Tender Greens
Categories: American (New), Vegetarian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Culver City9523 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232 (310) 842-8300
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Garage
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
28 reviews
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
"Upstairs 2 is literally upstairs from the wine gallery, so it's no wonder where the name came from. There is a parking lot, though I always…" read more »
274 Reviews for Tender Greens
I went on a Sunday afternoon in time for lunch, the line was out the door. I would say it was about a 20-25min wait from the door to the check out. I had baby arugula, tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette with a side of Angus steak. The seasoning of the steak was good, but my steak was a little chewy and hard to swallow. The salad itself wasn't bad. I also had their lemonade and watermelon juice. Both drinks were refreshing, but if I had to choose I would order the watermelon juice next time. The price is ok, my salad w/ steak was $10.
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Why, oh, why can't there be a place like this in Newport Beach???
I waited in line for about 15 minutes to order and get my salad. It was $14 for a salad and a sparkling water. A bit pricey but it was soooo good! I got the Mediterranean salad with romaine lettuce and ordered avocado with it. Fresh, perfectly dressed and filling! YUM!
Love me tender.....green with envy....
Well this place could maybe put someone in love and will definitely make other counter order fresh food restaurants green with envy, if not due to the food, due to the line outside of this place that makes it one of the most visible spots on Culver Blvd!!! Seriously though, from the street we could already see the line and we hadn't even parked yet!! But we were in it for the long haul so to the line we went!
The line went pretty quickly for being as long as it was, and the cashier was really friendly, and told me that my two options the chipotle barbeque chicken salad and the flank steak sandwich with side salad were the two best things on the menu--but then didn't really help me choose which one was actually better!! I HATE THAT! I asked you for which was better? Don't tell me both!!! I obviously already am indecisive, don't add to it!! ha ha
But I went with the grilled flank steak sandwich which was served on ciabatta bread with these delicious red peppers that were a piece of heaven all on their own!!! But I am not gonna lie when I say that I wish I had ordered the steak as part of a plate than a sandwich because I literally felt like a carnivore ripping meat from my prey when trying to bite from my sandwich!! The pieces were so thick and chewy it definitely took some effort! My side salad which was the baby spinach with goat cheese and walnuts was pretty good, but a little light on the goat cheese....MORE GOAT CHEESE PLEASE! ha
My two friends Amanda and Terra both got the happy vegan salad but Amanda added Ahi on the top of her's (yes yes, defeats the purpose of it being vegan ha ha, we know) and they were both pretty happy with their choices too! Although we all thought the green stuff was guacamole, when really it is hummus! just a little fyi!!
But for $10 for most things, it is fresh, tasty, and makes me happy. And if you don't want to be too healthy you can get pitchers here too!!
and p.s. park in the public garage around the corner where you get 2 hours free parking!!! boo-ya!
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I love me some grilled vegetables.
Why is it so hard to find a restaurant that makes such a thing.
Tender Greens does not disappoint.
You can eat very well here for under $10.
And great starchitect sightings, too. If you're into that.
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I am so crazy for this little joint right now. The BF thinks I'm in for an eventual burn out because I'm indulging in too much of a good thing. Let's examine the negatives first: The line is nearly always out the door. Drinks are a little pricey. But that's all I got for cons.
Positives: Everything I've tried is delish. Lately I'm on a spinach, goat cheese, and hazelnut simple salad streak but the Chinese chicken and the Mediterranean salads are also especially excellent. The grilled veggie selection changes daily, so I might be better sold if I could see them before I order.The vegetables are always sooo appetizing and as I pass them by I often wonder why I didn't remember to ask for the grilled veggie salad instead. The hot chicken plate is especially tasty and the mashed potatoes are just about perfect. The atmosphere is mixed: casual and airy but when a swarm of diners hits I always feel pressure to hurry the hell up and finish already.
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Yum! A friend recommended this place and I love the food! $10 for a few good slices of steak, mashed potato, and some good salad. I'd definitely go back again (and again, and again...)
It was around 5pm when we went so it wasn't very crowded, but when I walked past it today during lunch hours, the line was out the door.
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Alright ... so I've got the tender bleu's. I'm giving this place high marks for having everything at a set price of $10 for the main meals, side salads and such are $6? $5?
As I passed the salad station, the grilled vegetables, roasted chicken and steak, I thought "Oooooh those meats look tender and pulsating red ... wait, that's not healthy for roasted chicken, right? ok pulsating white! no, pulsating brown? Dammit it's pulsating, alright? Don't you want your meat fresh!@#%?"
