The Spot

My walnut mushroom meatloaf was absolutely delicious! The only bummer is that when I go to a vegetarian/​vegan restaurant that had a recipe that could so easily be made vegan. I was hungry so I bent my vegan diet but this recipe could use chia seeds or egg replaces instead of eggs and use vegan cheese instead! I have a veggie meatoaf that I make with a jalapeño pepper jack almond cheese. Please continue to move towards all plant based for health more so than being humanitarian. Thanks!

Love The Spot– try their Blue Plate Special with a side of savory sauce… yummm! That is my go to plate!

I went to the Spot for lunch because it bills itself as the first vegetarian restaurant in LA and because I was going to Hermosa Beach shortly thereafter. The place had a very laid-​back vibe, with the hostess telling me to sit anywhere I liked. I ordered the crispy tacos with vegetarian burger inside, with a side of rice and beans. You have a choice between dairy or non dairy cheese. I could have eaten 10 of those tacos, they were that good. Due to their health food stance, the rice served was brown rice, which was okay, but super filling. I would have preferred a third taco to such a huge portion of rice. In any case, the price was reasonable, but the service could have been better. The hostess/​waitress was busy talking to her friend at the bar and didn’t check on me until I was almost finished. This was a shame because I really wanted to ask for more water and a side of savory sauce, but she didn’t even glance at me while she seated and attended to other guests. I still enjoyed my experience and would come back for all of the tacos.

This is my favorite restaurant. My favorite dish is the Dear Lance and the mushroom walnut loaf with savory sauce on it. I also love their veggie burger. The only thing that sucks here is the parking situation so I usually only go a few times a year usually during Fiesta Hermosa. Visit this restaurant. You won’t be sorry! It’s the best!!!

Old school Vegetarian goodness. Crispy tacos are really great with brown rice and black beans. Wife got the special of the day which was some type of tofu bake with veggies and a special sauce that was almost too good to be good for you. Yum!

Great place with amazing healthy cuisine. All organic and locally grown with no pesticides or preservatives. All items are made fresh every day.

I wish I could leave a better review because it’s vegetarian & vegan friendly, but I’m not very satisfied. The vegan friendly options are basically multiple ways of serving up tofu, beans and rice; but basically what you’re getting is really expensive beans and rice drenched in savory sauce (which is either delicious or too salty). I’ve been here a few times and I’m open to coming back again in a few months but so far this isn’t a go-​to spot for me.
The owner is very friendly but as for the employees, it’s always a hit or miss on what kind of customer service you’ll get. Sometimes it’s really bad/​slow customer service.
*On a side note, the home made bread w/​vegan butter is good! It falls apart but it’s really tasty. Make sure you ask them to toast it otherwise they’ll serve it cold, which isn’t as good.

Meh. A bit overpriced for tacos. Spent almost $ 20 which included an ice tea. They were suppose to be crispy tacos and the tortillas came out rubbery.

The best vegetarian restaurant in South Bay! It’s in a hidden alley in Hermosa Beach… Parking is a bit hard (all meter parking on the side of the road) but totally worth everything! Here are my favorites… Savory steamers, taco a la carte, and baked eggplant. They have taco Tuesday specials as well!!!

Delicious veggie options. We Had the tacos with veggie burger on the inside. Best veggie burgers in the South Bay by far.

If the other reviews haven’t convinced you yet, allow me to give my take on why you should regularly stop by The Spot– regardless of your dietary preference if you’re not strictly vegan/​vegetarian.
As someone who is an omnivore but doesn’t discriminate when it comes to good eats, The Spot fulfilled my expectations for delicious meals that filled me up without seriously lightening my wallet. In this respect, The Spot has very generous portions– and the sides for each meal I tried were ample in size and perfectly cooked. The garden veggies are honestly divine.
Though I’ve not tried everything on the menu, I’ve gone for their Guac Burger, Savory Burrito, and Blue Plate Special (Gluten-​Free) mainly because they are just so darn good. Unlike a lot of places I’ve been to where «traditionally meat-​based» dishes are somewhat spoiled by substituting non-​meat variants into the entrees, The Spot absolutely makes these dishes their own without sacrificing delicious taste, high quality, or palatable texture. It’s seriously impressive. This is a location where I readily recommend to both vegans and omnivores alike without any reservation.
With great food at reasonable prices, the ambiance of the location is low-​key and relaxing. I make plans to drop by whenever I’m in the area because this is one spot that is always a good decision.
Oh, and the «savory sauce”– it is absolutely delicious on anything and everything. Definitely don’t miss trying it on something when you drop by!

