Golden Mean Vegan Café

We got both smoothies and the tofu scrambles from their brunch menu. The smoothies were delicious but need bigger straws and the food was OK but needs more flavor. The potatoes tasted like bland undercooked potatoes and did not have any spice on them. We were disappointed because on the door it stated they were the best vegan restaurant in Los Angeles. False.

Really yummy for my vegan tummy! I have been to many vegan restaurants in LA area and this little café by far has surpassed my expectations. Very good vegan choices to offer, friendly staff and reasonable prices!

I’m a vegetarian and a die hard cheese fanatic however I have recently developed a dairy allergy, the golden mean vegan café makes me almost not miss cheese. I love their spinach artichoke dip, «works» burger and cheesecake. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I have taken non-​vegan/​vegetarians to the café as well and so far everyone has loved it. I love this restaurant not just for their food but also for their lack of pretentiousness that can often be associated with vegan restaurants.
I have ordered via Unilocal but mostly I go and eat at the café.

Whenever i come to Los Angeles, i come to eat at the Golden Mean! The Works Burger is AHMAZING!!! Salads are filling and delicious. And the Macachino is fabulous!

Overpriced, tiny portions, very slow service despite the fact that there were only 3 other people dining!
The chicken pesto sandwich was delish though!

This is my go-​to vegan spot in Santa Monica. It’s a chill place to eat lunch, and I’ve also ordered delivery from them. All in all, it’s very consistent and satisfying.
The thing is, the first time I tried this place, I just thought it was okay. Some of their items use that daiya «cheese», which, to me, has an absolutely repulsive taste. Consequently, I avoid certain menu items, such as their spinach/​artichoke dip. However, some of their items are SO GOOD that I can’t help but keep coming back.
Here’s what I like:
–Macaccino! Not too sweet, just kind of warm, toasty, maca goodness.
–The works burger — although kind of a one-​note texture, it’s really filling and tasty.
–Coconut blackberry cake! So. Good. I’m always on the hunt for a great dairy-​free dessert, and this really hits the spot. Someone else suggested pairing it with a macaccino, and I am in full agreement. I want this cake for my next birthday.
–The salads and juices are also solid choices.
And while the prices aren’t cheap, they don’t break the bank as much as the other nearby vegan spots. I definitely recommend checking this place out if you’re vegan or just craving some coconutty goodness.

This place is decent for the location. I wasn’t a fan of the layout of the space but that can’t be changed. The salad my friend got was not the best but my food was alright. We had coffee which, again, wasn’t the best but I wouldn’t give this place any less than 4 stars. Service was nice and accommodating and we were in and out pretty quickly.

We drive an hour to come here. The food is fantastic. I actually came here because my daughter has become a vegan. I didn’t think I would like the food actually love it. We will come here again for sure.

I ordered the Golden Ratio Salad. Now I don’t know about you all but I used to never look at the salad menu in any restaurant I’ve been to, cuz why salad when you can pasta or pizza your meal? But having tried this salad, I have become a salad person! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE a well mixed salad. This one was filling, delicious (with a good balance of different flavors), and made you feel healthy after finishing it. I was genuinely sad after my last bite because I didn’t want it to be over!
I can’t vouch for all salads out there, but this one was damn good!

I was super excited to give this place a try, the prices seemed fairly good for a vegan place in LA and they had ranch dressing on the menu so yay.
When we arrived though the menu prices were all one dollar more than the menu online so that was disappointing and they didn’t have the menu item that I had chosen AND they didn’t have ranch dressing. Ugh.
My boyfriend ordered the not-​tuna sandwich and it was just some sort of flavorful mush, it definitely didn’t feel or taste anything like tuna, We were both disappointed. I got the crazy mega burger and it wasn’t very mega at all, it was incredibly bland and the gluten free bun was hard and bad.
They don’t even offer coffee, they’re pimping out some sort of drink made with maca which is cool but I’d like to see coffee also being offered.
We were hopeful that this would be an All-​American type vegan joint but it was kinda gross and we won’t be back.

I went today, their menu reminds me of the The Grain Café!!! I ordered their «Works Burger» and it
taste just like a burger I ate at The Grain Café, not to mention THEY HAVE THE SAME COCONUT CAKE!!!

