Ovo
Chinese
Delivery
Take-out
Asian
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Located in the Chinatown area, this restaurant has a separate vegetarian menu serving mock meats and vegetable dishes. Near a Metro stop. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-10:00pm. Call for hours - tell us.
19 Reviews
First Review by cookiem
eleabank
Points +743
Big portions - Edit
This restaurant offers so many different vegan Chinese dishes including multiple vegan chicken and tofu options. The garlic eggplant was also amazing!
Read morePros: Big portions, The flavor!!!
Guest
adventureaardvark
Points +788
Late opening and good food - Edit
Great spot for a late dinner when many other places nearby have stopped serving food. I had a great aubergine dish.
Read moreGuest
Casbrrrrr
Points +223
Could be better - Edit
I had the vegan Szechuan chicken and some string beans. Everything was flavorful although the vegan chicken needed more salt. I just didn’t like how thin the vegan chicken was, I thought I would be bigger chunks like I had saw in the other posting’s pictures. Good service too.
Read morePros: Service, Big portions
Guest
minthin
Points +843
Discreetly great vegan food - Edit
I have come here several times after a Washingtonian article identified this as one of DC’s secretly super vegan friendly restaurants. There are two columns of vegan dishes: one is tofu-based mock meats, the other is traditional tofu and veggie dishes. We got the Szechuan chick’n, eggplant, and general tsos tofu. The eggplant was great—always get the eggplant! The chick’n was very good with a hint of spice; each chick’n strip was narrow and thin almost like a short stubby noodle. It was seasoned really well with a lovely texture. I wouldn’t get the general tsos again…it wasn’t bad but didn’t come the way I typically like it with a crust around the tofu and a sweet & tangy sauce.
Read moreThe portions are large here: three dishes was too much food for three people. I recommended we get two entrees and an app, but the only vegan app they had was a solo spring roll. Hopefully they expand their appetizer list in the future.
This restaurant has big round tables in the back; I’ve been here with larger parties and it works well for that.
Pros: Good vegan meat, Lots of delicious veg Chinese dishes, Can seat larger groups
Cons: Almost no vegan appetizers , Skip the general tso’s tofu
Guest
MaraK
Points +360
Big selection. - Edit
I have eaten at Chinatown Garden for years, though not since the pandemic started. I ate here last night and I just don’t think it’s as good as I remember it. Still the large selection, and the food was fine, but not excellent. The restaurant and the neighborhood are more frayed than 3-5 years ago.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options
Guest
cns71
Points +141
Big portions - Edit
Yummy lots of veggie options
Read moreGuest
ollie33
Points +793
Good in a pinch - Edit
Good news: In addition to the normal vegan Chinese restaurant standards in the vegetable section of the menu, they offer a full list of classic dishes served with soy meat. That said, the food was OK not great. The Ma Po tofu was not spicy or distinctive. The rice was dry. The best dish I had was the sautéed spinach with garlic.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Big portions, Fast service
Cons: Just average food, "Tired" atmosphere
Guest
jomadyer
Points +83
Plenty of vegetarian options - Edit
As long-time vegetarians who travel often, we were thrilled to see so many vegetarian choices, including “beef” and “chicken” favorites that were clearly labeled as soy-based. My husband ordered Hunan “beef”; I got fried tofu. Both were good; tofu was better than his “beef”. Both had similar vegetables and sauces.
Read morePros: Whole section of menu was vegetarian-dedicated , Great service and good location , Reasonable prices
Cons: Seitan “meat” options; chewy and bland , No brown rice option, Light on vegetables
Guest
stephaniefroebel
Points +995
Everything I’ve wanted but can’t have as a vegan - Edit
I loved the vegan orange chicken I had. It came with broccoli and rice in a very huge portion. The staff was super good and friendly making my experience delightful.
Read morePros: While vegetarian page , Many classic American-Asian dishes
Cons: Could have more clarity of vegan vs. vegetarian
Guest
kmau_
Points +1143
Absolutely Delicious! - Edit
Delicious, well thought out options. Portion sizes are huge and meals comes with a large portion of white rice. Service staff friendly and understanding of vegan/vegetarian needs.
Read moreThe atmosphere is quaint, comfy, and really feels like a great local place. A lovely little restaurant to meet friends or family and have a good meal.
I will 100% be going back!!
Pros: Food quality, Veg choices
Guest
YasminJiang
Points +449
Delicious Chinese Food - Edit
The vegetarian items are only on the English menu - at first we were given the Chinese menu and we couldn't find anything. However, we ordered classics with mock chicken pieces, as well as some vegetables like string beans. Every dish was full of flavour, and I would highly recommend this spot if you're in the mood for Chinese food.
