Steam curled up from the bowl like it was trying to escape the table, carrying that deep, rich…read morearoma that hits you before the first bite even has a chance. The broth looked simple at first glance--clear, golden--but there was something about it that felt... serious. Like it had been working on itself for hours, maybe all day, maybe longer. You leaned in first. "Alright," you said, like this was some kind of test. The spoon dipped in, catching that first sip. And then there was that moment--the pause. The kind where nothing gets said because your brain is too busy trying to figure out how something so light can taste that deep. Warm spices wrapped around everything--star anise, a hint of cinnamon, something slow and savory underneath it all. It didn't hit all at once. It built. "Okay... yeah," you finally said, nodding like you just discovered something. By then the noodles had soaked just enough broth to soften but still had that slight bite. You lifted them, and they came up in that perfect, endless stream--like they didn't want to leave the bowl either. Thin slices of beef rested in the heat, slowly changing color, soaking up everything around them. You added a squeeze of lime, a handful of herbs, maybe a little too much sriracha--but somehow it only made it better. Across the table, the reaction was the same. No talking. Just eating. Every bite pulled you in a little deeper. It wasn't just food anymore--it was one of those meals where everything else kind of fades out. The noise in the room, the phones, whatever you had going on that day--it all took a back seat to this bowl of pho that somehow felt like it knew exactly what it was doing. At some point, someone laughed. "This is actually ridiculous," they said, shaking their head, going back in for another bite like they needed to prove it again. And when the bowl finally started to empty, it almost felt wrong. Like you weren't ready for it to be over yet. You tilted it slightly, chasing the last of the broth with your spoon, not saying it out loud but definitely thinking it-- Yeah... that was different. Not just good. The kind of good you talk about later.

They have a bogo $1 promo. Pho is delicious and so far the best in OC. Appetizers and Bulgogi…read more noodles are delicious too. Busy place and a lot of people are waiting in line

A much needed return visit and another hit. We recommend the Smashburger ($25) and Brisket Barbacoa…read moreTacos ($16). The Smashburger reminded me a one of the best cheeseburgers ever. It was ground fresh and had lots of flavor. The Barbacoa has kick. Note to wine lovers: we opted for the $25 bottle of "Summer Love" Pinot Noir wine. It's not what you'd expect from a Pinot Noir. This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc. As such, it's light and funky. We enjoyed it while the table next to us sent theirs back.

I came across a YouTube video about Le Hut Dinette a couple weeks ago, and finding out that it was…read morethe sister restaurant of Heritage Barbecue, it was a must try since I loved Heritage at the times I went. So, I came here on a Saturday night with a reservation for 5 people and it was an interesting experience to say the least! I really liked the retro diner vibes and the place looked pretty sleek. However, when it came to ordering (which I was eyeing the beef ribs for 2), and the first thing our server told us was that it was sold out. For peak dinner hours, to run out already on a popular dish at 7:30 is disappointing to say the least. So, I had to audible to the tri tip roast, which was good at least, but it was not like the beef ribs that I have tried from Heritage Barbeque a while back. It was also weird that they also ran out of chicken too, which one of the couples at the that table wanted, so they had to switch to the pork belly. Luckily, the dishes we ordered were all good...but it just felt weird to me that they ran out of some food already and it wasn't even near closing. That's like me going to In N Out wanting a double double, only for them to be like "sorry, you are going to have to opt for only a hamburger" instead. I would like to give Le Hut Dinette another chance since I have tried Heritage in the past and the barbecue is bomb, but I honestly did not expect them to have inventory issues at prime dinner hours. The server apologized for the issues due to their early afternoon rush and for how busy they were, but that still didn't really make up for the unavailability of the beef ribs. Perhaps I'm salty because I legit drove an hour down from LA to the OC for a product that I didn't even get to try (with a reservation!) So the final verdict, food was good and the service was nice, but not being able to order the beef ribs and some other dishes unfortunately made what could have been a 5 star experience into something of a 3-3.5 star experience.

Good food amazing service Chicken are extremely juicy…read more Staff are extremely friendly ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ

Food, service and vibes were all impeccable. Our server was Rachel who was incredibly attentive and…read moreprovided great food recommendations! Will be back!

Very good experience at this restaurant . Enjoyed the food as well. 5/5 from my side…read more Thank you

The best Korean bbq ever , everyone and everything was amazing . Will come back and tell all my…read morefriends

A friend recommended American Grub, thank you! When you…read morewalk inside it just feels like a place you want to eat "American Grub"! The menu is detailed, you just have to pay attention to things like the burgers don't come with condiments unless you ask for them, especially if you're getting your order to go! The food was really good & exactly what we were expecting. The service was great as well, the staff are very attentive. Happy that it's local, we will be going back!

