The café had a better food selection than I expected. We ordered a dish from the grill and a slice of pizza (that was so big it fed the both of us). We sat at the bar and Rogelio made us a pumpkin spiced martini. So good!! It was the perfect spot to have our lunch because then we ordered a glass of wine and ended our meal with a chai latte. Rogelio was very friendly and then even cleaned up our trays afterwards. The café was a great mid afternoon stop on a beautiful day at the Huntington Gardens. read more

I love the Huntington gardens , I'm a new member and enjoy the cafe atmosphere , there's plenty of seating and it's really calm and relaxing. The food is very tasty and they have plenty of healthy options. I ordered the chicken and veggies and it was supposed to be a hot plate but it was all cold? I asked for it to be warmed up and waited about 10 minutes and was given a cold plate of food, not sure why they aren't able to keep it warm. However I ordered the Mexican bowl and that was warm and very tasty! Overall they have really great options- tons of options, even sushi! read more

1919 Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Marino, California

It has been months since I have been at 1919 Cafe and I am so pleased to update the review. Today the cafe was bustling with guests and it was non stop in food preparation. My friends ordered street tacos and a taco salad from the Taqueria. I ordered the garlic turkey burger with veggies from the Grill. My friends enjoyed their food and my order was delicious. It was a short wait at the Taqueria and since mine was made to order, the wait was longer than expected at the Grill. I could tell that the chef had to focus on both areas of his section and if I had ordered the grilled salmon and vegetables...there would have been no wait. Though it was so busy, we did not have to worry about finding a patio table. So I asked my friends, would they order the tacos and salad again? Indeed! And would I order the garlic burger and veggies again? Absolutely! read more

They decided to close a half hour early without explanation (I'm writing this at 5pm, and they supposedly close at 5:30, and the closing time on Yelp is even later - 6pm). I like how they have vegan/ vegetarian options, but we didn't get to try any of them. I'm a member of Huntington, so love the rest of the property. I will pack food next time. read more

1919 Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Marino, California

Food was mediocre and overpriced as I expected, but the service was some of the worst. I was so embarrassed that my father was in town to experience their treatment of us: Constant ignorance on their own system of orders, confusion, long waits to speak to anyone, lack of employees at their counters, and being ignored about questions how to get food so we could pay. Next time I'll have to remember to just bring my own food. read more

Just came here recently because the Huntington Gardens are an all day thing, so we didn't want to exit and come back after eating a meal. This is located in the Gardens - it's like a cafeteria where you can pick deli, grill or mexican food (I think there's also sushi) and then you pay at the end at the cashier. I ordered the hamburger for $8.50 with a side of BBQ kettle chips ($3). The hamburger was cooked decently and came with lettuce, tomatoes, etc. Definitely not worth the money for the size but wasn't bad tasting. Same with the kettle chips, it was a pretty big portion of chips, big enough for two, but it wasn't amazing - I couldn't really taste the BBQ flavoring at all. The service was okay and the food was okay but the price was a little more than I wanted to pay for everything in total. Overall, I wasn't impressed with this place but it's not a bad option if you're already there and you're hungry! read more

Confusing, inconsistent and chaotic ordering process. Food is subpar and overpriced. Ordered the black cod and it was fishy. The grilled veggies had the same fishy flavor. Portion size of the fish was laughable, a couple of bites and I was finished. My wife ordered the chicken chipotle rice bowl which was good, but nothing spectacular. Captive venue restaurants are usually overpriced and mediocre, but I was expecting more from the Huntington. read more

I had not been to the Huntington Library since I was like 15. Back then I did not appreciate it. Now all these years later I came back to visit again and I really did love it. So beautiful. They have added so many new things---like a restaurant! This restaurant was bomb! It was cafeteria style so you could pick from many things to eat. We were so excited to see that they offered the Impossible Burger. So we ordered the Impossible burger and the mac and cheese. Everything was so good! I would honestly come back here one day just for the food! read more

