Cháo Đêm

If you appreciate traditional Vietnamese flavors done right, Cháo Đêm is absolutely worth seeking out. This spot is very understated, tucked into a corner of a plaza on Garden Grove Blvd, easy to miss, no flashy decor. But once the food arrives, everything makes sense. This is clearly a place that focuses on flavor and technique rather than appearances. The clientele was mostly Vietnamese, and the menu is short and focused. Aside from porridge and drinks, most items are listed in Vietnamese with photos. Staff were friendly, and the younger server was able to communicate in English. Highlights: 1/2 Duck Combo (with porridge & salad) $27 This is the standout dish and a must-order. The duck is tender and clean-tasting, lightly seasoned in a way that’s reminiscent of salted duck but far more balanced, savory without being salty, and flavorful even on its own. The accompanying salad comes in generous portions, topped with fragrant fried shallots and paired with a house fish sauce and chili that adds brightness and acidity. The porridge, made from duck bone broth, is deeply aromatic and comforting. Adding fried dough sticks is highly recommended. Both the porridge and salad come with one free refill, making this an excellent value for two people. Chicken Bamboo Shoot Noodle Soup (with wings) $13 The broth is rich and clearly simmered from chicken bones, with pickled bamboo shoots adding depth and umami. The chicken wings are served separately, tender with a subtle smoked quality, great for those who enjoy bone-in cuts. Glass noodles were a great choice here, they absorbed the broth well and added texture. Fried Dough Sticks $2.50 Crispy, fresh, and essential if you’re having porridge. Kumquat Honey Drink $5 Bright, lightly sweet, and refreshing with a subtle preserved plum note, perfect for cutting through richer dishes. We came in planning to grab dessert next door (Ced) afterward, but the portions and richness left us completely satisfied. Cháo Đêm is the kind of place you return to specifically for comfort dishes done with care. Cash only. Closed Sundays. Open late (12PM to around 2–3 AM), making it a great option for late-night dining. 📍 Cháo Đêm 9754 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92844

We went to Chao Dem last night, and it’s usually one of our favorite late night spots since they are open so late. The chao itself is very good and comforting, and the ginger nước mam that comes with it is sweet, tangy, and well balanced. I personally prefer the chicken over the duck, but the chao overall is still wonderful. It also comes with a cabbage salad on the side, which adds a nice freshness and lightness to the dish. We also ordered the organs, which were a little chewy but still good. That said, they came out pretty late and by the time they arrived, we were basically finished with our chao. The Chinese donuts came out promptly and were crispy, perfect for dipping, although they were a bit oily. The only part of the experience that really upset us was the service when it came to ordering. We came with a party of 12, 8 adults and 4 kids, and arrived around 1am. By that time, the kids were extremely tired and did not really want to eat. When we tried to order half chicken and half duck, the waitress insisted that we were not ordering enough food for our party and strongly pushed us to order more. It was presented as a requirement rather than a suggestion, which made the situation uncomfortable. We ended up ordering an extra bowl of chao just to be left alone. What made it worse was seeing the waitress discussing the situation with other coworkers during our meal, which felt unprofessional. We do not like wasting food, and there is no stated requirement to order more simply because you have a larger party, especially when we were not even able to finish everything we ordered. We still enjoy the food here, especially for late night chao, but the way the situation was handled definitely took away from the experience.

Salad and porridge comes with half chicken or half duck and you get 1 refill for porridge & salad. If you don’t want porridge you can switch out to vermicelli soup. Half steamed chicken is $25 and half steamed duck is $27. Though the porridge is Super salty, the vermicelli soup is right on.

CASH ONLY! Only 7 days a weeks, 10 AM-3 AM! 3.5/5 overall, but 5/5 for late-night cravings and quail balut CASH ONLY. Open 7 days a week, 10 AM to 3 AM! That alone earns this spot serious points for night owls and post-party cravings. We came here on Saturday, 7/19/2025 at 10:35 PM, party of seven after our cousin’s wedding dinner reception. Expect a wait during peak night hours, but tables turn fast, so it’s manageable. Overall: 3/5 for quality of food, 5/5 for rare menu and late-night hours. You don’t come here expecting top-tier cooking, but you do come here for those dishes you can’t find at most places, especially not past midnight. What we ordered: -Hot Vit Muối – $5: Standard, nothing memorable. -Củ Cải Muối – $7: Skip it. Tough texture and off-seasoned. -Cháo Ếch Singapore – $13: Lacked the bold flavors it’s known for, I don’t get the hype about this dish. -Cháo Lòng – $13: On the sweet side and a bit thin in texture for my taste. -Lòng Gà (L) – $12: My second favorite dish after the quail balut. Worth ordering again! -Giò Cháo Quẩy – $2.50: Stale. -Cút Lộn – $24 for 2 dozen: GET THIS! If you love duck balut, this is the jackpot!!!!! -Cánh Gà Rôti – $14: The chicken itself was standard, but the rice it came with was so flavorful I would order just the rice next time. -Cơm Gà Kho Gừng – $14: Forgettable. The sauce and texture lacked punch. -Bình Trà Nóng – $3: Cold, diluted, and not refilled. -Nước Đá Me – $5: More ice than tamarind. Skip. Cost Breakdown: -Subtotal: $112.50 -Automatic Gratuity (Party of 7 @18%): $20.25 -Total: $132.75 Final Notes: -If you’re Vietnamese, you’ll recognize this as classic nhậu-style food. Think drinking snacks, late-night bites, and comfort foods for hangovers or hard cravings. -Strip mall parking is free and plentiful before 11 PM. -Loud environment is expected—most folks are coming from bars and clubs. -Must Get For Balut Lovers and Intestines Chicken Lovers: Cút Lộn (quail balut) and Lòng Gà. -CASH ONLY SO BRING IT! Great for what it is: a place that’s open late and hits specific cravings you won’t find elsewhere in Garden Grove and Westminster area. Just don’t expect high-end cooking and top notch service.

This is the kind of restaurant you can’t forget after your first visit—it keeps you coming back! My favorite is their chicken/duck porridge, which I order every single time. Pair it with their youtiao (fried dough) and century egg—it’s unbeatable! A friend also recommended their pork chop rice, and it didn’t disappoint. Even though almost no one here speaks English, I keep coming back and have even learned how to say my favorite dishes in Vietnamese.