Cowless - South Pasadena

As a vegan of 15 years, I encountered several issues with the food. The hamburger I ordered seemed to be non-vegan, as it had a yellow color indicating possible non-vegan ingredients. The patty, salad, and tomato were not fresh, and the tater tots were greasy and seemed to have been cooked in old oil. Even my carnivore friend mentioned a hint of animal by-product in the oil. The shake I ordered was also disappointing in taste and texture. Additionally, despite the website's claim of serving food in biodegradable containers, my meal was served in plastic. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of a clear vegan option at cowless. My experience was barely edible, and I had high hopes for a better vegan meal.

The service at this restaurant is very poor and they share a kitchen with a non-vegan operation. The staff could not provide information on the risk of cross-contamination. Additionally, there is a lack of nutritional information on their menu items. If you decide to try this restaurant, avoid ordering through their website as they seem to have technical issues with online orders.

I ordered the "kale" salad through Uber Eats and was disappointed to find that it was actually just romaine lettuce with croutons. The listed ingredients included kale, romaine, onion, tangerines, and tomatoes, but there was no kale in sight. I suggest ordering from a different restaurant as there is no way to contact them, with no phone number available for this "ghost" kitchen.

This is not truly a vegan restaurant and there is no indoor dining available. It feels somewhat misleading. It would be more convenient if the restaurant simply included vegan options on their menu. The burger was below average.

Overall, my experience at this restaurant can be summed up as disconnected. Firstly, the restaurant is actually called ARO, not Cowless. There is no signage indicating it's Cowless, and customers are required to order online rather than in person. The whole process felt strange, and even our server seemed puzzled by it. The food is served in paper bags, with the burgers half-wrapped in thin paper that easily falls apart. The vegan burger itself was tasty, especially with the vegan cheese, but the lack of regular plates and utensils at ARO was off-putting. The Brussels sprouts were disappointing, oily, soggy, with an odd flavor and bell peppers mixed in. In short, ARO should simply add the vegan burger to their menu without causing confusion.