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I was first introduced to Plutos when one opened up on campus back at my UC Davis days. I was super excited to see one near my work at Santana Row. I've had salads from every which corner of the world, and the Pluto's, pick your own toppings is yet still my favorite plate of greens on this planet. I especially love the pickled mushrooms and beats. I'm usually not a cesar dressing fan, but there is something about the Pluto's home made cesar dressing that makes it unlike any other. Their garlic fries are delectable. Freshly chopped garlic and parsley smothered on each individual fry.
WARNING: you will be leaving with gargantuan garlic breath.
Breath mints are ADVISED!
It's a cute, simple, fresh layout complete with living colors and plenty of seating. The tables, kitchen tops, everything seemed really clean, updated and nice. On a Saturday afternoon there was plenty of seating and even more in the back.
I ordered the portobello mushroom sandwich on foccacia bread. Everything was kind of bland, the mushroom was a bit rubbery and overall was not an awesome sandwich. He got the tri-tip which you literally had to try and saw through with your teeth, let alone it not having a lot of flavor. We also ordered the onions which were fresh, a fair helping and just the right blend on onion/batter.
The staff was friendly, efficient and quite helpful when I ask they recommended as far as bread.
I'd pass in the future.
After avoiding salads for years and years...I have now fallen victim to the 'Pluto's' salad! Salads here are now my favorite! You can chose either romaine, mixed or spinach salad and 7 toppings! I always chose
-blue cheese
-tomatoes
-mushrooms
-kidney beans
-beets
-chick peas
-onions
They have yummy dressings too! Then I top it with Tri-tip meat for an additional dollar. A small side salad (which is big enough for me!) is about $5.15 plus $1 for meat! (a large is $5.95 plus meat and tax)
Not bad for a yummy and somewhat healthy meal! They have plenty of sides like mashed potatoes, fries, stuffing, soup..and you can even go with a sandwitch-foccacia is the best bread I think.
They also serve beer on tap and wine..but I have yet to try it.
Casual eatery...unfortunatly during lunch time you have to wait at least 5 or so minutes and seating outside is limited :(
Build your own salad. You pick your greens and toppings. Very good price for the amount that you get too. It is quick and easy for a nice sized salad.
Maybe it's just that I'm not a big fan of salads (unless it's a side dish), but I was not that impressed by Pluto's.
I ordered a salad with tri-tip and their cilantro lime dressing. You get a choice of 7 different items to put in your salad. I don't know if it was my choice of dressing or salad items, but my salad was just eh. Also it wasn't tossed very well so some of my salad was drowned in dressing, but the other part had none.
Maybe next time I go I'll order a sandwich?
Good 3.5 stars.
Very affordable meals. Fresh, well-portioned salads with tons of toppings, though I wish they'd have another type of cheese other than blue (like goat, even grated cheese). I had carved turkey on my salad but it was extremely dry, brittle, and tough--skip it.
The garlic curly fries are delicious but you'll need a tongue scraper and a lot of Listerine afterward.
2 salads with meat, two sides for less than 20 bucks (including tax).
The steak sandwiches are quite good, but I don't know if they're anything to rave about. The portion is decent but I wouldn't say plentiful. Get the curly fries with your sandwich!
Apparently the salads are good, but I don't see myself passing up on a steak sandwich. I will probably regret this when I'm older.
Inside seating is sparse, so you might be forced to sit outside.
I am not ashamed to say that I come here on a regular basis. Although, I've only had the salads and I can't bear to stray from them when I come. This place always hits the spot when I want something light and deliciously filling.
I always get the side salad which always fills me up and is reasonably priced at $5.50. You choose between romaine lettuce, mixed greens, or baby spinach. I always get the spinach. You get to choose from 7 different toppings which might range from various vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, onions, beets, broccoli), fungus (mushrooms), nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds etc..), seasonal fruit (strawberries, oranges, pineapples,tomatoes), protein (chick peas, kidney beans, etc..). Such an array to choose from! I love fruits and vegetables so I act like a little kid in a candy store here. I swear, if you hate salad, Pluto's will make you fall in love with leafy greens ~ a new inspired love that's good for the heart.
For a little extra ($1), you can add an additional meat. Of course I always order the portabella mushroom. Do you really expect me to order anything else? Portabella mushroom and I have a long history together and Plutos grills them and it is very good. Yum.
