Veggie Lee Restaurant

Giving this place 3 stars since I dislike talking down on vegan establishments, but I was quite disappointed with my experience here. The interior of the restaurant is quite small and the atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. The person who took our order was unfriendly, snatching the menu out of my hands. Then as they were rearranging the dining room for other guests, they dragged the tables and chairs across the floor so loudly I couldn't hear my date. But more importantly, the food was honestly lackluster especially for what they charge. We ordered the spring rolls, the Thai fish slice with vegetables, and the mapo tofu. The spring rolls were decent and large but full of mostly cabbage. The mapo tofu was full of peas and the sauce was quite bland. The fish dish was a bit better but still a lot to be desired. I would not return, given the abundance of delicious vegan options in the Bay Area. Go elsewhere.

Full vegan restaurant, however they did not have the dishes we wanted to eat. The flavors were bland, we had to add soy sauce to make it more tasty. Clean place, service was fast nice. Plenty of parking.

I used to eat a lot from here when I lived in Hayward. Visited again today after a long time, and the food was still as I remembered it. Their taste and quality have been maintained over time. It is one of the best vegan foods and definitely the best Chinese food I have ever tasted. Their plant based meat substitutes taste very fresh, and food is flavorful. Highly recommended.

I decided to try a vegan Chinese restaurant since I never had been to one and was little disappointed on the seasoning of the food. I went during the lunch time so that I could try a smaller portion of the item. There was a variety of options of vegan shrimp, beef, and pork. However, I wanted to taste the flavors so I ordered the lunch special eggplant which came with a small bowl of soup. Both items were not seasoned at all

This is an excellent vegetarian and vegan Chinese restaurant with wide-ranging selection and the servers care what they are doing and they try to be responsive and polite and take accurate orders. I took one star off for atmosphere because after moving from their previous location, which was more of a palace style restaurant, this place has the size of a cafe and only about six tables. It's unfortunate what the pandemic did causing a downgrade of the location, but they're still doing a great public service in this location. I eat there at least once a week sometimes multiple.

Food was pretty good! Service is great. The young lady who took our order was very helpful, sweet, and patient. They worked with us in removing and adding ingredients from certain dishes. Flavor was 👌🏻 if they would just add garlic to their dishes, it would enhance the flavor a lot!…but besides that, food here is definitely worth trying 🤗

The vegan General Tso was good but it tasted more like Szechuan

I came here to get my 2 year old daughter some noodles she requested. The lady in front had an unpleasant welcome and was just anxious for us to order and go. I ordered the vegetable chow main. As I am eating it with my toddler I find a mysterious stick with hairs attached I will post a picture of. I took the noodles right back and the lady told me that’s a first complaint and she doesn’t believe it and will not be refunding my money. As I look around the place looks absolutely disgusting. I will never come here again and you shouldn’t either. She didn’t care my little toddler could’ve eaten and or poked herself with this stick. That clearly looked like it was saturated with noodles oil.

Key Points: - Delicious Plant-Based Cuisine. - "chicken" actually tastes like real chicken - Michelin level I visited Veggie Lee on New Year's Eve as my last big meal of the year. I happened to be working New Year's Eve, so after a long day at work, I decided to end 2024 on a plant-based note. Being in the area, what better place than Veggie Lee? I ordered salt and pepper vegan chicken. It was crispy, flavorful, and with just the right kick of spice. The plant-based "chicken"tasted a lot like actual chicken, which might be a compliment (or not) depending on your perspective as a vegan. I'm not sure what the ingredients were, but whatever they're doing, it works. I've been ordered takeout and deliver (via DoorDash) a few other times in the past. Items including: - The fried rice - vegan beef chow fun (or gong chao niu ho in Cantonese) - Thai Almond Milk Tea All were absolutely delightful, whether you were expecting vegan or not. During my first visit, I noticed a poster highlighting that they were Michelin-rated at some point. While I didn't find them on the current Michelin database, I'd still say they're deserving of the honor. This place is truly a hidden gem for plant-based cuisine. Whether you're vegan, eating plant-based occasionally, or just want to try something different, I highly recommend Veggie Lee. Lastly, w00t! My photo scored the cover photo spot at the time of this writing!

