For decades, Angelenos hunting the best Vietnam food have faced a choice: settle for what's nearby or make the drive south to Orange County's Little Saigon. Brodard Restaurant, the Fountain Valley institution famous for its Nem Nuớng Cuốn spring rolls, has been worth the trek since 1996. But on October 1, 2026, that calculus changed. Brodard opened its first LA County outpost at the 2nd & PCH mall in Long Beach, dubbed 'Brodard by the Shore,' placing those legendary spring rolls within easier reach of Los Angeles proper. The signature dish remains the same: grilled pork patty spring rolls assembled with a sheet of crisp egg-roll skin inside the rice paper wrapper, a distinctive element that sets them apart from standard spring rolls.
Planning a spring roll pilgrimage or building a Vietnamese food crawl across LA County and Orange County? Karpo can check live opening hours at both Brodard locations, map the drive from Los Angeles to Long Beach or Fountain Valley, and bundle it with other stops in Little Saigon or San Gabriel.
Why Brodard's Spring Rolls Command the Drive
The Nem Nuớng Cuốn at Brodard is not a standard fresh spring roll. Each one arrives at the table wrapped in translucent rice paper, but inside you'll find a layer of shatteringly crisp fried rice paper encasing grilled pork sausage patties, cucumber, lettuce, fresh herbs, and a pork-peanut plum sauce that balances savory and sweet in equal measure. The texture contrast between soft rice paper, crunchy fried shell, and tender pork is what makes people drive an hour each direction.
The Fountain Valley flagship produces thousands of the signature spring rolls daily, each nearly identical due to strict kitchen discipline and craft standards. That consistency is the result of 25 years of practice and a kitchen crew that treats each roll as a small assembly of precision. The Long Beach location, which took over the former Tocaya space at 6480 E Pacific Coast Hwy #100, operates the same playbook. Both kitchens turn out rolls that look and taste the same, which is exactly the point.
The Long Beach Location Makes It Easier for LA
Before October 2026, Brodard was an Orange County-only proposition. The Long Beach opening marks the first time the restaurant has crossed into LA County, and the location at 2nd & PCH puts it within reasonable striking distance for anyone in central or South Bay Los Angeles. The restaurant is open 11AM to 9PM daily, and it's walk-in only, so expect a wait during peak dinner hours on weekends.
The Long Beach neighborhood has a small but growing traditional Vietnamese food scene that includes Sesame Dinette and Pickle Banh Mi, but Brodard is the heavyweight arrival. The 2nd & PCH mall offers ample parking, which removes one of the friction points of hunting down the best Vietnam food in denser LA neighborhoods like San Gabriel, where Golden Deli draws long weekend lines and parking can be a puzzle.
The Fountain Valley Flagship Is Still Worth the Trip
If you're already planning a deeper dive into Little Saigon, the original Brodard at 16105 Brookhurst St in Fountain Valley remains the mothership. The restaurant relocated to its current 8,000-square-foot space in late 2017 from an earlier Garden Grove location, and the expansion brought vaulted ceilings, a full bar in the center of the dining room, an on-site bakery, and a takeout counter in the lobby. LA Times food critic Bill Addison named it one of California's finest restaurants, and the menu goes well beyond spring rolls.
The Fountain Valley location runs in the $$$$ range according to The Infatuation, reflecting a broader menu that includes luna cakes with shrimp, jackfruit salad, and seafood hot pot. The on-site bakery produces pastries that should not be skipped, according to the LA Times review. Walk-ins are welcome, and the space can accommodate large groups and family reunions, which makes it a go-to for multi-generational gatherings. Founder Diane Dang and her daughters have built a restaurant that functions equally well for a solo spring roll fix or a 20-person weekend feast.
What Else to Order Beyond the Spring Rolls
The Nem Nuớng Cuốn is non-negotiable, but both Brodard locations offer variations worth trying. The Long Beach menu includes grilled ribeye spring rolls and crispy king salmon egg rolls, both of which follow the same textural blueprint of crisp fried wrapper meeting fresh herbs and protein. The Fountain Valley flagship has a deeper menu, so if you make the drive to Orange County, budget time for more than one dish.
The Fountain Valley location's full bar and larger footprint make it better suited for a longer meal, while the Long Beach spot is smaller and more focused. Both operate as walk-in only, so there's no way to reserve a table in advance. Peak times on Friday and Saturday evenings will mean a wait, but turnover is reasonably fast because the kitchen is built for volume.
How Brodard Fits Into the LA Vietnam Food Landscape
Los Angeles has no shortage of excellent Vietnamese restaurants, especially in San Gabriel and the San Gabriel Valley, but the style and emphasis vary. San Gabriel's Golden Deli is a weekday-lunch institution with a focus on classics and a tolerance for long weekend waits. Long Beach, until recently, had fewer options for traditional Vietnamese cooking, which made the Brodard opening a notable shift for the neighborhood.
Brodard's arrival in Long Beach doesn't replace a trip to Little Saigon for anyone serious about exploring the best Vietnam food in Southern California, but it does mean you can get one of the region's most famous dishes without leaving LA County. The spring rolls are the same, the kitchen standards are the same, and the drive is shorter. For Angelenos who've been making the Orange County pilgrimage for years, the Long Beach location is a convenience. For those who haven't yet tried Brodard, it's now an easier first visit.
Getting There and What to Expect
The Long Beach Brodard sits inside the 2nd & PCH shopping mall with plenty of mall parking, so access is straightforward. From central Los Angeles, the drive is roughly 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, which puts it well within weeknight dinner range. The Fountain Valley flagship is another 20 minutes south on the 405, and parking is available at the shopping center on Brookhurst Street.
Both locations operate as walk-in only, so arrive early or be prepared to wait during peak hours. The Long Beach spot is open 11AM to 9PM daily, which covers lunch and dinner without late-night service. If you're planning to visit both locations in one trip, start in Long Beach and work your way south to Fountain Valley, where the larger menu and on-site bakery justify a longer stay. Either way, order the Nem Nuớng Cuốn first. That's the dish that's kept people driving south for 25 years, and it's the reason Brodard's expansion into LA County matters.
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Ask Karpo first
Planning to chase the best Vietnam food from Long Beach to Little Saigon or looping through San Gabriel? Ask Karpo to check current opening hours for both Brodard locations, confirm walk-in wait times, and map a route that includes other Vietnamese spots or shopping stops along the way. Karpo builds real plans across Los Angeles and Orange County, so you spend less time guessing and more time eating.
