Vegan
Indian
Organic
Raw
Buffet
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Catering
Gluten-free

Specializing in vegan Indian cuisine with an added selection of Indian fusion raw dishes. Almost all dishes can be ordered gluten-free. Uses ayurvedic recipes. No gmo, msg, canned food, saturated fats, or refined sugar. Also offers cooking classes, meal plans, and catering. Open Mon 5:00pm-9:00pm, Wed-Fri 5:00pm-9:00pm, Sat-Sun 12:00pm-9:00pm. Closed Tue.


Venue map for Arya Bhavan
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49 Reviews

First Review by Laurie24Sutra

Yvonne108

Points +96

Vegetarian
16 Feb 2024

Nuanced on Devon

Before you go, please note that the owner has put her heart in this place. You can speak with the owner to make your food in a certain way if it fits within her scope and she is happy to do it. The hours are weird and the food is good but this is a very nuanced place. People who know the owner have great experiences but if you’re not sure how this place works it can be confusing. It’s more like visiting an auntie’s home, which can be fun if you can get past the nuances of it all.

This being said, I live in the neighborhood and go to other places unless I have to come here.

It’s great for groups though, and you can request pure veg or vegan and you will most likely get what you need out of this place.

Pros: Buffet, Made to order items

Cons: Weird hours , Nuanced

rikkio16

Points +647

Vegan
08 Dec 2023

Wouldn't return

The food tasted okay.. nothing special and definitely overpriced. We went for the buffet which was smaller than expected, and all the dishes were so similar that they all blended together in the end. They even ran out of some of the dishes and weren't refilled.. so not really all you can eat. The atmosphere was a bit weird as well; tables were all shoved together so no one could get out from their seat without disturbing several others - probably a fire hazard. Overall disappointing.

Vegan Vagabond

10 Dec 2023

She’s an amazing human and a big supporter of the vegan community. Sadly, it’s not easy running a restaurant these days, let alone a vegan one. I’ve eaten there many times. Some were better experiences than others, but always friendly service.

malaythakkar

Points +16

Vegan
11 Nov 2023

Fantastic food

This place was great! The owner was so nice and helpful! The food was great, on the less spicy side but still tasty. We got the uttapam, mixed basket, malai kofta, and Chana masala with garlic naan. All the food was great, I definitely recommend the malai kofta. And for dessert we tried the tiramisu and mango cake. Mango cake was amazing.

Pros: Vegan, Healthy

AtexRambler

Points +355

Vegan
28 Jul 2023

All Vegan & Low Oil

We loved that everything was vegan and very low oil (unusual for Indian food). The server was very helpful in including gluten free items for one person. Four of us ordered an assortment to share, and everything was flavorful and fresh. The appetizer assortment was all fried but not greasy. The mirch pakora was spicy as was the palak dahl. Staff was helpful, friendly, and attentive.

SamanthaSimmons

Points +58

Vegan
09 May 2023

Good food, poor atmosphere

The food was good! I was pleasantly pleased by my meals, but both visits were takeout due to the very poor atmosphere of the restaurant. There are WAY too many tables and chairs inside, and all the catering supplies are left out in the dining room on permanent display. It really makes you feel like you're eating at a business location, not a restaurant. Worst of all, the staff member was playing the dining room's music from her phone. The phone's sound quality was simply awful. I couldn't wait to grab my food and leave so I could eat in the comfort of my own cozy home. It's also a little overpriced. An appetizer, entree, and tip for a meal for one was about $50.

Pros: Food, Service , Selection

Cons: Dining room, Atmosphere , Setting

jadaruss

Points +1525

Vegan
02 May 2023

All vegan

It’s really nice to have an all vegan Indian restaurant. Yeah the food is a bit bland but it’s okay😄very friendly
staff and will be back!

