Rutabegorz

Excellent experience on a Saturday late morning, around 11:30 am. We initially were going to the filling station cafe, but as usual is it insanely busy and food is just ok. If you walk down across the street and a few more steps, you’ll find this relaxing, welcoming, and quieter restaurant. No wait, plenty of seats, very welcoming staff. Great for a nice breakfast and lunch date or with friends. Food was good, flavorful and delicious, and the sweet potatoes dip was awesome. Good value, good flavor! Professional waiter and staff!

I like this place a lot! Huge menu with many healthy, vegetarian, and vegan options, but with meat options too. Prices are still reasonable, service was excellent. My chicken wrap was awesome. The day we went they had a special, $1 chips with pumpkin hummus, which was great! We got 4 chips specials for 5 people 😆

First time here. I ordered the bowl of leek soup with grilled ham and cheese and green apple sandwich. Delicious! Also ordered tortilla chips with pimento cheese salsa and water. Sat outside in the patio area for lunch.

The menu is huge. Everything we had was very good. I had a beet salad that was big enough to share. My husband had the garlic chicken sandwich. We both enjoyed our meals. Would definitely eat there again.

Cute place and interesting seasonal menu! I did not enjoy going out for food because of lack of healthy options at other places but this place have plenty of healthy options with dietary restruction! Good late spring summer place since the menu is light, healthy, and cold(like wraps, salad, and sandwiches). Server was kind and attentive too! He knew what we needed without us asking! I wished bathroom was a bit cleaner though.

Fantastic black bean chili and quesadilla. Iced tea was refreshing and the young redheaded waitress was great. Very attentive. Comfy atmosphere like an old family restaurant

Came here hoping to get a healthy yet fulfilling meal, and it was pretty good! Not super spectacular health or taste wise, but overall a decent meal. Tried one of their smoothies with yoghurt and it tasted like they used some fruit jam or preserve instead of real fresh fruit. The food they offer is great in that there are plenty of vegan options, but a lot of it has plenty of cheese and is cooked in oil that lingers in your mouth after the meal. For a healthy option I’m looking for a meal that leaves me feeling fresh and great after eating, not oiled down. If I come back, I’ll try one of their salads and see if it’s better. Otherwise, I loved the variety of veggies in my dishes, as well as the perfectly cooked brown rice. If only it wasn’t so oily!

Sometimes it's tough figuring out what you want here with such a huge menu. But I haven't had anything bad yet! Service is quick and friendly, like you're in their home. And as the restaurant is a converted craftsman, it does feel like you're in their home. If you sit inside, enjoy the tchotchkes and teacups and what-have-you. If you sit outside, enjoy the fresh breeze and people watching. Great for bringing out of town guests before or after strolling the shops in the circle.

Came here recently with some family. We all ended up ordering the same salad because we enjoy it so much. Hands down such an incredibly great place to eat healthy food. While the food is great, the service and atmosphere is fantastic as well. Everyone loves a great patio to enjoy a good meal and they certainly do not disappoint. To be honest i also love the inside eating too, especially on a cool (or way too warm) day, but that's just me. Try the cheesecake or cookies for dessert, and let then know Frankie recommended it. It might not get you anything free but i truly enjoy supporting local businesses who do it right. Enjoy! - Updating a bit on 10-28-2024‐ Honestly cannot count how many times I've been here, mostly with my wife before marriage, before we had kids, and now that my son is in college we still come. We appreciate many things about Rutabegorz, both here and in Tustin. Hope to continue to enjoy it more through the years.

The staff here is always friendly and they recognized us from previous visits. My wife had a breakfast burrito. I had the ratatouille and a side salad. My mother had a crêpe. It was beautiful weather on the outdoor patio where we sat and ate our lunch. At the end of our meal, we took our son inside to choose a cookie. It is no wonder we find ourselves returning to this restaurant again and again. The only thing I would note is that the food comes out very very hot.

