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Categories: Restaurants, Juice Bars & Smoothies [Edit]
Neighborhood: Pioneer SquareMon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
I used to eat here all the time when I was working from the office in Pioneer Square. That means I went here about 3 times / week. Pioneer Square is (in my opinion) lacking a lot of healthy food choices so this place fulfills that need.
This place is immaculately clean. The vegetables, meat, and toppings are always fresh. The price is cheaper than other salad bars downtown and the quality is so much better. Their fat-free raspberry vinaigrette is amazing on my romaine & grilled chicken, ham & turkey, and hard boiled eggs salad.
Now that I work downtown I miss this place tremendously. If you are in / around Pioneer Square during the weekday lunch hours give this place a go.
Oh yeah, it's only open from 11am to 3pm or something like that.
The world needs more Cocoa Bananas. I no longer work downtown, and would rrrrreally appreciate it if Ballard had a similar salad bar. I used to eat here at least once a week. At Cocoa Banana, I could put together a clean, nutritious lunch, that would provide long lasting energy. My usual was spinach, green onions, broccoli, purple cabbage, carrots, red beans or garbanzo beans, maybe an egg, red bell peppers, dry tuna, cashews, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
When I wasn't feeling so strict, I had plenty of other "treats" available to mix in with a salad. Cocoa Banana and Red Bowls are the healthiest options for lunch in that area of the city.
The problem I have with salad bar places is how much I love to pile on the heavy stuff, like cottage cheese and cauliflower bits. And since salad bar prices are $100 a pound I tend to over do it money wise when I visit these places. So after avoiding this place for several months I finally went here.
I went here knowing I'd spend more then I should but turns out it was even more then that. It had all the usual suspects a salad bar has. But dropping $10 on a boxed salad really is a punch in the gut, which sucks since I'm trying to fill it.
This place doesn't have the greatest salad bar selection, but you get the basics for a reasonable price. No hot foods like at Market Fresh, but then again there is no line either.
Their smoothies are good. A pretty good selection on flavors... from mango, banana colada to peanut butter, chocolate espresso with banana. Can you say lots of calories on the last one? So good though!
i have two complaints. the salad bar has too little fruit, and the hours make it impossible for me to grab a smoothie on my way home from work.
otherwise, the salad fixings are tasty and plentiful, and i especially like that you can bring your own dish instead of using the disposable containers provided. the fruit smoothies are super tasty, especially the banana colada, and the espresso smoothies are the perfect pick-me-up for hot afternoons.
This is the perfect place for a quick escape when someone you know tries to con you into going to Bakeman's. It's right next door, so once you cross the Bakeman's threshold, hear the yelling, and come to your senses you can make a mad dash and scramble up the stairs to this little joint next door.
This is your basic weigh and pay salad bar. No frills, nothing particularly exciting in the way of toppings, with the exception of goldfish crackers. I don't happen to particularly like Goldfish crackers, but I can appreciate the cuteness factor. Plus, Cocoa Banana has no seating, so you will probably have to sneak back next door to sit with your friends, and a happy little goldfish may improve your morale as you brave the bright fluorescents and listen to the litany of insults being rained down by the Bakeman's cashier.
The salad bar is undergoing an expansion, so hopefully it will soon be more yelpworthy. I did try the signature mango smoothie while I was there, and this was definitely a nice treat. It actually tasted like fresh pureed mango, rather than frozen mango indistinguishably mixed with other fruits and juices. It could be that the smoothies (and the Bakeman's dodging), rather than the salads, are the real reasons to check this place out.
I have gone to Cocoa Banana for a while.
Craving for some greens! *crazy health spurts*
The cost is good and the new location is cool.
Check them out between 1st and 2nd on Cherry, next to Bakeman's Sandwich Shop.
Kinda sad that this new place doesn't have seating, but then there were hardly people staying before and it saves them on monthly rent not having that extra SQ FT that is SUPER expensive in Seattle.
If you are in the neighborhood and are feeling like pretending that you normally eat healthy, stop on by!
(Sorry, really haven't had a smoothie there. I usually get it at Xplore after a workout.)
It's been exciting watching this "smoothie place" grow into "the salad bar" and relocate! I remember when they first opened like six years ago, and I was worried they wouldn't last the winter. But they have! \(^_^)/
The smoothies are good, and the cool thing is they named most of them after some of the first customers.
The salad bar is reliable -- technically everything there is from Costco or someplace and you can make it yourself, but not having to cart your own ingredients to work every morning is super convenient. I've seen salad bars with better selections, but what makes this one good is the fact that it's decently priced and always well-stocked. Echoing other Yelpers' comments about the salad bar being CLEAN -- it makes a big difference!
Also, the staff are friendly and great. And they have frequent-purchase cards for the smoothies.
I'm so glad to have found Cocoa Banana.
