Went here for a brunch date with a friend and everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! My go-to dishes are the seafood ceviche and the seafood tom kha pasta -- both have the perfect spicy kick and so much flavor. The calamari was also a standout: light, crispy, and perfectly seasoned. One thing I really love about this place is that they serve lunch-style dishes during brunch hours, so it's a great spot if you're craving something savory and flavorful early in the morning instead of the usual breakfast options. The food came out fresh, the flavors were bold, and the overall experience was fantastic. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to! read more

This Nep location is gorgeous! I love the high ceilings, all the greenery and natural wood. We ordered the seafood ceviche. This was phenomenal! Loved this Thai twist to this dish and the Asian chips. Iconic. Loved the pork belly rice dish! So good with the pickled carrot/radish, fish sauce, mint greens for the perfect bite. Skin was super crispy. Shrimp Garlic noodles were good. Broccolini was cooked perfectly and seasoned to perfection. The whole pieces of garlic were yummmm. The pandan dessert we tried was also delicious. Cleaned my bowl. Service was excellent. Staff were happy to take a pic for us. Thank you Nep! **They don't have oat milk coffee options. That's a bummer for me. Would like to see that so a non dairy girl can have a coffee. read more

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Dined at Nep for Brunch on the weekend of the OC Marathon with a party of 16. Made reservations a week prior & was told that we would be seated outside, which was perfect for us out in the fresh air with babies and a toddler. From the moment we sat down we were attended to quickly. Our drink order was taken efficiently and brought to us FAST. Now that we have established what to eat, what to share and drinks to re-order our food order was taken. Again, efficient, all questions answered with knowledge & all inclusions / substitutions taken down with detail. To our surprise, we were all served in what felt like no more than having waited 20 min. I scanned our table and it was dead silent. EVERYONE WAS ENJOYING THEIR FOOD. Having this large of a group dining at a busy restaurant on a weekend of a marathon and be served with this type of speed & efficiency (now a days) is unheard of. Less than half of our guests has had Nep & the newbies are now hooked and will visit regularly. So much so we had some order food & drinks to take home. Everyone was truly impressed. This may be a yearly tradition for us during Marathon weekend !! Thank you NEP for the SUPERB service, EXCELLENT food & DELICIOUS drinks. read more

Mother's day lunch at Nep was busier than a Grindr server during a Republican convention, but our table of 7 was already set and waiting for us. (By the way, I just love it when a reservation means RESERVATION. Because why do some places make me wait for a table. That I reserved. Weeks ago? Thank you, Nep, for doing better than that.) Service staff was warm and attentive, and I can only imagine the kind of system the kitchen has in place because food came out quickly and flawlessly. MATCHA COCONUT: 5/5. Ya'll they use the GOOD coconut water. SUGARCANE KUMQUAT: 5/5. Sugarcane by itself is fantastic, but the addition of kumquat really kicks up the refreshing factor. CALAMARI: 5/5. So good. The jalapenos were not playinggg. BROCCOLINI: 5/5. The sauce. The fried garlic. The freshness and crunch of the green. I wish all veggies could be done this well. CRAB TOAST: 5/5. I'll get to the crab in a second, but first THE TOAST??? The kind of toast all bread strives to be but can never quite become. The crab was super rich and velvety, and not salty at all. 5 SPICE CHICKEN: 5/5. The chicken here was perfectly roasted, and the sticky rice pairing is ELITE. TOM KHA PASTA: 5/5. Holy lemongrass, coconut, seafood trifecta. The flavors were more concentrated than Joe Jonas trying to parallel park in LA. GARLIC WINGS: 5/5. Had to order a second one. Fish sauce makes EVERYTHING better, argue with the wall. BUN BO HUE DRY NOODLES: 5/5. The beef belly was so silky. The sauce at the bottom was incredibly unctuous, which was nicely offset by the pile of fresh veggies. LEMONGRASS TOFU: 4/5. Lemongrass was absolutely the star of the show here. The tofu was on the salty side, but it did come with white rice. GARLIC NOODLES WITH FILET: 5/5. My first time liking garlic noodles. My first time NOT having to ask, "Where's the garlic?" It had the soft, roasted garlic flavor and aroma. The filet was softer than a man's ego. BANANA BREAD PUDDING: 5/5. The banana was PER. FECT. LY. caramelized. The crunch and subtle savory notes from the sesame cornflake, all combined with vanilla ice cream. Heaven. MANGO STICKY RICE: 5/5. My Asian mom who isn't big on desserts in general scraped up every remaining grain of the the pandan sticky rice and every last coconut strip. read more

