YEE: sweetgreen Hollywood

What a great year to start off my Unilocal 2016. A YEE in January and in one of my favorite city. The heart of Hollywood!
It was mellow, easy, peasy. and we can order anything on the menu so no one fighting over food. lol!
I fell in love with this place. I ordered the warm lentil bowl and Antho ordered the Hollywood bowl.
Hollywood Bowl 4 stars
Organic Wild Rice + Shredded Kale, Jicama, Grapes, Raisins, Sprouted Almonds, Goat Cheese, Roasted Chicken, Balsamic Vinaigrette.
My favorite is the * WARM LENTIL BOWL* 5 stars!
It has organic quinoa, farro, lentils + chickpeas, bok choy, cilantro, peppers, red onion, roasted chicken, carrot chili vinaigrette. I added trout and avacado.
It’s hearty and flavorful but not heavy.
ORGANIC LENTIL CHICKPEA SOUP-​4 stars.
100% organic soup is made with hearty lentils and chickpeas with diced carrots, onions and celery
ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH– 3 stars
Hmm. this soup is a bit bland and watered down but still good.
My body and appetite now craves for this healthy salad place! Been back to this location and the Santa Monica one.
Thank you Katie B and Antho for inviting me as his plus one! I am always grateful to get a chance to attend any Unilocal event these days. thank you! Thank you!

Loved it. Way to bring in the New Year. We came in at our scheduled time, got our ticket for our meal, and way cool Unilocal swag mobile charger. Ordered our food, which by the way some many healthy tasty selections didn’t make it easy. Had our meals enjoyed our food hollered at the lovely Katie B. and went about our business. I want to come back to Sweetgreen to try some more of their meals.

Loved this super relaxed event. All my boyfriend had to do was roll up to the event during a specified hour and we got to order whatever we wanted!
I got the earth bowl and added avocado while my boyfriend got the hollywood bowl and added egg. I love how they have the calorie counts on all of their bowls and their drinks so you can make an informed decision. They were out of their matcha drink so I mixed the lemonade and the cucumber ginger drink. The pesto dressing was delicious and the big chunks of cheddar really made the bowl.
I actually ended up liking the toppings of my boyfriend’s bowl better than mine but I hate kale. Next time i’m going to get the hollywood bowl and sub the kale for arugula!
Awesome weekend lunch. Thank you Katie B!

What a wonderful way to kick off the New Year! It’s rare that a Unilocal Event is 1) in my hood, 2) taking place when I’m free, and 3) vegan-​friendly, but this one hit the trifecta, and I was so happy to be included!
The staff is so sweet and chatty. It was delightful talking to them while they made our salads, and they made a lasting impression. I went for my favorite, the Rad Thai veganized (swap out the shrimp for tofu) with avocado. It’s so spicy and fresh, I loved it! The ingredients really are top notch. I’m super picky when it comes to salad (no iceberg lettuce for this chick), but sweetgreen has never failed me. I had a matcha iced tea with my meal, and then filled it up with lemon fresca for the ride home. Love their fresh and seasonal drinks!
Super cute, super fresh, super clean, sweetgreen is totally lovely and it was such a great lunch treat. Thank you so much for having us, and thank you Katie B. for arranging it!

This Unilocal elite event was awesome. This new sweetgreen location is walking distance from my house and it’s been on my list to give it a try. And after my first taste at this event, I can’t wait to come back!
I ordered the Rad Thai salad to go with medium dressing and no other substitutions. It paired perfectly with the Cucumber Ginger Lime Fresca. This particular salad was a little on the lighter side which is exactly what I was looking for. They offer a nice selection of grain bowls if you are looking for a more filling option. I loved that the fresca was not super sweet (they have sweetener on the side of the drink station if you’d like to add). So often healthy spots have super sugary drinks so this was a refreshing change.
The restaurant has nice big windows and a few outdoor tables. It is a very clean and modern look. The menus were printed like newspapers which I thought was a fun theme.
Lastly, the staff was great — very friendly and helpful. Everything looked delicious so I especially appreciated getting a suggestion on what to order.

