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    September

    4.4 (675 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order September Takeout or Delivery

    September Photos

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    SEPTEMBER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for working
    Good for groups

    More like September

    Recommended Reviews - September

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    Reviews With Photos

    Avocado smoothie with black coffee
    Tina L.

    Nice Asian owned cafe shop in Orange County that serves quite a large selection of Vietnamese coffee drinks, as well as Matcha lattes and desserts cakes. Crème brûlée latte definitely had a strong Vietnamese coffee base and the top wasn't overly sweet in my opinion. The avocado smoothie with black coffee was not bad but I felt this was more water-based. No, I did ask for less sweetness and substituted for soy milk. But still refreshing for a hot day. There are these several outlets so it's not a bad place to work from except it's not going to be quiet atmosphere isn't necessarily loud though on a typical weekday.

    Ube latte, Baileys coffee, Ceremonial Matcha Latte w/ bear
    Allayna S.

    September has the most delicious Baileys coffee and I wish they were closer to home! It doesn't stop me from going though! I have brought over a couple of family and friends to try September out and every single person has loved it! It's a great place to study and the interior inside is really nice. There's areas that are more private for time where you want to study and some spots inside for hanging and catching up with friends. They have so many drink options such as iced lattes, hot drinks, blended drinks, etc. and they also have multiple food options as well! Their workers are very friendly and quick and they bring your order to you which is really nice :) I can't wait to go back! Parking: 9/10 (shared with other shops in plaza) Food/Drinks: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Interior: 10/10

    Jennifer H.

    order: *tornado miscoff latte *matcha latte *mango dragonfruit latte *sweet purple potato latte *mushroom carabona pasta *garlic cream cheese croissant *fresh banana croffle *ice cream hot pot (pick 4 out of their 12 flavors!) review: this oc cafe has some of the cutest desserts and pretty specialty drinks, like the mango dragonfruit, which are all made from fresh fruits! even the little bears on top are made with real fruits too! for example: yellow is mango black is coffee red is raspberry green is green tea this place is a great spot to hangout with your friends and family and dine in with some delicious food to eat (and post on the gram )

    Mike L.

    Came by on a late Friday night. Only a few other patrons so we were able to find seating easily. Flipped through their extensive drink menu and decided on the sour sop tea, mango yakult, strawberry mojito (virgin), sea salt coffee, a macaroon, and a mousse cake shaped like a chubby hamster. Drinks came out in decent time and were very refreshing! Definitely enjoyed the sour sop tea the most! Plenty of fruit pieces to munch on after you finish your drink as well. The mousse was okay, but I would order again for just the laughs. There was a cute frozen bear on top of our mango yakult drink, which was a nice touch. Would be a regular stop for me if only we lived closer. There were plenty of food options, but we had just came from dinner so we didn't get to try them out.

    Elizabeth N.

    September Cafe offers an authentic Vietnamese vibe with aesthetic seating and unique drinks. The friendly and helpful staff helped us customize our drink's sweetness and strength. We tried the best-selling Sea Salt Cream Coffee, which was creamy with a rich coffee taste. We recommend bringing cash for a 5% discount!

    Egg coffee girl dates
    Jenny H.

    I met up with a friend here early morning for some coffee and girl chat. It was easy to find there is a huge parking lot with plenty of space for you to park your car. There is also plenty of seating inside. The inside of the café is so beautiful and perfect for photos. It's very modern very shake. Service was great. The front desk and cashier was also very helpful in deciding what drink we should get helping us. Look at the menu and recommending their favorites. Go wrong with the Vietnamese egg coffee, and some chill vibes. Will definitely come back.

    Julie-Ann B.

    This place has been my go to for avocado coffee and Vietnamese Coffee. The owner here is consistently nice and welcoming! Their food options are also great and the ambiance is great however I do no think this the place to relax/study as there are a lot of people that comes here to socialize. I highly recommend for you to try this place.

    Suong L.

