Service AMAZING! Food AMAZING! Also, the location is so cute (I love the green tiles LOL). I genuinely do not have anything negative to say about this tender greens location I was helped by Juan and he was nothing but polite, helpful, and sweet! Shout out to him read more

Beautiful new location. We normally frequent the Irvine Spectrum location but figured we would try this location since we were nearby. Service was slow, even though there were 7 people in the kitchen/behind the counter. Food portions were tiny and not consistent with what we usually get when we go to the other. Sadly; the only good thing was the salad. The steak and chicken dishes we ordered were beyond dry and the food was cold! It's frustrating when the service is bad, but worse when you pay $$ for food that doesn't meet your expectations. Had I known we were gonna have such a bad time, I would've sucked it up and just made dinner at home. Would not recommend this location. Stick to Spectrum. read more

Tasty, fresh, but portions felt a bit small. We overall had a pleasant experience. I ordered a plate with seared tuna as my protein, along with seasonal vegetables and cilantro lime brown rice. My husband had the falafel, mashed potatoes, and cilantro lime brown rice. We both enjoyed our meals--the flavors were good and everything tasted fresh. That said, for the price, I felt the portion size was a little on the smaller side, and my dish was slightly oily for my personal preference. Still good, just not quite perfect. One thing I really liked was the location. It's in a great area with shops nearby, and after eating we enjoyed walking around, which made it a nice overall outing. Solid food and atmosphere, just wish the portions matched the price a bit more. Would still come back, especially for a casual, healthy-ish meal in a nice area. read more

The food was not bad and came out on a timely manner. The cashier was nice when I asked about the menu. The place was decently clean. read more

Tender Greens - sea salt chips - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Spacious with inside and outside seating. Clean. Fresh. Diligent staffs. Conveniently located by the parking lot in University Town Center at UCI. Great place to feed yourself with healthy meal for your body and brain. read more

Tender Greens - Seared tuna plate with farro salad & baby arugula - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

There was no one in front of us; only two other patrons in the restaurant. We waited almost 30 minutes for one plate of grilled fish and mash. We specifically asked for the fish to be well done, and it came out medium rare. Why is it that every time I come here it's just another disappointing experience. The food is good, but can they not get it together?? This is the third time our order has been incorrect. What is up with the chef? read more

Tender Greens - Medium rare when we asked for well done. - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been going here for nearly a decade now since my undergrad years. I've been ordering the same thing every time! It's my comfort meal and it's always so good! Perfect Al dente baked mac and cheese with a crusty bread crumb on top, mashed potatoes and gravy on the side, and grass fed steak medium well! And a green juice with kale and apple and other things, so good, unlimited too! Service is prompt and good. Ambiance is relaxed and nice, perfect outdoor seating for dogs! read more

Tender Greens - Steak medium well with mac n cheese and mashed potatoes gravy on the side and a green juice - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

Used to eat here very frequently when my office was in this plaza. It had been a while since I relocated the office and decided to come back. Great food, always love the salmon bowl (except they had ran out of brown rice that day) and my second favorite is their chipotle chicken salad. Staff are working hard and everything is great. Chocolate chip cookie is really delicious! Vibes are great and gets busy for lunch. read more

Tender Greens - california bowl with grilled salmon - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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I frequent this spot because their bowls have great flavor. The Thai bowl is delicious, but the steak on it was so fatty and sickening a couple of times. I had to stop ordering it all together. The pesto chicken sandwich is delicious, as are the arugula and side Caesar salads. read more

Tender Greens - Pesto chicken pesto sandwich - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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I paid $18 for breaded katsu. Not happy. When you order takeout, inspect your food first read more

Tender Greens - pacific bowl with katsu chicken - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

We love this spot in Palo Alto so we were looking forward to a tasty meal. We ordered the Chipotle BBQ plate dark meat and one white meat. I wasn't sure how they plate so I asked for two thighs. I was charged a 2nd protein $6 after reviewing my receipt. For the price the food should be make fresh. The chicken and veggies were not hot and tasted as if they had been sitting for some time. The service wasn't bad but wasn't great. Large dining area with a nice vibe. Clean and spacious is always a plus. read more

