Patio seating at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles
Outside at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles
vegan ham and cheese sandwich at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

  • CLOSED: Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe
    (6)
    2

    Closed

  • White Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Macrobiotic
Organic
Juice bar
Take-out
Asian
Fusion

Opened Jul 2013, this cafe in downtown LA serves organic, gluten-free, and vegan food without added sugar, yeast, caffeine, or alcohol. In early-2014 its menu added a few dairy options. Sample items include rice and noodle bowls topped with veggies and tofu, an alfalfa patty burger, faux ham and cheese sandwich, fresh juices and tonics, and healthy baked goods. Interior is spacious and minimalist. Park on street or in lot behind the restaurant. Reported closed to HappyCow, Sep 2014.

Venue map for Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe
© OpenStreetMap contributors

6 Reviews

First Review by SonjaCPA

Avatar TheVeganVagabond

TheVeganVagabond

Points +145

Vegan
14 Jul 2013

Good, Clean and Friendly

Pleasant atmosphere. It was bright and clean, and the food was fresh and delicious!

Pros: Reasonably Priced, Nice Atmosphere

Avatar Jimbo61

Jimbo61

Points +22

Vegan
04 Mar 2014

Vegalicious!!!

I can't tell you how amazing this place is.. I have eaten there three times. The Kale salad and Quinoa salads are delicious. The original dressings are a perfect compliment to these nutritious meals. Have also tried their "chicken" sandwich with carrot fries.... Yum. The interior has a friendly, coffee bar style vibe. I will be back!!!

Avatar NomNomNominator

NomNomNominator

Points +124

Mostly Veg
25 Nov 2013

Grateful They Are A Block Away

This place will make people jealous it's not in their neighborhood.

Overall they're a great addition to the neighborhood.
I just had a bowl of sprouted lentil soup, carrot fries, a "meat" bowl, and a cup of fresh pear juice for $23.

I've had a detox shake with coconut water, avocado sandwich, and a chocolate chip cookie before. All yummy and definitely worth a return trip. Super happy to finally have a decent vegan spot in DTLA.

One caveat: They can be a little pricey. One time I bought 2 small cups of soup, a salad, and curry potato bowl and paid.... $39.00. BUT BUT - I think they've actually come down in price on their items so this might be outdated.

Pros: Clean ingredients, Good service, Cozy environment

Cons: Sometimes price

Just hanging out at Dr. J's. Glad they're our neighbors! at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

Home made gluten free raw bread and avocados in my sandwich. Very filling. Very good. at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

Spouted Lentil Soup HEAVEN!!!!! I would die for this soup. at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

I'm sorry - I can't remember what shake this is - it was really filling and good though. at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

Carrot fries and aioli at Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe in Los Angeles

Avatar Docmartin9

Docmartin9

Points +50

Vegan
12 Aug 2013

Solid Vegan

It is always a pleasure to find a gluten free vegan restaurant.

Avatar Chia

Chia

Points +3635

Vegetarian
22 Jul 2013

Healthy, Light Food Nice Space

I had read about this on HappyCow and was in downtown LA, so my friends and I stopped in to try it out (July 2013). Here's my Dr. J's Vibrant Cafe review.

The space is casual, modern yet simple, and invokes an eco-vibe with exposed wood beams above and large windows all around. The menu is somewhat varied, though many bowls do feature tofu.

We shared a few things:
- Dr. J's bread, which were more like round shaped energy cookies comprising oats and bits. Healthy, tasty. $3.95
- Mini coconut pie. Yummy. $4.95
- Alfalfa patty burger served with raw carrot chips. Delicious. $10.95
- Rice noodle bowl with thin slices of veggies and sliced fried tofu. It was simple and healthy but felt a bit too skimp (could use more filling). $10.95
- One friend also had the potato curry which she said was a bit too spicy. I didn't try it.
- We also shared the metabolic booster (cabbage, kale, and veggies juice), and that was refreshing. $8.95

Overall, the food was healthy and clean, the desserts healthy and tasty, the juice refreshing. However not long after we left I soon felt hungry. My suggestion for improvement might be to either lower prices slightly so diners might feel that we could order more. For example, lower the main entrees by $1 (to $9.95).

As this place is brand new, I look forward to seeing what they will do to make it even better. Will return the next time I'm in the area for a juice and the pie!

Pros: fresh food, good desserts, healthy

Cons: portions could be bigger

Avatar SonjaCPA

SonjaCPA

Points +5270

Vegan
07 Jul 2013

new vegan option in downtown LA

We were invited to Dr. J's soft opening on July 3rd. They are located in the Old Bank District and are a welcome addition to downtown's vegan options. They serve vegan, organic and gluten free food with an Asian flair. They had a buffet set up with various dishes for the opening. It appears it will be counter service once they open. We tried the spring rolls and spinach salad which were excellent. The main dishes included curried potatoes, noodles, brown rice with veggies and a tofu dish. They were fresh and good. We also enjoyed tea and a shake. The interior is minimalist and modern with tables pushed together for communal dining. I look forward to them opening in the next week or so.

Pros: downtown LA, fresh and healthy

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