I've always enjoyed rubys and have been to a few locations. This one is in south coast plaza. Parking is free at the mall. Lots of seats we were seated immediately. Had the guacamole burger Gf had the mushroom swish. Tried their special green shake with onion rings and sweet potato's read more

Ruby's Diner - Guacamole Burger Mushroom Swiss Burger Frings Sweet potato French Fries Basket - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I mean, what can you say? Ruby's is a classic. It's definitely past its prime unfortunately, but it's still nostalgic for our family nonetheless. The burger was just okay, nothing special. I was also super bummed to see they no longer have the black cherry shake on the menu. I had been hoping to order breakfast and thought we had missed the cutoff, so it was a bit of a bummer when we realized we actually could have ordered it after all. That said, I wasn't disappointed for long because the chili cheese fries were surprisingly good. I may go back just for those. Service was just okay, but everything was clean at least. At this point, the nostalgia is doing more of the heavy lifting than the food, but sometimes that's enough. For us, I think this will stay an occasional stop than a regular rotation. read more

Ruby's Diner - Get the Chili Cheese Fries! - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

A blast from the past. I have many happy memories of Ruby's from the past. We ordered a turkey sandwich, a tuna melt, and chili fries. The sandwich was okay, but there was not a lot of turkey. The menu has not changed since the last time. Everything was okay except the tuna melt. The sandwich smelled and tasted fishy! As in old. We brought it up to our waiter. We don't like this sandwich because it tastes fishy and old. He said, "It is a fish sandwich." Really? I reminded him that it should not smell or taste fishy if IT IS FRESH. He said he would get the manager. They gave us a very bland patty melt. Bland, old, tasteless. Our experience here was not that good. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I came here for lunch and left disappointed. Food: The menu has a good selection of sandwiches,burgers, and salads. I decided to order the albacore melt. It t tasted extremely dry and fishy. The manager was nice enough to give me another dish. I decided to order the patty melt. It tasted a little bit dry and underseasoned. However, the black tea was very good. Service: The manager was friendly and most of the the staff was attentive. Ambiance: I like the decor inside of the restaurant. read more

Ruby's Diner - Inside - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

When shopping what better way to nourish than with a salad from Rubys. Didn't get the usual burger fries or milkshake. Very pleased with my choice of apple pecan blue cheese salad with added grilled chicken. Very tasty very fresh and satisfying. Service was good fast and friendly. Glad to see this location maintaining its quality. read more

Ruby's Diner - Apple, Pecan & Bleu Cheese Salad - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Nostalgic diner with average food and great service. The mushroom burger was a tad greasy but satisfying. It's nice that you can have a combo of fries and onion rings for a small up charge. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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. read more

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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. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Nice staff, everyone, neat, clean, and well dressed, attentive, place is immaculate, well decorated, and the food is good. read more

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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. read more

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I don't know how coming here has become a Christmas tradition when we visit South Coast Plaza to see the Christmas decorations, but this is where we always end up, and we wouldn't eat here if it were a bad experience. This visit was on the Saturday before Christmas. After walking around a bit, it was 1:30 in the afternoon, and I thought it might not be as busy, but I immediately saw the line in front. ACK! Luckily, it was mostly only a large party that all went in together, which cleared up the line pretty quickly. We put our name on the list and were told 10-15 minutes. Five minutes later, our name was called. Once seated, everything was as expected. They took our order, which always includes the 50/50 Orange/Vanilla milkshake, and within about 10-12 minutes, we had our food. We saw the balloon guy going around making little kids happy. Now, when you come here, you expect gourmet food. The fish was probably frozen and deep-fried, which made it greasy. The burger was thin and simple. They do have thin fries, which I like. Not quite skinny fries, but thinner. Of course, the milkshake hit the spot. A meal and drinks for two people will set you back $40, but compared to other quick-service restaurants with wait staff, that's pretty good. Considering we decided to visit on probably the busiest day of the year, we have no complaints. read more

In walking distance from our home, we have been to Ruby's several time since moving here. The service has been very good, the prices are reasonable. My wife loves the avocado cheeseburger, I enjoy the old time atmosphere. Great place to just hang out while shopping or just to visit with friends. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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The ambiance is an old 50's diner. It's cute it reminds me of the diner from the movie Grease! And everyone knows I love that movie!!They have great shakes and malts which if you know anything they are gravely different. The burger was decent the bacon was thick and cooked to perfection. My son got chili fries, but chili with beans isn't really my thing, so I got just plain old regular fries. The waiters looked cute in their uniforms and the TV plays old reels of like the old ford factory and the car being made and I'm must say speed aside those cars were awesome and durable. Back to the food, I'd come back if I felt nostalgia building up. Was it the best burger no, but I didn't have that expectation either. It lived up to my expectation. read more

