#1 Ruth's Chris - Pasadena
13 April 2009 
Rating: 3.5 cows
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. An absolute classic. This was the perfect beginning to our journey in search of great steak. One of the great things about Ruth's Chris is that you pretty much know you're going to get a great steak. And so it was on this Monday evening, although everything was not quite as we expected.
One problem with a well-known place like Ruth's Chris is with such high expectations, it's much easier to disappoint. The restaurant was empty on this Monday evening, and the service was prompt an attentive. The ambiance definitely had a "business" feel to it but perhaps that was exacerbated by the fact that most of the other people there were in business attire. Nonetheless, it was a quiet and pleasant atmosphere in which to dine.
There were seven of us, and six different steaks of which to keep track. The waiter handled everything perfectly, and had some assistance in serving them all at once. Ruth's Chris is known for serving their steaks on a sizzling platter, so not only do you see the steaks as they're brought out, but you can hear and smell them too. Not a bad idea.
While the order was correct and the cuts were superb, the one thing lacking was the cooking. While one person's filet was cooked to absolute perfection, all the others were overcooked. Not by much, but but by more than we felt was appropriate at a place like Ruth's Chris. They're also known for their butter baths, and this should be taken into consideration when eating there. Most of us found the seasoning quite delectable but if you're not a fan of butter then you should be careful here.
The value here is hit or miss. We took advantage of a $39 special which included a full-sized steak, side dish, salad, and dessert. Given that some of the steaks alone cost this much, the deal was really quite good. Ruth's Chris is not a place we thought would measure highly on the value scale, but this seems like it's going to be a tough one to beat, at least for other steakhouses of this calibre.
The experience at Ruth's Chris was certainly enjoyable, even if most of the steaks weren't cooked properly. Again, this isn't to say that they weren't good, but just that we expected more from a place like Ruth's and on a night when they really weren't that busy.