4. Restaurants

Native Foods Cafe

26705 Aliso Creek Rd, Aliso Viejo, CA, 92656
  • (949) 831-1926
  • Store is closed

Native Foods Cafe Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Visit below restaurant in Aliso Viejo for healthy meals suggestion.

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 26711 Aliso Creek Road,#100b )
Del Taco ( 26951 Aliso Creek Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Aliso Viejo for healthy meals suggestion.

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 26711 Aliso Creek Road,#100b )
Del Taco ( 26951 Aliso Creek Rd )

  • Kristi S.

    Love the twister wrap!! All their drinks are yummy too. The service is super friendly. Ate here twice in one week. I'm not a Vegan or Vegetarian but I love veggies. Try it!

    (5)

  • Kelly D.

    Amazing food but they lost a star for getting rid of the thinly sliced onions for their sandwiches. Serious mistake!!!!

    (4)

  • Heather O.

    SO GOOD. I'm not vegetarian or vegan, but I love fresh food, and they have it. Honestly I don't think I've had anything bad here, I've liked it all. It always sounds good to me...and now I'm hungry. Customer service has always been great here as well....AND they serve beer.

    (5)

  • hillary C.

    Had a wonderful lunch with my coworker. The employees here are amazing! And the food is incredible. I had the Mexican salad and my colleague had some kale salad. Both were huge!! The prices are so reasonable and the food is delicious. Definitely found my new spot for lunch

    (5)

  • Tracy P.

    The food is good, but it is extremely frustrating that the nutritional data is unavailable for ANY of there food items. It makes me think they are trying to hide behind "we're the healthy alternative to fast food!"

    (2)

  • James G.

    Great food and killer location. Usually lunch at native but doing dinner with some friends this time! Always have the best experience dining here and the vibe is always welcoming and enjoyable. So many vegetatian options which keeps my business! Happy customer yet again(: thanks native!

    (5)

  • Naheyes G.

    Im not even a vegan, my mom likes to eat plant based so she brought me here. I got a chicken sandwich with avocado and it was AMAZING!!! Absolutely AMAZING! Tasted even better than the real thing. And their dipping sauces for my fries..... WOW And then I got the key lime pie for dessert..... I was blown away! If vegan food tastes this amazing, I could eat plant based for the rest of my life! I cannot wait to go back there! I highly recommend this place to anyone! If you didn't like it the first time, give them a second chance- trust me its amazing!

    (5)

  • Nicholas B.

    I come here the vegan food n great outdoor seating this Place also has a great staff very attentive n friendly n happy to be there !!! All that stated I love this place!!!

    (5)

  • Belinda E.

    This place rocks!!! The food, drinks and deserts are amazingly delicious and cruelty free!!! I am a fan for life!

    (5)

  • Angela T.

    The Bangkok Curry Bowl is delicious. The tofu slices are thick, the curry is flavorful, and the brown rice is cooked just right. A side order of those sweet potato fries to share with a friend is also a nice treat. Get your health on by coming here. The flavors will keep you coming back for more.

    (4)

  • Viann C.

    I really enjoy eating at this place. Lots of seating, awesome environment! Everything here is very fresh. My favorites are the nachos and the organic chai. Also, their juices are amazing! If you are looking for healthy - this is the place!

    (4)

  • Mick J.

    Ensalada azteca + blackened tempeh is heavenly! Really excellent vegan food and spot on service make this a favourite whenever I'm in S. California!

    (5)

  • Karen K.

    Bought the Wellington and cooked it (frozen as suggested) on Thanksgiving. The bottom bubbled signaling it was done cooking; however the top half was still frozen. Extremely disappointed and wasted $40. Spoke with someone else that had same experience. The 2-star rating is based on the Wellington only; the store and other foods have been great otherwise.

    (2)

  • Goc H.

    When you're a new vegan, it can be hard to find places to eat. I accidentally walked into Native Foods one day in an attempt to order a salad from what I thought was a standard sandwich cafe; 2 minutes later my mind was blown, and my taste buds had exploded in flavor! Their Nachos are legit, my 2 year old at all of his kids meal too! Great food.

    (5)

  • Steffi E.

    This Native Foods is smaller compared to the one in Costa Mesa but everything else (customer service and food) was still really good. I had the Rockin' Moroccan Bowl with tofu along with Lavender Lemonade and it was so good! I couldn't finish my bowl since it came with so much food so I took the other half to-go. Parking is a pain but it's okay because the food is so worth it haha.

    (5)

  • Phillip N.

    I'm a regular at native foods but had never been to this location. Same quality and awesome service. We got the Nachos which everyone loved and worked perfectly to share. Even if I brought first timers and non-vegans they all went for earth bowls because they're elite athletes and just came from a training session. They appreciated the amount of food in each bowl and that they could leave full without feeling heavy (yay). Free drinks for all the first timers was a plus :) The manager Scotty came out and talked with us which was nice and he seemed super cool. Out server Zareh (hopefully right spelling) was polite and efficient. Came out with extra sauces and drinks anytime we needed it. My party totally got it why Native Foods is one of my favorite places to eat.

    (5)

  • Stephanie D.

    It's no surprise I'm a fan of this restaurant. This is our local native and it's where we spend a lot of time and money. Every time we go we know we're going to get a good meal and good portions. I like that this location is not quite as busy as the one in the district. However the parking can be a pain in the butt since it's right next to popular places like the movie theater and other restaurants. The staff is really friendly and is usually on top of the orders with only a couple exceptions a few times they were slammed. I recently have been trying to cut back on tofu and I love my "Rockin Moroccan". I asked if instead I could get extra grilled veggies and they loaded my bowl to the brim with there yummy veggies. It's now my go to meal. They are really good about sampling the soup if you never had it and if your unhappy with anything they will fix it without the attitude. After eating at this location for awhile I was disappointed with the food at the district native. The fries were stale and the portions were not as big. I'm glad the Aliso Viejo store is our local store.

    (4)

  • Joyce S.

    Definitely an eye-opener! Prior to my first ever visit I had my opinions about "vegan" food...must taste like cardboard, chalk, bland, gross, you name it horrible. I WAS WRONG! Since the beginning of the year we have been trying to limit cheese and dairy so my husband thought that this would be a great place to take me - also he was previously vegan so knows the ropes... The food was awesome, I ordered the Native Nachos and there was a healthy portion, even enough for two. The faux beef wasn't bad at all and their idea of cheese seemed more like hummus. I would order it again but there were so many other things on the menu that I want to go back the try. The husband ordered the ranch "chicken" sandwich, but that one did not impress me that much. The "chicken" was questionable in terms of taste and texture - not at the top of my list. Take some time to review the menu before going or at the restaurant before ordering so you get a good handle of what your options are, especially if you are not a typical vegan. Looking forward to the vegan desserts too!

    (4)

  • Odette K.

    Finally got a chance to stop by here, so glad I did. Super friendly, introduced me to their menu and welcomed me as a first-time visitor to a free made-from-scratch drink. Ordered this "Soul-Bowl" - worried I might be sacrificing flavor for a 100% plant-based meal. Would I even feel full? Omigosh. Fed two of us for $12, food was very tasty, satisfying - and I felt fantastic! Will def be going back

    (5)

  • G C.

    This is honestly my most favorite restaurant in the whole entire world!! Come here more than I could count and I'm never disappointed. I mean where else can you get super yummy and healthy food? Love this place with all my heart and highly recommend it even if you are not a vegetarian or vegan. My meat lover husband loves this place as well and requests to come every weekend. The flavor is just unbelievably good! And just think when you come, you are enjoying something delicious and healthy and no animals are hurt at the same. So it's always a Win win win for everyone when you come to native foods! :D

    (5)

  • Gary O.

    A vegetarian restaurant in a prototypical Orange County strip mall/shopping center with crowded and small parking spots. I'm not a vegetarian but I do eat a fair amount of vegetarian food. This place has friendly and helpful service. I had a salad and the BBQ "brisket" sandwhich. The salad was good and the sandwhich excellent. I live in Texas these days and eat a lot of brisket. If you bite into this expecting a genuine brisket taste, you'll be disappointed. Having said that, the sandwhich is excellent - very tasty and filling. The BBQ sauce flavor is very good. The cole slaw, while in the sandwhich, is a nice accompaniment. Some fell out of my sandwhich and I ate the cole slaw alone and didn't particuarly care for it, but it works in the sandwhich. I like fruits and vegetables (and flowers), but not typically in my drinks. I don't do mango-papaya-pomengranate-artichoke iced tea, for instance. But I tried the hibicus lemonade and found it rather tasty and refreshing. I'm in AV pretty often, and I will definitely be back here, and will try other menu items. I like it a lot.

    (4)

  • Len C.

    Delicious plant based healthy fast food! We were visiting from Salt Lake City, and just leaving Mission San Juan Capistrano. We checked Yelp and this place was on our way to Long Beach. The staff was was friendly and helpful. I had the meat ball sandwich, and my wife had the wrap. We loved the lavender lemonade and the delicious watermelon drink. Also, lots of fabulous desserts!

    (4)

  • Haylee R.

    Although the food is spot on every time, I took a star off because the manager there is very unprofessional a lot of the time. If you pay no attention to her, however, service is spectacular! Maybe I have just caught her on a few bad days, who knows, but I'm never disappointed with anything that I order :)

    (4)

  • Pam A.

    Vegans are serious about finding foods that taste good. I found this Native Foods when I had to drive my daughter to Laguna for college, and it was the bright spot in a difficult several months. The service is beyond anything I have experienced in a vegan establishment. The manager I met on the first day spent so much time explaining the menu and describing the various dishes; he made me feel like a valued customer, and I had just walked in the door. I have two favorites, and at #1 is the Reuben Sandwich. It is beyond "to die for." The other choice you can NEVER go wrong with is, interestingly enough, nachos. Oh my goodness--I don't know what the "cheese" is but just order it and eat it, and you will thank me. This is the best restaurant ever--and if you get the Native Foods card, you'll get discounts and a free dessert and other fun stuff. Just go!

    (5)

  • Jean M.

    I've been several times to this place and the food has always been great but I came back a couple of days ago and realized that they changed the menu and took some items out, including my favorite Meatball Sandwich. I was SO disappointed I left the place. The cashier mentioned that some recipes come and go, which I don't understand, and that the Sandwich *might* be back in january. It's really a shame.

    (3)

  • Gabe P.

    A lot of improvements since the last time I was here, they have more seats and tables now and some more items on the menu. The first thing that I noticed was the awesome service they have now, there were some 5 guys taking care of some 4 tables, you get the idea, nothing was left out. Got the Portobello mushroom burger with fries and the others got salads, they were all very good. Their 7+ peppers sauce is hot and tastes great, and the watermelon juice is a great replacement for soda. Absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Leigh P.

    I love this place. If the counter people don't recognize you, the first thing they ask is if its your first time there. And if you say yes, they walk you through the menu. There is soo much to choose from. I had to experience it all. For a starter, I had the polenta appetizer (baked polenta topped with butternut squash garnish). For a main dish I had the OC Raw salad (mixed greens, beet curls, sprouts, chopped broccoli, carrots, almonds and other deliciousness and topped with their own creamy dressing) and finally the peanut butter parfait for dessert. It was unbelievably delicious. I cannot rave enough about this place. I will be a regular!

    (5)

  • Ingrid V.

    "I lied on my Weight Watchers list. I put down that I had 3 eggs... but they were Cadbury chocolate eggs." --Caroline Rhea So, when me and my walking buddy Cathy S. go out for evening workouts, we really TRY to not undo all the good we just did, by having a nice healthy dinner. Many times we do pho, or we go for healthy fish or salads. This time, we were especially proud of ourselves for walking a hill that felt like it never ended. The view from the top was extraordinary and the conversation was terrific! The food at the end of the trip, was A-OK. I will be the first to admit, I am not a fan of "health food" but some places get it right. Native Foods sort-of gets it right: The Native Nachos were fantastic! I loved the addition of hummus to the chips. The vegan taco meat was actually quite tasty! I was impressed with how good the vegan cheese and crema was. yelp.com/biz_photos/mNcf… My Soul Bowl was ok. The vegan chicken was lack-luster and on the tasteless side. For an almost $10 veggie bowl, it left me wishing for a bit more flavor. The steamed rice and beans at the bottom of the bowl were bland. The sauces on the steamed veggies and kale did little to help it along. The cornbread was just yucky. It tasted grainy and dry. yelp.com/biz_photos/mNcf… Cathy liked her Scorpion Burger, a tempeh burger with veggies and sweet potato fries. yelp.com/biz_photos/mNcf… I'd give Native Foods another try. Maybe next time I'll grab a salad!

    (3)

  • Makenna B.

    I had never eaten here before, & was a little apprehensive. My sister brought me here last night and I ordered the Gyro bowl. It was good but because I'm not used to eating meat & dairy free I thought it was slightly bland. My sister shared her meatball sub with me which was amazing. Will definitely return again to keep trying different menu items. I LOVED the lavender lemonade. Divine!

    (4)

  • Roxanne R.

    Came in 10 minutes before closing, expecting to feel rushed (my fault), but man, was I wrong! The staff is SO friendly, and the food is just to die for. I will definitely be a regular!

    (5)

  • Jen D.

    I've been to the Natives at The District in Tustin, and I prefer this location because the staff here are friendlier, the service is much quicker, and the food tastes better (seasoned better, I guess). I went today to try the Chipotle Southwest Chop - a spicy "chicken" salad. They serve great portions so I was able to save some of my food and take it home for later. Also got an oatmeal creme pie sandwich - goodlord when I die I hope it's from eating too many of these.

    (5)

  • Jose M.

    It's vegan stuff people. But as a meat eater myself, I like it a lot. The burgers are Delish.

    (4)

  • Queen G.

    Really great! Don't ever get rid of the oatmeal cream pie !! :D I love how often you guys change up the menu .. I've been loving the brisket sandwhich lately

    (5)

  • Nour V.

    I am seriously obsessed with this place!!! The food always tastes fresh and flavorful and I love the unique handmade drink choices they have. I always get the watermelon cooler-sooo good! I also like how they update their menu and add new items to change things up as well. It is on the smaller side, but comfortable and 'homey', they have a good sized outdoor seating area as well. I'm not a vegan, however I come here all the time because the food is amazing and it's hard to find a place that is healthy AND good. I like how I can come here get a filling meal and dessert and not feel guilty afterwards or like I over-indulged. On top of the food they have outstanding customer service that really goes above and beyond to please their guests. Every time I come in it's always a good experience.

    (5)

  • Bhamini J.

    This place has been a delight for me, a vegetarian. All the people that I have introduced to this place absolutely enjoyed it even if they were meat eaters! I'd Def recommend this eatery

    (4)

  • Hion L.

    Native foods is the antithesis of the Paleo diet. Low carbs? Not here! Almost all carbs! Most vegan/veg places make rabbit food tastes so dull, that I would rather eat the rabbit. But their fake chicken wings and fake pastrami will give any meat eaters a run for their money. The meatball sandwich is a personal favorite of mine because it tastes like meatballs. The agua frescas that they have such as the watermelon drink, and lavender lemonade are pretty tasty. Patio seating is available to so you can show off to the world how healthy you are. The vegan desserts here are actually pretty tasty. I guess you don't need butter and milk to make good desserts. Take that Paula Deen...I just threw a stone at your head!

    (4)

  • Eileen C.

    I came here today with a co-worker and wanted to try something new. I had the baja blackened tacos with a stone beer. I have to say that the blackened Tempeh was really salty tasting. A little too unbearable...but that's just my opinion. my co-worker said that her twister wrap was pretty good, but her beer was bitter (guess it was too dark for her). Would I go back: ...maybe

    (3)

  • Helena S.

    For vegan food, this is really tasty. I got the mac and cheese with sweet potato fries, and it was really good! I am not vegan, but I like the food here, and I actually didn't miss meat too much when I ate here. This place is definitely good for vegans, vegetarians, and people on gluten free diets.

    (5)

  • Rebecca P.

    I love this place! The staff is friendly and helpful. I love the kids meal burrito and the seasoned french fries. I tried the bacon burger today and it was really good. Excellent food at a decent price! Enjoy :)

    (5)

  • Kathleen S.

    I am as non-vegan as non-vegan comes, but I have to admit Native Foods has good food! I think this place is so much better than a Veggie Grill, etc. I often find with vegan food, to give flavor places pile on the spice/heat. I don't do spicy well! Native Foods has such an extensive menu than everyone can find something they like. I recommend the Native Nachos, you really will not miss the cheese! Also I recommend the soul bowl, yum yum, so glad they brought it back!

    (4)

  • Michelle V.

    I have fallen in love with Native Foods' Italian Meatball Sub. I like vegan foods to begin with, so I am an easy audience to please when it comes to this kind of stuff. But I have to say, this sandwich reminds me so much of a traditional meatball sub that you'd get from an Italian deli - something I have always loved. I got on Native Foods' mailing list, and recently had a birthday, where they sent me a $10-off coupon. Free sandwich!

    (4)

  • Jeanie H.

    Love their food. Healthy, full of flavor. And no, I'm not vegan or even vegetarian. Stopped by today and picked up an oatmeal cream sandwich. It was creamy, sweet, cold and delicious and very filling! Perfect to eat on a hot day while watching a movie. Loved every bite!

    (5)

  • Jasmin D.

    I'm literally here once a week...every time I try something new I love it. I've never had a bad experience and all the people who work there are so nice :) my fiancé loves the twister wrap, we love the nachos, unlimited refills on yummy lemonade and are obsessed with the key like pie.

    (5)

  • Thomas M.

    A pretty basic chain restaurant that specializes in vegan food. Other than it being healthy there was nothing interesting about it. It had a very corporate feel to it's setting and staff, and the prices seemed a bit high considering the overall in uniqueness of the restaurant.

    (2)

  • Charlie M.

    Back for another lunch at this location! Very friendly service as always... even after the busy and tiring lunch rush! Today is the Curry bowl for me and the Portobello Burger for the misses... Let's dig in! ---- Curry bowl: the sauce with the steamed Kale is amazing! All of it: top notch! Ali's burger: the pesto really ties it all together very well. Both of these = very filling as always! Lavender Iced Tea always awesome, mine's an Arnold Palmer 50/50 lemonade and tea. Get some!

    (5)

  • Anna H.

    You've got to try the Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger! It is the best vegetarian sandwich in Orange County. Ask for a side of ranch for an extra decadent sandwich experience. For dessert, I recommend the peanut butter parfait! It is a delicious combination of peanut butter, chocolate and little crumbles of cake.

    (5)

  • Krystle G.

    I LOVE NATIVE FOODS!!! This was my first time coming to Native Foods and they did not disappoint. We ordered the Baja Blackened Tacos with Tortilla Soup, and the Twister Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries and they were delicious and full of flavor! The Watermelon drink is great on a hot day. I am definitely doming here soon to try something else. The food is fresh with lots of spice.

    (5)

  • Hazel C.

    Oh, how wonderful this place is, let me count the ways... I am vegan and I have been to Veggie Grill many times and I always feel like its OK but not great. But this place is sooooo great!!!! I had their Chicken Run Ranch burger and it was amazing!!!!!! I am definitely coming back!!!

    (5)

  • Brittany S.

    Let me start off with how INCREDIBLE the customer service is here. SERIOUSLY. Never fails. I hope they get paid lots of money because they take so much time to help you. All with smiles too. Every time I come in of course I have one million questions and every single employee I've had has assisted me so genuinely. They are so knowledgeable, so polite and just all around great at what they do. BETTER than any fine dining five star restaurant I've ever been to. Every time I go in I ask what they would recommend and I get that. NEVER been let down! Their food is so fresh and so clean it makes my tummy so happy :) So much flavor and texture. The best part is it's all accommodating to my diet and keeps me feeling great after I eat. Their service is so fast and efficient and they even bring your food right up to you no matter where you're sitting if it's "to-go". I would like to choose one thing that's my favorite but honestly everything I've had has been my favorite. It makes my mouth water thinking about it. Their teas are spectacular and they even have fresh mint out for you and lemons :) I just love it here so much I am so glad I found you guys. Thank you so much for everything you do!

    (5)

  • Sergio C.

    Even if you are not a vegan, this place is great. The chef clearly knows how to make delicious food. They have excellent bowl that is generous in serving and yummy. Even a meat lover won't miss his meat here.

    (5)

  • Kathie I.

    I ate here twice while staying in Orange County and really wish that they'd expand up to northern california. Delicious, well portioned vegan meals? Yes please. The only issue that I had after trying both the Twister Wrap and the Avocado Crunch Wrap was the sauce. Both wraps were drowning in it, masking the natural flavor of the avocados and grilled "chicken." Sidenote: The chicken here is the real deal. It's amazing. After eating it my boyfriend identified it as Beyond Meat, which I believe you can only purchase from Whole Foods. Oh, the texture is SO amazing.

    (4)

  • Daniel L.

    The quality of the food is good compared to Veggie Grill, but the menu prices are ridiculously expensive (almost as bad as whole foods). You're paying $10 for a burger that comes with a soy meat patty, a bun, and some french fries. It is overpriced vegan fast food, plain and simple. There is nothing healthy about it either. The manager/food server also acted very snobbish and rude toward my friends. Really don't know why he did that. He must have eaten the polenta bites that day.

    (3)

  • Tragedy D.

    Every meal has the same fulfillment of satisfaction. Though they really put the 'wait' in waiting line, it might go faster if any of the other servers would put on 'the cashier hat' when there are more than 3 people in line. Of course, you can't complain too much when your actual meal arrives in less time than you waiting and ordering it at the counter. The drinks are uniquely flavored. Who would have thought lavender lemonade would quench my thirst? Or a box of water? I had the guy repeat it because I thought I was hearing things. Fresh salads are not small and not drowning in dressing. Burgers and sandwiches always make my mouth water; sweet or tangy sauce paired with 'meat' just makes you look around to see if anyone's looking to watch you lick your fingers and plate. Their sweet potato fries are what really makes the meal perfect; try it with the yummy chipotle sauce. Daily prepped soups hit the spot for any cloudy or sunny day; ask for a sample whenever you stop by. Their cupcakes and parfaits (along with everything else) are non-dairy and end the meal well if you aren't already full. They clear your table when you are finished eating; I call that efficient and tidy. They also make sure to ask if you need anything even after they've served your food. They don't forget about you...not many restaurants do this anymore. Staff have always been extremely upbeat and have kind, warm smiles...well, most of them. Lately there is one who does not seem to fit the happy-go-lucky atmosphere that Native Foods has transfused to their customers. I'm not discouraged by the wait line nor one of the staff's attitude. The parking lot is excellent, most of the servers are really nice, and the fantastic, off-the-charts food are the reasons I will continue my patronage to this Native Foods Café location.

    (4)

  • Amber K.

    Great casual dining right next to the movie theater and shopping. The service team are friendly. Clean establishment. Nice small outdoor dining patio.

    (4)

  • Don M.

    Love this place as the food is great, but I would love to see the nutritional information on their items. Without it, there is some question as to whether I am eating healthy or within my caloric range. Items such as their Nachos, Burgers and Pastrami Sandwich will be off limits to me until I see the numbers. Until then, I recommend their Earth Bowls and Salads, my favorite being the Sesame Kale Macro Bowl. This place gets busy and is not very big. If you catch it right, there is outdoor seating with nice views.

    (4)

  • Ali A.

