Ruth's Chris Steak House — Restaurant in Scottsdale

Visited here for a small dinner celebration. Good ambiance. We made a reservation a few weeks prior. Our server was very attentive. Wine list was extensive and impeccable. We had a couple vegetarians in the group, but the main person that the celebration was for wanted steak so that is why we chose Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Their website lists separate vegetarian entrees and other menus that meet dietary restrictions. I made it a point to pick a restaurant that could accommodate them with entrees and more than just sides. I made a note in the Open table reservation and even called after making the reservation because the website clearly states that you will have to call the local restaurant to make sure the entrees on the vegetarian menu will be available. I called, the person who picked up the phone put me on hold, while she said she is going to check with the kitchen. She came back and said she let the kitchen know, those pasta entrees will be available, and also stated that she saw my note in the reservation so we should be good to go. She actually praised me for letting them know ahead of time. After we were seated on the day of the dinner, of course, the server was baffled about the vegetarian entrees; didn't know they existed, and went back to check. He came back and told us we have several vegetarian sides to choose from. I then took him aside, and suggested we speak privately because I did not want the celebration ruined. I let him know what website said and what was said when I made and confirmed the reservation. He went back to check with manager. The manager came out and again said they only have vegetarian sides and also found the need to insert a snippy comment: "this is a steakhouse after all". I showed him their own website, with the menu, which he wasn't even aware of. I pointed out the pasta dishes. He went back to the kitchen, came out and said they can make broccoli but none of the pastas. Log story shorter...I ordered sides for the vegetarians and the broccoli because the 2 pasta dishes were not available for some reason. They either did not have the ingredients or did not care to accommodate. Neither one of the two vegetarians like broccoli but I had to get something for them and pretend the night is going ok. I tipped both the server and manager before leaving because I am not cheap and I was civil when voicing all of my issues and concerns. Maybe they assumed we were cheap. It would not be the first time I was judged on skin color, but I wasn't going to ruin my son's celebration with a scene that day. After everything I did to ensure that the restaurant could accommodate everyone, I feel they should have come through, especially when they advertise special menus on their website and I called ahead to confirm those pasta dishes would be available. Overall a $500 dinner for 6 people when 2 of them could not eat to their content is not a win. Most restaurants, in this day an age realize salads and sides are not vegetarian entrees. Those that do not, usually don't bait and switch. For a manager to make a comment such as "this is a steakhouse after all" is not something that should be said to customers that did due diligence prior to entering an establishment of this nature, prior to making a reservation. I am not an uneducated piece of trash that walked in off the street. Just because I didn't make a scene and was civil when voicing my concerns does not mean they were not in the wrong and they did nothing to make up for it or even...

I delayed writing this bad review as I hesitate to leave them and only will after the I’ve reached out to the restaurant. I spoke with the General manager, that has been there for 3 years per him. He was present the night of the event 12/16/23, and failed to come check on a party of 14. Per him, he trust his managers to resolve any problems. I’ve had OWNERS/CHEFS come out to check on service. He was more incline to prove to me that my Private Dining contract isn’t really lager party/group dining. Which is why I’m here, 5 mins into our conversation he stated something to the effect of “I guess there’s no need to apologize you already seem upset” to which I responded, “perhaps you should have began with that”. The ORDEAL: I booked what was supposed to have been a Private Dining event for my staff for their holiday dinner. I was given a Private dining contract with main dining seating..not sure how that’s “private dining?” Upon arrival was shown the table (which you could see as soon as you entered the restaurant) again, not sure how that’s “private dining”. I immediately expressed my displeasure with the seating as I had requested Private Dining with specialized menus. After being shown rooms that were NOT available to me, my husband intervened by stating it’s too late to cancel the guests are arriving let’s make the best of it. The good: waiter service, cheesecake, and spinach dip. The bad: Everything went downhill faster upon sitting smashed by a window. I spent the evening “passing things” from the waiters to my guests. I could have prepared dinner if I was going to work it. The rest of the time the waiters literally had to REACH OVER MY HEAD to deliver food and drinks?? Not sure how this is fever Fine dining at this point. The food was subpar, particularly for the area. Flemings Steakhouse is right down the street (which never disappoints), The House Brasserie (never disappoints), Maple & Ash, The Fat Ox, etc, etc., it’s Scottsdale, you literally can fine dine around almost every corner. Back to the food: the steaks were just okay, most of my guest were pleased. However, this was a new experience for most of them so they had little to compare it to. The vegetarian option were horrible and looked like a pile of vegetables to be discarded (at $115 per plate). My vegetarian guests were so displeased I gave them gift cards (on top of paying for their meals) so they could have a redo. The broccoli lacked any flavor (it’s broccoli add garlic, salt and pepper.,viola!) The asparagus was slightly better, however, the hollandaise sauce was not good at all. The mashed potatoes were just okay as well. The stuffed mushrooms lacked any recognizable flavor profile that would please the palate. The summary, if you’re looking for great food in the Scottsdale area, try any of the other options before...

I am one to usually leave reviews when things are either amazing or, very bad. My experience this past Saturday did not meet the parameters of either of those two subsets, yet I felt a review was needed.

I have dined at various RC's over the last 25 years plus, from SoCal, to the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, Nevada and even as far as Hawaii. I have come to expect a certain level of service and food quality at Ruth's and this past Saturday was below standards.

The room we were sat in, first off is very lack luster, tucked in the back of the restaurant near the restrooms- with no views and even the windows are fogged out so you can not see outside. Almost feels like a smaller convention style room you may find at a mid-west Holiday Inn. I can live through that, but worth mentioning. Our waitress, she was fine, but even then not around too much, for sure not around as much as I am use to experiencing with a server at Ruth's. Refills and any requests seemed to take about 3x or 4x as long as it normally would. Not sure if she had too many tables, or perhaps tables in another section of the establishment, on the other side of the building? Either way, overall attention to our table presented by our server was very pedestrian.

Our food, the sides, salads, bread, seafood etc, were all great, up to par and normal for Ruth's. Except our steaks, I ordered the 11 ounce Filet, same as another person in our group. We felt the steaks to be pretty dang tough, tough for Ruth's standards at least. They were cooked perfect, but the quality felt like something you may find at Outback or perhaps Longhorn, not the buttery soft Filet that RC's is so famous for.

The biggest set back of the night was the table maintenance and clearing of plates. Took some time in-between salads and our main course for our table to be cleared, usually crumbs, fall offs etc, are also cleared, not tonight, that little extra nice step did not happen once this evening. After we were done with our dinner, the plates were not cleared until dessert was brought out. Not sure if they were short staffed with bussers? But, definitely not the norm. Probably about 20-25 minutes of our empty plates just sitting on our table.

Overall, these are small things, nothing worth talking to a manager over or mentioning at the time, but I did feel it was worth writing a review. Not sure if you have gone with a different meat supplier? They were short staffed that night, or if there were other issues? But, my visit this past Saturday had me leaving Ruth's with an overall downward impression. Have they lost what once made them so great? Are they too busy for their market and quality has now gone with the wind? Was it just an off night? I really can not answer those for-mentioned questions, but I can say that I will think twice next time I go to make a...