Urban Plates

Finally made my way to Urban Plates!! Excited to see a great selection of plates, salads, sides and wines!!! Love that there is a big menu outside with pictures of the plates, I mean, don't we first eat with our eyes. Went here for a primas dinner night, it was pick and choose to create your own custom plate. Before you place your order they had samples of some delicious cookies at the counter. You first go to the register to place your order, seat yourself and then they bring your plate to your table. The food was good and nice size portions, the service was fast, especially love the casual setting and not feeling rushed to leave. The cake desserts looked incredible, but was so stuffed only had space for a nibble of the chocolate chip and cowgirl cookies which were huge, I'll save the rest for a midnight snack. LOL. There was a steady flow of customers dining in and there's plenty of seating to accommodate. I did noticed that there were A LOT of delivery orders constantly going out the door, I'm thinking it has to do with their Plates Pass program, which seems like a great option to take advantage of. Overall super satisfied with our first experience and will be back. Thanks Faith for the great service and being friendly!

This place is casual with a slight cafeteria style ordering system but has delicious natural and organic foods for reasonable prices, especially compared to many restaurants in Pasadena. I had the shrimp plate and tried the steak and both were great. And I loved the mashed potatoes. I highly recommend them. I have also tried the chicken cobb salad and added their beets. It is now my favorite salad. Parking on Lake Avenue can be rough but there is a pay for parking garage behind the building. The service was great and the gentleman that helped us was awesome... SO hospitable.

What happened to this place? Used to be good a couple years ago. Wife and I would come here after 2 laps around the Rose Bowl and they were on point. Now service is slow and the food is overcooked. Ordered Grass Fed Steak medium rare and also asparagus. Steak wasn't anywhere close to medium rare and the asparagus was overcooked, soggy, and discolored. This is what my plate looked like vs the advertisement

I eat here almost every day during my lunchtime break. So many options, and food is amazing. Amazing atmosphere!

So delicious! We had the chimichurri steak plate with Brussel sprouts and roasted carrots, and the surf and turf plate with roasted potatoes and Brussel sprouts. The potatoes were a 10+! Steak and Brussel sprouts also delicious!! It’s great quality food where you can tell it’s full of nutrients! We also got a flourless chocolate cake and an apple pie, both amazing!! And we bought chocolate chip cookies for later, which we heated in the oven for a couple minutes and they were so good!!! And I had an Arnold Palmer with their lemonade and iced tea agua frescas. The service was amazing, the lady who helped us at the front was so nice! And the ambiance is nice too. Definitely recommend this place.

Love urban plates, stopped by and had a really good experience. Health conscious plates, amazing hosts like Natalie and great atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend.

Thank you Natalie for helping me choose what to eat today, I tried the Mediterranean chicken bowl, the hummus is so good and a really good price, everyone was attentive and it was a calm and nice atmosphere

Second time here and I feel like my experience overall has been fine. The service has been great both times (Kevin was particularly helpful and informative at the register), but the food is very mediocre. Prices are reasonable, at least, and the atmosphere and vibe feels nice.

Urban plates is a cozy, modern spot with a great organic menu. I went in for lunch and tried their ribs and truffle fries--both were fresh, flavorful, and beautifully present. Kekee's service was warm and attentive without being overbearing. She helped us navigate the menu options, which was appreciated. The ambiance is clean and casual, perfect for a midday meal or dinner with friends.

Great service, Natalie was super nice cashier, indoor ambiance was great. Food not too expensive. Great decor

Food is tasty, with many options. Uma was friendly and attentive! Spacious and casual indoor seating.

Really great food and service! Love the salads and choice of Natalie deserves a raise!!

First time customer. Will not return. Customer service was slow to stand and order your food, not sure if the lunch time rush was too much for them or what. Ordered steak, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. The food was ok but the steak was chewy. I guess you get what you pay for. I ordered to go but sat in the dining area while I waited for my order to be ready. The first chair I attempted to sit in along the counter with a window view and it was full of crumbs. No worries maybe a kid was just sitting there even though the entire area was empty. Next chair more left over food. For the prices of the food, I guess I expected the place to be cleaner. Also the spicy teriyaki wasn't spicy at all.