Updated from previous review on 2023-05-02

vegananimefan

Points +23

Vegan
24 Apr 2023

Bland, overpriced, small portion size, rude

I've had a bad experience all three times I've been to this restaurant in the last five years. The food is overpriced for the small serving sizes and lacks flavor. When I arrived, I was disappointed to find that many of the advertised dishes were not available, including the vegan paneer dishes that are typically the highlight of any Indian buffet. The restaurant served basic, cheap dishes that were not on their regular menu, and the quality was poor. The mango lassi was overpriced for the amount given in a small cup, and drinks were not included in the buffet ticket price. When I politely asked about the absence of paneer dishes, the owner was dismissive and unhelpful saying "this is different, buffet is different" as she brushed me off. I even called 2 hours in advance of the buffet and asked to see which dishes are being offered and the owner was being vague saying everything samosas rice curry etc. and when I pushed to clarify she said they hadn't decided yet. And on purchase the image shown had items that were definitely not there in the buffet.

Let me clarify: exactly 0 out of 11 entrees listed on the website were even there at all. The only saving grace was they had samosas and a good variety of chutneys(cashew cream, and avocado chutney with the classics tamarind and green chutneys). Aside from that they served stale naan, salad, chocolate macaroons which had no chocolate in them (they were date with shredded coconut balls), regular dal(lentil curry), and jasmine rice, uppma (rice porridge), kabuli channa (chickpea curry), dudhi channa (Calabash with lentils), a lettuce stir fry, and a tindora (Ivy gourd) with potato dish. To people not accustomed to indian food this might seem really exotic and fancy but these are common household dishes that are very cheap and simple to whip up which is why none of these are even on their regular menu. A friend compared the food to ashram food which is free food given out at temples for whoever is in need. I'm not saying these dishes aren't worthy of being at a restaurant but the quality of them is not worthy of an expensive buffet at 25 per person ticket.

I won't be returning to this restaurant and hope to find better vegan options in the future. Overall, the experience felt like a cash grab aimed at taking advantage of unsuspecting vegans.

Pros: Samosas, Chutneys

Cons: bland food/small portion sizes/overpriced, cheap dishes/watery/stale hard naan , lying/being vague about what's on the buffet menu

ClickyCoyote

Points +18

Vegan
15 Apr 2023

Flavorless

Honestly I’d call this Indian food for white people. Palak paneer was literally flavorless. It’s like they left all the spices out completely. Medu Vada was too dense and also flavorless. Shocking this place is even still in business. The clientele must have never had real Indian food

Cons: Flavorless food

Carlaisvegan28

Points +316

Vegan
03 Apr 2023

Healthy satisfying meal

This Indian restaurant is wonderful. The food is great, with so many options. They don’t use a lot of salt or oil, 100% vegan and 99% gluten free. I highly recommend visiting.

Pros: 100% vegan , Friendly staff , Delicious food

Margiec

Points +95

Mostly Veg
24 Mar 2023

Big fan

Owners are so nice. The food is a little too healthy tasting at times but there are some yummy menu items and I like the GF samosas!

ap28

Points +53

Vegan
26 Feb 2023

SO FLAVORFUL

This place is a gem for vegans. Finally, an amazing Indian vegan place. Great variety and flavor. I cannot believe that the food is healthy too.

Updated from previous review on 2023-02-26

Pros: SO FLAVORFUL, High quality healthy food, Great staff

divyaj

Points +514

Vegan
25 Aug 2022

WFPB Indian Food!

Everything tasted excellent, you couldn't even tell the Bindi Sabji had very little (zero?) oil. The naan was amazingly fluffy, while not being too bulky. The mango lassi was superb, not too sweet. And the masala chai was off the charts, with zero sweeteners as well.

The owner was very friendly and gave us a few pieces of their raw cakes at the end for free, just for a taste and I have to say they were exceptional. Easily the best Indian restaurant I've been to in the US.

PS. Their menu does mention honey, but I think that's a misnomer cause they only had Agave Syrup. The owner seems to be all-out vegan.

Updated from previous review on 2022-08-25

lemonmilkycloud

Points +49

Vegan
23 Jul 2022

DELICIOUS!!!!