The best vegan Chinese food restaurant in the East Bay! It is simple and cozy (5 tables, including one large round table). The one woman server is polite and accommodating to our constantly changing needs: One request of water turned into two, then three :/ The menu features more than we can remember for this review, but it allows us to select different dishes ea time we visit. One of our "order regularly" items is fried tofu w plum sauce (?). It is so creamy it's a family favorite. There are two handicap parking spots in front of the door so there's a good likelihood to find one open, despite Veggie Lee being in a large mall w Target.

My wife and I experienced Veggie Lee together recently (Nov 2024) and we ordered. . . Braised tofu over bok choy Veggie Chow Mein Veggie Potstickers The potstickers were AMAZING. We would go back for the pillowy soft but delicious Potstickers here! The chow Mein lacked flavor overall. Even with soy sauce, it just needed more. Very simple and bland tasting. The tofu dish was good, but texture wise it was on the softer side and we both don't enjoy that almost gel consistency sauce that they pour over the dish. Over, solid 4 stars for food, location, customer experience.... but not worth visiting unless you're local and within distance of the restaurant.

Excellent vegan Chinese food. Everything we ordered was delicious. The service was great and the ambiance was just fine. I would come back here in a heartbeat!

Love love love this veg joint! Ample parking in the mall lot. But you might wanna take to go cos it's very small inside and limited tables. Everything is good. For me, I like the "fake meats" cos that lets me indulge in meat-like dishes. The fried "pork" ones are particularly a go to favorite. The lady behind the counter taking orders is very nice and helpful. She helps answer any questions about the dishes.

Loved the food! Very tasty and bought some chili oil to take home as well. The service was quick and the quantity was great.

Tried this restaurant based off a recommendation. Unfortunately no ac inside, so beware if you're coming during a heatwave. We ordered kung pao tofu, pine nut and toom fried rice, and orange chicken. All the dishes were perfect and tasted great. There is no garlic or onion used in their dishes. I'll be back to try other dishes!

Starting my vegetarian/ vegan journey and I am not turning back. This place is amazing and very well prepared and extremely delicious. Enjoyed every bit of it! Who needs meat!

Food was underwhelming and did not match the price. The portions are small, I left with no leftovers. The chopsticks are questionable since its not wrapped. The toilet is gross. The tea could not mask the taste of chlorine, the hot and sour soup was less sour than Im used to and contained an extra ingredient in there that I didn't eat, the tofu was soft but decent, and the orange chicken was overrated and bland except for the overly sweet sauce that drowned the chicken. I am an avid lover of vegan food and an avid supporter of vegan restaurants and this fell way short of that. I do not recommend.

With vegetarians in our family we are always on the lookout for restaurants where we can all comfortably eat family style together and this restaurant was worth venturing out to! Unique to other Chinese restaurants, they do not use onions and garlic so the flavors of their dishes were not predictable. However that is what made dining out at this restaurant something to look forward to. We ordered six dishes. Most favored by our teens was the crispy dry soy seaweed fried rice dish. I enjoyed the pumpkin tofu curry dish with the soft squash, saucy soaked tofu and bell peppers. Also ordered was the vegan beef satay which visibly looked like beef but did not taste like it. The vegetarian chow mein noodles were not greasy, tasted healthy and had a good texture. We ordered one of the specials (S2) that interestingly had chopped avocado along with the vegetables. I especially enjoyed the freshness of the vegetables and the black pepper flavoring in this dish. The mushroom plant based "chicken" has a good texture and was also enjoyed. For appetizers we ordered potstickers which came to us hot (wait to let it cool a little). The skin was thick but easy to chew with a little crispiness to it and not overly stuffed. The restaurant itself is small and five of us occupied its biggest table available with six chairs. 3-4 other tables were there that were 1-4 person tables. There was no A/C available but the door was left open for ventilation. No music played. The staff was friendly, all went well with our ordering, food didn't take long to make and it was presented hot off the stove. It was a good evening out and we were glad to have came!