I ended up ordering the chicken cobb salad and remembered SPECIFICALLY telling the cashier ... NO BLEU CHEESE. When my dish came out, I took a HUGE bite and got a burst of sour mold in my mouth. BARF. I was immediately teleported to other times in my life I had a sudden squirt of sour mold in my mouth .... no, not that time, noo and not that guy, nooo he tasted like asparagus, and then I realized ... wait, THERE ARE NO OTHER TIMES, OK? Did I mention I'm not a slut? Hold me tender, please?
I'm deducting one shining star because the infestation of mold on my plate was sickening and then their bacon bits were more like fatty bits or pure celluloid ... wait, this ain't no x-ray movie. Wow, I'm tenderly confused ... I meant cellulose.
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I had Ahi Tuna Nicoise salad. It was a great salad, but a bit pricy. Portion wasn't big (or maybe the salad was too good) so I still wanted more after the meal.
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Since there are already so many reviews for this place, there isn't much information for me to add that has not already been said... Basically its a great deal for $10 bucks for salad, meat of your choice (steak, chicken, tuna, etc) and a serving of the best mashed potatoes I've had in a long time. I will be back!
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I recently went to Tender Greens and it was the best 10 bucks I spent on dinner in a while. The greens were fresh, the mash potatoes soft, and the flank steak was juicy yet tender. I forgot the name of the soup but it had fennel in it which made the soup tasty yet cozy. It's a good bite for the buck, so check it out...
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So, given this is my local go-to takeout food, you have to take this review with the natural bias that it is full of. That being said, I think Tender Greens is top-notch as far as fresh, healthy food goes. I think I have had everything on the menu, and I still come back for the Ahi sandwich with spinach green salad. The trick is to call about 10-15 minutes ahead and order - the line at TG can be ridiculous at times. However, more than once they have not had my meal ready when I have called ahead - seriously poor communication at this place. They are trying to fix this with making everything automated (i.e. orders by name flow through system with tickets), but it still isn't fool-proof.
If you're in the area (seeing a movie, being too trendy at the few wine bars lurking around the corner), consider checking TG out. They have Stone beer on tap usually, which is also a huge plus.
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Want something healthy? Feeling something quick to just bring home? Just head over to tender greens, where you can pick up a salad (or some other things) in a *relatively* quick time-frame, and head home. Sure the line can get ridiculous, and the salads aren't the most phenomenal thing on this earth, but it's a salad! For what they do, they do it pretty well. I generally get a tuna nicoise or a tri-tip hot plate. The mashed potatoes are delicious and this place always hits the spot when I'm looking to feel better about what I'm eating!
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Tender Greens has so many reviews, but here's one more to tack on because I just couldn't NOT review a place that is just so ME!
Let's make this quick and to the point. I love Tender Greens because:
1. Cheap prices for great quality and healthy food!
2. Yummy mint tea.
3. The Happy Vegan plate is SO good!
4. I love the location - a really young area of town.
5. I love a place that feels upscale even though it's counter service.
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OMFG! This place was AMAZING. went there on Saturday. I had the tomato basil soup and the spinach, pine nuts, goat cheese salad. BUT I WISH I HAD GOTTEN SOMETHING WITH STEAK... it looked amazing!
So, essentially you walk in and order... and walk down, cafeteria style and watch them make your grub. SO YUMMY! I really want to go back and try different things.
They're lemonade was good too! Not too sweet... not too sour... JUST TO PINK (not really... but i just felt like quoting the sound of music).
I love sitting outside... and there's TONS of outside seating. I want to go back there NOW. YAY TENDER GREENS! YUM!
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So, yesterday in the office the ladies were trying to figure out where to lunch, they were all raving about Tender Greens, so, we decided to give it a go, I made the order via phone and was told it'd be ready in 20 minutes.
I get there, its insanely packed, I finally make my way to the counter, wait 20 minutes to be acknowldged, then I'm told they cant find my order, at this point I've been there well over a half hour, which can be expected for lunch time around the corner from Sony Studios. Finally they find it, the cashier hands me my change and I bolt back to the office and explain why I've been out of the office for over 45 minutes.
The resturant looked fantastic, great roomy seating, lots of out door space. Everyones food was proper except mine, usually its not a problem but I dont eat beef, so, when I opened my chicken sandwich up and discovered it was bloody beef my heart sank. Luckily one of the girls traded me her cobb salad, which was great, with the exception of old avacado and tomatoes, but, I can deal. The flavor was nice, the lettuce was crisp, I'd do it again, just not around the lunch rush.
