Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Wow, just wow… how far the mighty have fallen. A decade or so ago, this used to be my #1 choice for the best steak and steak-​dining experience, and (then) worth every expensive penny. This was our Valentine dinner (about a week after the holiday) and our first time at this location. We dressed up suit/​tie and felt way overdressed… place was packed and people dressed very casually. I’m talking windbreakers and ball caps casual. The place screamed «chain restaurant» (which it is, but in past it didn’t feel that way). If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought we were in a family steakhouse type place. All you’d need is an open salad bar with sneeze guard to make the transition complete to a slightly upscale Western Sizzlin’. Didn’t see kids, but probably because people don’t want to have to deal with them touching a 500-​degree plate. Zero ambience for any kind of romantic dinner. Ordered the special Kobe steak, and oh my gosh, how underwhelming… poor cut of meat, lots of gristle/​fat (and I like some fat for flavoring, of course). but NO WAY these are $ 40 steaks. I can honestly get a better quality steak at the local Texas Roadhouse, and for a LOT less. And when I got to TR, it’s a family chain experience, but that’s what I expect. I expected more from Ruth’s. Creamed spinach and baked potato were OK, not great. 2 glasses of less expensive wine, no dessert, and all for over $ 200 including tip. I wonder if either the company has, over the years cut back on expenses and quality of food they buy, or if this is a local issue w/​this particular location and management. Hard to understand how such expensive pricing can attract such a casual crowd, but maybe everybody thinks this is such an amazing experience that it’s worth that once a year splurge. It’s not. Since it’s the only location in CT, I suppose people perceive it as being very special and are willing to travel to dine here. Bottom line, the value is way out of line for the experience, and I’m sad it has become this way.

I struggle to write this review because while the food was excellent the atmosphere and drinks were not what I expected.
I went tonight (Valentine’s Day) for a romantic dinner. My boyfriend and I dressed up thinking it would be an upscale experience. I understand that it was very cold and not everyone will be super dressy but a plain sweater, t-​shirt or a windbreaker doesn’t work at a place like this. I didn’t feel like there was any ambiance.
We were seated in the furthest corner of the restaurant and I felt very secluded. Not to say service was terrible but just an awkward location. You could also feel the cold air coming through the wall. Not good.
The best part about the whole night was the food. Warm bread to start is always delicious. I don’t like that the steak plates were scorching hot and you have to let the butter stop sizzling before you can dig in but the taste was great. Very tender petite filet and ribeye along with asparagus that tasted like corn and very cheesy au gratin potatoes. Yum!
The first drink I had was a hard cider. The after taste was bitter and awful. I’ve had this cider before and don’t remember it tasting like this. The second one was a specialty drink that wasn’t on the menu. I asked for two top shelf liquors in my drink and got well versions instead. It burned really bad as I drank it.
I think this restaurant would be better suited if it competed directly with Capital Grille in Hartford. When you are spending a lot of money on a meal there are certain expectations that you hope would be exceeded.

Type of order: Dinner, several times.
Food Quality: Bar none. All items.
Beer Selection: Eh. Wine selection is excellent though.
Service: Bar none.
Atmosphere: Old school, family style (which I admittedly like). Very nice.
Prices: Clean your credit card before coming here.
Entertainment: Getting the bill.
Overall Experience: Totally worth every penny. Amazing.
Recommend Rating: If you ever get the chance, 1−2x a year, it’s totally worth it. I loved this every time, and can’t wait to go back and see the amazing staff. Cowboy Ribeye is the best piece of steak I’ve ever had. Twice.

Come here for happy hour. The service is always top notch and of course the food is delightful.
Love coming here for a quiet hour or two.

The service and the steakhouse was excellent everything is ala carte very expensive. So if you are watching your spending don’t go to this restaurant. if you are looking for a restaurant for a special occasion you have found the one

Not even remotely worth the $$$$$…J Gilberts in Glastonbury much better food, atmosphere, and much cleaner…

We were seated quickly on a busy Saturday night our waiter was delightful and very helpful and friendly, the meal was fantastic and worth the cost, the adult beverages weren’t bad either. A great night out topped off with a cheesecake desert that could have fed the whole table.

I feel sad writing this review. I’ve dined here many times over the years and take a look… once gave it 5 stars! is it going downhill or did we just experience a very «off» night. First off… their delicious bread was on the table when we arrived. seemed weird. Cocktails took too long but were very good. I had a wedge salad. wife had a ½ Caesar salad… so far so good. then we waited. and waited.and waited for our filet entrees to arrive. waiter was apologizing profusely. not sure what happened. when our sizzling ordered medium steaks arrived. he asked us to cut in to make sure they were done properly. ruths chris has never asked me to do this! both filets were «done» rare to raw and looked uneatable. waiter nowhere to be seen. finally he came back… apologized some more. took them back to the kitchen. This is the first meal I have ever sent back in many many years! he returned them a few minutes later. filets were now scorched and very well done. extremely disappointing. Meat was tender and tasty but when you are paying ruths chris prices you expect much better. we did eat our burned filet as we were hungry! Even the usually delicious creamed spinach was «off». tasted charred. didn’t taste «right». au gratin potatoes were pretty flavorless. Flustered waiter kept blaming himself… not the kitchen? «give us another chance»…“this isn’t usual ruths chris performance”. gave us both a very small baileys drink as a «we’re sorry». bill arrived… nothing taken off the tab… I was surprised. No management in sight this evening. paid it and vowed to try capital grille the next time we are in the mood for some fancy steak dinner. too bad.