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I love Tender Greens, but quality can be hit or miss depending on which location you go to. I was at the Irvine Spectrum location recently and ended up returning most of the dishes back to the kitchen because of the food being over-salted. This University Center location was nothing but good experiences so far though. Consistent, fresh, and exactly what I want when I come here. If you're hungry and looking for a simple, satisfying meal being a tasty protein, a couple of good sides, maybe a warm bowl of soup then this is the place. Highly recommend this location. They've earned 5 stars from me. read more

You can't go wrong here. Really great, quality food. So cool they gave complimentary bread! Super friendly staff, and omg the seared tuna was simply amazing. If you like fish, get this. Loved the seasonal veggies, especially the mushrooms. read more

Tender Greens - seared tuna, farro salad, seasonal vegetables - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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My wife and I visited in August. Friendly server. Enjoyed the Mediterranean steak salad and Chicken Pesto sandwich. Good décor. Bit noisy in some parts of the restaurant, depending on whether you are near the speakers. read more

Mistakes were made. Whenever I go to restaurants I've never been to before, I'm always excited to explore the menu and try out a variety of different things. However, when I find a dish I like at places I go back to again and again, I'm always hesitant to stray from my go-to orders. Partly because I'm just loyal like that, but mostly because it seems counter intuitive to deprive myself of something I like. So, you can imagine how pissed I am for deviating from one of my absolute favorite salads anywhere and ending up with one of the worst things I've ever eaten in my life... Even though part of me wanted to stick with trying places that are more unique to Irvine during my trip down here, Tender Greens actually felt like a nice way to break up all of the Asian food I'd already been having (plus, it was nice not having to leave the complex). Compared to the one I used to go by my old office in SF, this location feels notably bigger and a lot more chill. Granted, peak lunch hour pre-COVID isn't the same as middle of the afternoon post-COVID, but it was different being surrounded by college kids studying. More importantly, though, I was just happy to see that in the years since my last visit to a Tender Greens, the Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad was still on the menu! -- MINT LEMONADE Pretty solid, but nothing spectacular. It's a bit on the sweet side and doesn't have much tartness to it, but it's got a nice, minty flavor and it's quite refreshing on a hot day. -- RUSTIC CHICKEN SOUP with Potato, Carrot, Celery, Onion, and Thyme Not hyperbole - the worst soup I've ever eaten. Nice that it had a bunch of vegetables in it, but this was ridiculously watery both in terms of consistency and flavor (think a bowl of water with a bouillon cube and vegetables). Ate the first spoonful, ate another to confirm how awful it was, and ditched the rest. -- CHICKEN PESTO SANDWICH - Chicken Breast, Provolone, Preserved Tomato, Arugula, Sunflower Seed Pesto, Aioli, and Grilled Larder Bakery Sourdough I had a craving for chicken pesto, but this was just okay. The chicken was a touch dry, but everything else in this, especially the pesto, was pretty good. As for the bread, it seemed decent, but it was hard to tell (see below). Also, I feel like toasting it might have made this better. -- GRILLED CHICKEN COBB - Blue Cheese, Bacon, Egg, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado, Romaine, Tarragon Dressing The only reason why this isn't a one star review. Although there seemed to be less chicken and bacon in this one, it tasted a lot more flavorful than I remember. What's more, it seemed like they made up for it by adding more romaine, which I didn't mind, as I love the tarragon dressing they use. As far as service goes, it was both good and bad. Each time I was here, the girls working the register were terrific, but the runners were less so. After I mentioned to the guy who brought out my salad that I was missing the Mint Lemonade, he asked, "are you sure you didn't get it yet?" (yes...?). The second time I was here, the guy who brought out my sandwich and soup put the plate down at a sharp angle, which led to the bowl sliding into the sandwich and the soup splashing all over the bread (he apologized). Obviously, neither were great, but the former was more of a weird exchange and the latter would've been less of an issue if the soup had been better. Either way, they weren't nearly as problematic as the soup (BTW, did I mention it was bad?). Inevitably, I'll make my way back to a Tender Greens again at some point, but when I do, I doubt I'll be straying from my always reliable Grilled Chicken Cobb, especially now that I know that I could end up with something as awful as the Rustic Chicken Soup again. read more

