Ruth Chris Steakhouse

trev · Post by **trev** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:03 am

I've never been there and am thinking of taking my parents there for their 50th anniversary. The Ruth Chris in Nashville. Any of you that have been there, I would appreciate your reviews! Or, if you have been to Nashville and can think of another place to take them, feel free to chime in. There will be about 8 of us, so how much can I expect the $$$ to be?? I know it will be expensive and I have planned for that.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:10 am

Roughly guessing the total tab sans booze would be about $6-700. Throw in another couple hundred for the bar tab......$300 if anyone besides you drinks.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:15 am

There is nothing even remotely unique or unusual about Ruth's Chris. You could do a backyard grill more cheaply with better steak, better wine and have a better time doing it.

A dinner like you're talking about should be out of the ordinary and beyond your skill set.

trev · Post by **trev** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:20 am

I know. I want it special. Really special. I appreciate the input. I have until July to figure this out.

Carson · Post by **Carson** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:23 am

Ruth Chris' whole schtick is cooking steaks at 700 degrees.

Big deal. Not worth the money.

Hell, Outback is better to me.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Sat May 19, 2012 1:26 am

trev wrote:I want it special. Really special.

Is that right?

Y2K · Post by **Y2K** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:30 am

At least $75.00 per person...It's OK nothing to brag about. Not worth the money if you ask me.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:39 am

Better off going to Applebee's.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:53 am

trev, you had to know these guys were going to pile on with their badass uppercrust selves. As if there was ever any doubt.

Yes, Ruth's Chris is overpriced. That cannot be denied. Putting that aside—and what restaurant isn't overpriced?—RC is still an excellent choice for this occasion. If you plan on enjoying drinks, appetizers, sides and dessert you're definitely looking at $100+ per person, but for someone who's never been to such a place it's a fun evening and well worth it.

Anyway, a little backstory...

Ever since my radiation treatments I've been unable to taste much of anything. Steak happens to be one thing I can taste at probably 60-70% of 'normal.' As a result, I've been eating way more steak than I ever used to, which has led me to try every damn steak place I can find.

Ruth's Chris has the best steak I've found so far, with only one other place coming close. Certainly places such as Outback and the like do not compare. The point of RC's for steak lovers is a contentions one: their copious use of butter on otherwise excellent cuts of meat. Steak aficionados often decry this practice, saying it's sacriligious and defeats the whole point of having a fine steak. Proponents of RC simply respond with, "Who cares? It tastes goooooood."

Yes, they serve the thing at something like 500 degrees on a plate that's too hot to touch. Some people love this practice, agreeing with RC that it keeps the steak warm from the first bite to last. The steak snobs say it can turn their medium rare cut to medium by the time they're two-thirds of the way through their meal.

Having been apprised of that concern going in, I checked for myself. It's bullshit. Your steak will not noticeably change over the course of your dinner. It will stay warmer, though, which is good.

I cannot tell you about their drinks, since I don't drink. I haven't tried their desserts, because my appetite wasn't up to such things. Their Caesar salad was very good, but nothing exceptional. Their sides are exceptional. I've tried five, and all were well above your standard restaurant fare.

The other thing that everyone is failing to mention is RC's service, which is so excellent as to nearly be unique. Part of the high price for dining at RC has to do with their service, which is outstanding. Barely will your water glass become half empty before the waitstaff is there to refill it. Have even the slightest complaint about any of your dishes? They will graciously replace the item, no questions asked. They're very knowledgeable, and treat you very well.

For your parent's 50th anniversary, it's money well spent.

Wolfman · Post by **Wolfman** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:31 am

Took MrsO on Mother;s Day to the store near me in Bonita Springs. Been there a few times before for special dinners like Valentine's Day. They usually have specials which include salad/soup, entree, and dessert for anywhere from $35 to $45 per person. Drinks beside water of course will add to the bill. The food is good, steaks melt in your mouth, and the service is very good. Open up your wallet and treat the folks.

Shlomart Ben Yisrael · Sat May 19, 2012 2:33 am

There's a Ruth's Chris here in Toronto...

