Vegan
Organic
Take-out
Mexican
Fusion
Organic Mexican food restaurant by the owners of Cafe Gratitude. Most of the produce used is grown on the owners' own local farm. Food is made-in-house in its open kitchen - including the salsas, tamales, and corn tortillas. Concise seasonal menus. Open Mon-Thu 11:00am-10:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:00am-11:00pm, Sun 11:00am-10:00pm.
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8905 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, California, USA, 90291
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Last update on 14 Dec 2024 by geometric-noise
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158 Reviews
First Review by kenvegan
xmrfigx
Points +933
Amazing! - Edit
So glad I heard about this place. We had dinner here on Mother's Day. They were very busy and we had no reservations, but they offer a couple of community tables and we were able to sit there immediately. First of all, the guacamole was amazing! Many others have said it and I concur. For my dinner I chose the uno bowl: brown rice, guac, black beans, lettuce and tempeh chorizo. The flavors blended so nicely. The only negative was that the service was rather slow. I chall it up to the fact that is was especially busy for mother's day. I will definitely be returning!
Read morePros: Great flavorful food, Really welcoming space
Guest
serrarose
Points +532
Delicious Food and Temping Cocktails - Edit
100% vegan with an incredible menu for both food and drink. Great service and indoor/outdoor seating. Food presentation was beautiful and the taste matched the presentation.
Read moreMy friend and I went a bit silly and ordered waaaay to much food but it all tasted sooo devine and we managed it eat it all!
We came here for weekend lunch with a reservation and I recommend making one as this place was busy!
Pros: 100% vegan, large menu, great cocktails
Guest
Cmueller77
Points +50
Fantastic - Edit
So many options, I didn't know what to choose! I ordered several items off of the happy hour menu, an appetizer ( the brussel sprouts with pesto was AMAZING) and the Mexican wedding cookies. Everything exceeded my expectations.
Read morePros: Amazing food, good service.
Cons: Difficult to get in; it's always busy. HIGHLY reco
Guest
ChelseaK
Points +41
Amazing - Edit
Pretty much if you want some of the tastiest plant based food you'll ever eat...go to Gracias Madre. It's amazing. No joke. Get the sweet potato flautas, no the burger with truffle cheese and coconut bacon, no get it all.
Read moreIf you don't like this place, we can't be friends.
Pros: yummy, beautiful environment
Cons: a little pricey, but worth it
Guest
amyrrobles
Points +155
Save up and devour deliciousness!! - Edit
Came here for my non-vegan mom's birthday and she loved it! we definitely had a great time tasting the food! (I got the sopes and my mom got the chimiganga, plus the guac and chips with salsa & delicious dessert) The salsa was amazing by the way!!! Over all, it was amazing, though quite pricey so I'd just prepare
Read morePros: delicious meals!!, impressed non-vegans, lovely environment
Cons: pricey
Guest
Bgilly
Points +377
Delicious and fancy! - Edit
Friendly staff and great gourmet Mexican dishes. Love this place!
Read moreGuest
philjdomm
Points +945
environment - Edit
chique, cool, relaxing outdoor seating.
Read morePros: location, hygiene, refreshing patio
Cons: dessert took too long, customer service ok, seatings are too intimate with others
Guest
KurtDavidHermansen
Points +193
amazing food location and service - Edit
You won't believe it is vegan. The food is to die for! I'm in heaven. Great tequilas too.
Read moreGuest
Tigra220
Points +10644
¡COMIDA DELICIOSA! - Edit
We came here on a Friday evening and it was packed! This is obviously a hot spot for everyone from singles mingling, groups, couples, parties, you name it. We were told that it'd be a 45 minute wait, but we were seated in less than 30 min at the community table.
Read moreIt was my first time and I didn't know what to get. I took a gamble and decided to get the Sopes con Piña because I like pineapples. I added bacon to this dish. OMG. Best. Dish. Ever. The masa cakes were perfecto! Crisp yet soft enough to cut with ease. It was topped with black beans (the most delicious black beans I've ever tasted), guacamole (excellent guac!), and pineapple salsa. It was the most awesome flavor explosion for my tastebuds! (I omitted the cashew crema from this dish.)