    I'm not sure why but I thought the cafe would be bigger from pictures. That's not a big deal but just thought I'd point it out just in case others would think the same haha. Service: I would rate it a 4/5 and that's the main reason the rating is what it is. At first I spoke Vietnamese to the cashier but she didn't seem to understand so I had to speak in English. Then after I ordered, she talked in Vietnamese to the next customer :') I don't blame her though because perhaps it was on me speaking too low or not pronouncing the name of the food well. She recommended a drink for my mom that she said wasn't sour but it was still very sour for her. She was kind enough to offer to make another one or add in extra sugar. Food: It was okay. The egg cream toast is simple, so hard to mess up. It was alright! Creamy and not too sweet with not too overwhelming of an eggy flavor. Mushroom Carbonara was creamy and pretty good. Probably the best thing we ordered out of the three food items! Banh Mi Que was okay. The shredded pork filling, my mom said wasn't good. The bread on the outside is fine. The ham and cheese was loved by my niece! I'm sure if they had the pork belly, my mom would have liked that one. Drinks: Semi-decent. The sakura blossom latte was more milk than anything. I didn't taste enough of the sakura/cherry blossom flavor. Barbie yakult was good but also average and not wow. If you like flavor then the peach orange lemongrass drink is actually really good. My mom just isn't able to handle sour. Overall, I could have given a lower score as it felt disappointing despite the reviews seeming different. I don't think I'd come here again. I leave it at 4 stars, like I said, mainly because I'm at least thankful they seemed so willing to make things better for our drinks if we were not satisfied.

    Truffle Coffee
    Millena P.

    Sundays call for brunch aaannnddd coffee dates. I've had this spot saved for a while and finally got the chance to check it out. Parking: Free parking lot. There's a small/medium parking lot. Finding a spot can be easy. Ambiance/Environment: The interior is very cute. They have a decent amount of indoor seating. There's a small den with a booth-ish seating. There are regular-height tables and chairs and shorter tables and chairs. It's a studious environment but also a nice spot to hangout. Service: The cashier that assisted me was simply efficient. Throughput was quick after ordering. We only waited about 12 min for everything. Drinks & dessert: The menu can be overwhelming. They offer small bites, desserts, milk teas, coffee, fruit teas, teas, yogurt, blended drinks, etc. Although the photos of the drinks look appealing, the presentation doesn't match. I was told they no longer offer drinks in a glass even if you're dining in. All drinks are in to-go cups. I got the Truffle Coffee, Vietnamese Black Coffee (with no sugar), and Egg Cream Toast. If you prefer your drinks strong and bitter, then the Vietnamese Black Coffee will be perfect for you. The bear on top is absolutely cute. Make sure you drink this properly - always let Vietnamese coffee sit and don't slurp it in two gulps. Hence why there's a lot of ice. The Truffle Coffee tasted exactly as it sounds .. I thought the flavors were okay, but I believe truffle should only stay with savory dishes lol. The egg cream itself was thick and creamy. I was expecting some fancy french toast along side with it, but it's literally just toasted white bread. Pricing: More on the expensive side for coffee in OC. I'd come back to try their other drinks bc they all sound appealing. I wouldn't get the egg cream toast again.

    Pandan Ice Cream
    Long T.

    Craving dessert randomly late one Tuesday night and stumbled upon this nice dessert cafe while on the area. It's a nice sized store with plenty of tables inside and some stool seating that faces out to a busy street which is always nice to watch cars drive. The vibe was very chill and mellow at the time i went, great for reading a book or bringing your laptop to study. This place offers a variety of teas, coffees, ice creams, cakes, and croffles on their menu to name a few. I went with a single scoop of their Pandan Ice Cream which costs $5.50, but you get 5% off if you pay by cash or venmo. The service was very quick and the server who brought my ice cream out to my table was friendly. The single scoop was a generous portion and it came with oreos which was a nice surprise. The flavor was right on point, not too sweet, but you can still taste the pandan in each bite. I'll have to come back next time to try their other desserts!

    IG: socalhkfoodies
    Fiona T.

    "Where sweet meets savory" Totally love this Asian fusion café's concept! Not only is it stylish, but it also has a creative and satisfying menu. First, these drinks with this cutest bear on top Melt our ladies' heart Ube cream toast and cakes are must dessert order Also have great appetizer such as beef potstickers Then The udon with shrimp makes you totally full and Beef spaghetti! Family love! IG: socalhkfoodies

    Hot coffee
    Nick N.

    Came here with my dad for some coffee after lunch on his recommendation. Now my dad is very hard to please when it comes to food and drink - particularly Vietnamese coffee. He spoke very highly of this place which is all but a guaranty of quality. Sure enough, I was very satisfied with the coffee, it's on the stronger side which is perfect to me. I had iced while he had the hot. We were helped by Alisha who was very friendly. Very cozy, classic coffee shop vibe. Pay with cash / zelle / venmo for 5% off! Also free wifi so come here and enjoy some good coffee and desserts to relax or do some work.

    cherry blossom matcha, mango yakult, Tiramisu Coffee, all 3 breadsticks, garlic cream cheese croissant, various cakes
    Bethany L.

