Ruby’s Diner

I have been coming to this location for a couple of decades now, I even proposed to my wife after having dinner here about 14 years ago. The food is always very good, except last night. My wife and I went with our three daughters. We sat on the roof which was very nice. We had good service from the server. The only bad thing was our food seemed a bit bland. Kind of disappointed. I understand places can have off days, I’m hoping that’s what happened last night with our food.

Got the hickory burger and that was DELICIOUS
Ate on the roof top.
My only complaints are probably…
–When i ordered their «Jumbo» icetea, for some reason it smells like hand soap
— Beer: Beer came in a bottle but im pretty sure i got chipped. Nearly 6 bucks for a regular bottle of beer? Wtf? All the bars and restaurants (and im talking 4 – 5 star quality restaurant) aren’t even at this price and if it is. Its usually a large mug or come in a viking cup or something man.
They got good food. But wtf was i thinking order a damn beer. Oh wait. Its by the beach on hot day at the pier.
Oh well, lol lesson learned. Getting me that shake next time.
DONT ORDER THE TEA. TASTE/​SMELL LIKE SOAP. LITERALLY

Food here is amazing! The view from the restaurant was great too! Lovely staff and great service!

Great location for a snack or meal by the beach, however birds and fishers on the pier ruin the experience a bit. Some days they are exceptionally full and slow, but that is normally not the case. Also, they serve gluten free options such as gluten free buns if you special order the burger, however they tend to fall apart if there is any sauce of the burger. Personally, I would rate the restaurant a 4.6 of 5 because of the reasons above.

Horrible service. We ordered two waters and a chocolate shake, waited ten minutes while they called out numbers after ours to get our water, then waited an additional ten minutes for the chocolate shake. Less flirting, more working would be effective.

Worst service i have experienced in a long time. Our server messed up our order every step of the way including charging me for items i did not order. On the bright side the food was really good

Excellent food, poor customer service. I work in food service, and I understand having certain seating arrangements but having the hostess (I believe her name was yaira) tell you that in a snobby voice they will not seat you… I literally almost did not eat there! and Ruby’s used to be a family favorite! Oh and also there is no restrooms which is really impractical, considering we had three children and one disabled person.

Food was decent, but the screaming children really set the mood and created a delightful ambiance!

Nice casual walk from the shore to the end of the pier. Fresh hot burger and fries with great view of the Pacific Ocean.

This is the first place I went when I moved to Irvine as I assumed it was tourist-​y and something to get out of the way. I didn’t realize at the time that Ruby’s was a chain but WOW did my friend and I love this place?! We had a delicious breakfast — omelettes and pancakes and loved the view of the ocean. I would go back the next time I’m thinking to spend a day at the beach.

Went here for a friends birthday dinner, and let me just say I highlyyyyy recommend getting the rooftop seating (so worth the wait) during sunset! Honestly so beautiful and such a great environment and they have these lights that just make the whole aesthetic amazing. Food was great, I just got the ruby burger and fries, but tasted fantastic. My friend ordered a shake and they gave her the wrong one, but they exchanged it so no biggie. It was a little annoying that they wouldn’t let use push two of the small tables together so our party wouldn’t be split up, especially since that would’ve made more room for people to walk around us, etc. so confused on that whole policy, seems very inefficient, but besides that the service was pretty good, and I would definitely come back again!

Breakfast on the pier! It was weird that there was no bathroom, but I guess because it is really old and small they do not have plumbing out on the end of the pier. Everything comes in paper cups and on paper plates– no dishwasher. The food was all cooked the way we asked for it and it was very tasty! My view of the ocean while I ate and drank my hot chocolate made for a perfect morning and a great way to start my LA vacation! Happy Girl!

