The Hat

I’ve heard and read about this famous Pastrami place and I happen to drive by one and decided to stop and try their Pastrami sandwich. The dining area was kept clean and roomy, nice vibe, the service was friendly and professional., I am surprised they don’t have a combo deal, you have to order the fries separately, so I ordered their Pastrami sandwich, an order of their fries and a large soda, my order was ready in about 5 minutes. The pastrami and fresh and good and tasty. The fries was a huge portion, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It was worth coming in to try them out, I wish they had a branch store near my place, This place earned it’s reputation as a good pastrami place

Got the pastrami sandwich from The Hat and it did not disappoint! The meat was super tender, perfectly seasoned, and piled high. The bread held up great without getting soggy

Bathroom was clean and smelled good despite the frequent traffic. I have never had anything but pastramis and fries from the hat but the turkey burger was recommended by my aunt. I am not a fan of turkey or turkey burgers but I tried it anyway. It was delicious and juicy. Probably the best burger I’ve had all year.

We had a great first-time experience eating pastrami chili cheese fries at The Hat. I was full after 8 bites, and the three of us could only finish two-thirds of it. Taste wise, the fries and chili could use a little more salt, in my opinion. But overall, it's just a big messy combination of carb and calorie unfriendly goodness. Pastrami sandwich was great, loads of Pastrami Location in Temple City was almost deserted when we arrived at 2 pm on a Sunday afternoon. Got busier afterward.

They were open on Labor Day. Stopped in for a cheeseburger and a small order of fries which was enough to share with a buddy. And I made a cherry coke at the all you can drink soda machine.

Classic pastrami dip spot that never disappoints. The sandwiches are huge and dripping with flavor. Fries come in massive portions, so one order feeds two people. It’s always busy but moves fast. Nothing fancy, just great old-school food.

Give it up for the classic. You will not be dissatisfied with the quality of your pastrami. Location is super clean and fast service. Was here for lunch on a weekday. Sandwich was not salty you could taste the spices. Fresh French fries with horseradish sauce (aioli) well call me a cab - I am done

The Hat have been around over seventy years making their world famous pastrami that everybody enjoy. My wife and I have been to the two Hats location in Monterey Park and the orginal in Alhambra both of them make awesome pastrami. I prefer my pastrami wet from pastrami and the bread and adding enough mustard to balance the juicy of the pastrami heavenly delicious. We came here the Hat in Temple city we notice the location is bigger than the Monterey Park location. The restaurant had pictures and history of Temple city and dining room is big and they have restroom inside the restaurant. The biggest surprise a self service fountain soda machine. The staff are very friendly and restaurant always clean when you step in the restaurant.

When I am a little lazy, I will come to this Hat location because they have a drive thru. My go to order is a few items. Cheeseburger, has a nice char to the burger patty, if your hungry get yourself a double. Tuna sandwich on sourdough and comes with a pickle on the side. Really fresh and I usually split into two meals. Big servings. Onion rings, I just love the crunch and crisp of the onion rings, sad that they have ranch packet, meh. But the onion rings alone is just so good and hits the spot. Chili cheese fries (fries well done) Really good and filling and be sure to share. Sometimes I get the tomato and pickles on top to feel less guilty haha. Overall its a solid place to grab a burger, sandwich and fries. Service is fast

I don't think I could eat here all the time because it's not the healthiest fare out there. But the portions are amazing, you can definitely share with someone to keep costs down. You have to get the chili cheese fries at the very least. That's all I gotta say.

!!! shrinkFLATION ALERT !!! You used to get a beef or pastrami sandwich here and it had a generous amount of meat. NOW they are ripping you off with a scant amount of meat in the sandwich. Look at this crosscut image! I even had 2 bites that were only bread. Did a private equity firm buy this place? Real shame as I'm a lifelong customer, but this is the last straw. AVOID AVOID AVOID

Was craving a chili cheese dog real bad and had to stop by the hat to get my fix in. The chili wasn't as flavorful as i remember, it could use more salt but other than that it was loaded and got the job done! The tomato, pickle, and onions really make this chili dog taste good.

The co-workers went all out on this one. We don't have The Hat near our work, so after a dr's appointment, I called the guys and asked what they wanted from here. We got chili cheese fries w onions, wet fries, onion rings, pastrami sandwich, and turkey burger. We had enough to share with 4/5 people! I'm not a pastrami type so I got the turkey burger and onion rings. The burger was great, but they had a sauce that was not to my liking. The onion rings were the best in awhile and cheaper than other places. Nice and crunchy. They give you packets of ranch if you ask. Chili cheese fries and pastrami are the staples. The wet fries are ok. I guess you have to ask for the gravy on the side? And need it needs more gravy! Though you can buy more on the side for a few bucks more.

