We went to Ruffino's on the River for my wife's birthday. We've eaten here quite a few times over the years and were really looking forward to coming back. The only disappointment was finding out our favorite appetizer, the pork cheeks, is no longer on the menu. We decided to try the crabmeat cheesecake instead, and it was pretty good. For our entrées, my wife ordered the Fish Katie, which was as good as always, and I had the lamb chop special. The lamb chops were cooked well and had great flavor. To top off the evening, the staff brought out cotton candy and a slice of olive oil cake for my wife's birthday, which was a nice touch and made the celebration feel special. Overall, we had a very enjoyable dinner with good food and attentive service. We definitely plan on coming back and hope the pork cheeks make a return to the menu someday! read more

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We celebrated our Son's birthday here - party of (9). Solarium seating was most pleasant - providing an intimate location for our party with wonderful views and one on one time together enjoyed by all. Peyton and the remaining staff took great care of us - attentive / knowledgeable / friendly. The food (brunch options as well) was thoroughly enjoyed by all - from seafood to Italian to breakfast omelets - plus. Two surprises that we all took special note of however - the breakfast/brunch offered biscuit - & - the Pecan Seduction dessert - outrageously delicious. Cotton Candy kids treat to close out was a hit too. Remainder of restaurant and outdoor seating option (when open for use) all = very appealing. No hats for the men / boys - so please remove as required. Enjoy this spot ! read more

It's been a while since I've been to a restaurant that was really worth raving about, that and I've been really lazy about the mediocre. Tonight I'm eating at Ruffino's On The River. My first impression is that the service, and the setting are amazing. The "Sensational" salad was really great, sensational? It's as though something is missing, but I'd have it again. The steak was second, maybe third to the best I've ever enjoyed. (I have had hundreds of fillets) The texture was probably second only to Omaha Prime, (which still stands out as the absolute best in every category). The asparagus was not amazing, but good enough to eat. It was green and edible, unlike most where I can't eat the low portions. Overall I'd come here again, probably done than later. read more

This is our second time going to Ruffino's. The first time we went, the food was excellent, but service was lackluster. The waiter completely forgot to put in our salad order, but made up for it by bringing us a salad at the end of our meal and comping it. An honest mistake and the dishes we ordered were delicious so they made up for it. They also gave us cotton candy, which I love. The crawfish cheesecake was really good and the veal parm was very tasty. Tonight was an even worse experience. We had reservations for my daughter's Sweet 16 birthday, which you know is an important occasion. My son is allergic to dairy so he was limited in what he could order, which is understandable. He ordered the Wagyu burger, and the waiter unfortunately told us that they were out of Wagyu, so we had to piece together something else for him to eat. After ordering one of their specials - the fried brisket, with a side containing dairy, we swapped it out for truffle fries with no cheese. Minutes later, the waiter came to our table, telling us they were out of truffle fries. Moving along, he suggested the fried brussels sprouts. Once again, several minutes later, he returned saying they were out of brussels sprouts, so we just ordered whatever we could at that point. I ordered veal marsala, which was ok but not great. My daughter ordered spaghetti and meatballs, and the dish was just overall very bland. There were random lasagna noodles in her spaghetti, which made it seem like they just scraped the bottom of the pot for noodles. Everything looked like it was left over from the day. My husband ordered the same thing we had at our first dinner - veal parm, and the portion was significantly reduced from the first time he had it. It was also lackluster in appearance and the cheese looked like it had basically been microwaved. Probably not but it had no baked golden color whatsoever. Perhaps the most disappointing occurrence was that we called ahead to see if we should bring our own candle for my daughter's birthday dessert. We were told we could, but that they had sparklers. I thought sparklers would be an amazing alternative to a candle, so we left our candle at home. There were two other tables seated in our section, celebrating birthdays. One table's birthday dish came out with a sparkler, but when they brought out my daughter's dessert, no sparkler. Really?! The other table next to us had their dessert presented after us and they GAVE THEM A SPARKLER. Excuse me?? The idea of giving two tables full of grown-ups sparklers, but not a 16-year-old a sparkler, made us feel like we were an afterthought. Good thing my daughter and I were in the bathroom, washing our hands, when the second table received their sparkler, because I would've been very upset for her watching other people receive delightful birthday desserts, but not her. I think most of the issues with communicating that dishes were out of stock fell on the kitchen staff and not our waiter. Our waiter Dominic was very nice and apologetic, otherwise, I would probably give an even lower rating. You could tell he was very uncomfortable to deliver us the bad news over and over again. He did comp our desserts, so that was appreciated. We tipped him handsomely and went on our way. We are likely to not return, since they seem to have a serious breakdown of communication as well as consistency. When you pay $300 for a meal, especially for an important occasion, you expect the establishment to be on their game. Nobody wants to be at a fine dining venue and meet that much disappointment. Unfortunately, it was a not so Sweet 16. read more

