Buffet Review: Never go here for the buffet. Just order from their menu even if you think you'll save money. I'll tell you what I just had: chicken fried rice--bland and hard, chicken pineapple curry--cold and OK, pad see ewe veg--they didn't use the fat noodles, salty. The two stars are for the warm coconut and tapioca dessert. The waitress didn't even come by to ask for drink orders. Never go here for buffet. Lesson learned. read more

ZERO STARS HORRIBLE!!!! Our beloved Ruby of Siam no longer exists, except in name only....not even that...."RUBY" was not lit. My husband and I have been going here for approx. 25 years; we brought friends, family, business associates and clients. The entire change was very noticeable as soon as we walked in: no friendly HELLO, no tablecloths, no uniforms (dressed in dirty jeans and sneakers), and worst of all sloppy presentation and horribly, smelly and probably, microwaved duck. Also, dishes and condiments were greasy. When asked if ownership was different, answer was NO. So, they are also liars. Village of Skokie will have the record of ownership. read more

I'm visiting from NY where there are many Thai options. Eating here was a big surprise. I thought it would be run of the mill but it's not! I'm not sure why it's rated low, but the rice noodle shrimp dish I had and the custard for dessert, were slamming! I'm coming back... read more

Here for an appointment and needed to get lunch before heading home. This place was recommended by a friend and was fantastic! Had the lunch buffet, small but delicious selections. read more

This is a really nice place to enjoy Thai food. The first time I stepped into this restaurant, I was really impressed with the atmosphere. Everything inside this place, from the decor, to music, to tables, and even the clothes the waiters have on... makes you feel like you are in another place. I've been here several times with my man (Who does not eat Thai food frequently at all.) However , he has enjoyed everything we've ordered so far. My favorite is the Tom Ka Kai soup. I like mine with Chicken and just a little bit spicier. The chicken in this soup is always tender and cooked perfectly. My husband's favorite here is the Pad See Iew and Pineapple Shrimp Fried rice. The food portion is a good size and the price is good. Soups run for less than $5 bucks, while main dishes range from $7- $10 bucks. The service is good. My only complaint is sometimes the waitress cannot speak English well, so its a little bit difficult. Would I recommend this place. Yes, its an absolute YUM experience!! and of course the food is great!! read more

Two words: LIME CHICKEN. TO DIE FOR..........................it's that good. I eat/order out from here often. So it's easy to say I've tried almost everything on the menu from here and I've never been let down. Their fried rice is the only fried rice I truly enjoy eating. It's not too greasy and it's flavorful enough to eat by itself. The noodles and curries are well done. My favs are: lime chicken, chicken pad kaprao, kang dang, beef fried rice, beef khee mao, and pad thai. Taste of the food here is consistent, whether you're here for the lunch buffet or ordering out. I get good service whether I'm dining in or getting delivery. They're prompt with the deliveries, although they don't start delivery til 5 p.m. There were a couple of times where we ordered delivery and got one wrong entree but they were very accommodating and sent over the right one within 15 mins. I'll take Ruby of Siam over any other Thai Restaurant any day =) read more

The food is disappointing -- very bland with little taste. Worse yet is the service. I went in to pick up an order and had to wait 45 minutes past my promised time, and most of the staff could not have cared less. There were perhaps a dozen of us waiting, some who had been waiting there over an hour. read more

Great food. Great service. Great everything. What more do you need? They have some interesting food and interesting ice cream. It is a nice night whenever you go there. read more

One could say that the luster has left the Ruby! Ordered appetizers and dinner for four little over a week ago. Ordered over the phone and picked the order up in order to eliminate the scandalous fees charged to restaurants by the online 3rd party pirates, yes the Grubbing Dashing Ubereating internet thugs! The lady that handed me the bags had all the mannerisms of an angry wet cat not rude especially just really not happy to see you and lets you know it with the under the breath hiss you know to stay away from, most unpleasant. Had she been in any way hospitable I would have dealt with the restaurant directly rather than review online. But enough about all that, on to the food. When unpacking and plating for service we were all overwhelmed with a strong off-putting sewer gas like odor emanating from the entrees that could not be overlooked resulting in the meals being dispatched to the trash, We all were hungry and cautiously consumed the steamed rice and the appetizers which were all either over fried or prepared in a fryer in need of an oil change. Four ounce serving of fried rice was a $5 up charge was horrible and shared the fate of the entrees. Not a properly prepared meal and quite unacceptable overall. read more