The Unilocalers were right on about this place. The cream cycle shake was good. The pani sandwich and spinach salad were very tasty. The service was fast and great. It looks like a hole in the wall but there is a second level. The next time I’m in Santa Monica I will come back.

VEGAN EATERS HERE. Nice try but, no banana. The «Everything Burger» suggested «most popular» at $ 13.50 + tax and gratuity, not so much. OK but the tomato was pale pink (in Santa Monica???) the house made burger very thin, side salad a dry quinoa and black bean with little taste. Only eaters in main room and server forgot a $ 7.50 coffee drink, probably lucky. Always appreciate the effort of any 100% vegan spot but, won’t likely be back, too many other choices in the area. You have to wonder if the owners ever read these reviews. They should and take note. Not everyone has had five star experiences.

Hiya! The reuben sandwich at Golden Mean is out of this world. This is also my favorite sandwich at Real Food Daily but Golden Mean’s is even more spectacular. They use a thinner bread which makes it feel less heavy and the consistency of the vegan «cheese» is creamier and better. I highly recommend that sandwich there! I would love to try other things here too.
I also tried some of their coconut cake and I must say the frosting or icing etc was too sweet for me, but the cake itself was very moist. Next time I’ll ask what cakes are less sweet there. So far I’m still a huge fan of M Café’s fudge cake which is not too sweet, a little dense (which I like), and very rich and scrumptious.
Also thanks Golden Mean for supporting KCRW! It’s always so nice to have local businesses supporting each other and their loyal customers.

I know what you’re thinking-​vegan food can be unappealing at times. However, this place makes you think twice. This has become one of my favorite restaurants! I have been there twice, and in regards to the last time the experience was just as professional and delicious as the first time. The turkey Panini is irresistible! And if you are craving tuna and feeling adventurous, the under tuna sandwich is a great alternative. Tasted just like tuna. What matters is taste-​and even if you aren’t into vegan food, this is definitely a place to give it a shot! Merci et je vous remercie pour l’expérience!

This is simply the best! The food is to die for, the waitress was so nice and the cooks were so quick! Can’t get any better than that!

First off, the Macaccino — get it. It’s amazing.
Spaghetti and meatballs — 5 stars. Soy free, gluten free, huge portion, and the salad that accompanies it is just as phenomenal.
Lemon saffron cake — lemony and pretty good, not dry but the crumbly texture on top might make you believe otherwise. Wish it had some frosting.
The «works» burger — 3 ¼ stars. I know, but it just didn’t blow me away after reading about all the hype. It was very healthy (27 trademark ingredient bean, grain, and vegetables patty with lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickles, cheese, and smoked tempeh bacon) and very filling. I was stuffed after just half. I opted for the specialty salad as my side, which was a spinach lentil salad with some carrots… also hearty, protein packed, and really good. Whatever they do to their salads, I like it!
There’s a lot of variety on the menu and a lot of desserts unsampled so I will def be back. Service is ok, could be a lot friendlier.

Haven’t visited this place in a while and decided to finally make a stop here after craving their burger for an entire week. All I can say is that I was disappointed, not with the food necessarily but with the service. I am a firm believer that service makes or breaks a dining experience and a restaurant regardless of how good the food is.
I really don’t understand how a couple who placed their order way after ours ended up getting their food first since we were dining as 2 also. Another couple finished their entire meal including dessert before our dishes made it to the table. I watched our salad sit at the kitchen table for maybe 15 min? The server kept passing by it left and right as if it was never there. No apology that the food was taking longer than expected to be delivered or notice of when it was coming.
Regarding the food, it was satisfying and delicious but not worth the price. We ended up getting the ratio salad and the works burger. However, $ 2 extra for a gluten free bun that is smaller than the regular bun? An upcharge for the cheese to be substituted for the cheese? A small burger that was over $ 15? Good food but hard on the wallet.
I really hope this was just an idiosyncracy. However, I wish they had at least 2 waitresses/​waiters. 1 is not enough and has never been enough in all my visits.

Simply delicious! The dessert was so yummy!

Great food, nice location! The work burger is amazing! And the mocaccino was a great surprising finish.

