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    The Wayward Cafe

    4.2 (887 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

    The Wayward Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    THE WAYWARD CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    The Chico Vegan Melt and side of fries.
    Will L.

    We were out running errands and it was nearing lunchtime. We saw Wayward Vegan as we were driving by and decided it was where we needed to stop. So glad we did! We puzzled over the menu for the while. There are a lot of burger and sandwich options. The burgers were all Beyond Meat, which we're not big fans of, so we skipped all of them (why don't they make their own patties, like some vegan restaurants do?). We focused on their sandwiches, which were all quite expensive. I say that now because when they arrived, the portions were huuuuuuge! As in, we had plenty for lunch the next day. So, honestly, not so expensive, given the portions. I ordered the TLTA (Tempeh Lettuce Tomato Avocado) (for $18.35), and my girlfriend ordered the Chico Vegan Melt (for $19.75). They were so delicious, as were the fries that came with them. As noted earlier, the portions were very large, so we took half the sandwiches home with us. The place is open with plenty of seats. But it was busy on a Sunday, so most of the seats were taken. We were able to get a table upstairs pretty quickly. Our food was served promptly once ordered. My girlfriend, who is vegetarian, really liked the place, as did I. We'll certainly be back.

    Hillbilly Omelet, sandwich
    Andrew H.

    Probably the best vegan restaurant I've ever tried. I completely forgot that eggs are not vegan and was fully convinced my omelette had eggs because the texture was so convincing. The fillings also tasted meaty too in the best way possible. If I was vegan, I think I would have to eat here everyday. The portion sizes are also pretty generous too, especially the sandwiches. The fries were also crispy yet soft on the inside.

    Allen W.

    My immediate first thought when i entered this spot was that it is prestine! Like as soon as you walk inside you feel how clean the environment is from the floors to the table. Even my silverware and glasses were spotless. The immediate relief entering this environment just brings me so much joy. My server Yureli was incredible! She is the epitome of stellar customer service. Her thoughtfulness cheer and consideration is single-handedly the reason why I can't wait to come back to visit. I am not sure if they are a minority owned business but it was so refreshing seeing so many Hispanic and Latino people inside of the space. This is especially critical, considering all of the stereotypes associated with veganism. Furthermore, they all had exceptional customer service and should all be recognized for such. Now for the part that I'm sure you all have been waiting for. Let me just start off by saying for starters I stumbled across this place on HappyCow and from the moment I tried them. This was all I ate for the remainder of my vacation. their menu is packed with a plethora of options from breakfast, which is served until 3 PM to lunch, which includes sandwiches and wraps and dinner which begins at 3 PM their wide variety allows them to have something for anyone. I have listed the items to below that I have the chance to try with a small rating and parentheses Pancake combo (9.5 / 10) Side Caesar salad (8/10) Fiesta crunch wrap (9/10) BBQ burger (7.6 /10) Possible drawbacks: - lt was honestly so cold (as someone who is never cold) it felt like I was practically eating outside. I attribute it to the building style. - it is just a tablet expensive which is to be expected with vegan options. But what one might consider is less entrées and more appetizers and or a happy hour.

    Mac Daddy Burger
    Jim M.

    Great variety available for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and it's all vegan. Lot's of comfort foods like meatloaf, pasta, and burgers. I tried out the Mac Daddy Burger thinking that it would be like a McDonald's Big Mac. The 2 burgers in it were more like Quarter Pounder sized and it was huge! Great food and I'll be back for more!

    Chicken fried steak, Belgian waffle, juevos rancheros, mango mimosas
    Alaina M.

    I think it's important to note that neither my partner or I are vegan, however I AM allergic to dairy & eggs. I tend to choose vegan options when I go out to be on the safe side because, well, I like to breathe! Most restaurants have a lackluster vegan option added as an afterthought or can adjust menu items, but it's hard to trust since dairy likes to sneak it's way into things... Including champagne! So the Wayward Vegan is perfect, because I know I can eat ANYTHING without worrying. The mango mimosas were divine, country fried steak was delicious, I've been dreaming of the Belgian waffle for the last month, and my normie, egg-eating husband ate all of his juevos rancheros. Looking forward to visiting again to try more of the menu!

    Front entrance sign
    Marcus S.