    September is an adorable cafe with plenty of seating and sweet/savory food options for studying or catching up with friends! The desserts are both made in house, and I'm normally picky about desserts but theirs are light, airy, and not too sweet which I loved. The individual decor on the drinks were the perfect cherry on top. we got their matcha cherry blossom (not too floral), tiramisu coffee (coffee base + cream top) and mango yakult (so refreshing/slightly carbonated). For foods we chose finger foods like the precut cream cheese garlic croissant and bread sticks (ham, cheese, pork belly!) with a crispy exterior. Favorites were the desserts!! I loved the berry choco mousse and passion cheesecake. We also got the oreo and tiramisu bunny since there's a buy 3 get 1 free promo! overall the price is amazing considering everythings made in house, and the staff are so sweet and attentive.

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    1 year ago

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    Page 3 of 17

    September Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - September

    Do they have plugs for laptops?

    Yes, there are charging stations in the walls. Please ask for assistance if you need help locating.

    Do you guys offer an alternative for milk, so instead of whole milk, can we replace it with oat milk?

    Yes they offer oat milk, almond milk and soy milk for alternative

    Is this place dine in only or is to-go available?

    Both, dine in and to-go

    Do they accept cash?

    Yes they do!

    Does the place still sells the "ice cream hotpot" if so, how much is it? Because I can't seem to find it on your menu here

    I went 23 days ago (and left a review) and they still had it then! It was about $30, I believe.

    Do you use any peanuts/peanut products in your drinks/food?

    We are a peanut free cafe. However we do have almond, so almond was processed in the same facility as peanut.

    Good place for studying? Any plugs?

    There's a lot of seating that would be great for studying but there are not many outlets.

    View All 8 Questions

    VOX Kitchen - Fountain Valley - Corn Ribs, Carne Asada Fries, Hamachi Tostada, Carne Asada Tostada

    VOX Kitchen - Fountain Valley

    4.5(8.3k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    My friend and I happened to be in the area and came across a TikTok showing the food at VOX…read moreKitchen, and we immediately said, "Okay, we HAVE to try this place." And I am SO glad we did because everything about our experience was seriously a 10/10! From the moment we walked in, the customer service was amazing. The gentleman at the front greeted us and escorted us to our table, and right away we felt welcomed and comfortable. Our server, Quang, was absolutely the sweetest! He was so friendly, outgoing, attentive, and helpful, especially when it came to giving us recommendations since it was our first time there. He had such a positive energy and really made our experience even better. And the FOOD!!! If I could give it 1,000/10, I seriously would. We tried the Ube Cloud, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Garlic Parmesan Fries, Spicy Shrimp Wontons, Corn Ribs, Garlic Butter Prawns, and Filet Garlic Noodles, and honestly, there wasn't ONE thing we didn't enjoy. Everything was full of flavor and absolutely delicious. But what really stood out to us was that it wasn't just the food -- it was the entire experience. The staff, the atmosphere, the music, and just the overall vibe made us feel so comfortable and welcomed. The music they were playing was amazing too! My friend and I were enjoying ourselves, eating good food, listening to good music, and just having such a great time. The whole place honestly had such a warm, homey feeling to it. When we were leaving, the gentleman who had greeted and seated us earlier ended up having a whole conversation with my friend and me. He was so sweet and personable! He mentioned that they may be opening a location in Culver City, and I told him I really hope they do because that would be much closer to home for me. I was even joking with him that if they open one, they need to bring the whole staff from this location over there too because everyone here was THAT amazing. At the same time, even if there ends up being a location closer to me, I would honestly still make the drive back to this one. When you visit somewhere for the first time and have such a great experience, that location becomes special. You can visit the same restaurant somewhere else, but the people, atmosphere, and experience aren't necessarily going to feel the same. This location definitely left that kind of impression on us. I really hope this review reaches management because the staff here deserves the recognition. Everyone we interacted with was wonderful, and Quang especially took such great care of us. This was our first time at VOX Kitchen, but it DEFINITELY won't be our last. We're already talking about coming back and bringing our family and more of our friends so we can all enjoy it together. 10/10 food. 10/10 service. 10/10 atmosphere. 10/10 experience. You guys definitely gained some returning customers!

