving stomachs that's when I realized how classy, elegant, and romantic Ruth Chris is. As any classy restaurant, everything is served al a carte, so you can get to try all the incredible sides. The gooey cheese sauce on top of thinly sliced Potatoes au Gratin and tenderly Sauteed Mushrooms accompanied my perfect medium rare Filet Steak and bottle of wine. As the sun set, the candles got brighter and more wine was poured. Dinner was more than plenty, but the awkward Happy Birthday song came after and was chorused throughout the restaurant, which made me blush! Thank the lord it was night with mood lighting, so no one noticed my blushed cheeks! However, my Happy Birthday Creme Brulee made up for the embarrassment and Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. Coffees and espresso just tipped the scale of the overindulging fullness, but every bite was eaten with each taste bud exploding only craving for more. Heavenly Divine!
(5)
stephanie z.
I've been to this Ruth's Chris over a dozen times on special occasions - and, unfortunately, this was the most disappointing meal I've ever had there...and it was my B-day, too. My son and I ordered the Petite Filet, Medium - and it was so over cooked, it was hard to chew and had wrinkled like an old apple - no pink at all. The mashed potatoes were OK, and so was the sweet potato crunch - we also ordered the brussel sprouts - and they were so undercooked we couldn't chew them - and under-seasoned, as well - a real disappointment since I love brussel sprouts. They exchanged the brussel sprouts for the creamed spinach, which is one of their specialties - and it was luke warm/cold - another disappointment. For my "special" b-day dessert, they plated 2 - 2" round pieces of cake (I think) two strawberries with whipped cream - they wrote Happy B-Day - my name on the top and bottom and it had 3 tiny - and I do mean "tiny" chocolate truffles on it. A surprise awaited me as I look at the menu which had personalized a menu with m name printed on top - very nice touch. The service was good, overall, as usual...but, I'm not sure I'd let my son buy me such an expensive and disappointing meal again. Old habits die hard! The kitchen was really off!
(2)
Jeremy S.
Ruth's Chris is cool and their steak is always tender and buttery to the taste. This location is cool as it is close proximity to my work, has a nice ocean view in the distance and is open for lunch on Fridays. Having been here for dinner several times and lunch several times, I Must say that the dinner service is far superior than the lunch service, not sure why but they seem to care more. Regardless, the food is absolutely awesome here and I have never had a bad experience at this location. My go to meal always involves a medium cooked filet mignon with something else. If going here for lunch, try the filet steak sandwich, it is freaking delicious! Paired with wine at dinner or an iced tea at lunch and you have a winner! Mmmmm, thinking about the steak here makes my mouth water! Pros- Steak Food Wine Tea Appetizers Night shift service View on a clear day Cons- Pricey Day shift service $8 for valet?! Fries suck View on a cloudy day
We loved living closeby to the Ruth's Chris in Irvine off Jamboree. Such great food, perfect date night, always superb service. Well we tried the Camel Valley location a month or so ago and had an awful experience. We were celebrating a promotion, my husband and I, so when we arrived we ordered drinks in the bar. When he got his drink glass, his glass was chipped (sharp edge where you drink(, he went and asked for another one (where they poured the drink in to a new glass- let's just hope the glass shard wasn't IN THE DRINK), he came and sat back down and AGAIN there was a sharp chip edge. So first thought is, quality control; are they checking their food let alone their glassware? We sat down and had our server come over. We had a very expensive bottle of wine which we were saving for a special occasion. When we asked for a decanter she forgot twice and then informed us that they don't have any, they special ordered new ones and they haven't arrived. WOW. This is a high-end steak house. We had asked her for bread and while all the recently sat tables were getting bread, we still had yet to get ours. Our food arrived and it was delicious as usual. We asked for additional sour cream for potato which never even came. The manager was making the rounds and came by to see how our experience was. We told him about the chipped glassware in the bar, lack of decanter (for over $100 bottle of wine), and that we felt like our server wasn't responsive at all. He then told us same long winded story about why they don't have decanters. Our bill came and low and behold, the bar drinks were on there, even though we returned both of them and corkage fee (even though we couldn't enjoy our wine fully). Super disappointing when management doesn't even acknowledge problems or at least apologize. Will NEVER visit this Ruth's Chris again which is a shame since we were weekly diners at the one in Irvine.
(3)
Lauren B.
I'm so happy there is a Ruth's Chris in del mar! I love this restaurant amazing food! I highly recommend to try the garlic mash potatoes seriously too die for!! The spinach soup was yummy! I had their shrimp and filet I was satisfied and stuffed by the time I left! I will definitely be back this place is beautiful! The waiters are all buff and good looking too :)
(5)
Mel T.
Went here for restaurant week, and this place was pretty busy. We arrived on point for our reservation at 7:30 pm and was seated promptly on the second floor of the restaurant with a nice view of the street. Very classy and upscale restaurant. Attractive interiors and sophisticated ambiance. The crowd here was much older, but the atmosphere was lively and relaxing. Excellent customer service. The waiter and waitress was very friendly, polite, attentive and helpful. Constant refills of water and when they bring us our food, she would warn us that the plates are extra extra hot. She also come around often to check up on us and to see if we needed anything else. This is by far the best steak house I've been to in SD. 3 course dinners: Appetizers: Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with wild rice - It was yummy, but a little salty. But, that is pretty much given since gumbo are usually spicy and salty. Stuffed mushrooms - AMAZINGLY TASTY Seared ahi tuna salad - it was okay. Served/tasted cold, and not all that flavorful. Main courses: 6 oz Filet mignon with large shrimps served with garlic mashed potatoes - It was so mouthwatering good! The filet was mmm perfect! Tender, succulent, and extremely flavorful and sizzling hot. The shrimp was fantastic - fresh and tasty. The garlic mashed potatoes were delicious. 10 oz Rib-eye steak - Tender and extraordinarily flavorful. Dessert: Chocolate turtle cheesecake with cranberry pecan chocolate bark - The cheesecake by itself was sweet, but with the mint leaves? It was perfection. Great pairing. The homemade cranberry pecan chocolate bark was delicious too. This place is pricey, but it's worth it.
(5)
Gerry H.
My wife and I shared a petit filet, lobster tail, and ribeye, courtesy of our realtor. The quality of the steaks were noticeably better than you can get elsewhere, including prime cuts at Costco. The lobster tail was fine, nothing special. I also liked my Caesar salad and the free bread, and our server was very nice. My main beef(!) with Ruth's Chris is their side dishes. Not only are they ridiculously expensive ($10 for a plate of canned corn or frozen creamed spinach?), they didn't taste good, and after the first bite, we stopped eating them. There was also a pungent aroma of garbage outside the front door that damped our enthusiasm for our meal. It was nice to try it at our realtor's expense, but I'll go elsewhere for my next steak.
(2)
Hillary L.
Ruths Chris is our favorite place to celebrate special occasions, the Carmel Valley location is our favorite Ruths Chris, and Lynn is our favorite server. We went there to celebrate our 43rd anniversary, and Lynn was waiting for us with a great table, a big smile, and another great Ruths Chris visit for us. I had my usual--small rare ribeye, baked potato and chocolate dessert. Lynn warned us about changes in the menu, because we haven't been in when he's there for a long time, but he made sure we got everything we love. (For those of you who don't know, the former chocolate explosion lava cake has been changed to a smaller version with a chocolate mousse, but it is superb!) Another great celebration. Thank you Lynn! We will see you again soon.
(5)
Erik G.
Nestled in an indiscrete office building set just off of the 5 Freeway at Carmel Valley Rd and El Camino Real sits this 2 story restaurant of Ruth's Chris. You'll pass right by it if you're heavy on the gas pedal after turning east on to El Camino Real, so slow down and look to your right as you're reach proximity. Valet service can be had for $6 for the evening, or there is some parking structure spots available. As you step into the restaurant you'll get the feeling it's not an overly huge place. The ground floor has a moderately lit dining room (I've only gone at night for dinner, never for lunch during sunlight hours), and faces a large wall of a window facing west looking towards Torrey Pines and Torrey Pines State beach. You can't see much at night other than the lights from the cars on Interstate 5 freeway. The upstairs dining room feels a little brighter and more spacious. It's balcony-like platform overlooks the lower dining room and shares the same westward view. Through my experience on dinner visits here, the service has been impeccable. Well groomed men and women, clean, cordial, polite, and social graces comparable to any high end steakhouse. I'm not talking "uppity" service...but I am trying to convey genuineness and professionalism delivered with a sunny disposition. It's par with what you're paying for and I have no complaints... in fact it's what will keep my coming back to this establishment. Service and a restaurant's ability to make you feel welcome and appreciated are high on my list. The food deserves an A, in fact maybe even with a "plus" (+) sign to emphasize the overall experience. Great cocktails (Fashioned), standard steak house appetizerss and sides, solid meats and cut options, good desserts, good wines. It's just a complete experience. As you are seated, warm bread with a crusty chewy outer is promptly delivered. Followed by meeting your impeccable waiter (Brandon or Todd? was our server on our most recent visit) apprising you of the daily specials and delivering the wine and food menus. Prominent appetizers such as the crab cakes, shrimp cocktail live up to their reputation and come out quickly but not too quickly. The meats are to die for particularly when they come out sizzling in a light layer of hot butter sizzling on the 500° steak plates. Our Filet Mignon and NY Strip cuts were cooked to medium rare seared perfection. The wine list is good, but when dining this good (which isn't often), I prefer to bring my own bottle of wine to make the meal more memorable. Yes, there is a corking fee but it's very reasonably priced when compared to some restaurants ($15 per bottle). Speaking of price, the steaks are actually comparatively and fairly priced to most other steakhouses around town. We're not talking Vegas, CHI, or NY prices which can creep up there but I would prepare to spend about $100 per person for a full meal (App/Main/Dessert/Wine/Drink). For me, steak and wine and the whole dining experience at a steakhouse is something I love and cherish. I wouldn't say I'm a regular on an annual basis, but I've gone enough over the course of my young career to make it one of my favorites. Highly recommend.
Important note for happy hour...it gets filled quick! I tried my first time and waited 20 minutes around 5:30 and no one was letting up out of their chairs so we gave up and went elsewhere. Second time came around 5 and got the last two stools at the bar(and had to move one from a different area). The bartenders are all super attentive and helpful, definite kudos to their staff. Ordered their Pom martini and it was good, sweet but refreshing. Also got their steak sandwich. It was a bit more medium than I liked it but it wasn't bad. Their lobster appetizer was only ok. Their happy hour is 3 stars but their dinner I would give 4 since their steak and mashed potatoes are my fave.
(4)
Amanda C.
I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday (well the day before bc he had to work) Sunday July 7th with my brother and a friend. I let them know in the comment section of the reservation that it was his birthday. I also called before leaving for the reservation to make sure everything was set for his birthday dinner. When we got there they had put confetti on the table and customized the menu. So awesome. The food was amazing. I had crab cakes and he had a filet. Both were delicious. When we got dessert I had asked that they write "happy birthday Jason" well I guess the birthday and anniversary plates are just pre ready with chocolate writing on them put in a fridge. So when we got his dessert instead it said "Happy Jason's birthday" kinda weird but whatever. The waitress explained they just added his name in there which kinda irritated me. You're a 5 star restaurant, I'm not sure why it was so hard to get a fresh plate and write it on there correctly but that's the only complaint I have. The service, food and view was great.
(4)
Vina T.
I came here for restaurant week with very high expectations, and was overall pretty disappointed. I came mostly for the steak, because yes, I am steak obsessed, and the steak definitely delivered. Everything else, however, fell shockingly short. I went with the $40 restaurant week option, which included an appetizer (choice of gumbo or salad), an entree, a side (choice of creamed spinach or mashed potatoes), and dessert. First off, my gumbo was too salty off the bat - I normally don't mark down for that since I do have a milder palette than most people, but the gumbo was really nothing to impress either. I've had much better. For my entree, I got the 6 oz filet with shrimp on top. Like I said, the filet was amazing and on point. Slightly charred outside, with a red hot center, medium rare and amazingly soft just the way I like it. Plus doused in butter. Not overly seasoned or overly cooked, the filet really shined. The shrimp, however, was again too salty (I could only eat 2 of the 3). I would've preferred the shrimp not seasoned at all to just dip in the butter.. The mashed potatoes were mediocre, nothing special, nothing to ooh and ahh about. I ate only about half of mine. My sister got the creamed spinach and barely even touched it - it was bitter, and just not appetizing at all. For the dessert, we shared the chocolate bark cheesecake (which turned out to be a chocolate cheesecake with praline crust), and a chocolate sin cake. I enjoyed the chocolate sin cake - very rich, dark chocolate; but the cheesecake was disappointing. It had a weird sour taste and it was left unfinished by our table. Overall, I would recommend this place for steaks and nothing else. I left very satisfied and happy with my steak, but very disappointed with everything else I ate that night. I'm not sure what the full prices on the steaks are (were it not restaurant week), but I probably won't be coming back for a while..
(3)
Billy T.
The go to steak house when I just want a good, simple, quality steak. Been here multiple times for restaurant week and just for a normal dinner. Great for groups as they have multiple large tables and the noise can be basically as loud as you want. Surprisingly casual for a upscale restaurant. For restaurant week steakhouses, this place can't be beat. You get two steaks to pick from (petit filet or ribeye) and great appetizers that aren't just salads (seared ahi and stuffed mushrooms). Only thing that can improve is the dessert as they are pretty standard. The steaks themselves are great. All of them melt in your mouth and almost always cooked perfectly. Its awesome that they come out sizzling on 500 degree plates. The filet is moist and tender, the ribeye is juicy and flavorful. And the Porterhouse is absolutely fantastic. It comes up sliced for you, so you don't have to worry about cutting the meat off the bone. A filet and new york strip all on one steak? Just amazing. Overall, this is my go to steakhouse because of the easy going environment, great appetizer and quality steaks.
(4)
Kevin E.
I waited until the last minute to make a reservation for a loved one's birthday. Ruth's Chris accommodated me. As always, the food was amazing. I usually go to the Ruth's downtown but the view at this Ruth's was worth the drive. I will definitely be back here very, very soon.
(5)
Susan M.
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this place yesterday. Maybe it's because I came this time with lower standards than normal. Typically the food is alright and the service is horrendous. However this recent trip I have to say was completely opposite. The food was spectacular and the service was amazing.
(3)
Cassandra M.
Amazing!!! My boyfriend and I love this place. Anytime we try anywhere else, it's never as good as Ruth Chris. He loves steak and he says the filet minon is the most amazing steak he's ever had. Everything is good here!
(5)
Vi T.
I had my birthday dinner here last night and am honestly quite disappointed in the outcome. I enjoyed my dinner with the guests that came but felt like the experience could have been more warm and welcoming from the start. I appreciated the specially made menu with my name on it but the hostess who seated us wasn't the friendliest. As we sat down and ordered drinks and waited for a couple other to trickle in... I just wasn't as pleased with the service as I could have been. The service from our waiter wasn't as "attentive" as other fine dining places we have been to as one guest described him as. I hated how one of my guest asked for A1 steak sauce and he barked to have her wait until he was finished serving the food. I wish he could've responded but telling her he would get on it right away and been a lot more But I seemed to be more sympathetic just because we had a more larger group and it was late and I'm sure he wanted to go home. The food as well wasn't what I expected. My steak was cooked more on the medium side than medium rare as I asked. I remember steak in fine dining to be tender, savory and flavorful than the filet I received. The crab cakes weren't as I imagined. I've had better at Crabhut. The shoe strings and garlic mashed potatoes that I tried from the other guests were perfect and the dessert however was delicious. The creme brulee was great but all in all, I highly doubt I will be a returning guest here at Ruth Chris. How unfortunate too...
(2)
Jeff L.
We went here during Restaurant Week and had a great time! The food was awesome and the portions were just right. I hate when you go to a place and you feel like Fat Albert when you come out. Or, just the opposite, you walk out and you're still starving. Ruth's Chris has the perfect blend. I got the Ribeye, which was perfectly cooked, with the stuffed shrooms as my appetizer, and the creamed spinach as my side. I really wish that I would have gotten the mashed potatoes because they looked much better, but everyone at our table was peer pressuring me to get the spinach so they could try another side, so I did. The spinach was still really good, though. For dessert, I got a cheesecake something or other. It was the PERFECT size! Again, everyone probably wants to eat a humongous piece, but 3 bites in you're thinking omg what a mistake. Not the case with this cheesecake and it was awesome! Prices were reasonable. I mean, you're not eating at the Outback or anything here, so don't go in expecting less than $100 with tip, unless you are on a diet or something. Some places you go and expect to pay more and in return you're getting a great meal in a nice atmosphere. You're not getting peanut shells on the floor at a place like this, but you don't have to dress in your Sunday best either. Business casual should get it done for you.
(5)
Christine C.
the steak is ok, but the services is not so good. there are a lot of customers and not enough waitress. also, the plate of steak is very hot. it was the first time i come to this restaurant. they served the steak to me without reminding me about it, so i did not know the plate is super hot.I want to move it a little bit forward, and then i got hurt by the plate. OMG, it is super hot. after a while, the management came to ask me whether anything was OK or not? i told him about this situation. and he explained to me and say sorry. but it still showed their services need to improved.
(3)
Christopher M.
Really, truly, the Olive Garden of steakhouses. If you like Olive Garden, you will freaking love Ruth's Chris. On the other hand, if you find Olive Garden to be: unseasoned, pre-frozen, corporate, boring and bizarrely fatty, you'll hate Ruth's Chris. I shall explain. My mother insisted we go here, despite my pleas to head somewhere else. She had always heard about the sizzling steak and million degree butter or whatever, and when Restaurant Week rolled around, in we went. Made a reservation, still got to sit in a hallway, in some banquet chairs, for fifteen minutes until our table was ready. Long story short: boring medium quality food with a mass-produced feel. The steak does come in sizzling butter, but the steaks come without ANY dark carmelization on them. They are grey, disturbingly light grey. Creamed spinach, their allstar, was unmemorable and plain. It doesn't help that I know its all frozen spinach... Anyway, service was amazing. A young Asian guy working really hard, being pleasant and doing his best was our server. The hostesses were nice too, despite the weird wait in the hallway. The wine was nice. My problem is just with the food, it's like...it's like the AT&T Customer Service of food. Yeah.
(2)
Andrew F.
The first time I came to Ruth's Chris I had the filet. It was so good that I would be content if it was the only thing on their menu. This is my second trip to Ruth's Chris, the first to this location. The restaurant week special is too good to pass up. You get an appetizer, entree, side and dessert for $40. It was extremely difficult to consider ordering anything but the filet. I decided on the ribeye because I want to work my way through the menu. It was delicious but the filet remains king. The rush of restaurant week definitely affected the service. I understand the service is going to be slower because the restaurant is filled to capacity. However, I was astounded to see tables who sat down after us get their food before us. There were also the little things like my salad coming out wrong and needing to walk to the kitchen to get a fork. Our waitress brought a few extra sides and a dessert to make it up to us. It was very hard for me rate this restaurant. I settled on a 4 because the food was outstanding and the staff did what they could to make up for their mistakes.
(4)
Tony J.
I recently went to dinner here, I had Ryan as a waiter. I must say the experience was amazing. Our food was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing, our service was some of the best we have ever had. The whole night was great!!!! We will be back for sure.
(5)
Jason F.
If you're into getting your arteries clogged with buttery goodness, Ruth Chris will gladly take you away to cholesterol heaven. This location I found rather oddly placed in between corporate buildings. It just doesn't belong, but seeing as how it's still around, I guess it works for them? I came here for a conference, and while I'm accustomed to their steaks, I never tried their stuffed chicken which this review is all about. As with their steaks put onto a 500* degree plate, the chicken is served up butterflied on one as well. Stuffed inside is this wonderful creamy cream cheese mixture? The chicken cooked perfectly was juicy, and again, smothered in butter all around it just made it so delectable. What a treat! Try the chicken even though it's a steak house! You won't regret it :)
(4)
Mari A.
THANK YOU FOR RESTAURANT WEEK. Seriously. Only then can I afford and enjoy places like these. You REALLY get your money's worth during restaurant week here. With tax, tip, a drink, and the three course meal, I probably spent $65 JUST on myself. Which would generally be WAYYY too much but it was worth it. I've been here to take out an old boyfriend for his birthday before and spent 2.5 times as much for a lot less. I got the prime rib, ahi tataki, a fruity drink, chocolate souffle, and the spinach. ALL GOOD. I was stuffed. No complaints about service either. I actually like the guy that was serving us. Too bad I don't remember his name, could have given the guy a shout out ;p 5 stars all the way.. had to drop it one cuz I wish it was more affordable!
(4)
Dave L.
Great food and super service at this location. The 16 oz filet was the hit for the evening along with the Oso Bucco ravioli. I don't know what more to say other than the quality of the food and attentiveness of the staff is top notch and worth the money.
(5)
Eileen T.
First time dining at this restaurant! Food: Appetizers-crab stuffed mushrooms and ahi tuna. The stuffed mushrooms tasted good because the crab gave it more flavor. However, it was overly salted and I am very disappointed. I assumed they would take the time to season it right, but the saltiness of the mushrooms was a bit overwhelming. As for the ahi tuna, I thought it would be lightly seared, but ours turned out a bit cooked. Entrees: Petit filet and Ribeye. They were both cooked the way we liked it. We weren't disappointed after each bite we took. I was very happy with our selection. Service: Our server was kind, and always asked how we were. There was a water boy walking around refilling drinks. I believe his job is important since not that many people refill drinks. We're human, and we drink a lot of water. ALSO, blueberry mojito to drink was refreshing! Must order! Overall, my experience was okay. I really liked the petit filet and ribeye, but they all need to work on the other dishes as well. I would love to give this place a try again, hopefully, the food wont be salty or overcooked.
(3)
Mike B.
Very dissapointed. I'm from Chicago and Ruth Chris is always very good. Maybe west coast beef isn't as good. Had the ribeye...terrible. Tough and chewy. Very dissapointed.
(2)
Beth M.
came here for restaurant week about a year ago. the sides were a bit cold and air-conditioning made our sitting area very cold also. I think I prefer the other location. service was good though.
(3)
Roy A.
The whole staff was amazing, from management, to hostesses , to the servers! The food was amazing, and we had the best experience! Thank you!
(5)
Kiki H.
The 12 oz ribeye was the best steak I've had in as long as I can remember. I decked that thing like it was my last meal! 5 stars for the steak, 4 stars overall. Steak aside, I overall enjoy Flemings better. We tried the lobster bisque, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin as sides - all good but I still prefer the sides from Flemings (mac and cheese and creamed spinach!!) and their bread a littttle more. I was in a chocolate mood so I tried the chocolate cake for desert. It hit the spot but wasn't mind blowing (wish I had tried the banana cream pie in retrospect). Service was awesome as expected. It was pretty hot in our room though so I wish they would have cranked up the air a bit. Also didn't really like how casual people dressed....some people looked like they were on their way to Burning Man or a monster car bash. No one would dress like that at Flemings or Donovan's!!
(4)
Tom B.
The food was amazing. Steak cooked to perfection. I dressed in a suit, just to find everyone else in jeans. Come on a nice i'm sort of code. The server was definitely what killed my rating he was below par. All of his support staff were fantastic. my drinks were never empty my food came out wonderful but the server. Nice man he was only stopped by the table 4 times, took drink order, took food order, deliver bill, and give my bill back after paying. The support staff was 100% better. a nice birthday date for my girlfriend and have a crap server. I will not be going back.
(2)
Thyta B.
Hands down, the BEST steakhouse. Food and service are impeccable. My family and I come here often, whether it's just a few of us or a big party and they are always accommodating. I usually order the petite filet and lobster tail. The petite is always cooked right, when I ask for pink middle, they bring me exactly that! If it's your birthday or anniversary, they sprinkle confetti on your table - not a huge deal but that added touch makes it nice.
(5)
Lucy F.
Love coming here! Lovely view. I have been orderign the same thing for years... A DIRTY martini (UP) or Champ depending on the mood. petit filet (medallions w the shrimp) med. rare. LOVE the creamed spinach... but the real reason I come is the AMAAAZING creme brulee! You wont be disappointed :)
(4)
Simon H.
What can I say the fillet was like butter!!!! Yum! I will say that although the staff were nice and that take out is an option ,I felt under dressed and out of place getting dinner to go. I know! You are probably asking why would someone get takeout from here but both my girlfriend were tired and wanted to dine in the confines of our hotel room. Haha! we did have to buy a steak knife although you could have used a plastic knife as the fillet was tender. Still medium rare by the time we got to eat! We also got the bread pudding which was so good! Parking is a nightmare though...
(5)
Andre D.
Went here during restaurant week with a couple of buddies. Things to note: - about 15 minutes wait even with reservation due to the number of people that were there, which I found very acceptable. - very good and professional service: waitress and maitre'd was very accommodating and friendly. - Wide collection of wine, but very less on cocktail. In the term of the food that we I last night: Appetizer: Seared Ahi Tuna (6.5/10): Very nice presentation, but my tuna is overseared that the center is not "sushi raw texture" anymore. I also find that the sauce underneath is very overpowering Entree: 12 oz. Ribeye Steak (9.5/10): Ordered medium rare, and it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Very buttery, but the butter really complemented the steak so well. I was very content with my steak. Side dish: Creamed Spinach (7.5/10): Nothing really special about it other than the fact that they give you quite a generous portion of it. Dessert: Symphony Duo (7.5/10): Again, nothing too special about it, other than nice presentation, which is typical for dessert. Drinks: Blueberry Mojito (8.5/10): Love this drink! Very refreshing with a hint of blueberry and a blast of mint. Overall experience: 8/10 Would come back for special occasion and their steaks, but not necessarily for Restaurant Week.
As always, Ruth's Chris delivers a solid meal. I went for the surf & turf this time instead of the cowboy ribeye. My wife ordered the cowboy ribeye. While the lobster tails were delicious, and I did get the ribeye (vs fillet, your choice), the regular rib eye still doesn't compare to the cowboy ribeye in my opinion. If you are going to opt for a ribeye, there is no disappointment with the cowboy. Still really enjoyed the regular ribeye though. For sides we got the creamed spinach and mashed which were amazing. While we don't go here often as it is pricey, it is a definite treat when the occasion strikes. They do have some great complete 5 course meals, with dessert now starting around $50, but we went all out this time. For dessert we shared a creme brule and I still believe it is one of the best around.
(5)
Abigayle N.
This review is for their happy hour from 4pm-630pm. They had about 8-10 entrees all for $7 each. Ranging from ahi run to a prime burger , steak sandwich, etc. there are a few cocktails( pomegranate martini, mojo, margaritas, manhattan ) also $7. Their steak sandwich and fries is delicious. Came with lettuce, tomato and red onions on the side, garlic fries and some sort of sauce on the steak. Pretty solid. Their pomegranate martini is also delicious. Overall solid happy hour and will definitely come back.
(4)
Deborah Z.
The calimari app was tepid and a little over cooked. Nothing special. My friend and I both ordered the filet. Hers was almost twice the size as mine. As an ex fine dining server, I never would have served a table such mis matched steaks. What totally ruined the meal was the young couple seated across from me 40 mins into our meal. They thought it was a good idea to bring their small child (14months) to a place where ADULTS go to spend large $$$ to enjoy a beautiful dining room, food and conversations. When they broke out the 10 inch screened DVD player, I lost it. I did not go there to watch the fricking Teletubbies! So rude. So distracting. So should not be allowed in a dining room.. It took everything I had not to walk over to that table , slap a $50 bill down, and tell them next time get a sitter.
(3)
Lily R.
I just wanted to say a special thank you to manager Josh for his amazing offer to help my grandfather in the hospital. We have always loved the food and service at this restaurant but today josh truly went above and beyond and we will be forever grateful. This store is lucky to have such an amazing and generous man in charge.
(5)
Arnel D.
Who would have thought that adding butter made steaks so damn delicious! Is restaurant serves the freshest steaks and has excellent service. Lots of free parking or fast valet service... Their view could be better but give this place a try!
(5)
Richard H.
Went here for Restaurant Week in San Diego (Otherwise I doubt we would have went here)and we both had Seared Ahi Tuna which we both thought was pretty spicy, it was good though, Entree I had the 12 oz Rib Eye Steak and wife had the Stuff Chicken Breast- both were VERY tender and good! And we both had the Roasted Garlic Mashed potatoes for side dish, pretty creamy and good, desert we both went with the Sympthony Duo which was pretty good, the main thing keeping it from getting 5 stars is PARKING SUCKS HERE!
(4)
Kirk H.
ruth chris is a great steak house, service is inpecitable, but come on!! I pay 240.00 dollars for dinner and then you want to charge 8 dollars for valet is lutacris at that point the valet gets nothing for a tip
(3)
Sharisse A.
Had a big 10 people party. The food is good. They were nice patient and fast. Took pictures for use. Serviced us individually in order. Recieved its fast. The food was very good. I enjoyed the service and the people. They are highly over priceds, but you all would know it prior to going there. I will return soon :)
(4)
Seyannie X.
The food was okay, not the best steak I've had. The only problem was the service. Our server made us feel like we were eating in a diner. For the price we pay for food and tips, you would expect better service.
(3)
Angela M.
Good service. Good ambiance. Good food. Good dinner! This place was very close to amazing. I had reservations during restaurant week, so there was a full 3 course meal for $40, and I was very happy that I had chose to come to Ruth's Chris. The workers are very welcoming and timely. When you enter the restaurant we got greeted and after a minimal wait directed to a. Immediately a waiter came to take our drink order, explain the menu, and serve us with delicious warm bread & butter. Quickly after we put in our order, our food was served. The rib eye and the salmon were the entree's of choice and good golly it seemed like it was only on our plates for 5 seconds. The fish was cooked to perfection and the steak a little under (because of the 500 degree plate it comes out on, which continues to cook the meat). would i come back here? thats an easy, yes. Looking at the menu the food can get a little pricey, so this is a perfect little upgrade for a date night than the usual restaurants of choice.
(4)
Palach A.
We went there for my wife's birthday. The service was great. When we ordered our steaks, I ordered mine medium-well and when it came out, it was a perfect medium, which is exactly how I like it. Someone else at our table ordered a porterhouse to be cooked medium, however, when it came out it was rare. We sent it back, upon return, it was overcooked. That was the only snafu that happened that evening. Management handled the situation like a true 5-star establishment. We got our desserts comped and got a discount on the porterhouse. Very pleasant experience, superb management, excellent food. Highly recommend!
(5)
Richard F.
Unfortunately this restaurant has gone down hill. My wife and I went this evening. My ribeye was very tough in my opinion and I was unable to eat it. I also did not like the way it was prepared (not seared the way I believe a steak should be). To top things off the service was friendly, but inattentive and indifferent. Too bad that it seems to have declined.
Excellent steakhouse. The rib-eye will taste amazing. However the fillet minon is much more tender. Try the cream spinach too.
(5)
Jimmy H.
Can you really go wrong with Ruth's Chris? Well actually you can. Three of our cowboy ribeyes were overcooked but the server was quite apologetic and happily brought us new steaks. When my buddy's re-done steak ended up being too rare, they took it back for another try. The manager swung by to apologize and waived our corkage fee and brought out a couple free sides. When not overcooked (or undercooked), the steaks were phenomenal. I got mine topped with crumbled blue cheese. Pure heaven. For sides we got the creamed spinach, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. All were terrific. We ended the meal with the lava cake which we all shared. No complaints with the dessert. I left the place full as hell and feeling like I was oozing butter. It's a feeling I enjoyed.
(4)
Jon M.
I've been to a few Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in various cities around the U.S. and I have to say that I was less than impressed with this particular one. The atmosphere was amazing, the staff was fantastic as usual but the quality of the food was par at best. Especially for the price. We started with the Lobster Bisque. There were very few pieces of Lobster and the actual cream was not very thick and the dish was very salty. It was average at best. My girlfriend got the Stuffed Chicken Breast and it came out dry and my teeth were sticking as I chewed. Again, the salt content was ridiculous. Barely edible unless you could dip it in the juice which there was very little of. Very disappointed.. She loves chicken and wasn't very happy with the dish that could have been amazing. We also split the Onion rings that looked very appetizing at another table however they were not crunchy and had very little flavor. I had the Petite Ribeye steak for an entree. The actual cut was amazing and the way it was cooked "medium rare" was right on the money but again the chef overseasoned it with salt and that's all I could taste. In fact I could not finish eating my meal because everything we had was buried in salt. I'm so disappointed that with cocktails, food and tip the meal was about $175. I refuse to go back to this location and will even be hesitant to return to any Ruth's Chris in the future. There are many steakhouses out there that offer a much better meal at a fraction of the cost. Enter at your own risk. I cannot recommend going
(2)
Tiffany C.
I've been to Ruth Chris so many times with friends and family, and each time I've come away super full, happy and more than satisfied with my meal there. I'm actually not a huge fan of steaks in general. Its very rare that I crave a big piece of steak but when I do I come here. I've tried many of their different cuts of meats, sides, desserts and appetizers. However my go to favorites are the filet cooked medium rare, caesar salad, sweet potato casserole, asparagus with hollandaise and the creme brulee. You can never go wrong with these choices. Especially the sweet potato casserole. If you dine here and have never tried it, I highly recommend that you do. Its so sweet and rich, its like having a dessert. We've always made reservations here, sometimes as little as 30 mins before we go. Its usually not a problem if its not a weekend or holiday, but try to make them in advance anyways. Oh and my husband and I prefer to sit downstairs as oppose to upstairs. The ambiance is nicer down there and you get to see more of the view from the big window.
(5)
Chesca L.
Aaaaah had really really high expectations for this place since everyone, especially my boyfie (who has even higher expectations than me) raved about it the last time he ate here. Finally had the opportunity to come visit and see what the hype is all about... && boy was I far from being disappointed. The place itself is pretty upscale, but most customers were dressed casually. Service was above average, as staff would check up on us periodically.. I think at one point the GM himself asked us about our steaks. ;) **drumroll please** On to the glorious glorious food: The boy reminded me to go light on the apps because the steaks were guaranteed to fill our stomachs, so I decided to order the blue crab cakes. most succulent crab cakes ever! sublime buttery goodness. not to mention no fillers too. Just pure crab meat, spices and buttah all the way. mmmm. Entrees time! I ordered the ribeye, medium rare with a bleu cheese crust. I remember cutting it and seeing all the marbling right then and there. Such an eyegasm.. showed it to the boyfie and all he said was "mhmmm", took a picture and finally tasted it. OMG all the fat, juices and the flavor of the meat itself, definitely a party in my mouth. lols I just underestimated the size of that steak for an Asian girl like me, totally thought it wasn't as massive when it was put in front of me. The boy got the filet this time, also cooked medium rare with the bleu cheese crust and shrimp on top. It was awesomesauce like mine, a little more lean but nevertheless very tender. We also got the broccoli au gratin and it paired nicely with both our steaks. As much as I wanted to end my meal there.. we made other plans for desserts :) so I wasn't able to try their creme brulee (watch out though, I'm coming for ya bb ;)
(4)
Jarred B.
Went there for the first time and was a little wary about the food because of the mixd reviews. My fiance and I first waited for 10 min while a table was prepared, which wasn't long in my opinion. Then we were greeted by name and sat at, in my opinion, very good seats overlooking the restaurant. We were then waited on by a gentleman name Scott Doud who in my opinion gave us some of the best service we had ever received. His recommendations were fantastic and he was very patient when explaining the way steak is prepared there. My fiance ate the Filet and I had the Ribeye and they tend to undercook so I got it medium since I like it medium rare. It came to us a little more cooked then we usually like but that is our fault and it still was delicious. I recommend if you go there ask to be served by Scott Doud. You wont be disappointed in the service or the food
(5)
Abby W.
I'm a couple months behind schedule writing this review. My boyfriend surprised me with a Valentine's Day dinner at Ruth's Chris. We had talked about dining here for awhile and it lived up to expectations. We decided to order from the special prix fixe menu, which included a salad, choice of entree, side and dessert for $50ish. Everything was wonderful! I'm somewhat of a ranch connoisseur and their thick and creamy ranch did the job perfectly with my salad. My steak was cooked perfectly and so tender. The potatoes were okay, nothing special to write about. I let my boyfriend have the dessert, since it was cheesecake and I may be the only person in the world who doesn't like it. The atmosphere was lovely and romantic. The wait staff were cheerful and prompt, despite it being towards the end of one of their busiest days.
(5)
Michael L.
Food and service was outstanding as usual. The wait staff was excellent and the food was great as well. For the occasional great steak, it is well worth it. I will need to make it a point to go there often.
(5)
'Alihi Kaua Piko G.
I went here with my Wahine during restaurant week and it was amazing!!! The steak was the best steak I have ever tasted so far. And if we have to sell a surf board just to go again so be it! While having our wonderful diner I whispered to the waiter that it was my girlfriends birthday and he brought out our dessert with "happy birthday" on the plate. That's not the only thing. Went into the bathroom and used mouthwash like no other. Grabbed our mints on the way out and went home more satisfied than that one scene in "The Lion King".
I'm giving only 2 stars because of the rude waiter. He was big old guy who was totally disrespectfully to us probably because we look young. He talked to us like he was totally looking down on us such us what do you want to drink, ginger ale? Lemonade?? Come on, we are 27. He was just so rough in everything. He puts utensils like he slam them down on the table, take plates away from your table by completely disturbing you. Once he found out that was my husband's birthday, he came to say happy birthday but he said "now you can start paying your own bill"... Really??? Food was OK but this waiter Lynn totally disappointed us and we will never go back. There is nothing worse than being disrespected on your birthday. If you don't wanna make any mistake for your special night, avoid this restaurant.
(2)
Kim D.
If you want to try amazing steak , I highly recommend this place . also their drinks are great, and the service is good as well. love it must go back soon!
(4)
Brian W.
Wow what's happened to one of my favorite restaurants in Del Mar. I visit this area every 6 months or so and I was surprised how much the service and food had slipped. Service was average and didn't seem to care too much and the food was pretty poor. All the sides ordered by the four of us were lukewarm at best. A server filling water spilt his pitcher four times all over the table narrowly missing phones and the steak which is always my highlight was average at best. Interestingly all for of us said the meal and service was very poor. Also I noted the place was only half full too so I guess i'm not the only one who feels this way. Hopefully great food and service will one day return here.
(2)
Sandy C.
Celebrated my daughter's birthday recently. We were startled to see he name on all our menus! Nice touch. Food and drinks were exactly what we expected and they even make arugula taste good! Free birthday dessert was a plus.
(5)
Q D.
Bone in filet! Yes. Caesar Salad! Bomb! Lobster bisque, delish! Crab stuffed mushrooms with the Crabcakes!! I dream of it! I love dining here and this location is more spacious than the one in downtown. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Debbie H.
Honestly, I wanted to love this place. I am a big fan of a really great steak every now and then. Unfortunately, this placed left a lot to be desired. We had a reservation but they still made us wait thirty minutes. Then, we were seated at a really small table and I just was not feeling the love. I've eaten at Morton's in San Diego and Las Vegas and both times, we were treated like kings. If you want a great steak and great service, go to Morton's!!
(3)
Linda P.
Ruth's Chris use to be my favorite place i would go there for my birthday, anniversary and holiday's but this is the last time i am going to spend $50 for a crappy steak at #RuthChris! I was absolutely disappointed with my rib-eye and so was my husband it was not fresh it looked like it was from the weekend, the color was off it did not have a great taste like it should! That explains why the waiter asked if we would like some A1 steak sauce goes to show even they know the quality has gone down hill! I don't know if it was because it was a Monday or because we got there around 5:15 PM. Although the service was great and the ambiance was great it doesn't make up for the quality! You are better off going to #Tom Cat Bar in Mira Mesa at least you know what to expect! ! #RuthChris I no longer have you as a favorite nor will i ever recommend your restaurant to anyone!
(1)
SD D.
The whole family went for a birthday dinner. Ruth's made it special. The food was great. I recommend the 16 oz bone in fillet, it was cooked to perfection. We also had the petite filet and the rib eye, both were excellent. The appetizers were great too. Everything from the service to to food and ambiance a 10. Don't be shy about spending a little money here. It is worth it. I would definitely go again. Jon the waiter was great!
(5)
April M.
Succulent! Just the way I like my men. I mean, my meat. I used to be a firm believer that any serious foodie should know better than to dine out during Restaurant Week because.. 1.) Crazy crowds, all looking for a deal. Bleh. 2.) Subpar food. Double bleh. 3.) You'll receive less than stellar service. Triple bleh. Well, Ruth's Chris took that belief, tore it up into a million pieces and threw it into the trash. Man, that bitch can cook up a mean steak. I ordered the Ribeye off the Restaurant Week menu and asked for it to be cooked medium-rare (WHAAA? Could it be true? Are my strictly RARE-only days over?!) and a side of the Creamed Spinach. My Ribeye came out sizzling to perfection and tasted like a fat man's version of heaven. Hubba-hubba. My +1 ordered the same, but with bleu cheese on top. Much to his dismay, it was cooked medium-well. When the Assistant GM found out, he immediately - without hesitation - took it back, even after my +1 said it was ok (because "that's not how we do it at RC") and brought out a perfect medium-rare steak. Talk about jumping through hoops to please a guest! The meal was paired with a 2007 PRIDE Cab, which was delicious to the last drop. FInished it all off with dessert - Creme Brulee topped with fresh berries & mint and a Symphony Duo of cheesecake & chocolate truffles. All in all, an excellent steak dinner. Ruth - you done good, girl. Ya done good!
(5)
Jennifer A.
I heard so many great things about Ruth's Chris, but my experience the other night was just so-so. Dinner started out well enough with the chop salad topped with onion strings. Crispy onion strings really need to be utilized more often outside of Thanksgiving! Unfortunately my steak didn't fare as well. I ordered the ribeye, medium, and it was really tough! At first I thought maybe it was the knife, because I really had to saw through that thing. But it was really pretty chewy and I could see bits of gristle and that silvery stuff. I ended up taking over half home. On the plus side, my dog really loved it! Asparagus was just asparagus. It really sucks to be disappointed when you pay $40+ for a steak. Service was top notch so I'm hoping it was a just an off night. Oh well, I hope someone brings me here again soon :)
(3)
T G.
Made a reservation for my Wife and I to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary. Great table, personalized anniversary menu and fantastic food.
(5)
Christina K.
I came here with my boyfriend during Restaurant Week. I am so glad my boyfriend picked this place!!!!!! I would never come here on my own budget because I would cry to spend so much money but the $40 three course meal deal during Restaurant Week was PERFECT!!!!!! Our appetizers - seared ahi tuna and stuffed mushroom caps. I did not care for the seared ahi tuna too much. It wasn't super fresh. It was seared and crusted with some kind of seasoning. The light wasabi sauce was tangy. I loved the stuffed mushroom caps. I think it was crab filling with cheese. It was delicious and moist! I loved it. Main course - Petite Filet and 12 oz Ribeye. OMG. I died and went to cow heaven. If I could drip any sauce on everything I ate it, it would be the steak butter. The crust on both of the steaks were phenomenal. Juicy. The hot plate. Everything was worth the money. I was sooooo happppppppy eating that meat!!!!!!! Cooked medium rare perfection. I am getting hungry thinking about it. The sides were even amazing. Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Creamy, delicious, buttery, great SIDES!!!! Dessert - Some sorbet and something else. The dessert was disappointing and below mediocre. But I didn't care at that point because I was too full and happy from everything else. It was a lot of food. If you ever see it on the SD Restaurant Week, you HAVE TO TRY IT!!!!! I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Dan G.
Ruth Chris's Del Mar is consistently the best steak and salad anywhere. The drinks and wine list for always routinely superb. The server we had last week was as knowledgeable and friendly is any server we've had in any restaurant ever. The entire staff seemed enthusiastic and welcoming. We have spent hours enjoying a long, drawn out meals, and like last week, we had 50 minutes before we needed to leave to see a movie. In either case the staff has accommodated us according to how we want to enjoy our meal. Two thumbs up for Ruth Chris's Del Mar location!
(5)
Johnny P.
Just came here last night with a group. It was my first time here. Foods are good. Services are OK. Casual environment. Not a fancy place for special occasion though. I like the sizzling (500 degree) serving plate. It keep your steak warm all the way till last bite.
(4)
Chris L.
I really feel this place is more hype than anything else. I had my experience with my coworkers to celebrate closing a deal a few months ago. The service was textbook. Appetizers and wine were great. But when it came to the steak, it was a let down. I had a NY strip which didn't wow me in any way for the amount you pay for it. It was tender and properly cooked but they put so much butter on it that I couldn't even taste the steak. And if you put a medium rare steak on a 500 degree plate, a third of the way into eating it... it's no longer medium rare. The best way I can put it... I have gone to an ordinary grocery store to buy steak, grilled it myself, and ended up more satisfied then from what Ruth's Chris did for me.
(2)
Grey S.
Visited this place for Restaurant Week (fixed price three course menu) and was not disappointed. Granted, we had a set menu, but everything we tasted was great. Steak was cooked to perfection and amazingly tasty. Had the calamari appetizer which was nice, light and tasty. Warm apple crumb tart for dessert was the perfect denoument. Service was also great and I dig on the kinetic sculpture outside.
(5)
Michele M.
We went here for our 20th Anniversary....I'll get back to that. The lump crab cakes were very good. The filet was ok and the lobster was really tough. I could hardly cut through it. We also had green beans and mushrooms. The green beans were a little undercooked but the mushrooms were cooked perfectly. Our waiter was semi-attentive...his helper was better. Back to our anniversary...we told the hostess we were celebrating our 20th Anniversary. I was reading on yelp that other people who were celebrating got dessert. Where was our free dessert? Not that I needed it but it would have been a nice gesture after spending $160.00.
(3)
Mary R.
The only reason I giving them four stars instead of five is because I dont love the feeling of the dining room. Everything else is amazing! The food, service and drinks are the best in north county.
(4)
D C.
Sat at the bar. Tried to get a wine recommendation for a bottle. Asked about one of them - waitress didn't know so she asked the bartender and then came back and said 'its ok'.. What does that mean for a $55 bottle of wine.? Thats all she said. You at least then got to suggest something or describe the wine ! So We then asked for her to ask the bartender for a recommendation. The one he recommended - they were out. we ended up have the 'its ok' wine. Steaks were underdone. had to send one back. for the cost of the establishment - service was not great but we did have a good time,
(3)
Andrew H.
Filet mignon was great with blue cheese crumbles. :)
(4)
Bryan B.
My wife and I went there last night. Had never been there. Everything was beyond perfect. They table was ready when we arrived, everyone that worked there stopped to say Hello and ask how things were going during the meal - yet they didn't bother us. The food, the food, the food, it was off the charts. The steak was the best steak I have ever had. Yes this place is expensive, no question about it, but it was worth every penny. I also like the actual place, it is open yet private. We will be going back for sure.
(5)
Marilyn N.
The first time I came here, we sat down stairs in the middle of a hallway in front of the kitchen and thought this location SUCKED compared to the one in downtown but this time around we were seated upstairs and the atmosphere was completely different. really open, spacious and I liked it a lot better because it didn't seem like we were sitting in the middle of the train track. we came here for Restaurant Week (again) b/c the downtown location was booked up. it wasn't packed at all on a Friday night, I was really surprised. We were seated upstairs right away and ..... my usual order includes seared ahi (it's pretty good here and the sauce really has a kick to it - but I think yard house's seared ahi is better) -Petite Filet (how ever you like your steak normally, order it a bit more rare because since the steak is in hot butter coming out it'll still be cooking) -side of mash potatoes -chocolate cake has the consistency of truffles ... super smooth and delicious. (too bad it didn't come with a glass of milk) the bf ordered the stuffed mushroom which melts in your mouth, side of creamed spinach which was pretty good, ribeye and vanilla ice cream :) for an extra $20 dollars you can get wine pairing with your meal- a pretty good deal. For Restaurant Week, Ruth's Chris it's a sure thing, you'll definitely walk away happy.
(5)
Robert J.
Ruth's Chris was quite disappointing. The night started off with three different appetizers. We all shared the Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes, Crabtini and a Calamari plate. The crab cakes were not that jumbo, but worse, it was very very mushy. It was good that it wasn't too breaded, but it should at least be nice and crispy on the outside and solid meat on the inside. It was like eating a processed crab cake, but at least the flavors were there. The Crabtini was probably the best appetizer we had. But you can't really screw up making a crab salad with big crab chunks, salad and a dressing. If they did, then I would've made a wisecrack about how it should be called a Craptini. The calamari was also not very good. Calamari should be crispy, but it was chewy and soggy. Not the way to go. I like how they went the Asian route with the flavors. It had sweet and Thai flavors. Onto the steaks! The servers make it a priority to always remind you that the plates that they come in are around 500 degrees so don't touch! I tried three different types of steak, but I had the Cowboy Ribeye myself. First impression was wow, do not come here if you are on a diet. To make the plate sizzling when it arrives, they basically add like a stick of butter on the steak. It marinates in its own juices and a ton of butter. I think the best cut has got to be the Filet. It is the most tender out of the three and has very little fat. Because the Ribeye has a lot of marbling, the fat content is higher. Cooked medium-rare, the steak texture is very good. Flavor-wise the steaks were juicy and delicious, but the fact that it had so much fat on it was a turn-off. The side dishes at Ruth's Chris are served family style. We opted for two different kinds of potatoes. The mashed potatoes and the steak fries. Holy moly, the steak fries are huge. They are the size and shape of those giant pickles in those jars. They would go great with a nice burger. The mashed potatoes were also good, but not worth $8; I could make those same potatoes so not that impressed. How could dinner not be complete without dessert? Nothing sounded that great, so we just went with the Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. It had the typical banana cream pie flavor but looked fancier. The whole plate was glazed with caramelized sugar. You can't even scrape it off with a fork. I would hate to be the guy who has to wash that off. The atmosphere was nice and it was not as fancy as I thought it would be. But dinner for that price was not worth it. It would be better spent going to purchasing steaks at Costco and cooking dinner myself.
(3)
Doug S.
Come on.. its Ruths Chris.. they can't go wrong!
(5)
Lee H O.
We don't go very often, but when we do it is absolutely outstanding! Excellent service, never condescending. The shrimp cocktail sauce is the best I have ever had. Yes, expensive but you get what you are paying for. I'd go more often if I could.
(5)
Vu N.
Best steak in town. I'm a fan of steak, not a huge fan, but enough to know what's good in town. I've had some bad steak before but this one here is perfect. I had the 12oz New York Steak, medium. Man was that steak good. Came out perfectly cooked with a great butter sauce. I also had the lobster bisque. This is one of a few places that served lobster with their lobster bisque. Everything was good and I have to say I'm a fan now.
(5)
Gina B.
7/30/11 - 2nd visit here The servers remembered we were celebrating my parent's 36th anniversary, and even delivered a free dessert with 'Happy Anniversary' written on the plate in chocolate sauce. My family, bf and I always compare other restaurants and nothing seems to match RC. The service and food were excellent, as usual. Water was filled without having to ask; clean wine glasses were brought for each new bottle of wine; steaks were cooked exactly as ordered. I love the blue cheese crust on my Petite Filet. The Sweet Potato Casserole is a yummy side dish and dessert all-in-one. I highly recommend ordering the Barbecued Shrimp as an appetizer. The sauce is delicious; I love dipping my bread in it. The Ceasar Salad is great (one of the best Ceasar dressings I've had). The Lettuce Wedge salad is good, as well. Nice wine list but we brought our own bottles of Caymus Special Selection and Schrader RBS. (We were lucky to find the Schrader at a premium wine store on Del Mar Heights Rd. near the Vons). The server did not charge us for corkage! We had the Chocolate Explosion cake (off-menu special). This was divine! Warm chocolate ganache center, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce on top.
(5)
Lila H.
"Restaurant week" is upon us once again and If you are looking for a safe bet, Ruth's Chris is definitely the way to go. I've been here a few times during Restaurant week, and they have not failed me yet. $40 will get you a delicious 3-course meal. The seared Ahi appetizer and Ribeye steak entree were especially memorable; The zestiness of the Ahi was a nice contrast to the juicy, buttery richness of the Ribeye. The desserts (chocolate sin cake and bread pudding) were nothing to write home about, but the fact that I was so stuffed at that point may have contributed to my opinion. They also offer wine pairing for each course (an extra $20) and I would definitely recommend it; the selection of wine was well thought out and complimented each course nicely. I probably would not splurge to dine here under normal circumstances as their regular pricing is even more exorbitant. But it looks like they will be having their Restaurant week pricing through winter '09 ($40 for 3-course meal): ruthschris.com/Menu/Ruth… Notes and Highlights: - Butter galore!!!! Butter is definitely a major food group here, as it should be. - They really know their beef and you can tell from first bite. They kept the seasoning very minimal for the steak and really let the taste and quality of the beef shine through. - Generous portions. - Top notch service minus the attitude. - Romantic setting: Dim lighting and ocean view if you're seated near the windows. - Although "business causal" is recommended, I saw everything from board shorts to jeans to cocktail dresses. So you will not feel out of place. - Free parking
(4)
Lawrence L.
Best steaks in San Diego period. Side dishes and deserts are also great and portions are very generous. The Cowboy steak with extra sizzle is fantastic. They also make the best thousand island and blue cheese dressings. For a special occasions, the price is worth it. A+ for the bathrooms as well.
(5)
Amy C.
I went to ruth chris's a couple times, and the last time i went, they were doing the restaurant week, so they had a really good deal on the food, i ordered stuffed mushroom, cream spinach,12oz ribeye, and cheesecake, Love LOVE the stuffed mushroom, it was really delicious, it was soft and tasty. Cream spinach is good and very creamy. i thought the steak was alittle too salty that day, i could not finished it, because it was just alittle too salty and oily, the cheesecake is very very good, im a picky eater on dessert but their cheesecake is not very sweet, and it was rich still, which i like it very much and it has three chocolate truffle next to it. I enjoy my dinner very much and i was really full.
(4)
Melissa M.
We went here for an early Valentine's dinner and it was fantastic! They had a special called Ruth's Duo going on and we both ordered that (6oz filet and one more main dish - we got shrimp) The mashed potatoes were also fantastic. The manager came over twice to say hello and introduce himself. He found out we were newly married and bought us a dessert.. The chocolate explosion - my hubby can't stop raving about all of it! We will definitely be going back!
(5)
Emily C.
I am really impressed... It exceeded my expectations. I recommend you only come during restaurant week unless you feel like splurging on a really expensive fancy dinner. We made a reservation and were seated immediately. They started out giving us some complimentary bread which was nice. Then we ordered stuffed mushrooms, rib eye, mashed potatoes, and some of the sin cake and cheesecake. I recommend sharing if you don't usually eat too much. Anyway the mushrooms were delicious. When I first saw them they looked very unappetizing and looked nothing like I thought they would. However, they were so flavorful and it was surprisingly a very heavy appetizer. Oh not to mention the stuffed mushroom appetizer was a meal itself.They clean up your plates and tables between each course which is nice because the table doesn't get all crowded. Okay so the steak was phenomenal. Like nothing I've had before. It comes out on this steaming hot plate which makes it extra appetizing. It's grilled pretty nice and saturated with butter, so it's not surprising that it's delicious. (Seriously though, you can't really mess that up)Then the dessert course was next and it was very delicious as well. I didn't have a problem with it being super sweet. I thought it was just really savory and a good palette cleanser. All of the courses came out at the perfect timing where you had time to relax and digest then could get your grub on. Biggest downfall, it's very, very expensive, and I'm not one to complain about spending money on food, but this meal was not as worth it to me.
(4)
Chris R.
I was brought here for my birthday dinner with a party of nine. They even inquired before telling them that it was a special occasion. The manager took care of all the arrangements for the cake and finding a table upstairs where it is a little quieter. The food was great, I always get the Ribeye Steak with a big baked potato and salad. The others at the table loaded up on the signature side dishes like Creamed Spinach, Potatoes and Appetizers. The sizzling steak did startle one of our party, but she quickly recovered seeing the size of the steak. The waiter kept the "Stella" coming and was on the quick draw with the wine when refills were needed. Highly recommended always.
(5)
Roger D.
