Brodard Express

Love it! We couldn't believe there's a legit Viet food spot here at SNA and it's Brodard! Yes, the price is quite hefty - especially for their Banh Mi. But Soo worth it! We ordered the Special Breakfast Banh Mi which has their famous Nem Nuong, with fried eggs. Also, a Berkshire Pork Banh Mi. Each cost $17.95 before tax. And a Croissant with eggs - $6.95. Everything was delicious and fresh. The eggs are freshly fried - does Not taste rubbery and sitting under some light. Meat was tender and plentiful in both Banh Mi. The bread itself was perfectly warm, soft, chewy and crispy - not the type of crispy that scratches all the inside of your mouth. We loved everything! This spot will be a factor in us choosing to fly out of SNA in the future!

Refreshingly fresh for airport food. Pastries are world class. Banh Mi sandwiches are generous and the ingredients are top quality. Other items like vermicelli bowls looked good too.

Finally! A taste of authentic Vietnamese food before you take flight -- just be prepared to pay a premium. (We've eaten at Brodard's other locations before, but this review will focus on its food-to-go shop at John Wayne Airport.) The Food: Hands down, Brodard makes the best nem nuong. Period. Growing up in a Vietnamese family, I've eaten lots of nem nuong (spring roll with grilled pork sausage) all over the world, from Canada and the US to Vietnam herself. Still, Brodard's nem nuong is hard to beat. Why? It comes down to the delicious, soft sausage perfectly balanced against fresh greens and crispy egg roll skin (the latter being an uncommon ingredient in spring rolls). Plus, the dipping sauce is unique and tasty. We also has the house vermicelli bowl, which always satisfies. It's not the best in class, but Brodard always serves it up with a solid mix of noodles, grilled pork, prawns, egg roll, and veggies. Note: There were only 2 prawns and 1 tiny egg roll, which seems to be much fewer than given at their regular sit-down restaurant in Fountain Valley. The Service: Our cashier was friendly, fast, and competent -- which is a pleasant surprise for an Asian eatery. If you've been to enough of them, you know that customer service is lacking; it's just a part of the culture. (And I say this as someone who is Vietnamese.) But I'm glad to see Brodard management trains their employees to exceed (Asian) expectations. The Setting: It's located in between Terminal B and C of the airport, near other restaurants and the restroom, which is a convenient location. As a cafeteria-style area, there are various tables and chairs shared with the other shops. It was relatively clean, but not much to write home about -- it's a airport after all. The Cost: Here's where the complaint comes in. While the flagship Brodard location isn't cheap, the prices at this airport shop are significantly higher when you factor in the quantity you get. The nem nuong costs almost $9 for two rolls, basically $4.50 a single roll! (If I'm eating it as my main entree, I need to eat 3 to 4 rolls to get full.) That price is probably 25% to 40% more than the Fountain Valley location. The Conclusion: While the prices have crazy markups when compared to their the sit-down locations, this location provides a much needed shot of authentic Vietnamese food to John Wayne Airport. If you're tired of McDonald's, Carl's Jr, and other hohum franchises, and you don't mind the exorbitant airport prices, grab a nem nuong. You won't regret it.

Probably some of the best airport food in America. It's also open early in the morning. Berkshire pork banh mi ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - it's pork BBQ - it's so good - I wasn't expecting the vegetables to be so fresh

Best airport food I’ve ever had in America! Was surprised to see a Vietnamese restaurant at an airport, and was even more surprised when I had the Vermicelli noodles with Pork, that it was very delicious and similar to what I had in Vietnam. This restaurant has also made John Wayne one of my favorite airports. Would highly recommend!