    I didn't know fusion food could taste so good! Today I learned that Chifa is Cantonese Peruvian…read morefood, and I honestly love it so much! Saltado fries with picanha: fries were deliciously fried so that it's crispy but doesn't get soft in the saltado sauce. The picanha was super tender and juicy! Vox pear salad: a refreshing starter with a healthy bed of arugula on top of burrata and pear. The balsamic glaze really pulled it together! Corn ribs: just finger licking delicious Chifa fried rice with filet mignon: fried rice was solid but didn't have the most wok hey flavor that I usually like. It was a bit too moist for fried rice. Filet mignon was a bit tough, but flavor was good! Garlic noodles with crispy salmon: yummy salmon and yummy garlic noodles (could be more garlicky). I wonder if these two could have been more cohesive together somehow, but both individual parts were good! My friend told me this restaurant's owner had a few other fusion restaurants in the plaza, so I'll have to try those as well!

    Photos
    VOX Kitchen - Fountain Valley - Carne Asada Fries

    Carne Asada Fries

    VOX Kitchen - Fountain Valley - HamachiTostada

    HamachiTostada

    VOX Kitchen - Fountain Valley - Corn Ribs

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    Corn Ribs

    INI Ristorante - Crab Roe Spaghetti. Part of our new Summer Menu.

    INI Ristorante

    4.5(4.1k reviews)
    1.2 mi

    best food ever i liked it so much it was really good. very good workers. enjoyed the viberead more

    Came to INI Ristorante for my CPA celebration, and once again, it did not miss. This was actually…read moremy fourth time here, and I've consistently had a great experience. We started with the garlic Parmesan fries, which were super crispy with plenty of garlic flavor. The Squid Ink Uni Pasta was my favorite, the egg yolk mixed into the pasta made it so creamy, and I loved the combination of flavors. We also tried the mala lamb pizza, which was such an interesting concept and SO good. Definitely not a pizza combination I would've thought of, but it worked. We also got the truffle cheese bread, and the honey paired with it was astronomical. My friend ordered another dish that I unfortunately can't remember the name of, but that was good too. We also tried a few cocktails, including the espresso martini and lychee martini, and enjoyed those as well. INI is one of my higher ranking restaurants. I've been here four times now and the menu has never disappointed me. The food is creative without feeling like they're trying too hard to be different, the servers have always been nice, and I really like the mood and ambiance inside. Another Kei Concepts restaurant that delivers. Definitely coming back again. 9.5/10

    Photos
    INI Ristorante - Pork Tomahawk (dinner only). Part of our new Summer Menu.

    Pork Tomahawk (dinner only). Part of our new Summer Menu.

    INI Ristorante - Tropical cocktails crafted with house-made ingredients, premium spirits, and island-inspired flavors. Available now!

    Tropical cocktails crafted with house-made ingredients, premium spirits, and island-inspired flavors. Available now!

    INI Ristorante - Miso Glazed Black Cod (dinner only). Part of our new Summer Menu.

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    Miso Glazed Black Cod (dinner only). Part of our new Summer Menu.

    Momonoki - Prosciutto salad

    Momonoki

    4.1(320 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    Awesome cozy little restaurant serving up dishes with big flavors with nice presentation and…read moreawesome service. Would definitely come back for a nice little date night. Baranzino: tender fish served with a savory broth. Delicious and pretty healthy. I would come back for this for sure. I did wish it came with something else outside of the fish for the price but still delicious none the less. 9/10 Yuzu ceasar: nice rendition on a Ceasar and the yuzu definitely came through and the lettuce was nice and crunchy. Great start to the meal. 9.2/10 Garlic parm fries: delicious, crunchy, hot. I think it could have been even more garlicky but that is my preference. 8.5/10 Arancini: solid take on fried arancini but I didn't really get the kimchi flavors. Still tasty and would order again but maybe it could dial those flavors up. 8.5/10 Miso bacon carbarnara: definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Everyone was scooping up every bit of sauce on this one. 9.5/10 Pork belly: the pork was flavorful and tender but the mashed potatoes under it was the real hero. 8.7/10 Pork jowl: this might have been my favorite thing along with the carbanara. The problem was extremely tender and yet still had some give. The accompanying sauce gave it a salty kick and wrapping it in lettuce really gave it that korean essence. 9.5/10 Overall, this place delivered on great food and would come back anyway for a fancy meal. Also shoutout to our server who dealt with the entire restaurant alone and didn't miss a beat.

    small ish portions but good food! we got the smoked short…read morerib cavatelli, amberjack crudo, and skirt steak. All the food was quite good, but the wait was very long and they didn't take reservations at the time, not sure if that is still the same system.

