When I think of Tender Greens, I think of places like Urban Plates, Mendocino Farms, Lemonade, Urbane, sweetgreen, etc. A few of those places I have yet to try, but I feel like you know what you're getting before you go. I came here on a date when it was still outdoor-only dining and was satisfied with my meal--the chipotle bbq chicken salad and pomegranate ginger agua fresca. The meal and drink were fresh, and despite the meal being more healthy than flavorful, I still really enjoyed it. I did think it was a bit overpriced, though. I do recommend this item if you like grilled chicken. I can't comment on the service, because it was really lacking on the night we went but that could have been because of the pandemic. I hope that when I return (and yes I will return) it'll be better. Once I try the places like this one that I haven't been to yet, I might be back to update my review... read more

Tender Greens - Chipotle bbq chicken salad (front), pomegranate ginger agua fresca, Chinese chicken salad - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Let me start by saying that I used to work down the street from Tender Greens for a long time, and used to eat lunch there pretty regularly. With that being said, I was not an avid Yelper back then, so I didn't review them. Well, at least until now. That brings me to my most recent experience with Tender Greens, and it was everything, and all the deliciousness I remember from the last time I ate there 5 years ago. Yes, it's been that long! Not my fault though, I no longer work in Pasadena. Yesterday, my work meeting was catered by Tender Greens, and it was SO YUMMY! We had an assortment of salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Everything was super tasty, fresh, and delicious. Everyone in our meeting was raving about how good everything was. Really made me miss my yummy lunch spot from my Pasadena days. read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came here on a Saturday at 7:10pm trying to order food Togo. I even went as far as to stopping by target to pass time. I came back at around 7:40pm, and they still didn't even start making the food. I know they didn't start making my food yet because they said when I left, they ran out of the salad I wanted and to choice something else. In addition, when I asked how much longer it would take, Amy the manager, said they're only waiting on the salmon. The annoying part was that I only ordered salmon, lettuce, and mashed potatoes. (Since this is a Togo order, they didn't even have to mix the lettuce with dressing). The people who ordered after us already got their food. By 8pm is when I finally received my food in hand. I have a feeling they forgot about my order because they didn't even start making the salmon I ordered until I asked for my food around 7:40pm. What is most frustrating is that they didn't even have 2/3 of the items I initially ordered. Although this experience was a nightmare, Mounir was very helpful and tried to levitate the problem. The manager, Amy on the other hand was unhelpful, unapologetic, and didn't do anything except pace around the kitchen trying to avoid confrontation. In summary, I would not recommend coming here if Amy is running the restaurant that day. You will not get your food within an hour of ordering. **add on after I came home I originally ordered romaine hearts. Since they ran out of that and the baby greens, I told them it is fine if they gave me kale or spinach. I specifically said NO Arugula because I am ALLERGIC TO IT. When I came home with the Togo order, I noticed they gave me a WHOLE CONTAINER OF ARUGULA. I wasted my money, time, and gas to drive all the way to Pasadena for food I cannot eat. We specifically told Amy we wanted Kale. read more

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Had a very delicious dinner last night but what impressed me most was the service. I met a few friends to celebrate my birthday and one of them brought me flowers. The manager commented on them and heard it was my birthday. After we finished our meal, she brought over a dessert and several cookies for us to share. It was such a lovely gesture. And the entire staff was excellent. They offered multiple drink refills while we sat and talked for a couple of hours. They didn't even rush us out as we approached closing time. I'm definitely putting this location in my rotation. Thanks again! read more

Worst Tender Greens. Love their food, but this location cannot get a delivery order right. Ever. Our office has ordered from them 3 separate times. All 3 times have had items totally missing from the order. In the past, it was a side dish and a soup. Or salads with no dressing. Today, we got family meals but only received sides without any proteins. How about asking the kitchen to check off items on the order receipt as they pack? Is there no management at this store? read more

