Kitava is one of those places I find myself craving again and again. It's consistently fresh, flavorful, and satisfying without ever feeling heavy -- and honestly, that kind of reliability is rare. My go-to is the build-your-own bowl, which never disappoints. Everything tastes intentional and well-balanced. The chicken nuggets are another favorite -- perfectly crispy, juicy, and seriously addictive. But the real star for me is the drinking broth. I crave it. It's warm, comforting, deeply flavorful, and somehow feels both nourishing and indulgent at the same time. I order it almost every visit. Every experience here has been so good that I'm determined to try everything on the menu eventually. If you're looking for food that feels wholesome but still hits those comfort-food cravings, Kitava delivers every single time. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I totally love this place, workers are always nice to me. Today I went in to pick up my order and encountered a white tall bald man. I'm not sure if he's the manager but he needs to do way better. I showed him my order and he had an attitude when he asked for my name. He said order just came in 4 minutes ago, I totally understand that food takes time so I asked to use restroom. When I came out I saw my order on the counter but did not grabbed it. I asked him to check if any of those were my order and he said "no" I told him I saw my order on the back counter and he rudely said "you did not" I told him to please check the orders in the front counter and he gave me my order stating he haven't realized it was a pick up... Idk if this the way you're treating everyone but I didn't find the attitude to be the correct one for a place like this. Food is great but remove this man if he's in management. Thanks! read more

Kitava - Burrito bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was really looking forward to trying this place, the menu looked great and the reviews had me excited. Unfortunately I never got to eat here because of how they handled a phone order. When I called to place a pickup order, I was asked for my full credit card number and expiration date before I'd even finished ordering. I went along with it, but when they then asked for my CVV code too, I got uncomfortable and stopped. No legitimate phone ordering system needs your CVV read aloud over the phone; that's the kind of information you only enter yourself on a secure, encrypted checkout page. Asking for it verbally is a red flag for how they're handling (or storing) customer payment data. On top of that, the location was too busy for me to just park and order in person instead. I really wanted to try the food, but I'm not comfortable giving out full card details over the phone to a stranger, and I don't think other customers should be asked to either. Hoping they switch to a secure payment process so I can come back and actually try the menu read more

Got delivery. Power bowl is delicious!!! Very fresh, tasty, tangy. Would come back to try other things. I didnt really like their Macro Bowl: Chile Verde Pork with Kale. The Power Bowl just tasted so much better. However, my last delivery was VERY skimpy on the portions compared to before. read more

Fabulous! We have found out new favorite take out spot for the office. Gluten free and Keto heaven! I love the build your own bowl option. Paprika chicken is my favorite. Cauli rice. Eggplant is amazing. Regular cauliflower is fantastic. Everything is great! We have ordered delivery several times now. And my coworker who is celiac love the chicken nuggets! read more

Kitava - Build your own bowl with Paprika chicken! Fabulous! Keto brilliance! - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Really great unassuming casual spot for a healthy bowl/salad in the Mission. It's a hidden spot that opens up to a bright, spacious casual eatery that was surprising to see on Mission St. I was looking for something quick and healthy for a late lunch and Kitava seemed like the perfect spot to pick up food. I got a BYO bowl with paprika chicken, roasted broccoli, and warm mushrooms with a salad greens base and the avocado green goddess dressing. Loved this combination and the fact that the broccoli and mushrooms came out warm! The green goddess dressing was fresh and tangy, perfect on the chicken and veggies. The portion was pretty generous as well. Staff was nice and answered our questions about how a couple of toppings were prepared. Overall great place for something casual and healthy in the Mission. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Yummy healthy food? No, it's not an oxymoron. Kitava's Power Bowl is my jam. Gluten-free and paleo cuisine intimidates me, but they have something for everyone and it's so good, you won't even realize you're eating GF and paleo! Guac, hummus, and very fresh veggies. I need to make this at home but why would I do that when Kitava has it down to an art? Will be back. I like their meat add-ons and how you can customize any bowl! read more

Kitava - Power Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hidden gem located on 16th and Mission, Kitava is a a great spot if you're looking for a quick, healthy and hearty meal. I got the BYO bowl with Picadillo beef, greens, Brussels sprouts, chimichurri mushrooms and herb ranch- everything was super fresh and I loved the portion size. The restaurant was clean and the staff was really nice. The vibe is laid-back and very chill. read more