I'd wondered about Ruth for 8 years. Is she a real person? What does she look like? How many Welsh Corgis does she own? And why did she choose such a dumb name for her restaurant? But the 'chain-ness' of the place always put me off. The whole concept came across way too khaki pants. Finally tried it out last week thanks to a $250 gift card from Xmas. Love those Membership Rewards. Ruth is never gonna blow you away with innovation, she's not gonna challenge you with molecular gastronomy or win Michelin stars. She will serve a damn fine steak, some generous sides and wash it down with a top bottle of red. Oh, and while she's at it blow a Volkswagen sized hole in your wallet. Ruth saw you coming. But thanks to that gift card we had a really lovely meal, with high quality food and friendly and efficient, if formulaic, service. I could see this place being our annual standby for steak. A mid winter treat after the Holidays have worn off. If you only do one thing you better do it well, and Ruth does just that; she grills lovely steaks to perfection. Now about those questions..... anyone?
(4)
Paul M.
Well there ya have it. Out of town guests really wanted to go here so we did. Waitress started out friendly and attentive but that didn't last long. Our coffee drinker (with dinner) couldn't get a refill without asking multiple times, the iced tea drinker suffered the same, me? I had a bottle of wine in front of me so I was just fine. Overall service was just plain slooow. Started with the lobster bisque and it had a funny off taste to it. Just me? nope everyone tried a bit and they all agreed. My rib-eye was about the worst I have ever had and came medium well when I ordered med rare, seriously I could go to the grocery and whip up a better steak myself. The asparagus was bland and the hollandaise sauce didn't help it much. Banana creme something or other for desert had a terrifically stale shell. Of the six people at our table five were dissatisfied, none of us are the whiny complaining to the waitress or manager type, we just won't be back. 11/14/11 Check # 3955
(1)
Vicky K.
Steak House Salad. Calamari. Seared Ahi. Filet Mignon (melt in your mouth tender) chocolate cake paired with a Riesling. YUMMMM this place is my favorite of the two in San Diego. It's more open and not so dark. It is expensive but it is worth the money!
(5)
Rob B.
I have only tried Ruth Chris and Donovans in SD for Steak. I had better steaks at Donovans. We had the New York Strip and the Filet at Ruth Chris. Both were fine, but average for a good steakhouse at this price. I would say try Donovans or some of the other steakhouses around town first such as Fleming's or Morton's both of which I have yet to try. Donovan's is in UTC where I live and I'm pretty satisfied so I likely keep going back.
(3)
Jaclyn B.
All I can say is WOW!!!! My husband surprised me for my birthday with dinner to Ruth's Chris and I am so happy he did! Everything was perfect. The Caesar salad was very good and my husband couldn't believe how good the lobster bisque was. I ordered the cowboy ribeye medium rare and it was perfection! My husband ordered the filet oscar style with the lobster tail along with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Our server was awesome and their dirty martini's are the best! We will definitely be coming back sooner rather than later!
(5)
James D.
Have eaten there couple times, once with kids and it was very good. We were taken well care of the food is always great at RC. Best steaks ever. That's the simplicity of it! Good parking too. Gotta have parking when u have kids. A little stuffy for family dining but they made us feel welcome.
(5)
Pooja B.
I came here after my graduation. The only downside is the main courses don't come with any sides those are separate, but I guess you come here for the steaks not the sides. The asparagus is delicious and so are the mushrooms and mashed potatoes. This is the only restaurant I can eat a steak medium rare. I usually am very picky I don't like my steaks to moo but this is the number 1 exception. I had the pomegranate martini and that was simply delicious. The one in Pasadena is great too. Service is amazing.
Dont touch the plate... as your steak comes sizzing on it. Steaks are at its best here! Say it's your anniversary and you get free dessert. However, price is at a premium. Me and my date bought the minimum entree meals, 2 drinks and we paid about $140 out the door.
(4)
Edd G.
what can i say. it's a high end steakhouse chain that has the best steaks anywhere. the wine list is excellent (pricey but it is a steakhouse. apps, sides and mains were awesome and bobbie, the g.m. knows how to work the tables
(5)
Anna S.
I have to say we were less than impressed. The atmosphere, or lack there of, is loud and cheap feeling. The food was great but the service seem impersonal and rushed. It almost seems as though they think that their reputation speaks for itself. Both my boyfriend and I tended bar and served for years and the scene is quite transparent. There was a hostess that kept walking around with a pen and clipboard taking notes on open tables. It was way too obvious! It seemed as though the floor manager was intoxicated after observing him walking around. Again, not hard to notice when you've been in the business. The food runner spilled melted butter all over my father's jacket. I saw him notice and not say anything. We were the ones who had to mention it to our waiter. If it wasn't for the food, I would have given this place 2 stars. Way too much hype and poor delivery makes for a skippable meal.
(3)
Rowell D.
I recently went out there for restaurant week. Still great service even though they knew people were there for a good bargain.. Everyone was polite and we good our food really fast...
(5)
Jarred S.
If you like good steak your gonna love Ruth Chris. This place has some of the best steaks i have ever had. The service is as good as it gets and you cant go wrong when you eat at this place.
(5)
Queenie L.
Who doesn't love going to this place anyway?! well of course if you can afford it why not! I love this place because besides their phenomenal food their staff are very nice and kind. They are very attentive and check on their customer time to time to make sure things are okay. Came here on a 5th year wedding anniversary and they are so awesome they gave a complimentary anniversary desert so that was super!!! And then of course we order their great steak, I actually ordered one of the chef's special which is kind of surf and turf steak and lobster (wow melts in my mouth haha) and our server suggested to try their sweet potato casserole which is AWESOME!!! for the appetizer we got the calamari I think one of the best calamari I had the sauce that they put with it is just perfect. For desert we also ordered the banana cream pie so delicious! All in all it was just fabulous, service, food, location, and I made reservation so we didnt really have to wait maybe for like 3 minutes just to get our table ready other than that it was great! I think for the most part people goes here for special occasions, like bday, anniversary, graduation, etc, but you can also go here anytime as long as you can afford it why not but dont get me wrong the food may be expensive but the quality is all worth it!
(4)
Mark B.
Holy Shit. I mean, wow. I haven't been eating red meat for a while but I made an exception for this place. I don't think I've ever had a steak this good. Sure, it cost 40 bucks but DAMN. The sides were all fucking ridiculous too. If you've got a bunch of money to blow and like red meat, find a Ruth Chris' and you'll never eat a Denny's steak again. Make sure you get the sweet potato side too. You won't be disappointed. OH, and however you like your steaks cooked, make sure to go at least one degree less. I like my steaks medium but I got mine medium rare and it was a good decision. I've never had a steak that good. Along with the food, you are also paying for the service. It was really great. Everyone was patient and more than willing to answer questions, fetch drinks etc and I was in a party of 20. Granted, I'm probably not going to come back here anytime soon because I don't get paid NEARLY enough to be eating here but I'll jump at the next opportunity to go. This is a great place for very special occasions (anniversaries, prime number birthdays, graduations, proposals) so keep it in mind next time!
(5)
Dan And Tif S.
I've eaten at most of the Ruth's Chris steakhouses in southern California and find that the quality of the food is roughly the same, so I will write a bit about what makes this location unique instead. This Ruth's Chris is in a high-end commercial plaza adjacent to some investment banks in the Carmel Valley area. I think the reason they chose it is because the west side of the building looks out across the 5 freeway into a small valley that leads directly to the ocean, which makes for a great sunset view on a clear night. The interior decor is nice and there are two floors for dining. I actually prefer this location to the one in San Diego harbor because it is less frequented by tourists. I recommend reservations, and find that you get the best meal and service if you are willing to dine later in the evening. Go big, and don't be afraid to be the last table there. It completes the experience. Surf and turf go great together!
(3)
Junie D.
At first I loved this place....i mean what foodie wouldn't love a blazing hot steak covered in butter. To me it was heaven on earth....that is until my b'day this past march. If anything I always had ridiculously good service here, but on my b'day of all days it went to crap. Here's how the dinner went. Got there on time for our reservation and was seated promptly. After looking over the menu for a half a second we were ready to place our orders....but who were we gonna place it with? not the guy pouring water...maybe the guy in the back...nope he's a manager...oh I see the guy over there hitting on that married chick who is there with her family...kinda entertaining....gotta have big cohones to do that, but not that entertaining. I'm hungry and its my b'day!!! Get the F over here and take my order. Finally....ok enough with the cheesy one liners buddy you're not selling me a car...its a steak and i'm sold already. Take my drink order pleassse I need a libation! 10 min later..."don't we get bread or something" I know that family behind us looks hungry, but did they order all the bread for their table or did I just forget to sign in on the sign up sheet. 10min later.....Yumm apetizers....wouldn't have dredged the calamari in the "dipping sauce", but hey thats me i like my calamari crispy i guess the Chef likes it in soup form. "hey where the hell is the waitress at with my drinks" 15-18.5 min later.....Ahhh butter steak....mmmmm i can feel my arteries clogging....but hmmmm why is he cutting my steak....I know I'm sharing it, but i usually do that....didn't think that was an executive decision....whatever....hungry feeeeeeeed meeeeeeeee! something off here??!!! what is it? hmmm is it the scalloped potatoes?? could be...maybe they didn't follow the instructions on the box?..I know forgot to order steak with my piece of fat....that's it! my bad I always forget to specify. By the way " WHERE THE HELL IS THE WAITRESS AT WITH MY DRINK?!" No worries dessert is up next....it never fails...plus its my b'day so I get a candle like the 5 other tables around me...they all look happy...i want to look happy....give me my sin cake!!! Hey where is my candle? F it i'm blowing out the candle on the table...next time i'm lighting the f'n table on fire...its my b'day dammit ahhhh tip time....time for sweet revenge u ruin my night and I stiff you on your gas money!! hope your sorry ass gets stuck in Chulajuana..that'll serve you. ohhhh its your luck day my friend...that little guy on my shoulder just reminded me of that little thing called Karma so here's your tip...mark my words " one of these days!!! oh yes one of these days!! " I might give them another try, but not until i go the the West steak house about 40 or 50 more times...sounds about right.
(3)
Erik S.
Place is good, however not for the price. Couple glasses of good wine and 2 steaks, 2 salads and a few sides $300 plus. Wasn't $300 impressed. Although the view, ambiance and service is good. Just think there is better steakhouses out there for the price.
(4)
Winnie L.
This is a very straight forward, but quality steak house. You order your cuts of meat and can order sides as well. Simple menu, but quality cooking. What I like about simplified menus is that restaurant doesn't try to overwhelm you with foreign ingredients and culinary jargons, they keep the selections simple, but execute it with quality. I order the Ahi tuna stack and it was absolutely delicious, perfectly seared outside and juicy and moist on the inside. The combination with the crab meat was delicious. I also tried out their fillet mignon and it was just as delicious. The sides are decent portion so my party of 3 ended up ordering 2 sides to share amongst us. We're potato freaks so we enjoyed the various potato sides they had: mashed, au gratin, and baked. Great seating with a gorgeous view. The large windows allow you to see the I5 and you can look right pass it. Sunset is a particularly enjoyable time to go there. Adequate spacing makes it a very comfortable atmosphere. I wish we had ordered some veggies though. Service was great. For the price you pay, you don't get snooty elitist service, which is a major plus. Attentive, fast, and responsive, it made the entire meal smooth and enjoyable.
(5)
Rose R.
I had my first experience at Ruth's Chris in January. My husband and I stopped and ate in the bar area. It was very noisy and there was a customer shouting loudly at his table for about 4 minutes. We were surprised that the waiters just stood back and giggled. When the waiter finally came to our table we asked what was going on and why they didn't say anything to stop the disturbance. The waiter replied with a smirk "Oh, he is a regular." I did not expect to return. To our surprise, the manager at Ruth's Chris contacted us immediately after we wrote to Ruth's Chris about our experience. He seemed to genuinely care about hearing what we had to share. He explained he would use this experience for training purposes and thanked us for our comments. We returned to the restaurant again for dinner. We had an outstanding experience! The dining room is beautiful with large windows. The staff is excellent. More than one person is checking on you while you dine, but not in an intrusive manner. The steak was fantastic as was our appetizer of fried calamari. They had a great fixed price menu that was an excellent value. I have to say I am very impressed with both the response from the manager and our experience in the dining room. I believe our initial experience was an isolated occurrence, as it seems the staff is very well trained. This is a great place for a special occasion or just for a great steak in a lovely atmosphere. Great friendly service, but not stuffy at all. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.
(5)
Eric N.
Delicious food and good service.
(4)
Jackie B.
Would have been 5 stars but the hostess was so rude I had to take one away. We happened to go during restaurant week so they had a prix fixe menu which was such a great deal! My salmon was delicious as were the mashed potatoes and spinach sides. Great dinner.
(4)
Colleen B.
A group of us recently went to Ruth's Chris for a birthday lunch. Between drinks and entrees, the bill ended up being $73 / person. If only the food and service had been worth it! One of example of the poor service we received: When the entrees arrived, one of the steaks came without the blue cheese topping. It was sent back. When the entree was brought back to the table, it had the topping but now the steak was very, very well done instead of medium rare. The steak was again returned. By the time a replacement steak arrived, the rest of us had finished our meal. And while we were waiting, our waiter paid very little attention to us. At one point, I had to call him over to remind him that we were still waiting for one of the entrees. For such an expensive restaurant -- and one that was not that busy at the time -- I expected better service and tastier fare.
(1)
Bruce M.
In many ways, RC is like the Xerox of copiers, setting a certain standard. Possibly not the highest end steakhouse, but definitely on the top end of the range. Your going to spend some money when you go to RC, but the food rarely disappoints.
(4)
Mike L.
Chose the rib eye and it was most delicious. Service was top notch and our server even sent us a "Please come back again" post card (since it was an anniversary dinner). Sure, the sides are extra and the meat is pricey but someone has to pay for the great service and elegant ambiance. I've only eaten there that once but I definitely felt I got the royal treatment and will certainly come again.
(4)
Wayne F.
birthday dinner for my son, my "cowboy" rib eye ordered med med rare was served center cold with congealed fat flecks, by the time a new one arrived we'd had enough of that meal. Total disaster and whom ever is cooking at that joint hasn't a clue about cooking a steak, or the server. Waiter service was good the food sucked at $125 a person. This franchise is a lot of Ruth's Chris hype very poor delivery. 2nd time I've left there saying never again. so on 5/9/2012 we went to Dobsons.
(1)
XYZ Z.
Not the best of the best steak I've had but the calamari is really good. If you are going to eat here be prepared for a very heavy and oily meal. One of my favorite dishes I've ordered here was actually a vegetarian dish (portabello mushroom steak). So I guess if you happen to be at Ruth's Chris and you're vegetarian, no need to despair! The view is really nice here though and the setting is nicer than most of the other ones I have seen. This would definitely be the steak house I would visit when I am in the mood for a nice dinner in San DIego. OH and you pretty much can't miss with anything you order on the menu.
(4)
Kevin D.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I took my girlfriend here for restaurant week and had a blast. The service was great and the ambiance was really nice, the only down side was i felt kinda far from my girlfriend since the tables were to big. The server was really nice and claimed they had the best steak in the world and after trying it i started to believe it.
(5)
Yralla L.
I went here for my bday. We started out with the seared ahi tuna which was tasty and fresh. The lettuce wedge was good but nothing special. Au gratin potato and asparagus w/ hollandaise were both rich and delicious. I had the filet and my husband had the cowboy ribeye. Both were good but I preferred the ribeye b/c it was a lot tastier and juicier. I don't care for the hot plates b/c I don't eat fast and the steak continues to cook on it so my steak was overcooked as I finished it up. I like my steak medium rare. With the filet being so lean, the more cooked it got the drier it got. We topped off our meal with the chocolate sin cake and creme brulee. The service was top notch. Our server was accomodating and friendly. Overall, I had a good experience, but I still prefer Mastro's steak to RC.
(4)
Amy C.
Oh, man. Since I'm a poor college student, there's no way I could have afforded this place had I not gone during Restaurant Week. San Diego, I love you - three courses for $40, and that was enough food for three meals. I had the ribeye - SO tender, extremely flavorful, 12 ounces. Mmmm. friend had the filet mignon, which actually had the texture of butter. Creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes sides complemented the main dish pretty well. The seared ahi tuna appetizer tasted just right, taste-wise. And the chocolate cake - flourless, and therefore rich as all get out, but SO good. The waiter was very nice, very polite, even though I'm pretty sure we didn't look like the average Ruth's Chris diners.
(5)
Rachel G.
Steak was perfect, sides were divine and the service was exceptional. Perfect for any occasion (or no occasion)
(5)
Wendy R.
Great food and wonderful service! We especially like their barbecued shrimp, mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, and petite filet.
(5)
Michael M.
I went here a couple of months ago because my mother had a gift certificate. So, we went one Sunday afternoon after church to this place. (We made reservations earlier that week.) I have to admit when we first saw the place..We were a little put off my it's location. It in between an office complex on each side. A little odd for a restaurant if you ask me. But, hey, it's free food...so I was going inside anyways.. :-) The staff greeted us as soon as we came in and seated us soon after. I got a kick how since I was the the only man in our group...with mom, myself & my sister, the waiter talked to me as if I was my mother's husband...Mr. Michael...would you like this... Mr. Michael...does this taste okay...Mr. Michael..would you like to try our wine special... We laughed our butt off the entire night over this...I dare my mom & sis not to say anything..to this say..the staff still doesn't know...LOL But, I digress...the food here was pretty awesome. I had lamb shops..which were awesome with creme brulee for desert which was great too. My mom's stake didn't taste all that great. My sister had some type of chicken which she said she enjoyed. The only down point is that the side dishes were okay. We had mashed potatoes and cheesed broccoli. I was expecting better quality than what I was served. Would I go here again..hmm..the jury is still out..But I'm leaning toward not. But it was a great experience with family :-)
(4)
N G.
Chicken... yea... Chicken.. No I'm not calling you chicken.... So why the heck would I mention chicken when I'm reviewing a steak house? Yea, I get that a lot. Cause I freakin' love the chicken! I'm talking about the double chicken breast stuffed with garlic herb cheese. Holy crap! It's like 20 bucks, but it's worth it! Not only is it pretty much the cheapest entree on the menu, but its my favorite thing to eat there. Like the steaks, it comes out sizzling in a plate of butter, and YOU WILL BURN YOUR FINGER IF YOU TOUCH THE PLATE! Yea, no surprise there. Without fail every time I go SOMEONE touches the plate. The server can warn you like 20 times, and someone will still do it. You would think seeing butter popping off the plate because its so hot would be a good enough indication of how freakin' hot it is. Yea, I'm cheap, but i'm ok with spending a little more on dinner every now and then just to enjoy an amazingly good meal. The sides are also very good. They're about $7-8 a piece but you can share a few sides between 2 or 3 people. The creamed spinach is awesome and the shoestring fries are crazy good too. To finish off a meal at ruth's chris, there is nothing better than a Creme Brulee! Omg, I can't even describe how it just melts in your mouth. It's a little on the expensive side at around $10 but I just can't imagine going here without it. Their servers are always top notch (as they should be at a place like this) and its nice that they generally don't make you feel stupid for ordering the chicken. I actually tend to get comments like "thats one of my favorite things too". The first time I went I was a bit uneasy about going because it was fancier than I'm used to, but as I've gone back quite a few times over the years I definitely got used to it. I also like the fact that I can come in with jeans and a decently nice shirt and I don't feel way under dressed. Overall I can't say almost anything bad about this place. I would say if anything I would like it if the sides came with the chicken, but I think that would be asking too much of a place like this. 5 stars all the way!
(5)
Chris K.
Great Food! Excellent Service! First time there and it was amazing. Absolutely loved it!
(5)
Mia E.
I have to say that I am only commenting on the lobster bisque and a couple of sides. I think I had the seabass...yes, I know, fish at a steakhouse. I'm not a huge steak fan but we went there for the lobster bisque. It is out of this world and not too "fishy!" I could have licked the bowl if we weren't in a fancy schmancy restaurant. The sweet potato casserole and the creamed spinach were just decadent. Even better than the dessert. Well, by the time we got to the dessert, I was so stuffed that I didn't even remember it. I say, share a steak and go crazy on the sides!
(4)
Erika Lin P.
I love, love, love the sizzling, buttery goodness of a plate from Ruth's Chris! My filet was cooked perfectly, as were the shrimp. I wish the appetizers, salads, and desserts were as scrumptious as the meat and sides!!!). My panzanella salad was a disappointment: the croutons were soft (not spongy, not crunchy), the tomatoes were few, and it wasn't authentic. I'll stick with the meat from now on. Also, you CANNOT go wrong with the creamed spinach--YUM!
(4)
June C.
Great food, delicious steak, odd location. It's in the middle of business park, and there are no other restaurants. It's just a bit odd.
(4)
Eugene A.
My wife and I decided this would be a nice place to celebrate my birthday. We have been to the Embarcadero location and enjoyed dinner there several times. I ordered a petite filet with a crab-stuffed lobster tail and our other entree was a ribeye accompanied with asparagus with bernaise and the mashed potatoes. We also shared a decent bottle of merlot. The steaks were tasty as expected but the lobster tail was past its shelf life. I took a couple of bites to make sure and it still tasted of "pond water". The crab stuffing was also cooked to the consistency of an overly starched dress shirt. Upon telling our waiter of the taste of the lobster was when I got tweaked. One has a certain expectation when you come to a restaurant of the stature that they commit to. He seemed put off by my remark and didn't offer the house's apology and didn't seem interested in salvaging my dish on behalf of the store. And, in all fairness to him, one probably does not get many disgruntled customers nor expects the food to be less than the freshest. I asked for the manager and informed him of the taste of meal and my now disgust with the attitude of our server. Oh, it was also my birthday celebration and the server had another server bring over dessert menus at which I refused and he seemed to also take offense that we weren't interested in having dessert. I also made the manager aware of this scenario. To salvage the meal the manager offered complimentary drinks which we accepted as his dutiful part to close on a gracious note but a late harvest sparkler nor an XO status cognac could change my mood. I will definitely go back to another Ruth's Chris with normal expectations of the level of service and quality of food you expect in this price range but not likely in Del Mar again. Another criticism, but small, is that the restaurant is in a business complex and not easily visible from El Camino. Valet parking is only $5 bucks. On the bright side, the interior is elegant yet understated with a view towards the beaches.
(3)
Anton E.
I ordered a T-bone steak. It was cooked haphazardly. (over done on the edges). There is a trend now to put mushroom sauce on a steak. I think that steak is just fine on its own and you are going to ruin it if you mess with it too much. So they put this mushroom sauce on the steak after stating that it was just "butter". It smelled like old cheese. Which, apparently is normal. The really bad part happened the next day when I warmed it up in the microwave. Then it smelled like old cheese in a gym sock in an elephant's arm pit. The food was not as good as what I can cook in my back yard. Honestly, steak is the easiest thing in the world to cook. I would give a higher rating than one star if the place wasn't so ridiculously expensive. For the price, I could have gone to a really nice restaurant. The asparagus was average. So was the bread and dessert. They have a nice wine list, but on the expensive side. The decor and view of the freeway was top notch. The service was very good, but the way that they kept calling me by my last name was getting creepy. So if you only want to dress up and go to a snooty restaurant, you won't be disappointed. But if you want good food, go someplace else.
(1)
Catherine K.
i've always heard about how good ruth's chris is, but had never gone there. until yesterday. and now i'm a believer. i haven't been to a lot of steakhouses to compare it to in order to say that it's the best one out there, but there was a lot of excellent things going on about this location. first, my husband and i arrived extremely early to our reservation. it was set for 5:30pm and we arrived at 5:05! i didn't realize how close it was to where we were (work). but we went in and only waited less than 5 minutes to be seated. it was nice that they took us in early rather than making us wait for our appointed time. second, the food was delicious! this was my second outing for restaurant week, and while the dining choices were limited, they certainly didn't disappoint! for my 3 course meal i had the crab stuffed mushrooms, the 12oz ribeye, and the chocolate sin cake. all, GOOD!! the ribeye was probably a bit to big for me, and in retrospect i likely would have been better off with the petite fillet, but it was still delicious. that stuff about being drenched in butter? had i known this is what steak tasted like in butter i would of been eating there a long time ago. or at least attempting to make the same thing at home! yeah, all that butter, unhealthy, whatever. it was gooooood. every bite was juicy and tender. perfect. we also had the garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach for the sides. both yummy. loved the crab stuffed mushrooms! killed that plate. and the dessert? omg. best chocolate cake i've ever had. i'm not even sure that was an actual cake per say; it wasn't bread-like in the least, more like a thick mousse or something, it just melted in my mouth. i don't usually finish my cake slices, but i couldn't resist this one. third, the dining room service was excellent. everyone was very polite and attentive. i believe our server's name was Courtney. props out to her, she was fantastic. a funny story: i believe it was the maitre d? he came by to check on me and my husband, and because the reservation was put under my name (and maiden name), he greeted my husband using my maiden name! it wasn't his fault or anything, but we both found it hilarious. he knew he had made a mistake when my husband couldn't stop smiling and it led to a nice small conversation between the 3 of us. if anything that made me feel more welcomed and comfortable. as every other review will tell you, the parking is pretty tight and crowded, as the lot is generally full from being in a business area. we lucked out and found a spot right away, but when we left there were definitely cars following us wanting to nab our parking spot. i wish i didn't have a downside to this experience, but unfortunately there was, and it was the hostess who greets you when you enter (notice how i said dining room service was excellent rather than all service?). maybe she was having a bad day or whatever, but when we entered she wasn't very welcoming. and isn't that a hostess' job? so maybe a bad day, whatever, i let it go and gladly enjoyed the rest of my evening. but when we were leaving, my husband had a question for her. now she was standing around w/her co-worker (maybe another hostess, i don't know) chatting, and when my husband politely asked his question (yes, he did say excuse me and waited for her to respond), she was one of those who didn't bother to look at him while answering. she just kept on doing what she was doing. and it wasn't like she was super busy or swamped either (i mean, if you have time to chat, how busy can you be if there's a paying customer there asking you for help). there was no busy lobby, no phones ringing off the hook, nothing. if there's one thing that gets me w/service, it's lack of eye contact. now everybody else had been exceptional. but this girl, nothing. are you shy? then why are you a hostess? please, look me in the eye when i'm speaking to you. i just find it very rude. and to top it off, she didn't even greet us when we left. no goodbye, have a nice evening, thank you for coming in, nothing. she just acted like a snob who was too good to talk to us. mind you again, lobby was dead. no reason not to greet us. i'm just saying. so minus one star for that. brush up on your customer service, lady, cause leaving the restaurant like that put a sour taste in my mouth, no matter how delicious the food i just dined on was. so.... all in all, great, with the exception of that hostess. they can get just rid of her.
(4)
David J.
We've eaten here several times and have yet to be disappointed. The service has always been top notch and they don't rush you. Steaks have almost always been perfect as well as the sides. It's pricey, but for special occasions, it fits the ticket.
(5)
B N.
For me this is more of a special occasion or if someone hasn't gone we'd go here a little more formal place to eat. But whatever cut you get will come out scorching hot and made to your liking, the only thing is I wish it was a tiny bit cheaper if you're a person with a heaty appetite and it'd make it taste even better.
(3)
Amanda P.
Some would argue that this can be considered the "entry level" to fine dining/steakhouses & others say this is the "ultimate" dining experience. I can see it both ways. It has all the bells and whistles that would make for a great night out, but those who know their meat know that this is not the prime place for a collection of the tastiest, marbled steaks. Let's start with the fact that they have great drinks. Order anything, hell, order it all.. A+ for the bartender that night! I must say, I've been here a few times -- the ribeye is a much better eat than the filet. The last time we were there, the special was a kobe ribye, so it was extra, mouth-wateringly delicious. The side dishes are okay, but ordered more out of a 'comfort' measure -- nothing to write home to mom about. But overall, a yummy place.
(4)
Allen R.
Great service and awesome food. I've been here at least 4-5 times and the sides(potatoes au gratin & creamed spinach) taste amazing. My only complaint, is that for some reason their steaks never taste as good as their downtown San Diego location. I'm not sure if its the seasoning or how its cooked, but the downtown location always seems to have better tasting steaks than Del Mar.
(4)
Erin Y.
Wen there last night for dinner. We live in the area and like to go there frequently, however each time we go there we are place in a corner by the kitchen, or upstairs toward the back stairs. When I look around at the other diners, I wonder if it is because we are a minority, as I notice none of the other tables in the front have any minorities sitting in the front area.This has happened repeatedly over the last year and is not an isolated incident. I would like to think Ruth Chris is welcoming to all nationalities, as I know Carmel Valley has a mix of different races however I am unsure what to think since my experience last night again confirmed what has happened repeatedly over the last year.
(1)
Cynthia T.
Great restaurant. and a great mix of people. For Valentines day I though there would be more dressed up folk, but there were people dressed up and those who didnt give a beep lol.Its definitely high class food minus the snobby customers and staff. Delicious lobster tail. That was the star of the night, I had ordered the fillet Mignon and Caribbean lobster for Valentines dinner and my boyfriend-the rib eye. Everything was cooked perfect and served on 500 degree plates to keep the yummy food warm. For side we had onions rings, asparagus and mash potatoes. Oh and try the pomegranate martini! Amazing. I'm not a fan of pomegranate but it was smooth and not too fruity or sweet. Beautiful restaurant. I like it much better than the Harbor Drive location. Our server was "Jon" and he reassembled Jon from Jon and Kate plus 8 lol. Great place for specials occasion or for a dinner splurge. Definitely worth the money.
(5)
jon c.
Excellent Steak house. They have a mean fillet mignon. I haven't really tried anything else because the fillet is so damn juicy and hmm... it's making me hungry just thinking about it. It can be pricey, around $40 for a steak but if you want to go top of the line this is it. They serve their side dishes ala cart so be prepared to pay an extra $10 for asparagus. The decor is definitely geared toward the old folk of Rancho but it can be a nice change from the grummy eats I normally visit. If you are vegan... ummm.... not for you.
(5)
WENDY W.
My boyfriend and I went to Ruth Chris for Valentine's Day. Of course it was so crowded. The service was top line and the steak delicious. The appetizer, asparagus, and mashed potatoes were good, nothing to rave about. Overall, it was a romantic Valentine's dinner,
(4)
Genie H.
Best steaks house ever. Period. Worth every penny but in this case dollars!
(5)
Irina G.
The food is amazing and almost makes up for the rudeness of our waiter.
(4)
Michael C.
Went here for restaurant week. Seared ahi tuna for appetizer was one of the best I have had. Had petite filet and it was very good. The potatoes were kind of greasy, but you don't go to steakhouse for your health. For 20 bucks they pair glass of wine with each course.
(5)
R L.
Good steaks. Good deserts too. I recommend getting wine pairings if you can. It's definitely expensive for the amount of money you're paying, but the quality is definitely there.
(4)
Philip Q.
My wife and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary at Ruth's Chris last night. The management and staff bent over backwards to make it a memorable experience. They comp'ed our dessert and brought out an "anniversary birthday candle". Everybody knows how great the steaks are, but the star last night was the service. Thank you Ruth's Chris!
(5)
Nate L.
Ruth's is hands-down our favorite go-to steak house. We've never had a bad experience, always love our food, and always leave looking forward to coming back. Hate to see the bad review from another customer from earlier this month. I sincerely hope it was an off night that will never be repeatedl. If Ruth's started to drop the ball, I don't know where we'd go!!!
(5)
Tina B.
Went there for business dinner at 7:45 on a Wednesday. Place was fairly full but cleared out quickly at 8:30. Ordered 2 filets and crab cakes. i specifically asked the waitress about the quality of the crab. She said never a complaint. Do not order them. They were really fishy and I only ate 3 bites. Didn't ask for refund. Filets were outstanding and cooked perfectly. I gave it 3 stars for poor quality crab and really slow service. It took a good 40 minutes to get our food. As expensive as the food is would really expect more.
(3)
Kassie C.
Seriously, this place is overrated. This was my 2nd try at Ruth's Chris. Our first visit was at the Harbor Dr location, and thinking that maybe it was "just that one" that wasn't very good, we tried the El Camino Real one this time. Really it made no difference, in my opinion. We had a reservation for 7:15, and were told when we got there that they were running 15 minutes behind. Well, a half hour (or more, I can't remember because I was so deliriously hungry) later they actually sat us. Honestly, what's the point of a reservation? To quote Seinfeld "Anyone can take a reservation, that is easy, now holding the reservation, that is what's important". So we sat there hungrily waiting for a table. Once we were seated we did have good service, I can't complain about that, although our food was slow to come out. That could've been because we ordered an appetizer, which I've noticed that for some weird backwards way, always makes your entree come out later. My boyfriend got the NY strip ( I think) with the blue cheese crumbles on it. That was the sole purpose for us coming here; he absolutely loves that steak. And I admit, it was good; worth the $40? probably not. Myself, not being a "steak person" ordered the shrimp and lobster claw special that they had. The shrimp was good, nothing spectacular, but good. The lobster claws? Undercooked. Disgusting. Couldn't eat them. I'm from New England and so I know what a good lobster is like, and have even cooked them myself. They're not hard to cook properly. I don't know how these made it out while they were still crawling around the plate, but really it ruined my meal for me. I thought at first that they were previously frozen, but was told later by the server that they weren't. They did end up comping that part of the meal, which was greatly appreciated, but still, a restaurant of that caliber that charges those prices, and only has a few things on the menu, they really should not be undercooking lobster. I just have higher standards when I'm spending that kind of money on a meal. As a side note, we did see Antonio Gates there. However, had the other people waiting for a table not noticed it, we probably wouldn't have known it was him.
(2)
adrienne g.
My husband and I attended a Chamber Mixer at this location and we were not impressed. After mediocre service during the event mixer, we excused ourselves and went down to the bar. There were two bartenders working and five people sitting at the bar besides the two of us. It took 15 minutes for either of the bartenders to acknowledge us. There were also five or six servers that were backed up - waiting for drinks to take to their tables. If you like good service, you won't like this place.
(2)
Sean T.
I love a great steak and Ruth's Chris Steak House in Del Mar will deliver a great steak. I am wary of "high end" franchise places. Given that, I was ready to be highly critical. I had the New York strip medium rare and it lived up to my expectations. The house Cab was solid and the sides, mashed potatoes and asparagus, were tasty. The ambiance and decor is warm and inviting. Great view....make sure you are in the main dining room. If you are off the main dining room you get a feel of isolation, slightly claustrophobic and a lull in social energy...so ask for the main dining room. You can get a way with nice jeans and a proper shirt, but I recommend taking it up one notch. If you want to do a tie and a cocktail dress for the lady you can get away with that also with out being overdressed and pretentious. Two thumbs up. Mind you, this is my opinion of the Del Mar Ruth's Chris not all Ruth's Chris.
(4)
Connor Y.
Was pleasantly surprised when my girlfriend and I gave Ruth's Chris a try for restaurant week. We had completely forgotten that it was restaurant week and had always been meaning to give this place a try, so we just went on a whim, making reservations just a couple hours prior. The setting is nice, nestled in one of the financial areas in Del Mar along the El Camino, with both an upper and lower dining floor. We had the mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat for our appetizer, which was delicious and very generous in its portions. We didn't have many options for our main course, but the rib-eye did just fine for us. A HUGE cut of meat, marbled well (and fatty), topped with an enormous slather of butter. Initially the butter admittedly gave off a succulent aroma, but over time it just became overwhelming. My suggestion is to request only half the amount of butter with your steak, although if you're like Paula Deen, you can get double the butter as well. Butter aside, the meat was served on a super hot plate (part of the cooking is done on the plate), and came out sizzling, just the way I like it. Apple crumb tart was delicious and is highly recommended - warm, flaky, with just the right amount of sweet cinnamon flavor. For a chain, I was definitely caught off-guard. Then again Fleming's (my favorite steakhouse) is also a chain, so I guess i shouldn't be so surprised. Recommend giving it a try especially for restaurant week, given how large their portions are - you'll definitely get the most bang for your buck.
(4)
Bryan F.
I've been to Ruth's Chris alot of times. How often? I've had almost every main course on the menu (along with some of the specials) , and virtually every side and appetizer. Their steaks are around the same cuts as other big steakhouses like Mortons or Flemings, but their preparation is unlike any other place. All off the main courses come out sizzling on an extremely hot buttery plate. After all they were cooked in super hot oven that they say is over 1000 degrees. I wouldn't know because if I saw the oven, I'd probably get a sunburn. I burn pretty easily. The steak menu includes what you would expect. There is a small and regular size filet which are good but not as good as the other steaks. The regular and cowboy ribeye with are extremely flavorful in the butter. the Cowboy cut is huge and definitely one of my favoties. The new york, my other favorite, is very thick and juicy. Occasionally they get in special cuts of steak. I once had a incredibly juicy bone in new york and a kobe sirloin which was as tender as you'd expect kobe beef to be. Both cost around the price of the cowboy ribeye. I talked to a waitress and she told me Ruth Chris is now trying to always have some kind of special cut of meat so I always recommend that you find out about the specials. Most people really enjoy the chicken but I wasn't impressed, after all it is a steakhouse. The ahi tuna stack is a great alternative to steak and they sometimes have a great sea bass dish also. Appetizers are basically all good. The seared ahi tuna, seafood gumbo, lobster bisque, crab cakes and stuffed mushrooms are my favorites, but appetizers aren't necessary since the steaks and sides are so filling. Speaking of sides, since the entrees do not come with anything, the best way to go is to order a few sides to share. As far as potatoes go, I recommend staying away the french fries. Yeah Ruth Chris is a pretty kick back place but I didn't come here for french fries, and in reality thats all they are. They don't taste like anything special. The potatoes au gratin are by far the best though the garlic mashed potatoes are a close second. As far as vegatables, the sauteed mushrooms and creamed spinach are the best though the brocoli and asparagus are good as well. As far as deserts, I'm not particularly fond of any of them as they have recently gotten rid of the lava cake which was the only one I liked. I'm always so full from the rest of the meal that I never have any desire for a desert so no loss there. What I also like about Ruth's Chris is that it doesn't have a pretentious attitude about it. Yeah it is as expensive as the other big steakhouses but it doesn't have the same attitude. You can dress up or down as much as you like and the staff is always friendly and attentive. There is also a bar you can hang out at for abit before you are seated. Ruth's Chris is definitely the place where my friends and I go for any kind of celebration. A celebratory dinner is all about good company and good food. And Ruth's Chris provides the good food. Go there with friends, family, significant others, any good company and you will enjoy yourself.
(5)
Melody P.
One of the best dinners in my life. My boyfriend took me to Ruth's Chris on our first date, which happened to be mother's day. The place was so crowded, but all the employees managed to keep face, like they enjoyed it being insane busy. The atmosphere felt like we were in a time warp from the Dick Tracy era. It was beautiful, the decor, the lighting, and they have the shiniest bathrooms ive ever seen. When we sat at our table, i was facing the wall made up entirely up of glass. The sky looked amazing. I let him order for me, im a medium-well kinda girl...no mooing please. The salad was delicious. As an appetizer he ordered this mashed potato dish, It had the perfect blend of butter, spices and garlic. Okay, so when the steak came out I was ready for it-everything else was fantastic...And YAY!! cooked perfectly, just the way i like it. Miguel did let me try his which was medium...and that was awesome. The steak would just infuse your mouth with flavor every time you took a bite . I want to sample everything from that menu. Boo, i left no room for dessert. I didnt see the bill...but i saw how many bills it took to pay...yeah. He said that if I didnt like him, at least I'd love the steak. hehe both turned out fantastic ^_^
(5)
Rayna B.
Last night, we had our second dinner here in recent weeks. It was for the hubs bday and we had a large (10) group. It was a great night and we got great and personable service from everyone from the beginning. Some of the courses seemed to take unusually long- dessert, especially (it was noticable because one couple really needed to leave and they sat squirming for the last half hour, hoping dessert would arrive so that they could ask for the check). Im sure the wait had to do with the fact that we had so many people and that it was late. Not a big deal. My only complaint and real disapointment, was my steak. I came for the steak, in fact, I was fantasizing about it for two days prior to this meal! I ordered the filet, med rare, and it was overcooked. Hardly pink at all in the center. The girl across from me had a perfect looking steak! I asked how she ordered it (thinking she must have gotten rare, and that's what I should request next time), but her meat was supposed to be medium. Most people seemed to think that our steaks had been mixed up, which would be hard to do since mine was topped with shrimp and hers had blue cheese. It was still a great meal and I ate my steak with no problem, but I really like my meat on the rare side. The other girl looked unhappy with hers (it was pretty raw!!) and she did not eat the center portion. We didn't want to go through annoying the staff to send back our steaks, but since this is a Steak House, I'd hoped for more. I would still certainly go back, and maybe I'll venture to try the chicken or fish next time, which I hear are excellant.
(4)
Captain J.
Great steak it always comes out sizzling hot and great tasting. Service is exceptionally great. Good job keep it up.
(5)
Sy N.
Having been to both Ruth's Chris in San Diego, I have to say that they are both very good. This is my "home" location because I live much closer to it. While it claims to have an ocean view, I can't say that I have seen it more than once and it was definitely a completely clear day. The ambiance of this location is very nice though with big glass windows that do overlook Torrey Pines. Anyway, I can't believe that people go here for the view anyway. The steaks are always great. Having been to Craftsteak in LV at the MGM Grand recently, I have to say that Ruth's Chris steak is still heads and shoulders above most other fancy steak places. I always get the rib eye medium rare except this last time because of the duo deal they had. The steaks comes sizzling on a very hot plate with lots of butter. The steak literally melts in your mouth. On the occasion (like last night) where I get to try their seafood, I have to admit that they were very good too. Finally, I have always gotten great service at this location. I think everyone really pays a lot of attention to detail at this location. While it doesn't make the food taste better, it certainly enhances the whole experience!
(5)
Melissa C.
i definately love the steak here....(beware though, Irvine location isn't as great!). No complaints, I've never been let down...I always order the petite filets with shrimp and even the shrimp is excellent and tasty! Service has always been fantastic, including free dessert if you're celebrating an anniversary! Out of all the franchise steakhouses...I must say that this Ruth Chris is definately the best.
(4)
Arnette R.
I went here last week during restaurant week for my birthday with my bf. I am judging it on that note. For $40 we got each an appetizer (my bf got a salad and I got the seared ahi tuna), an entree with a side (2 petit filets with a side of garlic mashed and a side of creamed spinach) and dessert (ice cream and some rich chocolate cake). I made a reservation through Open Table and we were 5 minutes early so we had a drink at the bar. The place was packed! We had a really nice waitress and had a nice table by the big open window. The only thing that was distracting was 3 rowdy men in their late 30s/early 40s. At one point, one man passed out at the table and when he was leaving, he almost fell on the table next to him. My tuna was not good at all. I ate it because I was starving, but I definitely wouldn't order it again. The steaks and sides were great. The chocolate cake was so rich! So it was smart to order ice cream to help wash it down. So for what we paid it was a pretty good dinner. It's not my favorite steak house but I would probably eat there again (during restaurant week of course!). But if you really want to try a great steakhouse and you're in Chicago, try Joe's Stone Crab (bone in filet is amazing!).
(4)
Mit L.
If You Find a better place, Please let me know! I spend over 300 dollars at the best steak restaurant in Arizona, and it tasted similar to a steak you would get at I-Hop. This steak house is unbeatable and I've been to plenty.
(5)
Jen T.
I love Ruth's Chris. I've never had a bad meal here. This Del Mar locale is a little strange tho. Its wedge in a rather industrial street, filled with businesses. It's a blink and you'll miss it Ruth. They do have valley parking for $5, or you just just park it yourself at the lots they have. The interior is very nice. Open and rather minimal actually. They ave the main dining room, an upstairs dining room and private rooms for your private party. Now for the food. Everything I've had is good here. The appetizers can be a meal within themselves. I love crab cakes, and this place has one of the best(best crab cake belongs to Oceanaire). For $18, you get 2 jumbo blue lump crab cakes served on a sizzling place. The crab cakes have no bread like filling, just crab. The sizzling buttered plate make this a favorite of mine. I also get the BBQ shrimp. This isn't regular BBQ sauce. Its a sort of creamy cajun like sauce. It comes with about 5 shrimps for $11? It's all yummy. Now for the steak. My tip is if there is at least 2 of you, get the porter house for 2. It comes on the bone, one side NY strip, other side filet. For some reason, being on the bone gives it extra flavor. And there is a lot of meat here, so it could even be split between 3 people. Also, with the porter house for 2, it comes with 2 additional sizzling buttered plates. They also pre cut it for you off the bone. You get about 3-4 peices each of filet and NY strip. Actually a great deal considering you get a lot of meat for 2 people and its less than what 2 individual steaks would cost. The sides are a la carte, but they are huge and meant to be shared. I always get garlic mashed, since I need mashed taters when I get steak. Most of the dessert here is blah. However, they now have a chocolate lava cake not on the menu. It is so good. The cake is rather light and moist compared to most lava cakes where its more dense. This one here is very very good. I'm never disappointed when i come here. It is always good food. My company loves this place too, as we've had several holiday dinners here. We reserve the private room called the Torrey Pines. In the holiday season, you need at least 20 people. But they will accommodate if you have a bit less. Its a great value as you can get a prix fixed menu, or you can order off the regular menu. I love this place. However, if you dont like a lot of butter, dont come here.
(5)
Keith L.
Had free lunch there today, my second time there. I don't like beef or steaks so I had the stuffed chicken instead. The appetizer was shrimp swimming in a buttery garlic sauce, a bit overcooked but very tasty. I must have had five of them! This restaurant is really a Paula Deen's lovefest with butter on practically every dish. When they brought the entrees, the place smelled like butter-heaven and I felt my heart veins swell and I swear I gained a few pounds just from the aroma in the room. The mushrooms were so delicious and creamy mashed potatoes and you keep thinking of the calories as you see the butter spots all over. My friend had fillet and she thought the butter slapped on top of it was cheese. She claimed it was delicious. The chicken had some creamy cheese buttery filling but I could not identify which type, very rich and I could barely finish it. I ordered their sinful chocolate cake but did not eat it, I had tried it before and it's too bitter for me. I prefer milk chocolate. All the women around were oohing and aahing eating their desserts. Would I go there if I had to pay for it? Probably not since I don't eat steak, but maybe for the sides I would!
(4)
Jillian O.
We were extremely excited about having dinner at Ruth Chris in Del Mar as we have previously visited and quite enjoyed our meal at the San Diego Ruth Chris, unfortunately this Ruth Chris was a disappointment. Our waiter had no patience with us ordering our drinks. We were thinking about martinis and he suggested a pear one. After drinks arrived, he suggested the lobster appetizer we passed. He then suggested a porterhouse for our meal, we had already decided upon their 3 course meal. We were looking over the wine list and said ho much we like isocilles, but 70 was high for us. He suggested a wine and we said sure. Dinner arrived and the lobster I received was basically a seasoned shell with one piece of soggy lobster. They did take it back and brought me another. Prior to desert arriving he gave us a desert menu. My partner thought this was the desert choices for our 3 course meal. We asked the waiter and he said for an additional 3 dollars. When we got the bill it was $250 that bottle of wine he suggested was $95 we would have preferred the California isocilies for $70. Needless to say we were takin advantage of by the waiter and looking back at all his suggestions they were for the most expensive. I did write Ruth Chris and I have not heard from them. So beware next time you go and be sure to ask the price. We will never go back there and will tell our friends the same.
(2)
josh b.
I had the ribeye and it was the best steak that I've ever eaten. I got the bleu cheese crust too. It was a good idea. Worth the money, even though I didn't pay...
(5)
S V.
This is our favorite anniversary dinner place. I think their steaks are the best in San Diego. The atmosphere at this location is much quieter and more romantic than the one downtown. No tourists in hawaiian shirts and shorts here. The filet is my favorite to get here. Parking is free and easy to find in the lot nearby.
(5)
KURT M.
ok let me preempt this review with this disclosure: we went here during restaurant week. made reservations, seated as scheduled, service was quick, and menu seemed ample. then the disappointment started. each course was just a bit worse than the one before it. it was sad as we both had heard such great things, and looked forward to our "fancy" steak dinners. maybe i am just a grilled steak guy. we were happy to have eaten there on a deal, or else we would've been really disappointed. i hate to put down a place that gets such rave reviews, but our dining experience would've been great if our food was.
(3)
Katy N.
I believe this was the location I went to if they have that "crescent ornament" in the main restaurant. Either way, I was there for a birthday party few years ago for the first time and now I know why people LOVE this place. Yes their "RIB EYE" was deliciousssssss but kinda ridiculous when you have to PAY EXTRA for SIDES!!! Ambiance....very romantic :)
(4)
MeiLi O.
I went out to eat with a couple of friends. We arrived there and were asked to wait a few minutes and offered to wait at the bar. We just sat down on some chairs instead. Within a couple minutes, we were seated at our table. Our server Michael was really nice and friendly. For our appetizer, we ordered the calamari. Nothing that special. We each got an orange mojito. They have a good bartender. I was buzzing after only a few sips. My bladder was getting full and I had to use the restroom. They have theirs all the way upstairs near the elevator. For my meal, I ordered the ribeye and my side was their mushroom. The ribeye was a little on the salty side but other than that, it was really delicious as were the mushrooms. The waiter kept checking up on us which was nice, but after we got our desserts and the check, it's like we were no longer important customers. I wish they would have refilled the water because the cheesecake got me really thirsty. For a place that expensive though, I would have expected slightly better service, ie pulling out the chair, placing napkin on lap, and most importantly, keeping my cup of water full.
(3)
Auzon A.
We went here for our anniversary during the summer celebration which was 2 meals for $89. Great deal BTW, if it comes again, i'm sure we'll be there! It was our very first time there. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The service was awesome, they were nice & informative. I didn't know this place originated in New Orleans. So it made me want to try the gumbo, which was pretty good. I also ordered the mixed grill, which i was kind of embarrassed about because I felt like a pig in a nice restaurant, but it really was the best choice. It came with a petit filet, chicken, and a crab cake. OH MY GOD was that the best meal ever!! The filet was so flavorful, the chicken so tender, & the crab cake was the best I had ever tasted. I would definitely come back here, but because its really pricey and we're not into fancy schmancy places, probably only go during a deal. I also had the wine pairings with it and that was the best wines I'd ever had, also a great deal. But seriously, if your looking for a nice place to go with the best food and service, I would chose Ruth Chris at this location. OH & to top it off, I had so much food I had the leftovers for lunch which damn, everyone was so jealous of!!
(5)
camilo a.
i have to say this is a must if u like steak you'll love this place yes it is a bit price but it is well worth the money and u will not be disappointed its the best steak ever
(4)
Daniel N.
I came here with a couple of my friends just for the heck of it. The service was excellent. We came around the 6-7pm. The sun was in our eyes, they noticed it and moved us to the center of the dining area. One of my friends didn't listen about the burning hot plates, touched it and got pampered by the service, LOL. Just to mention I came in with a white undershirt, shorts, and flip flops on amazingly I didn't feel awkward under dressing. Now for the food. First up, we got the calamari for the appetizer. The fried calamari was good, but the sauce was delicious. Not trying to over hype it, but I would just go to the steakhouse for the sauce. Second up, I ordered the cowboy rib eye, medium rare with a blue cheese crust. Tasty, but they drench the steak in butter, so it wasn't to my liking. If it had less butter would've been excellent. Three side dishes mashed potatoes, au gratin, creamed spinached. All decent, but all forgettable. Lastly for dessert the chocolate sin cake. It was small and good. The bill for our party of four was about $400 including tip. I did not include what my friends ordered. All in all, the sauce for the calamari and the steak would be worth coming back for.
(4)
Ken J.
Very odd experience. This location is highly overrated. If you think you are getting a great dinner because you're spending a lot of money, think again. It's a beautiful view, but if you expect to get an outstanding steak dinner that you will always remember, your money is best spent elsewhere. The overall quality of the food, especially the seafood, wasn't matching the price level. Seafood tasted a bit weird. The shrimp and lobster were a bit rubbery. I would hate to think that it was all pre-frozen, but I suspect it was. I was really looking forward to the creamed spinach. Bitter and tasteless. The steak was ok. Just ok. Not what you would expect from a place with this type of reputation. Service was attentive but inaccurate. Seems like they really don't listen to their customers. Just in a hurry to serve you in their own way, and can't figure out if they are doing something wrong. Like making a big deal about the old "bottled or tap water," and then bringing the bottled water anyways, even though you asked for tap. And doing a great job of telling us how they serve the dishes "family style," then hiding the share plates when the food does arrive. They definitely could use some extra training.
(2)
Elizabeth B.
Of course you are going to Ruth's Chris for the star of their show the beef entrees Great big, melt in your mouth hunks of meat in a puddle of rich, savory juices with that beautiful sheen. I'm making myself hungry just writing this. But the side dishes are mouth watering too. I tried the sweet potatoes & they easily could've been dessert!
(4)
james r.
I have been to most of the high end steak houses like Morton's and Flemings..... blah blah blah all hype and a waist of a lot of money. Ruths Chris delivers every time I go. Its my favorite place to each and worth every penny. Great prices on a meal for one or two.
(5)
J L.
Price aside, this place is pretty good. My first impression was that it's in an area I thought was filled with nothing but office buildings. My first thoughts of the inside was that it looked more like a sports bar until we got seated. It's really good food, but service wasn't up to the level that I thought it'd be at with how much the food costs. Of course, that could've easily have been because of the few larger parties and a bit of potential understaffing.
(4)
Julia S.
My friends took me here for my birthday because steak is my favorite food, and to this day I cannot forget the texture of the steak I ate here. It literally melted in my mouth. It's not a place I can usually afford, but they cooked the medium-rare steak so perfectly (it was actually medium rare) I wouldn't mind paying more for such high quality steak. My rating is purely based on the steak but as for the service, I think the fact that my friends and I were college students set the stage for service that didn't live up to the steak. It may have also been because right after my party arrived began the busy dinner hour, but I remember having to wait a long time for refills, our desserts, and our checks. Regardless, their steaks are fantastic.
(5)
J J.
Mother of God... this place is AMAZING! There are two floors and a bar in the front. The interior design is classy. You've got to try their special, "filet" (soo rich and scrumptious) with the buttered mashed potatoes (OMG!! just talking about it makes my mouth watery). This place totally blew me out of the water! If there was 10 stars I would give it (great service, too). Out of all the steakhouses I've been to I say this place is the best (number one on my list). It's pricey but you'll get your money's worth. "It's so good, makes you wanna slap yo' mama!" note: The place is kind of hidden inside the bussiness buildings. And, highly recommend making a reservation.
(5)
Diane L.
All other steaks I had eaten in my life paled in comparison the moment I laid a piece of Ruth's Chris filet mignon in my mouth. As always, the servers warn you that the plates arrive at your table at about 500 degrees, and this is the one thing that I believe makes Ruth's Chris' steaks so damn good. The plate is so hot that with every bite you take, the piece of meat is warm. I'm a person that loves when my food arrive to the table scalding hot. So, when after 20 minutes of eating and your steak is still warm, I really have nothing to complain about. The filet is always so tender and cooked to my favorite medium-rare perfection. My favorite sides here are the creamed spinach and Lyonnaise potatoes. This location of Ruth's Chris seems a little fancier than other locations I've been to. Nice dining room area with high ceilings, long drapes, and bright lighting. The service was attentive, and the wine list is extensive.
(5)
KIzzle F.
Hands down the best steak you can buy! i eat at this one 3-5 times a month! sometimes by myself! the service is simply THE BEST. the food is PERFECT. the atmosphere is relaxing and elegant. architecturally stunning and the ambiance is subtle and as welcoming as my bed! LOL STEAK STEAK STEAK! I'll give an in depth review next time i eat here! p.s. THE BEST CALAMARI i have ever eaten!!!!! ever. FOOD: Phenomenal ATMOSPHERE: Perfect SERVICE: The Best -Kizz
(5)
Ed C.
We had dinner during Restaurant week. The first thing that caught my attention was how nice and spacious the interior looked as where seated near a window with a gorgeous view of the sunset. So let's get right to the steaks. The ribeye was cooked medium as I had asked and it was served tender with a perfect marble. In addition to the fixed menu we had to have the sweet and sour calarmari, unlike any calarmari you've had before. The crab stuffed mushrooms and seared ahi was also so good it will make you want to dance in seat. For desert I had the carrot cake and vanilla ice cream which was a little rich for my liking but still very good. Our waiter also surprised us with an anniversary special lava cake decorated with chocolate and a candle. Excellent service and steaks. It's one of the reason I refuse to become vegetarian.
