- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Cafe Green
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Cafes Vegan, Cafes [Edit]
1513 17th St NW(between N P St & N Church St)
Washington, DC 20036
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
(202) 234-0505
- Nearest Transit:
-
Dupont Circle Metro Station (Red)
Farragut North Metro Station (Red)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
165 reviews for Cafe Green
Review Highlights
-
"The mac and cheese is great, so is the steamed kelp." In 44 reviews -
"again, one of the best gluten free dishes i've had." In 13 reviews -
"The girl got a Mango Kale salad which was equally delicious." In 8 reviews
Loading...
- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
165 reviews in English
-
Review from Jaemie D.
5/22/2012 3 photos
I recently came here with a friend who had been raving about this place for dinner. There was a nice outdoor patio and the service was friendly and very helpful.
I knew that this place was vegan, but was surprised at how good all of the food was! The vegan meat was just as flavorful and yummy as the real thing.
I ordered the kale and tofu bowl which was good and lite. My friend ordered the "cheesesteak" sandwich which was piled with delicious goodness. I could hardly tell that it was all vegan.
Another standout of the night was the ginger lemon iced tea. Usually I am all for the adult beverages, but sometimes you have to scale it back a little. The iced tea was nice and refreshing on a warm spring night.
There are lots of things left on the menu that I want to try! -
Review from Jane L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2012
Listen, I'm a proud carnivore. Show me a cute baby pig? I think of bacon. (Something wrong and twisted with me for sure). So vegan and vegetarian are usually vetoed by me.
This place is tasty though! The smoothies, hell even the Korean food (I'm Korean) is not bad! Granted, don't think it will taste exactly the same but it's a fairly good healthy interpretation. I had a bite of my friend's mac and kale, which was pretty tasty. -
Review from Erica M.
McLean, VA
5/4/2012
The melon juice was so good! (actually tasted like real cantaloupe instead of an overly sugary, thick drink.
Mung Bean pancakes were out of this world (did not taste "health food-y" at all!) -- with lots of veggies, yummy scallions and two delicious dipping sauces.
I got the Avocado panini, and the tempeh and vegan cheese made this simple sandwich super savory and yummy.
The staff was very friendly as well -- we thought we had left something behind, and they were so nice about it and even let us borrow their phone.
I love the homey, local atmosphere of Cafe Green, and can't wait to sample some things from their tempting, raw/vegan dessert menu! I'm definitely looking forward to coming back again in the near future! -
Review from Alexandra Y.
Silver Spring, MD
5/26/2012
The appetizers we had were ok and the cashew milkshake was wonderful however I am unable to tell you how the actual food was because after waiting for 2 hours we gave up and left. We also had to beg to get our water glasses refilled while we were waiting forever for our food.
The servers don't seem to know which sections they are working in and we had to flag someone down to actually take our order. She said, "I guess I will take your order". This place needs a serious overhaul in the organization department.
I have been assured that the food is great but I will not be returning to find out for myself. -
Review from Robert A.
San Luis Obispo, CA
5/14/2012
I respect the aspirations of this place (fresh, organic, vegan), but the one time I went there (Sunday afternoon around 6) the service was worse than bad. I never dine out looking for problems but they were glaringly obvious in every phase of my meal. Have to ask for a menu? Check. Have to ask for a clean replacement for my water glass? Check. Have to wait 25 minutes for a noodle bowl? Check. Have to ask a different server for my check? Check (I was told my server left for the day!). The bottom line; tasty jobche, terrible service. Visit at your own risk.
-
Review from Jenna M.
3/3/2012
I was so excited to find a menu for Cafe Green online: my lady and I had arrived in D.C. that afternoon and were totally wiped out from a week-long conference in Baltimore, so we wanted to get a delicious meal and then collapse in our hotel room. Both of us were totally drooling over the stuff Cafe Green had to offer, so as soon as we dropped our bags in our hotel room, we were off to dinner.
We should have been concerned when, upon arrival, three or four different staff members said to us, "Welcome to Cafe Green! We'll be right with you," as we stood awkwardly in the doorway. One host told us he was going upstairs to see if there were tables available, only to never reappear. Another said we could sit in a table up front as soon as it was cleaned off, but it never seemed to get cleaned off. When we were finally seated, after a lengthy, unexplained wait, it was at a really awkward couch thing on the second floor, with low glass-top tables at our knees. We mused that we'd be eating dinner on our laps -- just like home! -- and laughed nervously.
If only that were the worst of our troubles! Our server, who was really sweet and meant well, I'm sure, was easily the most awkward person in the whole world. I am a former art student, my girlfriend is a librarian, and we live in New York: so when we say someone is the most awkward person we have ever met, that is nothing to sneeze at. He made the most random conversation with us, as if we were best friends, and checked on us three or four different times during our meal. We were so uncomfortable. What waiter strikes up a conversation about bikes with their customers while they are midway through their dinner? It was very, very strange.