    Look, the food here is pretty good, I have to admit, and I want to love this place, BUT... How long does it take to provide the nutritional content? I've been coming here for over 2 years and every time I asked if they had a nutrition guide I have been told that 'we don't need to provide that because we don't have enough stores to have to put that out.' Huh? What does that mean? Since when is telling customers whats in their food dependent on the amount of stores you have? It seems frightfully obvious that even though the food is 'vegetarian', it probably isn't very good for you. Why else would they be so adamant about not disclosing this (both online and in the stores)? Like I said, the fare here tastes great. But since you've rebranded and expanded, it's time to step up and play with the big boys - give customers the facts about their food.

    (3)

  • Amanda D.

    I've been to Native Foods a few times before and although their food is A-ok, they didn't win my heart over like Veggie Grill has. My most recent visit has particularly turned me off to Native Foods, likely permanently. I had seen an advertisement for an upcoming special the avocado crunch wrap. Boy did it look amazing in pictures. I made sure to make the trip to Native Foods to try this out since it was only available for this weekend. I called in the order and left the house right away since they said it would only take 10 minutes. When I got there, it wasn't ready so we waited to the side. We sat there for about 10 minutes before I noticed there was a to go order just sitting there. I didn't say anything at first, because I thought if it was ours, they would have told us. I mean, they knew we were waiting for it. We checked in at the cashier when we got there! So 5 min passes by and no one claims the to go order, so I decided to ask if that was ours. Indeed it was. Ughh I tried one of the sweet potatoe fries and it was room temp so they offered to re do the fries, which was nice. But by the time we got home, the burritos were pretty soggy due to the time the tortilla spent sitting in the sauces that had leaked out. It was super messy to eat and not enjoyable at all! Even if we hadn't waited so long to dig in, I don't think I would have liked this limited time item. The fried avocado was battered and crusted with coconut so heavily that was all I could taste. I could barely taste the avocado! It got to a point where I had to pick out the avocado and remove the batter and coconut coating. I've never had an issue with Veggie Grill's service EVER, plus I much prefer Veggie Grill's sweet potato fries so I don't see a reason to ever come here again. Oh well, can't say I didn't try!

    (2)

  • Richard S.

    This joint may be catering to Vegaterian's primarily, but the Scorpion burger is one serious nosh. All fresh stuff all the time. The tea is the perfect compliment to this so cal spot.

    (4)

  • Bethany K.

    I'm so happy with the recent (well, not so recent) influx of solid franchises in the Aliso area. Sure, I'd love more mom&pop small businesses, but let's be real--this is south Orange County, not West LA. Native Foods is an awesome meal option if you're looking for a healthy meal option (or have one of many dietary restrictions, like gluten-free, vegan, raw food, etc). I also appreciate that they're friendly customer-service wise and I think Native Foods is The OC Raw Chopper salad was yummy and TIP: If you join their rewards program (free) you great a free drink! And their drinks are tasty -- not soda. Would I lead you that wrong?? The iced tea is great, as is the watermelon fresca. I also like that their drinks are not very sweetened and they have agave on the side so you can sweeten it to your liking. Parking's a little annoying because it's in the busiest part of the Town Center next to the movie theater, but it is what it is.

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    I love Native Foods in general, but was particularly impressed by this location. I ordered a Soul Bowl to go. Everyone I interacted with was very friendly. I went back because I forgot extra sauce and while I was waiting for the guy to grab it, two different employees saw me and asked if I needed help. My food came out quickly and was just as tasty as I remembered.

    (5)

  • Matt T.

    This is by far my most favorite place on this forsaken planet. I could go into detail about all the delicious items and how each one has its own special touch but i wont bore you. The mom and i went to grab a bite for lunch and made the 15 minute drive all the way to native just because it is so worth it. Asked about my free deserts i earned when i signed up for rewards a month ago and totally forgot they had expired. Right as I am about to finish the last bite of my food the manager came up and asked about my desert reward and said i could have a desert for being so forgetful. I have been to all the socal locations but this one is by far the best. The most outstanding and professional staff. I have always had a 5 star experience every visit and will continue to do so thanks to such a great business. Thanks for the compassion!

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    So not impressed! I've heard so many good things about Native Foods, so I just HAD to try it. Unfortunally, it just didn't work for me. I ordered the Taco Salad. For $10. Really?! So picey! What's up with that?! But, I thought it'd be healthy and delish, so it didn't bother me and away I went. The salad was just....eh.....ok. Yelp describes it best -- just "meh". Plus, it gave me the worst stomach ache the rest of the night and into the next day. Never again! Other than the food bothering me, the service also bothered me. When I placed my order, there wasn't that many people in Native Foods since it was about 8pm during the week. They told me that my salad would be ready in 10 minutes. Almost 25 minutes later, it was ready. They even forgot my Avocado that I ordered extra. Really?! I was so not impressed! I won't be making Native Foods on my regular rotation anytime soon....

    (2)

  • Taylor B.

    Love Native! The options are so different tasting but great flavor for vegan food.

    (3)

  • Dee R.

    I am always appreciative of Native Foods or any restuarant that serves non-gmo vegan delicious food. However, in my experience, the Native Foods at Fashion Island, Newport Beach has much better service and food that the Aliso Viejo location. Probably because the Aliso location is much busier than the Fashion Island location. But if you have the option, definitely the Fashion Island Native Foods is a better choice for ambiance, friendly service, and higher quality food.

    (4)

  • Cat A.

    Had the Twister Wrap very tasty, friendly service. I like going here and sitting on the patio. They also have yummy tea's. Great place to grab a bite before a movie. The movie Theater is a hop, skip and jump.

    (4)

  • Ada S.

    I wish we had a Native Foods Cafe in the Bay Area! This place was so good! Don't let the vegan part scare you into not trying this place. I told the boyfriend to get the "Portobello and Sausage Burger" and I got the "Ensalada Azteca Salad". OMG. The burger was sooo good! I wish I had gotten that instead of my salad. The salad was good too though, it was very hearty and the salad dressing went perfectly. But, the Portobello Burger. SO GOOD! Also, do try the Lavender Lemonade. I think I must've had 3 full glasses because they give you unlimited refills. It was such a nice refreshing lemonade that wasn't too tart or too sweet.

    (4)

  • Jennifer E.

    I'm shocked that I'm saying this, but this was probably one of the best meals I've ever had in my life at a casual dining restaurant. Seriously. No one is paying me to say this. My mom-friend suggested we take the kids there and I said, "sounds like Indian food...I hate Indian food." She said is was vegan non-dairy, but I was starving so told her if it's awful I'm getting a burger next door at Fatburger. We ordered the Tuesday special chicken wrap with sweet potato fries, chicken nuggets for the kids, lavender tea, and a carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting. Chicken, cake, cream cheese without meat, gluten, or dairy....it must be magic. If I could cook vegan like this, I would totally convert 100%. The best cupcake ever! Get the chipotle sauce on the side to dip too. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Andrew B.

    Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger and Watermelon Drink ALL DAY LONG

    (5)

  • Craig R.

    I had the Scorpion burger, which consisted of tempeh, a soy based product from Indonesia, sliced carrots, heaping amount of avocado, romaine, and onions. It was fantastic! Tasted like meat and the best part was the sauce. I also loved the wheat bun. My friend had the Portobello and sausage burger. It had grilled Portobello mushrooms, sausage, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, pesto, and mayo. This was under Chef Tanya's favorite...and I can see why. I had a bite of my friend's sandwich, and it was so much flavorful than my burger. The large shroom reminded us of meat. We also had their lavender lemonade which was refreshing and very good. Overall, a very chill place, good food with great service and the prices are very reasonable.

    (5)

  • Chris S.

    I love that we live across the street. The staff is nice and the food is excellent. They have a rewards program apparently that I signed up for that I have already gotten a free dessert out of. The specials change daily and include a free side. We are lucky to live in a place that offers stuff like this as I have been to too many states with terrible food choices and I can see that being a nightmare for someone with a diet limited as this.

    (5)

  • Carmen M.

    Best food ever...people are nice too! I work retail so I know people... love the people here !

    (5)

  • Vanessa B.

    The best vegetarian restaurant you could ever go to. Every time I come in, all the employees are helpful and so very sweet. Always having conversations with them. All the meals and desserts I've ordered here always taste perfect. And my goodness - the drinks are to die for. That lavender lemonade hits the spot.

    (5)

  • Kelly C.

    This restaurant is one of my faves -they have every possible vegan/vegetarian option you can think of -like the "Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger" or the "Grilled Ruben" made out of different soy proteins that taste so so yummy -even better than real meat in some cases. I feel good eating there knowing that it contributes to a movement towards environmental sustainability. Try the Lavender Lemonade- its super refreshing!

    (5)

  • Jenna C.

    Dear Native Foods, How have we just met? I love you more than I can possibly say! Sorry if this is over the line considering we are so new... But, my body craves you. Your healthy Watermelon refreshing goodness to drink. Your kale salad w/ black currants. Your handcrafted dressings made with obvious love. Your handcrafted tempeh. Your vegan desserts.... most especially the brownie & the "cheesecake" w/ ginger granola crust. Your attention to detail, your staff, your REWARDS programs.... and the selection of hot sauces and fresh mint... SO, basically I am saying... this is getting pretty serious. I know we've just met... but I would love to take our relationship to the next level. If not, I just might have to stalk you...in a good way. :-) I hope you will love me back. Always, Jenna

    (5)

  • Liz Y.

    I have loved this place for years. There is a great variety of healthy food but you can also get some serious vegan junk food here if you want. I try to stick with salads or bowls, but I am addicted to the buffalo wings, the sandwiches are mostly very delicious, and the nachos are as good as you can find anywhere. The sweet potato fries are great and they have some really good dipping sauces too. The atmosphere is good--a little funky, casual. The servers are attentive most of the time and will come refill your glass for you. The two locations I usually go to can get busy at times, but I've always found a table there. If you get on their email list they'll let you know when they're running specials and I always like to try the seasonal and new items whenever I can.

    (5)

  • Chelle B.

    It is really challenging for me to come in here and choose items to eat. I LOVE EVERYTHING I'VE HAD SO FAR HERE. It's such a bummer that Native Foods Cafe is too far from where I live in San Diego...BUT every time I visit my significant other in the OC, I have to come here to eat since it's close by to where he lives. The portions and prices here are fair and service is always nice. I like that they have a patio area to enjoy your meal. I love their drink selection; the lavender lemonade is oh so delicious and I always have to try to limit myself because well..it's still saturated with sugar and sugars aren't the healthiest thing to consume. I'm still at awe with how their "chicken" is so chicken-like. Also, I wish the frosting and carrot cake ratio was a bit better (more cake and/or less frosting) because the frosting is a bit too buttery/oily for my taste. I'm hoping one day they'll bring a NFC to SSD!

    (5)

  • Alek Z.

    This really depends on where you stand on vegan food. If you're morally opposed to vegan food, you'll hate this food. But I'm gonna rate it as a vegan place, and as such it's pretty good. The prices ain't bad, like I paid 10 bucks for a Greek Gyro Earth Bowl, plus like 4 bucks for a natural beer (Eel River Acai Wheat or something like that), and then some more dollars for a side of sweet potato fries. The bowl came with a shit ton of green in it, of course, plus some rice, baked pita bread and fake lamb meat ("sihtan" or something). The fake lamb meat, by the way, wasn't too bad. The beer wasn't horrible either. In all honesty the best part of the meal was the sweet potato fries, although the gyro bowl wasn't bad at all. I really hate vegan food, and I don't agree with the philosophy, but this place is pretty good if you're on that diet.

    (4)

  • Matthew E.

    Went here the other night with my wife after a couple of gift cards we were given over the holidays. We love this place and the food here is always excellent. We switched it up tonight and got the Baja Blackened Taco's and the Kale Salad which we had with a selection of different sauces on the side to enhance the flavor. The service staff is always accommodating and is much appreciated. We went during off peak hours (8:30) which was nice because we missed the crowd. The restaurant is a little smaller but has plenty of seating outside with patio heaters. See you again soon!

    (4)

  • Skye M.

    I love native foods so much I almost wish I was vegan. Only downside is that the food is overpriced and I was served cold fries one trip to this particular location. Overall, great place to eat and they have a wide variety of flavors and choices. Not just for vegans and vegetarians.

    (4)

  • Tanya D.

    This place reminds you how delicious vegan food can be - but it also reminds you of the caveat that vegan food can only be so good. I was vegan for 2 years and was recommended Native Foods but never went. I was never the soy/tofu/meat-substitute type of vegan, more beans, veggies and rice. That being said, i finally caved last night, wanting a late-evening meal that wasn't going to be too heavy. Not only does Native Foods have a comprehensive vegan-friendly menu, but some legit beers as well! Way to go, Native Foods. The fast and incredibly friendly service was AWESOME I capitalize that because, on a rainy day where the patio is no good, tables were cleaned quickly and the manager himself came out to clean, chat, etc. My two associates had some type of sandwich with the famed sweet potato fries. Of course they were delicious, because how can you screw up sweet potato fries? I had the Greek Gyro which was meat-replacement gyro, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, hummus, on top of quinoa. Of course the result wasn't very Greek per se, but it was really good. And, although some people may disagree with me here - you can make vegan food a little more delicious than this. While it's kale and stuff, why not make it less dry and more flavorful? It's pretty decent, good vegan food but I think I'd be more willing to get the delicious looking soups here in the future. A pretty good vegan option, especially in this part of south county.

    (4)

  • Jaime T.

    This is the first time I've been to Native Foods. The place has been relaunched, re-vamped. I found the seating a bit too cramped. The access to the beverage fountain means bumping into other patrons. Aside from that, my husband had the Ruben sandwich, which was okay. I had the Chicken Run Ranch Burger- that was amazing! So much so, I became annoyed that my husband ate half of my burger because he liked it better than the Ruben! I had the Sweet Potato fries. They were crisp and not overdone. Our son enjoyed the Nachos. They didn't have the Chocolate cupcake, so we tried the Oatmeal Cream Pie. That was very good! I couldn't get enough of the Lavender Lemonade!! My husband tried the Watermelon beverage, and didn't like it. He enjoyed the lemonade as well! The place was busy and bustling, but the service was wonderful! We will be back!

    (5)

  • Emma P.

    As a vegetarian, this is my favorite spot! I recommend the native 'chicken' strips w/ ranch, the native chili, or the meatball sub! Yum!! I don't like the new renovations, but I always get my food (and my lavender lemonade of course) to go - so that's not a big deal. Staff is usually very friendly, but every now and again you can get someone that's snotty. 5 stars for the food though! That's all that matters to me really, I'm a take out kind of girl.

    (5)

  • Devin T.

    I was briefly in the area a couple months ago and ended up at Native Foods. I love trying vegan foods and restaurants like this so I was excited to check it out, and I was not disappointed. First off, the staff was EXTREMELY friendly and helpful. They seemed like they enjoyed their jobs and were fun and easy to chat with. In addition, when we were ordering the girl working asked if we wanted a drink. I said no, but then she said if I ordered a dessert I got a free drink. And if I got a Native Foods frequent buyers card I get a free dessert. (I forget exactly what the deal was, but it was something like that) So basically, I got a free dessert and drink! What an awesome deal. To the food: I ended up getting the meatball sub and my friend got the saigon rolls. For a drink I got the lavender lemonade and for dessert some kind of cake. (I forget now) EVERYTHING tasted EXCELLENT and just to make things better, everything looked excellent too. That meatball sub was one of the best I have ever had. The lemonade was some of the best lemonade I have ever had. And while we were eating, THE CHEF came out just to chat and see how everything was! That is EXTREMELY rare in a restaurant and really solidifies Native Foods as a solid 5. If I lived closer I would go all the time!! Everything is affordable too, which makes the place even better. In case a boss sees or something: I went at the very beginning of February during the day during the week. All the employees were VERY friendly and helpful. Keep doing what you do!

    (5)

  • Roberto M.

    I go here almost every week when i can, i LOVE this place i like their tacos a lot and for a drink the lavender tea. I like how they care about the environment they sell re-usable bags and their own cooking book. The decorations fit perfectly, i love the tree painted on the wall, staffing is very nice.

    (5)

  • Emmett F.

    Nice people and good clean food, nice selection, variety and often good beer as well.

    (4)

  • KJ A.

    The only thing I don't like about the Avocado Crunch Wrap is that it's available for a super limited time only. It's creamy and spicy and crunchy and filling. The service at this location was slow. They were doing a 20-question written survey of every customer to determine if and where Native Foods should open a new location. I mean, "yay, a new location," but "hey, I want my food now." The place was fairly full--nearly all of the inside tables were occupied and half of the patio tables. And it was clean. The unoccupied tables were free of trash and debris. This is my go-to place for vegetarian food. There's another vegetarian place nearby, but I'd rather have a fast food bean burrito than go to Native Food's competitor. My quibble is that they have horribly sweet beverages. I wish they had unsweetened iced tea. I don't care if the lemonade is sweetened with agave--it's too dang sweet.

    (5)

  • Vincent H.

    I came here for lunch with a friend the other day...in the summer this is an unfinished review. ahah Anyways, I ordered the fish tacos with sweet potato fries and they tasted delicious! Honestly, it I couldn't really tell that it was fake meat. I guess vegetarian food is just that good but I can't really live that lifestyle with the budget that I currently live with haha. One thing that I enjoyed was the service. It was a seat yourself atmosphere but the employees dropped by to ask how your food was and how you were doing. They also took the dishes away and refilled your drinks without you asking. I guess thats what made me give it 5 stars. Hope to be back one day....well at a closer location to me that is.

    (5)

  • Joe L.

    Some people may be tempted to not give Native Foods a chance because of the whole "healthy foods must not taste good" thought process, but this place is actually pretty solid. I will say that the menu items are not your typical american fast food restaurant items, so go in with an open mind and actually try something. I ordered the Twister Wrap I believe it is called with the "Native Chicken" which obviously is not real chicken because they don't use real meat. To be honest, you can't even tell it isn't real chicken and the whole wrap was awesome. Step out and give this place a shot next time you are looking for a good lunch or dinner.

    (4)

  • michele m.

    I have always enjoyed Native Foods. After trying the sesame kale macro bowl, I am a little obsessed. I could quite possible eat this daily. The guy that took our order was super helpful and genuinely friendly. I wish I knew his name so I could give him a nod! Blondish hair, glasses, super nice. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his "sausage" portobello sandwich and being a meat loving nan that speaks volumes!

    (5)

  • Melissa M.

    I love the Native Foods Cafe! I visit often because not only is their food wonderful, their manager, Michele Maisonette, is truly a jewel. Every time I go, she greets me with a warm welcome and a smiling face. She will come chat with me to make sure that I am enjoying the food, or to check to see if I need anything elso. I notice her doing the same with other patrons. She helps her staff out a lot and she is always very pleasant. She also makes suggestions off of the menu for us to try and she will take the time to tell me what is in a dish, if I should ask. She is an all around joy and a true gem to The Native Foods Cafe. She is a huge reason as to why I go there so much. Thank you very much! Sincerely, Melissa MacDonald Laguna Hills, CA

    (5)

  • Adam N.

    The food is odd. They call it a chicken salad, but it's not chicken. They call is steak, it's clearly not steak. I dunno, I'm a meat eater so a vegan place is just strange to me. It's just okay, I would never run here for anything.

    (3)

  • Stefanie R.

    Where's the meat? Trust me you wont even miss it. I took my Dad here for lunch and gave him the Twister wrap with blackened temphe and he gobbled up the whole thing. Shhhh! Please dont tell him there isnt meat! OK burger, scorbian burger, and their rueben are all delish! If you're feeling really indulgent get the sweet potato fries instead. Always fresh! If you go right at lunch or dinner you will hit the dinner crowd.

    (5)

  • Christine A.

    This is a service complaint: Went before the dinner rush on Sun Nov 11th and ordered a soul bowl, sweet potato fries and a cupcake to go. THREE ITEMS. Got home, didn't unpack the bag but just fished out the soul bowl and ate it. Then went to get the ALMOST $4 cupcake and guess what? They didn't put it in my bag. I understand that everyone is human, everyone can make mistakes and I might be less upset if I had a huge, complicated order but I had 3 ITEMS. Soul bowl + fries + cupcake. How hard is that to get right? So in the middle of dinner rush, I had to fight traffic back, spend extra gas, fight to find a parking place, fight the line only to have the manager scowl at me and say, "So do you just want two cupcakes instead?" No. I dont NEED TWO. I just needed the one I ordered, when I ordered it. Especially when it's pricey. This is not the first time this has happened to me at this location. Usually they forget sauce, or the cornbread and that's never enough to make me drive all the way back but a whole dessert? Yup. I'm not sure what kind of system you have for packing up to go bags. Maybe you should ask the guys down the street at Wahoos how they do it. They always hand me the bag and go through it with me assuring everything in my order is there. I appreciate the food though I find it a bit pricey. I just wish you'd get the service at this place on par with the food you serve.

    (2)

  • Margot M.

    Mediocre food. My mac and cheese (I am celiac ((cannot eat gluten)) so this is practically the only mac that I can eat out), does not feel like a treat and it has a funky taste to it. The sweet potato fries are ok but they dump the seasoning on that stuff always end up removing some. Manager is really rude and short. Very flippant. Not a fan of her.

    (2)

  • Alex P.

    I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a vegetarian. So when my friend, Marisha, suggested we try out a vegan restaurant, I was a little less than enthusiastic but I relented and decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, the food here wasn't terrible. To this point I've only had the Chicken Run Ranch Burger, which is actually pretty good and the "chicken" could be mistaken as chicken. What I mean is that the taste and texture of the "chicken" somewhat resembles the particle board chicken that you used to get for your elementary school chicken nuggets. So in that regard, it kind of feels familiar and the flavor is pretty good as well. Piled high with a ton of veggies, this sandwich will definitely fill you up and give you a good amount of fiber, which is an absolute plus. While the magic and mirrors of "chicken" chicken is pretty impressive, I could never actually give up my carnivorous ways. However, when I feel like I could really use a fiber boost, Native Foods is definitely a nice choice without having to eating a gigantic bowl of salad and greens.

    (4)

  • Jeff C.

    I love Native Foods. My wife took me there for the first time about 1 month ago and we have been back 3 times since. I am a fairly new vegan and I was amazed just how great the food is. I have tried several different items and have loved every one. And be sure and get dessert! The peanut butter parfait is fantastic and the cupcakes are amazing. They ran a great promotion over the holidays, but $100 gift card and get a $20 gift card to keep for yourself for free. Well we bought the $100 and got the $20, but they were both for us because we will definately use them up quick. Eat healthy and really enjoy it at the same time.

    (5)

  • Lena P.

    The food here is awesome, and the service is great. There is a CorePower Yoga right next door that I go to and it is so convenient to have Native so close! Thank you so much Native Foods! You guys rule!

    (5)

  • Kat W.

    I love this place! I enjoy the freshness of their ingredients! The only thing I wish they could do to make their place the perfect place for me to eat, is fried their french fries/Sweet potato fries and a separate fryer, because I have gluten allergies.

    (5)

  • Erik P.

    Been here a hundred times, always excellent. Get the nachos!!! New manager (red beard) is really cool.

    (5)

  • Adam L.

    The food was very tasty! Thank you for remembering the avocado on the Twister Wrap this time. Just a suggestion: Either put side-orders in separate containers from entrees, or just use bigger containers when putting them together. Otherwise, my side-order becomes a side-order-now-on-top-of-my-entree order. Maybe it's because I ordered the twister wrap, which takes up a little more space than a smaller entree. :D

    (4)

  • Jenna W.

    Just tried the meatball sandwich today......ohhhhhh myyyyyyyyyy goooooooooooooooooooooodddddddddddddddddd I won't say it's better than the reuban.... ok it might be

    (5)

  • Chelle S.

