WaBa Grill is a casual, quick-service restaurant. They are a teriyaki house and their focus is on health conscience meals. They serve up grilled fusion menu items that are cooked fresh to order. Meals are served as plates or bowls. There are a variety of choices available to the customers.

Their name is Korean for “come and try.” It is a fast growing company with locations in California and Arizona. On average, about 10 new franchises open every year and they were named the one of the “Fastest Growing Small Chains in America” in 2014 by Restaurant Business. They now have over 100 locations.

History

WaBa Grill was founded in Southern California in 2006. Their original name was “Fresh Grill.” Their drive is based on the principle that healthy food does not have to be expensive and that taste does not need to be sacrificed. They focused on being able to serve up delicious and healthy meals without the use of fryers or heat lamps.

Their success in the Los Angeles area was apparent. They took their slogan of “Eat Smart, Be Healthy!” and promoted the franchise. In the 6 years after their franchise was made available, they had expanded to 130 units. They crossed into Arizona in 2015 and have plans to branch out to more states in the future.

The goal is to open 2,000 locations by the year 2020. They strive to promote partnerships with their franchisees. They want all of their locations to serve those customers who are looking for a clean, satisfying, and healthy dining experience. Their mission is to create a premier choice, quick-service restaurant business model.

Their vision is to promote the teriyaki menu. They would like America to choose their quick-service model over the fast model that focuses on hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, burritos, and sandwiches. WaBa Grill would like for America to recognize that healthy food can be made quickly and still be tasty and affordable.

Review

WaBa Grill menu consists of plates, specialty plates, and rice bowls. The plates are served with rice, salad, and fruit, except for the delicious chicken-salad plate that excludes rice. The meat choices include ribs, salmon, shrimp, steak, or chicken. Rice bowls can come with a generous portion of vegetables as well.

All of their menu items are made from fresh, quality ingredients. The chicken is boneless, skinless, and fat-trimmed. The salads are prepared shortly before they are served. The veggies are lightly steamed. The meats are charbroiled. They do not fry anything and they do not use any oil to cook.

In addition to being cooked fresh to order, their selections are low fat with low calories. The calories are displayed on the items. For example, the steak veggie bowl is 590 calories and the shrimp veggie bowl is 440 calories. There are low carb options and high protein options available.

The items are filling and satisfying. The meal items range between about $6 to around $10, and they definitely serve up value. The interiors are fun and modern. It is a clean and comfortable place to grab a quick and scrumptious meal. The service is exceptional and they welcome feedback. WaBa Grill is a wonderful place to eat healthy for a great price.