Comfort Food Restaurants near El Monte, CA

“The bolo bao ice cream sandwich was the bomb! I had it with ube ice cream. The garlic fries - lots of fresh garlic with a side of bomb lemon aoili and house sauce! The best! Passionfruit green tea was perfect for the hot weather! So cute inside too! It's a smaller space and a one man show. Everything is made fresh so please be patient - it's worth the wait! Great service! It's a hidden gem to the right of BofA in the plaza. — at CrispyandFluffed.“

“very good comfort food that you can really dig into<3“

“This hidden gem is wonderful. She runs the back of the house, he runs the front. Food is incredible, it’s just a great little patio setting. We were able to bring our dog in and she laid in the sun, the owner brought her over a bowl of water and a doggy treat. We came on a Friday and it was very quiet and relaxing, the owner said the weekends are a bit crazy. You just don’t see this kind of place very often, must go!“

“This is truly a Taiwanese restaurant. I definitely wouldn't have eaten at a Chinese restaurant. I'm so happy to be able to eat Taiwanese food. Being in a foreign country always makes me a little nervous about going home. It was truly a wonderful experience.“

“Was at Santa Anita Mall and it was dinner time. Had seen Marugame Udon many times, but had never tried it until today. Tried the new Bolongese Udon with a potato croquette and sweet potato tempura. Ambience is great and the wall artwork is fabulous. Noodles were fresh and bowl was warmed before plating. I ordered a large size and was not disappointed. Free toppings were nice: tempura flakes, wake, cilantro, grunions. Tempura was nice and crispy. Potato croquet was good but a bit too sweet for my liking. Grabbed a Calamansi Ade to drink; nice Calamansi flavor and not overly sweet. Tempura dipping sauce was excellent. Appreciate the Togarashi and chili oil as well if you want a bit of spice. Free water cups also appreciated.

For the bolognese, please don’t think this will be similar to an Italian restaurant; this is the Japanese riff on bolognese. A boiled egg may seem odd at first, but it gives the dish a wonderful creamy texture when mixed with the cheese. The ground meat rounded out the dish well. Cilantro and togarashi paired really well by providing freshness and a hint of spice (I love spicy stuff). While this dish will not be for everyone, I’d encourage people to try it, as it is quite filling and really good for what it is. If you’ve had Japanese pasta before, you’ll know.

Will be coming back to try other Udon options and tempura. Udon is great comfort food, and Marugame does it well!“

“I’ve been 3 times in the past 3 weeks. Service and food is fantastic! Highly recommend Smitty’s Grill.“

“Stopped in to have a few drinks while visiting LA. I sat at the bar and both bartenders were friendly and attentive. The restaurant and restrooms were both clean.

My second visit was also great. We had to wait 20 minutes for a table on a busy Friday evening around 7:00.

The fish and chips were awesome. Crispy hot fish.“

“everything made to order! i don’t mind waiting 15 min to get something absolutely delicious!!!

i recommend the meat pan fried pancakes the most :-)) everything is so affordable n homemade idk how they stay in business. i think their steam bao is okay tbh. beef noodle soup very good just add some chili oil makes it much better.

soy milk is very smooth and the millet porridge very homey. I will definitely come back and bring more friends!!“

“Located in a vibrant neighborhood, Oyster Dive Bar offers a delightful dining experience with a unique twist on seafood classics. The crispy Cajun fries with cheese are a standout appetizer, perfectly seasoned and crunchy, making them an irresistible starter. The lobster pasta features fresh lobster, expertly prepared and bursting with flavor, showcasing the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, ideal for both casual outings and intimate dinners. The service is attentive and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyable atmosphere. Prices are reasonable given the quality and portion sizes. However, it's worth noting that the restroom could use more attention; cleanliness was a bit lacking during my visit. Despite this minor drawback, the delicious food and pleasant surroundings make Oyster Dive Bar a recommended choice for seafood enthusiasts looking to enjoy a satisfying meal in a relaxed setting. Overall, Oyster Dive Bar earns four stars for its tasty dishes, friendly service, and comfortable ambiance. With a few improvements in cleanliness, it could easily become a five-star dining destination.“

“Best Bar in Whittier!! Amazing bartenders!!“

“Holy Saints! was a fantastic experience! The atmosphere was welcoming, the food was delicious and flavorful, and the service was friendly and attentive. Everything came together perfectly for a memorable visit. I really enjoyed my time here and would definitely come back again. Highly recommended!“

“If you’re looking for a cozy and relaxing spot, I highly recommend **Hide Out by Tea Lane**. It's a wonderful place to unwind with a great selection of teas and a serene atmosphere. Perfect for some quiet time or catching up with friends!“

“Chicken and beef pies I have loved most of my life. Still great !!!!!“

“Complex, authentic Korean flavors made with traditional p ingredients. A humble porridge could become a pleasantly enjoyable experience. I ordered bulnakji porridge today and instead of using ground beef or cheap meat, they used a good quality meat and then they sautéed the marinated bulgogi in butter. mmm. Chives/buchu they used were fresh and green. So was the octopus. Often times you taste the fishiness but this octopus or nakji had a very clean flavor. The venue and the food they served were very clean. I highly recommend this place.“

“Great food, relaxing environment“

“Excellent food prepared fresh. Great service. Indoor and outdoor eating. Great 👍🏻✌🏼😉“

“I absolutely love the flavor of this chicken. Great customizable heat. I've ordered both the mild and the medium and both are delicious. Tiny little hole in the wall so I always get the order to go. My only issue is the chicken portion seems to keep getting a tad smaller with each visit. Probably more a sign of the times than an actual complaint.“

“Hangang in Temple City is a great spot if you’re craving Korean food! 🇰🇷 The inside has a very traditional Korean aesthetic that gives the restaurant such a cozy and authentic feel.

