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Grasshopper Restaurant

3.5 star rating
based on 196 reviews

Categories: Chinese, Vietnamese, Vegan  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
1 N Beacon St
(between Cambridge St & Brighton Ave)
Allston, MA 02134
(617) 254-8883
Nearest Transit:

Warren Street (Green)

Good for Groups:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Price Range:
$$
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
None

196 reviews for Grasshopper Restaurant

Review Highlights   

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"I had leftovers from the No Name and it was good the next day too." (in 64 reviews)
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"the hot and sour soup is the best i have ever had by far." (in 17 reviews)
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"For newbies and veterans alike, I recommend the chicken fingers." (in 26 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Dorise G.

Elite '09

65

70

Dorise G.

Boston, MA

4 star rating
11/15/2009

a warm hearty meal
even without meat in my
coconut curry

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Photo of John A.

Elite '09

14

44

John A.

Brookline, MA

5 star rating
11/15/2009

Excellent!  I have heard really good things about this place and as a newly converted vegetarian I figured it was time to go.  All of the food offerings at Grasshopper are either vegan or vegetarian.  Their vegan menu is quite impressive...I imagine it's a bit difficult getting super creative with vegan dishes but Grasshopper pulls it off.  

I was introduced to a meat substitute called "seitan."  My meal included mixed mushrooms, scallions, and seitan over rice with a delicious black bean sauce.  Definitely a creative and tasty meal.  The seitan was supposed to mimic chicken and while I can say the taste was not exactly chicken-like (it was still good), the texture was perfect!  I won't miss meat too much if I can start adding seitan to some of my meals.  Recommended if you want to try something new!

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Photo of s d.

 

0

84

s d.

Quincy, MA

3 star rating
10/28/2009

I used to come here a lot back in college because i had a lot of vegan friends at that point. They liked this place because, well, its all vegan. Also, this was like 8 years ago, and vegan options were more limited in Boston at that point. So this is where we went. And honestly, I always kind of liked it. I still like it.

The fake chicken fingers are awesome, and i like their hot and sour soup. The entrees tend to be over-seasoned and pretty one-note, but edible. Straight up tofu is the way to go, though most of the fake meats are fine with the exception of the fake shrimp, which is totally bonkers.

Service is okay. One time though the waitress, an older lady, insisted that we order dessert. Seriously insisted. We said no repeatedly and she was kept on about "No, you must try Vietnamese Jello, my sister made it!" and after a while we said okay we'll try one, and then she was like "No! you'll have 2! Delicious! One is not enough!". They were like $3 each so we just bought them. It was the nastiest thing I've ever eaten. it was a brick of unflavored, clear gelatin with tiny cubes of pudding or something in it? The texture was all wrong. We each took a bite and just stared at each-other in disbelief. It was so bad we were in hysterics. We didn't complain because the experience was well worth the horror.

But back to business. Don't come here looking for gourmet food, it's pretty much just bad pan-asian with no meat ingredients. But it certainly has its charms.

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Photo of Kate F.

 

1

5

Kate F.

Malden, MA

4 star rating
10/26/2009

I'd heard good things about Grasshopper long before I moved into the area.

Overall I was pleased. The chicken (style tofu) and broccoli was good and the atmosphere was nice. If you'd told me I was eating chicken, I wouldn't have known that I wasn't.

They lose a star because they sat us (2 people) at a 4-person table, and after sitting there for five minutes, they asked us to move to a smaller table to accommodate a party of 4 that had just walked in. The place is so small and it was crowded, so it was a little embarassing to have to move all our stuff and drinks to a smaller table in the corner.

Also, I ordered chicken (style tofu) and broccoli and they put some beef style in there too. Not sure if that was to try and make up for moving us, but I didn't want it and it was a pain to pick it out.

We'll be back - even though we're carnivores.

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Photo of Michael  D.

 

0

8

Michael D.

Boston, MA

3 star rating
11/15/2009

Okay...I like meat on my plate the majority of the time, and so I won't eat here on a regular basis. Anyway, here's what I can say about this place. The service is spot on, my food was out in literally 10 mins tops. I ordered the hot and sour soup and definitely recommend it. I could actually go for some right now. Also, don't listen to those other reviews that say the chicken fingers are the way to go. I really wasn't impressed at all, I ate like 2 of them and was over it, the breading was way too thick. The dumplings were great, and also the beef seitans were pretty good, but the texture started to creep me out after a while. I would go here again tho, maybe give something else a try, but at the least go back for some more of that soup.

