Juliano's Raw

I am a bit of a food snob, so I was very cautious and skeptical when I went into Juliano's the other night with my wife for a ""date night."" I was totally blown away by how good the food was. Totally gourmet. The presentation and atmosphere were perfect. Orchids on every table, dimly lit, and romantic. I tried the Bankok Soup and the ""Cheeseburger"" and my wife had a type of white wine and fruit drink which tasted like sangria, the Ariel's Salad, and the curry ""pasta"". We sampled each other's plates and I can honestly say there was nothing I didn't like about any of the items. ""Cheeseburger"" was definitely my favorite though. Amazing colorful presentations and you can tell that Juliano puts a lot of care into his dishes. I know when I'm eating food made of high-quality ingredients and Juliano definitely delivers when it comes to that. I was suprisingly full, but not weighed down. Pros: ambience, food, service, good prices more

The raw food craze appeals to me because I am one of those wacky people who actually enjoys the flavor of food in the raw, unaltered and unadulterated. I thought that Juliano's might be a haven for people such as myself and felt utterly betrayed when I took my first bites and discovered that the dishes had been so over-prepared and flavored that the wonderful, natural, raw flavors had been completely masked. What's more, I had to wait a good long while for those first few bites as the pretentious, disinterested staff seemed to have next-to-no enthusiasm when it came to a little something I like to call customer service. Cons: price, food, service more

Maybe I'm just a sap for flowers, but from the orchid and lily filled surroundings to the vibrant orange and delicate blue petals that grazed the imaginative dishes that were presented to me, I was continuosly impressed. We tried their guacamole (perfect amount of cilantro) and chips (which were really these dehydrated flax seed crackers.....I was a bit nervous, but I my nutritionist friend said flax is really good for you, and I was pleasantly surprised at the taste), then the Tom Gyi soup...I hate cold soups so I was concerned, but it isn't cold at all, and it had a very creamy thai flavor to it. My friend had the avo sandwich (which looked like an easy first timer dish since there really wasn't anything crazy on it.) and I got curious and tried the cheese burger (which doesn't have cheese or burger in it!)...It was shockingly hearty and had a unique twist on the traditional chsburger. Also we both had the cappucino and chocolate parfaits which were AMAZING!! no lie, real espresso, with homemade almond milk...and the parfait is even more amazing when you find out it's avocado!! The food did take a bit, but when I mentioned it to the manager as she asked how everything was, she explained that they have no pre-made or pre-prepped food, and was nice enough to bring those indulgent cappucinos to make up for our specific delay. The music was nice too...I hate that muzak stuff Beck and Deep Forest was MUCH better! All in all in was a good experience and it wasn't the same old junk that you ALWAYS see on the menu. Pros: Very pleasing to the 5 senses most especially taste and sight... Cons: The food is VERY fresh so be prepared to wait since it's not a microwave kinda place more

My friend and I tried the Kleem (berry smoothie), Sea Witch soup (seaweed w/ avocado), Bacon Western Double (very pretty), and Pasta Fresco (zuccini strips). I recommend every one of these dishes to first timers. I also recommend sitting in the open area on the side of the restaurant. We very much enjoyed the taste of the food and also the service. Our total bill including tip came out to $85. So, it's a tad bit overpriced but the food is good and you'll leave with a good experience. Best to go with someone that's as adventurous with food as you are~! Pros: Food and Service Cons: Parking and Price more

I went there a couple times and both times I loved it! Very fresh and not at all heavy. I didn't feel weighed down after I ate. My friends, on the other hand, did not enjoy the food at all. I guess you have to be adventurous to eat here. It's also pricey, I didn't get to order all the things I wanted to try like the smoothies/elixirs & the desserts. I recommend the GREENOMOLE with CHIPS & KOJI WRAP. THe koji wrap won me over. My friends didn't enjoy the Sea the weed wraps...so beware of that. Pros: food, quiet Cons: parking, price, acquired taste? more

The fact that the food is overpriced is fine with me, but why is it so hard to locate the letter grade you received from the health department? I think your clients have the right to see the grade! (C) - next time you are there, you can locate it, not very easily, behind a plant where the cashiers are... very disappointing. more

I ate at Juliano's last night, after several months' absence, and looked today online for their website to email them how outstanding the experience was. To my surprise, I saw negative reviews on this site. I had with me last night a wealthy, sophisticated client who has eaten in the finest restaurants throughout the world and had not been exposed to this type of food. He was blown away and thought it one of the finest meals he has ever had. I myself thought the quality outdid itself last night. The decor was great, service excellent - and for complaints about price, try using their ingredients, combining and preparing them the way they do, and see how much better or cheaper you can do. I have eaten in vegetarian restaurants throughout the world for thirty years, including highly-rated ones, and find Juliano's outshines them all. Pros: every dish Cons: can't thnk of one more