First off they have one of nicest people manning the register taking orders! Her name is Natalie. A super pleasant person to represent this restaurant! We ordered a steak plate and a burger, both were excellent! I don't know why it's been so long since our last visit, things are a little differently arranged but it's a pleasant place to dine. They have outside tables as well as inside. There is nice music to make it very pleasant. We will be back very soon thanks to the good food and the welcoming friendliness of Natalie! Thanks to who ever does the hiring here!

After so many years walking by Urban Plates, I finally walked in. This is one of those fast casual restaurants where you order at the counter, are given a number and they bring the food to your table. During lunch, the line can get long, but it moves fast as long as the people already know what they want. I was not one of those, so I kept waving people to go ahead of me. Once seated, the food surprisingly came out rather quickly. We ordered about 6 plates, but I only tried a few. Unfortunately, when we were ordering, we felt the pressure of people lined up behind us, so really didn't read the menu carefully. The grass fed steak is decent. Nice flavor, cooked slightly over medium and not tender, but not tough either. The brussel sprouts were drizzled w/ balsamic. I know this is a classic way to prepare it, but it covered up the taste of the sprouts. A side of Caesar's salad was piled onto a tiny plate, so with the smallest movement, things were falling everywhere. The tumeric rice that came as a side had no tumeric flavor, it was ok. The wild ahi Niçoise salad looked great, but the balsamic dressing really didn't pair well with the tuna. The chicken tenders were good, and the marble potatoes ... well, tasted like potatoes. The toasted rustic bread that came with each dish was great. Nice crisp edges with a chewy middle and a charred smoky taste. The service was very good. We constantly had people come by to check on us and clear our table. Even one of the chefs came out to greet the customers. The interior is charming in its own way, with greenery and wood accents to give it a very natural, earthy vibe. Though the dishes we ordered didn't impress us, I still might return, after I study the menu a bit more.

Ordered Doordash and got the Grilled Salmon Plate ($23.25), which came with 2 sides, as well as a toast. The Salmon was very dry and overcooked unfortunately. It was quite bland but good thing it came with Dijon mustard to dip. This was 6/10 The toast was not as crispy as I was expecting but it was ok. The Rainbow Carrots & Golden Beets (side) was ok. A little too bland and too mushy. I just dipped it in the dijon mustard so it'd have more flavor. This was 5/10 The Red & White Quinoa with Tomato Pesto (side) was extremely flavorless unfortunately. It was nothing special and just tasted like bland quinoa. This was 5/10 Pretty disappointed but might give it another chance and/or recommend in the future.

I was in the area and needed somewhere macro friendly to grab a bite. Sometimes it's hard to feel like you're not missing out on a cut, but Urban Plates did the trick for me. I really enjoyed the protein centered plates with local ingredients. The ahi tuna with ponzu and wasabi was great. I eat a lot of fish but I also hate the taste of it honestly, so I was really happy with how mild and fresh it tasted. The sides are fantastic and there are so many to choose from. One thing to note is that vegan options are priced very fairly-- a few dollars cheaper than animal based plates. Urban Plates' message seems to be about sustainability and I think that that is not a bad way to encourage more people to give those options a go. The interior is clean with lots of natural lighting, plants, and seating. Water, utensils, and sauces are self serve. They had little samples of hummingbird cake available at the counter, too. I really enjoyed eating here and hope new locations open up closer to me!

