We went for my birthday dinner. I had the 12 ounce filet that was cooked perfectly. Being a vegetarian my wife only had a salad. That's why we have only given it three stars, her salad leaves were wilted like they were very old. Not what I expected for that caliber of restaurant. The service was very slow and I think the only person that smile was the manager that greeted us.
(3)
Bruce K.
This Ruth's Chris is inside the Embassy Suites. Some of their dining room pokes out into the atrium and they do try to block the hotel noise with trees and such but it doesn't cut it much. If you want better RC ambiance, try for a room inside. I started with the tomato mozzarella. The slices of tomato looked good until you peeked underneath and found that they were not ideal. A bit green and not bright red and meaty. Maybe it's the wrong season but I have higher expectations when three slices of tomato and three slices of mozzarella cheese are $12. As well, the "fresh basil" seemed not as fresh as I expected. I've made way better myself. The petite filet was perfect. Rare as ordered and tender. Potatoes Lyonnaise were in a small puddle of butter but were tasty. I was staying in the Embassy Suites and in my room was a $52 deal for a three course meal. There was nothing about that when I got to the Ruth's Chris menu and I really did not feel like bringing it up.
(3)
Sue K.
We stopped in here to order appetizers as this is the only restaurant in the hotel. We sent the Calamari back after it was "tossed" but really drenched in sauce and the breading was falling off. After we received the next order the sauce was on the side, it was odd liquid with some red globs in it. The breading was a bit better, over battered but still fell off easily and was chewy. I ordered a Caesar salad which was a large salad but I had to take out about 1/2 of the lettuce as it was all white rind. I would have rather had the salad 1/2 the size with good lettuce. The service was good, food was bad. Didn't have any steaks though.
(1)
Jason O.
The food was delicious as usual. The atrium is loud and takes away from the dining experience. The service lacks compared to other Ruth's. It definitely feels like you are eating in a hotel rather than going to a fine dining experience. If you don't care about that aspect...then no big deal. I went for the steak...delicious!
(4)
Caroline C.
I'm new to the area & was a bit thrown off to see the restaurant was inside a hotel. That being said, the food was still delicious. My steak was cooked perfectly & no complaints about the service. Other than the ambiance being a little "iffy" I would say it was a good dining experience!
(4)
Paul C.
Awesome Filet Mignon! I had the filet from the lunch menu today and it was amazing. The filet is cut from the short end of the beef tenderloin. Sometimes a filet is wrapped in bacon to enhance the flavor, but that is definitely not needed here. My filet was a beautiful cut of meat that was close to 2 inches thick and probably weighted 8 ounces. Ruth's Chris broils the steak in an 1800 degree oven to seal in the juices. It is then served on a very hot plate with just enough butter to sizzle. I ordered my filet cooked medium. The inside was dark pink when it was served, and it continued to cook to the perfect medium pink color. The meat was so tender that it seemed to melt in my mouth. A touch of salt was seared on the outside and complemented the fantastic flavor of the meat. I love to talk about a great steak, and this is one that i will be talking about for a while. I'm posting a picture. "Like it" if you like Filet Mignon.
(4)
Brad B.
After two separate meals here, I can confidently state that this is the most disappointing Ruth's Chris I've ever eaten at. The vegetables tasted frozen, the steak was undercooked, and the waiters seemed indifferent. For such a high price, there are far better restaurants in Birmingham.
(2)
Will L.
I'm not a wealthy guy. When I get to visit a fancy pants place like Ruth's Chris, I feel both privileged and silly. Privileged, because it's really nice that a kind person has taken me there or because my piggy bank has overfloweth. Silly, because the hostess, waiter, busboy, owner, manager, plumber, valet guy, and every other employee feels like they need to treat me like I'm more important than them. Trust me, I'm not. My view on their top notch service is not a shot at them. I totally understand why they go over the top to make people feel special. It's just not necessary for me. My steak was fantastic. I ordered the Cowboy Ribeye, while my lady got the normal ribeye. Mine was seriously fantastic. It was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Oddly enough, her "rare" ribeye appeared to be almost slow cooked. It was still good, but not even close to mine. If you want a fancy steak place were they make you feel more important than you are, this is a good choice. Heads up... You're not that important.
(4)
John K.
Ate lunch here and had the Grilled Tuna Salad which turned out to be a terrible decision. There was 3 crumbles of blue cheese and very few pieces of diced apples which was very disappointing. Since lunch, I have spent the remainder of my day in the restroom. Called the restaurant to inform them of the poisoning and they weren't very sympathetic. Told me I was the only one to complain and wished be the best. Extremely disappointed in the service and how they decided to handle this situation.
(1)
Domonique A.
My husband and I decided to try appetizers at the bar (with drinks). Bar service was good and the Spicy Lobster bites were delicious. Next time, I think I'll try the dessert!
(3)
Bret A.
This restaurant is located in the Embassy Suites and has open bar seating or full restaurant seating. Both are nice. Fantastic steak! I visited for business and had an extremely helpful and friendly waitress. The bread was hot and fresh. I had a harvest salad and steak. Both were excellent and very filling. I did not have room for anything else! The steak was cooked perfectly! ! Ruth Chris is on the priciier side and everythign is a la carte. The salad was $8 and the steak $47. Wine by the glass is about $12. I will be back!
(4)
Brad H.
Torn with how many stars to give, because the steak (filet mignon) was INCREDIBLE. Everything else...meh. Atmosphere is terrible. It's like eating in a food court of a mall, with all the trees and fish ponds. You're literally dining in the lobby of a hotel. Does not match the quality/flavor of the steak, which again was INCREDIBLE. The sides were not only "nothing special", but they were straight up bland (the creamed spinach and the mashed potatoes). We will go back just for the steak, and ask to be seated inside to see if that's a more appropriate atmosphere to match the steak (did I mention it was an INCREDIBLE steak?) Steak: 5 stars Everything else: 2 stars
(3)
Mark A.
