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Categories: Japanese, Vegetarian, Sushi Bars
Neighborhoods: North Berkeley, Gourmet Ghetto"I just wanted to note, in case anyone was wondering, that this is still and always will be - as far as I know - my favorite restaurant in…" read more »
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They would have had five stars, but the staff were really snotty with us and tried to seat three of us on a two seater table. Their attitude did change when they realised we had big appetites and were going to be ordering a lot of food...so we got our four seater.
Order the fried tofu - I saw this recommended on someon elses review and it was great advice. Order pretty much anything and you will be happy. Between three girls we ordered 5 starters and four mains and completely cleaned our plates. The food is incredible and you won't care if your missing you meat.
The menu at this restaurant looked so amazing: so many creative twists on Japanese and vegetarian dining. The Agedashi Tofu ( Deep- Fried Tofu) was essentially a soup of four large pieces of tofu with some hijiki seaweed; it wasn't very gingery. My friend ordered the Cha-Ya roll, which includes yams and avocados. It was drenched in the "house sauce" and was consequently quite heavy. Interesting taste but not the type of thing you'd want to eat without breaking it up with other flavors. I got the Taku-Sui, which was a flavorless broth with minimal noodles. It does have a lot of vegetables in it, so it felt healthy. But it wasn't what I expected.
It took a long time to get more water and to get the bill.
I liked the atmosphere and smallness of the restaurant. One can watch her sushi being made, too.
If I were to come here again, I'd totally try anything but what I ordered this past time.
I've passed this place many times, never inspired enough to go in. I passed it again last night with my friend and told him, I always go back to the same good places but sometimes I want to be adventurous and try something new.
"Lets be adventurous," he says.
And the result is a pretty ambivalent review. I ordered one of their $20 dinner specials that comes with soup and salad. Entrees were Moon Cake and a Portobello mushroom tempura with kiwi sauce (sounded interesting).
The Moon Cake was awesome. I applaud them for that.
Everything else was okay, but was so rushed! The waitress was clearly impatient: we came in at 8:30 and I guess the place closes at 9:30? But still, I had barely eaten my salad when all the food was there. Everything got cold because I couldn't eat it fast enough. Two people ran the food out and both had sour demeanor. The checks were slapped down on all of the tables at one point, and the place was still quite full. I don't like seeing people with mouthfulls of food being shoved the check...
And the mushroom and kiwi sauce was weird.
So I'd only go back for the Moon Cake. It wasn't the dining experience that makes me like a place but the food is decent.
People thought this was:
My roommate and I were craving for a clean and refined vegetarian dinner last night and lucky us, we live right next to the line of restaurants along shattuck in north berkeley.
Small, homie and clean-- cha-ya is a nice place for a couple to have dinner in. It seemed as though the sushi bar felt communal, people were sitting right next to each other. The sushi bar was packed last night and a couple of people had to wait outside to get their seats. I'm sure it was all worth the wait because of the food.
We had mushroom soup, an avocado roll and a sushi bowl. I was not that big of a fan of the sushi bowl. The ingredients listed on the menu were overwhelmingly packed and I have never even heard of most of them-- one of the reasons why I tried it-- when do you usually get to eat 15 kinds of vegetables in one plate for dinner?
Their vegetables were fresh and well prepared . Flavors were very clean and mild. I felt good after eating... it satisfied my palette without having to eat something gritty for the night :]
People thought this was:
Vegan sushi. WTF! Who comes up with this sh*t? My original thoughts came across as rip-off, WTF, are u serious, and how will this be good?
Well shit on me because actually coming here and trying the rolls has turned my whole outlook around. Never would I have thought that veggie rolls could make an impact on my life but the way that the rolls were put together was pure deliciousness. The Summer Green Roll was balls-on delicious.
Don't come here with a party of peeps because the whole place only fits about 15 and expect to wait outside for a table.
Super impressed by veggies here. A must try for vegetarians and not.