Thai places are ubiquitous and most are run of the mill. Not this place. A bright spacious dining area with friendly service, a deep variety, and fair prices make Ruby's a keeper. I just wish it were close to the house. We started with excellent won ton soup, another potentially pedestrian choice, and enjoyed pad Thai that was lighter and more flavorful than others, and shrimp green curry with BIG shrimp and lots of Thai eggplant and other veggies. I liked the rice service in the faux steel cauldron too. Very attentive service as evidenced by constant water refills. A gem of a restaurant. read more

I had the lunch buffet, which was surprisingly still available on weekends. Tom Yum soup was spicy but not salty. There were 2 varieties of noodles and 3 varieties of rice. The main dishes were pretty limited but tasty - green beef curry, stir fry vegetables, sweet and sour shrimp, and a couple other choices. For $11.95, it was a pretty good value. Atmosphere is heavily elephant-themed and parking is plentiful in the strip mall. Overall, a place I'll go to again to try some of their main dishes. read more

Many years ago both my sister and best high school friend left me in Florida to go to different universities in the Chicago area. On one of my first visits, I was introduced to pad see ew. The wide, slightly sweet noodles with Chinese broccoli was an instant hit with me. This was not a dish I could find in the panhandle or central parts of the Sunshine state. Moving to Texas for grad school was no different. Only thin noodles and rarely did the establishment use Chinese broccoli. I went from restaurant to restaurant, not finding the authentic dish I first had in Chicago-land. On my most recent visit, I made sure to eat at a Thai spot and this one met all my expectations. The tofu with my pad see ew was incredibly flavorful and had excellent texture. My friend ordered the pad Thai, which was also amazing. Very friendly staff and prompt service. This place reinforced the quality world picture I had of Chicago pad see ew! If only we could get something vaguely close to it in the nation of Texas. read more

Tried many Thai places over the yrs, & this place is in my top 3 for sure in Chicagoland area and best on the north shore - no question. Very consistently authentic, well portioned, & delicious food!! Waitstaff is almost always delivering food at a reasonable time. We'll run and comfortable environment . Take out is great too! read more

Ruby of Siam is apparently pretty happening. It was a full house the Sunday night I came here. The waitresses are dressed in traditional Thai clothing and are quick and efficient. Portions are just right if you are ordering just 1 dish per person. Our group of four ordered 2 appetizers, 3 entrees, and 2 desserts, and it was enough. It came to only $17/pp after tip! The lime fried chicken is sweet & tangy, and the chive dumplings are big. The Imperial rice was my fave. It is truly a Chinese person's dream: Chinese sausage, slight curry flavor on the rice, and shredded dried pork (aka, "pork sung") sprinkled on top! The pad thai is a little sweeter and wetter than I'm used to, but it was still good. However, the green curry with catfish was noxious (the bamboo shoots are probably to blame) - so don't order it. It was too liquidy to stick to white rice too. For dessert, they have a large assortment of Asian ice cream flavors and sticky rice. RoS is located near Old Orchard mall, across the street from Old Navy. It's situated in the same strip mall as Plato's Closet with a large parking lot. They also offer $9-11 lunch buffets on weekdays & weekends. read more

This is the best Thai food I've found in Cook County's "far north". Its tucked away in a strip mall and, despite having a Skokie Blvd. address, doesn't face the boulevard. But don't give up - its worth finding. This restaurant prides itself on its authenticity - their cooks are from Thailand, they use ingredients that come closest to approximating their Thai equivalents and offer very traditional Thai cuisine. Its the only Thai restaurant where I would consider having a seafood entree (such as their catfish). Also, if this helps to validate what I'm saying, a good portion of their clientele also appear to be first and second generation Asian (although the servers all speak English very well). If you go, I'd encourage you to experiment with small dishes (such as their one bite noodle) in addition to trying your favorites. Even if everything isn't to your personal liking, it will still be a well-done example of Thai cuisine. read more

I've tried other items on their menu, but my favorite is their Tom Yum soup. It's the absolute best I've ever had. Even better than the ones I've had around the south Thai border. That's what I would rave about endlessly. I don't mind that it's all the way in Skokie because where it is, parking is always easy to find. read more

