A proper steakhouse dinner in Waikiki usually means a reservation, a wait, and a check that ends the evening with a thud. Ruth’s Chris at Waikiki Beach Walk has two quieter doors in, and we use both: the daily 4:00–7:00 pm happy hour at the bar, and the Ruth’s Classic prix fixe, which seats you at a regular table as long as you order early. Either way, you can be back on Lewers Street before the dinner crowd shows up.
The two windows, side by side
| Happy hour | Ruth’s Classic (prix fixe) | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Daily, 4:00 – 7:00 pm | Order by 6:00 pm |
| Where | Bar area only | Regular table seating |
| Reservations | Not accepted — first come, first served | Accepted |
| Best for | Drinks and appetizers, small bill | A full steak dinner without peak-hour prices |
The daily 4–7 pm bar happy hour was still in place when we cross-checked in August 2026, but the item lineup rotates — the current official list differs from what we ate. Menu items and prices below are from our own visit in May 2025; treat the official Waikiki happy hour page as the final word.
Window one: the bar happy hour
Every day from 4 to 7 pm, the bar serves a discounted list of drinks and appetizers. What follows is our May 2025 snapshot — the kitchen has since rotated the lineup, so read it as “the kind of value to expect,” not today’s menu:
- Draft beer: $10 → $7 (a real IPA on the list, not just a lager)
- Wine by the glass: $9
- Ahi tuna appetizer: $25 → $17
- Barbecue shrimp: $27 → $16
- Calamari: $26 → $15
- Crab-stuffed mushrooms: $25 → $15
- Osso buco ravioli: $24 → $14
The catch is capacity. The bar is not large, seats cannot be reserved, and even on a weekday we have seen a line before the doors opened. If the bar is your plan, be there by about 3:45 pm. Show up at 5:30 and you are gambling.
Window two: Ruth’s Classic, the early-table trick
If you want an actual steak dinner at an actual table — without paying full à la carte — the Ruth’s Classic set is the move. On our visit it worked like this: order by 6:00 pm and the set is available in the regular dining room, which also makes it the right answer for groups or anyone who does not want to hover for bar seats.
The set as we ordered it in May 2025 — the $68/$78 price points still appear on the current menu, but the course choices rotate, so confirm the current lineup when you book:
- Starter (choose one): steakhouse salad, Caesar salad, or seafood gumbo
- Main: 6 oz filet with shrimp ($68) or with a lobster tail ($78)
- Side (choose one): creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes, or rice
- Dessert (choose one): ice cream, seasonal sorbet, or house-made bread pudding
Four courses, one decision per course, no menu spiral. That is our kind of dinner.
What we ordered, and how it went
Our last visit: in just after opening, calamari from the happy hour list, and one Steak & Lobster Classic between us.
The gumbo
A tomato-based seafood gumbo with rice in the middle — rich but not heavy, and generous with the seafood. A surprisingly strong opener for a steakhouse.
The calamari
Sweet-chili glazed, more portion than two people need before a steak. We took half of it back to the room — zero shame, excellent midnight snack.
The steak and lobster
It arrives on the signature sizzling-hot plate, butter still popping. The filet is soft enough to cut carelessly, and the lobster tail was larger than the price led us to expect. Dip the steak in the butter. That is not optional.
Creamed spinach on the side, raspberry sorbet to finish, and we were done — full, unhurried, and out before the room filled up.
One honest note from longtime repeaters: years ago this location ran a prime-time menu with a ribeye, and we still miss it. The filet in the Classic is excellent; the ribeye was ours. If it ever returns, you will hear from us the same week.
How to decide
- You want drinks and a graze, cheap: bar happy hour. Arrive by 3:45 pm.
- You want a real steak dinner, calmly: reserve a table, sit down before 5:30, and order the Classic before 6:00 pm.
- You want both (our usual): go early, add one happy-hour appetizer to a Classic, and split everything.
Details
- Address: 226 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815 — Waikiki Beach Walk
- Hours: opens 4:00 pm daily (as of our last check — confirm current closing times before a late visit)
- Happy hour: daily, 4:00 – 7:00 pm, bar area only, no reservations
- Official site: ruthschris.com
We also publish a Japanese-language version of this guide: ルースズクリス(ワイキキ)のハッピーアワー.
