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CLOSED: Java Green
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17
Closed
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Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
American
Korean
Washington DC vegetarian restaurant offering mostly vegan food using meat substitutes. Also wraps, salads, raw food, teas, coffee and beverages. Reported closed to HappyCow.
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1020 19th Street NW (at K Street NW, Farragut North and Farragut West Metro stations, Downtown Washington DC), Washington, District Of Columbia, USA, 20036
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Last update on 25 Aug 2012 by Guest
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Added by eric on 01 Aug 2007
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26 Reviews
First Review by chanmeng
Lisa Bloom
Points +66
A Washington winner! - Edit
Whenever I come to DC, I stop for a meal at Java Green. Menu is creative and varied, food is fresh, delicious, hearty and satisfying. DJ, the owner, makes a real commitment to the environment in all aspects of the business. No earth-killing styrofoam here. Terrific!
Read morePros: creative menu, fresh ingredients, satisfying meals
Guest
ellen and alan
Points +43
Great Meal - Edit
We went here on a Sunday night and had a lovely dinner in their upstairs dining room. Prices very reasonable, nice wine selection. Our serve Everett was very good, we never waited for anything and he knew the menu well. They also have outdoor seating.
Read moreDumplings, panini sandwich and desserts were esp. good. We'll be back.
Pros: location, service, sanwiches
Guest
bill
Points +104
OKay breakfast shop - Edit
We enjoyed our "che" breakfasts at Java Green but the server seemed not to be very interested in us or the job that they were doing. It is not easy to criticize a vegan establshment (we need all that we can get), but surely there are friendly vegans who are interested in working these places?
Read moreGuest
FUZZYGUY828
Points +75
Nice place to visit - Edit
Java Green has a lot to offer. There selection is good but, not great.
Read moreThe prices on some of the items are quite high (packaged).
All in all, a good experience and a place that every vegan should visit in DC.
Pros: Nice outside atmosphere, Freshness, Taste
Cons: Slow service, Expensive packaged items, More hours
Guest
goldie711
Points +119
Poor service - Edit
I used to be a regualar at Java Green but got so sick of their poor customer service. No matter how many times I went I was just a number. The lines and wait for food were rediculous. On the upside, the food was usually good, especially considering that there are so few options in the area.
Read morePros: vegan
Cons: service
Guest
miss amy
Points +57
Very Good - Edit
I have eaten here many times. Java is always busy, it's worth the wait. Food is excellent, because it's so busy the staff really does not interact much with customers however,they are friendly. The portion size for the price could be larger or less costly. Java is in a great location for working people not necessarily good for those of us that work/live in Maryland. Java is clean and I will continue to dine here whenever I am in the area.
Read morePros: all vegan, excellent dishes, pretty clean
Cons: portions for price could be better, very busy but keep it moving, small inside
Guest
ldauzat
Points +124
Sadly I was disappointed - Edit
I am sorry to say that I was truly sad that this place was a huge disappointment. I live in Baltimore and have had several people tell me that I had to try out Java Green the next time I was in D.C. My husband and I were so excited when we got there because we were blown away by their huge menu.The place was packed. This had to be a sign that the place was good, right?
Read moreWe both decided on sandwiches, the "temptation" and the "veg max". Our two non-veggie friends who came with us ordered the "spicy noodle soup" and the "tofu and avocado" wrap.
Our appetizer, the 20 piece "popcorn chicken" came out quickly but we waited a long time for the rest of our meal.
The "popcorn chicken" were very small and didn't have much flavor to them. Nine dollars seemed quite steep for the size of the appetizer which was hardly enough for the four of us.
Not only did we wait for our meals for at least 30 minutes, but both sandwiches were served on burnt toast, my friends wrap came out as a sandwich, (also served with burnt bread), and my other friend's soup was so spicy that he couldn't even finish it. In addition, the menu says that the sandwiches are served with a side, a pickle or chips. We noticed on our bill that adding these sides cost extra. 50 cents for chips, and 75 cents for the pickle. My tempeh sandwich was lacking in flavor and my husband said his sandwich did too. Both of them seemed like sandwiches we could have made at home and they would have been much tastier and less expensive.
