Cafe Gratitude
45 ratings since posting on Friday, October 8, 2004
Overall Rating   based on 45 ratings |
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Enjoy the gratitude experience with delicious food, empowering inspirational message and then take home the Abounding River game and a Gratitude cookbook too. Great way to cleanse the body and spirit. What are you grateful for? - Jacqueline , posted 07/02/07 |
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Best mocha I've ever had!! - Songflower , posted 07/01/07 |
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I've been eating at Cafe Gratitude for a year (all 4 locations). When I started I was not into raw food and it took a bit of courage to start eating some of the raw dishes. I ended up going 100% raw after just a month of exploring because I felt so good after eating the raw food. The "bliss" and "heavenly" pies (hazelnut chocolate and almond butter and chocolate) and the milkshakes were so good and that I realized I could go raw and not miss anything. I've tried just about everything on the menu and and I think it's all really delicious, though I recommend the Crostini (Bountiful) Samosas (Insightful) Taco Salad (Festive), and the Burger (Cheerful). They also have some cooked grains so that those who don't want to try raw can have something familiar to eat. The fresh juices are also amazingly good. I have always had remarkably good service (and this is going to 4 locations over the course of a year). I find the servers to be friendly, helpful, and truly kind. I volunteered at Gratitude when they gave away a free meal on Thanksgiving and I found out what it is like to be on the serving side. I was impressed that the servers were patient, generous, and having a good time throughout (rather than harried, stressed, etc.) They do have a "slow food" style, which means they won't rush you or attend to you in a rushed way. If you have a short time to eat, you can order everything at once and just let them know when you need to leave and they can accommodate it. I hope you go and enjoy the experience. - Elizabeth , posted 05/25/07 |
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Cafe Gratitude is incredible! I love the food, the decor, the staff, and the ambience. I love what Matthew and Terces are doing, and the way they are working to inspire others to create better lives for themselves. This is by far the best raw food restaurant that I've been to. I've been 100% for 3 1/2 years now, and have tried all of them on the west coast. They are super creative with their food. I look forward to my next visit. I think it's hilarious that people who don't have a clue what this is all about, any desire to eat raw food, or be a pleasant person, go and then have such bad things to say about their experience. And, then of course, it's all "hippie" bullshit. Way to show your ignorance. It would be like me going to a steakhouse and bitching cause they don't serve raw food. - blue , posted 05/22/07 |
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Just my honest opinion as a vegan traveller to San Francisco. If I were trying to become vegan/vegetarian or even just eat healthier, and I went to a place like this, I would probably have a strong urge to hit up the Black Angus... lol... Perhaps the most pretentious place I have ever been... and that's saying alot! - jeff , posted 05/22/07 |
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Everytime I visit SF I go here as a treat... no it is not your typical restaurant... but its uniqueness is its blessing. I have hasd both crappy service and excellent service on different occasions... the food has always been EXCELLENT and creative. - I recommend it - - Natasha , posted 05/22/07 |
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after taking a few sips as I walked away from the cafe, I was begining to feel like the coffee didn't taste right. The server Who just made My coffee sure was snotty for the money I paid plus TIP. I lifted the lid to find the coffee Foam was curdled and had "Soy" chunks floating in it. I asked one of the Servers how they make their Lasagne, without cooking it... her answer was " We don't cook it". Thanks for the big RAW explaination. - ♕CARA , posted 05/22/07 |
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... except I'm not even sure about the "good food" part. It was hit or miss; the pseudo-taco salad and almond shake were alright, other items were nothing special. But the wait staff -- that takes it all to a new low. Waited to be seated. Waited to order. Waited for the food. Waited for the check. And all the while, our waitress was either gabbing with friends at the bar, blabbing on the cell phone or standing at the register with two or three other staffers looking blankly at the screen. The people we shared a table with must have picked up on my rancorous attitude about the service, because after they left, another waitress came over and said they'd bought us our desserts (don't ask me why we even bothered to order that course). And guess what? I still left a nothing tip, because they more than earned it. I would rather starve than set foot in that place again. The irony of naming a place "gratitude" with the most ungracious workers around (do they really think I need to give them my money?) is stunning. - Todd , posted 05/21/07 |
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Gotta give this a top rating if your into the RAW lifestyle. Can't imagine a better place to eat for this kinda paradigm. I don't think it's fair to compare to other styles of food... it's got to be a challenge to come up with tasty stuff without the use of frying pans, ovens and fryers.. I've read some bad reviews here and I would ignore them for sure.. (these are people who should not be in a place like this..) It may be pricey, but it is very labor intensive stuff, sometimes days of preparation, dehydrators and such.. Highest rating here.. - John , posted 03/26/07 |
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The food is decent if overpriced, but the goddamn fake-happy-all-the-time attitude is the worst. I wanted to order an "I am extremely annoyed", but they didn't have that on the menu. I too noticed the difference in color between the waitstaff and servers. But, love it or think it's a cult, you gotta admit, they have figured out how to milk the capitalist system enough to expand - as any good capitalists will do, even if they are slow and hippy-dippy. It *is* good for a laugh, but expensive at that. - Becca , posted 02/02/07 |
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I think a new location is opening up on the Miracle Mile. There are allot of mixed reviews here so I will have to check it out. I like to have fun with hippie pretentious asses. - Heather , posted 02/02/07 |
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Unsu...
