The Best Vegetarian in Irvine

Rutabegorz

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"I came here with a friend on a Thursday at 12 pm, luckily not a long wait (5 minutes) since it was a nice day out, we decided to sit outside.My friend recommended this place so many times and I finally caved to try it and I'm so glad I did. Hip old diner feel, if that makes any sense lol the service was fast and staff was nice! EATS:They have this 57 cent? dip/ spread deal that's comes with crackers, the seasonal dip was cream cheese with apples and some other goodies- I didn't take a picture of it but I did eat it all. I think that's a fun and cheap add on appetizer before your meal! TUSCAN KALE AND TURKEY SALAD- so yummy, you can't tell by the picture but this was a big salad, I only finished about a 3rd and ate the rest for dinner. The salad had baby kale, l turkey, parmesan cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans, avocado and homemade croûtons with a l lemon poppy seed vinaigrette, it was fresh and delicious and I would order again! They have an extensive menu for any type of foodie and also serve alcohol! I'm excited to come back and bring my husband :)"

Mother's Market & Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (651) • $

"I LOVE Mother's Market and Kitchen. Their food is delicious and they have vegetarian options! The breakfast special (and menu specials) changes every month. Sunrise breakfast specials are an amazing deal for less than $5. The chefs make the most delicious food! The restaurant staff is always friendly. (Thanks Carlos & team!) The fresh pressed juice is really good and the market has good selections of helthy food."

Yard House

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"After work hours on a Friday, this place gets packed. We waited about 40 minutes for a table of 8. Inside is also really loud, so it's a bit hard to hear people talk. I ordered the Baja Fish taco (default comes in 2, but you can order 3) and it comes with beans and rice. The beans and rice were small portions but were good. The Baja Fish tacos were delicious and the toppings were avocado, cabbage, sriracha aïoli, salsa roja, and cilantro. The fish was battered fried fish and was soft. Overall, the food was good, but only too loud inside. Recommendation(s):- Baja Fish TacosService: 5/5Tip(s):- Loud inside- Restrooms available- Waited about 40 minutes for a table"

Baran Mediterranean Restaurant Bar & Catering

★★★★★ 4.7 • $$

"Baran restaurant Review OMG I ran into this Persian cuisine restaurant accidentally middle of nowhere as I had friends visiting from AZ and as most Caucasians "LOVE" the Persian cuisine and it looked like a good place to meet friends halfway closer to their hotel they were staying atI was blown away by four aspects1 awesome food2 friendly and courteous service3 artistic classic Persian ambiance4 live music classic Persian & American/EuropeanIt's contemporary/modern elegant Persian style and art work But I was blown away by the friendly staff and food A little on the healthy side "for my taste" But you can fix that with butter:-) I'm sure if you ask for it they'll bring you a cow ask any French chef ‍ butter makes everything taste 10X better just work it off the next day it's well worth it ‍As a huge restaurant "guru" mostly front of the house for 42 yearsI have to say well done five stars all the way FYI I don't rate restaurants highly oftenI have super high caliber and excellents and as a Persian HARD or impossible to please Of curse I'm retired after 42+ yearsBut if I wanted to open a restaurantThis is exactly how I would do itThe name of the restaurant baran means rain and apparently it had rained on their weddingSo they've named their daughter and the restaurant Baran AKA rain I also think it's a B E A U T I F U L name both on a girl and restaurant "RAIN" Baran I'm sure one day you'll walk in and meet doctor Baran in front of the house greeting you "I would love to see that" one day Strong possibility the owners are from the north AKA "shomall"By the Caspian Sea IT RAINS ALLOT 8 days a week It's also incredibly beautifulAccording to google 4th most beautiful beachside community "on earth" but it also rains allotKind of like Oregon and London Anyway back to the restaurantAwesome food just remember to ad butter ask and you shall receive butter makes any food delicious It's also my emotional support substance so yes I'm biased just add it to your rice and kabobsHospitality is in ALL Iranians/Persians DNAI'm extremely proud of this Iranians love to dance almost as much as Brazilians "almost" you have NEVER seen so many "middle aged fake blondes in a black dresses with a Gucci oversized handbag in your life" unless you've been to Iran Thanks to a singer named Googoosh AKA Iranian lady Gaga in 70s our version of Madonna The "original blonde ambition" "So fake blond wannabe haven"The live band is a bit loud very much like our character&personality loudSo if you like to talk or..... just ask for a table away from the stageThey also have a beautiful patio with heaters running water and cascading waterfall and fresh air and it's fully sound proof They are open till 10PM Do notttt think you can just walk in and get a table ""I can NOT stress this enough""You'd be lucky if you can get a seat on a barstoolI saw half a dozen people walking in and going to the barMost Persians IF not all don't like to seat in the bar FYI the patio is very nice and cozy, romantic and quiet I saw a few walkins just had to leave "so make a reservations"I ordered a few dishes to goThat's how good the food wasAs a chef I cook at home and love to cook so ordering food to go is unheard of for me And please don't get me started on the pastry and the desserts OMG If you're diabetic just don't look it's Craig Craig crazy awesome "I would like to know the owners Food&BEV background"So yeah it's that good Good luck Don't forget to call and make reservations the only recommendations I have is for the owner is to "EXPAND" or open multiple locations preferably one Near the ocean I'm sure his working on it I'm NOT a big fan of taking pictures of the dishes so I'm not posting any pictures of the plates here Mostly BCZ it's the ultimate nerdy thing to do But the website is full of pictures I've tried to make this recommendation as accurate as possible "no exaggeration" I'm that impressed I can NOT stress the reservations more Even on the weekdays Tuesday and Wednesdays Good luck and NooshJoon"

