Had noodle soups. Very plain but vegan so we were happy to find plant based food. Not very exciting or flavorful but definitely healthy. Pricing was fine but my husband didn't want to eat the soup so we went to the grocery store. I also ordered the cha-ya roll hoping to get full. I was hungry not long after it wasn't very filling. Small place. Staff was friendly but quiet. read more

Cha-Ya - Curry Noodle soup with vegetables and buckwheat noodles - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Eggplant nigiri, tofu curry, and the soba salad are all amazing. Definitely worth trying even if you aren't vegan

Simple yet delicious vegan food. They have a good variety of noodles, sushi and soups. The ambience is very traditional old town with a lot of supplies left uncovered, but the food tastes good and supplies can be overlooked. The glass provided for water had lipstick marks so we skipped having water. They are a cash only store with an ATM inside. read more

Never again, between the table at the door and the chain on the other door ( fire dept should check this out)...why have table service? Waitress staring you down, yet cannot see you when you ask for anything. Spend half the time wondering what you did, the other how you can get out. Food was ok. read more

So, I didn't know there was a Berkeley branch of this place. I had visited the one in SF, and I really loved it. However, what I didn't like about the SF one was the wait time. But, to one's sweet surprise, this place was not as crowded as the SF one. I went around 6 pm on a Saturday night and I could get in immediately. All vegetarian vegan menu. Order the miso soup - it's yum. I got the house miso soup for $3, very economical and great. I was craving for sushi and tempura, So my obvious choice was a fried one. Between tempura roll and cha ya roll, I chose the cha ya roll (because it had 8 pieces vs 5 in the other one ). It was delicious! Ginger glaze was a little on the sweeter side. Side of pickled ginger was not provided until asked. They had soy sauce on the table along with a spice powder. We also ordered a plate of gyoza - okay-ish. Wasn't a great fan. The service was good, they don't take too long to serve the items. I'd go back again when I'm craving die veggie sushi and am around this area. read more

Cha-Ya - Cha ya roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great vegetarian Japanese food! Nice family owned restaurant. Owners are friendly. Great intimate service

Good, simple, clean vegetarian Japanese food very reasonably priced for Berkeley. An unpretentious gem of quality dining amidst the faux haute-cuisine of North Shattuck. read more

We ordered the cha ya roll, starlight roll, and vegan roll as our sushi choices to share among us. The cha ya roll was 8 pieces and came warm. The entire roll was tempura-ed as opposed to just part of it. It was very tasty. The starlight roll was 8 pieces and has avocado slices on top. This came as the standard cold with ginger and wasabi and was good. The vegan roll was 4 pieces and was the most conventional with a great mix of veggies in it. Cha ya has a great selection of vegan/vegetarian sushi and I would definitely recommend. We enjoyed all three of our choices and can't wait to be back to try the rest. I'm giving 4 stars as opposed to 5 because I've eaten here once before and didn't love what I got last time (I can't recall what my order was but I definitely hadn't tried the sushi yet). read more

Best vegetarian sushi place I've tried (although my prior experiences with vegetarian sushi usually had 1-2 options such as a plain avocado roll or inari/bean curd). My friend and I dined at Cha-Ya for lunch on a Friday. It was pretty empty save for 3 other parties. I enjoyed the plenty of space. They also have a deli/take-away area which is actually open slightly before posted times. Note this is CASH only (theres a BofA and Wells fargo ATM 2 blocks away). This is what we ordered: Weekday Lunch Set - Tempura $12. As a lunch special it included miso soup and a bowl of rice at no additional charge. The tempura batter was a little thick for my liking but I appreciated the variety of veggies (mushroom,carrot, broccoli, string beans, etc.) Chaya Roll $9 - A great deep fried vegetarian roll stuffed with yam and covered in a sweet teriyaki sauce. Vegan Roll $9 - My sister's favorite roll. It's very clean and fresh with a nice crisp texture on the vegetables which included broccolini, asparagus, and pickled burdock. Overall we would come here again as I don't know of many other good tasting vegetarian Japanese options. We left feeling content but not stuffed (note, I think you'd be hard pressed to consider a single roll as one meal -- the Vegan roll only had 4 pieces). Next time around I think we'd only get one fried dish as the oil got a bit heavy. read more

