Ruby's Diner

Finally got to sit down and eat at this classic location right above the water. Ordered the Classic cheese burger that came with a side of fries for $14.99. Can't beat that deal especially if you're around this part of Balboa. All the restaurants are on shore so you won't get the best seats, but you can't go wrong with a hot sandwich with the cool breeze hitting your face. Watch out for the birds; they are bold enough to bother you while you're eating, waiting at a chance for those fries to slip on to the floor.

Your typical Ruby’s with that classic diner vibe. The food was great, as well as the service. We got a guacamole burger, Rubyclub, BLTA, hickory burger, and a vanilla and strawberry shake. The food was hot and crispy and the shakes were nice and cold. Service was also great. Just be sure to use the restroom before you get to the restaurant, as there isn’t one on the pier, not even a sink. Can’t wait to come back soon!

Long Standing Diner at the end of the Pier serving greasy fried food and burgers. The food is greasy and not that great for the price. We got two burgers and two cokes and paid $54 with tax and tip. That's way too much for greasy burger and fries at a diner. The view is the attraction, yet you really can't see much with the wood bars surrounding the edge of the pier and all the people either standing or walking in front of you. The pigeons are unreal as well. Very unpleasant. Service is friendly but hard to get anyone's attention when you need something. It was ok, certainly not worth $55. In addition, parking is paid. No restrooms either--you have to go to the beginning of the Pier, other end from this diner, not good. Oh well. It's a tourist trap for sure.

We just had a birthday celebration at the beach and decided to eat here since it was close and convenient. What a pleasant surprise! The Ruby burger I had was fresh and delicious. The garlic fries were hot, crispy, and flavorful. The service was extremely friendly and welcoming. Literally everyone in our group kept raving about how much they enjoyed their food. It was a beautiful and novel experience dining outside on the pier with the beautiful ocean all around us.

Ruby’s still going strong in 2025 the classic taste is still there & $14.99 for burgers & fries is a deal! Beautiful views, OG location highly recommend

Tough to beat sitting outside on a sunny day at the end of the pier, looking out over the ocean. Word of caution though, everything that adds to the charm may turn off certain folks. Seagulls, fish smell, etc. This is not fine dining, but the food is very good. Highly recommend the Asian Chicken salad and the burgers, fries and milkshakes!

Beautiful location on the end of the Balboa Pier. This is the original Ruby's location. Possibly the best malt I've ever had! Seriously. Atmosphere was incredible. If you opt to dine outside, like we did, you are surrounded by people fishing from the pier. We watched a guy catch and land (and subsequently release) a skate while we were eating. Lots if fun!

Walking along the pier, one immediately notices the laid-back yet vibrant atmosphere. Families gather to fish, couples stroll hand-in-hand, and surfers paddle out to catch waves that roll in near the shoreline. The salty breeze, the sound of gulls, and the rhythmic crash of the waves create an immersive experience that feels both calming and invigorating. The pier is particularly striking at sunset, when the sky is awash in warm tones of orange and pink, making it a prime spot for photographers and romantics alike. The surrounding Balboa Village and Fun Zone further enhance the pier’s appeal. Just a short walk away, you’ll find arcades, boat rentals, and ferry rides that connect to Balboa Island. The area buzzes with energy during the summer months, offering everything from street performers to local shops selling beach gear and handmade souvenirs. Despite the lively atmosphere, the pier itself retains a sense of calm, serving as a peaceful escape from the busier boardwalk.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Chris was so great with our service. He was very attentive with my table and offered such great healthy options. 10/10 would recommend. The vibes were immaculate, as a SoCal native this is THE SPOT!!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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?! :)

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.

It was a lovely walk to the end of the pier and back. And the reward? Great hamburgers and milkshakes as usual.

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

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.

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.

Worst seafood I've ever eaten. From the start mimosa was cheap champagne and tang. Clam chowder clams were sour. Cheap fish and shrimp. We should have had a burger. Deck was nice looking at the ocean.

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.

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.

Hair in my food. Grody. Used to have Halibut fish n chips now it's downgraded to something else just like everything else here. No ownership pride at all.

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

SCAM: Took $5 from me and didn't receive my order and didn't want to take my order after or a refund

Fries are great, fast service. Tenders were finger licking good, plus great view of the sea and beach

Rubys! Well first time at this location. I love the views and nothing beats a 50's diner and being right in the dock in the middle of the ocean area was a cool view. As you make your way down the end of the dock you'll find this small but yet friendly restaurant. Me and the misses decided to go to as she was showing me around her hometown . The service was great and they were definitely on it checking to make sure we were satisfied. It was the food that was a disappointment. She ordered the chef salad where you can tell the salad was not fresh. And my burger looked real sad lol. Idk if it's because it was cinco de mayo and they were extremely busy inside ....idk. However everything else was cool. But I been to other Rubys and this one food wise missed the mark.

