The Veggie Grill - Santa Monica

Enjoyed the nice weather while dining outdoors on a Beyond burger. Our non-vegetarian friends enjoyed the Buffalo wings.

Almost always have a positive experience here. They've raised prices in recent times, but overall it's the best vegan deal around. I like to order the Bali bliss which isn't on the menu anymore but they still make it. I did just order the quinoa power salad and some veggies were literally frozen. They're very good at rectifying issues when they arise though.

This location has all of the great food and service you would expect from a Veggie Grill but the parking is horrid. It's probably a function of being in LA but the lot only holds a handful of spaces that are shared with adjacent restaurants. There is metered street parking which is usually taken during the busy lunch hour. Other than that, it's all good. What this location would benefit from is a drive-through window.

Like all Veggie Grill's, not all of the food is healthy, so while delicious, there are some fattening entrees. It's good to check the nutritional content of the meals. They are also bringing in some lower calorie options which are great. I love this place and hope they do well.


Updated from previous review on Monday February 08, 2016

Simple and healthy vegan food at a very reasonable price. Especially considering it's all organic.

This was my first time at any Veggie Grill and I really liked it. A mix of healthy and less healthy vegan fare in a fast food tour of setting. I liked the Santa Fe chicken wrap and the soup of the day, red lentil, tasted do closer to something if make at home. If this were at home, if probably eat here ask the time.

I'm a VG fan in general, so customer service is typically the only difference between their locations. This location is only a couple of miles from the Santa Monica Pier. They have a free parking lot, and when I went on a Sunday, there were 2 hours of free street parking as well.

I was on my way back to AZ, so I got my food to go. I ordered a few Mexi mini-wraps, a Buffalo mini-wrap, Buffalo Wings, and a BLT (but with no tomatoes). I used some of my "Love," which is what they call their loyalty program, and got the BLT ($9.95) for free! Everything was packaged well for the trip home.

This location is one of their smaller ones, but it was very clean in both the dining room and the restroom. (They had eco-friendly Meyer's hand soap in the rest rooms. I love Meyers!) They have a completely covered patio area which overlooks Wilshire Blvd, for your people-watching pleasure.

The staff who I dealt with were not the friendliest, and the cashier seemed almost annoyed that I was using rewards for my entree item. Whatever.

I ate my Buffalo mini-wrap while I was on the road and it was ok; the tortilla was a little tough. If I'm in the area again, I'd be willing to give them another try.

I haven't eaten an actual chicken sandwich in a number of years, but this is one of those places that makes a vegan version that would satisfy most carnivores. Also excellent drinks and desserts.

What can I say. McVegan has arrived. Decent Veggie Burger but for $10? Quality of "meat" seemed typical, no difference perceived with store purchased Morninstar Farms with some fixings on it.
Also went to Santa Monica location identical menu,pricing.

My partner and I stopped by and had a pretty good lunch here before heading out of town. Place was clean, staff very kind, food was tasty although not as healthy as I would've liked. Yes, the entire menu is vegan, but much of it is fried and uses fake meat/dairy products. It was all too processed for frequent visits, but OK for a little indulgence once in a while. They do have a couple of healthier soup and salad items. I also liked that you can opt for steamed kale instead of wheat bun for your burger. If you want a cruelty-free fast food fix, this IS the place.

Nope, it ain't healthy, but at least no animals were harmed. Also, it's probably less unhealthy than MOST fast food, just more unhealthy than what comes out of my kitchen. Whatever. It's a treat, and it's completely crowded with omnivores, which makes me so incredibly happy. They need to expand across the country. You know what would be a good place for one? San Francisco east bay. Oakland? Berkeley? HINT HINT. I feel like this chain could be successful anywhere.

I can't believe I didn't find this place before. Food is delicious, and served super fast. Nicely decorated inside and some tables on the balcony with street view to enjoy the warm nice Santa Monica sun.
I loved the kale salad and my 5 year old enjoyed the "Buffalo wings" so much...
We come here twice, but I wish I could go every day until I've tasted everything on the menu!

I had read about this place on happycow when it first opened and have eaten here many times. Here's my The Veggie Grill review.

First came here in December 2010 when this Veggie Grill location had just opened. Last trip here was this week, September 2012.

What I like about the Veggie Grill is the consistency in the food taste. I can always expect good taste each time. The quality control is quite incredible. The owners have really streamlined all the Veggie Grill locations, which I believe is a major key to their success. Same decor, same menu, and good taste that's delivered consistently.

I especially like the sweet potato fries with the creamy dressing, the big fat onion rings with a creamy ranch sauce, the Santa Fe crispy chickn burger, and the tempeh burger (forgot the name). The batter fried chickn tenders/fingers are yummy, and the lemonade is very refreshing. Good cookies, too.

My daughter and I also went in for the kids burger meal launch. I got myself a Bali Bliss (blackened tempeh burger) and for her the kids burger menu -- the burger is the same patty as the VG burger patty but without all the fancy stuff, just pickles. I took out the pickles, and my little girl enjoy it. Kids menu come with choice of side (we got sweet potato fries), choice of cold drink, and a little cookie.

The food is highly addictive and be a bit decadent (fried stuff and sweet stuff), but that's why we like it. If you want to be good, then order the salads or the non-fried stuff.

The people here are doing an amazing job.

