Aw, Bamboo Garden, you're the Chinese restaurant of my childhood. Red velour booths, fake flowers in milk glass vases, non-matching wallpaper, happily yelling wait staff, a menu full of yumlicious deep fried, saucy goodness. Oh, wait, except, there are no animal products to be seen! (Except, as noted, the fortune cookies.)It's amazing to me that they can be so old school and yet also vegan. Love the combo. I've ordered all over the huge menu from the incredibly realistic faux almond chicken to the hearty beef and broccoli to the spicy tofu. All delicious. The omnivores I've taken here all approve of the fake meat but they also do tofu really well -- it is super fresh. The corn chowder appetizer is silky and comforting and just exactly what you want on many a chilly evening. I'm also a big fan of the Chili and Pepper Tofu -- it's simple chopped red and green bell peppers and big honkin' chunks of freshly and lightly fried tofu. They aren't stingy with the rice and have a short domestic and imported beer menu along with a full bar. (Just don't be like the couple at the table across from me and order Strawberry Daiquiris. Please.)If you like it spicy, order a 5. I ordered a 4 last time and I'm pretty sure there was not one dust mote of chili. I liberally applied the Sriracha-esque chili sauce jar on the table and then it was up to my standards of heat. Being a petite fair-skinned white woman, sometimes people don't believe that yes indeed I do want and can handle the hot and spicy stuff, so do take my advice with that grain of rice -- er, salt.

I was introduced to Bamboo Garden by a vegan friend during SIFF '06. As someone who is not vegan or vegetarian, all I can say is wow! The food is great. My favorite dish is the almond chicken. The taste and texture is just like chicken! I have been back numerous times, including this one time right after fasting 12 hours for a blood draw. The almond chicken totally hit the spot.The interior is nothing spectacular, decorated just like any stereotypical Chinese establishment. It's fairly clean, and the wait staff was always nice.

Food: 3 starsGet the enoki mushroom tofu dish, chicken chow mien, and crispy chicken balls but make sure to get the sauce to the side.. It's mad saucy!!!!Restaurant facility: 2 starsI first came here 10 years ago... And it looks EXACTLY like it did.. 10 years ago. lol Needs a major update on decor. Just take it to go and watch football at home!Service: 3.5 starsThe food came out fast. That could be a good or a bad thing. I swear the food came out like lightning. The waiters are basically ninjas.Overall: 3 starsAnother reviewer said it best. It's one of those typical chinese restaurants you'd find in the burbs, usually one located in a city that has a ferry terminal port. Like it's the only one in town.

Awesome vegan dishes. Favorites are the Mongolian "beef", Kung Pao "chicken", and almond cashew "chicken".

I am honestly astonished at the number of 4- and 5-star reviews this rather mediocre restaurant receives. This suggests that the vegetarian clientele either (a) are so protective and supportive of the relatively few vegetarian restaurants in town to the point that they willfully turn a blind eye to the lackluster cuisine, or (b) they just plain don't know any better.BGVC reminds me of any number of Chinese restaurants you find out in the 'burbs. You know the one's I'm talking about: the rather run-down, long-in-the-tooth establishments that you swear are getting a lot of their ingredients from cans with the 'Chun King' label. Having enjoyed a lot of superb Chinese cuisine, I won't say this stuff is bad, just kind of, well, meh.For one thing, given the excessively thick and starchy texture of the soups and the almond pudding, I fully expected to see a bulk railroad car full of cornstarch parked on a rail siding outside. I mean, I could almost stand my spoon upright in the paste-like corn soup. The fried rice was underseasoned, and my 'chicken' chow mein left my tongue feeling oddly numb. The sauce for the General Tao's 'chicken' was a weird glop straight out of a Mary Pang TV dinner. The green beans in another dish I swear came out of a bag from the walk-in freezer at Cash & Carry! I'm just being honest.I don't like giving this review, because the staff are truly nice, and work hard. The prices are very reasonable as well, and the free parking is a real plus in a neighborhood (Lower Queen Anne) notorious for it's lack of parking (perhaps this helps explain their success and longevity? It can't be the food!)To be fair, I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but I don't have an axe to grind because all their 'beef'/'pork'/'chicken' and 'seafood' are actually textured vegetable protein (they're actually quite clever at mimicking the texture and flavour), but seriously, all you dedicated herbivore friends of this joint: making mediocre Chinese chow vegetarian doesn't magically make it less mediocre. If you want to see great vegetarian cuisine, check out Araya's Place in the U-District.

