really really great food, a little more pricey then Id care for (for what you get) but tastey. I still go here despite the price and its constant (ly good). try the wild veggie soup udon. read more

I discovered this 3 weeks ago, and I've been back twice now. I really enjoyed the portobello mushroom tempura with tofu, broccoli greens and edamame. I also enjoyed the Tofu on broth and the sea marine vegetable salad. The cooks and servers are Japanese, and the cuisine is inspired by Zen cooking - truly a delight. I recommend this place! And I'll be back to try the other dishes! read more

Cha-Ya - Tempura Portobello Mushroom stuffed with Tofu, comes with Broccoli greens and Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Wow, what a rare find. A vegetarian Japanese restaurant. I ended up ordering the mushroom and tofu tempura. It came with a vinegar-kiwi type sauce. The tempura texture was perfect. Eating a whole plate of it can get tiring though so I would recommend eating family-style like the menu suggested. Also tried the sukiyaki hot pot. The broth could have used more flavor but perhaps I am just used to non-vegetarian broths. This place is a bit pricey, but definitely worth trying as there are plenty of new things to try each time and everything I tried tasted pretty good. *Cash only!* read more

Tasty vegetarian food that doesn't break your bank! Went with some friends and tried their chaya roll along with gyoza, adegashi tofu, and vegetable tempura for appetizers and mochi balls with adzuki puree for dessert. I love love the tofu!! Gyoza and vegetable tempura were standard. Chaya roll was very filling, and had a good mix of interesting veggies that justified the price. The dessert was also decent, though the mochi balls were super tiny and the puree was like a thicker soup. Wouldn't get it again but I guess it was fun to try? read more

4 stars for cost being a little high and for the fact that I can only speak about one dish because it is so good it's the only thing I get. It is miso sauce on a portobello mushroom, tofu and eggplant. All three are hot and succulent. The flavor is simple and light and each one tastes marvelous with the delicately done miso sauce. Not to be missed. For a place with such subtle and skillfully prepared food, the ambience could up its game. read more

The people are extremely nice and caring. The food is amazing. I'm so glad there's a good vegan Chinese place! I also have celiac disease and they have a lot of good dishes for people who can't consume gluten. 100% recommend this place!! read more

As everyone else has already said, great food, small location. A best bet is to go for lunch, which has a smaller (slightly cheaper menu) and usually no line. My favorites: Goma Ae (the miso sauce is wonderful), the cha-ya delight, which is both healthy and tastes good, and the agadashi tofu (cha-ya certainly knows how to fry things) read more

Great selection of tasty dishes. Would not have thought that vegan food could be so good and filling. Small place though so there can be a wait. A meal here will also give you a nice BM the next day. read more

Cha-Ya was great. We showed up and somehow immediately got seated at the bar. It was perfect, since I enjoy looking into the kitchen to watch the chef at work. I read somewhere that the head chef at Cha-Ya is certified in Japan to cut and serve the deadly blowfish. Since he is now the head of a vegetarian sushi restaurant, there must be a good story there. Actually, I've concocted a story all about it, and since it came to me in my sleep, it must be fairly accurate. However, to protect the reputation of all the characters involved, I can only tell it in person. The place was full the whole time we were there and people kept coming in. We ordered all kinds of food off the menu. We had 3 kinds of sushi rolls, inari and some noodle soup filled with some delicious veggies. Everything was excellent. Just typing about this place is making me hungry. read more

I would have given this joint 4 stars had I not burned the roof of my mouth on the first bite of my pot sticker. The food was delicious and there is much to be said for being able to utilize vegetables in a way in which meat or fish is not missed. Also of note is the beautiful presentation that comes with each dish. Part of the appeal was that this establishment occupied such a small space. My wife and I sat at the bar where we had a view of the staff preparing numerous tempura dishes. The waitress could have been more polite and the server did not need to yell "excuse me!" every time she approached a party with their order. However, the spotless bathroom more than made up for this. read more

LOVE the food at cha-ya. yum yum vegan goodness!! the soups are tasty, the udon noodle are chewy goodness, and with so many veggies heaped into my bowl how can i help not to smile? i do wish the inside was a little bigger as i get a little claustrophobic when it is full (and it can take some time to get seated). read more

