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Tender Greens

4 star rating
based on 600 reviews

Categories: American (New), Vegetarian

Neighborhood: Culver City
9523 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 842-8300
Tender Greens, Sunset & Vine

Tender Greens Hollywood opening soon!  Look for us to open this January at the southeast corner of Sunset & Vine.

 
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.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street, Garage
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only
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600 reviews for Tender Greens

Review Highlights   

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"Their mashed potatoes are so creamy and buttery it's so delicious." (in 152 reviews)
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"I always get the ahi tuna hot plate with the tender greens salad." (in 88 reviews)
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"Their Happy Vegan salad is sooooooo good as is their tomato soup." (in 31 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of April G.

 

0

8

April G.

Playa Del Rey, CA

5 star rating
12/3/2009

I absolutely love their Chicken Ceasar salad and tomato soup!  It's really fun to watch them prepare your meals!  It is always crowded, but that's a good thing, the food is fresh!  I always think I'm going to spot a celeb since we're close to all the studios there, but I haven't yet.  It's okay, the food is worth visiting over and over!  

Everything is $10 or under, great prices!! :)

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Photo of Stephanie H.

Elite '09

434

130

Stephanie H.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
12/1/2009

This was one of the first places that I tried when I moved to Culver City. Located right in Downtown Culver, it is a convenient place to grab a quick and healthy dinner before a movie or a play at the Kirk Douglas Theater.

It is a simple place, a place where you can show up after your midday work out in your gym clothes and not necessarily feel out of place. The area as a whole though does get a bit nicer in the evening. The menu is pretty short and consists of simple salads, big salads, soups and plates. They offer steak, chicken, tuna and vegetable options. Their plates come with a simple salad, choice of main dish and some really delicious mashed potatoes. All of the salads are really good, complex enough to be a full meal when you are hungry.

My personal favorite is the grilled vegetable salad, especially when they include cauliflower and brussel sprouts. YUM!!! Also, the restaurant does have wine, beer and assorted soft drinks, but they also have some really delicious fresh beverages like their mint lemonade and their agua frescas.

Whenever I want something healthy yet still filling and delicious, Tender Greens will always be one of my first thoughts.

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Photo of Justin N.

Elite '09

362

174

Justin N.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
12/1/2009

An entire restaurant based around salads? Doable sure. Done well? Difficult.

I have to say, the menu looked slim. There were two salads that fit what I was searching for. On this trip, Salad in the Raw was my target.

So very good. I was peeved at first, the line cook lied to me. I pointed to the brussel sprouts during prep as they were calling to me, I inquired if my salad was lucky enough to have them. You see, the menu says "vegetables", it does not get specific. She nodded emphatically that I most definitely would encounter those bruseel sprouts soon. Actually... anything I pointed to, she shook her head as if I was most definitely covered. I got my salad.... not so much. I explained to the gentleman at register that I was told brussel sprouts were in the mix and as this was a miscommunication on their end, I received a side order for free. Good save. They were cooked perfectly.

Eating vegan, people always say "Sooo do you ONLY eat salads or what??" I rarely eat salads for a main course as I often find them lacking. I forget that there are GOOD salads out there. I inhaled my Salad in the Raw like a starving orphan hits the gruel tub. The vinaigrette was balanced and flavorful, I left feeling satisfied.

I'll be back. Hey, I have to do my best to live up to those vegan stereotypes right? I need to eat more salads.

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Photo of Daniel L.

Elite '09

190

445

Daniel L.

Berkeley, CA

4 star rating
11/30/2009 4 photos

The fuzz and buzz about Tender Green's organic salads have been reverberating among my Yelp inner circles for quite some time. Finally I decided to visit with Tony Y. Jr. for a late lunch, and the place resembled a modern version of Intermezzo/Café Mattina with its salad-making assembly line, clean and polished ambiance, great natural lighting, and a cute front and side patio for people to enjoy the sun.

For $10.50, my order of tuna nicoise salad came with two huge slices of seared tuna, mixed greens, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, capers, eggs, and olives tossed in sherry vinaigrette.  Although their prices and portions do not compare to what I'll get at Café Mattina, it is still superior to Coral Tree as the salad was deliciously constituted with a nice set of supporting cast to accentuate its freshness and taste. The dish also came with a piece of bread but the bland, hard texture made it less complimentary to the nice salad. I also wished that the tuna could be seared in chunks to bring out the charred taste and the dressing could be lighter.

