I was only in town for a short time so only got to try the curry ramen here, but it was incredibly tasty! I would definitely visit again.
LauraBuchwald
Great menu, super nice staff, nice atmosphere
Updated from previous review on 2026-01-09
alexander taylor
such a fun menu, tasted great and it's a beautiful place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Soph!e
The curry ramen is so good, the sandwich tasted healthy and fresh. A lot of veggies. The cheese cake is very filling! Nice environment in the cafe.
kristen fuller
Vegan desserts are good, food is mediocre but staff and management are rude and horrendous, calling their customers liars and acting like they simply do not care. I would rather spend my money elsewhere and I think other people should too. I’ve been a customer off and on for years but always take a break because their stash has major attitude problems.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
cra1g86
The chicken fettuccini was wonderful and the key lime cheesecake delightful! Cozy and charming atmosphere with friendly staff.
clamchow
Good options, a bit pricey. A bit healthy tasting for my tastes
B
very rude staff
Jesse Sun
My three friends and I visited this morning (11/15/25) after going to the OC Book Fair happening close by. It was raining and we thought we could stop in for a quick moment to dry off and get some beverages. The host stand was abandoned and there were not many customers, so we headed in past the stand to ask for a table. There was a party of two that had walked in right before us and got seated right away by an older Asian lady (presumably the owner or manager). We waited for her to sit the two customers before my friend asked for a table for 4 as the owner approached us. She said we shouldn’t be there and that we should’ve waited at the host stand, gesturing to the “Please Wait to be Seated” sign taped to the stand.
Again, there was no one to greet us at the stand when we arrived, and the table for two was sat immediately after they went into the establishment, past the host stand. The way she said it made it clear she thought it was obvious. Yes, there was a sign and yes, I did read it. But how does it make sense that the party of 2 that came in right before us could be sat no problem and we couldn’t be? It wasn’t like they were swamped with full tables and crowds of customers. It was quite the opposite, with two other parties in the cafe (including the party of 2 that came right before us). It was a small thing that left a bad taste in my mouth already.
The female owner sat us down at a table and after setting out menus down, she noted that their soup of the day was something with asparagus. We nodded and said thank you before we started perusing the menu. There was a large menu with appetizers and main dishes and a smaller menu with drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Being that it was between 10:30-11am, none of us felt peckish for any food and we decided we would just all order some teas and hot chocolates.
An older Asian gentleman came over to greet us. He got us waters and also mentioned their asparagus Soup of the Day. We nodded our understanding and put in our order of 4 drinks. He paused and looked at all of us. “Are you not getting any food?”, he asked. We reply that we thought we would just get some drinks. He said, “You can’t get drinks without getting food.” We were surprised, as there was no notice on the menus, entrance, host stand, or verbal communication that this was the cafe’s policy. And with that, we politely left.
I’m sorry, but what cafe refuses drink orders without getting food? Patronage is patronage; wouldn’t they still be profiting from our business of just drink orders? And it wasn’t as if only one of us was ordering a drink— we all were. I’ve never heard of such a policy. If that is the cafe’s policy, it should be put somewhere on the drink menu and verbally stated by the staff.
The very first sentence of their About Us on their (outdated) website is this: “With love and respect for all beings and our planet, Freesoulcaffé was established in 2010 to provide wholesome, sustainable foods for an alternative, compassionate way of life.” Nothing about our experience today felt “loving” or “respectful”, nor “compassionate”. Please rethink your mission, or actually adhere to what you say your mission is. Choose one.
It is safe to say all four of us were disappointed in the service (or lack thereof), poor communication, misleading advertising, and parsimonious behavior of the owners. I don’t ever write bad reviews unless the business is deserving of one. I know I will never be coming back to this establishment, nor will I be encouraging anyone to check FreeSoul Caffe out. There are plenty of friendly, welcoming cafes in Old Town Tustin that are much more deserving of attention and patronage. Please steer clear of this place!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Molly O'Grady
Vegan restaurant. Food was very good , I had asparagus soup and a sandwich. Service was excellent.
Overall it was a great experience with delicious food and services.
Stephcorr86
Not a ton of gluten free options mostly gluten except their soup and salads which is why I didn’t give it 5 stars but other than that their customer service has gotten way better in the last year.
Frank ###
Amazing vegan Branch/breakfast with lots of options. very fresh ingredients and beautiful establishment service was excellent as well. will be coming back from more !!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jim Trammell
🌱 A Hidden Gem for Vegan Delights
Stopped by FreeSoulCaffe for lunch today, and it instantly earned a spot on my list of favorite vegan restaurants. We tried the Panini Poulet (vegan chickin) and the Atlantic Sandwich (vegan tuna)—both were bursting with flavor and freshness, generously portioned, and deeply satisfying. Served on delicious sourdough bread, the sandwiches had just the right texture and crunch to complement the fillings. Each came with a fresh side salad brushed with just the right amount of white wine vinaigrette, adding a bright, tangy finish that elevated the meal beyond the ordinary.
The restaurant itself was spotless, and the staff were warm and attentive throughout our visit. We chose to sit outside in the peaceful courtyard, which added a lovely touch to the experience. It was clear we weren’t the only ones enjoying it—plenty of other diners were happily soaking in the atmosphere.
