Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse - Lexington

This place is absolutely outstanding. First the motif is horse racing which totally fits in Lexington. It's just a classic old school steakhouse in many ways. The food is absolutely scrumptious. The crab cakes were some of the best I have ever had. Mostly crab and not filler. I also had the Bourbon Fillet for my main course. I am not usually a fillet fan but this came with shrimp and grits as well. Just an amazing piece of meet and the shrimp and grits were the bomb. Amazing. Service was pretty good but could have been better. Our meal was delayed somewhat and we had to ask the waitress about it. In a place this expensive where you pay $80 or more for a steak, you shouldn't have to ask. They should come to you. Still service was better than most places so it isn't affecting my stars. Finally - the Old Fashioned they serve is ridiculously sweet. They told me it was sweet. It was so sweet and strong I couldn't drink it. The server took it back and brought me a Manhattan instead which was much better. But this is a matter of taste. Just letting readers know in case they are interested.

This might be a hot take, but Jeff Ruby's just didn't live up to the hype for me. Don't get me wrong--it wasn't bad by any means. Service was quick and reliable, food came out in a timely manner, and our needs were met. But for all the buzz, glitz, and glam that surrounds this place, I expected something extraordinary. What I got was... fine. Nothing here blew me away, and honestly, I've had similar experiences at Applebee's or Longhorn Steakhouse for a fraction of the price. (Or dare I say Carson's, Tony's or Distilled for better experiences and tastes that are more cost effective). Let's start with the positives. The ambiance was gorgeous. The place is beautifully decorated, impeccably clean, and the live music added a nice touch. We started with a guy playing the piano during dinner, which was lovely, and then Honeychild (a fantastic local band) kicked in. Their casual attire did feel a little out of sync with the rest of the "fine dining" vibe, but it wasn't a dealbreaker--just an observation. The food, though? Big portions, sure, but the price-to-flavor ratio didn't add up. My wife and I love sharing plates to try a bit of everything, so we gave a lot of items a go: - The Father and the Pope Sushi Roll: Good, but wouldn't be my "go-to" if i came here often. - Crispy Pork Wings: Probably the smallest portion sized item we had, but also the best thing we had, but at $26 for four pieces? I'd rather grab the Sweet & Spicy Rib Entree that comes with one side and a salad from Carson's for $30. - Freddie Salad: It's LITERALLY just a BHG's Lexingtonian Salad. - French Onion Soup: I've had better cups from TGI Fridays. - Lobster Gnocchi: Should be renamed "Pork Belly" Gnocchi--not much lobster.- Brussel Sprouts: A highlight! Probably some of the best in town. Oddly enough, the cocktails were the stars of the night. We tried the Chenin Blanc, Ruby Slipper and Off the Vine, all of which were well-priced and VERY delicious. The most personable and memorable interaction? That would be Dalen (apologies if I'm spelling your name wrong--"Day-Lin"). He wasn't even our server, but he stood out for being friendly and attentive in a way that elevated the experience. Would I go back? Probably not. Would I suggest it to others? Not really. For the price and the reputation, I expected something more memorable, but it was just... okay. If you love glitzy, over-the-top steakhouses, maybe it's for you. As for me, I'll stick to places that focus less on the glam and more on the wow factor when it comes to food.

