This place is amazing and truly one of a kind! I had the privilege of dining here twice this past month and consistency had fantastic experiences both times! The restaurant has both inside and outdoor spaces with two different entrances. This was a bit confusing since we walked coming from Sunset and entered the inside the first time we came! Thankfully, the staff were super helpful and directed us to the other entrance for the patio seating! I did get a look at the inside space which had its own lovely ambiance and felt calming and mellow. The patio seating felt magical and being there I felt transported to a completely different place! The decor is lovely and if you're a sports fan, they have games playing in the background. There are ample heat lamps placed throughout, which was great since both times we went it was chilly at night! The staff even adjusted it to our comfort. Both times I came here, there were Prix fix menus to choose from. The first visit had a smaller Prix fix menus, while the second time had more on the menu and didn't cost much more. I highly recommend ordering from the Prix fix as it's a great value to be able to try a food variety of options! The standouts were definitely the monkey buns, the king oyster bao, and the sweet and sour mushroom, although everything we had tasted amazing! The monkey buns had a soft doughy texture and were nice and sticky with a wonderful savory mixture inside and a subtle sweetness. The king oyster bao was pretty similar although didn't have the stickiness but was more spicy and creamy inside. The sweet and sour mushroom is a must with the crispiness mushroom to really mimic chicken with a lovely tangy sauce that was just so scrumptious. For dessert both times, we got the Triple Chocolate Trifle which was layered with so much texture and flavor and was rich and decadent but not overly heavy. This dessert truly is a must even though the bao beignets also sound very enticing and I would love to try on my next visit here! I also loved the experience of having the tea brought to our table (you get two refills with hot water). It was so flavorful and fun to watch it steep and being able to smell the freshness of the tea leaves. It was so refreshing and flavorful and truly complimented and brought out the flavors of the food. It's an experience that must be had at this restaurant. I highly recommend this restaurant and it's my first experience with vegan dim sum and I'm already obsessed! It's a place both vegans and non vegans alike can enjoy and it's such a fantastic experience to dine here with the culmination of the food and eclectic ambiance. The service was also so friendly, prompt and helpful and they truly go over the top here to ensure you have an amazing time. We were also assisted by one of the owners, who was the sweetest and most accommodating. I could truly see how passionate she is about the restaurant. Parking is pretty easy in the surrounding neighborhood here, even on a busy Saturday night. I cannot wait to return soon! read more

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TL;DR 5/5 for dine in; 1/5 for take out. TAKE OUT IS NOT GOOD. Writing this review with a heavy heart. Up to tonight, Men & Beast was a 5 star restaurant to me. While on the pricier side, the cost was justified by the quality and flavor of the food. The tea is great, the appetizers and entrees are all amazing. The desserts have been a little hit or miss, but overall it has been one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Unfortunately, tonight I ordered take out for the first time and I almost couldn't even recognize the food. The quality was severely worse than when dining in. I expect take out to impact food quality a little, but this was much worse than I have ever experienced. The flavor was lacking, the texture was way off, some food seemed over cooked and others seemed undercooked. I could've gone down the street and paid 1/3 this price at a hole in the wall for this level of quality. read more

We were recommended this restaurant for its innovative Chinese food, not realizing it is a vegan restaurant. The food was delicious, the "meat" was flavorful and had a good mouthfeel. Flavor isn't completely Taiwanese, but also isn't far off. Though their menu is pretty small, everything we ordered turned out to be pretty good. They also offer a good number of teas to pair with their food (set menu) and tastings. A moderately pricey spot, but worth a try. read more

Men & Beasts - Monkey Buns - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A special place.. and I applaud them for their originality and courage to be different, as well as their exploratory approach with Chinese cuisine. The Asian-inspired interior is elegant and refined. Staff was cordial. But other than the novelty and nice teas (exceptional, high quality teas indeed), the food and value were a bit disappointing to me. We came on Mother's Day and tried their prix fixe high tea. There were 3 courses: the appetizers were cute in appearance with some special tastes; the main course (smorgasbord-like tea sandwiches) was dry and bland. Desserts, while a bit too sweet for our taste (after a culinary tour to Asia, my family now upholds the phrase "not too sweet" as the highest compliment to Asian desserts), were nonetheless tasty and flavorful, to be fair. Must give them accolades for the nice teas!! We tried 3 kinds: Milky Oolong, Milky Ruby, and an herb tea. None of them contains any milk or diary products. Not sure where they sourced their teas but the fragrances were exquisite! Their Oolong reminded me of the Taiwanese local-favorite Jin-Xuan (金萱) tea, where the locals used the term "milky" to describe the subtle aroma from the tea. Our high tea was about $70, so at the end it was about $90 per person, with taxes and gratuity. In a market where high end Beverly Hills restaurants are serving $40-ish prix fixe lunches, I find it hard to justify coming back here. read more

