Amazing as always. If you're in the mood for some pastrami, hot dogs, or just want to be a fatty with some chili cheese fries, then make your way to the hat! Can't forget about the great quick customer service read more

The Hat - Chili cheese fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

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We were craving pastrami sandwiches so where do you go to satisfy that craving??? The Hat of course. We ended up parking and going inside to order since the drive thru line was insane. Lots of booths to sit in. We order our regulars of pastrami sandwiches on white with mustard smothered inside and a side of au juis, onion rings and fries. We actually didn't eat there but took it to go. Ordering was easy. Service was quick. We only waited less than 10 minutes for our order... way faster than the drive thru line. Food was still warm by the time we got home. The onion rings and fries didn't make it that far since we ate those right away. Always yummy at The Hat. read more

Came here for a quick and inexpensive dinner.Chili Fries are always a must and they always give enough to feed 4-5 people easy. Add some cheese and some Pastrami and you definitely got yourself a meal. I enjoy getting a chili tamale and many times, there's enough chili to take care of those naked fries that didn't get enough or any chili at all from your chili fries. Win-Win. Wash everything down with an ice cold drink! It's a tradition for me to get the Wild Cherry soda and my BF loves his Orange Bang. Go home with a full happy tummy but if you are prone to IBS or anything, take some precaution! Haha read more

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Review 12/365 Day Challenge Met up my in laws on a Sunday noon for lunch. The place was fully packed indoor and outdoor umbrella seating outside. My hubby loves Pastrami Sandwiches. He's been a fan of THE HAT way before we've started dating. Him and his brother loves The Hat for their World Famous Pastrami Dip. Use to drive from La Mirada to Brea for it. What we ordered ~ Pastrami sandwich in my opinion is a little bit salty but I'm not a pastrami sandwich connoisseur. My husband does say it's one of the best. Must enjoy it w the dip, i feel makes a huge difference. ~ Chili Fries is pretty huge! With dice onions on top with mother Load of cheese & chili. Definitely can be shared by 3-4 people if not that hungry. ~ Orange Bang is sweet but refreshing. My oldest son loves this drink. I like to let the ice dissolve to water down the drink tad a bit so it can be a little bit less sweet. Service was fast taking order and got our items within a good time frame since it was during rush hour, weekend Sunday noon = lunch time. Drive thru available. Located next to Ted Craig Regional Park in its own building. All in all. Do recommend THE HAT if you love a good pastrami sandwich and the dip is a must. Makes eating a pastrami sandwich to a whole different level. One suggestion I'd make if they can offer pepperoncinis to give the pastrami sandwich a kick of spice especially to those like mee, love some spice with my eateries. read more

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The hat always delivers no matter which location you pick. There are 4 signature things at this place that never fails... 1) Cold Turkey and Avocado sandwich (ask for chili peppers andd a side of aus jus, dip sandwich- you will thank me later), The chili cheese fries - (ask for extra tomatos, onions and pickles), the cherry coke (which is half strawberry fanta + coke, i believe), and the double dipped pastrami sandwich with swiss cheese added. Don't forget to order yellow chilies and aus jus containers on the side. This is a receipe for a total food coma... but, it is totally worth it. The food quality continues to thrive... even though the prices keep going up, you never second guess the quality from this place. The employees are friendly and service is fast. Always plenty of seating if your choosing to dine in. The restaurant is alwats clean and maintained. A+++ read more

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Love when I get a chance to eat at The Hat it's a pleasure There isn't to many locations so when we are in the area we definitely stop here to grab a pastrami sandwich and onion rings. Service is always fast and great Food is always flavorful and delicious Onion rings are perfect crunchy and sweet read more

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A nice seat down restuarant in a diner setting with ample parking, off the freeway, and a nice Americana decor. Had the pastrimi which came loaded with meats and favor. Plenty of condiments to choose from. Good time and vibes with some classical nostelgia tastes. read more

The Hat - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Ok I dream about this place. Feed me pastrami in my face Add a side of onion rings And that is what joy brings Ok so all I had here was the pastrami fries cold and that was meh. But their sandwich with extra mustard? My guy that's what you call heaven. Their onion rings ain't bad either. Love this place. read more