And the food was way worse than strange. We ordered the macaroni and cheese platter, which, for $15 (!) dollars, came with a handful of rubbery kale leaves that tasted like lemon juice and nothing else; an ice cream scoop of sweet potatoes that were LOADED with nutmeg and could have been pie filling; and some mushy, gluten-free noodles in a delicious-but-nothing-like-cheese tahini sauce. I could have made that meal at home, probably better, for $5.
My girlfriend ordered the Revolutionary Che "Chicken" sandwich, and for a dish named after a pretty fiery historical figure, this was bland, bland, bland. A pressed panini filled with Gardein faux-chicken (unseasoned, uncooked?), a few limp onions, and a handful of Daiya cheese. It was supposed to have two different chili sauces on it, but I tasted no heat, and no sauce of any kind for that matter: that sandwich was unbelievably dry. We choked it down because we were hungry and it cost $10.
We were going to order dessert but were disappointed to discover that they were out of ginger beer; the ginger beer float was the only thing on the menu that really appealed to us and seemed reasonably priced. We were going to order something else but thought better of it after our dinner experience.
The restaurant was super-warm, and the floors were really sticky. Overall: no way. I don't get the appeal of Cafe Green, and I sort of wished we had just gone to Whole Foods and gotten food from their prepared foods bar. We'd have saved a ton of money, time, and disappointment. Never again. -
Review from Rose K.
Washington, DC
4/18/2012
Hmm, I hadn't realized that I hadn't yet written a Yelp review for Cafe Green. I thought I had, so I'm not sure how that happened. Reasons I love Cafe Green 1) vegan food, 2) vegan brunch, 3) vegan nachos, 4) vegan mac and cheese, and 5) I seem to see Dennis Kucinich here each time I go. I've been here several times for my birthday dinner, and they are usually very accommodating, even with a large group. Last year, they arranged a family style meal of some of their more popular dishes for those of those that wanted it, with others ordering from the regular menu. I liked being able to try the different dishes. The year before they had just opened, and the air conditioning wasn't working, so it was a little miserable.
For brunch, I've had the Korean breakfast since it's different, though I'd like to try other options. Service seems to be a mixed bag (even times when it's just me), but my friend observes that many veg-friendly places tend to have horrible service. But Cafe Green is definitely a welcome presence - one of the few vegan restaurants in DC. -
Review from Karen A.
3/1/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Cafe Green is one hell of a place to get in touch with your inner green goddess! Everything I have ordered here is comforting, wholesome and cooked with care. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but some of my personal favorites include the macaroni and cheese with lemony steamed kelp, and the green soup (seaweed, spirulina, edamame, kale, spinach, basil, kimchi and brown rice or kelp noodles... Cafe Green, feel free to forward this recipe along to me ANY time ;) The Kale chips are delicious, as are the salads (the beet and berry salad is my personal favorite).
And then there is dessert. You MUST get dessert while at Cafe Green. The Raw Sundae is made with cashew-banana ice cream with various sundae toppings, and is absolutely decadent. The raw cheesecakes are also phenomenal. I am itching to try the raw cinnamon bun, ginger beer float, and root beer float!
One word of advice concerning dessert: if you come to Cafe Green toward the end of their dinner hours on a Friday or Saturday, ask your server to put in your dessert order EARLY. Every time I've had dinner here over the weekend, they've run out of certain desserts, especially the cheesecakes. The first time I ate dinner here was a Friday night, and I overheard our waitress mention that they were running low on certain menu items. I asked her if there was plenty of raw cheesecake, which is what I was having a massive craving for, and she said there was plenty left. By the time we got to the end of our meal they were out. I was pretty much devastated to say the least, but I won't knock a star off of my rating of Cafe Green, because they made up for it with their fantastic raw sundae!
The staff is very friendly and they seem to genuinely care about the quality of the food they send out to the tables. The prices are a little steep, but I usually don't mind since the quality of the food is worth it. Even if you are a meat and potatoes kind of person, I would challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and try Cafe Green. I guarantee you are going to be pleasantly surprised! -
Review from Susan H.
The Korean fusion dishes were above and beyond the best of what this organic vegan restaurant has to offer. I ordered the kim chee pancakes and my table mates ordered a sampler platter. Both were tasty but at $14 for two pancakes I felt it was overpriced. The other entrees were very very meh. We got the mac and cheese with kale and sweet potatoes which was underwhelming and the meatloaf was nothing special. Overall overpriced for what we got.
-
Review from Danielle S.
Ann Arbor, MI
1/15/2012
We went for brunch and to be fair, we went with friends who said that the dinner here is fantastic, so I'll reserve judgement on that. But the brunch was really really bad. I'm a vegetarian and am usually very tolerant of the natural variations that are bound to occur between real meat and its faux counterparts. The fake meat and eggs we had at Cafe Green, however, were essentially bland blobs of technicolor "food" that looked like something you'd see on a cartoon about a school lunchroom. The scramble (i.e., fake eggs made of tofu) was iridescent yellow (not even sure how they got it to be that color) and mushy. The fake meat was cold, really chewy, and bland. The pancakes were edible, but came with nothing: no fake butter, no syrup. So, in the end, also bland. It was one big pile of bland.