I can't say that I would like to eat at Java Green again but I might have to just so I can justify my opinion about the place. The most disappointing thing about our whole experience is probably that we had two friend with us that are not vegetarians. Having them have a bad experience at a vegetarian restaurant fails to show them that there is really great veggie food out there. If you haven't yet tried Java Green and plan to do so, I would recommend trying it out for yourself first before taking anyone with you- especially if you plan to go with non-veggie friends
Pros: large menu, good drinks & smoothies, Eco Cafe
Cons: long wait , not so great service, bland food
Guest
vtcodajeff
Points +24
ecologically progressive yet social inept - Edit
This restaurant is within walking distance of the Farragut North (red line) metro station. Food is excellent. My classmates and I from the Linguistics Department at Gallaudet University had a late lunch to celebrate the end of the semester. My Deaf colleagues have difficulty ordering because there are no paper menus to point to---- a fine example tree-hugger extremism trumping diversity once again. I vote revoke their PETA Progressive award!
Read morePros: price
Cons: communication
Guest
cauliflowerpower
Points +37
a raw food oasis! - Edit
i love this place! a huge raw food selection with wonderful smoothies and juices. the staff made us feel really welcome and even gave us hugs when we left. i plan to enjoy the beautiful raw food at java green every time i am in d.c. from now on!
Read morePros: staff!, raw food!, fresh juices!
Cons: limited raw desserts, small space
Guest
DC Vegan
Points +345
A shadow of its former self - Edit
I live in DC and used to work downtown, so I would visit Java Green as frequently as I could afford--it's always been expensive, but the food was good, the people were friendly, and you got your food fairly quickly. I also like to support all-vegetarian locations, and except for organic cows' milk as an option and some dairy cheese, you can be assured of getting a vegan meal.
Read moreIn the past year or so, all that has changed. It doesn't matter if you ask that they make food milder than indicated on the menu, it won't happen. It's not unheard-of to wait over half an hour for your food, with little explanation. When I was there last, in mid-August, one person in my group waited over an hour for his sandwich, with no apology or compensation. The food is not as good as it used to be--the raw pizza which was so good the first time I had it became some mishmash of veggies, a nut cream, a nut "crust" and bitter kale chips. The food is still very expensive, but not nearly as good as it used to be.
I'm glad I discovered the orange "chicken" they use is really the VegeUSA Citrus Spare Ribs that I can buy at my local Whole Foods. I can eat that at home.
I hope they can make some changes to bring it back to where it used to be. Until they do, I probably won't be back at Java Green.
Pros: Good location, Mostly vegan
Cons: Small space, Rude service, Expensive
Guest
felmotes
Points +38
Quaint little vegan/raw cafe - Edit
I ordered the Tofu/Avocado wrap, the Spicy Kale Salad, and the Vanilla Soymilk Shake.
Read moreThe wrap was nothing mind-blowing, but it was a nice fresh lunch. It had a sauce inside that was quite spicy. The wraps are so big that they are quite messy to eat; they fall apart. And the produce used inside them is very fresh.
The spicy kale salad was delicious. It was topped with seaweed and surrounded with mandarin oranges. WARNING: if you don't like spicy food, do not order this salad! But if you do... you will LOVE it. You just feel healthier as you eat it.
The shake was good too. I would have preferred the raw nutmilk shake to the soy one, but the raw vanilla nutmilk shake was $12!!! Ouch!
They have free water there out of a cooler. Their plastic cups and utensils are made out of corn, so the restaurant is pretty eco-friendly.
I'd definitely go back again for lunch if I'm in the DC area. You can sit outside if it's a nice day.
WARNING: they get quite busy around lunch time, so try to go either right before the rush or right after.
Pros: raw menu, mostly vegan, eco-friendly
Cons: you wait on yourself, it's very busy around lunch, the raw menu is expensive!
Guest
orchid53
Points +58
hit or miss - Edit
I've had some great stuff here, and I've had some stuff I didn't want to eat. All the salads I've tried are good. The wraps are hit or miss with me. Sandwiches are tiny and overpriced.
Read moreThe line during the lunch rush is super long and I'd never wait for their food if it was raining/cold because it can be out the door. You have to get in a line to order food and then another line to pay...its a small space so there isnt much room to wait if you are carrying out, especially if its winter and people aren't eating outside.
