Part of the charm of Ann Arbor is the old heritage buildings. Structures that have withstood the test of time. One can't help but to think about all the history and appreciate the architecture. Earthen Jar is located in one such dwelling. This experience marks the second time I've been exposed to "buffet by weight". Paying by the ounce/lb. is something for you to consider before selecting your food. I believe it's the best Indian cuisine in Ann Arbor. Naturally, most of it's vegetarian and vegan and it's scrumdiddlyumptious. On our very first visit the reggae music rounded out the atmosphere and made it atypical Ann Arbor. It's extremely laid back. The family is an absolute treasure and more than half the reason we choose to come here. You don't have to be vegan to like it, I guarantee that! 07/25 read more

This place is a historical landmark for great veg food. It's not fancy, you pay by the pound, but the food is wonderful. It's all clearly labeled with allergens, spice and whether vegan or not. I had great saag, samosas, veg curry and lychee juice. They have wonderful lassis and kombucha, as well. I'm going to try to get here on a regular basis for my vegan Indian fix. read more

Earthen Jar - My fab choices - Vegetarian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Not sure if it's just their catering, but I thought the food was seriously underseasoned. I've been veg before for a long time so I'm sympathetic, but there are lots of good veg Indian options--this one just seems bland and overly sweet and often mushy. But again, maybe that's just the catering! And maybe we ordered the wrong spice level or picked it up later than we should have. read more

Microwaved naan. At a restaurant. At an Indian restaurant. Wait, what? My Irishman and I enjoy grabbing small random bites to share while walking around. While in Ann Arbor, we took this habit and went on a naan spree. This eatery was in our path when we decided to do this, so it was our first stop. Good thing it was - the naan was so sad in comparison to those from the places we visited afterwards. After placing our order for one naan to-go to share, we watched from the cashier counter as the individual moved behind the kitchen wall, still in sight, and proceeded to microwave our naan. We were as disappointed as we were amused. The naan we walked out with was too chewy and sogged up quickly from the nuking. The crumb also lacked flavor entirely, making for a subpar experience. Being that it was the first of the several we would have, though, we didn't mind too much, simply taking it for what it was. While they had lunch buffet laid out, I don't think we'll be back to try anything else given this experience. read more

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So very incredibly delicious! Every flavor is worth jumping up and down for joy! On top of that, the staff is so welcoming. They treat you like family, truly kind and compassionate. It makes Me feel proud and comfortable knowing that My hard earned money is going to good people, you can tell they have pure intentions. The same can't be said for other restaurant owners who don't care as much for their customers. The food: Tastes home style, much unlike typical restaurant food Delightful variety Healthy Vegan/vegetarian with not a single taste lacking! Worth much more than it costs I can eat this everyday! I bought $125 worth of this deliciousness to have extra to store and eat over the course of a few days. I got SO much food for the money! Any event I have, My wedding even, I will elect to have Earthen Jar cater to! read more

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@HEALTH INSPECTOR, COME SHUT THIS DOWN. DO NOT GO HERE. Got sick immediately. Had to write a review to warn others. Joke of a "restaurant" Do not be mislead by the good reviews because this place sucks. No way those reviews are real. The outside of the building looks just as bad as the food was. All frozen and microwaved. No AC. Everything was horrible. read more

Indian food is not bad, I feel like the price would be good except I got a giant container of rice and it's all by the pound so I probably should just make my own rice. I'll go back and not buy rice and see how the cost and food quantity is. I only went once but I really like the spinach mushy, the chickpea thing, as my two favorite. I'd probably just get those two, my friend liked the potato veggie stew one so we would get those three next time Meh on the yogurt one meh on the tikka one but I definitely appreciate that it is vegetarian and it's definitely a good option. I did eat all of it finished it all so it def wasn't bad but was just different Han other Indian food I had read more

Education: Just a note on definitions. I'd always thought that buffet meant all you can eat, but it does not. Buffet is the idea of food laid out and you serve yourself. In this sense, a cafeteria can be considered a buffet. So this is an Indian buffet, but it is NOT all you can eat. The buffet is set up right when you walk in. The first island of food trays is cold food. There's another one perpendicular to it, making a corner, and then as you walk toward the register, there's a whole 'nother island (which is easy to miss on your trek over the first time). So with that in mind, here's the deal. You put food on your plate buffet style, then bring it up to the front where they weight it and charge you $5.99/lb. I struggle with this, because at other nearby Indian places, you can get all you can eat for maybe $9 or less. My filled plate cost me $10. However, they serve really good, high quality vegetarian Indian food. Don't get me wrong -- I am a meat eater through and through -- but here, I didn't miss it; that's how good the food is. I suppose that you would get a better deal at an AYCE Indian place, but at the price of your health, which is worth more anyway! Weighing your plate forces some self-discipline, so you don't eat excessively (or if you do, your wallet will get lighter as you get fuller). They play chill reggae music so you can get your Bob Marley on while you eat. Bus your own dishes -- the trash and sink are in the back, near the restroom. All in all, I really like this little place. Relatively healthy, fast, delicious, and inexpensive if you consider the quality of the food. read more