Tender Greens - Chicken Pesto Sandwich and a Cup of Rustic Chicken Soup (avoid at all costs) - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Three of us came for dinner tonight after church. Two ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and mixed veggies. Delicious! I ordered the grilled shrimp, farro and mixed veggies. The grilled shrimp was a bit overdone; loved the veggies. I'll get the short ribs next. read more

Tender Greens - Delicious fried chicken! We got dark meat. Yah! - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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This Tender Greens is located near the UCI campus. I usually eat at the one at the Spectrum Center, so this was my first time here. I got their harvest salad and it was so good! I loved the mix of seasonal flavors, and it had a good amount of protein without being a heavy meal. The only thing I would change about this location is having self-serve drinks. I just got a cup of water but I drank it all and wanted a refill. I didn't want to have to go back to the counter to ask for a refill though. But overall, that's a small thing and the food makes it worth it! read more

I was so excited to try this and I was just disappointed. I ordered the pacific with katsu chicken and the chicken was some of the worst I've had from a restraint. I really hate giving bad reviews like this but I absolutely wasted my money on this dish. The chicken tasted like it was freezer burnt and then cooked in the microwave. The bowl was so dry and had no flavor. Clearly, they are doing something right because most people seem to like this place, but honestly my bowl ruined it for me. I usually like to try places again to give a second chance but I don't want to risk eating that chicken again :( read more

Tender greens is still one of my go-to lunch spots with my coworkers. Wanted to update my review to shoutout Fernando. The great food and Fernando's service makes coming here always a joy. He always provides us extra sauce and will refill our drinks. Definitely come check this spot out! read more

Tender Greens - Thai bowl w/ grilled steak - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

We haven't been here for a long time. This place is across from UCI University California Irvine) so it needs to please college students, budding young doctors, many different cultures from all over the world. Everyone is very friendly and helpful but rushed. They say "We start with the best ingredients, cook from the heart and let our food do the talking. No compromises, no matter what. Sustainability is at the core of all the choices we make, from our food to our planet to the future of farming. It's in our DNA." But what is their sourcing? People who say they care about cooking and no compromises usually tell you where they get their beef and whether it's grass fed and finished....not a word. And where they source their fish and vegetables....are they organic? Not a word. Using words like "sustainable" is really cool and catchy...but from where? These are just buzzwords. The future of farming....yup everyone is talking about that now...but what does that mean to a restaurant? Are you supporting local small family owned farmers? Regenerative farming? You're using buzzwords but not telling what you actually do to carry out those words. We had a burger and fries, and a rib and mash potatoes. Unremarkable and I don't know where they came from...pretty sure they weren't grass fed and finished but don't know. We're in our 70s and 80s....can't see the menu on the wall until we get there...then so many choices we have to read alot of stuff and the person behind the counter needs an order and the people behind you are saying...let's go, let's go...but where are the menus? at the check stand...what are you thinking? Solution...don't allow older people to enter...just young people who are just hungry and don't care where their food comes from. read more

Food was great as well as the customer service. The seared tuna and the salmon were cooked perfectly and the salads as sides had a lot of flavor. I wasn't a huge fan of the Mac and cheese but everything else was tasty. So glad there is a healthy option that tastes really good. Definitely going back to try all the other dishes! read more

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TL;DR - healthy, but filling & so tasty!! super duper cute seating, perfect to rest after a day of shopping around - nice view with fresh air & feels very rustic they have such a good variety of dishes! - staff mostly keeps to themselves, but are very patient & don't mess up orders! read more

