I recently moved back to SoCal from being in NorCal for a decade, and one of the first places I visited upon my return. I've been going to Le Dip for at least two decades, and the Chicken Dijon is something that always lingers in the back of my head. I will say that I was left a bit disappointed at my last visit. I, of course, purchased a Chicken Dijon. The garlic aioli and the bread were the shining stars. The bread has the perfect balance of crunch and softness that makes it so easy to eat. The chicken breast was a bit dry, and there wasn't much present in the sandwich. I like the unique contrast that the artichoke provides, but it sometimes feels like it's just placed into the sandwich straight from the jar. The artichoke comes in large chunks, and it would be much better integrated if it were roughly chopped up beforehand. I hope these are so adjustments that the owners can implement, because I think it's going to affect their bottomline if it stays the way it is. read more

Been a customer for over 25 years. If I ever just need something quick bite to eat, Le Diplomate is the place. My go-to sandwich is the tuna salad ($10). Inside seating only has a couple tables but go and enjoy the outdoor tables...clean and plentiful. I remembered when I worked in Laguna Hills 10 years ago, I'd call in my order so that I could pick up and go...enough time to enjoy every bite. Since they cut the sandwich in half, you can eat at the 2nd half for later. The sweet young lady was nice and apologetic for not having the soft baguette nor the croissant anymore. It's a small place but it feels like home. read more

I got a banh mi sandwich and an Italian soda and it was pretty average. Not quite a traditional banh mi so it was fine. The Italian soda didn't really have too much flavor and the plastic cups are super flimsy. The cup is just getting crushed in my hand. Sometimes there's flies buzzing around and I'm not sure what this place is trying to do. Nice decor though. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Banh mi - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Omg, this used to be my favorite sandwich shop. Every time I'm in Irvine I come here. I am so sad. I always get the chicken garlic.. I know times are tough, but seriously the amount of chicken in my sandwich was so sad. I felt like I was just eating bread. It is with deep regret I say this... If this is the new normal, I'll pass next time. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Chicken Garlic.. where's the chicken? - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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The chicken broccoli and mushroom sandwich is something you can eat again and again and probably not get tired of. Sandwiches here are simply done right. When you can't figure out what to eat or you're when you're looking for quick spots the area, this is a reminder that this is around. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Chicken Broccoli Mushroom - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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I read through the reviews on Yelp and decided to order their famous chicken, broccoli, and mushroom sandwhich. The reviews did not disappoint. The sandwich took about 10min to make and came out hot with melty cheese. The garlic aioli sauce was delicious. Price is good. Overall, it's a quick pickup and on the go spot. The broccoli was slightly on the rawer side. There's not much seating indoor but there's plenty outdoor seating in the common area. I would come back for their sandwiches. read more

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Love love love their garlic sauce!!!!!! I wish they sold just the sauce in a big ole bottle!!! Everything I'm in town, I make it mandatory to buy a Sando from here and another or an xtra side of garlic sauce. read more

I love this place. Perfect for a quick little bite. Menu is pretty varied and well priced. In fact, the prices are pretty low in comparison to most of the other restaurants. Food usually coms out pretty fast as well. The young ladies working here are pretty kind. On one occasion though, I asked for extra milk on the Viet coffee which threw off a lady in the cashier. I don't think it was anything out of this world to ask for more milk and less coffee. I simply wanted more milk since Viet coffee is notoriously strong. She made it seem like a big deal and got a bit of a standoffish vibe. Other than this interaction, great place for a quick bite and strong coffee. read more

I had the NY Liason and it was a total joke. Two measly slices of pastrami in a sea of bread and lettuce. The meat wasn't even good -- if you told me it Oscar Meyer meat I would believe it. Yes the breast was toasty, the cream cheese and mustard was inventive, but this was the saddest looking sandwich! My wife had a tuna salad sandwich and it was average, but at least it had some tuna inside. One and done! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - NY Hot N.Y Liason Sandwich -- where's the beef? - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Every time I'm in town I always make a special trip to this place. Their chicken garlic sandwich is one of a kind. I like the chicken eggplant too. It's prepared with the same garlic sauce. Can't say enough about these two sandwiches. It's simply the best and worth the trip. Service is fast and ambiance is very casual. read more

