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.
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140 West 4th St (at 6th Ave and MacDougal St., West Village, Manhattan), New York City, New York, USA, 10012
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Last update on 11 Mar 2025 by redbamboonyc
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155 Reviews
First Review by Poundie
s144799
Points +140
TASTES JUST LIKE REAL MEAT - Edit
I can't say it any more. It reminds me of the days before I stopped eating meat. Not kidding. Gives me good memories of meat.
Read morePros: Very good food
Cons: Not 100% vegan
Guest
xJasperx
Points +106
Good, but heavy - Edit
The place itself is nice and the service is good. As a starter I had the Buffalo barbecue wings and those are EXCELLENT (the ranch sauce too). Most of the main dishes are deep-fried though, and that makes them very heavy on your stomach, so be sure not to order too much.
Read morePros: BBQ buffalo wings!
Cons: deep fried entrees
Guest
bwolmarans
Points +90
don't order the buffalo wings - Edit
This is an update to my review, because I must have been in a bit of at testy mood the first time I wrote it.
Read moreIt's a nice place, you should check it out.
But please don't try the wings. They are made with zero imagination. They wings are not wings, they are hunks of vegan protein slathered in BBQ sauce straight out of the bottle. This is a dish that's not easy to get wrong, but unfortunately Red Bamboo could use some improvement in this area.
To top it off, short poured me on my Duval.
Despite having previously written that I would not visit again, I believe in second chances so I will, but not until I've reviewed all the other vegan/veg choices in NYC.
Good vibe, packed with twenty-somethings. Obviously not hurting for business.
Updated from previous review on Monday January 07, 2013
Pros: lighting, vibe full of twenty somethings, tables, staff
Cons: service, poor attempt at buffalo wings
Guest
Elicia
Points +96
Chicken Wings! - Edit
Listen Up... Did you ever have that "yen" for chicken wings. You know you have! But then you get disgusted, it is the wings of that poor tortured bird... not so at Red Bamboo... These are "meaty" wings that are as greasy as the real thing! Actually, they were delicious. Not something you would eat every day, this is not "healthy" vegan fare, they were deep fried, but you just got to go and check it out. The rice dumplings, also deep fried tasted just like I remember a pork egg roll. I even brought a meat eating friend to make sure I was not remembering wrong, It has been 15 years. Hopefully, he will not be meat eating for long.
Read morePros: Staff was amazing, kind, and smiling, Really wonderful meat substitute fare, Lovely experience!
Cons: Most of the items have gluten., Lot of deep friend items., Take a roll of quarters, parking is bad
Guest
veggie wedgie
Points +64
great vegan junk food - Edit
This place is the kind of vegan restaurant were you will not go to eat fresh, clean or to see veggies on your plate. If you are in the mood for mock meat galore, then you will love it. So many options!
Read morePros: good value, nice vibe, large portions
Cons: no fresh veggies
Guest
MikeyMike
Points +36
Top pick - Edit
This is one of my favorite places in NYC. It is packed most times so you have to wait for a table, but it's worth it. The soy chicken nugget appetizer is great. The only thing I say to steer clear from is the seafood platter. UGH! Horrible. But every restaurant is entitled to have a miss. Try the "porkchop" too. Priced as most places are in Manhattan.... a little bit expensive but nothing too crazy. Oh, our waitress was in a tank top and had hairy armpits. Not sure if that might bother some people. LOL
Read morePros: FOOD!!!!!
Cons: Waitress with Hairy Armpits, Limited Seating, Wait for Table
Guest
Posi Britt
Points +679
Yes! - Edit
This place was amazing when we went here 8 years ago! Huge portions, very good prices, amazing selection, and desserts too! We had a phenomenal pistachio "milk"shake here.
