Hillside Quickie’s Cafe

I must have walked by this place a million times. For some reason I never got around to trying it in the 5 years I have lived down the street. Today was the day and I am sure glad I stopped by. YUM!
Vegan Reuben– Fresh ingredients, grilled sauerkraut, heart bread, messy. :-) I planned to each just half but it was so delicious I couldn’t stop myself!
Mac n Yease– to die for. I am so happy I got this as a side. Gonna save this for dinner!
Total cost: $ 16. Small price to pay for a unique, gourmet feast. I will be back! I love supporting local businesses, especially ones that support me as a vegan.

Yes, their food is absolutely delicious and I crave it often. But it’s no longer worth it.
Every time I come in here something new pisses me off. So far it’s been reasons like hearing the owner mock a really sweet customer after the customer stepped outside, and other times watching the owner treat the employees like shit.
Now they’ve they’ve tried to make the menu look fancy, call the place «Sage», then jacked up the prices for the same food by a few bucks to go along with a picture of a frosty sage leaf on the menu. Oh, and they took away most of the seating. wtf?
I don’t get it. Do they think that since they opened «Plum» and it’s doing so well, they can get away with turning a lil’ sandwich shop into the same thing without the service or mood lighting?
Anyways, I didn’t stay to order food after I looked at the menu today, and I won’t be back until the owner puts her ego on a leash and decides to stick to the good old sandwich shop, only slightly overpriced, it once was.

I’m vegetarian and eat a lot of vegan food. Many of my friends, including carnivores, swear by Hillside Quickies. I just don’t get it.
I don’t require my food to be healthy. I can get behind a greasy gut bomb. But I always walk out of H.Q. feeling like I just did something that really wasn’t that good for me… and feeling irked by it instead of naughtily thrilled. I think of it as vegan fast food.
Many of my vegan friends look like they need to eat a damn sandwich… for them, they’d likely be more healthy if they ate at H.Q. regularly. However, for being vegan, it’s pretty low on actual vegetables. It’s mostly meat substitutes.
I agree with the other Unilocaler’s comment about how if you sign up for their mailing list, be prepared to have your email given out to however many hundred other people because the emails get sent with your email in the CC field. I tried emailing back about this a few times asking them to stop to no avail. They also don’t reply to other emailed questions asking for specifics on holiday events that they email about or that sort of thing ;(
At the 15^th ave location I’ve tried both dinner and brunch. Of the two, I definitely preferred brunch. I’ve tried a few different entrees and it typically ends up costing $ 10 – 15 after tax. I wish I liked this place more because I like to eat vegan food as much as possible, but I’m just more into fresh fruit and veggies than fake meat.

I apply the following adage to Hillside Quickie:
Change your expectations and change your life.
Ya see, I was looking for healthy vegan food when I first bopped into this place. Now that I look at it like plumpy comfort food that just happens to be meatless, I dig this joint.
The tofu is still too salty for my liking. If you are averse to salt, try some tempeh or seitan.
Also, it is crazy expensive for sandwiches.
Peace.

My husband owns the tattoo shop inside the Red Chair Salon right next door so I go past Hillside Quickie almost every day. I was extremely hesitant to try it at first because I’m a meatasaurus and I always get a little weird when I hear about vegan food. Everyone at the shop always raves about the food so I decided to try it one day. OMG I should have tried this place months ago! I had some sort of sandwich that I can’t remember now and it’s not on their online menu but wow, it was spicy and had some pickled peppers on it that were to die for! I completely forgot that there wasn’t a hint of meat anywhere near that thing.
The only «disappointment» I had was that it was too big and I couldn’t eat the whole thing. :(and I was only disappointed in myself. :)
I also have great things to say about the wonderful smells that come out of that place. Every time I walk by my mouth starts to water and I want to try something else on the menu. We were at the shop on the Fourth of July and HQ was preparing for their fun annual BBQ celebration. We already had plans but we wish we could have stayed to try it. There was a line already forming at least an hour before they served the food. We are going back next year to help celebrate.

Hillside Quickie’s Café Get In My Belly! My girl and I are always on the lookout for the best veggie sandwich shop wherever and whenever we travel (admittedly, not often enough). A good sandwich is like a happy little party in my mouth and this place does not disappoint. I got the smoky tempeh wrap with crunchy purple cabbage slaw, fresh lettuce, grilled onions and the perfect amount of spicy vegan aioli. Arrrllll… My girl had a toasted tofu sandwich on multi-​grain bread that was also supposedly outrageously delicious though I was too busy scarfing my own to take more than a bite of hers.
In conclusion, the name of this shop of awesomeness is ridiculous and the seating is limited, but the sandwiches are a taste sensation. Holla.

