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"Cuisine from the Heart of Vietnam," says the restaurant's motto. All I know is they have some delicious pho for a ridiculous price.
This place is a pretty straightforward pho restaurant in Garden Grove. Like most places, it's not the cleanest place, but it's good enough. The service is what you would expect at any pho place.
So why am I blogging about this place? Well first of all, it's pho, it has to be blogged about. Secondly, it's good pho. There are some bad pho places, but this place is pretty legit. The soup is very good and the contents of the pho is satisfyingly good. The portions are reasonably good and the quality of the noodles and meats are solid as well.
But why pick this place over other Garden Grove locations? If you're feeling a late night craving, not only will you get some good pho, but you'll get it at a legit price. After 11:00 PM, all pho is 50% off.
ONE HALF off. Their normal bowls are originally $5.50 and the large is $6.00. Cut those prices in half, and that's the price you get for your pho. That means, if you're making $10/hour, you could be earning 3-4 bowls of pho. Beware, however, water is NOT free; it's 50 cents for a cup of water, but just bring some along and you;ll be fine.
For pho lovers out there, this is the place to go to. It's not far off from Pho 54, and it's definitely worth it.
NOTE: There are no pictures of the location or of the pho. But look for it, try it, and love it.
Rating Scale:
Quality: 4.5
Selection: 4
Price: 6
Service: 2.5
Distance/Convenience: 3.5
Overall: 5
Final Bite: Good pho for $2.50-3.00? There is very little more that needs to be said.
Address:
14390 Brookhurst Street
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 531-4965
Almost everyone enjoys a good dose of Korean BBQ, but if you want unlimited servings, Cham Sut Gol Korean BBQ in Garden Grove is the place to go.
Cham Sut Gol is best known for its all-you-can-eat menu. It is always packed, with the wait ranging from 15-30 minutes. But it's well worth the wait for the feast you will have.
For all-you-can-eat, the price is $18.99 during dinner hours, but if you're fortunate enough to go during lunch hours during the weekdays, the price drops to $12.99, making the ideal spurge lunch for college students.
On the menu includes various cuts of meat, such as brisket, pork slices, chicken, and bulgolgi (I'm sure there's more but that's what we typically get). The quality of the meats are great, and more importantly, you can reload as many plates as you want, as long as you have the stomach for it.
To complement the meats, there are also side dishes and vegetables to balance out the tastes, such as lettuce, rice sheets, kimchi, egg soup, and others. If you're really looking for a fun night, you can order beers and soju at a reasonable price per pop. Afterwards, there are other activities around the restaurants, such as Kbars and karaoke.
The service is also very good and fast. The restaurant ensures quality service for customers, and the tables have the buttons to ring servers if you need anything. This is the best place to go to within a 20 minute drive from Irvine.
Rating Scale:
Quality: 4.5
Selection: 4
Price: 3.5-5
Service: 5
Distance/Convenience: 3.5
Overall: 4.5
Final Bite: Cham Sut Gol is the best Korean BBQ buffet close to Irvine and is worth driving to there at any time. Go during lunch and get the same delicious food for a lower price.
Address:
9252 Garden Grove Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92842
(714) 590-9292
Other than maybe pho, there is no place I go more frequently than Islands Restaurant (fine burgers & drinks) during their happy hours. This is my favorite place, for good reasons and great eating.
Firstly, Islands is located on Bison Ave. in Newport Beach, which is close to the UCI Science Library and very convenient for UCI students. It is walking or skateboarding distance, but by car it's only a one minute drive from campus. So, in terms of convenience, it is perfect for college students.
Next is the happy hour. Most places have happy hours from 4-6 pm. This is not too convenient because it is still relatively too early for dinner hour. It is also bad timing for most game times, if you're a sports lover. But for Islands, their happy hours are from 4-7 pm, which is absolutely perfect for many games that start from 5-6:30 pm. It is also a more appropriate dinner time for most people, and perfect for after work or after class.
The environment is nice too. Happy hour applies only in the bar area; there are several round tables for four people, and a bar with two plasma TVs to watch the games. Just recently a group of friends and I watched the NCAA National Championship game at Islands, but we also watch NBA games and playoff games. The service is great and the people are very nice. I've never had a complaint.
