Ovo
Japanese
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. 善Zen is an okonomiyaki restaurant. Has English menu with vegetarian options - check which ones of these are or can be vegan. Open Tue-Sun 5:00pm-10:00pm.
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Hanamaki Building, 5 Chome-10-9, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 160-0022
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Last update on 24 Jun 2023 by doomsandal
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Added by CandieCat on 14 Nov 2018
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74 Reviews
First Review by CandieCat
pauldyson
Points +186
Tasty Food - Edit
Separate vegan menu with plenty of choices
Read moreGuest
MeaganKiely
Points +871
Tasty Okonomiyaki - Edit
Good vegan options, fast service! Would definitely go back
Read moreGuest
13stairs
Points +1036
Just ok - Edit
They charge extra for plant based dishes but everything is clearly labeled on their menu. There was a table charge too and they give you a little cube of tofu for that.
Read moreWe were seated in the counter, right in front of the grill. Vegan food is cooked on the same grill as other ingredients just like in most teppanyaki places.
Staff spoke English and knows vegetarians and vegans wouldn't want fish sauce in their food.
We came here because the other okonomiyaki restaurant we wanted to eat at was already fully booked for the night. After eating at that place and wanting to go again, Zen had big shoes to fill but we weren’t impressed with the food. I didn't think their okonomiyaki was that good.
Updated from previous review on 2025-04-27
Pros: Clearly labeled vegan dishes
Cons: Cash only, Smokey, Table charge
Guest
jennyc32
Points +4220
Tasty food - Edit
We were looking for a meal close to Shinjuku station, so we gave this a try. We attempted to book a table online but couldn't get the form to work. Luckily we got in without a wait at around 6.45pm on a Friday - it was busy but no waiting.
Read moreBased on other reviews, my understanding was that everything on the vegan page is vegetarian, meaning that the cheese is dairy and so the truly vegan dishes are those that do not list cheese as an ingredient. Because of that inaccurate use of the word "vegan", I'm knocking off a star in my rating.
We all got the basic vegan okonomiyaki. It was quite thick, a really generous portion. One member of our group thought there was too much sauce on top - I don't like saucy food much and I thought it was fine though. For me there was a bit too much ginger in it, but another member of our group really loved that. Overall it was neither the best nor worse okonomiyaki I've tried, it was good but not mind-blowing. The little dish of tofu on arrival was really nice, very well seasoned.
Service was fast and friendly. There's an English menu and our server spoke good English too. There are some tables with chairs, some low tables with mats, and some stools at the bar.
Guest
lofijosh
Points +25
Fantastic staff and great food! - Edit
I loved this place, great okonomiyaki!
Read moreGuest
LarsMueller
Points +473
pretty good but pricy - Edit
Surprisingly it was very filling and also delicious. There was a table charge (Tofu) and i payed 1850 yen only for the basic vegan okonomiyaki, so it is not cheap.
Read morePros: comfortable restaurant, Delicious , i was full after it
Cons: Pricy (the vegan is more expensive), slow
Guest
anaellel
Points +688
Good - Edit
Good vegan okonomiyaki. Nothing fancy, but nice to be able to try traditional Japanese food made vegan. Friendly staff.
Read moreGuest
veggiejodo
Points +19
Excellent food and service - Edit
The servers were very friendly and spoke amazing English, the food was delicious and very filling with large serves.
Read moreJust note the vegetarian menu is more like pescatarian. For vegetarian, go to the vegan menu, which has some vegetarian items (including cheese) and other items are vegan. The English menus are otherwise clearly marked and the servers will double-check the ingredients when you order.
Guest
DaleWylde
Points +66
Great local food - Edit
Great classic Japanese dish. The staff speak good English and understand what vegan means. Big portion size and good price honestly you could probably feed 2 people with 1 dish. Vegan orders are cooked on a separate cooker. Also delicious, great vibe and really friendly staff.
Read morePros: Food was delicious , Staff understand vegan , Very cozy traditional Japanese feel
Cons: Only really 2 vegan options but theyre delicious
Guest
StephF
Points +139
Awesome staff - Edit
The food was quite good but the real standout were the staff who went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time and that everything was vegan. Surprisingly knowledgeable given it’s not a vegan restaurant. It was very quiet when we were there (around 7:30pm on a Tuesday) - no trouble getting a seat and the full attention of the staff.
Read morePros: Fantastic staff
Guest
RahelT.
Points +17
Super fein - Edit
Das Restaurant ist sehr authentisch. Es hat eine ganze Seite vegetarische Angebote und eine weitere Seite vegane Angebote.
Read moreGuest
Gwenne
Points +25
Delicious okonomiyaki - Edit
A reasonable choice of dishes with plenty of help from server to ensure nothing unwanted was in the dish.