Cha-Ya - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I did the ovo-lacto-vegetarian--make that pescetarian--thing for awhile so I feel like I do have a reasonable appreciation for vegetarian restaurants. So while Cha-Ya was good, it was good in a way that still needed qualification. As in, good...for a vegetarian restaurant. Here was a run-down of what we ordered: Goma ae (which means "sesame seed" sauce in Japanese). Typically this dish is made with boiled spinach topped with the eponymous sauce, but at Cha-ya there was hardly any spinach. Mostly Chinese brocolli. It was fine but I wouldn't order it again, considering it was over $6. The Moon Garden was a bed of steamed tofu pillowed with various vegetables. Beautifully named, beautifully presented, but surprisingly bland. I had a hard time stomaching more than a few bites. The cha-ya roll was superb, with its combination of yam and avocado lending it a texture similar to cream cheese, and the carrots and deep-fried exterior providing structural support and crunch. Yum! The cha-ya nabe, however, was probably my favorite dish of the night. "Nabe" refers to Japanese hot pot, and the cha-ya nabe was a vegetable sukiyaki. I was afraid that the broth would taste too much like vegetables and was a bit skeptical that a sukiyaki without meat would be tasty, but Cha-Ya definitely proved me wrong! The broth was rich with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin and topped with assorted veggies. At the bottom of the pot was a pile of shirataki noodles, which are translucent and made out of konjac (apparently these noodles have almost zero calories and are high in fiber...by themselves they're tasteless, but they sponged up the flavor of the broth). If I ever come to Cha-Ya again, I'd be happy just with this! Basically, if you or a friend is vegetarian/vegan, this place is essential to try if you're within a 10 mile radius of Berkeley. If you're not...the only reason I'd imagine coming here would be for a healthy low-cal meal. read more

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Ordered dinner from here on uber eats. We got the Dengaku (eggplant tofu with mushroom) and it was TINY. I don't even think it would've been enough for one person, let alone the two of us that were sharing it. Even the steam white rice quantity was very small. It was overpriced for the quantity they provided. However, it was AMAZING and I am told it was very authentic. So the quality of the food somewhat made up for the quantity. We also got a few sushi rolls (6 pieces each) that were pretty average. I would recommend spending your money on the a la carte or other entrees or small plate options and not on the sushi. read more

The service was kinda slow and for some reason I didn't really like the waitress. Didn't fill up my water once or come by to give us chopsticks. Vegan Roll: huge and probably the best thing here Cha-Ya Roll: nice crunch, kinda dry Shira AE:!wasn't a fan of the sauce, everything tasted wet and a little salty Edamame: very small bowl for $5, a waste of money. Too salty and over cooked Soba Sushi: weird Roll, wasn't a fan Yasai Udon: pretty plain udon, the lotus was good. Very salty Oshiruko: very sweet, wasn't a huge fan of the very chewy mochi (and I usually love Mochi) Overall, I thought that everything was too expensive for what it was. Wouldn't want to come here again. read more

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TL;DR Great restaurant for vegetarians!! Cha-ya is perfect for vegetarians, there are so so many options: sushi, udon, and more. I got the vegetable udon and loved the broth. I also shared the Cha-ya roll. It may be a fried something?? It was an interesting texture, but I wish it had a bit more flavor. Cash monies only! read more

