Ruse

A Delightful Dining Experience at Ruse in St. Michaels, MD Ruse in St. Michaels is an absolute gem. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance is stunning—both the indoor and outdoor spaces are beautifully designed, making for an inviting and memorable dining experience. The service was impeccable, with the wait staff being exceptionally courteous and helpful. Our server, Brittany, was beyond amazing. She made our experience even more enjoyable and is one of the main reasons we’d return and recommend Ruse to our friends. As for the drinks, the mocktails were outstanding—citrusy, refreshing, and thoughtfully crafted. They were the perfect complement to the meal. The raw Wellfleet oysters were a standout—meaty with an intense brine flavor that was absolutely fantastic. The Roasted Wild Diver oysters were also very good, though I do hope the restaurant recycles the rock salt they’re served on, as otherwise, it seems like a bit of a waste. The Apple and Endive salad was a highlight—so fresh and well-balanced that I wish I could find it closer to home. The steak tartare was another winner, offering a complex and well-portioned dish that impressed with every bite. The only dish that didn’t quite resonate with me was the Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Parfait. It had a PB&J-like quality with a chickeny flavor, which I’m sure many would enjoy, but as a foie gras purist, it wasn’t my personal favorite. However, the Porcini Mushroom Lasagna more than made up for it—rich, flavorful, and an absolute must-try for mushroom lovers. Overall, Ruse delivers an incredible dining experience with top-notch service, beautifully prepared dishes, and a welcoming atmosphere. We’ll absolutely be back!

Awesome spot. Went for my husband’s birthday and they gave us a free glass of wine. The raw bar was awesome we loved the scallop crudo and the oysters. We also got the crab pasta, cucumber salad, and pork chop— all delicious.

We had an incredible dining experience at Ruse in St. Michael’s! Brittini was our waitress and she made the evening exceptional—her enthusiasm and rave reviews about the menu helped us make some fantastic choices. We ordered the lamb shoulder and the lasagna, along with the trout dip and carrots, and every dish was absolutely delicious. A big shoutout to Tanner as well, who did an excellent job pairing our wine perfectly with our meal. The combination of top-notch service, amazing food, and thoughtful wine recommendations made for an unforgettable night. Highly recommend Ruse if you’re in the area! Shanon & Jeremy Johnson, Journey Home Realty, LLC | eXp Realty

Wow!!! My experiences today prompted me to write this review. We are staying at Wildset for our babymoon and read about how Ruse is the best restaurant in St. Michael’s. We tried the happy hour first and sat at the raw bar- the roasted oysters and spring gem salad were delicious and this was some of the the best service I have ever received from a server while sitting at the bar! We then went later that day to try dinner and we were in for a treat! The lamb ribs, wild mushrooms, and smoked trout were all so delicious. The trout in particular was cooked to perfection, crispy skin on the outside, tender meat inside, and the lemon caper sauce was delicious. I also loved the labneh ice cream, perfect amount of tangy and sweet with the rhubarb compote and crumbles. Brittany, our server, was so genuine and pleasant to be around, and enthusiastic about all of our choices. She gave us amazing service and was so sweet to even gave us complimentary non-alcoholic sparkling rose to congratulate us! My God, can’t wait to come back to try the famous burger and shoestring fries!

We had a delicious meal celebrate our anniversary. Caleb took excellent care of us, the Speedo and I Like It When You Call Me… were delicious cocktails. The food was fantastic, and well portioned. We especially loved the short rib and the shrimp aguadulce tostada. The fried corn ribs were amazing, a must try.

The tilefish dish and oysters were good. The cacio e pepe was way too salty and I could barely finish it. The service was fine and the restaurant was clean. The portion sizes were quite small so we were still hungry afterwards. We frequent a different restaurant when we visit St. Michaels but we thought we give this place a try. I would say overall, the dishes were a little too salty for our taste.

