Lemonade

My wife decided to try this again thinking that the last visit might have been a mistake. What the hell has happened to this place??? The prices have close to doubled, the portions are smaller, and the crowd has disappeared. Unbelievable! How a business can be so greedy is beyond me. They’re ignorant as they have ruined their business. It used to be good food and a good deal. Now it’s an absolute joke. The Manhattan Beach attitude musta got to the owners. They think their product is better than anything else out ther. Interesting and hate to see the demise of this once great restaurant.
I guess the owners just don’t get it, you can’t screw customers and expect them to keep coming back. You can’t go through life trying to hit a homerun every time you serve a meal. It just does not work. Sorry for the long winded comment, I just feel sorry for these people and I am a little irritated as I really liked this place and went often.
Also, saw all the great comments from the people. Seems like the owners must have gotten their family and friends to all comment on this place. Unless all the comments are coming from multi millionaires that just don’t care about the value of money.

This place is really cool! They have a TON of seasonal selections and something to please everyone! They are very generous with their portions and are always willing to let you try one of the dishes they offer before you put it on your plate. You have to be careful though or your bill will add up VERY quickly! They have a ton of salads to choose from, and the gentleman helping me said 6 fit on a plate – and he warned me there was still a TON of food to choose from so not to load up on the salads! They had fresh sandwiches, and hot entrees as well! And don’t forget dessert! They have a lot of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. The curried cauliflower is a popular best seller and I could tell why! Delicious! Everything was very fresh. The braised short rib was by far my favorite that I tried. They have a cookbook too, which I’m tempted to buy. I want to go back and try more stuff!!!

I love Lemonade! This is by far my favorite restaurant at Manhattan Beach. It’s really casual inside; the food is comforting and delicious — think buffalo chicken sandwiches with potato chips, Le Creuset pots filled with Mac and cheese, stews, roasted vegetables, etc. They have the most creative salad bar I have ever seen! Really unique ingredients that somehow work together — every salad I have tried I loved. You can sample as many salads as you want too. Everything tastes fresh and relatively healthy. ;) The staff are incredibly kind and funny. Always so friendly. The dessert and lemonade is good too. I bring everyone here when I’m in town!

So disappointed in what happened there today. I ordered a sandwich to go and I was shocked to find a piece of stainless steel brush in my sandwich. When I called to let the manager know what happened I got voicemail. I left a message with what happened, but did not get a return phone call. I called back again, finally got the manager, but she did not seem overly concerned or displayed a sense of urgency to resolve the issue. I was told that they don’t check voicemail until the following day. I won’t be back.

Pit stop for an early dinner before hitting the beach!
All of the food looked realllllly tasty and decently healthy so it was pretty difficult to decide what to order. I liked that many of the options are unique recipes that I probably wouldn’t have thought of making at home. I ended up getting the curry cauliflower, watermelon radish salad, and short rib stew.
All of the dishes tasted good, although that stew tasted just a little too good to be healthy: P
Ironically just as I was thinking to myself how clean and bright this place was, I found a pincher bug in my cauliflower… yikes. But I do understand, these things happen, and I’m sure it was an isolated incident. I didn’t dock more than star off of my original rating of 4 because they handled it professionally (they offered me either a new plate of food or all of my money back).

One of my favorites places to eat when I’m in the area. I loveeeee the pineapple chicken and truffle Mac and cheese. The miso braised short rib was delicious and made into a sandwich with the truffle Mac and cheese was unbelievable. Cucumber mint is my lemonade of choice and it was so refreshing!