Read morePros: Great food, Interesting creations, Great prices
Cons: Super busy, Kinda pretenious staff
Guest
natz
Points +133
Amazing!!! - Edit
Went here 3 times during our week in new York! Never booked so didnt have any reservation issues although 2 visits were lunchtimes. Having been to many veg restaurants around the world I would say this is the best place for mock meat anywhere, if you are missing textures and flavours of meat this is the place. The steak burger tastes just like a burger king flame grilled burger and was a big portion with fries, fabulous. The buffalo chicken wings were stunning, as a starter you get 5 massive pieces so either have just that or share between 2 or 3 people. The pork BBQ ribs again were as close as you can get to the real thing but cruelty free and a big portion. Best was the southern fried chicken (veggie not vegan) as you get so much meat on your plate! The sweet potato fries were really good to go with them. We managed a vegan choc brownie cheesecake to share and again was wonderful and big portion. What was disappointing was the voodoo ribs as after visits where you get so much meat you only get two ribs with a couple of pieces of meat on and most of the plate was taken up with plain brown rice. Nothing wrong with that usually but when the other person is enjoying a meat feast for the same price you feel completely short changed. This is not about combinations of flavours or a balanced meal (can do that at home) this is about eating food you never thought you would be able to have, getting a protein overload and enjoying chicken again without blood and gristle! Fantastic! Don't bother with the BBQ pulled pork sandwich either as there is too much BBQ sauce which soaks the bread and too overpowering. Keep it simple and enjoy!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Saturday June 09, 2012
Pros: Range of choices and cuisine types, Big chicken portions, How authentic the fake meat tastes
Cons: Some dishes not in proportion to others, Can be noisy and tables close together
Guest
elles_belles
Points +1323
The only downside is the line - Edit
My friend and I came here on her trip to the city. The restaurant wouldn't take our reservation. This is a bit confusing to me. I would think that this would help alleviate the wait times. Our wait was about 25 mins. I didn't mind this because the food was well worth it. I just wish they would consider booking reservations.
Read moreI had the tempura "seafood" appetizer and it was amazing. Not very similar to real seafoods but it didn't have to be because it was delicious. I also had the codfish cakes with mango salsa. The salsa was deliciously tart and fresh. I love it and the salad that came with it. My friend had the "pork" chops and enjoyed them very much.
I can be a big eater but even I didn't even close to finish the meal.
Pros: Large portions
Cons: Long waits
Guest
madjoy
Points +153
My favorite veggie restaurant in the city - Edit
Red Bamboo may not be the perfect vegetarian / vegan-friendly restaurant, but it's damn close to it. My only possible complaint is that sometime's there is a wait and it's a bit crowded. But the food is out-of-this-world amazing, the prices are completely reasonable, the menu selection is wide, and the portions are very generous. This is the type of place I bring all my tentative meat-eating friends to show them how great vegetarianism can be, and none of them have been disappointed yet.
Read moreMy one piece of advice: in choosing an entree, while everything is pretty good, what makes Red Bamboo amazing is its mock chicken dishes. So make sure at least someone at the table tries that, whether it's the Southern Fried Chicken (mmm, those drumsticks), the Chicken Parm (the fake cheese tastes so real!), the curry chicken, or a sandwich... do it. A few other recommended dishes: the crab rangoons for an appetizer, and the peanut butter chocolate cake for dessert.
They've also always been very accommodating to me with special requests (ex. asking for a different sauce to put over my vegetables). While the waitstaff is usually busy, they're also very nice! Don't be afraid to ask them if you need anything :)
Pros: amazing food, mock chicken, reasonable prices
Cons: crowded, wait time
Guest
vegified
Points +68
YUM! - Edit
this place is a must. i haven't met anyone who's been there and didn't love it (veg and non-veg). go!
Read moreGuest
CraigFruitbat
Points +149
Great food but poor customer service - Edit
We had to wait a long time to get served as it was so busy but this was a good sign of its popularity and it was worth the wait.
Read moreHeavy on the fake meat but amazing selection with choices you hadn't even thought could be made vegan (such as oxtail soup).