So I had "date night" with my man and I truly enjoyed the ambiance, service and flavors. The beef carpaccio can't be overlooked cus it's unforgettable! I always order it at any restaurant if offered and this version truly knocked me off my feet. The combination of mustard seed, aioli and micro arugula married perfectly with the beef. The managers and servers and chefs went above and beyond to make it a truly great night. One of my new favorite spots for sure and can't wait to go back! read more

Ruffino's On The River - Beef Carpaccio - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

Great food and excellent service. Comfortable environment. I look forward to my next visit!

Google review had a higher number. 3.9 is generous for this place. We literally had 3 different people serving drinks, bread and entrees and if I'm being honest drinks are the only thing we weren't disappointed in. Ayden (drink guy) fantastic, the rest I didn't see the point. Our actual waiter had no personality, crazy that he's the waiter and the kid doing the drinks is a lot of why we ordered so much. So many people working here and most of the tables were empty that should've been our sign. Overall the drinks were just okay and the food left a lot to be desired. read more

Finally reviewing Ruffino's. The first time we came we were unimpressed but after a long time we decided to give it another try and this time we loved what we ordered. I had the Fish Katie and my wife got the chicken parm. We both liked what we had. I also had a manhattan and my wife had a french 75. The drinks were on point as well. I'm glad we had this experience. Somtimes it's just about finding the right menu items at different places. I didn't like that they brought us the cotton candy at the end (because I ate it, lol). So next time I'll just politely ask them to keep that. read more

Ruffino's On The River - Fish Katie - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

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Perfect food and service with great company present. A very special night for my grand daughter read more

Ruffino's On The River - Engagement celebration at Ruffinos - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

Oysters ordered! Delicious. Word of advice...if you order an entree..it's enough for 2 people. read more

Ruffino's On The River - Birthday surprise - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

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Ruffinos offers delicious Italian fare in Lafayette and we decided on a Wednesday evening to dine there Service is very attentive the moment you arrive and the dining area is spacious and well laid out For appetizers we enjoyed the fig and hoisin glazed pork belly (outstanding !) , the duck fingers and of course oysters. HANDS down the pork belly was incredible - i wish that was a regular item For entrees we enjoyed the lasagna and striped bass Ruffinos on the river wil be myl regular when I visit Lafayette and I look forward to my next visit read more

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Food was good. Service was subpar. Our server lost a cash payment and is accusing someone at my own table of taking it. "Manager"' extremely unhelpful and unprofessional. Will not return. read more

Ruffinos's is always a vibe! Live the food and drinks. Service is always top notch! I had an amazing brunch to end my birthday weekend. read more

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Ruffino's is invariably a good time. Great ambience, excellent service, and delicious food is a great combination. Drinks and wine are very good as well. We had a wonderful dinner, and a thoroughly enjoyable time. read more

Excellent food and excellent service and a beautiful setting. I'm very glad we stopped here and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Perfect place for a holiday celebration. The Christmas set up was very classy. Our server was very accommodating and recommended some dishes. The featured fish dish (Wahoo) was solid overall. I would've liked it if the fish had the blood line trimmed more, as the bloodline gave a few bites an off taste, and if it was seasoned a little more. The drinks were very good. The Crab Cheesecake and the Pecan Seduction is a must, the Arancini and Bolognese was also solid. This was our second time coming and I must say there were big improvements with the service. The staff was very accommodating, attentive and seemed to be happy to be there. Overall, the food is okay, about the same experience from our first visit. In the future we will definitely come back for the drinks, maybe a couple of appetizers, and definitely the Pecan Seduction.The main thing is, father-in-law had a great 72nd birthday and enjoyed himself. read more

