On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.

Sunlight Cafe

3.5 star rating
based on 90 reviews

Category: Vegetarian  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Roosevelt
6403 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 522-9060
Price Range:
$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Breakfast
Alcohol:
None

90 reviews for Sunlight Cafe

Review Highlights   

user photo
"…I don't care what I get as long as it comes with the lemon-tahini dressing…" (in 6 reviews)
user photo
"If I had to pick my favorite dish, it would be the nutburger." (in 9 reviews)
user photo
"I had the tasty Sunlight Huevos Rancheros." (in 9 reviews)
  Loading...
Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Heather O.

Elite '09

44

164

Heather O.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
11/19/2009

A solid option as far as vegetarian restaurants go.  It is simple and quirky and has that country restaurant feel while being in the middle of the city.  Always plenty of vegan options available!   General crowd is usually over 40 and very granola, but you'll find the I-waited-until-I-was-over-thirty-to-have-kids family stroll in with their toe-headed toddler fairly regularly.

Recommend:
Nutburger!
Anything with the tofu mix in it.  

Downside:
Don't go here if you're in a hurry.  Everything is slooowwwww.  Every time I've been here.  
No ice in the water.  Hm.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Vicky S.

 

0

2

Vicky S.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
11/2/2009

One of the best vegetarian restaurants in Seattle, in my opinion. If I had to pick my favorite dish, it would be the nutburger. Delicious!

Even our staunchly non-vegetarian family and friends love this place. :-)

Was this review …?

 

Photo of alice n.

 

1

25

alice n.

King, WA

3 star rating
10/4/2009

So my dad used to work here; real hippy loving guy.
Now, the place has a nice sunny set to it. Bright walls, sun coming through, and white ceramics. It's nice and puts you in a relaxed mood.
Baristas are real chill and although I'm not a vegetarian the food is satisfactory...waffles:) though I know some others have had bad experiences with the goods. I'm rating it 3 because the service is unhappy...they don't seem to like being there. If you are in a hurray and mind very clean places-this is not the place for you.
I thought it was interesting that instead of having food in the glass case they had a collection of old pez dispensers....?

Was this review …?

 

Photo of lucy m.

 

1

17

lucy m.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
11/1/2009

Mmm... Sunlight Cafe. We love you.
couldn't stop ordering the highlander each time we went in cause it's so damn good. Most recently, I've ventured out and tried the fruit salad with lemon tahini dressing and later tried the waffles... all around goodness.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Josh H.

 

7

51

Josh H.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
7/17/2009

3,4,3,4,3,4........kind of hard to decide. M-kay, I will go with 3

Lets get is said....service at Sunlight Cafe sucks. Look, I get the old school hippie vibe, were all just hangin' out, no need to rush....naw, sorry, the service just sucks. But I'm actually ok with that, I just don't go to Sunlight if I'm in a rush. If your not in a rush, and you want to hang out and eat some tasty veg, then its all good.

Sunlight cafe is not serving cuisine. Its old school macrobiotic veggie food. Melted cheese and sprouts. But l like it. Some of the dishes are really tasty. Love their orzo with mushrooms. I like the fact that they have local artists work on the walls, I like the fact that the place has a 'greasy spoon' feel, I like how friendly the workers are. The service is not good, HOWEVER when I was sitting there this evening, I noticed that the staff knew many of the people coming in, and actually took time to talk to them and ask them how things were going. I get it. I like this place.

Want to chill with some good coffee on a lazy day, and talk for a while and eat some veg comfort food? Sunlight Cafe will do just fine.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Rhiannon P.

 

1

5

Rhiannon P.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
9/15/2009

OK, I want to start by saying I am NOT this cafe's target audience, so it's probably only natural that I wouldn't care much for the place.  It's vegetarian, I am not.  It's sort of the place one would go to in a "Folklife festival mood," perhaps with dreds in your hair, and I'm not that sort of person really.  I also was a bit frightened by the waitstaff's appearance (made me question their hygiene), but they are very nice, and I DO like nice people.

Anyhow, I have been here twice for dinner with my family, once when it wasn't too busy.  The service was relaxed, as other reviewers have mentioned.  I didn't find the waitstaff to be rude at all though, I found them to be super-nice and friendly.  

