LYFE Kitchen – Culver City

NOOOO!!! Seriously, this place deserves 5 Stars BUT, now that the Beautiful, Awesome Radness of this place named Lisa is gone, i’m not so sure! «EVERYTHING» is Great: Food, Taste, Quality, Price, Customer Service, Friendy Staff, Time-​to-​Receive-​Food-​from-​Ordering, Cleanliness, Clean Restrooms, All Of It! It just sucks that Lisa is gone now! You’ll be missed Lisa! Take Care! Your Favorite Customer!

I used to Love Lyfe but have become disenchanted since the menu change 6 – 9 months ago. It’s been progressively going down in quality.
They appear to have lost sight of their authenticity & healthy vision. The herbs gardens are just a decorative element.
I heard Deepak Chopra had a stake in this chain. That might be urban legend. If not I recommend he check in on his investment and get the corn sweetener out of the ingredients .
Perhaps the introduction of craft beer has become a distraction? Or is the staff nipping in the back? Most appeared to be wandering around aimlessly to deliver food as the electronic order numbers were inoperable.
I frequently eat here & at the Tarzana venue. Today Culver City was a huge disappointment. There was a time a person could safely & easily eat paleo here– no more.
They no longer offer grass fed organic beef. The clearly delineated gluten free & vegetarian menus are gone.
The breakfast/​weekend brunch menu is a nice addition but no gluten free carb options.
The service has always been uneven. Today I regretted having tipped because my order was so wrong. I ordered 2 beef patties, medium rare, no bun, no lettuce wrap, no sauce, no other items. What showed up was a lettuce wrap with onion, tomatoes, pickles. Fortunately the sauce was on the side so I could peel the things I did not order off and eat the well done burgers without having to send it back.
I had back to back business meetings there & needed to keep things moving.
My guest liked her quesadilla but said all her food tasted very salty. Only one small forgettable chocolate chip cookie showed up for her though I could have sworn the menu said 2 for $ 3. Why quibble at this point.
The small portion chocolate budino with raspberry chia sauce is still outstanding with the African nectar (roobios) tea & they still serve stevia which is commendable.

I’m in LOVE* with LYFE**!
I had walked by this fast casual restaurant a few times and finally stopped in this past weekend. I couldn’t believe how it fulfilled my foodie fantasies for an inexpensive, healthy and fresh, vegan fast food option!
As you walk in there is a living plant wall of all the fresh herbs used in the food. The menu had so many items that I normally can only have if I prepare food at home: baked fries instead of fried, drinks with chia seeds, unfried crispy chicken, cashew cream in the soup instead of dairy… and even free wifi!
I ordered the quinoa crunch bowl ($ 10), one of their signature items. It had a quinoa tabbouleh (black and regular quinoa mix), crunchy veggies (raw radishes and cucumbers, and parboiled broccoli), arugula, half an avocado, edamame hummus (which was very light and fluffy), all tossed in a chipotle vinagrette. It’s topped with arugula and hot sauce. It was a little too spicy (I would get it on the side next time) but the hot sauce did brilliantly complement the flavors. Good portion size and a great value.
You can add a soup with your salad for only $ 3, so I added the vegan sweet corn chowder which is normally $ 5. It was amazing and I love that it was made thick with cashew cream, not heavy dairy cream.
I’m a fan of Veggie Grill and Native Foods Café, both vegetarian places, but LYFE is better because they have real meat options including chicken, grass-​fed beef mahi and salmon, so you don’t HAVE to give up eating meat if you usually have it for your protein.
The omnivore– and vegan-​friendly menu includes:
–infused drinks and waters, and fresh-​squeezed juices
–smoothies (sweetened naturally with dates)
–coffee (almond AND soy milk available!)
The menu lists calorie as well as sodium counts so you can make an informed decision!
–flatbreads
–salads (protein add ons are only $ 2 for chicken or tofu, and $ 5 – 6 for fish)
–soups
–sandwiches
–burgers and wraps
–sides (lots of healthy vegetable options including baked sweet potato fries and roasted brussels with squash)
–hot plates and bowls (I must try the un-​fried chicken and the thai red curry bowl!)
–desserts (chocolate and banana coconut budinos with chia seeds) and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies
–There is also a breakfast menu Mon-​Fri until 11am and until 2pm on weekends. I must try the quinoa pancakes with real maple syrup and Greek yogurt and the frittata!
–There’s also a kids’ menu.
* LOVE: Little Omnivore who loves Vegetarian Eating
** LYFE = Love Your Food Everyday
Bonus: the plastic to-​go cups and straws are all biodegradable!