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Wow...this is my 2nd Nep Cafe experience/location and this was just as great as the 1st one. Let's gooooo... Party of 5 with reservations otherwise I don't see how you get a table. This place was packed! With that, the service never faltered. Our server was on point, super friendly and checked on us throughout our dinner visit. I loved how she asked if we wanted the dishes to come out in courses or whenever they were ready. Great stuff. The kitchen was great with getting out the dishes quickly. Chicken Wings - Savory and Delish. If your party is 5 like us, put in two orders. Beef Carpaccio - Fresh and yum. Garlic Noodles - They are know for this for a reason. So so good... Seafood Tom Kha Pasta - Creamy and tasty Pork Belly Wraps - Absolute Delish Shaken Beef Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait - Not too sweet, on point I completely understand why NEP Cafes are always packed when I visit my OC friends. We'll keep booking reservations and visiting because it's definitely worth the visit. Cheers! read more

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Exceptional service from Thomas today! I stopped by for a quick lunch and he was very attentive, even when it quickly got busy! Food was great as always. I haven't been to Nep in over a year but I plan to stop by more often! read more

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I've been here before many years ago, but I wanted to retry it. I made reservations very easily via Yelp, and came right after Church with my girlfriend. The ambiance is great; it felt very lively on a Sunday morning. The coffee and matcha were fantastic and I was also very happy with the crispy rice dish I ordered. read more

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Amazing dinner spot!! We went with a group of 5, had reservations ahead of time, and we were impressed by everything. Our group ordered a lot of food and I managed to steal bites of it all! Starters: Crispy calamari 8.5/10, the sauce is great Seafood ceviche 8/10, great flavor but very small portions! Crispy pork belly 9/10, perfect for sharing and very delicious Vietnamese shrimp salad 9/10, great portion for sharing Drinks: Thai princess 8/10, too sweet for me personally but I can see why it'd be a popular drink. Calamansi paloma 9.5/10, smooth smoky flavor, mezcal was nice. Sea salt Vietnamese coffee 10/10 truly hits the spot. Not too sweet, perfect mix of flavors. Entrees: The Vietnamese shaken beef, rice was cooked perfectly and the beef was well flavored. 9/10. Bun Bo Hue Dry Noodles, HUGE bowl of food, but still feels light to eat. 8.5/10. Seafood Tom Kha Pasta, amazing, probably my favorite thing we got. The flavors of the noodles are amazing but definitely smaller portioned than the rest of the items. 9.5/10. Garlic noodle, also great flavors but small portioned. Maybe I'm just a big back! 9/10. Dessert: Mango sticky rice, was an interesting taste, wouldn't get it again but it wasn't bad. 8/10. Banana bread pudding, non negotiable, you HAVE to get this. Perfect dessert, 10/10. Our server Joanne was also super kind, so attentive, and had brilliant suggestions and knowledge of the menu. Thanks again! Can't wait to be back. read more

