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    NEP Cafe

    4.5 (2.2k reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    NEP CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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    Hipster
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    Recommended Reviews - NEP Cafe

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    Elaine H.

    I was seated after ~10 minutes despite not having a reservation on a Friday evening! I appreciated the quick seating! I previously tried the kumquat sugar cane when my bestie got it on another occasion and it has lived rent free in my mind since. Not too sweet, just perfect balance! The steak frites came with huge portions, however I probably wouldn't get it again for $55. The meat was chewy and perfected medium rare however the flavor was not my favorite steak. Perhaps I just enjoyed the filet mignon from my previous visit more. The star of the show was crab garlic noodles!! So worth it to get crab instead of shrimp and not having to take off any shells!!! It was soo yum and worth every penny!! Highly recommend you try. Parking was easy and the lot was huge! Service was excited despite being very busy and I enjoyed the quick seating.

    Vietnamese shaking beef
    Gordon W.

    Establishment is busy, clean and spacious. Staff was professional and courteous. We ordered: 1. Crispy calamari: crispy and fresh 2. Vietnamese shaking beef: fragrant, rich 3. Coconut matcha: amazingly amazing Food is consistently excellent. Only praise, no complaints. TLDR: Excellent service, excellent food, excellent establishment, great value. Would recommend!

    Shrimp Garlic Noodle
    Midah S.

    Large restaurant that gets very busy during dinner hours, but pro tip: their happy hour is well worth checking out! It's relatively easy to secure a spot if you come toward the end of happy hour, take advantage of the deals, and stay on for dinner. The highlights of our meal were the garlic noodles and branzino. The garlic noodles came with grilled shrimp and whole pieces of garlic, which added plenty of flavor. The real standout, though, was the branzino. It was stuffed with delicious herbs and served with a generous plate of fresh herbs and lettuce to enjoy alongside the fish. Everything came together really well. Definitely enjoyed our meal and will be returning!

    Xoi Man
    Anh T.

    Luckily I only needed to wait a short amount of time with a friend when coming here on a weekend afternoon. I ordered their Xoi Man and it came out within 15 minutes. The combination of pork floss, quail eggs, pate, Chinese sausage, and ham strips went well together as a part of the traditional Vietnamese dish, and I wished that the portion of this ingredients was a bit more than their rice. Still it was a filling dish without feeling overly heavy, and NEP Cafe in general is a great choice if you're craving a comfort-food meal!

    Shwe L.

    Kei Concepts does it again-- truly appreciate all the Kei Concepts restaurants. This is a great place for date night, girls night or night out. It has a restaurant side and bar area. We got so many different items to try and honestly it did not disappoint. Appetizers: - Crab Toast & Shrimp Ceviche: YES. Really good start. So much flavor. So Delicious. Have ordered this multiple times we came. Entree: - Tom Kha Seafood Pasta- honestly my favorite item that we tried here, so much flavor, dimension and ample amount of protein) - Bun Bo Hue Dried Noodle- this flavor was good, the concept was interesting but not my absolute favorite out of the the different items we got. Would pass next time. Dessert: - Banana Bread Pudding: I still think about this dessert. Highly recommend! It looks really sweet, but it was very well balanced. Overall: Food, service, ambiance was amazing. Definitely a frequent flyer of this restaurant and other kei concepts.

    Sheldon R.

    Came from Loma Linda just for this. Food was amazing and did not disappoint. I loved the flavor combinations of everything I ordered. The Calamansi drink was super good. Definitely recommend this place. I made reservations but this place was not too busy for a Sunday afternoon around 3:15pm. The ambiance is clean and aesthetic inside. The Sea Salt Coffee was not for me. I just wanted to try something new. Also, I would not order the mango sticky rice again. It was too "healthy" for me haha. The mango was hardly ripe. They're going for a different style of the dessert. I prefer the original sweet style with ripe mangoes. Fried Rice Tofu: 4.5/5 Lemongrass Tofu: 4.5/5 Garlic Noodle: 4.5/5 Sea Salt Vietnamese Coffee: 3.5/5 Calamansi White Peach: 5/5 Mango Sticky Rice: 3/5

    Anna N.

    Great ambiance! Went for dinner and there wasn't a wait on a Monday night Got the rib eye steak came with items to make lettuce and radish wraps! The steak was perfectly cooked and a really good size! The herbs made it very fun to eat 4.5/5 Seafood ceviche great coconut Thai sauce and a good mix of seafood! Comes with shrimp crackers! Loved! 4.5/5 5 spice chicken: crispy skin and comes with rice and a salad good but nothing too special 3.5/5 Calamari: could have been more crispy and seasoned with the whole meal being very fusioned which there was a interesting twist to this dish 3/5 Overall good meal and would come back! Def check out their brunch menu as well!

