Cháo Đêm: Your Late Night Vietnamese Comfort Food Destination

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.

This place reminds me of cháo vịt Thanh Đa in HCMC. The porridge is amazing - well seasoned and a little watery - just the way I like. The duck and salad are delicious as well! Blood sausage is pretty bad; it is more like a normal sausage and idk I don't even think they put blood in it :/ Chicken rice is very good as well! The short ribs porridge is a little disappointing. It is def not the northern version, and I'm not even sure if the meat is short ribs since there is no bone - idk I'm a little confused about what it is.

This is always one of my fav places in CA. The broth was rich and comforting, with just the right balance of savory flavor that made each spoonful satisfying. This bowl of cháo really hit the spot and is a must-try.

Food: ordered the duck porridge, 1/2 duck special order. It comes with big bowl of porridge, 1/2 duck, and big plate of gối. All were super delicious! On the table there is the sauce to eat with anything and everything. This special order comes with 1 refill of the porridge and 1 refill of the gối. However, the refill is about 3/4, not the full refill. It was more than enough for 2 people! Service: to the point Atmosphere: basic I would come back JUST for the duck porridge!

Best midnight snack ever..! This place is open late and I drove here to eat some good Vietnamese food after touching down at LAX on a late night. I enjoyed the rice porridge with chicken and duck and it was delicious! The taste is very authentic and the chè is good too. The server was friendly. Perfect place to eat Vietnamese food!

The name of this place means "midnight porridge", which I feel is an apt name for it, as it is a great place to get food late at night. For those that have never had it before, rice porridge is a great comfort food that is easy on the stomach and filling. For a lot of Americans I feel it is similar to chicken noodle soup growing up, great when you are sick or on a cold night or want something to just "hit the spot". Rice porridge (also called congee in chinese restaurants) is just like that. Of course you can add chili sauce to it if you want something spicier, and this place has some nice add-ons you can mix into or put on top of it, but it is one of those nice simple dishes that is particular great after a long night and you want to grab something before heading back to your home/hotel. The wait for it was kind of long at around 11 pm, not sure if that is normal but we waited about 30-40 minutes for table to open up. We went to nearby shops while we waited though so it wasn't too bad. We got the chicken and duck, the duck was a bit dry to me, but the chicken tasted great.

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

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.