I've eaten at the restaurant when they first opened and have since gotten take out here several times as well. Staff were welcoming and efficient. Restaurant was clean and felt cozy. Definitely transported me into that retro diner feel. My personal favorite is the Vietnamese Bo kho both with pho and egg noodles. I like both. Very hearty and filling of flavor. Beef tender and seasoned well. Maybe a little less salt, but overall really good! I like to squeeze a lot of lemon to balance it out. My friend says their Coconut Basil Salmon Curry is delicious and a must try! We also like the fusion twist on Asian cuisine. read more

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We've been eyeing this Vietnamese diner for some time and finally got to try it this weekend. We visited on a Saturday morning and were the only patrons inside. Luckily, that meant the service was super attentive. The owner was super friendly and chatted with us about the origins of the diner. We love the concept -- the interior has a retro vibe reminiscent of New York. Fried chicken steak 4/5 - Juicy and lots of five spice flavor. Loved using the extra sauce to coat the eggs. The tator tots were also light and crispy. Good dish, but a little too heavy on the salt. Bun Bo Hue 3/5 - Flavorful broth but the accompaniments left much to be desired. The noodles didn't have that fresh chewiness to them and the lime was dry. We appreciated the outstanding service and cool concept of this spot! read more

District 36 Diner - Chicken fried steak - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

District 36 is a Vietnamese American diner serving up some classics with their own flare. This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. Inside, they have a modern meets retro interior with a solid amount of seating. Wifey and I stopped by with the fam for brunch and were seated right away. For their menu, they have a good amount of options to choose from. I ended up getting the Five Spice Chicken Fried Steak and wifey for the Street Grilled Rice Plate. Everything that we had was delicious! All of the staff here, including the owners, are very friendly and welcoming. Definitely stop by to check them out if you are ever in the area! read more

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Wasted my time driving all the way here. Hours on various sources say open Sundays 10-9 yet they were closed at 5:30. Not going to waste my time driving out here again. Maybe call ahead to make sure they're open. read more

District 36 Diner - Sunday hours clearly say 10-9 yet they were closed at 5:30 - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Came on a Saturday afternoon and they are out of Bun noodles. Got a rice plate instead and iced coffee. They forgot the coffee and the sauce was that goes with the rice plate. Had to remind them to bring both. They brought the sauce and the sauce tasted funky. Still waiting on the coffee. I will not come back... read more

I just came in here for a Vietnamese Coffee. Food looks great on the menu but I'm not ordering anything else today other than coffee. Their coffee was not premade. They actually mix in the ingredients. I've been to some Vietnamese restaurants were they already have their coffee premade. The interior looks very clean in there and the decorations along the wall look well put together to enhance the theme of the restaurant. Service could have been a little bit better as I felt like me just ordering a coffee to go wasn't really worth being serviced for. Maybe it was just an off day. If I come back and the service is the same then that'll be different. Nonetheless, the coffee was great and they didn't cloud the to go cup filled with ice. I feel like they only filled up a quarter of the cup with ice and the rest is coffee! PERFECT! Come check them out if you're in the area. read more

District 36 Diner - Vietnamese Coffee. Solid flavor. $4.88 total and not including tip. - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

I was excited about this diner, but it was a big disappointment. We came at lunchtime and it was empty so that should have been a red flag. We ordered the chicken fried steak and the chicken pho. I ordered the pancakes too but they were out that day... hmmm wierd. The presentation of the chicken fried steak was nice but the five spices sauce was really salty. The tater tots were overly salty as well. The best thing on the plate were the eggs over easy. My mom had the chicken pho and she couldn't finish it. She used to have her own pho restaurant before we immigrated here and she said the broth was too salty and tasted like it was made for western palates. I struck out on this one! read more

District 36 Diner - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

My new favorite dish at District 36! An absolute bomb of flavor with their chicken fried steak served with two eggs styled your way and tater tots. My preferred way is to go over easy, soak your chicken in yoke, and tater tots to complement. Calling an order over the phone was very easy, the gentlemen who picked up made sure to double check the order, and made picking up very easy. My next visit, I'll be seating down to enjoy the aroma of this incredible eatery. Check out their menu and see what calls out to you! read more

