Gaufree

Looks like they went out of business. :-(
I thought it was weird when I clicked the order online link on their website and it no longer worked. So I drove down there and their sign was down and windows all blacked up.
Sad to see them go. Nice place and nice people.

oOoh another place that serves pretty good waffle sandwiches. Gave this place a try for lunch before I left Irvine. They didn’t just serve sandwiches on waffles but they have a choice of bread and side dishes.
I had ordered the half sandwich combo ($ 5. 95) which was a choice of half sandwich with either a side or a drink — the Smoked Salmon with Dill and Cream and a side order of Cole Slaw. I really liked the sandwich and the cole slaw was very creamy.
The service was super — the cashier was super nice — even gave me a sample of their sweet waffle with caramel syrup — and I had to say it was really good.
It was sad that it was so empty during lunch time though — I thought this place was pretty good and the prices were fair.

What is happening to the world when THIS place gets good reviews?
I’m 80% sure this restaurant is just a front for some cult recruitment center, so maybe they’re successfully brainwashing customers?
First off, this place is mega creepy. Really uncomfortable vibe going on here. Like strange people interrupting your meal and checking on you every two seconds with a plastered smile and unblinking eyes. And the weird self-​help and psuedo-​religious messages on the TVs that don’t even match the food being served.
Beyond that, these were the worst waffle sandwiches we’ve ever had. My girlfriend got a peanut butter and jelly, but the peanut butter tasted like cream cheese. My brother and I both got a fried chicken that was slathered in some strange sauce that looked and tasted like acid reflux. None of us finished our sandwiches. And that’s saying something because we’ll pretty much finish anything.

This place is so good it’s the best restaurant in this shopping center. All natural ingredients and local. Every sandwich and burger I’ve ever ordered here is delicious and I love their signature sauce. You don’t have to have a waffle sandwich even though they are delicious, this time I got a pretzel bun, also delicious.
On top of great food they have great customer service. The owner seems to be there most of the time working hard. While I was waiting for my dinner they gave me some coleslaw on the house. So nice :)

«Go free» Located in Target plaza, next to Jalapenos restaurant. Parking is plenty, and outdoor seating is perfect for lunch. Lots of shaded tables are available.
After my first trip, I would only give three stars due to poor customer service. However, I am aware that not all cashiers have terrible attitudes, so I gave them a second chance. The lady who helped me out the second time was much more professional than the young man who helped me at my first visit. I still think Bruxie wins the award for best waffle ever. I like the fluffy texture there. Gaufree’s waffle didn’t quite match what I was hoping for, but the fried chicken was amazing. It was tender and juicy! If I had to compare Bruxie’s and Gaufree’s fried chicken sandwich, I would say Gaufree wins. At Gaufree, you can substitute waffle for other breads. The owner gave me a sample of their coleslaw, which I enjoyed. I would also recommend the pulled pork sandwich. It comes with horseradish ranch on the side, which I also recommend. The horseradish taste is not strong; it’s actually really subtle. The waffle burgers are pretty good, too. I only had one — the applewood bacon — and it turned out better than I expected.
This place is relatively new, so it’s still really clean, which is great. The restrooms in the back are clean as well. They do NOT have ice cream anymore :(I’ve been here for lunch and I am surprised they are not overcrowded.
Tips: They have five star rewards! Six points gets you a free drink, and twelve points gets you a free sandwich! They are in the Entertainment book!

This place kind of reminds me of Bruxie since they both serve waffle type sandwiches. I personally think this place is better than Bruxie and the prices are more reasonable.
When I first walked in I was greeted by Jake. He was extremely knowledgeable about all of the menu items and had several recommendations. I was very impressed with him and the excellent service he provided. The restaurant has plenty of seating and is exceptionally clean and very modern looking.
We decided on a few sandwiches after consulting with Jake. First up was the Philly Cheese Fries with sliced beef and onions covered in cheese. For the sandwiches we went with the Pulled Pork and the Eggs & Applewood smoked Bacon. The pork was tender and juicy and you can’t go wrong with eggs bacon on your waffle.
The best part is all of their ingredients are locally sourced and organic. They even had some grass fed beef !!!
The next time I am in this area I will be going back.
Great work Jake !!!

