I went here with no clue what to expect and now I know what kind of food I am not a fan of. I went by this place when I was going to do a run in balboa park. When I was done running I walked near their drive through menu to read what kind of food they had. I saw burgers and thought oh great im hungry for some meat. After I placed my order I was looking around inside the small area where you order and I thought this place would be similar to burger lounge where everything was organic.... everything was organic but beyond the level i was prepared for. I was not a fan of the burger but that is because Im not into that super healthy take on normal food. I could easily recommend this place to a staunch vegan, or someone whose on the path to becoming a vegan in a couple years. The sweet patato fries(really just chips) were interesting but this place was totally just not my scene. The staff was friendly, and dining under their little awning outside was cool but I suggest doing research into what your getting before you try this place. Its only 2 stars because I am so completely not into this kind of food. read more

The sweet potato fries and the black bean burgers were delicious. I enjoyed the south of the border version of the burger. It was a cool day so I enjoyed some Thai curry soup to go with it. It has a rich coconut flavor and just enough kick. The seating is abundant during lunch rush - it's mostly on the front and in a semi covered area beside the kitchen. Come on warmer days and enjoy some sunshine in the front area. Service was friendly when I asked questions and sought recommendations before order. The food came out reasonably fast - you could be in and out of here in under 30 minutes easily. Prices are a bit high at first glance but felt OK for vegetarian food that's well crafted. I'll visit again next time I'm in the area. read more

This is probably my top favorite vegan restaurant in San Diego. It is a bit far from me, but I still go here whenever I am in the area. I have not had a single bad meal here. It is definitely vegan food done right. My favorite two things on the menu are the chick'n wrap and the chick'n sandwich which can both be customized to your liking. read more

I was in San Diego for three days and ate here three times. It would have been 4 times but Google listed their closing hours wrong (!!!). (They close at 8pm in the winter). I had the buffalo sandwich each time but the strawberry shake, cookies, raw tacos, and things ordered by friends were all good too. I hope they expand as fast as possible!!! read more

I was excited yet skeptical to try this place out. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan but am always open to great tasting food. I got the California burrito and my husband got the chipotle taco and black bean burger. Despite the pleasant staff offering to answer any questions my husband and I happily ordered with no questions. Once we got our food I was like I don't think they serve any meat here. I think it's completely vegan. Usually when I see meat substitutes on a menu it usually specifies or has it in quotations or something. Maybe I just don't know any better. Anyways back to the food, I though my burrito was pretty damn good. French fries were awesome and I didn't quite taste the cashew cheese at all. The taco was pretty good and fresh tasting. I didn't taste the burger but it looked good. Parking is limited and we ended up parking on the street and paying a meter. We ate in their patio was pretty cute and quaint. If it were closer or opener later I probably would've gone back already. read more

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It's been a blessing to have "fast-food" that's nothing like the traditional sense of the word! Awesome vegetarian selections and friendly service all the time! LOVE the drive-thru option, it's very convenient when you're on the go! I'm willing to bet that even some meat lovers would dig this place ... Thanks Evolution! read more

Evolution Fast Food - Open past when the sun goes down! :) - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Three stars because service is just okay and they overcharged us. We didn't get a combo price, instead got charged separately and did not receive a receipt. The food was really good though. read more

LOVE their black bean burgers and french fries!!!! SOOO Good!!!

Boy oh boy, this joint has fries that make the angels rejoice. They sure know what to do with a tater, let me say it to you. I also love the homemade Tempeh patty, she's real nice. In fact, ain't a single item on the menu that does not look like it wouldn't sing in your mouth. MMMM - that's what I say. read more

Just love the Cali burrito here, sometimes they get a little heavy with the salt but I still love it even still . I've had several other dishes, Buffalo sandwich is awesome as is their black bean burger...maybe one of the best I've had. Shakes are quite good here too. Much better than most vegan style shakes. Order ahead on the app and avoid the lines and you will be happy you did! read more

