Arya Bhavan

Definitely going to return to this restaurant! A friend and I came, and I’m gluten intolerant, but she can eat just about anything. She admitted later that she was nervous when she found out it was also vegan, but as soon as we got our first appetizer, we knew we were in good hands. Everything was fresh, deeply flavorful and nuanced And balanced, and delicious. We loved the lentil fritters, and the gluten-free samosas (which are softer than traditional wheat samosas but still very delicious), and the tamarind sauce they came with, and our entrées. Everything was delicious and filling! We barely had room for dessert but we were glad we did, dessert is wonderful if you like coconut. Though I’m not a huge fan of coconut shavings, which made up the bulk of the crust of the mango cake I got, I still was happy to finish it because it was just that good. Both of us were thinking of friends we could recommend the spot to before we were finished. I will say they take a little time to get dishes out, so keep that in mind— but freshness THAT good takes time!

Don’t go to this place. Such a pathetic place, I recently had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. To begin with, the food was not fresh. Specifically, the Palak Paneer and Malai Kofta had a bad smell that was very off-putting. When I brought this issue to the attention of the manager, instead of addressing my concerns, he started arguing. His response was that he had accommodated us and that vegan curries naturally have this smell, adding that he can't prepare food to suit individual preferences. This was not only incorrect but also extremely unprofessional. Additionally, there were four kids with us, and the bad smell from the food made it impossible for them to eat anything. Overall, the unprofessional behavior and poor quality of the food made for a very unpleasant dining experience. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Just had a lunch at Arya Bhavan and it was chef’s kiss perfect. Went with the chole bhature combo—big, fluffy bhature and spicy, hearty chole. Also had a masala chai to wash it down. Everything was vegan, gluten-free, and packed with flavor. The vibe is low-key, the staff is super friendly, and the food is fresh and satisfying. If you’re craving real-deal Indian without the dairy, this spot’s a must-try.

We as a family decided to try this place and were not disappointed! We came at a time when it wasn't busy so she tended to assist us often and with our kids she went above and beyond to keep them entertained, I was so thrilled! It as my first time having Indian food and made me want so much more! So delicious!! Naan bread was my favorite!

Good place to go if you are looking for organic/vegan food. They are very allergy aware and claim to have a separate kitchen. Taste of food was not to my liking your mileage may vary. Beer they served was warm. One of the few places I have seen that has gluten free samosas.

New favorite restaurant! Excellent food, whether or not you’re vegan. Almost the entire menu is also gluten free as well, so this place is perfect for those with dietary restrictions. This place has been struggling since Covid, so go and show them some support, they deserve it!

So delicious and super nice service!! I’m vegan and gluten free, and it was awesome to find so many yummy options.

Healthy, tasty, and adequately priced indian vegan food that can be made gluten free if it is not already gluten free. Amazing dinner. I don't live in Chicago but I have been to most of the vegan restaurants and this is honestly one of the healthiest restaurants I have beer been to, and I enjoyed the food so I'm going back again eventually

We stopped in here for lunch, and I was excited to see that they had pani puri on the menu as I'd happened to come across a TikTok video of someone trying it earlier this year, and I was eager to try it for myself. The server kindly asked us if we had tried this dish before, and we said no. Maybe I should have explained that I'd seen a video of someone trying it already so I had a fair idea of how to consume it. I thought she might briefly explain the consumption technique, but instead she demonstrated by eating some of our food! She brought a shell for herself, and then filled it with our food. She was intermittently coughing at this time, too. She explained that it was from the spices, but I think she should have excused herself after maybe just explaining how to eat this dish. Our naan came out a bit after our entrée. The Malai Kofta was kind of bland. We never saw that server again and eventually had to flag down someone else to get our check after idly sitting there for 20 minutes. It was very warm inside, which made it uncomfortable for dining. Unfortunately, there weren't any redeeming factors for this visit. We had been planning to order dessert, but nixed that idea and went elsewhere.