1919 Cafe - Sorry. I couldnt wait to eat it...impossible burger. - Salad Near Me - San Marino, California

It is totally too pricy. Ordered a plate of grilled fish and asking some veggies on the side, each item charged it's own price, no matter how much you got. At the end one piece of grilled fish plus two sides on a plate, it costed me $15 plus tax. It's vey loud during lunch time. read more

Great ambience. Good food. The beer wasn't too cold but the variety selection is excellent. The restrooms are super clean

We spent a day at The Huntington Library and ate here before we started our adventure! We were actually caught by a member at the Huntington who saw us looking at the map, planning our day. We wanted to go to the noodle house in the Japanese garden, but this person was honest and told us not to! So we decided to listen and try the 1919 Cafe. I'm glad we did! This is more of a cafeteria type place, nothing fancy. We had the Border Bowl with sweet potatoes, some cheesecake, and kombucha. This place offers vegetarian, vegan, and meat options which I found to be great! I was so pleasantly surprised by the borderbowl, everything was fresh and scrumptious - I copied the receipe and make it at home for dinner now! We will definitely eat here during future visits. read more

I like the food there but this rude African American girl that claims she's the manager is hard to ignore. She's always complaining about her customers to the fellow staff members. She does this right in front of you as she looks at you yet continues to ignore you. I complained to the management they said she gets lots of complaints I cane back two weeks later and she was doing the same thing. Complaining to others by her pizza oven and taking my time doing so. When I finally said hello can I get some help, she looked at me like I was rude and said I'll be with you in a moment and continued complaining. For this place filled with kind and friendly staff focused on customer service to allow this one person to pollute the experience there is irresponsible. read more

There are 3 things that I like about the 1919 café: -- The restaurant provides wonderful selection of organic options and sustainable sea food. -- Plentiful variety of menu items. This is really important for all picky eaters, and especially for little ones. -- Abundant seating inside and outside. Even though this restaurant can get crowded, ample seating takes the stress out of the experience. Drawback: when placing an order, one has to write it down on a piece of paper and pass the paper to the chef. It's important to remember to put one's name down on the order, otherwise the written order will be returned and one has to "go to the back of the line" once the name has been written down. Overall, as far as museum restaurants go, this is a good one. We will be back. read more

I always expect eateries inside these types of locations to be over priced, but that said, I thought the deal here was excellent. They offer a 10oz ribeye with one side, and they are very generous with the side, for $16. Their pasta with ground turkey was very good, and they gave a large amount for $9. The pizza was just ok, but it was a big piece for $3.50. I saw a burrito someone had ordered, and it was pretty big. The food was great. It was plenty for 3 people to share around, and pretty tasty. Everything else I saw looked good as well. You have to choose wisely. They offered chips, guacamole and salsa for $9, which was more than I wanted to pay. I asked the people working how to order, and they were all helpful and friendly. I would eat here again when I go back to the gardens. read more

Pretty bad. This cafeteria style food court actually looks really nice and they have a big patio outdoor seating area that's really inviting. The food though-it seems like whoever is managing the food at this place really doesn't care too much about operations or taste or quality. It's confusing what to do at each station, where to order (there are sheets of paper to write down your order, but the cooks behind the counter also just take your order so ppl are shouting orders to them). The food is bad. The ceviche had barely any fish at all. Literally just a handful of small pieces. They also call it Peruvian ceviche and probably don't know how that is actually supposed to taste. The burger was soggy and greasy and there was nothing good about either the sirloin or turkey burger. The people working at the burger station were talking about how they were leaving early that day and didn't have any interest in making good food. I think this is such a shame. This could be such a good dining option at the Huntington Library if they just made some changes. read more

