My girlfriend and I LOVE this place. We are recent vegans and stumbled upon this place because it is in our neighborhood. We order out, go to the Saturday buffet, or dine in at least once a week now! Kirti is absolutely amazing and it is most definitely a hidden gem. If you care where your food comes from, enjoy eating organic and healthy foods, you must go to this hidden gem! read more

I love their vegan buffet, I've been at the restaurant two times. Delivery, however, was a different story. First, I paid a $5 delivery fee when I ordered through yelp, few minutes later they called me from the restaurant to confirm my order (great) and to let me know the delivery fee was $8, not $5, because of distance. I live 1.7 miles away from the restaurant. God, if that is too far away.... Anyways, I just paid the difference because I had friends invited and didn't wanna make a big deal about it. Then, it took them ONE AND A HALF HOUR to bring the food home. The trip is practically a strait line on Devon avenue. Lastly, even though food was great, it's $12 for each dish, luckily, it includes plain basmati rice. Not ordering delivery from this place again, for sure, but maybe coming back for the vegan buffet. read more

Their website advertises the buffet price $10.99 per person but we got charged over $15 each. Shame on me because I didn't say anything but def won't go back. read more

I'll start with the positives... The owner/manager seemed very nice. Their menu accomodated my husband and daughter's Celiac Disease (gluten free) and my vegetarianism very well. It is probably the first restaurant I have been to in quite some time where my husband and I could order the same appetizer and split it (due to our dietary restrictions). The mixed plate of appetizers was very good. Downsides... I had to rinse out the water glasses at my table before drinking because they were very dusty. In retrospect, I probably should have just left right then. My husband's vegetable biryani was barely cooked (rice was still hard) and tasteless. He had requested spicy, but there was hardly any spice in either of his dishes. My aloo muttar was fairly good, but it was not aloo muttar. Instead of potatoes, it contained tofu. The sauce was very different from aloo muttar I have had anywhere else (and this is a dish I eat a lot). It did not seem to be tomato-based at all, but was semi-sweet and possibly contained carrot? Just a guess. Like I said, it did not taste bad, it just wasn't what I ordered. When my entree came, they did not bring out any basmati rice with it. I asked if they were still bringing out my rice and the waitress asked me if I had ordered any. I had to open the menu and point out to her that it says that all the entrees come with basmati rice. After the owner came out to ask what was wrong, I again explained to her that my entree was supposed to come with basmati rice. She came back with the rice a few minutes later and apologized. No big deal. But my rice was also very undercooked, to the point where I ended up not eating it anyway. The final insult to me was that when I got the bill, I was charged an extra $3 for the rice that was supposed to be included. Overall, I was very underwhelmed by this restaurant. It has a great menu and the potential to be very good, but just doesn't manage to pull off the preparation well. When an Indian restaurant can't even cook rice properly, there is something wrong. And charging me for rice that was supposed to be included is just not cool at all. I'm never going back. read more

We ordered food for a hundred people for an office party, and it was excellent. Everyone enjoyed the meal and it was great value for money. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for tasty and distinctively vegetarian food. read more

Thank you for being raw/vegan friendly and hosting meet-ups!!

If you have not eaten home-cooked Indian food then much of this review will only carry an intellectual meaning i.e. with no experiential relevance (and yet it is probably to such a person that this review is most useful). If you eat Indian food regularly at home you will easily understand what I am attempting to say here. Arya Bhavan is an unassuming and unpretentious place that attempts to serve honest (i.e. home-cooked) Indian cuisine. It often succeeds in doing so and the results when it does are quite fantastic. But it also often fails in its attempts. When this happens the fare is a bad as bad fare at your average Indian restaurant. On a recent visit we had simple dal, great tasting cabbage sabji, light and flavorful spinach, some great upma and sambhar. Sure this is a mish-mash but that is par for the course in your standard American-Indian buffet. At least in Arya Bhavan's case it is less so. Being all vegetarian does not hurt. So the bottom line is that when they get it right they serve food that is really from the home and the heart. And when it is not it does turn out to be bad and lopsided (typically when they get it wrong it is too oily). But, I know that at Arya Bhavan I will never get the bad fare resulting from utter laziness - the heavy tasting crap with excess oil and cream and spices that passes for Indian food in much of Devon Street. Because I often cook Indian food and because I am picky and because I believe that there is no cuisine more abused in restaurants than Indian, and few places where it is more abused than Devon Street I am quite indulgent towards Arya Bhavan. I'd rather have the bad fare resulting from an honest attempt here than most of the other joints serving similar cuisine on Devon. Bottom line: If you are looking for simple desi vegetarian food that could have been cooked at your home back in India go to Aryan Bhavan. With just a little bit of luck you will have a great experience. read more