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First time I've seen a Vietnamese diner but their menu has a variety of dishes from breakfast to dinner. Inside has a good amount of seating and has a retro diner interior vibe. Came here on a weekday during a lunch break and it was not too busy. Food came out quickly and service was great. I ordered the chicken fried steak which comes topped off with a meat gravy along with crispy tater tots and 2 eggs cooked to your liking. The chicken had good flavor especially paired along with the gravy and egg yolk. Only complaint was my chicken was slightly overcooked and a bit dry for some pieces. Overall, I enjoyed the meal and would come back to try something different on the menu. read more

District 36 Diner - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Lovely place. I appreciate the retro vibe meets Vietnamese aesthetics. I ordered the Street Plate with Steamed Vietnamese Chicken, and it was super tender, I also appreciated the savory broth that came along with it. My sister happened to order the Pate Toast which was also delicious and fulfilling, the greens added a nice freshness as well. If you have the time, definitely give this place a try. Our server was also lovely and gentle as well! read more

District 36 Diner - Pate Toast - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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District 36 Diner is such a fun spot -- classic diner vibes with a delicious Vietnamese twist. The menu blends familiar comfort food with flavorful Vietnamese favorites, and everything we tried was fresh and really tasty. My kids absolutely loved it, which is always a win, and there were options that worked well for our whole family. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, making it an easy place to relax and enjoy a meal together. We'll definitely be back! read more

I was craving some diner food and District 36 Diner piqued my interest. It's a Vietnamese American fusion diner although they have a different menu for breakfast/lunch and dinner. The decor was cute and it gives off the vibes of an Asian or HK diner. I ordered the Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak which comes with two eggs any style and tater tots. The chicken was well seasoned, very tender and reminded me of a Taiwanese fried pork chop with the five spice seasoning. It was a large portion. There was even more tater tots hidden under the chicken. I left stuffed to the brim and my craving satisfied. Love to come back and try the Pho and the Bo Kho Fettuccini which is on the dinner menu. read more

District 36 Diner - Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Love the retro diner look mixed with some Vietnamese artwork. It's the first time I've come across classic diner dishes infused with Vietnamese flavors. One side of the menu has fusion items and other side has classic Vietnamese dishes. Cha Hash Bowl was excellent. It's scrambled eggs mixed with lemongrass sausage and fish sauce, which is a nice break from the traditional dish. It was served with some pickled red onions and tater tots. My wife got the OG Beef Pho with rare steak, which was pretty good. The broth was flavorful without being too salty. Menu indicates they simmer the broth for 20 hours with beef ribs, bones, and herbs. It's offered with rare steak, brisket, meatball, or tripe. My kids loved the Fluffy Pancake, which was served with blueberry compote, whip cream, and powdered sugar. It came with maple syrup on the side but didn't really need it. It was sweet enough with other ingredients. Service was a bit slow at first but our food came out fairly quickly once our order was taken. It seems understaffed at the moment because it's still new. I'm usually out here shopping at Grocery Outlet so will definitely be back here to try more of its fusion breakfast items. read more

I'm always excited to try a Vietnamese-fusion restaurant that's viral on TikTok/reels. This one just barely hit the mark for me. The restaurant was easy to find & parking was abundant. The interior was clean, nice, and decorated with a lot of retro posters. Service was friendly. I opted in for the street grilled rice plate w/ pork chop & egg quiche, but it didn't hit the same as the authentic classic Vietnamese com suon nuong dish that it is. I also shared the chicken fried steak dish with my friend and we both didn't love this dish. The chicken was mid - wasn't exactly seasoned that well but it was fried fine. The gravy and chicken didn't go together for us so we didn't finish this. The tater tots were amazing though. I'd come back to try one of their other breakfast dishes but I'd stray away from the dishes that I can get at an authentic Vietnamese place. They are new so hopefully their flavors improve over time. read more