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yeah, i would go back there. didn't help that some of the people i was with are complete assholes. and the names aren't charming at all. it's a load of northern ca shite. - Unsubscribed , posted 02/01/07 |
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My favorite part was going with a large group. They brought all our food at once but one dish. As we were served the waiter said, "You are charming, you are flourishing, you are abundant, etc...." The person left-out was next to me with no plate in front of him as I turned swiftly to tell him, "...and you are surly and difficult." We had the best laugh! goodness. Oh. And lest I not forget the moment I said, "Hmm, nut milk sounds good," to which my friend replied, "You're naughty." I believe the response to the inquiry of what I'd like to be acknowledged for (or whatever), is that 'I'd like to be acknowledged for my appreciation of swift and efficient service'. Always work with what you have. ;) - Dawn , posted 02/01/07 |
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I have eaten here occasionally since the place opened. Like the food. Although not as much as Juliano's RAW. Hate the menu. Can't we just call the food what it is. It would be much less obnoxious. Yesterday I dined at the cafe again. Waited 10 minutes to be seated. There were at least 3 open seats at the bar (1 taken up by an employee). Waited almost 1/2 hour to order. In the mean time got asked the "question of the day": what can we acknowledge you for today?. Felt it a huge intrusion into my space. Ordered a glass of the house wine. It was bad - turned to vinegar. Told the waitress I thought that my wine tasted off and she in respose said that she didn't know what it should taste like, she wasn't drinking for a month. 1/2 hour later another waitress finally told me the bottle had gone bad and replaced it. After being asked the question of day 2 more times, as opposed to whether there was anything else I would like or how was the food, I paid, forgot that I intended to leave a 10% not 20% tip and was late for my movie. Wish the hippy dippy righteous attitude toting kids would learn some capitalism. Oh - while the wait staff was hippy dippy twenty something white crowd, the clearly unhappy cooks were hispanic. Hmmm... How about some fair treatment? - Agata , posted 01/31/07 |
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I go here pretty regularly, I just tried the new one in Berkeley and it's much more spacious. I've liked everything I've ever ordered, and yes - it's a bit pricey - but I'm willing to pay extra for organic. Plus I hate sprouting and dehydrating stuff, so I'd rather have someone else do it. It's better than Juliano's restaurant was, and the service is somewhat better. Still a bit slow and spaced out - but that's how people get after eating all raw for too long. I especially like the stuffed avocados and the enchilada - nice and spicey! The tiramisu is divine, and the hummus is good. - Danger Angel , posted 05/26/06 |
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A few years ago I had a boyfriend who was always trying to be a vegetarian. I decided to go there with him because it's close to my house and I think the Atlas Café down the block had no tables or something. All I can remember is being served a 1-inch cube of something called a "brownie." It was a dark cube that cost like $9. I found this shocking, because I think they sell the same thing at Rainbow, you know, one of those things where they've put dried fruits and nuts and some coconut and carob in a trash compactor and it comes out an "energee nugget" or something? And they cost like $3.59 a pound? It was one of those on a white plate that in comparison looked like Antarctica. The owner was very upset that I was disenchanted with the place and kept trying to please me. He could only have pleased me if he'd sent out for an extra-large order of Pad Thai, I was so damned hungry. I like eating on the light end of the food chain myself, though I am not a vegetarian, and if I was not into sensations like, oh, you know, taste, touch, sight etc. I would eat all raw food myself. But though I like a lot of raw food this place really left me cold. And hungry. And poor, too. Brrr. I hadn't felt so deprived since the week I gave up cigarettes 14 years ago. - Violetta , posted 04/24/06 |
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I went here yesterday for lunch with some co-workers and must say that the food was delicious. I have only eaten at a raw restaurant two other times and I was never thrilled with either experience. Perhaps it was the dishes I ordered---it sucks to have one dish ruin my opinion of an entire restaurant! In any case, I really enjoyed Cafe Gratitude from the decor and ambience to the food itself. An all around good experience! - Christina , posted 03/24/06 |
