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Ruby's Diner

3.7 (509 reviews)
ModerateDiners, Burgers, American
Open • 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Ruby's Diner Photos

RUBY'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

Recommended Reviews - Ruby's Diner

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Diane R.

I recently stopped by Ruby's Restaurant for a casual meal and overall had a pleasant experience. The atmosphere has that classic diner feel -- relaxed, a little nostalgic, and comfortable enough to sit and chat for a while. It wasn't too loud, which made it easy to enjoy the meal without feeling rushed. The food was solid and came out fairly quickly. Portions were generous, and everything tasted fresh and satisfying. It's the kind of place where you can count on familiar menu favorites done consistently well. The service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing, which I always appreciate. Parking and wait times can vary depending on the time of day, but once seated, things moved along smoothly. It's not necessarily a destination spot for a special occasion, but it's a reliable choice when you're looking for a comfortable, casual place to eat with dependable food and a welcoming vibe.

Steven B.

Really good restaurant at the South Coast Plaza mall. This one is across the bridge on the 2nd part of the mall. Our Waiter was Alex and he was outstanding. Always checking on our drinks. And helped us order. Super friendly, and we got to know him a bit. We ended up ordering the super burger and guacamole burger combos with fries and iced teas. We usually get the shakes, but we were so thirsty from all the mall walking, we just had to get those fluids going. The wait was quick and it was not very crowded even around noon time. They burgers were excellent. The super burger was cut in half, and I would say that's the only thing my friend didn't care for. I don't even know why. Lol. All in all food was great and service was great. Alex really was good. We will come back for sure.

The whole shabangz
Jimmy C.

Ruby's Diner has been an all-American classic diner for decades. I haven't been to many but the one at South Coast Plaza serves great food with friendly service. I love how they've maintained the retro ambiance. Very nostalgic. That's a hallmark feature of any Ruby's Diner. We ordered the classic cheeseburger with a garlic fry upgrade and a bacon cheeseburger with an onion ring upgrade. Both burgers were good but I'd say the classic cheeseburger was a bit better as it just had that classic burger taste. The garlic fries were very garlicky and tasty. The onion rings were a bit disappointing as it wasn't as crispy as I would have liked. All in all though, I recommend Ruby's Diner when you're craving some greasy American diner food.

Cindy N.

staff were nice but spread over a big diner so it took a bit for us to get their attention. the food was decent! battered fish from fish and chips weren't overly heavy on the batter, and it paired well with the tartar sauce. sweet potato fries were really good too! would definitely come back if i was craving that

Chili Cheese Dog
Brittany T.

Honestly, idk why we tried this spot. I guess after passing it so many times at South Coast on our mall walks we thought it might be a nice spot for a quick bite. While it was definitely quick, it was honestly just kind of average food? The cinnamon French toast was good but I wish they had all their breakfast items all day, not just a few. My husband got the chili cheese dog which was just a soggy mess. The mint chocolate chip milkshake was more chocolate chips than anything and they all kind of sunk to the bottom. Overall, I think this is the kind of spot that's a quick and easy meal if you have kids but if you're looking for something a little nicer, there's definitely better options around here.

Vintage clips play for vibe.
Lynnann W.

I'd never been to this location and I'm so glad I stumbled onto it. Was greeted and sat immediately. It's bright, welcoming and clean. The vibe is fun. A large TV runs old black and white clips for a vintage feel along with a full size, old school bumper car that rotates mid-restaurant. Service was fantastic (Abygail T)! Clearly popular since there were two groups of kids with an adult, solo diners, couples ... it appeals to almost everyone. The salads are huge and the comfort food (patty melt, onion rings, milkshakes) is on point. They also serve house white and red wine.

RubyClub (turkey sandwich) with Frings
Spencer S.

In the western building across from the main mall at South Coast Plaza. Fronts Bear Street and across from the new Vox as of April 2025. Sitdown, full service restaurant. Indoor and outdoor seating. Family friendly with a classic diner feel. Fast and friendly service! Be sure to ask for the build-your-own cars if you have energetic kids who need to calm down. I tried the turkey club with "frings" (extra for fries and rings, unfortunately, but no extra charge for just fries). Hefty serving, which I appreciated, and tasty! Two adult entrees, a kids meal, and a kids shake ran us $60 including tax and tip.