I’ve heard good things about this artisan waffle sandwich place, and my sweet tooth was drawn to their McConnell’s ice cream.
Upon entering, the friendly cashier lady explained to me the concept of the place. All their meats are free-​range/​grass-​fed, and they use local fresh ingredients in their products. They make their own garlic aioli. You can opt for gluten-​free bread. They also have freshly-​brewed coffees and they also serve LA’s very own McConnell’s ice cream… It was endless! But to keep it short: It’s a health-​conscious, local ingredient waffle sandwich place which is friendly to Vegans.
I ordered a half-​sandwich combo with a side of their street fries. I honestly was expecting a bit more out of their product since it tasted very mediocre. The waffle was still soft and flimsy. The ingredients (chicken breast, vegetables) seemed fresh but didn’t leave an awesome taste. The garlic aioli sauce that the sandwich came with was NEEDED, as it was a little dry and tasteless without it. The street fries indeed had its own kind of taste, very fresh and cooked in-​store, though they seemed like normal fries you would expect elsewhere (not drastically different, but can definitely tell its cooked well). The food was filling and satisfying but not memorable.
I had their Turkish Coffee ice cream which was INSANELY delicious and perfect for coffee lovers. I got mine to-​go and the lady gave me a HUGE scoop (seemed like almost 2) to put in a to-​go cup (which I wasn’t complaining about). For that, I’d love to come back just for their ice cream! But other than that, the food is filling and satisfying, but not something I fell in love with. Probably come back on occasion to try again.

I don’t live too far from this place so I thought I’d check it out. I went in to see if this was a suitable replacement for Bruxies, yknow, for those who live more towards UCI but still want that delight that comes with a waffle sandwich.
Final verdict: it’s not… but it’s still pretty good!
The sandwich I ordered was the Applewood Bacon. The only thing I would say about it is that I wished the waffles were a bit crispier– they came out a tiny bit soggy on the bottoms, but that was due to the grease mainly. The sandwich itself was very flavorful, though! It had a spicy sort of aioli sauce that I was really enjoying. It was definitely a good sandwich!
Does it beat Bruxies? If you’re looking for that quality, I’d say go to Bruxies. BUT if you’re trying to get a good waffle sandwich without killing your wallet, Gaufree will do the trick! Since I live so closeby I’ll definitely give this place some more of my business!

Modern, clean, and open environment. Lots of families come here to dine, and it’s usually not crowded. Although they specialize making their own waffles, you can order the burger/​sandwich on waffle, lettuce wrap, pretzel bread, French roll, ciabatta bread. For the price, serving seems a little small. Look for community coupons in the mail to make this a sweet deal.
FOOD: Burgers are the best value here at 5.95. The favorite item we tried was the pulled pork sandwich. Most of the other items were too salty, event the waffles. Had to drink water constantly, even after the meal.
PHILLY CHEESE STEAK 8.95 — good
Grilled grass fed beef, sautéed peppers, sweet onions, melted Emmental Cheese
HOUSE FAMOUS PULLED PORK 7.95 + 1.00 for cheese — delicious!
Marinated, slow cooked tender pork served with Boston coleslaw, homemade bbq sauce, and side of horseradish yogurt
GRASS FED BURGER (HOUSE SPECIALTY) 5.95 — flavorful but too salty
Port Wine caramelized onions with Gorgonzola Cheese and Gaüfreé sauce
KALE BURGER 5.95 — prefer this over the grass fed burger, still salty though
Sautéed kale with Bermuda onion ring, roasted garlic and oven roasted tomatoes
SMOKED SALMON WITH CREAM & DILL 9.95 — light cold sandwich, nothing special
Wild salmon, whipped cream cheese, Bermuda onions, Cucumbers & fresh dill
SERVICE: excellent!
This is more of a 3.5 experience, but the friendly service cannot compensate the high price and salty flavor… so sad to bring it down to 3 stars~

Underrated restaurant in Irvine! Price is definitely more reasonable than Bruxies with higher quality food.
The workers are very helpful. Ordered the waffle ice cream sandwich and he was able to split our waffle in two and mix two flavors together since we couldn’t choose.
The waffles could be more firm as it was soggy by the time my sandwich came out but the flavor and quality made it worth it. They offer a variety of bread such as pretzel and gluten free bread if you don’t want the waffle. Definitely coming back to try their pretzel bread!
The owners are incredibly sweet and willing to accommodate your requests and offer samples.