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Was in the neighborhood and saw this new place that recently opened. Decided to give them a try. Lots of parking here. Restaurant is nice and clean. I liked the decor here. Gives you a nostalgic feeling of Vietnam. Staff was very friendly. We ordered the following items: * Street Grilled Rice Plate (Grilled Lemongrass Chicken) - it was under flavor. Couldn't taste the lemongrass at all. * OG Beef Pho - it was good and flavorful. Could use a bit more meats. * Cha Hash Bowl - it was good, but nothing amazing. Since they just recently opened, got to give them some time to improve on the flavors. Give them a try if you are in the neighborhood. read more

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My husband likes diners, and I like Vietnamese food, so it's a win-win. When we came in on a weekend night, we were warmly greeted by the owner (who we did not know was the owner until later on when we overheard him acknowledge repeating customers who seemed to be local). The decor evoked modern American diner vibes, yet with a distinctly Vietnamese touch. We found ourselves hovering over every poster as if we were in an art exhibit. As for the food, I appreciated that the menu wasn't too extensive, making it easier for me to choose what to order. And I HAD to get the pho and vermicelli. No regrets. I drank that PHO down! It was so tasty/hearty. You could tell the time and effort that went into the pho. Would like to come back for breakfast! read more

District 36 Diner - Pho - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Valentine's Day...we're not into the overpriced cards and forced romance routine. But I do know what my wife wants: a legit breakfast burrito. She's picky. Tried basically every spot in OC. The only one she loved is a little far out called LJ's, so I decided to gamble on District 36. I met the owners when they first opened, good people who know what they are doing. The next gen trailblazing the way for Little Saigon. Saw they added a breakfast burrito, so I called in a to-go order: sausage + bacon + avocado (Valentine's Day splurge ). Gamble paid off. She loved it. This isn't just another bacon-egg-cheese wrap pretending to be special. They use tater tots instead of regular potatoes, so you get crispy + soft instead of mush. The sausage is the real twist, Vietnamese style, like bún chả pork: slightly sweet, savory, garlicky, lightly caramelized. Then the surprise: pickled veggies inside. That acidity cuts the richness and balances the whole burrito so it eats lighter than a typical gut-bomb breakfast burrito. It ends up tasting like a true Viet-American diner take on a SoCal classic, comforting but aromatic, familiar and sooo goood. Nice to finally have a worthy breakfast burrito option closer to home. read more

District 36 Diner - Breakfast burrito - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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My husband discovered this place on our drive up to LA. What a gem of a place! Love the diner vibe. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. Loved my street grilled rice plate with steamed chicken. So tender and juicy. Everything on the plate worked together, textures, flavors, colors. Tasted like Mom used to make. My husband loved his 5-spice chicken fried steak. The sunny side up eggs were perfect! The spice was perfectly balanced with everything. The chicken was crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. What a fantastic concept for a fusion dish! Vietnamese coffee was lovely, not to sweet or too strong. The coconut water was refreshing and super clean. So happy we came here!! (I was SO hungry I forgot to take a picture of my dish!) read more

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I really liked the idea of a vietnamese fusion place but the flood, flavors and service were lacking. Most of the reviews of this place are by Yelpers who lack experience (no profile photos nor photos of establishments they've visited, or reviews) so the rating here is inflated. We ordered: Mama's crispy egg rolls. You only get 4 eggrolls for $9. The eggrolls were extra crispy, pretty oily, but unfortunately the protein inside lacked flavor. You were only given lettuce and shaved daikon and carrots as garnishes. No mint, basil or cilantro accompaniments (like most other vietnamese establishments) For entrees, we ordered Pho Bo Kho - the savory pho. It was average at best. The broth was lacking depth and complexity. I was disappointed at how small the portion was for $17. There are plenty of other vietnamese pho places that serve way larger bowls with a lot more meat for that price. Bun Bowl with grilled pork - the pork was delicious and surprisingly came with a hearty serving of protein, but the bowl fell flat. Just like the eggrolls - lacking a variety of fresh veggies and herbs and the fish sauce was diluted. Service was lackluster. There were only 2 other tables when we were there and he barely came to check on us. We had to wave him down for plates, water refills, and for the check. And their payment machine asks you for auto tip at 22% (SAY WHAT?!) I really wanted to like this place.... read more

