Grins Vegetarian Cafe

The food and coffee were delicious. I had the breakfast bagel and my friend had the breakfast burrito. I think they aren't really open to the public yet, but the security guard let us in. The dining room is functional but pretty basic - this is obviously a university building.

I called to order for pick up and they said that they don't do that. I drove over to order at the counter and there was absolutely no parking. I called for help and they were terribly rude on the phone and hung up on me. STAY AWAY!! SOOO UNPROFESSIONAL!

Venturing onto a college campus when you're 31 years old can bring back the feelings of being a slightly awkward freshman on campus but Grins makes it worth it. Since I chose my vegan lifestyle, I have had very few people suggest that I check out this vegetarian and vegan sanctuary. This very much surprises me because Grins offers so much and at a very central location. Albeit, you're on the Vanderbilt campus but it's supper easy to find and I didn't have any issues with parking or access. The special Fall 4 course vegetarian/vegan dinner lured me with a nifty price tag of only $30. Being that I had never dined here before, I'm not sure how it is normally set up during the day, but when we walked in... it was a quite pleasant ambiance, not what I would expected. The wait staff were students who were charming after an initial hiccup of my friend and I sitting at our table for nearly 10 minutes without being addressed by our server but she was doting and great the rest of the meal. Let's chat food, shall we? I was very happy with each selection ranging from the house-made bread with the Fried Goat Cheese Salad (I personally refrained from the goat cheese as I am vegan and they accommodated this request throughout my meal beautifully!) to the Vegetable Bourride (tasty soup) and Handmade Gnocchi with Roasted Mushrooms. YUM. Just when I thought that I had exhausted my palate, a delightful Apple & Pear Crostata that consisted of soy chai ice cream and candied ginger capped off a truly fabulous meal! I had an event prior to dinner or else I would have brought a Kosher bottle of wine to pair... which is a great option to uncork here. I am very interested in trying Grins out for lunch and will update.

overhyped but like the foods pretty good . the only thing is that the lines always really long and slow & it takes a while for them to make the food.. o well its good though. the nashville hot tofu is really spicy ! and i recommend the tacos theyre better than u would expect for something w like 4 ingredients. also their sides are always changing (bc daily sides) but theyre always good so thats cool too. i like the caprese. the mac and cheese is what everyone raves about but its like average. but u will definitely get ur moneys worth for it bc its huge. also i recommend the hot teas theyre all pretty good. okay cool

Grin's is on the campus of Vanderbilt University...the staff are super friendly and my food was prepared quickly...I got the breakfast tacos (scrambled tofu, veggie chorizo, pick de gallo, salsa verde, and cashew lime-crema) and two veggie sausage patties...YUM! There is some seating in the lounge area and outside on the patio when the weather is nice...

I came to Nashville on a business trip and, to my understanding, Grin's is the only kosher restaurant in Nashville. Fortunately, for me it's a great one! The vegetarian menu has very diverse tastes with all kinds of wraps, which they will grill for you. The soup was good and the focaccia was amazing. I ordered something spicy and it totally hit the spot. I thought it was actually pretty cheap and a great value, at least if you're kosher and have nowhere else to go; I can't really speak to other vegetarian places or cafeterias on-campus. The parking is difficult, as its on Vanderbilt campus around the student living dorms/frats. And yes, Blair L., the place was packed with Vandy sorority girls - they are amazingly gorgeous! This is probably not the forum, but I was more impressed with the Vandy girls than any other university I've been to. Good to know that for us kosher Jews, Nashville has a quality place to eat!

For a student, Grins is heaven on earth. For a local, the atmosphere is probably not ideal for dining, the portions and way the menu is priced is a bit more expensive than you would expect because it is on meal plan for students. Because of frequent changes in management, they often have trial items and also run out of standard things (like avocado) that are in many menu items. That being said, this is a surefire way to get filling, nutritious vegan/vegetarian food. They serve rishi organic teas (amazing) and bongo java coffee. The specials are typically really creative and the food is definitely fresh and healthy. Plus, the giant vegan cookies are worth trying! You may have to wait in line for a while during peak meal hours and be sure to note that Grins is closed on standard university holidays as well as Jewish holidays.

As a Vandy student, there isn't a place on campus that can stand up to Grins. Over the course of 3 years, I have worked my way through the menu and have rarely been disappointed. My three personal favorites are the Caprese Panini, Veggie Burger Melt (either in a wrap or on ciabatta), and the Apple PBG for breakfast. All of the ingredients are vegetarian, with many vegan options as well. The only downside is that there is usually a colossal line out the door, especially when you hit the lunch rush between classes. They are closed on the weekends and over the summer (always a bummer) so cherish them while you can!!