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Best place to grab a quick meal in Culver City.. hands-down! sure it's always crowded, but the line moves quick and even if it didn't, it's worth the wait!
what to order? anything on the menu! but their yukon gold mashed potatoes.. dang! the best! and don't leave without trying their lemonade!
Really great place for lunch. Big simple fresh salads. Very efficient considering the mobs of people that flock to Tender Greens at lunch time.
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I stopped by this charming lil' cafe yesterday at a friend's request for a location to meet up for lunch. It's close to her work and she was crunched for time. Apparently, she swears by it, and who am I to turn down new food?
I viewed the menu online to see what the place was all about and checked in with the Yelpers as well, and was pleased at what I was seeing. I asked my friend her recommendation for lunch and she suggested the hot plate meal: steak w/ side caeser salad & mashed potatos.
Now, this place has quite the following. It opens at 11:30am PST. I had arrived around 11:25am and noticed a few people outside (a couple with the look of "angry mob" in their eyes). The poor employee who drew the short straw and got the daunting task of unlocking the door was almost trampled! You order at the front of the counter then move down the culinary assembly line till you reach the end where you have to pay. The place gets pretty busy and there was a slight bit of confusion at the last counter involving beverages and silverware. If you get something to go, order ahead! You can skip all that line BS. It's good that the staff was very friendly and all smiley and everything.
The food was so good! Now, I'm not a big fan of steak, but it was great! Very flavorful, didn't even nead any sort of condiment, which is crazy cause I loves me some sauce. The showstopper though was the mashed potatos. Clearly whipped to perfection, they were the best I have tasted in a long time! I am for sure looking forward to going back soon and trying many of the other things they have to offer, espeically the deserts 'cause they looked very inviting as well.
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Great and not that pricey concept! We ordered bunch of salads for dinner for a late night at the office, and everyone was extremely satisfied with the quality and portions. Let's face it, anybody can make a "salad", but there is a huge difference between making it right and making it superb. Well, Tender Greens got it, it's superb. The best fresh ingredients, like butterhead lettuce, leafy spring mix greens, top it with tuna, beef, chicken or veggies, and just the right amount of amazing dressing! Plus the bread, oh, the bread, yes, slightly covered with olive of oil, goes perfect with the soup! Oh, did I mention the soup?? OMG, this was the best tomato soup I've ever eaten (at least in States). So fresh, so tomatoey, so basily, with olive of oil. Wow, this really tops the deal. For does who prefer more bread, they have sandwiches with the same goodness ingredients that are in salads....
Ah Tender Greens, you are truly tender and will be revisited again!
TGs is simplicity done right, and to order. Although the line to the street may be daunting, i feel like it moves pretty well, as the salad-iers (that's what i call them in my head) hand-toss (with their hands, in gloves of course!) a wide selection of fresh salads. They do a few hot-plates & sammys too. Oh, and soup!
Me? what do i order? Well, everything looks & sounds so good, yet i always wimp-out and go for the same salad every time, their Nioise. Now I'm not sure if it is just the fresh-grilled ahi, the super dressing or the fingerling potatoes, but this salad always makes me 1) happy and 2) actually full & not savagely hungry 2 hours later. (c'mon, you know what i mean. A salad is usually the perfect meal if you are eating again within three hours).
Another plus is the beer & wine menu; nice, light pairings for your healthy meal.
We were taken here by friends who live nearby. We both ordered the steak sandwich. The assembly line method they have (like S**way) does mean that your food is prepared quickly and how you want it. We ordered medium rare which in these paranoid days means medium. Not here. Done to perfection. The steak was tender, not tough and done how we ordered. They didn't overdo the dressing on the salad which was nice.
The outdoor seating is comfortable and we ended up striking conversations with a few different people.
Overall, great food and a friendly place.
I LOVE this place. The salads are fantastic, as are the sides--the yukon gold mashed potatoes are a magical taste experience. My only problem: while the line is long, it goes very quickly, and by the time you get your food, the space is large enough that you should be able to find an open table--BUT too many people are "saving" tables while their friends wait in line--it messes up the whole system and timing. Yay for FOOD and great, friendly, efficient service. NAY for folks who save tables before their food arrives and thus leave customers with food no place to sit.
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The first thing you're going to notice is the simplicity of the menu. The second thing you're going to notice is how cheap it is for the great food you get.
And if you go at any time near a standard meal-time, the third thing you're going to notice is that you're not going to see your food for 10-15 minutes after you order. From a salad place. A Fast food salad place.
