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    Ruby's Diner

    3.7 (513 reviews)
    ModerateDiners, Burgers, American
    Open 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Ruby's Diner Photos

    RUBY'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - Ruby's Diner

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    Reviews With Photos

    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.

    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.

    Location

    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.

    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.

    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

    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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    8 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Okay food American style to be exact. Service is good at the location but it's simply a better Dennys.

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

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

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    Page 3 of 13

    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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    Dick Church's

    Dick Church's

    4.1
    (688 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    I grew up going to Dick Church's - whether that was after hitting dawn patrol at Blackie's or…read morepost-church services - my family has seen meals under multiple owners. I recently went back after many, many years away and I have to say that the current owners have done a fantastic job of keeping what was always special about the place while updating some of the less-than-stellar things that existed. I think the scaled down menu really does the place justice - because you can still get a Dick's Scramble, but they've kept the menu minimal so everything feels intentional and tastes delicious. It's still diner food, but that's exactly why you're here. The coffee is strong and hot, the eggs are fluffy, and the service is friendly and fantastic. Love the old photos of Costa Mesa everywhere and the outdoor seating for families with pets. Dick's is a staple of CM, and you can tell it will continue to be with this great for years to come. And yeah, still highly recommend the Dick's Scramble.

    We mostly go for breakfast and the food has always been great. However, we were just there for…read moreFather's Day and as expected, it was packed. But come to find out after an hour later, the girl who seats you forgot about us. After being seated, it took another hour for the food to come out. Keep in mind, we ordered everything right when we sat down because we were watching the tables as we were waiting for ours. One thing we observed was how the front door worker was seating people. Party of 4 was seated with three tables. There was room to move the tables apart and seat others who had been waiting but that didn't happen. We came here for Mother's Day and it was packed but service was quick. Not sure what went wrong on staff for Father's Day but it was not pleasant.

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    Dick Church's
    Dick Church's
    French Toast Combo

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    French Toast Combo
    OEB Breakfast - Newport Beach

    OEB Breakfast - Newport Beach

    4.5
    (803 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    It's not very often that I say this but I'm going to say it now. I may have had one of the top…read moredining experiences of my life. And it came from a breakfast joint, which is super rare in and of itself. Having lived in Southern California for many many years, I thought I had seen and experienced just about everything in the way of good places to eat. As I was driving around looking for some breakfast, I stumbled across oeb breakfast. And I am so glad I did. For starters, when you walk through the door, the place is bright and Cherry and has just the right amount of whimsy. It's neatly laid out and everything is in full view. It only took a moment my server to come get me at the front and direct me to a table. Let's talk about the service. Having been in the food service industry, I know what it takes to have a great dining experience. Caesar, who was my waiter, took care of me in a level that I have not seen in a very long time. Personable, gracious, accommodating, and helpful are just a few of the words I would use to describe my experience being served by him. I asked for coffee and water and within moments it arrived on my table. Side note, the coffee is off the chain! It is a brand called Umbria and it is amazing. After scanning the menu, I opted for the beef bulldogi Benedict with the beef Tallow fries. I asked for the fries extra crispy, and ask for my milk to be served with breakfast. If you've read any of my Yelp reviews on breakfast places, you know that that is one of my litmus tests for the accuracy of the order. If I have to ask for my milk after the meal's been delivered, they're not doing their job. Not that I'm picky, for me. It is just a way to determine how good of a listener the server actually is. It didn't take long at all for the food to be delivered. The presentation was absolutely amazing, as we eat with our eyes. First, I have to say that the way the food was plated was definitely a work of art. Once the food was dropped off half of me was going. I wonder if they will remember... And before I could finish my thought Caesar showed back up with the milk. Home run! The food itself was absolutely wonderful, I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a breakfast as much as this one. All the flavors were there, it was perfectly balanced, and was just a pleasant dining experience overall. Bragging on Caesar again, as I was sitting there, the restaurant started to get very busy, he handled himself with such Grace and poise and didn't let the mounting tension frazzle him. Again, I wish this place was in my hometown so I could come here more often, but you can bet that I will be back here multiple times. Bottom line? There aren't many places that I would tell friends they definitely absolutely had to go to. But oeb breakfast is now on the top of the list for me to recommend to my friends.

    Came in on a busy Mother's Day morning. Service was really friendly, but our server forgot to give…read moreus more chocolate milk after giving us only 1/4 of a cup worth and charging us half off for it. (Did not take a picture of it) Korean Bulgogi Benedict: 7/10 Some parts of the meat wasn't fully marinated from what I tasted. Some of my bites of the meat were flavorful. A little weird to have 2 pieces of spinach as a garnish. Never seen that before. Potatoes were really good. Can't go wrong with those. Short Rib bowl: 8/10 everything in that bowl were amazing together. Banana Cream Pie French Toast: 4/10 this was a miss for me. Nothing amazing about it. The custard part was off for me. Maybe if it was more of a banana pudding, it would be better with the cream. Didn't really taste like a banana cream pie. Green Machine: 10/10! So good and refreshing Chocolate Milk: needed more chocolate. They gave us a cup with it 1/4 filled because they ran out of milk since it was so busy and never came back with more. I didn't want to bother them and ask them about it, but checked the bill and they only charged us half for it... so we just paid for it and left it as is.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Belgian Waffle
    Belgian Waffle
    Smoked Pastrami Benedict

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    Smoked Pastrami Benedict
    Pancakes R Us

