The Dressing Room

closed

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I’ve known they were closed for like a month now, but i just couldn’t fathom the thought that it was actually true. Until today when i had a major craving for the Napa Salad and it hit me that i will never be able to have that salad again. How disappointingggggggg. I misssss youuuu!!! :(

CLOSED??! Say it ain’t so!
I had a craving just last week for the Dressing Room, and schlepped all the way down Ventura in traffic just to get a yummy custom-​made salad, only to find that the Room has gone belly up.
This is what sadness tastes like. :(

Not to be confused with the children’s clothing store in Los Angeles, The Dressing Room is where all the cool salads get tossed. Innuendo not intended…
Aside from being able to build any kind you want, they also had a pretty good-​sized menu of interesting and imaginative salads you could choose from. The first one that caught my eyes was «The Denim.» Not only is this a clever name for a restaurant called «The Dressing Room,» but it was probably everything I love in a salad (avocado, roasted corn, black beans, jicama, and monterey jack cheese tossed in ranch and topped with crunchy tortilla strips and an orange chipotle BBQ sauce). I probably would have liked some red onions in there, but it was still delicious. I also added some seared ahi-​tuna because I wanted some protein. Other proteins you can add: steak, chicken, salmon, and tofu. They also ask you how you would like them cooked/​prepared.
The base price for the salads are $ 6.95 without meat, which is not bad at all. It was a big enough portion for me after a morning hike. It’s been 4 and a half hours since I’ve had the salad, and I’m just barely getting hungry. Who says salads don’t fill you up? Just slap some protein on it! I would definitely come back again.

What the heck, turtleneck? What happened to this place?
As of about a month ago, this was one of our favorite lunch spots in the area. A ginormous salad where you can pick and choose each and every ingredient? Tofu prepared 3 different ways? Several different kinds of lettuce? 5 free veggie toppings straight off the bat? Fresh, delicious ingredients? I can watch you cut and prepare my delicious salad? Sign me up!
I hope this is just one time, but when we went a few weeks ago, we waited in line for what seemed like 45 minutes (they changed their ordering system from the efficient set-​up they had before), and my salad tasted like a soggy, slightly-​cucumber flavored rag. Seriously.
Waddup, guys? This was a huge disappointment. I still love you though, The Dressing Room, and will give you another chance.

I agree with Sonia J. that this place IS pricey, but given the size of the salads, the freshness of the ingredients, the courtesy and the competence of the staff (unlike the surly kids who staff the usual fast-​food places), this place is great. So, my view is more in line with Michelle C. and Warren S.
My only concern is the parking, but gee, what do you expect for Ventura Blvd., especially at the holiday time.
I will come here as often as I can.

A few days ago, I would have given The Dressing Room at least 4.5 if not 5 stars without even thinking about it. I love the idea of combing any ingredients I desire on a salad. It’s fun and fantastic and healthy and wonderful.
They’ve changed their process at The Dressing Room. It’s more environmentally friendly and involves dry erase markers and laminated papers instead of pencils and throw away papers. I like this part of the process change. However, as much as I complained about ordering at one register and paying at another, I miss that aspect. It was nice to pay for my salad and then get my salad. Now, I pay for my salad and then wait and wait and wait some more for my salad. Not a fan.
Usually the salads are super yummy but last time we went they seemed subpar. I don’t know if the dressing was less exciting than usual (I got the same one I always get) or if it’s because it’s no longer peak produce season or if it’s because I had to wait longer than I wanted to wait. Either way, it was a big disappointment.
I hate when great ideas are poorly executed.

The Dressing Room was a choice out of necessity… the girl I’m dating wanted something relatively healthy. We chose to drop buy and the freshness of the ingredients, out in the open, was a welcome scent. The place smells healthy.
We decided to get two items and share just to taste a variety. We ordered the Cobb salad/​wrap in a spinach tortilla and it was HUGE. That alone could have satisfied our hunger. As a follow up we barely touched the Denim salad. That’s their version of a BBQ Chicken.
The wrap was tasty mixed with the flavors of bacon, blue cheese chunks and a light vinaigrette. Did I mention that it was HUGE. The Denim salad was saved for lunch the next day and it did not disappoint. Once again the dressing was quite lite. Two thumbs up.
I’m now looking forward to trying many other menu items. Our bill was $ 24 for what turned out to be two meals for two people. You do the math… helluva deal.
If anybody cares to want or hear my opinion… I shall recommend this place in a heartbeat.

