Ruby Restaurant & Bakery

Ive really only tried their Hong Kong buns here, but honestly I think they could make a fine living selling those alone! Super yummy-​doughy-​sweet pastry. I couldn’t understand what my friend meant by it being like a custard filled doughnut without the filling, until I tried it. Soooo good & helps alleviate some of the calorie induced guilt associated with eating an actual custard-​filled something. A must-​try for Unilocalers in the downtown area!

I come here for a quick, inexpensive breakfast of jook (rice porridge) and soymilk. Both are simple and delicious!
However, I received some sad news when I last visited on Saturday. The waitress (super nice) told me they are going to close on March 15. They have some really good pastries and is one of the best bakeries in Chinatown. Where am I going to go now?!

As I grew up in Chinatown, when Ruby’s first opened this place rocked as many patrons came here for yummy pastries.
However, as the years went by the cooks/​bakers may have changed as the food tasted different so my stops here came very infrequent. Sad to say, the last day of Ruby’s was 3÷15÷2013.
I just stopped by today and noticed this spot will serve Filipino food and a bakery.

My family said their cocktail bun is better than those in Hong Kong. We come for their cocktail bun.

I always go there for the custard tarts. The custard is warm and creamy and crust very flaky. Even the rest of the buns, raisin, pineapple, and plan are fluffy and great even for sandwiches.
The rude lady doesn’t seem to be around lately, but I know who you mean.

Our aunty brought us some Pineapple Buns from Ruby Restaurant today. Help me out: Am i missing something here? Are they supposed to taste like pineapple? Or look like a pineapple? I didn’t see, smell or taste anything that remotely resembled a pineapple in these buns. I’m sticking with the Hong Kong buns.

I’ve never sat down and eaten in here, but my mom always gets something from the bakery area when she is in town. Daughter had a basketball game today so I went and ordered some hot dog in a bun, ham and egg in a bun, ham and cheese buns, coconut bun, and pineapple buns for the snacks afterwards. The lady was nice enough but kept trying to take other people’s orders while attempting to fill mine. I bought three dozen items and she didn’t even throw in a rice cake or small item for me to taste. I only say this because every time I go to Royal Kitchen, they give me an extra item. Anyway, the kids seemed to enjoy the hot dog bun, and parents enjoyed the taste of the pineapple bun (doesn’t really taste like pineapple), but I tried the ham and cheese bun, it’s very bready and yeasty. If you like that, it’s good, but if not, then it’s just okay. I just remembered that my mom gets the coconut cream type bun that looks like a long john shape. I’ll have to remember that in the future.

We just had our lunch in Ruby. It was the worst lunch we have ever had in Chinatown. When we looked at the menu, the prices seemed OK. So we ordered 4 dishes plus a few drinks. When the food came, we were all surprised at how small the portion was! We didn’t finish the food even though it was such small portion and we were hungry. The food was just not good at all! On top of that, when the check came, they charge us almost $ 100 for 4 small dishes and the drinks!!! The way overpriced the drinks (we should have asked the prices of the drinks because they were not the menu) and they added tips themselves to the bill. I would not mind paying that much for a good lunch, but the food was bad the the portion was small. We will NEVER go back there. DO NOT EAT THERE!

Ruby’s is the only place I have found custard tarts so large that they resemble small pies. They have the most amazing crust that has the perfect combination of flakiness without being dry and that melt in your mouth quality that makes these little tarts so difficult to resist. The coconut and pineapple buns are also excellent. There prices are good and everything always seems fresh. If you having lunch in Chinatown this is a great dessert stop to top off before heading back to work.

Worst service ever. Rude, charges extra for everything, actually yells at customers.

The service is soooooo sooo bad and they have such a bad attitude that there is nothing that can taste good if they are THAT rude to customers. Aside from their service, I have gotten really sick after taking food to go. My stomache was rumbling badly and feeling awful after eating their food. Even if they change their bad service, it wouldn’t make me risk getting sick again.

