Diamond Bar is located in Eastern Los Angeles County. This scenic city gets its name after the “diamond over a bar” branding iron registered by ranch owner Frederick E. Lewis in 1918. Underneath the Angeles National Forest, Diamond Bar is a popular place to live thanks to its breathtaking views of Mt. Baldy, the San Gabriel Valley, and Chino Hills. What also makes this a happening locale is that some of the best places to eat in Diamond Bar, CA, feature international cuisine–such as Korean barbeque.
From Asian barbeque spots to Mexican breakfast cafes, some of the most interesting and tastiest cuisines in Diamond Bar are the most diverse–sure to satisfy everyone’s palettes.
Continue reading for a few of our favorites or contact the Diamond Bar real estate specialists at First Team Real Estate with your Diamond Bar area questions.
Hanshin Pocha
Korean cuisine–specifically Korean barbeque–is becoming more popular in the U.S. each year, and this dinner-time Korean joint is no exception. Hanshin Pocha, while not a chain, does take its name from a popular South Korean chain by the same name like many others across the nation. With its interior designed to look like a Korean night market, Hanshin Pocha is open seven days a week with evening hours extending to midnight on some days. This means that if you get a late-night craving for some rice balls and soju, Hanshin Pocha will have everything you need. One of the best takeout restaurants in Diamond Bar, you can also get Korean food delivered to your door.
Tasty Box
The international opposition to Hanshin Pocha? Tasty Box’s Chinese barbeque. This authentic Hong-Kong restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Diamond Bar because it focuses on introducing patrons to the roots of Cantonese culture and cuisine. Siu Mei is the Cantonese term for Chinese barbeque or the rotisserie of Chinese cooking. The aromatics gained during the slow roasting process and the sauce pairings make this version of Asian barbeque one you don’t want to miss experiencing.
Sweet and savory spices pair nicely with the flavor of the meat and give a tender, juicy, and sometimes crispy texture–but barbeque chicken isn’t the only thing in Tasty Box. The menu also features a variety of meat-filled rice boxes, where you can choose between pork, duck, beef, or chicken, as well as noodles, seasonal greens, wontons, and what they call protein meals which include just the barbequed meat.
Ginkgo Katsu
Another Asian restaurant that is considered one of the best restaurants in Diamond Bar is the Japanese restaurant Ginkgo Katsu. Established at the height of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, Ginkgo Katsu is both a katsu-based eatery and a tea house. The term katsu refers to a Japanese dish that consists of meat covered in bread crumbs that is then fried and served with a sauce–essentially the Japanese equivalent of fried chicken, although slightly healthier.
Specializing in katsu marinated and hand-breaded meat dishes, every bite of their delicious entrees is crispy and full of mouth-watering flavors. Acknowledging the timing of its grand opening, Ginkgo Katsu is also dedicated to providing high-quality, great-tasting food at reasonable prices. In addition to katsu, you also find rolls, bento boxes, taiyaki, and a variety of sides. Some of their most popular teas include their fruit teas, black sugar teas, and milk teas.
S & J Gran Cafe
To get your morning started off right, the family-owned Mexican restaurant S & J Gran Cafe offers a wide menu for you and your family and friends. The friendly atmosphere and devotion to customers make this one of the best family restaurants in Diamond Bar. Featuring food made fresh in their kitchen, the S & J Gran Cafe opens from early morning to mid-afternoon and serves up dishes such as their fan-favorite huevos con chorizo and other Mexican-fare such as chilaquiles along with classic staples such as waffles, hotcakes, and french toast.
Looking for a great restaurant to visit before heading to a full day in Disneyland? This Mexican breakfast spot has another location in Garden Grove that is just a mere two miles from Disneyland.
Native Fields
Established in 2018, Native Fields is owned and operated by sisters Chef Cat Castaneda and Christine Cornwell. Opened in honor of their late father, the owners have a mission of providing food for their local community that is GMO-free and pesticide-free, dedicated to offering more sustainable options and empowering others to make healthier choices. They stock their kitchen with specialty goods from local vendors native to California, using all locally-sourced ingredients and food from their nearby farmer’s markets in South Pasadena and Claremont.
Closed on Mondays, Native Fields offers entrees such as smoked salmon benedict, grilled chicken tocino, beef shakshuka, and more international and farm-fresh meals. When ordering online, you can also make special requests if you or someone you are ordering for has a food allergy.
Yuppduk Diamond Bar
Another of the best Diamond Bar restaurants is unsurprisingly a Korean restaurant known as Yuppduk, or commonly referred to as Yuppduk Diamond Bar to distinguish it from its other locations. Known for their delicious ddukboki, a spicy rice cake, Yupdduk is just another example of how culturally-diverse the cuisine is at Diamond Bar. If you’re craving Korean food or just want to try something new, you don’t have to go to LA to find it. From Yuppduk’s spicy ddukboki to its sweet tteokbokki, you’ll find something to match your cravings–even if it’s something in between.
Julie’s Cafe
Taking a step back from the international scene, Julie’s Cafe is a popular restaurant that may not have all the bells and whistles of the others on this list but it still satisfies all the same. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2022, this neighborhood hangout spot provides a cozy atmosphere that can easily make you feel at home, with a menu full of fresh and healthy–yet comforting–meals. From fruit-blended smoothies and tasty sandwiches to fresh salads, everyone can find something at Julie’s Cafe.
With tons of restaurant options in Diamond Bar, this list alone does not come close to describing all the culinary experiences you can have in this city–just one reason why Diamond Bar is an amazing place to live!
You can learn more about Diamond Bar, browse Diamond Bar homes for sale, schedule a meeting, or contact the Diamond Bar real estate specialists at First Team Real Estate.