    I Love their version of Chicken and I am not a vegan. My 7yr old loves it to! He couldn't tell the difference and he ate all his mac n cheese too! The fountain drinks are soo yummy and refreshing, love the lavender lemonade. Great place for healthy and fulfilling meals! Staff was friendly too

    (5)

  • Becca H.

    First off, I absolutely love Native foods. And the food is usually delicious. I do find this location to be inconsistent. I rarely have an order that's right. Usually what I do get is delicious, just not quite what I ordered... I have had the azteca salad a couple of times and it's different every time, sometimes it has a lot of flavor, sometimes its extremely bland :( I'm sure I'll still keep visiting often, but I just hope maybe they can focus a little more on getting orders right :(

    (3)

  • Daniel L.

    This place is too good. I used to be the typical fat ass american that would just eat what ever i wanted when i wanted. I had a vegitarian stint a year ago and would frequent this place and i honestly credit this place for changing my lifestyle to something healthier. Almost everything i have had is good ( nachos, some sandwich and this other thing) and the lavender tea is great. You really cant go wrong here, stop being a fat ass and just try something im not gonna sit here and dissect my meals for you just go out there and get something. 10/10

    (5)

  • Hiro O.

    4 stars for the food, 2 stars for the service. We waited 15 minutes in line to have our order taken and then they have the audacity to ask if were ready. Uh... duh? Anyway, they kind of softened the horribleness of the wait by giving free drinks. However, I ordered a side soup with my scorpion burger (don't worry, it's just the name of the burger). The soup did not come until 10 minutes after I already had finished my burger. Granted, the soup was good but I did not appreciate the wait. Overall I spent 10 minutes eating and 25 minutes waiting. This is not a good ratio.

    (3)

  • Katie K.

    I think this place is AMAZING. I am a meat eater, but was so pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the food here. I've had the sweet potato taquitos, the sweet potato fries, and the chicken run ranch burger. All very amazing. Treated a friend here and she loved the taco salad- not sure why the other reviewer did not care for this item . I also love their refreshing drinks. The ONLY thing I do not care much for is the desserts. There is just something "off" about them regarding flavor and texture. That said, the carrot cake cupcake is probably the best dessert item they've got. Not the real thing, but a decent substitute. I can't be a vegan, but damn does this place impress me.

    (4)

  • Eddie L.

    I've had better vegan/vegetarian food. Overpriced (check the menu before going; basically anything to "fill you up" is at least $9) for fake meat. I'm not vegan/vegetarian so maybe I just can't appreciate this food. We had the chicken ranch burger -- literally just imitation chicken on two pieces of wheat bread, nothing else -- two forgettable and overpriced salads (one of which was the previously reviewed crunchy kale salad which is just kale over rice for $8--go to whole foods and make this yourself for much much less), and the bbq sandwich special. The sweet potato fries were good. But, overall, nothing unique for the price we paid; would much have rather spent more money on fancier, organic, fine dining. With meat. Not sure what everyone is talking about with the watermelon fresca drink. It's $2 for a refillable cup but honestly it's just watered down watermelon juice.

    (2)

  • Liz O.

    I had to place a large order for my company today-at least 10 items. Adam, I assume is the store manager wrote names not only on the food boxes, but also on the condiment containers and the bags, which he organized which made my usual disarray and standard forgetfulness null and void! So great! I love Native foods!

    (5)

  • Alex S.

    After trying many of the dishes at Native Foods, the portobello burger is definitely your best bet. It is garlic-y, hearty, and just plain delicious...if you are a meat eater, it is one of those dishes where you don't care that you're not getting meat in your meal. All the soups have been great, and the fries (regular and sweet potato) are also delicious. The patio area is heated by outdoor lamps in colder temperatures, and it's a nice place to sit and people watch.

    (5)

  • Kimberly S.

    Today was my first time eating at Native Foods. I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but want to incorporate more healthy habits into my lifestyle. So I thought, why not try this place? I'm not unfamilliar with vegetarian food, I've eaten Morningstar farms and other soy based products. With that in mind I decided to take a longer lunch than usual to enjoy the beautiful day outside. When I walked into the restaurant, I noticed that there was shaded patio seating, and it was available! I went to the counter and asked which was better the portabello burger or the rueben (also the special of the day) the girl that was taking my order was great, she said both but the rueben was the special and it had a free side. So I ordered it, and boy I was not disappointed. It was tasty and messy, just like a reuben should be, I actually ended up eating it with a fork and knife..... I'm classy like that, eat my sandwiches with cutlery.... anyway the food aside, I have to mention the service. You order at the counter and they give you a number, much like Carls Jr. But the service was nothing like a fast food experience. Frankly, this place has better service than most upscale restaurants. They are attentive and thoughtful. A perfect example of this is when I was done with my meal one of the staff came out and asked me if I would like another glass of lemonade or a to-go cup. That was completely thoughtful!! I took the to-go cup, got another lavender lemonade (heavenly) and left. As I was walking out of the patio, I felt super calm and relaxed from this experience, I felt pampered and well cared for. Thank you Native Foods! I'll be definitely coming back for another meal.

    (5)

  • Renee B.

    Recently went there with my vegetarian friend. I'm not vegan but it was good. I had an open mind and it was a nice alternative. I am glad that there is a local place we can go together and both be satisfied.

    (4)

  • Jennifer W.

    I generally enjoy getting Native Foods when I am too busy to cook and just want to bring something home. My boyfriend often gets the chicken run ranch burger and I fully know why. That burger is great! I usually just grab the native nachos and their soup-of-the-day. Their teas area delicious! I mix some lavender lemonade in with the tea. The staff is always very friendly. A huge plus on their part is the ability to order online.

    (5)

  • Diane K.

    I need the Native Food chefs to come and work in my kitchen. Pleaaase? I tried their Native Pumpkin Pie to get in the fall mood, and their pie did just about that and more. That pie is so heavenly! I want a whole Native Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving dinner! It's perfectly sweet and light. It also comes with a ginger creme that just makes the pie absolutely impeccable. I wouldn't have thought of pairing pumpkin and ginger, but why not; it totally works. Initially, I was afraid the ginger creme would make the pie too sweet but nope. That pie needs its partner in crime: the ginger creme. I shared the Native Nachos and Soul Bowl, which were delightful, as everything has been at Native Foods, but the pie was the highlight of my visit. Great service and delicious food (and I love that they bring new dishes with the seasons!)! What else could I ask for? Native, you officially deserve five stars from me.

    (5)

  • Shannon S.

    I go to this location often and I'm not a vegetarian or vegan... still yummy! This past Friday I stopped by during happy hour with a friend. We ordered one beer, one glass of wine, and an order of nachos. The total was $9.04... can't beat that! Half off alcohol and apps (they do not offer mixed drinks). Happy hour is only offered one day each week: Friday.

    (5)

  • Andrew W.

    Outstanding food and the staff was mega friendly. You don't find inexpensive places with such fresh ingredients and table side service. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Sara B.

    fresh, delicious and healthy! What more can you ask for? This is a cool place with a mix of cafe/restaurant style dining. Great space inside or even better outside for enjoying your meal. The kale salad and the moroccan quinoa was outstanding! Will 100% be returning for another adventure!

    (5)

  • Burrito M.

    Native Foods is starting to grow on me lately...I just avoid the fried foods because that's just junk food masquerading as healthy. My favorite at the moment is the Crunchy Kale Salad. Delish! It's still expensive, but I guess you have to pay for nutritious food. If you only want to spend $3, best head to Taco Bell and suffer with their mystery meat.

    (4)

  • Nikki O.

    My go to place whenever I'm feeling healthy and wealthy! Prices are kinda high but soooo good!!!

    (5)

  • Olivier L.

    Native foods is one of my go to spots in south OC. They make their own seitan which they use in many dishes. The menu is seasonal and new items are added and removed at least a few times per year. There are always specials to try that are not on the regular menu. Everything on the menu is vegan, so it's nice to go into a restaurant and not worry about whether any one dish has and animal products in it. I highly recommend the twister wrap, with the crispy seitan "chicken." Food and taste wise, this place would get 5 stars alone. Service can be shoddy, but it's because it is staffed by a bunch of hippie vegans who are a little spaced out. The staff, however, is terribly nice and always apologetic. Also, the prices are a bit outrageous ($12 for a vegan wrap?), but alas, it's the only place of its kind anywhere near aliso Viejo.

    (4)

  • Damian D.

    Great Food that makes you feel good is always a winner. I have been dining at Native for a couple years now going 1-3 times a week. I would suggest the burgers, wraps, and salad's. The only think I didn't love was the Ghandi bowl, other than that the whole menu is quite tasty. They offer great info about what's going on in the community and always offer cooking demos. Chef Tanya is an inspiration :) Cheers

    (5)

  • Christine N.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE NATIVE FOODS! Especially this location. Best staff! Best food! Best customer service. They;re always greeting and double checking that everyone is doing fine and even kindly ask if utensils are needed. I like this location better than the Costa Mesa one. The Costa Mesa location didn't give me any utensils and for the Sesame Macro Bowl there, they gave me tofu instead of tempeh. I always come and leave with a smile on my face from this location.

    (5)

  • Patricia Y.

    I am the FARTHEST thing from Vegan or Vegetarian. I LOVE my steak rare, I LOVE steak tartare.. anything meaty and I'm pretty much a fan (TWSS). I would never even think about becoming a Vegetarian.. it would be pretty much torture for me. That being said, I still love my veggies and am always down to try something new. I heard good things about this place and one of my cousins had dined a few months back and was surprised with how good things were so naturally I wanted to give it a try. Stopped by at the Aliso Viejo location on the way back down to SD from LA and surprisinglyyy my man friend did not resist. For the people who complain of the lack of meat... REALLY? We had the Native Nachos to share, he had the Portobello Sausage burger and I had the Ensalada Azteca. EVERYTHING was delicious. So, I mean.. it's not exactly a nice meaty burger or nachos with real meat, but for what it is-- it's super delicious, flavorful and I can honestly say, it doesn't make you miss the meat at all. The nachos were REALLY good-- everything super fresh. My salad was REALLY good-- I was actually very surprised on how the flavors worked so well together. The only thing I would change is maybe dice the jicama pieces a little smaller. I stole bites of the burger and it was REALLY good. It doesn't make you feel like you're eating sausage but whatever it is you're eating is juicy and almost just as good! We signed up for the card and tried all the drinks. They were all pretty good with the watermelon as a favorite. Also grabbed a couple desserts-- brownie and "boogie bar." The brownie was pretty good but the boogie bar was dry and disappointing.. All in all, really good place for what it is! Will definitely be coming back!

    (5)

  • Ryno C.

    Yum Everything is made with care and tastes amazing. I could eat there every day. A vegan Bacon Cheeseburger - soooo good. Carnivores would love it too. Friendly staff. I wish I lived closer

    (5)

  • Robert F.

    Tiny place. It's a chain so I guess I expected it to be bigger. Also, it's really popular so I guess I expected the food to be good. But it's really hard to make vegan food good. There's a reason we eat animals. Sorry, but there it is. I got the portobello sandwich, mostly because it was recommended for first timers. I'm not sure why. It was very messy, but it lacked the flavor to make up for the difficulty in eating it. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't particularly good. It also gave me a stomachache for some reason.

    (2)

  • Nicole M.

    My previous experience was much more delicious than this one... I got the Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger for my main dish since it was the daily special and came, essentially, with a free side; I chose French fries. The burger was a towering combination of thinly sliced original Seitan, melted cheddar, caramelized onions, crispy tempeh bacon on a bun slathered with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, lettuce, carrots, onions, and tomato all topped with crunchy battered dill pickles chips - the dill pickle chips were very interesting and VERY tasty. The slight disappointment came when I ordered the dessert that I'd been craving since I saw the picture of it on my way out last time; Strawberry Shortcake Parfait. The parfait was a cup layered with Vanilla cake, almond crème, and fresh organic strawberries and was supposed to come garnished with toasted almond slices but mine were MIA. I got back to my cube at work and opened up the parfait and was definitely disappointed. Not sure if it had gone bad, but the "almond crème" was very dry and almost tasted a little sour and the Vanilla cake was completely soggy; bummer. I probably won't get dessert to-go next time or maybe I'll just stay away from the parfaits since they are, in general, hard to keep fresh. Overall it was a good experience, but I got a bad-egg-parfait. Also, an interesting thing to note is that they have Happy Hour Monday to Friday from 3 - 6 and it consists of 50% off starters, beer, wine and their homemade sangria; I'll definitely go back for some sangria.

    (3)

  • Cari B.

    I love the fresh variety of healthy vegan options offered here. The value for the amount of food feel right. I think the service is great, and have never been dissapointed.

    (4)

  • Coleen C.

    I previously reviewed this location and gave them four stars. No more. I'm getting tired of the way they handle themselves when it's busy. You would think we would've learned by now, not to order chai, but "the forgotten chai event" has happened three times and the "oops, I wonder why the chai is so cold" happened twice now. Also, they have gotten my dinner order wrong a couple of times, which meant one person got food, while the other waited for the order to be corrected for several minutes. How a meatball sub and Aztec salad look the same is beyond me. Each time, all we get are apologies, but it keeps happening when it's busy. Bottom line is they can't handle a crowd and it hasn't gotten any better, so I'm ONLY going to order the rice chai here, which is the only thing they have over the other locations. Native Fail. Management -- handle it.

    (2)

  • Alan G.

    Really well trained employees They are there to help and stop by the tables often Pricing is just right but for the organic vegetarian dishes - the price is great So healthy - so tasty and different - you'll love it Totally different them Veggie Grill - level up from that franchise.

    (4)

  • Kimberly D.

    This review is only for their Moroccan "Lentil" soup. I was expecting a delicious hearty lentil soup. What I got was a tasty vegetable soup. I couldn't find one lentil in that soup! When I asked if they mistakingly gave me the vegetable soup they said "No, the lentils are pureed". What?! AND, no one offered to give me something else if I wasn't satisfied with my choice. Anyone who has ever made lentil soup knows that when you puree the lentils, the broth becomes thick. This was a very liquid, nicely spiced, vegetable soup... without lentils! That being said, if you want lentil soup from Native Foods, you will be sorely disappointed. My husband's Moroccan bowl was delish!

    (1)

  • Gina S.

    I love this place! I am vegan and I often worry about what to eat at various restaurants due to a milk allergy. I love that everything here is so tasty and vegan. I can never eat desserts because they almost always contain dairy, well at this location I've tried the yogurt parfait a couple of times and it is amazing. They also know how to make a veggie chicken taste amazing. There are so many options to choose from. I only wish they had one of these in every city.

    (5)

  • Jo L.

    OMG can we PLEASE bring this to Fresno?! I AM SO DEPRIVED UP HERE!!! I've been here a couple of times when visiting my man at work. The last time, I brought along our pup and we sat comfortably outside in the porch area where customer service was NOT lacking AT ALL (we were checked on at least 3-5 times). They even offered some water for the dog! Everything here is delicious, but I highly recommend the Lavender Lemonade, the Chicken Run Ranch Burger (seriously! SO GOOD!), and the Native Fries. You will NOT be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Cody V.

    OK, so I know what you're thinking... VEGAN?! Seriously, This place is good. It took some convincing but now I have no problem going here with my wife. I would go here by myself. I have had several things on the menu and liked every one of them. Things to order: Meatball sub Surf Taco's Oklahoma bacon cheeseburger The staff is always willing to help you choose a delicious dish. Once you get past the hippy vibe, The food actually tastes good. My wife orders the Sweet potato fries every single time. We love them!! PLEASE... Grow a pair and try this place.

    (4)

  • Christina S.

    Food is amazing! Staff is very friendly and helpful! I would recommend getting the chicken ranch and chili fries! Yum!

    (5)

  • Susie G.

    I feel like I'm ALWAYS craving the delicious vegetarian fare at Native Foods. LOVE The soul bowl, and their nachos are to die for. Thankfully this location is just about midway along a trip between LA and San Diego, which means I always have something to look forward to during a drive when there is otherwise nothing else to look forward to! Wait, does that make sense? Basically, Native Foods is the best! Can't wait for them to open a location in San Diego! (it's been rumored for years)

    (5)

  • Jeff L.

    Best alternative to bad fast food and unhealthy local dining.... Fantastic, vegan, healthy dining.

    (5)

  • Jonathan K.

    For the vegan diners feeling marginalized in meat-centric society, Native Foods is a safe haven. For omnivores like myself, it's a pleasant distraction and potentially eye-opening experience into a growing trend in modern cuisine. First, abandon all your predispositions if you've never had a good vegan meal. Native Foods succeeds where other more ostracizing restaurants have failed--namely, in bringing vegan food into the limelight with mainstream appeal. Gone are the esoteric dishes and salad heavy entrees with raw vegetables. Instead, here you will find gourmet handhelds, zesty pizzas, and innovative fork and knife plates all made with organic, plant-based, and cholesterol free ingredients. For first timers, I recommend starting with either a Chicken Run Ranch Burger or a Twister Wrap with grilled chicken and then working your way up to a Scorpion Burger and beyond. Get the fries (either type is good) with chipotle sauce for dipping as a side and a watermelon fresca to wash it all down. For the exceedingly health-conscious, you may want to check the caloric content of some of the menu items, though in general, there are many benefits to a whole foods, plant based diet. It's nutritious, free of cholesterol, and there is a wealth of scientific evidence to show that it suppresses and can sometimes even reverses the onset of disease. But come here for whatever reasons you may: a healthier lifestyle, to support the environment, or just to try something new. Under whatever inclinations you may arrive, rest assured you will almost certainly leave satisfied. Of the three locations in the area (Tustin, Costa Mesa, and Aliso Viejo), I prefer the Aliso Viejo location most. The staff there is much friendlier and the food seems fresher and better prepared. The Tustin location is adequate, but sometimes the food seems hastily done by comparison.

    (4)

  • Jenny O.

    I got the appetizer Native Nachos the creamy sour cream and fake cheese sauce was interesting. The guacamole was even different from many other guac sauces i've tasted in the past. The place was tinier than the one at the District and very simple and not busy when we went. The chips were nice and crispy and I liked the cilantro and salsa, I might give it a try again in the future and try one of their week day specials next time perhaps...

    (3)

  • Melissa S.

    Everything on the menu sounds so good, it was very hard to decide. Ended up with the Native Chicken Wings, Greek Gyro Bowl, and the Baja Surf Tacos. All were amazing! I would highly recommend the Lavender Lemonade as well. I'm not a huge fan of lemonade but this stuff was great, I had seconds. The service was excellent, everyone was super friendly! I cannot wait to come back, hopefully next time I will have room for dessert.

    (5)

  • J. P.

    My favorite restaurant to eat! Love this place and the customer service is great too!

    (5)

  • Kailey S.

    Food was pretty good. The desserts are decent. The service is wonderful. All the people are very friendly. Prices are a little high though but I can imagine that is common with vegan places.

    (2)

  • Stephen W.

    5 stars, every time. I eat here probably once a week and still cannot believe that it is VEGAN! Ok, lets get down to it, here is what you need to try: The Rueben, The Chili, The Twister Wrap with crispy chicken, The Meatball Sub, and if you go on Thanksgiving or Christmas, The Wellington is AMAZING! You can't go wrong with the Chicken Run Ranch burger or the french dip either Items I am not a huge fan of: the BBQ burger (the fake bacon is too weird to me), and the portobello sausage burger. They aren't bad, just not my favorites. You really can't go wrong here. Some of the best 'fake' food I have ever had. Oh, and did you know they make EVERYTHING in house? Eat here, thank me later.

    (5)

  • Leah W.

    I like a lot of things about Native Foods. The food is tasty and usually well prepared. There is an overall eco- and animal friendly mission here. However, the prices can be slightly high for this style of casual dining restaurant, but convenience of having vegan food prepared for you is worth paying for. Vegans and vegetarians who are used to customizing a restaurant's menu to suit their needs, will know what I mean. Still, I almost always feel rushed or hesitant when I come in, not sure why. The staff are usually helpful, but not overly warm. It just hit me. I don't think I've really noticed anyone smiling. They sort of just stare at you. Weird. Yep that's it, stoic vegan stares. Anyhow, I keep returning because I am vegetarian and like all the meatless options. So, to the foods- Asian Lettuce Wraps are a great summertime favorite of mine, flavors are mild, fresh and savory. Gyro was pretty decent. Not exactly what I was expecting, because I may have read it wrong but I didn't realize it was a bowl and not a wrap, but it had a nice Mediterranean flavor and lots of fresh veggies. The Deli Reuben is phenomenal. Love it love it, love it! But why, oh why, did you take it off the menu??? Please bring it back, next time you switch up the menu. The Oklahoma Bacon Burger was OK (you see what I did there). No, really, it was not my favorite, but it just seemed like the seitan could have been cooked a bit longer and solved the problem. It is a mountain of veggies, and the "cheese" was really delicious, for a dairy-free cheddar. Dairy free cheese is usually a total fail for me, taste and texture-wise, when I am avoiding dairy, I skip the soy cheese too, because it reminds me of plastic, but this was a win! The bun was kinda crumbly on the top and soggy on the bottom, but I can live with it, just a note for possible improvement. Oh, one of the best things about it are the fried prickles as garnish, I sort of wished it was a handful of them, but then thankful that is wasn't, hah. Steamed kale side is awesome, just a squeeze of lemon, and attack!! Speaking of attack... Check out the vegan cheesecake with blueberries! Watermelon mint agua fresca is refreshing and perfect anytime.

    (4)

  • Melissa N.

    Some of the tastiest vegan food out there! Highly recommend the Yo-Amigo salad and the Azteca bowl. Hibiscus tea is also amazing. Even for those who aren't vegan or health-conscious, this place has something for everyone!

    (4)

  • Holly F.

    great food and affordable prices. a vegan's dream! try the twisted wrap. delicious!

    (4)

  • Shane D.

    If you're a vegan, this is shan-gri-la. If you are a non-vegetarian who's just looking to eat healthier, this will be hit or miss. I was disappointed in the burgers. They sound like they are phenomenal in the descriptions, and the Sausage Portobello burger says it has a 'sausage' patty on it. That makes it sound like a patty similar in size to a normal burger patty. But in actuality it was like a slice of deli meat. Ridiculously thin. I wasn't expecting a big thick sausage burger, but you couldn't even taste anything resembling sausage. So how can you put sausage in the name? Weak. On the other hand, the pizza and tacos were quite good. After a few visits, I've come to realize that any dishes that claim to replicate meat are not very good. Any dishes that stick to their roots are home runs. (the salads, quesadilla, pizza, tacos, etc) The drinks are also fantastic. I loved the lavender lemonade and iced tea. So again, if you're not used to meat anyway, this is going to be awesome for you. But the so called 'burgers' for non-vegetarians are pretty weak.

    (3)

  • Matthew L.

    Let me just say I'm not a vegan nor a vegetarian and yet I still love this place! The burgers are awesome, I've tried almost all of them haha, lately I've been gettin the blackened fish tacos, oh man, they taste like the real thing!!! Definitely have to get the watermelon fresca with whatever meal you get, the foods a little pricey but I think its worth it for the fresh and healthy food

    (5)

  • Vanessa R.

