From the long established Au Lac in Fountain Valley springs its 2nd and more upscale location in downtown Los Angeles. Opened 2014 across the street from Disney Concert Hall. Features a menu of both raw cuisine as well cooked vegan dishes. Full bar and upscale lounge atmosphere at moderate prices. Parking lot entrance is around the back of the plaza, or park on street. Open Tue-Sun 12:00pm-3:00pm, 5:00pm-9:00pm.
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710 W 1st St, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90012
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- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 03 Aug 2022 by RonDeutsch
Update business info
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98 Reviews
First Review by Chia
SoCalCal
Points +1677
Food is STILL great and the menu updates are welcome! - Edit
Haven't been here in a while, but we were seeing a show at the Ahmanson and this was the closest vegan option. The food is still as good as we remember, and we brought some non-vegan friends and they enjoyed their food, also.
Read moreWe started with an order of the BBQ Pork Rolls which were delicious! I ordered the Sweet & Spicy Tempeh as my main and the other entrees ordered were the Garlic Basil Noodles and the Chicken Sate. The Tempeh dish was definitely spicy, but the different textures and the sweetness offered interesting discoveries in each bite. Those that ordered the Garlic Basil Noodles really enjoyed their dishes and mentioned they were a little spicy, also. Our non-vegan friend who ordered the Chicken Sate commented that the texture really wasn't chicken-like, but the flavors were good.
I noticed several dishes on the menu that I've ordered in the past, but there also appeared to be some new dishes. This is definitely welcome as sometimes when restaurants don't update their menus, there's not a lot of excitement left to find if everything has been tried before. Keep up the good work!
Pros: Delicious food
Cons: Can be expensive, No reservations
Guest
Chiara Cassandra
Points +227
Delicious food - Edit
I tried the living food (mostly raw) and I loved so much the flavor combination 💚
Read moreGuest
m@earthville
Points +9508
Delicious Vietnamese dishes - Edit
We grabbed take-out lunch while in the neighborhood and were not disappointed. Great flavors and textures, and good portions. Very kind people. Finding parking was a challenge, so it’s recommendable to call them to arrange for curbside, which they’re happy to do. Recommended.
Read moreThe ravioli is good, too.
Updated from previous review on 2021-05-09
Guest
Felide
Points +34
Delicious with huge portions - Edit
Very nice place with a pleasant atmosphere. Huge portions, all tasted delicious!
Read morePros: Staff courtesy, Atmosphere
Cons: A bit pricey, Fake plants
Guest
FruitbatLA
Points +38
Clean Eating - Edit
Clean Vegan food done right. I’m a huge fan of their salad!
Read morePros: Great food, Amazing ambience
Guest
vp4639
Points +73
It's... okay - Edit
This place is remarkably underwhelming. For the prices that you pay, the portions aren't really great, and the food doesn't give you a feeling of "authentic Vietnamese cuisine, but made vegan". The bahn mi was the only thing I felt like was worth ordering, and certainly it tasted good, but I left pretty hungry thereafter.
Read moreI will say, the restaurant itself is pretty, the decor is lovely. For the price you pay for the actual food, experience aside, I most likely would not step foot in this place again.
I will not rate this place lower than 4 stars because there is clearly something here for people who like this style of food and atmosphere, so rating it low based on my very personal feelings does not feel right. This is a place where the owners care to continue the spirit of serving good vegan food to people, and that is worth a whole lot to me.
Ultimately, if you're not particularly fond of Vietnamese "fusion" cuisine, maybe it's not suitable for you. However, if you are willing to dish out the money for what is primarily the ambiance, this is not a bad place to go.
Pros: Nice staff
Cons: Too costly
Guest
TaraFox
Points +90
Extraordinary - Edit
This was my first visit dining with Au Lac. We ordered the Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Lemongrass Fish and Big Thunnini Roll. Plentiful and beautifully curated menu items are works of divine art. The Lemongrass Fish is perfection. I look forward to experience more of Au Lac’s whimsical, extraordinary and magical cuisine.
Read morePros: Nice atmosphere, Great service, Beautiful decor
Guest
Eidolon
Points +393
Huge Fan of the Pasta - Edit
I never got to visit in person, but I loved getting take out and their pasta/ravioli was amazing. The sauce was just phenomenal. #Veganuary
Read morePros: Take out/delivery, Amazing pasta
Guest
FatmaBahri
Points +312
Welcoming Atmosphere & Great food - Edit
Noodles and cream cheese were excellent!