For dessert I got the peach cobbler. Also an excellent dish. The peaches were so buttery and caramelized, topped with a warm, crisp, sugary crust, and on top of that was the vanilla bean coconut ice cream. As someone who is considered southern, this peach cobbler comes very close to the infamous southern version. Delicious!
Our server was helpful, friendly, and attentive. Amazing food, and large portions... Definitely worth the money here.
On our way out, I noticed a prayer box. You could write down a prayer, put it in the box, and light a candle. This was such a special touch. It really just sealed and intensified my already enamored view of this place.
I cannot wait to return!
(FYI - They take reservations. I suggest making them, especially on a weekend evening.)
Pros: DELICIOUS SOPES!, DELICIOUS PEACH COBBLER!, Lovely patio area
Guest
Shanilee
Points +28
Delish Mexican! - Edit
This is one of my regular spots- I am somewhat obsessed! The restaurant itself/the patio are gorgeous & lend to a great atmosphere. Go for brunch & get the most amazing lemon scone (seriously, how is it vegan?!)... For dinner, I prefer their apps & salads. Love the Caesar, but be sure to add coconut bacon & almonds. My non-vegan husband loves this place too! Oh, and the desserts are to die for!
Read morePros: atmosphere, pastries/desserts
Cons: always crowded
Guest
SunVegan
Points +32
Great Ambiance, Substandard Service - Edit
I gave it two stars for the lovely ambiance and O.K. food. The service, however, completely obliterated any resemblance of a good experience.
Read moreWe were seated in the nice atmosphere, a man came over, introduced himself and alleged he would be our server. He asked if we would like to order guacamole and chips to start, we said yes and he left. It seemed like the start of a memorable lunch. It was, but not the kind we expected.
We waited and waited. No chips, no one took our order. We asked the hostess and she got someone else to come over. He took our order without writing it down. After a while a third person came over and placed some food in front of me and some food in front of my husband. We were still missing two dishes plus the guacamole. After another while we called someone else over and I asked for my side of tempeh bacon. He pointed to a tiny ceramic dish with sticky flakes that had been served to my husband who thought it was just a condiment for his burger. Then we asked about our guacamole and he responded that it wasn’t complimentary. We already knew that. We never did get the soup but by then we were done!
We don’t mind paying a lot for good food but we do have high expectations for excellent service in what is supposed to be an upscale restaurant.
Pros: beautiful environment, nice area, food is average
Cons: terrible service, overpriced
Guest
Carin69
Points +103
Beatiful Restaurant - Edit
This restaurant is a big location but very nice atmosphere. they decorated it so nice that you feel very welcome.
Read moreWe alway wondered why there are so many Mexican places with no vegan options because the Mexican food is excellend for Vegan food.
If you love Mexican food, this place wouldn't dissapointed you.
I took housemade mexican tortilla chips with Guacamole: Great
Than start with the aged cheese. It was not really aged but the taste was great.
The main I took EL PLATO an dish with butternut squash, cashew nacho cheese, chorizo mushrooms, cilantro pesto, escabeche, rice, pico de gallo, black beans, housemade tortillas. Very tasty to. And you belive it or not but I want to have a dessert. So I choose the FUDGE BROWNIE with a cup Horchata Latte. The waiter warned me that it would be much and he was right. I didn't eat in long time so much that my stomach hurt.
Oh, I forget to tell you. The margarita's a perfect not so sweet as in not vegan places(what i don't like) This was a great start by Gracias Madre!
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 18, 2015
we have been here 1-12-2015
Pros: Perfect Margarita!!, Yummy Mexican Food, Great location
Guest
Lauralee
Points +20
Loved this place - Edit
Great food and atmosphere. The whole restaurant is vegan so you don't have to worry about animal products slipping into your "vegan" dish. I had the salsa trio and zucchini tacos, they were delicious. I live in Orange County and was visiting west Hollywood for the day with my mom and this was the perfect stop for lunch. Would definitely recommend if you like Mexican food.
Read moreGuest
DM
Points +168
different but great - Edit
This isn't taqueria or authentic Mexican food, but it's very tasty and the menu offers a large variety of vegan dishes. Much better than the Northern California location. If you're visiting, this West Hollywood location is a MUST DO meal while you're in the area.