I like the idea of this place a lot and would love for it to be a 4 star rating. They take their vegetarianism seriously -- there is no meat on the menu, and eggs are only used in the fortune cookies. The convenient location and large, approachable menu makes this a good place to introduce meat-eaters to vegetarian eating.My least memorable meals here have been ordering generic items: General Tso's "Chicken" or one of the combos. The combos are a fantastic value and a good way to try out several items. Note that they weren't in the regular dinner menu and we had to ask for the combo menu separately. Sadly, the items in the combos tend towards the bland side. The corn chowder was yummy, but the beef & broccoli and giant pile of noodles were not that interesting.I did have one outstanding meal when I ordered Mongolian beef and an eggplant hot pot. The beef was really tasty and left me wishing there was more of the fake meat in the dish, and the sauces for both dishes were flavorful and distinct. On another day, my friend got a combo that included the Mongolian beef, and she said that it didn't taste as good as it did as a standalone entree.There's a lot more on the menu I haven't tried, so I'll continue to come here. Hopefully some of the other dishes will be more compelling. In the meantime, I'd recommend Cafe Happy in Kirkland for vegetarian Chinese.

Hands down the best damn Chinese food I've ever had! Plus, it's all vegetarian!Every time my boyfriend and I go we order the sweet and sour chicken ($9.95). The fried vegetarian chicken balls have a delightfully chewy and crisp texture and the sweet and sour sauce is amazing and complex.We switch it up with various vegetable dishes to complement (we usually order 2 entrees and rice or a noodle entree to share with plenty of leftovers). As I would expect for great Chinese food, they use fresh vegetables prepared in a proper and damn tasty way. Some of our favorites we ordered include Ruby Princess ($12.95): asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, spicy chicken; Fresh Green with Twin Delight ($12.95): Chinese broccoli with shiitake and enoki mushrooms; Buddha's Imperial White Pearl ($11.85): fresh King Oyster mushrooms; and Chow Fun ($9.95), fried wide rice noodles with assorted vegetables and mushrooms.If you love vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, green beans, and bok choy as much as I do you'll love the variety of fresh vegetable dishes they serve here. The tasty fake meats have amazing texture and there's a ton of variety with those dishes as well.This is my new favorite casual restaurant in the city, for damn good reason!

We got the hot and sour soup, Mandarin chicken (a must!), ad chow fun noodles with shredded vegetables. Happy belly time!!

I ordered the 9.99 lunch special with Mongolian 'Beef', 'chicken' fried rice, sauteed veg, and pot sticker.The hot and sour soup was really thick and tasted sweet and almost ketchupy. Not my favorite.On the lunch combo the 'chicken' fried rice had good texture and taste but had relatively few small pieces of 'chicken' in it. The sauteed veggies were tasty and cooked perfectly still slightly crisp and vibrant.The sauce on Mongolian 'Beef' on the other hand was, like the soup, overly thickened and very sweet. Also, there were only 3 slices of the 'beef'. I felt like they were being a bit stingy with the protein.This was the only time I have been there so maybe I just didn't order their go-to dishes but I'm not sure I will be making the trip back to find out what those are...

Nice Chinese atmosphere with authentic smells.Surprised by the taste of the vegetarian cuisine. When I first read the menu I was suspicious, how mock meat can be delicious?!well..it was! Interesting flavors, fresh food, large variety of meals (too large to my opinion). Another good thing- they have parking lot (:Ther were only 2 problems, The service was a bit deficient during the order, I felt like the waiter not listened to me. but finally all arived as we ordered.and another thing is the lack of variety of desserts- only pudding in three flavors and cherry sorbet.The place is in my list!

Came here the other evening with 5 guys and we all shared a bunch of dishes. One great thing about this restaurant is the parking lot that it has. This way, you don't have to worry about street parking (win!).Since we ordered so many different dishes, it gave me the chance to try several dishes to figure out what to get the next time we come here! We ordered sweet and sour chicken, sesame chicken, mongolian beef, crispy beef, a vegetable sizzling plate and two plates of fried rice (one bacon and the other chef's special). For the 6 of us, it ended up being the perfect amount of food. I would definitely say that the sizzling plate was my least favorite but I knew that would happen because I'm just not a fan of Szechuan sauce. I really enjoyed the sweet and sour chicken and the crispy beef. Both are little balls of vegetable protein that are deep fried and coated in lots of sauce. Yum. The other chicken was also fried balls of stuff, but the sauce on these two dishes was the best. Having them with plain rice would have been preferable for me. The fried rice is really well cooked but not too flavorful. The service was super slow and we weren't really given a reason why. Wasn't too thrilled about that.Just because it's vegetarian it gets an extra star because who doesn't love going to a restaurant and being able to eat just about anything on the menu?! If you're vegetarian, you absolutely must check it out. This is definitely going to go on my list of visit again restaurants in Seattle!

