Food was decent. Nothing to write home about though. I'm vegetarian so it wasn't the lack of meat that turned me off. Prices to portion ratio absolutely sucked. 40 dollars later and there was hardly enough food for one person let alone two. I'm not a particularly glutinous eater either. Ordered a sunimono salad, vege tempura, some sort of summer roll and some eggplant thingee (SO FRIKIN TINY). I never understood what it is about some vegetarian places; it seems like cheaper ingredients that are easier to handle and have less overhead would translate to cheaper prices but instead it goes the other way towards gouging. Not sure how they justify the prices. Anyway, wont be back, plenty of different vegetarian places that are a better deal, with better food. read more

Food was great service was great the price eh I get it but were not ordering crab and all that other stuff simple vegetables simple prices and the flies was another bad touch other than that I would go back again read more

This place has fantastic food! Cash only and reasonably priced. Service and kichen a little slow but it's because it is made when ordered. Love!! read more

Solid all veggie food... the flavors don't stand out dramatically but it was enjoyable and I would return. The tempurafied rolls are excellent with the sauce. read more

with all the good eats in berkeley, i almost felt like i wasted a meal here. go with cheeseboard pizza instead, for something to write home about. read more

The best place to go for dinner after you've eaten 9 scoops of ice cream in one day. Having actual interesting sushi rather than just cucumber rolls when you're vegetarian is incredible. The only bad thing is that once you go, you'll be craving it for days later. read more

some of the best, most inventive vegetarian around. always full, and very small, but very much worth the inevitable wait! read more

Vegan sushi almost seems like an oxymoron but I completely forget that the restaurant is vegan once I start chowing down. The food is so delicious and unique, I'm always tempted to over order. read more

This place makes me consider becoming a vegan. The tofu is the best I've ever tasted. Yes, you will wait to get in. But, boy, is it worth it! Everyone I've taken here has loved it. read more

Really tasty food! It's pretty unique (i've never seen anything else like it) and it's a good deal. Everything comes out really hot when it's supposed to. Deep fried things come out perfectly fried, which they must be well practiced at cuz practically everything is fried, which is why i took away one star. The sauces that come with each order is distinct, so you don't dip everything in soy sauce, which i always thought was dumb cuz then everything tastes the same. And it's a great place for a first date ;) read more

In a rush for a concert at the Greek Theater, I stepped in for a quick bite. My partner and I both got udon noodles: curry and vegetable tempura. The soups were really savory, Japanese comfort food. I hated eating so quickly because I really wanted to savor the flavors. I'd totally go back to explore the rest of the menu. read more

The first time I've had "vegetarian Japanese food"! I came here for lunch with a friend, so everything was definitely fairly priced (although judging from the other reviews, it seems like dinner is more pricey). Each meal comes with rice and really good miso soup, and it only cost me about $9. I got the sukiyaki (vegetable and noodle soup) but there were BARELY any noodles. In any case, the veggies were really delicious, as was the soup base. The presentation on everything is amazing, and service is okay too. I want to come back for dinner so I can try the soba salad that everyone has been talking about! read more

Attention GF folks! Most Japanese restaurants are fairly GF friendly. This one not so much. Service was friendly, though waitperson didn't seem that so knowledging (she was initially mistaken about whether the pickled burdock maki was gf -she said it was not, which made no sense to me), which kind of shook our confidence. Then we ordered an item on the menu (spinach gomae) which said "GF option" (we told her we were GF) but it arrived looking like it was not GF. The GF option was to get plain veggies with no sauce/flavor at all. Really not an appealing option. No one else was thrilled with their food, GF or otherwise, though we did like the pickled burdock maki and ordered two, but that's about as plain as a maki gets. They could easily do better. I won't be going back there again. read more

Very crowded and very small, which adds to the charm of the place. Very delicious vegan food that presents the healthiest, freshest side of japanese cuisine. read more

OMG! This place is the best vegan restaurant on earth. I'mnot even a vegan...but, my best friend is and so is his girl friend... so I've done my rounds... in any case, Cha-Ya is a great place to eat for any meat-eaters and carnivores alike! I love the desserts and the appetizers are always delicious. My only qualm with this place is the serving sizes but the prices are still reasonable even when you account for the number of courses each person will consume... I think this is a great place to bring a date or a close friend. The intimate yet friendly atmoshpere coupled with the interesting selections will defnitely make you la real find (like this restaurant)!! read more

Vegan Japanese food that's hearty and delicious, with lots of offerings besides sushi. It is a tiny place and chances are you'll have to wait outside for a table, but it's worth it. Just don't come with a large party, because their tables only seat up to four. And definitely try the dessert! The soy sundae with green tea sauce is amazing -- I've never had such a delicious non-dairy frozen treat. The red bean (azuki) and mochi is also great if you want a warm dessert. read more

Food was very good. I was with a group of people and I didn't notice the quality of service --- too busy chatting. Place is small.

