Tender greens ain't tender anymore! We used to love coming to Tender Greens for many years pass. Now, it's becoming the least favorite place to eat. We usually order the Chipotle BBQ Chicken salad with bread. The chicken was cold, hard and not freshly cooked. It felt like the chicken cooked over 4 hours ago or was put in the fridge and brought out. The lettuce used to be fresh and crisp but not anymore. The whole dish didn't look appetizing and pieces of dried chicken were tossed in with the salad. The Chicken used to be on top of the salad and not mixed in. The bread was hard as a rock. The bread used to be thinly sliced grilled baguette and now it is sourdough and cold. Everything we ate was bad. Also, the men's restroom was dirty and nasty which made it even more unpleasant. We saw customers waiting in line with no food for 30 minutes or more. The cooks disappeared and most staff were back in the kitchen. Just 3 people were at the front. We saw two customers had their hands on their heads because the orders were not moving. Another couple was told that their side dishes were not available. We could feel the customers were unhappy and hungry. As soon as the dishes arrived, they were chowing down like hungry prisoners. So sad and disappointing that this place is going down. It's been like this for about 5 years already and it's getting worse. Don't think I would come back again soon. read more

***This edited portion of my review is for food that we were given to go, After they threw away my child's food last Monday.*** I called this store multiple times to get a refund after a foreign object was discovered in the mashed potatoes they gave us to take home. No One ever answers their phone, nor do they return voice messages left for them. I had to reach out to another location, explain what happened and ask for a refund for this (to-go) plate since the Pasadena store doesn't respond at all. I was told I would be receiving a refund but have not seen one yet. This store should have my contact number, which I confirmed with the manager at the other location, but I haven't heard anything except for the "business owners" response here on Yelp. I'm truly surprised at the lack of professionalism and responsiveness. The amount of money isn't the issue but the principle is. Maybe someone from Pasadena will remedy the issue, address why there was an ITEM INSIDE my child's food, which WASN'T FOOD and correct it soon. I should've read Yelp before going since there are clearly cleanliness violations here. Someone is going to get sick here soon if they haven't already. read more

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I used to love Tender Greens, but they've lost their way and my future business. TG really needs to fix how they handle the online deliveries and take care of all their customers! When I came in for dinner, my party of 3 were the only ones waiting to order. We promptly ordered but couldn't make it to the register to pay because it was crowded with over a dozen DoorDash delivery people waiting for the delivery orders to be ready. After we finally got our food, we sat down only to discover that they were out of all utensils so I had to wade my way back up to the counter and ask for more utensils. The people at the register were confused and overwhelmed by the delivery people constantly interrupting the flow of dine-in customers to promptly address the issue that there were customers who couldn't eat their food. Finally, with fork in hand, I could return to eat my now cold and burnt sweet potatoes and carrots. With so many more efficient healthy fast casual options in Pasadena, I would have to give this TG location a pass. read more

I had to come on here and give great workers their proper credit. Fanny provided immaculate service. She ran the whole kitchen like a mother prepping a thanksgiving dinner. Cashier, cook, and sending out the food. I don't know if it's lack of staff or underwhelming co workers, but she did all she could to push through the rush. Food was bomb too. Cured my depression. Seems whenever she's not running the front, the service is always subpar. Either late and cold food. Or the workers look lost/gossiping. read more

Ordered steak salad which supposed to have tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, sweet peppers, and pickled cucumber. What I got a salad with olives cucumbers and feta cheese. It looked nothing like the picture and missing several ingredients. They also forgot extra dressing on another order, and forgot the cookie we ordered. I only order from here when my spouse does since I think this establishment is horrendously over priced and always seem to mess up our order, but this time was probably the worst service we have gotten. I much prefer Cava and urbane. read more

