Grains

I was visiting San Diego and I was looking for vegan places to eat when I was googling I randomly stumbled upon grains and I’m so glad I did! The food was amazing and I really recommend the pineapple and ginger kombucha. Im a little sad that this shop is not around where I live 🥹 Overall wonderful service and amazing food! :)

Beautiful relaxing ambience and good food. We had the mushroom calamari, edamame and pad thai noodles which were all good. Will visit again.

The food was delicious. The dinner menu was limited to a selection of 9 choices, plus a generous appetizer menu was also offered. I enjoyed my Julian Apple Pie Cider, but my husband complained that his beer tasted old. Overall a great meal.

The food was delicious, and the service was quick. I’ll definitely return to explore more items on their menu. This spot appears to be a great healthy food restaurant with a variety of appealing alternative options

A really great new addition to this neighborhood. Very smart mixture of Vegan/Vegetarian and Thai food. The dishes are authentic and not pretentious. The calamari fries were delicious, light and crisp. The buffalo cauliflower was cooked perfectly and served with a unique vegan ranch. The garlic wedges we not oily and the serving sizes were generous. For mains we had tofu larb and it was perfectly dressed, citric and minty with a good sized tofu crumble. Also had the Tom Kha soup was a delicious with a balanced salty sweetness from the coconut and filled with mushrooms, onion and carrots. The ambiance is clean and open/airy. The music was a little on the classic jazzy musical side, but besides that, I'd expect this place to survive better than the previous Adams Ave grill. This is more in tune to the neighborhood, even if the music wasn't.

+1

Great food, great vibes, and 100% vegan! Congratulations on creating such an amazing place. I love going there.

I love this restaurant! My first time going, and I had the Pad Thai and a friend had the Panang curry. Both dishes were unbelievably amazing. The service was fantastic. I highly recommend.

I recently discovered this great spot, and liked it a lot. The staff is very friendly, making the whole dining experience welcoming. The menu is diverse, offering tasty options for vegans, non-vegans and more. What stands out is the simple yet delicious approach to plant-based dishes, showing creativity without being overly fancy. The ambiance is cozy, with a nod to eco-friendliness and stylish in the decor at the same time. It's a nice touch that adds to the overall vibe. The staff seems genuinely passionate about what they do, and it reflects in their service. Whether you're a long-time vegan or just exploring plant-based options, this restaurant has something for everyone. I'd recommend giving it a try, and I'm looking forward to going back for more. It's a solid choice if you're into good food in a friendly setting.

I came here a couple of years ago and loved the tokyo fries so much that I couldn't wait to grab them again this weekend during a quick trip! My travel companions for both trips were not vegan, so finding a place that everyone can enjoy is always a win!

5 Stars.. I’m a Vegan. I found a great place to dine in San Diego. GRAINS….The food was great.. I ordered the Philly Cheesesteak and the Cauliflower Buffalo Wings.. The staff was friendly. I will definitely be back…

I've been going here about 2 times a month for a year, either eating in or takeout. It's delicious, consistent, good drink options, and while their appetizers have a few vegan missteps, I've loved every single main dish I've tried - their specials are on the board behind the counter, don't forget to check them out!

I love this place. I’ve been coming here for years. The staff is always nice. My favorite is the grains garden entree! So many vegetables in a delicious, light sauce. Meat eaters and non meat eaters can all find something they like here.

Ordered carry out after a flight into SAN- everything was very tasty. Loved the diverse menu...get the Tokyo Fries!! Looking forward to planning to return for dine in! **Updated- got the Tokyo fries & curry during a second visit but dining in ... still amazing!!

The tempura kale was incredible and very nice service

My husband, son & I literally just left, & the pan seared fettuccine made my soul so happy. It was the comfiest of comfort foods & I wish I found out about this place sooner. Highly recommend even if you aren’t vegan.

The food here is simply amazing. I love that it's all vegan dishes at the same prices as non-vegan dishes. Out of the four dishes I've tried (at the time of writing), I couldn't pick a favorite. They've all been that tasty. The best part is that Trolley Barn Park is a block away, perfect for a lunchtime picnic.