People thought this was:
holy mother of god.
this is possibly the best restaurant in the universe. everything I have ever had here (& I have pretty much had every item on the very extensive menu) is amazing. it is totally vegan which is a bonus for me, but omnivores love it too. I have brought many many people to worship @ the House of Cha-Ya & they have all left converts.
goma-ae, tempura rolls, tonchi nasu, eggplant nigiri & noodle salad are my faves.
this is also my 7 year old's fave place... especially since they gave her a delicious vegan chocalte cake on her b-day :)
it is a tiny storefront, so there can be a wait & it is Berkeley, so parking can be tricky. totally worth it. cash only for lunch.
People thought this was:
So there I am, hanging out in Tilden Park with my friend, and we are talking about what to do next, of course there is the obligatory trip to the mecca of madness, Emeryville store-town USA, to find underbuilt and overpriced cellphones at Sprint, when all of the sudden, the old hunger monster begins his slow assault on my friends system.
My friend, being a vegan, just did not seem up to my usual haunts of blood and guts beef and pork emporiums, hm, go figure. So she suggests one of her favorite locals in the Peoples Repubic of Berkeley, Cha-Ya.
Having had a couple of very nice vegan dinners, one in which I cooked for her, I thought, why not. Well, this was without a doubt the best move I have made in many a years. Cha-Ya is amazing. Super duper crowded, but, well, well, well, worth the wait.
The flavors, consistancies, and quality of food care and preparation were as good or better than some of the best "regular" Japanese restaurants that I have ever been to in the City. We both had the tofu soup w/ vegetables, she has the soba noodles, I had the udon, and we shared a plate of sushi. Everything was divine, and I will be going back often. Don't get me wrong, I am still a dedicated mega-vore on a strict "see food" diet (I see food, I eat it), but, vegan or not, this place is just plain GREAT!
Joe Bob sez Check it Out!
People thought this was:
I got the Cha-Ya delight and the only downfall of this dish was the pickled carrots. Blech. Everything about this dish screamed healthiness, I could barely take the blandness of the vegetables. I usually love the dullness of boiled vegetables, but that's only when I'm super healthy and unfortunately I have not been working out regularly so I felt like I couldn't fully appreciate the food that was being served.
The brown rice was wonderfully seasoned and a joy to savor in my mouth.
Best noodles in the world, nice Japanese-bar-style set-up, and attentive staff. Try the potstickers (gyoza) for a true kick in the mouth. The tempura (and tempura sticks) are also great. But try the homemade noodles, for sure. My absolute favorite noodle shop, and I'm so lucky that there are two within driving distance of my home (Berkeley & SF).
People thought this was:
errrrrrrrrr, I LOVE this place ever since I discovered it!!!
When my friends came to visit and I offered to take them to this Japanese restaurant (while they know I am vegan), and they were like, omg surprised!
and they were really omg surprised and delighted with the food they had at Cha-Ya.
Sushi was great, miso soup was tasty and flavorful, and just about everything we ordered we enjoyed so much that we almost had to give up the ice cream later
doesn't matter how many times I visit, I still always love it!
Just remember, if it's during lunch time, you gotta get there early otherwise it takes long; and if it's dinner time, please get there early too!
The space is quite small, but lovely and cozy, not great for group more than 4!
People thought this was:
Honestly, sometimes I think that the food in Berkeley is enough of a reason for me to move back. After living in Los Angeles for year, deterred by my mom's method of cooking greens and the plain fact that for many Angelenos, vegan food means imitation meat or salad, I find that most of my diet consists of soy, meat or carbs. This is why Cha Ya is so good. They make eating veggies tasty and hearty.
Even though I live in a neighborhood where Japanese expatriots are abound - and with them Japanese restaurants and supermarkets, I have yet to find anything like Cha Ya.
I doubt you can go wrong with anything at Cha Ya, but if you're going to come here, I'd steer you towards their broiled veggies or their veggie soup. Sushi is not a stand out.
People thought this was:
Nice restaurant. It has variety and it's own specialties, it's vegan, sushi, and japanese style food!! (Soo exciting!)
Everything generally is quite pleasing. I gave it 4 stars because..