On my rotation of a quick family meal: flank steak and potatoes with veggies. It's usually dependable. Not today! Got a side of fried chicken and it was just lukewarm batter fried with the skinniest chicken I've ever seen in my life! Did it get Lipo?! The steaks are usually in the container, neatly sliced. Not like the hot mess of random rare pieces like this. It doesn't even add up to a whole flank. It's bits and pieces from other streaks. The icing on the cake is my aqua Fresca in a food container. read more

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I ordered from Tender Greens Pasadena through Postmates, but unfortunately, the delivery was never picked up--even after over two hours of waiting. We decided to call the restaurant directly, and my boyfriend spoke with the manager, Allie/Ally. Although the situation wasn't their fault and there wasn't much they could officially do, Allie went above and beyond. Out of the kindness of her heart, she prepared a fresh, warm meal for us. Her generosity and professionalism truly stood out, and we just wanted to say how much we appreciated it. Thank you, Allie! read more

Walked in on a quiet Saturday afternoon, at approximately 2pm, when there were only *three* other tables dining in. Politely waited a couple minutes to order, no one else in line. Without ever making any eye contact, a shorter woman, named Michelle, with brown hair, and glasses took our order and, man, she must have been having one heck of a day. Her inflection and decorum could not have been more flippant and disrespectful simply from a customer service point of view. As we began to order, she turned around and walked away and mutters "I'm listening", as if our presence was an incredible inconvenience to her, as we begin to order she interjects "anything else". Like, ma'am, take that nonsense to McDonald's. Her disposition was so rude and inexperienced from both a server's and customer's point of view. I was so disgusted by her unfitting disposition that I declined to order anything for myself. It's one thing to have a bad day, it's another to take your bad mood out on customers. We love this place, but having staff who lack simple respect or human decency is truly needless. read more

Tender Greens - Receipt - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Popped in on a rainy day and tried the tortilla soup, it's great! Kind of like a thick birra consumé packed with savory flavor. Only 3 starts because I also ordered the avocado toast which seemed like the aged supermarket deli guacamole with too much citrus and turning brown.... I want avocado toast, which in my opinion, is fresh mashed avocado with maybe some salt and pepper with a garnish of cilantro or pickled relish.... this was a runny blob of something that wasn't made fresh... so stick to the Greens at Tender greens, because the Avo-Toast is NOT GREEN! read more

Tender Greens - Tortilla Soup, Avocado Toast, Steak Plate - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

One of my "reliable" go to places, I swing by when I can if I pass through Pasadena. When the pandemic hit, we wanted to get it delivered, but they didn't deliver past a 3-mile radius, so we've only recently started to head there to eat in the restaurant. I'm glad that they are still as reliable and the food here is really quite tasty and healthy. We discovered this several years ago, and would head there for when I wanted "clean" food - organic, healthy, locally sourced etc. It's a little pricey, but not significantly so. If you are new to the place, the menu is pretty straightforward, and there are chef specials that are different from other Tender Greens often. Monthly special items are often pretty tasty and quite unique to the So Cal vibe. Not sure why I have never reviewed it, so this is long over due! :) We visited on Sunday 8/8 for lunch. My husband had their monthly promo item, a Summertime Steak plate, that had a 10% off promotion if you had their app, which he enjoyed. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of his food! I can't eat beef unfortunately, so I opted for the grilled Salmon, with roasted potatoes & veggies (see photo). Came with also a slice of toast. We also ordered the very tasty avocado toast, without cheese, so the chili pepper was quite spicy! I love their salmon, it has never been overcooked and is flaky and tender. It's also not soaking in oil, and is lightly seasoned. I have been avoiding restaurants that have been over salting their foods (like Urban Plates) and appreciate that they don't salt their foods too much. We also always order their mint lemonade, which is very delicious...though this time around it was extra tangy! The only bummer about this experience was that it took SUPER long to get our food. Normally, it would take no more than 10 - 15 minutes. But at about 30 minutes, we had to ask for our food, and it still took another 10 minutes after that. Because of that delay, we ended up staying at the restaurant slightly more than an hour - which ended up exceeding our parking validation, and we had to pay $3 for that. They were not that crowded in the restaurant itself either, maybe less than half filled, but there were a lot of delivery orders, and unfortunately, it looked like that was their priority, and those orders were filled first. So overall? Food is great, but don't be in a major hurry if you are sitting down to dine. I'm guessing shortage in staff due to the pandemic impact and their focus on delivery orders will slow things down. read more