This isn't their fault, obviously, and they have a lot of people bustling about in their open-air kitchen -- which could be a little farther away from the massive lines of unwashed masses you'll encounter.
However, my first major problem is that they seem to have stacked their employee base with every empty-headed stoner in the West LA area. I had to tell the cashier at least 4 times that I just wanted a cup of ice-water. Not Pellegrino, no bubbling lemonade, no beers, no.. put it down.. no, NO... put it.. put it down. Just a cup of tap water with ice in it. Thanks.
Secondly, the inside of this place is tiny. You'll most likely find a place to sit outside, which is actually quite comfortable and the ambiance is very relaxing, outside of the roar of noise, and the person uncomfortably sitting exactly 2 inches from your table.
Thirdly, the side-bread is terrible. That's all, no witty aphorisms here.
So how much is your time worth? If you have a short lunch break or are looking for a quick business dinner, skip on down the street. However, if you have a date or are looking for some tasty food on a schedule that doesn't require your every second to be used effectively, the food IS good.
Love this place. Food is healthy and tasty. Service is fast and friendly. Atmosphere relaxed and pleasant. For fast, healthy eats this place fits the bill perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing.
This place is pretty good, and made especially for salad lovers. I am a salad eater, but not really a salad/healthy person -- I can't really get full off of just a salad. BUT their steak sandwiches are pretty dang good... and so are their heath bar crunch cupcakes. (See what I mean? I know everything that is not so healthy on their menu)
To avoid the long lines you should just call in your order, then you just go the front of the line and then you can just eat outside since you seat yourself.
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Fresh, but not so tasty.
A bunch of green leaves on a plate is kind of boring. You really have to season it, dress it, add some fixings here and there to make it amazing. Personally, I need to have some kind of meat in my salad. Tofu and beans don't cut it -- I need protein that BLEEDS. So I got the grilled chicken cobb. It was only meh -- chicken was dry and flavorless, and the whole salad was loaded with a pound blue cheese. Gross. I love cheese, but I'm not trying to eat a cheese salad. My dinner companion had the grilled chicken caesar, which was more like a chicken skin salad. By the end of the night, there was a huge pile of skin sitting on the edge of the plate. We spent a lot of time peering at our neighbor's tuna sandwich and simple salad with envy.
Tips: At least it's fresh.
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i dont know if this the correct name for it but the seared ahi tuna salad is awesome. it tends to get crowded but well worth the wait and moderately priced
I first came here over 3 years ago... but I still remember the heavenly ahi tuna sandwich I devoured. My friend had the steak sandwich and practically swallowed that thing. Ordering is pretty much assembly line style.. so you get your food the way you want it. The couches and pillows outside kinda make you feel like you're eating your meal in one of those backyard patio displays at Target.. but it is nice and cozy.
It's great to see it still thriving 3 years later. I gotta say, I like this 'healthy is hip' trend. It warms my vegetarian heart to see swarms of people waiting in line for a freakin' salad.
I give Tender Greens ***** because of the vegan plate. It's fantastic. The tuna salad? Not so fantastic... maybe **. But the vegan plate keeps me coming back... (and I eat meat, it's just so good!)
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First of all I'm not a CC resident, but dang is downtown CC lookin' charming! It's all somewhat new to me, so the separated blocks of "restaurant rows" are really nice to look at, and I'm tempted to try them all!
I met a friend for lunch at Tender Greens. Neither of us had been there before. She chose this place, probably because she's a vegetarian. The line outside was somewhat intimidating, but it moved along quickly (was on a Thursday). Also I'd like to add how many men were also in line; nice to see men who are not shy about eating salads. We finally get in and it's cafeteria style ordering. Loved the menu, very simple and reasonably priced. The ambiance was quaint, very open with lots of windows and some indoor seating and lots of outdoor seating. I had the Chinese Chicken Salad from the "Big Salad" menu, which I devoured with no problem. It could have used more dressing, and I wasn't crazy 'bout how long the pea sprouts were; felt like I was eating noodles. My friend had the caesar salad w/tomato basil soup. I ate what salad she couldn't finish to feed my baby bump and me. Loved the butter lettuce and the caesar dressing was pretty good.
I gave it 3 stars, because my salad was just ok, but I am willing to try more from their menu. Seems like the steak sandwich is a popular choice among Yelpers. And when baby is out, I want to try the Ahi Tuna sandwich!
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LOVE IT.
My boyfriend and I just moved within a few blocks of downtown Culver and went there to celebrate with some good food. It was our first time trying Tender Greens and it was fabulous! They have a great selection of ginormous salads, as well as 3 varieties of meats (or a veggie option) you can choose to have either on a plate or in a sandwich.