Here is an Indian restaurant with a selection of all vegan items to choose from. If that's something anyone is looking for they can't do wrong coming here. Arya Bhavan is about as good as it can get. Big menu full of classics with plant based takes and you would hardly even know. The prices aren't bad as far as Indian food, plus they give big portions. Came here recently and we didn't know how good it would be. It certainly was better than expected. The place is pretty nice looking but it's still casual, and the owners and staff were very helpful in finding things for individual tastes. It's about $12 or so for an entree. That's about average for Indian food around here. It helps that the portions are big. We got a couple of the classic favorites and were pleased. I got the Organic Tofu Tikka Masala. This used sautéed smoked vegan cheese, and it definitely was a convincing substitute. For sure we need to come here again. It has tons more interesting things to get. The menu is conveniently all vegan so there's no need to ask about ingredients as far as what's acceptable, plus there's a lot that's gluten free as well.

Let's start off with the good news and why this place gets one star from me. Its nice to see an Indian dining spot trying to use less fatty oils and ingredients and trying to be gluten free and having healthier options and for this novel idea this place gets one star. Unfortunately who cares about this concept if it's poorly done and fails in its execution, Aka this food is waterlogged, flavorless and hardly edible. Note to the cook...If your restaurant is sitting in the middle of Indian Town with this much good Indian food all around you how dare you serve food this terrible...Vegan or not. And to add insult to injury we waited for food for over an hour....huh? You can go to any grocery store in Chicago and go to the frozen section and grab a frozen Indian meal and it would be better. I can promise I will never visit this spot again.

Amazing food! It was my first time here and I'm so happy I chose this restaurant! The staff is extremely friendly and helpful with any questions I had! The inside was decorated very nicely with lots of plants to freshen up the space. I will be back!

We loved this place! Wonderful, attentive service by very kind owners in a welcoming, family-run business atmosphere. The food is terrific! We really appreciated that everything was not swimming in oil. The baked samosas are so good, no one would guess they aren't fried. The flavors of all the dishes we ordered were complex and delicious. This is now our go-to Indian restaurant.

An amazing place we've enjoyed for over 20 years. Vegan and so delicious. Thank you Chef Kirti.

Food: 4/5, Atmosphere: 5/5 *Fully Vegan Indian Restaurant* Food: We came here for Chicago restaurant week and we had a great time! We tried an array of food and it was pretty good. The appetizers were delicious, especially the samosa. The Chana and lentils were pretty good but the flavor could've been richer and spicier. Atmosphere: The owner was very helpful and attentive. The restaurant is very nice and it's right in the heart of Devon Street. We felt very welcomed and that our service was truly appreciated.

Loved the healthier concept with delicious food and warm service by the owner. Their passion for good experience is evident in all the details. Highly recommend! The veg appetizer platter was the biggest hit!

I'm actually quite confused how anyone could give this lovely restaurant anything below 5, let alone 3.8. I'm always a bit weary trying new vegan restaurants and especially any outside of the basic "american-style" ones, since I've personally had so many poor experiences. But never in my life have I had such deliciously flavorful food where you can just feel the love it was made with oozing out of every spoonful. I personally had just ordered takeout, but the mere minutes I spent waiting for them to finish wrapping up my food, not only were they welcoming and delightful to talk to, but made you feel at home. Highly recommend and can't wait to go back!!

Terrific vegan Indian cuisine. Highly recommend the roti bread and bhindi masala, baigan bartha, palaak paneer, and all of the dals.

can't understand why someone would give this place anything less than 5 stars. The food is fresh, with the right amount of spice and flavor, really outstanding. The owners are very welcoming, and the place itself is very nicely kept and clean. What's not to like here?