Even with this being Birmingham and a smaller market, I have to say that having a Ruth's Chris in an Embassy Suites isn't the best idea. Even though this is probably one of the best hotels in the area, I think the brand would be better served not having one there at all. The food was not very good. I had the lobster bisque and the seasoning was definitely off and slightly burned. On to my lunch selection I had the tuna salad with the tuna cooked medium for my own personal taste. Out comes my salad with tuna cooked rare. Even with minimal guests for the lunch service the waiter couldn't get this right. Very sad. So I chose not to send back to the kitchen given what I had already gotten for food quality and service. This Ruth's Chris would never stand up to ones I have been to in DC or other large markets. Maybe it will get better but from my observations probably not.
(2)
matt d.
Update 07/09/2013 - Updated I ordered the filet and lobster tail special, my wife ordered the filet. Her's was cooked to order but was not particularly good. Mine was over cooked. The replacement was well under cooked (even after sitting on the 500 degree plate for 5 minutes). i asked them to take it away. It was removed from the bill but the re-assessment was not a fair division of the filet/lobster special. They removed maybe $13 for the filet that was a $32 meal alone for my wife. The waiter was okay but not friendly or communicative at all. The manager did stop to deliver the 2nd filet, but made no appearance after the second filet was taken away. While sitting there, I saw the manager taking an uneaten filet away from somebody else table. Seems like they have an inherent inability to cook steak. Good thing that is not their specialty ...oh wait The waiter asked if I would like drawn butter with the lobster. 1/2 way into the meal it shows up, by which time the lobster was cold. ---Follow up: I emailed Ruth's Chris about the experience and received a fairly prompt call back from somebody at the local establishment. She was polite and apologetic (just as the response from the manager on this post). I appreciate that they were quick to respond to my email and this post. a few additional facts: It was not just my opinion that the filet was over/under-cooked- the waiter himself asked me if it was over, and then later under cooked- before I stated it was so. It was obvious just by looking at them. Regarding being asked if I want drawn butter- this is lobster-101. I should have been asked at the time of order, not 5 minutes after it was delivered...only to wait another 10 to 15 minutes to get it. I also had the gumbo. It was delivered timely and was good. Update 070913: I received a personal letter from the manager (R. Lanie Burbach). It was not a form letter and was professional. That type of response shows class and I appreciate that. Thank you. -Matt
(2)
Anthony L.
Not the best for decor. I've been to dozens of Ruth Chris and this one feels/looks like a hotel restaurant. We sat in the area exposed (no ceiling). There were a bunch of kids running around the upper floors of the hotel. They were throwing ice at us and running off. I got hit on the head. Management did not seem to notice or care. I had to go to the hotel lobby to complain. I was there with another couple and spending over a $100 dollars on my meal. Management never followed up with us. We will go to Flemming's from now on.
(1)
Chris O.
The referral from the front desk of the hotel was great! and the hostess was super nice and accomodating. The service began great... and slowly unfolded into a poor experience. Why you ask? A) Ordered a mohito to start my dinner as I wanted a lil kick start to my lonesome Valentine dinner. I got the mohito nearly 10 minutes later where it was SUPER sweet and had boarderline moldy mint... yea, you know the brown stuff... floating in my drink...!!! B) I kindly requested that they remake my mohito and while doing so I asked for a little less sweetness. Another, wait, and when I got the new one it was basically a rum and soda water with mint. The non-verbal communication I got from the bartender was "You suck as a customer to question my drink making skills, take this!" C) While my drink experience was sub-par, it only got worse, I requested a glass of red wine to come out with my main course. The waiter even confirmed that I want it out with my main course. When did I get my glass of wine you ask...? more than half way through my meal. The cook did a fine job on my shrimp and filet but the server and bartender have... more quality skills to offer our world than service. I don't know, maybe i caught them on a bad day, or perhaps if I had a woman with me on Valentines day the service woudl be a little better. What does that tell you? I guess the ratings say it all for this place. O
(1)
M. H.
Fail. I'm not sure where this places gets off wearing the Ruth's Chris name, but I've had better service and food at Sizzler for far less. The staff is the most entitled bunch of teenage acting goobers I've ever seen in a restaurant-lackadaisical, smarmy and unapologetic. I started with the Caesar salad with parmesan wafer. The salad was wilty and had way too much dressing and the Parmesan wafer tasted EXACTLY like it had been made the night before and left out. Stale, waxy and old. Blech! I ordered the filet with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked like I ordered it but not anything special. It was not the cut of meat I had come to expect from a place like this with all the hype surrounding it. (my parents used to rave about this place when I was growing up) The mashed potatoes were salty and so overseasoned with white pepper (and I LOVE white pepper. It's my favorite peppercorn) they were barely edible and all but covered up any semblance of seasoning that was on my steak. When I talked to the server about it she just rolled her eyes and muttered that she'd go get the manager. The manager basically half ass apologized and offered a small discount. I refused the discount since we were using a gift card anyway and wouldn't be back. Maybe I should have kept the gift card to myself until it was time to pay. Maybe they would have given a crap then.
(1)
Alex D.
I had the New York Strip, potatoes au gratin, and bread pudding. Food was amazing and the service was outstanding. I have eaten here three times and had the same waiter each time. He is incredibly professional and knowledgeable. This is the place I go when I want to treat myself to an outstanding steak.
(5)
Joe L.
Very disappointed with this place. It used to be a consistently great place to eat a steak. My last trip was uneventful, this trip was just a waist of money!
(2)
Jason K.