The food, well... I'm no great cook, but I can definitely make better food at home.  It's not a vegetarian thing--I've had LOTS of vegetarian food in NYC, and some stuff in the Seattle-area (mostly ethnic), and it's mostly been delicious.  Actually, I'm eating this frozen food vegetarian burrito from Whole Foods right now, and it tastes remarkably similar to what you get at Sunlight.  That is to say, it's not BAD, but, at a restaurant?  Anyhow, I only go there when someone else drags me there.

The place does have a cool neighborhood vibe though, I'll give it that.

Bottom line:  If you have or enjoy dredlocks, are vegetarian, enjoy friendly indie neighborhood cafes, you'd give it 4/5 stars.  If you are a little more paranoid about sanitation and bugs and enjoy a little more refined cuisine, you'd probably only give it 2 stars.  They are really nice though--I wish I liked them more!

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Marissa S.

Elite '09

161

182

Marissa S.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
6/29/2009

I am going to have to reserve final judgment until after I really eat her, but for what happened on Saturday I have to go with "Meh, I've experienced better." as it wouldn't take much to experience better.

We missed their weekend brunch by about a half hour, so we were in their "in between time" also known as "we are only serving breads, waffles, and drinks".  The baked goods had seen better days and were under saran wrap behind some glass.  My boyfriend thought he was being safe by ordering the waffles, but when the waitress brought him the plate full of dry burnt waffle I think we just regretted our decision to stick around. My Americano was decent, but that is really all I can say.

The place has some charm.The bearded guys making the food behind the counter remind me of grizzly carpenters or  mountain men. The aged wood, stained coffee warmers, and style of the place makes it seem like it would be more at home on the side of a mountain. I kind of like that.

The service left a lot to be desired. First off, the whole not serving during certain times, but still being open is a bit odd to me. Serving burnt food even more odd, and a waitress coming up and asking us if we could pay because the shift was ending was just bad manners. I understand you want your tip, but can't you get someone to hold it for you? It was a waffle, some OJ, and a cup of coffee. It was probably about $2 (if that). And asking for it isn't exactly going to get you a higher percentage.

I am going to give it another chance ( I hear they have great veggie burgers) but after this experience my hopes aren't exactly high for this one.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of jeremy b.

 

3

47

jeremy b.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
10/7/2009

Just not up to scratch these days.  Tepid soup, brown lettuce, general mush.  All at a price sure to make you wish you'd gone elsewhere.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Nikki B.

 

1

22

Nikki B.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
7/9/2009

I'm an avowed meatatarian, but I do occasionally enjoy the odd veggie dish. I do not, however, enjoy sanctimonious hippies, and I always feel sort of judged whenever I go to the Sunlight Cafe. The food's ok -- although I'm not sure that lemon-tahini dressing lives up to the hype -- but I swear to God, the servers can smell the steak in my tummy, and they just judge me for it.

Anyway, the food: I have had better. Even at non-vegetarian restaurants, I've had better vegetarian meals. Everything's just kind of bland and unimaginative, which, whatever, plenty of restaurants are bland and unimaginative, but when everything's served with a side of holier-than-though sauce, the whole experience becomes tedious.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Karl P.

 

7

9

Karl P.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
6/21/2009

My girlfriend and I decided to check out Sunlight Cafe on a sunny Wednesday morning for brunch. There is some great art up on the walls, the staff was laid back and friendly, and the music was good. We were both satisfied with the menu (she being vegan, and me being an on again off again vegetarian) which had lots of options for both of us.

The food was great! The ingredients were fresh and the portions were just right for both of us. It was around $25 dollars for both of us with drinks, which we felt was absolutely reasonable. We're looking forward to heading back and adding to this review.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Matthew M.

 

0

31

Matthew M.

King, WA

3 star rating
10/5/2009

I give this place 3 stars out of charity.  They wobble back and forth between 2 and 3, depending on how stoned they are.  Usually 3 if you catch them when its not too busy.  But the breakfast stuff is typically pretty decent.  Just dont go when you are in a hurry.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Rick M.

 

1

12

Rick M.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
6/1/2009

My partner was begging to try this place, so we went for dinner last night. Walking in, I did not set my expectations anywhere near high - it's a classic diner and there were very few people there.

