The Fullerton Rutas has been a staple for my sister and I for close to six years, we come in at least twice a month and absolutely love it. The vibes are artsy, chill, and very laid back, and while we have our regular spots there are no bad seats. Staff are always friendly here, and even though it's seat yourself and menus are on the table for you to take your time with, they're always checking in and willing to answer questions. Elizabeth has been our server on multiple occasions and is always attentive and quick to help or communicate, and always says hi even if she isn't the one working with us directly. Dinner rush is usually a bit earlier in the evening as they do see a lot of older clientele, but it typically varies based on weekday vs weekend and if there's a local event happening in downtown Fullerton. The patio is large with plentiful seating, a warm fireplace, dogs are allowed, and if there's live music happening at the museum down the street you can usually hear it. Our favorites are the nachos, killer chili, Leeky soup, and any of their salads. Price is a good value, especially considering the portion size, we can usually get at least two meals out of an entree. We love trying the new dollar dip flavor every month. Cookies are made in-house and very good, an easy and affordable treat to grab on the way out. We've brought vegan and vegetarian friends here and they can always find something to eat. Highly recommend as a place to come to when you want to sit and hang out for a bit to relax and have a good meal, whether alone or with a group. read more

Rutabegorz - Strawberry Bliss salad and Killer Chili nachos - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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If you step through the doorway and your first thought is, gosh, there must be a college campus around here, you'd be right. Rutabegorz (pronounced like the vegetable: "ROO-tah-BAY-gorz") is a short protest march away from Cal-State Fullerton as well as Fullerton Community College here in Southern California, and is across the street from an Anglican church that looks like an old Sixties, social justice kind of house of worship. The place is actually kind of hard to find, since from the outside it looks like any other ivy-covered brick building that houses the bookstores and headshops that cling, lamprey-like, to institutions of higher learning. Inside, the décor is a funky hodge-podge, not in the calculated way that a place like TGI-Friday's is crafted, but the way you'd imagine post-hippie entrepreneurs would decorate their restaurant labor-of-love. That introduction should prepare you for the food, which is as anti-corporate as you'd imagine from the place's looks. The vegetarian dishes are numerous and hearty the way you'd expect vegetarian dishes wouldn't be, somehow filling and richly satisfying. The ratatouille is savory, the vegetarian burrito bean-y and substantial, the falafel wrap is a little dry but will sit in the pit of your stomach in a satisfying way. The hummus is a lumpy, almost cottage cheese-like interpretation of the dish which could use a little more flavor but isn't bad. The food tastes homemade, the vegetables as though they were actually, at one point in their existences, raw. The meals are as nourishing physically as a Marilynne Robinson novel is spiritually. For those who are worried, the restaurant isn't exclusively vegetarian, and although I haven't had a bunch of the meat dishes, what I have had has continued on the theme of minimally processed foods. The-Walnut-That-Kissed-The-Chicken is a nice take on the chicken salad sandwich, spread thick between two slabs of squaw bread that make it as much a mouthful to eat as it is to say, and the chicken tastes like it was actually boiled and then chopped by hand. We still live in a society driven by consumption, not even the peacenik greenie-types are unaffected, and you can tell by the size of the portions - you invariably have to take some home. Salads come in gigantic blue plastic basins that look as though the cook in the back thought about looking for a proper serving bowl and then just decided, aw to heck with it, I'll just serve the entire thing in the tub I tossed it in. Be sure to get a dessert anyway - the cheesecake is the sweet, tart, dense kind of thing that makes gaining talk-show kind of weight easy. The place also has a decent list of beers. I haven't tried the wines or the cocktails. I've been coming here on and off for a little over a quarter of a century now, I've seen all sorts of people sitting at the rickety wooden tables, from the Birkenstock crowd to sorority girls to Korean club-kids - wholesome food in giant portions appeals across sociopolitical lines. read more

Rutabegorz has two locations: Fullerton and Orange. We always loved eating at the Fullerton location. Quaint interiors, and great service. Great for breakfast and lunch. read more

Came here for quick before the museum opened. Place has an eclectic vibe, booths tables and patio seating. Overall very nice decor and friendly staff. It's a big menu, lots of salads, wraps and sandwiches. According to server, they are know for the enchiladas. Opted for sandwiches, pretty good club sandwich, really big. Overall a nice cafe and will visit again when in the area. read more

