Tender Greens

One of my favorite places to hit up for a payday Friday lunch or dinner. So happy they opened one up in the Mission Valley because it’s really close to work and my house. I always get the hot plate with spinach and the marinated backyard steak (also comes with mash potatoes). The portions are a great size and you definitely don’t feel guilty after finishing your meal. This is definitely one of the more healthier options you can have for a quick bite to eat. Prices are a little steep (about $ 11 – 12 for a hot plate) but I think it’s worth it in my opinion.

Hallelujah, finally a healthy meal spot in Mission Valley. I loooove Tender Greens. The UTC and Liberty Station locations were on my regular rotation until Mission Valley opened up, and it’s so very close to my home that I can eat at TG whenever my heart desires.
A few of my favorite things about TG: the steak-it’s so tender and perfectly seasoned, the fried chicken-​I know, we’re supposed to be eating healthy but hello, it’s fried chicken, the salads-​I love a simply dressed bowl of greens and it just tastes best here, wine on tap-​just because, and desserts-​I recommend trying them all.

Love this place, fresh salad, good fried chicken and the mint lemonade is so refreshing ! A must try place…

Let me start by saying we love Tender Greens. This location is new and maybe they are still ironing out some of the kinks but both of my experiences here have fallen below par compared to the other locations.
The music in this location is loud. It’s good music but hard to hold a conversation while eating. Yes people still talk during dinner and not on their phones. Crazy I know.
The food is good but tonight the salads were just thrown on the plate and my girlfriends chicken was all the fatty chewy stuff nobody eats. Literally half of her chicken I wouldn’t feed to my dog. Very disappointed in that.
I always get the Cobb salad and love it. Not tonight. The avocado was hardly on there and the bacon pieces were non existent. It looked like my nephew made it for me and he’s 5.
I understand going into a restaurant 30 minutes before closing is an inconvenience for you but honestly don’t feed people left over scraps from the day.
I paid 30 bucks for two salads and a drink with tip which I know most people do not there because you don’t have a waiter or waitress.
Honestly fix this location please. It’s nice to be able to come here but I’ll stick to the Liberty Station one for a while before coming back.

Perfect place to have a little snack or lunch break between NPC Muscle Contest right across the street.
Delicious, Healthy and wonderful customer service. So many Vegan, Gluten free option.
Will visit again for my next NPC :)

Tender greens has the perfect blend of fresh salads and protein, some of my favorites are the seared Ahí or Albacore you also get a good portion of carbs with their home made mashed potatoes. The location is great and easily accessible from the parking lot. Good customer service and clean environment.

Excellent, customer service !!
The food it’s fresh and it’s really good. The staff it’s welcoming and friendly.
I highly recommend it !!

I think this particular location is better than the rest of the TG’s in SD. I frequent the UTC spot and have dabbled a few times at Liberty Station and DT. The MV location makes the best grilled chicken cobb salad. It seriously had more goodies and a little bit fresher than the other places. I favor consistency and MV does it better than their counterparts, especially when you’re paying $ 12 for a salad. Bottom line, TG is healthy and that’s why I go.
Good parking. Not too busy at lunch time.
Kinda pricey.

I love Tender greens! I really love that they put one in mission valley! This has been my go to place for a while now! Ive ate every salad at this place and they are all pretty good! My favorite is the Tuna salad. I like to get the tuna medium well as I don’t like my tuna just seared. I love all of the soups that I have tried. My favorite would have to be the chicken tortilla! All of the soups here taste homemade and are fresh. The prices are a little steep but i can understand as it is healthy food. Nothing healthy is cheap. It’s nice to eat at a place and not feel like you just ate 1000+ calories
The hibiscus tea is my favorite drink. I’m happy that this location has the hibiscus tea cause the one in point Loma stopped selling it and i was upset about that. The fruit and veggie juices they have here are also on point. If you try any of there desserts you will be happy. The best desert they have are the salted oatmeal white chocolate! One of the best cookies that you can eat in san diego. I love that they have people that walk around the dining area to make sure that your drinks are full and that you don’t need anything. The dining area is pretty small though but the good thing is they have outdoor seating. They grow veggies outside of the store which is pretty cooL. I’m pretty sure that they end up using these in the store. I love tender greens! I’ll always come back as this is one of the my favorite healthy places!