Great portions and flavours, took a long time to choose what to have so use your time waiting for a table by reading the menu!
Can't fault the food but customer service was very poor. They were trying to get people to hurry up by bringing out main courses before we'd even finished eating our starters (which meant food was going cold). Staff wouldn't even smile then complained that we hadn't left a big enough tip - with that level of service they were lucky to get anything!
We would have eaten there again during our trip but the rudeness of the staff meant we didn't want to return.
Pros: Good choice, Tasty food
Cons: Staff attitude
Guest
eye of judgement
Points +167
THE place to be - Edit
I don't think there's a restaurant in the world where I ate more often than this one. Which might say more about my dining out habits than about the restaurant, but this place you really can't afford to miss.
Read moreEven if you are almost broke or have a small stomach, just order the Buffalo Wings and a custom made soy-milkshake. Brace yourself for this sensation, I never found anything like it anywhere.
Pros: starters, milkshakes
Cons: very busy, entrees get a bit boring
Guest
Hello
Points +20
Wonderful! - Edit
Went there with my non-vegan family, they had an awesome time, and my youngest sibling had no idea the food wasn't real meat at all. But downside is that it's very fried/ and/or preprocessed, so therefore tastes wonderful but isn't super healthy I suppose. And the atmosphere was good!
Read moreGuest
rach
Points +144
Tasty food but not for a fancy night out - Edit
The food is good and the portions enormous. Had the chicken creole and the buffalo wings. They were tasty, a lot of fake meat (which Im normally not a huge fan of) but I enjoyed it. I wouldnt go here for a romantic dinner as the ambiance is lacking a little. Its nice enough for a lunch time venue though. Close to the subway station and easy to find. Good lunchtime specials.
Read morePros: Good food, Location
Cons: Ambiance, Heavy on fake meat
Guest
Sprout
Points +218
slightly let down, but great dessert - Edit
This place was highly recommended to me, but I was a bit let down. I really wanted to like it, but my entree just didn't do it for me. We had edamame and the Caribbean Jerk Spiced Seitan for starters. The seitan's sauce wasn't really as described; it tasted more like a bbq sauce, and not a spiced molasses and lime-papaya dressing. My brother enjoyed the Ginger Beef, but I was disappointed with the southern fried chicken. It was really dense and a bit dry, and the collards and ham were basically inedible. The collards were really overcooked and I just didn't like the faux ham. The sweet potato fries were great, though. The portions were huge, but it didn't help that I didn't like my meal. It was ok, but I've had better vegan chicken. Maybe it was just an off night? Out server was ok, but the host was more attentive to us. The dessert was amazing and saved the night! We had the chocolate-covered strawberry shortcake, and, oh my, was it divine! While the entree was disappointing, I would still go back and give this place another try.
Read morePros: dessert, wide variety
Cons: faux chicken not great
Guest
onlyahuman
Points +215
fake meats, but good juice! - Edit
I'm not one to rave about their fake chicken because it's too much like real chicken and made me gag. Their juice is great though!
Read moreGuest
veggiegoth
Points +217
prett good - Edit
i have gone to red bamboo for several years now starting with the one in the city. i was so excited when another one opened up in my hood in brooklyn. i have tried many different dishes at RB and some were good and some were just ok. i really like the chicken creole and the cubano sandwich. the philly seitan cheese steak is good but the hoagie it comes on is just too much bread and very filling. they need to put more seitan in it. unfortuantly the red bamboo here in brooklyn closed so i guess it's back to the village for RB.
Read moreGuest
fondducoeur
Points +1167
Very Impressive - Edit
The food here is great and the menu is absolutely huge. My bf and I ordered 2 sides and 2 entrees so that we could try more and have leftovers, and we easily had enough for 2 meals a piece.
