This place was awesome ! Me and my fiancé tried this spot and we both got some great dishes . Honestly I would recommend getting their bulgogi rice bowls or even with noodles . My fiancé got the bulgogi rice bowl and let's just say I ate most of his :/ lol but no seriously , when I'm back in Cali , I want to visit again! Way to go! read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Bulgogi steak rice bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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it was getting late and my girlfriend and I were starving. Thankfully, we went here and were treated to amazing service by Brooke (sorry if i misspelled her name) and the rest of the kitchen staff. They were all so kind and accommodating and they really made the night a thousand times better! I will be coming back! read more

I've been to Nguyen Kitchen three times (twice at the Orange location and once at this location) and every experience has been nothing short of amazing. FOOD: The food here is consistently a 9/10. I personally find garlic noodles too buttery in general, and Nguyen Kitchen is no exception, but the quality and value is great. I had the shrimp garlic noodles on one occasion, and felt that it was well worth the price paid--flavor was on point and food was fresh. The other times I've ordered the grilled chicken rice bowl and the chicken has consistently been well cooked and very flavorful without being overwhelming. My boyfriend has gotten the grilled pork Banh mi every time and has deemed it one of his favorite Banh mi sandwiches. I've also gotten the peach and lychee green tea every time and the flavor has always been fresh and delicious. I do feel that the Orange location makes the tea a bit sweeter, but, besides that, it's delicious! SERVICE: The staff has always been very friendly. On this trip, in particular, I found them to be especially accommodating. I brought my puppy this time, and the staff was very sweet and gave us a water bowl and made sure we were comfortable bringing our dog into an eating establishment. The person who took our order even brought us our tea so that we wouldn't have to get up with the puppy and everything! The service was also fast, and we got our food in about ten minutes. OTHER: Parking in the Costa Mesa location is not the easiest. We had to circle a couple times before we finally got a spot, but despite the parking lot being generally small it was not cramped in the sense that we had to constantly be worried about turning and risking hitting other cars. The establishment has pretty ample seating--most of it being communal. Everything was clean (enough that I felt okay with putting my puppy on the ground) and had a very chill vibe. read more

Over priced and food wasn't great. Don't get why it's so popular. Their wings was just ok. Don't even bother getting the chicken bowl, it was dried and no taste. read more

Yum.. tastier than drive thru at 12 am or pm. You already know to get the garlic noodles and pork buns.

Their garlic chicken breast and bulgogi short rib steak is one of their best items. Highly recommend.

I've only had the crawfish seafood here and never dined in. I've done uber eats delivery and take out..BUT the place looks nice inside and seemed to be always busy. The crawfish pasta is AMAZING. I was raised in Louisiana so I know what good crawfish is like...this dish has a nice spin and is spicy. You won't be sorry! Delicious. read more

This is one of my "go to" place. It has a cool set up, community style seating and good music selection. I have been here a few times and I often get the grilled pork banh mi and bulgogi garlic noodles. I must say both are delicious. They have a spicy green sauce which I dont use as I am not too fond of spicy food, but for those who do, I am sure you will love this sauce. Next time I will try the rice bowls...the best part is they are open until 2:30AM. Thats a plus for people craving a midnight snack. read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Counter and menu at Nguyens kitchen - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Had lunch there with my husband today. He ordered the garlic noodles with grilled pork and I had a pork bahn mi. Garlic Noodles: Decent portion but not huge. Heavy garlic taste. Heavenly smell. The noodles were ok. I've this maybe a 6/10. Bahn Mi. Holy god this was delicious. The bread is perfectly crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The grilled pork paired perfectly with the veggies and flavors of the sandwich. It brought the perfect amount of heat. I would definitely go back for another sandwich. The bahn mi was so good! Peach Lychee Green Tea: Awful. Tastes and feels like your drinking straight syrup. Cut it in 1/2 with water and still ended up throwing it away. read more

I typically don't write reviews unless the food is really good or really bad. Unfortunately this time it wasn't great. I ordered the pho with chicken and the noodles weren't even cooked, they were clumped together and hard like they had been sitting out drying for a while. It didn't come with bean sprouts or any veggies. Bean sprout are a must for me when it comes to pho! They make the whole dish. & The broth was pretty flavorless. Not a great experience. It was also extremely spicy when I hadn't even put in the additional jalapeños. read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