    Came here at the behest of my friend who is vegan. I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the place is and how good the food is. Put in an order for take which took about 10 minutes. So, what was in the bag - "Hot Hunny Drumsticks" - "wings", celery, side of ranch. A little chewy, not hot which is sort of deceptive but good, sweet flavor. Along with that was the "Mac Daddy burger" - two patties, house sauce, lettuce, pickle, onion, and "cheeze". I was thoroughly impressed with this burger. It doesn't fully taste like a burger-burger, but it had a great grilled flavor, and the sauce added to that. It was also a decent size (which I appreciate given its price), but really, some burger spots the patty is disappointingly small or is more fixins than burger. The menu here is huge, with many options including breakfast and near me so I could see giving it another go here.

    Mexican Burrito from breakfast menu
    Ken M.

    Enjoyed the plentiful Mexican Burrito for breakfast. Saved the other half to go. Service was friendly and attentive from this apparently family-owned business. The corner location provides a good view of passersby outside.

    Three Stack Pancakes with Vegan Sausage
    Andy N.

    Wayward Vegan had been closed for dine-in for nearly three years and I haven't had the heart to visit unless it was to eat there since visiting Seattle. Finally their dining room has reopened and it was worth the wait. This is one of the BEST vegan restaurants in town and one where anyone can really enjoy, especially if they like some comfort food. From classic brunch items to burgers, this place really has it all. My partner and I split the 3-stack Pancakes special with vegan sausage and egg, and he got the California Crunch Wrap with them fries. I selected the choc chip pancakes and they were so chocolatey and fluffy that it was hard to finish! Generous portions all around and worth sharing. The vegan sausage wasn't anything exciting but everything else was top notch. The fries... we MUST talk about the spuds. Some of the best I've had. Get a basket if your meal doesn't already come with a batch. The wrap itself was massive and delicious too. If you're able to get a seat on the top floor, definitely do so. The views from above are nice to people watch while enjoying your food. I am ready to come back here whenever because they are just so good. Definitely visit if you're in town.

    Sunset Omelet, no onions
    Jen A.

    Went here for the first time after a disappointing vegan fair in Capitol Hill. They have a large menu with many great sounding choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I split the artichokes with the person I was with, and ordered the sunset omelet for myself. It came with potatoes. It was pretty good, and I would have never known the eggs weren't vegan. We sat upstairs which was a little warm, but not hot enough to move downstairs. Service was a little slow, but we also weren't in a hurry so that was fine. But overall a great vegan spot to treat yourself to! I'll be back.

    Menu cover
    Meesh N.

    Visiting Seattle for the first time & y'know I just had to find a good vegan spot for eats. The atmosphere was ... I dunno; I guess the music that was playing was a bit unusual. At least my server was pretty pleasant, although I don't recall her giving her name. I ordered the Pesto Chiggen Fettuccine Alfredo for dinner & the Meat Lovers to take home for tomorrow. The Alfedo tasted good. I'll update my review after I taste the Meat Lovers tomorrow. I also got the strawberry lemonade. Whoo hoo! That's the best lemonade I've had in a while! Worth coming back just for that! Update... ...the Meat Lovers was dee-lish! My word! The gravy alone could've been a meal all by itself. Best gravy ever! Mashed potatoes tasted good all by itself. Heck, everything could've been eaten separately; so imagine all those wonderful, perfectly seasoned flavors all together!! Yep, changing to 5 stars! I wish they had a restaurant in my neck of the woods. I want more!

    Avocado Toast & All American Burger

    We went with simple selections today, the Avocado Toast & All American Burger, with fries. Everything was lovely and fresh. I love my lettuce and they provided a beautiful amount of fresh lettuce on the burger. The French fries were crisp and tasty! Everything was great! Service was warm and friendly. Our only request is that they include SOY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS to better suit our personal allergy needs, hence the order of Avocado Toast. There is an upstairs seating area, but during our mid afternoon visit they weren't seating anyone up there, it must be an evening type offering. As mentioned, we opted for simple selections today, but were pleased with what we ordered.

    berry side salad

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    6 months ago

    Everything everyone in our party ordered was great. The service was fast and friendly. Five stars all around.

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    8 months ago

    Amazing food, great atmosphere, short wait. Servers are very friendly and helpful with questions about the menu.

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    The Wayward Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    Veggie Grill by Next Level

    Veggie Grill by Next Level

    4.2(634 reviews)
    4.6 miDowntown
    $$

    Affordable Vegan Food. Good deals and promotions. Decent quality for the price and conveniently…read morelocated downtown.