Came here for the first time after the vendor change last weekend. I had the grill special which was a hot pastrami sandwich. I think it was a sandwich wanting to be a reuben as they heavily buttered the bread before they heated it up on the grill and it had a slice of swiss cheese in it as well. Not bad but, super rich. It came with a side order of Mac and cheese wasn't bad but, coupled with the heavily buttered sandwich, it was too much. I think a better side would have been some cole slaw to cut the fat. I ordered a side of fries but, they were just limp, not crispy at all. Disappointing. My wife had the citrus burrito which wasn't bad. Our two friends ordered sandwiches but, wish the bread was toasted. They thought the sandwiches were ok. We thought they didn't look all that special. The venue is clean and has a fair amount of table which was good as it was hot outside. Pricing was between 8 to 12 dollars an item. I thought the staff working there were pretty polite and helpful. The tables were cleaned off fairly quickly when parties left. Overall, not bad but, not sure if we would eat here again. read more

I stopped by Cafe 1919 on my way out visiting Huntington Gardens. We just stopped in to take a look right before closing, but my friend and I both were a little hungry and decided to stop for a snack. We went towards the taqueria area where my friend ordered a guava/cheese pastry and I ordered a Peruvian ceviche with plantain chips. Both were yum! The ceviche was made after I ordered and thought she gave me a relatively generous portion. I'd come back to eat again and see if the rest is equally good - some prices feel high for the type of food it is (burrito for about 10 bucks), but other things like salads and sandwiches for under 10 seem reasonable. read more

Pretty good food, not as organized in the ordering part of the process! The food is good however read more

Tiny portion of dry, cold tri tip, with a large portion of dry, cold seasonal vegetables. Painfully below average cafeteria food with over ambitious menu descriptions. Pack your lunch and save the money and time. read more

The chicken is soo good! What kind of sauce is used? My hubby & I went a few weekends ago & we both like the sauce used on the chicken! Mmm... read more

Love eating here. The food is well prepared and to order. Large selection of different cuisines. Great place to enjoy a lunch after a morning of wandering around the gardens and galleries. read more

The atmosphere is beautiful and the food variety and quality is excellent. There are many vegan options such as veggie sushi, vegan vegetable wraps, and they have the Impossible Burger. They also have So Delicious ice cream bars and housemade vegan cake. The Impossible Burger is $13 and includes onion, tomato, lettuce, and a large pickle spear. Sides are extra, but there is a variety of seasonal roasted vegetables or french fries to choose from. read more

I stop by here after a visit to the library or after I have volunteered. It is engaging and there is a nice variety of items to enjoy. The food vendor changed recently and it has been a delightful experience. There is a lovely bar if you just wish to enjoy a glass of wine and a small plate. I particularly like the sushi and the pita/hummus. The staff/bartenders at the Cafe are warm and engaging and very helpful as you navigate through all the offerings. Plus the outside patio provides a wonderful view of the gardens. Perfect for those times you just need a peaceful moment, coupled with some delicious food and drink. read more

Very disappointed in this cafe. You'd think it would be pretty good considering they offer a variety of choices. From what I could see, the sushi bar and sandwiches/salads seem like the bet thing to get if you come here. My friend and I tried the grill area but our food was horrible as well as the service. We marked our orders on the pad and placed them where where the sign says to place them. The one employee/cook took forever to pick up our orders. He picked up two and spent a good 20 minutes doing all sorts of things except cooking. It started to get a lot busier and more people placed their order forms ontop of mine. The cook then begins to finally throw things on the grill and then picks up the stack of orders BUT he placed them in order from top to bottom, which leaves my order at the bottom. At one point a supervisor comes by to ask if he needs help and he says no. After about 30 minutes he finally gets to my order and it just looks like he just throws the items on the grill and does who knows what and then gives me my food. After about 50 minutes I finally get my food while other people that came after me received their food before me. THE FOOD WAS NOT GOOD. My friend got the steak and it was basically beef jerky. And my food was dry and bland. They also offer a variety of drinks. The drinks in the fridge area however do not have a price tag so you'll probably end up paying for an overpriced drink. Enjoy the rest of the library and bring your own food. read more