Take your parents somewhere special...like...Canada.

trev · Post by **trev** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:46 am

I'm not new to the internet. Or Yelp. Or Tripadvisor. I just want and enjoy your superb opinions here.

Wolfman · Post by **Wolfman** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:48 am

On special times like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day this store opens at 2 PM. It's so we don't have to deal with assholes like you later in the day.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:51 am

KC, do you have any point whatsoever to make, or did Zy already steal your RC onanistic thunder?

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:53 am

trev wrote:I'm not new to the internet. Or Yelp. Or Tripadvisor. I just want and enjoy your superb opinions here.

You would probably be better off finding a Japanese teppanyaki place. At least there would be some sort of showmanship and fun involved in serving you average food.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Sat May 19, 2012 4:03 am

Ruth's Chis caters to businessmen on travel with big expense accounts and people who want to impress by dropping big $$. It's a chain. If you want a good steak you probably can't go wrong, but like mvscal said you can fix a good steak at home.

Find out where the locals go if they want to do a special, memorable meal. I don't know anything about Nashville but for my in-laws' 50th we took them and the extended family to the Hotel del Coronado. I'm sure that there are comparable places in Nashville with some history and with a great local reputation.

Here are some examples of places I might go in SoCal for a special meal. There are plenty of others you can pick that aren't chains or steakhouses. These are just places that I know. There have to be plenty in Nashville, you just have to find them.

Downtown San Diego
http://www.buonappetito.signonsandiego.com/
http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/menu-res ... igo-grill/

Oceanside
http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/menu-res ... 3-pacific/

Escondido (this place is amazing...)
http://vincentsongrand.com/

Within 15 minutes from home (Bonsall) or Carlsbad
http://frescorestaurants.com/

Los Angeles
http://www.watergrill.com/

Santa Monica
http://www.oceanave.com/

San Francisco
http://etuttoqua.com/

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Sat May 19, 2012 5:29 am

Wolfman wrote:this store

They're restaurants, not stores, you mongoloid.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:20 am

Screw_Michigan wrote:
Wolfman wrote:this store
They're restaurants, not stores, you mongoloid.

Chain restaurants are refered to as stores, you jizzmopping cretin.

bradhusker · Post by **bradhusker** » Sat May 19, 2012 7:16 am

trev wrote:I've never been there and am thinking of taking my parents there for their 50th anniversary. The Ruth Chris in Nashville. Any of you that have been there, I would appreciate your reviews! Or, if you have been to Nashville and can think of another place to take them, feel free to chime in. There will be about 8 of us, so how much can I expect the $$$ to be?? I know it will be expensive and I have planned for that.

First of all, its Ruth's not Ruth. The fuckin name is plural. GET it RIGHT, or dont go there.

That being said, its prime beef, meaning the marbling is throughout, providing you with a more flavorful and tender cut of beef.

I also reccomend Flemings and Del Friscos. Nashville is a great town, and a great music town as well.

USDA Prime is the way to go, the more marble, the better the flavor. Its all about PRIME steaks.

And remember, its promounced RUTH'S not RUTH. get it right.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sat May 19, 2012 7:37 am

bradhusker wrote:The fuckin name is plural. GET it RIGHT, or dont go there.

No, it's not, you moron. It's possessive, not plural. If it were plural, it would mean it's owned by multiple women named Ruth. The apostrophe would follow the 's,' resulting in a real clusterfuck of a name. Ruth Udstad is the woman who purchased the original Chris Steak House in New Orleans. She kept the "Chris" part of the name, making it Ruth's Chris Steak House.

Singular possessive, not plural. Next time, follow your own advice.

bradhusker · Post by **bradhusker** » Sat May 19, 2012 8:01 am

Van wrote:
bradhusker wrote:The fuckin name is plural. GET it RIGHT, or dont go there.
No, it's not, you moron. It's possessive, not plural. If it were plural, it would mean it's owned by multiple women named Ruth. The apostrophe would follow the 's,' resulting in a real clusterfuck of a name. Ruth Udstad is the woman who purchased the original Chris Steak House in New Orleans. She kept the "Chris" part of the name, making it Ruth's Chris Steak House.