Overly garlicky fries
Anh C.

We got the table after 30 minutes wait. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. The kids got their shakes and I ordered a lemonade. My lemonade came out warm and tasted metallic so I asked for water and she took the lemonade off the bill. We all ordered burgers and fries. I split the burger with my sister since I wasn't feeling too hungry. We got the garlic fries and it came out with a heaping of garlic and oil that became so inedible. My niece's fries had some green on their fries so I think we'll pass on the dinner from now on. 3 stars is for the service. Foods not so much.

Dia N.

I haven't been to Ruby's in the longest time, but always pass by it when I'm on that side of SCP, so I decided to drag my family from Newport Beach to this location. The decor of Ruby's is super retro, and I love the uniforms the staff wears. It feels nostalgic, even though I wasn't even from that era. The menu here is very traditional chain diner food. We opted to get some burgers, chicken tenders, fries, and onion rings. This location has indoor and outdoor seating, but we were glad to be sat indoors during the hot weekend. Our server was super sweet and friendly and we loved her! There were a few hiccups with our meals being incorrect, but the amazing staff here was able to sort everything out. The food itself was okay, and probably as good as it gets at a chain diner. I did really appreciate how crispy the onion rings are!

Eggs Benedict

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7 months ago

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6 months ago

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9 months ago

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7 months ago

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4 months ago

Get the app and use their weekly specials. Today I had a large hotdog with cheese and mayo and mustard with fries for only $5.37.

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8 months ago

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4 months ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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5 months ago

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5 months ago

The managers here are so weird. I overheard the manager telling a employee that she was not all there, the food was cold too. Do better

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6 months ago

Guadalupe G was an amazing server! Very quick and efficient service, we will be back!

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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6 months ago

Lots of food selection, Service was fast and ambiance is great. staff are nice and pleasant. We are well attended.

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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7 months ago

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6 months ago

The service was great. Very attentive even though it was busy. Food was good. The restaurant was clean and well maintained.

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7 months ago

I don't know there aren't more Ruby's in the valley this place is goated. I got the hickory burger and it was very good

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7 months ago

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8 months ago

Always a fun and delicious experience!! Server was attentive, efficient, and friendly. Love that place!

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8 months ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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Kevin Thank you for dining with us! Hope to see you back soon.

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Ruby's Diner Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Ruby's Diner

How does a handicapped person get into the restaurant?

A mall entrance is located directly next to the entrance to Ruby's; same level, a few feet from each other. The actual mall entrance has handicapped parking next to it.… Read more

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Burger Lounge

Burger Lounge

3.9(742 reviews)
4.3 mi
•$$

It is not very often that I get taken by surprise visiting a burger joint. I had seen this place…read morefor quite a while, having driven past it on multiple occasions but never had the opportunity to go in. Well today I broke that streak and I am super excited that I did! The Burger lounge, from the outside, looks like one of those high-end burger places that promises the moon and delivers a lot less. But let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised when I went in and was shocked by the quality of the food, the appearance of the establishment, the friendliness of the crew, and the overall meal experience! The exterior, gives the feeling that this is an exclusive lounge, which from the inside is very well appointed and I love the feeling and the casual vibe that it gives off. The staff is super friendly and very welcoming, and the place is clean as a pin. Definitely makes for a great dining experience. I love the fact that they have different options on the menu, I decided to opt for the house combo which was a burger. Your choice of fries or onion rings and a drink. I picked the single burger with no tomatoes but it came with pickles, lettuce, and your choice of onions. I opted for the caramelized onions and I am so glad I did! I ordered the onion rings extra crispy, and they turned out absolutely perfect! To wash it down, I opted for the hibiscus drink and was not disappointed. Absolutely excellent all the way around. The real star of the show however, was the hamburger. This is not the biggest burger you will ever see, but it is definitely good sized, and pax more flavor than you would expect. I mean for a little bit more than you would spend for a Big Mac combo at McDonald's, this burger blows it completely out of the water. It was fresh, well cooked, and one of the tastiest burgers I've had in a long time. I didn't even mention, that it's all delivered to you on a warm metal plate. A warm plate! It kept the burger hot when you set it down to have some onion rings and pick it back up and it's still nice and warm. A very nice touch. One thing I do have to comment on is the thousand Island dressing on the side, you're going to want about a quart of that because it is so delicious. Perfect thing to dip onion rings in or just slather on your hamburger because why not? The bottom line, now that I know about this place, I'm probably going to become a regular here. Do yourself a favor and if you are in Orange county and near the 17th Street area, go get yourself a bite to eat at the Burger lounge. You will not be disappointed. I will be back very, very soon!

