Came here while taking a walk on the pier, I realized the kids hadn't been to a pier located Ruby's as they're becoming less and less common. Food: Pretty much the same as I remember. I was disappointed that the shakes came in paper cups rather than the glass and metal overflow container like they did when I was young, but I guess that's life. Service: Friendly and efficient, they were on top of things and checked up on us regularly. Ambiance: Not quite what I remember, but it's still nice to sit up on the upper deck area and watch the afternoon with some food and a shake, so close enough. :) read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

My brother and I were taking a stroll on Balboa Pier and decided to stop by Ruby's since it's located right on the end of the pier. The location alone makes it worth checking out! The vintage diner aesthetic is so cute and definitely photo-op approved if you're looking for some fun pictures. One thing that surprised me was how small the indoor dining area is. There is more seating outside, which is nice if you want to enjoy the ocean views, but don't expect a large restaurant. Also, just something to keep in mind--they don't have restrooms available. I ordered the chocolate shake, and it was honestly so good--definitely my favorite part of the meal. We also shared a side of fries, which were fresh and tasty. Overall, I'd say Ruby's is more of a casual "grab a bite while you're exploring the pier" kind of spot rather than a place for a long sit-down dinner. If you're visiting Balboa Pier and want a quick meal, a delicious shake, and a fun vintage atmosphere, I'd definitely recommend stopping by! read more

See all

I've been going to Ruby's Diner since 1984. It has been my hands-down favorite burger. I went yesterday with my family (June 2026). First thing I noticed was that the classic uniforms are gone. "What's the big deal?" you ask. Just keep reading. It used to be that you'd walk in and listen to Benny Goodman swing band music blasting while being served by someone wearing a bow tie and cap. Pure Americana. Now it's a kid in a black t-shirt while listening to oldies. The food is still good . . . but there's a difference between good and great. Ruby's USED to be great. Malted shakes used to be served in a tall metal container and an extra glass. Now it's a small paper cup with a plastic lid. Burgers are now un-seasoned and served with American slices of cheese . . . yes, the same kind served at McDonald's. We had to ask for cheddar. Ultimately, if you want the classic experience and over-the-top food, you will need to go to one of the other remaining Ruby's Diners. It was heart-breaking to go to the Newport Beach location - especially after seeing the closing of the original BJ's Pizza. There go my memories of youth! read more

Under new management and things are good. A couple months ago when we were dining in, a couple came in about 10 minutes before 8pm (closing) and were turned away by the supervisor on duty. Then last month a family came a few minutes before 8pm and were welcomed and seated. This week (we come almost weekly) it was busy but there were still tables available. I got the Apple, Pecan, Blue Cheese salad. This came with almost an entire head of lettuce. It was huge. But besides the toppings, it was just a whole bunch of lettuce. I wouldn't order this again. My other item is one I've had before and I absolutely recommend. The Turkey Breast Sandwich with cranberry sauce, lettuce, tomato and mayo. It's so good and comes in a soft French roll. A little taste of Thanksgiving. Service was swift and friendly. Our guy was learning a new ordering system but he did just fine. Brought my husband extra cocktail sauce for his fried shrimp. Extra salad dressing and ranch for my onion rings. read more

See all

I think this place was pretty good! The downside is when it's sunny, it's so hot and the umbrellas do nothing.. also no restroom so you have to just use hand sanitizer or walk down the pier to the public restrooms. We had to wait a bit to be seated since it was sort of busy and once we sat down it did get quite busy given it was right around lunch time. We ordered what we thought was the photo of the calamari fries but they were big slices of calamari which were actually decently good. Also got chili cheese fries, a burger, and the Chinese chicken salad. One of the servers was really running everywhere, she helped so much more than the server who originally took our order. The cheeseburger was actually really good, juicy still and pretty tasty and the fries were still crispy. The chili cheese fries were my favorite! Love the cheese melting and chili was meat and no beans, I can taste the spices. The salad was good and we asked for ranch since my parents didn't like the dressing it came with, but the chicken was too dry. Overall good place to eat and enjoy the pier with people fishing and gutting bait for more fish... the only thing I didn't like was the amount of seagulls being attracted by the fish bait... read more

