Lemonade Hillcrest

The place is cute, I like their decoration and friendly staff but not much else. If you like half a cup of boiled tomatoes (vegetarian chili) for 4 dollars, couscous drowned in truffle oil and sugar water with a dash of mint, this is the place for you!

this place is delicious!!! not too expensive and a vast array of items to choose from. I decided on mashed potatoes and the roasted turkey BLT, both were delicious and I would eat again. staff was sweet and brought out water to my friend’s dog as we were on the patio… would definitely come back to try more :)

Tried Lemonade for the first time. I wanted to let them get the kinks and issues ironed out before giving it a try. A couple of my friends like it so we went for lunch. The concept is interesting and the interior is really well done, however, the price is insane! I got two side salads and a cup of what looked like chicken noodle soup. That with my drink was $ 17.00!!!
Now, the food I had was good, yes, but cold side salads and a cup of chicken soup is not worth 17.00 bucks, it just isn’t. And while the food was tasty, it just isn’t a place I would frequent due to the price. Sure this concept works in LA and the UTC, but that’s because people in those areas are more about trendy then anything else.
While I really liked what I ate, the price will keep me from making a second visit.
Oh and BEWARE of the sugar free lemonade, it literally tastes like pickle juice. EWWWWWW!

THE STAFF RULES!!! I love love love lemonade– the perfect place no matter what you’re in the mood for, or how hungry you are. The seasonal menu keeps the shop fresh, but the pinneapple chicken, coconut, hale pano green bean portion is my favorite of all time. Paired with a coconut Apple mixed with blueberry mint lemonade… WOW!

Had a great lunch here on a weekend morning. This was my first visit, and I was impressed with the selection of items — a combination of unique and classic items to choose from. Maybe a dozen cold salad dishes, veg dishes, meat salads, etc. Several «land and sea» dishes and sandwiches, and about a dozen hot items included vegetable dishes and braised meats. Several desert items that looked very good including the largest macarons I’ve ever seen. Top that off with a number of fruit beverages and iced teas. So many choices, I chose to go light and had 3 of the cold salads with an Arnold Palmer — a spaghetti squash salad, ponzanella variation with turkey and bacon, and a chicken salad with pineapple, bill around $ 13. Everything tasted great, and I’ll be back to try some of the other items.
The staff was very nice and somewhat friendly, but most seemed a bit nervous, perhaps due to a manager/​supervisor who appeared somewhat intimidating and over-​zealously controlling their every movement — for example the salad servers were very exacting (slow) with getting the serving size exactly right, seemingly afraid of being one small chunk over or under the designated serving size.
The restaurant concept was confusing on first visit, due to the cafeteria style approach to getting your food. More signage, both at the door, and at eye level on the food line would have made things easier to understand — maybe prices on the glass so you can understand costs while looking at the food instead of having to look up and search to figure something out. Maybe a sign/​menu at the door to highlight that there are different stations, each with it’s own pricing structure. Some standard combo definitions on a sign up front with prices (like sandwich&salad, braise&veg, 2 salad&desert) would have made the first visit easier also — there is signage but it’s high up and only starts makes sense after you’ve had a chance to take everything in. However, after a first visit and figuring things out, I’ll understand much better going in next time how to approach ordering.

I love this place. I went for the first time tonight and I will be going back again and again. I’m more of a «go with the flow» kind of guy and I understand some users demotion of stars for confusion, but just going with it makes the experience that much better.
Everything is split into sections and has a separate cost. Prepare to pay around $ 15-​$ 20 for a «meal.» Or you might pay under $ 10 for a couple items. Grab a tray and let the staff know what you would like as you work your way down the line. Start at the salad area and choose from many different, inspired salads. I got the Fat Ramen Edamame salad and it was BOMB. Then, I moved onto the meat/​fish/​sandwich section and got the ahi tuna with orange ginger vinaigrette. Once again, it was amazing. I moved forward to the soup/​potato section and got the truffle Mac and Cheese. Super creamy and tasty. I snagged a pretzel roll and a Blondie for dessert. Added a coconut apple lemonade to boot! There’s TONS of food options and numerous options for vegetarian/​pescatarian friends.
Staff was super friendly and kind. Little chilly inside, but atmosphere was good and establishment was clean. A+, LOVE this place. And very good if you’re going solo at any time of day.

