Had a really amazing dinner at Cha-Ya. Food was super fresh and tasty. Was struggling to find healthy unprocessed tasting stuff to eat out in the states and was really happy to find this place! Best meal I had in San Fransisco.
Best Japanese meal we had, hands down! The well balanced flavors of the vegetarian food are sumptuous and delicious. The vegetarian sushi is so flavorful that you don’t really miss the fish for the pescatarians. And the food doesn’t put you in a food coma afterwards leaving you fulfilled and refreshed. Lastly, the ambience is comfortable and the service wonderful.This place is a breath of fresh air amidst a bustling street.
Overpriced, mediocre food, long serving time, broken lights, why is this place rated so high? The three of us ordered different dishes and they looked and tasted basically the same. It's just plain vegetable soup with nothing special. It's not that bad but I expected better for the high prices. The service wasn't great either. Even the chopsticks were cheap single use ones. I definitely won't be coming again.
Overpriced but below average tasting food. We ordered all their best sellers - Agedashi tofu, vegan sushi, Cha ya roll, and curry soba. With the exception of the soba, everything tasted bland and stale. I have been to many good vegan sushi places and this is the worst.
ATMOSPHERE:Located in the middle of the lively and vibrant Valencia street area. There are a few tables set up on the sidewalk (no cover or separation from pedestrians). Not a fancy setup, but still nice to have some outdoor seating available.OVERALL:If it is important to you that you can order anything from the menu with piece of mind that it will be vegan, then Cha-ya is the place for you. There is something to be said about not having to worry and having the freedom to order anything you want if you're a vegan. However, judged on an absolute scale (and if veganism is not your demographic), then the food is slightly under the bar for flavor.FOOD:Curry udon: Nice Japanese-curry flavored broth with typical Udon noodles. Veggies were a bit on the firm side (e.g. kabocha). If you enjoy japanese curry, then this would be a good dish for you.Soba salad: The dressing is the winner of this dish. The vegetables were a little underwhelming, most of them were chopped raw vegetables like onion and bell pepper. The edamame was the best part of the vegetable mix.
Friendly ppl, delicious food and great vibe.
It was a delight being able to order anything off the menu as a vegetarian! The staff here is so sweet and respectful. We ordered a hot sake, couple sushi items, hot pot and noodle soup. Everything was flavorful and delicious! Definitely worth a visit!
The food wass very bland for my taste but my family said it was very flavorful. The service was very attentive and I liked the no frills atmosphere. The tempura was very crisp and tasty.
Fantastic vegan sushi. Service was good as well. No wait but we got there early, filled up as we ate. Highly recommend.
We came across this place on a cold rainy day and the warm food filled our souls up! The lovely miso, vegan roll, and the harusame noodle soup were delicious and carefully prepared. A unique menu and history of vegan Japanese cooking! Highly recommend this culinary experience.