Last night I was in Berkeley and had a craving for Japanese vegan food, so my BF and I decided to give Cha-Ya a try. Cha-Ya has basic Japanese sushi rolls, soups and dishes but after dining at Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar in SF, Cha-Ya really needs to step up their game and get more creative with their rolls! One downside is they only take cash but they have an ATM machine inside the restaurant. Minus a star for being cash only. We ordered Gyoza, Garden Roll, Kinoko (mushroom) Udon, and tempura. The gyoza was perfectly crispy on the edges and the tempura was yummy. The udon with the various mushrooms also hit the spot. The Garden Roll was delicious but the roll was huge and immediately fell apart when I tried to eat it. I appreciate that we have a vegan Japanese restaurant in the East Bay but I think I would prefer to travel a bit farther to go to Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar in SF. read more

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My favorite sushi joint in Berkeley! I selfishly love how lowkey this business is. Most sushi restaurants cater to large-family style dying which is cute or whatever but for a cosmopolitan introvert such as myself, Cha-Ya gives us all common ground. A pot of genmai and an order of a cha-ya roll is my go to. They're capable of making a tempura dish that I can actually stomach. Lightly fried is easier said than done and they've gotten it right every time. The roll (8 pieces) is filled with asparagus, yams, avocado, and carrots. Cash only with an atm inside. read more

Cha-Ya - cha-ya roll and a pot of genmai. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Cha-ya expanded in the last year taking over the former flower shop space next door and more than doubling their seating capacity. This has dramatically improved wait times and prices have gone up slightly (not sure if related to expansion). Most of the items are still under $10 except for combo dinners & combo sushi platters. They've also simplified their combo dinners (2 items plus rice, soup & salad) with a fixed $21.95 choosing two of a list of maybe 12 items where the pricing used to vary depending on which two dishes you chose. I did the combo dinner with Moon Garden (tofu custard with veggies) and Hangetsu (fried portobella & tofu with kiwi sauce). The g/f got a Squash Combo (fried squash blossoms & yellow squash slices) and Dengaku (eggplant, mushroom, and tofu with miso sauce). First came the soup & small sunomono salad (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pTpsniKEL9z7Sv1ilXwQag?select=87d1jppDmOhQkBNJ8u1W1A). The soup was pretty rich tasting compared to most miso soups you get. The salad had cucumbers, radish, golden raisins, crunchy soy "nuts" and was really lightly dressed. I liked the soy "nuts" the best. Moon Garden (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pTpsniKEL9z7Sv1ilXwQag?select=BT6ayggnnJq7UVQRQO4N9A) was my favorite of the night. It's like a vegan chawan mushi with a nice variety of veggies plus some slices of atsuage (fried) tofu. 4.5 stars The Dengaku (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pTpsniKEL9z7Sv1ilXwQag?select=PeGpTA2inU_Bu7Rcw-VIqw) was the g/f's fav & my 2nd favorite. I was surprised they didn't use Japanese eggplant and instead used the larger standard eggplant (top of pic). Maybe a little heavy on the miso sauce. 4 stars I wasn't as enamored with the two fried dishes. I didn't like the kiwi sauce with the Hangetsu (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pTpsniKEL9z7Sv1ilXwQag?select=_nwn9xMb157ycwwQnAYipg) and used the squash dipping sauce. I did like the mushroom / tofu combo. The g/f enjoyed the sauce, but it seemed like just pureed kiwi fruit which didn't go with the savory mushrooms.. One scoop had some edamame on top and the other had sunflower seeds. 3+ stars The squash blossoms (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pTpsniKEL9z7Sv1ilXwQag?select=fnWohhuiXl6DneeLeY79MA) were not crisply fried and were not stuffed with anything. Not that there's anything wrong with no stuffing, but I found them bland so definitely needed dipping, imo. 2.5 stars Combo dinner portions are identical to ordering a la carte so order accordingly. We ended up with a chunk of leftovers with our 4 dishes for 2 people. A combo + 1 other would have been perfect. Service was spotty. We had a long wait to place our order and had to work to get refills on our drinks. Our empty soup & salad bowls lingered until we were almost done with the entrees. Overall, 3.5 stars for the food. Rounding down for the service. read more