We went to a buffet here this past week-- a special event since they have not been doing them since the pandemic. It was fantastic! Food prices have skyrocketed, so the fact that they did an all-you-can-eat buffet with samosas, rice, two salads, chutneys, naan, and five curries was amazing. Almost everyone had at least two plates (some had three!). Thank you for a fully vegan Indian restaurant in Chicago. I am sure it is hard to compete against vegetarian and omni places, but Arya Bhavan holds its own! Also, I have to add that I've gotten really sick at some veggie or omni places, because they sneak ghee or yogurt into things. Having a place free from animal cruelty is worth every bit of any drawbacks.

We sought out Arya Bhavan because of their fully vegan menu. The environment was spacious and welcoming. The food was flavorful and delicious and just the right portions. I definitely recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning next time I'm in Chicago.

Oh my god- this restaurant is amazing. The owner is so kind! I am sad I didn't find this restaurant sooner. They do low oil options, all vegan, and most of their menu is gluten free. We had gluten free samosas and they were awesome. The chutneys were some of the best I've had anywhere. We also had their malai kofta and it was awesome- really well spiced and creamy (from cashew cream!) and palak dal. The dal was awesome- tastes like the kind my husband's grandma makes! They even have gluten free roti made in the tandoor. We ended the meal with awesome chai made with soy milk. Absolutely a new favorite restuarant. If you are vegan, gluten free, or just looking for awesome healthy Indian food you have to check this place out.

We went a second time to try other dishes and were pleasantly surprised! Plus, everything is vegan and gluten-free, we will be back! Dosa: 5/5 Baingan Bartha: 4/5 Dal Makhani: 4/5

We loved this place! The quality and variety of the food is amazing. parking was easy and the tiramisu without sugar gluten and dairy was out of this world! It was a shame every table wasn't filled because it's such a great cultural experience to go into the restaurant! Parking at 5:15 was so easy.

Always welcome by a huge smile and offered a delicious healthy meal made with so much knowledge and care.

Best of all worlds, healthy, delicious, accommodating if food substitutions are needed, friendly, attentive service. What more could one ask for.

one of my favorite spots especially to take my gluten free or vegan friends. they're so considerate of food allergies and everything is healthy and delicious!

I have been to this restaurant 3 times now within the last 5 years. I have had a terrible experience each time. The first two times were regular dining experiences and the most recent was a buffet. Every time the food has been over priced for the smallest serving size, and the quality of the food has been lackluster as well. Very bland, and feels almost like some items were frozen food warmed up and served. More on my most recent experience, I called the restaurant 2 hours prior to buffet hours for this one time special buffet that they were having for our facebook vegan group (& open to the public as well which was good) I asked them what will be the offerings at this buffet as online there were no details about it and the owner she was being very vague about it. I asked several times to clarify and she said that it wasn't decided yet but it will have all the items whatever that meant. So when we are at the restaurant I see that none of the offerings include any of the vegan paneer dishes which are usually the star of the show at any indian buffet and guaranteed to at least have 1 if not 2-3 of those, none of the entrees on the website were even to be found in the buffet. Let me clarify: exactly 0 out of 11 entrees listed on the website were even there at all. The only saving grace was they had samosas and a good variety of chutneys(cashew cream, and avocado chutney with the classics tamarind and green chutneys). Aside from that they served stale naan, salad, chocolate macaroons which had no chocolate in them (they were date with shredded coconut balls), regular dal(lentil curry), and jasmine rice, uppma (rice porridge), kabuli channa (chickpea curry), dudhi channa (Calabash with lentils), a lettuce stir fry, and a tindora (Ivy gourd) with potato dish. To people not accustomed to indian food this might seem really exotic and fancy but these are common household dishes that are very cheap and simple to whip up which is why none of these are even on their regular menu. Also drinks weren't included and a small container of mango lassi was nearly $8 and the buffet ticket itself was $25. For that sort of price range one should at least be able to expect not stale naan and at least 1 of their regular entrée curries available but they failed to do even that. When I asked the owner politely how come there were no paneer dishes, she snappily said we are vegan, I said I understand as am I, I'm referring to the dishes on your menu that have paneer in the title, we both understand that it is a vegan version likely tofu, and she said rushedly that is different, this is for buffet so dishes are different and left. Even if you consider the high price being vegan tax tofu is actually cheaper than paneer, and a lot of indian dishes are already almost vegan or vegan and likely most times it's a matter of omitting butter or using a vegan butter or oil, or using plant milk instead of real milk. I will definitely not be coming back here as this is the third strike for me. I hope that there are more fully vegan places so that perhaps they may feel some incentive to do better. Through and through it just felt like a cash grab trying to sucker in vegans who may not know just how short the short end of the stick they're getting.

