Rawvolution

Admittedly, this review s now a couple of months old…
2 ½ stars — only because it is a raw food restaurant in this wasteland of and affordable raw food in NYC. Disclosure: I’ve been a raw foodist and although I’m not at the moment, I love raw food and have had years of raw food meals.
I first came here when they just opened — the ingredients were fresh (Big Matt was awesome), the staff knowledgeable and friendly, seating sparse… they were out of a number of things… but! I gave them a pass because 1) It is a RAW FOOD PLACE IN NYC, and 2) It was new, so I was hoping they would work out the kinks. The seating area is just a bench which makes it awkward to hunch over a low table to eat. But that burger would’ve satisfied any carnivore.
I recently stopped by again… The space has not made any improvements and seems to be getting worse instead of better.
Seating is still the same, and instead of the shiny, happy, raw foodist people who are usually at these type of establishments, there was a very stressed out not very healthy-​looking man behind the counter, a nice but very timid man who looks like he might be apprehensive because he was either brand new or gets reprimanded frequently, and a another many who actually was getting reprimanded while I was ordering. Not a «happy» or welcoming scene, especially considering you are sitting about 5 feet from the counter.
I ordered from the menu and was very disappointed when they just grabbed a pre-​made Big Matt sandwich from the cooler and shoved it across the counter at me. It was really soggy, and the only taste was bitter raw onions since they had time to sit and overpower the whole sandwich — not great. Certainly nothing like the Big Matt I had previously that had been freshly assembled to order and served with a sweet smile from the girl behind the counter the last time.
Next, it was in question whether another item I ordered from the menu was available because it actually had to be made to order, but the grumpy man in charge reluctantly acquiesced and took time out of what he was doing and made it. I felt so honored. :eye roll:
The desserts are OK — your standard raw food combos of chocolate and coconut, etc. People new to raw foods will probably think they are amazing.
I had really high hopes for this Santa Monica gem, but looks like the NYC location is going south.
To management:
If you want a commercial kitchen that just delivers food, do that, then you don’t have to interact with the public and inevitably disappoint them.
If you want to run a NYC r-​e-​s-​t-​a-​u-​r-​a-​n-​t — then do that, and treat your customers well and don’t treat us like we are an afterthought or somehow inconveniencing you by walking in an ordering. Give us a decent place to sit, make our meals fresh to order (it’s freakin; raw food that just needs to be assembled!) and be happy to serve.

Delicious healthy food and yummy desserts! I love the zen kale salad, big matt, and zucchini pasta.

Yes, it’s pricey but its super healthy food and drinks.
When I am sick, I immediately come here and the friendly staff will suggest the right drink for you and prepare one for you. Love it!

I can’t quite figure out this place. It has been closed on and off for about a month now. No notice of any kind left for customers. And the West Coast restaurant will not respond to any inquiries.
One star for poor customer relations.

the food is good, but its an awful i mean AWFUL atmosphere.
Please do us all a favor and fire that ginger on cashier. he makes every transaction a long drawn out interrogation.
for those reasons i avoid this place.

I think this place is great!
The staff is super friendly and informative.
Food is so good even my non-​vegan friend loved it!
We got the Big Matt and Nachos and both were great. The food was yummy and I could not believe it was so healthy too!
I am a big fan of the onion bread,
*Its a small resturant and the seating is weird so it would be a good spot for a casual date… but best for take out!

My sister and I are definitely fans of Rawvolution. My sis is vegetarian, so when I came across a voucher to Rawvolution, I immediately thought of her. We went down to Alphabet City and luckily got parking right in front.
We were greeted by their colorful sign which read: «Come and try our balls!» and we were interested in learning more about these balls. We were greeted by the gentleman that took our order and suggested some good items to try. We opted to share the Atlantis Roll which was filled with fake tuna salad but it tasted SO GOOD! We also had the ‘Big Matt’, a raw, meatless version of McDonald’s own signature burger and it was equally satisfying, nestled atop their signature Onion Bread. We had some Cauliflower Couscous which is very lightly seasoned raw cauliflower that looks to have been through a ricer. Very tasty. Before we left, we insisted on trying out their famous balls! My faves have to be the Chocolate Haystacks but I also got some Ninja Balls and Cinnamon Balls.
Whatever they’re doing here, it is GREAT. Just walking down the block, you feel cool because of the neighborhood in which it is located. Very coo…