Going thru the menu, I had a really hard time choosing something. Begin vegan, and this being a vegetarian restaurant, one would think there'd be lots to choose from. But, there's very little that's actually vegan, and the menu isn't that helpful in either letting me know what's in a dish, or that a dish can be made vegan. Most things had some form of dairy, be it cheese, cream, egg... The waitress, after asking, let me know anything but the polenta and the pasta can be made vegan.

Still, though, it was hard to choose - everything seemed so... uninspired. I settled on the 'Grilled Tempeh Burger'. Yeah, when it arrived that the table, it really was uninspired. A bun, some grilled tempeh, and a dollop of salsa that looked like it was packed in a can back in the 50's.

My sad burger came with an equally sad salad. Basically lettuce and a pile of sprouts (everything seems to come with sprouts) - and the wrong dressing. The waitress said they all taste the same. Great.

For starters, we had the sweet potato pancake. This was actually pretty tasty, but really did not look appetizing at all. It arrived as a pile of mush with a side of what looked like soy sauce.

I suppose it is a diner, after all, and one should expect nothing fancy. This place serves up sad, basic stuff at a trendy price. There are so many fantastic vegan-friendly restaurants in Seattle, that one really does not have to settle for this.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Jenevieve P.

 

3

12

Jenevieve P.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
5/2/2009

I just went here last week with a girlfriend who highly recommended it. I'm not vegetarian, but I do enjoy a good vegetarian meal every now and then. My friend said she mainly came for the tea so of course I had to try a cup. And it was phenomenal! It was Yogi tea, and what was so cool is that instead of sugar, or honey in a bottle, they had honey in a dish with one of the honeycomb wood server things (???).

It took me some time to pick what I wanted but I settled on a half a hummus and avocado sandwich on whole wheat. It was a very good sandwich, a little dry but I'm sure if I would have asked they would have brought me some hummus. It was a really wonderful experience though the tea was delicious they had art from local artists on the walls. and good service. I would definitely go back for my next brunch !

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Gabriel A.

Elite '09

69

124

Gabriel A.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
3/16/2009

I like this place. I like the decor, I like the local art (though I would never take home the photo of the drunk with the pretzels on the shore) on the walls, and I like the wait staff, even if they seem a little flighty sometimes.

Hey, the food here's good too! I had the tahini french toast. I know. Weird, right? But still, I liked it. Yum. I like the coffee, too. I liked my girlfriend's yogurt'n Blueberry Waffle, too. yum. yum yum.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Angie K.

Elite '09

9

144

Angie K.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
1/10/2009

The food here is OK, but I will probably not go back again unless someone else really wants to.

I have been there twice, both times had a waffle with yogurt and blueberries. The waffle is fine, but the place itself irritates me, because it smells weird and the servers are rude and full of themselves. The last time, the meal was fine, if average.

This time, the hostess, a mean hippie (maybe she is married to the mean hippie at Grateful Bread) asked my companion and I to leave because we were lingering too long over the table after we were done eating. WHAT?! The place is huge and the girl I was with said she saw empty tables on the way out. But the worst part of it is how she did it -- she just came over to our table and said very snottily that there were people waiting for tables and we should go, kind of like we had been arguing with her or something.

The coffee here is not that good either. In a town with so many places to get good coffee, good breakfast and good vegetarian food I really don't feel a need to suffer abuse from a cranky hippie.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Isha Z.

 

12

43

Isha Z.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
2/16/2009

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan. However, I can appreciate a good restaurant with good food.

At this place, all I can really speak for is the waffles. Oh god, their waffles.

They are so delicious, quite large, come with flavorful syrup, and are pretty much made of magic when consumed with plain yogurt sloshed over the top of every bite.

Magic waffles and tea for a magnificent start to your morning will run you a very low price here as well.

The problem? As mentioned in several other reviews, the service leaves something to be desired. The staff always seems too busy to care that there are customers eating at their restaurant...even on the rare occasion the place isn't all that busy.

For those waffles, I can deal with having food set on the table, lacking any sort of friendly smile or happy remark, and then am content to be ignored while I savor my meal before being glared at until I leave.

If you wake up one morning and think "man...cereal will just not cut it. I need something special", go for it! Get them waffles!

If not...well, definitely settle for the cereal. I like frosted mini-wheats myself.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of cassie c.

