Gobo

If you think of yourself as a meat lover, if you believe there is no interest whatsoever in vegetarian food (only salads and little seeds, right??): go to Gobo, and you will change your mind! I personally always liked veggie food (even though I like meat and fish as well), so I was happy when my friend suggested to come to this veggie place. and I came out of it super happy!
Gobo a small and cute restaurant, the interior is pleasant with its asian influences. We came for brunch on a Saturday and it was very quite, it was easy to get a table. AC was too high, but I find that’s generally the case in the US…
The food: hard to make a choice on the menu, so many things are appealing! You have classic dishes such as vegetable noodles or squash risotto, and less conventional ones such as grilled seitan. I had the wrap which was a brunch special that week. It was very good, the dipping dressing that came with it as well. But I ended up being so jealous of my friend’s choice: the grilled seitan was truly a killer!
Really a veggie restaurant that would please everyone, veggies and non-​veggies alike.

Great vegan place. Ended up doing 5 off the small plates and some miso. The green tea mustard that came with the deplorable seitan was great on everything especially the yam fries. Also enjoyed the tapioca pudding desert. Casual place. Only 20% full after 9 on a thurs night. Easy open table res.

I don’t know what it is but I really, really like vegan/​vegetarian restaurants! (see my review for Francia Café). I haven’t tried Gobo downtown, nor did I even dine in the restaurant (which is spacious and very zen-​like), I ordered takeout. First things first, I was told my order would be ready in 12 minutes but it was actually ready in less than 10. Score! Secondly, as it’s been said here, the butternut squash risotto is delish! It has the right mixture of creamy and salty (thanks to butter and veg stock, not cream), earthiness (thanks sage), sweetness from the butternut squash, crunchiness thanks to the almonds. all the flavors and texture were there. Unlike what some say here, I felt the portions were a nice size– not too big not too small. $ 14 (which is cheaper than dining in. totally commend this is a practice most restaurants should do for to –go) The food actually remained intact and hot as I carried for 10 blocks and 2 avenues…
I also had a small zing juice which is as good as they say here– lots of ginger, followed by apple than carrot… but the small is small and well it’s $ 4 (shouldn’t be surprised as that is the going rate for fresh juices)
All in all, a win. I would come back to try other popular items like the scallion pancake, spaghetti, and yam fries.

I have been to Gobo twice, both on dates with my girlfriend. Each time it was a great experience, and the restaurant stands out among a good variety of vegetarian/​vegan places on the UES.
Recommended are the Butternut Squash Risotto and Malaysian Curry. My girlfriend also loved the Edamame, and we’ve had the dumplings as well, all excellent. The art and interior décor are also pleasant, and in our two times there the staff has been attentive and quick. All in all, a wonderful date night experience for a decent price. If you have a vegan or vegetarian loved one, take them here soon!

Thoroughly enjoyed my lunch at Gobo, which is a delicious vegan «asian-​inspired» restaurant that serves great food without pretentiousness or a side of guilt. Their lunch menu is also quite reasonable, which is another added perk.
We were actually the first ones to arrive for the day (noon on a Friday), and we were quickly seated and attended to. We started out with the vietnamese spring rolls and the steamed vegetable dumplings. As a dumpling fanatic, Gobo’s version far surpassed my expectations. They were incredible! The spring rolls were nothing special, and actually a little unpleasant to eat.
For our mains, we ordered the sesame protein in sweet & sour sauce, the vietnamese spicy stir fry, and a side of yam fries. All were absolutely delicious and highly recommended. Would come back here in the future with other veggie friends!

I am not a vegan or a vegetarian and I really enjoyed this place. It is a decent sized restaurant — bright, nicely decorated & trendy. The service was great — our waited was really helpful and nice.
Appetizers:
Scallion pancakes w| mango salsa — Oh my goodness! They were soooo delicious!
Entrees:
Textured protein in sweet & sour sauce — I had this entrée and it was so good. Honestly, I could not tell the difference between chicken and this! It was yummy.
Medallions on a bed of veggies — my friend had this. She said it was good but medallions she’s tasted in the past were different. (My friend is a vegetarian).
The jasmine rice for me was a little bit dry but an interesting flavor w| raisins!
The tea was really good (we got flavored tea but I don’t remember which kind). The desserts were sooooo delicious OMG! I got the tofu crème brûlée w| coconut & my friend had the custard pudding with coconut! Both were really good!
I would definitely come back here!

