Ruby’s Diner

This place was terrible. It was very loud and the service is bad. Our waiter took our order and never came back to the table. I had to ask others walking by to help us. My burger came out so rare it was dripping blood all over my plate. For a $ 30 bill for two burgers and fries I expected way more. I’ll never go back.

If you like screaming young children running around the restaurant as their mothers chit-​chat with no regard for the peace and quiet that other diners deserve as the staff does nothing to stop it, then this place is for you. I only came here because of a gift card and both my visits were the same… young brats running around the restaurant screaming and yelling. The service is excellent and the food is OK. The prices are high for what you get. No thanks…

Great food and costumer service. Try their breakfast it’s delicious. I recommended this restaurant.

In fairness to Ruby’s 17^th st. location, after my scathing review last year… the Force has returned to Costa Mesa. It’s back to Ruby’s business as normal at this location after visiting the Dark Side for awhile! They returned to full table service and Ruby’s great menu with new items. My breakfast favorite is back on the menu: my family calls it «cat food» but Ruby’s calls it corned beef hash and eggs… YUMMY! Some of our favorite servers and managers have returned so life is good. As a family and friends we have returned here after a brief sojourn to CDM and couldn’t be happier. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that although business normal has returned… the uniforms and décor have not. Worst colors ever!

I’m going to keep my five star review rolling for now even though I’m not sure this place deserves it. Here is what blows my mind. As most of you know someone at Ruby’s corporate office decided to change this particular restaurants formate from a successful family-​style restaurant to a glorified Jack-​in-​the-​Box where you order at the counter and wait for them to call your name. As you can see from all the negative reviews the people in the area did not like the change. Lucky for all of us Ruby’s decided to change the format back to the original way it was. Still that was in my opinion almost as stupid as when Coke decided to get rid of Classic Coke and developed the «New» Coke.
The restaurant today is back to the way it was except for the absolutely hideous decorations. The food is good and the service is better. I personally like the breakfast menu but my wife likes their lunch and dinner options. That being said, I should become the Duke at this location very soon.

I’m just writing to say thanks to Kelsea and Connor for showing us a wonderful time during our first visit to this location. We hesitantly came in about 10 minutes before closing (trust me, it was an isolated incident) and Kelsea welcomed us with a huge smile and wonderful attitude. I was a server for 10 years, I get the whole grumpy at closing time thing, but she was more than happy to have us and give us amazing service. She gave us time to decide on what we wanted and was not at all pushy. She told her manager, Connor, that it was our first visit and he came by to say hello and drop off a treat for us. My boyfriend and I were floored! I’ve never been treated so kindly during closing time and it truly made my day. I’ll absolutely frequent this location and I’m so grateful for the hospitality!

Long before this location housed Ruby’s it housed a non-​stop rotation of blink-​and-​you-​missed-​it restaurants. I’d come to think of the site as jinxed until Ruby’s came along many years ago. But perhaps the jinx was still there, laying in wait, for earlier this year this Ruby’s closed, remodeled, and reopened with a whole new concept and menu. No restaurant does that if things are going great. Then, quicker then you could say «huh?» they’d scrapped that concept, and reintroduced the original menu, reinstating table service in the process. So what we have now is this:
The old Ruby’s is back but the décor and uniforms have morphed from ‘50s era diner (think American Graffiti) to an early ‘60s style music and décor (think Sonny & Cher and a hyperactive Design Within Reach). Call me a purist but I wish they’d remodel again and return it back to what they’d started with. The ‘50s era diner motif was much more appealing.
Still, I’m eating there, not hiring their decorator.
The Cobb Salad ($ 10.99) at Ruby’s is the salad equivalent of eating a burger. Meaty and filling, with a rich chunky blue cheese dressing that’s a throwback to the days when we didn’t know about cholesterol. It satisfies big-​time, even though (or perhaps because) it’s just as unhealthy as a burger.
Service is decent though some of those mod uniforms could use a good spin in the wash. I never noticed stains on the standard ‘50s uniform but these new little numbers show everything and it’s not a good look.
This Ruby’s is clearly struggling with what they are and what they need to be to bring in the crowds. The food here is still good but the combination of hyperactive décor, dirty uniforms, and a restaurant less than ¹⁄₅ occupied made for a Ruby’s experience that would’ve been more enjoyable had I dined with ear plugs and a blindfold.