Stacey! Stacy! Stacy! We were strolling the historic streets of old town Orange and stumbled into this very hard to pronounce little café .. Stacy, our waitress was so sweet and so helpful. We had so many questions and she answered them all. Most of the items are vegan, but they do have a lot of chicken items. I had a tuna salad on sourdough bread with fresh cantaloupe on the side. " and I mean fresh.!" They have an extensive menu , which made it so hard to decide what to have. We know we're going to be back and I'm going to have their BLT. Stacey was so sweet. It was a hot day and she filled up too water cups to go and said. " you gotta stay hydrated out there." We love this town ... very dog friendly too

Came here on a Saturday afternoon for a quick bite -- we all got salads -- met Chris, who made the meal special; his energy made the meal so much better! Food was great !! Chris was amazing!! Service was quick! Huge menu! Vegans heaven!

I love this place! The service is great and the servers are attentive. The food always taste fresh, and I feel so healthy after eating here. In addition, they have $1 chips and dip every month and it's so fun to try the different concoctions they come up with. I ordered the turkey, Brie, and green apple sandwich, which came with a pickle, watermelon slice, and pasta salad. My boyfriend ordered a buffalo chicken sandwich, which also came with the above sides. Lastly, it is dog friendly!

My mother-in-law took me shopping for an afternoon in downtown Orange & recommended this place for lunch! It is in a quaint little house next to the Chapman University campus & downtown Orange. It was very peaceful and had a unique setup. The waitress was friendly and made sure we were caught up on all the new featured dishes on the menu. I ordered a falafel plate- I've never had it before! It was delicious- I loved how fresh the vegetables were and the rice was cooked perfectly. My only complaint was the falafel balls were a little dry. I am not familiar with falafel though, so maybe they are naturally a little dry? Other than that, this place was amazing. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a quaint restaurant with a large menu!

Oh my gosh, we absolutely love this place and the atmosphere is amazing. We didn't have to wait too long to get seated. We had the leek soup and it was amazing and I highly recommend it. Can't wait to go back again.

First time at the Orange location! Having grown up in Tustin, I've been dined at that location for years. I happened to be walking around old towne Orange yesterday afternoon when my tummy gave a little rumble. In an effort to try to eat better this year, it was like it was meant to be: ah ha! A hearty salad from Rutzbegorz! Immediately upon sitting down, I was greeted and my beverage order was taken. I opted for something different - the quinoa Thai salad. They had a monthly black bean hummus and tortilla chips for $1, which I also decided to try. Even though the quinoa Thai salad was billed as a "smaller salad," it was definitely still filling. Note that with the "regular" sized salads, I usually have leftovers. This one made the perfect meal for someone who was very hungry. There was also a kale salad as a special that looked very appealing -- well, many of their salads sounded wonderful. But I was happy with my choice. I loved the peanut dressing. All throughout my meal, the service was attentive. There is indoor and outdoor seating; I love all the courtyard tabled outside! Even if you don't have to visit the loo, do visit, as the mermaid decor in the women's room is charming. 2024: 8/100

The first time, my partner and I stumbled upon this place while we were walking to see what we would have for dinner. It was indeed a hidden gem. We were greeted by two men, and we decided to sit outside. We had the $1 monthly special sundried tomato with roasted peppers Hummus, and it was not spicy but tasted fresh, healthy, and good. This is totally healthier than having fries , hehe. My drink was on point. They made my Arnold palmer perfectly. My partner asked the man who is Bilingual (I know since I asked him a few questions and talked in both languages with him) what he recommends as being their best dishes and he informed my partner that it is their pastas and sandwiches (maybe there was something else but I sure recall these two categories). This man was friendly, patient, and very welcoming, and his co-worker who took our food order was also welcoming and friendly. I ordered the garlic chicken pasta with white sauce. It was savory, and all the flavors just went well together. I am not big on pasta dishes, but this was IT. I saved some for the following day, and boy, it tasted better than the first time I had it asking with the bread. The dish also comes with a piece of fruit(watermelon, melon, etc). 5/5 My partner had their chicken pesto pasta, and they liked it. They rated their dish 4/5 The second time, I went with my friend just to ensure it was not a fluke, but it was not. She also ordered the chicken garlic pasta, and she loved it. 5/5 This time around, they had heated lamps since we sat outside. This spot is very homey, and there is a lot of space in the outside area . They also have some space to dine in inside. They have a lot of food options and happy hour(I have posted some pictures). I highly recommend it if you have not tried it.