Service was brief at the register but those who are interested will need to anticipate a long line and wait for the next available table. Since I love salads that are fresh with great texture, I would love to come back again to try their other items. 4 stars for the experience.

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Photo of yeana j.

Elite '09

13

121

yeana j.

Fullerton, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 12/1/2009

This time I tried the steak salad with beets...I died when I ate beets. I lovelovelove this salad. I think it had the tarragon dressing as well. As always, everything is great here. My friends were all impressed by it!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    11/6/2009

    This place is really good. I mean really good. This is my reaction even after being super hyped up… Read more »

Photo of Marcus F.

 

14

98

Marcus F.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
12/2/2009

A small concise menu allows Tender Greens to provide fresh and consistently good food. This also allows the restaurant to handle large crowds during lunch effectively. The online ordering option allows you to bypass the line and lust pickup your order. I highly recommend doing so for lunch. Tender Green's also have a pretty nice selection of craft draft beers and specialty sodas. WIth very reasonable prices it is apparent why Tender Greens perpetually has a line.

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Photo of Jesstine G.

 

14

20

Jesstine G.

Marina del Rey, CA

5 star rating
11/17/2009

Limited menu that might appear like a foo-foo organic place, but that page is full of great things.  I'm a big fan of red meat so I always order the steak sandwich (don't forget that you can specify how you'd like it cooked).  Pieces of flank steak served on toasted ciabatta bread with grilled red bell pepper and some type of aioli sauce (?), i think.  anyway, it's amazing.  If you like red meat, order it.  Sometimes I'm tempted to order the plate instead bc the plate comes with creamy mashed potatoes, but the flavor of the sandwich keeps me from straying.  

Also, I really like the seared tuna so I usually order a side of tuna as well.  Way too much food but I like both so much that I can't choose between them.  

My fave salad is the simple arugula salad.  the caesar is good too though.  Oh, and if you like chocolate, you should try the brownie.  It's really moist and delicious.

If you're thinking about trying this place, do it.  If you had a bad experience, give it another shot.  People are yelp'n this place like crazy for a reason.  

ps.  the employees pick up your trays/plates/trash, so I always leave a buck or two on the table.

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Photo of Lisa J.

 

91

92

Lisa J.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
11/11/2009

Okay I'm not gonna lie - the Happy Vegan Salad is VERY good.  I was totally prepared to diss it and hate on it because of its high cost and because y'all know I am not a salad eatin' chick.

But dayyummmm - it was just so good.  The chef obviously worked hard to put together the right flavors and the right proteins to achieve a fulfilling meal as opposed to just a side dish.  

I'm impressed.

Considering that  the salad costs more than $10, you would expect the portion to be huge.  However, it's more like medium sized.  But don't sweat it - It's the added protein from the hummus, the tabbouleh and the farrow wheat that satiates your appetite.

Don't get me wrong - I do think that this salad is expensive.  But it's definitely worth it.

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Photo of Jessica C.

 

0

4

Jessica C.

Lomita, CA

4 star rating
11/24/2009

The food is very tasty. I tried the chicken sandwich with a salad that had goatcheese and macademian nuts. The food is very light so you don't go home
feeling like you can't have dessert. The service on the patio was not fantastic. I will try something new next time. If you like salads you will like this place. I tried my friend mashed patatoes and they were supper creamy and buttery, yummy. I don't think there is a lot of parking by this place. I was lucky enough to walk because I work down the street.

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Photo of DUTCHIE L.

 

9

142

DUTCHIE L.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
11/21/2009

I walked and drove by many times, thinking "ah, I should try this one day..." and one evening I went there with my friend.
What a lovely concept at such great prices.
Now, that is what I call "value for money".

It's fast food, yet very healthy.
Great salads, wonderful meat (I love the flank steak)

This is definitely high on my list !

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Photo of David Y.

 

0

6

David Y.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
11/23/2009

I really don't get what the big deal is.  Are the ingredients fresh?  Yes.  Is it a healthy eating choice? Yes.  Is the food memorable?  ...not really.  