The food and service were excellent. Had the tile fish, oysters, smoked trout spread. All really enjoyable. Reasonable sized portions for the price. We found it relatively pricey, even for St. Michaels. Contemporary atmosphere. Weekend reservations are competitive. Book ASAP. Two annoying things. I feel that charging $6 for bread is petty at this price point. Second, Waiter recommended the most expensive dishes and wines. He also would say a dish or the bread "also comes with..." but wouldn't say that it costs significantly more. Small point: Print on menus are small even for younger folks. We will come back and recommend even with the cautions I have noted.

One of the best meals I have had! Our table started with trying many oysters and the smoked fish dip. It was unique and delicious. We split many dishes for dinner, the shrimp aguachili, anchovy toast, dumplings, scallops l, and trout. Plus two bottles of wine.

Wow!!! My experiences today prompted me to write this review. We are staying at Wildset for our babymoon and read about how Ruse is the best restaurant in St. Michael's. We tried the happy hour first and sat at the raw bar- the roasted oysters and spring gem salad were delicious and this was some of the the best service I have ever received from a server while sitting at the bar! We then went later that day to try dinner and we were in for a treat! The lamb ribs, wild mushrooms, and smoked trout were all so delicious. The trout in particular was cooked to perfection, crispy skin on the outside, tender meat inside, and the lemon caper sauce was delicious. I also loved the labneh ice cream, perfect amount of tangy and sweet with the rhubarb compote and crumbles. Brittany, our server, was so genuine and pleasant to be around, and enthusiastic about all of our choices. She gave us amazing service and was so sweet to even gave us complimentary non-alcoholic sparkling rose to congratulate us! My God, can't wait to come back to try the famous burger and shoestring fries!

The good: Absolutely love the ambiance! It's coastal chic that manages to be elegant and upscale without being pretentious. You can show up in jeans and a t-shirt or a cute dress and be suitably dressed regardless. As far as food, the banana bread with maple tahini butter is out of this world. I could have had 12 slices. The not so good: I got the farm baked eggs, which was basically a shakshouka. It was both too hot (as in heat - it took a long time to cool enough before I could eat it) and the eggs were almost raw. I like runny eggs but this was on the line of unacceptable. Also, the drip coffee arrived lukewarm, as if whatever pot they had brewed it in was not able to keep it hot for very long.

I visited Ruse this past weekend with my husband and I was so hoping to love it, but I was disappointed. First, it was very warm in the restaurant. It was a hot day, but it seemed as though their HVAC system wasn't sufficient for the number of customers. As people left, the room temperature improved. After we were seated we waited about 7 minutes for our server to speak to us. When she did come by she said she still needed more time to give us a run down of the menu. When she was finally ready, she was helpful and took our order. The food was ok, but there were some big misses. I ordered the cacio e pepe and while I enjoyed my first few bites, some bites came with whole Szechuan peppercorns which made me apprehensive to eat the rest of the dish. In addition, my husband had the smash burger and fries. This was extremely salty. For dessert I had the key-lime sorbet and although I love key-lime pie, the sorbet was not good. I really hope Ruse improves, because St. Michaels deserves to have a few solid 5 star restaurant options.

We had a GREAT evening at Ruse. Made reservations for my wife's birthday. Greeted and seated promptly. Started with 1/2 dozen oysters. Then the tuna rolls, which were so much fun to roll by hand. Cucumber Salad and Cherry Salad followed. Main was the Blue Crab Caccio y Pepe, which was fantastic! The place is small, so reservations go fast. Overall, a great seaside dining experience in St. Michaels!

We were told this place was a can't miss! We found out too late that we should have come for happy hour rather than a pricier dinner but that's ok- we were celebrating! The tostada was a little salty for our tastes. We both loved the burger and fries! The pork loin was pretty good! And the dessert was out of this world! The strawberry combined with the labneh from the soft serve machine combined flavors - topped with the chocolate shell to be probably one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. The cocktails are also amazing here! And I love that they will make you mocktails upon request too! Special props for also having a gluten free menu!