Singular possessive, not plural. Next time, follow your own advice.

Thanks for correcting me Van, im so embarrassed. Ruth's meaning its hers. Hence, Ruth's, its her place.

bradhusker · Post by **bradhusker** » Sat May 19, 2012 8:14 am

Toddowen wrote:
mvscal wrote:
trev wrote:I'm not new to the internet. Or Yelp. Or Tripadvisor. I just want and enjoy your superb opinions here.
You would probably be better off finding a Japanese teppanyaki place. At least there would be some sort of showmanship and fun involved in serving you average food.

Wrong.

My brother and his wife lugged me along to Benihana in Torrance a few years ago. Way too many darkies. We were seated at a table with a family straight out of East Ghana. They ordered rice and a shrimp for each person, and then sat for the next hour and watched as we downed soft shell crab, lobster, steak, a boatload of shrimp, buckets of fried rice, dessert, drinks, etc...

Them just sitting there watching us ruined an otherwise extravagent dining experience.

It would have ruined my dining experience as well. Why didnt they just go to Dennys or McDonalds?
I hope they didnt "stiff" the waiter. If they did, its within your legal right to ask them to pony up more money for a tip. If they still refuse? You are within your legal right to force them to leave a tip.

I did this once. I was with a party of businessmen, and I noticed a pretty waitress sobbing. She said that her last table had not only stiffed her, BUT, they actually left the bill short by a few bucks.
My blood BOILED, so I asked her to point out the table which did this to her. I walked over and acted like the OLD MAN from "Reservoir Dogs". With a scary voice full of angry gravel, I asked them if they tipped their waitress. This thug who looked like Trayvon Martin got in my face. I quickly picked him up and held him upsidedown, rattled him until all his change and crumpled up dollars fell to the ground.
YOU TIP YOUR WAITRESS you fuckin MOOLIE!! OR, YOU GO TO McDonalds, those are your two choices. YA GOT IT?

Wolfman · Post by **Wolfman** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:03 pm

Speaking of Ruth's Chris, anyone remember Jim's Mario's ?
At least Screw_Michigan may have learned something here. You really should get out more.

Mr T · Post by **Mr T** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:08 pm

RC is expensive but if you are just going for the ambiance then it should be fine and the steaks are decent.

While you are in nashville, stop in at Porter road butcher fri-sun for some fresh local beef, pork or chicken. The concourse at Vandy hospital also has a good farmers market on thursday with meats, cheeses, bread, ect.

Smackie Chan · Post by **Smackie Chan** » Sat May 19, 2012 6:46 pm

bradhusker wrote:I quickly picked him up and held him upsidedown, rattled him until all his change and crumpled up dollars fell to the ground.
YOU TIP YOUR WAITRESS you fuckin MOOLIE!! OR, YOU GO TO McDonalds, those are your two choices. YA GOT IT?

While this is, of course, bullshit, it still made me laugh a little.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sat May 19, 2012 7:59 pm

I've eaten a couple of times at Ruth's Chris, and it was good, not great...

Mikey wrote:Find out where the locals go if they want to do a special, memorable meal. I don't know anything about Nashville but for my in-laws' 50th we took them and the extended family to the Hotel del Coronado.

in bigger cities there's almost always a better local place than places like RC....looking at the Yelp page, local reviews favor Kayne Prime, while on Trip Advisor Capitol Grille gets a lot of love from nashville residents...seems like you probably couldn't go wrong with either of those choices....

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Sat May 19, 2012 8:25 pm

Felix wrote:Kayne Prime

This place got 69 stars from Stanley Pickle.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sat May 19, 2012 9:52 pm

Toddowen wrote:My brother and his wife lugged me along to Benihana in Torrance a few years ago. Way too many darkies. We were seated at a table with a family straight out of East Ghana. They ordered rice and a shrimp for each person, and then sat for the next hour and watched as we downed soft shell crab, lobster, steak, a boatload of shrimp, buckets of fried rice, dessert, drinks, etc...