Tender Greens - Salad missing several key ingredients- tomatoes and sweet peppers. Also forgot our extra dressing, and cookie that we paid for. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Extremely modern and environmentally friendly, Tender Greens is such an interesting concept. The interior is steps ahead of other counter service dining option I've ever been to. The ambience, the atmosphere, and the quality of the food are all fantastic. The price? Easy on the wallet, especially for the quality and generously portioned size of the meal. Verdict: it's a no brainer to have Tender Greens in your rotation, especially if you eat out a lot, but totally worth it even if it's a rare occurrence. read more

Tender Greens - Seared tuna, kale w/ parm, and roasted veggies. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

We had to ask for a table to be cleared. The two girls proceeded to have a conversation while we waited. The food came, the table still hadn't been wiped. The steak was cold and we did not get the bread as stated on the menu. I asked for bread. I was told they would bring it to me. Another girl came to our table and said that they were out of the sour dough that they include so if I wanted the brioche it was a dollar more. Do not go to this tender greens. It really sucks read more

We love this place, great fresh food and lots of choices. Service is great, Dekayla was friendly and very efficient! read more

I remember this place being so good and the portions being better. But today, the service was mediocre and so was the food. Most likely wouldn't go back. Service: Is the person at the register a designated phone order receiver? Because I walked into an empty restaurant for pick up and she didn't even bother to acknowledge my presence and kept taking phone calls. I waited five mins before anyone asked if I needed help ... when there was no one inside but the employees. Food: For the price, the portion of food received seems like it decreased. Either that or they give you less when you order to-go. Everything tasted super salty as well. One tip for restaurant: Can you guys either get small cup sizes or provide more mashed potato? The to-go cup it came in felt wasteful for the amount that was inside. See picture. read more

Tender Greens - Don't let the photo fool you on the portions. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Definitely don't come after 8pm, if you are planning for dine in as they quickly try to close up shop while patrons are still there ordering and dining! I get they close at 9pm but at 8:15 do they really have to start packing up everything and shutting down the place. They told us while ordering, only to go orders and can't eat inside, although ok to eat on the outside. I wish they were consistent because another party that came after us, actually sat down and dined inside ‍. Another problem was we ordered a kids steak dinner and they gave us 2 smallest size cuts, as well as running out of romaine lettuce. We didn't realize how small the steak cuts were until the little one ate half of one. We let them know how small the two cuts of steak were and they stated it's weighed evenly each time, which is not consistent because we usually get 3 - 4 cuts of steak with the kids plate. We went back and forth with the person in charge so in order to feed a hungry child, needless to say, we ordered a side steak for $7.95, which was an extra charge‍. The food is quality if they are consistent with the portions. Today's service really brought the score down, but food is usually high quality. Will definitely be back but definitely disappointed with the service. Lots of room for improvement. read more

Loved their grilled steak plate. It has protein and carbs you need for a meal. Not too rich and healthy in a way.

Walking distance from Vroman's Book Store and Landmark Theater. Good traditional and trendy options- salads, sandwiches, and comfort food.

Uber eats spend 50$ on food to be delivered with no napkins or utensils....do better. Food was fine, better than fast food but the mac and cheese had very little cheese. read more

This place... such a good go to for a business meeting, hanging w/ a friend, or if ur dining alone. So ya it's good for anything & anytime. This place is comparable to a nicer fresher version of Panera. It's fresher and healthier. I got my soup to go and it was still hot 10 minutes later. I like that it's quick but that the food doesn't taste fast casual. Especially the meat - the meat here is perfectly cooked! For drinks this place offers healthier alternatives to soda. & as always, the paper straws are bittersweet - annoying but considerate of the earth. The space is nice and big and I've never struggled to find a seat. The staff isn't lazy and is helpful, moving the line quickly. read more

Tender Greens - Rustic Tomato Soup - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great food, shitty service. There were about 20 servers behind the counter who were just staring at me and not wanting to do anything. Half of them were just standing around really annoyed and not doing anything except not wanting to do anything. Terrible service attitude and just ruined the meal which they probably couldn't care less. Not sure why they're in the service industry. I don't know why I tipped them and wanted it back. read more