4 stars After taking my dog to the vet, I decided to lean into my chili cheese fries craving. The Hat was nearby and had a drive-thru, so that worked out perfectly. This is what I got: Roast Beef w/ Au Jus ($12.60): Beef was thinly-sliced and the au jus was decent. I'd consider this pricey b/c portion size was a lacking. And the bread stuck to the paper, so that was a little annoying. Otherwise, it's a decent sandwich. Also, it didn't taste too salty to me, which was perfect for me. 4/5 stars Chili Fries ($8.60) + Cheese ($1.99): This hefty monster was scary big! It's big enough to serve a family of 4. I enjoyed this, but it definitely started feeling a little too much after a couple of bites. I ended up with a ton of leftover. The chili was alright...definitely very cumin forward. I like my chili with beans, but, alas, not a lot of places have beans in their chili. Definitely satiated after this. 3.8/5 stars. I agree with the current 4 stars rating. It's definitely above average. I'll be back when my chili cheese fries cravings hit again.

The hat is a nostalgic favorite in the San Gabriel Valley. Their original location is on Valley in Alhambra; however, this is the location that I would frequent as a local and they've expanded to Pasadena and deep in Orange County (Brea, Lake Forest). They're known for their pastrami dip, which is thinly sliced and served on a hoagie; however, honestly, it's not really anything special. What I crave here are still their Chili Cheese Fries. They give a heaping portion of thick cut fries that resemble what you can get at a wholesale market, and they top it with generous portion of chili and greasy cheddar cheese. While it doesn't sound amazing, it's incredibly satisfying and the portion can fill multiple people. It's my must have here. If I buy anything else, then, I may get a pastrami sandwich, burger, or hot dog and a drink to round out the meal.

I've heard and read about this famous Pastrami place and I happen to drive by one and decided to stop and try their Pastrami sandwich. The dining area was kept clean and roomy, nice vibe, the service was friendly and professional., I am surprised they don't have a combo deal, you have to order the fries separately, so I ordered their Pastrami sandwich, an order of their fries and a large soda, my order was ready in about 5 minutes. The pastrami and fresh and good and tasty. The fries was a huge portion, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It was worth coming in to try them out, I wish they had a branch store near my place, This place earned it's reputation as a good pastrami place

My mother and I came in to The Hat in Temple City this evening for her dinner. It was pretty surprisingly empty, but the dinner crowd had filled up by the time we left. (~18:00) As she states: Fron eating at The Hat for around 30 years, the quality was good, as usual. However, like just about everywhere nowadays, prices were out of control. It cost almost $30 for a steak sandwich, small fries, and two small drinks. Ridiculous. The service was fine, very run-of-the-mill. No complaints on the ambiance. It's clean, and bright. There is indoor and outdoor seating, as well as bathrooms.

The drive thru can take a bit of time because their food is made to order. Luckily, there was only one car ahead of me. I placed an order for large fries and a pastrami sandwich. The food was piping hot when I got it and I was in my car, by myself. So the ambiance was chill. When I got to the window, I believe they do have tap, but I had my card with me. They asked me what kind of condiments would I be needing and they gave me a handful of mixed ranch and ketchup. If there are a lot of cars and you play Pokémon go, there are two gyms nearby that you can attack while you wait.

Came back again but this time we ordered and ate inside. The place seems so nostalgic and still bright as ever, however the place has changed such as the seating area is renovated and the sauce stations are no longer there. We ordered our usual large chili cheese fries and onion rings, a pastrami dip, and added on a double cheese burger and two medium drinks (Since the drinks are free refills). It's always nice to know that the hat will still give out a large portion of onion rings, crispy and crunchy in the middle. It didn't look as much as last time but still a good portion. The chili cheese fries were still great, you need to eat it when it's fresh as it will get mushy and soggy after a while. The double cheese burger was good, I think it could've used more sauce. The pastrami had a good portion of meat, salty and a nice kick from the spiced ends. The drink cups were made of pretty thin wax paper material so it doesn't last long enough after a few hours, but that's more than enough time for lunch break. Overall, it's a great treat for a lunch time break. Restrooms were clean and no mirrors, but unisex and individual rooms.