So, so overpriced and full of itself. It opened with a great deal of fanfare and was said to be a great improvement on the former catering company. "Hand-crafted" this, "scratch-made" that. "Locally sourced." It's all very laughable. Because it's the exact same cafeteria style, heat-lamp dried and greasy food that the former company served. In a way it's _worse_ food. The prior caterers' offerings were at least 25% cheaper and had nicer staff and reliable, healthier standbys like fish tacos, with wonderful salsa freshly made by the cook. The turkey burger is the worst--it's billed as "hand-crafted," but it's a frozen, pre-formed patty. In the beginning they tried to be more inventive and current with the menu options. They seem to have given up and serve only carb- based and cheese-covered or fried delights at all 4 of their stations. "Housemade chicken fritters" is a euphemism for chicken mcnuggets. Beige and brown foods galore. The "pizza"--oh my god. Again, they tried to come up with "gourmet" topping combinations in the beginning, but all they have now are tomato, cheese and pepperoni, with one wildcard. The crust is inedible--totally white with no texture or flavor, unevenly cooked and the greasy, clumpy cheese just sits there on barely heated up tomato sauce. It looks and tastes like food a 5-year old put together. Their "wood-fired" oven produces pizza that makes Wolfgang Puck and Amy's frozen pizza seem like gourmet extravagances. Now for the Border Grill station. I went there the day one of the original restaurant owners was on site, so the fish tacos were quite ok--tender and flavorful on fresh tortillas. Going back, thinking that was the one dish that could be decent in the whole cafe, I ordered them again. The restaurant co-owner wasn't there--just two guys who kept preparing the orders of people who came after me and left my fish to fry--not meant to be fried--on the grill. By the time they remembered to attend to my fish, it was tough and crispy on the outside and rubbery on the inside from being left too long on the grill. On top of all that, the tortillas were dried on the edges, meaning they were old. I was pissed off about that. I'd have been better off getting tacos from a truck or even Whole Foods at 1/3 the price. The sandwiches are filled with super dry pieces of chicken with dried out bread and the salads are overloaded with ingredients that aren't fresh or healthy--like the tough pancetta bits in the Huntington salad, which I'm sure are loaded with nitrates and threaten to break your teeth. The dressing has way too much vinegar and there's either not enough on the salad or it's drowning in it. The caprese salad is like eating vinegar soup with tough, bitter pieces of arugula, small watery and flavorless balls of mozzarella and tough, unripe pieces of tomato. Everything's ergonomically dysfunctional. They've gotten rid of trash receptacles and wide ledges where you can safely set down your food trays when you're getting condiments or utensils. So you're always at risk of dropping your tray as you get napkins and utensils and can't throw garbage away anywhere, so it litters your tray. I don't think their management has very much sense about customers' needs. If you come to the HEH, bring your own food and discreetly eat it at the cafe tables outside. Or plan on eating somewhere else before or after. Don't make the mistake of paying for and attempting to eat the food they serve in their cafe. You might want to to try out the cafe at the Asian Garden or the way overpriced Rose Garden cafe instead (but I think you need reservations for that). The price of admission is high enough as it is without having to pay for overpriced, unhealthy and bad-tasting food at Cafe 1919. REVISION 6/2/18 They've redone their sandwich and salad station so now they serve--rather than make for you--Mediterranean salads that are pre-made, so the cucumber and tomato juices make all the veggies soggy, gross and muddy tasting. It's like trying to eat the leftover salad from a catered lunch a day later. I'm sure they thought this was a brilliant idea. It used to be a good offering when they made the salad to order. They've replaced Miss Vickie's delightful potato chips with Kettle Brand, which are tougher, not as crisp and have less flavor. The worst part of today's lunch was the salmon "sushi" I ordered. They serve it with _cooked_ salmon. I couldn't believe it. I felt like I was eating cat food. read more

This was our 2nd visit and it was really good. First time we ordered from the mexican station and from the deli station. This time it was from the sushi bar. Both times, the food was really GOOD and the views of the gardens were really nice. The outdoor patio was a breath of fresh air and the indoor seating was cool and comfortable. We live right up the street and now have a new destination restaurant that we LOVE. read more