This place is the definition of an acquired taste. As I was eating my sandwich, I thought it was good and a little gross at the same time. After a few hours of reflection, I’m still thinking about the flavors and would definitely come back to try the rest of the menu.
I didn’t have the problem many mention here about stuff being out of stock. Everything was plentiful when I went, and the guy behind the counter was very friendly.
I do agree about the ambiance though. It sort of screams poorly maintained college coffee shop. It’s not the kind of place you could go and have even a casual dinner.
Oh, and the chocolate coconut haystacks were incredible.

My mom got me like ten groupons here because she is insane and generous. I had never been here and was a little nervous about eating a bunch of raw food from a place that could suck (for lack of a better word).
The dude behind the counter was REALLY nice and funny and helpful. They were out of the things I had wanted to try and so I just got a bunch of sweets as per his recommendation.
Um. Sorry, but he must be an AMAZING actor to lie to me so effortlessly. The cookies were filled with GOBS of cinnamon. Like pockets of cinnamon powder all throughout the cookie. The «cookie dough» was really just congealed coconut oil. And the almond butter cups were pretty meh.
Anyone want 120 bux worth of groupons?

So my rating is admittedly inflated based on my meal today, but I think my experience was one-​off and I want to return– especially because it’s hard to find affordable, casual raw food in the city. My macro bowl (kale salad with arame and a sort of cashew pâté) was SO salty and dressed with way too much lemon juice– it was inedible. 2 stars for the friendly service. I tried to eat the salad but gave up after a couple bites. I asked the guy behind the counter to add additional kale to my salad (which he very nicely did), but even then it was too salty. But ever the cheapo, I still ate it b/​c it was $ 11. The cashew pâté that came with the salad was really delicious. The portion was average (I could have eaten more). I enjoyed the chocolate coconut haystack dessert (free with salad purchase!), but vegan desserts are always delish :) I uploaded a photo of the seating area– it’s very small but cute. Definitely more of a takeout spot. They take credit card, even Amex.

How odd and disappointing that at lunchtime on a weekday all that was available were the items in the fridge case. I had the tomato basil bagel and the bok choy salad, very delicious. There was no plain bottled water, just expensive kombucha and nutrition drinks. It’s a very small place. There’s a lot of noise from the power chopper-​shredder. To use the restroom you walk through the kitchen. The seating area is uncomfortable, just for perching and not relaxing. The tables are only chair-​height so you must lean forward to get your food, hold it over your lap to eat and be careful not to drip. So the place has a takeout not dine-​in atmosphere, but still has a peaceful laid-​back vibe, because of the friendly staff, the cruelty-​free food, and the great poster of John and Yoko. It’s certainly a good vegan option.

Raw, vegan, organic. Automatic 5 stars in my book for spreading health and loving vibes in a busy city.
I went here on a whim after asking a local about some good raw places. I must say I’m thoughly impressed! The employees were very helpful, passionate, and welcoming — could have stayed talking for hours. Their Medicine Balls were divine, almond milk creamy, and my collard wrap crunchy and flavorful. Their atmosphere vibes of relaxation and enlightenment. I will definitely be back!

