I started having lunch at this place. It's a good restaurant, and the staff is kind :)

I regret spending $46 on two plates that was anything but healthy. We ordered Sea bass, with the side of roasted potato and sushi rice. And lemon pepper chicken with roasted vegetables and fries. The sea bass was very small(3-4 oz) and bland the roasted potatoes very super oily. The chicken was cold and dry. The vegetables were so oily they were shining and worst of all the staff were not welcoming. read more

Tender Greens - "Roasted potatoes " - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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I used to really like Tender Greens, but this last visit was soso. Irvine Spectrum has a great variety of restaurants. It is just so hard to park and walk to them. The food here tastes great. It is very healthy and fresh. The protein portions are tiny though. Especially the steak. The service is great. They sell wines and beers here too. HAPPY GREENING! read more

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I am writing to express my extreme disappointment with my recent experience with Tender Greens, Irvine Spectrum. I placed an order for a corporate event, only to have it canceled online at the last minute. By the time I received the cancellation, it was far too late to make alternate arrangements without negatively impacting our event. This created unnecessary stress and left us scrambling to find a replacement on very short notice. What made this experience even more frustrating was the complete lack of customer service. After receiving the cancellation, I called the restaurant several times hoping to speak with someone who could explain what happened or offer a solution. Unfortunately, no one answered the phone despite my repeated attempts. I understand that unexpected situations can arise, but canceling a customer's order at the last minute without any personal communication or assistance is simply unacceptable, especially when the order was intended for a corporate event where reliability is essential. I chose your restaurant because I expected dependable service and professionalism. Instead, I was left disappointed and embarrassed in front of my colleagues. Based on this experience, I will certainly think twice before placing another order with your restaurant, and I cannot confidently recommend your business to others. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and review your customer service and order management processes so that other customers do not experience the same level of service. read more

First time trying this place because I heard good things about it and wanted to be healthy before our comedy show. Husband got the longevity sea bream bowl. The fish was delicious and soft and flaky. It came with a salad and potatoes. The tomatoes from the salad were bright red and juicy. The potatoes were your average potatoes. I ordered the steak plate and the steak was tender but I prefer a med rare which it stated that it would be from the menu but it was more med well. I also got my Mac and cheese as the side and it was on the drier side. The romaine Cesar salad was your average Cesar. I would come back again if I was short on time or maybe to try some other dishes. Service was good, you order at the counter and get your little number stand and they bring your food to you. Parking is plentiful and the spectrum was packedd! read more

Tender Greens - longevity bowl with grilled sea bass - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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I walked into an empty Tender Greens at 11:22 AM and placed an order for a salad and a plate. After waiting 14 minutes with no update, I went to check on the status. The cashier then spoke with the food preparer, and that's when they realized they hadn't even started our order. We didn't receive our food until 11:42 AM. What made this experience especially frustrating was the complete lack of communication. If there were two large orders ahead of us, that should have been clearly communicated at the time of ordering so we could decide whether to stay or not. The manager did not approach us until I went to her directly to express our disappointment. Even then, the response felt more like an excuse than an apology. There was no accountability, no effort to make things right, and no indication that they would handle situations like this differently in the future. This was a really disappointing experience from a restaurant we've enjoyed in the past. A simple acknowledgment and proactive communication would have gone a long way. . read more

Tender Greens - Inside - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

Great option for healthy and delicious food. The plates are nice, a quality choice of protein and two sides for a complete meal. The portions are not massive, but just enough to satisfy you without making you feel bloated. Overall the food was delicious, just the potatoes were severely underseasoned. Lots of selections and a clean open environment with helpful and friendly staff. read more

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Tendergreens just isn't what it used to be from over ten years ago. No wonder this place is no longer crowded. Took 19 minutes to bring the food, which has already been prepared I thought, I didn't quite understand when the place wasn't at all crowded. Furthermore, when the food came out, it was at room temperature, Not even slightly warm. The chipotle chicken did taste good though,. The roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes tasted something like what I used to get at a junior high school lunch. The chile posole was likely the best dish though. Nice flavor and it actually was hot. The steak we ordered was fresh and it did taste good. The workers here are friendly and nice though, I will hand that to them. With so many other choices in the Spectrum., not sure why I would come back for just a mediocre experience, read more