For those who want remarkable, tasty, vegetarian (vegan and gluten free too), organic and Indian, this is an amazing and affordable find. The owner/chef is extraordinarily knowledgeable and forthcoming. The Saturday "all you can eat" buffet is one of the great food bargains in Chicago. read more

I thought that the food was ok. We came here after checking out Devon on a Sunday night. The place had a decent amount of people inside so we walked in looking forward to trying their food. The ingredients are all organic and vegan. I particularly enjoyed the alu gobhi dish. It had a lot of flavor and was spicy. The somosa was also excellent. The nice thing about it is that they bake it and not fry it. I couldn't even tell a difference. One thing that I would recommend is having them bring out the naan to the table instead of leaving it at the buffet, or having another way of heating the naan to keep it warm. The naan that I grabbed was cold and hard (it wasn't good to eat with my meal at all). I also liked the coconut macaroons. Had a lot of coconut and wasn't too sweet. It was the prefect end to the meal. I would have given this place a 4 star, but there needs to be a bit more improvement in the service. We had to ask for water and for refills even though our waitress walked by many times and didn't notice. One more thing, don't wait for your check. We waited and finally figured out that you had to pay at the counter. Overall, good food but needs improvement in service. read more

Loved it! Great variety of options. Some traditional dishes and some modern versions. The owner couldn't have been nicer and more charming. The traditional samosas were delicious including the two sauces they came with. The masala dish was also very good and definitely get a side of naan. Also had the mango lassi which was too good. I wanted more. read more

We were staying in downtown Chicago and needed to take an endless red line train to Loyola and then a cab to where all the Indian food places and stores are. Totally worth the trip. We loved this place. There were so many interesting looking restaurants, as tourists we just asked the cab driver where to go and he drove right up to the door of Arya Bhavan. We did not immediately understand that it's vegan, but no matter. Even the most voracious meat eater (oh wait, that would be my husband) can be happy here because the food is simply damn good, and damn good food can make you forget you're lacking the chicken tandoor. Our 13 year old does like Indian food but can be picky as far as what he's going to try. With a dinner buffet, he could try a little of this and that and experiment, so he was able to find plenty to fill his plate. I was pretty much ready to dig my face right into my plate. It was SO good! Another plus is that they have an Indian wine that actually enhances the flavor of the food, which is a rare thing with wine in general. The owner, Kirti, came out to talk with us. She is very friendly and sweet and I do believe she cooks all the food and gives cooking classes. It was a pleasure to meet her. Yelpers, please note the recent Yelp reviews that mention an employee who is rude. Kirti said she let that person go, so the rude lady is no longer there. When we come back to Chicago, this place is on our "must re-visit" list. Wonderful! read more

Decent food, but too pricey for regular visits.

This is a great vegetarian Indian restaurant where the food is prepared consciously and the flavors are great. Their samosa is the best i've ever had, and the buffet provides an excellent variety of delicious food. (My only complaint is that some the food could have been a hotter temperature, but I'm still giving in 5 stars because it is head and shoulders above any of the other vegetarian restaurants on Devon Ave.) The owners are friendly and accomodating which contrasts to the often indifference that one is met with at other Indian restaurants in the area. (The indifference may be more of a cultural thing, so I don't take it personally, but still it is nice to go a place where you feel genuinely welcome.) The environment is aethetically pleasing, comfortable and the music that is played is more like kirtan music than bollywood, which is calming and adds to being able to enjoy food and conversation. In addition, I love Indian food but in the past have not eaten at indian restaurant very often because my stomach is not that happy afterward (something to do with overuse of potatoes and oil I think). However with Arya Bhavan my stomach has been very happy afterward - the quality of the food is excellent, it feels like it is good for me, and vegetables are not skimped on. I am looking forward to my next visit there. read more

