Came here for my brother's birthday. This is the best vegan spot around! Portion sizes are great, flavor is 1000/10! If you haven't been, you're missing out! We had the chikn fried steak, chikn and waffles, not so gator bites, fries, mac and blackened cauliflower. All great! read more

Food was fresh and delicious. I had the Gumbo which was seasoned well. I also had the kale salad with crispy tenders topped with buffalo sauce. The portions which was HUGE and the flavor is there. The owner and the staff were so attentive and kind. I love seeing the black women patronize and serve each other. I felt good about my choice to come dine here. I definitely will be back. read more

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They're back, and yes, I am crying. I did not expect to be emotional about a restaurant, but life is full of surprises. In my early twenties, back in the naughty aughties, fully vegan restaurants were rare. Not "we have options" rare, but "please choose between French fries and/or a side salad" rare. Souley Vegan felt like a beacon of hope. Real food. Comforting food. Food that tasted like someone actually wanted you to EAT. Many nights were spent next door at the now-defunct Beer Revolution, slamming Miller High Life's (the babygirl of beer), smoking pink cigarettes (RIP Camel No. 9s), and waiting while Souley Vegan food arrived like a smuggled jewel passed between friendly conspirators. Wrapped up. Still warm. Precious. It hit every single time. When it closed, it felt like losing a bright piece of the past. Walking back in now feels like an old friend returning from a long vacation, unchanged in all the ways that matter. The food is still immaculate. Get the Toasty burger. Add the mac and cheese. Get the collard greens and the yams. This is not the moment to show restraint - you deserve a treat. The cayenne lemonade kicks - tart & refreshing, the cocktails are balanced & flavorful, and the staff remains warm, kind, and effortlessly welcoming. This is a place for birthdays, bad days, date nights, and solo meals that turn everything around. They're also doing special events (yes, including Valentine's), and their Instagram is worth checking so you don't miss out. Welcome back, Souley Vegan. You've been missed. We all needed a win. read more

Souley Vegan - Lunch for one! - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

We went on a Saturday. It was quiet so we were able to seat ourselves. They have moved to a new building and the ambiance is very nice. They have a digital menu so if you want separate bills this is perfect. . I ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and greens. Also ordered the Cajun white cheddar Mac and cheese. My daughter ordered the chicken and waffles. We both had the strawberry and ginger lemonade. The greens: had a little more vinegar in them for ll my liking but my daughter loved them. Mash potatoes: definitely could have used more butter, some garlic and a little pepper. They were pretty bland to me. The chicken fried steak: not bad at all just wasn't great. Cajun white cheddar Mac and cheese... Oh My Gawd... Amazing. Creamy and spicy. I love trying to copy new vegan dishes, so I will be fixing this one. I felt like the meat for both plates had already been cooked and they just warned it up. The waffles could have used some cinnamon to boost its flavor. All in all the meal was good. I would go back and try other dishes. Just because I like vegan food. And I'm learning how to cook vegan dishes read more

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We ordered a variety of dishes and all were great. The BBQ tofu was outstanding. Since we were last there they've moved into a larger, very nice location. Friendly staff. Will definitely return! read more

This place is really a joke. The prices are insane for what you get. With there being barely any vegan restaurant left in Oakland. I'd love to support. This place will close down or move again soon I'm sure. Don't waste your time or money. read more

Souley Vegan - Beignets are now hollow Beignets (3) - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

April 11 and April 12 they're having an all you can eat event for $35. Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite. I came yesterday at 4PM, and the seating was picnic style so you sit wherever and meet some people. Drinks are sold separately at the counter. I love the new space and can't wait for the grand opening. This was my spot when they were opened a block away. I loved the po'boys, the vegan gumbo over grits, the cakes were delectable and moist and I loved the various juices they offered, and I've brought many of my friends here. This restaurant is a treasure. The event is a buffet style, serving vegan burgers and hotdogs, both plain and barbecue. Nachos with vegan chips and all of the toppings - onions, diced bell peppers, jalapeños. Potato salad and bread pudding. It was a good turn out! I don't like hotdogs, and I never had a vegan dog, but it was delicious and full of flavor. It helped that it was vegan because I'm not really thinking about all of the animal parts that may or may not be in it. I also got the bbq vegan burger - really good. The bread pudding was delicious as well, though not what I'm accustomed to. It tasted delicious like cinnamon rolls minus the dairy filled icing. The potato salad was also flavorful. Again, can't wait for the grand opening! read more

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I love love love souley im so glad their back. It gives me another reason to come to Oak. A few months ago it hurt my heart to see that closed sign up. Now I feel like singing babyface. When can my heart beat again! This is vegan food with a soul it's rich it's tasty it warm it's inviting. It embraces you with love. Yes yes yes read more