    Presh N.

    Nep Cafe never disappoints. Every time I visit, I'm reminded why it's one of my favorite spots. We were greeted warmly and our party of eight was accommodated quickly. The restaurant is always clean, the staff is friendly, and the service is consistently fast. We ordered a variety of dishes, but the standout for me was The Dao. It's an absolute must-order if you're visiting for the first time. One thing I did notice was when I went to wash my hands, I saw a server enter the restroom while still wearing their apron. As someone who has worked as a server, that stood out to me because I was always taught to remove my apron before entering a restroom. It's a small detail, but I think it helps maintain a professional and sanitary image, especially when handling food. Aside from that observation, the food and overall experience were excellent. Nep Cafe continues to be one of my favorite restaurants, and I'll definitely keep coming back. Five stars!

    Boneless Ribeye
    Sydney M.

    One of the best dinners I've ever had!! We came here as a team for a work dinner and getting to sample many different dishes was the way to go! The Shrimp Salad was outstanding and fresh. The Shaking Beef and Garlic Noodles were delicious and we ordered another round. And the Tomahawk steak was just perfect. The final crown jewel was dessert with the Frozen Yogurt Parfait's that are fruity, sweet, and delicious - we had multiple! The dining room inside can be a little noisy, but the service was wonderful. Would absolutely recommend.

    Shrimp ceviche
    Calli Y.

    I like that we can make reservations which is always a plus. We did come early hoping we could get in a tad earlier but no such luck. We waited for our original time. I feel like the menu tends to change because each time we come, the menu seems to be slightly different. It's kinda fun so you can try new items. My favorite is still the papaya salad. They do have bigger tables which is nice if you have big parties. Most items we try are very good.

    Banh Mi Chao - Beef Belly
    Emma L.

    The egg coffee was pretty good. Probably the best part. The shrimp ceviche was actually good though. Perfect balance of savory, sour and tad sweet. The beef banh mi is very fatty, definitely good for the younger kids. A little too fatty for older people though.

    Lina C.

    I've been to NEP before, but that was years ago at the FV location. Their newer-ish location at Irvine is definitely more spacious. Food and drink-wise, everything was great! My girlies and I ordered: -Seafood Tom Kha Pasta -Crab Toast -Dry Bun Bo Hue noodles -Mango Sticky Rice (was complimentary and on the house because the restaurant took a bit long with our drink orders) Pretty sure we all died and went to heaven briefly as soon as we got everything delivered to the table. Service-wise, I do appreciate the active accountability and communication from this establishment. Because the drinks took some time to arrive, the manager came to our table himself to explain and acknowledge that the delay shouldn't have happened to begin with (this is when he mentioned we'd get a mango sticky rice on the house). Was honestly unexpected because 1. We didn't even flag a server down for that issue yet and 2. Some managers refuse to even come out to talk to their clientele lol! Especially during times where communication is needed. Overall, my girlies and I enjoyed our experience at the Irvine NEP and we will be coming back. Thank you so much for taking care of us. :-)

    Shrimp Garlic Noodle, Fish Garlic Noodle
    Viv N.

    I'm an advocate of kei concepts but I realize that their menu differs only slightly across the different chains, so it's not a place you should regularly frequent! I tend to save them for special occasions or when family & friends are visiting. My go-to dishes are their banh mi chao, garlic noodles, & lemongrass tofu. We tried a few new items so here are my honest thoughts: - Spicy wontons - insanely spicy!! even with a high spice tolerance, my parents thought it was too much, prefer DTF's version - Shrimp fried rice - so much rice, not enough shrimp. you can tell they use the big shrimp & cut it into smaller pcs... - Lemongrass tofu - love but needs veggies or lettuce on the side! also would be less heavy with regular white rice instead of sticky rice Although Nep Cafe will always be a fave, there are still some things they could improve!

    Beverage Menu - July 2026

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    1 month ago

    Happy hour here is amazing ! I really enjoyed the chicken wings and lychee martini. Prices are great .

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    Page 1 of 55

    NEP Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - NEP Cafe

    Do you do gift cards!?

    We sell gift cards in store! Please give us a visit

    What days and times do they have happy hour deals? I saw 2-5pm weekdays but is anything available on weekends?

    Hi Tiffany. I think their happy hour is only on weekdays which is common with most restaurants. Hope you're doing well!! Have a wonderful day!