Love it such good and healthy food choices always enjoy coming here great service as well

It was good, I had the tuna on Squa bread and it was good. Could have been much larger for the amount you pay, but honestly I think Rutas is more known for their salads.

Always friendly and prompt, when I order my food for pickup. The food is not only healthy. But delicious!

The service was beyond kind. The food came out very fast. It was a Christmas theme, and we had our bride celebrate there and they were all so welcoming. Very lovely place. Would recommend.

We love Rutabegorz! It's like walking into your grandma's house so cute! My pregnant wife was craving a wrap and I wanted a sandwich. We frequently visit the one by our home in Fullerton. We were in the area though. My wife had the chicken Caesar wrap and loved it. I have the chicken salad sandwich on squaw bread, that bread is fire! We ordered the chocolate zucchini cake to go and a carrot cake, it's our dessert. Everything was delicious! The service was exceptional!

This place is such a wonderfully charming restaurant with so much character! It's adorned with so many fun and interesting furniture and decorations that are cohesively tied together in an old fashioned manner. They have a huge menu and the portions here are great. They don't hold back when they give good quantity. I've always enjoyed the food here and I always get the monthly special. It's usually really cheap and is a great appetizer for your meal. The workers here are also always really kind and helpful as well.

Ordered 2 salads to go Strawberry salad and a bbq chicken, both were amazing as they always are. The salads are so huge the 2 salads fed 5 of us. I recommend all their food. I have gone to all 3 locations. Fullerton is the best in my eyes

Massive portions on salads, $1 appetizers, great atmosphere in old town Orange, and insanely fresh tasting ingredients. Great service as well! Menu is huge and varied - You'll leave full and happy.

Rutabegorz is always amazing! I got the Garlic Chicken Salad, substituting the chicken with tuna. It's fresh, healthy, delicious, filling, and one of my favorites. The staff is always kind, friendly, and welcoming. The restaurant is a clean, nice decor and a relaxing atmosphere. I would have given it 5 stars, but we all can strive for improvement in whatever we do.

This place isn't my first choice for picking restaurants near the circle, but it's pretty good. A lot of healthier options...vegan/GF friendly. HUGE menu with so many options, which makes me question places like this .... Can everything on their menu be that good when they have 50+ options? I don't know. I came here with a group of 5 during a weekday and it initially took us a while to get any service, but it was crowded that day. We finally ordered and I got the garlic chicken sandwich, and it was really good. Hearty portion and good garlicy flavor. They had a special going on with some kind of jalapeno dip with chips for $1 more. We opted for two of these too. Food was good. The sandwich roll was thick and filling. It came with a little pasta salad that was delicious too. I would be back to try other things on the menu but not in a hurry.

I love Rutabegorz. This location is great, and I always sit on the patio to get some sun and fresh air, it's a great spring/summer spot to enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner! There is always enough shade as they have umbrellas up. The menu is large with lots of vegetarian options! My go to are their Salads, Soups and Sandwiches - oh and their vegetarian chili! It's the only chili I like that's not homemade! Service is always great- staff is friendly and food comes out quickly. This is a go to spot for my entire family as everyone can find something they love!

Great little cozy spot for salad and sandwiches! I'm a huge fan of their Thai salad so this time I got their Thai wrap. I definitely prefer the salad, but you can never go wrong with a wrap! Mine fell apart pretty easily which I didn't mind. My fiancé got the walnut that kissed the chicken sandwich which is basically a chicken salad sandwich with walnuts. He said he could barely taste any walnut and felt the sandwich needed some crunch. Overall, a nice healthy lunch after a good workout. There menu is huge so I'm sure they have something for everyone!

Yummy salads and desserts. I love the decor and vintage vibe. I wanna go all the time.