This is the food I crave when I am ravenous. Its messy, juicy, flavorful, and exciting. After spending the day packing, my boyfriend and I finished off an Evil One and the Untitled Red. In like 10 minutes.
The list of cons is not small: the wait is always toooo long, the prices are steep, the place is small, cramped, hot. They never provide napkins, utensils, or to-​go bags unless you specifically ask.
I forget it all the moment I get a bite of the deliciousness. Its as simple as that. All sins are forgiven (almost) in exchange for massive servings of this food.

I love you, Hillside Quickie’s.
I’m not vegan, but this is probably the best food I’ve had in Seattle. If all vegan food were this good I’d convert in a second. On that note, it’s a great place to bring skeptics too ;)
The wait is long, but when your custom made delicious sammich shows up you will be licking your fingers and thanking them!
I’ve tried pretty much everything on their menu and it was all amazing every single time! I strongly recommend the Mac’n’Yease, it’s magical.
The service is always friendly and your food is delivered with a giant smile.
I’m going back again and again. Great job guys, don’t stop doing what you’re doing :)

I ordered the The Seitan Sandwich and my girlfriend ordered the Fremont Philly and they were both amazing and filling. I am not vegan but I love exploring new flavors of food so i eat vegan and vegetarian dishes all the time. Hillside Quickies really kicks the crap out of so many dishes i have eaten and I love the little hole in the wall feel. They are great for on the go or to dine in but the place may be crowded since they only have about 4 or 5 tables inside.
If you have a vegan sweet tooth then they also have some excellent deserts. I want to try the U-​district location next to compare.

Good people — Friendly and helpful.
Good politics — Big ‘ol Obama «tattoo» on the wall.
Great food — I am a newer vegetarian, and I have not been disappointed yet.
Yes, you have to wait at least 7 minutes to get your order. Big deal.
Yes, the sandwiches are all about $ 10. Big deal.
And, Yes, some of the food can be MESSY!
Favorites:
Bacon Burger.
Sweet Jamaican Wrap.
Fresh ingredients. Good selection of sandwiches. Fresh juice blends and smoothies — perhaps unavailable on weekends?

I’ve often joked that this place should be called «Hilltop Slowies» because it’s not on the hillside NOR is it quick … but I’m not here to talk about their sandwiches. I’m here to talk about their new Sunday brunch.
If you miss Healthy Hedon, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU FOR BRUNCH. Amazing! A friend and I split the seitan crepes (insane!) and the chocolate waffles (sweet but with a tang of salt — SOO GOOOOOD) and pretty much I could not have been happier. They have mimosas too, and serve brunch until 4pm on Sundays! I’ll be back.

**3 ½ stars**
I’ve come here a twice and so far I’m one for two. The first time I came here I had the Crazy Jamaican burger and it was yummy. Although the sandwich was good it was also really messy and oily. But I guess that’s why it tasted so good. =P The burger was about $ 9 which is a little high in price but I think it could have fed two people. It’s a sizeable burger that comes with a side of potato salad. The second time I came in I tried the Jamaican wrap based on all the Unilocal reviews and it wasn’t quite the right choice for me. I thought it was a bit too saucy. And, pricey. I didn’t get the side of potato salad this time. Just the wrap.
One downside about Hillside Quickies is that the staff isn’t quite warm and fuzzy. And, like others have also said be prepared to wait for your sandwich to be made.
Overall, Hillside is a good alternative for dining on 15^th Ave. whether you are a vegan or not.

I came here with three friends, two of whom are vegan. Considering how empty the place was when we got there, three sandwiches should not have taken as long as they did (about twenty minutes). also, they were either not warmed up enough or let cool for too long after being heated. we all agreed that the flavors on the whole were fine, although my vegan friend said the tofu steak sandwich was a bit on the salty side.
we also were not given silverware for our sandwiches, which all came with a side of potato salad (which was tasty). when one of us asked for silverware, we were brought only one set! i looked around and there definitely was not a self-​serve silverware station.
all this at $ 9 a sandwich= this is not a place i would return to.

«Quickie»??? That word should be nowhere in this place’s name.
I stopped by here one afternoon to have a coffee at the nearby starbucks. I was really hungry so I let him know that I’d just pick up a sandwich at that Hillside place i’d heard about and be right over.
There was one person in there, placing an order. There were two people working the shop.
I ordered a peanut butter and apple sandwich. Then I waited.
And waited
And waited
And went next door and ordered a coffee…
and got my coffee…
and drank my coffee
and waited some more
I’d say about 20 minutes later, they were done with my pb& apple order. It was the sloppiest sandwich I had ever seen. Globs of PB spilling all over the place.
Yeah, it tasted good but seriously. 20 minutes for a freaking peanut butter sandwich? WTF, did they grind the pb by hand?

