My first experience and will not be my last. Not only did the staff help us with our order guiding us through the menu but also with my friend and mine food allergies. We both got the Chick Pea Dips and the included some corn tortillas and an avocado so we could make street tacos. On the fly and on the spot we were delivered an amazing meal that left us feeling full but also great about the quality of food we ate as well. The Lead Server was SO nice she gave me a Gin-Gin candy to help settle my stomach 🥰🥰😍

Slow service, bad food, no parking. They made me wait almost an hour outside in 30 degree weather for food they said would take 5 more minutes. Instead of them trying to make it right, they were laughing at me from inside of their dirty restaurant filled with boxes. Avoid this place unless you want your car towed and to be made fun of, your reward will be food that wasnt worth the hassle.

First and most likely last time eating here. I am vegan and have been wanting to try this place for quite some time now. Finally got around to it and was pretty let down. The wait time said 20 minutes, that’s fine. Once I went up to the door to check on the order I was told 6-7 more minutes because beer cheese had to be remade. Then I went up to the door again after that time and was rudely waved away by one of the employees. Ended up waiting around 50 minutes for beer cheese that tasted like split pea soup, burgers with buns that tasted like they came straight from a plastic bag, and a pretzel that sounded like wood when hit against a table, and no semblance of bacon on my bacon burger. I guess the cheese on the burger was good, and they gave us cookies for the wait, still waited 50 minutes for sub-par expensive food though. Really really wanted to love this place and support vegan businesses but oh well. Also $2 for avocado and $1 for grilled onions????

Every time weve gotten food from Essen, it has been amazing. Recently we had the Vegan Bruschetta Burger for Burger week, and it was delightful. The sweetness of the sundried tomato paired well with the shiitake bacon. They mentioned that they were considering putting this on the regular menu and I hope they do!

Tried the vegan biscuits and gravy! Its AMAZING. Feels fresh, made with clean ingredients and value for money! Cant wait to try other things over time. Glad there is a plant based breakfast and lunch place for takeaway needs!!

The lady running the place is friendly- that is about as good as the review gets. I placed my order online and arrived at the time stated online. There was NO parking available. I called them and had to wait 25 more minutes past when the food was to be ready. There is a table blocking the door and no one is allowed inside. The biscuits were flat and tasteless. I did not like the taste of the gravy and threw it out. The waffle was decent tasting, but was cold by the time I arrived home. After having seen the place I could only stomach a couple of bites of the food. It looks run down and filthy. When I ordered- it tried to charge me 20% for a tip- and I was not even allowed inside the place! I erased the tip of course- because tips are for sit down restaurants where the waitress waits on a person. I will NEVER order here again.

I got the biscuit vegetable casserole, and it was just okay. There was maybe an inch of gravy and vegetables at the bottom (if that), which was not enough compared to the size of the biscuits, so it made it very dry. All in all, flavor was decent but I would not ever consider this a true casserole. It was 6 large biscuits over a very very small amount of gravy. I basically paid $30 for 6 biscuits, and then had to end up making my own gravy to pour on top.

The food was awesome! And we traveled with it in the car about 20 minutes and it stayed fresh. The BBQ sandwich and Mac and cheese were super delish! Great portion sizes. Definitely would like to try more of the menu.

Ordered the Bacon Cheddar burger and I eat Beyond Burger meat fairly often at home. The texture seemed way different at Essen. I wish they would of described the spiciness level of the sandwich. I love spicy food but was very surprised at how hot this was. It was good but not at all what I expected and the bacon textured was nothing..it just blended into the cheese and you couldn’t tell the difference. Overall gooey mess..but tasted good. Was very prompt.

Im vegan so was really excited for a nice vegan breakfast from a local place but definitely had my hopes up way too high and was very disappointed... i ordered the biscuits and gravy but the biscuits tasted like they had been sitting out all day, so dry almost hard as a rock. i also ordered the tofu scramble, which without the extra $4 add on of cheese and avocado would of just been dry crumbles of tofu. the side of potatoes had too much paprika and no salt, thank god they provided butter but wasnt enough. overall a huge let down for a cost, thats for sure!! not even interested in trying the lunch or dinner specials

Amazing vegan food! Parking / dinning in situation is not so great but its worth it!

I ordered the breakfast wrap and was so disappointed. Usually I love the food here but this wrap tasted like there was zero spice in it, not even salt added. The spinach pieces had long stems that made it weird too. The potatoes were also undercooked 🙁 Typically this place has great food so don’t let this review deter you. Maybe just don’t order the breakfast wrap.