Read moreStaff is very professional and gentle.
Guest
divyaj
Points +558
Beautiful dining experience - Edit
The seating was intimate, with tall potted plants on the seats beside you to afford some privacy for each table. We went during the happy hour and got to sample their half-priced drinks and appetizers. The Ruby Juice was perfect, but the mushroom elixir was terrible with an unusual sweetness that didn't blend into the slight bitterness.
Read moreThe Calamari was superb, probably battered fried oyster mushroom rings. It came with a delicious sauce, tasted like tomato chutney. We also had the ravioli, which came with some delicious garlic bread. The filling in the ravioli itself was bland, the sauce a little smoky but incredibly creamy. The Bahn-Mi was delicious and came with a nice small salad. Also really enjoyed the baklava, which had none of the usual flaky pastry layer, was more a cluster of delicious nuts and dried fruits drizzled with maple syrup.
Guest
RainaAide
Points +48
Great Date Night - Edit
This is one of the only “fancy” vegan restaurants I’ve been able to find that makes for a great fancy date night! The atmosphere was very nice. The food was more expensive than what I’m used to - but worth it. We got the basil garlic noodles and the ravioli - both were amazing. It was nice that they have lots of unique and raw options too.
Read morePros: Fancy atmosphere, Delicious food, Unique menu items
Guest
awwatt
Points +33
Top notch! - Edit
Amazing food, thank you!
Read moreI wish I could try the entire menu. Au Lac is a must!
Guest
PureVeganStarSevadar
Points +265
ALL Vegan! very nice. related to Vegan March of Silence and it's Local events. - Edit
ALL Vegan! very nice. related to Vegan March of Silence and it's Local events. before year 2020 had hosted free vegan thanksgiving potluck social event, and open stage social events for vegans in their back room, multi-purpose room. chef ito is amazing with his spiritually strong vow of silence; he can understand us and we can understand him. Supported Vegan Edu Leafleting efforts.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-15
Pros: ALL Vegan very nice related2Vegan March of Silence, had hosted free vegan thanksgiving potluck social , MultiPurpose room open stage Vegan social events
Guest
Clarissa1dc
Points +143
Yum- surprisingly large portions too - Edit
Got soup and raw burrito- fantastic
Read moreGuest
hakunapatata
Points +285
Lovely looking place, would like to try other dishes - Edit
I went there looking for brunch but they were out. I ordered the calamari instead and found it a bit oily. I’d like to find other things from the menu because it seems they might have some good stuff.
Read moreGuest
road2cairo
Points +66
Au Lac DTLA - Edit
Raw vegan & organic-delicious with beautiful presentation but kind of on the expensive side for what you get. Nearby parking is expensive too-$4 for 30 minutes, cash only (no free pickup, and there is an attendant on site).
Read moreGuest
melarish
Points +681
Best place in downtown! - Edit
Went twice during my 2 days in LA. Several unique food options like veggie pork shu mai and a mushroom based "octopus". Lunch combo for $15. Fancy desserts and obscure herbal drinks. This place has everything! 😍
Read moreGuest
AndyRurals
Points +359
Amazing food! - Edit
The food is unique!! I loved every dish, and the service was amazing!
Read morePros: Great dishes , Nice venue , Good service
Guest
andyjng
Points +4991
Wow wow wow, Amazing Viet! - Edit
Wow, hands down one of the best deals in Downtown LA and for some amazing Viet food that happens to be vegan (so everyone can have something delicious!) Loved every minute of our experience here at Au Lac.
Read moreThe ambiance was modern, sophisticated, and gave off that fancy DTLA vibe. It definitely works for a date night or get-together with old friends like I did.
We shared a couple of standout dishes with my group: Beef Rolls were a great starter, diced into small sushi-esuqe pieces with a lovely peanut dipping sauce, Calamari was well-seasoned and lightly battered to give off those seafood vibes, Claypot Fish was smoky, tangy, and sweet which went well with the forbidden rice we ordered, and their Garlic Noodles were also fire. Every dish was presented nicely and it was a delicious meal for all of us.
We can't end without dessert though! Our table ordered their Chocolate Cake (sooo fluffy and decadent) and their Mango Durian Sticky Rice, which was my personal fave. If you have friends that have never tried durian, this is a good spot to give it a go.