    Photos
    Momonoki - Inside

    Inside

    Momonoki - Pappardelle Bolognese

    Pappardelle Bolognese

    Momonoki - Bolognese papardelle

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    Bolognese papardelle

    Nep Cafe - Salmon Garlic Noodles

    Nep Cafe

    4.5(4.9k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Made a quick stop at NEP Cafe while we were in Fountain Valley and it did not disappoint. NEP is…read morepart of Kei Concepts with a modern take on Vietnamese food. The menu takes familiar Vietnamese flavors then gets a little creative with them. The space itself has that same trendy Kei Concepts feel too. Cute, lively, but still casual enough to stop in for brunch or coffee. The workers here were super attentive and friendly throughout our visit. Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but we narrowed it down to the Seafood Ceviche, Matcha Cloud Latte, Egg Coffee, plus the Beef Belly Banh Mi Chao. The Seafood Ceviche comes with scallops, shrimp, calamari, mango, coconut, Thai chili, plus shrimp chips. This was such a clean and bright bite with a little tropical flavor from the mango and coconut. There was a nice kick of spice too. They gave a good amount of seafood, so you weren't just eating toppings and sauce. Scoop everything onto one of those crispy shrimp chips... so good. The Matcha Cloud Latte was dangerously easy to drink. I genuinely think I could take down three of these. It's made with oat milk then topped with matcha cheese foam. It was creamy with such a vibrant green matcha flavor. Slightly sweeter than I normally prefer, but I'm sure you could ask for less sweetness. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but the Egg Coffee surprised me. It's Vietnamese milk coffee topped with egg foam and cocoa powder. That cream was DELICIOUS. Last was the Beef Belly Banh Mi Chao. It comes with beef belly, black peppercorn sauce, sunny eggs, pork roll, pate, tomatoes. We added Chinese sausage since we were sharing, but honestly we didn't even need it. They give you a MOUNTAIN of beef belly. I loved being able to build each bite however I wanted with the bread, beef, egg, pate, plus everything else on the plate. Such a fun dish to share. Another Kei Concepts win for me. I already know there are more things on this menu I need to come back for.

    We loved the Nep Cafe in Irvine and had gone twice in one weekend, so we were excited to have the…read moreopportunity to dine at Nep again. When we approached the restaurant, the hostess was standing at the doorway, with the door open. The way she positioned herself made it seem like she was blocking the entrance, so I waited a moment thinking she was taking names down for the waiting list. However, she made it very clear to the party behind me that she was about to seat a party. I then realized the hostess stand was through the door and made my way in once she left the entrance. We were lucky to have no wait on this weekend brunch time. But perhaps this person should step out of the way instead of blocking the entrance. Once we were seated and menus were brought, we did a quick look over on the menu and noticed our favorites from the other location were not listed on this one. We did inquire about them nonetheless but was told they don't offer it anymore. (Vietnamese Pate Mousse was one of them.) We realized we should have looked at the menu ahead of time, as we didn't realize we would be a bit disappointed with their current offerings. (They also had a few other dishes we wanted but they were only available during dinner service.) This is what we ordered: * Banh Mi Chao - Beef Belly $22 * Curry Crab Omelet $26 * Crab Toast $21- It was okay. * Garlic Noodles with Charred Shrimp $21 - We had ordered this before and really enjoyed it. But their garlic noodles were spicy which we were not expecting. This made it difficult for the Little Gal to eat it. * Egg Coffee with Salted Egg Yolk $7.50 * Wildberry Matcha Latte $7 The four dishes we ordered were all pretty heavy and we weren't really wowed this time. Everything was fine, but not exceptional. I'm not sure if it was because we were blown away the first two times or what. Service was fine too. It was busy and we did have to request our water to be refilled, as well as requesting the check. It didn't wow us like the other location. Again, it wasn't exceptional. We really wanted to love it as much as we loved our first two visits at the Irvine location. After each previous visit, we wanted to go back again and talked about it afterwards. But this visit left us unenthused nor excited about returning unfortunately.