I was pretty indecisive so I asked the waitress to recommend something– she asked if I wanted noodles or rice, what kind of meat. She brought out a delicious dish that was just what I wanted. Crispy noodles with chicken and plenty of vegetables and tasty sauce.
The waitresses were too nice. The restaurant was clean but unassuming– not really the type of place to take a date– but great for lunch. I was a little disappointed by the desert, a generic cake, but the rest was good.

I’ve always walked by Ruby’s on my Chinatown adventures, picking up vegetables, fruits, and beading supplies. I’ve looked in, and wondered what the food was like. Sitting on Hotel St. in the heart of Chinatown seems like a daunting proposition for any Chinese restaurant in Honolulu. One day, I was starving and unwilling to go off the beaten path, so I stepped into Ruby Restaurant and Bakery to have a meal. [Note: This place is cash-​only, which restricted my spending spree.]
Charsiu Fried Rice– 3.5-stars– Prepared, it was fluffy and quite tasty. Unlike other fried rice, this has the barest necessities – green onions, peas, egg, and char siu. Of course, sometimes it’s just the quality of the oil which brings together all the flavors. Very simple, yet satisfying.
Black Bean Bitter Melon with Beef– 3.5-stars-There wasn’t a lot of beef, but honestly, I don’t eat bitter melon for the meat. It was a little more tart than I’m used to, but different cultures prepare it differently. Somehow the mixture of bitter melon and beef left the beef tasting much sweeter.
[Note: I would have given both dishes 4-​stars, but the prices were more expensive than I’m used to, probably because of it’s location. The portions were still normal-​sized.]
Ambiance– Again, in the heart of Chinatown, you get a lot of locals and tourists. Many groups came in, made loud talk or big talk, and left. A few groups actually came to sit down and eat. I was amazed that I heard one table of tourists saying they wanted this dish or that dish because it’s familiar, whereas when I look at a menu, I want to eat things I haven’t had before. The look of the place is very normal for a Chinese restaurant, with family or workers sitting preparing food on tables, or having lunch while waiting for customers.
Service– Here is where the big surprise was – I expected a place like this to have mean Chinese owners who talk loudly and talk to you like you’re stupid. To my utter surprise, they were totally kind, pleasant and even likable. I was actually greeted as a Japanese tourist, but I told them I live here. Service was easy and the food came quickly. Tea is also on the house.
Conclusion– Although from the street it doesn’t seem as appealing, especially with so many restaurants in the area, this is definitely a place to check out. As I said, the service is great, although the price of dishes is a little more than I’m used to. Cash-​only, but when you’re shopping in Chinatown, cash is usually the best way to go.

Very nice little unpretentious place. Don’t be fooled by the plain looks of this little gem. The food is authentic and freshly prepared and the friendly family service can not be beat!
My boyfriends family lives in Honolulu and whenever we visit from New York we come to Rubies several times. They even make the birthday cake for his dad each year.
I’m German and in general not used to eating a lot of Chinese food but I quite enjoy the seafood noodle soup. Wonderful broth with delicate flavors, fresh veggies and seafood and tAsty noodles.
The only reason I give only 4 stars is because the décor could use some serious updating, however both the restaurant and kitchen are spotlessly clean.
Highly recommend!

I searched all over Honolulu for a place that makes ‘Hong-​Kong’ styled plate lunches and of all the places this is my favorite because 1) it reminds me of the flavors I’ve had many times in Hong Kong 2) their menu selections are very Cantonese styled :) 3) Their service for a small place like itself is very nice. 4 stars only because a ‘bakery’ like this should have way more choices and way more selections for buns and bakery styled pastries, unfortunately they don’t. :(
But more on the plate lunches: THEY DON’T ADD SUGAR LIKE ALL THE OTHER PLACES IN HONOLULU!!! I hate hate hate hate hate the fact that everything here is made to the ‘local’ taste, but this place doesn’t!!! I am so so happy that they do not add SUGAR to all their food. So if you’re tired of eating Chinese food or Japanese food or whatever kind of food with excess sugar… because it’s made for the local people, this place is for you! They make their food authentic to the Cantonese-​Hong Kong taste :)
Definitely would recommend this hole in the wall place!