The past decade has seen a slew of of new restaurant openings scattered around town, which has made Fountain Valley one of the most underrated dining scenes anywhere in Southern California.
There are tons of options ranging from Vietnamese, Japanese, Mediterranean, Peruvian and so much more. The city is a foodies dream come true.
With so many good restaurants strewn throughout the city, its hard to keep track of which restaurants are worth your time and money. We did the hard work for you found the 13 most essential Fountain Valley restaurants.
Brodards made a name for itself with is Nem Nuong, a Vietnamese pork spring roll that caught the attention of foodies everywhere.
While their springs rolls are undoubtedly delicious, everything else that Broadards serves up is of the same caliber. Yes, EVERYTHING!
The rice dishes, the noodle dishes, the appetizers, the desserts, literally everything on the menu is delicious and this is coming from someone who’s tried everything.
if you are having a hard time figuring out what to get, you can’t go wrong with the dry egg noodles with shrimp and bbq pork or the broken rice with the porkchop and the egg-loaf. And of course, start off with the Nem Nuong spring rolls!
16105 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Chicken Maison
Chicken Maison is a family-owned restaurant that started with one location in 2005 and has since spawned 10 other locations all throughout Southern California.
The success of the restaurant in my opinion can be directly attributed to their rotisserie chicken, which is the most tender and succulent chicken you will ever taste.
There are some rotisserie chicken places out there that I won’t mention by name, where you have to arrive at a certain time or the chicken will be dry as dirt, but not with Chicken Maison.
Chicken Masion is consistent with their quality. You can go there whenever they are open and the chicken will be of the utmost quality and flavor.
I’m partial to the Spicy Lemon Garlic Chicken. Every bite is a flavor explosion in your mouth.
18030 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Cream Pan
If you ever been to Portos, you might get this reference. Cream Pan is like the Japanese version of Portos where everything is delicious and reasonably priced.
They are known for their strawberry croissants which basically melts in your mouth upon touching your tongue. They have a full bakery which offers breads, danishes, donuts, and pecan rolls, which im super partial to.
Cream Pan also has a nice selection of Japanese sandwiches including chicken katsu and egg salad, which makes for a nice quick lunch or snack.
There is usually a long line, but the workers are pretty efficient at serving customers in a quick and timely fashion.
15945 Harbor Blvd, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Au Lac
Taking Vietnamese cuisine and turning it into a plant based affair is no easy task, however the people over at Au Lac has done an extraordinary job, if not the best job of it. It could be easily argued that they have the best vegan food in all of Orange County.
The flavors and tastes here are incredible and you won’t even notice that you are not eating meat.
Some highlights of the menu include, Grilled Fish & Rice Paper Wraps, Kung Pao Chicken and the Curried Rice. Save some room for dessert because they are absurdly good!
16563 Brookhurst St Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Vox Kitchen
Vox Kitchen is one of the hottest restaurants in Orange County right now. Their approach to combining Vietnamese, Peruvian, Chinese and Taiwanese food all under one banner has struck a chord with diners. Check out their Yelp, it has an insane amount of reviews and deservedly so. Their food is fantastic and something that all fusion restaurants should aspire to be.
It’s hard for us not to recommend everything, but the Vietnamese shaken beef and lomo saltado keeps us coming back. Other favorites include the house garlic noodles, garlic chicken wings and the bone-in short rib soup.
16161 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Istanbul Grill
Istanbul Grill is a restaurant that showcases all the things Mediterranean food can be. Turkish food fans will find every classic they’ve come to love including kebabs, babaganoush, falafels, lentil soup and baklava.
The kebabs are the highlight of the menu and whether you are getting lamb, doner, chicken or steak, all meats are cooked to perfection and is tender as can be.
The portions are liberal here and the prices are fair. The restaurant has been around for only 10 years and has been highly decorated in the awards and review space.
18010 Newhope St Suite D, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Nep Cafe/Gem Dining
The concept of Vietnamese brunch is relatively new and the folks over at Nep Cafe have done a remarkable job introducing the concept to Orange County.
Nep Cafe has actually two identities. For breakfast and brunch it is called Nep Cafe and during dinner service it switches menu and is called Gem Dining. Both menus are equally amazing.
