Nice restaurant with friendly service! We had a head waiter, an assistant waiter and a drink waiter for our table, so we were well taken care of. We started with bread and olive oil with a lot of Parmesan cheese - it wasn't our choice by the way to have Parmesan cheese in the olive. It gave the olive oil an interesting taste but we would rather have it without the Parmesan cheese. We got the grilled oysters as an appetizer - just to compare it will parrain's and roux 61. We felt the oysters also had an interesting taste but parrain and roux 61 had better grilled oyster. We also got the crabmeat cheesecake - interesting concept but we didn't really like it. It was like a lasagna but stuffed with crabmeat instead of beef. Our main entree was the lasagna and this was the worst dish out of everything. It had a plain taste and there were too much Parmesan cheese in the dish. We joked that maybe the only ingredient the chef had was Parmesan cheese as they were plenty in the oysters and the olive oil. It was a nice restaurant but we was just a bad night for us. read more

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From what I understand, this place is an institution here in Baton Rouge, and i kind of see why. Service was impeccable and the food was great! Pretty much everything on their menu was great (including the cotton candy!!), but my absolute fav was the seared tuna on the himalayan salt block - very pretty, light and tasty at the same time. I think the salt block added real flavor to the dish - it wasn't just for show haha. I also had the caprese salad - very light, refereshing and so yum, no complains! I was here with a part of about 14 folks for work and I know we had a lot of fun. Someone else ordered the wine, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The place is definitely a little dated and I cannot speak to it being a real steakhouse, since I ate no meat here. I will probably be back for the tuna! read more

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If I could give my to-go order a 0 I would! I ordered the chicken parm and a side of Alfredo. There was no bread and oil in the bag (there usually is) and the chicken cutlet was absolutely disgusting and the amount of pasta that was next to it was PITIFUL I had to make my own just to make it a meal and I'm a very small girl... wasn't worth $40+ , go to other Italian places in Baton Rouge read more

Love Ruffinos! they have the best, hands down, sensation salad. I love to stop in for happy hour, sit at the bar, and grab a salad. The bartenders make an excellent lemon drop martini and a chat when not crowded. Their lasagna is amazingly flavorful and hard for me to pass up but their pizzas are also awesome. I have also had their filet and pasta with veal. Everything I have had was delish! I recommend highly. read more

This is my first Yelp review, and I can't think of a more deserving restaurant than Ruffino's! I frequent Ruffino's based on the consistency of the amazing menu, the friendly staff and servers, but mostly because I love the atmosphere! And I know I'm not the only one, people constantly post pics of their decadent food, their special nights out that are commentated with desserts with fancy writing on the plates, and groups of friends out for a night of camaraderie! If you haven't tried Ruffino's, I highly recommend it! read more

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The fried artichoke appetizer was superb! Had it again Saturday and it was just as good as when I had it Friday at lunch. Peter and Nikolai were fantastic servers!!! Will definitely be back soon! read more

Ruffino's - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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This was my first time to ever step foot in this place and oh my gosh, the best place ever. Everything was so classy. And I would definitely go back. The food was so delicious. And the SERVICE, hands down!!! The best!! Y'all will have my service again read more

Great ambience and delicious food! Daughter enjoyed her 14th birthday. Service and attention was spot-on!! read more

Ruffino's - a birthday cake on a platter - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

If y'all have not been to Ruffinos, I'm encouraging y'all! YOU NEED TO EXPERIENCE THIS! Best service, best food, by far I have ever experienced. I mentioned it was our anniversary and they had us a whole chocolate cheesecake slice and cotton candy! Each waiter and waitress were impeccable! We drove 3 hours to go to Topgolf and just went there for dinner and honestly, I'd drive 3 hours again JUST for their customer service alone. 10/10 experience, I WILL BE BACK! read more

Ruffino's - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Wow. What a surprise and disappointment. Ordered the sensation salad first. Small (for $10), lettuce was wilted and soggy, the sun dried tomatoes were inedible - my entree was chicken Alfredo. I cannot even describe how bad the chicken was ... I'll try tho ... it had a strange rubbery texture (def not fresh), and some pieces were impossible to cut or chew. It was gross. I opted not to give leftover chicken to my dogs. WHAT HAPPENED? ? read more

Best bbq shrimp fettuccine. I have dreams about it. So so good. Great wait staff. My husband loves the lasagna.