(4)
Raymond S.
OMG!!!! The Filet Mignon is so tender and juicey. The sides are large enought for 4 people. The Service was fantastic. Abit pricey however it is worth the money. You have to try this steak house. Dress to impress.
(5)
Barry H.
My third favorite place to get a steak in San Diego. I prefer the one at the merge (I-5 and I-805). For a treat try gettng your steak cajun style. It's pricey but the food is good. 6/4/08-had dinner there again tonight. This chain is consistently excellent. They served a very nice cabernet with seared ahi on cucumbers and crab stuffed mushrooms for appetizers. This was followed by lobster bisque and of course a filet. For dessert I had the chocolate sin cake and boy was it sinful. I don't see how you can go wrong with this restaurant.
(5)
GAIL W.
Been to many Ruth's Chris steakhouses and all are about equal. I noticed that after Ruth passed away that the steaks didn't seem as quality as before. Way more fat content. Are the family trying to sabotage the quality of this establishment in favor of a buck? I do love the crab martini appetizer and the desserts, namely the bread pudding. Steak aficionado beware.
(3)
Stephen W.
RC is consistent. You know what you're getting here, it's the same at every location I've been to. Some complain about the buttery broiled steaks, but I happen to really like them. It's not unique, or trendy, or cool for me to say this, but I always gravitate back to Ruth's for my steaks.
(4)
Patricia F.
The steak was fantastic, but the Caribbean lobster was not very good at all. The service was great. I will go back and just stick to the steak.
(4)
hannah h.
First time here came with a couple girlfriends for restaurant week. three course meal for 40 bucks. i started with the seared tuna very delicious with somekind of wasabi sauce drizzled on top. rib eye steak was so perfect so delicious so drooling thinking about it haha. big portions too. then i had the chocolate cake didnt really care for that. but the service was great. didnt wait long for the food or table. nice quiet romantic setting will be back soon
(5)
Joy F.
My boyfriend took me there to celebrate our 11-year anniversary. It is a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Definitely a good place to have a romantic steak dinner for two. As we waited for our appetizer, they served soft, warm sourdough bread with a side of butter!! We began our evening by ordering Sizzlin' Blue Crab Cakes. I ordered a T-bone steak (medium-well) and Jimmy ordered lambchops. Their sides are served family style; we ordered shoestring fries (because I love potatoes, especially in French fry form) and creamed spinach. The portions were bigger than I had expected, which is always a good thing. Each entree could have fed two people. As a result, I was unable to finish my meal and I had no shame in taking it home to eat for brunch the next morning! To conclude our evening, they served us with a complimentary volcano chocolate cake a la mode with a candle on top for our anniversary.
(5)
Kelsey K.
Ummm, wow. So delicious. The steak just melted in my mouth, and I could cut it with my fork. Service was second to none. My only gripe, the sides are all a la carte, and they are very pricey, but for a splurge, totally worth it. If you are trying to impress someone or just want an amazing steak, go here!
(4)
Suzn L.
If you want sizzling steak on your plate then this is the place to go, but know what to order though. I've already tried steaks at Mortons, Flemings, Roy's, Palms, The Maestro, Mr Stox among many others....and besides The Cellar this is the best steak house so far. The shrimp and stuffed mushrooms appetizers are really good also. Yeah this place is not cheap, but if you really have to pick an expensive place to go to then I would go here or The Cellar (but they give much smaller portion at The Cellar). Filet Mignon is ok. But if you want really juicy steak then order Ribeye. If you usually eat your steak well done then don't waste your money on really expensive steak cause they all come out the same...outback is just as good. With great steak places, it's best to order medium rare.
(4)
James R.
It mean it's Ruth Chris -- so what am I suppose to add. We the food is what you might expect from a high end chain. The last time I was there I had the Kobe Beef Sliders which were fun and very good. However, I really like the service and that is what compelled me to write this review. I also found their bar staff to be quite good.
(3)
Ken P.
Good value during restaurant week. There's too much salt in their food! The crabcake with mushrooms was too mushy and tasted like brine. The ribeye was a generous portion but over done for medium rare and heavily salted. I thought that the mash potatoes and dessert were the most satisfactory that evening. I should commend the servers who were attentive and pleasant.
(2)
Madison M.
It is kind of dissapointing compared to the other locations. I've been several times to the one in Little Italy and it's like day and night. The seasoning is excellent in downtown SD. The service is ok in Del Mar, but other than that, you should visit the one in SD.
(2)
Vicky L.
They definately have the reputation of being the best franchised steakhouse. We stopped in with a large group on saturday night, having made a reservation for 10 a week ago. Got there in the middle of the huge downpour around 9:30, and had to wait 45 minutes before our table was available. Ironically, after we came in, there was another party of 10 with the same reservation time. To add insult to injury, they seated them first and made us wait even longer. HMMmmmm.... tsk tsk tsk for being discriminatory towards twenty some year olds compared to stuffy 50 year old executive. As if we wouldn't drop as much money as them! Anyway, so the majority of us ordered the ribeye with a couple filets interdispersed in there, I ordered a caesar to start off, SO had a chopped salad. The caesar was excellent, the pepper cheese crisps subbing in for croutons were a little on the stale side though. Chopped salad was superb minus the raw chaulky mushrooms - we weren't really digging that. The sides were enormous. Mashed potatoes could use more garlic, creamed spinach was seriously cream and spinach. It was really heavy and slightly too liquidy for my tastes, not to mention the flavor was a little on the flat side - no depth. Service was of course, superb. I had the portabello entree which was by far probably THE best portabellos i've ever tasted. SO ordered the bone-in ribeye that was a 22oz monster. Steaks came sizzling in butter on a hot plate. Sadly, i think my server was lying when she told me it was dry aged for at least 60 days. that just doesn't seem plausible nor profit smart. Steaks were ok, i like my steaks seared with a nice crust and medium rare on the inside. Unfortunately it didn't taste like a good aged steak. I used to not think Ruth's Chris was that inferior, probably because I'd got a good amount of time before I'd hit up a steak house and take care of my craving. It definately helped me in the sense that I had Donavan's within a week of stopping by Ruth's and sadly to say, Donavan's takes the cake. The sides and everything was better there, even the ambience and service. I've come to realize that I love my steak the way it is, seared and red, purely tasting of goooooood beef, and not lacking in good meatyness and overpowered by the taste of butter. If I had to rank any of the steak houses in San Diego, I'd say Donavans, then Ruth's, then Mortons.
(3)
Toni P.
I love steak! And i will pay $50 for my meat cause they are delicious here. And yeah the sides are separate(try the Lyonnaise), but just as good! Order some champagne (I only do every other time I come here, it is pricy!) and I am in heaven! The waiter has my flute filled at all times! DO NOT TOUCH THE PLATES! They are HOT! If you are taking someone out on a special night make reservations! The view at night is nice and romantic. I am very casual chik, but when i wanna splurge and enjoy some great service, Ruth's Chris never fails!
(5)
Kacy I.
Excellent steaks and usually never disappoint. You have to have the Ahi Tuna for appetizer. The service at this one is a little slower than the harbor location but well worth it. the only negative we have noticed is if you order from the new discounted menu...the steak is not as good as ordering off the regular menu.
(4)
April R.
I love this place. I am a vegetarian so I ordered the vegetarian dish they have. It is expensive but well worth it. My family and I have been coming here for over 5 years now for our special occasions. The service is excellent and the environment is lovely as well :)
(5)
Denise B.
Love love love love Ruth Chris steaks. I love the steaks here so much that I'm reluctant to try them anywhere else for fear of being let down. And when I have ventured and tried steaks elsewhere, I have been let down more often than not. I'll be honest when I used to work across the street from Ruth Chris in the office building across the parking lot, I used to go here every Friday for lunch (they are open for lunch only on Fridays and during the holiday season) with my business partner Kevin. Ambiance, decor, service, food, the overall experience is out of this world. Donovan works the bar on Fridays at lunch and he is amazing at remembering what I like and providing an incredible service. But even if you don't sit in the bar and just sit in the dining room the service is still out of this world. In the main dining room, every seat has an incredible view of the ocean and scenery. Even though the dining room is large it has an intimate romantic feel despite the scattering of business men conducting meetings around you. The decor here is classy, and rich, more old world than nouveau. I liked it alot. Service wise, my water was filled before I asked, bread came out constantly, before we even finished the loaf and the food came out warm and without delay. Everything was melt in your mouth from the calamari, to the carpaccio......the salad actually looked so appealing that I wanted to eat my greens, and the lobster bisque not only had chunks of lobster, but was melting in my mouth when I dipped my warm buttered bread into it. My steak though oh my steak. Melted in my mouth, sizzling on the plate, I was in heaven, I have never had a more delightful steak. And all the sides I ordered from the shoestring fries, to the potatoes au gratin to the macaroni and cheese, all to die for!! If you are craving a sandwich, that can be found here also at lunch........and it's huge, filled with chunks of steak, cheese and sauce.........Best steak sandwich ever. Don't worry about the mess though the more you drip the more you know that your sandwich is the tastiest thing ever! Banana cream pie here is amazing dessert wise........so is the creme brulee. Oh what the hell, everything here is good, I have never had a bad meal here, and I came here for lunch every Friday for a year almost. GOD I LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)
M P.
Very interesting location, which made it a bit harder to find. It looks like its stuck in an industrial area. Just like the downtown location, they take you upstairs to the dining area. We were sat quickly. It did take a little bit to get our drinks, and poor hubby was kind of ignored as they asked everything from me. A bit odd, as usually they host to the man. Maybe because the reservations were in my name? I had a top-shelf margarita on the rocks, truly the best I've had in a while. DH had a bottle of New Castle and we both had Coke. (They only have bottled beers.) The server was a bit slow on the refills, and once we had to ask and she only brought mine. We had the carpaccio to start with, which I've always wanted to try since hearing about it on Top Chef. It's a thin cut, top quality meat, served raw. At Ruth's, it's served drizzled with a Ceasar Dressing, a bed of baby greens and toasted bread. You just scoop some up like chips & dip. It was delicious. I had the Cowboy Ribeye (rare plus) & DH had the special - a petite filet (rare) and crabstuffed lobster tail. I think his steak was more flavorful than mine. We normally get porterhouses everywhere, but had already tried that on a previous visit to their other location. The loaded potato was just a normal tasty baked potato. For dessert (comped for our anniversary), we had a chocolate lava cake. We liked it. Dinner was $140, plus a $30 tip.
(5)
Juan R.
I went to this restaurant as a celebration of my friend going vegan for a month, and I was expecting something a little more. I knew a couple people that raved about Ruth Chris's and I love steak so I was very excited to eat here, regardless at how pricey it is. Upon entrance I was given a douchey vibe with this business man talking on 2 cell phones at once, and the hostess had no sense of humor when we joked about being too lazy to walk up one flight of stairs and wanted to take the elevator. The wine list was pretty good, but I would expect that at most any steakhouse. I ordered the sweet potato casserole and a new york strip medium rare. The sweet potato casserole was scrumptious.... tasted almost like my aunt's pecan pie filling (she makes the best pecan pie) and that had me amped for the steak about to come. Once the steak was served it was well overcooked, and the cut was not very good. I had to cut out a bunch of tendon and it was pretty chewy since it was served more towards medium-well. I was disappointed at this place since it's supposed to have "the best steaks" according to some. It's saving grace form receiving a 1 or 2 star review was that casserole. I would suggest any steak afficionado to just skip this place and head to donovan's for good steaks.
(3)
Kelly M.
Wow. This restaurant has a gorgeous view at sunset, so make a reservation near then if you go for dinner. My filet mignon was top quality and perfectly cooked so it melted off of my tongue, especially due to the hot butter it was grilled with. For the appetizer, our waiter served us chilled crab and cooked lobster with lemon garnish, and it was amazing. The service is impeccable, and the dining experience couldn't be beat. Everything holds up to the reputation of the Ruth's Chris dining experience. The only thing I will say is that this place is top-rate, so that means VERY expensive, so I'm lucky I went here on a date!
(5)
Mindy Y.
I always have a good experience when I come here. I love me some beef especially when its cooked in butter. This time we came here for restaurant week where they have a three course menu set up for $40 a person. This includes an appetizer, entree and side dish and dessert. This was a steal considering that everything is usually a la carte here. (Expect to spend about $60+ a person for the same meal when if you come here on non-restaurant week.) I got the 12oz rib rye and it was cooked to perfection. Its served on a 500 degree plate so it came out sizzling. I could smell the aroma of my food as soon as the waiter came out of the kitchen door. Mmm everything was deelish and I couldnt have asked for a better meal. For dessert, I got the cheesecake and the bf got the espresso chocolate cake. When it was time for dessert, he was so stuffed, that the rich, heavy looking slice of cake no longer looked appealing and was too intimidating to even attempt. The server noticed this too and allowed him to change his dessert choice to a lighter option but just as yummy, the raspberry sorbet. They were nice enough to let us keep the cake anyway and even packaged it for us to take home. Great service. Great food. Definetely one of the best steakhouses I've been to.
(5)
Thewho k.
Lady Bug!! OK so i hope your ready for a long review... So my bf and I were looking for a place to eat to finish off our wonderful vakay together and we came across This Ruth's Chris. We looked at each other and said That's it. We enjoy Ruth's Chris so we didn't think we would have such a bad experience!! So we are casually dressed Which never seemed to be a problem until this past Monday! From the time we sat down Our waitress was telling us prices on things very loudly Which we didn't ask for any prices. We decided to stay and just ignore the ignorance. My bf asked for a Caesar salad and I asked for a steak house salad. There was Nothing in the Salad menu saying Green lettuce with a side of LADY BUG!!!! Yes i said it a LADY BUG!!!! It was looking dead at me in my salad...!!!! The manager Daniel However was very helpful and took care the matter. Still once again the Waitress seem to manage making us feel uncomfortable yet again coming back to our table with a smile on her face saying She apologizes for the problem and that Her manager Daniel will be comping my meal!! Again loudly as if the people on the next table needed to know! We frequently go to the San Francisco location and have a wonderful experience . So we didn't even think about giving it a pass over in San Diego. only reason i would consider coming back to this establishment is because of the Manager Daniel..!!!!
(2)
Scott B.
I give this place 5 stars because it has the beast damn steak Ive ever eaten anywhere (and I have eaten at Donovan's before), The first time I went i had already eaten some burritos, but my friends wanted me to go and I went. i wouldn't stop complaining how expensive everything on the menu was and how it probably didn't taste as good as it cost. I got the fillet mignon and i swear to everyone that the first bite I had literally bitch slapped me in the face. That steak became my PIMP. My friends even tell people that it turned my frown upside down. I could not believe how could that steak tasted from start to finish. My own mother is one of the pickiest steak eaters I know. After i took here to Ruth's' , she also believed that no other restaurant in the county had a steak as good. Anyways I am done rambling about how good it is, everyone go and eat there right now!
(5)
Emily J.
At Ruth's you get bang for buck. They are a chain establishment that does it very frequently right. Sort of the Denny's of high-end steakhouses, in the sense that they are a chain, you get consistent food, and they are lower priced than the others. And for the price you get a pretty nice sunset view of the Pacific, white tablecloths, pretty elite service, and really nice food. Others may nitpick about fat content of the meat or portion size changes, in the end, it is very satisfying stuff and I have been going for years, will continue to go.
(5)
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Address :11582 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA, 92130
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Soo H.
If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girlfriends. Orson Welles dating notes: Ruth Chris - suggested for birthday's, anniversaries, Valentines Day, going all out on that important first date... Ambience: Very classy white tablecloth place. Great place to take a date and watch the sun setting into the sea. Very attentive friendly service Food notes: The complimentary sourdough bread is excellent when hot and fresh. Nice crunch to the crust and smooth creamy inside with a delicious sourdough flavor. The filet mignon served on a 400F plate is hot as the waiter warned. Excellent quality Prime dry aged beef. Cooked medium well as requested the beef was tender and had excellent flavor. It's one of the best steaks I've had. The shrimp. Excellent fresh, tender, and flavorful. The perfect accompaniment with the filet mignon. :-) The french vanilla ice cream was sourced from Hagaan Daaz. Liked the thick rich vanilla flavor. Additional tips: Close the night out with the chocolate sin cake. Super rich. Pure chocolate. Girls love chocolate. Short drive to the beach for romantic walk at dusk.
(5)Troy A.
Arriving at this Ruth's Chris location is somewhat puzzling. The location is not appealing at all. You might drive right by the place, because it's not easily visible from the street. For the record this wasn't my choice to come here. I've tried Ruth's Chris enough to know what to expect. For dinner I went with the Ruth's Classic. For my entree I chose Salmon with creamy spinach. Although the Salmon was tasty they use way to much butter. Overall dinner wasn't bad, but the location is mind boggling. Our server Lynn was great.
(3)Chance S.
Came on Monday night for our anniversary! We got seated right away there was valet.. Great customer service awesome cowboy ribeye and mushroom
(5)Dave K.
Service at this Ruth's Chris is disorganized. After 20 minutes of waiting at our table no one had taken our drink order. We were just starting to get up to leave when one of the two disorganized waiters responsible for our table arrived to take the drink order. I wish we had just left. The service wasn't just bad, it was bizarre to the point it felt like we were in a TV sitcom. At a place serving $50 steaks I expected service as least as attentive as Denny's, but that was not the case. There were many ancillary helpers but no one seemed to be in charge so there were flurries of activity -- yet no one thought to take our drink orders until we had been sitting, waiting patiently, for 20 minutes! I was also surprised to see the place to be chock full of children. This Ruth's Chris would definitely not be a suitable place to have a business dinner. I had the NY strip which was generally very good but not nearly as good as the NY strip I had at the Ruth's Chris in Palm Springs where last week I had perhaps the best steak I'd ever eaten and service was spot on. I did not expect the Carmel Valley location to be so substandard. There's just never an excuse for such wacky, poor service. And it's disappointing to look forward to a pleasant experience only to have extremely poor service ruin it. This place has an excellent, revenue-generating location. Perhaps they don't feel the need to provide acceptable service. Avoid! There are far better steakhouses in San Diego.
(3)Kellie N.
Had one of the best dinners here at Ruth Chris. Reserved a table for 4, came in and everything was already set and ready for our table. While the hostess was walking us to our table each and every employee that walked by greeted us, first time where we felt so respected by the employees. Place is beautiful inside and out. The only thing I have to warn you though is the price here is a tad bit expensive but I have to say everything was so worth every penny. Started off with some appetizers; The Spicy Lobster would have to be my favorite. Simple. Juicy. Delicious. We also got stuffed mushrooms and calamari, both were out of this world! The steak was extremely tender, juicy and flavorful. As for the desserts... S P E E C H L E S S! Ordered New York cheesecake, Chocolate Explosion, and Banana Creme Pie. Man oh man, all 3 dessert dishes were incredible! Best desserts I have ever tasted! When my cravings come crawling back up I might just stop by for just the desserts! I must dedicate a second paragraph to the wonderful service we received from our server Adam. He was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable about the various items on the menu, not just that but he was very pleasant and enthusiastic, made us laugh several times and joked around with us which made our experience there 10x better! All in all, I really enjoyed my experience at Ruth Chris, I am sure that you can dine well here if you are looking for a place that adds some class but also delivers the food and service on the scale of "you get what you pay for." Service was the best, and every bite was worth each penny
(5)valerie m.
Just the best bar service. Lovin Bubba. They've got the cocktails down, fantastic happy hour. Prepare for a line at the door prior to opening. It's nuts. The lobster fritte think fried calamari is so yummy. About 5 chunks of battered and fried lobster served with a nice aioli. The steak sandy is giant and the girls loved theirs. I split a burger with a friend which was cooked perfectly. It was much smaller than the bun though. Scricha on the side of course. Cosmos, vodka presses, Jameson, ahi tuna sliced perfectly and perfectly seared with soy. Not a huge HH menu but a variety of nice choices and a great atmosphere. The best service.
(5)Kimmy Y.
One of my favorite restaurants!! I always make it a point to come during restaurant week (it's definitely on the pricy side without the aid of restaurant week). The food and service here is always more than satisfactory. They also have an amazing happy hour from 4:30-7 depending on location. It's called $7 Sizzle, Swizzle & Swirl Menu. Everything on their happy hour menu is $7. I recommend the skewers, seared ahi, and steak sandwich.
(5)John G.
Sometimes a server can make a good meal great. Ruth's is always dependable for a good meal. The calamari and crab cakes are good appetizers. My salmon was cooked perfectly. The meal was special because of Buba. He usually manages the bar area but we had a big group and needed a more quite area. He moved us and still saw to our orders. His suggestions, conversation, and enthusiasm energized our enjoyment of our meal.
(4)Daniel P.
Absolutely AMAZING!!! My GF made a reservation for my 36 birthday and when we got to the restaurant the table was decorated with my name and sparkly things :) I had my own birthday menu with my name printed on it. (It's the little things that matter to me) We had Marco as our waiter and he was phenomenal!!!! He was attentive, informative and full of grace. Marco knew the menu backwards and forwards and had great recommendations for both of us; he also came by the table when we were halfway thru our filets and surprised us with 2 plates fresh out of the oven 500 degrees and re-placed our steaks on them which gave them a fresh sizzle!!! Absolutely awesome. If you have the opportunity to make a reservation here you will be missing out if you don't sit in Marco's section..... 5 STARS
(5)Ryan G.
We have a family tradition of going to Ruth's Chris for all of the extended family members' birthdays, which are scattered throughout the year. Every single time, they mess up every order. The menu is "as is" if you try to make any changes, modifications, exclusions, adds, the order will be wrong. It is the waiter's/waitress's responsibility to make sure the kitchen followed the order. Not just assume they did. The food is good, when they finally get it right, which is probably why we continue to go back, but I think I'm over it. Too many other good restaurants with better service.
(1)Faye L.
SIZZLE, SWIZZLE, SWIRL $7 Happy Hour Menu... Did you know they had a Happy Hour here at there Del Mar location ? *I* sure didn't until very recently. MON-Fri 4:30p-6:30p. Not sure why yelp has this place opening at 5p. They open at 4:30p - note that so you can take advantage of their HH deal. The bar area was 100% full by 5:15p. It was probably 90% women too (single guys out there *rejoice*...single women out there *boooo*). They have valet parking which is a bit deceptive because it makes you think that's the ONLY parking option for this restaurant. BUT, it is NOT. When you first pull in, there's a self park section before you head down (to the front of the restaurant). So use that instead of paying for valet. HH Drink Menu (This is their Swizzle and Swirl part of the Happy Hour ) : Not a bad selection of cocktails for $7 (normally priced b/w $10-12). I was curious to see how good these drinks could be. Classic Cosmo Pomegranate Martini Ruth's Manhattan Blueberry Mojito Rocks Rita select wine & beer We tried: - Blueberry Mojito $7 (normally $12): Bacardi Rum, freshly squeezed lime juice, muddled blueberries and Mint Leaves Oh man. Words cannot describe how I loved this drink so (dang...why can't I say this about a guy). The drink was incredibly refreshing and beautiful. I could taste the fresh blueberries (some left whole and not muddled). I'm a huge fan of fresh mint as well so this mojito was truly a delight for me. The portion size was alright ( the drink had a tad too much ice) but hey, it's happy hour. Easily the best cocktail I've had in 2014 (well, granted I haven't exactly had many cocktails this year). - Snap Dragon Cabernet $7 Donovan , our awesome bartender, was honest and said the red wine offered during HH isn't *the* best per se BUT it gets the job done ( all three of us were laughing so hard at that statement). Happy Hour food $7 ( The Sizzle part of their HH ): Prime Burger with Fries Tenderloin Skewer Salad Crab BLT with Zucchini Fries Spruce PointTM Smoked Salmon Steak Sandwich with Fries Seared Ahi Tuna Spicy Lobster * Just noticed it's 7 items, all $7 bucks. They should title their HH that instead of Sizzle, Swizzle, Swirl. * We tried: - Steak Sandwich with Fries (normally $13) The sandwich was alright. The steak ( 6oz filet portion making this a nice HH deal) was prepared nicely but it was a bit chewy. Usually I'm a lover of bearnaise sauce but their version was a bit strange to me. Bearnaise typically has butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, herbs, egg yolks. But their bearnaise just tasted muddled and unappetizing that night. - Spicy Lobster $7 (normally $18) Of course I had to get this because it was the most expensive normally priced item on the HH menu (see what a good thinker I am when ordering...taps finger to temple)... I'm not sure if they use real lobster in this dish. I thought at first it was langostino versus actual lobster. But now, thinking about it, I'm not really quite sure. This dish tasted like Honey Walnut shrimp with the creamy white glaze over the fried crustaceans on the plate. It was a bit spicy and tasted alright. But, it was mostly batter I tasted in each bite versus actual 'lobster'. It was served piping hot which was appreciated as the batter was crunchy at first. The pickled cucumber on the side was terribly limp and tasted a bit too sour for me. - Crab BLT with zucchini fries $7 (normally $13) This is actually just crab meat with no fillers served between two slices of garlic bread. The bread was yummy as all heck but the crab meat tasted a bit 'fishy' to me. Bummer b/c good fresh crab meat is AMAZING. There's bacon in this sandwich but it was lost in the crab (which should be a good thing if the crab was fresh that day). Service was attentive and the bar area was still bustling with lots of people by the time we were done. Friend and I both agreed that the happy hour food was just 'shrug-alright'. I felt disappointed b/c I wanted to show her how good Ruth's Chris could be compared to her beloved Donovan's Steakhouse in LJ. She said she felt the Happy Hour at Donovan's was better than Ruth's Chris (I swear it's b/c Donovan's hands out free prime rib sliders but you gotta stalk them like a hawk for those things). We had a nice night but I don't think we'd come back for the food. I still stand by their Blueberry Mojito though - that was definitely the best thing from that night.
(3)K t.
This is usually my go to steakhouse but something was off tonight. I don't know if it was because it was busy or what. We had a party of 3. Our server was great. I ordered the meal that had the 3 courses for $55. My other 2 friends ordered a la carte. Both of their steaks were way over cooked- I mean not like it was slightly, it was 2 degrees overcooked. The birthday girl eats at a lot of steakhouses and she wasn't impressed with her rib eye at all that she only ate a few bites. The other girl requested med rare and the steak was not even pink at all! Of course they corrected it but it was a surprise that a high quality Steakhouse would mess up on this. The cream of spinach was on the cold side and the asparagus side was way over cooked. Again, usually the food comes out on point but today was off.
(3)Nikkie N.
Great atmosphere, felt it was a little too dark for dining. Entrees were prepared to perfection, service was excellent and staff was friendly & fast. I will visit again and refer family & friends.
(5)Joe D.
Solid meal. I made everyone get the cowboy ribeye. Gotta go big here to get the better cuts of meat. Sides were great too. Steak was sizzling for a long time. I ate way to much but every bite was delicious. Service was awesome as expected. Only weird thing about this place is the $8 valet when there is parking right there. For $400 bucks valet should be free.
(5)Lauren C.
I came here for a graduation dinner on a Sunday night.. I probably never would have went to this place if it weren't for that... But anyways.. This place lives up to their prices, reputation, and their restaurant name. Trust me, if you're coming here, plan on having an empty stomach, a loaded wallet, and a big ol' hunk of steak! Our table got a TON of stuff, so I'll just give y'all the run down: Appetizers: Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes- very good, two large crab cakes, nice and crispy on the outside. Spicy Lobster- marinated in who knows what, this spicy lobster was served with cucumber vinaigrette, and SO AMAZING. Shrimp Remoulade- EXCELLENT shrimp with some crazy amazing sauce. Sides: Asparagus- 8-10 spears served with a hollandaise... so-so, nothing amazing Lobster Mac and Cheese- 5 star mac and cheese! Just get it. Potatoes Au Gratin- Not too crispy, and not too soft... just RIGHT! very tasty Shoestring Fries- eh.. nothing crazy.. served with ketchup, it's just shoestring fries! Creamed Spinach- YUMMY! If Popeye's could have this spinach, he'd stop with those silly cans Sauteed Mushrooms- great to go with your steak! For the steaks, they're served on 500 DEGREE hot plates, topped with some butter (I asked for extra!!) and that's it. So you definitely wanna get some sides to fill you up! As far as cuts go, it's a personal preference! Go at it as you please :) Service was impeccable. I mean, there was 17 of us, and we had two lead servers and a dozen waiting on us. It was so great!
(4)Catherine C.
The best au gratin potatoes ever! Ambiance and high quality food , for me the best part are the sides. I'm not a huge red meat fan, but this place was unbelievably good.
(5)Michelle O.
Absolutely one of my favorite steak houses. Everything literally melts in your mouth. But what food wouldn't smothered with that butter goodness? Came to this location for a drug sponsored dinner event. Ordered the petite fillet medium. It was cooked to perfection. But careful cause when they serve their steaks that plate is 500 degrees hot! These steaks are made to eat right away. So if you stay too busy talking to friends your steak will very well become well done sitting on that plate. The sides go wonderfully with the steak. Had the mashed potatoes and spinach. All accompanied well with my glass of cab. Also had room for a few bites of their decadent chocolate cake. Gotta say the meal tasted extra special when it's free. Thanks aztra Zeneca!
(5)Matthew S.
Impeccable all around. This is the best location in San Diego.
(5)Cat C.
Disappointing. Went here with my husband to celebrate our 10th anniversary on Saturday. Filet had gristle and not just a little. The pieces without tasted good. Potatoes Au Gratin were dry. Lobster were going on rubbery. The worst part is how long we waited when we were done before the waiter came back to check on us I would say 15 minutes plus. We have eaten at Ruth's Chris in different parts of the country and it was always a good experience.
(2)Maria C.
Damn has it been 3 years since I've been to this RC location? We came in for Happy Hour 430-630p. They have a several specials for $7. What a steal!!! The bar area is very small, so you either get there right at 430p or you get lucky. We were lucky and ended up at a nice cozy table. There are a couple TVs to watch the games, so I though that was pretty cool. The ambiance is pretty dim as some people were using their cell phones as a flashlight. The noise level is pretty loud so you have to raise you voice when conversing. We opted to order the following: -Comp warm bread and soft butter: MMMMM -Pomegranate Martini: Pretty strong. Wow, I got buzzed... -Blueberry Mojito: The better of the drinks. Sweet and refreshing. I'll have to get this next time. -Spicy Lobster: Portion was small. 8 little pieces. Kinda tastes like honey walnut shrimp. Not spicy but does have a little kick. One of the popular appys. -Prime Burger with Fries: I ordered my meat med rare and with Swiss. The fries are julienne fries and I ordered them well done. Portion was big and you can share it with 2 people. Very tasty. -Steak sandwich with Fries: The sandwich bread is actually garlic bread, but it's just too much bread. Eat the meat! Our service was great. Although our drinks took a while to get since it was so busy. What I appreciated is that our server was very attentive and so were the rest of the staff that floated around clearing our table and refilling our waters. What I didn't appreciate is that the manager only made rounds to tables of people he knew (regulars, I'm assuming). I watched him go to 3 tables in a row and inadvertently skipped our table the 2 other tables next to us. DUDE, be consistent. What kind of customer service is that?! Nonetheless, happy hour is a great deal here and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Note: Valet is $6, but if you get there early enough you can park on the top level of the structure for free (visitor parking).
(5)Vanity T.
Omg I just love the stuffed chicken its EVERYTHING great service great people that work here just love them even tho I order same meal lol #MustHave twice a month
(5)Nathan M.
The customer service is amazing. Their servers are top notch. They're experts with their menu and know exactly what compliments what dish. My mom is quite fond of the manager Bob, and he always seems to have the time to stop by our table and say hello. If your planning on a dinner to celebrate, he's the place to do it. They'll make the preparations for your anniversary, birthday, promotion or what have you. They'll wen toss in some confetti and a dessert. All you have to do is ask. Cheers
(5)Germain L.
I don't really give 5 Stars unless they really deserve the credit ... That in mind I want to tell you guys about this restaurant, me and my wife went to celebrate our 10th anniversary.....WOW this guys went above and beyond on making this day extra special everyone had congratulated us and made my wife feel extra special. Personalized Menu that said "Happy 10th Anniversary" Rose pedals, little pieces of confetti that said Happy anniversary well you guys get the point, the fact of the matter is that this guys will take care of you for everything FOOD WAS AMAZING, desert looked and tasted really good. Hoped this helps!
(5)Lyndsie C.
Just left dinner that should have been lovely as it's Valentines day. Our server which I believe her name is Rebecca or something, wasn't nice, she really lacked professionalism in the restaurant industry. When you dine in a 5 star restaurant and pay a nice check you should be treated greatly by the server. What a shame that we left unhappy. We will think twice about where we dine for a special occasion. I gave it a few stars because we have been to this location several times and enjoyed our time very much when we served by an outstanding server named Lynn. They need more like him who care about their job and costumers.
(3)Kimberly M.
Absolutely stellar! From the atmosphere to the service to the food, everything here is top notch. One of my favorite places to eat in San Diego. Their wine list is extensive but they make a mean house margarita here, too. I simply have to get their seared ahi appetizer here everytime they come. It's a steakhouse, so get a steak! But the chicken & the scallops are also excellent, too. Service is EXCELLENT, wait times are reasonable & the bar is generous!
(5)Audra H.
Got a lot of dough? Wanna spend it on a meal that'll leave you feeling satisfied and you may need to roll yourself out the door...but, it's worth it!! I went with a friend for restaurant week and ate from the $40 menu. A-Mazing! Prior to your apps coming out, you get some bread to enjoy with butter, which was a nice treat. For my app, I had a Cesar salad for an appetizer. It was a good sized salad! My friend had a gumbo soup with chicken sausage and I tried it and it tasted nice and zesty. For my main course, I had stuffed chicken breast and it was absolutely delish!! The chicken was perfectly cooked & wonderfully moist. The stuffing (cheese and a tad of garlic?) was amazingly rich. I couldn't eat the whole piece of chicken, that's for sure! The helping was definitely plentiful. In addition, I chose a side of garlic mashed potatoes along with my meal. Those mashed potatoes were full of butter and I LOVED them!! My friend had a 6 ounce filet for her main meal and it melted in my mouth when I tried a bite!!! For dessert I had a flourless chocolate cake. It was very rich and I also could not eat the whole dessert. Overall, the restaurant scores BIG TIME for the quality of their food. I'm thrilled I was able to try such a wonderful, upscale place. If you have the $$$$, defiantly hit this place up and enjoy every last bite!
(5)Ricardo S.
I came to celebrate my birthday with my family and I had a great experience! Upon receiving my menu, I realized that they had personalized it with a "Happy Birthday Ricardo" at the top; WOW, very impressed at the level of dedication that they go for special events! Our server Michael was great; he was very attentive and recommended several drink and dinner items, some of which I ended up getting such as the filet mignon. Now to my meal, it was awesome; the filet mignon and mashed potatoes were cooked to perfection! And since it was my birthday, I got a dessert on the house, which the staff prepared with candles and "Happy Birthday" written on my dessert plate. A big thanks to everyone at Ruth's Chris for making my birthday dinner a memorable one :)
(5)Chad C.
Another larger business lunch here 40+ today. They honestly need to work on the timing of when the food is brought up as it was a solid hour from the point at which orders were taken to the time the food actually arrived. The entrees were excellent and brought out extremely hot (400°F+), but the side dishes asparagus and spinach were cold tough. There seems to be quite a variance in service day to day which is disappointing.
(3)Aman M.
We went in there first time with great expectations. However, was not impressed. We were seated at a separate area reserved for our private party. The room was spacious but the ceiling was falling apart with big cracks and a gaping hole visible. Certainly not expected from a high-end steakhouse. The steaks served were warm at the best. Our server took a repeat order of our drinks and changed his table after that. So no drinks came after that. Desserts took forever. The cheesecake dessert was good and absolutely humongous. Perfect for sharing.
(2)LJ M.
This is my favorite restaurant on the planet. When I travel I always look for one. I have never, ever had anything on their menu I did not love. The steaks are perfect 100% of the time..and the butter with it is amazing. Their plates are 500 or 400 degrees keeping every byte warm..why didn't anyone else think of that? I just received a 500 gift card from my mom to Ruth's, meaning many guilt free visits are on The way.
(5)Cindy P.
My favorite steakhouse and trust me when I say I have eaten at many steakhouses! My husband love good quality steak :) service is always excellent when you are paying so much $$$ though
(4)Sunny W.
One of the better chain steak houses in San Diego. Service is always good and they have a good happy hour 4:30 to 6:30pm, M to F. It's not a huge bar area, so come early to get some drinks and stay for dinner.
(4)C G.
I had an unfavorable experience with the valet service and presented a complaint. It was addressed professionally and to my satisfaction..,.demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction !!! Kudos!
(5)Rebecca F.
I'm so excited this location is right down the street from my new work! Excellent customer service and food! We like to sit at the bar for Happy Hour and watch all the fun Cocktails being made, everything on the happy hour menu is $8. Best deal in town for quality food!
(5)Ken W.
Where do you start with a place like Ruth Chris? 4 stars and $$$$ later - great service, great food, great ambiance. Bring a date (or two) and at least a $100 (or two). FOOD Highly recommend the mixed greens salad, or I could just be cuckoo for goat cheese, love that stuff. The yellow beets have a milder flavor compared to its dark red counterpart. I've always loved me some rib eye, but after reading the reviews about the filet and tasting it.. I think I might be a convert. Super tender, melt in your mouth type goodness. Sitting in a hot plate with butter probably wasn't good for my arteries, but it was so good for my taste buds. My wife got the sea bass, super tasty and it sat on top of some delicious veggies. For our sides we got the mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. Each side was big enough to share, and they were both amazing. Seriously, who says that about brussel sprouts? They weren't bitter at all and they were topped with bacon - yum. Seriously though, Ruth Chris could have served booger sprouts and we would've thought it was amazing. The only negative thing about the meal was dessert. The meal came with a chocolate flour less "sin" cake which was gooood.. but we decided to upgrade one of ours to the banana cream pie, and that one I wasn't feeling. I love me some banana cream pie, but this one had way too much banana and way too little cream. Underwhelming, but not enough to ruin the dinner. Overall great place.
(4)Kristi D.
Ok went in for light lunch and always come for Hh but "Donavan " was a great bartender and server...met also the manager : forgive forgot name was very kind . He assures me the staff working today "xmas " will be very spoiled! If it's anything like the service I got just sitting in bar having ceasar salad and ossoBuco ravioli which was amazing a great dish to share and was a true delight...merry Xmas to all and have a Ruth Chris tonight... Went the other night with friends and ask for "bubba" he is king! In the bar, he makes things happen and please tip your guys well they earn it!!
(5)Scott P.
What can I say this place is awesome every time I go to it we just had a giant company party there and that was great. Great service it's quick the bathrooms are amazing Donely thing I wish that it had was free valet parking
(5)Leo M.
We had a great time celebrating Dep "Q" bday 5/23/14 and most of them are first timer without disappointment. Steak was superb and craftedly cooked to perfection. Waitress Rebekah was so attentive to our needs enjoying our extravagant dinner experience. Surprisingly, dinner menu was personalized with bday greeting...nice touch to enjoy the evening. Reason why Ruth chris was my favorite steak house in SD. Can't wait to go back again and again.
(5)Jamie M.
I have never had a bad experience at Ruth's Chris. The wait service is top notch and the food is always cooked to perfection. Only hiccup on this visit was they were out of the wine I like. But I tried one I had not tried before and really enjoyed it. So it was a wash. We normally go to the Harbor st location but felt like staying closer to home this time. View isn't the same but the atmosphere inside is much nicer. I must say the last time we were at this location was Christmas and we sat on the second floor. I felt the view up there was nicer. Two small suggestions..... The tables are a little low... Or the chairs are to high. As a 5'3" women it is very odd not being able to cross my legs under a table. Secondly the plates our food was served on were WAY to small. Oddly small. Fix those 2 things and I would give this location a 5 star.
(4)Shaun S.
My review is in regards to their happy hour which is offered from around 4:30 to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday. Ruth Chris is located near the 805/5 freeway merge so expect a good amount of traffic of people heading home from work, and some of them driving like idiots. My wife and I arrived around 5:15 and the bar area was full. Fifteen minutes and a cocktail later we were able to find seats. We ordered a few items from their $7.00 happy hour menu which included the burger, steak sandwich and spicy lobster and a few drinks. Ruth Chris does a nice job offering a variety of menu items and cocktails during their happy hour. The burger and steak sandwich include french fries and are a pretty good value for $7. The burger was a bit bland for me. I would have to put it behind Flemings and West Steak in terms of 1/2lb happy hour burger. I enjoyed the steak sandwich more and would order that if I came back. I thought the fries were quite tasty and they give you a good amount of ketchup. My wife ate the spicy lobster and enjoyed it although it is more of an appetizer. I am glad I was able to try out some of their happy menu items. My wife and I had a nice time. However in my quest to find my favorite 1/2lb happy hour Flemings still holds the title for Me. If you come for happy hour get here early. If you can afford it I would recommend eating in the main dining area and ordering the porterhouse for two, super yum.
(4)Anna B.
This was our first visit to the Del Mar location. My last visit downtown was such a let down I thought I would give Del Mar a go. It too did not measure up to my previous Ruth's Chris experiences. I don't know what it is...but something has gone down hill with Ruth's. The service was good- the food, just so so. I had a New York- it was very tough and the cooking was inconsistent. I like my steaks medium rare, but not as red as the RC medium rare. I ordered medium this time around- one end of it was rare to a very medium rare, the other end of it was medium well to well. We had the mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms as sides-...so marginal- and sparse with the potatoes. Nothing about RC wows me anymore. My husband and I shared an appetizer (veal ravioli- very good) We each had salads- they were fine. We both had entrees and the two sides I mentioned. No alcohol, point being that our meal didn't measure up to the $175 bill before gratuity. I have a client that bestows me with generous RC gift cards frequently. I decided this was my last dinner there- the gift cards will go now go to use in the bar only.
(3)Lauren G.
Ruth's Chris is definitely a favorite for me. The food comes out sizzling and tastes great. Wonderful place to grab dinner and a cocktail. Perfect for group dining. The Carmel Valley location is slightly more casual than the downtown one as well, in my opinion.
(5)Judy S.
I didn't dine in, I stopped in to pick up a gift card & the customer service fell way short of my expectations! Maybe $185 is not enough to be appreciated here? If it wasn't for the recipient's love of this place I would have left w/o getting it :(
(2)April A.
Great happy hour. Drinks - their Cosmo is fantastic and strong. $8. Do not get the pomegranate martini. It literally tastes like pomegranate flavoring syrup. The prime burger was perfectly cooked and came with some seasoned fries (delicious).The seared ahi (4oz) was great too, but id get it with the sauce on the side if I order it again because it was wasabi based and I'm not a big fan. Overall great happy hour! Just get there early or expect a short wait for a seat as the bar is pretty small.
(4)Reuel A.
I came here earlier this year and the food, service, ambiance was great! Outstanding! 5 stars! I often recommended this place to friends and family. I came back two days ago... Meh. My ribeye was on the dry side, our lobster tails came 30 mins after the steak came out. And twice I had to get our waiter to change out my water because one of the bus boys kept pouring watered down sprite in my glass. Then I heard the bus boy say to him, "What? Are they allergic to Sprite or something?" Our waiter was friendly, gave us a complimentary glass of wine because of the wait for the lobster tails. Time to find a new favorite steak house.
(2)Heather s.
Ruth's Chris - always a reliable steak house. I've been to their locations in Chicago, NYC, SF, Phoenix, etc.... This location stays true to the chain. I love their signature presentation of piping hot 500 degree plates with butter to keep your meat warm throughout the meal (nothing sours a meal like a steak growing cold as you try to take the time to enjoy it). This particular location in Del Mar is in a random area surrounded by business parks in Carmel Valley (their targeted weeknight clientele, I suppose). There's an unappealing view of Hwy 5 during the day, but at night the large window lets in the moonlight. It's one large dining room with two smaller offshoots to the side and upstairs. It's not the most romantic place, but it consistently serves up a great steak... and we have yet to find a better steak in San Diego thus far. (Suggestions anyone?) My husband and I typically share either an appetizer or a salad and a vegetable side. For apps, we like their BBQ SHRIMP and CRABMEAT STUFFED MUSHROOMS. The sides are large enough to share - we usually opt for sauteed mushrooms, fresh asparagus, creamed spinach, or sweet potato casserole (which is really more like a scrumptious dessert!). My usual order here is the 8 oz PETIT FILET MIGNON. I also like their RUTH'S CLASSIC prix fixe option, which allows you a choice of salad, entree (ie. 4 oz filet and lobster tail), and dessert for prices ranging from $43-53. Service is excellent, as to be expected - on point, but not intrusive. They offer valet parking, but why pay when you can self-park for free 20 steps away?!
(4)Barbara S.
Love their steaks and dinner menu. Their happy hour is the best. If you like burgers the happy hour steak burger is Fantastic. Perfect atmosphere for drinks or dinner. Great service.
(5)Marquita D.
If you're looking for something upscale, classy, and quiet. This is the place! The service was great and we didn't have to wait on anything. The waiter made it seem like he was just there for us, loved it. Also the food is one of the best places I've been to in San diego! The food melts in your mouth, just soon good!
(5)Angelo F.
Happy Birthday bud! Tonight's your night, pick any restaurant you want...... Ruth's Chris? Fine with me! As you can read, I love steaks... especially steaks from Ruth's Chris. I enjoy coming to this Ruth's Chris since the dining tables are more spaced out and it's not as busy as other steak houses. On to the food: For an appetizer we started out with the Barbeque Shrimp. You get 5 large pieces with piece of bread. The shrimp was buttery and full of garlic. Just the way I like it. Just cut up the bread and soak it in the butter sauce.... Sooo good! For entrees I ordered the Cowboy Ribeye which is bone-in, rare. I like mine seared and bloody and I made sure the waiter knew. It came extremely hot and the butter from the steak just made is delish. Ruth Chris has never disappointed when it comes to ordering my steaks rare. The ribeye was soft, juicy and full of ohh so much goodness! My friend ordered the Filet which I told her was going to be small in comparison to my steak but she was fine with it.... The problem here is that I don't get to eat her leftovers... hahaha! For the sides we got: Sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and potatoes au gratin. All complimented our steaks perfectly. For dessert we shared the crème brulee. How can you not like crème brulee? The carmalized top was perfect and the custard filling wasn't too sweet but just perfect. As always, the service at any Ruths Chris is top notch. Our server was attentative and informative. Definitely a place to consider for special occasions.
(5)Nick B.
I understand that this place is a corporate entity. But a good steak is a good steak. I ate here a few nights back and I was very impressed with the menu and service. Surf and turf might possibly be the greatest combination of all time and when you have a restaurant that not only does it, but does it right.....I'm in. I ordered the Calamari appetizer and was pretty impressed. It was nice and crispy and the Calamari wasn't chewy at all. Now I warn you. Some people hate the whole sweet and savory combination, and if this is you, than do not order the Calamari. Its flavored with a sort of spicy Asian dressing that I personally found delicious. For my main meal I ordered the two petite fillets with shrimp. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the steak came out with a great seared crust. One of the best things about this restaurant is the fact that they can cook a steak in between the regular styles. For me this is perfect. I love my steak in between a rare and a medium rare and the server was happy to notify me that they could accommodate me. All in all Ruth's Chris' is a great restaurant in a gorgeous part of San Diego and I will be back soon. Very soon.
(4)Fran T.
Ribeye-Mideum Rare--BOMB
(5)Skip C.
Seriously fantastic steakhouse. This is a place that knows how to prepare a steak perfectly. A perfect meal, which is hard to find. Two of us split the aged "Porterhouse For Two", cooked rare. It was a special occasion so we brought some great wines, including a 2000 Mouton. Some place are resentful when you bring your own wine. They couldn't have treated us any nicer. The server and Somm really know how to handle these wines. I CANNOT wait to return. The manager, Bobby, has the show completely under control, and we were fortunate to also have the regional manager, Joe, there.
(5)MaryAnn C.
Went here on Saturday for restaurant week...OMG! It was so worth it. I got the $50 deal which I got the seared Ahi Tuna (to die for!), 12oz ribeye steak (juicy), mash potatoes, and topped it off with their delicious cheesecake (came with fruit n bits of chocolate). Everything was so yummy! If I remember correctly, the waiter said the extended their restaurant week special for 2 more weeks...so there's still time to try it!! Highly recommend...
(5)Christina T.
When restaurant week rolls around, you can bet you'll find me here, indulging on a succulent hunk of rib-eye steak or filet Mignon. Everything is cooked perfectly to order, served with a nice helping of mashed potatoes, crab-stuffed mushroom caps, or creamed spinach. I'd like my meat buttered up any day by their chefs. *wink wink* I'm by no means a steak connoisseur, but damn, do they butter up a good steak, perfect marbling and all. Crazy as it sounds, Ruth's Chris has my favorite fruit-inspired salad of all time. I've always been a fan of fruits, but as of late many restaurants have been offering salads with fresh apple, (straw)berry, and mango in them. Citrus or berry-infused vinaigrettes are the icing on the cake. Ruth's Chris' strawberry salad, although simple and subtle, is so fresh and has just the right amount of dressing every time. if you're interested, keep in mind that this is more of a summer offering, so keep an eye out for it once summer rolls around! I usually finish off my dinner with a generous helping of creme brulee. I'm a not a fan of desserts that are loaded with sugar, but the creme brulee is subtle, yet satisfying. Our waiter was very friendly and really made my most recent anniversary date memorable. I always put Ruth's Chris, especially the Del mar location, as one of my top pics for any special occasion. I love how spacious and welcoming the wait staff and hostesses are. They are consistently courteous, knowledgeable, and professional.
(5)Judy A.
The food was good once it arrived at the table but we were in the restaurant for almost hours from start to finish. Drinks didn't take too long but we waited for our salads for almost an hour, then waited for our entree almost another hour and almost walked out before the dessert came about 50 minutes later. One couple at the table didn't get their entree until everyone else had finished theirs. The manager didn't charge for those entrees but this is NOT the experience you expect to have at a Ruth's Chris. NEVER is when we'll go to a Ruth's Chris again!!
(1)Jeremy G.
Okay - so this is a typical chain restaurant where the food and drinks are standard, nothing exciting. What pumps this Ruth's Chris up is the architecture and customer service.
(3)Jeff B.
Ruth's Chris steakhouse is by far the best restaurant in San Diego if not the country. The service is impeccable, the food is amazing and the atmosphere cannot get any better. We have been to three different locations, all were excellent. I made reservations at the Del Mar location and enjoyed dinner with my wife, it was our anniversary and the folks at Ruth's Chris made sure our evening was a night never to be forgotten. Table for two overlooking the ocean at sunset, rose pedals scattered around the table and floor, Giant bouquet of beautiful flowers with her name and a card. champagne waiting for us in a tableside cooler/holder. It was incredible, my wife almost started crying when she opened the menu and our names were across the top with a happy anniversary message. Absolutely incredible. Thanks Jacob (our waiter) and the manager for going out of your way to make my wife feel incredibly special. (because to me she is.)
(5)Michael C.
Not the best Ruth Chris location I have been too. Filet was over cooked when asked for medium well. Was a bit slower and I did not like that the lights were on brighter than the other locations. Was not very Dim... Made it feel like we were eating at a crappy cafe....
(3)mike k.
I have been coming here for over 10 years and my most recent experience was by far the worst. My wife and I came here on a whim so we were dressed in jeans, not sure if we were judged since we didn't come all dressed up. Having been here many times we knew what we wanted but it took more than 20 minutes to get our orders in. My wife's steak came way over cooked and had to send it back. Now that puts me in the situation of eating with her watching or waiting for her new steak and now I have a cold steak. The reason for 2 stars is that the sweet potatoes were amazing. I get them every time and they are great. The steaks are really good as well when they prepare them correctly. Just hope they get their act together with their service. Overall it seems that this place isn't what it used to be.
(2)Luke B.
This review isn't about the food (which is great, btw) as much as it is about the way it is served. I was told by my waiter to "be careful it's hot." I interpreted that to mean the food is hot. I mearly grazed the plate with my forearm and got burned, badly. I don't get it. Donovans and others places serve their food fresh on plates that don't require gloves to handle. Fleemings Steakhouse uses wooden skillets. I can't be the only person who has been burned by touching the plates here. The server did bring me a cup of ice for my hand. Food = excellent. Getting injured trying to eat the food = not cool.
(3)John M.
Dinner was amazing, it was our birthdays and we were pampered and spoiled. Chris the manager greeted us and the door with a welcome and happy birthday. Ryan our waiter was spot on with the suggestions. He give just the right amount of attention, but let us enjoy our special dinner. The busser Scott never let the glasses get below half way and cleared our plates quickly when finished. This was one of the best dining experiences in a long time. Ryan, Chris and Scott all made this a birthday to remember. Thank you very much and we will be back again for sure.
(5)Amanda S.
This is my rating based on our horrible experience at Ruth's Chris Del Mar on Saturday, February 15, 2014. Last night at Ruth's Chris Del Mar my husband was having a discussion with the Assistant Manager about military discounts and how the corporate policy is to not offer a discount to military. We get it, not all companies value veterans. He did offer us a free dessert. But then the conversation went horribly wrong when he said to my husband, "You have two arms, two legs and two feet." I saw my husband completely shut down so I took action. I declined dessert. I told the AM that my husband has served for 20 years, deployed 13 times and is a 3-time Iraqi War veteran. He may have two arms, two legs, and two feet, but he knows many that do not. What the AM said and the way he acted is inexcusable. My husband and I are disgusted and will never set foot in another Ruth's Chris again. We urge everyone that supports our military service members, active or retired, to not dine at any Ruth's Chris. I will be writing a letter to the company and asking them to formally apologize to my husband and to donate the amount we paid for dinner (approx $200 which included a $50 gift card and tip), to the Wounded Warriors Project. We refused dessert and I paid the bill in full. Unfortunately the AMs actions caused a scene in a very busy restaurant. The GM Bobby called us on the phone after we left to apologize and my husband spoke to him for a while. This in no way redeems the experience we had and how the company manages their restaurants. I do not want any gift cards as an apology. Instead the company should work more diligently on training and maybe they should show their support for the brave men and women than sacrifice their lives everyday to keep us safe. While my husband goes to war to keep us safe, this company finds it funny to comment on his physical appearance downplaying the sacrifices he's made, dismissing the numerous airmen he's lost or have been wounded. Shame on you Ruth's Chris.
(1)ChicagoFoodie S.
I have been to this location 2 times for happy hour and once for dinner. Happy hour is pretty good with their selection and the steak sandwich is pretty darn good. Good bartender. In the dining room, their staff is great!! They go above and beyond to make sure you are having a great dining experience. Plus, last time I joined for happy hour, the manager was nice enough to seat us in the dining because the bar was full. Nothing wrong with a large booth to relax in ;) I'd recommend and come back ;)
(4)Christian Anthony P.
Excellent food, service. Greatest steak house experience to date. Wife and I had a wonderful meal at this restaurant located in the Carmel Valley part of San Diego. Ribeye steak cooked to our liking, paired with sautéed mushrooms and finished off with their chocolate cake. I was not much into chocolate cake but Ruth's Chris Steak House's cake made me like chocolate cake. We had our reservations made past sunset but I am sure there's a breathtaking sunset view if you can catch in here. Simply, the best! You can quote me on that one.
(5)Christina T.
So, my fiance and I are starting a tradition of going to San Diego and enjoying Ruth's Chris each year on our anniversary. Last year we went to the one in Little Italy. I can say my experience here was beyond amazing. We walked in to our reservation at 7:30pm on a Sunday, which my fiance had made online. He had also made a note that it was our anniversary. As we were seated, the hostess spread across the table "Happy Anniversary" confetti. It just added a little something extra. We were greeted and told "Happy Anniversary" many times and they made us feel special. Our server was Gavin. He also had a couple of guys helping him and bringing out our food, who were great as well. The services was amazing, and one of the managers even replaced our candle on the table since it went out. He made sure that we were enjoying ourselves, which we definitely were. For appetizer we had crab cakes, came out smokin' hot. For our entrees, I had the petite filet and my fiance had the cowboy ribeye. Both medium rare and melted in our mouths. We had au gratin potatoes and asparagus which was so good. I could barely finish our sides! For dessert, we had the creme brulee. On the plate the wrote happy anniversary and presented with a candle, very cute and nice touch! I definitely felt they treated us better at this location than the one in Little Italy. We will keep coming to this one to continue on our anniversary tradition! Thanks guys!