    Pancakes R Us

    3.8
    (856 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    Having lived in Southern California for a very long time, I had seen Pancakes R Us when they were…read morelocated down the street on 17th. The place they are currently residing in used to be one of those belt driven sushi bars, but now it's pancakes. Which could have been fun with a belt drive system. But I digress. I had never eaten at this restaurant, but had always wanted to so today seemed like the perfect day to do so. Parking is definitely a little bit limited. I can imagine when it gets busy that it's tough to find parking, but I got here early enough in the morning so I was able to find it. If I'm being completely honest, the inside feels like an upscale IHOP. With a modern twist. The booths are nice and comfy, and the syrups are on full display much like IHOP. Wait staff was friendly and attentive, so I ordered the steak Skillet which came with a 7 oz steak, two eggs, potatoes with peppers, mushrooms and cheese, as well as half a biscuit and two buttermilk pancakes. I was very impressed with the steak, I'll be it a little bit tough, it was still a good size steak and very tasty. The skillet potatoes were amazing and the pancakes were very good. My only complaint about the service was I had to ask for my milk two times. Again, it wasn't that busy to wear. It would be easy to forget, but I will slide them some gray so, give them four stars instead of three. Bottom line? The food was delicious. I would definitely come here again. If you happen to be in Costa Mesa and you are craving some good pancakes, this place should definitely be on your list!

    My husband and I have been coming here for the past 14 years (in their old location) and now bring…read moreour children here when we are in the area. We live in San Clemente, but always make time to get over to Pancakes R Us. We love the delicious food, big portions, and expansive menu. 9/10 times we visit, Noemi is our waitress. She is always so sweet and takes the best care of us. She makes the experience even better. Some of our menu favorites: Meat lovers omelette Biscuits and gravy Hash browns (so crispy and flavorful!) Buttermilk Pancakes (with HOT syrup!) Nut and grain pancakes The gluten free pancakes are also delicious!

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    Menu cover
    Menu cover
    Pancakes R Us
    Pancakes R Us

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    Plums Cafe

    Plums Cafe

    4.1
    (3.5k reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    I stopped by Plums Cafe after work and was pleasantly surprised by my breakfast. The restaurant was…read morebustling and indoor and outdoor seating was filled with hungry patrons. The wait to sit wasn't too long. If you were interested, they do to-go orders too. For breakfast, I got the eggs and meat order with overeasy eggs and sausage. The sausage was my favorite part of the meal. The texture reminded me of Filipino longanisa and the actual taste of the sausage was so good!! I ordered hashbrowns instead of potatoes but was given potatoes. My server was so sweet about the mix-up. Next time I'm back, I'd like to try out the Dutch baby pancake with a side of sausage of course.

    Our group visited Plums Cafe early in the morning, so it wasn't too busy when we went. All the food…read moresounded so good that we had trouble deciding even with the help of Yelp pictures. We knew for sure we would be getting the Dutch baby to share, but it was the separate entrees we couldn't decide on. Our waitress was super patient while we went through the menu. Boysenberry, Bacon, and Brie Grilled Cheese - If you like boysenberry, this dish will not disappoint you. It was extremely generous with boysenberry jam on it. So much that I actually removed some to try with the Dutch baby. This works very well if you can do sweet and savory flavors together as the bacon brings out a bit of saltiness. Vietnamese Pork and Egg Bowl - My cousin ordered this so I only got a small bite. The pork was so soft and tender. I love grilled pork too, so this tasted amazing. Dutch Baby - We tried a bite of it plain. We like things more on the lighter side, so we were okay with how little sweetness it had. Then we squeezed lemon over it and added powdered sugar like our server recommended and man the lemon was the magic. It's like biting into two completely different things. As plain, it's like a soft and super thing pancake. With the lemon? It really brought out a strong citrus flavor complemented by something fluffy and light.

    Photos
    Plums patio area
    Plums patio area
    Omelette
    Omelette
    Hazelnut iced latte

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    Hazelnut iced latte
    Galley Cafe

    Galley Cafe

    4.1
    (495 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    This diner is a neighborhood gem in the Newport Beach area. There's no reservations but do not be…read morediscouraged by the line you might see. It tends to go by fast and the experience is worth every second of the wait. The tight but family-style feeling of the interior makes you feel as if you're being served a home cooked meal. The waiting staff during my visit (Gabriella, Adrienne, and Ally) were attentive and work as team so feel free to grab anyone's attention if you need anything. Stop by if you're in the area!

    5 Stars! Such a gem. If you like the old school 1950's era diners and vibe this is your spot!…read more Whats so amazing is they have the OLD FASHION SODA FOUNTAINS and OG OG method of making Coke like they did in the 1950's diners, which taste million times better than stuff they make today. We had a delicious omelet with all the fixings and it was so good! Hash browns and sour dough toast and delicious coffee! They also make the old fashioned milkshakes as well we had strawberry which was incredible. They also play 1950's music which makes you feel like Marty McFly trapped in 1955 trying to make his dorky dad ask his thirsty mom out to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance so they kiss and Marty can save his entire family from even being born before time traveling back to 1985. A couple of things to note this place is primarily a breakfast place so it closes early at 2pm. Also the bathroom is outside and around the corner. We'll definitely be coming back a lot to one of our new favorite places!

    Photos
    Galley Cafe
    Lox cream cheese tomato red onion capers on an everything bagel
    Lox cream cheese tomato red onion capers on an everything bagel
    Out front

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    Out front

    Ruby's Diner - diners - Updated June 2026

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