Read morePros: Very helpful service, Delicious food, Different seating options
Guest
pemasaskia
Points +372
great okonoyimaki!! - Edit
i was there between 5 and 6 pm on a thursday night and i was the only patron for most of it, two businessmen came in later. staff were super welcoming and friendly. i originally asked for the vegetarian cheese okonoyimaki, but when i asked if it could be made without dashi they said they would give me the vegan one instead (but it still had presumably dairy cheese on it... so it wasn't vegan...). this was prepared in front of me and was super yummy and filling. it was on the expensive side, as you have to order a drink and there is a ¥250 per person table charge, so my total was nearly ¥3k. but it was a great experience and i would recommend to any vegan/vegetarian in the area!
Read moreGuest
mikaelaadair
Points +33
Good food but better staff - Edit
Very clear menu and staff happy to discuss options with you. Food was good, had the udon stir fry and edamame. Wish I tried the okonomiyaki though. The chefs were all very chatty and talked with me for a few hours (gave advice on my travels through google translate and maps). Would come back again if I was in the area!
Read morePros: Clear menu , Lovely staff
Cons: Udon didn’t have much flavour, was quite plain
Guest
elinerenne_
Points +638
Recommend! - Edit
Nice place, friendly staff and good food. Order came fast. Really recommend the ginger one,
Read moreGuest
Elsinore
Points +37
Loved it! - Edit
Food was great: flavourful and freshly made to order. There’s an English menu witha clearly indicated vegetarian and vegan section. The waiter spoke English and kindly asked whether we wanted dashi or not when we ordered options from the vegetarian menu.
Read moreVery friendly staff who even went out of their way to take a photo of us after we left the restaurant and lend us an umbrella since it had started to rain.
Guest
macurqcron
Points +60
Vegan Okonomiyaki! - Edit
Freaking delicious Okonomiyaki. We got the “modern” version with udon noodles. Vegan page at the back of the menu. Large portions, but can get a take away container for leftovers. Seems like you need to buy a drink with your food. Lively atmosphere, would totally go back
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-07
Pros: Okonomiyaki, Lively atmosphere , Good drinks
Guest
kaleifornian
Points +194
okonomiyaki heaven - Edit
zen is a traditional okonomiyaki restaurant with vegan options. my go-to is edamame, side of avocado, ginger okonomiyaki & cold sake. they also seem to serve a little cold tofu at the beginning of you meal like bread at some restaurants in the states. love the tofu, so cute.
Read moreGuest
SamGilbert
Points +98
Delicious Japanese Food! - Edit
They have a specific section at the back of the menu for vegan dishes. I went for dinner twice during my stay in Tokyo, got the delicious okonomiyaki modern (savoury pancake with vegetables and udon noodles) with a side dish of edamame. Was served with a small portion of soft tofu topped with spring onions and ginger 🔥👌🏻 Also peanut-free which was important to me having an allergy. I would definitely recommend!
Read moreGuest
digitalmimi
Points +1906
Good Okonomiyaki - Edit
Happy to find a place in the city center with vegan options. Vegetarians beware, the “vegetarian” options actually have fish broth in them, so aren’t truly vegetarian. Restaurant is able to accommodate larger groups.
Read moreThe only thing I was disappointed was that you didn’t get to grill the okonomiyaki yourself
Guest
sophieliv8
Points +61
Vegan okonomiyaki - Edit
Nice option that suits everyone, as they have a variety of vegan and meat options. The tomato vegan Okonomiyaki was pretty good and decently sized. Important to note that this place like most in tokyo, has a one drink , one food order per person rule.
Read moreGuest
jfarmer
Points +54
Brilliant ! - Edit
Excellent service, and get options for not vegan and vegetarian! Must try !
Read moreGuest
d.vegan
Points +903
tasty and filling - Edit
a lot of vegan okonomiyaki and side choices!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-11-23
Guest
SvB1987
Points +236
Complicated menu - Edit
Staff is helpful and will make sure your diet requirements are met.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-11-20
Guest
Sanglier
Points +192
Bon mais confusion des genres - Edit
J'ai eu l'impression que Zen pense que végétarien = pescatarien et vegan = végétarien ovo-lacto. Des plats contenant du poisson sont sur le menu végétarien et du fromage sur le menu vegan. Pensez à vérifier !
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-11-17
Pros: bon produit, personnel sympathique , anglais courant
Cons: Pas sûr que vegan du Zen soit vraiment vegan
Guest
ssavoy
Points +24
Great dinner - Edit
They have many vegan options, food was delicious, and the waiter was fully knowledgeable about vegan food.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-10-28
Pros: Traditional Japanese dinner experience but vegan, Non-alcoholic beer available, Knowledgeable waiter
Guest
DarkRequiem
Points +42
Delicious vegan okonomiyaki - Edit
Great cosy venue, really friendly staff. They all are knowledgeable about veganism, and everything is clearly labelled on the menu. Highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
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