Ahhhhhhh Lemonade, that cool refreshing… oh, yeah… the eatery.
So there’s tons of sides, salads (somewhat made to order), fresh proteins, soups, stews, mac n’ cheese, sammiches, desserts (yes!), and of course… lemonade.
This is a ‘old school cafeteria’ style eatery where you pick a protein, or a soup, or a sandwich. You make investment choices like, how many sides can I eat? do I need a full salad? or will I have room for a mini cupcake or macaron at the end?
EVERYTHING is A LA CARTE. EVERYTHING.
I usually pick three sides:
— The arugula and pear salad is good.
— The curried cauliflower is great.
— The watermelon radish and ahi salad is the freaking bomb sauce.
I like to add a chicken breast, but was surprised by the taste and filling nature of the half-​avocado w/​salmon salad and grapefruit. Both are good.
The stews and soups smell delicious, though I can only vouch for the stewed short rib and potatoes. It was very tasty.
They have some great looking pre-​made sandwiches, though I’ve not partaken.
There’s a TON of dessert choices, and obviously fresh lemonades (flavored), and lots of drink choices.
— Plenty of garage and street parking in and around the MB Blvd area.
— Plenty of shops and eateries.
— As per Manhattan Beach rules, everyone is wealthy and attractive.
— Per person usually runs $ 13-​$ 18 depending on number of sides and meal choices. Be prepared to pay if you are really hungry.
THE PORTIONS ARE RATHER BIG (however) SO THAT’S NICE.
When life gives you Lemonade… errrr…just go and eat.

Made my first visit here as a vegan so I was pretty excited to try out their plant based options for the first time!
Lemonade’s set up is pretty straight forward and has a cafeteria style approach to serving food. Everything is neatly labeled as vegetarian, vegan, or if an item has dairy or not which is great for people with dietary restrictions.
I ordered the Edamame & Snap Peas salad, Vegetarian Chili (which was labeled as vegan), a side of Basmati Rice, and a Blood Orange Lemonade. The Edamame salad was light and refreshing and the Vegetarian Chili was delicious! It was packed with chopped up veggies, spices, and beans which made it flavorful and filling. The Blood Orange Lemonade was refreshing and overall really good. This specific flavor is pretty sweet so if you want to tone it down you can ask them to mix the Blood Orange with another flavor to get a unique combination. My boyfriend had the truffle mac and cheese and the BLT sandwich which he said was delicious.
Overall my experience was positive. I’ve tried this place plenty of times before I went plant based and their other items on the menu have always been up to par. I would want to give this place five stars for the freshness, delicious variations of items on the menu, and healthy options but to be honest their prices are pretty steep for the portions so sadly deducting one star. But if you’re looking for a healthier, and still delicious option, this is your place to check out! I’ll be back :)

This is officially my happy place. I write this while weeping in joy. All of the salads are excellent. I just sampled some type of short rib magnificence. I. Am. Happy. I. Am. Beloved. Eat here. Feel good about yourself. Feel good about life.

Update: they have raised their prices. They have a new price setup where each item is individually priced. It is more expensive. Watch out for the «seasonal» stuff that is not priced. It could cost you a pretty penny. Like their seasonal chicken soup. For a CUP, it costs $ 7! We’re talking a 4 oz cup.
Warning: they use way too much sugar and salt in their food. I tried two of their soups and it was like I was drinking sugar. It was the jerk soup and the braised rib. So unnecessary. The seasonal soup was too salty.

I had heard about this place via Instagram and when my sister and I found it in LA we were excited to try it as I love healthy food that’s good for you and tastes great for a good price. After visiting both the Manhattan Beach store (on its opening day) and the Santa Monica store, we definitely preferred the Manhattan Beach one as it was bigger and has more of a selection. Service was great, especially at MB as we had my nephew and the trays of food our hands were quite full so one of the staff helped up to find some seats and got us a highchair.
It’s a great set up because you can either grab something specific (if you know what you want) or if you’re like me, have a little bit of lots of different things so you can try more. And of course you have to try the lemonade, it’s all in the name
I love a good variety and that they had, options there for those who have dietary requirements like me and want something healthy. Service was good and price wise I was happy overall with what you get.

