I'm a few years late to the hype, but I've finally eaten at Garlic and Chives! It looks like they had a Michelin Star in 2022, 2021, and 2019. The restaurant was nearly empty for a Friday mid-afternoon, so service was very quick. The menu has a lot of items, so as a first timer here it took me a while to decide on what I wanted to get! What we got: -$7 Salmon belly roll: this dish stood out the most to me with the piping hot, glistening, crispy salmon skin. I loved the crunch when biting into the roll! The fresh veggies helped balance the flavors as well. The portion was very small though- only two rolls! -$16 Garlic noodles: delicious and garlicky, but very oily. The shrimp were big, but slightly overcooked, so they were dry. -$15 Bo ne: a childhood classic! Dip the banh mi in the egg, or layer on a bit of everything in the banh mi for a hearty bite. The steak was juicy and easy to cut. I liked the spicy links which added more flavor to the meal. Overall, I enjoyed each dish. The flavors are all very familiar with what I ate growing up. Parking is very easy as well since the restaurant is in a huge plaza. read more

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I always love coming here. Food is great and the service is as well! Highly recommend it! read more

I ordered: - the corn dried shrimp - the blood clams - garlic chives - the lotus root salad - the crispy salmon belly I came here on a Friday afternoon. It wasn't too busy, just three or four tables, and I saw how many reviews this place had and had to try it out. It seems to be very very popular and I used to be part of the Michelin guide I think one of the most popular items recommended was the crispy salmon belly and honestly that was just nothing special. The blood clams were not bad but felt a little bit too clammy for me. The salad is actually the best because it's literally just ingredients, a little bit of fried garlic, and fish sauce, but it was actually the standout dish. The corn was supposed to be on a cast iron sizzling plate that looked like the picture but it came out in a metal pot and it wasn't cooked very well. That was the most disappointing, definitely not worth it at all as an appetizer. Overall I can see why the reviews here are under four stars. It's nothing special for the price. It's a little expensive but maybe you gotta try the other dishes they have here but I think OC & Lau is probably way better since you're in the same shopping center here. read more

Garlic and Chives - Crispy salmon belly - Vietnamese Near Me - Garden Grove, California

FOOD - Mango salad: lotus root, lettuce, onions, mints, cucumbers, tomatoes, topped with mango, peanuts, and shallots. 4.5/5 - Salmon Belly: battered salmon with steamed veggies. This was probably the winner! The salmon was perfectly seasoned and cooked. 5/5 - Charbroiled Black Tiger Shrimp over Garlic Noodles: shrimp and noodles were good. The noodles were buttery and garlic-ky. 4.5/5 - Holy Crunchy Chicken Wings: 6 pieces of sweet and spicy wings. So good! 4.5/5 - Shaken Filet Mignon: seared filet mignon with onions and bell peppers over a salad. This was the most tender filet mignon I've ever had. It was melt in your mouth! 5/5. - Ong Choy with Garlic: sautéed one chop. Love the garlic and shallot pieces. 4/5 SERVICE: Fast and friendly. 4/5 FINAL THOUGHTS: I would definitely come back. Everything was good. Their menus is extensive so there's something for everyone. read more

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Came here with a few friends. Their shaken beef was good! It came with a small bowl of white rice. The beef was flavorful and tender. I also liked the garlic noodles! The shrimp was pretty good and they were large. The noodles were a bit greasy but that's a given. Service was okay. We came during lunch on a weekday. And the restaurant was not busy. read more

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So good!! Take out was quick and great portions. Owner's are super nice. Their dishes are unique and solid. read more

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I have been coming to Garlic and Chives for many years. My friend and I sat at our table for 15 minutes with no one coming to ask if we were ready to order. I finally got up, walked to the cashier/server and asked if someone could please take our order. Minutes passed, and then I waved at the server to remind her we wanted to order. We ordered one of my favorites, the Pomelo Salad. The salad was a huge disappointment. The pomelo/grapefruit was old, dry and tasteless as were the salad greens. They forgot to add the mint and peanuts. This was one of the dishes that put Garlic and Chives on the map back in 2015. Something has changed and I can no longer recommend it. read more