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It was my wife's birthday last week and Men & Beasts was the place she wanted to eat at. We showed up here around 5:30PM on a Friday night and were seated in the outside area towards the back of the restaurant. This area was very clean, nice, and the staff here were some of the friendliest people I've dealt with at any spot in the area, so kudos to both of those things. This is a higher end vegan Chinese establishment and even though I've eaten loads of vegan Chinese food, this was definitely the most expensive I've ever been too. The menu here has a lot of different options for entrees and appetizers but they also have a "deal" for what I believe was $50 a person where you pick an appetizer, an entree, and get a thing of tea as well. Below is the food I ordered, tried, and enjoyed. Dumplings- There take on "pork" dumplings. The flavour here was solid and I rather enjoyed these. Monkey Buns- The description reads "char siu, hoisin, sweet onion" and I truly don't even know what two of those things are, but what I do know is that these were some banging buns. The outer dough was soft and warm while the inside was hot and a tad crisp. These were really good. Biang Biang Noodles- Big thick noodles with the slightest kick to them, Definitely needed these to fill us up. Sweet & Sour Mushroom- If you told me this was sweet & sour beef I probably would of believed you. These were crispy, flavourful, and tasted great. Overall, Men & Beasts was a great experience from the moment we sat down to the moment we walked out. The food here was really good, the staff was super friendly, and the place itself had a great look, which brings me to my main complaint. I have to be honest here, even though the food was really good, I don't necessarily think the price is worth what you get. I've had a ton of vegan Chinese food in the past and I've never spent the $125+ we paid (with tip) on this amount of food. We didn't leave with leftovers, the dishes weren't massive, and even though the food was good, it was not worth what we paid. read more

Men & Beasts - Appetizers. - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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All the dishes that are Szechuan are extremely spicy, the tofu that I got was so spicy that I had to drink oat milk. If you want a sports bar vibe, the outside has a large projector for watching. Service was nice. read more

Men & Beasts - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We came here for dinner via car on a Sunday evening in mid-March 2026. We parked on a side street for free and walked over. We had made reservations a couple of days beforehand, arrived early, and was seated right away. The restaurant was very cute and the food was not bad. The dishes were tasty and we did not miss the meat from any of the dishes (this restaurant has a full vegan menu). We got the Smashed Cucumber which was good but could have used vinegar. Our favorite dish was the Oyster Mushroom Bao. The pan-fried Dumplings were great - perfectly crispy with a yummy soy sauce. My vegan-partner really enjoyed the Cheddar Rangoons. We thought the Monkey Buns was too sweet and wasn't worth it. The Baby Carrot reminded us of some of our favorite desserts we had in China. The Biang Biang Noodles was surprisingly spicy. He a curry flavor to it and my partner said that it needed vinegar, which I agree with. The veggies in the Kung Pao Tofu dish were perfectly seasoned but the tofu was a bit too salty for our liking. Overall, we didn't think the food was good enough for the high price we paid. Service was fine but the food needed way more acid. read more

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This was a great little find. We are not vegetarian, but certainly love creative cuisine and M&B delivers! It's a quirky place in a funky neighborhood and the staff was very friendly and welcoming. We got a tea service which we both enjoyed, but my wife would have really loved a soda/diet soda option. As for the food, we tried a few different dishes and enjoyed them all. The best of the best was the Beancurd Enchiladas that had an absolutely delectable sauce that I will think about until I can get in there again. Next dish we loved were the Monkey Buns and then the Baby Carrots (no carrot inside) that we did as dessert. YUMMY! King Oyster Bao were very tasty, but honestly needed more 'filling', and the final dish we tried was the Dumplings, which we liked and would eat again, but were the only thing we would eliminate from our menu for the night. All-in-all, this is an excellent option if you're looking for something fun and different. read more