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Had the barbecue chicken salad with cauliflower . It was sooooo good ! Very good flavor and the cauliflower was tasteful as well My mom had the harvest salad - and she LOVES it . Will definitely be coming back here read more

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I love Tender Greens. I've been here several times, and enjoy the simplicity. I really miss their octopus salad, though. I've had several items, but usually get the salt and pepper chicken and steak. Their veggies are always so good and appropriately seasoned. Also, their Agua Frescas are very good (free refills!) I go here when I need a quick, healthy meal. Some complain that it's overpriced, and hyped but I think it's worth it. Quality is good, food always tastes fresh. read more

Tender Greens - Steak, mashed potatoes and Caesar salad - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Yo wtf Just ordered from postmates from the tender greens and this is what I receive read more

Tender Greens - Raw fish and hairs in the greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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So let me start off by saying that I am really picky with chicken... I can't stand fatty chicken or a lot of skin, where literally every bite I want to pull out pieces of my mouth (yuck and talk about rude!). This is my first time at Tender Greens. I tried to figure out how to order off the menu that's displayed on the wall, then get to the first register and place my order for the Chipotle Chicken sandwich with a side of roasted cauliflower. I wait down the line and watch all the kitchen staff prepare everyone's food. (Side note- I love open kitchens). Then get my food with a mint lemonade. Ciabatta bread is soft, yet a little thicker than my liking. There are a few roasted tomatoes and a nice layer of the aioli. The chicken though... oh man I had a pile of thick chicken skin and fat on my plate after noticing the skin on my first bite. It looks like I got all the end/side pieces. I've never had so much chicken skin on a chicken sandwich before. It honestly turns me off when I have to pick through my sandwich to take off fatty pieces. Some pieces were so stuck to the actual meat I had to take that piece off completely. The cauliflower was amazing! Seasoned and cooked perfectly and had a nice kick to it. The Mint Lemonade is also killer! The little mint pieces freaked me out a bit floating all around, but the flavor is great! Crisp and perfect for a hot day. Def check your teeth after drinking it Staff was quick, efficient, and friendly. Restaurant is clean with plenty of tables even during rush lunch hour they were promptly cleaned for another guest to use. Love their rustic-looking plates, sturdy silverware, and glass cups. I will definitely return to try the tuna or another protein to give this place another chance since everyone has rave reviews. read more

Tender Greens - Chipotle Chicken w/ cauliflower - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Tender Greens is definitely my go to place when I want something healthy, tasty and reasonably priced. The food is fresh and cooked to order but for some reason it rarely comes out hot and there is usually a pretty lengthy wait. The staff is pretty friendly but make sure you don't show up to close to closing time (no less than an hour and a half before closing) or you'll find many items on the menu are sold out and unavailable. The location is ideal but parking can be a little tricky at times. There is plenty of seating inside and it has a clean open feel, nothing fancy but relaxed and casual-order at the counter, pick up your number and they bring your food to you. read more

This store consistently fails to have my order ready to pick up when they say are. They have wasted my time on so many different occasions with their broken system and it seems nothing gets done about it. Your system for mobile orders through the app must change, it is hot garbage considering I waste 20 minutes of my time here almost every single time I order. read more

We are not from the area but have found Tender Greens is a solid and consistent place to eat. The food is definitely very good and tasty. This time around we had the Mediterranean salad and the salt and pepper chicken sandwich with a dr. The meats for not dishes were delicious! The young man tending the tables, Joshua, was magnificent! His attention to us and every customer on the floor will make us come back. read more