Some friends and I have been wanting to try raw food for a while so we decided to check out Juliano's Raw. My first thought: This is a creepy, health-nut cult! The 10 pages of why you should ""convert"" to raw food in the menu was far too preachy. The food was overpriced and the portions were extremely small. We left hungry and for me, that is rare. Although the experience of trying something new was kind of fun, I would never go back. Try it at your own risk but have a snack before you do!! Pros: something different, pretty atmosphere, friendly service Cons: expensive, tiny portions, too much like a cult more

Been several times and always enjoyed the food--everythign except the deserts, they've always let us down. The service is always by some young model wanna-be, but contrary to other reviews always good. The prices have steadily gone up since he opened in Santa Monica, and even though we like raw vegan we think it's way too high priced, though we do return often. Pros: Edible flowers in my, sushi-bar like prep, hotties serving food Cons: too pricey, no beer or wine more

I'm not a raw foodist, but I've had many enjoyable meals at raw food restaurants. Juliano's didn't come close to my expectations. From the non-existent service to the dishes that tasted like pure rock salt, this place is gives the raw food movement a bad name. The ambiance -- or lack of -- made our dining experience even more uncomfortable, and despite there being few filled tables, Juliano never bothered to come to our table of 7 to at least say hello, especiallly since we all dropped $250 there when all was said and done. Pros: Good desserts Cons: , Terrible ambiance, Food is mediocre more

Unfortunately, Juliano's falls into the category of vegetarian restaurants where the chef knows more about self rightous vegetarianism then he does about making food look and taste delicious. We ordered a truffle salad which was tiny for the price, $17, There was so much vinegar and dill on the salad you couldn't even taste the truffle oil. Juliano comes from that school of vegetarian cooking that throws 20 ingredients into a bowl and hopes for the best. Ditto on their pasta and meatballs which was a muddle of too many ingredients and tastes. Juliano should focus on making a smaller number of entrees look and taste divine. And get rid of the references to meat and fish, don't call things a cheeseburger, when it's a walnut burger, be proud of what the food is, don't try to make it seem like meat! Pros: Nice Flowers Cons: , bad service more

I was skeptical about raw food but was willing to try it with a group of friends. It was an uncomfortable and unsatisfying experience. From the propaganda filled menu (first four pages of it, exalting the virtues of raw food and denouncing ""processed"" food, though I'm not sure how bananas are not considered raw) to the cold food that's normally served hot, I was unconvinced that raw food is a healthier or better way to eat. Even my vegeterian friend had a bemused look throughout the meal. I'm all for eating organic but the efforts to contort food at Juliano's just comes across as a pretentious gimmick than a true effort to cater to healthier lifestyles. more

Interesting concept. Good for a light meal, I had the ""meat and potatos"". Very tasty. Service was ridiculously slow and seats were crowded together, the restaurant was NOT packed. Do not try to get the salad- it is horrible! You would think a place that specializes in raw food would have mastered the salad.....obviously not. It was an interesting experience, but I would NOT recommend it and I will not be back. Pros: creative, vegetarian Cons: bad service, way overpriced, too stuffy more

To be fair, the food isn't bad. But when you have to wait 10 min. to be seated, 20 min. to order, 20-30 min to be served (uncooked food) and another 20 min. to get your check and pay (and you have to yell at the server to get their attention), you're better off somewhere else. Trying to get your drivers license at the DMV is a faster, more pleasant process. Pros: Food, Location Cons: Service, Service, Service more

Being a vegetarian and living in Santa Monica I was ecstatic to learn of a new vegan restaurant. I dragged my carnivorous boyfriend with me one Friday night and regretted it the moment we arrived. The wait for the waiter took FOREVER. The food took even longer. It was a nightmarethe whole experience took over TWO hours. And the food was mediocre at best. I craved Real Food Daily the minute I took a bite and actually made it there in time for dessert. more

This place is great for vegans or super healthy eaters. YES- it is super trendy and YES Juliano does wear a neon crop top while preparing your food, but my server was friendly, my food was great, and I didn't feel like napping after my dinner. Go with an open mind and you will be pleasantly surprised!!! Pros: healthy, reasonably priced Cons: small more

Everything is beautiful at Raw: the food (each plate comes artfully styled with flower petals and little extras), the wait staff, the floral arrangements, the celebrities you'll undoubtably spot (Woody Harrelson, Alanis Morrisett, etc). Prices aren't bad ($6 an appetizer, $11 an entree, $5 a dessert), but portions are very very small. The food is fantastic, although some dishes (like the ""cheeze burger"") are so spicy that the delicate flavors of the raw foods are drowned out. My biggest complaint? The accoustics. Despite being quite intimately sized, the restaurant is definitely a ""shout to be heard"" kind of place. Pros: Great raw foods, celebrity hotspot, moderate prices Cons: Teeny-tiny portions, loud accoustics, don't accept resrvtns more

This restaurant explores the technique of preparing organic, vegetarian meals without cooking any of the ingredients. Very immaginative combination of vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers and more in ways that appeal to all senses. Reasonably priced with small portions. Everyone I saw there was sharing their plate, a fun thing to do. Pros: very tasty, great staff, healthy Cons: small portions, crowded more