(5)Shannon E.
We like to go to here for our anniversary and just finished birthday dinner for my fiancé. The food is amazing, but I think it's the service that makes the experience so special. The birthday confetti and the complimentary dessert are such a nice touch - and they actually wrote my fiancé's name on the plate in chocolate! They make every occasion more memorable. As for the food, the petite filet is like heaven in my mouth!
(5)Anja H.
Came here for happy hour. The hostess did not even look up when I walked in, not a 'hi' or anything. Then I sat down at the bar and, after reviewing the happy hour menu, dared to ask the two bartenders if they happen to have a sparkling wine on happy hour too. 'Bubba' behind the bar is a very special kind of rude. "Did you look at the happy hour menu?!", he yelled. "Do we have one on there?! You can order one of those, here, from the regular menu, 25 dollars, do you want that?!?" I responded that there ARE places that have sparkling wine on happy hour that's not on the menu - case in point: Truluck's. There I did NOT get yelled at when asking for a sparkling wine but was served the happy hour cava. Food was alright. Service bad. To sum it up: Rude.
(1)Chad H.
um, how about the BEST STEAK YOU WILL EVER EAT! get the filet, you'll love it. Prices are steep for this quality of food (which is top notch but not world famous). and the best part is the happy hour (4:30 -7:00). $7 filet sandwiches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Â!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(4)Bernadette C.
My server Rebekah was horrid :( first time to this location and it happened to be business meeting with one of my physicians I work with and my birthday. She seemed irritated he had questions about what wine to choose especially because he had a thick accent. Not once did she smile. Granted I had great company with me so I was happy but definitely not the service. I definitely recommend going to the one in downtown San Diego!!
(1)Heather S.
Been here a few times and had such a great experience last weekend. Lynn was our waiter and he went so out of his way to be nice. We had such a great, 5 star experience because of him. I had the BBQ shrimp for dinner, which was amazing and came with these mashed potatoes unlike any I have ever had. Great lobster bisque. And amazing cheesecake for dessert!
(5)Darlene R.
Would have been a 3 if not for the great service and delicious steaks! We chose to spend our 25th Anniversary here and by the end of our evening were happy with our choice. I can't rate the soup or salad as ours is sitting in our fridge untouched so far, due to what was said to be a kitchen error and didn't make it to our table before our entrees. For this reason, the manager comped our whole meal. So, for being free, it was fabulous! As to the food itself: the bread was good, the butter heavenly. My lobster was overdone, unable to cut, and very chewy. It was quickly replaced by our server with another that was just slightly over cooked, but very enjoyable. Our steaks were both delicious, although we did have to trade as mine was ordered medium rare and hubby's medium and they were cooked the other way around (to perfection though!). As we had ordered different cuts, this was a bit disappointing. We didn't inform our server of this error since our meal was already comped. The asparagus was a bit stringy (not trimmed enough) but still good, the au gratin potatoes were leftover baked potatoes with a delicious cheese topping (I don't recommend them due to the leftover potato flavor), and the creme brûlée was simply to die for! Oh how I recommend the creme brûlée! I loved the atmosphere. Our waitstaff was attentive (except for the dropped ball with our soup and salad), our server even sprinkled rose petals on our table as we were perusing the menu. Nice touch. Our server was a gentleman from Kentucky named Lynn, if you'd like to add an extra element of friendliness and fun to your evening, I highly recommend requesting him personally. Overall here's how I'd rate our visit separately: Service/management: 5 (knowledgable, professional, friendly, and well trained) Kitchen staff: 2 (with exception to desserts: a firm 5 there!) too inconsistent to rate higher. Steaks: 3 (4 if they would have been prepared correctly) Rest of meal: 3 Atmosphere: 5 (I was very impressed the service matched the diner's dress and seemed tailored to each table, well done here!) Price: 5 since ours was quickly comped, but a 4 otherwise, it's slightly pricey for the quality, but very much worth it. I think we may return for a second go. But it didn't make our top 5 "go to" list. Yet. I suggest you make a reservation, and try it yourself! It's worth it, at least once. :)
(4)Bhuwan V.
"It's absolutely unfair for women to say that guys only want one thing: sex. We also want food." And Steak at Ruth's Chris is better than having sex. Amazing 1. Parking is a lot easier 2. It's not as packed 3. Service is amazing
(5)Anthea W.
I can't go to any other places for steak anymore. This place has ruined me. That petite filet is so tender and cooked to perfection. Make sure you get the bleu cheese crusted on top!!! Adds to the deliciousness. And the mashed potatoes! DO IT, YOU WON'T REGRET IT! Great service. Great wines. Great dessert. Not too keen on the view of the freeway, but who cares when you have the best filet in front of you?!?
(4)Daniel L.
This place is definitely pricey for the quality of the food and the quality of the service. And here's my take on this very highly thought of restaurant for rich people, as a not so rich person. We went here as a group of 12 for a friend's birthday and one of the biggest things that was on our minds was paying the check. Some restaurants limit the credit cards to 2 per group, but they allowed us to individually have our own check, so that was very thoughtful of them to have in mind and to not have us worry about. Me and the birthday boy shared the Porterhouse for 2, which was clearly for two. Even when sharing, my thought was, "wow...that was a lot of meat." Surely a Ron Swanson meal. Our other friends got the ribeye, the t-bone, so we swapped and tried other cuts, and they were all exceptional. And while enjoying this great food, the servers and our waitress, Ashley were very hospitable and caring. Not just serving food/drinks and attending to other needs of the restaurant, but actually like caring about how we enjoyed the food. The only thing that we weren't mind-blown, collectively as a group, was the some of the side dishes weren't the best, since there were many that were left unfinished. Maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes, but we just decided that mash potatoes were the best side dish. Overall great service, and great great quality for the meats. If I want to feel poor again, I'll come here.
(5)Chris H.
Let me preface this by saying we love Ruth Chris in general. Having said that, I would not recommend this location during a Holiday. Maybe the fault is ours for dinning out on a holiday but this place really dropped the ball this year. Our reservation was delayed about 30 minutes and our server Marco, who we have had before and we do like him, seemed overwhelmed this year. My cowboy ribeye was ordered at medium rare and it came well done. We preordered dessert because last time we came they ran out. After we finished our meal with a 6 yr old and a 3 yr old we sat at our table for 40 min. We asked 4 people to get our server and finally he came as if nothing was awkward. The dessert was sold out!! A manager finally came and gave us some comps which we appreciated but I'd rather have a great experience than get comped. It almost makes you feel worse or cheap when you get comped because it's not about the money it's about getting what you asked for. For us the worst part is that our server played the oblivious card and blamed miscommunication but I don't feel that was the truth. Very disappointed but maybe we learned our lesson about eating out on a holiday!!!
(3)Antonio C.
We booked a reservation for 7:30 pm on a Saturday. We were there on time but it took around 45 minutes to get seated. That said the staff were wonderful. We had lots of time to choose what we wanted (none of us had been there before). And we all had great meals. Pa had the surf and turf (live lobster was gone at 8:30 or so on a Sunday) with a side of Mushrooms and the birthday cake of banana cream pie (his meal also included a ribeye (I think). Ma had the lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and crab stuffed mushrooms (I think she enjoyed those the most). One of the sisters had a filet mignon w/ mashed taters and the other had the ribeye with baked potatoe. I had the veal chop and started with the lobster mac and cheese (you have to have this) and also a baked potatoe. I'm sure I've missed some of the early parts of the meal and could spend time talking about the bee's knee's. Everything was cooked to our liking. It is expensive but based on this experience totally worth it.
(4)Dave P.
I've been coming here for about 5 or 6 years now. Used to be outstanding but over the years prices have gone up while service has gone down. Dined here a couple weeks ago, was seated right around our reservation time. Waiter came by introduced himself (he has literally waited on us 3 or 4 times before in the past but whatever, not holding it against him that he didn't remember us). Then that was it. 20 minutes before we even got water. Had to flag a bus boy down for a wine list. By the time we got our drinks and food orders in I was quite annoyed. Food arrived, steak was a touch over cooked but still good, things got better as the night progressed until an annoying group of patrons kept exiting via the emergency exit letting in cold gusts of air into the dining area. Many of the folks dining in the vicinity complained yet nothing was done. Manager came by to apologize, said he would return to see if he could do anything for us, never did. Hostess said manager would give me a call, never did. I've said previously I would not return, but I keep going back because it is convenient to me. Going to take me some time to forget this episode before I go back...
(2)Christina M.
Another wonderful Valentine's Day at Ruth's Chris! Wonderful service, ambiance and of course, filet mignon.
(5)Thuy T.
Came here for a friend's birthday for the first time. It's nice that they have Happy Birthday Rob on top of the menu. Very nice touch. And also little glitters on the table. They give him a free dessert too, on top of the dessert that he already has. The foods to me are good. I have the chicken soup, creamy spinach, 6oz fillet with 3 shrimps, and a rice pudding dessert, all for $43 which my bf won't reimburse me since he can't come. lol I just wish I could tell the different between all the steaks because they taste pretty much the same for me at other steak house. The service is good, just like most non-asian restaurants I go to. I guess if you want to impress your date, bring her here.
(5)Sarah W.
My absolute favorite place to eat dinner and tonight was no exception. I normally get the filet but decided to go outside of my comfort zone and get the lamb chops. I'm so glad I did. They were delicious. And then the sweet potato casserole, there are no words. Our waiter was great, He told us since it took a little longer for our meals to come out (honestly we hadn't even noticed) he was comping 2 of our sides and both our desserts. We couldn't have asked for better service. Thanks Ruths Chris for making tonight great! We will definitely be back soon.
(5)Amanda O.
My fiancé and I received a gift card for christmas last year, went once and I was hooked! Some people may say they are over priced, but If there is one thing I don't mind spending money on its good food. From the moment you arrive at the door the customer service is phenomenal. They certainly know how to make you feel welcomed, wanted, and happy. Minestrone soup = amazing! the second time I went I was so sad when it wasn't on specials. Steak is so buttery and mouth watering. What sold me the most.. The mashed potatoes!! As soon as i got home I googled a recipe try and recreate it! When we told our waiter that we were bringing home the rest for our baby (our bulldog ;) he came back with a doggy bag filled with bones.. If that's not the best customer service I don't know what is! do yourself a favor and treat yourself, your worth it!!
(5)Momma M.
killer food! killer service! best steak house in town!
(5)Flossie Z.
We went to Ruth's Chris tonight for the special occasion of my son's graduation from graduate school. Our waiter, Lynn, was entertaining and an awesome waiter. He suggested we not be put off by the specials. He was right, they were the perfect way to have just the right size of all three courses. All six of us had filet. One had just the filet while one had it with the lobster tail and four of us had it with shrimp. The filet was tender and delicious. Everything was delicious and we will go there again and will request Lynn as our server.
(5)Krystina C.
Happy hour was very affordable for great food. I had the steak sandwich off the appetizer menu, the portion was large and served with fries and the steak was amazing. Service was not the best, the bar tender took a long time to get drinks and orders. However, for the great happy hour prices at such an upscale restaurant I thought it was worth it.
(4)Adrienne K.
Ok, caught like a rat. Never thought I'd believe the hype. It's hard for me to embrace a chain establishment, but holy gosh da**, it's like the chupacabra of chain restaurants!! The steak is freaking mouth watering, melt in your mouth, cuts like butter, heaven sent, pure goodness!!! OMG, I highly suggest the surf and turf. Pure ecstasy flavors! White glove service, awesome, awesome!
(5)Sarah M.
Ordered: wild salmon, 12 oz ribeye (medium rare), steamed broccoli, mashed potato Service was friendly and the food was exactly as I expected, sizzling and buttery!! Definitely a higher end place. Not somewhere I'd go often since the prices are up there. But overall a good experience.
(4)Sumi A.
We go to Ruth's Chris about once a year to satisfy our desire for a great steak, and it never disappoints. We started with the stuffed mushroom appetizer and that was really tasty. Then ribeye for him and petite filet for me Oscar style. No sides and no desserts because we have learned in the past that if we do we end up uncomfortably stuffed. Still ended up taking some of the meat home for sammiches the next day. Overall a solid meal as always. And we were sitting in the main dining room and got to see a beautiful sunset over Torrey Pines beach while we ate. Couldn't ask for a better view.
(4)Lisa W.
A real deal for restaurant week! The best steakhouse deal, it's the only one that let you have an option of a 12 oz ribeye and a filet. Other steak places only offer like a "cheaper cut" such as the sirloin or a flat iron, but none a ribeye. And a good appetizer on top of that! I got the seared ahi tuna, which was plentiful, fresh, and delicious! The ribeye steak was good, they always season it right, only problem was the steak cooked fast on their 500-something degree hot plate. Which is bad and good because your steak can overcook, but it'll stay warm throughout your whole meal. I still like the idea of the hot plate anytime over a cold steak. The dessert was okay, I got the chocolate cheesecake, it was a little bitter, but I did like the raspberry sorbet. This is the real steal from the steakhouses on restaurant week!
(4)A B.
Outstanding dinner service even on the busiest night. We celebrated a family member's special birthday and the staff made it EXTRA special! Louie was an awesome waiter, even with our special food requests for a party of seven. (Thank you, Louie)! A fabulous place with delicious food plus a good view! Go and enjoy!
(5)Mai K.
We took advantage of Restaurant week and decided to try this place out. I have never been happier with my choice of restaurants. Their restaurant week deal is definitely worth trying out. Their ribeye was amazing. Tender, very flavorful, and filling. Our waiter was also very nice helping us out with our choices of food and drink. They have a usual prix fixed meal that is a bit more than the $40 restaurant week deal, but since my experience with restaurant week was amazingly tasty, I may come back and try their other items.
(5)Terrence M.
Great steak overall and the sides too! The service is great and our waiter/server Richard, very attentive and professional!! Five to him! I highly recommend this exquisite this Steakhouse!
(5)Sam B.
If you don't know how to cook a steak then this place is probably worth the 4-5 star rating. I was always told they have a special grill or oven that can cook at 1300 degree F and that the meat is prime, etc. Well we cooked a prime steak from Costco at our house on our grill and the result was just as good if not better maybe. The steak had nothing special to it. The sides were a little disappointing. The scalloped potato, potato au gratin were not bad, but were not great either. For the same amount of money, I would much rather go to some Fine Dining restaurants where the food will excite and intrigue me. Overpriced. Nice atmosphere, but not worth it.
(2)Jay R.
My bf and I went here for Restaurant Week last week. Im only giving it 3 stars because of the following: The Wait: They were backed up and super busy since it was Restaurant Week so unfortunately, we had to wait for a table to be open. In my knowledge, there SHOULDNT be a wait because we made a reservation. What was the point of making a reservation if the time wouldnt be accommodated? Considering that this is supposedly a fine dining restaurant. Good part was the hosts were very nice so I happily waited, patiently. Food: Appetizers: Crab Stuffed Mushroom and Seared Ahi Tuna. Seared Ahi Tuna was tasteful. Not fishy at all. Crab Stuffed Mushroom... DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED! Crab stuffing was TOO SALTY and it was still cold when it was served to us. 3 mushrooms were still raw and there was only ONE crab stuffed mushroom that was actually hot and cooked. Sadly, the cooked one was the last one I ate and didnt realize thats how it was supposed to be since in my head I thought they purposely had the mushroom raw, so I couldnt complain. Main Courses: Rib Eye Steak and Salmon with Garlic Mashed Potatoes= Both were delicious! I cant complain. Both courses came out with sizzling butter underneath in a very hot plate which made the food even better! Desserts: Sin Cake and Key Lime Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice Cream. The cheesecake were delicious as well, but the sin cake isnt exactly a "cake" as my bf thought it was. If youre not a chocolate lover, definitely not for you. It's literally a block of chocolate with espresso. No bueno for me or my bf. I did try it with the vanilla ice cream I had with my cheesecake and it made it a little better. Even though my experience at this place wasnt what I expected it to be for a fine dining restaurant, my server was very nice, attentive and friendly. The key to pleasing me as a customer. He would crack little jokes here and there which made my experience at this place nice. Everything was served fast. But since I am a tough critic, 3 star rating is what Im giving them. I do like finer things, but for $40/person with that kind of menu??? Neh! I can take that $40 to buy the same ingredients from their menu and feed 2 or more people with that! But this place is very memorable to me and my bf...... You know why??? Because even though our expectations werent met that night, this is where he asked me to be his girlfriend, officially... So at the end of the night, I left happy :)
(3)Kristie L.
Not that this place needs any more good reviews, but here goes... I love love love Ruth's Chris & I love love love this location! It is only 10 minutes away from my house. If I could afford it sans monetary & weight issues, I would come here every day! My boyfriend and I came here for dinner around Christmas, and once again, I had a WONDERFUL experience. The service is superb and the atmosphere is perfect. We ordered the porterhouse with potatoes au gratin and had creme brulee for dessert. Everything was cooked to perfection and served on the classic hot, buttered plate! We couldn't even finish everything (and my boyfriend is a big guy!). I highly recommend this restaurant and location for anyone looking for a great meal. You really get what you pay for when you come here.
(5)Greg S.
First, the food deserves 5 stars and there isn't anything bad that can be said about that. However, if you want a finer dining experience, I would suggest that you go to their location on Harbor drive. This location is more casual, more kids, a tad bit louder and for the price of a dinner with drinks, I personally want my dinning experience to be on par with the price. Service was super SLOW. I made a reservation online for 7:15, and was seated shortly thereafter. After being greeted by our server, Rachel, she explained how the food is prepared, asked if we had any questions, took a drink order and that's when things went downhill. At 7:28, after our server pulling a disappearing act, I got up and had to explain this to Daniel Hecko, the assistant GM. Just as I was talking to him, that's when Rachel starts walking towards the table; Daniel was kind enough to offer drinks which was greatly appreciated. After placing our order, it was another 15+ min before the food was served and at 8:17 PM, the check finally came; yes, for a party of 2, it took that long. In my opinion, I don't think it was that busy as a 1/4 of the tables downstairs were empty. If you aren't in a rush and want a more casual experience, this is the place for you. However, if your expectations are for the service and experience to match that of their Harbor location, then this isn't for you.
(3)Scoop A.
Seniors Beware!! We arrived at 6:30p for the reservation made through OpenTable. This was a momentous day. We were celebrating my father's 85th birthday. We had specifically requested a table downstairs (two weeks ago!) and the 20-something snooty hostess escorted us upstairs to a dark round table tucked right next to another table with a 2 year old. It was obviously this is where they stick folks they think won't care. Well we did! We requested then insisted on being downstairs in the light- and we got all sorts of excuses about how the other tables were already reserved. The restaurant was half empty. The grey haired 40-year-old manager- wish I had his name- refused to accommodate. He BS'd about others wanting special tables. Really? When was the last time you went to a restaurant and knew exactly what table you would sit at before you arrived?? You're the manager. It's your job to make executive decisions like granting a sweet table to a man who has lived to see his 85th birthday and chooses your restaurant to go to. This lack of respect for our seniors is unacceptable. We won't ever go back. We left and went to Arterra.
(1)S S.
Went here for Restaurant Week. I ordered the 12 oz. ribeye with a side of creamed spinach and a cheesecake for dessert. My appetizer, of the choices available for their Restaurant Week menu, was the stuffed mushrooms. The steak was huge! Nice marbling and flavor. That butter they put on top is killer. Adds flavor to the steak, but does not take away from the flavor of the meat itself. Great service as well. Can't get any better than this.
(4)Scott T.
I've been to other Ruth's Chris locations and always had a wonderful experience. Went to the one up by Del Mar last night...and I was less than impressed and definitely disappointed. Met some friends there for a birthday dinner - and had early reservations. Our waitress was cute and nice and the staff were all friendly. Let's dive right into what made this a visit to forget. 1. My Cowboy Ribeye was overcooked. Also charred on the outside with that burnt taste. I even got the blue cheese topping and that was overcooked too. It was also not very big for a Cowboy Ribeye - I've ordered this before at other locations and this one was about a third smaller - I thought maybe I was remembering wrong but then my girlfriend commented on it during the drive home and confirmed my perception as being reality. This is Ruth's Chris. You don't get the meat wrong - period. I should have sent it back, but it was a friend's birthday - they invited us - and I didn't want to cause a scene. 2. I had a diet coke with my meal. At some point early on, someone took it away and never brought it back. I had to ask for a new one. Then, it didn't get refilled after that and I was tired of trying to flag someone down so I gave up. Normally in a place like this your glass stays topped off all the time and you don't have to think about it. 3. My girlfriend told me her lobster was very dry - overcooked. Wow - what's going on here? She said her filet was decent but not great. 4. I was excited about ordering the bread pudding. When I did I was informed that they were out. What? We got there at 5:45pm and it wasn't packed. How could you be out? Ok...so I ordered something else. I then saw 3 other bread puddings being delivered to other customers - 1 of them was after I got my dessert. Huh? Were they really out? What the heck? 5. I wouldn't normally mention it, but I am here on a roll so why not. The table for 4 people was kind of small. They do the a la carte dishes so you have all these extra plates and I found myself constantly trying to rearrange things to that I had enough space around me. Did you really need to squeeze that one extra table in there? Just put bigger tables in the restaurant for crying out loud. 6. Garlic mashes potatoes...tasted like regular mashed potatoes...no garlic. They were ok but not what was advertised. Oh and the bread...was just ok. I expect in a place like RC to turn to my date and say - "Oh my god couldn't you just eat a loaf of this bread?" Maybe I expect too much? 7. Calamari was good - had a sweet n sour thing going....but they were kind of skimpy on the portion for an app. 8. Creamed spinach was yummy. 1 person got succotash and expressed that she wished she'd gotten the creamed spinach. 9. My dinner mates all got the inclusive dinner classic meal that came with a desert...which was TINY....everyone was laughing and joking about it...but underneath I could tell they were all 3 disappointed. Haven't you heard? Size matters. :) 10. Our friends didn't complain - but they didn't compliment either...and that is almost as loud a message. This meal cost us over $300 for 4 people - and I think there was only one alcoholic beverage included in that total. For that kind of money, you don't get it wrong in so many ways. I wish we had turned down the invitation. I could have bought a ribeye, filet, and lobster tail and cooked them up myself better and saved a couple of hundred dollars. I recommend either going to a different place - there are so many great ones out there, or going to the downtown location instead. I shouldn't have had to write this review.
(3)Rick L.
been here a few times for lunch (friday is the only day they serve lunch) and ordered off the lunch menu. service is good, the setting is nice albeit a very businessy atmosphere (slightly uptight), and the food was just meh. on all occasions i ordered the ny sirloin. it's just ok (and one time it was over cooked). honestly, given a broiler and a slab of costco meat, i could do a similarly decent job. shoestring fries are ok. creamed spinach was surprisingly disappointing. the potatoes lyonnaise, that come highly recommended, were similarly not as delicious as you thought they would be. same with the potatoes au gratin. all lacked a bit of...flavor. that's the word i was looking for. i think it's the same problem associated with restaurant week; when some of the more expensive places try to make their menu more affordable, they end up with a subpar product (that impacts their brand a little, maybe). now, if i wanted to book a nice steak dinner i would probably choose somewhere else. as an upscale chain steak restaurant (that might be an oxymoron), if you're going to have a more budget friendly menu, the quality still has to be there. bottom line, if you're in del mar on a friday (if it's less than a 3 mile drive, go for it) and craving a steak during lunch time, check it out. but come in with managed expectations. think more texas roadhouse than peter luger.
(2)Scott R.
Best steakhouse in San Diego, by far. Friendly, professional service, great food (bbq shrimp alone is the worth the trip!), lively enjoyable atmosphere. Well done, RCSH Del Mar!
(5)Victor C.
I've been here twice. I enjoyed it more the first than the second. Not that this place is bad or anything. They're anything but. They have the best steak in San Diego. Everything must be deliciously bathed in butter because I can't get enough of the steak, the mashed potatoes, etc. The second time here, however, they over cooked the medium-rare steak I ordered. Possibly because they were cooking them in a group of steaks? I'm not sure but it wasn't as tender as I'd have liked. They did try to make it right by offering desert/wine which was nice. I'll probably go here once more since I think the second time must be a fluke. Right?
(4)Taylor D.
Who doesn't love a big juicy piece of meat looking all delicious, laying down for all the world to see....at least thats what my girlfriend says about me. Ruth's Chris is some fancy shmancy shizznit, in most cases I'd say make sure to wear your stretchy pants because the steaks and sides are more filling than Scarlette Johannsen in a push up bra. Decor is old fashioned, the only hang up I have is I wish they would add a little bit of a face lift when it comes to this place. I want to be whisked away when I dine here, I want those vibrant flavors to pop out and the decor of the room act like foreplay to my senses before I blow my load from that slab of meat they serve. Staff here knows whats up when it comes to good service, and rightfully so. I want a waiter/waitress to be polite, at least sounding like an upstanding citizen. Ruth's Chris trains their staff well to be absolutely respectable, and thats all the charm. Granted don't walk in there like Benito Mussolini because you'd be just asking for a verbal beatdown by myself or somebody equally gifted in gab. Whats that feeling in my pants? Oh yeah its just my wallet getting thinner, what do you expect though this is a nice place and you pay for it? Lets talk about eats: Special things to order come in all shapes in sizes try this one on for size. Indulge yourself, give back to that faithful stomach that just had to tough through breaking down that nuclear waste you ate a week ago called Taco Bell (just cause it's open late doesn't mean it should go in your mouth, thats what she said) order yourself the calamari. Chili flavored goodness with just the right layer of batter on those little squiddies.
(4)Kathryn L.
Regarding the food, I was a little disappointed with their ribeye. I thought I'd enjoy the taste more so than Morton's, but I was mistaken. The ribeye was tender, but a little past medium - which is what we ordered. My biggest beef (ha) with it is that it didn't taste seasoned. There was no salt, just a ton of unsalted butter on it. The char flavor of the flame hitting the meat was missing too...which is one of the best parts of eating steak. I ordered a scallop entree, and it was cooked okay, but no seared crust. Worst of all, it was put on top of this weird menagerie of vegetables that don't really go together...like the chef got a sudden itch to try to give my dish an Asian flare by sauteing baby bok choy, ginger, and carrots together and then tossed it with roasted red bell pepper pieces and added cream to the sauce. It was a weird dish and for 5 scallops was $30...I was disappointed with this for sure. The sides were great though - creamed spinach, pomme frites, and tempura onion rings. However, the pomme frites & onion rings were also lacking salt. We did thoroughly enjoy their creme brule - but then again, it was your pretty run-of-the-mill vanilla bean brule. Now on to the reason this place earned 3 stars with me instead of 2...the service rocked. Our server, Rick, gave us PHENOMENAL service that we rewarded with a nice tip. We had our 4 & 2 year old children with us and needless to say, Ruth's Chris isn't really a kid friendly joint...but he made it kid friendly for us. He brought out fun cups with lids for them to drink milk out of, and was genuinely warm and accommodating to the noise they made and the mess they made...which earns major points with parents of toddlers. Because of him and the busser assigned to our table, we were able to enjoy a night out to dinner without getting irritated looks from our server. Also, 2 managers came out to visit our table to see how we were doing. At the end of the evening, we made it a point to tell one of the managers about the great service we got and he chatted with us for a while about where we were from, etc. Lovely staff and just because of them and the experience they created, we'd push to ourselves to find something on the menu to enjoy.
(3)Lianna S.
I've been to the Charlotte and Scottsdale locations before but this was my first visit to the San Diego one. Predictable, but I love that you know what to expect: great service and a really nice meal. Everything from the apps to the salads to the sides and entrees was delicious. I wasn't in the mood for steak so i got a scallop dish and the bf had a ginormous t- bone that he devoured. Just be prepared for everything to be loaded with butter, a good thing of course every once in a while, but I probably gained a good 5 pounds from my meal:) I can't give 5 stars only because as far as fine steakhouses go, Mastro's has them beat by far. Plus they have a weak seafood selection.
(4)Thao L.
Went here for restaurant week in September. Was celebrating 2 years since our first date with my boyfriend. The service was great and since it was our anniversary they sprinkled rose petals on the table for us. It was a very nice touch and made the evening feel that much more special. I wish I remembered our server's name because despite how busy the restaurant was (it was restaurant week after all), he did a good job serving us. From the restaurant week menu, we got the seared ahi tuna and the stuffed mushroom appetizers. I liked how light my tuna was, but it wasn't the best tuna I've ever had. Overall it was good in a rather generic way. The mushrooms were better in my opinion. They were very large and well seasoned. For our entrees, my boyfriend got the 12 oz rib eye cooked medium rare. I got the petit filet which was NOT petit and was a very generous portion, cooked a little more on the rare side than medium (I'd asked for a little bit more rare because the dishes arrived at our table on sizzling hot plates and I didn't want my meat to be overcooked). I would actually just recommend asking for the meat cooked the way you like and sort of regret asking it be a little more rare than usual because despite the super hot plate, I don't think it cooked anymore once it arrived at our table. The meat itself was suppper tender and I was basically ripping and tearing it apart with my fork instead of needing a knife. That butter sauce that they cook the steaks in is PERFECTION (though I bet it's making me that step closer to a heart attack). There is a reason why people say Ruth's Chris steaks are the best (BECAUSE THEY FREAKING ARE!!!). Sooo so good. For the sides we got the creamed spinach the mashed potatoes. These are pretty meh in comparison to the holiness that are the steaks. The spinach tasted a little watered down and my boyfriend commented on how the mashed potatoes tasted a little boxed and not fresh. I personally enjoyed the potatoes but I love the boxed stuff so take that with a grain of salt. For dessert we got the symphony duo (which was a cheesecake with a side of berries in cream) and a chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was WAY choclate-y, but I enjoyed the expresso in it. The cheesecake was kind of normal, though I loved the side of berries in cream. Also since it was our anniversary, they wrote happy anniversary in chocolate sauce on our plates which was another nice touch. It's this kind of detail that makes the service stand out. Bottom line: COME FOR THE STEAKS! You won't be disappointed. Everything else is a little meh in comparison, but seriously... THE STEAKS ARE AWESOME!
(4)Anthony K.
5 Stars hands down!! Great looking steaks that come to you on a hot plate smothered in sizzling butter! Everything is cooked perfectly. I take my wife here for our Anniversary and they have the best Lemon Drop martinis. Try the Carpaccio its amazing. We also order the side of mashed potatoes and its good to share. You might want to dress accordingly tho because it is the most high class "chain" restaurants Ive ever been too. I first went when I lived up North in San Jose and we used to drive to San Fransisco to get these steaks!! The Del Mar location is just as nice and a great place to have a nice quiet dinner with that special someone!!
(5)I P.
We love the exceptional food and service at Ruth Chris. They have always been very consistent with the quality of their creations. They are also very good at making a special occasion feel "special". One of our favorite places to eat in Carmel Valley.
(5)Bernadette M.
This location is nestled in a corporate park. Parking can be a hassle during happy hour or during restaurant week when everyone wants to try it out. I've been to this location twice now and been happy with my food every time. The service is always on point. The upstairs seating is definitely more quiet and intimate than the downstairs dining room. The crab-stuffed mushrooms are definitely very rich and filling. I would share this appetizer. The calamari is OK. It is drizzled with an asian-style sauce which kinda of makes it just taste like sweet and sour calamari. Maybe I could ask for the sauce on the side instead next time. My favorite thing here is the filet and lobster tail. The filet just melts in your mouth. You just don't get the same results with the ribeye. They have some pre-fixe menus as well and I think those are a good deal (even though no matter what you'll end up spending a lot of money here). I don't particularly love the creamed spinach here. It tastes as if maybe the spinach was burnt and cream was added? I normally get the mashed potatoes (can't really taste the garlic). The corn and edamame succotash is also good and garlicky. For dessert, I recommend the banana cream pie or the raspberry sorbet. I find the lime cheesecake to be a little too citrus-y tasting.
(5)John D.
First, let me admit that I am a big fan of Flemming's Steakhouse, so I am a bit biased. However, I must say that my experience here was very mediocre. Considering this price, I would rate this a 5.5 on a 10 scale. The quality of the steak was average..extremely salty. I had the wedge salad and the lettuce was not very fresh and overall a very dry salad. The atmosphere was pleasant, but not outstanding. I will say that the view was nice and we did catch a great sunset. All in all, this was somewhat disappointing and I will not likely return.
(2)Dwight C.
Another fantastic dinner with family and friends. I inhaled that steak. :)
(5)Dolce D.
I met friends for drinks last night and we sat in the bar. We ordered food. I ordered the crab sandwich and had to send it back because the crab was so fishy I couldn't eat it. Bad crab. My friend ordered a burger, medium. She had to send it back as it was still raw inside. They brought another burger and the same situation; this time rare inside. The service was poor. This is so surprising as my various other experiences over dinner have been great. What's going on in the kitchen?
(1)J T.
Any "steak" house that doesn't even have dry aged steaks as an option is NOT Legit in my book. Won't come back.
(3)Tina L.
Pricey, but what wonderful and delicious food! I'm a fan! The few times that I've been here, I've always left with such a wonderful and friendly experience. My server, Ashley, was super friendly and made our experience very lovely. She definitely knew a lot about the different types of wines that Ruth Chris offers, and helped us pick out a wine for our meal. My boyfriend ordered the cowboy ribeye and I had the 12oz ribeye. The steaks were cooked to perfection, and just melted in your mouth! It was the best steak I've ever had. The only complaint, which is a very small one, was that it tasted a little salter compared to my last visit. Regardless, it was still delicious, but maybe next time I'll ask for light seasoning or something. Bottom line : pricey, but worth every penny! Dress up, find a special occasion that is worth celebrating, and enjoy yourself at this yummy steakhouse!
(5)Choy L.
The first time i came here, it was with a broker of mine who wanted to treat me dinner as a thank you for a job/s well done. Since then, it has become my default "go-to" spot for taking my SD clients for casual meetings. The place is fancy enough to impress but casual enough not to intimidate. Perfect as I try to make my clients feel at ease with me even when we are talking shop. As you have prolly surmised, the food here is exceptionally good at best, above average at WORST. out of the numerous times i've been to this location, never have i had anything to complain about with regards to the food. although i pretty much stick to the same things every time. which of course would be my recommendation to first timers. Start with the French onion soup (soo good), and have the rib eye (med-rare) for your entree and Asparagus (but don't pee with-in nose shot of anyone, garlic mushrooms for the sides. If it's your first time here, let the wait staff run you through what they do and how they cook their steaks, I definitely picked up a couple things I can replicate at home. Ruth's Chris is definitely my first choice among the steakhouse chains out there, it does cost a pretty penny but when you think of it, it is very reasonable considering what you are getting. Try buying premium dry aged meat at a reputable butcher and you'd quickly understand why the prices are what they are. Over-all, its a small price to pay for an enjoyable dinner, and if you're like me, perhaps a business opportunity. Word of caution, This place can be a bit confusing to get to as its right by the freeway interchange, so make sure you map the place out prior to coming here if you're not familiar with the area.
(4)Craig W.
We enjoyed a fantastic dinner of cocktails and appetizers here the other night. Everything was delicious and the service (thank you, Donovan) could not have been more attentive or friendly. The location is a little strange but once inside, the bar/lounge is a beautiful setting with dark wood, low lighting and a great soundtrack of old time jazz vocalists. The dining room is in charp contrast to the lounge and is very open and airy. I've never had a bad time or a bad meal here. They deliver consistently high-quality food and service. Highly recommended.
(5)Shelly M.
We always come here for celebrations. I would recommend the downtown location over this one for the feel and vibe. This location feels more cheesecake factor then Ruth Chris. Try to stuffed chicken!! I also recommend wine paring.
(5)Meg D.
This place was so delicious!!! I'm from Kentucky, so you know I love me some steak!! haha Seriously the best steak I have ever had. I got the Petite Sirloin mashed potatoes, where my husband got a four course meal of salad, petite sirloin, lobster tail, mashed potatoes, and a creme broulee dessert. Oh and I had the blackberry sidecar... AMAZING DRINK. Kudos to this place, it's not often i'm this happy with restaurant service, food AND drinks. We got out of there after a $20 tip spending about $140. So it's not for every day for us, but it was our anniversary so it was worth it! Speaking of... they put out little rose petals on the table with happy anniversary confettie pieces.. it was sweet. :)
(5)Cindi B.
If you are on a budget or looking for a cheap meal, stay away. If you enjoy a really good steak and don't mind paying for it, go here! Ruth's Chris is my favorite steakhouse and I frequent the Del Mar and downtown locations as much as possible. The memory of the hot sizzling platter of butter and steak is enough to make my mouth water. Since we discovered that the Del Mar location is open on Friday for lunch, we have come here with the co-workers frequently. My favorite lunch items are: Mixed Grill - Who would think of ordering a dish that contained chicken in a steak house. BUT, this is the best roast chicken I've ever had, and it is stuffed with ooey, gooey, cheese sauce. Steak Sandwich - juicy, tender, sliced steak on garlic bread with your favorite cheese. I ordered mine with blue cheese, of course. Filet and shrimp - excellent combo Calamari - sweet and tender Sweet potato casserole - OMG, if you have never tried this, go there immediately and order one. you will thank me. (And I'm not even a big fan of sweet potatoes, but this is more like a dessert than side dish). Ruth's Chris food and service has always been 5 stars for me.
(5)Jamie Y.
Although the service was wonderful and food was spectacular, i overhyped this place for myself. Maybe I expected too much... I came in expecting that this would be the best steak of my life and how no other place would be able surpass this... (oops). I ordered the ahi seared tuna - DE-LI-CIOUS! I picked up my newfound love for seared tuna right then and there. Everything was perfect - the degree to which they seared the tuna on the outside, leaving the inside with a perfect soft yet fluffy texture. can you say fresh?! Oh and the stuffed mushrooms let my tongue try out some ecstasy - YUM! entree - petit filet because i only eat filet mignon! I was quite surprised on the size of the filet mignon. usually when i go out to order steaks in upscale restaurants, they are just a little bit biger than the size of a tennis ball. Well, this one was around the size of my hand! (~5-6inches). The cut was great, but their steaks are just a little bit too buttery for me... I prefer the taste of the steak, seasoned and grilled over a sizzling fire, but nevertheless, I enjoyed it. Dessert - raspberry sorbet - nothing too crazy or wild; i just wanted something plain and light to help my big meal go down =) one thing i would change about this place... is the dinnerware. that's pretty much it. great experience!
(4)Linda F.
Went there spur of the moment a couple Saturday nights ago. No wait, which was good. Ordered off the full menu instead of the prix fixe because we wanted different sides and didn't care about dessert. Ordered the petite fillet and told the waiter I wanted it a little pink. He said, then you want Medium Well." I should have questioned that, but I've been to so many steak houses that undercook, I figured I'd go with it. It was a HUGE disappointment. First of all, they butterflied it, which I hate. If I can cook a fillet at home without splitting it in half so it comes out looking like a TV dinner Salisbury steak, then I'd think a professional could do it. And if they were going to do that, I should have been informed. The meat was gray and completely flavorless, even with the extra butter it was slapped with. They took it off the bill, but I'd been SO looking forward to an excellent prime piece of beef, and I've had just that at Ruth's Chris before, but this was a terrible disappointment. We were supposed to go for my birthday late this month, but now will look around for somewhere else.
(2)Sarah G.
If you can afford to visit this place, DO. the ambiance is nice, the food is amazing. I always tell people who have never been.... the steak melts in your mouth! Usually the staff is awesome as well but this past time my waitress tried to give my table flack for wanting to get our drinks from the bar, IT WAS HAPPY HOUR, that means more drinks. She kept insisting that we just order from the table (@ full price) instead of sending our 2 husbands to the bar for a quick minute...... Other than that RC was amazing as usual. Will be back for sure.
(5)Destany K.
If this place was called Joe's Steak House and not very popular, I would give it 5 stars. However, it's Ruth's Chris Steak House, and supposedly one of the better places to eat in San Diego. When my date and I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised since he did not tell me ahead of time where we would be going. Perhaps from all the years of hearing wonderful things about Ruth's, I created an idea of perfection. I expected to be blown out of my mind...but I was not. The calamari was so so. The spicy shrimp tasted much like the calamari, but a little spicier. The asparagus was, well, steamed asparagus. The mashed potatoes (which my date had RAVED about on several occasions) tasted like normal mashed potatoes at any given restaurant. Finally, the steak was a little too salty and chewy. My date had even mentioned how his was cooked a bit too much on the outside. To the chefs defense, we did get there pretty late, and the food didn't come out until about 9:30PM, but I was still expecting much more. Don't get me wrong, the food was great, maybe even better the second day around for leftovers. It just wasn't mind-blowing. I've had better steak and especially better mashed potatoes. I can steam my own asparagus and the calamari was eh. I love food, and most places I go, I thoroughly enjoy and rave about. Unfortunately, I heard too much about the place before going and my expectations superseded the actual taste of the food.
(3)Joe M.
After my last disappointing experience at their downtown location, I was eager to give Ruth's Chris Steak House a second chance. However, this time it would be at their renowned Del Mar location. Overlooking the bustling Interstate 5, and the Pacific Ocean in the distance, Ruth's Chris sits exclusively at the top of a high, fortified cliff. In the evening you can see the sun dip below the Del Mar horizon as it sets, making for an especially romantic setting to share a very rich meal. To start our luxurious meal, regular water simply would not fit the bill so while some ordered wine, we also enjoyed several bottles of imported Italian still water called Acqua Panna. Crisp and refreshing, it was a fine example of a luxurious beverage, albeit ridiculously expensive at $9/bottle. Fresh bread and fine, whipped butter were also brought to whet our taste buds for the meal to come. The special Summer Celebration promotion has since ended, but due to its overwhelming popularity, the restaurant offers the Chef's Choice menu, which is exactly the same thing. It's a spectacular deal at $89 for two and I decide to perform an apples to apples comparison against my first dreadful experience at this upscale meat eatery. My first course was the Louisiana Seafood Gumbo. Far heartier than my last sipping experience with this soup, I was extremely impressed with the abundance of real crab and other essences of seafood in the thick broth. Paired with the light rice pilaf, the combination was a fantastic prelude for the meal ahead. Opting once again for the Mixed Grill, I remember the fond memories of enjoying the combination of many different flavors from my previous visit. This was one dish that did not ever let me down. Everything on the plate was seasoned spectacularly well and the charbroiled tomato was arguably the best part. I have never tasted such a naturally sweet tomato in my entire life and it paired perfectly with the excellent stuffed chicken and buttery brew petite filet. Side dish selections for our Chef's Choice meal included the buttery, garlic mashed potatoes and creamy spinach casserole. These extremely rich sides complimented the main course wonderfully, and like most of the dishes served at Ruth's Chris, were likely made with many sticks of butter. After all, butter makes everything taste better! Dessert at Ruth's Chris is always a treat and this time we decided to mix it up with the Warm Apple Crumb Tart. The enticing aroma of fresh granny smith apples and copious amounts of cinnamon and sugar were counterbalanced by the cooling effects of the scoop of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream melting down onto the crumbly tart. By now I'm thoroughly stuffed and, while we managed to finish about 70% of the homely tart, I simply could not go on. Sad to see it go to waste, it performed its duty of providing a palette cleansing finish to a phenomenal meal. The service at this location was absolute impeccable. Gone were the experiences of dropped steaks and in-your-face servers, this was the real, polished deal. Our server and his crew were all extremely polite, attentive, and professional, and were a delight to talk to. If you're looking for excellent service, definitely request for Adam as your server. He was a core contributor to the fabulous experience, and he can definitely make your dinner a dining nirvana. Overall, the entire experience package served up at Ruth's Chris in Del Mar trumped that of the Downtown location. It really was no contest. The food, service, ambiance, attitude, and overall attention to detail were far greater at this restaurant. If you're craving a juicy, USDA prime steak, make the pilgrimage up to the top of the mount, all the way to Ruth's Chris Steak House in Del Mar. You and your stomach will be glad you did. Food: 9/10 Service: 10/10 Price: $$$$ Atmosphere: 9/10
(5)Kelli O.
Just visited for restaurant week in San Diego and the service was impeccable. Richard was our server and from the very beginning of our visit made us feel like one in a million in a crowded busy Friday night setting. Highly suggest using open table to make a reservation in the future especially during restaurant week this place has the best menu for the week. We ordered the ahi tuna/crab stuffed mushrooms for appetizers, filets, one side and desert all for 40$ Per person! Our steaks came out over cooked, though Richard was right on top of it. My boyfriend and I brought our own wine for a 15$ cork fee. We were enjoying our wine and didn't mind the error on the overcooked steaks. They left our side mash potatoes for us to enjoy while we waited. It only took about 8 extra minutes when the error was acknowledged. When the steaks came back they were perfect, and came along w complimentary sides again (mashed potato). Thought that was a nice touch. The manager came by to make sure everything was to our liking, very professional. Richard checked back frequently and his demeanor is what all servers should be like when you go out for a nice dinner, like a family member! What could have been a terrible/hangered upset turned out just fine due to Richard handling our table. Thank you Richard, we had a wonderful evening, left stuffed and satisfied.
(5)Ann Beth C.
What is not to like about Ruth's Chris? Hmmm, wish it was less expensive so I could come here more often! We sat in the lounge and our server was great. Wish I remembered his name, but so friendly and helpful. You could tell he really enjoyed his job. We had cocktails, I had the blueberry mojito. The blueberry was subtle, but the sweetness added to the drink. And if nothing else, you have to get the sweet potato cassarole. I could make a dinner of just this. This location was very nice and we will certainly return.
(4)Patricia Y.
Meat drowned in butter? I'm a fan. A place that actually cooks your steak rare when you ask for rare! It's amazing.. really. It's probably some kind of blasphemy, but I prefer Ruth's over Donovan's. It's pretty pricy but worth it. If my wallet was fatter, I'd probably be too..
(5)Duke C.
Best service I ever got at a Ruth's Chris. Food's just like any other Ruth's Chris, favorite still being the New York Strip and their calamari. For their calamari, nothing beats the sweet & sour sauce they toss it in! Awesome shoe string fries too to make your own steak frites! As for the service after the group ordered (we had around 8), we waited for awhile for our steaks even after we finished our appetizers. Because of our wait when they brought out our steaks they even added free sides just to compensate. Nothing better than free mashed potatoes and mushrooms! Our server actually also noticed that a few of our steaks were overcooked and he personally took it back, and had new steaks grilled to how we ordered. Because of that, he even comped us another bottle of wine to thank you for our patience. It was a little annoying having to wait while others were already eating but the free bottle of wine was definitely worth it. They make you feel like you are the most important guest in the whole restaurant. Just for that, it deserves praise. Nice location and great service makes this one of the best Ruth's Chris I've been to.
(5)Beth W.
Perfectly cooked filet mignon with shrimp, a fresh steakhouse salad, delicious creamed spinach and rich mashed potatoes...Ruth's Chris, I love you. Marry me filet mignon and I promise you a wedding that rivals Jack-in-the-Box's "marry bacon" gimmick. I've been to Ruth's Chris' Del Mar location on several occasions, primarily for business, and it has yet to disappoint. The food is wonderful, service is impeccable, and the wine list leaves precious little to be desired. However, the restaurant is located in a sterile business district next to the freeway, so if you're on a date try the downtown/Harbor Drive location instead for a fantastic view and some romance.
(4)Albert C.
Came here to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. It was our first time here. Our server was excellent and gave us great recommendations for what to eat. Steaks were marvelous. The downside is that all things on the menu are a la carte. There is so much room in the restaurant but the waiters sat everyone next to eat other.
(4)Albert A.
5 stars for this place for excellent service, ambience, and most importantly, the food. i came here for my anniversary with my girl. i called ahead to make reservations, and let them know it was our anniversary. they set up a table with special decorations, and offered a complimentary dessert to help us celebrate. even without this, our dinner was an exceptional experience. parking was very easy. there is a guest parking lot just a short walk from the main door. they have a valet service, but i don't see how it is anywhere close to necessary. once we got in, the server, amy, was very helpful with all our questions, and everything we requested was acknowledged with a smile. i have a feeling that even if we were the most annoying customers ever, she would still have kept up her smile and great attitude. on to the most important part: the food. the delicious, succulent, food. i ordered the cowboy ribeye with the bone in. it was pretty effin delicious. the default topping of melted butter made the seasonings on the steak become finely crisp, and accentuated the texture of the meat very well. my girl ordered the special bone in filet mignon, which was by far our favorite dish of the night. there were no parts of fat, cartilage or inedible pieces. each bite was tender and flavorful. it is what we will both most likely order once we go again. we also had the spicy lobster appetizer served with pickled cucumber, sweet peppers, and lemon wedges to squeeze at your own pleasure. it was a very good dish, but one i would return to after i've tried other items on the menu. as a side dish, we had the au gratin potatoes, which were another excellent dish. the cheese was melted perfectly on the potatoes, and the potatoes themselves had a soft texture that lent itself to be mixed with the cheese. i had to remind myself i was there for the steak, not the potatoes. that complimentary dessert we had was the creme brulee. it was served with various berries, and was another example of why ruth chris is as famous all around as it is. the crisp, sugar-caramel crust was like sugar chips that melted with the soft pudding. 5 stars for an awesome dining experience. it is obviously a pretty expensive place. the steaks will probably run around $60-70 and the sides will run about $15-20, but believe me that it is worth every pretty penny, especially if you are taking a date for a special occasion, or trying to impress her.
(5)Christopher W.
San Diego has these "Restaurant Weeks" a couple times a year. Ruth's Chris has been on there and they have the best steakhouse deal, it's the only one that let you have an option of a 12 oz ribeye and a filet. Other steak places only offer like a "cheaper cut" such as the sirloin or a flat iron, but none a ribeye. Medium-rare is the way to go! Not only are their options better, but their appetizers are great and the bread comes nice and hot with great butter. The waiters have an awesome tool to get all the crumbs from the table in a quick and efficient manner. The service is outstanding. I have heard that Morton's is the best of these high-end steakhouses and I cannot wait to give them a try when the time comes because Ruth's Chris is great in my eyes and I can't wait to see how a place would top them.
(4)Kristen L.
When I made reservations I put in the comments that it was our anniversary. When we were seated there was rose pedals & happy anniversary confetti on our table- very cute touch. The only problem was that we were seated in the very small back room & was very loud & felt like a closet. We decided to ask to be moved because he is a bit claustrophobic. They moved us right away without hesitation & even remembered our rose pedals and confetti for the new table :) To start we ordered crab stuffed mushrooms and seared Ahi tuna. OMG! The tuna was to die for and the mushrooms were great also. For the entree we ordered the Ribeye and filet- the filet was the most tender I have had & my boyfriend loved the Ribeye. Chocolate Sin Cake is a must try but you have to LOVE chocolate :) This is my boyfriend's favorite steak house in San Diego now, so he would give it 5 stars but I only gave it 3...I feel like the location was a miss, like it's on the wrong side of the freeway, not a great view, and not very romantic but good food nonetheless. We'll probably go again :)
(3)Tiffany H.
For someone who is not a big steak fan, I guess this is pretty good.. I typically would get lamb chops at a steak restaurant, but I decided to get filet mignon (asked for rare plus) this time! I had the prix fixe menu, and it was so filling! couldn't even finish the steak! the garlic brocolini was really good! the service was really nice! be sure not to touch the plates b/c they are 500F HOT HOT HOT!!!
(4)Alex P.
This place has gone way downhill . The service, the food and the class have diminished substantially. Ironically enough however the price have gone way up . When I told the manager it was the worst experience there in my life and that my once favorite steak restaurant let me down big time he made no attempt whatsoever to make up for my poor experience in any way, shape or form and merely attempted to blame the waiter. Last time ill ever be eating here.
(1)Mark A.
This place is amazing!! I went with my wife and we both agreed that their appetizer and dessert was enough to make us content to give them a five star rating. You'll have a great experience with the food. I wanted to give them a 5 star rating but their service staff was a little inattentive to give them a 5 star rating. Often times we had to ask for refills and other requests. Food is fantastic and the location is great. Tip: It's enjoyable regardless of their steak dishes. We would go here just to have their creme brulee.
(4)Walter M.
This is as good as it gets, if you can put aside the price. Each time I've come here I was prepared to spend over $100 per person. Yeah I've come here a half a dozen times and usually on dates (anniversary, birthday) and once for work, but if you figure it's the best it's going to get, then you'll really enjoy it. Part of my rating is based on experience and value, so I find it hard to spend that much when all the ingredients can be artistically procured and recreated with the right tools to similar perfection. The Ahi is good, nicely seared and fresh. Crab cakes are pretty large and the lemon butter is great, I save some for my baked potato or Lyonnaise. It's a simple dish, classic French, but not many places do it. Very herbal. The wedge salad is always fresh, crisp and if done correctly involved very little fork/knife work. Despite the handful of desserts I always get the Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, probably because I never see it anywhere else so I have to get what I can't get elsewhere. Ok so market price basically means whatever they want to charge you, but most places it's hard to find a 2+ lb lobster, but I went with a 2.5 lb which was huge, amazing and done to perfection. I could tell they salt the water nicely. The drawn butter bowl is pretty large and appropriate considering they sometimes offer up to a 5lb lobster. Lamb chops are good, no bigger than a regular chop, but juicy and I'm not sure how they plate it still sizzling, the mint is a nice touch. Steak, of course I've had their steak, I've had a few steaks. Most people go with the filet and petit and the fan's go for Ribeye, but my favorite cut is still the NY. I find ribeye to be flavorful, but a tad fatty. The uniformity of the NY is what I like. Apparently they cook at an extremely hot temp. My grill, stove, oven or smoker usually doesn't get above 550-600 let alone 1000. I go with a side of butter and steak sauce at most places, but at a steak house I go bare and I go rare. The NY isa good size and the Ribeye is about what most can handle. If you can eat and enjoy a large steak go with the Porterhouse, but if you're a beast then go Cowboy cut Ribeye. It's huge, not enormous, not food challenge sized, but if your getting an appetizer, dessert and drinks it's pretty hard to handle. Next time I'm going to ask for the baseball cut filet. If I get steak I generally go medium, if I go to a steak house I go medium rare-rare depending on the restaurant, but here I go rare, extra rare on the thinner cuts. Black & Blue is the general term for it. The small things. You figure the service would be better and you figure the waiter would know more about the steaks than the wine. It's kinda nice to not be intrusive, but when I ask for something I expect it. Like having the butter for my steak. 2 occasions I asked for it with my appetizer so that it would come with my steak and it didn't. I sometimes like to melt butter(not the regular kind, but with the lemon like on the crab cakes on the steak and by the time it got there it didn't sizzle off. Also The location is kind of in an industrial area and the valet is a bit of an unnecessary charge. I can understand if valet is the only option, but they have a private lot, garage and valet, overkill.
(4)Keakulina G.
Went here for my birthday, which happened to be restaurant week. The service is amazing. The menu for restaurant week was perfect, an appetizer, entree and dessert. I had the seared ahi, which was pretty amazing, just a little heavy in the wasabi (but that's the point), so if your not a fan of wasabi, not the way to go. The stuffed mushrooms were pretty good, not too much butter, made just right. The entrees also come with a side dish, (which I suggest ordering something different that the people/person your with) they are decent portions and can be easily shared, they are served on their own plate. The mashed potatoes and spinach are good!. I ordered a medium rib-eye And it was THE BEST steak I have ever eaten. It comes served on a sizzling plate, over 300 degrees. And when you say medium, it's medium!!! Not undercooked or overcooked, it's just as you ordered. My all-time favorite steak house. The dessert was petite and the perfect way to end the night, just to top off your tastebuds. I got a sweet cream with fresh berries. Very decadent.
(5)Jade A.
My fiance and I came here for Valentine's Day and had the best experience. We called and asked if any reservations were available and was told they were all booked but we were welcome to sit in the bar/lounge and have dinner. We didn't mind that, so we came in. The hostess showed us to the bar but it was completely full so asked us to wait a minute. She came back and sat us in the dining room right away (score!!) Our service was amazing and the food was like something the Gods would eat (haha jk) but it was pretty much perfect. We had the calamari, which is something we order often but this has to be one of the best we've had. Steak and lobster which melted in your mouth and ended with the chocolate cake. Our server was on top of his game. This put a great ending to our Valentine's night. It is a bit pricey, but is totally worth it.
