The Hat

We decided to Visit The Hat in Rancho Cucamonga. We split a huge Tuna sandwich and a gigantic portion of fries, but everybody around us were eating mostly pastrami sandwiches. WOW we only spend $18.00 because the serving size R huge, there was no way I was going 2 order my own when I can only eat half of one… so I brought the wife 2 help me out with my order and we had a great time, people of all ages and races, I was almost in Heaven. I recommend this place to anyone specially families. Until the next adventure.

Been eating here since 1990. Great pastrami. Great pastrami chili cheese fries. Tuna fish sandwich is good. Onion rings as well. Can’t go wrong here.

Was visiting from vegas and was craving some amazing chili cheese fries. But pastrami chili cheese fries was even better. And I also had onion rings.

I absolutely love the hat's chili fries they are some of my favorites BUT there is one cardinal sin every single location commits that only the original gets correct. The cheese MUST be under the chili, it helps it melt better. But every other location insists on doing this so nobody gets 5 stars until this is corrected. (Yes I did request for cheese under the chili and it is understandable they forgot but it should not be the default)

Lives up to its tag line - the best pastrami you can find. Simple- just mustard, pickle and generous servings of meat. Delicious. They also have sandwiches, burgers and sides but pastrami is what they are known for. Service is fast. It’s a diner-style, fast food place that’s clean and bright. Service is excellent.

I’ve come to the Hat before, and have to say it really depends on when you come. Today I came and got the usual Pastrami Dip with extra mustard., however today, it was darn good! Sometimes it’s dry, and not really wet. Today was not the case, it was really good! I personally don’t care for their fries, the onion rings are pretty good. If it was consistent, then I’d be here more often. Pictures below of how it should always be 😁

I recently visited The Hat and had an outstanding experience. Their burgers are truly exceptional, cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. The service was top-notch, with friendly and attentive staff. The atmosphere was lively and fun, making it a great spot to grab lunch or dinner with friends. 5 stars isn't enough - I'll definitely be back!

Surprised there's one in rancho! I also thought it was neat there's a drive through. Got the steak sandwich and pastrami chili cheese fries. I used to get the fries all the time back in high school and still just as good as I remember! Steak sandwich was okay to me, I think I'd try the pastrami sandwich next time.

Had not had The Hat in a couple of years. Not because I did not want to, but because I don't live in So-Cal. On a recent trip to visit my folks, I mentioned that I wanted to go. They were both game, so out we went. I only ever had the Pastrami but they offer more than that, and they were amazing looking dishes. The pastrami sandwich was awesome and added a "small" order of fries, which was plenty for the three of us. If you haven't, you are missing out.

When I tried The Hat's Double Pastrami Burger, it instantly became clear why it's so highly recommended. The first bite was a flavorful explosion, combining the juiciness of the beef patty with the rich, savory taste of the pastrami. The pastrami isn't just an afterthought; it's piled high, making it the star of the show. What impressed me the most was the balance of flavors. The crisp lettuce and tangy dressing complement the hearty meats perfectly. The sesame seed bun holds it all together without overwhelming the flavors. If you're looking for a burger that stands out from the usual offerings,The Hat is definitely worth trying. It's a unique, delicious experience that showcases the best of what this iconic Southern California spot has to offer.

Awesome lunch. Better be hungry coming into the Hat. The order of fries will feed 4 people. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly Burger and chili fries impossible to finish Highly recommend

Chilli cheese fries with pastrami don't forget the yellow chili's!!! There was a small line but the staff move very fast. I only waited about 8 minutes!! Wow! The place was crowded to sit and eat so we took it to go. There are some tables outside if the noise is too loud for you. Classic oldie but goodie! Never disappointed!