Very affordable and tasty! The burger tastes like a classic mom & pop restaurant. About $6 for a burger so very reasonably priced. The large fries were amazing! Thick and fluffy and fed all 4 of us. There were so many fries in the bag, they really fill it up. The onion rings were so crispy and delicious. Service was good, they were moving the drive through at a good pace. The outside looked very nice and clean. Overall, 10/10, another large fry bag! read more

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There's not much I can say about The Hat that hasn't already been said 1000 times. The Hat is the gold standard when it comes to pastrami chili cheese fries and it has been that way since I can remember. I have one order here and that hasn't changed in decades. Just writing this review makes me drool read more

The Hat - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Ive been here several times and every time I order the chilli cheese fries they give less and less chilli. There are so many fries in the order but the chilli amount is so little that it leaves me with a ton of dry fries. Very disappointing that this place skimps out on their portions. Would not recommend. read more

Garsshhh, I wish there was one of these close to home! Came through this 'hood for lunch at Fogo across the street, and when I saw this place, it was a must stop. And I'll be honest: I couldn't get it out of my mind during that lunch run. So after that disappointing experience at Fogo, hopped in the car and drove across the way to pick up grub for dinner. Their drive thru line was a mile long (which is an awesome sign) but I much preferred to come in. The inside was poppin' as well with most of the tables occupied. Got in line, got three orders of pastrami with sauce on the side, an order of large fries and chili cheese fries. I reminisced my first experience with The Hat as I waited. Hubbers was near their Pasadena location and stopped by to surprise me with a sandwich before coming home. That sammich so good, couldn't let this opp pass! Like mentioned, there were lots of customers so it was only natural every member of staff was busy. Kinda cool watching them work in synchronicity, each and every one of them aware of each other's space. Impressive. PASTRAMI: Ordered the sauce on the side because it was about an hour drive home and didn't want it soggy. The bread held the proteins well. The amount of meat was generous, soft and so juicy, and seasoned so very nicely. ONION RINGS: Ordered a large and it occupied more than half the brown bag they were packed in. Nicely sized and seasoned battered pieces. A couple of pieces were a bit overcooked/burnt but no biggie. Awesome crunch and flavor. Recommending. Hubbers ordered the chili cheese fries but with the long drive home, it was natural for the cheese to be coagulated by the time we got home. No worries: he nuked for a few and good as new! He enjoyed that as well. FOOD: 5. SERVICE: 4. VALUE: 4. PARKING: Private lot. Not an issue. OVERALL: 4.25. Granted I had their goodies way later in the day, it was still so SOOOOOO GOOD!!! I guess one can say this place was a saving grace for the disappointing eats across the street. So happy for the discovery. Definitely keeping this spot on my radar. read more

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I LOVE ALL YOUR FOOD my chili cheese burger with pastrami delicious. The service in drive-thru goes quickly no matter how long the line is. I like the tile pattern on walls on building and I like the inside dining as well. Thank you read more

The Hat - Chili Cheese Burger with Pastrami - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

This is our first time here(hubby and I), and I'm no pastrami expert but wow!! The pastrami dip sandwich was delish!! Why? Because it was tender and moist and the bread was not hard to chew on!! The size of sandwich is medium size, not humongous like the ones at Deli Restaurants, which is perfect for someone who gets full fast. There is also a Drive-thru section too(it was busy with tons of cars on Saturday evening). And we also ordered Orange Bang...haven't had or seen that in ages!! The one I wanted was Pina Colada flavor, but they were out. We ordered their regular fries and that was also good. I apologize if you see double pictures because I thought I posted them already and I don't see it on my end. Fun place lots and lots of people. Depending how busy, may have to wait for someone to finish eating to get a table. There were outside tables too. read more

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Seems like I've been updating my review every 2 years so figured I'd keep going. I was craving the hat. My husband has tried the beef dip and chili cheese burger but didn't care much for them so I can't say I'd recommend those. I always get the pastrami sandwich and always leave happy. I placed an online order this time. Checked in with the cashier when I got there then waited for my order. It was PACKED. I came on a Sunday during lunch time so I wasn't surprised. The cashier took a moment to chat with me because she told me it was the first time she'd seem a girl with my name with the same spelling as her daughter. It's always nice to just have a friendly conversation. I had ordered a pastrami sandwich, large fries for my kids, a chili cheese fries for my husband and 2 sides of gravy. Came out to $35. I did notice my sandwich seems like there was less meat this time. I'm hoping it's a fluke and not the new normal. I will be back to find out though. Prices of everything is going up so it's definitely not a cheap meal. But I was so happy and my husband still loved the chili cheese fries with a side of gravy. read more