Them just sitting there watching us ruined an otherwise extravagent dining experience.

That's why you go with a large party. That way you aren't sharing a griddle with impoverished noggles.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sat May 19, 2012 10:06 pm

mvscal wrote:impoverished noggles.

Jesus...

Seriously, dude, not even Dante imagined a ring that was suitable for you.

Rich Fader · Post by **Rich Fader** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:08 am

Noggles? Great local fast-food Mexican chain back when I was a kid. Started right in downtown Rivertucky. Avery Schreiber and Roger Carmel (aka Harry Mudd from Star Trek) both played their commercial mascot. Don't bother looking for one, they sold out to Del Taco in the late Eighties.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:29 am

It was spelled 'Naugles,' and yep, when I was a kid I loved their truly scary-bad nachos. That place and Tommy's Burgers were the go-to choices for late-night gastronomic awfulness.

(Edit: Doh! AP beat me to it.)

Atomic Punk · Post by **Atomic Punk** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:41 am

Van wrote:It was spelled 'Naugles,' and yep, when I was a kid I loved their truly scary-bad nachos. That place and Tommie's Burgers were the go-to choices for late-night gastronomic awfulness.

Live by spelling/grammar smack, die by it.

http://www.originaltommys.com/

There is, however a fake version in shitty areas of California that go by the name Tommie's. :wink:

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:44 am

There was a Naugles in lovely (not really) North Chicago, right outside the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Used to go there all the time while I was in school there. They had a horse cock sized burrito that was pretty awesome.

Not really sure how a socal messican fast food chain ends up in the midwest. I suppose it had to do with the Navy base and the fact there were lots of people there who had been stationed in SD and were familiar with the place.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sun May 20, 2012 4:44 am

Toddowen wrote:And what is it about jigsters failure to call ahead and reserve a table? I've been to that same Benihana twice. And each time we have to step through a crowd of the darkest Zulu's as the hostess calls our party forward at opening time.

Sounds more like a problem with the location.

mvscal · Post by **mvscal** » Sun May 20, 2012 6:46 am

Toddowen wrote:...wanting to see if we offered them any food out of pity.

Hopefully you didn't. It only encourages them.

Smackie Chan · Post by **Smackie Chan** » Sun May 20, 2012 11:07 am

mvscal wrote:
Toddowen wrote:...wanting to see if we offered them any food out of pity.
Hopefully you didn't. It only encourages them.

bradhusker · Post by **bradhusker** » Sun May 20, 2012 2:37 pm

smackaholic wrote:There was a Naugles in lovely (not really) North Chicago, right outside the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Used to go there all the time while I was in school there. They had a horse cock sized burrito that was pretty awesome.

Not really sure how a socal messican fast food chain ends up in the midwest. I suppose it had to do with the Navy base and the fact there were lots of people there who had been stationed in SD and were familiar with the place.

horse-cock sized? that could feed an entire family. are you sure? maybe they just seemed that large to you as a youngster, BUT, now as a grown ass man, they'd be the size of a thimble.
childhood trauma.

Smackie Chan · Post by **Smackie Chan** » Sun May 20, 2012 2:50 pm

bradhusker wrote:
smackaholic wrote:They had a horse cock sized burrito that was pretty awesome.
horse-cock sized? that could feed an entire family. are you sure?

Stay down, 'holic. No sense in fighting this battle. You're dealing with a subject matter expert.

bradhusker · Post by **bradhusker** » Sun May 20, 2012 7:23 pm

Jsc810 wrote:

Dont laugh Jsc, I hear that your no stranger to the cock either. Shit, as I type this, your enjoying a fine boars head cockmeat sandwich on pumpernickel. The mere fact that you can get ur mouth around it is cause for celebration.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sun May 20, 2012 8:49 pm

bradhusker wrote:Dont laugh Jsc, I hear that your no stranger to the cock either.