Lemonade is «okay». It’s not the best place on earth and the only reason why we even went inside was because it was a quick serve style and we could sit outside with our bikes. The line was long to start, and it was pretty busy for Sunday afternoon. The servers were really nice, and were happy to offer samples of items. Mind you, this is my third time in a Lemonade, and it was a bit overwhelming with all of the choices. I went with an arugula salad, shaved brussels sprouts and got the tuna poke. The tuna poke had big chunks of fish and was marinated very well. I had a sample of the mac and cheese because it LOOKED good, but definitely had zero taste and was overdone (note: the girl who served me the sample was not in the best mood either). Pass. The desserts looked nice too but passed on those because I was wary that even though they looked tasty, not sure if they really were. Sorry but not sorry. The congestion happened more so by the check out/​cashier. I was not impressed with how there wasn’t more help serving fountain drinks and lemonade and someone cashing out customers. That same girl who gave me the sample earlier, cashed me out, and definitely wasn’t in the mood to be friendly. I asked for the guava lemonade, and that took another 5 minutes since no one was helping each other. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t happy?
The salads and the poke was really good, and I would gladly eat there again. Is there a way to order ahead and not deal with that line and the grumpy people? The lemonade was NOT my favorite at all. It was way too sweet and tart for my taste!

More sharp bones in my chicken again. Cut my mouth open again. Not cool.
Why do I keep trying?
Never again.

Nice Place,
has a healthy vibe. My daughter is in love with their pasta with tomatoes and pesto. It was good, but all too easy to make. I tried a couple of things too, we both had lemonade. Total $ 31 for two at lunch. A bit pricey if you asked me. I fed 3 the night before for $ 30 and took some home. Also, not exactly sure about how they do their pricing — she had more scoops of pasta then I did — they didn’t weigh it. The miso short rib was obvious, but everything else? Tried their mac and cheese too — yep, mine is better. Not a fan, but was ok.

I’ve been here a few times, but have never really been impressed. Considering all the hype around it, I was expecting more.
Their food is made with very fresh ingredients and is healthier than most other places, but I found it strange that all the food was the same temperature. Like the cold food was on the warm side, and the hot food was on the cold side.
The lemonade is great, but nothing too crazy. I find it a little overpriced actually, but for the location it’s not too bad. I love the blueberry lemonade but I think it’s seasonal; when it’s not available, the old fashioned one is the way to go.
Their macarons are HUGE but $ 4 and not that great. I found them a bit dry and not chewy like they should be.
Maybe I’ve just been going on off days but overall I just haven’t been impressed.

Lemonade is located on the main street of Manhattan Beach Blvd in the midst of boutique shops and other eateries. There are usually tables available outside, but I usually opt to sit inside the dining area and enjoy my meals in the comfort of their small corner booth.
The place can get crowded with the regulars (especially during peak lunch hours), which came to my understanding as soon as I entered. The service is wonderful and very quick. Once you line up, you choose your sides, salad, main course, and even dessert. It seems overwhelming when you’re rushed, but when there’s nobody around, it’s easier to scope around and make decisions from there. But whatever you do, you have to order one of their flavored lemonades!
For the most part, the food is served quickly. If you order a sandwich, they make it fresh, so be prepared to wait on it for a bit. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend it! The lemonade is wonderful; freshly squeezed lemons with some added sugar in loads of ice with the perfect flavor combinations and variety. It always gives me a great boost that I need to get through the day!

I finally had the opportunity to try Lemonade. I’ve seen them a few times in different areas in LA, but never stepped foot inside until now. I like the cafeteria idea and I love the fact that they are so generous with all their samplings. Since it was my first time here, I was a little intimidated by the selection. But honestly, they’ve got a good ordering system. I chose a 2 portion of Asian Pear & Arugula and Brussel Sprouts salads, Short Ribs and Mac n Cheese for my son. Everything was delicious.
I read from other Unilocalers to NOT order the lemonade. Even my own BF said to skip the lemonade. However, I wanted to see for myself and ordered their Blood Orange Lemonade and I loved it! It had just the right amount of sweetness (I don’t normally like sweets). Only bummer, they don’t give free refills. I can’t wait to try more items on their menu!