I don't understand the low ratings for this outpost of the national chain. We loved it. Granted, the Embassy Suites in which it was situated was in dire need of a facelift, but we could not have been more pleased with our service and food. We do not generally make it a habit of foisting our 4 month-old on high-end steakhouses, but it was late and we had been on the road for most of the day. We were too tired to venture back out into the wet and cold 'Bama night so we decided to stay in for the evening. Now, we are veterans of more Mortons, Ruths Chris, Flemings, Palms, and Capital Grilles across the country than we care to remember. But we were immediately struck by the warm welcome and gracious service we received, despite our little burden...fortunately, baby had been tired out by then and allowed mommy and daddy a rare but welcome respite. The food was, what can I say, standard steakhouse fare. We did not tempt fate and order anything out of the ordinary...I started with a tomato and onion salad and my wife had a lettuce wedge. We received exactly what we expected, and they were satisfying. But then, the steaks...ahh. I have to say my New York Strip was probably the best I have had in at least the last 10 years (my wife enjoyed her filet as well). But back to that strip...every slice was perfectly crisply charred on the outside while a perfect pink and juicy medium rare inside. It was nicely marbled, rich and flavorful. As ordered, it was served in a wonderful pool of sizzling butter as well (OK, this is not diet food). Sides included plain broccoli and potatoes au gratin...again, nothing exciting but well done. We were too full for desert, but prices were in line with other high-end steakhouses. Our server was very nice and accomodating...he had to box up our leftovers but even included two pairs of silverwear with our doggie bag. Granted, we only ate here once, but it was definitely a five-star experience.
(5)
Ashley M.
Five star restaurant?? I think not. My husband and I came here for our anniversary with high expectations of a lovely ambiance and delicious steaks. Ambiance? Unless you like the feeling of sitting in the lobby of a hotel for a romantic dinner then the ambiance was suuubbb sub par. Literally sitting in the middle of a Embassy Suites lobby. Our view consisted of the many floors of hotel doors barely blocked by a few plants in the restaurant. We were often being stared at by the hotel guests walking to their rooms or riding up the glass elevators. White table cloths and a a fake rock wall doesn't hide the obvious location. If you don't like awkwardly chatty waiters then be sure to tell them you've been there before so you don't have to suffer through the long story of how the restaurant got started. A story that you can read yourself in the front of the menu. I wanted to say "we're on a date here and three's a crowd" but I guess that would have been rude. He also praised the quality of their food and prided themselves in only seasoning the steaks with salt, pepper, melted butter, and herbs. They brought out bland loaves of bread with a whipped butter. Ok... Like others have said before, everything is priced a la carte. They did have a 3 course meal option which was either $42 or $52 depending on which meat option you wanted and you would get a salad, one of three select choices of side items, and a dessert. But since neither of us wanted a salad or dessert or one of the side item choices given, we decided to splurge and go all a la carte. I'm giving you the prices so that you'll have an idea of what they THINK is a reasonable price for what they serve. I ordered the Filet ($40) medium well, with loaded baked potato($7.50) and added the 6 shrimp ($12) which I asked to be sprinkled with the Cajun seasoning. My husband ordered the New York Stip($44) medium well, loaded baked potato, and lobster tail ($32). The waiter explained that they put the steaks into an 1800 deg broiler to finish cooking them and that the plates would be 500 deg when delivered to the table so we should take caution. He also explained that in order to get the Filet to medium well they would need to butterfly it. When they bring out the steaks the plates sizzling, but not fajita sizzling, they're splattering melted butter! I cut into my "medium well" steak and there was only the faintest hint of pink left in just one tiny spot of my steak. By the time I got to my second bite there was no pink left in the center. It was still tender but overcooked. My husband prefers a little less pink in his steaks and noticed that the plate side of his steak was a little more done than the top so he actually flipped his steak over so it would finish cooking. His steak was pretty thick and never lost all of the pink. I swapped half of my filet with him for part of his NY strip that had some pink left in it. Even though it had pink in the center it still tasted over done. My advice if you're going to get a steak here order it a level below what you want to eat it at because the plates literally cook your steaks. I had read that suggestion in the comments before going but didn't take it literally. However, I believe a steak place that boasts such high quality should have chefs that adjust for the continuation of cooking that takes place while the steaks are being served on outrageously hot plates. We both shrugged our shoulders at the seafood and said you can get much better for half the price at Red Lobster. It was just lacking flavor and the right texture of well cooked seafood. HEY the loaded baked potatoes were good! Applause. My husband jokingly said this should be name Paula Deen's restaurant because everything came loaded with butter. We aren't opposed to butter but we both left there feeling like we had just drank a gallon of melted butter. Bleh We took advantage of the complimentary valet parking for Ruth's Chris guests. The valet attendant looked confused when I approached him and then realized we weren't hotel guests after I said Ruth's Chris. We couldn't find him when we were leaving and it was a few minutes before he came to us. Then right after he delivered our vehicle back to us he walked into the hotel, as if he didn't have any other vehicles to tend to. We noticed some folks were regulars because the waiters knew who they were. But with the quality of food that we were served for the unjustified prices I can't believe anyone would be a regular. Try it if your little heart desires, but don't say I didn't warn you. You can find much better steaks at regular steak houses for a quarter of the price.
(1)
Lacy W.
I've lived in the area all my life & have eaten here 3 times. The first 2 times were ok. The last time deserved 1 star, but I rated 2 because of the other times in the past, even though they were a decade ago. Lets just say, if you have the words Steak House in the name of your restaurant, your steak shouldn't be awful! The worst steak I have ever had! NO flavor & SO dry. I was there with my husband & the rest of my family. Not one person in our party of 6 was satisfied with our meal, especially factoring in the prices we paid. There are way too many great restaurants in this city to waste another meal at this place.
(2)
Mark J.
My favorite steak place anywhere although there are some places in NYC and Chicago that you could argue that they are better.I usually get the filet and it is always cooked to perfection. Best steak house in Birmingham. The atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Service is always good.
(5)
Danny E.