I love eating salads and fresh veggies, but I hesitate to dish out $10+ for it especially when nothing about it "wows" me.  Just head over to the farmer's market for the fresh ingredients and fire up the grill and it's just as good but way cheaper.

Nope, not gonna give stars for something I could do at home.
Don't believe the hype.

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Photo of Jessica H.

 

35

3

Jessica H.

Santa Monica, CA

5 star rating
11/22/2009

This place right here is one of the reasons why I moved to the Westside... what, you've never moved somewhere to be closer to a restaurant?

If you're a fan of fresh, organic ingredients like me, eating here is like going to the farmers market... but for half the price and sans the hassle! Yup, Tender Greens is the lazy man's farmers market!

I call their tuna nicoise salad my "security blanket"... time and time again I return to the familiarity and comfort of the perfectly seared albacore, mixed greens, and sherry vinaigrette. Throw in green beans, potatoes, olives and eggs and you have yourself a perfect salad, ladies and gentlemen.

Don't leave without trying these too:
Grilled flatiron steak salad
Daily specials are definitely worth checking out
Agua fresca!

And seriously, how can you not love a restaurant that uses recycled materials and environmentally friendly products?? Man, I really need to find a job next to Tender Greens... haha, as if living 10 minutes away wasn't already close enough (it's not).

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Photo of Serena C.

 

88

54

Serena C.

Cerritos, CA

4 star rating
11/4/2009

After a night of pigging out, me and my friend wanted to have lunch somewhere that wouldn't leave us feeling heavy.  We both had heard great things about this place and decided to give it a try.  

My friend had the chipotle bbq chicken big salad while I went with the red and green butter lettuce simple salad and added the herb brushed albacore tuna. Maybe my expectations were built up to be too high, and therefore wasn't WOW-ed, but I still thought Tender Greens was pretty solid.  The chipotle bbq chicken salad had tons of chicken in it and I really loved the dressing they used-- deliciously rich tasting. As for my salad, butter lettuce is always my preferred leaf for salads so I was a happy camper. The tarragon dressing that came with my salad was good, but only alright compared to the cilantro lime dressing on the chipotle bbq chicken salad. The side of tuna I ordered for my salad was also perfection--nicely seared and tasty.  Both salads were pretty large and filling.  

Loved that there was plenty of outdoor seating---very enjoyable for lunch under the sunny California weather.

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Photo of theresa d.

 

8

113

theresa d.

Daly City, CA

3 star rating
11/27/2009

Its cafeteria style dinning with a nice outdoor seating. Easy way for everyone to get what they want and enjoy a meal in nice weather. The entree's have a choice of sandwich style or plate style. I chose the plate and got my short ribs with mash potatoes and a salad. Make sure you order everything you need from the start cause asking for a dessert at the end can leave you hanging at the cashier for a while. And ordering for yourself and another person sounds like a good idea at first, but its not cause you have to take two large trays back to your table.

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Photo of Christine Y.

 

4

41

Christine Y.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
11/4/2009

Once you're craving veggies, this is the place for it. I've come here so many times now that I've lost count. Most of the time it's been good, some food is more hit and miss than others, and certain times of the day is worse too. But if you get the right person, and the right time, its just very delicious.

I've come here for lunch and dinner, mostly lunch, and the line has always been out the door. Once you order though everything goes by much quicker. Though when its busy, and you have a group larger than 2, I would recommend saving a seat or else you end up standing with your tray for 10 minutes. Buttt...if you have a group of 5 and up, the very last table in the back is actually only for larger groups, it only seats up to 7 though. Order, and I love watching them make the food and just staring at everything all laid out and figuring out which one is mine!

Service is okay when you pay and all, I've gotten better service from the busboys, they're always really accommodating and quick. I like how you get to sit outside, but their chairs are pretty uncomfortable...for a short person it makes you slide back in the seat and then the edge of the seat is a huge knot that digs into your legs. Maybe why people eat and leave so quickly?

