I like Indian food, but i LOVE the earthen jar, the food is consistently good, and everything I try I enjoy. be sure to try the stuffed potato fired dumpling, and the yellow cauliflower dish. read more

For some reason, this place looks like it'd be expensive on the outside while it's actually quite reasonably priced. It's a pay-by-the-pound buffet, $5.99 a pound. Price aside, the food is AMAZING! Everything is vegetarian, some are vegan, and a fair amount of the ingredients are made from scratch right on the premises. Selection is quite large, with three buffet stations. Everything tastes AWESOME, it's really easy to load up on your plate and get super stuffed. This is for sure one of the best places for Indian food in town. It's also an excellent place for take-out or super quite lunch. read more

Yup, this place pretty much rocks. Good, cheap food in a pleasantly casual environment. The cleanliness leaves something to be desired, but you can't have it all and this place come closer than anywhere else I've been to in AA. read more

perfect. quirky and delightful in many ways. food by the pound offers one choices-- you can go get a $2 snack or (like me) come back to ann arbor to visit after a year and gorge yourself silly for $15. very friendly people. love the plates in back. always nice people around. if any of the keywords pique your interest, you must go to EJ now: Indian, vegetarian, vegan, bob marley, read more

The only real hippie place left in Ann Arbor. I always have to go here alone because no one in my family will go. They have banana pudding in the buffet, which I always get, and the food is very simple, like the kind you might make from a madhur Jaffrey cookbook. Not cheap but fine. read more

The Earthen Jar does what it does, very well. It is easily one of my favorite spots to eat in Ann Arbor, and while being mostly Vegan does help, I enjoyed Earthen Jar prior to becoming vegan. First and foremost, the establishment is a buffet of the pay by pound variety. This is probably the safest system for me, because if it were an all you can eat buffet, i would probably overeat every time. For a buffet, i would say the food is of good quality, not as good as some sit down meals you might find at sit down locations, but still very good. There are indeed some dishes that aren't very good in my opinion, but the majority of what i have tasted has been good. I really enjoy the chana masala and gobi alu here, amongst several other dishes. Another must get for me here is the soy mango lassi! Service is pretty much self serve, however the guy who usually works the register is very helpful and friendly, and i have never had a bad experience at EJ. Why a 4? Well, as previously mentioned, the food is good for buffet style, but in terms of a full flavor, It does not match sit down restaurants. Also, parking is a problem, but not to most patrons as usually its a place that seems geared towards student body. The basmati rice is good, but not the best I have had, which may not seem like a huge sticking point to most, but I LOVE basmati rice and it is a very important part or my dining experience at an indian restaurant. All this being said, it is one of my favorite buffet style experiences, and if i had to rate things based on standardized buffet ratings, I would give it a 5, but otherwise, it gets a 4. read more

This is a prime example of why I am so madly in love with Yelp! We landed in Detroit and went in search of a yummy veg option on our way home. Yelpers pointed us here and we loved it! The environment is nothing fancy and the silver plates/cups are what I ate off when I lived in India. The owner is a sweet Punjabi who made sure to ask if the food quality compared with my India experiences. Over 48 veg, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, etc. choices to pick from off the buffet! I even loved the "youth hostel feel" from washing my own plate. Shukriya for the lovely dining experience and veg options!!! read more

I ate here religiously over the summer, and even though I am convinced that the woman who usually runs the cash register strongly dislikes me, I am an enormous fan of the staggeringly delicious food. I love the creamy yogurt, mushroom and broccoli dish; the spiced, fried potato dumplings; any/all of the most spicy lentil, chickpea and black eyed pea dishes, and I offer you this: why load up on rice when there are so many great legume dishes on the hot bar!? You will never ever see any rice on my plate because I must save all of my plate space for the other yummies...perhaps my gluttony has made the cashier dislike me? I don't even care, the food is so good! read more

Delicious food, wonderful selection, great prices. The atmosphere is very laid back. Its a fun way to sample many items.

There aren't many places in Ann Arbor that serve only vegetarian food. The Earthen Jar is one of them. Conveniently located next to the downtown library, the delicious smell of curries wafts out every time I walk by. This place is cheap (you pay $5/pound for a plate of food), no-frills, straightforward, and full of delicious eats. Make sure to try the mango soy lassi. read more

By-the-pound buffet, everything is vegetarian and there are plenty of vegan options as well (like the vegan lassis). The mix is a little eclectic--for example, in the cold bar, there is often banana pudding (both vegan and non) along with more traditional fare. Sometimes the buffet tables are a little off and items are colder than they could be, but honestly that has never detracted from my enjoyment of the place. Really great for a quick lunch, especially since it's right in the middle of downtown. read more