Wow… we got pulled in while walking by… we meet the owner. Very nice and helpful. He gave us samples of their waffle. Hmmm delishhhhhh. We tried it plain n sweet. I ended up getting the ice cream waffle. The coconut almond chip was amazing. We are going back today to try lunch.
We came back the next day… I had seared ahi tuna waffle sandwich.. sounds odd right… it was amazing. It had a asian dressing of some kind with coleslaw, avocado, cucumber and a little wasabi sauce. The wasabi sauce is not strong or over powering. I will definitely be back here… nice size portion. I’ve been to bruxies … Gaufree unknown how you pronounce it lol is way better then bruxies. Not too expensive gourmet waffle sandwiches.

Geauxfree? That would be the Louisiana spelling, but this is Gaufree. Not sure how that is supposed to translate into Go Free, but it’s doing its job by having people trying to figure out the proper pronunciation. It is now and forevermore burned into my memory bank. Gaud job Gaufree owners! I guess if you are fluent in French you would know that the French word for waffle is Gaufre, so with that bit of knowledge it makes a little more sense. But making sense does take the fun out of it, don’t you think?
Thank you Laura R for bringing this new workday lunch option to my attention. Like Laura, I am not a big fan of these waffle gimmicky thingys. But my smoked salmon with whipped cream cheese, and fresh dill was more to my liking than the similar one I had at Bruxie in Costa Mesa. This waffle was softer and they actually schmear’ed the cream cheese all the way to the edges, unlike Bruxie. Still, waffles just don’t have the flavor of a good bagel or quality bread. I keep trying, but I may have to give up soon. Although the waffle does work OK with salmon, since the lack of flavor lets the salmon shine a bit more. It helps with the fresh top quality salmon they serve here, and with a generous serving too.
My co-​worker loved the pulled pork, but said the waffle did not work for him. He thought it tasted like an Eggo Waffle, as It was very soft. Other co-​worker ordered the Prairie Beef Burger and raved about the quality of the beef. She went with the pretzel bun and it looked very appetizing. If I try the pork or a burger in the future I will definitely go with the pretzel bun as well. Two of us spilt the Belgian Street Corner Fries, and we both appreciated the seasonings. The portion would be enough for three, as we couldn’t finish the one order.
Some other Unilocalers mentioned the Homemade Pure Cane Sugar Natural Lemonade. With such a long descriptive name you gotta figure there is going to be some extra effort in creating this drink. Co-​worker and I both enjoyed it, but just be aware it is very tart.
Service was extremely friendly, and the owner (?) came over to me to give thanks, and when I told him I got a little lost, one of his young staff shouted out that he was glad I found them. How about that for renewed faith in the younger generation? It is a larger space than your average fast-​food shop, and they do offer beer and wine.
We now have the Gaufree to-​go menu in the work rotation, and look forward to trying more items. Laura observed that they offer a happy hour. Hmm, happy hour in an Irvine strip mall for after work hours? Doesn’t exactly sound thrilling does it?