Cute place for a lunch date. I ordered Art’s unfried chicken with a cucumber mint drink. The chicken was cooked perfectly crispy and it was moist. It came with Brussels sprouts and normally I don’t eat Brussels spouts, but it paired perfectly together. Delicious! And The cucumber mint drink was refreshing.

We came in for dinner last night after the Brentwood basketball game. I had the grass fed beef burger with garlic parmasean sweet potato fries… amazing with the Chipotle sauce. Also to top it off I had the Ginger pomegranate lemonade was perfect! My friends had the grass fed beef burger, and the Mahi tacos. They loved it! For an appetizer we had the Edamame hummus. That was tasty! Definitely coming back here when I can!

LYFE kitchen is HEALTH kitchen.
Praise for bringing gloriously healthy, organic food, environmentally-​conscious thoughtful food to Culver City’s downtown.
Lyfe strikes me more as spa cuisine as everything is extremely fresh, made to order, and uses lots of colorful, healthy greens and food that is not fried (as evident by their «unfried chicken» on the menu). The calories for each menu item is spelled out for you on the menu. Lots of low calorie options for the omnivore, vegans, vegetarians and the gluten-​free. So, it’s a nice change of heart healthy to see this happen.
Tried the… (prices are also so good)
Mahi Fish Tacos: hunks of white fish and tasty slaw
Art’s Unfried Chicken, which is also very good. A nice breaded chicken with a good golden crunch on the exterior.
Lemonade is perfectly tart and juicy
Some definite plusses about Lyfe kitchen is its interior. Everything in here feels positively, bright, citrus, verdant, and modern, also CLEAN. Makes me think CLEAN FOOD.
While, the speediness of the food is not fast food, the timeliness and the dine-​in, bring-​to-​your-​table service makes this place feel quality.
I’m a happy camper when food is conscious and delicious!!!

Suzie Q’s Fun Facts:
The foam used in LYFE’s bench seats is made from soybeans, not petroleum.
=≅≅≅≅≅≅≅≅~
I’m pretty fond of LYFE Kitchen. Even though it’s a chain restaurant, it doesn’t feel like one.
LYFE emphasizes healthy, global and veggie-​intensive dishes, made from ingredients that are locally sourced «wherever possible» (per LYFE’s website). While not a vegan restaurant, a vegan friend of mine always finds lots to enjoy here.
I recently tried a seasonal specialty — the chicken and shaved Brussels sprouts salad — which was reasonably priced, filling and delicious. Previously, I had a bowl of some kind that I enjoyed. The drinks are good, if a little bit pricey (the drip coffee and iced teas are refillable).
While still exuding an «organic» feel with its wall of living herbs under growing lights (do they ever cook with them, I wonder, or are they just for show?), the restaurant also seems unexpectedly luxurious, featuring sumptuous details such as spotlights shining on exposed brick walls, chandeliers, very clean and well-​appointed restrooms, and comfortable seating.
Unlike at Tender Greens, one of Lyfe’s competitors, I’ve never had to wait in a long line to order at the register. The dining room is almost ridiculously over-​large. I’ve only ever been here on a Sunday, but it’s never been even close to ¹⁄₃^rd full.
While not the cheapest quick-​service restaurant, you could do a lot worse than Lyfe for a quick lunch, dinner or healthy snack.