If you are looking for something quick, check out Lemonade. I’ve tried most of the salads, really haven’t found one that I would eat again. But the «El Tijuana» Turkey, Jalapeño Aioli, Jicama Slaw, Queso FrescoHam, Gruyère and Hot Mustard. Is what I usually get, I just love the jicama slaw and the jalepenos. The next best thing is their truffle mac and cheese. Very flavorful.
Per usual parking sucks but hey you can always walk over to Pure Press and get a Fresh Juice.

So yellow, so bright and the food is all so colorful!
This cafeteria type style restaurant can rack up the $$$ is you try to pick up every dish possible. It’s okay to skip the salad folks… as enticing and pretty as it looks. They allow you to sample any of the dishes before you decide which is a perk.
The beginning of the line starts out with a variety of salads and moves on to sandwiches and hot foods. OMG, those hot foods look hella delicious. So much to choose from and they give you so much too! My partner and I got the truffle mac n cheese (which was creamy, gooey and all so cheesy. The server hella packed it into a typical to-​go soup bowl that could feed both of us. We also got the beef miso stew which funny enough, tasted like a sweeter version of our mom’s beef adobo. The beef was nicely shredded and there was so much sauce!
One of the servers came by to check how we were doing and we joked that the beef would go better with rice than mac n cheese and the guy went back, got us rice and said «enjoy!» What the?! Wow, now that was a nice surprise.
They didn’t have the watermelon lemonade but I got the cucumber mint. Tasty, refreshingly and slightly tangy. My partner when full tangy with the guava lemonade.

Really cant go wrong here but the one in UtC has better service :)
Gotta get the mac and cheese both types r delicious but try to get a fresh batch!

I don’t really don’t understand this concept, when did «cafeteria» food get popular? I guess everybody else jumped on that train but me. Not really a fan of this concept…
I guess for lunch it wouldn’t be so bad since that’s what cafeteria food is for– lunch. We came for dinner and was super surprised by how expensive the food was and the small amount you would get. I think the only good deals were the salads, which you can get like 3 for $ 6ish and the amount they’ll give you is worth while. The main entrees on the other hand was $ 7 for a small soup cup of it. We got the lemongrass chicken, miso glazed short rib and Brussels sprouts. Everything that you can probably cooked in a crock pot… Nothing special.
It was confusing and I think the staff were more excited then any of the customers about the food. One thing that was good was the blood orange lemonade. Their lemonades were delicious! Good to try this concept once because it is a neat spin on food… But for that price, Save it and eat somewhere better like Oscars around the corner.
So this is what it felt like to eat lunch in a private high school!

Not a huge fan of this pace. It reminds me of what a private school’s cafeteria would be like, haha. It’s not a bad place, it’s just weird to grab a tray, walk through a single file line and pay outrageous prices for lukewarm food. A cup of braised meat was $ 7. Weak sauce! I guess I just expected a lot more flavor just from how nice the place was setup. Let down!
Braised lemongrass chicken– not extraordinary, just decent.
Braised miso beef short ribs — better than the chicken, just mediocre though.
Brussels Sprouts — my favorite.
Jasmine rice — my second fav
Blood orange lemonade — What do you know? Freakin’ good. Haha.