This is one of the best museum cafes I've been at. Wonderful variety and the quality is excellent. The prices are reasonable for really good food. All the food was made to order. My husband had a burrito , I had a poke bowl , my son had a cheese pizza and my daughter a burger ... everything was tasty and fresh . Will definitely eat here again read more

Huntington's 1919 staff were careful to sanitize each table and follow the mask/shield /gloves protocols. They've created a variety of tasty boxed lunches to choose from in one refrigerated case and have drinks (including their excellent iced teas and lemonades) in a second refrigerated case. The line was a bit congested. On this occasion, we only wanted to get drinks, but had to wait through the line of people getting food. Nonetheless, we were impressed with the care and attention to sanitization details. read more

I will give this place a mixed review for now. When they brought the new catering service on a board several months back, we went and were very impressed with the quality of food and service (but not the price). We just went back today, and quality has already slipped. They can't seem to get down a system for directing patrons where to order, so everyone crowds around the ordering areas without a clue of where to order (in particular, the taco bar). The food preparers behind the window also aren't inclined to help direct patrons where to order. The check out process was also slow. The chicken tacos, rice and beans were quite tasty, although on the expensive side (greater than $10 for a small lunch platter). I will go back in a few months, and report back on the situation. read more

I love everything they've done at the Huntington! However, the food at Cafe1919 was a big disappointment. I got a Chicken Club sandwich and the bread and the chicken were dry. The bread slices were also too thick. The pickle was sad. It was rubbery. The potato chips were ok. My husband just got a side of fries because nothing appealed to him. The fries were undercooked and over salted. Someone in charge needs to get a grip of operations fast. It has so much potential, but currently it's a big fat zero. Beautiful facilities. Terrible food. read more

My son and I had lunch at the 1919 Cafe a few months on a cool but sunny day and really enjoyed it. We both had the basic burger that was delicious for $8.50: HAMBURGER pound 100% all-natural sirloin patty, served with lettuce, tomato, onion & pickle, brioche bun We shared a generous plate of fries for $3 They only had one type of iced tea and we didn't care for it. We loved the burgers with cheese and avocado! Fries were very good also. It was enjoyable eating lunch on the covered patio. My family went back today to have lunch and I hope it is as good as I remember it. read more

Poor system to order food when they are busy (Mother's Day) as I've seen people wait in line for no reason. The customers apparently missed the instruction board outside. There is no sign or bill board to warn customers when food is out of stock. The chef did not see the "1" I placed when writing my order and saw only the scratch mark, so they made our order with 1 less item. I made another order and waited a good 15 minutes only to be told they were out of the "Impossible burger". Thanks for the quick warning. Chef said he told me they were out earlier. Nope. You told me you did not see my order because of the scratch Mark. I dont blame them because they were busy... they just need to revamped their whole system. read more

This is a great option for lunch when you visit the Huntington Library. Named for the year The Huntington was founded, 1919 Cafe serves brick-oven pizzas, pasta, salads, soups, sandwiches, and daily specials, there is the Border Grill taqueria inside for Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger's signature modern Mexican cuisine, and a sushi/wine bar; it is self service/ cafeteria style, you place your order first, pick it up after the food is made, select your drinks then head to the cashier to pay, the lines could be long on weekends and holidays but they generally move fast, there is an area inside the cafe where you can drop off the trays after you are done. There are ample indoor and outdoor seatings, the outdoor seating overlooks the gardens, including the Huntington Art Gallery, it's lovely and relaxing on a sunny day. Pay them a visit when you are here! read more

