Philadelphia is My Home

17
Aug

A Ruby In The Ruff

Author: Momish, Category: Dining Out, Philly Food

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Before the kid, my husband and I would constantly go to BYOB’s in the neighborhood for good food and a wonderful night out.  But those lovely, quaint BYOB’s aren’t exactly the kid friendliest places around, some of them don’t even have high chairs.  Enter the Ruby Buffet on Delaware Ave (I refuse to call it by any other name).

We try to go there at least one Friday a month.  It is very affordable and there is something available to keep everyone in our motley crew happy.  And like I said, it is kid friendly in every way imaginable.

Buffets are great for toddlers mostly due to the fact that you can immediately start shoving food at them and continue to do so the entire time.  Nothing entertains a two year old better than food. 

When my daughter is not thoroughly enthralled by the myriad of noodles dishes, veggies in every kind of sauce, deep fried goodies, fruit perfectly cut up for small fingers and desserts she dreams about nightly,  it still doesn’t matter.  With what seems like a high chair at every other table, my daughter’s meltdowns blend right in with the general noise level of the place. 

Mind you, this is no Chuck E. Cheese.  The Ruby Buffet has a warm and friendly atmosphere where you won’t walk away with a blaring headache.  Well, unless you are at our table and have helped us consume three bottles of wine.

Ah, the wine.  That is the best part about going to buffet because it is a BYOB.  So while the kids are at one end of the table doing all kinds of disgusting things to the jell-o, us adults are blissfully ignorant to their antics, lost in our own conversations as we crack open bottle after bottle of our own wine.  

Oh yeah, and they serve food there too.  I was going to get around to that eventually, trust me. 

I don’t really eat or like sushi, but our friends are crazy about it. They say the sushi is way above average for buffet style, especially for the price.  And I believe them because they devour it as if it were actually food. 

All the dishes are constantly being attended to keep them fresh and hot.  The staff is super friendly with unlimited amounts of patience (they actually smile and play with my daughter as they repeatedly clean up the mounts of debris that ends up around her high chair). 

So if you are looking for a great place to relax, unwind, drink your favorite wine and dine with variety, I highly recommend the Ruby Buffet.  However, if you cannot tolerate a dozen kids under the age of four, then consider yourself warned. 

Ditto for drunk adults.

Ruby Buffet, 1100 South Columbus Ave. (this is official stuff, so I have to put that other name).  215-468-8889

Here is the South Philly Review’s review, in case you don’t trust me.