By George Brown V

As San Francisco residents are lured toward Ocean Beach to stroll along the Great Highway and enjoy the refreshing breeze, many find themselves stumbling upon a conspicuous, green building standing at the corner of Judah Street and 48th Avenue.

Situated just a block from the ocean, Ruby’s, which opened late last year, is offering Mexican-inspired dishes. The restaurant has become widely known in the Outer Sunset neighborhood as a family-friendly, welcoming establishment with an eclectic taco menu that includes classic staples – like carnitas and fish – in addition to more unique offerings, like a smash burger taco.

Ruby’s is owned by San Francisco couple, Nick and Monique Osborne, who have three children: Joe, Charlie and their youngest, 3-year-old Ruby. Nick has lived in the City for most of his life, growing up near Stonestown Mall. The Osbornes said they love going to the beach, which is what inspired them to open Ruby’s at this location.

“We wanted to find a way to spend more time at the beach,” Nick said. “My favorite part about having Ruby’s here is being so close to the beach. Also, there is a lot of foot traffic here, while others get out of the train at our front door. We want to attract as many people as possible.”

Alongside tacos, Ruby’s offers salads, a poke bowl and a hearty fisherman’s stew. The Osbornes intend to add flatbreads to the menu in the near future, as they are currently finalizing their recipes. They also plan on implementing specials that will rotate on a daily basis. With a wide variety of tacos to choose from, Nick recommends that customers try their signature carnitas taco, which he considers to be their best dish.

Ruby’s has seen a mix of people so far in the few months that it has been open.

“We’re still sort of learning, but we see people from different walks of life, with lots of kids and lots of families,” Nick said.

Customer Jason Gonzales said he learned about Ruby’s through word of mouth in the local neighborhood. He decided he had to try it out for himself when he read a great review online.

“This place looks really nice and has a really good menu,” Gonzales said. “The staff was very helpful when I had questions.” Gonzales ended up deciding on the ribeye and smashburger taco.

First-timers Kurt McCulloch and Charmaine Curtis, from the Inner Sunset and Forest Hill neighborhoods, selected the rainbow salad along with prawn and carnitas tacos.

“This is a really nice space, and the food exceeded my expectations,” Curtis said after taking her first bite.

Sacha Mezynski has been working at Ruby’s since it opened, greeting customers with a warm smile.

“I love the neighborhood and working with the other staff,” Mezynski said. “They’re all very fun and friendly, and it’s rewarding to see guests come back all the time.”

A repeat patron, Michelle Wong, who lives just up the block, brought along companion Jen Wong (no relation), who traveled all the way from Novato to try out Ruby’s after reading about it on Yelp. The pair ordered the fish, carnitas and shrimp tacos with a side of chips, salsa and guacamole.

“This place has fresh ingredients, and really nice people welcomed us at the counter,” Jen said. “The neighborhood vibe is great.”

While Ruby’s initially saw a slower start with an opening date in the winter, it has seen an increase in traffic as the spring season is bringing warmer weather. The Osbornes said they are always looking to continue to appeal to new and old customers to keep their young business thriving. Filled with ambition, they said they are happy to bring fresh energy into the neighborhood.

Ruby is not only their youngest daughter’s name, but also Monique Osborne’s middle name.

“My wife had this idea, and she and Ruby are always positive and in a good mood,” Nick said. “That’s the type of reputation and energy we want to have here at the restaurant.”

Ruby’s, located at 4300 Judah St., is open Wednesdays to Fridays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Learn more at rubyssf.com.