Hands down the best vegetarian restaurant in Cincinnati. My sandwhich was so flavourful, I honestly didnt miss the cheese. This place was so good, it actually inspired me to work more vegetarian meals into my diet. This place is life changing.

I have never eaten vegan food. But tried this restaurant out because my client was vegan. Wow! Had the grilled cheese and tomato bisque. Unreal good. I will be back.

The Mac and “Cheese “ was dry and sauce less. It was honestly the most pathetic attempt at vegan Mac and Cheese that I’ve ever eaten. The jackfruit sandwich wasn’t much better. I’ve been vegan for years now and have never been more disappointed in a vegan restaurant. I spent $50 on 2 BBQ Lunch Boxes and we didn’t even eat half of what was in them.

This place was amazing! The waffle was the best waffle I’ve ever had. My wife loved the biscuits and gravy. We also ordered a donut, but they were out and refunded us and gave a free cherry almond bar. We will definitely be going back!

Essen Kitchen provides wonderful food for not only a nice meal, but wonderful catering as well! Our wedding reception was cancelled, but we decided to have a small gathering to celebrate. Essen fixed the most wonderful party platters that were a great hit! Absolutely loved the root tarts!They were very awesome with planning, as I am too indecisive for my own good. Would highly recommend them for any event! Thanks again guys! 🥰🥰🥰

The food is amazing!!! My family loves meat, the burgers were so good!!

Wowwww the deserts were out of this world. I got a donut, cheesecake and little chocolate drop thing all vegan and gluten free all amazing. So glad I stopped by!

Amazing Greek salad and the bacon mushrooms in the Caesar salad are something I can’t wait to eat again.

The online website for ordering was really easy to navigate. Pick up was also easy, the food however was huge disappointment. I wanted to support a local black business, although I am not vegan.I did not like the ‘snickers’ cheesecake dessert.The Mac and cheese was .... blahthe bbq sandwich was ok. Kinda over powering with sauce.This is not a place I would crave or rave about.It was not worth the money at all

Amazing food and really nice staff. They have done an amazing job taking precautions during this pandemic. I would recommend for both vegans and non-vegans alike.

So great that even during a pandemic, really good vegan meals are still available for pick-up. You order via mobile and they will bring it to your table in to-go containers. You can opt to eat there (there are two picnic-style tables out front) or take it to one of the many great parks in Cinci. Our family had breakfast though there are more options if you arrive for lunch. The reviews are accurate - this place has excellent food!

This is the best place for vegan dishes Ive had in Cincinnati so far . I had the Belgian waffle, the breakfast wrap and the biscuits and gravy. Everything was perfect, the taste the portion size and the prices. I will definitely be a regular patron of this establishment!!!

Delicious! Ate in the Orbit room next door. Great atmosphere there. Both places friendly. Will come back.

I wish I could’ve tried the whole menu! This restaurant makes excellent food with tons of options. I had the tofu breakfast burrito and the waffle and they were both so full of flavor and great portions. I can’t wait to come back for lunch. Highly recommend for vegans looking to have someone who knows what they’re doing cook for them.

The best vegan comfort food by far!

Went with high expectations only to be let down immensely!!! I ordered the comfort meal. Classic Mac & cheese. Collards w/beans. It was terrible. They put mushrooms and paprika on the Mac 🤮🤮 so I asked for it without those and they gave me a totally different Mac that was spicy af!! 🤬🤬 Everything was gross except for the chocolate chip cookies!! Never again!!

Essen Kitchen is just great food. The BBQ jackfruit sandwich is my favorite. I had their new Beyond Burger yesterday and it is delicious.

My boyfriend and I decided to try this restaurant for the first time. It was pretty pricy, $49 ordering through grubhub for a beyond burger & chips w/ small Just Water and BBQ dinner w/ Bubbly water. For me, my burger was super sloppy and frustrating to eat for a burger. It also wasnt tasty to be as expensive as it was. For my boyfriend, his meal lacked flavor too. The sauce was overly sweet with a hint of bbq and the macaroni was bland. Weve been plant based for over a year, so weve learned that nutritional yeast helps make a cheesy flavor, but we didnt taste it at all. He got a pickle too but it was overly sweet, lacked dill flavor and lacked a crunch you normally get with a dill pickle.With all that said, were willing to consider the fact that we ordered literally right before they closed. So maybe ordering earlier is better. But our first experience was not a good one.

