I came here about twice for lunch while at school across the little Watson bridge. On a budget my friend Ashely H suggested we grab a quick, cheap bite over here while raving about their garlic sauce they use in their sandwiches. I got the combo deal that comes with a drink, salad and 5 inch sandwich (I chose the Chicken Divan & italian dressing) My first experience was alright I guess, I mean yes, the garlic sauce was good in my sandwich, but to me it wasn't amazing and mind-blowing. I have to give them props for supplying little things of sriracha with their sandwiches as the juxtaposition of the rich, creamy garlic sauce contrasts nicely with the spicy sriracha that kind of cuts through the richness. (You like my diction? Yea that's UCI education for ya! jk) Smart thinking Le Diplomate! I opted for the salad rather than getting a bag of chips to be somewhat healthy after I figured the garlic sauce might be calorie loaded... the salad was whatevs, a generic garden salad, but a salad nonetheless. My last visit here I ordered the Banh Mi with Pate. So I've been on this total banh mi with pate rage right now. Whenever I go to SGV to hang out with my friends I have to resist the temptation of going to Banh Mi Che Cali and ordering the buy two get one free deal. Anyhoo, so I realize that Lee's Sandwich is RIGHT there if I want banh mi, but I wasn't in the mood for Lee's quality and their hard ass bread to cut up the roof of my mouth. In conclusion, my banh mi experience was alright I suppose. Did the job of satisfying my hunger, but I can't say it satisfied my craving. I think I went to Banh Mi Che Cali that following weekend... :P Le Diplomate isn't gross nor is it terrible, but to me I think it's been somewhat hyped up. I guess I'll have to come here again to either confirm or reject my notion. I just don't know what's so amazing about this place like everyone else seems to believe? read more

There comes a moment in a student's life when they are to try Le Dip... For me, my sister dragged my little sister and me to try this place out. And since then, I have held a special place in my heart and stomach for this place. I absolutely love the combination of the garlic spread, chicken, and artichokes. Not to mention, it's not extremely salty or anything, so you don't go running for water all the time. When the sandwich comes out, it's hot and fresh. The ingredients are fresh, the bread is homemade and everything is well balanced. These people know what they're doing (another bread joint just two minutes away should take lessons from these guys). To shorten this review, I love Le Diplomate Cafe, the sandwiches are of top notch quality with everything a hungry college student can ever ask for. read more

La Dip is the best thing could have happened to the neighborhood. Perfect sandwiches that one never gets tired off. I have been always getting chicken/broccoli/mushroom sandwich without chicken (which means more mushrooms yumyum). Its delicious. I am not a big dressing fan, but their garlic ranch is just delicious. And dont forget the garlic chili sauce, that makes the perfect combination. read more

When we feel like having a light lunch after church, we frequent Le Diplomate. The Chicken Broccoli Mushroom Sandwich with garlic sauce is sooooo good - dip that in some of their hot sauce and you get your daily dose of must have Asian spiciness for the day. Everything from the bread to the chicken broccoli mushroom melted in cheese and topped with some warm garlic sauce - delicious! We have also tried the Roast Beef Sandwich which was also good, but wasn't as memorable as the CBM. We always happen to avoid the rush somehow, so try to go before 1230 when all the Irvine church services end. read more

Why is Le Dip so popular? Its not the cheap prices, the great options, or even the famous garlic sauce. Its the baguette. That crispy on the outside soft and fluffy on the inside flavor explosion of baguette is some of the best sandwich bread I've ever had. Seriously. It doesn't even matter what sandwich you order as long as it comes on that baguette. Everything tastes amazing on it. I will admit that sometimes their chicken can be a little dry (that must be why all their sandwiches use so much sauce) but I don't usually order the chicken ones anyway. And I love their level of service. Not rude but not overly doting - just quick. I usually get my order within 5 minutes. Also, you can't beat the prices. Props to you Le Dip for being my favorite sandwich shop. read more

I've only had a few sandwiches here. My favorite is the French Connection, which has roast beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato. I always get it hot. The bread is nice and toasty, the cheese is melty, and the 5 inch sandwich is only about $3 and something cents. Pretty good deal. I always pick up a little container of the spicy sauce to drizzle on my sandwich. The other sandwich I remember having was the Chicken, Mushroom, Broccoli one which I personally didn't like. It felt super greasy with the garlic sauce and gave me a stomach ache later :[ In fact, after I had that sandwich, it really turned me off to this place until my bf got me to give it another chance. However I never ordered this particular chicken sandwich or anything with garlic sauce again. This is a grab and go kind of place, I've never eaten inside since there are only two or three small tables. But there are plenty of tables outside, you just gotta deal with the wind blowing away all your napkins. read more