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Not only does the food totally rock but I love ordering "i am (insert anything positive)". how cool to leave feeling great, eating healthy and spreading that great energy out into the world when you leave. - Nicole , posted 02/16/06 |
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I love Gratitude. It's like a big family dinner. Be sure to play the game! - Molly , posted 10/17/05 |
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This was my first time trying a raw foods restaurant and I'm sold! The menu is a bit pricey so I wouldn't say I was stuffed by the end of the meal, because my bf and I shared two dishes, but it was worth the splurge. Next time I'm going back with someone who'll treat me and trying one of their delicious sounding smoothies! - Ruthy , posted 08/29/05 |
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I have eaten there several times now and continue to love it. The teas are great, and I love the menu names. Seem like a great social aspect there that is open and healthy. Good stuff! - Michael , posted 07/16/05 |
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MY date, who took me to Cafe GRatitude on 4th of July. I am not usually a health food eater, as a chef I was astnonsihed at the broad range of flavours acheived in food and drink with just vegetables. Highly recommeded even for the health food adverse. Try It you will like it!!! - Bill , posted 07/05/05 |
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With communal seating, great service and organic ingredients, the Caf? Gratitude is really something for San Francisco to be proud of. The atmosphere is calming and all of the food items are named by the mood they intend to cause (ex: I AM VIVACIOUS An avocado filled with sunflower seed pate?, topped with chipotle chili mole sauce, on a bed of greens with cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of Brazil nut parmesan $10 which just happens to be my personal favorite) The Caf? Gratitude can be found in a little niche on Harrison. - Trista , posted 06/20/05 |
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Perhaps I need to delve deeper into the source of this conflict within myself: What have I done to deserve both excellent quality raw food that's very tasty (with some of the drinks bordering on sublime) and yet at the same time be punished with such poor and inattentive service? Not to mention that the group seating at shared tables means you might end up (as I once did) sharing your meal with a middle-aged yoga-practicing prattler trying to make plane reservations for Hawaii on a cell phone! Perhaps I will meditate on this contradiction. - benchun , posted 03/22/05 |
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All in all I say the place is a god send. The food is wonderful and revolutionary. It's pricey but my rule is I won't pay for food that is expensive if I can execute the same thing at home and I can't make these dishes at home. I have come to eat there on a semi-regular basis so I have learned to navigate the menu to get the things I want at a reasonable price. Still expect to spend a minimum of $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner here. And yeah, the help is really spacey and un-grounded, must be all the raw food. Its getting better but expect to have to tell people your order at least twice. That's why I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 :(. Still the place has shown many people the "light", in that raw food can be really delicious and filling. Now a word of warning, if your staple is El Toro or El Farolito you will most likely be disappointed here, but I think the food is AGES away from Urban Forage (which is defunct now anyway). Go there and think abundance, visualize your wallet full (you will need to manifest this) and resist the urge at the end to say I am broke :) - Sant , posted 02/02/05 |
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Unsu...
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Eating at Cafe Gratitude is an exercise in patience. Go if you have lots and lots of time to spend; you'll be waiting a very long time, and the hippy-dippy service is deplorable. Some of their dishes are good, some are dry and taste like a ground Birkenstock. There are other good eats in SF for raw/vegan/vegetarian. Don't bother with this one. - Unsubscribed , posted 02/02/05 |
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Maybe they were all more relaxed than your normal waiters as they were giving each other back rubs instead of paying the slightest bit of attention to the guests. Worst service I have ever had. Some of the food is good but not quite as yummy as Urban Forage was and not worth waiting for an hour. - Ruby , posted 02/01/05 |
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Unsu...
