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Mama’s Cha Ca

4.7 (99 reviews)
Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Mama’s Cha Ca Photos

MAMA’S CHA CA ATMOSPHERE

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I ordered the banh mi cha ca. The bread was crispy on the outside and light inside, which I really liked, but it felt like it was missing a sauce to bring everything together. The cha ca itself was very tasty--plump, juicy, and full of flavor.

Marie V.

This review is for the fish patties only as that the only thing I got from this place. Great taste and reasonably price. These fish patties are great as snack or add them to your favorite noodle or udon soups. Pick up a few when you are in the neighborhood. Parking can be difficult. Come on weekdays for easy parking.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee (TikTok: @justandyvu)
Andy V.

1. The fish cakes in the sandwich are good! The coffee was also comforting! 2. The spot has fast-casual vibes! 3. One table inside and another table outside! 4. Staff was friendly and timely with my order! 5. Parking lot is medium size but there is street parkjng nearby! Note: There is a single restroom! Photo: Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Banh Mi Cha Ca

Hans S.

This is primarily a take place, but they have 2 tables out front in the courtyard where you can sit, eat and smoke, sharing space with cafe I4 and Quan Bun Co Giao Thao which seemed to have closed for good. Bun rieu was $13, tasty broth more of pork stock than pure crab, a chunk of minced crab meat, slices of fish cake, 2 cubes of blood curls, fried tofu, served with plenty of fresh herbs, hot pepper sauce, lime slice. Bun rieu here is unique with the addition of slices of cha ca, which were tasteless to me. Lots of people ordered take outs. Good food, reasonable prices, quick service, nice airy outdoor sitting where you can smoke, a good place for lunch. Parking is tight in this strip mall. Will try their other dishes.

Fresh hot fish cakes!!!! 1 lb
Sanny C.

I don't know about the other foods but for sure, you can't go wrong with the fish cakes. Super fresh!!! They make new ones on the daily. I came here twice today lol The first time, I got 1 lb. They just made it, so it was still very hot. At first, she wrapped up a whole piece for me. However, I wanted to eat it right away, so I asked if she could cut it. She was really nice. She got it cut and packed up neatly. Also, she gave me utensils and napkins. The fish cake was chewy and tasty. I usually like mine with dill, but these were good even without. My mom enjoyed it very much as well. We went back and got 2lbs. I didn't think we would get fresh hot ones. However, they were almost done making a new batch, so we waited. Such a good snack or add it in bun rieu or whatever you want.

Truc T.

Honestly one my favorite Cha Ca Chien(Fried Fish Cake) & Bun Rieu(Vietnamese Crab/Tomato Soup) places! The Cha Ca Chien which is fried fish cake, was absolutely flavorful & very light & tasted amazing in the Bun Rieu. Bun Rieu is a light & flavorful tomato pork broth that is generally accompanied by crab paste/mixture/meatballs, fried tofu, & vermicelli noodles, along with choices of herbs & vegetables. Truly one of my favorite dishes that warms the heart & Mama's Cha Ca definitely hits a home run for it. Most notably I'm super impressed by the Cha Ca, & how delicious it was. Definitely coming back just for the $12/LB to add to some home-cooking! Recommend to go here since theres barely any space to really dine, but super grateful to had the chance to!

Ky N.

I came here on a random afternoon because I was craving banh canh. It's really good! Their broth has so much flavor that I literally finished the entire thing. It's a very small place, there's not really seating inside and maybe 2 tables outside so definitely not a dine in kinda environment.

Bun rieu
Linda L.

Location* In the corner of a small L-shaped plaza Atmosphere* Small, clean, fast-casual to-go but they do have 1 table inside for dining---at least 1 outdoor table, sometimes I've seen 2 Food* They specialize in cha ca which is all made fresh from them. However, I just want to share that their bun rieu cha cais sooo good especially since they give a generous amount for price of $13. I crave it all the time... They also have banh canh, bun cha ca, banh mi cha ca. Beverages* Very limited selection: water, tea, milk yogurt with condensed milk, soda chanh, might be missing a few more options

Nhi T.

Very sweet service. Fish cakes tastes homemade, which is why I found some bones in it so be careful while eating but that's how you know it's legit fish and not fillers lol. The broth was a bit light but you can add your own fish sauce and shrimp paste they put in the side to taste. I would come back for more fish cakes :)

Oh S.