Wow and double wow. Follow me here, farm to table fusion cuisine that could easily be in a fancy European town but it lives in St Michael's. Ruse is not one style or trend, it's a surprising mix that doesn't try too hard, while ensuring the food tastes great and surprises you. Here's what we had: aguachile tostada (took me back to our last MX trip), oysters (good), chicken (I don't like ordering chicken at a restaurant, this is a MUST. Crispy skin, delicious flavor), crab pasta (So good, very rich), dumplings ( very good). Connor was great and very friendly! Service was 5 stars! Pro tip: off season you may still need a resy. Dogs allowed on patio. Get a resy always. We can't wait to come back!

The food was amazing!! My favorites were the strawberry and burrata salad, the scallop crudo, and the trout piccata. The smoked trout dip and roasted oysters were also great appetizers. What I like about this place is the freshness and quality of ingredients. All the flavors accentuated the seafood but the seasonings weren't too overwhelming. The atmosphere has a cute boho vibe. Service was attentive and friendly.

Sometimes you just know you are about to consume a top 10 meal of your life. And after meeting our server, Jordan, at Ruse last night, I knew that meal would be one of them. Our process started simple enough. We had been hoping to get to St. Michaels for some time to check out the vibes. We finally made the commitment just last week when a day off work coincided with an open day with nothing scheduled. When looking for accommodations I stumbled on The Wildset (story for another review). The Ruse was the in house dining option. Well, as a frequent traveler in my mid (early?) 50's, I scoffed at eating at the same establishment I'd also be sleeping. That's never a good idea! Right? But I looked at the reservations available (via Resy - clue 1). Plenty of availability. Like I could have had my choice all night. Meh. Did some more looking around for options and looked at Resy again a day prior to arrival in town. Now there were pretty limited prime time options available. Let me snag an 8:15 while here. That should work well with our overall timing of our day. Now I happened to look again later in the day and all reservations after 5 were now gone. Interesting. (Clue 2) We arrived in St. Michaels and The Wildset and were very, very impressed with the whole vibe. We also peeked into The Ruse and saw it was a very clean, bright, open space. And also very busy! It was 2 pm and plenty of staff were busy shaping things up for dinner service, which starts at 4 - I think. (Clue 3) Our reservation time arrived and we were immediately escorted to our table. The place was packed and every table was occupied by groups of various sizes. There are about a dozen or so tables. Jordan our server introduced himself and we talked about the menu and he gave us some time to review our options. We ordered drinks, mine was excellent - tequila and papaya I think, can't remember the name but it was Jordan returned and I had a question about two selections I was considering. The scallops or the trout. Jordan explained each dish far better than I expected, and changed the way I was leaning and went with the trout. My wife got the blue crab cacio e' pepe. Appetizers of oysters and prawns were delicious. Well prepared and full of flavor. The entrees were also delicious. The trout had the crispiest, most flavorful skin I've ever had on a fish dish. I usually don't eat the skin of any fresh fish because it's so blah - soft and meh. But this was wild how the chef got the skin so crispy but didn't overcook the tender fish. The blue crab cacio e pepe was also a winner. Cacio e pepe is a favorite of ours at our home restaurants and this was a little different. It lacked the "bite" of black peppercorn, but had such a delicious creamy texture and flavor and the blue crab was such a wonderful addition. It actually seemed like the crab had just been picked in the kitchen. It had a better flavor than most crab. I assumed it was just fresher than most crab I eat. Despite being completely full, we did share a desert of soft serve ice cream with strawberries and something else, lebneh? It was delicious, and light, which was perfect. Near the conclusion of dinner Jordan mentioned it was his first live night of service at The Ruse. I was shocked! His descriptions of the food all night had been perfect and very detailed. He used some food terms I had never heard before as well. Some foodie I am! Great work studying the menu and asking the chef questions Jordan! We grabbed a Miller High Life and an IPA and sat at the fire pit out back for awhile. What a great dinner! One of those meals where, if we return to St. Michael's, there will be little discussion on where we are having dinner! No pics, sorry, I prefer to act like I've had a great meal before. And I'm not an influencer!