YUM YUM YUM, YUM YUM YUM! Had the South of the Border burger, sans jalapeños. I can't do too much fiery hotness in my mouth! But this burger, my friends, con jalapeño or not, is the realz dealz. Soft wheat bun, fresh lettuce & tomatoes, some kickin' guac and a delicious, perfectly cooked veggie patty make for good noms. It feels good to eat healthy! read more

Evolution Fast Food - hola amigos, my name is south of the border burger. now eat me! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Yes, I am a regular here, but how could I not be? It is literally right next door to my work and one of the only places where being vegetarian I can still eat ANYTHING on the menu! I am not vegan (vegetarian for 11 years) but this place actually gets me thinking about vegan as a good possibility. They have some great really healthy options like the raw burger/scramble/tacos, veggie sandwich on sprouted hemp bread, and juices (my coworkers swear by the Israel'sTonic anytime someone is starting to feel sick). I have tried many vegetarian things that are new to me even after 11 years. The tempeh bacon is an example of something i recently tried, and although it doesn't really taste like bacon, it is pretty good! The one food I used to crave at first was chicken--and I was always a fried/crispy chicken lover, and the "chicken" sandwich here satisfies any craving I ever had back in the day for the actual meat... The staff here are always super friendly as well and they have a great outdoor dining patio! read more

Evolution Fast Food - Half off veggie sandwich! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

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i found a fucking staple in my ceasar wrap. i barely got an apology and had to ask for a full refund instead of them just giving it to me. the manager came out wearing a filthy t shirt. he didn't apologize or even make eye contact with me. this could have been way worse if i had swallowed or bit directly into the staple. never eating there again. highly warn against evolution fast food! read more

Order: - Mushroom and swiss burger - chili - sweet potato fries Total: ~$12 I am a meat lover but I don't shy away from vegan restaurants. My favorite were the sweet potato chips with their homemade ketchup (which is sweeter & chunkier than most). Not a big fan of the chili or the burger because they seem "average" to me. In my opinion, the burger was bland and needed an extra kick of something. However, the ingredients are fresh and healthy! Not to mention very friendly service! Other tips: - Drive thru available - Plenty of parking on a Sunday afternoon/night - Next to Extraordinary desserts in Banker's Hill - To go options readily available as you enter their store - Outdoor & indoor seating arrangements available - Accepts cards and cash read more

Evolution Fast Food - Mushroom swiss burger - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Every time I come to SD, I try to stop by here at least once. I'm a huge fan of their burgers, and I wish they had a similar concept ("vegan fast food restaurant") in Boston... Quite yummy: - Swiss Mushroom Burger - South of the Border Burger - Chick'n Buffalo sandwich - Sweet potato chips - Desserts Other cool things: - They offer three kinds of burger patties -- all three are vegan and homemade, that's such a step up from the usual dried-out gardenburger you get in a regular burger joint, if you are lucky and they even have a veggie burger on the menu! - The burger buns are extremely tasty! I wish they'd sell them plain, I'd not mind taking one or two home for other sandwiches during the week. - Lots of raw food items, if that's your thing =) - The patio out back is fun -- it distracts from the fact that you are basically eating in a parking lot =P - You can take a quick stroll towards Balboa Park after lunch, it's pretty close! Confused about: the drive-through. It seems like there isn't enough room for there to be one. Will I be back? Definitely! read more

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4 stars because I want to give this place another chance, other than that from my experience today I would've given it a 3. Not gonna lie, this place didn't impress me as much as I thought it would but it's pretty tasty. I ordered... GRILLED CHICKEN SANDWICH (Honey mustard): Being a pescatarian and eating the grilled chicken almost tasted too real to be true! It was not oily at all; although I really enjoyed the chicken, I wish they gave more lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado that comes with it. I literally had 3 slices of avocado, one piece of lettuce, and one slice of tomato. It was not enough. I was confused because since this is called a chicken sandwich, why'd it come in burger form? Haha. I don't really like burgers which is why I didn't order one so I wasn't expecting this sandwich to come in that type of bread. Overall, this meal was good besides the type of bread they had. I really wanted to try the raw tacos because it looked so good on all the other Yelp pictures; if it was served fresh & not in the side fridge I would've gotten it. Maybe I'll get it next time but from the ones I saw, the lettuce looked really soggy. My friends ordered... CALI BURRITO: She said she enjoyed this & that the meat tasted SO real she started questioning it. BLACK BEAN BURGER: She liked it but thought the bread tasted weird as well. The ketchup was way too sweet for her liking. read more