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Photo of Kate D.

 

0

19

Kate D.

Middlesex, MA

4 star rating
10/14/2009

The boy brought me here as a surprise (and perhaps an olive branch) because I really don't like eating meat and I think we do it too often.

That being said, I also don't like fake meat.  We had gotten takeout from JT Scalleywags in the past, and the whole "chiken" thing always bugged me.  Can we just eat real vegetables/legumes?  Whats with the fake stuff?  We both agreed on that before we ordered, and the night was relatively successful.  

We started with the miso soup (more his thing than mine).  It was definitely the freeze-dried kind, and it came kinda cold, but we sent it back and enjoyed it when it was returned to us warm and ready-to-eat.  Then we ordered the veggie tempura, which was entirely too much food-- HOLY COW-- this is a meal.  I wouldn't order it for an appetizer unless you're a table of 4 or more.  I think we also got some spring rolls, which, for the life of me I can't remember, so consider them unremarkable.

The boy ordered the Spicy Curry Vermicelli Noodles, which was strange because he doesn't love curry or spicy things, but I ate most of it the next day for my lunch, and it was very good.

I ordered the grasshopper supreme and it was fabulous.  The eggplant and mushrooms were perfect, the black bean sauce was great, and the spinach and asparagus held up for 2 days and through 2 reheatings-- this was a GREAT all-vegetable dish.  

The serving staff is super-sweet too-- the elderly man server is adorable.

They lose 1 star because the bathroom is not fit for human use and I really hoped our adorable eldery server sanitized his hands after being in there.  enough said.

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Photo of Amanda M.

 

0

11

Amanda M.

Boston, MA

4 star rating
11/12/2009

The fact that they offer the No-name, which is essentially a vegan version of General Tso's chicken, definitely skews this review.  As a vegetarian, I had gone a long time without tasting anything that even remotely tasted like my favorite Chinese-American food.  Apparently it's not high on the replicating list?  Well, I tasted this and I was blown away.  Its consistency is just like chicken.  It's completely dripping with flavor, and you get a lot of bang for your buck.  One order of the No-Name easily serves two people, sometimes with left-overs, depending on what else is eaten.

I also really like the sweet and sour plate, which tastes kind of like sweet and sour chicken.  

That said, it could improve in a couple of ways.  One is that they steam their veggie sides.  Come on, vegans are more creative than that!  Also, while most of the dishes are excellent, a few are surprisingly bad, such as the appetizer of "chicken fingers," which are just breaded and fried chunks of tofu.  No flavor there.  

The set-up at the restaurant leaves something to be desired.  It feels a bit crowded, almost like eating in a cafeteria with better tables.  I know their space is small, but I think they could do better.  This doesn't bother me much, though, since I usually get take-out.

That's my only other complaint is that they don't offer delivery.  They really should!

All that said, though, The Grasshopper is excellent for any veg's out there who are craving Chinese-American food.  Plus, the omnivores I've exposed to it all say the same thing, "Wow! This vegan food actually tastes good!"

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Photo of dee a.

 

3

14

dee a.

North Reading, MA

5 star rating
Updated - 9/15/2009

I've eaten at this restaurant at least once a week every week since my last review. I've noticed a positive change in the service and the food is equally delicious. A few dishes I've tried that I recommend:

The No Name
The Happy Family
Spicy Curry
Vermicelli Noodles (#52)
Lo Mein
Coconut Curry
Chicken Fingers, Wontons, and Dumplings

I also love that their water is filtered. She usually watches our table because I drink so much of it. :)

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    5/13/2009

    I've eaten here twice and the food is great. There are a lot of options on the menu, so it can get a… Read more »

Photo of Jeremy H.

 

6

38

Jeremy H.

Suffolk, MA

4 star rating
9/28/2009

I love love love meat, and so do many of my friends. I also love trying things I think I will hate in hopes of broadening my gastronomic horizons. Well I have been going to Grasshopper for 8 years now. The food is not amazing, it certainly has a hole-in-the-wall feel, and a menu so big I am intrinsically worried about how they can have everything that they need to make all of this food without spoilage.