    Photos
    Nep Cafe - Bun Ca

    Bun Ca

    Nep Cafe - Crispy Pork Belly Wraps

    Crispy Pork Belly Wraps

    Nep Cafe - Egg Coffee

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    Egg Coffee

    KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya - Introducing The Party Pack Bundle: OG Tonkotsu, Chashu Tom Kha, Chashu Fried Rice, Furikake Fries, and Edamame for $45 via Toast Online.

    KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya

    4.5(2.3k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Not around the area, but in town for vacation. First time visiting this place and it was great!…read more The service was fast and the staff were friendly. Our waitress was always there when we needed her and would check up on us consistently! The place is very spacious, music was lively, and overall great atmosphere. Bathrooms were clean and it had a mouth wash dispenser including the cup As for food and drinks, everything was so delicious! Yuzu Lemonade was very refreshing and was a nice mix of the flavors. The yuzu and lemonade didn't overpower each other, and a nice touch of the mint leaf! Kei Coconut Ube had a nice taste to it. The sweetness was nice, super purple in color, and worth trying at least once. Drink definitely does not look or taste like a beer so think of it as a sparkling Ube drink when you try it. Beef Tongue appetizer was very tasty and the appearance was pretty. The sauce was very delicious with a hint of citrus. Beef Bowl Udon was delicious as well. The udon noodles are in the middle of the thickness level. Broth was nice and refreshing, and the beef belly was super soft and tasted amazing. Seafood Tom Kha Ramen was really good. Seafood in it were shrimps, scallops, and squid/calamari. Not too spicy, but had a nice kick to it. Veggies were nice and mixed well with the seafood ramen! Unfortunately, the eggs do not come with the udon or ramen, but they do have free unlimited ramen noodles!!! They let you get it for the udon broths as well! Would definitely come back to this place when I'm back in this part of town!

    This place was delicious. We were too hungry when we camebut everything we ordered was very…read moresatisfying. We ordered: Uni Pasta - amazing, must try Skewers Chicken Heart, Eel, and Enoki wrapped bacon Takoyaki - comparable to japan Salmon and yellowtail carpaccio - very very delicious and refreshing We came on a Saturday at 7pm and didn't have to wait for a party of 2, however the space was already pretty full and there was a bit of await around 8pm. I would recommend coming early or booking a reservation for larger parties. We were served waters right away. Our server was very attentive and our orders came out very quickly. Parking was very easy as the restaurant sits in a large plaza. I also appreciated the interior design of the space. I would highly recommend this spot. I will be coming backfor their ramen and to try their other menu items.

    Photos
    KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya - Happy Hour is available Sun-Thu from 9pm to 11pm. Excluding holidays. Dine-in only.

    Happy Hour is available Sun-Thu from 9pm to 11pm. Excluding holidays. Dine-in only.

    KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya - Chashu Tom Kha Ramen

    Chashu Tom Kha Ramen

    KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya - Asahi on draft

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    Asahi on draft

    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza - Our NEW Spring/Summer menu! New dishes, new cocktails, new mocktail. Available exclusively at VOX South Coast Plaza.

    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza

    4.4(666 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    The food was AMAZING. The fries on the saltado were so crunchy and good. The service was great,…read morestaff was there when needed. A bit loud in the section that is in the cent of the actual mall, but still really nice and private.

    Vox is one of those restaurants where you can immediately tell there's a lot of talent coming out…read moreof the kitchen. The flavors are bold, creative, and genuinely delicious. There is, however, one very important caveat for anyone with a seafood allergy: please ask questions before ordering. I was surprised to learn that almost every meat and vegetarian dish either contains seafood products or is prepared in the same oil or water as seafood dishes. The fries, vegetarian dishes and components, most meats (with the exception of the ribeye), and the noodles are therefore not options for someone with a seafood allergy. This was honestly a huge disappointment because I was dying to try the garlic noodles, corn ribs, tostada, and so many of the other incredible dishes on the menu. A much more prominent allergy note would be extremely helpful for guests who need to navigate the menu this way. Thankfully, what I could eat did not disappoint. The lychee lemonade was refreshing and delicious, and the pear salad was outstanding and beautifully prepared. For my entrée, the kitchen graciously prepared a steak fried rice without the seafood sauces and components. The steak was cooked perfectly, the rice was full of flavor, and the spicy green sauce on the side was a fantastic addition. And a special shoutout to our server, Tran, who was truly wonderful. She was warm, attentive, and incredibly accommodating throughout our entire lunch. The restaurant was packed and she was juggling a lot of tables, yet she remembered every detail of my allergy requests and even checked in when my customized dish took a little longer than expected. That level of attentiveness makes a difference. Vox is clearly a restaurant worth experiencing. The food is exciting, the flavors are memorable, and the service was excellent. For those without seafood allergies, there is an impressive amount to explore. For those of us with allergies, the options are unfortunately very very limited, but the kitchen and staff made a real effort to accommodate me, and I truly appreciated that.