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The food was all good, didn't love the wines we had, just a little full of sediment in the orange wine and I didn't love the white either. They are well known for tea but it seems a bit expensive between 20-30$. If you're vegan it's a must. I'm not Veganz. The staff was very sweet. read more

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Excellent vegan Chinese food! Highly recommend! The food was delicious, the service excellent, and the ambiance was perfect. read more

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The food here was so delicious and more filling than I expected. I feel like we got to try a little bit of everything with the Ying Qi menu! Our server Madeline was very informative and sweet. Small place but it's a very peaceful atmosphere. Everything we had was a 10/10 and exceeded all expectations. We have eaten at a lot of plant based restaurants and are regulars at a few. We went for lunch but this would be even better for an intimate date night or a place to bring family/friends who are visiting from out of town to impress them. read more

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I kinda didn't realize it was vegetarian/vegan until we were well on our way there. But as our kiddo is vegetarian we decided to keep on moving ahead. We were warmly welcomed and our server was very amiable taking us through all the tea and food options. We ordered several of their more popular food dishes and they didn't disappoint! Everything was very enjoyable. If you get the noodles be warned they are very spicy but yummy! The tea is also very good. I will have to come back for their tea service. Although it wasn't what I expected when I looked up Chinese food it was a very good and likely healthier option that is enjoyable. Great service too boot and get the unique homemade ice cream for dessert too! read more

The staff was lovely and I always appreciate free neighborhood parking nearby. However, this evening was unfortunately mismatched expectations. According to Resy, this was supposed to be a Puerh Tea Tasting with the tea expert, Adam Yasmin, and some dim sum. What I expected was a traditional tea experience where you get to know the tea master, his backstory and experience, where the tea came from, maybe something about his own tea master, the fermentation and harvesting process, the equipment, the water quality, etc. An educational seminar with tea essentially where the puerh was the main focus and the dim sum was just a snack. What actually happened was a very crowded space that was incredibly loud like a bar (just needed some TV screens for sports) and not as much interaction with the tea master as he had to attend to so many people. It's not his fault of course and perhaps the restaurant oversold the event, but this was very much a prix fixe dinner as the focus and tea as the side event. The staff was hustling and the focus was on the speed of the food rather than the presentation like a Denny's line cook pushing through the influx of orders. The one thing I did learn was that I did not enjoy puerh as much as I would have hoped. I found it very akin to a company party where the CEO says a few words before and after the meal and everyone goes back to partying. And they hire a band for some background entertainment. I felt that the owner had to wrangle the customers like her unruly children to get things in order. For $140/person, I was hoping to try more than just three teas. I would have been fine with no food as I was not compatible with the dinner tonight. Nothing against plant based food as I enjoyed L'Arpège in Paris but I did not resonate with the menu and was mainly here for the tea. I also found it interesting that they served us chipped bowls and charged us for having 5+ people when we were only 4. On the other hand, if I was going to pour my own tea, then I would have preferred to go to Steep or Pine & Crane and ordered their entire tea menu for my own DIY tea tasting. I know vegans/vegetarians have very limited options even in LA so I'm sure they had a good time, but I would have appreciated more transparency on the Resy description. I also would have preferred a more intimate and personalized option like 1:5 but at the same time understand that rent/CAM fees are expensive and small restaurants have to make a profit. I definitely should have done my due diligence and called ahead of time for additional details. I'm sure the restaurant is a fantastic option for those new to tea and I wish them luck in the future. read more

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The positives? Fully vegan, nice to be able to order anything off the menu. Great service, very attentive without being intrusive. Wish all restaurants could provide such service. Parking was easy a short distance from the restaurant. The food... We shared everything and unfortunately there was no harmony. The Mala Brussels Sprouts were quite spicy and my favorite dish. The Sweet and Sour Mushrooms were certainly sour, I could not detect any sweetness. The sour mushrooms were the favorite for two of us. Although spicy and sour dishes should complement each other, I think we all found them to be in conflict. The Kung Pao Tofu, which should have been spicy, was almost tasteless...possibly totally overwhelmed by the sprouts and mushroom dishes. Should we return I would probably try this dish again totally on its own. The King Oyster Baos were enjoyed. I ordered the ice cream made from scratch by the restaurant. I am about to give up on trying to find a vegan ice cream I enjoy; those that enjoy vegan ice cream may feel differently. Would we go back? It was expensive and none of us really enjoyed it. But I guess I'd like to give it another try. read more