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The food was mediocre and the service lackluster. The space was dumpy. There was a dog in the kitchen (heard it barking), an instant turnoff. Can't be legal. Also, one of the entry doors was locked with chains and a deadbolt. That definitely not legal. Definitely will not be going back. read more

This was a pleasant surprise! I started with the soba salad. This thing was loaded with bright, fresh ingredients, including Chinese broccoli, bell peppers, ginger, 2 types of mushrooms (enoki and another I didn't know), peas, then topped with sliced strawberries! An excellent starter with enough for 2. The Cha-Ya Nabe had an incredible broth and the longer it sat, the better it got. It was piping hot when it arrived and could easily feed 2. Definitely will get this one again. I saw a few pics of the moon garden, a tofu custard. I was a bit disappointed with this one due to its blandness. The best part of the dish was the number of vegetables in it. Overall the food was delicious. As in other posts, service was one of the shortcomings of this place. The server forgot to bring rice with the Cha-Ya special and didn't appear to know it was included until we reminded her. I split the meal with a friend and we wanted an extra bowl, but did have to ask multiple times before getting one. I do have to say, i did go on a weeknight and didn't run into the issue of waiting for a table, so that was a plus. The menu has a lot a variety and I look forward to going back to try something new! read more

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One word I can use for this restaurant is exquisite. The food was absolutely delicious and tasted like nothing I have ever had before! also to point out the service were super nice and hardworking. Overall the food was 10/10 the workers were very friendly and the ambiance was very welcoming. Well done Chaya workers!! we'll definitely come next time along with my peers read more

After passing by this place in the past, tonight was the night to try Cha-Ya and see if I could become a fan of vegetarian/vegan Japanese food. I came in with a less than hearty appetite, so I ended up only trying their Cha-Ya roll. Filled with asparagus, avocado, carrots, and yam, this is a sushi roll that is lightly fried in its surrounding tempura batter. It was an odd sensation to have warm sushi, but I thought the sauce drizzled over the rolls gave it a great, somewhat gingery flavor. I also tried my partner's tempura, which was not too oily but also not very memorable. Would I come back to Cha-Ya? Maybe, though I thought for what I got, I was overpaying. The ambience was casual, and I agree with a previous review that finding the entrance was a bit tricky. I can definitely see this being a boon for vegetarians or vegans who are looking for a wide variety of Japanese menu options. read more

Cha-Ya - Cha-Ya Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Not sure what happened to Cha-Ya, I think it must have changed hands as the place was not clean. The food was really disappointing and flavorless. read more

The BEST vegan sushi in the East Bay. The food is fresh, delicious, and made with absolute care and expertise. Even if you aren't vegetarian/vegan, you will greatly enjoy your meal. Note: They are cash only but they have an ATM. read more

Delicious! We walked in to this place by total coincidence. We were looking for a particular running store when my grumbling stomach and hangry attitude lead us into Cha-Ya for lunch! When we walked in we assumed it was a normal sushi restaurant but to our surprise everything was vegetarian! Now I was skeptical since my favorite part of a sushi restaurant is the fresh fish! But I am happy to report it was uniquely delicious :) we had two appetizers and shared a rice bowl with veggies. Everything was so fresh and perfectly cooked. The textures and colors were amazing! We didn't miss the fish or meat at all! After we left I felt light and refreshed. I definitely recommend this place to any vegetarians and anyone wanting to try something new and healthy :) read more

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Ordered $100 worth on NYE to-go. No one mentioned it was cash only when I placed the order. Their web site makes no mention of this being a cash only business in today's world of contact-less transactions. When I arrived, Lady said " everyone knows". While waiting for my husband to pay by Venmo she quickly grabbed the bag and then said she thought I wasn't going to pay!!! Haven't eaten yet. It better be good but definitely left a bad taste with me for future orders. Good bye 2022. read more

