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 Los Angeles
 
Cinnamon Vegetarian Restaurant  
4.5 cows based on 18 member votes based on 18 member reviews
5511 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles California 90042
323-982-9480
Type: Ovo, Lacto, Vegan-friendly, Mexican, International, Juice bar, Take-out
Info: Vegetarian Mexican restaurant featuring an extensive and varied selection that exploring traditional Latin favorites like savory chicken mole and posole, to chicken pasta marinara, Oriental and Greek salads, and more. Casual and spacious. Open Mon-Thur 11am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-9pm. Accepts credit cards. Price: Inexpensive.

   
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"YUM!"  
My Rating
Very good
rvasquez
Over 10 Reviews! 21
Posted on: Sunday, January 03, 2010
Review: I'm always excited to see a vegetarian mexican place, and this did not dissapoint. I had the bread steak, which was pretty good (though I've had better at Mr. Natural in Texas). Beans and rice were great and the juice I had was amazing! I would highly reccomend to anyone in the area. Metered parking, but I was able to find a spot right up front.
 
Pros: Great Food * Good Price *
Cons: Metered Parking * *
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"great Thanksgiving dinner"  
My Rating
Excellent
rebeccaj
3-10 Reviews 10
Posted on: Friday, December 04, 2009
Review: I actually won a free vegan Thanksgiving takeout dinner for two from Cinnamon Vegetarian this year. So now they own my soul.

The food was great--hearty and traditional. The "turkey" cutlets looked like Tofurky, but were much better--very tender.

I haven't tried their other stuff yet (I don't live in L.A.). I heard good things about them from other customers, as I waited to pick up my order.

 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"Vegan Mexican!"  
My Rating
Very good
Sonja and Dirk
Over 10 Reviews! 87
Posted on: Saturday, November 07, 2009
Review: After hearing that Cinnamon now uses Daiya, we headed over there for the first time for lunch today. We were served by Esperanza herself.

We ordered the empanadas and a chicken tamale for appetizers. Both delicious! For the entrees, we shared the daiya cheese enchiladas and chicken mole. Tasty! I haven't had cheese enchiladas like that since becoming vegan. We topped it all off with the chocolate pie for dessert. It was a nice end to the meal. We would absolutely have everything all over again!

We also took a half dozen tamales (veggie and chorizo) home for later. The chili and cheese tamales were still made with real cheese, but Esperanza said she was making a batch with Daiya soon. We will have to go back for those!