Really Le Dipolomat? The best sandwhich ever for only like 5-6$? You can have my wallet! Chicken Broccoli Mushroom is the most popular choice if you're a first timer. If you're a second timer go with the chicken and bacon. Don't order bacon with chicken if you're too light weight and you like light lunches. Chances are, if you're reading this you're either ... 1) Bored. 2) In the Irvine Area and looking for something to eat. So if its option 2, just go already! read more

YEAH I am a fan!.. I have walked by this little cafe a number of times and never stopped in till I saw all the reviews on Yelp.. I was definitiely missing out on some serious culinary goodness. I went in today and tried the much lauded Garlic Chicken with broccoli and mushrooms sandwhich. It lived up to the hype very nicely. The bread was delicious, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. The chicken was plentyful and full of flavor. The broccoli and mushrooms were cooked just right, not overdone. The garlic sauce which I asked for was a nice compliment to the filling ingredients. I would have thought it a culinary incongruency to add Sriracha sauce to the sandwich as other reviewers mention. Well, I proceeded with some hesititation and I am a convert! The Sriracha added a nice kick to the already flavorful paninni! I came over just before noon, did not find the wait in line to be a problem, order and pick-up was done in less than five minutes. Took my new found score and sat outside, it was a nice, sunny and warm morning for it. A great lunch all around. I wll be BAAACK! read more

I thought it was tasty, but I'm not sure this place should be rated 4.5 stars on Yelp. Hmmm...I must be missing something. I ordered a 9 inch Garlic Chicken sandwich. It didn't come with veggies. The whole thing was just chicken and garlic cream and mayo. The cream was delicious, but the chicken was pretty dry. I kept wishing there were veggies in the sandwich (like arugula to cut the cream). The baguette bread it comes with was excellent. With tax, it was $5.78. Not cheap for basically a protein sandwich. I'm confused....is there a version that comes with fresh veggies? Do you just ask for veggies and they give it to you (for free)? It was so busy there that I didn't really ask. I felt kinda rushed. I also had to wait 10 minutes for my sandwich. oh well. It was a yummy 3.5 star sandwich...but 4.5 stars for a sandwich? No way. I'd rather go next door to Veggie Grill. read more

"She doesn't even go here!".... the wise words of Mean Girls. Yes, I don't even go to UC Irvine and I am in love with the sandwiches here!! I wish my sister still went to UCI so that I could eat the Garlic Chicken sandwich....drool. Bottom line: #idie for that Garlic Chicken sandwich. (I don't even care if hashtags aren't yelp appropriate. #idie for that sandwich) read more

This place is great. Delicious sandwiches for cheap! I usually get the Chicken Broccoli Mushroom with garlic sauce. Like most places in the UTC, there's always college students who go here. It's always extremely busy around lunchtime and the wait for your sandwich can be long-ish. It's worth the wait though! They also serve other things at Le Dip but I personally have never witnessed anyone ordering anything else besides their sandwiches. There's only maybe 4 tables inside, so most people just sit outside in the UTC area. If you're not too hungry, get a full size sandwich and share it with a friend. Also- don't forget the sriracha sauce! read more

Had the garlic chicken sandwich and it was super delicious. Bread was toasted just right. Good ratio of filling to bread. Kind of a wait, but worth it. Can't beat the price. The other sandwiches are good as well, but my favorite is the garlic chicken. My friend ordered the gyro and said it was super delicious, but still liked the sandwiches more because it is not as filling as the sandwich. So for the best bang for the buck and yumminess, the sandwiches are still the way to go. Only a few tables inside but you could easily find a table or a seat outside. And you probably don't want to sit inside anyways. It gets crowded with people ordering, standing around as they decide on what to order, or as they wait for their order. Parking in this plaza is always crowded, but you will eventually find a spot. If you hate walking, or want to do the least amount of walking as possible, park near Trader Joe's. read more