See all

We couldn't pass up eating at the original Ruby's Diner located at the end of the Balboa Pier. We walked up to the windows and the cashier asked if we wanted to order take out or dine in. We wanted to enjoy the views and chose to dine in. The hostess stand is located to the rear of the take out window. We chose to sit on the upstairs patio. Most of the tables have umbrellas and beautiful views. We remembered how delicious the shakes were back in the day and had to order a Strawberry Shake.The Strawberry Shake was just as delicious as we remembered. We tried the Hickory Burger which included onion rings, bacon and BBQ sauce. Overall, the burger didn't taste like it was freshly made. Everything tasted cold and the bacon was not crispy. It all just seemed overly priced at $30 for a cold burger, fries, and a shake. I did find it odd that everything was served on paper plates and paper cups with plastic utensils. The tables could have also been cleaned better. My chair was filled with crumbs. Service was good and pretty fast, but the overall experience was just not like we remembered. read more

See all

I love this place for the nostalgia and the views but the quality of the food is mediocre at best, especially given the price point. If you're looking for ice cream, a shake, fries, onion rings, or anything fried, definitely give it a go but the meat on the burgers is low quality. It bums me out because I remember when Ruby's was the place to go for a burger at the beach. The staff was friendly and attentive, the walk up order side was closed at the time so we had to go in to order. Sauces are .50¢ each if you want a side of ranch or anything so make sure to order them with your meal and not as an afterthought. read more

See all

A nostalgic location on the pier! There aren't too many rubys left that are located on the pier, so I had to come here for the SoCal vibes. We ordered fries for the table and got shakes, which was perfect for summer. The chocolate chip cookie dough shake was filled with chips and very yummy. The fries could have been better, but I can't complain because we came here more for the coastal views. They have a takeout window at the front, and indoor and outdoor pier seating in the back. They close pretty early, but it was the perfect time to view the sunset. Our servers were super friendly and treated us well! read more

Ruby's Diner - Basket of fries - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Kept it simple got a hickory hamburger with upgrade of cajin fries! Food was delicious and services was fast. Only down side is the restroom is at the end of the pier but hey we're at the end of a pier LOL read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

When we go to the pier to go fishing, Ruby's is a must to grab some shakes and fries. We have not gone to this location to eat the burgers. The shakes are made really well. Today we had an Oreo shake and a Reese's and butterfinger shake. Not one person had a complaint! I also ordered the Cajun fries and they were delicious. They were cooked and seasoned well. This is a great place to go and just relax and enjoy the ocean views! read more

Do you love historical places? Well I learned this is the original Rubys. Kinda awesome right? Now this place has some good and bad things about it. It is located at the end of the pier. Personally I love that because it's is super nice to dine on the pier. They have a very small indoor restaurant with only 5-6 tables and a larger outdoor dining area. On a nice day, the outside area is wonderful. The inside can feel cramped because it is so small. A weird thing about this rubys is that they only have paper plates and cups. There are not reusable or real plates. It's been awhile since I've been to rubys and I am not sure if this is something at all the locations. Overall the prices are not bad, the service is good. Definitely a great spot to have dinner. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

The food was delicious. I had the fish and chips. The fish batter was cooked perfectly and was crispy. I also thought the Cole slaw, tartar and cocktail sauce were tasty. I'm not sure if they're made in house. I sat outside and had a nice view of the ocean but beware of the birds. They are fierce and do not go away. read more

Ruby's Diner - Fish and chips - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

flies everywher, iced tea tasted like butt, mushy rotten strawberries in the pink lemonade

we came here late at night and were served immediately. i got the hickory burger and it was tasty! it was a little tall and hard to eat but the bbq was yummy. i also upgraded to the garlic fries and i highly recommend! very yummy! i would say average typical diner food read more

Ruby's Diner - hickory burger - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

love coming to this ruby's for the socal vibes! sunset at the pier is always a beautiful moment and so great when paired with fries and a shake :) though the fries were average, i did enjoy my orange shake! i was a little disappointed that they didnt bring us the leftovers in the metal container (if anyone remembers that) service was great! they were very warm and friendly read more

Ruby's Diner - Fries basket - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

All staff were friendly and inviting. The serve time was super fast and the vanilla/double chocolate chip milkshakes were the perfect cold treats on a sunny day at Newport Beach. read more