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Tonight's dinner was a beautiful celebration of friendship and a masters level graduation milestone. The food was exceptional, the atmosphere warm and inviting, and the service truly top-tier. Grateful for a night to remember! read more

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Very nice place but it's very expensive and sometimes the service takes a while. I do recommend trying it out. I'm not from here. I'm from Texas so may try it next time. I'm in town. read more

My wife brought me here for my birthday. It was a lovely and relaxing evening. Ambiance 5*. Warm and relaxing atmosphere. Service 5*. Very attentive staff. Drinks 4*. Good cocktails but a little overpriced for selections. Food 3*. I had the halibut and it had a very distinct fish smell. They say if it smells the fish, it's not fresh. Price 2*- highly overpriced! $200 without the tip! read more

A great example of great food, atmosphere awesome service. We were here for my wife's birthday, and were immediately reminded how amazing the food is. The crab cheesecake still one the best I've had, and the wood fire grilled caprese salad was something new and delicious. For the main course tuna was out of this world, fresh and perfectly cooked, and the cedar plank redfish was so tender and perfectly cooked, the mashed potatoes made this more filling, and we just had to get the tiramisu which rounded out the meal and of course you can't leave without the cotton candy. Epic meal read more

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Food and service is not worth it. We done there on February 15. Add a reservation between 7:45 PM and 8:15 PM. They seated us 20 minutes after we got there. It was a whole rushed experience and the food was horrible. It's expensive as hell. I paid $41 for a catfish Katie and it wasn't even catfish. It was tilapia full of bones to where I almost choked. The drinks are way too strong, especially if you're driving from out of town like us we drove an hour and 26 minutes to dine there we was rushed they barely had anything on the menu and everything. The food is expensive in the atmosphere is nice. It's right over a lake. That's the only thing that's good about this place. I will never give them my business next time. I want some good good down home Southern cuisine I'mma just go back to New Orleans where my roots are. read more

My sister recently got married here and hosted the reception lunch in one of the dining rooms! The location is stunning for a gathering. Surrounded by big houses, there's a cute bridge, and the greenery was well taken care of. Very picturesque! The lunch part was overall good too. Everyone I spoke to loved the food. The staff was great for the most part. Special shout out to Claire, she was the leader and really made sure our needs were met, from start to finish for the booking and day of process. It all went really well and I'm so grateful. And everything added up on the ticket once it was all said and done, which was a huge relief. Many thanks, Ruffino's team! read more

Ruffino's is a solidly solid choice if you're ever in Lafayette and wanting to treat yourself to a nicer dinner. Due to a canceled flight that kept me in Lafayette an extra night, I decided to find a place to do just that - treat myself - and get away from work. I wish I would have been able to sit outside or in the abortorium area to get a nicer view, but the inside of the restaurant is nice as well. I sat at a high top in the bar area, but it wasn't really crowded that night in general. I was craving a steak, so I ended up getting the ribeye. It was solid but a bit imbalanced in that the outside was quite cooked and the inside was quite undercooked. The gentleman who delivered the steak did ask me to cut into it to be sure the color was what I wanted (medium), and it was more medium rare but I let it be. I also didn't want the outside to be more cooked than it was. That's all to say that I think it could've been a bit better, particularly considering the price, but it worked and got the job done. The crab and corn bisque, though? The best I've ever had. Hands down - it was fantastic! I also enjoyed my bubble bath martini and loved that it came with a bubble on it that once popped, released the gas and added to the ambiance of the drink. I wanted to try some of the others but when I was prompted for another drink and said "sure, in a bit" I didn't realize that meant I was ordering. The service, though, was really fantastic, and I thought the guy who waited my table was very attentive, personable, and kind. I fully anticipated ordering dessert because I saw another table that had cotton candy when I first sat down and hadn't had cotton candy in ages. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that it came complimentary at the end of the meal, and I really didn't have room for dessert so I just enjoyed that. Definitely a solid place! I would give it a go again but might try something different for a main course and try to go when the outside areas are open. read more

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Recently dined here and was very pleased with the service and food. I had the ribeye with the crab imperial. It was 10/10 delicious. Cooked to perfection. Had it with truffle fries and garlic aoli which was a nice complement. The caesar salad was also tasty. Atmosphere was clean, and wait staff attentive. read more

Ruffino's On The River - Ribeye with Crab Imperial - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

Food was good but was expecting it to be better because everyone hyped it up. The service was excellent!