So the rating is a solid 4.5...ish.... The best: great oyster selection. Fresh. Shucked well. Not cheap by any means. Wife's scallop entree was well portioned. The meh: The tuna hand rolls. I do not want to roll my own sushi. Ever. I pay you. Its unfortunate too. The ingredients are nice. The missed the mark: the cacio e pepe. Way too large of a portion. Thick gloopy sauce. Too salty. Crab meat disappeared under the heap of pasta. The delivery is wrong. Halve the portion. Quarter the amount of sauce. Then maybe(?) Its worth a stop. Just realize there will be hits and misses.

We loved Ruse!! The ambiance is more of a casual, rustic farm/coastal vibe. I love the long wooden table in the kitchen which gives the feeling you are hanging out, having dinner at a friend's house. We loved all of the super fresh seafood. Some highlights of the meal were the interactive make your own spicy tuna rolls, fresh sourdough bread with salty butter and fresh briney oysters. The caviar with the tater tots and creme fraise was actually the most perfect bite and I could've eaten a million of those. The burger was perfect with light shoe string fries! Overall Ruse was a perfect hit to kick off our stay-cation!

Haven't had a meal this good in a long time! The Aphrodite oyster was so delicious I could have had 30 more. The whipped ricotta toast is A MUST! I gasped at first bite and have been daydreaming of it ever since. The cucumber salad is truly special and any fan of chili crisp and tahini will adore it. And OMG THE CHICKEN! Simple but perfectly executed. It burst with juice when I cut into it, and the Alabama white sauce was a perfect pairing. The service was also at the level of a Michelin star restaurant. When placing down cutlery, all staff aligned them (it's the little things that make you say "huh" that set them apart). Our waiter was helpful and very friendly as well, but honestly all of the staff were just so kind. No doubt we'll be back. St Michael's is an absolute joy and it's holding an absolute gem of a restaurant. Can't wait till Ruse hold its rightful place on the Michelin guide!

We came into the restaurant on our honeymoon, we booked our reservations over a month in advance. We ordered several rounds of oysters, and drinks. We really enjoyed the blue crab pasta and Short ribs. We were disapointed that there was not a better dessert selection as there are several ice cream shops throughout town and that was th only thing on the menu . Our bill was over $350, for two of us, not including tip. We really enjoyed the cocktail selection and recommendations by the staff. However, while we were enjoying our night cap, we were told that there were people waiting for our table and asked if we could finish up. We were surprised by this request as it was not like we had not continued to order drinks and items from the menu and we weren't sitting on our meal for long. If there is a maximum time limit for the tables, it would have been nice to know. We understand the need to turn tables over but this was an unpleasant surprise by a restaurant we had been looking forward to visiting. And they did not nothing for our celebration, they did not recognize it. Why ask when making the reservation if you do not recognize it?!

We came here for our anniversary dinner, as we were staying at The Wildset. Service - AMAZING. We were stuck in traffic on the way from Baltimore, so we called ahead and they were able to accommodate us a little later than evening and we really appreciated it. They also gave us complimentary champagne since we were celebrating. It was a really nice touch and made our evening extra special. Ambiance - We loved the casual nautical vibe, without everything being the typical blue & white color. It was definitely an intimate space however, so I would strongly recommend making a reservation well in advance. Food - also amazing! Our waitress gave us amazing recommendations. We started with the oysters and cocktails, following by prawns, and ending with the pork chop and scallops. The only thing we didn't love was the pork chop - it was cooked well but it was sweeter than we expected and I wish it had a sauce (felt a little dry bc it was breaded). Would strongly recommend any seafood dishes. Didn't have any room for dessert, but I'm sure it would be great as well. Our bill overall was about $250 - on the more expensive end, but worth it for a special occasion. Would highly recommend this restaurant.

Everything was absolutely perfect. Food, service, and ambiance. Couldn't have asked for a better time and meal. Everything was delicious.