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A must stop if you're in Oakland! Great selection between burgers, salad or my favorite a combo platter of soul food. I ordered to go and was greeted by the friendly staff when I walked in. Food was ready and on time. Flavorful, spicy and delicious! Don't forget the lemonade! read more

Souley Vegan has a new location in Jack London Square. We were told to seat ourselves and you place your order through a QR code on the table. You need to order, pay and tip for your food before you are served. We started with fried okra, gator bites-made with mushrooms. We had a side of Mac-n-cheese. We also ordered a combo plate having selected collard greens, yams and black eyed peas, the combo also comes with rice. To drink we had lemonade and strawberry ginger. My favorite was the mac-cheese and the gator bites. Overall everything was good and satisfying, but the rice was hard and crunchy. After filling up on this food, you are satisfied without feeling bloated and overstuffed. We took leftovers to go. The wait staff was attentive and helpful regarding questions and the ability to enjoy your food. With tax and 15% tip our order was $83.00 The next time I'm in the area I'll return to Souley Vegan. read more

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Happy to see they are back open and running! Food was delicious. My kid loved her burger and didn't even know it wasn't meat traveled here from San Francisco to try it again and wasn't disappointed! Love to support my people read more

Souley Vegan - Burger - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

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What a treat! Vegan soul food!!!! Combo platter with BBQ tofu, yams, collards, Best cornbread ever! read more

I was just reading my 15-year-old review of this place back when it just opened near Jack London Square. Seems like old times. I had not been back to Souley Vegan in years when I happened to be in the food court at Market & Main in Downtown Martinez recently. I saw that they had relocated here, so out of my nostalgic recollection, I decided to go for a takeout order for Jamie W and me. I thought we could split the $17 Ain't Gator Po'Boy, which turned out to be a surprising winner with battered and fried crimini mushrooms combined with their handmade vegan hot links, dill pickles, romaine lettuce and tomato and drizzled with their special. swamp sauce on a toasted bun (photo: https://yelp.to/rcEc-6fYA8). The $17 BBF Burger was less satisfying even if it did beat Bobby Flay (thus the acronym). The vegan patty was chewier than I was hoping, though the melted vegan cheese, chopped onion, dill pickles, and toasted bun worked (photo: https://yelp.to/c-meLqoNiw). The $19 Seitan Country Fried Steak was marred by the same chewiness, though the gravy helped as did the collard greens. The mashed potatoes not so much (photo: https://yelp.to/oHILywlIjb). We also ordered the $5.50 Hot Water Cornbread. It definitely reflected Southern-style authority with plenty of vegan butter (photo: https://yelp.to/rP2lEzH8TM). We treated ourselves to the $6 trio of Beignets dusted with powdered sugar (photo: https://yelp.to/oPv7WyQiNZ). No complaints on the sweets front. Glad to see Souley Vegan still churning out vegan specialties after all these years. We would definitely try the Po'Boy again because that was a truly creative vegan rendition. FOOD - 4 stars...the Po'Boy was great, the burger less so AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...just a kiosk here with shared tables SERVICE - 4 stars...friendly, pretty quick, and food was well packaged TOTAL - 4 stars...good to see a familiar business in Martinez RELATED - Exploring Martinez? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2x1rlsD read more

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Service was phenomenal very helpful knowledgeable of the menu, the place awesome vibes. It was very peaceful, people seem to really enjoy, the atmosphere. The food smells phenomenal , and and taste out of this world. - Must have if you love soul food read more

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We stumbled on this gem a few years ago on a first date that eventually led to our wedding. We felt so comfortable here from the moment we stepped through the door, and the food is beyond delicious. The ambiance is welcoming, the service is beyond expectations with such a friendly atmosphere, and we were inspired by the food. I heartily recommend it anytime you want a whole experience with your meal. read more

Updating: All these years and we still love Souley Vegan! My spouse loved the toasty burger. Macaroni and cheese was not too spicy, pleasant cajun flavor, but ruined for me by the pronounced taste of coconut milk. Collards are a touch spicy for me, but balance out with everything else. We enjoyed the black eyed peas. BBQ tofu has a fabulous smoky tangy flavor and great meaty texture. We enjoyed the Southern fried tofu too but it mostly tastes of deep fried breading. The skin-on fries are super yummy. I loved the yams, one order was enough for our household. Delightfully sweet, they don't taste floral anymore. Brussels sprouts were great, almost too well cooked but we didn't mind that , pleasantly lemony. Cornbread was pleasant, more of an herb taste than we prefer, but nicely sweet and a great texture. Mashed potatoes weren't exciting but we would still order them again, pleasant with everything else. We will absolutely be back again! read more