Tender Greens - grilled chipotle barbeque chicken plate. Everything on this plate was served at room temperature. - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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Tender Greens has been around for quite some time in the Irvine Spectrum near the Improv theater. The set up is similar to Urban Plates where you stand at a counter and order. They give you your food and you sit down on your own. The first people we saw at the restaurant was the cook who did not speak a word of English. He just pointed to the cash register. There was no host or anyone else noticed us standing there. After looking at the menu, I ordered two bowls, one with salmon and one with chicken. The staff was cordial, but not overly friendly. We paid and carried our food back to our table. Total Score: 4 stars Positives: The food was very good. We loved the rice, slaw, veggies, and proteins. The manager came over at the end and was very nice to us. The cook did give me more napkins when I spoke to him in Spanish. The amount of food was fair for the price. It's good food. Negatives: No one greeted us. It was a ghost town when we first arrived. The interior of the restaurant is outdated, cold, and reminds me of a school cafeteria. There is no curb appeal to Tender Greens. It was cold in the restaurant and outside was the same. There are no TVs, no fountain drinks, no plants, no intimate lighting, just a cafeteria to eat. An interior makeover would easily move this place from a four to five stars. Look at the interior of Urban Plates as an example. I do recommend Tender Greens as a place to get healthy, tasty food, at a good price. read more

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I recently visited Tender Greens and and had a relatively good experience. It is located in the Irvine Spectrum near the movie theater. Food: The menu offers various bowls,salads, plates, and sides. I decided to order the Pacific bowl with salmon and extra miso mayo. I thought that it tasted very good. The portion of salmon is big, which is nice. However, the amount of rice was not a lot which was dissapointing. Also, the iced black tea tasted okay. Service: The food came out quickly and the employee that helped us at the end was friendly. Ambiance: The decor inside was just okay. It resembled a cafeteria. read more

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While having an hour to kill before movie time, we decided to grab something to eat. Weren't super hungry, so we got the tomato bisque soup and Mediterranean steak salad. Lots of green olives, fyi. Steak cooked to medium rare. Then soup was robust and simple-- it tasted like pure tomatoes and no cream or that heaviness, which is what I like. Service was fast. They weren't super busy since it was kind late into the evening. Enjoyed the salad and soup. Quiet, clean, spacious -- eat inside or outside. read more

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Tender Greens is a great casual dining spot within the Irvine Spectrum. They have a very large menu with all very fresh ingredients. From bowls, sandwiches, salads and more, everything here has always been yummy! They have a giant indoor cafe and outdoor shaded patio as well. You order at the counter and then they bring your food and bus it. I ordered a salad (sadly I forget the name). It had pears, squash, goat cheese, cranberry, and more. The negative for me (and why I didn't give 5 stars) is that it felt like the salad had more lettuce than anything else. It seemed like they went very light on the extra stuff. Also, the pears and squash were so hard and unripe they were nearly inedible. But, I still think the food here is really good despite those minor things. Also, I love their Auga Fresca and Mint Lemonade - I highly recommend mixing them together. Super light and refreshing! Plus they have free refills! read more

Tender Greens - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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Their menu offers a good variety from salads, bowls, plates and burgers. I got the tender burger which comes with a 6 Oz beef patty, and a pacific grilled salmon bowl. The burger was very underwhelming. The bun was was soft, better if it was a bit more toasted so it holds the burger together. The patty itself was not tender, and not much flavor either. For the price you pay, you get a very small burger. The salmon bowl looked presentable but the taste was also underwhelming. The sushi rice had pockets of lukewarm and cool, almost as if it was reheated. The salmon itself was okay, not overcooked thankfully. The salad side was overpowered by the vinaigrette dressing. The miso mayo it came with was also spicy and not much of a miso taste. Service was good, friendly and helpful staff and the restaurant itself was nice and clean. It's a good sit down for casual dining but the food needs to be stepped up a notch to make it comparable to the other restaurants at Spectrum. read more