Bad: The whole pick-your-salad-ingredient idea gets old after your 3rd visit to Pluto's.
Good: The price is decent for the portion they give you. Oh, the selections are extensive too.
Great: Every time I walk out of this joint, I always feel like I've eaten my fair share of "healthy" foods. =D
We threw our extra fries to the seagulls (yes... there are Santana Row seagulls, giving the pidgeons some competition), which angered some lady. She was PISSED. It made my day worthwhile.
They were pretty good, so were their onion rings. And the facility was super-clean, even with the large size of the crowd. Food appears to be made super-fresh.
But the prices are sky-high. Next time I'm going to Wahoo's next door.
I went to Pluto's in June (09) while visiting my daughter and future son in law. We just drove in from Santa Cruz and I was craving garlic fries..so we headed over to Santana Row. It was a busy evening at the establishment and quite confusing on how to order..being that this was our first time here. the layout is rather odd, that's why it took us a while to figure out WHERE to place the order for food. Anyway, got it figured out (we probably inadvertently cut in front of people, but oh well, we were noobs). The garlic fries settled my craving, but I know of a WAY better place downtown (Teske's). I'd rate Pluto's better if it wasn't so confusing and the fries were not so greasy.
Great lunch spot for salads, sandwiches, and garlic fries. They have so many options. You can build your own salad: choose your greens then pick 7 other veggies to toss in. You can also add meat, I love tri tip on mine. And if you are not in a salad mood, a sandwich is your next option. Again i love trip tip sandwiches, especially with spicy bbq sauce. And the best part is the their garlic curly fries.
Very clean, service is pretty good, and their is indoor and outdoor seating available. Great place for a quick bite in Santana row.
I will never get tired of this place. It's the crème de la crème of salad spots. Always consistent, always reliable, incredibly cheap, fast, healthy, what more do you want?! (Note: I've only had the salads here, have not ventured out to the sandwiches)
Pros:
*Always fresh ingredients
*Lots of seating at this location
*Clean
*Vegetarian friendly :)
*You can call your order in ahead
*Great location provides for fun people watching
Cons:
*Sometimes they run out of the focaccia bread and other toppings (e.g., strawberries)
*Parking at Santana Row, especially on the weekends
*Outside patio seating is usually packed
*Wasn't too impressed by the portobello mushrooms and opt out on adding it to my salads
*Wish they had Stella beer on tap, it'd be over!
Tips:
*They have a pluto's shuttle club stamp card - after 10 visits you get $5.50 off your next purchase
*Sign up on the website and you'll get coupons emailed to you periodically for free sides, drinks, etc.
*Always order the focaccia bread! So yummy!
*I'd recommend just getting the side salad instead of the full salad, it's just as much food, just a little less lettuce. If you're really hungry then add a side order like garlic french fries!
Bottom line, this place delivers a consistent quality experience time and time again, you will not be disappointed by these salads - it's a great go-to spot
Maybe I'm too easily irritated by bad customer service, but man Pluto's takes the cake on this.
I am literally the ONLY CUSTOMER in the restaurant. I pick my salad, meat, and toppings and watch them make the salad. I have to wait a few minutes for the steak to be cooked. The salad guy places my salad next to the grill and walks away to chat with some coworkers.
I'm waiting...I'm waiting...I glance over and there is no steak on the grill. Okay, maybe they are getting more from the back ?
Some other guy walks out and asks if he can help me. I tell him I am waiting for my steak salad. He looks around the grill and tells me that there is no steak on the grill. He went to the back.
Are they getting my steak? No! I waited 15 minutes (on my freaking lunch break!) and NO ONE came out to help. I tried calling out for assistance, but no luck. My salad is still sitting there.
I left and I will never be back.
I usually go to the Pluto's in Palo Alto, and always find it extremely crowded, disorganized and impossible to have a conversation without yelling. The one in Santana Row has a much better layout, and not so claustrophobic.
The salad options are pretty much what you expect at any Pluto's. I always get the side salad with beef, which is plenty for me. Sometimes it is a little hit or miss with the salad topping options. I love it when they have lots of fruit. If you're not in love with dressing, you should probably ask for dressing on the side. My friend's salad was drenched in dressing and didn't look quite that appetizing.
Overall a good solid meal and not too expensive either.
