Got home to find out my order of roast beef sandwich with Aujus didn't have the Aujus dip. Only the most important part of the order was missing. I called them to tell them and the manager just talked his way around it. Unacceptable.. never again will come here read more

all was good staff was responsive sandwich was so tasty As an ex nycer i was surprised how good read more

Yummy pastrami sandwiches. The onion rings portion was very large. At the next table a person was having g a loaded fries with pastrami that looked great. Definitely a place to visit with friends to share !!! read more

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Love "The Hat" been to several locations, they all hit right, Great Burgers and Sandwiches (Even the Tamale). The side portions are Huge (Fries, Onion Rings, Chili Cheese fries). Might wanna share with your group, especially if you order the Chili Cheese fries with Pastrami. read more

Craving a good juicy pastrami dip sammie and thought of the Hat. It's juicy, peppery and a good ratio of meat to the soft bread. Of course I got ours with extra pickles as the crunch brings a delicious extra salty bite to the sandwich. Nothing pairs with it better than their old school crinkle cut fries; hot and crispy right out of the fryer. We got a large order for five of us and had plenty! read more

Large portions of tasty food. Chili cheese fries are amazing. The staff is efficient and friendly. The dining room is clean (but crowded). read more

Let's be honest, we know why we are here, for the pastrami! If you are having a craving for pastrami, this is definitely the spot to be. The pastrami is most and flavorful, on the saltier side because it is a salt cured meat. If you are feeling a little adventurous, go for the pastrami chili cheese fries or pastrami burger, you can't go wrong! The hat is a fast food/charbroiler type spot, the food is good, cheap, and comes out fast. There is even a drive thru. The portion sizes are good and the food is filling. Plenty of seating inside, just order at the counter, take your number, and sit wherever. read more

The Hat - Pastrami sandwich - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Delicious burgers. Gets busy during lunch hours. Big portions. Seating inside and outside. Right off the freeway. Definitely recommend.

Good dips and pastrami get the chili cheese fries but enough for at least a dozen people and they have orange bang so hello helllllllo

We always enjoy going to eat at The Hat. Yes, it's not the healthiest place to eat LOL, but it is a nice treat from time to time. They are pricey, and portions even from just last year, were much bigger than now, but still worth a visit. The pastrami dips are good. But like I said, they are not nearly as big as they used to be. I guess because of our economy, they chose to cut portions instead of raising prices. Still worth every penny. I had a yummy chili cheese hot dog. Place is clean, ample parking. read more

Took my sister to the hat was her first time. I ordered mine with no bun mustard and pickles it was delicious 10 out of 10. She got it regular with bun and absolutely loved it she couldn't stop talking about it, and she's very picky read more

Wow what a great place food was amazing the onion rings and the hamburger was so fresh so juicy baby. I would highly recommend this place over in and out first time here definitely will come back. read more

This place has grown on me since my last review of it about eleven years ago. Where does the time go? I'll chock up my now eleven-year-old review to perhaps a bad day on the part of The Hat. Every place has one now and then, even my go-to favorite places. Subsequent visits to The Hat over the years have been without disappointment. First of all, pastrami is what this place is all about, so go with that. They do burgers and dogs, too, but I've never ordered them. The pastrami sammiches are great if a bit different than what you will find at a Jewish deli. I'm a fan of both. At a Jewish deli, the pastrami is sliced pretty thick and stacked high between two slices of rye bread. The Pastrami served at that hat is a generous portion sliced very, very thin and served on a sliced roll. Also, The Hat puts pickles on theirs, which works very well. Is one better than the other on account of these differences? No. The Hat's pastrami sammiches are their own thing. My comments about the onion rings still stand. They would benefit from thicker slices of onion and a lighter batter. Having said that, they are still pretty good, and lots of places do their rings the same way. Pro tip: Order the large size onion rings. If you do, you will be rewarded with a very sizable bag of onion rings that is more than enough for four people. read more

The Hat - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Love love love The Hat so much! There's nothing that even comes close in San Diego and this location is the perfect stop on the drive from OC back to SD. Always get a pastrami dipped sandwich with onions rings. The rest is extra. A root beer pairs well with this combo. Have been a customer of The Hat since I was a teenager and won't be stopping anytime soon. read more

Pastrami burger was legit. Good experience on a Sunday night trying to get something to eat on the way home from an adventure.