The kanji characters for cha-ya mean teahouse, which is something I don't understand b/c we were never served tea at this restaurant. Instead we were served miso soup and salad as a precursor to our meal. The miso was a standout with its sharp flavors--a much better rendition than the watery miso soup I've had at other Japanese restaurants. The salad was mediocre--it contained interesting ingredients like fried soybeans and vermicelli noodles but the uninspired dressing brought it down a few notches. Now for the meal: we were two diners and each ordered a combo plate of sushi and a la carte items. Each plate averaged $18 w/o tax. The presentation was beautiful--artfully arranged and letting the natural colors of the vegetables stand out. The cha-ya roll and eggplant and mushroom nigiri were my favorite. They were a testament to how fresh produce need little else to help with its flavor. The tofu custard wasn't a custard at all, but firm tofu stuffed with a variety of root vegetables and friend in a tempura batter. Interesting concept and presentation, but taste was so-so (the sauce could use more flavor). Another good dish was the tempura-friend portobello mushrooms layered with tofu and served with kiwi sauce. Now that's an interesting combination of flavors and textures. Overall I'd go back and try more on Cha-Ya's extensive menu. read more

What a fantastic place! I came here with three friends on a Saturday night and we each got 2 items. There was such a wide variety of awesomeness, and each dish really unique and really good. Not a single thing we ordered was disappointing. It's certainly not just another boring sushi place where the entire menu is mundane and predictable. I really enjoyed the Cha-Ya rolls, and my friend couldn't stop raving about the summer green roll, though I didn't try it myself. Haven't been to the other locations, but this one is pretty small, so expect to wait a bit and don't come with groups larger than 3 or 4. read more

Cha-Ya was one of my all-time favorite restaurants. I first started going there when they first opened and no one knew about it. That lasted for a few months, then you had to wait on the sidewalk for a half hour to get a seat at the bar! It really was exceptional. When I first went there, there was an old man doing all the cooking. Everything was not only incredibly delicious, but the plating was superb. Somewhere along the line, the master chef was replaced with less experienced people... but the food was still pretty darn good. Not exactly to the pinnacle flavors that the master chef reached, but 90-95% of the way there. Now they have some Latinos doing the cooking, who I suspect have never been to Japan... or culinary school. The food is still good, but not exceptional. Perhaps because of my high expectations my disappointment seemed worse than it would have if I first ate there. What I found most annoying was the "chef" that was working in front of me at the bar, despite the sign on their wall that bans the use of cell phones, was talking on his bluetooth the entire time that my friend were eating there. It was obvious to me that the food was suffering because this guy was talking on his phone, talking about non-sense rather than paying attention to the food he was preparing. Hopefully the master chef will return and fire that guy. I regretfully can only give Cha-Ya three stars. I'll try it again in 6 months or so, hopefully I can give them five at that time. I miss the old Cha-Ya. read more

I am not a vegetarian per se, but I like to try vegetarian restaurants. This restaurant apparently only serves vegan dishes. I ordered the Kinoko Udon- Mushroom Medley and it was delicious. I am a huge fan of mushrooms as it is my favorite vegetable. The vegetarian roll was very unappetizing. It was bland and I could hardly digest it. The wait is usually long and its one of the most cramped restaurants I've ever eaten at. The restaurant ambiance does not live up to the prices they charge. read more

Cha-Ya was one of the first restaurants I went to after moving back to the Bay Area when I thought upon finishing my dinner how very, very lucky I was to be living in the East Bay. The food is simply amazing and is prepared right in front of you with meticulous care and love. Cha-Ya is definitely a Berkeley gem. That said, I've found that over the last six years the menu hasn't changed hardly at all, which may be just as well. My experience is that it doesn't always pay to go experimenting, so I usually stick to the same four or five dishes. The refreshing soba salad is the perfect, healthful dish for a hot summer day, and the avocado tempura roll is not to be missed! For a blustery winter evening I always opt for the Dobin Mushi, a mushroom soup that comes in small portions but is packed with a lot of taste. The place is always packed so don't expect to be waited upon hand and foot when you go. There's usually a line and yes, you have to sign up on the list if there are people waiting and no, it's not ok to come in and loudly pester the very busy staff about when you can get a table. Relax, it's worth the wait. read more