 
Pros: vegan Mexican with Daiya * tamales * nice space
Cons: * *
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"Chickun Mole? Yes please!!"  
My Rating
Excellent
intheend
3-10 Reviews 4
Posted on: Sunday, August 16, 2009
Review: As a Mexicana, one of the dishes I have missed is mole. I was so excited to try Cinnamon and I can honestly say that it met my expectations. The mole has a heavy cinnamon flavor in the beginning but towards the end you'll be able to taste the chocolate. The beans and rice were very tasty as well. If you're vegan and looking for authentic Mexican food, this is your joint!
 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"Pretty good"  
My Rating
Fair
veganbetty
Newbie Reviewer 2
Posted on: Friday, April 17, 2009
Review: Awwww, Cinnamon has its heart in the right place and they are making strides. We go there when we are short on time b/c we live in Mt. Washington which is right up the hill. Their food is so-so as compared to other LA veg restaurants, but non too bad in the burger department though I don't think that the bread is vegan. However, their french fries are phenomenal! Homemade and fresh, really delish. I recommend trying if you live close.
 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"Cinnamon"  
My Rating
Fair
Vegyogini
Over 10 Reviews! 19
Posted on: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Review: The vegan Mexican food served at Cinnamon is very good. I enjoyed the complimentary chips and salsa and my main entree, which was a daily special. My only complaint is that the server (who I believe was the owner) did not seem knowledgeable about everything that veganism entails, so make sure to ask a lot of questions.
 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"vegetarian mexican food that you can trust!"  
My Rating
Excellent
quarrygirl
Over 10 Reviews! 13
Posted on: Friday, February 13, 2009
Review: cinnamon is a great place that deserves a visit if you love authentic mex cuisine, but think chicken stock is no bueno. word of warning: highland park is at the intersection of "cutting-edge hippsterville" and "i don't feel safe walking around at night". so come prepared (in the daylight if you happen to be a pussy like me) for good food, good bars and good times in the least expected areas.
we found ourselves dining at around 11am. it was the real sweet spot of times, during that window where breakfast and lunch are both being served. i opted for breakfast, he chose lunch. both ruled.
the tofu scramble was delicious. next time i want to order something a little more adventures, something really authentic sounding that i can't pronounce—but this time i was a tad hung-over, a little worse for wear and just wanted a safe, comforting breakfast food with lots of tofu. and that's just what i got. a mound of tofu, super tasty mushrooms and heaps of spinach all mixed together with a blob of beans and rice on the side. drown it in hot sauce, and i'm happy. nothing wrong with this dish.
the burrito was equally impressive. lettuce, green sauce, some other vegetabley things, tofu, rice and beans all rolled into a massive wheat wrap. oozing with flavor and scrumptiousness. chipotle's got nothing on this sucker. it tasted like an old school mexican burrito, the dangerous kind with refried beans and god knows what in the rice...yet it managed to be creative at the same time with the wheat tortilla and vegetable variety. perfect.
cinnamon is a pretty sweet place. let's review: vegetarian, check...huge menu, check...affordable, check. not bad. the service on the other hand, is a little slow and strange. over friendliness was followed by indifference, then again by more friendliness. and the complimentary chips suck, not only are they out of a bag, but they are ROUND. round chips are not cool. but, whatever, the hot sauce rocks and the atmosphere is lovely...with big windows that let the sunshine in to cover the cozy albeit cramped tables.
cinnamon could definitely improve in some areas, but the food rocks. and that's all that matters, right? the food rocks.

 
Pros: affordable * great mexican food * lots of parking
Cons: the chips are store bought * *
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"Yum! Love it!"  
My Rating
Excellent
veganista
Newbie Reviewer 2
Posted on: Saturday, December 20, 2008
Review: I love Cinnamon, and they've transformed into a much more vegan-friendly restaurant. The owner, Esperanza, puts love in all her tasty food. We always order the guacamole when we go (we think it's the best in town). My favorite items are California Tofu, Vegetable Enchiladas, Tamales, all her soups, and a new item - on the weekend she serves homemade empanadas. I was in heaven! Her pumpkin pie is homemade, sweetened with maple syrup, thickened with cashews. Almost everything (maybe everything?) can be made vegan. The restaurant has vibrant colors and a good feeling.
 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"sooooooooo good"  
My Rating
Excellent
MonicaMonica
Newbie Reviewer 1
Posted on: Friday, September 26, 2008
Review: I recommend the green chile "carne". Plus their mushroom/carnita quesadilla was great! Go here for authentic mexican food with lots of fake meat! It was great.
 
Pros: Authentic * Mexican * Food
Cons: * *
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""AAA+++Quality, authentic, homestyle mexican food""  
My Rating
Excellent
masterspop
Newbie Reviewer 2
Posted on: Thursday, September 25, 2008
Review: Hello everyone,

I felt the need to make you all aware of what an excellent Vegetarian Restauran "Cinnamon" is....wow! I thought when I became vegetarian that I would have to give up many homestyle mexican dishes that I grew up with.....I was so wrong. "Cinnamon" offers a wide range of selections from appetizers like cockails and homemade guacamole to burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and get this....veggie chicken mole...to name a few. They also offer a house horchata that is vegan friendly made with soymilk. I have been wowed upon my very first visit this past weekend. I informed our server that it was our first time there...it was such a pleasant exerience...she walked me and my other half through the menu (advised of both vegetarian and vegan options...****Note: Most dishes could be prepared with vegan options....yes!). She also let us try small samples to assist with our decision on what to order and what we will be ordering on our next visit. It was so good...we went back the same day for dessert....to our surprise, we bought some veggie chicken tamales "to go" which were made fresh that day....we had them for dinner the next day....I cannot tell you much we enjoyed them (yum). I also found out they do catering....so, if you want authentic mexican healthy food without animal cruelty...this place is a must. Please also know they offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner options in addtion to american dishes (sandwiches/burgers) and even smoothies. Lastly, try the desserts...you will not be disappointed. I am very happy...Cinnamon has provided us the ability to go back to our roots in being of Latino descent with their quality food. We cannot wait to our next visit :o)

