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Categories: Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, American (Traditional), Burgers [Edit]
2300 S Atlantic BoulevardDon't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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Like In N Out and Mexican restaurants, The Hat is a SoCal staple.
Must-orders: Pastrami Dip (Hoggie bun, piles of sliced, hot pastrami, pickles, mustard, dipped in au jus), Pastrami Burger (personal fave- burger patty, lettuce, piles of sliced, hot pastrami, pickles, mustard), Chili fries (a heaping mound of fries, covered in chili and cheese, so big only a 6-cup holder tray can suffice; can also custom order to add pastrami and pickles).
Great place for a good, cheap meal. Despite the long lines, wait time is decent, and the workers are awesome. During my last visit, they cut up our dip and pastrami burger into 4s, no problem. My 3 gfs and I split these two sandwiches plus the chili fries..and, of course, we were all so full, we felt like puking. Not from disgust, of course, but just by sheer volume of delicious food we tried to stuff down our throats.
If you're visiting California, I highly recommend making a stop here for a meal or even a snack if you get a chance.
I prefer Johnnie's In Culver City (maybe for reasons unrelated to The Hat itself) but The Hat is a great experience. Great pastrami sandwiches and fries.
Very busy all the time - of course being across the street from East LA College helps keep the flow going.
Parking - and sit down seating - can be horrendous during peak hours...so if you go for weekday lunch - go early.
But check it out...you will not be disappointed.
Best pastrami sandwich I've ever had. Yum!
This place is definitely a hole in the wall and seems a little sketch, but came here for some dinner on a Sunday night and although we didn't have to wait in line the place filled up quickly.
Wet fries were good, never had wet fries before but now that I have I'm addicted. Fries with gravy on top - can't be good for the arteries. Tried some of the au jus and it was flavorful. I have to say my favorite part were the onion rings which were huge and oniony. None of that fake onion ring stuff here.
I still can't stop thinking about the pastrami sandwich. Unbelievable. One sandwich can feed a family of 4. Great flavor in the pastrami and au jus.
Didn't get the fries again. The pastrami sandwich alone is plenty of food. I'll get the chili fries next time.
Chili Cheese Fries with Pastrami on Top!!! Side of Gravy. Have the paramedics on stand by!
This is a hot spot for the entire city of monterey park. During lunch you will see everyone from students to the fire department lining up for their delicious food.
The pastrami sandwich is the best. Thinly sliced and very juicy.
The Chili Cheese Fries reign supreme! Huge portion for $5! Add Pastrami on top if your sharing with 4 friends =)
Great Place! Although I will say the 1st shift in the afternoon does serve/make the chili more oily - I dont know why.
If i want a Pastrami I go here! I have been going to The Hat for as long as I can remember. I always get a pastrami, chili cheese fries and a cherry coke. The make the cherry coke with cherry syrup, it taste soooooo good!
The portions are huge so order for one and two can it from it. The service is pleasant and fast.
I've also tried the hot dogs, they are equally as great. You'll have to order two just because they are so good.
This place will never let you down.
Verdict: It makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
One of my favorite pastrami sandwiches in LA. Also ordered the chili fries which was a meal in itself. Can't wait to go back!
O M G, so good. I've been coming here since I was like 10 years old. Yes, probably unhealthy for a growing child to eat pastrami or wet fries, but who cares, apparently it didn't affect my growing process.
Anyway, you must get the wet fries, or the chili cheese fries, and a pastrami! Don't be a loser and ask for no pickles in the pastrami (the bf does that), because this pastrami sandwich is the best just the way it comes. I've had Tops, Philippe's (sorry!), Jimmy Dean, and many others, but I keep coming back to the Hat. I mostly had a problem with Philippe's because the woman who handled my money handled my sandwich with the same hands. Gross...
Ahhhh The Hat...you can't go wrong with this place. The pastrami sandwich, perfect with it's slather of mustard and pickles, is the quintessential lunch time food. This is thinly sliced pastrami, so it's not the stuff that you're going to find at Canter's. The potato salad is OK, nothing really to shout about, so I would go with the crispy and fresh fries. I love their isle of condiments, with everything from horseradish sauce to ketchup...I'm a condiment whore, so I like to pile everything and anything on that I can. Oh, and they accept Visa and MasterCard.
It's been around for 59 years now! So here's to another 59 years!