Some of the best vegetarian food i've had. Tasty tasty tasty and the fried items don't make me feel worse after eating them. Eating in is a challenge because its definitely cramped but you can also take out. Pricey so its always a treat when i am able to afford it. read more

1. I'm not vegan. I'm not even vegetarian. 2. I generally don't like Japanese food. BUT I like Cha-Ya. I'll eat a meal there and afterwards feel somehow so *clean* and *light*, I could run a mile! read more

Between the four of us, we ordered a couple of their salads, 3 entrees, 2 noodle bowls, and a few sushi rolls, so we all got to try a good portion of their menu. The food wasn't bad, but the portions are pretty small (except for their noodle soup bowls) and some of the things we ordered are nothing that your average home cook couldn't throw together at home. Also, nearly everything on their menu is pretty overpriced. The prices for their veggie sushi, for example, rival those at other sushi places where you're paying for actual fresh fish, not just rice and cucumber rolled in nori. Overall, not bad if you're looking to snack on a lot of small, healthy, vegetarian dishes, but definitely NOT the best place to go if you're looking for a big, hearty meal (or reasonable prices). A note on service: maybe we were just there on an off night, but the service was next to non-existent. The 4 of us were the ONLY people there, yet our waitresses would disappear for 20-30 minutes at a time. At the end of our meal, we eventually got tired of waiting and actually had to go poking our heads into the kitchen to find someone to bring us our bill. read more

My boyfriend and I were just walking around the neighborhood and trying to find something to eat. We just happened to be passing by this cute little place and decided to give it a try. HAHA, we didn't know it's all vegetarian until we sat down and got the menu. It actually took us quite a while to reazlize...wait, wth?! LOL! But guess what? I loved it! I got the mushroom udon and the bf got the tempura udon. I didn't taste his but according to hm, it's pretty good. Mine was absolutely delish, considering there's no meat in it! I'm still reluctant to try veggie sushi tho..dunno how that'll taste. read more

Truly fantastic vegetarian food. Excellent tofu, great noodle soups, and fun rolls. Extremely clean seating area and bathrooms. The real treat is when you get to sit by the window seat near the kitchen. They keep the windows open so you can enjoy the sunny outdoors as well as peep into what the chefs are bringing out. read more

Vegetarian food and Japanese food usually don't go hand in hand, but this place does it and does it well, even for a non-vegetarian like me. I always leave here with a satisfied tummy. The dinners are more pricy, but the lunch-sets are great! If you come with a friend, suggest ordering 4 difference items from the lunch sets and share. The variety is great. Love the salads, cha-ya roll and star-light roll. The soba salad is beautiful as well as tasty! The takusui (mini hotpot soup with lots of veggies, gyoza, clear noodles, tofu) is wonderful on a cold day. Explore the menu and I'm sure you'll find something worth going back for. read more

Oh I wanted this place to be good sooo badly! But unfortunately it fell a bit short. I was happy to finally have some more vegetarian option. I thought they tried to be creative with the option like the filled eggplant, the Dengaku (didn't get to try this one) or the Sukiyaki. Yet the taste of our meal was uninspiring. Most of my meal besides the miso lacked flavor (which was actually one of the best misos I've had!). I just heated up some left overs and actually had to add my own spices to give it a taste. The rest of my crew agreed on their meals as well. Which then leads me to the cost. A veggie roll, that cost $10-$15?? And it didn't even taste amazing. no thanks! If anyone wants to buy me a meal, then I'll be cool with going back and trying new things, but probably wont be spending that kind of money there again. On a side note-2 out of our 4 meals came out wrong. its veggie rolls and soup...not difficult read more

We waited for a long time to have a four person table on a Sunday evening. The food is good and I especially like the tofu. I probably will come back with friends once a while but I am definitely unwilling to wait for such a long time again. Cash only also makes it less appealing because personally I don't like to bring cash. read more