 
Pros: Very Clean - "A" rating * Homestyle Mexican Food * Caring/Family Atmosphere
Cons: N/A * N/A * N/A
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"cinnamon is awesome"  
My Rating
Very good
vegandeaner
Newbie Reviewer 2
Posted on: Friday, August 22, 2008
Review: I am glad we found this place. My girlfriend and i went for dinner, i had the supreme burrito with carnitas. The chorizo and carnitas are home made and taste great. i also had the lentil soup and i really enjoyed it. my girlfriend had the chicken sandwich with soy cheese (the soy cheese is not vegan, FYI) so i didn't try it, but her eyes lit up so i knew it must have been good. So excited to go back here for more, the waitress was so nice too, when i asked her if they ever made vegan Albondigas soup, she said they didn't but she would try and give me a call, so i left my number. Cinnamon rules!
 
Pros: healthy food * nice staff * innexpensive
Cons: pico de gallo please! * *
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"Really good food!"  
My Rating
Very good
samneko
3-10 Reviews 6
Posted on: Thursday, August 07, 2008
Review: I finally decided to try this restaurant after all of the reviews (both positive and negative). I am SO glad I did!!
As an appetizer, my friends and I ordered the delicious guacamole to go with the yummy salsa we were served.
For the main courses, we ordered the soy chorizo tamal combo with black beans and brown rice, chicken mole with black beans and brown rice, and a 2 taco combo plate with carnitas & chorizo tacos and white rice. Only the tacos seemed a little bland, but they were \"fixed\" by adding additional salsa and some of the guacamole. One of my friends ordered a date shake with soy milk for desert. We all thought it tasted good, but not enough like dates- it had a very strong banana flavor.
I can't wait to go back to try some of the other items on the menu!

 
Pros: delicious, homemade food * good service * several vegan items available
Cons: none * *
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"yummmm"  
My Rating
Excellent
quitecontrary23
Newbie Reviewer 1
Posted on: Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Review: i just went to this place yesterday with my friend. i felt so relaxed right when i walked in. the music was great, and the server was so jolly. she was incredibly helpful with recommendations and samples. we ended up sharing the huge plate of "salmon" with mango sauce served with vegetables and wheat rice. we also shared the veggie quesadilla with soy cheese. it was all delicious... especially the salmon with mango sauce!!! mmmm. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you will definitely appreciate the amazing taste and textures of the soy subsitutes. I think even meat eaters would love this place though.
judging from these reviews, it looks like im missing out on the juice, nachos, tamales and soup. ill have to try those next time... but trust me with the salmon. delicious.
im hooked

 
Pros: variety * great taste * service
Cons: * *
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"What a nice find!"  
My Rating
Excellent
roadhog
Newbie Reviewer 2
Posted on: Sunday, February 10, 2008
Review: My wife and I went to this restaurant for dinner last night. We really liked it. I posted about it here: http://veganbits.com/cinnamon-vegetarian-restaurant-a-new-favorite/
 
