Nekter Juice Bar is located in the Metlox Plaza in downtown Manhattan Beach. Their menu of 100% all natural, raw and vegan concoctions has everyone buzzing around juices, smoothies, and more.
My kids were the first people to tell me about Nekter. Not because they wanted me to try their juices, but because of their location: the previous tenant of the juice bar’s space was Coldstone Creamery.
So the kids turned their noses up, more in protest than dismay. They pined about not being about to get ice cream but I was immediately interested. Nicole and I have been juicing at home for a while and loving the results. Juicing is hard work though, and if I could get the same (if not better) results than what I can get at home I was willing to at least take a look.
Working with the team at Nekter*, I checked out two of their juice bars. I took the kids to visit the Westwood location and Nicole and I visited the shop in Manhattan Beach. Here’s what we found!
Plenty of Options to Choose From
True to their juice bar name, the menu at Nekter has plenty of fresh squeezed options to choose from. Visitors can choose from several pre-concocted juice blends and smoothies. You can also opt to “make your own blend”. Either way, the juices for each beverage are pressed to order.
I picked “The Greenie” (Parsley, spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, lemon and apple) and Nicole chose “The Buzz” (carrot, orange, lemon and ginger).
During my visit with the kids, they went for more citrus and and berry focused blends and chose the “Orange Crush” smoothie; a blend of OJ, strawberries, and agave nectar blended with ice.
Because all the juice blends are made to order, it takes a minute or two for them to be prepped and served. For folks that are in more of a hurry, there are also bottled options; these juices have been pressed, bottled and chilled for grabbing juice on the go.
Not Just Juice
While juice is certainly the focus, Nekter also has options for healthy eating. We craft acai bowls at home so we had to try one of theirs for comparison. It passed the test! In Nekter’s bowl, they blend Acai, berries, banana, and cashew nut milk and then top it all off with hempseed granola and even more fruit.
Other healthy snacks are available for nomming including fresh fruit, Clif Bars, and Pop Chips.
Juice Will Always Win
After working our way through the Nekter menu, I gotta say I was very pleased with their blends and the wide variety of options. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and easy (since I didn’t have to juice anything myself and then clean up the pulp afterward) so I’ll be back for more.
I also appreciate the prices; juices and smoothies start at $4.75 for a 16 ounce serving. Definitely affordable enough for when I want a juice fix or a something cold to sip on.
As for the kids, they still miss Coldstone but I’m bringing them over to the juice side. The next time we go for juice and they ask for ice cream instead, the juice will always win.
Nekter has locations around Los Angeles and Orange County. Hours and services vary by location so check their website for details.
- Nekter Juice Bar
- www.nekterjuicebar.com
- 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5318
- Mon-Fri: 7 AM – 7 PM, Sat-Sun: 8 AM – 6 PM
* Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice. Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. This story was accurate when it was published and reflects the uninfluenced opinions of the reviewers.