WOW!!!!! What an amazing place. Never been here, first time trying it. Let's start with the food itself. Sandwiches looks amazing and taste even better . 5-star quality. Will definitely be coming here more often now read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Marinated chicken sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE DELICIOUS. This place is massively underrated. I just placed an order for all of my favorites: - grilled pork sandwich (juicy pork meat in a delicious banh mi style baguette sandwich) - garlic noodles (looks deceptively simple but the flavors are a complex and rich combination of sweet, garlic, savory.... YUMMM) - Cajun garlic fries (flavorful and massive quantity) - NK wings (lightly battered yet super crispy on the outside with juicy, tender meat inside) - peach and lychee green tea (so refreshing in combination with the savory offerings) and the total was..... $28 dollars. $28 dollars for this much food -- high quality AND extremely delicious?! I'm only mad at myself for not coming here more often than I already do. read more

If you like Vietnamese food then you'll really like this new small spot for lunch or dinner. The food quality was great!! High quality meats and noodles always make for a tasty meal. You won't be inundated with too many choices since it's small menu. It also lacks a kid friendly menu since most kids won't eat the fancy stuff with too many spices. But I feel they will change that since they said they had complaints regarding that issue. (Hence the 4 stars for minimal kid choices and food varieties) The employee there was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu since I was full of questions so that I was able to get a platter with noodles and some rice so that my daughter could eat comfortably since she's only 10 years old and not very used to Vietnamese food. Plus I recommend ordering the sauces on the side so you can spice up your food to your liking. The place was small but comfortable with both standard tables and high sitting tables against the wall. The corner location is surrounded by other restaurants and stores in case someone in your party isn't cool with Vietnamese food. Plus there are spots for desserts in the same corner. We will definitely be returning for the good food and to see how they adapt after all the suggestions they receive. read more

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Shockingly not the best! If you're craving Vietnamese, spend a little more time exploring Fountain Valley or Westminster. I hate writing second rate reviews, but I felt this was appropriate. Order: NK Chicken Wings - Soft, cold, no crunch. Actually, pretty gross. Cajun Garlic Fries - Great seasoning; hard to go wrong with fries Grilled Pork Noodles - Greasy, minimal meat. Also dehydrated meat. Grilled Pork Sandwich - Minimal meat. Also dry. read more

This place is good. Ordered the garlic noodles with chicken breast and the popcorn chicken. There's lots of flavor in the noodles and it's not over powering. The chicken was cooked well but i do wish they added a bit more and cut it up smaller. The popcorn chicken was definitely my favorite! I'd come back due to the good food, not too expensive, and great service. read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Garlic noodles with chicken breast and popcorn chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I give this place 3 stars because it has potential to be better. I got the garlic noodles with tiger shrimp and some Cajun garlic fries. Everything smelled so amazing when my order was done. I took a bite and it was just too salty. Flavor was good but overly SALTY. My tongue literally burns from how salty the food was. My aunt got the garlic chicken banh mi and even that was overly salty. I guess there is such a thing as over seasoning. It needed more veggies and pickled veggies. Maybe they should lay off the salt a bit. Maybe it was just a bad day? read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Awesome food and service, but every time I order a protein with my meal, it's always missing and I'm still charged regardless. Double check your food in case they miss something which is extremely common! read more

I came here with my bf and we got several items and they were all delicious! 1. Cajan garlic fries with steak. They are different. Not my style just because I love cheese on my fries. But overall flavor was good. 2. NK Wings - my favorite !!! Absolutely a must. I've had these at their other locations and they are delicious. 3. Crawfish pasta is to die for! We loved this. So flavorful and not fishy smelling. It was delicious. Noodles were cooked perfectly. 4. Grilled pulled pork was also amazing. It's very filling. So be prepared if you want to get more meals! read more

Amazing food, I just can't help but to keep coming back for the Crawfish pasta! It has the perfect amount of spice and they're super quick to make it. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

Okay, so I love fries and their fries have me driving 20 miles just to get another taste! Their sandwiches are amazing too and their tea is relish! Well priced too! read more

I tried this place recently and got the Cajun fries and the garlic noodles with stir fry vegetables (no meat) and everything tasted great. The fries were a huge order so it can definitely be shared. The only thing I didn't like was I left the place smelling like the food - my hair, clothes...... I really hate that and needed to wash the odor off immediately because it was so strong. I did experience a stomach bug the following day for a couple of days and I can't say for sure if it was something from my batch of food in particular or something else. So with these two things, I don't plan on going back anytime soon. read more