Grins, I like it. Actually I wish they were easier to get to. Situated on the Vanderbilt Campus they operate in the Jewish student center (Kosher vegetarian!) and follow the academic year schedule. That means if you aren't attuned to the Vanderbilt breaks you may want to call before you go. We have tried many of the menu items and my personal favorites are the Nashville Hot tofu or the Buffalo Cauliflower. My usual lunching partner prefers the pita pizzas and how they change regularly. It's a little place with big flavors. Great for lunch or a casual dinner. (They close early on Friday for Sabbath)

Well, Grins has done it again. Today I walked in to see a medium sized line. Not too bad. After about 10 minutes in line and no movement, it turns out that their card swiping machine was broken. Tight. Let's keep in mind that every single person in line was paying with a prepaid meal swipe. So instead of taking orders to speed up the ordering process, they decided to fiddle with the machine for upwards of 15 minutes. And instead of perhaps making more of the entree or staying in the kitchen, all 11 employees decided to take a load off while 50+ hungry souls suffered in line. 15 minutes later and it's finally my time to order. Guess what? They're out of the penne Alfredo, literally the only reason I'm here. It would take another 30 minutes to make. Remember that these geniuses were just hanging out mere minutes ago instead of looking at the line and planning ahead. Complete bonehead management and leadership at this establishment. I don't think I could find a more poorly managed restaurant in the entire world.

Y'ALL. I LOVE GRINS. Literally I cry every time someone asks me to go to Grins... the answer is always yes. This makes my vegan heart so happy. The food is beyond delicious and there is not one bad thing on the menu. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY ABOUT GRINSIS THE WAIT. The service is so slow, it really breaks my heart. But I truly love this place a lot and I try to go once a day. Great place for Vandy students.

Ok, so I'm a Vandy student and Grinns is an on campus restaurant (open to everyone though). In the two years that I have been here, I never went to Grinns before mostly because I don't enjoy vegetables (My idea of vegetarian is pasta and possibly some greens.) and also because I got scolded by a girl at the lobby of the Jewish center (I think Grinns is connected to Hillel?)... so yeah, I was kinda intimidated to enter this place. My friend who is very skinny and a complete health freak dragged me in. Seriously just thinking about eating nothing but vegetables repelled me. I asked her "what if I am still hungry! I'm not a rabbit!" She told me it was all tasty and that her favorite was the veggie burger. Thats when I decided she was not a reliable foodie and I no longer trusted her taste in food. I mean she was a size 0 so she must not eat much and who actually enjoys veggie burgers. yuck! So anyway, I made my order of a Mexicali wrap and a side of penne pasta salad. It was surprisingly really good! I was full and even craved more of it the next day. Who knew it was possible to be a vegetarian and have a satisfied belly!? I even had more energy like my environmental science high school teacher told me I would! I'm definitely coming back and recommending this place to everyone I know. This place is really awesome! It may not be my favorite place in the world, but it really is an amazing place. I can see why it was packed not only with dozens and dozens of Vanderbilt students but also LOCAL PEOPLE FROM NASHVILLE. This place is somewhat progressive in the sense that this is the only completely vegetarian AND Kosher place that I know of in Nashville. Pretty impressive. Also, the staff are really friendly and they remember all their regulars by name. This is the warmest place on campus. And now that my mind has been opened, I might just try that veggie burger that my friend suggested. As a huge animal lover, and being very aware of the cruelty to farm animals, maybe becoming a vegetarian might not be as much of a difficult sacrifice as I had originally thought.... Really, my only complaint is that they only give you the choice of coffee, iced tea, and cold or hot water. Why no juices? And when I went at 6pm, the line was so long and the seating though abundant was lacking in availability. They need to expand! There's too many customers.

I went here on a visit to Vanderbilt, and was pleasantly surprised by the food. I was expecting everything to taste bland and boring, but the food was actually great! The superfood wrap went along great with the Parmesan+mushroom grits. The selection was great for the size of the restaurant, too. As you'll see, the line certainly shows how popular Grin's is with the local sorority girls. But, it goes quickly and is certainly worth the wait.

It's a Jewish cafe. I love their peanut butter banana granola wraps....great for breakfast....big enough to share. All of their vegan cookies are scrumptious! Parking sucks. Cafe is open when Vanderbilt university is opened only. Closed in the summertime and school breaks.