Excellent food and exceptional service ! Haven't eaten in since Covid but have ordered for pickup abd the food is packed up carefully and tastes just as good eating it at home as in the restaurant!

I have never had vegetarian Indian food, but my friend is vegan & has a gluten allergy so we decided to try this place. Their naan was amazing! I ordered the rice with fried cauliflower & broccoli which was delicious & spicy. I am not giving them 5 stars because my friend who is vegan & gluten free didn't enjoy any of the food. :(

This was my first time to Arya Bhavan and I love this place! I signed up for an Intro to Indian Vegan cooking class and it was so much fun! I learned how to make two different types of soup, Uppma and coconut macaroons. Only $50 for the 2hr class, plus I received a Education on the different types of health benefits from spices. I also got to try their food as well! I highly recommend Arya Bhavan, for both their cooking classes and for their food!!!

Horrible! Ordered a takeout! We had ordered a paneer makhani Instead got a stale tofu curry! Dal bunzara -- was a barely tempered dal with no taste what so ever The garlic naan which is charged higher than the other restaurants was half baked which meant had to come home and grill it in the oven !!!! Never ordering again !

Average samosa. Flavorless palak paneer. Uncrispy dosa, watery chutney, Flavorless sambar. Chewy in the wrong way naan. We sat by the window and it was dusty and had cobwebs. I love the idea of a vegan Indian place. They need a new chef or something.

My second visit here. Everything is VEGAN. I love Indian food! Pictured is aloo gobi and mango lassi. Nicely spicy, but doesn't cause me grief. Nice atmosphere. Polite staff. I highly recommend this place.

Don't order delivery. 2 hours late, tasteless. I have a joke that too many people sit down at a restaurant and immediately ask, "this isn't too spicy is it?" The sort of people who tell the waiter they have a gluten allergy when they don't, and the waiter breaks out in a panic because the customer just ate an appetizer full of gluten and nobody's dialing 911. Sigh. I was almost excited when I saw a stem in my curry- maybe it was a single pepper! Nope, just a bay leaf. This would be fine if I was ordering Chicken Noodle Soup. Not so fine in a curry. There's better vegan food everywhere in Chicago. Don't settle for tasteless mush.

Underappreciated gem in Chicago. They pay attention to ingredient quality- lots of organic ingredients. The food is vegan but not junk food vegan like most Chicago restaurants, actual healthy vegan. And they even have some raw food options too. The raw food cake is so good with a unique Indian flare. The dishes are mostly gluten free and they even have gluten free samosas. Awesome for shabbas dinner delivery and if you want meat just add kosher organic meat.

HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT today! I walked in excited to try the vegan and gluten free items. I check out the buffet and notice there is barely any food in the trays. There was about 2 other tables with guests so the place was not packed. But there was only 1 server. She seemed nice, but provided poor customer service. When I told her I do not want the buffet and would like to order off the menu, she said that most of the menu items are in the buffet and sat me at my table. I found this to be a lie as there were too many items on the menu to be a part of that small buffet. Seemed like she knew the cook probably wouldn't want to cook additional foods outside the buffet items. I ordered an appetizer (gluten free samosas), which came out within 15-20 minutes. As she brought out my appetizer, I ordered a cup of tea. You'd think a cup of tea would come out quickly, but NOPE! That took about 15 minutes too. Even worse, I waited for my entree for at least 30 minutes. During this wait, she did not check on me once or inform on how long my food would take. I decided to get up and pay for just the appetizer. As soon as the server saw me stand up, she walked right to me with a cup of tea and said, "here's your tea, your food is coming right out." So I only got your attention as soon as you saw me stand up with jacket in hand?? I immediately told her I waited 30 minutes. She quickly responds on how they are really busy cooking the buffet items. I told her that I was not warned about such a lengthy wait time. I told her that I'm skipping the tea and entree, and I'm only paying for what I received (appetizer). She apologized as I was paying, but I was honestly so irritated with such bad customer service. I simply told her that customers should be made aware if food will take that long to come out. If I would've known this, I wouldn't have wasted my time sitting there. I should've read these reviews before I went in. Please avoid this restaurant. There are so many other great Indian eateries in the area. I'd totally skip this one.

Really incredible flavors and dishes! And on top of that, gluten free friendly and vegan make it a place everyone was happy and comfortable eating at. Excellent service and superb prices- we'll be coming back!

Wow! Such flavorful, fresh and healthy food. Every dish satisfied and impressed us. This is a go-to Indian place for vegetarians and vegans. The owner is so personable and sweet. She was hauling a** making her business work during the COVID pandemic....a truly wonderful soul. Go here!

Dear Kirti (the owner). If you're reading this, this is for you so that you can work upon the "deficiencies" your business suffers from. No hard feelings. What I'm about to say are true facts, and you are welcome to have me removed from Yelp if you think I'm lying. First off, during my first visit on July 22nd you lied to me and my daughter saying you sent your "servers" home because they requested time off for a party to attend. Maybe you were too embarrassed to explain the super slow service, your lack of interest in your guests and complete absence of attending them. I am a Gujarati Indian and what I witnessed was typical to experience if I actually were in India. It is unacceptable here. The tables were dirty, food trays were not refilled, the food itself looked stale (example, the avocado sauce had literally turned grey and was still sitting on the buffet table), there was literally no customer service available for the first 15 minutes of me and my daughter just sitting there and looking like fools. Her explanation to the un-refilled food trays, especially the raw items, was, "Ma'am you have to come early, around 1:00 p.m. next time." Agreed, it was 6:00 p.m. at that time. I ended up ordering a couple raw dishes off the menu for an overcharged price. I'm a raw vegan and don't usually find restaurants I can eat at. I told her I'll be back next Saturday around 1:00 specially for the raw items on the buffet. Today, July 29th, after calling a few times this week to confirm there will be raw food today, I reach at 1:00 p.m. on the dot. No host, no server, and no owner to be seen anywhere. Just like last time. A total of two tables were occupied in that huge space. I seat myself, waiting to be noticed. 15 minutes later the owner shows up, just as high strung as I had seen her the last time. After chatting up a storm with one of the tables she disappeared again into the kitchen. This was quite a surprising behavior for someone in the hospitality business. I wanted water. I wanted service. I wanted to be treated like a paying customer. I went ahead and helped myself to some sad looking salad from the buffet (the only thing I could eat). Another 20 minutes later I see her approaching me with a jug of water in her hands but decided to make another 10-minute stop at another table (occupied by white folks) to chat up another storm, my water jug still clasped in her hand. By now it was almost 45-minutes and yet no raw food on the buffet table. I assumed it was yet to be brought out so I ask, "When are you going to bring out the raw items?" She answers, "I'm sorry we're not going to put any raw dishes on the buffet because it's too expensive to make." My eyes widened. I explained, "Ma'am, I've been planning this trip for a week, called you three times earlier to confirm, and you're telling me no raw items are being served right now?" "Did you call today morning?," she says. I said no. That disqualified me from receiving raw food. She finally brought out a couple raw desserts, that she claimed were sweetened with "figs, dates or raisins." She wasn't even sure what was in them. It tasted like sugar. Can't believe I paid $15 (standard buffet price) for 3 tiny pieces of supposedly raw dessert and a bland cup of salad. The most interesting part was that during those 2.5 hours, she never got a single new guest other than whom she already had when I had walked in. In fact, about 2-3 couples walked in and immediately bolted after looking at her cooked buffet. After wasting 2.5 hours of my life that I'm never going to get back, I did some research and here are my findings: 1. The owner makes her money through catering to Gujarati families/parties. What is served on the buffet are leftovers from her catering orders. 2. She doesn't hire any outside people (Indian or white) with the fear they'll reveal how conveniently she lies about the ingredients used in her food. 3. Nothing is organic, she uses sugar as sweeteners, I even doubt it's vegan, and all the food she serves is stale/leftover. She makes nothing fresh. Hope you consider my comments as a chance to improve your ways.