A new favorite, Ruse in Maryland. We had a great meal with the trout and the burger paired with dirty martinis. The trout was well-prepared, with a fresh and flavorful profile, while the burger was juicy and satisfying, cooked to perfection. The dirty martinis complemented both dishes well, enhancing the overall experience. The service was attentive, and the ambiance added to a relaxing dining experience. A fantastic spot for a quality meal!

Absolutely delicious!! Sitting at the oyster bar is an experience. All the oysters were so fresh. I would say the aprodite and the roasted wild diver oysters were my favorites. Loved the sea scallops as well. All the servers were attentive and friendly. Highly recommend!

Big fan of Ruse. Love the fancy farmhouse, coastal vibe. Has both indoor and outdoor space, but glad we picked indoor for our reservation because it was way too hot. When we sat down around 6pm the entire bar was full, but by 8pm it had mostly cleared out, so if you don't have a reservation, get there super early or relatively late. Service was attentive and the food was sooo good; I especially loved the simple yet tasty anchovy toast and the crab pasta. Will for sure be back when I'm in St. Michael's again.

The food here was amazing! We went on our mini moon and they gave us some CAVA to celebrate. The food was amazing but very rich. We started with oysters, then enjoyed the hand rolled tuna, and the shrimp which was chilled and with curry. For our mains I enjoyed the crab pasta which was very rich and my husband got the scallops. One thing to note we thought we would enjoy happy house since we were there at four PM. But you need to be at the bar in order to take advantage of happy hour and we were seating on main dining area.

Absolutely some of the most creative, incredible, beautiful and perfectly executed dishes you will find. Our party of four shared 4 selections for 3 courses and the (the only) 2 desserts. Unanimous opinions were 10/10. The cocktails were all perfect, as well, along with the service. Lively atmosphere, but by no means too loud or distracting. If you happen to be in or near the small, quaint town of St. Michael, do NOT miss this dining experience!

Who would expect a world-class restaurant at a boutique hotel? Well, that's what you get at Ruse thanks to its superb head chef and outstanding servers such as Kathy. Fine dining without all the white tablecloth and dress-up stuff. My lamb shoulder was the best I've ever eaten, and the rice side dish was truly Persian as advertised (complete with tahdiq)!

Hands down the absolute best meal I had on my recent trip to St. Michaels. The service was absolutely phenomenal and the menu is creative but not *too* creative that I felt scared to try something new. Everything I ate had me excited about my next bite. We tried: + Oysters: They are known for their raw bar and their oysters did not disappoint. The Mookie Blues opened up a new pleasure center in my brain. + Grilled Prawns on Toast: Herbaceous, plentiful, and super tasty. Don't be shy, rip the heads out and suck on all the juices. It's delicious! + Crab Cacio e Pepe: Nearly every table in the restaurant had ordered this and for good reason. The noodles were cooked to a perfect al dente and was the perfect foil for the generous jumbo lump crab meat on top. It was cheesy, comforting, and oh-so-good. This is a dish you don't want to miss out on! + Grilled Rockfish + Papaya Salad: There must have been a Thai auntie in the kitchen because this papaya salad was out of this world. Thick, pungent, delicious, and fully flavored. The warm, crispy, and flaky rockfish on top had me crying tears of joy. + Labneh Ice Cream Sundae: The ice cream was a savory and creamy delight. The pistachio cotton candy teased my senses, and added to the playfulness of the dish. When we were leaving, the hotel front desk had mentioned that Jose Andres was recently in town and dined not once, but twice here which is the highest of compliments. I highly, highly, highly recommend. PS: Make reservations because they book fast.