All of that being said the food is really good. My self and my meat eating Friends definitely do come back to be amazed at how they have mimicked dishes so well. This is not a place for vegetables that look like vegetables, or beautifully arranged on a plate. This place is a wonderful place for a vegan/vegetarian to bring meat eating friends so that everyone can share their food without any worries.

This place does not intimidate meat eaters with an in your face holier than thou vegetables are the saviour feel, and for the vegetarian it feels like they are at a normal restaurant except that they can order any of the 100+ items on the menu. Simply put this is a great place for a mixture of people to sit and not worry about their food based differences and have a good meal.

I highly recommend the seitans (hope I am spelling this right) section of the menu (fake chicken). Especially the Seitans and mushroom hot pot.....simply awesome!

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Photo of Devon F.

 

2

32

Devon F.

Boston, MA

2 star rating
9/23/2009

I have a love hate relationship with grasshopper.

On the plus side 10 bucks can get you a few days worth of food (more on that later...), their miso soup is awesome, and for the most part its a vegetarian/vegan restaurant... so no worries about meat. Ohh and their vegetable fried rice is great.
On the down side, I cant finish anything because its just so sub par. I literally don't want to eat it anymore. Which you can use to your advantage and take the huge portions home.

If your a big fan of this kinda thing, completely disregard my extreme biases i'm just not a big fan of this food in general. Everyone I go with seems to love it.

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Photo of Jen H.

Elite '09

283

380

Jen H.

Dorchester, MA

4 star rating
8/13/2009

Been here twice now... once with a vegan, and once with a carnivore like myself. I tried different dishes each time, and really liked both of them for different reasons. The lunch specials give you tons of food, and are not expensive at all for what you get!

If you're nervous about going here because you're not a vegan and "fake meat" makes you get nervous... try the No Name... you'll love it, guaranteed.

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Photo of Lahnna E.

Elite '09

106

134

Lahnna E.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
7/20/2009

If you're ever at this mess of an intersection and you find yourself starving, park your car (or bike) and head into Grasshopper.  The awning says "Asian Vegan" which is what I thought the restaurant was called for a while.  Either way, people know what you mean.

This restaurant is great for vegan or vegetarian newbies.  They serve no animal by-product what-so-ever, but the seitain is prepared to look and taste like actual beef, or chicken, or whatever animal it's supposed to be emulating.  I always would get a bowl of edamame and their stir-fried beef style seitain with fresh snow peapod and onion or sauteed with fresh asparagus.  So delicious and with good portions too! The vegi-chicken fingers are very popular too.

The menu is numbered and sectioned off into seitains, root veggies, soups, tofu, greens, noodles, etc. for customer convenience.  Pretty sure all the staff have that menu locked in.  Their vegan cheesecake is pretty delish as well.  

The restaurant itself has pretty dim lighting and more often than not it's pretty packed.  They'll serve large groups sometimes after a seminar gets out and you may be forced to wait until the function is over.  But it's worth it if you want some yummy, health-ish goodness!  Another note is that the staff doesn't hound you constantly.  They take your order when you indicate that you're ready, bring your food, and let you chow down.  Pretty simple and I like it.

I've always left here feeling satisfied.

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Photo of Lily H.

 

9

74

Lily H.

Boston, MA

4 star rating
9/9/2009

Really, really tasty vegan Chinese food in a dive-tastic atmosphere, including animal posters on the wall - I loved the one with the baby cheetah.

Tasty, extremely affordable, fast, casual.

We had 5 diners at the table: 3 vegans, 1 carnivore, 1 omnivore (me).  My carnivore husband enjoyed the No Name (seitan), no problem.  I also had a seitan dish with "beef", peppers, and black bean sauce - amazing.  One guest ordered a dish with vegan shrimp: they were tasty and craftily constructed, resembling shrimp to be sure!  Another diner feasted upon chow fun "pockets", which could roughly be described as sort of ravioli-ish, but maybe more accurately as a tasty filling wrapped carefully in chow fun noodles.  Awesome.  Our 5th diner ordered something I would like to think of as Buddha's Delight, as it featured 3 vegan "meats".  We shared the appetizer combo plate, not the "Lite" one.  

Everything was really tasty.  There was a lot of it - we took home a lot of food.  I highly recommend Grasshopper for dining out with a group of folks with a variety of dietary needs/wants as everyone can find something really delicious on the menu.

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Photo of alexis g.

Elite '09

439

648

alexis g.