Good Food very good I liked the food and the people were nice but I was not very happy

I used to go to their Oakland location, but made the journey out. It's a little hard to find since it's inside Market and Main. Go in, head left, then it's your immediate right. Decided to try new stuff instead of Create Your Own Combo (which honestly I wished I got that since I was craving it) Ain't Gator Po Boy - 5/5 stars - love the flavors and texture Beignets - 4/5 stars - half were perfectly cooked, half did not fluff up, taste delicious though Overall, still good, get the Create Your Own Combo read more

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The staff is so welcoming and friendly, even all of the customers are happy and in a good mood. This place is good vibes! The location is great being next to the park and there is plenty of comfortable dining space. The food is so well seasoned, so flavorful, and has great textures too. The menu items are so well thought out and executed, we started with the ain't gator bites. The crunch and seasoning was some of the best I've ever had. We also got the okra gumbo which I will absolutely order again next time I go. Generous portion size, very fresh, filled with vegetables that are perfectly cooked and SO TASTY! We also got the burger that beat Bobby Flay - also hit the spot! Looking forward to going again and bringing lots of people with me to visit Souley Vegan. read more

Firstly I'd like to express how welcoming & vibrant the staff are! Nothing better than knowing that good energy is behind all this good food! The ambiance is very chill & tranquil, great music perfect for a Sunday! Vegan or not you should definitely check this place out! This is my 3rd time coming and my 3rd time leaving satisfied! I will be back for sureeee read more

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Love Souley Vegan...and I've followed them to every location! I've been to several special events here, and always have a great time! The food is delicious & comforting. Whatever you decide on...definitely get the black olive potato salad! Chef Tamearra & her team are amazing...taking the time to say hello, give hugs & make you feel special & welcome! Open Friday, Saturday & Sunday read more

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the food here is gros.the music is loud and the cook here is nasty looking, cooks very bad read more

Souley Vegan - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been slow getting back to Souley Vegan since they reopened but it feels so good to be back!! Oh, how I've missed their southern fried tofu. This is just a really great spot with great people and incredible food. Highly recommend. read more

I loved the old Souley Vegan and I love the new one even more! The new space is so big, bright, and airy. They have some new menu items and some old favs. I typically do not order salad at a restaurant because they tend to be overpriced and disappointing, but this kale salad was incredibly delicious. I wish I knew how to make the dressing so I could recreate it at home. My husband liked the po'boy, he said it wasn't spicy enough- I disagree and thought it was perfect. The fries were super delicious too. And the beignets were the star of the show! So warm and fluffy. And service was amazing, everything came out quickly and everyone was so nice and friendly. We'll be back. read more

Souley Vegan - Kale salad & beignets - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

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God, this is one of the best vegan restaurants in the Bay Area. I've been coming here since the store was just the owner cooking alone on Broadway, and I mourned their closing. I've had everything from brunch to Thanksgiving buffet here, and it's ALWAYS amazing. I'm beyond glad that they're back, and the food is just as lovely as ever. Try the country fried steak! read more

I live in Los Angeles now, but anytime I come to the Bay Area, my first stop is Souley Vegan. Since going plant-based five years ago, I have missed southern soul food quite a bit. That is why I feel very fortunate to have discovered this restaurant many years ago when I was vegetarian. I've met the owner, and she is wonderful and kind and has a fantastic personality. There isn't a dish on the menu that I can say anything negative about. Every time I go, I have to resist the urge to get one of everything! 10 out of 10, would absolutely recommend read more

I caught sight of the proprietor on the local news station a few months back saying that they were due to reopen again in downtown Oakland...and saw that the soft-opening was on July 5..and so we made a b-line down there. The food was still amazingly delicious..and good-sized portions (we had to get doggie-bags!)...just perfectly seasoned and incredibly tasty...I haven't been there since before the pandemic...and my companion (he's a recent convert to veganism) and I weren't disappointed. I liked the communal seating.. and we met some nice folks. The only downside..and I know this was probably due to the soft-opening (I hope) was the service..which was painfully slow. I think once the kitchen gets organized and they work out the kinks, we'll be back. read more

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I was excited when this place returned to try it again, but after having dinner here last night in the new location I got sick and ended up having two rounds of throwing up. The southern style fried tofu was very bland and super oily, the yams were sickly syrupy-sweet. The prices were pretty steep for fast food style food. Staff was friendly. read more

I just dropped in and found this gem. The portion size was great! The flavor on that vegan fried steak, amazing, Mashed potatoes and gravy on point. Greens were good, just needed a little more spice, but still really good. I need to come back and try so much more stuff! Not overly pricey like some other vegan places I have been too. This much food and what I paid for it was a great deal! read more

Souley Vegan - Vegan fried steak, Collards Greens, mashed potatoes and Hot Water Cornbread. - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