    Let me start by saying, I'm not Vegan or a Vegetarian, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Native Foods. I first discovered Native Foods at the camp. I had a so-so salad and called it meal. The second time I tried Native Foods was at the Aliso location. I had the "Chicken" Run Ranch Burger. I love this handhold. I give it a 10 out of 10. This "chicken" tastes more like real chicken then the chicken patties you would find at ANY FAST FOOD place. It's delicious. With the burger, I had the sweet potato fries. They are good, but my order was a little on the burnt side. Lastly, the watermelon fresca solidified my love for this place. It tastes like summer watermelon and isn't watery. It's perfect. Can't wait until my next trip to Native Foods :)

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    Delicious vegan food and great service! Their staff is always SO friendly. You honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but between my boyfriend and I, our favorites are: Twister Wrap Baja Blackened Tacos Ensalada Azteca salad Chicken Run Ranch burger Soul Bowl! They have great fake chicken that I doubt many meat eaters would complain about! I love their Lavender lemonade and the chili cheese fries are awesome! What else can I say? Highly recommend outdoor seating. The place is usually pretty packed but we've never had trouble finding seating (usually about 2-5 people in our group). They also have lots of allergen-friendly menu options.

    (5)

  • Darrell P.

    Good food, good service. Mixed crowd - young to older; laid back to SoCal fu-fu/"wannabe hip" Sweet potato fries - Good Chili cheese fries - Good Watermelon Fresca - Very good; not too sweet Lavender Lemonade - Good; floral Azteca Salad - Very good Chicken Wings - Very good; tasty sauce Iced Tea - Fair - Aloha Food: 4 Ambiance: 2 Service: 3 Value: 3

    (3)

  • Karen W.

    OK, Today I went to have a late lunch at Native. I have been there numerous times and have seen numerous mangers come and go. I was sitting outside in the patio area eating my food. There was a young couple who were finishing up there meal and was leaving, also sitting outside in the patio area were two older women. I say this because a employee/mgr came to my table and asked me to leave their patio area. You see my Son came to eat with me, but he was eating a Philly Steak Sandwich. She preceded to tell me that the restaurant was "vegan" only and that my son's food was offensive. She then preceded to pick-up my bowl and boldly escorted me and my son outside of "their" patio area and moved us to the next patio. I was so blown-away by this, and offended. She stated that everyone that eats there was vegan or vegetarian. I disagreed with that statement. I am neither, but very much enjoy eating there. I have gone to Native Foods since it has open, and on a few occasions I have met up with friends and family who joined me in the patio eating food other than "vegan" and was NEVER ESCORTED OUT. How sad our World has become, and how NARROW -minded and CLOSE this little place is that they don't allow paying customers be next too, or seen with or even "break bread" with some-one who doesn't eat like them... Are you kidding me!! I begin to envision how far this could go, restaurants removing you because you "look" wrong or your skin color isn't right... I really felt VIOLATED, I really hope that Chief TANYA hasn't lost the big picture here, which is HUMANITY FIRST.. Is she so consumed about the world being VEGAN that MISTREATMENT of humankind is LOST ??? (it sure felt like it today) I was told the policy of NATIVE FOOD is only vegan food can be consume on their patio...... I WILL NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN,,, I DON'T CARE IF THE FOOD HAS GOLD IN IT, I DON'T EVER WANT TO PAY TO BE TREATED UNKINDLY, or UNFAIRLY.

    (1)

  • Jen B.

    I used to live in Westwood where there is another location and was thrilled to see they built one here in OC. I really love their portobello and "sausage" burger. It is perfection! You definitely won't miss eating meat if you order this dish. My dining partner is a huge meat eater and always orders that when we go to Native Foods. I also really like the Rockin' Moroccan, Ensalada Azteca, and the cheesecake was very yummy! I remember loving the chili fries from Westwood but haven't tried them in about 10 years so I can't vouch for them anymore. I recommend giving this restaurant a try even if you aren't vegetarian or vegan!

    (4)

  • Qui C.

    We came here for a family dinner and ordered half the menu, so I won't bore you listing out everything. The 2 items that stuck out were as follow: 1. Chicken Run Ranch Burger - I've had vegetarian/vegan food before, at various restaurants but NOTHING tasted so close to chicken like this before. Taste aside, it was the texture and the way chicken shreads that makes this item stands out. Delicious! 2. Watermelon Aqua Fresca - Refreshing! Such a perfect summer drink and I came back for re-fills haha We will definitely trek our way back and try something else off the menu- for now, what we have is a good memory. It is kind of expensive for "fast food" - 2 entres, appetizer and 1 drink came out a little more than $30.

    (4)

  • Evelyn T.

    I am not Vegan but I had seen this restaurant and wanted to check it out. I tried the Tijuana tacos (soy taco meat with salsa, native cheese, cabbage & guacamole in grilled tortillas) with a side of sweet potato fries and the lavender lemonade. I'll admit the soy meat tastes different than the meats I usually eat but I thought it was pretty good. I added Cholula to the soy taco meat. The sweet potato fries were good but I prefer Veggie Grill's. The guacamole tastes different than the conventional type but it was still pretty good. I asked the manager if all the menu items are vegan, she said they are. The cashier and manager were helpful. One of the customers highly recommended the Chicken Run Ranch burger and the Scorpion burger. In their promotional literature, Native Foods states that their meals are organic. FYI: This location applied for a liquor license.

    (4)

  • Patrick B.

    My wife brought me lunch. The boxes said "Soul Bowl" and "Macro" and came with some bread. All of it was gross. It wasn't disgusting like liver (okay, I hate liver), I ate it all... but it was pretty gross. Someone else wrote this place is okay for vegan food... Food is food, if you can't be good, vegan or not, I'm not going to eat it. I don't believe in that compromise.

    (1)

  • Kylah G.

    This place made my taste buds do the happy dance, and the environment was so pleasing can't wait to return.. since I live in LA I'll have to go to the Santa Monica location. I had a cup of chili, cornbread, and organic red wine. The cornbread rivals some of the best cornbread I've ever eaten and this includes my moms and grandmothers recipes! And the chili was awesome there is no better place to convince someone that vegan/vegetarian food is great even if you're a meat eater. The big surprise here was the price! Organic red wine less than $5 a glass and it was yummy? Unheard of! My entire meal that I couldn't even finish btw was around $10

    (5)

  • Janel J.

    I had the portobello and sausage burger and my husband (meat eater) had the Yo Amigo Taco Salad My burger was awesome, the portobello was so juicy and yummy. The Native Sausage Seitan was so good and the creamy pumpkin seed pesto all I can say is WOW! My husband was very surprised when he found out that the taco meat wasn't actually meat, which is a big feat for him. The watermelon juice amazing!! Went back two days later with my friend and she loved it too :)

    (4)

  • HonestReviews A.

    Dec 27 2011- 8:47 pm Twister wrap w/crispy chicken- 3/5 Lavender lemonade- 2.5/5 Sweet potato fries-2.5/5 Native seasoned fries- 4/5 Watermelon fresca- 4.5/5 Greek Gyro- 2.5/5 Customer service- 4.5/5 Vegan is not my type I guess.

    (3)

  • Ana S.

    I just LOVE this place, and not only because I'm a vegetarian, but because the food is amazing (and organic)!! All I can say is that I always feel good going into Native Foods. The food is all vegan and organic, but does not skimp out on portion or flavor, and the decor is so earth friendly....its a nice change!! My favorite items are the Soul Bowl (I'm obsessed), the Twister Wrap (has pleased most of my meat-loving friends), and the Chili Fries. The staff is super helpful, the food is amazing, and the location is great (the outdoor seating is very nice). A must try!!!!

    (5)

  • Michelle W.

    I've been vegan for 5 months since I've tried Native Foods and experienced the world of health withouth the compromise of great taste. I've never felt better in my life, and lost 15 pounds in 2 months. Thank you Native Foods for showing me that eating healthy can still be delicious!

    (5)

  • Courtney L.

    Great healthy food at a great price ! I highly recommend the scorpion burger , yum to the 100th degree !! I have not tried anything there that I have not liked :) make sure to get a side of chipotle sauce with your sweet potatoe fries !! yea buddy !

    (5)

  • sarah s.

    I'm new to the raw/vegan foods, and I'm just easing myself into vegetarianism. I was introduced to this by a good vegan friend of mine and I LOVE it. I love the employees, the environment, everything! Their food is fresh and SUPER good....you think "eh vegan food, it's gunna be flavorless blah blah" Not here!!! I suggest the OC RAW Chopper, loved the Chopper, the Manna bread however is going to take some getting used to, it's RAW bread, so cooked but not cooked....hard to explain. The Twister wrap is my new obsession....I've been eating meat for 27 years and I could BARELY tell the chicken in my wrap wasn't alive at one point. Their Lavender lemonade and Native iced tea MIXED is AMAZING. Oh! and the cupcakes are pretty great too! :) AND THE SWEET POTATO FRIES!!!! One other quick tip, they DO have a kids menu, but unless your child had grown up on that sort of stuff, i don't suggest it...my son wanted nothing to do with the "fake" cheese etc.

    (5)

  • Adam S.

    My favorite place to grab a quick bite to eat in the area. The food is exceptional and the service is fantastic. Try the Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger!

    (5)

  • Sebastien L.

    Today was my first time eating at Native Foods. I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but want to incorporate more healthy habits into my lifestyle. So I thought, why not try this place? I'm not unfamilliar with vegetarian food, I've eaten Morningstar farms and other soy based products. With that in mind I decided to take a longer lunch than usual to enjoy the beautiful day outside.

    (5)

  • Loriann M.

    This was my first visit to Native Foods and everything we had was delicious! I took my family and we all loved our meals. Even the meat eaters enjoyed it. I really liked the options on the menu burgers, wraps, nachos not just the same old salads!!!! We strongly recommend Native Foods and will now become regulars.

    (4)

  • Rhonda W.

    Moroccan bowl is excellent.

    (4)

  • Sh P.

    Hands down the best vegeterian food in OC!

    (5)

  • Braydon T.

    Been here twice now and finally found something I liked, the scorpion burger! This thing is really good, add some sweet potato fries and you will leave not only full but happy too! Also tried the native tea which imo is their best drink by far especially for someone like myself who does not like over sweetened ice tea. Personally I am not big on their faux chicken the first time we came here I got the soul bowl and didn't really enjoy it. There are lots of veggies that were delicious but honestly veggie grills fake chicken is far superior in my opinion. My gf loves the chicken ranch sandwich though so what do I know... Native foods is definitely a good option if you feel like something new or different than what you may be used too. This place definitely feels WAY healthier than Veggie Grill you can see the vegetables in your food yet they taste so good.... This would be an awesome place to take finicky youngsters to get their much needed servings of vegetables with them being none the wiser...

    (3)

  • Jessica S.

    When I first went here, I didn't know that it was a Vegan restaurant. I am definitely a meat lover, but I was super satisfied with the meal I got here. I got the greek gyro earth bowl and it was yummy and filling. It came with ordered a small side salad too, which was also overflowing. The strawberry/cranberry lemonade was yummy (you get a drink for free when you sign up for their rewards card). Best thing is, you feel good after you eat this meal! Oh, and it has outdoor seating :)

    (4)

  • Ashley N.

    Hi my name is Ashley and I am a Native Foods addict. The food is amazing and the best part about it is I can eat and entire delicious meal and not feel guilty. I loooove the Gyro Bowl (about $10 plus add-ons), add avocado and grilled onions with extra lemon garlic sauce. Everything is fresh and soooo healthy. The staff is awesome and it's a good price for the good stuff you're getting. I've also gotten the Ensalada Azteca a few times and the burgers are real good. The Bacon Cheeseburger is borderline better than an actual bacon cheeseburger, just sayin. The desserts and drinks are also yummy. Honestly, if you are hesitant about this cuz you love you some good meat,TRY IT. You will be impressed. Oh also, parking a bitch so get there early if you are meeting people on a weekend night. It gets ridiculously busy and the parking lot people are not fun.

    (5)

  • Cathy M.

    Native Foods has become a standby for "I need to eat, but I don't know what, I don't want to go far, and I probably should eat more veggies" There's nothing to say no about when it comes to this place. I've tried all the bowls and I like them. I think my favorite is soul bowl. There is a nice outdoor area with a glass fence with heated lamps so you can comfortable eat outside. My husband likes the sweet potato fries.

    (4)

  • Yuki G.

    Disclaimer: I am writing reviews for more than one location but am tailoring it to each but the majority will be the same. I love Native Foods. I wish I could write a review on the whole chain. I've eaten at most locations for the past 7 years, dine there regularly at various times on various days, have been there on themed nights with the owner, been to cooking demos, own the cookbook, etc just so you know where I'm coming from. For Aliso Viejo, it might be their nicest location in terms of modern suburban chain life. You can go to the movies, do a little shopping, etc all in the same complex. There is indoor and outdoor seating. The complex is popular and you may take some time to find parking. What every Native Foods location seems to have that Aliso Viejo does not is consistency! I've dined here several times and food can be a hit or miss. For desserts, it's mostly a miss. Also, I'm not sure why every location screws up boogie bars. Perhaps it's because they have a note to refrigerate them every night. I make them from the cookbook and they are much more moist and tasty. A co-worker also noted the same issue when she makes them versus at the restaurant. I'm not a fan of all food items. Some of the menu items I can't stand are other people's favorites. Taste is subjective. But there are many things I love on the menu and they try to offer specials and change things up. The staff as always are friendly but I wish they'd wear name tags so we could address them by name instead of just "excuse me" or know who to refer to if we really wanted to praise someone or god forbid, had a complaint. If you are not familiar with vegan food, then I think you really need to consult a regular and explain what you like and what your tastes are due to the hit or miss factor. If you are used to vegetarian fake meats then you should be fine. I really like their vegan meats and cheeses, though I try to stay away from processed foods. If you have food allergies, consult with them. I believe they have a paper listing foods with allergens. Unfortunately the specials are across the chain specials now so if you always go on Mondays at lunch for example, you're always going to encounter the same special. I would like to see variety to the specials, such as not have the special based on day of the week on repeat. I don't have kids but if I were to bring kids, I would like to see an improvement on the kids menu and add some of those items to the regular menu. As for improvement, I mean more healthy options for children, not just alternate meats and cheeses but green veggies and (sparingly) whole grains.

    (4)

  • Emily H.

    The reuben is awesome! So are the chicken wings (more like chicken fingers) and the peanut butter parfait for dessert. Great place! Very nice people work here. My favorite healthy meal here is the sesame kale macro bowl. It is awesome!

    (4)

  • Dr. April H.

    The food at this place is great!!! Who knew vegan could taste this good. Even my husband likes the food and he is a food nazi :-) Anyway, food great staff ummm not so much. Every interaction with them has been either awkward or rude. The food is good enough for me to overlook their socially inept ways. Do be mindful that most of their food is Vegan junk food. It's like the McDonalds of the vegan world. The food has a lot of sugar and tons of calories. Funny how they so not offer any nutritional information. Even crappy fast food places do that. If you want to keep it clean and lean stick to the bowls. Not the burgers and not the desserts.

    (4)

  • Nicole B.

    Allergy Sufferers BEWARE! This place advertises a Gluten Free menu and a Soy Free menu. They fail, however, to tell you that these are made on shared equipment with the other foods. Including the fryer. I came in here excited to order some french fries. It was on the Gluten Free and Soy Free menu, so I assumed it was safe. I double-checked and was informed that it is made in the same fryer... So technically, no, it is not gluten free or soy free, unless it is not fried. Very disappointing and very disconcerting. If I hadn't asked I would have gotten extremely ill. Seeing as the french fries were the only thing on the menu both gluten and soy free (minus just plain lettuce, or course), I opted to just purchase a water bottle. The front desk guy proceeded to ask me if I want a frequent-diners card... DID YOU NOT HEAR ME? I cannot even eat the one thing on your menu that is both "gluten and soy free", no thank you! Please beware before getting too excited about the gluten free and soy free selections. If your allergy is severe, you may want to opt for a water as well.

    (1)

  • ReBecki P.

    I think I've been to all the locations (except Chicago). I went to a free cooking demo here led by Chef Tanya. She gave samples of each, told stories, and made everything look easy to cook! I bought a cook book, too. I haven eaten here a few times, if I'm in the area. Nice little patio. Must haves: --Nachos! to share, of course. --Ranch "chicken" sandwich --Any of the quinoa bowls --Watermelon aguas frescas with mint!!!! --Cheesecake with blueberries, just melts in your mouth Tip: Get a rewards card! The closest Native Foods is 20 miles from me, but I have used it enough to get a free drink or appetizer!

    (5)

  • Nicole B.

    This place is honestly one of the best vegan restaurants I've been to! I took my friends who were very skeptical to try this food but they ended up loving it. I normally get the ensalada azteca. Their mango vinaigrette is to die for. This is a great vegan restaurant & Anyone who are here would definitely enjoy the food.

    (5)

  • MJ S.

    Frequent visitor to Native Foods (primarily Aliso Viejo location but infrequent Fashion Island, District and The Camp visits as well.) Love their food! Adore their servers; they really know their menu and are passionate about a great guest experience. I genuinely feel like they give Nordstrom level service at Target prices. My faves are the Twister Wrap, Taco Salad and the Soul bowl, although they are vegan I honestly think half of the general population could walk in and order something and no realize it was vegan. Anyone complaining about long waits to order; it is prob due to someone new to the restaurant asking a ton of dumb questions, I bypass this by ordering by phone and picking up to skip the line. They are one of the few places in Aliso to stay open until 10 pm, plus this location is right next to the movie theater. We eat here at least 3 times a month and still can't get enough of the place!

    (5)

  • Sharon F.

    Good food, good service for casual. What more could you want? We need more places like this. I don't think I've ever been disappointed with their handhelds but since they change the menu up I haven't tried all of them.

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    This is my new favorite restaurant in the SoCal area. Unfortunately, it is so far away and even with a new one opening in Encinitas, it will be a drive for me. Three of us went to eat out last night. We ordered the meatball sub, the portabello seitan burger and the Gandhi bowl. Also the seasoned fries, watermelon agua fresca and ginger brew. It was all so delicious. Can't even tell you're eating vegan. Went to bed last night satisfied and woke up this morning not feeling all bloated from eating out. The tempeh from the Gandhi bowl was something I had never tasted; not bitter, soft, yet crunchy, great texture! The seitan meatballs were also an incredible flavor and texture. We gobbled up the burger in no time. It was nice to be able to get refills on the their drinks. We will definitely be back when we are passing through. Until then, I am having dreams of trying to create some of this stuff on my own at home. We need more of these vegan restaurants in the country! Like another reviewer said, I will always look forward to a delicious meal stop at this cafe on my way up north.

    (5)

  • Hamed Z.

    So it was my first time eating Vegan and I had no idea what Vegan was let alone what to order. Thank God for India! Not the country but the amazingly kind and informative lady that works there. She was patient enough to walk me through the entire menu and and helped me narrow down my first Vegan meal. The Chicken Run Ranch burger!!! My whole life i thought Vegan food had no taste, man was i wrong! I'm just upset that I didn't try this place earlier. The food was AMAZING! And after a burger and fries I didn't have that OMG i'm so full feeling! HEALTHY HEALTHY HEALTHY! This place is down the street from my house and I will most def be throwing this in my "usual routine" Once again a big thanks to India for her help and customer service! Someone give this lady a raise!!! Cheers

    (5)

  • Adriana F.

    Ahhh, Native Foods. True to my sister's review, this place is an oasis. I praise the Lord every time i find my way back to so-cal to visit the fam and have the opportunity to eat here. I live in San Francisco for Pete's sake and my favorite vegan restaurant is in Aliso Viejo! Native Foods has an incredible variety of vegan dishes on their extremely wallet and budget friendly menu. Mexican, Asian, American style plates; along with unique and beautifully presented pieces designed by the chef who started this place. Again, all at an amazing price! You will not find vegan food this good at this price ($10ish) in the city by the bay. If I am wrong, someone please correct me! Try any one of their main dishes and you will have a worthwhile dining experience, and don't forget a round of sweet-potato fries and a cardamom-rose cupcake for desert! Native Foods, I'm comin' home soon!

    (5)

  • Stephanie K.

    Stopped by here for a quick bite before catching a movie. I ordered the scorpion burger with a side kale salad. The "burger" was truly delicious, slightly spicy with the chipotle sauce. It comes with all the fixings, and it's nice that they slice the onions very thinly, so it doesn't overpower the "burger." I enjoyed the steamed kale salad- it was nice, refreshing and citrusy. The servers were also very helpful and friendly. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Krystin C.

    Yum! The meatball sub sandwich was fantastic! Lots of flavor in that one, especially for a vegetarian dish! So going there again!

    (4)

  • Stephen M.

    Stopped in at 9:15 tonight and received unexpected great service for being one of those within-the-closing-hour customers. The polite, patient, and helpful woman at the counter makes me want to go back for a late dinner next time I'm in a pinch. I had the portobello and sausage sandwich with sweet potato fries, it was delicious, lots of flavor going on with a dab of pesto type sauce, fresh basil leaf, caramelized onions, etc. It was a party for my taste buds. The nice thing about Native Foods is they don't solely leverage sauce to flavor the entrees. I did notice the fries don't seem so Native (standard issue restaurant fries?). I've renewed Native Foods into my standard rotation after eating here tonight. Thanks for being consistent in both food and service. (even after a few years away from your establishments!)

    (4)

  • Mario S.

    When you vote for 5 stars your saying "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" Well if your a vegan, then Native Foods is as good as it gets. I've gone vegan over this past year and it has led to less yelping but I eat way better. Don't need that Elite badge this year, thanks guys. Here are some of the many things I loved real quick since we got 100+ reviews: -The cheese on my burger tasted like cheese. -Breaded fried pickles. amazing. Should be on every burger meat or no meat. -The staff was great. Every person. -It felt like a regular place. No hippie bullshit. -The cupcake I ate later on in the night. This will be a regular stop on the way to Long Beach to visit friends.

    (5)

  • Nicole M.

    I went to Native Foods Cafe for the first time on Sunday. I instantly loved it. My daughter and I ordered the Azteca Salad and Polenta Bites, they were delicious. On our way out I ordered the Twister Wrap for lunch the following day. When I bit into my wrap, I found a huge metal clip in my wrap, I couldn't finish my lunch. I emailed a picture of the metal clip in my wrap and have not heard back from them at all. I am sad because I really liked the restaurant initially, I wish they would have handled this situation.

    (1)

  • Marsh M.

    It was the best vegetarian dish that I had. I recommend quina with coconut sauce. twist wraped wasn't as good as other people reviewed.

    (5)

  • Greg K.

    This location blows compared to the original location in Palm Springs. Went here on NYE and was so disappointed in the atmosphere and the quality of the food. Clearly, the minimum wagers working the cashier aren't back there cooking the food, clearly this is frozen or pre-cooked and reheated for your mastication pleasure. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Lex C.

    This is the fourth time I've been here. We went last Saturday and I ordered the Ruben sandwich. The time before that, I ordered the pizza. I usually get the watermelon drink. Of the 4 times we've been there, the last 2 times, I had diarrhea. At first I thought I had food poisoning or a bacteria-based digestive infection or something. However, further research suggests that I might either be allergic to seitan or agave. Seitan is the protein in both the Ruben sandwich as corn beef and the fake pepperoni pizza which is what I ordered the past 2 times. Agave is the natural sweetener in all of the iced tea they have there including the watermelon drink. I had the drink both times. So after doing some searching online, it turns out that some people are actually allergic to seitan. Some people have a difficult time processing protein in this form. Diarrhea is a common symptom. More research also indicated that the agave can cause a similar digestive sensitivity. I'm leaning towards seitan since the first 2 times, I also had the watermelon drink so I'm thinking it's not agave. I'm not a vegetarian but the food is really good. For me, there's definitely a bit of mental shift. I'm from a generation where eating meat at every meal is a requirement. I've come a long way mostly because my wife has been trying to be a vegan for a few years at a time and I've been exposed to many of the discussions around being vegan. In any case, I love the taste of the food there being that I love my baby back ribs, ribeye steak, prime rib, etc. The food is just really well made, excellent flavors, and fresh. The people who work there seem to really care about the products they serve. The service is great, the food is yummy. I give them 4 stars because I don't know why I'm having diarrhea the last 2 times. Once I figure that out, I'll come back and update this review if the rating changes. Also, I'm certain that you must be dying to find out what is causing my digestive issue (I'm known to have an iron stomach so this is very unusual).

