Popular MN Steakhouse’s Bizarre Name Has a Surprising Backstory

It’s one of the most popular steakhouses here in Minnesota and around the country, but its name sounds like someone made a typo and just rolled with it. As it turns out, the story behind that strange name is just as memorable as the steak it's famous for serving.

It's no surprise that Minnesotans like a good steak, right? In fact, steak is a popular meal not just here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes but across the country. According to a survey in this Fox News story, steak is America's favorite meal. And, steak is also the choice nearly 66 percent of Americans say they would have as their LAST meal too.

SEE ALSO: This Popular Steakhouse Chain is Adding An 8th Location in Minnesota in 2026

Why Minnesotans Keep Coming Back to Ruth’s Chris Steak House

So if you're looking for a good steak here in the Bold North, you can't go wrong if you head over to Ruth's Chris Steak House. That classic steakhouse chain was recently ranked as the 6th-best Steakhouse Chain in the U.S. according to this Tasting Table survey.

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If you want to see for yourself, there are two Ruth's Chris Steak House locations here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes:

• The original location on 2nd Avenue South in downtown Minneapolis
• A second location that opened in the Kahler Grand Hotel, on 2nd Street Southwest in Rochester in 2024.

The Surprising Story Behind the Name “Ruth’s Chris”

But what's up with that strange name? I mean, 'Ruth's Chris Steakhouse' is a little odd, isn't it? Well, we now know just WHY it has such a unique moniker. According to the Ruth's Chris website, it can be traced back to the chain's founder, Ruth Fertel.

READ MORE: Here's How Much a 4-Course Meal Costs at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Minnesota

Back in 1965, the site says, Ruth bought a small but well-known steakhouse in New Orleans called Chris Steakhouse. She operated that restaurant in the Big Easy for over a decade before a fire forced her to move in 1976. And that's when the classic name came into being, the site said:

Ruth was forced to relocate her business, but the Chris Steak House name wasn’t allowed to come along. Short on time, Ruth improvised, adding her own name to the sign. That made it “Ruth’s Chris Steak House” and our legendary name was born.

Ruth would go on to run that now-legendary steakhouse for several decades. She expanded its reach by adding other franchise locations in 1976, expanding to Hawaii in 1989. Eventually, the site says, Ruth sold the upscale chain to a private firm in 1999.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House Isn’t Just a Minnesota Favorite

Today, besides Minnesota's two locations, you can find Ruth's Chris Steak House locations in 20 different countries outside the U.S. (I once went to the Ruth's Chris Steak House location in the Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino in Aruba!)

Steak is one of those truly American foods that is a favorite here in Minnesota and is also very popular in other parts of the world. But not every food we love here in the U.S. is also a favorite elsewhere. Keep scrolling to check out some familiar foods that raise eyebrows overseas!