Ruth's Chris Steakhouse: Minneapolis Restaurant Review

Ruth's Chris is a bit different than some restaurants in that all the items other than your entrée are a la carte - your sides, salad, potato, soup etc., must be all ordered separately, the only thing that comes with your entrée dish is your entrée and garnish. This makes the meal feel somewhat expensive, so plan accordingly based on what you actually want to eat (don't just order a salad because the waitress asks if you want a salad or soup or because you think you are supposed to) and plan appropriately for the portion sizes of the sides. There also appears to be limited menu choices when compared to some franchises, I believe this to be to keep the quality of the all items up to par.

You are likely going to want to make reservations in advance, as they are almost always busy at Ruth's Chris. Second, you will also probably want something of an appetizer since the meat entrees take a bit longer to arrive. The Sizzling Blue Crab Cakes are very good with real crabmeat. They feel a bit small for the cost, but are about right for an appetizer. Seafood Bisque is an also tasty rendition of a classic, and Louisiana Seafood Gumbo does not disappoint. The only non-seafood appetizer is the Veal Osso Buco Ravioli.

Ruth's Chris has a very high quality meat corn fed (thereby reducing mad cow concerns) you can often cut it with your butter knife, and they are very picky about how they cook their meats. The secret, we were told by the waitress, as to why all the steaks are sizzling when they come to your table is the very hot ovens and that they are topped with butter. You really can't go wrong with any beef choice at Ruth's Chris, however, I personally found the Filet to be mouth wateringly good, no burnt pieces or grizzle and very tasty. The Porterhouse for Two is also a very tasty but firmer cut. Vegetarian entrée choices are somewhat limited - the main choice would be the Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, only available at dinner.

The waitress did warn us that sides were enough to split, but we didn't believe her and we ordered two sides each, which was way, way too much, even for my fried food loving ways. So bear in mind that the majority of sides are large enough to split - even for the heartiest eater. While in a fancier restaurant you might think it a waste to allocate your side veggie to something as simple as fries or onion rings, these sides do justice to a fine steak. There are many good appetizers and sides, and any French fry lover will likely want to try one of the varieties of potato cuts that would be your personal French fry perfection. (Julienne, shoestring pomme frites style, steak cut, and Lyonnaise) Other potato choices are mashed, a one pound baked, loaded, au gratin, and sweet potato casserole. Onion rings are 1 inch cut and a very generous portion. Think of the sides as more of a family style portion, and if you order one side for every two people to split, or if you would like to try a bit of everything in a larger group, most sides will split amongst a few people so you can try a bit of everything.

The salads are good and fresh, but a bit more standard fare. Even if you really love vegetables, you likely will prefer the appetizer and side dish renditions than the salad choices. While Ruth's Chris has some diet friendly and dietary sound choices, Ruth's Chris really feels like a restaurant that one should indulge, in moderation if necessary, in a good steak with good sides and a good drink. If you just love a salad, however, there are some tasty dressings, such as the Bleu Cheese and lemon basil dressing.

Some of the chocolate and ice cream based desserts are simple but quite good because they use premium ingredients. The die-hard chocolate fan will like the Chocolate Sin cake, an espresso and chocolate torte type consistency. I especially liked the Fresh Seasonal Berries with Sweet Cream Sauce after a meal that feels somewhat "heavy" between the beef and fried sides and seafood entrees. Each dessert is garnished with a bit of fruit.

The menu items and price and ambiance, for the most part, make this restaurant less than kid-friendly. It is not that children are expressly unwelcome, but I did not see any children any of the times I have gone to Ruth's Chris and there is not a children's menu readily available.

Ruth's Chris is a very versatile restaurant in that it is great for a business meeting, a romantic date, a night out with the boys (or girls) and even private parties. There is valet service available, and dress is casual to dressy, most people look like they came from a professional office job, not quite job interview level of dress, but not far off.