Two of my out-​of-​town friends and I came here for dinner this past Sunday night. To give you some background: They are vegan, I’m vegetarian. None of us are exclusively raw, but one of us [not me] dabs into the raw world more often than most. I had run a 4 mile race that morning, and was very much looking forward to a healthy plant-​based meal.
When we first walked up to Rawvolution, we were a bit thrown off. The space was not what we were expecting in regards to the seating that was available. The perimeter of the restaurant is lined with a bench, and there are a few random tables distributed around the bench to eat off of [there are also a few random stools if that sounds more comfortable to you than the bench]. Not the most inviting seating in the world. It’s very low key, and seems to be more of a take-​out place than anything else. This is definitely not a place to take a date that you are trying to woo. However, the more woo-​worthy raw places in the city also come with a more expensive price tag, so there’s that. Rawvolution was pretty pricey, but it’s certainly not Pure Food and Wine pricey.
We arrived to Rawvolution around 6:00PM. We were informed that the line cook had left for the night, and that only the food located in the cold case was available. Bummerrrrr. There was only one staff member working. He was friendly, and very knowledgeable about the ingredients in the food items that were available. I inquired about the ingredients that were in the mock tuna sandwich [spoiler alert: it’s what I ended up ordering], and he listed every ingredient, down to the spices. The tuna sandwich was quite good. The main ingredient in the meaty base was sunflower seeds, which was the selling point for me. It also contained dulse flakes, which really was the best idea ever in terms of giving it that signature tuna test [although, I may be biased — I haven’t consumed fish products in ten years]. These and the other ingredients were held together with a cashew-​based mayonnaise, which was delicious. The sandwich was definitely one of the best raw items that I’ve ever consumed. My two friends split the mexican salad and the big matt burger, and they seemed to be happy with their decision.
The bathroom situation was kind of a disaster. The bathroom door has a manufactured sign that says «employees only», so maybe he was just being nice in allowing my friends and I to use it, but there were padded mats stacked shin-​high in there that took up nearly three-​quarters of the floor. To make things even more uncomfortable, the lock on the door works, but the door itself doesn’t latch into the door properly to lock. I, of course, didn’t notice this. Someone walked in on me, but thankfully at that point I was zippin’ up and making my way to the sink.
Towards the end of our meal, the aforementioned friendly staff member stopped by our table and the other table in the restaurant with patrons and offered us a sample of dessert. YES, please! I tried a sliver of the chocolate coconut haystack, which was DELICIOUS. My friends tried the cinnamon raisin torte ball, and said that it was also good. But, seriously. Order a chocolate coconut haystack. Yummy cacao goodness.
All in all, an a-​okay dining experience. 3 star breakdown:
+ Good food
+ Cutesy name
— Bathroom situation
— Seating arrangement
+ Dessert sampling
+ Friendly, knowledgeable staff
— Food not made to order
— Limited selection of food/​food on menu not available to order

Ordered takeout from here the night before a juice cleanse as my final meal for the next few days. Although I am not a raw or vegan eater, I was very satisfied by my first experience and look forward to many more. A friend and I split the taco salad and the stir fry (with kelp noodles and veggies). Both were fresh-​tasting, full of flavor, and VERY filling. I ordered the large size of the stir fry since I was eating it for dinner and found that it was way more food than I could stomach. Definitely going for a medium next time around. Also, the vegan walnut brownies are fantastic.
I’m not giving up meat or cooked foods any time soon, but it’s certainly nice to know that there is a raw vegan option in the neighborhood that even a die hard meat-​eater like me can enjoy!
P. S. Didn’t love the ambience. Definitely more fo a take-​out than an eat-​in restaurant.

1 star for the existence of a vegan store
got the standard vegan chocolate, macaroon, brownie etc, also offers vegan yogurt, hummus, medicine ball
1 star for service
the lady was very nice and explained the ingredients their origins to me in length
no more stars though… sotre is poorly presented and smells funny on a rainy day. The ingredients behind the counter was haphazardly arranged, and the food in the counter wasn’t presented in a luring way
Food itself was decent, but nothing impressive.
Although there were chairs and tables, I wouldn’t want to stick around in there.
There are def better vegan places in the city

Awesome food! Loved the cookie dough balls :) Cocophoria was really tasty… and also had a stuffed pepper special… amazing. Really friendly service too! :)