Royal Khyber

★★★★☆ 3.7 (564) • $$

"The food is fine, the service is great and I love the decor on the inside.... but... what keeps me coming here all the time is the Kheer - Rice Pudding! It is game changing rice pudding. I rate this place 5 stars because the rice pudding is "that" delicious. The Kheer (rice pudding) has a great thick, but not too thick consistency, it has slivered almonds, golden raisins and is topped with ground pistachio. It is absolutely delicious and one of it's kind. When I am in the area, I would stop by to get a couple of rice puddings to go with the ground pistachio on the side. It is just delicious and easily one of my favorite desserts of all time. Thank you Royal Khyber for the delicious Kheer!"

Bo De Vegetarian Food

★★★★★ 4.7 (227) • $$

"Bo De Vegetarian Food is venue located at a corner of an old strip mall -- part takeout and part sit down restaurant. The front entrance throws you off with a hodgepodge of a rickshaw, an out of place Italian cook and an outdoor seating. Upon walking in, a table of prepackaged foods and a lion head (probably leftover from Lunar Year celebration) is in full displayed. In the background, country music is playing. However, don't let this fool you.The service from the friendly and engaging staff is wonderful. The selection and vegetarian food are full of flavors. The first time we visited, we opted to sit in and enjoy the full service. The booths were very well decorated with Buddhism symbolism. We ordered the steam rice rolls with mock meat (3/5). The texture of the steamed rice rolls were dry and not tender. We also tried the kungpoa "chicken" (4/5). The dish was surprisingly very food, crisp and flavorful.The second visit (and likely more in the future), we turned to the left side which are to-go takeout counters of pre-made food. There are usually a dozen choices -- selection varies and tofu curries are only available the 15th of each month (lunar calendar). We ordered 4-5 vegetarian dishes --- stirred fried eggplant, bitter squash melon soup, fried tofu patties and mock "catfish ". My only complaint -- the temperature of the food is cool. I was surprised no hot water or heat lamp to keep the food warm.Otherwise, I'll keep returning to support this establishment. I wish the price-model sticks to labeled on each container size. A couple times, I question the charges."