I work in Santana Row, and I find that TONS of people I work with, and other businesses on the Row frequent this place as often as I do. A lot of people call it a salad place, and really, they are SO much more. People constantly forget about the fresh hand carved meats they have, unique and yummy soups, cookies and desserts, & delicious sides like the mushroom of the moment (currently Tomato Cream Mushrooms, which are stupid good, btw!) mashed potatoes with 2 types of gravy (beef and turkey) and seasonal veggies, (they just had squash!)
I usually get a side salad, which you can stock with up to 7 salad toppings/veggies & a piece of bread, PLUS you can opt to add meat for a little extra (the side salad is BIG, so typically that is all you will need) or 2-3 side dishes, and it's like THANKSGIVING! Seriously, if you are poor, sides are $2 each, and you get GOOD portions! This place is healthy, delicious, eco-conscious, PLENTY of vegetarian options, as well as TONS of meaty stuff, and inexpensive! The staff is friendly and helpful, and I have NEVER had a bad experience in there, and I have gone numerous times now. I just wish they would bring back their cilantro lime dressing!! Though their Gorgonzola dressing is tasty, too! :)
Delicious, great value, healthy eating in a great location, PLENTY of seating, family friendly, and just plain awesome. Head over there, you won't regret it. :)
The portions here are great! I couldn't manage to eat my whole salad, with that being said- you can get full from the leafy greens!!
I actually didn't know what 7 toppings I wanted on my salad. Strawberries were a given, but everything looked so good! The guy tossed everything in this big stainless bowl and presented an overflowing plate of salad with bread =)
Now that I am not near Plutos, I find myself craving for such a healthy, hearty salad! A bit pricier than say, Sweet Tomatoes, where you get All-you-can-eat, but great quality!
No, Omar, it doesn't taste like Uranus!
When i walked in i was greeted with an enthusiastic employee who was at the register. I know how Pluto's work so i headed right to the salad station. The toppings all looked fresh and appetizing. I ordered the side spinach salad with seven toppings. The guy working the salad station asked if i wanted to order some fries or anything else from the other station so i figured why not order some fries - he said those will wait at the register - nice and easy. The gal at the register was cheerful and helpful. I waited about a minute extra for the fries but they were totally worth it!
For me Pluto's provide a great value. It's rather cheap and you don't feel guilty eating their salads (minus the fries, but that's a guilty pleasure). Sure, the line gets long sometimes but they move it along quickly enough. It's definitely the best alternative for quick, healthy and fresh food.
not impressed.
i've tried this pluto's and the one in palo alto. overall, i have to say i don't get what the big deal is. i had a salad with eggplant and cilantro lime dressing, which i think was separated or something because it was basically just oil with no hint of cilantro. the eggplant was super salty and that was the only flavor - salt.
my boyfriend got the tri-tip sandwich and the tri-tip was dry. i had a bite and spit out most of the meat because it wasn't even chew-able. i found myself wishing i'd brought my dog along so i could feed her the scraps.
Love, love, love the salads. I usually get a side salad because the main salad is HUGE!! I love the variety of toppings. I'm not really a fan of their sandwiches, its all about the salads for me. Try the turkey on your salad--it's served warm.
Ok this is probably the only cheapest place to eat at in Santana Row other than the hot dog cart close by. I really like this place because I can watch them make my meal right in front of me. I usually go for the salads and I love it how I get a choice of what I want in it. The food is fresh and the atmosphere casual and inviting. If your ever at Santana Row and don't want to dig a big hole in your wallet checkout Pluto's theres always something to eat to satisfy anyone's pallet.
3.5 stars for the taste, experience, and service.
I walked in today confused. I didn't know how to order. Luckily, the very nice cashier lady came up to me and showed me how. I went over to the salads section and asked for caesar salad with 7 toppings (do we have to get all 7?). He made the wrong salad for me (gave me farmer's greens instead of caesar lettuce) and didn't realize it until I told him I wanted the caesar dressing. OH WELL. I didn't want him to get rid of what he already made so I took it. I had the farmers greens with chicken, onions, tomatoes, sprouts, peas, cucumber, and carrots. To top it off, I tried their cilantro-lime vinaigrette.
The service, for the time I was there, was pretty good. I hear it gets super packed during lunch rush.
Overall, the food was pretty good, but I can say I've had better in berkeley (Intermezzo Cafe, which is now called Cafe Mattina).