(5)Cecilia S.
Very disappointed with our lunch. We waited 20 minutes for our food, only to have my filet so overcooked. Waited another 10 minutes (at this point, my husband was almost done with his meal), then got my filet. It was still over cooked. For an upscale steakhouse, they should know how to cook a steak to medium rare. My husband's fries were cold but we didn't send those back as we were too hungry.
(2)K. W.
Took my guy for his bday. I ordered the peach tea from the bar, sweet potato casserole, and Maine lobster. Also had the spicy shrimp appetizer. Food/drink was awesome but I had no idea my lobster would be $76. Next time I will ask! Service was wonderful!
(4)Faisal A.
Always go here for special occasions! It's the BEST. The Cowboy Ribeye and the Bone-In Filet are great! I'd say the steaks there are the 2nd best in SD!
(5)Mel S.
As I prepared myself to leave dinner missing one arm and one leg, I was pondering why, with so many absolutely amazing steakhouses within a 20 minute radius, do people constantly come to Ruth's Chris and spend substantially more money on their meals? I found out the answer is because Ruth's Chris ALWAYS delivers their tried and true menu in PERFECT form. Plus I have discovered that their $40 value menu still allows you to substitute their SCRUMPTIOUS lobster bisque for no additional cost, so I am super duper stoked. Unfortunately, our party had to wait almost 40 minutes to be seated with a reservation, and since we arrived 30-45 minutes early to drink at the bar our group was pretty fed up by the time we were finally seated. In addition, the hostesses obviously did not give a rat's hoo ha that we were waiting so long, which was irritating. I'd like to say once we were seated everything was great but I have to say even though we ordered drinks soon after sitting, it still took another 10 minutes for water and 20 minutes for wine to hit our table. If they didn't do so much making hungry people wait, this would have been a 5 star review. Once the drinks arrived everything was great. We ordered a very reasonably priced Malbec & Pinot Grigio (only $30ish) both were AMAZING. For appetizers we shared the Stuffed Mushrooms, Seared Ahi, Spicy Lobster, Calamari, Barbeque Shrimp. Mushrooms & Shrimp were good, but nothing special. The Ahi and Calamari were perfectly cooked and yummy, But the Spicy Lobster was the star of the show, no one could get enough and I will order that every time I go here for sure. There is a great "value meal" if you will For $40.95 you can get a 3 course meal including a choice of soup or salad, choice of 4 or 5 entrees that you would actually want to order, including the 6 oz filet & jumbo shrimp entree which is what I got, and then the cheese cake for dessert. There was also a $49.95 option which offered upgraded choices of entrees. This was a fantastic set of meal deals and every bit was perfectly cooked, full of flavor and the meat really shines. As a lobster bisque fanatic (I have tried it at probably 50+ in town establishments), I have to say Ruth's Chris' bisque is as good as it gets. Perfectly balanced flavors, terribly rich and always leaving you wanting more...; ]\ My hubby got the Cowboy Ribeye, he opted for that over the bone in filet because he wanted the marbling aka yumminess over the tenderness. The Cowboy was flavorful, perfectly cooked. For sides, we shared the potatoes au gratin (BEST!) and the mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus which were all perfect but nothing crazy special. By the time we were done w dinner, all the cheese cake was gone but the delish chocolate mousse cake they made was to die for. It was smooth, velvety and not too rich. The berries put it over the top and made a nice finish to our meal. All in all, this is definitely somewhere to go to spend a special evening when you are craving some serious beef and aren't looking for any thrills and frills in your food. If you are looking to see something new & different this is definitely not the place for you. But perfectly cook steak with yummy sides? Check! Leaving with a lot lesss $ Double Check! Still, im sure i will be back. Amazeballs - SPICY LOBSTER Bummer - WAY too long of a wait for a party that spent $2000+ on dinner.
(4)James S.
{MESSED UP STEAK, AWESOME SERVICE, & A NEW STEAK} Sometimes even good Restaurants make MISTAKES. In this case, Restaurant Week Medium-rare Ribeye came out Medium, and cooked many parts to a medium-well on the 500F plate. I'm sure it was cooked the same amount of time as Monkey's, but hers was well-cooked. Mine was over-done. When the Assistant GM asked how everything was after having eaten 1/2 my steak, I said to be honest, things are good, but my steak is overcooked. He said well that's not how we do it here at Ruths Chris! Let me bring you another one! I said no that won't be necessary (I hate to waste meat - something that has died for consumption). He insisted. I resisted. He won and I said okay just bring me a little piece. He said okay. 5 minutes later a sizzling buttery PERFECTLY cooked Medium-rare steak came out. Amazing service. {Pluses} -Creme Brulee is still delicious as ever. Paired well with late-harvest Riesling -Ordered the 06 PRIDE Cabernet that was on the menu and they gave me the superior 07. YUM. -Awesome Service by the AGM and Ashley the server. {Minuses} -Messing up the first steak -Appetizers: very heavily spiced tuna, but lacked salt. I would have put maldon sea salt on the pieces or some fleur de sel -Crab mushroom tasted like mushroom. Tried hard to find the crab flavor. Didn't. -Bleu Cheese crust used to be free! And, it used to be entirely bleu cheese. Now it's a mixture of Bleu Cheese and breadcrumbs. The former was wayyyy better. RC has a special place in my heart after 12 years. TWELVE YEARS! It's like my best friend in life. I like it better than Peter Luger's, Mastros, Donovans, and (Morton's shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence). Because of its accessibility, I like Ruth's Chris better than THE CUT in Beverly Hills. (IMO it's the BEST steak experience but with (good) wine it's $350-450/head.) Ruth's Chris with a nice Pride Cab and a few additional glasses ... $265 for 2.
(5)Nathanael L.
The filet mignon is definitely one of the best out there. The cut is so tender and gives the impression that it melts in your mouth. It is about the size of your fist and 1.5 inches thick. My recommendation for wine pairing is the Seghesio wine, which is offered around $14/glass. FYI, a bottle of Seghesio costs around $25 at BevMo, so wine pricing is reasonable. The lobster tail isn't bad either. The setup is quite impressive as with each order, they give you a personal dish of melted butter with a live flame to keep it nice and warm. The lemons are wrapped to keep the seeds from coming out. The service was wonderful. The waiter knew when to tend to us and when to leave us alone. The ambiance was a bit louder than I would have liked and from what I have experienced at other locations.
(5)Barbara S.
CHECK YOUR BILL!!!! It has been years since I have been to Ruth's Chris and I remember loving my steak. So, I was thrilled to know we were headed back. The restaurant itself is very noisy. We managed to get a table on the lower level which was great. Our server seemed a bit impatient with us from the very start. Bottom line is that 1 ribeye ordered med. rare came well done. Once the food was dropped at our table, waiter never bothered to come back to check on us. Baked potato-loaded came with a TBS of sour cream. It was dry and not worth eating. Two other filets came as ordered. We finally got another server to take back the overcooked steak 20 minutes later. The kicker is that when the bill came, we are overcharged by $100!!! We asked to speak to the manager, Bobby, who took 15 minutes to come to the table and then acted as if it was no big deal being overcharged and all he kept saying was that they took that crappy overcooked steak off the bill. Yes, as they should have! But then to be over charged $100 and have the waiter act as if it was no big deal??? Makes me wonder how many times they get away with that!!!! We won't be going back!
(1)Jennifer C.
We've been to this Ruths Chris a few times and each time has been fantastic! Everyone is so friendly and the food is delicious! Parker is the best server they have working there, always pleasant. I always get the filet and have never been dissapointed. The sweet potato side dish is so good we asked for the recipe and make it every Thanksgiving!
(5)Melissa M.
This is my absolute favorite place to get a steak in San Diego. I don't like my steak on the rare side, so the waiter suggested they butterfly the filet minion so it will cook all the way through. People are probably screaming at me for doing this such a fine piece of meat but it was so delicious and buttery i would do it again and again. Hint: whatever you do, do not touch the hot plate that your steak comes on.
(5)Tom C.
Best steakhouse I have tried so far. The quality of meat is that of most other high end steak houses but the what sets them ahead is the butter sauce. I makes the steak amazing.
(4)Lina L.
Ruth Chris Steakhouse was a random "Yelp it" and see which steakhouse was open around 9:45pm. Since We all know LA has bunch of open 24hours restaurant, but not so many when traveling to San Diego. So glad this place was just up the street from our hotel, although it was hidden between business buildings. Although we felt under dressed, we sat by the window and watched the architecture sculpture outside moving little by little. Our waiter was very nice, believed that I was old enough to drink without checking my ID (so extra points for him, yes I AM old enough to drink) Start off with a glass of Riesling (very good) Calamarie (sweet and sour) was definitely different Filet (medium-well) very good! Boyfriend got the Ribeye (medium) Cream spinich is like artichoke and spinich but without the artichoke Baked potato split in two was very good fulfilling We definitely enjoyed our late night dinner, because we didn't feel like we had to rush to eat so they can close. Our bill came out to be $150 + $20 Tip
(5)Dr. K.
Underwhelmed. We decided to try Ruth's Chris because we heard from a friend that it was good. The steak was excellent...great piece of meat cooked perfectly. No complaints there. The price was a bit steep, but basically what we had expected. The salads were okay, and the baked potato was very good, although $8 for a potato was more than expected. Descent drinks. The dining room was tastefully done, and the tables were nicely set. So why not 5-stars? I took 1 star off because the dining room was very loud. Something about the acoustics of the room made the background noise very distracting. After dinner, we passed through the bar, and that room was much quieter, which was weird. I took off another star because our waiter was a pain in the @$$. He kept coming over making jokes that weren't funny, interrupting our conversation, and generally being obnoxious. We may try this restaurant again, but if that waiter comes to our table, we'll be asking for another.
(3)Roland F.
Ruth's Chris restaurants are a mixed bag. I've had downright bad, like in Jacksonville, Florida, and I've had really great, like this one in Del Mar. The food is fabulous and the addition of the new Bistro menu is a very welcome change (more casual food at lower prices). Try the burger or the steak sandwich, but I'd avoid the sushi (it's just okay). In the bar, maybe you'll get lucky and get the affable and always entertaining Bubba, who is one of our favorite bartenders. Everyone though, from hostesses to bartenders, servers to bus staff (Juan is great) is well trained, helpful and nice. In the main restaurant, get the steaks which are buttery delicious, the halibut (but ask for it to be prepared on the rare side to keep it moist) is awesome, especially with the garlic crust and the surprise star is the stuffed chicken. I know, I know, but it really is that good! Oh, and be sure to take advantage of their summer specials (which run pretty much all year) and grab a complete meal for $49 or even $39.
(4)Tan D.
Hands down the best steak in town... This steakhouse has a certain aroma that just makes my mouth watery. And it taste fantastic! And you can not eat steak unleast it is rare!!! it should be illegal otherwise. I would say, this steakhouse is much better than donnovans, sorry donnovans, but they are the best.
(5)Lysabeth L.
The crab cake appetizers were hot, sizzling, and yummy! My steak and lobster were perfect! The broccoli au gratin and baked potato fell below my expectation! Staff was very nice!
(4)Tommy C.
My wife and I came to Ruth's Chris to celebrate my 30th birthday. We have always wanted to try it since I love steak and heard that it's the best. Made a reservation online for 7:30pm Friday night. The atmosphere is pretty casual, not uptight like I was afraid of. I ordered the 3 course combo with tomato soup, 11 oz filet (medium cooked) with mashed potatoes, and strawberry chocolate cheesecake for $60. My wife got the 12 oz ribeye and a glass of red wine ($15). It was the best steak I've ever had. The filet was sizzling, hot (and stayed hot), fresh, tender, tasty, and cooked to perfection (pink on the inside). The ribeye was just as good (big portion) but not as tender. The waiter brought out my dessert with candles and "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate. I was relieved that they did not embarrass me by singing but later another waiter came by and was joined by a random customer who sang real quietly. They helped us put the leftover ribeye in a small fancy silver sealed bag (which I ate the next day and was still tasty). Although the bill for two came out to almost $150, it was worth it for a special occasion. Will be coming back in another couple years. Only negative was when I asked for water no ice the waiter gave us a $8 bottled water. Oh all the waiters are very polite and thank you on your way out. Parking is very close, no need for valet unless you have a baller car.
(4)Valerie L.
This restaurant can easily be missed because it's located around office buildings. Most people compare Ruth's Chris to Donovan's but I think both restaurants have their unique flavors and I love them both! Appetizers: Calamari- This came in a big portion. It was fried and had a sweet and spicy sauce on it. Shrimp Cocktail- Jumbo shrimp! It came with a really good side salad. Entree: Filet with Lobster- 6oz steak and 8oz lobster for $45! Such a good DEAL! The service was excellent. I'll definitely be back!
(5)Kathy H.
Great place for lunch...pricey for dinner. Location is good. It's by a lot of businesses in Carmel Valley. I used to work within walking distance of this restaurant and would come here occasionally with a large work group celebrating someones birthday or a special occasion. The ambiance is nice, decor is very nice and the service was always good. They have great salads, chicken sandwiches and calamari. I never tried the steak.
(4)Rigo B.
It is rare that we come upon a place that has GREAT mouth-watering food. The port house for two was phenomenal including the salad and dessert (banana pie). Outstanding food! Highly recommend the cucumber gin cooler. The main purpose why we decided to write a review instead of just rating it was the 5-star service we received tonight. Shelby you were a doll and we appreciated very much your warm welcome and beautiful smile, also, thanks for giving us a great table. Our server Ashley was superb. Her knowledge of the menus was impeccable. Attentive but not intrusive. Overall, a delightful person. Thanks Ashley for an amazing evening. This is by far the best Ruth's experience we have had.
(5)Cheav C.
I've been here twice. Once for the hubby's birthday and most recently to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. The location is in a nice business district, no oceanview, just a view of the 5 Freeway, buy hey, you don't have to deal with finding parking in Downtown, so we come here. The service is very good here, as far as the servers/ waiters being very courteous and always checking in on you so you never feel like they forgot about you. Rose pedals on our table and complimentary dessert choice with "Happy Anniversary" written on the plate was a nice added touch. However, took off 1 star because our waiter messed up twice. First he took my order wrong & brought out the filet and shrimp when I ordered filet & lobster. He did apologize and even the manger came out to apologize (which I thought was really nice and exceeded my expectation). I was totally okay with having to wait for my entree again, but the second mistake was our waiter forgot to take the incorrect entree off of our check so we got charged double. The situation was quickly rectified, but still, come on, you messed up twice and if I'm paying $40 (gulp) for a piece of steak, I expect impeccable service. Food was good, pricey, but RC is place to go to commerate special occasions.
(4)D D.
An incredible disappointment! I first went to Ruth Chris's Steakhouse in the 90's in Phoenix. It was memorable but given where live I haven't frequented the restaurant in years. There were 9 family members and we decided to head out to what we thought would be a great dinner. Whoa...wrong!! Lackadaisical help, left hand didn't know what the right was doing, less than mediocre sides...one high note medium rare filet and that was about it. Then the bill came....over $600 for 5 adults 4 children. The quality and care that once was synonymous with Ruth Chris is gone...
(1)Bailey Z.
Ruth's Chris was quite disappointing. The night started off with three different appetizers. We all shared the Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes, Crabtini and a Calamari plate. The crab cakes were not that jumbo, but worse, it was very very mushy. It was good that it wasn't too breaded, but it should at least be nice and crispy on the outside and solid meat on the inside. It was like eating a processed crab cake, but at least the flavors were there. The Crabtini was probably the best appetizer we had. But you can't really screw up making a crab salad with big crab chunks, salad and a dressing. If they did, then I would've made a wisecrack about how it should be called a Craptini. The calamari was also not very good. Calamari should be crispy, but it was chewy and soggy. Not the way to go. I like how they went the Asian route with the flavors. It had sweet and Thai flavors. Onto the steaks! The servers make it a priority to always remind you that the plates that they come in are around 500 degrees so don't touch! I tried three different types of steak, but I had the Cowboy Ribeye myself. First impression was wow, do not come here if you are on a diet. To make the plate sizzling when it arrives, they basically add like a stick of butter on the steak. It marinates in its own juices and a ton of butter. I think the best cut has got to be the Filet. It is the most tender out of the three and has very little fat. Because the Ribeye has a lot of marbling, the fat content is higher. Cooked medium-rare, the steak texture is very good. Flavor-wise the steaks were juicy and delicious, but the fact that it had so much fat on it was a turn-off. The side dishes at Ruth's Chris are served family style. We opted for two different kinds of potatoes. The mashed potatoes and the steak fries. Holy moly, the steak fries are huge. They are the size and shape of those giant pickles in those jars. They would go great with a nice burger. The mashed potatoes were also good, but not worth $8; I could make those same potatoes so not that impressed. How could dinner not be complete without dessert? Nothing sounded that great, so we just went with the Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. It had the typical banana cream pie flavor but looked fancier. The whole plate was glazed with caramelized sugar. You can't even scrape it off with a fork. I would hate to be the guy who has to wash that off. The atmosphere was nice and it was not as fancy as I thought it would be. But dinner for that price was not worth it. It would be better spent going to purchasing steaks at Costco and cooking dinner myself.
(3)Nancy P.
I came here again for my birthday this year and I was not disappointed at all. Expect to spend a good chunk of money when you come here as everything is a la carte. I decided to try the petite filet and lobster tail this time around. Both were cooked medium well and perfectly juicy! I also ordered a side of potato au gratin, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli and fries. You know the steak is seasoned well and delicious when you don't need any sauce. The blueberry mojito was very delicious Customer service is excellent . They gave me a free dessert for my birthday. My date ordered me a cheesecake while I stepped out for a second, but I don't like cheesecake so they let me choose another. I chose the creme brulee. They were nice enough to let me keep the cheesecake. I'll come here again and again special occasion or not.
(5)Sarah M.
I am not the biggest steak connoisseur, but I must say that Ruth's Chris Steakhouse has been my best steak experience. I have only been to one other comparable steak house, and that was Donovan's in La Jolla. I have been to Ruth's Chris three times total, and every time has been a great experience. The most recent time I visited, I went with Wilmar D. We ordered the house Chianti (Da Vinci) which was very good (will get back to this later). They also gave us bread, which was very warm and tasty :) We then ordered the crab cakes, which were pricey, but expected of a place like this. When they first arrived at our table, they were decent in size but there were only two. I was discouraged until I took my first bite. It was the best crab cake I had ever tasted. Many of the crab cakes I have tried in the past have tasted a lot like imitation crab meat, but these crab cakes tasted very fresh and were delicious. I highly recommend these. Wilmar D. and I then received our main meal: Wilmar D ordered the T-Bone and I ordered my usual, Filet Mignon, except this time I ordered it medium (I usually order it medium rare). I know that Wilmar D. very much so enjoyed his steak, but I can't speak for him so I'm going to recommend that he write a review for himself. But my steak was AMAZING. I have found that depending on how you ask them to cook your steak, they will undercook it a little. Although I enjoy my steaks medium rare, I had found in the past that they were a little too bloody for my taste. But being more knowledgable about the workings of Ruth's Chris, I ordered my steak medium, and that was the best decision I could have made. The steak melted in my mouth with every bite and the large amounts of butter complimented the steak very well :) In addition to our steaks, Wilmar D. and I ordered the Sweet Potato Casserole. This side is a lot like a dessert, but nonetheless, very good and a great matching to our meal. Suprisingly, what matched with the casserole well was the Chianti we ordered (weird, huh?). I thoroughly enjoyed taking a bite of the casserole then sipping my Chianti. We ended up not ordering any dessert in this trip, but in the past, I have ordered the Creme Brulee, which was topped with fresh fruit and a mint leaf. It was very tasty and I highly recommend it!! Overall, Ruth's Chris is a great place to get steak and the appetizers, sides, and desserts that I've tried are all very delicious.The place is a bit pricey, but it's a great place to eat occasionally for a special occasion. I also like it better than Donovan's. Wilmar D. and I will definitely be going back in the near future.
(5)Jim L.
I've been here a few times and this is a great place to go when you want to bring out the carnivore in yourself. This location has nice views and I recommend arriving early and enjoying a drink at the bar. I've only had the steak here because I figure why would I come here for anything else....it's a steak house. My meal has always been prepared perfectly, piping hot and quickly. Everything here is a la carte so be prepared to throw out some dollars but every bite is worth it. Service has always been excellent and the attitudes as you walk into the restaurant has always been pleasant and welcoming. I would have liked to give it 4 stars because of the price but you know what you're getting before you walk in door, therefore the 5 stars.
(5)Jared G.
I took my Girlfriend here for Valentines day one year and we were both expecting just a little bit more. Growing up ive always heard how amazing Ruth's Chris is and finally had to try it out for myself. We both love steak so it was a natural choice to give it a shot. I think one of the problems is we came here for valentines day and the vibe i got was they were getting us in and getting us out as fast as they could because it was a busy night. I didnt like that feeling at all but i can understand why they do it, there is money to be made! But both my girlfriend and i could feel that vibe and wasnt a great start to a romantic evening. we both ordered rib eye steaks. they came out on the signature sizzling plate. The side orders are ala carte and we got mushrooms and mashed potatoes, both were forgettable. The steak: i ordered medium and this was overcooked. Im not overly picky and i finished it, but it wasnt the memorable steak experience i was expecting. 3 stars for now. I will revise and update my yelp review when i come back here. I have several friends who really love this place and ill definitely try it again.
(3)christopher m.
Bone-In Rib Eye was excellent Service was beyond reproach Thanksgiving Plate was superb as well. Expensive but worth it.
(5)Joann R.
I'm not a steak person. i actually hate steak, it takes me ten minutes to chew each bite before I realize I will never break it down enough and it's time to spit it out.. But because i'm dating a t-rex who loves steak I find myself at Ruth's Chris for anniversaries, birthdays and other fancy restaurant type holidays. I'm not complaining at all because they have the best CRAB STUFFED MUSHROOMS on the planet which the t-rex and I share every single time. I've switched it up quite a few times on my main entree but don't have a favorite because it's difficult to make salmon and chicken stand out for me to say "o m g that's amazing." However, those crab stuffed mushrooms are so good that I will have to say "o m g that's amazing." I've never complained about the service, but then again when you spend close to two hundred dollars for dinner (and a couple martinis) for two, the service BETTER be good. They started doing a lounge menu which doesn't empty your pockets but still fills you up and feeling satisfied. I had the crab cake sliders on the lounge menu and would try it again =)
(4)Parris B.
Came here for dinner and sat in the bar area. Ordered from the prix fixe menu: ribeye steak, house salad, and cheesecake and chocolate bark for dessert. The steak was amazing, served sizzling on a hot-hot plate, just the way I like it. Loaf of bread was served hot and fresh, nice outer crust. House salad had some really garlicky croutons. Loved the cheesecake, slightly tart, and the chocolate bark was delicious. Costed about $45.
(4)L A.
Although a chain, RCSH never disappoints me. I have enjoyed many meals with this company in about a dozen different cities and the quality of food and service is consistently excellent. My dinner with my wife at Del Mar was equally satisfying. We had a cocktail with Donovan at the bar on a seemingly slow Sunday evening. The martini was hand stuffed blue cheese olives. The wine my wife enjoyed was a Da Vinci 2008 Tuscan Chianti. Both wonderful. The sky was overcast so looking out over the marsh didn't give us the brilliant sunset we usually get, but the scenery was gorgeous none the less. Nicole was our server. Friendly, suggestive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. And luckily, not everything was her favorite. We enjoyed the osso bucco stuffed ravioli and spinach . . . DELICIOUS although i could have had those as the meal if there were more. I had a salad called a Pancheta or something like that. Mixed greens, corn, balsamic dressing that was perfect . . . I had the garlic encrusted sea bass . . . thick cut, light taste and seasoned just right. This was accompanied by au gratin potatoes and creamed spinach. The dessert was the can't miss creme brulee topped with fresh berries. Bill, the mod, came by the table and chatted with us. Very pleasant. Like Steven, I am never wowed by RCSH, but I am also always happy to eat here. Oh, one suggestion that my wife made, and we've done it before for parties, if you have a favorite bottle of wine, bring it . . . they will charge a modest corkage fee, but you can enjoy the wine you like vs what they have for you. happy dining!
(5)April W.
Best place - much better than SD location - they always prepare meat according to your request - top notch all the way as far as service & quality is concerned and consistent every time!
(5)Heather G.
One of my favorite steak house, love this place, excellent service!
(5)Tracy H.
Great steak, not so great lamb chops. Carrot cake was disgusting as was the chocolate mousse cups. We ate here quite a lot for birthdays and celebrations, but much prefer the West Steakhouse in Carlsbad for taste and service. Time to step it up Ruth's Chris!
(3)Meer S.
Wanted to love it. Went there Sunday before Valentines with family. Ordered ribeye. It was oversalted and covered in butter, I mean greasy. They claim 1800 oven, but the steak had the texture of something baked at 600. The steak was maybe 3/4 of an inch thick and grisly @ $40! Save yourself a lot of money and get a prime ribeye from costco, sear and broil at home. Sides and dessert were delicious. But I'm here for the steak. Not what i expected. Sad.
(3)Pen U.
Had a double date and it was a great time! Delicious, high quality steaks, sides, and desserts; as well as kind quality service that was worth every penny! Can't wait for the next occasion spent here.
(5)Johnny N.
Great experience. Awesome dinner. From the salad, to the rib eye, lobster tail. Everything was excellent. Staff was highly professional and nice.
(5)g.o. d.
Just ate there for the first time for anniversary. We had a big ol' gift card someone at my wife's work gave her so it was on the cheap side...still dropped over $75 of our own when all was said and done, but we did the whole thing--drinks, sides, what have you. Drinks: pomegranate 'tini & a sort of citrus margarita. Both yummy & not too sweet (a common mistake!); the 'tini edged out the 'rita in overal deliciousness. Starter: harvest salad w/ bleu, candied pecans, etc. Very very good; personally i didn't like the fried shallots on top (though I LOVE shallots); they jst didn't fit the rest of the flavor profile. But otherwise an excellent salad, and the shallots didn't bother my wife. I got surf and turf. Fillet was great. Lobster tail was pretty tough but tasty. Wife got the ribeye. She liked it; I didn't think it was the best I'd had. Sides of au gratin taters -- wife loves them; in general not my fav way to have tater, but these were really good. Also asparagus w/ hollandaise. Solid, not amazing. They should grill the asparagus. That would put it over the top. Dessert: it was our anniversary and they gave us a flourless chocolate/mocha cake. OMG, so f***ing good. It was orgasmic. Good coffee too. Large shout out to Ashley, our waitress, who was the best. So nice, very cool. We chatted. We bonded. We're BFFs. Overall: good food and service, like you'd expect. Price to value: so-so. If we'd paid the whole thing out of pocket I'd have been disappointed. Still, comparing this 1 visit w/ my 1 visit to Morton's, it was a more pleasant and higher-value meal here. Wouldn't go back to Morton's; I would go back here. Note: Surprisingly busy for a Sunday night--you'd not know there was a recession on; people were there w/ their little spawn, their grannies, their nannies, everyone w/ a fanny. Where do people all get this green to go out w/ their posse and munch down at RC's?? Even w/ a $100 gift card we dropped ducats. A good time was had, though, and that's the point, i'nnit?
(4)Ryan W.
Why would I bother writing a review of a chain steak place? Because even chains have their ups and downs. This one is in the middle of the pack. First off, it's in a weird location right in the middle of an office park. Unless you valet, parking is kind of tight (as in the spaces are small). The restaurant is fine, but nothing special and the low-lighting I'm sure improves the ambience. The meal itself was fine. Steak was cooked properly (it's amazing how many steak places can mess this up). The sides were fine, but nothing out of the ordinary. Service was friendly, but there were definitely large gaps of time where our server was missing - so water glasses went unfilled, etc. All-in-all, it was fine - your typical, non-descript, high-end, chain steakhouse experience.
(3)Mike M.
So the host was good , the waitress was good the food was good but surely not worth the 12.00 more than I pay at Outback for the same size steak It was ok, even good
(4)Robert S.
5 BIG RED STARS. I am pretty young (graduated from undergrad in 2009). And I hate when 'fancy' restaurants belittle or treat people my age like they're worth less than the other patrons. However, this was simply NOT the case here at Ruth's Chris! The service, as expected, was very attentive! My water glass was never even near empty! SIDE DISH. I had the creamed spinach with my steak. This was the ONE thing that I did not like about RC. The creamed spinach tasted bland and my date agreed. We tried to finish it but we didn't even finish half of it. MAIN COURSE. For the main course...I had the Ribeye with a Blue Cheese crust. I love 2 foods in life. Ribeye! and Cheese! This steak was the PERFECT fusion of the two! The meat was succulent and it definitely met my high expectations for Ruths Chris. If you love ribeye and cheese, this is a must try! DESSERT. This was great. The waitress asked if we were celebrating a special night. We, in fact, were celebrating. So she asked what our favorite dessert was and we said Creme Brulee. The next thing you know, she comes back with creme brulee and says that it is on the house! and she very politely wishes us congratulations! ***** = 5 stars right there! (I also noticed that the waiter for the table behind us asked his table the same thing. So Im assuming that they ask everyone?) And of course, the creme brulee was delicious. (and not just because it was free) Warning: The steak plates come out hotter than the sun. The waiter reminds you that the plate is hot so unless you like getting burnt, be VERY careful!
(5)pete b.
Had gone here for years along with Donovan's about 6 miles away. But over time Donovan's got better and RC became less consistent. Last time the service was inattentive and the waiter offered only 2 types of tea. That seemed odd, so I phoned the manager the next week to ask if they've eliminated their broad tea selection. He said no, it was probably laziness on the part of the waiter. He identified the waiter from my description and date and time we dined. Said he would have a talk with him, but no incentive to return. Why should I go back and be subjected to poor service when the prices charged calls for fine service. RC's, learn from Donovan's. Better food and service that puts RC to shame..
(3)Christina T.
Hands down BEST STEAK PLACE EVER. I love that the plates are hot to keep the steak warm and delicious. The service is great and the decor is very romantic. Great for dates, anniversaries, Valentine's Day. If only I could afford to go to this place more frequently...
(5)A M.
Yes its pricey but the service and the ambiance is impeccable. The servers are really attentive here but we did go for lunch and it wasn't crowded at all. Appetizers: Calamari- Fried deliciousness! A huge portion of calamari coated in a sweet chili sauce Crab Cakes- Buttery, flaky, and heaven in my mouth! Sides: We ordered something off the menu, I believe it was a sweet potato casserole? It's been a while. It was sweet, almost like a dessert. I ordered the New York T-bone steak. It was huge but was decent as leftovers. It comes sizzling on a hot plate with a pool of butter. Don't touch! We each had a creme brulee for dessert. It was a bit too sweet for me but i still managed to devour most of it. It was definitely hard to sit still at work after this huge lunch but a great experience overall.
(4)Robert P.
Went here for my brother-in-law's surprise graduation party and was completely and utterly underwhelmed. Waitress started off by hassling us about the placement of our high chair, to the point it was just rude, redundant, and condescending-really, it's not like it was our first time bringing our daughter to an expensive restaurant. After the third time of her chiding us for no apparent reason and her even going so far as to move the chair herself back to where she'd asked us to move it from, it was painfully obvious she didn't have kids of her own and clearly wasn't used to seeing them at her restaurant. Our daughter is extremely well behaved and our family definitely didn't deserve to be harrased just because she was out of her comfort zone. Anyway, that all would have been tolerable except that we waited half an hour just to have our orders taken, then another hour for a salad that had so little dressing it was like chewing on my freshly cut lawn. Another half hour later my steak finally came out but without its side. It took ten minutes between flagging someone down and waiting for it to be delivered to finally be able to enjoy my dinner. My wife and I had considered just getting our bill and leaving at that point, and really we should have, but since we were celebrating and had both chosen to order Ruth's Classics-hence our desserts were already paid for-we felt obligated to stay. Big mistake; between dessert and getting the bill we wasted another hour on this grueling, all-night dinner marathon. 6:30-10:40pm, I kid you not. The food was decent and the ONLY reason I would not give this a 0 star review-if that is even possible. Almost everyone ordered Ruth's Classics so there was not a high degree of challenge to the kitchen here, and frankly they should have been well stocked and well prepared to crank out our orders. Also, please let me strongly emphasize the word decent with regard to the food here, because at best it really was the bare minimum I would have excepted for the price tag and was far from making up for the atrocious service. I won't be coming back to this location again and would encourage others to avoid it as well. There are just too many other places out there that offer waaaaay better service and overall value for your money, especially when you're bringing them the incredible boon of large party business.
(1)Jocelyn O.
I've been here before with my girlfriends during San Diego Restaurants Week a few years back. This restaurant has two levels. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we were seated on the bottom level next to the windows with an ocean view. The decor on the bottom level seemed more elaborate then the second level. Ok, let's talk about the menu. I was surprised at the variety of items available. Maybe because I was used to coming here with a prix fixe menu. Anyways, we ordered the Seafood Gumbo, Lobster Bisque, Ribeye, Ruth's Duo, and Ziti and Cheese. The Ruth's Duo was a special that they had for $29.95. It included a 6 oz. Filet along with your choice of Crab Cake, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Fresh Fish Selection (which was Sea Bass) or Grilled Shrimp. I chose the Sea Bass. My husband enjoyed his Gumbo and the Lobster Bisque that I had was ok (not the greatest). It didn't take long from the time we finished our soups that the steaks had arrived. You can literally hear the steaks "sizzle" in fresh butter on the plates. Both entrees looked good. The Sea Bass was bread crumb/chive encrusted which really enhanced the look of the Sea Bass. The Ziti and Cheese was basically a fancy Mac and Cheese. We don't normally get dessert but since it was a special day our server gave us a complimentary NY Cheesecake (which usually costs $9.70). My husband liked it and I felt it was ok. I did notice how huge it was. Definitely meant to be shared. All and all, the dinner was A-OK. It wasn't like the BEST steak I've ever had but it's good enough to go back once in a while. The price was right since my entree was nearly $30 which was much lower than other entrees on the menu. This is one of those places to go to say you've experienced it.
(3)M.J. E.
Second time in my estimated 20 times that I have eaten here (+ the times at the downtown location) that I've had to send my medium-rare, cowboy ribeye back for being over-cooked to a medium. However, I don't get upset because their steaks and sides are just too darn good. Service is always wonderful. The ribeye was exceptionally good as diner-style steak and eggs in the morning :)
(4)Lucy B.
I just love to eat at this place. If I have a special occasion (or want a great steak) then this is THE place to go. The steak is servced piping hot and is covered in butter. The servers are always wonderful and attentive - with the manager talking to us about our anniversay a few weeks ago. The view is also one of the best in San Diego, perfect for a sunset dinner.
(5)Jackie Y.
I'm giving this place about 3 1/2 stars. I've heard so much good things about this steak house and finally got the chance to try it out. Over all it's a decent place- it's a place where you can have a romantic dinner, business meeting or family gathering. The food tastes very good and they give you decent sized portions. My only complaint about this place is that they use corn-fed beef. I know that they say that they are prime quality, but now a days, you can pick up prime steak at any market. The aroma and taste of corn-fed is much different than grass-fed. I'm a huge fan of Wagyu and Niman Ranch beef. I'll come more regularly if Ruth Chris offers these kinds.
(4)Teresa T.
I wanted to give this place a 3 1/2 because I tried their summer special, 3 course including dessert for $39. The salad was good, the crab cake with mash potatoes were good, the dessert....not so good. It was way too sweet for me. For $39 it was a lot of food to eat, and if you been to Ruth Chris you know that it cost a lot of money just to eat there so the price was great.
(3)Grace C.
best steak ever. now i can't have steak without dousing it in butter. love it. anytime a friend has a birthday event here i am secretly ecstatic even though my wallet suffers.
(5)Miss Maggie C.
This place has amazing steaks! I've been here twice for Restaurant Week already, and their food is delicious, the staff is always VERY attentive and friendly and knowledgeable, and their prices and portions are very reasonable. This place also has a great ambiance. I just took off one star because while their side dishes are huge, I don't think they really stand apart in any way from other restaurants'. If you come here, stick with the steak entrees rather than the seafood. Calamari appetizers were good, they were sweet. Lobster bisque was ok, too salty, although it did have a good amount of lobster in it. Their stuffed lobster was only ok.
(4)Ed G.
The steak is always good, but the pecan crusted yams are to die for!
(4)Veronica B.
For those who haven't been here.... expect to pay about $80 a person out the door... and that includes salad, sides, entree, dessert and a few drinks. Not too bad and definitely worth every penny. By far, the best meals I have ever eaten have been here. I love the ribeye and the stuffed chicken, potatoes augratin, broccoli augratin, and sweet potato casserole. Many people would never order the chicken in a steak house but let me tell you.... you have to try it once. I did and never went back to steak. Service is always great.... we ask for Greg
(5)Oriana C.
Again, Great Service. We already know the food is great here so no point in me going into details about it. =p
(5)Andy H.
I'm what you call... a frugal person. A person who thinks spending over $15 bucks on a meal is simply ridiculous given the times. Although, if the place is known for their quality and worth the price... I'll make the effort to pay a visit. People who know me, knows I'll drive far just to try a place. A foodie in training. I came here for restaurant week $40 for a 3 course meal? You can't beat that. I made my reservations through opentable.com and made a comment about placing us at a table with the view. They were very accommodating given the fact our reservation was in the evening and there wasn't much of a view left lol. I even got the same server from year or 2 ago (before I was a yelper)! I believe her name is Teresa. She introduced me to my favorite white wine: Estancia Pinot Grigio. The service was good. I can't complain. She was very personable and helpful. So i had the ahi and shared with a friend on her stuffed mushrooms. I didn't care for the seared ahi cuz it had an unpleasant spiciness to it. But I loved the stuffed mushrooms. For my entree, I had the filet and mashed potatoes. The filet is buttery goodness and super tender. But seriously, don't touch the plate. You will burn yourself. I did that to move it and got burned from it. I like my steak medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. For dessert, I had the chocolate sin cake. It's super rich. Whew! Side note: I'd recommend getting the lyonnaise potatoes. It was super delicious (although a bit on the salty side). I loved the firm texture with the soft sweet onions. If you're willing to spend 8 bucks more... I'd get it. Parking: it sucks. Its like a small strip over a valet only parking garage. The spaces are small so good luck finding something.
(4)Fabi R.
Ruth's used to be our "go-to" place for celebrations. It was the one place you could always count on for great quality and great service. Sadly, this isn't the case anymore. The past few times we've been, the place has been deserted. The employees say it's the economy, but I'm going to beg to differ. We went for my birthday last week and sat at our usual spot in the bar - the two very private, end seats called The Penalty Box. We know the bartender from our many years of coming, and as always he was polite and friendly, remembering our son and other details of our lives that we've shared. Used to be you'd get some super-yummy, extra crispy house made potato chips at the bar. No more. We ordered drinks and a pricey (well over $100) bottle of wine, which he opened and left to breathe. We ordered two rib eyes - medium rare, the lyonnaise potatoes with blue cheese and asparagus, but switched the asparagus to french fries after seeing what they looked like. For anyone who has ever had a ribeye, you know they are fatty and tend to be on the round side. Well, it took a remarkably long time to get our food, especially considering the place was empty. When we did, the steaks on our plates did NOT look like rib eyes. As a matter of fact, they looked like New Yorks - long and thin. One cut in and they were both tough as leather, despite their pink interior. Inedible. We ended up sending them back they were so bad. We FINALLY got our rib eyes, again after a ridiculous wait. Our bartender was nice enough to bring out fresh sides since we'd had a long wait, but by now our nice bottle of wine was almost gone and we were both getting cranky. The steaks were okay this time, but overly fatty and gristly - literally 1/3 of each was inedible. The potatoes, which are one of my favorite foods in the universe, were so salty I left half of them. The fries were delicious - sadly the highlight of the meal. We overheard the bartender making a comment that the person cooking had messed up several tables that night. The manager came over and apologized, thanking us for speaking up instead of simply not coming back. We got the check - and were charged full price for everything. After the check, the bartender offered to buy us a "coffee drink on the house". Seriously??? It was my birthday dinner, we were there HOURS waiting on incorrect, then inedible food. We ordered a great bottle to enjoy with our dinner, and didn't have the chance to do so...and the fact that the manager came and spoke to us and then didn't bother to take any money off our bill was...irritating. I understand restaurants have off nights, but when you're spending upwards of $100 a person on a meal, you'd better be spot-on every time...and if you're not, you'd better work a little harder than normal to make sure your clients are happy. Even Denny's will take a meal off the tab if it wasn't right! Sadly, I think that will be our last trip to Ruth's. We'll be looking for another high-end steakhouse to patronize, preferably a locally-owned one that values our business. One that gets our order right, or at least makes it right when they don't. Two thumbs way down for what used to be one of our favorite joints.
(1)Osamu I.
I love new York strip in here Also there is a bar space which is nice
(5)Maureen P.
had my birthday dinner here.... the ambiance will never be beat by any other restaurant IMO. my experience was perfect.. great customer service, and a beautifully cooked steak with lots of flavor.... no sauce necessary.. :] i would definitely go back on any special occasion.
(5)Henry T.
Great decor, very wide open, and I love the fact that there's valet to park your car. The entire place is very roomy and accessible. I actually felt kind of underdressed when I went there for the company Christmas party. The food is interesting. The steak is served in this very thin plate and is still sizziling from sitting in all the fat and juices and stuff. Very tasty red meat, soft and juicy, not hard to cut or chew or anything. The carrots and potatoes that accompanied the steak was also very good. The staff was timely and helpful, but not invasive, which is a good thing. They let you enjoy your food and with the army of servers they have, I never felt like I was inconvenienced. Chocolate fudge ice cream dessert is especially recommended. The one problem I had with the place was the placement of the men's restroom, which required everyone to move up a small elevator to the second floor location or go up some windy stairs.
(4)Yong L.
One of the best meals I've ever had in my life. I know there are better steak houses out there, and Ruth's Chris is somewhat of a cookie cutter typical type of upper-echelon steakhouse - but the day I went there, everything was perfectly made according to my palate. They had a special which included filet mignon, lobster tail with a lump of crab meat on top, so I ordered that. I also had the shrimp appetizer, which was good but nothing to rave about - you cant really ruin a garlic sauce shrimp appetizer, I suppose. Their calamari appetizer, on the other hand, was phenomenal. After the meal itself, which was amazing, we had their cheesecake. This cheesecake isn't a standard cheesecake, but rather the crust is different. It's hard to explain, but the cream cheese of the cheesecake was soft and succulent. I am a huge fan of steak, lobster, crab, shrimp, and cheesecake. Ruth's Chris in SD delivered. Also, my friend used to work at another location so we got 50% off. Their bathroom was also very clean and well maintained, which was to be expected for a restaurant of this caliber I suppose. I hope to be able to go back soon.
(5)Matthew T.
This always will be our favorite steak restaurant and it definitely didn't disappoint tonight. Steak was cooked exactly how we wanted it and our waiter Louie was attentive during our entire meal. It was a very busy Saturday night also which made it even more impressive. We'll be back soon! Thanks Ruth's Chris for another wonderful meal!
(5)Tony T.
I am not sure what the hype about this place was all about but i gave it a try during restaurant week and was pretty dissapointed...the stuffed mushrooms were incredibly salty, the steak wasnt very flavorful but the service was speedy
(3)Troy K.
Ribeye. Ribeye. Ribeye. My absolute favorite. I've eaten at Mortons, Donovans, Flemings, Rainforest and many more great steakhouses. Many people bitch about the butter on their steak. It creates flavor. And when I go out for steak, I'm enjoying a great evening and not counting calories. Besides, most those people will order a 1000 calorie desert and not even be concerned w the amount of butter in IT.
(5)J C.
The best part was the food yumm!!! service was okay most people there foo foo white (upper class) felt a bit outta place But it was good!
(4)Eileen P.
Went here for my second time on Father's Day. I forgot how good my first experience was about 5 years ago, but we wanted to treat dad out to a nice dinner. My family doesn't usually eat at nice restaurants like this, in part because it's tough to get my dad to dress up, but we were able to this time and I figured this was a good choice that would make him feel special. I had reservations for 4 originally, but with a last minute addition, we had to wait 10-15 minutes upon arrival. No biggie - there were chairs against a wall and also a lounge to wait in. This was a perfect time to get a drink at the bar. I decided on a special cocktail and got the pomegranate martini. Very well made! Strong, but no cringing for me. Sweet and tart, but not too much. The yellow sugar rim was a nice touch. Finally seated, the table was beautifully arranged. Our server, Lynn, was a very nice man who really took the time to answer our questions, offer informed suggestions, checking on us often, and even joked with my dad a bit. Knowing that my brother and I were in charge of the dinner plans, I really appreciated that Lynn came to my brother or I about small details of the dinner like the timing of when our steaks would start to cook and also their estimated arrival to the table. I'm glad he was our server that day because I could tell my dad had an enjoyable experience. Most of us ordered from the 3-course set. This was a great deal because you get a choice of salad, choice of steak, choice of side and a dessert for a flat price of just under $50. I got the steak house salad, filet medium-well, side of green beans, and upgraded my dessert for $3 to creme brulee. I had to ask the stupid question if steak came in the steak house salad! Since they are a steakhouse, they call it such rather than a house salad. Duh! Anyways, that salad had different leafy greens and I chose the vinaigrette - it was the perfect size that I could finish without feeling full. I ordered my filet medium-well, which was perfectly pink in the center. I like how the menu explains the different ways to have your steak, in case you forget and don't want to look stupid asking the server what medium-well means. I'm not a huge meat person but I finished every bite of that steak - it was perfection! The flavors and seasoning they use to cook their steaks make me drool just thinking about it. We didn't need to be warned not to touch the scorching hot plates because we heard our steaks sizzling! I chose the side of green beans for something different, also since I could just reach over and taste my mom's mashed potatoes. I expected the garlic mashed potatoes to be amazing, and they were! But I was surprised how good the green beans turned out - a little salty, buttery, garlicky... mmm! I love creme brulee and their's is soooo goood! It's a larger oval dish, big enough to share, and it came with fresh berries. I finished that off almost on my own! Just when I thought I couldn't eat anymore... I found room for creme brulee! We were all very pleased with everything. Definitely a great place for a special occasion.
(5)Captain C.
Oh the joy of a beautiful piece of cow superbly cooked, simply and elegantly, with a glass of your favorite red...is there anything like it? The expectations where high; I was thinking Gauchos in Adelaide, or Cha Cha Char's in Brisbane... I was not disappointed. The meat was butter-knife soft, full flavored and perfectly cooked. (I asked for rare, wanted blue, and got blue.) There was even a Peter Lehmann Shiraz available by the glass. A sweet night, perfect service, and they even threw in a small birthday treat! All expectations were exceeded and we will be back before we head home!
(5)Brian K.
"I really love the ambiance and service at Ruth's Chris but their food offering is not as nice. Don't get me wrong, they serve USDA certified Prime steak and they have the usual side offerings of numerous potato and vegetable dishes and lots of salads to choose from. Overall, we had a good time, but personally, I like Fleming's and Morton's a little better in terms of being well rounded. This Ruth's Chris is VERY casual. When I came here, people were in swimming trunks and sandals. I'm not saying you should dress that way but don't feel like you have to be over-dressed. Guys, dark jeans or slacks, a collared shirt and black shoes will do fine. Girls, a skirt, nice top, and some flats will be fine. If you wear black pants, they will give you a black napkin to avoid lint (which I thought was clever). I say avoid the desserts and go someplace else; even to a Baskin-Robbins. To clear up some statements that another reviewer left for the Ruth's Chris on Harbor (no names...)... 1) "The meat was very subpar. It lacked flavor, and the cuts were poor." - I find those statements strange. The cuts, especially for a nation-wide steakhouse, is almost exactly the same. It's not like a fingerprint; almost all the steaks will be consistent in terms of its cut. The flavor "could have lacked" (I think he means the marbling) but of course, because USDA Prime beef if so unique and rare (less than 1% of all beef), you will get variation from time to time. 2) What's up with a Kobe steak costing less than a 8 oz. filet mignon? Probably trying to unload some expiring beef. " - It costs less because Ruth's Chris does not serve Japanese Kobe beef ("true" Kobe beef); it is "Kobe" beef from the US. Even if it was "expiring," the cut would be very expensive (a fresh 6-8 oz filet of Kobe will be ~$100). Also, I doubt Ruth's Chris would "unload" expiring beef. It's not worth it for someone to get sick and come back with a lawsuit. 3) "Another peeve I noted was that the waiter didn't let me taste my wine when he opened it. $25 for corkage and he couldn't even extend me the courtesy and etiquette of respecting my wine." - $25 corkage sounds about right, and pretty decent. It was $35 at The Palm and $30 at Roy's just to give you a comparison. As for "the no tasting," the waiter simply did a "hard pour." I find that a lot of new and young/old wine drinkers are into the sniffing and swishing wine stuff. Next time, try asking for a "hard pour" and you will actually sound and look like you know what you talking about when it comes to wine. Also, keep in mind that when you bring in your own wine, which is completely legitimate and okay, be in the waiter's shoes....he is thinking that he already lost the 15% for tip on a wine the patron would have ordered. By no means is this the right way for a waiter to think, but again, be in their shoes..."
(4)Alyssa V.
Ruth's Chris Steak House ~ Definitely in my top 10 steakhouses of all time! If you have never been before you must go, and soon! You will be treated like royalty, and you may not be able to go back to one of those other chain steakhouses again...You know that one place where we all like to go occasionally for their famous onion appetizer? This place is so not that type of steakhouse. I love putting on a beautiful dress, jewelry and high heels for dinner, that is this type of place. The place where you go for that onion appetizer, well I still like to look pretty when I go out, but I notice not everyone is that way, last time I went a saw a girl with flip-flops, torn jeans and holding a Mt. Dew can, while waiting to be seated! Um no. Steakhouses should be a lovely dining experience, and if that is what you are looking for, then please read on, as that is what you will find... I wouldn't say that this was simply a nice dinner out, I would go so far as to say that this was a dining experience. White tablecloths, pretty ambiance, fabulous food, excellent service. Everything from the wine to the dessert was above par, and far better than I could have ever expected. I hate using the word server, but our server was phenomenal and very friendly, not fake friendly either, genuinely helpful and extremely knowledgeable about their menu and wine list. We each had 2 drinks before dinner, some wine with dinner, and enjoyed garlic mashed potatoes, steaks (perfect filet ~ medium rare), and then dessert, oh my goodness, please do not skip the dessert! Shrimp Cocktail, yum! This is what I will always start as a prelude to my steak dinner. Delightful, light, always delicious and never quite too filling. There are other tasty sounding appetizers as well if this is not your thing. Caesar Salad, again a staple for me as a prelude to my steak dinner wherever I may be dining, and this one was wonderful. There are other salads & you can get a wedge salad, always a nice idea to cleanse the palate after an appetizer & prior to your steak's arrival. Steaks, can you get something else for dinner, sure you could, but I am not the type of person to order a salad or seafood at a steakhouse for dinner, if you are, check their online menu as I'm sure you can find something to your liking. Steaks are brought out to you literally sizzling on a 400°F metal type of plate topper. Wow! I so love that, I am the girl you see in a Mexican Restaurant who orders fajitas and loves when they cross the restaurant to me in front of everyone with a steaming plate of yummy goodness. Ruth's Chris makes that event even better, because it's a steak hello! If you are a steak lover, call as soon as you finish my review and make yourself a reservation, not even kidding. Have you ever heard the saying, 'cuts like a knife through butter'? That saying most definitely applies here with their steaks, the knife just slid through, and bite after bite I was thinking, I could really live on steak daily if it were always cooked like this one! I already am making plans to go back soon. Dessert, something I love almost as much as steak! Usually I love to order anything made of chocolate, and I am sure it wouldn't disappoint. If you love chocolate, there is a decadent dessert for you on the menu, however a good friend told me beforehand, that if I were going to Ruth's Chris, I must try the Bread Pudding & Whiskey Sauce ~ My first thought was, umm no, this is California not Kentucky, Bread Pudding? What? However, I tried it, thinking I would not like it at all, boy was I wrong! This is one of my new favorite desserts, first of all, do not picture pudding, like Jello Pudding out of a box, haha this is so not that, I do not have a picture because we just dipped our spoons right in and polished off about 75% of this incredible, indescribable, delicious sweet treat, but trust me when I say that you must try this, especially if carbs are of no concern to you. Make Reservations ~ Peruse The Menu ~ Take Your Appetite ~ Enjoy! PS ~ Remember The Bread Pudding!
(5)Mitch W.
4.5 Stars! My faith in Ruth's Chris steakhouse has been restored! We came here for restaurant week and the food was good, but not great. It was very crowded and I think the quality went down some. On Friday night, we came back to Ruth's Chris and the food was delicious! We didn't have a reservation, but with everyone at Coachella, there wasn't much of a wait around 7pm. We were seated upstairs and the dining area was about 1/3 full when we arrived. It's a bit quieter upstairs. Looking over the menu, they have a three course prix fixe menu (similar to restaurant week) and two price points - $43.95 and $54.95. Both of us selected the $43.95 prix fixe. I got the 1) Steak House Salad, 2) 6 oz filet with shrimp, 3) Mashed potatoes, and White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Almond Bark was the only dessert selection. My friend got the same except 1) Caesar Salad and 2) Sauteed mushrooms. There are several other selections for the $43.95 prix fixe menu which include: Butter Lettuce BLT salad or| Chicken Tortellini Soup. Other entrees include: Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops, Stuffed Chicken Breast or Chef's Fresh Fish Selection. Other sides include: Fire Roasted Corn, Green Beans with Roasted Garlic or Creamed Spinach. I also had an Oatmeal Stout which was very good and almost like a meal in itself! My friend had their Riesling. Service was very good and the food was brought out HOT, HOT, HOT! I really like their warm bread (soft inside, crispy outside) with whipped butter. Great meal, I'll be back! Please see my pictures! Cheers. Xie Xie!!!
(5)Alyssa L.
Came on a random Monday night with my boyfriend who suggested we eat at this place. Surprisingly I haven't heard about this place until he told me about it. So i was like why not you're paying for it haha. Parking in this plaza is easy to find (maybe cuz it was dead when we went and a monday) but they do offer valet parking right at the front. We were immediately greeted by their hostesses and they were very nice and led us to our table. It was dead slow when we went and there were plenty of non-occupied tables. Our server was very nice she suggested her favorites as well as the most popular on the menu. She did think my boyfriend and I were underage so she automatically didn't talk about any of their wine pairings. WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE MY BOYFRIEND AND I LOOK 18 STILL. (to be honest) but she did grab the drink menu and i was able to order something off that (i turned 21 this month haha) FOOD: The bread and butter the food runner brought out was really good. Easy to eat and WARM and FRESH. I also ordered an alcoholic beverage which was their blueberry mojito. Which was actually very refreshing and the right amount of mint, blueberries, and alcohol. It kinda reminded me of the mint juleps you can get at disneyland. For my main dish I ordered the 3 course combo which came with a choice of soup or salad, an entree, and dessert. I got their chicken soup (forgot the whole name of it ) and it was just DELISH. The broth is so tasty especially mixed in with all the different vegetables. For my entree i got their petite filet with 3 jumbo shrimp cooked medium. AND LET ME TELL YOU, whatever herb seasoning sauce they used was just incredible. It was so tender and so soft and it was so juicy in every bite. The shrimp as well was cooked perfectly and paired so well with the steak i got. My boyfriend order the three course meal as well and got the same soup as me and got the ribeye steak. His steak was HUGE, a very good cut of meat indeed. He definitely enjoyed his steak. For dessert we had their white chocolate raspberry cheesecake (as i can remember) and it was soft and creamy it was really good. Although I couldn't eat the dark chocolate that was also included on my dessert plate (the chocolate was too hard for my braces to consume and chew) so I gave them to my boyfriend which he enjoyed through every bite. SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE: Service was pretty on point and everyone was very accommodating and nice. The interior of this restaurant was very "fancy" so fancy that when my boyfriend and I showed up we thought we may of underdressed....haha but the experience was nice and it overlooked the freeway but it was still nice because we were able to catch the sunset at dusk. OVERALL good place to go out on a date. A little on the pricier edge but do expect that before coming here. Will definitely come again and totally recommend for anyone in need of a steak fix !