On Saturday I returned to Arya Bhavan for the 2nd time. The first time the table service was phenomenal. I couldn't wait to come back for the weekend buffet (all VEGAN except one item). Again upon entry we were greeted by the owner who immediately asked if we were vegan! I love that they do this here, as it allows an open conversation about food sensitivities and makes me feel comfortable about the food I'm eating. Because we said we were vegan, the owner brought us out hot vegan naan. Yum! At a table nearby there was a little boy with a peanut allergy. The owner took care to assist the family in selecting items with no nuts and continued to go above and beyond to ensure the family felt comfortable that absolutely no peanuts would be used in his food. I proceeded to try everything on the buffet and although I had my favorites, everything was delicious and light. It had everything you would expect from Indian food from the samosa to a huge variety of dipping sauces. The food here is well thought out! The chef has carefully crafted Indian dishes without the ghee or cheese. With every bite you will taste the fresh ingredients (mostly organic) and feel the love put into this amazing food. This is my new go to Indian place. I can't wait to return to try the Raw Bar on Mondays. read more

Arya Bhavan has always dished up great food, but the added repetoire of vegan foods makes it even better. They now offer healthy cooking classes as well. What I love about this place is that they serve standard fare found in other Indian restaurants like naan, chole, daal etc. but also traditional South Indian breakfast/snacks like upma, dosa and idlis on a rotating basis. Most items are gluten free as well since it's a rice and legume based cuisine. read more

Off the charts! Great food, great people, just awesome.

I went to this restaurant on a whim with my girlfriend. She had a Groupon so we decided to give it a shot. I'll keep it simple and straight to the point. The customer service was impeccable. The food was delicious. The suggestions the owner offered us were dead on based on the foods we told her we normally enjoyed. Go after 6pm - street parking is free. Devon Avenue can be quite busy. I would definitely go back and I recommend you give it a shot. A lot of time, effort and love went into the creation of this place and as a Vegan I truly enjoyed it!!! read more

I went here last week for the Taste. I was really disappointed with the Bhel- the potatoes tasted half frozen and tasteless, and the puffed rice seemed so stale. I guess I should have opted for the masala. However, the one good thing I can say is that the vegetable samosa was very tasty. I'm kind of confused as to why they picked the Bhel as an option- probably because it requires minimal cooking.. read more

I've eaten here twice with a local vegan group and though I'm not vegan (yet) I enjoy eating vegetarian/vegan fare quite often. I first came to Arya Bhavan a little over a year ago and thought the food was good; the samosas stood out as being excellent as well as the cauliflower dish and I enjoyed the sweet and spicy ginger peach tea they served. I recently returned with the aforementioned vegan group and was really disappointed with the food. On the one hand, nothing was bad and the food was certainly palatable. However, I really think the quality isn't what it should be. Nothing in the vegetarian buffet stood out to me as particularly excellent, even the samosas which I formerly praised. To its credit, the proprietor is extremely friendly and explained several items on the buffet to me and another diner. She also offered advice on places to acquire spices and Indian desserts. Hopefully Arya Bhavan will pay closer attention to its buffet items in the future. read more

Worst indian food i ever had, might as well call it baby food with a pinch of cumin and a tablespoon of mayo and tartar sauce. Papadums were soggy and wet. The naan can't be called naan, more like failed attempt at using yeast. I choked to down the luke warm baby food on my plate, mostly everything on the buffet is soupy, yet there are no bowls. They have candles on the table, but never light them. The place is colder than a tomb, in terms of temp. and decor. Somehow the gulab jamun tasted like mayo as well, very bad restaurant, even cheap anna purina's rubbery food down the street is more edible than this. The chef apparently doesn't have a clue how to cook a decent indian dish. Do not go here, there are better veg places on devon, the buffet churtney dishes still had food on them and the service is terrible (even if you are the only one eating while there are three employees they wont clear table until you offer to pay. Dirty place with inedible food, i feel like i was robbed of $25 for two ppl. Dont go, its bad, no, the worst ive ever had ( and ive had bad). Health dept. please check on this place. read more