A lot’s changed since the last time I was here, mostly with the menu. The food was good… The server was a bit too «helpful» and could’ve backed off a bit — I also didn’t appreciate being looked at, every time I looked up there were eyes on me. Of course the décor was, as always very nice and zen-​spired.
They could add a few more options to the menu. They use to have a lot more food and drink choices! I remember all the crazy smoothies and apps like pita bread with this amazing sauce! The servers use to smile more and the energy was light and happy.
I just ordered the steamed vegetable dumplings which were okay and the coconut rice with raisins which was also just okay. They used yellow rice which is more Indian/​middle eastern then Thai (sweet white rice). The rice was bland. The raisins saved it. The green tea bubble tea also had hardly any flavor. The bubble tea was the least flavorful and brown which confused me.
My dad ordered the Butternut Squash Risotto with Toasted Almonds. Hands down his was the best. He’s not vegan like I am and he raved over it. Kind of wished I got that instead.
I’m disappointed with my food… I really want to like this place like I use to. Something happened…
I’m still giving 4 stars. I feel bad. This place use to be my favorite of all! I hope they get better again.

This is the first vegetarian restaurant I have ever been to and I must say I was pleasantly surprised! I am a hardcore meat-​eater and the prospects of feeling satisfied from a dish without meat never registered with me. My friend ordered a curry dish, and I ordered the Singaporean fried noodles. Both were amazing!
The ambiance of the restaurant was very tranquil and relaxing. I thought service was great as well. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for delicious food, vegetarians and non-​vegetarians alike!

I’m not a vegan or vegetarian, and I love this place. On top of great food at decent prices, the interior has a nice vibe with good service. I came here on a Thursday night around 6:30 with my friend. There were a few people dining, but it wasn’t crowded at all. At first I was afraid I had chosen the wrong place to take my vegetarian friend, but I was so wrong. I think the lack of a crowd was just because Gobo doesn’t offer any meat, and that probably scares some people.
We both ordered small plates and we both left satisfied but not full (which is fantastic since we’re both getting back in shape). I ordered the eggplant stuffed with herbed tofu cheese. It was FANTASTIC. It tasted like I had ordered the dish from an Italian restaurant. I forget what my friend got (I think it was the braised tofu?), and she also loved her food.
Our food came out in a timely manner, and our server was attentive without hovering. For our two meals the bill came out to be less than $ 30. That’s pretty impressive for dinner on the UES! We both can’t wait to come back here. It’s definitely worth checking out, even if you aren’t vegetarian or vegan.

Came here with a friend after a run in the park. we were looking for something healthy in the area. Gobo was a solid choice for veggie lovers. They had some variety on their menu, but some of the combos of food seemed like of strange to me.
My tofu eggs were just ok, but the sausage was very good.
The fresh juice was good too.
Not sure if this is a kind of place I will come to a lot (I like meat…), but it’s a solid healthy option in the area.

i had the veggie burger with yam fries… delicious. I was so stuffed I was unable to have dessert, which I hear is really good.

One of my friends raved about Gobo downtown, so when I was uptown recently I went to the UES location for dinner.
I was greeted and quickly seated in the large dining room at the banquette. The server was quite friendly and helped with several suggstions.
The avocado tartare was essentially guacamole presented much like tuna tartare. Why isn’t it vegan, I asked. Because it contains honey, the server explained. Anyway, it was tasty.
I had the king oyster mushrooms in black bean sauce. I noticed that another reviewer called the food here much like that at a Chinese restaurant. I can see that with this dish, but then again, I spooned up every last drop of that sauce.
That said, it seemed like Gobo’s dining room had seen better days and needs a bit of a refresh. My table and most others had the finish worn away by dishes and drinks. While it may be pricey to refinish the tables, table cloths don’t cost too much. Or maybe the worn out look is supposed to go with the all natural theme. If so, it might be time to rethink that.
With a dizzying array of choices in the city (even vegan, healthy, etc.), I think you can do better than Gobo.

Great place for dinner or lunch! The décor inside is nice and welcoming and the server was very friendly.
5 stars across the board!
Rejuvenate juice was delicious! It was organic fresh juice with carrot, apple, ginger and spinach. Amazing!
Roti Canai with Malaysian Curry had a great flavor, similar to something i make at home and it tasted great!
Pine nut Vegetable Medley Lettuce wraps were really good. The vegetable mix tasted fresh and light and the lettuce leaves were crisp and green.
Veggie sliders were amazing! The bread was really soft and the veggie patty tasted very fresh. The yogurt sauce was similar to rita (indian sauce) which was great to add to the sliders.
Lemon chamomile tea was nice and light, unfortunately they were out of green tea so this was my second option.
Overall this place was amazingly delicious! And I would definitely come back to try other dishes on the menu if I am ever back in NY!
Side note: We unfortunately had the experience of the server seating a mother and daughter right next to us (when the entire restaurant was 75% empty), and to say it in a nice way… we wanted to move tables after awhile since we got headaches from them talking so loudly.