bombin if you like spicy food and seafood, this is perfect! sauce is creamy and spicy, the fish isnt BIG but they have slices of sausage. i ordered when i got there and took less than or around 15-20 min? great fusion, keep it up! read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Crawfish Pasta - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I went here a few days ago for lunch(around 11:30am). I was so glad to see that there was a banh mi restaurant that opened a few blocks from my work. I enjoy eating a delicious banh mi so I was willing to give this place a try. I wasn't sure what to order so I got a recommendation from the cashier. She said that one of her favorites is the garlic chicken banh mi and that is also one of the popular items to try so I took her word for it and got it. I was very ecstatic to try it, but as soon as I took a bite into it, I was not pleased with what I was tasting. I thought this banh mi would be something extraordinary but it literally tastes like a chicken Alfredo placed a baguette. Who puts mushroom in a banh mi?! If I wanted a chicken Alfredo dish, I would have went to an Italian restaurant for that. Maybe I had high expectations for this place. I was looking for an authentic, classic banh mi to grub on but this is not what I wanted. If you want are craving for chicken Alfredo then this would be your choice. The baguette had a nice crunch to it. The chicken, cilantro, pickled daikons and carrots tasted fresh. And their side green sauce complimented it very well. It just wasn't what I was expecting. If you wanted to try a delicious garlic chicken banh mi, go to Le Diplomate Cafe in Irvine. THAT my friend is an amazing garlic chicken banh mi. I am willing to give this place another chance because I feel that they have a great food concept going on here. Street food is my go to choice so let's hope that the next thing I try will not be a let down! read more

A little gem in a busy plaza. Only one cashier to help you. Customers need to pick up their own food at a not too obvious little window connecting to the kitchen. I feel sorry for the customer who sits there forever at their table and waits for the food. Food is good. Worth fighting for the parking and return to their beef sliders and pho noodle. read more

Food was excellent. I ordered the garlic noodles with shrimp. I also ordered their egg/spring rolls. They were well prepared . They have a curry(?) Dipping sauce that was amazing. They were a little bit pricey. But, worth it. I will go again...for that sauce. read more

Food was subpar...not sure what changed since last time (which was last year and we all raved about the food then)

Hi Moe Uber did not refund my order and the restaurant refused tk do anything about it when I followed up to update you guys that Uber wouldn't refund it. Then I order dinner tonight, my garlic noodles are plain, nothing on the two orders of noodles (even though I asked for extra sauce on the noodles) my fries didn't come with any ranch even though I asked for 4 ranches which I didn't find unreasonable. The fact that their was none is insane. Then my egg rolls and pasta didn't have any of the sauce you give on the side. So my entire order was plain and not enjoyable. It's shocking how my entire order was messed up. My $50 meal was a waste of money and food. read more

This place is amazing!!. Friend's referred me to Nguyen's Kitchen. The price & hour's are the initial thing that intrigued me. The flavor is what has me a fan for life. The garlic noodles & spicy green sauce are my favorite. There are many places like this but they don't compare. I literally drive from Lake Forest to Costa Mesa to satisfy my craving. read more

Yes again my go to food . So Definitely delishes . Bulgogi noodles are the bomb dot com.

Loved the garlic noodles here! So full of flavor but not super worth the price? Pretty good but I feel like just for garlic noodles there could've been more too it. It seemed kinda plain but maybe I was just expecting more than I got. Taste: 8/10 Aesthetic: 8/10 cute but super empty Service 10/10 extremely sweet people read more

Despite the bad reviews, I actually really liked there! They open pretty late all the way until 2.30am from Mon-Sun so it's quite convenient for someone like me who works at night to grab a bite while there back in 2017... I loved the crawfish pasta as well as the popcorn chicken snacks. The Vietnamese Iced Coffee always quenched my thirst when I had it. The best one for me, was definitely the pho!! Although not that big of a bowl, the taste and the soft tender texture of the ribeye beef made me eating some of the best food! A LOT BETTER AND SATISFYING THAN SUSHI!! Of course, for me I still liked the Warsaw pho the best! Servers and cooks were all nice to me! Very helpful and attentive! Thanks all! read more

The sauce!!! The garlic noodles!!! The sliders, popcorn chicken, Cajun fries, golden bao... all epically delicious! The sauce... it's hard to describe but once you taste it you'll be hooked too! Perfect accompaniment for the garlic noodles. read more

I would rely on Nguyen's Kitchen as a late night alternative to fast food, but I wouldn't suggest going in otherwise. They came out strong when they first opened, but since then the flavor has diminished quite a bit. I've picked up food after hours maybe 10-15 times in the last few months, so I've experienced pretty much the whole menu. The quality of the food & the pricing seem to fluctuate quite a bit. The totals in-store are different than ordering online, which is kind of bunk; they're situated in a good area, so they should be on top of that more. As far as the food quality, I can tell the staff is used to their job now, & don't really care as much as when they were newly opened. If you order the "Jumbo Tiger Shrimp" it's just a regular shell-on shrimp w/ some grill marks. The popcorn chicken is mushy now, & they kind of just drop a blop of seasoning that ends up blanketing two pieces in powder & leaves the rest naked. I can keep going, but I feel like you can get the picture. If it's after 11pm, I would suggest this location. Anytime between 10am & 10pm, I would tell you to try your luck somewhere else. read more