The Hat was clearly a 4 star place for me, I've had better but the fries could be easily shared between 3 people and to me, they always tasted amazing when eaten with the fixins.
Then I came back for a visit in April, and what pushed it over the top?
They now take plastic!
Imagine my delight when realizing I could finance the clogging of my arteries! It was an amazing realization, then I broke down, ordered some pastrami and chili fries and went to town with a couple of other people. This is one of those places that makes me sorely miss Los Angeles.
Even if you don't think you like pastrami, try this place. It is amazing. The pastrami dip will have you coming back for more. I took some out of town co-workers here, and they now curse me as they can't satisfy the craving until their next visit to SoCal. The pastrami is piled high and juicy and so flavorful with just the right amount of juice built-in (no au jus dip needed). The fries must be shared as they give you way too much even with the small order. If you dare, try the hot peppers.... very good... but you've been forewarned.
I've been eating here for 15 plus years.. It's an annual ritual, me and the boys will wear loose fitting clothes and pants that have drawstings, then we march to the counter and order Chili Cheese Fries with Tomatoes & Pickles and Orange Bang. As we wait for our orders , we ask for a bag and go directly to the condiment station and grab handfulls of condiments, it doesnt matter what you get - cause it's all FREE!! (sorry smegel moment) Getting back to the story, we also load up on Jalepeos which will def. make your lips quiver. After getting our order we mix everything up and dig in with a spatula.. Damm Good Eats.. If you really want to get the party started at The Hat , bring in some Rum and mix it with the Orange Bang... Heaven i say!
Good Pastrami sandwiches. I also tried my friends tuna sandwich, not bad. Careful not to order the Large Fries, its enought to feed a family of 6, lol. It comes out in a lunch bag stuffed. It was only $3 so I was expecting a typical large. I would have rated this place higher but after having Langors and Philippes in LA's dips Im a little partial giving this place a similar rating. Still good though
When I started dating my wife to be, she used to take to the best hamburger joints in LA. Wow, when I first came to The Hat I was so impressed on the simplicity of their menu.
Where in San Diego does one find pastrami burgers? Well I am still searching but if I am ever out in LA then any one of these chains will do.
The first time I ate a pastrami burger was here. Damn it so delish, juicy and plentiful. I was fore warned on the chili fries because they only have one size: family size, that is!
They serve a mountain of freshly cooked steak fries on a basket. Then they dump another mountain of cheddar cheese. Here's comes the chili sauce and don't forget the onions. Side of pickles and hot peppers please!
Last I came here I was going to get a shirt, but it probably wouldn't fit after I left here. Not sure if they accept plastic yet, but I could of sworn that last time I came by they did.
The fat: Parking plentiful and they have security.
The skinny: I would advise not to wear skinny jeans prior eating here.
What can I say.
There really isn't anything I can add to the great and detailed reviews that have already been posted. Even when this place is packed full and bulging at the seams like so many of it's regular customers, the service is still fast and friendly. Family members that are older than me say it hasn't changed since the old days, I like that.
I've been a fan of this hat location since I was 5 years old., 20 years later it's still my first stop when I crave a pastrami and fries.
just like the great reviews before me already let you know you can get the fries in oh so many varieties. The roast beef sandwich and burgers are also great.
The hot dags are really good to.
I've not had a single thing I didn't like here except for some unwanted weight gain. HaHaHa
When I attended ELAC I would stop in twice a week and jog every day to balance out the effects. LMAO. I wouldn't change it for the world.
I wouldn't know what a good Pastrami was if there was no Hat in my hood.
I think this is one of the smaller "Hat's" that I've been to, but the same nonetheless....
... and they take credit cards now!!!
I thought I was only going to eat half a sandwhich, but no..... I ate a whole... .and consumed what was supposed to be dinner that night too.
Why don't they have places like this up in Norcal?
I saw this video almost a year ago;
http://www.youtube.com...
From that moment my life had meaning, purpose, a real reason to wake up every day. I knew that one day, one day I would have that mountain of love, that pillar of coronary heart disease, the behemoth known as chili cheese fries with pickles, tomatoes, and pastrami!
That day finally came this past weekend when I bested my girl at the "What's for breakfast/lunch" game. It was a tough fight but soon we were on our way to The Hat. Honestly, my favorite feature of The Hat is its condiment bar. It totally reminded me of pubs in the UK, where a dozen different sauces and spreads are offered all in a line.