Long weekend in Lexington to visit the Bourbon trail. Lucky us, it also happened to be ScareFest weekend which gave us a lot to look at around town! We were staying at the Marriott downtown and had trouble locking down dinner reservations along the way, but this magical place opened up and we grabbed it.The best part is that it is literally next door to the hotel. The next best part is that it has a really fun interior centered around Jeff Rubys awards with a horse racing theme and a giant grand piano on a stage in the bar area. It's very very loud inside, we chose (well not by choice, it's all they had) an outdoor table but it was cool so they had the tent over it with the most unnecessary powerful heaters made by man. We immediately asked to move and the table next to us had done the same so they just turned them off, hooray for customer service.The number of waiters in the restaurant is boggling. I wasn't entirely sure the whole time who was my actual waiter but I think that might have impacted our experience a bit. We had to ask for lots of things (like forks and spoons), but we survived. They had a good (and pricey) wine list and a great selection of drinks! The big let down for us was the lack of sushi. The website says there is a celebrated sushi chef onsite and the special selections looked so good, I know it's weird to expect this at a steakhouse but we actually got excited, but when we arrived we were told they "don't do sushi really on the weekends".., what? So we sadly pivoted. I ordered the kale salad, thankfully one of our waiters told me I just want half not whole and when it arrived even half was huge. It was good but it felt like it was missing the dressing. I had the lobster tail for my main, it was delicious, I had creamed spinach on the side which was good but so over the top rich, I only had a few bites.Overall, it was a fun experience, I would like a do over. Hopefully when the sushi chef is back.

Just had our first visit to the Lexington location and the food quality is excellent as expected! Probably one of the top 3 or 4 steaks I've eaten and that Mac and cheese The only negative was the wagyu meatball starter. It was fine but nothing that I'd personally recommend or order again.

We rented the breeders room for a grad dinner and everything was perfect! The service was on point, and all the food came out fresh and perfect. We ordered a few apps for the table and a variety of sides to share with everyone's individual entrees (they are large portions). The Wildcat cake is the best cake I've ever had, you have to try it if you go!!

Part of the small steak house elites in Lexington. A range of experiences and flavors, that makes any occasion feel like eating and dining like royalty.

I visited Jeff Ruby's while in town for a business trip. We had a large group of us (about 17 people) so we had a private room and I can't say enough about the server. She was AMAZING; she stayed on drink orders 9and there were a lot) the food was presented promptly and plating was very well done. Great team there, can't say it enough.To talk about the food, we had a specific menu for our group, so I will speak on the appetizers, we had a variety of meatballs, seafood balls and shrimp all VERY delicious and the shrimp were HUGE! Then we were able to pick our entree, which I choose the NY Strip Steak which you can see in the picture was large for a strip and very well cooked. We shared family style, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and asparagus. The mashed potatoes were smooth and silky just great. The macaroni and cheese was a little disappointing with a lack of flavor. Lastly, we were able to pick our dessert which I choose the creme brulee. Great crisp top and really liked the beautiful presentation and touch of berries and creme on top. Very well done. I would also like to give compliments to the bartender, a fantastic espresso martini. I will be back to visit again.

Ventured out on a Thursday night to show downtown Lexington off to our guests and were able to get in at Ruby's. The whole restaurant gives luxury--especiallynestled between two hotels with valet, velvet-like seating and chandeliers!We had a fantastic experience--every single thing we ordered was a good portion and very good. The kitchen took a while but it was a busy night. I enjoyed my lamb chops and the shared sides of Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes. Everyone else got steaks and salmon that were also good.We finished with The Wildcat Cake which is MASSIVE but I wasn't the biggest fan of the texture--reminded me of a blueberry muffin rather than cake. Otherwise, a lovely experience for $400.Our server was a little wound up I think too, while telling us about the menu he was constantly clicking a pen tang made it hard to hear him.

Outstanding food and service ... top of the mark for high-end LEX options in the downtown area.

This is a long overdue review. Last summer was my bachelor party to Bourbon country and several months in advance I made a reservation at Jeff Rubys for me and my 9 friends. About 2 weeks be for the trip, the general manager called me and said they had to cancel my reservation. What?! I've had this for months and now where can I find a spot for 10 people on a Friday night at a top steakhouse? Well, the GM of Jeff Ruby's not only helped me find another steakhouse to dine at, but he surprised my entire party with a round of old fashions! I've never eaten at this restaurant, but I was extremely impressed and grateful that he went the extra mile for me and my bachelor party. 10 stars, hopefully one day I'll be back to enjoy Jeff Ruby's! Thanks to the GM!!