I'm not too thrilled with this place. They give you 6 or 7 toppings on your salad but there are a few things that are extra. For example, raisins are one of the toppings you can select included in the price but eggs and cranberries are extra? What? Very odd.
The waiter/salad mixer guy that helped me was very nice. Not his fault this place is a bit wacky - also too pricey for what you get.
One more tip - when you have bread - a little butter would be nice to go with it. Thanks,
what can I say,.. you get get to your own salad dress it they way you want it with out lifting a finger. Well, I like my trip tip med. They always give it to me well done. Beside that I love that place. Their meat to me is a little too cook or dry. I like my meat juicy. I'm a pretty picky eater myself. LOL.
I really liked the decor and the feel of the place and the French fries were really good as well as the food...the price was right but the guys that work there are brain dead and messed up my order two times....jesh..I went in around 8:00pm so it was really quite I cant imagine how the orders come out during lunch hour...anyways all and all I really liked the place...
This is pretty cheap for Santana Row - 5-6 bucks will get you a really big salad, depending on whether or not you choose to have meat in it. You have the choice between a "main salad" or a "side salad" - unless you really, really, SERIOUSLY love salad, I would suggest getting the side because it's a LOT of food.
If you opt to get the side salad with meat, like I did, you have a choice of grilled chicken, roasted chicken, crispy chicken, tri-tip and several other choices. The tri tip was fine. Then you can pick up to seven mix ins, including what kind of greens you want your salad to be based on, and the dressing. It's pretty standard salad fare. They also have small side dishes like stuffing, feta cheese salad, etc that you can add to your meal.
Only thing is, I would recommend going to their website and perusing their choices first before you come in, especially if you go during lunch. It's very fast paced, you have to think on your feet in order to keep the long line moving, and if you're an indecisive person, I recommend you have someone with faster thinking skills go up in line for you.
I wouldn't go out of my way to come back again, but it's a nice option for people who are in santana row and don't want to eat a heavy meal.
This place is GREAT!
I don't really know what to say... every single part of my experience here was good. The food, the service, the selection, the atmosphere...
I had a chicken sammich with grilled pear, Gorgonzola (or provolone... I can't recall) and some vinaigrette... oh man it was fantastic... it was one of the specials but I can't recall what it was called... let's consult their website...
Fooie it's not on there.
Anyway... I want to return soon... and not just for their sammiches... their desserts look AMAZING under those glass lids... mmmmmm...
Aw, I'm sad that this place isn't getting better reviews. I dropped by here to energize myself before doing some damage on my credit card and found it to be a very healthy and time efficient option on Santana Row. I miss having healthy salad places at my fingertips like I did in Berkeley... As reviewers have said, you get a choice of 7 toppings on your salad with your choice of lettuce, plus choice of bread. I went with the field greens + no meat/ 7 toppings (not gonna name them) and foccacia. I thought everything was clean, fresh, and delicious, including the low fat honey mustard dressing.
They've got a carvery station for the meat lovers and even fried stuff for the non healthy lovers. Plus, as I said, it's time efficient. It's fast food minus the greasy friedness that makes us gals not fit into our jeans... Not a good thing when you're shopping on Santana Row...
Despite their claims to the contrary, the ordering process is quite confusing, especially if you want to skip the salad station. The menu looks like you should be able to fill it out and hand it to the people at the counter, instead you hand them the paper and YELL your order to them since they are about 3-4 feet away and the place is kinda noisy. They make the check marks and then mix the salad. What they do beyond measure the ingredients I don't know, I'd rather go to Sweet Tomatoes and put it together myself without drowning it in dressing despite asking them not to.
I went to the sandwich area last time and stood 3 feet in front of the sandwich guy while he kept his head down. For 5 minutes I called him 3 times before the cashier came over and asked me if I wanted anything so he would look at me. When he did, she walked away and he walked 2 feet away to the other counter against the back wall so I had to yell louder to place the order.
Then the food was subpar. Go to the Counter (the burger place next door), you'll have a much better time.
i used to go to the one on university all the time, and so glad theres one closer to me.
love the concept of choosing your own salad toppings and dressing, although sometimes i wish i could have more than 7. the dressings used to be a bit bland, but now, theyve added dressings, and they seem to be more flavorful.
im also a fan of the tri tip sandwich, yum! and always always have to get the garlic curly fries!