(TL;DR — Hurry and get here. Order anything from the menu that sings to you. Eat it. Enjoy it! There is a level of care and love that goes into preparing the food here, which we could definitely taste. No hype here, just real passion for good tasting waffle sandwiches!)
Go Free is the place to be! Our friend has been an avid fan of Gaufree for quite some time now (I mean c’mon he is the Duke of this place!), so we made it our mission to try them the next time we were in town. We also came across a sweet buy one get one free deal from the Irvine Company’s website that we couldn’t pass up — lucky for us, they were open on the 4^th of July so we made a bee-​line over there!
The restaurant was bright, clean, modern and very inviting. Not to mention, the customer service was fantastic! The employee helping us was extremely enthusiastic and friendly. He was eager to help us with any questions we had about the menu.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Paul, the owner and we chit chatted with him for a little while. He is such a great guy, very warm and friendly. He made us feel very welcomed and comfortable. We admired how he was in the back working hard, right in the action of the kitchen, and cooking up the most delicious of waffles!
My boyfriend ordered the Eggs & Applewood Smoked Bacon Waffle Sandwich (add Swiss cheese) — Farm fresh scrambled eggs, bacon, garden herb pesto and Arugula ($ 5.95) — The eggs were huge fluffy clouds and the garden herb pesto added amazing freshness to the entire waffle. The peppery arugula tied everything together perfectly I couldn’t help myself, I kept sneaking bites.
I went for the Grass Fed Waffle Burger With Port Wine, caramelized onions, Gorgonzola Cheese and Gaüfreé sauce ($ 5.95) — the hand formed burger patty was extra meaty, plump and seasoned expertly. The waffle burger was simple but had a very sophisticated flavor profile with the port wine, Gorgonzola cheese and sweet carmelized onions. Everything married well together.
We also grabbed a side of Belgian fries and extra sides of their sauces. Being a sauce junkie, I especially loved their homemade sauces: garlic aioli, ketchup, and the garden herb pesto! I dunked my waffle and fries into all of them. They were all super flavorful and you can truly taste the high quality ingredients.
They also offer different flavors of cane soda which is unique and refreshing. We didn’t think we would, but we enjoyed it!
We preferred Gaufree over Bruxie, they were generous with their fillings and had explosive flavor. The waffle itself was not flimsy or soggy like Bruxie and held together the hearty filling very well. The waffle was crisp, yet fluffy, and had the perfect texture.
We even tried to convince Paul to open a location in Vegas, hopefully we’ll see you out here one day! We love Gaufree!

So, waffle sandwiches, huh? I feel like people are definitely going to compare this to Bruxie, since that’s the main competitor. So, I guess I will too. Gaufree focuses on providing more organic and healthy ingredients. The prices are a bit more steep than Bruxie. Sandwiches are around $ 6-​$ 9.
I got the Vegetarian, which was filled with sautéed emerald kale, roasted peppers, eggplant, port wine glazed tofu, caramelized onions, goat cheese, garden pesto, balsamic reduction, served with garlic aioli.
For a waffle sandwich, I feel like there are two main components: the waffle and what’s inside.
THE WAFFLE: so, I got mine gluten-​free. Not sure if this is different, but the rest of my family got the waffle regular. The waffle was definitely not as crispy as Bruxie, which, in my opinion, is a crucial part of a waffle’s pizazz. It was a bit on the softer side, so I definitely wish the waffle were crispier. The taste of the waffle itself, though, I’m not too sure which was better, but the main thing for waffles for me is definitely the crispiness.
WHAT’S INSIDE: for the Vegetarian, the inside was simply great. I’ve never liked kale so much. The eggplant, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions were delicious. The tofu was okay – I felt like it was on the less flavorful side as compared to its counterparts, but still really good. The goat cheese, to top it all off, was amazing. It was like melted cheese in your sandwich. The sauces were really great, especially the garlic aioli. I couldn’t help but try to dip it all in that sauce and try to finish the last of it. Think that Gaufree beats Bruxie in terms of boldness in flavor.
My mom got the Turkey Club, and she was the first to get it. She wasn’t really a fan of it, but I didn’t have a chance to try hers. My dad and sister agreed. However, they thought their own waffle sandwiches were decent. The waiters and owner[?] were all really nice and they ensured that they wanted us to have a good experience. They gave us a dessert on the house, as well as some of the sodas, which were all really good.
I think the dessert was the Nutella Madness with Sliced Bananas and Whipped Cream. The best part about this dessert was definitely the whipped cream. The cream tasted light and clean, and didn’t have too strong of a flavor itself. But the consistency was on point and it was really creamy. It neutralized the nutella and was amazing.
They also serve McConnell’s Ice Cream from Santa Barbara, which I had never heard of, but it’s GOOD. I tried the vanilla, salted caramel, and peanut butter. All were really good. Bold flavors, good consistency, and a light, creamy taste. I stuck to vanilla, but mainly because I’m a huge vanilla ice cream fan.
Overall, if the waffles are made crispier, I think that their waffle sandwiches would be solid. Props for offering gluten-​free waffles too!

