A nice restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, serving plant based dishes ( pasta, pizza and Lasagna, etc.). We ordered hot shroom, which gave taste of Pakora in Pakistan/ India, when taken with their delicious sauce.Potatoes with special roasted white bread, Lasagna and Pizza.All were delicious except Pizza.This was surprise for us too. The service was excellent. The lady serving us was well mannered professional.Atmosphere was pleasant and vibrant.People from all races and ages were there.Price however is on higher side.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jenny Pizoli
Ive always LOVED Donna Jean. The food is fresh and great quality and the pizzas are authentic. It was always my favorite pizza in SD. However…. They moved to a new location and I hadn’t been in awhile and I ordered a pizza and it was completelyyyyy different than the old pizzas that I had known and loved. Different crust, dough, cheese, flavor, everything. I would’ve never guessed it was from the same place. It was still good but I don’t love it nearly as much as the OG pizzas. I was so disappointed to see it had done a complete 180. I miss the old pizzas, please bring them back :(
Jade Doucet
As a regular that is gluten free, I don’t think I’ll be ordering here anymore. I just found out they discontinued their tempeh sausage and swapped for a seitan based one. Seems they are going towards being less gluten free friendly which kinda sucks and the food quality seems to be going down as well.
I like supporting vegan establishments, but I think I’ll have to opt for the gf/vegan options from TNT Pizza from now on.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
fernando godoy
Food so good that it's making me rethink every one of my eating habits
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cast Iron Mac \u0026 Cheese
Louis Brik
I recently visited this restaurant and wanted to share my experience in a constructive way. The ambiance was pleasant and the menu had a good selection, though I found the food itself to be fairly average. With a few adjustments, the kitchen definitely has the potential to elevate the flavors and overall presentation.
What stood out to me most, however, was the guest experience at the entrance. I believe every restaurant thrives when all guests feel equally welcomed and valued. During my visit, I noticed that the level of attention and ease of entry seemed to vary among different guests. While I’m sure this was unintentional, it’s an area that could benefit from greater consistency. A warm, inclusive, and unbiased welcome sets the tone for the entire dining experience, and I genuinely hope the team continues to strengthen that aspect.
Overall, this place has potential, and with a bit more focus on hospitality and polish on the dishes, it can become a wonderful spot for everyone to enjoy. I’m sharing this feedback in hopes that it encourages continued growth and a more universally welcoming atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Abhay Gupta
I'm absolutely appalled by the experience I had at Donna Jean! The vegan plant-based menu was a joke - the food was not only poorly presented, but it also reeked of a very non-appetizing stench that made my stomach turn. I'm talking pungent, overpowering, and completely off-putting. It's like they forgot to add any seasonings or spices, and instead, just slapped some unappetizing ingredients together and served it to us.
We ordered the widow pizza with date sauce, which was the biggest disappointment. The date sauce was overly sweet and overpowered the entire pizza, and don't even get me started on the 'chicken' mushroom dish - it was clearly not plant-based and looked like it had been sitting in the fridge for days. And the Mac n cheese? Forget about it. It was a gloopy, flavorless mess.
The worst part is that the service didn't even bother to apologize or offer a refund. They just seemed completely unbothered by the fact that they had served us subpar food. Needless to say, we will not be back. 1/5 stars, and that's being generous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
M S L
Pretty great! Our server was very friendly; the host was less so. The gnocchi and salads were really tasty. The other food felt a little one note and lacking in flavor for the price point. The ambience inside was nice at night.
RadicalEmpty-Nesting
From the Hot Shrooms to the Really Good Salad to the Amazing Pizza, we loved our meal at Donna Jean. The staff was great and we were able to hang out and enjoy our food. Thanks, Donna Jean!!!
Conner Jolly
Its been a while since we had a calzone or tofu scramble so we got the breakfast in bread. The bread itself to the calzone was good. It was fluffy but also chewy which is the sweat spot. that being said, I dont think the tofu scramble was a good fit for it. It didnt much of a texture which was disappointing and the flavor was pretty neutral. They do give you a curry sauce though which does add enough flavor to offset the tofu.
