game time fries (pastrami chili cheese) here are perfect. so delicious, one of those meals that makes your mouth water when you just think about it. the pastrami is really juicy yet thinly sliced, making it different from the hat which generally has thicker slices. the chili is good and the fries are thin and shoestring, also a contrast to the hat which has thicker fries. i like the game time fries a lot. conveniently located down the street from alhambra park, i used to come after swimming at the pool. would be so hungry with friends and this really hit the spot. tiny little hidden corner gem in alhambra, try it with your friends! read more

This is a cool little spot in Alhambra with an old-school vibe. The food was really good, I especially liked the dip and the chili cheese fries. It gives you a bit of The Hat feel, but still has its own unique taste. Service was quick and efficient, parking was easy, and the overall experience was solid. I'll definitely be back. read more

My go to comfort food spot. Friday after work, chili cheese fries with tomatoes, onions, and pickles. Brilliant. Add a side of crispy hot onion rings and life is good. Their burgers and pastrami sandwiches are also excellent, but it's the rings and fries that keep me coming back. Quick, friendly, and reasonably priced. A few tables out front if you don't mind traffic with your food. Best advice, take it home, settle in and enjoy. read more

Tops Jr - Tops Jr at dusk - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

Old school since 1962. Since my last visit I decided to stop by and order a chili cheeseburger with all the fixings and a slice of tomato. The burger was better than before but I did not like the addition of lettuce on the burger. I like my burger Tommy's style with pickles, onions, and a thick slice of a tomato which they forgot to add. read more

Tops Jr - Chili cheeseburger JAN2026 - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

Small neighborhood, no fuss burger spot. I've been to some of the larger Tops location but somehow never remember that we have a Tops Jr so close to us. We ordered: - Avocado cheeseburger combo with Orange Bang (pretty good, plenty of fries, $0.55 refill on the drink) - Chef salad (decent but nothing special. could use cucumber. had a couple sliced radish, which was weird. missing the traditional slices of boiled egg) Biggest pros: - decently priced items - they have Orange Bang (a must) - food is made to order and comes out rather quickly Tip: the parking lot in the back is tiny so I would suggest finding street parking. Breakfast is not available all day. A couple table are available to eat in front of the restaurant but this is more of a grab and go spot. read more

Tops Jr - Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger combo and Chef salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

Heard good things about this place. Iconic burger place known for their pastrami. Has to try their Tops burger which comes with pastrami. Very delicious and well presented. Juicy pastrami complimented by a well seasoned and cooked patty. Also had to try their chili cheese fries. I've had better but they did their job. Super friendly staff and clean environment. read more

Tops Jr - Parking lot - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Finally dropped by Tops Jr. in Alhambra on a Sunday afternoon after living in the area for years--and I'm glad we gave it a shot. We originally planned to go to Pharaoh's (craving a salad and a burger combo), but forgot they're closed on Sundays. That's when I remembered Tops Jr. had a similar menu and decided to give it a go, especially since The Hat is more pastrami-heavy, and we weren't in the mood for that. We pulled into the small lot behind the restaurant, found parking easily, and walked around to the front to order. There were a couple people waiting on their food, but no line, so we ordered right away. I went with the Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger combo and a classic Orange Bang. Miori got the Chef Salad. The cashier was friendly and fast. They accept card, phone, or cash, and they have a small rewards tablet for signups--I went ahead and joined because I'm a sucker for a good rewards program. Our food came out fairly quickly, and we grabbed a shaded outdoor table to eat. The breeze was nice, and it made for a chill Sunday bite--even if the people-watching was a little underwhelming. We did notice a few people picking up orders they placed by phone, so that's good to keep in mind for the future. The menu is surprisingly stacked--everything from breakfast and burgers to hot dogs, Mexican food, salads, and smoothies. My burger was solid, with a good amount of fries (more than I could finish). Miori ate half her salad and saved the rest, though she mentioned that it was missing a few things--like slices of hard-boiled egg, which is usually standard for a chef salad. Also, the radish slices didn't add much, so she would've liked a few more actual veggies. Overall, good value, fast service, and plenty more on the menu I'd like to come back and try. Highlights: - Quick service & friendly staff - Easy parking behind the restaurant - Big, varied menu with something for everyone - Solid burger, classic Orange Bang hit the spot - Phone ordering available + rewards program Things to note: - Chef Salad could use a few more traditional ingredients - Radishes in the salad didn't really add much - No indoor seating; outdoor tables are shaded though Tops Jr. is a great local option when you're craving a burger or just want a solid, no-frills meal in Alhambra. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu next time. read more