To make matters worse, our table was wobbly and we spilled drinks multiple times. The staff were nice, but a little slow and dazed, and took a long time to serve us and offered no solution for the wobbly table. The only redeeming feature was the spicy ginger tea. -
Review from Jim B.
Washington, DC
10/28/2011
I'm not vegan or vegetarian. I'll eat organic and local when I can, but don't sweat when I can't. And I love eating meat. I'll have 20 lbs of grass-fed beef in the freezer on any given day. I'm on the edge of the demographic for this place, but my girl and I decided to give it a go for some healthy eats for a Friday lunch.
Our server was super friendly the whole time. The place itself is clean and cozy. It seems like just a quick sandwich shop at first, but be warned that they have to whip up your food and you will be sitting there for a restaurant-length of time.
I had eaten a real beef burger literally 12 hours ago at a bar, so I had to give Cafe Green's "cheeseburger" a go - made of quinoa, lentils, kale, mushrooms and other veggies.
Did it taste like a regular burger? No, of course not. But it did taste really freaking good. Much, much better than the regular burger I had the night before. I was thoroughly impressed.
The girl got a Mango Kale salad which was equally delicious.
I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more items on the menu. Or just getting that cheeseburger again! -
Review from Julie S.
11/11/2011
Tasty, wholesome vegan food.
I don't live in DC, so I am sadly not a regular, but I have made it a point to come here on every DC trip and I will continue to do so! The food is great and freshly prepared (the kitchen is visible from the bar so you can even see the meticulous preparation!) And the menu is not your usual vegan restaurant in that it's not simply boring rice bowls or a long list of things "trying to be" their non-vegan versions.
I love the Korean-inspired menu, with glass noodles, vegan bibimbap, and lots of kale, shitake, and other nutritious veggies.
It's a tad bit pricey given the quality and portions of the food, but the atmosphere is nice and the service is pretty good, so ultimately, it's all fine.
Note to single diners: there is a great bar area and more casual seating right when you enter (as opposed to the main dining room upstairs), so you can pull up a seat at the bar, read a book, and eat alone. This is handy for folks like me who are often alone in DC for business purposes! -
Review from Kelli W.
Cambridge, MA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let's be clear...those of you who have read my other reviews know that I am a carnivore. As far as I am concerned, its not a meal unless there's a piece of beef, chicken, pork or fish on the plate! So how did I end up at Cafe Green and give it 4 stars, you ask? Here's the story....
A few weeks ago, I was in DC for business and agreed to meet a friend (who is vegetarian) for dinner. I'd been in the city a few days, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with friends, so I was tired of trying to figure out where to go and what to eat. I asked my friend to pick a place. When she suggested Cafe Green and I read about it online, I was kicking myself for not remembering that she is a vegetarian. I'm a good sport, however, so I go and make a mental note to figure out what I could eat after.
Well, Cafe Green was AMAZING! I would eat here again without reservation. We started with the Kale Chips, which were crispy and well seasoned. I then ordered the Mac & Cheese Platter: vegan mac & cheese, sauteed Kale and candied yams. OMG! It was wonderful. I mentioned my love of red meat, but my second love is dairy. I was very impressed by their ability to recreate mac and cheese that had a great flavor that did not make me miss the dairy AT ALL! I also had a side of corn bread, which was very good. Let's just say I ate nearly everything on my plate and there was no room for dessert (or a need to make a stop for more food after leaving). The portions are large and I found the prices to be reasonable.
The wait staff was very nice and helpful (I arrived about 15 minutes early and they happily seated me while I waited for my friend to arrive). Our server (who's name I have forgotten), was a super nice guy and very friendly. The food was a bit slow in coming, but my sense of the place is that its very laid back. If you are in a rush, this is not the place for you.
It's hard to believe I am saying this about a vegan restaurant, but I would definitely eat here again! -
Review from Virginia D.
El Cerrito, CA
10/25/2011
went here for dinner on the night of the High Heel Race-- this is a perfect place to park yourself to observe all the madness.... as a result it was PACKED & it took 2 hours for dinner. Blerg.
The food was bueno... I think they forgot the vodka in my cocktail, tho. TONS of good looking items, I had a hard time deciding! Yummy sesame salad (dressing is a bit spicy), AMAZING meatloaf & mashed potatoes, but very disappointing gluten free pumpkin cupcake-- it was dryyyyyyyyyyyyyy & not very flavorful :(
staff were clearly overwhelmed by the crowd, I had a new guy that knew next to nothing about the menu.
can't say much about the ambiance-- I guess they are trying to conserve energy or keep it all romantical, it was really freakin' dark downstairs (even after I asked about turning on the lights), upstairs seemed bright, hot & jumpin'
love their sister lunch spot, Java Green-- night have to stick to that. -
Review from Tom N.