I LOVED this place, like LOVEDDDDDD. The burgers were amazing, the chilli cheese fries were TDF, omgosh I was so full every time I ate here but it was totaly worth it. I kept having the VG-cheeseburger but next time I will try something else. I'm drooling at the memory.

soooo good! not what i was expecting! kind of an upscale decor but pretty laid back feel. the staff was very friendly and the food is GOOD! me and the person i went with shared out food and every thing other than the mac n cheese which was a little funky, was super good! made this vegan very happy! can't wait to go back!

I had the kale salad with chikin and it was absolutely amazing! The colors in the salad were great. The chicken noodle soup was nothing spectacular, just reg soup. The free sample carrot cake got a thumbs up.

I've brought my boyfriend here twice already, and he likes it too.

I call this place compassionate fast food because only human animals get hurt. The only thing I've been able to modify on the menu is the Baja Salad, but I fear even the quinoa is made with rice bran oil... (Get w/o dressing, avo, tortillas for a heart healthy meal) the soups all have earth balance in them... i'll never be going back here again for a $9 plate of lettuce and papaya...

I finally went to this location after a movie last night since its open until 10pm. There is free parking in back and its still quite lively before close. There is outdoor seating, too. The staff is well trained and they definitley have a winning business model = ruin the health of your customers to get their money just like mcdonalds, burger king, wendy's (actually I can get a baked potato there) taco bell, etc.

Veggie grill, its what people want, but its not what they need... there is no reason for added fats in the soups...

If you can make raw kale taste this amazing, then you have sold me. After two years of just ordering the All Hail Kale with Blackened Tempeh I decided to was time to venture outside the realm of the dark leafy green. Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' out of this world. The Buffalo Wings with creamy ranch- BOMB! Nachos, Thai Chickin Salad, The Moroccan Lentil Soup... It's endless. Oh my newest craving The VG Cheeseburger Eldorado Style with sweetheart fries. I am completely addicted to this place--In the healthiest way possible. Thank you Veggie Grill for creating a place that I can enjoy as much as my meat eating friends! Keep it up!

My first visit to the Veggie Grill in Santa Monica was last night and i thought it was awesome. Very simple menu and it was clear that great concern was taken with regards to quality (the cook burned my Bayou Chickin' but came out to explain why it was taking so long and offered me a free appetiser while i waited)

All the options looked appetising and i struggled to decide what to have! I want to go again and try something else as what i had was so delicious.

The only con i could agree with from previous reviews may be that they do seem to rely quite heavily on the 'fake meat' options. Not a problem for me really (although i love variation) but i had dragged along my carnivore boyfriend who really isn't keen on that sort of thing. He really enjoyed the chili and sweet potato fries though.

Overall - can't wait to go back again! Great service too and nice atmosphere

Discovering the Veggie Grill was a revelation - a vegan fast food chain with great food, great service, great atmosphere... I only wish some day they decide to expand all the way to Europe! The mac and cheese, the kale, the sandwhiches... I would've love to try every item on the menu.

I had the Bayou Chicken sandwich and I can't stop thinking about how delicious it was. It was almost concerning how convincing the chicken taste/texture was. I had to go back and get the menu to confirm I was in fact NOT eating real meat. I would highly recommend this place :)

I went to Veggie Grill for the first time and ordered the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' sandwich. Not only did it arrive at the table quickly, I was blown away by its taste. The chickin' almost made me feel guilty (it tastes so real), and the southwestern spiced vegan mayo adds the perfect kick to top things off. I'll definitely be back here again soon.

Love this restaurant. The veggie burger, chill out winds, sweet potato fries, and desserts are out of this world.

From the menu and prices, Veggie Grill looks like a slightly less expensive version of Native Foods (if that helps). There is a decent variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches (mainly burgers) in a clean, friendly space for a decent price ($40 for dinner for three, including appetizers). You order at the counter, take a number, and food is delivered to your table.

If you have any dietary restrictions, be sure to ask for their X-free menu. They've got a set of cards for gluten, soy, and nut allergies that tell you what items are free of that allergen and what items can be made free by requesting specific changes. This was awesome.

this place is nice because it's totally vegan. Even though they don't really advertise as all vegan, everything on the menu is. The outdoor dining is nice and the mac and cheese is pretty good.

The only thing I don't like is the heavy reliance on "fake" meats which are not really my style. However, the portobello sandwich and the bali style tempeh sandwich are great.

I met up with a non-vegan friend who loves VG and wanted to check out this newer location which is as awesome as the others. The bonus at this location is the easy free parking behind the building. The decor is the same IKEA like style as the other ones. We arrived right at 11am when they opened and stayed a couple of hours to chat and the place really filled up for lunch! Very popular spot already. My friend almost always gets the Santa Fe crispy chicken on a bed of kale. She loves it! I got the All Hale Kale salad with blackened tempeh which I've had many times before. It's a fabulous salad. I also had a side of the mac and cheese. YUM! Although everything they serve is so delicious. If you've never been to VG before, what are you waiting for? :-)

What can I say? Veggie Grill is the BEST. If I could give them 10 cows I would. Every location I've been to is amazing. Generally VG's are located in a mall or shopping plaza, not this one, you can find this VG conveniently located off of Wilshire, street parking was easy to find.

So I ordered the All American Stack ... yum yum yum!!! I ended my meal with one of their fantastic chocolate chip cookies too. I can't wait go back! Veggie Grill is one of the best fast food vegan restaurants.