Café Rivva

Great selection, guidance and tasty smoothies! I give this four stars because
1.parking is complicated and so is the location in the building
2. Too expensive, unaffordable without a deal.

Needs improvement — the waiter and manager were arguing in front of me, while I was waiting for one of them to make the drink I had just paid $ 10 for. They charged me $ 2 extra for ½ a leaf of kale — because «it’s very expensive.» The taste left something to be desired, the prices were exorbitant, and the service was abysmal. Needless to say, I’ll be bringing my smoothie money to Whole Foods next time.

They can’t seem to figure out their hours. Sometimes they’re only open at night. Sometimes they’re only open in the day. Sometimes they’re not open, but maybe they’ll deliver? This system might work if they took a second to tweet updates, but their last tweet was 7÷16÷2012 so no luck there either. The only way to be sure is to walk up to the front door, but most likely they’ll be closed then too.

Been there once, it is like everything organic, sounds pretty healthy. But at the same time, a little pricey I think. Don’t remember what I had last time.
But the second time when I tried to get my morning juice at 9:15 am on a Sat morning, it wasn’t ready to open at all, the door was still close, even there was a staff seemed working inside. Since there was a sign of ‘closed’, I turned away and looked for alternative to have my fix.
I was just not happy with them not keep their time manner. The result lies in themselves though.

I’m not a Vegetarian but their BLT was awesomely delicious!

Delicious I enjoyed the Kale, agave, flaxseed almond butter– Wow factor veggies wrap this is my new fav lunch spot!

I came here for a juice & was pleased with the kind service & very tasty green Natures Life Force. It was so tasty I was tempted to get a second one!

The best smoothies anywhere! All of the fruit is so fresh and delicious. Café Rivva is my go-​to place after a good work out. I never thought I would like a Kale smoothie (something about a green drink). Once I tried it, there was no going back. It was great!
Fair to say that I am a regular. Sweet, helpful customer service is another big plus.

I’ve had two really good vegetarian sandwiches here with very nice side salads. So nice and fresh and healthy. They have a nice little outdoor area that is lovely on a warm day. A very nice selection of smoothies. My bf had the frozen yogurt and said it was good, though I didnt’ try it myself. I’d like to check out their menu a little more. They are up on the top floor, so they’re a little hard to spot, I hope that people make the effort to get up there. Great vegetarian/​vegan options.

Café Rivva offers would-​be lunchers and munchers a healthy and pleasant option in Brentwood. The luminous near-​neon green-​and-​white color scheme evokes either a cheap froyo knock-​off or a shopping mall cosmetics reseller, but I gather it’s supposed to generate modern spa vibes. Oh well. It sure was tranquil since we were the only patrons present at peak lunch hours.
All the sandwiches, «burgers» and toasties were served with the same whole wheat sliced bread. I realize that bread in such a place is probably about as sinful as corn-​fed beef, but you may as well serve up a variety of sins if you’re heading down that road already. While the VEGGIE BURGER was super tasty, it just didn’t look or feel like a burger when it was pressed and sandwiched between slices of toast. Why not a healthy ciabatta roll? Perhaps a little more vertical padding with alfalfa or broccoli sprouts? As for the SUMMER SALAD, which had some quinoa in addition to the usual mixed greens, it was tasty, too, although I suspect most of that taste came from the agave sweetener.
I recall several choices on the menu not being available for some reason. What we did manage to order was good and surprisingly filling. I would like to try their juices at some point, but the froyo did not sound tempting whatsoever.

Everything I’ve tried has been amazing — my absolute favorites are the lunch specials. Not on their website as far as I can tell, but listed on a sheet by the counter each week — For $ 10, you get an organic yummy flavored iced tea, and a sandwich with a small side salad. So far, the Hawaiian veggie burger sandwich is my favorite — whole wheat bread, veggie burger, pineapple, red onion, and a sauce that is just amazing! I was so hooked on this that I usually ordered the same, but I just finally tried two additional items, and again, I’m in love. The wrap which includes tofu crispy chicken, bacon (vegetarian) bits, avacado, lettuce & onion — AMAZING. And the veggie burger with tomato, basil, mozz, another 5 stars!
If you havent been here, you are missing out. I still haven’t tried the smoothies which seem to be all the rage, but I’m sure they are as great as all of the food items I’ve tried.
I hope this place stays open for a long time to come!