An absolute slam dunk!!!! Wow - sooo delicious. Incredibly beautifully served. This is how you do vegan cuisine!!!! They were doing a dinner special that was $112 for 2 - a drink each including alcohol, a mixed platter of apps, 2 mains and dessert. This stuff is Michelin level in my opinion. A hidden gem! read more

Such a find! This restaurant was amazing. The food was excellent. We personally enjoyed the sweet and sour mushrooms, fried rice, monkey buns, and cucumber salad the best. Not to mention the tea was excellent. We had two get two pots since it was so good. The service was on point and I was pleasantly surprised how they kept everything clean and tidy while also giving us space to breathe and have a conversation. Will definitely be coming back to try the dumpling class, tea service, as well as try out their brunch menu. read more

Fantastic vegan chinese restaurant with modern twists. Came here on a weekend lunch and got the following: (7/10) Ruby oolong tea: very light tea, they provide a timer for steeping for 1 min, you can just tip the lid to indicate for refills (8.5/10) Pan fried dumplings: 5 pieces, the texture of the filling is almost like that of a meat filling, a little sad that there was no crispy dumpling skirt like I saw in some of the photos (8.5/10) Avocado bao: A fried bao packed, a bit hard to eat but great combination of toppings. Super impressed with the bao itself, very soft inside while the outside is crispy (6.5/10) Biang biang noodles: was a bit too dry and bland for me, but noodles are made in house and is a very simple dish with chili oil, not too spicy (9/10) Kung pao tofu: comes with rice, the outside was super crispy which I loved, great flavor in general, not that spicy I had made a reservation but there was plenty of seating both inside and outdoors. Outdoors is shaded patio with a separate entrance and the interior is sleek and modern. Parking is street parking. During brunch, there's an option to add a real egg but otherwise everything is vegan. Service was fantastic, super nice and explained the tea pouring process. Often checked in and refilled waters. They also bagged my leftovers. My final total including tax and tip was $128. Only tiny issue was I didn't like how the table wasn't even and accidentally tapping the table would cause the drinks to slosh around. Not sure if it's the outside ground or the table but it would be nice to fix that. read more

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Tucked away behind a quiet fence in Echo Park, lies Men & Beasts. Walking into the patio space is a nice little refuge from the street. The food is excellent and it's all vegan! Standouts from our meal were the smashed cucumber, fried rice (that black truffle shines in this dish and amps it up!), and the ice cream! My husband said he would return for the ice cream alone! He loved the black garlic chocolate, and I enjoyed the coconut corn ice cream. Service was friendly and welcoming. Men & Beasts is a gem and I can't wait to return & try more of their menu (and eat more of their ice cream)! read more

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Was disappointed with our dinner. We ordered the sesame spinach salad, dumplings, fried rice, sweet and sour mushrooms, and kung pao tofu. Sesame spinach salad (3/5): I feel like this is something I could make at home. The sesame paste wasn't uniform throughout the salad and was rather thick so it clumped together. A little too salty for my taste. I wish the spinach was slightly more moist. Dumpling (2.5/5): too oily :( i thought the filling was also just okay. I think the frozen dumplings I buy at hmart are similar if not better. Fried rice (4/5): I enjoyed this fried rice. Again, nothing super special. Truffle flavor was not too overpowering. The rice wasn't cooked super uniform, so there's clumps of white rice in the dish. Kung pao tofu (2/5): Tofu was rather burnt and almost completely black on some of the sides. The flavor/seasoning was also just okay. Sweet and sour mushroom (4/5): I think I enjoyed this dish the most. I liked the texture of the mushroom and I thought it was seasoned pretty well. Overall, the price of this meal is too high for the food that we received. I really wanted to love this place, but sadly I won't be returning. The food was not hot and that's honestly a pretty big negative for me when I eat out. I think that if you're someone who grew up eating asian food, then this place probably isn't for you. Service was alright and food came out at a good pace. I think checking on how we feel about the food after each dish is a little too much for me. However, that's just my personal preference. Additionally, the music kind of threw me off. I think that I just didn't expect "traditional" chinese music. read more