This place is great for someone who knows exactly what they want. With hundreds (probably thousands) of possible combinations, you can get a sweet or savory salad, with or without meat (great for vegetarians) and with any kind of dressing you want.
My boyfriend gets the «Denim» — a Southwest-​style salad with black beans, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, and delicious fried chicken strips on top. I tend more toward the hearts of palm — goat cheese — apple — walnut — balsamic side of things.
If you don’t go crazy with the add-​ons (staying with their premade options, or within your 5-​topping limit on the make your own salad) the prices are reasonable. It could get out of hand if you added a bunch of extras, though.
The flow of the place needs some help — you order, wait, then pay, wait, then pick up. My service was quick and very friendly, however.
When I need a quick, healthy dinner, I hit up The Dressing Room on the way home from work. It’s pretty conveniently located, near a Starbucks and Jamba Juice in a small shopping center on Ventura.

Wow, this place is awesome.
You can create your own salad for like 10 bucks and actually enjoy every ingredient in your salad. It took me awhile to find my favorite dressing, but I really like the honey mustard dressing mixed with lemon juice.
I suggest you get the chicken tenders because they are bomb dizzle!!! Lastly add candied walnuts to your salad, they are superb!
Tip: Parking is two hours free with a dressing room validation.

Wow! This place is pretty great! I love that they offer traditional menu items and a «create your own» option! I’m a fussy eater and find I substitue things a lot. They make it fairly easy to get things right by having a little sheet you fill out when you choose your own.
Also the food quality is extremely high, which makes it ok that they charge a little more. The portions are a little large though, but that makes it a better choice for a hungry person who’s trying to make a healthy choice for lunch or dinner.
The only reason why I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that their system of order taking requires a second completely useless step that annoys me. You order at one register and pay at another– the extra step for the customer is completely unnecessary. At a quick serve, my expectation is that I talk to one friendly person for two seconds and then less than ten minutes later I walk out with what I wanted. I really don’t like that there are two lines for me to wait in, also it seems that some days there are people who both cook and take money, which means if they are doing one job they are removed from their other, quite essential post.
I’m hoping that they streamline that at some point, I’m usually looking for something quick when I go there and the second step slows the process considerably.

I love it!!! The best part of eating here is you get exactly what you ordered on your salad because you mark it down on a piece of paper. I have so much respect for paper now I tense up when I pass by a shredder. Seriously, you can be specific, diverse in your choices and voluminous in your box-​checking and you will get your order customized and accurate. Thats worth like 20 bucks right from jump street, but you wont even pay that much!
Plus, the food is good. Fresh ingredients, lots of variety and boy can they toss a salad. They have one person in charge of preparing and slicing all the meat, one salad designer maybe even a croûton arranger, it wouldnt surprise me. And the service is quick and friendly. But its strictly a lunch place as the atmosphere is only slightly less bleak than baja fresh.

This place was great. I got the summer salad, which was amazing. strawberries, raisins, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers. Their tomatoes are amazing, the chicken ahhh! I added chicken to my salad, got a drink and it was $ 10. not bad. All i could think about was sharing the love.
It was really good. I don’t consider it to really be that expensive, I mean its about as expensive as the salads at CPK and in my opinion better, and more plentiful.
There is a wait, but they make it all fresh, which is exactly what I want. If you want quick quick quick service, go buy a premade salad at jack in the crack. I’m sticking here.

Best salad for under $ 10! Seriously. Best salad in Los Angeles according to LA Citysearch! That means I must try this place.
I went here with a couple of friends. We each got something different. One made his own, one got a summer salad, and I got the Poncho Salad. It was really one of the best tasting salads I’ve yet to have. And you can watch them as they make it step by step. They have an interesting way of doing things there. You order the salad from one guy. Then you pay on the other side when they call your name. Then after you pay, you wait for your name to be called again to pick up your salad. The system works, and the salads are great!

Ok, I love it when I eat somewhere for the first time, and halfway through my meal I am thinking about when I can eat there again.
I had by far the BEST Chicken Caesar Wrap I have ever had here. I think it’s because they chop the romaine lettuce into tiny bite size pieces, the chicken is freshly cooked (instead of cold and rubbery), the small yet delicious crunchy croutons and the perfect amount of tasty dressing. And I am REALLY picky about the amount of dressing — too much and it becomes soggy, too little and it’s too dry to swallow.
Sure, it’s pricey for a lunch ($ 10 for a wrap and soda), but it’s worth it to spend a few extra bucks to be able to really eat something good, fresh and VERY tasty. Awesome!