    Joe much is the corkage fee?

    Hello! Depending on bottle size, we typically charge $25 for the first bottle of wine. No hard alcohol.

    Do they have any gluten free options?

    Is the lemongrass tofu vegan? Are any of the desserts vegan?

    I had the lemongrass tofu last time I ate there and it was delicious! According to toasttab, here are the ingredients: fried tofu, lemongrass soy, crispy shallots, thai basil, red chiles, and rice.

    Will you bring back the salted egg yolk pudding?

    We will definitely take this into consideration. Thank you for reaching out!

    For the new item beef carpaccio, do we eat raw?

    Yes. That's the way it's served.

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Yes

    Is dinner and lunch menu available all hours? I just looked at the pic that someone took and the dinner menu seems limited to 4 main entrees, is there more to the menu for dinner?

    Hello! Our brunch/lunch menu is offered until 5pm and from 5pm till close, we exclusively serve dishes from our dinner menu.… 

    Good for large groups (10+)?

    Yes, there was a large party seated next to us- many tables were large parties. They can definitely accommodate.

    Are walk ins available?

    Yes, we do take walk-ins daily and dedicate a section of our restaurant for walk-in guests. Please give us a visit!

    Does your out door seating area open yet?

    At this time outdoor dining is unavailable, but we are working to have that dining option available very very soon. Please stay updated by following us on Instagram: @nep.cafe

    Does anyone know when online ordering will become available for this location?

    Online ordering is now available as well as delivery via 3rd party apps! Please visit our website for more information!

    Are there vegan/vegetarian options for mains/entrees?

    We do offer select vegan/vegetarian-friendly options. Please do not hesitate to call in or give us a visit as our staff would be more than happy to assist you in your dietary restrictions!

    Is there outdoor dining?

    No outdoor dining

    Do you have an outdoor patio? Are dogs allowed?

    We are working on having our outdoor patio available soon. Please follow @nep.cafe on Instagram to stay informed!

    On the menu it says that the Szechuan Spicy Noodles is $14 with chicken and $16 with the shrimp & pork dumplings, but what if I don't want either proteins and just want the noodles?

    The noodles alone are $10.

    When will takeout available?

    We do not have a definitive timeline at the moment, but please follow us on social media for the latest updates! @nep.cafe

    Do you take Walk in?

    We absolutely do! See you soon!

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    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Beef Belly Dry Noodles & Wagyu Carpaccio

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine

    4.3(3.3k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I normally don't particularly like pho, it's my wife that makes me go. But the pho soup here is…read morequite delicious! If I eat food I usually leave the bowl of soup, but pretty much finished this one! If you can't decide which one to get, I'd recommend the combination pho. The worst thing you can do is see other people's food and wish you got theirs. Well no more FOMO thanks to the combo pho! My only pet peeve is we have a family of 5, but the hostess sat us at 4 top and stuck on a chair at the end. It gets pretty crowded on the table when we have an extra set of plate, bowl, cup, silverware, etc, so we're a little cramped. I wouldn't have batted an eye, but we came at 11:15 and the restaurant was way less than half full. But it's not the first nor last time it'll happen, so I'm not knocking off any stars because of it.

    Worst service I have ever experienced on a Saturday lunch on August 15th. We signed up for the…read morewaitlist, but still had to wait another 20-30 minutes after our table was ready. Then, when we finally came into the restaurant, they asked us to walk back outside because they still needed to set up the table. I have no idea what needed to be set up when the table was already cleaned, especially when we had hungry, impatient children with us. Once we were finally seated and ordered our food, it took forever to arrive. Whenever we tried to get a server's attention, they seemed to avoid eye contact. We at least waited for 40 mins for our dishes to come to the table. The combination pho was definitely tasty. The broth and pickled onions really tell a story, and the food itself was enjoyable. However, I don't know if I would come back again because of this level of service. Good food can only go so far when the overall dining experience is this frustrating.

    Photos
    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Our Beef Belly Pho Lunch Special is back! Valid for dine-in only from 10AM to 4PM.

    Our Beef Belly Pho Lunch Special is back! Valid for dine-in only from 10AM to 4PM.

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - The answer to all your cravings!

    The answer to all your cravings!

    SUP Noodle Bar - Irvine - Garlic Chicken Wing with Aji Sauce

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    Garlic Chicken Wing with Aji Sauce

    Little Sister - Seafood black rice

    Little Sister

    3.7(1.7k reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    One of the actual sit-down restaurants at the Spectrum; very pretty decor. They having mostly…read moreindoor and some patio dining. Eggplant dish was really rich yet not salty in taste; I quite enjoyed it. The chicken curry was also good; definitely Viet-influence or Viet version with the bowl of do chua. Overall, I think it's a nice restaurant, but obviously pricey for what I know Viet food to cost. However, they do have decent portions (I think the server said they operate with family style?).