The staff was super friendly and quick. We felt welcome the moment we entered. The price was a bit high for what I was expecting for a calzone at around $20 but that might be standard for san diego. In general I like the idea of what they were going for but I should have gotten something else.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
Yash Patel
This was my first time here, but my Fiance has been here before when it was at a different location. The food was absolutely amazing and we forgot we were at a vegan restaurant mid meal. Everything from appetizers to entrees were so yummy. Will definitely return!
The woman who stands at the reception is very rude. It seems to be answering questions by force. It's hard to understand and I won't choose it again. You don't have to be rude and also you're too slow
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Zoe Westbrook
The food was okay but ended up being a bit bland and having a lot of nutritional yeast in it (if you like that flavor you should go). I wanted to like this place but sadly it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I did really like their other restaurant, Evolution! Fun vegan fast food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Kytty Wyte Cousin
Francesca thank you for making our experience TOP TIER- your kindness and empathy exemplifies what customer service looks like when a person loves what they do. My replacement meal from the neighboring establishment was delicious- very much appreciated.
If you're looking for an outstanding vegan eats experience this is your destination!!
Side note if you love good music- I promise you'll sing while you wait for your food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Shrooms, Pizza Margherita
Brady H
From the moment we walked in and were not greeted by the host, should’ve known not to come back. We have been coming here since they opened in this location.
Asked for a seat inside and was told there wasn’t anything, but maybe she could push tables together or we could just sit outside. Host walks people to the door to patio and points to table. Doesn’t walk anyone to their tables. Asked for a high chair, it was not brought out and I went and got myself. (I would not recommend this place to anyone with children)
The water at the table tasted and smelled of mildew. Puts a bad taste in your mouth for the place, literally!
After waiting over 40 minutes for our food, we decided to get everything to go. The staff apologized and gave us our lemonades and coffee for free.
Biscuits and gravy have a weird sweet and lemony flavor. The tofu scramble is just that, toffee mush with tumeric. Nothing impressive at brunch time.
We have always enjoyed the pizzas! They are flavorful and I would get that again.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
J Priest
Our order took an hour to arrive. I like the place but I think they forgot us. We were on the patio and watched everyone else receive their food. The server was nice but it was a very long wait. Blamed it on only one chef.
A nice restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, serving plant based dishes ( pasta, pizza and Lasagna, etc.).
We ordered hot shroom, which gave taste of Pakora in Pakistan/ India, when taken with their delicious sauce.Potatoes with special roasted white bread, Lasagna and Pizza.All were delicious except Pizza.This was surprise for us too.
The service was excellent. The lady serving us was well mannered professional.Atmosphere was pleasant and vibrant.People from all races and ages were there.Price however is on higher side.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ive always LOVED Donna Jean. The food is fresh and great quality and the pizzas are authentic. It was always my favorite pizza in SD. However…. They moved to a new location and I hadn’t been in awhile and I ordered a pizza and it was completelyyyyy different than the old pizzas that I had known and loved. Different crust, dough, cheese, flavor, everything. I would’ve never guessed it was from the same place. It was still good but I don’t love it nearly as much as the OG pizzas. I was so disappointed to see it had done a complete 180. I miss the old pizzas, please bring them back :(
As a regular that is gluten free, I don’t think I’ll be ordering here anymore. I just found out they discontinued their tempeh sausage and swapped for a seitan based one. Seems they are going towards being less gluten free friendly which kinda sucks and the food quality seems to be going down as well.
I like supporting vegan establishments, but I think I’ll have to opt for the gf/vegan options from TNT Pizza from now on.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Food so good that it's making me rethink every one of my eating habits
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cast Iron Mac \u0026 Cheese
I recently visited this restaurant and wanted to share my experience in a constructive way. The ambiance was pleasant and the menu had a good selection, though I found the food itself to be fairly average. With a few adjustments, the kitchen definitely has the potential to elevate the flavors and overall presentation.
What stood out to me most, however, was the guest experience at the entrance. I believe every restaurant thrives when all guests feel equally welcomed and valued. During my visit, I noticed that the level of attention and ease of entry seemed to vary among different guests. While I’m sure this was unintentional, it’s an area that could benefit from greater consistency. A warm, inclusive, and unbiased welcome sets the tone for the entire dining experience, and I genuinely hope the team continues to strengthen that aspect.