Amazing food!! Couldn't believe it's vegan Loves the naan Malai kofta was phenomenal Tofu makhani was good, salt was a little less but that's ok The lilva kachori was the best!!! We will order from here all the time now

Wonderful food, and stress free cause it's 100% vegan! Didn't expect to find this gem over here. We had the garlic naan, which was as delicious as ever, along with a smooth and creamy mango lassi, palak paneer (not the most wonderful, but certainly healthy), baingan bharta (excellent), and malai kofta (extraordinary). We also had gluten free samosas, which were good, but not that crispy. Anyway, a must-go for any vegan, or friend-of-vegan, and certain one to return to on saturday buffet day :).

The first clue that this wouldn't go well was when there were only three tables of diners (including us) on a Saturday night at 7:30. Despite that, it took far too long to get our orders in and even longer to get served. Our dalvada was hard as a rock, dry and bland. My bhindi masala literally tasted like nothing--as if not even the hint of seasoning passed the general vicinity of the dish. My girlfriend also said her raw Indian pizza was bland. Mind you, it took over 30 minutes after taking our order for us to get food that looked and tasted like no thought went into cooking it. At a time when there were only two other parties in the restaurant. And to add insult to injury, the owner, after seeing how disappointed we were, still had the gall to ask which dish was our favorite. Not if we liked everything, but trying to fish for compliments on food that was prepared with little to no skill. Here's a hint: the dish that I only took two bites out of and didn't even bother to finish despite how hungry I was was not a favorite. There is literally no reason for this restaurant to exist. It shares a street with some of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, and even though the all-vegan menu is an interesting gimmick, vegans deserve better than to settle for poor service, dirty silverware, lazy cooking and oblivious ownership. Fortunately, it seems like the word is already out. If you can't fill even half the room on Saturday night, there's nobody left to fool.

First Indian food I ever tried living in Chicago and it was delicious. The masala dosa was good and the appetizer platter was yummy! My friends enjoyed their food and chai.

This place has a romantic, cozy atmosphere. The woman who served me, I believe, was the owner. The way she engaged with me and the other patrons were as if we were guests in her home. The tables were topped with real flowers, a lit candle. I loved the beige color of the table cloths. I never really liked the white table cloths commonly found in other Indian restaurants. I had ordered the mango lassi, which was delicious. I had the mixed platter of appetizers and it was served with coriander/mint and tamarind chutney in just the right amount. I could tell the food was made fresh. Absolutely a delight to eat. I then had the malai kofta with organic brown rice. Scrumptious. At the end when I was ready to pay, she had asked me and the woman and her daughter at the next table if we were interested in dessert. We both respectfully declined. For me, I was just too stuffed. :) She went ahead into the kitchen and came out and handed us(along with our bill) a small, round coconut confection on the house. Like I said, it really felt like we were guests rather than customers. Very kind woman. This is my new go-to for Indian restaurant in the city.