Read moreI had the asian dumplings over mixed greens as a starter, and the creole chicken as an entree. He had the buffalo wings and the mango chicken. Wow. The meat is very realistic (so much so that you can actually get creeped out, so be prepared) and delicious. The creole chicken was so good and the sauce that came with it was tangy and wonderful. I also enjoyed the dumplings very much (served with a yummy soy/ginger sauce) and the buffalo wings (with vegan blue cheese). The mango chicken was not as flavorful as we thought it was be, but was still pretty good.
We will definitely go back the next time we're in the city!
Guest
christopher byron
Points +106
great place - Edit
everyone everywhere seems to know about red bamboo. It's one of those places that people just know about. It's very delicious and you can order great things like fried chicken (which is soooo good). I would definitely recommend going to red bamboo if you are thinking about going veg or have never eaten at a veg restaurant. A meal at red bamboo is a great place for the first time veg meal! RB reminds me a lot of the japanese/chinese vegetarian restaurants that are very common in Los Angeles
Read morePros: food/recipes, cost (lunch specials), texture of faux meats
Cons: unhealthy dishes
Guest
DC Vegan
Points +345
Screw healthy eating! - Edit
This is probably my vegetarian boyfriend's favorite place in NYC, and it's one I enjoy as well. I don't know of anywhere in DC where I could get a float short of making one at home, and what fun is that?
Read moreThe portions are quite generous--one BBQ hero was plenty for my boyfriend and me (I found that out on a prior visit). Unless you're really hungry, two people may want to consider sharing an entree.
Red Bamboo has desserts from Vegan Treats, so if you're in the mood for something sweet besides a float or some ice cream, you're in luck, as their desserts are fabulous.
One of my few complaints is that the place is very small and crowded, so in the evening, you may wait for a seat. When we went for lunch, however, we got seated right away.
If you're looking for a fun, funky dining experience in the Village, this is a great place to go.
Pros: Good location near subway, Good food, Generous portions
Cons: Place is small, Long waits in the evening
Guest
·X·
Points +26628
Get the Chicken Creole! - Edit
Holy...wow...Red Bamboo is amazing! I say that even taking into consideration the wait I had to endure - I was told 30 minutes, but it turned out to be more like 90 minutes...grrr. Anyway, while I was patiently waiting to be seated I read all the reviews on Reb Bamboo and everyone raved about the Chicken Creole. Being the skeptic I am about Vegan chicken (I generally never like it) I asked the waitress what the most popular thing was there...and low and behold...Chicken Creole. So I took the chance and to sum it all up in on word, WOW!
Read moreThe first thing to note is that you get HUGE portions. My meal came with Vegan mashed potatoes (awesome!), zucchini and squash (yum), and the fake chicken with sauce (holy..um..yeah!). I've only had this kind of fake chicken twice now, and it's unreal! It actually looks like chicken when you pull it apart. I even saved some for the morning and the crispy outside was a little soggy the next day, but they tasted like chicken nuggets that way, yaaay! My bf got the BBQ chicken legs; they came on a stick and were sooo good! Red Bamboo is amazing! One of my favorites in NYC!!!
Guest
silic0nsilence
Points +29
Worth the wait - Edit
Red Bamboo seems to be in a great part of NYC. The neighborhood seemed lively, and safe. I went with my fiancee, also a vegetarian, and my future mother-in-law, a herbivore. Everyone left happy. The food was very good, and tasted very close to the real thing. I had the faux chicken parm hero while my fiancee had the faux phile-cheesesteak. We enjoyed our food, although we were expecting it to be a bit better. My mother-in-law also enjoyed her food, but it wasn't spectacular.
Read moreI am upset that the food wasn't spectacular. I was expecting the best after reading these reviews but really, it was just slightly "above average" for a vegetarian restaurant.
The food was priced pretty well, but the wait is what really brought down the excitement. The restaurant takes no reservations, so we waited about 20 minutes before we could sit down, and the three of us had to squeeze into a two-person table.