Came here from a recommendation and wanted to see what the hype was all about. I came here on my lunch break and, if you've ever been to UTC, you know it's a mess when it comes to parking during lunch rush. Parking wasn't terrible but it was far from great. Parked near the Trader Joe's and walked towards the restaurant. I was recommended to try the chicken cordon bleu and I also grabbed a Vietnamese iced coffee. The chicken was okay, it was flavorful from the sauce they used but the sandwich overall was super chewy. My mouth got tired of chewing by the end of it, and I don't know if it's the bread or the chicken. If it wasn't for the chewiness I would've liked it a lot more, because the sauce was pretty good. The coffee is not for the weak. It's got the signature Vietnamese hazelnut bitter flavor, so don't expect it to be super sweet. It wasn't terrible, but wasn't the best I've had either. It was okay - I don't know if I'd get it again though. The service was good at least - I told the worker that it was my first visit and they were quick to explain how everything worked. They were also realistic with their wait times so I wasn't stuck sitting around wondering when I'd get my food. Be advised that there is no seating inside, but since this is at UTC there are plenty of outdoor seats and tables to eat at. It's also an easy spot to pick up and go - which is exactly what I did because I was on my lunch break. Overall, I can see why it's a popular spot among students - it's across the street from the school, prices seem pretty fair, and their food has potential. If I were to come back I'd try something totally different because I believe that they have good ratings for a reason and I don't want to give up on them just yet. I'll likely come back in the near future as I still have high hopes, but as of right now, I wasn't too impressed. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Hot Chicken Cordonbleu Sandwich and Vietnamese Iced Coffee (L) - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

HAPPY HOUR: 9" chicken garlic with chips/drink I've been wanting to go in for happy hour (3-6pm) for the longestt time. Their happy hour is just one menu item (chicken garlic sandwich with chips/drink) and it's CASH ONLY ($7.40). I was so underwhelmed and disappointed though... I thought it would come with more ingredients but it was basically just bread, cheese and chicken. Overall, the sandwich was just kinda dry and definitely needed the tobasco sauce. read more

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Le Dip holds the keyyyy tooooo myyyy heartttttttt. I was back at the UCI Homecoming event and couldn't help but stop by the University Center, across the bridge. There I saw Le Dip and my heart was fluttering once more for their garlic chicken sandwich. My boyfriend and I had recently eaten lunch so we weren't ready for a full meal... but I figured I would order it for laters. We were pleasantly surprised that Le Dip had a 3-6pm happy hour DAILY deal for the 9" chicken garlic with your choice of the bag of chips or small drink for only $7.40 CASH ONLY deal. Whoaaa now that's good eats!! I was definitely happpyyyyyy. I asked staff if they can cut the sandwich up for me and they said they could in either 2 pieces or 4 pieces... Mhmmm... I opted for 4 pieces so I can snack on 25% of that sandwich haha and I got my bf to snack with me too. Mhmmmmmm the taste of the creamy garlic sauce. Yummmm!! Definitely lives up to my memories of my youth. I'm glad they have an affordable options for college students to enjoy near the UCI campus. With inflation these days, It's hard to find a meal under $10. Highlyyyy recommended and will definitely be coming back whenever I'm nearby. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - happy hour deal daily! what a steal - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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I came here after reading several yelp reviews, raving about their sandwiches. I had to come. I ended up ordering a bahn mi sandwich, along with a chicken , eggplant concoction that was spectacular! 5/5 read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Open 9am-8pm daily. Happy hour options for 9" Hot Chicken Garlic Sandwich bet 3-6pm, bag of chips or small drink $7.40 cash only - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

My favorite spot in University Center. When I arrived in Irvine, there was still a Lee's Sandwiches, but then it went away and there was a time when you couldn't get Vietnamese sandwiches anywhere near campus. Thankfully Le Diplomate showed up. My go to was always the chicken eggplant, and definitely add the chili spread read more

Glad to see Le Dip is still in business since I graduated 10 years ago! Today I ordered the bacon chicken club, which was great. I typically gravitate to any of the chicken sandwiches that have their famous garlic sauce like the chicken dijon, chicken/broccoli/mushroom, and chicken garlic. I also enjoy their BLT. Along with the garlic sauce I really enjoy their bread. It strikes a good balance between crispy and chewy. Off to the side they have a bottle of siracha which I like putting on my sandwich as well. The service is quick, and the workers have always been friendly here. There isn't much seating inside which is fine because Le Dip is located at the heart of University Town Center (UTC) where there is an abundant amount of outdoor seating you can use to enjoy your food. Whenever I am back in the area and need a bite to eat, Le Dip is always on the list of places I consider. read more