First visit and took advantage of a Valentine's Day Special offer (3 course dinner for 2 for $59). I would classify Urban Plates as upscale cafeteria style dining. As you can imagine, it was very busy, but the line to order moved quickly and we were lucky to find a table without having to wait. The food was good, and the restaurant was clean. Parking can be tough in this area...on street or in a public lot about a block away, but it's an extremely busy area, so expect to hunt for a spot. FOOD: We ordered the following for our three-course special: Seafood Chowder, Barramundi Seabass with Beet Salad and Brussels Sprouts, Chimichurri Grilled Steak with Parmesan Mushrooms and Mac-n-Cheese. We finished with the Hummingbird Cake which was a carrot cake with a hint of pineapple. In addition, we ordered the Garlic Shrimp Plate with Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus ($15.99) for my mother-in-law, and a Shrimp Skewer ($5) to share. Everything was good, although a few items required a little seasoning (salt/pepper) for our taste. Plenty of healthy choices on the menu as well. Overall, a nice experience and I would definitely go back again and try some other menu items.

Welp, it has been four years since my initial review and I have to tell ya guys, I have been a regular patron since 2021. I have to get my fix at least twice a month (once in a while I'll sneak in a 3rd visit in a month). I even signed up for the Plate Pass Membership, which gives me 20% off my total bill. Cost is $5.00 a month, but it's worth it for me, due to how often I go What is my favorite dish you wonder? It's the Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad w/their buttermilk dill dressing, one of the best cobb salads I've had at a restaurant. My friend won't eat a salad anywhere but here either. Oh yeah, and their hamburgers are on point, so tasty, juicy and it comes with French fries for just $12.00, or you can get a double burger for a buck more. You can't find a combo that is so delicious for less anywhere in town. I like that they occasionally change their "specialty dishes" menu, the only downside is that when they have added something delicious, like their braised short rib with a side of mashed potatoes & gravy, it won't be on the menu 3 months down the line; but it's okay because they always put something delicious to replace it. On my last visit, I had the blackened salmon, which was cooked very well; and I got to choose what two sides I wanted. They have a huge list of delicious sides, such as: an entrée size Cesar salad, cauliflower, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, mac & cheese, and the list goes on and on for you to pick when you order their (chimichurri) grass fed steak, sea bass, sear ahi tuna, chicken tenders . . . you get the drift, right? Dessert: My first choice is their Hummingbird Cake, 2nd runner up is their Cowgirl Cookie and 3rd Chocolate Chip Cookie. Parking lot is right around the corner and they validate for an hour and a half. Best waiter: Hands DOWN is Javier. He will bring you whatever you need. He's very polite, soft voiced & just a sweet person in general. He's been there for all the years I've been coming here, so it's nice to see his welcoming smiling, familiar face when I walk in. Okay, well I think I've made up for my lack of a review since 2021. Now go eat there, and tell Javier that Annette convinced you to come and eat here.

Decided to give Urban Plates after so many good reviews on Yelp. The chicken club was very good, the chicken was thick and very moist, well flavored. Good bread and overall an excellent club sandwich. The mixed beet salad was also great. Good portion sizes, both item was enough for two people. The menu is fairly large and look forward to trying the other selections, especially the hot dishes.

Yummy, fresh food. The plates come with choices of sides. Their craft soda (forgot the brand) is refreshing and not that sweet. The employees are nice. Would definitely return for lunch or dinner if in the area.

My partner took me here try this place and I was excited for a great meal, but I felt that it wasn't enjoyable. We ordered the steak meal and also the chicken sandwhich, however we didn't notice the cashier order my partners food incorrectly. He wanted the chicken sandwhich but he input the steak sandwhich so when the food came my partner said he ordered chicken so they switched it. What I'm surprised about is that they didn't think to give us the difference because we also were overcharged. So when I realized that the steak sandwhich is $15.5 and the chicken sandwhich is only $12.25 I asked if they can give me back the price that I ordered. The lady was kind and was able to give us back the money but no one ever apologized for the inconvenience. I personally didn't like how she told the manager she wants to get back the price adjustment for the food which is like $1-$2. First off why should anyone pay more $ for something they didn't order. I don't think the restaurant would remove $3.70 (which is how much I was overcharged) off my meal if I asked. Which is what I thought was rude and uncaring for their own mistake. That was very unprofessional on her end for food service. I did not personally enjoy my food. The steak wasn't hot, mid to warm. The rice was extremely bland and the brussels spouts were just okay but food overall very plain and lacks flavor. I personally don't plan to return for the experience and the quality of food. It's also sad that to order fries they only give a little bit and also don't offer refills for drinks. Also, the water they serve is lukewarm. No nice they put in there which is extremely disappointing especially when it was about 95 degrees and I just wanted cold water, but they had only lukewarm.... Definitely should do better for a restaurant that's well known and also in a hot spot....