Washington, DC

3 star rating
7/7/2009

The No Name is the best thing on the menu. The portions here are ridiculous. I don't know if they are making fun of Americans in general for being fat. It's one theory I have.
They should really start selling booze here.

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Photo of Ellie W.

Elite '09

9

80

Ellie W.

Boston, MA

4 star rating
8/20/2009

I've been here twice..I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but the food was really quite good. There are dishes with fake meat like fake chicken and whatnot, but there are also dishes with things that you obviously recognize, like..veggies. You know, those colorful pieces of meals that meat-lovers like me sometimes forget to eat.

I'm a complete meat-eater, so if I can enjoy a vegan meal here, it's got to be good, right?

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Photo of Alexander C.

 

1

5

Alexander C.

Boston, MA

2 star rating
10/20/2009

This food made my stomach rumble all night, portions were bigger than I wanted, and the taste was ehhhh

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Photo of Alyssa J P.

Elite '09

5

54

Alyssa J P.

Brighton, MA

4 star rating
7/22/2009

I don't believe you can be a proper vegan in Boston without going to Grasshopper at least once. Their menu is huge, but tends to be repeats of the same several dishes (tofu, "beef", veggies, "squid", etc.) with variations. The portion sizes are huge, which means in one trip you've got both dinner and the next day's lunch covered.

Their staple dish is without a doubt the No Name (a bit more expensive than the regular dishes, it is on the specials menu but also comes with salad and rice), which resembles sesame chicken.

Every third Sunday they have an all-you-can-eat buffet for 10$, an excellent time to sample the No Name, kale and gluten, dumplings, "chicken fingers" (they don't taste anything like chicken fingers), spring rolls, hot and sour soup, etc. Call in advance to make sure a BVS meeting isn't concurrent to the buffet so that you're not waiting 2+ hours for a seat.

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Photo of Steven E.

 

0

13

Steven E.

Boston, MA

5 star rating
10/2/2009

This place has TONS of amazing and affordable vegetarian food. Amazing value. The decor isn't amazing so don't expect much but do expect more food than you can eat!

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Photo of Jeremy N.

 

0

10

Jeremy N.

Boston, MA

2 star rating
6/29/2009

There was a time when I would've given this place five stars. My friends and I kept  the "Third Sunday" marked down, and I'd go there at least one other time per month.

The no name is still good, but everything else has taken a turn for the worse. They pile on the veggies and sauce but skimp on the actual seitans. The last two times I went here, I felt sick the next day. It's been good, Grasshopper, but I'm just not a fan anymore.

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Photo of Haylee C.

 

6

10

Haylee C.

Dedham, MA

4 star rating
5/5/2009

This place is truly great and I miss not living next door to it anymore. A few years ago the prices went up a bit (they were pretty crazy low in comparison to other eateries before, but that was partly why I loved it).
  There food is REALLY good. I have met a lot of people for my first time at that restaurant. It is a good conversation starter especially if the other person is not used to veggie food. Ask them if they like vegetables before going there because, otherwise, that is just mean.
  As someone else noted in his or her review of the Grasshopper the take out/bring home food lasts for a couple days. I have not done this with every dish but I have tried a lot of food from there. Oh ya, important point, their menu is huge. Open more locations in the Greater Boston area, please!

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Photo of Haley T.

Elite '09

61

89

Haley T.

Allston, MA

2 star rating
Updated - 9/12/2009

I used to love this place, but the food quality has seriously declined. The service is still friendly and quick, but aside from the "chicken" fingers, my last meal or two there has been nearly inedible. Overcooked, bland and greasy. Here's hoping they get their act together.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    5/24/2009

    I really appreciate the fact that I can go here and not have to interrogate the waitstaff on the… Read more »

Photo of Jenn X.

 

0

38

Jenn X.

Cambridge, MA

5 star rating
6/13/2009

I am in love no name.  I am addicted.  

I wish there were 2 grasshoppers and one was less of a hip spot, because sometimes when I want to go pig out on buffet night I don't want that extremely large group of skinny vegans watching me stuff myself full of food.

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Photo of Ashima S.

 

3

2

Ashima S.

East Watertown, MA

5 star rating
6/9/2009

I've been going here for years and it's always great. The No Name (or General Tso's Gluten as I think of it) is great - portion is enormous though so watch out! Other favorites are the "Steak Filet" (tofu) which has a really tasty sauce and tons of spinach.