See all

Management is money hungry. The actual staff has been kind. I consider ourselves to be regulars because Ruby's has been a hyperfixation and routine part of my special needs brother's swing trips to the beach. The prices are fairly more expensive than other Rubys we've been to, and the lack of restroom access (have to use the ones on the beach on the other side of the pier) has made it difficult and challenging but we come for the views and convenience. There were multiple instances where we were charged $2 up charge instead of $1 for a fries upgrade that I never spoke up about and paid for it. Their cheeseburger is on a sweet bread and is not very good -- we prefer the gluten free bread if anything. Sometimes chicken tenders come out overcooked, milkshakes are pretty good. There's no signage stating no refills for takeout orders and in fact they charge the same amount for a soda (which FYI their large is a 12-16 oz at best) and half a cup of ice when I asked for no more ice to be added to what was in the cup. The male short "manager" on site at 5/10 6pm said at best he would give half a cup of soda (which he did because the other half is ice) solely because I bought the soda on the other end of the window vs inside (all my brother wanted today was the soda). Given my brother has special needs and can't control his desires at times -- this was extremely unfair especially as loyal regulars who have spent well over $50-$60 each visit inside and tipping well over 20%. The wait staff and host had recognized us each time and each time we do our best to be good guests. This is not how you treat people especially those who have different abilities. And if that is your policy then you should charge less for takeout drinks and charge the prices reflected on your menu. Your menu should also list how many ounces your beverages. Shame on you Rubys. There's no benefit withholding a refill from a special needs boy. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

This diner had good food, quick and friendly service, reasonable prices, and a nice view of the water. We had a positive experience at this location. read more

Ruby's Diner - Avocado burger & fries - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

Great service, the BEST view of the ocean and sunsets seated in a retro diner at the end of Balboa Pier! Big servings must get the fries and onion rings "frings" read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

This could have been 5 stars but the server must have forgotten that she was working since she took forever to greet us, take our order, & then disappeared. We eventually had to go in & ask 3 other people to help us pay but they insisted it had to be her so we had to wait for her to come back from what looked like a break! Management needs to get involved when someone wants to pay if no one else is allowed to help! Ridiculous. Other than that, it was lovely to sit out back off the water & the food was pretty good. read more

This is the original Ruby's that started it all, and we've enjoyed dining at many of them. Unfortunately, covid was devastating to them, and we have lost favorites of ours in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Oceanside, etc. Fortunately, we still have this one, one nearby on the Coast Highway in Corona Del Mar, and their Tustin location. The setting and views of this one is second to none. A quarter mile from the shore on Balboa Pier allows views up and down the coast. To the north is Newport Pier 2 miles away. To the south are the coastal hills and the world famous body surfing beach known as the Wedge. read more

See all

Trying to eat here on vacation, order to go. Walk up to the order window and there's a sign that says order window closed, please order inside. Go inside, they tell us to go to the order window. Go back to the order window. They tell us to go inside.Back n forth we went three times and then just walked away. No one knows what's going on. Sooo read more

This place is a local staple! We love walking down the pier to this location whether it's to dine in on their outside patio and watch people fishing or the sunset or picking up shakes to go on a hot beach day. I love that when we're spending a day at the beach, my kids can run up there themselves and get a treat and food or we can all go as a family. This is one of our favorite places to visit when we are wanting a quick bite to eat with a fun atmosphere. Staff is always friendly and service is quick. read more

A classic restaurant located at the end of Balboa Pier. The best place to relax with a cool drink or light food in front of the beautiful sea. Friendly and fast service makes me feel better Sometimes seagulls come near us to try to steal our food.. ~~~ A great place to relieve stress and recharge while looking out over the ocean read more

See all

Perfect location. Storefront is like old school diner and rather tide considering they are in the end of a ~900 foot pier. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive even though we were on the patio on a windy and chilly day. Food was tasty. We got chili, clam chowder and a veggie based burger. The highlight for me were the onion rings. Perfectly cooked. Again, this location is so California for me. Even the birds were polite, they didn't bother us one bit but were there just in case you had a spare crumb to share which we did not because I was brought up being told not to feed wildlife table scraps. We'd for sure go back but maybe when it's warmer than 55 degrees?! :) read more

See all

Excellent breakfast and service! Our server went out of his way to make our dining experience at Ruby's nothing short of perfect. It was so great we stopped by again the following morning. read more

See all

This was the third of three Ruby's Diners that I ate at in one day to celebrate my stepfather's 80th birthday. Despite what should have been a fabulous location at the end of the pier, this one was the most disappointing. At first we thought it was closed, but thankfully some people told us it was open so we entered and were shown to a table. It was a bummer that we were there after sunset, since we couldn't see much except the fishermen close by. The food wasn't very good. My very plain side salad was practically drenched in dressing, and they actually served soft serve ice cream in the sundaes we treated ourselves to for dessert, so it was very melted by the time we got it. The service was very good, so that was nice. Perhaps this is better when the sun is out, but set your expectations low for the food. read more