Alright, so my sister told me about this place and said it's really good. I don't live in the area so I wanted to try it out. I saw one review that said, she found fish scales in her raw cha ca that she had bought but I didn't pay much attention to it. I did read her review and the comment with the owners family member responding to it. My two cents as a person who fishes, I already knew that, even when cleaning fish (no matter how much there is) you spray water to wash off all the fish scale off the fish or as much as you can see. Apparently they don't do that here. They prefer quantity over quality. I ordered a cha ca sandwich to try this place out and even when eating the sandwich, I felt the texture of fish scales. I thought it was just in my head and pretended it was maybe the texture of the bread or pickled veggies but then I found a piece of scale in my mouth. The sandwich was tasty though and they always say dirty places do have good food lol. But probably, I won't be coming back! As for their service, they suck here. It's a very small place and customers had to go towards the back to get the attention of their staff to come to the front. Never again!

bánh canh chả cá
Kelly T.

It's a small little place that sells chả cá and chả cá related items such as bánh canh chả cá. Bánh canh chả cá was really good and was only $10 (tax already included). My piece of chả cá (1lb) was $12. Prices might have gone up since I last got these items. The girl taking my order and ringing me up was super nice and friendly. If you need fish patties, give this place a try.

Fish scale.... What a  Waste of time!

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1 year ago

We are regulars to the Banh Mi Cha Ca. Hits the spot every time. Best Cha Ca place by far.

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Soo delicious!! Highly recommend! We'll be back for sure! Service was great! Overall, amazing experience!

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Cathy N.

Thank you for the kind review!

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2 years ago

My to go spot for bún chả cá. I also buy the frozen fish paste so I can make at home. They do have fried, steam ready to eat fish cake.

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Cathy N.

Thank you for the 5 stars!

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Good service. Great price, very tasty fish cakes! I appreciate that they are made daily

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Mama’s Cha Ca Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Mama’s Cha Ca

Do you ship cha ca overnight?

Hello, we do ship overnight with Southwest Cargo. Please contact us at 714-814-6788 for more details. Thank you!

Does cha ca have eggs in the ingredients ? My son is allergic to eggs and trying to see if he can eat here.

Hi there, we do have eggs in our fish cakes. Thank you for asking.

Hi, what kind of fish do you use for the cha ca?

Hello, we use Ladyfish (ca mang) for our cha ca.

Hi! Do you do large orders (party packs) for pick up?

Hi! Yes we do large orders. Please contact us for more details. Thank you!

Hi there! What bones are used in the noodle broth? We don't eat pork and any porcine products. Thank you in advance!

Hi! Thanks for asking. We use half fish bones and half chicken bones to make the broth. There is no pork in any of our products

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Loi's Kitchen

Loi's Kitchen

4.6
(612 reviews)
1.0 mi
$$

I love a good Vietnamese place that not only gives you good portions but also great deals. They…read morecaught my eye a while ago and I saw they had the infamous Waterfall Chicken for only $10.99, a steal of a deal especially with tomato price & an egg. The chicken was crispy and the dipping sauce gave it that extra yummy goodness. The dish also came with a side of broth that had chicken bits in it, was nice to help digest your dish. I also loved that they gave you pickled veggies & fresh veggies. We also ordered the Loi's Fusion Saltado, upgraded the rice to garlic egg fried rice. The beef was soft and tender, the fries were nice and crispy and the fried rice was fresh. You 100% need to get the Thai Tea. A lot of place add too much cream/half and half diluting the tea flavor, they do not skimp on the actual tea in their drink. The color speaks for itself on the dark orange hue!

Welcome to Day 2 of OC Food Journals, where I try a new place every day so you don't have to…read more Today's stop was Loi's Kitchen, and honestly, this review is a little overdue. I'm a bit late getting around to writing this, and unfortunately, they are already closed, but I still felt like I had to share my experience. I'm not completely surprised that they closed, especially after trying their bò né. I've had this dish many times at different places around Orange County, and unfortunately, this was probably the weakest version I've come across. The first thing that stood out was the presentation. As you can see in the picture, there was this purple-colored sauce on the meat itself, which honestly did not look very appetizing. To make things worse, the sauce was cold and did not heat in time with the skillet, which really took away from the experience. The flavor itself wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't anything memorable. It was just okay, and when you factor in the cold food and the presentation, it made the whole dish disappointing. With so many places around Orange County serving bò né at a much higher level, I would probably recommend spending your money elsewhere. If you were wondering whether you missed out on some hidden gem, don't worry, you didn't. This one felt more like a piece of coal than a diamond. That being said, every restaurant has its journey, and with more time, maybe they could have found their footing. Hopefully, they can take this experience as a lesson, refine their recipes, and bring something better in their next venture. I am rooting for you Loi!

