Some restaurants are worth going out of your way for one specific thing. At The Hat, that thing is pastrami. If you’re in Southern California and looking for a great pastrami stop, this is where we’d send you.
The Hat has been around since 1951, starting as a small roadside stand in Alhambra, California. Its signature pastrami dip is still the reason to visit, and the menu also covers burgers, fries, chili cheese fries, and more.
What to order
Pastrami dip: This is the headliner. If you’re specifically craving pastrami, don’t overthink it—The Hat is the place to go.
Onion rings: Here’s our ordering tip: ask for them extra crispy. It’s a small request worth remembering when you order.
The official online menu also lists pastrami burgers and pastrami chili cheese fries, along with traditional sides. We would start with the classic pastrami dip before branching out.
Our Good Eats ratings
Our Good Eats rating system now has five categories: Price / Value, Meal Satisfaction, Food Quality, Service, and Overall Impression. Meal Satisfaction measures how filling and satisfying the meal feels, rather than simply how much is served. Here are McKinley’s ratings so far:
- Price / Value: 10/10
- Meal Satisfaction: Not rated yet
- Food Quality: 10/10
- Service: 10/10
- Overall Impression: Not rated yet
McKinley’s updated final score: Pending. McKinley previously gave the old Portion Size category 10/10, along with perfect scores for Value, Food Quality, and Service. Because Portion Size has been replaced with Meal Satisfaction, we’re keeping the old score as historical context and waiting for Meal Satisfaction and Overall Impression ratings before calculating a new total out of 50.
Kennedy’s Good Eats ratings
- Price / Value: 10/10
- Meal Satisfaction: 10/10
- Food Quality: 9/10
- Service: 10/10
- Overall Impression: 8/10
Final score: 47/50 (94%). All five categories are scored out of 10, including Meal Satisfaction (how filling and satisfying the meal was) and a personal Overall Impression rating.
The one thing I didn’t love was the chili, but the quality of the other meats was immaculate. I’m giving The Hat an 8/10 for overall impression because sandwich shops just aren’t usually my type of food. I don’t normally go out of my way for a sandwich shop, but if I were craving pastrami, this is absolutely where I’d go.
Other reviewers: Reagan gave The Hat a 9/10 overall, and Jackson gave it an 8.7/10 overall. These are their personal overall ratings; they have not yet submitted the five individual Good Eats category scores, so we’re not combining them into a new group average. McKinley scored all four of the original categories 10/10 and hasn’t yet rated the new Overall Impression category.
What does it cost?
The Hat’s online menu lists the pastrami dip at $12.60, with onion rings at $4.85 for a small or $6.75 for a large at the time of writing (October 2026). Prices can change or vary by location, so check the current menu before visiting.
Our verdict
For a pastrami-focused food stop, The Hat is a must-visit. It’s a Southern California classic with a straightforward reason to go: come hungry, order the pastrami, and don’t forget to ask for those onion rings extra crispy.
Find nearby locations and current menu options on The Hat’s official website.
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