Ruth's Chris Steak House — Restaurant in Indianapolis

I have been a major Ruth’s fan for years and always frequent the 86th street location. Usually going in Wednesday for lunch for half price wine bottles and the prix fixe filet and fries. I usually also request my favorite server Bashir. However this week I took a girlfriend who had never been before and it was a Monday. I was fully hoping to turn her into a super fan like myself. Unfortunately this was one of the worst dining experiences I have had in quite a while. Our server Chris was very incompetent and seemed as though he was out of it a bit. Both myself and my date are nurses and at one point I asked him if he was ok as it did not appear he was well. He assured us he was fine. We sat at approx 12 pm and Chris came to the table pretty quickly however after I ordered a sav blanc 9 oz he didn’t wait to ask my date what she wanted to drink. He came back about 15 min later and asked her. Then quite a while later he brought our drinks back and had a red wine in hand. I gave him a strange look and he looked down at the wine and realized in that moment I had ordered a white. He then alerted the bar tender. We sat with our drinks far too long before he returned to take our food order. The restaurant had maybe 5 tables in it, so not busy at all. We both ordered filets, one medium and one medium rare. Someone came out with our steaks, not chris, and they looked completely burnt and pretty small for a 6oz. More than burnt they were black even. The gentleman placed it in front of me and I asked if this was a medium rare and he said yes and asked for me to cut it open. I did and it was very clearly well done. He apologized and took it back immediately. My date then cut into hers, which was also very clearly well done. At this point it’s 115pm. After another 15-20 min Chris comes over to check on us and asks where my food is, I stated the steak was well done and my dates steak was also over cooked and he apologized and took hers back. Another 20 min goes by and my steak comes back out. This time made to order however since the plates are hot you cannot sit there and allow it to cook further so I started to eat. My date had no food during this time. After another 20 min I’m finished eating and hers comes out. Chris comes by and apologized that our steaks didn’t come out together. After she finished we sat for another 20 min before we saw Chris again. He then came over and asked if we wanted our dessert to go. And at this point yes we have been here 2+ hours so we need to get the dessert to go. Our bill comes and I was charged for a Cabernet. Again we wait for Chris to come back around so I can alert him of his mistake. He apologized and takes the bill to change it. Again taking more than 10 min. We wait. He comes back and I am so embarrassed and disappointed in this experience I voice to Chris my thoughts. He again apologized and states he will go talk to someone and see if he can make it right. He comes back and comped some of our meal. Which was very nice of him however for a place of this caliber I was majorly underwhelmed. I should have asked to speak with a manager at that moment but I had been there almost 3 hours. We had things to do. I can say with confidence I won’t be back anytime soon and my girlfriend was clearly not impressed and probably will never be back. I may also mention. We had an 18 month old with us. She was the most well behaved baby the ENTIRE time. Unbelievable truly. Chris attempted to go above and beyond at the last minute and states he put an extra chocolate treat in the doggy bag for the baby. When we got home we realized this chocolate treat had espresso in it.. Yikes Chris. Thanks...

My recent Thanksgiving experience at Ruth's Chris was, without question, the worst dining experience I've ever had—not just at this chain, but at any restaurant. The level of disorganization, poor service, and subpar food quality was shocking for an establishment of this caliber.

The evening started on the wrong foot and only spiraled downhill. Although we were seated quickly, we sat for 5-10 minutes without water, menus, or acknowledgment. When our waiter finally arrived, there were no menus. Another five minutes passed before menus and some water arrived. Bread didn’t make its way to the table until 15 minutes later—and then the cycle of forgetting water or bread began. By the time our orders were taken, we had been sitting for nearly 40 minutes, subsisting on intermittent bread and water deliveries.

After finally placing our orders, we waited another 30 minutes before salads arrived—the only highlight of the evening. Dirty plates piled up and stayed on the table for over half an hour. When our entrees finally arrived, the server refused help from others, which led to disaster. My steak, which was meant to be split with my daughter, was raw—completely raw, not rare or undercooked. This, despite the server cutting it in half at the table. The steak was sent back, but instead of replacing it with a fresh one, they recooked the same piece that had been cut and mishandled, resulting in a poorly cooked medium steak, far from the original order.

