Ritter’s Steam Kettle Cooking

soooooo, I WAS going to write my 5 star review based on my dinner tonight, mind you my bill was $ 90.72 but lost my appetite when I went to the RR & an employee (busboy) followed me in & proceeded to relive himself then promptly walked out WITHOUT washing his hands… when I finished washing MY hands (after gagging), I grabbed the handle with a clean paper towel then IMMEDIATELY called this to my servers attention… she asked (in confidence) who it was & told her it was that guy (motioning towards his direction) who had just wrapped up a «to go» bag with said «dirty mitts» to the unsuspecting party of four sitting behind us (gagging again)…she said she would tell the manager on duty… didn’t stick around to wait to see if that happened but she did express concern…
disgustingly paid my bill & had to go next door to The Cauldron to cool down & get a medium cup of speckled vanilla which sort of made up for dinner…

super hungry, to the point of being angry so I figured I’d get my Cajun fix. Loved the atmosphere. Everything is large and very open. Before you order anything order the clam chowder fries!!! Trust me, you won’t find it on the menu but ask for it. I also had the chicken gumbo and Cajun calamari. Everything was good however I did expect the gumbo to be a bit more spicy then mines was but that’s nothing to really cry about i guess… Recommended.

my friend wanted to meet up for lunch the other day since he was going to b in the area so it was his pick. I was pretty excited cuz I’ve never heard of this Cajun/​Soul Food place before. it’s gonna b another heavy meal, but hey, it’s not like I eat like this all the time at home. :)
this Ritter’s Steam Kettle Cooking is located on West MacArthur Blvd in the Santa Ana area of Orange County. it’s in a small plaza with a 7-​Eleven n Cauldron Creamery. there’s limited parking in the lot so get there before the dinner rush.
when we got there around 12pm, there was only another table of customers inside having lunch. it was a Monday so I wasn’t surprised. the space is open with many tables. there were stations along the bar area where chefs cook the food in kettles in front of u. I guess that’s where the name comes from?
their menu has a variety of items like Gumbo, Jambalaya, n Po’ Boys. they have a lunch menu with smaller portions also if u r not looking to eat much. we ordered a bunch of food which we couldn’t finish at all, but it was a good experience. I was totally full n couldn’t even think of what dinner was going to b. so if u come to Ritter’s Steam Kettle Cooking, u better bring your appetite cuz it’s not for the weak!
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp: the bacon was really crispy n the shrimp was big also. good for an appetizer.
Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy: was going to get the lunch special of half sandwich n half soup, but the regular size seemed like a better deal. omg. it is HUGE. there’s a good amount of fried shrimps also. the fries had Cajun seasoning. we could only finish half.
House Gumbo & House Pan Roast: we ordered the 2 different kinds. the rice was fluffy. the orange-​colored Pan Roast had a creamier texture. they were both good choices. both were full of flavor.

I’ve been here on three occasions and have loved it every time. To start, they offer complimentary baguette and butter. I try not to munch on too much because I love dipping it in my pan roast.
I love their lunch specials! Mon — Thursday’s until 4pm. It’s $ 12 for half sizes of the pan roast or gumbo and two other options but I can’t remember. Comes with either soup or salad as well.
I’ve tried both the house and chicken/​sausage pan roast and love them! Very generous with the protein portion. Definitely a dish to share!
I didn’t care for the gumbo here but I’m not a fan of gumbo in general.
I love their calamari! So nicely seasoned :) Fries are typical Cajun fries but the serving was surprisingly huge!
I always come at odd hours like… 3pm so service isnt that great because they only have one server working. She would seat, take orders, run food, and bus so it’s totally understandable.

This place is heavenly. We are visiting from out of town and I’m desperate to find a similar restaurant at home. I NEED this food regularly.
I ordered the house pan roast and it was nothing short of spectacular. So much flavor and SO much food. Easily 2 full meals in one order. Everyone at our table ordered the same thing and everyone agreed it was phenomenal. Only 2 of the 7 of us finished the whole bowl.
My biggest complaint here is their spice levels (1 – 10). They are NOT even remotely accurate. And this is a huge pet peeve of mine because I like my food pretty spicy but not inedible. At most Thai, Indian and other typically spicy restaurants, I get an 8. HERE, our waitress described the 10 as being VERY SPICY. So, to stay on the cautious side, I got a 7. It had ZERO spice. None. My husband ordered the ten and that was MILD at most. So essentially none of their spice levels are truly spicy which is a slight let down for Cajun food.
My only other issue was that the hostess told us it would be an hour and a half wait. Half of our party wanted to leave and not wait. We ended up staying and it turned out to be only maybe 30 minutes at most. Which yes, is of course better. But they need to learn to quote accurate wait times or people won’t stay.
If they fixed the spice issue, they’d get a chance star review from me. But man, I need some heat! Great place overall and would love to come back next time I’m here.

