Ruth Chris Steak House

Ruth Chris Steak House
600 Water Street
Balitmore, MD 21202
410-783-0033

If you like thick, juicy, perfectly seared steaks served in a warm, comfortable atmosphere, accompanied by some of the best red wine in the world, you’ve come to the right place. I thought I was the only one who was able to sear a steak at 1800° Fahrenheit with the use of my Turbo grill – but guess what, Ruth’s Chris broils their corn-fed US Prime Midwestern beef at that same temperature to lock in the natural flavor. As a 6’2”, 290-lb carnivore, I know when I have found a great steak and here I found it.


And if you aren’t sure about my recommendation, ask my buddy Jim Diamond, fellow meat eater with a chest thicker than most animals roaming the earth and an appetite for good steak to match. Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Balimore, MD. I had seen the advertisements in airplane magazines for a few years now and I finally gave Ruth Fertel’s restaurant a chance. I was able to get the opinions of other meat eating friends at this dinner including Jim Diamond, Bill Marshall, Mitch Jones, Will Manning, and well, even though our comrade Nate Paxton ordered a petite filet which made him the odd man out, his opinion was still valuable, his wine knowledge valuable, and his company welcome…Sorry Nate – always order big!

In short, if you enjoy a great steak and you are in Baltimore, or near any of the other Ruth’s, make sure you go. Put it at the top of your list. So far this is the best steak house I have ever been to and I have been to quite a few. Everyone else at the table agreed. Heck, how many places have a van with their name all over it and a license plate that says STEAK on it?

So if you’re full and ready for that nap after the meal, just ask for a ride back to the hotel in the “steakmobile” – yes, it’s free. Or, if you still have energy, go upstairs to the Havana Club, the casually furnished club with leather couches, cigars, and cocktails, open to the public during specified times and also available for special functions. The Havana Club has a nice selection of ports, scotches, and cognacs.We didn’t have the chance to test out the Havana Club, but it looked fun and relaxing.

At Ruth’s Chris it isn’t just the steak that makes it so special. It is the whole package – the comfortable atmosphere, the outstanding wine list, the great service, and of course, the ride in the steakmobile with driver Mike Medvinsky. Everything was great. Their side dishes of fresh asparagus, broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, and mashed potatoes with roasted garlic were fantastic. I ordered the Filet, cooked medium rare, for $27.95. I got a side of mashed potatoes and shared in the vegetables we ordered for the table.

The filet was perfectly cooked to the red, warm center they promise on their menu. What I liked most about the filet I ordered, and this is how I usually judge a good steak, is that the steak had no special sauce poured on it, no heavy seasonings – it just had great, melt-in-your-mouth, steak taste. The prices are reasonable for this type of quality with steaks ranging from $23.95 to the Porterhouse for two at $58.00. Potatoes and side dishes ranged from $4.25 to $6.95. The vegetable sides are large so consider ordering a couple and sharing. Now, if you happen to require other food besides steak, Ruth’s has other selections including shrimp, lobster, salmon, swordfish, tuna, stuffed chicken, and lamb chops.

With all this great food, Ruth’s Chris matches it with an incredible wine list. For our meal we were on a budget and it was nice to see that the wine list had some nice bottles of American reds in the $40 range that we could enjoy – so we did. However, they have everything on the list including reds from Italy, Australia, Spain, and the big French wines – Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Rhone Valley. Their American reds include Opus One, Cain Five, Caymus, Hess Collection, Merryvale, and many, many more. Whether it’s a 750ml bottle or a nice magnum for the table you’re looking for, it’s on this list.

if you want something very special, just ask, because chances are there are a few bottles in the wine cellar that I had the honor of touring that aren’t on the list…

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