I can't say enough about Earthen Jar! Feels like you're eating at home among friends. Food was really good. Amazing variety. Probably more vegan options than any other place in town. Very friendly owner. The interior could use a little work (wobbly tables) but as long as you're not one to get hung up on things like this, Earthen Jar is a solid 5 stars. I'm sure the neighboring parking ramp construction has been bad for business, so get out there, treat yourself, and support this important locally owned restaurant! read more

Let me preface this review by saying that I am a vegan who loves Indian food, and loves to eat huge portions--preferably with a lot of variety. So, Earthen Jar is pretty much my culinary wet dream. You can smell it from the corner, and I immediately start salivating. My favorites include the okra, TVP with peas, sag-dal, curried eggplant, matar alu, cooled potatoes, pakora (oh my god the pakora!), and the sujee halva. I usually get these every time, and add random variety each trip. The only things I'm not crazy about are the fried potato dumplings and vegan macaroni and cheese. I love this place so much that I've learned to make a lot of their recipes at home so I can have them anytime I want (with the aid of the awesome Indian grocer on Packard in Ypsilanti). Even with the recent price increase ($6/lb--probably due to business lost because of the construction next door), I still find myself here at least once a week. Sometimes it's a little better or fresher than others, but I've never had a bad meal here. The younger guy and younger girl who work here are very friendly, to boot. Even if you don't like Indian, even if you're not a veg(etari)an, you owe it to yourself to experience Earthen Jar at least once. Chances are, you'll want to come back. read more

I drive through Ann Arbor on my way from D.C. to East Lansing and I always stop here. Not only is the food consistently amazing, but the owner and various relatives that work there are SO NICE!!! If the food was mediocre I would still go just to say hi to Push and his wife, but the food is far from mediocre. Vegetarian heaven. And my five year-old daughter will eat a plate full of their spinach. I'm not sure what they do to it, but she loves it! read more

Indian soul food. Owners kind of reserved, distant, oh well, I should be used to it. No tips in the jar= even steven.

I absolutely adore this offbeat vegetarian restaurant. It is a haven for vegetarians who want cheap, fast, and really DELICIOUS food. The store owners are Sikh Indians and the fare is naturally also Indian. We come here all the time to enjoy the wide selection of veggies curried, creamed, and spiced. I always get a mango lassi and a heaping plate of food when I come here and I'm ashamed to say the highligh is the extremely aromatic basmati rice (truly how do they get it to smell that good - I've tried unsucessfully to duplicate it at home). It is treehugger friendly with its use of regular plates and silverware and metal cups. The only downside is that it is not open on sunday. read more

It is so exciting to walk up to a buffet and to be able to eat ANYTHING there - and about 10 times more exciting than that to actually enjoy it too. As a vegetarian who loves Indian food, this place is pretty ideal. And being lactose intolerant, I love that I can get vegan lassis as well as several other dairy-free treats. Perhaps not all of it is authentic, but the flavors are good, the price is fair, and the ability to eat anything on the menu is thrilling. read more

I unfortunately took my friend here, while he was on a visit to my place. It was a bad experience. The place looked rundown, we should have known better looking at that place. Food was vegan alright, but, it was stale, and it did not taste good at all. I understand, it's a hard task to get the same taste as paneer with tofu, but I have had much better vegan Indian food than this. The awful part was the price, it was by weight and it was very very expensive. Please avoid if you want good quality vegan food at reasonable price. read more

I used to love this place, but no more. The food has been great, but I noticed that it is exceedingly dirty. Mold on the ceiling, dust all over, etc. Last straw was the very long human hair my friend found in her food. They need to clean up this place. I'd hate to see the Health Department restaurant review. read more

I cannot say enough good things about the food, i was apprehensive bc typical Indian buffet makes german food seem spicy, but these folks go way beyond what most menus offer. Well spiced and balanced flavor. My only down side is the by the pound, most indian dishes are very heavy, but after tasting, it couldnt be AUCE bc they would go out of business (why you here 4 hour!). Decor is a tad bohemian, i can deal with it. Like i told the woman (owner?) at the register, have never had better and if they were in toledo i would be there 3x a week. Highly recommend for novice to foodie read more

Good food, with great vegan options. The price is a little high for the amount of food you get.

this is my all-time favorite place to eat. a beautiful owner who loves to smile at his patrons. cheap. by the pound. i eat for about $5 & am completely satisfied afterward. (it's a "duh" that you don't load up on tofu & rice...you don't really need it anyway---the other stuff does perfectly fine on it's own.) i always leave with a drugged out happy feeling. curry does an amazing trick. **make sure you go in the back & get a plate to put your food on. no need to waste crap stirofoam. **my dad..who is a little bit of a food/wine/cheese snob insists that whenever he comes to ann arbor he goes out to eat here. it's basically the best. read more