I’ll preface this review with sincere apologies for taking so damn long to complete it.
Lemonade is the absolute BOMB​.COM!
Amazingly delicious food from flavor bursting soups to kale salad, roasted Brussels and even shredded beets. There’s no way you can go wrong at Lemonade if you enjoy superb healthy choices. They also offer wonderful dessert options such as macaroons, cupcakes and cookies. It should go without saying but in case the obvious isn’t so obvious; they have magnificent lemonade drinks.
Located in beautiful Manhattan Beach, Lemonade is a hop, skip and a jump from waves, sand & the pier. There is plenty of seating inside however, I highly suggest grabbing an outside seat under the umbrella for people-​watching & sunbathing.
~Christy

MORE THAN JUST LEMONADE…
Healthy gem!!!
WHY did I think this was just a lemonade store for the longest time? I walk by this place several times a week and never think they’d serve food. I’m such a NEWBY!!!
This place has so many healthy and yummy options to choose from. I honestly don’t know where to begin to describe this place. Cafeteria style with a buffet spread of yummy goodness. Don’t hesitate to ask to try the items BUT PLEASE don’t be like the females in front of me who wanted to sample everything before ordering (they were ANNOYING). I sampled a few items before buying but not the entire spread!!! I went with the 2 item combo from the «Marketplace» + 1 item from «Land+Sea».
2 portions from Marketplace ($ 5.50)
* WATERMELON RADISH, SEARED AHI TUNA. SNAP PEAS, SESAME — it had all the above ingredients mixed together. The radish were sliced thinly and the hue was this plush bright pinkish-​red. Very colorful and inviting. Nice amount of ahi tuna — not shady won the portions. It’s one of the more popular dishes to order here.
* NEW MEXICAN CHILI ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH — had a nice peanut flavored sauce coating the small cuts of butternut squash. It doesn’t look as appetizing but after one bite your palate would be surprised.
1 item from Land+Sea ($ 5.50÷6.50)
* AVOCADO SALMON LOUIE — it’s a pitted and half avocado filled with salmon meat mixed with mayo and other stuff then garnished with a piece of sliced fruit. I really liked this item. The creaminess of the avocado paired well with the salmon Louie. Perfect size for someone who already has 2 other portions to eat.
Overall, this place is awesome and I think I need to add this on the weekly rotation until I’ve conquered the menu.
JABA APPROVED. Until the next review…

Recently I’ve been spending a lot of time in LA for work, everyday for lunch I go to Whole Foods for their salad bar as it’s not easy to eat healthy when you’re on the road so much. A few weeks ago a customer told me about Lemonade and I’m so happy they did as I’ve started to love this place. Yes the salads are pre-​made but they’re more of a side dish and they’re fresh, healthy and very tasty. What I do like is that they show which ones contain nuts, soy, milk, etc, it’s makes it simple to you don’t have to ask about each dish.
You purchase in portions, honestly 2 have always been good for me and I typically enjoy 2 of the sides which comes to around $ 6, not bad at all. Those 2 sides at Whole Foods would easily come to $ 10. I’m comparing this to Whole Foods as the 2 pre-​made salad selections are extremely similar.
After you go through the cold section there’s the hot section where you’ll find delicious brussel sprouts, soups, mac n cheese and several meat dishes. They also offer sandwiches, slices of pizza and simple protein additions such as seared tuna, salmon and ceviche dishes.
Now I’ve never actually had the lemonade as I’m don’t care for sweet things, but I’ve been told it’s delicious and they do have a soda machine and help yourself water. With me not being a dessert type of gal I’ve never had their dessert but they do look fabulous. Lots of cupcakes, cookies, puddings and huge French macaroons.
Lemonade is definitely a great lunch time spot, a quick dinner place and as my customer last week said, «a chick restaurant,» but overall it has plenty of options for every eater for every age. I will be back and hopefully sooner than later!