This place is terrific. The observation that it’s not the cheap are correct, but it’s not like it’s super-​fancy: for $ 10 you can get a solid lunch.
The thing that stands out is just that the food is tastier than at other local quick food options. Chipotle is fine and you can always run into whole foods and Cactus Tree has a nice room, but I always come to Rivva when I want to eat delicious food. It’s prepared with care, the flavors are more unusual, the greens fruits are notably fresher.
The salads, btw, are surprisingly filling. I guess because they usually feature some kind of grain.
Bottom line: Friendly lunch/​bite-​to-​eat place with delicious food.

This ain’t yo mama’s Jamba Juice, son!
This little café is nothing but organic vegetarian, vegan, raw goodness. No refined sugar, GMOs, MSG, etc. It is clean and bright and everything a wholesome café should be, with minimal hippie vibe. It’s more like a slightly expanded Pinkberry than your typical raw foodist/​vegan hangout. They often have samples, so don’t be shy to ask for one if you’re unsure about a certain smoothie, etc. If you are in a hurry, you can get «curbside pickup» where they will run your order down to you. Just call in advance!
I go here mostly for the smoothies because I never seem to arrive during lunch hours of 11am to 4pm when they make sandwiches, wraps, salads, etc. All but one smoothie is dairy free, although they do use nut butters so if you’re allergic to nuts beware. I’m a fan of the Kale smoothie (Kale, Banana, Almond Butter, Flaxseed, Agave), Superfood smoothie (Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Banana, Goji, Tocos, Spirulina, Almond Milk, Agave), and for the faint of heart they offer a very juicy California Sunset smoothie (Pineapple, Mango, Banana, Coconut Water, Goji Berries).
The organic «toasties» look especially yummy — grilled sourdough or honey wheat panini with veggie/​vegan accoutrements and even a gluten free option.
Got some sweet teeth? They offer Uncle Eddie’s Vegan cookies (oatmeal chocolate chip is the bomb!), vegan cakes in lemon poppy seed, orange, chocolate, and vanilla wafer sandwich, the only ORGANIC frozen yogurt in Brentwood and a range of dairy free gelato that can be dressed up with toppings that contain no gelatin (safe for veggies and vegans).
My friends have tried the chocolate frozen yogurt (vegan) and enjoyed it immensely. The gelato looks good and comes in a variety of flavors.
Situated on the third floor of the Brentwood Gardens shopping center, the location is really not a big deal, especially since being top floor means you get some nice sunshine, breezes, and a semi-​private patio area. Good place to meet for a date, a casual meeting with friends, or bring the kids for a guilt-​free ice cream.
Parking is easy with underground valet for $ 1/​hr. Ask Rivva for validation before you leave! Just make sure you park underneath the BRENTWOOD GARDENS complex; not the Cheesecake Factory parking deck.

Expensive smoothies ($ 6 for a small) and $ 3.75 for a cup of drip coffee, but the space is sunny, clean, and organic. The best part, though, is I can’t stop jamming to all the sweet 80s tunes they’re playing while I work. Madonna, Michael Jackson, a little Bangles and Tears for Fears? What more could you want?!
Oh, also free WiFi.

You have organic frozen yogurt, you say?
Awesome, I say!
You have… *one* flavor of organic frozen yogurt today? And the rest are soy?
Not awesome, I say.
It’s cookies-​and-​cream flavored, and the best thing you can describe about it is that, «it’s really sweet?»
Again, not awesome, I say.
It’s $ 5 for a kids size cup, you say?
Are you on crack, or am I, if I’m gonna pay it?
Well, I’m hungry anyway. You have café food, right?
You do, you say. Until 4 pm.
Not awesome, I say. You’re still open, and I’d like dinner.
You don’t have a single sandwich without soy,
like a junk food vegan’s wet dream…
But they all have dairy-​cheese?
You are confused, I say,
And your frozen yogurt tasted poopy.

Oh Café Rivva, you have so much going for you — don’t poop out! BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE!!!
— 1 Star — Not very convenient to grab n go. You gotta park — and folks that ain’t easy in Brentwood. So you park in the deep underground and elevator to the top floor then walk all the way to the far front — south side. PITA as my grannie used to say
+ 1 Star — Nice outside seating area. If the weather is friendly, that is.
— 1 Star — Meh inside seating. Keep it wiped down you guys! Oh, and maybe some flowers on the tables? Something to make it a little more freshened up.
+ 1 Star — Tasty. I really enjoyed my blendy-​smoothie thing (I forget what it was but it was yum) and the eggless tofu egg salad.
+ 1 Star — Organic. Always good to organic.
— 1 Star — Tummy ache. I got one that afternoon. A big strong one. So maybe I am made for less healthy goods.
I definitely would come here again, and nosh down on al the tasty nomnoms.