    (4)

  • Kurtis L.

    Eat here so they can open more stores.

    (5)

  • J H.

    Fresh, flavorful and so good! My favorite is the Chicken Run Ranch Burger with Native Fries. Their soups, sandwiches and appetizers are delicious. You feel good after you eat here! The drinks are good but just have the water and throw some mint leaves that they offer in it! Yum Yum! The apple pie dessert is amazing too!

    (5)

  • SAMIRA G.

    Service was beyond our expectations and super friendly from everyone who worked there. Loved the Scorpion burger, Sweet potato fries, Lavender lemonade and the Native iced tea.

    (5)

  • Nathan S.

    I am not a vegan but I really enjoy the food here. I usually eat here once a week because they make the best salad in the world - Ensalada Azteca. If you are a fan of salads or not, trust me you will love it! Make sure to sit outside on the patio!

    (5)

  • rochelle a.

    $10 for lunch. I love this place. If they had one closer to where I live, I'd go daily. I also love their fish tacos. Sausage and mushroom burger Hot tea

    (5)

  • Marie S.

    I love the food here, amazing and fresh every time!

    (4)

  • Gary G.

    Enjoy several of their dishes. Excellent sweet potato fries and soups! The chicken run sandwhich is tasty and filling. The Scorpion Burger is vastly improved with avocado. The Twister Wrap is perfect for a small lunch. The Soul Bowl is ideal for when you are feeling hungry.

    (4)

  • Tony A.

    To my surprise, this place is good! My wife has dragged me there kicking and screaming and both times i've left thinkg that the food was really good.

    (4)

  • LOVEPEACE R.

    It is so refreshing to be in a healthful minded restaurant. A Gluten-Free, low carb, allergy sensitive menu that can easily be adapted to your dietary needs. Food tastes better than you can imagine. The Rockin Moroccan is wonderful! I love the ultra-healthy Kale Macro Bowl (grilled veggies instead of rice). I refuse to eat the sweets because they are so fantastic! I can't eat just one! The cashier and cooks are all a delight. :)

    (5)

  • G. A.

    New Year's Resolution? Eat Healthy? Order at the counter and you can sit down either on the outside patio with umbrellas or inside. There are tables as well as seating for singles. Tuesdays are Taco Days. Less than $10 for two tacos with heaping mounds of cabbage slaw and guacamole, as well as a side of fries or potato salad. They also offered a sauce for the fries. Service was great, and the food is wonderful as always, but I'm not a fan of the tacos, as the tempeh gets soggy and the white tartar sauce is too strong for me. However, I appreciated that they have soy alternatives especially with the research linking cancer to soy consumption. Awesome place, in a beautiful town center near a movie theater. Tasty vegan awesomeness. I love the desserts especially!

    (4)

  • Elaine N.

    YUM! So after years of driving by Native Foods I finally decided to try it out with my cousin. We asked so many questions because we're newbies. Sorry Native Foods :)! They recommended Ensalada Azteca, Twister Wrap, and Native Seasoned Fries. You really can't go wrong with these choices. This place is good to even make that meat-lover turn vegetarian for a day...maybe even a week! :D. [Food] We both agree that this place is a definite "YES." Food is delicious, fresh, clean, and heaaalthy! Oh my gosh, not the H-word! There's quite the presentation of color with fresh and crispy vegetables. [Service] Service was quick, friendly, and efficient. They're also very helpful and informative when you're not so familiar with the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. I didn't know what quinoa was until I came to Native Foods. I guess I have quite some learning to do! This place was so good that my cousin and I quickly returned the following week with no hesitation. Yes, I recommend this place and I will be coming back :)!

    (5)

  • David S.

    the best place ever !!!! hope "corey" is working the day you go !! he is excellent with every customer and truly enjoys his job ! very helpful and knowledgeable of all "native foods" menue items !! everyone is friendly there but "corey" really stands out as their best employee !! go corey !!

    (5)

  • Angela B.

    Been here a couple times, service is always good food is always good I'm glad they don't just offer sweet potatoe fries, their chili fries are really good

    (4)

  • A L.

    Our group got the ensalada azteca, gyro bowl and soul bowl. Soul bowl was definitely the best. Really warms you up, which was a problem considering it was 101 degrees outside and they didn't seem to be running their air conditioning. Damn hippies. Anywho, was definitely surprised at how good it was. Had two terrible experiences at Veggie Grill, so I kind of had a tainted view of vegan food. Hope to go back soon and try the sweet potato taquitos and lavender lemonade.

    (4)

  • Cameron M.

    Meh. It's good for vegan food, but that ain't sayin' much. If you're a meat-eater, venture elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Heather P.

    I have been a fan of Native Foods for years, so when I heard they were coming to AV, I was so happy. They continue to please with new additions to the menu and I know a lot of non-vegetarians who love it, such as myself. It's a great place for anyone who likes to try new things. Healthy, lots of variety and great taste. I usually get great service, attentive and timely. I recommend it to anyone who likes different kinds of food and healthy. The fact that they have alternatives to soda is one of my favorites, their lemonade, aqua fresca and native tea are all great..

    (4)

  • Justin G.

    If a Meathead like me loves Vegan food, anyone can! I am definitely not a vegetarian or a vegan. I love meat such as chicken, steak and beef. I have never wanted to become a vegetarian but if the food tastes like Native's then I might have to reconsider. My wife took me here once for lunch and I became madly addicted to the food! I have had several different items on the menu and loved every one of them. My favorites are the Oklahoma Bacon Burger and the Scorpion Burger. None of these "burgers" have any meat in them, which I still can't believe even after having many of them over the past few months. All the items on the menu are vegetarian/vegan friendly. The food really is phenomenal. I think it would be safe to say you can try anything and you won't be let down. The location is OK in that there can be a lot of traffic and parking can be difficult due to the movie theater, but it's worth it. There is some 15 minute parking right by the restaurant if you're getting your food to go, which can be helpful. I generally order food to go, but from my observations the service and small dinning area seems quant and enjoyable. You can also call ahead and pick up your food so you don't have to wait so long. My only complaint is that it can be a little price ($10-$15 for lunch with a drink), but defiantly worth it. Check it out, your body and taste buds will thank you.

    (5)

  • Sarah P.

    Though, not a vegan, i love this place. Had the portabello mushroom burger and was in heaven. Even brought my meat eating boyfriend here, and he was a fan. sO YuMMY!

    (4)

  • Yoon P.

    OMG - this place is awesome!!! This place was perfect for our group of ten people, and food came out so quick! I like their Costa Mesa location better, but I can't complain too much here with the delicious food & drinks. It was about 15-20 minutes from our wedding venue in Dana Point, and is located at the corner next to the movie theater, and is quite cozy. Their Chicken Run Ranch Burger...is amazingly good. Are you sure it's faux chicken?!?! My omnivore friends loved their burgers!! (also Scorpion burger) And their pizzas. And their drinks. And their parfaits...... Absolutely try their Watermelon Aqua Fresca. It's refreshing, not too sweet, and really really yummy!!! The only thing that disappointed us is a chocolate lover pie. I think the only one who liked it was my sister. (My sister is a chocoholic and loves sweets, what can I say?) Oh and if you sign up for their free rewards card and come here several times, you can get a $10 gift certificate toward any of their branches in Southern California. EVEN BETTER. :) :) :)

    (4)

  • Sumera P.

    This place is delicious! They have dishes that are healthy, different and taste good too. Been here many times.

    (5)

  • William B.

    I was vegan for years and still like to eat at Native Foods from time to time. I like Native Foods Cafe, but I will no longer eat at this specific location. I ordered three meals in a week, and two had problems. I ordered a Greek bowl over the weekend and it came with no seitan. The manager was kind enough to refund my purchase as I could not afford the time to drive back to the restaurant. A few days later, I ordered a meatball sub without ranch and checked the box before I left. Everything was fine. I went in again on a Thursday mid-afternoon, the place practically empty, and ordered another sub. This time I didn't check and saw the ranch only when I got home. I called in to let them know about the mistakes and that I would no longer be eating at that location. Both times, the manager offered to replace the food. I realize a manager is limited in his or her powers, but I live 15 minutes away. That is 30 minutes round-trip for me to fix an order mistake. I can also accept one mistake, especially on a busy weekend day. Two mistakes in a week, though? No thank you. So, my solution is to simply not eat here. The food is good. The servers were friendly and took my order promptly. It's the actual service I have a problem with. The service at this particular location is unreliable and I do not recommend eating here.

    (1)

  • Natalie M.

    Incredibly corporate, but amazing food, sadly filled with many non-vegan, trendy eaters. I love the food here, as a vegan I know it's hard to find vegan eateries in Orange County, and well this place makes me happy. (I love the Westwood location)..however when I went in there several weeks ago, I sat next down to a couple, blabbing about themselves, and yoga while I tried quietly to eat my food without saying anything to make them shut up. Here walked in women with breast implants, mothers with their children, and people with their yoga maps, all with their special food cards. WTH? Instant corporation-feel right there. Do they even know it's vegan? I mean I have no problem with people coming in, whatever, they can do what they want, I just refuse to sit next to people who can't talk about anything but themselves, and do so incredibly loud. This location kind of sucks.

    (3)

  • David v.

    I was looking for something light and remember my visit to native foods in Tustin... so I stopped by here and ordered the Scorpion Burger. The "burger" was pretty good. I would definitely recommend it. If you are looking for a quick bite, I would definitely recommend this place. If you are looking for a place where you can really sit down for a lunch and enjoy the company of the people you are with, I would probably recommend the one in Tustin over this location. The Tustin location has more of a restaurant atmosphere with granite counters and booths to sit at and this location is more like a fast food joint. You can check out my Native Foods Tustin review here: yelp.com/biz/native-food…

    (3)

  • Jon R.

    Four visits now. Still coming back. More ceative menu by far than Veggie Grill but we like Veggie Grill.

    (4)

  • Sabrina I.

    Wow - fake chicken never tasted so good! I'm a picky eater (and not vegan OR vegetarian), but this place is still highly recommended. Get the Soul Bowl - breaded "chicken" on skewers over rice, veggies, black beans, etc. with corn bread. Very tasty. I love their whole theming here - the table tents are actually rocks carved up so they can put a stand-up sign in the top. Nice touch! They serve bottled beers (and maybe wine?) here too, so it would be a good spot for a healthier happier hour.

    (5)

  • Jose P.

    All vegetarian, all good, all the time. I lost a dollar because I didn't think that EVERYTHING was meatless, but I was wrong. I have tried only a few dishes, but every time I try something new, I am just amazed at how good they are. If you get a sandwich or a wrap, you should probably do yourself a favor and choose the sweet-potato fries as your side. The best part was watching my pops eat his first vegetarian dish and admit that eating healthy can taste so good too. Don't forget to get a rose-petal topped cupcake! The Reuben Sandwich, the Scorpion Burger, and the sweet-potato fries are my favorite!

    (5)

  • Jaci S.

    Moved back to the Bay Area for only a week and I already miss this place so much! The nachos, the Twister wrap, Yo Amigo salad...ok, anything with that amazing Chipotle sauce! This location is rad, the staff is super nice and always knew my name and my kids names too! (My son is even in the video spot here, lol) My husband isn't vegan but he craved the Rockin Moroccan about once a week! Warm, cozy and dearly missed! (Please open a location in NorCal!!)

    (5)

  • Athena H.

    I've loved this chain for years and am stoked to finally be living close to one. We stopped in and order a greek bowl and another bowl. Both were fantastic, well priced and very filling. Now that the holidays are over and I'm back on my healthy eating I'll be stopping in regularly and working my way through the menu.

    (5)

  • Liz L.

    Absolutley love their food and their customer service is super friendly! My favorites are the Rockin' Morrccan Bowl, the Italian Meatball sub and their Reuben sandwich...all excellent!!! and I must not forget their sweet potato fries with their chpotle ranch dressing...yummmmm!

    (5)

  • Anonymous D.

    "And God said eat healthy and grind!" This Native Foods location is 5 minutes from my house and just down the road from my gym. I always come by after I work out. I gorge on their special of the day, the Twister Wrap, and my favorite THE BAJA SURF TACOS! Their fish-free tacos are better than any fish tacos I've ever had. They come with a heaping serving of guac, salsa, white sauce, and their fish-substitute. It's so filling too! I could get by on just their tacos, but I love their fries so much that I almost always get 'em. I ask for the fries extra crispy, sometimes they'll get soggy if you take 'em to go, the extra crisp helps prevent that. Their dipping sauces, chipotle and ranch, are so good too! I literally go here 3-4x a week. The staff is so nice, they're good people, really mellow. The restaurant is always clean. The service is super fast. If I call in 5 minutes before I arrive, it's almost always ready. Also, just a heads up, right now they have a promotion where if you buy a $100 gift card, they'll give you a $20 gift card free! I think they're having a cooking demo this weekend too.

    (5)

  • Grace C.

    I'll admit - I am a Veggie Grill die-hard fan. Regardless, I tried Native Foods with an objective mindset. The first time I had the portobello mushroom/avocado/sausage burger, the cheesecake and the lavender lemonade. The burger was very oily and thus the bun was very soggy. It didn't have much flavor to it. The cheesecake was ... very disappointing. But I guess that's what happens when you have a vegan slice of cheesecake! It was stupid of me to get in the first place. The lavender lemonade was perhaps the only thing I enjoyed during my first visit. The second time I tried their Ghandi Bowl, which the cashier recommended. Man, it was gross in the sense that...it was so flavorless. Seriously, how can you make tempeh and CURRY bland? The veggies were overcooked and the rice was very mushy. Doubt I'll ever return. Vegan doesn't mean no taste!

    (1)

  • Chad H.

    This place is absolutely horrible. How can you make a bad salad? I mean really people!!!

    (1)

  • Nathan W.

    Native Foods is very good. One of the great vegan fast food restaurants. We eat there every time--every single time--we visit family in Orange County. When we moved to New York, a friend would FedEx me the Moby Dick, a faux fish sandwich, periodically. It was a welcome treat and my absolute favorite. Sadly, it is no longer on the menu. Order the chicken wings with ranch dressing as an appetizer, then the blackened chicken run ranch burger and the native fries. You won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Roger B.

    Wow! I'm a meat eater, but this place is great! I had the Chipotle blackened chicken Twister Wrap and it was excellent! It tasted like real blackened chicken - and with the Chipotle Ranch sauce, it was excellent!!! 5/5 stars! I'll definitely be back. Healthy food that tastes great! Now if they just had a fast food carry out menu and drive thru, I'd eat here every day!

    (5)

  • Kelly T.

    I am SO stoked that Native Foods opened an Aliso Viejo location. I frequented their Costa Mesa location when I lived there (and still frequent it, since I still work in the area). So I was very happy when I heard there was one right down the street! Some of my favorite things here are the Scorpion Burger, Pancho's Quesavilla with tempeh, sweet potato fries, Native Nachos, the Twister Wrap with crispy "chicken", and the Cardamom Rose Cupcakes! Their tempeh is the best I've had. You won't find a standard soda fountain here - instead they make their own drinks and they are amazing. The lavender lemonade is to die for. They also have a delicious iced tea which is a mix of hibiscus and berry teas, and fresh watermelon juice, both sweetened with agave instead of sugar. If those don't sound good, they have a small selection of natural sodas in the refrigerated area at the counter. If you order sweet potato fries, make sure to ask for a side of the chipotle sauce for dipping! They do a taco tuesday here, and I haven't tried their tacos yet, but they look amazing. I have had the taco meat on the Native Nachos so I know it's good! I like Native Foods way more than Veggie Grill. Their menu and portions are bigger, and I think the food is just better. I would love it if they would offer nutritional information on all their food. I've brought people here who were new to vegan food, and it usually goes over very well. I use the Scorpion Burger (a tempeh patty with chipotle sauce, shredded lettuce, carrots, onions, and avocado on a yummy chewy bun) and sweet potato fries to impress first-timers, despite the fact that their menu has icons on it next to the things that would be good for newbies. But some people just won't come around. My husband just doesn't like it, but he's pretty stubborn about vegan food and says he is against it haha. Also the last time I ate there, there was a couple near us and the guy had brought in his own Burger King. I thought that was pretty lame. Do yourself a favor and get one of the Native Rewards cards, because you actually get some pretty good rewards, like a free drink, $5 off, etc. The last time I ate there, I was told that I will get $10 off on my next visit! The only bummers are: 1. It can be pricey, and 2. It's located in the Aliso Viejo "Town Center" - along with everything else in Aliso Viejo, and it's nearly impossible to go anywhere in this parking lot on a Friday or Saturday night. It's like everyone in a 5-mile radius flocks to this shopping center. One Saturday night, I wanted to pop in and pick up some food to go, and that was so not happening.

    (5)

  • Cat H.

    I have always loved this place but yesterday I took a friend who is soy and wheat intolerant and they whipped out a soy and wheat free menu for her! Awesome!

    (5)

  • Joshua Y.

    So good... Got hooked as soon as I took the first bite. 2 months and $200 later, I'd say I'm addicted... Cant go wrong with the Portobello sausage burger, twister wrap, and nachos.

    (5)

  • Sharon C.

    Just love this place. I try to eat there once a week. Can't say what would be my favorite because I've liked everyhing. I have had the chicken wings several times (get with chipotele sauce), so maybe that is one of my faves.

    (5)

  • Kevin F.

    I tried this restaurant just to mix up the lunch routine. Vegan foods? Hmm, can give it a shot. I bought a Gandhi bowl, and indeed it was as peaceful and as serene as the man himself. It is tempeh on rice, with greens, veggies, curry, and cranberries thrown in. I definitely did like it; it was refreshing to have a salad for lunch for a change. My friend had the scorpion burger, and that satisfied him. I should have listened to my golden rule, when trying something new, get something on the menu that the says "top pick" or "no.1 favorite". It's a fast lunch, but just a bit pricey. But then again, don't we pay a premimum for all organic places? So in that sense, its average for a vegeterian restaurant. Native foods, something different in AV.

    (3)

  • Julie F.

    Love this place. Everything is bright and happy and fresh and such a nice place to go . Love the crunchy kale salad and peanut butter parfait and the special ice tea =)

    (5)

  • Scott D.

    Good, wholesome food and great service!

    (4)

  • Morgan M.

    Really good food, and it came out really fast as well. I had the gyro thing, and I thought it was going to be like a sandwich, but it was a salad. I think there was too much kale for my taste, but over all it wasn't bad. I think i'll try something new next time though!

    (4)

  • Su P.

    A collegue from work took me here this week.. and I was completly amazed at how good the food was. I got the special of the day - bacon cheese burger, with sweet potato fries and a lavender lemonade.. YUM!! I look fwd to going back and actually having space for desert.. they looked so so yummy I was just tooo full after the burger and fries.. Amazing!

    (5)

  • Jenn S. B.

    I love this restaurant as does my family (and not all members of my family are vegetarian)...good food, good service (although I suggest getting a menu, determining what you want and then stepping in line to order) and they offer patio seating which is needed as it is often busy, very busy!

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    Pretty good, was on the way back from a bicycle race stopped in for a vegan philly pepper stake and some somosas. Food was pretty good but a lill pricey the sandwich, samasas, and a salad with a a bottle of water and a lemonade was over $30... maybe if it was table service that would be ok... Food was really good but value wasn't

    (3)

  • Karinna Z.

    Pinch me...am I dreaming!? I have been Vegan for years and I've been to quite a few Vegan spots but this one is in the top 5! It's so clean and fresh inside, and the food is amazing. A friend recommended the Scorpion Burger and the Wraps and I'm SO glad I took his advice! This is a quick-food place, where you order, pay, and wait for your food. While you wait, you see the all effort Native Foods and Chef Tanya Petrovna have put forth to create a Vegan and Earth-Friendly restaurant. The Napkins are recycled paper, and the dispenser proudly reads: "Use only what you need." The menu is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. They offer Agave nectar sweetener and delicious hot salsas and sauces. They do not allow meat/animal products in the restaurant for the "consideration of those with food allergies." Chef Tanya's mission is to create "delicious, healthy, fun food that honors the environment and harms not a single animal in the making." There is an outdoor patio and indoor seating. This is located just next to the Edwards Cinemas and a lot of great places to shop in Aliso Viejo. So...i recommend the Scorpion Burger--it's heaven! Also, the Caesar Wrap but ask for Seitan Sausage instead of tempeh!!! For kids: the whole wheat Penne with Marinara was tasty for me but lacked a little bit of flavor for the little ones, so instead, I recommend the Dippity Do Dogs! Mac n Cheez is great too. Pizza---all of them are amazing. Be careful with the Peanut Butter Parfait....I went from 115-120 and i blame it on that thing! ;-) It's super smooth, thick, tasty and delish and you cannot believe it is cruelty free! Do not recommend the tempeh salad if it's your first time eating Veg. Unless you add hot sauce and salt. :-) Still can't wait to go try the bowls like the Hollywood Bowl and the Ghandi. Rockin Morrocan was YUMMY! BTW, it's NOT too expensive! 8.95 for the Scorpion Burger (huge) and edamame and salad is NOT too expensive! Bottom Line: this is worth trying. There's also another location in Costa Mesa! Let's go!! :-))

    (5)

  • Francisco G.

    This place kills, and that's especially impressive for a chain operation. Super-fresh ingredients, big tastes, big portions, and friendly, helpful staff make Native Foods Cafe highly repeatable. (Not an idle comment, as I've been here four times already since discovering it about a month ago). While quite a way down the road on my journey toward veganism, I still look forward to the next medium rare rib eye steak, grilled salmon, or cassoulet. But dining at NFC leaves no room for feeling unsatisfied. Most recently I had the "Baja Surf Tacos". They were HUGE and a mighty fine taste sensation -- two double corn tortillas, crispy battered tempeh, "surfer sauce" (no body function jokes, please), salsa fresca, shredded cabbage, and guacamole (MASSIVE SCOOPS -- whoops, more body imagery!). Very messy eating, but I'm not complaining. On an earlier visit I had the "OC Raw Chopper", which is a good choice if you're seeking more greens. Also stole bites of my gal pal's Broccoli Curry Crunch Salad and Yo Amigo Taco Salad. All were outstanding, and I'll be back soon to try other items. Like most other vegan and raw/living food joints trying to appeal to "crossover" customers, there is considerable fat content here, much of if coming from the "cheeses", which are made from soaked, blended nuts. I think there's more sweetening in the food than you might suspect, too -- probably in the form of agave nectar. Still, it's way healthier than standard 21st century American fare. And if you're too fanatical it's hard to get out in the world, right?? Get to any NFC location for healthy eats -- and may your surfer sauce ooze and dribble all over those massive scoops!

    (4)

  • Michelle Y.

    When this location opened up, i was beyond excited! I love Native Foods and was sad their closest location to my parent's was in Costa Mesa. I love their chicken run burger. I'm addicted to this sandwich. With the addition of sweet potato fries to their menu, it's hard to go wrong. I've tried almost everything on their menu and still return to this sandwich. I am never disappointed by the flavor and its very filling. The chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes though was a unexpected surprise. it was delicious and my friend who is a carnivore was raving about how he couldn't tell the difference. Oh, and i always try to save room for the cheesecake. YUM! The blueberries add a nice touch to this dessert. Oh, and not sure if this location still has the soft serve but it's rather good. EDIT: so i went today! The people who work there are FANTASTIC! so friendly!! i was happy to see that they have my favorite sandwich as a special so it was only 9.95 with any selection of a side! Also, they have this delicious watermelon agua fresca. They stopped carrying the soft serve which is a little sad. Also, they don't carry the chicken fried steak, but they do have a bbq day! and from what i've heard its amazing!