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Parking: Free, open lot. Tips: Your entire party must be present to be seated. There is a 10-minute grace period if you are running late. I thought NEP was good, but I'm not sure the food was standout enough for me to return--the coffee, though, is another story. I started with the sea salt coffee, which was amazing. It was sweetened but not overly; it was just perfect. I highly recommend it. For food, I ordered the seafood ceviche, beef tongue fried rice, tom kha pasta, crab toast, and the Banh Mi Chao with filet mignon. The seafood ceviche was one of my favorites. It was refreshing and light, with just enough coconut milk to give it some substance. It also came with shrimp crackers on the side. The beef tongue fried rice is what made me realize this was a fusion restaurant; the Peruvian influence really stood out. While it was good, it didn't strike me as particularly special. I really liked the tom kha pasta and can definitely see myself coming back for it. Imagine linguine with shrimp and coconut milk infused with tom yum flavors. The crab toast was decent, but it was essentially just stir-fried, dry crab on top of eggs. It was an interesting mix of textures, but nothing memorable. The Banh Mi Chao wasn't quite my style since I'm not a fan of stewed meats, so take that recommendation with a grain of salt. That said, it was a very well-seasoned dish. All in all, I would return for the coffee and perhaps the pasta or ceviche. read more

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Very unique café with fusion flavors, with a great ambiance for a cute lunch. We visited on a weekday afternoon and had an amazing brunch here. We ordered the coconut Ube coffee, seafood Tom Kha pasta, and the Xoi Man. The coconut Ube coffee was very strong, and the Ube flavor was pretty subtle. Overall, a high quality and well balanced latte and I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the drinks they had since they have a wide array of Asian inspired flavors. The seafood pasta was delicious, with the tom kha flavors really shining. The seafood was very fresh and the noodles were bouncy and chewy. The portions are just enough to satisfy too. The Xoi Man was delicious too, with the sticky rice and the sweet sausage complimenting each other. There is also quail eggs, and I really liked the pate they had on the side. The service was super attentive and accommodating, making our experience overall very good. There is plentiful parking in the plaza and the park right across the street is beautiful. Highly recommend NEP Cafe! read more

Nep Cafe - Inside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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I've been here time and time again whenever I visit OC. It's been a few years since I've been here, and it still hits the spot. I love to get the bo ne they have here. Their meat is so tender. I love their outdoor seating as they do have heat lamps. I do miss the bone marrow they used to have though! read more

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I came here for Easter brunch and snagged a spot on their patio where the vibes were immaculate, sunny, and perfect for a long, indulgent meal. As someone who's Viet and constantly missing the flavors of the motherland, I had high expectations... and Nep Cafe absolutely delivered. We went all in: Egg coffee w/salted egg: rich, creamy, perfectly balanced nostalgia in a cup Mango sticky rice matcha: unique and refreshing, not overly sweet Ceviche with lemongrass & creamy coconut: fragrant, and addicting Bánh mì chảo with filet mignon: sizzling, flavorful, and cooked just right Garlic noodles with crab: buttery, garlicky perfection that you have to order And dessert sealed the deal! Banana bread pudding: as a banana lover, this completely blew my mind. Warm, comforting, and easily one of the best desserts I've had in a while. Every single dish hit. No misses. You can tell there's real intention behind the flavors and it feels modern but still deeply rooted in Vietnamese taste. Already planning my next visit because there are way too many dishes left to try. Nep Cafe is officially on repeat read more

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Met up with a friend here and she highly recommended this spot. AMBIANCE Parking: Plaza parking--manageable but can get busy during peak brunch hours. Seating: Spacious but high demand--expect a wait or plan ahead. Vibes: You're in an eventful area whether it may be the events hosted in the plazas or just something in Mile Square Park. The spot itself is trendy, lively, and very much a brunch destination energy. It feels like a spot straight out of a modern Ho Chi Minh City café--colorful drinks, plated dishes, and a crowd that's here to eat and take photos. DRINKS: Seafood Tom Kha Pasta (Recommend) This is probably why NEP shines out, their courage to try new things - this fusion seafood tom kha sure is something. You're getting that creamy, coconut-forward tom kha flavor but translated into a pasta dish with seafood. It's rich, slightly tangy, and aromatic--definitely not traditional, but a fun and flavorful twist. Mango Sticky Rice (Recommend) Ooooiii! The aesthetics from the green rice to the placement of ingredients foreshadows you will enjoy this dish. Sweet mango, coconut milk, and sticky rice--simple but satisfying. Wildberry Matcha Latte (Recommend) Topped with a aesthetic and tasty drink. You get that earthy matcha base balanced with a fruity sweetness from the wildberry--smooth and refreshing. CUSTOMER SERVICE Efficient and used to the crowd. Even when busy, things move at a steady pace. TL;DR OVERALL 4.5 Stars. Good selections, delicious food, and pleasant vibes. Fountain Valley has a lot of eateries but this spot stands out from their creativity. I really they had one here in San Diego, I look forward to coming back here when I'm in the OC #RepresentAZN TIPS: * Hard to find--keep an eye out for the entrance * Extra tom kha sauce? You can use that to eat with rice, fries, or additional flavors! * Nep means sticky rice/customs read more

