Ryan's Restaurant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Piedmont Institution Since 1977

Ryan's Restaurant has been offering the Winston-Salem Triad an escape from the ordinary since 1977, and has remained locally owned under the same management since 1981. That continuity shows — in the consistency of the kitchen, the depth of the wine program, and a setting that feels genuinely apart from the everyday. Situated in a wooded landscape just minutes from downtown and Wake Forest University, the restaurant looks out over large oaks and a rolling stream from its many window-side tables and a large starlight deck. In winter, guests gravitate toward the comfortable sofas and the warmth of a crackling fireplace.

The Kitchen

Executive Chef Luke McMahon took the helm in 2022 after seven years as sous chef at Ryan's — a progression that speaks to the restaurant's commitment to continuity. Born in Pittsburgh and raised in Raleigh, McMahon previously worked at Coquette Brasserie and Vivace Trattoria in Raleigh, and Childress Vineyards in Lexington before settling in Winston-Salem. His approach to the craft is rooted in a simple idea: food as a way to bring people together. At Ryan's, that means maintaining the dishes guests have counted on for decades while bringing his own creative touch to nightly specials.

The menu is anchored in American steakhouse and seafood traditions. Starters have included jumbo lump crabmeat, steamed mussels in garlic butter and white wine, and oysters Rockefeller. Mains range from thick, juicy steaks and prime rib to grilled fresh fish and live Maine lobster. Special event menus — such as a sparkling wine dinner — have featured dishes like pan-seared scallop with blood orange beurre blanc and hackleback caviar, garlic butter poached lobster tail and prawns over creamed corn risotto, and pan-seared tilefish with melted heirloom tomatoes and a parmesan-sesame tuille. A freshly made dessert and cappuccino round things out.

Recognition

Ryan's wine program holds the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a reflection of the care put into its cellar. The restaurant has also earned multiple Winston-Salem Journal Readers' Choice Awards for Best Steaks, Best Fine Dining, and Best Restaurant with a View — local recognition that aligns with what guests find when they arrive: a fine dining experience that has earned its reputation over more than four decades.