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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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

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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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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

Food is really good. Service is pretty trash. Seems like the people working are interns. Place need a little cleaning up too.

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

The Irvine Spectrum location had excellent customer service. Our family enjoyed our first time visiting Tender Greens. We will be back!

Spent around a total of 55 dollars with my friend!Both for double protein and a plate with 2 sides. We got absolutely no protein for double protein. Just couple strips of chicken?! For double? I asked one of the employees if this bowl looked like double protein and they said it was. And sides were smaller than we expected when one plate was around 25 dollars! I could get 2 Panda Express double protein for that price! Never coming here again and telling all my other friends of the service I received today! Before you come here check out the yelp reviews and google reviews! Food is healthy and good, but for the price and quantity I do not think so. I came here empty stomach to enjoy some good food and and to feel full, but the food was not even satiating and I am still hungry! read more

I've been a fan of the Tender Greens concept with its healthy salads, sandwiches, soups, entrees, etc. But after my experience at their Irvine Spectrum location, I think I'm done with this chain. my overall relationship with Tender Greens has been getting gradually worse but this time the last drop of patience has done it. Despite the mall being packed, this restaurant was surprisingly quiet, even during dinner hours. Now I know why. The issue isn't the menu or concept - it's the execution. To produce quality health food, you need chefs with a refined sense of taste. Unfortunately, the food here tastes like it's prepared by people used to making fast food, not healthy dishes. I ordered soups, salmon, chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and salads. The soups went back immediately because they were so oversalted that my tongue went numb. The potatoes were so salty as well that I could feel salt crystals crunching with every bite. It was nauseating. Even the grilled vegetables, meant to replace the potatoes later, had the same issue. It felt like salt was the main ingredient in everything. To be fair, the salads and salmon were decent, but they couldn't redeem the rest of the meal. The only saving grace of this visit was the manager, who handled my complaints professionally, refunded the soups, and did his best to accommodate. His effort is the only reason this review gets two stars instead of one. I wouldn't recommend this location. The idea of healthy food is great, but the execution here is a complete fail. Until they reevaluate their cooking standards and taste-testing process, I won't be coming back. read more

The new featured item Tender Greens are heavily advertising (as of October 2025) is called the Adobo Chicken Bowl, and it's is just awful. Ye be warned. It's a good idea and the picture is enticing, but the rice was mushy, chicken was very cheap quality and smothered in what seems to be a powdered gravy mix that's WAY too salty, vinegary, sticky and just depressing. It's Filipino inspired, but it looks and tastes as if McDonald's tried to made a Filipino dish. Big fail for Tender Greens. Hopefully they get enough complaints and take it off the menu and scold the head chef who was lazy in his execution of what could have been a really good and interesting dish. *This particular location is still a decent option to eat at, don't get me wrong. The Mediterranean steak salad has always been high quality and consistent. And this location is very convenient for the Spectrum- right in front of the Edwards Cinema and Irvine Improv. read more

I was here for a company's lunch. We took an outdoor table, but the service was superb! I didn't have the opportunity to catch our waiter's name but he's truly attentive, friendly, and polite. He refilled the entire table's drink when we were still chatting and we didn't even request it. I tried their country fried chicken and steak plates before; the fried chicken was good, but nothing special. Steak was done right, but also not unique. However, the short ribs plate was a hidden gem! It was small but packed a punch--super-tender, flavorful, and melt in your mouth. Please give this a try. The only downside with the short rib plate was the sides are fixed; mashed potato was smooth and not overly buttery or heavy. I didn't have the same luck with brocolette though. They either broil it or steam it for a short minute, so the entire stem was very difficult to eat. I'm not usually a sugary drink person (I only drink coffee and alcohol) but the hibiscus tea was acceptable. Just sweet enough and the tartness complemented well with the fat from the short ribs. read more

Tender Greens - Short ribs and hibiscus - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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Harvest chicken salad is large & delicious with a light golden vinaigrette dressing. The kids meal grilled cheese was a large "gourmet type" sandwich. The sourdough bread with a herb flavor was thick & a bit tough to chew for the 2 year old. Not her style so us adults ate it too. Nice service & plenty of indoor or outdoor seating. read more

Ordered the Steak Playe for about $23- so not worth it! I received 4-5 super thin slices of burnt flavorless steak. Accompanied by a handful of spinach two drops of feta cheese and sliced almonds. A side of dry and I mean dry mashed potato's came with the plate. The portion was small, food had no love to it. My first and last time for Tender Greens read more

Came here with my family on Jan 28th 2026 at 6:20pm. This was our first time at this place. The food was pretty good but somehow the attitude of the cashier made this a bad experience. I dont know what was her deal but not sure if I want to come back again because of her. I don't expect perfect service but at the same time I do not expect rude service either. Maybe I try this again soon but make sure she's not there. read more

The chicken salad is amazing. The one downside I found is that the cuts of lettuce were really large so I had to trim them down. The dressing is light and flavorful. We did a delivery order and it was prepared quickly and arrived fast. The presentation is done very well and makes it very appealing. They are a bit on the pricey side, but it is a good healthy meal. read more

Tender Greens - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

Love it here! Food tastes great, fresh, I esp love the seared tuna. There's something for everyone here at a decent price. My son has food allergies and they have a good selection for him and are very accommodating. The service was great. Highly recommend! read more

I got the salmon plate with baby arugula, and mashed potatoes. I love the baby arugula so much and the lemon dressing they had on it. I just wish the arugula was chopped up a bit as they gave me really big pieces. The mashed potatoes were absolutely amazing and the salmon was crisp Delicious. Staff was nice and my food was ready in less than 10 minutes. It was very big place and you can sit either outside or inside. I even brought brought my work laptop here to get some quiet time. Although there is like music playing it still is a good workspace. read more

Tender Greens - Salmon plate - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

I love Tender Greens it's always so yummy - but the plating was disappointing and to see one of the workers dealing with the food and only having one glove on ..... read more

Tender Greens - After the skin was off .... Not attractive but I ate it - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

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We were at the Irvine Spectrum recently and there were long lines at other restaurants so we decided to eat here since they weren't as busy. There were a few tables inside and few out in the patio. However, it took almost 1.5 hours to get just one order. My husband ordered the salmon plate with two sides. I stepped outside to see what other options are available nearby. I came back 25 minutes later with my Luna Grill order and he was still waiting for his food. Checked with one of their employees and was told they were understaffed and it will be a while longer. But there were a lot of employees we saw in & out of the kitchen, servers and kitchen staff. We looked at our receipt and it has been over an hour since ordered! When food finally arrived, salmon was good but very small strip. Sides are delicious though. Service not so great. Will not return. read more

Tender Greens - Salmon with fingerling potatoes & vegetables medley - Salad Near Me - Irvine, California

10/10 all the way around! Ordered take-out and all of the food was delicious! One of the chefs (I believe) personally gave me my food and ensured all was well and was very friendly, so great service as well. Clean interior and clean restrooms. Food was so good I didn't even realize they forgot my naan bread lol! read more

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