I’ve come here several times now, and the food is always delicious. This review is regarding RESTAURANT TRAINING only.
I know that the restaurant does not take reservations, but thought I would call and see how they would handle a large party (9+). I called last week and one female server said that they don’t take reservations, but suggested I call the restaurant an hour before to inform them of the big party so they could accommodate. They said this PREVIOUSLY is how they’ve worked with large parties of 8 or more – fair.
Just called (an hour before my large party was set to come in) and a male server told me there is nothing he could do for us.
That’s fine, I understand that your establishment doesn’t take reservations — but don’t let some of your staff suggest otherwise (i.e. call an hour before and «we’ll accommodate»). Those two are completely different services — 1) being able to accommodate and 2) sorry, our policy is first come first serve. It’s tremendously frustrating to give a sliver of a hope — I would have been better off of you just enforced no reservations AT. ALL. instead of maybe.
Food is great, but training should be consistent.

To my fellow French fry fans. I should inform you that ritters has a SECRET menu! The chowder f r i e s
My friend was the one who informed me about these & I’ve ordered them on every single visit since then. The fries I got today didn’t have as much clam chowder as I hoped, but still it was b-​o-​m-​b!
There’s cheese, bacon, tomato. Need I say more?!
My friend & I also split the house pan roast (level 6 — which really wasn’t that spicy at all but they recommend a level ²⁄₃ if you can’t handle spice that well).
We weren’t able to finish either but still left feeling full & more than satisfied.
PARKING:
— This spot is located next to Cauldron so parking can be hard to get during peak lunch or dinner times, but it’s not impossible!
SERVICE:
— Usually service is great, but my friend & I were one of the first ones there during dinner and it just wasn’t that great. That’s the only reason why I’m docking a star, but overall this is a great place for lunch or dinner!

Really great service, good food and an overall 5-​star experience. We came in for a early Mother’s day lunch and enjoyed everything we ordered. Prices aren’t the cheapest but it is definitely worth the quality and taste. The dishes are prepared in the kettles and you can watch the chef/​chefs making them from anywhere in the restaurant.
I ordered the House Pan Roast, spicy level 4 (1 – 10 scale), and it definitely could have been a little bit more spicy. Mom ordered the Jambalaya, spicy level 7, and that was really spicy so I’m not exactly sure how consistent the spice level works. Complimentary bread is really warm and went well with all the dishes we got.
Most of all, service is a ¹⁰⁄₁₀. Our waitress was really friendly and helpful from start to finish with bringing drinks and also with recommending dishes even though it was pretty busy. Will definitely be coming here again!

Came here after a not-​so-​quick visit to Tanaka Farms. Left New Orleans too quickly and didn’t really satisfy all our cajun/​creole cravings so this was a heaven send.
This restaurant is part of a large center with its own large parking area. There was no waiting to get seated. There was only 2 other parties seated when we arrived.
Calamari — crispy and tender. Spiced and cooked beautifully.
Soft Shell Crab — it was crispy. It was good. Had better though.
Mac & Cheese — beautifully greasy. Yes!
½ Dozen Grilled Oysters — clean and not so cheap.

Eats: Clam Pan Roast
Takes: It says something if I will drive roughly 25 miles for their pan roast. The pan roast is definitely packed with flavor and not skimpy on the portions! The consistency of the pan roast is just right-​not too watery and not too goopy.
I’ve only had the pan roast, but I’m more than satisfied to come back just for that. For those not too keen on the pan roast fair, there’s also an extensive menu offered to satisfy all your creole cravings.
Portion size tips:
1. Get the lunch size pan roast if you are not planning to bring home any leftovers.
2. Regular pan roast size is enough to feed 2 people (just order an extra side of rice for the other person) or if you don’t want to share, you can definitely bring home the leftovers!
Service: Waiters/​waitresses cover the basics.
Location: Next to Cauldron!
Tip: After your meal at Ritter’s, mosey down over next door to get your puffle fix at Cauldron! You won’t be disappointed!
Bottom Line: Go here for your pan roast fix!
Highly recommended.

Headed out for Sunday Lunch at Ritter’s in Santa Ana. This ended up being really close to Costa Mesa, so it’s pretty far south if you’re venturing out here.
We had disappointments last time we were at the Boiler in Chino Hills, and Kettlebar could be better, so we finally had the chance to try Ritter’s. This place was pretty good and the service was excellent. I opted for the most expensive house pan roast because I like to spoil myself, which, consequently someone else paid so I guess I got spoiled by others this time… But anyway, this place actually mixes a lot of carbs inside the food (in addition to that rice bowl on top), so I would actually say this bowl was big enough for two people. The other people at my table opted for noodles, which was thoroughly covered in curry but still in my mind, too carb heavy.
The flavor and everything was on point, I would probably pick this or Kettlebar as my place to go for Steam Kettle Cooking. There isn’t really too much else to say about it. Had a good time, would come back.