I had high expectations based on all the rave reviews but sadly, was disappointed. We ordered the garlic noodles with chicken, bulgogi sandwich and grilled pork noodles. The garlic noodles were mushy and not well seasoned/tossed which resulted in bland noodles. It comes with a side of their signature green sauce which made it a tad better but still didn't make up for a mediocre dish, which is supposedly their most popular item. The grilled pork noodles were ok. It was missing the traditional fish sauce. Their version of fish sauce didn't have the pungent smell or taste. The bulgogi sandwich was good. The meat was well seasoned and bread was crispy and soft. Place is very hipster and small with limited seating. There is one large communal table, a bar table and a couple high top tables. I didn't see any high chairs so I don't think this place is kid friendly especially with a stroller. read more

Nguyen's Kitchen has been on my radar for some time. I recently tried their food through Postmates delivery. My cousin just had a baby and instead of trying to get her and the baby in a car to a restaurant, it was far easier to order food and have it delivered. Yes, it's more expensive but for the convenience; it was worth it. That weekend, they were doing a free delivery promotion on Postmates. Don't be fooled though, the prices listed on Postmates included additional delivery pricing. I mean 2 egg rolls were $5.90. I can get 50 egg rolls for $25 in Little Saigon. We ordered an order of egg rolls (qty. 2), a lychee peach tea, a green milk tea, a short rib beef bowl with rice, and a pork vermicelli noodle bowl. It all came out to a whopping $36. Convenience, I tell you. We were able to chat and hang out with the baby while the food was delivered. It took about 30-40 minutes. The food was prepared to order which is why it took as long as it did. I'm not complaining though. My food was warm when I started eating and the egg rolls were still crispy. Impressive. There was a good deal of food and I probably shouldn't have finished my entire bowl but it was pretty good. This location just opened in the area of 17th Street over by the Bonzai Bowls. My cousin is definitely stoked that there's a convenient location to her house. Next time, I'll order ahead and go pick up. read more

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6 inch Banh mi pork sandwich was great! 4.0 Luv the spicy green sauce served on the side Holy cow the garlic noodles are crazy...over powering garlicky probably would have been much better if I had added chicken 3.5 read more

The food is VERY good, I cannot deny that. I have tried several menu items and they all have been very flavorful. The meats they use are perfectly marinated and perfectly grilled. The prices that they sell everything for is somewhat decent as well, considering what you're getting (e.g. $8.75 for a bowl of rice, meat, and raw lettuce and cucumbers) There are a couple factors that just do not bring this restaurant up to a higher rating for me. One is that the food comes out VERY slow. There is probably 5 minutes between each number they call. I'm sure it's a combination of delivery orders, phone orders, and in-store orders that they receive that slow it down, but for those who are waiting in-store may end up waiting up to 30 minutes, sometimes longer according to some of the other reviews. I went on a Sunday late at night. The receipt said I placed my order at 11:54pm, and we did not receive our food until 12:22am. That's almost a 30 minute wait to receive our food INSIDE the restaurant. That's just as long if not longer than what we would wait and a dine-in restaurant, and it's fair to say that I would not expect that for a restaurant perceived as a quick bite like Nguyen's Kitchen. I feel as though the menu options are very underwhelming. A couple sandwich options, a couple rice bowls, and a couple noodle options. If I'm craving noodles, I only have a few options here. If I'm craving a rice bowl, I only have a few options here. I'm sure many people would appreciate their small menu because it makes it easier to make a decision, and it makes it easier for the restaurant to specialize in the things they do make, which is definitely a positive. I find it underwhelming though. The food taste makes up for the wait in the end, but experiencing this long of a wait time makes it extremely difficult for me to want to go back. Because the options are so limited, I would probably need to be craving a specific dish they make instead of casually just wanting to go to the restaurant and deciding there what I want. Hope this helps! read more

One of the best in the west! Always make sure to come stop by Nguyen's Kitchen if you are in the OC. Great food here

I ordered my food threough Uber Eats due to a busy day at the office. I was scarffing down my food while doing my work and as I got the salad portion of my Pork bowl, I picked up a piece of lettuce that was dark, not brown, but dark in color!!! I almost threw up al over my desk! How the hell do you not see this nasty rotten lettuce you're serving?? This is WHY people get sick. Shame on you guys as this is not acceptable at any level. I also worked in the food industry a long time a go and the standards are really high for all restaurants. Rotting food can cause people to get really ill. I know times are hard, but this is just wrong! Never coming back here again. read more

Nguyen's Kitchen - Serving up rotten lettuce in my pork bowl!!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great food and amazing flavors. Hands down the one of the very best options anytime but no comparison for late night goodness!!! open late late read more