I love this place. If you know anything about the best products, this is the place to enjoy them. It’s not the cheap ingredients you’ll find at most smoothy places, these are quality – organic and top of the line. Whether you choose a fresh juice, a smoothy, some organic coffee, organic yogurt, or their featured salad or sandwich of the day, you are sure to enjoy. It is definitely worth the trip to the 3^rd floor. The space is really cool too, you will want to spend a little time just enjoying the music and the vibe. There is a piece of paradise in this Brentwood Gardens rooftop eatery.
Speaking of paradise and a great vibration, the name Café Rivva refers to The River of Life. According to the owner (and I have to agree), the more you incorporate organic foods into your life, the more your body just naturally flows like the river. GO WITH THE FLOW. The prices may be a bit higher than you are accustomed to paying, but YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!
My favorite smoothy is the Superfood Smoothy and my favorite juice is Find Your Flow – a great tasting Detox juice with Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Coconut Water, Lime, Mint. I just wish we could all find our flow more often!!!

I am addicted to the Nature’s Life juice and Post-​Yoga smoothie. I’ve tried Pressed Juicery which is great but Rivva is closer to me, slightly less expensive and yummier which is saying a lot when talking about cleansing juices (Apple, Celery, Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Mint — I swear it is delicious).
It is a little more expensive than Jamba Juice but there is no chalky after taste and the ingredients are all organic and fresh, plus they have vegetarian and vegan frozen yogurt, smoothie options and salads.
Aside from the tasty juices and smoothies the froyo is good (if you like sweet and tart) and soups are also really good (tried the tomato & basil and the lentil). I will update once I have tired the salads and sandwiches.
FYI: They validate for parking.

Perched up on the 3^rd floor of the Brentwood Village Plaza– this bright open café just screams «Slightly overpriced organic health consciousness»!! I loved the décor of this place– you can almost just FEEL healthier being in the pure white and fresh green décor– they have a nice patio outside to soak in the sun (in true LA style).
They serve mainly three things– all organic, vegetarian or vegan: froyo, salad, and smoothies.
I decided to come here for a healthy lunch– after looking at menu for a long time and asking for recs — I finally decided on the Lemon Cous Cous.
The portions look pretty small, but the lemon cous cous did not disappoint. The pearls of cous cous were cooked perfectly, mixed in with crispy celery, pieces of pistachios for a nutty crunch, colorful bell peppers and a thick creamy dressing. Can’t believe it’s all vegan! I was worried that it wouldn’t fill me up, but the dressing actually made it very heavy. I went home to add some spinach to it… YUM!!! Very very satisfying and healthy meal.
The irish guy who worked their was really nice. They’ve only been open for 5 weeks and they are trying to get the word out. He also offered some fro yo for me to try.
I have a feeling I’ll be back very soon!

I was going to give this place 2 stars for décor and effort but one of the things that bugs me most is dishonest business practice. It doesn’t take a genius to know that at least 3 out of the 4 five-​star reviews already posted on this business are fake.
Let me tell you my experience with Café Rivva. I was walking down San Vicente with a bunch of girls when a lady handing out coupons approached us and told us about this place. I love good deals so I wasn’t going to pass up a chance to get 2-​for-​1 froyo. We fell for the trick and went to Café Rivva.
Once we arrived, we were greeted by 2 incompetent employees. Although they claimed they had 4 flavors of froyo, only 2 were working. Neither were good but since we were already there, we settled on the berry one (it was strawberry or raspberry or blueberry). The incompetent male employee then attempted to prepare 2 portions of this not-​so-​great froyo. The 2 cups were the same size but he put 50% more froyo in one of the cups. I made a comment about that and he then reluctantly put more in the other cup. But he overfilled it so now the second cup had 25% more than the first. Presentation-​wise, these were some ugly swirls of froyo.
The worst part is that when it came time to pay, 2 small froyos cost $ 5 with the coupon (with no toppings because that would’ve cost an arm and a leg). Excuse me? I could’ve gotten better-​tasting froyo at Yogurtland across the street and I could’ve put on toppings. I would’ve enjoyed it more and it would’ve cost the same amount of money. I only ate half of my portion before I had to toss it. It was terrible.
I know they say Never Say Never but I’m going to in this case. I will NEVER go to this place again.