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It's been 17 years since I first reviewed tops jr and I recently came back. Upgrading it to four stars because the chili cheese fries are actually better than the hats chili cheese fries. The chili just has a better depth of flavor so go try tops out! read more

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The Hot Pastrami's Sandwhich Combo, Fresh Pastrami and Crispy Fries! Along with Ice Cold Drink, Friendly and Fast Services. Plus outdoor eating! Good Enough for 2 people. Thank You read more

Tops Jr - Crispy hot fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Game time fries! Hands down our favorite thing to get there! Service there has always been quick and good. I usually do phone orders ahead and the head over and pay then pick up food. It's a small little shack and it can get busy sometimes. There are some benches in front for seating too! I tried some of their sandwiches and burgers and they're pretty good but the main thing for us is the game time fries! Always a hit! read more

CHILI CHEESE FRIES W/ ONIONS FTW Thin crispy fries, tasty chili lots of cheese and onions on top! Reminded me of Weinershnitzel's. Pastrami melt was delicious too! I didn't like the cheese that came with it. I will omit it next time. Taquitos were crispy and good. The avocado guac sauce has a slight kick and yummy but it made half of the taquitos soft as it is drenched. I will ask for it on the side next time. read more

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Very low key gem Driving by the restaurant and it caught my attention, decided to try it out, The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming and the cooks had an amazing work ethic I saw the way they were flipping the burgers amazing!!!! The food itself I got a double cheese burger with fries and the portion are pretty big for what you pay for and it was one of the best burgers I've ever had, and the fries too and they have peppers for your burger I will come again great food and great customer service too They do have parking in the back also read more

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This is my first time here and let me tell you this cost me is yummy. Yummy yummy to your tummy. You need to come here and eat up Pastor whatever food they have there. If the pastrami is great, I could imagine how the other food taste. read more

Tops Jr - Pastrami so yummy - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

If you don't get your pastrami fries from here then you are truly missing out. Flavor and quality are unmatched! read more

Tops Jr - Game Time - Small - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

Okay so I wasn't expecting anything great, it's a local spot I drive by all the time. Today I was hangry and thought to try their taquitos. OMG! I should've ordered two orders. The guacamole sauce was off the hook! And the beef taquitos were soooo good. The location is right off the street and was very clean - the service was great. The cashier was super kind and the place had good energy. I will go back soon, now I'm craving these taquitos! read more

Tops Jr - Nice outdoor area - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

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I ordered a salad, I got 4 pieces of chicken, mid protein portions but overall food is good and friendly staff

This place is an establishment. You have to give it a try! The pastrami is killer. The service is prompt and don't forget to try the burgers read more

Came out to hang out with the family and chose to stop by this spot to eat dinner and man I will it lie this place was a 10/10 one of the best pastrami fries I've had in awhile I def recommend you stop by if your in the area ! read more

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The kind of food you'd expect from a walk up diner. It won't come up in a conversation with your bougie friends about great places to eat, but you're there damn near every other weekend. And orange bangs should be written into law. I could bathe in that drink. read more

I've been coming here for YEARS. Anybody I take over here end up loving the food. The service is always speedy and they always get our order right. My husband always gets the pastrami breakfast burrito. I adore the game time fries! The outdoor seating makes it convenient to eat and go read more

My favorite chili cheese fries and pastrami sandwich! Pastrami is super thinly sliced and I love it this way. They are not as big as other places but they fill you up just the same! Hamburgers and carne asada fries are good too! read more

This place was recommended to me to have one of the best pastrami burgers. I did not think so! It was good but wasn't the best. For the price point and quality, I would try somewhere else for the pastrami sandwich combo. I got the pastrami dip but didn't get anything to dip the sandwich on. That's probably why it was a bit dry. I encourage everyone to try it to make up their own decision! The service was fast. You pay for your food and get it within 5-8 minutes. There is a small parking lot in the back where you can park and tables up front where you can eat. A lot of locals eat here. I need to try their breakfast menu! read more

Tops Jr - Pastrami Dip Combo - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Well, I'm not sure if I would recommend someone to go. I had another experience that I was not happy with.. I ordered a pastrami double dipped extra pickles cut in half and a grilled cheese cut in half. Not sure what they heard, but they put cheese in my pastrami, disgusting . So, no one wants to eat it with pastrami. What a waste, I call them back to let them know and they said oh well we don't know what the first crew did as they left for the day, you're gonna have to call back tomorrow. Just disappointing because that's $18 down the drain. read more