Terrible terrible terrible
Love the concept, was so excited to try this place out. Its expensive for what you get.
Ordered: Beet salad ($ 2.50), wild rice lentil salad ($ 2.50), beef ribs (7 $), mashed potatoes (7 $). This ahi poke thing.
Review: Beet salad tasted weird not good on the bad side kind of weird, wild rice lentil salad was hard, terribly seasoned, could not chew it at all. The mashed potatoes were so ordinary — i mean who can mess up mashed up potatoes? The beef ribs were heavy, too salty and sweet at the same time. Ahi poke thing was dry, hard to chew. Did not finish the plate but wasted 21 $ on a disjointed nonsense plate of random tasteless almost inedible stuff.
Verdict: Maybe I caught them on a bad day based on all the other reviews but my friend who is one of those WAY too nice people said he was disappointed. I will say what we both thought but he was too nice to say — it sucked, so bad. My insides felt gross. I will not go back there. I doubt I will miss out on much.
Pros: People are awesome. Space is well decorated and trendy. Location is pretty cool. Everything looks good.
Cons: The food that looks good actually tastes terrible — its a restaurant, as in you go there for the food — soooooo ya.

This place reminds me of a big bridal or baby shower place exploding with fresh food that a girls lunch out loves. Located next door to Snooze, the bright mid-​century cafeteria lunch spot has its 1^st location. Hooooray for the healthy options which you can sample. The staff is as cheerful as the primary colored décor with light birch wood.
You’ll find:
Salads
soups
Braised stews, chili, hot pots– stick to your bones and hearty proteins
Sides– rice, mash potato, breads, Mac n cheese
Desserts– cupcakes, macaroons, lemon bars, cookies
Lemonade– guava limeade, watermelon Rosemary, blueberry mint, etc.
Wait in line, choose your food, grab a number and sit down. Enjoy the refills!

Updated review:
I personally was not a huge fan of lemonade’s food options. They were very pricy for the spread that was offered the day I went. Along with the prices the portions were also very small. I will though however give lemonade a high five on having creative dishes that you wouldn’t normally get anywhere else.

We decided to check out what the hype was all about! It’s 2 stores down from snooze… great place to get drinks after brunch on a hot day.
We came around 8PM and there was no line. I was a little confused about the ordering process. They had a whole row of salads, braised meats, and desserts. So you look at what you want first and order right then and there. After you get everything that you want, you pay for it and find a table. We tried the red miso beef short rib and it was pretty good. The portions are pretty decent in size and filled me up quickly. I got the watermelon Rosemary lemonade and it was so delicious and refreshing! I definitely want to come back to try the other lemonade selections that they offer.
Customer service here is excellent! They are very attentive and are quick to be at your service. Although it’s not a typical sit down restaurant, some of the workers still walk around and attend to your needs.

My first experience with LemonadeLA was after visiting my friend at Caltech a couple years ago and I’ve always remembered how affordable and refreshing on a warm summer day. Now they’ve recently opened up a location in the heart of San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood and they’re opening one up in Westfield UTC later this year!
My favorite is the Watermelon Rosemary lemonade, which is also offered in a sugar-​free option if you’re cutting (summer bod, anyone?) or diabetic. The regularly sweetened version is probably the least sweet out of all the ones that I’ve tried, and the cucumber mint comes in a very close second. They’re sooooo refreshing and at $ 3.00, it’s a price that’s hard to beat because in this economy, especially considering the prime location.
I also tried the following from their fresh salad counter:
— white nectarine, Persian cucumber, and english peas (favorite)
— roasted beets, melon, frisee, and hazelnut (pretty good)
— new Mexican chili roasted butternut squash (alright)
They have desserts, hot and cold items a la carte, and the freshly tossed salads are definitely worth splitting with a friend (or date) the 6 portions with for only $ 12.50! Seriously, the salads are amazing and they give you a generous scoop or two or each. Don’t be afraid to as for samples because I sure wasn’t!
Affordable selections, friendly staff, bright interior, and plenty of seating makes this place worth checking out. I’d skip the huge line at Snooze any time for healthier options at Lemonade.

This restaurant space has rotated several times over the years and I hope that Lemonade is here to stay. It’s like a modern cafeteria that serves items that fortunately, look nothing like your school cafeteria’s Shepherd’s Pie. The service was friendly and we were given samples, which was great because there is a lot to choose from. Salads, sides, entrees, desserts, and of course, lemonade.
I had the old-​fashioned lemonade, which was deliciously tart. I ordered the roasted cauliflower, truffle mac and cheese and the tuna with mango and avocado. The sides were superior and the tuna, though beautiful, was a little bland. I topped off my meal with a lemon macaron. Macarons are just so freakin’ delicious and this one was larger than the typical bite-​size kind. They also give generous portions here.
Since it was my first time to Lemonade, I was a little confused about pricing and ended up with a meal more expensive than I intended. It’s easy to look and point at what you want. Just remember that it will quickly add up.
The décor is clean and vibrant and a great place to fill up on sides and desserts. Next time I’m going to snag the lemon meringue pie.