This place has nothing on Bruxie!
I came here one afternoon before heading to Edwards Westpark to watch a movie with my mom. I saw waffle sandwich on the board and laughed a little because we all know that Bruxie has already perfected it. Nonetheless, I like to look at its competitors to see if there are any interesting sandwich combinations. Unfortunately there were not. Although, I will say that the service was great and the staff was really knowledgeable about their menu items. I got the Fried Chicken & Waffles and my mom got the smoked salmon sandwich. Honestly, it was nothing special — the bread was hard and the chicken was cold. My mom’s was a little better, but I have come to a (some what striking) conclusion:
Gaufree is more focused on the freshness and source of their ingredients — where it’s competitors have far surpassed it. They also offer this fancy anti-​waffle, essentially a sandwich, BIG WHOOP! In addition, they also have locally made gelato, cane soda, & local beers/​wines on tap — might still be worth a try of the other items? Safe to say I will stick to my staple Bruxie meal. Visit this location if you are as intrigued as I was!

Came here for the Media event.
Paul, the owner/​head chef, was explaining about Gaufree and the products.
I was not able to stay the entire time and missed parts of the raffle. Boo.
We were able to select one entrée, side, dessert, and drink from their limited menu. It is the same items that they sell normally, So, we just got to sample a smaller menu.
Parking: Free parking lot within the mall.
Service: Everyone was super nice. You order from the cashier and they bring the food to your table. They were constantly cleaning/​clearing tables. They brought all of the condiment sauces to us. Homemade ketsup/​bbq/​etc.
Food:
My guest ordered the Philly Cheesesteak –grilled grass fed beed, sauteed peppers, sweet onions with swiss cheese wrapped between two waffles.
I ordered the house famous pulled pork — marinated slow cooked tender port served with home made bbq sauce, caramelized onions and horseradish yogurt.
We also shared a belgian street corner fries. Nice and good.
Dessert was brussels street waffle with chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis.
I preferred the raspberry coulis. The combination of waffle and the sweet raspberry was better than chocolate.
Initially, there was some confusion if we could get an entrée and a side. But, it got all settled. Unfortunately, we had already ordered. But, they were giving away more food. Too bad, we were already stuffed.
Overall, the great ingredients used made a difference. I would recommend this place.

Id first like to say the owners (or whom I assume are the owners) are very nicd, especially the older woman. Top notch it customer rapport.
I Got the philly cheesesteak, warrior combo (fries and drink) and it came out to $ 14. A little pricey, but fair in the «waffle sandwich world»
First off, the time it took too make was a bit excessive. I waited 10 minutes, and I was the only person in the joint… Strike.
Why do I love Bruxies? A light and crispy waffle surrounds whatever I desire, making a very delicious sandwich… Here? I’ve had crispier Eggo Waffles come out the microwave… Wtf? This is totally unacceptable.
Positives? Fries with aoli dipping sauce was delicious. Fries were so crispy! Also, the Boyles Soda on tap is awesome… As well as the McConnell’s ice cream available in the back.
Other than that, I probably will not return here, as a crispy waffle is key to these kinds of places. If you dont have a crispy waffle… Its just not worth it.