Valet off Gower, 1 hour free.
I’m impressed with the salad portions here. The portions are HUGE compared to many other salad assembly locations like Tender Greens and Simple Salad.
I got the OMG OMEGA with STEELHEAD and it was fulfilling. Lots of spinach, although I prefer other kinds of greens, avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and of course the amazing Steelhead — which is a trout? I felt pressured to move along quickly in the line and dance around another customer a few times as my server asked me what I wanted but I got my meal quick. Just imagine a Chipotle line during rush hour. I had asked for light sauce, but I should have asked for it to be on the side since «how would you like it» is a relative term. «Light» meant that the serving went one and half circumference around the salad bowl and my salad was pretty saucy. I asked for extra Furikake, because I looove it, and the server was so nice about it! Also, you can get free slice of sourdough bread if you want!
The drink I optioned for was a mix of the CUCUMBER CITRUS and LEMONADE with added sweetener on the side. The drinks are not a specialty here, imho — they’re flavorless and taste like fruit-​infused watered-​down tea. I was watching the staff reaching into the MATCHA green tea trying to unclog it. Not that pleasant to watch as I eat, they should have took the canister to the back to fix. I can see that their arms were wet in the sunny reflection even though they wore gloves: T.
Overall the salad was delicious. I enjoyed the Premium aka Protein and the sauce was the perfect combo with the ingredients. The servers were all very friendly and on their toes.
Thank you, Katie, for allowing me to enjoy this event! First elite event I’ve been to!

Yay to starting off the new year with some healthy salads!
This is my first time at sweetgreens and I loved the 2 bowls my husband and I ordered. They were extremely filling and healthy. The service was amazing and the décor was bright and modern.
We will definitely be back!

I’m a baby Unilocal Elite member. This was my first event and I couldn’t start the year better. Great new place in town, healthy, tasty food and an exciting, well organized event! My husband and I loved attending it.
Sweetgreen is expending in LA, after their Santa Monica location, they opened one in Hollywood, on Sunset, between Gower and El Centro (validated 1 hour in a lot on El Centro). The restaurant is easy to find and it’s a nice alternative for the area.
The space is bright, airy, with modern décor, we enjoyed the sun coming in at the table we sat at. They specialize in salad bowls, generous portions (some include a yummy slice of fresh bread) and lemonades, teas, all very natural, with very little or no sugar added.
I got the OMG Omega with arugula, spinach, cucumber, basil, tomatoes, salmon, avocado. I liked the miso ginger dressing, great addition to the salad. My husband got the Guacamole Greens (we love avocados in our family), a great Southwestern type salad with roasted chicken, avocado (shall I mention that again?), tortilla chips, tomatoes, red onions. I love the lime based vinaigrette (very citrus based) since I had to try his salad, too.
We both had their Fresca Lemonade, a perfect drink to go with the food.
Sweetgreen is a great place for a healthy, but fun, tasty lunch. They offer generous portions and they’re flexible with the ingredients, in case you’re allergic to something. You won’t leave hungry from this eatery.
Very nice people working here. I’m looking forward to come back, try some of their other dishes.
The event was very well organized, we felt welcomed from the moment we stepped in, it was nice to see the reserved and the cookies waiting for us. Thanks to Katie and everyone at Sweetgreen and Unilocal for organizing this fun and tasty event! Great start for 2016!

Came here Sunday @2. Not busy. Parked at a meter on the street. They do validate an hour for a lot off El Centro [PARKING! Hallelujah!]
Reminds me of a cuter Simply Salad with less variety. This place probably fills up since it caters to the health-​minded population of Hollywood. I like the location because it is away from the craziness of Sunset and Vine.
They have so many tea options. Their menu looks like a newspaper! Cooooool!
The omega bowl was tasty. They use steelhead fish. Dressing tastes very mild and light. The bowl is nicely balanced with crisp, refreshing cherry tomatoes and more fatty avocado. They portions are good for one. In terms of price point and size, it’s comparable to other establishments offering similar things i.e. Tender Greens and Simply Salad
Sampled the seasonal Portobello+Wild Rice. The portobello mushrooms are very well marinated.
Talked to a random person who wanted a hearty bowl and loved the earth bowl. Perhaps I will get that next time.
The staff is very friendly. Like REALLY nice. Jenny assisted me. Very upbeat and bubbly. Appreciated it especially since other places tend to feel very robotic. Overall, nice open place. I’d come back post workout or with girlfriends or on a date or. Basically, I’m coming back try it. Let me know what you think.