Yard House

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"Happy hour is so worth it!! Much needed after workGio was our server today and he was great!What we ordered:It's MezmerizingPicante MargaritaCheese curdsFried calamariPoke nachosThe carnivore"

Kirin Noodle House

★★★★☆ 4.1 (105) • $$

"As most restaurants in Irvine were closed by 10:30-11pm, my friend and I discovered Kirin. As we arrived, only one table of diners were left eating, and we figured they were closing sooner than we thought. After self-ordering at the kiosk, we received our food shortly and then a worker came up to inform us they actually closed at 11:20pm, not 11:45pm. We did have to shove the food down, but I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty everything was. The noodles in my Pork Sparerib Noodle were soft and chewy, and I can tell they were made fresh. I enjoyed how easily the pork on the sprerib fell off the bone. The toppings of peas and Bok choy were added some nice greens to the bowl and was good with the broth. The soup wasn't too salty either, and I added their chili oil and some soy sauce for more flavor. My friend liked his Dan Dan Noodles, however, his sauce was more of a soupy appearance instead of a Dan Dan Sauce. We both enjoyed our meals here and were satisfied quickly!"

The Sun Vegan

★★★★★ 4.8 (622) • $$

"The staff was really kind! Very, very accommodating and checks up on you a lot. The food is super fresh and healthy with a lot of vegetables offered. Very delicious and flavorful and everything is vegan, which is great! Everything is super nutritious and delicious and it's honestly such a healthy option to eat out. Also, the environment is very, very nice and calm. The ambience is so beautiful and the decorations are very thoughtful."

Tacos Cancun

★★★★☆ 3.9 (188) • $

"Great authentic food, perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sun. We got the chorizo, egg and potato burrito, a fish taco, an asada burrito added egg, and the chicken enchiladas. Their salsa is really good, too! It's a nice pit stop for food if you enjoy real Mexican food. Service was awesome. To drink they sell waters, sodas, etc. the burritos are fat, filling and good."

Golden Flower Veggie

★★★★☆ 4.2 (296) • $$

"This is a great place for vegetarians since everything on the menu is vegetarian friendly. Since this is a Vietnamese establishment, everything they offer is a vegetarian version of common Vietnamese dishes such as Bun Bo Hue, Phoenix, Vermicelli, etc. Everything we ordered was delicious, but I think the Hu Tieu (noodle soup) was a bit bland.I recommend the following dishes: #31. Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio ($13.95), #9. Goi Mit - jackfruit/lotus salad ($14.95), and #10. Mi Xao Gion ($14.95).Service was great and the restaurant is spacious. The parking lot is a bit small, but if you come early, there will be no problem."

The Greenery Natural Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.7 (129) • $

"I love this place, but damn it fell apart when they got a tad bit busy. Waited 45 mins, I was asked 2-3 times what I ordered! Count your change, the young girl does not know how to count and give it back. Where's Guy and the Taylor Swift music when you need him!!!! Only saving Grace is the food is great!!!"

Organic Tree Juice Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (175) • $$

"Can I give this place more than just 5 stars??? What a truly hidden gem! This place is known for their healthy food and drink selections, but I love how they also incorporate sustainability into their store. Right when you walk in, you're greeted by the most earthy-looking shop with apothecary to your left and a gorgeous art to the right. As you head to their register to place your order, you'll pass by their "farmacy" filled with tons of local and organic goodies for purchase. I wanted to try some of their popular items so I got myself their classic avocado toast and the Oz juice. Yelpers are right, their avocado toast is delicious! The bread was just the right amount of chewy where it doesn't hurt your teeth to bite on the crust. There was plenty of beautifully sliced avocado drizzled with some sort of balsamic vinegar sauce. The tanginess blended so well with the toast. The juice was also very delicious. I couldn't believe it tasted so good considering there were things like kale, ginger, and celery in it. Yes, it may seem a bit expensive for some juice and avocado toast, but I felt like it was 100% worth it! This cute little shop is nestled among a plaza filled with many other unique shops. While there is a lot designated for the plaza's parking, it is sort of limited and during busy hours, might make it hard to find parking. So glad I got the chance to visit them before they close for the holidays."

Seabirds Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"Our experience was great. Friendly and quick service. We weren't sure if the food was going to live up to the hype, but we were really impressed. Clean, vegan and very flavorful. We started with the purple taquitos with guac and jalapeño. My fiancé got the chilaquiles Rojas and I got the chipotle Florentine. I've never been able to eat most of these foods, but the vegan options were not only aesthetically pleasing- they were delicious! Also, highly recommend the peach mojito and the pineapple/pear cider. Both were great. Located in The Lab, this area was unique and eclectic. Highly recommend for vegans/vegetarians new to the area. Has an artsy vibe. We hit up Bootleggers brewery right after, down the walkway. Just a great experience overall."