I met up with a friend who goes to school out there. He wanted to try this place because he said he always passes by here and it is always packed. When he told me it was vegan japanese I was curious on how extensive the menu could actually be. Well for all the vegans/vegetarians out there this place will not disappoint on the amount of selections available. I honestly dont remember the names of the stuff that I ordered. They do provide descriptions but alot of it I am unfamiliar with. The dinner combo is a bit pricey at around $18 but it does leave you stuffed. It comes with 2 entrees, rice, miso soup, and sunomono. I ordered the combo with sukiyaki of some sort and a portabello mushroom and tofu dish that is cooked tempura style. The broth in the sukiyaki is very flavorful. It a came with clear noodles and a ton of vegetables and soft tofu. I only wish they had some chili sauce that I could add to provide another layer of flavor. The mushroom-tofu dish was good too. It comes with a kiwi sauce. I dont really think it complimented the dish all that much. It really just tasted like kiwi. I would prefer some other type of sauce to go along side it. My friend ordered (I think it was called) a Cha-Ya sushi roll. It is deep fried tempura style. That is a definite recommend. The downside is the size of the place. It is really cramped and since it is such a popular place it fills up quickly and they is normally a bit of a wait. With only another waiting in front of us it was like a 10-15 minutes wait. The wait was for a table. When we got there there was an opening for the bar but we passed. I dont like being THAT close to strangers when im eating my meal. Plus the range of me and my friends conversations is sure to offend someone that happens to ear hustle what we're talking about. read more

My vegan friends were visiting out of town, and I had been wanting an excuse to try out this place. We waited forever and ever to get in. Make sure you have reservations, because it's such a small restaurant and can get filled up really fast. We had some really good curry soba noodles, the soba salad was fresh and interesting, the chaya roll didn't make me miss meat, the tempura was great, and the summer roll was great. We also had some vegan chocolate cake (great icing) and vegan ice cream (amazing sauces), which were yummy! Too bad this place is WAY too expensive for the ingredients they give you. I'd definitely revisit if someone else was paying! read more

Service is consistently quick, food is fresh and delicious. Recommend their seaweed salad and any of the sushi items. I've always been curious about the bracken on the menu but not curious enough to try it.... read more

They have a nice little to-go fridge with decorative rolls at a good price. Cash only though, so sometimes I have to skip it.

Has a bowl of soup and some tofu at cha-ya. Service is OK, somewhat inattentive. Food is good, clean tasting. However it really didn't "wow" me. A great option for non meat eating people craving Japanese food, but otherwise I'd rather go elsewhere. read more

This place seats 17 people I believe and does not take reservations so you will have to wait to get in after you arrive. 100% vegan japanese cuisine. The presentation and service are impeccable, and everything I've tried has been delicious. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants ever. read more

Most delicious vegetarian I have had in a long time. You forget you are eating vegetarian. My husbands tempura was a wee bit small of a portion, though it was extra tasty. I had an extrememly memorable soup. Wish I could remember the name... the wait is long, but the taste is worth it! We always try to come on a rainy night. Then, the soup is extra warming, and the crowds are down. read more

I'm a solid Carnivore, but I have to say, this is my favorite restaraunt in the East Bay. The food is light, beautiful, flavorful, and fantastic. To see a tower of tempura vegetables come out with an almond butter saurce is a wonderful thing. This place just exudes health, while giving nothing away on flavor and presentation. Sushi: Excellent! Noodles: Excellent! Specials: Wonderful! The seating is tight, and the people can tend to the more eccentric of Berkley locals, but just go there and enjoy. read more

Yes, this restaurant is very healthy and the food is very fresh. However, there is definately still a trade-off for the healthiness. I got the Tako-sui and the cha-ya delight and although I was very happy with the abundance of vegetables and color, it was on the bland side. It was also pretty expensive for the portion. Seeing all the rave reviews for this place, however, makes me want to give it another try. Maybe next time I'll order the moon garden. read more