The food is "just right!", but not "perfect"; almost all foods have a stronger flavor (stronger sour-salty, but they include every flavor). The waitress gives nice service but felt a little stoic. The restaurant is small and receives the just enough of sun. The portions are also "just right" to make you full, but not too full; usually I like to enjoy smaller portions of foods I enjoy. It was nice.
For people who love vegetarian and japanese food, this is the place for you. All the food is top quality with interesting textures and great flavors. Ask for the popular menu (it's a list of their top 10). Off the list I got the cha-ya roll and stuffed eggplant. The eggplant was my favorite among the 2. It had japanese stuffing (beans and whatnot) stuffed into an eggplant shell and then deep fried on the outside. Crunchy outside, moist inside. The cha-ya roll was similar but to be honest, not as interesting (just a veggie roll that is also deep fried). Everything has a light taste. All in all, my girlfriend loved it and I was ehhhh... but that's because I like strong tastes (she says my taste buds are just shot and need either really sweet or really salty). Oh well.
I've had better. This place got great reviews, and it's nearby, so we figured we'd check it out one night when we had a craving for Japanese.
Maybe I'm missing something, or didn't order the right items, but really the this place just wasn't that great, and pricey to boot.
it's important to say, however, that the miso soup was delicious! really great. but not a reason to return.
the menu was a little confusing with the two-entree-special and having to pick what two we wanted. since we wanted miso and salad, it seemed like the best deal to just do the dinner special (even though all my husband wanted as an entree was tempura).
the tofu custard thing wasn't bad (it was weird having hot cucumbers, but they weren't bad), although it was filling. the noodle thing i got was just too much and i ended up having them package it up to take home. my husband got the same soup and we both picked at it but should have taken that home, too. the plus to this is that i'm not used to eating at vegan restaurants and having TOO MUCH food-- usually i leave hungry. california does vegan food really well!
the jasmine green tea was pretty delicious, and so was dessert. we split a (really really small) sundae with some nifty sauces on it.
i might return to try out their sushi, and some more miso soup. but not for the other entrees.
also, ProTip: prepare for a wait. we went early on a weeknight and waited for a good 40 minutes or so.
The food's pretty good (summer green roll, sansai soba + sansai wakame zaru soba), but I didn't quite appreciate the atmosphere.
Feeling a little homesick for Japanese food, I came here with a friend, the other day, and I just didn't feel good vibes. That being said, we had already been given menus and water, so I didn't want to be impolite by just walking out of the restaurant.
I think what put me off was that:
1. It was a bit quiet for me
2. With a small restaurant like that, I think it's only right for the restaurant employees to be more warm/home-y to their customers
3. I don't want to sound mean, but the fact that 5 out of 6 people working weren't Japanese, and were kind of fooling around in the back of the kitchen just kind of put me off.
That being said. It's nice to know that I can enjoy my japanese food but still keep my vegetarianism, unlike at home where my mother still makes miso soup with bonito broth.
People thought this was:
THIS IS VEGAN AT ITS BEST.
Everything is delicious here. I love getting Udon and some rolls. Then top it all off with their "ice cream sunday."
It's safe to say this is my favorite vegan restaurant. I wish I could afford to eat there tonight.
People thought this was:
Its incredibly difficult for me to order at Cha-Ya because everything is so fantastic! Seriously, I love it all. Especially ALL of the rolls and the buckwheat soba salad - not only is it delicious but its practically art its so beautiful! My dining companion and I tried the yellow moons for dessert - I loved the subtle sweetness of the fried banana topped with adzuki bean sauce and the mild bitterness of the green tea - a great balance of flavor and texture.
Parking Tip: After something like 6:00, the bakery next door closes and that means you can park in the parking lot behind Cha-Ya. Not to say its legal (read the signs) but you can probably get away with it.
People thought this was:
If you don't mind the wait, then you'll enjoy their fresh salads My favorite is the soba salad served with edamame, strawberries, mushrooms and a very tasty dressing . Their sukiyaki soup is very wonderful on a cold night & is served with silver noodles. The Agedashi Tofu is a generous portion served with a side of green onions, white radish and ginger to add to your liking with light ponzu sauce. A must for vegans and vegetarian enthusiasts.