Every time I've come here it's been good until this time…read more But that limited time sub is by far the worst thing I've ever had here I was expecting pulled pork it's like a thin pork patty, super tough/ dry could barely taste the barbecue sauce over how bad whatever Patty they made from pork Definitely will think twice before coming here again after that. Complete waste of money

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Burger Lounge - Nice modern decor, plenty of great places to sit good combination of tables and bar stools

Nice modern decor, plenty of great places to sit good combination of tables and bar stools

Burger Lounge - Crispy Queso Hatch Chile Burger

Crispy Queso Hatch Chile Burger

Burger Lounge - They have a very cool decor, and definitely has a lounge feel... With burgers!

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They have a very cool decor, and definitely has a lounge feel... With burgers!

Kenwood's Kitchen & Tap - Taps

Kenwood's Kitchen & Tap

4.4(643 reviews)
2.1 mi
•$$

We were looking for a light, quick meal before a local concert, and our friend suggested this…read moreplace. It fit perfectly for us! It was a beautiful day, and we were given our choice of patio dining. Our server, Grace, friendly and efficient, was exceptional at checking on us which doesn't always happen when outdoors. She brought our drinks and meals quickly. One friend ordered sliders which she really enjoyed. She commented that it was the perfect size and tastes that she was looking for. Another friend and I split a steak salad. Sharing a salad off a plate can be an awkward feat, but they offer a split-plate up-charge for avoiding that! The salad was simple: steak, cherry tomatoes, and lettuce, but chopped fries were an unexpected addition. Overall, a great fit to get our night started off right!

I had seen this place multiple times on my way and around Southern California. Specifically the…read moreCosta Mesa Newport Beach area but never stopped by. Today. My friend had to go shopping and so we decided to grab a bite to eat at kenwoods. From the outside, the windows are so darkly tinted. I couldn't tell if they were open or not. But upon opening the door there were people scattered throughout the place. So we just walked into the bar area and got a high top table. Server came up to us, asked us for drinks and handed us menus. He came back shortly after we gave him the order. I had a chicken Caesar salad and a space dust double IPA, my friend just had a cup of coffee. The chicken Caesar was really good, and the beer was as expected. The first cup of coffee that he brought to the table was cold so we had to send that back to get a fresh cup. Now it wasn't that busy so I would think that the server would take a moment to check to see that the coffee was warm, but apparently that didn't happen. I got my food and started digging in and the coffee came out a few minutes later. The salad was good, had a nice size chicken breast on top and the dressing was really tasty, not overpowering. I was a little bit stunned at the bill when it came to the table and it was $35 plus dollars, I guess the food and grocery hikes still surprise me, although they shouldn't. The dining experience was okay, it wasn't stellar by any means, but it was adequate, I didn't felt neglected or rushed in any way. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because of the coffee incident. Having been a server in the food industry. That's definitely one of the things you look for. Bottom line, I would probably come back again. But there are many other places in Costa Mesa to try.

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Kenwood's Kitchen & Tap - Bar

Bar

Kenwood's Kitchen & Tap - Crispy Cauliflower

Crispy Cauliflower

Kenwood's Kitchen & Tap - Super Bowl

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Super Bowl

TK Burgers - Big bargain burgah

TK Burgers

3.6(737 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$

I've always seen TK Burgers, but it was just one of those places I always drove past over the years…read moreand was neither interested nor did I ever give it any thought to be completely honest. The business park/plaza I work at does an annual tenant appreciation lunch event where they order catering for us. Last year they did In-N-Out which was awesome, so I was a little bummed out they didn't do it again this year, but it ended up being a very pleasant surprise. At face value, a cheeseburger from TK Burgers really isn't anything special, I gotta admit. However, once I sunk my teeth into it, I was actually really impressed. Delicious charbroiled patty, fresh produce at all the right ratios, and the best part to me? The bun. At first I thought the bun was going to be dry as a bone and crumbly, but it's actually soft. The property management company sent out an email saying there were still burgers left, so I ended up getting a second burger. Hell yeah moment. Anyway, I was in the area yesterday and ordered a cheeseburger and it was just as good as the last time I had it awhile back. Actually, it was a little better last time because it was free haha. Overall a very solid, simple, straight-to-the-point cheeseburger with an excellent bun. According to their website, they have a bakery make their buns with their secret/proprietary recipe. It's not a place I would drive out of my way for from Anaheim, but if I were in the area or if I lived nearby, I would definitely stop in from time to time.