Two years in a row my partner and I have come here to celebrate our anniversary because of how special this place is. This restaurant is within a bed and breakfast/hotel and is very farm to table. Always always make a reservation otherwise only the bar area is available. Servers have always been kind and quick; love getting their recommendations on what to eat. Ruse has the best and tastiest oyster selection ive had in my life. We ordered 3 orders of the roasted oyster and had some of the freshest raw ones that had a citrus after taste (unlike any oyster ive had before). The meat and vegetables are well seasoned. I absolutely love this place and highly recommend to anyone who enjoys oysters or a good meal. The drinks are great too - the bartenders are quite the mixologist!

Wow what an experience! We booked Ruse for our son and daughter in law's rehearsal dinner and were overly impressed with the cuisine, the service, and the treatment! The setting was perfect and intimate. The staff was incredibly attentive, and the food off the charts. So many compliments from all of the 56 guests. Tanner promised we would enjoy and he kept his word! What a great way to kick off a most memorable weekend! Highly recommend Ruse and the Wildset!

Ruse is our go to place in StM and it never disappoints. The cocktails and wine list are on point, the oysters and starters and everything that follows is always consistently delicious, and the service and ambiance are great as well! Truly on of our favorite places for any occasion or no occasion.

Wonderful! I love this place. The service, food and ambiance are top tier. The roasted oysters are especially delish, but I've not had anything that I didn't enjoy.

Delicious, clean, and great service - what more could you want? My husband had some delicious morels and I enjoyed the crab bisque. He had a ravioli special, but the star of the meal was the smoked chicken. So incredibly flavorful and juicy. I rarely order chicken at a restaurant but I'm so glad I did. It was a lot of food - more than I could eat. Labneh ice cream ended the meal. We hope to return!

Service was great, atmosphere was great. Unfortunately by 7:30 (which was the soonest I could get a reservation) half the items on the menu were out of stock including the only style beer I drink. I ended up ordering an app for an entree. I was a little disappointed.

Fantastic food and fantastic service. Our bar tender during happy hour was such a delight that we decided to cancel our reservation and eat at the bar with her! The mushrooms were an absolute MUST as was the crab bisque. If you're lucky enough to have either of these on the menu, don't hesitate to order. If you're in town, you have to have a meal at Ruse.

We were in St. Michaels for three nights and had dinner here twice. The service was spectacular--Connor and Caleb were friendly and attentive! The music is low key and great. They had different oyster selections each night and we couldn't get enough. Cocktails and entrees were fabulous!

Ruse is a good example of a restaurant that would likely not be able to maintain its current offerings/price point in a large, competitive city market. We went on a quieter summer weeknight and sat outside. Note that the patio is very small with limited seating available. In terms of the service, our waitress disappeared consistently during our dinner, including when we were waiting to order and after I ordered a drink during our meal. Both times I waited about 20-30 minutes for her to return. This made the dinner last 2.5 hours despite all the food coming out at once! Ruse clearly needs more staffing. For the food, it is very overpriced. Both of our entrees (blue crab pasta and scallops) were $50+, and the food was not local or exceptional. Additionally, I was under the impression that the seafood is largely local--it is not. My partner (from New England) was eating oysters from ME and MA and the other seafood we had wasn't local either. We also had the squash salad which was probably our least favorite (still raw squash, lentils, and feta cheese); it was something we could put together better in our own kitchen. The labneh and pita we had was just OK. The pita tasted like a pretzel, which is odd and abnormal for Levantine food (go to Albi!). Nonetheless, I'm giving the place four stars for the main dishes, which were very flavorful (even if overpriced). It's also worth noting that Ruse clearly doesn't have a pastry chef. Three desserts were offered, and two-thirds were ice cream, which we did not want because it was a cold night. Overall, you're paying for the St. Michaels location.

This spot is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in St. Michaels. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. The food is outstanding, each option is better than the last. Not your same old - same old Americana dishes. elegant and relaxing at the same time.

a pleasant evening with friends, exceptional food. Waiters and support staff were attentive. The number of entrees is limited to something like five or six offerings, but the appetizers were fantastic, and them alone accounted for the greatest pleasure. They have post-meal digestif amaros: Montenegro, Fernet Branca, Cynar.