Vegan sushi is the future. And it is so tasty and so neat, you will hardly miss the fish.
mmmm-mmmm-good! I had never heard of vegetarian Japanese cuisine before Chaya. I am definitely a fan. Conveniently located on Shattuck avenue, this has now become a favorite spot of my best friend and I. My dish of choice is the Kinoko Miso soup. Its many mushroom varieties make for a diversity of both texture and flavor. The portion size is enough for it to be a medium size meal by itself. The atmosphere is cozy. This is perfect for intimate encounters or close conversation with a friend. The service is always friendly. Check it out, but beware...you may get hooked!
This place was awful. Our vegetables were overcooked; everything tasted the same (soggy veggies smothered in pasty sauce); and our potstickers were burnt. Truly terrible. I have literally *nothing* good to say about this place.
I like the food and atmosphere.
A bit pricey though.
Wasn't disappointed in the food, but the server's are grumpy.
Also seemed put out by having to write separate checks.
This place is tiny, so you need to plan well in order to not wait outside forever. Luckily when I went, we didn't need to wait long.
Despite not being a vegetarian or vegan, I have seen this place consistently reviewed well, so I wanted to check it out. I got the mushroom medley tempura which was great. We shared the Cha-Ya roll, which I enjoyed, but the ginger flavor in the sauce was nearly overpowering. My friend got Japanese curry ramen, which was quite good; I really like Japanese curry.
Service was good, and the price wasn't too bad. Definitely check it out if you're in the area!
My Favorite place to eat in Berkeley.
I love that it's so small, and the whole menu is vegan.
It's the ONLY place that I will actually eat sushi at.
(regular sushi places always use the same knives for eveything so I can never even get an avocado roll cuz it they would tast like fish)
Hence one of the many reasons why I love Cha-Ya.
You can't get deep fried vegan sushi anywhere except here, trust me I've looked! So that was one of the first things I ordered.
Another great thing about this place is that they have alot of Macrobiotic friendly plates.
It's cool because the place is so small that the chefs are actually out in the dining area preparing food as its ordered. It does get a little crowded in there, and you usually have to wait if you show up for dinner on a friday or saturday, but trust me the wait is worth it.
Try the deep fried bananas with green tea sauce for dessert, they're to die for.
People thought this was:
my favorite restraunt. EVER!!!!!!!!!
im vegan, and japanese food is my favorite.
BUT, it doesn't automatically get my favoritism because of that.
i've definitely had crappy vegan japanese food.
this place is honestly amazing.
People thought this was:
It is such a relief to sit down and scan a menu knowing that I can eat anything and everything on it. At Cha-Ya, there's the added benefit of delicate flavors, and the feeling at the end of the meal that you've done yourself a favor. It's tiny, and popular, and crowded, but it's worth it to wait on the sidewalk for half an hour until your name is called, knowing that a beautiful, relaxing, fresh, tasty meal awaits.
I love Japanese food and to find a Japanese restaurant that is vegetarian/vegan to suit my parents and relatives that were visiting out of town was quite unique. So, of course my sisters and I had to take them there and try it. Since we had a party of 12, we made reservations even though they were a bit reluctant to give it to us because they don't take reservations. Somehow we were able to do so. It's also CASH ONLY, credit cards are not accepted even for bigger parties.
The service was average. Not as attentive in removing the empty dishes on the tables and refilling our water. I don't understand why not though because it is a small restaurant. When we ordered the food, we ordered it by number (like #13-dengaku). We just said #13 because it seemed confusing for the waitress and for us. When the food came out, they announced the dish in Japanese, but our party didn't remember the dish's name, other then the number and some of the dishes that came out didn't seem like what they ordered. It was quite confusing!
As for the food, we had many dishes, salads, and rolls. I would have to say all their special rolls were a good (big) size and they were pretty tasty. I don't remember one of the salad's names (it was like shredded vegetables with white vinegar I believe), but that lacked taste. I just wanted to add either salt or the other salad dressing on top. I wasn't able to try all the other 11 dishes that people ordered, but the food looked very healthy! My eggplant and tofu was ok. The miso sauce on top of these two were a bit thick and strong. I think if the miso sauce was a bit thinner, it would be better. Or I would have liked to have my tofu with miso and the eggplant with another sauce, so there could be more than one taste on the plate.
