Vegan
Chinese
Take-out
Asian
Mixed Asian and Chinese food restaurant. Formerly Vegetarian's Paradise 2. Reported closed May 2023.
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144 W 4th St (at West Village, Manhattan), New York City, New York, USA, 10012
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- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 28 May 2023 by ChristopheC
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50 Reviews
First Review by mluria
INTJ_mara
Points +445
There are better places… - Edit
If not for the loud people talking next to me, it would truly be Zen - the music was very relaxing and the lights were dim.
Read moreI had the dumplings and the Shanghai Seitan. Portions were decently sized but I was disappointed to find out that the main dish didn’t come with rice so I had to order that separately. I don’t think I’ve ever been to an Asian restaurant where the dish didn’t come with a side lol.
Just a heads up, if you are a mushroom lover like me, don’t order the Shanghai Seitan, order the Oyster mushrooms with Chinese broccoli down the menu instead - they’re basically the same dish but one has seitan, and I only got two pathetic little pieces of mushrooms buried at the bottom under all the seitan and Chinese broccoli lol. They didn’t taste the freshest to be honest. The seitan was way too dry.
I may give this place another shot. Ginger Root on the Upper East Side is still my favorite spot for pan Asian food, but I think Go Zen will be alright for when I don’t have the time to go all the way up there when I’m absolutely starving.
Updated from previous review on 2023-04-04
Guest
andrewseffrood
Points +101
Not for Me - Edit
I had the sesame seitan. The seitan was tough and lacked flavor. It was paired with massaged kale with was unique (not in a good way). Rice costs extra. I also had barbecue seitan for an appetizer which was acceptable. The atmosphere was depressing to me and I just felt awkward. The service was really good tho.
Read morePros: Everything is animal-free!!, Pretty big menu, Friendly service
Guest
QuisVaughn
Points +552
Eh - Edit
The food wasn’t the worst it just wasn’t the most flavorful. All the fried foods need a sauce, the cedar rice was good. Their oyster & button mushrooms are battered nicely and taste similar to a fried wing. I would eat here again if there was nothing left on earth - aside from that I wouldn’t go back.
Read morePros: More Flavor
Guest
spise01
Points +929
Sooooo good - Edit
Please eat here. So good. I get the sesame seitan with kale and brown rice every time. Never disappoints. Servers also very friendly and helpful. Sesame seitan so good I forgot to take a picture and just ate it.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-09-01
Pros: Delicious, Good service
Guest
PiaRagni
Points +120
Good - Edit
Good food and lots of alternatives.
Read moreOriental food is not my favorite but Go Zen is good
Guest
PritikaBetala
Points +191
Very average food - Edit
The taste of food was very average
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-02-11
Guest
Christoveg
Points +145
Underwhelmed - Edit
Went with an open mind and high hopes, but was generally unimpressed, nothing was bad but nothing was great. Dumplings were good. Fried rice was wet and not really like fried rice at all, Chinese seitan & pad Thai were meh...
Read moreLeft uninspired.
Pros: Vegan
Cons: Wet fried rice, Generally lacking in flavor, Seitan tasted like gristle
Guest
NancyFlanagan
Points +64
Delicious for everyone! - Edit
We loved the vegan Asian food here! Everyone in our party, including children, had great meals. The eggplant starter was wonderful. The “golden ball”was fun for us to try. My curry noodle soup was spicy and very well done.
Read morePros: All vegan!, Large menu, Nice atmosphere and friendly service
Guest
ClintSevilla
Points +110
Amazing Pad Thai and Dessert!!! - Edit
Go Zen probably has one of the best Pad Thai I have ever tasted. The sesame dish is pretty good as well. You can feel the quality of each dish. All the flavors are balanced nicely.
Read moreTheir staff is very friendly. I have never had a problem. I hope everyone keeps in mind that that English is not the servers first language.
For the amount of food, I believe the prices are quite fair especially in the area, about $13 per person.
As you can see, I get so excited about the food that I forget to take a picture before I start eating.
Updated from previous review on 2021-12-18
Pros: All the food is expertly made , Decent prices, No wait seating
Guest
thefugitivekind
Points +59
Favorite vegan Chinese food - Edit
Although Go Zen is technically Asian Fusion they do serve heavily Chinese influenced dishes and these are my favorites. I love the Wonton Soup, Mango Soy Cutlets, Sesame Seitan, and Soy Cashew Sauté. They get their dessert cakes fresh from Vegan Treats which I absolutely adore. The staff are so friendly and the restaurant just has a cozy vibe. I love it!
Read morePros: Vegan Chinese dishes, Friendly service, Yummy desserts
Cons: None!, None!, None!
Guest
Tom1973
Points +480
Amazing! - Edit
This is a great Asian vegan restaurant with something for everyone. The vegan butter pecan ice cream was the perfect ending to a great lunch.
