Vegan
International
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Caribbean
Catering
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-Sun 12:00pm-9:00pm.
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140 West 4th St (at Washington Square and 6th Ave, West Village, Manhattan), New York City, New York, USA, 10014
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Last update on 18 Oct 2023 by Guest
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133 Reviews
First Review by Poundie
Veganessent
Points +109
1 of everything please! Twice!!! - Edit
OMG this place... I lost count of how many times I ate here when I was in New York. I actually think I tried everything on the menu. And with VP2 next door : O it was overwelming to order! I can't choose a favourite dish...but I loved the sandwiches (and it takes a lot for me to love a sandwich!). Crispy soul chicken was everyone's favourite, my non-Vegan friends would ask for it, continuously. I dream of Red Bamboo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Read morePros: Too, Damn, Good
Guest
steveveg
Points +2276
Painfully Noisy - Edit
I found the food here good but not great. We had the Creole Soul Chicken appetizer - good, the Portabella Mushroom which was highly salty, and the Grilled Bourbon Chicken Jerk. The accompanying steamed vegetables were just that - plain and uninteresting. More could have been made of it. The restaurant was painfully noise, with loud music and patrons with their volume turned up to be heard. We couldn't bear to stay for dessert, even though they were tempting, it was too disturbing.
Read morePros: food is ok, large mock meat selection
Cons: noisy
Guest
Nikki1801
Points +963
Good lunch-stop - Edit
Extensive menu, great meat substitutes. I had a chick'n salad and shared some wings which was a perfect meal for lunch.
Read moreIt was fairly quiet when we went but the staff appeared miserable- maybe just having an off day. Hoping to check it out again next time we're in the city.
Guest
zroq12
Points +481
vegan fish and meat at its best - Edit
this is the ultimate place if you want a credible vegan fish or vegan meat.
Read morethey do it with confidence and you get the full bang .
this is probably as realistic meat and fish you could go in vegan style.
almost scary so realistic. but congratulations on the attempt.
a must try for vegans who like to know how it feels to eat meat, without any animal have being killed or abused.
besides of that, this places has incredible vegan cakes.
they were all so incredibly good , i ordered all vegan 5 cakes of the dessert menu and eat myself sick with big pleasure. next to me i saw a couple and did the same thing.
Pros: realistic vegan fish and vegan meat, amazing cakes, centre location
Cons: very very small restaurant but nice
Guest
slo0go
Points +2179
Great lunches - Edit
I love this place for lunch. I brought my boss here for lunch once. He is a total omnivore/meat eater and he was impressed. He ordered a salad with fake chicken strips and he said it tasted like real chicken. He also really liked the fresh fries. I enjoy their sandwiches, particularly the ones on coco bread. And they have Vegan Treats cakes for dessert. Their sister restaurant Vegetarian Paradise 2 is two doors down.
Read moreGuest
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 +96
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 +1306
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 +214
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 +341
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 +21596
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
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