We were quickly seated and sat outside on the patio as we had our dog with us. Our server came out quickly and took our order. He was very pleasant. The food was tasty and fresh. The Chicken Tender Salad was served with hot crispy chicken tenders on top. The lettuce beneath it was crispy and cold. It tasted very fresh. The Cheeseburger was on point too. And the Onion Rings were Crispy and hot. Very good. My son had the Chicken Fried Steak and had no complaints. It is nice sitting outside with the sun umbrellas so that the sun doesn't get too hot. My dog loved watching the passers-by . He received many compliments from them saying how cute he was! read more

See all

Took my wife in after not being there for years. I kept telling her how good their burgers were from when I lived in the area. Burgers were the size of a happy meal burger but actually didn't taste as good as a happy meal. Meat was dry, and tasted rancid. Fries looked like they had been cooked in old burnt oil. We ordered an order of onion rings and it cost almost as much as the burger. Our bill for 2 burgers and an order of onion rings was $61.18. Very disappointed. There were no customers and the place inside had no ambiance. I remember the days of it being packed and them serving tasty, fresh food. One thing I do have to say is their servers and host are extremely friendly and kind. I wish the food quality hadn't gone down the drain. I posted some photos. read more

Ruby's Diner - Tiny burger the size of a happy meal burger with burned fries - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

Came here with my boyfriend as we were intrigued by the menu when passing by because we were hungry. When we got inside to wait to be seated, the manager (Ricky) was approaching and seated a party of 2 that arrived minutes after us as we were standing there waiting and totally ignored us. The hostess sat us after seating a prior party. We were then met by our waiter, Marco, who took our drink orders. When he arrived with the drinks, he took our order. After that we never received any customer service from him! And no one came by to ask us if we needed a drink refill or wanted to order anything else. We ordered the crispy green bean fries as a starter. My boyfriend ordered the BLTA sandwich and I ordered the Super Burger. There was nothing super about the burger! It kept falling apart as I was eating it, even with the toothpick in place. The fries were bland and soggy. The only thing good about our meal was the crispy green bean fries (and ranch, which we asked our server Marco more of, but never received it until we had to ask a second time and received it when we were already done eating). The ambiance is cool. It has that diner feel. I'm giving a negative star for the restroom cleanliness... ewww disgusting! There were no seat covers and the feminine hygiene disposable bin was full and not clean, therefore leaving an unpleasant sight. The toilet paper dispensers were empty and low on toilet paper just hang out for you to grab. Do the restrooms not get cleaned or maintained? read more

See all

Wow from the minute we got in there the the look was just so amazing 50 style restaurant so clean so nice there's a train running around in the ceiling here's big huge model airplanes in the ceilings they play old '50s style music all the time the ambiance is great me and my wife both had omelets they were great they came with a side odor of baby and biscuits that's the southern style it's so good The service was great our waitress's name was Risa she was super friendly and she told us about the other restaurant on the pier thank you for a good man Ruby! read more

See all

sat outside with our dog.. Service was very friendly and attentive... We both loved the 50s style atmosphere and the burgers we ate were nice and hot and fresh! will come back! read more

Caught lunch while shopping at the outlets. They had a corn beef hash plate (my breakfast go to meal). Cooked just right. They also offer beers and cocktails. read more

Ruby's Diner - Corn beef hash - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

My family and I had a great experience at this location! It's been so long since we've had ruby's diner and we loved that the ambiance hasn't changed. It's still giving that old school vibe that we love and cherish! The staff here was amazing, super friendly & prompt! We throughly enjoyed our meals. Plenty of seating inside and outside. We would love to dine here again! read more

Ruby's Diner - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Can't go wrong with Ruby's Diner. Been to this location a few times with the family. My wife and I decided to dine in this weekend, January 17th. We were greeted when we walked in right away. The host didn't make a big deal with us bringing in our stroller. The place is the same. Old school looking, clean with friendly staffs. We ordered their onion rings and fish & chips. Did not disappoint with the flavor and freshness. My wife loved their onions rings and one of best fish and chips I've ever had. Juicy on the inside, not dry as some other places would have served it. However, it's only served with 2 pieces of fish. Their onion rings could have been serve with better portions as well. They're not cheap with sauces, as we asked for more tartar sauce and delivered 2 to our table. Will definitely go back here again. read more

Ruby's Diner - Fish and chips. - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

