Elbows Mac n’ Cheese in Brea, CA

Macaroni and Cheese is a long standing comfort food for all ages. Although most of us were brought up on the bright orange-yellow macaroni and cheese from a box, it continues to instill times of families coming together at the table to recap a day of school and work. It was cheap, yet warmed the tummies. Some moms served it on the side for dinner and others used it to stretch meats to make a one-pot meal. 

Elbows Mac n’ Cheese takes those memories and makes them gourmet with their own twist on an American comfort food. With the first location opened in Cerritos, CA back in January 2011, Elbows Mac n’ Cheese opened a second location in Brea, CA in September 2014 in the Birch Street Promenade. It’s a great location in between the Edwards East and West theatres providing another meal option before or after a movie.

Here are some menu items that you might like to try:

Truffle Fries are French fries tossed in white truffle oil, parmesan, parsley, and garlic. The fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The truffle oil adds a nice fragrance but the taste is not evident. The parmesan and garlic powerfully flavor the fries. Rating: 5/5

Cajun Mac consists of cheddar cheese Andouille sausage, green and red peppers, onions, celery, garlic, and Cajun seasoning. The Cajun flavor is very light and could be much spicier. The “holy trinity” (celery, onions, and bell peppers) should be cooked down and added to the roux. An accent of the sautéed vegetables on top would add to the presentation. The Andouille sausage is good but the mac n’ cheese base needs to be seasoned more. Adding Tabasco actually gives it more of that “Big Easy” flavor. Rating: 3.7/5

Fajita Mac is Southwestern flavors combined with sharp cheddar and pepper jack macaroni, topped with fire-roasted red and green peppers, grilled onions, and tortilla chips. The Southwestern spices are apparent with creamy texture. The cheese flavor is very subtle and needs to be pumped up. The steak is a little tough and overdone. Jalapeno and tomato infusion into the sauce base might help boost flavor. Rating: 2.6/5

Lobster Mac uses real lobster and fresh asparagus in a rich asiago and parmesan cheese sauce. The cheese flavor are very light. It does not deter from the lobster flavor, but would like the cheese to be flavor forward a bit more. It resembles a creamy casserole dish. Rating: 3.5/5

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5 stars

Décor: 4 out of 5 stars

Food: 4 out of 5 stars

Service: 5 out of 5 stars

For more information:

Elbows Mac n’ Cheese

215 W Birch St

Brea, CA 92821

+1.714.784.6613