Gonna take my rating down a notch. Persistent snotty service. I still come for the good food, but I sit next to the actual kettles to avoid the dingbat servers. And the HB location, which is much closer to where I live, is just plain on my crap list. They also suffer from crap customer service and have the same owners– or something like that.
For a first visit, get their ‘famous’ (house) pan roast. It IS good. For a non-​cream based treat, try their cilantro chicken. Their Bouillabasse is great if you’re into seafood. They always have their Asian servers that will make you feel like you’re in some hole in the wall Chinese restaurant, so try not to expect too much from them because they’d rather be playing on their phones and chit chatting than doing their jobs.

After driving a good 40 minutes in traffic to satisfy my craving. I would have to give this place 3.5 stars. I was holding off my review so I can try the competitors out there. Honest to say, I wasn’t blown away. We ordered the fried okras, bacon wrapped shrimp, Étouffée, New England Clam Chowder, and their famous House Pan Roast.
Both the okras and shrimp were crispy and great dipped in their sauce. Nice way to start! If you’ve never had their Étouffée, it is similar to their pan roast expect it doesn’t contain cream. For the Chowder and Pan Roast, I was expecting to get our fingers dirty. Unlike the Boiler Room, there was barely any seafood in the dish. I can pick out a few shrimp, clam, and crab meat but that was about it. The pan roast was creamy but the taste was more water down than the previous location I’ve had. We even decided to upped the spicy level to a 7 but it still felt like its missing a kick. I would say it really depends on the time and day you go, since there are multiple chefs at the station. Having there be so many locations and competition, I wouldn’t really want to see some consistency.

Ritter’s earned a special place in my culinary adventures a few years ago for taking the title of the spiciest dish I’ve ever eaten. That was first time we visited. I’d ordered the cilantro chicken at a medium level of spiciness. Not so! Sweating profusely? Check. Redness? Check. Numbness? Check. Probably not a good sign, but whatever. A guy’s gotta eat. I’ve never had a waitress actually come and ask me – several times at that – if I was OK. And I’m a guy who can handle a lot of spice. My wife and dad also share my love of fiery foods, and even they couldn’t eat it.
Anyway, flash forward a few years and my wife and I decide to go back to Ritter’s to see what’s changed. A lot in fact. They have a dedicated lunch menu now. I snagged the Clam Chowder and the Pan Roast. My wife went for the Ceasar Salad and the Gumbo. Both of my dishes were piping hot and seasoned really well, though neither were very spicy. Note: our waitress never asked us how spicy we’d like our food, so I assume they were both set somewhere around medium. Best of all, the Pan Roast was loaded – and I mean loaded – with chicken and sausage. I ran out of sauce before I ran out of meat. Nice. My wife’s gumbo was just OK, though.
So, we have to talk about the atrocious service. This place now holds not only the title for the spiciest dish, but for the worst service I’ve ever experienced. We were unlucky enough to get a server who couldn’t care less about serving us. Basically a «waddaya want» kind of attitude when taking our order. When delivering our appetizers, she basically threw each on the table as she was passing by. And that was it. She went off to chat with another employee in the bar without a word to us, leaving one of the other servers (who was very nice and attentive) to take over her role. I’ve had bad service, but this girl was a whole different level. Won’t be coming back.

House pan roast! Amazeballs.
Came here this past weekend with the bf and ordered two house pan roast, house oysters, and the Cajun calamari.
House oysters were good, but the cheese and bacon really took too much away from the oyster taste, so I ended up picking off half of the toppings. Would’ve preferred a sprinkle of cheese and bacon instead of a thick layer. The cajun calamari was crisp and delicious! Came with some yummy horseradish dipping sauce. House pan roast was amazing as usual. I got level 8 for spice level, but should’ve gotten 10. Still good, though!
David helped us out that day and he was super friendly and on top of things. Our water cups were never empty and dishes were cleared in a timely manner. It got pretty busy around 6? We got there around 5:30 and got seated right away.
Total with tip came out to about $ 90.
They serve Sculpin :)

