Ruby’s Diner

Summer has arrived and it’s time for my customary chocolate-banana-p’nut butter shake…
‘And it seems everyone else had the same idea!
Summer is here! -
I also ordered a Double Deluxe Burger with Cajun Fries… I suggest come for the view, order a shake but when it comes to the food, your call. (Shrugs)
The Double Deluxe Burger was nothing special, it was just alright. (The lettuce & tomato were fresh.) The Cajun Fries were just your basic fries doused with «Cajun» seasoning.
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Double Deluxe Burger w/​Cajun Fries ($ 9.99)
Chocolate-banana-p’nut butter shake ($ 5.49)
Total: $ 16.72 (+ tip)
Call me sentimental or simply, just mental. Either way, after the privately owned, «Shake Shack» was bought out by Ruby’s Diner, it’s basically been pimped out with assembly line, produced burgers & fries ever since… I tip my hat to the small business owners, the mom & pop shops competing in todays market against the machine.
Ruby’s offers a limited menu, burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs & fries. They also offer adult beverages as well, wine and beer, a big plus.
Note: This Ruby’s does not offer holiday specials like the other locations. (i.e. — Memorial Day promos, National Burger Day, etc.)
Ruby used to offer great Tri-​tip Sliders on the menu, served with a horseradish sauce that was awesome and paired perfectly. (It would be nice to see the sliders make a comeback, they were good.)
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I’ve never been to the Shake Shack prior to Ruby’s acquisition but my good friend, JT, said it was a chill, nothing fancy kinda place to stop in for a mid-​week break from the hustle and bustle of the race, take a moment, and breath. JT & I used to stop by about once every two weeks, talk story and catch up. I would’ve enjoyed seeing The Shack in all its imperfect splendor but things change and progress steps in.
It’s a great view but your on PCH, there’s a great view all along the coast. The food, your standard burger fare. The service was okay so-​so, completely understandable with 15 – 20 people waiting in line. The original place was known for its shakes and Ruby’s does a pretty good job @ that.
Pre-Ruby’s, The Shake Shack had been featured on the Food Network and became widely known for their «Date Shake.» (No, it’s not an extra large shake that has a special crazy straw that two sweethearts can share while drinking & holding hands, it’s literally made with dates.) I am very happy to see that with all the changes, the Date Shake has remained on the menu. Now, before you rush over and order one, buyer beware, it is definitely different. If you like dates, great! It’s sweet and texture wise, gritty… ‘Very gritty. The first time I had one, all I could think of was sand as I looked out over the horizon @ the ocean and beachgoers below us. If you do happen to make the trip, the Date Shake is at least worth a try just for the sake of. Also, shakes are only offered in one size with one price, $ 5.49, no sample sized options. (Hey, you’re not @ COSTCO.) So, be prepared to waste $ 6 on a shake that you may or may not like. Your on vacation, f*k it… You spend that much on your grande latté.
Being that summer is just warming up, no pun intended, expect to find long @ss lines and no parking. Parking is limited, extremely limited. Do not be surprised if you pull into the little driveway of a lot only to continue driving right the hell out and right back on onto PCH. (True story) As a local, been there, done that, and there’s a good damn chance I’ll be doing it again. It’s a bit of a crap shoot, especially in the summer with tourists a plenty. If this happens to you, don’t go away mad, just go away… ‘And try again. Ruby’s now closes @ 9pm, before it really didn’t have a set closing time, it just said, «10am — Sunset.» (Or sooner if business was dead.) Personally, I kinda dug the sunset closing time concept.
Some people can get pretty pissy about the whole parking ordeal, to them I say, «Hahaha!» Your going to a burger stand that overlooks the ocean to relax, so do just that… ‘And relax. If you’re going to get worked up over a parking spot, you need something stronger than a banana shake. Maybe it’s time for your therapist to up your Prozac dosage. It’s like playing parking roulette, spin that wheel, and have a go at it! However, if you’re not the gambling sort, you may want to try and arrive early, definitely NOT around lunch time. Especially in the summer, sunset gets pretty crowded and weekends, «Fah’get about it…» As the ol’ saying goes, «Good luck!»
Bottomline — Alright food, good shakes & a spectacular view!
— Big Aloha!
Food: 3 (Standard)
Ambiance: 4
Service: 3 (Flat)
Value: 5 (A helluva view!)