District 36 Diner - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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I randomly stumble upon District 36 Diner one day while I was driving looking for a place for lunch. I like this diner so much, that I found myself eating here almost every week for lunch for the past 3 weeks. District 36 is like fusion of Vietnamese and American Diner. My favorite dish so far and a must order is the Five Spice Chicken Fried Steak. Five Spice Chicken Fried Steak- 5/5 The chicken fried steak was amazing and delicious. The seasoning of the chicken is something I've never tasted before, in a good way. The chicken was juicy and fried perfectly, Golden Brown Delicious. To me, the real star was the GRAVY, omg its delicious, I could literally lick the gravy off the plate. I need more of that gravy!! It also comes with a generous portion of Tater Tots. Mama Crispy Rolls- 5/5- If you like egg rolls, then this is a must order. The egg rolls definitely reminds me of my mom egg rolls. Great seasoning, crispy, Golden Brown Delicious approved. Fresh lettuce and pickled veggies to roll with and dip in the fish sauce. The Bun Bowl- 5/5 Huge portion and bowl! Grilled pork was delicious, I added 2 egg rolls. Man the egg rolls so good. Fresh veggies and pickled veggies was a great compliment. I was full after smashing the entire bowl, but felt healthy at the same time. read more

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If you wanted some Vietnamese pho without going into bolsa coupled with a side of Asian fusion, this is your spot. Fried chicken with lemongrass pork gravy is the way to go~ Portions aren't stingy and pricing is reasonable with great service all around. People care!! ======= Chicken pho 5/5 $14 Chicken pho was delicious! The broth was super flavorful, and the spicy habanero lime sauce added the perfect kick. Big, fresh pieces of chicken--tender and juicy. Generous portion too. I'd definitely get this again! Avo pate toast 5/5 $14ish Really tasty and super refreshing! The dill spread, greens, shallots, and tomato made it feel light but flavorful. I loved the rich pate aftertaste, and there was a lot of creamy avocado. The bread held up well while I was eating--just don't wait too long to finish it! Beef pho 5/5 $14 Great value at $14! Comes with 4 types of beef, and the broth is full of flavor--not bland or watery at all. It's tasty and really easy to enjoy. Eggrolls 4/5 Idr price We liked these! Tasty and had a nice flakey eggroll wrapper. Chicken fried steak 5/5 $17? Love the lightly pickled shallots and greens! This made every bite quite pleasant. At first, I thought the breading on the chicken could be lighter, but it stood up to the thit nuong flavored gravy. Gravy tastes like lemongrass pork cooked down in a darkened, flavorful liquid. I opted to not add additional black pepper to it and I appreciated the brightness of the lemongrass. It almost made the dish "not so heavy" despite being deep fried. Spring rolls/goi cuon $7 or $8 5/5 I enjoyed these! the way they marinated the pork belly and the plump shrimp was yummy. Hoisin went well with the rolls, didn't taste like straight up hoisin which is appreciated. Pho bo kho 5/5 $16? Solid bowl of pho bo kho! The broth was lighter and not as intensely concentrated as I'm used to, but that actually made it easier to enjoy without feeling too heavy--maybe even a bit healthier? It came with a generous portion of beef, though some pieces could've been a little more tender. Carrots were a touch overcooked, and I forgot to ask for salt, pepper, and lime which probably would've boosted the flavor even more. No tendon included, so make sure to request it if that's your thing. Overall, still a satisfying bowl. Service Stellar and personable! They come to check up on you and with the layout of the restaurant it is easy for them to see if you need something. The place just opened so it is super clean with lots of parking outside . read more

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BAMMMMMMM Very happy we stumbled in here! On our way to grocery outlet and thought to eat at 7 leaves when we saw the sign for this place and decided here instead. The inside smells soooo good it's like a bowl of pho meshed with some American dinner food scents just heavenly!! We got a spread! Pancakes, chicken fried steak, egg rolls ALL OF WHICH WERE AMAZING! The pancakes were great standard pancakes but the chicken fried steak was Vietnamese fusion with a classic American staple and MAN the sweet hints and pickled onion and deep gravy I mean this was a knock out! Oh wait the chicken was CRISP AND JUICY MY OH MY!! Will certainly be coming back and excited to try more of the menu! read more