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I'll be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Tender Greens. While I admire their inventive menu and fast casual dining, I am not impressed with their pre-cooked items that are gently rewarmed prior to serving. But I had just come out of a movie and I was hungry. And the promotional sandwich board out front intrigued me with a beautiful photo of something they called Mediterranean Chicken. So I went in knowing I could grab a quick bite before I became "hangry". The menu described the dish as Moroccan-inspired braised chicken, couscous with green garbanzos, currants and sunflower seeds, shaved rainbow carrots, parsley, tzatziki and grilled flat bread. I ordered that along with a glass of house red wine and found a nice cozy nook outside. The food arrived shortly after and I grabbed my fork to dig in. I took a bite of chicken and was impressed with how tender and flavorful it was. The chicken was certainly Moroccan inspired, albeit a bit lukewarm as Tender Greens is known for, but delicious nonetheless. It was sitting on a bed of couscous, lightly tinged in yellow, with a pleasant mix of currants and other veggies. It was nicely spiced and went well with the moist chicken. The carrots were attractive but difficult to eat. The shavings were a bit big and had no seasoning or dressing on them, thus they were a bit bland. The flatbread was nice and the tzatziki was outstanding. Shaved carrots aside, the bowl was quite tasty, spiced perfectly, and everything was harmonious in flavor. Good job Tender Greens! Now if I could somehow convince you to serve hot rather than lukewarm reheated food, you would score another point from me for your well-priced, healthy leaning, fast casual offerings. read more

We had to make a quick stop to visit my sister n law at the hospital and on the way out we wanted to grab a bite to eat somewhere close. My fiancé is hooked on Tender Greens and California Chicken Cafe so we looked to see which one was in the area. Tender Greens was in the area so we decided to hit it up about 20 mins before it closed. My first experience with Tender Greens was a to go order my fiancé brought home and it was decent but I really loved the mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts so I had to get those again. I decided to go with the big plate: albacore, kale salad and mashed potatoes. For being healthy, I actually thought this meal had a lot of flavor and when I was finished it gave me that full that wasn't too heavy. The kale salad was basic but the albacore and mashed potatoes were the winners here. I also had their fresh squeezed lemonade and it was totally fresh! Probably some of the best lemonade I've had in a while. If you have room left over, make sure to get one of their pastries. We went with the hazelnut chocolate chip cookie and the cranberry cupcake. The cupcake was just a little too sweet for my liking but the cookie was really good. Overall, I'd be back again but I think I'll be substituting the kale salad for the mushrooms. I saw someone else get them and they looked amazing! This gets the stamp of approval for sure. OOOO 4 out of 5 Afros read more

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If you're ever craving for some healthy eating, then I'd definitely check this place out. I came out here for a girl's dinner date and the food is pretty delicious. You order at the counter and work your way down to the cash register in a cafeteria-style manner (think Lemonade) I opted for the big plate ($11.50) with the salt and pepper chicken, as a hot plate (which comes with delicious mashed potatoes) and a simple salad. The food is absolutely delish! There's plenty of seatings so my friend and I had no problem finding a spot to eat. Parking can be tricky because it is Pasadena. We were able to find street parking, but I'm sure there's a parking structure nearby where you pay a flat fee. But other than that, service is good and the food is yummy! A win win for me! read more

Tender Greens - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Sad they don't except cash anymore. I don't feel welcome to eat here now.

Slightly overpriced, but overall you get a healthy portion size and the food is delicious. + PARKING + Street parking is available and could be pretty limited depending on what time you go. There's usually good amount of parking on El Molino Avenue, so if you don't mind the walk, you could really do parking without paying anywhere. + SERVICE + - Fast moving line, tends to get long during lunch/dinner hours + FOOD + - If you order a hot plate, it comes with a protein, mashed potatoes, and a side salad of your choice. You could choose to have their day's vegetables instead of salad for free. I believe you could get replace a side with a soup for $2. - All the proteins are juicy and freshly cooked to perfection - Would advise against the side of mac & cheese. It's $5 for a small portion size, but I saw them cook it after I ordered it, so it was nice to know that it's made to order read more

Tender Greens - Steak hot plate (13) - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Solid place to go when in the mood for a healthy meal. Given the name, I was ready for a vegan meal, but was pleasantly surprised they had a lot of meat options. We got their big plates (-$12) which include a protein, mashed potatoes, and a salad. The salt and pepper chicken was moist and flavorful, as well as their albacore (seared- good for those who are also into the poke craze). I also felt their salads were great as well- the butter lettuce was sweet and tangy and their kale salad had taken the bite/bitterness out of the usual kale flavor. Definitely would come back. read more