I hope in the future to update this review and also up the stars. On my first trip to Grins, it was just OK. I got the Thai tofu wrap and a vegan snickerdoodle. The wrap, for me, was not enough to warrant the price. There was a bit of soy seasoning, but it was mostly plain tofu and spinach, and I was bored. My friend got the same wrap and she was content with it. Both of our cookies were really good. She got a citrus cardamom cookie, which was excellent and citrusy but the cardamom component was negligible (embrace the cardamom!!!). They have Bongo coffee which is always good. Now for the non-food review: As far as ambience goes, the place was packed at 6 and I felt pretty damn agoraphobic inside. Fortunately it was nice out, so we were able to go outside and sit on the patio. One of the design flaws in this place: you pick up your food in the same tiny space where you place your order. So it's always a clusterf**k there. Besides that, the woman in charge of notifying patrons when their order was ready basically screamed names which was rather jarring. If I never hear my name yelled like that again, I'll be happy. I plan to try it again in the next couple weeks and hope to end up with a tastier wrap or sandwich. But I'd suggest going not at peak hours if you want to enjoy yourself.

As a Vandy student, Grins is the best dining place on campus that is part of the meal plan. It is actually a subsidiary of Bongo Java, who won Fido also, so you know you'll get some good brews and some even better food here. I've had almost everything here, and the best options are always on Friday at lunch. That's the day the entree specials are made, ranging from Tofu Poboys to Curry, to fresh Gemelli. It is all Vegetarian, and portions are "small" by some student standards, but hey, its quality over quantity. Which I appreciate personally.

LOVE me some Grins...and I'm not even vegan or vegetarian! It's within reasonable walking distance of my office, and when the weather is nice it's makes for a very beautiful walk through the Vanderbilt campus. I've only ever had the Apple PBG Wrap here because that's the first thing I ever ordered, and I crave it now. The wrap is filled with apples, banana, peanut butter and granola, with a side of yogurt for dipping. It's large enough to share or take back for leftovers later. Much of their menu items are made to order and can take awhile if the place is busy, but they do have some ready-made items on hand, too. For a 30-something, I feel somewhat out of place eating there among college students, but the wrap is worth the awkward feeling.

Carolyn M. - this place isn't totally vegan, it's vegetarian with a ton of vegan items. I really like this place but maybe I'm a little biased. The daily entree specials are what makes this place the best. And the "Cheeseburger In Paradise" panini is my favorite!! The only negative about this place is the parking. Several times I've pulled into the metered area, only to find it full. And then turned around and left.....bummer. Wish parking were better.

I really appreciate the fact I can go somewhere to eat that I can eat everything on the menu. Like a lot. It's cute, my boyfriend bought me a meal with his meal plan so it's also very convenient if you're a Vandy student. I got Nashville hot tofu which was... kind of bad... but I wanted to like it. It just lacked flavour completely other than the breading which was... okay. I liked the cole slaw salad side thing it came with. My boyfriend liked his meal more. I anticipated the hot tofu being a hit or a miss though, so I don't hold it against them!

Grin's is an excellent option to grab lunch if you're in the area. It's right in the middle of Vanderbilt's campus and is staffed and populated mostly by students so expect it to be crowded around lunch time. The only problem I usually have when I go to Grin's is deciding what to get. The peanut butter wrap with granola, yogurt, and apples or bananas (or both if you ask really nice) is amazing toasted or cold. They sometimes served a dill pasta salad that I could eat by the gallon. One of the best features is the giant oatmeal cookies sweetened with honey. They're gooey and chewy and a great treat so make sure you pick one up when you stop in.

FYI - This place is closed in the summer time. I found out after biking 10 miles in 100 degree weather to get there. :( Yelp, update the hours!!!!! :)

The service is honestly the worst I have experienced in my entire lifetime. The food is good but they seem to run out of stuff a lot which is really inconvenient when you have just waited in line for 30min to an hour because the staff is so slow.

I LOVE Grins (pronounced Greens). As I am still an undergraduate, I eat here for lunch pretty much every day on the meal plan. The Mexicali wrap is delish, but be sure to get it with the salsa...it definitely adds needed sauce/moisture. The combination of black beans, rice, and avocado is filling enough that you won't even notice it is a veggie meal. They have a different panini every day, most of which are great. I've never had the entrees, but they look really good. The soups usually great, as are the sides. And the COOKIES! Yuuum. The best oatmeal raisin cookies I've ever had and the Snickerdoodles are pretty good, too.

