Vale Healthy Kitchen - Gainesville — Restaurant in Gainesville

Wow I’m so surprised at all these great reviews! I was so excited to try this before a movie yesterday. I ordered the Way Out East Bowl. First the young lady with whom I ordered told me it would be 15 minutes for the boiled egg. When I finally convinced her that the bowl I ordered does not come with boiled egg, by bringing her over to the picture, they started to make my bowl. After beginning, I was informed that it’s $8 extra for the salmon. Fine, okay. It’s pictured with Salmon but whatever. We make our way down the line and pay for our two meals. AFTER everything is paid for and the salmon is halfway done cooking, they come to me and tell me they no longer carry the yogurt ginger dressing that the bowl is supposed to come with and offered me their dressing selection, with options like Caesar, vinaigrette, honey mustard, ranch, etc…I was upset. I told them I would not have even ordered that bowl if I had been informed of the dressing situation upon ordering. But we had a movie to get to and there was a line of people now at the register so I asked for vinaigrette on the side. After going to get my drink I saw a different sign that listed citrus soy as an option (not listed on the previous list they showed me). While this does not float my boat AT ALL, it’s the only option they had that would even slightly complement an Asian salad so I asked if they had it and they said yes. Funny how no one had the insight to suggest it when they told me they no longer carried the ginger dressing. The food came and while the ingredients looked fresh and tasty, the dressing was not good and the salmon (I ordered lemon pepper because I hate teriyaki which was the other option), had the most hideous and strongly flavored fake lemon flavor and a bright yellow coating. I thought it would have a lemon pepper spice on it, not a bright yellow fake lemon goo. I had to trim off the entire outside surface of the salmon to make it palatable. If it wasn’t that girls first day on the job, then they need to get somebody else because this was a...

I’ve had two separate experiences during weekday lunch hours (around 12–2 pm) where staff members treated customers in an unprofessional and disrespectful manner. On the first occasion, one of the employees (a heavier-set Black man with short hair) was visibly annoyed and yelled at me when I asked questions, and rushed me while I was building my bowl, despite there being no line. When I asked to be charged for extra sauce, he made a face and responded rudely.

On the second occasion (July 10, 2025), I brought coworkers with me for lunch, and another staff member (a thin Black man with very long hair) yelled at a customer who was simply asking questions. One of my coworkers gasped in shock at how aggressive his tone was. It was embarrassing, especially since it was my idea to visit, and it was their first time there. The situation escalated, and the customer responded in the same tone. A third employee (a tall white man with tattoos and his hair usually tied back) seemed surprised by the interaction, and the staff member eventually said, "I’m sorry, ma’am" to the customer.

This kind of behavior is unacceptable in a customer-facing environment. It makes customers uncomfortable and reflects poorly on the business. I strongly encourage management to address this issue and ensure all staff are trained in professionalism and respectful customer service. I would love to continue supporting this business, but not if these interactions continue. I would get rid of those two as they have repeatedly...

If this place looks good to you, do yourself a huge favour and go to Fresh Kitchen instead. I came here after being recommended to try it and I regret it. There were very few people inside, probably for good reason. I got a large bowl which should have come with three proteins, two veggies, and three bases. However, for a place that seems to care about having options for all dietary restrictions, their proteins were incredibly lacking—almost all meat, one fish option, and one vegan option which was not gluten free. I got the fish but was told it would be an $8 upcharge per piece, so I substituted the other two protein options for more vegetables. The whole meal—the bowl with only one protein, a 12oz juice bottle, and a small brownie—cost $50. That's outrageously expensive to me, especially for the quality. The salmon (which was claimed to be made to order but was actually sitting in a metal warmer like everything else) was incredibly dry, as was the rice. Nearly inedible. Everything in the bowl was almost entirely flavourless. No part of this experience was pleasant and I will not be going back. As I stated before, I would go to Fresh Kitchen over this place 100% of the time. They have much better food for a lower...