Overall, this place has potential, and with a bit more focus on hospitality and polish on the dishes, it can become a wonderful spot for everyone to enjoy. I’m sharing this feedback in hopes that it encourages continued growth and a more universally welcoming atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
I'm absolutely appalled by the experience I had at Donna Jean! The vegan plant-based menu was a joke - the food was not only poorly presented, but it also reeked of a very non-appetizing stench that made my stomach turn. I'm talking pungent, overpowering, and completely off-putting. It's like they forgot to add any seasonings or spices, and instead, just slapped some unappetizing ingredients together and served it to us.
We ordered the widow pizza with date sauce, which was the biggest disappointment. The date sauce was overly sweet and overpowered the entire pizza, and don't even get me started on the 'chicken' mushroom dish - it was clearly not plant-based and looked like it had been sitting in the fridge for days. And the Mac n cheese? Forget about it. It was a gloopy, flavorless mess.
The worst part is that the service didn't even bother to apologize or offer a refund. They just seemed completely unbothered by the fact that they had served us subpar food. Needless to say, we will not be back. 1/5 stars, and that's being generous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Pretty great! Our server was very friendly; the host was less so. The gnocchi and salads were really tasty. The other food felt a little one note and lacking in flavor for the price point. The ambience inside was nice at night.
From the Hot Shrooms to the Really Good Salad to the Amazing Pizza, we loved our meal at Donna Jean. The staff was great and we were able to hang out and enjoy our food. Thanks, Donna Jean!!!
Its been a while since we had a calzone or tofu scramble so we got the breakfast in bread. The bread itself to the calzone was good. It was fluffy but also chewy which is the sweat spot. that being said, I dont think the tofu scramble was a good fit for it. It didnt much of a texture which was disappointing and the flavor was pretty neutral. They do give you a curry sauce though which does add enough flavor to offset the tofu.
The staff was super friendly and quick. We felt welcome the moment we entered. The price was a bit high for what I was expecting for a calzone at around $20 but that might be standard for san diego. In general I like the idea of what they were going for but I should have gotten something else.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
This was my first time here, but my Fiance has been here before when it was at a different location. The food was absolutely amazing and we forgot we were at a vegan restaurant mid meal. Everything from appetizers to entrees were so yummy. Will definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The woman who stands at the reception is very rude. It seems to be answering questions by force. It's hard to understand and I won't choose it again. You don't have to be rude and also you're too slow
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
The food was okay but ended up being a bit bland and having a lot of nutritional yeast in it (if you like that flavor you should go). I wanted to like this place but sadly it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I did really like their other restaurant, Evolution! Fun vegan fast food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Francesca thank you for making our experience TOP TIER- your kindness and empathy exemplifies what customer service looks like when a person loves what they do. My replacement meal from the neighboring establishment was delicious- very much appreciated.
If you're looking for an outstanding vegan eats experience this is your destination!!
Side note if you love good music- I promise you'll sing while you wait for your food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Shrooms, Pizza Margherita
From the moment we walked in and were not greeted by the host, should’ve known not to come back. We have been coming here since they opened in this location.
Asked for a seat inside and was told there wasn’t anything, but maybe she could push tables together or we could just sit outside. Host walks people to the door to patio and points to table. Doesn’t walk anyone to their tables. Asked for a high chair, it was not brought out and I went and got myself. (I would not recommend this place to anyone with children)
The water at the table tasted and smelled of mildew. Puts a bad taste in your mouth for the place, literally!
After waiting over 40 minutes for our food, we decided to get everything to go. The staff apologized and gave us our lemonades and coffee for free.
Biscuits and gravy have a weird sweet and lemony flavor. The tofu scramble is just that, toffee mush with tumeric. Nothing impressive at brunch time.
We have always enjoyed the pizzas! They are flavorful and I would get that again.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
Our order took an hour to arrive. I like the place but I think they forgot us. We were on the patio and watched everyone else receive their food. The server was nice but it was a very long wait. Blamed it on only one chef.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
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