Oki the food. So I've order a lot of things here. My faves are the cobb salad, very very rich and lotsa thick piece of bacon. Veggies, which aren't super flavorful, but I like that it comes with a small salad and a good variety. I also like getting the hot plates with chicken or beef. Don't get the tuna, it's very hit or miss. Sometimes good, sometimes totally overcooked, sometimes looks really old. The chicken has a tendency to be on the fatter side though, but is usually cooked well. The beef is usually good, sometimes a bit dry. Though I don't get the hot plates for the meat, its usually for the mashed potatoes!!!! The hot plate doesn't come with a lot of meat, but a huge pile of that!

If its good, its good. And sometimes it's just okay. But its pretty quick and when done well, I end up craving it.

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Photo of Jessica L.

 

20

62

Jessica L.

Walnut, CA

5 star rating
11/11/2009

ooh my favorite!

I love working in culver city and having fresh salad with delicious seared albacore tuna + yukon mashed potatoes for lunch!

I am such a creature of habit and always get the same hot plate (the above), but I hear the steak sandwiches are delicious as well.
Their hibiscus tea is a perfect compliment to the hot plates.

Tender Greens make me happy! :)

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Photo of Jackie S.

Elite '09

74

134

Jackie S.

Studio City, CA

2 star rating
10/25/2009

What is the huge deal about this place?  I've heard people raving about it but after my experience last night, I was really unimpressed.

My grilled veggie salad was nothing special and the dressing tasted like olive oil with orange food coloring.  My glass of rose was lukewarm and bland.  I really wanted to like this place because there are few things that make me happier than a great salad.  But I won't be back.

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Photo of Clara K.

 

0

2

Clara K.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
11/17/2009

This place is one of my favorite place to go! I loved it so much I got a job there. Usually after a while you start to hate the place you work.. but working there made me love the place even more! the way they treat people's food, and where the food come from, everything is just perfect!

I gotta say when i worked there (shortly), i ate as much as i could, and it was probably the healthiest i have ever been!

good price for a date, good environment, good people, good food!

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Photo of Cindy L.

Elite '09

16

73

Cindy L.

Venice, CA

5 star rating
10/27/2009

Everything was great about this place.  I love the location (downtown Culver City) and the simple design of the restaurant.  

I love the easy to read menu...not complicated at all.  I also like it when restaurants displays fresh ingredients while you line up to get your food or to pay.  

There are seating available inside and outside.  

Parking is available on the streets or parking garages.

The salad I had was the chicken cobb salad...the bacon were thick cut and sliced, not crumbled.  Plenty of chicken, egg, and bacon in the salad.  The slice of bread with the salad was CRUNCHY!!!  I had to be careful when I bite into it because I might chip my front tooth!  But it was delicious!

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Photo of Charlene W.

 

0

24

Charlene W.

West Hollywood, CA

4 star rating
11/6/2009

My boss took me and a co-worker here for a "thanks for doing a good job on a project" lunch.  Amazing!  I had a Chinese Chicken Salad and my very first Brussels sprout.  It was so good that I picked up dinner on my way home.  

It loses a star because in my opinion, it's a bit pricey, but well worth it.  I was sad because I used to live within walking distance but recently moved to WeHo.. well guess what Brussels fans!?  There is one on Santa Monica Blvd in WeHo...   hopefully the food will be as fresh and tasty..

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Photo of Eli M.

 

2608

260

Eli M.

Downey, CA

5 star rating
9/22/2009 2 photos

I've been coming here for a few years now, but it definitely has been a while since I've had my fix from this place.

Well, I use to work in Culver City for Colortek Labs http://ctkdp.com/ for about 17 years.
After hanging out here for a few years, I really got to know quite a few places for a quick grub.
Even on the weekends I would come back into town for what Culver City had to offer, Specialty foods with authentic flavors.
One of my favorite places... Ok! one of my family's favorite places is here at Tender Greens. A great selection of fresh greens or some really tasty and healthy comfort  food.
Like my Wifey's favorite Tomato Basil soup and my daughter's favorite is Yukon gold mashed potatoes. Yum!

A good friend Jim R. had invited me to have lunch with him, to catch up on life.
He tried to convince me to go have a good ol' Johnnie's Pastrami served with homemade pickles, or the amazing Versailles Cuban food with their garlicky chicken, or the Santa Maria BBQ with their mouth watering baby-back pork ribs.