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Clean and well kept inside, surprising find by 16th and Mission. Person taking order was friendly, love the aesthetics of the remodel after they took over a McDonalds. We ordered: - Power bowl (4/5): Guac and humus were a nice touch, everything tasted fresh - Kimchi mushroom bowl (4/5): Mushrooms were so good here $5-$9 more for meat add ons. Ingredients tasted fresh but felt portions could be slightly bigger for the base price. read more

Kitava - Kimchi Mushroom Bowl and Power Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is a stand out for sure. Honestly with the health craze that's going on, this is the go to spot. You can get delicious high quality meals that incorporates such a large variety of whole ingredients/sauces it's insane. The pricing is extremely fair in my opinion, though getting meat or double meat can be pricey, and as a fitness bro trying to get 100g of protein in my dinner it's kind of hard. Here's a hack to make this place a multi-week go to spot on the cheap: cook chicken breast at home, order the veggie bowls with extra sauce, and add 1-1.5lb of cut chicken to the bowl. Honestly as a guy who eats chicken and veggies every night, this is a treat just due to the complexity of their bowls and sauces. I even like to order the bowls with meat sometimes and add just a little more of my own since their chicken isn't bad but to get the protein I need it's tough. read more

The food was amazing! Great quality gf food, great portions and was brought up quickly. Staff were super kind, the inside of the restaurant was nice but the location of the restaurant is a little sketchy. Would get it again tho! read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great food, Taste and feels very healthy. I got the sesame chicken bowl and it was delicious. The servers are nice read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Saw the line for La Taqueria going for miles around the corner so decided to come here instead. Got the power bowl to share. Came out so fast and it was so yummy! Felt so healthy and nutritious. The restaurant itself was very clean and gave green healthy vibes. read more

Kitava - Power Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Recently dined as a party of two before a concert nearby. We beat the dine-in rush (dining in a little after 5P) but plenty of orders for pick-up were flying off the counter. The restaurant was tidy and sleek, something that might fit in well at Saluhall. Service was friendly and prompt, the food came out relatively quick after ordering at the counter. I enjoyed the sesame chicken bowl with a side of chimichurri mushrooms. The chicken was perfectly, lightly battered and moist, the broccoli roasted just right. Eric liked his sweet plantain bowl too. The portions were larger than I expected (nice surprise!) so I didn't need the side of mushrooms. But I'm glad I ordered them because they were delicious too. To drink, I had ordered a bottle of unsweetened green tea and it was nice to be offered a glass to drink it from. (I opted out and drank it from the sealed bottle.) I'll definitely come back if I'm in the area and try other bowls! read more

Kitava - My Sesame Chicken Bowl and side of Chimichurri Mushrooms - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Shockingly good food easy on the wallet. Speaking for the vegan gf food, it was excellent. They don't make crappy bread that weighs a ton, they do make fresh food like a veggie patty, cauliflower rice, roasted broccoli, chickpeas, hummus with cauliflower and roasted Brussels sprouts. French fries unhealthy but really good. The green goddess and romanesco sauces were great. We ordered a lot of food and it was under $50 for two of us with a ton of leftovers. read more

It's good frozen yogurt when the machine that makes it is working. I walk a good 10 minutes from where I work only to be told that the machine home is not working. read more

When I want to eat something healthy and fast, my go-to for this is Kitava, and they have two locations. The SF location is next to the 16th Street BART station, which used to be a McDonald's. The space has a lot of seating and is bright, warm, and inviting. Everything on the menu is prepared using whole food ingredients which are gluten-free, dairy-free, peanuts-free, and soy-free. One of the oils they use is Palm oil, and this sometimes bothers my digestive system. I am a fan of the sesame chicken bowl ($16), and the evolved caesar salad ($10, which is a more affordable dup. of the vegan caesar salad at Rad Radish). If you have celiacs or any autoimmune disease(s), this place is a must. read more

Kitava - Sesame Chicken Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had no idea what to order ... had just driven from Cupertino then walked the parade area was sure busy so looked in after finding on yelp. Super cool mellow vibe / ambiance I needed after crazy outside party in street vibe because of parade. I was greeted by tall guy with so much aloha ... asked him what to order ... he showed me menu ... so I ordered plantain bowl omg haven't had plantains in forever ... when bowl came I wasn't impressed w visuals but wow greens were fresh spectacular flavor. Generally not a fan of beans - they were out of this world !!! W fresh rice & loved the whole experience- i highly recommend this place esp if you are vegan / vegetarian they have also a few other options... the dish came w a sauce ... I didn't even notice till I was finished eating Definitely didn't need sauce . Tasted after w rice was not my flavor - but amazing fresh flavorful food. I don't feel over stuffed it feels healthy & fresh !!! And filling I'll be back read more