Nep Cafe - Woooo! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Ambiance--very cute and modern. I was skeptical. How can a Viet place be this Tiktok worthy cute and good? Service--the server was so nice and friendly. Just genuinely friendly. Food--egg coffee was 5/5. It was sweet but it's supposed to be. Better than the ones we got at the train/railroad street in Hanoi. We shared the Bò Ne filet dish and it was delicious. It's a big portion so recommend splitting it. read more

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Love nep cafe! The banh mi chao is one of my favorite things to order at nep! The sauce poured over this is so incredible and pairs perfectly with the baguette. The perfect brunch spot! read more

Nep Cafe - Banh Mi Chao - Beef Belly - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Stopped by for lunch today and while there was a lot to like, the items I ordered missed the mark unfortunately. NEP has a ton of parking outside, and offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I really loved the interior of the restaurant, there's a few different sections with different vibes while still maintaining that modern feel throughout. The staff were all SUPER friendly, which I really appreciated. Vibes and Service were both top notch. On the food front unfortunately, there's certainly room for improvement. The chicken wings were VERY salty courtesy the fish sauce, I wish that the chili and garlic could be tasted but the fish sauce overpowered the dish (the wings were also on the dry side which didn't help). The seafood ceviche was very bright and refreshing, my main critique is the use of shrimp chips vs. a rice chip, as the shrimp chip adds a salty element that kind of overpowers the dish IMO. The garlic noodles were delicious and probably my favorite item, but the shrimp it came with was bland and more of a hassle to eat than anything. I'd recommend they removed the shells or did a better job marinating the shrimp so that it actually had more flavor than just being an oily mess to eat. I will say, everything was visually appealing, but the flavors just weren't there unfortunately. I would like to revisit again and try some other items next time, because NEP does have a ton to offer. I wouldn't necessarily recommend any of the items I had today, but I'd certainly give this place another shot. read more

MMMMMMM forkin love nep. the happy hour deals are so unreal. each dish was between $10-$14 and everything was so damn good. the banh mi bread especially lives rent free in my head read more

Nep Cafe - happy hour - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Nep Cafe was such a fun spot. The menu is fusion and the flavors are amazing. We ordered the dried BBH, seafood tom kha pasta, and 5-spice roasted chicken with red rice. The dried BBH had so much flavor, the tom kha pasta was creamy with that perfect tangy kick, and the chicken was super tasty with their special sauce. We sat outside since we had our dog! read more

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I received a $20 coupon on my Nep Irvine visit so I used it in FV. Food quality very consistent. This is a busier location and we waited for about 15 minutes. Easy parking on Sunday. Good service. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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It was all about the butter noodles for me today. I could become addicted to them. The taste was sumptuous and the texture of the noodles (not too soft or hard) satisfied me. The cookie butter latte was very good with an appealing aesthetic. The service was excellent, which came as no surprise to me because all of the Kei concepts restaurants have been great to me and my family. In terms of the ambiance, the music reminded me of a dance club. Even though one of our party said it was loud, and it was, I found the noise festive. read more