I have been coming to the spot for sometime and keep forgetting to write a review.
Stopped in for some lunch to go. Placed my order with Tonya the owner and had a seat. The employees at the spot are friendly and inviting and will offer suggestions on menu items if decisions become difficult.
I ordered the enchiladas with tempeh and the presto pasta. Although after ordering I was advised they were out of pasta they did ask if I would like it with something else. I chose brown rice and I am so glad I did. It tasted even better than my regular presto pasta. The rice added a nice texture difference from the creamy savory sauce and crisp vegetables. I am going to order it that way from now on. The enchiladas were delicious and fresh tasting.
Had to get a loaf of bread to take home because it is amazing! Homemade fresh yumminess. Oh and had a couple of the carob chip oatmeal cookies. Sooo good! A definite must try.

The spot got new floors and redid their bar stools! I can’t believe how great it looks! It looks so new and light!
The food is still great! Today we had the spinach enchiladas and a pomegranate tea!
This place is a hidden gem that you must check out!

I have been going to the spot since I was a teenager, let me say it’s amazing!
I have taken non vegetarians there and they enjoy it as well. It’s exciting that the world is starting to catch up with the way Tonya the owner has always lived. Offerings include gluten free, dairy free and soy free options.
My favorite dishes always include the house made Veggie Burger, gf cornbread and savory sauce. Let’s not forget the herb salad dressing and yummy oatmeal carob cookies. Such a treat in a non pretentious atmosphere.
The staff is ever pleasant and down to earth. Genuine caring and friendly people. Must try for any healthy eater in South Bay/​LA

Best homemade Veggie Burger ever! And they put that veggie burger in everything… on tacos, on top of veggies and rice with savory sauce and as a meatloaf for the blue plate special. If you’re a health-​nut, this place is fantastic! I love the cookbook as well! The Spot is a weekly outing for my family and I. Kid approved.

One of my favorite lunch spots in hermosa for Healthy food and cute atmosphere!

Bring cash and an appetite for healthy but hearty food. We are sort of hooked on the blue plate special, but everything we try is good. Not crazy. Fresh. Plus we love Hermosa Beach and the vibe and the casual people-​watching. I don’t think they could handle a big crowd, but when it’s just us. it’s perfect. Everyone talks about the tofu sauce with good reason.

Returned here on a weekday afternoon and the experience was another delight! Thank you for my second outstanding meal, Only one thing: the heater-​lamp on the patio was «out of propane» so we had to sit inside (since it was chilly). It was only about 4 pm and I don’t know why someone wasn’t running to the store to get more propane..

Best vegetarian in town. Large diverse selection. The mushroom walnut loaf is a savory rich delightful rice based dish that makes the perfect substitute for meat loaf. The tamale platter is another one of my favorites. Can’t go wrong here. Quality for your money. Really casual beach spot. Fresh and nutritious made with love. Friendly staff. A must go weather vegetarian or not.

I wish I had a larger heart so I could love this place more! Food is amazing, adore their back heated patio, and they sell my favorite Kombucha. Not to mention we had the most captivating waiter named Heath. Win.

The spot is so dank and the owner tonya is super chill. tai and elaine are my favorite waitresses theyre so beautoful and gorgeous and also super chill

What a nice lunch! Their greens are totally delicious. Had a nice little chat with the owner too. Affordable, and I was in and out in half hour-​perfect for a quick lunch

I’ve been to The Spot several times and usually sit on the patio. Yesterday was the first time I sat inside and it drastically changed the way I feel about the place…
The dining area inside is small and close to the kitchen, which made me aware of just how much the microwave is used here. I understand that to expedite service certain things need to be prepared ahead of time and reheated. But seriously, this is out of control. The bf even jokingly asked me if they microwaved our fruit as well.
I’ll only be back if the bf insists. Otherwise, I’ll pass.