Ok I've been living under a rock because I've never had pastrami from The Hat and did not know about their gigantous servings. For a party of two I ordered 2 pastramis, small fries, small onion rings, and chili cheese fries. My goodness, we had waaaaay too much food. The chili cheese fries itself was almost as big as a 4 drink container holder. I had no idea it was going to be that much. My order came out to about $45. The sandwiches did not disappoint. Very generous servings of meat inside. Perfect ratio of meat to bread in my opinion. The fries were ok. The onion rings though... A MUST!

I like this place, been coming here for years. Pastrami dip is the only thing I ever order. Food portions are large...so this time didn't order any extra sides but the fries and onion rings are also great. Will be back!!&

We hadn't been to the hat in a while, and grabbed a box of the chili cheese fries, when we passed by. I was so surprised with the mountain of cheese and chili we got today. They were really generous this time with it! It covered all the fries, and all the cheese was melted this time too. However, I was disappointed that all the fries were again super soggy, even though we ate it immediately. Even so, I still love the hat and how sharable the portions are.

I've been going there for five years on the way to Arizona, and on the way back to California. Best pastrami sandwich. well worth the stop.

Hadn't been to the hat in a while and this was my first time at this location, so yummy! We got really full though since we also ordered sides. Got the pastrami sandwich, which was made perfectly! Then got a side of onion rings and chili cheese fries. Everything was tasty! The has a good amount of tables, but it was busy during Sunday lunch so it was a little hard to get a table. It was cold and a tiny bit rainy but we sat outside anyway, we didn't let the rain ruin our lunch!

Salty! Salty! Salty! I recently visited The Hat and tried both the pastrami sandwich and roast beef dip. The restaurant was bustling with customers, a promising sign of their popularity. However, my overall experience left me with mixed feelings. Positives: The Hat knows how to pile on the meat, and their sandwiches are generous in portions. The pastrami was tender, and the roast beef was also filled with a good amount of meat. If you're looking for hearty sandwiches, you won't be disappointed here. However, the saltiness of these dishes is where my enthusiasm ended. I found both the pastrami and roast beef to be incredibly salty. It felt like I was biting into a salt lick, and this overshadowed the otherwise delicious flavors of the meats. I appreciate bold flavors, but this was overwhelming for my taste. The restaurant's popularity was evident, and the staff worked efficiently to serve the crowd, so service gets a thumbs-up. I probably won't be returning to The Hat for a while. The excessive saltiness of the food made it a less enjoyable experience for me. If you have a high tolerance for salt or love an intensely savory meal, this might be your spot. For me, I'll be exploring other deli options until my taste buds recover.

Despite being a fast-food spot, this place is really impressive. Our go-to late-night drive-thru when hunger strikes after skipping dinner. The chili cheese fries with pastrami on top are nothing short of delicious. The customer service is always nice, making it a reliable and satisfying choice for a quick bite.

What can I say about The Hat? I've been eating at its various locations for decades and the only thing that's changed was the price, but the food is still worth it. All the locations I've been to are similar in motif and layout to this location. You order at the counter in the back and wait for your number to be called. The menu can be a little overwhelming, so you may need to stay out of the line as you figure out what to have. The food is amazing. I love pastrami and the Hat is one of my favorite, especially because of the portion size. Your sandwich comes with a lot of pastrami (which is how all pastrami sandwiches should be), and the flavor, temp, smell is what makes it my favorite. We also had the ham and American sandwich with fries and that sandwich is also good (for those who don't like pastrami). The fries come out lightly seasoned, so you'll want to add salt. This place is one of my favorites, and I wish I had one near me.

Good food,prices & customer service. I recommend a pastrami sandwich and if you like chili cheese fries with pastrami, these are a must try.

If you want the best and biggest pastrami chili cheese fries go to the hat. Any thing you get there is top notch. Fresh & Hot.