I've only eaten here for lunch & so this review applies to items on their lunch specials menu. The prices are good. Portion sizes aren't overwhelming. You will not find an enormous helping of food here but to expect fresh ingredients and healthier options than your average Chinese takeout Service is pretty good. I can say this because I've been enough times for them to know i want my food prepared with less salt & oil. But, I see other non-regulars getting good service too so I know I'm not special.

Hot and fresh rice plates! I normally order delivery via DoorDash whenever the craving hits for yellow curry "chicken" made with meat substitute. Go for the extra meat option. They give so much white or brown rice each plate is enough for at least two meals. Brown rice is $1 extra. My newest favorite is the salt n pepper vegan chicken. It tastes like popcorn chicken but better! You don't realize it, but it gets kinda salty so make sure to drink lots of water after. Can be ordered with rice or a la carte. Sesame chicken is sweet and crisp on a bed of broccoli. Vegan chicken with black bean sauce is pretty good too. The whole fam likes the food from here. The texture of the vegan chicken is chewy enough to keep me full and to fool others into thinking it's real meat if they're hungry enough. I recommend the chicken. The vegan beef is tasty but the slices are very thin. I should've ordered extra meat with the chow fun. The vegan shrimp was too mushy for us. I finally visited the restaurant all the way near A street. It used to be across Chabot College but they relocated a few years ago. It's quite small with seating for maybe 20 people? Seems cozy enough. A family with kids came by to dine in, plus lots of people order take out. Employees were polite, if not a bit hasty. Food is prepared quickly though! We waited outside for less than ten minutes. Great way to get veggies and feel good about eating somewhat cleaner.

We loved the vegan chicken with veggies and lemon grass bean curd! I got some frozen vegan "pork" buns to go, and I thought they were quite good, with similar texture and taste! I highly recommend them if you enjoy vegan food!

The food is so delicious. A vegan's oasis of choices. Went there a week ago and the food and service were very good. Return a week later to try other dishes and all the dishes were excellent.

We did a take out for 4 people. Spent about $150. The dishes are priced well with good quantity. The service was good. The food tasted bland. I mean really bland. What was flagged as spicy was bland too. Will not visit this place again.

Hidden Gem in Hayward Legit Chinese Vegan restaurant with delicious selections and a wonderful lunch special menu. Friendly service, fair prices in an age of rising food costs. Definitely would recommend.

Although this restaurant uses no meat, onion or garlic in their dishes, Veggie Lee serves some very kick ass meat alternative dishes and solid Chinese food. Stopped by here for dinner with my girlfriend last month. We decided dine in - the place was very quiet, and most of the people we saw were getting take out. The menu was quite large and had a variety of traditional Chinese dishes - all of which were vegetarian and used no garlic or onion. We ordered Sichuan egg plant, salt and pepper tofu, "beef" chow fun, and turnip cakes. For completely vegetarian food - this blew my expectations out of the water. Everything here tasted just like, if not very similar, to its non vegetarian counter part. The highlights for me were the chow fun and the turnip cakes - turnip cakes almost always have meat in them so to find an alternative with an uncannily similar consistency and taste was a big surprise. Also - the portions for the price you pay here are incredible. If you are looking for some solid Chinese food without the guilt of eating meat - this is the spot to visit. 4.5/5

Omg this place is sooo worth it, it's a little pricey but I truly enjoyed it. You know how when you get regular Chinese food and you get overly stuffed? I felt like I could just keep eating and I didn't feel sick or overly full afterwards! It's super delicious and the "meat" tasted so real. We got 4 entrees and it did come out to 76$ which was a little steep but it was good. I wouldn't get the rice again it was a little hard and had too much curry in it. Everything else was good.

Noodles can be a bit oily , but yummy Indoor seating only --once I did take out and ate at the park nearby No onions garlic but flavor from peppers and veggies Great service Support Chinese Buddhist vegans! I remember when the restaurant was on Hesperian Blvd. I did like that bigger space

Quite surprised with how well their vegan chicken tastes like real chicken. Def will have to order from here again - lots of options for anyone who doesn't eat meat, or just looking to add more vegetables to their diet. Really liked their vegan curry chicken rice & salt n pepper vegan chicken. Also ordered the broccoli & mushroom dish that was quite tasty (and healthy) too.