My parents were SO excited to bring me here to celebrate my birthday, they heard some pretty awesome things about this restaurant, but unfortunately we didn't have a good experience. We sat at our table for over 20 minutes before anyone even bothered to come check on us, or offer to get us a drink. I finally was able to flag someone down and ask for my server. He took our drink and appetizer order. The appetizer came out pretty quick, and it was good. We ordered the Buffalo calamari. More time went by... a lot of time actually. Finally flagged the waiter down and asked for a refill (that I NEVER got) and the waiter took our dinner order. It took FOREVER to get our food. Finally we got our food, the meat was warm. (Not hot like a freshly prepared steak should be) My dad and I bit into our mashed potatoes and they were cold. My mom bit her asparagus, cold. We sent the sides back, the new sides they brought out, you guessed it, COLD! Sheesh. We were really hungry by this point so we just ate it. The waiter and manager knew we were underwhelmed, so they sent over a chocolate dessert for our troubles. Fun fact: I'm allergic to chocolate. Try speaking with your customers to see what would be best for them, at least pretend like you care. I am disappointed I celebrated my birthday here. The service was awful and the food was mediocre. read more

Ruffino's - Complimentary Dessert the manager sent because our experience was bad but I'm allergic to chocolate. - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Arguably the fanciest "Italian/Cajun" restaurant in Baton Rouge, a town riddled with lesser rivals catering to the south Louisiana Tourist. We ordered 2x app sampler for our table of 4. They were OK, and simply plated. My order of Redfish Special was under-whelming: small portion of mushy fish. Happily I'd prepared for the disappointing main with 2x Old Fashions that seemed watered down. Desert was forgettable. Food is not why you go to Ruffino's. Don't let the decrepit exterior frighten you away; This is Louisiana, after all, and any structure 10+ years old is fortunate not to be covered in kudzu. I liked the 1970"s retro decor: The cool, dark interior is a welcome relief from the sweltering, humid furnace outside. I was astonished to find a fire burning in the hearth next to our table, a comfort for our cold sensitive guest who cuddled next to it! read more

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First time & the food was great! The employees were sure to follow COVID guidelines when dealing with each party. No complaints here read more

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My partner wasn't impressed by the service but I felt happy with the food so I'm writing this review in a weirrrd and ambivalent manner. Where do I begin? Oh yeah it was a hot, thirty degree summer day and a thunderstorm was in the forecast... but we heard from our bnb hosts this was a grew Italian place. After lurking their Instagram I was intrigued by the wiggly haired chef and the local rosé so we walked over. It's about 20 min from the NOTL main strip. Due to it being COVID stage 2, dining was only allowed on the patio. They had limited space outside and not every table was really in the shade. Oh well. When I sat down I felt a large plop of water land on my thigh. It was clear so I thought it was just leftover rainwater. We spent some minutes peering at the menu and my partner started noticing eavestrough water dropping on the table where my dining plate would be. Since I'd had a beer and was feeling good I was happy to dismiss it but my partner brought it up to the waitress and became ultra annoyed when she said "Don't worry about it. It'll stop" as it continued dripping. I decided to stay to try their house rosé and eat some olives as he stewed. The next table ordered a bottle of rosé and the hostess seemed really chatty with them. The rosé was typical but the olives were melt-in-mouth good as they seemed to be sautéd in their oil. The waitress seemed inexperienced but I can't fault someone for being unimaginative while working a crappy job. read more

Had a wonderful dining experience. The food was prepared perfectly with great presentation. The service was great!! Steve took great care of us. Looking forward to going back!! read more

Our family celebrates our special occasions at this restaurant. We have enjoyed great food while receiving all star service. With weekly specials and a standard menu selection, I have never had a bad meal at this restaurant. Note: This restaurant is a fine dining establishment and most menu items reflect this. The lunch time menu is more affordable if you are wanting some outstanding food at a lower cost. If you have the ability to splurge a little, I recommend Ruffino's Restaurant. read more

Excellent Food with A La Carte High End Service. White Linens, High End Ambiance. Waters & Tea glasses kept full.