This used to be one of the best burger spots in OC. Unfortunately, after my visit this past Sunday,…read moreI left pretty disappointed. I placed my order about 5-8 minutes before arriving, and while I appreciated how quickly it was ready, it may have been sitting for a while because both the burger and fries were completely cold. And for fry lovers, cold fries are the worst. When I walked inside, the restaurant was also extremely dirty and had an unpleasant smell. It didn't seem like a one-time issue -- the place looked like it really needed a deep cleaning. Sadly, this place has lost a lot of its value when it comes to cleanliness and quality.

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TK Burgers
TK Burgers - Rib eye steak sandwich

Rib eye steak sandwich

TK Burgers - TK cold soda with pellet ice!!  Yummy

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TK cold soda with pellet ice!! Yummy

Shake Shack - The Big Shack: 2 qt. lb. Angus beef patties, secret sauce, lettuce, American cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onions & 3-layer potato bun | $9.99

Shake Shack

3.1(161 reviews)
4.4 mi
•$$

I've had shake shack before when I was in New York City, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw…read moreone open up in Costa Mesa. They do have them where I'm at in Las Vegas, but I have yet to visit any of those establishments. I was super hungry and thought I want to go try that rib sandwich. Place is easy to find right off 17th Street. You really can't miss it with that big sign. And the building is definitely unique as well so you shouldn't have any problem finding it Inside you can either choose to go digital and and skip talking to a real person. I'm old school, I actually like engaging with people. So I went to the counter. I ordered the rib sandwich without looking, and was a little shocked by the total. The sandwich itself is 15 bucks, I ordered a small fry which was $4.50, and a small drink which was $4. With a 15% tip my total came out to $28. Definitely a little shell-shocked by that. Now let's talk about the sandwich. It came to the table and at first glance it looked very small. When I picked it up there was a very generous portion of rib meat inside like a big chunk of rib meat. Huge pickles and a lot of sauce. It was a great sandwich. Do not get me wrong, what I ordered again? Maybe. They don't really have a meal deal that includes fries and a drink so it's sort of all a la carte. Now let's talk about the taste. The fries were perfectly cooked, and the sandwich itself was a solid 10. That being said, I would definitely feel more comfortable paying $12 for this sandwich, as I think 15 is a little exuberant. And you don't really get that many fries for $4.50. I can't imagine what the meal deal would have been, but I'm sure people would absolutely balk at that price. I would have given it a five-star review, but that is way too much for that sandwich. As delicious as it was, I just don't feel right spending that much for a sandwich. If it could be reworked, and the price dropped down I would be all in in a heartbeat. Bottom line? If you've been wanting to try it, I say go ahead. Just be warned that you could be unpleasantly surprised unless you know what the prices are you're getting into.

I rolled in after a brutal bike ride feeling like I Could eat an entire cow, saw the burger photo,…read moreand thought, "Perfect, this will fix my life." NOT What arrived was more "appetizer . If you have seen Honey I Shrunk the Kids then you can understand because the burger looked like it had gone through a shrink ray between the menu and my table. I finished it in approximately three bites and then just sat there still hungry. I think they brought me a slider instead but when I checked the menu the place don't serve sliders.

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Shake Shack - Inside. It's quickest to order at the kiosk

Inside. It's quickest to order at the kiosk

Shake Shack - Fountain Soda, The Big Shack, SmokeShack w/Lettuce + Tomato & Fries

Fountain Soda, The Big Shack, SmokeShack w/Lettuce + Tomato & Fries

Shake Shack - Crinkle Cut Fries & Large Fountain Soda | $4.49 & $1

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Crinkle Cut Fries & Large Fountain Soda | $4.49 & $1

Ruby's Diner - diners - Updated May 2026

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