If you order the cold noodles ask for the sauce on the side. It tends to be really peanut-buttery and heavy. Otherwise, seaweed salad, vermicelli rolls, sweet potato curry, all fantastic.

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Photo of Sasha T.

 

1

11

Sasha T.

Boston, MA

2 star rating
10/28/2009

I wanted to like this place, I really did, i just can't get down w/ fake meat.  In all fairness, this is more of a personal preference than a reflection of the restaurant.  My bf doesn't eat meat very often so once and a while we'll come here...i enjoyed the hot and sour soup, the spring rolls and other various appetizers.  I can't say that i enjoy anything that pretends to be meat.   But like others have said, for those who are open to trying new things it's a decent compromise since my vegan and veggie friends usually accompany myself and other meat eating friends to our restos.

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Photo of Lauren A.

 

4

30

Lauren A.

Worcester, MA

3 star rating
4/30/2009

I'm giving it a 3 out of 5 for now since I've only been to the Grasshopper twice. Went there for a second since my first visit a few years ago and the service was great and food arrived promptly.

Ordered the chicken nuggets and should have read the reviews before hand about them being nothing but fried tofu in about a quarter of an inch of dough batter.  They were OK but I guess I was expecting more meat texture protein than dough.  My boyfriend enjoyed them but said he got full off of them rather quickly and he was starving.

For my meal I ordered the 'The No Name' (battered gluten in sweet and sour sauce with vegetarian) and although it was tasty I guess I had higher expectations of the dish being more soy texture/chewy than crispy.  If you like the fried crispy stuff then this is the dish for you.  

I'm going to try a different dish next time around and on another positive note the Grasshopper portions were generous!

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Photo of Julie N.

Elite '09

38

59

Julie N.

Brighton, MA

4 star rating
5/29/2009

Well it seems that there is not a need for another review of the Grasshopper but I'm gonna anyway.  I'll keep it short and sweet.  

The food is all great and in itself worthy of my four star rating.  The fresh vermicelli rolls are amazing and have been totally consistently amazing since I started going there 10 years ago.  

Nothing has changed.  

Which is why I am taking away a star from an otherwise perfect score.  This place needs an overhaul.  They tried to do some stick on tile thing to the floor themselves a couple of years ago and it did not work out.  It looks like it's dirty now.  The ceiling needs to be replaced.  It's just not very welcoming.  I always get take out.

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Photo of Adam B.

 

0

1

Adam B.

Brookline, MA

5 star rating
9/10/2009

Love the food and the atmosphere. I am not a vegan, but I didn't miss the meat at all in their dishes.

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Photo of Courtney B.

 

0

8

Courtney B.

Boston, MA

3 star rating
6/2/2009

I'm not a big fan of this place. I strongly prefer My Thai in comparison.

First off, as a vegan I am deeply disturbed to see an 'aqua prison' there. what's up with that?  They don't eat fish but think its ok to keep them around as a decoration? Seems rather contradictory if you ask me.

The service was really good and I liked my seaweed salad a LOT. However, I wasn't very happy with the fake meat they have there. My Thai's fake meat is way better. Also, I wonder if their claims to being vegan have been fact checked by anyone like I know My Thai's has.

Other than that, I think its ok. Bare in mind I've only been there twice (too turned off by the fish tank) and I"m a die-hard fan for My Thai.

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Photo of Sameer N.

 

35

80

Sameer N.

Brighton, MA

2 star rating
1/6/2009

Weak brah. This place is a vegetarian restaurant that serves deep fried fake chicken in some sort of thick batter and calls it chicken fingers. Oh wait, that could apply to regular chinese restaurants in the neighborhood too.  The food here is tolerable, especially kind of cool because it's vegetarian but it's not my bag.  It's cool to eat a bunch of fake meats but after a while I dream of chasing a chicken around a farm yard and sending it to hell where it belongs.

There's no flavor to this food.  It's vegetarians saying "oh man, there's seitan here, there's ficken (fake chicken), and tofurkey dumplingz"  If you didn't grow up listening to Hardcore and being straight edge (however briefly) you might not find as intense a connection to this place as some.  There is in fact a fish tank, but I don't think that's really that big a deal.  Someone/something would eat those fish in the wild.  At least Grasshopper is raising them in the tank for white teenagers, genxers, and other strange vegans to look at in dismay.

