Vegetarian Chinese restaurant with a family friendly atmosphere. Extensive selection of mockmeats, plus dishes with vegetables, gluten, konnyaku, tofu, mushroom, and nuts. Specialty is the vege fish. Bargain weekday lunch specials. Food is cooked to order. No garlic or onion. Complimentary hot tea served. All vegan with the exception of green tea ice cream that contains dairy. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-9:00pm.
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6117 Reseda Blvd, Tarzana, California, USA, 91335
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Last update on 10 Jul 2024 by Kplant
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50 Reviews
First Review by The Veggie Cook
froggy
Points +148
Come here - Edit
Service is sooo slow but the food is the best I've ever had! It will make up for the slow time, plus the owners and waitress are so kind. Have the vegan cream cheese wontons! Trust me.
Read moreGuest
Crito
Points +315
The Best Chinese Food I've Ever Had - Edit
The service is extremely slow. The inside hasn't been updated or fixed in decades. And yet this is still a 5 star review because the food and friendliness of the staff is the best around.
Read moreI haven't dined in the restaurant, but I have ordered takeout from Garden Wok 1-3 times per week since my first visit here 2 months ago. Yes the service is slow and they are short-staffed, and I'm fairly sure if you call in your order that they don't start making it until you get there, but there are plenty of Buddhist books in the waiting area for you to brush up on patience with while you wait for the best plant-based Chinese food.
Must haves:
1 - WONTON SOUP - I never thought I'd be able to have wonton soup again after going plant-based. Not sure what they put in these wontons, but I'd guess its a mix of crystal meth with a hint of cocaine because my wife and I can't go more than 3 days without coming back for more. The broth is great and they include lots of veggies in the soup (carrots, cabbage, onions and the most perfectly soup-cooked broccoli)
2 - Drumsticks
3 - Hot and Sour Soup
4 - Crispy Mushrooms
All the "chicken" dishes are great too, especially the fried options (Sweet and Sour chick, etc.) which have veggies mixed in and less of a mock-meat feel to them.
This chef is amazing and I wish there were locations everywhere. I don't love LA and won't live here much longer, and I dread the day I will not be near Garden Wok.
Updated from previous review on 2019-04-08
Pros: Wonton Soup, Everything else
Cons: Yes yes, slow service, but so worth it, Outdated, but charming dining room
Guest
CoreyS
Points +527
So much hype... just ok - Edit
Very slow service. Nice older man trying to do too much. Felt bad for him. Pleasant service. Curry was too salty and forgettable... Lettuce cups were good flavor... cashew chicken was very average at best.
Read morePros: Vegan
Guest
MarcoBonilla
Points +18
Best Chinese food in all the land! - Edit
I’ve been coming here for years even before I transitioned into a pant based diet! The food is so good and it feels like a traditional Chinese restaurant!
Read morePros: Great variety, Classic taste, Awesome atmosphere
Guest
marjolaine
Points +161
SO GOOD! - Edit
So darn delicious! I would recommend this to anyone! My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine’s day, and although the service was a bit slow as a result of 3 employees calling out, the food was astonishing! We ending up bringing my parents along only TWO DAYS later! Even they loved it and my father is not easy to please. This place is a must!
Read morePros: Delicious!, Friendly service, Filling food
Guest
KaylenaBecker
Points +335
Best vegan Chinese food! - Edit
This was one of the first 100% vegan restaurants I had ever gone to, and boy did they set the bar high! Their orange chicken is amazing and I compare others' to Garden Wok all the time! If you are in the area you have to give this a shot!
Read moreGuest
peterlecki
Points +238
EVERY restaurant should be like this - Edit
Very fair prices, super nice atmosphere. In fact, when I first walked in, I figured I would probably spend $30 for dinner. I felt under dressed. It ended up being $14. Excellent tasting food with a good mix of mock meat and whole vegetables.
Read moreCons: One big negative is the intensely SLOW service., It's only a mom and pop shop with no employees.
Guest
soccermomjill
Points +156
Great Lunch Deal - Edit
I had the orange “chicken” which came with brown or white rice, a spring roll or steamed wonton, and tea. Really good!
Read moreGuest
VeggieHeather
Points +202
This place has gone downhill - Edit
Went here for dinner last night, first time in months. Only one bathroom open, the ladies room, the mens room was out of order. Also, they had a sign up saying they could not take credit cards, only cash and debit.
Read moreService was incredibly slow. Only one server for the entire dining room, but have to give him credit, he was very kind and apologetic, and was literally running from table to table, almost fell down running out of the kitchen! From placing our order to getting our appetizer and soup was 30 minutes. My tofu with greens was good, would have liked more greens, but it was nonetheless delicious. My friend's pan-fried noodle dish was not so good, the noodles were only half cooked and were quite chewy.
Also, they raised their prices -- dinner special used to be $9.95 for an entree, soup, appetizer, and dessert. Now the cost is an entree plus $5.95 for the soup, appetizer, and dessert, which isn't a bad deal, but when you see that the service has gone downhill and is so slow, it's not worth it.
Pros: delicious food, server was nice
Cons: slow service, food not fully cooked, broken bathroom and unable to take credit cards
Guest
veganmonster
Points +280
excellent!! - Edit
Been going here for over 10 years and love the owners and food! Especially since they're finally all vegan. Menu can be tweaked to your liking most times, so many favorites! Hot and sour soup, orange chicken made with soy, sesame beef, definitely give them a try!