 

1

9

cassie c.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
12/17/2008

I'm convinced that anyone who has a bad experience here is just an asshole. I love this place (and therefore, am wonderful person). The sunlight café is my default restaurant for all occasions.  Here's the deal.... I'M NOT EVEN A VEGETARIAN, and this is one of my favorite places.  

Most vegetarian food is mysteriously void of spices and flavor. But these guys don't make that mistake. Though it may seem obvious to most of us, many people don't believe in tasty food, instead they like to use food as a vehicle of superiority and to promote "awareness". The Sunlight Café, thankfully does not make that mistake. The food is delish. My favorite is the Nut Burger (no, you're a nut burger!)

So much of what I like about the Sunlight Café isn't what they do, but what they don't do. Again, you might expect a place like this to be ran by self righteous pretentious hipster shits, but thankfully its not! The staff is genuinely nice, and has a flawless tempo of checking in on you.  The music is always really good too, it's as though everyone who works there has good taste in everything (even in soup).

(I could go on forever) .... One of my favorite things about this place, is that they seem to have subtracted everything dumb and pointless about the dining experience. You don't have to awkwardly wait by the door, while optically following the unaware waitress to "be seated", you get to use your brain, and sit down in one of the available seats. And when the wait staff takes your order, you kind of feel like your having a conversation with a normal human being, rather then some college kid douche. Its great.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of cathy g.

 

383

1013

cathy g.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
1/8/2009

You would think that I would be 5 starring this place?? So would I.
But the food is not that good. And the privileged attitude of the servers leaves me cold.

I went in again for breakfast, how can you blow breakfast? Well, you can blow breakfast by not having it!!!! They don't serve  eggs until after 9 am!! So it's doughnuts and maybe big fattening wheat waffles.. GLUG
I better quit now or I'll deduct more stars.. well I better anyway.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Amala P.

 

3

8

Amala P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
1/26/2009

This place is the SPOT. I'm not a vegetarian and I couldn't care less that this is a vegetarian joint...I go all the time. The food is flat out fabulous, no matter if you're an omnivore or an herbivore. I guess if you're a carnivore you might fall a little short. But even so, their portabello mushroom burger is meaty in that "veggie tastes like meat" kind of way if you know what I mean.

Whenever there's any out-of-towners visiting, this is the first place I bring them. They have wonderful service - the kind that not only makes you feel welcome, but feel appreciated as well.  The floor to ceiling windows creates a great ambiance...that is until it gets dark out.  For we all know that there's nothing better than natural lighting.

If you've never had the sesame waffle, you haven't lived.
Same thing goes if you haven't had the nut-burger. tis to die for.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Danielle W.

 

5

24

Danielle W.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
4/27/2009

So I have to start out by saying that I was pretty let down. For starters, the dinner prices, in my opinion are too high $13-$20 if I remember correctly.  The server was ok, nothing amazing just sort of there, we had to flag him down for water and other items.

I wouldn't  recommend the house salad. If you want a salad, I'd suggest eat one before you come and save your self $4 for a pretty damn small plate of greens.

I ordered egg plant parmesan and... wow what a mistake! The top layer was so thick it was like biting into cheese-flavored rubber, the entire meal was luke warm, and the egg plant was a little bitter and under cooked.

Seriously, I've got a much better recipe that costs a fraction of the price if you're interested.

To be fair, it was dinner, and I haven't had any breakfast or lunch menu items, but at this rate I'll probably skip the entire place.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Amanda L.

 

1

16

Amanda L.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
11/25/2008

I refuse to go back here. Our waitress was incredibly rude, the food was mediocre, and the menu selection pretty much sucks.

Quick story... my roommate and I had a couchsurfer from Mexico and we decided to take her out to breakfast. We went to Sunlight to get food. Now, our friend spoke pretty decent English and just had a hard time reading the menu. The waitress was incredibly rude to her when she ordered (in perfect English) and then got frustrated and started huffing when our friend took a few extra seconds to answer her question and kept looking at me like I was her keeper or something.

Not only was that insulting, but we all ordered soup, a side of bread, and a drink and the waitress was ridiculously rude and muttered "all sides... great... that's it?!" at us as if we hadn't ordered a whole meal's worth of food. Once our food came, any time we asked for another glass of water or something she would just nod and then ignore the request.

I've never received such blatantly awful customer service. As a waitress myself, this was totally insulting.