Literally the greatest soul food in a 50-mile radius, at least. I've been coming for years, and I've never tried a bad dish from them. Chef Dyson is a very kind and genuine person as well, and the new location is cute. Love the jalapeno poppers, the gator bites, and the Mac and cheese. I'm drooling just thinking about it! read more

Heard about the soft opening and I'm here for it! Love the new menu!! Had the Pray 4 Me Burger that beat Bobby Flay and I can see why. It comes with tastiest fries. Love the little bit of cole slaw in the burger. It's very balanced. It's hard to stop eating the fries. Also ordered the Brussels Sprouts and it was expertly done. Very fresh and delicious. This new spot is so chic. I love the period details. Long bar. I can see this place quickly become the new "it" / destination spot. Great service! Very attentive. read more

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It's located at a place that has several places in and it's nice that anyone can have their own food options at the same table. The service was nice and welcoming. Making the food took significant time. It's very small place and more like a food truck kind of. Orders can pile up and take time. The food was good tasting and portions were well sized. It was bit try and bit blend. It's nice to have a fully vegan place and I appreciate that. read more

We recently visited Souley Vegan and can't wait to return. First off, we went on Sunday when the farmers market is happening and it was busy, but still super enjoyable. Souley vegan is located inside a sort of public market like food hall. We had a hard time finding it at first (go all the way to the back of the place). It's a small stall and you either order on their kiosk or put in an order on your phone via QR code. There are so many food options especially on Sunday when they also serve brunch. It was hard to choose. My son and I got the Ain't Gator Po-boys and they were DELICIOUS and large. Both of us were stuffed when we got done. Staff was also super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend you stop in and try the food. I know we will be back to try other menu items for sure! Oh and there is plenty of seating. The music was pretty loud on the Sunday we went, so we opted to sit outside where it was a little quieter. Plenty of seating there too. read more

Love the " pray for me burger" soooo good and am not even a vegan. Very filling and didn't feeling heavy or bloated after eating it. But the sides were over seasoned. read more

Came back today for the downtown Trick or treat event. We were hungry, so we got two orders of the nachos. They were delicious ( although a little salty). The folks working here are very friendly and they even delivered the food to our table outside despite how busy it was. read more

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I had such high hopes for this place and really wanted to support a small business in Jack London Square. My partner and I are always looking for a good vegetarian or vegan place. Unfortunately I won't be coming back here. The food was not remotely appetizing or particularly fresh. I had the Chik n' Sandwich and my partner ordered the Combo Plate with Southern Fried Tofu, Yams and Corn Bread. We also ordered Aint Gator Bites and two drinks. The sandwich was ok, but definitely not worth $17. The fries that came with were soggy and sad and not great tasting. There were random bits of unidentified batter mixed in as well. The Aint Gator Bites were mostly batter and not particularly memorable. The Combo Plate with the Southern Fried Tofu was without seasoning and not what you would expect for something labeled southern. The yams are overly sweet. The cornbread was decent. Service was fair and not amazing. The place looks a bit rundown including the rest room. read more

This place is located in downtown Martinez inside a communal space with other food businesses (Market & Main). A bit hard to spot at first but it is a small area on the left when you enter. They have a good amount of items on the menu to choose from as well. I got the "Proud Mary" which is basically a bbq tofu and southern fried tofu burger. They use potato buns that are kind of on the softer side. I would have liked the buns toasted more. I think the best part of it was the southern fried tofu. It lists that there are also cajun chips that come with it - I had originally thought these were cajun fries but it ended up being a bag of chips (Zapp's). They almost forgot the second part of our order (another burger) because it was a new item on the menu. Overall, a bit pricey for what you get.. would have at least liked actual cajun flavored fries to be served with my burger. read more

Souley Vegan - Proud Mary - Vegan Near Me - Oakland, California

Best vegan food in Oakland. Hands down. I'm so happy I leave close to the restaurant. I will be back soon.

i've been 3 or 4 times and each time i hoped things would get better. slow service, staff not interested, food unimaginative- stale/ basic, drinks overpriced for using generic juice (Langers!). ... when they went out of business, i wasn't surprised but have now heard reopened? i'm shocked. just because you take the meat and dairy out of a meal, doesn't make it a special vegan treat. i;ve had better from the frozen food aisle at lucky. read more

I truly like the new location for Souley Vegan, it has that Old Oakland vibe in Jack London Square. I visited the old location down street and only had the scrumptious vegan burger years ago. The vegan menu gives great options for anyone who wants to try no meat items. The greens and black-eyed peas were a little salty for me. I like the fried chicken tofu, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread. The service was great. I recommend everyone visit and taste for yourself Souley Vegan. read more