Ric's Grill

14229 - 23rd Ave.
Edmonton, AB
(780) 497-4297

The large wooden doors as you enter gives you a wine cellar feel; it's dark, intimate, and romantic as you walk in. I've frequented this restaurant a few times and decided to write a review on this trendy, swank place. On a busy night, it does get quite disorganized and waiters do look like they have their heads chopped off. The service does suffer if it is really busy. They are lacking support staff like an expo or food runners. When it's busy it can get a bit loud, depending on where you are seated. I've sat in the lounge area as well as the dining area. The dining area has high ceilings and very open. It does sound like a busy Chinese restaurant sometimes when there are large parties there. The lounge area, however, is a raised section of the restaurant away from the hustle and bustle. If you plan to reserve a table, sit in the lounge or in the middle of the restaurant. Conversation will be a lot easier. When the restaurant is slower, I think the service is immaculate, great, and they're all smiles and very friendly! Their selection of wine is immense and the servers are quite good at pairing your meal with the wine.

The steaks are cooked well and seasoned just right. I'm very picky about my steaks and will return a steak if it's not cooked to the right temperature. I haven't returned a steak yet. The King of Ribeye, which is the 16 oz. ribeye is one of the best steaks I have ever had. The great thing about Ric's Grill is that it comes with soup or salad to start. I normally get a Blue Cheese Salad, it's worth that extra 3 dollars that you have to pay. It's delicious and beats a typical house or caesar salad.

{Caesar salads are so overdone and boring. I haven't been to a restaurant that actually makes a real homemade caesar. If there is a restaurant that does make homemade caesar salads, please let me know. It's always made with the store bought dressing and you can just taste that crap!}

Although you mostly go to Ric's Grill for the steak and the seafood, if they had more sides I think would benefit them a lot more. The plate always has your protein, starch, and your vegetables. But I get 3 or 4 pieces of vegetables...I think they should have more vegetables, especially with the new trends of eating more healthy. The plate when it comes seems so empty! The stuffed potato is great, very filling, it complements the steaks so well and gives it another dimension. It is better than their chef's potatoes that always comes with an experimental sauce that the chef thinks of for that day. I'm not adventurous enough maybe. The sizes of their steaks and seafood are perfect; catering to all sizes, shapes, and appetites of individuals that might walk in. The lobster tail is a great add-on for your surf n' turf or just by itself. The pastas are a NO-NO. No one goes to a steak house to eat pasta! They have a few choices for pasta, but the sauces makes the pasta mushy and I hate terriyaki!

Their appetizers are great! The classic calamari with tzaziki is always a hit and their crab cakes are firm and moist. Everything else is meh!

Desserts...I think they're desserts are some of the best in the city at a reasonable price. Their Ginger Cake I think, is their flagship dessert...it's DELICIOUS! The Cappucino Pie is very refreshing in the summer months. All their cheesecakes are made fresh daily from what I know, they have a new flavour almost everyday.

Ric's Grill is certainly not a daily dining experience. The prices do add up, but for that special occasion, I think it's a great place to take your significant other. For table of 2, you can easily drop a couple Bordens not including tip.

{I'm not a fan of frachise restaurants at all...but this franchise works. They use fresh ingredients and take the time to look at the details. I love the fact that they make everything from scratch.}

Peas - OOO.5
Carrots - IIII