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Categories: Japanese, Vegetarian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Greenwich VillageUptown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
Downtown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6, B, D, F, V)
"Words cannot express how much I love this place. Go to sushi samba if you're looking for gimmicky fusiony "inventive" sushi. This is back…" read more »
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2 years at NYU and I finally get to eat here.
It's a great cheap place to get pretty good food. Extra plus is the $2 happy hour beers in the mug.
I got the breaded deep fried chicken plate. If you get fries make sure you tell them you want it on the side! Otherwise they will put your chicken with sauce over the fries. My fries were swimming in the sauce and were way too salty for my own good. But I ate it anyway cuz I was really craving some fries. Brown rice may have been a better choice.
They have a weird hodge podge of items. I guess it doesn't matter as long as the food is relatively tasty and cheap!
I only things I remember liking here was their salad dressing and it being a- ok standard brunch place...it's a little bit unappetizing eating at a place that reminds you of the bathroom when you sit down. I'm sorry if I offend anyone but you guys need to get some febreeze. :O
Dojo smells like toilet and bleach to me...and I can't believe I came here more than once when I used to live in the area...yeah that's what I get for being lazy! I guess it's pretty good for the price too...but I really don't think I'll ever go back again.
I've yet to find better food for the price in NYC. The food is ostensibly Asian, but they have a nice selection of sandwiches and curries. Best of all, there are plenty of vegetarian options.
I usually gravitate toward the black bean burritos ($6.95). The calamari ($5.75) is another favorite. I've never tried the breakfast, but they serve it until 5pm.
Happy hour beers are $2.
The service is friendly enough, but not what I'd call "quick and attentive." But I guess that given the quality of the food and the low prices, something has to give somewhere. Also, it's cash only.
I always go here for brunch. Ten bucks for a meal, coffee/tea, and a drink. They have great options on their brunch menu, and even though its not the best food in the whole world, I'd totally recommend it.
Scrolling down the list of other reviews, I totally do not get how this place could get a rating of anything over 3stars. Granted, it's in a good location, especially for NYU students, but the food simply sucks. They have a weird mix of sandwiches, burgers and.. what, Japanese food? Yeah, I don't get it either.
I got the Y2K (crispy noodles with veggies, chicken, SWIMMING IN brown sauce) for ~$8, and it was decent but not something I would ever go back for. And hey, isn't that more like Chinese food? Hm.
The prices aren't even that cheap-- the average is about $8 or 9, prices I could easily find a block or two away from Dojo. And for better quality food, too.
To be honest, it's got potential to be 2stars, but I think it's my responsibility to bring down the average. Waaaaaaaay overrated.
I like this place the most for their very cheap prices. My friend and I got a basked of fried calamari; very good. We both ordered the soy burger with fries. The tahini suace on the burger was excellent and really made the sandwich. I thougt the soy burger itself could use a bit more seasoning or something because its a bit bland inside. The fries were average but were a very generous serving for the price. No problem with the service. If you are or have vegetarian friends, this is a good place to go because there are many choices for both parties.
Had lunch at Dojo today. While I'm still a fan, I feel the need to make two amendments to my previous review:
1) If you go to Dojo during peak lunch hours, expect the atmosphere to be somewhat frenzied. Our waiter seemed to have way too many tables to deal with and it took way too long to get our check. Nevertheless, the food came out pretty quickly considering how busy they were.
2) Soy burger dinner - not for me. The burger is fried and was way too greasy for my liking. It tasted great when covered in carrot dressing, but the soy burger alone was pretty bland. However, my friend got a cheeseburger (beef, not soy) that looked awesome. She said it was cooked perfectly and tasted great. And it was $7 including a side salad. Maybe I'll try that next time...
Dojo is a strange yet delightful place.
The cuisine is wide-ranging to say the least -- from…
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Absolute yummers. And for the price? Wowzer! Everything is good, but a special nod to the soy burger dinner (get the avocado). And the wings and calamari are awesome.