The Hat is a classic. My wife and I love to share the chili cheese pastrami fries because it's absolutely huge. The best pastrami around and just a classic institution that has been around for years. read more

The Hat - The pastrami Chili Fries - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

We have been going to The Hat at different locations for nearly 15 years and the quality and consistency of the food is amazing. We always order the pastrami dip, onion rings, and the fries. Everything ordered was prepared fresh and served piping hot, was a 5/5, as usual. Pastrami Dip - soft fluffy bun, flavorful pastrami, pickles. Comes sliced, ready to devour. Shareable for two, but why?? Large Onion Rings - thick sliced onions crispy breading. Serves ~3 Small Fries - thick cut potato. Serves 2 Basic condiments offered, and in abundance too!: ketchup, mustard, ranch dressing... We stopped by late on a Saturday night one hour before closing. The staff were very accommodating, energetic, and super nice. The location is not too far off of the 5 freeway, and for driving through at night, we found that it's in a well- lit area. read more

We ordered too much for 2.5 people. Ordered: 1) roast beef au jus $9.99, decent but husband said Arby's tastes better 2) pastrami dip $9.99 3) pastrami chili cheese fries- this was huge, can feed 4 people read more

The Hat - Pastrami chili fries - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I typically only get pastrami and fries, sometimes with a side of gravy. Pastrami is always good, has gotten smaller no doubt over the years. Wouldn't put it in my fav or great category but satisfying nonetheless. The fries are just meh to me. If I get as they cook them, they're a bit under and pretty limp, never crispy or even close. If I ask for them crispy then they're way over cooked, Good enough to satisfy the pastrami craving. read more

This photo shows only HALF of the full massive sandwich absolutely STUFFED with pastrami. Well-priced, incredible portions, super fast service, and delicious. Pastrami sandwiches don't get better than this! read more

The Hat - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

If your hungry, come here. If your sick come here, if your sad, come here... why you ask? Because the cheese burger, chili cheese fries, chili hotdog will make feeling better and happy. Solves all problems. Nice cosy diner with an old school feel with old school food, parking is fine, and tons of condiments. We ordered a pastrami sandwich, great factor of pastrami, love how fine cut the meat is so when you eat into it, it falls apart in your mouth. I would recommend to add sauerkraut and more thousand island but it's fine the way it is. It taste what you would expect. Cheese burger is sorta bland, boring, bread meat and cheese. I added chili cheese fries and white onions to it, bombbbb. Umami. The chili hotdog has a good snap to the casing, it's split in half and grilled so every side of the dog, you get meat, chili, tomatoes, onions. Awesome hotdog. The chili cheese fries... 10/10. No words can explain how damm good they are. Thick, fresh, meaty, cheesy, fresh onions, it's alll coming together. If your drunk, go get these fries. read more

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The Hat is known for their pastrami and yes it is delicious! The pastrami fries are not on the menu but they are a must have item. Honestly it's easily a meal for two or a shared side for 4 people. I would say it's a fries mountain loaded with chili, cheese and pastrami that is overwhelmingly big upon first glance. The chili consistency is not to thick but just sticky enough to hold onto the fries. We also had a tuna sandwich with avocado that was delicious. They really don't skimp out on the avocado which is great. All together we had pastrami fries, a sandwich, and two drinks which came out to about $31. It's a little expensive for "fast food" but it's definitely worth coming to get every once in awhile. Looking at another review I second that the pepperoncinis are really spicy so be warned! read more

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Love this spot for their pastrami sandwiches and gravy fries! The pastrami sandwiches are so thick and simple - just pastrami, mustard and pickles. The pastrami is juicy and packed with flavor. I always get the gravy fries on the side and they're fast food perfection - crispy, salty, and hot fries smothered in brown gravy. The line can be long here, but it's worth it cause these are the best pastrami sandwiches around and the price point is quite fair. read more

The pastrami here is flavorful and tasty. The chili cheese fries are a sight to see and look amazing but in all honesty, a little bland. However, what we discovered was Pastrami Chili Cheese Fries! This was pretty tasty and plenty for a meal split among 2 people. I think the fries draw people in because of the sheer portion - it's massive! But I really think you ought to go for a sandwich and get some fries to share. It's a ton of food. Something special they have at The Hat is Cherry Fanta. This is difficult to find. Even the fancy coca-cola machines often don't have this, so it's a special treat to come for the Cherry. I haven't had a cold sandwich from The Hat in awhile so I think that's what I'll try next time. read more

The Hat - Pastrami chili cheese fries - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The Hat has been so highly recommended and I can't believe I've never tried before! The pastrami sandwich we got on sourdough was definitely the highlight of the meal, I wish we had gotten the extra soup to juice things up a bit! Pickles and mustard are a must on this sandwich, it adds all the flavor you'll need to the already juicy thin-cut pastrami. The chili cheese fries were somewhat of a let down, as I think we were both used to thinner chili, this one had the texture of glue and was rather chunky. The cheese also hadn't melted fully, and gave off the impression of Kraft cheese. I'd definitely come here for the sandwich though, and skip on the fries next time. read more

The Hat - Pastrami Sandwich - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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We love love the Hat and we used to come for our Thanks God is Friday lunch until we became vegetarians. We still come on our cheat day lol. The Pastrami Dip with French bread , huge portion of Pastrami, very tasty but it was way too salty most of the time (one point less because of this). Some certain days we got lucky when it's less salty then we really can enjoy it. Service is efficient with the whole team each person has his or her own task. Cleanliness is excellent before and after pandemic, there is this lady constantly cleaning the tables, disposal area, self serve drink area, which is not available now. Hats off to the manager and the team of this location to keep this place running smoothly but please put less sodium in your food (less soda refills for your business too). read more

