
Vegan
International
Beer/Wine
Caribbean
Small veggie food shop with an extensive menu featuring soul food, mockmeat dishes, sandwiches, Asian dishes, pasta, desserts, and more. Fixed menu is a good deal with large portions. Fully vegan since Feb 2020. Quiet atmosphere but gets busy. Does not take reservations. Open Mon-Tue 12:00pm-9:00pm, Wed-Sun 12:00pm-10:00pm.
150 Reviews
First Review by Poundie
BradleyB
Points +107
Unique options - Edit
I went for lunch and tried a Filipino special - Kare kare (a peanut broth stew with veggies and soy “oxtail”), fried rice and vegan fried egg, lumpia and a mango salsa. It was a little pricey but it was a lot of food. There are a lot of unique options on the menu.
Read moreGuest
andrea.childress
Points +16
Fantastic food, chill vibes - Edit
Such an underrated place! The food was fantastic and the portions are huge. I forgot to take a photo, but I promise you’ll enjoy it
Read moreGuest
DerekKlein
Points +24
Eggplant Parmesan And Oreo Cheesecake Dessert - Edit
The Eggplant Parmesan was perfectly prepared with the best breading I have tasted. It seems like the same breading that makes their Vegetable Tempura, Popcorn Shrimp, . . . so good. The vegan NUMU mozzarella cheese did not disappoint. The sweet basil marinara sauce is fine but, for years, I have become accustomed to a less sweet non-basil marinara sauce at home so I can not rave about the basil sauce until it grows on me as I suspect it will. My guess is most people would prefer Red Bamboo's sweet basil sauce over the less sweet non-basil sauce that I am use to eating at home.
Read moreFor dessert, I had a slice of their vegan Oreo Cheesecake, and it was 95% as good as the best chocolate cheesecakes I use to have before I turned vegan. It seemed like the largest slice of cake I ever had at a restaurant, so I had to take most of it home to finish it off the next day.
Guest
ChristopherBradshaw
Points +26
A New York Institution - Edit
I’ve been to Red Bamboo many times. Big portions of wonderful comfort food. Today I stopped by for lunch and indulged in a vegan pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and fries. So yummy.
Read moreGuest
hnn1
Points +429
Actually delicious! - Edit
I saw some mixed reviews about this place so I picked my appetizer and entree based on the good reviews I saw and these dishes did not disappoint. I got the jerk-spiced seitan as the app which had a lovely flavor. The seitan was very soft and not chewy. I then got the coconut chicken, which was so tasty and the texture of the “meat” and breading was perfect👍. I got this HUGE slice of peanut butter bomb cake for dessert, so yum. I was also recommended the ginger juice with lemon and pineapple which was also a good addition to the experience.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-04-07
Guest
Tom1973
Points +684
Very large vegan menu - Edit
The menu here is very varied. You'll find something for everyone.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-04-06
Guest
rtnc68
Points +953
Fantastic - Edit
NYC classic vegan comfort food.
Read moreExtensive menu options.
Ameisherry
Meow 🐱
Read moreGuest
RebeccaSullivan
Points +5247
Delicious Food - Edit
Came here once or twice many years ago, but returned this past weekend when learning that they were struggling financially. They are currently taking reservations but they usually don’t. We got here around 4:45 and were in and out in an hour. Food came out insanely quickly. Other than my water have lipstick stains on it (🤮) the experience was great. Place is tiny but when food comes out fast you can be in and out quickly. The menu is extensive. We ordered the sample platter, sweet and sour chicken, and ribs. The sample platter was great and we enjoyed everything. The sweet and sour chicken had a great flavor but we both expected the chicken to have a bit of a crunchier bite but it was very soft. The ribs were a little thick for our liking but the flavor of everything was really good. We grabbed a tiramisu and death by chocolate slice for the train ride home.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-03-25
Guest
Shane Rice
Points +30
Michael Jordan… - Edit
Sign said it was the “Michael Jordan of vegan food”…and was really great. Menu is EXPANSIVE, service is friendly, bathroom is clean (if small), and the food was hot and delicious.
Read morePros: No wait , Good service , Great food
Guest
muzzest
Points +491
DELICIOUS - Edit
Chicken satay with the peanut sauce was heavenly. Also absolutely loved the death by chocolate slice of chocolate cake. The dining room is cozy but does not feel too crowded or loud. Staff are awesome. Can’t wait to come back to try everything on the menu!
Read morePros: Fair price, Delicious , Great atmosphere
Guest
hwing
Points +1907
Really good curry with lots of fake meat options - Edit
Restaurant opened several minutes after 12pm but super friendly staff and nice atmosphere inside once we were seated.