For santana row, this place has great prices. It's pretty simple, and you get what you ask for. Sandwiches are nothing special, and the meat is good depending on when you go. I stick with the salads and picking my own toppings. The sides are really good though, DELICIOUS onion rings and comfort foods like mashed potatoes and veggies.
I've never been disappointed in my food here, but I don't crave it either.
I always get the roast beef sandwich. Took it to go once and it was EXTREMELY dry. Won't be doing take out again.
I really only come here with my vegetarian friend who loves the garlic fries, but it's a nice place to grab a lunch we both can enjoy.
Fiber, fiber, fiber!
The salads here are really incredible. For the price you pay, you definitely get your money's worth, if not more. The salads are build-it-yourself, in the sense that you choose what you want in it and the chef tosses it for you right in front of your eyes. Their big thing is the prime rib/tri-tip. It's really cool! I have experienced a long wait here though, even for my simple caesar salad with corn, chicken, and croutons. I know.. i'm boring, but I like my salads simple!
Definitely recommend this place for lunch or a light dinner or maybe even supper. It'll fill you up, but you won't have that disgusting so-full-you're-sick-to-your-stomach feeling because you're just eating salad!
Really good quality salads.
I go here for lunch a lot. It's fairly fast, decently priced, and it's healthy for you. You can change it up however you like by adding different toppings every time you go. You can also choose a sandwich if you don't feel like a salad. They have good fries here and my friends love the onion rings. I love how many choices they have! It's great. There's always seating, and even though the line is long, they try to get you through quickly! Parking sucks at times due to its location. Santana Row...it gets busy during the lunch hour.
A healthy, tasty, reasonably priced meal!
Side salad with meat & 7 toppings + onion rings w/ spicy BBQ sauce = $8.23.
The salad comes in a heaping portion that totally filled my plate. All ingredients were fresh (esp the strawberries!) and the dressing (balsamic vinagrette) wasn't too overpowering.
The onion rings had a light but delicious batter and the BBQ dipping sauce definitely had a good kick to it.
It was really nice to sit outside and enjoy a good meal for a good price.
Oh PLUTOS how i feel so healthy after eating =D
I love this place it makes making a salad a million time faster than doing it yourself because you have someone else doing all the work! haha.
How your salad turns out really depends on you. Mines turns out yummie because I always choose the things that I love. I always get the salad with the steak meat.
The curly fries also really hits the spot!
This place is good for groups and paying the bill is never an issue because every one pays for their own meal.
Simple as 1-2-3!
we usually stop by pluto's after working out... it's a great place to grab a large affordable salad... i usually get a mixed green salad with their grilled chicked topped off with their cilantro lime dressing... their large salad is $6 and some change... h-100...
I love how there's so much stuff you can put into your salad. Options are always good in my book! : ) I love variety, and the fact that I can choose to change up my favorite salad makes me extremeley happy.
We wanted to go healthy this year. Funny how this place is wedged between The Counter, Kara's Cupcakes, and Starbucks. If you guys can eat there and resist the temptation, that's true willpower!
What I liked:
-good portions; another establishment with Elaine-Benes-sized salads
-fresh vegetables and you get 7 toppings for your salad;
-they do offer chicken/meat for you omnivores or carnivores;
-great service, friendly staff and pretty seamless when it comes to made-to-order meals
-they do serve beer & wine, if you want drinks with your greens
-loved the seasoned potato rings, with garlic they actually rate almost as good as the garlic fries at AT&T Park
What could use improvement:
- menu didn't match what they actually had
-there were more ingredients compared to the menu
-kinda noisy at nite, actually more quiet when we dined outside
-plates can be heavy and it's weird holding a plate w/out a tray and paying for the meal
Would definitely come here again. Herbivores and salad fans can take haven at Santana Row!
Decided to try this place out instead of The Counter because of no lines.
Anyways, ordering is a bit confusing. I wish they had some sort of visual on how people should order. But other than that, everything was smooth.
I ordered the lunar dip and it was OKAY. I still prefer Quizno's steak dip just because they slather on the cheese =D. Back to Lunar Dipping, I would have preferred more cheese. The steak itself was very good though. The dip could have been better. Mmm..the ciabatta bread was pretty good also. My friend had the tri tip grilled sandwich. I liked how I could taste the smokiness of the beef. We also ordered some veggies and garlic fries on the sides. Garlic fries were awesome!!
I want to come back here and try the salad every one seems to be boasting about. I wanna taste what the big deal is about them.
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