Read moreGuest
sglcklch
Points +3065
Good food in a great location with a price - Edit
Having been to the original location in San Francisco, we came here kind of knowing what to expect food-wise. The menu is more or less the same except for a few additions. We decided to try out different things from our last experience
Read moreFor starters, we ordered the gorditas and the fried cauliflower. Both were very good but a bit spendy at around $10 each. The plantains and the coconut ceviche entrées—new for this location—weren’t too shabby either but really not worth the $18 price tag. Between the two, the plantain plate was better in that there was a lot more going on both in terms of ingredients and flavors. The coconut ceviche, on the other hand, was nothing more than two big piles of salsa-lettuce-coconut mixture on fried tortillas with a side of black beans. I have eaten vegan ceviches on multiple occasions in Peru; this was anything but that. I was even confused why they would put “coconut” in the dish title until I found a few strands of fresh coconut tucked inside. I love the fruit as much as the next person but it was a complete waste in this concoction. It was elusive and brought little to the dish. Granted, it wasn’t bad tasting, just didn’t fit the description and also too simple and dull for an entrée, for $18, no less.
We couldn’t pass up desserts so ended up getting the fudge brownie replacing the whipped cream with ice cream. This was delicious! The salted caramel sauce made for a sweet and salty combo that I loved. The coconut bacon added a nice touch to it as well. But, again, this was overpriced at $14 with $5 being extra for the ice cream substitution.
While some reviewers had problems with the service, we didn’t. It was swift and friendly. The one thing I think everyone can agree on is the beautiful setting. It’s spacious, featuring a vibrant bar scene, a lovely outdoor dining area, and plenty of natural lighting that comes with. The neighborhood is hip and upscale, which is a major step up from the grungy Mission District that its sister restaurant is in. For that reason, I can understand the high price point, but don’t think it’s the right value. That said, it was an overall enjoyable evening and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. Just know that many items on the menu will have a very similar, if not identical, flavor profile. Order wisely!
Pros: beautiful space, good food, location
Cons: pricey
Guest
tina x
Points +63
Really Bland Food, Noisy, Underwhelming Service - Edit
Okay, here's how it goes. My friends and I went here on a weeknight. Their staff person on the phone reassured us we did not need to reserve a table. Wrong! It was totally crowded! And quite noisy.
Read moreIt stuns me that they do this great of business. I'm convinced it's because of the lengthy drink menu. It's also in a trendy area of WeHo. One thing that's positive - it's large, and lovely in ambiance.
The drinks are good, and most of the food is average to fairly good. None of the dishes were exceptional. The kale was the most flavorful thing. The food (large portions) is interesting in texture, but absent of any herbs or garlic -- you get the picture -- super bland. I've tasted more flavorful guac and black beans at casual non-vegan restaurants. Yes, their homemade masa is good, but it seems really plain. It works on their tamal plate, but that's about it.
I feel like a gourmet chef after eating at this place, but maybe it's just me and my friends -- we savor a thing called "flavor".
One more thing that turned us off. Our server accidentally carted away a plate before we were finished. Although he quickly apologized, here's the way he could have dealt with it -- get the manger's approval to offer a free drink or dessert. The way he addressed this mishap did not make us feel like he valued customers, or welcomed us to return.
We will take a second thought before returning to this restaurant. It has a wonderful concept, it's just disappointing the food does not live up to the hype.
Pros: Lovely place, nice ambiance, portions are large, tasty cocktails
Cons: Super bland food, really noisy, over-hyped, waitstaff could be better
Guest
Rich Revell
Points +119
Disappointing Experience Twice - Edit
I had great hope for this new restaurant, but have been disappointed on both visits since it opened. The physical space is beautifully laid out and decorated. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. Yes, it's vegan, but No, it's "no cafe gratitude". The food is so-so, the prices are in the stratosphere, and the service has been consistently poor. With so many other choices for good vegan food with good service, I'll spend my money elsewhere,
Read morePros: Beautiful physical space, Great location
Cons: So-So Food, Poor service, High prices
Guest
ronitw
Points +751
Great Vegan Mexican Food - Edit
Finally made it, and even found street parking! Luckily the wait was half of what the hostess predicted on a busy Friday evening. We shared totopos, pozole, sopes and flan. Each one had a tequila that the waiter helped us select. Everything was very good. The service was great too! We will definitely be back.