Bamboo Garden is one of our favorite restaurants of all time! We are vegetarians who love the many menu choices at Bamboo Garden. We have been coming here for many years and the friendly staff has watched our daughter grow up. On a recent visit without our daughter they asked, "Where is your daughter? Don't you want to bring some food home for her?" Some of our favorite dishes include the corn chowder, lemon chicken, snow peas with chicken and gourmet chow mein (my 9 year old daughter's favorite). We often take our out of town family and friends to Bamboo Garden and many have become huge fans to the point that they HAVE to go there every time they visit The Emerald City.If you are a vegetarian, this is a not to be missed delight. Go check it out!

OH MY GOD. This food is so delicious. I've gone in 4 times now and everytime I'm blown away by how yummy everything is! The fried chicken balls, hot pots, sauteed eel, it's all wonderful. And the best part is the vegan meats taste so realistic, it's perfect for anyone trying to be healthier, but who loves the taste of meat- WELL! Look no further! The meats taste so real, but not a single animal had to die, not to mention how healthy it is for the person eating it. Also, for those who don't like vegan meats, there's all sorts of veggie dishes and stir-fries to try.I love it, and it's not a birthday tradition to go to Bamboo Garden!

Some of the best vegan food in Seattle. We go here before the Opera, as it is right around the block. Also if you eat there you can park in their parking lot for an additional $10.I am not a vegetarian and I like this place. I love their fake chicken balls. Super good. Also the starter soup is great. They are fast and friendly. The bathrooms are tiny and a little weird but all in all it's a great place. Really fresh well cooked vegetables. YUM!

OK, the place isn't Mr. Clean or modernized but they turn out some very tasty vegetarian dishes. I was a bit weary going in, anticipating some bland, boring, tree hugger food, instead we really enjoyed some well prepared delicious Chinese entrees.I've had my share of too greasy Chinese food. I've also been served some real mystery meats meals at some Chinese Eateries, so the food at Bamboo Garden was a welcome change. Prices reasonable, service fine and there's a parking lot.

If there were more dots, I would have chosen a 6 on the scale. My family and I love this place!If you like Sweet and Sour Pork or Chicken, try the Bamboo Garden version. We always eat here if we have gone to an event at the Seattle ...?

So I really enjoy Chinese food, I don't always have a lot of time to cook, and I'm worried that I'll succumb and eat the fried orange chicken. Luckily all I need to do is cruise into Bamboo Garden because they offer vegetarian and vegan ...?

The Bamboo Garden looks like a regular Chinese restaurant from the outside (and on the menu at first glance), but everything they serve is entirely vegetarian. The sweet-and-sour chicken actually tastes like what it's supposed to be, ...?

I am not a vegetarian so probably cannot appreciate the Bamboo Garden as well as others. I was however amazed that they can put together such wonderful dishes that taste the same as the non vegetarian plates. Lots of tofu but excellent ...?

I have been eating at Bamboo Garden for about 13 years. They have the best vegan/vegetarian food. It tastes so good, and it is good for you. The food is well priced with large portions. Service is okay...we keep going back. ...?

I recently ate here again for the first time in a couple years, and it was as good as ever. Everything they serve, even if it has a name in the menu that sounds like meat, is made with entirely vegetarian ingredients like bean curd and ...?

Yeah, it was weird to go in there and see all the "meat" on the menu, even knowing that it was still all vegetarian.Still, it was quite tasty, and pretty amazing. The history behind that style of cooking is neat, too. ...?

"orange 'chicken' balls." This place is amazing. I feel like I'm on vacation every time I'm there. Everyone I've taken there has become a fan, without fail. And it has parking! ...?

Popular restaurants come and go in my mind, but this place will always hold a special place in my gut. The first time I came here, I didn't even realize it was vegetarian! There are so many options. I recommend the Sweet and Sour ...?

yes, sure, it's a vegetarian restaurant and it caters to vegetarians. but as an omnivore, i often like to eat veggie dishes - i don't want to only eat meat. but i won't eat the dishes at bamboo garden. i find that their food is too often ...?

Large menu, good food and friendly service make this last remaining kosher restaurant in Seattle City Center (near the Seattle Center) a good place to visit. If you do not want to eat there - no delivery, but call in advance after ...?

My wife and I went here for the first time a few days back. After the reviews from here and friends, our expectations were set quite high and we were not dissapointed. They have free parking, the seating was prompt and the service good ...?

When my girlfriend took me here twelve years ago, on our first date, I didn't understand what she was doing. We'd been going out for several months and I knew that she was a strict vegan, but now she was sitting with me in a Chinese ...?

Tricky tricky. Order the wrong thing and you could really get something unappetizing. Order the right thing and be prepared for delights. I avoid the fake meat and stick to vegeteable dishes noodles and the daily corn chowder soup ...?

...strange. Its got this decidedly kitchy feel and all of their dishes are completely vegitarian, vegan no less, but yet every dish has some sort of "meat" in its title. It was all very good but as I am not a vegan, I am not used to ...?