Pros: healthy food, great salads
Cons: chaotic, overpriced
Guest
SirJustinian
Points +65
Good stuff - Edit
Very good food and a nice selection of raw options that cannot be found in most places. An easy jaunt from the Farragut Metro stop. If you are in the area you should definitely stop in for a quick bite!
Read morePros: Good taste, quick service
Cons: Limited seating, some items pricey
Guest
ashleyhansen
Points +34
EAT HERE SOON! - Edit
This is hands down my favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurant in DC. If you are visiting DC, go out of your way to get to Java Green! Even my meat loving friends enjoy the soy meats here, really! I love the Chicken Java sandwich and the noodle soup bowls are huge and yummy too.
Read moreI read the negative review below. Yes the Chicken Java is spicy, but it has a chili symbol next to it to let you know that. Most things aren't spicy and will be without the chili symbol. If you want your sandwich, soup, etc. spicy add the special java sauce, it's great. Yes, the bathroom is in the basement of the office building. Greasy smell, I've never noticed since the people are so great including DJ the caretaker! And yes, it is a order at the counter and they then bring your food to your table. The place only seats about 15-20 people inside and it can feel cramped. It's great when it is nice outside and you can sit at the outside tables, it more than doubles the seating available!
DJ has recently updated the menu with raw foods.
Pros: Yummy food, 3 blocks from Metro, Huge menu variety
Cons: limited seating, lunch time has long lines, can seem expensive
Guest
marybheine
Points +97
Not worth the journey - Edit
Sigh...another wasted trip to try this place. I really read the reviews, and each one was raving about this place, so I thought I'd really enjoy it. No, I did not. There was a heavy grease smell in the air, so now my clothing and coat reek of it. No bathrooms here, so you have to exit the restaurant, and use the bathroom in the basement. OK, I was told by the cashier that the most frequent item people had was the "chicken java", which was put into a panini style sandwich with vegan cheese, roasted red pepper, fake chicken meat (it was sooooo tough, it was difficult to actually swallow), and to ruin it, it was flavored in a hot chili sauce. I am not a spicy food eater, so I was really disappointed. But even if I had ordered it plain, it would still be tough and chewy. So, I spent $31 in cab fare to try the place out. Very limited seating, I sat facing the window, wishing I had gone somewhere else. Maybe this would have been fine if I was already in the area, but it really was a take-out kind of place. Is there any way that Happy Cow can separate those restaurants that are sit-down, waiter served experiences, to the sandwich fast-food palaces? I hope I spare one innocent person from making the trip there. At least both my Ethiopian cab drivers made up for it in personality.
Read morePros: in a busy well-traveled area, window seats, leaving afterwards
Cons: heartburn causer, tough fake chicken, bathroom not in restaurant
Guest
burbank_spiffers
Points +47
Almost Heaven - Edit
Perfect place - the menu is huge and you can eat everything! And it's *very* good. Very eco-friendly - they give you stoneware and real utensils when you eat in. They are powered w/ wind power.
Read moreAlso very fair trade friendly - all clothing provided to the employees is union made, and all coffee and chocolate is fair trade. The owner is very nice.
Perfect!
Pros: Mostly vegan, food is unbelievably good!!!, Fair trade and eco friendly
Cons: They don't serve alcohol!
Guest
jjamie79
Points +39
Not to be missed - Edit
This restaurant was really good. The food was excellent and the staff was actually very friendly. My extremely picky children had the popcorn chicken and they scarfed it down. Everyone in my party tried a different item and no one was dissapointed. One of our orders was messed up and the staff was really good about fixing it. They seemed genuinely interested in providing great service. I would definitely eat there again when in the area.
Read morePros: Great food, Fair Prices
Guest
vegan-nutritionista
Points +45
AMAZING!! - Edit
I grew up in the DC area and absolutely love Java Green. Although I don't live there now, I still crave it. Everything on their menu is delicious.
Read moreMy sister and I think their salad with berries and nuts is one of the best we've ever had (and we've had quite a few!) I love the wraps. If you are looking for a fake chicken or tuna salad, Java Green's come extremely close to the real thing. On their brunch menu, the tofu scramble and sausage is tasty.