I cannot say enough about this place. We live slightly south of town so I'd rather not drive the thirty minutes up to downtown to take my wife out for an upscale meal she deserves. This is awesome because it's an upscale establishment with top-notch food that I can spoil my wife with, without fighting traffic. I had the red fish, and my wife had the spaghetti and meat balls. We had ZERO complaints. I wish I could remember our waiter's name too, because the heavy tip was worth it! Now, I need you to understand, I've dined at five star restaurants in the big city before, and I did not anticipate something comparable in BR, but here we are. If you have a special lady in your life, take her her. If you're celebrating, check it out. Just make sure to respect the establishment and put on something respectable. :) read more

We went to Ruffino's for the first time for an early Valentine's Day dinner. We decided since it was our first visit that we would try The Ruffino's Experience because it provides you with a great sampling of their food offerings. It includes appetizers, salad, main course, dessert, AND wine. The cost was just under $200.00 including tip and gratuity. We were not disappointed! We were seated right in front of the fireplace which provided a wonderful setting for the magnificent meal to come. They brought us a fabulous bottle of their Ruffino's Cabernet Sauvingnon. My husband doesn't generally care for red wine, but this one was very smooth, and he loved it! The meal started off with a sampling of four different appetizers. We started with the BBQ Shrimp on mascarpone polenta. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and the polenta was an absolutely perfect accompaniment. It was very good. Next, we tried the Crabmeat Cheesecake. The texture isn't like a regular cheesecake, but it was also very good. We had some Italian Boudin Balls next. They were different than any I have had in the past, but I would recommend them as well. Last were Braised Pork Cheeks, which were very tender and delightful. Our favorite was the BBQ Shrimp and Polenta, but all were extremely well prepared and well worth the calories! Next was the salad course. They brought us the Heirloom Tomato. I was surprised when I realized it is comprised of tomatoes, 25 year old balsamic vinegar, Burrata cheese, micro basil, and hold on to your hat, CAVIAR. I will admit that I was initially a bit hesitant because I had never had caviar before and have always sworn I would NEVER eat it. Well, I decided to step way out of my comfort zone and try it. I have to say the combination of flavors played very well off one another, and the caviar tasted absolutely nothing like I imagined it would. It was actually very good, and if it is ever presented to me again, I would try it and not turn it away. Excellent presentation, and I was able to try something totally new for me! The main course was spectacular. The Veal Michael tasted awesome and was cooked to perfection. The Cedar Plank Redfish was also very good, but we LOVED the veal. The Vodka Tomato Cream pasta was okay, but not our favorite in comparison to everything else we had with our meal. The dessert was bread pudding. I'm not a fan of bread pudding, and I was stuffed at this point, so I finished my wine while my husband enjoyed the bread pudding. He said it was an awesome finish to a fabulous dinner. The service was second to none. Steve, Sean, and Andrew went above and beyond to make sure we had a wonderful dining experience! I highly recommend The Ruffino's Experience if you want to get a fabulous meal, and have the opportunity to taste a wide variety of the fantastic fine dining offerings without having to have full servings of the entire menu. This was our first visit, but definitely will not be our last. If you are looking for a fine dining experience and a nice evening out, Ruffino's is a first rate option. It is one of the nicest restaurants in the Baton Rouge area, and is a fabulous option for that fine dining experience! read more

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I would say the lasagna was average but I also would be telling a lie since I cleaned my plate. Maybe I just wanted lasagna. It tasted like everyday run of the mill lasagna with fresh ingredients and cheese used throughout. It was delivered to me via postmates so I do have one thing i could suggest. Based on the price, it would be a nice touch to add in some sort of bread to go with the lasagna free of charge. Who doesnt like bread and lasagne ? read more

Ruffino's - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Definitely be prepared to spend a pretty penny dining here but worth it for a nice night out! Great service, excellent food (I've had the fish Katie & the cedar plank redfish which ate both pricey but worth it). Both come with potatoes which are a little salty (which I'm okay with but some people may not love). Desserts are also scrumptious! You also get cotton candy at the end of every meal AND a complimentary small dessert for birthdays or special occasions. read more

