Ryan's Steak Chops & Seafood

Dank atmosphere. Dated decor. Its a Senior Citizens dream come true and you can tell because its filled with them. I don't have anything against old people, but this just isn't the place to go and have a good time, this is a place you go to meet with your family lawyer to discuss the will. Or your friends from the class of 1941 from some local Winston Salem High School. Prices are not in line with quality and quantity of food. Is the food good? Indeed, the beef is excellent and the back of the house is where the only draw is. It has a reputation for being an old stodgy place for Winston's aging elite who have the money to waste and the time to waste it. more

Had dinner last Saturday at Ryans on recommendation from a friend, and was delightfully surprised. Located off of Coliseum Dr kind of in a back parking lot, I wasn't sure if I was in the right place, but tucked away in a little nook back towards the woods you will find a hidden gem. Upon entering Ryans you feel like you have taken a step back a decade. The decor is comforting but reminds me of a cross between a ski cabin and grandma's house; fortunately it works out pretty good. The view is great with panoramic windows overlooking a small valley and wooded area. Now for the important part, the food! I was nothing short of impressed with pretty much everything that we had ordered at this restaurant. For starters, they bring out two kinds of bread and a butter and cheese spread. The pretzel rolls are AMAZING with the cheese and really wish I could have taken a bunch with me. In addition to the rolls I had ordered a bowl of French Onion soup which had great flavor but not a lot of broth. The majority of the soup was crouton, but it was good either way. For the main course, I had ordered a 10oz Filet with Steak Butter. It came with a side and I chose the Au Gratin Potatoes on recommendation from the server. It also comes with a salad, which I gave to my girlfriend because I wanted the soup. She had ordered the Chilean Sea Bass with Oriental noodles and Asian Vegetable Medley. The Steak was cooked perfectly and had good flavor in and of itself, the steak butter was kind of bland and would recommend getting it blackened instead. The au gratin potatoes were the only thing less than satisfying. They were a little to tart for my liking, but my girlfriend enjoyed them. Her Chilean sea bass was pretty darn good too. The soy glaze was very flavorful and not too overpowering and it worked great with the noodles and veggies. Overall the restaurant was a great find and glad I tried it out. I will try it again but may opt to try one of the other items on the very large menu. They have a decent selection of beef cuts, both regular and prime, and a massive house cut of Prime Rib that's about 20oz Pros: Awesome Pretzel Rolls, Diverse Menu, High Quality Cons: Strange Location, Decor a Little Dated more

Several reviewers have mentioned that Ryan's is expensive. Quite true for the local area, but the restaurant is on par with some of the finest restaurants we've experienced anywhere in the US, and even in Europe, and could be considered a bargain in that company. We really enjoyed the crab cake appetizer. Having lived for 30 years in Maryland, we have an appreciation for crab cakes done well, and this was superb. I loved the steak au poivre with it's tasty sauce, and my wife really enjoyed the grouper. They seem to really know how to prepare sauces to complement the entrees, something that is rare in American restaurants. They stumbled a bit on the pomme frites (over done) and the spinach (bitter and too salty). But the asparagus had a great flavor and was cooked just right (al dente). Our main disappointment was the dessert. I had the triple chocolate cake and my wife had the strawberry pound cake with berries. They were good, but average, and not really worth the price. We had the impression the desserts were not done in-house like most everything else, though we didn't confirm. Pros: Excellent entrees, sauces, great ambiance Cons: Average desserts more

Excellent friendly service. Classic American cuisine which is well-prepared. Not exciting, but very comfortable and with a beautiful view of the forested area behind the restaurant. Pros: friendly, good traditional food, good wine list Cons: very expensive more

Superlative in every way. Convivial atmosphere overlooking a lighted ravine(request a window seat) with an exciting menu prepared by professional chefs. A superior wine list. Attentive service most of the time. Call early for reservation though, since they go fast on the weekends. You shouldn't miss Ryan's. It may very well be the premier restaurant in town for the diner who expects the best in fine dining. Pros: convivial atmosphere, excellent wines, superior dining Cons: none, none, none more