Tender Greens - grilled steak harvest chicken - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I have never had a poor experience in any of the Tender Greens restaurants. The more recent reviews of this place being dirty and tables not clean could not be further from the truth. The food is healthy and delicious! So many great options. The manager is so friendly and was very helpful. He loves his team and he creates a great mood. The service was great considering that college kids are taking the orders. read more

We decided to try tendergreens for the first time and it was pretty good! I really enjoyed my californian salmon bowl (8.5/10). The salmon was cooked perfectly and the rice/salad had really good flavor. We also ordered a grilled steak plate which we thought was really salty. We let the worker know because it tasted like a spoonful of salt and he said all their steaks are marinated that way so he offered a different alternative protein choice instead. There was plenty of seating and looked really clean. We had to wait about 15-20 minutes for the food to come out so it's not a quick eat and go type of place. Aside from that tho- everything tasted really good so I probably would come again. read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I must be really late to the party because I finally made a visit to Tender Greens for a late lunch after a watching a movie with the family. From a quick glance of the menu, I was having a hard time to decide what I want because everything just look so healthy and good! I decided to try to salmon bowl. YUM! Fresh cooked salmon was delicious. The rice and salad and corn all mixed together, with a touch of lime, was delicious. :) Parking can be a pain since it's at the UTC area. Customer service - luckily it wasn't too crowded so the service was good and fast with our food orders. It's clean inside and seatings are spaced out. I'll definitely come back and try other dishes on the menu. read more

Tender Greens - Salmon bowl - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I love tendergreens. The food is delicious and healthy. I love the chipotle chicken with roasted potatoes and spinach with goat cheese plate. The mint lemonade tastes great too. read more

Went to the UTC location for a work lunch yesterday. The atmosphere is good enough, and I generally like the food -- but I usually only come for special occasions as it can get a bit pricey. I ordered the seared tuna plate with romaine hearts and mashed potatoes, along with a mint lemonade. It took a while for the food to come out, and when it did, it felt as though the preparation was rushed. The tuna was a bit oily and too salty and the lettuce was a bit underdressed (and doesn't it usually come with croutons?), although the mashed potatoes were delish. I'm going to hold the line and only come for work events, as I can't justify spending that all of that money for food that isn't well-prepared... it was decent, but not worth the expense, IMO. read more

Tender Greens has improved ! Salmon Bowl is very rasty and thoughtfully prepared. On time, too (pickup).

Giving this place 2 even though we wanted it to be good so bad! My significant other and I both got a salad and a glass of water for $38!!! The salads were both just very plain and left us feeling sick after. The staff seem like young kids that won't even make eye contact with you. That could be forgivable but the food was not good for a high price. read more

Honestly frustrating, ordered a family meal and some other stuff online for pickup, arrived 30 mins later and no food ready. That's ok, I went to target to get up a drink, came back and got the food. Got home only to discover they didn't give me half the food I ordered in my family meal. Drove all the way back to get the rest of the food. The lady at the counter tried to claim I made my order wrong at first, then she found my receipt and it was their mistake. Wasted another hour. So disappointed. Order # 34527827350355970 read more

Gave me barely any croutons for the tomato soup. never coming again was my first and last time coming here. This place disappointed me very much read more

deliscious and freshly prepared soup salads and plates my kind of place 30 minutes parking can give your customers stress with speed eating read more

Tender Greens - chicken soup - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Ordered some salads to go and they didn't close the dressings all the way... leaked everywhere and made a huge mess - also didn't have any dressing leftover to put on the salad... read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I got lunch here on a Friday. It wasn't too busy, even during the supposed "lunch rush." Order at the register. Indoor and outdoor covered seating. Casual atmosphere. They bring your food to you when ready, unless you order to-go. It's located in the north-east section of the center, close to Trader Joe's. Took about 10 mins for my order. Friendly service. I got the pacific salmon bowl. Comes with greens, rice, and yummy sauce! While expensive (what isn't these days - especially seafood), it was delicious, and a rather generous portion! Just under $20 as of Sept 2023 for the one bowl. Super tasty, though! read more