View is amazing and shakes are incredible. Parking sucks! Limited parking spots and no street parking. Be prepared to wait in line to park average of 15 minutes or more. Got a burger and fries with my Oreo shake. Burger selection is 2 only 2 to choose from and it’s just okay. Fries are also just okay. Worth it to go once for the view and definitely get a shake.

Been coming here for years, back before Ruby’s bought it. It was Crystal Cove Shake Shack back then (around 2001 and earlier). Great spot to hang out and have lunch or dinner, overlooking the beach. Props to Ruby’s for keeping some of the popular old shakes on the menu. Weekends get very busy, with cars lining up on PCH waiting for a parking spot. It can take 15 or 20 minutes just to park sometimes.

Great view. Right over crystal cove on highway 1. Milkshakes, root beer floats and burgers. Just a stairway away from the crystal cove beach.

Was at Crystal Cove Beach and needed to have lunch so went here and did not regret it one bit. The food was a lot better than I was expecting it to be, the service was very good, and the food came out very fast! Good portions too. We got 1 Seared Ahi Sandwich with fries, 3 Double Deluxe Beef Burgers with fries, and a cookie dough milk shake. Enjoyed it all and left not one crumb in our food baskets. Definite recommend coming here for some good food close to the beach.

They have the best real ice cream shakes and root beer floats. Great place for hot dog or hamburger on highway 1. Close to crystal cove. Good food quick and great view

This Ruby’s is right off of PCH. It’s fairly similar menu-​wise to the Ruby’s Diners that you see in malls and around Orange County, but since it’s really a shake «shack,» it only has about half of the menu as other Ruby’s places.
One odd thing is that there really is not enough parking to fit the amount of customers. There’s a line of cars that form just to park, off the side of the highway. I would recommend carpooling, taking an über, or parking 5 – 10 minutes away and walking to avoid spending 30+ minutes waiting to park in front.
The food itself is good, although it’s overpriced since you’re paying to enjoy sitting outside and having the view of the coast and the pier. Burgers are around $ 10, hot dogs $ 8, and they don’t have the bottomless fries that most Ruby’s places do. If you just want something small, you can also ask to have a shake split in two! Plus, both cups come with whipped cream and your own cherry.
I would suggest just coming for dessert or a snack rather than a full meal. I’ve only been on a weekend, but I would guess that it’s less crowded on a weekday. Thus, if you want a place outside overlooking the beach, I would probably recommend coming here, but it’s not show-​stopping food or anything.

This place is not only amazing for their food but also for their breathtaking view! Your traditional burger and fries place with an abundance of milkshake options. They also have ahi and vegetarian options. Make sure to grab a seat overlooking the ocean. Definatly a spot to check out when you at crystal cove.

Ruby’s Shake Shack is the best Ruby’s I’ve been to thus far. One the best cheeseburgers I’ve had in a long time, so simple but so delicious. Great view, easy to get to and just plain fun.

Tasty food and a wonderful view. Seared ahi burger is my favorite! Free parking, but on weekends it takes time to get a spot. Also you are allowed to bring your dog there! I

I was amazed with the quality of the food. very good. I came with my wife Anna and Cake My daughter Anna flavya and my son Gabriel and they loved’ll return more often

Cutest spot ever! Just remember to «divide and conquer» …someone save seats, while the others order :) Great shakes, burgers, fries and sandwiches here, and you can order extra grilled onions… super good! In the evening you can order a glass of wine or beer and watch the sunset.
Enjoy!

Great view and good food too!!! Will definitely be back!
I love coming to the Ruby’s Shake Shack. It’s a great spot for a snack and even a meal. If you are coming on the weekends, be prepared to wait in a line for parking. Their parking lot is always packed, but it moves relatively quick. You could park a little down the street and walk since the view is so nice. But, if you’re not feeling a walk just wait and you’ll get a spot within 10 minutes. Free parking by the way which is nice.
Once you get there, they have a relatively large menu — shakes (one size) with so many flavors. strawberry, banana, chocolate chip, oreo, cookie dough, date, chocolate and more. You can also mix the flavors too. I got the cookie dough and oreo shake and it was great! The one size they have for the shakes is also the perfect size, and it comes with whipped cream and a cherry. They have burgers, grilled cheese, ahi burgers, hot dogs, french fries — bring the whole family! There’s choices that everyone will like.
The food came out quickly for how busy they were on a Sunday afternoon. It took maybe 10 minutes to get our shakes and fries. There were open spots looking over the ocean and coast. You can’t beat the view they have! The shakes are a little pricey at about $ 6.25 including tax but I think it’s worth it for the view and how good they are.
I would definitely come back here, probably during the week so it’s not as busy. Also, take a jacket or blanket as there’s a breeze and it gets cold.