10/18/2011
Any place with just several vegan options is fine in my book. Cafe Green has a huge all-vegan menu, plus gluten-free and raw food entrees as well. The waitstaff aren't very organized, but they're fun and friendly. Tables don't cover a lot of real estate, so large groups would have trouble here. There's a bit of outdoor seating and plenty of barstools inside. I ordered the starter platter to sample: mung bean pancakes were fine, mandoo dumplings were good, che bites were delicious (but very small.) Avocado sandwich was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, though the mozzerella is probably unnecessary. I wouldn't say their mac and cheese tasted great, but it's better than most vegan cheese sauces. Don't be surprised if the sauteed kale tastes like licking a lemon.
Cafe Green does have a nice bar menu. I ordered a Ginger Love cocktail which coupled organic vodka with their fresh raw lemon ginger tea. I feel as if I would have been happier with the tea by itself because the vodka didn't add anything to it. The mixed drink was very weak, but this isn't the sort of cafe you'd want to get trashed at anyway. All in all, food and drink was enjoyable though the climate control inside could use some improvement. -
Review from Mohamed M.
Atlanta, GA
12/23/2011
I went to Cafe Green for dinner while i was in DC for vacation and its amazing. The food is amazing and delicious, BUT if you go there please make sure to get a slice of chocolate cheesecake because its simply divine!!
You wont be disappointed their raw cheesecake is soooooo good omg i had to get two of them just so i can make sure it was that good. lol -
Review from dave r.
11/8/2011
17th Street Crappy Service Streak 3/3:
This mini-fiasco was much more tangental than the other three, so take this review with a shaker of (kosher) salt.
Basically after having frustrating times at Fox & Hounds and Agora, we tried to go here, but the service/hostess was all over the place. There were three tables waiting to give their orders, and we waited for ages (um 5 mins?... forever, clearly).
But the worst was that there was this couple who were sitting there with fresh food on their table and no silverware! (Or syrup for these massive yummy looking pancakes).
And that seemed like a crime worth reporting on. One cannot eat scrambled vegan "eggs" without silverware, and while you can probably shovel some pancakes in your face (they looked like they were "chocolate" chip or maybe nutty?), I'm not sure why you'd do so without syrup.
I will go back here to check it out properly, but Cafe Green, if I were you I'd hire another server! (not that you asked but i'mjustsaying....) -
Review from Swetha G.
4/7/2012
Had brunch here today and have to say, they can certainly make some tasty vegan food. We ordered the Korean breakfast and the Omelet breakfast and shared a tango acai raw smoothie. The texture of my omelet and the melted daiya cheese was surprisingly good. I also liked the sauteed mushrooms that came with it, the flavor was spot on. My best friend had something called boolgogi that came with her Korean breakfast dish, which I took a bite of and fell in love! Her dish also had a little cup of sweet dijon sauce and with the boolgogi, it was amazing. I actually liked it soo much I asked for a side order of it. The tango acai smoothie was delicious too. I'm not giving this place a higher rating because it was kind of a bummer that the entire raw section of their menu was inaccessible and also their juicer was broken, so you couldn't have any juice drinks either. Another thing I wasn't so thrilled about was how close the seats were inside, felt like everyone near us could hear us though we weren't talking that loud. Other than that the Cafe Green was a nice place for a meal and the staff were friendly, so wouldn't mind going back.
-
Review from Tracy B.
Washington D.C., DC
2/15/2012
The good: The Jobche is amazing. How do they do that with yams? YUM! I made a mistake by ordering the tempeh- go with what you know and love: Tofu. The flavor of the kale was lemony and fantastic. I don't know how they do that with flavors. The mung pancakes are also INCREDIBLE. It's so tough to find gluten free vegetarian food (granted I like meat, but indulging my inner vegetarian self is so hard to do). The Spicy Thai noodles: As expected with pad thai: awesome.
Next up: Gnocchi di Riso. I haven't had Gnocchi in the 2 years since I've been gluten free. Also the Duk-Bok-Gi looks like the Korean flare of this and will definitely be in the rotation.
I can't wait to bring those who fear health food for the mac and cheese, veggie chili, and nachos (and pad thai of course.
The bad: Not a fan of the Green soup. Maybe it was the poor choice of oddly crunch Kelp noodles or the oily broth or the weird flavor, but it wasn't my favorite.
The ugly: No one ever answered the phone or called me back when I left a message. I ended up driving and ordering for pickup, but it would be nice to know I could call in for future pick up orders if needed. -
Review from Lauren C.
Updated - 7/31/2011
The second time wasn't the charm....so maybe the third will be? The waitress started out by giving us a laundry list of all of the things they were out of. I've waited many a table before and I know that you should wait to see what the diners order before announcing things that are 86'ed, especially when there is so much!
