Top Korean Restaurant in El Monte
Flame Broiler
10619 Valley Blvd Unit E, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
On this review not reviewing the food Im reviewing the experience. I can skip the fact that I didnt get a friendly hello as I walked in with only two other customers sitting down. I cant skip the fact the dining room was a mess they were out of hot sauce there was only one table that was semi clean but it did have dirty seats. I cant skip the fact that during the whole time we were eating the only two employees working were sitting on a prep table right next to the rice cooker on their phones snaking up some food that they made themselves. I think these two needed to get the tables and floors clean first before they took a break. Im sure they Supply seats in the break room or even have your meals in the dining room. No friendly goodbye for us but I will give them a friendly goodbye as I will not be going back anytime soon. Im guessing it wasnt busy at 6 p.m. on a Sunday because other people have had the same experience very unprofessional . this place needs a manager or some retraining.
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BOBBY THAI, Thai Food, Noodle & B.b.q
9814 Garvey Ave #1, El Monte, CA 91733, United States
Thai food is really good, I would say on par with President Thai for half the price. The seasoning is unique and leaves an impression.My usual order is pad Thai combination and they are very generous with portions, including meats. Flavor is spot on for a Thai spot, lots of different spices and seasoning that play very well.Also, their orange sauce is really good - they use real oranges to make it and you can taste it in the sauce.The two other reviewer that's said this spot is not an authentic Thai spot don't know what they're talking about (they're not even specific), I live in the area and this is definitely one of the best Thai places I've been to.
Ixtaco Taqueria
10021 Valley Blvd, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
Visited because of an article I read and I mostly stick to veggie food so I was excited to try something good, Mexican, and veggie. Tacos were great. Flavorful and authentic tasting although their al pastor tasted, looked, and felt more like they used mushrooms than impossible meat as advertised which was very disappointing since that is what originally piqued my interest. I love al pastor and would have still ordered it but call it what it is, to do otherwise is an insult to customers and they charged us the menu price which I imagine is for the impossible meat since they are called impossible pastor but all we got was mushrooms instead. Their buñuelo had the perfect crisp to it however they use both cinnamon sugar and syrup and it was just too sweet. We had two of the aguas frescas, guava and watermelon and both were delicious but we showed up at 11am and already no CBD aguas which is 50% of the reason we drove all the way from Loma Linda to try this place. The watermelon drink had small chunks of fruit making it more delicious but I wish both drinks (tried the guava too which was also really good and tasted like the actual fruit) had been colder. Decent street parking if youre there at the right time. Cozier sitting area than I expected but some of the cars that do get to park inside are right up against some of the tables since their inside parking is pretty much nonexistent. When we ordered the first time I ordered two tacos, one drink, beans and rice. They came out with everything but the beans and brought the buñuelo instead and told us if we wanted the beans we had to pay for them but when I asked the lady if she could just take the buñuelo back she said no. Pretty bad customer service but whatever, we paid for the beans and tried the buñuelo, like I said though, way too sweet. Overall good food but just too many small disappointments especially for driving so far. I was really excited to recommend this place to friends and family but I cant stand behind a recommendation with the kind of experience we had. Theyre literally headed in a great direction but are just not quite there yet. That article really hyped it up for more than it was. Considering the distance, most likely wont be visiting again but if youre nearby and a veggie Mexican like me, its definitely something to try. I was hoping Id be able to give 5 stars, really wanna give 4 stars but can only justify 3.
Cha Cafe
10308 Lower Azusa Rd, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
Cha Cafe is a cute and modest cafe that offers a fusion of Hispanic-Mex, Asian and Hawaiian food/drinks. Theyre located on a small plaza on Lower Azusa road by Arden dr street. Its interior emits a very chill and relaxing atmosphere with cali tropical pacific island flair. Indoor dining layout was spaciously organized, neat and well lit. Similarly, its decor and yellow-orange color scheme were perfectly conceived. Whats impressively cool was that they have PS game ? station atbthe waiting area.I came her one late Saturday morning for brunch. Their menu is composed of three categories: Comfort, Healthy and Appetizer. I ordered their healthy vegan avocado wrap with homemade chips ($8.98) and grilled chicken skewers ($6.48) and thai ice tea with boba ($5.38). Service was moderately fast. Veggie Avocado (+lettuce, tomatoes) wrap was delicious and tasty. Grilled chicken skewer was really flavorful, soft and tasty. Thai ice tea with boba was particularly good. Prices were reasonable. Staff were attentive, competent and professional. Free WiFi. Take out order is available. Ample of parking on the plaza. Overall I had a good brunch and dining experience. Will definitely come back and highly recommend Cha Cafe.
Poki Bomb
9212 Flair Dr Ste A, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
My boyfriend and I went there last minute for the very first time because he was craving poke. They were 5 minutes from closing, but the cashier (young female Asian) was very friendly & welcoming. The quality of raw fishes was fresh & good quality, they didn't skimp us. They really filled up our bowls packed tight. Pricing isn't bad at all. Definitely will return again, only thing is just wished that they stayed open just a little.