I love this place. It is a Ruby’s, so it’s diner food. That said… It’s quite good diner food.
But this is not just about food. It’s about sitting on the rooftop at the end of a pier, basking in the glory of southern CA sun, blue skies, warm weather. Just sitting there and looking around is awesome. I’ve seen so many different sea birds, dolphins, whales, sea lions… and many sailboats, ski jets, paragliders… and even a view of Catalina Island in the distance. It’s just awesome.
And here’s the thing… Many places in CA with a great location survive on that location and then just serve bad food. That is not the case here. It is a diner, so that’s the genre. But it’s good diner food. And the service is outstanding. I just ate there today, and I think it was the fastest service I’ve ever had at a restaurant. That waiter was really on top of it… got me everything I needed in lightning speed. It’s just impressive that they’re not thinking, «Oh… We don’t really have to try. We’re a restaurant practically floating in the ocean… People will come just for that.» They’re not thinking that at all… They’re still working hard and doing a good job.
Kudos Ruby’s!
(I would say… It gets very busy on weekends. Try to go on a weekday…)

Came here last night and ordered The Ranch Burger and a Sprite. Burger tasted fine, Soda was good. Customer service was ok. Great place to grab a bite, and hangout. Nice view of the beach and all you hear outside are the waves.

Hung out here to watch the sunset on the pier. Ice cream was good. Amazing location. Employees had cool old school diner clothes and hat. Lots of fisherman outside catching mackerel by the dozen. Also, we saw seals!!!

Fun dining experience! Super yummy, quick service, veggie burgers, food comes fresh hot and ready to eat!!! Just make sure you wash your hands or use their hand sanitizer before eating because there isn’t a bathroom.

Obviously it’s a great location but you’d think that they could do something more with it. They had Lagunitas in a bottle so it wasn’t all bad but if it wasn’t on the ocean, there isn’t much else here, not even a bathroom for paying customers.
We were there in February so it wasn’t too crowded but we still couldn’t get a real good seat — we had to sit on the mini-​bar stools. It looked like it was all tourists, which makes sense, and a bunch of locals outside fishing off the pier.
It seemed like a quick, easy and novel spot to grab a beer in between hanging out on the beach with friends and family but we’ll try something else next time.

Came here Tuesday afternoon with my sister. It was slow so no wait, and we got to sit in the roof. Nothing like a couple coronas and a beautiful rooftop view of the water before a day in the waves. We split a burger and it was delicious. And yes, there is no bathroom, so be sure to use the one at the end of the pier before making the treck to the diner. We will be returning frequently to start beach day right every time.

Pretty dirty here. Well it’s on a pier do what do you expect. Put a quarter in gum ball machine to get try to get a red gum ball for a free root beer float and the manager (wearing the red shirt) informed me that the machine wasn’t working after she heard me say that it ate my quarter. She didn’t offer me my quarter back either.
I asked for a kids menu so I could order a kids shake for myself. An adult size huge shake is too much sweets for me. The server asked the manager in Spanish (which I speak even though I am a white girl) if he could give me a kids menu and she said yes. When he returned to my table he said if I wanted to order off the kids menu he would have to charge me an additional $ 1 per item because I am an adult… I eat at rubys all the time. This is the only time that I have been upcharged for ordering a smaller sized shake.
Pretty view but I don’t know what’s going on with management here.
Ps, they didn’t even ask/​give us water.
Adding on— as I’m sitting here at the counter. There was a family of mostly kids. I mean like 10 kids on the patio. The waitress came into the manager and asked for more cars (the paper ones) the manager said «I already gave that table 3!» Hello there’s 10 kids. She told the waitress to tell the table they ran out!!! What the heck!