    (5)

  • Jacob H.

    If I want to seriously clean out my intestines, this is the place to go. Everything is made from some plant or another. My favorite is the portobello mushroom burger. I'm not a fan of mushrooms, but I like the pesto sauce with this burger. Needless to say, I get extra pesto sauce. The rest of the menu is decent. I'm a carnivore. I have to have meat. The meat substitutes are nothing to speak about. But if I want to eat some decent veggie place, this would be one of my top choices.

    (4)

  • Tracy B.

    Dude Im a straight up meat eater and I LOVE THIS PLACE....NACHOS are a must with Lavender Lemonade...LUV U NATIVE FOODS!!

    (5)

  • Jackie M.

    I love how everything is organic here! The "chicken" actually tastes really good, i was surprised because i had eaten at other vegan restaurants and was not pleased with the taste. However here its really good. I love the twister wrap, the chipotle sauce is to die for. I love their fries and how they added a kick to it by adding some spices on top. I am not a fan of the sweet potato fries so these didn't win me over. I also liked the morrocan bowl with quinoa. Could improve on the decor but I'm not complaining!

    (4)

  • Omar M.

    I'm not a vegetarian but the Baja Tacos are great. Highly recommended for even meat eaters like myself

    (5)

  • Phett S.

    Very good, wide variety. Costa Mesa location has larger menu.

    (3)

  • Molly A.

    This is one of Native Foods' smaller restaurants, but it still has the same delicious vegan menu items I love ^_^ The chili cheese fries are AMAZING! The cupcakes are also extremely delicious, and I love knowing I can order anything on the menu with pride, because it's all vegan :D

    (5)

  • Tom T.

    For a meat-lover like me, I find this place interesting, yet alien. For a vegan restaurant, they make a good attempt with their menu items with meatless substitutes. The slight negative I have is the price, but since I like my meal made with organic ingredients and the service was good; I accept it. The hard part of the visit is picking my first entree here. So, I picked an cool sounding dish. It is the Scorpion Burger with Native Fries; cool name, yeah. The name sounds like something Andrew Zimmerman would choose to eat on his Bizarre Foods show. Unfortunately, the burger patty does not contain bits of scorpion or even its stinging tail. But the patty is made from tempah, of which I am not too familiar with this processed protein. Tempah sounds like it was created from a chemistry lab. The good thing is that I enjoyed the Scorpion(less) burger and the veggie toppings went well with the burger. The fries were tasty too. I washed these down with their Native Iced Tea and several refills after that. My wife tried to have her taste buds sense fooled by trying the Tijuana tacos with soy taco meat. She also had the sweet potato fries and the lavender lemonade. Overall, I enjoyed my vegan meal. I would like to go there again and try another dish for lunch. Following that I would have a burger or steak for dinner. Really, a meat-lover can't be fooled for too long.

    (4)

  • Jim T.

    I loved the water melon juice sweetened with agave. I ordered the Gandhi Bowl. It was good, brown rice with steamed vegetables, however the blackened tempeh tastes too charred. The sweet potato fries are good too, with the organic ketchup. My wife ordered the Mad Cowboy Bowl. It was real chicken, on brown rice with vegetables with a barbeque sauce. The meat kind of ruins the taste of the vegetables. If you're going to eat here you might as well go full vegetarian and your palate will be fresh and clean after wards.

    (4)

  • marc k.

    great vegan food an a good alternate to fast food out there. A real standout is the amazing and cheerful service of every single person that works there. the chicken wrap is great but i substitute the "chicken" for tempeh which i love, love, love. amazing sweet potato fries. You just have to remember that just because it's vegan doesn't mean it's not fattening or sugary... amazing sauces too!

    (5)

  • Hlady P.

    Alright Already. Most of you fellow Yelpers know about the quality of the food at Natives--It is fresh and delish! I have no problem with the food--it rocks and hopefully it is not calorie laden, because if I start trying to figure out how they make all there creamy sauces and cheese and desserts without dairy--I start getting nervous. My 3 star rating is based soley on the frickin design of the restaurant. Have you ever been to Natives during lunch hour? It is no utopia of coolness and nutrition, no sir--it is more like waiting for grub in line at a Prison. The line goes out the door. The entrance is blocked so servers cannot get in or out without careful navigation. Patrons who want refills, to use the restroom or anything can barely squeeze in and out without asking hungry hipsters to move so they can enter or leave. This to me is pathetic. The reason i am so miffed is that you know damn well that places like Natives and Mother's market, make enough scratch that they can modify their spaces to accommodate their loyal followers and attract new ones. I know we are in California, but the chi is lost when we are squished into an environment that is suppose to facilitate good energy and vibes--but instead causes anxiety and angst. So that is why I give 3 stars--purely on poor layout and crowding that makes Natives and other cool, healthy places Not too much fun to go to when it is like a Mosh pit.

    (3)

  • Carrie O.

    This Native Foods is just as awesome as the other one I've visited (in Tustin) :). I still wish they had one in San Diego... But someday, hopefully! Moving on... Native Foods ROCKS! My husband had never been, so after dropping a friend off in Dana Point, we made the trip to Aliso Viejo to get some food. This location (like the other I've been to) is within a small mall-type thing (with a movie theatre, etc.) I don't quite understand why they put them in this setting, but I suppose I can deal (especially since the food is so good!) I got the Chicken Run Ranch burger (since it was on special, and that= free sweet potato fries!!) and was pleased with it! I am still in love with their sweet potato fries with chipotle sauce. I would eat those every day if given the chance... My husband got the portobello sausage burger that was portobello mushrooms over seitan sausage. Really yummy! He loved it, said it was definitely a "5" (in Yelp terms ;). He was not as obsessive about the sweet potato fries as I am (that's fine, more for me!) but did love all the drinks that they have (lavender lemonade, iced tea & watermelon agua fresca, all of which have free refills!) He also got the chai, which was SO delicious that I had to get one for the drive back to San Diego. We had them made with rice milk, which was NICE. Their chai is definitely worth getting! It's the chef's own organic recipe. Yum! Oh yeah, and we also picked up two vegan/soy-free (yay!) cupcakes for later at home. The chocolate one was HEAVENLY, and way WAY rich. I loved it, though. We got a rose & cardamom cupcake, too, which I liked at first, but then it just got kind of strange. Almost too sweet but also kind of too floral. I don't know, but I'd definitely get the chocolate one again & would love to try the vanilla! Anyway, I could keep going... But I'll just say that EVERYONE (regardless of whether you're vegan or not) should try Native Foods at least once. It's a really neat place with delicious food. We need one in San Diego, please come down here!! :)

    (5)

  • Sue P.

    Just got done trying to eat the Soy Amigo salad that I have had so many times before. I got it "to go", and when I got home, there was no salad dressing. I tried it with my own, and it did not taste the same. Missing items in a carry out order ruins a meal! Waste of time and money!

    (2)

  • Lisa K.

    Native Foods in Aliso Viejo is my favorite lunch spot. I'm not a fan of the bowls or the dessert, but I love their handhelds & their beverages!! I recommend the Scorpion Burger and/or Chicken Run Ranch Burger with their fries. I love love the watermelon drink. As a vegan turned vegetarian, this place is a great treat for all. I've taken my carnivorous bosses to this spot, and they've all been pleasantly surprised! I've been looking for a place like Native Foods...moving back from New York (abundance of vegan options in the city), I felt Orange County offered little variety for vegans/vegetarians around. Finally, their service is by far FIVE STAR!

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    I have to be honest. The first time I walked into this place I walked out. It smelled kinda funny and my tummy said "no no". But after my meat loving boyfriend tried this place and loved it, I knew I had to try it. After working out at 24hour I wanted to keep being in "healthy mode", so I made a second attempt at this joint. I got the mock chicken finger and mock chicken salad, and man was it DEEEElicous!! I might not eat chicks again after trying their food. Also this location has soft serve so I'm anxious to try that! Much love to those who can't handle milk in the tum tum.

    (5)

  • Alison G.

    I'm not a vegan, but I've been trying to eat less meat. Sometimes I find vegan food to be bland and gross, but the food was good here! I had a veggie burger, and it was flavorful and delicious. I would definitely come here again.

    (4)

  • Maren B.

    Pretty delish! It is all VEGAN meaning there ain't no meat nowhere or animal products, evyething is soy, or tofu or fake chicken haha! But it's actually tasty, and this is coming from a In-n-Out lover! It is kinda over priced but the food is fresh and you leave feeling healthy not like a fat meatball. The staff is extremely friendly, like A+ on service. I like their wraps, and their salada are good with quinoa. Also their home made chipotle sauce is delish on a burger with fake meat and bacon hah no but seriously, give it a try it's good food. They have a nice outdoor area to sit at as well, and are located to the left of the big movie theatre in Aliso.

    (4)

  • K G.

    Although we're not vegan or even fully vegetarian, my wife and I have visited this restaurant several times over the past year, trying something new each time, and are usually delighted. We've had the chickenless chicken, tempeh and seitan burgers, bowls, tacos, wraps, fries, cupcakes, lemonade and more. Their fresh buns and delicious sauces complement well-textured and healthy meat alternatives that easily supplant the real thing, even for the skeptic. We're always pleasantly surprised to see how busy a vegan restaurant can be, and we hear that most of the clientele are meat eaters looking for a healthy alternative, vs. hard-core vegans. Our favorites include Chicken Run Ranch, the Scorpion Burger and the Oklahoma "bacon" burger, a lavender lemonade was splendid, and the vegan cupcakes pleasantly surprised us. We've been less impressed with a bowl we tried (Soul Bowl?), the nachos, fries, and frankly, anything we've carried out seemed to drop a notch in taste, texture and presentation by the time we got home. Service is always friendly and helpful, but occasionally we end up waiting due to long lines at rush times, so despite ordering at the counter, this is not expected to be fast food by any means. Perhaps our biggest "beef" with Native Foods is that the prices aren't exactly inexpensive. Of course, they're not working with cheap, unhealthy, corn-infused "meat product" and other mainstream items like many fast-food places, so comparing a Scorpion Burger to, say, a Big Mac isn't exactly a fair fight. That said, we rarely leave here without spending over $20 for a couple burgers, so we reserve visits here to be special treats. They do offer specials each day and a Friday afternoon discount period that eases the price impact a bit. We've also seen the very-accessible and seemingly friendly owner Chef Tanya make an appearance at the local store to share free samples of her cooking.

    (4)

  • Morgan M.

    I really like all the Native Foods. I was introduced to the restaurant when, I believe, their only location was in Costa Mesa. Living down in Laguna, it was great to have one open up in Aliso Viejo, and the fact that it's just a few doors down from the movie theater makes it a perfect 'pit stop' coming or going from any film. That said, I do miss a little bit of the quaintness of the original location... as the restaurant has gone a little corporate... however, I am pleased to know that there are enough vegans & vegetarians to create a demand for their expansion.

    (4)

  • Katie S.

    There was one point in my life that Soul Bowl was the only thing in my diet. I am telling you it is that good. Yeah, and its vegan, but I didn't care, I just kept eating that f-ing Soul Bowl. I mean side benefit, I guess, I was saving some chicken. Now I sound callous. Shoot. The food is pretty darn good, especially that crack-like Soul Bowl, and the prices aren't too bad either. Soul Bowl:breakfast, second breakfast, snack, lunch, or dinner.

    (4)

  • Maria M.

    Native Foods is amazing. It doesn't matter whether you are vegan or not, the food is so good! I am obessed with the Chicken Run Ranch burger, the Yo Amigo salad, and the vanilla brownie parfait. I also just tried their cupcakes for the first time and the vanilla was awesome. Don't forget to try their Native fries on the side and the Aqua Fresca to drink. I am not vegan but I have been to many vegan/veg spots in OC and LA and Native is by far the best!

    (5)

  • Nona L.

    I am not a vegan, but I wanted to try this place. We walked in with our leather jackets, leather purse, and leather shoes, and were given a cold stare by the staff. They weren't exactly warm and fuzzy, but they were fine. I had the portabello "burger" and sweet potato fries with the agave tea. Everything was pretty good, but DAMN those fries were tasty. I didn't care for the gluten-free bun, but the burger was good, and I enjoyed the random handful of edamame on my plate. I don't understand why vegan/veggie restaurant menus are always a selection of the same foods you can get anywhere else, but with meatless alternatives that taste like meat. I was really hoping for more veggie-oriented dishes, but nothing really struck me as creative and different. It's not a cheap lunch, but I think it was worth trying once.

    (3)

  • Tommy A.

    I would have to say that I am very impressed. I have never eaten vegan food, and my wife wanted me to try it out. When I got there we ordered and I started feeling queasy (nothing to do with the food, me just getting sick) so we took the food home and put it in the fridge. I ate it the next day and because they use the freshest product and everything was hand crafted te meal was just as fresh as when I bought it.

    (4)

  • Katie S.

    Yum! And I love the dedication to a better planet...

    (5)

  • Jena P.

    I just went vegan a few months ago and was struggling with finding a place where I could eat out and not disect the menu. Then I found Native Foods....wow~The food is amazing! I highly recomment the chicken wraps and azteca salad. (my fav salad anywhere-hands down). I took my non-vegan friend there and she loved it. She ate it all and we even shared a piece of vegan cheesecake.Yummy! Head down to Native Foods ASAP!!

    (5)

  • J P.

    I don't know what the employees of the Aliso Viejo Native Foods are on (probably the good vegan food) but they have possibly the best attitude's ever. I do miss some of my fave managers who went to other stores, they ran the place amazingly and were always so great to see! This place is a little pricey and they did get rid of happy hour, but the food is superb and the service is wonderful! I recommend the scorpion burger with sweet potato fries! The chipotle sauce is sweet, creamy, and super good! Even if you are not a vegan, you will love this place!

    (5)

  • Sarah E.

    Ok so I am a bacon loving, cupcake inhaling machine and I actually loved this place!! I had the voluptuous veggie pizza with blackened chicken (per the very customer service oriented guy behind the registers suggested) and it was d-lish! It was a little difficult to eat with the veggies falling off the pizza but trust me I managed to lick the plate. And I totally ate half of my friends sweet potato fries (which I am totally getting next time). Oh and have I mentioned the amazing customer service! I had two of the employees there even come by my table to make sure I enjoyed their suggestion. Not to mention if you sign up for a rewards card on your first visit you get a free beverage. Yummy food and free root beer= I am sold.

    (4)

  • flo c.

    I know that Native Foods is pricey but seriously, every Vegan place I've been to (and that's quite a few) in OC is pricey, even the Asian ones such as Au Lac or Wheel of Life. So in that regard, I think the price here is a null point. Anyway, we were in the area so in an effort to stay semi-healthy, we opted to check out the Native Foods here. Previously, we went to the one in Costa Mesa. I have to say that comparing this place to the other NF, this one is WAY WAY WAY better. The servers here were jovial and extremely polite and efficient. Our food arrived way faster than the CM location, where I've wait at least 15 minutes for food. We ordered basically the usual, the vegan version of the crispy chicken sandwich with an order of fries. He gave my boyfriend, who ordered first, the option of a side of fries or fries on the side. Are you confused? Me too. I think a side of fries (meaning fries in a separate container) would imply the appetizer-sized order of fries. Now fries on the side would imply making it a sandwich and fries all on one plate. This is the only time where I felt gipped. For a side of fries, we were charged the standard $3 (more or less) but then for fries on the side, it would have been like half that. That said, we didn't get 2x the time of fries, which is what's implied. So I felt gipped. I love the complimentary green sauce you can self-serve by the iced tea stand. I like the iced tea sweetened with a bit of agave but my boyfriend still thinks it tastes like cough syrup (although he orders the iced tea every time). I'm not a fan of tempeh so I can see why the people who order that don't care for it. I think it tastes solid. The best item here and at places like this is usually the fake chicken, especially if it's fried. The server kept checking on us repeatedly, although this is more or less counter-service type of place. He also refilled our iced teas, which was nice. The ones at the CM location always seem too "cool" to do things like that.

    (4)

  • Bahar M.

    My boyfriend and I started going here a couple months ago and we love it. We are both meat lovers but this place is amazing! It's so healthy but does not lack on the tastey factor! We thoroughly enjoy eating here. You eat a full fresh meal without the guilt and feeling disgusting afterwards. Not to mention the staff is so friendly and helpful. Who would of thought eating vegan could be so delicous?!

    (5)

  • Chanel B.

    I love this place! Try the Soul Bowl... It's my favorite!

    (4)

  • Tony T.

    I'm not Vegan, but do enjoy much of the food that is served at Native Foods. Many of the items are very very close to their meaty counterparts. The interior of the eatery is small, but there are tables outside as well for customers to enjoy. Although a bit pricey, I do enjoy the food fare at Native Foods from time to time. Definitely worth a try if you are intrigued by Vegan food as I was. The Native Ice Tea is very tasty too.

    (4)

  • Aly D.

    i was hungry pretty early today and didn't really want to hit up the usual spots that have come to know and love (subway, sushi joint, thai place, inka mammas). i dunno, i was just feeling adventurous. i had seen a bunch of people go into native foods and i was wondering what all the hype was about. mind you, i did not research prior to wandering in. i guess i should have since i had no idea it was a vegan/veggie place. yeah. no meat. no damn meat at all. in past experiences, the vegan/veggie places have ranked from god freaking awful to ok. on the higher end of the scale is green temple. they are more thank ok, but they are definitely an exception. this place ranks as an ok for me. i had the scorpion burger which consisted of blackened tempeh (aristan process of culturing soybeans),chipotle sauce, lettuce, carrots and onions. it wasn't that bad. i think to compensate for the lack of flavor in the tempeh, they over seasoned the 'patty' just a bit, but hey, it HAD flavor which is a big plus as other vegan/veggie places have some serious issues with their food being bland. i also had the side salad instead of the fries (hey, i was in a healthy place afterall) and dug the vinagarette they served on the side. not too bad at all. this place is decent and i might go in again and try some other items on the menu. a little pricey for lunch (one person - around $13 with drink), but i would use it as an introduction into veggie/veganism. try everything once, right?

    (3)

  • Sara L.

    I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I love this place! I usually get the Twister Wrap, which is awesome! The sweet potato fries and lavender lemonade are also must-haves when I visit. Try it out, you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Elise d.

    Great vegan food. As a pescatarian, I definitely appreciate the meat substitutes they use (except for the fish tacos). I loved loved loved the buffalo twister they use to have. My go to is the portobello sausage burger. The fries are pretty tasty too. The only down fall is that its a little pricey. I usually spend about $15 for lunch (and i usually try to stay below $10 with lunch).

    (5)

  • Angel K.

    We had lunch here for the first time after hearing about it on multiple occasions. My husband has a gluten allergy, so the gluten free menu is one of the main things that drew us in. Unfortunately, we had a horrible experience. We were right away informed that there is no gluten free kitchen, so cross contamination was highly likely. Secondly, there were only a few gluten free menu options. The Bangkok Bowl was terrible, essentially tasteless mush. And the Meatball Sub was OK, but within 1/2 an hour of eating I began to feel sick and have felt sick all day. Lastly, it is very overpriced for what you receive.

    (1)

  • Georgie C.

    My kids LOVE this place..and when a kids loves vegan food, you know it passes the test. So far my favorite dish is the Ruben Sandwich with sweet potato fries. I also tried the kids mac and cheese, and it was super creamy and tasty..hard to believe there's no dairy in there. And my kids love the aguas frescas. My son mixes the watermelon drink with the ginger lemonade.

    (5)

  • Encore O.

    Loove the Azteca Salad and Ice Tea! Absolutely delicious!!

    (5)

  • Melinda B.

    My family and I have eaten here a few times and I myself love it. The food is delicious and filling and different than a lot of stuff you get out there. I usually get the Azteca salad (I think that's what it's called, has quinoa). My girls get the kids pizza. I remember reading that the cheez is not made with soy, it's some sort of wheat product, and I appreciate that. One day I had a special request, no olive oil. They worked very hard to find something for me to eat. It turned out to be the Scorpion Burger grilled with another oil. They were very nice about it. One of my daughters never wants to eat here...her reason is that the mango that is put on the plate is never ripe. I agree, and I understand that it's just a garnish. But even still, don't put it on if it can't be eaten. The prices are high, but that's what happens when you have this kind of quality. My husband doesn't like eating here, he thinks it's not a good value, but I disagree.

    (5)

  • J R.

    I really wanted to like this place especially I wish there were more places like native foods but I did expect more from all the hype I got. I got the rockin' moroccan bowl w/ tofu, it had flavor but it needed something more. the quinoa was a little dry. I did like the drinks they served, the lavender lemonade was so refreshing and unexpected. I am willing to try it out again, maybe it was one of those days.

    (3)

  • Erica B.

    I am sitting here reading through these true tellings of past customers and recent reviewers of NF..... we have been to the one in Costa Mesa numerous times, we have been to the one in Aliso Viejo a couple and we have even been to the one in Palm Springs folks, now that's dedication.... Alright deep breath here we go........ As healthy- but yummy eater enthusiasts the food is yummy their enselada azteca is spectacular, their -save the chicken wrap- is yummers, but their prices? outrages! The customer service is a bit better at this location, but I cant tell you how many times I have walked out of the Costa Mesa location ready to punch someone lights out- those workers ALL OF EM are horrid......ALL OF THEM..... *Quick note the food is good, I have not ordered something I don't like (hence the double stars) But! it takes these sad souls at least 25 minutes at the least to make a salad (with one other couple eating in the cafe) or to steam some veggies- I know its not fast food, but its not rocket science either! They are suuuuuper slow, and very expensive- considering what you get, unless you have a glump in your pocket and your to lazy to make dinner, or go to the store to just grab some lettcue some nuts and some dressing, then hop on down to Native Foods! Hop Hop Hop.....

    (2)

  • Laura B.

    So glad I found this place! Great service and excellent food.

    (5)

  • Sandy E.

    Whether you are a full blown vegan or a meat lover this vegan joint is so worth trying! I suggest getting the chicken run ranch burger! It's a little pricey about $12 but so worth it! Try their ice tea too !

    (5)

  • Julianne S.

    I love the chicken run ranch burger and the chilli cheese fries..... So yummy! The native tea is also amazing.

    (4)

  • Audrey S.

    Every time I go to the Aliso Viejo Native Foods I try something different-And I LOVE every item on their menu! When i'm being bad I will get their Chicken Run Ranch Burger (which isn't all that bad unless you add fries) and when i'm being REALLY good, I will order the Chinese "save the" Chicken Salad. They have delicious vegan chili, the most amazing Soul Bowl (Red beans and "jazzman" rice, steamed veggies and greens drizzled with Ranch dressing with BBQ fried "save the chicken" and cornbread.) A must eat! The staff is incredibly friendly (they even deliver my food for free since I work right around the corner, even though its not something they offer!) If I could eat here every day, I would. The food is priced about the same as going to any other local place, and it's worh every dime!

    (5)

  • Ryan C.

