Restaurants in South El Monte

“I can't stop thinking about this restaurant. The interior is very plain, but the table has all the sauces and utensils you need. The menu has a great selection. Once you order, the food comes out fast, and it's piping hot. Everything tasted super fresh. I had the spring rolls (10/10) and the curry with vermicelli AND bread. This was a lot of carbs, but worth it! If I had to pick one, though, I'd go with the bread; it was hot and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It was the last thing to come out, so I think they make it fresh. The flavor profile on the curry was amazing, and I can't compliment their mock meat enough; their chicken is some of the best I've had. My friend had the Pho and said it was great too. I will be going again. Updated from previous review on 2026-10-03”

“It is a small cozy place operated a nice husband and wife couple. I normally not a fan of banh cuon, but I have to admit this is one of the best banh cuon I've ever had. We also ordered bun nuoc leo( fermented fish rice noodles soup), it came out steaming hot and fresh. It was worth the wait. Good food can't be rushed so come with an open mind that you will have to wait a long minute. I will tell y'all its worth that minute wait.”

“Best shrimp tacos in the world, by far. Have them with the grilled chiles.”

“WOW where should I even begin?
I was honestly blown away by how delicious everything was!!

We randomly stumbled upon this Dim Sum House while looking for an early morning breakfast. The order was simple, Har Gao, Rice Roll, Bean Curd, and a cup of Vietnamese Iced Coffee.

When we got there, our food was ready for pickup, yet it was still piping hot. Upon checking the content, we can't help but start eating them because they look so good. The size was well portioned, and for the price, I would say it was a decent deal for an amazing meal.

A small tip for the drink, if you like a rather bitter coffee, make sure you ask for less sweetness, but for us it was just right! Can't wait to have this for breakfast again ☺️”

“AMAZING!! THE BEST PLACE IN SOUTH EL MONTE!! TRY THE LOMO SALTADO ANDA THE TIKI FRIES”

“I have been going for about 4 years really recommend delicious food 🥘 love it 🥰”

“Progress Brewery use to be my go to. However, most of the time they are out of their most popular drinks. Nevertheless, is a chill brewery with a great athmosphere. The outside patio is nice to.”

“We are not vegetarian, but my bff wanted to try this restaurant. A Hidden Gem for Vegetarian Vietnamese Food Lovers. If you’re vegetarian and craving something beyond the usual options, this spot is an absolute must-try. Tucked away quietly, it’s a true hidden gem serving up incredibly flavorful and satisfying Vietnamese vegetarian dishes.

The food is delicious—each dish tastes fresh, well-balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. From fragrant noodle soups to crispy rolls and savory rice plates, every bite was full of depth and comfort.

The space is clean and welcoming, and the service is warm without being overbearing. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and portions you get.

Highly recommend to anyone looking to explore vegetarian cuisine beyond the typical. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy Vietnamese flavors—plant-based style!”

“Muy buenas caguamas de micheladas y las carnitas nose digan”

“All fish dishes we had were amazing. The squid is a bit chewy and not super fresh but veggies are super fresh and yummy! Love the free drinks and the kind staff.”

“Amazing food. The pho soup was rich in aroma and flavor. We got thr big bones too. We ordered #1 pho dac biet...so good.

The large bone was beyond belief! Highly recommend. Had a blast with my family.”

“I have been coming here for over a year
2-3x week . Adriana y Adela always treat me great . Greet me by name and prepare my food amazing . I appreciate how clean they keep the restaurant and their energy they bring to this restaurant.”

“I come here a lot with my husband and friends but today was very disappointing. I ordered a torta de asada and was very upset. 5 pieces of black aguacate and half a piece of tomato for the entire torta. Than my husband ordered some tacos and the meat wasn’t seasoned and half of the meat was burned. We are very disappointed we have never been disappointed before this is one of our favorite places to go eat. Today the people working their looked new we paid $37 for our food and are upset.”