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I'm here to tell you that if you're going to treat yourself to good salad, Kitava does it right. I got the power bowl with additional chicken which was just the right amount of food for me as a big eater. It also kept me full for about 6 hours. If you're a small eater you may be able to split it into two meals or a meal and a half. Although pricey, most salad spots priced lower tend to have less quality and quantity. If you get the base salad without an additional protein option, it's actually quite affordable; but as other reviews mentioned the additional protein adds an extra ~5 dollars. For me, since I'm viewing it as a treat, I don't mind paying extra for good quality ingredients and a well balanced nourishing meal. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I happened to be in the Mission and I spotted this little place. I had the chicken, broccoli, and rice bowl with some unsweetened cold green tea and it was just what I needed. The order arrived quickly and the food was delicious. The ambiance is kind of an oasis from this rather noisy part of the Mission. I wasn't too thrilled with the music but it was not really obtrusive. I'm sure I will return here to try another of their very healthy and tasty food. Thank you. read more

While ordering Kitava through UberEats tonight I was so excited to see they had the Power Bowl as a Buy One offer! Power Bowl is my favorite order there. When I received my order I only received 1 bowl & called them inform they didn't have my other bowl when I received it. Neil at Kitava was so kind for checking on his end if there actually was a buy one get one free offer & went out of his way to confirm that deal existed on UberOne! However, because I changed the number of bowls at the end from 2 to 1 thinking I was paying for 1 bowl (not 2). In turn, the kitchen read the order as 1 bowl. Hence, why I didn't receive my 2nd bowl. So for anyone ordering on UberEats, dont make the same mistake as me and keep the bowl count at 2 otherwise you wont get that bowl. I appreciate Neil for investigating, informing me professionally & going above and beyond to not disappoint other customers ordering from UberEats. I highly recommend Kitava for anyone looking for a good date spot with good food right by the Mission. Other notable dishes are the plantains & their fried chicken bowl seems to a popular item from the guys I've dated & have gone there with. I'll for sure be ordering again here read more

The food was great, the ambiance was also really really fun and modern. The price was a little high for the product given particularly for any add ons. Everything tasted fresh though and would eat here again. read more

I love this place so much!!! One of my favorite Cesar salads in the city. Everything has so much flavor and is such a unique take on a simple Cesar salad. I like to add a side of their crispy chicken nuggets on top. Everything from the dressing to the croutons are 10/10!!! read more

Kitava - Evolved Caesar Salad + Crispy Chicken - Side - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

First timers at Kitava! Didn't disappoint at all. Very healthy options to choose from. Great food, fast service. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! We will definitely be back. Only negative is the location. I grew up in San Francisco and worked down the street from 16th and Mission for over 15 years. It was never quite like this. I'm hoping the city can help the unhoused population and get in control of drug use, crime and craziness in the area. read more

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Just got take out from here and was looking forward to the healthy option. Food is good but I got like 6 pieces of chicken in my burrito bowl and it was $16 (without tax and tip). I feel like I could get a great salad at Souvla and I would get more protein read more

I found Kitava at SFO a few months back and I was thrilled to find a gluten and dairy free spot to eat! I had the chicken nuggets and a cookie. The chicken nuggets were AMAZiNG. The best nuggets I've ever had with or without gluten. They reminded me of fried chicken with a lighter crispy coating that was incredible. It was too early in the morning for me to get anything this time around but I'm so glad to see there are other locations I can try to make it to. The staff told me they were fairly quiet at SFO at the time, but I hope it's successful so I can enjoy it next time! read more

First time trying this restaurant and it did not disappoint. The menu selection is very simple & the price can be a little pricey for how simple it is, but it's worth it! I like making my own bowl, so I can pick & choose what toppings I like and when they combined all of it together it was very flavorful & healthy. I like how everything in this place is self-service. You go in to pick a table, then order through your phone (or the cashier) and they serve you your food (but you have to grab your utensils & put your dishes away like at a food court). The ambiance inside is way nicer than the outside. The only downside for me with this place is the location since it's located in the Mission meaning it can be impossible to find parking. read more