I can’t say enough about this hidden gem. But then I guess after being in biz for over 35 yrs, maybe they’re not that hidden after all. Hidden to me… sure thing, but not anymore. Was greeted by Amber, the owner’s daughter, and she was all I needed to decide to stay and dine. I was in the mood for pancakes (not an unusual thing for me), and really wanted a sweet vegan fix. And while The Spot doesn’t offer pancakes of any kind, I wasn’t disappointed. Amber and her winning smile and beautiful personality set it off. Tonya, the owner, sewed it all up. And boy did we eat it up. Babe had the enchiladas and I gobbled up the tofu scramble with coconut cheese. Yummm-​ME! I had to stop myself from eating his too. Nomnomnom. The place is quaint and super cute, with an adorbs patio and exceptional service everywhere. We’ll be back — probs this weekend. Thanks, Rockstars, for a beautiful start to our routine beach days.
PS hope they get those vegan banana pancakes so I never have a reason not to hang.

We arrived early afternoon 1:00 after the lunch rush. Greeted warmly by a friendly girl with a nice smile who said we could be seated wherever we like. She asked if we would like something to drink to start. I heard about their tea. She let me know about the good teas they had and we picked the pomegranate green tea. It was served quickly in a smaller glass and no refills offered. I also didn’t ask.
We ordered the taco ala carte (two) we were not given the choice of crispy or no…
Though later I read on their menu they came both ways. We also ordered the «meatloaf» mashed potatoes and gravy with broccoli. Both meals were tasty and better with the savory sauce, like other Unilocalers suggested. The «meatloaf was HUGE!!! We barely could finish it.
The vibe was a little off, not sure why. No music maybe. I would come back again. Maybe try the tacos crispy.

Love this place. It’s not fancy or pretentious, it’s like a delicious home cooked meal. Service is usually a little slow but always friendly. Portions are generous and everything is yummy. Love the cozy feel of the place. Whatever you order– ask for a side of savory sauce! It’s amazing!

My mom and dad had their first date here in 1985. I’ve been coming here ever since I was a baby and now I’m 18. The environment is great, the service is great, and the food is outstanding. It’s literally one block away from the beach and is in the adorable Hermosa Beach area. A great place to go after a bike ride along the strand, like my dad and I did today. The food is full of flavor and the portions are very generous for a very reasonable price. Whether you’re in the mood for a burrito, salad, soup, inflation busters, or a delicious dessert and coffee, this is the place for you!

I really hate to do this as I love supporting local AND veg restaurants, but every time I try to give The Spot another chance, I’m disappointed. I won’t be coming here again unfortunately. I have been vegan for almost 3 years now and have tried so many amazing restaurants and food. The Spot always disappoints. I usually only visit a few times a year because I need enough time to forget my last bad experience.
This time I ordered the nachos, vegan style. It’s basically just a pile of cut up corn tortillas, beans, and soy cheese. No veggies, no salsa, guacamole, or even jalapeños. The beans were some type of boring flavor and the soy cheese seemed like it came straight out of the 1970s. It didn’t melt or stretch or taste like much. Vegan cheese has made so much progress since the movement began and The Spot has yet to catch up.
I ordered take out this time, but generally speaking from experience, the service is ridiculously slow. The whole environment seems slow, to be frank. It’s like time stands still… In the 70s. Everything about this place screams old school, except the prices! My seemingly simple plate of 4 ingredient nachos cost $ 13.03 and was served at room temperate. What?! For the quality of food and service, the prices should be more competitive. I understand it’s a little harder for small business to keep costs low, but they offer so little overall that I can’t justify the money I spent on this meal.
Again, I think it’s important that restaurants like this exist. But, just like a «normal» restaurant that gets critiqued for bad service and food, veg restaurants need to be held to the same standard.
You did your best, but perhaps it’s time to rethink how you execute the principles you so firmly stand by.

Vegetarian has come so far– and as one of the first vegetarian restraints in the area this place is a good reminder of that.
Rather than embracing vegetarian options most the food here is mom vegetarian with meat replaced for meat substitutes. Why not just make tasty fair that is exclusively veggie?
I wasn’t impressed. Nothing I had stood out at delicious or memorable.
The Spot is like an old 70s version Veggie grill when I was hoping it would be a more creative local alternative.
Instead it’s just not as good.