The Hat Rancho Cucamonga Sunday, February 04, 2024 at 8:53pm. A lot is going on at this location. The food is absolutely amazing. What happens behind the scenes is a bit troubling. This rainy evening I visited this location for my usual pastrami on rye. In 25 years I have never had an issue before. Order went fairly smooth. Food was delivered. When I sat down to eat my meal, I observed a female worker behind the counter preparing hot foods without gloves. I motioned to the manager at the cashier station who was wearing a red collared shirt. Once the manager looked right at me, I told the manager that his worker was behind the counter grabbing hamburgers, and making pastrami burgers with her bare hands, no gloves. Within moments another worker behind that counter near the griddle began walking away and exclaimed "ke see baya a la bergus" purposely misspelled. This means, tell him to go eat a male pickle. Immediately I yelled out in perfect Spanish which caught them all off guard that the worker that disrespected using a homophobic slur should tell me in English, not walk away and tell me in a language that he swore I didn't understand. The manager in the red shirt repeatedly apologized for the workers piss poor behaviors. The manager was extra extra apologetic. Not because the worker misbehaved, but because the worker yelled out a homophobic expletive in Spanish thinking I wouldn't understand, and they got caught doing so. Manage is complicit. Corporate Office please intervene,

This is my absolute favorite "local fast food" joint in SoCal. There's multiple locations in the IE that I enjoy. This stop was at the Rancho location on our way back up the 15. We got the pastrami, wet fries (brown gravy), 2 grilled cheese, 2 hot dogs, chili dog (with all the fixings) and a avocado sandwich. The portions to price to flavor are the best here. It's worth a try when you are in SoCal. We will return in a few weeks.

Always a choice for pastrami. Consistency is what matters and makes the Hat Tops! The onion rings are also excellent

My girlfriend got a roast beef that looked even sadder. Flavor was there but very skimpy serving The chilli cheese fries, the cheese wasn't even melted and the order was a small little boat of fries and luke warm chilli. Not at all what the hat used to be. Would not recommend

Pastrami Dip Sandwich and Chili cheese fries?! Yes please! The pastrami is moist, tender, and thinly sliced. It's fully packed to the max and even spilling out of my bread. A carnivore's dream. The chili cheese fries are piping hot, yet still crunchy under all the chili and cheese toppings. They no longer keep condiments, plates, utensils out for customers to help themselves since covid. You'll have to ask for the items, but the yellow peppers are still left out. The place can get loud and packed, especially Friday evenings and weekends. Despite it being busy, service is always quick. There's indoor seating and some outdoor seating, however, finding an actual open table can be difficult. I almost always take my order for at home dining. Drive thru line can be long. Parking and going inside to order take out/to go is faster than sitting in drive thru even on a busy night imo.

Outstanding food, portions are very well served!!!Service is excellent and restaurant well maintained....

The Hat has the best fast food version of a pastrami sandwich in my opinion. The only place that has a better pastrami is Langer's, but that's more of a deli style, and a little more expensive. But one thing that the Hat has that Langer's doesn't is the amazing chili cheese fries. It's only seven bucks but it is huge and super delicous. It definitely can feed 4-5 peeps. Pro tip, make sure to eat it once you get it, it is even better! Gotta praise the staff as they keep they get the food to you quick, even when they are super busy. I would say they are overstaff like In and Out, which is a good thing. Overall, if you ever have a craving for a mouth watering pastrami sandwich and the most bomb chili cheese fries, come to The Hat. You won't be dissappointed!

This will officially be a stop when headed back to Vegas from Cali. Service is quick, the food is delicious and what I would consider a great price. They offer indoor and our door seating and the staff was very friendly. The pastrami never disappoints and on this trip we tried the tuna melt (forgot pic) which was also great. Not sure I'll add to every visit because they are known for the pastrami.

Hit or miss.. I always get chili cheese fries or a pastrami sandwich. And the last few times I've gotten the sandwich it's been dry as hell.

I'd give it 5 stars but unfortunately they won't get umbrellas for their outdoor seating and it's hot and sunny. It doesn't cost them much money or time to put them up daily. It's just being cheap and lazy! Otherwise, everything else is five stars!

