Ruth's Chris Steak House

One of the worst dining experiences we have ever had, so sad that it was on our wedding anniversary. The air conditioners were out, so most of the restaurant felt like a sauna. The 3 people working at the hostess stand couldn 't have been less welcoming. They CLEARLY only cater to their 'regular ' guests, as these 'regular ' guests made their announcements loud and clear so they were taken care of at the neglect of any new customers (like ourselves) that entered the restaurant. At least 3 times while we were at the restaurant, the staff removed kitchen garbage in a very large, wheeled receptacle that they navigated through the restaurant, by the hostess stand and out the front doors. Our wait staff was courteous, but when our food arrived my steak was SEVERLY undercooked by at least 3 temp levels. I would not return to this restaurant or recommend it to anyone.

Ruth's used to be my go to as it's very close to home and the only high end steakhouse in Ponte Vedra. I've been going to Ruth's for 30 years and was my fav steakhouse. Unfortunately, I've had nothing but bad experiences over the last year or so, coincidentally once they were acquired by Darden. Last night was the last straw. I'd rather drive 20 minutes to Capital Grille. It took 23 minutes to get a drink at the bar. The steak was raw and cold. Food has become average, service is just as bad. It's just not worth the aggravation.

Ruth Chris is always a favorite and one can expect a brilliant meal. This visit was no exception. We had the spicy shrimp as an appetizer and they were delicious. The portions are too big for me so my husband and I usually share the 11oz filet and lobster (Ruth Classics). He has the lobster and in truth, about 7 oz of the filet. The filet was done perfectly and my husband said the lobster was gorgeous. We also had the cremini mushrooms, which were perfect with the steak. My husband also enjoyed the creme brulee. I enjoyed the fruit garnish. The service is always good at RC and I love that they don't automatically add in a tip. Our server received 22%. Even though we shared a meal and brought a bottle of our favorite cab, our meal was still $210. So, not your every week night out. Generally, we dine at home as we find the meals we prepare at home better than most restaurants these days. RC is an exception. So, grateful we can afford to dine at RC. We ate rather early for a Friday, 6PM so the noise level was perfect. I assume as it fills up later it can become a bit loud.

An excellent dining experience. The food was very good (albeit expensive but a big Duh . What else do you expect? So, too, were the cocktails and wines. The service was fantastic, very very good. The atmosphere was lively. From the petals on the tables, it was obvious that many couples came to celebrate anniversaries or birthdays and it was obvious why: They expected and received a great time.

Most foods are over salted. I shared this with the server and he offered to replace the dish but that would have made the dinner experience awkward. I hope he communicates this to the chef. Otherwise, very good. Service is superb.