Service and ambiance were good. It was the last night of some discount coupon's use and the kitchen seemed overwhelmed. Our fish Katie (they were out of redfish and substituted) and steak were not warm, almost cold. We attributed it to the hundreds of discount pizzas that were waiting for pickup Service good, food ok. read more

Always a great experience. Good food and service and atmosphere is wonderful for special occasions or just celebrating life. Reasonable prices and good sized portions. read more

This place reminded me of a swanky mafioso type of restaurant. I felt like I needed to order a Perfect Manhattan on the rocks as soon as we sat down. I didn't of course, but that was the feel that I got from the ambiance. Our server was Britney I believe and I think the back waiter was Ashley though I could be wrong. They were both excellent, knowledgeable and charming. My daughter had the Chicken Parmesan and she loved it. My husband and I split the app "Taste of Ruffinos" which was really good as well. I like that they had that option because we wanted an app but couldn't decide on which one, until Britney suggested that. It was perfect. We also had the same problem ordering our entrees until Britney suggested the steak Oscar. My husband and I were both sold on that option as well so we split that. The kitchen split the dish for us which was a nice touch. The steak was incredible. We will definitely be back!! read more

Ruffino's reminds me of a classy Cheers. What do I mean? It's like every time you go in there everyone knows each other, especially in the bar area. I'm pretty certain they have a good amount of regulars in there. The photos on the wall are reminiscent of a Hollywood cafe with famous patrons posing for the picture. The restaurant is dark and romantic inside. I love the updated look outside. When we first moved here a few years ago, honestly, I had no interest in going to the 70s looking restaurant under power lines but now it looks much cleaner and welcoming. The service is excellent. They have a "drink waiter" as well as a regular waiter for the tables and I think extra helpers. The managers/owners seem to always be around checking in on people. The food is excellent. I'm super picky about my steaks and they do a phenomenal job here. The sensation salad is also excellent and I could eat my weight in the free bread/garlic spread that comes out. It is a pricey restaurant which is why you'll always see people celebrating something nearby. Birthdays, graduations, proms etc. Overall it's really a great spot on the south side! read more

I had the Fish Katie. It was really good, just not a big portion. The sauce around the fish was so good. It came with some potatoes that were just okay. They were a little hard and not too hot. We had the tomato salad for an appetizer, that was delicious. Fresh tomato with mozzarella and little balls of balsamic on top. Overall it was good. It was expensive of course. It's definitely a special occasion restaurant. I liked that it wasn't super formal. I was in nice jeans, nice boots, and a button down shirt and I felt fine. read more

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WOW!! Amazing, quick fine dining on our way to New Orleans! Ask for Kaylee, she was our waitress! They surprised us at the end with a beautiful dessert, they asked us in the beginning if we were celebrating an occasion and what a beautiful thought. Amazing fine dining. read more

My visit to Ruffino's was wonderful! The drinks were delicious. I hate the Rosemarie and blueberry lemon martini and they were both delicious. The steak was yummy and the appetizers of crab cheesecake and duck fingers were yummy as well. The waiters were notch and didn't disappoint. It was the perfect level of attentiveness without being too much. I would take my family back there any time for a special evening. 10/10 recommend. read more

I give this place a 0/10 I came here with a group of friends our reservation was for 9:00 didn't get seated till about 9:30 we waited for a waiter with drinks he was excellent and got our drinks out in no time but once it was time for our second waiter who works with bringing our food he made us feel like he didn't want to service us he put our appetizers in they came out quickly at 10:00 they were good wish it was hotter.. when it was time to put our entree in he never came back to ask if we were ready we waited a whole 20 mins by this time it's almost pushing 11 every other customer is leaving and we noticed we were the only people left there received our food at 11 which is extremely late and disappointing im not sure if we were serviced poorly because we were African American but I hope they improve will not be returning read more

The environment was good. Lower lighting with individual tables. The waiting staff was friendly. The steak was mediocre and wouldn't recommend. The old fashioned ordered was ok but tasted more like bourbon on the rocks. The desert brownie was microwaved and part cold and parts hard. Wouldn't recommend the desert. The crab bisque was very good and I would recommend. I'd being willing to try again but first time around was ok at best. We also celebrated a birthday that night but they didn't come through for the birthday. read more