Rutabegorz - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

3.5 stars Each location is owned by someone else so this location doesn't have as many vegan options as the orange location. We got the Asian flavored bowl but I wish it had tofu and it had too much mushroom for me. The staff is always nice and the atmosphere is so homey and cute like all the locations. read more

Rutas has been a Fullerton staple for probably 40 years! Their food is spectacular. Everything is fresh. Everything is healthy and they have a very large diverse menu and something for everyone, oh and did I say delicious something for everyone? I'm one of those people that usually gets the same thing and mine is the garlic chicken salad and the cocky leaky soup. The service is friendly and warm and the place is adorable and so inviting. read more

Rutabegorz - Chicken salad - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

I love the eclectic vibe of Rutabegorz, as well as their extensive menu featuring vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. These options are labeled on their website menu, but were missing on the in-house restaurant menus. Luckily I had decided what I wanted earlier when looking at their website, so I knew what would be gluten free or not. You can seat yourself and a server will come to you. Service was pretty quick and friendly throughout our visit. We started with the chips and salsa. The chips were thick with a good crunch. I ordered the Italiano salad, which came loaded with veggies and garlic chicken and dijon vinaigrette. The salad was huge, and they provided ample cheese and olives. The artichoke hearts and the olives threw me off as neither had much flavor, and the dressing was very mild for a dijon vinaigrette. I enjoyed the size of the salad, but the combination of the ingredients didn't mix well somehow. My husband had the Walnut that Kissed the Chicken sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich on Indian Grain bread. It came with a cup of macaroni salad and a slice of cantaloupe. He enjoyed his sandwich. I plan to return and try something else on the menu, like the chicken tortilla soup. read more

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This is a nice restaurant with outside seating. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich, it's served on squaw bread. The sandwich was fresh and was delicious. The waitress was very professional and attentive. read more

Came for a work lunch on a Tuesday for the first time and was surprised by how big the place was and found a table right away! Serving sizes are large so definitely shareable and great for eating family style. Everything we got was good and tasted freshly made; especially the huge salad. Service was good, wait staff were attentive and nice. The carrot cake was good and a must try. I definitely would come back with the family. read more

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I appreciate the vegetarian options, but the delivery just isn't there. At least make the food taste good, please. I was incredibly disappointed after my visit here. My husband was equally confused by all of the raving reviews. How does this place have so many good reviews? I just don't get it. The food was so bland. Sure, there was lots of veggies. The veggies were fresh. I'll give them that. The dishes just didn't come together well. My salad was very lackluster. The dressing had no flavor. It was like eating veggies with water on them lol I couldn't take it. The salad was unappetizing. I ordered hummus with pita bread. The pita bread was wheat. It was gross. The hummus itself was decent though. I ordered the macaroni and cheese with no bacon. It just wasn't good. The sauce was a runny cheese with some grated cheese sprinkled on top. The cheese on top wasn't melted. I didn't care for the flavor with the sun dried tomatoes. Just not my cup of tea. I basically didn't like anything here. Service was fine. Except for the fact that the waitress saw that I didn't eat any of my food, and she didn't even think to ask if everything was okay. That was odd to me. Ambiance was not crowded, but it wasn't dead. There were a lot of older folks there dining. read more

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I felt like I had walked into someone's home when I visited Rutabegorz yesterday!! It was so warm, cozy, and very comfortable. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor space for eating and different sized groups. The menu was so extensive that it took us a while to decide what to order. Our Italiano and Mediterranean Salads were delicious and plentiful. The Turkey wraps were bursting at the seams and loaded with deliciousness. We can't wait to go back there and try some of their smoothies, bagels, and other munchies on the menu. Thank you Rutabegorz for your friendly service and your appetizing menu items. read more

Rutabegorz - California Mediterranean Salad - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Rutabegorz has two locations: Orange and Fullerton. Never been to one till today. The ambiance here in the Fullerton location is big, quaint interiors and friendly service. They have outside seating so they most likely get very busy during the night and weekends. We ordered their nachos and dip of the day. Their dip tasted great with a hint of tamarind- love it. I also ordered their Strawberry beer ale and latte. Had a great time dining here. read more

