Yam Leaf Bistro

Yum yum yum! This place was perfect! I came in for lunch during the week and had the urban sandwich! My wonderful waitress let me know any menu item can be turned completely vegan if you choose! For me, I replaced the mayo with vegan mayo, and the potato salad into a green salad, no problem!
My food came out fast and I enjoyed my lunch sitting outside in the beautiful sunshine! The sandwich was perfect and my green salad came with strawberries, raspberry dressing, and pomegranate seeds– what a lovely surprise!
My waitress’s happily came out to check on me with perfect timing and grace! Thank you so much for making my lunch hour a mini vacation getaway!

It’s hard to find a healthy, gluten-​free restaurant. This place fits the bill. We don’t have to worry about allergy issues if we bring in friends who have dietary restrictions. Their vegan burrito is so well done. Very yummy to wash it all down with a watermelon smoothie. Worth the trip over here.

I like this place, it’s small quaint and the people who run it are very nice and accommodating. Some of the things I’ve tried and liked are the southern style lentil soup. It has okra and some spices I believe is tumeric and is made by hand and taste really good. I’ve had the enchilada Rio that is made with spinich and mushrooms without cheese or I guess a small amount of vegan cheese and it’s pretty good with rice and beans. The pupuses are also normally something I stay away from in Mexican places because they are super fried with cheese and such but these are good. I can’t remember which one I got but it was tasty and filling. They also have lunch specials where you can pick an item for $ 10 and it comes with a plate of food. My favorite is the tostada with salad. It’s the most filling of the items to choose from. Also if you’ve been to Costa Rica they have a guanabana (soursop) drink they serve here. It’s pretty tasty and hard to find in the US. The only reason I’m not giving them 5 stars is the food is a little pricey for basic ingredients like beans and rice. They also have somewhat of a limited menu. I’ve gone 3 or 4 times and I’ve kind of run out of items to try. They also do not use much spice so I’m always asking for extra salsa. If they could maybe make a nice spicy salsa for people like me I think the food could be much more interesting. Maybe use a few more Chiles, I’ve been to El Salvador they do use spices. But with so few vegan options in Mexican/​Salvadorian food I do think it’s a great alternative to have out there so I am definitely a fan.

two words: yucca balls. Placed an order for an app, then had another for dessert. They are veggie crack.

Dropped by after searching on Unilocal.Small place in a open mall but nice inside.
Food was excellent, service was great. We’ll priced (aka not to pricey and not cheap).
Overall my vegan wife and I will be back whenever we are in Mountain View.

Pretty negative experience here. I was brought here by some regulars who our server actually recognized. Despite that, she proceeded to provide pretty poor service.
Firstly, walking in there is a sign stating groups greater than 6 must spend more than $ 15 per person– this is just an off putting sign in general but particularly when the average price of a dish is 8 – 10 dollars. When we mentioned this to the server she said everyone get a drink, appetizer, and dish… This was said quite rudely might I add. I was put off by this behavior and began to leave when they stopped us and said never mind.
We decided to stay and eat despite this and the poor service continued.
The burrito was beans, lettuce, cheese, and avocado– nothing special but still tasty. I would return to try the popousas– I had the eggplant one and did enjoy it. I would consider returning for takeout.

Healthy, organic vegetarian food that can’t be missed! I had the pleasure of eating dinner at Yam Leaf with friends and we all had a wonderful time. Service was attentive and friendly.
Some of the highlights included:
— Zephyr Salad: very fresh ingredients and tasty
— Guacamole Dip
— Soy Chorizo and Mushroom Pupusa
— Fruit and yogurt dessert

Even people who enjoy eating animals will like this place. The ingredients are fresh, the vibe is friendly, and most importantly the food is presented with a style and sophistication not usually found in a restaurant in a nondescript strip mall in the un-​hip part of Mountain View.
If you are unfamiliar with Salvadorian food get the House Sampler to see what the excitement is all about. My favorite Mexican restaurant is nearby La Fiesta and I can assure you that you will feel the same happy and satisfied way (akin to a Mexican food coma) walking out of here as well.

I once again got the pupusas and this time there was no wait at all (we went on a Wednesday). They were very accommodating to people who had some restrictions. Everyone really loved the food and our waitress was so sweet and very helpful!
Really enjoy this place.

This is for take out only.
How this place gets any stars is beyond me. I ordered the pupusa platter. The rice was bland and crunchy. The veggies in the pupusa were raw. Raw onion is not something I expect inside a dish like this. There was a hair (white and long) in my refried beans. After all the fantastic Unilocal reviews, I was incredibly disappointed. I had also ordered the plantains, and it was five small pieces with no crème. I really have to say, for the price, I could have gone to any taqueria and gotten three stellar dishes. Just… meh.

Phenomenal Pan-​Latin vegetarian, vegan (any dish can be made vegan), and gluten-​free dishes. There selection of organic wines and beers is incredible – I go with the organic amber lager with my meals. The vegan burrito bowl is my favorite (I get it vegan) and is incredibly delicious, as is the «rojo rojo» watermelon and strawberry smoothie; it makes for a great dessert. The food is top quality, healthy, and very affordable. If you’re not in the mood for a full meal, you can order off of their tapas menu so you can get the dish you want a la carte (no sides). You can eat your fill and not feel guilty.
The staff is incredibly friendly and always welcoming; they greet you enthusiastically when you walk in and once you’re seated, they take great care of you and make sure you have everything you need.
A wonderful, hidden gem in the heart of Mountain View.

