First Ruth's Chris Steak House Outside Boston Opens In Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — About three years after it was first announced, a Ruth's Chris Steak House opened in downtown Worcester this week.

The upscale steak house is located in the Mercantile Center in an area that has seen major culinary developments lately — including a moveable Harpoon beer garden and The Mercantile, a multi-floor bar and restaurant with a rooftop deck.

The Worcester Ruth's Chris is the chain's fifth in New England and the first one outside the Boston area in Massachusetts.

“This location is our first in Worcester, representing an exciting expansion in central Massachusetts that further entrenches us in the area’s fine dining scene,” Ruth’s Hospitality Group CEO Cheryl Henry said in a news release. “We look forward to welcoming new guests, as well as those who are already familiar with and passionate about our brand.”

Ruth Fertel opened the first Ruth's Chris in New Orleans in the 1960s and the restaurant was originally called Chris Steak House. Fertel began franchising the restaurant in the 1970s, but it didn't expand nationwide until the 1990s and early 2000s, when the private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners bought a controlling stake. Ruth's Hospitality Group now operates about 150 steakhouses across the world, and also owns the Mitchell's Fish Market chain, which is mostly spread across the Midwest.

The Worcester location is over 8,000 square-feet, and features three main dining rooms, including one set aside for business meetings and another for private functions. There's also a seasonal outdoor patio along the Mercantile Center plaza.

The Worcester Ruth's Chris, 4 Mercantile St., is open Sundays through Thursdays from 4 to 9:30 p.m., and from 4 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.