First time here. Very pleased with the atmosphere and the timing of our arrival. Started getting busy after we arrived the menu has so many choices and they list everything on the menu including allergenic food and gluten-free options. You will not be disappointed. Save the flavor and also make sure to get one of their signature drinks. It will be a place to remember. ✨️👌🏾💯

Went to the pre soft opening of Grains on Adams ave. Saw the post from friends on IG. We had the a few of the new items and it was delicious. It’s the weekend menu for now brunch 12-3 pm. Not sure if it will be all day menu in the future.great quaint spot friendly environment, chill spot. Will definitely return. We usually go to Madi but I can say the wait is much less and the foods and drinks are above par.

Food is fantastic. Order at counter. Employees are nice. Very clean and chic. Portions are reasonable but not huge. Bahn Mi sandwich was a little different from other versions, but delicious. I would like to see a little more diakon though. Salad vinaigrette was out of the park awesome.

Very long day working the Kaiser strike 🪧 how restorative a visit here is! I did not realize it was Vegan until arrival. The reviews were so strong I was on a fast track. Vegans know how to balance sources of protein. Just be open minded about that and give it a whirl. You will not only survive but indeed THRIVE. Thanks Grains!!

I ordered the Bahn Mi, it was pretty okay bread was soft and the jackfruit was flavorful but overall just okay. The fries were little bland but the amount of food you got for the price was good! Not my favoirte but I would come back and try something else. The restaurant was cute with a nice patio. Would try again.

The food here is incredible! The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff are so friendly. Even though I’m not vegan or vegetarian, I was blown away by the flavors and quality of the dishes. I almost never remember to take a photo because I’m too excited to eat.

Stopped here for a quick bite and ended up enjoying a full meal. Hong Kong Chicken was incredible! Monkey latte was delicious

The eggplant and tofu is really good -- the sauce is very light and flavorful. The mango and sticky rice is my favorite dessert, and the probiotic drink is refreshing.

The food here is amazing . I wanted to try everything on the menu because it all sounded so good. The dishes were so delicious! The popcorn chicken and buffalo cauliflower are a must-try. The pad Thai was also incredibly tasty. It's a shame we live far away, or we would definitely be regulars here.

The Bahn Mi pulled pork sandwich was delectable and the buffalo cauliflower tasted like Sunday night football and dad’s cigars. …no, not literally but it definitely elicited powerful memories of buffalo chicken wings times past. A potent taste.

Very nice atmosphere! Customer service was excellent!! I appreciate the woman being kind and welcoming. I enjoyed my vegan meal, except I'm learning me and fried oyster mushrooms just don't mix 🤷🏾‍♀️. However, the food was seasoned wonderfully and very tasty. Highly recommend.

The food here is to die for! It was hard to choose from their extensive vegan menu. I got oyster mushroom chicken strips and my partner got a mushroom gravy fettuccine bowl. It was all so flavorful and the veggies tasted fresh and well cooked. I’ll be back!

Love this place. 😀 The food is great 🍜. The staff is excellent 👌 My brother in law wants to go thru every dish because he was impressed with the first three he got in three visits. We ate here again on 2/19/2023. We will pay photos of the appetizer we had today, along with the cup of coffee ☕️ I had. I had the Curry 🍛 tonight. The taste was excellent.

This was our first time at grains. We ordered a few things and everything was delicious. Especially the Buffalo cauliflower and the bahn mi. Sizes are generous so we had to take some food home. We went there at around 3pm and it wasn’t busy. I definitely recommend this place to any vegan or anyone wanting to try vegan food out. My boyfriend is a major meat eater and loves everything!

Darnell Neely (Nutritional Alchemist)

First time here. Very pleased with the atmosphere and the timing of our arrival. Started getting busy after we arrived the menu has so many choices and they list everything on the menu including allergenic food and gluten-free options. You will not be disappointed. Save the flavor and also make sure to get one of their signature drinks. It will be a place to remember. ✨️👌🏾💯

Jimmy Visessung

Went to the pre soft opening of Grains on Adams ave. Saw the post from friends on IG. We had the a few of the new items and it was delicious. It’s the weekend menu for now brunch 12-3 pm. Not sure if it will be all day menu in the future.great quaint spot friendly environment, chill spot. Will definitely return. We usually go to Madi but I can say the wait is much less and the foods and drinks are above par.