1. The garlic noodles was well-made, and I love the flavors of these prawns! The spring rolls were also delicious! 2. The spot has fun casual vibes! The interior is very spacious! 3. The staff was friendly and timely with our order! Everything came out in less than 15 mins! 4. There are only indoor seatings! There are lot of tables! 5. Parking is huge! Nearby parking can get crowded depending on time and day! Note: You pay at the front! Photo: Salmon Belly Rolls, Black Tiger Garlic Noodles, and Stir Fried Glass Noodles read more

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Came here for the first time during a weekday evening and there was virtually no wait. Parking outside was plentiful as well. The restaurant itself was clean and the staff seemed nice though they mostly hung out in the back and walked around from time to time. Instead of coming to our table to check on us, they kind of just walked back and forth and you would wave them down if you needed anything. I know the table next to us had issues with their food and the staff were very accommodating. They allowed her to order something else and comped the original order. I mostly ate the garlic noodles which I found to be very oily. I think that is what made it taste good but honestly, I didnt feel that great after or the next morning tbh. Lamb chops were just okay. Kinda tough at times which made it difficult to cut. They had good drinks though. I really liked the lychee slushie. It was an interesting experience but I dont think the food was it for me. I wouldn't come back to this location unless I was just passing by to pick up a drink or something. read more

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I really enjoyed my first experience at garlic and chives. Came here two time so far and both times were decent. My favorite dish is the pomelo salad. It's so refreshing! The seafood is also good there and last time we got the seafood hot pot. The most recent time, we ordered the salmon belly but I just thought they were okay. My boyfriend really enjoyed it though. I still have lots to try here but I will forever get the pomelo salad! Going to try the chicken wings and one of the clay pots next time I come here. Lots of parking spots as it shares a plaza with may other neighboring restaurants. Service is great as well. I would definitely come back. read more

Popular eatery recognized by Michelin guide in 2019. I was excited to try this place and it definitely did not disappoint! The menu was quite large and can be overwhelming but the staff there were very friendly and quick to make recommendations of their popular dishes. I ended up getting their salmon belly roll as the recommended appetizer. The flavor was great, with a nice crunch coming from the salmon skin. This was so unique and different from your usual spring rolls at other Vietnamese restaurants. For entrée I got the Charboiled Colossal Black Tiger Shrimp which comes with their garlic noodles tossed in garlic butter. This one was delicious! Buttery, garlic bomb of noodles with the right chew. I also got the Shaken Filet Mignon which was nice and tender and packed with flavor as well! I can definitely see why this place is popular and am excited to return to try their other dishes. Ambiance was nice and casual, again, with amazing service from the staff. read more

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The fried food needs a piece of wax paper or foil; should not go directly to a foam box. Dangerous! Dangerous!! Food was all good though. read more

Garlic and Chives - A burned foam box that may cause cancer!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Garden Grove, California

Very popular place for good reason! Tooth pick lamb was mouthwatering good, slightly numbing and spiced well. Pomelo salad was a surprising sleeper hit- light, refreshing, a little meaty due to the pork. Scallops had dry noodles but good flavor. Garlic noodles weren't too oily and the shrimp were nice and plump read more

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This place should NOT have gotten anything lower than 4 out of 5 stars. The food is delicious, affordable, and authentic. I came here several times and had an assortment of dishes from shrimp and beef with garlic and chives (of course), rice, noodles, and more. I also have to give them major kudos because this place serves authentic Thai Tea. They actually brew the leaves and top it off with milk. A lot of places in the area use premade Thai Tea that tasted watered down. The service was above and beyond too. The staff was so nice that they even brought me another Thai Tea when I drank all the tea without mixing in the milk, just so I could taste it the way it was meant to be. The vibe inside is very chill as well. My family and I love enjoying our meals, sharing laughs, and just taking our time. This place will always be one of my go-tos, when I am in the area.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

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Not necessarily the most authentic fusion cuisine, but they serve delicious food in an elegant setting. The best part is that they have a large private banquet room that seats 20 people, and they allow separate checks for all 20 customers without fussing. The Cerritos/Artesia Rotary Club meets here. read more

Delicious little find! Their food is unique and fresh. Service was attentive. Ambiance as well was casual yet fine. Clean as well. Draw back- no baby changing table that I noticed. read more