I love this place. This is my go-to place for lunch. The garlic sandwiches are amazing. The sandwiches are around the same size/portion as Lee's and is around $2-3 more expensive, but the taste is all there. I have yet to try any of the other sandwiches besides the ones with garlic sauce. My favorite is either the Garlic Chicken Dijon or the Bacon Chicken Club (with garlic sauce). There aren't many tables inside, so I usually eat outside if it's a nice day, or just walk over to Lee's with my food. I'm excited to be living in the apartments close by next year, just so I could eat here more often. Garlic Chicken Sandwiches are a must. read more

Nothing special. Food was ok. Not very seasoned for example chicken tasted steamed... :( Will not return. read more

AMAZING ! I love the chicken garlic with broccoli and extra mayo ! Friendly ! read more

I just went there today and they were closed!! All the windows blocked and everything. I hope it's temporary since it seemed like they were doing some reconstruction :( I loooove their Chicken Dijon @_@ read more

Chicken Broccoli Mushroom with Garlic sauce and TONS of Siracha! I also recommend the Chicken Eggplant and Chicken Dijon :) Everything is so good here! It doesn't even matter. They put so much garlic sauce over everything that you don't even taste the sandwich. My tip: I always call in and order on the phone ahead of time. That way, when I go there, I just pay for my food and pick it right up! This place gets packed so that's the best way to go! read more

Hands down one of my favorite sandwiches ever. Not only is the sandwich one of the best you'll ever have, it's also so fairly priced. I enjoy the chicken/broccoli/mushroom sandwich way too much, to have ever tried anything else but have heard great things about the other chicken/garlic sandwiches. Something about the combination of the three things with swiss cheese and garlic sauce, and pressed and hot and toasty - sandwich perfection. Anytime I'm in the Irvine area, I will find an excuse to swing by here for a meal. Le Diplomate Cafe, your sandwiches are heavenly! read more

The Yelp reviews were all right about this place it was delicious and you can't beat the value. I had the chicken cordon blue sandwich and should have only gotten a half for $3.99 instead of a whole because it was very filling. They had little sides of sirachi ready to go by the cash register and it was the perfect compliment to the sandwich. The garlic sauce was fantastic so this is definitely a must try if you are near UCI. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Chicken Cordon Blue Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I had a chance to try the sandwiches here over the weekend. I went with the Chicken, mushroom, broccoli sandwich with extra garlic sauce. Unfortunately I didn't get to eat the sandwich right away. It sat for about 30-40 minutes and the bread got a bit soggy from all the garlic sauce but it was still pretty good. The garlic sauce left my breath stinking for the rest of the night. GF tried the chicken and eggplant with extra garlic sauce. That was pretty good too and the bread on her sandwich was not as soggy. The sandwich was pretty hyped up, not only by yelp reviews, but also by a friend who said these are the best sandwiches in the OC so perhaps that's why I feel it's worth 4 stars and not 5. Large 9" sandwich was about $7. So definitely good bang for your buck. read more

Fast service. Orders were ready within 5 minutes. Very tasty sandwiches. Got the chicken bacon and special with pate. Good to consume within 30" after purchase to avoid them getting soggy inside. Will definitely come back read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Special with pate. Really good with sriracha!! - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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I loveeee the Chicken, Brocolli & Mushroom Sandwich w/ garlic sauce here. I've been going here for a few years now because I was a UCI student. Definitely would recommend this place. It's amazzzinnggg! Love it! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Chicken, broccoli & mushroom with garlic sauce - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

When I'm done interning for the day in Newport Beach, I do the drive on Campus to get back to school and I'm usually starving at this time. Le Diplomate comes to my mind, I always call in my order and can count on them to pick up the phone. I can also count on them to have my sandwich ready for pick up. The reliability is important for me since I'm on a time crunch during my transition from work to school. The ladies who work in the front are always nice and efficient. The croissants they have look like they come from Paris Croissant, which are a great bakery brand, that's just a random note. I've had the chicken garlic and chicken garlic with mushroom and broccoli. The garlic sauce is legit garlic lava in your banh mi, I try to tone down the flavors with sriracha. I think their combo deals are great. It's like half a banh mi, with chips and a drink for less than $6, steal. Anytime I want an american style banh mi, or running from Newport to Irvine, this is my go to. read more

My aunt used to live across the street from UTC when I was growing up & we went here all the time. Now, I live here & I eat here sometimes. For the last decade or so, I've enjoyed too many sandwiches here for me not to write a review. I recommend getting the garlic chicken with extra garlic. I'm also ace & this place has mega ace vibes going on. Highly recommend the garlic chicken sandwich with a side of siraracha sauce & maybe an extra garlic sauce just because. This place is my favorite sandwich chop & I believe this place has the best chicken sandwiches in Orange County. 11/10 recommend this place for everyone. I wish I could give more stars read more