Loved eating here with my whole family! Excellent service, clean, speedy, great food. Jesus was our server- he was extra expedient and friendly. Plus my kids loved the train set moving around the ceiling. Highly recommend. read more

Ruby's Diner reminds me of college. We had a location nearby my alma mater so when my coworker suggested we go here before we headed back to the airport, it was super nostalgic for me! Despite this location being under construction during our visit, there seemed to be a good flow of patrons and we also were attended to quite well. I ordered a cup of coffee and let's just say I got my fair share of refills. For my food I ordered the original malted waffle with a side of sausage links and eggs over easy. The food came out hot and fresh and I definitely didn't leave hungry - just with a lingering desire for more waffles. Mmmm!! Also since it is October aka spooky season it was super cute that they had decorations up inside and outside the storefront (even while they were in the process of construction). It was definitely a nice touch! Thanks again, Ruby's Diner Carlsbad! read more

Ruby's Diner - Original malted waffle - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

It is what you expect. Okay food (greasy American diner burgers, if that's what you like), good service, decent choice if you're at the outlet. I would not go out of my way for this though. Shakes were good. Shrimp and Fish basket was solid, but you soon get tired of the fried food taste. Everything is fried, so I enjoy it only once in a while. Depends on what you like! read more

After a day at Legoland, we wanted to eat some more affordable food at a place that offered food everyone from 3-65 years old would enjoy. So, we were glad to see Ruby's wasn't too far away. Despite this being located in an outlet mall, we were able to get seated very quickly despite being a party of 9. Even with them doing some remodeling at the time they could get us seated quickly and in an area that gave the our kids the ability to be silly and loud without being a distraction to other guests. I appreciated that. We were treated really well for our meal, but either the waitress went on break or forgot about us because there was a stretch of time where we never saw her. Luckily it wasn't a huge stretch of time, but it was long enough for us to wonder where she went. The food itself is on par with every other Ruby's I've been to (& being a SoCal/Orange County kid I've been to a lot). It's fine American diner style food. Nothing is going to blow your mind, but it's going to hit the spot and fill you up. Especially after a day of outlet shopping or Lego theme park going, Ruby's is a great way to refuel. read more

We stop here to charge and around the corner was a nice clean Ruby's Dinner I able to use there facility and it was super clean In fact they had just cleaned that was great read more

This Ruby's feels like the end of an era. There used to be so many more Ruby's (on the pier), so I feel like still finding them is a real treat. This restaurant is a little smaller than other locations, but still has fun decor and a cool train that runs along a track at the ceiling of the restaurant. We had what one comes to expect from a Ruby's - friendly service and tasty diner food. I ordered the BLTA and while it wasn't the healthiest choice, it sure was good. I regretted not ordering a shake or cherry Vanilla Coke on this visit. read more

Ruby's Diner - BLTA - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

这家餐厅完美复刻了上世纪50年代的复古风格，从怀旧装饰到招牌菜品都还原了经典美式 diner 的原汁原味。无论是餐食口味、分量还是服务细节，都完全符合甚至超出预期。服务员会贴心地为孩子们提供折纸小汽车作为消遣。尽管整体环境略带岁月痕迹，但毋庸置疑，它绝对是周边区域内最值得选择的美式diner。 Good old school 50's style diner with all the decor and all the dishes that you would expect. Everything meets or exceeds expectations, and the servers were very good with giving our kid paper cars to play with. The place seems to be showing its age a bit, but definitely the best diner option in the immediate area. read more

See all

I received your card from Jesus at the Carlsbad diner location. Myself and my kids just ran our very first marathon at Legoland and I did pay the extra to be not only a companion runner but to also participate. We received 3 bibs, however coming in proud with our medals and bibs... Jesus was only going to honor 2 of the 3 bibs free kids meal....I myself wanted to just order something from the kids menu and use the bibs redemption. This was refused,  multiple attempts just being as kind as possible and asking. Its just me and my kids and I can't say anything kind in return about how I was addressed and treated despite showing how frustrating I became and how hungry we are.  So sad, not only did I not get to eat.... but we will not be coming back nor able to promote good business because of the negative feedback and refusal of customer service to honor. Regardless of the 12 and under,  should still be honoring those who do pay and participate and show good faith of being supportive in the community, plus based on good business practices and customer service more willing to come back and bring family. Not the case. Had very high hopes and wanting to return, in writing this email the negative impact effects everyone! Including the poor staff to encounter the awkwardness and not being tipped for good services. Hope you find better practices in customer services. Parking is plentiful Bathrooms are clean Restaurant located on the corner. Yelpers for the negative review, its only the reminder still remains customer service is everything and so is kindness especially when representing for a Marathon for promotion. Unfortunately... very sad read more