The happy hour price makes me want to stuff myself as much as I can. During happy hours, all appetizers are half off, chips and salsa are free and unlimited (add guacamole for 88 cents), $1 off drinks and wine, and $5 margaritas or mixed drinks if you're in the drinking mood at that time. If you don't buy alcohol, then it's not uncommon to get a great meal for four people for around $6-7 a person.
Things on their appetizers include buffalo wings, sliders, cheddar cheese fries, chicken fingers, quesadillas, nachos, and other appetizer options. It's not a huge selection, but you won't need it. The portions are very good, and the quality is awesome because everything is straight from the kitchen. The beer is also amazing; the beer comes from the tap and the mugs are frozen, so that combination makes the beer so cold and refreshing that there are ice foams at the top of your mug. Nothing is more satisfying than an ice cold mug of beer.
Rating Scale:
Quality: 5
Selection: 3.5
Price: 5
Service: 5
Distance/Convenience: 5
Overall Rating: 5
Final Bite: Islands' happy hour is the most the best place to go to after work or classes, and to watch a game. I don't think there is anywhere else I would go to for those occasions.
There are many Asian eateries in Irvine, but I don't find that many Thai places. The only one I really know in Irvine is Thai Spice, and it's close and convenient from where I live, so it's only place I go to.
If you're looking for a fancy authentic Asian restaurant, this is definitely not the place to go. It's very a small place with just a few tables and chairs, and the environment matches the quality of a pho place in Garden Grove. The service is pretty bad, although you don't really need it.
But if you can get past that, you'll probably enjoy the food they have to offer. I generally order curry chicken rice noodle, which is cooked with potatoes, carrots, and lettuce.
They offer rice and noodle dishes, complemented with meats from chicken to pork, beef, and even shrimp. There are also different appetizers, soups, and teas/drinks to choose from, although I don't drink tea so I don't know how they are. They do have spicy food, if that is what you're craving for. They will cook for you fresh off the grill, but if you really need a quick food run, there are choices under the lamp. Overall, it has a decent selection of food to choose from, and I think they're pretty good.
The pricing is not bad either. The main dishes range from as low as $5 and may go up to $8. If you don't buy drinks, your price range will be around $6-8, and you get a good amount of food for the price.
Rating Scale:
Quality: 3.5
Selection: 3.5
Price: 4
Service: 2
Distance/Convenience: 3
Overall: 3.5
Final Bite:
It you're looking for quick flavorful Asian food to satisfy your cravings, this is a good place to try out if you don't know where else to go to.
Address:
15455 Jeffrey Rd., Ste 315
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 857-8424
The District at Tustin Legacy, on Jamboree and Barranca, is a rapidly growing entertainment district that will eventually match the Irvine Spectrum.
There are various stores, shops, and restaurants, which surround the new AMC Theater. It is the perfect environment to plan an evening of fun, and if your plans include lunch or dinner, then Aloha Hawaiian BBQ is a good place to go to.
Aloha is a nice little venue on the side of target. The inside has a clean modern Hawaiian feel, which includes nice paintings of Hawaiian beaches. The venue is simple, but relatively welcoming.
Above the counter displays some of the items on their menu. They have different choices of beef, pork, or chicken, or you can ask for a combination. They also have appetizers, which includes spam misubi and other types of spam. There is also salads and soups to choose from. And if you're not too hungry, they have smaller portions for a lower price. Appetizers to entrees will range from $3 to $5 to as much as $7-8, and you get large portions for the price.
I get the Hawaiian mix (below) in the couple times I've been there. The mix includes chicken, beef, and Kalbi short ribs. The quality of the meat is pretty good; it's fairly moist and tender instead of dry or rubbery, and the marinated sauce is very flavorful. If you need more flavor, there is Hawaiian BBQ and teriyaki sauce to dip your food in. It also comes with rice, macaroni, and cabbage. It definitely has a lot to fill me up.
Rating:
Quality: 4.0
Selection: 4.0
Price: 4.5
Service: 4.0
Distance/convenience: 5.0
Overall: 4.0
Final Bite:
Overall this is a pretty good place to eat, especially if you're planning an evening at the District. It certainly beats your UCI Korean BBQ, so if you like that, then you'll like this place.
Address:
2336 Park Avenue
Tustin, CA 92782
(714) 258-1888
Pho is one of my most favorite foods, and for me, it is definitely worth the late night drive to any pho restaurant in Garden Grove.