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My husband and I visited this fusion Vietnamese restaurant with a bunch of our friends for a dinner on Thursday night. The vibe of the restaurant is pretty cool with a lot of vintage posters and retro Vietnamese art. I ordered the shrimp spring rolls and my husband got a rice plate with pork chop. The pork chop plate was delicious with tender meat that was well seasoned. The salad was very fresh and had some delicious pickled onions on top and pickled daikon and carrots. My shrimp rolls were good but could have used some cucumber inside to give it more variety. Also my sauce was supposed to be hoisin peanut- but there wasn't any peanuts. I also tried the biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were very fluffy and gravy had a lovely Asian flavor. The service was great and attentive! I would come back and try more dishes. Overall, great place with a trendy vibe. read more

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We were excited to see a new Vietnamese-fusion style diner in Fountain Valley. We ordered the broken rice plate with pork chop and the OG beef pho. Both items were pretty good. The pork chop was unfortunately extremely salty, but the rest of the plate was fine - just standard fish sauce and toppings. The OG beef pho tastes very clean, not super beefy or anything. Both my partner and I are Vietnamese and we agree that this place does the basics but we would rather just go to specialty restaurants for both dishes instead. I think there's a lot of potential to make it special. Both dishes were extremely affordable at around ~$12 each. Maybe stick to the American dishes when ordering from here. read more

District 36 Diner - Com tam (broken rice), beef pho - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

After reading the reviews, we wanted to give this place a try. We were excited about trying an Asian diner. You don't get these out in the East coast. We were immediately seated after arriving. The restaurant is small with a very homey feeling. Artist canvases with pictures of Korean delicacies can be seen on the rightmost wall, with a long booth situated both beneath the canvases and along the wall across the way. Posters depicting menu items hang on the leftmost wall and you can also see a BTS poster and a "blanket" of Jungkook's face as well. We ordered the following: Fresh Spring Rolls, which are rice paper rolls packed with vermicelli noodles, pork, shrimp and fresh greens. It's served with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce which we didn't want because daughter has peanut allergies. We were given fish sauce as a substitute. This was all right and it wasn't bad. Daughter ordered Avo Pate Toast, which came with pate spread, smashed avocado on toasted sourdough with everything bagel seasoning, dill yogurt sauce, pickled red onion, fresh cucumbers, micro greens and a sunny side up egg. The egg wasn't sunny side up, it was over medium. She said that she liked it but was disappointed that the eggs weren't sunny side up. Fluffy Pancakes, which are buttery pancakes served with compote berries, whip cream and topped with powdered sugar. I also ordered bananas with it, too. This was ok but it wasn't as fluffy as I expected to be. Vietnamese iced coffee- this was ok, it was sweet. This place was a little strange, but it could be us being from the East Coast. Daughter asked for unsweetened tea and they gave her chrysanthemum, which has sugar in it. She couldn't drink it because she has diabetes, so she ended up getting diet soda instead. This place doesn't have anything unsweetened. Service was friendly and quick, though. There's plenty of parking outside. I'm glad that we got a chance to try this place! read more

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I visited again after their opening. The food is even better than the first time! I loved the pho bo kho. It's the perfect dish for someone looking for warm and hearty pho, but crave something a little more flavorful and complex. They also did a perfect job of fusing Vietnamese flavors with their chicken fried steak! The seasonings and herbs are perfect. As always, their service was quick and everyone in the store is exceptionally friendly! read more

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Pho Special - 4 proteins Score 5/5 Reminded me of home made pho. Portions 5/5 Served a generous amount of rice noodle. The broth is well balanced as there doesn't appear to be MSG used. The filet was very tender and it reminded me of pho "BAC" style. The tripe is seriously really good as mentioned from a fellow yelper. The ambiance is pretty casual and the service is adequate. read more