Ruby's is one of my tried and true food spots in Carlsbad. The service is pretty fast and food is tasty! They're really accommodating & willing to help if you need any special assistance. Kids get a super cute cardboard car with stickers and there's TV's around playing cartoons for kiddos. Highly recommend! read more

Cool diner vibes, indifferent service, and bland food. Hard pass in the future. I really wanted to like the place.

Stumbled into Ruby's while we were out shopping and were so happy we did! The staff was extremely efficient at maintaining a low wait time to be seated and kept tables cleaned. Each employee was also great at helping other wait staff when they noticed a delay at a table which helped keep food moving, cups filled, etc. the food was delicious and the portions were more than adequately sized for the price. The decor in general was cute and very 50s diner, but there is also a large train set in the middle and tvs with kids shows playing if you have littles that need entertainment :) read more

I was reminiscing about Ruby's Diner, one of my favorite dining locations at the Oceanside Pier. They had closed many years ago and the building recently burnt down. But after doing a search online, I realize that they had a location in Carlsbad. This is my review of Ruby's Diner in the Carlsbad outlet mall. I am very happy that this Ruby's Diner is only 15 minutes away from downtown Oceanside. Although I don't come to this mall frequently, I may start returning more often thanks to my experience eating here. Ruby's Diner is known as a Classic American Diner that is well known for their burgers, fries & milkshakes. They're also famous for their vintage 50's & 60's themed decor & music. Their interior is very spacious and accommodate groups and families easy. You can also choose to sit outside on the patio as well. The vintage theme has various paraphernalia and decorations from the 60s era. They also have a functioning train set that runs a track on the ceiling above. The kids love it! I think the only CON I found for their atmosphere was in regards to their men's restroom being too small and only having 1 stall & 1 urinal. Their service is always courteous, fast & friendly and I love their uniforms. Although their menu is based on an American diner theme, there are many other options to help diversify one's dining choices. For breakfast, you can find items like eggs Benedict, omelettes, avocado toast, breakfast burritos, biscuits & gravy, chicken fried steak, waffles, pancakes, French toast, and of course, a typical American breakfast with eggs and bacon. Their lunch and dinner menu is just as extensive. Their portions are very fair considering the price, and overall, I love the customization options for customers who want to create their own flavor experiences by mixing & matching ingredients. My most recent experience was with a Cobb burger, Cajun Fries and a Salted Caramel Milkshake. I loved the variance from salty bacon, to juicy burger, to seasoned crispy fries & the sweet sips of heaven! Anytime I want a true vintage dining experience, I come to Ruby's Diner in Carlsbad to send me down memory lane. I recommend! read more

See all

This place is currently going through renovations, however it's open from dine in. The staff there are very friendly. Their burgers, fries, salad and shakes were delicious!! Yes... my kiddo enjoyed his burger so I didn't get a chance to take a photo ! read more

Ruby's Diner - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

It's a very steady Eddie place to eat. I've never had a bad experience at a Rubys. This one was no exception. Immediately upon walking in it is very clean. We were seated right away. The staff seemed a little tired but that could just be the day or for personal reasons or maybe they are short staffed. You never know. Our server was nice and patient. My son isn't always the most chill kid and she just pushed through his 100 questions and 100 requests for more cats to build. The food and drinks came out quickly and they did check on us throughout the meal. The food itself was good enough. Nothing to write home about but wouldn't be opposed to coming back. We got the peanut butter shake (amazing), bacon burger (delicious), chicken strips (yum), kids Mac and cheese (good-just basic Kraft) and all with fries. The fries were a little sad; not quite warm but that's my only complaint. read more

See all

Service was good, the French toast were way too sweet for my liking. To be honest I wasn't impressed. The last time my family and I come to eat we had a bad experience.... We finally decided to give it another try, they have some delicious milk shakes that's about it. read more