Adorable shack at the end of the pier with outdoor dining and a small indoor dining area as well. Excellent service. Had the Cobb burger and it was AMAZING. Warning - no bathrooms in restaurant. If ya gotta go, go at the start of the pier before you eat :) Our view from inside the shack attached!

Great service and fresh food! Second floor is open during the summer and it's veeeery romantic and pretty. Food is good; great Cajun French fries

I walked the pier and stopped at Rubys for a drink. There was a sweet girl playing her flute at the table providing some great ambiance. The manager came out and told her to leave. That instantly put a sour feeling in my stomach. She was a customer too! Ruby's shoos away their own customers! And now they've lost another one. Smh.

Best Russian polonia infused burgers in what was once Russian territory. Putin will be given the whole west coast by Trump so Trump can say there haven't been any bears with russia

Asked for cajun fries received regular. Had to grab our own napkins, none were provided. Waitress wasn't very friendly.

Good service, crappy food. COD was mushy, food was clearly all flash frozen. Employees were nice and professional!

Casual diner right on the end of Balboa pier with some great snack options if you are hungry after the beach! Good: - Got a strawberry malt and it super hit the spot after a long day riding waves! - Fries had a large portion size and were super tasty and crispy Bad: - Slow service when you order in a group - No seating area so you need to take it to a beach! Overall a convenient place and reasonable prices too for the boardwalk.

Jacob was awesome. Best waiter. Ever. 10/10 experience someone give this man a raise for his service to us.

We were seated immediately, and the server was very attentive to us. The food was decent. We got the "fish and chips", which they call the seafood special that included shrimp as well. Clam chowder was a bit on the saltier side. Malt was so delicious and it was nice that we were able to sit outside since my cousin was not properly dressed to eat. Unfortunately, there was no where to wash our hands, although they had hand sanitizer for us to use. Please note that there are no public restrooms as well.

Located at the end of the pier, Ruby's is hard to miss as it is the only restaurant. There is a quick grab and go station where you can get fries, shakes or small items to go, but there is also indoor and outdoor seating If you're looking for a quick snack, I highly recommend the Frings (Fries and Onion Ring combo) or a shake. They have plenty of flavors for the shake and each is topped with a cherry. The fries are crispy and thin, but the onion rings are a bit small

Felt like stepping back in time! Took a stroll down the pier and had to grab some breakfast from here. There's something nostalgic about this place that reminded me of my youth--summer, carefree, teenager days at the beach, how I long for thee. Hehe Got ABC omelette and oatmeal for breakfast and it was just the perfect amount of food to share with a friend. You can't beat the views of the ocean either. The breakfast was decent, nothing too out of this world, but it wasn't bad either. If you are already there, you might as well stop in for some food. I think you'd have a good time.

Jacob is a great server!!!!! He was so attentive and really nice!!! And the food was out very fast and delicious

Stopped Here on the way for a cruise to the beach. Had a great spot on the patio. Weather was beautiful and the service was on point. Had a Chili Cheese dog that was super delish !! Strawberry Shake was on point.

If you're in the mood for a burger by the pier this is a must! I had the cheeseburger w regular fries sooo good and juicy burger! My friend had the sandwich w Cajun fries and they were so good tooo!! You have to try their milkshakes! The servers were so friendly and I really didn't wait long to be seated to the time I was already eating. And the view was so pretty I was literally eating as I watched the sunset

Second and last time, got kicked out of ruby's by a server because I didn't know how rubis work, maybe they are not paying enough and that is why the server was upset wont be back

Had lunch here. Loved being on the water to have lunch. Our waiter was awesome. Food came out quick and was good. It was somewhat of a tourist location but still enjoyable

Great food...friendly attentive service. Enjoyed a rooftop party with a beautiful sunset.

loved it here. I only got their ice cream but the location is stunning and the staff is so incredibly friendly and helpful

I did an 80th birthday party here last weekend and David was awesome, his managers were amazing, the staff was so helpful and friendly they even did a special 50s dance for the birthday girl. I was treated like a guest, they were asking me if i was hungry if i wanted a burger, if i needed a drink, bringing me trays of cocktail finger foods, calamari/egg rolls/skewered grilled shrimp - You must have your party or special event here! such a great vibe!

This place is very nostalgic to me. I love going to this place! Food is always great, service is always fast, and the workers are always polite. Totally recommend coming here!

fried calamari 3/5 service 5/5 view 5/5 no restroom 0/5 experience 5/5 water 5/5 hidden gem for sure!