Everything just kind of lacks a flavor kick here. I ordered the sweet potato tacos and the potato chunks in the tacos were almost raw and undercooked. The "Nashville hot tofu" had so much breading that I was pulling off chunks of flour just to get to the tofu and it sits on top of untoasted white bread? The side of purple slaw wasn't appetizing either. Lastly, I've been in twice now and both times lacked a vegan item on the daily specials list and the coffee wasn't fresh :/

Went searching for this Cafe...the food is rated excellent, however be forewarned, this Cafe is really a Vanderbilt Student Cafeteria, with the ambience of a Student Dormitory. However if you are a Student, enjoy it. The Line was very long when we arrived, there was no table service, only a subway style ordering system in place. It is one block from the Vanderbilt Marriott.

If you want to wait 4 hours to get overpriced average vegetarian food the this it the place for you

I'm not really too sure how to review Grins. If I were a Vandy undergrad with a meal plan, this place would be 5+ stars. Without a Vandy meal plan, I am a bit underwhelmed. I am a grad student and I feel a bit out of place in a room full of Vandy girls. If you aren't a college student, you will most likely be the oldest person in the room. I have had a couple of different items here. My first and second trip I had the BBQ tofu po boy. The first time it was underwhelming, the second time--I ate there rather than take out--it was much better but still small and did not seem like a $7.00 sandwich. My most recent trip, I got a vegan cheeseburger (take out). It was good. more sandwich than burger, but quite tasty. I will get this again. [EDIT: The cheeseburger CAN NOT be made vegan!!! The patty has whey in it and they FINALLY informed me of this after having it several times and ordering it vegan. It seems as though they are not very informed about their own ingredients.] The coffee is also $.50 more expensive than at the library and they both serve Bongo Java coffee. I think the individual items are quite overpriced for the food you get. $7.00 sandwiches that dont quite fill you up!?! That is a bit expensive if you ask me. There are also not too many options. I would love to see a vegan ruben on the menu or a vegan cheese steak. That would be awesome.

Grin's Cafe is a run of the mill Vegan Cafe. I'm probably disappointed because I had my heart set on going to Woodland's Indian Vegetarian Restaurant when I landed in Nashville; however it was closed when I arrived early for dinner. On to Grin's I go... The Veggie Wrap was average. No frills. The side "salad" I got was in a plastic tub that was unnecessarily boxed when I was eating in. But on to the food... the veggie wrap had fresh veggies and was packed full. So that is a plus. The side "salad" wasn't even a salad... butternut squash and some sort of crouton or pita bread... which i think was cooked in butter. There should have been better signage. All and all, over-priced, no frill; however, it is VEGAN and if that was the only restaurant on the face of this earth, I would survive. HAPPY VEGAN DINING!

The one time I ate here, they had a special pasta served with mushrooms and alfredo sauce for lunch. Perhaps the tastiest thing I had ever eaten in Nashville. I am a meat eater, alas, so I must give Grins four stars for having everything vegetarian. You may also enjoy eating at Grins to view the Vanderbilt sorority girls who eat there on a regular basis.

This was my half way point during my drive to Atlanta and I went out of my way to stop here. After 5 hours of driving, I arrived at this restaurant only to be told by a girl in the restaurant that they closed at 2PM [I arrived at 3:30PM]. The hours on their website said they'd be open until 8PM and I called to see if they were open this time of year. Needless to say, I was pretty upset. As far as the restaurant [I was inside], it looked very nice and it appeared to have many Vegetarian choices on the menu bored. They stocked Naked Juice and had a deli case with potato salad in it [it's only too bad the girl didn't let me buy anything].

It's a little bit pricey. But I guess for Vanderbilt students on a meal plan it's a bargain.

So slow. I used to think this was the best place to eat on campus, but they take forever. Each time I have gone they have taken longer and longer whether there is a line of people or not. Last time I ate here they left my wrap full of raw veggies on the heat for so long that everything inside of it cooked - cooked cucumbers and red cabbage. I wish this place was better, and I won't be going back.

Located in the Center for Jewish Life (those Jews know how to sublet!), this campus dining option is for more than just students! Line wasn't too long, and when they called my name (yes they memorize your names, how cool!) the food didn't disappoint. The burger had a delightfully citrusy twist to it, and the side of macaroni salad was delish! One minor comment, felt the meat in the burger was slightly undercooked, but overall it'd hurt my heart to give anything less than 5 stars!

