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Seva: An Ann Arbor classic

5 Posted on 02 / 24 / 2011

Seva...where to start. My mother has been going to Seva since it opened in 1973, and I have been going since I could articulate my vegetarianism, around 1990, and obviously it is an Ann Arbor landmark. The food is delicious and I've tried everything on the menu that's vegan. They've finally started using daiya cheese (five years ago, before I was vegan, the staff didn't know whether the cheese they were using had rennet in it or not...I didn't ask during my last visit but I imagine this has been remedied, as the menu now advertises that there is an "answer book" in the restaurant) and that opens up a lot of menu options for vegans. The vegan nachos are great, and of course the sweet potato fries are amazing. My favorite dishes are the north african couscous and the tempeh burger with daiya and vegan pesto...delicious!
While obviously some changes to the menu have been made since 1973, it would be great to see Seva expand their menu to include more items with tempeh and add seitan into the mix. I love Seva but I have had everything on the menu and I wish there was something new to try! (I know they have a weekly specials menu, but there doesn't ever seem to be anything exciting on it.)
Service is friendly, and the frozen margaritas (on special on Mondays) are some of the best I've ever had. There are also great drink specials through the week, PBR pints for a dollar on Wednesday and others that I don't remember.
All in all, Seva is a great restaurant and a must-visit for anyone visiting Ann Arbor or who lives there and hasn't been.

Pros: delicious food, happy staff, ann arbor staple
Cons: menu could use a big shake up

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Adequate

3 Posted on 11 / 29 / 2010

This is not a bad restaurant. And they've been around forever. The food is not bad, but nothing to write home about. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is nice. I've had some good meals here but would advise you to eat at Earthen Jar instead (which is only 50 yards away).

Pros: decent menu, friendly, nice atmosphere
Cons: bland food

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tasty

4 Posted on 10 / 31 / 2010

When visiting Ann Arbor recently I ate here with my toddler and my parents and we were all very satisfied. I had the soup special, a veggie reuben and a lemonade. All were great. The kids menu was more diverse than average and the waitress knew to bring his meal out early. My father is not a vegetarian and really enjoyed his meal as well. I would go back if ever in Ann Arbor. As a vegetarian who is allergic to soy I found the menu especially friendly which isn't the case at most veggie restaurants.

Pros: tasty, good kids menu

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Delicious but Expensive

4 Posted on 03 / 04 / 2010

I really like the food at Seva. I have been here quite a few times, and I would say my favorite items are the vegan sandwiches. The sweet potato fries are good but the dipping sauce is not vegan. I did not like their brunch menu, although I only had brunch there once and it was a long time ago.

The service is generally slow, which can be charming unless you are super hungry. Also, the prices are a little high. They give you a free meal on your birthday! What is cooler than that?

Pros: Good food, Free birthday meal
Cons: $$$, Can be very busy, Slow service

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Ann Arbor Vegetarian

3 Posted on 02 / 14 / 2010

I like Seva. I don't make a point of eating here every time I visit Michigan, (as I do with the Earthen Jar) but eat here occasionally and have always enjoyed the food. It's really nothing to write home about, pretty basic vegetarian fare with a limited few vegan options. As is the case with so many vegetarian restaurants, the servers are usually not vegetarian or vegetarian friendly and don't have any idea what the word "vegan" means. If I were running the place, I'd make sure that every one who worked for me at least understood that much. But then, the owners of this restaurant are not vegan, nor vegetarian, which, unfortunately is also the case with so many veg restaurants.

Pros: All vegetarian restaurant in Michigan, Great room, nice ambiance
Cons: Not so vegan friendly, So so service

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Great vegan fare

5 Posted on 01 / 16 / 2010

Unusually delicious guacamole, amazing vegan desserts, and unique, exquisite specials. Two of my top five meals ever happened at Seva! If you frequent the joint, however, you might find yourself running out of new options quickly (especially if you're vegan)-- so be sure to always check the daily specials!