We are so happy to have stumbled across this neighborhood gem. The modest and humble decor and atmosphere becomes a sweet and cozy backdrop to the delicate and delicious flavors of every dish. We had two of the soups, the seaweed salad, and the tempura roll and were "Mmmmm"ing and "Yummmm"ing with every bite. Although we're not vegetarians, we found the food very pleasing and fulfilling. We will definitely make this a regular spot. read more

Cha-Ya - Mushroom Medley soup with soba noodle - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've been here twice and both times was completely unimpressed. I've had better vegetarian/vegan sushi at places that serve fish than this place, and for a smaller pricetag! For example, their avocado rolls are $4.75 and made with hard/flavorless avocados, whereas Kamado down the street offers the same roll for $3.50 and their avocados are so perfectly ripe, it's almost a euphoric experience to eat them. Additionally, Cha-Ya's special rolls feel sort of unconsidered. It almost feels like they thought, "let's just through all these veggies together and call it a day" rather than considering how each ingredient tastes with one another. Having been to other vegan sushi restaurants, Cha-Ya is noticeably lacking in quality ingredients, interesting flavor combos, and reasonable prices considering what you're getting. If the flavor was meh but the prices were cheap, it'd be less of an issue, but I feel like I'm paying too much for mediocre flavor. Not to mention you have to use an ATM because they only accept cash. read more

This is one of my favorite vegan Japanese restaurants in Berkeley. They have a wide variety of soups, appetizers, rice based dishes, and noodles. The dishes are made very simply - boiled veggies like broccoli, lotus root, cucumber, and the noodle broth is extremely tasty. It's amazing that something so simple, one can hardly taste any spices, can taste so good and can be so filling. I usually order the dinner combo that lets me order two dishes from A la carte, the miso soup, and the salad. The salad is cold and tangy and the miso soup is just what one needs on a nice cool night. It's a quiet place and is the best place for a lovely, nice, vegan Japanese dinner. And remember, it's cash only. read more

The food is really fantastic, wholesome, and reasonably priced. Yes, it's crowded. But it's just one of those things, you know... you go to the places that your mood can handle. Which is cool as long as you know to expect a teeny place with lots of people waiting to get in. read more

Cha-ya is really amazing. Their taki-sui clay pot with it's salty broth glass noodles and dumplings blows my mind. everything else is also good. especially the desert. Like the chocolate mouse cake and icecream with red bean sauce and pinapple. oh happy time. The only downside is that it is really small and you will likely have to wait for quite a long time for a table. Big group? bigger wait. Also they can't split checks so one person has to pick up the whole tab. I hate people paying my way so it's usually me picking up the tab. In the end none of this effects my review because the food makes it all worthwhile! read more

My wife and I saw the long lines and thought this would be a good place. When I sat down and saw the menu, I realized it was a vegetarian restaurant. I didn't know if the was any food on the menu that wouldn't make me yak. We ordered ramen, agedashi tofu, and a sushi roll of avocado, asparagus, spinach, and mushrooms. Everything was delicious, tasting like their meat-counterparts yet distinctly vegetarian. I felt clean and satisfied. Monks who swore off meat must be awesome cooks. Cha-Ya gets five stars (from a base of three) because it was my first vegetarian meal, and very delicious. I want to try everything on their menu. I could be a vegetarian if I could eat like this everyday. read more

Nice restaurant. It has variety and it's own specialties, it's vegan, sushi, and japanese style food!! (Soo exciting!) Everything generally is quite pleasing. I gave it 4 stars because.. The food is "just right!", but not "perfect"; almost all foods have a stronger flavor (stronger sour-salty, but they include every flavor). The waitress gives nice service but felt a little stoic. The restaurant is small and receives the just enough of sun. The portions are also "just right" to make you full, but not too full; usually I like to enjoy smaller portions of foods I enjoy. It was nice. read more