Dojo has great prices for pretty darn good food. I usually go with the Hijiki Tofu Dinner which is incredibly filling (hijiki tofu burger, brown rice, and salad) and an amazing deal for $5. I haven't been for anything other than lunch but it's a great deal if you're in the neighborhood and looking for a casual and reasonable meal!
One big reminder: they only take cash!
Ugh, awful food, inattentive service, but cheap happy hour beer (obviously it takes little to endear me at all!). First question was about what was up with the mish-mash menu? Makes me nervous when they have too many different things, how can you tell what they do best? You may say, "Duh, vegetarian!" But the sad side of steamed veggies with my red snapper special was oh so boring and poor quality. Husband's salmon fettuccine tasted like they used Pasta Roni for the sauce (which is good if I'm making it at home, but bad here). Sure, it was cheap, but I hope no one ever suggests coming here again. Also, GET A DAMN CREDIT CARD MACHINE, IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU OLD SCHOOL COOL!
i will agree with everyone else...the salad dressing is pretty good. at the same time, the service wasnt, but at these prices, I'm willing to put up with it.
i remember coming here a few years ago and got a minestrone soup. it came and it tasted like matzo ball soup. so i didnt come here for another 3 years. but lo and behold, I'm back. i got the turkey club, which was pretty decent I must admit, especially at these prices. my friend wasnt too happy with her hummous sandwich but another friend got the tofu appetizer and it came with what seemed like a year-supply worth of tofu...A LOT.
so come here if you are a broke NYU kiddo like me. dont look at how dirty the ground is and you will have a very serviceable meal.
Maybe it's because it's next to NYU and that means most of its customers are college age students and, possibly a few locals, but I was terribly underwhelmed.
Sorry dear Dojo restaurant, but I just moved back to the States after living for eight years in NE Asia. (For those who don't know the region includes the Korean peninsula, Japan, China and Taiwan.) I've had some great Asian food, and great Asian food is not what y'all are cooking over there.
It was late at night when I went. I'd just gotten back from a class across town on 54th. I was hungry and I remembered seeing this place. It was open, so my decision was made.
I ordered a teriyaki salmon entree. It was just okay. I'm a salmon addict and have had some marvelous dishes of salmon. This wasn't one of them. I do like that the entree came with a very generous serving of vegetables and a side salad. The ginger dressing was great too. As the main dish, the salmon on a bed of brown rices was just blah.
Next time I'll go to the 24 cafe owned by the nice Koreans around the corner. At least I can get in some language practice while I'm there and get a good sandwich.
I think maybe if you're at Dojo for drinks, which I didn't have, and you're ordering appetizers, it might be better. However, I was woefully underwhelmed. When I order salmon, I want to be wowed because it's one of my favorites.
I was lured in by the Yelp app's claim that Dojo had the cheapest white wine sangria within walking distance of where I was, and lo and behold, the outdoor menu confirmed the availability of $12 pitchers of white wine sangria. We immediately took a seat and ordered the sangria and some black bean nachos.
Make no mistake, the menu at Dojo is BIZARRE. It's Asian, yet the servers are all eastern European. It's like a true fusion but there were so many random things on the menu it didn't really work for me - it just left me confused.
The sangria pitcher was HUGE but admittedly it was a lot of ice, terribly stirred and filled with lychees (which I don't like) and a few orange slices. Call me fancy but I'm accustomed to white whine sangria with slices of peaches, nectarines, lemons, maybe apple and mangoes.
When our bill came the sangria amounted to $16.50 so we called the server on the mistake. After some arguing and insistence on my part she rightfully adjusted the price back to $12 saying that the prices had gone up and the outdoor menu prices were no longer in effect. Too bad, I say...keep on top of your menus!
So, R.I.P. $12 sangria pitchers. No other reason to come back here IMO.