Met a friend here for a light dinner last night, and really enjoyed it. The space is so nicely done and peaceful, with comfortable seating, and it’s quiet, so it was a great place to just sit and talk. I got the corn chowder, which was good (though not «that was amazing, i need more» good) and the baked sweet potato fries, which were awesome. I also tried their special cucumber water which was quite good. Putting this on my roster of good places to meet people in Culver City for something light to eat…

This place deserves 5 stars.
Delicious food and great service.
I got the Market salad and unfried chicken and it was soooo good. We will be back!

corn soup = 5 stars
thai vegan lettuce cups = 4 stars
Italian quinoa side salad = 3.5 stars
Un fried buffalo chicken = 3.5 stars
veggie burger on gluten free bun = 3 stars
blonde ale = 4 stars
ginger lemonade = 3.5 stars

Had lunch here after checking out the new Arclight theater.
First of all, the layout and interior is beautiful and it’s quite spacious.
Second, I’m not vegan nor gluten-​free but they had plenty of healthy options that sounded delicious for me as well. I settled on the grilled chicken & avocado sandwich with garlic parmesan sweet potato fries. Both were delicious! The sandwich was a nice portion size, the meat was tender and flavorful and the sauce they put on it paired well. Now I was a little nervous about the fries as I wouldn’t expect sweet potatoes and garlic parmesan to go together but they were delicious! And had a nice dipping sauce that I could probably eat all day, even though I shouldn’t. I’ll get them again for sure.
I washed it all down with their fresh squeezed lemonade — ask for a sample if you wanna try it first.
Finally, service was awesome. Mauricio took care of our table (you order at the counter and then they bring it out to you) and was helpful, knowledgable and really took pride in the quality of food they offer. He made our first experience here even better.
I’ll be back — and may even venture out & try a vegan item next time. We’ll see.

I tried LYFE Kitchen for lunch a couple of days ago when I was working in Culver City. I thought that it would be a proper sit down restaurant but it turned up to be a regular fast food counter service type of place with a modern décor. When you order you get a fancy token that is used by servers to home in to where you are sitting which eliminates the shouting of numbers or worse still names which most QSR workers get wrong. After going through their menu I decided to get the Farmhouse Burger ($ 8.99). I generally avoid getting a drink with my meal and stick to water but here I decided to get their Hibiscus Beet ($ 2.99) drink as it seemed to be unique to them.
The drink was delivered to me almost as soon as I sat down at a table which was quickly followed by the farmhouse burger in the next 5 minutes. The drink was just fabulous. It was really worth breaking my regular routine. It was basically Hibuscus tea infused with beet and other flavors. Absolutely delicious. The Farmhouse burger looked great. Unfortunately the beef was way overcooked almost to the extent of being burnt. It had completely lost its taste. The other ingredients in the burger were fresh, both in look and taste so overall it just about made the passable grade. Price-​wise I felt that it was in-​line with other restaurants (or just a tad cheaper) in downtown Culver City.
I think that LYFE Kitchen definitely has potential even tough it is a little rough on the edges. I would surely like to come back and try some more stuff off their menu if I was in the area.

Loved the amazing selection of flavorful, healthy food. The thai red curry with tofu was delicious and filling!
Creamy, spicy (but not too spicy) curry with the veggies and the nutty, chewy wheatberries was fantastic. You can get it with chicken, but I was craving tofu and it was delicious!
Love that they have wines and beers on tap too!

As others have written this place is hit and miss. It’s always something. Today we come to find that there are new weekend hours. They now open at 10:00. The food is yummy most days but take way too long and the staff seems stoned. They were nice enough to give me coffee before the magic opening hour but good luck with anything else.
Not sure if I can take it much more.

Overall, I would give LYFE Kitchen a 3.5 stars.
Service: Friendly server. Didn’t catch her name
She brought me a sample of the ginger pomegranate lemonade to try.
Our group sat outside for a nice lunch.
Food:
Drink: I got the ginger pomegranate lemonade. Ginger in the lemonade is pretty strong. Cost: 2.99 149 calories and 26 mg sodium
Rating: 3.6 out of 5.
Shared sides:
Baked sweet potato fries with house ketchup 327 cal and 733 mg sodium
Rating: 3.4 out of 5 Cost: 2.99
Garlic Parmesan sweet potato fries –487 cal and 845 mg sodium
Rating 3.7 due to chipotle aioli Cost: 3.49
Roasted Brussels & squash with dried cranberries and dijon vinaigrette– 280 cal and 243 mg sodium
Rating: 3.2 Cost: 3.99
Entrée:
Roasted Salmon, tomato & fennel
(per the menu) sustainably raised salmon served with pan steamed fennel, red onion broccoli, and our zesty tomato sauce, Salmon fillet was 6 ounces or so.
I requested a substitution of the broccoli for potatoes ‚. nope not happening
One of my serving pet peeve… shared servers. I hate when they come to the table asking whom ordered what. I guess for the prices that they charge for locally sourced and/​or organic items, it can be some what excusable.
Overall, if you are vegan or looking for a healthy alternative to eating in downtown Culver City, I would recommend this place. Watch out for the sodium intake.