I think this place is more of a 3.5 star joint, but I do plan on coming back again. My mom recently turned vegetarian and I was searching for places to take her for Mother's Day. I was pretty surprised to stumble upon a Chinese vegan food place! First off, the menu is very expansive! There's a lot of selection to choose from, it's not just veggies only but had vegetarian meat as well. Things like: General Tso's vegan chicken, salt and pepper vegan chicken, yin-yang fried rice, etc.. I'm usually overwhelmed by places with Cheesecake Factory like menus where it's just everything, but with vegetarian options being usually limited, it was great to see so many selections. Enough of that, now to the nitty gritty. Prices are on the medium/ high side. A lot of the sauces/ gravy were really thick, I think a little too much cornstarch was added. The Mongolian vegan beef plate had only a few slices of vegan beef in it, and the broccoli pieces were like tree stumps! HOWEVER, all the dishes had good flavor. I liked the seasoning, sauces, even if it is on the thicker side. The mapo tofu was very well portioned. I'm very curious as to how their other dishes taste. I wasn't certain how a vegetarian restaurant would hold up, but I actually liked it. I'm most certainly coming back here to try other stuff.

This was actually so bad. I ordered- Orange chicken- not saucy and the fake meat had a weird after taste Wontons- the filling was literally the size of a pea. Mostly a fried cracker. Good fry though Vegetable fried rice- this was good Vegan beef chow mein- the vegan beef tasted bad and the chow mein was also not as flavorful as I would like Soft tofu with minced vegan pork and chili- mmmmm no I didn't rlly like the sauce w this one

I've only tried three dishes from Veggie Lee over the past 3 years. That would be the broccoli beef, kung pao chicken, and yellow curry chicken. I only order the kung pao chicken and the other 2 dishes lack flavor. I really like the Kung Pao chicken, but during my last few visits, the dish hasn't been consistent. I'm either missing a type of vegetable, the vegetables aren't the freshest, or there's less sauce. Employees are always nice. The kung pao is usually good, just inconsistent in terms of quality and quantity.

We have ordered food here a handful times and recently we ordered food to dine in the for the first time. We ordered the Wonton Soup with Noodle and the vegan sesame chicken. The food was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, we did think there were too many noodles in the soup, and without the chili paste, we might not have liked it as much. But the vegan sesame chicken was perfect crispy and delicious. However, there seems to be more broccoli than sesame chicken. We had to order a side of rice and after tip, it cost over $50 this place is not cheap but the quality of the food is great. However, I thought it was weird that the menu said that they don't use garlic or onions. I actually would want them to use that, and am intrigued as to why they would not use those ingredients. This place is a staple and hope that they continue to do well!

I was looking for the closest restaurant during one overnight stayed in Oakland. Since I grew up in Taiwan, I prefer a more authentic of Chinese food, but don't mind it to be a bit Americanized. Both the soup and eggplant had way too much corn starch for me, and the flavor was a bit bland.

Service was fine but way too expensive for food with no meat. The food. Just wasn't that great for the price. I ordered green beans but they had these little brown things in it that I couldn't figure out or ask because I got takeout and didn't see it until I got home. I ordered the salt and pepper chicken, flavor tofu that came with white rice and all that cost $35.

I look back at Veggie Lee with fond memories. It was my brother's favorite restaurant and now that I've transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, I knew I had to come back and try them once more to see if my sentiments as a then meat-eater holds up to the quality now. Long story short - it definitely does, and is a must-try in the area. Think of it as a fantastic Chinese restaurant that happens to be vegan friendly. Their Fried Pumpkin is just as good as ever - I got it and was very pleased. The Shark Fin Soup was a wonderful treat and tasted very similar to what I used to have when I consumed meat. Their Orange Chicken was great (you can't go wrong with that sweet sauce), and the Pan Fried Noodles were crispy and flavorful. My biggest recommendation would be for you to come with a group of friends or family to enjoy everything, family-style. The dishes themselves can be pricy ($15 - $20) which mirror what you'd find at most restaurants anyway, but variety if the spice of life, so just be prepared to spend a bit more than say a fast-casual restaurant. Thanks Veggie Lee for continuing to help people transition to a more plant-friendly lifestyle by delivering fantastic food. Note: they're now located inside a small plaza rather than its own standalone restaurant. Same business and owners, different location. Note 2: I loved reading my old review and how naive I was then to even the concept of vegan food. I've grown a lot in heart, health, and mind!