The cook who prepared my Chaya roll was not wearing a mask. The woman next to him cleaning washing up stuff wore no mask. The woman who handed me my order had a mask under her chin. And this is while full indoor masking rules are still in place in Berkeley. Disgusting! read more

I was so excited to try a vegan Japanese spot! I came with a vegetarian friend because he highly recommended this place. To be honest, the menu was okay, and I was super excited to get started eating here. I had ordered the natto hosomaki and the kitsune udon. I really enjoyed the kitsune udon -- it had a nice mushroom broth and the tofu skins were delicious. For the natto hosomaki, DO NOT ORDER. Literally a six piece roll, with just rice. I didn't see a single natto bean in any of them. There was some of the natto paste and green onion, but nothing more. Also, $3.00 for tea? Seems a little steep. I have tea from Japan (i.e. genmaicha) and I've bought the entire pound of it for $10, so I definitely wasn't having it. The service was mediocre at best. If you're here for food, just get the noodles, not worth it for a dining experience. Food: 3/5 Staff: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Value: 2/5 Overall: 2.5/5 read more

Cha-Ya - I know there's natto in here somewhere... - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have come here three times and will probably keep coming back. You really can't go wrong with a restaurant if you nail food quality and service. The food is delicious. It's not the best vegan sushi in the Bay Area but it's pretty close. For what you pay for at Cha-ya, there is no buyer's remorse. I recommend the yam roll and the mixed vegetable roll. The line is also never wrapped around the block, which is surprising because this place is quality enough to be a hopping, trendy establishment. But this works in the customers' favor, as getting a table on a Friday night is never an issue. The place is ran by a very friendly and accommodating staff. They're always milling around, never hiding behind the counter on their phones. They're vigilant but not intrusive and always smiling. Design-wise, the interior is plain but that's totally fine. It's a more laid-back, casual dining experience. And that's what I like about it. I can get off work late and come here without having to put on a suit and tie and get great sushi. It's cash only, so stop by an ATM beforehand. Otherwise, this place is totally worth it, even if you're an omnivore. read more

Great food, even for non-vegetarians! I came here with a group of friends after looking into restaurant options for one of my friends, who is a vegan. We decided to look into this place after realizing my friend is always forced to order sides or customize her orders when going to "regular" restaurants that we choose. Cha-Ya is a fantastic option for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike! I ordered two dishes, the vegetable tempura roll and the veggie medley soup with soba noodles, for fear that I'd still be hungry after just one dish. Boy was I wrong. I love veggie tempura, so the roll was a perfect choice. My friend and I also shared a plate of veggie gyoza, which was delicious! Needless to say, I had plenty of food to keep me full (the rice and noodles help). The food was delicious, and the soup was particularly flavorful. REMEMBER THEY ARE CASH ONLY. We also ordered the fried banana dessert, which is super tasty! I like the red bean & matcha drizzles that they added on. All in all, despite not being a vegetarian, I didn't find myself missing the meat at all. Love it! read more

My experience at Cha-Ya was very underwhelming, which was disappointing because I had high hopes for this place. A vegetarian myself, I'm always looking to try good vegetarian and vegan food from various cuisines, but Cha-Ya unfortunately did not satisfy my desire. My mom and I ordered the Soba Salad and the Taku Sui. The simplistic presentation of the two dishes was lovely, but once I took a bite, the only thing that was transpiring in my brain was how utterly tasteless the dishes were. The Soba Salad at least had the distinct umami flavor from the buckwheat noodles drowning in soy sauce (I don't use drowning lightly; there was a pool of soy sauce left in the bowl when I had finished the dish), and there were some pieces of vegetable or root (not sure which, as the food item was Japanese) that burst with ginger flavor when bitten into. However, all the Taku Sui had was a light yellow broth that tasted like dirty dishwater (most likely the result from all the boiled vegetables). My taste buds were crying for some flavor after the meal, and I felt bloated from all the vegetables but not fully satiated. Not only the food but also the customer service was unsatisfactory. One of my servers had zero expression on her face, neither when I said "Thank you" repeatedly during the meal nor when I pointedly looked at her when asking for the check. She didn't make eye contact or say anything throughout the evening, and I was surprised by the lack of emotion of her that was present in other servers. I do want to point out that while the dishes that I ordered did not produce gustatory pleasure, the vegetables appeared quite fresh. But the healthiness of the meals does not make up for the severe absence of flavor and mediocre customer service. read more