Service is top notch, food is amazing each time we come, beautiful ambiance ... might be the only restaurant I have given 5 stars!

First time visiting and we were extremely impressed. Very accommodating with food allergies. Delicious oysters with a wide variety to choose from. Great service and atmosphere. We look forward to our next visit!

Ruse is totally different from every other restaurant in St Michael's and that's a good thing. I love visiting St Michael's, but I've always found the dining scene to be a bit lacking. Feels like there's a lot of typical bar food, pasta, and then the seafood spots. I enjoy those too, but if you're craving a meal that's a bit more creative and chef-driven, Ruse is 100% the place to be. The ambiance is hip, the menu tends to feature local/seasonal ingredients and everything is just so well executed. I went for dinner one night and then canceled my reservations at one of the IPC restaurants the next night to come back again for another meal at Ruse. Everything I tried was phenomenal, but I particularly enjoyed the burger, fish dip, the salads, and their incredible selection of raw oysters. Highly recommended and really looking forward to returning next time I'm in town!

Bottom line: Nice rustic-chic ambience in the Wildset hotel. Food is good but they ran out. Service could be improved. Service: We went here for Thanksgiving and made the reservation far in advance. We unfortunately were sat down 45 minutes late. They are unable to take winter coats so we were awkwardly waiting holding our coats for all that time. The manager was very nice and gave us a complimentary appetizer; however, because we were there for a large set Thanksgiving meal, it was just too much food! They also messed up our appetizer within the set meal by not delivering them together (they were the same item), so they gave us another one for free. Again, we were already paying for a large set thanksgiving meal so the free food, while appreciated, was not what we needed. If we were to be given something for free, it would have made sense to give us the drinks we had ordered for free. But regardless of free food, we just wanted the service to be nice to begin with. Food: The food at Ruse was quite good. However, we were promised full turkey legs with our thanksgiving meal when ordering dark meat, and we saw people get them. But I think when it came to us they must have run out because they had to tell us that they were unable to give us the full leg, but they also they cut the meat off the leg for us. The meat was really small in portion and was nothing compared to the leg. We could have done without the large portions of carbs (potatoes, stuffing, biscuits), and would have really enjoyed the full turkey legs that had been promised to us. I was also disappointed that they weren't being very honest with us about running out of the dark meat - they should have at least given us some white meat too.

Incredible dining experience all-around! The menu is thoughtfully curated (both drinks and food) and the setting is cozy and beautiful. Our server Connor's recommendations were spot on. The standouts were the trout dip, trout piccata, and labneh ice cream. A must-visit when in the St. Michael's area!

Ruse had a wonderful ambiance with great service. We ordered oysters from six different states which were very fresh! We also ordered the tartine which had great flavors and the peach and burrata salad which was so fresh and delicious. For my entree I ordered the chicken which didn't have any sides; the waitress advised us that that the entrees didn't come with much which is why we ordered the apps that we did. Overall this was a very good experience and I definitely recommend to those visiting St. Michael's!

We came here for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The staff was very friendly (we also ordered almost everything recommended and it did not disappoint) and the food was delicious. We got a cucumber roll starter that may have been the best dish of the bunch. The crab rangoons were also phenomenal and filled with a healthy amount of crabmeat (vs the usual cream cheese filler). We flagged it so next time we visit will try additional items from the menu.

Best American cuisine on the Eastern Shore. Oysters usually sourced from outside the Chesapeake Bay but great variety and nice to have options in our bivalves. Great and friendly service, novel and tasty menus always changing, wine and cocktail choices excellent. Our fave!

My wife and I ate here last night and overall we had a great experience. Negatives: $17 for a mixed drink is a little steep Small entree portions Server could have managed time between courses better Positives: Food was excellent Oyster selection was vast and some of the best I've had in awhile We started with the anchovy toast and fish dip. Both were very good but I preferred the anchovy toast. We then had a half dozen raw oysters and an order of the grilled. All of the oysters were excellent and some of the best I've had in awhile. Next course we shared the crab rangoon which was just ok. There wasn't much evidence of crab and I wouldn't order it again. For entrees my wife got the burger and I had the duck. The burger was great and my duck was excellent, but for $45 I would expect a bigger portion.