I always pass by The Hat on my way to the nearby shopping center. Undeniably, their sign with "world famous pastrami" caught my eye. I decided that today was the day to try the famous pastrami dip. This location has lots of parking and a drive thru. The seats and interior were very clean as well. Staff were amazing, so polite and detail oriented. With the pastrami dip, you have the option to omit pickles. They call out your number when your order is ready. Everything is packed nicely in a paper bag with napkins and you get asked if you want any sauce packets (ketchup, mustard, ranch etc). On to the pastrami dip, I had high expectations for it being world famous. On my first bite, I was immediately disappointed. The taste felt one dimensional. The pastrami tasted like pastrami, nothing new here. The interior of the bread was dipped in the broth but it didn't add anything to the experience. The pickles and mustard did help with adding depth but I still felt it was bland. Overall, this was a simple sandwich, very generous on the pastrami but I don't think it's worth $13.

Plenty of parking here. Always folks here but never a long lines. The food arrives fairly quick. The staff have been great. Usually plenty of seating inside. The chili fries are always delicious. Are serving size that you'll definitely need to share or save for leftovers. You can even ask for pastrami added on. Definitely a solid place to visit for fast food.

Food: 4.25. Came by because I happened to be in the area and was hungry. There is inside and some outside seating. They also have a drive thru. I ate inside. Ordering is done at the counter and the number assigned to your order is called when ready for you to pick up. I ordered their Pastrami Chili Cheese Fries (just under $20 after tax). Food was ready timely and at the right temperature. It also looked amazing, if not daunting. It could probably feed 3 or 4 people. It was a lot bigger than I remember from my last visit at a different location 4 or 5 years ago. Fries were nicely crispy as requested. The only knock for me was the pastrami. It was good, but I like the pastrami more at Johnnie's in Culver City. I just wish they had pastrami chili cheese fries. Service was friendly and efficient.

Always good! The place is a 50's diner style atmosphere... It's basically a burger stand and you order at the counter. I usually get the pastrami sandwich double dipped with extra pickles... You gotta eat it while it's hot and dripping hot juice... I also love their beef dip sandwich. I feel they are better than Philippe's in Chinatown. Lately, I've been getting their gravy fries which I enjoy a lot. Don't forget to try their chili cheese fries and the onion rings.

Fluorescent lights, vintage looking wooden interior with the newspaper clippings and framed art to match, classic rock that sounds muffled in another room, there's just something about The Hat that elicits a sense of nostalgia for something that we've longed for in our past. It's open decently late and the dining room has many seats, or if you'd like there's a drive thru outside. My friends and I got the pastrami burger and chili cheese fries. HUGE HUGE portions to the point of leaking out of the containers and wrappers that they were in. Burger was filled to the brim with pastrami that it was more like a side of buns to our order of pastrami. Big and juicy and went great with a little bit of mustard on it. The chili cheese fries had a generous amount of chili and cheese on top. Great ratio of topping to fries. Didn't get soggy or cold too quickly either. Was way more than enough for 3 adults, to the point of food coma, so this can be easily split amongst 4 or more people so they're not as uncomfortably full. Solid The Hat location.

9/9/25 - Updated review Shoutout to the manager working and Cesar for having me check the onion rings before I left because he was scared that it was over fried. They made a new one within less than a minute. I appreciate it so much! Now that's great customer service.

The Hat have been around over seventy years making their world famous pastrami that everybody enjoy. My wife and I have been to the two Hats location in Monterey Park and the orginal in Alhambra both of them make awesome pastrami. I prefer my pastrami wet from pastrami and the bread and adding enough mustard to balance the juicy of the pastrami heavenly delicious. We came here the Hat in Temple city we notice the location is bigger than the Monterey Park location. The restaurant had pictures and history of Temple city and dining room is big and they have restroom inside the restaurant. The biggest surprise a self service fountain soda machine. The staff are very friendly and restaurant always clean when you step in the restaurant.

Great food and old school vibe.ordering was quick and there are plenty of seats for party's of all sizes. Went with a double cheese burger and chili fries with a side of gravy for the no chili covered fries at the bottom. Big time fat guy move but it was clutch. Now I didn't realize how big the fries are but it could easily feed two people. The burger was super nice and would be a perfect hungover bite. All in all I ordered way too much food but I wanted a taste of it all. They are famous for their pastrami's so I'll have to come back for one.