Evolution Fast Food - Grilled chicken "sandwich" & the black bean burger with fries. - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Hi! Okay, so i was looking for something quick & good & many of the reviews recommended the California burrito...got it i'd give it like a 6/10. granted, i'm not vegan or vegetarian so i'm unsure as to what that kind of meat tastes like but i wouldn't say i'm a fan. BUT i did have the cheddar bacon loaded fries & those were AMAZING! 10/10 recommend. i also recommend to cookies and cream shake! Also, the line was super long but it is what it is ‍ read more

I may not be Vegan, but after eating here, I totally could become one. I kind of want to eat here everyday lol. I stopped by one day after work and decided to give their "California burrito" a try. Living in San Diego/being so close to the border we're known for having the best Mexican Food... so risky choice? Yes. I was happily surprised to find out this burrito was equally as good to its greasy counterpart at any local taco shop. The fries in here were so delicious and I never knew cashew cheese could be so good! However, the best thing about this meal would have to be not feeling bloated afterwards. I was able to finish the burrito in one sitting, which I could never do if it had been real steak! I immediately made a second visit the following week! I went through the drive thru on a Friday night and man were they busy! The line extended into the street! I made the smart decision and decided to take advantage of the parking lot (be aware that it is small and fills up pretty fast) and walk in to order. I got the "fish" tacos this time and they are by far a new favorite! If only they had a Taco Tuesday deal this place would be my taco destination of choice. read more

amazing vegan food. any time I'm in the food for some fast food during the day I would much rather come here than anywhere else. I wish they were open later so hopefully in the near future this happens. I have tried their burritos and burgers and have always been delicious. I'm lactose intolerant so I have to be careful with my dairy intake even though I sometimes take lactaid but coming here takes all that stress away . I highly recommend their California burrito because its probably my favorite item on the menu. read more

I really like this place for a quick tasty vegan meal! with also raw veg options. It is really like a fast food, except there is a line on the receipt for tipping. You line up to order, then pick up your food when they call your name, even for dine-in. on a side thought about food industry: don't quite get the new tipping culture that has transpired over the years where they have up to 25% tipping option whether you're ordering a cup of coffee some place or dining at a full service restaurant. read more

I got the EVO burger and bacon cheddar ranch fries. The tempeh patty on the burger wasn't my favorite, but the fries were super good. Would love to try more things from here read more

Evolution has been a regular bankers hill stop for me since it opened and great news is the food items I like seem to get better and better over the years which is a great sign. I'm always looking for great healthy food that makes my taste buds happy and evolution delivers. Some of my favs are the black bean burger, all the thick smoothies and fries. I really dig their soups as well. The sunset smoothie with goji berries is my first choice. I really seem to prefer their hot food over the cold, but that's just me. Great ketchup to :) I have talked to the manger Miguel and he is really knowledgeable about the menu. If you are gluten-free, which I am not, you can find many options men-labeled Check it and be open minded. It is what it promotes to be, healthy vegan/vegetarian fast food. Cool patio I should enjoy more but never have! read more