Bland and overpriced...Would not recommend! Not sure how it has good reviews. There's so many average vegan places, this is so below average

I have wanted to try this place for a long time and I really think I chose the wrong dish...I ordered the vegan prawns with vegetables...and the dish was flavorful however I just can't get with the texture of the vegan shrimp...it just didn't appeal to me at all. Will have to come back and try something else. The hot and sour soup that comes with the lunch special was delicious. I will have to revisit another day!

Tried a few dishes for a takeout dinner and thought the food was just okay. The flavor between the two tofu dishes we got was very similar, and the breading was soggy even though it wasn't sitting for all that long. The roll didn't have all that much flavor either. Not too often you find a vegan Chinese restaurant in the area, so willing to give it another chance.

Great option for vegetarian food in Hayward. Located in an outdoor shopping center with a Target store, this restaurant has plentiful parking in the large parking lot. The restaurant is small-medium in size. The tables were slightly close to each other but since it wasn't crowded during our visit, it was fine. The vibe was relaxed and casual. The menu was extensive with several pages and photos of the options. We opted for the VeganChicken and Mushrooms dish, the Black Pepper Vegan Chicken Roll and rice. Our food came out quickly and was in decent portion. Presentation was nice. The taste of our food was wonderful. The Chicken and Mushrooms dish was mild in flavor. The rolls were fried with a crispy exterior and moist and chewy inside. Customer service was satisfactory. The single user, gender neutral restroom was spacious and functional. I will definitely visit again.

Fantastic vegan food! I always visit this spot when I'm in Hayward. The flavors never disappoint. .

If you love getting ripped off, this is the place for you. Their menu is very misleading, if you order over $70 you're suppose to get a free fried rice dish along with your order, sadly this is only for to-go orders on a SIT DOWN menu....... On top of this, we came in with a group of 5 and they auto tipped themselves! Are you serious? I have never in my life experienced auto tip for a group of 5 people, it was always 7 or more people. when I confronted one of the employees, she just rudely shrugged me off and said it's because we used a big table and that is their "rule". You got to be kidding me right? This is unheard of. Ultimately, OVERPRICED vegetarian food along with a malicious group of employees who rips you off by "auto tipping" themselves for a group of 5 people. I DO NOT RECOMMEND this place unless you like getting scammed.

It doesn't look fancy, but it is DELICIOUS!! And the customer service is great. Instantly added this to my list of places I love

We were looking for something healthy ish to eat and I found veggie lee on yelp ! They weren't very busy since we came at 5pm but they did have a few customers walk in after . We got the sweet and sour soup , "fish" and broccoli , and kung Pao dish . The hot and sour soup was super tasty !! It really tasted like it had some sort of meat in it . The fish and broccoli and kung pao dish were both yummy as well , my friend thought the fake fish and meat was real meat !! I had to convince her it was fake ! Great restaurant if you want to eat Chinese food but don't feel like eating a lot of meat . Good prices and big portion.

Excellent quality and made to order. Beats going to SF for similar Chinese vegan restaurants. Love the sweet and sour pork eggplant and salt and pepper tofu. There were places to sit inside. It's not fancy but clean. Service was ok but I didn't come for the service. They could make it a bit more inviting. Great food none the less.

Chinese Vegan Food! New location same great quality food! Veggie Lee is now on Hesperian & A St in the same plaza as Target. If you love Chinese food but are vegan/vegetarian then I 100% recommend. I ordered to go but they do have indoor seating. The food came out fast, hot, and flavorful. I must admit that it is a bit pricey but they do give you a satisfactory amount of food. I ordered the Salt & Pepper Vegan Chicken which was about $20. Menu recommendations: Salt&Pepper Pumpkin, Salt&Pepper Chicken, Potstickers, Sautéed Basil Green Bean

Really liked the family style round table with lazy susan. Colorful food kept coming in the center and we were able to sample quite a bit. All vegetarian menu made it easy for us. Good service, decent food.