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They have an extensive list to choose from! Order at the front then have a seat and wait for them to bring your order out to your table when it's ready. We got their seabass plate with 2 sides (veggie and farro mix) and bread. Then for the 2nd meal we selected to have Braised beans, veggies, fries, and bread. It was very filling and delicious! read more

Tender Greens - Seabass plate with 2 sides (veggie and farro mix) and bread. Braised beans, veggies, fries, and bread. - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

Terrible service, did not print out our order. Waited about 40 minutes and had to ask the status of our order. The staff had not even started it and said it was no fault of their own the machine had issues, told us other people had to wait also they didnt seem to care much about wasting our time and messing up our order. Edit- I will mention here after waiting an hour we did receive our food which I believe was comped, it was a bit hard yo understand as it was presented by the busboy who didnt have the best english he did seem to be making a effort to apologize for the long wait. Considering how I had to call a manager to get our food made as well when I asked what they would do about messing up our order the cashier asked if I wanted a refund leaving this a 1 star review cashier/manager very cold unpleasant experience wont be going back. read more

We spent $50 for two plates and waited 30+ minutes for cold food.. I used to LOVE Tender Greens back when you slid your tray down the counter and watched them assemble your order. But now, the wait time is ridiculous and the food was cold and flavorless. Right after we ordered a frustrated guest asked for a refund because their food was taking so long and they had to leave! Very disappointed and will not be back. read more

We come here regularly when we go to the Spectrum Center and it's a pretty solid lunch or dinner option. They have a variety of salads, bowls, entrees and sandwiches on their menu. They occasionally have seasonal specials as well. Today I got the harvest chicken salad, which was one of their fall specials, and it had winter squash, grapes, goat cheese and pepitas in it. I loved it! The salad comes with a slice of grilled bread as well. My husband always gets the Thai shrimp bowl, which is a tiny bit spicy. Not all of their dishes are amazing, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5, but overall I think there are some decent options here. There's plenty of seating too so it's good for families. read more

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Hi Camilla, We exchanged messages 3 years ago after my last visit to Tender Greens in Irvine Spectrum. After a nightmare experience, you kindly offered to send me a gift card, which I declined because I did not plan to go back, and I haven't, for 3 years, until last weekend. On 12/21/2025 I went to Tender Greens with a relative because she was in the mood for soup. She ordered a cup of soup and a sandwich at 7:22pm; that was the timestamp on the receipt. There was one customer ahead of us in line at the register and one additional customer waiting for their order, so a total of 2 customers ahead of us and about 4 tables total with customers in the entire restaurant. It was more than 80% empty. There were also 4 people visible in your cooking area preparing food and two young women taking orders. There was one older gentleman "cleaning" but I'm not sure what he was cleaning as we had to clean our own table and the table next to us was empty and covered in crumbs and mess from whoever was there before us. As time passed, more customers arrived, and people who arrived way after us were starting to get frustrated at how long everything was taking. People started talking, asking how long other tables had been waiting for their food. At this point I checked, we had been waiting for almost 40 minutes!!!! For a cup of soup and a sandwich! So, I went to the counter and asked to speak with the manager, his name was Sean. He seemed frazzled and in way over his head. I asked about our order and he apologized and said he could make it right then and have it ready in 1 minute. I asked, if that was possible, why have we been waiting for over 40 minutes at that point? He said it was because they were so busy, but... when we arrived, the store was almost entirely empty. Over the 40 minutes we were waiting it had got to about 40% capacity, still not even half full, but definitely 5-8 new customer groups had arrived. He then sent out a cold cup of soup and a burned to a black crisp sandwich... shockingly bad. That arrived at 8:05pm. We also watched a table next to us send back the wrong food no less than 5-6 times. I honestly don't know how this location is still in business. Sean said he would issue a refund, but we have not seen that refund posted yet. He insisted he needed our receipt back, but thankfully I took a photo of it to have some sort of proof. Sean said you are not the owner, but rather an employee at the corporate office. I don't know what your company's goal or intention is with that location, but it is obviously failing miserably. It's been 3 years since my last visit and it is just as bad, if not worse and it was not only my experience, but every customer there was shocked, confused, and furious. By contrast, there is a Cheesecake Factory just a few steps away with an INFINITELY more complicated menu, similar pricing, but FAR superior service, food, and experience with every visit. They also consistently have 10 times the number of customers your store has. You're servicing the same customers, hiring from the same community, but producing WILDLY different outcomes. I would be fascinated to go to both your Tender Greens and the Cheesecake Factory next to you, with you or someone from your executive team, just to see your response. Out of pure curiosity. Tender Greens is so shockingly bad, it would make excellent television for a reality show of the worst restaurants in America. I hope you share this with your management at the corporate level and not the store level. I don't blame those store employees. They all look lost, confused, and in WAY over their heads. That is poor leadership. That is bad hiring. That is failed training. Those employees aren't failing you, you are failing them and your customers. You could offer me a $500 gift card this time and I would accept it, but never use it for myself. I won't subject myself to that experience again. I would use the $500 to order food to be delivered to a homeless shelter or something like that. Maybe a family in need. I want your company to pay a fine/penalty of some kind, I just don't ever want to return myself to deal with all that again. read more