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The Hat *November 20, 2025 *11pm- Thursday *4 Stars Environment: *Moderate Parking Lot *Quick Service *Average Service Food/Drink: *Pastrami Sandwich *Chili Cheese Fries Stopped by The Hat for lunch to celebrate my mom's birthday. The portions were just as big as I remembered, and the service was quick, which is always a plus when you're hungry. Prices have definitely gone up over the years, but the food itself still tastes the same. Overall, a solid lunch spot and a good birthday pick. read more

The Hat - *Chili Cheese Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

The drive through line is crazy on the weekend. I was the 8th car in line. The line extended into the neighboring Coco's parking lot, so the actual line was in two sections to allow cross-traffic to enter the lots. It was my first time there, so I was so stupefied by the line that I forgot to order at the menu sign. When I finally got to the window, I apologized and offered to drive to the back of the line. To his credit, the young man at the window simply took my order and payment without complaint. I tipped him with the $2 I had in my wallet. The food came out almost as quickly and everything was perfect. read more

I ordered drive through, so no comment on the restaurant or service. It was fast and efficient, I was sad they forgot my chili peppers but my order was correct otherwise. Onion rings - 5/5, really sweet onion and the breading was excellent! It retained a good crunch and wasn't super crumbly which I liked! Chili cheese dog - 4/5, not much flavor in the chili itself but the portions are HUGE. I'm a fan of lots of toppings and they didn't skimp on me, so this is a big W. read more

The Hat - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Three of us decided to grab lunch at The Hat after practice. The Hat is a diner with drive thru option. It feels like in n out as workers are very efficient and friendly. The restaurant is clean as they clean the tables right away after you finished eating. And the vibe is American diner. We order the steak sandwich - the meat is very tender and juicy, pastrami burger - tasty and not too salty, and chili fries -it's large but chili is just okay in my opinion. Portions of food is large, and we also order 3 soft drinks. I love the selections of soft drinks! You can't get them at other places. Overall, it's one of great American food chain store! read more

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I haven't been to The Hat in well over 10 years. Coming back after all this time, I don't know why I haven't been back. I walked in during the busy lunch rush to find a line inside, and really busy drive-thru. To my surprise, I was able to place my order and get it within 10 minutes. I picked up a pastrami dip because, if you haven't had one in a long time like myself, it was long overdue. With no surprise, the sandwich was as excellent as I remembered and I truly satisfied my soul. (Yes, that's dramatic). Overall, super satisfied. Upon checking the menu, I was pretty surprised that the pricing is decent. Most burgers are well under $10, and sandwiches under $15. When comparing to other spots, and considering the quality, good deals here. Another plus is that the service is fairly quick, but I'm definitely returning soon! read more

You can't go wrong with The Hat! This place is great. It is worth a drive if you are far away. For Southern California, The Hat is very well-known. The Hat is known for the famous pastrami sandwich and huge portions. I mean, huge portions! Enough to share. My husband and dad love this place. This is a haven for anyone who enjoys pastrami. My mom and I are vegetarians, so we don't do the pastrami lol They do have a grilled cheese and an avocado sandwich for vegetarians. Service is always great here. They do a great job of managing the crowds. It gets super busy here, so ambiance is always crowded. The drive-thru is usually long. I got lucky recently, there were only 5 cars in the drive-thru, score! I grabbed some sandwiches and drinks. They sandos were great. Very fresh and tasty. 10/10 read more

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Good food, the pastrami is great and the onion rings were good but a bit greasy. Service was good.