Also, I like Satan more than I like Seitan.  Does that make me a bad person?

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Photo of Annette A.

Elite '09

68

160

Annette A.

Brighton, MA

4 star rating
1/8/2009

So I kept hearing about this "No-Name" over and over again, but I admit, I was a little apprehensive about trying something that couldn't be titled. Well, there finally came the day when I had heard enough and I had to give in and order it.

What came back was a huge plate of awesome. And you know what? I really couldn't name it either. It tasted kind of like chicken, kind of like tofu, but frankly I didn't really stop to think.

The service was great. I'm always a little nervous about ordering from people with an accent, but our server was attentive, gracious, and repeated our order back to us to make sure everything was all right. Our tea pot was always full.

Five stars until I can find something to complain about.

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Photo of Jess R.

 

27

44

Jess R.

Providence, RI

1 star rating
2/5/2009

Ew, this shit's NASTY, girl.  I once ate (without permission) my roommate's leftover fake beef and it was a turn off.  
Then, as if once wasn't enough, I got some takeout  consisting of some soupy concoction and a noodle dish. Don't remember names. Tried to block it out.  And I wouldn't eat it.
I'M a FAT kid. I Eat Everything.

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Photo of Marti V.

 

5

26

Marti V.

Cambridge, MA

3 star rating
4/14/2009

Everything I hear about Grasshopper is always extremely favorable, so maybe I went in expecting too much.  Everyone's dish was good, but nothing blew me away.  I got ginger buckwheat noodles, which were tasty...  but the flavor just didn't kick.  It was almost bland.

Also, I was surprised at how many imitation meat dishes there were.  I can't help but feel that if a place is known as a vegetarian restaurant, they should embrace that rather than having dishes in "chicken or beef style."  Strange.

Overall it was fine, but don't go thinking that this will be the best veggie meal you've ever had at a restaurant.  It won't be.  It will be okay, though.

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Photo of Lindsey G.

 

20

83

Lindsey G.

Groton, CT

4 star rating
3/12/2009

I used to go to Grasshopper aaaaall the time. Back in my vegetarian days, it was my favorite restaurant. The downfall is the lack of parking. We would circle Cambridge Street and the back roads for almost a half an hour to find a spot, so it's best to visit by bus or train. You'll get to the food faster.

The Grasshopper experience - or my experience was always the same.  We'd almost always get the same waitress.  She never wrote a thing we ordered down, but to her credit, she'd get it right 95% of the time.  I also learned early on not to stray from the basics.  My friends and I would split the "chicken" fingers; I'd order the wonton soup and the No Name and my friend would get a coconut bean shake, the hot and sour soup and the vegetable lo mein.   Order all of these things - you won't be disappointed.  

And everyone's right about the No Name - it's the best thing on the menu. I remember it used to be better though - the gluten chunks used to be a lot bigger. Then one day the pieces got smaller...I realize this is a moot point.  It's still yummy. Those toasted sesame seeds really do the trick.

If you bring a vegetarian food sceptic, for the love of god, don't allow them to order on their own!  Next thing you know, they'll have a dish of cold buckwheat noodles covered in peanut sauce with a look on their face that says "I knew this wouldn't be any good."  They're wrong, and it's your job to steer them in the right direction!

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Photo of Dan P.

 

7

22

Dan P.

Somerville, MA

5 star rating
3/29/2009

Grasshopper has been one of my favorite Boston area restaurants for over a decade, even before I was vegetarian or now vegan.  Their menu is the most extensive I've ever seen, and they don't allow for substitutions, but who needs them when pretty much every one conceivable is already on the menu.  Despite being a self labeled vegetarian restaurant, their menu is 100% vegan, back in the 70s when they first opened, vegan wasn't a widely used term.

Whether you want Americanized Chinese food, or classic Vietnamese cuisine, you won't be let down at Grasshopper. Their chicken fingers are as close as it gets to the real thing, and their beef is definitely the best meat on the menu.  I highly recommend the cool buckwheat noodle with peanut butter and sesame seeds appetizer, delight soup, and Bird's Nest entree.  No meal is complete without their cheesecake for desert.

Although its not on the menu, they are okay with you bring your own beer and even pour it into glasses for you. Don't forget to check out the once a month Sunday buffet!