Tops Jr - Pastrami with cheese, this is not what was ordered! - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

The place seemed clean, the outside area included. I hate pulling up to a food spot and it's filthy. So nice job for that. However the only thing on the kids menu was a chicken strip meal and that's exactly what we didn't want so I got an order of taquitos. Figured it wouldn't spoil his meal and I'd just cook him something at home. I made the mistake of thinking they were like Tops Jr in East Pasadena. Worst taquitos we've ever had. Good thing I took a bite first since the "guacamole" was a bit spicy for my kid. It was not homemade like it said on the menu instead a "guacamole" sauce and the taquitos those I purposely avoid. Delimex frozen no flavor or real meat inside. Worst $6.00 I've spent. read more

They had all the items we wanted; however... -the fries were undercooked - fries, zucchini,c and onion rings didn't have any salt (bland) - patty melt didn't have any onions I would not come here again. read more

This place is amazing each and everytime I visit to get some food there. The people behind the counter are very nice and welcoming when you come up to place your order at the window. I came in on 12-29-24 around 5:30pm to order my favorite which is the polish sausage sandwich. Not many places will serve polish sausage/hot link in anything. They do it right plus you can also get it in a burrito. It is very good and just everything on the menu is good and the fries are amazing. read more

The Hat or Tops??? I prefer Tops but that is because I think the pastrami quality is slightly better although the portion is smaller than the competitor. So basically it depends on my mood and if I am willing to travel to the fewer locations that Tops offers. Overall if you are craving Pastrami fries, this is the go to. read more

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Established in 1952 I love going to these old school joints in LA. There's really too many places to try in LA. I have several collections saved on Yelp. One for must try places in LA and one for all the places to try near me. This restaurant falls on the latter. I've seen some influencers on Insta come here for their burgers, pastrami or chili cheese fries etc. I knew I had to try one of those mainstays to see for myself. Anyways, I always ask for recommendations from the staff at different restaurants before ordering to double check what items are popular. So I can crosscheck with what I want to order to make sure I'm ordering the popular dishes. Food is all about personal preference, but I like to order the popular dishes because they are known to be good by all. You really can't go wrong with popular dishes in my personal opinion. What I ordered: Large Zucchini Fries $6.99 Pastrami Melt $11.99 The large Zucchini Fries are a healthy portion to split amongst two people. The Zucchini Fries are served with two containers of a ranch dipping sauces. The Ranch dipping sauce really compliment the Zucchini Fries. Zucchini Fries are a healthier alternative to French fries, but I wouldn't classify them as healthy. They are good nevertheless. The Pastrami Melt was bomb. It was a legit sandwich the toasted bread with onions, thousand island dressing with the cheese and pastrami really flowed well together. I'm in search of the best Pastrami sandwich in LA besides Langer's. It's not affordable to eat a $25 plus sandwich all the time. So I'm looking for the best affordable Pastrami sandwich. I've tried the Pastrami at The Hat several times and it was hit or miss depending on the day and the location. The Pastrami at Tops Jr is better in the melt form than a regular pastrami at The Hat. I will definitely come back to Tops Jr. to try some of my favorites and explore the menu some more. Next time, I want to try the Asada Fries at Tops Jr. I'm very interested to try the Original Tops to see how it compares to Top Jr. read more

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Javier the cashier is awesomeness! The food is great the people are easy to talk too, it feels like home away from home. Food and service is 10/10! The ambiance and vibe is great! Always coming back for more! read more

Called 15 mins ahead for a pickup and still had to wait 15 for them to prepare it when I arrived. What's the point of telling people it will be ready in 15 if it won't. At least the said sorry. read more

First off, I've noticed this stand for many years, however, they kind of disappointed me. I was going to buy some fries but I noticed that they had Asada Fries, so I thought I'd buy that instead. They use shoestring fries, which I didn't mind at all, and they tell you they add cheese and "guac". Their guacamole is a bit watered down for my taste. They added a whole bunch of what looked like asada, but I couldn't taste or see the cheese. I think they barely added enough to call it Asada fries. I asked them for a side of Salsa Verde and the two tiny containers I received seemed as if they were sitting out for a while as they were a bit swollen and had some air as if they were about to pop, so I didn't get to enjoy the salsa as anticipated. I would have thought they would have added some pico or something to make it worthwhile, but they didn't. When I got back and was trying to mix the fries to find the cheesy consistency, it had none. :( I'll probably go back just to try out their onion rings and their zucchini fries/sticks, but I think I'll just stick to the basics. I am sure they have other items on the menu that is probably more appetizing and more appeasing, but this let me down. Also, when I went to the window to pay for my order and I tried to talk to them, they sort of seemed a bit rude. There were only 2 others waiting for their food, not like they were extremely busy as I went after "lunch rush". read more