Earthen Jar - Vegetarian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

This is an amazing Buffet Style Indian Veggie restaurant !! It's right next to the A

Love this place. Delicious Indian food. No BS. These guys do it right. Food is healthy. I'm super sensitive to toxins and the food here is done right. Great for vegans. Thank you. read more

THE FOOD IS AMAZING!! And the owner is is so kind. The food is spicy so if you can't handle spice there could be other options on the menu that I don't know about but definitely recommend!! read more

I adore this place. Great food and a special ambience. It is the staple of a college town.

This is NOT a rastoraunt, NO Kitchen. Ask the old guy where is the Kitchen? ALL it is frozedn Stale old food and put in microwave. Littrely selling old food and it is posion. I am surprised No health Inspector visited this place. read more

I liked the Earthen Jar experience. It's an odd little reggae, crunchy, sorta Indian (mostly from the curry smell) trippy type place. It kind of feels like a place where if you are high you will be in love with it. People are friendly in a laid back way. Very green too with the wash your own dishes deal. The wobbly tables and lack of parking can be annoying but I can deal. I am not a fan of pay by weight eating as buffets can be so hit and miss. I like my veggies and I am a fan of curry so the food works for me at any rate. It is not all healthy here which surprised me a bit, there is some grease and oil about. I agree with some others as well that the mild items are pretty darn bland and therefore for me not at all enjoyable. Some things though are really quite nice. Spicy cauliflower, lentils, chickpeas, spiced and fried potato dumplings oh and that banana pudding. Definitely go spicy if you are debating between items. I like that you can be in and out on your own pace and that people here are quick with suggestions for newbies. It was about a 3.5 really. read more

Relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, delicious food, and convenient pay-by-weight buffet. Earthen Jar is easily the best restaurant I've ever visited. I hope it stays around for a long, long time. read more

I can't tell you how many people I've turned onto Indian cuisine thanks to this place. Haven't been in a bit, but me and some mates used to pop out to Ann Arbor for Earthen Jar pretty regularly back in the undergraduate years. It's fantastic. The cool atmosphere punctuated by Bob Marley, the self-serve and clean-up nature of the operation being soothing in a (embellishment time) spiritual ritual sort of way. I don't know, it's a very pleasant joint. Buffets are clearly labeled, indicated what dishes are, whether they are vegan or not, how spicy or not spicy. Get yourself a plate, try to pick and choose what delicious NOMs you're going to be able to fit, then take it to the register. There's a scale there, which brings up the price of your meal, and you pay. Go take a seat, have at it. There's a water dispenser for free, also. Everything is good. The eggplant, the greens, tofu and spinach, curried potatoes, okra, lentils and chickpeas - all just to die for. Not literally, of course, or there'd be no more Earthen Jar visits. Anyway, it's great. Come, try it. Whether you're an herbivore or omnivore, this place is delicious, casual, and cheap enough to accommodate you. read more

I don't live 'in town' anymore (well, not for 30 years!) so I had no idea this lovely place had taken the old Jerusalem Garden spot near my old employer (Sam's Store). I discovered Earthen Jar in a roundabout way, at the Baker's Nook Bakery in Saline, in a cooler! We purchased 2 containers of EJ yummies, the Mendu Vada (donut shaped lentil fritters) and the Punjabi Rice. Both were quite delicious, not spicy and did not upset our tummies. I love international food but sometimes...you know. The Punjabi rice is haunting me 24 hours later because I want some more! It was loaded with turmeric and bright little caraway seeds. I kept thinking about how nice these items would be combo'd with some hummus. So we got the hummus out of the fridge (from Shawarma Shop) and started dipping those lentil rings in there...amazingly yummy marriage of flavors. I reheated the lentil rings in a tiny bit of olive oil in a pan before eating. They are basically mild on flavor and need a bit of something to dip in. They come with 2 dips- one seems to be a nutty one and the other was spicy but tasty. I am looking forward to trying some more things from Earthen Jar but so far, so good! Thanks for selling at Baker's! Note: I would attach pics but I eated the tasty foods. read more

This is my favorite restaurant! Love it, so delicious. I could go into detail about the food, but other reviewers have already done that justice and you should see for yourself. I should note how great the many vegetarian protein options are, especially now that i'm expecting. :) The atmosphere is comfortable. My friends and I have been coming here since undergrad, over 10 years ago! College friends who have moved away to both coasts want to go to Earthen Jar when they visit. They say that even in their adopted cities, there is nothing like it. I felt the same way when I lived away from A2. This is an independent business that contributes to A2's uniqueness. I'm thankful this place survived the construction that closed the road out front for way too long. I don't eat out often these days, but when I do I want EJ! ^_^ read more