Went last Saturday for the first time and I'm going back. The service was attentive and friendly. The menu was incredibly extensive. It's BYOB, so we picked up a bottle of wine from the grocery store next door for $9. Cucumber salad - the standard good stuff - cucumbers + rice vinegar Chicken Satay - bountiful, juicy, flavorful Shrimp Rolls - crispy, big shrimp wrapped in wonton skins. Not a lot of flavor or spice, simple yet satisfactory Kang Dang Curry - I hadn't had anything to eat all day so by the time we ordered, the one glass of wine was already having an impact. Every time Eric mentioned he was getting the Kang Dang, I had to whisper "ah lang" - killed myself laughing like a 6 year old. read more

The staff is extremely rude! I would never go back to this place again. They didn't acknowledge us for 10 minutes as we stood and the counter even though 2 people repeatedly passed by the station. Then they made up some bogus reason as to why the coupon wasn't valid. Food isn't worth the trouble. Overpriced and rude. There are other Thai restaurants nearby that are much better. read more

I loved the "Crying Tiger" beef. It was tender and juicy and charred just right so there was a hint of a slightly sweet caramelized glaze. I concur with another review that mentioned how good the Lime Chicken was. It was absolutely fabulous! While the noodles on the Pad Thai seemed a bit overcooked and mushy, the flavor was still good, and the beef was tender and flavorful. I would definitely go back again or recommend this quaint little restaurant. Mario read more

yum, yum, yum. This is literally one of my favorite food joints ever. I moved six hours south, tried to find thai food that compared and failed miserably. They have a great variety and super friendly staff. read more

I've gone here on numerous occasions because my parents love this place, but I've come to realize that the food isn't as good as I used to think it was. The quality of the food does not match its price. (I've gone to other places that have better quality at the same price, if not cheaper). However, I do think they have one of the better lunch buffets in the area and service here is always good. It's better to come here during lunch as it starts to get packed during dinner time. read more

Food is good; definitely authentic Thai food-- not the imitation stuff. The satay is a great opener for your meal, and you can't go wrong with the lychee shrimp fried rice for something unusual. Kind of pricy for the area, and the aesthetics are a bit quaint. read more

I really like the Ruby. I live nearby and it's one of the few places besides Jimmy John's that delivers. They have a decent lunch buffet that isn't too expensive and in season they have a pumpkin custard that's really good. It's some of the best Thai food in the Chicago area read more

We came here to eat after a day of Christmas shopping. The food was very flavorful. The prices were good. They also have a buffet style for lunch which I never seen at a Thai restuarant, but we plan to go for lunch so we can try different things. read more

Maybe I'm just not a big fan of Thai food, but I've been here twice (once to eat -in and once take-out) and neither experience was memorable. It is, however a fave Thai place of everyone i know (including the Hungry Hound, but let's face it people, that dude likes everything). then again, maybe i should order something else besides the Pad Thai and give it a real review. read more

We don't live particularly near here but if we are ever in the area and don't feel like Portillo's then this place is worth a visit. The lime chicken is amazing, have not found a place comparable, and is my automatic choice when coming here. Crispy, soft and moist chicken breast on top of some crispy green leaf with lime sauce. A-MAZING. As a result of this, I have limited knowledge of the other dishes, pad see ewe is good and the curries I've tried have also been really good. Good service, good value and good food. Can't ask for more than that! read more

I came here on a weeknight for a casual dinner with a coworker and in the end of the meal, I kinda wish I listened to my gut instinct and just carried out. As we walked in, the place was empty around 5:45pm on a Monday night, so I'm kind of like okay, it can't be that bad. We got seated towards the back across from their buffet. I guess they must do a lunch buffet for lunch and I am so not a fan of buffets, but luckily we got to order off the menu. Looking at other reviews, the portions looked huge so I decided to go for my usual tofu pad thai and the portion was not that big. I mean I pretty much finished it off and for $9.00 for tofu, it's not super cheap as most places like this have them for about $7.00. I thought it was okay, a lil too much sauce for me, but not bad at all. I did like that the tofu was in small pieces and not huge chunks that don't fit in your mouth like some other places do it. So I would probably carry it out next time. My coworker got some spicy eggplant and veggie dish with chicken and white rice. She also ate the whole thing, she said it was a tad on the bland side but not horrible. Also, could have done the carryout. Upon walking in, what was interesting is that the servers are dressed up in little cute Asian uniforms which I found kinda interesting. Very cultural to say the least so I thought that was a nice and creative touch as most thai places don't go out of there way to dress up. So with the food being pretty good, I would have given them 4 stars, plus the service was good and fast and the ladies were nice and accommodating with all our needs. Here is what I didn't like-the place just looked dirty. The menu's were huge, outdated and sticky, the decor looked like it was from the 70's even though I don't think the place existed back than. I mean, I know it's on a strip mall and I shouldn't be expecting Arun's Thai like in the city, but I felt like it was a little too red, a little too cheesy and smelled bad too. Had all this curry action going on, and if it was an Indian restaurant, fine, but you are strictly Thai so get with it, febreeze or something. Hence, I will not be back for lunch or dinner dine in again but I may carry out if I'm in the area or I'll just venture out another 20 minutes to the city for some of my faves :) read more