I ended up asking what there was that I could actually order and picking from that. I got the jobche noodles. I asked for baked tofu on top. They arrived without it. I asked again. It arrived 15 minutes or better later as I was finishing up my entree. A friend ordered a live green juice when we sat down and that too came as we were finishing up. We ate between normal meal hours (around 3:30), so maybe that's why?
The servers seemed more worried about sweeping around our feet than getting our food. I'm so sad. I'm only going to give Cafe Green one more try... Java Green is delicious and amazing, so I'm hoping this place can get to that point too.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/17/2011
I really wanted to be as in love with this place as I am with Java Green, but after my first… Read more »
-
-
Review from Soo C.
Arlington, VA
2/15/2012
Ok. I didn't understand why everyone was raving about this place until I tried it for the first time tonight and I love this place! The service was excellent! Everyone that I encountered there was friendly and helpful. The food arrived quickly as was delicious! I never expected to enjoy vegetarian food so much and their kim chi, mandoo and kim chi pancakes were yummy! I will most definitely be making regular visits to Cafe Green!
-
Review from Andrew W.
Bethesda, MD
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Generally speaking, I like having some sort of animal product on my plate at meal time...at the very least, cheese will do. But, my SO is vegan, and that means sometimes I have to go to a place like this with her. Usually, I try to sneak a cheeseburger or slice of pizza into my belly beforehand. BUT, we went to Cafe Green the other day, and I had no such opportunity. I was stuck eating at CG, and I must admit that my meal was pretty amazing. I had the nachos grande (with vegan cheese) and I thoroughly enjoyed it...so much so that I offered to take her there tonight for dinner. Sorry animals, this is one place where I can do without you.
-
Review from Samantha D.
Washington, DC
7/28/2011
For every person who has ever said to me, "I never can go vegan - what would I do about the CHEESE!?"
My response will now, and forever more, be - go to Java Green, order the mac and cheese, and leave all of us faux-vegans* alone.
I've been to cafe green twice. Once I ate outside and once inside. Both times were delicious. And both times the owner came over and said hello. He seems really tuned into everything that's happening in the restaurant which I'm sure lends itself to the great experiences I've had here.
Java Green has a real commitment to veganism, organic food, and sustainability. So you should feel good shoveling in that ooey gooey mac and cheese (also check out the soul food platter and the Che sandwich). You're making healthy/progressive/yummy choices (Like buying jeans from BWL, this basically makes up for all those long showers you took when you were cold).
*What would I do about the breakfast burritos with the EGGS and the SOUR CREAM!? -
Review from Melanie K.
Austin, TX
6/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
If this restaurant (or its attitude/approach) had been among my early encounters with veganism, it probably would have taken me much longer to become a one.
I read the top few reviews on here but thought, "I can't live within blocks of a vegan restaurant and never try it, especially if the food is all right."
Well first of all, the food is not all right. And the portions are not just small by American standards (which was my assumption when I read other reviews). They are COMICAL. I ordered the $10 raw pizza starter, and it is the diameter of a bagel yet served on a white standard-size dinner plate (it could fit on a teacup saucer). Even if that amount of food for $10 was acceptable, only an idiot who knows nothing about presentation would've put it on that plate, esp. without any garnish so the naked white plate around it makes it seem even more sad and pathetic. It did not even taste good. The bread they used was dense and dry. On the first bite, I could taste the nuances of the various ingredients through the thick smear of guacamole, but by the last I tasted nothing but avocado (and the slice of cherry tomato).
The service wasn't awful because it was mid-day, but both other tables upstairs with me ran into problems. First, the waitress ran an entire check on one girl's card when she was supposed to be splitting it between the girl and her friend. Then a man ordered a milkshake (like $10-11 I think) that came out mostly ice. Neither got upset because it's a Saturday and people drawn to places like this are usually pretty cool (unlike the place itself). But the waitress barely apologized and sort of just made excuses and expected them to deal with it (e.g., "yeah our barista is still in training...").
The vibe is both self-indulgent and austere. This is a common mistake of restaurants branding themselves as eco-conscious, but it is avoidable (see Green in Phoenix, the best vegan restaurant ever). Glasses of water served at room temp or even kind of warm without ice. Why bother giving people water like that at all (esp. before they even ask for it)? You're just wasting it + having to run the dishwasher, so it's not really advancing anything. I order iced tea and get a strange cranberry colored, tangy flavor that tastes watered down and has no caffeine. They do not offer any kind of sweetener. Not your traditional 4-color caddy of sugar packets. Not a bowl of raw sugar or normal sugar. Not stevia or anything. What is that. Oh, did I mention the iced tea was $3 and the only refill I got was as I was leaving, in a to-go cup?
Bottom line is I won't come back and I will discourage non-vegans especially from going. Because I think this place is so preoccupied with puritanical "green"-ism that it forgets the importance of winning people over to the movement and to veganism, which is not just about health or the environment but also animal cruelty (at least the animals eaten get to die instead of living God-knows-how-long in torturous misery). -
Review from Lisa T.
