Ovo
Chinese
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Chinese restaurant in Santa Barbara. Has a separate and extensive vegetarian menu featuring tofu, veggies, and faux meat dishes. Open Mon 11:30am-2:00pm, 4:30pm-8:00pm, Wed-Fri 11:30am-2:00pm, 4:30pm-8:00pm, Sat 12:00pm-8:00pm, Sun 4:30pm-8:00pm.
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830 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, California, USA, 93103
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Last update on 05 Dec 2017 by Guest
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Added by irlandaise on 25 Jan 2008
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13 Reviews
First Review by irlandaise
corinal
Points +1870
Yummy veganness! - Edit
I have been coming here for years! They seem to be able to do anything on the menu as a vegan option. The food is delicious! The staff are super friendly and extremely fast, and there is a cheap lunch special. It is one of my favorite vegan-friendly restaurants in Santa Barbara.
Read moreMy favorite is the Lemon Soy Chicken and I also really like the Orange Soy chicken. The salt and pepper tofu is also good. The chop suey and kung pao tofu are kind of boring.
Updated from previous review on 2024-12-12
Pros: Excellent food, Tons of vegan options, Fast and friendly service
Guest
moretofuplease
Points +634
Was it really vegan? - Edit
Clearly labeling could help. The word vegan doesn't appear on the menu. I believed rave reviews from our fellow vegans. I told our server we were vegan, asked if the meatless wonton soup was vegan, she said yes. Sure tasted like chicken broth. And a strange thing, meatless wontons were won ton skins with no filling at all. Soybean beef also seemed a little too meat-like, not in a good way. Soybean chicken was obviously faux meat, but bland. The curry chicken was listed as spicy but was not. The beef and vegetables also had little flavor. No brown rice option.
Read morePros: Reasonable price
Cons: Not very vegan friendly
Guest
alaskarawliving
Points +22
Very good! - Edit
The soy beef and soy chicken are pretty darn good! We got the chowmein and the fried rice.
Read moreGuest
didilu
Points +722
Filling food with nice flavors - Edit
They no longer seem to have a separate menu, but apparently a lot of the dishes can be prepared vegan by mentioning this while ordering and switching to soy chickn/beef. I had the lemon chicken, which had a great sauce and was a huge portion of protein. The Kung Pao Tofu was spicy and the peanuts added an interesting flavor, but the sauce wasn’t that complex.
Read morePros: Many options , Friendly staff
Guest
USVegano
Points +157
They offer a complete separate Vegan Menu. Great food at a reasonable price. - Edit
Family business with friendly owner that will accommodate any specific request.
Read moreGuest
yungveg17
Points +1611
Very vegan friendly - Edit
Shang Hai has been serving vegetarian food a long time so they are a good place for vegans and vegetarians. The soup of the day was veggie soup and it was quite nice. The tea was jasmine flavored, which was yummy. The food was tasty and the portions were very generous for just $11.50. A good deal especially at lunchtime. Def recommend
Read morePros: Many veg/vegan options , Affordable
Guest
DeidaLopez
Points +112
Amazing - Edit
Tastiest Chinese food ever!!!! A lot of foods can be made vegan, you can enjoy almost of the menu
Read morePros: Delicious, Lots of options, Great service
Cons: A little pricier, but worth it
Guest
OkamiSenpai
Points +47
Vegetarian menu - Edit
We come for the lunch special any chance we get if we are in town. The orange and lemon soybean chicken always hits the spot and never disappoints.
Read moreGuest
CeeDee
Points +165
Delicious and simple. - Edit
Very good food without fuss or pretension. Excellent choice for a Chinese meal. Shang Hai serves delicious Chinese vegetarian/vegan food without any surprises and caters to vegans on their menu.
Read moreGreat selection of different styles of food and meat alternatives on a separate vegetarian menu which tells the diner that dishes can be put together without egg. Really, most of the vegetarian menu is vegan. If you like Chinese food and are in Santa Barbara, Shang Hai is a great place to check out!
Pros: separate vegetarian menu, variety of choices, use of good, fresh ingredients
Cons: a "mixed" restaurant -- not totally veg, location off the beaten track
Guest
m@earthville
Points +10397
Best veg selection of all non-veg places in SB - Edit
We've been enjoying Shanghai's extensive vegetarian menu since the early '90s, and quality has been consistently high.
Read moreShanghai specializes in vegetarian renditions of classic Chinese dishes using various soy/wheat proteins instead of meat, but it also does a fine job with veggies (especially green beans) and there are plenty of options without faux flesh. There's an emphasis on fried foods, but steamed veggies are also available, as is brown rice.
My perennial favorites are the "vegetarian pu=pu tray" (a selection of appetizers), the "sesame soybean chicken," and the "vegetarian kung pao two kinds of meat."
The atmosphere is casual and the service good, though it can be a bit busy during peak hours.
The lunch specials are particularly good value at $5.50-$7.50.
Pros: Great vegan selection, Friendly vegetarian owner, Affordable lunch specials
Cons: Serves meat
Guest
jamber79
Points +376
yummy chinese! - Edit
This place has great food, and a very large separate vegetarian menu. Really enjoyed being able to get the dinner special with a veg entree, appetizers, and soup. Service was very friendly also. Have to pay attention to hours because they're closed certain days and times.
Read moreGuest
veganstraightedge
Points +33
Don't forget the lunch specials! - Edit
Make sure to catch the lunch specials! Probably the most affordable and delicious vegan lunch specials in the area. Highly recommended, very enjoyable. A true hidden gem in Santa Barbara.
Read moreGuest
irlandaise
Points +149
Local favorite! - Edit
This is one of those word-of-mouth local secrets that you would probably never find on your own. The owner is really friendly (a vegetarian herself) and always comes over to say hi to regulars. The veg menu is separate from the regular menu (printed all in green) and has a good variety / selection of traditional chinese dishes done with faux meats and tofu. Highly recommend the hot & sour soup and orange flavor soybean chicken!
Read morePros: Good variety, Separate veg menu, Friendly atmosphere
Cons: Funky part of town, Not all veg
Guest
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