Tender Greens - Grilled Salmon with roasted potatoes & grilled veggies - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

The food is consistently good, and there is plenty of seating inside and outside. However, I always have to wait a while for my food to come out, which can be problematic if you're on your lunch break. I usually get the happier vegan, and it's always tasty. I'll be back again since it's a convenient location. read more

Ugh, hate to downgrade when I love tender greens overall. This time I have to spread warnings to steer clear from ordering the panang curry bowl, truly disgusting. Chicken must have had a long free range life as it was sinewy and tough, no tenderness. There was no no hint of curry in the bowl, just overwhelming heat with no delicious flavors to be found. Hubby's salmon however was grilled to perfection, fresh, no fishy taste, and just the right amount of fat; he loved it. read more

Tender Greens - Majority of curry dish - blah! - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Newly vegan, I ordered the "Happier Vegan" and it's an amazing dish -- delicious falafel, hummus, and greens, liberally sprinkled with chopped almonds and other veggie garnishes. Defintely coming back for it! read more

Tender greens is the spot! I 1st learned about this from a girlfriend when I was out in the East Coast and she swore by it. I remember it being good but after having it back home I remember it even better! I love the fact that you can customize your in customize your salads. They have the best toppings. A few of my favorite custom topics are decorated Bella mushrooms, roasted sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, and crispy rice. But even better plus is they have extremely flavor play the whole sauce's. All of them are not explosions! If you get a chance definitely try one of their cremate and if you are feeling adventurous and no exactly what you like to get a custom. read more

Absolutely delicious food. I got the seared tuna plate with mashed potatoes and romaine hearts (Caesar salad). A very fresh & filling meal with a nice ambiance. read more

When I'm looking for a healthy alternative, Tender Greens is a solid choice. I usually order the Vegan plate because it's tasty and almost like a detox for me. I've also several salads and plates which very tasty. I love the outdoor patio area and the fact that it's witching walking distance from my apartment. The menu changes seasonally but I have nothing but food experiences there. read more

There's nothing super special about Tender Greens but it is a solid spot for a reasonably healthy meal consistently at every location. And they now have a brunch menu! We opted to go here instead of Urth across the street that had an insane line; there was no line here. I had the Mediterranean breakfast bowl which was tasty and completely satisfying. You order inside but there is outdoor seating both in front of (near the street) and to the side of the restaurant. Try to find seating on the side first, as I believe it is their "normal" outdoor area and a bit nicer. read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came here for the first time and we really liked it. We ordered the braised short ribs dish and it was so flavorful. The broccolini was nice and crunchy not mushy. I hope they do not take the short ribs off the menu. We also ordered a harvest chicken salad and that was delicious. We will be coming back for sure. Service was great we told the employee it was our first time and she helped us with the ordering process. That was nice. Ambiance was nice it was a Friday evening it was chill. BTW they are cashless they only accept debit/ credit cards. read more

My fiancé picked up food for us and it was very delicious. I got the salmon and I loved it! I want to try more items on the menu