THANK YOU to the staff at Ruffinos on the River for making my grandma's 100th birthday dinner a night to remember.Staff and other guest greeted my grandma with such kindness. Our table of seven was seated close to the entry which made it easy for her to get in and out. Our servers Taylor (I think )and Donovan took great care of everyone at the table. Donovan did a great job or recommending drinks and Taylor* made sure we had everything we needed food wise Speaking of the good.. everything was delicious and great portions. I ordered the shrimp pasta which was a simple yet, tasty dish. The cotton candy was the highlight of the visit. A table full of adults were transported back into childhood. I'll definitely be back for more memories and good food read more

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My experience at Ruffinos was mixed on the food, but the service held it at 4-stars. My husband and I ordered: sampler appetizer (arancini out of this world, bbq shrimp excellent, pork cheeks very good and cheesecake very dry and burnt taste), meat pizza (delicious), veal Michael (very chewy and off putting texture), side pasta (great sauce). I would come back and order differently. read more

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If I could leave zero stars i would me and a group of 6 went to have dinner and was told they wouldnt be able to seat us tonight, we arrived at 7pm hostess was very rude read more

The corn and crab bisque was absolutely delicious!! I could have used a much bigger portion because it was that yum! My hamburger was good and cooked perfectly but I found my fries extremely over salted and they could have been crispier. My boyfriend liked his Shrimp Alfredo and the amount of shrimp was nice. The bread and the dipping sauce at the beginning was yummy but we would have liked more but our waiter was never around until he brought out our entrées. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the location of this restaurant. Our table and utensils were nice and clean and the restaurant was well staffed. read more

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after our reservations got messed up at another restaurant they made room for us and it was nothing but spectacular! our friends birthday was a success because of them . read more

Ruffino's On The River - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

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Ruffinos is good but subpar for the price point. After trying several times, I have arrived at my review. The atmosphere leaves so much to be desired--a large, open room with no cozy, private tables. You feel like a goldfish floundering in a fishbowl. The bathrooms were quite gross this go round. Both men & women's restrooms had floor fans and dehumidifiers. The sinks had build-up around the faucets. The food is good but not blowing my mind or knocking my socks off--a safe choice but not tantalizing. I've had the hamburger with bacon jam. It lacked flavor. The caprese was average. The fish (drum) was delicious! Anddd the mashed potatoes are some of the best I've had! The tiramisu was interesting. It had no coffee flavor, but a strong rum flavor that burned. The texture was somewhat crunchy. Just no! The sliver of flourless cake we had for our anniversary was good. Service is proper & polite. I truly enjoy a wonderful dining experience and the service plus mashed potatoes was where it was at tonight. read more

Ruffino's On The River - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

Was very disappointed. Had problems from appetizer to desert. They were just off and the manager did not even come to the table to discuss the issues. Don't think I'll be returning !! Thankfully the wait staff was very attentive and courteous. read more

Good Spot. Enjoyed the Calamari, the old fashioned Martini and the Arancini. Service was on point and detail oriented. Calm vibe and best at sunset. Didn't get a window seat this time but all good. Many 'Sysqo' recipe restaurants..this is not one of them. read more

I gave a low rating on the atmosphere, as we sat in the bar area. We came for dinner after a long emotional day, looking to share in good food and company, and had 2 massive tv's in our face with THE NEWS ON, captions describing rapes, murders, child trafficking and sexual abuse. This is not the atmosphere we look for when going to a restaurant for a pleasureable experience. I sent back my ceasar salad, as it was basically the root of the lettuce, mostly white/iceberg like lettuce-literally no greens in the salad at all. I asked for another one, but was told it was all precut and mixed already and there were no greens in it. Our appetizer was ok, but I would stay away from the wood grilled caprese salad...this shouldn't even be offered as preparation because it just came out as chewy cheese that we couldn't even get down. The staff was wonderful as always, and we really love this restaurant, but paying more attention to the customer's experience needs to be worked on. And I shouldn't have to ask for my salad to have GREENS in it:) there were children in the restaurant who were sitting in the bar with their families. It is horriffic that the tv was put on the news with all of the horrible and scary clips and captions. Kids have it hard enough growing up in this world today without having trauma and toxic stuff that scares them plastered on their tv while they try to enjoy dinner and time with family. read more

