Ruth's Chris Steak House Woodland Hills Menu

My friend Dana once ordered a salad at a steakhouse. Not a steak salad—just greens while the rest of us stared at sizzling butter. She still hears about it.

So when she suggested Ruth's Chris in Woodland Hills last weekend, I assumed she'd finally crossed over. She had. The menu, it turns out, is more than a slab of beef and a baked potato.

First, the Ruth's Chris ritual

You probably know the pitch: USDA Prime steaks, broiled at 1,800 degrees, served on plates heated to 500 degrees. The butter keeps sizzling after the plate lands. Yes, it's theatrical—and no, you shouldn't touch the plate to test that.

The Woodland Hills location on Topanga Canyon Boulevard follows the same playbook. Dark wood, white linens, a bar that glows like it knows your credit score. It's a chain, but it doesn't feel like a mall food court—usually.

Starters: where the menu loosens its tie

The appetizer list is where you can have fun without committing to a mortgage payment. Sizzling blue crab cakes arrive with citrus beurre blanc that makes you want to lick the plate. Barbecued shrimp swims in garlic butter and comes with toasted French bread for mopping.

If you're feeling fancy—or someone else is paying—the chilled seafood tower is a flex. The veal osso buco ravioli is rich enough to count as a main event. Mushroom bisque is a quiet sleeper hit.

For salads, Ruth's Chopped Salad is the one to beat, with bacon, bleu cheese, and tangy vinaigrette. The Caesar is solid, if predictable. The steakhouse salad with filet medallions is basically a steak dinner in disguise.

The main event: steaks and seafood

Let's be honest: you're here for beef. The filet is tender enough to cut with a dirty look. The New York strip has more chew and character.

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The ribeye is the fat-marbled show-off, and the bone-in cowboy ribeye is for people who want leftovers and a story. There's also a porterhouse for two, a tomahawk ribeye that looks like a medieval prop, and a bone-in filet for best-of-both-worlds people. Every steak comes sizzling in butter and parsley.

Ask for it rare if you like rare. The hot plate will keep cooking it whether you asked or not. That's not a suggestion; that's physics.

Not a beef person? The menu has your back: Chilean sea bass is buttery and mild, and king salmon gets a nice sear. Lobster tail is available, because of course it is.

Sides: the quiet budget killers

Here's the trap: sides are served family-style, and they add up fast. Au gratin potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and worth the calories. Creamed spinach is the classic steakhouse side, and Ruth's Chris does it right.

Lobster mac and cheese is decadent in a way that feels almost rude. Roasted mushrooms, fresh asparagus, and mashed potatoes are the sensible choices. Sweet potato casserole is basically dessert before dessert.

If you're ordering for two, one or two sides is plenty. For four, three sides will still leave leftovers. For one, maybe just get the creamed spinach and call it a vegetable.

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Desserts and drinks

The chocolate sin cake is exactly what it sounds like: dense, dark, and unapologetic. Cheesecake is rich and classic. Bread pudding is warm and comforting.

The wine list is broad, with plenty of big reds to match the beef. Cocktails lean classic, and the bar is a fine place to wait if your table isn't ready. Happy hour—often called Sizzle Hour—can be a smart way to sample the menu without the full bill.

Offerings and times change, so call ahead. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially on weekends and holidays.

How to order without spiraling

Start with one appetizer for the table, then split a salad. Pick your steak, add one seafood add-on if you're feeling wild, and choose two sides for two people. Save room for dessert, or at least box it up.

Expect to spend real money. Ruth's Chris is not a weeknight takeout situation, unless your weeknights are very different from mine. But the Woodland Hills menu delivers the steakhouse fantasy: sizzling plates, heavy forks, and butter doing overtime.

Dana, for the record, ordered the filet. She has not mentioned salad since. Growth.