The place was clean, the service was a bit slow. The food was hot....wait did I just eat a meal with no meat? There ain't a chicken or a pig in your bowl, yep not even a boiled egg...totally vegan. The veggies were fresh and cut into cute shapes. They even have buckwheat noodles. After sushi and a bowl full of noodles, i came home and ate again....My wife just told me to give it 4 stars....um....no meat no star. read more

I love this place - delicious vegetarian Japanese food. Maybe my favorite restaurant in the East Bay. The ingredients always seem fresh and I get stuffed every time. Get there a little early and you won't have a long wait. read more

How many vegetairan Japanese you can find in the bay area? Cha-Ya will be qualify as top five for sure:) I like the fact it's small and cozy, which retain the origianl atmosphere of Japanese 居酒屋 (the berkeley branch). Food is great, I esp. like their soup and eggplant dishes. read more

I still prefer sushi with fresh fish, but this is definitely a good and Berkeley-an experience! I had the eggplant roll, cha-ya roll, silver noodle soup, and tempura ice cream that did not disappoint. It is cozy, so I suggest you get there before the rush comes in. read more

It's always busy here so there is usually a wait but as a vegetarian it's nice to have so much variety in sushi. Meat eaters might be a bit skeptical but it's good. Go see for yourself. read more

This place is the Zen food movement! I have never had a bad thing to eat here. It just came to my attention that there is another location on Velancia in SF. I can only believe it has serious potential to be the winner that this location is. read more

Went here for a change of pace after a long and stressful, busy but ultimately positive week. In celebrating the end of a tough week we all shuffled into the small resatuarant of Cha-Ya and were blown away by the excellent, flavorful and healthy, yes tastes good and is good for you, cuisine. My favorite was the Cha Ya roll, but everything we had was excellent, artfully presented and very tasty! I can't wait to go back. What keeps this from a five star experience? Cramped Quarters. I'm a tall guy and the right side of the restaurant should be off limits to tall people, it's small and cramped. Stay at the four tops if you are over 6'2". Secondly, because our table was so small it was hard to coordinate the food and much of it came quickly which made us feel a bit hurried. Two minor and correctable complaints so they're not keeping me from coming back. Last comment is something to consider which is pricing. The menu is priced very similarly to a regular sushi restaurant yet there is no fish because it is vegetarian. While the food is wonderful it tells me that thte mark up is substantial and you can easily spend over $20 per person. The meal is wonderful so this is more of a warning for folks who have an issue spending this much for a vegetarian meal. read more

YUM! Came here for dinner a couple of nights ago for the first time and the food was very tasty (even for my non-vegetarian boyfriend). The prices are a little high, but the food comes quickly, service is prompt, and the food tastes fantastic. Definitely better than run of the mill Berkeley food. Arrangement of the food is nice too. Minus one star because the atmosphere isn't really classy enough for the prices they charge, but I would still recommend this place for a lunch or casual dinner. read more

Came here a while back and sat at the counter with a friend. Good food! They are planning to expand into the adjacent flower shop (now closed), increasing seating from 15 people to 41 people. read more

The food here is excellent, but quite expensive and the portions were very small. I ordered the Cha Ya sushi plate ($10) and got nine pieces of sushi, six of which were cucumber rolls. I could get more sushi in the student cafeteria for half the price. I had to order appetizers and dessert to feel remotely close to full. But the little food they served was really great. read more

EEK, they use C&H! AKA, they are NOT vegan-friendly. I give them 2 stars as the food the second time around was better and the waitress helped me identify which items would be sugar free. read more

So happy to find this place! My vegan husband and I went on Friday 7/7/17 and found it really easily, got good parking on a little side street around the corner by the school. The place was a little over half full at about 8:30; we were seated right away. Loved the look and feel of the place. The patrons seem to be of the same vibe so we really enjoyed our time here. We got the vegetable tempura, braised eggplant with the sweet miso glaze dish (it has tofu and mushrooms too), and the Cha-Ya roll, everything was really good. We ordered the two main dishes together and got one miso soup and one cucumber salad, two big thumbs up on those as well. These happy vegans will be back! read more

I quite like the food here. However, two things annoyed me. Firstly, the restaurant did not accept credit cards. So if you want to try this place, remember to prepare enough cash. Secondly, they kept the door open even during the winter and it was quite chilly to sit near the entrance. read more

This place is rad. I usually eat meat, or at least dairy so I didn't know how I would fare at some vegan Japanese joint. It was really delicious. The flavors all compliment eachother- I remember thinking it was crazy so many intense tastes could come from vegan food. Anyhow like they said the wait is a while but it's definitely worth it. read more