H Brown

Food is fantastic. Order at counter. Employees are nice. Very clean and chic. Portions are reasonable but not huge. Bahn Mi sandwich was a little different from other versions, but delicious. I would like to see a little more diakon though. Salad vinaigrette was out of the park awesome.

Ruthanna Hutton-Okpalaeke

I ordered the Bahn Mi, it was pretty okay bread was soft and the jackfruit was flavorful but overall just okay. The fries were little bland but the amount of food you got for the price was good! Not my favoirte but I would come back and try something else. The restaurant was cute with a nice patio. Would try again.

carly king

The food here is incredible! The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff are so friendly. Even though I’m not vegan or vegetarian, I was blown away by the flavors and quality of the dishes. I almost never remember to take a photo because I’m too excited to eat.

suzanne baligad

The eggplant and tofu is really good -- the sauce is very light and flavorful. The mango and sticky rice is my favorite dessert, and the probiotic drink is refreshing.

Lanae Moreno

The food here is amazing . I wanted to try everything on the menu because it all sounded so good. The dishes were so delicious! The popcorn chicken and buffalo cauliflower are a must-try. The pad Thai was also incredibly tasty. It's a shame we live far away, or we would definitely be regulars here.

Parker Monroe

The Bahn Mi pulled pork sandwich was delectable and the buffalo cauliflower tasted like Sunday night football and dad’s cigars. …no, not literally but it definitely elicited powerful memories of buffalo chicken wings times past. A potent taste.

Marie H.

Very nice atmosphere! Customer service was excellent!! I appreciate the woman being kind and welcoming. I enjoyed my vegan meal, except I'm learning me and fried oyster mushrooms just don't mix 🤷🏾‍♀️. However, the food was seasoned wonderfully and very tasty. Highly recommend.

Jasmine Hippe

The food here is to die for! It was hard to choose from their extensive vegan menu. I got oyster mushroom chicken strips and my partner got a mushroom gravy fettuccine bowl. It was all so flavorful and the veggies tasted fresh and well cooked. I’ll be back!

Ris Burton

Love this place. 😀 The food is great 🍜. The staff is excellent 👌 My brother in law wants to go thru every dish because he was impressed with the first three he got in three visits. We ate here again on 2/19/2023. We will pay photos of the appetizer we had today, along with the cup of coffee ☕️ I had. I had the Curry 🍛 tonight. The taste was excellent.

Estefania

This was our first time at grains. We ordered a few things and everything was delicious. Especially the Buffalo cauliflower and the bahn mi. Sizes are generous so we had to take some food home. We went there at around 3pm and it wasn’t busy. I definitely recommend this place to any vegan or anyone wanting to try vegan food out. My boyfriend is a major meat eater and loves everything!

Kendra Kennedy

I’m not sold on much vegan food so I was surprised when I tasted their pulled pork Mi sandwich it was actually tasty and flavorful I enjoyed it and the salt and pepper calamari stole the show!!!! The Tokyo fries were also very delicious. We ate there sat. And literally came back sun and ordered the same dish!!!!

My husband and I are not vegan and we love this place - it’s on our dinner restaurant rotation. Staff are very kind, food is consistently good, and the few times we eat there, feels community-based and has a chill ambiance. We particularly love the buffalo cauliflower and the vegetable heavy dishes 💗

To say I’m obsessed is an understatement!! The Popcorn “Chicken”, Philly Cheese Sandwich, and Pan Seared Fettuccine are so good. My husband loves the Banh Mi and Thai Yellow Curry. Anytime friends or family visit, we take them here, and everything we’ve tried has been delicious. I always can’t wait to come back! 😋

Shelby Jolley

My husband, son & I literally just left, & the pan seared fettuccine made my soul so happy. It was the comfiest of comfort foods & I wish I found out about this place sooner. Highly recommend even if you aren’t vegan.

Christy Holman

To say I’m obsessed is an understatement!! The Popcorn “Chicken”, Philly Cheese Sandwich, and Pan Seared Fettuccine are so good. My husband loves the Banh Mi and Thai Yellow Curry. Anytime friends or family visit, we take them here, and everything we’ve tried has been delicious. I always can’t wait to come back! 😋

Grains was a WONDERFUL discovery we made in San Diego!!! One of the best places to experience vegan food in all over San Diego. We had the fries which had a different kind of dressing then usual, a tahini maple dressing garnished with sesame seeds. Cauliflower wings were a hit too. Crispy from outside and soft from inside with perfect amount of sauce on top. For mains we had these noodles with Tofu and greens (it was their special that day), it was MINDBLOWING!! I wish I could try all their other stuff too. I would 100% recommend this place. I gave 4 stars as I found the service to be a bit poor and rude.

