5 Best And 5 Worst Sides To Eat At Ruth's Chris
When you go to Ruth's Chris Steak House, meat is probably the main thing on your mind. You want to make sure you pick out just the right steak, and you want it to be cooked to perfection. After all, that's what a steakhouse is all about. But what about the ancillary dishes? Sides can be overlooked at steakhouses, but in reality, they can make or break your meal. Even if you have a top-notch steak, you're going to want to take a bite of something different from time to time, and a sad, wilted salad or unseasoned French fries can absolutely tank your otherwise delicious meal.
We want to make sure you have all the info you need to have an amazing time while digging into steak at Ruth's Chris, so we've made a list of the must-try sides on the menu. But we are not only touching on the culinary home runs. We've also included the sides you shouldn't even dream about ordering. Of course, the decision is ultimately up to you, but we think that this simple guide is a great starting place when it comes to placing your order at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Let's take a closer look at these sides.
Best: Cremini mushrooms
We know, we know — not everyone likes mushrooms. For some people, the texture is just too strange, and the earthy flavor doesn't do much to help. But before you write off the cremini mushrooms served at Ruth's Chris completely, you have to give them a try. And if you already like mushrooms? You're about to be blown away by this side dish.
Plump, velvety cremini mushrooms (basically just a grown-up version of your traditional button mushroom) are pan-roasted in a veal demi-glace for a mouthwatering flavor that you'll be dreaming of for months to come. We love that mushrooms already have somewhat of a meaty texture to them, but when they add the veal demi-glace, it really takes that texture to a new level because the flavor complements it so well. These mushrooms are cooked to perfection — just soft enough to go down easily but with enough bite to feel substantial.
If the veal demi-glace weren't enough, the addition of thyme adds a touch of freshness and a new element of flavor to the dish. Thyme is a perfect herb to pair with this luscious, luxurious dish, and it's the kind of attention to detail we really appreciate when we go out to eat.
Worst: Baked potato
Is there any side dish more boring than a basic baked potato? Sure, even if it comes fully loaded with a slew of toppings like the one you'll find at Ruth's Chris, it's just not an inspired side. It's something you could easily make at home with minimal effort, so it doesn't really seem worth your money to order it at a restaurant unless it's a dish that you absolutely can't get enough of.
Yes, the toppings do improve the baked potato at Ruth's Chris, but the baked potato itself is super dry and lackluster. It's heavy and bland, and you're going to have to add a ton of salt and pepper to make it more palatable. (We would recommend some hot sauce, but that may be frowned upon at a steakhouse.) Plus, at a whole pound, it's just too much food if you're also trying to enjoy a steak.
If you truly want a baked potato, we recommend going to the store, buying a few dollars' worth of ingredients, and going on your way. It'll take all of 20 minutes to concoct the same exact dish in the comfort of your own home, and it's going to be way, way less expensive than what you would pay at Ruth's Chris.
Best: Truffle lobster mac and cheese
We know, we know: The truffle trend has gotten out of hand. But you know what? We're allowed to like it, especially when it appears in a form as beautiful and as delicious as the truffle lobster mac and cheese you'll find at Ruth's Chris. The star of the show is, of course, the lobster. It's tender and succulent, with just the right hint of flavor to it. In fact, for us, it's more about the texture than the flavor anyway. That lobster is combined with an aged cheddar mac. This isn't your Kraft mac and cheese straight-out-of-the-box situation. They really seem to have taken their time crafting an excellent cheese sauce that blesses every bite of pasta it comes into contact with.
The truffle-herb crust adds just the right amount of texture to an otherwise soft dish. So, no, you're not going to get literal shaved truffle on top of this dish (we wish), but the deep, rich flavor is enough to keep us happy. We do acknowledge that this one is kind of a gut-buster, so you may want to consider sharing with one of your tablemates if you really want to make it all the way through your steak. But even if you don't, this mac and cheese is too good to turn down.
Worst: Sweet potato casserole
Is it Thanksgiving dinner at your least favorite aunt's house? No, it's dinner at Ruth's Chris. So why is there a sweet potato casserole placed in front of you like an overcooked turkey is about to appear in the middle of the table, blocking your view of that one weird uncle? We get it — some people love sweet potatoes, and that's fine. We respect your opinion. But when it comes to the sweet potato casserole at Ruth's Chris, we just can't get on board. It's bland, It's vaguely sweet. It has literally no texture besides an uneasy mushiness that turns our stomachs slightly. Not even the pecan crust can save it.
This seems like a random addition to an otherwise well-thought-out menu. Sweet potato casserole seems clearly in the jurisdiction of a holiday feast, not a nice night out at a restaurant. The side doesn't pair very well with steak, and the flavor is so lackluster that we can't imagine wanting to eat more than one bite unless we were really, really hungry. Our advice? Skip the sweet potato casserole completely. There are much better options waiting for you.