Pros: excellent food, friendly, atmosphere

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Solid Veggie Food

4 Posted on 08 / 24 / 2009

We stopped there twice on the way to and from Western Michigan from Ohio. Very hard to find healthy veggie food on the road, so we were happy. The food was solid - some items were delicious, some good, prices a little bit high for what it was, but not outrageous. You can eat as healthy as you do or don't want to here - french fries ? steamed kale? Good spot to bring kids, vegan options, nice atmosphere. If we lived in Ann Arbor we'd probably be regulars.

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Always positive

5 Posted on 06 / 28 / 2009

We've been coming here for years. We take non-vegetarians here and they are always comfortable, surprised, pleased and evokes positive discussion and a results in a more open attitude about being vegetarian. The menu is reliable, yet always has fresh options - their specials are imaginative and reflect what's fresh and seasonal. We love Seva - it's our "go to" place whenever we want to reward ourselves, or just something that is comfortable. We have gone after "fancy" events, and after hiking - everything is welcome, nothing seems out of place.

Pros: Comfortable atmospher, lots of choice, flexible with requests
Cons: umm, not open holidays

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Enjoyed a lovely meal

4 Posted on 06 / 27 / 2009

A friend and I went to Seva for dinner on a Tuesday as we were passing through Ann Arbor, Michigan. While there isn't much variety as far as entrées go, they make up for it with their all-day breakfast, daily specials, wine & drink menu and special combo options.

Our drinks (a Solar Blast for me and a mix-n'-match for my friend) were delicious as were the yam fries and apples with spicy pecan chutney. Who am I trying to kid, the yam fries were more than delicious! Being a Tuesday, wines by the glass were offered at half price which I couldn't pass on.

My ravioli cardinale was satisfying, perhaps a it too much salt, but the Lange Sauvignon Blanc wine that I had with it was superb. My friend ordered the spinach enchiladas which he was pleased with. Based on the bite I took, I must concur.

The service was rather fast - granted, it was an early dinner - and our waitress was very helpful and friendly. the decor and clientèle were also favourable aspects of the restaurant.

A great time all in all in a charming little city that I hope to return to someday.

Pros: Daily Specials, Wine & Drink Selection, Servers and service
Cons: Entrées overshadowed

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Always solid

4 Posted on 05 / 10 / 2009

Been eating here for two years, and the results have always been tasty. The tempeh is so delicious -- I continually ask them how they make it so incredibly good, and the only answer I get is "we brush it with balsamic vinaigrette before grilling." I think they're keeping the secret ingredient from me.

Other perennial favorites are the tofu rancheros, the side salad with thai dressing (their croutons are fantastic), and pasta a la bosca, although the garlic bread that comes with it is sometimes a bit too dry. All in all, this is one of the best veggie places in Ann Arbor, right up there with Earthen Jar and the Food Co-Op Cafe.

Pros: Fresh juices, ginger shots, wheatgrass, Tasty food w/ wide variety, Non-smoking, thank God
Cons: Gets busy on weekend nights

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I love this restaurant!

5 Posted on 04 / 24 / 2009

Everything is indicated on the menu as being either vegetarian or vegan, and it is so convenient. I've been there quite a few times and the food was always great. I'd highly recommend that anyone go to this restaurant, even with non-vegetarians! I went with non-vegetarian friends and they thought it was great.

Pros: Cozy, Large portions, Good value

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Yummy if a Bit Spendy

4 Posted on 03 / 16 / 2009

I was in Ann Arbor last weekend and an omni friend and I went to Seva for brunch. The food was really good, perhaps a bit pricey, but we're pretty used to Chicago prices so it didn't seem out-of-line. My tofu scram was a bit salty, but still delicious. Our server was very attentive, funny, and the timing of the meal was great.

Pros: friendly staff, vegan friendly

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Delicious!

4 Posted on 03 / 08 / 2009

I LOVE Seva! Their soups are amazing, and their salads are delicious too. Their humus is fabulous. The main down-side is that Seva is pretty pricey. Expect to spend at least $15 (with tax and tip) for dinner, especially if you order a drink. That being said, I think their food is worth it. They also label their dishes with vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, etc. Their juices are incredible, but really expensive. Wednesday has $1 pints of PBR, and Tuesday is 1/2-off wine night. The service is pretty slow, but the servers are usually quite friendly.