    Photos
    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza - Carne Asada Fries. Part of our new Spring/Summer menu at VOX Kitchen & Bar.

    Carne Asada Fries. Part of our new Spring/Summer menu at VOX Kitchen & Bar.

    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza - Corn Ribs

    Corn Ribs

    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza - Hamachi & Carne Asada Tostadas. Part of our new Spring/Summer menu at VOX Kitchen & Bar.

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    Hamachi & Carne Asada Tostadas. Part of our new Spring/Summer menu at VOX Kitchen & Bar.

    District 36 Diner - shrimp cerviche

    District 36 Diner

    4.6(143 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    What an awesome gem of a spot here in Orange County! I've been eyeing checking District 36 Diner…read moreout for the longest time - ever since they opened up earlier this year - but they have the weirdest opening hours! I always thought of them "as the restaurant with the bizarre hours" - literally four hours a day during the week (closed Mondays) - and only slightly longer hours during the weekend. Upon first stepping foot into the space - you're transformed into an old-school diner with Vietnamese influence. The walls are well decorated in Vietnamese memorabilia. I was greeted by Brian almost immediately - who directed me to a spot "wherever I'd like to sit" - and I opted for one of the booths. Brian - is the co-owner of the diner, but is also part of "old-school" Little Saigon culinary royalty - a descendant of the family that founded the OG Song Long restaurant off Bolsa Ave. that has since shut down (known for their Cha Ca Thanh Long dish - which sadly, you can't get here). He is incredibly warm, genuine, and easy to chat with. After trying to decide between their Bo Kho variations (which is my favorite Vietnamese dish next to pho) - I settled for something new for me - their Five Spiced Chicken Fried Steak - which also comes with two eggs your way (I picked "Sunny Side up"), tater tots, and a Diet Coke. The wait was minimal - and the food was awesome! The tater tots tasted fresh - was perfectly crispy on the outside, soft and yummy on the inside. I found myself eating those first - while letting the gravy seep into my chicken fried steak to soften it up a bit. The chicken fried steak was perfectly flavored - you could almost taste a bit of pho spices with each bite. The homemade gravy was out of this world amazing - making the chicken breading soft enough for me to eat comfortably. The two sunny side up eggs had perfect yolks - I like to poke, and then suck each yolk up - before eating the whites. I appreciate Brian cranking up the AC since I forgot to bring in my portable fan - and it was a pretty warm day. Hoping to check them out again this Saturday for their take on Bun Bo Hue or maybe one of their Bo Kho dishes! Plenty of parking in the shared lot with a Grocery Outlet and Artisan 7 Leaves (which I stopped by after my lunch here). Hope to see them more busy! Brian told me he'd definitely consider opening longer hours during the week if business picks up. Check them out!! They have a unique twist on traditional diner foods with a bit of Vietnamese flair!

    This diner is in the same plaza as several other restaurants and cafes. The parking lot was not…read morefull when I got there but it did get busy after. The diner is very clean with interesting artwork and vibrant colors. I got the Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak, Mama's Crispy Rolls, and a cup of Chicken broth to share. The rolls were hot and crispy with fresh leafy greens. The chicken fried steak was very crispy with a consistency almost like fried chicken. The taste is different from a traditional southern type of chicken fried steak. It had an interesting flavor like a mix of the pho seasoning. It is a brownish yellowish color and tastes a little like curry. It paired well with the tots. This was a hearty but not super heavy brunch dish and having a cup of the chicken broth was perfect to wash everything down. The breakfast burrito looked very good on the menu and I might try that for on another visit. I would recommend this diner for anyone looking for one with a retro modern feel and fusion food and good service.

    Photos
    District 36 Diner - American diner meets Little Saigon vibes

    American diner meets Little Saigon vibes

    District 36 Diner - The AVO Toast

    The AVO Toast

    District 36 Diner - Steak and Eggs

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    Steak and Eggs

    September - icecream - Updated August 2026

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