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Menu
Menu
Loi's Kitchen
MENU

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MENU
Oc & Lau Restaurant

Oc & Lau Restaurant

4.1
(3.4k reviews)
1.0 mi
$$

One of my favorite Vietnamese seafood restaurants in the area. If you like anything and everything…read moreshellfish (claims, scallops, escargot, etc), then this is the place for you! Have been to this restaurant many times, and food is always consistent! Came visit to the restaurant last week, and ordered my favorite Grilled Escargot with Garlic Butter and Peppercorn, Grilled Scallops with Cheese, and my all-time favorite Chilean Sea Bass hot pot! The grilled escargots are a must-have when visiting this place! These are perfectly grilled with rich garlic butter for sweetness, and with a slight kick of spiciness from the peppercorn. Don't forget to also dip the escargot meat with black pepper and a few squeeze of fresh lime juice! If you like melted cheese, then the grilled scallops with cheese would be the perfect match. Each scallop is covered melted cheese and comes sizzling on a hot plate when ordered! Last but certainly not least, my favorite dish of this restaurant is the Chilean Sea Bass hot pot. The order comes with your own tabletop gas stove, along with a hot pot filled with a tom yum like sour soup base. For ingredients, it also includes a plate with slices of pineapple, quarter cut fresh tomato slices, fresh bean sprouts, rice noodles, and a full plate of large pieces of Chilean Sea Bass. Just put all the ingredients in the hot pot and let it cook for 5-10mins on high, I promise you it is one of the best soups you will ever have! Service is good as always. This place always seems to be busy, so you may have to be on the waitlist during certain business hours (eg holidays, prime dinner time, etc). Parking wise, the restaurant is located in a busy plaza, and so you may have to drive around a few times before finding an open spot. However as I said earlier, it's worth the wait. Highly recommended.

We came here for dinner on a Saturday and the wait was about an hour and a half, so be prepared if…read moreyou're visiting during peak hours. This Vietnamese fusion seafood restaurant specializes in fresh seafood and hot pots. We started with the razor clams, which were the standout of the meal. They were incredibly flavorful and paired with a delicious sauce that had us wanting every last bite. The spicy scallops were another solid choice with just the right amount of heat. The escargot was a little chewy, but the savory sauce made up for it. For our main dishes, we ordered the Tom Yum seafood hot pot, which was just okay. We also had the deep-fried tilapia, which was cooked perfectly--crispy on the outside. It's hard to go wrong with anything deep-fried here. Overall, the razor clams and deep-fried tilapia were the highlights of our meal. If you're willing to wait for a table, this is a good spot for fresh seafood with a few standout dishe

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Night time outdoor dining
Night time outdoor dining
Night time outdoor dining
Night time outdoor dining
Outdoor dining now available

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Outdoor dining now available
SEN Vietnamese Cuisine

SEN Vietnamese Cuisine

4.4
(732 reviews)
1.6 mi
$$
Family-owned & operated
Established in 2022

Came for the bun cha, got blown away by the hu tieu! But first, the bun cha Ha Noi , which came…read morewith a mound of springy vermicelli, a very generous serving of lettuce wraps and different fresh herbs, and a bowl of pork patties, delicious pork slices, and pickled daikon and carrots in fun star shapes in a sweet and slightly tangy sauce. The pork patties were my favorite, and although there were plenty of the grilled pork, many of them were pieces with a lot of fat. That was my only gripe about it. Now about the hu tieu, which came with all the delicious bbq pork, shrimp, shredded chicken, fried garlic and onions, lightly dressed in an oh so delicious sauce. For me, the sauce was actually the star. Mix everything together and get yourself one delicious bite, filled with so much flavor. The accompanying broth on the side was great as well, with hints of dried shrimp reminiscent of a really good HK wonton noodle soup broth. Highly recommend this place!!

We found this place while getting some coffee at Kei Coffee next door. This place has a small…read morenorthern Vietnamese menu. It's pretty much a hole in the wall type of place with some large TV's on the walls if you wanted to watch sporting events like the World Cup. We got banh mi pate que which comes with 2 piece that are breadstick sized filled with pate and pork floss. A great appetizer for sharing or having some coffee with. It comes served piping HOT so be careful! We also had the bun cha ha noi which is a very traditional Northern Vietnamese Nanoi dish. It has grilled pork patties and pork belly in a sweet savory fish sauce served with fresh herbs and cold rice vermicelli. You pretty much eat it by wrapping it with the lettuce or dip your noodles into the sauce. Very authentic and delicious without being overly heavy. There isn't much service here since they seem to be super short staffed but they do have delicious authentic Northern Vietnamese food so we absolutely will be back again!