Ruth's Chris has become like an aging baseball pitcher. Sure, it can deliver the goods every now and then but it has lost a lot of velocity on its fastball. What used to be a great restaurant with outstanding food has become a shadow of its former self in terms of ambiance, service, and even most of the food. This review is personally painful because my wife and I were engaged here 12 years ago and recently returned for an anniversary dinner. We hadn't been back in a few years and wanted to check in and remember the great place that it was. To put it mildly, the best part was finally being able to leave after our check was eventually straightened out by an apparent team of theoretical physicists. Ruth's Chris is not cheap and is an a la carte restaurant. 2 adults will not get out for under $125, but this isn't about the price. I don't mind paying a premium if I am getting the best. The problem is that Ruth's Chris is no longer the best. First, they love to get your last name so they can refer to you by your name when speaking to you. This is cool when you are 25, but when you are 40 it becomes a little condescending. This I remember and didn't mind as much as the seating location near the hotel lobby that is loud and not very private. The Embassy Suites has gone downhill as well and apparently it has become a rest stop for wayward orphans without supervision. I don't know how many screaming and elevator-playing kids were running around the atrium, but it sounded like 50. The appetizer round: I usually go for the gumbo but decided to get what my wife always gets and tried the lobster bisque. Mistake number 1. If the odd consistency wasn't enough, the almost total absence of lobster was the kicker. There were literally three shavings of what I guess was lobster meat in the whole bowl. I can't imagine the profit margin on that $9.50 bowl of broth. For the entrees, my wife ordered the filet medium and I ordered the special of filet with blue cheese topping and lobster tail. I asked the waiter for the regular filet instead of the petite filet with my special because it was only $5 more on the menu. That apparently was wrong. My wife's steak arrived sizzling in butter as usual, only when she cut into it, it was completely cold raw red throughout the center. I like steaks on the rare side but this was sashimi. Our bland mashed potatoes and broccoli au gratin arrived with our meals and not only had decreased in portion size but the quality of which had gone south. My steak arrived cooked perfectly but missing the blue cheese crust. Our waiter was lost somewhere using Apple Maps and we had to get the bread guy's attention (the restaurant was not busy by the way) in order to let him know. Eventually both steaks were whisked away for 15 more minutes. Of course, they put my steak back under the broiler to melt the cheese and made my steak from mid-rare to medium. They finally got my wife's steak correct but by the time they returned, our sides were cold, not to mention empty drink glasses and no bread. We were going to order dessert but the waiter took it upon himself to give us the house dessert, a chocolate mousse cheesecake with an odd candle in it for free because of the anniversary. I wanted creme brulee, but just went with it. The first couple of bites were good until we reached the frozen solid center. At this point, we just wanted the check. We had been there an hour and a half and the majority of that time was looking for the waiter. Check arrives and not surprisingly, the waiter has charged my meal as everything a la carte instead of the special. Maybe it was my misunderstanding, but I simply wanted the larger cut on the special for $5 more. I was charged for the regular filet ($40) plus a side lobster tail ($32) for something that was supposed to be $54 total. I explained this to the waiter once we waited 10 minutes to find him and he was incredulous and said they would fix it. This made me feel like they were just seeing if they could get away with it and left me with the impression that this may have been intentional. A manager never came to check on us even though there was some guy in a suit who apparently was getting paid to run around and look busy. I never saw him actually check on any table and he never came to us even though we had sent 2 steaks back, had to get the bread guy to retrieve our waiter, and had an incorrect bill. To say we were hugely disappointed is an understatement because we remember how good this restaurant used to be. We didn't mind paying a little extra because the ambiance, food, and service were going to be second to none. Well, that era is apparently gone from either increased competition or just a lack of caring due to the regular business that keeps it afloat. So, with a heavy heart, I wave goodbye to Ruth's Chris. You were my favorite special occasion restaurant and I will miss you forever because I will never be back.
(2)
Natasha C.
I love the quality that I have experienced from Ruth's Chris, from San Francisco to Honolulu but alas, the quality of food here was subpar if not just really really bad. I give them some stars only because the service was decent as it should be with the prices that they charge. The sampler platter with the 4 oz petit filet, stuffed chicken breast and crab cake was hardly palatable, it was a giant salt lick and the crab cake was so fishy, I pushed it aside. Simply unacceptable. The signature salad was also salt nasty. Unfortunately, I was staying at th Embassy suites so my choices weren't really all there, seeing that the area is sparse with selection. I had to come back the next day with a colleague and the server was so displeased that we both chose the shrimp and grits (at a steak house, no less, as he huffed and puffed). This dish was so lack luster and nasty as well, the coagulated butter around half cooked shrimp and the "grits" were hardened deep fried cakes of salt. So disappointed, I plan never to come back and it detracts my decision to ever go back to any of the Ruth's Chris chains.
(2)
Drew W.
The prices are very high, but neither the food nor the service justifies it. For this money there are a host of better places in Birmingham including Highland, Bottega, Veranda, Hot n Hot, etc. Good: The steaks are good. The atmosphere is nice Bad: Everything else. The dessert was frozen. The prices seemed inflated to create a reputation. Salmon was good, but most places in Birmingham sell a comparable one or even better at half the cost. The vegetables were under--cooked and tasted frozen rather than fresh.
(2)
Woody W.
Service is terrible. Bartender has an attitude like she's doing u a favor. Was here three nights and now I know why they only have 2.5 stars. Why do people get In the hospitality industry If they hate people. Take a pill and move on. What's worse is I still tipped her 20% and not so much as a thank you. Never again. Oh and last night my business partner got served a rotten piece of filet. They ended up bringing him a new one which was great but that should need happen in a Ruth's Chris.
(1)
LESLIE C.
I went to the Ruth's Chris inside the Embassy Suites where I was staying while I was in Birmingham last week. The restaurant was still really nice for being inside the lobby of a chain hotel. The service was good and the food was great too. I am not a big steak eater so I ordered the Pork Chop with grilled apples....delicious!! The side of pecan crusted sweet potatoe's were great too. The food came out fast and was good perfectly. Huge wine menu and even better dessert menu. Ruth's Chris is a good place for a special occasion. It is pretty pricey too. My pork chop by itself was about $25! You know you are in a "fancy" restaurant when they break out the bread crumb scraper...and this place definitley has them :)
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet 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 : Paid Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Michael P.