Tender Greens - Albacore with Kale salad (bottom) and Salt and Pepper Chicken with butter lettuce (top) - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

If you're looking to eat healthy, Tender Greens is the best option I can recommend. For the cost, I think the portions are pretty decent. I ventured a little bit to explore some of the dishes I haven't tried yet and was still pretty pleased. While my fave dish will always be the Backyard Steak Big Salad, I got the Tuna Nicoise today. It obviously wasn't sushi-restaurant quality tuna, but it was solid, and the crispy garlic bread they offer on every dish...mmm. Always remember to check out their daily specials too. Last time I got a Braised Pork Short Rib, and it tasted amazing! For drinks, get the green monster (?) and avoid the mint lemonade (too sour). For soups, you can't go wrong with the rustic chicken or the roasted tomato. I think the summer salad sides are avoidable and a bit overpriced though. Get here early though. The line quickly gets long enough to go out the door. read more

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Fresh greens at Tender Greens is how best I can describe it. I ordered the Backyard Steak Salad and Lemonade which was a really tasty and healthy lunch for me. The greens for the salad were fresh and crunchy. The peppery taste of the arugula complimented the grilled steak which I ordered medium. Just look at those grill marks! The steak was moist and tender enough to cut with my fork. The lemonade was fresh squeezed and complimented with some mint pieces. The lemonade includes free refills. A server came by a few times to give us refills, check up on us, and to take our empty dishes. I highly recommend visiting Tender Greens. They validate parking for the lot just north of Colorado in Madison. read more

Tender Greens - Tuna sandwich - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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If you have any reservations about paying $10.50 for a salad in a cafeteria setting, give in. Tender Greens does a great job. The restaurant is incredibly comfortable and inviting. This location adorns its walls with graphic paintings of iconic Pasadena locales and has a low, linear wood seating. I chose from the salad side of the menu with the fried chicken salad. While it was quite an exercise in knife and fork work with the large butter lettuce and freckled romaine leaves, it was well worth it. My salad had two large pieces of well-seasoned fried chicken. The portions were so generous that I could have easily made two meals out of the salad. The crisp radish and cucumber were a good foil for the savory chicken. I loved the dill dressing and wished I had a side of it for extra dunking. John chose from the entrees and had the chipotle BBQ chicken over arugula and tomato salad. I much preferred my own dish. I could not taste the chipotle heat or smoke or any BBQ on his chicken. The arugula salad was not an example of Tender Green's excellent salad making skills. We also ordered the tomato soup with basil oil as a side. The soup was one of the best tomato soups I'd ever had - a great balance of sweet and tangy. It is actually difficult to mess up this soup if it ends up too much like ketchup or tomato paste but this was perfect in texture and taste. The basil oil was a natural accompaniment. All drinks at Tender Greens are refillable, which is a huge plus. On the downside, the staff do not make it easy for you to refill your drinks. Prior reviews suggested that they go so far as to walk around and offer you refills and even pack up drinks in disposable cups on your way out. No such thing occurred during my visit and we had to uncomfortably ask the cashier to refill our mint lemonade in between ringing up orders. Tender Greens could benefit from having a dedicated employee responsible for drink refills and validating parking cards. That's not exactly a revenue generating position but I still espouse it. For dessert, we snacked on the cowboy cookie, an addictive combination of oatmeal, chocolate, and coconut. The oatmeal and coconut resulted in a chewy texture, our favorite. Since it was our first visit, we got a bit of everything from each part of the menu. As a result, our simple salad lunch totaled nearly $30. If you keep your meal pared down, Tender Greens is a moderately affordable lunch spot and such a welcome addition to Pasadena. read more