Their superfood wrap was a B+, but their vegan pumpernickle cupcakes with strawberry frosting are the best cupcakes I've had in my life. Absolutely delicious. And they have a great varierty of iced teas

Really good, original vegetarian food for being a meal plan option in the middle of a college campus. I had the "Nashville Hot Tofu," which to be honest was a little strange, but comes closer to matching the texture of breaded chicken than I was expecting. Expect a long line of college students if you go during the busy lunch hour.

Love love love. I'm a Vanderbilt student, and this is the best place to eat on campus. Vegetarians, Vegans, and Meat-Lovers alike will love what Grins has to offer. Their breakfasts are phenonmal and go from sweet in the Nutella panini to savory in the Huevos Rancheros Wrap. The oatmeal is also phenomenal. The lunch and dinner menu is also amazing, with wraps, paninis, and salads. There are also daily specials, salads, and soups. The vegan cookies and desserts are also to die for, especially the snickerdoodle. Basically, if you're around Vanderbilt and Grins is open, eat there.

I went by Grins the other day(May 24?) to try it for the first time but they were "closed for the Summer". Apparently they feel if you want vegetarian food in the summer you should grow your own. ;-)

A vegetarian and vegan café located in Vanderbilt's campus, Grins is an excellent place for any meal any time of the day. Relatively fast in their food-making, with an open space to eat and work (of course, there are plenty of students here at any given time) Grins is what I wish most coffee shops about town would be: a quiet place to enjoy food and drink and get some things accomplished. They offer so many healthy options like tofu scrambled breakfast wraps and sweet potato and avocado tacos. They offer free water and a variety of cold teas. At peak hours the line can be ridiculously long but if you're in the area and want to eat off hours it's a great place for some good food that is actually good for you. The students who work here are very good at customer service, but I wouldn't recommend straying too far from the counter until you have your order (they don't really call it out here). The prices are very reasonable even for non-students and again, the food is awesome. I recommend this place for anyone who likes healthy alternatives to typically lunch fare.

I know, it seems a little strange to write a review for an on-campus college dining option, but I think it surprisingly measures up to the real world. As a Vanderbilt alum, I was a huge fan of Grins during my undergraduate years--it's a great deal and offers some healthy, delicious alternatives to what you usually think of as campus food. The menu is entirely vegetarian, and also offers plenty of vegan options. The regulars on the menu include a variety of hefty wraps and sides. I would highly recommend the toasted Apple Wrap - sweet, cinnamon, cooked apples, peanut butter, granola, and vanilla yogurt on the side to dip into. I'm actually allergic to raw apples, so I love that they cook the apples. The granola adds a nice crunchiness and I mean, when wouldn't you want to eat peanut butter? It's a great simple combination. Others tell me the PB&G is great too (peanut butter, bananas, and granola) but I'm turned off by the bananas. The Mexicali wrap is alright, it's mostly just rice and beans (a lot of it though). I can only tolerate eating it if I also add cheese to the wrap--otherwise it's overwhelmingly plain and reminiscent of what we used to serve at Hunger Banquets. They also have a rotating pasta, panini, and soup of the day. I've never tried their pastas, but the panini's have never let me down. Last time I was there, they had a delicious focaccia bread with olive tapenade, pesto, ricotta, sundried tomatoes, and mozzarella. Yum. And they're made fresh-to-order. I can't remember the names of the other panini's, but I can attest that I definitely order a panini more often than a wrap, and it's always a great combination of flavors that still fills you up. They also have some cool rotating cold sides that vary from an edamame & corn salad to their famous ranch pasta. The flavors are always refreshing and bright and a great complement to their main dishes. Don't go during the lunch rush if you plan on eating...the wait might take 20-30 minutes in line and then you'd still have to wait for your food. But, if you want a nice light dinner or a late lunch, this would be the perfect spot. They aren't especially quick--small kitchen--but, it's a great light, refreshing, vegetarian dining option. Also they have an extremely inefficient way of calling orders out to you. In theory, they scream your name when your order is up. But, this leads to confusion when common names are dining at the same hour. Also, there is a lot of space and the volume of the order-calling never reaches past the first few tables or over the chattering of customers in line. So, definitely pay attention after you order so that you don't miss yours being called out! I ended up having to wait over 30 minutes for my order because I didn't hear them call it and apparently someone else took it and then I had to go up and re-order.

This place is awesome. Although I feel old when I go there (on Vanderbilt campus) ....it's worth it!

the paninis are AWESOME--they are in such demand that they often run out. obviously because of its location, it is dominated by the vanderbilt scene, but a very original concept and a very enjoyable meal.