This establishment has been one of our favorite go to since my childhood over 25 years. The quality of the food has been exactly the same and the stuff is incredible. They are efficient and kind everybody that comes here comes for the experience and it feels like a family thank you to the hat for your excellent service and quality of food

I've gone to the Hat many times and I frequent the Brea location. Today was the first time I went near time of opening and had a great experience. The pastrami in the Pastrami Dip was fresh and not overly oily which was nice and the Pastrami Chili Cheese Fries were also fresh and tasty! Service was great and when I went there wasn't a line.

The best pastrami sandwich in California hands down. It's always super busy though so good luck on a Friday or Saturday night.

I tried this Hat location in Rancho Cucamonga. It was busy inside as well as the drive-thru. I was looking forward to another Pastrami with dip on the side with a large order of fries. The wait was about 15 minutes and service was just okay. I enjoyed the pastrami it was tasty & plentiful. The fries needed to be cooked more. They were soggy and greasy. I will ask for well done next time. My overall score is 3 stars . Enjoy my friends.

This place has the most awesome chili cheese fries and I recommend it highly I would give this 10 stars if I could.

We visited here twice. The first time we went in & ordered to-go. The second time we went through the drive-thru. BOTH TIMES they forgot to give us the au ju dip. What is the point of a dip sandwich without that?! The food is delicious but it's a big time bummer to get home and realized a staple of your meal is missing. Check your bags before leaving!!!

Quick service, quality food. Definitely a bang for your buck. We share an order of the pastrami fries which comes out to $16. We have yet to try anything else on the menu because the fries are just so iconic to us. Ambience is casual and friendly, and I appreciate the cleanliness here.

Going to the hat was such a nostalgic experience for me that sadly did not hold up. As a kid in high school I remember countless late nights eating burgers and fries until closing time with my friends. As an adult I wanted to relive that experience and finally try their pastrami fries that I have heard about for over 10 years now. It however disappointed my expectations greatly for the seventeen dollar price tag. The the speed of service here is amazing. Went to the bathroom and washed my hands and got back and my food was ready to go. The best part of the experience was the overall freshness of the food, however the chili was missing flavor and was very greasy. The pastrami was alright but not worth the additional 9 dollars. Maybe on its own it would be better in a sandwich where you could appreciate the flavor a bit more, but it get lost in the fry combination for my pallet. Next time I'll try the wet fries and see if maybe those still hold that special place to me, but overall the food seems to have lost its touch.

Massive portions still in this economy for a very good price! Quality and quantity have not changed at the Rancho Cucamonga location Route 66!

All pastramis are measured by this pastrami!! Seriously! I've been going to The Hat since I was wee-little. Trivia time! I learned that what I thought was the original in Alhambra was actually the second location. I guess it's celebrated as the original since it's still there and close to being the original :) This is also the location I grew up going to. The original was in Boyle Heights which became a King Taco. I have recently tried and LOVE pastrami chili fries! After all these years! Wow! They are awesome! Service is always friendly and fast no matter how long the line is. Ambiance is as nostalgic is as ever with the old pictures up of my old hometown location. I will never forget the old ladies pushing the tickets across a clothes line that they clipped our order to and sending down to the cooks. Good memories!

I stopped by the Hat for a pastrami sandwich. There was virtually no wait and the sandwich was massive and really tasty. The store was clean and neat and the service was fast and professional.

The Hat is famous and known for their Pastrami sandwiches, that are ginormous by the way. So you might be wondering, what is a plant-based vegetarian/ sometimes vegan (depending on the day) person doing going to The Hat? Well The Hat offers some plant-based options. Not a whole lot though, so if you are strict on how your food is prepared (grills) or the cooking bases used (lard etc) then this place may not be for you. I am more flexible on those things though. The Hat offers the avocado sandwich, and that is really good. I mean you must love avocado for that one. It's literally bread with a crapload of avocado lol The other option is a grilled cheese sandwich. And I mean, it's a grilled cheese sandwich. Not a whole lot going on there. It's okay when they cook it well. This most recent time though, the grilled cheese wasn't really cooked all the way. The cheese was not melted. Not all that great. The French fries and onion rings were good. Just know that the portion sizes here are huge. You get a lot of food! Which is good value wise.