The food is pretty good, but I have to say that they have better days with better chefs. The pad thai, when made on a good day, may be one of my favorites! If I were you though, I would carry out. Eating there is kind of annoying. They are nice, but not that great at service. We had to ask 5 times for our wine to be opened. The entrees also came out all separately (we had 4 people). I love their cucumber salad, one of my favorite!!! Overall, a good staple Thai place for me! read more

I used to love this place. I used to recommend this place to all of my friends and family. I continue to believe the food flavor is among the best in the area, but the customer service and lunch buffets have dropped off resulting in the 1 star review. This review is specifically regarding the "All-you-can-eat Lunch Buffet" that they advertise, and their price differential between weekdays and weekends ($12 for weekdays, $14 for weekends). I have enjoyed their buffet quite a few times prior to this. I came in today (Sunday) at 1PM with my fiancé to enjoy their buffet, which showed that it had Ruby Crab Legs as a part of it (if you haven't had them they are pretty amazing). My primary reason for going on the weekend and paying the extra money was to be able to enjoy these. They didn't have any at the time we sat down, but the manager assured me more were coming. Around 10 people walked through the door and almost all the food from the buffet disappeared, and I noticed that they had restocked the Ruby Crab Legs. With 6 people in line, by the time I got to where they were being served they were pretty much out again, so I sat down and waited for more to arrive. 20 minutes later none had come out, so I asked the manager when more would be coming. She stated that they were no longer serving the Ruby Crab Legs with the lunch buffet. I exclaimed that they only reason I had come was for these, and she said I could order them from the menu. I stated that I had barely gotten any, waited nearly 40 minutes from the time of arrival to get some, and all she could say was sorry. I stated that this was completely and totally unacceptable, and I didn't think I should have to pay due to feeling bait-and-switched, but reluctantly paid anyways. No customer service was offered short of a "sorry." For the third time, the soup was lukewarm at the buffet, and I also explained this to the manager who smirked at me and said "It's hot, but I make you fresh." She did follow through, but for whatever reason they have not addressed the fact that the heaters under the soups are not keeping the soup hot enough to be desired. Stay away from this place, as they cannot seem to keep up with multiple groups of hungry customers, refuse to acknowledge that they need to raise the temperature of their soups, and conveniently remove the exclusive item to weekends when convenient. read more

This is a basic neighborhood Thai place. We've been ordering from here for years because it's fast and convenient, but some dishes are better than others. The noodle dishes are a solid choice, they have a great Pad Thai, and their other basic noodles (Pad Woon Sen, Pad See Eiw) are good too. The curries I've had there is what brings it down to 3 stars - no real flaovr and definitely not spicy, which is good if you don't like spicy, but not so great if you're looking for authentic Thai. Most recently we ordered the Kari Curry (yellow curry with sweet potatoes) medium spiced and it had barely any flavor at all. So on the last order we tried Kang Dang Curry, and ordered it hot - again, not much flavor in the sauce, although there were a lot of sliced jalepenos, so perhaps that's what they do if someone orders "hot", just throw in jalepenos? I mostly order for pick up there, and haven't dined in the restaurant in a while, but the dining room has a strange set up, with the cashier and food pick up in the middle of the restaurant. So if you're picking up and your food isn't ready yet, there isn't really a waiting area, you're just standing surrounded by tables of people eating their dinner, which feels a little weird. Probably to the people dining in too. read more

Ruby of Siam was one of my first Thai food experiences, and I absolutely fell in love with the place. The food here is reasonably priced, the portions are big, and the flavors are authentic. I love getting their curry fried rice....they add a generous amount of curry powder to the rice. Their noodle and specialty dishes are excellent as well! They also get ice cream from the local ice cream shop nearby...with flavors like mango, lychee, coffee, green tea, Thai tea and many more. If you're around Old Orchard mall, or just in the Skokie neighborhood, stop in to Ruby of Siam for a great meal! read more

