Serves meat, vegan options available. Long-established local eatery offering Americana cuisine and Southwest comfort food, rooted in traditional New Mexican specialties. Several marked vegan dishes, including vegan french toast, burrito, vegan riblet sandwich, black bean burger (cheese). Have a variety of specials on weekends, including desserts from Vegan Treats and Little Fig. Open Mon 9:00am-9:00pm, Tue 10:00am-3:00pm, Thu 10:00am-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 9:00am-10:00pm, Sun 9:00am-9:00pm. Takeout window will open at 7am daily.
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Last update on 05 Oct 2024 by jmathias6
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74 Reviews
First Review by NIBsmf
SuzT
Points +937
Good vegan variety - Edit
There is a good amount of vegan options here. I ordered the faux-chorizo tacos from the carry out window. Unfortunately the corn tortillas were broken when I got home to eat them. They were okay, would have been great with a little vegan sour cream 🙂
Read morePros: Good vegan options , Offers a carry out menu
Guest
ACCVeg
Points +1369
Surprised by all of the vegan options - Edit
We ended up here on Monday night as many of the other vegan places in town seemed to be closed on Mondays. We knew there were vegan options, but our expectations were low. So! We were pleasantly surprised to see so many great choices. We enjoyed the Thai soup, the Buffalo Cauliflower and the Brussels sprouts, and were almost too full to manage the vegan French toast, but somehow we made room. All of these dishes were delicious. Noticed that their all day breakfast choices include the option to substitute Just Egg for an upcharge, so will try that next time. Definitely worth a return trip.
Read morePros: Many clearly labelled vegan options, Really tasty food
Guest
iwouldbesad
Points +43
One of the best - Edit
Golden West is one of my favorite restaurants. There are plenty of vegan options no matter what you’re in the mood for. They consistently present new flavors and vegan meals. And there’s cake! They also feature smaller local bakeries for donuts and such. I’d give it 5 stars if I could.
Read morePros: Creative vegan options, baked goods!, great service
Guest
Laurenveronica7
Points +1672
Tasty but tasteless decor - Edit
The many vegan options here are absolutely delicious, but the taxidermy decor is saddening or cruel. For a place having so many vegan options you think they’d be more considerate on their decor. The other decor is fun and unique, the dead animals on the walls are unnecessary.
Read morePreviously they had vegan donuts, then discontinued, but I believe they are back! Hooray! I love their drummies and tots, a fully vegan option for dipping sauces.
Pros: Drummies, Vegan donuts, Totsssss
Cons: Dead animal decor
Guest
JuliannElmer
Points +34
Absolutely Delicious! - Edit
This place is awesome! It’s a cute restaurant with lots of options- and everything is great!
Read morePros: Vegan options galore!, So good!
Guest
DarleneMoak
Points +91
Great place, would definitely go back - Edit
Went to this wonderful restaurant with my nephew & his girlfriend. We all ordered from the vegan selections although they are not completely vegan (yet :)). We got the brussel sprouts with teriyaki sauce (yummy & cooked just right), sweet potato fries (they were supposed to have rosemary topping, didn't really taste too much of that but they were still delicious), then main course of (for me) Aztec burrito with "faux-rizo", taco plate and fajitas with Un-chicken for them. The burrito incorporated plaintains (I am crazy about plaintains) & was very flavorful. Our waiter was very friendly & helpful. All in all an excellent experience.
Read moreI disagree with another reviewer who thought that things were overpriced. I think we got a lot of food for a very reasonable price.
The only slight (and it is slight) drawback is that parking might be a challenge. We did all right parking a few blocks back in a residential neighborhood but we were probably a little before the busiest time (around 5PM).
Pros: Tasty food , Reasonably priced, Many vegan options
Cons: Parking might be a challenge
Guest
MargRock
Points +32
helpful staff & lots of menu options - Edit
A non-vegan friend brought me here; it seems like a great place when you have people with very different ideas of the perfect breakfast. I had the Drew Special and shared tater tots with (an enormous side of) BBQ sauce. (Was torn between options- French toast?? Tofu wings?? Breakfast burrito?? Donuts??) Huge cup of great coffee with refills and generous soy milk given to add. Our waiter was knowledgeable and helpful and even though it was slammed for Sunday brunch he was attentive to our table.
Read morePros: lots of menu options , damn fine coffee
Cons: inevitable long wait for a table on the weekend
Guest
ozzythevegan
Points +56
Good not great - Edit
Appreciate the vegan options, and love the atmosphere. However, it's incredibly expensive for what you get. The vegan dishes are alright--very simple, and definitely things I could make at home. It's a nice place to go for brunch with friends, but not worth the price in my opinion
Read morePros: good atmosphere
Cons: expensive okay vegan food
Guest
ireneatlife
Points +103
Fun Vegan options - Edit
I come here occasionally and have always liked the options and my choices. Great teriyaki Brussel sprouts, vegan burrito with chorizo, salads, and tacos. I recently got the Warm Vietnamese Salad which was great! It had un-chicken and a housemade peanut sauce that was fantastic. They also offer Vegan desserts but I haven't tried them yet. Great atmosphere, will keep going here. Thanks!!