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This is still one of my go-to spots whenever I'm down at Irvine Spectrum. Unfortunately, it has declined a bit in recent years, but that's likely due to the rising cost of everything these days! We were here earlier today and they cooked our steak completely wrong, as we asked for medium rare and it ended up coming out well done. The bread was hard, barely brushed with oil and half the size it used to be. I also asked to sub out the mashed potatoes on a kid's meal for fries and they forgot to do that. Seems like they are missing the mark a bit these days, but I'm still a fan. read more

Tender Greens - Soooo good and healthy! - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

I got the Chipotle barbeque chicken plate with caesar salad and seasonal vegetables, plus the bread on the side. I was a bit disappointed because they forgot to remove the skin from my chicken, but it is fine. The chicken doesn't taste so fresh either. Some parts of the chicken are slightly different in texture, like it is more jelly? read more

Tender Greens - chipotle barbecue chicken plate - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

Salad is good and so as food been coming here for a while and as I observe is there's just either decent worker that are set to fail or some workers that are not a good fit but they are employed. Please hire better staff and hire more staff order takers should only take orders busser is a different person and so as the one who make drinks and bag to go it's so obvious that workers are overwhelmed overworked not being paid right. read more

The worst. Stand in line and they ignore you and just let other people cut in. Wtf! Last time I'm coming here. Food is average so it's not like I'm missing anything but at least acknowledge the customer who respectfully stands to wait their turn to order. Otherwise get some bots already. Seriously don't need incompetent people at the register. read more

I appreciate that the menu clearly identifies which items are vegan (among other dietary choices). I got the falafel plate with farro salad and braised beans on the side. All were super yummy! The staff member at the cash register didn't seem too pleased to be working, but one of the people working closer to the food was so welcoming and positive! My boyfriend was accidentally served an incorrect side (one side was correct, one was not)- but he still ate it anyways! This location is at the Spectrum so plenty of free parking garages. Tender Greens had the option for indoor and outdoor seating. Our indoor booth table seating was clean. I'd go back if I ever needed to grab food at Spectrum. Reminds me of Chipotle- build your own and healthy options available. read more

It's been a while since my last visit, but stopping in for a quick post-work takeout dinner was a great decision. Service was quick and friendly and the Thai steak bowl completely blew me away! The sauce was a perfect mix of spicy, sour, sweet, and savory, and the fresh crunch from the papaya, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers was fantastic. The white rice balanced everything out perfectly. I'll definitely be back for this! read more