Read morePros: all vegan, great staff, delicious, in the valley
Guest
Ltldove
Points +53
Very Pleasant Vegan Dining - Edit
I had the mu shu vegetables with hoisin sauce. Very tasty! I'd like to come again and try more things on the menu.
Read moreGuest
Kplant
Points +4563
The best Chinese Food in LA. - Edit
I've been coming to Garden Wok for 14 years. Won-ton Soup my favorite. the faux choices are great and very tasty.
Read morePros: All vegan with my exception. inexpensive. Mom&Pop
Cons: if they are busy service can be a little slow. tho
Guest
JeffBar
Points +67
My favorite restaurant in the greater LA area - Edit
Great food, friendly owners, good sized portions. Try the Tomato "Beef": its awesome! It's a bit out of the way for most people, but worth the drive (and not far from the 101). Very nice inside, although not fancy, and pretty pedestrian outside (think strip mall.) We've been going there for years now, and it is consistently excellent.
Read morePros: Excellent food!, Good sized portions, Nice friendly owners
Guest
MatthewConarroe
Points +26
fantastic vegan Chinese. - Edit
Always delicious. Wonderful family owned restaurant. Large portions for the price. Worth the trip to the valley.
Read moreGuest
Lily Bug
Points +27
Best Vegan Chinese in LA - Edit
Wonton Soup is AMAZING. This family run restaurant does it right - from the healthy food to the friendly service. Most entrees can be made oil free. Dine or carry out available.
Read morePros: Healthy Cuisine, Friendly Staff, Excellent Food
Guest
Chia
Points +3635
Good Food Friendly Owners - Edit
I had read about this place on happycow and have eaten here on several occasions. Here's my Garden Wok review.
Read moreThe owners are a friendly Chinese couple who welcome all diners with smiles and complimentary hot tea. The menu is extensive though many items contain a kind of mock meat (fish, chicken, beef, etc.). You could ask for tofu or veggies instead if you don't want mock meat.
Most food items here DO NOT contain MSG, but if an ingredient was brought in from outside, then there might be - just ask.
During the week, there is a bargain value lunch special menu with over 10 choices of main dish, each comes with a single serving soup, rice, and wonton or fried spring roll.
We like: in-house vege fish with hot bean sauce, steam dumplings, fried spring rolls, fried tofu, stir fry vegetables, and brown rice. The owners make their own vege fish with bean curd and seaweed, and it is the BEST.
Garden Wok is a good place to go for Chinese food when in the San Fernando Valley are. Check it out.
Pros: friendly owners, bargain lunch specials, made-to-order hot food
Guest
bwolmarans
Points +90
fastest vegan food in the west - Edit
you won't get piping hot chinese food delivered to your table any faster than at Garden Wok.
Read moreService with a smile.
Pros: great choices
Cons: no teriyaki chicken
Guest
SharonaLA
Points +41
Favorite restaurant of all - Edit
We would live at this restaurant if we could. Owners are super friendly. Orange chicken, cashew chicken are the best. Get the complete dinner or lunch special if possible. Weekends are a little busy and crazy.
Read moreGuest
dancingvegan
Points +854
Yummy - Edit
My first time here. Very nice ambience. Sit-down type of restaurant w/ wait staff attending. Very good service. I had the vegan cream cheese won tons and the spring rolls w/ plum sauce. SO SO yummy!!!
Read morePros: Reasonable prices, Good food, Good portions
Guest
Colinski
Points +110
Good vegan Chinese - Edit
Although not 100% vegan, I believe most of their offerings are so and those that aren't are noted clearly. It's nice to be able to have Chinese food since mainstream Chinese cuisine is a risky proposition for vegans and even vegetarians. This is a Buddhist-run place with lots of free reading material on Buddhism to keep you entertained while you wait for your food, which doesn't take long. Everything I've had here has been good. They also have a dim sum menu, which I am excited to try one of these days. It's been a while since I have been able to have dim sum.
Read morePros: Fast service, Friendly staff, Good parking
Guest
erbavore
Points +108
I'm usually a critic - Edit
Usually I am a critic whenever I go out to eat. Very few places have received a RAVING 5 COWS from me. Yet Garden Wok has absolutely deserved it. The sweet and sour pork is a tough dish to perfect, yet 3 hours later I still have a taste of it on my tongue. Great work Garden Wok.
Read moreThey also had some nice books on Buddhism. The one I read was very touching. With Love, Erb Avore
Pros: Food, Price, Food
Cons: It was a simple restaurant
Guest
gr8vegan
Points +2369
Love the steamed buns - Edit
I went with my LA Happycow group and had a great time! The food was all outstanding. Definitely go with a few people so you can order a bunch of stuff and share. I got to sample a lot more items and would have never guessed their vegan fish was so good! Its made in house out of bean curd so its nothing freaky like I'd have expected otherwise! Can't wait to go back!
Read moreGuest
The Veggie Cook
Points +1201
Friendly, Quick, and Good - Edit
A group of us came here for lunch yesterday. We ordered a bunch of food to share and walked away belly full and satisfied.
Read moreThe ambiance is very nice with white table cloth, air conditioning, and pleasant atmosphere. The owner couple who run this place were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed free hot tea with our meal.
I especially liked their signature vege fish (rolled sheets of beancurd wrapped in seaweed and lightly fried to crispy on the outside), the wonton soup, and the sizzling tofu plate.
Would definitely return when in the area. Recommended.
Pros: inexpensive, good portions, friendly
Guest
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