After placing my order, it took about seven minutes to get my death on a plate;
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I couldn't believe how much it weighed! I dug in, the pastrami was nice and moist, and not too salty. The cheese and chili were buried in the depths of my tray but I was able to dig them out and mix with that oh so sweet meat. Initially, I didn't understand why pickles and tomatoes were offered as toppings, but then I got it. After a few bites of just meat, chili, and cheese, it was nice to have some light veggies to cut through that grease. Oh and what great grease it was;
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I was able to demolish all the toppings, chili, and cheese. But in the end, there was still a pound of fries left, I was defeated. Yet my spirit did not falter, the meal met all my expectations and I felt at one with nature. I am whole.
This was our second meal of the day after having Norms for breakfast.
We were waiting at the hospital to see if things would checkout well for the family. So we a food run, all they way to Monterey Park because we needed some comfort food. I was great going down but because we were so hungry, my nephew and I over ate.... And boy was it not comfortable at all.
We just pigged out; we ate most of what you see on my pics.
Damn, I think I needed to be in the hospital after all the food we ate !!!!
Yes YES i LOVE the hAT ! ..
Chilli Chesse Fries are BOOOMBBB...
Chilli Cheese burger is too but after i eat it ..im still hungry ..idk...
but the fries i have to share em cuz i cant finish it lol ...
Def. recomend this place..if you wanna get fat lol ..
The hat is Monterey Parks biggest attraction next to Quiet Canyon. By far one of he best pastrami's you'll get any where in L.A. I can talk about the pastrami for days but really is good is the Roast Beef sandwiches. You can get those in 3 great ways: Plain, BBQ and Gravy.
Did you also know you that you can also exercise your right to more gravy with the fries. They have standard chili fries but they also have gravy fries. Oh...what devilish delight it can be. Don't forget to get the Cherry Coke, which is not really Cherry Coke its Regular Coke with Strawberry Fanta. Enjoy!
Wow!.. ummm.. yah... uhhh.. Ok whats going on here?
I remeber this place being better..??? Maybe it's the one in ALhambra..? anyways they stay open late and they are and hence the 4th star..
I came here on Saturday night/Sunday Morning about 1230am I got the Pastrami Burger with Extra Cheese, it was ok I guess not the greatest and not the worst I just remember it being a whole lot better (the Pastrami), Humm oh well.. I also got the Wet fries not those thing are the most fattning thing ever but Ohhh so good, they put alot of Brown gravy (Beef gravy) on the fires which are cooked well I have to say. My friend I was with got the Chilli cheese fries and said "Wow it has been along time since you and I have met(talking about the fries), I was just a little girl with wide eyes for anything cheesy, now that we are re-united I will never let you goo" After hearing that I gave her a look of confusion and shrugged my shoulders and said " umm ok that was umm strange"and continued on eating..
Anyways back to The Hat, the service was quick they ahve a awsome condiment section, and they are priced right.. Will I be bcak ummm hells yah, for the Wet fries..
You can't go wrong with The Hat's pastrami dips and signature menu items. And all locations are consistent with everything.
This location doesn't offer outside seating, but the inside seating is plenty. All booths though, so if you have a party of 5 or something, you'll have to split among 2 tables/booths or squeeze yourselves into one booth (and if you're a group of 5 guys like i was in last night, that would get awkward! haha!).
great big proportions like usual, food's great, service is fine for what it is. parking lot could use some adjustments though.. kinda awkward layout for spaces.. but other than that, it's your good ole' run of the mill The Hat!
OMG OMG OMG!!!
I want chilli cheese fries!
The Hat has the best Pastrami sandwich and next to Tommy's they also have the second best chilli cheese fries!
Wish there was one near La Puente... I either have to drive to Rosemead or Brea. But when I'm in the hood in E.L.A I go to Monterrey Parque!
I think its neat that they have an all woman shift for the morning and an all male shift at night.
now they except ATM!!!
Short drive from work, delicious and HUGE chili cheese fries that are oh, so tasty!
I'm so glad that i decided not to get them on my own because I would have had to wave the white flag.
The cherry coke is also very tasty here.
Can't really recommend anything else as that's all I have had. My coworkers like the pastrami as well.
The reason why I have a hard time giving The Hat a fifth star is because, while it is both delicious and filling, you almost always start regretting it right afterwards. The combination of food coma and an exploding stomach makes The Hat a dangerous eatery... Something you don't want to attempt more than twice a year.