Great the Hat outpost! Customer service was great and the pastrami was the way I wanted it to be

Good pastrami, great clean environment and quick service. That's all you need for a good quality meal. Note to everyone coming here for the first time: small fries will feed you and your significant other, large fries will feed you, your family, and the family next to you.

The Hat is a ubiquitous Southern California fast-food restaurant chain specializing in pastrami dip sandwiches. There are 11 locations around Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties. This specific location is at the corner of Broadway and Rosemead blvd. They have a nice outdoor and indoor seats. Staff were professional and competent. They have a breadth of food items. If you're into good albeit unhealthy fast-food go for The Hat. Every store there always a long line just like InNOut Burger. Overall, it's a good joint for quick bite.

Got a HAT gift card for Xmas. Tried to use it at this location and they said they couldn't accept it due to their system not ready setup to take it yet. Ridiculous. One really pissed of customer...

For some things, prices are a bit high. However, the portions are high to match! We paid just over $17 for a plate of chili cheese fries with pastrami. This fed two very hungry people with a small amount of leftovers. Personally, I would prefer to pay half the cost and get half the portion. Our food was out quickly, within about five minutes of ordering. You need to pick up your food at the farthest end of the restaurant from the indoor seating. There's not a lot to look at at The Hat, mostly old photos on the walls, but it's been clean every time I've visited!

The Hat is an SGV staple and for good reason. It is DELICIOUS. There are multiple locations around Southern California and this one in Temple city has lots of parking, it's roomy inside, and the food hits. We got here a little later at night, but the food was still delicious and served hot. The service was good and pretty quick. I would come back to this location for sure!

I got a grilled cheese with pastrami and avocado! Safe to say, I'm gonna be ordering again next time. I have no complaints at all. I went to the drive thru, ordered, and got my food quickly. Not to mention that Juan and the staff were so welcoming. They made sure to get it right! If you come at night, the vibes and ambiance are a 10/10

A classic spot in the area for a solid dip sandwich, known for its generous portions and consistent quality. When I'm in the mood for something lighter, I opt for their avocado and vegetable sandwich--it's simple but delivers a satisfying, flavorful bite.

This location is really great! There's lots of parking available and a drive thru. There's also a lot of seating available inside and it's very clean!! The staff are efficient. I phone ordered and picked up my food all within 5-10 minutes. My favorite was the pastrami burger. It came with the works and the pastrami wasn't too salty and it was jam packed with it! The only thing was that bc of all the stuff inside, the bread fell apart bc it was too wet.

Celebrating 70 years! I got me their world famous pastrami sandwich! I was very satisfied with my iconic sandwich. It was hot and the meat was overflowing! (Don't forget to ask for a fork to eat the 'lil pieces of meat .) It was just as good as I remembered. Very clean and well kept location . ( Kudos to the manager and staff.) Also, cool touchless soda fountain station.

Give it up for the classic. You will not be dissatisfied with the quality of your pastrami. Location is super clean and fast service. Was here for lunch on a weekday. Sandwich was not salty you could taste the spices. Fresh French fries with horseradish sauce (aioli) well call me a cab - I am done

Good pastrami. Tried the pastrami burger which is loaded on meat too just for $12 around there

Food: Classic menu. Pastrami dip, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, tuna melts, it's all there. But you have to get the chili cheese fries, it's a must. The place also has Orange Bang and Horchata Bang. These drinks are incredible to go with your meal. Ambiance: Casual dining that is good for any time of day. I am glad that this place is still running strong in Temple City. And when you're there, say hi to Daniel Stern.

The Hat is so good!!!! I love hot pastrami sandwiches and was immediately obsessed with this place. There's also drive thru which I've never seen for a sandwich spot. The employees who work here are so nice, it's literally the cleanest restaurant and I love that they fill the sandwich with a big portion of hot pastrami, it's perfect on a delicious french roll and the pastrami tastes amazing. I subbed mustard for mayo and paid -$15 for one of these bad boys.