Went here last night. Got the chicken which is a little pricey but it’s amazing. Not dry, cooked perfectly. Food at this place is overall excellent. Have nothing bad to say about that. Only things I would say… It’s to 80s looking. Needs renovation badly. It just doesn’t feel like it’s been updated in years. Other complaint waitress wasn’t friendly. She looked depressed we didn’t order alcohol. Like crap bill won’t be as high nor will my tip. Food wise though… Can’t miss. Just be prepared for a expensive check.
Went back recently, again amazing food experience but bartender was very slow. They really need to add another bartender. One is not enough. With all that said its best steak house in area. Try that chicken with cheese filling!!!

Awesome place. Food was amazing. Are waitress Sheila had a great personality and made are dinner experience awesome will be back soon…

After a lapse of six years, I returned to Ruth’s Chris with only a faded memory of meals once eaten. I’m glad I did! From the moment we entered the restaurant to the time when we walked out the door, the dining experience was both exceptional and memorable.
We were greeted by the friendly hostess who wished us a «happy anniversary» and promptly had us seated at the requested booth. The rose petals on the table were a nice touch too!
The waiter was also very friendly and eager to serve and he walked us through the menu and specials and answered all questions graciously.
The food was very good from start to finish. The bread was warm and the butter at room temp (I detest cold butter!). The crab cakes were just that– all crab with a hint of spices and the smallest amount of other stuff to hold it together. Delicious! The freshly crumbled blue cheese on the salad was luscious and satisfying.
The bone-​in ribeye was cooked perfectly, served sizzling in butter. The meat was very tender and flavorful, and the portion size was enough for two people.
Dessert was out of the question, but the waiter still brought us a complimentary chocolate mousse for our anniversary. Very nice way to end a great meal.
I won’t be waiting another six years to return!

2 time in 6 years just forgot why I never went back, pack as always owner never up graded the front entrance long hallway not very welcoming, bathrooms are still old,
Ok let’s get to food $ 110 tomahawk steak
Waitress raved about it 3 guys, way to small
Had it cooked medium, first couple bites it was good, but as it cooled it got tough as leather, should of had it rare, here’s the good part I ask for a house steak sauce waiter brings over A1 steak sauce? Oh boy !
I’ve eaten at all top steak houses and they all
Have house signature sauce, this place is to corporate, shrimp cocktail was soft and little yellow, means it’s few days old,
We’re not bread eaters but one little piece
And bread pudding, I ask is it Irish they said better, it’s factory made frozen them thawed out drench in some sticky creamy sauce
I could not eat it, I’m sure the do good up there, but this place is not for me

Went there for dinner. Great service. Good food. Good wine. Worth the price you pay. Staff is very nice and friendly. More as a fancy-​high-​class-​restaurant ambiance, but their (very small) bar is cool. Would highly recommend.

Do I dare get the porterhouse for two? Why yes I do. Ask for it to be served «pittsburg» style and you won’t regret it. Blackened on the outside, cooked to perfect temperature, and sliced right off the bone into strips, this baby came about 1.5 inches thick and well worth the price as opposed to other steakhouses that will charge you «per person» for this meal.
Our waitress Becky was fantastic. After placing the steak on the table, two piping hot 100+ degree dinner plates were placed in front of us, and she even put a slice of each side of the steak on our individual plates to sear off the meat, and keep it hot while eating. Accompanied by a side of bearnaise sauce and a side of Potatoes Lyonnaise made me melt. Cheesy chunks of potato covered in liquid gold was a great way to wash down the steak… along with the GLASS of Lagavulin 16 year scotch. This was not your average pour, but well accepted as dessert.
I recommend the happy hour menu if you don’t want to empty your pockets, but Ruth’s Chris is a great place to have a special occasion dinner out. The atmosphere is ok, and not at 100% but you can save some $$ here compared to other steakhouses in CT!