I’d usually say that Tender Greens is the best, best, best. At this day and at this location though, the meat was not very good, which really surprised us. We go here, because it’s very healthy and their meet is free of hormones and adrenaline (hopefully). This day the meat was very chewy and looked kind of funny. I assume that was a one time problem and I had 100 great experiences at their other locations. This was my first time here. I’d check it out. Tender Greens is awesome.

Tender greens is one of my top choices when eating out… I love that I can indulge in tasty food and not feel terrible after! The décor of the restaurants are pretty awesome too.
Food: A must try is their big plate steak item. the mash potatoes are so so delicious. Another favorite of mine is the Chinese chicken salad. you can surprisingly get full off of a salad! I tried their ahi tuna salad once and it was really salty for my liking, I think it was the dressing more than anything.
Drinks: I recommend mixing their two lemonades which are fountain drinks. they make a nice and sweet drink. They’re wine selection also pairs well with the food.
Great place for fresh food and quality food.

I want to love this place, I really do… but I’ve tried it a couple times and I just don’t get the hype.
Their chicken is super fatty and grosses me out.
Last night I has the chipotle chicken salad, the greens were nice and crisp, but not much to it. The literal chunks of fat really turned me off. The avo, cheese and dressing were ok.
I had the cream of asparagus soup, nothing to write home about.
I also had the hibiscus tea which was on the sweet side, but that’s better than being bland, I guess.
The best part of the meal was the salted oatmeal cookie I got for dessert. Without the cookie, I’m talking a 2 star meal for one for about $ 25.

Tender Greens! I wasn’t sure how to start this review, so I decided «screaming» it would be best. I do love Tender Greens, though. I’ve been to the one at UTC a couple of times, so I’m glad that they opened one up that’s a bit closer. I really wish it was at Fashion Valley instead, but that’s only because I work at that mall.
Whenever I go, I always get the steak. Since it was my first time at this location, I thought I should try something new. New Tender Greens, new protein. I went with the salt and pepper chicken, and I asked for all white meat!
My boyfriend and I honestly remember that the UTC location had their own Cola and sodas, but this one didn’t and we were confused. I was looking forward to it, but instead stuck to good ol’ water with lemon.
The portions always seem like there’s not too much food, but when it comes down to it, I’m debating on whether to eat the minimal amount on my plate or box my leftovers. That’s a good thing, though! For my first time having the chicken, it was really good. I love the crispy skin, as well. I think my forever favorite thing about Tender Greens is their mashed potatoes, and I don’t even know why. Could it be my love for potatoes in all forms? Probably.
Normally, there’s always someone to ask how I’m doing, if we need anything, and all that good stuff, but no one approached us this time. I guess it’s not a big deal, but I’m just used to it. Overall, I’d definitely come back!

One thing I like about the Tender Greens are their salads. Although I thought the salad I ordered, the Tuna Nicoise, needed more grilled rare albacore, the rest of the ingredients: the baby greens, tomato, potato, capers, green beans, olives, and a light sherry vinaigrette where all plentiful. It also comes with quail eggs, but I said no to it. The salad cost $ 12.
The albacore was well grilled to a nice rare temp with just enough grilling on the outside to provide that grilled flavor and a bit of texture as well. The albacore came with a tasty aggressive seasoning on the outside and the rare meat inside was sweet and mild. I also like the garnished of chives and finely chopped onions on top. I just wish they put more of it on the plate.
The potatoes were served cold and were a variety of types, such as yellow, purple, and dark brown variety. They were all tender and tasted good. The baby green were abundant, the green beans were crunchy, tomatoes sweet and zesty, and the capers and olives had nice levels of saltiness. They were a little heavy handed with the sherry vinaigrette, more than I would personally put on mu salad, but it was a very good dressing and went very well with the salad’s ingredients.
You get fire grilled crostini bread slices with your salad, which were very good, and I learned from one of the employees that you can ask for more than one slice. The crostini had good grill marks, flavor, and was moist with a bit of a chew.
Oh yes, I failed to mention that I also ordered a lemon cupcake. The frosting was filled with a great zesty lemon flavor and was creamy. The cake portion of the cupcake was moist on side with a mild vanilla and lemon flavor. I liked it and I liked it even better with a cup of coffee.