Have been coming here since 2003, best sandwiches, best employees, amazing ownership! I think it's one of the only places that has stayed consistent in that Shopping center! Keep it up! Irvine company should be paying y'all! read more

Amazinggggggggg. The sandwiches here are amazing. As a UCLA student, I envy all the UCI students with access to this place haha. The banh mi here is great. The bread is not hard at all. Of course, everyone comes here for the chicken mushroom and broccoli, which is definitely not a traditional Vietnamese option. Nevertheless, it is delicious. The garlic sauce pulls everything together and is so good. I can tell it's raw garlic. Omg you must come try. read more

Solid Sandwiches at a decent price. I usually get the 9" and just pick up something to drink and a side at the Trader Joes next door though instead of paying the extra (unnecessary cash) for the chips/water-down drink. There sandwiches are great though and the wait, on a busy day, is around 5-10 minutes or so... Bring cash, you can use your card, but there is a minimum read more

Make sure you get a toasted sandwich w/ their GARLIC SAUCE and you cannot go wrong. Their bread is always fresh and soft, and their sandwiches are simple yet so satisfying! Just make sure you have a mint or gum handy because you will need it when you're done ;) The prices are extremely reasonable which is good because this place is so accessible to UCI students. It's a small joint and there is only one cash register so if you go during lunch time there will most likely be a line. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Le Diplomate makes sandwiches. They make other things too, but mostly sandwiches. Now you may be asking, "Well, what's so great about a sandwich?" Quite frankly, you don't know damn anything about a sandwich until you've tried this place. The point I'm trying to make is this. A great restaurant/food place has two qualities. It treats its ingredients with respect, and it is able to make the simplest of dishes to the highest degree. Le Diplomate in my opinion achieves these two points. Now I only order one sandwich every time I go there, the bacon chicken club with the garlic sauce. Even though I have only ordered this one item whenever I go, this sandwich is one of the best I have ever eaten. The garlic taste is definitely there but not too overpowering. The chicken is tender and flavorful. The bacon is thick and cooked to a crisp. The tomatoes and Swiss cheese just meld together. The bread is amazingly fresh. The only problem I have with this place is that it only exists in Irvine. I had definitely taken this place for granted when I was a student at UCI. Even when I go to SoCal, It is definitely a place that I must go. No one else makes this particular sandwich! The service is great. It can be slow during the peak hours, but it is worth the wait every time. If you are a UCI student or simply visiting the campus, this IS the place to go for perhaps one of the simplest food items formed by man...the sandwich. read more

NOM NOM NOM NOM yummy sandwiches at an affordable price. I always get the mushroom chicken one with garlic spread. the best part is that it's right by UCI, so whenever I'm around there and feeling hungry, I know where to go. read more

Hands down, the BEST sandwiches within a 2 mile radius of Aldrich Park, UCI! This is where I gained my freshman 15, haha! Although I have graduated from UCI since 2008, I still come back to this rare-to-find-in-Irvine hole-in-the-wall/mom&pops place just to satiate my taste-buds. The sandwiches and smoothies here are great and the combos are really worth the less than $10 spent. You can't find a more relatively affordable place that packs so much flavor and quality in every bite elsewhere in Irvine. As a starving UCI college student, this place beats Lee*s Sandwiches any day. To be honest, Lee*s is way over priced when it comes to Vietnamese sandwiches aka "banh mi." Not only that, the Vietnamese sandwich at Le Diplomate is still better than that of Lee*s! I believe that Le Diplomate is also Vietnamese owned and has been there for a long time now. I entered UCI in 2003 and it was already a well established shop. The most delicious sandwich there (but definitely not the healthiest) is the Chicken/Broccoli/Mushroom sandwich with garlic sauce (NOT RANCH). Imagine a gourmet hot pocket with fresh ingredients x 100000! It is so good...and I never get tired of it. To top it off, eating this sandwich with the provided sriracha (aka "rooster sauce") gives it a kick to your taste buds that is pure bliss. Le Diplomate has redefined lunch for me from the moment I had taken my first bite back in Fall Quarter of 2003. A fresh, hot, made-to-order 9" sandwich with soda and bag of chips...all for less than $10?? That's unheard of in Irvine except at the wonderful Le Diplomate Cafe. It brings me memories to my undergrad years and I wish I can go back to living in Irvine just to be near this heavenly place again. Avoid the lunch rush crowd! This place is really busy during lunch and early afternoon! Until then, I will try to figure out how to make the incredible Chicken/Broccoli/Mushroom at home...but it won't ever be the same. =( read more