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Kitava is the kind of place you can just order from over and over again and always leave feeling satisfied and nourished. Especially after a long day or trip, a bowl from Kitava is *chef's kiss*. What I love about Kitava is the realness of their ingredients. Even when eating at healthier restaurants, it's kind of a given that they're using refined seed oils and heavily processed ingredients. People should not be overly paranoid about that, like please enjoy your tofu banh mi, but I do really appreciate that you don't even have to think about that at Kitava. And to top it off, their food is delicious!! Their bowls are generous and full of variety so you can get pockets that are fresh, hearty, indulgent, or punchy! And their sauces are bombbbb. So worth adding 1-2 on the side. Power Bowl: Classic, cannot go wrong. Filling, nourishing, every bite is delicious. The hummus, green goddess dressing and sweet potato combo? Period. Throw in some herb chicken? Mhmmmm yupp yuppp. Sweet Plantain Bowl: So hearty and yummy. And more amazing combos here. The plantain with the cumin beans? Uhuhhh!! With the romesco sauce... it's unbeatable! Mezze Harvest Bowl: Of course this was gonna be amazing. I added barbacoa as my protein (grass-fed and -finished, period), and omggg so good and rich and filling. This one might be my fave. I look forward to trying more for Kitava! They are killing the healthy and delicious food game in SF (I guess Oakland too) and I hope y'al get to try it too! read more

Kitava - Sweet Plantain Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Small place but clean. Friendly service. Pretty quick. We ate the mushroom bowl, the tuna poke and watermelon salad. All were well made. read more

Kitava - Watermelon Side Salad, Tuna Pok Bowl, Wild Mushroom Bowl with chicken. - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

(edit) Bryan Tublin has repeatedly edited their reply - each time making egregiously wrong and deceptive replies. For example he'd claimed, falsely that this review is (a) fake. It isn't I visited this year (and actually used to live within a block of the store). Unfortunately I did not do my research about the establishment. (b) slanderous. It isn't. (c) Removed from Google. It wasn't (despite his lies below, the review was never removed). (d) I have a "Political Agenda" beyond advocating for truthfulness and transparency. I have no idea what that might be. (e) claims that "I reported to Yelp that I was "revealing sensitive personal information". I did not do so nor do I even know how to do so. He also claims, surprisingly truthfully, that I updated my name on yelp. This account was created north of a decade ago and I've fixed my name here. I've also since learned that Bryan was directly involved with lobbying for the legislation to allow restaurants to be deceptive (SB 1524 for those who follow such things). This tracks with the general lack of commitment to honesty and transparency. I don't intend to edit this review further no matter what Bryan says, but please keep in mind that he's edited his reply, repeatedly, and each time either been deceptive or flat out lied. Nonetheless, should he attempt to actually reach out I'll be happy to engage in good faith conversation. Despite his claims he has made no effort to reach out (I've checked repeatedly). If Bryan is genuinely interested in a conversation he could reach out. If not consider why he has to resort to falsehoods to defend the practice? --- Core Review: Kitava dishonestly lists it's menu prices by adding a restaurant set fee to the price. For example of the true pre-tax price of the food is $105 they list it at $100 and add a 5% surcharge at the end. The surcharge, they claim, is to "to help offset the cost of employee healthcare" - which may (or may not be true). It doesn't matter. The fee is mandatory, set by the restaurant, and designed to offset the cost of doing business. Imagine walking into a clothing store and seeing a "pay our employees fee" or a "cost of rent surcharge". In fact, no other industry is allowed to do this. For example Ticketmaster was well known for doing this. The California unfair business practices disallows this behaviour for all industries (except for the food industry thanks to its lobby). It is important to note that no one asks Kitava to lower the price of the food. I only ask Kitava to be honest, just like nearly every other restaurant. Put another way if being honest and transparent is a "political agenda", reconsider your ethics. The addition of 5% fee (which is not a tax and not required by the city) via small print really just serves to underscore the restaurants lack of care for its customers or the city its in. Due to their dishonesty 1 star and I shall not return. If they wanted to be honest and transparent they'd advertise their true price on the menu (and optionally include information about healthcare on the receipt). If the best defence of the behaviour is "it's legal" that doesn't mean the behaviour is ethical. Further nothing stops the restaurant from behaving non deceptively by being transparent about paying for healthcare AND being honest on the menu price. Other restaurants in the city already do this! I like knowing that my money is supporting workers. If the restaurant wants to put extra information on the receipt, they are still free to do so. Consider an example: a current bill may be formatted as $100 food items $5 SF Mandate Surcharge Subtotal: $105 Taxes: $9.06 Total: $114.06 This bill could equivalently be formatted: $105 food items Subtotal: $105 Taxes: $9.06 Total: $114.06 Note: $5 from your bill went towards our employees' healthcare. Thank you! Finally, this kind of deceptive behaviour is already illegal for almost all industries. It is only food establishments that are exempted from the honest pricing rules. I hope that the owners and management embrace honesty and truthfulness. Other, more honest, restaurants do this. Kitava's choice to be deceptive is a choice. Merely because deception is legal doesn't mean its ethical, acceptable, or its purveyors should be patronised. read more