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Great orange wine and dumplings ! Nice ambiance very calming and quick service I recommend. 10/10 read more

Delicious, flavorful food with beautiful presentation. Tea service was gorgeous. Love the moody, plant-y interior. Highly recommend. read more

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All around great experience at Men & Beasts for dinner service in the patio. There is a separate area for the tea lounge (where you can sip on tea without food). Parking: street parking. It wasn't tough on a Thursday night at 7pm since there is residential. I could see how tough it is if you come during the afternoon when there are more parking restrictions Location: super easy to find since it's on the corner. Note above that there is an arrow for dining and one for lounge Service: super attentive. Amazing staff. Our water was rarely empty and someone was always pouring! Our waiter gave us great recommendations and chatted with us throughout the night here and there. Also talked more about the restaurant which we loved Food: - king oyster bao: 2 pieces/it didn't look great (looked dry) but in reality, it was so moist and flavorful! - monkey buns: 4 pieces/omg these were amazing. Fresh out the oven - couldn't tell it was vegetarian - dumplings: 5 pieces/very flavorful and loved the sauce - king pao tofu: yummy dish but nothing really stood out for it - sweet &sour mushrooms: so crispy. You couldn't really taste mushrooms though, more like a crispy battered object. Couldn't stop eating it though - wine: no complaints there Dessert: limited menu atm, only ice cream so we opted out, but we were told they are reviewing it Note: we were told they will be opening for brunch service soon! read more

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Men & Beasts is one of Echo Park's newest restaurants with vegan Chinese cuisine. Owners, Minty Zhu and Chef Alex Falco, had a restaurant in Miami and closed it to open the new socal restaurant, where the pizza place, Cosa Buona, used to live. It's gone through some significant changes and nice upgrades. The parking has been converted to an outdoor area, with the front of the restaurant accommodating the restaurant space and a tea lounge. There is even a second floor for private dining. Food includes pan-fried dumplings with shiitake mushrooms, salt + pepper wings made with seitan, and a summer lo mein. I really appreciated that there were vegan proteins, and this place has an option for tea ceremonies, which was so cool to see and take part in. They were able to find a company based in Arcadia called Yoshantea. I tried their teas and it is quality teas. My real rating is 4.5 stars because there isn't a parking lot, and it may be hard to find parking in the area. I really hope they find a parking solution. Also, right now, hours are limited with the restaurant opening from 5-10 pm on Tuesdays through Sundays (as of this writing). Overall, a super cool place if you're looking for vegan asian cuisine with a tea room! Also, the service was excellent! read more

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The food is fabulous! I'm not a vegan but I certainly could be after this meal. The spicy cucumber dish hit the epicurean spot. The King Oyster Bao tasted just like a meaty Chinese bun. I can't wait to go back to try the other dishes. read more

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Actual rating 4.5. So glad there is a vegan dim sum place nearby and the ambiance was nice at night. It was full so the sound of others at dinner with background chatter under lamps was nice. The employees are very friendly and had some good recommendations. The owner also came to check on us which was nice. They have a pre-fixe menu which includes a choice of a drink, appetizer, and entree. I did the math and comparison to the a la carte menu. All the options are on the prefix menu except for the truffle mushroom fried rice which is pricier. I also looked to see if you got all the cheapest items in the categories, is the prefix menu saving anything and it might not. Depends on what you get it could be very slightly lower or higher. Overall it is around the same price. We decided a la carpet because we really wanted to try the fried rice. Drinks were tasty and cool! I got a guava beer which was on tap and it came with a plum powder to taste with each drink of the beer. All the menu items were good though my favorites were the monkey buns and noodles. I liked the sweet and sour mushrooms but they used oyster mushroom which is higher end but then some pieces were really small. I love that everything was vegan as well! Overall a good place to try. read more

If you're looking for clean, authentic yet craftily and tastefully presented food, go here. Reservations via resy. Lots of street parking, easy access, restrooms. They have a small menu but it's so diverse and caters to vegetarians and vegans well. We ordered a bunch and liked everything. Baby carrots are carrot shaped dumplings with sesame - more sweet but nutty Biang biang noodles and kung pao tofu are delicious and spicy Mushrooms are not very mushroomy, my mushroom averse/hating partner ate half the bowl. Cheddar rangoons are decent but the tomato soup is slightly truffle forward so pass if you're not used to that unami. Service was 11/10 they also gave us complimentary prosecco for anniversary. They also called to let me know I forgot my jacket. They have tea ceremony and dumpling classes and overall seem like a genuine business that cares about the quality of hospitality they put forth. 100/10 recommend read more