(5)Alan C.
After many, many, many years I finally gave Ruth's Chris a try. Came for their Restaurant Week $40/$50 deal. 1. Their appetizer portions are huge! The stuffed mushrooms were awesome, though I was basically half full after eating those. 2. Steaks- while they are not dry aged or anything fancy like that, the meat was well seasoned and the very tender. The heated plates do tend to cook the meat more so you may want to consider opting for a bit less cooked than you normally order. I personally prefer the rib-eye over filet. 3. Most of their dishes contain butter, a lot of it. I highly recommend bringing or ordering some red wine to cut the fattiness of the steaks and their side dishes. Service was very friendly and attentive. Overall I enjoyed my evening at Ruth's Chris- 4 stars.
(4)Omar A.
Second time here, and they don't seem to know how to cook steaks beyond medium rare. Medium doesn't mean well done. And medium well doesn't mean burned. I know I am in the minority because I don't like my steaks to be bloody, but "how do you like your steak done?" suggests that my request would be honored. What's the deal? I have been to many cities and Ruth's Chris never disappoints me. Except for this location. The lobster appetizer was spot on, but the steaks were awful. The dessert was also very good. The creamed spinach side was meh, and I typically love Ruth's Chris' creamed spinach. It is an expensive meal to screw up. And when you're here for a special occasion, you don't want to ruin the occasion by being fussy and sending your meal back.
(2)Mark S.
Great service and great food. The steak melts in your mouth, no need to chew. Nice atmosphere.
(5)Shalini G.
i can't believe i have lived near here for so darn long and never even came here!! We decided to do a group HH ...which is 4:30-6:30... i arrived a few minutes before 4:30 and all tables were taken...leaving us to stake out the bar...we pretty much had all but 4 seats at the bar for our party. The HH menu is fabulous! Choice of burger/fries, steak sando/fries, crab BLT, seared ahi, spicy lobster...all for $8 each.. drinks were also $8 each... i ate the ahi & the lobster...both were amazing!!! they were the smaller portions, so if you're a big eater...you will need to order more food...but it was more than enough for me. i took a bite of my friends steak sandwich...yum! that was a full meal in itself..for s great price! there were 3-4 different bartenders cycling through and helping us and they managed to keep everything straight... we each got our own bills, without any fuss (that's a major plus!)... i can't wait to go back for HH again! next time i'll arrive earlier to snag a table...but i actually enjoyed sitting at the bar if we had been a smaller group (not easy for conversation with such a large group)...
(5)Emerald P.
Best Ruths Chris ever!! The service is top notch, and the food is superb. Chris the manager and Dan the assistant manager are the best hosts of the restaurant. Also if you are lucky enough to be dined with Jon, you will get the best service available. Also you can't go wrong with laughs at the bar with Bubba.
(5)Mary B.
Came here for dinner before my boyfriend left for deployment. It wasn't busy bcuz it was a weekday, so the service was on point. Got my usual filet mignon, with mushrooms and mash...It was perfect. It was so perfect, I forgot what my date ordered bcuz I was too into my steak LOL The crowd here is older businessy people, so we kind of felt out of place being a casual young couple just here looking for good steaks! Overall I'd recommend this place to anyone who brings up steak! There just isn't any other place that can satisfy my steak cravings now but Ruth Chris.
(4)Ken R.
The entire experience for my family and me was excellent. The wait staff are true professionals and all the food was excellent. The porterhouse for 2 is a unique cut that many steakhouses don't offer so it is worth going there with a hungry friend to try it. My 16 year old son did remark that the disclaimers about the temperature of the plate seemed excessive.
(4)Eric P.
Yeah, it's a chain restaurant and normally I don't like chains, but Ruth Chris is one of my few exceptions. I've had steaks at Donovans, Flemings, Mortons, and Greystone and I think Ruth Chris tops them all. Usually start with the ahi appetizer and go with the petite filet w/ garlic mashed potatoes for my main course. By then I am usually too stuffed to have any dessert. What I like about this location is its not as busy as the downtown location. Yeah, it doesn't have a waterfront view, but I like the interior better with the vaulted ceilings. Overall, great place for a special occasion!
(5)Kathleen R.
Never had a problem when dining here!!! My family and I come here for special occassions. It is expensive but well worth it :). Excellent service!! LOVE LOVE LOVE all of their veggies!!!
(5)U S.
I like to celebrate special event there. The service is very good.
(5)Ellen M.
You really can't complain about a buttery-good Ruth's Chris steak ... unless it is not prepared to the correct doneness. I ordered my steak rare and it came to me fairly well done. They were very sorry and replaced it, but that means I got it after everyone else had finished their meals. Sigh. This place was packed on a week night. EXTREMELY busy. So I can understand the mix-up, sort of, but not at these prices. It was quite delicious once they got the order right.
(4)DMF u.
Attended a work Christmas lunch as a guest, and was so disappointed in this place. There were 16 people in our party, and 3 sent their steaks back to have them re-cooked. Since I was a guest, I didn't want to make a scene so I picked at my hockey puck..er petite filet medium rare..instead of sending it back. So that's 4 out of 16 in the party where the food was not cooked properly. If you are going to be a steak place, you gotta' know how to cook a steak. I think the night cook at Carls Jr could do a better job than the chef on duty when I ate here. Ate at the Ruth's Chris in Wailea last month as it was just awesome - the cowboy ribeye was perfect; this Carmel Valley location just doesn't live up to the brand. Someone from the corporate HQ should send some secret diners to check this location and get them up to snuff.
(2)Carrie H.
Amazing service Fabulous Food Steak is a must as far as sides go: the sweet potatoes are A-Mazing!!!! i recommend the special set menus they have that give you options for salad, entree, side, and dessert! best bang for your buck for sure!
(5)Gary R.
Finding a great steakhouse in San Diego can be a hit and miss prospect. Over the years, though, I've come to realize that obtaining a fantastic dinner at Ruth's Chris is always a sure thing. I never have to wonder if they will get it right; they always do. Such was the case as I celebrated my parents' anniversary this past weekend. There was no better place I could think of to rejoice this joyous occasion than to spend it at Ruth's Chris where I knew everything would be perfect. Ruth's Chop Salad is one of my favorite starters. The mosaic of beautiful colors and flavors in this creation is divine. I love how the blend of the bacon, mushroom, egg, green olives, and lemon basil dressing work together to form a symphony of flavors. For an entrée, I always order the filet. To this day I have not found one steakhouse that is able to duplicate the rich, buttery flavor that is found in a Ruth's Chris steak. And paired with their delicious sautéed mushrooms and Lyonnais potatoes, you have a feast fit for royalty. Oh, and did I mention that they have an extremely diverse wine list? Well, they do. And the wait staff is always knowledgeable to pair your meal with the perfect wine. I can't wait for my next visit!!
(5)Klaudia C.
I made the mistake of giving Ruth's Chris another opportunity, my fiance and I had dinner last night and the experience was terrible! The waitress left us at the table for long periods of time and if it wasn't for the bell boys picking up dirty plates, we would have not had water at our table as well as we would be sitting with our empty salad plates. The steaks were pretty fatty I had the filet, and it had "way too much fat?" and my fiance had the New york steak, he ate 40% meat and 60% remained on the plate as it was also just fat and grissle? The onion rings were super soggy, the mushrooms were okay, nothing spectacular they needed to be cooked with some flavor. The thing that sent me over the edge was that it was a birthday celebration for my fiance, he called in and stated it was his celebration and when the hostess walked us over to the table way in the back against the wall at the door opening??? very cramped, she asked about a special occasion and she replied "Well at least you're still alive?" without having knowledge that we were celebrating his birthday at a later- as he had a life threathning incident, I guess that was a bad sign but he wanted to have dinner here so I complied. The dinner for 2 was over $200.00 which I don't mind paying if the food and service were spectacular but they were absolutely Not! This is the last time I waste my hard earned money on a D restaurant. Lastly, there was a man with a suit that walked around asking how things were, but rushed by while we were in mid-bite. Do not waste your money or time, when we got home both of our stomachs were queasy, probably because everything was so darn greasy. Our plates were left with a substantial amount of food, that should have been an indication for the waitress to inquire, but she did not care. We will not be returning to this restaurant, we were highly disappointed, I will be visiting a first class restaurant like Flemings, were we always receive amazing service and incredible food, even pricier than this one but it's worth it, you leave satisfied because the meal and the service are impeccable.
(1)Ann A.
I came here in early January during a last minute trip in the area. PARKING It was easy and plenty of it. Nice change since you either have to pay or valet to park in LA. We arrived about 15 minutes early so we had cocktails in the bar. We had a Moscow mule, champagne and a martini. All of us were happy with our drinks. FOOD We all had the Ruth's Classic which included a salad, main course, 1 side and a dessert. I ordered the house salad, rib eye, mushrooms and some sort of chocolate dessert that I could not eat. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium and it was a bit overcooked. SERVICE Service was okay. Not horrible and not great. However, out of all the Ruth's Chris locations that I have visited, this is by far my favorite location.
(4)Jessica T.
I LOVE all Ruth Chris Steakhouses!! I've been to three and none of them have let me down. The steaks are always prepared just the way I like it. Tender and succulent with a warm pink center. The way their meat seems to soak up the butter to make every bite delectable is extraordinary. And not to mention, the lobster tail!! I always get the filet mignon and lobster tail, the best of the best for surf and turf meals. :] And even though I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes and gravy, I'll have to admit that their mashed tots are pretty up their in flavor. But for those of you who can't stand too much sodium, I'd suggest something along the lines of the string bean veggies for your side. Even their mushrooms are pretty bold in flavor. But other than that, this place is an all-time favorite for steakhouses. Friendly tip: During Restaurant Week, Ruth Chris offers a 40 food menu which includes some pretty awesome 3 course meals. :]
(5)Erin M.
Wow! This place really knows how to make it's customers happy. This will be a long review so bare with me. We went to RC for the first time in September for my hubby's birthday. We went to the one in SD by the bay. It was the most awful experience of our lives. Tonight however, we went back but this time to a different location. We are so glad we gave RC a 2nd chance! The dining room was booked for well over 90 minutes when we arrived (we went there on a whim and didn't have time to make reservations since there were Christmas parties going on) so we sat in the bar/lounge. Donovan helped us and he was amazing. He was super personable, made killer drinks and was so fast. He didn't keep anyone waiting and he never once looked like he was, as they say, "in the weeds". The food was out of this world amazing. We got calamari and Cesar salad to start and for our entrees, we got filet's. As a side dish we got garlic mashed potatoes which were delicious. For dessert we shared the lava cake or whatever it is called with the ice cream and chocolate syrup(the bartender ordered it for us so that's why I can't recall the name). It was so savory! We made sure to tip our waiter 20% and we look forward to going back there again soon. P.S. Do the valet it's so worth it and our guy was doing it all by himself tonight. He did a stellar job too.
(5)Brian A.
Ruth's is definitely the standard.
(5)Tammy C.
This place is great. I went into Ruth's Chris during restaurant week and I was extremely pleased with everything. My family and I were seated right away and our server was very nice. We ordered off the restaurant week menu ($40 three-course meal). I got the Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, 12 oz. ribeye and Chocolate Sin Cake. Everything was cooked perfectly. The Crab Stuffed Mushrooms were delicious. The 12 oz. ribeye was yummy and stayed hot from beginning to end. The Chocolate Sin Cake was also good, but a little too rich for my tasting. The entire time, the staff was extremely friendly and did a great job keeping our table clean and our waters filled. I am pleased with everything. I definitely recommend trying it out.
(5)Princess N.
This would have to be my 5th time eating here and their rib eye never cease to amaze me. The rib eye portions are very generous too. The crab corn chowder, MUST TRY. Don't bother leaving if you haven't tried it! The last time I ate here was for restaurant week and the dessert selection was a little disappointing (then again it's restaurant week), but usually I get the creme burlee and that's torched to perfection! Bread is best when right out of the oven. Customer service is always top notch. Noise level - perfect. I didn't have to yell across the table to talk to my girlfriends. Entertainment - some man purposed to his gf that night, it was so sweet! Bathroom has mouthwash for you. Oh, and don't forget the complementary mints at the door, they're my favorite! Ruth.. Chris.. I love you ;D
(5)Marlene M.
After about 2 years of having a gift card to Ruth's Chris I finally decided it was time to use it. No better time then restaurant week. It was my first time here. It was as good as everyone said it would be. Even better since it was restaurant week I got a full course meal for $40.00. Well add $20 bucks to that, I got the 3 glasses of wine deal they were offering. Hors d'oeuvre: Mushrooms stuffed w/crab Entrée: Petite filet & garlic mashed potatoes Dessert: Chocolate sin cake (chocolate & espresso) The mushrooms seemed large in size and stuffed with plenty of crab. I can't remember if they gave me 3 or 4 stuffed mushrooms. But they were very filling and had lots of flavor. I wanted to leave room for my filet so I only had like 2 mushrooms, and shared the rest. The filet was my favorite part of the meal of course. I ordered it medium well. When they brought out the sizzling plate my eyes got so big haha. When I say sizzling I mean like HOT out the oven. They warn you about how hot it is. Do not touch the plate. At first I thought my filet was burnt. But once I cut into and took that first bite OMG I was in heaven. The meat was so soft but had a perfect little crunch to it. I rubbed my meat all over the plate to get all that left over butter juice. It was delicious, along w/the mashed potatoes that were so tasty and fluffy. The chocolate sin cake was so rich & chocolaty. Some people may not like how rich it is, but I enjoyed it, especially w/a glass of sparkling wine/champagne. The cake was very moist. It comes with a fresh strawberry. It looked so pretty. The service was outstanding from the minute we arrived till we left. The waitress kept calling me by my last name. Our waitress was so attentive. The manager even came around to ask how our meal was, and if we needed anything. I LOVED it. My night was over after that meal. I went into a serious food coma lol. Can't wait to go back...someday :)
(5)Christian M.
Great steak. I had to start off the review with that statement. I went here for my birthday last year for the first time. I have been to a few other steakhouses previously and had high hopes that this one would be good as well. The ambiance is really nice. It oversees the ocean so that's a plus. It also has that nice feel to the place which is a business casual type place. I felt more comfortable here than other steakhouses that try to seem too high class. As far as the food goes, this place is excellent. I ordered a filet mignon and it was so tasty. The meat is so soft and you can slice it with a knife by barely putting and pressure. Get the steak medium rare here. You won't regret it. The price doesn't seem so bad either for what you're getting. I'd probably say that was the best steak that I've tried so far. This place is great. Go here for your special occasions. It's definitely worth the money.
(4)C M.
This place is fantastic! Not only is their food absolutely delicious but their customer service it's up to par too...our wedding was on the day of the black out last year and to reminisce they setup a room filled with candles for us to eat which we had to ourselves..it was so romantic! This will be our future anniversary spot! The BEST!
(5)Paul C.
Amazing steak and their side dishes are really good. As for their service, they always have someone checking on you which can be good and bad but I don't mind it at all.
(5)Amanda H.
I am definitely a fan of this location. The view is great, the wait staff is efficient and the food is memorable. My party and I ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms, BBQ shrimp, and shrimp cocktail for apps. The BBQ shrimp was AMAZING!!! My entree was the fennel and caper buttered salmon, which was melt in your mouth. My table shred sides of asparagus, creamed spinach, and scalloped potatoes, which were all decent, the asparagus being the best. On the next visit, I would likely try different sides. As a table we all shared for dessert, the sin cake (OMG!) the creme brule, and the banana cream pie, all note worthy. Parking blows!
(4)Kristy H.
Ruth's Chris is one of my favorite steak houses in Boston and the one here didn't disappoint. It's an odd location, but great inside. It's spacious (the one in Boston is super tiny!) The filet is perfect, wine list great. They go above and beyond in service. I ordered a Syrah to go with the Filet (what the menu recommends). I had never had a Syrah before and I hated it, they took it back and didn't charge me for it. Let me order a new wine I knew I liked. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Pauline M.
Great service, consistently amazing food, nice ambiance: I've been here several times before, but I recently stopped in during restaurant week to see what they were offering for 40 bucks. I have to say, Ruth's Chris is probably one of the BEST steals during restaurant week considering the large amounts of quality food you get. I started with the ahi tuna which was good, but ask for lighter sauce if you can't handle spice. My Mom had the crab stuffed mushrooms and oh. my. god. I highly recommend ordering these even if you're not a mushroom fan such as myself. For the entree I got the petite filet which as always, never disappoints. The fact that it's covered in butter doesn't hurt either. The Restaurant Week menu also included a side of mashed potatoes (sooo creamy) or creamed spinach and they give you the full-sized side. Dessert was pretty standard... I got the cheesecake and truffles, but nothing to write home about. I've gotten the apple cobbler in the past which was AMAZING. I also have to add, great service considering how busy they were. My water glass was always full and the table always had piping hot bread to nibble on. Overall, another wonderful experience.
(5)Morefield M.
Always a favorite when you want something nice, you'll get the best every time! Ribeye steaks from here are my favorite anywhere alongside Azul's in La Jolla. One of my very favorites and one place I'll visit continuously even though there might be places I haven't been. Ruth's Chris is fail-safe for a perfect dining experience.
(5)Emily M.
I came here for the first time during restaurant week with a few friends. LOVED this place. For $40 (restaurant week fixed menu): -Crab Stuffed Mushrooms -Petite Filet -Mashed Potatoes -Symphony Duo (dessert) Some thoughts: Bread: I like to rate bread. Bread is a favorite food for me. Good bread, but not my favorite (Cheesecake factory brown wheaty bread ftw). More of a sourdough type of bread. Crispy outer layer, with very soft inside. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms: VERY flavorful. Definitely a lot of garlic and butter flavors. The bulk of the flavor was concentrated on the crab/stuffing. It's good in small portions, but the flavor is a bit strong, and too much of it can be salty. Best enjoyed in bits. Petite Filet: (Medium Rare) REALLY tender. Just really delicious, well seasoned meat. You can tell something is cooked well by the way you're able to cut through. Eligible for baby trading status. Mashed Potatoes: Good, but not my favorite. It had a really creamy consistency, almost like a puree. It was well seasoned and flavored, but the butter kind of sunk to the bottom. I personally prefer mashed potatoes to be of a thicker consistency with the skins mashed in. Symphony Duo: Cheesecake + dark chocolate bark. Cheesecake was pretty good. I wasn't expecting the cheesecake to be that good since the focus is meat. The chocolate bark was a pleasant surprise as well. I really liked the play of the semi-sweet chocolate with the salted walnuts. Service: Excellent service! Waiters/hosts were very attentive. This is the only location I've been to, so I can't compare to other Ruth's Chris locations.
(4)Mark F.
Ate there last week. Ordered my usual fare, combo deal with salad, side dish and regular filet. Price was great, less than $60 for all three. I ordered the filet medium rare and although it was good, I would have preferred it to be a bit pinker on the inside (hence not 5 stars). That said, it's hard to go wrong with butter coated meat! Will go back again but probably in a few months.
(4)Brent S.
A friend and I were in the mood for a steak last night, so instead of going to La Jolla, we stopped off the 56 and went to Ruth's Chris. Since we weren't in business attire, we sat in the bar lounge which was really nice as well and offered a full menu, so that was great. After we ordered our Vodka cocktails, decided to try the Seafood Gumbo soup which was great. Another cocktail then Ribeye entrees with sides of Mashed Potatoes, both of which were great, and cooked as ordered. Our server Jaime was great, and on-point. Almost gave 3-Star rating because the $160 bill we didn't feel quite justified teh amount of food we got, but then again, this isn't exactly a cheap steakhouse and the service was REALLY good, so 4-Stars it is, and yes I'll be back for special occassions!
(4)Greg D.
Food at Ruth's Chris is always amazing food. The location is a bit odd given that it overlooks a freeway, but you can expect the same high quality food here as you can at the other locations.
(5)Lefev J.
The husband and I ate here for our anniversary dinner. I have to say I love this place, it was our first time eating here and we will be back. We got to the restaurant early, so we went to the bar and had a drink and some apps while waiting. I had a glass of Conundrum, which I always enjoy and he had a beer. For apps we ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms and the shrimp cocktail, both were very good and I could have just eaten those with a couple glasses of wine and been content. We got seated in the lower level and had some bread, which I didn't eat but my husband really liked it. I ordered the petite filet medium, which was cooked to perfection. The only draw back I could see was the popping butter all over, but do like they say and hold the napkin up to protect your clothing and it's fine. The husband had the bone in ribeye medium rare and his was also cooked perfectly, if he could have he would have picked up the bone and knawed all the meat off like a dog! For sides we got the asparagus and the au gratin potates, both were very good and much like the apps I could have just eaten those and been perfectly happy. They gave us a complementary dessert which was nice and a very good way to end the dinner. All in all, I have to say it was a very nice evening, the service was perfect and the food was great. The only downside is the noise level in the place, very loud since there are a lot of tables, but it's not enough of an issue to really complain about.
(4)Trish F.
Very disappointing, not the Ruth Chris it used to be. Here for my husbands last night, right when they opened. Waiter was very mediocre for a restaurant of this caliber. Placed our order and waited for bread. My steak, a petite rib eye was served on a white small plate. What's happened to the sizzling black pan? It was hot yes, but presentation not nearly as good. Had to send my steak back it was very "nervey" and not medium rare as requested...very medium. Now there were only 3 couples in the whole place at this time. If a steakhouse at the beginning of the night cannot get the steak cooked properly, what happens when it's busy? Manager did apologize actually a few too many times and got me another steak pronto. This one was cooked fine, but truthfully Costco's rib eyes have more flavor. What we always loved about Ruth Chris was the clarified butter on top. To me, it tasted like it was just butter, not clarified on top now. My husband was not impressed with neither the potato or broccoli gratin, just too mush cheese and mushy. When they brought us more bread, they took our butter...and to finish the evening off...when I had first come in I made sure I mentioned to the hostess to please tell our waiter that it was my husbands bday. When dessert time came the waiter asked if we wanted dessert or coffee without saying about bday dessert. I felt dumb having to ask, but I did. He brought him a dessert and then charged for it and I had to have bill corrected. Just not the experience we remember at Ruth Chris! Don't know if it's just this one or across the board. Guess I should have read reviews first. Disappointing expensive dinner!
(2)Holly S.
They forgot our appetizers, but we ended up with free take away deserts and a free bottle of champagne following serious management apology. As ever, a real class act.
(5)Kelly J.
This is a very nice restaurant due to the inside decor and the top notch service. However, the steaks are pan fried with lots of butter and I prefer my steaks grilled. I would rather go to Iowa Meat Farms and grill my own steak. Not only will I enjoy the steak more but will save a lot of money in the process.
(3)B. D.
When a customer pays this much to dine out, there is an expectation. My gf and I visited this location to celebrate New Years (1 Jan 2013) - we will not return. True to Ruth's Chris style, the food quality was AWESOME. Service? -FAR from it. We are both in our upper twenties and were appropriately dressed for the semi-formal atmosphere I've observed at every Ruth's Chris locations. The 50-year old manager made a stop at every table but ours, to include a five minute stop with some tool who wore a bright blue sports jersey and sported three obnoxious kids. Within closing hour (i.e. it wasn't busy), we ordered dessert, and our waiter disappeared. It took over 20min to arrive. Of course, we were then all but ushered out of the restaurant. My plate was grabbed by an interrupting employee before I was even finished. Drinks. Without contest, San Diego is the BEST craft beer city in the country, with 60+ local breweries. However, this location has no draught beer. -Why? When I inquired to the beer selection, I was offered (bottle) Bud Light, Miller... where am I? Terrible, what a disappointment! Also, the red wine pairing recommendation listed for the dinner special was lousy and more expensive than better options. Why was I not surprised? Also, i find the name very irritating, "Ruth's Chris." I feel dumb just saying it. Although the food was great, when you dine out, you're typically paying for the service, which is not worth the price at this location. We'll opt for the SD waterfront location next time.
(2)Kevin B.
Best all around restaurant I've ever dine at. The price definitely makes this one of those special date-night places, but is worth every penny. Took the fiance here for restaurant week. To prepare for the feast, I ate a $15 steak at Hunter's Steakhouse for lunch so that I can compare it to my $40 prime rib later at night.
(5)Valerie G.
Best steak I've ever had! I was visiting the del mar area on a one night vacation. Ruth's chris happened to be right by my hotel and I had always heard they had the best steaks ... But this was my first time ever making it. First off, I made my reservation thru yelp which is great and awesome an so convenient secondly. I was again only in town for one day and I didn't have any nice clothes with me. So I was worried I would be out of place. But adding a Peacoat to jeans was enough. The staff was super friendly from the guy on his break in the parking lot to the waiter. My girlfriend had the white bean and chorizo soup and said it was delicious. I hadthe t-bone steak and it wad fantastic. Absolutely perfect. It's not that expensive when you put in perspective the quality of food you are getting.
(5)Annie T.
Ruth's Chris is a shameless hussy when it comes to butter. My guess would be that with every steak they serve, they pressure pump it with 2 sticks of butter. J/k I doubt that's what they do. However, they do take no shame in buttering generously....and the result is SPECTACULAR. I've been here on 3 different occasions now and have never been disappointed in their medium-rare rib-eye perfection. Really. It is PERFECTION. I doubt I'll ever order anything but a medium rare rib-eye there...it is that good I promise you. Other dishes I don't really care for, but the rib-eye deserves 5 stars all by itself. Oh and you people who hate butter on steak? You're lying to yourself. Minus 1 star to the waiter who is confused by who ordered what and that some dishes had unmelted butter on it. Guests do not pay 50 bucks to have a block of butter in their face. Other than that. Insanely awesome. Now, get yourself to a Ruth's Chris ASAP and order yourself a fabulous rib eye.
(4)Sherryl C.
One of the best steaks and service I've ever had. Every dish is served on a screaming hot plate swimming in butter. Dinner here is certainly the type that leaves you feeling full and satisfied. We splurged and ordered 3 courses with wine (celebrating a birthday). I prefer a ribeye over most cuts, but that's just me. My husband and I LOVED the sweet potato casserole. I think it's better than my recipe :( The prix fix menu is the way to go, unless you're willing to spend a pretty penny. As soon as I took a bite of my steak, I turned to my husband and proclaimed that we will ONLY come to Ruth's Chris for special occasions. Sadly because it was a expensive, otherwise we'd go here a lot more often.
(5)James S.
Nice steaks and they offer a dinner menu including a starter and a veg. Service was good but the waiter didn't know much about the wine's available and didn't help suggest anything. Decor is nice but a bit like a hotel lobby. Decent views of the wildlife reserve area and the sunset and a weird, but yet nice, statue outside. Despite it being quite upscale you can still dress a bit casually (well, it's San Diego).
(4)Paula A.
They do not honor reservations made from opentable or if they do they will seat you in the worse table they can find. Food is very expensive for what you are served! They have become a chain that mass produces their product. Most steak houses today serve better quality at less expensive prices. I for one will never eat again at the Del Mar location. Perhaps another Ruth Chis steak house without a rude hostess and a manager that encourages business not turns it away would be an option for those persons that have fond memories of the Ruth Chris name and reputation from years ago. Save your time and money and choose a better place to dine!
(1)Ulysses M.
Really hard not to like this place. The service is good, the meat is bomb, and oh man do they have awesome Ahi Tuna and Mashed Potatoes. Oh yea, and the steak is good too. Personally, whenever I go here, I go for the Rib eye - medium rare. It's so nice and juicy. Man, writing this review is making me hungry. The best times to go here would probably be during Restaurant week, where you can get more bang for your buck or during a special occasion, like a date or something. You can't lose.
(4)Kortney G.
Very disappointing. I went here with my boyfriend for a nice dinner last week while I was in town. We made reservations and still sat waiting for our table for 15-20 minutes. After being seated we had average at best service from our waiter. Our entrees were brought out and as the waiter sat my food down, he knocked over a glass that not only spilled the drink in my lap but also, might have broken glass into my food. The waiter said he needed to remake my dish just incase glass got in there, which was fine with me. We then sat and waited for 10-15 minutes while my dish was remade. In the meantime my boyfriends food just sat there, getting cold. I completely understand that accidents happen and I was not even upset with the waiter. Honestly the tables were a little small for all the food, appetizers, drinks, bread etc. so it is understandable that he accidently knocked the glass over. What I didn't appreciate was the lack of offering to remake my boyfriends food, offering a desert, offering a wine while we wait... none of that. Also, in the approximately two hours we were there we heard not one, but two trays crash to the ground and glass break. I just expect a little more from a higher end steak house. I have honestly had better service and food at Outback. Save yourself some trouble and don't go here.
(2)Carole J.
First Impressions: This place is tucked away and you would never think of driving up this road. Thankfully Ruth's Chris has a long standing reputation, I don't think any other restaurant could survive here. I think this location is actually best when you have some day light hours, there is a great view of the valley. It is of course, very beautiful inside and on what you would expect from this kind of fine dining. The Service: Our sever was really wonderful. She was friendly, made suggestions and was very knowledgeable about the menu. She offered historical insight about the use of espresso in the World War and why lemon is used. She was friendly and attentive. I was very pleased with the service. The Food: We all decided to take advantage of the special, which was a choice of select meats, an appetizer and a dessert. It was a really great deal. We all order the Rib Eye, all three selected a different salad. We also got mashed potatoes and the corn side dish. The steaks were perfect. The mashed potatoes were amazing and the corn side dish was surprisingly refreshing. The dessert was nice, not as good as the rest of the meal, but we ended the evening espresso and a cappuccino; the best we'd ever had. Overall: This was an incredible meal, perfectly fit for celebrating a birthday (which is why we came). Thank you for a wonderful evening.
(5)Melissa P.
Came in for dinner recently for my boyfriend's birthday. We usually go to the downtown location, but live in north county now so thought we'd try out this location. We had a reservation, but I'm not sure that's as necessary at this location as it was not very busy when we were here. As others have noted, it's located in a corporate area, which is a little odd, but made parking simple on a Saturday. If you don't feel so inclined to walk the few extra feet, there's also valet available. Our server Rachel was fantastic. The old fashioned my bf ordered got high remarks, which says a lot coming from him. For dinner we both ordered from the classics menu, I got the scallops and he got the strip. Both were good. We upgraded one of the sides to the sweet potato casserole. If you get anything here, get this. You will not be disappointed. We also upgraded one of the desserts to the bread pudding which was also great. The dessert that came with the classics this night was a strawberry shortcake thing, it was decent. The only thing I don't love about this location is the (lack of) ambiance. It feels like you're sitting in a banquet hall.
(4)Nory B.
Wow. So underwhelmed. Came for a special occasion--wish we'd gone to Bertrand's or Mr. A's instead. Requested a window table in our reservation, they tried to seat us in the middle of the room at the table with the most glare; had to wait 15 minutes for a table closer to the window. Okay, not a deal breaker....service was really solicitous up until the point that my husband's steak came out rare instead of medium, slightly pink as he ordered. Took several minutes before the server even checked to make sure the steak was properly cooked; when it came back out it was nuked--no pink at all. And the server didn't check to make sure it was cooked properly before he took off--it took over 10 minutes before he checked back, even though my husband tried to get his attention. The sides of broccoli, corn and Brussels sprouts were just okay--nothing special. The "barbecued shrimp" was bland and seemed boiled, not grilled, and the sauce on it was heavy and thick creamy--not a white wine sauce as described. The quality seems to have gone down in the last couple of years. And lastly, I had requested a piece of chocolate cake with Congratulations on the plate to commemorate our special occasion--the maitre' d was aware of it because he congratulated us as he seated us, but when we were offered the dessert menu, no mention was made of my request. At this point, we weren't feeling special, so I didn't bother asking about it. They did comp my husband's uneaten steak... For over $400, I expect a lot more--we will not be back.
(2)Amy-Ni N.
What a great experience from beginning to end here last night. My husband made reservations for our 2nd wedding anniversary. We were seated at one of the best seats in the house. At about 7:30PM they retracted the shades and we had the perfect view of the sunset. It was beautiful! Our table was also decked out with little silver "Happy Anniversary" confetti and our menu also says "Happy Anniversary!". So awesome! We ordered: -Dirty Goose Martini -Moscow Mule -Cocktail Shrimp (4 huge prawn sized shrimps) -Porterhouse for two (40 oz on a plate to share, this is probably enough to feed 3 people) with blue cheese crust -Lobster mac n cheese -Sweet potato casserole The shrimp cocktail was a great start, they were huge and the cocktail sauce was made really well. The porterhouse was so melt in your mouth delicious and the blue cheese crust was a perfect topping. The lobster mac n cheese had a jalapeno flavor to it that I really enjoyed and the sweet potato casserole has been one of our fav sides and still is. We had a ton of left overs and this is one of the few times we're excited to be going home with some food for tomorrow. Always the case with Ruth's. Our waiter also offered our choice of a free dessert. We went with the Crème brûlée and had no regrets! It came out with two candles lit with Happy Anniversary written on the plate in chocolate. What a great way to end the evening. Michael, our waiter and the entire waitstaff made the night extra special. Thank you Ruth's!!!! We'll be back next year!
(5)P A.
I haven't been to this location in years. Stopped by recently for Happy Hour around 5:30pm. The bar was packed and all the tables in the lounge were taken. One of the hosts, Chris, added my name to the list for tables and made sure I knew he was working on finding me a place to sit. Great service and great HH menu!
(4)Diana A.
Made a reservation here to celebrate a friends birthday. The hostess noted the birthday and name but they completely dropped the ball?! No acknowledgment or anything :( I felt bad my poor friend probably thought I completely forgot to mention it. Aside from that big disappointment the service was phenomenal. Food was just ok. They made my steak well done when I asked medium so everyone was eating while I had to wait for my steak to be recooked. Mac n cheese was good but the sautéed spinach was very bland no flavor at all. For the price I expected a better tasting steak! Valet is pricey at $8. Looks like we will be going elsewhere for birthday or other special celebrations.
(3)Courtenay S.
I decided it was about time for my crew and I to do a happy hour. One of my friends said she had never been to Ruth's Chris for happy hour so we all agreed so we meet up there. My friend arrived at about 430 which is when happy hour starts and there were no bar tables available. So she sat at the bar and saved a few seats for the rest of us which was fine. It ended up being nine of us but it all worked out fine. Happy hour was from 430 to 630 and everything on the happy hour menu was $8. I ordered the steak sandwich with fries which was good but a little bland for my taste. The fries didn't have much seasoning and probably could've been cooked a little longer, but add a little ketchup and everything was yummy. One of my friends ordered the ahi tuna which was delicious! I would have to say that was my favorite dish on the happy hour menu. Another friend ordered the spicy lobster which was tasty but not as good as the ahi tuna. As far as drinks go, like I said everything was $8 on the happy hour menu. I ordered a Cosmo which was pretty good and my friend ordered the Cabernet. I must admit I will be looking for that cab stores! Ha ha. All in all, it's a pretty nice happy hour. Next time I plan on ordering the burger and a side of the sweet potato casserole which is one of my favorites at Ruth's Chris. We will definitely be back very soon!!!
(4)Sang P.
One thing I really like about Ruth's Chris is its consistency. Whichever Ruth's Chris I go to, they all make their steaks with equal amount of seasoning and sear. They're always spot-on medium-rare and delicious with perfect amounts of butter. I got the cocktail shrimp, baked potatoes, NY Strip and asparagus. Cocktail Shrimp: Fatty shrimp pieces...a bit pricey but delicious nonetheless. Baked Potatoes: Standard. NY Strip: cooked well. Not too much fat. It was good. Asparagus: Nothing special. Overall, I had a good meal but it was very pricey. It's amazing how pricey this establishment became since last time I came here (10 years ago). This place has a good view and good service.
(4)Tricia C.
Came here with my coworker for happy hour. The bar area was super packed but I was lucky enough to get a small table. There was only one chair at the table so the waiter went and got me a extra chair so we could sit there. The happy hour menu had good options. Every item sounded really appetizing! We both ordered the prime burger with cheddar cheese and the lightly seasoned fries and a glass of wine. The burger was super juicy and a really nice size. It came with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes on the side. The french fries were cooked really nicely with a crispy outside and a fluffy inside. I love that they are right down the street from work. I plan to come back here to try the full menu with my bf for date night. I can't wait!
(4)Maddie M.
"I heard you feeling, nothing's going right," then honestly come to Ruth Chris for some culinary therapy and let the culinary masters go to work! Dressed to a 10! Birthday Dinner Celebration Ready! As we sat down at our reserved table for four adorned with Happy Birthday Confetti. Our waiter was so polite to give us his suggestions on what his preferences were, which I'm sure no matter what you get it will be amazing! Appetizers and wine started flowing into everyone's starving stomachs that's when I realized how classy, elegant, and romantic Ruth Chris is. As any classy restaurant, everything is served al a carte, so you can get to try all the incredible sides. The gooey cheese sauce on top of thinly sliced Potatoes au Gratin and tenderly Sauteed Mushrooms accompanied my perfect medium rare Filet Steak and bottle of wine. As the sun set, the candles got brighter and more wine was poured. Dinner was more than plenty, but the awkward Happy Birthday song came after and was chorused throughout the restaurant, which made me blush! Thank the lord it was night with mood lighting, so no one noticed my blushed cheeks! However, my Happy Birthday Creme Brulee made up for the embarrassment and Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. Coffees and espresso just tipped the scale of the overindulging fullness, but every bite was eaten with each taste bud exploding only craving for more. Heavenly Divine!
(5)stephanie z.
I've been to this Ruth's Chris over a dozen times on special occasions - and, unfortunately, this was the most disappointing meal I've ever had there...and it was my B-day, too. My son and I ordered the Petite Filet, Medium - and it was so over cooked, it was hard to chew and had wrinkled like an old apple - no pink at all. The mashed potatoes were OK, and so was the sweet potato crunch - we also ordered the brussel sprouts - and they were so undercooked we couldn't chew them - and under-seasoned, as well - a real disappointment since I love brussel sprouts. They exchanged the brussel sprouts for the creamed spinach, which is one of their specialties - and it was luke warm/cold - another disappointment. For my "special" b-day dessert, they plated 2 - 2" round pieces of cake (I think) two strawberries with whipped cream - they wrote Happy B-Day - my name on the top and bottom and it had 3 tiny - and I do mean "tiny" chocolate truffles on it. A surprise awaited me as I look at the menu which had personalized a menu with m name printed on top - very nice touch. The service was good, overall, as usual...but, I'm not sure I'd let my son buy me such an expensive and disappointing meal again. Old habits die hard! The kitchen was really off!
(2)Jeremy S.
Ruth's Chris is cool and their steak is always tender and buttery to the taste. This location is cool as it is close proximity to my work, has a nice ocean view in the distance and is open for lunch on Fridays. Having been here for dinner several times and lunch several times, I Must say that the dinner service is far superior than the lunch service, not sure why but they seem to care more. Regardless, the food is absolutely awesome here and I have never had a bad experience at this location. My go to meal always involves a medium cooked filet mignon with something else. If going here for lunch, try the filet steak sandwich, it is freaking delicious! Paired with wine at dinner or an iced tea at lunch and you have a winner! Mmmmm, thinking about the steak here makes my mouth water! Pros- Steak Food Wine Tea Appetizers Night shift service View on a clear day Cons- Pricey Day shift service $8 for valet?! Fries suck View on a cloudy day
(4)Trang N.
Booked a reservation for my fiancé birthday, and I was not one bit Dissapointed from their excellent customer service - greeting us once we walked in, to their delicious ON-POINT dishes, to how clean and classy the restaurant was and how sweet and FUNNY their employees were! It was a perfect dining experience, thankyou Ruth Chris! Amazing steak, $50 steak -- but oh my gooooodness. Pure juiciness! As for their appetizer, I would highly recommend their spicy lobster, mouth-watering deliciousness!!!! You already know I had to order another round of the spicy lobster appetizer! Stuffed mushrooms, and calamari appetizers are also very delicious and worth trying!!! Also get the scallops entree -- MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH, literally! As for drinks .. A lot of delicious Wine selections as well as beers and cocktails! A glass of Chardonnay for me please! Our waiter Adam was seriously the best!!! He has such a awesome personality, and was very attentive and super funny! Don't forget the dessert!! Ohhhhh my goodness.. Chocolate explosion was my favorite!
(5)Kristy J.
We loved living closeby to the Ruth's Chris in Irvine off Jamboree. Such great food, perfect date night, always superb service. Well we tried the Camel Valley location a month or so ago and had an awful experience. We were celebrating a promotion, my husband and I, so when we arrived we ordered drinks in the bar. When he got his drink glass, his glass was chipped (sharp edge where you drink(, he went and asked for another one (where they poured the drink in to a new glass- let's just hope the glass shard wasn't IN THE DRINK), he came and sat back down and AGAIN there was a sharp chip edge. So first thought is, quality control; are they checking their food let alone their glassware? We sat down and had our server come over. We had a very expensive bottle of wine which we were saving for a special occasion. When we asked for a decanter she forgot twice and then informed us that they don't have any, they special ordered new ones and they haven't arrived. WOW. This is a high-end steak house. We had asked her for bread and while all the recently sat tables were getting bread, we still had yet to get ours. Our food arrived and it was delicious as usual. We asked for additional sour cream for potato which never even came. The manager was making the rounds and came by to see how our experience was. We told him about the chipped glassware in the bar, lack of decanter (for over $100 bottle of wine), and that we felt like our server wasn't responsive at all. He then told us same long winded story about why they don't have decanters. Our bill came and low and behold, the bar drinks were on there, even though we returned both of them and corkage fee (even though we couldn't enjoy our wine fully). Super disappointing when management doesn't even acknowledge problems or at least apologize. Will NEVER visit this Ruth's Chris again which is a shame since we were weekly diners at the one in Irvine.
(3)Lauren B.
I'm so happy there is a Ruth's Chris in del mar! I love this restaurant amazing food! I highly recommend to try the garlic mash potatoes seriously too die for!! The spinach soup was yummy! I had their shrimp and filet I was satisfied and stuffed by the time I left! I will definitely be back this place is beautiful! The waiters are all buff and good looking too :)
(5)Mel T.
Went here for restaurant week, and this place was pretty busy. We arrived on point for our reservation at 7:30 pm and was seated promptly on the second floor of the restaurant with a nice view of the street. Very classy and upscale restaurant. Attractive interiors and sophisticated ambiance. The crowd here was much older, but the atmosphere was lively and relaxing. Excellent customer service. The waiter and waitress was very friendly, polite, attentive and helpful. Constant refills of water and when they bring us our food, she would warn us that the plates are extra extra hot. She also come around often to check up on us and to see if we needed anything else. This is by far the best steak house I've been to in SD. 3 course dinners: Appetizers: Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with wild rice - It was yummy, but a little salty. But, that is pretty much given since gumbo are usually spicy and salty. Stuffed mushrooms - AMAZINGLY TASTY Seared ahi tuna salad - it was okay. Served/tasted cold, and not all that flavorful. Main courses: 6 oz Filet mignon with large shrimps served with garlic mashed potatoes - It was so mouthwatering good! The filet was mmm perfect! Tender, succulent, and extremely flavorful and sizzling hot. The shrimp was fantastic - fresh and tasty. The garlic mashed potatoes were delicious. 10 oz Rib-eye steak - Tender and extraordinarily flavorful. Dessert: Chocolate turtle cheesecake with cranberry pecan chocolate bark - The cheesecake by itself was sweet, but with the mint leaves? It was perfection. Great pairing. The homemade cranberry pecan chocolate bark was delicious too. This place is pricey, but it's worth it.
(5)Gerry H.
My wife and I shared a petit filet, lobster tail, and ribeye, courtesy of our realtor. The quality of the steaks were noticeably better than you can get elsewhere, including prime cuts at Costco. The lobster tail was fine, nothing special. I also liked my Caesar salad and the free bread, and our server was very nice. My main beef(!) with Ruth's Chris is their side dishes. Not only are they ridiculously expensive ($10 for a plate of canned corn or frozen creamed spinach?), they didn't taste good, and after the first bite, we stopped eating them. There was also a pungent aroma of garbage outside the front door that damped our enthusiasm for our meal. It was nice to try it at our realtor's expense, but I'll go elsewhere for my next steak.
(2)Hillary L.
Ruths Chris is our favorite place to celebrate special occasions, the Carmel Valley location is our favorite Ruths Chris, and Lynn is our favorite server. We went there to celebrate our 43rd anniversary, and Lynn was waiting for us with a great table, a big smile, and another great Ruths Chris visit for us. I had my usual--small rare ribeye, baked potato and chocolate dessert. Lynn warned us about changes in the menu, because we haven't been in when he's there for a long time, but he made sure we got everything we love. (For those of you who don't know, the former chocolate explosion lava cake has been changed to a smaller version with a chocolate mousse, but it is superb!) Another great celebration. Thank you Lynn! We will see you again soon.
(5)Erik G.
Nestled in an indiscrete office building set just off of the 5 Freeway at Carmel Valley Rd and El Camino Real sits this 2 story restaurant of Ruth's Chris. You'll pass right by it if you're heavy on the gas pedal after turning east on to El Camino Real, so slow down and look to your right as you're reach proximity. Valet service can be had for $6 for the evening, or there is some parking structure spots available. As you step into the restaurant you'll get the feeling it's not an overly huge place. The ground floor has a moderately lit dining room (I've only gone at night for dinner, never for lunch during sunlight hours), and faces a large wall of a window facing west looking towards Torrey Pines and Torrey Pines State beach. You can't see much at night other than the lights from the cars on Interstate 5 freeway. The upstairs dining room feels a little brighter and more spacious. It's balcony-like platform overlooks the lower dining room and shares the same westward view. Through my experience on dinner visits here, the service has been impeccable. Well groomed men and women, clean, cordial, polite, and social graces comparable to any high end steakhouse. I'm not talking "uppity" service...but I am trying to convey genuineness and professionalism delivered with a sunny disposition. It's par with what you're paying for and I have no complaints... in fact it's what will keep my coming back to this establishment. Service and a restaurant's ability to make you feel welcome and appreciated are high on my list. The food deserves an A, in fact maybe even with a "plus" (+) sign to emphasize the overall experience. Great cocktails (Fashioned), standard steak house appetizerss and sides, solid meats and cut options, good desserts, good wines. It's just a complete experience. As you are seated, warm bread with a crusty chewy outer is promptly delivered. Followed by meeting your impeccable waiter (Brandon or Todd? was our server on our most recent visit) apprising you of the daily specials and delivering the wine and food menus. Prominent appetizers such as the crab cakes, shrimp cocktail live up to their reputation and come out quickly but not too quickly. The meats are to die for particularly when they come out sizzling in a light layer of hot butter sizzling on the 500° steak plates. Our Filet Mignon and NY Strip cuts were cooked to medium rare seared perfection. The wine list is good, but when dining this good (which isn't often), I prefer to bring my own bottle of wine to make the meal more memorable. Yes, there is a corking fee but it's very reasonably priced when compared to some restaurants ($15 per bottle). Speaking of price, the steaks are actually comparatively and fairly priced to most other steakhouses around town. We're not talking Vegas, CHI, or NY prices which can creep up there but I would prepare to spend about $100 per person for a full meal (App/Main/Dessert/Wine/Drink). For me, steak and wine and the whole dining experience at a steakhouse is something I love and cherish. I wouldn't say I'm a regular on an annual basis, but I've gone enough over the course of my young career to make it one of my favorites. Highly recommend.
(5)Maria B.
I wanted to surprise my husband with a nice dinner so we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Carlsbad Location). We had excellent food and service. My husband had the cowboy steak. According to my husband, "it's the best steak he has ever eaten." I was very pleased with the beets and goat cheese salad and the crusted parmesan scallops. Make sure to leave room for dessert, I highly recommend the banana cream brûlée and the chocolate explosion. Ruth's Chris definitely deserves a 5 star.
(5)Geleen A.
Important note for happy hour...it gets filled quick! I tried my first time and waited 20 minutes around 5:30 and no one was letting up out of their chairs so we gave up and went elsewhere. Second time came around 5 and got the last two stools at the bar(and had to move one from a different area). The bartenders are all super attentive and helpful, definite kudos to their staff. Ordered their Pom martini and it was good, sweet but refreshing. Also got their steak sandwich. It was a bit more medium than I liked it but it wasn't bad. Their lobster appetizer was only ok. Their happy hour is 3 stars but their dinner I would give 4 since their steak and mashed potatoes are my fave.
(4)Amanda C.
I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday (well the day before bc he had to work) Sunday July 7th with my brother and a friend. I let them know in the comment section of the reservation that it was his birthday. I also called before leaving for the reservation to make sure everything was set for his birthday dinner. When we got there they had put confetti on the table and customized the menu. So awesome. The food was amazing. I had crab cakes and he had a filet. Both were delicious. When we got dessert I had asked that they write "happy birthday Jason" well I guess the birthday and anniversary plates are just pre ready with chocolate writing on them put in a fridge. So when we got his dessert instead it said "Happy Jason's birthday" kinda weird but whatever. The waitress explained they just added his name in there which kinda irritated me. You're a 5 star restaurant, I'm not sure why it was so hard to get a fresh plate and write it on there correctly but that's the only complaint I have. The service, food and view was great.
(4)Vina T.
I came here for restaurant week with very high expectations, and was overall pretty disappointed. I came mostly for the steak, because yes, I am steak obsessed, and the steak definitely delivered. Everything else, however, fell shockingly short. I went with the $40 restaurant week option, which included an appetizer (choice of gumbo or salad), an entree, a side (choice of creamed spinach or mashed potatoes), and dessert. First off, my gumbo was too salty off the bat - I normally don't mark down for that since I do have a milder palette than most people, but the gumbo was really nothing to impress either. I've had much better. For my entree, I got the 6 oz filet with shrimp on top. Like I said, the filet was amazing and on point. Slightly charred outside, with a red hot center, medium rare and amazingly soft just the way I like it. Plus doused in butter. Not overly seasoned or overly cooked, the filet really shined. The shrimp, however, was again too salty (I could only eat 2 of the 3). I would've preferred the shrimp not seasoned at all to just dip in the butter.. The mashed potatoes were mediocre, nothing special, nothing to ooh and ahh about. I ate only about half of mine. My sister got the creamed spinach and barely even touched it - it was bitter, and just not appetizing at all. For the dessert, we shared the chocolate bark cheesecake (which turned out to be a chocolate cheesecake with praline crust), and a chocolate sin cake. I enjoyed the chocolate sin cake - very rich, dark chocolate; but the cheesecake was disappointing. It had a weird sour taste and it was left unfinished by our table. Overall, I would recommend this place for steaks and nothing else. I left very satisfied and happy with my steak, but very disappointed with everything else I ate that night. I'm not sure what the full prices on the steaks are (were it not restaurant week), but I probably won't be coming back for a while..
(3)Billy T.
The go to steak house when I just want a good, simple, quality steak. Been here multiple times for restaurant week and just for a normal dinner. Great for groups as they have multiple large tables and the noise can be basically as loud as you want. Surprisingly casual for a upscale restaurant. For restaurant week steakhouses, this place can't be beat. You get two steaks to pick from (petit filet or ribeye) and great appetizers that aren't just salads (seared ahi and stuffed mushrooms). Only thing that can improve is the dessert as they are pretty standard. The steaks themselves are great. All of them melt in your mouth and almost always cooked perfectly. Its awesome that they come out sizzling on 500 degree plates. The filet is moist and tender, the ribeye is juicy and flavorful. And the Porterhouse is absolutely fantastic. It comes up sliced for you, so you don't have to worry about cutting the meat off the bone. A filet and new york strip all on one steak? Just amazing. Overall, this is my go to steakhouse because of the easy going environment, great appetizer and quality steaks.
(4)Kevin E.
I waited until the last minute to make a reservation for a loved one's birthday. Ruth's Chris accommodated me. As always, the food was amazing. I usually go to the Ruth's downtown but the view at this Ruth's was worth the drive. I will definitely be back here very, very soon.
(5)Susan M.
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this place yesterday. Maybe it's because I came this time with lower standards than normal. Typically the food is alright and the service is horrendous. However this recent trip I have to say was completely opposite. The food was spectacular and the service was amazing.
(3)Cassandra M.
Amazing!!! My boyfriend and I love this place. Anytime we try anywhere else, it's never as good as Ruth Chris. He loves steak and he says the filet minon is the most amazing steak he's ever had. Everything is good here!
(5)Vi T.
I had my birthday dinner here last night and am honestly quite disappointed in the outcome. I enjoyed my dinner with the guests that came but felt like the experience could have been more warm and welcoming from the start. I appreciated the specially made menu with my name on it but the hostess who seated us wasn't the friendliest. As we sat down and ordered drinks and waited for a couple other to trickle in... I just wasn't as pleased with the service as I could have been. The service from our waiter wasn't as "attentive" as other fine dining places we have been to as one guest described him as. I hated how one of my guest asked for A1 steak sauce and he barked to have her wait until he was finished serving the food. I wish he could've responded but telling her he would get on it right away and been a lot more But I seemed to be more sympathetic just because we had a more larger group and it was late and I'm sure he wanted to go home. The food as well wasn't what I expected. My steak was cooked more on the medium side than medium rare as I asked. I remember steak in fine dining to be tender, savory and flavorful than the filet I received. The crab cakes weren't as I imagined. I've had better at Crabhut. The shoe strings and garlic mashed potatoes that I tried from the other guests were perfect and the dessert however was delicious. The creme brulee was great but all in all, I highly doubt I will be a returning guest here at Ruth Chris. How unfortunate too...
(2)Jeff L.
We went here during Restaurant Week and had a great time! The food was awesome and the portions were just right. I hate when you go to a place and you feel like Fat Albert when you come out. Or, just the opposite, you walk out and you're still starving. Ruth's Chris has the perfect blend. I got the Ribeye, which was perfectly cooked, with the stuffed shrooms as my appetizer, and the creamed spinach as my side. I really wish that I would have gotten the mashed potatoes because they looked much better, but everyone at our table was peer pressuring me to get the spinach so they could try another side, so I did. The spinach was still really good, though. For dessert, I got a cheesecake something or other. It was the PERFECT size! Again, everyone probably wants to eat a humongous piece, but 3 bites in you're thinking omg what a mistake. Not the case with this cheesecake and it was awesome! Prices were reasonable. I mean, you're not eating at the Outback or anything here, so don't go in expecting less than $100 with tip, unless you are on a diet or something. Some places you go and expect to pay more and in return you're getting a great meal in a nice atmosphere. You're not getting peanut shells on the floor at a place like this, but you don't have to dress in your Sunday best either. Business casual should get it done for you.
(5)Christine C.
the steak is ok, but the services is not so good. there are a lot of customers and not enough waitress. also, the plate of steak is very hot. it was the first time i come to this restaurant. they served the steak to me without reminding me about it, so i did not know the plate is super hot.I want to move it a little bit forward, and then i got hurt by the plate. OMG, it is super hot. after a while, the management came to ask me whether anything was OK or not? i told him about this situation. and he explained to me and say sorry. but it still showed their services need to improved.
(3)Christopher M.
Really, truly, the Olive Garden of steakhouses. If you like Olive Garden, you will freaking love Ruth's Chris. On the other hand, if you find Olive Garden to be: unseasoned, pre-frozen, corporate, boring and bizarrely fatty, you'll hate Ruth's Chris. I shall explain. My mother insisted we go here, despite my pleas to head somewhere else. She had always heard about the sizzling steak and million degree butter or whatever, and when Restaurant Week rolled around, in we went. Made a reservation, still got to sit in a hallway, in some banquet chairs, for fifteen minutes until our table was ready. Long story short: boring medium quality food with a mass-produced feel. The steak does come in sizzling butter, but the steaks come without ANY dark carmelization on them. They are grey, disturbingly light grey. Creamed spinach, their allstar, was unmemorable and plain. It doesn't help that I know its all frozen spinach... Anyway, service was amazing. A young Asian guy working really hard, being pleasant and doing his best was our server. The hostesses were nice too, despite the weird wait in the hallway. The wine was nice. My problem is just with the food, it's like...it's like the AT&T Customer Service of food. Yeah.
(2)Andrew F.