    My two visits to Native Foods Cafe review is for this location in particular. And I say this because I had an excellent well rounded experience at the brentwood location off Wilshire. The service I would say was headed the right direction but not superb. I had the suggested chicken sandwich the first visit and it was a really dry bun and lacked flavor. the fries were less than freezer bag quality tasting. Perhaps the chef that day? My girlfriend got the OC chopper salad. She enjoyed it a lot, that made me happy. The second visit I had the same Ruben sandwich I had at the Brentwood location. I cant even begin to describe the difference! They were so completely different. It was a shame because the Brentwood location set the standard so high. It was even garnished with pickles and some parsley for color. The taste of the Aliso viejo location was disgusting and I literally felt like I had to force it down. It may sound cheap but when you pay 9 bucks for a sandwich you dont really want to waste any of it. Thinking about it now I should have said something about the quality difference but it seemed that my complaints would not have been heard as the location seemed to be lacking a manager, structure etc. I love the concept and really wish that this sort of cuisine catches on as I think its awesome to eat vegan here and there and take a break from meat. I think the owner that started this company expects more out of the employees working for her and they should be ashamed for their lack of passion in quality...

    (2)

  • Nicki R.

    Im going to start out by saying that I like vegan food. Im not one of those people that says its all bland. Also, I have been to thise place 3 times 9just to make sureit wasnt just a bad day) Ive had good stuff, and this is not good stuff. Food is way overpriced. Lack of flavor-sauces are very watered down. Two times my food came with something different than what was on the menu; for example with imitation chicken rather than tempeh. Tofu spears OVERLY salted. It just is not good. I give it two stars simply because I appreciate the fact that its different. Pizza was best thing I tried on the menu. I would give that alone four stars. Overall, though...not worth it.

    (2)

  • Deavina E.

    I think I could be vegan if I could just cook like the pros at Native Foods. Baja Tacos with the "fish" blackened is just about the best fishtaco around. Also try the portobello mushroom sandwich, it is to die for. I have never tried the pizza but my girlfriends son ate it up last weekend! This is one of those places u become a regular customer at. Only problem, you can't bring in anything that is not vegan! No coffee and no Philly's Best (which is right next store :) )

    (5)

  • Devyn S.

    I am completely in love with this place! Everytime I eat here I feel so healthy! I am a huge fan of the bowls...especially the hollywood bowl and a Mediterranean bowl with quinoa and "chicken". The watermelon juice is refreshing and you can get free re-fills....sometimes I find myself having 4 glasses! yikes!....The portions are pretty generous as well, so I always have leftovers for the next day!....the only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because it is a bit pricey.

    (4)

  • Springheeled J.

    Give me a second to apply a tourniquet to my bleeding wallet while I try and review this place. Okay. First off, I can't hear you over the sound of how expensive this place is. I really can't. I don't know why I've gone back to it several times considering this, but every time my order gets rung up and every time I make this face -- D: -- and every time I swear I'm not going to go back. And I do. I still do. I think that probably says something to start out with. Altogether I'd say Native Foods is hit-and-miss, with some pretty big hits. Their Chili Cheese Fries are motherfucking divine, I don't know what the fuck they use for 'cheese' on it because it doesn't resemble cheese in any way. However, it's fucking tasty. Their Soul Bowl and Greek Gyro are both worth trying, though I don't know why anyone eats fake chicken. Seriously I don't. It's not that it's bad, it's just so amazingly disappointing. It may be that between the Wheel of Life, the Veggie Grill and this place I have eaten a metric fuckton of fake chicken though. Oh, and the Key Lime pudding is good and so's the cheeseca -- what am I saying. Spare your wallet. Go get a fucking burger. Why do I eat so much overpriced vegan food, I don't kno -- .... so, when am I going to be in Aliso Viejo again?

    (4)

  • Kate R.

    Countless friends have highly recommended Native Foods, so I decided to give it another go. This time a friend and I shared the yellow split pea soup, sweet potato fries, Moroccan Bowl and an enormous chocolate cupcake. Everything was delicious. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Maybe they were still working out the kinks when I last tried this place, but its great now. Glad I came back.

    (5)

  • Bill L.

    This 100% vegan place is awesome! If the food were not good enough (and it is) the people who work here are great! Especially our favorite... Sarah D :) I get the Oklahoma Burger. Do yourselves a favor and eat here fellow vegan people ;)

    (5)

  • Lauren B.

    This location is much smaller than the Costa mesa one. As in all their restaurants the lemonade is very good. Their food is also very good. I love coming here and being able to order anything on the menu and know that it is vegetarian. That rarely happens for me. My cousins are both meat eaters and this is one of their favorite restaurants. He said he takes people here and doesn't tell them it's vegan (I'm sure they can tell though). He said everyone he has taken there has liked it. I got the Rockin Moroccan bowl and I really liked it. I have tried some of the other bowls and they didn't have enough sauce. Their native chicken wings, portobello and sausage burger, Oklahoma bacon cheese burger and chicken run burger are all great choices. The food is great but be careful your bill can add up quickly.

    (4)

  • Nicholas L.

    Decent food. Definitely something different and creative. Meatball sandwich is bomb

    (3)

  • Rita M.

    "Meatball" sub is great. So are the chili cheese fries. They had a BBQ burger a little while ago that was yummy but I think it may have been a seasonal thing. I could drink their chai tea (with soy milk) hot or cold any day! In fact, I wish they would sell their tea mix in tea bags or as loose leaf tea and I would drink it every day. Staff is super friendly and ready (and happy) to answer any questions you have.

    (5)

  • judith f.

    Update on their Thanksgiving offering of Pumpkin Pie (thanks to my beeutiful sister): I enjoyed it although it's very vegan tasting. Just something missing (like the milk ;), but very tasty none the less =)

    (4)

  • Helen K.

    I just really love the soft serve from here. also, greg is a real sweet dude.

    (4)

  • Elle H.

    If you haven't eaten here yet, get your butt over there! Honestly, you wouldn't know you were eating vegan food. The chef Tanya is just an incredible cook. I've never eaten anything here that wasn't really delicious! I drive up from San Diego to OC once a month or so and always stop in at this place! Hey, Tanya, open a shop in San Diego will you? Encinitas would be the perfect location for you!

    (5)

  • Tim W.

    such a fantastic alternative to all of the fast food that completely envelopes you here in so cal. the people who work there are always super friendly and the food is delish, even coming from someone who is not a vegetarian or vegan!! only downfall? bring back the carrot cake!!! the BEST dessert you guys have ever served!!

    (4)

  • Frances H.

    This place is amazing. I have been here several times for lunch and dinner and every dish I have ordered was tasty and fresh. Be sure to order the sweet potato fries. The service in here is always five stars too.

    (5)

  • Janet A.

    I love the food here though sometimes I wish the portions were larger. I LOVE the sweet potato fires with chipotle! The only thing I dont love is the location. Too many people, parking can be tough and tweaker skateboard teens all over the place!

    (4)

  • Carrie M.

    I'm so glad there are so many good places to eat....I had the Portobello and Sausage Burger and shared part of it with a friend. We both loved it. It's much closer to use than the one in Coast Mesa and we had been waiting for this location to open. We haven't been disappointed yet.

    (4)

  • Danny L.

    I am no vegan but I frequently eat here because it's delicious. My personal favorite is the Yo Amigo Taco Salad but I believe there are so many tasty options to choose from. My first time there the staff was helpful and very knowledgeable about their food. And as desserts go, they are all amazing, but my favorite at the moment is the cheesecake. I can't imagine anyone ever complaining about the staff, I have overheard very rude customers and they seem to handle it with the greatest of ease. Working with people, I know how easy it is to just wanna backhand someone and the staff here never lets on to being annoyed. Most of the staff provide great service, always making sure I have everything I need. I have been there at least 15-20 times and one time, a male employee did not ask if i needed anything else but that is something so trivial. I always like to sit outside on the patio, it has great ambience and provides interesting people watching of the plaza. LONG STORY short, even if you are not a vegan you should try this place. They have something for everyone with great service!

    (5)

  • Sidney S.

    The food and service is really great. Try the cheesecake. It's out of this world. The only beef I have with them is that the food is not always served extra hot.

    (4)

  • Dani T.

    Someone did vegan right. From salads to sandwiches, hot bowls to pizza, soups and appetizers...this place is so good. Where else as a vegan can you get chicken strips and ranch dip or chili cheese fries? This is as comfort food as it gets. They've raised their prices a bit as time goes on but the quality hasn't gone down a bit. I love their Tiajuana Tacos, Save-the-Chicken Sandwich and Taco Salad! They also do tofurkeys and catering for Thanksgiving when that comes around...

    (5)

  • Abhisek M.

    Surprisingly vegan n delicious... Specially the twisted wrap.

    (4)

  • Victoria S.

    This is my absolute favorite restaurant. You can't go wrong when choosing your meal. I recommend trying there sweet potato fries.

    (5)

  • Andrew G.

    Can't wait to go back. I loved this place. The food was fabulous. So many things I need to try. I also really enjoyed the ice tea and watermelon mint drink. Nice patio. Very dog friendly. I had the scorpion burger with chili cheese fries. Loved the sauce on the burger. Fries were so good. Couldn't finish them all and took them home for a late night snack. I think I'm going to try the one in palm springs next. Wish there was one closer to home.

    (5)

  • Jill N.

    Mmmmmm this place has made me a lover of vegan food. I especially like the white bean soup, garden salad, kale salad, ghandi bowl and ensalada azteca. Their rewards program is nice too. You get free treats while collecting points.

    (4)

  • Joel J.

    THE PERFECT PLACE when you get sick of meat or feel as if you've had too much of it and need to detox your gastrointestinal with a healthy minded alternative. First off, I'm not vegan but I certainly know greatness when I taste it! I had a fortunate opportunity to work with a vegan that taught me so many things and just to hear a perspective different from my own expanded my narrow horizon. For me there's something about eating meat or poultry in large amounts that makes me feel sluggish and a bit lethargic. This wasn't such a big factor when I was in my teens or even early twenties, but now I feel such things. It's an extremely challenging task to think of animals having emotions because if so, it rocks my world to the core. I mean if we love our dogs & cats and ascribe to them feelings and emotions, using the same logic, it'd have to extend to other animals raised for consumption. It's so much easier for me not to think and eat the hamburger, prime rib, chicken, etc. etc. etc. But there are times where I really look at the meat and feel weird about it. I think about Cowschwitz (Harris Ranch on the way north to San Fran off of the 5fwy in Coalinga; which happens to be the #1 supplier of my FAVORITE fast food hamburger: In & Out) It's either a weak conscious or I'm evolving into something different. -And this came from me, who once ate In & Out 13 days straight (sometimes for lunch and for dinner) during a stint in my 20's! I've eaten at Vegan restaurants before but it was never so good as to bother Yelping it but this is it! Though it is a bit pricey, I understand why... The location = high rent costs. Plus consideration for their target demographic. This is what I HIGHLY recommend: 1. Twister Wraps which'll run you $9 OR: 1. Scorpion Burger which'll run you $9. Recommended if you like a little more "bite" (it's spicy) with your meal. If possible they should lower the price on this b/c in general people don't associate $9 with a burger. 2. I recommend the Chili Cheese Fries. It's simply amazing.

    (5)

  • Katherine M.

    I love this place. It's a little expensive, lunch for 2 can run between $20-$25, but being a vegetarian, I'm used to having to spend a lot on yummy foods at restaurants. They have a very creative menu. My favorite things include the chili cheese fries, chicken run ranch burger and the regular side salad with ranch. I can also bring my dogs and eat on the patio which is cool. It's easy to find and the people that work here give great recommendations. If you are vegan or vegetarian and want a yummy creative restaurant, this is definitely your place. Meat eaters will enjoy it to.

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    The employees at this location were extraordinarily nice and helpful. We ordered an appetizer, 2 burger/sandwiches with fries, 2 cupcakes, a beer and a ginger ale and our total was like $47. I actually didn't think it was too pricey because for the quality and amount of food we got, it seemed reasonable. Our appetizer was the chicken wings and even though they are more like chicken fingers, they tasted amazing! Seriously, best faux chicken taste and texture I have ever had! My friend had the Oklahoma Bacon Ranch Burger and I had the Chicken Run Ranch Burger. We both were super impressed with our food and also how fast everything came out. The only negatives I would say about this place was that the fries were just ok, and even though we ordered 2 vanilla cupcakes, my friend's cupcake had vanilla frosting but may have been that cardamon flavored cake that was given to us in error because it looked like the regular vanilla cupcake but tasted like a bottle of perfume. He couldn't finish it and when I tasted the cake part of the cupcake, I had to spit it out. However, I took my cupcake home and later tried it hoping it would be better and was delightfully surprised when it just tasted like good ol' vanilla...it was so good and sooooo sweet. Definately can't wait to go again and try more items and desserts! This place is amazing. I hope they open a location in San Diego soon!

    (5)

  • Sonia G.

    I enjoyed eating the nachos here and they have a variety of dishes that are healthy and tasty. Just steer clear of desserts. They taste kinda funny.

    (4)

  • Nat B.

    I love this place! I go there when I need a vegan fix. I hope that they eventually put up their nutrition facts!

    (4)

  • H M.

    This place is always busy which makes me happy to see that people like clean, fresh, organic food! I love the "Chicken Run Ranch Burger". Other items that I highly recommend are the Chili Cheese Fries, Native Nachos and just a bowl of Chili. The Tijuana Tacos are awesome as well. My daughter LOVES the Native Chicken Nuggets Kids Meal. The inside is clean and the outside patio is lovely and even has a water bowl for the dogs that pass by.

    (5)

  • Retired B.

    Tried the scorpion burger and it was pretty good along with the fries. However, I haven't had the craving to revisit again since it wasn't too memorable.

    (4)

  • Deborah H.

    Seriously, who needs the meat? The food here is so packed with flavors you won't even remember that it is healthy and meat-less. My only criticism is that it is a little pricey. The staff is friendly and tries to keep the place clean. I recommend sitting outside on the patio for so fresh air too. Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Erin W.

    Great vegan good, way overpriced! I'd go every week if it was cheaper and larger sizes at least. I gave it one $ sign because it's under $10 typically, but still has small portions. Definitely a creative menu and delicious, but 3 stars for me. Make the prices more economy friendly and I'd go there at least 3 times a week! I've only been there twice since they opened last year.

    (3)

  • Troy A.

    So we found ourselves in aliso viejo and wanted to find a good place to eat. I heard about this place and figured..Why not? I had the chiken ranch burger and it was alright. Could have had more sauce or something but maybe that is how vegan food is supposed to taste. My wife had the chicken quesadilla. I tried it too and thought it was good not great and kinda pricey. Didn't like the hot sauce with it. Just didn't work for me. Anyhow, I would give it a C+. If you are vegan you might like more. By the way; All their drinks were kind of weird! I had the Native tea. Yuck!

    (3)

  • Jesse W.

    I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian, I'll eat (almost) anything, but I really liked this restaurant. Before I had anything I was a little skeptical about the meat substitute products and thought they might be really bland or have a strange texture. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It was hard to tell that I wasn't eating chicken. The flavors of the sauces were good as well. The only problem I had was that the prices were a bit high. Seems wrong to pay more to eat healthy. This place is heck of a lot better than other vegan places such as Veggie Grill near UCI.

    (4)

  • Mandy K.

    I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but I decided to try out Native Foods with my husband. The people there are extremely friendly and helpful! I ordered the "chicken" wrap... and it was surprisingly good! Though it's not real chicken, it tasted like it! Unloved the chipotle dressing and the avocado. It tasted so fresh. I was most interested in my husbands meal, the sausage chicken burger. Though it didn't taste like sausage or chicken, I actually enjoyed it!! My husband, a full carnivore, thought it was better than he expected, but not amazing. The fries are so fresh and tasty! While I liked the meals, the desserts were not great. The cheesecake was odd and the chocolate pie was just ok. The boogie bread was the best, but it was a little dry. It could use some applesauce in the batter to add some much needed moisture to it. All in all, better than I expected and I would definitely go back to try new menu items, maybe not the desserts though.

    (3)

  • Dina B.

    My sister raves about this place. I think it was good, the quinoa salad was good. Lots of flavor, but for the price, I expected it to be bigger! I was still hungry afterwards. Maybe I just have a big appetite. If I'm back in the area, will go back and try something else.

    (4)

  • Terah G.

    This Native Foods has friendly staff and consistently good food. This time I got the Chicken Run Ranch and sweet potato fries and my husband got the chicken wings. Both were awesome and were served in a good-sized portion. Don't forget the ranch dressing!

    (5)

  • Darshan G.

    I dont understand why every dish seems to be a dollar more then the CM location, and food wasn't prepared well

    (2)

  • Jamie M.

    Native Foods is home to my new absolute favorite food, Native Chicken Wings. Even my meat eating husband liked them! Also love their Scorpian Burger. Basically, everything on the menu sounds delicious. Plus they have a super handy online order system, so you don't have to wait if you plan on getting your food to go.

    (5)

  • Barry P.

    Vegan food. When you think Vegan food, you might immediately think, ew gross, why do I want to only eat lettuce and tofu? For, one its healthy, and two it can actually be quite delicious, if you give it a chance. I can see how this is not for everyone, wait actually scratch that. The type of food served at restaurants like these definitely have something for everyone. But then again some people are closed-minded and will never give it a shot, or will try it (but actually not give it a shot). That's a whole different story though. So the type of food here ranges, I myself tried one of the burgers. I'm pretty sure the patty is made up of veggies, grains, and tofu, and for the most part you can't really tell because they add a lot of flavor through spices and what not. To be honest, I would probably eat this type of food more often if not for the high price. The food is good, and flavorful, and hell, you're sort of saving a chicken or cow in the process, but not really. So don't kid yourself, just be happy knowing that you're eating somewhat healthier than you otherwise would if you ate at McDonald's.

    (3)

  • Cindy V.

    My temporarily vegan friend brought me here. She's been vegan for a month but says she may succumb to cheese one day. Anyways, she took me here and gotta say, not bad. I had the philly steak sandwich. Although the bread was dry, the sauce. Mushrooms, and imitation meat were good. I would reccommend this place to anyone who is willing to try alternative food options.

    (3)

  • Megan S.

    Yummy...I'll be back to try everything

    (4)

  • inkytator i.

    Love this place. The Classic Deli Reuben is amazing. On every visit thereafter, that's all I could order, since I craved it. I finally broke free to try other menu items, all equally as good. Another fave of mine is the Greek Gyro Bowl with extra hummus. The Cardamom Rose cupcake is to die for, and is hands down the best cupcake I've ever had. I wish there was a Native Foods in my neighborhood!

    (5)

  • lesli n.

    I just wanted to say that I took my Mom (whom is vegan) to this restaurant on a recent visit and we both LOVED it. We both got a bowl with like brown rice, beans, carmalized onions, great seasonings and a bunch of other stuff. It was just spectacular and yummers all the way, and you know what, I didnt feel like a big over-fed, overstuffed porker afterwards!! Yeah!!! (And by the way, I am not vegan or vegetarian, and I really enjoyed it. It was FRESH food, you could tell )

    (5)

  • O. G.

    love it! for the last few years ive been driving to costa mesa just to have some of their wicked sandwiches that are to die for. although aliso viejo store seems a little smaller and somewhat more commercial than costa, the food quality and consistency is the same and i dont have to drive so far to satisfy my native jones! my fave sandwiches are the portabello sausage burger (wow!) and the chicken run ranch burger! all that's missing is the french dip. please bring the french dip to this location! see ya there!

    (5)

  • Diane A.

    Holy Guacamole! I stopped in here on my way to pick up a VERY non vegan cheese steak from the place next door and perused the menu. I saw some delicious looking and HUGE salads being served, so I decided to supplement my carnivorous meal with something healthy. I really had planned on only grabbing a menu, but they had agave sweetened watermelon aqua fresca and a lavender lemonade as well as a delicious agave sweetened tea blend. I was debating between getting a soup or chili and the person who was helping me suggested the chili when I asked her opinion. It was really good! Mildly spicy like I was told, so I grabbed some salsa to throw in and that was great! The taste and texture of this chili was so good. That salsa is so fresh and spicy. Awesome with the cornbread. Oh the cornbread! crispy and golden. Wonderful. THEN I spied some outrageous looking cupcake and had to have one. II was told the flavor was rose cardamom and knew I had to have it. So glad I did. I cannot believe it is dairy-free, refined sugarless and delicious!! No one overpowering flavor. I joined the e-club they have and really can't wait to return. Their menu is so varied that it appeals to any genre of food I am in the mood for. I cannot wait to try their tacos. I was kicking myself for ordering a sandwich over the phone and not getting some other things here. Oh well. I'll be back soon enough.

    (5)

  • Justin S.

    pricey but outstanding food. great service.

    (4)

  • Choco L.

    The Chickn Run Ranch burger is indeed good. When they have pumpkin pie, it's as good as I've ever had. Their cakes are a tad dry and stodgy though, at least the last time I had them. I'm a vegan and I have limited options. That said, life has gotten a lot better in recent years, especially since Veggie Grill and Loving Hut opened, which are both waaaay better than this place. Loving Hut has the best vegan chocolate cake I've ever had, and I've had the miserable experience of trying many.

    (4)

  • Baby G V.

    ok native foods i heart you..;) chicken run ranch sandwich amazing great service friendly stuff and fries just to die for .!!!! i have died and goin to heaven love this place..;)

    (5)

  • Laurie M.

    Have eaten here 3 or 4 times. Love the sweet potato fries, like everyone. The service has always been cheerful, polite and helpful. The food arrives fast. The last time I was there I got some good advice on gluten free items that other staff had not given me. The tacos with beans instead of wheat based meat substitute were delicious. The chef is flexible in providing for individual needs. Wish they had more gluten free vegetable dishes. Everybody complains about the prices. I think they are spoiled by fast food chains that offer cheap if nutrient deficient food. REAL food costs more.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth B.

    Love the great food at this place. However I was soo upset to find out that they have taken the Native Chinese Chicken Salad off the menu. Please bring it back!!! It was my favorite : (

    (5)

  • Angelica B.

    The food is pricey, but it is deliciousss. I've just become a vegetarian so I'm just starting to get used to meat-substitutes, but I instantly enjoyed this food.

    (4)

  • Caitlin L.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! I have brought about 5 of my non-vegan friends to eat here and all of them were shocked at how good the food tasted :) I live in Laguna Niguel so it was so great to hear that they opened up a NF closer to home. (Now, if only they'd open up a "Veggie Grille" that was closer than Irvine!) Omnivores and Herbivores alike will all find something to fall in love with on the menu. My faves? Ensalada Azteca Salad (so filling!) the Twister Wrap (with grilled or blackened 'chicken') and the Pizza--although I could eat the whole thing myself it has such a thin crust! The chocolate cake slices are also ridiculously good...yes it's not cheap but to me it's hard to put a price on truly delicious food that you can feel really good about eating (during and after consumption) because sure I could get food elsewhere for half the price, but I would end up feeling like crap after eating it! So to me, this place is completely worth it!

    (5)

  • George S.

    I was out and about practicing my photography in the park in back of Aliso Viejo Shopping Center where I found Native Foods Cafe. I decided to have lunch at Native Foods Cafe and ordered a bowl of soup, just to get by until dinner. Wow, it was the best soup, ever, so I ordered what sounded like "meat", but it was vegetarian. I am totally delighted in every way with Native Foods Cafe.

    (5)

  • Sakina K.