Came here for dim sum and stayed for a Gongfu tea ceremony and chocolate pairing. Everything is vegan. The tea ceremony was fun, educational, and relaxing. I enjoyed meeting Minty Zhu and learning about her childhood picking tea leaves in Taiwan. Hopefully, I can come back for the dumpling-making class in the future. read more

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Awesome spot. Can't wait to come back for awesome food and excellent service. Truly immaculate vibes.

The food here is so good! I wanted to try it because it's all plant based, but the food is just exceptional period whether or not you're vegan. We got the prix fixe menu, which has an amazing dim sum sampler, as well as the kung pao tofu and the sweet and sour mushroom, both highly recommend. I've never had a real pork bun, but my husband who loves them said the monkey buns here (their version of a 'pork' bun) were the best pork bun he's ever had, due to the bun/filling ratio and the crispy exterior of the bun. They also have a great selection of teas and their table service is so fun. Start to finish the food and service are excellent. read more

Men & Beasts is one of those restaurants why I love dining in LA. It has everything, from a fully vegetarian menu, to a Chinese fusion cuisine where every dish has explosive flavors. Even when no meat is involved, this restaurant find a way to not sacrifice quality and flavors, AND still make food that feels bougie and homie at the same time. Their tea collection is also insane. The only thing I didn't love too much were the chocolate rose dumplings - the skin could be a little more thin, and can add some different flavor profiles to it so it doesn't just taste like chocolate. Otherwise, this is one of my top restaurants in 2025. read more

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This place is an absolute gem. As soon as you step through the door you are transported to another world. The interior is zen and airy. Our waiter went above and beyond to be helpful, explaining everything on the menu to us. The food was exceptionally good. I am a non vegan and throughly enjoyed everything we ordered. Standouts to me were the dumplings and soufflé pancakes. Last but not least, the milky oolong was phenomenal. I loved that the tea was not only a drink, but a ritual. I will be back again. read more

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Hands down one of the best vegan restaurants in LA! My cousin and I went for brunch and were blown away by the menu variety and food quality. read more

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Whoa. This food is GOOD. Really enjoyed the smashed cucumber, oyster bao, pan fried dumplings, sweet & sour mushroom, and fried rice. I can recommend every single dish!!! The pan fried dumplings were 10/10, the crunchiness of the sweet and sour mushroom was perfection, and the smokiness of the rice was tasty. We will absolutely be back to try more! read more

Visited last night (Sunday Aug 31 @6 PM). We had a reservation at 7, but had an hour to kill so we asked if it was possible to be seated earlier. 6PM service was pretty empty. It picked up 6:30. 7PM there was only one table left before we left. The servers were friendly and suggested their faves. We tried the roasted oolong tea. I forgot what it was called but it was the $16 one on the bottom of the menu. The tea is served in a 1 cup kettle and you get three refills. It was a cute interactive experience where you pour the loose leaf tea into the kettle, flip the sand timer, wait the minute and transfer it to the glass mini pitcher to stop the brewing process. Then you leave the lid of the kettle ajar like fogo de chao to alert the server to refill the kettle. We ordered the lotus leaf jackfruit burritos, pork (vegan) pan fried dumplings, and the kung pao tofu. About $75 after tax. Lotus leaf jackfruit burritos was a play on the sticky rice that comes with the traditional sausage, egg, and shrimp. This one was a marinated jackfruit. I couldn't taste any seasoning with it and the rice wasn't as sticky/glutinous as it is at traditional dimsum places. I'd pass on that. The dumplings tasted like normal dumplings. We enjoyed the chili oil with the peanuts more. The kung pao tofu was crispy and savory. We didn't get much spice. It's served with a big bowl of jasmine rice. There were a lot of people on first dates. It was definitely cute and a great option for a plant based date. The lounge interior seating is cuter and more intimate than the outdoor dining area. I'd still choose the outdoor dining area so I could talk at normal volume. The j terror looks relaxing and whisper-level. There's brunch and tea tastings too. read more