This place is pretty cool — off the little cliff overlooking the beach, tough to get to this place due to the limited parking, but you can park at Crystal Cove, pay $ 15 for parking, and hike to this place. The view is spectacular!

Visited here for lunch on a weekday. Was hoping for Ruby’s delicious chicken strips. They didn’t have any, not even on the kids menu. I wanted to try two different smaller shakes so I was going to get two of the kids size– but they don’t have kids size. All shakes come in one size.
I ended up with an oreo shake and no food.

Who can beat a burger on the beach? This place is a great coastal fast food joint off the PCH. History tells us this was privately owned before, and was recently picked up by Ruby’s.
I haven’t been to too many Ruby’s, so I’m unsure if the menu is related to that or not. But it’s your basic classic american fare… burgers, sandwiches, fries, chili fries, shakes… it all sounds pretty good.
I wasn’t that hungry so I just had fries and a shake. The side of fries is meant to be shared (I guess that’s why its $ 3.99) They have a cajun option too… but the regular fries were great. Fresh, hot, and crispy shoestring fries. If I really had to put a rating on the taste, i’d put it right behind Micky D’s…where the Clown’s fries are my favorite.
Strawberry shake was awesome too, thick, cold and sweet.
Overall, I like this place, and if I was cruising the area, i’d definitely stop in and grab a bite for lunch. This is out of my general vicinity though, and probably not a place I’d say «Hey lets go to,» on a random day. Probably a place worth taking out-​of-​town friends/​family though, as the coastline is something to celebrate here in Southern California!

Welcoming November with shakes from Ruby’s is what this mommy allowed her two youngest to have this morning… oh well I’m blaming it on the time change, but the smiles and the joy the delicious, creamy, sweet, and oh so so good shakes provided to my babies more than made up for the time oopsie… not to forget the gorgeous ocean views that we were able to enjoy with our shakes from Ruby’s patio. The shakes were perfectly made and were really good and not super sweet.
The place is not too big and you can miss it in the blink of an eye if you’re not paying attention. The place also has little parking, so either you’re lucky like us a score a spot or you may have to pay at the adjacent lots. I know it’s not summer, because in the summertime it gets extremely packed in here, but today we were able to enjoy a breakfast treat without the hassle of finding a parking spot.
Service was great, the patio was clean, and the views wow, who can pass up a shake and amazing views.

What a small hidden gem. Blink and you’ll miss it!
We just had the shakes but have to give this place 5 stars! Holy awesome shake batman!
The banana shake is the best in the world.
The view is breathtaking.
What are you waiting for!

Absolutely beautiful place to eat. I recommend the Oreo shake!
If you’re not a fan of the sand (like me), then this is the perfect place to eat! I love the beach, but I hate the sand because it gets EVERYWHERE.
I’ve been here once before to grab a burger and fries with my roommates. The food was good, but if you aren’t hungry then I definitely recommend grabbing either the cajun fries for a snack or a malt/​shake.
**TIP: Be prepared to wait for parking. Especially on the weekends.

Ruby’s took over this original Crystal Cove roadside Date Shake Shack several years ago. Ruby’s only makes date shakes at one location and this is it, the date shake just happens to be our usual order here. They have a large menu of other shakes and malts and a smaller food menu as well, but I’ve never ordered the food so can’t comment on it. One shake is large and filling and enough to split between two people and they split it upon request. On our most recent visit this past weekend our shakes were not mixed correctly and were overly sweet, our shakes had clumps of date paste which were not mixed in properly which is not the norm here (we have made dozens of visits over the years).
Fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean make this spot a winner but patience is a virtue as parking is limited and you may have to wait for a spot to open up especially during the busy summer months. Entrance to their driveway is one way only enter and exit from PCH south bound lanes only.