Overall, delicious, affordable, a wonderful eat. Actually getting inside is a bit confusing. To start off, my boyfriend and I have just moved here from California, so we're not familiar with businesses in fancy old houses. So we walk in, and no was in there, but there was a whole lot of food (no signage that I could remember). I walked to the back where I said "hello?", (I heard a couple people talking in the back) and then there was a lady to help us. Basically you grab a plate, take as much food as you've like, then they weigh it and price it. I took a whole lot of food, which I think turned to be $12ish dollars, but it was wayyy more than I needed, so this place is very affordable. It's vegan, so don't expect anything meat! I'm a omnivore myself, but still, this place was very tasty! The naan bread isn't all that special, but it sops up the delicious curries and flavors, so it's yummy. read more

What a Find! Wound up here totally by accident looking for another local restaurant, when we saw the sign and the word Vegetarian we decided to check it out. HOMERUN! The food was delicious and fresh and a good variety to choose from. I am fairly new to being Vegan and so glad to find another option to dine out. The fare reminded of a Himalayan restaurant I recently visited in Colorado. Unfortunately I can't name all the items on the buffet but can tell you that every one I tried was awesome! read more

I really don't understand the good reviews on here. I tried their food today at Vegbash in Ann Arbor and it was just not good at all. The bread was mushy and had such an unusual flavor. It made me wonder if something was spilled on the bread bags and then evaporated a little and no one noticed before serving it. Either way it was just gross. I also tried the 3 other vegetable dishes with potatoes and spinach. They just didn't have any flavor. When I think Indian food, I think bold flavors. It was slightly sweet and just bland. It didn't taste fresh at all. The spinach dish was watery. There was no rice served with it and because the bread was inedible....I felt like I was eating spoonfuls of watery spinach with no flavor. I would never try them again. I don't recommend them at all. read more

Tasty! I came here for the lunch buffet and was surprised to find that the dining area wasn't crowded at noon. I tried a little bit of most of the items, which in retrospect wasn't that wise, since I wasn't that hungry... and I'm sure it's easy to overfill your plate and rack up the price of your lunch... Nice flavors--I liked all things paneer and one of the chickpea dishes. The lady working the register was very friendly too. Hope to be back in the future, although probably for take out. read more

Really enjoyed the authentically prepared "by the ounce" buffet here. All vegan and vegetarian fare - very tasty and great variety. Price is right. Nice a/c on a hot day. Best dish was aloo matter, and okra was nice and dry; just the way it should be. read more

Amazing food and superb friendly owner-great reggae music taboot! The owner makes a point to chat w/all customers. There were 2 people there that had not been back to Ann Arbor in 6-8 years and came to Earthen Jar for a Dow Kal visit! I'll be back on my next visit for sure! read more

Absolutely one of my favorite places to eat! Such good GF options. The people who work here are always so wonderful!

I love this place-food is amazing. Family owned and very kind people. I even stay at a hotel with a fridge so I can freeze leftovers and take them home to chicago. My favorite Indian Resturant in the world. I've been to India as a teacher and live two blocks from Devon in chicago. As someone who travels a tone and often dimes alone..I find this place to feel like home. read more

Most delicious food, most caring and considerate customer service. Earthen Jar is a place for those who value meals that make your heart happy and kind souls who make you proud and confident that you're spending your dollar in the right place. read more

Outstanding Indian buffet! I love the no frills atmosphere, and the owner is extremely friendly and welcoming. I'll definitely return to Earthen Jar next time I'm in Ann Arbor. read more

Eating here for My birthday and I couldn't have chosen a better place to cater for My birthday party. Every last person who attended go seconds and thoroughly enjoyed every last bite. I ordered delivery but I also love to enjoy a meal in their homey establishment. Food arrived hot! read more

Earthen Jar - All vegan, organic and DELICIOUS! Spinach and tofu, masala, lentils & spinach (sag daal) and potatoes! - Vegetarian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

My personal favorite place to get takeout in Ann Arbor. It's never disappointed me and is an extremely good price. I would recommend it to anyone who wants great food without spending too much. read more

This place is quaint and one of the few places to sell guava juice (admittedly a guilty pleasure)! The food is good and entirely vegetarian and almost entirely gluten free which is a godsend. The only think that keeps this from 5 stars is sometimes their tofu dishes are a little too salty but I still like to eat here once in a read more