District 36 Diner - Pho house special - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Have you ever woken up on a Saturday morning and tried to decide between Vietnamese food for breakfast and somewhere that'll serve American food? If you've debated what you wanted for breakfast, then definitely come here. Really enjoyed the fusion Vietnamese menu and also some "pure" Vietnamese dishes. If you're going with friends, suggest to do a family style so you get a bit of this and that. We got the following: -Pate Avocado Toast (5/5) - comes with egg. The cornerstone of an American breakfast, with a Vietnamese twist. Basic, but in a good way. -Five Spice Chicken Fried Steak - (5/5) - very filling, crunchy, leans more towards an American meal. I didn't get the notes of five spice and it tasted like a really good chicken fried steak. - Noodle Bowl - (4/5) - not as strong as some Vietnamese restaurants, probably because the noodles were a little bit more cooked and the meat wasn't as plentiful, but still great. Can't wait to come back for breakfast or even dinner. Staff were nice, efficient and food came out quickly. Restaurant is pretty cute with the booths and diner feel. read more

I planned to actually eat at the new Momonoki restaurant next door during my lunch break, but it was not opened at the time I was there. I arrived about 15 minutes too early. So I went next door to this restaurant. I have heard great things about this place through social media and I was excited to learn that it was in that same very plaza I was in. I intended to dine in, but ended up having to get my food to go because it took a little bit longer than I thought for the food to get to me. The workers were so nice and packed my order to go for me without giving me any trouble for changing my mind. For the brief time I was there while I waited for my order, I was drawn to the art pieces lining up the walls. They definitely a lot of color to the place. I ordered the breakfast burrito with the Vietnamese sausage. I ate half of it and gave the other half away and was told that it was the best breakfast burrito he has ever had. I agree that it was indeed a very good breakfast burrito. Those tater tots, salsa, and sausages were so good. The burrito itself didn't have a lot of ingredients, but it packed great flavors. read more

Delicious food, friendly service, unique ambiance. Highly recommend the egg rolls. You won't be disappointed. Will be back soon!

The food here was AMAZING, the place was also super aesthetic for photos. It was genuinely an authentic taste to the food; however, we were waiting awhile to get service and once we got the food she forgot our dessert. If we didn't mention it before we left we would've paid extra for basically no reason. Overall 3/5 with the experience but I believe this truly could be a hidden gem with some more training and marketing! read more

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Vietnamese breakfast diner with amazing ambience, great prices, and solid food 5 spice chicken fried steak w/ gravy - so unique and yummy. they do a Vietnamese take on a country fried steak where it was crispy & well seasoned Never had something like it, will def recommend Breakfast burrito - solid tortilla doesn't break and I got the Vietnamese sausage. It's not lap xuong, it's more like the pork patty in bun cha Pancakes - just good pancakes, not burnt and satisfying if you still want an American diner hit read more

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First time trying this place. The burrito had just the right amount of Vietnamese flavor and was not overpowering or excessively salty. The cheese added a nice flavor and texture to complete the burrito. There were also some pickled onions inside and in their salsa. The salsa was not very spicy but had good flavor. I look forward trying more of their menu items in the future. The food came out quickly and the service was friendly. The decor was interesting and there are a lot of tables inside. The kitchen has an open feel and I enjoyed hearing the sounds of the food cooking. The thing I will add is for a diner that has a good selection on menu items they open at 10 currently which is a little late for breakfast on most days. I would be there more often if they opened early like a typical diner. read more

These breakfast burritos are insanely good. I ordered take out over the phone and they were very fast. Can't wait to try the rest of the menu! read more

Decided to visit District 36 Diner on a Friday night for dinner. We came in without any assumptions and lured by our interest in Vietnamese - American Diner fusion. The restaurant was clean and decore has great pictures to stir laughter and conversation. Service was friendly and pleasant. When asked, we received good, thoughtful recommendations that we appreciated. For dinner we ordered: * Mamma's Crispy Rolls * Pho Beef (three proteins) * Cha Hash Bowl The crispy rolls were delicious, super crispy, and fresh. They had a delicious flavor. The egg roll sauce was yummy. I typically like mine a little less sweet, but this was yummy. The beef Pho was a highlight. The broth was so rich, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. I have had some pho that was too salty, but this was perfect! This was really really good. The cha hash bowl was essentially a breakfast scramble of eggs and lemon grass sausage. I was unsure what to expect but the flavor was delicious. The sausage was delicious with hints of lemon grass aroma. I think the scramble also has bell peppers and onions. Again, perfectly seasoned. Not too salty, great flavor and the side of tater tots were perfectly cooked and crunch. Overall, we enjoyed the food. Would recommend people come with an open mind to try something new. Hove the pho a try because I thought it was delicious. read more