Nep Cafe - Cookie Butter Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Lunar New Year Brunch and Birthday lunch with the sis was a hit Nep Cafe Made reservations in advance. When we arrived we were quickly seated in a pleasant table by the window letting in a some great natural lighting. Our server was friendly and very helpful with the menu selections. We decided on the Filet Chao Platter and Beef Belly Rice Bowl with Mango Sticky Rice for dessert and the DAO for an appetizer. Everything was absolutely amazing! The food was so well presented and yes I almost didn't want to eat it and the coffee, Wow! So refreshing flavorful and robust! Love this place and the perk was getting a red envelope at the end our meal Happy New Year Eats! read more

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This is a cute spot! I mean, the Kei Concepts team never really fails to miss. We got a variety of things, like the chicken wings, the Bun Bo Hue dry noodle, the filet mignon Banh Mi, and the ceviche. I also managed the sugar cane kumquat drink too! All of them were super delicious, and I think it's a great display of Vietnamese food with a bit more flare. I would highly recommend someone to try it out for a celebration or nice date night. But for some reason, my favorite was the ceviche. I don't know what I expected, but it was just so yummy, the mix of seafood along with the creamy sauce. It reminded me of Peruvian ceviche with a little bit of asian fusion given the thai chili peppers. And WOW, I would honestly go just for that haha. But also, I love ceviche, so that might just be me. The service was really good, and I felt like you can always tell when your water cup is basically always full. read more

Nep Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Absolutely delicious! Every part of this lunch was immaculate. Starting with the bánh mì chảo, the filet mignon was tender, juicy, and melted in my mouth. It was perfectly paired with the pate, cha lua, and eggs that created a savory sauce for the filet mignon. The tom kha seafood pasta with shrimp was just as good, super creamy and tangy. The main star of the show for me was the Wildberry Matcha Latte; I didn't expect a restaurant to have such delicious, strong, extremely creamy matcha but I was pleasantly surprised. Nep makes better matcha than some cafes!! I would say this drink is a must try. This place is great for sharing family style since the portions are quite large. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and be prepared to wait if you come on a weekend. Service was friendly and accommodating- our table was wobbly and the server immediately noticed and adjusted our table. The restaurant is clean and modern. I would definitely come here again! You've done it again Kei Concepts! read more

Nep Cafe - Bang Banh Mi Chao - Filet Mignon, Seafood Tom Kha Pasta, Wildberry Matcha Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Been to this location twice already, so I can finally say that if you're thinking about going just go! Great atmosphere. Modern but also cozy interior. Great place to spend time with loved ones. I would recommend reserving because they can get really busy. The staff have been consistently friendly, welcoming and attentive. You can't go wrong with any of the food. I will say my top items are the seafood ceviche, crab toast and 5 spice roasted chicken, seafood tom kha pasta (not in particular order). I will also mention that my options are limited since I'm pollotarian but my party enjoys everything on the menu too! Anything you choose will be flavorful, including their drinks. I love their ube coffee and their seasonal cookie butter matcha. I will continue to visit for, especially for special occasions. read more

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came in on a tuesday afternoon around 11am with no wait. Service : i was the fist in my party to arrive and asked if i could at least get seated first but one of the women hostess said everyone in my party had to be present prior to seating. my party then arrived within 10 minutes and a different host whom is a male got a table while i was waiting in my car. in my mind, i felt like this was not fair as the woman made me wait while the man didn't make my family wait. Overall Restaurant - perfectly organized and spotless! Creme Brûlée Coffee - tastes similar to vietnam but is more on the sweet side as creme brulee is very sweet Bo Ne - traditional vietnamese northern dish; came out popping dress but the ribeye tasted bland (sucks how you have to pay extra for the laughing cow cheese) Spicy Wontons - wasn't bad; definitely was spicy with the chili oil and flakes Opinion : i've been to many kei concept restaurants and don't really amuse me, prices were over the roof with small portions as usual, wouldn't recommend if you're trying to fit in a meal without paying more than $20/entree or $7/drink read more

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Great food and great service!! I went on a Saturday during peak dinner time but thankfully I was able to make a reservation so we were seated asap!! The food also came out super quick. My favorites were the crispy pork belly and the seafood pasta. The restaurant itself is a decent size but it does get pretty loud because there's a lot of people. read more