Read morePros: Nicely priced, Creative Vegan options, Nice vibe
Cons: Sometimes loud
Guest
corvid
Points +86
Much better for vegans than it used to be - Edit
Golden West has a checkered past when it comes to serving vegans. It's almost as if they used to have a chip on their shoulders about veganism. They were militant about not substituting items, which is an absurd concept when it comes to dining out as a vegan. For a long time they only had one breakfast item for vegans: the Drew Special, which was and still is good, if a bit uninspired, but variety keeps the customer coming back. There were/are also odd inconsistencies like vegetarian sandwiches made on non-vegan rolls and buffalo tofu "wings" that weren't vegan. No self-respecting vegan has any patience for nonsensical aberrations like this. It was also not always clear from the menu what was actually vegan and what wasn't, and the servers often had no clue, either.
Read moreSince those dark days they have vastly improved their vegan options and relaxed their draconian rules regarding substituting. A lot more vegan options for all meal times have shown up clearly marked on the menu. Vegan specials and desserts also appeared, where they had never before been an option.
The problem with Golden West, though, is that everyone wants to eat there all the time but especially on the weekends. Don't even bother trying to go to brunch on a weekend unless you're prepared for a 20-30 minute wait at minimum. If you really want to eat there, it's best to go at some off time, like an early breakfast, a late lunch, or a very early dinner. Weekdays are recommended.
Pros: better vegan options now, cool decor
Cons: long wait for a table, wait staff not always reliable
Guest
CrunchyVeganGal
Points +546
Hip Vibe with Tasty Sips and Bites - Edit
This one is within walking distance to me, so I absolutely love it. I can get my breakfast fix (Vegan French Toast!!!!), and my southwestern fix all in one place. It's a place where I can bring my carnivorous friends and family but still have ample options to choose from that are awesome comfort items. It has a fantastic bar and is ocming out with a walk-up window soon, I absolutely can't wait! Highly recommend.
Read morePros: Love the variety, Vegan breakfast options!!, Scrumptious food!
Cons: Still a bit of meat on the menu, Can get busy and noisy
Guest
tcasalena
Points +99
best vegan brunch in town - Edit
this place's vegan options rival all the veg restaurants in town, especially brunch. top picks: the drew special, Aztec burrito and the vegan French toast. Great beer selection and sometimes a special vegan desert or dish, fun neighborhood, excellent service.
Read morePros: Vegan options , service, location
Guest
ChelseaDreyer
Points +16
a favorite - Edit
The BBQ Un-Chicken sandwich is amazing. They have great vegan options but it's best to go after 5 when they have the dinner menu. The lunch one is pretty limited.
Read moreGuest
Raesock
Points +679
Cute and good! - Edit
This place was a perfect stop for lunch on our way through Baltimore. The restaurant has very cute, fun decor and lots of clearly marked vegan options. We shared an order of the garlic fries as an appetizer which my husband LOVED! He got the vegan burrito, and I had the vegan french toast. I haven't had french toast since going vegan three years ago and it was amazing! I need to figure out the recipe to use at home! We also had an order of hashbrowns which were just ok. Our waiter was great and mentioned when something we started to order wasn't vegan. He was knowledgeable and nice. Our only disappointment was they were out of their vegan dessert options because the earl grey cake sounded so good! Bonus, the restaurant was in a cool neighborhood and we actually spent about two hours walking around looking at the shops. It made us wish we'd planned to stay in Baltimore a little longer.
Read morePros: breakfast, cute, lots of options
Cons: serves meat
Guest
DeniseSpeight
Points +24
Thanks for all the options - Edit
This is a fun Hampden "local vibe" place with many excellent options for vegans including both pre-packaged (but well presented) and from scratch dishes. They also had a few vegan cake options for dessert which made me very happy to see. I have had 4 of their dishes and all were good or excellent. There are also ample other dishes if you are eating out with a non-veg companion or group. I did not love the animal heads on the wall, however the host was happy to seat me where they were not as visible.
Read morePros: Well prepared, Ample amounts, Several Choices
Cons: Animal heads on the wall, Staff friendliness varies greatly
Guest
Jenthevegan13
Points +39
What a great find! - Edit
We loved Golden West Cafe-- enough that during our very short stay in Baltimore we ate there twice.
Read moreWe were very pleasantly surprised at all of the vegetarian and vegan options. Also note that something not labeled exclusively as vegan can easily be veganized.