I love the juice drinks (carrot, mixed with apple, beet, and or ginger if you'd like). I love the smoothies (fruit with soy milk or nonfat frozen yogurt). And the salads are fantastic with fresh, simple ingredients.
And you can take your own container, too.
Warning: there is no seating. There's a bar to stand at and eat if you like, but otherwise it's to go.
I wanted to like this place. I gave it several opportunities to redeem itself. But the smell of rotting lettuce that sweeps over me as I enter can no longer be ignored. That, and the fact that the last time I got a salad there I also got a huge stomach ache an hour later, means never again. I'm sorry - the staff are very pleasant and they do make an effort to keep the salad bar tidy - but really they should apply that effort to keeping the ingredients fresh, and figure out where that rotting head of lettuce is hiding!
Cocoa Banana moved into new digs and now it is even better than ever. Many extra bonus points for them letting people bring in their own tupperware, bowls, etc. for the salad bar so you don't have to waste any plastic containers!
If there hadn't already been 11 reviews of Cocoa Banana then I wouldn't write about it. I would… Read more »
Best salad bar in all of Seattle. Cleanest salad bar in all of Seattle. Prolly the ONLY salad bar (outside of Market Fresh or whatever the hell it's called) in all of Seattle. Plus they have tasty smoothies and awesome veggie juice choices - you really can't go wrong for lunch!
Anyone wanna go?
I like their salads. They have a large selection of veggies (salad mix, baby corn, kidney and garbonzo beans), meats (imitation crab, teriyaki chicken), fruits and even potstickers.
If you're looking for a refreshing meal, definitely consider this place.
Moved to a new location on Cherry Street (side of 705 2nd Ave bldg) around the corner right next to Bakeman's, and it is much better spot. Excellent smoothies, great salad bar. No tables or chairs so you have to get it to go. Very clean. People are very nice. I usually get a mango smoothie with non-fat frozen yogurt, banana and add the soy protein
This is a really simple place if you want something healthy, which is either a salad or a smoothie. I like how it's really clean inside, and there are a lot of fresh ingredients in the salad bar where you pay by the ounce. They don't have any tables or chairs inside so you can only order stuff to-go. The smoothies are pretty good where you can choose how to have your smoothie made with all the types of ingredients available. I find it interesting that they have certain drinks named after customers. I ordered a "Larry" that was a banana/strawberry smoothie with orange juice and nonfat frozen yogurt, and that tasted pretty good. I'll come back and try their salads next time.
Cocoa Banana has a fabulous salad bar plus juice and smooties! It's never crowded when I go (although I'm not sure why -- it's really great) and the salad bar is CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN with tons of options you won't find at Market Fresh. Highly recommended!
it's true, this place is a gem. nick, the man behind the counter, and his delightfully friendly and beautiful co-conspirator (whose name i've never secured), have never once disappointed me in my smoothie-seeking endeavors.
not only are the fruit smoothies to-die-for, one should not forget the chocolaty goodness provided with such drinks as Tony's, what with it's shot of espresso and scoop of peanut butter, it's the perfect afternoon treat for those days when you need a pick-me-up with some flare.
so frickin' good.
A clean and fresh and tasty salad bar lunch spot with fresh-squeezed juices and the friendliest service ever ... this is a sneaky little hole in the wall that more people should know about.
If you walk past it and don't KNOW what it is, you'd probably miss it! But it's an excellent little salad & juice bar. Clean, simple and quick... you can pop in for a fast order to take back to your office. The have an ample selection of salad toppings, but not so many that you can't choose from. $5 per lb for the salad and $3-ish for juices and smoothies. Always fresh!
Freshest, cleanest salad bar in Seattle! Just a short walk from Pioneer Square (afternoon M's game?) or, my favorite, get a salad to go and walk a couple blocks to the south and eat at the waterfall park.
They make Killer Smoothies, too!
I came across Cocoa Bananas while exploring downtown Seattle. Without even knowing it was there, I stopped in for a quick smoothie. I came out drinking one of the best smoothies I've ever had. I don't remember exactly what I ordered but I think it had bananas and pineapple in it. Ever since I visited Cocoa Bananas, I've been craving a smoothie of this caliber and have not found anything that comes close. A definite must when visiting Seattle!
Self-serve fresh vegetables, greens, spinach (clean!) and salad fixins. Reasonable price downtown. EXCELLENT smoothies! Nice people. Clean restaurant. Only one small caveat - they charge a surcharge for credit card transactions which is technically prohibited by Visa/MC (but with skyrocketing banking fees, who blames 'em?). If you don't mind giving up just a few cents more on your visa or MC for good food, then by all means, check this place out!!
freaky fridays
Neighborhood: Downtown
Free $5 Spud Gift Card
Neighborhood: West Seattle
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Juice Bars & Smoothies
Neighborhood: Pioneer Square
Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Juice Bars & Smoothies
Seattle, WA
Category: Juice Bars & Smoothies
Despite being known as a mecca of homeless people…
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