My taste buds are very happy after eating at this restaurant. It is really good and the best part everything is vegan!! If you are ever thinking about stopping for some yummy food in Chicago make sure this place is on the list. I got some tofu Tikka masala today and it was very delicious.

Pros: Everything vegan, Good prices

Cons: None

peachenthusiast

Points +136

Vegan
14 Jul 2022

Love

My new favorite Indian spot. Tried the Malai Kofta, the appetizer sampler, and the dosa. The Malai Kofta is apparently the house specialty and one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. Our waitress was incredibly attentive and sweet and went out of her way to explain the food to us, which I appreciated a lot. No judgmental vibe when I fumbled through my pronunciations😄

laura_e_vegan

Points +1236

Vegan
13 Feb 2022

Delicious Indian food

Delicious food & really friendly, kind owner.

Pros: Fully vegan menu, Friendly owner

Cons: A little slow, Covid policies could be relaxed some

L0L0

Points +13

Vegetarian
15 Dec 2021

This place is phenomenal! Hand made vegan Indian food, what else could one want?

Some of the best vegan Indian food I’ve ever had; will definitely be a repeat customer. GREAT online ordering experience, ran by the restaurant. Straight forward, guest checkout available, fast; and most importantly doesn’t forward you to an online delivery site. Major props on the user friendly and easy to use website!

Updated from previous review on 2021-12-15

Pros: Price, Food quality , Friendly owner and staff

peonielove222

Points +28

Vegan
29 Aug 2021

Delicious

Throughly enjoyed the food, worth the wait and the money is no different than a traditional non vegan Indian restaurant. Highly recommend!!

Pros: Popular Indian dishes veganized authentic taste, Little oil, GF options

Cons: A little spicy! , Not very warm

healthytothemax

Points +114

Vegan
26 Aug 2021

Sloooow but delish!

The Vitality Soup was so good we ordered another to go home. Vegan Indian Tacos were good, esp. with the spicy green sauce. Both of these dishes had no oil. Baingan Bharta was very flavorful without the usual amount of oil. We also ordered the onion naan which was thicker but very good. The spiciness of all the food was perfect,not overwhelming to where I couldn’t taste it.


While the food was very good and healthy and the owner is talented, treating everyone respectfully is so important in life and business. And a lesson still to be learned.

Updated from previous review on 2019-04-07

Pros: Very fresh, Very healthy, Low oil

Cons: Slooow, Disrespectful treatment of another paying guest

BiblioBeruthiel

Points +81

Vegan
05 Aug 2021

Absolutely Fantastic!

I cannot recommend this place enough. I got the chance to try quite a few dishes from this restaurant for my birthday with my family. Everything was DELICIOUS and so well spiced. They even threw in a couple of desserts since we had a large order.

They also have vegan cooking classes!

Pros: Fantastic Flavor, Committed to veganism

Cons: Traffic around here can be quite tough

justingross

Points +247

Vegetarian
07 Jun 2021

Delicious Vegan Indian Food

We had a lovely experience here. Organic and healthy versions of Indian favorites without compromising on taste. Friendly owner, too. I highly recommend. Maybe a good idea to call for reservations.

TheloniousG

Points +346

Vegan
31 May 2021

Inaccurate about spice level

Quality of the dishes here varies significantly. I have ordered food that was delicious and food that we threw away. Today, I ordered a lentil dish and an eggplant dish. When I asked for mild dishes, i was told that everything was premise and the spice level could not be adjusted. I was encouraged to order the lentil dish and was told it was mild. It burned my lips when I ate it. I was warned that the eggplant dish was spicy, but I ordered it for my husband. It turned out to be mild (!). The iddli were excellent. The masala dosai was tasty as well.

barbpassman

Points +16

Vegan
11 Aug 2020

Unhappy experience

Hubby and I wanted to try this restaurant : The vegan menu with less reliance on oil suits us perfectly. We ordered, asking for delivery. When we mere messaged that delivery was not possible to our address, hubby immediately responded we would pickup and reply gave time food would be ready. As we were going out the door to pick up, hubby received yet another message from Slice, a delivery service that our order was cancelled by Slice because the restaurant had not responded to Slice sufficiently quickly. But we were going to pick up!
We were very puzzled by all this. Our attempts to phone AryanBhaven directly were futile as the calls all went to voice mail
Unimpressive manner of running a restaurant.

