NEP Cafe - Irvine

Kayla Castillo a month ago

I was visiting OC all the way from Canada last month and I was recommended this place for brunch. It did not disappoint! The service was outstanding and the food was delicious! James was our server and he was incredibly kind and made great recommendations because I was stuck between 2 drinks and 2 dishes. He was also very attentive and was always checking in and offering refills! We ordered the bun bo hue dry noodles, crab toast, lemongrass tofu, calamari, banh mi chao, and coconut ube coffee. The food came out quickly and it was very aesthetically pleasing. Noodles weren’t overcooked and the sizzling platter came out bubbling with the egg yolks still runny and a nice medium rare cook on the steaks. All of the food was divine! The coconut ube coffee is probably one of the best I’ve ever had (coming from someone who is EXTREMELY picky when it comes to ube flavoured things!) 10/10 would come back the next time I visit OC again 💕

Wesley a month ago

Annie is the best!! She was very attentive, kind, and friendly!! We ordered the egg coffee, wildberry Matcha latte, crab toast, Vietnamese shrimp salad, and tom kha seafood pasta. Everything was absolutely phenomenal, but the shrimp salad and tom kha seafood pasta were definitely the stars of the show!!!

Robert Luong 5 months ago

My wife and I had NEP on our list for a while, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. From the moment we got there, everything was on point. We went with recommendations from our server, Aarwin, and he really knocked it out of the park. We ordered the beef carpaccio, whole branzino, Vietnamese shaking beef, and a sea salt Vietnamese coffee. The standout dishes were definitely the whole branzino and the carpaccio. Both were packed with flavour and executed really well. The shaking beef was also good, very tender and well balanced, but the branzino was on another level. The sea salt Vietnamese coffee was a great way to round everything out. Service was just as impressive as the food. Aarwin was attentive, checked in often, and was overall a great server. Overall, 5/5 for both food and service. We’ll definitely be back to try more of the menu.

Khoi Nguyen 5 months ago

Big fan of Nep Cafe and the KEI Concepts food group. My family stopped in on a busy Saturday for brunch. This restaurant was at max capacity. We ordered everything from from the beef tongue fried rice, crab toast, banh mi chao, bun bo hue dry noodles, and chicken wings. All of the flavors were on points and we literally finished each dish. The crab toast, bani mi chao and fried rice are must orders if you're here around lunch time. If you're a big coffee fan definitely try their creme brulee coffee, egg coffee, coconut ube coffee. Servers here were attentive and the food came out quickly. I loved the variety of hearty, rich and savory dishes. I feel like each dish was elevated with premium fresh ingredients and flavors. The ambiance here is very bright, warm and inviting. Perfect for small parties to large groups. I'll definitely be back to try their dinner menu. Highly recommend booking in advance even on week days as this is a very popular and gets packed.

Sheldon J Plankton 7 months ago

Had a great brunch here over the weekend. The space is bright, modern, and very comfortable, with plenty of natural light — perfect for a relaxed meal. We ordered several dishes to share and everything was solid. The filet steak with eggs was a standout: tender beef, rich sauce, and perfectly runny eggs that worked really well together. The shrimp pasta was another highlight — shrimp were well-seasoned and nicely seared, and the pasta had a good bite, not overcooked. The roasted chicken bowl was generous in portion, juicy inside with crispy skin, and balanced with fresh sides. Even the greens were done right, garlicky and flavorful without being too heavy. Drinks were also well made, especially the matcha and iced coffee. Service was attentive and efficient. Staff were friendly, helped explain the menu, checked in at the right moments, and kept everything moving smoothly. Overall, a very enjoyable experience and an easy spot to recommend for brunch or a casual meal in Irvine.