Wow this was delicious! The fettucine was out of this world and the bahn mi was a unique take on the sandwich that made you stop and appreciate each bite. I went here a few years ago and had a bad experience so haven’t gone back until today and I’m glad I did. This will be a new favorite and it’s all vegan! Minus one star because it’s COVID and they didn’t offer a touch free payment.

I wanted so badly to love the food here, but was a little disappointed. The tofu nuggets were good but not particularly great, and same for the banh mi sandwich. Fries were cold :( The chicken strips were definitely disappointing — I’m not totally convinced there were actually oyster mushrooms inside the fried shell, which was quite hard. The side of rice was overcooked and mushy :(

Like others have said the bahn mi was flavorful but lacking in filling. I couldn’t help but laugh at the single pepper slice and single leaf of cilantro inside. They were sparse on all ingredients other than the “pork” mixture. It sounds like all their sandwiches are minimal on filling which the chunky bread loaf exaggerates further. I’d come back and try something else but wouldn’t get a sandwich again. They have a creative and intriguing menu. With all the yummy sounding options I was disappointed in my selection. Nice people and relaxing ambiance. I always want vegan restaurants to survive so despite my disappointment in my meal I give it 4/5 and would try again.

Jordan Morrison

Like others have said the bahn mi was flavorful but lacking in filling. I couldn’t help but laugh at the single pepper slice and single leaf of cilantro inside. They were sparse on all ingredients other than the “pork” mixture. It sounds like all their sandwiches are minimal on filling which the chunky bread loaf exaggerates further. I’d come back and try something else but wouldn’t get a sandwich again. They have a creative and intriguing menu. With all the yummy sounding options I was disappointed in my selection. Nice people and relaxing ambiance. I always want vegan restaurants to survive so despite my disappointment in my meal I give it 4/5 and would try again.

Saffron Hartley

I wanted so badly to love the food here, but was a little disappointed. The tofu nuggets were good but not particularly great, and same for the banh mi sandwich. Fries were cold :( The chicken strips were definitely disappointing — I’m not totally convinced there were actually oyster mushrooms inside the fried shell, which was quite hard. The side of rice was overcooked and mushy :(

8/26/22; a spacious Thai vegetarian restaurant on Adam’s Ave in San Diego. They even carry craft beer. Had the “calamari” mushroom app which was cut into strips and came with a light lime-infused dip. On the yummy scale registers 6/10. The pad Thai was missing some ingredients as they ran out, rates 6/10. The drunken Angel pasta was the best, veggies and “meatless” chicken was 8/10. The tofu imitation meat is not as well disguised as in other places, but I would come here again.

+1

I went with my friend who raised about to Curry, I saw a picture of the Curry on the reviews and it did look tasty. I'm on a budget and shelling out $16.00 I was hoping it would be worth it. It was a small bowl and it did not look like the photo on the review I saw, there was no garnish, there was a few potatoes and maybe three or four green beans. It did have tofu for protein, it had too much salt! I couldn't keep it down later, even my friend thought hers was too salty. I have never had that much salt in one sitting. I ended up eating it because it was $16! The lady behind the counter was really nice and I should have said something but we were in a hurry. The atmosphere is really nice. But Grain's Please lay off all that salt let the customer add more if needed.