I was meeting some friends for lunch at the Spectrum so Tender Greens is where we landed. I had ordered the chicken sandwich (which was delicious by the way!) but everyone else's food had arrived besides mine. It finally arrived, my friends were about done eating. I didn't say a word because I was chit chatting and not in a hurry. The server was so sweet, apologized and said they credited my meal. I didn't expect that. What a pleasant surprise!! Then the manager came to the table and brought cookies! Customer service 10/10! Seriously, go and get the chicken sandwich with slaw and pickles. read more

This reminds me of Urban Plates but cheaper and better quality. We've been here for dinner with kids a couple of times and there are no complaints! Tried their braised short ribs with mash, it was scrumptious! The chipotle bbq chicken is cooked right and isn't dry when sliced and plated. I love their farro salad which includes almonds and cranberries. Their pesto sandwich is good but needs more dressing or condiments since it was pretty dry. For the kids, my boys love the steak. They can slice to your preference of rareness. For a fast casual, they cook a mean medium rare. The kids meal comes with a choice of protein, mash, juice or water, and fruit. If you get the plate, they offer pastas! Service is relatively quick here and there is plenty of outdoor seating/high chairs. Kids eat free promo runs here and I think it's the best deal for real whole foods! read more

Location locations and location are the most important factor for success in restaurant business. The choice of salads and bowls were pretty diverse and fast service was impressive. I had sea bass salad bowl and chicken sandwich with the softest and tastiest chicken slices with very thick sandwich bread and the chicken salad was really plentiful and delicious. The only thing was that the cashier lady kept scratching her head as if she had some terrible itching problem that turned me off. Also they had hazy IPA can displayed but wasn't available. Overall pretty decent place for pre-movie healthy option for vegetarian friendly place with the best location. I'm so happy that people are interested in eating healthy nowadays. read more

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4 stars on service which was great and friendly, The food was ok. I'm not sure why but so many ingredients or sauces we got were spicy but weren't mentioned to be spicy in the menu description. This would be helpful to mention because I had people who can't handle spicy. The chicken was flavorful but the salmon didn't have much flavor. I was surprised because I absolutely loved the salmon I got at the other Irvine location but for some reason this salmon didn't taste seasoned. It's too bad because I'm always looking for a healthier alternative but today the food just didn't do it for me. Also the bread was spicy too, I don't remember it being spicy before. read more

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If you want to get a healthy food for you this is the place you need to visit. You can choose your own food especially protein. read more

Tender Greens - Grilled steak with brown rice, vegetables and watermelon agua fresca - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

I placed an order for pickup at this Tender Greens just to grab a watermelon agua fresca--and it did not disappoint! So tasty and refreshing. As a Latina, I really appreciated the flavor--it tasted pure and natural, not overly sweet or full of added sugar. Definitely hit the spot! read more

Tender Greens - Seating area - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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Easy quick grub! Very healthy and clean eating. Came here for quick grub one afternoon and it was amazing. Love all the healthy options for salads and bowls they have available. Prices are reasonable portion size could be bigger. Free drink with Yelp check in. Food was fresh and delicious, very healthy and I felt great after eating. Nutritious and not stuffy. Overall nice experience. read more

Tender Greens - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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my go to order at tender greens is the pacific bowl with grilled salmon! the salmon is always grilled to absolute perfection -- crispy skin, juicy inside. it comes with miso mayo, pickled cucumber, carrots, mizuna, sesame, ginger dressing, and all of it sits on a bed of sushi rice that's packed with flavor and texture. every bite hits different, with a mix of savory, tangy, crunchy, and creamy. super fresh, super consistent, and honestly feels like a healthy meal without sacrificing any flavor. easily a solid meal for me, and could eat it again and again. the restaurant has an open-kitchen concept, so you can see everything is made fresh and clean! a good spot for casual dining by yourself or with groups. service is great and the staff is super friendly. read more

Tender Greens - pacific bowl with grilled salmon - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