I generally don't like to go to Garden Grove during the day. The drive can be time consuming, and I usually will eat something different. Many people have said the same, but the consensus is that Irvine has no good pho places.
But if I am craving pho, my favorite place in Irvine is Pho Bac Ky, right next to the Ralphs on Michelson and Jeffrey.
The pho here is a little bit more expensive, about 75 cents more than place in Garden Grove. The quantity a little less too. But I still like this place a lot because the quality of the pho and dishes are very good, and the environment is very nice. The only downside really is that it closes at 9 pm, but everything in Irvine closes then.
The venue is a pretty small place, but the place is nice and very clean. You can see photographs on the wall relating to Vietnamese culture, and the set up is very welcoming. The service is very quick; the waiters sit you down immediately and can take your order right away.
To start off, there are multiple appetizers to start off with. They have great eggrolls, and you can select four or six (my friends ate three in this picture). They also have spring rolls and other selections too.
Then for main courses, there is the pho. There is a very good selection to choose from, and you have the option to make your own bowl. You can also change from regular noodles to egg noodles if you want to cut down on carbs. The soup is very delicious and the meat is pretty good quality too. Overall, it's one of the better pho places I know, and it is definitely the best one in Irvine.
There are also various value meals and Vietnamese dishes, including different rice and vermecelli dishes, which I'll write another article on those. They also have great drinks ranging from sodas, teas, and bean drinks. And, most importantly, water is free with refills.
Rating Scale:
Quality: 4.5
Selection: 4
Price: 3.5
Service: 4
Distance/convenience: 5
Overall: 4.5
Final Bite:
I can't find any major flaws with this place. The price is decent and the distance is great for people in the Irvine Bubble. I am a regular customer there, because it is definitely the best pho place to find in Irvine.
Address:
5329 University Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 857-0856
We try to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating balanced meals and exercising, but sometimes we just need to let ourselves go and pig out. But where's a place that will let you splurge without splurging your wallet?
One place that I enjoy going to is West Coast Seafood Buffet in Hacienda Heights (address below). This place is primarily a Chinese food buffet, although they do have some American food selections as well.
The key for this place is to go during its lunch special, which I think is 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM and is only available during the weekdays. The lunch special price is only $9.99, with a good selection of sushi and other dishes. It is also the best time to eat because that's when they put out the first servings of the dishes where everything is freshest. Sodas and other drinks are not free, but I generally don't get those, and if you do, they're only $2 with refills.
The best dishes are the sushi and fish dishes. They provide sashimi cuts of salmon, tuna or white fish, along with some basic selection of sushi. They do make rolls and handrolls, but the selection is only around four or five basic rolls. The fish are pretty fresh and the rolls aren't bad either, especially for $9.99.
There is also a large variety of cooked seafood and Chinese dishes. Dishes range from simple sweet & sour chicken to various seafood dishes, such as cocktail shrimp, scallops, clams, and oysters.
But there are downsides to this place. If you live in Irvine, then it's at least a 45 minute drive to this location. At least there is a mall next to the restaurant and movie theater if you wanted to chill for a little bit, but it's best for people that live in Hacienda heights or Diamond Bar area.
Absolutely DO NOT go after the lunch special. The price jumps up to $16.99, and from what I hear, the quality is significantly lower (I'm assuming everything is frozen or sits under a lamp). Unfortunately, as college students, we don't have too much luxury to travel so far during midday on weekdays, so it's really best during breaks or holiday seasons.
Despite the variety of dishes available, I advise people to pick mostly the seafood dishes and selectively choose other dishes, in order to get the most bang for your buck. And don't have very high expectations; it is a buffet so it is pretty good for what it's worth.
Rating Scale (1 lowest - 5 highest)
Quality: 3.5
Selection: 3
Price: 4.5
Service. 3
Distance/convenience: 1.5
Overall: 3.5
Final Bite:
The point of emphasis for this place is, if you have the time, go during their lunch special, when the restaurant is serving their food at its freshest. At $9.99 for good sushi, rolls, and a variety of other dishes, you can definitely splurge until your stomach hurts without hurting your wallet.
Address:
1655 S Azusa Ave. Ste D
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
(626) 581-9893
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