It is always a pleasure to support local businesses here in Tustin, and American Grub has certainly…read moreimpressed me in several key areas. I wanted to share some comprehensive feedback regarding a recent experience, aiming to highlight both your successes and areas where further refinement could elevate the customer journey even further. First and foremost, I must commend your team for their exceptional warmth and hospitality. From my initial phone call to the moment I picked up my order, I felt genuinely welcomed and valued. This level of customer service, which often feels lacking in many establishments today, truly sets American Grub apart. It creates a welcoming atmosphere that significantly enhances the overall experience, and I sincerely hope this commitment to friendliness remains a cornerstone of your operation. However, I encountered a couple of points that, in my personal opinion, warrant consideration for improvement. Regarding the payment process, I felt a degree of apprehension about providing my credit card details over the phone. While I understand the operational need to secure orders and prevent potential losses, particularly for larger transactions, for a single item like my bacon cheeseburger, priced at $17.24 including tax, this practice felt somewhat disproportionate. I also noted the 99-cent fee for online payments, which, while minor, might deter some customers who are seeking convenience without additional charges. Perhaps exploring alternative secure payment links for phone orders or adjusting the fee structure for smaller transactions could enhance customer comfort and streamline the process. My primary concern, however, arose upon returning home. Despite ordering a bacon cheeseburger, I discovered the burger completely lacked bacon, as well as any form of sauce or mayonnaise. This oversight had a significant impact on the meal; the absence of these core components rendered the burger quite bland and far from the experience I had anticipated. When ordering a single item, the expectation for meticulous attention to detail is particularly high, as there are fewer variables. Consequently, the overall value of the meal, given the missing ingredients, was not quite met on this occasion. I did reach out to the owner privately via email to discuss these points, and I appreciate their responsiveness and transparency in addressing my feedback, particularly concerning the rationale behind the phone payment policy. It is reassuring to know that your business is open to customer input. My hope is that these observations can serve as constructive input, allowing American Grub to continue refining its excellent service and product quality. I remain a supporter of your local endeavor and look forward to seeing these aspects addressed. Thank you for reaching out. To clarify, all my reviews and communications are crafted solely from my personal experiences and genuine perspectives, not AI. Every word and insight you read is authentically mine, driven by my commitment to provide honest feedback. Even though the review was long..(lol) I wanted to make sure the details are accurate and understandable. Plus I think you and your establishment are great and I wanted to detail that as well Kimberly.

Came here after going to a couple of other places that were either closed or had a long wait and…read morethis place was on our way. It's very small, so there was about a 5 minute wait before a table opened up. There were only 2 people taking orders and serving food, but the place is so small that was plenty. If they had any more staff it would have been too crowded. They only serve breakfast, but have a lot of different options from pancakes & waffles, to omelets & eggs benedict, along with some Hawaiian and Mexican dishes. I had their Classic Breakfast, which included 2 eggs, sausage or bacon, with an upgrade to hashbrowns from home fries and toast. We got there around 12:30pm and the food came out very fast. And it was SO GOOD! Like, the best breakfast I've ever had and I'm not really a big breakfast person. SO, SO GOOD! I would definitely come back again if it was closer to my area. Unfortunately, it is too far for me to come on a regular basis. But definitely recommend!

Food is so amazing and delicious She so sweet, Service…read more100/10 The place is very quiet and not busy after 2pm.

This place is AWESOME!!…read more Food: My son got the chicken and waffles but they were so nice that they did chicken strips instead of what they usually do which is chicken breast. My husband also got the chicken and waffles but he got the chicken breasts. I got the pesto pasta and they were running a special where the pasta was half off and half the portion which was perfect for me. Our drinks were also delicious - we got nonalcoholic drinks. Service: Our waitress did an awesome job! She took great care of us! Ambiance: They had a live musician, he was great! They also had the games on and as soon as you walk in and on the way to your seats the host asked us which game we wanted to watch and we told her and she sat us where we had the perfect view of the game! Thank you, Mama's! We will definitely be back!!

Came on a Thursday morning, and no wait. Plus, kids eat free on Thursdays!…read more Husband got the peanut butter Nutella pancakes which was yummy! Pancake was a big size and comes with 2 stacks. It went well as dessert after my dish. I got the breakfast sourdough melt which was also delicious, crunchy, and very filling! Definitely good enough to share as well! One could say it's an average American breakfast diner, but my daughter got a kids dish (not pictured) that included 1 pancake, scrambled eggs, and a sausage, and she practically finished it! Either she was really hungry, or she thought the food was good! (She never eats that much). Overall, great place for breakfast/brunch!

Great Thi food best in O.C. and excellent service. But need to wait so sign up on the waiting list…read moreearlier.