I have been excited to eat here since I drove by it last year in Venice beach.
Went here for lunch at peak hour, be warned about parking. Best to come after 1:30 where you can find ample parking.
I ordered the:
Israeli Cous cous which is delicious with truffle oil, mushrooms and Parmesan slices. Delicious and Ask to hear it up, a little cold when served.
Arugula salad with fresh figs and Gorgonzola, sweet meets savory… A perfect match.
The other I had was the salmon inside the avocado boat topped with sliver of cucumber and grapefruit. Delicious and fashionable food presentation. Melding of flavors like a symphony in your Mouth, bursting with subtle flavors.
Dessert was the salted caramel macaroon which is a 1 star. Why? The filling flavor was lost and waxy, the macaroon itself was under baked and a bit gooey and found it too sweet.
Samples are generous and staff greets you with a smile, answers your questions and impeccably patient.
Place is light and open, love the freshness of everything. It’s clean and our server Jiame lights up the place with his smile and professionalism.
I plan to return her many times and share the abundance this energetic place has to offer.
Thank you!

In Eddie Murphy voice: «Lemonaaaaade…that cool refreshing drink!» Tasty food, refreshing beverages and spectacular service after a long day of work awaited us at the other day. I am so happy that RB Sushi was closed or we wouldn’t have been forced to choose another place for dinner.
Lemonade Hillcrest is located next to Urban Outfitters and upon first inspection from street view, we almost didn’t go in because it looked like all they served was lemonade and desserts. Oh, how wrong was I! Customer service was fantastic. We obviously looked lost so the young man serving up the food gave us a run down on the menu.
What we had:
Watermelon Thyme Lemonade & Cucumber Mint Lemonade: refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness
Jerk Chicken: Not the most authentic but delicious with a mild kick and a zingy lemon accent
Cold pasta salad with chimichurri sauce, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella: reminded me of a caprese salad with a kick
The chef came out and greeted the patrons heartily, asking us how we liked the food and to come back soon. We most certainly will!

Oh hey, the Gourmet Souplantation has arrived in Hillcrest!
Yep, LA’s favorite spot for huge portions of fast-​casual salads in a bright and modern setting has made its way to San Diego, and, judging by the huge crowds, everyone was just as excited to try it as I was.
Food is served cafeteria-​style. Walk in, grab a tray and a number, and feel free to pile the food high. Dozens of salads are available (order anywhere from 1 – 6 portions of each), as well as side dishes, braised meats, sandwiches, flatbreads, desserts, and (of course!) several flavors of fresh lemonade. The selection can be overwhelming for a newbie, but — don’t worry — the friendly and cheerful staff will give you generous samples of anything you desire. (It’s dangerously easy to get full off of the samples before you even reach the cashier.)
Two of us shared 6 different salads, a bowl of braised red miso short rib, and a bowl of white truffle mac and cheese. The salads were a mixed bag — some (like the beet+melon and edamame+snap pea) were heavenly, while other (like the couscous and shaved Brussels sprouts) were bland and forgettable. The short rib was very tasty, although there was more braising liquid in our portion than actual meat. Surprisingly, the real highlight of our meal was the white truffle mac and cheese, which had tons of flavor and a wonderfully rich texture.
No meal is complete without trying one of the signature lemonades. We found most of the flavors too sweet, but ultimately settled on a serving of the strawberry rhubarb lemonade. The portion was so large that I took most of it home with me.
Lemonade is pricey for a cafeteria-​style place, but the large portions make up for it. If you order strategically, you can arrange a healthy and filling lunch without breaking the bank.