Pros: all vegetarian, healthy
Cons: somewhat expensive, slow service

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Boo to Seva

2 Posted on 02 / 14 / 2009

I have eaten at Seva's for the past twenty or so years and always loved eating there because of the food and the service. Seva's was actually a destination spot for me and I looked forward to it. However in the past ten years my dining there has been sporadic. Since the sale of Seva's some fifteen years ago to a new owner, the food has been moderately okay and going downhill ever since. My biggest problem with Seva's is their incredibly snobby attitude to their paying guests, beginning right at the management level. In reading the many reviews of Seva on the internet one would think management would take a hard look at the gift they have at hand and do what is necessary to preserve it but, I actually think they believe they are so superior in everything they do that they cannot fail. I wonder if management is reading the many bad reviews they are recieving on the internet alone? I don't believe Seva can last much longer with these reviews and their terrible thankless and rude attitudes towards their customers.

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Incompetent staff

3 Posted on 02 / 03 / 2009

How can you work in a vegetarian restaurant and not know what is vegan? The menu fails to describe many dishes (in terms of ingredients) in great deal, so you have to ask about a few things ... and while the server was assuring me a certain item was vegan, lucky for me the hostess walked by and overheard what he said, and corrected him. Its scary when your server doesn't understand/can't tell something has cheese in it, therefore making it not vegan.
Their food is only slightly better than average.

Pros: all vegetarian, nice atmosphere
Cons: uninformed staff, over priced

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Great food

4 Posted on 01 / 16 / 2009

Wide variety of great food.

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Fancy Veg Food

4 Posted on 11 / 01 / 2007

It is nice to find a veg eatery that is a little upscale, but it is still hard to validate paying so much for food that is relativly inexpensive. I ate here once with my whole family and soem of the non vegies bemoned the lack of flesh on the menu, but were pleasantly surprised by the different flavour combinations available within vegetarian food.

Pros: many flavours
Cons: pricey

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Uh oh-what's happened to Seva?

2 Posted on 09 / 10 / 2007

We've been going to Seva for years -whenever we go through Ann Arbor we make a point of stopping there. It's usually been a highlight of the day, until now.

Ate there the other day and was highly disappointed. The food was over salted or WAY too spicy hot, the prices seemed to have jumped up, and the worst thing of all--the salad had old, yellowed, wilted lettuce with spots on it. Unbelievable. Hoping this was just an off day, but the last time we were there it seemed to not have that magic that it once did. Not sure what's up with Seva, but here's hoping they recapture the taste and stop over spicing the food. Lowering prices might be nice too. Excuse me, but organic carrots are not more expensive than non-organic, check Whole Foods, they are usually the same price or just a bit more. Seva charges THREE DOLLARS extra to have organic carrots in your juice, with some lame excuse that they are more costly. This is pure rip off that needs to be changed. Why punish people who are trying to eat (and drink) healthy?

Pros: variety of vegan options, service
Cons: over spiced/hot/salty, price, needs updated menu

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1970's era throwback

3 Posted on 11 / 11 / 2006

Many of the recipes on the menu could be straight from the Moosewood Cookbook. 100% vegetarian menu with many vegan and organic options. Hearty, earthy, if a little bland, fare in a rustic environment. Lunch specials, half-price wine by the glass on Tuesdays.

Pros: All-veg establishment
Cons: Menu a bit date

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"Meh..."

2 Posted on 10 / 25 / 2006

The first time I came to Michigan and saw Seva, I was completely geeked. A real vegetarian restaurant! I'd lived most of my life in Oklahoma (a very veggie-unfriendly state), so this was new for me. But the meal was disappointing, and cost too much for what it was. I could have made better at home, and I'm not that great of a cook. I tried again a few years later and felt exactly the same. Okay food, but not worth the $$$$, nothing exceptional or drool-worthy. Wish I had a better review to give, I really wanted to love the place. I did enjoy the lovely stained glass windows and cozy atmosphere. Just wish the food was tastier. Worth a try...every vegetarian (and vegan) has their own tastes, so it might be perfect for someone else.

Pros: Nice atmosphere, Good location, Vegan choices
Cons: Average food, High prices