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We came at 1030am on a Saturday and there was no wait for a party of 3. Iwanted to try this location since the Irvine location was amazing. It definitely did not disappoint. The cookie butter and wild berry matcha were good but a tad too sweet for me. Food: the filet mignon is always a good to when i come here. I love the bread to spread the pate and egg. The chicken wings were also a hit. The crab toast was also amazing! The kid butter pasta was extremely bland and we had to add a lot of salt. Definitely won't be ordering that again. read more

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Omgg this might be the best brunch place I've ever been to. I lowkey am not the biggest fan of viet food because I don't like fish sauce (which is crazy, I know, cus everything has fish sauce) but everything here was hella good. We ordered the calamari, chicken wings, and spicy wonton for our appetizers. Everyone kinda ordered their own dish, but lowkey I feel like you can definitely share an entree with 2 people as the dish is pretty sizable. I got the beef belly bowl, and I was actually so full I had to pack like half of it togo. Don't get me wrong tho, the beef bowl was hella yums. Loved the beef belly, it was so tender and flavorful. My favorite appetizer would by far be the chicken wings. The garlic and butter seasoning was so good. The chicken was so tender and had a nice crunch on the outside. The calamari was also a hit. Every piece was battered perfectly and the sauce was fire. I feel like it is so hard to find a brunch place that serves quality food, has nice ambiance, and is not too pricey but I feel like nep cafe has all of these. Will definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

Nep Cafe - filet mignon with baguette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Takes credit card. Great service. Nice ambiance. Have open bar. Strawberry Yogurt Matcha ($7)- nice creamy matcha, not overly bitter. The strawberry foam is a nice complement. Coconut Matcha ($7)- the coconut water is super sweet. Bun bo hue dry noodles $20- get this! The flavor is similar to bun bo hue but the flavor is packed in the sauce. The beef meat is cooked super super well- soft with good flavor. Garlic noodle with crab ($26)- garlic noodle well cooked, soft texture. The crab was not special. I would skip the crab and get the shrimp. Crispy pork belly wrap $21- really really good. Nice pickled vegetables. Great for groups. The pork belly is super good. Banh mi chao $26- comes with baguette bread. Super French style cooking of the sirloin beef with tons of butter. I would skip this dish. Mango sticky rice $8- super surprisingly good. The sticky rice is warm with pandan, mango adds a nice tartness read more

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Samantha was our server for the day. She was sweet, catering, and honest. We were a table of 2 for the day. I asked her if I got the Filet Mignon as the main entree, if the crab toast would be too much. She said it'll be too rich and recommend the ceviche or salads instead. I took her up on the offer to get the ceviche and it was perfect. Didn't feel grossly full. Wonderful service. 4.5 stars for the filet mignon and eggs being over cooked, but besides that, service is great and ambiance is nice and clean including the restrooms. Will come back. read more

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After my graduation I went here with my friends to celebrate and our server David C was so kind and so sweet. He was very attentive and friendly despite it being so busy. He even got me a lil ice cream treat as a celebratory treat for my graduation. As always the food was also amazing, we all decided to get something we haven't tried before and it was delicious. The tables had a cute lil vase with flowers and the place also is just so cute and great for photos. Definitely coming back here again! read more

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I've been to both the Nep cafe in Irvine and the one in Fountain Valley many times. I went most recently to the Fountain Valley location for Valentines Day. I had made a reservation but ran a little bit late, I called the host and they were so accommodating and understanding of the crazy traffic during peak dinner hours. Food was incredible as always, I couldn't even get pictures cause we were so hungry and everything smelled so good we wolfed it down all in one go. The new seasonal drinks were delicious, that tiramisu latte with the ladyfinger! Y'all need to make that a regular item cause I could drink that all day. The ONLY reason I am not giving Nep Cafe my usual 5 stars is because you guys got rid of one of my FAVORITE menu items... the salted egg yolk pasta... WHY! It was so good and I was so excited for it, you guys are changing up your menu a LOT which is fun! But also you guys are getting rid of so many good options and classics. As someone who isn't the biggest fan of lemongrass (which all your other pastas have an insane amount of) the salted egg yolk was a perfect option so I'm very sad to see it go... Otherwise, still in love with you Nep read more