They have really good deals on their combo sets, especially for the amount of food you get. The portions are generous, everything was filling, and we definitely left satisfied!

But the cold noodles were the standout for me! 🍜 This is officially my new favorite spot for Korean cold noodles. So refreshing, flavorful, and definitely something I’ll be coming back for.

If you’re looking for Korean food with a traditional atmosphere, good portions, and great value, Hangang is definitely worth checking out!“

“First timers here at Lazy Dog. I was thinking this would be a hot dog place but it isn’t lol, they gave us some garlic chips for it being our first time I thought that was really nice of them. I ordered Kung Pao Shrimp, it was really good but a bit TOO salty for my liking. I also got a beer they ID you so bring you’re ID.“

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“​We had a great time at Mr. Banks, and a huge part of that was our server, Azza! She was incredibly sweet, welcoming, and attentive to our table the entire time. She made sure we had everything we needed without ever being intrusive. Excellent service!we will definitely be asking for her next time we visit Commerce Casino!“

“Great food service, drinks from the bar are awesome, Dj plays up to date popular music, staff is genuinely friendly, security guards in yellow within the establishment are professional making it feel safe. One of the best bars in down town on friday or Saturday, go see for yourself...“

“Good soup and side dishes. Large servings and servers are very nice😁“

“Nostalgia, haven't been here for so long! Just as I used to remember it! The staff is super nice, the place is clean, and they have all the food we used to order.

We always get their 3 cup chicken , bamboo and spicy pork! The highlight is eating the porridge with the Yam inside!

Happy to return and will be back soon!“

“Came here with fam for lunch on a weekend. It can be so packed at this place bc it va be very busy! This is very lowkey casual ambiance so no need to dress up.

Food is served within 10-15 minutes of ordering. Drinks can be added on for $2.50 when ordering meals and if you want to make it large they’ll tack on extra 88 cents. The drinks do take a while to come out especially the teas bc they’re freshly made behind the counter. Also, they seem to be so busy that it’s hard to flag down servers unless they’re brining food or drinks.

The food is quite alright here and as expected for a HK / Canto style palate.

Note they have 2 menus — one that is bigger and more extensive, and a simpler one (photos are of the simpler menu). Prices are fair for the size of the dishes (they’re not huge like other places but also most are under $15 a dish).

We ordered the following and all was tasty:
- sweet and sour pork ribs
- egg over friend rice and gravy (the kids loved it)
- seafood tofu clay pot
- beef w mushrooms stir fry
- yellow chicken

Restrooms: they’ve got 2 separate ones. Decently clean, thankfully.

Parking is FREE but quite difficult here in the plaza bc the lot is shared with so many other eateries in that McDonald’s plaza. So either you wait for a spot to open or take your car down the block and walk a little.“

“Amazing food and service. Love this place. ❤“

“This is the 2nd time I frequent this establishment and it doesn’t disappoint. The food is delicious and fairly priced. The customer service is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I highly recommend it.“

“We visited this place when we were in old town Pasadena walking our dog on December 25th and they are open. I admire restaurants giving time to serve hot food when some restaurants choose to close this holiday. We went in together with our dog on a stroller they are open to service animals. Ambience was great not too loud and restaurant layout gives you a chance to go through each table without hitting another chair. I ordered the Japanese Miso, my wife ordered the Lamb Soup and my son ordered the Taiwanese Hot Soup. The food came in with a heating box where in they would light it up and keep the soup piping hot. It’s just like the Shabu-Shabu style on the side I ordered Vermicelli and my wife and son ordered white rice. Food was overflowing from the bowl what a great treat! All three soups we ordered had their own different tastes. This is the one of the Boiling Point restaurants that is fully staffed no need to wait on a server to get your order. Comparing this to the one we last visited this one will give you more food we had to bring home half of it as we were already full and there is still a lot left! We will come back here again for sure“

“Perfect portion for one person. The free tea was a nice touch too!“

“The Best Taiwanese Hotpot place in Socal.“

“Lots of people say this is their favorite Taiwanese personal hot pot spot. So let’s see if they’re pretty good eh or ew. I got their honey milk tea, steamed veggies and spicy lamb appetizers, and new bak kuh teh pot to try. I brought my friend and she got their milk tea and iconic beef pot said it was really good. My honey milk tea was perfectly sweet and milky with plenty of jiggly pudding. The steamed veggies were soft and had a light pork flave. The spicy lamb was a bit spicy, cuminy, not too gamey but was a bit tough. The bak kuh teh had sweet savory garlicy flaves and was loaded with so many yummy things from their super tender flavorful yummy pork ribs, juicy frozen tofu, shiitake and seafood mushrooms, leafy napa cabbage, garlic, bouncy meatballs, imitation crab, corn, radish, tofu skin and vermicelli. It even came with a side of rice which I upgraded to their comforting umami beef tomato rice. Service here is on point And right now from June to July 12th, if you use my promo code ACMOO you can get a free appetizer! So definitely go check them out cuz this place no cap is pretty good!

Beef pot $19.35
Bak kuh teh pot $19.99
Beef tomato rice upgrade $1.45
Lamb appetizer $7.01
Steamed veggie appetizer $4.63
Milk tea $5.95
Honey milk tea $6.25 +$0.65 pudding“