Decided to share breakfast with a friend here at Ruby's Diner. We ordered two egg breakfast with potatoes, ham and biscuit and gravy. Pretty good portion and we were able to share. Service was prompt and staff were friendly. Cute little diner in the heart of Carlsbad outlet mall. Love the 50's decor and food portion. read more

Ruby's Diner - Two egg breakfast with ham and potatoes and biscuit and gravy. - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Erik opened the restaurant and greeted us with a smile and a kind word. From then on he made us feel welcome and well cared for. Ruby's is lucky to have such a wonderful member of their restaurant family! Thanks Erik! read more

We always come here when we go to Carlsbad. It's a great old fashion dinner. They have a train that goes around the top of the diner. Service is great and breakfast is good. They also have a kids menu. read more

Delicious food and huge portions! Reminds me of an old school dinner. Perfect place to stop before heading to legoland. Service was excellent as well. Super convenient to call in and pickup orders. read more

Cool place to hang out and have a few drinks and appetizers. Burgers were super dry and not good. Fries and the ranch were pretty spot on. I haven't tried anything else on the menu but if you were to go I'd highly recommend ordering something other than a burger read more

This diner was such a cute place. But the best part was the food. My 12 year old daughter tried the hot cakes (pancakes), and she said they were the best pancakes she had ever had. "They were fluffy and soft, with the combination of sweetness with salt" she stated. read more

Ruby's Diner - It replicates those 70s diners in movies. - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Went here on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated pretty quickly. The service was good especially because it was busy. The food was just ok. The place was under construction but they kept it very clean and tidy. My daughter enjoyed her chicken tenders and fries. read more

Great service and good food!!!!! We ordered hamburgers and I had the gluten free bun. The gluten free bun was the best one I have had. Fries were also yummy!!! Server was great and very attentive. We will be back! read more

This is my second time here with my parents we had their banana split definitely enough for 2 and my Dad had the chocolate brownie w/ vanilla ice cream swimming in chocolate syrup very delicious . Great place to stop after shopping all day. Service was friendly and atmosphere festive . read more

See all

a filling meal, yes, but absolutely dry burger that had no saucy flavoring to it. overpowered by the really dry bacon, so I recommend a milkshake to wash it down. not a milkshake that you must get as it tastes like any other milkshake that you get at a fast food restaurant. no malts, no other mixes in the drink that make it stand out, but still yummy. French fries were really salty which worsened the dryness of the overall meal. miscommunication was clear among the staff as the host initially told us that there was a line to wait for seating, but a waitress stepped in to take over and motioned us over to a booth that accommodated for my 5+ party. very brightly-lit restaurant that bustles with families enjoying a bite before they walk around the mall. everyone was happy to be there, especially the kids with their own menus. one of the few restaurants that have activities included in the kids' menus, which I loved. got to love the red that helps each furniture of this place pop even more to the eye. i wish that there was a jukebox to play overhead music like you see in other restaurants of similar styles. the uniforms for the servers really tied the look of this entire place, though. hair were in regulations and managed to still look like that of a pin-up model. read more

Ruby's Diner - Chocolate milkshake , bacon cheeseburger with onion rings , and French fries - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Just wanted to drop a line to say how absolutely wonderful our recent visit to your place was! From the second we walked in, Erik totally blew us away. He was just so welcoming and friendly, setting such a fantastic vibe for the whole morning. He seemed to anticipate our needs before we even knew them, always there with a smile, making everything run so smoothly. It felt like he genuinely cared about us having the best time, and that really made a difference to how relaxed and happy we felt. It's honestly so rare to find someone who offers such personalized and thoughtful service; Erik truly is a superstar and a shining example of what hospitality should be! read more

Greeted with a smile, seated right away, there was no waiting. Tuesday morning. Jesus was my server, super friendly ready to take my order, started with fresh coffee and some delicious orange juice. My breakfast was the eggs Benedict it was made fast and was delicious. Jesus kept checking on people's table. if anyone needed more coffee to warm up Great service Delicious food Very nice atmosphere Train tracks on the ceiling read more

Great lil spot to stop by and eat breakfast with your family! Thank you for the good lighting great seating and excellent service! read more

See all

I love Ruby's diner. I had never even considered going here until I had a child. this was my second time. My son loves coming here if you have children this is the place great big booths, great atmosphere for children. They have a train on the ceiling, s bunch of cars, airplane, on the ceiling also kids love it here !! Food is also good. They serve breakfast all day, which is another plus if you're in the mood for that, I had a burger and a birthday Sunday and both of those items were delicious. I also had a really great service which is the most important to me. Thank you read more