I have a lot of 'favorites' in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area, but Earthen Jar is most definitely my #1. At first, you might think the food will not be so great since it is served buffet-style, but do not judge a book by its cover. Every time I describe Earthen Jar to someone who has never tried it, I use words like "wholesome, satisfying, refreshing". Even though almost everything I have tried here is amazing, I do have my favorites. A bed of brown rice with spinach tofu and spicy tofu on top, with a side of a potato dumpling and yellow lentil is probably my most common meal. However, the real winner is the banana pudding. Served both dairy and non-dairy, the banana pudding is the BEST deal of any dessert in Ann Arbor. I love me some Zingermans coffee cake or Blank Slate ice cream, but you cannot beat the fresh banana pudding at Earthen Jar. What really makes Earthen Jar better than the competition, is the mixture of quality and convenience. You can walk in, grab one of the most wholesome, delicious meals available in town, and leave in less than 30 minutes. Can't beat that. read more

In Ann Arbor on business. Found this restaurant on Yelp. As a keto-vegetarian, I'm a huge pain to feed. While I typically shy away from buffets, Jasmine was great at helping me to know which food items I could have and which to avoid. Food was great, too! Great spices, variety and flavor. read more

This is one of my favorite Ann Arbor spots for a few reasons: 1) family run and operated 2) a particular music choice that hasn't changed in the ten years I've been coming here: bob Marley/ reggae. 3) the tables have spiritual poetry from many world religions and philosophers. I get the impression that the owners see food as medicine. (This is backed up by the fact that they are now selling Ayurvedic herbs and spices). 4) the food is consistent and really tasty. Many dishes are quite spicy- watch out - but all are delicious. 5) vegetarian. Another indicator of a likely spiritual approach to food and compassion for fellow living beings. I always feel more grounded after I finish a meal from Earthen Jar. read more

It's true, EJ isn't for everyone. There are indeed a few dishes on the buffet that are fitting of a "pass." I think that I've just been in here so many times that I screen those particular selections out. As Nancy mentions, pay no mind to the tofu saag. But, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you may indeed really grow to love this spot. The soundtrack is often reggae, which speaks to the veg-granola-vibe trumping the Indian vibe. One other example of this -- some people might not like the fact that you can get and wash your own reusable dishes here, but I like that, too. I'm no longer veggie and I could never be vegan, but during times where my body is feeling sluggish and I lean back towards these options, I'm grateful for the vegan versions of lassis and the multiple choices here. read more

I love this place. If the world were burning, and I had to save one restaurant without a liquor license, this would be it. I don't know what Sikhs have to do with reggae. I don't know why there has to be spam from God underneath the table glass. I don't know why a couple of the reviewers below went out to a restaurant to eat steamed rice by the pound. Do this: grab a plate, put a little bit of brown rice on it, put some baingan bharta thereon, some zucchini, maybe some okra, maybe some scrambled tofu, some of the tangy red beans, some of the garlicky black-eyed beans, some of the spicy chickpeas, some variety of lentils, etc., until your plate is full. If you partake, grab a coke. Pay, eat, and go back to work. You're welcome, Pete read more

Whooo! This place was awesome. A friend from high school came to visit and suggested it. 1) Pay by the pound is great! I always end up having to pay for wayyy too much food that I won't be able to eat. 2) Spicy food! After the dining hall and ... eating microwave food... having curries and other great spices was such a treat. 3) The employees (owners?) there are super nice. I really enjoyed talking to the lady at the cashier station. 4) Good atmosphere. I love the paint in bright colors. 5) The food is delicious. Try the banana pudding. read more

It's amazing how Michigan can get certain cuisines (*ahem* Chinese *cough*) so, SO wrong, but get Indian sooooooooooo right! It's incredibly difficult to find vegan naan (at least in Los Angeles), and this place has it! Most of the items in the buffet bar are vegan, and everything's labeled clearly. I felt like I got a LOT of food and was very VERY full for less than $12 (lower than the price of most Indian buffets I've been to) - that's including getting a samosa and a naan on the side! If I'm going to be picky, I would skip the samosa next time, as I like mine crispy, and this one was soft. I would also choose to pile on less of the spicy foods, because they were pretty spicy! read more

I really enjoyed The Earthen Jar when I ate here. For Indian kids like me who were spoiled on Mom's Home Cooking, this place offers that type of lighter, well-spiced food in spades. Add the many vegan offerings and it certainly feels more urbane than Mom's kitchen. They also have vegan lassis, which make my friend Lia very happy. More props to the Earthen Jar for making Lia happy and for providing fresh and tasty Indian food that doesn't send one into a non-self-induced coma afterwards. read more

I've had a lot of Indian food in my life. A lot. A LOT. I've had like 4 million Indian boyfriends and girlfriends and teachers. Anyway. This place is phenomenal. Amazing. The best Indian food I've ever had AND IVE BEEN TO INDIA (sorry, India). You must come here. Everyday, all day. Try: the banana pudding (and I don't even like bananas), the mushroom tofu, and the spicy chick peas. I actually bought a second plate to take home. Dead serious. Why are you still reading this? Go! read more