Good spot for yummy vegetarian food. Butternut squash risotto, avocado tartare and yam fries are delicious. Also had a really good bubble tea! Nice change of pace from some of the other spots I frequent.

I love eating here! I love the food at gobo and at both locations. Although I think the upper east side one is a bit more formal than west village. I’ve added photos of all my dishes. I absolutely love love the nori and bean curd with kale dish. The roti was also a favorite. Will be back. If I was serve this every day, I would be vegetarian forever! I swear!

My mom and I had the protein with sweet and sour sauce and the spaghetti and wheat balls and we loved it! The bubble tea was a but overpriced especially for what it costs, but the drink menu was vast and there are many other things to try like smoothies and protein boosts. This is a great place for vegetarians. Very tranquil atmosphere.

My friend and I stumbled upon this place on our walk back to the train station. From the sight of the menu, Gobo offered good variety of asian fusion food. However, what I dislike about this place is the small portion size. My friend and I both ordered two entrees and two appetizers and we were still hungry for more after pigging out on our orders. the orders were bland and we wanted more. We decided to order one more entrée to fill our hunger.
Would I come back? I do not know. the food was okay, but it overpriced and came with same portions. The service was good and attentive. The ambiance was nice, especially for a date.

My sister’s friend says that Gobo is one of his favorite restaurants ever, and given that I live basically a two-​minute walk from here, I should’ve tried it sooner. With my vegetarian sister finally in town, we decided to pop in on a recent Saturday night for dinner.
Gobo’s menu presents an Asian-​influenced offering of all-​vegetarian dishes including stir fries, noodle dishes and other creative bites, in a stylish, open dining room. As I am usually not a fan of seitan and tempeh, I stuck with more basic dishes, but we still enjoyed a varied mix of foods. We shared the yam fries and an order of dumplings, both of which were flavorful. The yam fries, battered and generously cut, were a standout. For my main, I ordered Singapore stir fry mai-​fun which was served in a generous portion, but not the Curry-​tinged creation I had hoped for. Instead, I got something more akin to ordinary Chinese take-​out, with a few vegetables and a bit of tofu mixed in. My sister’s order of oyster mushrooms in black bean sauce looked better, but there’s still something a little dull about all of the food here.
We enjoyed a couple of interesting beers from their menu including an organic sorghum beer which was a pleasant departure from the same old. Service was speedy and friendly, and this is a pleasant place to have a bite, but I think they have rather stiff competition among other vegetarian spots in the neighborhood, so they could use to step their game up a little bit more overall.

I had lunch here yesterday after a visit to the Met. I loved the menu and wanted to try everything on it. We ended up deciding on the prix fixe (which is a really great deal.) I had the vegan frittata, which came with lots of lovely steamed kale, some tasty potatoes, delicious grainy bread and a wee teacup of tomato soup (a surprise not listed on the menu.) I also had a fresh squeezed juice and the mango, coconut and tapioca pudding. It was all very tasty, although the kale had no seasoning.
My friend had the truffled mushroom panini and raved about it the entire meal. She would know good vegan food, having been vegan for over 2 decades.
I wish we had one of these in Chicago!

5 stars for Gobo’s takeout service…
They have a special menu for takeout including about 20 different «bento boxes.» The boxes range from $ 9 – 15 and contain a slightly smaller portion of an entrée and slightly smaller portion of an appetizer. It comes in this cute little lunchtray-​type box… and they really pack A LOT of food in there. They even care to place certain items on lovely little bed of butter lettuce and pack the dipping sauce in separate sturdy little containers.
They are super quick and the food comes out piping hot.

Yay for healthy food! Went here for the $ 20 2-​course pre-​fixe weekend brunch after running at Central Park. I had the soy burger w/​yam fries and it was the perfect portion. My friend had a truffled mushroom panini w/​salad. We had the sangria which was ok. For dessert (part of Pre-​fixe), we had mango pudding and chocolate green tea cake.
The atmosphere was very zen and clean bathroom!!! Waitress was friendly and I didn’t feel rushed like other NY restaurants.

I’m not a full blown vegetarian but this place still deserves a 5 star for its impeccable dishes and cleanliness. I would go back here at least twice a year and I’m glad they offer new dishes every time I go back. This time, I ordered a braised tofu with walnuts drizzled with sweet and spicy Thai sauce. I really love tofu so this was my favorite dish so far. I also ordered a side of brown rice that was mixed with pine nuts, which really added a more chewy texture to it.
5 stars to the awesome chef
5 stars to the friendly staff
5 stars to the clean and zen ambiance