Always enjoy our visits to Ruffinos. We started out at the bar for a few dirty martinis with the blue cheese olives, then moved to the dining room for the delicious arancini and chargrilled oysters. We shared a wedge salad and the large ribeye and a bottle of cab recommended by our server. Everything was cooked just right. Can't wait to go again. read more

This is one of my personal favorites. I'd highly recommend it for any occasion at all! The good, ambiance,, and service is first rate. I love the eggplant parmigiana, and the bbq shrimp appetizer is delicious! In fact, you really can't go wrong with anything that they serve. Terrific wine list, and amazing deserts. It's a slice of heaven. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Baton Rouge! They treat you like royalty and they are super attentive. My husband and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary and had a wonderful experience. The food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the braised pork cheeks as our appetizer and loved it. I ordered the veal parmesan as my meal and was highly impressed.They also surprised us with a wonderful dessert! The service here is always fantastic and the atmosphere is super romantic. I would highly recommend coming here for any big celebration or a nice romatic date night. You won't be disappointed! read more

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My daughter's rehearsal supper was here, and the food was fantastic. I haven't been in a while, and so it's time to go and try some of their new dishes, with their new chef. read more

We are Ruffino's regulars during the week in the evenings. We live right up the road so it's very convenient. We love the food and their bartenders are fantastic. I drink a low carb lemon martini and they have perfected it. We decided to try it out for brunch and we have to say that we were very disappointed. The brunch drinks were the biggest disappointment! The mimosa was 98% orange juice, the old fashion was 98% water and the Bloody Mary was 98% tomato juice. None of the drinks were balanced. Just awful! I ended up getting glasses of champagne (of which I had to pay extra) just to mix with the orange juice. The menu for brunch for Ruffino's is very unimaginative. I definitely expected more. We got the crab omelet and special omelet which were ok but now anything to write home about. The bacon, which was good bacon, wasn't cooked. Mine was limpy but neither were crispy. We are major brunch eaters all around Baton Rouge-you can check my profile and this is definitely one that I won't come back to. If you are going to have a bland brunch in BR, you might as well not have one at all. I have faith that y'all can do better. I few really good dishes with some creativity and put a decent bartender behind the bar or come up with better recipes. read more

Great food great service. Perfect venue for celebrating special occasions. We will be back.

This is a yummy yummy pasta. I chose the angle hair noodles for the BBQ shrimp pasta. I give this meal 4 stars because I was expecting more of a BBQ flavor and not scampi. It's good over all tho! Our order delivered through postmates and our mealwas still nice and hot. read more

Ruffino's - BBQ Shrimp Fettuccine - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

My husband and I decided to drop by for supper after church and were pleasantly surprised at what we found within this very unassuming location. We walked in and it was dark and sultry looking. The host was friendly but her skirt did seem pretty short for the sophistication of the restaurant. Nonetheless, we were lead to our table where we were given complimentary bread and garlic butter that we very much enjoyed. We skipped appetizers to save room for the super tasty red velvet cake that we ended our meal with. It was the perfect ratio of bread, icing, and chocolate. A little on the sweet side but that was expected. Loved the whipped cream on the side as well. I ordered the Fish Katie with broccolini on the side. It was amazing! Loved everything about it. Especially the broccolini! It's a great choice if you're trying to avoid carbs, but not have a salad. My husband had the Veal Michael and it was delightful as well. The serving of veal on that plate especially seemed a bit skimpy considering the price. But the taste was great! The pasta was also winner, but needed just a bit of pepper and there wasn't a shaker on the table, unfortunately. At the very end of our meal, we were brought cotton candy for free and that was definitely a delight. Another suggestion would be to remove the gigantic TV from the restaurant as it seems to cheapen the atmosphere, in my opinion. Overall satisfactory! read more

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Came here for my nieces graduation with the whole family. I noticed a bald man who seemed to keep staring at my niece and her friends but I thought maybe I was being overbearing and mentioned nothing at the time. My niece came tap me on the shoulder and said "see that guy in the yellow jacket?" And I immediately knew what she was talking about. I told her to go sit down with her friends and we promptly got the check and left. Overall the food was great but the atmosphere happened to be one of the worst I've ever experienced! read more

Ruffino's - Italian Near Me - Baton Rouge, Louisiana