Washington, DC
Updated - 6/6/2011
Back to two for you, Cafe Green. Your service has been increasingly abysmal and your food quality (and availability) unpredictable. Sad really for the vegan community who pinned such high hopes on you. Would be nice to see you respond here, especially given the consistent complaints regarding the service.
Until I hear or read of major changes, I'm done with hoping this place gets better and won't go back.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
1/24/2011
I'm revising to three stars. It's still not where it should be, but Cafe Green is doing a bit… Read more »
-
-
Review from Michelle G.
7/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was visiting Washington DC, and my friend is a gluten intolerant dairy free non-vegan that lives in Virginian. I was really excited to show her Cafe Green because I heard about all of their great gluten free options (but hadn't been there before either). She LOVED it. I was so happy to hear about all of her repeat visits afterwards.
We started off with the mung bean pancakes (gluten free) and a plate of Nachos con Queso (for me.) They were both such great options, though I would skip the mung bean pancakes in the future.
We also ordered a "side dish" of cheesy macaroni. Side dish is in quotes, because the portions were much bigger than that term implies! The decent salt balance, and rich creamy texture made for something totally delicious.
And finally, one of the tastiest dishes I've eaten, the gluten free gnocchi. Just heavenly. Basil, green onions and a savory sauce, with little flavourful gnocchi... it was hard not to totally stuff ourselves with it.
After all of that, we shared a peanut butter chocolate banana smoothie. Totally yummy, but very rich. -
Review from Lekia T.
Glenn Dale, MD
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazing! This was my first time going to an all vegan restaurant and I was beyond impressed. So impressed that I have went back twice in the last couple of weeks. The food is really good and service is great! They are really good at walking "first timers" through the menu and suggesting great food and drinks.
-
Review from Rachel L.
Montgomery Village, MD
1/28/2012
Great vegan restaurant! Everything I have eaten here so far has been delicious. I love the avocado temptation sandwich with tempeh, so delicious. Great vegan nachos too. I love the range of options, so no matter what you are in the mood for, there is something there for you. The only thing is the service. The servers are always really sweet and nice, but not very efficient or professional. I ordered the gnocchi on one visit and it wasn't until the rest of the food was brought to the table that waitress mentioned that they were out of it for the evening. I love the food, but the service could use work.
-
Review from Felix Y.
Alexandria, VA
9/11/2011
Came here with a friend last night, and had a generally good experience except for issues with one dish.
The menu here at Cafe Green is surprisingly varied, with Korean influences of all things! The menu online is shorter / smaller than what you get at the restaurant, so I encourage folks to go to the restaurant to check out the full list.
I ordered a soy chocolate milkshake (which was very tasty and rich), and an Asian sesame salad with "bulgogi" (their vegetarian / gluten-free imitation of beef). The "bulgogi" was tasty, even though the texture was a bit funny (to be expected when you get imitation "meat" of this sort). The greens were fresh, and the salad dressing was applied at the appropriate amount. No complaints on my end.
My friend was less satisfied. She ordered the bibimbob, but her dish wasn't warm at all. To the restaurant's credit, they gave her a completely new dish as replacement (instead of just popping her dish into the microwave). Unfortunately, the replacement wasn't much better temperature-wise. The sprouts also needed a bit more trimming - they came with REALLY long stems which made for a rather inconvenient eating experience.
In terms of the peripherals: They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. The atmosphere was comfortable, and service was diligent. Prices were very reasonable too.
This is the sister restaurant to Java Green on 19th Street. Their hours are a bit different, so make sure you check the website and confirm before making plans. (Cafe Green has better coverage on the weekends).
Even though I don't think my friend enjoyed Cafe Green, I would be happy to return and recommend this place to others (even my meat-eating friends). -
Review from Claire G.
Washington, DC
Updated - 6/13/2011
My second time here upped my star rating.
The food is fantastic (reminder: I am in no way a vegan, I just eat like one occasionally). This time I had the mac n cheese with corn bread. It was absolutely mouthwatering! My friend had the veggie meatloaf and said it was super yum, also. Her husband had a chili dog, which he gobbled down pretty fast. I'm definitely trying that next time! The food here really is delicious.
Service is friendly and nice, though not as fast as I'd like. Especially if you order drinks from the bar when you're at a table. It took a really long time for those to get dropped. We had to ask the waitress to go check for us. And there seemed to be some confusion as to who's section we were in but that was no big deal.
I really like this place. I feel like I'll probably get a craving for the mac n cheese and end up there without any of my vegan friends to act as ambassador. :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/28/2010
I'm a meat eater that came here with a vegan friend of mine who recommended it, and I have to say I… Read more »
-
-
Review from Erica B.
6/28/2011
The night before coming here, I read through the yelp reviews and got a little nervous...
Happily, it seems that Cafe Green has gotten the kinks worked out! All of the food was delicious, the dishes came out in a well-timed manner, portions were generous, everything was the temperature it was supposed to be (icy smoothie, piping hot panini), and the service was great. Our waitress was attentive and friendly.
