Emerald City Smoothie

Gross. I got a mango smoothie and it tasted like medicine or cough syrup. It gets two stars because it was probably good for me. I can’t imagine wanting to go there again. I guess if you want flavored protein powder on your way back from pumping metal (…wait is that a euphemism for working out? I think so? I don’t go to the gym, I’m just naturally like this) then this place is probably your jam. But me, a flabby couch potato that just wanted a yummy smoothie, should avoid it and go for bubble tea or something.

They never get my order right. My latest order was simply banan, peanut butter, and chocolate. I cannot taste any chocolate or peanut butter. This tastes like banana and water. For $ 6 on a student budget, it pisses me off to not get what flavors I actually paid for.

Best smoothie shop ever! Friendly and helpful staff are always willing to help you find the one you will love. Peanut passion and nutty banana are delicious as well as the blueberry muffin. I have tried the juices as well and have not been disappointed! Cheers to a great small business!

Meh. The dude working today, 11/​3, must hate his job. So condescending and rude. Typically everyone who works here is friendly– this guy was an unhappy curmudgeon. Next time I see him there I’ll get my overpriced smoothie elsewhere. Dick.

I came by at 7:15 and this place wasn’t open. I assumed it was because the ECS in SLU opens at 7. Smoothie places should be open by 7 at the latest. People like to work out and have smoothies in the morning. It would be like a lunch spot opening at 12:30, doesn’t make sense.

Probably my favorite place to get smoothies. My boyfriend and I always get the macha green tea from them. We never try any other because their green tea is probably the best yet. We always get the large and split into two cups. We used to have it so often it was kind of like an addiction. Now that we aren’t around that area as often, I miss this drink so much.

I’ve been here a couple times now, and they have pretty good smoothies. There are a lot of fruits and powders to mix and match, and they have a big list of suggested smoothies.
I’m pretty sure most of the ingredients start out frozen, and some of the drinks can be a bit sweet, but if I’m thinking of it as a dessert, a smoothie is easier to rationalize.

Best smoothies in Seattle!!! You can build your own juice or smoothie from scratch or order from the enormous menu. Everything is customizable in almost every way. They offer a variety of sizes, ingredients, add-​ins, and plenty of vegan and GF options. They also carry a lot of delicious snacks and protein bars. Nothing hits the spot like an Emerald City smoothie after a yoga class or work out!

Went there during operating hours and they weren’t even open. A sign on the door said «Be Back in 5»…but other people were standing there waiting and complaining that they hadn’t come back. Sloppy, irresponsible way to run a business.

My boyfriend and I were on our way back home from Seattle and needed a quick smoothie fix to take on the road.
Parking was really strict so I waited in the car when he ran in and when he came back I had a huge smoothie that was really good! I didn’t like his because it had peanut butter which I thought tasted odd in my smoothie.
Overall, good smoothie to start a long drive home!

I like the smoothies here a lot. I usually get a slim and fit: peanut butter. It’s tasty and filling and supposedly has a decent amount of protein. Being able to sit down for a bit is nice too, unlike the ECS to the south on Broadway.
Some of the folks working here are pretty checked out though. Also the hours are really annoying. I tried going here today at 8:15 and it was closed. I’ve been here before at the same time but I guess the hours are just random and inconsistent. They seem to close sporadically too. And the hours aren’t listed on the door or anything either.
I’m gonna keep visiting because I like the smoothies but it’s definitely an annoying place sometimes.

I have a love-​hate relationship with this place.
I love a peanut butter jelly smoothie, and I like being able to offer something that’s secretly full of vitamins and still tastes like dessert to the kids in my life.
I have had less than stellar interactions with the employees — which as an individual doesn’t bother me, but when I have a little one in tow, it tends to grate on my nerves. Walking in with a 2 year old to club music blaring on the speakers that’s full of the F-​bomb on repeat while seeming like the club drug of choice is still coursing through their veins is a bit much. Jittery. Teeth grinding. As a former restaurant worker, I would choose to turn it down/​off momentarily while the store is actually occupied, but this person didn’t make that move until I asked him to. Don’t get me wrong — it’s not the worst thing that kids are gonna hear, at least at my house, but to work at something that touts itself as a health store and seem like you’re coming down/​crashing from the night before is an unfortunate dichotomy.
And back to the love — it’s clean. it’s a nice hide out to people watch.
And nothing — NOTHING! cures a had-a-late-night-wish-i-didn’t-have-to-be-awake-so-early-today like a blueberry smoothie from Emerald City. Maybe it’s the anti oxidants.

Methink not. I did not see any fresh fruits anywhere. Not even bananas. They use flavor syrup and threw in some ice, milk, or whatever. Where’s the quality in that? Go to a real juice shop!

Regarding their smoothies… ehhh. They usually lack much flavor and the ratio of ice to fruit/​etc. can be pretty off. Their juices are okay though. Can’t really go wrong there. Smoothies in general aren’t THAT healthy, especially after you start adding extras or get peanut buttery things. If you’re in a jam and really feel like you need a smoothie, I guess this is somewhere you can come. Also they have a huge amount of other products in the store — I usually just see protein stuff and think — dudes trying to bulk up??? Anyway, not the best place, but not the worst.

This place is clean and big.
I like the seats in the front.
I asked for soy instead of whey protein in my drink. I don’t think it cost more.
When I want a healthy smoothie I will remember the ECS here and come back.
Perfect for a lazy hungover Sunday.

I like this particular place because you can sit by the window and people-​watch in one of the neighborhoods that has the most watchable people!
Good selection of crazy-​ass health food-​type substances and friendly people. No one here looks like they hate their job, although they don’t seem to love it either.
Pretty nice interior for trying to sell so much stuff, and okay noise level for a smoothie place. I like it enough to go every now and then for a chocolate-​mint-​peanut butter smoothie. It’s healthy, right?

This and the Queen Anne location are the best Em Cities around. Go for the zone zinger and sub blueberries for the cranberry juice. This location offers veggie juices as well, for those who want to adventure into that universe.
The best smoothie joint in Seattle, hands down, is Juicy Café in the convention center, but Em City is a great second joint. Destroys the custom smoothie places littering the town.
I don’t know who these other reviewers interacted with, but I have always found the staff to be incredibly friendly.
Pros: Punch card program, its the original!, PB&J Smoothie, friendly staff.
Cons: Parking (or lack thereof), prices are fairly high, no happy hour or «daily deals,» no wi-​fi.

About as ambivalent as can be about this one. Just chalking up another review.
There are better, healthier smoothie/​juice spots around town.

Sometimes, after our regular visit to the gym on Saturday mornings, the offspring and I like to come by here and get a smoodie.
We love smoodies — he likes the lellow, balana ones, and I like the one with peanut butter and strawberry AND balana. With protien AND fat burner to cancel out the peanut butter. I’m totally sure that works.
(fyi — when these become yellow, banana smoothies, I’m going to have a small crisis.)

Custom Smoothies is a far better choice. At Emerald City, you can expect staff that knows very little about nutrition. Most people know nothing about nutrition, however, as a business, ECS has a responsibility to provide a healthy menu, like it advertises. I don’t believe any of the fruit is fresh, or even frozen — it all seems to be in a syrup base. Even the low sugar smoothies have over 30 grams of sugar. Many smoothies have 80+ grams of sugar. No thanks, ECS, I’d rather not have diabetes. Also, if I want to add some stuff to make it healthy, I shouldn’t have to pay another couple dollars.
People, if you think you’re getting a healthy snack/​meal here, you’re probably not.