Have you ever eaten at a restaurant before you got sick, and then linked your illness to the restaurant even if the restaurant had nothing to do with it? That’s what happened between Ruby Tuesday and me. Several years ago, I ate there with one of my friends. Two hours after eating there, I got sick! Even though I liked eating there, I couldn’t bring myself to go back until just recently.

The Ruby Tuesday here is located inside the mall. There is an entrance from outside the mall, as well as one inside. My mom and I were shopping, and decided to have lunch. I remembered that Ruby Tuesday had great salads, and I thought I‘d give it another try. It was really good, so I’ve gone back a few times.


Atmosphere

This particular restaurant isn’t very big. There are many tables and booths crammed around the bar. The bar is the center focus of the restaurant. There’s plenty of room to walk around the bar, but not as much around the dining area. The walls are covered with beer signs and local college football posters. The decorations would remind you somewhat of Applebee’s. They play top 40-type music.


The Salad Bar

Just as I remembered, Ruby Tuesday has a great salad bar. You can get all-you-can-eat salad for $6.99, or with a meal, it is $1.99. The salad bar begins with a huge tub of lettuce, carrots, and cabbage. It continues with most anything you can think of for a salad. Throw in some cottage cheese here, and some cucumbers there. There is a wide variety of salad dressing available, including low fat versions. I like the pasta salads. They have at least 2 different kinds on the bar. They also have tortilla chips and salsa. At the end of the bar, you’ll find slices of fruit, such as watermelon, grapes, and pears.


The Menu

They give you a huge menu when you are seated. The menu is so big that 2 people can’t lay their menus on the table at the same time. One menu takes up nearly the whole table. The menu is a big tri-fold. When you open it up, the first thing you’ll see is the chocolate tall cake for dessert. This looks fantastic, and I’ve heard it is. I haven’t tried it myself. I’m usually too full for dessert. They have a pretty good selection of appetizers. Potato skins, hot wings, quesadillas, and cheese sticks, to name a few. I recently tried their hot wings. They come in 3 variations of hot; mild, hot, and 911. I got the hot version. They were just right for me, and I like ’em pretty hot. I guess if you’re a masochist, you might try the 911.

I usually get the fajita quesadillas as my entree. Even though it is listed on the appetizer menu, I can still order the salad bar with it for $1.99. They also have a variety of platters and sandwiches. I’ve noticed a variety of shrimp, steak, and chicken platters. They also serve hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, as well as a few others. My favorite is the turkey BLT. Just as you’d imagine, it’s basically a BLT piled high with turkey. You can get half a sandwich with choice of soup or salad. This deal also includes fries for the same price as the whole sandwich plates which are usually about 6.99. If you need to feed little ones, there is a kids’ menu. Most kids’ menus look about the same to me. They have your basic hamburger, chicken tenders, and mac & cheese.

They have a wide variety of drinks. You can get a soft drink, or choose your favorite beer. They also have a big selection of mixed drinks. I keep seeing a table card advertising the strawberry lemonade, but I keep forgetting to order it. It is available with or without spirits. Also in cups, you’ll find some desserts. Like I mentioned previously, there is a huge picture of the chocolate tall cake. It looks fabulous. I plan on making a special dessert trip just to order it.


Recommendation

Overall, Ruby Tuesday is not a bad eat. If you’re into salads, it’s a great place to go. If you’re into Applebee’s, it’s a great place to go. If you’re into TGI Friday’s, Chili’s, or Bennigan’s, it’s still a great place to go!





Last Note - The Title

“Don’t take your love to town” is from an old Kenny Rogers song about good ol’ Ruby herself. This song usually comes to mind when I think of this restaurant. The Rolling Stones song used to come to mind, but not anymore. I don't know why.


Recommended: Yes