Thai Smile

★★★★☆ 4.1 (479) • $$

"Good place for Thai food in the RSM area. My mom, sister, and I like to get Thai massages across the street, and Thai Smile is our post-massage dinner place. I usually get their Tom Kha Gai soup with brown rice, which is creamy from the coconut milk but still light and tangy. My sister really enjoys their yellow curry.For dessert, the mango sticky rice is so delicious and I highly recommend it. While I can't comment on the authenticity, I've enjoyed all the dishes I have had so far and would recommend it to anyone craving Thai food."

LAWA Thai Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (193) • $$

"cute little restaurant! i got the pad thai (extra spicy of course) and it packed a great punch. one of the few places that doesn't play when you ask for extra spicy. i ordered over the phone and my food was ready by the time i arrived. it was clear that they have their formula on lock and the portion was fair. big pieces of chicken and tofu. it wasn't overly saucy or dry, just a solid pad thai. can't wait to come back and try the other dishes :)"

Sattva Indian Rasoi

★★★★★ 4.8 (473) • $$

"Came in for the lunch menu. 2 items w/rice, both chicken, both in a sauce, both unique and tasty Included with the Lunch Special is naan (2 pieces). I went plain, but they do have options.Service: pleasant service with a smile."

Bo De Tinh Tam Chay

★★★★☆ 4 (874) • $$

"Their menu is huge, so much variety it can be overwhelming.Hu Tieu Nam vang is pretty good compared to other Vietnamese vegetarian restaurants around OC.The accompanying greens that come with so many of the dishes are always fresh. The portions are very generous and everything I've ever ordered here has been delicious.The food is delicious but the service is hit or miss. If you're looking for high quality, vegetarian Vietnamese food with a great ambience, this is the place."

Lamplight Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $$

"Long gone are the days where we only came to Lamplight Lounge to eat the infamous Lobster Nachos. Those are only served on the Boardwalk area and you'll find a complete menu with various appetizers and entrees at the actual Lamplight Lounge restaurant. Like any sit-down restaurant in Disneyland, if you don't have a reservation, then you're best bet is to start lining up before it opens to add your name to the waitlist. We got there early enough and only had to wait 10 minutes for a table. Everything is through texts so feel free to walk around the area while you're waiting. Just make sure you're back within 10 minutes of receiving the "ready" text.Brussels Caesar: I was honestly surprised by how delicious the Brussels were. I didn't expect a theme park restaurant to have high quality vegetable dishes but this was one of my favorite things we ordered. The brussels sprouts are roasted to a crisp, but not too burnt. And it stayed crispy despite the dressing mixed in. Highly recommend as a dish to share.Potato Skins: Misleading name because these weren't actually potato skins. They were like large, medallion-shaped hash browns. So good and crispy though! Comes with 5 pieces but it's easily split if you have a mismatched amount of people. And the paprika aioli and caper yogurt were perfect!Charbroiled Cheddar Burger: This tasted exactly what you would expect from an amusement park. It was a big burger and it came with a side of fries. But the patty was dry and lacking flavor. Vietnamese BBQ Pork Chop: Not sure if this was a special dish they had out for the Lunar New Year celebrations but it seemed interesting to try. The garlic noodles that comes with the dish is really good but the pork was just alright. It was a little dry and the char siu flavor tasted really artificial. Green Tea Donuts: Also not sure if this was special for LNY but we had to get it! Comes with 5 pieces and they're just regular donuts dipped in a really good matcha sauce. I was impressed and would get it again! I had a much better experience this time but not all of the food hit expectations. I wouldn't say it's worth waiting over an hour though so plan appropriately to have a reservation."