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Second time coming to NEP and it never disappoints! We went during brunch and I got the beef belly bowl and chicken wings. The beef belly rice bowl was delicious, the mango was a great touch to the overall dish. The chicken wings were sweet and savory! Overall service was fantastic and the decor of the restaurant is super stylish! read more

Nep Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Made a reservation for mom's birthday on a Monday, same-day. It was busy even for a rainy day so highly recommend using opentable! We loved our experience here from start to finish! Our waiter, Jason, was very friendly and helpful. He checked on us often. For mum's birthday, they put a little happy birthday card which we appreciated, and later gave us two celebratory desserts, which was generous and sweet. Food was also delicious! - Chicken Wings $17.00: fish sauce-y wings. crispy garlic bits. juicy, sizeable wings. comes with like 6-8 pieces. worth a try if you haven't had fish sauce wings before. - Banh Mi Chao - Filet Mignon $26.00: their filet mignon wasn't as tender as I'd expected. this wasn't memorable for me. Banh mi was flakey, soft inside, but we've had better. - Garlic Noodle $21.00: i really liked the grilled, smokiness of the shrimp - it's so that the shell is crispy and can be eaten. Kei Concept always does their garlic noodles super GARLICKY and flavorful. - Seafood Tom Kha Pasta $22.00: our FAVE. unique, coconutty, flavorful, and so much seafood (small but plump scallops, chewy yet still tender squid, and like 3 but sizeable shrimps). I will be thinking of this dish for the next few days... - Celebratory Dessert: corn flakes and black sesame corn ice cream? not overly sweet and we loved the texture contrast. came with a little candle too! Drinks: - Egg Coffee $7.50: strong, as expected of viet coffee. The egg makes it creamier, and I do think the salted egg shavings do add a layer of depth to it. worth a try! - it's perfect to take to-go so that the ice can balance it out as it melts. - Wildberry Matcha Latte $7.00: i don't think i see wildberry matcha as an option at many places. can def taste the berriness. nice matcha foam on top, but when it's mixed it, the milk can be a bit overpowering. worth a try tho. - Coconut Kumquat $7.00: refreshing and prob my fave despite it being the simplest. i don't think the price is justified for the amount you get tho I've also enjoyed their bone marrow pasta and the dao (yumm truffle) other times. I will say things are definitely on the pricier side but I attribute that to Kei affiliation and aesthetics. Worth it though! I also appreciate how they change up their menu every now and then. Eyeing their bun bo hue kho for next time... read more

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We had a great breakfast at NEP Cafe and will keep it on our radar when we're in the area again! Great food, friendly service, nice decor and atmosphere. We started with the crab toast - a buttery toast with scrambled eggs and crab, tasty and rich just as it sounds. We loved the ceviche - surprisingly both delicate, creamy and with just enough of a kick to make it interesting. (The restaurant is also incredibly family friendly - offering to put any spices "on the side" if needed) The pork belly rice bowl was yummy - albeit a bit sweet, but with fantastic great pork belly (crispy and tender - not too much fat). The egg coffee was a bit ridiculous - think Vietnamese coffee with custard and cocoa on top. We would call it a dessert instead of a drink but this was well enjoyed as an indulgent end to our meal. The food and flavors were right up our alley - bold, well seasoned, and delicious. read more

