Java Green

Disclaimer: This place is closed… or at least temporarily closed. But it wasn’t a week and a half ago when I ate there. In the event it opens back up, here’s a review, but given the state of the economy and the food the place churns out, I have a feeling this review is a eulogy.
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The Vegetarian picked this place out for us to try for lunch during her latest stay in DC. Yeah, if you thought I’d gone back to my veggie ways of the past you’re crazy!
Now, I’m not opposed to eating veggie at all, and I’m actually quite disappointed that Ami and I have not made it out to Great Sage (
) in either of her last two east coast trips… but alas, Java Green is much closer so we ended up here, and it wasn’t anything great. For starters, there is just way too much going on for one lunch-​time-​casual restaurant. Coffee shop? Juice bar? Fake meat sandwiches and wraps? Asian dishes? Pick something and stick to it or maybe no one will eat there and you’ll owe way too much in taxes and have to close. Omg, it’s like I foreshadowed it.
I had the Chickn’ Java sandwich as a lunch box… so it came with a cookie and Kettle chips. The sandwich was actually pretty good… the fake meat was well flavored and the texture wasn’t too chewy or grainy (but I’m a meat eater, so the texture of most fake meat doesn’t weird me out). The cookie was gross. They only had gluten-​free cookies left for the day, which I readily agreed to since I have been quite pleased with the gluten-​free cookies offered at Happy Tart (
). The cookies in the whoopie pies were clearly real chocolate chip cookies and looked great. The one I got resembled cardboard with dark circles painted to represent chips. I was worried that those Sharpie marks were gonna be carob chips, but at least that part was edible, so I picked around the cookie and ate the 10 chocolate chips that were in it, while Ami looked on with a look that can only be described as awe and disgust at the same time.
In an effort to be more healthy, The Vegetarian picked a salad… plus she doesn’t like fake meat. The monstrosity she was served seemed to defeat the purpose of having a «healthy» salad. This Asian salad, with gluten free yam noodles, lettuce, other veggies and dressing, could have fed the population of a small southeast Asian country. Definitely quantity over quality. One serving of noodles is half a cup. This thing easily had three cups. The entire meal was so discombobulated in ingredients that I turned down the offer to try it. No thanks, at least my fake meat tastes good.
This may have been a good spot for vegetarians and people attempting to eat healthy to go for lunch if they worked near by, but I’m afraid it probably won’t be too missed since veggie lunch options are readily available elsewhere in the area.

FYI— looks like they’re temporarily closed (PoP speculates tax issues)

Everything is absolutely delicious. The wraps are all really good, but my recent favorite is bibimbap with grilled tofu. Sooo freaking good. They have bibimbap next door at Rice Bar that’s really delicious, but more on the savory side. This version is lighter with raw veggies instead of cooked (and, of course, no meat).
The ginger frappé made with cashew milk is expensive, but omg it’s to die for. I’ve yet to try the other drinks, because I can never resist this one. They have fresh juices, various teas, kombucha, vegan cookies, and a slew of other yummy snacks like kale chips.

I’ve been trying a little of everything off their menu and waited to write a review. In sum, I’m a big fan!
Mango kale salad, and cucumber seaweed salad are two of my favs.
I also love «create your own meal» (can select all raw options) and the spirulina soup.
I haven’t tried their green juices, since I have my own juicer at home for that anyway, but I appreciate the option.
The mock chicken is tasty with chili java sauce. I’m used to mock chicken being used as its own ingredient in asian dishes, rather than an actual substitute meat in a sandwich, but I love this gluten-​y goodness any way you put it.
After living in San Francisco, I was disappointed with the dearth of healthy veg/​raw options in DC. So glad I work close by and discovered this place this summer.
Next up: raw pizza. As soon as I convince a partner to have it with me.