Staff is VERY NICE. We took our food to go after we sat down and were attacked by constant flies. Not surprised since there's literally sticky tables and food on the floor. Sprayed the table with some sanitizer, one wipe and the tissue was black. read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came here only because Urban Plates wasn't open yet at the time. I've probably been here before but I don't remember it tasting this bad. I'm not sure if they gave me the wrong entree but the BBQ chipotle chicken didn't taste like there were any BBQ chipotle flavor. It was like a plain grilled chicken that was really dry and it was hard to even chew. The arugula salad was supposed to have like a vinaigrette flavor but the dressing was like this white sauce that didn't even have any vinaigrette flavor in it. Finally, the Mac and cheese was like this big block of cold and hard brick with this weird crumb toppings (also really hard to stomach because it had no flavor). Altogether with a drink it was $20 which was really pricey for some really bad food read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Parker is serving the wildest ahi in the town!!!!!!!!!!! The best!!! A++++!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a very good grab and go place for salads. Their plates are also very decent with a good number of healthy sides that you can choose from. They have their own style even though it falls under the umbrella similar to Urban Plates, Lemonade, and Mendocino Farms. I tried out their salad a few times now and I really like the tuna salad. It comes with a hard boiled egg, some potatoes, beans and iceberg lettuce. The lettuce is really fresh and super crunchy, like eating a a piece of chip. The only down side is the lettuce pieces are wayyyy too big. I cannot fit it in one bite. They would get 5 stars if the salad was made more bite size friendly so I won't feel like I'm a rabbit. read more

Tender Greens - Seared Tuna Salad - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Want to eat something and feel healthy about it? That's how I felt when I ate here. I got the build your own plate: steak with mash potatoes and arugula salad. The arugula salad was on point! Everything was good. To be honest I thought I was still a bit hungry, but I think I've just been over eating a bit too much and this was good for me. Parking: street, whatever you can find read more

This is one of my go-to spots for fast and healthy food! The concept of Tender Greens is simple - you walk in and order at the counter, someone prepares the food in front of you and you pay. It's kind of like Chipotle but with a wider variety of options and they're always adding more/introducing seasonal selections based on their produce. I love that everything here is organic and/or sustainably sourced. The food always tastes fresh and flavorful no matter when I'm ordering. I love their BBQ Chicken and steak plates. My go-to sides are either the Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes or roasted root veggies. I absolute love their salads as well. My favorite is the Caesar salad whereas my girlfriend's favorite is the arugula salad. You honestly can't go wrong with any of those options. The service is usually pretty fast and I don't think I've ever had a problem with the wait or anything. This location has ample seating but parking may be a bit hard to find - but that comes with being in downtown Pasadena I guess! read more

Used to be great, now is horrible. Menu is too large; and they don't even have what I wanted to order (out of fried chicken AND avocado toast). They wouldn't honor a coupon for a free cookie - mind you, they only had one kind anyway? - because it wasn't though their official app. The email even said "just mention this coupon." Won't be back again. read more

Tender Greens is a tried and true favorite because 1) it's healthy and 2) the portion size of each food group on the plate is PERFECT (what I should aim for on a daily basis). I usually get the plate with steak (medium-rare which is the default), baby spinach/baby arugula, and seasonal veggies. You can ask what the seasonal veggies are, but if they include carrots, it's an automatic yes for me. I don't know what seasoning they use, but wow those carrots are low key the best thing on the plate. The meat is usually minimally seasoned but I prefer slightly bland to salty steak. And of course the garlic bread speaks for itself. I believe it's sourdough, which is my favorite type of bread. If you're looking for something filling, guilt-free, and fast, Tender Greens is a wonderful choice. read more

Tender Greens - Plate with steak, baby arugula salad, and seasonal veggies - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Today was my last visit, not coming back. What happened to this place? I have been visiting this location for about 2 years and in the last 3-6 months it's really gone downhill. Today's visit was the final one that finally made my mind. Why do I keep giving them a chance? It was the 3rd visit in a row where I leave disappointed. I ate here about once a month. Last one today: ordered 2 salads, eat in. 20 minutes go by and still waiting on food...I have waited patiently but see people around that were already waiting when we arrived so I go to ask and was told 2 more minutes. 5 minutes later (now 25 minutes for 2 salads) tuna arrives cold like it just came out of the fridge and the chicken is undercooked. We ask to regrill so now 5 minutes later eating the same proteins warmer and botched up. Previous one last weekend: ordered takeout. Same items as my previous order - 2 salads, tuna and chicken. When I get home there are no mashed potatoes in one order and the other salad is missing the dressing. I pondered going back but it was already 9:05PM, kitchen is closed and I'm not driving back. Previous one #3: ordered the tuna medium well, arrives cold and clearly rare. No napkins given, have to walk back to get napkins. Why did I give them so many chances? Each time I try to make excuses for them... understaffed? Don't think so, there were 4 cooks in the grill area. Poorly trained staff? Maybe, but each time? Either way, they don't charge fast food prices, I don't have to keep making excuses for them and keep hoping for a better experience, there are plenty of other places that will deliver on the basics. By read more