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I LOVE LOVEEE this place i've been coming since i was a kid and my family been coming since it's been opened. Great customer service i always like going here read more

Tops Jr is definitely a hidden gem in Alhambra and I am so grateful my husband introduced this place to me early on into our relationship. They have THE BEST pastrami chili cheese fries that I've ever had. They layer a generous amount of thinly sliced pastrami on top of thin cut fries, sandwiched between their house-made chili. It's incredulous how crispy and hot the fries still are while being smothered in the chili cheese. I absolutely love this place and would recommend the Game Time Fries for everyone to try. Their portions are pretty big and filling. I can kill a small on my own but the large is a struggle between me and my husband-- I'm bringing a food baby back to the car. They're location is easy to navigate to, but definitely seems like a hole in the wall type of place as they seem to blend in with the auto body shop next door. They do have their own parking lot, but it's very small and probably fits around 5-8 cars + a handicap spot. A simple and cordial process of ordering by the cashier, paying, and waiting by their few tables for the deliciousness to come. Give this place a try and you won't be disappointed! read more

Tops Jr - Game Time - Large - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

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I didn't like this place at all--I should've just stuck with The Hat. The onion rings and zucchini fries initially caught my attention, but sadly, they're straight from Cisco. By that, I mean they're the kind of frozen, bulk-bought items restaurants order from a food warehouse. Why?? The same goes for the burger and chili--uninspired and disappointing. Overall, nothing here felt fresh or worth coming back for. Definitely not a place I'd recommend. read more

Amazing pastrami at this little stand! We ordered the original pastrami dip, pastrami melt, ribeye steak sandwich, beef dip and breakfast burrito with pastrami. My favorites were the original pastrami dip and the pastrami melt but all were good! Pastrami is always flavorful! Tiny parking lot in back and very limited seating in front. read more

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Have not been here for a while. I picked up my usual chilicheese fries, and trying a cheese burger and pineapple coconut smoothie. Chilicheese fries is as great as usual. They are still very generous with their chili and cheese! The flavor is as amazing as before! It is still the best chilicheese fries in the 626 area in my opinion! The cheeseburger and pineapple coconut smoothie were disappointing. The bun of the cheeseburger was soggy. The burger patty was rough. It was a bit tasteless. The smoothie tasted like sugar water with pineapple and coconut flavor. I will continue to come over for chilicheese fries for sure. read more

Tops Jr - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California

wonderful i love it every time amazing staff delicious chillie cheese fries i 100000 percent recommend this spot go hurry right now u wont regret it read more

Haven't had their breakfast burrito in years. Had it again this past weekend and it was delicious. The salsa was on Point. It was a little busy, but as expected, the prices did go up quite a bit though. read more

This pastrami melt is one of the best things I've had in a while. It's very filling, has so much flavor, and definitely a top tier item on the menu. I could eat this everyday if I could read more

How many times did I pass by Tops Jr? I dont know exactly but probably thousands and yet I never bothered to stop by because I hardly ever crave pastrami. I know Tops Jr is known for its Pastrami but I finally made my visit to get an order of onion rings. My craving for freshly fried onion rings was really bad but I didnt know where to go just for onion rings. I didnt want to go out of my way and I had to get home as soon as possible so that I dont eat after 5:30 PM. Last stop for me was at Costco and again, I happen to pass by here on my way home so here I go. I didnt know they had parking but I was lucky enough to find street parking. I parked and ordered a small order of onion rings for take out. Luckily there was no one so I didnt have to wait to order. The guy helping me was fast and friendly. About 5 minutes or less, I got my onion rings and left. Other guy offered to give me chili and ranch but I only took chili. I usually dont eat condiments so. It smelled so good and I had to eat one even though I was less than 5 minutes away from home. It was fresh, crispy and yummy! I can taste the onion and it wasnt chewy or anything. I hate it when you bite it and the whole onion comes out and youre left with the empty batter alone. THAT did not happen so I was surprised. It tasted really fresh so I enjoyed. Small size was more than enough for about $5. I only had like 4 pieces and I was done. I think I wanted more of beer-battered onion rings but these were still tasty and satisfying! Next time, I would love to try their zucchini fries and maybe pastrami too! read more

Tops Jr - Onion Rings - Small - Sandwiches Near Me - Alhambra, California