Ruby's Diner - Birthday Sunday - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Even though this lovely restaurant is extremely far away from where I live I still like to go there. Their food is the finest quality and the service is excellent - I LOVE the cheeseburgers here and think them well worth the long trip. I love the booths, and the overhead model railroad that runs along tracks over your head - I am Very sorry that all of the other Ruby's Diners (Even in San Juan Capistrano) have gone out of business in the last 5 years - but very VERY Glad that this one location is still open! If I had to pick just one location in San Diego county for "The best exotic shakes" - the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Shake here would be #1 on my list. The straws are the same diameter as my little 'pinky' finger - and they HAVE To be: because the lumps of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough shot throughout this shake simply would not fit through a normal diameter straw! As it is: you do an awful lot of chewing - for a shake! I have not been in a while but I look forward to going there again for the great food and ambiance. I would recommend!!! ________________________________________________________________________ This half of the review got added AFTER the management replied to my initial unedited review. So, right after I had posted this review ... I had literally talked myself into going there again. I walked through downtown San Diego to the Santa Fe Depot Coaster Station and caught the next NCTD Coaster to Carlsbad Poinsettia station - and walked to Ruby's diner from there (about 2 1/2 hours to get there). I was drooling in anticipation of that shake the whole way there! I was waited on right away. The unique ambiance was always welcoming and the little kid in me loved the many models there. I ordered the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough shake [with extra malt powder] and the Mushroom Swiss cheeseburger. When it arrived: I knew I had died ... and gone to cheeseburger heaven. Correction: the straws that come with the shakes are 3/8" (1 centimeter) in diameter - not as big around as my pinky finger. They NEED to be huge to suck up the lumps of Cookie Dough swimming in the Malt/Shake!! After I drank the liquid there was still a large heap of miniature chocolate chips and chunks of cookie dough at the bottom that needed to be fished out with the long handled spoon - I chewed as much as I drank! The entire malt mixing cup comes with the glass and there is enough left in the mixing cup to fill the glass again! After I scarfed down that heavenly cheeseburger ... I confess - I ordered a SECOND identical Malted Shake!!! One wasn't enough to justify the 5 hour round trip. (I have a large size fuel tank on me. Hey, I walked over an hour in the hot sun there and back - I burned it off.) One of the aircraft models I recognized: the Lockheed Constellation. I asked Chat GPT AI what the other model was and it couldn't tell me - even though I showed it two different views taken 90 degrees apart. A Consolidated PBY Catalina - or a Martin JRM Mars - or a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress it said ... none of which appear to be correct. It was worth the 5 hour round trip by Train/Bus/Foot to eat there! Can you tell me what this second airplane is? "A Boeing 314 Clipper" ____________________________________________________________________ Update to my update: "HI Carl M. So sorry for the late reply! The review platform we use does not always generate updated reviews for us to see. So thrilled to meet another plane enthusiast, the one you are referring to is called a Clipper. Specifically, a Boeing 314 Clipper. Fun fact about these planes, after the war they started using them for fire rescue projects. I do not know the date for that, but they had to enlist the previous pilots to help teach the new ones. They actually held test runs at Lake Elsinore. We look forward to your return visit and so glad you enjoyed the malts. It's hard to find a good malt nowadays. All the best!! Ruby's Diner Carlsbad Team!" I'll be back: and I'm bringing a Friend with me next time!!! read more

See all

So very impressed with this location! Every time we come, we not only enjoy the food and shakes, but we also feel so taken care of. My latest visit prompted me to write this review because of how over the top the went to take care of us when our child knocked over and broke a shake glass. They heard the news and surrounded us so fast, I thought they had wings. They cleaned it up, knew there was glass in the food "from the sound of the break" (made us look and sure enough we found it), replaced it asap. I love this place! Special thanks to Angel and Alyssa! read more

This place brings me back to my childhood. I think this might be the only Ruby's left in San Diego so whenever I'm at the outlets I eat here. I love how this restaurant has stayed true to how all Ruby's looked. The onion rings have changed to being more beer battered but the food is still just as good as I remember it being. The service is always fantastic and the restaurant is always full of people and is very lively without being too loud. read more

Ruby's Diner - BLTA with fries - American Near Me - Carlsbad, California