For breakfast and brunch we recommend the Bánh Mì Chảo w/Filet Mignon & Bone Marrow, Crab Toast or the Duck Confit Porridge. Also spring for the egg or ube coffee, they will flip your world.
For dinner at Gem, you can’t go wrong with the Seafood Laksa Risotto, the Braised Pork Shank or the Mushroom and Waygu.
If you are in the mood for libations, their cocktails are just as inventive as the rest of the menu. The ‘Year of the Pho-Jito’ is a mixture of rum, pho-syrup, lime juice and seltzer and will blow your mind.
10836 Warner Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
The Recess Room
The Recess Room encompasses the trifecta of what all gastropubs aim to be, a place where great food is served, awesome drinks can be had and where the stellar atomosphere ties everything together and lets its customers be in the moment.
Recess features an extensive beer menu with 24 craft beers on tap. The cocktail menu is highlight of the bar with bartenders crafting notable drinks like the Acute Dragon, with rum, tequila, dragonfruit, pineapple, lime and orgeat.
Lets not forget about the food which is equally impressive. Highlights of the menu include Bone Marrow Mac and Cheese, Blue Crab Beignets and the Peking Fried Kurobuta Pigs Head, yes an entire pig head that’s cooked to perfection!
18380 Brookhurst St Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen
Shin-Sen-Gum is well known for serving some of the best ramen throughout Southern California.
At its core, Shin-Sen-Gumi is a ramen house where you can customize your ramen every which way. From the richness of the broth to the firmness of the noodle, you can customize your ramen bowl to any degree you want here.
In addition, a wide array of toppings are available to you. Wontons, corn, flavored egg, pork belly, and even fried pig’s ears are some of the many things you can choose from.
If you are not into ramen, they have delectable curries, rice bowls, chicken karage and an assortment of other equally flavorful options.
18315 Brookhurst St #1, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Shabuya
Shabuya is a Japanese all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant where you can really get a bang for your buck. Even though it’s ayce, Shabuya doesn’t not sacrifice quality for quanity. All their broth are super flavorful and their topping and addons are premium quality.
Their lunch special comes in at under $20 and starts you off with a broth of your choice, unlimited appetizers of goyoza and 3 different types of karage and premium cuts of beef and pork.
Plus there is a huge salad bar that has a plethora of addons for your hot pot, including different types of seafood, vegetables and more.
There is a 99% chance of you walking out of here super full, so you should have an exit strategy if you have to go back to work afterwards.
18279 Brookhurst St Ste 8-9 Fountain Valley, CA 92709
Tsuruhashi
Tsuruhashi is a Japanese steak house where you cook all your own meat, similar to Korean bbq. The restaurant focuses on quality and not quantity. Marbled pieces of Kobe and Waygu are prominent on the menu.
Other popular cuts of meats include rib eye, beef tongue, pork cheek, short rib and sausage, which are all delicious and come with a flavorful dipping sauce
Save some room for the green tea ice cream, it is the perfect way to end your meal.
The restaurants is small and fills up quickly, so make reservation beforehand.
Glee Donuts & Burgers
Glees is not your usual donut store. While they do have the usual selection of donuts and pastries in the front display case, they have a full kitchen in the back that can whip up burritos, hamburgers, salads, bagels, and more!
One of the highlights of their menu is the breakfast burrito, which there are 17 varietiesof, including a soft shell crab version and a burgerritto, which includes a beef patty, two fried eggs and hash browns.
They are also known for their burgers. One stand out burger that they offer is the Ultimate Glee Burger, which comes with a chicken patty, a beef patty, Swiss cheese, guacamole, grilled onions, jalapenos and sandwiched between a buttery brioche bun.
When you are in the mood for something and not sure what, Glee is the spot to go to.
Saborsada is a favorite of drunk people, college kids and anyone looking to stretch their dollar. The portions are very large and the prices are very fair.
All your favorite Mexican classics are on the menu, including tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tortas, chilaquiles and more. However there is one item that you need to order when you come here, the carne asada fries.
The carne asada fries is a massive concoction of french fries, carne asada, cheese and guacamole. One order can easily satiate the hunger of two people. Pro-tip: substitute the regular fries for the skinnier fries.
The restaurant is open till 12am, the perfect place to sober up after a heavy night of boozing.
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