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I'm always completely delighted with the food and how it makes me feel, and with the atmosphere as well. Never had a problem with the service. I just wish they had more tables. - Unsubscribed , posted 07/04/05 |
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The theme of this raw food restaurant is "therapy". It's based on a theraupetic game designed by the owners. The whole place is decorated in garish murals riddled with self-affirmation quotes - including the walls of the bathroom. Ack! I went there on a date and $50 and some post-processing later...well, it's a wonder anyone got laid at all. - Skippy , posted 11/18/04 |
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The raw food is excellent, the atmosphere is grating and the prices are too high. - Theo/Turtle at Ca... , posted 11/18/04 |
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Fun staff, playful artistic interior, tasty, healthy raw vegan food! - Paul , posted 03/25/07 |
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More interesting than Herbivore, and more hard core than Urban Forage - this place is all raw, all the time. And it is surprisingly DELICIOUS. I'm not a raw foodist, but would recommend this hand down. They also make tasty shakes that you can get to go! - Evie , posted 11/05/04 |
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All you have to do is walk in the door to feel the magic of this stellar restaurant. The guests and staff are smiling. The colors are bright. Large tables are adorned with a game which includes cards offering questions that make great ice-breakers for groups of new friends and stimulate vibrant conversation for more intimate ones. And you haven't even tasted the food yet! The food is absolutely astounding. Raw pizza, soups, smoothies. I have yet to try something I don't like, and I highly recommend the raw ice cream as an appetizer. :-) You get to eat sweets and feel great! - Boston , posted 11/03/04 |
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Not only is the mixology of the food delicious, but the ambiance of this place can cheer up even the grumpiest spirit. The smoothies are divine, and the patrons are colorful and smiling. You feel healthy and revitalized from all the vitamins in every dish.....raw food for conossieurs, and reasonably priced. - Melissa , posted 10/21/04 |
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Okay, raw food isn't for everyone -- it will leave some people hungry no matter how much they eat. But if you're interested in trying it out, Cafe Gratitude is an excellent place to start. The menu is really well balanced, between essential raw cuisine, like nut cheeses, great salads, cold soup, vegetable "pasta", etc, and non-raw comforts, like filling grains, hot soup, coffee, wine and beer. Almost everything is organic, and the dishes are amazingly creative and original. I recommend the pizza, salad, and the nachos, and definitely the ice cream for dessert. You'll see -- it's not about compromising flavor, it's about innovation. And you feel light and great afterwards! Just be aware, it's not a cheap eat, but more of a nice meal. - Karen , posted 10/21/04 |
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Check out Cafe Gratitude if you want to truly enjoy your dining experience. They use organic, local ingredients and the space is warm and inviting. And it's pretty inexpensive too! Play their board game to get to know yourself and your dining partner(s) too! See below from their website: What is The ABOUNDING RIVER GAME? The ABOUNDING RIVER GAME is an explorational board game that introduces people to an unfamiliar view of BEING ABUNDANCE. It encompasses both training people in a day to day practice as well as discovering a Spiritual foundation that opens up to a whole new way of looking at money and resources. People experience themselves being at the source of unlimited supply. - Gael , posted 10/20/04 |
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Walk in - feel clamer. Walk out - feel refreshed, nourished and clean. All vegan. This place is as granola as it gets. Even the granola is freshly made for you. Every vegetable and fruit is hand chosen and perfect. A little pricey, but very very nice. Great nut milk shakes for breakfast, and the fruit salad with nut cream is killer. - Simon , posted 10/15/04 |
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If your interested or live your life by raw foods, this is the place to eat. They have a wonderful selection of raw/live food and drink. And the staff is super friendly and informational. They are on the corner of 20th and Harrison in SF and are not to be missed! - Gypsy , posted 10/15/04 |
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A new little cafe that serves only raw, organic food--a concept that in some cases takes a bit of open-mindedness to get used to (almost all of the dishes are served cold, including things you may be used to eating warm), but once past that, quickly becomes addicting! I haven't tried a single thing on the menu that I didn't like, but stand-out favorites are the Thai coconut soup and the I am Grace smoothie and the nut butter ice creams--soooo good! They have a specials board that changes daily, so there's always something new and interesting to try if you're looking for it. And the staff is the nicest group of people you're likely to come across in a restaurant--the proprietor and his wife are here every day and treat you like family. I absolutely love this place! - Dana , posted 10/15/04 |
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My yoga teacher was talking about this funky little vegan, raw food restaurant where you order things like "I am abundant," "I am flourishing" and "I am present." It sounded so annoying that we simply had to check it out! Ya know what? It was great! The tables are family style, so we talked to a lot of interesting people and ate a lot of interesting food. We are nowhere near vegetarians, but we left quite full and satisfied. The place has a really nice vibe with interesting art, and the food is surprisingly delicious. Also, the prices were very reasonable. - Absinthia , posted 10/08/04 |
Cafe Gratitude was recommended for:
- Tribe: Bay Area Vegetarians
- Tribe: Hip Parents
- Tribe: All Yoga
- Tribe: Think Green Wear Black
- Tribe: HELL'S POODLES
- Tribe: SanFranciscoBayFreaks