VENUE: Rawvolution was brightly lit, open, and a colorful space. I shared the line with someone that just finished yoga. And, the handsome boy managing the register was helpful, knowledgeable, and the picture of health.
I had bites of the tiger roll, mini bagel, Mexican pizza, eggless salad, and sloppy joe. Below is what I personally felt about the dishes. *My boyfriend and friends have different opinions and taste buds. So, please give Rawvolution a try for yourself.
The BIG MATT is fantastic ⁴⁄₅ stars. If you’re looking for a comfort raw vegan burger this is the queen of comfort foods. There’s a nice mix of faux– mayo, ketchup with onions, lettuce, pickles, tomato on a crunchy onion bread. Very filling. The Mexican PIZZA was a ²⁄₅. It’s a mix of Mexican spiced nuts, avocado, tomato, and white sauce on a piece of seaweed that had a neutral spread on top. Calling it an open-​face wrap would be more suitable. Not bad, but invest your money on the desserts instead ;) The TIGER ROLL was absolutely delicious ⁵⁄₅. It’s made of a soft curry coconut wrap filled with vegetables and coconut flakes dipped in an addicting spicy curry sauce. Highly recommended. The EGGLESS SALAD was not my thing ⁰⁄₅. I may be biased here because Awesome Food Co. has spoiled me with their Eggless Salad and Eggless Omelets. AF really does it well. A plus for storing well. The SLOPPY JOE was okay 1/​5, but I had high expectations. The childhood sloppy joe sandwich I’ve had was delicious. So to coin a title like that on a healthy item like this just isn’t fair to joe. For a raw, nutrient dense sandwich this was tasty and very filling. The BAGEL seriously reminded me of a traditional breakfast bagel with cream cheese ⁴⁄₅. I have no idea how they delivered a bagel-​like consistency. Well done Rawvolution. Applause ;)
All in all, a healthy restaurant that delivers raw vegan fast food. Highly recommended are: Big Matt sandwich, Tiger Roll, and their bagel sandwich.

This place is doing it the right way. They have a variety of raw foods and they keep it all looking very fresh! I have been there about 5 times already and I truly love the vibe! the colors and the energy of the place make eating there so pleasurable. I have had the Big Matt a couple of times and I sampled the pumpkin pie today and it was just beyond divine!!!
The body should be nourished properly and this is a great place to start. This place will be seeing me quite a bit!!!

I completed my raw food tour this afternoon with a final stop at the new Rawvolution and was I blown away…
It’s a new café in NYC, with the original Euphoria loves Rawvolution in Los Angeles. We’re so lucky in NYC to have this new raw spot so us raw vegans can have more delicious choices.
Chad behind the counter helped me sort out which options were nut and cacao free.
I chose the Cocophoria sandwich (half) since they didn’t enough coconut jerky for a whole sandwich. To satisfy my sweet craving, I selected a cookie dough ball and a chocolate macaroon (yes, I know, just a little dipping of cacao…)
One bite into my half sandwich, I wish I had a whole. The taste, texture, flavours were just amazing; undoubtedly the best sandwich I’ve ever had. Now I’ve eaten at many raw places, this sandwich shames them all. The secret besides the curry marinade is the raw hummus instead of cashew mayo which I asked for as a substitute. Yum, I inhaled it so quickly, no pictures to show, sorry. Next time.
The cookie dough ball is good, but it’s kind of a mushy, pasty consistency made with almonds, maca and cacao nibs. Personally, the texture was not my favourite and it was on the sweeter side. The chocolate macaroon was really yummy. Soft on the outside and a little crunchy on the inside, surprising actually.
There were also soups, boy choy salads, mock tuna and chicken salads and other entrees prepared and ready to go. On the shelves, there are protein powders, nuts and other healthy supplements.
Can’t wait to come back to try some other dishes! Fresh juices are also made to order.

Been here twice since they opened. First introduced to them in Santa Monica, California where they have a shop. The food is DELICIOUS! Last night I got the Mexican Pizza that was so fresh, so tangy, so tasty and energizing! I also got the 3 for $ 6 dessert balls in the form of a walnut brownie — So chocolaty and moist! and a «cookie dough» and one more — the name escapes but it was so good. The first time I got the BIG MATT a tasty sandwich designed to give the trad burger a run for it’s money. Good! I love you RAWVOLUTION! Welcome to New York!
Tip: How about putting some higher wooden tables in there? Just a bit more comfy and I’d be over the moon. We are tall here back East!