The Ritz Restaurant

Doesn't Recommend

JenniferMc

Joined 2 years ago

SURREAL, TRULY SURREAL. Right before Christmas my friend took me to happy hour at The Ritz. The experience was odd, but memorable.

FOOD: We ordered the steak salad. It was so small that the bartender unprompted actually took it back to the kitchen to see if they mistakenly split it before bringing it out. The two bites I had of steak on my steak salad were delicious, but as one could imagine I was still very hungry.

DRINKS: The hot-buttered rum was amazing. I usually order Cabernet or a Rum and Coke, but since it was Christmas I decided to try their holiday treat. SIDENOTE: It is next to impossible to order a hot-buttered rum in a bar anymore because they need to have the batter prepared ahead of time, so I truly enjoyed this rare drink.

SERVICE: The bartender 'Stretch' cracked jokes, knew most of the patrons by name, and stayed busy behind the bar. The hostess was incredibly accommodating in helping us find a seat in the extremely crowded bar area.

ATMOSPHERE: This is where our visit became truly surreal. The Ritz decor is definitely a throw back to the rat-pack, which was charming, but the people who frequent The Ritz were also a throw back. My word, I have never had so many men 30+ years my senior attempt to use the same tired pick-up lines. And these men were persistent. It's as if we walked into some vortex where AARP members were under the assumption that they were god's gift to younger women. Do not come here if you want to enjoy a night with the girls!

I won't be returning to The Ritz.

Doesn't Recommend

SteakDiane

Joined 5 years ago

Worst Steak Diane in History, served with a Side of Attitude. Short and sweet, this place has great atmosphere but over-priced disappointing food. We went here for the Steak Diane, a continental favorite. It was prepared in the kitchen, not table side as it should. At $40 per plate, the portion was small and the sauce didn't even resemble any of the various versions of Diane sauce we've had in the past. When the server asked how our meal was, we expressed our disappointment. The response was nothing more than "well, that's how we've always served it" and that was the last we saw of her. Had this been Chili's the server would have immediately notified a manager and that manager would have been at the table within minutes. No such luck.

If you have money to burn and want to stare at a bunch of old people with wrinkles, go there. If you want true continental cuisine, the Riviera in Westminster is not bad. Melvyns in Palm Springs is a classic.

I work for a major hotel in Newport Beach, and I will no longer refer people to this location.

Recommends

Andrea Rademan

Joined 10 years ago

This perennially popular Continental restaurant proves that there's a thin line between passe and legendary.. In Short
Dressed-to-the nines, older Newporters have celebrated the good life at Hans Prager's elegantly clubby Orange County landmark for more than two decades. Everyone from the doorman to the busboys tries hard to provide friendly, attentive service. The menu is equally decadent, featuring appetizers like Prince Edward island mussels and Maryland lump crab cake, and classic entrees such as filet of Atlantic king salmon and whole kosher chicken. For the real Ritz experience, try the house favorites, chicken parmesan Piero's style and Piero's famous osso buco.

Recommends

russkar

Joined 11 years ago

Special Occasion Dining. The RITZ is always dependable for fine OC dining and has a very loyal following. The ownership changed 2 years ago and the Menu has been upgraded since. Specialites are still the Roast Duck , Rack of Lamb, Osso Buco.