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Rutabegorz ticks all the boxes! Fresh, delicious, healthy, terrific ambience, and impeccable service. Our server accommodated my friend's requests with such grace (she's extremely particular)! I was initially overwhelmed with so many options, but I decided to go with the garlic chicken sandwich. The portion was HUGE and so tasty! Caveat: when they say garlic, they MEAN garlic - and a TON of it! I had garlic emissions for a couple of days. There is ample indoor seating in addition to a lovely covered patio out back. read more

Rutabegorz - garlic chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Amazing food and amazing service these folks are really really cool the prices are not bad they're very reasonable but mainly the food and the service are outstanding I cannot recommend this restaurant enough ! read more

10/10 BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad - This is hands down one of my top favorite salad spots--especially this particular location. The salads are absolutely massive, and everything is incredibly fresh. They're generous with all the ingredients, so you're never left feeling like something's missing. Plus, they offer a great variety of dressings to choose from, which makes customizing your salad even better. 10/10 Artichoke Dip - This is also our go-to appetizer! So delicious! Cost - BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad $17.50 (before tax and tip). Artichoke Dip $8.50 (before tax and tip). 1w read more

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It's a healthy lunch restaurant option in dtf with vegan, turkey and chicken options. I opted for the garlic chicken salad in a big bowl and the salad was huge. But the salad was so good I finished all. Definitely recommending this salad here. Service was phenomenal super friendly employees here. Also the patio seatings are dog friendly. read more

Rutabegorz - Garlic chicken salad - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

We went here for dinner after years of not having visited. When you step inside, you actually seat yourself, and a server will provide menus and ask for drink orders. The ambience is interesting with recreations of ancient Egyptian art. It's a little dark inside with lights that flicker occasionally. On a Friday night, it was a little quiet inside. I got the Italiano wrap ($16.50), which had salami, pepperoncini, mozzarella, onion, lettuce, and tomato. The ingredients were all fresh and tasty. There was a little spoon to pour the dijon vinaigrette into the wrap. The macaroni salad was pleasantly light and not too creamy. While I enjoyed the food, the price was costly for the portion size. I felt full, but I wish they served the wrap in a bigger size for the price charged. The salads look like they come in generous portions since they get served in large bowls. It's nice that there are a lot of fresh and healthy options, however. read more

OMG this place gets better and better every time I come Buddy of mine made his first visit today and was blown away by the quality of food, the variety and the service The other buddy I was with discovered this place a month ago and he's already been here eight times and he said he could eat here every day of the week The menu is like a phonebook. Unmatched salads soups are as good as you you'll find anywhere and OMG the quinoa bowl is worth the price of admission The service is great and the guy that runs the place is Dane. Make sure you look him up and tell him how great his restaurant is he might give you a cookie.!!! Great reason to go to downtown Fullerton I got one word : Rutabegorzs!!! read more

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the quesadilla was honestly lowk spicy and tasted super fresh. the Mexican wrap was also super fresh and the portions were huge too. def coming back read more

Rutabegorz - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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This place has so many options for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Their artichoke dip is absolutely delicious! The chips are fresh and salty too. Perfect appetizer! Their salads are big and flavorful. I got the garlic chicken sandwich and it was so good! The roll made it garlicky and flavorful. Service is attentive and nice (I didn't have to ask for a refill once). We got there right when they opened and sat wherever we wanted. The outside is a great shaded area to enjoy a wonderful meal. read more

Rutabegorz - Garlic chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Our family go to when craving healthy options. the chili and salads are favorites to share

I love this restaurant. I love their food, atmosphere, ambience, decor, and service. No complaints. I got a few $3 beers. I also got 1/2 soup and 1/2 sandwich. It was delicious. I've been here several times before. I like their killer chili and their curry chicken wrap. So good. This restaurant is a top 10. It's our fav and a must try. read more

