I Tried 30 Of The Top Menu Items At Ruby Tuesday—These 6 Are The Best
This list even surprised me.
Ruby Tuesday was born in 1972 when some frat brothers from the University of Tennessee pooled money together to start a restaurant. Founder Sandy Beall noticed that another chain restaurant with a day of the week in its name was sweeping the nation thanks to its flashy cocktails and appetizers, so he decided to name his restaurant after a Rolling Stones song that also included a day of the week. But most patrons don't think about the history or the name of Ruby Tuesday; they think about its salad bar (now rebranded as the "endless garden bar").
While chains like Pizza Hut have discontinued their salad bars and buffet-style options, fans of Ruby Tuesday absolutely adore the feature and its 55+ toppings. We took a trip to our local Ruby Tuesday to try the 30 most popular menu items, and these six were the highlight of our day.
Best Appetizer: Sticky Ribs
These flash-fried ribs are tossed with a zippy barbecue sauce. They're candied on the outside and tender on the inside; you could almost make this a meal if you got a salad or mac and cheese to go with it.
Best Cocktail: Ruby Relaxer
The Ruby Relaxer is a mix of vodka, coconut rum, peach schnapps, and pineapple and cranberry juices. I hate coconut rum and fruit punch with a burning passion, yet I'm in love with this drink. It's basically classy jungle juice.
Best Sandwich: Philly Cheesesteak Hoagie
Y'ALL. I'm not trying to be dramatic but this was one of the best Philly cheesesteaks I've had in a long, long time. Our director of photography, Chelsea, is from Philly and she also gave this two thumbs up. There are piles of tender, shaved beef grilled with the ideal ratio of peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Don't even get us started on the cheddar cheese sauce.
Best Pasta: Crispy Mac 'N Cheese
If you're looking for something to stick to your gut and stay there for three to four business days, we have a pasta for you. The melted mozzarella and parmesan cream sauce reminds us of the thick texture of Velveeta, while the crispy chicken and marinara helps cut through all that cheese.
Best Entrée: Hickory Bourbon Salmon
This is a staff favorite and it makes so much sense. The hickory bourbon sauce tastes like it's been grilled on a cedar plank, and the grilled zucchini makes this dish feel lighter, as if you actually space for dessert.
Best Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
Speaking of dessert: We're convinced any dessert served in a warm mini skillet is going to be amazing. Under those two large scoops of vanilla bean ice cream there's a freshly baked (still warm!) chocolate chip cookie. It hits the right salty-to-sweet ratio and is perfect for sharing.
Julia is the director of video at Delish. Previously, she worked on Food Network's Snapchat team as their "try" girl: trying new products and bizarre diets on the market. Currently she oversees the video team where content lives on YouTube, TikTok, onsite, Snapchat, and Facebook. She's also previously a host of the hit series "Julia Tries Everything" where she goes to top chain restaurants in America and finds her favorite menu items.
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