Vegan
Chinese
Delivery
Take-out
Asian
Catering
Kosher

Chinese food menu with dim sum and a variety of vegetable dishes and faux meat. Previously named Buddha Bodai. Reported fully vegan July 2023. Open Mon-Thu 10:30am-10:30pm, Fri 10:30am-11:00pm, Sat-Sun 10:30am-10:30pm.


Venue map for Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant
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215 Reviews

First Review by steveveg

UncleMitch

Points +33

Vegan
06 Mar 2018

Just right

So many choices that I asked the waiter to make recommendations. Veg lamb, brown rice and veg soup. Just spicy enough. Very satisfying.

theevetree

Points +158

Vegan
26 Feb 2018

it’s all vegan!

this place is an overlooked gem in nyc. after talking to our server we learned they changed their menu a while ago & now it’s all vegan! they have vegan sushi, dim sum ( that won top 10 in nyc) & chinese dishes. we had some dim sum (recommend the ‘shrimp’ dumpling & the spinach rice roll) & their laksa (a spicy noodle soup). the laksa was off the chain! it tasted just like i had in singapore! everything we ordered was delicious & the place was packed. the menu is amazing too! you also get little freebies like salted peanuts, tea, orange slices &, of course, fortune cookies. not many restaurants, especially in ny give freebies anymore! this is one of the best vegan places in the city! (not to mention our entire dinner bill was 22$!!)

Pros: amazing food!, cheap!, great choices!

Cons: usually there is a wait

Brookcie

Points +46

Vegan
20 Feb 2018

Food was good, service awful.

Went on my own after discovering it on this app. The take out menu had more options than the menu they gave me in store, but I overheard something about president day and there being no special menu.

Anyhow, lovely lady gave me tea shortly after being seated. I ordered, that order was forgotten, I ordered again, and it didn’t appear. People around me were getting food, but it took quite a while. Maybe they forgot about me twice? They server for another table seemed dismissive of a customers questions about the limited menu, they left.

Food is very reasonably priced, enjoyed my meal - not the experience. But I would give it another chance if I’m around that area.

Pros: good pricing on food, apparently they have a ‘special’ menu, have vegan sushi

Cons: service not great, forgetful

AbigayilA

Points +48

Vegan
26 Dec 2017

Phenomenal Food, Reasonably Priced

I love trying new dishes here and always feel like I can't wait for my next visit.

Pros: Mostly vegan, Well priced, Good, efficient service

Cons: It's popular, so peak times you need a reservation

HélèneAmlung

Points +38

Vegan
14 Dec 2017

Just amazing!

I went to thie place with my mom who’s normally very picky about food but even she said that this place is really good. My favourite was the sticky rice dumplings - best meal I’ve had so far in NY

Seiashun

Points +424

Vegan
14 Oct 2017

Oh my god!

I was so surprised to find an all vegan Chinese restaurant! First of all - the menu is HUGE. There's a big selection of dim sum alongside main course meals, soups, rice and noodle dishes and also some desserts.

We ordered fried taro dumplings, pan fried dumpling, sticky rice shumai, BBQ veg meat, steamed soup dumpling and veg prawn with walnut. (This was for two people btw, way too much food, we took a lot of leftovers back to our hotel.) Oh and the servings were big.

The shumai was okay, and the dumplings were good but - the BBQ veg meat was FANTASTIC and so was the veg prawn with walnut. The fried taro dumplings are also a MUST! There's so many things I want to try from the menu, I'm so sad that this place is so far away. The staff were also friendly and fast.

10/10 would fly to New York just to eat at this place.

Pros: Amazing food!, HUGE selection, All vegan chinese food

Cons: NONE

psdelagrange

Points +35

Vegan
08 Oct 2017

Wonderful


It was first time to this restaurant. The whole menu was Vegan and Kosher {If interested }. The front looks like a typical Asian NYC Restaurant on the outside. The staff was very friendly and helpful. My friends brought me knowing I was a vegan, the food was wonderful and there was such a large selection. Highly Recommend

Pros: Everything Vegan

Cons: They do not accept credit cards, be sure to bring

AnimasClay

Points +43

Vegan
17 Aug 2017

My favorite NYC pastime

This place offers reasonable prices for lunch. It is delicious, and can be healthy if you make modifications. Most things that are fried you can ask for non-fried.