Thanks Au Lac for an incredible dinner. Amazing food, fantastic service, and very accommodating overall. I will definitely be back to try more dishes.
Parking is available either through street parking or a dedicated lot beneath the plaza for $10.
Pros: Excellent Vietnamese vegan options, Wonderful indoor ambiance
Guest
happyfeetadan
Points +286
Delicious Plant-based dining - Edit
The experience was set to please from the refreshing rosemary lemon cucumber infused-water to the many choices on the menu. I got the lemongrass soy fish dish which was a delicious bento box style meal and my friend got the ravioli with garlic bread which was savory even from my taste test. We finished out with the chocolate dessert which was perfect to share with a friend with its 4 bite sized pieces. A little on the pricer end but This place is worth the visit!
Read moreGuest
CharltonFranklin
Points +86
Best Plant Based Sit Down Restaurant - Edit
I took 4 other co-workers there and I was the only vegan.
Read moreAppetizers: I loved the shrimp appetizer and a shrimp lover said, "If you didn't tell me this was plant based, I would've thought it was good shrimp." The fried egg rolls were better than most egg rolls I've had.
Entree: I had the "octopus" with mushroom. Mushroom was much easier to eat because in my past I've tried real octopus and it required a lot of jaw strength, so this was more enjoyable. The flavor was great, unique, savory and sweet. I was surprised it was sweet, however. Everyone I went though their meal was good and there was enough for leftovers for 3 of 5 of us.
Atmosphere: The entrance seems casual, then you pass a bar and the back is mildly elegant like a sit down restaurant. I think the front should be more elegant because it was my first impression and a disappointing one. I thought the design in three back was great. It was also strange to have an unattended counter blocking going to the left of the restaurant. The host doesn't stand there, rather the bar tender sat us down. It was confusing and poor design at the entrance.
Service: The people there were perfectly helpful and did their job well. I wouldn't say they were joyful and stood out, but they also did nothing wrong.
Overall: I was extremely pleased. By comparison their food is priced well ave the flavor and quantity was extremely satisfying. I would definitely recommend this place.
Pros: Unique vegan options, Pleasant sit down atmosphere, Great pricing relative to Vegan + LA
Cons: Restaurant layout is strange and unaesthetic
Guest
ilikevegg
Points +349
Pretty yummy but weird vibe - Edit
Yum food but the atmosphere feels a bit dated.
Read moreGuest
514_8123
Points +40
THE best vegan place in LA - Edit
The food here is SO special! The chef has kept a vow for silencio for over 20 years. This is HOLY DELICIOUS FOOD
Read morePros: Amazing food, Creative cuisine, Super friendly staff
Guest
hausofmarsian
Points +34
Vegan option near LA theatres - Edit
Raw options, can be slow, expensive
Read moreGuest
ronitw
Points +693
Great Dinner, 2nd Visit! - Edit
Had dinner with carnivore friends yesterday and everyone was happy. The Laab salad impressed us all, as well as the Spicy Calamari. Eggrolls were great! I didn't care much for the Big Thunnini Roll but the rest of the party were really excited. We loved the Siu Mai. The Choconut X-tasy was a super delightful end of a great dinner. The place was full, the service was friendly and efficient. Highly recommended! We parked at the Music Center.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2016-01-29
Pros: Great food, Great service
Guest
yung_batsy
Points +98
I absolutely love it, - Edit
If you haven’t been here yet you’re missing out. The environment of this establishment is so beautiful and the energy is very peaceful and welcoming!
Read moreToday was our second time coming in and my husband and I chose two different lunch specials (so we could share) and they were the #2 garlic noodles with egg rolls and the #4 chicken skewer sate. Amazing!!
The first time we came in, we had dinner here, we had the olive cheese dip starter, I had the yellow noodle soup, and my husband had the lemongrass fish rice plate. Everything was phenomenal!
Pros: Lots of drink options , Lunch special!! (Brunch 12-3), So many all vegan choices!!
Cons: The server can be strange/unavailable
Guest
SarahS88
Points +2097
Loved our food and this place - Edit
One of our favs - we tried the ravioli and the #4 lunch combo. Delicious good, lovely environment and wonderful staff! Would come back again anytime!
Read moreAlso very reasonably priced!
Updated from previous review on 2022-10-20
Guest
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