We went for my birthday dinner. I had the 12 ounce filet that was cooked perfectly. Being a vegetarian my wife only had a salad. That's why we have only given it three stars, her salad leaves were wilted like they were very old. Not what I expected for that caliber of restaurant. The service was very slow and I think the only person that smile was the manager that greeted us.
(3)Bruce K.
This Ruth's Chris is inside the Embassy Suites. Some of their dining room pokes out into the atrium and they do try to block the hotel noise with trees and such but it doesn't cut it much. If you want better RC ambiance, try for a room inside. I started with the tomato mozzarella. The slices of tomato looked good until you peeked underneath and found that they were not ideal. A bit green and not bright red and meaty. Maybe it's the wrong season but I have higher expectations when three slices of tomato and three slices of mozzarella cheese are $12. As well, the "fresh basil" seemed not as fresh as I expected. I've made way better myself. The petite filet was perfect. Rare as ordered and tender. Potatoes Lyonnaise were in a small puddle of butter but were tasty. I was staying in the Embassy Suites and in my room was a $52 deal for a three course meal. There was nothing about that when I got to the Ruth's Chris menu and I really did not feel like bringing it up.
(3)Sue K.
We stopped in here to order appetizers as this is the only restaurant in the hotel. We sent the Calamari back after it was "tossed" but really drenched in sauce and the breading was falling off. After we received the next order the sauce was on the side, it was odd liquid with some red globs in it. The breading was a bit better, over battered but still fell off easily and was chewy. I ordered a Caesar salad which was a large salad but I had to take out about 1/2 of the lettuce as it was all white rind. I would have rather had the salad 1/2 the size with good lettuce. The service was good, food was bad. Didn't have any steaks though.
(1)Jason O.
The food was delicious as usual. The atrium is loud and takes away from the dining experience. The service lacks compared to other Ruth's. It definitely feels like you are eating in a hotel rather than going to a fine dining experience. If you don't care about that aspect...then no big deal. I went for the steak...delicious!
(4)Caroline C.
I'm new to the area & was a bit thrown off to see the restaurant was inside a hotel. That being said, the food was still delicious. My steak was cooked perfectly & no complaints about the service. Other than the ambiance being a little "iffy" I would say it was a good dining experience!
(4)Paul C.
Awesome Filet Mignon! I had the filet from the lunch menu today and it was amazing. The filet is cut from the short end of the beef tenderloin. Sometimes a filet is wrapped in bacon to enhance the flavor, but that is definitely not needed here. My filet was a beautiful cut of meat that was close to 2 inches thick and probably weighted 8 ounces. Ruth's Chris broils the steak in an 1800 degree oven to seal in the juices. It is then served on a very hot plate with just enough butter to sizzle. I ordered my filet cooked medium. The inside was dark pink when it was served, and it continued to cook to the perfect medium pink color. The meat was so tender that it seemed to melt in my mouth. A touch of salt was seared on the outside and complemented the fantastic flavor of the meat. I love to talk about a great steak, and this is one that i will be talking about for a while. I'm posting a picture. "Like it" if you like Filet Mignon.
(4)Brad B.
After two separate meals here, I can confidently state that this is the most disappointing Ruth's Chris I've ever eaten at. The vegetables tasted frozen, the steak was undercooked, and the waiters seemed indifferent. For such a high price, there are far better restaurants in Birmingham.
(2)Will L.
I'm not a wealthy guy. When I get to visit a fancy pants place like Ruth's Chris, I feel both privileged and silly. Privileged, because it's really nice that a kind person has taken me there or because my piggy bank has overfloweth. Silly, because the hostess, waiter, busboy, owner, manager, plumber, valet guy, and every other employee feels like they need to treat me like I'm more important than them. Trust me, I'm not. My view on their top notch service is not a shot at them. I totally understand why they go over the top to make people feel special. It's just not necessary for me. My steak was fantastic. I ordered the Cowboy Ribeye, while my lady got the normal ribeye. Mine was seriously fantastic. It was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Oddly enough, her "rare" ribeye appeared to be almost slow cooked. It was still good, but not even close to mine. If you want a fancy steak place were they make you feel more important than you are, this is a good choice. Heads up... You're not that important.
(4)John K.
Ate lunch here and had the Grilled Tuna Salad which turned out to be a terrible decision. There was 3 crumbles of blue cheese and very few pieces of diced apples which was very disappointing. Since lunch, I have spent the remainder of my day in the restroom. Called the restaurant to inform them of the poisoning and they weren't very sympathetic. Told me I was the only one to complain and wished be the best. Extremely disappointed in the service and how they decided to handle this situation.
(1)Domonique A.
My husband and I decided to try appetizers at the bar (with drinks). Bar service was good and the Spicy Lobster bites were delicious. Next time, I think I'll try the dessert!
(3)Bret A.
This restaurant is located in the Embassy Suites and has open bar seating or full restaurant seating. Both are nice. Fantastic steak! I visited for business and had an extremely helpful and friendly waitress. The bread was hot and fresh. I had a harvest salad and steak. Both were excellent and very filling. I did not have room for anything else! The steak was cooked perfectly! ! Ruth Chris is on the priciier side and everythign is a la carte. The salad was $8 and the steak $47. Wine by the glass is about $12. I will be back!
(4)Brad H.
Torn with how many stars to give, because the steak (filet mignon) was INCREDIBLE. Everything else...meh. Atmosphere is terrible. It's like eating in a food court of a mall, with all the trees and fish ponds. You're literally dining in the lobby of a hotel. Does not match the quality/flavor of the steak, which again was INCREDIBLE. The sides were not only "nothing special", but they were straight up bland (the creamed spinach and the mashed potatoes). We will go back just for the steak, and ask to be seated inside to see if that's a more appropriate atmosphere to match the steak (did I mention it was an INCREDIBLE steak?) Steak: 5 stars Everything else: 2 stars
(3)Mark A.