so i literally made a Unilocal just to share with all of you how awful my experience here was sucky part is i work at the end of the boardwalk from this place it was so convenient but they will not be getting ANY service from me anymore. so i ordered a cesar salad and two soft drinks. i swear the girl taking my order had a hard time concentrating because i had to repeat myself so may times she was in lala land. I waited 25 minutes and no I’m not exaggerating (i checked my receipt) i was handed my salad and drinks by the girl who took my order. i walked down the boardwalk and went and sat down at work i took a sip of the soda there was one ice cube inside and it was so hot. i opened my salad and took a bite it was the soggiest salad I’ve ever had in my whole life. its like they made it and just let it sit there. i was so mad i just wanted to sit down and enjoy my food but i ended up taking my salad back. when i got there i told the girl (a different worker) that i wanted to return it she kept telling me that she would have them make me a new one and i didn’t want to do that i wanted to order something different but she kept insisting i was getting so frustrated she asked if id like to speak to a manger i said no i just want something else. she said okay what would you like i ordered the texas toast grilled cheese she said «that would be 9 something «my jaw almost dropped… she wasn’t going to refund me my money for the salad and on top of that she was going to charge me full price for the new order OMFGGGGG WHO DOES THAT?! i was like you’re kidding me right? she’s likee maybe if you talk to the manager she might discount you… I LOST MY SHIT. i was in disbelief and by that time i just wanted a refund… like this girl couldnt have just charged me the difference of the new order? idiot. anyways some people next to me were complaining about their coffee and how the girls behind the register weren’t paying attention to what they ordered. the guy looked at me and shook his head… i was like i feel you man i feel you.
the girl just turned away and left and sent a manager out i guess she couldn’t handle her «super hard» job in customer service.
the manager asked if i wanted a new salad… i wanted to scream
she refunded me after seeing that i was about to go off the wall
i left and will NEVER return theres so many better rubys out there with such amazing customer service this place is a nightmare i wish i could rate this place without even having to give it a star hahaha thats how bad it is.
this place could be so amazing like it used to be if they got rid of the workers got all new workers and came up with a better system.
such a shame

Came here with a friend on a Tuesday night! It was pretty busy, but we only waited less than 5 minutes for a seat upstairs. Our waiter was attentive and the food came out quickly. I only ordered the fries, since I had just gotten my wisdom teeth removed. My friend ordered the Santa Fe Burger. She finished most of it, but it didn’t last long in her body =X.
The view was pretty nice, because you’re right on the water. The seating was a bit crowded, but it would be a nice place to visit if you’re a tourist.

The only thing about this location is the walk to the restaurant. They told us we had to wait half an hour for a spot on the roof. You’re not allowed to reserve ahead of time.
The owner and hosts constantly argued with us.
They tried to separate our group and seat us at multiple tables. The owner had no intention of resolving the situation and tried to brush us off and gave us the the feeing that he’d rather reject all 8 of us instead of reasoning with us. And the second we walked upstairs to look, they had multiple tables open they could of served us with.
The food is nothing special, like something you’d eat at any ordinary diner. And we were unable to wash our hands or use the restroom because they have none.
Next time I’d take a stroll down the pier and back and eat somewhere else.

A decent place with a decent burger. Personally, I didn’t think that the burgers were any different from your regular burger, but the rest of my family thought the complete opposite. Also, the waiters were really great!

the view is amazing at sunset from the roof. The service was extremely slow and inconsistent from table to table. We saw people sitting after us get their shakes and food before we did and we got our food before the table next to us who had been there way before us. The server we had was nice and explained that they were short staffed and needed to restock everything. We didn’t mind waiting since we were kid free and on date night but would not be returning unless its to the walk up window.

First time here, great location for just a good old fashion burger… Great milkshake you can mix them with what ever flavor you want, downside no restrooms here you need to go before walking the pier… Price is reasonable food is good, seating is limited has an upstairs a diner and outside tables on pier if its windy and you want to eat inside there will be a good wait

On our last few trips, the original Ruby’s has been our first stop when we drive down to the OC. We usually leave early to avoid whatever minimal traffic there is, but we arrive too early to check in to the hotel. We’ll go to Ruby’s to get some fresh air after being in the car for four hours, to enjoy the views, to grab a bite to eat, then to hang out on the beach for the afternoon.
The food is typical of any other Ruby’s and is average at best. My mushroom swiss burger and chocolate malt were satisfactory this visit. Along with the occasional views of dolphins or seals, my daughter usually enjoys the chicken fingers. Otherwise, she’ll usually find something on the larger kid’s menu.
Because we come before any rush, the service has always been good. The food isn’t that memorable, but being on the ocean, literally, and having great views of the Pacific Ocean and Orange County can leave a lasting impression.