Rutabegorz - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Every time I've been here the food is always delicious, well prepared and nice to look at. I always try to get the dip sample and today it was $.55 for a pineapple salsa with chips. The service was very good. Our servers name was Meriya. She checked in with us often enough. I had the Bill Murray chicken curry wrap. I've never had a wrap that was wrapped well. All of the stuff fell out, but it was yummy as a salad with a soft tortilla. There were four of us, one had veggie enchiladas, one had a spicy chicken quesadilla and the final member of our party had a salami sandwich. The wrap and the sandwich came with an unremarkable pasta salad, it needed something crunchy like celery, or pickles or onion. In my opinion. The quesadilla came with guacamole, sour cream, and a tasty smoky salsa. The guacamole and salsa are homemade. The curry dressing that came with the wrap was homemade as well. that The ambience is a beautiful restaurant inside and outside. If you read the history of the restaurant, it used to be a doctor's office in the 1940s. There's always something new to see art and antique wise. This is a local favorite. read more

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This is by far my favorite restaurant in Fullerton. I've been coming for years and I've never had a bad experience--good food, good people, and good vibes. There are a lot of different dietary restrictions in my friend group (vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, eats meat but not dairy...) and Rutaz is my go-to choice for taking them out to dinner because everyone can find something tasty and satisfying. My coworkers were heartbroken when the Tustin location closed (it was just a few minutes down the street from the office and by far the best place for lunch), but I'm grateful to live close enough to visit the Fullerton location regularly. read more

We have been to this place at least 50 times in the last two decades. Recently, it has gone into the toilet. Last time, the service was poor and I let it slide. Tonight, we were not greeted by a server for 15 minutes. When she finally came to our table, she had a terrible attitude. We walked out immediately and I'll never be back. So sad as I love the menu and the vibe here. read more

First time here, wanted some good soup for dinner. Seat yourself anywhere. Huge place. Staff is friendly, but used to regulars. They are not just vegetarian, as we assumed for the longest time (20 years, sorry...) Tried the seasonal club called the Dave Beard gets spicy. Comes with mini cup of pasta salad and wedge of cantaloupe. Sando was good, not over toasted, didn't taste the garlic in the bread, though. Also ordered a cup of tortilla soup on the side. A little salty, but it was nice and chunky with veg and chicken. Tortilla (chips) on the side. Wife got the cookie leekie chicken soup. Think clam chowder, but with chicken. It comes with a slice of squaw bread and 2 pats of butter. Will try them again, along with their cocktails and coffee specialty drinks. If we're pokemoning in the area, I'm going to get a smoothie! read more

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I met a friend for lunch here on a weekday at noon. It's sort of hidden and, although it doesn't have its own parking lot, I had no problem finding street parking. It's an older restaurant with several rooms and a patio. You seat yourself and, when you're finished eating, you pay at the booth near the front door. Whimsical paintings and decor cover the walls and one room has a shelf that encircles the room with vintage coffee pots. We sat in a booth and ordered - for 54 cents (one cent for every year they've been open) - a small dish of chips and dip. For lunch, after looking over the massive menu, I decided on a chicken salad sandwich which they call "The Walnut That Kissed The Chicken". It has walnuts, mayo, and celery in the chicken salad mix along with lettuce, and tomato on top. It was huge! It was delicous! I had an Arnold Palmer to drink which was made perfectly. I was too full for dessert but got a cookie to take home. They had several to choose from and I decided on a seasonal one: pumpkin. This cookie was enormous, the size you normally get at those gourmet cookie shops (maybe bigger!). The pumpkin spice flavor was mild while a maple glaze sweetened it up. Our server was wonderful and the food was yummy but I especially loved the goofy atmosphere of the place. read more

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Interesting decor in an old Spanish style building with Egyptian motifs on the interior walls. The place has a lot of seating! The little restroom in the front of the restaurant is charming with old Fullerton clothes store advertisements, a corner sink and tp dispenser placed behind your left shoulder! The 1/2 sandwich and soup combo is perfect for lunch. The walnut chicken salad on Squaw bread is quite large for half a portion. The pumpkin curry soup arrived steaming hot and was great for a fall lunch. My sister liked the Mexican Casserole with shrimp that was full of veggies, but however was quite soupy. My Aunt raved about the carrot cake, and she rarely orders dessert..to my taste, the cake was a bit heavy and dry, but the cream cheese frosting was delish. read more