What a fabulous experience! It was so nice visiting this location, after all these years. It's been such great memories, and I'm so happy that this location is still around. This particular visit is a total standout, and this is why: I had the crisp green beans with 3 sauces as an app. Very flavorful and delicious! Their Chinese Chicken Salad was top notch! It tasted fresh and crunchy with the dressing so yummy. And definitely try their shakes and malts, delicious and creamy, any flavor is a hit! Just take your pick! The 1950's vibe is always a welcoming vibe when entering this joint! The customer service, always friendly, and ever so attentive! I've been coming to this location since 1991?!? And this place doesn't disappoint! Prices are fair, I think. This place is clean and well organized! Highly recommended! 5 Stars, overall!!! Thanks, Ruby's! I appreciate everyone, there! read more

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 read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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. read more

Ruby's Diner - RubyClub (turkey sandwich) with Frings - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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. read more

Ruby's Diner - Overly garlicky fries - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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! read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This place is located in southcoast plaza right across from Vox. It definitely has a very unique aesthetic. Like being transported back in time when you had those retro diners. It's a favorite haunt for the elderly folks. I came here with my parents for their breakfast service and loved it. I had the eggs benedict and it was delicious. Food came out quickly and the servers were very attentive and nice. Overall great experience and would like to come back again to try their other selections. read more

Ruby's Diner - Eggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I love this place almost every time I am in south coast plaza, I take lunch or dinner there with my wife. Healthy food, smiley helpful team there, family environment! read more

6/21/26 Went to Ruby's for Father's Day breakfast and arrived at 7:45 AM, before they opened at 8:00 AM. We were the first customers waiting at the door. As the gates opened, another group arrived, and we were seated first. The host took us to our table and seated us, and we waited for our server. We noticed the group went in without a server, so I immediately knew they were regulars. We have been coming to Ruby's since we were in high school, starting with the 17th Street location (which is no longer there) and the South Coast location. We've also been to many more locations over the years, although a lot of them are now closed. We may not be weekly regulars, but we know what we want for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The young lady said she would be there to take our drink order, and we said that was fine, thinking she just needed to seat more people and would come back to us first. More regulars arrived, and she proceeded to bring drinks to another regulars' table and asked if they needed anything else with tea or if she needed honey. My husband then flagged her down and asked if we could get our drink order in. She said, "Yes, I'm coming," obviously now forced to come to us. I asked her if regulars get their orders taken first. She said something like "No, now I can take your order," after attending to others first, even though we were there first and had two kids with us. We were not there to waste anyone's time. We knew what we wanted, but she chose to tend to her regulars first. I worked in the restaurant industry for seven years, and I understand the importance of customer service. Taking care of regular customers is important, but not at the expense of customers who arrived first and are waiting to be served. The favoritism we experienced felt disrespectful to my family. This is not how we wanted to start our Father's Day morning. We decided to not place an order and leave. read more

Don't come here unless you want to be served after all "their regulars" get served first. Regardless if you are there first and are seated first, they will IGNORE you and take out the drinks to their favorite first. They even go to the extend of knowing the drinks so when they come inside and sit, their drinks will follow within seconds. Way to be prejudice and lose customers in this manner. No wonder so many rubys are shutting down. It's only a matter of time until this one does too. read more

Ruby's Diner - Location - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

There was a time when Ruby's chili was the best in town, made with real SHREDDED BEEF, and that the meat would actually get stuck in between your gums because it was real. Today, it's a diluted mess with no flavor that's served across the board at all "restaurants", probably because it was sourced via Sysco like at all other corporate chains. So sad that "all" chain restaurants just end up this way. read more

Appreciate management at this restaurant. They care about their customers. Great food.

We enjoyed our time here and our meal was solid. I love the old school diner feel so I'm happy these Ruby's diners are still around. Our service was great, the food didn't take super long to come out and we enjoyed our meal. Whenever we are at this shopping mall we will definitely keeps this place in mind. Our milkshake and dessert was super good too. read more

I came here to say with friends, the 4 burgers we ordered were dry and did not taste good. It is sad that the cooks back of the house does not take extra care to read the notes from server. Our server was great and very attentive. The burgers not good, the quality was not like before before COVID. Your shakes and fries were good...SAD read more

Food is GREAT value! Service Wednesday morning was fantastic! Love the retro environment and 50s music on the jukebox! read more