Pros: Great sounding menu, Appreciate use of organic foods , Low or no oil in preparation

Cons: Could not reach restaurant, Paid order cancelled inexplicably by third party

GézaClaytonGosztola

Points +26

Vegan
25 May 2019

Arya Bravan is an absolutely amazing 100 percent vegan restaura

It is absolutely an amazing restaurant. Not only vegan but homemade, sugar free, gluten free and all of their dishes are to die for!!!

Pros: Everything

Cons: None

willowblack

Points +41

Vegan
23 Apr 2019

Excellent, high quality food!

My husband and I had a wonderful meal here! We started with the “mixed basket” appetizer of samosas, dalvada, potato vada and aloo tikki, and it was amazing! I had the Rasam soup, and my husband had the Palak dal. Both were delicious! For dessert, the raw lemon bar is a must! So creamy and tasty! Also, tons of gluten-free options, which was a huge bonus.

Kirti, the owner, is so welcoming and kind. We could tell she puts her heart into her cooking and service. What a delightful experience! Make sure you’re not in a rush, so that you can fully enjoy. We highly recommend this place!

Pros: 100% vegan, Many, many gluten-free options, Service with a smile

dmoongdess

Points +308

Vegetarian
29 Mar 2019

Okay food and ambience.

Most Indian vegetarian food is vegan already except for paneer or sauces they add cream to. (South Indian food doesn't have that.) I think they are trying to be healthier than typical Indian buffet food. They have a lot of variety on the buffet.

Pros: All vegan., Occasional live music., Buffet.

Cons: Mediocre flavor and a little expensive. , Not very traditional recipes. Inattentive service, Mostly non-Indian crowd.

JaneGracePatti

Points +45

Vegan
19 Mar 2019

Great food, ok service

I love Indian cuisine and was so excited to come here with my family because the best part about Indian food is sharing everyone’s dish and making a mess on your plate of all the different flavors and breads etc. (Which you cant do if yours is the only vegan dish and everyone else is eating meat.) I was so excited that all the food including samosas and naan were vegan we we got so much to try and it was all great!

The samosas were clearly homemade and were exactly as crispy as a non vegan one and the filling was unique and fresh and even a little bit sweet. They were great.

The naan was very fresh and crispy and soft. The owner did recommend garlic naan which we got instead of plain naan. I think we would have preferred the plain naan as a group because it was a bit too garlicy. I liked it but I don’t think it was as much of a crowd pleaser as plain would’ve been.

Between the three of us we got Chana masala, aloo gobi, and dal bunzara. We finished about half of each and they were all great! We agreed that the ranking would be the dal then the Chana masala and then the aloo gobi of what we would order again.

The one sort of downside to the evening was the super slow service. I think the meal took about 2 hours from sit down to getting the check. This would’ve been ok if we hadn’t been the only people in there. Not an exaggeration, we were the only people in there on a Sunday (it was st Patrick’s Day tho.) they were clearly also dealing with a delivery issue as someone kept calling the restaurant and complaining about their delivery pace which we heard pretty clearly cuz we were the only in there. So because the owner was basically the only person working, besides prolly someone in the kitchen, she didn’t check in on us very much and we had to walk to her in the back of the restaurant where she was sitting with some friends or family members talking the whole time. It was also kinda cold in there, but again we were the only people there.

Idk I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say we went on a weird day, but also if there’s no one else in the restaurant we should have gotten our food and check a bit sooner. But the food was great hence a 4 instead of a 3. I will go again.

Pros: Great food , Proud and Nice owner

Cons: Slow service

Niha

Points +69

Vegetarian
08 Mar 2019

Excellent Vegan Place

Vegan food

Pros: Complete Vegan meal




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