Read morePros: Huge menu , Flavorful , Delicious
Guest
JessyPerez
Points +60
Yummy - Edit
Overall a good meal! Love having the option of an all vegan cuisine especially in New York! The sweet and sour sauce was delicious, love the “chikn” texture a non-vegan wouldn’t know the difference. And I love that they use brown rice instead of white for their meals.
Read moreGuest
bbqburrito7
Points +84
Great tasting food. - Edit
I ordered the Lily Oyster Mushroom dish, which came with grilled mushrooms, asparagus, mango sauce, and some sort of lily jackfruit topping. The grilled oyster mushrooms tasted AMAZING. Wait was a bit long for takeout, and the portion felt a bit on the small side.
Read morePros: Everything is vegan, reasonably priced.
Guest
Lauraleec
Points +12131
Fantastic food - Edit
I really enjoyed the food here. There is an extensive menu, plenty of choice. The dishes are cooked fresh, really tasty and reasonably priced. The staff were very friendly and I enjoyed dining here overall. A really nice place to have food near the West Village.
Read morePros: All vegan, nice staff, reasonably priced
Guest
Poundie
Points +13469
Very good Chinese vegan restaurant - Edit
This place offers good, filling vegan Chinese food fare in pleasant surroundings. This address used to house VP (Vegetarian Paradise), which was good, but I think Go Zen is a bit better.
Read moreGuest
kmau_
Points +1139
Great food, good prices - Edit
Lunch prices are very reasonable and the food is excellent. I got a lunch using MealPal (lunch special peace protein) and it was a good size. If you order takeout or dine in, just know there’s a $10 credit limit before tip. Will be back for more lunches.
Read morePros: Good food, Good prices
Cons: Credit limit
Guest
Meggymoo
Points +28
Great place to eat - Edit
I struggle to find vegan Chinese food in the UK this was a great find. The staff were very helpful and told me when I was erroneously ordering way too much! Food was great, a shame we don’t have one of these restaurants at home.
Read moreGuest
OmarJohnson
Points +102
cheap good food - Edit
Had the buffalo wings , and the rolls (A5). then I had the BBQ noodles (A17) I think. Awesome. Service was fast
Read moreGuest
JamieLynCulotta
Points +164
My Fave! - Edit
The restaurant might be small, but the menu is huge and there’s not one thing that I’ve eaten that I wouldn’t recommend! I attempt to try something new every time I go, but I always wind up with a new favorite, and I just end up eating way too much. I will never get tired of eating here. Love, love loooovvvve everything they serve. So delicious!
Read morePros: LOTS of vegan options, 10% off if you pay with cash
Cons: Small- could take a while to be seated if busy
Guest
CaitlinLovesLife
Points +1643
Vegan cool out in village - Edit
My sister and I love this spot! Nothing beats their dim sum and soup selection
Read morePros: Lots of Vegan options, friendly service , Cool vibe
Guest
wardrive
Points +122
I was floored at how good this place was. - Edit
I eat a lot of Chinese food. I cook it and live in little China town in Brooklyn. I can get any jack fruit, baby boc choi, coconut milk, dicon radish or rare chili oil you want right around the corner from my house. So I'm no stranger to real or Americanized Chinese food.
Read moreThis place shocked me. The creamed broccoli soup was fantastic. My friend's order of the sweet and sour delight was pretty good. But my lunch of some kind of beef like soy and cashew dish with brown rice and a side salad was amazing. The veggies that came with it was fresh and delicious too. Staff was attentive but busy during lunch last week. I can understand why with such quality food and an extensive menu.
Pros: Lots of quality mock meats and healthier options.
Cons: None
Guest
alyssa_v3
Points +28
DELICIOUS - Edit
I’ve taken so many of my non vegan friends here and all of them swear they can go vegan now. The food here is off the charts and they have a massive menu! Every item I’ve tried has been amazing and I can’t wait to go back!
Read morePros: All vegan, Variety, Good prices
Guest
gabandtonic
Points +2750
Soup! - Edit
I got the spicy curry udon soup takeout and loved the veggies in it and the portion was huge for the price. It was good but certainly could have been more spicy. Also the staff were so nice and it was generally pleasant
Read moreGuest
vadar
Points +32
Absolutely Amazing!!! - Edit
Omg! I have been trying to find a vegan Chinese option and this place is it! If you are in NY this place is a must!
Read moreGuest
AdrianaGoram
Points +1446
Lovely place - Edit
Tasty ramen and nuggets
Read morePros: Variety, Good pricing
Guest
moonchild420
Points +164
heaven - Edit
soy nuggets are the best thing in the world, i totally recommend this place
Read moreGuest
AbigayilA
Points +48
Great food, leaky HVAC - Edit
This sleek Asian restaurant waa a real find. The food was delicious and priced pretty reasonably. My only complaint is that the HVAC started dripping mildewy water all over me and my bag which left an awful smell I was stuck with for hours. I hope they get that serviced, because I had an otherwise great Donner and I'd really like to go back and update my review. The service is friendly and the portions are good.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Well priced, Good portion sizes
Cons: Leaks
Guest
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