The food was fresh, with plenty of options to choose for to be able to configure your perfect bowl with base, protein, ingredients, and sauces. The lady taking our order was very nice and patient with us as it was my first time. You come up to the counter and can order pre-determined combinations or make your own plate with a base consisting of rice/lettuce, and proteins ranging from chicken and tofu. The restaurant is in a great location in downtown Pasadena, walking distance from many other coffee shops or bars. The restaurant is clean and has plenty of seating. I plan to come back! read more

I've been coming here a few times recently for lunch. It's less crowded than before and the food is a tiny bit slower. But I'm happy with the same as before prices! It seems like they didn't jack up their prices like every other restaurant. I like to get the steak plate with mashed potatoes and arugula or spinach. Thanks Tender Greens for not using the inflation excuse to dramatically increase your prices! Will be coming more often. read more

My favorite Tender Greens location! I have been here several times and it has never disappointed me so far. Because of COVID, they do have outdoor seating. My go to order is the steak with baby arugula and a side of brown rice. I also like to add in a rustic chicken soup! Yum yum yum :) The service is always great! read more

Tender Greens - My go to order of steak plate with baby arugula and brown rice - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Lovely place. Absolutely loved having lunch here and then working after. They were so kind with offering water as I took a couple meetings here. The Backyard Steak Thai bowl was absolutely delicious. I love how filling it was and how it had the right amount of spice. I also love that they serve Verve cold brew. This is one of the few establishments that carry it. I will definitely be returning for more food and a calming work environment. I recommend if you are looking for a nice place to work remotely from. They are so kind. read more

Tender Greens - Backyard Steak Thai Bowl - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food choices were great. Almost all are healthy too. Even the beans were spiced with enough flavor for me.

In a world where most restaurants serve unhealthy food, add sugar to everything, have only fries or nasty tasting steamed veggies as a side, Tender Greens is our go to. Just good, tasty, healthy food, with a few dessert treats if you're being naughty. read more

Had a salmon Salad. Salmon was 80% grey color. Yes, it's normal to have SOME gray color on salmon steak directly under the skin. BUT THIS WAS about 80% (chunk) of the 1/2 piece of the salmon on the salad. I took my concern to the Manager and she was very polite and immediately offered me something else. I did not want anything else, I informed her the salmon was bad and the salad had no taste. I did not want anything else nor my money back. Also the salt pepper shaker was totally blocked and we could not get it to work on the tasteless food. The couple beside us was having the same problem with the shakers. My friend ordered a chicken salad and did not find it appetizing at all, as she just took a few bites and stopped eating. I did stopped as well but did take my complaint to the manager. The food was tasteless and my salmon was of poor quality as noted above. I will not be returning. read more

We have been going to this Tender Greens location ever since they opened over 10 yrs ago and introduced the Farm-to-Table concept in this rustic setting. We had done almost weekly pick-up orders to support during the pandemic. Today was our first time dining in-person in almost 3 yrs! We are so glad we did! It was bustling on a Sunday lunchtime. We were sad that they no longer had the poached shredded chicken in the Chinese Chicken Salad, the buttermilk fried chicken coating is different, and there is no more butter lettuce. However, we were open to trying new items on the menu. My favorite salad has been the seared rare ahi tuna nicoise salad, but now it's the Grilled Trout Portofino Bowl with chewy pasta pearls and arugula salad! There's a new manager named Allie, and she is amazing! She was working the entire restaurant, including bringing plates to tables and clearing them! And always with a warm smile. The front cashier, Benjamin, is also sweet and helpful as can be! Another plus for in-dining is unlimited refills on our drinks! The staff kindly offered to refill our to-go cups before we left. They are in the process of refinishing their tables, which currently have a sticky surface over time. With the new management, it seems like the portion sizes are back on track. Their food is fresh, flavorful and has complex layers of flavors due to the detailed herbs, veggies and dressings. read more