Even with this being Birmingham and a smaller market, I have to say that having a Ruth's Chris in an Embassy Suites isn't the best idea. Even though this is probably one of the best hotels in the area, I think the brand would be better served not having one there at all. The food was not very good. I had the lobster bisque and the seasoning was definitely off and slightly burned. On to my lunch selection I had the tuna salad with the tuna cooked medium for my own personal taste. Out comes my salad with tuna cooked rare. Even with minimal guests for the lunch service the waiter couldn't get this right. Very sad. So I chose not to send back to the kitchen given what I had already gotten for food quality and service. This Ruth's Chris would never stand up to ones I have been to in DC or other large markets. Maybe it will get better but from my observations probably not.
(2)matt d.
Update 07/09/2013 - Updated I ordered the filet and lobster tail special, my wife ordered the filet. Her's was cooked to order but was not particularly good. Mine was over cooked. The replacement was well under cooked (even after sitting on the 500 degree plate for 5 minutes). i asked them to take it away. It was removed from the bill but the re-assessment was not a fair division of the filet/lobster special. They removed maybe $13 for the filet that was a $32 meal alone for my wife. The waiter was okay but not friendly or communicative at all. The manager did stop to deliver the 2nd filet, but made no appearance after the second filet was taken away. While sitting there, I saw the manager taking an uneaten filet away from somebody else table. Seems like they have an inherent inability to cook steak. Good thing that is not their specialty ...oh wait The waiter asked if I would like drawn butter with the lobster. 1/2 way into the meal it shows up, by which time the lobster was cold. ---Follow up: I emailed Ruth's Chris about the experience and received a fairly prompt call back from somebody at the local establishment. She was polite and apologetic (just as the response from the manager on this post). I appreciate that they were quick to respond to my email and this post. a few additional facts: It was not just my opinion that the filet was over/under-cooked- the waiter himself asked me if it was over, and then later under cooked- before I stated it was so. It was obvious just by looking at them. Regarding being asked if I want drawn butter- this is lobster-101. I should have been asked at the time of order, not 5 minutes after it was delivered...only to wait another 10 to 15 minutes to get it. I also had the gumbo. It was delivered timely and was good. Update 070913: I received a personal letter from the manager (R. Lanie Burbach). It was not a form letter and was professional. That type of response shows class and I appreciate that. Thank you. -Matt
(2)Anthony L.
Not the best for decor. I've been to dozens of Ruth Chris and this one feels/looks like a hotel restaurant. We sat in the area exposed (no ceiling). There were a bunch of kids running around the upper floors of the hotel. They were throwing ice at us and running off. I got hit on the head. Management did not seem to notice or care. I had to go to the hotel lobby to complain. I was there with another couple and spending over a $100 dollars on my meal. Management never followed up with us. We will go to Flemming's from now on.
(1)Chris O.
The referral from the front desk of the hotel was great! and the hostess was super nice and accomodating. The service began great... and slowly unfolded into a poor experience. Why you ask? A) Ordered a mohito to start my dinner as I wanted a lil kick start to my lonesome Valentine dinner. I got the mohito nearly 10 minutes later where it was SUPER sweet and had boarderline moldy mint... yea, you know the brown stuff... floating in my drink...!!! B) I kindly requested that they remake my mohito and while doing so I asked for a little less sweetness. Another, wait, and when I got the new one it was basically a rum and soda water with mint. The non-verbal communication I got from the bartender was "You suck as a customer to question my drink making skills, take this!" C) While my drink experience was sub-par, it only got worse, I requested a glass of red wine to come out with my main course. The waiter even confirmed that I want it out with my main course. When did I get my glass of wine you ask...? more than half way through my meal. The cook did a fine job on my shrimp and filet but the server and bartender have... more quality skills to offer our world than service. I don't know, maybe i caught them on a bad day, or perhaps if I had a woman with me on Valentines day the service woudl be a little better. What does that tell you? I guess the ratings say it all for this place. O
(1)M. H.
Fail. I'm not sure where this places gets off wearing the Ruth's Chris name, but I've had better service and food at Sizzler for far less. The staff is the most entitled bunch of teenage acting goobers I've ever seen in a restaurant-lackadaisical, smarmy and unapologetic. I started with the Caesar salad with parmesan wafer. The salad was wilty and had way too much dressing and the Parmesan wafer tasted EXACTLY like it had been made the night before and left out. Stale, waxy and old. Blech! I ordered the filet with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked like I ordered it but not anything special. It was not the cut of meat I had come to expect from a place like this with all the hype surrounding it. (my parents used to rave about this place when I was growing up) The mashed potatoes were salty and so overseasoned with white pepper (and I LOVE white pepper. It's my favorite peppercorn) they were barely edible and all but covered up any semblance of seasoning that was on my steak. When I talked to the server about it she just rolled her eyes and muttered that she'd go get the manager. The manager basically half ass apologized and offered a small discount. I refused the discount since we were using a gift card anyway and wouldn't be back. Maybe I should have kept the gift card to myself until it was time to pay. Maybe they would have given a crap then.
(1)Alex D.
I had the New York Strip, potatoes au gratin, and bread pudding. Food was amazing and the service was outstanding. I have eaten here three times and had the same waiter each time. He is incredibly professional and knowledgeable. This is the place I go when I want to treat myself to an outstanding steak.
(5)Joe L.
Very disappointed with this place. It used to be a consistently great place to eat a steak. My last trip was uneventful, this trip was just a waist of money!
(2)Jason K.