Best: Roasted brussels sprouts
If there's one veggie side dish we'll come back to time and time again, it's roasted brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have a lovely bitterness to them that we absolutely love, and when they're roasted, they even have a touch of sweetness. Plus, when they develop that nice crisp? Can't beat that. That's why the roasted brussels sprouts are at the top of our list when it comes to sides at Ruth's Chris Steak House. They wouldn't even have to add anything to them other than salt and pepper for us to sign on. But when you add in honey and the bacon? It doesn't get much better than that.
If you've never enjoyed brussels sprouts in the past, this is the place to give them a try. The touch of honey counteracts the bitterness that some diners dislike about the cruciferous veggie. And the addition of bacon adds a lovely richness and a ton of flavor to the dish. Put it all together, and this is one menu item that we're always going to ask for when we make our way to this iconic chain steakhouse.
Worst: Creamed spinach
Wow. Do we even have to talk about what's wrong here? It's creamed spinach. There are so many lovely, flavorful greens out there, and somehow, spinach always disappoints. It has very little flavor unless it's been doused in some sort of sauce or cooked into a soup, so it makes sense that Ruth's Chris would decide to add cream to make its spinach more appealing. But unfortunately, it has the opposite effect. There's really no flavor apart from the fattiness of the cream — the spinach doesn't taste like anything. It arrives in a glop of vague green and beige, and it goes cold seemingly within seconds.
Honestly, the creamed spinach feels like an afterthought on the Ruth's Chris menu, like they thought they needed to include another green vegetable but didn't want to get too creative with it. We understand if you order this dish because you're trying to get more veggies into your diet when you're out at a restaurant, and we support your attempt to get your greens in. But for those who want to enjoy the best the Ruth's Chris menu has to offer, we urge you not to order the creamed spinach.
Best: Grilled asparagus
Asparagus and steak are a culinary match made in heaven. They both feel luxurious in their own ways, which is why we were so glad to see grilled asparagus on the menu at Ruth's Chris. The asparagus are grilled to perfection so they're nice and tender but still have a little bit of a snap to them. You're not going to encounter any tough, inedible stems or uncooked, super-strong flavors. Rather, you'll just get to enjoy the mild, flavorful veg served with hollandaise sauce. This sauce is a game changer — it really makes the dish something special, and not just a random addition to the menu. In fact, if we had to come up with the perfect side dish for a delicious, juicy steak, it would probably be this specific asparagus dish.
Sure, it may be simple, and it may seem a little basic. But sometimes, the classics are classics for a reason, and that's certainly the case in this situation. If you're going to order one green thing on the menu, let it be this grilled asparagus — you're not going to regret it.
Worst: Potatoes au gratin
Listen, we don't mean to hate on the potato dishes, but when a potato falls flat, it can be really, really disappointing. Such is the case with the potatoes au gratin you'll find at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Never had potatoes au gratin before? It's basically a casserole made from sliced potatoes and a cheese sauce. When it's done right (and very well-seasoned), it can offer a lovely textural experience you don't normally get from potatoes. But when there's not enough seasoning in the mix, it's almost always disappointing. That's exactly what's wrong with the potatoes au gratin at Ruth's Chris.
This dish basically tastes like nothing at all. It's just sliced potatoes covered in a mediocre cheese sauce ... and that's it. Nothing interesting, nothing exciting. Cheese and potatoes. Maybe if they had added a spicy element to the dish or freshened it up with some chopped green onion, we would have a different opinion. As it stands, though, this dish is so, so boring. That being said, is the taste bad? No. There's just nothing there. This may be a good option for a child with a really, really picky palate.
Best: Garlic mashed potatoes
Now, we know we've hated on a lot of the potato dishes at Ruth's Chris, but that doesn't mean we dislike all of them. In fact, there's one that stands far, far above the rest, and we're proud to admit that we're huge fans. It's the garlic mashed potatoes, and as far as we're concerned, it's the only potato dish you should ever order at Ruth's Chris.
Yes, mashed potatoes can be boring, especially if the texture isn't just right. But you're not going to have that problem with Ruth's Chris' mashed potatoes. They're beautifully creamy, and they have enough structure to them that they don't just spill all over your plate causing a big mess. We think there must be a lot of butter in the recipe, because they taste super indulgent in the best possible way.
The real star of the show, though, is the roasted garlic. While we could deal with unlimited garlic, these potatoes aren't too strong, so it's still safe to order on a first date. The garlic flavor has a sort of sweetness to it that adds a note of complexity to this dish. Basically, it's how mashed potatoes were meant to taste. If you're wondering which potato dish to order from Ruth's Chris, you know that we stand firmly on the side of Team Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Worst: Lobster bisque
Technically, the lobster bisque is not a part of Ruth's Chris' sides menu. Rather, it's placed under the "soups and salads" category. However, it's something that some people may consider ordering as a side, so we only felt it was fair to cover it here too. The lobster bisque isn't the worst item on the menu, but it's certainly nothing special. You would think you'd get a ton of succulent lobster to slurp on, but you don't actually get that much in this soup. Instead, it just tastes mildly salty and unimpressive.
Of course, if you really want a soup as a side dish, you don't have many options, so the lobster bisque may not be out of the question. However, if you really want to get the best lobster side dish of them all, we still have to choose the truffle lobster mac and cheese over this mess of a soup.