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My family and I came here on Friday at around 6:30PM. There was surprisingly no line, and in general the restaurant was pretty empty aside from 2 other tables. The restaurant was clean and well decorated, and the servers were nice and attentive. We also didn't have to wait too long for the food. I wanted to like this place so badly, especially because I used to hear great things about it and also saw the Michelin stars. My honest rating though? It was okay, nothing to call home about but not the worst food I've ever had. We got the bo ne, glass noodles with seafood, bun with thit nuong/shrimp/egg rolls, and the garlic noodles with beef. Bo ne (6/10): the steak wasn't hot/barely warm, and the onions and peppers were hardly cooked. The sauce was decent though and the egg was cooked well. Glass noodles (6/10): had a lot of seafood, but the overall dish was not too flavorful and my mom quickly grew bored of it. Bun thit nuong (7/10): meat was tender and flavorful, pretty standard bun thit nuong. One tiny egg roll... Garlic noodles (8/10): immensely flavorful. This seemed like the one dish that my entire family enjoyed. Meat was very tender, and the dish overall was full of umami. Only complaint was that it was super oily and it was unappetizing near the end. Also would be great with a side salad and some vinaigrette to help cut the richness. Might come again at a different time to see if it was just a bad night. The prices weren't too bad either, 4 dishes for $65 (before tax + tip). read more

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Came on a Saturday for lunch and easily found parking and were sat right away. I had high expectations since i heard they were on the Michelin guide for a few years. The 4 of us shared the following dishes: Salmon Belly Roll (5/5): my first time having a salmon spring roll, I liked it and the crunchy bits but it wasn't too special Black Tiger Shrimp Garlic Noodles (4/5): flavorful, garlicky and oily, the shrimp was plump Shaken Filet Mignon (4/5): a little bland and the beef was chewy. I liked the veggies Chicken crispy egg noodles (5/5): surprisingly was my favorite, I liked the sauce Interior is clean and spacious. It surprisingly wasn't too busy inside even though it was a weekend. Service was fast and decent. I wouldn't come back but I'm glad I got to try! read more

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Wow.... I saw the 3.8 stars but I still wanted to give this place a chance. Everything was horrendously bland. The whole fried flounder was so fishy. It smelled fishy and tasted fishy in a negative way. Only half of it was edible because there was no meat on the fish. How can they serve up something when only half of it is edible? The garlic butter noodles with shrimp was so bland I had to ask for salt. I've never asked for salt like this in a restaurant before and guess what the server gives me. A small bowl of MSG..... are you kidding me? This places use only msg to season their food. No wonder it's so bland and heavy at the same time. I could make butter noodles at home for a thousand times better. Using real salt compared to this place. Damn table salt is $1 at walmart. And the worst part of all. They filled a Kikkoman Soy Sauce bottle with damn fish sauce. Are you kidding me right now? You are too cheap to buy some plastic/glass bottles for fish sauce? I needed some salt on my noodles so I poured "soy sauce" in my noodles only to see it super watery and fishy. Really? You can't afford some damn bottles to use for fish sauce? Take michelin out your name. This is embarrassing. It clearly states on the bottle to ONLY fill with kikkoman soy sauce. So I had to eat fishy butter noodles. 3/10. Would not recommend. Everything was bland and mislabeled. read more

Garlic and Chives - Asked for salt and they gave me a small bowl of MSG. - Vietnamese Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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We ordered a Soursop smoothie and passionfruit tea, as well as their famous chicken wings, garlic prawn noodles, and thai beef salad. The drinks, chicken wings, and noodles were top tier. I would personally skip the beef salad next time, it was much too sweet for me with a lot of dressing. The server was very nice, and the restaurant was clean. read more

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I would say the food here is good and solid. I was hoping for more authentic flavor though. We had the Sweet Crispy Chicken Wings for appetizer. It was good but just too sweet. The Caramelized Catfish Claypot was interesting. It came with a side of crispy rice which complimented the two dishes. And last the Noodles with Shrimp was tasty. A generous amount. Service was fast. read more

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Stopped in on a rainy Friday only to find a Diamond in this shopping center. The nicest lady helped educate me on the different Vietnamese food options they offered, and I was very excited to find a dish I had been looking forward to try for a long time! I ordered the mini crepes (banh khot), a side of garlic noodles and the grilled shrimp. 10/10 a very filling meal that gave me lunch for the next day. The noodles were so good and so garlicky. The shrimp grilled to perfection and the Banh khot. Obsessed! Served with a spicy dipping sauce and wrapped in lettuce - the perfect appetizer( meal, or anytime of day option! I wished I were closer so I could come back more often and try more of their menu, but I'll have to come back again soon! read more