Their «Works Burger» is, without even a close second, the best vegan burger I’ve ever come across. The flavors are divine, and even the bun is unique. I also had a macaccino drink, likened to coffee or cocoa but made with maca root and other amino acid rich ingredients. There is a cozy upstairs loft in which you can easily sit back and enjoy.

I don’t eat vegan very often, but definitely enjoyed my burger here. I was pleasantly surprised at all the flavor in the burger. The patty had the right amount of moisture yet still kept a good «crunch» on the outside. The sauces were layered in with the veggies. The bun was soft. Wasn’t a huge fan of the seaweed side salad — I would skip that next time. Food took a while to come out even though it didn’t seem very busy at a time late in the afternoon.

I took my girlfriend here after a day of hiking in Malibu. Neither of us had ever been to this restaurant before however we saw it on Unilocal and decided to give it a shot.
Unfortunately our experience was not good at all.
The restaurant was easy to find but quite small. Luckily we went at a time it was not too busy at all so there were still multiple tables open. When we were seated the menu selections looked really good and we decided on 2 appetizers and 2 entrees. For drinks I had water and my GF ordered Tea. After placing the order we waited about ten minutes before we got one of the two appetizers, the waitress said the next one would be on its way shortly. 15 minutes go by and she comes back with our entrees and upon inquiring about the appetizer she apologized stated she forgot and told me she would remove it from the bill, I was fine with that. I also told her we had not received my GFs tea yet either, she said «I’ll gi grab that now». She never did. She came back when we were finished with the bill and said she was sorry and it was because they got really busy. There were only about 4 other couples in the restaurant the entire time.
Overall I was not satisfied with the service. The food was OK nothing really to complain about but nothing to brag about either.
I will not be coming back to this restaurant in the foreseeable future.

This place was incredible. I had one of their burgers with bacon and cheese (all vegan) that tasted so good! I hadn’t tasted meat in 12 years and this vegan burger was so good and close to what I remember meat tasting like that I almost felt bad eating it! I cannot wait to go there again and try more of their products. Everything I had was organic, vegan, and gluten-​free.

Second time coming back for their Heavenly delicious coconut cake! Hands down the best cake I’ve ever had and I am not a cake person whatsoever. Also had a coconut yam soup which was so good on my belly. Will be coming back for more!

baked nachos = 4 stars
burrito bowl = 3 stars
curry quinoa bowl = 3 stars
quesadilla = 3 stars
service = 4 stars
location = 4 stars
I definitely plan to return because there is so much more to explore on the menu!

This is my favorite vegan restaurant. I’ve been vegan for 6 years, and this place is the best. I love that I finally found vegan enchiladas! They’re so good. That, and the wet burrito are bomb. The strawberry cake is also to die for. I’ve also had their burger, not sure which one, but tasted like in and out. So good!

First time in Santa Monica, with an appetite I came upon this charm in an area saturated with food options. Small joint and relaxing atmosphere. Amazing food all around. Got the works burger, just the right thing for the hugry traveller. Dessert is great too. Will visit again.

My second time here and I absolutely loved my salad. I came in yesterday, in hurry and had only 20 min to eat. They tried to hurry up and give my golden ratio salad in minutes. Fast service, friendly people and amazing food! Will be back!
Try coconut cake and maca root shot! Better than espresso.

Best coconut cake ever… I mean the best. If your ever in Santa Monica and can find parking it’s a absolute must have.

This review is based on two visits.
Parking: street parking.
Service: service is average. Not shabby but not spectacular.
Décor: for an expensive café in Santa Monica I’m surprised at how run down and dirty this place is.
Value: this place is hella expensive. Portions are average and prices are high.
Food: my first visit I ordered The Works burger with a side salad and a slice of chocolate cake. Oh boy was that cake awful. It was so dry I couldn’t even eat it… and I love cake. The second visit I was hoping to try some of their cheesecake but the dessert case was empty. :(
The Works burger is so delicious. In fact, it’s the best veggie burger Ive ever had. It comes with several side options, but I’ve chosen the mixed green salad both times. The first time it came with a yummy lemon vinaigrette. The second time the salad was dry.
So…the dish recipes are amazing, but seems like the preparation/​quality is hit and miss.
Oh yeah, the last visit I got the juice shot. Can’t remember what it is called, but it’s like an immunity booster shot. The mint extract made it TERRIBLE. Just don’t do it.