Whether you're vegan or just curious, I highly recommend giving FreeSoulCaffe a try. Even non-vegans are likely to walk away impressed.
I was only in town for a short time so only got to try the curry ramen here, but it was incredibly tasty! I would definitely visit again.
Great menu, super nice staff, nice atmosphere Updated from previous review on 2026-01-09
such a fun menu, tasted great and it's a beautiful place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The curry ramen is so good, the sandwich tasted healthy and fresh. A lot of veggies. The cheese cake is very filling! Nice environment in the cafe.
Vegan desserts are good, food is mediocre but staff and management are rude and horrendous, calling their customers liars and acting like they simply do not care. I would rather spend my money elsewhere and I think other people should too. I’ve been a customer off and on for years but always take a break because their stash has major attitude problems.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The chicken fettuccini was wonderful and the key lime cheesecake delightful! Cozy and charming atmosphere with friendly staff.
Good options, a bit pricey. A bit healthy tasting for my tastes
very rude staff
My three friends and I visited this morning (11/15/25) after going to the OC Book Fair happening close by. It was raining and we thought we could stop in for a quick moment to dry off and get some beverages. The host stand was abandoned and there were not many customers, so we headed in past the stand to ask for a table. There was a party of two that had walked in right before us and got seated right away by an older Asian lady (presumably the owner or manager). We waited for her to sit the two customers before my friend asked for a table for 4 as the owner approached us. She said we shouldn’t be there and that we should’ve waited at the host stand, gesturing to the “Please Wait to be Seated” sign taped to the stand.
Again, there was no one to greet us at the stand when we arrived, and the table for two was sat immediately after they went into the establishment, past the host stand. The way she said it made it clear she thought it was obvious. Yes, there was a sign and yes, I did read it. But how does it make sense that the party of 2 that came in right before us could be sat no problem and we couldn’t be? It wasn’t like they were swamped with full tables and crowds of customers. It was quite the opposite, with two other parties in the cafe (including the party of 2 that came right before us). It was a small thing that left a bad taste in my mouth already.
The female owner sat us down at a table and after setting out menus down, she noted that their soup of the day was something with asparagus. We nodded and said thank you before we started perusing the menu. There was a large menu with appetizers and main dishes and a smaller menu with drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Being that it was between 10:30-11am, none of us felt peckish for any food and we decided we would just all order some teas and hot chocolates.
An older Asian gentleman came over to greet us. He got us waters and also mentioned their asparagus Soup of the Day. We nodded our understanding and put in our order of 4 drinks. He paused and looked at all of us. “Are you not getting any food?”, he asked. We reply that we thought we would just get some drinks. He said, “You can’t get drinks without getting food.” We were surprised, as there was no notice on the menus, entrance, host stand, or verbal communication that this was the cafe’s policy. And with that, we politely left.
I’m sorry, but what cafe refuses drink orders without getting food? Patronage is patronage; wouldn’t they still be profiting from our business of just drink orders? And it wasn’t as if only one of us was ordering a drink— we all were. I’ve never heard of such a policy. If that is the cafe’s policy, it should be put somewhere on the drink menu and verbally stated by the staff.
The very first sentence of their About Us on their (outdated) website is this: “With love and respect for all beings and our planet, Freesoulcaffé was established in 2010 to provide wholesome, sustainable foods for an alternative, compassionate way of life.” Nothing about our experience today felt “loving” or “respectful”, nor “compassionate”. Please rethink your mission, or actually adhere to what you say your mission is. Choose one.
It is safe to say all four of us were disappointed in the service (or lack thereof), poor communication, misleading advertising, and parsimonious behavior of the owners. I don’t ever write bad reviews unless the business is deserving of one. I know I will never be coming back to this establishment, nor will I be encouraging anyone to check FreeSoul Caffe out. There are plenty of friendly, welcoming cafes in Old Town Tustin that are much more deserving of attention and patronage. Please steer clear of this place!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Vegan restaurant. Food was very good , I had asparagus soup and a sandwich. Service was excellent.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The BLT is so delicious!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall it was a great experience with delicious food and services.
Not a ton of gluten free options mostly gluten except their soup and salads which is why I didn’t give it 5 stars but other than that their customer service has gotten way better in the last year.
Amazing vegan Branch/breakfast with lots of options. very fresh ingredients and beautiful establishment service was excellent as well. will be coming back from more !!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
🌱 A Hidden Gem for Vegan Delights
Stopped by FreeSoulCaffe for lunch today, and it instantly earned a spot on my list of favorite vegan restaurants. We tried the Panini Poulet (vegan chickin) and the Atlantic Sandwich (vegan tuna)—both were bursting with flavor and freshness, generously portioned, and deeply satisfying. Served on delicious sourdough bread, the sandwiches had just the right texture and crunch to complement the fillings. Each came with a fresh side salad brushed with just the right amount of white wine vinaigrette, adding a bright, tangy finish that elevated the meal beyond the ordinary.
The restaurant itself was spotless, and the staff were warm and attentive throughout our visit. We chose to sit outside in the peaceful courtyard, which added a lovely touch to the experience. It was clear we weren’t the only ones enjoying it—plenty of other diners were happily soaking in the atmosphere.
Whether you're vegan or just curious, I highly recommend giving FreeSoulCaffe a try. Even non-vegans are likely to walk away impressed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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