Not what I thought it was going to be… but really good food! We were expecting a restaurant with table service so we almost left cause we weren’t sure if that’s what we were in the mood for.
You walk in, order, travel down the line of prep work and pick up your food at the end then grab a table! It was perfect!
I ordered the salt and pepper chicken plate with a butter lettuce salad. Nothing was left standing on that plate and I didn’t even think I was that hungry! Everything was so light and fluffy and oh so flavorful! My girlfriend had the breaded chicken with an arugula salad and that too was awesome! Both plates came with the chicken, salad with a house vinaigrette dressing, mashed potatoes, and a slice of bread brushed with olive oil.
Dinner was so delicious but the only let down was the $ 7 glass of Pinot noir that was a 2 buck chuck for sure! Way too much to pay for a glass of wine here especially when it’s not great! $ 5 would have been better!
The mint lemonade, hell yes!
Happy to return and excited to try other proteins on the menu!

So happy there is a Tender Greens in Mission Valley!!!
The menu is vast with options for every taste, and super clean fresh food.
I got the falafel wrap and substituted the salad for mashed potatoes because I was really hungry, and both items were delicious. The mashed potatoes were perfectly cooked and the falafel was nice and crispy. The sauces were just right with flavoring.
The lemonade was fresh and just right — not too sweet and not too sour.
Good option for lunch or dinner.

Can I say how happy I am that a Tender Greens has opened up in Mission Valley? YES! No more having to drive to Liberty Station or swing by downtown, to pick up my favorite hot plate. Replacing Loehmann’s, it sits next to Michael’s and across from Nordstrom’s Rack. Though easily accessible from the parking lot, the first challenge would be to actually find parking. Once you get parking and if you happen to show up during peak hours (lunch and dinner), expect a long line. But, don’t worry, it moves fairly quick.
The staff is friendly and efficient. They are also happy to answer any questions. Once you get your food and are seated, expect more staff folks to swing by to check and see how you are doing. Excellent customer service, for sure.
There is indoor and outdoor seating. If you plan on sitting outdoors, and it happens to be cold, heating lamps are there to warm you up. Since I work in Mission Valley, I typically take my lunch orders to go. Meals will cost about $ 11 per person, for a single plate. More bang for your buck, unlike the nearby True Foods, and definitely more tasty. The only other thing worth mentioning about this place is that they don’t have sodas, unlike the other locations. Say what? But, don’t worry, your other options include water, kombucha, fruit and vegetable juices and tea. Oh, and let’s not forget the craft beers. It’s not the end of the world, especially if you can have beer!