That being said... the food we had was just okay. I would eat the food again but the service was so bad. I'm not usually one for upbeat peppy customer service... I like to be left alone... but to be straight up rude to a customer is just awful.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Tae O.

 

4

9

Tae O.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
10/15/2009

Good service and attentive; however, not much available in the way of vegan food. Their attempt was futile and disgusting.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Jami K.

Elite '09

90

188

Jami K.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
10/22/2008

Tasty food, no wait on a Sunday morning and very good company.

I came here with my friend Shannan and we both got the deluxe huevous rancheros, though I opted for tofu instead of eggs.

The sauce was very good, but I still think my scrambled tofu tastes better (it's called cumin and tumeric people!).

Coffee refills were a little slow and I wasn't a fan of the sticky table...which is what happens when honey is your only sweetener.

The bathrooms were clean and I quite enjoyed the peppermint soap.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Inna B.

Elite '09

160

443

Inna B.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
Updated - 1/21/2009

I'm really starting to not like this place too much and am this-close to taking my rating down to two stars.

The veggies with tofu on rice (with the ginger sauce? that I couldn't even taste) were rather lacking in flavor.... very filling, but the only thing that had flavor in that dish were the carrots. Eh.

The savory tofu was again so-so and this time it didn't come with the usual red lettuce salad. Bummer!

We like dipping the tofu into the tahini dressing that's left over from the salad, so it was kind of annoying when three people in a row attempted to take our salad plates away from us.

Oh and speaking of the salad.... I don't like celery. I asked if it was possible to get it without celery and they simply said "yes." When the salads arrived I learned that the server failed to mention that I would be getting NO veggies (besides lettuce and sprouts) in my salad. And it still cost $3. WHAT?!? I'm kind of regretting that I didn't think to say anything about it (beyond the bummed out expression and a possible "Wish I knew that's what would happen..." statement when they served the "salad with no veggies")...

Otherwise.... they were good at refilling water. The vegan chocolate cupcakes were huge but I was still a little shocked to see that 2 cost us almost $6.

Ehhhh. I might have to look for another spot for when we (and our Vegan friend) feel like going out to eat (unless all we want are tempeh burgers- cause those are still awesome).

Was this review …?

 

2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    1/8/2009

    Went here again tonight. They gave us menus and water right away, so that was great. Then we had to… Read more »

Photo of Julian H.

Elite '09

23

456

Julian H.

Newcastle, WA

3 star rating
3/16/2009

3.5 stars.  I had the Huevos Rancheros and liked it.  The home fries (i.e. potatoes) were a little mushy, but maybe in an ironic twist home "fries" are not supposed to be fried at all? Not sure.  The espresso was fine, and the prices are very reasonable.

Our server was nice and paid just enough attention to us.  We were in a hurry and he got us out quickly.  It's not what I would call gourmet service, but for a cafe in Seattle it was good.  Looking around the room, most of the staff looked bored, indifferent, or irritated, so I was happy to have a server who was competent and wasn't taking himself too seriously.  Reading the other reviews, it sounds like we got lucky.

The vibe at Sunlight is very hippie-dippy.  Lots of light from many windows is nice.  Parking can be tough.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Michael T.

 

0

2

Michael T.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
4/18/2009

I've got to admit, I'm a little mystified by all the negative comments regarding the service here.  My roommate and I enjoyed brunch at Sunlight Cafe this afternoon, and our server - along with all the other staff members who visited our table - was laid-back and pleasant.  We were attended to promptly and not hovered over - it was a pretty great experience.

The food as well was stellar - we both got the Euripides - a phenomenal egg (or tofu!)/red pepper/garlic scramble served over spinach and seated nicely alongside Sunlight's glorious Home Fries (more like a delectable combination of hashbrowns and mashed potatoes than actual french fries) and even with the economy in the state it's in, I had to order a second mimosa, the first being so delicious and refreshing.

All these, paired with the sunny and open atmosphere that the cafe's high ceilings and large windows provide, made for an unexpected and perfect way to enjoy a lazy Saturday afternoon.  We can't wait to visit again (and bring friends!)

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Rebecca B.

Elite '09

28

138

Rebecca B.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
11/7/2008

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that gets shitty service here. I thought maybe they had a personal vendetta against me or something. Apparently, bad service is just par for the course here.