We were traveling to Southern California and decided to check out Urban Plates so we took a little detour route. From the moment we entered the front door, we were greeted with a friendly cheerful voice and smile. We checked out their menu choices and decided on their steak and salad/veggies options and skipped the bread!! The chimichurri sauce was AWESOME!! Grass fed steak cooked to perfection. The salad was also delicious!! The employees walked around asking if everything was ok and if we needed anything. We had a very nice chat. At the time of the visit, there was a big devastated fire going. The gentleman thanked us for our support. Overall, an awesome experience. The food was fresh. A healthier choice. The quality was excellent. The service was superb!! The bathroom was clean!! Street meter parking. Nice looking patio. We will be back.....

Short Review: Healthy eating, consistent quality, great customer service. If you want a complete meal outside of your home, this food chain is it. Long Review: I just love this place. They really do provide clean-eating options and a wide variety for every palate. And the food tastes really good too. Lots of meat and GF, Veggie or Vegan options. They also honor their word and replace your food for free if the order is messed up or if YOU messed up the order. Classy. Pro tip: if you frequently eat here, subscribe to the Plate Pass. It saves you at least 20% on every bill which adds up and pays for its self in about 3 meals.

Urban Plate is great when you want something delicious. They also have many options for great tasting desserts and sides. I got the chicken tenders plate with brussels sprouts and quinoa. My husband got the barramundi seabass with potatoes and broccolini. Both entrees came out quickly and service was friendly. The restaurant is spacious and there's also a pet friendly outdoor patio. We will come back and try the salads and bowls soon. Fernando was amazing !

I ordered the Three Up plate with the beet salad, sesame broccolini, and the brussel sprouts for $12.25. It came with a slice of rustic bread. All the vegetables were excellent in flavor and texture but the beet salad is my all time favorite side dish! I always get this whenever I come to Urban Plates. I usually love bread but I can pass on this toast.

Used to frequent Urban Plates in Brea and loved the food, so when I passed by the one in Pasadena, I was starving and was super excited to be able to order all my usual favorites. The lunch for the two of us w/drinks came out to over $90 (to be fair, we each ordered alcohol), but the presentation wasn't great and the taste of the food was pretty disappointing. Everything was tasteless. Not sure if I would be coming back.

We went on a Thursday night at roughly 8pm, there isn't a lot of customers and we were helped immediately. The food came out in about 10 minutes after ordering and they were perfect! I love the mushrooms, carrots and beets, and brussel sprouts as their sides! So soft so flavorful and if not enough flavor, add salt yourself! My steak was cooled medium rare with chimichurri sauce and it was delicious! All I can say is 5 star on the food since not much service was truly provided. Would come back for the steak and another healthy meal!

The food was good overall. Burgers were nice and char as well and the service was good as well. Natalie was a big help being the first time here. We sat outside and it was nice as well, pet friendly.

Natalie and staff are very helpful and food was great! Ambiance was nice and service was on time.

Never heard of this place until today (7/25). Friend recommended so we stopped by. The staff was nice and the ambience is relaxing. Nice smooth music and rustic restaurant feel. The food was excellent for the price. Great value. I got the chimichurri steak and it was well seasoned and medium rare to perfection. My sides were pita and hummus, and the Brussel sprouts. Both were excellent!