Order a pastrami sandwich, a drink, and an order of fries (equal to 3-4 orders of fries at your typical fast food joint), and you have your work cut out for you. Yes, you could order less, but why would you? IT'S THE HAT!
As far as food goes, it's not simply quantity over quality- the pastrami is well-seasoned, the burgers are juicy, the chili is on par (if not better) than Tommy's, and the fries are crisp. Still, you go to The Hat for quantity, and that is how you fall- live by the pastrami, die by the pastrami.
Aside from the copious amounts of food, there are also unlimited refills on ALL drinks (whether you get a Coke or Horchata), as well as an impressive assortment of condiment dispensers that hold various sauces in packet-form- they have Mayonnaise and Relish, as well as the not-so-common Horseradish and Thousand Island.
So is The Hat "as good as it gets"? I dunno... everything always feels so hazy after I finish eating at The Hat. Eating here really is like going into an epic battle, Lord of the Rings-esque... Prepare yourself!
If you grew up in the SG Valley in the 80's and early 90's, the HAT was as common as Hughes Market, Sav-On Drugs, Monterey Mall Theaters, Piraes Cove, Michael Angelos Pizza, etc.
First timers beware, you will be engorged with sodium and fat, and feel oh so good. You will pooh grease for awhile because its so damn satisfying to choke down a HUGE Pastrami Sandwich and their signature chili cheese fries.
As you have read from others its the Pastrami that makes headlines here. Good. Salty. Greasy. And enough to feed a king. The best? No way....Johnnies Pastrami rules (at least in my book). Nevertheless, it does taste amazing if you havent had one in several months. If dont like heavy bread like me, ask for the double dip.
Other options to get are Burgers, Dogs, Chili Fries, Onion rings, Wet Fries, and a very very good chili tamale with onions, pickles, and tomatoes. Cold options include a very good turkey avocado and ol fav... tuna sandwich on wheat or french roll.
A nice frothy OJ Bang or Horchata cools you down too.
Prepare to wait during lunch hours...it gets crazy busy.
The Hat 101, guest Professor Euno L.
Slide 1: Specialty
- The Hat specializes in pastrami
- The pastrami burger or the pastrami dip is usually your best bet
- The Hat's chili is also tasty.
Slide 2: Order
- Order a Pastrami Dip
- If you have friends, the rule is 2-3 people: 1 order of chili cheese fries
- Check for preferences before you throw on pickles and tomato
Slide 3: Grubbing On
- Eat Pastrami Dip while playing "jenga" with the untouched fries in the Chili-Cheese Fries order.
- Take all the messy leftover pastrami on the paper, and dump onto corner of order of C-C Fries.
- Mark area as territory and proceed to consume.
- Mark rest of chili fries as territory
- Continue consumption.
Slide 4: Essentials
- Parking is sparse at this location-- good luck.
- Payment is cash, Mastercard, or Visa. No Discover/American Express
- Prices are a little high, $7 for a sandwich, $5 for an order of fries, which is big enough to be shared by three.
Slide 5: Further Reading
- Read the other reviews here for other things.
- If you need more info on the food, look up the other locations (Brea, Original location, etc.)
Professor Lee-- OUT!
Best Chili Cheese fries in town.
I order mine with a side of pickles and tomatoes.
They give you alot though so make sure you have at least one other person to help you out.
The ppl who work there are friendly so try to aske them how they are once in a while instead of just barking out your order.
I give them two less stars cause there's hardly ever parking and once you park you might not get a seat...plus you gotta deal with all the ghetto ass people in their pj's.HA!
Pastrami sandwich, chili cheese fries, orange bang...
What more can a girl ask for?
My only gripe is that they've shrunk the size of their pastrami sandwiches over the years. Not that I've ever finished one, but I'm just sayin....
I had not been here for a long while. The chilli fries and the pastrami sandwich are out of this world. These two things are really good and tasty. I split the pastrami sandwich because I couldn't get one for my self, but it was enough. The chilli fries are superior to Oki's.
Nice place and good yummy fast food.
We always get a pastrami sandwich and chili cheese fries. This is enough food for my wife and I. The pastrami is great and you get a massive serving of fries, chili, and cheese. The food comes out fast and the staff is always friendly. I've also had the chili and pastrami burgers and they're pretty good too.