It's so great to have a vegan restaurant in Hayward! I've been eating here for many years. My favorite dishes are the salt and pepper chicken, salt and pepper pumpkin, sesame chicken and fu-kin fried rice. The service is always fast and you can reserve a large table for a big group.

Visited the new location on A Street. The place is much smaller and smells the same, must be the type of oil to cook with. Even though this is a new location it, once walked in huge counter on the right which is useless because it was for a sushi place maybe from previously. My family wanted fried rice we ordered the menu special..it was mostly all rice and limited vegetables. Sorry veggie lee moving to the new location made everything worse. Food quality and overpriced menu. Feels like a mainland China themed restaurant now. Moving to New location I think they will make the place look decent and have newer menu. Won't be dining

This is our favorite Chinese takeout joint! We do the 40 minute drive because their food is just that delicious! We generally get 2 salt and pepper vegan chicken and 2 Kung Pao vegan chicken. The salt and pepper is very much like fried popcorn chicken. the Kung Pao has an amazing spicy sauce and lots of delicious veggies and peanuts. Both entrees taste very much like chicken, it's hard to believe they're vegan! For takeout they also give you a free veggie fried rice, so you get 5 entrees for around $80. Portions are very generous. Their new location is in a strip mall so there's lots of parking. It's very easy to order online through their website and pick up. I highly recommend using the restaurant's own website to order instead of a 3rd party website, they often have coupons and specials.

So grateful to have such a delicious plant-based Chinese spot in the East Bay! One of my go to takeout orders.

Absolutely delicious and I will definitely be back (and I'm not vegan). My cousin is vegan and visiting from out of town. We gave this spot a try and are now addicted! We will definitely be coming back happily. We got the general tsao chicken, chao fried rice, egg plant & tofu, and they gave us the sweet and sour soup on the house. Everything was delicious and my favorite was the chao fried rice it has a good char from the wok the chicken was second best. I would honestly reorder everything again. Their homemade chili oil was a hit too which you can buy to go. Check this spot out regardless if you're vegan or not.

I've been wanting to try Veggie Lee and today was the day! Many, many years ago, I used to regularly frequent a similar type vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Berkeley (can no longer remember the name). I got the Sesame Chicken (which includes broccoli), Dry Sautéed Green Beans, Brown Rice and a Thai Ice Almond Milk Tea. I really enjoyed all the items. The portions were large and the veggies were perfectly cooked. The Sesame Chicken had just the right amount of Chinese Five Spice - noticeable but not overwhelming. The green beans were nice and spicy. I'm really looking forward to trying other items.

I tried this restaurant twice because I was looking for vegetarian and vegan food. Both times I was disappointed. The service was quick and people, friendly, but the food was underwhelming. The first time I just did not feel good after eating that meal and so I thought I would give it another try . This second time, I got a very clear experience of boring and bland. There was no garlic for one thing. No seasoning. I don't like having to give a review like this, especially when the restaurant provides vegetarian and vegan dishes. I give it three stars for good service. No ambience and flavorless meal that just was not quite right.

Our go to vegan Chinese restaurant. The food here never really disappoints and portions are generous. We usually get food from here at least 1-2 times a month. Our go to- Sesame vegan chicken Mushroom vegan chicken Vegan Mongolian beef Eggplant basil/ tofu Rice Chow mein

This place is a good option. Lunch time is a good time to go. I tried the generals chicken with rice and broccoli. It came with complementary tea and sweet and sour soup.

Place is pure . Idk if they never seen any brown people before lol, but they definitely didn't say not one word to me. However the food and taste make up for anything. Their batter is delicious and super crispy. I'm actually getting into my car to drive there now lol Salt & Pepper Pumpkin - 8.5 out of 10 Salt & Pepper Mushroom - 9.5 out of 10

A lot of dishes are heavily cooked with sugar and gravy. This is a very small place. Seating is not very comfortable without AC. We sweated through the whole meal. Service is below expectations.