Excellent food. Organic, fresh, flavorful– yum. Great lunch specials and beer, wine, and cider on tap. What a gem! Great vibes and cute & comfy place. Definitely will come again when in the area.
Chips and salsa freshly made, enjoyed black bean quinoa taco and garden salad with strawberries and homemade dressing… Mmmmm

Very small intimate neighborhood location. I grew up in old mountain view so I was very comfortable in the little restaurant. Came in for dinner and was immediately greeted with smiling happy faces. We proceeded to our table of choice and had a chance to view our digs. It very comfy, no frills, but clean. It was family cozy with a bit of bistro feel (as its a small place with ceiling dans above and knick knacks on walls. The waitress was so sweet and friendly.
We were given a carafe of cold water and two double tequila shot glasses (it was cute) proceeded to order and enjoy the dishes. Omg guacamole was so yummy. If you want fresh, definitely order guacamole. It was small for the price tho. I think it’s good for two small appetites or 1 hungry person. It does come with chips and (spicy) red salsa, of course. The «yucca bolitas» were basically fried cheese balls but they were my new (never tried) favorite. How can you go wrong with fried coating and light creamy cheese flowing out. Bolitas was served with same salsa and guacamole tho. The (soy) chorizo and mushroom Pupusa with retried beans and red rice were very yummy. Pupusa was not to thin or thick and the middle was very moist. It had great char markings and good char taste. The tostada combo plate was huge and tostada was crunchy. I’m so glad they had barley tea (the kind served in Korean restaurants). I ordered the cold iced kind, it was rather hot that day. Also shared the «Rojo-​Rojo» smoothie (watermelon-​strawberry). It was of course «fresh» tasting. We are not «declared» vegetarians/​vegan folks, but this little bistro made our meat eaters smile with full tummy so on their way out, they commented «it was not bad at all, let’s come back»
The only mini minus… It was very warm in there. It was a light warm day but it seemed extra warm inside even with ceiling fans on, then outside. Maybe later in evening would be cooler.
Already have my dishes in mind for my next visit. Hope to go back real soon ;)

Food is delicious. But let me tell you something. It is not worth the price at all! Outrageously expensive. Paid $ 5 for a horchata that they gave me it in a small cup and it wasn’t even filled up. Plantains were close to $ 6 with tax and the portion fit the palm of my hand. Tastes great, but not worth the money.

Pupusas are something I really like since being introduced to them by a friend a while back. When I saw them on the menu here, I got excited! They offer 4 different varieties of pupusas, and I tried three so far.
Got the enchiladas which was delicious! The enchiladas are filled with spinach, mushrooms, and cheese (vegan cheese available), and it was topped with a tomatillo salsa/​sauce and avocado slice. Yum! The lady serving was nice enough to bring extra salsas and also an extra side of tomatillo salsa.
Pupusas —
Bean and squash, to me this was delicious. If you do not like squash though, I would say get the other ones as my friend thought the squash was «unique».
Medley was mixed with a few different veggies, and it was delicious too especially since it had jalapenos in it.
Dessert Pupusa — YUM and YUM! I got the banana and nutella filling both times. One time with regular cheese and second time with vegan cheese.
I will note that I prefer the vegan cheese over the regular! Made me happy knowing that since I want to try going vegan one day.
I will definitely go back to try the other two which sounds amazing (Garlic and Eggplant, Soy Chorizo and Mushrooms). My friends did not want to try those yet, so I didn’t get to try it this last time.
Also had the Black Bean Quesadillas, this was great too and we had it with vegan cheese.
Will be back!

Food is extremely fresh! You can definitely tell that it was made to order. I had a yucca dish from their special lunch menu which came with fried yucca, plantains, beans, salad, sour cream, potato salad and rice, and I loved it. It’s a bit on the pricey side ($ 11.95) for a weekday lunch but I was happy to pay it.
My only one complaint is that the rice was a bit undercooked. Everything else especially the beans was great!

I liked it a lot. The food is very fresh, and the ingredients are clearly high quality. Lots and lots of organic stuff on the menu – I’m guessing it’s as much as they can source. Also I appreciate the gluten free marks on the menu. They said they can make anything vegan, as well.
It was really good, and I felt reasonable for the quality. We came around 6pm on a Friday and were able to get a seat right away.
Good service, also.

Love this place! I’ve been coming here since they first opened up. And I have to say, they’re getting better with time.
Everything is flavorful, you don’t have any guilt because it’s healthy and organic, and they have lots of vegan and gluten-​free options.

I didn’t know what to expect but I thought the food tasted fresh and carefully prepared. It’s too bad there are smokers hanging around the front since going to a vegetarian place usually means a health conscience patron.
Yes, parking is tough and the seats are crowded together. Also, the servers were distracted. It would have been great if she took the drinks order when we ordered dinner.
The food was fine and it was great for the vegans in our group. I had a cheese enchilada with mushrooms and spinach. I think $ 12.95 is pricey for a single cheese enchilada, rice and beans. Everyone liked their dinners. Very basic dishes. Burrito, pupusa and quesadilla. Everything was simple but expensive.
The best part is how easy it is for vegetarians and vegans to dine together. If you don’t need vegan food, there are so many excellent Mexican places in Mountain View. This one might no be worth the price.

Came for lunch and quite satisfying for a great price! Had a lunch special of chile relleno — it comes with two sides. The salad came with fresh strawberries and the vegetable soup was incredibly satisfying.
All came out to about $ 12. Thought I would still be hungry, but I feel great.
Parking lot is small, but there is plenty of street parking. Paid cash so I don’t know about taking card.