    Ambience was great it is such a cute date spot! The bar is particular is very nice…read more As for the food I got the sea bass plate that comes with lettuce and veggies to be used as a wrap for your sea bass. The star of this plate was the sauce that came with it. It changes the flavor profile of the sea bass entirely. Personally, I did not like the sea bass alone. It tasted rather bland but the sauce rescued the plate. We also got the garlic noodles which were yummy but nothing crazy, we give them a 3.5/5. Not pictured was the cooked bokchoy because as soon as we tried the first piece we could not stop because it was so good!!! We lastly had the blueberry pecan tart which was.... Omg.... Amazing I wanted to order a second. I get very overwhelmed by sweetness but this plate was perfect. Creamy, freshly baked, big enough for one person or to modestly share between two people. It's topped with vanilla ice cream which was a huge plus! Would def go again though solely for the pecan tart.

    Photos
    Little Sister - Cool ambience

    Cool ambience

    Little Sister - Seafood rice

    Seafood rice

    Little Sister - Lemongrass chicken broken rice

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    Lemongrass chicken broken rice

    Pho Saigon Pearl - Taking our (#21) Pork Chop Rice dish to the next level by adding a Fried Egg on it!

    Pho Saigon Pearl

    3.3(1.1k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    One of my local pho place to go when it's too late and everything is closed (since they open later…read morethan most) and want a quick meal fix. I love their bahn mi sandwiches. It's huge so it's enough for two portions realistically. Their phos are great and full of veggies, noodles, and meats. I can say they do not skimp out on the portions. Their vermicelli dishes also is very delicious. All in all, this is the place to go when you want pho late at night and everything else closes at 7. The service is great, and usually on top of it. The parking is hit or miss since it is inside the Diamon jamboree.

    I was craving viet food when stumbling upon this restaurant among the busy place full of other…read morerestaurants and dessert. I ordered a pork sandwich, side egg rolls and rice with golden Cornish hen. It was all very delicious. I can't believe such a simple-looking restaurant had such amazing quality food. I definitely enjoyed the Cornish hen with buttered rice. Despite their special appetizer being egg rolls, I liked their Banh Mi a lot more. (Didn't snap pic of the sandwich and egg rolls fast enough this time lol ) The service was great and surprisingly quick. The waiter was chill and friendly, but oh man! The cook was amazing! I think we waited no more than 5mn to get all our 3 orders all come out hot and delicious! Definitely will be back when I crave Viet food in Irvine again!

    Photos
    Pho Saigon Pearl - Cool Off w/our refreshing VN Beverages and smoothies!

    Cool Off w/our refreshing VN Beverages and smoothies!

    Pho Saigon Pearl - Shake it, sear it, devour it  Perfectly tender filet mignon cubes tossed and perfectly prepared in our Wok. NOT your average steak dish.

    Shake it, sear it, devour it Perfectly tender filet mignon cubes tossed and perfectly prepared in our Wok. NOT your average steak dish.

    Pho Saigon Pearl - IG: happyfoodieoc

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    IG: happyfoodieoc

    NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley - Salmon Garlic Noodles

    NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley

    4.5(4.9k reviews)
    8.9 mi
    $$

    My most favvvv brunch spot. Came here with bf's parents and they loved it as well. My fav is The…read moreDao and the Banh Mi Chao. I personally liked the filet mignon more, but bf likes the beef belly more. They're both yum though! We always get extra bread with The Dao bc the slices they give are never enough! And we use the extra bread for the Banh Mi Chaos too. I'm usually not the biggest fan of asian fusion places, but Nep Cafe does it really well. For their other food, I've also had the Seafood Tom Kha Pasta which is incredible in flavor to Tom Kha. So if you don't like Tom Kha, then don't get this! We've had the crab toast which wasn't my favorite. I think their banh mi bread is tons better, so maybe have banh mi bread with the crab. The drinks are also delicious! I had the thai princess and it reminded me of the lychee martini at din tai fung, but better!! I loved the addition of lemongrass, it wasn't as alcohol forward like din tai fung's lychee martini. I also tried the beer that had a citrus flavor to it which is nice and a refreshing pairing to the creamy saucy food. Their coffees are also delicious, you can tell from looking around when you walk in bc everyone orders the drinks! Overall, all time fav brunch, I recommend Nep Cafe to everyone Service is always fast and friendly. Ambiance is beautiful for a brunch w the fam or going out w friends. Parking is easy in a lot, but if it's busy, you may struggle but I rarely found that the case.