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I haven't had Vietnamese food for breakfast before and this was a great way to start the day. The smell of pho, lemongrass, and spices fills the restaurant. We were seated quickly in a nice booth and our food came out almost as fast! The service was great, food was very flavorful, and will def come back again to try the pho. read more

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I really like this fusion spot! They had open tables New Year's Day so the fam went in for a quick brunch. We tried a bit of everything, but I'd really come back for the breakfast burrito, chicken fried steak and their pate avocado toast. Their fusion dishes are more subtle and I think they do a good job of blending western and Vietnamese cuisine. Check them out! read more

What if Captain America fought in the Vietnam War? That's the thought that kept going through my mind when I walked through the doors of District 36 Diner. Located in the renovated strip mall home to the old MAX Karaoke Studio and the relatively new Artisan 7 Leaves & Crema Bakery collaboration, District 36 is also a collab of sorts... imagine Disneyland's Main Street USA meets Republic of Vietnam-era Saigon. Bizarre right? Now hold your horses and don't let the decor distract you! While the clever and aesthetic mix of South Vietnam, Beat Generation Americana, and even Foreign Concession-era 1930s Shanghai is already anachronistic, the music is straight out of Captain America: The First Avenger. Look, I like Artie Shaw's rendition of "Begin the Beguine" as much as the next guy, but from a historical perspective there's just something that defies belief that keeps me from fully enjoying the idea of an old school American diner that serves Vietnamese food. Ok so the premise may be a little fan fiction... but what about the food? Historical accuracy aside, the folks behind District 36 certainly have imagination: this alternate reality actually kinda works from a culinary perspective! I got Mama's Crispy Rolls ($8.99) and the Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak ($18.99), 2 of their most popular items on the menu. Mama's Crispy Rolls were a solid rendition of classic-style Vietnamese fried egg rolls: 4 rolls to an order served with some of the most aesthetic leaves of lettuce I've seen outside of David Chang's Majordomo. The Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak was truly novel: a Chicken Katsu-style breaded chicken filet served with tater tots, steamed rice (which I substituted in place of eggs), and a distinctive five-spice savory smoky gravy that tasted familiar to my palate but definitely something I've never had before. While the soundtrack and decor of this place may be jarring from a history nerd's perspective, the food is honestly fun and inventive... most importantly, it's tasty! Even their Vietnamese Iced Coffee ($4.49) is above average, which says a lot in Orange County: silky smooth with just enough kick. Which side would Steve Rogers have fought on back when it was France versus the Việt Minh? Would Captain America have gone to battle for South Vietnam against North Vietnam? Such questions are too profound to consider for a Yelp review, but definitely something to ponder while you're eating at District 36. read more

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Decided to try this place out after seeing it on Instagram and I'm so glad we did! It's got that old school diner vibe when you walk in which was super cool but the quality of the food was even better! We got the spring rolls, bun and pho. Everything came out pretty quick and tasted very homemade. The servers were really nice also. Definitely will come back when I'm in the area! read more

District 36 Diner - American Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Super cute retro but modern Vietnamese diner! The pop art posters and comfy booth seats compliment each other very well! Super tender beef in the bo kho and flavorful pork in the street grilled plate. Just wish there a bit more of the other ingredients in the pho bo kho because it felt a little noodle heavy tbh. The egg rolls were not bad but passable. My friend liked the flavor of the chicken fried steak along with its crispiness. The fluffy pancakes with compote berries and whipped cream was a surprising yet tasty and nice addition. I did notice that the pancakes came with bananas even though it wasn't specified on the menu so that's something the business definitely needs to update for those with food allergies (speaking as someone who has family members with such). Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would definitely go back! read more

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