This place is pretty good and I like to eat here when I am in the mood for a nice salad made exactly the way I like it. But, it is a tad expensive, especially if you keep adding more things to the salad, a $ 10 salad is probably more the norm than the exception. The ingredients have always been fresh and the proteins cooked to order. I found the gyro meat to be an interesting salad topping and I was surprised with how good it tasted.
The only think I don’t like too much is that they chop the hell out of the salad. These makes everything virtually the same size and texture. I could probably ask them to not chop certain things up, but I haven’t tried that yet. All I’m saying is that a salad with multiple textures is a good thing. If I order walnuts and blue cheese crumbles on my salad I sure as heck want to see those walnuts and chucks of blue cheese. Chopping everything into tiny little pieces kind of defeats the purpose. But 4 stars nonetheless.

I ate here for the first time last Friday night because the Unilocal reviews were so great. I ate there again the next day for lunch because it was so good!
An endless variety of salads! You could go here every day and never eat the same thing twice. The selection is amazing, the dressings are fantastic.
Expect some sticker shock if you add lots of toppings or you want steak on your salad. A grilled steak and arugula salad with jicama, grape tomatoes, blue cheese and olives with lite ranch (yummy actually!) dressing and a soda was $ 14. It sounds like a lot, but the salad was fantastic and a perfect full meal. Not too much (Oy! I’m so full!) and not too little (Crap! I’m still hungry!)
Tip: Park in the lot behind the shopping center and they’ll validate for two hours. Park in the city structure across the street and you’ll pay $ 1.50 for 45 minutes!

This is the best salad I have ever had in my entire life. There are a ton of choices of veggies and other add ins, as well as meats and tofu. They dice the salads up nice and small so there are no big chunks of veggies or whatnot. I also love the at least 20 different salad dressings they have ranging from creamy, to low fat/​low cal. They always get my salads just right and never leave out any of my add ins. You can also call in your order ahead of time so it’s ready there waiting for you. They also have a mailing list so you can get specials and coupons in your inbox. This is a great Sherman Oaks health food stop!

UPDATE (4÷2÷08): Slowly prices have been on the rise, and unfortunately, their salads aren’t quite worth making a special trip for anymore. I removed ONE star for the price hike to the already tightening wallets of America.
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Whenever I’m looking for something healthy at a new restaurant, the first part of the menu I scan are the salads. It’s one of the few items where you can totally control what goes into your meal, and I’m all about customization. With this in mind I was happy to discover «The Dressing Room» in Sherman Oaks; a restaurant that puts a gourmet spin on the salad bar.
Entering you’re presented with two options: order one of their specialty salads where all the decisions are made for you, or take one of their salad checklists and select from all the possible ingredients. For $ 6.95 you choose a base lettuce, five toppings (each additional for .65 cents), a dressing from a very extensive list, and for an additional nominal fee any meat or seafood you can imagine. The price varies depending on what you choose. In the end you can decide on the bowl or if you want it wrapped. After exhausting all of your decision making capabilities, take your creation to the counter and away they go before you can say «croûton.»
For my salad I selected the mixed greens, avocado, mushroom buttons, broccoli, red and yellow bell peppers (this counts as one), and chopped tomatoes. The dressing was their low-​fat honey mustard which I requested on the side, and I added blackened chicken for $ 1.95. If you like chicken you also have the option of rotisserie or grilled.
The salad master goes down the salad bar, putting all of their incredibly fresh looking ingredients into a bowl. Meanwhile, over at the visible grill another person tosses on a hearty piece of chicken. At the end of the salad line the contents of your bowl are dumped out onto a chopping block, and the salad master chops away with a mezzaluna (a large curved chopping blade). The colorful goodness goes back into a bowl, mixed with your dressing, topped with your piping hot protein, and served.
The salad tastes as fresh as it looks. Lettuce is no where near limp or wilted, each added ingredient has exactly the right consistency, and the blackened chicken has a bit of spice. Overall perfect and exactly what I wanted. The dressing only enhances things further, adding a honey mustard sweetness to the already great tasting salad.
«The Dressing Room» is where you go if you’re looking for a nutritious lunch for less then $ 10 in the valley. With everything made to order, and the tons of healthy options, it’s hard to go wrong. If you do, you only have yourself to blame.

I had the «Kimono» it’s basically a Chinese chicken salad.
Super good, I still think Cheesecake Factory is one star better.
But the grilled salmon (a price $ 5 or so) to add onto salad was SUPERB. Well, I’d hope it is for $ 5 extra bucks.
I like that this place is CLEAN, friendly, and the food tastes FRESH.
Look out for discount coupons on the Clipper Magazine for valley locals!