This dirty restaurant serving "health" food (the best dishes feature healthy ingredients, like tofu, fried). It has a cult appeal amongst NYU students just like Koronet's pizza does amongst Columbia students.
But at least there is one redeeming feature of Dojo - the carrot-ginger salad dressing. Otherwise, it would get 1 star.
The five stars is based on two things -
1. Brioche French Toast
2. Tahini sauce
I came here for brunch during a small weekend visit to see my cousin and her newborn baby (I live in California). I was surprised by the super low prices. Although it wasn't busy, the service wasn't as prompt -- but the waitress was none the less very nice. I ordered the tuna salad sandwich and french toast, and my bff and hubby both ordered the soy burger dinner.
Mmm, mmm mmmmmmm is all I have to say about the french toast. It was soft and buttery and only $4! I don't normally like my french toast dry or burnt, so this was just perfect! It melted in my mouth!
The tuna salad had carrots and celery in it (carrots, I would never have thought of putting in), and it gave it a nice texture and crunch. It had just the right amount of mayo also (I don't like mine drenched with it).
The tahini sauce is very yummy - we even ordered a pint to go on our drive back to DC. This is where bff and hubby alway go when making their weekend trip to NYC.
My new favorite french toast place (too bad I don't live close in the area, otherwise, I'd be here almost everyday for it!)
It's so not gourmet, but every now and then over the past 15 years I just need to go have some brown rice, that awesome carrot dressing, and the soy burger dinner platter (comes with the above). Occasionally I go nuts and get the hijiki burger dinner. I used to get a slice of cheese on the soy burger--whoa. Tonight might be one of those Dojo nights. Hearty, healthy, filling, cheap. I wasn't sad to see the other Dojo location go because it was really nasty, but this one is OK looks-wise for a dive, "health food" (ish), counterculture restaurant (they grow their own bean sprouts in planters out front, c'mon!).
dojo's is so yummy.
lamb curry is my favorite. if you get it with french fries and brown rice, mix some of the rice in the curry, then dip the fries in the gravy- weird, i noe but its great this way. :)
the fried chicken dinner is lovely too.
honestly, dojo's is best in the winter :) when you've been christmas shopping in the city and need somewhere chill to eat.
Like everyone points out, it is always crowded with NYU Profs in moth eaten sweaters, and eager vegans not willing to leave the block around their dorms. But crowds does not a restaurant make. It SHOULD make you nervous when your food comes out faster than Burger King can grab you a diet coke. And rubbery cheese nachos aside, it is also a bad sign when a BLT makes your friend with the iron-clad stomach, sick. (This is a person who could laugh in the face of day old, open can, room-temperature SPAM.) After this experience, we are not going to give it a second chance.
I've always loved Dojo's for it's cheapness and quality. For a while it was my spot between therapy and a class I was taking in the village....I'd get the grilled salmon dinner, with brown rice, broccoli and salad and feel like I'd eaten better than I usually do at home. But there is one thing you just should never ever order at Dojo's and my darling and I were stupid enough to do it.
Don't ever get a burger at Dojo's. We knew it was stupid as soon as the food came...but we were too hungry to send it back and go someplace else. My sweetheart looked at me after a few bites and said "Dam, we should have gone to corner bistro." I shook my head slowly, realizing how silly we had been. Yes, the burger comes with a side salad that contains that amazing carrot/ginger dressing.....but that isn't enough to redeem it.
It was in fact the second worst burger I've ever eaten....the first being when I was 9 and on a road trip with my father, sister and the family dog, Carmel. We stopped at a small town diner to get some lunch and ordered burgers and hot dogs. After a bite or two we all decided we couldn't eat the food, but my father, never one to waste a meal asked to get it wrapped up to go. Carmel would love it, he said. When we got out to the car there he was wagging his tail excited to eat some meat. After my dad put it down for him he literally inhaled the patties. Then he stopped moving for a few seconds and before we knew it he spat out all the food.