This restaurant is the absolute crème de la crème. I only wish I lived nearer so I could go more often … :(
Everything I’ve had here is splendiferous. The sandwiches are to die for, the carrot cake is incredible, and the mac and cheese is quite literally some of the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had in my life. And trust me, that’s saying a lot, because I am a complete carnivore.
Messy? Sure, but who gives a shit? Long wait? Yes, but for food this good it’s totally worth it.
If you’re in the neighborhood, give it a try. Or fly all the way across the country to get there, because it’s just that good.

After reading a bunch of the other reviews, I decided to go to Quickie’s for lunch today. To quote Sickboy from trainspotting, «a complete f**king misnomer».
Firstly, let me say that if you are vegetarian or vegan for health reasons rather than a fondness for animals, this is probably not the place for you. Everything that came out of the kitchen while I was waiting for my sandwich was literally swimming in oil. I watched as the lady preparing the food went through more than a quart of oil to turn out no more than a dozen meals. To be fair, I was watching for forty-​five minutes, which brings me to my second point, which I alluded to above.
Quickie’s was anything but quick when I was there today; after being told there would be a fifteen minute wait, I didn’t get my to-​go order for forty-​five minutes.
I ordered the «Africa Mama» sandwich, which was described as «A millet and quinoa burger on a small petella bun, with grilled sweet onions, tomatoes, house salsa and vegan mayo spread.» The «burger» was more just a pile of seasoned (heavily salted) quinoa and millet, which oozed out of the bun in all directions at the mere suggestion of pressure. By the time I was halfway through the sandwich, the «burger» was really just a thin layer of grainy paste in the bun, most of it’s substance having escaped to form little piles on my plate, table and t-​shirt. The bun was soaked with oil, not surprising given I saw the cook liberally douse the hotplate with oil, then open up the bun and drop it right in the middle, to soak up the grease like an improperly deployed sponge.
The sandwich came with a small side of what seemed like fried rice; short-​grain rice, green beans, onion and green peppers, bathing luxuriously in a heavy coating of oil.
It seems like a lot of people like this place, and I was excited to go there, it’s hard to find good places with such a wide vegetarian menu, but I was terribly disappointed. It took forever and when I got it, the incredible amount of oil covering every part of my meal rendered it practically inedible.

If I hadn’t shed 15lbs in 2 weeks, I’d say Damn the Atkins lifestyle. The main reason is that I’ve been neglecting this jewel of a restaurant.
Top picks are the Mac & Cheese first off, and then the Crazy Jamaican sandwich.(A napkin soaker, get x-tra’s)
I highly recommend this for Vegan’s, Veggie’s and Carnivores alike.
So when I start eating carb’s again, out of my way!!! Hillside Quickie here I come!

I had heard all the hype about this place… so I finally ended up going with a good friend. It definitely didn’t live up to the hype… the dining area was tiny and not comfortable at all, the service, or lack there of, was shite. The food was ok but I have had better elsewhere…
I have been told that the U-​District version is MUCH better, so I may try that before I give up on the business as a whole.

So I don’t care what anyone says, this place is yummy. Yah, it’s small, it’s tucked away and closes way too early in my opinion, but damn I love this place and I eat meat.
This place kept me alive while I was a vegetarian, and too lazy to walk down to Broadway. I loved everything I’ve had there, including their sweets, and I don’t like sweets either.

Holy Christmas this place is good. Salty? Hell yeah. Messy? Indeed. Greasy? Most certainly. If these are deal-​breakers, you might want to get the soup. If these are deal-​MAKERS, then come on in, friend, you may be about to discover your new favorite joint. And if you’re worried about coming here and getting «weird vegan food», as if all vegans eat are lint-​and-​chard biscuits, get off it, come in, and try a damn sandwich. I was vegan for 6 years, and I don’t stand for crappy food. If you want spice and flavor and sauce and fat, this is the place.
Seriously, any place that jams a bbq seitan wrap with POTATO SALAD get two thumbs-​up from me, and yes, that is greasy sauce dripping down my forearm. The Jamaican offerings are mighty tasty as well. I have to admit I haven’t had much else because it’s just too hard to get past anything with the three magical letters b-​b-​q. They do have more vegetable-​based entrees as well as salads, and I’m sure they’re good and fresh and as delish as the sandwiches.
My single beef is that this place is teensy-​tiny, and while that’s part of the appeal the stools at the two-​seater table are super uncomfortable. So snag a table if you can, and dig in.