Arya is a great addition to Devon. It is a healthy option for Indian food- the entire menu is not just vegetarian, it is vegan. They food tastes less processed and more homestyle cooked. However, I would not call it classic Indian food. I tried, I really tried to be open-minded, but it still is vegan food. The dishes were tasty, but I think with translating even classic Indian vegetarian dishes to vegan options, the flavor profile was off. I had the malai kofta, traditionally a vegetable dumpling in a tomato cream sauce. Arya's sweet potato dumpling was tasty, but the gravy tasted more like tomato sauce with a heavy dose of cinnamon and cloves. I recommend the Baingan Bharta. It has a great homemade flavor and nice heat to it. The service is great. Personal attention and food out in a timely manner. I would go again to check out their $15 vegan Indian buffet on the weekend, but I don't think I would go back just for dinner without a reason.

Impressed! Ordered delivery and it came early... the delivery person was super friendly, and the food was awesome! What an amazing vegan find! The plain naan, samosas, cauliflower, and okra dishes were delicious and spicy! Recommend.

My bud and I were looking for an Indian buffet restaurant on Devon that we had been to a couple of times over the years (and I don't believe it is around anymore). Anyway we stumbled into Arya Bhavan as it had a familiar look to it, such as the buffet table near the entrance. This place served almost all vegan food, but we decided to give it a go as we were hungry. After the meal, I confess that I like to eat meat too much. I guess Arya Bhavan would be fine if you were on a vegan or vegetarian diet. However I really did miss the chicken and mutton choices that I would have been able to consume at a typical Indian buffet.

Worst food! worst response from Aarthi! they dont care for what they serve, all they need is you to just pay for whatever they serve. We ordered dosa (it was so sour like old batter) and malai kofta and naan for take away while they served the dosa, we asked Aarthi to cancel the food while we they served the first dish itself. They were not willing to at any point of time. And only the workers cant cancel without the owner's permission since owner wasnt there! No compensation if you dont like the food. I have been to other vegan restaurants haven't ate anything so bizzare. Worst customer experience. Please think twice before you walk in to this place.

This place is my new fav! I have a lot of dietary issues so this was great for me. Food is deliciously homemade, but slightly bland. Incredible lemon bars!! Really lovely ethnic food.

Very mediocre Indian food. Delivery was on the slow side but not as bad as many say. The only reason I am rating this as high is that they had Gluten Free samosas.

I was never a believer in "healthy" Indian food, the cream/butter/ghee and richness was what I thought was a crucial part of the cuisine. Dinner at Arya Bahvan proved me more than wrong, it was one of the most satisfying indian meals I've had in recent memory and as a self proclaimed carnivore, I couldn't believe I would ever say this about a vegan meal. Not only was the food well seasoned and balanced, I felt full without going into an all out food coma that I typical leave with after eating a traditional indian meal. They are innovative and creative with their approach to redefining traditional dishes in a healthy way while still maintaining the integrity and essence of the dish. Even if you aren't looking for a vegan option, it should be at the top of your list.