This Rubys is superb at customer service. I mentioned that I didn’t really care for the latte & she took it off the bill. Wow! The manager Eric never fails to stop by our table & see how everything is. Also, I saw him be extremely pleasant to a not so pleasant patron. Their customer service is hard to beat! Sis & I had the fall special pumpkin pancakes which were delicious!

I stopped in with my wife for some lunch after an appointment downtown — I really liked the remodel and the décor change — very cool. It now has an early 1960s theme instead of the usual 30s-​50s vibe.
The food was very good that day, prepared perfectly. The service was top-​notch. Ana, our server, was superb. She came by very frequently and was very proactive on refilling drinks, making sure we were comfortable, etc. We were initially sitting outside but moved indoors when it began to rain, and she helped us move in quickly as she’d already prepared a table for us. I gave her and her manager a round of compliments for their work — and a well-​deserved 25% tip.
This Ruby’s seems to be on their game. I’d recommend a stop in!

I heard from a co-​worker that this particular Ruby’s was dinette-​style, had counter service, and offered an alternative menu from other Ruby’s Diners. This location seems to be back to full menu and full service, or so a sign said. There was a line to be seated when I walked in even though there were multiple free tables, and I was surprised that a woman in line behind me was allowed to cut ahead to pick up a take out order. A host and a hostess both acknowledged me multiple times and thanked me for waiting. After waiting another few minutes, I was seated and a friendly hostess promptly took my drink order. My drink and food came out quickly, and the hostess checked on me multiple times even though she was clearly busy. The turkey sandwich and Butterfinger shake were just as good as any other Ruby’s.
For my money, I would recommend just going to a regular Ruby’s Diner. The servers here were pleasant and polite, but getting seated was slow and they seemed understaffed. Their menu is also the same as any other Ruby’s. I will give them points for having more of a 60s style décor than other Ruby’s locations. There was even an Ringo Starr photograph near the entrance. Fans of MAD MEN should enjoy stopping here if only for the furniture and posters.

SO i tried it again, and with my family since I had heard that they went back to a sit down and menu style. It was so much better. Service was great. There was one little issue but they were totally accommodating and nice about it, that it is not worth mentioning. The whole 60’s vibe is interesting. Not totally my thing, but still pretty cool in a different way.
Food was descent and service was great. The manager followed up and was also very nice, adding to the experience with great customer service. I would definitely go back and bring the family again too.

Super, super cute! We absolutely loved the new décor of this Ruby’s. It’s adorable! Very 1960s beach-​themed. The customer service was awesome with the waitress we met in the parking lot (as she was leaving), and the gentleman who greeted us when we walked in the door. Our actual servers wasn’t quite as top-​notch as these two (great fist impressions – they almost set the bar too high), but she was nice enough. They made a few mistakes on our order. And my biggest pet peeve is that they brought my mom’s sweet potato fries out burnt! I hate when that happens. I almost always sent them back but it took so long to get them in the first place and she just kept those crispies. Overall, a nice, fun experience – especially after leaving the beach. Their shakes are absolutely delicious (mine was chocolate peanut butter). And this location serves Marianne’s ice cream, as well.

HAD TO PHONE FROM INSIDE FOR SERVICE!!! My daughter and I came in one recent evening and admittedly the place was packed, which isn’t unusual for Ruby’s. The food is usually good and the portions ample.
We were quickly seated at the one empty table right opposite the counter. We then waited, waited, waited and waited even longer. Although the manager and waitress in the section both glanced our way several times, we were ignored.
FINALLY I CALLED Ruby’s using my iPhone. Although the manager was standing right there he wouldn’t answer. The busboy picked up the phone and when I told him we were sitting right opposite him he glanced up and laughed. I explained we’d been waiting now about 45 minutes and couldn’t get the waitress to come over.
He came and took our order and gave it to the waitress. She then brought us some water. The busboy was the one who brought our food and who took our check and of course I handed him the tip. He told us we’d made his day. We have not been back.