I wonder if Carmel were still alive would have have eaten that burger we had yesterday? seems doubtful.
3 stars because its a cheap eat.
It's a lunch place or a cheap dinner. But don't expect to be wowed over the food. Food is ok. Just okay.
I would think that after 4 years at NYU, my stomach would be conditioned to anything because of the food at Dojo. I don't know what's happening in the kitchen, and quite frankly, I don't WANT to know. What I'm well aware of is that the menu is really random and there's a large selection of things to order. Think of a Greek diner menu with 900 options, but replace the faux marble counters, omelets, and gyros with a dingy wooden interior and Asian-influenced plates. You even have to go to the main counter to pay, which is very diner-esque.
The food is not the greatest, the service is spotty, but for the prices you can't really expect much. It's convenient for NYU students because you can get a quick lunch (the staff turns the tables quickly) and it's close to the Washington Square campus.
Why does everyone love you so much Dojo? I don't get it.
The first time I had a terrible sandwich called the "NYU" (nasty old chicken cutlet on gross stale bread) I thought, maybe it was a fluke. Perhaps, at a Japanese diner one needs to order according to the ethnic connotations of the name.
So, I sat myself down at the sad bar (marked by the neon sign "PAY HERE") and listened to the sad conversations of sad dudes next to me talking about how hedge fund guys make a lot of money.
Blargh!!!
The chicken curry don I ordered had no flavor, I used up half a bottle of their hot sauce. I also ordered a cappuccino, they did not fuck it up and it redeemed them a little bit.
Nevertheless, never again--- I should've just went to the Dosa man.
Can't eat there anymore. It's just too dirty. But I still crave the tofu dish with the carrot ginger sauce.
I've been coming here for the last 10 years whenever I'm visiting NYC, and I'm still addicted to the carrot tahini sauce over brown rice. I was thankful to be able to get the 12 ounce take-out so I don't have to make another special trip tomorrow.
(Both locations are about the same in my book).
I had the best tofu burger I've ever had at Dojo. You can't beat the prices or the selection, and the portions are pretty decent, too. The service was spotty at lunch - we had to get up to request the check - and it was odd to me how the napkins and silverware were quickly dropped off at the end of the table. Nonetheless, I look forward to coming back and trying more items from the unique menu!
food quality has been going steadily downhill for the past 10 years. my husband and i would still stop in for salads and sandwiches, even though thinking about the kitchen there makes me cringe. until last week. we got a meal so bad i think it'll be awhile til we go back. it looked (and tasted) like the food had been sitting around for at least a day or so and then microwaved. we mentioned to the waitress that the food was inedible and she shrugged and walked away. she didnt take anything off the bill even though about half the food was left on our plates. we didnt want to make a big deal out of it (a $14 dinner-- whatever) but i'm now back on yelp researching other (better) places to grab a light bite in the neighborhood
great salads and sandwiches. maybe they are just a student place, but what's wrong with that? good… Read more »
This is where my friends and I used to go in high school because it was sooo cheap - I was happily surprised to see that the soy burger sandwich was still 3.95 - tastes good with ketchup. The food is truly not so great, but it is a nice budget meal and a great place to relive memories - my other high school memory is going to johnny rockets and getting chili fries - something my 20something body can no longer handle
Man, I Love Dojos. It's the ultimate broke NYU student place to eat.*
I ate here all the time when I went to NYU!
Super cheap prices and, I think, really great, healthy food! I love their chicken salad, tofu salad, sauteed vegetables with brown rice, hummus sandwich, turkey burger, and their sauteed noodle dishes. TASTY!
It might feel a little grungy and the bathroom might make you want to bathe in hand sanitizer, but if you want some good, fast, american/ japanese/middle eastern food for the same price as a McDonald's Value meal, COME HERE!
*WARNING TO THE SUPER BROKE OR THOSE HOPING TO SIT AROUND WHILE THEIR BROKE FRIENDS EAT: There's a $2.50 minimum per person.