I don’t hand out a lot of 5-​stars so this place is one of those that I wish I could uproot and take home with me. I was here for a week for work, smack in the middle of being sick so I wanted super healthy and delicious food AND I wanted a place that makes green juice/​green smoothies to help heal myself faster.
I ordered a green juice (the Power Green, I think), which was good except it needs a little honey or Stevia and then its perfect. Sidenote: if you are not used to green juice I’d recommend their green smoothie (can’t remember the name). It has banana in it so it takes the newbie edge off. :) I also got the Jobche Noodles w/​tofu (don’t really like the fake meat type of stuff) and it was SO GOOD. If you are wheat or Gluten Free you will love this place… so many options!
I introduced my coworkers to this place at the beginning of the week and we ended up ordering lunch & green smoothies here 6 days in a row. None of us are vegetarians. I tried a few other dishes, such as the Asian Noodle Salad, which was also pretty good but my favorite was still the Jobche Noodle, hands down. One morning I had an almond milk latte and it was fabulous, so if you only want coffee and the like, this place is good for that also.
You’d think the Bay Area would have a zillion places like this, but there really aren’t…they are hard to find and very spread out. So count yourselves lucky, locals.

I really liked this place.
As a non-​vegetarian, I was extremely satsified with my curry dish that came with red pepper, long beans, and brown rice. My vegan friends were happy to eat food that wasn’t a side dish.
Everything was extremely fresh and I would definitely recommend this to vegan and non-​vegan alike.

Today was my first time eating here and it BLEW ME AWAY!!! A friend of mine finally talked me into going and I am so glad I did. She ordered for me — Yam noodles with Java chicken, raw kale, steamed cabbage and steamed broccoli. I also bought a Soy shake and that didn’t even make it back to my office. I have plenty of food allergies that have made me skiddish of trying new things, however this was ALL GREAT! YUM!
We went at 12:30 and the line had three people in it, so it was also fast. The owner greeted me with a smiling welcome and I have to say that I had a great first experience! I will definitely be coming back. All total, I think I spent $ 14. I feel satisfied and not weighted down. Just happy.

I’m a fan only because of their lunches. Otherwise, they leave much to be desired. For instance, today I purchased the worst excuse for a «cookie» I’ve ever had. They could have offered to pay me to eat it, and I wouldn’t have. It was terrible. And while the men who work there are generally very friendly and helpful, the woman who works at the counter half the time is unpleasant 100% of the time.
Fortunately, they have delicious food, and great lunch specials. The portions aren’t huge, but they are satisfying. I have always been disappointed in their breakfasts, though. In terms of taste, service and value, they are a step ahead of their sister restaurant, Café Green. Now if only Java Green would go 100% vegan. And learn how to make good vegan cookies.

Oh my, this place was good! It’s only two blocks from my office and I’ve been craving for some Asian food of the authentic kind. Also was on the hunt for something relatively healthy. Java Green definitely fits the bill (although not like a typical Korean restaurant).
After much indecision, I chose the chicken dub-​bob — lunch special for $ 7.99. Good portion size with a healthy serving of veggies and a kickass gochujang sauce. I devoured that thing.
They have a huge menu with lots of different options. On the pricier side, but that’s what you would expect from a vegan place. Stick to some of the specials and box meals if you’re price-​conscious like me and it’s reasonable.
Also, I went at 12 and actually didn’t have to wait too long, like 6 – 8 minutes. Maybe I came on a good day?

Java Green is my best friend.
It’s the kind of place I would probably not just walk into because it’s not really that clear from the outside what they serve, and when you go into the place, it’s actually even more confusing. I’m not quite sure why I initially went into Java Green.
If I had to describe Java Green, I guess it would be some sort of Korean vegetarian deli? I don’t even know.
Anyways, I grew up on fake meat/​soy/​gluten whatever you want to call it — I’ve had it all, everywhere, across the country, abroad, and it’s no exagerration that Java Green’s fake bulgogi is my favorite fake meat of all time. And the bbq «chicken» is to die for. I try to stay away from soy overload but if Java Green was my mom and made it’s fake meat dishes for me everyday I’d have to throw my soy concerns out of the window. So good.
I hate greens, but I happened to get some raw kale with my bulgogi once. I tasted it and It was ridiculously good. Converted me, actually, into a raw kale-​lover.
I once had a tempeh sandwich there that was good as hell too. I know it’s pretty tricky to season tempeh, which is extremely bland, without over seasoning it. Whatever Java Green did to the tempeh in this sandwich, it did so right.
The only negative is the wait. If you go around lunchtime, you can expect to wait for up to 20 minutes for your food to be prepared, on top of a 10 – 15 minute wait in line to order. But it’s worth it. I love Java Green.