I love the sweet and sour chicken. This restuarant is always crowded for dinner. For lunch you can get combination plates. Vegans beware the fortune cookies. ...?

when I ate at Bamboo Garden in August 2007 because of all the wonderful reviews I read here. Our fried bean-curd nugget appetizer was undercooked and the tofu inside was completely liquidy. My husband's entree was equally as terrible - the soy sauce had no flavor, ...?

in a while.. Their is competition in Seattle when it comes to all Vegetarian restaurants and this one is sorta disappointing at times.. I have eaten there when it was great and I have eaten there when It was terrible.. The last time I ate there it ...?

Wow! This place is great. I am not even vegetarian but if you choose to eat here you probably can not even tell that you are eating tofu or soy products. Eat food and great menu. And Free parking a plus. ...?

I had dinner here recently with two friends from the East Coast who both keep kosher; plus, one of them is a vegetarian (so am I). Seattle doesn't have very many options when it comes to kosher food, especially meatless kosher, ...?

so I can't say that Bamboo Garden is "The Best" but..... they are very, very good nonetheless. First, they have so many options, you're sure to find SOMETHING that suits your style. Second, everything (that I know of? ...?

There are few vegetarian only places, reason stands that vegetarians should support what little resources we have so devoted to us. But I really can't stand behind this place. The atmosphere is just shy of prison. The food is overproduced, ...?

Living in Asia now, I have been to many chinese vegi restaurants, but this still tops my list. Every meal I've even had here has been fabulous. We take ALL our non-vegi friends and family here and they love it. This is really good chinese ...?

hardly go back there to have that kind of food again. First of all, all meals have broccoli only as a side dish. we had stir fry with broccoli, hot pots w broccoli. So my recommendation is when you choose you meal ask side dishes. ...?

asian restaurants in Philly, so I was a little disappointed by Bamboo Garden when I visited last year. The food was okay but definitely not the best. My dining partner loved the corn soup, but I wasn't a fan. I probably wouldn't go back. ...?

This is an exciting statement to make if you are vegetarian or vegan. The food is delicious, we always try something new and have yet to be dissapointed. I don't know what another post said about paying to park in their lot - we always ...?

I confess - I'm not a vegetarian. I do enjoy tofu and so I thought this place might be interesting. It was better than that - it was delicious. The server directed me to the Szechuan tofu hotpot. The sauce was pretty spicy but completely ...?

couple of weeks. They have a very large menu which is mostly vegan and has lots of variety. Lots of parking space, easy to get to, lots of other things to do in the neighborhood (theaters, movies, IMAX, Seattle Centre, bars, etc. ...?

A lifelong vegetarian says- "Great taste!" Wait staff = impatient. Nice dishes which were vegetarian AND kosher as well. 5 stars for food, 3 stars for service, 2 stars or less for the impatient and hurried (rude?) staff including the manager/owner(?) who rushed us out the door. Customers (complete strangers) were much more friendly to our small family! Clean, tiny bathrooms, horrid parking, but fast service. Suggest you "buy and fly" with a to-go order and enjoy this superb food in a more nurturing environment. (I agree with the previous poster who claims the atmosphere is "just shy of prison.") If they need to cram high numbers of people through their place just to keep the profits high, GO TO THE THAI SIAM INSTEAD, AND EAT GOOD THAI FOOD!?

Douchebag central, great service, good food but not ...?

at this popular Queen Anne spot that focuses on In Short In celebration of Chinese vegetarian tradition, no meat or seafood is offered here; instead, enjoy various forms of vegetable-protein substitutes. The clean flavors of mushrooms, bok choy, asparagus and snow peas are all featured. ...?

I had the worst service at Bamboo Garden and was totally surprised that this happened in a Seattle restaurant. The older male waiter would not speak to me and instead asked my boyfriend everything. "Sir, what would you like to drink, Sir, ...?

The variety, awesome flavors, and absolutely healthy cuisine make this one of the true gems in the entire city of Seattle. I recommend the Almond Fried "Chicken," the Five Spicy Treasure, and the Stewed "Beef" in Curry Sauce. All are ...?

Slow service even on a Sunday evening, and inhospitable ambiance for children. The food was decent but the hosts had too much attitude. Dont plan to take my kids there again. ...?

The servers are not great, but have never been rude to me, just aloof. The food is the best tasting Chinese I have had. I took my meat-eating parents and they both loved it. I would definitly recommend the sweet and sour chicken and the ...?

The fake meat is great, if you're vegan. Meat eaters know it's not meat..but many love it anyway! Many of the dishes are similar, so order by selecting the main ingredient you would like and working from there. Three items I suggest: 1. ...?

I've been to Bamboo Gardens many, many times and I've always received good service and excellent food. I can't think of a time when I wasn't very pleased with it all. Even non-vegetarians love this place. :) And there's parking - a BIG plus. ...?