    I love Native foods, but not really sure I liked this location too much. First of all, parking is horrible! It's a huge shopping center but during lunch it can get cray because there's a lot of other restaurants. I don't mind parking far and walking and burning those extra calories, but it's frustrating finding parking. I also wasn't too happy with the staff. When I first walked in, the guy working the cashier was on the phone so I waited. Then, he said hello to me and walked away as I was giving my order. He didn't tell me to hold on or wait, just walked away which I thought was rude. He then didn't ask me if it was to go so he hands me a water glass. I tell him it's to go and he got frustrated because he had to tell the kitchen it was a to go order instead of dine in. That's not my fault, it's his job to ask me. Anyways, I ordered the Ensalada Azteca. So amazing! I had a rewards for 50% off so my food was only 5 bucks and something. Great deal because the salad was huge! It for sure filled me up! I would def recommend this salad, I think it's one of their favs and now I know why! Shoutout to the girl who brought me my order. She had good customer skills. The guy at the cashier should learn a few tips from her!

    (3)

  • Hunter L.

    Best Vegan Place by far. We loved the food. HOWEVER, we drove all the way over for half an hour and arrived 10 min before closing. The employees told us that the kitchen closed early. They clearly did not want to help us out. We were super bummed especially because I doubt they are even allowed to do that. I have worked in food service before and I know it sucks when people show up last minute. By this time there was no time for us to find a new place to eat, especially while trying to find vegan food. Everywhere else was closed and we then drove 2 hr back to LA without eating. I would probably go there again. But it was a huge bummer for the employees to act that way.

    (4)

  • Kimberly V.

    I love this Native Foods Cafe as it's close to Laguna Beach and has a great atmosphere! This is one of my absolute favorite VEGAN restaurants, so much comfort food without the cruelty. I love to see non vegans enjoying cruelty free food. Everything I've tried has been amazing. I definitely recommend this place to EVERYONE!!!

    (5)

  • J R.

    I used to frequent Native Foods in Aliso quite often. I dropped by for lunch today and was disappointed to see a lot of things had gone downhill. When I walked up to the register two employees were chatting and one was on the phone. I waited patiently for about a minute until they noticed me. After taking my order, I went to sit down on their patio. There was no where to sit despite only two people sitting outside. All open tables were covered with dishes, blown over cups, and birds picking at leftovers. I had to move someone's dirty dishes to sit down. When my food arrived it was good. However, I will note the Oklahoma bacon cheeseburger (arguably their best item), no longer comes with fried pickles. That was disappointing. Anyways, seems that service here has grown lackluster and I'm really not a fan of the updates to the dining room. It feels really cramped.

    (3)

  • Taylor B.

    I just want to say, this is my favorite place to eat in Aliso Viejo. I always spend lots of money and come here for dinner at least once a week. Whenever family is In town I bring them to native. Nine times out of ten I am completely satisfied. But every once and a while they drop the ball. Which is understandable occasionally. Today I was in to get dinner and the girl working and manager were having a conversation about the work schedule. Felt completely unimportant and even considered taking my business else where but my order was ready. I will still frequent Native because I love the food but do wish customer service would improve. Although, I must say some of the people that work there are AMAZING!! Consistently friendly, helpful and enthusiastic!!! I truly appreciate you guys! Anyway!! Go eat it. Get the Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger, sweet potatoes fries with chipotle and a chocolate cupcake. Iced tea is amazing too!!

    (4)

  • Sarah A.

    I use to go here a lot last year and get the twister wrap and sweet potato fries. Friday's the fries were free with the twister wrap deal. That's all I get and haven't ventured out to anything different. Today I came back for the first time in months. I honestly don't know why I stopped going...but I came back! They remodeled, looks nice. They no longer do daily deals with free sides, they no longer have lemons and mint at the water station which I loved. The new packaging for the wraps are great. The dark haired girl with the piercing on her lip was amazing and very sweet! She was so helpful with all the customers that came in.

    (4)

  • Kevin K.

    $1 to add-on avocados?! Only to get me a scoop of avocado that's a size of a baby's palm? Talk about preposterous! Came here with the gal-frand since she wanted me to try some nachos. Guess what? It was good, but it was not anything special. It's your standard nachos with beans, tomatos, etc.. except it is a vegetarian version of it. We also added on avocados on our order as well, and boy was it a mistake. The amount of avocado was so tiny, it was worth 25 cents -- not $1.

    (2)

  • Synthia T.

    This was my first time at a vegan restaurant and I was a little leery of what I was getting into. I first tried the club and it wasn't my favorite but the twister wrap is amazing! Sweet potato fries and lemon, dill potato salad are a must. The ladies behind the counter were fantastic!

    (4)

  • Lisa L.

    As a new vegetarian, I'm looking for new places to eat. So we decided to come to the Native Foods Café for my birthday. I had everyone order different things so we could try everything. We started with a bowl of African Peanut soup and a bowl of chili. I loved both so much! We also got the avocado crunch wrap, the bankok curry bowl, and the soul bowl. Everything was served quickly and tasted great! My son had the chicken finger kid's meal and didn't even notice is had no meat. Great meal! Can't wait to come back! The staff is awesome too. They answered all our questions and were so friendly!

    (5)

  • Dominic G.

    ALWAYS great customer service here! Meals come out promptly, and hearty, with a healthy portion size too! My go-to when I want some a fast, healthy alternative to my normal Double-Double Animal Style.

    (5)

  • Brian M.

    Nice menu and good alternatives to soda drinks. A slightly more cooked or grilled ensemble of veggies and slightly more sauce would help make things taste perfect.

    (5)

  • Shayne C.

    Late lunch called for some good grubbin' !! I'm a Native Foods Café fan ! Living in San Diego, we're fortunate to have two locations here (Point Loma and Encinitas) and love that they are expanding. I was uber excited to find one up north. I just had to get my veg fix on ! Ambiance: This venue is much smaller than in San Diego. Outdoor/indoor seating Private lot at shopping center Cute yoga-themed elephant art painting on the wall Food: Daily Soup -Chef-crafted, original and never from a can! Fresh every day, the only way! Today was coconut corn chowda ! Loved saying 'chowda' ! - This was a nice starter to our meal. Warm, fresh, and FLAVORFUL !!! Every bite was mmm mmm good ! I love the creaminess and textures of the corn and potatoes. It was definitely one of my favorite soups. I also noticed that the natural flavors of the veggies came through and it didn't need to be doused with salt like most soups are. You can tell it was fresh. Perfect on a cold day. I could have a huge bowl of this and I'd be satisfied. OC Raw Chopper - Freshly chopped mixed veggies, seasonal greens, salsa pomodoro, avocado, almonds, angel hair beets and sprouts. Served with lemon garlic dressing on the side. OMG !!! If you want something healthy and filling, this baby is a good option. Very hearty salad and not boring at all. Love the colors and presentation. I especially like the angel hair beets and crunch of the almonds and creaminess of the avocado. I also appreciated the dressing on the side so I can adjust the flavors and not overwhelm the salad with it. I hate when restaurants do that. Portobello and Sausage Burger - Juicy grilled portobellos, our homemade Native Sausage Seitan, caramelized onions, pomodoro, sweet roasted garlic, creamy pumpkin seed pesto and mayo. My bf is an omnivore, but appreciates good vegan food and he was really satisfied with this. He found it delicious and filling. He would definitely order this again. Washed it down with their fresh made teas. Bf enjoyed the Watermelon Fresca - Fresh watermelon and a touch of mint. Sweetened with organic agave. I enjoyed the unsweetened teas - Peach and hibiscus blueberry infused teas. Free refills and to-go cups! Sweet !! Service: Only one line and one register open - good enough it wasn't busy ! Wish the structure would be different. Seemed like it would be horribly crowded on a busy day. Get an order number and grab your seat and food will be delivered to you. Fast and efficient - Not a long wait for our food Friendly customer service - I've never had an issue with the cashier in any of the NFC's that I've been to. Good sign ! The male cashier was very pleasant and raved that the 'OC Raw Chopper' that I ordered was his favorite salad. Overall, 4 stars ! San Diego has a newer/nicer venue, but I still appreciate the love put in the food as well as the service.

    (4)

  • Jesseka B.

    Excellent service and they made suggestions for my first time . I have been happy with every meal I've purchased .

    (5)

  • Summer C.

    I use to live nearby and would come here a lot! Great vegan/vegetarian restaurant. It is casual dining style, where you order at the cash register and they bring you your food. There is inside and outside seating. CUSTOMER SERVICE: I've always had a great experience with the employees here. They have always been friendly and very helpful. PARKING: This is located in a very busy plaza and next to the movie theaters, so sometimes parking can be hard if you come on a weekend night. FOOD: I've had a good amount of food here, so I will do my best to remember everything I've had and what I thought about it.... *Japanese Sesame Chicken Bites: Yummy *Native Fires: Yummy *Native Chicken Wings: Yummy *Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger: Yummy *Sweet Potato Fries: Yummy *Sesame Kale Micro: Good, but not my favorite *Super Greens: Pretty good as well *Scorpion Burger: Yummy *Spicy Chocolate Cake: Yummy *Lavender Lemonade: Yummy Check this place out!

    (5)

  • Zack R.

    I came here today and I was utterly disappointed. As a former Fashion Island Native Foods patron (the one that closed), this was not impressive whatsoever. None of it was excellent--neither the ambience, the food, nor the cupcakes. This place is significantly smaller than the one that closed in Fashion Island. Some places are cozy hole-in-the-walls; this one is more like a cramped cardboard box. The writing on the walls and murals weren't very creative and I was not a fan of the sunbathing elephants. Didn't like the music either. The chicken run ranch burger had no spark or actual flavor. The Native in Fashion Island had a much better burger. My dining partner was not overly happy with the taco salad either. The food is decent, but not anything more. The cupcake was the most disappointing part. At Fashion Island, they were tall, great-tasting cupcakes with a mountain of frosting atop. The ones here were short and the mountain of frosting was only a hillock. The flavor was still there though, but it was not the Native Foods cupcake I so greatly enjoyed from before. I guess the service was pretty good. Not extraordinary, but decent. They were friendly. I understand it's more of a fast food type restaurant as well. Overall, I really wish a Native Foods that was anywhere near the one in Fashion Island existed, but sadly it doesn't in Aliso Viejo. I will try the other locations but they are so out of the way. Anyway, I will not be coming back here. I was sorely disappointed. tl;dr I wouldn't recommend coming here. Pretty average. Individual Ratings: Food: 2/5 Cleanliness: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 1/5 Overall: 2 stars I know this seems harsh but I was really hoping for another great vegan restaurant.

    (2)

  • John E.

    it kinda breaks my heart to give this place a bad review. I've eaten almost exclusively at native foods for years, but now it's going downhill: raised prices, no daily specials, took out the mint/salsa bar, simplified meals (aka took out all the best ingredients), and absolutely destroyed their nacho plate. but what really freaked me out is when they downgraded from Annie's ketchup to Heinz. that was terrifying. for the price, I can't really justify eating here anymore, which bums me out since I've haven't steadily eaten out anywhere else in a long while. if u want good vegan food, try Portland.

    (2)

  • Shayanne W.

    If I could have this stuff delivered to me every day, I would. The. BEST. food. ever. As a vegan, it's sometimes stressful trying to modify things at a restaurant that fits your diet, as well as stressful for the server and kitchen, I'm sure. Going to a place that not only has a varied menu, but a menu that's delicious and is ENTIRELY vegan, is like heaven. I swear, anything off this menu, you'd never know was vegan. Ranch, cheese, burgers, nachos.. This place does it all, and deliciously. I've never eaten anything here I haven't absolutely loved, so it's hard to give recommendations. Do yourself a favor, though, and with whatever you get, get a side of fries with a side of their Chipotle dressing. Omg.. Soo delicious. Also, the lavender lemonade is to die for. Also, their CREAMPIES. Just do it. If that wasn't enticing enough for you, the girls at the cash register are always pleasant. One girl in-particular always greets us with a friendly "welcome back", and a cheerful smile. I'm not sure of her name, but if I remember correctly, she usually works weekend evenings, has dark blondish hair, and deserves a promotion! You guys keep doing your thing, because it's definitely working!

    (5)

  • Ashley K.

    Small location compared to say the Tustin Native Foods, but the service is excellent and it's never a super long wait like in Tustin. You order at the counter and they give you a number and bring you your food. Week nights the wait is usually pretty quick...15 minutes or so, but if you come on a weekend or a weekday during lunch, prepare for a longer wait. Native Foods is probably my favorite healthy restaurant chain because they are so inventive with the menu and there are tons of options for Vegans/Vegetarians/Gluten-Free. I have had: --Native Nachos (delicious and a meal in itself) --Caribbean Jerk Kale Salad (it could stand to be a little bigger for the price, but the ingredients are fresh, it's gluten-free, has a good source of protein in the tempeh and the dressing is to die for) --Baja Blackened Tacos (my favorite thing on the menu...ask for a side of the chipotle sauce with them...it's different than the one that comes with it) --Sesame Kale Macro Bowl (wayyyy too healthy for me to enjoy) --Ensalada Azteca Salad (this didn't excite me at all) They have a salsa bar with a really good simple salsa in it, but they also have tons of different sauces on the menu (with various entrees) that I always ask for. No soda here, but they have delicious fruit/herbal teas that are unsweetened and way better for you I'm sure. I highly recommend Native Foods, it's delicious and healthy. Keep in mind there are only about 8 tables in this place, so it's better for groups of 2-4 max.

    (5)

  • Sanaz S.

    Every time I come here the service is superb & the food is awesome. Today I'm trying out the Soul Bowl..and it's on major yumm status! Fried chik'n , kale, veggies, red beans & brown rice. W BBQ & ranch , and a side of warm soft cornbread. Errrrrrrmmerregggerrd

    (5)

  • Melissa C.

    Omg! This is delicious! Great flavor. Beautiful presentation! And oh, did I mention, it's vegan! We had the polenta bites topped with squash and Rosemary for an appetizer, along with the french fries a ranch dressing and chipotle dressing dip, And the tofu tacos, in addition to the delicious Asian tofu Thai dish This is a must stop, you must come here! The food is delicious and vegan! I can't wait to try all things on the menu. Including g desert. Oh yes. They have many gluten free choices too!

    (5)

  • Jade R.

    Eating at Native Foods is always a treat, an expensive treat. My most favorite dish here is the Gyro Bowl with extra lemon garlic sauce. Also, a delicious bonus is the chocolate vegan cupcake. The Gyro Bowl is a delectable combination of quinoa, steamed veggies, tempeh with hummus, side of lemon garlic sauce, and grilled flat bread. In my books, this is by far the best thing here! My friend called me out because it's the ONLY thing I ever get. One time, I felt guilty and I actually ventured out of my comfort zone to try something new. Boy did I regret that decision. I'm not a vegan, but I'm certainly open to new foods, but I've tried a few different things here, and I always go back to the Gyro Bowl. Definitely try the Lavender Lemonade! Or the Mint Watermelon beverage. Refreshing, and full of vitamin C!

    (4)

  • Bailey C.

    THANK THE HEAVENS THIS PLACE EXISTS! As a vegetarian it is quite hard to find quality food and this is one of the places where I know I can get some splendiferous eats! The portobello mushroom and sausage burger is amaazinngggg and the seasoned fries are mouthwatering....especially with a side of chipotle sauce! My favorite drink is the blueberry lavender drink mixed with the watermelon one! Ughhhhhh sooooo good! This will always be a place I will look forward to eating at!

    (5)

  • Devin A.

    On a recent trip to Southern California, I met with a friend at the Aliso Viejo Native Foods. This location is quite a bit smaller than the Santa Monica location that I had visited earlier in the week, but they have a patio in the front to accommodate additional diners. Though I enjoyed the kale salad that I had had in SM, I decided to try something different and ordered the Heart Beet sandwich. It had several slices of roasted beets, cucumbers, onions, greens, sprouts and blue cheese on toasted rye. I also ordered a side of seasoned fries. The sandwich was very hearty and I enjoyed each bite of deep, earthy beet. It is a complete veggie sandwich, sans processed meat substitute, that doesn't leave you with the feeling that something is missing. Spot on and something I would definitely order again. The fries were, well, they were perfectly fried and peppered with paprika. Delicious. If you are looking for a light, vegan place in Aliso Viejo, you can't go wrong with Native Foods.

    (4)

  • Aly H.

    Love the food especially the desert :) one of my fav vegan joints, would come here more often if they had one in my area

    (5)

  • Nichole T.

    I've been here four times in the past month and have never been disappointed. The portions are huge! I usually eat half for lunch and the rest for dinner. I've tried the Moroccan bowl, Aztec salad and the bacon avocado sandwich. They all had tons of flavor and were extremely filling. Even my hubby ( who is a big meat eater) enjoys their food. Their lavender lemonade is so refreshing and they have lots of condiments including fresh salsa. On top of the great food, the customer service is superb!

    (5)

  • Brittney B.

    The nachos were ok. But the keylime cheesecake pie, did not taste vegan. WOW it was so good. I would drive from Glendale to OC every day in traffic just to have it, well maybe not, but it is good. Loved the texture of the crispy, flaky coconut crust. Perfectly tart! YUM! The reason for the 3 stars, I don't like the "feel" of the restaurant, yes the "feel." Something about it feels processed and very franchise like. I imagine a truck pulling in every morning with "fresh local" frozen, plastic sealed baggies of veggies. The whole purpose of being a vegan, for me, was to be conscious of the food I put in my body and acknowledging that not everything I eat should have extra, unnecessary ingredients. Frozen, processed food, including those that are veggies and fruits should not have ingredients, but when they come sealed and delivered they do, and I can't see what the labels say in the back in the kitchen, but I know and I can tell the food here is not fresh or locally grown. Reminds me of a healthy subway or something. All-in-all it's good if you are on the go and in need of something fast and "healthy."

    (3)

  • Melody T.

    I ordered the Crispy Chicken, Bacon & Avo Club. The ciabbatta bread that it is served on is perfect! The Seiten bacon is delicious and the Chipotle sauce was amazing. I ordered this with yummy string fries and a lavender lemonade. If you haven't tried the lavender lemonade, DO IT! There is also a watermelon mint juice that is quite refreshing as well. The only downside is that everything is served A La Carte. They also have weekly specials and a rewards card!

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    Friendly staff, clean environment, and fast service. My only dismay are the prices. However, it's a nice treat to have every once in awhile. I also like how there are no animals products used. I recommend the vegan chicken wrap!

    (5)

  • Lorien H.

    Amazing! I love all of the food! Every time I go I ask the cashier what they're favorite food is there and I always get it. I've been tons of times now and enjoyed every dish! All of the waiters are so kind and sweet! There was a blonde girl serving me today and She was the brightest, happiest girl! Dot know her name, but that girl deserves a huge raise :D

    (5)

  • Keean K.

    The staff here is super accommodating and very helpful with people with allergies. Matt is professional and a great representation of the restraunt! Five stars!

    (5)

  • Vanessa L.

    I am a meat eater that would gladly become vegetarian if all I could eat was native foods. The food is delicious and even though there are plenty ways to make vegetarian food very bad for you, there are still several healthy, tasty options here! (And of course there are delicious, fried unhealthy options too if you're feeling gluttonous...)

    (5)

  • Don B.

    Awful, restaurant was very dirty and unkempt, food was terrible. Staff seems very distracted. Supposedly a health food restaurant, but the uncleanliness of the place trumps any potential health benefits to the extraordinarily bland and tasteless food.

    (1)

  • Kristina R.

    I love this place. Not only because of the excellent food & drinks (LAVENDER LEMONADE!!!!!!) but the service is always phenomenal. Better than most high end restaurants I've dined in! The manager Scotty is always very nice & makes sure you are well accommodated. Tonight specifically I was so happy with the guy at the cash register, I believe his name was Eligh or was it Elijah? Any way, he deserves a raise or a promotion because he knows what is up with customer service! This lady in line in front of me was just rude by lagging on walking back to her table to rifle through her bag to find her money. I mean seriously, don't go up to the register for your dessert while there are others waiting when you don't even have your $$$ on you! Rude! Point being- Eligh/Elijah was super apologetic about it even though all I did was roll my eyes at the lady. This is just another reason I love this place. ( & the manager working tonight was great too although I forgot to catch his name. & the girl who works the cash register also is so upbeat and friendly. Ok I could keep going: but point is, the staff is phenomenal!) Back to the food: the meatball sub, twister wrap, nachos, blackened tacos- all amazing. I always over eat here. And the peanut butter parfait- divine. I seriously wish I still lived in Aliso Viejo so I could come here weekly. Please open more locations!!!!!!!! Thanks for the amazing atmosphere, service & food. Unfortunately the sometimes RUDE patrons cannot be helped, (like the screaming child in the corner whose parents do nothing to quiet them or take them outside.) I love Native Foods!

    (5)

  • Dorris T.

    Went to have lunch today at native cafe and was greeted by such a nice young man at the counter. We had a nice chat and he explained a few of the items for me. Of course I ended up getting the Caribbean Jerk Salad. It was amazing. So much flavor and it even had a little bite to it. So good. Then I was talking with the manager and wanted to know where they were gonna put another one close by me. He was very nice and we also had a nice chat. The people here are so friendly and the food is so healthy and amazing and so flavorful!!

    (5)

  • Roza S.

    I absolutely love this place. The customer service is always on point. The employees are really friendly, and the food honestly speaks for itself. Highly recommend :)

    (5)

  • Harley G.

    The food is wonderful. The staff is wonderful. It's always worth my visit.

    (5)

  • Dana G.

    Famished from my RA Yoga followed by my pathetic attempt to be a Cirque du soleil performer at OC Pole Fitness, my fried and I mosied on over to grab some healthy vegetarian dinner. She had the tacos, I had the Greek gyro bowl which was great! It felt like a splurge for sure....vegetarian does not necessarily equal low calorie. The thinly sliced seitan meat substitute was so good and filling! The kale was cooked to perfection. Super nice service. Outdoor seating area but it was raining so we sat inside. Smaller and more informal than the location at the Camp (felt more like a little take-out stand) but definitely a good crultey free option in the area.

    (4)

  • Harmonie T.

    Parking sucked like a mofo the day we came here and that says a lot considering that I frequent the Culver City location, Santa Monica location, and the Westwood location. You would think that parking would suck more at those three LA locations. But since this location is a few doors down from a movie theater and it was a Saturday evening, we were pretty much effed regardless of the fact that the parking lot is huge. Is this where everyone in Aliso Viejo hangs out on a Saturday night??? That being said, this location has the most friendliest, attentive, and helpful staff out of the other locations. I was in the neighborhood and knew that Native Foods was offering a weekend special...a Portobello Mushroom Po'Boy Sandwich. I pretty much wish this item was on the regular menu because it is SO GOOD!!!! Large chunks of batter-fried portobello adds a nice crispy crunch. The sauce reminded me of thousand island dressing which was a nice compliment without overpowering the flavor of the sandwich. bit.ly/1aNpKnh Because I was in a grumpy mood from all the parking craziness, the BF got me a Peanut Butter Parfait to cheer me up. You know what? It has worked in the past and it worked again. It's just that good! I think the creamy goodness that is the Peanut Butter Parfait can bring world peace! The restaurant itself is the smallest location I've been to. Indoor dining is minimal but there are more tables (and heat lamps) outdoors. 5 stars for the food and service! -1 star for the crappy competitive parking.

    (4)

  • Yasaman J.

    I have always loved the NF. As a hardcore meat lover, I was hesitant to try this place out the first time but OMG, the food here tastes soooo good and you don't even miss the meat! One thing that I found out today that didn't appreciate was that they used to carry "Annie's" ketchup... But today I saw that there is no sign of the ketchup... Instead they have the ketchup stand as same as In N Out. I asked the manager whether this ketchup is organic and she said no.... So I am just wondering why in the World, this place that advocates for healthy food, stopped serving organic ketchup!!! Chef Tonya you need to rethink your decision...

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 10
  • Mon : 11:00 am - 10

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Native Foods Cafe

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