Great food quality but VERY DATED STYLE. The opposite of hip and young. Also it’s a major boys club– when I went there were two big groups of businessmen and absolutely no women under 55. I would NEVER see myself going there with female friends (I’m 30)– I’d much sooner go to Max’s Downtown or J. Gilbert’s. When our waiter first came over he greeted my husband saying, «Good evening, Mr. Goodman» but no greeting for me!!! The waiter was a very nice guy but it contributed to my sense that this place is a boys club and I was offended.
But back to my main point: It’s a very dated style of dining. You select your cut of steak, your toppings, and your sides a la carte and everything comes on separate plates. So your steak arrives on a sizzling plate with NOTHING ELSE ON IT and your sides come on separate plates to share. Just very dated to me. And our side of broccoli au gratin was literally swimming in cheese and cream– again, such an old fashioned recipe and presentation style. In fact, the whole place had a very dated feel, including the décor and especially the bathroom.
And this was TACKY– It was my husband’s birthday so when we sat down they had laid 3 strings of plastic mardi gras beads at our table!!! They said that’s what they do when someone makes a reservation for their birthday? It was like, here’s your $ 45 steak and your 35 cent beads from Party City. How weird. Then when dessert was served the waiter brought out a camera and took our picture at the table (without asking if we even wanted it) and printed it for us to take home. Again, nice gesture but really just very strange and old-​fashioned.
Last gripe: Hostess needs to offer to take your frickin coat. Seriously, dinner for two was $ 200, the service should be superb.
Maybe I’ll come back for my retirement party, but not before.

First time here and will be my last.
Had 715 reservations. We waited almost 30 minutes past our time in a super crowded «waiting area» which is nothing more than a hostess station and the bathrooms. We were never asked about our coats until we were halfway to our table.
Food was just okay quite honestly. I feel like I could have gotten better food at Outback across the street. The crab cakes were the size of golfballs. 2 for $ 19? You should be ashamed of yourselves. My boyfriend enjoyed his steak though he wasn’t thrilled about it the way you should be for a $ 40 steak.
Baked potatoes were okay and again nothing special. We asked for Broccoli Au Gratin and we were given Broccoli. When told about the mixup, the waitress apologized and brought another. We barely touched both broccoli dishes on the table. When she came back and took them, we assumed she would be wrapping them up. Wrong. She didn’t.
I just expect the level of service to be on par with the prices at a place like this. Average food, average waitresses, horrible renovations needed (nice dirty carpets are always a plus at a fine dining establishment) and in my opinion, inexperienced hostesses who belong at Friendly’s and not at some place where they charge you $ 85 for a steak.
Ever been to a 1987 style steakhouse? This is your place if you haven’t been to one.
Won’t be back. Ever again.

Well, Unilocalers, this is Connecticut… The local Ruth’s Chris in Newington is better than many local eateries, but pales when compared to most other Ruth’s Chris locations around the country and overseas.
Where to start…
DW, lad and I dined there last weekend, hoping for the same experience we had come to expect in California locations of the chain. We were mostly disappointed.
The facility is tired looking. Not awful, but just basically run down around the edges. It looks like it may have been a Denny’s that has been converted in the past couple of decades. It was also cold inside; my feet froze throughout the dinner.
The service was pleasant, but not up to what you would expect for this level of price. (Maybe the former Denny’s employees?) Errors were made; potatoes arrived cold, steak ordered medium rare arrived well-​done, etc. Nothing heinous, but disappointing.
Wife had a filet, I had the 22 oz. cowboy rib-​eye. Both tasted good, neither were cooked to order. The dessert we shared was a whiskey sauced bread pudding. Dear wife asked me if the flavoring reminded me of «Sterno.» Unfortunately, it did. It was not tasty. Asparagus was ok, but mostly flavorless.
Am I whining? Well maybe, but for $ 165.00 pre-​tip with no alcohol, I left feeling ripped off.
If I think back a few weeks to a dinner we had at Fleming’s, over in West Hartford, for about the same price, I cannot come up with a reason to ever return to this Ruth’s Chris location. Fleming’s utterly spanks them in both food and service.
I guess I’m glad so many other Unilocalers like this location, but I doubt that they would feel the same way if they ever dined at one of the locations in San Diego.

We have be dinning here for 25 years. I find the wait staff and bar tenders professional and Steve the GM runs a great house. The filet is the best I ever have eaten anywhere and a great wine list. Monday nights ½ price wines a good night to go.

I was hosting a group of ten. When I called to make a reservation the manager discussed with me how we could limit my exposure to $ 50. per person on the meal (excluding alcohol). Much appreciated. They developed a nice list of choices. The service is always stellar. I overheard people remarking that it was a fun treat to dine together for lunch at a great restaurant.
At the risk of being overly effusive with my praise, I can’t think of a nicer place for a holiday lunch. I could tell from the silence of those dinning, (after our meals were served) that our party was enjoying themselves, and loving the fare.

Very good food. Very good, courteous service.
I had petit filet mignon with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Steak was cooked exactly as ordered (I had it medium-​well) and tasted great with the seasoning. Both sides tasted good, as well.
For dessert, I had a warm bread pudding. It was good and I looked the delicious topping sauce. Yummy!
Highly recommend the place.