Imperial Thai Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (383) • $$

"Still our favorite Thai food!! We've been eating here since they opened years ago and the quality and flavor are still amazing!Our favorites are the spicy eggplant with tofu (you can customize the spicy level on almost all the dishes so don't be scared to try it it's delicious!), the garlic pepper with chicken, the chow mein with chicken, the wonton soup, and the BBQ ribs. The veggies steal the show! They are always fresh and perfectly cooked and make eating healthy feel like an indulgence!The ambiance is nice and it's a great place to meet up with friends for lunch or for a dinner date. They also offer carry out and when we visit family and friends we order carry out almost every day!!!They are so knowledgeable and always friendly and their service is prompt despite everything being made fresh to order. We always recommend this restaurant to family and friends because it is just so good!!"

Thai & Chinese Express

★★★★☆ 3.7 (353) • $

"Best pad Thai in Irvine! Fast, tasty, excellently prepared, generous portions. And make sure to get a few containers of the delicious hot sauce! It's a simple and unassuming spot, but I've tried everywhere in Irvine and it's still my fave. The owners are so sweet as well. Always great service with a smile."

Kiaans Fine Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (88)

"EXACTLY WHAT I CRAVED!!After reading the incredible reviews I knew that I HAD to try Kianns myself - and I'm SO GLAD I did!! I ordered Garlic Naan to accompany my lunch special which included Chicken Tiki Massala and vegetable coconut curry.....All were beyond exceptional- I truly can not wait to return!!!!"

Skal Pizza

★★★★★ 4.5 (161) • $$

"Adding a long overdue review for Skal because we have been coming here almost once per week for a while now because of how much we love this place. It's tucked away in Lido Marina and it's just perfect for a weekend lunch. Our go-to almost every visit is the Sunflower Ratatouille salad and avocado pizza--and my other half loves the saffron miso pasta. Everything is so incredibly fresh, service is efficient and quick, and the wood fire pizza oven smells oh so amazing. Not pictured here, but equally as incredible, is the roasted zucchini... They also have a hot dog during Oktoberfest pictured here made with their pizza dough and some incredibly delicious ingredients. My boyfriend absolutely lovvveeeed this thing and was so sad when they removed it from the menu at the end of the month."

Thuyen Vien

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"As I'm sitting here, waiting for my delicious food to arrive at my table, I was just thinking that I can't believe I haven't reviewed one of my favorite places to eat.Not only does this place serve up amazing vegan Vietnamese food, but it is just all around an amazing Vietnamese food.My go to is usually the vermicelli rice bowl (massive) and/or pho and when we order food to go we usually order food for a couple of days because, really, the price also can't be beat. Oh, another great staple is their fried rice.It's a small place with a few tables inside and it seems like a family affair with maybe one in the front one in the back cooking. The service is quick and kind.Whatever they are doing I hope they keep doing it because I love coming here. The only downside is they are not open for lunch."

Rooster & Rice

★★★★☆ 4.2 (300) • $$

"Food was great! Super yummy. Service is quick and convenient. Ambiance is clean, but only outside seating."

Hoa Sen Vegetarian Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.6 (565) • $$

"Calling out to my Vegetarian-Yelper, be ready to be bedazzled by a small family own restaurant!I recently visited Hoa Sen, and I'm so glad I found this gem in Westminster! As I try to incorporate more plant-based eats, it's a bit challenge to find a spot with truly delicious and satisfying plant-based dishes, that serves great Chinese/Vietnamese flavors and styles. I found a several in Westminster that's worth a trip!! Yippee. From the moment I walked into Hue San, the atmosphere was inviting, with friendly hostesses and staff ready to serve. The menu is extensive, featuring a variety of flavorful Vietnamese dishes made entirely from plant-based ingredients. I like the old school "placemats" which are those paper Chinese astrology. :)It was hard to choose what to order, but we ordered papaya salad, crispy noodles, "fish" and the spring rolls--all four were amazing! 1- The papaya salad is a must. I think I pretty much ate this whole plate that was meant to be shared.2- Vitamins spring rolls had the perfect balance of fresh herbs and savory fried tofu.3- The fish dish was too salty but very aromatic. My friends liked it.4- The vegetables crispy noodles were "meh" and drenched with thick sauce.Overall, the portions were generous, and the prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity of food. The only downside was that parking can be a little tricky (one-way round about), as the location shares with other businesses."