My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The prices aren't cheap ($50 for 2 people, no booze or desserts) but for the quality and quantity, it was fair.
We also ordered way too much food! Thinking that side dishes would be small portions, we decided to start with 2 sides - the mac and cheese and the boolgogi. Generally, cheese substitutes don't rock my boat. I'm not a vegan and totally love cheese. Additionally, I have never before tasted gluten free pasta and was not optimistic about the experience.
So color me surprised; this was impressive mac and cheese! The sauce was creamy and rich tasting and the pasta was excellent - I would have never guessed that it was gluten free.
The boolgogi had a great toothsome texture. I think it may have been some kind of seitan. It left me eager to try their steak and cheese sandwich on a future visit.
These sides were huge! You could easily pair either of them with a small salad and have a filling meal.
For our entrees, my friend had the Free Bird Che, which was tasty, and I had the meatloaf - which was the star of the show. The lentil and veggie-heavy meatloaf came on a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, covered in a flavorful mushroom gravy. This was stick-to-your-ribs satisfying vegan comfort food.
Sadly, we had no room left for dessert. Next time, we'll be more judicious with our ordering, because I am looking forward to trying their carrot cake (and their corn bread, salads, chili, cheeseburger....) -
Review from Nico M.
Washington, DC
4/4/2011
For a vegan place, the food is ok. I found it overly salty but that was just me. And I was not super impressed with the portions for the price but whatever. That was not my biggest issue. Here are a few grievances I have about this place.
My first issue is the name. CAFÉ Green says to me, casual food stop with a coffee like bar. SO, imagine my shock when I walk in on a Friday night and someone greets me at the door at 5pm and asks me if I have a reservation. RESERVATIONS? I ask. FOR A CAFE? Yes. They are pretty much required so don't just mosey in off the street like me thinking you can grab a quick bite here. This is a popular full-fledged restaurant.
Next was the seating- most of it is upstairs and we were sat at this café like table but since I now realize I am getting a full meal here- I do not want to bend all the way to the floor to eat. Those seats are trendy but NOT comfy. I'm not lounging with a martini here! The rest of the night was an equal debacle with the server forgetting we were there and not putting our order in. We were stuck in this café for over 2 hrs but I am sure that was a fluke thing and he apologized profusely for it. So all is forgiven but I won't be coming back here. -
Review from Adrienne T.
Washington, DC
5/7/2011
I love Cafe Green for their mindful considerations and compassionate ethos. Yes, sometimes they're out of certain ingredients, but that's because they're committed to buying local products and sometimes that means no strawberries in January.
Bottom line: good food, great vibe, attentive (albeit slow) service, and warm fuzzies for the mind and body! Menu highlights: kale chips, mac and cheese, kelp noodle soup, cookie sandwich, and carrot cake. -
Review from JuJu S.
Washington, DC
4/14/2011
This place was kind of a disaster zone in so many ways. They were out of almost half their dishes or ingredients for the dishes, the service was really slow (or kind of mean) and it seemed like there was chaos happening in the kitchen for the customers to see.
The food was okay but definitely not worth the price. The entrees were more like an appetizer at other places.
I heard from others who had a groupon that they were very unprepared to accommodate it. On the last day they weren't allowing take out even though there was 2-3 hour wait, people were cutting the lines and they ran out of A LOT of food. Not cool! -
Review from Jenny T.
7/11/2011
SOLID organic milkshakes. Had the blueberry and cashew shakes before. Definitely going back to try some of the other ones (and the coconut milk...!!)
The food was pretty good. Although I've been on a seafood-only phase for the past 5.5 years, I *rarely* enjoy vegetarian/vegan restaurants...but I will hand it to Cafe Green.
I also wanna go back and try all their raw food options, only because it soundsss interesting. The staff is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere downstairs is chill, and upstairs can be more romantic-y and intimate.
Minus one star because it's pricy. -
Review from Thuy L.
Washington, DC
3/17/2011
Play CeeLo's "Forget You" and fast forward to the part where he sings... WHY???? WHY??????? WHY???????????
That's exactly how I feel about this place. Being a sister restaurant to Java Green, I expected so much more. I am not a vegan chef, but surely vegan food can taste better than this. I mean, they have vegan food at java green and it's better. At the very least, offer the same dishes.
I recommend that there be a soba noodle or sweet potato noodle dish with vegetarian bulgolgi and a toasted sesame salad. I would be down for that. Please revamp the menu! -
Review from Jeffrey B.
Washington D.C., DC
7/7/2011
Very solid choice.
I saw the avocado temptation and was unable to resist. I enjoyed it to the greatest extent possible which was a fair bit... since it was quite good. In the past few months of acquired a fever, avocado fever. I needs the avocado. Unfortunately, this sandwich had to compete against my first tempeh love, the tempeh panini at Busboys and Poets. -
Review from Rick H.