I haven’t been to this spot for years.
Good spot to take your girlfriend to, yet it isn’t best option for first date in my opinion. I’ll explain why.
Good portion for the price, I had difficult time trying to finish my burger, chili fries and my shake. If you go out with a girl on a first date, she won’t be able to finish everything; also, there is no restroom!!!
The food was okay.
PS. We had to wait half an hour to get seats on the roof.

This Ruby’s is the original location at the end of Balboa Pier and I always choose to sit on the roof as if I am eating on the ocean, even if it is «freezing» outside.
Aside from typical faux 1950’s food and flare the best is the very Californian sourdough avocado burger, possibly with a shake or root beer float, which are great options as well if you’re looking for a treat after walking the pier and boardwalk and not a meal. There is breakfast here too but I don’t know why you would order an omelet from a 1950’s dinner.
Service is okay and although better than Johnny Rockets, everything might seem a little blasé but remember you’re at the end of a pier in the middle of the Pacific Ocean eating sourdough and avocado. Invite you’re out of town friends and family and watch the pelicans, seals, dolphins and whales from ashore.

Incredible view meets horrific 40’s American kitchen kitsch.
In the event you woke up from a 30 year coma, Ruby’s is a bastardized and corporate attempt at a 1940’s era diner that focuses… okay, sells Hamburgers and Shakes. The menu is about as cliché as it comes (think Johnny Rocket’s) and the service is beyond questionable (think 17 year old school kids’ first job) but the restaurant is located at the end of the Balboa Pier so I have dined there embarrassingly enough. In fact, the location is really the only redeeming quality of the place in retrospect. It doesn’t even have a public bathroom.
The burgers are inevitably overcooked and served on starchy mass baked buns. Processed cheese and low grade Sysco provisions are used for produce and meat, so good luck with that. In fact, if you are over 12 years old and love the food I would have to imagine you are wearing a Hello Kitty shirt and listening to Justin Bieber as you read this. Even the cost is exasperating, a burger can set you back $ 10.00 and it tastes absolutely terrible. I almost forgot about the Fries! Greasy, soggy and tasteless. Total abortion status.
I will say that fans of Shakes may find Ruby’s intriguing. They offer twenty plus popular and age old flavors including Orange 50/​50, Double Dark Chocolate Shake and the Oreo Cookie Fantasy Shake. I am not a huge Shake fan so this does nothing for me.
So let’s recap. Ruby’s = Good views + Bad Burgers.

Your typical touristy, end-​of-​the-​pier fast food diner. If you want to dine upstairs, you can’t order at the window and take your meal up, a server has to take your order, making a tip, more or less, mandatory. But, not to worry. For the non-​dine in crowd, there are benches along the pier where bird poop and melting ice cream (on the ground) await your arrival. I’m not going to lie, it’s kind of magical.
Speaking of magical, we saw a seal (an actual, not Navy) playing next to the pier, which made up for the extra 50% you pay for getting a hamburger and fries at the end of a pier.
All in all, A-​OK!

Perfect day, amazing view and crappy food… Eat over the ocean!
Food-​2 Stars!
The burgers were soggy and saucy. They were just not good. The same goes for the fries. The little one said her milk shake was OK.
Customer Service-​2 Stars!
Our server was difficult to get hold of. He was swamped. They needed at least two more servers in our area alone. No one bothered to even talk to us or even say thank you.
The View 4 Stars!
It’s so cool to eat on the roof top over the ocean. The restaurant sits at the end of the HB pier. However, it is jammed packed up there and you are sitting elbow to elbow with others. You also have the pleasure of hearing their complete conversations and watch them eat unless you stare down at the table.
Overall, the view does save the day.