The menu is trending towards vegan, raw, and gluten free and the owner is taking it upon herself to put out food that not only taste good but is good for you. For any of those worried that all you are going to get when you get indian food is a greasy heap of butter chicken, think again. Buffet was loaded with tons of options and I tried a little bit of everything. The baingan bharta was the perfect blend of smoky and spicy, to the point where I did not care there was not any meat in it. Really delicious. Also try the mango smoothie. read more

Came on a Monday night and got the raw platter for $20. So much food, had to take some home. Soooo yummy & fresh tasting! Came with a delicious pineapple, orange (and other fruits & veggies I can't remember) juice & 2 small cups of desserts (a mango pudding & a strawberry ice cream). It was perfect for me because I can never decide & like to try small portions of lots of things. My favorite was a green soup that I think had spinach, zucchini, and garlic. Also on the platter were several veggie patties- Indian style, a nori roll, and a side of veggies marinated in some kind of mustardy yumminess. The platter also had a personal-sized raw pizza, which was not my favorite, but my friend liked it. The owner was very nice & seems to care alot about preparing healthy, fresh food. Definitely want to go back, maybe for their buffet, which I think is on the weekends, but mostly cooked options. read more

Not very good for Indian tastes. Very bland. Though the weekend buffet has a wide variety, I would not recommend. There are plenty of better choices on Devon street. read more

Great vegetarian buffet. Very friendly staff and the price is on par for what you get. Most of the food is spicey so stay away if you don't like the spice. read more

Please dont judge Arya Bhavan by taste of Chicago!! I have always found the owner/cook Kirti to be conscientious and delightful. The buffet(week-ends only) is varied and tasty. As a vegetarian, I feel we should support the businesses like this that really go out of their way to provide the best vegetarian food and service for us. Buffet now open Tues-Sunday!! read more

I had a pleasure tasting raw Indian food specially prepared for Chicago Raw Food community at Arya Bhavan. All though, I used to love cooked Indian food years ago, it always gave me indigestion. Not this time. My family went home feeling good and happy. I loved the variety, loved the spices that Kirti used, everything was fresh, light, prepared with love and care. Thanks! Will defiantly go back. read more

I've been eating on Devon for 25 years. This lovely spot has the best buffet, by far. The number of selections are outstanding, and are outside of the boring, greasy standard of the other Devon spots. The owner is attentive and happy to help with any special requests. Excellent. read more

Great gluten-free, dairy-free, and raw offerings! The first time I ate at Arya Bhavan was late evening; not much else was open. The owner, Kirti, prepared me food that was safe for my gluten-free/casein-free diet--and it was FANTASTIC! It tasted like the home-cooked Indian fare I remember enjoying at my Indian friends' homes growing up. I've been back three more times since. I've never actually looked at the menu: I just keep asking Kirti to fix me a variety of things that are gluten-free and dairy-free. About twenty minutes later, I have a wonderful selection of raw, vegetarian, wheat-free, and dairy-free food that fills me up--and doesn't leave me suffering an allergic reaction later. If you're looking for run-of-the-mill, Americanized Indian food, there are plenty of other restaurants on Devon Ave. If you're looking for fantastic Indian fare with a home-cooked, nicely presented flare, give Arya Bhavan a try. You'll be back... again and again! read more

Excellent Indian food. Very friendly and accommodating business owner. NEW and LOVELY decor. and it is much more affordable with a meal plan: i pay about $8 per meal, at 10 meals a month. Ask Kirti, owner. read more

I love this place! I went here on Friday for the first time and had the buffet, which was fantastic. The food was absolutely delicious and it's all vegan with many healthy dishes. I was in heaven. They use a lot of organic vegetables, use very little oil in the cooking, and offer brown rice (only one other Indian restaurant in Chicago offers brown rice - Bombay Spice Grill). Making such tasty, yet healthy, food without use of a lot of oil, butter, and cream, as most Indian restaurants do, shows how truly talented the chef is. My favorite dishes were the saag with eggplant, yellow dal (OMG!), and Baingan Bharta. This is now my favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago! read more