We got the Riblet Sandwich and the Un-Chicken Sandwich. Both bursting with flavor and the veggie protein was incredibly textured. Large portions as well. However, our favorite part of both meals was the appetizer- White Bean Bruschetta.. Oh my word. Nothing short of amazing.. Bursting with unique flavor. It's a must try. The coffee is incredible and we were even more surprised that they actually had a vegan dessert option- chai cake. Yum.
The atmosphere is unique.. Looks like they decorated the restaurant in nothing but sweet Goodwill finds. The menus are bound by record covers and the music is fun and loud. A very eclectic, energetic feel. Overall I definitely recommend anyone (specifically vegan and vegetarians) to stop by & support this local restaurant that offers lots of veg-friendly options!
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Fun, funky atmosphere, Local, independently owned
Cons: Staff is just okay, Needs more vegan dessert options, Very cold- could have used some heat!
Guest
KerryGoesVegan
Points +67
Good but not original - Edit
I like the food, but they break the cardinal rule of what I would serve to guests. They use a lot of pre-packaged processed food that is available at retail stores. I like original food prepared in a way that makes me want to cook at a higher level. The Brussels sprouts are made with a sauce you get at Trader Joes. The vegan ribs are Morning Star(or some other prepared product). When I found out that they aren't even taking the time to make the vegan ribs themselves, it soured my opinion of their approach. I like the warm vegan salad, however, my peanut sauce is tastier and I make it from scratch. I think they can do better than repackage other's food.
Read morePros: Fast friendly service, Food for every diet, Family friendly
Cons: Serves repackaged processed food., Shut down grill every day from 3-5, Brunch has few vegan options.
Guest
lizbelden
Points +67
Delicious! - Edit
We went to Golden West mid afternoon. We had a reservation for 6, but we spent the day watching our son graduate from college, then helped him move out of his dorm, so by 4:15, we were STARVING!
Read moreThe dining room didn't open until 5, so we sat at the bar. My husband started with a garden salad, which he loved. Sam and I shared some guacamole , hot sauce and chips. They were perfect. Freshly made chips, just the right amount of salt, chunky flavorful guacamole, and the hot sauce had a great kick.
We all had burritos, and they were amazing. Huge and bursting with flavor. Veg currizo, beans, rice, tomatoes, yum! We all ended up getting go boxes. I'd noticed vegan desserts in a case when we entered, so I had the bartender box me up the most chocolate one available. Chocolate cake with cookies & cream frosting made a great late dinner and breakfast the next day.
Friendly folks, amazing food. I'll definitely be back!!!
Pros: Delicious food, Huge portions, Friendly folks
Cons: Weird antler/hunter vibe
Guest
yellowdog democrat
Points +33
Golden West Cafe in Hampden, Baltimore MD - Edit
Many more options than online menus suggest, with many meat free options and many meat substitutes. Have eaten there several times and have always been happy: from breakfast any time of day with fake sausage to the Warm Vietnamese Salad a couple of weeks ago, I'm always amazed at the depth of flavor and just plain deliciousness of the food. Plus many delicious cocktails, Boddingtons in a can, and great live shows late at night after service ends. Definitely the best food I've had in Hampden and worth checking out for both vegans and vegetarians.
Read morePros: excellent food, good value, friendly staff
Cons: sometimes slow service, can get noisy when full, not terribly cheap
Guest
NIBsmf
Points +1339
A Fun Place with Good Options - Edit
As for the restaurant itself: cute, quirky, and fun. I had heard bad things about the servers, but I had absolutely no problem with them. They were friendly and helpful. The crowd became more "hipster"-y as the night went on (I was there for a few hours to see my brother's band play)... a bad or good thing depending on who you are. The food: I shared some tater tots as an appetizer. They came with ranch and some mildly spicey dipping sauces. The tots were yummy. There were A LOT of veggie options for entrees (e.g. portobello sandwich, veggie sandwiches with cheeses, Mexican dishes, etc), but there were not a lot of vegan options. I myself am not completely vegan but try to be, so I went with the vegan burrito. It was good (and HUGE!), but it was too spicey for my liking. I didn't bother to ask for it to be made less spicey because I had read reviews online saying that the restaurant will not make changes to your dish upon request. I decided to "be bad" for dessert and had a banana cupcake... not vegan, but absolutely freaking DELICIOUS! It was so moist. And it wasn't too rich. It was seriously orgasmic! I would go back and try some other foods there. Oh, and I have heard they get really busy, but I myself did not have a problem with getting seated on a Friday night (though it was near 9pm).
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Friday September 24, 2010: I have since returned to Golden West many times since this review, and I continue to enjoy it. There are only a handful of vegan options, but I'm still pleased with the options. I recommend the Drew Special! Oh, and I love that Golden West has vegan thai iced teas... I make sure to get one every time I'm there since that is something hard to come by.
Pros: Fun and quirky atmosphere, Good variety of , Friendly and helpful staff
Cons: Not a whole lot of vegan options, Can get busy = a wait, Not as cheap as I'd like, but not bad
Guest
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