This event was three awesome firsts for both 2016!
1. My first time hearing about Sweet Greens! I’m pretty middle ground when it comes to watching my health via food and stuffing my face with whatever’s greasy and in reach, so it’s not often I go for food whose whole selling point is being healthy. Sweet Greens is one of those places I’d be hesitant to go without prompting. Fancy salads? Eeehhhh…
VERY pleasantly surprised to have my doubts erased! I knew everything was going to be okay as soon as I found myself having trouble choosing my dinner out of all the varied, delicious-​sounding options. Went with the hot lentil mix and would have it again in a heartbeat — warm, savory and rich~
2. My first elite event in L.A. Just moved here from Colorado and I was eager to see how they ran things out. I found this event to be carefully chosen for the area and time of year: a new location for SW and a great choice to remind us all that healthy food can be rad, a necessary step to rebounding after holiday indulgences.
3. My first meeting with the venerable Katie B, the LAEast CM! I had a great CM in Denver I thought would be one of a kind, but even my brief meeting with Katie showed me Unilocal knows what it’s doing with its CM hires. Friendly and efficient, she ran the event with a casual ease that made it feel more like hanging out with old friends than a random foodie event. Twice as excited to be out here now!

The first Unilocal event of the year was awesome! An even bigger plus that it was a health conscience event. Thank you again, Katie for hosting a great afternoon!
First time at Sweetgreen and I loved it. They also have a location closer to me on 3^rd Street that I’ve been eager to try, so this event came at a great time. This is an excellent concept and one that I will frequent.
The staff was so nice and wonderfully welcoming. As in go above and beyond to please you and make sure you’re totally happy sort of nice. This is very refreshing and I really appreciate this sort of service.
I found street parking very easily out in front on a Sunday, but can’t say what it would be like on a busy weekday. The do validate for an hour for a lot off El Centro, so this is excellent to know.
The food and beverages themselves are excellent. Grain bowls and salads using local, organic produce for the win! I had the Hollywood Bowl and BF had the Hummus Tahina. I actually started out with the Grapefruit and Avocado salad and found it to be a be a little too bitter (I’m blaming it on the endive and nothing else) for my liking, so they gave me something else with no issue whatsoever. They were sampling the portobello mushrooms and wild rice salad when we arrived and it was really delicious. The drink station offers different flavored frescas and herbal teas with agave syrup to sweeten if you please. Everything we ate was incredibly satisfying.
The ingredients are super fresh, flavorful and delicious. It really makes you want to eat healthy and do something good for your body. While they’re making your dish in an assembly line fashion (similar to Chipotle), they communicate how you want to dress it and give options. Their portions are really generous. Depending on your appetite you could easily break this up into 2 or 3 meals. You really get an excellent value for your money. Prices average around $ 12, which is a bargain to keep oneself feeling good about eating healthy.
All in all I’m a huge fan, I love their philosophy and respect their core values as a business. I had an excellent experience and I’ll be back again and again.

This place is great! I don’t know what more you could want from a salad place than delicious food, friendly staff, and a clean, inviting interior. After having a heavy breakfast of waffles and hash browns, I got the Grapefruit + Avocado salad and it was really nice to eat some light, fresh, acidic greens. The shrimp were nicely poached and the avocado was ripe and yummy. No complaints there! The hubs got the Hummus Tahina salad and after sneaking a taste I was jealous because it was so good. The falafel are a little more bean-​y than falafel-​y but overall the salad is very hearty and satisfying with all the kale and the generous scoop of hummus and the pita chips as croutons are a nice touch. The drink selection is pretty good too. They have various frescas and teas and you can mix and match flavors. Try the chai and cucumber ginger lime mixed together. The flatware and cups are compostable, which is aces. Anyway, I’m definitely a fan of sweetgreen. I’d definitely come back to try some of the other salads! P. S. They have an app with loyalty rewards if you plan to become a regular…

