Restaurants near Merritt Plaza Shopping Center

Celebrating a friends birthday. We gathered early so we could chat and catch up. Had a lovely booth for 5 of us. Everyone enjoyed the menu choices and felt we’d had a special meal in a special place. Excellent hospitality and service from the staff.

We loved the Ridges and will be back. The porterhouse shared was fantastic, rivaling any and surpassing many of the “classic” famous steakhouses in NY. I would easily say it was the best I have experienced in CT. The only draw back I would note was perhaps my own ordering. I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass which had a thin potato topping. It was a very pricey fish at over $50. That alone should have given me pause, but I was curious and gave it a try. It was on the side of over cooked and the preparation was very heavy for such a fish. I wish I could have liked it but in the end I regretted it. I should have gone with the steak which is clearly where Ridges shines. Service was fantastic and for a steakhouse in a strip mall, my party was impressed. We would never have suspected how good it was. Definitely expensive, but definitely worth another trip for the steaks.

I typically write about the food after my dining experiences however, this is an exception to the norm. Anne Marie was our server and was the most professional, energetic, menu knowledgeable person that we EVER had the pleasure encountering in all of our USA dining experiences. I write this as a retired traveling association executive who has literally dined in thousands of restaurants throughout the country. Anne Marie paved the way for a fabulous dinner which included a delicious beet salad and a really hard to beat barrel cut filet mignon. The RG is truly a hidden gem where you dine in a private house which has a “I feel like I’m dining in someone’s really nice house” vibe. It is also located right next door (one minute walk) to fantastic/professional live theater venues. All this combined gives you an experience you won’t soon forget.

Great restaurant. Go! Food is delicious and ambiance is wonderful.

We enjoyed Elm! My kale salad was excellent and the burger was out of this world.