    On August 1st, at around 2 PM, my family and I stopped by Nếp for lunch. I ordered the fish noodle…read moresoup, and unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the noodles. The noodles in my bowl were incredibly soft and broken into very short pieces, almost like noodles prepared for a child. I'm quite certain they had been overcooked, as the noodles were so mushy and fragile that I couldn't even pick them up properly with chopsticks. I had to use a spoon just to scoop them up and eat. I've actually been to this restaurant many times because I really enjoy the beautiful atmosphere and the food is usually delicious. That's why this experience was especially disappointing. I hope the kitchen can pay more attention to the noodles and cooking time, because this definitely wasn't the quality I've come to expect from Nếp

    Photos
    NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley - Bun Ca

    Bun Ca

    NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley - Crispy Pork Belly Wraps

    Crispy Pork Belly Wraps

    NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley - Egg Coffee

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    Egg Coffee

    399 Kitchen - Vermicelli w/ Egg Rolls

    399 Kitchen

    3.7(267 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Came here for OC Restaurant Week. The staff was very nice and I got seated right away. They have a…read morelunch deal for 25$ that gets you one appetizer and one entree. I picked the rocket shrimp for my starter and vermicelli with two proteins for my main. Rocket Shrimp- Served hot and crisp with a sweet and chili sauce and a side of fresh greens. The shrimp is fresh and tasty. Overall a great starter. Vermicelli with Two Proteins- I picked grilled pork and grilled chicken, both were perfectly marinated and juicy. It paired well with the vermicelli and crunchy vegetables. A filling meal. Great experience overall!

    Good clean space, actually very spacious and comfortable. Running a pho special right now to come…read morewith two free spring rolls which is pretty good, although pho seems slightly expensive - probably standard for Irvine. The cell signal sucks here - so if you're coming to eat while on your phone you'll have to use the free Marketplace WiFi. Apparently the restaurant WiFi is not open to public. The pho portion is not the best compared to more authentic pho restaurants, but definitely enough to fill for a meal. The weirdest annoying thing is the spoons for the pho, which are not typical Asian soup spoons and annoying to use to eat a soup noodle dish. Service is just fine, it wasn't very busy. Just wish they told me about the free WiFi instead of just denying store WiFi.

    Photos
    399 Kitchen - IG: happyfoodieoc

    IG: happyfoodieoc

    399 Kitchen - Egg Rolls (Cha Gio).

    Egg Rolls (Cha Gio).

    399 Kitchen - Staff will serve you water first thing you sit down. Big plus!

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    Staff will serve you water first thing you sit down. Big plus!

    THH Sandwiches

    THH Sandwiches

    4.0(1.4k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    THH Sandwiches was recommended to me by a friend who used to live in the area. I'm a big fan of…read morebánh mì, so I had to give it a try--and I'm glad I did. The first thing I noticed was the line. It looked pretty long, but the staff moved through customers incredibly fast. That's usually a good sign that a place is worth the wait, and it definitely was. Don't let the line discourage you--it goes by quickly. The sandwiches are generously loaded with fillings, and the bread is made fresh in-house. I even saw several people leaving with loaves of bread, which says a lot about the quality. I ordered the grilled pork bánh mì, and it was excellent. The vegetables were fresh, the pork was flavorful, and everything came together perfectly. You can also watch the staff prepare the sandwiches through a large glass window, which adds to the experience and lets you see the care that goes into each order. It's easy to see why this has become a local favorite. I also ordered a Vietnamese coffee, and it was fantastic. It was rich, bold, and exactly what I was hoping for. If you're looking for an authentic bánh mì and a great Vietnamese coffee, THH Sandwiches is absolutely worth the visit. I'll definitely be back.

    I think I would have rated this place higher if it wasn't over hyped for me. The banh mi I thought…read morewas just OK. Banh Mi Che Cali's are are just as good and much cheaper. I wish I could give a separate rating just for the banh cuon. Cause that was delicious and exceeded expectations. Fish sauce was made really well. I also bought a cha lua and that was also pretty good. Service was kind of slow, but I went in the morning. There was only 1 guy taking orders and 4-5 people in front of me, equal amount behind, yet they never brought a 2nd person to take orders by the time I got my food and left. I settled on a 3 star review because I imagine most people are coming for the banh mi and not the banh cuon.

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    THH Sandwiches
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    NEP Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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