Like, SERIOUSLY bad service. They probably get 3 out of 10 things right there (and that's a fact, I actually counted one time).

That said, their food is beyond delicious. BEYOND. The tofu they scramble makes me want to beg for the recipe. I have to hold myself back from crawling across the restaurant on my knees. I don't know why I'd do that, but food THAT good makes you do crazy things, people.

To be honest, all together, the bad service makes it 3 stars, but the food is like 10 gazillionbazillion stars.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Marika B.

Elite '09

45

42

Marika B.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
9/17/2008

If I could order bacon & bacon with a side of bacon, I would.  In fact, I strongly believe that every restaurant should add bacon as a strong entree, side dish, appetizer and dessert to their menus; I'm not the only one.

In the absence of a bacon free-for-all, there is the Sunlight Cafe.  Vegan and vegetarian options abound, as that is who the cafe caters to:  vegans, vegetarians, and people taking a break from bacon for One Meal Only (me).

I quite enjoy the avocado and raw milk cheddar grilled cheese sandwich on their Frisbee-sized slices of homemade wheat bread.   That was a mouthful.  So is the sandwich.

Breakfast is really good, too; I love ordering fried eggs with a whole wheat English muffin and one of their fresh and delectable smoothies.  I think mine had pineapple in it last time.  I think I wept from how tasty it was.

This is one of those places I like going alone; there are a lot of people who eat there solo, although I would advise you to bring Eckhart Tolle's new book or some other manual on maintaining health and wellness within your third eye... that kind of reading material is KEY in a place like this.

If you can handle the substitutions, and can say the word 'seitan' without snickering, you will love this place.  Also, they have a kickass Pez dispenser collection in their display case.  It's really something.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Just Y.

 

3

260

Just Y.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
12/29/2008

I tried this place out pretty much because it was across from Whole Foods and I'd passed it several times and always wondered.  It always seems to have people in it so I thought - what the hell.

First time I went for breakfast.  I have to give props to whomever wrote the menu descriptions: Very descriptive, very appetizing, sometimes flat out lying.  When you have the word "crunch" in the title, something should crunch.   Just because you're vegetarian doesn't mean your food has to look bland, taste bland, and be soggy despite my watching you cook most of it.

Last time (yes I went again - I figured my first trip was a fluke - there are always so many people in there) I went, it was for lunch.  I'm not exactly sure what some of the things were on my plate - They didn't look or taste like anything I'd read on the menu, or seen in nature....

Its decently priced -which is good, because you don't want to spend too much money on food that isn't all that good.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Vivian N.

 

31

51

Vivian N.

Newcastle, WA

4 star rating
12/9/2008

What does the term "nutburger" conjure up in your mind?

Toilet humor aside, I imagined a crunchy macadamia-pistachio-unidentified nut patty that could possibly break my molars. Although I was initially disgusted and intrigued, my friends insisted that I try it.

Somewhat surprisingly, the patty was soft, moist, and most importantly, juicy. More surprisingly, the patty -- a congealed mixture of crushed nuts and brown rice -- tasted just like falafel. Tasty, but a touch bland in comparison to all-meat burgers. Served between whole wheat buns and a slew of both fresh and sauteed vegetables, this thing was monstrous. Monstrously filing, that is! When it comes to protein in-take, this burger does not joke around.

Contrary to other Yelp reviews, our waitress was sweet, very smiley. And the owner was kind enough to distract a nearby customer who kept egging us to guess his ethnic make-up. Sorry dude, we're not interested in whether you're from Russia or Sweden. The only nutjobs we care about are nutburgers.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Megan O.

Elite '09

23

68

Megan O.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
1/28/2009

I have mixed feelings about this place. I've eaten here quite a few times because I used to live up the street and my husband is a vegetarian.

I was never disappointed in the food. My favorite things to get by far are soup and salad. The soup is always really thick and chunky and tastes fresh. The salad has sprouts, sunflower seeds and lots of other veggies loaded on. Their salad dressings are also awesome, yum yum country herb.

My complaint would have to be the service. Even though a lot of times we did have very nice waiters/waitresses, they were almost always slow and didn't come back to check on you very often. Many of them also just seemed to lack any kind of enthusiasm. Frustrating! But I'd still go back for the soup and salad.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Josh D.