Vegetarian, Vegan, what?! Considering this is my 13^th year being a vegetarian, I have super high expectations for anywhere I go; no matter what.
I will give it to them! The outside has a, «The Spot: Natural Food» sign which is very appealing to any outsider looking for a cute interesting spot to eat. As soon as I walked in, I had no one greet me, the only person working was a young woman and she was sitting in the further right hand corner. I found my party in the outside patio, since it was too hot and no AC– which is understandable considering you’re in a beach city.
The menu is super diverse from salads to burgers to burritos and bigger entrée’s. I love anything with avocado and cheese so I HAD to order the Avocado Melt w/​Cheese and a side (steamed veggies or almond rice). It included avocado (obviously), a melted yummy cheddar cheese, sprouts, tomato with a «homemade» wheat bread. ADVISE: The bread fell apart after the first bite and so forth.
Overall, The Spot has gotten a TON of hype which is amazing because any vegetarian/​vegan restaurant should bring newcomers regardless of what they’re looking for. Considering, the service was real mediocre I don’t take that into account as much as how much I enjoyed my food. However, the food wasn’t my favorite and could potentially give it another shot if I tried something other than a sandwich.

This place continues to rock my veggie world. Nothing beats going to an old favorite and getting the exact dish I’ve been craving. Things don’t change at The Spot and you can’t buy that type of consistency at theses prices anywhere. I was speaking with one of the cooks and he’s been there more than fifteen years.
That said, I enjoyed a relative newbie to the lineup, Kombucha Dog — awesome! And I spotted a new variety of cookie that I’ll be trying next time.
To the Spot: you’re my sweetheart forever! Never change. Xoxo

The Spot’s longevity can only be explained by their overall awesomeness. They are the oldest vegetarian restaurant in all of LA. Once they were one of two restaurants in LA that were veggie. Now there are dozens and dozens yet the Spot persists.
That’s how good this food is! That’s how consistent it is! This is not a restaurant that serves a bunch of fake, processed meats! They do it the old fashioned way: by themselves and naturally.
The staff is friendly and capable. It’s beach hippieish … but it’s so, so delicious.
I can’t stay away. Best vegetarian food anywhere.

The Spot opened in 1977 and the restaurant claimed to be the oldest existing vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. You’ll find tons to gluten-​free and non-​dairy Vegan options here.
Parking: Metered parking — 25 cents for 12 minutes, up to maximum of 2 hours.
The menu splits up into six different main selections: salads, giant burritos, sandwiches, veggie burgers, entrees, and Inflation Busters. Just a note, you won’t find diet coke here (I guess it’s not considered as «natural»)… what you will find instead are natural soda such as root beer, ginger ale or cola. Service was okay and nothing really stood out.
Savory Steamers™ (Fresh steamed vegetables on organic brown rice with baked tofu OR tempeh and Savory Sauce. Gluten-​free. $ 12.95): The Savory Sauce was truly savory (just as the name claimed) — creamy sauce with umami aftertaste. I can’t really say vegetables (e.g. sliced cucumbers, squash, tofu, etc) were extremely fresh, but the Savory Sauce can mask any bad vegetable flavors and make you actually want to finish the whole plates of vegetables.
Get anything with Savory Sauce (e.g. Tonya’s Favorite, Savory Garden Burrito, Mexarma, Savory Steamers, Savory Presto Pasta, Nepture Loaf, or items from Inflation Busters) … the sauce is just as addicting as the In-​N-​Out Spread. A solid 3.5-star (with savory sauce), but food and service are either a hit or miss here.
*** The picture of Savory Steamers was removed by Unilocal in July 2015 «We are writing to let you know that we elected to remove your photo of The Spot from Unilocal because we thought it had quality issues (e.g., too dark, blurry, etc.)» ***

This place is a hippie throwback from yesteryear. All natural foods and contrary to some ignant posters, it lacks today’s nasty stringy fake meats that have tainted the veggie and vegan world.
Even the burger is a mix of beans and other tasty ingredients:
The atmosphere is a little dated, but the foodie fresh and high quality.
The staff are friendly and knowledgable, but have been hit or miss at times.
Ask for the green salsa, it’s spicier.
And make sure you get a soup so you get to eat a piece of that homemade bread. That’s Da BOMB!!!
The Spot is where I go when I’m hungry for a satisfying meal that’s going to drive me through my endlessly busy day or when I want to wind one of those busy days down with a burger and a beer. It’s all about balance yo!
The Spot; delicious down to the very last bite.