    While i was driving to the hotel to check in this place caught my eye due to color and how it…read morelooks from outside. The menu is amazing i saw a mix of different cuisine asian, mexican, thai and american but as per the price the quality and the taste is not at all good. All the things i ordered was pretty bland no flavour i think this menu is design for super health conscious people or the one who is on diet. I asked for still bottle water and they don't have it the most basic beverage they don't have :/ ordered crispy cauliflower but the batter did not have any flavour or seasoning i had to add salt on top as they give me the option to get buffalo sauce on side, tacos were ok nothing much special. Got asain bowl for my gf she took two bites and couldn't finish as there were no flavour while we were so hungry after 8hrs of flight . All silverware and tissue is a self service i don't even know for what reason all these type of restaurant ask for tips when its a self service except the one who prepares the food for you and i'm sure they get paid by owners ! I still left 20% tip for order taker to put the food on the table after that they never checked how was the food or anything since you pay upfront so cannot do anything about. Even the burger i ordered does not come with fries even after paying so much for a burger. I would not recommend this place as i would rather go to other restaurant and i can pay same amout where i get atleast tap water or cutlery.

    Photos
    Veggie Grill by Next Level
    Veggie Grill by Next Level
    Veggie Grill by Next Level

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    Dough Zone Dumpling House - Downtown Seattle - XLB

    Dough Zone Dumpling House - Downtown Seattle

    4.2(1.6k reviews)
    4.4 miDowntown
    $$

    I keep coming back to DZ two or three times a month. I love their soup dumplings and the cucumbers…read moreare a visual and taste delight. There is an online waitlist through the Toast app, which is a great way to save yourself some time. https://tables.toasttab.com/dough-zone-pine-street/joinWaitlist?deeplink=true Dough Zone has a new QR code order system, which is very convenient and works for everything except alcoholic beverages. You can open a tab and then order more items whenever you feel like it. That's great, since it can take a little while to get the attention of the waitstaff. You need to order alcohol from an actual human being. Do bring ID - I'm in my 50's, and I still get carded every time.

    They are conveniently located within walking distance of the convention center and they had no…read morewait. We were seated immediately and brought waters. You order using a QR code and then the food starts flowing. The only interactions you have with the staff is during seating and when you pay. They seem to have a pretty efficient system going at this location. I would say it took about 5 minutes from the time we put in our order for food to start coming out. Everything was hot and fresh. The checkout and pay process was done using the QR code and called the server to your table. The interactions I had with the staff were pleasant and they were quick.

    Photos
    Dough Zone Dumpling House - Downtown Seattle
    Dough Zone Dumpling House - Downtown Seattle - Dan Dan Noodles  担担面

    Dan Dan Noodles 担担面

    Dough Zone Dumpling House - Downtown Seattle - Beef stew noddle soup

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    Beef stew noddle soup

    KAS

    KAS

    4.5(104 reviews)
    4.4 miDowntown
    $$

    Was in Downtown Seattle for a Conference in February, and not wanting to walk too far in the…read morecold/rain, Kas seemed to be a pretty highly rated place walkable from the hotel. It ended up being so tasty that I came here twice within a few days. The first visit, I got veggie tempura appetizer and chirashi rice bowl. A bit on the pricier side, I still wanted to give it a try. The veggie tempura are actually not separate pieces of vegetables in tempura, but kakiage (shredded veggies fried together) - still pretty good though. The chirashi rice bowl was fantastic - beautiful presentation as the fish came on the side, pretty fresh, and I appreciated the small details, like the wasabi stem inside the scallop and the shiso leaf/sprouts that accompanied the dish. The service was fantastic as well, considering I had a table for one during lunch hour. My second visit I was on the go, so I got the Classic sushi burrito, which again was maybe a little pricier than I would like, but it was worth it. Rice, fish/poke, crab mix, cucumber, avocado - it all mixed nicely wrapped within the rice paper outside, and was convenient to eat for takeout. Definitely recommend giving it a try if you're around the area and feel like treating yourself to more than a soup/salad/sandwich...

    Popped in here to meet some friends before a movie screening at Pacific Place one evening. It was a…read moresmall place and pretty quiet. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had not heard of this sushi spot before. It looked more like a casual lunch spot and probably popular for takeout. However, I was very impressed by the presentation and the taste of the sushi. I ordered a miso soup and a godzilla roll. The roll was pretty well sized and came with 8 pieces. The fish was so fresh! Also the toppings are all on point. 10/10 sushi. I would totally come here again. Not for a date night or anything fancy, but its great for a quick bite if you're in the area and crazing some sushi.