Good times!
It’s usually the case when you have decent food along with great company. And in this case, I was out to dinner with two friends, who I consider family. Even without the food, it would have been good times. Just throwing that in — in case they read this. :-)
Walking in, there was some confusion about ordering and seating. I guess there were some changes in the past, but they reverted back to their old ways, where it’s full service again. It was my first time, so I was really at a loss until we were whisked away to our table.
Pretty cool décor inside. Bright and festive with a hint of the oldies but goodies. The outfits worn by the female staff wasn’t too hard on my eyes. The service was just as nice. I’ll leave it at that.
The food — pretty decent selection to meet the different diet restrictions in our group. Me, I went for the Sriracha Burger. I love hot and spicy so, once I saw it on the menu, it was a done deal for me. I won’t speak for my party who was eating what I call «rabbit food». Anyway — the burger was juicy and flavorful, and for some, definitely hot and spicy. For me, it was good enough (keep in mind — I enjoy doing those hot or spicy challenges where waivers have to be signed). It wasn’t dry nor small (see pic) and both the jalapenos and bacon really was a nice touch.
Lots of parking both behind and across the street.

Oh-​my-​goodness! This has to be one of the best, juiciest tasting Mushroom Swiss burgers I’ve had thus far! It was so juicy that the oils seeped onto the plate after each bite and continued to drip while I head the masterpiece in my hand. The patty was soft and flavorful and the swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo blended together to create a wonderful melody with each bite. Boy, did I savor each bite! I also ordered the garlic fries, which were quite delightful and topped with garlic and sprinkled with parsley and shredded parmesan cheese. MMMmmmmm… Too bad I missed the $ 2.35 sale yesterday, I just wanted to avoid the place as their anniversary sales tend to have too many people.

Great new dinette Ruby’s!
The new fast-​casual concept was a great change from the old Ruby’s ‘diner’, which does still exists at certain locations for those who like it old school.
The totally new menu has many options. All burgers including a side are $ 9.99 and below, and did I mention complimentary fries. I got the «Hot Chick» chicken burger which was a chicken breast, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, and guacamole, with both a chipotle and buffalo sauce. It was amazing…
All and all, the staff was friendly, the new dining area design was cool and creative, and the TV’s playing the original Endless Summer (a 60’s surf movie)… The icing on the shake!

4 stars for management
2 stars for staff
2 stars for food execution
1 star for menu options
A breeding ground for families w children running amok… The cashier and food runners totally clueless, probably due to lack of space to tip on cc receipt or tip jar on counter… The food a mediocre version of Ruby’s regular fare… The manager doing a painfully great job of trying to make up for the whole mess…
Will definitely NEVER visit this location again!

This location has been subject to a remodel, and has a 1960s theme, unlike the normal 1940s theme. They have a large ice cream counter with several flavors (probably less than 31) and ordering here is different.
There is no table service, and everyone orders up front at registers, and then the food is brought to your table. Décor is the strongest thing about this new location. Service seemed a little slow, but the food is the normal Ruby’s high quality (like a good girlfriend, stable, but not too adventurous).

Had breakfast here and opted for Eggs Benedict. The one I choice was from their new menu, topped with roast beef. Overall it was pretty mediocre. The hollandaise sauce wasn’t too flavorful, sadly. Eggs were cooked decent, but it’s all about that hollandaise sauce. I don’t see myself ordering this dish again. Place is newly renovated, with a whole retro feel. The décor felt very 60’s America. Overall the place is really cute. Maybe I’ll come back and try something else.

The new concept caught my eye and I wanted to give it a shot. I enjoyed the Decour however I was stunned at how bad the food was.
I ordered the chorizo and egg burrito and was shocked when I came out soaked in Grease. I almost thought it was a joke. And of course they have no waitstaff so Nobody came and asked me how my meal was. Don’t take my word for it, take a look at the photograph. It was disgusting.
Normally I write reviews to rave about places I’ve been. I believe this is one of my first negative reviews. The avocado sauce was not avocado at all. It was mayonnaise flavored like avocado. The pico de gallo was just chopped up plant tomatoes and the beams must’ve come out of the can.
Then area of the country with so many great Hispanic cooks, I can’t imagine how they work so hard to get this Mexican food this bad.
Look at the photograph of the grease soaked through the tortilla