My boyfriend has been vegan for over 5 years and I’ve eaten at countless vegan restaurants all over the country with him. We went to grains because we were visiting San Diego and wanted to explore some good vegan food in the area and grains came up on multiple searches. When we got our food I don’t think I’ve ever had a more disappointing food experience in my life compared to what we experienced at grains. The food was made quickly I can’t deny the fast service but the quality of food was so embarrassing. We ordered the bahn mi sandwich and the Philly cheesesteak and both came on the same bread and had hardly any toppings on it. My boyfriend’s sandwich cost $14 and had 5 mushrooms inside, and some cheese and the sandwiches weighed no more than 2 punches it was literal air. My sandwich had simple vegetables and a vegan meat that was horribly seasoned and off putting. This was the first meal we ate when landing in San Diego after our 9 hour drive so we were very hungry and chose to finish the food but wow that was lighter than a snack it felt like it gave us no actual healthy nutrition or vegan protein source and I know for a fact the quality of ingredients put into making those sandwiches didn’t cost more than $2 to buy and it was so up charged for what little was given. This place was embarrassing to eat at and be seen as a vegan restaurant because they are not making sure to give their customers a good eating experience. It’s obvious to me the owner of this establishment is interested in hardly serving any food and trying to maximize profits. I am very confused how this is highly rated after eating here. Maybe the owner paid people to give high reviews because there was nothing high quality about this place.

Nicolle Cooper

My boyfriend has been vegan for over 5 years and I’ve eaten at countless vegan restaurants all over the country with him. We went to grains because we were visiting San Diego and wanted to explore some good vegan food in the area and grains came up on multiple searches. When we got our food I don’t think I’ve ever had a more disappointing food experience in my life compared to what we experienced at grains. The food was made quickly I can’t deny the fast service but the quality of food was so embarrassing. We ordered the bahn mi sandwich and the Philly cheesesteak and both came on the same bread and had hardly any toppings on it. My boyfriend’s sandwich cost $14 and had 5 mushrooms inside, and some cheese and the sandwiches weighed no more than 2 punches it was literal air. My sandwich had simple vegetables and a vegan meat that was horribly seasoned and off putting. This was the first meal we ate when landing in San Diego after our 9 hour drive so we were very hungry and chose to finish the food but wow that was lighter than a snack it felt like it gave us no actual healthy nutrition or vegan protein source and I know for a fact the quality of ingredients put into making those sandwiches didn’t cost more than $2 to buy and it was so up charged for what little was given. This place was embarrassing to eat at and be seen as a vegan restaurant because they are not making sure to give their customers a good eating experience. It’s obvious to me the owner of this establishment is interested in hardly serving any food and trying to maximize profits. I am very confused how this is highly rated after eating here. Maybe the owner paid people to give high reviews because there was nothing high quality about this place.

Lisa Green (Banana Beans)

I went with my friend who raised about to Curry, I saw a picture of the Curry on the reviews and it did look tasty. I'm on a budget and shelling out $16.00 I was hoping it would be worth it. It was a small bowl and it did not look like the photo on the review I saw, there was no garnish, there was a few potatoes and maybe three or four green beans. It did have tofu for protein, it had too much salt! I couldn't keep it down later, even my friend thought hers was too salty. I have never had that much salt in one sitting. I ended up eating it because it was $16! The lady behind the counter was really nice and I should have said something but we were in a hurry. The atmosphere is really nice. But Grain's Please lay off all that salt let the customer add more if needed.

I wish I could give 0 stars. I ordered two Philly Steak sandwiches. For one of the sandwiches, I specifically requested the mushrooms to be well done, but they were not. This sandwich is a joke—it should be called a Bell Pepper Sandwich. Both sandwiches had barely any mushrooms, and the few mushrooms present were just small scraps. I will never go back—this was a complete waste of money. Additionally, the manager was very rude. She didn’t change her gloves after touching the cash register. Instead, I saw her rinse off the gloves with water and then handle clean glasses. She should know better. Proper food safety protocol requires using clean, new gloves in such cases. If she has her Food Handler Certificate, she would know Single-use gloves should not be washed or reused. California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 113973 section C. I’ll be contacting the Department of Health tomorrow to report this.

pam j

I wish I could give 0 stars. I ordered two Philly Steak sandwiches. For one of the sandwiches, I specifically requested the mushrooms to be well done, but they were not. This sandwich is a joke—it should be called a Bell Pepper Sandwich. Both sandwiches had barely any mushrooms, and the few mushrooms present were just small scraps. I will never go back—this was a complete waste of money. Additionally, the manager was very rude. She didn’t change her gloves after touching the cash register. Instead, I saw her rinse off the gloves with water and then handle clean glasses. She should know better. Proper food safety protocol requires using clean, new gloves in such cases. If she has her Food Handler Certificate, she would know Single-use gloves should not be washed or reused. California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 113973 section C. I’ll be contacting the Department of Health tomorrow to report this.