The burrito bowl was fine. About 31/​2s I’d said. Not as good as chippy but that’s really standard for me right now.
The cake. The cake is what you go for. And believe me you’ll want this cake. You will hate that you love it so much because you will order a second slice of cake.

This place was delicious! We came here after working out for something light and what we got was our minds blown!
We ordered the chicken street tacos and the 3 tapas plate. The street tacos are to die for! So flavorful and tasted just like regular tacos, I couldn’t tell the difference. For the tapas, we order the pizza crust, arugula salad with tomatoes and hummas of the day. It was all so good.
I definitely recommend this place to anyone. Everything on the menu looked amazing. I am definitely coming back to try something new.

This restaurant has plenty of vegan options! I ordered the vegan chicken enchiladas. I waited 20 minutes to get my food. The water they served me didn’t have ice, and to make matters worse there was no air conditioning. I was curious about there maca drink, so I ordered it as soon as my food came. By the time the drink was ready I was already done with my food and walking towards the exit. The food was good, I only wished they had more staff available. Only one cook and one cashier. And the cashier also doubles as the server…

This is my one, ‘I HAVE to go when I’m in LA’ restaurant… and I’m not even vegan! I’ve loved every single thing I’ve tried here. The coconut cake is to freaking die for and I don’t even like cake!
That being said, I just happen to be in LA right at this very moment so Coconut Cake, you’ll be seeing me soon. Very. Very. Soon.

DRY DRY DRY DRY. i just paid $ 30 for a dry burger, plain tortilla chips no dip, a «rueben» they used white bread, tempeh (i hate tempeh) and some salad that tasted like sauerkraut because the only other choice was plain chips or plain sweet potatoes. I have never not taken my uneaten food for later until now!
I understand people don’t have many choices around this area for vegan but there was nothing good about this meal! I wish someone would come to my house and pay me $ 30 for 2 lame sandwiches and some plain corn chips and tap water! Unfortunately I don’t have the years of caked on grime all over my dining room tho… probably wouldn’t work out very well.
No pizza.
Everything overpriced.
Uncomfortable seating.
Place is dirty/​gross too.
Only good thing is starbucks is next door! They were mopping a clean floor!
This hole in the wall place was so insulting to man kind!

I haven’t been back in a while just because LA has so many restaurants I want to continually explore. However, after repressing my urge to come back to Golden Mean Café too long, I definitively decided to come here for dinner before being dropped back off at UCLA. Just like how I remembered it! Such an adorable vegan hole in the wall, where parking isn’t an issue, food is more than satisfying, and service is on point.
For the appetizer, I was dead set on getting the nachos with chicken … and you should be too when you stop by. Not only are they baked, rather than fried, but also dense with ooey gooey cheese, guacamole, beans, vegan sour cream, salsa, and chopped vegan chicken. I always come back for this, and it never disappoints.
My parents and I decided to share 3 entrees — Golden ratio salad, spaghetti and meatballs, and the un-​tuna melt. Out of all of them, my favorite was the spaghettii — hearty yet not overwhelming, rich yet not heavy. The spaghetti noodles made me nostalgic of childhood comfort food — soft and fun to slurp. Not only will you be happy but so will your stomach.
I’m serious Golden Mean is changing my love for vegan food into more love for vegan food. Before eating their tempeh reuben sandwich, I never liked tempeh. Now I’m a huge fan, but of course it has to be done right … guess why I keep coming back here.
By the way, one thing to keep in mind is that there is no air conditioning (or it didn’t feel like it). Came on a hot, humid day and it was the same temperature inside and out of the restaurant.

Santa Monica is certainly a vegan haven, but this place tops the few I’ve tried while in town! Fast friendly service. I had the «antioxidant drink» with beets, Apple, and other fruits and veggies. I also took the advice of a fellow Unilocaler and got the veggie burger with tempeh bacon, vegan cheese, and portobello mushrooms. BEST VEGAN BURGER OF MY LIFE! No joke. Then I followed with the coconut blackberry cake and a hot maca which was a perfect ending. Wow! So impressed!