The first time I came to Ruth's Chris I had the filet. It was so good that I would be content if it was the only thing on their menu. This is my second trip to Ruth's Chris, the first to this location. The restaurant week special is too good to pass up. You get an appetizer, entree, side and dessert for $40. It was extremely difficult to consider ordering anything but the filet. I decided on the ribeye because I want to work my way through the menu. It was delicious but the filet remains king. The rush of restaurant week definitely affected the service. I understand the service is going to be slower because the restaurant is filled to capacity. However, I was astounded to see tables who sat down after us get their food before us. There were also the little things like my salad coming out wrong and needing to walk to the kitchen to get a fork. Our waitress brought a few extra sides and a dessert to make it up to us. It was very hard for me rate this restaurant. I settled on a 4 because the food was outstanding and the staff did what they could to make up for their mistakes.
(4)Tony J.
I recently went to dinner here, I had Ryan as a waiter. I must say the experience was amazing. Our food was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing, our service was some of the best we have ever had. The whole night was great!!!! We will be back for sure.
(5)Jason F.
If you're into getting your arteries clogged with buttery goodness, Ruth Chris will gladly take you away to cholesterol heaven. This location I found rather oddly placed in between corporate buildings. It just doesn't belong, but seeing as how it's still around, I guess it works for them? I came here for a conference, and while I'm accustomed to their steaks, I never tried their stuffed chicken which this review is all about. As with their steaks put onto a 500* degree plate, the chicken is served up butterflied on one as well. Stuffed inside is this wonderful creamy cream cheese mixture? The chicken cooked perfectly was juicy, and again, smothered in butter all around it just made it so delectable. What a treat! Try the chicken even though it's a steak house! You won't regret it :)
(4)Mari A.
THANK YOU FOR RESTAURANT WEEK. Seriously. Only then can I afford and enjoy places like these. You REALLY get your money's worth during restaurant week here. With tax, tip, a drink, and the three course meal, I probably spent $65 JUST on myself. Which would generally be WAYYY too much but it was worth it. I've been here to take out an old boyfriend for his birthday before and spent 2.5 times as much for a lot less. I got the prime rib, ahi tataki, a fruity drink, chocolate souffle, and the spinach. ALL GOOD. I was stuffed. No complaints about service either. I actually like the guy that was serving us. Too bad I don't remember his name, could have given the guy a shout out ;p 5 stars all the way.. had to drop it one cuz I wish it was more affordable!
(4)Dave L.
Great food and super service at this location. The 16 oz filet was the hit for the evening along with the Oso Bucco ravioli. I don't know what more to say other than the quality of the food and attentiveness of the staff is top notch and worth the money.
(5)Eileen T.
First time dining at this restaurant! Food: Appetizers-crab stuffed mushrooms and ahi tuna. The stuffed mushrooms tasted good because the crab gave it more flavor. However, it was overly salted and I am very disappointed. I assumed they would take the time to season it right, but the saltiness of the mushrooms was a bit overwhelming. As for the ahi tuna, I thought it would be lightly seared, but ours turned out a bit cooked. Entrees: Petit filet and Ribeye. They were both cooked the way we liked it. We weren't disappointed after each bite we took. I was very happy with our selection. Service: Our server was kind, and always asked how we were. There was a water boy walking around refilling drinks. I believe his job is important since not that many people refill drinks. We're human, and we drink a lot of water. ALSO, blueberry mojito to drink was refreshing! Must order! Overall, my experience was okay. I really liked the petit filet and ribeye, but they all need to work on the other dishes as well. I would love to give this place a try again, hopefully, the food wont be salty or overcooked.
(3)Mike B.
Very dissapointed. I'm from Chicago and Ruth Chris is always very good. Maybe west coast beef isn't as good. Had the ribeye...terrible. Tough and chewy. Very dissapointed.
(2)Beth M.
came here for restaurant week about a year ago. the sides were a bit cold and air-conditioning made our sitting area very cold also. I think I prefer the other location. service was good though.
(3)Roy A.
The whole staff was amazing, from management, to hostesses , to the servers! The food was amazing, and we had the best experience! Thank you!
(5)Kiki H.
The 12 oz ribeye was the best steak I've had in as long as I can remember. I decked that thing like it was my last meal! 5 stars for the steak, 4 stars overall. Steak aside, I overall enjoy Flemings better. We tried the lobster bisque, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin as sides - all good but I still prefer the sides from Flemings (mac and cheese and creamed spinach!!) and their bread a littttle more. I was in a chocolate mood so I tried the chocolate cake for desert. It hit the spot but wasn't mind blowing (wish I had tried the banana cream pie in retrospect). Service was awesome as expected. It was pretty hot in our room though so I wish they would have cranked up the air a bit. Also didn't really like how casual people dressed....some people looked like they were on their way to Burning Man or a monster car bash. No one would dress like that at Flemings or Donovan's!!
(4)Tom B.
The food was amazing. Steak cooked to perfection. I dressed in a suit, just to find everyone else in jeans. Come on a nice i'm sort of code. The server was definitely what killed my rating he was below par. All of his support staff were fantastic. my drinks were never empty my food came out wonderful but the server. Nice man he was only stopped by the table 4 times, took drink order, took food order, deliver bill, and give my bill back after paying. The support staff was 100% better. a nice birthday date for my girlfriend and have a crap server. I will not be going back.
(2)Thyta B.
Hands down, the BEST steakhouse. Food and service are impeccable. My family and I come here often, whether it's just a few of us or a big party and they are always accommodating. I usually order the petite filet and lobster tail. The petite is always cooked right, when I ask for pink middle, they bring me exactly that! If it's your birthday or anniversary, they sprinkle confetti on your table - not a huge deal but that added touch makes it nice.
(5)Lucy F.
Love coming here! Lovely view. I have been orderign the same thing for years... A DIRTY martini (UP) or Champ depending on the mood. petit filet (medallions w the shrimp) med. rare. LOVE the creamed spinach... but the real reason I come is the AMAAAZING creme brulee! You wont be disappointed :)
(4)Simon H.
What can I say the fillet was like butter!!!! Yum! I will say that although the staff were nice and that take out is an option ,I felt under dressed and out of place getting dinner to go. I know! You are probably asking why would someone get takeout from here but both my girlfriend were tired and wanted to dine in the confines of our hotel room. Haha! we did have to buy a steak knife although you could have used a plastic knife as the fillet was tender. Still medium rare by the time we got to eat! We also got the bread pudding which was so good! Parking is a nightmare though...
(5)Andre D.
Went here during restaurant week with a couple of buddies. Things to note: - about 15 minutes wait even with reservation due to the number of people that were there, which I found very acceptable. - very good and professional service: waitress and maitre'd was very accommodating and friendly. - Wide collection of wine, but very less on cocktail. In the term of the food that we I last night: Appetizer: Seared Ahi Tuna (6.5/10): Very nice presentation, but my tuna is overseared that the center is not "sushi raw texture" anymore. I also find that the sauce underneath is very overpowering Entree: 12 oz. Ribeye Steak (9.5/10): Ordered medium rare, and it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Very buttery, but the butter really complemented the steak so well. I was very content with my steak. Side dish: Creamed Spinach (7.5/10): Nothing really special about it other than the fact that they give you quite a generous portion of it. Dessert: Symphony Duo (7.5/10): Again, nothing too special about it, other than nice presentation, which is typical for dessert. Drinks: Blueberry Mojito (8.5/10): Love this drink! Very refreshing with a hint of blueberry and a blast of mint. Overall experience: 8/10 Would come back for special occasion and their steaks, but not necessarily for Restaurant Week.
(4)Lori C.
Disappointment, that's all I have. I was so looking forward to Ruth's Chris, and I left feeling underwhelmed. Maybe because they were so busy...but there shouldn't be excuses for a place like this. Our wait staff was not rude, but seemed overwhelmed and lacked training. Our table of 6 seemed like a burden to them. The food was mostly unimpressive, the side dishes were pretty good, but that's not why you eat at a steak house, is it? My husband's steak was pretty terrible. My steak was alright, the lobster was not. The cheesecake was awful and the creme brûlée was mediocre at best. I've been told by friends to try their other location, we shall see. In the meantime, you will find me at Donovan's in downtown San Diego when I feel like a steak dinner.
(2)Doug L.
As always, Ruth's Chris delivers a solid meal. I went for the surf & turf this time instead of the cowboy ribeye. My wife ordered the cowboy ribeye. While the lobster tails were delicious, and I did get the ribeye (vs fillet, your choice), the regular rib eye still doesn't compare to the cowboy ribeye in my opinion. If you are going to opt for a ribeye, there is no disappointment with the cowboy. Still really enjoyed the regular ribeye though. For sides we got the creamed spinach and mashed which were amazing. While we don't go here often as it is pricey, it is a definite treat when the occasion strikes. They do have some great complete 5 course meals, with dessert now starting around $50, but we went all out this time. For dessert we shared a creme brule and I still believe it is one of the best around.
(5)Abigayle N.
This review is for their happy hour from 4pm-630pm. They had about 8-10 entrees all for $7 each. Ranging from ahi run to a prime burger , steak sandwich, etc. there are a few cocktails( pomegranate martini, mojo, margaritas, manhattan ) also $7. Their steak sandwich and fries is delicious. Came with lettuce, tomato and red onions on the side, garlic fries and some sort of sauce on the steak. Pretty solid. Their pomegranate martini is also delicious. Overall solid happy hour and will definitely come back.
(4)Deborah Z.
The calimari app was tepid and a little over cooked. Nothing special. My friend and I both ordered the filet. Hers was almost twice the size as mine. As an ex fine dining server, I never would have served a table such mis matched steaks. What totally ruined the meal was the young couple seated across from me 40 mins into our meal. They thought it was a good idea to bring their small child (14months) to a place where ADULTS go to spend large $$$ to enjoy a beautiful dining room, food and conversations. When they broke out the 10 inch screened DVD player, I lost it. I did not go there to watch the fricking Teletubbies! So rude. So distracting. So should not be allowed in a dining room.. It took everything I had not to walk over to that table , slap a $50 bill down, and tell them next time get a sitter.
(3)Lily R.
I just wanted to say a special thank you to manager Josh for his amazing offer to help my grandfather in the hospital. We have always loved the food and service at this restaurant but today josh truly went above and beyond and we will be forever grateful. This store is lucky to have such an amazing and generous man in charge.
(5)Arnel D.
Who would have thought that adding butter made steaks so damn delicious! Is restaurant serves the freshest steaks and has excellent service. Lots of free parking or fast valet service... Their view could be better but give this place a try!
(5)Richard H.
Went here for Restaurant Week in San Diego (Otherwise I doubt we would have went here)and we both had Seared Ahi Tuna which we both thought was pretty spicy, it was good though, Entree I had the 12 oz Rib Eye Steak and wife had the Stuff Chicken Breast- both were VERY tender and good! And we both had the Roasted Garlic Mashed potatoes for side dish, pretty creamy and good, desert we both went with the Sympthony Duo which was pretty good, the main thing keeping it from getting 5 stars is PARKING SUCKS HERE!
(4)Kirk H.
ruth chris is a great steak house, service is inpecitable, but come on!! I pay 240.00 dollars for dinner and then you want to charge 8 dollars for valet is lutacris at that point the valet gets nothing for a tip
(3)Sharisse A.
Had a big 10 people party. The food is good. They were nice patient and fast. Took pictures for use. Serviced us individually in order. Recieved its fast. The food was very good. I enjoyed the service and the people. They are highly over priceds, but you all would know it prior to going there. I will return soon :)
(4)Seyannie X.
The food was okay, not the best steak I've had. The only problem was the service. Our server made us feel like we were eating in a diner. For the price we pay for food and tips, you would expect better service.
(3)Angela M.
Good service. Good ambiance. Good food. Good dinner! This place was very close to amazing. I had reservations during restaurant week, so there was a full 3 course meal for $40, and I was very happy that I had chose to come to Ruth's Chris. The workers are very welcoming and timely. When you enter the restaurant we got greeted and after a minimal wait directed to a. Immediately a waiter came to take our drink order, explain the menu, and serve us with delicious warm bread & butter. Quickly after we put in our order, our food was served. The rib eye and the salmon were the entree's of choice and good golly it seemed like it was only on our plates for 5 seconds. The fish was cooked to perfection and the steak a little under (because of the 500 degree plate it comes out on, which continues to cook the meat). would i come back here? thats an easy, yes. Looking at the menu the food can get a little pricey, so this is a perfect little upgrade for a date night than the usual restaurants of choice.
(4)Palach A.
We went there for my wife's birthday. The service was great. When we ordered our steaks, I ordered mine medium-well and when it came out, it was a perfect medium, which is exactly how I like it. Someone else at our table ordered a porterhouse to be cooked medium, however, when it came out it was rare. We sent it back, upon return, it was overcooked. That was the only snafu that happened that evening. Management handled the situation like a true 5-star establishment. We got our desserts comped and got a discount on the porterhouse. Very pleasant experience, superb management, excellent food. Highly recommend!
(5)Richard F.
Unfortunately this restaurant has gone down hill. My wife and I went this evening. My ribeye was very tough in my opinion and I was unable to eat it. I also did not like the way it was prepared (not seared the way I believe a steak should be). To top things off the service was friendly, but inattentive and indifferent. Too bad that it seems to have declined.
(1)Mel F.
Last time I was here, I gave it a three star because of the service. However, after our Friday (dinner) visit, I am giving this place five stars. We came for my parent's 27th anniversary. Food: It was great. Pricey, of course, but worth it. My husband's meat was cook to his liking. My parents and brother enjoyed their meal as well. The fillet was wonderful. My crab cake was great, as always. This time I stuck with the appetizer size because they are filling (in my opinion). My min julep was great! It totally killed me. However, I am 5'1 and tiny. It was delicious and strong, thanks to the bar tender :) (whoever you are). Now for the dessert, amazing. The chocolate cake (can't remember the name) but it's like a lava cake. It's a must get! The crème brûlée was great! Service: Amy was wonderful. The best service, ever at a Ruth's Chris. Thank you, Amy! My parents really enjoyed their experience at Ruth's Chris.
(5)Daniel N.
Excellent steakhouse. The rib-eye will taste amazing. However the fillet minon is much more tender. Try the cream spinach too.
(5)Jimmy H.
Can you really go wrong with Ruth's Chris? Well actually you can. Three of our cowboy ribeyes were overcooked but the server was quite apologetic and happily brought us new steaks. When my buddy's re-done steak ended up being too rare, they took it back for another try. The manager swung by to apologize and waived our corkage fee and brought out a couple free sides. When not overcooked (or undercooked), the steaks were phenomenal. I got mine topped with crumbled blue cheese. Pure heaven. For sides we got the creamed spinach, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. All were terrific. We ended the meal with the lava cake which we all shared. No complaints with the dessert. I left the place full as hell and feeling like I was oozing butter. It's a feeling I enjoyed.
(4)Jon M.
I've been to a few Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in various cities around the U.S. and I have to say that I was less than impressed with this particular one. The atmosphere was amazing, the staff was fantastic as usual but the quality of the food was par at best. Especially for the price. We started with the Lobster Bisque. There were very few pieces of Lobster and the actual cream was not very thick and the dish was very salty. It was average at best. My girlfriend got the Stuffed Chicken Breast and it came out dry and my teeth were sticking as I chewed. Again, the salt content was ridiculous. Barely edible unless you could dip it in the juice which there was very little of. Very disappointed.. She loves chicken and wasn't very happy with the dish that could have been amazing. We also split the Onion rings that looked very appetizing at another table however they were not crunchy and had very little flavor. I had the Petite Ribeye steak for an entree. The actual cut was amazing and the way it was cooked "medium rare" was right on the money but again the chef overseasoned it with salt and that's all I could taste. In fact I could not finish eating my meal because everything we had was buried in salt. I'm so disappointed that with cocktails, food and tip the meal was about $175. I refuse to go back to this location and will even be hesitant to return to any Ruth's Chris in the future. There are many steakhouses out there that offer a much better meal at a fraction of the cost. Enter at your own risk. I cannot recommend going
(2)Tiffany C.
I've been to Ruth Chris so many times with friends and family, and each time I've come away super full, happy and more than satisfied with my meal there. I'm actually not a huge fan of steaks in general. Its very rare that I crave a big piece of steak but when I do I come here. I've tried many of their different cuts of meats, sides, desserts and appetizers. However my go to favorites are the filet cooked medium rare, caesar salad, sweet potato casserole, asparagus with hollandaise and the creme brulee. You can never go wrong with these choices. Especially the sweet potato casserole. If you dine here and have never tried it, I highly recommend that you do. Its so sweet and rich, its like having a dessert. We've always made reservations here, sometimes as little as 30 mins before we go. Its usually not a problem if its not a weekend or holiday, but try to make them in advance anyways. Oh and my husband and I prefer to sit downstairs as oppose to upstairs. The ambiance is nicer down there and you get to see more of the view from the big window.
(5)Chesca L.
Aaaaah had really really high expectations for this place since everyone, especially my boyfie (who has even higher expectations than me) raved about it the last time he ate here. Finally had the opportunity to come visit and see what the hype is all about... && boy was I far from being disappointed. The place itself is pretty upscale, but most customers were dressed casually. Service was above average, as staff would check up on us periodically.. I think at one point the GM himself asked us about our steaks. ;) **drumroll please** On to the glorious glorious food: The boy reminded me to go light on the apps because the steaks were guaranteed to fill our stomachs, so I decided to order the blue crab cakes. most succulent crab cakes ever! sublime buttery goodness. not to mention no fillers too. Just pure crab meat, spices and buttah all the way. mmmm. Entrees time! I ordered the ribeye, medium rare with a bleu cheese crust. I remember cutting it and seeing all the marbling right then and there. Such an eyegasm.. showed it to the boyfie and all he said was "mhmmm", took a picture and finally tasted it. OMG all the fat, juices and the flavor of the meat itself, definitely a party in my mouth. lols I just underestimated the size of that steak for an Asian girl like me, totally thought it wasn't as massive when it was put in front of me. The boy got the filet this time, also cooked medium rare with the bleu cheese crust and shrimp on top. It was awesomesauce like mine, a little more lean but nevertheless very tender. We also got the broccoli au gratin and it paired nicely with both our steaks. As much as I wanted to end my meal there.. we made other plans for desserts :) so I wasn't able to try their creme brulee (watch out though, I'm coming for ya bb ;)
(4)Jarred B.
Went there for the first time and was a little wary about the food because of the mixd reviews. My fiance and I first waited for 10 min while a table was prepared, which wasn't long in my opinion. Then we were greeted by name and sat at, in my opinion, very good seats overlooking the restaurant. We were then waited on by a gentleman name Scott Doud who in my opinion gave us some of the best service we had ever received. His recommendations were fantastic and he was very patient when explaining the way steak is prepared there. My fiance ate the Filet and I had the Ribeye and they tend to undercook so I got it medium since I like it medium rare. It came to us a little more cooked then we usually like but that is our fault and it still was delicious. I recommend if you go there ask to be served by Scott Doud. You wont be disappointed in the service or the food
(5)Abby W.
I'm a couple months behind schedule writing this review. My boyfriend surprised me with a Valentine's Day dinner at Ruth's Chris. We had talked about dining here for awhile and it lived up to expectations. We decided to order from the special prix fixe menu, which included a salad, choice of entree, side and dessert for $50ish. Everything was wonderful! I'm somewhat of a ranch connoisseur and their thick and creamy ranch did the job perfectly with my salad. My steak was cooked perfectly and so tender. The potatoes were okay, nothing special to write about. I let my boyfriend have the dessert, since it was cheesecake and I may be the only person in the world who doesn't like it. The atmosphere was lovely and romantic. The wait staff were cheerful and prompt, despite it being towards the end of one of their busiest days.
(5)Michael L.
Food and service was outstanding as usual. The wait staff was excellent and the food was great as well. For the occasional great steak, it is well worth it. I will need to make it a point to go there often.
(5)'Alihi Kaua Piko G.
I went here with my Wahine during restaurant week and it was amazing!!! The steak was the best steak I have ever tasted so far. And if we have to sell a surf board just to go again so be it! While having our wonderful diner I whispered to the waiter that it was my girlfriends birthday and he brought out our dessert with "happy birthday" on the plate. That's not the only thing. Went into the bathroom and used mouthwash like no other. Grabbed our mints on the way out and went home more satisfied than that one scene in "The Lion King".
(5)Josh B.
I would probably give it 2.5 stars if half stars were allowed. The cocktails are great. I really like their version of a Manhattan and the New Fashioned. Our wine was also excellent. We started off with the crab cake, denoted as a Ruth's Chris favorite. It came on a sizzling plate, without any lemon or sauce with it. Texture was odd as it fell apart very easily. There did not appear to be any lump meat in the dish and the mixture had almost a tuna fish salad consistency. I ordered a ribeye which came out perfect. My wife ordered her fillet rare and had to send it back for more fire as it was shiny and raw in the middle. We ordered the evening special side of lobster mac and cheese. It was underwhelming. Watery, not very cheesy, and not much lobster. The steamed broccoli was perfect. We ordered the banana creme pie for desert. The bananas were brûléed and had a bitter burnt taste. Also I thought the pudding underneath wasn't sweet enough to balance the bananas. For the money we spent, I would have expected a better showing.
(2)Yuko M.
I'm giving only 2 stars because of the rude waiter. He was big old guy who was totally disrespectfully to us probably because we look young. He talked to us like he was totally looking down on us such us what do you want to drink, ginger ale? Lemonade?? Come on, we are 27. He was just so rough in everything. He puts utensils like he slam them down on the table, take plates away from your table by completely disturbing you. Once he found out that was my husband's birthday, he came to say happy birthday but he said "now you can start paying your own bill"... Really??? Food was OK but this waiter Lynn totally disappointed us and we will never go back. There is nothing worse than being disrespected on your birthday. If you don't wanna make any mistake for your special night, avoid this restaurant.
(2)Kim D.
If you want to try amazing steak , I highly recommend this place . also their drinks are great, and the service is good as well. love it must go back soon!
(4)Brian W.
Wow what's happened to one of my favorite restaurants in Del Mar. I visit this area every 6 months or so and I was surprised how much the service and food had slipped. Service was average and didn't seem to care too much and the food was pretty poor. All the sides ordered by the four of us were lukewarm at best. A server filling water spilt his pitcher four times all over the table narrowly missing phones and the steak which is always my highlight was average at best. Interestingly all for of us said the meal and service was very poor. Also I noted the place was only half full too so I guess i'm not the only one who feels this way. Hopefully great food and service will one day return here.
(2)Sandy C.
Celebrated my daughter's birthday recently. We were startled to see he name on all our menus! Nice touch. Food and drinks were exactly what we expected and they even make arugula taste good! Free birthday dessert was a plus.
(5)Q D.
Bone in filet! Yes. Caesar Salad! Bomb! Lobster bisque, delish! Crab stuffed mushrooms with the Crabcakes!! I dream of it! I love dining here and this location is more spacious than the one in downtown. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Debbie H.
Honestly, I wanted to love this place. I am a big fan of a really great steak every now and then. Unfortunately, this placed left a lot to be desired. We had a reservation but they still made us wait thirty minutes. Then, we were seated at a really small table and I just was not feeling the love. I've eaten at Morton's in San Diego and Las Vegas and both times, we were treated like kings. If you want a great steak and great service, go to Morton's!!
(3)Linda P.
Ruth's Chris use to be my favorite place i would go there for my birthday, anniversary and holiday's but this is the last time i am going to spend $50 for a crappy steak at #RuthChris! I was absolutely disappointed with my rib-eye and so was my husband it was not fresh it looked like it was from the weekend, the color was off it did not have a great taste like it should! That explains why the waiter asked if we would like some A1 steak sauce goes to show even they know the quality has gone down hill! I don't know if it was because it was a Monday or because we got there around 5:15 PM. Although the service was great and the ambiance was great it doesn't make up for the quality! You are better off going to #Tom Cat Bar in Mira Mesa at least you know what to expect! ! #RuthChris I no longer have you as a favorite nor will i ever recommend your restaurant to anyone!
(1)SD D.
The whole family went for a birthday dinner. Ruth's made it special. The food was great. I recommend the 16 oz bone in fillet, it was cooked to perfection. We also had the petite filet and the rib eye, both were excellent. The appetizers were great too. Everything from the service to to food and ambiance a 10. Don't be shy about spending a little money here. It is worth it. I would definitely go again. Jon the waiter was great!
(5)April M.
Succulent! Just the way I like my men. I mean, my meat. I used to be a firm believer that any serious foodie should know better than to dine out during Restaurant Week because.. 1.) Crazy crowds, all looking for a deal. Bleh. 2.) Subpar food. Double bleh. 3.) You'll receive less than stellar service. Triple bleh. Well, Ruth's Chris took that belief, tore it up into a million pieces and threw it into the trash. Man, that bitch can cook up a mean steak. I ordered the Ribeye off the Restaurant Week menu and asked for it to be cooked medium-rare (WHAAA? Could it be true? Are my strictly RARE-only days over?!) and a side of the Creamed Spinach. My Ribeye came out sizzling to perfection and tasted like a fat man's version of heaven. Hubba-hubba. My +1 ordered the same, but with bleu cheese on top. Much to his dismay, it was cooked medium-well. When the Assistant GM found out, he immediately - without hesitation - took it back, even after my +1 said it was ok (because "that's not how we do it at RC") and brought out a perfect medium-rare steak. Talk about jumping through hoops to please a guest! The meal was paired with a 2007 PRIDE Cab, which was delicious to the last drop. FInished it all off with dessert - Creme Brulee topped with fresh berries & mint and a Symphony Duo of cheesecake & chocolate truffles. All in all, an excellent steak dinner. Ruth - you done good, girl. Ya done good!
(5)Jennifer A.
I heard so many great things about Ruth's Chris, but my experience the other night was just so-so. Dinner started out well enough with the chop salad topped with onion strings. Crispy onion strings really need to be utilized more often outside of Thanksgiving! Unfortunately my steak didn't fare as well. I ordered the ribeye, medium, and it was really tough! At first I thought maybe it was the knife, because I really had to saw through that thing. But it was really pretty chewy and I could see bits of gristle and that silvery stuff. I ended up taking over half home. On the plus side, my dog really loved it! Asparagus was just asparagus. It really sucks to be disappointed when you pay $40+ for a steak. Service was top notch so I'm hoping it was a just an off night. Oh well, I hope someone brings me here again soon :)
(3)T G.
Made a reservation for my Wife and I to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary. Great table, personalized anniversary menu and fantastic food.
(5)Christina K.
I came here with my boyfriend during Restaurant Week. I am so glad my boyfriend picked this place!!!!!! I would never come here on my own budget because I would cry to spend so much money but the $40 three course meal deal during Restaurant Week was PERFECT!!!!!! Our appetizers - seared ahi tuna and stuffed mushroom caps. I did not care for the seared ahi tuna too much. It wasn't super fresh. It was seared and crusted with some kind of seasoning. The light wasabi sauce was tangy. I loved the stuffed mushroom caps. I think it was crab filling with cheese. It was delicious and moist! I loved it. Main course - Petite Filet and 12 oz Ribeye. OMG. I died and went to cow heaven. If I could drip any sauce on everything I ate it, it would be the steak butter. The crust on both of the steaks were phenomenal. Juicy. The hot plate. Everything was worth the money. I was sooooo happppppppy eating that meat!!!!!!! Cooked medium rare perfection. I am getting hungry thinking about it. The sides were even amazing. Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Creamy, delicious, buttery, great SIDES!!!! Dessert - Some sorbet and something else. The dessert was disappointing and below mediocre. But I didn't care at that point because I was too full and happy from everything else. It was a lot of food. If you ever see it on the SD Restaurant Week, you HAVE TO TRY IT!!!!! I can't wait to go back.
(5)Dan G.
Ruth Chris's Del Mar is consistently the best steak and salad anywhere. The drinks and wine list for always routinely superb. The server we had last week was as knowledgeable and friendly is any server we've had in any restaurant ever. The entire staff seemed enthusiastic and welcoming. We have spent hours enjoying a long, drawn out meals, and like last week, we had 50 minutes before we needed to leave to see a movie. In either case the staff has accommodated us according to how we want to enjoy our meal. Two thumbs up for Ruth Chris's Del Mar location!
(5)Johnny P.
Just came here last night with a group. It was my first time here. Foods are good. Services are OK. Casual environment. Not a fancy place for special occasion though. I like the sizzling (500 degree) serving plate. It keep your steak warm all the way till last bite.
(4)Chris L.
I really feel this place is more hype than anything else. I had my experience with my coworkers to celebrate closing a deal a few months ago. The service was textbook. Appetizers and wine were great. But when it came to the steak, it was a let down. I had a NY strip which didn't wow me in any way for the amount you pay for it. It was tender and properly cooked but they put so much butter on it that I couldn't even taste the steak. And if you put a medium rare steak on a 500 degree plate, a third of the way into eating it... it's no longer medium rare. The best way I can put it... I have gone to an ordinary grocery store to buy steak, grilled it myself, and ended up more satisfied then from what Ruth's Chris did for me.
(2)Grey S.
Visited this place for Restaurant Week (fixed price three course menu) and was not disappointed. Granted, we had a set menu, but everything we tasted was great. Steak was cooked to perfection and amazingly tasty. Had the calamari appetizer which was nice, light and tasty. Warm apple crumb tart for dessert was the perfect denoument. Service was also great and I dig on the kinetic sculpture outside.
(5)Michele M.
We went here for our 20th Anniversary....I'll get back to that. The lump crab cakes were very good. The filet was ok and the lobster was really tough. I could hardly cut through it. We also had green beans and mushrooms. The green beans were a little undercooked but the mushrooms were cooked perfectly. Our waiter was semi-attentive...his helper was better. Back to our anniversary...we told the hostess we were celebrating our 20th Anniversary. I was reading on yelp that other people who were celebrating got dessert. Where was our free dessert? Not that I needed it but it would have been a nice gesture after spending $160.00.
(3)Mary R.
The only reason I giving them four stars instead of five is because I dont love the feeling of the dining room. Everything else is amazing! The food, service and drinks are the best in north county.
(4)D C.
Sat at the bar. Tried to get a wine recommendation for a bottle. Asked about one of them - waitress didn't know so she asked the bartender and then came back and said 'its ok'.. What does that mean for a $55 bottle of wine.? Thats all she said. You at least then got to suggest something or describe the wine ! So We then asked for her to ask the bartender for a recommendation. The one he recommended - they were out. we ended up have the 'its ok' wine. Steaks were underdone. had to send one back. for the cost of the establishment - service was not great but we did have a good time,
(3)Andrew H.
Filet mignon was great with blue cheese crumbles. :)
(4)Bryan B.
My wife and I went there last night. Had never been there. Everything was beyond perfect. They table was ready when we arrived, everyone that worked there stopped to say Hello and ask how things were going during the meal - yet they didn't bother us. The food, the food, the food, it was off the charts. The steak was the best steak I have ever had. Yes this place is expensive, no question about it, but it was worth every penny. I also like the actual place, it is open yet private. We will be going back for sure.
(5)Marilyn N.
The first time I came here, we sat down stairs in the middle of a hallway in front of the kitchen and thought this location SUCKED compared to the one in downtown but this time around we were seated upstairs and the atmosphere was completely different. really open, spacious and I liked it a lot better because it didn't seem like we were sitting in the middle of the train track. we came here for Restaurant Week (again) b/c the downtown location was booked up. it wasn't packed at all on a Friday night, I was really surprised. We were seated upstairs right away and ..... my usual order includes seared ahi (it's pretty good here and the sauce really has a kick to it - but I think yard house's seared ahi is better) -Petite Filet (how ever you like your steak normally, order it a bit more rare because since the steak is in hot butter coming out it'll still be cooking) -side of mash potatoes -chocolate cake has the consistency of truffles ... super smooth and delicious. (too bad it didn't come with a glass of milk) the bf ordered the stuffed mushroom which melts in your mouth, side of creamed spinach which was pretty good, ribeye and vanilla ice cream :) for an extra $20 dollars you can get wine pairing with your meal- a pretty good deal. For Restaurant Week, Ruth's Chris it's a sure thing, you'll definitely walk away happy.
(5)Robert J.
Ruth's Chris was quite disappointing. The night started off with three different appetizers. We all shared the Sizzlin Blue Crab Cakes, Crabtini and a Calamari plate. The crab cakes were not that jumbo, but worse, it was very very mushy. It was good that it wasn't too breaded, but it should at least be nice and crispy on the outside and solid meat on the inside. It was like eating a processed crab cake, but at least the flavors were there. The Crabtini was probably the best appetizer we had. But you can't really screw up making a crab salad with big crab chunks, salad and a dressing. If they did, then I would've made a wisecrack about how it should be called a Craptini. The calamari was also not very good. Calamari should be crispy, but it was chewy and soggy. Not the way to go. I like how they went the Asian route with the flavors. It had sweet and Thai flavors. Onto the steaks! The servers make it a priority to always remind you that the plates that they come in are around 500 degrees so don't touch! I tried three different types of steak, but I had the Cowboy Ribeye myself. First impression was wow, do not come here if you are on a diet. To make the plate sizzling when it arrives, they basically add like a stick of butter on the steak. It marinates in its own juices and a ton of butter. I think the best cut has got to be the Filet. It is the most tender out of the three and has very little fat. Because the Ribeye has a lot of marbling, the fat content is higher. Cooked medium-rare, the steak texture is very good. Flavor-wise the steaks were juicy and delicious, but the fact that it had so much fat on it was a turn-off. The side dishes at Ruth's Chris are served family style. We opted for two different kinds of potatoes. The mashed potatoes and the steak fries. Holy moly, the steak fries are huge. They are the size and shape of those giant pickles in those jars. They would go great with a nice burger. The mashed potatoes were also good, but not worth $8; I could make those same potatoes so not that impressed. How could dinner not be complete without dessert? Nothing sounded that great, so we just went with the Caramelized Banana Cream Pie. It had the typical banana cream pie flavor but looked fancier. The whole plate was glazed with caramelized sugar. You can't even scrape it off with a fork. I would hate to be the guy who has to wash that off. The atmosphere was nice and it was not as fancy as I thought it would be. But dinner for that price was not worth it. It would be better spent going to purchasing steaks at Costco and cooking dinner myself.
(3)Doug S.
Come on.. its Ruths Chris.. they can't go wrong!
(5)Lee H O.
We don't go very often, but when we do it is absolutely outstanding! Excellent service, never condescending. The shrimp cocktail sauce is the best I have ever had. Yes, expensive but you get what you are paying for. I'd go more often if I could.
(5)Vu N.
Best steak in town. I'm a fan of steak, not a huge fan, but enough to know what's good in town. I've had some bad steak before but this one here is perfect. I had the 12oz New York Steak, medium. Man was that steak good. Came out perfectly cooked with a great butter sauce. I also had the lobster bisque. This is one of a few places that served lobster with their lobster bisque. Everything was good and I have to say I'm a fan now.
(5)Gina B.
7/30/11 - 2nd visit here The servers remembered we were celebrating my parent's 36th anniversary, and even delivered a free dessert with 'Happy Anniversary' written on the plate in chocolate sauce. My family, bf and I always compare other restaurants and nothing seems to match RC. The service and food were excellent, as usual. Water was filled without having to ask; clean wine glasses were brought for each new bottle of wine; steaks were cooked exactly as ordered. I love the blue cheese crust on my Petite Filet. The Sweet Potato Casserole is a yummy side dish and dessert all-in-one. I highly recommend ordering the Barbecued Shrimp as an appetizer. The sauce is delicious; I love dipping my bread in it. The Ceasar Salad is great (one of the best Ceasar dressings I've had). The Lettuce Wedge salad is good, as well. Nice wine list but we brought our own bottles of Caymus Special Selection and Schrader RBS. (We were lucky to find the Schrader at a premium wine store on Del Mar Heights Rd. near the Vons). The server did not charge us for corkage! We had the Chocolate Explosion cake (off-menu special). This was divine! Warm chocolate ganache center, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce on top.
(5)Lila H.
"Restaurant week" is upon us once again and If you are looking for a safe bet, Ruth's Chris is definitely the way to go. I've been here a few times during Restaurant week, and they have not failed me yet. $40 will get you a delicious 3-course meal. The seared Ahi appetizer and Ribeye steak entree were especially memorable; The zestiness of the Ahi was a nice contrast to the juicy, buttery richness of the Ribeye. The desserts (chocolate sin cake and bread pudding) were nothing to write home about, but the fact that I was so stuffed at that point may have contributed to my opinion. They also offer wine pairing for each course (an extra $20) and I would definitely recommend it; the selection of wine was well thought out and complimented each course nicely. I probably would not splurge to dine here under normal circumstances as their regular pricing is even more exorbitant. But it looks like they will be having their Restaurant week pricing through winter '09 ($40 for 3-course meal): ruthschris.com/Menu/Ruth… Notes and Highlights: - Butter galore!!!! Butter is definitely a major food group here, as it should be. - They really know their beef and you can tell from first bite. They kept the seasoning very minimal for the steak and really let the taste and quality of the beef shine through. - Generous portions. - Top notch service minus the attitude. - Romantic setting: Dim lighting and ocean view if you're seated near the windows. - Although "business causal" is recommended, I saw everything from board shorts to jeans to cocktail dresses. So you will not feel out of place. - Free parking
(4)Lawrence L.
Best steaks in San Diego period. Side dishes and deserts are also great and portions are very generous. The Cowboy steak with extra sizzle is fantastic. They also make the best thousand island and blue cheese dressings. For a special occasions, the price is worth it. A+ for the bathrooms as well.
(5)Amy C.
I went to ruth chris's a couple times, and the last time i went, they were doing the restaurant week, so they had a really good deal on the food, i ordered stuffed mushroom, cream spinach,12oz ribeye, and cheesecake, Love LOVE the stuffed mushroom, it was really delicious, it was soft and tasty. Cream spinach is good and very creamy. i thought the steak was alittle too salty that day, i could not finished it, because it was just alittle too salty and oily, the cheesecake is very very good, im a picky eater on dessert but their cheesecake is not very sweet, and it was rich still, which i like it very much and it has three chocolate truffle next to it. I enjoy my dinner very much and i was really full.
(4)Melissa M.
We went here for an early Valentine's dinner and it was fantastic! They had a special called Ruth's Duo going on and we both ordered that (6oz filet and one more main dish - we got shrimp) The mashed potatoes were also fantastic. The manager came over twice to say hello and introduce himself. He found out we were newly married and bought us a dessert.. The chocolate explosion - my hubby can't stop raving about all of it! We will definitely be going back!
(5)Emily C.
I am really impressed... It exceeded my expectations. I recommend you only come during restaurant week unless you feel like splurging on a really expensive fancy dinner. We made a reservation and were seated immediately. They started out giving us some complimentary bread which was nice. Then we ordered stuffed mushrooms, rib eye, mashed potatoes, and some of the sin cake and cheesecake. I recommend sharing if you don't usually eat too much. Anyway the mushrooms were delicious. When I first saw them they looked very unappetizing and looked nothing like I thought they would. However, they were so flavorful and it was surprisingly a very heavy appetizer. Oh not to mention the stuffed mushroom appetizer was a meal itself.They clean up your plates and tables between each course which is nice because the table doesn't get all crowded. Okay so the steak was phenomenal. Like nothing I've had before. It comes out on this steaming hot plate which makes it extra appetizing. It's grilled pretty nice and saturated with butter, so it's not surprising that it's delicious. (Seriously though, you can't really mess that up)Then the dessert course was next and it was very delicious as well. I didn't have a problem with it being super sweet. I thought it was just really savory and a good palette cleanser. All of the courses came out at the perfect timing where you had time to relax and digest then could get your grub on. Biggest downfall, it's very, very expensive, and I'm not one to complain about spending money on food, but this meal was not as worth it to me.
(4)Chris R.
I was brought here for my birthday dinner with a party of nine. They even inquired before telling them that it was a special occasion. The manager took care of all the arrangements for the cake and finding a table upstairs where it is a little quieter. The food was great, I always get the Ribeye Steak with a big baked potato and salad. The others at the table loaded up on the signature side dishes like Creamed Spinach, Potatoes and Appetizers. The sizzling steak did startle one of our party, but she quickly recovered seeing the size of the steak. The waiter kept the "Stella" coming and was on the quick draw with the wine when refills were needed. Highly recommended always.
(5)Roger D.
I'd wondered about Ruth for 8 years. Is she a real person? What does she look like? How many Welsh Corgis does she own? And why did she choose such a dumb name for her restaurant? But the 'chain-ness' of the place always put me off. The whole concept came across way too khaki pants. Finally tried it out last week thanks to a $250 gift card from Xmas. Love those Membership Rewards. Ruth is never gonna blow you away with innovation, she's not gonna challenge you with molecular gastronomy or win Michelin stars. She will serve a damn fine steak, some generous sides and wash it down with a top bottle of red. Oh, and while she's at it blow a Volkswagen sized hole in your wallet. Ruth saw you coming. But thanks to that gift card we had a really lovely meal, with high quality food and friendly and efficient, if formulaic, service. I could see this place being our annual standby for steak. A mid winter treat after the Holidays have worn off. If you only do one thing you better do it well, and Ruth does just that; she grills lovely steaks to perfection. Now about those questions..... anyone?
(4)Paul M.
Well there ya have it. Out of town guests really wanted to go here so we did. Waitress started out friendly and attentive but that didn't last long. Our coffee drinker (with dinner) couldn't get a refill without asking multiple times, the iced tea drinker suffered the same, me? I had a bottle of wine in front of me so I was just fine. Overall service was just plain slooow. Started with the lobster bisque and it had a funny off taste to it. Just me? nope everyone tried a bit and they all agreed. My rib-eye was about the worst I have ever had and came medium well when I ordered med rare, seriously I could go to the grocery and whip up a better steak myself. The asparagus was bland and the hollandaise sauce didn't help it much. Banana creme something or other for desert had a terrifically stale shell. Of the six people at our table five were dissatisfied, none of us are the whiny complaining to the waitress or manager type, we just won't be back. 11/14/11 Check # 3955
(1)Vicky K.
Steak House Salad. Calamari. Seared Ahi. Filet Mignon (melt in your mouth tender) chocolate cake paired with a Riesling. YUMMMM this place is my favorite of the two in San Diego. It's more open and not so dark. It is expensive but it is worth the money!
(5)Rob B.
I have only tried Ruth Chris and Donovans in SD for Steak. I had better steaks at Donovans. We had the New York Strip and the Filet at Ruth Chris. Both were fine, but average for a good steakhouse at this price. I would say try Donovans or some of the other steakhouses around town first such as Fleming's or Morton's both of which I have yet to try. Donovan's is in UTC where I live and I'm pretty satisfied so I likely keep going back.
(3)Jaclyn B.
All I can say is WOW!!!! My husband surprised me for my birthday with dinner to Ruth's Chris and I am so happy he did! Everything was perfect. The Caesar salad was very good and my husband couldn't believe how good the lobster bisque was. I ordered the cowboy ribeye medium rare and it was perfection! My husband ordered the filet oscar style with the lobster tail along with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Our server was awesome and their dirty martini's are the best! We will definitely be coming back sooner rather than later!
(5)James D.
Have eaten there couple times, once with kids and it was very good. We were taken well care of the food is always great at RC. Best steaks ever. That's the simplicity of it! Good parking too. Gotta have parking when u have kids. A little stuffy for family dining but they made us feel welcome.
(5)Pooja B.
I came here after my graduation. The only downside is the main courses don't come with any sides those are separate, but I guess you come here for the steaks not the sides. The asparagus is delicious and so are the mushrooms and mashed potatoes. This is the only restaurant I can eat a steak medium rare. I usually am very picky I don't like my steaks to moo but this is the number 1 exception. I had the pomegranate martini and that was simply delicious. The one in Pasadena is great too. Service is amazing.
(4)Jamie L.
This place only lost a star because of the couple sitting next to us the chick would not shut up and her male counterpart looked bored to tears - actually it was pretty entertaining, but none the less distracting. I know it isn't fair but such is life. That being said, the food, service, and ambiance were wonderful. This was my first time at a Ruth's Chris and I was not disappointed. The drinks were delicious - and strong. The food was well, amazing. My husband and I split a Caesar salad, it was huge, I had the lobster tail and petite filet, he had the filet, we also ordered sides of asparagus and mashed potatoes, and for dessert we made the choice of creme brûlée (with promises from our waiter that it was the best ever). While the creme brûlée was great next time I plan on trying the chocolate sin cake (it's flour less, has espresso in it, and a raspberry sauce - all good things). We can't wait to go back!
(4)Realtor Karl B.
Dont touch the plate... as your steak comes sizzing on it. Steaks are at its best here! Say it's your anniversary and you get free dessert. However, price is at a premium. Me and my date bought the minimum entree meals, 2 drinks and we paid about $140 out the door.
(4)Edd G.
what can i say. it's a high end steakhouse chain that has the best steaks anywhere. the wine list is excellent (pricey but it is a steakhouse. apps, sides and mains were awesome and bobbie, the g.m. knows how to work the tables
(5)Anna S.
I have to say we were less than impressed. The atmosphere, or lack there of, is loud and cheap feeling. The food was great but the service seem impersonal and rushed. It almost seems as though they think that their reputation speaks for itself. Both my boyfriend and I tended bar and served for years and the scene is quite transparent. There was a hostess that kept walking around with a pen and clipboard taking notes on open tables. It was way too obvious! It seemed as though the floor manager was intoxicated after observing him walking around. Again, not hard to notice when you've been in the business. The food runner spilled melted butter all over my father's jacket. I saw him notice and not say anything. We were the ones who had to mention it to our waiter. If it wasn't for the food, I would have given this place 2 stars. Way too much hype and poor delivery makes for a skippable meal.
(3)Rowell D.
I recently went out there for restaurant week. Still great service even though they knew people were there for a good bargain.. Everyone was polite and we good our food really fast...
(5)Jarred S.
If you like good steak your gonna love Ruth Chris. This place has some of the best steaks i have ever had. The service is as good as it gets and you cant go wrong when you eat at this place.
(5)Queenie L.
Who doesn't love going to this place anyway?! well of course if you can afford it why not! I love this place because besides their phenomenal food their staff are very nice and kind. They are very attentive and check on their customer time to time to make sure things are okay. Came here on a 5th year wedding anniversary and they are so awesome they gave a complimentary anniversary desert so that was super!!! And then of course we order their great steak, I actually ordered one of the chef's special which is kind of surf and turf steak and lobster (wow melts in my mouth haha) and our server suggested to try their sweet potato casserole which is AWESOME!!! for the appetizer we got the calamari I think one of the best calamari I had the sauce that they put with it is just perfect. For desert we also ordered the banana cream pie so delicious! All in all it was just fabulous, service, food, location, and I made reservation so we didnt really have to wait maybe for like 3 minutes just to get our table ready other than that it was great! I think for the most part people goes here for special occasions, like bday, anniversary, graduation, etc, but you can also go here anytime as long as you can afford it why not but dont get me wrong the food may be expensive but the quality is all worth it!
(4)Mark B.
Holy Shit. I mean, wow. I haven't been eating red meat for a while but I made an exception for this place. I don't think I've ever had a steak this good. Sure, it cost 40 bucks but DAMN. The sides were all fucking ridiculous too. If you've got a bunch of money to blow and like red meat, find a Ruth Chris' and you'll never eat a Denny's steak again. Make sure you get the sweet potato side too. You won't be disappointed. OH, and however you like your steaks cooked, make sure to go at least one degree less. I like my steaks medium but I got mine medium rare and it was a good decision. I've never had a steak that good. Along with the food, you are also paying for the service. It was really great. Everyone was patient and more than willing to answer questions, fetch drinks etc and I was in a party of 20. Granted, I'm probably not going to come back here anytime soon because I don't get paid NEARLY enough to be eating here but I'll jump at the next opportunity to go. This is a great place for very special occasions (anniversaries, prime number birthdays, graduations, proposals) so keep it in mind next time!
(5)Dan And Tif S.
I've eaten at most of the Ruth's Chris steakhouses in southern California and find that the quality of the food is roughly the same, so I will write a bit about what makes this location unique instead. This Ruth's Chris is in a high-end commercial plaza adjacent to some investment banks in the Carmel Valley area. I think the reason they chose it is because the west side of the building looks out across the 5 freeway into a small valley that leads directly to the ocean, which makes for a great sunset view on a clear night. The interior decor is nice and there are two floors for dining. I actually prefer this location to the one in San Diego harbor because it is less frequented by tourists. I recommend reservations, and find that you get the best meal and service if you are willing to dine later in the evening. Go big, and don't be afraid to be the last table there. It completes the experience. Surf and turf go great together!
(3)Junie D.
At first I loved this place....i mean what foodie wouldn't love a blazing hot steak covered in butter. To me it was heaven on earth....that is until my b'day this past march. If anything I always had ridiculously good service here, but on my b'day of all days it went to crap. Here's how the dinner went. Got there on time for our reservation and was seated promptly. After looking over the menu for a half a second we were ready to place our orders....but who were we gonna place it with? not the guy pouring water...maybe the guy in the back...nope he's a manager...oh I see the guy over there hitting on that married chick who is there with her family...kinda entertaining....gotta have big cohones to do that, but not that entertaining. I'm hungry and its my b'day!!! Get the F over here and take my order. Finally....ok enough with the cheesy one liners buddy you're not selling me a car...its a steak and i'm sold already. Take my drink order pleassse I need a libation! 10 min later..."don't we get bread or something" I know that family behind us looks hungry, but did they order all the bread for their table or did I just forget to sign in on the sign up sheet. 10min later.....Yumm apetizers....wouldn't have dredged the calamari in the "dipping sauce", but hey thats me i like my calamari crispy i guess the Chef likes it in soup form. "hey where the hell is the waitress at with my drinks" 15-18.5 min later.....Ahhh butter steak....mmmmm i can feel my arteries clogging....but hmmmm why is he cutting my steak....I know I'm sharing it, but i usually do that....didn't think that was an executive decision....whatever....hungry feeeeeeeed meeeeeeeee! something off here??!!! what is it? hmmm is it the scalloped potatoes?? could be...maybe they didn't follow the instructions on the box?..I know forgot to order steak with my piece of fat....that's it! my bad I always forget to specify. By the way " WHERE THE HELL IS THE WAITRESS AT WITH MY DRINK?!" No worries dessert is up next....it never fails...plus its my b'day so I get a candle like the 5 other tables around me...they all look happy...i want to look happy....give me my sin cake!!! Hey where is my candle? F it i'm blowing out the candle on the table...next time i'm lighting the f'n table on fire...its my b'day dammit ahhhh tip time....time for sweet revenge u ruin my night and I stiff you on your gas money!! hope your sorry ass gets stuck in Chulajuana..that'll serve you. ohhhh its your luck day my friend...that little guy on my shoulder just reminded me of that little thing called Karma so here's your tip...mark my words " one of these days!!! oh yes one of these days!! " I might give them another try, but not until i go the the West steak house about 40 or 50 more times...sounds about right.
(3)Erik S.
Place is good, however not for the price. Couple glasses of good wine and 2 steaks, 2 salads and a few sides $300 plus. Wasn't $300 impressed. Although the view, ambiance and service is good. Just think there is better steakhouses out there for the price.
(4)Winnie L.
This is a very straight forward, but quality steak house. You order your cuts of meat and can order sides as well. Simple menu, but quality cooking. What I like about simplified menus is that restaurant doesn't try to overwhelm you with foreign ingredients and culinary jargons, they keep the selections simple, but execute it with quality. I order the Ahi tuna stack and it was absolutely delicious, perfectly seared outside and juicy and moist on the inside. The combination with the crab meat was delicious. I also tried out their fillet mignon and it was just as delicious. The sides are decent portion so my party of 3 ended up ordering 2 sides to share amongst us. We're potato freaks so we enjoyed the various potato sides they had: mashed, au gratin, and baked. Great seating with a gorgeous view. The large windows allow you to see the I5 and you can look right pass it. Sunset is a particularly enjoyable time to go there. Adequate spacing makes it a very comfortable atmosphere. I wish we had ordered some veggies though. Service was great. For the price you pay, you don't get snooty elitist service, which is a major plus. Attentive, fast, and responsive, it made the entire meal smooth and enjoyable.
(5)Rose R.
I had my first experience at Ruth's Chris in January. My husband and I stopped and ate in the bar area. It was very noisy and there was a customer shouting loudly at his table for about 4 minutes. We were surprised that the waiters just stood back and giggled. When the waiter finally came to our table we asked what was going on and why they didn't say anything to stop the disturbance. The waiter replied with a smirk "Oh, he is a regular." I did not expect to return. To our surprise, the manager at Ruth's Chris contacted us immediately after we wrote to Ruth's Chris about our experience. He seemed to genuinely care about hearing what we had to share. He explained he would use this experience for training purposes and thanked us for our comments. We returned to the restaurant again for dinner. We had an outstanding experience! The dining room is beautiful with large windows. The staff is excellent. More than one person is checking on you while you dine, but not in an intrusive manner. The steak was fantastic as was our appetizer of fried calamari. They had a great fixed price menu that was an excellent value. I have to say I am very impressed with both the response from the manager and our experience in the dining room. I believe our initial experience was an isolated occurrence, as it seems the staff is very well trained. This is a great place for a special occasion or just for a great steak in a lovely atmosphere. Great friendly service, but not stuffy at all. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.
(5)Eric N.
Delicious food and good service.
(4)Jackie B.
Would have been 5 stars but the hostess was so rude I had to take one away. We happened to go during restaurant week so they had a prix fixe menu which was such a great deal! My salmon was delicious as were the mashed potatoes and spinach sides. Great dinner.
(4)Colleen B.
A group of us recently went to Ruth's Chris for a birthday lunch. Between drinks and entrees, the bill ended up being $73 / person. If only the food and service had been worth it! One of example of the poor service we received: When the entrees arrived, one of the steaks came without the blue cheese topping. It was sent back. When the entree was brought back to the table, it had the topping but now the steak was very, very well done instead of medium rare. The steak was again returned. By the time a replacement steak arrived, the rest of us had finished our meal. And while we were waiting, our waiter paid very little attention to us. At one point, I had to call him over to remind him that we were still waiting for one of the entrees. For such an expensive restaurant -- and one that was not that busy at the time -- I expected better service and tastier fare.
(1)Bruce M.
In many ways, RC is like the Xerox of copiers, setting a certain standard. Possibly not the highest end steakhouse, but definitely on the top end of the range. Your going to spend some money when you go to RC, but the food rarely disappoints.
(4)Mike L.
Chose the rib eye and it was most delicious. Service was top notch and our server even sent us a "Please come back again" post card (since it was an anniversary dinner). Sure, the sides are extra and the meat is pricey but someone has to pay for the great service and elegant ambiance. I've only eaten there that once but I definitely felt I got the royal treatment and will certainly come again.
(4)Wayne F.
birthday dinner for my son, my "cowboy" rib eye ordered med med rare was served center cold with congealed fat flecks, by the time a new one arrived we'd had enough of that meal. Total disaster and whom ever is cooking at that joint hasn't a clue about cooking a steak, or the server. Waiter service was good the food sucked at $125 a person. This franchise is a lot of Ruth's Chris hype very poor delivery. 2nd time I've left there saying never again. so on 5/9/2012 we went to Dobsons.
(1)XYZ Z.
Not the best of the best steak I've had but the calamari is really good. If you are going to eat here be prepared for a very heavy and oily meal. One of my favorite dishes I've ordered here was actually a vegetarian dish (portabello mushroom steak). So I guess if you happen to be at Ruth's Chris and you're vegetarian, no need to despair! The view is really nice here though and the setting is nicer than most of the other ones I have seen. This would definitely be the steak house I would visit when I am in the mood for a nice dinner in San DIego. OH and you pretty much can't miss with anything you order on the menu.
(4)Kevin D.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I took my girlfriend here for restaurant week and had a blast. The service was great and the ambiance was really nice, the only down side was i felt kinda far from my girlfriend since the tables were to big. The server was really nice and claimed they had the best steak in the world and after trying it i started to believe it.
(5)Yralla L.