First time eating at any Tender Greens. My cousin works as a staff chef at one of the L.A. locations, you figured I would’ve tried it earlier. I had my reservations because it is a «healthy» restaurant. I figured it would be like Nordstrom Café or Panera. I am super duper glad I tried it. My friend and I came here after our deep tissue massage and checking out Bloomingdale’s Outlet next door.
You order at the front, you can make your own plate or salad or choose from one of their created salads. My friend and I chose plates. I had the fish on special, my friend had the bbq chicken. I have to say the food at Tender Greens is seriously delicious. I was hesitant to try, I’m totally a believer now. As I write this, I’m totally craving their food. My fish was very small portioned compared to their regular protein portions, that was the only downer of the meal. I can understand that since seafood is more pricey. My special came with only a salad, but it was a very large portion and I was stuffed at the end of my meal. The salad that came with the special was spectacular; it had potato wedges, mandarin or orange slices, pickled radish (I thought it was purple onion at first), bell peppers, jalapenos, and onions.
My friend’s plate had side of mashed potatoes, spinach green salad, and bbq chicken. She also ordered the rustic chicken soup. Her chicken was to die for, that is some seriously good chicken. The mashed potatoes were excellent also.
I had the lemonade, it was very, very good.
I asked the cashier her thoughts on the cookies, either chocolate chip or shortbread. She said chocolate cookie, but the shortbread is limited time, so of course I went with the shortbread. Holy schnikeys, that was a seriously good freaking cookie. My friend looked at me and said, we should order the rest of them to take home, but we’re both on diets, and finally decided against it. I’m still regretting it, cause the cookie was that good #thatswhatshesaid
If you have not tried Tender Greens yet then go, they far surpass Nordstrom Café in quality and taste.

I’m not enthusiastic about this place. It feels like a very silly gimmick. You go to order one of a limited number of salads or main meals for a relatively substantial price considering what you actually get. Then, you follow the salad bar in a sort of cafeteria fashion, but you don’t actually interact with the salad makers. They just make the salad as ordered completely. There is no opportunity for personalization and no real reason for the open style cafeteria salad bar display. Then you get to the other end of the line. You pay $ 12 for a disappointingly small salad with really greasy garlic bread. You get the plates on a tray that you then have to take to your own table, which is fine, but pointless and, as you eat, you are pestered by waiters and busboys who offer to bring you more gross bread and want to take your plate the second you have removed the last piece of lettuce.
It is all the worst parts of hipsterism. It tries to look like a basic, bare bones cafeteria but the food and the service contradicts that image completely.
And, on top of it, the food wasn’t great. He salad was fresh, but the balance of different ingredients was off and the meal just wasn’t tasty. If I ever want a BBQ chicken salad, I will just go to O’s, down the street. It is only $ 9 for a small salad that is bigger than this salad, it tasted better, had a better balance of ingredients, and had better quality pieces of chicken!

You really had to click on my review didn’t you? If you don’t know about Tender Greens yet, you are about to get a crash course on one of the best places to eat in San Diego, especially here in good ‘ol Mission Valley!
A few caveats for you foodies. This place has very unique and healthy food. I choose the word healthy because of the ingredients they choose to use versus a lot of other places. Hence why the food is more expensive.
Okay, so back to the food. If you want delicious and rock star status soup, you need to try their soups! I never really got into Butternut Squash until I had a bowl of theirs. With all this rain and you either want to go out and grab phở (not here, duh) or some soup. They also have a Roasted Tomato soup that is to die for. Hey, just be careful because they are always rotating their soups!
I absolutely love their Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad. Ridiculous! The chicken is cooked to perfection and the chipotle lime dressing makes it! I think I have it every time I go there.
I can’t forget their great assortment of teas and juices, like their Hibiscus Tea. Refreshing! Haven’t tried their beers or coffee, but I might add that to my list to try next here!
Their desserts are awesome! Last time we went, we had a slice of their Banana Crème Pie. Their usual suspects are their Salted White Chocolate Oatmeal cookies and their heavenly Red Velvet cupcake! You really can’t go wrong if you are craving something sweet after your meal.
I’ve also had their mashed potatoes and their roasted vegetables. The best side dishes ever!
Please don’t just take my word for it (I know this is Unilocal and all), but walk right in and enjoy! Their customer service is unparalleled. There’s one guy that works the tables that is super cool. He’s always asking if we are good, taking our plates when we are done, and refilling our drinks. If you are also addicted to their Hibiscus Tea like I am, then ask one to go before you leave! You won’t regret it!