Overall, I think it's pretty healthy. I would come here again and try some more dishes, but I would also like to see more from them. I think this place has so much more potential than what it's now.
This cute, tiny little restaurant is a great choice for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters alike. You may not believe me, but even die hard meat sushi fans will enjoy this place.
I would make reservations or show up at a good time, otherwise there is likely to be a decent wait. Also due to the size of the restaurant, you will find yourself very nearly at the same table with those next to you. I think this adds to the atmosphere but some people may be uncomfortable. There is also seating at the sushi bar.
Everything I had was truly excellent. The rolls were well thought out, had fresh ingredients and were quite filling. The prices are reasonable as well.
I highly recommend this place.
People thought this was:
Initially tempted to give them a 3 star review, but it wouldn't be fair. I'm not a vegetarian by trade, so I'm not their target market, but admittedly, the dishes they put out here will probably satisfy your vegetarian needs, so I think that merits the 4 star rating.
Japanese and vegetarian are not words usually used together (unless "not" is part of that sentence). But Cha-Ya does have pretty good vegetarian versions of Japanese favorites. Yes, no sushi here, but plenty of veggie rolls. You won't get shrimp tempura, but lots of veggie tempura from here.
I feel the menu lies heavy on frying something or other (lots of veggie tempura everywhere it seems), so there may be guilt from downing lots of fried veggies, but the taste can't be beat! I also personally recommend the seaweed roll, delish.
Vegetarian Japanese is a niche market, the size of the place reflects this, so expect a wait if you're coming at busy hours.
People thought this was:
good for vegetarians. harder for me to appreciate. soup tasted healthy, very vegetarian. very fitting for berkeley.
eggplant miso tasted ok
People thought this was:
My vegan friends were visiting out of town, and I had been wanting an excuse to try out this place. We waited forever and ever to get in. Make sure you have reservations, because it's such a small restaurant and can get filled up really fast. We had some really good curry soba noodles, the soba salad was fresh and interesting, the chaya roll didn't make me miss meat, the tempura was great, and the summer roll was great. We also had some vegan chocolate cake (great icing) and vegan ice cream (amazing sauces), which were yummy! Too bad this place is WAY too expensive for the ingredients they give you. I'd definitely revisit if someone else was paying!
What a fantastic place! I came here with three friends on a Saturday night and we each got 2 items. There was such a wide variety of awesomeness, and each dish really unique and really good. Not a single thing we ordered was disappointing. It's certainly not just another boring sushi place where the entire menu is mundane and predictable.
I really enjoyed the Cha-Ya rolls, and my friend couldn't stop raving about the summer green roll, though I didn't try it myself.
Haven't been to the other locations, but this one is pretty small, so expect to wait a bit and don't come with groups larger than 3 or 4.
I do appreciate vegan Japanese food which seems to be a rarity in the US.
I love all the fried rolls and the tempura especially.
However, I have sworn off going to this joint.
You show up and it is always a long wait. It is always freezing outside. If you are lucky, you get a table... Otherwise you and your 3 friends will all sit at the bar and be unable to engage in conversation.
It just isn't worth all that.
Get a bigger dining area!!
The only all vegan Japanese restaurant/sushi bar. An absolute favorite. Make sure you show up early, maybe 5 to 10 minutes before they open, cause if not you'll be waiting for a while to get a table.
I love Asian cuisine and especially Japanese/Thai and sushi. Its a shame that Thai vegan places kind of dominate the vegan market as far as restaurants go, and most of them serve the same or similar options that dont really stand out. there is one place in SF i love though.....
Anyway, i have ordered a variety of things and never been disappointed. they have great service, a polite (although quiet) staff, and fantastic prices, especially for some of the dinner combinations.
Ive always been tempted to get the cha ya roll (an entire sushi roll battered and fried, but i worry about my health being that ive gotten skinny for the first time in my life.
go here with a friend, ora girl on a date, or maybe bring a coworker to discuss business over great cruelty free Japanese food.