I don't understand the low ratings for this outpost of the national chain. We loved it. Granted, the Embassy Suites in which it was situated was in dire need of a facelift, but we could not have been more pleased with our service and food. We do not generally make it a habit of foisting our 4 month-old on high-end steakhouses, but it was late and we had been on the road for most of the day. We were too tired to venture back out into the wet and cold 'Bama night so we decided to stay in for the evening. Now, we are veterans of more Mortons, Ruths Chris, Flemings, Palms, and Capital Grilles across the country than we care to remember. But we were immediately struck by the warm welcome and gracious service we received, despite our little burden...fortunately, baby had been tired out by then and allowed mommy and daddy a rare but welcome respite. The food was, what can I say, standard steakhouse fare. We did not tempt fate and order anything out of the ordinary...I started with a tomato and onion salad and my wife had a lettuce wedge. We received exactly what we expected, and they were satisfying. But then, the steaks...ahh. I have to say my New York Strip was probably the best I have had in at least the last 10 years (my wife enjoyed her filet as well). But back to that strip...every slice was perfectly crisply charred on the outside while a perfect pink and juicy medium rare inside. It was nicely marbled, rich and flavorful. As ordered, it was served in a wonderful pool of sizzling butter as well (OK, this is not diet food). Sides included plain broccoli and potatoes au gratin...again, nothing exciting but well done. We were too full for desert, but prices were in line with other high-end steakhouses. Our server was very nice and accomodating...he had to box up our leftovers but even included two pairs of silverwear with our doggie bag. Granted, we only ate here once, but it was definitely a five-star experience.
(5)Ashley M.
Five star restaurant?? I think not. My husband and I came here for our anniversary with high expectations of a lovely ambiance and delicious steaks. Ambiance? Unless you like the feeling of sitting in the lobby of a hotel for a romantic dinner then the ambiance was suuubbb sub par. Literally sitting in the middle of a Embassy Suites lobby. Our view consisted of the many floors of hotel doors barely blocked by a few plants in the restaurant. We were often being stared at by the hotel guests walking to their rooms or riding up the glass elevators. White table cloths and a a fake rock wall doesn't hide the obvious location. If you don't like awkwardly chatty waiters then be sure to tell them you've been there before so you don't have to suffer through the long story of how the restaurant got started. A story that you can read yourself in the front of the menu. I wanted to say "we're on a date here and three's a crowd" but I guess that would have been rude. He also praised the quality of their food and prided themselves in only seasoning the steaks with salt, pepper, melted butter, and herbs. They brought out bland loaves of bread with a whipped butter. Ok... Like others have said before, everything is priced a la carte. They did have a 3 course meal option which was either $42 or $52 depending on which meat option you wanted and you would get a salad, one of three select choices of side items, and a dessert. But since neither of us wanted a salad or dessert or one of the side item choices given, we decided to splurge and go all a la carte. I'm giving you the prices so that you'll have an idea of what they THINK is a reasonable price for what they serve. I ordered the Filet ($40) medium well, with loaded baked potato($7.50) and added the 6 shrimp ($12) which I asked to be sprinkled with the Cajun seasoning. My husband ordered the New York Stip($44) medium well, loaded baked potato, and lobster tail ($32). The waiter explained that they put the steaks into an 1800 deg broiler to finish cooking them and that the plates would be 500 deg when delivered to the table so we should take caution. He also explained that in order to get the Filet to medium well they would need to butterfly it. When they bring out the steaks the plates sizzling, but not fajita sizzling, they're splattering melted butter! I cut into my "medium well" steak and there was only the faintest hint of pink left in just one tiny spot of my steak. By the time I got to my second bite there was no pink left in the center. It was still tender but overcooked. My husband prefers a little less pink in his steaks and noticed that the plate side of his steak was a little more done than the top so he actually flipped his steak over so it would finish cooking. His steak was pretty thick and never lost all of the pink. I swapped half of my filet with him for part of his NY strip that had some pink left in it. Even though it had pink in the center it still tasted over done. My advice if you're going to get a steak here order it a level below what you want to eat it at because the plates literally cook your steaks. I had read that suggestion in the comments before going but didn't take it literally. However, I believe a steak place that boasts such high quality should have chefs that adjust for the continuation of cooking that takes place while the steaks are being served on outrageously hot plates. We both shrugged our shoulders at the seafood and said you can get much better for half the price at Red Lobster. It was just lacking flavor and the right texture of well cooked seafood. HEY the loaded baked potatoes were good! Applause. My husband jokingly said this should be name Paula Deen's restaurant because everything came loaded with butter. We aren't opposed to butter but we both left there feeling like we had just drank a gallon of melted butter. Bleh We took advantage of the complimentary valet parking for Ruth's Chris guests. The valet attendant looked confused when I approached him and then realized we weren't hotel guests after I said Ruth's Chris. We couldn't find him when we were leaving and it was a few minutes before he came to us. Then right after he delivered our vehicle back to us he walked into the hotel, as if he didn't have any other vehicles to tend to. We noticed some folks were regulars because the waiters knew who they were. But with the quality of food that we were served for the unjustified prices I can't believe anyone would be a regular. Try it if your little heart desires, but don't say I didn't warn you. You can find much better steaks at regular steak houses for a quarter of the price.
(1)Lacy W.
I've lived in the area all my life & have eaten here 3 times. The first 2 times were ok. The last time deserved 1 star, but I rated 2 because of the other times in the past, even though they were a decade ago. Lets just say, if you have the words Steak House in the name of your restaurant, your steak shouldn't be awful! The worst steak I have ever had! NO flavor & SO dry. I was there with my husband & the rest of my family. Not one person in our party of 6 was satisfied with our meal, especially factoring in the prices we paid. There are way too many great restaurants in this city to waste another meal at this place.
(2)Mark J.
My favorite steak place anywhere although there are some places in NYC and Chicago that you could argue that they are better.I usually get the filet and it is always cooked to perfection. Best steak house in Birmingham. The atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Service is always good.
(5)Danny E.