But I didn't give in.
My mind was set on Tender Greens... i just kept thinking of the Seared Ahi Tuna on a bed of baby spinach, goat cheese, hazelnuts, Cabernet vinaigrette with a large garlic crouton.

I felt guilty not bringing the Wife & the child for lunch, but then again it was about me and my good friend Jim R. catching up.

I want to thank a true friend for inviting me for lunch.

Anyways my wife & child can go on http://yelp.com and view the images of the great lunch we had.

Enjoy good food with friends!

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Photo of monique m.

Elite '09

137

132

monique m.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/28/2009

I really liked this spot. the set up is fast and efficient. not much more you can ask for. tried the chipotle chicken salad and it was tasty. also bought a brownie and it was delish! overall very happy with my meal. shall be coming back more often.

and i love sitting outside..nothing reminds you that you live in so cal then dining outdoors on wonderful greens.

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Photo of Mimi C.

 

33

115

Mimi C.

Alhambra, CA

4 star rating
10/14/2009

The food - I ordered red meat of course - the grilled flatiron steak salad. =9 It had a nice distinctive flavor and a good portion of meats. The dressing was not overwhelming nor was it drenching the salad. A relief because they have so many customers in line that it's easy to quickly throw something together and move on to the next customer. They make the salads in front of you so you know you're getting fresh meats + veggies. My friends ordered the mashed potato which I thought was okay - think buttery mashed potato - the one I can make at home and would cost less kind. ;)

The price - $10.50 for a reasonable sized plate of salad. Though, I do think that the price is more mainly because of the space it occupies. I could definitely get a bigger salad for less in other places.

The ambiance - Plenty of seating, though less indoors than outdoors. It's in a pretty happenin' part of Culver City so, be ready for lines and lots of people. A nice hang out or date place.

The service - Fast and friendly!

Good place overall, just wish I had more food with it - I was still a bit hungry afterward.

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Photo of Fern D.

 

44

392

Fern D.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
11/14/2009

I like this place. The grilled chicken Cobb salad rocks and decent size portion too. Gets crowded with a line out the door, but goes relatively quick. Good place to chill on the patio and have a nice lunch.

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Photo of June K.

 

17

35

June K.

Los Angeles, CA

1 star rating
9/2/2009

I have sung the praises of Tender Greens countless times to my coworkers and my friends.  When I have people come to visit me (I live right across the street from downtown Culver City), the destination for mealtime is usually Tender Greens because their salads are healthy, yummy, and filling.  I have eaten here about 1-2 times a month for the past 2 yrs.  

Why the low review?  Because of last night's experience.  

Last night around 7:30PM, I came here, starving.  I ordered my usual tuna nicoise with the tomato soup and started digging in, enjoying the capers and the greens and everything about this salad.

I decided to take a breather and noticed...there was something small and green...and it was doing the caterpillar on my salad!  IT WAS A SMALL GREEN CATERPILLAR!  I blinked and looked twice to make sure that this wasn't happening.  Unfortunately, IT WAS and I was completely repulsed.  I quickly called out to a server who took one look at the wiggling creature and took my plate and guided me to the cashier, where a "manager" was on duty.  

This is where the one star review comes in.  While I understand that this establishment was VERY busy, the "manager" takes one nonchalant glance at my salad, turns me to haughtily, and asks, "Do you want another one?" I said "Yes, that would be good." and he states "We'll bring it to you" once he realized I was mulling around the cashier area where there were many patrons waiting to pay and receive their food.  NO apology WHATSOEVER.  I was floored.  

I received my replacement rather quickly, but I couldn't eat much of it.

The poor attitude of the manager is what resulted in my immediate ban of this establishment.  If he had simply done the usual protocol of APOLOGIZING along with my replacement in a APOLOGETIC TONE instead of a smug, "I'm too busy to deal with caterpillars" I would have happily ate my replacement, and left with a good taste in my mouth, and would have came here to write a great review about Tender Greens customer service and their excellent manager on duty that night.  But that didn't happen.

Please know that I am not hard to please.  I NEVER complain at places of business.  When there an issue arises, all I ask for is an apology and a resolution.  That's it.  