See all

We love Ruby's! Especially this super special original location. We try to come in multiple times whenever we are in the area for a week or a month's time. The employees are fantastic! They are warm and friendly (even in inclement weather). They are so sweet to our children. They absolutely remember them even though I would not say we are technically regulars since our primary residence is currently out of state. I have been so impressed each and every visit. They always go out of their ways to ensure the kids have a great and memorable experience! This time they even gave the kids mini Mustang cobras to build out of cardboard & stickers with which they could decorate them. Thanks Ruby's for the fun and the positive vibes/great memories in the making. We truly love you guys (Melissa, Adrian, Victor & all the rest), and will continue to patronize this location every chance we get. read more

See all

Great food, service, and location. We were visiting the pier area and I stumbled across this restaurant at the end of the pier. I stopped to order some food, then realized there was a full restaurant. So I grabbed a seat outside looking over the ocean. The server was excellent! All the food was good and it came out very quick. Food for 5 people wasn't overpriced either. Another place I'd recommend coming to if you're on the beach or near the pier. read more

See all

Sitting on Laguna Beach and hungry. Three burgers, club sammy, choccy shake, kids grilled cheese, salad, chili cheese fries. "Good burger!" from the burger lover. Everything was really good and fresh. Team working at restaurant fast and friendly. We walked ours back to the beach, but plenty of seating inside and out if that's the vibe. read more

My son & I wanted a bite to eat on Sat-2/1 @5:12pm. Food is very basic/generic. I asked about the chili & clam chowder - they're from a can You're definitely paying for the view & not the quality of the food. ‼VERY IMPORTANT‼They do not offer any restroom facilities!! You have to use the public restroom at the front of the pier BEFORE walking to the restaurant. On a better note; The service was very friendly & attentive. read more

Ruby's Diner - Receipt for chicken strip dinner & Oreo milkshake - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

Wow that burger was way better than i thought it would be. I got just the regular Ruby's burger and added raw onions with a side of fries. The onions were a bit overpowering at one point but i would rather have onions in my burger than not have onions. I also got the cookies and cream milkshake and that was surprisingly way better than i thought it would be too. I've had plenty of cookies and cream shakes but this one might actually be my favorite. Only downside was all the pigeons but i guess that's to be expected with the great view. Service was very good too! Also some guy fell off a chair inside (oops). read more

Ruby's Diner - Burger and fries - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

Great fish and chips and tuna melt! Super friendly and fast service. Lots of choices for kids menu.

Food was good. Service was great nice and friendly people. Balboa pier is always cool and as far as ambiance goes your at the beech. Cool stop for some breakfast and just enjoy your surroundings and people watch!! lol read more

Ruby's Diner - Breakfast. Big breakfast is no joke. 3 eggs 2 sausages 2 bacon and a slab of ham.. I was happy. - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Great diner to come eat for breakfast after the!!! Very quick and respectful service from our server (a Hispanic man) Definitely will be back anytime when in Newport! read more

Came here for the first time a few weeks ago on a whim because I don't visit the beach much, the ambiance is nice and the food was yummy, I overheard someone order fish and chips so I decided to go with that and the quality was good. I loved the strawberry lemonade it was great. The only thing that severely lacked was service. I came in and stood around for 10 minutes and waited for the black haired girl to help me but she was smacking gum and on her phone by the counter, when I asked for a menu she just told me where it was and nothing else. I assumed she was on a break or something but then another customer walked in and she attended him immediately. I was pretty annoyed with that but I think the woman manager noticed me and finally took my order. She was great and had a warm energy so it made my experience better. I'd say that my experience here would've been great if it wasn't for the first girl because she seemed aloof and lazy. read more

Ruby's Diner - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

See all

Had breakfast the other morning and really enjoyed it. The dish I had was called The Really Big Breakfast. It lived up to its name! My eggs were scrambled perfectly. Came with just about everything. My wife had the pancakes bout could only eat one of them before becoming full. It's a great location on the end of the pier. Our waiter was really nice. We would recommend read more

Food is amazing, view is breathtaking and service is incredible! Boats and birds, ocean views for days! Best onion rings, chicken tenders were the best we've had! Burgers were mouthwatering! read more

Ruby's Diner - Rubys with a VIEW - Diners Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Good food, good service nice family atmosphere. Servers are super kind. We had 2 adult meals and a kids meal all were good! Love the ice cream! read more

Obviously the location is awesome! Nothing beats eating on a pier. There is a walk up window you can order at or you can do full sit down service inside, outside, or in the roof. The portion sizes were good and all the food was typical Ruby's flavor. Everything was great, the only downfall really is there is no bathroom there. I totally get it - you're on a pier. It just sucks when you have to walk your toddler to the restroom at the other end of the pier midway through your meal. Something to keep in mind read more

See all