Hart House isn’t your average fast-food restaurant; from savory to sweet, the food, drinks and cookies leave you with an unforgettable, delicious taste. Plus, everything is 100% plant-based!
Actor, comedian, and entrepreneur Kevin Hart opened his first 100% plant-based restaurant in late August. Since then, the restaurant has gained over 100,000 followers on social media and opened its second location in Monrovia, California, 15 minutes from APU’s campus.
The Monrovia location opened on Nov. 9, 2022, with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. This week, I had the opportunity to try and review the new location — you’re in for a treat because Hart House isn’t one you want to pass up. From shakes to burgers, salads to teas and more, the restaurant has you covered from meals to desserts. The employees were also very friendly and welcoming and will be highlighted in this review.
Photo courtesy of Alana Perkins
You can look forward to a wide variety of sandwiches on their menu. According to Hart House employees, the Deluxe Hot N’ Crispy Chicken is the most popular sandwich. This crispy chicken is dipped in Hart House hot sauce with Hunny mustard and pickles, topped with their kale crunch slaw. You can have this sandwich alone for $7.99 or as a meal for $12.49.
Some menu items include 4-8 piece nuggets, caesar salad and a kale crunch salad for $6.99 each. There are also vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and Oreo shakes. Regular-sized shakes are $3.99 and large ones are $5.99. Other drinks on the menu include unsweet tea, organic juice, organic sodas and canned water, ranging from $2.70 to $2.99.
I tried the Deluxe Hot N’ Crispy chicken sandwich, Oreo shake, french fries and organic soda when visiting the location, starting with the Deluxe Hot N’ Crispy chicken sandwich. This sandwich melted in my mouth and left me wanting more. The balance between the Hunny mustard and pickles — topped with their kale crunch slaw — was perfect.
If you aren’t a mustard lover like me, you don’t need to worry because while eating this sandwich, my general dislike for mustard went away. The Hunny mustard wasn’t strong or overpowering. It was just right and was a nice touch to the sandwich. The breading on the sandwich is soft and the irresistible taste makes you forget that it’s plant-based.
You can also choose from a variety of 6 sauces to go with your meal. I chose the smokey BBQ and creamy ranch. The smokey BBQ tasted like sauce from an iconic backyard barbeque and the creamy ranch was extra rich in taste. They also provide organic ketchup.
Photo courtesy of Alana Perkins
Hart House also turns up the heat on their crispy chicken sandwich. The Deluxe Hot N’ Crispy chicken is the number six sandwich on the menu with a “dipped in heat” flame next to the picture on the menu. If you aren’t in love with spicy foods, you can get the same sandwich without the extra spice. This sandwich is marked on the menu as number four. They have six sandwiches on their menu, with meals ranging from $10.49-$12.49 and single sandwiches from $5.99 to $7.99.
Next up, I tried the Oreo shake offered on their menu. The shake is unlike any I’ve tasted before. Typically, shakes can be too thick or too sweet after a few sips. The Oreo shake offered at Hart House is the complete opposite; it wasn’t too thick and the consistency made you want more. This shake tastes creamy, and the Oreos weren’t too much. This is an all-shake, no-milk drink that pairs perfectly with the food options listed on the menu.
Adding to my meal, I had the french fries listed on the menu. The french fries weren’t too greasy or too salty. They tasted like your traditional, perfectly-made french fries — crispy on the outside, soft on the inside — and I recommend them for your meal.
Lastly, I tried the organic sodas. Hart House continues to change the game and provides organic soda options like cherry cream, kola cola, kola cola lite, lemon grass and root beer. Each has a certified organic soda label on its selection. I enjoyed the root beer organic soda; it was very refreshing. The rich flavor of the organic root beer is game-changing and makes for the perfect fizzy drink. I also added a twist to the sodas by mixing cherry lime and lemongrass, calling it the “Alana Morgan Signature.” It tasted like an organic version of a sprite.
Photo courtesy of Alana Perkins
Overall, I recommend Hart House to everyone! Their meal didn’t disappoint; everything was rich and flavorful in taste, and the employees were also incredibly kind. Employees who helped make my experience at the Monrovia location unforgettable were Christian Munguia, Steven Robles and Annie Bermin. All employees were very kind and truly helpful.
The restaurant also provides plant-based cookies at the front next to the cashiers, and the employees provided me with three unique cookies to try: snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and confetti sugar, which were amazing!
Aaliyah Lambert, the marketing associate of the Hart House team, made this review possible and highly memorable. Thank you to Hart House for hosting me! Stay updated on their website and Instagram account for more information on Hart House and new locations. Hart House is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.