Tasty Bowl
2603 Tyler Ave, El Monte, CA 91733, United States
So happy I turned around on a whim and came here to get lunch today. The food taste like someone made it for me at their home. I wanted to something quick and easy so I chose fries, wings, and a thai tea. The fries stayed nice and hot the whole way home. For the wings i chose spicy wings and the whole way home the car was filled with an aroma that I knew I was not going to be disappointed. As soon as i opened the box of wings i was met with the golden brown color and red chili sauce covering the wings. I did not expect everything to be so hot since i had a 10 minute drive home which im glad because I like my food hot. I took my first bite and the best flavor i have ever had of wings burst in my mouth. Immediately i know these are so good I will be back to get more wings. The boba was the perfect drink to help with the spicy wings. Will be back to try more things on the menu. Thank you for great service and amazing food.ps. Food is gone so i cant take pictures. Sorry
Ph Filet
9463 Garvey Ave ste a, South El Monte, CA 91733, United States
My sister was in the mood for some pho, but wanted to try a new restaurant besides our go-to. I ended up asking my friend for some recommendations and she highly recommended Pho Filet. And after trying this place out for ourselves, wow - we were blown away and I can definitely see why it came with high recommendations.With the current situation, a lot of places have been raising prices and cutting down on costs, which I can totally understand. But the prices of Pho Filet have not changed, and it seems like the quantity and quality have not either. We were stuffed from all of the food and even had extra noodles, meat, and soup for a meal the following day - and this was with just a regular sized order!I recommend calling in your order ahead of time - they prepare all the food super quick, in under 15 minutes. The workers dont speak English too well, but they can speak Cantonese and Vietnamese. Even though there was a language barrier and some confusion over the phone, our order was correct and packaged by the time we arrived.I ordered #15, pho that comes with everything including meatballs. The small size is $8.95 and was more than enough for me. There was a large amount of noodles and so much meat! And the meat was super good quality - I felt like after digging into the bowl of noodles, I still kept unraveling more and more noodles and meat. I especially enjoyed the tendon and the meatball.We also ordered #16 ($7.95 for small) and #17 ($7.95 for small); not sure if the amount of meat differed because some bowls had fewer items, but we all thought the quality and quantity were much better than a lot of the other pho restaurants that weve had.And got an order of #71, grilled beef with vermicelli ($8.50). Came with a huge amount of vermicelli, pickled veggies, fresh veggies, and a good amount of grilled beef. There was a very fragrant and pleasantly grilled smell coming from this dish that made my mouth water. My mom enjoyed it and said she would not hesitate to order this again.The pho dishes came with huge amounts of beef soup that we were able to save (and use for our at-home pho dishes the next day). The flavor wasnt oily, had a deep and rich flavor and did not leave us feeling thirsty after drinking it.Honestly, I feel like this is my new go-to place for pho from now on. They accept card and prices are super affordable for the amount of food (and quality) that you get! Theres another location in San Gabriel, but it seems like more people prefer the El Monte location.
Thuan Phat Supermarket
2650 Rosemead Blvd, South El Monte, CA 91733, United States
Ive lost count of how many times this seafood supermarket has changed owners and names - its become a running joke for me. However, one thing that remains consistent is the quality of their seafood. If youre in the mood for fresh, live crabs and lobster, this is the spot to hit up. The live shrimp are also a standout feature.Ill be honest; the customer service doesnt quite match up to fancier supermarkets like Albertsons. But, hey, Im not here for a red-carpet experience. This place is my go-to for grabbing all the large items that are hard to find elsewhere.What sets this place apart is its extensive selection of bulk items, conveniently pre-bagged and freezer-ready. Its a time-saver when you need a quick and easy solution. The variety of Ramen noodles they offer is impressive; its like a hidden treasure trove for noodle enthusiasts.I must admit, the parking lot does look a bit sketchy, but Ive come to realize its just part of the area and city culture. If you can overlook the exterior, youll discover a hidden gem with an underrated seafood selection. So, if youre on the hunt for quality seafood without the frills, this spot is definitely worth a visit.
NTFOODS
4340 Baldwin Ave, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
This is a black shop! Ive only been there twice in total, and both times I encountered deliberately falsely marked prices, where expensive items and cheap items were deliberately mixed together. And the second time was even worse. The meat I bought was probably long-expired beef, but the price mark on the shelf said the price of Mexican beef was very cheap! It should be the kind of compressed beef, the kind of meat where the bones and fat and lean meat are pressed together! ! When checking out, it was said that the price of Korean veal steak was more than double the marked price. After I got home and cooked it, I immediately had diarrhea. The first time I had diarrhea, I wasn't sure it was the veal steak, so I ate it again. Sure enough, I had diarrhea again. Why dont these illegal shops that use expired synthetic meat close down? ! ! I hope someone will report them quickly! ! !I'm here to add another comment. You can see in the picture that I bought a piece of beef brisket at the same time! I stewed it for 2 hours last week and this time it got even worse. I had vomiting and diarrhea! ! Thanks to New Taiwan Catering for allowing me to experience vomiting and diarrhea only once in a few years in hell mainland! ! ! I have tried this store twice in half a month! ! 66666
Yoshinoya (Peck Rd & Stewart) - El Monte
3538 Peck Rd, El Monte, CA 91731, United States
Id give this place more of a 4.5 or somewhere around 4.3 or 4.4 but I decided to round up instead of down.There is a multitude of things that makes this my go-to Yoshinoya. We can first start off with a service. Service here, even though it is a fastfood restaurant, is always great. I see that some of the people here did rate it lower because of service, usually in the drive-thru, but everytime I have come here, I have received quick and easy service. Sometimes getting my food in 3 mins. I have one instance here where I had to wait around 10 minutes just to order because of how busy the kitchen. That is why I would say this review is moreso around the 4.3 side.The food here is nothing to complain about. You get great and tasty food for a low price. If you want something fancier, than go to a Japanese restaurant. You know what youre getting when you come here, and its delicious for the price.The seating area here is on the nicer side, which is why this is one of my favorite ones. At other Yoshinoyas, I tend to take my order to-go, but here I like sitting around and eating because it is a bit nicer.Parking here is always plentiful. Most of the plaza is empty at all times because the bigger establishments here have closed down a while ago. There is just a Planet Fitness and some other chain stores that inhabit the area, but the crowds here are never to much.