I am actually surprised with the reviews here and I think that LYFE Kitchen serves fresh, quality food. Everything from drinks, to wraps and even fish tacos are something to rave about. I love that I can get a healthy meal at an affordable restaurant, plus the outdoor patio dining is a huge plus for somebody like me!
Watermelon Chia Juice: 4.5÷5− can we keep talking about how sweet and refreshing this drink is? The freshly blended watermelons and the plump slimy chia seeds makes this juice so light.
Fish Tacos: 4.5÷5− who would’ve thought LYFE Kitchen would have such appetizing fish tacos? I still can’t get over how plump the fish was and the huge slices of avocado on top. Most places that aren’t seafood restaurants, usually don’t serve a mean fish taco. I can proudly say, if you are craving a healthy, delicious fish taco, come to LYFE!

This place delivers on what it sells– healthy food, reasonable portions, and life surrounding. We had the Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps ($ 6), Art’s Un-​fried Chicken ($ 14), and the Italian Flatbread ($ 7). All three were delicious and I felt good about eating them. The lettuce wraps had a slight bit of heat to them, but were also sweet at the same time. I thought the «beef» they were made with was very good, but it definitely does not have the same texture and taste as beef. The Un-​fried chicken was so good; I didn’t even miss the «fried» part. The chicken dish also came with an assortment of veggies on the side. The Italian Flatbread was almost like a thin crust pita stuffed with lots of vegetables and cheese. It came with marinara to dip and was almost like a take on a calzone.
They have both an indoor and outdoor area. The outdoor area is excellent for people watching; it’s covered and has heaters and lights for nighttime. You can also bring your pup in the outside area. The bathrooms are clean and stylish – I always appreciate when a restaurant goes the extra step to make the bathroom anything but boring. (=
There is no parking right at the establishment, but one of Culver City’s large parking garages is very close, about a 5 minute walk. FYI– the parking garage is free for the first 2 hours, then after that, it’s still pretty darn cheap.

Had a lunch date here at lyfe kitchen it was first time and didn’t know what to expect when I saw that it was vegetarian I was a little bummed as much as I love my veggies, I need some protein with my meals. But there were plenty of options available for us carnivores and pescatarians. Chicken, salmon and the Mahi Mahi. I had the mahi mahi tacos and they were great and everyone else’s dishes looked really good too. Their drinks are just as tasty as their menu and everything on the menu has the calories listed (I love that!) I enjoyed my meal, this is one places I’ll be frequenting. It’s surprisingly affordable for healthy food.

I love that place!
It’s self service, they have 5 different menu to chose from for vegan, gluten free, meat eater, etc.
They have amazingly tasty lemonade
I love their salads… and grass fed meat
The décor could not be more inviting, from couches, to modern table indoor or outdoor with a clean deco modern, it’s super nice!
Convenient parking across the street

This place is right across the street from work so it was just a matter of time before I visited. My friend and I shared the mushroom and goat cheese flatbread, pizzanini, orange ginger chia lyfe water, and ginger pomegranate lemonade.
The portions were a little small but I guess portion control is a part of the whole healthy eating thing. The orange ginger chia water was so good (Love chia seeds). Both the flatbread and pizzanini were super tasty as well. I really liked how I didn’t feel guilty for eating out afterwards.

I really enjoy this place for a healthy lunch or dinner. They have really fresh ingredients, a great selection of dishes, and friendly staff.
I almost always gets Arts Unfried Chicken. I love the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash that comes with it.
I have also had their chicken avocado sandwich which is great and their bbq flatbread.
To be honest, I have never had a bad meal there.
It is a little expensive for a restaurant without table service, but I keep coming back anyway.
Im also a big fan of the fact that they list calorie on everything. It’s a great way to eat out and have some control over how much you’re eating.
I have yet to go for breakfast.