Fantastic food, easy to order online, and quick pick up.

Very good food! Got the BBQ and Grilled Cheese dinners for takeout, everything was delicious, and seamlessly omitted the meat and cheese. Was packaged well for takeout, and had good portion sizes. Will definitely be back to try the breakfast and lunch menus.

Great grill chz pesto sandwich but you are strongly encouraged to order on the app. If you pay in cash or phone is slow/battery dead, do not expect them to answer question about what is in meals/what comes with them. I understand its covid so things are changing but there wasnt even a menu posted on the window or wall to look at. I liked the food enough to try again but I just didnt feel welcome.

Essen absolutely does not miss! Its hard to find a restaurant that tackles the challenge of vegan comfort food and consistently does it so well. Ive yet to find an item on their menu that isnt phenomenal. Its my go-to place for vegan cuisine in Cincinnati.

She telling me you will be 5 minutes to take half hour

My sister who is vegetarian talked me into getting some takeout tonight. Every single thing I ate was absolutely incredible. The salad with the mushrooms, the fresh made sauces and dressings, the biscuits, Mac and cheese, soup, empanadas, cookies. Quite literally everything.As someone who rarely eats vegetarian or vegan Essen has proven to me that Im going to start more often. Not because its changed my feelings, but because it tasted so good I cant resist going back.

Pesto Grilled cheese with tomato soupGood food and good people

My favorite place for vegan breakfast! This is the only place in the area (that I know of) that serves vegan waffles. My boyfriend isn’t vegan but absolutely LOVES the chorizo wrap. The Ruben is also perfect and lovely. Try Essen!

Ordered take-out lunch. The collard greens changed my life for the better! Highly recommend.

Delicious food, friendly people, love the burgers, brats and soft pretzel with beer cheese.

Everything I have had here has been amazing! The waffle, tomato soup, and chorizo and potato wrap were all delicious! The space is fairly small, but great for a quick bite or grabbing something to go. The staff is also wonderfully kind and the prices are exceptionally reasonable. Definitely worth making a part of your rotation!

I would eat those ravioli out of a trash can. The food here is awesome and the staff are super friendly. The burger is so good, and the tomato jam on the burger is incredible. The grilled cheese and tomato bisque are mind blowing, dont be afraid to dip! Dont skip dessert either! Just give these folks all your money so they can open a full sit down restaurant already!

Wonderful experience. First time getting food from Essen! I had the Burrito bowl and an empanada and they both were wonderful! The burrito bowl comes with two dressings that were so flavorful and the soy chorizo was tasty. Impressed with all staff wearing masks and social distancing to pick up my order. Highly recommend this place and can’t wait to come back again!

Visited Cincinnati last week and had the pleasure to eat here for lunch on Friday. It was beyond my expectations; healthy and delicious. The avocado toast with fresh mozzarella was delightful. The chef was there and told me they will be making changes to the restaurant so they’ll be more in house seating which I’m looking forward to seeing the next time I’m in town. Thank you Essen!

Fantastic plant-based food! Nice people, too! Highly recommend!!!

We were thrilled to find Essen Kitchen this morning! My daughter and I are both vegan and gluten free, so being away from home and trying to find healthy options are few and far between. BUT NOT TODAY! Today at Essen we got a great breakfast - filling, flavorful and fast! My daughter is in the area for a soccer event and nutrition is an important part if her game. Thank you Essen for helping her start the day off right!

Had pretzels and vegan beer cheese last night during Blink festival. Well, that and vegan bratwurst, veggies and hummus dip... AND a local homemade chocolate chip cookie. What a meal from super chef Yasel!The menu changes so youre always going to get the freshest ideas, prepared fresh, vegan and tasting INCREDIBLE!Steps from Findlay Market - Stop in and treat yourself!(cool - Even Essen was getting in on the Blink act with a projector sending images to the wall of the building across Findlay St.!)

Tasty vegan comfort food, what’s not to love 😊

Ive had some amazing vegan meals all over the world. The Reuben sandwich from Essen is now on that list. Wow! Its that good. Cant wait to go back to try everything else on the menu. See you again soon!

I’ve been on the hunt for vegan breakfast options and am HEAD OVER HEELS for the Belgian waffles! Fluffy, airy, wonderful flavor, and great price!! The mushroom gravy was awesome as well- great texture and flavor. Biscuits were a bit crunchier than my liking, but overall, great experience. Delish!

Delicious flavors! The Moroccan soup was incredible and the truffle Mac was addictive. The only thing that kept it from 5 stars was that I was expecting more than 4 empanadas in the 2-person dinner.