To make matters worse, none of our sides arrived. We had to ask for them multiple times, and by the time they showed up—40 minutes later—they were lukewarm at best. Creamed spinach should arrive bubbling, not cold. Adding insult to injury, I had no plate to eat the sides and was forced to use the tiny bread plate while my used dinner plate cluttered the table. By then, everyone else had finished their meals, and the entire point of enjoying a family meal together was lost.

Service remained abysmal throughout the evening. Plates were left on the table for extended periods, the waiter disappeared for long stretches, and I had to call the manager twice just to get basic tasks like clearing the table done. The dessert situation was the final straw. The waiter served the wrong dessert to one guest, forgot my daughter’s dessert entirely, and only corrected it after I called the manager a third time. By that point, everyone else had finished eating, and my daughter sat awkwardly eating her dessert alone.

The food itself was another disappointment. The $50 turkey dinner was bland and portioned like a school lunch, and other dishes were underwhelming at best. The bathrooms were filthy and unsanitary—something I would expect from a roadside diner, not Ruth's Chris.

While the manager comped several items, it did little to remedy the situation. Most of what was comped were things we didn’t want or couldn’t eat. Adding insult to injury, a mandatory 20% gratuity was charged for service that was nothing short of a catastrophe.

This experience not only ruined Thanksgiving but has left such a sour impression that I’ll think twice before visiting any Ruth's Chris again. The level of incompetence and lack of care displayed at this location was beyond unacceptable. For a restaurant of this reputation and price point, this kind of service is inexcusable. I will never return to this location, and I’ll hesitate before setting foot in another Ruth's Chris...

I received, via email, a confirmation for our dinner reservations last Wednesday evening (4/24/24). At the bottom of the email confirmation it clearly noted that "proper attire" is required.

While having dinner, Susan and I noticed customers (not setting at the bar) but at a table in the dining area wearing what we believe was inappropriate attire. We saw a number of people that passed by our table wearing a T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. We also saw people setting at a table that were wearing torn jeans, tennis shoes and sweat shirt, and, in our opinion only, not dressed for dining at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Completely unacceptable for a fine dining establishment to allow customers in the front door with inappropriate attire!!! Why the signage on the front door? Why the message at the bottom of of our email confirmation? A reply to those questions is not necessary. We saw, first hand, that "Proper Attire" is NOT required at your restaurant.

Dave, we enjoy having dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. We celebrate our anniversary's, birth days and take our children to your restaurant multiple times throughout the year. We've done that for many many years. But, I can assure you that "Anthony's" in Carmel would not allow you to even enter their fine dining establishment dressed in the attire that we saw Wednesday evening.

Furthermore, there is clearly posted on the front entrance doors, "Proper Attire" is required. Not so.

In addition, I spoke with the Manager as we were leaving the restaurant, after dinner, about the "Proper Attire" note at the bottom of our confirmation email, the signage on the front door and what we witnessed while dining. I can't recall the Manager's name...but, after our brief conversation, we left with the clear message that Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is chasing the $$$ more than upholding the proper attire requirements. The Manager told both Susan and I that Ruth's Chris Steakhouse had relaxed their "Proper Attire" requirements. If that's true...I suggest that you remove the front door signage and the message at the bottom of the email confirmation.

Rest assured that we do not intend to return to your restaurant. That's sad. But, when I'm spending hundreds of dollars for two people for dinner, I expect the atmosphere to not reflect what we experienced. It would appear that Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is sending a very clear message that you really don't care how you're customers are dressed, we just want your $$$.

Dave, sorry that I couldn't give better news...but, you asked.

In closing, Sasha (?) was our waiter. He did an outstanding job to make sure that Susan and I were comfortable and enjoying our 25th anniversary dinner. Sasha should be held in high standards for his over-the-top attention to detail, personality and his sincere efforts to ensure that our dining experience was the very best. The food was also "Great". However, we felt as though we were having a fine dining experience at McDonald's as opposed to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. That comment is based solely on the "Proper Attire"...