Read moreGuest
astamagg
Points +84
Kung pow "chicken" ❤️ - Edit
In the menu you just go straight to vegetables dishes and they have fake meat. I got the Kung pao chicken as people had been recommending it here and OMG it was so good! Had red and green bell peppers, "chicken" bites and this amazing sauce. It will haunt me since I live in another country haha. We came back the day after and I ordered it again (yes I loved it that much) and then it came the same but now with a lot of peanuts added now to the dish. Didn't like it as much but still delish! The owner (an elegant middle aged woman) comes to great you at the table and is really fun and it just adds to the experience. Love this place and highly recommend! ❤️
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , A whole section on the menu, Mock meat that is delicious
Guest
AmyCB
Points +154
Best Vegan Kung Pao Chicken!! - Edit
Decided to eat here because I was in Chinatown and specifically wanted to try the Chinese food. They had an entire page of veggie options including varies types of fake meats. I got the Kung Pao Veggie Chicken and was completely blown away. A lot of the time fake meats can be a bit rubbery, but their version was soft, delicious perfection that just melted in my mouth.
Read moreI live in Los Angeles and would fly to DC just to have this again. Oh my god.
Updated from previous review on 2019-04-24
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Amazing food
Cons: Labeled vegetarian so you have to ask if its vegan
Guest
megcanical
Points +123
Delicious vegan options!! - Edit
An awesome place for a quick meal after exploring the National Portrait Gallery. The service was SO good and the food came out ridiculously fast. I got the kung pao veggie chicken and it was spicy and delicious and I could honestly eat it every day
Read morePros: SUPER QUICK, Lots of protein, Spicy & tasty
Guest
DianeMcCreary
Points +18
Love it - Edit
The have a full vegan menu. Absolutely delicious.
Read moreGuest
Grundoon
Points +28
Vegan options, yes, but old school - Edit
There are a number of mostly "fake meat" vegan options. I tried a chicken Szechwan which was mostly gluten based strips in a somewhat oily sauce with hardly any vegetables. My wife had a chow mein. Both were okay, but if you're looking for a fresh, light vegetable hit, look elsewhere.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2016-08-06
Pros: vegan options available
Cons: oily, skimps on vegetables , over cooks the veggies
Guest
clarebear9
Points +888
vegan "meats" - Edit
Fresh, delicious, a whole page of vegan options! All the "meats" are fake. Great Chinese food. Not too greasy.
Read morePros: imitation meats, delicious , right off of metro line
Guest
warino
Points +154
American style Chinese comfort food - Edit
About as American style as you can get. Gruff service, just like any Chinatown. Delicious, junky, stick to your ribs but with a twist. Complete vegetarian menu with mock meats. The mock chicken and beef are vegan. Alas no shrimp.
Read morePros: Full vegetarian menu with lots to choose from, delicious!!!, great ambiance, including gruff waiter with a hear
Cons: no vegan shrimp , pricey, no vegetarian soup choices
Guest
cookiem
Points +5888
Many choices - avoid chicken broth and msg - Edit
This restaurant has several dozen American and "authentic" choices for vegetarians, but you have to be careful for the additions of msg and chicken broth.
Read moreThere is a great selection for veg*ns for dining here- ranging from fake meat (chicken and beef) to tofu dishes to American veggies to Chinese veggies. I was pleased with the choices, even if the best Chinese options are not in DC's Chinatown but the suburbs. The portions were large and satisfying from that perspective, but the prices are a little more than what I'd hoped to pay for food that is somewhat greasy. I did appreciate that it wasn't too salty.
However, please be aware that you will want to be sure that what you order doesn't have msg and/or chicken broth/ oyster sauce. Better to be safe than sorry. They are friendly and attentive if you have dietary restrictions.
What's there to eat? Szechuan Chikn, "beef" and veggies, tofu and spinach soup, mushrooms, garlic sauce broccoli, pea shoots/ leaves, bok choy, spinach, eggplant with basil, kung pao chicken, orange beef, home style bean curd, sesame chicken - lots of great choices. All the same, there is still an Americanized feel to this place. The fake meat is the type you know all too well: dried shreds reconstituted and sauced like mad to have any flavor. Good texture, but no one really eats that without flavoring it!
I would return to test out more of the "Authentic" menu.
Pros: Large selection - dozens, Good portions, Attentive to veg*n diet
Cons: MSG, Prices slightly high for quality, Too oily/ greasy at times
Guest
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