Excellent dip pastrami as usual Never disappointed pastrami, fries we're delicious. Service is great. We eat here at least once a month.

It's the Hat. Five stars. That is all. edit: To make this review more complete, I'm adding this sentence. Yelp is nagging me "This review is currently shorter than most" so I will keep adding stuff. But I love the Hat. They can never do wrong. Except when they made their small order of fries much smaller than before (might be pandemic-related reasons). But the large fries are still a very large bag that requires about 3 days to consume. Their food did get more expensive, the pastrami dip is nearly $12 bucks. Don't care, still 5 stars.

100 percent awesome place for pastrami. If you order fries they give you a truckload. They also have really good chili which my girlfriend loves. This is a Southern California staple.

Friendly folks, got our order in 5 minutes. Best fries dipped in meat chili. Very good and hot. I am disappointed in the tough chewy meat with lots of fat. Great pics, poor quality meat. Avocado burger had a leaner, more tender pastrami, so I'll pass on future hat visits.

The hat is amazing the pastrami is off the hook. If you order to go get everything on the side and it won't be soggy when you get home and you assemble your own sandwich.

Pastrami sandwich is very very salty I cannot finish it I only ate half of it You can make it with less salt, then we can add salt if we need

On 5/4/24 I to hat with my family, we order1 pastrami, 2 double cheeseburgers 1 fries,2onion rings. Plus 3 soft drinks. The store was very clean, with very fast service. Thank you.

Always a Great Experience, The food is consistent, it's their 70 year and I'm number 70 today, Amazing should they give out a free pastrami for every 70 th guest ?

Went last night for pastrami chili fries and a drink. Opened the top because I lost my straw and found....Idk what it is but I am disgusted! Tried to call location to no avail, couldn't even find a number to reach corporate. Smh

The pastrami sandwiches were outstanding. They were overfilled and tasted so good. We were there on Sunday afternoon and they were quite busy but the service was very fast and efficient. We can't wait to go back to try more on the menu.

Delicious pastrami sandwiches. Don't make the mistake I did and order the chili cheese fries and a pastrami dip its way to much food! You won't be able to drive home due to food coma.

This place is so overrated and pricey now. We ordered a pastrami, 2 small chili fries, 2 cheeseburgers and 2 small cokes. The total came out to over $50 and the chili fries were not small at all. They were so big that not even 2 people could finish 1 order. The chili on the fries had no taste whatsoever. I had to literally dig out the plain fries from underneath the chili to eat with plain ketchup. I will say that the pastrami was just okay, nothing special.

I only get 2 things from here, the famous pastrami and chili cheese fries. You get so much pastrami that you can add to your fries. You don't have to order pastrami fries. I've been coming here for the past 7 years and well, its not an every day type of place to visit. Its more of a couple times a year place. Or when we have family in town looking for something new! Every time I come, I always tell myself to step out of the box and get something else but it never happens. Pastrami's always juicy and delish, remember to pair it with the yellow chilies, you get these when you pick up your order. Now I'm craving The Hat! =)

Be careful when eating here and be sure to check the smell of your pastrami. They have no problem selling you undercooked pastrami, especially at rush hour times. Then when you come to tell them they mock you for it and say there is no issue with it and just treat the whole situation like a big joke. It's not about the eventual refund that you will get and want, it's the fact that you go there anticipating a meal you have been craving and instead you get it undercooked with a weird stench to it and them acting like there's nothing wrong then the server goes and take a piece of the pastrami after we asked him to smell it and eats it in front of us to prove a point. I don't know it was just a shit experience to be honest and the service has felt like that for a while here, but that's okay not coming back anyways.