Ruth's Chris Steak House — Restaurant in Chattanooga

This was our third Thanksgiving at Ruth’s Chris. Although last year’s experience wasn’t great, we decided to give it another chance because my 9-year-old daughter wanted to continue the tradition. Unfortunately, this year was even worse.

We arrived and were seated promptly, right on time for our reservation. However, the hostess was not particularly welcoming, which set a poor tone. From there, the service immediately felt disorganized. Someone came to ask about drinks, but when we requested a drink menu, they said they’d bring an iPad. Shortly after, another staff member mentioned bringing a tablet, and then a third person asked for our drink order before the tablet even arrived. We went ahead and ordered, but the tablet eventually showed up anyway—it was a confusing and awkward start.

Our server didn’t take our food order until we had been seated for over 30 minutes. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter had started a timer on her watch when we did order. The food took exactly an hour to arrive, which was extremely frustrating. This wait might have been tolerable if we had been able to get another drink during that time. While our server apologized for the delay, we didn’t see her again until a little while before our food finally arrived.

When the food came, the situation only worsened. We ordered a filet, a filet with shrimp, salmon, a kids’ filet, and three sides. Having dined at Ruth’s Chris many times before, we were shocked at the quality. The filets were not tender and were difficult to cut. The shrimp was partially cold and no better than red lobster. The salmon was dry, and my daughter’s steak was completely cold, burnt and missing its side, as well as so tiny it was barely larger than a half-dollar. (I worked at a steakhouse for years and know what a 4-ounce cut looks like.) She was upset because she was really hungry, so we ended up sharing our meals with her. By this point, we had been there for over well over 90 minutes. Adding to the disappointment, my second drink didn’t arrive until long after the food—over 20 minutes after I’d ordered it, and close to the time we were ready to leave. Her missing food still hadn’t arrived by the time we finished eating, so we told the server to cancel the order.

Our server continued to apologize and asked if the manager had stopped by, but he hadn’t. Despite walking past our table multiple times and standing near the exit as we left, the manager never approached us. The server, in an attempt to make up for everything, brought several to-go desserts, but this didn’t salvage the experience. Later, when we tried the desserts, they weren’t very good either.

The most upsetting part was my daughter repeatedly apologizing because she felt responsible for the terrible meal. We reassured her it wasn’t her fault, but it was heartbreaking to see her so upset over something that should have been a special tradition, ultimately ruining her Thanksgiving.

We don’t mind paying premium prices for a high-quality experience, but dry steaks and mediocre sides are unacceptable. While I tried to extend grace because it was Thanksgiving, two years in a row of poor experiences is enough.

This year’s dinner was absolutely terrible, and we won’t be returning unless significant improvements are made. I called the day after to discuss the situation with the manager but could not get an answer. I’ve also emailed the location and sent a message through the regional website without a response. Unfortunately, as a busy person, I don’t have the time to keep following up—nor...

This is not a Ruth's Chris; this is a hotel restaurant with RC slapped on it. If it is an RC, it's easily the worst one I have ever been to as far as service and quality of food. I'm not sure if they are understaffed or what. I had a reservation and even though I'm staying at the Embassy Suites, I entered through the entrance facing the street because I had just gotten in from work. No one was at the hostess stand, but I stood there a few minutes before deciding to just sit at the bar. I'm 7 months pregnant and hungry; I figured this would get me served more quickly. Maybe this was my mistake. Almost immediately after sitting down, I was greeted and brought menus before the waitress whisked away to attend tables. I always order the same thing, so I knew what I wanted. I sat and waited about 10 minutes while she talked and laughed at one table. There was another waiter behind the bar, but he was busy doing something on the computer in the corner. Then she came back, took my order, and went away again for 10 minutes or so. I still never got water at this point. She came back, knocked over and broke a wine glass, picked up another wine glass, overfilled it until water spilled everywhere, placed a napkin down, and set it in the front of me. The male waiter maybe starts to notice my irritation at this point because he came over a few minutes later and asked if there was anything else I'd like to drink. I would've liked some ice in my glass... he did so and brought it to me. My food came out, chicken breast was hot but barely stuffed, and my creamed spinach was cold. Not to mention the server who brought it to me drug a napkin over the creamed spinach while trying to set the chicken down. He did clean it up off of the counter, but I think I would've liked to have creamed spinach that didn't have a napkin dipped in it first. I was too hungry to send it back, so I ate it anyway. The male waiter was attentive the rest of my time there and did make my experience better than it was, so thank you. I wouldn't come back to this Ruth's Chris, though. It's a nice thought, but poorly,...

Disappointing Experience at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse My wife and I dined at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Chattanooga, TN, last night, and unfortunately, our experience was thoroughly disappointing from start to finish. Being a regular customer and knowing the good things about this establishment, our visit was marred by subpar food and lackluster service.

Substandard Steak The steak, the supposed star of the show, was a major letdown. It was riddled with gristle and incredibly tough, far from the tender, flavorful cut I had expected. The experience of eating it was more of a struggle than a pleasure, a far cry from what one would expect from a steakhouse that prides itself on its steaks.

Mediocre Sides The sides did nothing to redeem the meal. The potatoes were ordinary – nothing more than a bland, uninspired afterthought. Similarly, the creamed spinach was forgettable and lacked the rich, creamy texture and flavor one would hope for in a high-end steakhouse. It was as if no effort had been made to make these dishes stand out.

Lackluster Service The service was a complete disappointment. Our glasses remained empty throughout the meal, a basic expectation that was not met. It was clear that the staff was not attentive to our needs, which significantly contributed to our overall dissatisfaction.

Illness: Later in the evening, both my wife and I experienced some signs of food poisoning that kept us ill all night and close to the bathroom. It's not something you want to experience after a fine dining event.

Final Thoughts For the prices charged, we expected a memorable dining experience. Instead, we left feeling disappointed and short-changed. Ruth's Crist Steakhouse did not live up to its reputation, and we will certainly not be returning. There are plenty of other dining options in Chattanooga that offer better food and service. Save your money and...