Tried garlic noodles with shrimp! It's amazing.The shrimp tasted like lobster . The price is affordable . Very good service as well read more

Garlic and Chives - Vietnamese Near Me - Garden Grove, California

One of the more popular Vietnamese eateries in the Garden Grove area. Service is very quick and the staff is polite and engaging. The garlic noodles and green beans were a favorite. The spring rolls with a crispy sliver of meat made for a crunchy bite a bit different than the usual texture of other spring rolls. It was surprisingly not busy for Sunday lunch. read more

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This place is good, but use to be better. I'd say the dishes are smaller portion and less flavorful. They do have a lot of homestyle viet dishes to enjoy. Service is always great here, the gentleman is so kind and they are quick to serve food. Lots of tables available. Feels like a small family run restaurant I'd recommend the toothpick lamb and sour fish soups read more

It had been years since I last visited Garlic & Chives. This was pre-COVID times. My friend drove up from San Diego, excited to enjoy Vietnamese food Orange County is known for. She decided here based on my recommendation. She met up with us and we carpooled here. We were promptly seated and quickly decided on our order. My friend was craving ca kho to, so she got the crispy rice with caramelized catfish in a clay pot and a side of pickled mustard greens. I ordered the honey walnut shrimp with crispy rice noodles, and my husband went with the bo luc lac (shaken beef). We shared everything family style. The ca kho to was flavorful but disappointingly small with just two pieces of catfish. They do this dish justice and reminds me of my mom's recipe. The walnut shrimp was crispy and well coated in the sauce, while the bo luc lac came with a sweet soy sauce dip, which isn't traditional. Normally it's salt & pepper with lemon. All dishes came generously topped with garlic, though oddly, no chives. All the dishes were really tasty but a little pricey. read more

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The service was good and the staff were friendly. Everyone was attentive and welcoming. The food was enjoyable and had plenty of flavor in each dish. The garlic noodles were one of my favorites. Everything came out at a good pace, and we never felt rushed. Overall it was a pleasant experience. read more

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Exceptionally amazing. We had a Kenny tour! Don't what that is, we'll I'll tell you. My son's friend Kenny asked him to take us on a tour of Vietnamese food. So he did! First round was clutch! Round two we are coming for you again! Enjoy the photos! read more

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This place used to be packed during their grand opening. The food was delicious, and the service was great. That's why people didn't mind waiting in a long line for at least 30 minutes to get in. Recently, everything was getting worse. The food was not tasted at all. The portion was much smaller, but the price went up. This place is less packed nowadays, but it takes 20 minutes to have the food to be served. Don't know whether we should go back here or not. Guess not. read more

Came on a Saturday around noon and were seated right away. Interior is clean and spacious with a good amount of seats. The 4 of us shared the salmon belly roll, shrimp garlic noodles, shaken filet mignon and chicken crispy egg noodles and we were full enough. It was my first time trying a salmon belly roll and it was pretty good, fresh and crunchy but a bit fishy. The garlic noodles were flavorful and garlicky and the shrimp was nicely plump and juicy. The shaken filet mignon was a little bland and chewy and rice was kinda dry. The crispy egg noodles were my favorite and pretty good and savory. Service was fast and checked on us often. Overall, it was decent food but I wouldn't come back. read more

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I've heard of this place in the past and was unfortunately very let down. We ordered a few different dishes and none of them were winners. The holy crunchy chicken wings had good flavor but were not crunchy at all. The viet sour soup was lacking flavor/salt. The thit kho tasted burnt and the serving portions were very small for the price. The garlic noodles were okay but again not worth $17 for 4 shrimp. The service was decent and the ambiance was nothing special. All in all I would not recommend coming back. read more