Enter Look at menu Order Watch the food made fresh in front of you Check out the desserts Order your drinks Pay and your food is place on a tray Don't forget your forks, spoon, napkins, straws and sauce. Had the steak med well hot plate, roasted veggies and spinach salad. Came with a garlic bread. Please do try the aqua fresca mixed with their lemonade! Yummy Food was good, flavorful, portions are perfect, quick and easy. Free refills, they validate. The workers are great and helpful. read more

Tender Greens - Steak hot plate, roasted veggies and spinach salad. Mixed watermelon aqua fresca and mint lemonade - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Katsu chicken and mashed potatoes is always so good here I recommend asking for it crispy for a better tate read more

Tender Greens - Katsu Chicken and mashed potatoes - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Wanted a light dinner so checked out Tender Greens for the first time. I tried the Backyard Steak Salad (did I say light?). The ordering process is efficient. Review the wall menu and order at the first station. Walk down to the cashier station as you observe busy bodies making salads and sandwiches. Pay and sit down. Worker serves your food. Worked for me. The Backyard Steak salad was quite good. The butter lettuce was semi-sweet and soft while the ample pieces of arugula added the bitter taste component. I swapped my radishes and beets with roasted fennel. I wish I got more but the pieces I got tasted smoky almost like charred onions. The generous portions of medium rare flank steak definitely worked...tender and meaty. With the horseradish vinaigrette dressing, what I thought was going to be a light dinner became filling and satisfied. Prices are affordable and the service was prompt. Someone checked on our table every few minutes (almost too often). Overall, solid fast-casual sandwich and salad establishment. read more

Tender Greens - Backyard Salad - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

New fan here~! I've only had tasty morsels of "leftover" steak brought home from company dinners so I decided to check the place out finally. Came on a Saturday noon and there was a mini line which moved quickly. I thought the restaurant was more of an upscale restaurant but its actually low key and super casual. So you walk in..order your meat at the first counter, walk through the cooking area, order your salad and any drinks, then pay and take your food to a table. I ordered: Herb brushed albacore with sea salt, lemon & olive oil. I LOVED IT. The outside of the fish was perfectly seared with a hint of saltiness and tanginess. The salad on the side was slightly tangy but good. Mashed potatoes were buttery soft. And that bread? It was hard as heck but for some reason tasty! The only downside is the portion size...although it filled me up, I can see people not being full with the portions. And the pineapple aqua fresca was so blech...only ordered because I thought it was mango :( Overall, I'd definately go back! read more

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Really want to love this place since, conceptually, the idea of supporting local, organic farmers and healthy foods is right up my alley. I do LIKE this place since it's healthy (though probably somewhat flat in the flavor dept, when it comes to their veggie salad anyways) but the combination of dull flavors and, pretty importantly, lackluster service, makes me think twice about coming here... Even if it is crazy convenient for me! In summary, tastes like a veggie meal made by a carnivore. read more

People would like to think that this place is healthy because they are eating salad, but check out the calories online and you will see, not that healthy. If you want healthy get the dressing on the side. Fried chicken salad, is just that Fried Chicken with salad, but I didn't get that. In order for me to eat healthy I get the salt and pepper chicken with 2 sides of veggies, like the roasted brussel sprouts or the spiced carrots or broccolini. Basically I'm saying it's healthier than pizza and they are willing to help you customize which I like. Service is generally good and the one time I found paper in my salad, they replaced my meal. In the beginning, when they first opened the staff was less educated about gluten free, now they ask if they don't know which is good because for a year I ate the Backyard Steak not sure why I was sick afterwards (marinated in soy). Although they still give me bread, which I just quickly pass over to a friend who will eat it for me. read more