Thanks Katie B and the Sweetgreen crew! This was a perfect healthy meal and fun first YEE!
I loved the atmosphere here — white walls, lots of reclaimed wood, watercolor art and plants — it’s basically what I’ve strived to make my apt look like. Very beautiful space! And it’s bright and open, and leaves you with a clean feeling. It’s a soothing space compared to the busyness of surrounding Hollywood.
The menu is seasonal and it’s cafeteria-​style service. They’re mostly salads, but they are filling and include grains, proteins and other substantial toppings (you will leave full)! They also serve complimentary bread and offer you samples of any of the dressings before you commit.
I had a bowl with arugula, farro, quinoa, chicken, cheese, broccoli and tomatoes. I substituted the pesto dressing for the chili carrot dressing (a close second was the cucumber tahini). Took a good ¼ of the bowl home as leftovers.
Will definitely head here when in the neighborhood! Nice change of pace for the area.

Okay on the real, this place made me put it in the category of «Mendocino/​Lemonade/​Tender Greens/​etc.» You know – those fresh/​local farm to table/​cafeteria-​style-​ordering-​system.
Okay on the REAL, real, sweetgreen does a fantastic job of showing that a salad does not have to be just cold dinky lettuce and dressing. It’s warm roasted squash, caramelized onions, crunchy beets and more!!!
After tasting a sample of the portabello mushroom salad I was SOLD. I didn’t even bother looking at anything else. Super filling, satisfying, and YUMMY. Like fah’ realziez. But going back to the menu, I know I’ll come back for more. SO MANY OPTIONS.
If you really wanted to gauge it’s size I would say it is 1.5x’s bigger than a Chipotle burrito bowl. I’d even take my brother who hates eating at places like these because it’s «never enough». Bruh, you can make your gainz here too.
Order at the front, watch them create your salad, pay, boom done.
Actual interior has high ceilings, plenty of seating and has the whole «modern, rustic, white, clean» feeling. You know, looks like something from pinterest and 100% instagram worthy.
Thank you Katie B. for this wonderful event!
If the end goal was to put my next month’s paycheck towards sweetgreen meals… goooooooaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllll. But seriously, I’m pretty sure I saw them on the postmates app so it’s nice knowing I can be lazy at home but have delicious yet also nutritious food sent to me too :)

The salads here are to die for. I loved the option of being able to create my own salad. The premium add-​ons may be a little pricey. My base was a mixture of the spring mix, arugula, and spinach. I added in avocado, steelhead trout, portobello mushrooms, citrus shrimp, corn, nori, raw seeds, olive oil, and vinegar.
The combination was amazing.
I parked at a meter but they do validate their structure up to one hour.
I was serviced but Jenny. She had a great smile and an upbeat attitude.

Another fantabulous Unilocal elite event ! (Only my second one though)
Sweetgreen has been on my radar for quite some time now and my lovely fellow Unilocaler Winnie reminded me about this event and I luckily got in !
This location is a little smaller as opposed to the one in Beverly grove and there is parking with validation!
First of all I love how organized this place was and their display of all the veggies is great. The workers were extremely nice and warming and made my experience more personal even though it was an event. I got their seasonal salad of avocado, shrimp, and grapefruit tossed in a lime vinaigrette (salad base was arugula). The Salad was so good and it is a large amount for one person! Everything tasted fresh and you get so much avocado ! Bless them for giving me the wonderful gift of avocado. Overall I loved my experience here and it was nice to see Katie B. again! (:

This was my first Unilocal elite event ever, and it was quite fantastic!
I am a huge fan of salads and have been to sweetgreen in Boston before where I’ve probably had one of the best salads in my life. So when I heard that the first YEE of the year was going to be at the new sweetgreen location in Hollywood, I immediately jumped on board!
I got the Rad Thai Salad and my husband ordered the Hollywood Bowl. The staff members at the salad bar were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and patient with me and especially my husband, who was a first-​timer.
As for the food, both plates were delectable and approved by my palate. I was again really impressed with the selection of wholesome ingredients that didn’t sacrifice taste. My salad was only 375 calories, but it was seriously good and filling with huge bursts of flavor! I can’t wait to visit again to try a dozen of other salads from their original menu, as well as their evolving seasonal menu!
A huge thanks to Katie and all the sweetgreen crew members who made this event possible and for allowing us to start off the year with some refreshing, clean eating!