Not much for me here. The subtracted stars are mostly because they refuse call-in pickup orders when I'm 10-15 minutes away. Parking is rough. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious and Healthy! I had an amazing experience at Kitava! Nice service and the atmosphere was cozy. I loved the gluten-free fried chicken and cauliflower rice bowl--everything was fresh and full of flavor. It's great to find a place that offers healthy, tasty options that make you feel good after eating. Can't wait to come back and try more dishes! read more

I have only ordered Kitava food for delivery but I am working my way through the menu and love everything I've tried so far, especially because plantains- YUM. The bowl with plantains is my favorite but I get them as a side, too. Also great: sesame chicken bowl, squash curry, sweet potatoes side, brussel sprouts, fries, beet salad with goat cheese...just to name a few favorites. It always arrives quickly and hot, and portion sizes are good. Can't really ask for more! read more

Healthiest meal I've had at a restaurant in a while. That's mostly my fault though. The highlights were the brussel sprouts and paprika chicken. The flavor of those with the ginger ponzu sauce was great! The mushrooms were pretty normal (quantity was low too), and the rice was mushy for my taste. Great for those with food sensitivities and allergies, which I appreciate! read more

Kitava - BYO Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I personally think this place is ok - I think it's a bit pricey for the portion size. I'm not that big of a fan of bowl restaurants because they tend to be more expensive, although I do think it's a good healthy option for those who seek that out. I got the asian bowl with brussel sprouts and chicken, and I thought it was ok. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I just started my gluten free/ diary free diet due to my psoriasis and it's been so challenging cutting out so many foods I've eaten for years. The food I ordered from here was super delicious!!! The sesame chicken bowl was so filling and tasted so good, but I had to try the salad shortly after. The Cesar was so flavorful. I will be ordering from here again for sure! read more

Kitava - Sesame Chicken Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

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What a gem!! Healthy options that are extremely delicious! They list where they source their ingredients, which is really great and makes you feel good about what you're consuming. Minimal use of plastic was also another plus point. I tried the chicken bone broth side (with turmeric and lemon), and wow was it tasty! I also did a custom bowl with crispy chicken, riced cauliflower, baba ganoush, and plantains, with a ginger shoyu sauce. It was SO good. The baba ganoush was the star of the show with its perfect tartness and flavor. The portion was also decent! I'm excited to go back and try more things. read more

Kitava - BYO Bowl (photo doesn't do justice since I reheated it and started eating it before remembering to take one) - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

I recently revisited Kitava for the first time in over 3 years for lunch and noticed the menu changed quite a bit over the years. I ordered the power bowl and asked if I could customize it by replacing sweet potatoes with cauliflower to add some texture to an otherwise relatively mushy bowl. In the past, I appreciated being able to build and customize my own bowls. However, this time the woman at the counter refused my request and said I'm not allowed to customize anything. I was surprised because I had read a recent Yelp review of someone getting to make the exact same customization. No worries I suppose...I just went with the standard power bowl. This bowl was tasty, although I still think it would've tasted even better with cauliflower (or any other crunchier item) instead of sweet potatoes. The power bowl already includes several soft/mushy ingredients such as hummus, avocado, green goddess dressing, and sweet potatoes. The option to include a crunchy veggie would've further elevated the flavor and texture profile of this bowl. Long story short, I mostly enjoyed my power bowl. But if customizations were still allowed, this spot would've definitely been a 5/5 that I would go to regularly. read more

Kitava - Power Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

The BYO Bowl with kale slaw, broccoli, cauliflower rice and romesco sauce is one of my favorite dishes. The major asterisk is the annoying trend (not unique to Kitava) of a reasonable base price that becomes exorbitant once you add a reasonable amount of food. What starts as a deal runs you well over $20 if you want to get a protein and turn the bowl into a main. Even so, the broccoli is my favorite I've had and the romesco sauce is absolutely delicious (though I'd recommend an additional side of it to really coat your fixings...an even steeper price). I wish Kitava could adjust their prices so it could be a weeknight spot, but sadly the price to portion ratio makes it feel like an indulgence even when the interior is clearly a fast causal affair with a heavy emphasis on takeout. read more

Kitava - BYO Bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came across Kitava while visiting the Bay Area for work and I'm really happy with my decision to order here. The barbacoa bowl is a must! I would love to check out the ambience of the restaurant next time and get a feel for the service but since I had ordered out this time. Looking forward to eating here again! read more

Kitava - Barbacoa beef bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California