It seems like I should have sweet nostalgic feelings for Dojo. When preparing for my first trip to New York, my boss recommended Dojo as a must-visit eatery. I went, I ate, I wasn't impressed, but I loved the city anyway and vowed to move here (so I did).
Late last night I needed to sop up some of the alcohol in my stomach. Dojo was open and had food. My turkey club was no more impressive than the udon I had at the St. Mark's Dojo almost a decade ago, but it did absorb some of the alcohol and I am grateful for that.
I was driving home from work today - in a traffic-jammed City of Angels - thinking that I wanted something healthy, vegan and cheap for dinner. As I was going through the list of trendy over-priced vegan/macrobiotic/vegetarian restaurants in the neighborhood, I couldn't help but think, "I wish LA had a Dojo's!"
My fiance took me here on a late night during one of our visits to New York. It's basically a cheap cafeteria-like diner with Japanese inspired vegetarian and vegan friendly dishes, not to mention the typical veggie burger, salads, and soups. Oh, and the homemade ginger ale!!!!! (Yes, it deserves 5 exclamation marks.) So delicious! So cheap! The ambiance is non-existent in this little financially-challenged student affair but who really cares when you're paying less than $10 for some healthy eats! I mean, if I have to prioritize shopping and eating in New York; a new pair of Pradas and a Costume National outfit is definitely at the top of my list and I'm just running to Dojo's with my leftover pennies for a quick healthy bite! The only possible minor irritation is that Dojo's takes cash only... which is okay with me (just as long as Barneys takes plastic)!
In case you're wondering, I ended up eating a Trader Joe's concoction. Yeah, so the thought revisits my mind: "I wish LA had a Dojo's"!
Okay i don't really care for this place at all.....
First, I came here with a friend because we were starved after class. They have some options that are okay but I just didn't care for the atmosphere or the menu for the most part. It is really disjointed.
Secondly, they only accept cash (why don't you just put up a sign that says "rob us we only take cash").
Third, after having 3+ years experience in restaurants I like to think I give a LOT of slack for servers but our waitress barely spoke to us and we had to flag people down for the check. Anyways the food we had was okay but I couldn't see going back again....like I said before there are too many good places in all of NYC....why waste the time?
I really like this place; I wish I could go more often.
I got a very simple meal, and it was delicious. The only thing was, my friends and I felt a bit ignored by the waitress, but the food made up for that (even if we were without water for a lengthy amount of time).
It lingers with university students and has that modern-cafe feel to it.
Will return.
I'll give this place the benefit of the doubt and give it an extra star, just because other Yelpers are raving about other dishes that I have yet to try. Plus, the prices, I agree, are hard to beat, and portions are pretty darn decent!
But wow, do they have the worst Eggs Benedict I have EVER had in my life. First and worst was what I think was supposed to be the English Muffin - it came out absolute soggy mush. I had to push it aside and stick with the ham (which was okay - had a sort of store-bought taste to it) and eggs. The eggs were pretty sad too... paltry and hardly any white. The odd thing is that their menu offers so many egg-white options... and yet, when I asked if they could just substitute poached eggs for egg whites, they said no. I guess its just me being silly because I know Eggs Benedict = poached eggs, but most other places have accommodated me, even if I have to pay $1 more. Oh well. I don't think that it would have improved the meal much at all.
Their peanut noodles (appetizer) thought was surprisingly good. I love that chewy noodle texture and the sauce was just light enough. Big portions too, so got to take half of that home.
The service was less than friendly... then again, I think I stubbornly expect higher standards than I should in NYC. I should also remember that students are always milling in and out all the time even in spite of poor service for the prices, so there's not much incentive to be that nice. As someone else said in their review too... bit grungy and some flies flitting around, but you get what you pay for.
I don't know if I'd want to come back. Big variety, plus for healthy options, great prices, but disappointing food and service.
