green cottage encino

BEWARE!!! this place lies and deceives people - on multiple fronts - even down to the manager/owner himself! worst of all, i clarified pre order that the beef koobideh (luleh) is all beef (i do NOT eat lamb, i can’t), to which the owner said it was mostly beef and some lamb… yet it is advertised as all “USDA Prime, Charbroiled Seasoned Prime Ground Sirloin.” that’s a quote directly from their own menu. it upsets me especially because my family has been going to this restaurant for years, even back when the tarzana location was open. i have ordered this on multiple occasions and been lied to every time i verify. upon telling this to the owner of encino, he rudely says that is impossible and they would never say that it was 100% beef, that all beef luleh has never been an option, and it has always had lamb in it. they also add a service charge (18% tip) and still attempt to guilt you into tipping more, even though they often have poor service. i am pretty sure i have even told the restaurant in the past that i am allergic to lamb… i no longer trust this restaurant due to its repeated lies (all beef, gluten free guarantee, unnecessary fees, etc) and no shame regarding being exposed for such on multiple occasions by different people, instead the boss is very arrogant and refuses to admit to being wrong in any situation that has arisen. i feel disrespected and manipulated by a restaurant i used to be loyal to (past tense now).

The food was pretty good for sure. But beware of a few things about Green Cottage that my wife and I thought were misleading and a bit shady ... * Their sign and menu say organic but the fine print in their menu says it's not certified organic. * Their fine print also states that they add 18% gratuity to all dine in checks and 14% for all take out checks. I have no problem with an 18% tip but that should be at my discretion. A 14% "service charge" for take out orders is egregious in my opinion. * We realized as we dined there that the service was not very good. The server was friendly but that's where the service ended. They forgot our drinks, didnt check on how we were doing once the entire meal (and there were maybe 4 tables with diners) and the staff was visably hanging out together on their phones and having a great time while we waited. I guess when you know you're getting an18% tip you don't have any incentive to provide good service. I will say again that the food was good but the above issues will keep us from coming back. Here is their fine print: OUR FINE PRINT Items are not certified organic. Items are not certified gluten free. They simply excluded grains that contain gluten protein, such as wheat and barley. Consuming raw or under-cooked meats, poultry, Seafood or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness........ We will make our best effort to accommodate allergies, but be aware our kitchen handles nuts, wheat, Seafood and dairy products every day........ Please alert your server of any food allergies as not all ingredients are listed on the menu........ One Complementary homemade Wood-Fire flat bread per table, Additional Bread $2 Sharing Plate $3 each / Cake Cutting Fee $2 each / Separate Check $1 each / Hot Water $1....... For Dine In: 18% Service Charge will be added to your final bill........ For Take-Out: 14% Service Charge will be added to your final bill.......If a customer is unhappy, he or she should voice their complaint to the restaurant manager on the same day that incident accrued.