Tender Greens - Salt & Pepper Chicken with Spiced Carrots and Broccolini - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came here on a Sunday afternoon around 1pm with a friend for lunch. I got the Buttermilk Fried Chicken plate with mixed greens (sherry vinaigrette dressing), and mashed potatoes. It cost $13.78 with taxes. They delivered my plate to the table as I am assuming they needed to deep fry some more chicken. The fried chicken was hot and crispy and it went well with both the salad and mash potatoes. The mash potatoes were salty as hell, but then again I cook with minimal salt. Despite this, my friend said that it was saltier than usual (she also got a plate with mashed potatoes). The salad was not overly drenched in dressing but some of the lettuce pieces needed to be cut to smaller portions. We parked on a side street and since it was a Sunday we didn't have to worry about any time limitations. The restaurant was busy but efficient. I ordered at the first register and then walked down to the second one to pay. This was where they asked about drinks. The staff were polite and pleasant. They were quick to make sure I was helped and checked to see if I was helped already as I stood off to the side. I asked for ketchup but they had run out but it want a big deal for me. The staff picked up finished plates quickly after we finished eating and they didn't try to shoo us out as we sat and talked. There was a lot of natural lighting and tables. The women's restroom had 2 toilet stalls and was clean, though the AC was on blast and it felt like a refrigerator. read more

Tender Greens - Buttermilk Fried Chicken Plate with baby greens (sherry vinaigrette), and mashed potatoes. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Oh man! I'm in heaven! I'm pretty much in love with this place. It's so nice to have a delicious meal and not feel like you hate yourself afterwards. When you walk in, walk to the right and that's where the line starts. It usually takes me a while to figure out things, so I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. There's a huge chalkboard menu with specials along with a menu at the cashier. You order there and walk through a cafeteria line, all the while watching food being prepared. All I could think was... Why didn't I order that?! I opted for the Harvest salad because I'm trying to be semi-healthy. It was fantastic. It had a fresh European spring mix which was made of the most delicious greens. It was topped with goat cheese, pecans, pears and other seasonal fruit. It was pretty devine. They just do everything really well. One thing I did notice that I'm going to get next time is the roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and a side salad. That smelled amazing. The staff is really quick and good at clearing tables. It may look busy inside but they keep people moving. If you are in the Pasadena area, look up Tender Greens because it is definitely worth your time! read more

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After trying Lemonade I wanted to see if this place was any different. I think my overall feel is that I like Tender Greens better. PARKING: Street is best, if you turn before the plaza and then left on Union you can find street parking for an hour or so and you won't have to pay. WAIT: We got here right before the dinner rush so it wasn't a bad wait. You basically wait in line and then order and then pay at the end and wait for the food to be done and they put it on metal trays for you and then you sit down. ATMOSPHERE: The inside is very clean, kind of like a cafeteria style with chairs and some booths. It's a wooden, minimalist, modern feel. Not cold but not super trendy nor homey. It has that urban/organic/home grown/local food type of feel a lot of new restaurants have. You order first then go down a line and you can see them make your food and pay at the end. They give you little metal trays, like you are a cafeteria. FOOD: I feel like their focus is definitely on salads but they have this thing called the "hot plates" where you can get a different type of meat, then a salad or you can get it in a sandwich form or with a small salad and mashed potatoes. I got the fried chicken on kale simple salad and then a side of mac n cheese. FRIED CHICKEN - The fried chicken was pretty good, juicy and crispy but I think it could have been a little saltier. I felt like it was a little on the bland side - maybe they were trying to go for a more "healthy" taste but I felt like it could have used more seasoning. The kale salad was pretty good, lots of kale with parmesan and a tasty dressing. MAC N CHEESE - The mac n cheese was kind of disappointing. It was definitely good - but not the best gourmet mac n cheese I've had. It's your typical white sauce, pasta with bread crumbs and cheese on top. CHICKEN CHIPOTLE SANDWICH - definitely the best thing, I think you can make any meat into a sandwich and their chicken is DARK MEAT blend so it's juicy and has bits of fat and their sauce isn't too overwhelming but perfect. It's on ciabatta bread, which is soft and I think some type of greens. It also comes with a side salad. It's probably not the healthiest option on the menu but you leave feeling very satisfied. Overall, I like the concept and all of their food seems fresh and if you want to go with a lighter, healthier meal this is the place to try. Their lemonades are pretty good too! read more

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