So in conclusion, I will not be coming back to Tender Greens Culver City and I want to warn my fellow Yelpers about the poor service that will arise, should you ever have an issue with your food here.  Someone below called this location the red-headed stepchild and now I can see why.

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Photo of Annie P.

 

2

123

Annie P.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
11/10/2009

Very limited menu.  You better like 'tender greens' or you won't be pleased.

I cannot believe this place charges $10.50 for one of their more gourmet salads, or a sandwich.  What  a complete waste.

Suffice to say, I won't be returning.

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Photo of Ray C.

 

10

78

Ray C.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
9/11/2009

I'm a man, give me meat to make me happy.  But when I feel like a little pansy and want to get my salad on, I go here.  

Seriously, who woulda thunk it.  There's a chain in Atlanta called Doc Greens that makes salad for you, but this place tops it off.  I love their combos, their meats on the salad are great, and I must say, I'm impressed by their leaves.

My friend who works at Sony took me here and I've taken several people since from all over the world.  The verdict?  Yum.

Lovely.

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Photo of Gabe C.

 

0

3

Gabe C.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
11/15/2009

Absolutely incredible.  When was the last time you ate at a chain restaurant that that used ingredients that were so fresh and delicious? I am completely in awe of this restaurant and am looking forward to having them open one on Vine and Sunset.  
The food is reasonably priced and prepared in a way to make you feel like you are eating out at a nice restaurant.  
If you haven't been it is worth it!!

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Photo of army c.

 

0

19

army c.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
10/8/2009

I've been here more than thirty times and always had a fairly good experience.  

I've learned...
- portion size can differ depending on who's plating your dish
- to ask them to go easy on the dressing or get it on the side (or my salad will be drenched in dressing)
- the tomato soup is REALLY thick (but still yummy)
- their tarts are AMAZING
- their aztec chocolate brownie is absolutely sinful
- that they have the MOST uncomfortable chairs (like they want you to eat up and leave haha)
- their mashed potato is just plain DELICIOUS

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Photo of Bud C.

 

20

97

Bud C.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
Updated - 11/4/2009

You forgot to include the cupcake I paid for (for my pregnant wife). My patience is seriously thinning.

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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    10/9/2009

    Oh Tender Greens -- I've supported you since the day you opened.  I order from you at least once a… Read more »

Photo of Phoebe C.

 

6

37

Phoebe C.

Anaheim, CA

3 star rating
10/3/2009

I got the Baby Spinach (w/ goat cheese, hazelnuts, and cabernet vinaigrette) plus the albacore with mashed potatoes, which came out to be $10.50 without tax. It was decently good... The salad and mashed potatoes were good, but pretty standard for what you would expect at any other store or restaurant. I must admit though, the albacore (served medium rare) was pretty bomb... Overall a tasty meal, but nothing to merit great raves.

Oh, I should note that the clientele base is pretty much an eclectic group of college students, liberal hippies, and gay people. Not that that's important... just quite interesting to people watch.

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Photo of EDNA T.

 

15

161

EDNA T.

North Hollywood, CA

3 star rating
9/24/2009

- Good, BUT not great---especially for a gourmet $10+ salad.
- Had the BBQ Chipotle Salad---flavorful chicken but the salad dressing was a bit bland.

(p.s the BBQ chopped chicken/tri tip salad at Stonefire Grill is AMAZING!)

*** If I'm in Culver City and in the mood for *Healthy Eating*, then I'd probably give Tender Greens another try.

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Photo of Win H.

 

192

77

Win H.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
8/12/2009

If you've ever seen that Food Network show, "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives", you've seen that annoying, spiky-haired, douche bag Guy Fieri visit unheralded down-to-earth culinary destinations across the country to sample the local fare.

Inevitably, each episode builds to the money shot when Guy samples the local specialty. Predictably, his jaw slackens and his eyes roll back into his cro-magnon skull in feigned gustatory ecstasy, even though the food usually looks like a fresh Cleveland Steamer garnished with parsley, stuff that I would never eat unless the Food Network was paying me a handsome salary. Even though I've sampled some fine cuisine in my days, I've never experienced such an instantaneous Pavlovian response to delicious food.  