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I had Le Diplomate for the first time in 2007 when I was a student at UCI and boy oh boy, was that a life changer! Writing this review in 2025 to say that this place still slaps! The UTC has had a pretty high turnover of food joints, but Le Diplomate has been a solid staple for many years. It's been 18 years since I've first had Le Diplomate (my friends and I would call it Le Dip for short). I hope Le Diplomate will still be around in the next 18 years! My go-to is the bacon chicken club with extra garlic sauce and sriracha on the side. The garlic chicken is essentially the same thing without the tomato and bacon. Don't skimp out on that garlic sauce. Trust. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Hot Bacon Chicken Club Sandwich with extra garlic sauce - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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First time I tried this place with my best friend and it was pretty good. We both ordered the chicken broccoli mushroom sandwich with chips, and a side of hot sauce. It was a great location with plenty of seating outside. The ONLY reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because the cashier girl was rude, unfriendly, unhelpful, unwelcoming... ugh. Latina I believe, with glasses... management should probably have a chat with her. Other than the horrible customer service experience today, I'd come back! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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Chicken broccoli mushroom sandwich with extra garlic sauce in the side. Get some sriracha on there. HEAVENLY. I always come back for this sandwich, it's that good. Service is quick. Not much seating inside so I always take my sandwich and eat at the tables outside. What is better than enjoying a delicious sandwich outside in beautiful Irvine weather? NOTHING. I love this sandwich so much, it's my ultimate comfort food. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Hot Chicken Broccoli Mushroom Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Great spot for a quick lunch! I love their broccoli chicken sandwich. It's so hearty and filling. It's a small place, but there's plenty of seating outdoors. It's great for when the weather is nice and warm. I do miss their previous interior. It feels kind of cold and not as home-y as it used to be. However, the food is still great & service is quick! read more

I'm not in the area often after graduating years ago. During college I'd enjoy the local popular CBM (chicken broccoli mushroom) sandwich. Scrumptious! Every now and then the CBM's still a nice nostalgic revisit. . Very limited indoor seating. But plenty of outdoor seating. . UTC parking is often crowded. Can be a bit of a walk. read more

Soo good and affordable for almost on campus food! One of the best sandwiches I've ever had!

First stop here! Pretty good smoothies taste kind of like candy! A small wait but not bad considering one working doing it all. We got the raspberry and watermelon smoothies and kids were happy read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Watermelon and raspberry smoothies - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I was waiting for my girlfriend to finish up a final so we could pack up and head to the airport for a trip and I needed to kill a few hours. Came here because it was highly rated, but unfortunately there isn't too many good things I can say about this place from my experience. Got the chicken garlic sandwich because that's what the lady at the front recommended, but when I shared it with my girlfriend, neither of us could make it past the first bite. I'm not sure if we just got a bad sandwich or if this is consistently how they make it, but it was not good. read more

Stopped by based on Yelp reviews. Not sure what the hype is, but the bread was hard and the sandwich was meh. Garlic sauce ok, but nothing out of this world. read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Definitely a staple for UCI students! I think they have some of the best sandwiches I've ever had, and their garlic sauce is amazing. Although their prices have definitely gone up throughout the years, the quality and taste of their sandwiches has remained consistent. Plus, they still have their cash-only deal where you can get a chicken garlic sandwich with chips and a drink during happy hour. The service is great, the workers are quick to take your order and there isn't much of a wait time. I don't think I've ever waited more than 15 minutes even when it's busy. The restaurant itself is pretty small. There's only a few tables inside so seating is very limited, but there's a lot of tables outside. Parking can get difficult around lunchtime, but it's manageable. Overall, I love how the sandwiches have remained the same quality throughout the years. I enjoyed coming here when I was a student at UCI and I still enjoy it now. It's definitely worth a try if you're in the area! read more

==FOOD== The love of my life since I was attended school at UC Irvine. I will never ever forget the special taste of Le Dip's garlic sauce. When the server asks "Garlic or Ranch?" I want to reply, "WHO WOULD EVER ASK FOR RANCH?!" But I'm a normal person, so I just reply with "Garlic, please!" X) I've been getting the Chicken Mushroom Broccoli for as long as I could remember. It is the food of GODS!!! ==SERVICE== Seems like Le Dip is still employing students from UC Irvine. They're usually very polite and super nice. I always asks for a knife so I can cut the whole sandwich into even smaller sections. The workers are always happy to find a knife for me. ==AMBIANCE== I usually don't eat inside Le Dip. The whole UTC has lots of outdoor seating with umbrellas. However, the interior of Le Dip has not changed since 2010 when I started at UC Irvine. But as long as they never change their food, I could care less about how it looks inside. read more

