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    Mama’s Cha Ca

    4.6 (100 reviews)
    Closed • 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    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.

    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.

    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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    2 years 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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    2 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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    Cathy N.

    Thank you for the kind review!

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    3 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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    3 years ago

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    Cathy N.

    Thank you for the 5 stars!

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    3 years ago

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

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    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

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Loi's Kitchen - Heo Quay Banh Hoi...crispy pork  yummy

    Loi's Kitchen

    4.6(607 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!

    Photos
    Loi's Kitchen - Menu

    Menu

    Loi's Kitchen
    Loi's Kitchen - MENU

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    MENU

    Oc & Lau Restaurant - Night time outdoor dining

    Oc & Lau Restaurant

    4.1(3.5k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    •$$

    I love Oc & Lau so much that I ended up visiting both locations within a few weeks of each other…read more The location on Garden Grove Blvd is smaller so seating is not as comfortable. This review I assume is the OG on Garden Grove -- parking could be tough during the weekend. OC & La, is a Vietnamese seafood spot for sharing a bunch of dishes. I found out that "OC" means snails! I thought it was Orange County! Hahaha. We tried - razor clams, scallops (HUGE), the selection of salads are amazing so we got the spicy mango - House Special Mango Salad with squid & escargot -- is spicy , tangy, refreshing, and the refreshing taste! My favorite dish was the HUGE fried fish...color is amazing and the way the fish was presented seal the deal for me. Between two people, we devoured the entire fish !! It's the kind of place where you order "just a few things" and suddenly the entire table is covered in food. But, I'm not complaining since the team is very quick in getting the used plates off our tables. Also, both places offered FREE dessert. It's like a coconut based taro and other root sweet dish.

    Almost every time I come down to OC, I come here. It's not dusty or sticky and they try to make the…read moreinterior look modern and nice. The most recent time, we came at 8:30pm on weekday and there were 29 parties ahead of us (LOL), soooo plan ahead and join the waitlist through yelp. We probably waited about 30 minutes. Here are a few things I can think of to recommend: --Deep fried smelt fish ( i love smelt ) --Stir fried glass noodles with escargot and crab ( make sure to dip in the maggi sauce they give ) --House special mango salad ( squid & escargot ) --Razor clams ( sometimes sold out :( ) --Deep fried Quail ( this is one of the best ) --Stir fried water spinach with garlic ( for bowel movement assistance ) --Grilled garlic butter oysters ( the cheese one overpowers the oyster ) --Scallops with fish eggs --Coconut Swirly Escargot with Basil Leaves ( this is not my fave, but people i go with, love it ) Service is good.

    Photos
    Oc & Lau Restaurant - Night time outdoor dining

    Night time outdoor dining

    Oc & Lau Restaurant - Night time outdoor dining

    Night time outdoor dining

    Oc & Lau Restaurant - Outdoor dining now available

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    Outdoor dining now available

    SEN Vietnamese Cuisine - New special dishes

    SEN Vietnamese Cuisine

    4.4(741 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    •$$
    Family-owned & operated
    Established in 2022

    I have nothing but good things to say about SEN Vietnamese Cuisine and the food and experiences I…read morehave had. The staff works hard to make sure that everything is delivered fresh and yummy. The food is so delicious and flavorful. I have so many favorites when I eat there.Here are a few: Cha Nem - these eggrolls are amazing. They are hand made and always fresh and yummy. Bun Cha Ha Noi - OMG this dish is so incredibly good. The grilled pork and pork patties are amazing. Bun Cha Ca Thi La - This fish soup was amazing. The fish cakes were so good and I love dill so that made it even better. All in all I highly would recommend SEN. Get there early on the weekends as it gets busy. Go try it out. You wont be disappointed.

    I like how simple and straightforward the menu is here. I ordered the Miến Tôm Gà (Nước) and Bánh…read moreĐa Cua Hải Phòng. Both were pretty decent and had their own flavors. Bánh Đa Cua Hải Phòng was probably my favorite, the flat noodles were nice and chewy, which I really enjoyed. There was only one waiter when I visited, but he worked pretty fast and was very efficient. Even with just one person handling the service, I didn't have to wait too long for my food after ordering. Overall, a simple spot with a focused menu and some dishes with their own unique flavors. I'd come back to try some of the other items.

    Photos
    SEN Vietnamese Cuisine - Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm

    Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm

    SEN Vietnamese Cuisine - 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)

    SEN Vietnamese Cuisine - Mien Tron SEN

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    Mien Tron SEN

    Pho 79 Restaurant

    Pho 79 Restaurant

    4.2(3.9k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    •$$

    Delicious bowls of pho with consistently well-balanced broth and generous portions of tender meat…read more They also offer a side bowl of oxtail at an incredible price, which makes this spot feel even more special and worth the visit. When I arrived with my family, there was already a lineup and a waitlist board hanging by the door. I recommend stopping by to add your name before searching for parking so you can save yourself some waiting time. A huge recommendation if you're looking for a satisfying bowl of pho in Westminster!

    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.

    Photos
    Pho 79 Restaurant - Pho tai chin

    Pho tai chin

    Pho 79 Restaurant - Ca ri ga (Chicken curry)

    Ca ri ga (Chicken curry)

    Pho 79 Restaurant

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    Pho Redbo - Combo, Thai tea, flaming wagyu, and fried rice!

    Pho Redbo

    4.5(1.8k 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.

    I ordered Pho with Rare Steak, while my friend had Pho with Wagyu A5. To my surprise, the two bowls…read morecame with different broths, which made for an interesting comparison. My Pho with Rare Steak had a flavorful broth, and the meat itself was tender. However, I felt there was a little too much ginger in the broth. The ginger flavor was quite strong and overpowered the traditional pho aroma and taste. It wasn't bad by any means, but I think the broth would be even better if the ginger were toned down. With a more balanced amount of ginger, it could be excellent. Also, the broth a bit sweet. One thing I really appreciated was that they served culantro with pho. That's definitely a plus for me, as not many pho restaurants offer culantro, and I think it adds a great touch to the dish. The staff was also friendly and attentive throughout our visit. Overall, I enjoyed the pho and would definitely be interested in trying their other dishes next time.

    Photos
    Pho Redbo - Halal certificate

    Halal certificate

    Pho Redbo - Water melon/ passion water melon.

    Water melon/ passion water melon.

    Pho Redbo - Pho meat-ball

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    Pho meat-ball

    Mama’s Cha Ca - vietnamese - Updated October 2026

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