I've been here a few times over the last year and each time my experience has been very good. So, when I was leaving Crystal Court I decided to stop by. It was about 2:00pm they were pretty busy so I decided to just sit at the counter. The waiter and supervisor was very attentive...took my order fast and checked on me often The burgers here are good and the fries are perfect. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ruby's always have a fun atmosphere to them but there's something about this one that just feels a step above the rest. It's got this great feeling of classic dinner but also upscale modern. All that with a classic American food chain. I love it! The food quality here is on par with all the other Ruby's you are going to go to. That is to say there's nothing absolutely amazing, but it hits on all the right nostalgia nodes from growing up going to Ruby's in SoCal that it's going to be a tasty meal. All food comes out fresh and tasty. I've never had anything over or undercooked nor have I had an order come out incorrectly. Portion sizes are also just right. You probably won't be bringing anything home, but you certainly are not going to walk away hungry. Wait staff here is very friendly and helpful. They're cheerful, help with suggestions, and will just help give you a happy, nice dining experience. read more

I walked here early on a weekday morning to grab breakfast while my mechanic was working on my car at his nearby shop. Even though none of the stores at South Coast Plaza were open (on the Macy's Home side), Ruby's was open and ready to serve. The interior has that typical retro Ruby's vibe but this one seemed exceptionally clean and well-decorated to fit the theme. There were hardly any customers so I was immediately told to sit wherever I wanted. My service during the course of my meal was friendly and attentive. I ordered the cinnamon roll french toast which came with a side of eggs (scrambled for me) and meat (bacon, please). I also got a cup of coffee. The coffee was standard diner coffee, good but nothing special. The eggs were okay and the bacon was thick, smokey, and delicious. The bacon was my favorite part of this breakfast. The cinnamon roll french toast looked like three, thinly cut cinnamon rolls but they just tasted like normal french toast. I could visually see the swirls of what I thought would be cinnamon but there was only the faintest of faint taste of cinnamon to discern. I even wondered at first if it was just colored to look like cinnamon swirls. Even though I was disappointed it was still very good french toast with a unique "fake cinnamon roll" presentation. read more

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To the Management at Ruby's SCP, Thank you , thank you, thank you. Last week I submitted a review about the great atmosphere, food and service (Manny) at Ruby's SCP, with one request-raise the temperature in the restaurant. Today at our weekly "Sunday lunch" at Ruby's SCP (today is was breakfast), the temperature in the restaurant was pleasant and I could tell Ruby's management adjusted the thermostat to a more comfortable temperature. Thank you for listening, and thank you for making the adjustment. The new temperature made our experience even more enjoyable. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast and look forward to returning for another great experience. Neil M. read more

The food here is delicious! We never have to wait when we come in on Sunday mornings, which is great. I love the cinnamon French toast. The servers are always so friendly too. read more

My stepfather's favorite restaurant is Ruby's Diner, so for his 80th birthday we took him to Ruby's for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Costa Mesa location was our first stop. When we arrived at 8:30 AM on a recent Monday morning, we were only the second party to be seated in the vast restaurant. The restaurant was clean and well-themed, and the booths were comfortable. Our waiter was very attentive, and my Eggs Benedict was fine. Everyone else in our party of six also enjoyed the various iterations of eggs and pancakes that they ordered. This was the best of the Ruby's we visited that day. read more

Ruby's Diner - Eggs Benedict - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Free ranch is great food dressings along with ketchup Service is friendly Ambience is adorable The burger was cooked to perfection meat taste so good and bacon so yummy I split the burger in half with my mommy she had bit it already lol for the photo but took a snap before it was finished and also the fries were cooked lightly so we got extra fries but no difference but thanks for trying anyway I recommend asking for extra crispy fries if u like yours a bit crunchy and not so soft inside but overall had a great experience nonetheless:) thanks rubys u rock read more

Ruby's Diner - Fries comes with burger it has bacon lettuce tomato cheese - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

omg ELLE you killed it! from the minute we sat down for my birthday dinner elle was on top of it. she gave great menu advice and was so fun and kind! it felt like we had another friend at the table. thank you so much elle you are the best! read more

Celeste was great. We brought two granddaughters and Celeste was patient and helpful - Thank you Celeste! And the food was excellent. West potato fries - my favorite read more

The food and service is always amazing!! Love the food especially the milkshakes! We eat here every time we stop by this location

It's always a vibe eating here it feels like a blast from the past. I love the design of the restaurant all of the art on their walls, and the uniforms the staff wear are so cute and fun. The bathrooms are nice and clean and also have a vintage vibe to them. Speaking of the staff, they are always so nice and fun to talk to. The food here is good dinner food. I love getting the fries with garlic; it's so tasty. They have amazing shakes, too. I got the strawberry one, and it was really good. I would say the food here is nicely affordable and I would return to try more items on their menu. The restaurant is located inside a mall so there's also stuff to do after like go shopping or just browse around! read more

Ruby's Diner - Strawberry Shake - Diners Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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