Ruffino's On The River - THIS IS NOT WHAT i want to see everywhere i look when at dinner with my family. - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

Reservations are definitely recommend for this popular restaurant. It's a lovely space on the Vermillion River with lots of enclosed patio seating overlooking the River with floor to ceiling windows. A perfect spot for that special occasion dinner! We came on a Tuesday night and I used open table to secure our spot and mentioned we were celebrating. The staff did a lovely job of bringing out a surprise at the end of our meal which is always just the icing on the cake. Tip-no matter what you're in the mood for meal-wise do yourself a favor and get the crabmeat cheesecake appetizer. It's absolutely heavenly! read more

Ruffino's On The River - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

My husband (Ostin) & I went to Ruffino's to celebrate his birthday. From the service & atmosphere to the food & drinks, it was a 10/10! We got the appetizer sampler because we saw a lot of things we wanted to try but couldn't decide. We were most surprised by the pork cheeks! I got a wood oven pizza (amazing) & my husband ordered the fish Katie. Our server informed us that it was the most popular-- I see why! I was unaware that for birthdays they bring out a slice of dessert so I also ordered the crème brûlée... do I have to say it again?! DELICIOUS & PERFECT! We were full & happy by the time we left! Best Birthday Celebration ever! read more

Ruffino's On The River - Complimentary Birthday Dessert - Seafood Near Me - Lafayette, Louisiana

My sisters and I came here for Brunch, this place is white table cloth fancy. They got us in right away on a Sunday at lunch time. We were waited on by 2 brothers, Peyton and Rylan who seemed to be good sports considering there were a lot of giggles coming from our table after these mimosas. We ordered the crab omelet, it was pretty good, the meat was seasoned well but the egg not as much. The boudin biscuit, I actually didn't try that one but it looked good, and the Eggs Benedict. The latter is my fav breakfast food so I wasn't too impressed with it that day, there wasn't enough hollandaise for one, the egg was poached alright but I prefer a little runnier, the ham was so thinly sliced I couldn't even taste it. But those didn't disappoint as much as the English muffin, it was like they didn't even toast it. They took it out of the bag and threw it on a plate, it was so hard to cut that everything fell to pieces every time I sawed the bread, not to mention it was also hard to chew. The home fries were really good. Mimosas were made perfectly. We were happy to see they offered brunch, our entire table of 4 was 103 dollars and we left a 30% tip. I thought I saw one waiter roll his eyes at our silliness and that nearly cost him a huge chunk of the tip. Overall I'm giving 4 stars for ambiance, brunch options, good waiter(s), and bottomless mimosas. read more

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By far, one of the favorite dining experiences I've had. Happened to be in town for a wedding and saw Ruffino's near our hotel. Reserved a party for 3 and were seated immediately. Hostess and servers were so energetic and sweet. We started with soup and salads. The corn and crab bisque was to die for. We tried the shrimp pasta, Pork Tchoupitoulas, and the filet. Again, all amazing as was the bread. Finally settled on desserts and the cotton candy. Easily one of the best meals I've had in some time. Will definitely be returning when in town! read more

This used to be my favorite place to eat in Lafayette. I went for a birthday dinner and my food was terrible. The potatoes were sold and my steak wasn't cooked how I'd asked. The Service tried, but it wasn't the best. Ruffinos also took a lot of items off of the menu! Which sucks. It was extremely dark in there as well! It was a mess. read more

For a $10 side Caesar salad, I would have expected way better. It was subpar, wilted, nothing but ribs my mother, and you could tell it had been sitting out. The stuffed red fish was absolutely delicious. The crème brûlée was the best I have ever had. Love love love getting cotton candy at the end of the meal. Put Miller light beer on your menu. read more