I came here with great expectations thanks to word-​of-​mouth, and while I left understanding the hype, I wasn’t quite as satisfied as I thought I would be.
The pan roast is all about how you make it. We got two house roasts (shrimp/​crab/​clams/​lobster) at spice level 5. We goofed, at least with the spice level. Get a higher number or the roast will taste more like a creamy tomato sauce than anything else. The tomato sauce analogy isn’t helped by the chintzy portions of seafood they gave; I was expecting more from this texture-​wise. The overall size was generous, but how much can you handle before it gets monotonous?
We also tried the bouillabaisse, also level 5 spiciness, but it at least was a thin enough broth to provide contrast with the pan roasts. We utilized a lot of bread in getting through these dishes, and although I wasn’t impressed by the bread on its own, I won’t ever complain about something (edible) that can soak up broth.
If I could do it all over, I’d order a pan roast at at least level 8 spiciness. I’d also skip the bouillabaisse in favor of a po boy or literally anything else that was not in the same vein as the roast. I’m still down to return and do better, but this wasn’t the best first impression I’ve ever been left with.

Sister treated me out to Ritter’s for my Christmas present… yes its been almost 3 months and I am finally writing this review… We came in around 5:30 on a weekday and beat the crowd! Found parking easily and was seated right away. My sister and I feasted that night!
What we got:
Free Bread: bread was hard and butter wasn’t soft… we shared like one just so we could try it…
Cajun Fries ($ 4): it was a lot more than I expected. Not a strong cajun flavor, but it was still nice and crunchy.
½ Dozen Raw Oysters ($ 16): raw is the way to go! Squeeze some lemon, add some horseradish and cocktail sauce and slurp it down! It was cold, not ocean-​y tasting, and no crunch from dirt/​sand. Delicious!
½ Dozen House Oysters ($ 17): I was super excited to try this and didn’t want to get it at first, but the sister told me to just order it. It was weird… It was grilled oysters topped with butter, garlic, parsley, bacon, and parmesan. Oysters seemed raw to me (which isn’t a bad thing), but mixed with the cheese and stuff was totally weird. Just stick with the raw oysters!
House Pan Roast ($ 23): all the seafoods! Shrimp, crab, lobster, and clams. It comes with a plop of rice in the middle too. I enjoyed it since I like tomato based soup. Didn’t have that much of the crab or lobster though, unless it just was shredded so finely that I just ate it without knowing… rice was a little hard, but I don’t normally eat a lot of rice anway… you could definitely share this dish!
Ritters Chowder ($ 15): choice of red or white chowder. Sister loves clam chowder and she told me she got this last time so I had to try it. It had shrimp, clams, and crab. It was better than most clam chowders and didn’t have any grain-​y feeling/​taste to it, but the pan roast is still better in my opinion!
Service:
It could have been better. We could have been out of there 30 minutes earlier if they actually checked up on us more. Took forever for them to take our order, we tried to flag them down, but they would just zoom by us. We had to ask like 3 different people for a to go container. Check took forever to get to us and to get picked up. Place was packed with a long wait outside, but still…

Came on a busy Friday night. I was quoted a 45-​min wait and got in earlier, I thought my luck was good! Time for some yummy food!
Here comes the kicker: the main dish was on-​point but the rice (that we asked for on the side), was raw. To the point there it was 1) harder than the bread and 2) became powdery when we bit into it. I was too hungry to complain but my BF’s face was sour. We got the crab pan roast, and it was made with fresh crab, super good with a 7 spice level but the rice really killed it. I already drenched my rice (so there was no point in complaining). I just ate it. Then comes the bread. It was cold and untoasted. Super chewy and hard to eat… But it was better than the rice. I even ordered another bread tray to see it was better… Same result.
I pushed on… Then came the service. The manager seated us, even replaced a dirty chair. Good service… Then… we didn’t have a server. We didn’t have utensils. The person who took our drink order ended up taking our food order… And then poof. Radio silence. I thought our actual server would come. Nope. The drink guy came back and asked if we were OK but never the server. The manager took our check and somehow was lost for like 10 mins. Our credit card was in the wind. We just sat there, looking confused.
The worst experience we’ve had at Ritter’s. If this was my first time, I wouldn’t be back but I’ve been here many many times and it just makes me sad

Haven’t been here in quite some time. I was disappointed that they no longer have fresh clams. I was craving raw clams. So glad that they finally have wine. My sis and I ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio, a dozen oysters and one Bouillabaisse with a side of rice. Bouillabaisse is much better now compared to when it first open a few years ago. The spiciness is exactly how we ordered it, level 7. The oysters were big and fresh. Yum!
Attentive service and good food.

Parking was easy to find and service was great. We were seated right away during lunch time on a weekend.
They have many seafood options and good variety of soul food. The oysters were fresh and meaty! My favorite was definitely the Pan Roast, it was very creamy and tomato-​y. The tanginess was appetizing, I got the house one which includes all kinds of seafood. They were generous on it as well. The Gumbo was not as good compared to the pan roast, it got way too overwhelming in the end.
Will be back if I’m ever in the area!