Tender Greens - Grilled Trout Portofino Bowl with grilled trout, pasta pearls, haricots verts, and arugula salad. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Absolutely delicious as always!!! All fresh ingredients and served to us hot and Everything was absolutely perfect!!! Btw Danielle took our order and was our server, she was very accommodating and she was so patient as we (my daughter and I) made up our minds as to what we wanted. read more

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GREAT PLACE TO ORDER FRUIT, VEGGIE, WINE & CHEESE OR BREAKFAST BOXES ==================================================== Local officials have requested that everyone in Los Angeles try to skip going to the grocery store this week due to Covid-19. Going to the grocery store is stressful to begin with due to the lines to get in. It's also stressful playing dodge ball with other customers walking up and down the aisles. It is like playing a game of Russian roulette at this point in all honesty. A couple weeks ago my nephew ordered a fruit box from Tender Greens and didn't need it, so he gave it to us. I loved the fruit basket. I did not take a photo, but you can see a one in the ordering section. Today I decided I needed some fruit and veggies so I ordered that box. They charge $30.00 for the box and there was an option to order a six pack of Red Trolley Ale for $12.00. I decided to splurge on the beer. Hopefully that will help my mental heath. I highly recommend supporting another business through this difficult time and getting great food in return. Deliveries are done by Postmates. If you add tip to your order that goes to the driver. Stay well all you Yelpers out there. See you on the other side. read more

Tender Greens - Cost breakdown - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Great for a healthy, yummy lunch or dinner. Lots of open space and tables inside and out. Can get busy at lunch time and take 15+ min to get food. So go before 12 if in a hurry. I had the Thai shrimp bowl and it was very spicy and flavorful, everything was delicious. My only thing is that it is very expensive for what you get. My bowl had 5 small shrimp, some mixed veggies and white rice for 22 dollars. read more

What happened, Tender Greens? I remember the first time eating here - I was pretty wowed by the healthy options and the pretty generous portion sizes. My friends and I were sold on the healthy eating and enjoyed being able to try the various lemonades that they offered. Since then, I've returned every so often with my sister - who is a big fan - and I thought the quality was still pretty decent. But I went recently with my family and, not sure if it's new management, the restaurant was just not the same. Menu is a little different from before. You still have the option to order plates, sandwiches, or salads; however, the prices of the sandwich have decreased because they no longer offer any sides. Prices for the other dishes are the same - around $12-15 for a plate or salad. Sides are around $4 each but some seasonal sides do sell out fairly quickly. House drinks are $2.75 I believe while soda is $2.50. So once we receive all the food - we all noticed that there's a big difference in portion size. They used to give a decent amount of salad, to the point where my sister would need to ask for dressing on the side. But the salad was portion looked like a few pieces of lettuce tossed onto the plate alongside a small dollop of mashed potatoes and around 5 slices of steak. And they no longer offer the toasted brioche slice with the salad. Nope, you get a measly triangular tortilla. The plate looked incredibly sad. And for around $13, did not fill us up at all. Not sure if they're trying to portion control everything or if this was a one time incident, but it definitely wasn't a great experience that night. The fried chicken sandwich is a little different - it seems like it's more similar to the other fried chicken joints out there where you get a brioche bun with some cabbage slaw and pickles. For $10, it wasn't bad and definitely more worth it than the steak plates. Chicken was tender and juicy on the inside while the outside was crispy - the chicken sandwich was pretty filling, but I did split some with my family. They also used to ask staff to help refill drinks and what-not, but that night was more like cafeteria style eating. Eh, after this experience, we definitely won't be back in the near future. read more