Pros: Tasty, Unique vegan meats, Variety

Cons: Sometimes very busy, *Some* of the dumpling choices are weird

mirandaconnelly

Points +61

Vegan
31 Jul 2017

absolutely delicious

Wonderful fresh food, quick table service, great dim sum. Highly recommended.

Pros: tasty, lots of gluten free options

Cons: nothing

kathym

Points +79

Herbivore
07 May 2017

very good food and excellent service!

Lots of choices on the menu! We had vegan sushi and it was excellent. They also gave us hot tea and peanuts on the table. 2:30 on Sunday afternoon and it was packed, but service was still attentive. Also noticed once the rush quieted, employees were eating there too. That should say something if the employees eat it lol!

debbiesmall

Points +1945

Vegan
22 Mar 2017

All vegan in china town

Fantastic fresh delicate spices. Lots of tofu & Seiten really delicious they deliver too

Pros: Vegan all, Great neighborhood , Clean

Cons: None

LorellaPaleni

Points +30

Vegan
06 Mar 2017

soo good

The food was delicious, generous and cheap. The waiters were all very nice and sweet. So far the best high-value low-price vegan restaurant in NYC I've found.

Pros: delicious , cheap, generous

Pachamamma

Points +324

Vegan
31 Jan 2017

Some of the best vegan around

I went on Chinese new year.. I was told it be a ten minute wait for takeout but was over 30, however the food was the bomb! 3 dishes for 11 dollars. I met a local vegan in the queue who ordered for me.

Pros: Lots of vegan options, delicious.

Cons: A long wait, popular.

Popster

Points +92

Vegan
14 Dec 2016

I was disappointed.

My husband and I shared steamed dumplings, pumpkin soup, General Tso's chicken and Baby Bok Choy. I thought every dish was bland and the flavors uninspired. My favorites were the dumplings and the baby bok choy. The pumpkin soup had no flavor and the General Tso's Chick'n needed more sauce. And it was very sweet. I expect more flavor excitement, especially in Chinatown!

Pros: the staff was earnest

Cons: the staff rushed us, the staff has terrible suggestions

JelainaRamzy

Points +18

Vegan
06 Dec 2016

Great food

Very good

Pros: Small, Friendly staff, Excellent food

Cons: Na, Na, Na

JJones315

Points +2169

Herbivore
29 Nov 2016

Very nice vegan Chinese and Dim Sum

Clean, pleasant and very accommodating.

lerussell

Points +389

Vegan
04 Nov 2016

best Chinese food in NYC

This restaurant is, without exaggeration, the best Chinese food in all of New York City. I lived in the city for three years and frequently visit for work, so I have eaten my fair share of Chinese food in Manhattan. While I used to enjoy exploring new restaurants, I now only eat at Buddha Bodai and instead explore the menu --- I have yet to find an option that I dislike. I make a point of eating here at least once every time I visit, and highly recommend it to everyone I know who lives in or visits the city. Seriously incredible authentic all-vegan Chinese food over here!!

VeganChazilian

Points +102

Vegan
18 Sep 2016

Vegan Dim Sum--amazing!

A destination! Where else can you get vegan dim sum!?? And it's delicious, and reasonably priced to boot. Fast service. Authentic recipes--except for the meat, dairy and eggs, of course! Love it!!

A.Z.P.

Points +635

Vegan
09 Sep 2016

THE BEST.

This place is Vegetarian Chinese Food Perfection ... and it's kosher too!!

We had here one of the best meals I've had in years. It's run by Kent who was the original original owner, who ran the other one in Chinatown and even before that opened the original one on Main St. in Queens.

We had the BBQ Meat as an appetizer and its INCREDIBLE (Friends of ours say it tastes just like pork). The Hot and Sour soup, as it always was, was filled with lots of content and had a flavor I could have chugged. We had the chicken chow fun which had a light sauce and was cooked perfectly, the basil Meat had a unique flavor and had great vege meats in it, The Lamb Casserole is exceptionally delicious, and the sesame chickens sauce was mouth-wateringly good with the most perfectly al-dente broccoli.

The prices are fair and the portions are generous. The $7.95 Lunch specials are not to be missed, they have a big choice of mains and come with a good portion of rice and a soup or egg roll.