Washington, DC
10/26/2011
Wonderful. Delicious. Great value. I've just recently attempted to follow a vegan diet purely for the sake of my health and longevity. I've become quite a good vegan cook but it's so nice to venture out and have someone else do the kitchen work. I've walked by Cafe Green dozens of times and have never entered their door. Last Friday (October 21, 2011) my boyfriend, who is also becoming a vegan, decided to give Cafe Green a try. We loved it. We had such a hard time believing the entire menu was vegan, but the waitress assured us. We tried the raw pizza for our appetizer and loved the tangy tomato flavor and the texture of the crust. For our main course he got the Kimchi Bo-kem-bob with Boolgogi and I had the Veggie Meatloaf & Potatoes. We both were jealous of the others food! I simply loved the flavors and the textures of everything. The prices were extremely reasonable. Our food (shared appetizer and two entrees) along with a bottle of sparkling wine came to just about $35 per person. This is less than we'd have paid at most other restaurants in DC and we had the benefit of walking away with no animal products or crazy preservatives in our bodies.
The only demerits I would give Cafe Green/Java Green is that the service was a bit below optimal. I guess it was standard fare for DC but still below what should be. Why do we, as paying customers, continue to put up with such crappy service in this city? I entered the front door not knowing where to go or who to talk to. The major reason for me not entering the establishment in the past is that there is nothing specific to tell me what the place is: Is it Java Green or Cafe Green? Is it a coffee shop or a restaurant? So when I walked in and saw a bar and a few high-top tables, but no dining area, I was confused. There was a man behind the bar who basically ignored me and when I finally got his eye I asked him, "Is there a host whom I'm supposed to speak to in order to get a table?" He replied with a frown then a grunt (maybe the order was reversed) and mumbled something that sounded like "go upstairs" then turned around and showed me his back. I wanted to leave the place immediately. Instead I went upstairs and once again had to make the first move in order to get one of the three staff who were gathered in the small area at the top of the steps to acknowledge me. I entered the restaurant alone but told the hostess/waitress that I was waiting for someone, and that I needed a table for two. I was finally shown to a seat near the front windows but had to wait at least another 5 minutes for a menu. When the waitress came back and asked if I was ready to order I told her that I was waiting for my partner but that I would like to order the raw pizza and a bottle of Caster Brut Cava. My boyfriend arrived shortly thereafter. The waitress came back within a minute of his arrival and asked if we were ready to order. He'd been at the table for less than one minute! I simply (and very nicely) told the waitress that we'd need a few minutes but to please just proceed with the pizza and the bottle of Cava that I'd already placed. It took nearly another 10 minutes for the wine and the pizza. I was having a nice conversation with my boyfriend so I was not too alarmed...but it was getting a bit strange. Our pizza arrived but we had no plates, utensils or napkin. We didn't say a word...just ate the delicious pizza. Our entrees arrived a bit later and were brought to the table by different server. She immediately realized that we didn't have anything utensils or napkins and got some for us. The bottle of Cava simply sat on the table with no ice bucket and no one ever came to pour more for us. I'm not trying to be a snob here but I do hope the wait staff does get some more training. To be fair, our waitress was a friendly woman and did enter into fun conversation with us. We did not complain to her about anything.
The food was very good and we will certainly return. On the way out there was a very friendly woman sitting near the front door that exclaimed, "Thanks for coming and have a good night." Her smile and warmth were infectious and so we left Cafe Green with full bellies, happy hearts, and healthy bodies. -
Review from Kelley P.
Arlington, VA
7/18/2011
I have celiac disease so am ALWAYS looking for good places to go with gluten free options, i had heard of cafe green so had been wanting to go, and last month i also decided to become vegetarian.. so this weekend my boyfriend (a huge meat eater) decided to go.
He obviously wasnt as excited as i was- but the menu had so many choices. He got the chili and loved it. I got the avocado and cucumber soup which was one of the best things i have ever tasted. I also got the "free temptation" which was made with rice bread... again, one of the best gluten free dishes i've had.
It's a tad pricey, and the service wasnt the best.. we waited well over 5 mins before being greeted by a waiter after being seated.. and when i asked about the soup of the day he said "i dont know" i said well can you check? he said "i guess.." Food came out in good time.. i will be going back much more.. the rest of the staff seemed very nice and you never know what kind of day someone is having.. so i will not judge based on one waiter.
GO! next up.. going to try out java green! -
Review from Rachel P.
Washington, DC
7/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
A friend of mine, who's vegan, was visiting the city so I got a chance to try some of the vegan places I hadn't made it to before. Before going here I was a little confused as to whether this place is totally vegan (it is!) or just vegan-friendly because they don't use any euphemisms or weird spellings of 'cheese' and other ingredients on the menu.
Anyway, so we got there and I had a tough time deciding because everything looked great. I ended up getting the nachos (I got just con queso but they accidentally gave me them supreme - and I would recommend supreme) and also got to try the avocado temptation, the roasted potatoes, and the cole slaw. All the food was really tasty.
The service was decent and overall I liked the place. I want to try more of their stuff.