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15

Angela B.

Boston, MA

3 star rating
7/26/2009

Full Disclosure: I'm not a vegan. I'm not even vegetarian. I do like vegetables. But I didn't care for all the fake meat covered in blah sauce. Pity, since I heard such good things about this place.

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100

167

Alex S.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
8/31/2008

For the price, taste, and quantity, Grasshopper is pretty excellent. This really should be 3.5 stars. Everything I've eaten here has been good; some dishes are truly delicious, and others, while nothing outstanding, are on par with your above average, somewhat greasy, standard take-out place. Since the portions are so large (they feed two people), Grasshopper is a wonderful place to come with a few friends and share. The No Name ($11.95), Kale Supreme ($11.95), and Tofu in Spicy Black Bean sauce ($9.00) are long-time favorites, and just do not disappoint. Make sure to start your meal with some appetizer, which for $3.50-$4.50 are a real bargain. The hot and sour soup is delightful as well; it has a really wonderful flavor.

Every third Sunday of the month, Grasshopper hosts an all-day, all-you-can-eat vegan buffet. This is both a blessing and a curse. For a mere ten dollars, you can stuff yourself silly with a huge variety of rice and noodle dishes, appetizers, and soups. The buffet is in no way healthy--in fact, there are loads of deep fried goodies, including veggie wontons, dumplings, spring rolls, and faux chicken nuggets (which are pretty much little zeppelins of fattening, delicious dough, and a tiny bit of tofu). It's a great deal, but would be a lot better if they put some of their fresh, less heavy appetizers out. Even though it's a great way to sample various dishes and see what you like best, I recommend ordering from the extensive menu.

Now, onto the less pleasant matters (that force me to deduct a star, even though I like the food a lot). The restaurant is a little grimy, and could certainly use a face-lift, but I've always enjoyed my meals here and have never had a bad experience, so I don't really mind. Are there cockroaches? I've never seen one and I've been here multiple times, but you're in Allston Roach City, so...unfortunately, I'd have to say yes. Aside from that wonderful fact, the only bad thing about the food at Grasshopper is that they add MSG; ask them to leave it out, or risk having an upset stomach and headache for hours. After my first and only experience at the buffet, I felt like I was having a bad acid trip.

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4

Shannon G.

Everett, MA

5 star rating
10/2/2009

DELICIOUS food, cool people, cheap prices!

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4

33

Julie F.

Allston, MA

4 star rating
9/12/2008

I have been here twice so far - all within less than a week's time.

I love that they have live plants as decoration all over the place.  The service is excellent.

I order the No Name - which as my vegan friend pointed out is their vegan version of General Tso's chicken.  It was fried battered gluten in a spicy sauce.
Delicious!  The gluten had the perfect texture.  The sauce was very flavourful and a nice addition to the gluten.  It came with brown (you can choose white) rice and vegetables.  One order is enough to feed 2 people with leftovers!  I am in love with Grasshopper.  I also ordered the vegan cheesecake last night, and it too was very tasty.

I am taking a star off because their credit card machine prints you receipts with your entire credit card number on it.  You should bring cash instead.

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3

20

danny g.

Pasadena, CA

3 star rating
7/16/2009

I had a delicious lo mien beef. Large portion, was able to have 2 meals. Friendly staff. Dumplings for appitizer was ok, couldn't tell what was in it though. my friend got a tofu pot and didnt have vegetable in it, usually it does. but overall everything was ok, but definitely recommend lo mien

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2

5

Ryoji U.

Boston, MA

5 star rating
9/27/2009

Next to My Thai, this is one of my favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the city.  The prices are relatively cheap for the portions and their food is consistently good.  Although some people complain about the levels of gluten and how it upsets their stomach, these people should probably eat less gluten and more vegetables, duh.  I actually stop and talk to the waitstaff sometimes, they're truly wonderful.  When I come here with my one year old, they are extremely hospitable towards him.  My favorite dishes are the No Name, Beef Lo Mein, Spring Rolls, the Wontons, Vermicelli Rolls,  Coconut Noodles w/ Vegi-Pork, the 68 (Spicy black bean + peppers + scallion + beef).  Also, people sometimes overlook their bean shakes, they're so good! Well worth the money.  The service is quick and refills abound.  I don't know why people give this place bad reviews, I eat here all the time and I've only had a few trivial complaints over the years.

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