I've been coming to Urban Plates for a while now. The whole staff is friendly and always on top of things. I have to shout out Nick and Natalie for always bringing good vibes! Plus almost everything on the menu they recommended was 10/10

Tonight's dinner was takeout from a longtime favorite of my wife's and her lady's cancer group. Since she happened to be in the area today. A first time try for me and our son. Viewing their menu, I chose the Grilled Grass Fed Steak Sandwich with Chips. Tender and flavorful beef on a French roll, which also included in-house prepared chips. A good first impression. My son was okay with his Caesar Salad With Chicken, but didn't think it compares with California Chicken Cafe. However, my wife was perfectly fine with her choice of the Grass Fed Steak Plate. With sides of Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Marbled Potatoes. Her first try of that particular menu item. Overall, a very nice try of a new venue for me. I'd like to experience dining in next time, hopefully in the not too distant future.

Natalie is super kind! Love this place. Has everything you'd want to eat or drink!! I got the beef braise! So good!

This is my "go to" for afternoon meals. Richard and Kyle were above Excellent for service.

Nice place for a quick lunch. Very friendly staff and food quality is better than most places. There's inside and outside seating. Clean space for dining in.

Service was excellent here! Uma was super helpful and told me the ingredients that weren't listed on a cookie I was interested in and I had to have it! The ambiance here is spacious and relaxing too. I always love eating food from Urban Plates and this location does not disappoint!

Everything was so good, yummy, and fresh! Could have used a little more salt for my palette but once I added a dash, those flavors and spices came through like crazy! I love chimichurri and can't have it enough! This is a great place to get great quality food with it for a decent price in today's economy. I also loved how all the food was hormone free. It matters so much these days. This is a safe and healthy option for the whole family.

About 10 years ago it seemed like every new place that opened was an upscale, cafeteria style restaurant. In Pasadena we got Lemonade, tender greens, and Urban Plates all around the same time. We loved them all but we slowly stopped going to all of them since we started to prefer traditional table service, made to order restaurants. But recently we were curious how they are doing and decided to visit Urban Plates on a quiet weekday night. Well it's no longer cafeteria style but you still do order at the end of what use to be the service line. Most orders consist of your choice of protein, carb, and then a side or two. They also have a selection of braised items of which I selected the beef and mushroom stew. It was very good and the beef was braised properly. I added a side of Brussel sprouts and those were slightly undercooked and unappealing looking. The main dishes were fine but we found that the a la carte side orders were a bit overpriced and small ($7.25 for fries and over $5 for a small plate of sprouts, for example). But everyone was happy with the main dishes so we will definitely be back soon to try more of their extensive menu.

Urban Plates has become our regular nicer dining place in Pasadena. It offers a focused but excellent range of choices, including steak, pork ribs (seasonal), burgers, salads, etc. I've often dined here and enjoyed the pleasant front patio and interior dining room. You can order from the counter or via their app. Our most recent visit had Natalia, who answered my questions about the menu and helped me decide what to order. I recommend Urban Plates for a relaxed, pleasant, and flavorful meal in Pasadena, CA.

Urban Plates has become our go-to for quick & easy eats over the years. Hubby likes their braises, I'm still a fan of their Chimichurri Steak. Though on today's visit visit the meat was cooked on one side and pretty rare on the other still =/ I do enjoy their seasonal sides and just saw today that they have Thanksgiving meals and are even open on Thanksgiving! Will definitely keep this in mind for next year! Their "cowgirl" cookie is pretty good too - it's like an oatmeal raisin cookie with a little "extra" as our cashier Abraham described it lol, it has coconut shavings, cranberries & sunflower seeds. I liked how chewy it is & hubby happily demolished it =P Also enjoyed their new seasonal Seafood Chowder. I do wish they would bring back the Cod and the Lamb Braise, but I understand their menu is always changing seasonally. Parking is either street parking ($1/hr, check for limits) or you can park in the lots nearby (Shopper's Lane or behind Granville - 90 mins. free or by the Shops on Lake - Macy's, etc.). Restrooms are clean. Everything here is self-serve (water, condiments, etc.), but they will bring out your food & drinks after you order based on the # sign you have on your table. Outdoor seating available has some heating & coverings.

Wow. Amazing service, food is fantastic, fresh and quick. Great ingredients and prices. Free validated parking in the garage next door. Special thanks to staff, Natalie is very kind and attentive. We love love love this Urban Plates!!! What a gem!