Waited 15 minutes in line in a Sunday, with only one group of 4 people before me. The staff was very slow and wasn't attentive at all. There a lot of staff standing around with no sense of urgency, while I waited. Spending $42 for a single person, waiting this long, should be the experience you get a full service restaurant nearby. I've read similar reviews about the speed of service experience others have had, and it aligns with what I experienced. I will never come back to Tender Greens because of this experience. read more

Coming in hot and hungry, saw a bunch of vegetarian options and this energetic service with all the sampling you want for the beverages, SOLD! All the drinks taste like they're made with minimal sugar, hibiscus got that nice tang, the green juice got celery and apple in it, they may have been mixed from powder but whatever, it's way better than any fountain drink and free refills! All the food were fresh as described and even the bread smells of the grill char, I love that with a crunchy crust and oily fingers. The mozzarella and tomato sandwich was stacked with so much cheese, I couldn't get a proper full bite of it. Like a snake trying to figure out where to start on a trapezoidal animal. What truly puzzled me was the mac n cheese. Having just recently watched a bunch of chefs review and talk about the science behind mac n cheese, this one is anything but that- with the exception of the elbows seen throughout carrying a layer of crispy bread/panko crumbs and cheese. The individual macs can be pulled out and reconstructed into a tiny tube city and possibly house the world's smallest violin carrying hamster. The structural integrity is not going to be compromised by no cheesy-mush. It's still got good flavor and crunch but they're really a savory macaroni honeycomb crisp? Anyway- great service, fast food and not gonna give you heartburn. read more

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Generally one of the less crowded places in the spectrum, and a great place to sit for a while to play Pokemon go with access to a gym and half dozen stops. There is a large dog friendly patio with plenty of seating. The menu at the checkout doesn't list the ingredients in the dishes to be sure to study a paper menu near the entrance before you go order because the menu is extensive and each dish has quite a few ingredients. The dishes are good, but each of them feels like they have a weakness that keeps them from being amazing. The country fried chicken was a very thin piece of meat with a thick coating with no sauce. A mint leaf got mixed into the romaine side and made the whole salad taste like mint. The salmon in the pacific bowl was under seasoned and overcooked. The flourless chocolate cake has an egregious amount of calories for the size and wasn't very good. The apple juice in the kids meal tastes highly watered down. Despite the flaws, I return on a regular basis because some dishes and sides can be fantastic and despite the flaws in the dishes, they tend to be tasty overall and have unique flavor combinations. read more

This was my first time eating at Tender Greens in the Irvine Spectrum and I thought it was great. I will return. The inside was bright, airy, and had plenty of seating. For a business meeting, it was perfect. Plus, there was plenty of parking. I had the harvest chicken salad, which I would order again. It was fresh and I really enjoyed the berries in it. read more

Its unfortunate that the one person who is supposed to greet you and have that first contact with essentially first impression of an establishment is completely clueless as to her surroundings. We waited patiently to a point that we had to ask if someone was available to help us with our order. Apparently it was the one gal that walked by us minimum of 3 x's never greeting us only to walk up to the register and help the patrons behind us. Never acknowledging us. We walked out and ended up at Paul Martins instead. What a difference in service. Sadly we will never be back to Tender greens. We wanted to give the establishment the benefit of doubt despite having a 3 star rating . read more

Tender Greens - Great service ..... - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

I was at Tender Greens on 8/19/26 and I ordered the Fried Chicken. I haven't been there for a long time. The Fried Chicken was a favorite. It was very lightly breaded and delicious. What I had last night was a disappointment. A flattened rectangle of chicken with a thick coating of breading that I pealed off the chicken. read more

Tough as this place use to be a favorite, but has gone a bit downhill. Here on a non busy day again and not sure why the cashiers always seem stressed or distracted. Asked if they had dark meat, followed by requesting dark meat to which she said yes to both. Got white meat lol. The harvest salad which claims seasonal fruits had maybe 5 cut up grapes. read more

This place is the best it's clean and nice this place is worth it (the Mac and cheese was amazing)