Both the steak and chicken sandwiches were delicious - the aioli is fantastic and they put just the right amount on there (dry sandwiches are the bane of my existence). I could probably deal with the sandwiches being a tad less salty, but it wasn't bad enough for me to not want to order it again (and be craving it at this very moment). The quality of the meat is great. Both the steak and the chicken were juicy and tender. The spinach salad was also delicious. Very good food for a very reasonable price.
Loved the ambiance as well! They have a bit of indoor seating but we opted to sit outside on the cute, dimly lit patio.
Am ecstatic that I live so closeby - will definitely be going back again soon!
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As a CC local, I was super excited about the injection of new dining destinations on Culver Blvd in recent years(big thanks to all that Sony Studios Hollywood money), and Tender Greens is definitely one of my favorites.
I highly recommend the flank steak w/grilled veggies combo sandwich, the simple caesar salad is sublimely savory and unique(they use whole butter lettuce leaves), the mediterranean salad is cali fresh, and for all you wonky vegans, their "happy vegan" salad is something I even eat on occasion when I'm not feeling primally carnivorous.
A haiku in honor of TG:
flora and fauna
savory and edible
soft verde, adieu
I came here after reading all the great reviews because I am always looking for a great salad but none of their salads sounded that great to me, so I had the angus flank steak sand which with a simple salad for $10. It was ok, but I've had better steak sandwiches. I'm not a healthy eater so maybe that is why I did not care for this place, but if you are a healthy eater you will probably like it. I'll stick with the steak salad from Damon & Pythias in Westwood.
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After a 5 month hiatus, I am back in full effect. Wreck it. Check it...let's begin.
You would think after such a break...i would return writing about a fabulous dinner at Cut, amazing Italian from Osteria Mozza or better yet...selling my right arm (more valuable than my left) and left leg to a rich japanese business man who can squeeze me into one of 12 seats at the ever famed Urasawa....wrong.
Instead, I am writing about salad. Yup, a plate of leafy vegetables we all hated eating while growing up. As per Judy W, DAMN YOU Tender greens!!! Why do you have to be so tasty and light...and dressed so perfectly!!!
I had the daily special of Prawn Salad. Although the prawn was a bit rubbery, the thick cut bacon bits were amazing and to me anything with bacon bits deserves a minimum of 4 stars.
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Long wait to order, then no place to sit, both orders arrived all wrong, sent back and returned wrong again. At long last, we got our food. Unfortunately, it was mediocre, at best. I'm being kind: the chicken was nearly raw and inedible. The next table had similar frustrations. I will not return here.
When I was unemployed, I ate here every day for a month. I never once got sick of it and enjoyed every single one of their special that I tried except the trout salad (my fault, I had a traumatic trout-eating incident as a child so it must have triggered those memories).
Now that I work downtown, I'm only able to eat here once a week for dinner. How I miss you, Tender Greens.
Always super fresh, always super tasty, and always super reliable to serve up a healthy and delicious lunch or dinner. I've introduced many a friend to their mashed potatoes with the hot plate, sweet tomato soup with just the right amount of kick, and sweet carrot cupcake.
I was surprised to see so many reviews of this place; i guess salad sells. . .
i thought it was good, overpriced, and the bathroom was kinda weird.
I had the ahi tuna salad niciose (delish) and my dated had a ceasar with chik (very good)
The Bathroom: looking large on the outside; but the stall was facing the wrong way and very cramped.
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The food here is excellent. I usually get a hot plate with line caught tuna, delicious mashed potatoes, and the baby spinach simple salad with hazelnuts, goat cheese, and vinagrette. $10 is a steal for fresh, local, and sustainable produce.
My only beef with this place is the ordering process. The register is super high and I have a hard time ordering. I'm not the tallest person but at 5'3," I have to get on my tip-toes!
Although I only went here once with friends, I am a big fan of the place. You can park in the garage across the street and there is quite a bit of seating at the restaurant. I liked how the place was organised, with everyone standing in line seeing the employees put the orders together.
The food is not pricey but still very good, and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. We also ordered the desserts afterwards for everyone to share, and those were good as well. You should definitely try this place out if you haven't yet, good times await :D
I'm tempted to give tender greens three stars because its just salad we are looking at here but i guess i'd have to admit i like it here. they decor is pleasant and the cleanliness is at best. i ordered the chipotle chicken and it thought it was delicious. tender greens is worth checking out, its a healthy meal without the struggle.
