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
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116 Reviews
First Review by Chia
FatmaBahri
Points +541
Welcoming Atmosphere & Great food - Edit
Noodles and cream cheese were excellent!
Read moreStaff is very professional and gentle.
Guest
divyaj
Points +696
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 +60
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 +197
Yum- surprisingly large portions too - Edit
Got soup and raw burrito- fantastic
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 +706
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 +410
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 +5935
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 +310
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 +350
Pretty yummy but weird vibe - Edit
Yum food but the atmosphere feels a bit dated.
Read moreGuest
514_8123
Points +44
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 +853
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 +2832
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
The.EagerVegan
Points +62
Refreshing spin on familiar dishes - Edit
Came here for some quick apps before a nearby show, and was sat promptly with understanding of urgency. The waitress was very friendly, and offered some suggestions on quick items.
Read moreOrdered the spring rolls, mushrooms with pesto, & the cheese dip w/ crackers. The spring rolls were pretty standard (came with 4 small size rolls), fresh lettuce which we rolled over the rolls, and a refreshingly light sweet sauce. The mushrooms were delish, with a light and fragrant pesto sauce, but a rather small portion. The cheese dip was well made, decent size, and the house made crackers were superb!
Cucumber mint water is standard for the table, as well as some yummy garlic “shrimp chips.”
Would be interested in coming by for the entree, however the value for price might be a decider with how often I’d eat there.
Pros: Unique flavors, Nice ambiance , Good quality
Cons: Smaller portions, Pricey
Guest
TaminaN
Points +3376
Cute place with authentic flavours! - Edit
Very friendly staff and the food was super tasty. Would recommend the pear kombucha as well. And oh - no alcohol served in this place.
Read morePros: Authentic flavours , Friendly staff , Large menu
Guest
MartaBliemeister
Points +38
Great delicious vegan food - Edit
I was very happy with all the food I had here. Also my non vegan family enjoyed its lot. Will definitely recommend it. I’m not sure about the authenticity tho since it’s only isnspired by Vietnamese food and the owner isn’t.
Read moreGuest
OMADman
Points +921
Legendary SoCal vegan highlight - Edit
Just great. Lots of creative living food vegan selections. Masters of healthful taste. Prices are reasonable. Portions are huge. Staff is great. Perfect experience in every way. Just go there!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-07-11
Guest
peachenthusiast
Points +151
If you have the $$… - Edit
Beautiful presentation and good food overall, though they seem to be having staffing issues at the moment. My omni friend (who frequently eats vegan) was VERY impressed with the chicken skewers!! The living curry rice was also good, but I would probably opt to try the rest of the menu next time.
Read morePros: Creative menu
Guest
vegan_mouse
Points +1510
Tasty - Edit
I was very pleased to find this place which is in walking distance to Grand Park. Whether you want something raw and fresh, cooked and comforting, gluten free, pho, dessert... There are a lot of great options!
Read moreI ordered the peanut tempeh sigbature dish (forgot what it's called). They were out of tempeh, so I had it with tofu instead. It was delicious and sweet! My boyfriend had pho, which was possibly even more flavorful!
Our server was super kind and helpful.
Pros: Gluten free options
Guest
novackofo
Points +89
Every Dish is an Animal's Theme - Edit
I'll tell you why this restaurant is such a turn-off. Every dish on the menu is built around animal flesh. I know the food is vegan but it smells, tastes and looks like chicken, pork, beef and fish. They depict the resembles in their menu and every item on the menu is named after an animal... There is no way that I can eat at this place - it makes me sick...
Read moreGuest
Taty’sTable
Points +25
My first time here and I loved it! - Edit
I came with a friend to celebrate my birthday to try different vegan dishes. We order their steamed dumplings, curried wild rice, garlic basil noodle, Magic Mushrooms Hot Elixir Tea, and Baklava! They were all flavorful and delicious.
Read morePros: Lots of Gluten Free and Nut Free options , Good price , Good portions
Cons: Very busy
Guest
SCG
Points +156
Great experience - Edit
I like the OC location better but this place is an experience and much needed in its location.
Read moreGuest
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