RingSide Steakhouse

"Since 1944, Ringside Steakhouse has been a lauded standby for impeccable service, aged steaks, and old-school elegance. Tableside lamps illuminate lobster mashed potatoes and Madeira-glazed mushrooms accompanying dry-aged rib-eyes and seasonal apple-fed American wagyu strip loins. And of course, no meal at Ringside is complete without the James Beard-recommended battered onion rings with house dressing." - Ben Coleman

"A classic Portland restaurant known for its steaks and burgers, where Alan enjoys a Nebbiolo and Tanqueray martini." - Thom Hilton

"Ringside Steakhouse’s onion rings are the things of local legend. Renowned local gourmand James Beard called the onion rings the finest he had ever eaten in the United States: wide, lightly battered rings served with a gravy boat of Thousand Island. For a luxe upgrade, the rings are particularly tasty when dunked in a side of house bearnaise." - Ben Coleman, Eater Staff

"When looking for pomp and circumstance, this venerable Portland steakhouse offers it in spades. Among the tablecloth-lined tables and dining room fireplaces, couples cut into dry-aged steaks, dig spoons into lobster mashed potatoes, and luxuriate over flourless hazelnut-chocolate cake. The cellar, accessible only by elevator, is well-stocked for wine nerds, though in a restaurant oozing with old-school steakhouse vibes, it’s perhaps best to opt for a Manhattan or a martini." - Katrina Yentch, Thom Hilton, Brooke Jackson-Glidden

"Portland isn’t exactly a steakhouse sort of town, yet Ringside, which has been on the edge of Northwest for over 80 years, strikes a balance between baller and old-school kitsch in a way that appeals to special occasion diners of all stripes. It’s not cool, and it doesn’t need to be. You can skip the lobster mashed potatoes, but there’s no ignoring the perfectly fried onion rings blessed by James Beard himself. If you’re going to go big, start with the Dungeness crab cocktail, followed by the 34-ounce bone-in aged ribeye for two. Smaller pockets are accommodated on Mondays when Ringside offers a three-course prime rib dinner for $53. photo credit: Aubrie LeGault photo credit: Aubrie LeGault photo credit: Aubrie LeGault" - Krista Garcia