The place to be! Thai comfort food meets trendy dinner spot, meets excellent food and service. The…read moreplace gets busy! And I can see why. For reference, they open at 4:30 and when we got there at 4:45, there was already a 15-20 minute wait. While we were waiting, the list got filled up! We can hear people murmuring, "2 hour wait??" (You can get on the waitlist via Yelp). Hubbie and I were thankful to have gotten there early. Once inside, we were excited by their extensive menu. Everything sounded so authentic, we decided to explore out of our usual Pad Thai and Pad See Ew. We ordered their Thai Boat Noodle, Crying Tiger (ribeye steak), and a fish soup (can't remember the name). The best was their Thai boat noodle, hands down. It's almost like pho with a giant bone in short rib. Their crying tiger was delicious as well. The fish soup has an acquired taste, and pretty spicy even with the normal spice choice. The place is so cute! Clean, well managed, and with trendy decor. I love the spaciousness of the tables, doesn't feel too crowded. And even with a busy restaurant, their service is excellent. I am already studying the menu, and planning my next visit!

Have you seen all the hefty sandwiches in Benjie's Yelp photo gallery???! Enticing, to say the…read moreleast! I grabbed my foodie friend and headed out to check things out first hand. Pulling into the parking lot, I knew this was a very well loved restaurant because the lot was packed ~ and it's a pretty good sized lot! Walking up to the door, it's pretty obvious, in a good way, that it's an establishment that's been around for a while. With bustling deli and pastry cases near the entrance, Benjie's instantly gives off a Cheers vibe, even for this first timer. There's a counter to sit at if you're dining solo, or if you've got more people in your party there are plenty of traditional booths and tables. The menu is extensive with all of the traditional deli/diner favorites. In order to try more, we decided to split everything. We ordered Reuben Fritters as a starter, a Pastrami sandwich on a French roll, and cheese blintzes for dessert. The Reuben Fritters were a nice take on the sandwich with a mixture of tender corned beef and the perfect amount of cheeses and sauerkraut rolled in bread crumbs and fried to perfection. The pastrami sandwich was piled high with meat and served with a side of onion rings. We were already getting full at this point, but we couldn't resist the cheese blintzes that were patiently waiting for us to give them a try. I swear I don't live under a rock, but I've never had blintzes before and these were VERY good! We went with the traditional preparation, although I read someone's review that said these could also be requested fried. Definitely worth a try next time. I'm imagining pure decadence! Our server was friendly and kept on top of keeping our beverages filled and checking to see if we needed anything. We left filled with excellent comfort food and an overall great experience. Looking forward to trying some more things on the menu soon!

What We Ordered: * Smoked Fish Platter: (Lox, whitefish, or…read morecombo -- served with coleslaw, potato salad, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, two bagels, cream cheese & Greek olives -- serves two) * The Benjie Special: (Hot pastrami with coleslaw & Russian dressing on rye) My Thoughts: We love finding mom and pop diners, and this spot felt like such a gem. You can tell they've been around for a long time in the best way. It has that classic deli feel with a mix of diner, café, and old school market vibes. Service was friendly and helpful, even during the lunch rush. We went around 1 PM on a Thursday, so it was definitely busy, but the wait felt expected and worth it. Portion wise, they do not hold back. You really get a bang for your buck here. The smoked fish platter was the highlight for me. I genuinely loved everything on it. It's perfect for sharing (or for leftovers ). It almost feels like a DIY bagel experience you get to mix and match different toppings and flavors, which I'm obsessed with. Also... I tried an egg bagel for the first time and it lowkey changed my life. They make their bagels in house and sell them by the half dozen but they do sell out. By the time we finished eating, they were already out, so if you want some to take home, grab them as soon as you walk in. The Benjie Special was solid super flavorful and packed with a generous amount of pastrami. It did lean a bit greasy for our taste, but that really just comes down to personal preference. They also offer a variety of cold deli items by the pound, which adds to that classic New York-style deli experience. Overall: A cozy, old school deli with generous portions, quality food, and that nostalgic mom and pop charm. Definitely a spot we'd come back to.

We're back and we're still obsessed except this time I have to shout out their burger of the month:…read morethe chorizo smash. IT IS SO GOOD! It's like a burger and a taco had a baby. We made it a triple and got the pickled onions on the side just cause and no regrets. Sidenote another special shout out to the beeriest beer cheese I've ever had (in the best way), like this cheese is almost hoppy and I love it sm. Final shout out to the service! Everyone's always so nice and hospitable. We usually sit at the bar and enjoy one of their rotational draft beers :)

was craving a smash burgers and stopped by here for the first time! got their original hammer smash…read more($10) and single portion fries ($3). you order first at the register and they brought it to our table which is very nice. love their own housemade sauce bar (free!!!) and ample clean seating. smash burger is good, exactly what i was craving. it's nothing too unique though, maybe since i got the original one, but nice to try if you're in the area