That being said, I must admit that the flank steak at Tender Greens comes pretty close. It is just ridiculously delicious. The steak is coated with a mysterious rub (probably secret ingredients like salt & pepper) that infuses the exterior with some ridiculous flavor. The interior is cooked to a perfect medium-rare, a uniform shade of pink from edge to edge, which is no easy task considering that flank steak is a not a particularly thick cut of meat. Whatever they do, it works.

After tasting the delicious flank steak on my salad, I almost blurted out, "This steak is OFF THE HOOK", but I managed to resist the urge as I would have felt compelled to punch myself in the face afterward.

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5

4

Mo S.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
11/10/2009

I would give this a 4.5 but that isnt an option. The food is really great. the service is pleasant. My one complaint was I had a fly that wouldnt leave me alone, apparently it thought the food was great too!

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Photo of N.oah Q.

Elite '09

126

119

N.oah Q.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 8/4/2009

What's the expression? First time is a time...thing, and second time is...

Eh, whatever; it certainly applies to this place (for me).

My initial visit was met with disappointment in both the food and service, especially considering the insane fan-dom of this joint. I vowed to my dragon collection that I would never visit again. But fate had different plans for this lemur.

Second time around, Tender Greens delivered and delivered well. I had a lamb special that came with a general salad situation and some colorful-as-all-hell ratatouille. Everything was fresh and pretty damn spot-on in flavor, especially considering that is was merely $10.50. The lamb was tender, juicy, and had a very decent flavor; the ratatouille had the perfect soft-yet-firm texture (most places don't get this right), and the salad was crisp and perfect with the rest of the situation.

So I stand corrected. The service was great, as well. And, yes, flavor was definitely a part of the meal this time.

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    4/13/2008

    Scenario: It's an absurdly hot afternoon with temperatures in the mid-nineties and Noah is already… Read more »

Photo of T M.

 

0

21

T M.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
9/7/2009

I don't know if anyone else is doing this on Yelp - but I've started creating video reviews.

Tender Greens - you are my first!

http://www.youtube.com...

Hopefully Todd will bring embeddable YouTube videos to Yelp soon.  It's the natural next evolution.

I wonder if anyone will actually watch it.  I had fun making it anyway :)

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Photo of Miriam Y.

 

1

15

Miriam Y.

Hancock Park, CA

4 star rating
11/3/2009

Parisa Seb and I went for lunch yesterday in CC and I must say it was a great salad. P and I had the chinese chickeny one and seb had the bbg chicken. The layout of the place is uber awkward sauce but the food is fresh and tasty. Not too often I get excited about a salad but then one was a keeper. Lots of peanuts and peppery fresh greens. YUM!

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Photo of Anne S.

 

4

16

Anne S.

Ann Arbor, MI

2 star rating
11/3/2009

hmm... average I mean average food. I don't crave tender greens and I it reminds me of hospital food. I don't know why everyone likes this place so much.  

The conversation: "Have you been to Tender Greens? I love that place"
Me: "I have been there a couple times for lunch. What do you like there?"
Them:"Everything"
Me: "Really????"

I had  the chicken at  "Tender Greens" it 's meh, it's better at Zankou Chicken

I had the angus flank steak...again hospital steak or steak you get at buffets. eeh!

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8

13

Susan M.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/22/2009

Wow - no joke about the mashed potatoes, I tried a little of my friend's and they were delicious.

Everything here looked great but I decided on a salad and really enjoyed it.  The portion was huge, greens were fresh and I love that the salad had lots of ingredients.  

The line during lunch can get pretty long, but it moves quickly.  Indoor seating has approximately 6-8 tables but there's plenty of outdoor seating.  

If you have trouble finding parking on the street there's a parking structure around the corner - first two hours are free and then it's $1 for each additional hour.

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Photo of Tiffany S.

 

2

22

Tiffany S.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/16/2009

I was surprised that they could provide fresh, yummy food in a cafeteria style environment. I'll admit this wasn't my first choice when I was in Culver City looking for brunch, but I'm glad I stumbled on this place. My mashed potatoes were very good - perfect taste and consistency.

My only peeves would be: (1) my salad was drenched in dressing so next time I'll ask for dressing on the side; (2) there were a couple flies showing up above my table and near the kitchen due to its open-air environment.

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