Came here for lunch and it was packed so we sat inside. Our waitress was pretty friendly and helped us right away. I ended up ordering the BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad and it was huge. I didn't realize it was gonna be so big. It had great flavor. I would have liked more chicken but it was still good. I want to go back to try some other items from the menu and I also heard the desserts are amazing. Till next time!!!

This is my second time coming to this location and I'm obsessed! I absolutely love this place. I got the half screaming goat sandwich and a cup of cockie leaky soup. The soup had a lot of chicken in it which made it super filling! The half sandwich had the perfect balance of sweet and salty and the texture was amazing! I can't wait to return to this location and try one of those big cookies that everyone buys to go!

Absolute worst shrimp Alfredo I've ever had! However the service was excellent, the ambiance was adorable, and everyone else really enjoyed their food I must have ordered the wrong dish.

Expensive and plain boring food. We got the black bean chili, and it was runny and tasteless. The avocado turkey wrap had lettuce and blue cheese, but I did see or taste any turkey or avocado.

Great food and still at a decent price. Good value overall and great service every time.

Rutabegorz to go is delightful! I brought a chicken garlic salad for me and my friend. We are obsessed. I really can't order anything else because I love this salad so much.

I'm not a vegetarian but we did try this spot because the restaurant looked very cute. The interior is like someone's house. The parking was terrible here especially during dinner time, but they do have a parking lot in the back. Their salads are amazing and their soups are yummy, but the chicken burrito didn't taste Mexican at all. The winner for the night was their desserts: the apple pie (a la mode) and their carrot cake! To die for, absolutely delicious! These were the only things I took pictures of. Way to end my night! Overall their food was good, if I was craving their salads I'd definitely come here, but as a carnivore, I'd eat at the restaurant next door.

I'd give them five stars if I could still eat there. As it is, I'm in mourning. One of my long-time favorites has stopped serving dinner; they now close at 5:00 pm. We'll have to find a new place for our downtown Orange visits. At least their other locations in Tustin and Fullerton have pretty much the same menus and vibes. And still serve dinner

Stopped by for lunch on their spacious outdoor patio after an appointment nearby. We were greeted and seated right away. They were quite busy, as it was lunchtime, but that didn't impact the service whatsoever. The servers were both very attentive. The food was perfect, they happened to have my favorite soup that day and I ordered a dala salad, allergen modifications were done correctly too, which is a huge plus and something one of their other locations struggles with. I was a happy camper, I will definitely be back.

This is one of the best gems in downtown orange! Stacy our lovely waitress took such good care of us and our food was superb. Stacy was so kind, gave us great advice on the food, and was just a joy! I had the black bean chili and it was to die for. Highly recommend anything on this menu though. Also the house where it is located is sooo cute and peaceful.

I love this place in downtown Orange. It has a variety of healthy options like salads, bowls, and wraps. They have many cool shakes and desserts too. Fabulous outdoor patio seating with umbrellas and a smaller selection of indoor seating. Amazing servers.

Absolutely great service today. STACY she was amazing! I normally don't like to do reviews but today was a must. If you get her as your server you will not be disappointed! ! Stacy was so funny ,great personality really made my experience at the restaurant an awesome one. I'd give her 10 stars if it was an option!!!

I like the Rutabeggar on Fullerton a lot better. I was not impressed with the turkey sandwich with cranberries or the iced tea.

After being out of the area for a few years, happy to say Rutabegorz still has the same great service (thanks Stacey), extensive menu choices, delicious food, and a relaxed dining experience. The location is perfect for visits to Chapman University, the Hilbert Museum and of course the quaint shops and antique stores. Two thumbs up plus 5 gold stars.

Rutabegorz has been in business for over 50 years and they continue to add to their menu and never take anything off. Before I get into it, customer service is excellent, the patio is beautiful and the squaw bread is delicious. They don't have a kitchen, but more like a salad bar type of setting. We had the peasant mushrooms, ruta's ratatouille and the chicken enchiladas verde because these were some of the favorites. First off, it's hard to tell if anything is fresh here since everything is from a can (including the chicken). There's no flavor anywhere, and to top it off, the chicken enchiladas verde gave my mom a whole week of food poisoning. I'm astonished by all the great reviews.