This review must start with a rave about the customer service here which is off-​the-​charts superb. The young woman who took my order and brought it to my table was textbook perfect on what customer service is all about — so friendly, attentive, willing to indulge my order changes with a smile, bringing me things like extra napkins and otherwise checking in on me to make sure I was happy… I left feeling like I was treated like a V.I.P. They don’t wear name tags otherwise I’d praise her by name. The owner was also extremely nice, coming to my table and telling me about their philosophy of only serving farm fresh ingredients and how he makes the waffle batter fresh every day.
The food at this waffle sandwich place had some ups and downs in execution. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich which I highly recommend. The pork was very tender and flavorful, obviously slow cooked. It was served with sides of homemade BBQ sauce (good but lacking any «zing», it wasn’t really sweet nor spicy) and horseradish sauce (excellent with some kick but not too hot). The waffle was in two separate pieces, top & bottom, and held together well. The waffle itself is not sweet and has a subtle flavor.
I also ordered a sweet waffle: nutella madness with bananas and homemade whipped cream. It tasted great but had far too much whipped cream and the waffle was very crunchy. It would have been much better with a softer waffle.
My only major disappointment was their soda fountain. They only serve Boylan sodas and I ordered a cream soda. I’ve had bottled Boylan sodas many times so am familiar with their taste. Unfortunately the soda machine here has too high a ratio of soda water in relation to the syrup so the soda tastes too watered down.
I’ll be back for another savory waffle sometime soon. I’d rate this place a 3.5 but am bumping it up due to the exceptional customer service.

Gaufree? Go to Bruxie! This place deserves only 2 stars not because they are blatantly copying Bruxie, but because they are doing such a poor job at it. I don’t mind imitation, but if you are going to charge more than the competition, you better bring it.
I tried both the grass-​fed burger and the cheesesteak. I immediately noticed the waffle on the bottom was already soggy and the top quickly following suit. Not good. I don’t think the waffle was ever even crispy. They are served semi-​crispy at best, but probably more on the soft side. Not a fan.
As for the taste, the burger was no good. The gorgonzola cheese was overpowering and the accompanying tangy Gaufree sauce just combats the other flavors. The cheesesteak was better but a tad on the salty side. It comes with a side of pickled peppers which I didn’t care for.
«Meh. I’ve had better» is right. At Bruxie.

After years of relying on Unilocal reviews, I think it’s time I start giving back. So here it goes! My first Unilocal review ever!
Their philosophy here is to only serve the best. Everything is made fresh with top quality ingredients. Even their sauces are made in house. You can see chunks of tomato in their ketchup and the homemade ranch is soo good.
The main attraction is the waffle sandwiches. Unfortunately, this was the low point of my experience. They weren’t bad, but I was underwhelmed. I’ll just answer the question everyone is probably asking — Bruxie is better.
We ordered the:
Philly Cheese Steak — The filling was delicious. The meat, onions, peppers mm really flavorful. The only problem was the waffle itself. Probably due to the heat of the filling, the waffle was completely soft by the time I got it. I still enjoyed it because the flavor overall was good.
Organic Buttermilk Fried chicken — The waffle on this sandwich was better. Not soggy, but not as crisp as I hoped it would be. I personally did not prefer the lettuce and tomato combination. I guess it’s hard to impress me with fried chicken waffle sandwiches because I always compare them to Bruxie’s and that’s hard to beat.
Fries — 5 stars, especially when paired with the sauces. Crispy and perfect.
Cane Cola — Free refills. *thumbs up
What impressed me the most at Gaufree is the ice cream they serve. The lady behind the counter offered us some samples and we eventually tried them all. She gave us a little history behind McConnell’s ice cream and told us they only make fruit flavors when they are in season!
I ordered 3 scoops:
Dark Chocolate Orange — I loved that this wasn’t your typical chocolate flavor. I usually get sick of chocolate after one bite because it’s so rich, but this flavor kept me intrigued.
Double Peanut Butter Chip — My favorite of all the flavors I tried! The «chip» part was more of chocolate shavings which I love. And the peanut butter was real peanut butter, not peanut butter syrup type stuff. So gosh dang good. I think I’ll order 3 scoops of this next time.
Turkish Coffee — Not my favorite, but still very good.
Overall, the service is great; the staff are very caring and you can tell they take pride in what they do. I appreciate the quality of ingredients and the homemade aspect of their menu. But the reason I’ll definitely be returning for is the ice cream. I’m in love! My fellow lactose-​free peeps. it’s worth it.
P. S. Happy hour is 3−7pm. $ 2 off beers and wines. They also have an everyday deal that’s not written on the menu. $ 6.95 for any half sandwich + a side or drink.