If you're looking for a quick, affordable and healthy meal this buffet style vegetarian place is for you! A constant soundtrack of Bob Marley (or more recently Michael Jackson!) keeps the vibes positive! read more

Cannot get over how delicious and reasonably priced this place is. I don't even know what to recommend because every single thing I've tried has impressed me. I have tried and definitely love the okra, eggplant, spicy tofu, string beans, abs potato and peas dishes. read more

I am addicted to this food! Earthen Jar regularly comes to the U of M hospital cafe, and it is my new not-so-guilty pleasure. Everything on the menu is vegetarian or vegan, and most options are gluten free. It is so nice to be able to pick whatever my heart desires and not have to worry about the ingredients. The flavoring is superb and for those on a non-veg diet, you won't even notice the difference. read more

The Chana Masala and Banana pudding are a must eat there. I could fill up my plate with 3 pounds of the pudding on an empty stomach. Throw in some Bob Marley in the background and you've got yourself a meal. I make sure to make earthen Jar a frequent lunch stop when I'm doing jobs in the area. read more

My favorite Indian place hands down. Best food for the best price made by an extremely nice family! Make sure to try the sabzi tori, it will blow your mind. Don't leave without Jasmine's awesome baked goods. Most of them are gluten free and many use low amounts to no sugar. The cookie pie is my favorite right now! read more

Back again, and I still wonder about the pricing (which can vary so much among a small group who seem to have the same food on their plates), but the food is so good! You can tell that each of the dozens of items is made with thought and quality ingredients. If this place was a standard buffet I'd probably be going for thirds and fourths but the weight based part makes that too expensive. Pay what you need, but try the food because it is delicious (all of it)! read more

Stopped here for lunch looking for something vegetarian and we stumbled upon this place. Cute atmosphere, it was great not having to worry about which foods had meat for once. Food was excellent, reasonably priced, great service too. read more

Service is great! Always so friendly. Wide variety of food that has never failed to be delicious. Definitely one of my favorite places in Ann Arbor--highly recommend! read more

Been here hundreds of times when I was a student at U of M. Went back last week. This place rocks. Best Indian buffet around. The dal is to die for. Only complaint is they did away with the fried chips. I know they're bad for you, but don't be food fascists! They were GOOD. read more

Delicious food. Taste like homemade. Vegan vegetarian options. Delicious mango Lhasa. A big variety on the buffet. Family run with quality ingredients. read more

I love this place. Great vibe and they're always super friendly and laid-back. The food is delicious and they've got the best banana pudding I've ever had in my life - hands down. They started making a vegan version too and it's actually even BETTER. In addition to vegetarian and vegan dishes, they also cater to people looking for gluten-free fare. read more

I'm sure the food would have been good when fresh, but barely luke warm food is not my thing. There was a total lack of flavor & creativity. At least it was cheap & the workers were nice? I would not go out of my way to try it again. read more

I can't believe I just ate here for the first time about two weeks ago! I've walked by it a ton of times, and finally went in before I went to an event at the library (which is right next door). I had absolutely no idea what to do when I went in. The owner was very nice to me, despite me being an idiot and just sort of standing there. I have no idea what any of my dishes were called (except the banana pudding, which was very tasty), but they were all good. I loved the vibe of the place--it's like being in someone's house, with funky music, and little spiritual messages all over the place. Very comfortable and cozy. Will definitely go back! read more

Earthen Jar is one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. To be clear though, you need to know what you are getting into. It is not an all you can eat buffet, is is not full service and there is no Tandoori chicken or lamb vindaloo. For someone who is a quasi vegetarian and who dates a vegetarian, I love the place. The masala's are filling, and I like that you pay by the pound. Since I am paying I don't overeat, and I can stilll sample multiple things. The lassi's are to die for. The naan is so so. You definitely have to have a little hippy in you to enjoy it though. read more

Delicious homemade Indian food at $5.99/lb. If I went to U of M, I would eat here several times a week.

Earthen Jar is a great spot if you're looking to feast on some great Indian food. It's buffet style- $6.99/ lb. It's also a great spot for vegetarians and is fast and casual. Another major plus was that everything was labeled and included the spice levels in every dish. read more

My favorite place for Indian food. I would definitely recommend trying all the dishes. Specially the banana pudding. read more

This is the best kosher option in Ann Arbor. Kosher Indian buffet that is vegetarian and most gluten free. Take a plate and then weigh it for the price. Has more of a Rastafarian/Bob Marley feel than an Indian buffet, which is fun. Buffet is open for lunch and dinner. Certified kosher by Kosher Michigan. read more