Dear Java Green,
I am willing to give you my first born child in exchange for the recipe for your spicy tofu.
Seriously, it’s that good.
Also, I love your tofu & avocado wrap, spinach salad, smoothies, amazing vegan cookie sandwiches, mandoo, and just about everything else you make. I love that there is a vegan lunch option in the area where things are fresh and delicious. Thank you for giving me choices I can feel good about.
Lauren
P. S. Really… consider the first born offer… I NEED that recipe!

I’ve finally ventured into eating fake meat. I’ve tried three of their lunch specials:
Chickn’ Bibimbob $ 7.50
brown rice topped with zucchini, carrot, spicy chickn’, chili sauce.
Rice bowl $ 7.50
wild rice & yam noodle topped with cabbage, kale with sweet chickn.
Boolgogi Dub-​bob $ 7.50
organic brown rice topped with boolgogi, cabbage, carrot, zucchini with spicy & savory sauce.
— — — — — — —
The meat was delicious! I can eat spicy food, but the Chickn’ Bibimbob was mouth burning hot, like they poured some hot sauce right into the dish!
The rice bowl had very little vegetables, one bite and the kale was gone. Loved the yam noodles which are not made from yams and have no carbs or gluten. The wild rice was purple and flavorless. There was a lot more rice in these bowls than anything else. The Boolgogi Dub-​bob had the most vegetables of all of them, unfortunately the Boolgogi was luke warm. The sauce again was similiar to plain hot sauce.
I had the green tea frappé to drink which is made of green tea powder with cashew butter and ice cubes, sweet, thick and delicious!
Even though these are the lunch specials there’s still a long wait for them after you place your order. The unfriendly lady is still there making sandwiches. I saw the owner/​cashier juicing some vegetables without gloves which I find alarming when he takes dirty money from customers.

I’m a very open person, I’m not afraid to try new things. I was a bit skeptical at first when I came here today. I thought there’s no way a meatless chicken sandwich be better than a real chicken sandwich… Boy was I wrong, it’s a good thing I kept my thoughts to myself or else I’d have my foot in my mouth.
I got the Chick’n Java lunch special, which comes with a chick’n (meatless) sandwich, chips, and a cookie. I swear, it tasted like meat. I felt knowing that what I was eating didn’t have any processed foods in it, and it wasn’t bad at all on the wallet.
Seriously, you won’t be able to tell the difference. It’s good and it’s like $ 7.xx, which is probably a little cheaper than lunches normally run for. And believe me, I’m not a vegan or vegetarian. This was my first time having food like this and now I want seconds. This is the #1 on my health-​conscious spots to eat. Actually, it’s the only one in that category, so congratulations Java Green. You make vegan/​vegetarian foods appetizing.
I only have two negative things to say about this place. One, which might only be because I’m a noob. The menu was overwhelming at first glance. Everything looked the same. I didn’t know what to get because all this stuff was foreign to me. I mean who the hell wants soy chicken? Oh yeah, me… And two, seating is very tight there. You better come early, or come late if you want to sit.
The food is great though, so definitely give them a try. I might have just gained like a year to my life after eating here.

Java Green was my fave vegetarian eatery to hit up for lunch when I worked in DC.
(+): Delicious, fresh, healthy and eco-​friendly salads, wraps, soups and sandwiches (try the «Chicken» Java Sandwich — you won’t be disappointed!). Generous portions. Staff is very friendly and accommodating.
(-): Lack of available seats during the mad lunch rush. Prices are moderately steep ($ 7.50-$ 13.00).
Nearest Metro: Dupont Circle (North).
Java Green is a vegetarian’s paradise!

My friends in Boston have been telling me about this forever, and I didn’t realize how close it was to my office. I went on Friday, and ordered the bulgoogi sandwich at their suggestion. The place was pretty busy for 1:10 PM, and I guess it’s a super popular lunch destination. It’s a really mixed crowd — your downtown suits, tattooed, bike-​riding revolutionaries, and I’m sure a lot of meat eaters.
The menu is a little overwhelming — you’ve got sandwiches, soups, tons of baked goods, build-​your-​own rice bowls and noodles, salads, and wraps. After standing there for a couple minutes with no idea, I decided to just go with the bulgoogi sandwich.
It came out relatively fast for how many people were eating there. It was very tasty, thought the only drawback was that it was a little too sweet for my taste. I would also suggest eating right away as the ciabatta got soggy (I was waiting for a friend).
I really liked that it was a local business operated by some Korean folk who were all smiles, picking up trash and walking plates to customers’ tables. I’ll definitely be back.