The reviews are mixed but we had a good experience and good food. The cafe is designed to serve masses of people and is grouped into sections. We went to deli section and had a turkey avocado club sandwich and beet salad. Both were fresh and good. The turkey meat was piled high and there was a guacamole spread on your choice of bread. The salad had diced beets (a larger forkable size would have been nice), but it did have large chunks of bacon instead of tiny bits. I am not recalling a lot of details so I guess it was not the best meal I every had, but it was fresh and good. More impressionable was that they made the salad and sandwich right in front of our eyes. I thought the prices were reasonable my better half thought they were a little high. I think the items were about nine dollars each. Eating outside was very enjoyable. read more

Prompt and friendly service. For a restaurant at a museum, the prices are shockingly reasonable and the quality is outstanding. Lovely patio area for dining, with lovely view. read more

This is a big beautiful place at the recently constructed to try and offer a wide variety of foods for the public so kudos for the offer quality is totally off the mark the food for the most part it's called ordered fries vegetables potatoes and salmon that they have us out for the people but they don't even cook it they don't even heated up what a terrible way to serve food so for that one store read more

My review is not about the food but about the basic set up and diners' inconsideration of others. I think the new cafeteria is great -- the food is varied, freshly made, and there is something for everyone. I was there today on a blisteringly hot day in July so everyone wanted to sit inside. I waited patiently in separate station lines with my child and husband. Finally, we collected all of our food, paid, and went to look for a table. There had to be at least a dozen tables with youngish kids parked at them, holding the table, while their parents retrieved food. In a few cases, a parent was there too. We circled the whole room several times but there was absolutely nowhere to sit. Finally we decided we'd ask to share with a family but needed an extra chair. I politely asked the woman at the adjacent table if we could borrow one and she said no while sitting at a huge, empty table with just two kids. I pointed out that we were ready to eat while they were holding the table for at least 15 minutes while others were also circling with trays but had nowhere to sit. She kept saying "but we're eating here" to which I replied, "your kids are playing cards and you're staring at your phone. You're going to eat here, but you're not ready to eat now." She refused to answer. In retrospect, what I should have done was ask a 1919 employee to ask her to move. People, don't you realize how inconsiderate this? If you park your child at a table while everyone goes to retrieve food you are blocking others who have waited patiently and have hot food on their trays from sitting down. Why is this acceptable behavior? There's a cafe close to where I live that puts signs on all the tables asking patrons to not sit until everyone in their party has ordered and has a number for their food. I think the 1919 should do the same. Logically, a table is then occupied for much longer, and those who are ready to eat have nowhere to go. Clearly, the 1919 serves large volumes of people and the seating is easier when it's not so hot outside, but give me a break with hogging space when you haven't yet gotten your food. I'd love to see the management take an active role in curbing this problem which results in frustrated customers and condones fundamentally rude and inconsiderate behavior. read more

Nightmare. This may be the most poorly designed restaurant I have ever seen. There are six separate lines to stand in to order food with no direction on which line is which. To make things even worse, you have to fill out a form with pencil and paper to hand to the worker behind the counter. That is one form per customer, including children. For a place preaching conservation, that is a lot of wasted paper. If you succeed in getting into the correct line (can't order pizza in the hamburger line which is exactly next to it) you then get to take the food to the checkout line on the other side of the building. Finding a place to sit is difficult as is finding a fork or napkin. The food is expensive ($6 hot dog, $4 fries) and not especially good. Do yourself a favor and eat before you visit the Huntington. read more

I took a couple of friends to lunch the other day at the Huntington and we tried some sushi. I will admit that i wasn't expecting it to be great but much to my delight it was fantastic and the service was great as well. What neat surprise that the food was so good at such a wonderful place to visit. read more

while the service and ice tea were very good I cant make the same remarks about the spicy tuna sushi rolls that were extremely average and very overpriced....I can even overlook that. However, when it came to the beef shortrib burger for $11.00 I was absolutely blown away that this burger could even be served for consumption! My wife and I were sharing it for lunch. It sure did look good but it wasn't chewable, It was the toughest piece of meat we had ever tried to bite through. We almost pushed the plate off the table trying to cut through the meat with a knife. It was beyond ridiculous so make sure you don't order that and did I mention that this burger came with nothing.... read more