Cha-ya is a wonderful little nook of good food. They have a wide variety of vegan sushis, soups, a few lovely salads, and many more dishes. I've eaten here probably 30 times now and haven't ever regretted it, though I haven't liked every single thing I've tried, I can say that it was at least quality food. They also have a few very nice tea blends. I have taken "meat 'n potatoes" guys there before and had them very much enjoy themselves. The place is small. There are only 5 small 2/3 person tables and 1 4/5 person table, as well as a bar with about 10 seats. Unless you're really creative you'll never get a group of 6 or more there at the same table. -- Update 2017 -- I still go to Cha-ya fairly regularly 7 years later. The food quality is still excellent. They took over the space next door from the small flower shop that used to be there, so they have significantly more seating now. The food is somewhat pricier than it used to be, which is unsurprising given the high rent district they're in. The higher costs have made this more of a special occasion place for me. Over the years I have recommended Cha-ya to a wide variety of people. I have been told that "meat and potatoes" types have been thoroughly delighted by this vegan Japanese food that they never imagined existed. read more

My favorite restaurant! My husband who is not vegetarian (like myself) also loves it because: -the tempura udon is light and fluffy and not at all greasy -the hosomaki combo is a great deal -the avocado maki always has perfect avocado -goma-ae is to die for -agadashi tofu is unparalleled and not at all slimy -cheep -very fast -kid friendly read more

The food was pretty and delicious. Two people had dinner, plus an appetizer and a dessert for $36. I was not a huge fan of the chocolate cake dessert. I wish I had gotten one of their Japanese desserts instead. Also, CASH ONLY. I had to use their ATM machine, which charged $2.50. A sit-down restaurant in a city, on a Main Street in 2014 should accept cards. Otherwise great place. read more

Cha-Ya - It looks empty, but there were lots of people there earlier. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Yummy Vegan Japanese food goodness. I always order their udon which is very flavorful, tasty, and piping hot! No seafood but all the veggies are so good! They always have good suggestions for you if you don't know what you feel like eating. I work across the street so I order in the restaurant and its usually ready in 5-10 minutes for take out. Does not take credit card, must have cash on hand! read more

We love this place. We are not necessarily vegetarians, but the menu is huge and everything is tasty and we always feel very satisfied when we eat here. Remember to bring cash. Tonight we had some avocado rolls, buckwheat soba, pot stickers, and tempura. Washed it down with the best green tea. Too full to consider dessert. Service has always been friendly and prompt. read more

Soooo good. This place is great for a quick, casual and supremely fresh meal. My husband and I both got noodle soup dishes and I have rarely seen vegetables coming out looking so fresh at such at casual joint. I couldn't finish my noodles it was such a large portion. Really a great meal for only $11. read more

Cha-Ya - Delicious noodle soup. I think it was called the Yasai. I got it with soba (buckwheat) noodles. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Because I am a vegetarian, I was excited to try a sushi spot that offers so many vegetarian/vegan options. We waited for about 20-30 mins to be seated. Our food was so bland!!! I don't understand the hype around this place. If you enjoy flavorful sushi, this place probably isn't for you. If you just want a lot of mediocre vegetarian/vegan options, this place is good! read more

This ain't Granny's vegan food. Yummy yummy should be the new name of this place. The place is small so expect to wait for awhile to get fed unless you arrive early. The crowd outside is often cut-throat and bristle is fight mode if you look like you might get seated out of turn. Beware the Berkeley folk. Once inside you will be treated with wonderful smells, warmth from the stove and an intimate setting. The food is always fresh and the service is no nonsense. An extra star for the owner who is very friendly and smiles every time I see him on the street. read more

I liked it. I have a friend for whom it was one of her favorite spots when she was staying in the East Bay, and one night when I was meeting up with someone in Berkeley, decided to try it. There are no reservations. On a weeknight (Tuesday) it was packed and busy; good sign. Although it was full, we didn't have to wait to get a table; one opened up just as we got there, it seems their customer base has reached an ideal equilibrium with their ability to serve people. Nice. The "sushi" (it's Vegan of course) creations I sampled all tasted great. If you're expecting some sort of formed-tofu/wheat gluten imitation halibut, well, it's not like that, don't come here. Just plain 'ol vegetarian sushi, but of a higher caliber than normal it seemed. read more