Buns N Rice

It’s okay. I don’t think it’s authentic Korean spiced food
The service is fast kind and professional.
They maintain a clean restaurant although there is very little space to stay and eat.
The prices are reasonable. I won’t be back.

Found Buns N Rice via Unilocal OF COURSE :-)
On my way out of OC after my chiro visit. Typically I’d veer towards Jack in the Box for mini churros. But my lunch earlier in the day was unsatisfactory and had to deal with a talking stomach.
This place had $ and being a Korean flavor with 4.5 stars. I’m like uh yyyeeaah (drool drool). This is a small deli located in an area mixed with residential, small businesses, parks/​lakes, but the streets can get traffic heavy during commute hours. So I imagine due to the convenience of this deli, lunchtime can be hectic for them.
Lucky me I arrive at eateries just before the dinner crowd. However this restaurant closes at 5pm anyhow. First task, snap an exterior photo. Next, check in. I had made it just in time before closing. Only one attendant patiently waiting, greeting me nicely.
My order was a chicken bulgogi plate; rice, chix, pickled veggies. He still had to cook the chicken! Fresh outta the pan — drool drool! After almost 10 minutes, the food fresh, hot, like homemade. He wasn’t trying to rush me out either since it was already past closing time. Thank you, sir!
Couldn’t wait to grub it! Hurry in the car…
This deli serves Korean rice bowls, plates, bulgogi, bibimbap, sandwiches, paninis, salads, chips, (deep breath) Philly cheese steaks; choices from chix, turkey, BLT, ham… So ideal to have this closeby for the locals; I’m happy for you!
5 stars for menu selections, service, flavor, clean environment, indoor/​outdoor seating, location/​convenience

I’ve only had salads from here, but there are some of the best seven dollars salads I’ve ever had in my life. Ingredients are really good (not cheap let us or produce), the portions are perfect (large), and they are just good!

Try their Korean style rice dishes with grilled meat – they are pretty good size. If you want more veggies, try ordering the Bibimbap with a side of chicken, beef or spicy pork. Yummy and very filling! See my tip and photo. I like coming here when I don’t have time or don’t feel like cooking. The food is fresh and healthy and comes out fast. I phone in ahead of time and it’s usually ready within 5 minutes by the time I get there. Sean and Christina, the owners, are the nicest people ever. This is one local business I am very happy to support.

This family owned operation is perfect for a quick sit down lunch or take out. They are super friendly and highly accommodating for having the meals prepared in a punctual manner. I highly recommend the turkey roast beef panini or the Kobe beef platter. Both are exemplary meals with a unique home cooked taste.

Went in for a philly cheesesteak sandwich. It came out pretty quickly and tasted amazing! There were pictures of all the other sandwiches and I’m mad at myself that I didn’t get the chicken pesto panini. The parking lot was super busy with the usual lunch time rush and we were super lucky we found a free spot.

Buns N Rice is conveniently located off of Bristol and Santa Ana so my coworkers and I will occasionally order lunch to be delivered. Delivery is free if the order is $ 15+ and the location is less than 2 miles away so it’s definitely a great lunch spot if you work in the area. They offer a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, rice dishes, and breakfast options to choose from so there’s a bit of everything for everyone.
My go-​to dish is their kalbi plate at $ 9.99. The marinade is delicious but filled with MSG. The dish also comes with a bed of rice, a side salad, and daikon and carrots. Their cobb salad is also a tasty option but the portions of turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and avocados are significantly less than the giant pile of lettuce. They could probably even out the salad ratio a bit more but that would explain why their dishes are so affordable.
Buns N Rice is definitely a decent lunch spot for the businesses in the area but I probably wouldn’t consider coming here for dinner, especially since the establishment is tiny, located in an empty complex, and lacks any true charisma.

Not bad but not the best either. Place was empty when I went on a tuesday. Service was courteous and quick. Place was definitely clean. Had the Cajun chicken sandwich which was not dry and had the right amount of kick. Would recommend.

Great food. I look forward to coming back to try the other items! There was only 1 person working when I came in late afternoon, but he was so kind and gracious. I appreciate good customer service.
I ordered the Chicken Pesto Panini and it was delicious. The bread was soft on the inside and crispy toasted in the outside. The chicken was shredded and then mixed with the pesto so it was perfectly distributed and no weird chucks of meat. Light on the cheese and a a couple slices of tomato for freshness. Simple but great.
We also ordered the bulgogi. It came with sautéed onions and mushrooms over rice. The meat was tender and the marinade was on point. I would come back for a fried egg and Sriracha for a hangover.
Very affordable too!

2.5–
Am I only the one who doesn’t like paying a lot for sandwiches? lol
They have several different selections for paninis and normal sandwiches such as pesto chicken and a classic BLT ($ 6.99 alone and then $ 8.99 with chips and drink).
I guess what makes this place unique is that they also serve Korean food in the form of rice bowls/​plates. They have bulgogi, chicken, short rib, and spicy pork. The bowls are $ 5.49 while the plates are $ 9.99 I believe which only come with the addition or radish and salad.
I opted for the spicy pork (as it is one of my favorite Korean meats) which is cooked with onions and mushrooms. I was surprised that the pork was of pretty good quality and not super fatty like I’ve seen elsewhere. The flavor was much more peppery and instant rather than the deep gradual heat that comes from Korean red pepper flakes (if you eat Korean food a lot I think you could get what I mean)
The flavor was good, the rice was decent and not mushy or too hard but I don’t think I’ll be coming back. Everything was just meh

Quick, friendly service and tasty sandwiches and paninis. Got the chicken pesto panini and it was everything I wanted and more!