“My first time coming here, I had their pizza and wings with a side of potato wedges they were absolutely delicious! The service was excellent, very clean, and very attentive to us. Shoutout to Alex for making my family and I feel welcomed. I was in shock to see 3 big flat screens tvs, I asked to put a ufc fight and they gladly got it on the screen for me. Definitely coming back 💯”

“Randomly looking for some type of Chinese bbq and this come up. Bring cash. I got the pork belly or Chinese Chicharon and I would come back for that. Also got sweet sour pork and fried rice both were ok. Would come back. Bonus left over pork belly with some egg tacos hits as an extra, why I would come back.”

“I’ve been coming here for over 23 years, and this place has consistently been one of the best donut shops in El Monte. The donuts are always fresh and delicious, and the service is exceptional every single time. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and truly makes you feel appreciated as a customer. It’s rare to find a place that maintains such great quality and consistency for so many years. Highly recommend!”

“yo les recomiendo todo xk todo esta riquísimo cuando voi quiero comer de .todo 🤣🤣🤣🤣”

“Stopped by Bao Kee Cafe a few times and really enjoy their food. The shop itself is on the smaller side, so seating can be a bit limited—because of that, I usually just order takeout.

My wife typically places the orders online, so I don’t always know the exact dish names, but we’ve had a variety of their rice plates with different meats and vegetables, along with dishes like steamed pork ribs and fried fish. Everything we’ve tried so far has been consistently good and satisfying.

The staff are usually friendly, which always makes the experience better. Overall, a solid spot for a quick and tasty meal—especially if you’re grabbing it to go.”

“Lunch rush is always busy since it's a popular place. Come before 11am and you'll beat the rush. Vietnamese food here is tasty and the price is not too bad. Parking can be a headache during peak hours. Restaurant being on Garvey doesn't make the trip to this place any easier, but it can be worth it.”

“What a cute diner! Even has a drive thru. I found them via Door Dash pick up option. Glad I came. I also really like that there's booths, will be back to sit in. Generous portions; compatible for price points. I got the yummy signature omlette and was happy to see they had a gravy option in which I asked for on the side with a biscuit. The gravy was not spicy which I appreciate. Definitely fuel food to get my day started right; though I might take a nap first 😅✅️”

“I've recently purchased a box to try and have been impressed with the quality. I must have purchased a box that had quality control issues because I found an empty bag within the first two bags I pulled from the box. I contacted uncle lees and they went beyond my expectations and sent me two free boxes of tea! Well done!”

“I usually go for breakfast because they have made to order breakfast bahn mi sandwiches. For the price, you get a pretty big sized sandwich. I think I spend like under 12 bucks for a sandwich and bottled water. I usually get the ham and egg. Kimmy always takes my phone orders and she is so nice!”

“This simple place becoming my favorite noodle restaurant in san gabriel valley, because they have really good noodle, cook to perfection, good portion as well, service is really fast, and plenty of parking in the plaza or street parking. Just come, eat good noodle, and leave happy..”

“This place is an amazing hole in the wall and I don't understand how this is not a franchise by now. I love trying new food places and not my first time having Vietnamese but I will say that this IS my first time having it. This was by far one of the best experiences I've had! Jimmy served us and was amazing! My best friend and I had a great time and we will definitely be coming back out! Thank you so much! ( I tried the Bun bo hue, men lui, banb beo 10/10 I also had Penny worth and basil seed drink and they are also amazing!)”

“My son and I ordered the pork siu mai and the boba house milk tea. Both good. My son said the boba tea was the best he ever had. The siu mai were large and very good”

“Excelente atención y ricos tacos de barbacoa”

“Great service and food. The chips, salsa n appetizer beans are so yummy. Agua frescas are so good and refreshing. 😃”

“Food flavor is always a 10/10 I just wish the place looked better and had AC. They definitely need to refurbish. If you are in a hurry, order ahead so the food could be ready at pick up. My drive is 10 minutes and its usually ready upon my arrival. Take Cash to avoid the credit card/debit card fee.”

“We enjoy hanging out. Yesterday we visited this excellent place which we didn’t know before. We enjoyed a beautiful experience there with very good meal and a well-trained stuff and an impressive chief cook. We put this fine restaurant in our phone list and we will certainly go again very soon. We deeply recommend.”