Fast food veggie café. Wish I could open one in my home town.
Gluten free, soy free people beware, again, many meat substitutes have both items. You would never know it was a veggie place. Great food,
menu has good variety, people chic, staff friendly, everything is indeed green.
LOVE it, bought a T shirt, support the whole concept!
Go green!

Having now moved to DC I decided I should just make a sub review to add each time all the menu items I have tried after my first initial visits.
–Chicken Chili Wrap: soy chicken, spinach, onion, cucumber, carrot, hot cherry pepper, and chili java on a sun dried toamato wrap. It has 2 chili peppers next to it on the menu. I LOVING spicy food decided hell yes I will go for it. It was delicious beyond a doubt, but with the very small little cups of water at the location I was unable to enjoy it due to being HOOOOT! If you can handle only mild or medium heated foods, do not even attempt this. I can handle extremely spicy foods. Maybe it was just that day it was made super hot, but it burned my lips for hours after I finished eating it. I would still order this again, but I would only get it to go, so I could have a giant bottle of water and the privacy of my home to have my eyes watering.
–Spicy Noodle Soup: I have been sick all week and wanted something really spicy. Remembering my chicken chili wrap, I knew Java Green would have a soup to answer my needs. This was nice and spicy, not lip burning like the wrap, but just the perfect amount to truly clear my sinuses and help me push past my bad cold. You got to pick what noodle you got, which was great. My soup had kimchi, carrots, seaweed, mushrooms, and some cabbage. Some of the ingredients were not listed on the menu, so if you have an allergy, make sure to specify so they dont randomly add a veggie you hate.
–Free Bird Che: I got the Vegan Max Box, which included the Free Bird Che Sandwich and a cookie and a bag of kettle chips for under $ 8. The Free Bird Che sandwich was ciabatta bread with soy chicken, a sweet chili mayo type sauce and some hot peppers. I do believe that is all that was put on my non-​grilled sandwich. I was surprised how much I was disappointed. It wasn’t that great, more bread than filling. My oatmeal cookie looked like it had potential, but it was mostly dried to bits. So it was really just eating calories to sustain me.

Decent.

This is like a vegetarian/​vegan restaurant time warp. Which is to say, 20 or 30 years ago, it would have been kind of awesome and innovative. Now, however, it is slow (even for the «grab and go» dishes), crowded (although why people want to linger at their table so much I can’t fathom), expensive (my meal was over $ 11), and unappetizing.
My korean rice salad had some weird sickly sweet stuff in it and an overwhelmingly heavy «processed» taste– as many overprocessed soy products do, and the grilled tofu that cost $ 2 extra was incredibly meager. I ate it all only because I was very hungry. On the bright side, there were a few bites when I could forget about the chemical aftertaste and enjoy the spicy/​salty notes.
I am sure that vegetarians and vegans are glad to have another convenient lunch option in the neighborhood, but if I were a vegan, I would be insulted at being condescended to like this.

Say what you want about lobbyists (personally I was a political science major so the word is not dirty to me) but whatever you deride K Street for, one thing positive is that apparently there are enough herbivores in interest groups to make the area around the Farragut West metro stop a vegetarian-​friendly mecca.
In my vegetourism (that’s not trademarked, by the way, feel free to steal it), the highlight until Java Green had been Moby’s Teany in New York City. But I had a turkey (tofurkey?) club at both and Java Green actually wins the battle of those sandwiches.
And I think they know they will win a battle against almost any other vegetarian restaurant in the U.S. because Java Green is where I picked up my Veg D.C. guide (they have won best vegetarian restaurant in the D.C. area two years running from this group). It’s almost like Java Green is saying, «you can try any of the other places in this guide, but we guarantee you’ll be back, we’re the best.» And to boot they are a clearinghouse for information on vegetarianism with an amply stocked flyer table.
They live by the green part of their name as well — from using fair trade products to biodegradable carry out bags (at least according to their menu). And they have a relatively thorough little set of shelves where you can purchase things like vegan cheese for home use.
Certainly it’s a pretty pricey place to consider eating at every day for lunch but if it’s thought of as a café, which the feel of the place definitively is, it’s actually less expensive than many similar restaurants. And how many of the competing places use 50% of their profits for donations to environmentally friendly causes? Not many I would say. Even in this politically charged area.