3.5 stars Came here to check out the Happy Hour menu (weekdays 2-5PM). The Irvine location is definitely greener and more lush, but this original spot is still nice and has plenty of seating. From the happy hour menu, we ordered: *Chicken Wings: Crispy. Don't really love the fish sauce flavor (Mama Hieu's is better) and prefer the garlic ones from Vox *Bánh Mì Chảo: The beef belly was just okay: stringy and pretty oily. I think this dish is much better with filet mignon. I did love the pâté, though, that's always my favorite part! The bread was a letdown; a better bánh mì would really elevate the whole dish since it's the vehicle for everything. *Xôi Mặn: Tasty, and I like it better with the happy hour pricing ($10). My biggest gripe is the regular price; xôi is something I eat all the time and it's inexpensive, so paying a premium (akin to paying $15 for a bánh mì) is a hard no for me. *Shrimp Garlic Noodles: Skip these. They're way better with filet mignon anyway *Mandarin Muse: delicious spicy marg. loved the Thai chili rim. Beautiful presentation as always *Cà-Phê-Tini: Strong coffee and strong liquor. Order if you love espresso martinis. This took a looong time to come out. Pretty insane drink for me to have Vietnamese coffee so late in the day Service was good, and it wasn't busy during happy hour, which made for a relaxed experience. Worth a visit for happy hour, but if you know what to order. read more

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Pretty good lunch spot overall. I recommend coming during happy hour--it's more affordable and a great way to try some of their popular dishes We ordered the beef belly bánh mì chảo, shrimp garlic noodles, and chicken wings. I highly recommend the chicken wings--they were easily our favorite. Some of the most flavorful wings we've had: garlicky, sweet, and super satisfying. Both my boyfriend and I loved them. The shrimp garlic noodles were also really good. We loved the texture of the noodles--they were springy and chewy, and held up well even after taking them home and reheating them in the microwave. Our least favorite dish was the bánh mi chao. Even though it seems to be one of their most popular items, we felt it was just kinda mid. It lacked flavor and didn't really wow us. That said, it did come with a generous amount of protein, so we can't complain. read more

Nep Cafe - Banh mi chao, garlic noodle and wings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

They got rid of Gem and now it's only Nep for breakfast/brunch and dinner. I never have the foresight to reserve ahead of time and they always seem to be booked for 2 weeks out so I haven't eaten here in awhile. Recently, we got really lucky with same day reservations at a normal dinner time and came immediately. I like the dinner menu a lot more and there are still a lot of interesting things for us to try. SHRIMP EGG ROLLS: watermelon radish, bibb lettuce, herbs, nuoc cham. These look a bit like eggolls but are pure shrimp inside. Not oily and the outside is very crunchy, it was so good wrapped in lettuce with the watermelon radish. CRISPY PORK BELLY WRAP: crispy pork belly, watermelon radish, bibb lettuce, herbs, pickles, vermicelli, nuoc cham. Presentation is impressive with a nice large plate. The pork belly is cut thin but still retains a bit of crunchy skin in every bite. VIETNAMESE SHAKING BEEF: filet, garlic butter soy, green lettuce, rau răm, red rice. The tomato rice was a big standout, its so hard to find places that make it correct. Kids loved the shaken beef. BÚN BÒ HUẾ DRY NOODLES: beef belly, pork roll, beef tongue, rau răm, vermicelli. A big like vermicelli noodle dishestyppically wiht grilled pork or chicken but with bun bo hue ingredients and flavor. Wife loved this and knew my mother in law would love it so we saved some for her. read more

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Food: 5/5 - Bun Bo Hué (dry version) nice take on the dish, really enjoyed the flavors, portion, and ask for additional side of fresh chilies! The sticky rice was very nostalgic, great dish! The drinks were perfect, well balanced, flavorful, not extremely sweet either. Service: 5/5 - Great service staff is very quick and accommodating. Staff has great understanding of menu and offers suggestions, nice team. Ambiance: 5/5 - Sat outside, nice shading, seats, plenty of space. Parking is good also. Modern decor, very inviting. read more

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Nep Cafe has always been a staples for my friends and I. Went to Nep on a Monday morning and there was no wait. Got the tiramisu coffee to try and it was delicious! The coffee was not bitter and the foam on top was great. For food, I ordered the crab toast, crispy calamari and the seafood pasta. Every dish tasted great and the portion size could feed two people. read more

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