Right next to the hotel I stay at here in Orange County. Easy ordering, couple small tables inside. Great service, very friendly owner. Dinner for under $ 9! Tasted great. I’ll definitely be back.

Tried this place for the first time today and it was great! I got the pesto chicken panini and it was delish. I think it even had some type of spinach dip spread on it or something? Bread was toasted perfectly, bell peppers were grilled and very good, the chicken pesto mixture was perfect, not too much pesto. It was great and I’ll definitely be back.

I really wanted to try this place, but please don’t post that you delivery if you don’t go outside 2 miles, I’m 2.4 miles away and was willing to pay a delivery fee, but they wouldn’t do it — we’re in the same city — I’ll totally try them out, but they should really take down that they deliver in Costa Mesa, if you don’t service all of Costa Mesa.
Or just state that on the call a head of time before taking my order and getting my hopes up — poor customer service on their part.

You got some great buns hun! But really though… If there’s one thing I can eat forever it’s bread, and i especially love paninis.
I while studying at coffee nature (which is really awesome by the way) I decided to take a study break and walk over to buns N rice to try one of their delectable sandwiches. The pesto panini was perfectly toasted and was just a nice lunch. It was not anything super unique but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy my panini. They had an assortment of paninis and salads; nothing on the menu seemed out of the ordinary but everything still looked like it would be good. Some things I saw on the menu include cajun chicken sandwich, BBQ pork (looked like banh mi), Turkey club, etc.
The pesto panini included shredded chicken, with red bell peppers and some other vegetables I cannot quite distinguish, all mixed together with pesto. The pesto was not too heavy but still apparent where I could taste it.
My only thing was that it did take sometime to make… but that’s how you know it’s fresh! I’ll definitely be back when I come to study at coffee nature, but I don’t think it’s a place I would go out of my way for.
~~yummmmmmmz

I’ve been here 3 times now, and I have one thing to say: SPICY PORK.
The spicy pork is perfectly seasoned and I love that they put just a sprinkle of onion and mushroom in it. It adds more dimension and a natural sweetness that is different from the sauce. The spicy pork also isn’t too spicy, just the right amount of heat.
The spicy pork rice box is great and simple — rice, pickled daikon/​carrot, lightly dressed lettuce, and of course, spicy pork. Delicious and the lettuce makes it feel nutritious. ;)
The spicy pork sandwich is amazing! It has the pickled daikon/​carrot, cucumber, and cilantro. The freshness of the cucumber and cilantro pairs so well with the spiciness and savoriness of the meat.
This is a great lunch spot. Give this place a try on your lunch break. If you come for dinner, come early because they close at 7. If you’re running late, Sean is really nice and will stay open for you to pick up if you call right before they close.
Love.

Over rated. The service was amazing, the owner was very nice but the food was mediocre. It is probably really good for a quick lunch for all the local business employees, but my husband and I went for dinner. We got the pesto chicken sandwich and the bulgogi over rice. Both were so so, but feel like somethig I can whip up myself at home.

Honestly, a hit or miss place. I give them props for being a quick and easy lunch spot. They literally are just a lunch place, as their hours only accommodate lunch time. They also do delivery so that’s another plus, although they are pretty quick when you order at the actual location. Wouldn’t recommend actually eating here because it’s pretty tiny.
As for the food, I believe the «Buns» options are tastier than the «Rice» options. I have gotten the ramen here as well and it’s good but nothing out of the ordinary. I have tried the chicken pesto sandwich and it’s probably the best thing on the menu. I got the ham and brie panini but I was not blown away by it, in fact it made me quite sad. I probably won’t try any of the rice options since I know someone who got really sick from it, and from reading some of the other reviews she was not the only one.
I think the best thing about this place is the convenience and the sandwiches. I will have to try the salad though and will probably be going back since it’s close to my work.

A little gem tucked into a little shopping complex. This feels family owned/​run. There is seriously a huge array of what you can order from here: from sandwiches to rice plates.
I went with the Bibimbap and my friend went with the Spicy Pork Bulgogi. The staff person (which I’m guessing is the owner) brought our food out to that shared outdoor space with the restaurant next door.
The place is pretty small, so it’s not really a good idea to bring a huge crowd of people with the limited number of seats that are both inside and outside the restaurant. If you’re looking to grab a quick bite with a couple of friends, I would say this would be a great place to come.

I’ve tried 3 dishes here this week. I think this is a great place for a quick and cheap lunch, it’s not anything fancy.
Cajun chicken sandwich: delicious! A bit on the spicy and oily side, but it comes with ranch dipping sauce to cool it down!
Bulgogi: large portion, comes with a alas and radish side!
Chicken Chicken salad: The reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5. The dressing tasted identical to the Chinese chicken salad dressing at Costco, which is disappointing, but at least the portion size is large!
Free delivery on orders over $ 15!