If you're looking for organic grass fed Meals, look no further cuz this is the spot. Plus it's also delicious! The healthiest choices and not bad for the wallet, during these times. Been here several times and all I've tried has been yumm! They also have homemade healthier drinks & sugar cane sodas. The ambiance is pretty relaxing too. Stop by if you haven't. You won't regret it !!

First time eating here at the Pasadena location and Daniel was quick to help us with our orders. The food were delicious and we received a free cookie! Will definitely come back to try more other foods there

Food here is always fantastic. The surf & turf tends to be my go to every time we come by. Jeremiah at the cashier was very helpful and gave us excellent customer service. We look forward to our next meal here.

We are regulars at urban plates in Tustin and we've always been pleased with the value proposition the service, the quality of the food and the fact that it comes up so quickly. I'm even more impressed here with the Pasadena location where it was just another notch up and during our meal, a gentleman came out to make sure we were taken care of, and I told him how pleased we were with the quality of the food and the flavor only to find out that he was the chef picking up plates and making sure the customers were happy. Jeremiah, this is for you and really appreciate you getting us the extra drinks for the road and taking care of this. This kind of service is not forgotten and it builds loyal customers that keep coming back. Well done, sir.

Keke helped me out ! I normally get a bowl but she encouraged me to try something else I couldn't be more pleased What I ordered taste amazing Chimichanga steak Brussels sprouts & turmeric rice

Natalie greeted us at the register and was super friendly, she took the time to go over the menu with us. It was our first time here, and she answered all of our questions. There was a wide variety of items on the menu, and the food was great. Excellent customer service by our server Javier, he was the highlight of our meal! He was so friendly, personable, and attentive. I hope to see him riding his skateboard around town, and staying fit . What a perfect ending to a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we will definitely be back! Thank you Urban Plates Jennifer Beltran KALEO Real Estate Co. DRE#01959510

This place used to be on point with deliveries! I've ordered twice in the past couple weeks and now I'm over it! I ordered Dijon chicken both times and no sauce is ever given. The last time I called and they refunded me however this time they forgot again but I'm not calling I just won't be returning. Their food is too expensive to keep getting the order wrong.

Good food. Good price. Fast production considering it's made fresh. Salmon was prepared perfectly, cooked just right. Potatoes were delish. Brussels good but not sure it match the flavor profile of the other two but you pick your sides, so that was on me. Easy, self-service spot with solid food. I would definitely return. Layout change removed the cafeteria style post-covid. Staff is friendly. Central Pasadena.

Love the spot and come every month, maybe a couple of times. I always get the Ahi Nicoise salad and we also try the spicy chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich had a slight sweet and smoky flavor with a pretty mild spiciness. The ahi salad is always perfect :-). Shout out to Richard! I found this place to have high quality ingredients and a solid healthy choice if you're looking for a balanced meal with vegetables, as well as a great protein.

Service was great. Natalie was especially helpful at the register. Everything was prepared quickly for a fast casual restaurant. We had a great experience!

I love this place. Have for years. Fast, simple and healthy. Chimichurri steak is always so good! Desserts are made in house too. Staff is super friendly. Shout out to Natalie who helped me with my order!

Great variety and service! I do miss the stations where you used to see the food and order.

We ordered food for lunch and it was delivered on time but with missing items. The fries with one of the sandwiches and the separate order of extra fries were missing. Also, the chicken and bacon in my Cage Free Chicken Club sandwich weren't fully cooked. Seemed like they rushed to prepare the order and unfortunately it came out like this. I wouldn't recommend to order from this location and wouldn't be a returning customer.

Food was decent 8/10, Jeremiah was great tho thank you !! Food was decent 8/10, Jeremiah was great tho thank you !! Food was decent 8/10, Jeremiah was great tho thank you !!

Fernando did a great job explaining what was in some of the bowls for me. I ended up with the Moroccan chicken braise to try something different.