Tender Greens - Pacific salmon bowl - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I came here for lunch and Tender Greens is such a great option if you want a well balanced and hearty meal! Lots of healthy options as well. I decided to try the short rib since that was their special they had going on. It was delicious! Perfectly tender and great flavor. It comes with mashed potatoes and broccolini which were also really good. Highly recommend! read more

Tender Greens - Short rib special - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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SHRINKFLATION!!! Really sad. Tender Greens hiked up their prices so a meal for two costs like $40+. I stopped going as much because the price/experience/food don't really align for me. Thought I would give it another try. I ordered my usual, including my favorite chocolate chip cookie. I get home and what do I find? A snack that must have been meant for Polly Pocket herself. Between the increase in costs and shrinkflation, it feels icky paying/supporting the business. I hope with the price raises and portion shrinkage, they are paying their workers more. SAD read more

Tender Greens - Before the shrinkflation, this cookie was almost twice this size! This was my favorite chocolate chip cookie too - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

I used to come here at least 3X a week, enough to have earned the Free Drink Thermos -- Two Of them!! For the newbies, that was their loyalty program that earned me a free Logo Thermos which entitled me to have it filled with a drink of choice, with any meal, for the life of the thermos! After spending over $1500 to earn that, imagine earning two... After moving away for 3 years, I came back today to try the new fried chicken. My my my, how things changed!! And not in the good way. Crispy potato means those roasted potatoes are just dried up and hard on the edges. I thought they were to be crispy like fries. Gave up after two pieces. Baby greens, according to the guy who helped with my order, was mixed veggies. NOPE, I got a scoop of plain salad. The chicken is a good size, looking like country-fried chicken you get at breakfast places. Except there would be served with gravy. Here, TG serves it plain. No sauce available.... I asked. I basically doused it with salt and pepper. Then I was outta there!!!! read more

Tender Greens - New fried chicken - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

Restaurant was extremely dirty. Could not find a wiped off table to sit at, had to eat outside. Dirty dishes, floors littered with food and papers and dirty paper towels on bathroom floor. Not appetizing to eat here, looking at all this garbage. Won't be going back. read more

A friend and I decided to stop by for a quick lunch on a Saturday afternoon, and this place was pretty empty. The restaurant is large and has plenty of seating. I had never been to a Tender Greens, but I like a good salad so i was curious how the food would be here. The menu is quite large, so there really is something for everyone. I decided on a chicken Caesar salad and fries, but every girl loves her carbs! Food was brought out rather quickly. I found the portion size to be perfect. Fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, perfect! Service was on point as well. Would I drive out of my way to specifically go to Tender Greens? No. But I enjoyed my lunch. If you're in the mood for a quick lunch and you're in the mood for a salad, tender greens is a good option. read more

Tender Greens - Chicken Caesar Salad - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Been going to Tender Greens in Pasadena since that's the closest one to me. But was down here in Irvine to visit with a friend, and we ended up here, because it wasn't too crowded. Tender Greens is an easy go-to when you don't know what to eat, because it's pretty straightforward - you can create a plate by picking a protein & two sides, or they have pre-selected bowls & specials. Summer's probably one of the best times to go, because there's a bigger variety. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that they've increased their protein choices since my last visit over 6 months ago - there's now a TROUT option, which I was happy with, & a few other new items, like baked falafel, grilled shrimp & panko crusted eggplant. This particular location is quite pleasant and intimate, and had a "round" set up, & is bright & cheery, which was nice. (The one in Pasadena is very long but holds more seats). The staff was friendly & one was particularly funny, when he came by to fill our water! The food was a bit slow coming out, but it was nice & warm. I ordered a grilled trout, with fingerling potatoes & seasonal roasted veggies, which had grilled corn, baby peppers, squash, zucchini & green beans, yummm! Very tasty, albeit slightly on the salty side. I like adding ground pepper to my meal as well, which gave it a gentle kick. My husband ordered the Penang Curry which he said he really enjoyed,and our friend ordered the fried chicken. Overall a pleasant meal, and tasted quite delicious - I also enjoyed this Tender Greens location, lucky you, Irvine people! :) read more

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