Their Pastrami Dip is famous for a reason. Tastes excellent and you can't beat the price! Just the right amount of fat and salt. I can't imagine eating one of those monsters with fries, let alone chili cheese fries! Of couse I'm going to do just that one of these days. :D
Fast, no nonsense service. They get you in and out in no time. I am definitely returning for more.
I was just about to make myself a bagel for breakfast before I stumbled upon my review for the hat.
Mistakenly, I proceeded to read my review, and now, I am full, and lost my appetite completely.
**IDIOT**
Just thinking about the heaping portion of chili cheese fries (w/ pastrami) reminded me of the food coma bliss I experienced 20 minutes after.
I guess i'll have to wait for a LARGE lunch....anyone say:
"SUPERSIZE"
of course i kid, i kid.
The Hat is a place I never fail to skip when I am around Los Angeles.
Im going to keep this short…
Read more »
Got a pastrami with no mustard, chili cheese fries and a Diet Coke. Ya, getting a Diet Coke will really help me lose weight.. anyways. The pastrami was delicious and can't complain about the Coke but what's up with their fries.. they are not good. I asked for them extra well done since they are always so soft, soggy and undercooked but that didn't help any. The cheese was hard and not melted and the tiny bit of chili they put on there wasn't tasty. We had 10 fries total then threw the rest away so next time I will just get their pastrami. Tommy's fries are way better.
We decided to bring the food home since it's ALWAYS so hot, stuffy and muggy inside.
Love the food I'm there every weekend, cant go wrong with there chill cheese fries.
I ate at the Hat last weekend. I've been to this location before and it's always crowded. They are known for their pastrami sandwiches, but I normally get a burger and fries. This trip was no exception.
Overall, the food is good and they give enormous portions (which is why most people who eat here are bigger than I am). I try not to eat here too often or I'll end up looking like them. The Hat gives you excellent value for your money.
Best Chili Cheeseburgers!! I love The Hat!
Here is my only gripe:
PARKING! Ahhh! The lot is small, people come at you from all angles, and you'll be lucky to find a spot between 3 and 7.
Otherwise, yummy bread on the their cold sandwiches, piping hot fries, and impressive chili cheese fries with real cheddar.
My BF took me here for delicious Pastrami and Fries after coming back from our Big Bear trip this January. The pastrami was oozing out of the bread! The basket of fries were enough to feed 4 people! So there is a lot of food so no complaining that you can't get full. Love It!
So I just got back from Asia and I'm on weird sleep schedule that basically prevented me from eating for the last 24 hours. Today I woke up at 5pm and was famished! Unfortunately, I didn't have time to eat because I had to run to teach a class. After class I decided to stay and take the next yoga class. So by about 9pm tonight when I got out from the studio, I thought I was going to eat a small child.
I only had $5 in cash on me, the only place I could think of close to my house where I could get food without tipping was King Taco on 3rd. (I love this place, I'll review it later.) So I pick up three carnitas tacos with hot sauce and devour them in my car while driving home.
I'm finishing off the last taco as I pass by The Hat, and suddenly I remember that they take credit cards!!!! YEAY!!!! because I need more food!!!!
I don't know if I was delusional because of how hungry I was, but I walk in and was greeted by the hottest teenage fast food server I've ever seen. Bronzed skin, dark unruly hair, nice arms, and gorgeous blue eyes (maybe fake? contact lenses?) Now normally I'm no cougar. I like my men aged like fine wine. But this youngster was making me blush as I ordered by double chili cheeseburger and large cherry soda. So I decide to give him "the stare". ("The Stare" is the come hither half squint sexy stare that Tyra Banks is always talking about on ANTM. I find it works quite well with guys.)
So goes our conversaton:
Boy: What's your name?
Me: Karin
Boy: Where you from?
Me: I live in Monterey Park (stupid stupid, why didn't I say something more exotic???)
Boy: No, I mean where your parents from?
Me: Oh, we're Chinese. (I should have lied and said Hawaiian)
Boy: I like the way you look
Boy: Mami, you don't want fries with your burger?
Me: Papi, I'll swallow anything you serve me......uhhhhhh just kidding, I didn't say that...... all I really said was "No thank you."
The food was mediocre, but I am giving The HAT five stars for making a girl feel sexy after eating three tacos and a double chili cheeseburger and a large cherry soda. Dang, I need to come back here more. I hope Papi saves me some fries for next time. Yum...
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