Maybe it's just me, or maybe I'm just missing something here, but I thought that the food at the EVOLUTION FAST FOOD Restaurant was above average at best. I know I'm still new to this Vegan Style of eating, but I was a little disappointed in the burger I ate, because frankly...I've had better. I came here after a long morning at work, followed by a little physical therapy to get my ailing shoulder back to 100% health. After going through all this throughout the day, I built up a little hunger (Therapy does that to you) and staying true to myself on this Vegan Diet I've been on for the past 7 weeks or so, I was looking for a good Vegan place to eat. I'd pass by Extraordinary Desserts a couple of times until I finally noticed this Vegan Fast Food joint right next to it...so I decided to give it a try. One of the biggest negatives you can find about this place is the parking....or lack of one. Parking can be a pain in this area and sometimes you end up parking 5-6 blocks down just to find a spot. The service was pretty good and very prompt...I give the people that work here a lot of credit when it came to speedy service...It's the taste I found a little disappointing. I've had, over the past couple of weeks, a taste of the various Veggie Burgers that I could get my hands onto, and a lot of them were extremely good with a lot of flavors that tingle in my mouth. As much as it pains me to say this, the Mushroom and Swiss Burger just didn't do it for me. I found the Veggie Patty a little bit on the bland side and to be honest, it tasted like the BOCA Burgers you can buy frozen at your daily Supermarket. The Sweet Potato Fries though were excellent. I've had sweet potato fries at other eating establishments, but these were some of the best I've ever eaten. Cut like thick oversided potato chips, they had a crispiness to them and were a joy to eat. I'd like to be as honest as I can on this review but fries alone, don't make this restaurant a 5 star place. They lose points for both parking and taste... And trust me... I've had better Veggie Burgers around the San Diego Area. read more

Evolution Fast Food - Mushroom and Swiss Burger with Sweet Potato Fries - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Somebody is sleeping on the job! I was blocking everyone because it took over 15 minutes for me to realize they forgot my order and it was just a shake. Went in and they simply gave my shake with no apologies. Been going here for a long time and always recommended them to my vegan friends. Not anymore. read more

It's okay. Their cali burrito is small but still really good, swirl ice cream is horrible and oily and the chimichurri carne sandwich is not that great. I've had better burgers and ice cream elsewhere. I'm glad I made the stop to check them out but it's nothing special to make me return again read more

Evolution Fast Food - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Proof I was here on Saturday at 7:45pm your employee Malenia was being extremely disrespectful and racist I really don't appreciate her service towards me and my friend . Showed up at 7:45 she kicked me out with no reason stated it was because a mask but there were 2 other customers inside with no mask keep in mind I am african American and the other two customers were white . I had a mask inside my car and went through the drive through she ran out n yelled at me disrespectfully said we closed now. My friend went inside talked to a manger Joel he was very helpful and allowed us to come in covered. read more

Evolution Fast Food - Resturant - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

I am not vegan. I am not vegetarian. Let's be real, I ain't even CONSIDERING it. It's out of the question but THIS place is legit! The black bean burger is something I dream about at times. Yummy! read more

Ok ok evolution. You got me, your chicken sandwhich and California burrito are worth the wait. Slow but delicious. You have redeemed yourself read more

I REALLY like their veggie burgers here. For the record this is actually the only veggie burger I've ever had that I like. Most to me taste awful (and I've tried most brands). Because of my distaste for veggie burgers I never thought to order it here but I had a friend get it and I tried a bite and WOW it was tasty! I'm not sure if they sell this brand of veggie burger anywhere else (gartein I think) but i've been on the lookout for it. The only reason they don't get 5 stars from me is that its very slow service. Last time I went I called ahead and it took 45 minutes to get my burger!! The reason for this was that the woman "forgot about me, woops" ... but besides this one instance it does typically take a long time to get my food every time i've been. **update, you can buy this brand of veggie burgers Gartein at whole foods** read more