LOOOVE looove this place - been one of my fav thai joints since I used to work at OO waaay baaaaack in da day in hs...lol. They are the only place I can get lime fried chicken - sweet, tangy sauce drizzled over fried chicken = perfection. The pad see eew and panang curry and chicken basil are hits and I have tried their fried rice and pad thai, which are very good as well. And don't forget the thai iced tea. MMM. The portions are good for one person and the price is right. It has traditional decor and a friendly vibe and is BYOB. Though, I don't usually associate liquor with Thai food so I never got to take advantage of that. (shocking, i know.) It's more of a 4.5 - I like this location better than the one downtown, but it's a rare treat since I'm hardly ever out this way. read more

Ruby's food is consistently tasty! We usually get the lime chicken, chicken basil, and drunken noodles or pad see eiw. This is one of our go-to Thai restaurants in the neighborhood. (The other is Rosded Too on Waukegan.) read more

I absolutely LOVE thai food and is very picky with thai food. There are some restaurants that are americanize and this is one that is not. You can tell their food is authentic and has lots of taste.. We always order chicken pad thai, spring roll, beef pad se ewe and beef fried rice. The staff is always nice and attentive. Im glad they opened another location in chicago! read more

Favorite Thai restaurant in the area. Clean, friendly staff, foods always consistent. Must try the following: Lime chicken- deep friend chicken breast topped with fried greens and sweet lime sauce. To die for! Pad tai: a staple must! Kao Pad Kari: curry fried rice with cilantro onions and your choice of beef. This is a dish that I must get EVERY single time! Ah- maZe! Kaoman Somtum Kaiyang- Coconut milk infused steamed rice served with charbroiled chicken or tofu and papaya salad. Refreshing and satisfying! And ruby crab legs- their version of crab Rangoon. Everything we have tried has always been fresh and delicious. The prices are reasonable and the restaurant is warm and welcoming! They look like they do a lunch buffet. Never tried it I'm sure it's great! read more

Their appetizers are what's up! Also their green tea ice cream made by Village Creamery is tops! read more

A really solid Thai restaurant - my family has been ordering here 1-3 times a week for years. The menu is encyclopedic, but don't be daunted, as we have rarely been disappointed. Standout options include the one-bite chicken appetizer (perfectly balanced with lemongrass, chilies, and peanuts, and large enough for an entree), crying tiger appetizer (perfectly smoky grilled meat served with pleasantly piquant sauce), Pad prik khing (chili paste + green beans = crazy delicious), pad kraprao (basil chicken done right), as well as all the curry and noodle dishes (for spice fiends, the pad khee mao is delightful). Also, their rice is amazing - perfectly sticky and tender. The one thing that I don't like is the lunch buffet, but it's only marginally cheaper and faster than ordering off the menu, so there's really no reason to use it. As far as the service issues mentioned below, we have never had an issue, but I'll give the caveat that this may be because Asian women are inexplicably attracted to my father, and are likely giving him preferential service. Still, I've encountered very prompt and professional (if a bit curt) service the times I've been here without him. read more

This is the only Thai restaurant that makes lime chicken, at least that I know of. I love their LIME CHICKEN and Thai iced coffee. Also, the place is very clean. And, there's plenty of parking. Service is above par too; very quick and prompt. Thumbs up! read more

This place is really close to the whole shopping area in Skokie near Old Orchard Mall. I went here cuz my friend lives really close by. We're craving Thai and we had passed this place a few times before. The ambiance is great and pretty traditional looking. The menu seems pretty fusion or authentic... I couldn't really tell. We ordered the Shrimp spring roll... I think.. It comes fried in like a spring roll shell but looks like a long stick. Maybe hard to explain. I have pix that I'll post if anyone is curious. Those were really good. We also had the spicy tofu appetizer which was pretty decent... had a bit of a kick. Has some ground meat. Beware the tofu comes deep fried. We also ordered pad thai. I thought this place would be more authentic. The pad thai was honestly the most disgusting pad thai I've EVER tried. It was almost unbearable to eat... why you ask? It was disgustingly too sweet. I wondered if I was eating eating sweet and sour noodles or something. Not enough peanutty goodness. Other than that.. I'd try this place again. The service was good and is probably better to go family style whether it's two people or a group. read more

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Great Thai Food full of flavor and service!!! Great assortment of entrees from noodles to curry with rice. The chicken is moist and sauces have flavor. The entrees were tasty and flavorful! I felt like I was in Thailand eating there! Reasonable prices for great quality food! No complaints here! Everything here is great! read more

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