Just tried a lunch box after MY daughter’s soccer game and she had a brownie as everyone seems to agree, the food was as tasty as it was beautiful. I’m not vegan and don’t normally take pictures of food but I did this time.We will be back with friends there are too many things on the menu that sound great. My family ate all the black bean soup and loved itSo I’ll try that for sure

My daughter and I picked up a carry out order and it was absolutely delicious. They were so freindly and all smiles! So refreshing and awesome food!! Will be back with friends and family!

Nice guy serving but the food wasn’t what we hoped. The mac and cheese was really powdery tasting.

Tried the faux bacon burger, which was pretty good.

My partner has been on a kick to try all the vegan mac and cheese and find which one actually taste anything like mac and cheese. We had heard really good things and went down here to check the spot out. The coronavirus ordering system is pretty smooth, I appreciate that they dont let people in except for to physically pick up their orders and their menu is available digitally and on the window. Serving is pretty good size for the products, which all tasted pretty good. Now the mac and cheese was not fantastic, but it is the closest to actual mac and cheese weve tried so far. I wouldnt go out of my way to compare it to good mac and cheese, but if youre vegan you start to get used to things like that. The greens and the biscuit were both great! Im personally knocking a star because I dont feel like they really put out a cohesive meal so much as a BBQ style plate of sides all added up together, I think we can do better than that.In a response to the question from the owner: I think the Mac and cheese needs... changed. I dont know enough about vegan cooking to make a suggestion on what can be used instead, but it lacked the cohesiveness I like in mac and cheese. I like mac and cheese to almost be a casserole style, baked with layers of cheese and breadcrumb topping. Fixing that would help the weakest aspect of the box. But I would also like to see a main attraction, or at least an option for one. Pulled jackfruit, portabella mushroom cap, cauliflower wings. Something that takes it from 2 sides + biscuit to bbq meal.

I had the breakfast wrap and side scrambler. It was amazing I honestly never had anything like that before. I will definitely be back.

Awesome vegan food! Be sure to get a cookie as they’re amazing!!

The belgian waffle is delicious and the service is great.

Essen Kitchen shows that plant-based food can be affordable and delicious. Would highly recommend!

Absolutely delicious vegan food! We were almostoverwhelmed by all the delicious options!

You gotta try the gravy and biscuits, welcome to flavortown! And, the pumpkin cake is to die for!

Today was the first time trying Essen Kitchen. I had the Chorizo Potato Wrap and my girlfriend had the Breakfast Wrap. Both of our wraps were masterfully prepared, they were almost to beautiful to eat. The Chorizo had a very nice heat to it and the spicy aioli was the perfect combination to it. They have a full 100% plant based menu and are reasonably priced. Ill be back for lunch to try the vegan Ruben.

The box lunches are beautiful, healthy and delicious. Each item is creative and unlike anything else Ive eaten. Im not a vegan, but it feels so right when eating it. I will return many times.

This is a place to visit even if youre not vegan. Food is flavorful and cooked to perfection. The chefs owner is awesome as well. Just try it!

I came through here on a road trip.Ill definitely be stopping by again the next time Im in town!!

I just bought lunch from Essen. Oh my gosh, I’m not even vegetarian but this is so good. And so fresh! I love it!

Great vegan food!

The flavors and options are fantastic. The use of mushrooms in the Mac n cheese is a great touch.

Amazing!!! It is hip and cool vegan food.

Everything here is almost too pretty to eat, then you eat it and it tastes better than it looks!

The food here is soo good. Even the salad is amaze balls. I had the spicy tofu sandwich and the sandwich with the tomatoes bisque...super yummy!

Everything was delicious!

Had a Essen Kitchen pop up lunch via DoorDash to try this place out. The food was very fresh and tasty. Must have this again!

Fantastic food spot, first time trying 100% plant based food and it did not disappoint! Hope I get to come back again soon

A greatly needed addition to the Cincinnati dining scene!No need for anyone to support the sad meat and dairy-veal industries when we have the delicious options at Essen Kitchen; Happy Chicks and The Loving Hut.

AWESOME vegan burgers!

One of the best vegan spots in the city

Great food!Talented vegan chef!

Great Food

Fantastic.Yummy.Vegan. What more can you ask for??

Absolutely delicious - a new local favorite.

Services and food are both unforgettable

Limited but amazing menu.

Great healthy food

Amazing and beautiful food!

Scrumptious!