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    KAS - Indoor dining

    Indoor dining

    KAS - Assorted Sushi

    Assorted Sushi

    KAS - Dining area

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    Dining area

    El Borracho - Pineapple jalapeno margarita

    El Borracho

    3.9(189 reviews)
    4.7 miDowntown
    $$

    I stopped into El Borracho while staying nearby for work the day before Thanksgiving. I had a long…read moretravel day to get to Seattle but saw El Borracho was a completely plant based restaurant and a little walk from the hotel. It's located by the market and you can order food through a kiosk or online. I got an order of 3 Cheesy bean and rice burrito shorties to go. While I waited I ordered a beer from the bartender. It seems that's how it's done, specifically drinks at the bar, food from the kiosk or online. The beer was enjoyable, the restaurant relatively empty save a few very obnoxious younger intoxicated guys. The bartender was trying to steer them towards water, etc, and did a good job. But that was unpleasant. My shorties were out pretty quickly. I finished my beer and back to the hotel. The burritos were really tasty. I decided to pick something a bit more basic to test them on the food quality and I enjoyed those cheesy bean and rice shorties. I will say they were on the salty side of my taste preference but enjoyable. I'll certainly return if given the chance.

    I came to El Borracho for a group work lunch and had a nice time! I'm not vegan but I was…read morepleasantly surprised by the food and how it tasted. The chips and dips were my favorite. The chips were super crisp, the guac was fresh and bright, and even though the queso tasted more like a creamy soup than traditional queso, it was still enjoyable. The CHUNK steak barbacoa burrito was filling but a bit underwhelming in terms of flavor. However, considering it was a meat substitute, I was impressed with the texture. Service was super attentive and friendly, and there's plenty of seating inside, which made it easy for a work lunch setting.

    Photos
    El Borracho - Counter seating

    Counter seating

    El Borracho - Oyster Mushroom Al Pastor Chipotle Potato Burrito Seitan by BLACKBIRD FOODS Barbacoa Burrito

    Oyster Mushroom Al Pastor Chipotle Potato Burrito Seitan by BLACKBIRD FOODS Barbacoa Burrito

    El Borracho - Part of the bar

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    Part of the bar

    The Carlile Room - Peaches and Dreams

    The Carlile Room

    4.0(565 reviews)
    4.3 miDowntown
    $$

    I am usually a bit skeptical about downtown restaurants due to value for quality. This place is…read moreactually not the case. I went here on a Friday dinner, right after the dinner / pre-theater rush, as this place is right next to Paramount Theatre. I got the chicken schnitzel and the Practical Magic cocktail. The chicken schnitzel is quite lovely. The potato salad and the pickled cabbage can be a bit tangy but it cuts the fattiness of the chicken schnitzel. I also enjoyed the curry mustard that goes really well with the schnitzel. $32 is a little bit higher than what I would want to pay, but the quality is there. Practical Magic is quite a pretty cocktail - it has gold stars sprinkled on top. It is a more tart drink with beet and a smokiness from the mezcal. I enjoyed it When the bill came, it was quite an interesting check cover since it says Paybill instead of Playbill. Those theater booklets you get in Broadway shows. Service is pretty good. I had a call during dinner but they still made sure to check up on me occasionally and filled water frequently. It's also nice to see even the general manager serving customers - there is no delineation of responsibilities - looks like everyone helps one another out to ensure a good dining experience. Love that

    They change their food and drink menu often. The beet salad is wonderful. Everyone is attentive. We…read morehave never wanted anything different when we visit. The owner walks around to the patrons and talks to us. What a personal touch! Their prices are very reasonable. We had the beet Appetizer, two alcohol drinks each, entrees- the salmon and ribs.

    Photos
    The Carlile Room
    The Carlile Room - Talk Less Smile More punch bowl. It was so so good!!

    Talk Less Smile More punch bowl. It was so so good!!

    The Carlile Room - Uptown Quack (duck fat washed bourbon, oregano infused sweet vermouth, orange & sage bitters)

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    Uptown Quack (duck fat washed bourbon, oregano infused sweet vermouth, orange & sage bitters)

    The Wayward Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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