Super cheap. I would get the garlic sauce on the side if you're worried about your sandwich being too soggy or too garlic-y. I chose to do that with my chicken eggplant sandwich and it was a goood decision. The line was super long though. I wouldn't go around noon if you're starving. read more

This has to be my ultimate favorite sandwich place. A popular place for UCI students, and I am glad I checked it out. The garlic sauce that comes with their sandwiches are amazing. Although I have not tried anything other then the sandwiches there, checking this place out for that alone will be worth your trip. read more

Cheap, delicious sandwiches. I absolutely adore the chicken garlic (with extra garlic sauce) and turkey supreme; if I were a fan of mushrooms, I'm sure I would love the chicken, broccoli, and mushroom as well. They're a little heavy, and you might be complaining about clogged arteries and having to run an extra mile (or three) to burn it off, but it's well worth it. It's a bit small and can get really busy during lunch hours (I used to come here in high school for lunch and would always be late back to class...) but you can call in your order ahead of time and have it ready by the time you're there. Win. read more

This place is known and loved by almost every Anteater. Located conveniently across the street from UCI campus, I've been coming here since my orientation to the school. This place makes a mean sandwich and it was love at first bite. I love their chicken eggplant sandwich (love that garlic sauce) and it's pretty awesome how they kind of grill the baguette sandwich like a panini so you get it nice and hot and melty. There's not much else to say that hasn't been said already. If you haven't had le dip you're not a true anteater! this place is pretty bomb. read more

I am sad I didn't enjoy this place as I thought I would! Maybe next time? If I remember correctly, I had the chicken garlic sandwich, or something along the lines of there. Anyways, the portions are really small, but then again the pricing for the sandwiches are low cost so that probably explains it. My sandwich was just too saucy! I just felt like the whole sandwich was swamped in their garlic sauce which tasted like pure butter. I don't think I even tasted the chicken and my hands were super greasy. I didn't even want to finish my sandwich since everything was oozing everywhere and I felt like finishing it would make me gain a bajillion pounds! Hopefully next time if I do ever go there, I will have a better experience! read more

Must try the chicken Dijon sandwich! The flavors are fantastic. Tip: there are always lines here especially when school is in session. The fresh fruit smoothies are super yummy too. A bit pricer than regular sandwich places. Ingredients are very fresh for everything!! read more

Pretty damn good sandwiches. Toasty; the French bread just collapses under the mouth. The chicken club with provolone and garlic sauce is to die for. For those new to Le Dip, you can switch out cheeses and sauces. Love this place. 8 inch (or is it 9?) sandwiches for ~$5. Filling, too. Note: they only take cash, to avoid royalty fees to the credit card companies. read more

It's pretty good, though I wouldn't say it was mind-blowingly good. Their bacon chicken sandwich was cheap, yet tasty, so I guess it was ideal for a college student. I feel like the garlic sauce wasn't very strong, nor did it have a lot of substance inside. The bread was on par with other places as well. It wasn't soft or crispy, just hard... Overall, my first experience at Le Dip could've been better. But if i really wanted bang for my buck, I would go eat at the local fast food restaurants. I'm giving it a 3 since the food is only ok, though it's decently priced and is close to UCI. read more

Went back to this place with the roommate yesterday and we wondering why it took us so long to come back! Garlic sauce is Amaziiiing. I love getting the chicken bacon club. Or the turkey supreme. And their smoothies are decent too! The only setback to this place is that if you want to come with a group, you're not going to be able to eat inside, because spacing is just so limited. But there ARE tables outside in the courtyard, so that's good. They used to charge you a quarter if you used your debit card with less that $7 I think, but I think they removed that charge. Also, they have really reasonable combos so if you just want a half sandwich with chips and drink, or you wanna go all out, you can do that too. Staff is really friendly, and they're always available to answer questions you have, which I have no idea how they do, because that place can get really packed- they must be good at multitasking. This is the place you go to when you want some good freaking sandwiches. read more