I would probably go back, but only if I happened to be near the place. It isn't worth traveling to the city and area for if it is the only thing you are going to do.
Pros: Food was ok, Staff was friendly, Portions were filling
Cons: Long wait for table, Very noisy
Guest
TRaeCH
Points +384
An excellent option in New York - Edit
Two friends of mine - one non-vegetarian - and I went to Red Bamboo recently and I must say, enjoyed our meal quite a bit.
Read moreLike most vegetarian restaurants, I found it to have a nice, friendly atmosphere; slightly more upscale, less hippy, than I'm used to but a good vibe none the less. The service was alright, not very quick but our waitress made up for it with her charm.
The food was rather good. In retrospect, we should have ordered more variety - three soy-based beef substitutes, though flavoured differently, don't offer a complete appreciation of the restaurant's potential. Serving sizes are huge. Impressively, Red Bamboo provides re-usable (and/or recyclable) Tupperware, free of charge, if you're taking home enough food. Ask for it by name! For desert, since I love it so much, we shared a big slice of carrot cake which was vegan but didn't seem to be made by them - maybe I'm wrong. It was good, far from the best though.
I might go back to Red Bamboo on a return visit to New York. I am curious to see how their mock fish and chicken compares to the beef.
Pros: Vast menu, Quick on water refills
Cons: Raw veggies lacking quantity and taste
Guest
Bow
Points +112
Thumbs up - Edit
I am vegan, my partner is omni, and this restaurant was our favourite compromise option. I am generally not much into fake meat stuff - I like my vegetables - so I sympathise with those who aren't keen for that reason (I have never seen the appeal in making food look or sound like a dead animal). It's also true that the food is not for health freaks. But that's where the criticism ends. The food always tasted fresh and flavoursome, with interesting textures and sauces. The first time we went, we shared a starter and had an entree each, and this proved to be too much, because the portions are really very generous. Afterwards, we just had main courses, and even then we had to take home leftovers! (I would have preferred less of the fake meat and more vegetables - there are enough vegetables per serving for one meal, but enough fake meat for two people, so if you end up taking some of the fake meat home, you will need some more vegetables to wash it down). We also came here once just for dessert (we cannot understand how anyone can get through one of these main courses AND a dessert - no kidding, the portion sizes are massive - am I just too British?!). The oreo cheesecake was yummy and innovative if a little heavy, while the peanut butter cake was light and fluffy and really delicious. If room in my tummy permitted, I would have loved to try the others. Everything around us looked and smelled delicious.
Read moreThe service was always prompt and friendly, and as an added bonus, this is a very gay-friendly place with a warm ambiance.
For me, the real appeal of this place was getting to try food I had heard of but never been able to sample, as I have been vegan since childhood. I was always curious about 'soul food' and happy to get to have a cruelty-free taste. After eating here a few times in short succession (we were on holiday), my partner and I felt nostalgic for healthier food, but for an occasional treat, especially if you need a compromise for a veg*n and an omni, this is a great little place. If you are not dining alone and want to try a range of things, one starter, one main and one dessert is an ample meal for two people.
Pros: Yummy food, Friendly service, Huge portions
Cons: Not very healthy, Too much like meat for some palates
Guest
serenacarey
Points +303
Vegan Soul Food - Yum! - Edit
My favorite restaurant in NYC - I go here every year! The BEST buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce and fish sticks with tartar sauce - ALL vegan, of course. The service here sucks and the people are NOT friendly at all - could it be that I wore my Republican shirt and they're liberal hippies? Maybe. But I looked beyond that and the food is AMAZING!!!!
Read morePros: Faux Fish Sticks, Vegan Buffalo Wings, Vegan options
Cons: Service, Unfriendly, Too far from home
Guest
MO_vegan
Points +57
WOW - Edit
Loved this place! We ate there multiple times while visiting NYC. Friendly staff keep the water glasses filled.
Read morePros: non vegan items marked, Fantastic fries, Good value
Guest
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