Mmmm... have been wanting to try this place forever and finally did on a lazy Sunday morning.. on the one hand I love and respect that this place has been around for as long as I've been alive, even a lil' before maybe, but from what I understand since new owners, the breads are no longer the same. Everything that goes in seem to remain on par with what used to be but the croissants look and taste more spongy than flaky. The baguettes are not as crispy or flavorful. It was a fine fine breakfast when you're hungry but I.. don't think I'll be returning nor want to return. Sorry Le Diplomat, better bread next time!! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Hot Eggplant Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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And again it's been nine years since I last came here, and everything looks so different! But guess what? Everything still tastes the same. Chicken garlic sandwich with broccoli (age demands healthier life choices) this time around, which the chicken is still tender and slathered with the same garlic aioli with perfectly toasted, pressed, bread that holds the superbly oozy cheese. It still has that crunch on the outside, and still the ratios are perfect. So again, if you like garlic and paninis, then this is a must-visit place. read more

Zariel is the best! She helped me pick out the perfect meal for my afternoon study snack and I'll definitely come back!

what the heck i thought i wrote a review here!! this place is special to my heart and even after graduating sooooo many years later, i still just love it! chicken garlic is the go to!!! the oozing cheese and garlic combo just makes this simple sandwich soooo soooo delicious!!!!!! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - chicken garlic - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I got a BBQ chicken sandwich and a Vietnamese sandwich with pate. The sandwiches were average and pretty good. It's located at UTC so it's convenient if you want a quick bite. There aren't many seats available but plenty of seats outdoors. read more

The garlic chicken sandwich is in town from la wanted a quick bite this place has two of my favorites French bakery and smoothies read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Le Dip does a great job at providing delicious and filling sandwiches at a reasonable price. My personal favorites are the chicken broccoli and chicken eggplant. read more

Garlic. Sauce. Is. Everything. Order the garlic sauce and you'll know why. This garlic aioli is the star and makes any sandwich delectable. Plain garlic chicken to mushroom broccoli chicken to eggplant chicken, you can't go wrong. Quick service, order and it's ready within ten minutes. Located in UTC across from UCI, Le Dip is a staple that has been around for a long time. There is plenty of parking but beware during peak hours like lunch rush, it fills up. Parking is heavily enforced. Le Dip is my favorite spot in UTC! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Garlic chicken, mushroom, broccoli - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've been coming here ever since I was an undergrad at UCI. There's a reason this place has stood the test of time while others have come and gone at UTC. Their sandwiches are amazing especially the bacon chicken club or the chicken broccoli mushroom with their garlic sauce. For anyone new to the area, those sandwiches are a must try at least once. read more

A UC Irvine college staple and a pleasure to visit again whenever we're in town. As usual, service is quick and the interior is quiet with limited seating inside but plenty of outdoor seating right outside in the shared courtyard. My go to is their Tuna Melt subbed with Swiss instead of cheddar but I've heard wonderful things about their garlic sauce on standard chicken sandwiches. It's also nice they let you order half sandwiches so you're able to try without feeling too full. It's almost as good as I remember but this time the bread wasn't crunchy and toasted enough and felt soggy combined with the tuna. In the past, it had always been the bread that made the sandwich stand out as a star so hopefully it'll be as good next time when we come back! read more

Le Diplomate Cafe - Hot Tuna Melt Sandwich with Swiss - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Located in University Center, this classic French and Vietnamese inspired sandwich shop has been around for many many years, and it's one of the few remaining shops that has been there to withstand a few decades of ever changing landscape within the area. The small little cafe has only a few seatings inside, so most of the orders are typically just order at the counter to go, there's a few more extra outdoor seating located nearby for all the shops. The sandwiches are absolutely delicious and there's some special hot sauce that you can get to go in a small little container. Service is fairly quick too, as it's meant to be ordered and ready to eat right away. Overall, this is definitely a repeat favorite to return and try again. There are some deals too and free drink upgrade to large if you pay in cash. Definitely a pleasant place to come back again time and time. read more

This is a small little sandwich place inside utc. It doesn't have much seating inside but there's a lot of seating outside! I ordered the chicken garlic sandwich after hearing about how good their garlic sauce was and tbh I was not impressed. The sandwich was just okay. There was a good amount of cheese and chicken and the garlic sauce tasted the same as the sauce you get at dominos for your pizza. There wasn't much flavor since it's just chicken and cheese. Next time I'll try their chicken broccoli and mushroom to see if it has more flavor. 4/10, would skip it. read more

I ordered a mushroom, broccoli, and chicken sandwich online with some extra garlic spread on the side. My bf hyped up this sandwich so much, so I w as quite eager to try it. Please note that the online ordering prices are about $4+ than if you go in person. That was my mistake. But once I got the sandwich, I was really pleasantly surprised. Everything inside it was cooked really well. I really enjoyed that garlic spread. It really added to the sandwich. Highly recommend this as a quick lunch! read more