Cháo Đêm

My friend and I were on the phone around midnight when we suddenly started craving congee. Living in the Inland Empire, late-night food options are pretty limited, so we knew we'd have to head to Orange County or LA to satisfy our craving. After some quick research, I found Cháo Diêm in Garden Grove, which is open until 3 AM. It looked like a hole in the wall, but if a place stays open that late, they must have a steady flow of customers--so we decided to make the hour-long drive.Originally, we only planned on getting congee, but when we saw that they also serve ginger rice chicken, we couldn't resist. We ordered a large bowl of porridge with half a chicken on the side and added two century duck eggs. The porridge was exactly what we were craving--warm, comforting, and flavorful. The chicken was interesting; it wasn't just your standard boiled chicken. The skin had a slightly rubbery texture, but the meat inside was juicy, almost reminiscent of how Tagalog-style chicken is prepared in the Philippines. It might not be what everyone is used to, but I really appreciated the authenticity.Now, let's talk about the ginger rice chicken. The texture was similar to the chicken from the congee--tender and full of flavor--but the real star was the ginger sauce. I could seriously drink that stuff. It was so good I wanted to pour it over my rice, dip my chicken in it--basically, put it on everything. It was exactly what I never knew I needed in a ginger rice chicken.Overall, the drive was 100% worth it. Just a heads-up--it's cash only, but there's a bank with an ATM nearby. If you're looking for solid late-night eats, this spot is definitely one to check out!

This is strictly about the service and wait time.The food is great. The Chao Ga and Goi Ga is unbeatable. But twice now I called ahead to order to go. It always takes 20-25 minutes. So I get there in about 30.. and both times, they didn't have my order ready. And their service is shit. They're rude. They hang up on you before you can make any other requests. Then they get angry at you for asking questions. And the wait times? Forget about it. I'm never coming back here. No matter how good the food, it's not worth the horrible treatment and they just take too long.. to scoop a bowl of Chao and shred cabbage. There's not reason why it should take longer than a bowl of pho. Ridiculous.

This place is always busy especially at night time. Service was quick and food is always delicious. I never liked porridge but I would eat at this place for late night dinner. The porridge is very well seasoned.

The food is good, I usually get it to go. The only thing I really don't like is the phone service. I'm not sure why you have the phone number listed both on Yelp and Apple Map, but when I tried to call to order ahead, the restaurant never picked up. 3 stars because you waste my time calling multiple times...Ambiance is okay, I don't mind the smell and the grease. Reminds me of Vietnam

My friend and her husband always come to this Chao Dem restaurant for a late-night dinner whenever they visit the Garden Grove area. They recommended that I come here to try the chicken porridge rice soup. They said this restaurant makes the chicken porridge rice soup very well. I was so eager to try the chicken porridge rice soup. Their chicken porridge rice soup wasn't that good at all. There wasn't any flavor. The rice porridge soup was just tasteless and cold. The restaurant is small and is located in a decent area.

Cháo ếch singapore thì tưởng là ếch kho sả. Chưa nói mình order 1 phần mang về, mở ra toàn vụ chân ếch 3 cục thịt ếch, như đồ vụn múc bán vậy. Đã vậy mình gọi complain thì được người nghe máy kêu là cân bán theo phần. Nước không chứ có một phần nguyên vẹn như mình từng ăn ơ quán đau. Không xin lỗi khách một câu mà con kêu bếp múc sao mà biết được. Là sao vậy trời. Vì mình đã từng ăn tại quán thịt ếch nhiều hơn ba cái cục vụn vầy. Như đồ thừa vậy

If you're looking for a late night spot with something to soothe your stomach, this is the place to go. Definite order the chao long, it may be intimidating but it's such a staple to Vietnamese cuisine. This restaurant specializes in pork rice congee which is not as common, try it if you have y before. Service is quick and the location seems a little shoddy but really that's part of the charm of good Vietnamese spots.

Tried for the first time recently and thought their chao was very good. I ordered to go. It can get a little pricey but not that bad. They only take cash FYI, luckily I had some on me. I really like their stuffed sausage! I ordered it on the side and they put it in a broth which was great bc it kept it warm and kept from drying out. The broth the sausage was in was really good too, full of ginger! I love ginger. For the porridge I got the minced pork with the thousand yr egg. Yum, very good chao. No additional seasonings needed as it was very flavorful. I added some fresh thai chili, yum!Will def come back and try the chicken and duck.4 stars due to: shop could be a bit cleaner.

Chao Dem is my go-to Vietnamese restaurant for LATE night hunger pains. The porridge/congee is yummy. This is my 3rd or 4th time there. Typical Vietnamese service: order, eat, and pay. I ordered the Chao Long and enjoyed it. I recommend the food here. It's authentic and good. I love that they open really late. That is a bonus in my book.

Chao Dem used to be my go-to spot for a warm, comforting bowl of porridge, but these days, it feels more like a science experiment gone wrong. The chicken? Suspiciously undercooked--like they waved it near a stove and called it a day. The porridge? Less of a soothing meal and more of a sodium-packed punch to the taste buds, with enough MSG to make my brain tingle.I came in hoping for comfort food and left with a VIP pass to the nearest bathroom. Let's just say my stomach and I had some serious "quality time" together afterward. If your idea of a good meal includes a gamble with food poisoning, by all means, give it a try. Otherwise, I'd recommend looking elsewhere unless you enjoy playing Iron Stomach: The Ultimate Challenge.Would I come back? Only if they start handing out complimentary antacids and health insurance with every bowl.