It had been a long time since I had tried this iconic, casual OC restaurant. Although it is often thought to be a vegetarian restaurant, it has an extensive menu of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees which will please almost anyone. It has both inside and outside dining ( I prefer outside) and a friendly and attentive staff. I have now visited several times in the past month and have tried the Garlic Chicken and Barbecue Chicken, sandwiches; and the Chicken Cordon Blue crepes; all of which were winners. Of their desserts I am partial to the Strawberry and Banana crepes, which is huge and is best shared. The Chocolate Zucchini cake was also good. I have heard the soups are excellent, and look forward to trying them this fall. If you go to Old Town Orange for lunch or dinner, definitely consider Rutabegorz as a great option for a relatively healthy and tasty meal.

The spinach, apples and candy. Walnut salad is fantastic. Oh yes, and I almost forgot the chicken for protein as well. I get it to go and it usually lasts me for three meals. The blue cheese it's just the right amount of zest. I don't even use salad dressing. I just squeeze some gresh lemon over the top.

Wonderful service and food, Stacy was one of the most helpful and supportive servers. Very sweet lady would come back just for her.

Great food - interesting combinations! The outdoor seating is great as well. The funky converted house indoor seating is fun as well.

Missing ingredients in my salad. Very disappointing to have to eat an overpriced salad and missing the best ingredient which was the caramel walnuts.

Sister was too tired from moving in the college student to walk further into the circle of Downtown Orange. This restaurant had outdoor seating and was recommended by our cousin. There was a sign that told us to find a seat anywhere. I ordered a Havana 3 AM smoothie and a garlic chicken sandwich made with squaw bread. Sister and the college student ordered the Thai salad. There was more than enough to share. Service was friendly though my sister had to wait a little bit for a plate and fork to enjoy her salad. The garlic chicken sandwich had plenty of chicken chunks which fell to the plate when I took a bite of my sandwich. It was accompanied by a potato salad and a slice of sweet watermelon which was very welcomed on a hot, summer day. The Thai salad tasted good. We had no room for dessert however tempting it was being homemade.

Come hungry! The portions are fit for two. Soo many things to choose from like 6 page menu. Super crowded even on a weekday lunch. Outdoor and in door seating available. In walking distance from chapman university. Has vegan options. Salad is a must try i was told....will have to go back and try it since I got the killer nachos which was also delish. Also it looks like it was a home converted into a resturaunt... homey vibes for sure.

Excellent food and service. Healthy, tasty meals at reasonable prices. Restaurant was clean and nicely decorated as well.

The staff at Rutabegorz is always so warm and welcoming. We ordered to-go with Luke and he was very helpful and attentive. Our order came out right away and were very satisfied with our lunch. You gotta checkout the restroom at this location. It is so fun and kitschy + makes you feel like you're in a mermaid cave. Thank you to everyone at Rutabegorz!

Really disappointed in my experience here as it was highly anticipated for me since it is my girlfriends favorite lunch spot from her college days near by. She always gets the garlic chicken salad which I have to say was quite good. I ordered a Turkey club sandwich which came on a small hero....they literally gave one super thin slice of Turkey with a small strip of bacon lettuce and tomato and served it to me. 1 slice.....I kid you not, it was one thin slice. I have never ordered a sandwich anywhere in my life that gives you the smallest, thinnest layer of Turkey/meat on a sandwich. It was basically a thick piece of bread with a little something in the middle. The cookies we got to go were excellent as well....it's a shame, this place has great potential in my opinion but I have to say that "sandwich" they served me was border line disrespectful.

I love Rutabegorz. The food is clean and healthy, the service is always amazing and comforting. The matcha latte with soy has been my go to and the $1 dips are so so so delicious. I usually get something different every time but their cockie leekie soup, quesadilla with shrimp and avocado, garlic bread, and veggie burgers are to die for.

Love the Orange location. Always have to get the Italiano salad with the BALSAMIC dressing! The $1 humus dips are ALWAYS delicious for starters. Ambiance is great sitting on the patio. Service is always friendly and quick. Highly recommend!