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I'm a bit conflicted growing up in an Americanized Chinese restaurant.... I'm glad Minty and Alex are doing something different.... I'll be honest I can really give it 3.5 Stars but I moved it up to 4 for what they are trying to do.... Service was great and the staff were awesome. Checkout the nice tea lounge which you have to walk outside and over to get to....I believe you can also eat what's on the full menu in there as well... Food is fresh...and the ideas are great....I honestly thought the appetizers were better than the main dishes. I enjoyed the Elote Puff it was tasty and different. The dumplings were good but a bit small if you take a bite you don't get the full flavor in my opinion so instead you have to put the whole thing in your mouth and eat it.... King Oyster Bao was good and flavorful and definitely something I would eat again.... Zha Zhang Mein - I was really hoping I would like this dish but I rather they have used noodles that could absorb the flavor of the sauce with the "meat" but Udon noodles just didn't make me feel like I had full flavor in each bite. Summer Lo Mein was good but pretty normal for what I can get for this type of dish. Fried Rice overall was a little on the salty side but of the main dishes my favorite with the addition of truffle and mushrooms it had great flavor overall. read more

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5 Stars - A peaceful gem in the middle of LA We visited Men & Beasts for their guided Gongfu tea ceremony with Minty on Sunday at 1pm. They've only been open a few months after moving here from Florida, and it already feels like a special addition to the Silverlake and Echo Park area. The ceremony took place in their tea room with about eight guests. It was intimate, calming, and refreshingly casual. No stiffness or pretense, just a genuinely relaxing experience that felt like the perfect pause from busy LA life. Minty was fantastic. She's warm, patient, and deeply knowledgeable about tea history and current practices. She started by brewing and serving us several teas before guiding us through doing it ourselves. She encouraged questions and interaction but was equally welcoming if you preferred to sit back and observe. After the ceremony, we had lunch in the tea room, which we enjoyed. There is a separate patio area further south on Alvarado, but we liked staying where we were. The food is vegan Chinese, which we were unsure about since we're not vegan, but it was flavorful and delicious. We ordered the smashed cucumber salad, which was flavorfully spicy (not annoyingly spicy) and full of flavor. The king oyster bao was excellent. We also had fried rice with an egg added for the non-vegan option, and it was delicious. For dessert, we ordered the bao beignets and ice cream. Minty chose cookies and cream for us, which paired perfectly once we drizzled the black sesame caramel from the beignets over the top. The atmosphere was beautiful. Everything felt intentional and welcoming. Service was wonderful. Minty and her team made the experience feel personal and warm. She has energy that makes you feel like you've known her for years. The entire experience felt balanced and restorative. The ceremony offered a calm, reflective moment, and the meal that followed made it feel complete. My soul definitely needed that kind of peaceful start. Parking can be tricky since it's mostly street and residential, but we were lucky to find a spot quickly. It didn't take away from the experience at all. Highly recommend. I don't usually leave Yelp reviews unless someone asks for one, but Minty never did. This review is simply because we enjoyed it so much. read more

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sooo good!! 10000/10. faves were the sweet & sour mushroom, kung pao tofu, biang biang noodles, monkey buns + triple chocolate trifle. also the team was very pleasant & sweet. loveeee it read more

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Book your reservation. NOW. This is absolutely to die for - my partner and I are vegan / vegetarian & went with a group of meat eaters - no one left hungry! I think we ordered the entire menu & went back to order seconds. The outdoor seating is secluded from the busy street on a cute patio, and the service is very attentive & helpful. Great for eating accommodations such as vegan & gluten free, and there is a wonderful wine & tea menu! We didn't go into the tea room, but that will be our next visit. Each dish is crafted to perfection - truly no notes. read more

Men & Beasts - Zha Jiang Mian | seitan, snow pea & cucumber - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Wonderful food honoring traditional Chinese flavors with a fusion twist! Was very impressed with the bao buns, kung pao tofu, & fried rice. The tea was quite special and highly recommend ordering a pot of their Fresh Li Shan Oolong. For dessert, we tried their house made special ice cream- a chocolate black garlic coconut ice cream, what a unique, yummy flavor. Their beer with black tea was quite special too (Toastea). We appreciated the attentiveness and communication from our server (and owner), Minty. She provides lots of suggestions and you can tell this place is a passion of hers and her partner. Will absolutely come back to try the other menu items! read more

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