“To over priced.”

“One of the better durian smoothies in LA. I wish they used more durian flesh/meat though.

If you're ordering sugar cane, call ahead as it takes about 5-10 mins to make it. More, if you have a large order. Large cup without ice is $16 while large cup with ice is $8. On the pricier side but it tastes fresh & good so it's worth it for me.”

“I grew up here in San Gabriel valley area. Was our spot every Friday night or Sunday morning in the 90s and early 2000 I haven't been there for years. I hope to come and visit soon♥️🥰”

“An awesome authentic find! the portions are filling and it tastes delicious 🌮”

“Although the store is small, it has all kinds of things, supplies, meat, fruits, vegetables, all are available, the price is very reasonable, and the service attitude is super good ??? ???”

“Went in to grab a few pastries before heading home, and I'm glad I did. The cinnamon roll was soft and had just the right amount of icing without being overly sweet. The staff seemed friendly, even though it got a little busy while I was there. I had to wait a couple extra minutes, but nothing too bad. The place felt clean and had a nice cozy vibe. I'll probably come back to try some of the breads next time because everything in the display looked pretty good.”

“Cuando voy a Señor Alberto, yo soy el 👑 Rey !! Gracias Sergio y Staff”

“Everything especially the service”

“nice place for a cold beer and banda music”

“Short guy with the beard was the coolest dude ever, served exactly what me and my wife asked for. Drinks created the best vibe I’ve had at a bar in a while. Water and cups were the clearest I’ve seen since Alaska.”

“Absolutely love this new pizza place from how the set up to food and drinks .”

“Had a great meal. I can say I enjoyed all the plates we ordered.
The camarones cucaracha, the camarones no mames wey, the ceviche and ostiones preparados. All get a 5 star rating. Definitely recommend this place to anyone. Plenty of parking and nice cool and clean tables.”

“Wonderful Mexican market that sells fresh warm tortillas and tamales. They also have a full service Mexican restaurant and they serve menudo in the mornings. Got some delicious crispy chicharron and fresh guacamole. Nice wonderful people work here and everyone is friendly.”

“Ordered Carne Asada fries and a birria burrito. Fries are nice and crispy wedges! Asada was finely chopped and served on top of the wedges with a nice helping of cheese. Consome came with the birria! And they gave me a horchata on the house! Very nice service and delicious food :) $25 and it fed 4 people!”

“The service was fast and the lady was very friendly. Delicious food! My children got burritos and chicken tenders. They loved it. My husband got the wet burrito, and it was delicious. I got the camarones a la Diabla, and it reminded me of my grandmas cooking. It was spicy just the way it should be. The lady is from Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta. She spoke to us like we were family, which made the atmosphere very warm and welcoming. The aguas frescas are made from scratch, which is a plus. They serve menudo and pozole daily, which is rare!! So if you are craving those dishes, then come here. Visa and cash accepted. Large parking lot. This restaurant is a gem!! Try it out. It was a little pricey, but I totally recommend it. It was an awesome experience.”

“Kfc is so good that I wish I could eat it everyday (well not everyday) ;-)”

“Food is good.. service it's ok takes some time during lunch time. Workers are very friendly. I would recommend this place just during rush time it will take ”

“Bomb pupusas! I’d eat them everyday if I could. Authentic as it can get, check this place out you won’t regret it!”

“Idk why this place has bad reviews. The food was delicious. The noodles were a little dry but nothing some soy sauce couldn't fix. I had the 3 item combo, zuchini chicken, jalapeno ground pork and the chow mein. Honestly for the price it was good, the lady was really friendly. Will deff come back!”

“Deliciosa Birria recomendado al 💯”

“The food was really good! Great price and service!”

“It's a chain so you know what you're getting into before you even enter. Having said that, this specific one is extra roomy and clean.

Wheelchair accessibility: Ground level, no steps to climb and quite roomy. Defiantly enough room for easy mobility if one is in a wheelchair.”

“Polite and courteous staff always seems to be welcoming. As a Catholic chaplain at county usc hospital I found stopping there can add a optimistic attitude towards my daily ministry”