 

2

11

Josh D.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
7/13/2008

We got seated immediately at 11:30 on a Saturday. Then probably waited about 7-10 minutes before a server came by to check on us. To the point where we asked if we had been forgotten.

The food however was great and not that expensive. I had the french toast. Which was really thick and delicious. It came with a fruit cup which was a good start.

I also ate some of my friends huevos rancheros which was overfloweing with black beans. Which I also like and would order.

Definite hippie earthy vibe to the store and staff.

Grab a seat at the bar. People there get served much faster.

Worth Checking out.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Austin K.

Elite '09

22

116

Austin K.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
10/2/2008

Am I getting to leanant on restaurants? I don't know, but another 5 *

Today is my first time to this landmark Vegetarian joint. I met with my pal Sarah of http://beansnrice.com and had a super double triple yum meal.

The split pea soup is hearty, chunky, and packed with spices. I love me some polenta and having it floating on a tasty bowl of black beans is a treat.

The server was super friendly and had a rad cowboy outfit.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Heather F.

Elite '09

67

77

Heather F.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
4/14/2008

I've never been here when the place isn't full with happy vegetable munching people!  I take that as a good sign.
The food has always been great and the service good.  I crave the lemon tahini dressing and the day I found out you can buy it by the bottle was the best day of my life. (Wow, I really need to get out.  There's more to life than  delicious, delicious lemon tahini, right?  That's what I thought. . .)
Don't be in a hurry when you go, the food isn't cranked out of the kitchen at a fast pace.  But that's what I like about it, good food in a casual atmosphere.  And lemon tahini.  Did I mention that yet?

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Strump M.

 

0

2

Strump M.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
8/12/2008

This is an awesome place. Brunches SMELL good. Something about those waffles baking, the potatoes frying and the papayas exhaling sweet essence. The coffee is organic, and I swear the drip is so deep you'd think you had pure expresso in the cup.

Try the melted Avacado and Cheese on homemade andadama bread for lunch. It is huge, but eat it slowly. It is worth savoring. Have it with a cup of soup - never a disappointment.

I like the sauteed vegetables on brown rice for dinner. I like that this is a restaurant that is human, that seems to form relationships, that makes a home for many who have lived and worked in the neighborhood.

Sit at the counter. Share some stories, swirl some honey in your tea, eat without guilt, and leave with a sense of having done something right.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Will P.

Elite '09

6

44

Will P.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
6/3/2009

This place is interesting. The food is so good I forget is vegetation and they have a great variety of unique things to choose from.  The service is lacking but I don't let it affect my experience.  Every time I come here they get my order wrong and forget half the stuff I say. The last couple times we started betting on how many of things we ordered we would get and how long it would take.  Although I only got half the stuff I ordered and it took quite some time, a good time and meal was had by all.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Laura P.

 

18

128

Laura P.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
2/22/2009

The food here is alright, not great. The breakfasts aren't bad, but the coffee kind of sucks. I would give the place three stars for the food, but the service is a little ridiculous. I've waited an age and a half for cream for my coffee, and the people barely speak to you or acknowledge that you are human. Since the food is just mediocre, I'd much rather have mediocre served to me by someone friendly.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of Gordie H.

 

0

41

Gordie H.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
6/1/2009

Being a Vegetarian can be a pain in the rear sometimes but the Sunlight makes it all worth it.  It doesn't matter what day or time it is they always have some great soup and yogi tea waiting for you.  I highly recommend this place to anyone with a mouth.

Was this review …?

 

Photo of C. S.

 

11

23

C. S.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
Updated - 2/17/2009

3 years later...just wanted to let everyone know, I have still NOT been back!

Was this review …?

 

1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 1 star rating
    1/10/2006

    I came here with my friend for breakfast. It was midweek, so there were only 2 or 3 other customers… Read more »

Photo of Jessica L.

 

0

33

Jessica L.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
9/2/2008

Vegan review-
What is not to like? Tempeh burger with sprouts, tahini salad dressing - these are my peeps - they speak my language. Being newly (after 8 yrs) vegan again, I miss that ease of ordering food - of knowing your food is meat/dairy/egg free.
Lots of choices, and cheesey delights too. And Whole Foods is around the corner if you are hankering' for something else.

Was this review …?

 

1 to 40 of 90 |  
Page: 1 2 3
Write a Review

People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...

People Viewed This After Searching For...