Evolution Fast Food - Completely burnt fries, second time in a row-- will not be back! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm an avid foodie weighing in at 295 lbs. I've been craving a lot of vegetables and I had the best of two worlds (both fast food and all VEGAN!). I got to try a number of things: buffalo chicken sandwich, bacon cheeseburger, the chicken wrap, chocolate milk shake, coconut macaroon, chocolate cheesecake and their sweet lemon tea. Everything vegan and everything good!!! The patties are handmade and well put together. The assorted vegetables that it comes with are fresh and flavorful and the sweets are not so rich that you can actually eat the whole thing and not be high on sugar. All in all very good stuff. I live in LA and I would make my way here once a week if I could. If I were in San Diego I'd definitely be a regular. read more

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This is vegan "fast" food I guess. Not particulary fast, probably because it's popular. I waited probably 15 minutes for a smoothie. My sweet potato chips were finished faster! The foods I've tried are just ok. Lovely little patio out back. read more

Evolution Fast Food - Enjoying an evening on the patio. - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Second time here. My first visit back in 2014 was really impressive, while I was kinda disappointed by this time. I got a Thai wrap and kale salad. For me, it was a little bit too salty, whereas my companion thought it was okay. Precisely, the seasoning overwhelmed the genuine flavor of ingredients. read more

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5 star vegan cheese burgers!!! Love it. The burgers we're so on point. Loved this spot. Will definitely be back to try more items off their menu. They have awesome "milk" shakes as well and their ketchup tastes fresh, I'll have to ask if they make their own ketchup. Try it, get the mushroom cheeseburger with the "beef" patti.you won't regret it, see picture. read more

Evolution Fast Food - The mushroom Swiss burger with the "beef" patti - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

Some of the best vegan food in san diego! I always order the buffalo fries (secret menu lol).....and the ranch they serve is better than "normal" ranch! The soft serve is also delicious! Food is worth the (sometimes long) wait :) read more

Evolution Fast Food - Buffalo fries! (Secret menu item, i believe) - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

The grilled chicken wrap is the best thing I've ever had as a meat substitute. Their chipotle sauce is amazing. But ultimately the best thing about this place is the BLACK LIVES MATTER signs out front (: I live closer to plant power but will continue to go to evolution! read more

Raw jumbo veggie was fresh & satisfying. The cashew hummus pairs nicely with the veggies and the mustard gives it an extra kick with every crunchy bite. My kids weren't the biggest fans of the chiken tenders- but the fresh lemonade & French fries more than made up for it! read more

Evolution Fast Food - Jumbo Veggie, French fries, and 5 piece chiken tenders - Vegetarian Near Me - San Diego, California

They need to remove the 'fast' from their name and add 'delicious' 'amazing' 'mouth-watering'! Unfortunately fast isn't their strong skill at Evo. I know this and honor it, so I plan extra time. :) I always get the buffalo chicken sammy! Splurge on the fries and a drink! When you know a good thing it's hard to veer away from it, but I'm sure everything they make is super tasty! One of my fave veggie spots! Yummy! read more

LOVE THE FOOD! Haven't had anything I don't like so far and I have brought home food a few times for me and my boyfriend. I'm vegetarian and he still eats meat every Now and then, and he has liked everything so far as well too! Tonight I tried a chocolate shake for the first time and the mushroom burger and I completely forgot it was 100% vegan which is amazing!!! The only reason I give 4 stars and not 5 is based on location and size. :/ I'd give 4 1/2 really as it's not a big enough deal to discourage me from going but it's a small lot and then the drive thru is tight and tends to back up, it takes a little bit of time sometimes. If you park and go in, definitely eat on the patio! Super cute although I hope they replace the worn put tables and chairs at some point. Aside from that small setback, everyone is pretty nice there and again, the food is just so damn good'! Vegan or not , try it! read more

Considering this is a vegan fast food place, it's pretty good. The pricing is affordable and reflective of the quality. We've ordered a few of the burgers and sandwiches and they're pretty tasty. Recently we ordered the fries animal style and my only concern was that it was a smaller handful of fries than I'm used to. Other than that, this place has a lot of options. Also it's not as fast as regular fast food because they take the time to prep it. read more

I've been back and the food has been good normally, the ordering n drive thru line confusion needs to be fixed but otherwise it's good food yes. read more