Picked up a Walnut That Kissed The Chicken Sandwich and it was a solid sandwich with a little side of potato salad and two slices of pineapple. I liked the Indian grain bread and the sandwich was loaded with chicken salad. I felt really healthy after eating this sandwich! read more

Rutabegorz - The Walnut That Kissed The Chicken - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

I love this spot. Been here many times throughout the years. Lots of great food and beverage options, friendly staff, and cozy homey atmosphere. Oh, and very reasonable prices for the large portions. Some recommended items: - Garlic chicken salad - Southwest quinoa bowl; I substitute with red sauce and add extra quinoa plus zucchini (which is amazing) - Garlic chicken pasta (with no pine nuts) - Their cookies! I would see lots of people get this but wasn't sure they'd be any good. They're delicious soft cookies which still have some crunch to them. I like to come on the weekdays and there's usually plenty of parking then. read more

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Great food good choices. Healthy eating. Pretty place. Interesting seating arrangements. Enjoyed it

Nice good, nice staff, eclectic decor. Would go back and try and other bits and bobs as the menu is large. $20 got me my combo lunch plate, so not the cheapest but the portions are large. read more

Rutabegorz - Tuna sandwich and veggie quinoa soup - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Late review from end of May. I'm having a serious craving for a big bowl of the cockie leeky soup. Warm, potato and leek chowder style soup, I had no idea what to expect and it was so darn good! Food is incredibly fresh and simple. The spinach and artichoke dip had a zesty bite, possibly pickled green peppers in there somewhere? It was a nice twist on a familiar appetizer. Half sandwich and cup of soup was plenty. They also had a flavored iced tea which was very good in an Arnold Palmer. The server even offered a cup to go, which was a delightful treat for the warm day that it was. Hubs ordered a bowl of chili on the side and it tasted hearty and healthy. I believe he got the black bean chili. Lovely spot to stop in. The decor is fun, the service kind, and the food is excellent. read more

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Another amazing lunch here today! Steven M was our server and super friendly and on top of it. We got here and had no wait, which was great because we were all starving!! Amazing flavors and THE FRESHEST ingredients!! And absolutely always love the chill vibe, including murals and music! read more

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Yummy healthy food delicious. Staff friendly. Don't expect speedy service- it's more of a relaxing atmosphere. Seating isn't always comfortable, but it works. read more

I was introduced to this place by a good friend and wasn't quite sure what to expect. At first glance, the place looked a bit old, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I ordered the Asian salad and made a few modifications--specifically, I asked them to leave out the mushrooms. In hindsight, I should've also asked them to remove the tomatoes, as I don't think they really go with an Asian-style salad. That said, the portion was generous, and the salad itself was actually quite good. I also tried their cheesecake, and it was absolutely amazing--definitely the highlight of the meal! read more

Rutabegorz - Cheesecake - Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Great little hidden gem with a hippie vibe in Fullerton. Waitress properly recommended the chicken enchiladas and they did not disappoint. Tasted like something that my Tia would make.. will definitely go back again and try something else! Very cool spot with lots of interesting things on the walls so stop in even if you just wanna have a cup of coffee. read more

Rutabegorz is a nice spot for lunch or a quick bite to catch up with a friend. The food portions are decent as well as delicious and presentable. The service is friendly and quick! Overall, great communication from the restaurant staff and I recommend Elizabeth's Tostada Salad. Their desserts are also a plus! :) read more

There's a bunch of options. It's like a mix of food. Vegetables feel fresh but it's like thr plates do not go along. We ordered the California Mediterranean salad it had nothing of Mediterranean. It had a bunch of veggies and chop turkey breast, dressing not tasteful and all type of veggies that doesn't really go. The chicken sandwich was average, nothing special regular bread with chicken, celery and mayo. The food took more than 20 min. read more

I am ovo-lacto vegetarian, so my reviews are appropriately limited. My standard orders over a two-week period are avocado sandwich and egg sandwich. I dine there twice weekly and usually take orders home, Both sandwiches are excellent and filling. Although the egg sandwich is advertised as 'not' egg salad, it is egg salad, but glorious. Most significant, perhaps, is the service: Superior, from Welcome to Adios. Parking is generally adequate and free. read more