Cha-Ya - Soba Salad - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is literally my favorite restaurant. Period. And no, I'm not a strict vegan. Everything here is fresh, and delicious, every time. Highest quality tea. Local delicious sake. Amazingly fresh Japanese mountain vegetables and other root vegetables. The cha ya nabe is the best sukiyaki on the planet. My one complaint: ambiance. Sometimes I wish they'd pay a little more attention to the venue. I think they have a very practical mindset, and sort of don't understand what is important to upscale dining on the non-food front. For example, last time we were here, they had a bunch of cardboard boxes out visibly in the dining area. They offered to seat us at a table literally touching a pile of what looked like cardboard moving boxes (?). This place is SOOOOO close to being a fancy restaurant. But then they do things like that. Every single person in our dining party commented on the weird pile of cardboard boxes near the back of the room. But maybe that's Berkeley, for ya. It's still the best restaurant in my book. I have been coming here for almost 20 years since it was just a little venue on one side of the now two-roomed restaurant. And it's still my #1 place and it always will be. read more

This is easily my favorite restaurant in all of SF. I've been a vegetarian for a long time, and I know I can bring my non-veggie friends here and they'll be blown away too. Strongly recommend the spicy eggplant roll and the vegetable curry soup with udon! read more

3.5 This place always smells so good when I pass by. I'm surprised this place isn't more expensive considering other vegan places. I think the portion you get is decent. I liked the stuffed eggplant ($12.50) but the middle is sort of a okay mush, the tempura isn't even that crunchy because it's sitting and soaking in this overly sweet sauce soup. The eggplant doesn't really help much since it's adding its own moisture. I think I liked the Cha ya roll ($9.50) better for being able to hold its crunch. The soba salad was good ($10), a little on the saltier side but had more flavor than I expected. read more

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Always perfect order, hot, delicious vegan food! The best service! Even when coming in 25 minutes before closing time, gave friends and I time to talk and visit completely. read more

The only expectation I walked in with was "healthy." Which is lucky considering how much there is to discover at Cha-Ya. Each dish is meticulous in its presentation as well as the freshness of ingredients. Not to mention everything is cooked to perfection. If you've been thinking about going, do it. read more

Cha-Ya - Tempura udon and roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really wanted to like this place, I did. The thought of enjoying a vegan meal sounds absolutely amazing, but in reality..who can live without meat and animal processed foods? We tried several of the most popular dishes: 1. Deganku- This dish consists of broiled eggplant and tofu with some bbq tasting like sauce. The tofu tasted decent, but eggplant was a little bland...in my opinion, though it didn't seem like anything special.. 2. Cha ya roll - This was a fried veggie sushi roll ...I thought there was a sort of bitter aftertaste with the veggies..it tasted a little bit better by dipping with soy sauce, but was only ok. 3. Curry udon - Probably the best part of the meal, but it seemed like I could easily make this at home.. Over all, food was okay, but not something that I would come back for. Service was a little slow, we tried for ages to get their attention to receive the check to no avail. Restaurant itself is very small, but luckily, we did not have to wait on the Saturday evening that we arrived. Also, this place is CASH only, however there is an ATM machine located inside the restaurant. read more