Read morePros: Great food, Great service
Guest
Hungwy
Points +274
trash - Edit
Nice decor. No substitutions. No flexibility. No nice. And I got indigestion on top of that. Good place to be seen. Avoid the food. Be sure to read the disclaimer on the menu taking no responsibility for making you ill.
Read morePros: decor
Cons: attitude. food.
Guest
ilikeveganfood
Points +20
Best Mexican Food - Edit
I recommend everything, especially tacos with sweet potatoes inside and coconut ice cream.
Read moreGuest
Dharma~Ram
Points +30
Comida Vegana Mex - Edit
A fresh take on fresh Mexican cuisine with a vegan twist.
Read moreSo glad to see the success of this menu take off with much spice and flare. I really enjoyed the creativity and complimentary flavors that please and balance the palate. Don't just take my word on it, you really have to go experience the menu for yourself. Enjoy!
Pros: Fresh, Tasty, Creative
Cons: Parking
Guest
SonjaCPA
Points +5270
vegan Mexican - Edit
For the opening weekend, we went with another couple for an early dinner on Sunday. The location itself is nice and spacious with a bar, indoor sitting and outdoor patio which has a fireplace. The patio might even be bigger than the interior. We were seated inside and shared most of the food with our friends. While the food was excellent, the service was slow and inattentive although the place was not that busy, but I don't know how much of that was due to it being the opening weekend. Also, considering they are not a cheap place, we were surprised when they asked that we keep our utensils after the appetizer courses even though they were very dirty and we had nowhere to put them except on the bare table.
Read moreFor starters, we got the guacamole, gorditas, quesadillas and roasted brussel sprouts. They were all delicious, but the sprouts really stood out. For entrees, two people got the sopas, another the enchiladas and I got the chilaquiles. We all enjoyed our meals which were flavorful and nicely presented. For desserts, we ordered the apple cobbler, flan, cheesecake and pumpkin cake. All wonderful with favorites determined by individual preferences.
Overall, we highly enjoyed the food and wanted to try as much as possible. We do look forward to returning, but hope the service will have improved.
Pros: all vegan Mexican, flavorful and tasty, nice atmosphere
Cons: slow inattentive service
Guest
kenvegan
Points +13128
Tasty Vegan Mexican Food - Edit
I met a couple of friends for an early lunch at the new Los Angeles location of this famous San Francisco-based vegan Mexican restaurant.
Read moreThe restaurant is quite spacious, and the high ceilings give you a feeling of openness. The outdoor seating is large with heaters for that chilly evening, and the outdoor fireplace is a classy touch.
We were one of the first groups seated at the restaurant. We ordered Topas Con Chile as an appetizer, which consisted of corn chips with a chile sauce and a cashew cream topping. This dish came out cold, and when we mentioned that the dish was cold, they took the dish back and brought back a warmer version.
For an entree, I had the Chiliquiles which was recommended by the waitress. Had I know that the Chiliquiles would be almost identical to the Topas Con Chile appetizer, I would have chosen a different entree, but at least both corn chip-based dishes were tasty. This dish also came out cold, which we were told was due to the cashew cream having to be refrigerated. I imagine they could bring the dish up to room temperature before serving it with a heater.
The Tamale and and Sopas Con Pina that the others' ordered looked much more exciting than the dish I chose. For dessert, we ordered the Pumpkin Cake and the Mocha Cheesecake. These desserts were excellent, and I felt they were the best part of my meal.
The was my first time I had eaten at Gracias Madre. I had very high expectations based upon what friends had told me about the San Francisco location. I cannot say that my experience here lived up to my expectations, but perhaps that was because it was just the second day the restaurant was open. I think there is better Mexican food out there, but we are lucky to have a classy vegan Mexican restaurant in LA. Overall, I enjoyed my meal.
Pros: Desserts, Atmosphere
Cons: Food could use some improvement
Guest
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