Haven't been to the hat in a while but my husband and daughter felt like it. We got the pastrami chili fries and baby girl got a hot dog with fries. We went through the drive through it took a little while, which was ok since he was driving lol. We ate well and enjoyed our food at home, they always give you your food with a smile i love that. All the food is delicious here and we also got a cherry coke I love that they use real grenadine makes it taste even better. Probably not the healthiest meal, but it sometimes helps to eat junk food when not feeling well. If you haven't tried the hat and their pastrami fries I hope you do their food is very good. Have a beautiful, be kind to everyone :) Aloha read more

The Hat - The Hat - Pastrami chili cheese fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

To kick off my birthday my mom treated me to an early lunch here. I haven't been to The Hat in yeeears! So I was really excited to be back. Once you enter, it's pretty specious, you place your order at the register and then pick up at the window once your name is called. Wait time was just a few minutes. I ordered the pastrami dip with a side of chili cheese fries. My food was delicious! Everything cooked to perfection. Ambience is casual, but very neat and clean. There's outdoor seating as well which my mom and I opted for. Over all I was very please with my food and experience here. Thanks again mom for treating me! read more

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comfort food spot that hits right when you're craving pastrami dips, burgers, and some seriously loaded chili cheese fries. The pastrami sandwich is the real standout -- juicy, messy in all the best ways, and perfect with a side of wet fries. Portions are generous and the vibe is relaxed and diner-y, so it's good for a casual lunch or late-night bite (they're open late). Prices feel fair for what you get, though the place gets busy around peak hours. read more

The Hat - Everything - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Back at The Hat and I went straight for the Pastani Dip! It's still a beast of a sandwich. The pastrami is piled high, super tender, and packed with that sugnature peppery flavor you want. The bread holds up just right without getting soggy, even with the double dip. If you've never been, this is the one to get. They've got everything from burgers to chili cheese fries, and even fries loaded with gravy. But the pastrami dip is the star. I didn't get the wet fries this time, but those are always worth it if you're hungry. This place is still doing it right after all these years! read more

The Hat - World famous pastrami dip - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

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The portions were great! The chili fries were fresh and crispy and the pastrami sandwich was juicy as well. The service was fast and efficient. read more

The Hat - The Dipper - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Came here on a Tuesday night, their parking lot was full of souped up cars, crowds of people checking out the cars and such, must be a car club meeting - there was no parking! Parked in the mall next door and walked over. Never been here, friend got their "world famous pastrami dip" I got the turkey and avocado on wheat. She said the pastrami was good, sliced really thin, juicy or dipped in jus and nicely spiced, she loved it. Avocado turkey sandwich was fresh, lettuce mustard fresh avocado and thinly sliced turkey on wheat was good. We shared fries, good because portions are big, fries good, thick cut and not greasy. Friendly service, ambience is causal. read more

Why is the sandwich half the size and still the same price.. gonna miss you . It's always been so good but like everything else in California it's finished read more

1st time visiting them, ordered a hotdog...delicous,grilled then made to your order! And don't get me started on the fries... Most generous bucket in a bag o fries... it was busy and being there's so many choices nearby speak volumes of The Hat. read more

The Hat is one of those names you hear tossed around when people talk about LA food staples, and with roots going back to 1951 in Alhambra, it definitely earns the legacy. They're best known for two things, their world famous pastrami dip and chili cheese fries, and the Brea location holds up to that reputation. An old LA Times magazine article once mentioned they used to sell 30 tons of pastrami per year, and now with multiple locations, they're pushing that number per week. It's wild, but once you taste it, it kind of makes sense. The inside has a total throwback vibe, wooden paneling, plastic greenery hanging down from the ceiling, and overhead fluorescent lighting that reminds you of a cross between an office and a diner. There's something comforting about how unchanged it feels. I ordered the pastrami dip, $12.60. The meat was flavorful, juicy, and packed into a soft roll with the option of mustard and pickles to balance it out. That said, it was really salty; still delicious, don't get me wrong... but if you're sensitive to sodium or have heart issues, just be aware before diving in. Marco, the guy who took my order, was efficient and personable, and also suggested I grab the chili cheese fries. They came out hot and fresh, smothered in chili and cheese which wasn't melted, with tomatoes and pickles on top to keep things from getting too heavy. It's exactly how I remember it tasting when I was a kid, and it's still just as solid. Parking is tucked behind the building, kind of a tight lot, but there's a second overflow section a little farther back that makes things easier. read more

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Get the pastrami sandwich, it's really good, the car line for take out is super long, like a chick fil a line. The coke cuts it so good read more