All in all, fantastic. my only gripe is i wish there was more seating options.
for some reason, i liked the one in the city better?! i am wondering if they have the same menu, or if it's dependent on what i ordered. the gyoza and veggie tempura rolls were amazing, as usual. the rest of the rolls we ordered, which was 5, just weren't doing it for me that much. the vegan roll was really bland...maybe i will go back and try something besides sushi next time.
Just like all the other reviewers, I love the food here. (26Dec08) I met a friend here for a late lunch after having been away from the Bay Area for a couple of years. The luxury of having so many vegan choices, prepared so artfully and with such savoryness, WOW, it is simply divine.
Please note what everyone is saying, THE PLACE IS VERY VERY SMALL. They do have another outlet in SF with a more spacious dining area, go there if you have a party larger than 3, limited time or are chewing table legs to abate your hunger pangs. Otherwise, wait for another day when those aren't your current conditions.
A large bowl of Soba noodle soup with a nice variety of veggies is $7.50.
A 14oz pot of tea (good selection and taste) is $2.00.
An appetizer plate of 6 small potstickers is $5.00.
Almost everyone in here speaks Japanese, seemingly as their primary language, so enjoy feeling that for a brief moment, the world is not populated only by English speakers. Dang that feels good. It may effect communicating for your meal, but STAY POLITE, they are Japanese and place a high priority on it.
Oh, and don't forget to sign in outside if there are no empty seats.
Truly, a unique and DEElicious experience!!!!!!!!!
People thought this was:
Went here for a change of pace after a long and stressful, busy but ultimately positive week. In celebrating the end of a tough week we all shuffled into the small resatuarant of Cha-Ya and were blown away by the excellent, flavorful and healthy, yes tastes good and is good for you, cuisine.
My favorite was the Cha Ya roll, but everything we had was excellent, artfully presented and very tasty! I can't wait to go back.
What keeps this from a five star experience? Cramped Quarters. I'm a tall guy and the right side of the restaurant should be off limits to tall people, it's small and cramped. Stay at the four tops if you are over 6'2". Secondly, because our table was so small it was hard to coordinate the food and much of it came quickly which made us feel a bit hurried. Two minor and correctable complaints so they're not keeping me from coming back.
Last comment is something to consider which is pricing. The menu is priced very similarly to a regular sushi restaurant yet there is no fish because it is vegetarian. While the food is wonderful it tells me that thte mark up is substantial and you can easily spend over $20 per person. The meal is wonderful so this is more of a warning for folks who have an issue spending this much for a vegetarian meal.
I appreciate the large, all-vegan menu at Cha-ya, but was not thoroughly impressed with the food. My kitsune noodle soup was a bit too salty and didn't stand out in any way. The tempura didn't taste right and the miso soup seemed more like a veggie soup than anything else. My chocolate mousse cake was dry.
Prices at Cha-ya are good, and the space is quaint and inviting. But the food was only decent and nothing special. The service was wonky and curt and all of our dishes came out at random times. I appreciate any all-veg restaurant, but this one has some room to improve.
People thought this was:
This might very well be my new favorite place to go in Berkeley. A vegan restaurant that tastes great! Eating here, I wouldn't even think about meat. Or cream. A place you can be proud of eating at.
We tried the sea vegetables salad, the cha-ya roll, the vegan roll (quite oddly named, since everything is vegan), and the cha-ya rice bowl.
Why not 5 stars? The major flaw in execution is that things are too salty. Especially the rice bowl and the cha-ya roll. Cut the salt and it would be great. Also, the seaweed in the vegan roll could have been fresher; it seems like it was made a long time ago and just sat around until they brought it out. Service was fast, scarily fast, which made me think that everything is mostly pre-prepared in the back and they bring it out when you order it. Our 4 dishes literally all came within 2 minutes of each other. I wouldn't mind paying a little more for a more sushi bar type atmosphere, but they probably rush things to increase turnover, seeing the long waits.
Still, I would eat here all the time, bring all my friends here, etc. Vegan is just too seductive.
People thought this was:
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
Category: Sushi Bars
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