Thank you sweetgreen & Unilocal LA for the yummy late lunch! I hadn’t heard of sweetgreen before the invitation and did a little investigating– I love the concept of using local, organic produce for healthy & quick meals. Grain bowls, super filling salads with unique flavor combinations, a sleek modern yet friendly vibe– high wooden beam ceilings, white walls with simple wall hangings, rustic wooden tables & green plants frame the room. sweetgreen is the place you could easily go to every day of the workweek without being bored of the choices or atmosphere.
It’s a stone’s throw from the Sunset Gower studios so I imagine it’s a solid lunch option for studio workers– the ordering process is simple and the menu is not overwhelming (but not skimpy either) so the line moves quickly. There were several bowls that interested me and I’ll have to return for them– I opted for the Kale Caesar salad which was surprisingly filling and a complete meal (not like some salads that leave you wanting more protein or carbs!) — they also gave a complementary piece of fresh-​baked bread to round out the option. The parmesan crisps in the salad were tasty but a bit too salty/​plentiful for my taste, but otherwise no critiques! They mix the salads for you so the dressing and toppings are evenly distributed.
All of the workers here were very friendly & warm, kudos to sweetgreen for training them well. They have several self-​serve drink options, including my beloved iced matcha green tea and lemon fresca with agave syrup to taste. They also compost food waste which is awesome! I found street parking since it was a Sunday afternoon, but I imagine during peak times you would want to use a nearby parking lot, they offer 1 hour free with validation at one off El Centro.

I could not have asked for a better event to start the new year!
Katie, thank you for another successful event! You always come through!
Anita, (the West Coast regional manager) was extremely friendly and welcoming! She definitely lives the brand and philosophy of Sweetgreen! I had the pleasure of conversing with her for a little a while and I learned SO MUCH about Sweetgreen! She was so informative and made the experience very exciting! I can not wait to see the other two locations and tell my friends!
Fun Fact:
— Sweetgreen originated in the East Coast.
— There are 3 current locations, open for business and many, many more opening soon!
— All ingredients used are grown locally!
— Sweetgreen make it a mission to partner up with local farmers in the area they are opening a shop in!
Meal:
I had their Rad Thai bowl. It came with shrimp, mixed green, carrots, basil & other herbs all incorporated by their spicy cashew dressing! I was craving something Thai inspired and this hit the spot! It was satisfying and not over filling whatsoever! The portion was a great size! The bowl was made efficiently, usually salad bowls can be restricting especially with the larger pieces of greens but I was able to enjoy my meal without any of it falling out!
All their drinks come unsweetened but they do provide a agave syrup. They have about 5 or 6 options and they are all delicious. I tried them all and my favorite has to be the cucumber citrus and/​or match green tea.
Décor: Minimalist/​Recycled
The entire place is very clean looking and also very open! There are big beach windows that let so much natural lighting in! All the wood seen in the shop is reclaimed and accents the place very nicely! The farthest wall from the beginning of the line which has their drink fountain has an enormous group of plants! The green is a lovely touch and it makes the vibe really fresh! They have one or two outlets. I brought my laptop and did some work while grubbing. It doesn’t get too loud in there so I would advise it being a cool study place! They close at 11pm which is a decent time, especially for a healthy spot!
Parking:
There is plenty of parking! There are numerous parking lots and metered spots. I found a parking lot that had security charging $ 7. The other parking lots I drove bay were charging $ 10. There is a parking lot that does 1 hour free parking but the location I am not sure of.
Employee:
Jenny was the one that greeted me when I walked in and she also created my bowl for me! She was super sweet and again very knowledgeable!
I can’t wait to try the two other locations!