Ruby Foo's: Fun Asian Food for the Family in Times Square!
Written: Aug 11 '03 (Updated Jul 08 '05)
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Pros: Good food, funky decor, good service, children's menu.
Cons: Can be crowded with long waits.
The Bottom Line: A fun restaurant in the heart of Times Square.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Ruby Foo's |
I have eaten at Ruby Foo's twice. The first time I ate with business associates and I wasn't even aware children were in the restaurant. The second time I ate at Ruby Foo's, I brought my kids and we all had a wonderful time.
THE FOOD
The food is very, very good. The menu leans toward Chinese but there are many other Asian choices as well including sushi. Many dishes are served as appetizers and the restaurant encourages you to share. The appetizers generally include familiar dim sum dishes. We had spring rolls that were very tasty. For dinner, I ordered green curry coconut chicken. It was mildly spicy and very, very good. The adult portions are pretty big, I couldn't finish my meal. Entrees hover around $12-15.
Try to save room for dessert. The desserts are sinful and very large. We had "dessert sushi" on one visit. The "sushi" was bits of candy and sweet things arranged to look like fish and rice. It actually looked a lot like the real thing and tasted good too.
DECOR
I really like the decor in Ruby Foo's. The design is essentially Chinese with some other Asian touches. The restaurant is dark. Mah jongg tiles decorate the bar. Some walls are black with gold decorations, others have red lacquer and there is a giant gold Buddha on one wall.
SEATING
The restaurant is very large. The seating is mostly tables rather than booths. The restaurant is arranged on several levels so it feels more intimate. The tables are fairly close together. There are a few booths and some additional seating at a sushi bar.
SERVICE
The service is really terrific. The waiter showed up promptly, gave us advice on the menu and delivered food on time. We got our check when we needed it and he was friendly with the kids.
KID FRIENDLINESS
This is a great place to take kids. There are high chairs and booster seats. The hostess gave our kids crayons and pictures of Power Rangers to color. There is a separate kid's menu with dishes around $5. The fare ranges from a weird peanut butter and jelly roll-up to chicken fingers to scaled down adult dishes. My 7 year old got chicken teriyaki over udon noodles. I think it was the best thing she had ever eaten. Between bites she kept muttering "Awesome" and "Amazing." I really liked that they offered some more sophisticated dishes for children so they weren't limited to grilled cheese and hot dogs.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY
I don't think Ruby Foo's would be a great place for a wheelchair. The restaurant is on several levels and the restrooms are down a flight of stairs in the basement. I didn't see an elevator. The tables are close enough together to make maneuvering difficult. However, the staff was very welcoming and I am sure they would do what they could to make it work.
LOCATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Ruby Foo's is right in the heart of Times Square. The address is: 1626 Broadway, NY, NY, 10019. The phone number is: (212) 489-5600. There is no free parking nearby but plenty of cabs and public transportation.
OTHER INFORMATION
Both times I have eaten at this restaurant, I have waited 30-40 minutes for a table. They don't mind if you spend the time walking around Times Square. They take credit cards and have a liquor license.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
This is a great restaurant both for families and adults dining without kids. The food is good, prices reasonable for NYC, nice decor and the service is good. What more could you want?
MY MINI-GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY
Things to Do:
The Metropolitan Museum
Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty
Places to Eat:
Lucky Cheng’s has Chinese food for adults.
Pipa is next to Manhattan Mecca ABC Carpet & Home.
Starlight Diner is where singing servers bring your burgers.
Rue 57 fuses French and Japanese cuisine in Midtown.
Places to Stay:
The Roosevelt Hotel
The Hudson
The W on Lexington
Sheraton Manhattan
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
Broadway:
TKTS sells half-price tickets to Broadway shows.
Rent is an unusual Broadway rock musical legend.
Gypsy is Broadway at its best.
Wicked is a prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Everthing we had was great!
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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modernmarvel
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