The Hat - Pastrami Dip - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Seriously bomb pastrami dip sandwich. Meat was thin and juicy with the perfect bread for absorbing the sauce. Just the right amount of mustard, and some pickles to add that tanginess. The fries are good, and you get a ton of them. I'm partial to the gravy fries though, those are really something special. Everyone always talks about how The Hat is "the place" for pastrami sandwiches, and they're not wrong. Just thinking about it my mind is saying "MUST EAT PASTRAMI SANDWICH NOW!" read more

The Hat - pastrami dip! - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Love this place!! I forgot the pics!! I always get their double cheeseburger with no lettuce or tomatoes!!! It's juicy and delicious!! Mom gets their famous pastrami which she loves!!! I love their fries, always served nice and hot!!!! Huge portion! Place is always clean and service is friendly and efficient!! They do a great job!! You need to go if you have never been here! I go to the Brea location also when I'm over there!! read more

This was a first for me last night. My husband had been raving about The Hat and last night it happened. Walked in about 9pm to a pretty busy place. I ordered the pastrami fries. My husband ordered the pastrami burger and onion rings. The onion rings were the BEST I have ever had and filled half the to go bag! The fries were huge as well. They topped them with chili, cheese, and then pastrami, for the perfect combo of flavors. We had so much food we couldn't finish it all! Be prepared to split stuff or pig out! This place is a must try!! read more

The Hat - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The Hat in Irvine or Brea are pretty much a must stop on our trips to SoCal. I keep thinking I'm going to try one of the other sandwiches but I always get the usual pastrami and I am never disappointed that I didn't try something else. We tend to order a larger size than needed for sides (fries/onion rings). They serve a lot so we end up wasting some sides. Can't waste the pastrami though. read more

This place never disappoints. The food is good and plentiful. Service is quick & food comes out hot. Tried several different locations and pretty consistent with food & the service. They do get busy but manages to move the crowd efficiently. read more

After initially not liking the Hat and avoiding it for 5+ years, my bf's uncle mentioned how good their pastrami was and I decided to give it another shot. WOW, what a difference time makes. I think I especially appreciated it because during that time I have had difficulty finding a good pastrami anywhere, and prices have gone up. Those local burger joints that serve up a decent pastrami are charging between 7-8 for half the quality and quantity of the Hat. Definitely, recommend their Pastrami burger, it's enough for 2 people to split. Their one order of fries is enough for 4 people. I've also had their plain old cheeseburger, which is good but not much better than those local charbroilers. Definitely come here for Pastrami and fries. This place also has all the condiments. Little packets of everything available to make your food to your liking. I definitely appreciate that touch. read more

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Yeah this food is not great. I ordered fries well done and to their credit they were actually cooked perfect;however, they tasted like oil and contained no salt. I was hoping they had some ketchup in the bag but they did not. I did get a side of gravy which tasted like it was straight out of a jar. I got the junior burger with cheese ($2 extra for a slice of American cheese). The burger was single patty, mustard, mayo, and a pickle. Honestly would rather go to McDonald's for a cheap cheeseburger. We also got two pastrami sandwiches. I was told they were ok but one was cut in and half and a good chunk of the meat was spilled all over the bag and it made a huge mess. The reviews were horrible for the steak sandwich so I didn't order that. Honestly unless they step up their game I wouldn't be back. read more

Greetings were nice! Really busy, especially for arriving during lunch hours! Busy, it must be a good sign! Order Chili fries are good for 2 or 3 ppl! Delicious! Definitely recommend! read more

The Hat - Double cheese burger - American Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I love this Hat. We drove from the Midwest to California and went to this Hat because we were in the area. I have been to many Hats in my life time but the service here was really good and the food was amazing. The portions were big and filling. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area. Be warned though, prepare to share your food with someone because the portions are big. You get your money's worth. read more

Very disappointing. Service unfriendly and slow. We ordered chili cheese fries to go and got half the normal order you would receive if you had in store. Not worth the time and expense. read more

This place is located next to the Taco Bell in Lake Forest across from the FedEx store. It is a PokéStop. Our choice of food was based on our understanding of the menu which had no pictures. What we ordered turned out to be very similar to what we could get at Arby's at a discount. It tasted fine as far as food was concerned. It was very busy inside so we ate in the car though that didn't stop us from looking at the decorations on the wall while waiting for the food, not that they were interesting or PokéStop-worthy. Numerical rating is due to our poor selection of food. I might go back sometime to order something that did not seem to be on the menu by showing a picture of it and saying that I want it. If they had pictures of items available for ordering we could be better informed and make a better decision. read more

Covid report: - No done in. Four outside tables - everyone has masks on - "Keep 6 ft apart signs" everywhere - drive thru line moves slow, order inside read more

Love, love, love their onion rings! Best ever. Sandwiches are filled sky high with meat. Very flavorful and filling.

The world famous pastrami @the Hat is awesome. Great food, great people, good times.