Most likely, we all have our favorite Ramsey's Diner in Lexington. There's nothing like good-quality comfort food and friendly service to make a person feel like they've found a home away from home. However, if you're inclined to invite along more than a few friends or business associates, the only one location to really offer a private dining room is located at 4391 Harrodsburg Road.
The room is provided without a rental charge for groups of 20 to 32, and has French doors to close off the room from the noise of the main bar and dining room. The standout comfort food provided at all of the Ramsey's Diners is consistent here, and the lunch and dinner meeting menus offer many of the "Meat and Two" specials (referring to an entree and two side items) at lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or an expanded "Meat and Three" selection for the large group dinner gatherings after 5 p.m.
Along with the "Meat and Two" luncheon specials, the traditional hot brown, reuben, open-faced pot roast sandwich and chicken strip chef salad may be ordered. The price of $12 for any one of the four entrees includes coffee, tea or a soft drink, with a 20 percent gratuity included. The "Meat and Two" special is $14.25, and a slice of their famous "Missy's Pie" can be added to the check for $4.25. Also, as this is a group setting in the private dining room, the only separate check will be for alcoholic beverages.
The evening meeting menu begins at 5 p.m., offering more "Meat and Three" dinner choices and has similar pricing as the luncheon specials for a very fair price of $17.50 per person including the gratuity.
The ambience of any Ramsey's Diner offers a decidedly diner feel with a somewhat funky setting. The excellence comes in the management's detail to food quality and service - whether it is the daily bar drink special, the perfect iced tea, the mashed potatoes with cream gravy, the mac and cheese or the other eight "veggie" choices. The meat choices on the large group dinner menu are equally good with two chicken offerings, the hot brown, Southern style catfish, meatloaf, pork chops, pot roast and skillet fried pork sirloin.
On one dinner visit, my guest ordered the pork chops with a house salad, the mac and cheese and kale greens. She was more than satisfied with the chops and greens. Corn sticks are served with the meal as well. I had the meatloaf, cole slaw and mashed potatoes with the cream gravy. I loved every bit of the meal. On another visit, during the lunch hour, I went alone and had the open-faced pot roast sandwich served over mashed potatoes with brown gravy - certainly a fine luncheon choice.
Contact the manager to reserve the dining room for your next business luncheon or dinner meeting.