Read moreOrdered three dishes:
- Red curry tofu: very flavorful, nice textured tofu, but wished the eggplant was sautéed or cooked differently as it lacked flavor
- Spicy chicken with broccoli: my friend’s all-time favorite meal here
- Thai beef curry: really good curry
Very comprehensive vegan menu with a strong emphasis on fake meats
Guest
SharonSimon
Points +211
Always amazing! - Edit
This place is an institution has been around forever and has some of the best vegan food in the world! Where else can you get a vegan chicken Parm sandwich with new Numu?
Read moreVegan cheesecake so good omnis wanna eat it! And always the best Thanksgiving feast!
Guest
Emlette
Points +106
One of my favs - Edit
This place is sooo good. Truly endless options. I love their soy cutlets. The fried rice. A welcoming and peaceful atmosphere.
Read morePros: Fried rice, Soy cutlets
Guest
red_head_dude
Points +55
One of the favourite veg restaurant - Edit
I visit it every time I visit New York. I've tried almost all the dishes. I recommend it for dinner. The atmosphere here is very pleasant.
Read moreGuest
Profasmith
Points +142
Flavorful, Fun, & Fantastic - Edit
One of the best comfort food restaurants in the city - made-from-scratch options ranging from sandwiches and burgers to bowls, Italian and Chinese dishes. Recommend their “chck’n dishes,” especially their wings! There is something for everyone! Save room for dessert!
Read morePros: Excellent comfort food, Amazing Service, Warm Ambiance
Cons: None! No cons.
Guest
Yumtum
Points +239
Loved this place for decades! - Edit
Best comfort food ever; love the “chicken” parm, roti, and milk shakes
Read morePros: Nice folks, Excellent food, Big portions
Guest
tronna
Points +1827
Huge menu, friendly stuff. - Edit
It was cold inside, we needed to wear jackets. The Szechuan beef was extremely garlicky, maybe too much so.
Read moreGuest
Jenster
Points +1200
Excellent food - Edit
So many choices on the menu. We went for the ribs and the salmon teriyaki. Both very good sizes and very tasty. Friendly and attentive service, and excellent price. Perfect for my first meal out in NYC!
Read moreGuest
xHoneyx
Points +35
So yummy - Edit
Omg . Second time I’m here Best vegan ever
Read morePros: Staff, Food
Guest
DEdoc
Points +378
Extensive menu - Edit
Indoor seating, huge variety of food choices including dessert. I had an eggplant hero, came with sauce on the side. Eggplant was too greasy for me but the rest of my family very much enjoyed their choices. Thai beef curry, sweet n sour chicken. Friendly staff.
Read moreGuest
daleaucoin
Points +62
Fake Meat Fix - Edit
I hadn't been in years and went recently with a friend. I had the ribs which were pretty tasty but dry and chewy. The mashed potatoes and gravy was tiny and disappointing. I find most of their "meats" to be a bit on the tough side. I do however like how big their menu is and the food is always fresh.
Read morePros: big menu, good variety
Cons: can be loud and crowded, noisy chairs
Guest
chels2ocean
Points +1357
Huge menu, probably hit or miss - Edit
Came here for the first time with a group. Really nice staff. I tried the BBQ buffalo wings and the vegetable tempura. The wings were good, the sauce use is very tasty, but I do wish the seitan or soy meat that they use was a little less tough. The tempura wasn't bad but not what I expected, it's not a light airy batter. I probably wouldn't order the tempura again. Every one else seemed happy with what they ordered. It's a huge menu so lots of things to try next time, and they have desserts from vegan treats which is a plus!
Read moreGuest
catenthusiast
Points +87
My fav in Manhattan - Edit
Everything is delicious! Their desserts are the best vegan cakes at a restaurant!
Read moreGuest
suikunkun
Points +803
Wow! - Edit
Tasty vegan stuff with an extensive menu! Interesting mix of Asian and American food with many things to try. I got the popcorn shrimp - very nice - and the teriyaki salmon. Both tasted good though I wasn't a huge fan of the shrimp sauce or the vegetables on the side (a bit plain). But overall a great place to go for sure!
Read moreGuest
Xxlauraann
Points +241
Varied menu - Edit
We shared some starters and had a main each- the portions were generous meaning unfortunately we didn't finish all of it but all of the food was so delicious! Friendly and welcoming staff too. Definitely recommend.
Read morePros: Variation, Portion size
Guest
NYCswimmer
Points +776
Ok vegan food - Edit
Nice service. Quick and efficient
Read moreThe food tastes pretty much the same regardless of the dish
Pros: Bamboo nuggets , Dragonfly dumplings
Cons: Collard green rolls, Coconut almond Chicken , Asian dumplings
Guest
Annukka
Points +305
Einfach köstlich! - Edit
Sehr leckeres Essen und nette Bedienung - und preislich für New York auch völlig in Ordnung. Große Empfehlung!
Read morePros: Very tasty food, Lots of choice, Friendly staff
Guest
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