I went here for my bday. We started out with the seared ahi tuna which was tasty and fresh. The lettuce wedge was good but nothing special. Au gratin potato and asparagus w/ hollandaise were both rich and delicious. I had the filet and my husband had the cowboy ribeye. Both were good but I preferred the ribeye b/c it was a lot tastier and juicier. I don't care for the hot plates b/c I don't eat fast and the steak continues to cook on it so my steak was overcooked as I finished it up. I like my steak medium rare. With the filet being so lean, the more cooked it got the drier it got. We topped off our meal with the chocolate sin cake and creme brulee. The service was top notch. Our server was accomodating and friendly. Overall, I had a good experience, but I still prefer Mastro's steak to RC.
(4)Amy C.
Oh, man. Since I'm a poor college student, there's no way I could have afforded this place had I not gone during Restaurant Week. San Diego, I love you - three courses for $40, and that was enough food for three meals. I had the ribeye - SO tender, extremely flavorful, 12 ounces. Mmmm. friend had the filet mignon, which actually had the texture of butter. Creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes sides complemented the main dish pretty well. The seared ahi tuna appetizer tasted just right, taste-wise. And the chocolate cake - flourless, and therefore rich as all get out, but SO good. The waiter was very nice, very polite, even though I'm pretty sure we didn't look like the average Ruth's Chris diners.
(5)Rachel G.
Steak was perfect, sides were divine and the service was exceptional. Perfect for any occasion (or no occasion)
(5)Wendy R.
Great food and wonderful service! We especially like their barbecued shrimp, mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, and petite filet.
(5)Michael M.
I went here a couple of months ago because my mother had a gift certificate. So, we went one Sunday afternoon after church to this place. (We made reservations earlier that week.) I have to admit when we first saw the place..We were a little put off my it's location. It in between an office complex on each side. A little odd for a restaurant if you ask me. But, hey, it's free food...so I was going inside anyways.. :-) The staff greeted us as soon as we came in and seated us soon after. I got a kick how since I was the the only man in our group...with mom, myself & my sister, the waiter talked to me as if I was my mother's husband...Mr. Michael...would you like this... Mr. Michael...does this taste okay...Mr. Michael..would you like to try our wine special... We laughed our butt off the entire night over this...I dare my mom & sis not to say anything..to this say..the staff still doesn't know...LOL But, I digress...the food here was pretty awesome. I had lamb shops..which were awesome with creme brulee for desert which was great too. My mom's stake didn't taste all that great. My sister had some type of chicken which she said she enjoyed. The only down point is that the side dishes were okay. We had mashed potatoes and cheesed broccoli. I was expecting better quality than what I was served. Would I go here again..hmm..the jury is still out..But I'm leaning toward not. But it was a great experience with family :-)
(4)N G.
Chicken... yea... Chicken.. No I'm not calling you chicken.... So why the heck would I mention chicken when I'm reviewing a steak house? Yea, I get that a lot. Cause I freakin' love the chicken! I'm talking about the double chicken breast stuffed with garlic herb cheese. Holy crap! It's like 20 bucks, but it's worth it! Not only is it pretty much the cheapest entree on the menu, but its my favorite thing to eat there. Like the steaks, it comes out sizzling in a plate of butter, and YOU WILL BURN YOUR FINGER IF YOU TOUCH THE PLATE! Yea, no surprise there. Without fail every time I go SOMEONE touches the plate. The server can warn you like 20 times, and someone will still do it. You would think seeing butter popping off the plate because its so hot would be a good enough indication of how freakin' hot it is. Yea, I'm cheap, but i'm ok with spending a little more on dinner every now and then just to enjoy an amazingly good meal. The sides are also very good. They're about $7-8 a piece but you can share a few sides between 2 or 3 people. The creamed spinach is awesome and the shoestring fries are crazy good too. To finish off a meal at ruth's chris, there is nothing better than a Creme Brulee! Omg, I can't even describe how it just melts in your mouth. It's a little on the expensive side at around $10 but I just can't imagine going here without it. Their servers are always top notch (as they should be at a place like this) and its nice that they generally don't make you feel stupid for ordering the chicken. I actually tend to get comments like "thats one of my favorite things too". The first time I went I was a bit uneasy about going because it was fancier than I'm used to, but as I've gone back quite a few times over the years I definitely got used to it. I also like the fact that I can come in with jeans and a decently nice shirt and I don't feel way under dressed. Overall I can't say almost anything bad about this place. I would say if anything I would like it if the sides came with the chicken, but I think that would be asking too much of a place like this. 5 stars all the way!
(5)Chris K.
Great Food! Excellent Service! First time there and it was amazing. Absolutely loved it!
(5)Mia E.
I have to say that I am only commenting on the lobster bisque and a couple of sides. I think I had the seabass...yes, I know, fish at a steakhouse. I'm not a huge steak fan but we went there for the lobster bisque. It is out of this world and not too "fishy!" I could have licked the bowl if we weren't in a fancy schmancy restaurant. The sweet potato casserole and the creamed spinach were just decadent. Even better than the dessert. Well, by the time we got to the dessert, I was so stuffed that I didn't even remember it. I say, share a steak and go crazy on the sides!
(4)Erika Lin P.
I love, love, love the sizzling, buttery goodness of a plate from Ruth's Chris! My filet was cooked perfectly, as were the shrimp. I wish the appetizers, salads, and desserts were as scrumptious as the meat and sides!!!). My panzanella salad was a disappointment: the croutons were soft (not spongy, not crunchy), the tomatoes were few, and it wasn't authentic. I'll stick with the meat from now on. Also, you CANNOT go wrong with the creamed spinach--YUM!
(4)June C.
Great food, delicious steak, odd location. It's in the middle of business park, and there are no other restaurants. It's just a bit odd.
(4)Eugene A.
My wife and I decided this would be a nice place to celebrate my birthday. We have been to the Embarcadero location and enjoyed dinner there several times. I ordered a petite filet with a crab-stuffed lobster tail and our other entree was a ribeye accompanied with asparagus with bernaise and the mashed potatoes. We also shared a decent bottle of merlot. The steaks were tasty as expected but the lobster tail was past its shelf life. I took a couple of bites to make sure and it still tasted of "pond water". The crab stuffing was also cooked to the consistency of an overly starched dress shirt. Upon telling our waiter of the taste of the lobster was when I got tweaked. One has a certain expectation when you come to a restaurant of the stature that they commit to. He seemed put off by my remark and didn't offer the house's apology and didn't seem interested in salvaging my dish on behalf of the store. And, in all fairness to him, one probably does not get many disgruntled customers nor expects the food to be less than the freshest. I asked for the manager and informed him of the taste of meal and my now disgust with the attitude of our server. Oh, it was also my birthday celebration and the server had another server bring over dessert menus at which I refused and he seemed to also take offense that we weren't interested in having dessert. I also made the manager aware of this scenario. To salvage the meal the manager offered complimentary drinks which we accepted as his dutiful part to close on a gracious note but a late harvest sparkler nor an XO status cognac could change my mood. I will definitely go back to another Ruth's Chris with normal expectations of the level of service and quality of food you expect in this price range but not likely in Del Mar again. Another criticism, but small, is that the restaurant is in a business complex and not easily visible from El Camino. Valet parking is only $5 bucks. On the bright side, the interior is elegant yet understated with a view towards the beaches.
(3)Anton E.
I ordered a T-bone steak. It was cooked haphazardly. (over done on the edges). There is a trend now to put mushroom sauce on a steak. I think that steak is just fine on its own and you are going to ruin it if you mess with it too much. So they put this mushroom sauce on the steak after stating that it was just "butter". It smelled like old cheese. Which, apparently is normal. The really bad part happened the next day when I warmed it up in the microwave. Then it smelled like old cheese in a gym sock in an elephant's arm pit. The food was not as good as what I can cook in my back yard. Honestly, steak is the easiest thing in the world to cook. I would give a higher rating than one star if the place wasn't so ridiculously expensive. For the price, I could have gone to a really nice restaurant. The asparagus was average. So was the bread and dessert. They have a nice wine list, but on the expensive side. The decor and view of the freeway was top notch. The service was very good, but the way that they kept calling me by my last name was getting creepy. So if you only want to dress up and go to a snooty restaurant, you won't be disappointed. But if you want good food, go someplace else.
(1)Catherine K.
i've always heard about how good ruth's chris is, but had never gone there. until yesterday. and now i'm a believer. i haven't been to a lot of steakhouses to compare it to in order to say that it's the best one out there, but there was a lot of excellent things going on about this location. first, my husband and i arrived extremely early to our reservation. it was set for 5:30pm and we arrived at 5:05! i didn't realize how close it was to where we were (work). but we went in and only waited less than 5 minutes to be seated. it was nice that they took us in early rather than making us wait for our appointed time. second, the food was delicious! this was my second outing for restaurant week, and while the dining choices were limited, they certainly didn't disappoint! for my 3 course meal i had the crab stuffed mushrooms, the 12oz ribeye, and the chocolate sin cake. all, GOOD!! the ribeye was probably a bit to big for me, and in retrospect i likely would have been better off with the petite fillet, but it was still delicious. that stuff about being drenched in butter? had i known this is what steak tasted like in butter i would of been eating there a long time ago. or at least attempting to make the same thing at home! yeah, all that butter, unhealthy, whatever. it was gooooood. every bite was juicy and tender. perfect. we also had the garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach for the sides. both yummy. loved the crab stuffed mushrooms! killed that plate. and the dessert? omg. best chocolate cake i've ever had. i'm not even sure that was an actual cake per say; it wasn't bread-like in the least, more like a thick mousse or something, it just melted in my mouth. i don't usually finish my cake slices, but i couldn't resist this one. third, the dining room service was excellent. everyone was very polite and attentive. i believe our server's name was Courtney. props out to her, she was fantastic. a funny story: i believe it was the maitre d? he came by to check on me and my husband, and because the reservation was put under my name (and maiden name), he greeted my husband using my maiden name! it wasn't his fault or anything, but we both found it hilarious. he knew he had made a mistake when my husband couldn't stop smiling and it led to a nice small conversation between the 3 of us. if anything that made me feel more welcomed and comfortable. as every other review will tell you, the parking is pretty tight and crowded, as the lot is generally full from being in a business area. we lucked out and found a spot right away, but when we left there were definitely cars following us wanting to nab our parking spot. i wish i didn't have a downside to this experience, but unfortunately there was, and it was the hostess who greets you when you enter (notice how i said dining room service was excellent rather than all service?). maybe she was having a bad day or whatever, but when we entered she wasn't very welcoming. and isn't that a hostess' job? so maybe a bad day, whatever, i let it go and gladly enjoyed the rest of my evening. but when we were leaving, my husband had a question for her. now she was standing around w/her co-worker (maybe another hostess, i don't know) chatting, and when my husband politely asked his question (yes, he did say excuse me and waited for her to respond), she was one of those who didn't bother to look at him while answering. she just kept on doing what she was doing. and it wasn't like she was super busy or swamped either (i mean, if you have time to chat, how busy can you be if there's a paying customer there asking you for help). there was no busy lobby, no phones ringing off the hook, nothing. if there's one thing that gets me w/service, it's lack of eye contact. now everybody else had been exceptional. but this girl, nothing. are you shy? then why are you a hostess? please, look me in the eye when i'm speaking to you. i just find it very rude. and to top it off, she didn't even greet us when we left. no goodbye, have a nice evening, thank you for coming in, nothing. she just acted like a snob who was too good to talk to us. mind you again, lobby was dead. no reason not to greet us. i'm just saying. so minus one star for that. brush up on your customer service, lady, cause leaving the restaurant like that put a sour taste in my mouth, no matter how delicious the food i just dined on was. so.... all in all, great, with the exception of that hostess. they can get just rid of her.
(4)David J.
We've eaten here several times and have yet to be disappointed. The service has always been top notch and they don't rush you. Steaks have almost always been perfect as well as the sides. It's pricey, but for special occasions, it fits the ticket.
(5)B N.
For me this is more of a special occasion or if someone hasn't gone we'd go here a little more formal place to eat. But whatever cut you get will come out scorching hot and made to your liking, the only thing is I wish it was a tiny bit cheaper if you're a person with a heaty appetite and it'd make it taste even better.
(3)Amanda P.
Some would argue that this can be considered the "entry level" to fine dining/steakhouses & others say this is the "ultimate" dining experience. I can see it both ways. It has all the bells and whistles that would make for a great night out, but those who know their meat know that this is not the prime place for a collection of the tastiest, marbled steaks. Let's start with the fact that they have great drinks. Order anything, hell, order it all.. A+ for the bartender that night! I must say, I've been here a few times -- the ribeye is a much better eat than the filet. The last time we were there, the special was a kobe ribye, so it was extra, mouth-wateringly delicious. The side dishes are okay, but ordered more out of a 'comfort' measure -- nothing to write home to mom about. But overall, a yummy place.
(4)Allen R.
Great service and awesome food. I've been here at least 4-5 times and the sides(potatoes au gratin & creamed spinach) taste amazing. My only complaint, is that for some reason their steaks never taste as good as their downtown San Diego location. I'm not sure if its the seasoning or how its cooked, but the downtown location always seems to have better tasting steaks than Del Mar.
(4)Erin Y.
Wen there last night for dinner. We live in the area and like to go there frequently, however each time we go there we are place in a corner by the kitchen, or upstairs toward the back stairs. When I look around at the other diners, I wonder if it is because we are a minority, as I notice none of the other tables in the front have any minorities sitting in the front area.This has happened repeatedly over the last year and is not an isolated incident. I would like to think Ruth Chris is welcoming to all nationalities, as I know Carmel Valley has a mix of different races however I am unsure what to think since my experience last night again confirmed what has happened repeatedly over the last year.
(1)Cynthia T.
Great restaurant. and a great mix of people. For Valentines day I though there would be more dressed up folk, but there were people dressed up and those who didnt give a beep lol.Its definitely high class food minus the snobby customers and staff. Delicious lobster tail. That was the star of the night, I had ordered the fillet Mignon and Caribbean lobster for Valentines dinner and my boyfriend-the rib eye. Everything was cooked perfect and served on 500 degree plates to keep the yummy food warm. For side we had onions rings, asparagus and mash potatoes. Oh and try the pomegranate martini! Amazing. I'm not a fan of pomegranate but it was smooth and not too fruity or sweet. Beautiful restaurant. I like it much better than the Harbor Drive location. Our server was "Jon" and he reassembled Jon from Jon and Kate plus 8 lol. Great place for specials occasion or for a dinner splurge. Definitely worth the money.
(5)jon c.
Excellent Steak house. They have a mean fillet mignon. I haven't really tried anything else because the fillet is so damn juicy and hmm... it's making me hungry just thinking about it. It can be pricey, around $40 for a steak but if you want to go top of the line this is it. They serve their side dishes ala cart so be prepared to pay an extra $10 for asparagus. The decor is definitely geared toward the old folk of Rancho but it can be a nice change from the grummy eats I normally visit. If you are vegan... ummm.... not for you.
(5)WENDY W.
My boyfriend and I went to Ruth Chris for Valentine's Day. Of course it was so crowded. The service was top line and the steak delicious. The appetizer, asparagus, and mashed potatoes were good, nothing to rave about. Overall, it was a romantic Valentine's dinner,
(4)Genie H.
Best steaks house ever. Period. Worth every penny but in this case dollars!
(5)Irina G.
The food is amazing and almost makes up for the rudeness of our waiter.
(4)Michael C.
Went here for restaurant week. Seared ahi tuna for appetizer was one of the best I have had. Had petite filet and it was very good. The potatoes were kind of greasy, but you don't go to steakhouse for your health. For 20 bucks they pair glass of wine with each course.
(5)R L.
Good steaks. Good deserts too. I recommend getting wine pairings if you can. It's definitely expensive for the amount of money you're paying, but the quality is definitely there.
(4)Philip Q.
My wife and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary at Ruth's Chris last night. The management and staff bent over backwards to make it a memorable experience. They comp'ed our dessert and brought out an "anniversary birthday candle". Everybody knows how great the steaks are, but the star last night was the service. Thank you Ruth's Chris!
(5)Nate L.
Ruth's is hands-down our favorite go-to steak house. We've never had a bad experience, always love our food, and always leave looking forward to coming back. Hate to see the bad review from another customer from earlier this month. I sincerely hope it was an off night that will never be repeatedl. If Ruth's started to drop the ball, I don't know where we'd go!!!
(5)Tina B.
Went there for business dinner at 7:45 on a Wednesday. Place was fairly full but cleared out quickly at 8:30. Ordered 2 filets and crab cakes. i specifically asked the waitress about the quality of the crab. She said never a complaint. Do not order them. They were really fishy and I only ate 3 bites. Didn't ask for refund. Filets were outstanding and cooked perfectly. I gave it 3 stars for poor quality crab and really slow service. It took a good 40 minutes to get our food. As expensive as the food is would really expect more.
(3)Kassie C.
Seriously, this place is overrated. This was my 2nd try at Ruth's Chris. Our first visit was at the Harbor Dr location, and thinking that maybe it was "just that one" that wasn't very good, we tried the El Camino Real one this time. Really it made no difference, in my opinion. We had a reservation for 7:15, and were told when we got there that they were running 15 minutes behind. Well, a half hour (or more, I can't remember because I was so deliriously hungry) later they actually sat us. Honestly, what's the point of a reservation? To quote Seinfeld "Anyone can take a reservation, that is easy, now holding the reservation, that is what's important". So we sat there hungrily waiting for a table. Once we were seated we did have good service, I can't complain about that, although our food was slow to come out. That could've been because we ordered an appetizer, which I've noticed that for some weird backwards way, always makes your entree come out later. My boyfriend got the NY strip ( I think) with the blue cheese crumbles on it. That was the sole purpose for us coming here; he absolutely loves that steak. And I admit, it was good; worth the $40? probably not. Myself, not being a "steak person" ordered the shrimp and lobster claw special that they had. The shrimp was good, nothing spectacular, but good. The lobster claws? Undercooked. Disgusting. Couldn't eat them. I'm from New England and so I know what a good lobster is like, and have even cooked them myself. They're not hard to cook properly. I don't know how these made it out while they were still crawling around the plate, but really it ruined my meal for me. I thought at first that they were previously frozen, but was told later by the server that they weren't. They did end up comping that part of the meal, which was greatly appreciated, but still, a restaurant of that caliber that charges those prices, and only has a few things on the menu, they really should not be undercooking lobster. I just have higher standards when I'm spending that kind of money on a meal. As a side note, we did see Antonio Gates there. However, had the other people waiting for a table not noticed it, we probably wouldn't have known it was him.
(2)adrienne g.
My husband and I attended a Chamber Mixer at this location and we were not impressed. After mediocre service during the event mixer, we excused ourselves and went down to the bar. There were two bartenders working and five people sitting at the bar besides the two of us. It took 15 minutes for either of the bartenders to acknowledge us. There were also five or six servers that were backed up - waiting for drinks to take to their tables. If you like good service, you won't like this place.
(2)Sean T.
I love a great steak and Ruth's Chris Steak House in Del Mar will deliver a great steak. I am wary of "high end" franchise places. Given that, I was ready to be highly critical. I had the New York strip medium rare and it lived up to my expectations. The house Cab was solid and the sides, mashed potatoes and asparagus, were tasty. The ambiance and decor is warm and inviting. Great view....make sure you are in the main dining room. If you are off the main dining room you get a feel of isolation, slightly claustrophobic and a lull in social energy...so ask for the main dining room. You can get a way with nice jeans and a proper shirt, but I recommend taking it up one notch. If you want to do a tie and a cocktail dress for the lady you can get away with that also with out being overdressed and pretentious. Two thumbs up. Mind you, this is my opinion of the Del Mar Ruth's Chris not all Ruth's Chris.
(4)Connor Y.
Was pleasantly surprised when my girlfriend and I gave Ruth's Chris a try for restaurant week. We had completely forgotten that it was restaurant week and had always been meaning to give this place a try, so we just went on a whim, making reservations just a couple hours prior. The setting is nice, nestled in one of the financial areas in Del Mar along the El Camino, with both an upper and lower dining floor. We had the mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat for our appetizer, which was delicious and very generous in its portions. We didn't have many options for our main course, but the rib-eye did just fine for us. A HUGE cut of meat, marbled well (and fatty), topped with an enormous slather of butter. Initially the butter admittedly gave off a succulent aroma, but over time it just became overwhelming. My suggestion is to request only half the amount of butter with your steak, although if you're like Paula Deen, you can get double the butter as well. Butter aside, the meat was served on a super hot plate (part of the cooking is done on the plate), and came out sizzling, just the way I like it. Apple crumb tart was delicious and is highly recommended - warm, flaky, with just the right amount of sweet cinnamon flavor. For a chain, I was definitely caught off-guard. Then again Fleming's (my favorite steakhouse) is also a chain, so I guess i shouldn't be so surprised. Recommend giving it a try especially for restaurant week, given how large their portions are - you'll definitely get the most bang for your buck.
(4)Bryan F.
I've been to Ruth's Chris alot of times. How often? I've had almost every main course on the menu (along with some of the specials) , and virtually every side and appetizer. Their steaks are around the same cuts as other big steakhouses like Mortons or Flemings, but their preparation is unlike any other place. All off the main courses come out sizzling on an extremely hot buttery plate. After all they were cooked in super hot oven that they say is over 1000 degrees. I wouldn't know because if I saw the oven, I'd probably get a sunburn. I burn pretty easily. The steak menu includes what you would expect. There is a small and regular size filet which are good but not as good as the other steaks. The regular and cowboy ribeye with are extremely flavorful in the butter. the Cowboy cut is huge and definitely one of my favoties. The new york, my other favorite, is very thick and juicy. Occasionally they get in special cuts of steak. I once had a incredibly juicy bone in new york and a kobe sirloin which was as tender as you'd expect kobe beef to be. Both cost around the price of the cowboy ribeye. I talked to a waitress and she told me Ruth Chris is now trying to always have some kind of special cut of meat so I always recommend that you find out about the specials. Most people really enjoy the chicken but I wasn't impressed, after all it is a steakhouse. The ahi tuna stack is a great alternative to steak and they sometimes have a great sea bass dish also. Appetizers are basically all good. The seared ahi tuna, seafood gumbo, lobster bisque, crab cakes and stuffed mushrooms are my favorites, but appetizers aren't necessary since the steaks and sides are so filling. Speaking of sides, since the entrees do not come with anything, the best way to go is to order a few sides to share. As far as potatoes go, I recommend staying away the french fries. Yeah Ruth Chris is a pretty kick back place but I didn't come here for french fries, and in reality thats all they are. They don't taste like anything special. The potatoes au gratin are by far the best though the garlic mashed potatoes are a close second. As far as vegatables, the sauteed mushrooms and creamed spinach are the best though the brocoli and asparagus are good as well. As far as deserts, I'm not particularly fond of any of them as they have recently gotten rid of the lava cake which was the only one I liked. I'm always so full from the rest of the meal that I never have any desire for a desert so no loss there. What I also like about Ruth's Chris is that it doesn't have a pretentious attitude about it. Yeah it is as expensive as the other big steakhouses but it doesn't have the same attitude. You can dress up or down as much as you like and the staff is always friendly and attentive. There is also a bar you can hang out at for abit before you are seated. Ruth's Chris is definitely the place where my friends and I go for any kind of celebration. A celebratory dinner is all about good company and good food. And Ruth's Chris provides the good food. Go there with friends, family, significant others, any good company and you will enjoy yourself.
(5)Melody P.
One of the best dinners in my life. My boyfriend took me to Ruth's Chris on our first date, which happened to be mother's day. The place was so crowded, but all the employees managed to keep face, like they enjoyed it being insane busy. The atmosphere felt like we were in a time warp from the Dick Tracy era. It was beautiful, the decor, the lighting, and they have the shiniest bathrooms ive ever seen. When we sat at our table, i was facing the wall made up entirely up of glass. The sky looked amazing. I let him order for me, im a medium-well kinda girl...no mooing please. The salad was delicious. As an appetizer he ordered this mashed potato dish, It had the perfect blend of butter, spices and garlic. Okay, so when the steak came out I was ready for it-everything else was fantastic...And YAY!! cooked perfectly, just the way i like it. Miguel did let me try his which was medium...and that was awesome. The steak would just infuse your mouth with flavor every time you took a bite . I want to sample everything from that menu. Boo, i left no room for dessert. I didnt see the bill...but i saw how many bills it took to pay...yeah. He said that if I didnt like him, at least I'd love the steak. hehe both turned out fantastic ^_^
(5)Rayna B.
Last night, we had our second dinner here in recent weeks. It was for the hubs bday and we had a large (10) group. It was a great night and we got great and personable service from everyone from the beginning. Some of the courses seemed to take unusually long- dessert, especially (it was noticable because one couple really needed to leave and they sat squirming for the last half hour, hoping dessert would arrive so that they could ask for the check). Im sure the wait had to do with the fact that we had so many people and that it was late. Not a big deal. My only complaint and real disapointment, was my steak. I came for the steak, in fact, I was fantasizing about it for two days prior to this meal! I ordered the filet, med rare, and it was overcooked. Hardly pink at all in the center. The girl across from me had a perfect looking steak! I asked how she ordered it (thinking she must have gotten rare, and that's what I should request next time), but her meat was supposed to be medium. Most people seemed to think that our steaks had been mixed up, which would be hard to do since mine was topped with shrimp and hers had blue cheese. It was still a great meal and I ate my steak with no problem, but I really like my meat on the rare side. The other girl looked unhappy with hers (it was pretty raw!!) and she did not eat the center portion. We didn't want to go through annoying the staff to send back our steaks, but since this is a Steak House, I'd hoped for more. I would still certainly go back, and maybe I'll venture to try the chicken or fish next time, which I hear are excellant.
(4)Captain J.
Great steak it always comes out sizzling hot and great tasting. Service is exceptionally great. Good job keep it up.
(5)Sy N.
Having been to both Ruth's Chris in San Diego, I have to say that they are both very good. This is my "home" location because I live much closer to it. While it claims to have an ocean view, I can't say that I have seen it more than once and it was definitely a completely clear day. The ambiance of this location is very nice though with big glass windows that do overlook Torrey Pines. Anyway, I can't believe that people go here for the view anyway. The steaks are always great. Having been to Craftsteak in LV at the MGM Grand recently, I have to say that Ruth's Chris steak is still heads and shoulders above most other fancy steak places. I always get the rib eye medium rare except this last time because of the duo deal they had. The steaks comes sizzling on a very hot plate with lots of butter. The steak literally melts in your mouth. On the occasion (like last night) where I get to try their seafood, I have to admit that they were very good too. Finally, I have always gotten great service at this location. I think everyone really pays a lot of attention to detail at this location. While it doesn't make the food taste better, it certainly enhances the whole experience!
(5)Melissa C.
i definately love the steak here....(beware though, Irvine location isn't as great!). No complaints, I've never been let down...I always order the petite filets with shrimp and even the shrimp is excellent and tasty! Service has always been fantastic, including free dessert if you're celebrating an anniversary! Out of all the franchise steakhouses...I must say that this Ruth Chris is definately the best.
(4)Arnette R.
I went here last week during restaurant week for my birthday with my bf. I am judging it on that note. For $40 we got each an appetizer (my bf got a salad and I got the seared ahi tuna), an entree with a side (2 petit filets with a side of garlic mashed and a side of creamed spinach) and dessert (ice cream and some rich chocolate cake). I made a reservation through Open Table and we were 5 minutes early so we had a drink at the bar. The place was packed! We had a really nice waitress and had a nice table by the big open window. The only thing that was distracting was 3 rowdy men in their late 30s/early 40s. At one point, one man passed out at the table and when he was leaving, he almost fell on the table next to him. My tuna was not good at all. I ate it because I was starving, but I definitely wouldn't order it again. The steaks and sides were great. The chocolate cake was so rich! So it was smart to order ice cream to help wash it down. So for what we paid it was a pretty good dinner. It's not my favorite steak house but I would probably eat there again (during restaurant week of course!). But if you really want to try a great steakhouse and you're in Chicago, try Joe's Stone Crab (bone in filet is amazing!).
(4)Mit L.
If You Find a better place, Please let me know! I spend over 300 dollars at the best steak restaurant in Arizona, and it tasted similar to a steak you would get at I-Hop. This steak house is unbeatable and I've been to plenty.
(5)Jen T.
I love Ruth's Chris. I've never had a bad meal here. This Del Mar locale is a little strange tho. Its wedge in a rather industrial street, filled with businesses. It's a blink and you'll miss it Ruth. They do have valley parking for $5, or you just just park it yourself at the lots they have. The interior is very nice. Open and rather minimal actually. They ave the main dining room, an upstairs dining room and private rooms for your private party. Now for the food. Everything I've had is good here. The appetizers can be a meal within themselves. I love crab cakes, and this place has one of the best(best crab cake belongs to Oceanaire). For $18, you get 2 jumbo blue lump crab cakes served on a sizzling place. The crab cakes have no bread like filling, just crab. The sizzling buttered plate make this a favorite of mine. I also get the BBQ shrimp. This isn't regular BBQ sauce. Its a sort of creamy cajun like sauce. It comes with about 5 shrimps for $11? It's all yummy. Now for the steak. My tip is if there is at least 2 of you, get the porter house for 2. It comes on the bone, one side NY strip, other side filet. For some reason, being on the bone gives it extra flavor. And there is a lot of meat here, so it could even be split between 3 people. Also, with the porter house for 2, it comes with 2 additional sizzling buttered plates. They also pre cut it for you off the bone. You get about 3-4 peices each of filet and NY strip. Actually a great deal considering you get a lot of meat for 2 people and its less than what 2 individual steaks would cost. The sides are a la carte, but they are huge and meant to be shared. I always get garlic mashed, since I need mashed taters when I get steak. Most of the dessert here is blah. However, they now have a chocolate lava cake not on the menu. It is so good. The cake is rather light and moist compared to most lava cakes where its more dense. This one here is very very good. I'm never disappointed when i come here. It is always good food. My company loves this place too, as we've had several holiday dinners here. We reserve the private room called the Torrey Pines. In the holiday season, you need at least 20 people. But they will accommodate if you have a bit less. Its a great value as you can get a prix fixed menu, or you can order off the regular menu. I love this place. However, if you dont like a lot of butter, dont come here.
(5)Keith L.
Had free lunch there today, my second time there. I don't like beef or steaks so I had the stuffed chicken instead. The appetizer was shrimp swimming in a buttery garlic sauce, a bit overcooked but very tasty. I must have had five of them! This restaurant is really a Paula Deen's lovefest with butter on practically every dish. When they brought the entrees, the place smelled like butter-heaven and I felt my heart veins swell and I swear I gained a few pounds just from the aroma in the room. The mushrooms were so delicious and creamy mashed potatoes and you keep thinking of the calories as you see the butter spots all over. My friend had fillet and she thought the butter slapped on top of it was cheese. She claimed it was delicious. The chicken had some creamy cheese buttery filling but I could not identify which type, very rich and I could barely finish it. I ordered their sinful chocolate cake but did not eat it, I had tried it before and it's too bitter for me. I prefer milk chocolate. All the women around were oohing and aahing eating their desserts. Would I go there if I had to pay for it? Probably not since I don't eat steak, but maybe for the sides I would!
(4)Jillian O.
We were extremely excited about having dinner at Ruth Chris in Del Mar as we have previously visited and quite enjoyed our meal at the San Diego Ruth Chris, unfortunately this Ruth Chris was a disappointment. Our waiter had no patience with us ordering our drinks. We were thinking about martinis and he suggested a pear one. After drinks arrived, he suggested the lobster appetizer we passed. He then suggested a porterhouse for our meal, we had already decided upon their 3 course meal. We were looking over the wine list and said ho much we like isocilles, but 70 was high for us. He suggested a wine and we said sure. Dinner arrived and the lobster I received was basically a seasoned shell with one piece of soggy lobster. They did take it back and brought me another. Prior to desert arriving he gave us a desert menu. My partner thought this was the desert choices for our 3 course meal. We asked the waiter and he said for an additional 3 dollars. When we got the bill it was $250 that bottle of wine he suggested was $95 we would have preferred the California isocilies for $70. Needless to say we were takin advantage of by the waiter and looking back at all his suggestions they were for the most expensive. I did write Ruth Chris and I have not heard from them. So beware next time you go and be sure to ask the price. We will never go back there and will tell our friends the same.
(2)josh b.
I had the ribeye and it was the best steak that I've ever eaten. I got the bleu cheese crust too. It was a good idea. Worth the money, even though I didn't pay...
(5)S V.
This is our favorite anniversary dinner place. I think their steaks are the best in San Diego. The atmosphere at this location is much quieter and more romantic than the one downtown. No tourists in hawaiian shirts and shorts here. The filet is my favorite to get here. Parking is free and easy to find in the lot nearby.
(5)KURT M.
ok let me preempt this review with this disclosure: we went here during restaurant week. made reservations, seated as scheduled, service was quick, and menu seemed ample. then the disappointment started. each course was just a bit worse than the one before it. it was sad as we both had heard such great things, and looked forward to our "fancy" steak dinners. maybe i am just a grilled steak guy. we were happy to have eaten there on a deal, or else we would've been really disappointed. i hate to put down a place that gets such rave reviews, but our dining experience would've been great if our food was.
(3)Katy N.
I believe this was the location I went to if they have that "crescent ornament" in the main restaurant. Either way, I was there for a birthday party few years ago for the first time and now I know why people LOVE this place. Yes their "RIB EYE" was deliciousssssss but kinda ridiculous when you have to PAY EXTRA for SIDES!!! Ambiance....very romantic :)
(4)MeiLi O.
I went out to eat with a couple of friends. We arrived there and were asked to wait a few minutes and offered to wait at the bar. We just sat down on some chairs instead. Within a couple minutes, we were seated at our table. Our server Michael was really nice and friendly. For our appetizer, we ordered the calamari. Nothing that special. We each got an orange mojito. They have a good bartender. I was buzzing after only a few sips. My bladder was getting full and I had to use the restroom. They have theirs all the way upstairs near the elevator. For my meal, I ordered the ribeye and my side was their mushroom. The ribeye was a little on the salty side but other than that, it was really delicious as were the mushrooms. The waiter kept checking up on us which was nice, but after we got our desserts and the check, it's like we were no longer important customers. I wish they would have refilled the water because the cheesecake got me really thirsty. For a place that expensive though, I would have expected slightly better service, ie pulling out the chair, placing napkin on lap, and most importantly, keeping my cup of water full.
(3)Auzon A.
We went here for our anniversary during the summer celebration which was 2 meals for $89. Great deal BTW, if it comes again, i'm sure we'll be there! It was our very first time there. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The service was awesome, they were nice & informative. I didn't know this place originated in New Orleans. So it made me want to try the gumbo, which was pretty good. I also ordered the mixed grill, which i was kind of embarrassed about because I felt like a pig in a nice restaurant, but it really was the best choice. It came with a petit filet, chicken, and a crab cake. OH MY GOD was that the best meal ever!! The filet was so flavorful, the chicken so tender, & the crab cake was the best I had ever tasted. I would definitely come back here, but because its really pricey and we're not into fancy schmancy places, probably only go during a deal. I also had the wine pairings with it and that was the best wines I'd ever had, also a great deal. But seriously, if your looking for a nice place to go with the best food and service, I would chose Ruth Chris at this location. OH & to top it off, I had so much food I had the leftovers for lunch which damn, everyone was so jealous of!!
(5)camilo a.
i have to say this is a must if u like steak you'll love this place yes it is a bit price but it is well worth the money and u will not be disappointed its the best steak ever
(4)Daniel N.
I came here with a couple of my friends just for the heck of it. The service was excellent. We came around the 6-7pm. The sun was in our eyes, they noticed it and moved us to the center of the dining area. One of my friends didn't listen about the burning hot plates, touched it and got pampered by the service, LOL. Just to mention I came in with a white undershirt, shorts, and flip flops on amazingly I didn't feel awkward under dressing. Now for the food. First up, we got the calamari for the appetizer. The fried calamari was good, but the sauce was delicious. Not trying to over hype it, but I would just go to the steakhouse for the sauce. Second up, I ordered the cowboy rib eye, medium rare with a blue cheese crust. Tasty, but they drench the steak in butter, so it wasn't to my liking. If it had less butter would've been excellent. Three side dishes mashed potatoes, au gratin, creamed spinached. All decent, but all forgettable. Lastly for dessert the chocolate sin cake. It was small and good. The bill for our party of four was about $400 including tip. I did not include what my friends ordered. All in all, the sauce for the calamari and the steak would be worth coming back for.
(4)Ken J.
Very odd experience. This location is highly overrated. If you think you are getting a great dinner because you're spending a lot of money, think again. It's a beautiful view, but if you expect to get an outstanding steak dinner that you will always remember, your money is best spent elsewhere. The overall quality of the food, especially the seafood, wasn't matching the price level. Seafood tasted a bit weird. The shrimp and lobster were a bit rubbery. I would hate to think that it was all pre-frozen, but I suspect it was. I was really looking forward to the creamed spinach. Bitter and tasteless. The steak was ok. Just ok. Not what you would expect from a place with this type of reputation. Service was attentive but inaccurate. Seems like they really don't listen to their customers. Just in a hurry to serve you in their own way, and can't figure out if they are doing something wrong. Like making a big deal about the old "bottled or tap water," and then bringing the bottled water anyways, even though you asked for tap. And doing a great job of telling us how they serve the dishes "family style," then hiding the share plates when the food does arrive. They definitely could use some extra training.
(2)Elizabeth B.
Of course you are going to Ruth's Chris for the star of their show the beef entrees Great big, melt in your mouth hunks of meat in a puddle of rich, savory juices with that beautiful sheen. I'm making myself hungry just writing this. But the side dishes are mouth watering too. I tried the sweet potatoes & they easily could've been dessert!
(4)james r.
I have been to most of the high end steak houses like Morton's and Flemings..... blah blah blah all hype and a waist of a lot of money. Ruths Chris delivers every time I go. Its my favorite place to each and worth every penny. Great prices on a meal for one or two.
(5)J L.
Price aside, this place is pretty good. My first impression was that it's in an area I thought was filled with nothing but office buildings. My first thoughts of the inside was that it looked more like a sports bar until we got seated. It's really good food, but service wasn't up to the level that I thought it'd be at with how much the food costs. Of course, that could've easily have been because of the few larger parties and a bit of potential understaffing.
(4)Julia S.
My friends took me here for my birthday because steak is my favorite food, and to this day I cannot forget the texture of the steak I ate here. It literally melted in my mouth. It's not a place I can usually afford, but they cooked the medium-rare steak so perfectly (it was actually medium rare) I wouldn't mind paying more for such high quality steak. My rating is purely based on the steak but as for the service, I think the fact that my friends and I were college students set the stage for service that didn't live up to the steak. It may have also been because right after my party arrived began the busy dinner hour, but I remember having to wait a long time for refills, our desserts, and our checks. Regardless, their steaks are fantastic.
(5)J J.
Mother of God... this place is AMAZING! There are two floors and a bar in the front. The interior design is classy. You've got to try their special, "filet" (soo rich and scrumptious) with the buttered mashed potatoes (OMG!! just talking about it makes my mouth watery). This place totally blew me out of the water! If there was 10 stars I would give it (great service, too). Out of all the steakhouses I've been to I say this place is the best (number one on my list). It's pricey but you'll get your money's worth. "It's so good, makes you wanna slap yo' mama!" note: The place is kind of hidden inside the bussiness buildings. And, highly recommend making a reservation.
(5)Diane L.
All other steaks I had eaten in my life paled in comparison the moment I laid a piece of Ruth's Chris filet mignon in my mouth. As always, the servers warn you that the plates arrive at your table at about 500 degrees, and this is the one thing that I believe makes Ruth's Chris' steaks so damn good. The plate is so hot that with every bite you take, the piece of meat is warm. I'm a person that loves when my food arrive to the table scalding hot. So, when after 20 minutes of eating and your steak is still warm, I really have nothing to complain about. The filet is always so tender and cooked to my favorite medium-rare perfection. My favorite sides here are the creamed spinach and Lyonnaise potatoes. This location of Ruth's Chris seems a little fancier than other locations I've been to. Nice dining room area with high ceilings, long drapes, and bright lighting. The service was attentive, and the wine list is extensive.
(5)KIzzle F.
Hands down the best steak you can buy! i eat at this one 3-5 times a month! sometimes by myself! the service is simply THE BEST. the food is PERFECT. the atmosphere is relaxing and elegant. architecturally stunning and the ambiance is subtle and as welcoming as my bed! LOL STEAK STEAK STEAK! I'll give an in depth review next time i eat here! p.s. THE BEST CALAMARI i have ever eaten!!!!! ever. FOOD: Phenomenal ATMOSPHERE: Perfect SERVICE: The Best -Kizz
(5)Ed C.
We had dinner during Restaurant week. The first thing that caught my attention was how nice and spacious the interior looked as where seated near a window with a gorgeous view of the sunset. So let's get right to the steaks. The ribeye was cooked medium as I had asked and it was served tender with a perfect marble. In addition to the fixed menu we had to have the sweet and sour calarmari, unlike any calarmari you've had before. The crab stuffed mushrooms and seared ahi was also so good it will make you want to dance in seat. For desert I had the carrot cake and vanilla ice cream which was a little rich for my liking but still very good. Our waiter also surprised us with an anniversary special lava cake decorated with chocolate and a candle. Excellent service and steaks. It's one of the reason I refuse to become vegetarian.
(4)Raymond S.
OMG!!!! The Filet Mignon is so tender and juicey. The sides are large enought for 4 people. The Service was fantastic. Abit pricey however it is worth the money. You have to try this steak house. Dress to impress.
(5)Barry H.
My third favorite place to get a steak in San Diego. I prefer the one at the merge (I-5 and I-805). For a treat try gettng your steak cajun style. It's pricey but the food is good. 6/4/08-had dinner there again tonight. This chain is consistently excellent. They served a very nice cabernet with seared ahi on cucumbers and crab stuffed mushrooms for appetizers. This was followed by lobster bisque and of course a filet. For dessert I had the chocolate sin cake and boy was it sinful. I don't see how you can go wrong with this restaurant.
(5)GAIL W.
Been to many Ruth's Chris steakhouses and all are about equal. I noticed that after Ruth passed away that the steaks didn't seem as quality as before. Way more fat content. Are the family trying to sabotage the quality of this establishment in favor of a buck? I do love the crab martini appetizer and the desserts, namely the bread pudding. Steak aficionado beware.
(3)Stephen W.
RC is consistent. You know what you're getting here, it's the same at every location I've been to. Some complain about the buttery broiled steaks, but I happen to really like them. It's not unique, or trendy, or cool for me to say this, but I always gravitate back to Ruth's for my steaks.
(4)Patricia F.
The steak was fantastic, but the Caribbean lobster was not very good at all. The service was great. I will go back and just stick to the steak.
(4)hannah h.
First time here came with a couple girlfriends for restaurant week. three course meal for 40 bucks. i started with the seared tuna very delicious with somekind of wasabi sauce drizzled on top. rib eye steak was so perfect so delicious so drooling thinking about it haha. big portions too. then i had the chocolate cake didnt really care for that. but the service was great. didnt wait long for the food or table. nice quiet romantic setting will be back soon
(5)Joy F.
My boyfriend took me there to celebrate our 11-year anniversary. It is a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Definitely a good place to have a romantic steak dinner for two. As we waited for our appetizer, they served soft, warm sourdough bread with a side of butter!! We began our evening by ordering Sizzlin' Blue Crab Cakes. I ordered a T-bone steak (medium-well) and Jimmy ordered lambchops. Their sides are served family style; we ordered shoestring fries (because I love potatoes, especially in French fry form) and creamed spinach. The portions were bigger than I had expected, which is always a good thing. Each entree could have fed two people. As a result, I was unable to finish my meal and I had no shame in taking it home to eat for brunch the next morning! To conclude our evening, they served us with a complimentary volcano chocolate cake a la mode with a candle on top for our anniversary.
(5)Kelsey K.
Ummm, wow. So delicious. The steak just melted in my mouth, and I could cut it with my fork. Service was second to none. My only gripe, the sides are all a la carte, and they are very pricey, but for a splurge, totally worth it. If you are trying to impress someone or just want an amazing steak, go here!
(4)Suzn L.
If you want sizzling steak on your plate then this is the place to go, but know what to order though. I've already tried steaks at Mortons, Flemings, Roy's, Palms, The Maestro, Mr Stox among many others....and besides The Cellar this is the best steak house so far. The shrimp and stuffed mushrooms appetizers are really good also. Yeah this place is not cheap, but if you really have to pick an expensive place to go to then I would go here or The Cellar (but they give much smaller portion at The Cellar). Filet Mignon is ok. But if you want really juicy steak then order Ribeye. If you usually eat your steak well done then don't waste your money on really expensive steak cause they all come out the same...outback is just as good. With great steak places, it's best to order medium rare.
(4)James R.
It mean it's Ruth Chris -- so what am I suppose to add. We the food is what you might expect from a high end chain. The last time I was there I had the Kobe Beef Sliders which were fun and very good. However, I really like the service and that is what compelled me to write this review. I also found their bar staff to be quite good.
(3)Ken P.
Good value during restaurant week. There's too much salt in their food! The crabcake with mushrooms was too mushy and tasted like brine. The ribeye was a generous portion but over done for medium rare and heavily salted. I thought that the mash potatoes and dessert were the most satisfactory that evening. I should commend the servers who were attentive and pleasant.
(2)Madison M.
It is kind of dissapointing compared to the other locations. I've been several times to the one in Little Italy and it's like day and night. The seasoning is excellent in downtown SD. The service is ok in Del Mar, but other than that, you should visit the one in SD.
(2)Vicky L.
They definately have the reputation of being the best franchised steakhouse. We stopped in with a large group on saturday night, having made a reservation for 10 a week ago. Got there in the middle of the huge downpour around 9:30, and had to wait 45 minutes before our table was available. Ironically, after we came in, there was another party of 10 with the same reservation time. To add insult to injury, they seated them first and made us wait even longer. HMMmmmm.... tsk tsk tsk for being discriminatory towards twenty some year olds compared to stuffy 50 year old executive. As if we wouldn't drop as much money as them! Anyway, so the majority of us ordered the ribeye with a couple filets interdispersed in there, I ordered a caesar to start off, SO had a chopped salad. The caesar was excellent, the pepper cheese crisps subbing in for croutons were a little on the stale side though. Chopped salad was superb minus the raw chaulky mushrooms - we weren't really digging that. The sides were enormous. Mashed potatoes could use more garlic, creamed spinach was seriously cream and spinach. It was really heavy and slightly too liquidy for my tastes, not to mention the flavor was a little on the flat side - no depth. Service was of course, superb. I had the portabello entree which was by far probably THE best portabellos i've ever tasted. SO ordered the bone-in ribeye that was a 22oz monster. Steaks came sizzling in butter on a hot plate. Sadly, i think my server was lying when she told me it was dry aged for at least 60 days. that just doesn't seem plausible nor profit smart. Steaks were ok, i like my steaks seared with a nice crust and medium rare on the inside. Unfortunately it didn't taste like a good aged steak. I used to not think Ruth's Chris was that inferior, probably because I'd got a good amount of time before I'd hit up a steak house and take care of my craving. It definately helped me in the sense that I had Donavan's within a week of stopping by Ruth's and sadly to say, Donavan's takes the cake. The sides and everything was better there, even the ambience and service. I've come to realize that I love my steak the way it is, seared and red, purely tasting of goooooood beef, and not lacking in good meatyness and overpowered by the taste of butter. If I had to rank any of the steak houses in San Diego, I'd say Donavans, then Ruth's, then Mortons.
(3)Toni P.
I love steak! And i will pay $50 for my meat cause they are delicious here. And yeah the sides are separate(try the Lyonnaise), but just as good! Order some champagne (I only do every other time I come here, it is pricy!) and I am in heaven! The waiter has my flute filled at all times! DO NOT TOUCH THE PLATES! They are HOT! If you are taking someone out on a special night make reservations! The view at night is nice and romantic. I am very casual chik, but when i wanna splurge and enjoy some great service, Ruth's Chris never fails!
(5)Kacy I.
Excellent steaks and usually never disappoint. You have to have the Ahi Tuna for appetizer. The service at this one is a little slower than the harbor location but well worth it. the only negative we have noticed is if you order from the new discounted menu...the steak is not as good as ordering off the regular menu.
(4)April R.
I love this place. I am a vegetarian so I ordered the vegetarian dish they have. It is expensive but well worth it. My family and I have been coming here for over 5 years now for our special occasions. The service is excellent and the environment is lovely as well :)
(5)Denise B.
Love love love love Ruth Chris steaks. I love the steaks here so much that I'm reluctant to try them anywhere else for fear of being let down. And when I have ventured and tried steaks elsewhere, I have been let down more often than not. I'll be honest when I used to work across the street from Ruth Chris in the office building across the parking lot, I used to go here every Friday for lunch (they are open for lunch only on Fridays and during the holiday season) with my business partner Kevin. Ambiance, decor, service, food, the overall experience is out of this world. Donovan works the bar on Fridays at lunch and he is amazing at remembering what I like and providing an incredible service. But even if you don't sit in the bar and just sit in the dining room the service is still out of this world. In the main dining room, every seat has an incredible view of the ocean and scenery. Even though the dining room is large it has an intimate romantic feel despite the scattering of business men conducting meetings around you. The decor here is classy, and rich, more old world than nouveau. I liked it alot. Service wise, my water was filled before I asked, bread came out constantly, before we even finished the loaf and the food came out warm and without delay. Everything was melt in your mouth from the calamari, to the carpaccio......the salad actually looked so appealing that I wanted to eat my greens, and the lobster bisque not only had chunks of lobster, but was melting in my mouth when I dipped my warm buttered bread into it. My steak though oh my steak. Melted in my mouth, sizzling on the plate, I was in heaven, I have never had a more delightful steak. And all the sides I ordered from the shoestring fries, to the potatoes au gratin to the macaroni and cheese, all to die for!! If you are craving a sandwich, that can be found here also at lunch........and it's huge, filled with chunks of steak, cheese and sauce.........Best steak sandwich ever. Don't worry about the mess though the more you drip the more you know that your sandwich is the tastiest thing ever! Banana cream pie here is amazing dessert wise........so is the creme brulee. Oh what the hell, everything here is good, I have never had a bad meal here, and I came here for lunch every Friday for a year almost. GOD I LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)M P.
Very interesting location, which made it a bit harder to find. It looks like its stuck in an industrial area. Just like the downtown location, they take you upstairs to the dining area. We were sat quickly. It did take a little bit to get our drinks, and poor hubby was kind of ignored as they asked everything from me. A bit odd, as usually they host to the man. Maybe because the reservations were in my name? I had a top-shelf margarita on the rocks, truly the best I've had in a while. DH had a bottle of New Castle and we both had Coke. (They only have bottled beers.) The server was a bit slow on the refills, and once we had to ask and she only brought mine. We had the carpaccio to start with, which I've always wanted to try since hearing about it on Top Chef. It's a thin cut, top quality meat, served raw. At Ruth's, it's served drizzled with a Ceasar Dressing, a bed of baby greens and toasted bread. You just scoop some up like chips & dip. It was delicious. I had the Cowboy Ribeye (rare plus) & DH had the special - a petite filet (rare) and crabstuffed lobster tail. I think his steak was more flavorful than mine. We normally get porterhouses everywhere, but had already tried that on a previous visit to their other location. The loaded potato was just a normal tasty baked potato. For dessert (comped for our anniversary), we had a chocolate lava cake. We liked it. Dinner was $140, plus a $30 tip.
(5)Juan R.
I went to this restaurant as a celebration of my friend going vegan for a month, and I was expecting something a little more. I knew a couple people that raved about Ruth Chris's and I love steak so I was very excited to eat here, regardless at how pricey it is. Upon entrance I was given a douchey vibe with this business man talking on 2 cell phones at once, and the hostess had no sense of humor when we joked about being too lazy to walk up one flight of stairs and wanted to take the elevator. The wine list was pretty good, but I would expect that at most any steakhouse. I ordered the sweet potato casserole and a new york strip medium rare. The sweet potato casserole was scrumptious.... tasted almost like my aunt's pecan pie filling (she makes the best pecan pie) and that had me amped for the steak about to come. Once the steak was served it was well overcooked, and the cut was not very good. I had to cut out a bunch of tendon and it was pretty chewy since it was served more towards medium-well. I was disappointed at this place since it's supposed to have "the best steaks" according to some. It's saving grace form receiving a 1 or 2 star review was that casserole. I would suggest any steak afficionado to just skip this place and head to donovan's for good steaks.
(3)Kelly M.
Wow. This restaurant has a gorgeous view at sunset, so make a reservation near then if you go for dinner. My filet mignon was top quality and perfectly cooked so it melted off of my tongue, especially due to the hot butter it was grilled with. For the appetizer, our waiter served us chilled crab and cooked lobster with lemon garnish, and it was amazing. The service is impeccable, and the dining experience couldn't be beat. Everything holds up to the reputation of the Ruth's Chris dining experience. The only thing I will say is that this place is top-rate, so that means VERY expensive, so I'm lucky I went here on a date!
(5)Mindy Y.
I always have a good experience when I come here. I love me some beef especially when its cooked in butter. This time we came here for restaurant week where they have a three course menu set up for $40 a person. This includes an appetizer, entree and side dish and dessert. This was a steal considering that everything is usually a la carte here. (Expect to spend about $60+ a person for the same meal when if you come here on non-restaurant week.) I got the 12oz rib rye and it was cooked to perfection. Its served on a 500 degree plate so it came out sizzling. I could smell the aroma of my food as soon as the waiter came out of the kitchen door. Mmm everything was deelish and I couldnt have asked for a better meal. For dessert, I got the cheesecake and the bf got the espresso chocolate cake. When it was time for dessert, he was so stuffed, that the rich, heavy looking slice of cake no longer looked appealing and was too intimidating to even attempt. The server noticed this too and allowed him to change his dessert choice to a lighter option but just as yummy, the raspberry sorbet. They were nice enough to let us keep the cake anyway and even packaged it for us to take home. Great service. Great food. Definetely one of the best steakhouses I've been to.
(5)Thewho k.
Lady Bug!! OK so i hope your ready for a long review... So my bf and I were looking for a place to eat to finish off our wonderful vakay together and we came across This Ruth's Chris. We looked at each other and said That's it. We enjoy Ruth's Chris so we didn't think we would have such a bad experience!! So we are casually dressed Which never seemed to be a problem until this past Monday! From the time we sat down Our waitress was telling us prices on things very loudly Which we didn't ask for any prices. We decided to stay and just ignore the ignorance. My bf asked for a Caesar salad and I asked for a steak house salad. There was Nothing in the Salad menu saying Green lettuce with a side of LADY BUG!!!! Yes i said it a LADY BUG!!!! It was looking dead at me in my salad...!!!! The manager Daniel However was very helpful and took care the matter. Still once again the Waitress seem to manage making us feel uncomfortable yet again coming back to our table with a smile on her face saying She apologizes for the problem and that Her manager Daniel will be comping my meal!! Again loudly as if the people on the next table needed to know! We frequently go to the San Francisco location and have a wonderful experience . So we didn't even think about giving it a pass over in San Diego. only reason i would consider coming back to this establishment is because of the Manager Daniel..!!!!
(2)Scott B.
I give this place 5 stars because it has the beast damn steak Ive ever eaten anywhere (and I have eaten at Donovan's before), The first time I went i had already eaten some burritos, but my friends wanted me to go and I went. i wouldn't stop complaining how expensive everything on the menu was and how it probably didn't taste as good as it cost. I got the fillet mignon and i swear to everyone that the first bite I had literally bitch slapped me in the face. That steak became my PIMP. My friends even tell people that it turned my frown upside down. I could not believe how could that steak tasted from start to finish. My own mother is one of the pickiest steak eaters I know. After i took here to Ruth's' , she also believed that no other restaurant in the county had a steak as good. Anyways I am done rambling about how good it is, everyone go and eat there right now!
(5)Emily J.
At Ruth's you get bang for buck. They are a chain establishment that does it very frequently right. Sort of the Denny's of high-end steakhouses, in the sense that they are a chain, you get consistent food, and they are lower priced than the others. And for the price you get a pretty nice sunset view of the Pacific, white tablecloths, pretty elite service, and really nice food. Others may nitpick about fat content of the meat or portion size changes, in the end, it is very satisfying stuff and I have been going for years, will continue to go.
(5)