Everything we had here was cooked and made to perfection. The restaurant is also a little nicer than the original and the service was top notch.

As I write this, I'm dreaming of my next visit.

Pros: Huge menu filled with Delicious flavors, Great lunch specials, Kosher

mirandacohen

Points +16

Vegan
22 Jun 2016

My favorite vegan restaurant

Absolutely amazing food! Steamed "pork" buns are my favorite! I take my vegan and non-veg friends here and everybody loves it! pretty fast service and authentic food! The manager, Kent, is a really nice guy too.

Pros: Cheap, Big menu

Cons: no atmosphere

veganNY

Points +16

Vegan
14 Apr 2016

Must Try - Vegan Chinese Restaurant

I shop at May Hwa Vegetarian store at 213 Chester Street NYC.

http://www.maywahnyc.com/Default.asp

I asked them if there are any good vegetarian restaurants in the area; they recommended Buddha Bodai at 77 Mulberry. I visited this place last week and found the food was so good that I'm going back again next week. Everything they make is vegan and super delicious! The hardest thing is that you can't try everything during one visit. I will definitely eat there when I'm in the neighborhood.

Pros: Vegan, Delicious, Many selections

Cons: Wish they would be in upstate NY

Valencia

Points +13

Vegetarian
31 Jan 2016

simply AMAZING!

Absolutely loved this place! In fact I'm writing the review whilst still sitting at the table. Truly enjoyed our meal! Will definitely return every occasion we get!
Taste delicious and large portions.

cookiem

Points +5888

Vegan
23 Jan 2016

Flashy new location but same reliable tasty food

Vegans have a hard time in China Town if you don't speak Chinese. So, veg*ns tend to go to one of a few locations. It's nice that this is a new one, even if it's pretty much the same menu.

What do you order when you're here if you've never been here and there are 1,000 choices? Well, dim sum and veggies, of course. Dumplings, rice noodle rolls, shui mai, stir fried spinach, stir fried string beans, stir fried watercress, baby bok choy, choy sum, tofu in cedar sauce, pan fried noodles, turnip cake, taro dumpling, sticky rice and sweet sticky rice... of course.

Ok, I am drooling just thinking about their food. The dim sum comes in steamers, so order a few for a good use of vertical space on your table. So tasty, you will not know what to order! You can't go wrong!

Pros: 100% vegetarian, Dim sum, Noodles

kennyp353

Points +1670

Vegetarian
12 Nov 2015

Enormous cheap lunch

Lunchtime special: $7.50 for soup, massive three-item portions, brown rice, tea, and peanuts (!). Absolute bargain. All of it delicious. Well worth it. Nice service from the Malaysian waiter too.

Pros: cheap and filling, good food

Saramste

Points +327

Vegan
22 Jul 2015

Excellent

We love this place! During our last visit to NYC, we were on our way to the original (non-affiliated) Buddha Bodai, when we realized this location was slightly closer to our hotel. We decided to stop by and check it out. Our only complaint about the other Buddha Bodai, is that the customer service was temperamental. As it turns out, the folks that we thought provided the best customer service at the other location, moved to this restaurant! They recognized us immediately from our last visit, and as predicted, provided excellent service. We visited a few times while we were there. The food is excellent, and the menu is very similar to the original Buddha Bodai. There are a few extra items on the menu, and they also offer dim sum during extended hours (at a slightly higher price).

Pros: Excellent, Vegan, Delicious

steveveg

Points +2201

Vegan
15 Jul 2015

A different Buddha Bodai

We visited this restaurant recently. It is new, but has a similar name as the Mott St. restaurant, now called Buddha Bodai One. The new one, on Mulberry st., is called Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegan. The two are not affiliated. I heard that some staff from Mott St. came over to Mulberry St. The menus are basically the same. A very few items are marked in the photo menu as having egg (e.g. Durian pastry).

The food was excellent. We had steamed taro dumpling, seaweed sesame roll (very delicate and good), straw bass in black bean sauce (always interesting), sliced veg fish, and stir fried pea pod leaves (always a favorite).

Service was good, although the young waiter seemed inexperienced.

It is always good to have another vegetarian/vegan choice of restaurants. This one is good, the Mott St Buddha Bodai remains as good as ever too.

Pros: extensive menu, including dim sum, another great dining option




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