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I stumbled upon this restaurant while scrolling through Instagram, and it immediately caught my attention. It's pretty rare to find Vietnamese restaurants featured on the Michelin Guide, but this spot has earned a place on the OC Michelin Guide for several years. I've been obsessed with Vietnamese food lately so I've been making quite a few trips to the Little Saigon area and this visit did not disappoint. Garlic and Chives is tucked inside the Mall of Fortune, alongside other well-known spots like OC Lau2, Pholover, and 85°C. Unfortunately, many smaller shops in the mall have closed, so it's not as lively as it once was, but these popular restaurants and bakeries still manage to draw a crowd. As soon as we were seated and started to look the menu, the first thing I noticed was their special selection of dishes featured on the Michelin Guide in 2019, 2021, and 2022, a pretty impressive feat. I also browsed through the menu while scrolling IG for recommendations and came across the Heo Quay Porchetta with Fine Rice Vermicelli. I tried to order it, but the server called out the chef to explain that this dish requires four hours of preparation and needs to be pre-ordered. Of course, I had unknowingly chosen something that wasn't even available. What We Ordered: 1. House Special Pork Chops $16 One of their Michelin Guide dishes! The pork chops are marinated in a unique house-made sauce that's a perfect balance of salty and sweet. For my taste, it leaned a little salty, but pairing it with the white rice made every bite just right. 2. Salmon Belly Chien Gion $12 This appetizer features crispy fried salmon belly served over a bed of fresh salad. The portion isn't huge, but the fish is perfectly fried and pairs beautifully with the dipping sauce. 3. Grilled Blood Clams (So Long Nu Ong Mo Hanh) $15 Served sizzling on a hot plate, these blood clams are chewy and packed with flavor. 4. Black Tiger Garlic Noodles (Mi To I Tom Xu Nuong) $16 I've had a similar dish at Vox Kitchen before, and this version was just as good. The shrimp was plump and juicy, while the noodles had a rich garlic flavor and came in a generous portion, super satisfying. 5. Hot Tea $2 (each person) Simple, comforting, and a nice balance to the richer dishes. From the ambiance to the flavors and service, Garlic and Chives delivered a solid dining experience and I will come back and try some more. Garlic and Chives 9892 Westminster Blvd. #311, Garden Grove, CA 92844 read more

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Went here many time but forgot to review. Come for later dinner, ordered garlic noodles ( noodles a little hard not soft enough and less garlic than last time more flavorful) Service okey ( a little confused) Finally the food was okey this time only! read more

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Very good food. I love how the unique recipes and you can tell the owner's plate is very refined, adventurous, and open-minded. I enjoyed every single dish I ordered. I have to go back to try the other dishes. They are always busy and it can get crowded and hectic with locals and super efficient fast service. The servers are patient and cordial. read more

I tried Garlic and Chives while visiting the area. I went on a Friday right when they opened so there was no wait. Nice, clean restaurant. Ordered a few items but my favorite dish was the salmon rolls. It was perfectly prepared and the flavors were amazing. (Dipping sauce was excellent) Everything else was not bad but I wouldn't order those items again. Clam salad and garlic noodles with battered shrimp. Service was pretty good. Would return if I was in the area! read more

Food was not fresh, everything was overly sweet and full of MSG. Unfortunately it seems the quality has gone down from when I used to visit.

This is a famous restaurant in Little Saigon and I've wanted to try it for some time. I lived in Vietnam so I'm always on the lookout for great Vietnamese restaurants. My wife and I had lunch here and ordered the Holy Crunchy Chicken Wings (crispy fried chicken wings with sweet and spicy sauce topped with fried garlic chips); crispy rice and Carmelized Catfish served in a claypot; and House Special Garlic Butter Shrimp Tempura and Garlic Noodles. All three dishes were great! The chicken wings were indulgently crispy and crunchy; the caramelized catfish and its delicious sauce enhanced the crispy rice; and the showstopper of the lunch was the House Special Garlic Butter Shrimp Tempura and Garlic Noodles. Lots of garlic, wonderful noodles and a lot of fresh shrimp. Plus, it was a big dish and very filling. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. The decor was stylish, almost ornate (although a little worn at the edges) with a friendly ambiance of families and couples enjoying their food. I also noticed the Michelin placards on the wall and would love to see more like them in the future. read more

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Went here for the first time with friends. Got their beef soft stirred fried noodle. Not the greatest. Portion size was also small. Not sure what's the hype of this place, I assumed it's their garlicky noodle. Haven't tried, but may come back to give it another chance. read more

Garlic and Chives - Vietnamese Near Me - Garden Grove, California

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Our table of 12 ordered lots of appetizers and dishes and everything that came out of the kitchen was excellent. No complaints. The menu is huge so there's always something for everyone. read more

I've been wanting to try this restaurant. My foodie friends love it and I have to agree, the food is deliciously memorable. Very friendly with extra personal service. We went during the awards so it wasn't as busy which made our dinner leisurely. They get very busy, make a reservation. read more

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