The Hat - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

Driving from Tucson to Cerritos, we stopped for gas only hoping to avoid any morning traffic. Upon entering Riverside county my friend announced we have to get pastrami sandwiches at the Hat, and get up onion rings. This Brea location was on our way and so we stopped at 11am and ordered in. There was no line. The location has drive through available but we had been driving for hours and needed to take a break. I believe this is my first visit to The Hat and split a pastrami and ordered one for my mom to go. The sandwich is served with pickles and mustard on a soft roll and was cut in half. I appreciate the thinly sliced meat that was in little pieces. Other places I typically go to I take a bite and I pull out all the meat from the center of the sandwich. The onion rings were crispy with breading that didn't fall off as you ate it. The lobby had tables and booths and was clean. The food came in under 10 minutes and we ate it in the dining room. I brought home a sandwich for my mom and she loved the tender bread that didn't get soggy from pastrami meat juice. My friend ordered 2 trays of chili cheese fries to go and when her order was ready she was given onion rings . They weren't going to fix it insisting she ordered what they gave her. The chili fries were huge!!! She and I both brought extra food to take home, knowing it was extra special. I really enjoyed the HAT and despite the miscommunication with my friend's order, she knew her parents would enjoy every bite. The lobby is dated but very clean. The staff appeared to be hustling out ordered as quickly as humanly possible. Fun experience read more

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Hats off to you. for quick service, pleasant employees, welcoming atmosphere and consistent flavor. Extreme yumminess. read more

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Food always tastes the same. Plenty of fries given and sandwich large enough to share. Many definitions, too. Service was fast and friendly. Restaurant and restroom was clean. Forgot to take a picture. read more

This is a restaurant I have been going to for decades, specifically this location. The service is always fast and even when it is busy at lunch time, you will get in and out before your break is over. What can I say about the food, top tier would be good. I love pastrami and their sandwiches are great because of the amount of pastrami you get. The fries are good, you season them to your liking, and they just hit the spot. The other restaurant in the center closed down, so it is the only one at that corner, and with fancier offerings at all the other corners of the intersection, this is a great casual spot for a quick bite. read more

The Hat - Pastrami sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

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I have been to The Hat many times over the years and typically always get the pastrami, decided to try the steak sandwich this go around. I must say I was pretty disappointed, the sandwich is the same price as the pastrami's and there is very little to it, a couple small pieces of steak, a little lettuce and tomato and that's it, not worth almost $13, it was quite small as well. With that said, the pastrami's are probably half the size they used to be as well, shrinkflation? After not coming for some time, was shocked to see how things have shrank and prices way up. We also got an order of regular fries, not recommended, the fries here are not good, missing the most important thing, flavor. They do give you a lot though. Fries are only good if you load them with pastrami, gravy or something along those lines. We also got an order of gravy fries, soooo much better. Skip the plain ones and get topping or skip them all together and get an order of onion rings. The onion rings were the only thing that saved my disappointment here. They were excellent, crisp, nice batter, not too greasy, perfectly cooked and they give you a very good amount of them as well. My coke was also tasty. Typically, The Hat is very busy, but the employees are friendly and speed through the lines and get the food out quickly, which is great. Inside, a lot of seating, classic wood tables and booths. Still may have a tough time landing a seat, but we got lucky and got a booth for 6 without trouble. The nostalgia for me was lost on this visit, sad to say, but probably will be many years before I visit again. Enjoy! read more

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My favorite pastrami sandwich been coming for years but it seems the sandwiches are getting smaller they used to pack on the pastrami really wish they had ranch in to go cups rather than packets but crispy and yummy read more

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I've been going to the Hat since I was a child. Their food never disappoints. It is always consistent. Service is great too. They're always so nice. We went pretty late in the night so it was kind of quiet but it was overall a nice experience. read more

The Hat - Chili Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Brea, California

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The food never disappoints. We ended with pastry burger, pastrami dip, and gravy fries. We hadn't tried the gravy fries but they didn't disappoint. The service is always the best. The only thing that sucked was that you had to ask for everything. The location in Monterey Park has all the sauces out to grab. We even had to ask for straws. I love that the inside and drive thru is always packed. The parking lot is huge. read more