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Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm
Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm
New Menu: Bún Chả Hà Nội (Vermicelli with grilled pork and pork patties, served with fresh veggies and house fish sauce)
New Menu: Bún Chả Hà Nội (Vermicelli with grilled pork and pork patties, served with fresh veggies and house fish sauce)
Mien Tron SEN

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Mien Tron SEN
Pho 79 Restaurant

Pho 79 Restaurant

4.2
(3.9k reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

Good soup but they accept cash only!!! Be careful if you dine in here : no cash caution at cashier…read more I was lucky to have emergency cash to pay. What is it in 2026?!?!?!

Phở 79 is a true Orange County institution that has been serving the community for years, and it's…read moreeasy to see why there is almost always a line out the door. Be prepared: this place is incredibly popular, especially during peak hours. Parking can definitely be challenging because of how busy it is. The last time I visited on a Monday, the lot was completely full, and I ended up parking on the street. The restaurant is also primarily cash only, so come prepared. They open early, making it a perfect breakfast spot for an early bowl of pho. The pho broth is exactly what I want when I'm craving comfort food--clean, flavorful, and incredibly soothing. However, the star of the meal for me was the chả giò. Wow. Although they arrived after our pho, they came out at the perfect temperature. I was hesitant to take a bite right away because freshly fried food usually burns my mouth, but these were just right. Crispy, airy, savory, and absolutely delicious. Paired with their fish sauce, it was perfection. I enjoyed the egg rolls so much that next time I'm definitely ordering the egg roll vermicelli bowl. Service was friendly and prompt despite how busy it was, and it's clear the staff works hard to keep things moving. One thing I love is seeing all of the awards and accolades displayed on the walls. Phở 79 received the prestigious James Beard America's Classics Award, and it's easy to understand why after one meal here. This restaurant is truly an Orange County icon. The restaurant will soon be moving to a new location, as signs throughout the restaurant announce the upcoming move. While I'll miss the original spot, I'm excited for the new space--hopefully with more parking! Some places are worth the wait, and Phở 79 is absolutely one of them.

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Pho tai chin
Pho tai chin
Ca ri ga (Chicken curry)
Ca ri ga (Chicken curry)
Pho 79 Restaurant

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Pho Redbo

Pho Redbo

4.5
(1.7k reviews)
2.8 mi
$$
Kid friendly
Healthy dining

Pho Redbo absolutely deserves more recognition because this place knows how to make an incredible…read morebowl of pho. From the moment it hit the table, I could smell how rich and flavorful the broth was. You can tell it wasn't rushed--it tasted like it had been simmering for hours. Every spoonful was comforting, packed with depth, and had the perfect balance of savory flavors. The beef was unbelievably tender, practically melting in my mouth, and the noodles had the perfect bite. This is the kind of meal that reminds you why pho is one of the best comfort foods out there. What really impressed me was the freshness of everything. The herbs were vibrant, the bean sprouts had a great crunch, the jalapeños added the perfect kick, and a squeeze of lime brought the entire bowl together. Every ingredient complemented the broth instead of overpowering it. I found myself slowing down just to enjoy every bite because it was that good. By the time I finished, I was honestly wishing there was another bowl waiting for me. The service and atmosphere made the experience even better. Everyone was welcoming, attentive, and made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. It's always a bonus when great food is matched by great hospitality. Pho Redbo has officially earned a spot on my list of favorite pho restaurants, and I already know I'll be back to try more of the menu. If you're searching for a pho spot that delivers on flavor, freshness, and overall experience, don't sleep on this place--you'll leave happy and already planning your next visit.

We've been wanting to try Redbo for a while and I'm happy we finally did. Upon walking in the…read morerestaurant was clean, cozy, and inviting. We ordered combination pho and Wagyu fried rice. The flavors of the pho and fried rice were perfect! Savory Wagyu fried rice with that rich Wagyu taste. And the combination pho had a lot of meat which was all very good and tender. The broth was a win too. You get a taste of all the spices that are supposed to stand out in a bowl of pho. I liked that the thin noodles were chewy and not overcooked. The fries were also really good and our boys of course loved them! Eggrolls were off the chain!! The service was outstanding. Our waiter was so kind and accommodating with our requests. It's a pretty decent sized restaurant

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Halal certificate
Halal certificate
Water melon/ passion water melon.
Water melon/ passion water melon.
Pho meat-ball

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Pho meat-ball

Mama’s Cha Ca - vietnamese - Updated July 2026

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