Also, their smoothies are great. Nothing but good things to say!
Guest
khb
Points +141
Good food, if you know what to order - Edit
I'm glad this place is here. It has some really nice food, and it's one of those rare places that serves good, basic, all-fruit smoothies, without any "protein powder" or "electrolyte mix" or any of that nonsense. Now, for the things I wish I had known before I went here: The sandwiches are extremely small. Don't expect one to be a filling meal - either order a side dish or just get something else entirely. The rice bowls and lunch boxes and such cost only a couple dollars more, but you get a lot more food. The menu is heavily centered on mock meat. It's very good mock meat, but they just serve it straight out of the package, without doing anything interesting with it. It seems like what they call "chicken" is really May Way vegetarian citrus spareribs - which are good stuff, but nothing whatsoever like chicken. Finally, all their efforts to present themselves as environmentally friendly (they call themselves an "organic eco cafe" which seems a bit pompous) are undermined by the fact that they serve out-of-season vegetables that obviously had to be transported long distances. If they really want to be socially responsible, why are they serving asparagus year-round?
Read morePros: fruit smoothies, healthy veggie food
Cons: small sandwiches, mock meat out of the package, out-of-season veggies
Guest
pheasance
Points +295
Grilled "chicken" to die for - Edit
I look forward to DC trips so I can visit Java Green. I love the grilled "chicken" sandwich so much that I haven't been able to convince myself to try many other items.
Read moreThe food is a great draw on its own, but each time I go I learn something new about how this business is contributing to the community, whether it's something as simple as charging for menus so people are more conscious about the resources involved, or contributing to Compassion Over Killing, or using green power or Earth-friendlier packaging.
I was pleased to note they have a variety of flavors of kombucha, and there are always yummy vegan chocolates available for dessert.
Pros: delicious food, green business practices, mostly vegan
Cons: closed Sundays, super-busy at lunch
Guest
happyherbivore
Points +92
too close for comfort - Edit
if you liked the taste of meat, this is the place for you. my vegan hubby and i thought the sammies tasted so much like meat we asked them 2x to make sure it wasn't. it was too dead on for us to really enjoy it.
Read morethe chai tea i had, however, was fantastic
Pros: eco friendly, mostly vegan, friendly staff
Cons: pricey $9 sammie, limited seating, no parking
Guest
darrek
Points +37
Great food - Edit
Excellent vegan options and some of the best fake meat I've ever had. They're now open for dinner. Convenient to Farragut West Metro if you're running in for lunch from the mall like I did.
Read morePros: Fake meat, desserts, freindly staff
Cons: Very busy at lunch
Guest
VeganTex
Points +215
Java Green - Edit
Good place, great sandwhiches/wraps. If you are in DC on vacation and looking for a veggie meal stop by this place for lunch!
Read more-VeganTex
Guest
condekedar
Points +9911
Fresh, light, tasty - Edit
What an excellent joint, right in the center of DC. The menu is extensive, with wonderful sandwich, soup and salad options, along with some traditional entrees. Their grilled "chicken" sandwich was fresh and light, while their California gimbob sushi tray was delicious, subtle and complex. Their desserts are tasty but not mind-blowing; I found their blueberry cheesecake a bit dry and flat, but their vegan brownie was super-soft and smooth. Prices are reasonable, especially for its downtown location. Overall, a superb cafe that needs more outlets around the country!
Read morePros: Taste, Freshness, Price
Cons: Limited hours, Limited seating
Guest
imeatingmyhead
Points +29
Best Meal I've Ever Had - Edit
The fake chicken sandwich is absolutely amazing. the service was a little unfriendly, but everything is vegetarian and they have a huge selection.
Read morePros: wide variety, vegan/vegetarian, very tasty
Cons: unfriendly, odd hours
Guest
chanmeng
Points +35
Nice - Edit
Had their chicken ramen -- a bit too salty, and I wish they'd been more generous with their broccoli. Their chocolate soy shake was yummy. They forgot our order of ice ginger tea, but apologized profusely for it. Overall a nice place. Will go back again, when I'm back in DC.
Read morePros: Interesting menu, Fast Service, Nice staff
Cons: Crowded, Small portions
Guest
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