12/08/08

NOT worth the money - food preparation & quality POOR

by DanOH92

This was our first time at RC & we wouldn't ask for it again. POSITIVES: 1) good service; 2) cozy ambience albeit very traditional, dark wood, dim lighting; 3) good bread; 4) sweet potato side was excellent; 5) they comped a dessert since it was our anniv. NEGATIVES: 1) baby arugula salad for $7.50 was tiny w/ 2 slivers of mushroom; 2) $35 salmon special was good but root veggies were very salty & side of scallops were tiny, rubbery; 3) $38 ribeye was ordered med. rare but came out med (almost m.well), very tough, & in a sizzling pool of butter, apparently a signature detail; 4) $9 caramelized ban creme pie dessert was very disappointing - white choc. ban custard had little taste & pastry shell was stale, tough, greasy.

We would have expected less if it hadn't been for a slight air of pretention & pricing that rivals steakhouses in Vegas. $38 ribeye should be a tender, well-marbled cut of beef and not the tough sirloin-like cut that I got. And a steakhouse should get the temperature right - c'mon! If RC wants to set themselves at this price-point then they should provide a quality product at an appropriate price. I also expected some signature seasoning or au jus (e.g. balsamic reduction) w/ the steak but all I got was plain red meat. Also, the texture (no tasty caramelized crust) was such that I wondered if I got a steak that had been partially nuked then put on the grill for sear marks.

Unfortunately, this dining experience fell far short of our expectations. Ruth Chris presents many of the cliche trappings of a traditional steakhouse but their food lacks the substance to set the restaurant apart from other local steakhouses. My benchmarks for a steakhouse are Craftsteak (MGM) & Delmonico (Venetian) in Vegas - both are no more expensive than RC. Short of jetting to Las Vegas I would pick Hyde Park or Fish Market for more consistent & better quality steak or fish, respectively.

• Pros: Service, free valet parking on weekend, good bread
• Cons: Tough overcooked steak, overpriced, tasteless dessert

05/23/08

always perfect

by saluki23

I've been to 5 ruths chris' nationwide (columbus,chicago, philly, king of prussia, westchester) and ALWAYS have a great dining experience whether alone or with my family. The columbus restaurant is always clean, great food, and great service.

• Pros: ALL of their food is top notch
• Cons: price

04/20/06

Special Occasions would work

by kantek

I have to say the steaks were very well prepared. The feeling when you walk in feels very nice and elegant. The staff was extremely friendly and checked up enough to make sure I was okay but not be annoying about it. The steaks were hot when it came out, as was my gumbo. The side dishes were nice too, but on the expensive side for what you get .I was fooled into buying the $8.00 water bottle, but pass on it! Unless, you must have it that is. All in all, the best steak I've had, pricey is the menu, but service was great. I'd recommend for special occasions, as it's pretty elegant.

• Pros: Steaks, Service, Environment
• Cons: Pricey, Special Occasion Plac