Pros: Many Vegan Options * Clean * Friendly
Cons: * *
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"Homemade Soups and L.A.'s best Guacamole"  
My Rating
Very good
invest
Newbie Reviewer 1
Posted on: Sunday, November 25, 2007
Review: We've eaten at Cinnamon a number of times and they have good Mexican food. But the best thing on their menu is often overlooked. They always have a number of soups and I think all their soups are vegan. Depending on the daily specials and the season you can choose from favorites like pumpkin, lentil, vegetable, mushroom and others.
My favorite meal there is a bowl of freshly made soup and a side of guacamole.
Did I mention the guacamole? The guac at this restaurant is better than any Mexican restaurant I've ever eaten at in all of L.A., even all of Southern California. For that matter it may well be better guacamole than you'll find in all of Mexico.
They have a few non-traditional dishes like California Tofu which is made with a pesto sauce. Good and simple and served with rice.
The staff is super friendly (often one of the chefs will be taking your order) and they've got free internet wi-fi to boot.
Fresh juices made to order.
Very clean restaurant. Good prices. The Highland Theatre is across the street ($3 movies all day Tuesday and Wednesday). Highland Park Farmer's Market takes place a block away on Tuesday afternoon / evenings until about 7pm. There is a Gold Line light rail station (Highland Park) about two blocks away. All this makes for an excellent Tuesday night car-free vegan date in Highland Park.

 
Pros: Clean * Healthy * Tasty
Cons: A few dishes have dairy (clearly marked) * *
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"delicious!!"  
My Rating
Excellent
bargin
Newbie Reviewer 1
Posted on: Sunday, September 09, 2007
Review: We were overjoyed with the full flavor and vegan options. I actually liked the supereme burrito more than my favorite burrito at Real Food Daily. They have great soy meat alternatives. This is the first vegetarian/vegan Mexican restaurant we have found that has an interesting menu with tons of flavor. We can't wait to go back. Yessss!
 
Pros: delicious * good value * really clean
Cons: * *
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"not so hot"  
My Rating
Needs improvement
GUEST
GUEST
Posted on: Sunday, July 01, 2007
Review: we went upon a strong recommendation and were sadly disappointed. the service was poor, despite our being the only customers in the place. the food was - ok, and not more than that - the portions were skimpy and they forgot a plate we ordered. trouble was he never came back to see how we were doing & we couldn't get his attention so it went untried.
 
Pros: * *
Cons: * *
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"Alright Mexican Place"  
My Rating
Very good
gfrgfrgfr
Newbie Reviewer 1
Posted on: Monday, June 04, 2007
Review: Nice, small little place. The food is great - I got the salpicon with green sauce, black beans, and brown rice. It was really good, my only complaint was the portions seemed kind of small. They make soy milk horchatas here! Service was a little slow (only two cooks and one waitress), but the waitress was very nice, and pretty knowledgeable. Unlike some of the other reviews, our waitress knew what a vegan was (she asked me if I was when I was asking about cheese). I'd be willing to go again.
 
Pros: Good food * Friendly staff *
Cons: Portions a little small * Service kind of slow * Parking on street
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"A Good Find"  
My Rating
Very good
Chia
Over 10 Reviews! 305
Posted on: Monday, December 18, 2006
Review: This is a good find in this predominately-Spanish speaking area of eastern LA. The interior is spacious with many tables as well as counter with stool seatings that faces the open kitchen. Our party of 3 went for lunch today. Overall, the quality of the food was decent and tasty. We had ordered fries (large-cut), flautas (potato rolled in tortilla deep-fried), swiss cheese enchilada in green sauce, tamales entree, and california tofu stir-fry. The portions were hearty, and the Mexican hot plates each came with side of salad guacamole and beans. The flautas was oily/fried for my taste, but everything tasted was good. Soy cheese is offered, though it may not be casein-free, you can ask to leave cheese out. The only complaint we had was the slow service. When we got there around 12noon, the waitress had not arrived yet, so a lady from the kitchen took our order. She spoke some English, but missed 2 of our orders. Although we were the first table to arrive and order, it took over 25 minutes for the food to be brought to our table. The kitchen waited until ALL the food was cooked and ready before they brought anything out. So we waited a long time. In any case I would return again when in the area. Come check it out for yourself.
 
Pros: simple hearty food * comfortable interior *
Cons: service can be slow * *
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