Ruth's Chris has become like an aging baseball pitcher. Sure, it can deliver the goods every now and then but it has lost a lot of velocity on its fastball. What used to be a great restaurant with outstanding food has become a shadow of its former self in terms of ambiance, service, and even most of the food. This review is personally painful because my wife and I were engaged here 12 years ago and recently returned for an anniversary dinner. We hadn't been back in a few years and wanted to check in and remember the great place that it was. To put it mildly, the best part was finally being able to leave after our check was eventually straightened out by an apparent team of theoretical physicists. Ruth's Chris is not cheap and is an a la carte restaurant. 2 adults will not get out for under $125, but this isn't about the price. I don't mind paying a premium if I am getting the best. The problem is that Ruth's Chris is no longer the best. First, they love to get your last name so they can refer to you by your name when speaking to you. This is cool when you are 25, but when you are 40 it becomes a little condescending. This I remember and didn't mind as much as the seating location near the hotel lobby that is loud and not very private. The Embassy Suites has gone downhill as well and apparently it has become a rest stop for wayward orphans without supervision. I don't know how many screaming and elevator-playing kids were running around the atrium, but it sounded like 50. The appetizer round: I usually go for the gumbo but decided to get what my wife always gets and tried the lobster bisque. Mistake number 1. If the odd consistency wasn't enough, the almost total absence of lobster was the kicker. There were literally three shavings of what I guess was lobster meat in the whole bowl. I can't imagine the profit margin on that $9.50 bowl of broth. For the entrees, my wife ordered the filet medium and I ordered the special of filet with blue cheese topping and lobster tail. I asked the waiter for the regular filet instead of the petite filet with my special because it was only $5 more on the menu. That apparently was wrong. My wife's steak arrived sizzling in butter as usual, only when she cut into it, it was completely cold raw red throughout the center. I like steaks on the rare side but this was sashimi. Our bland mashed potatoes and broccoli au gratin arrived with our meals and not only had decreased in portion size but the quality of which had gone south. My steak arrived cooked perfectly but missing the blue cheese crust. Our waiter was lost somewhere using Apple Maps and we had to get the bread guy's attention (the restaurant was not busy by the way) in order to let him know. Eventually both steaks were whisked away for 15 more minutes. Of course, they put my steak back under the broiler to melt the cheese and made my steak from mid-rare to medium. They finally got my wife's steak correct but by the time they returned, our sides were cold, not to mention empty drink glasses and no bread. We were going to order dessert but the waiter took it upon himself to give us the house dessert, a chocolate mousse cheesecake with an odd candle in it for free because of the anniversary. I wanted creme brulee, but just went with it. The first couple of bites were good until we reached the frozen solid center. At this point, we just wanted the check. We had been there an hour and a half and the majority of that time was looking for the waiter. Check arrives and not surprisingly, the waiter has charged my meal as everything a la carte instead of the special. Maybe it was my misunderstanding, but I simply wanted the larger cut on the special for $5 more. I was charged for the regular filet ($40) plus a side lobster tail ($32) for something that was supposed to be $54 total. I explained this to the waiter once we waited 10 minutes to find him and he was incredulous and said they would fix it. This made me feel like they were just seeing if they could get away with it and left me with the impression that this may have been intentional. A manager never came to check on us even though there was some guy in a suit who apparently was getting paid to run around and look busy. I never saw him actually check on any table and he never came to us even though we had sent 2 steaks back, had to get the bread guy to retrieve our waiter, and had an incorrect bill. To say we were hugely disappointed is an understatement because we remember how good this restaurant used to be. We didn't mind paying a little extra because the ambiance, food, and service were going to be second to none. Well, that era is apparently gone from either increased competition or just a lack of caring due to the regular business that keeps it afloat. So, with a heavy heart, I wave goodbye to Ruth's Chris. You were my favorite special occasion restaurant and I will miss you forever because I will never be back.
(2)Natasha C.
I love the quality that I have experienced from Ruth's Chris, from San Francisco to Honolulu but alas, the quality of food here was subpar if not just really really bad. I give them some stars only because the service was decent as it should be with the prices that they charge. The sampler platter with the 4 oz petit filet, stuffed chicken breast and crab cake was hardly palatable, it was a giant salt lick and the crab cake was so fishy, I pushed it aside. Simply unacceptable. The signature salad was also salt nasty. Unfortunately, I was staying at th Embassy suites so my choices weren't really all there, seeing that the area is sparse with selection. I had to come back the next day with a colleague and the server was so displeased that we both chose the shrimp and grits (at a steak house, no less, as he huffed and puffed). This dish was so lack luster and nasty as well, the coagulated butter around half cooked shrimp and the "grits" were hardened deep fried cakes of salt. So disappointed, I plan never to come back and it detracts my decision to ever go back to any of the Ruth's Chris chains.
(2)Drew W.
The prices are very high, but neither the food nor the service justifies it. For this money there are a host of better places in Birmingham including Highland, Bottega, Veranda, Hot n Hot, etc. Good: The steaks are good. The atmosphere is nice Bad: Everything else. The dessert was frozen. The prices seemed inflated to create a reputation. Salmon was good, but most places in Birmingham sell a comparable one or even better at half the cost. The vegetables were under--cooked and tasted frozen rather than fresh.
(2)Woody W.
Service is terrible. Bartender has an attitude like she's doing u a favor. Was here three nights and now I know why they only have 2.5 stars. Why do people get In the hospitality industry If they hate people. Take a pill and move on. What's worse is I still tipped her 20% and not so much as a thank you. Never again. Oh and last night my business partner got served a rotten piece of filet. They ended up bringing him a new one which was great but that should need happen in a Ruth's Chris.
(1)LESLIE C.
I went to the Ruth's Chris inside the Embassy Suites where I was staying while I was in Birmingham last week. The restaurant was still really nice for being inside the lobby of a chain hotel. The service was good and the food was great too. I am not a big steak eater so I ordered the Pork Chop with grilled apples....delicious!! The side of pecan crusted sweet potatoe's were great too. The food came out fast and was good perfectly. Huge wine menu and even better dessert menu. Ruth's Chris is a good place for a special occasion. It is pretty pricey too. My pork chop by itself was about $25! You know you are in a "fancy" restaurant when they break out the bread crumb scraper...and this place definitley has them :)
(3)