Excellent service. Oysters were amazing. We shared several appetizers, unique flavors and textures. Crispy Brussels with puffed rice...so good. Mushroom app was amazing. Catalonian lime tart was out of this world

Dinner for 2! The restaurant has a really cute modern farmhouse look. The wait staff were friendly and attentive to our needs. From the bartender to our server, they were all happy to help and make sure our dining experience was pleasant. We started with drinks at the bar and decided to try some of their oyster selections. The have a variety of options with detailed descriptions to help you pick. We were seated for dinner and ordered salads for starters, followed by the crab Rangoon and gazpacho to taste. We selected the sea scallops and tilefish for our entrees. We ended with the only two desserts available on the menu and called it a night. Food: Service: Decor:

Love this restaurant at a beautiful getaway staycation at Wildest St. Michaels. This restaurant is connected to the beautiful hotel right in the heart of quaint little downtown of St. Michaels. Food was made fresh farm to table, very rustic and attentive service. We even got some complimentary dish -- the shaved celery salad which was delish and very refreshing. I highly recommend coming here for a nice elegant meal while you're in town.

Hands-down... Our new favorite restaurant in Maryland! The farm-to-table menu items at Ruse are unbelievably fresh and delicious. The atmosphere is warm and inviting--yet clean and modern. The service was impeccable, and the server did a fabulous job educating us about the various offerings. Starting with the artisan cocktails, the bar concoctions were well-crafted, delicious, refreshing, and unique. Moving on to the apps, I highly recommend the handmade spicy tuna rolls. Our group had a fun time making our own sushi, while enjoying roasted oysters, scallop ceviche, and the smashed cucumber salad. All outstanding! Lastly, our group had the scallops, and rockfish--which were delicious. I got the Ruse double cheeseburger--and it was something I continue to think about often!! Using locally sourced beef--it was definitely not your ordinary burger! Our entire table had a sample of what I thought would be a simple menu item--and everyone was amazed by the flavors so perfectly cooked into the patties, topped with the gooey cheese and miso-dijonaisse. Will come back--again and again!

Best food in the state of Maryland. Worth the drive from anywhere in the DMV. You will not be disappointed.

Great restaurant. Just did the happy hour menu but really enjoyed the service and ambiance. Burger had a horseradish sauce that I liked but isn't for everyone.

Creative food, chic setting, nice server. A little slow but the restaurant was very, very busy. We sat outside so we didn't feel it as much. Cassandra was our server who was sweet and helpful in her menu descriptions and enthusiasm for the chef's creativity. When I couldn't decide between the Parsec or the vodka cocktail she suggested I let the bartender surprise me, which was a delightful suggestion. It was the Parsec with Japanese whiskey, not too sweet, light and refreshing. We started with the lobster bisque(?) soup. Loved the presentation of the lobster and other elements in the bowl then the broth poured over. Delicious. My very picky partner loved every sip as did I. I had an anchovy on toast with a Calabrian pepper and cultured butter. It may sound odd but it was wonderful. I had a baby kale salad and fried Jerusalem artichokes which were tasty and nicely presented. My friend had the breaded pork chop which came with a radicchio salad. It was juicy and nicely prepared. A large hunk of meat, so be aware if that's what you want. Dessert was three different ice creams - pistachio, a cheesecake flavor and an intense chocolate with a crumbled shortbread cookie on top on a base of blueberry cream or something like that. Did not "wow" us but good enough. Overall it was an enjoyable time with refined foods and we'd totally go back again.

Delicious delicious delicious, no fuss food, in a pleasant atmosphere and well-designed intimate dining room. Staff was friendly and accommodating even when we wanted to change tables. Bartenders friendly. Chicken delicious, ceviche, sugar snap pea side salad also so yummy!!