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For people who have complained about there being no fish options with their sushi rolls, you obviously did not get the memo on Cha-Ya being a vegetarian/vegan restaurant. Even though the food was enjoyable, it did not amaze me. It reminded me of any other vegetarian place. I got the vege-tofu curry with soba noodles and was overwhelmed by the amount of noodles there were. It almost seemed like it was such soba noodles in a curry-flavored broth. The dish was okay, but again it did not have that "wow" factor. My friend ordered the cha-ya roll (sweet potatoe, avocado, something, something...) and I actually really liked it. It was slightly deep-fried and was more satisfying than the curry option. I kind of wished I would have ordered a roll instead. Both of us decided to try their vegan desserts because they sounded delicious! We opted for the pear compote (shaved pear in a soy milk base with green tea sauce) and the sundae (ice cream with green tea syrup and pineapple chunks). This is the first time I have eaten desserts and felt guilt-free. They were not heavy and were actually the perfect balance for our savory dinner. A few things that I was disappointed by: 1. This place is cash only, which is difficult since their entrees average $8-$11. If you come in a large group, that is a lot of cash to be carrying. They have an ATM machine inside, but who really wants to pay extra to take out cash. So if you do come here, make sure to bring lots of cash because you definitely will want to try dessert after. 2. The service is incredibly slow...I can't even tell you how slowly I saw my life passing me by because it took FOREVER for someone to take our order....then it took forever to get our food...and it took even longer to get the check and our change. Honestly, I don't think I would have enough patience to come back here. read more

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Traditional in the sense of avoiding all that Americanized sriracha and spicy mayo sauces. Though I love me my sriracha... I'm down with their clean concept. Completely vegan and vegetarian. It was good and the bf and I enjoyed our meal there. The miso was delicious too. Probably the best miso soup I've had. It wasn't overly salty like what you would usually get at Japanese restaurants. I wish we had more room in our stomachs to try everything else. read more

Cha-Ya - Summer roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food 4/5. Service 4/5. Ambiance 5/5. Japanese food is already so simple, I didn't know what to imagine vegetarian Japanese food would look like. The simplicity, balance, and wholesome aspect of the food at Cha-Ya reminds you that food doesn't have to be complicated to be good. The restaurant itself is not big, with a few tables. However, they were more than accommodating with a group of 12. Usually, vegetarian options of Japanese food usually entail avocado rolls or Imari, but not here, there are items ranging from tempura soba to a variety of different roles and entrees. I was recommended the Cha-Ya bowl and what a delicious choice it was. It was simple a variety of cooked vegetables and tofu on top of sushi rice. The vegetables were all fresh and the vegetable itself was able to keep its integrity. If you needed a little bit more flavoring, there was soy sauce off hand, but I didn't think it was needed. Overall, I had an amazing experience here, and it's probably one of two of my favorite Japanese vegetarian places in the Bay Area. If you haven't already, come here and be reminded of what pure food can taste like. Tips - Share other appetizers on top of your entree, you might leave craving for more food otherwise. Pros - Great for vegetarians who actually want to eat at a restaurant that caters to vegetarians. Con - Food might not be everyone who isn't use to more pure tasting food. read more

Cha-Ya - Cha-Ya bowl - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Cutest, sweetest, tastiest, most peaceful, and most homely Japanese place I have seen in the Bay Area. Their super elaborate all vegetarian menu is to die for. Great Job! Keep it up guys!!! read more

Vegetarian Sushi !!! I'm sold on that very idea. On this occasion we were celebrating my wife's birthday and my idea was to do things that she likes on her birthday, and restaurants need to be of her choice. Hence We decided Cha-Ya @ Mission, SF and boy were we hit with this traffic on a Saturday afternoon. Once we were at the toll striding bumpers, my wife quickly found Cha-Ya at Berkeley which was 20 mins drive as opposed to a 40 min to the city from that point. Quickly took a U turn and cruised to Shattuck Ave. We had the most delicious lil rolls (and big ones) in the next 30 mins. We ordered, ** Garden Roll ** Summer Green Roll ** Cha-ya Roll ** Veggie Tofu Curry Each of these were tastefully rolled and served. My 6 yo was thrilled to have some of the rolls and of course the Tofu Curry with rice. In all it was a good start to my wife's birthday celebration. read more