The northside's Indian and Pakistani restaurants along Devon Avenue are local, national and international attractions, but none are as healthy and special as Arya Bhavan. The warm, tasteful, ultra-clean decor accented by himalyan salt lamps ushers you in. Organic, vegetarian, vegan and raw food aficianados need take note and make plans to dine at this mid-size haven with one of the freshest, most thoughtfully crafted natural food buffets around. Its weekend vegetarian/vegan buffet offers Indian vegetarian favorites such as dal and curries, along with organic brown rice lightly tinged with turmeric and other spices, organic whole wheat baked samosas, carrot halva and more.$11.99 per person. Hot, fresh naan is also served right to your table. BYOB. On Monday nights -- Arya Bhavan's organic raw-vegan buffet with raw entrees, kale salad, sprouted mung beans, spouted sunflower seeds, raw vegan desserts and much more for $15.99 per person. The restaurant now filters its water through a special new filter for table water. Special beverages include wheatgrass shots, kombucha, fruit smoothies, young coconut, and fresh fruit juices. Open for lunch and dinner. My husband and I will eat only at this restaurant on Devon Avenue, as the others' quality of food pales in comparison to Arya Bhavan. read more

Horrible. Stay away!!!! This place is a shame in name of Indian food. They deceive people with their big talks of healthy, organic food. We ordered a mild malai kofta for my 2 year child. They made me wait for close to an hour and the malai kofta they gave was so spicy that I could not eat it and it was rotten. I called the cook and she said that she had to prepare it quickly so it was spicy. While waiting for my order I saw the food what was being served to non Indian people and could not help laughing at the fraud that was going on. I feel ashamed to be an Indian when I see such people exploiting India's spirituality and culture like this. I would not recommend this place at all. read more

The food is really great, but it can be a bit spicy...possibly more so than it needs to be, We ordered the pakoras, and they literally melted my face. Definitely worth eating the food though, as it is the best vegan indian in the city, read more

The food was good but on par with other places on Devon. Nothing special. Using "Vegan" to parlay the niche space. Meh. Do not ask for "achar" unless you are willing to pay a $1 extra for the tiny vatki of so-called achar. Have a big heart, is all I have to say. She got the dollar but lost a customer. Too bad. We had high hopes. read more

We just had dinner at Arya Bhavan and really enjoyed higher quality ingredients. My wife liked how hot (spicy) the food was. Great for vegans. They also have buffet for all Saturday and lunch on Sunday. read more

If you are a vegan, this is the most vegan-friendly Indian restaurant in Chicago. Just mention that you are vegan and they will take good care of you! The food is always awesome, the owner is always friendly, and I always leave happy. What else is there to say? read more

Great place for vegan Indian cuisine. Kirti the owner/ chef is wonderful, hospitable, gracious and welcoming. I applaud her for converting Arya Bhavan into the first vegan Indian restaurant in the city, and for boldly veganizing Indian favorites like laddoos, gulab jamuns, carrot halwa, etc. I wish her much success with this delightful little place and its delicious cuisine. read more

Got served stale food. I was heartbroken because my husband is not a vegetarian and i so wanted him to be impressed by a vegetarian restaurant. This was food going bad that she put in front of us and did not bat an eyelid. read more

Love this place. They take great care with the ingredients. We are often greeted with a big hug when we eat here!

So being a once strict raw vegan and now not strictly raw or vegan (I eat some fish) I was looking for spots in Chicago on a recent business trip. My first vegan restaurant was a success and I love Indian food so I wanted to try this one despite the mixed reviews. And I have to say in all honesty this was the least palatable food I have had in a long time. The best thing I had was their chai tea. The owners seemed to be doing everything from the cooking to the serving and the wait time was ridiculous! 30 min. They were friendly but just not able to attend to their customers. Dirty plates were left at nearby tables. When I finally got my food it was half cold and I had thought the veggie dish would not just be a sauce but include veggies. The buckwheat naan even a homeless person would reject. But because I was starving and hadn't eaten all day I ate what I could manage to tolerate. I honestly don't know how this place manages to stay in business. The owner told me to return Saturday for brunch but given that visit I had no plans to return. read more