FIX THE INTERCOM and for the love of G-D guys, it's a TUNA MELT not a cold tuna sandwich with an unmelted overly sized sliced cheese. So why the 5 stars? Because the food was trucking delicious, okay? That dam cold cut tuna fish sandwich was the best dam non melted tuna I've ever had. The seasonings on the tuna alone is enough to make you want to steal the recipe and coupled with that orange bang, I could never give this place a bad review and while We're at it, quality costs. Have you felt how silky smooth and sturdy those dam to go bags feel? Bro, they're spending MONEY. And the staff are always so nice. I'm always going to come here Come to The Hat

I was craving pastrami, so I asked my boyfriend to stop at the hat to pick me up some chili cheese fries with pastrami. OMG... How I missed this place! The pastrami was delicious along with the cheesy chili cheese fries. The portions are huge for lesson than $20. Next time I wanna try the pastrami with gravy fries. If you have pastrami cravings... This place is a spot.

The Hat doesn't play around -- that pastrami is stacked like a meat mountain . The fries? The fries are more thicker than an IG model. A delicious mess you won't regret. Iconic sign, classic flavor, and enough food to knock you into a nap. 10/10 would food coma again.

The Hat is my go to when I lazy to make something for lunch. On a Friday afternoon in August, I was debating of sitting inside or drive thru so I decided to sit inside to enjoy free AC. Inside interior looked the same as I remember with several groups eating inside. The staff are nice and I ordered pastrami dipped sandwich w/chili cheese fries. I waited for several minutes and got my food. The chili cheese fries was yummy and I saved the pastrami sandwich for hubby's lunch. Overall good lunch, although I had a problem using the touchless soda dispenser.

[ Food ] Their burgers are alright, I'd recommend their chili cheese fries, with or without pastrami. [ Service ] I order at the drive-thru and customer service is usually good. [ Restroom ] Yes, there's a restroom.

Parking~It's plenty of parking and it's a seating area to eat outside as well. Service~It was excellent our cashier was very polite made sure we had everything we needed and how we wanted our sandwich prepared. We may had sat down for 5 minutes and our order was ready at the pick up counter on the other side of the counter. Food~it was piping hot, flavorful, and it was so much meat it was falling out. I had pastrami, mustard, and extra pickles! I was absolutely delicious and so delightful to eat and, it's amazing how they dip the sandwich without it falling apart!!! I am definitely going to have go back to take a sandwich back home. My Godmother and I shared one sandwich because it's that big!!! Ambience~No music, but very calm and you can have a very peaceful conversation among yourselves! I would highly recommend this divey spot it reminds of a place that would be featured in a movie or tv show!!!

The food was so good. The service was amazing. I didn't eat there. I took it home but the restaurant looked very clean. I do have to say that the employees are all so super nice and very attentive. Definitely love coming here for my chili fix.

Their onion rings were terrific, but the ranch dressing came in packets. They were generously given, but not very good. Also, the drive-through line was excruciatingly slow at around 6 PM Saturday night.

As many know, The Hat is a Southern California tradition and institution. They are known for the pastrami, but yesterday I got a beef dip. It was DELICIOUS, if a little undersized - but in this economy who can blame them?? the Au Jus was excellent but the bread was truly EXCEPTIONAL. Big win. Every time.

I love the pastrami they have and it's really good!!! the service takes a little bit time still good!!! and the ambience is modern.

Passed it up and decided to stop. I can only get one item... chili cheese fries or a pastrami. I went for the chili cheese fries and they were amazing! Definitely did not regret my decision. Serving was plentiful , the taste was glorious . And the service was fantastic !

As always, we ordered the chili cheese fries, and they never disappoint, absolutely delicious every time! Stopped by on a Thursday afternoon and was happy to find no line or wait. Great experience as usual!

I throughly enjoyed my meal! I love the burgers, pastrami, and roast beef! I also recommend gravy fries with cheese! Always a local favorite! The place is very well kept, extremely clean and staff are friendly! Love this spot

The place is always nostalgic and bring back memories of my childhood. My recent visit, I got my usual order of well done chilli cheese fries. Getting the fries well done allows the fries to be more crispy and to avoid becoming soggy when the chilli is smothered on top. The cashier is always friendly and usually does a good job instructing the cooks to get the fries well done. Typically order the food to go so I don't usually stay to eat. Overall the food is decent but the nostalgic feeling makes it worth coming back

The pastrami here is amazing. The service is quick and they are very friendly. Perfect To go spot.

Bought a roast beef sandwich with au ju. Decide to play salad, small french fry with a side of gravy. It was my husband's first time to try it, my son and I have tried it couple times before since relocated to Southern California. Service was a little slower this time through the drive-through. Overall, the, drive-through attendant is best to get everything as soon as possible. I did realize it was a lot of people inside so we were patient. But for the price, I believe the pastrami had more protein than the roast beef.