My first visit to Dojo tonight with a group of friends - lots of options and cheap prices. I was tempted by the hummus, but a friend told me it was kind of weird and different at this place - that it had other things in it - whatever that means - I started with the chips and guac ($5.95) instead. The guac was delicious and fresh, the chips were toasty and crisp but pretty greasy.
I ordered the "broadway pasta" ($7.95 I think) which was pasta, chicken, garlic, and marinara (see photo). This was filling and cheap but lacked taste. Expecting grilled chicken I was a little disappointed to discover a breaded chicken breast under the marinara pile. Didn't taste very garlicky, didn't taste like much at all. The side salad was small but good - the dressing was terrific.
Best part was the frozen yogurt shake with strawberry puree mixed in - yum! Refreshing, not too sweet and a great proportion. Around $4.50 I think. I had a few bites of my friend's warm chocolate cake - it was soooo rich and sooo yummy - more of a dark chocolate taste.
Everyone else seemed very happy with their dishes - especially my two friends who had been to Dojo before and ordered the ATL sandwich which came in a huge pita - it looked amazing.
I might go back and try something else, all in all I was looking for more meat options other than hamburgers, chicken fingers, chicken wings, and boring chicken salad - but I guess that's a lot to ask of a mostly vegetarian place. I bet this place is lovely in the summer.
I've been here twice this week. I love the food and the price.
I had two tofu meals with brown rice and the tofu was great both times. If you are a poor grad student who loves veg-inspired food I'd suggest you try it out. Also the soups are great. The atmosphere is nothing special but it works and the service is good.
Really I have nothing else to say, I usually write more when I have something to complain about but I don't this time.
*Cash Only*
Service can be slow. The food is generally very good, and healthy to boot. Heavy on the veggie dishes. Good drinks. The best part is that it is very reasonably priced. Also they have a veggie (soy) burger sandwich that is so delicious (but I can't figure out what it's made of...) Seems like fried tofu with other stuff.
Beware: no credit cards!
They were emptier than usual. I found out why as I perused the menu, and saw their unique sushi roll dealie that I like to order was gone. In addition, most of the burgers/entrees now charge an extra buck for the potato/rice sides. I mean I could have gotten the Salmon Teriyaki with sides and what not for what would be the equivalent price of adding it on to another order, but doing that would have been a gesture of ordering for the sake of getting food. You can get food from, what, 3-4 more places in NYC?
Which I guess is what everyone else is doing. Sorry Dojo waitresses.
There's something that I like about this place. The food is more than decent, though it seems like… Read more »
I am 34 years old and have been eating food from this place since I was six. Good food, large portions and small prices make this the perfect pick for someone wanting a good, wholesome meal in lower Manhattan. Even though the place has a bar, I have never ordered drinks at Dojo very much. I usually stick with the lemonade which is excellent.
I think the old location on St. Marks is closed but the West location is a good replacement offering more space. Good menu picks I would recommend are the hamburger with pita bread or the mixed yakitori with brown rice.
Take the subway, taxi or walk, I drove once and the $24 parking fee at a nearby lot cost me more than dinner for 2 at Dojo.
I got a lot of blank stares from my waitress to simple questions like, "May I have a lemon wedge with my water?" Waitress: ::blink, blink::
If you have a lot of patience, you might be okay without flipping your table over and storming out of the place. The food wasn't too bad, but nothing special either.
Lets be straight here. I like meat and am opposed to anything having to do with being healthy and being vegetable. I simply was tricked to going here by a friend using the $2 beers before noon special as leverage. No way would I have set my toe in an establishment that caters to the health conscious.
If this place were not specifically geared toward Vegetarians I would have given it 2-3 stars but I gotta say for as far as healthy food goes it gives it was tasty.
The orange dressing was awesome.
French Onion: meh
Happy Hour!
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
now serving on sundays!
Neighborhood: East Village
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Chinese
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