Went here seeking some more of the best samosas I've ever experienced, based on the tastes I got for some tix at the Taste this year. My boyfriend and I went in on a Wednesday night around 7:45 pm, and the place was mostly empty, with two other occupied tables. The menu is overwhelming if you're not familiar with authentic North Indian and South Indian fare; it's four pages of ambiguous and non-descriptive translations that left my boyfriend and myself at a loss for what to order. We decided we would get a recommendation from our waiter... who never came. There was an old man busboy who wandered between the three tables, continually refilling the water carafes. This went on for probably close to a half hour before the owner-chef-manager-waitress came over and asked if we were ready. We asked her what she'd recommend, and she told us that everyone does and should order the appetizer sampler basket, which came with some of the samosas we were really after. Beyond that, she started listing the different headings on the menu, but without telling us what they were, or which ones were best. We settled on the Rava Masala Dosa. Our appetizers came out, and the samosas, as we remembered, were wonderful. The rest of the appetizer basket was just different kind of mashed veggie combos, with different batters, fried. It came with a couple of chutneys, one which was spicy and one which was sweeter, we enjoyed the sweet one quite a bit but there's really only so much deep-fried veggie mash you can eat. Trust me, we went to that point and back. Then the Rava Masala Dosa came out-- it was a GIANT crispy "crepe" almost like shredded hashbrowns in texture, with a tiny amount of spiced potatoes in the middle, and a cup of stewed sauce and vegetables, with some chutneys. Mostly, it was just crepe. Pretty disappointing. My boyfriend even accidentally took all of the potatoey filling when we were trying to split the dish. Maybe we would have been better off ordering something we knew we liked at other Indian restaurants, like Aloo Gobi or Chana Masala... But it seemed like we had so many unusual choices available to us, and we should take advantage. And nothing excuses the plates we asked for that were never delivered, or the fact that we actually did run out of water despite it being the "busboy"'s only duty, or the fact that we didn't finish our meal until after closing!

Preface: If I could give 2.8 stars, I would. I REALLY wanted to like this, especially after my girlfriend begrudgingly agreed to go here instead of some other known Indian restaurants that she suggested. For me, I was excited because I knew for certain that their items were vegan, and that they had gluten free options. None of the food that we ordered was bad, but my palak dal was more watery than I expected and it really diluted the flavor. I enjoyed my girlfriend's tofu tikka masala, but there were literally less than six 1" tofu cubes in the meal - tofu isn't THAT expensive. The food generally seemed to be void of salt, which I think even a small amount would have greatly increased the flavor. It was confusing how there were so many herbs and spices, but the flavoring was underwhelming - still can't figure it out. Also, the wine they served was old; strong vinegar flavor at the end. I will say that the appetizer mix was good, and could have been its own separate meal. Compared to other Indian restaurants, the price vs quantity seemed slightly above average; maybe a dollar or two more per item. Not sure why a piece of naan is $4, though...For two people, the bill was around $50. Neither of us really left feeling like it was worth that much. Not sure I'll be back any time soon, which sucks because I really wanted to support their mission/goal of providing healthy and satisfying vegan Indian food.

My family and I LOVE this restaurant!!! We are all gluten free & dairy free and absolutely love indian food, so this is our ideal restaurant. The owner is the sweetest woman and you can literally taste the care and love that goes into the food. I can't wait to go back!

Such a huge disappointment. Ordered delivery, the $12 'paneer' makani came with literally 6 bite-size pieces of tofu. I can only imagine they scooped it out of a huge pre-prepared tray but missed all the tofu pieces somehow? On top of that, the sauce was WAY too sweet (like they added a bunch of maple syrup? Yes, seriously.) The naan was stale, dry, and tough, and the lentil soup was so acidic it tasted like straight lemon juice. It's like they don't taste the food that they serve. What really earns them the 1 star however, is that when contacted about other missing items/terrible quality of the food, they REFUSED a refund. I'm all for supporting vegan businesses, but this one maybe shouldn't be in business.

I too was lured in by the reviews posted on the window (I was on my way to Mysore Woodlands). I came in around 5 or 6 and they were just switching over to dinner, so the buffet wasn't stocked yet. In fact I'd already had my first helpings before the nan came out; I'd wondered if there would be any. They feature some interesting selections I haven't seen elsewhere (carrot halvah; savory farina, and a soupy yellow curry vegetable dish). The nan was flavorless and not really that good; I usually love it but not here. The dal was overly salty. And while I usually love Indian rice pudding, it was merely OK as well. It was nice having an all-vegetarian buffet to choose from, but usually it's not that big a problem ignoring the meat entrees, and I've had better food elsewhere. Dinner for one with a mango lassi was $18.50 including a 15% tip. The people running it were really nice and when I asked "you're all vegetarian, right?" they even knew what veganism was.