While dinner is hit or miss, the lunch buffet is REALLY good. I've brought friends there who have very different palates and are meat eaters, and they've all loved it. It becomes a regular place... More

While dinner is hit or miss, the lunch buffet is REALLY good. I've brought friends there who have very different palates and are meat eaters, and they've all loved it. It becomes a regular place for us to meet now, when we have lunch. Everything is fresh, without much oil (other place's pad thai gets greasy), and variety. I love their thai take on kim chi, slightly sweet, less heat, great as a side with your meal. The spring rolls are perfectly crisp, the peanut sauce is creamy/savory, and the large rice cooker contains a very high quality brown rice. The servers are always busy with crowds, so help yourself as soon as you get a table. Their thai iced tea with coconut milk is sweet and strong--- a nice pairing with the savory meal. Don't miss the hot and sour soup (with plenty of galangala!) If you're a vegetarian and you want to bring a hard-core meat eater somewhere for lunch, I highly suggest Araya--- they won't realize they're not eating meat. They'll find the pad thai, fried rice, spring rolls, and stir fry familiar and "safe." Both of you will revel in the tasty-ness of Araya. PS---They're a great local, family owned business, too.
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I want to like this place more than I do. I want to fall in love with a vegan Thai buffet. I want to eat there for lunch every day. But, alas, no such luck. Araya is OK. I will always eat there... More

I want to like this place more than I do. I want to fall in love with a vegan Thai buffet. I want to eat there for lunch every day. But, alas, no such luck. Araya is OK. I will always eat there occasionally. But it's never blown me away.
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While lots of places can have vegan options, it's nice to go to a place that is just completely vegan. And 'regular' people can eat there too. It's a nice atmosphere. There's a reason they have been... More

While lots of places can have vegan options, it's nice to go to a place that is just completely vegan. And 'regular' people can eat there too. It's a nice atmosphere. There's a reason they have been in business for a while. And of course, great food too.
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What a lunch buffet! I have been to Araya Vegan in the past for dinner and have always found the food to be wonderful, but for the first time, I went for the lunch buffet that I have heard so much... More

What a lunch buffet! I have been to Araya Vegan in the past for dinner and have always found the food to be wonderful, but for the first time, I went for the lunch buffet that I have heard so much about! It was fantastic! There were lots of choices of different kinds of food and different levels of spiciness and everything was fresh and tasty. I went alone and the atmosphere was casual, I wasn't the only one dining alone (I may have been the only one eating and reading Star magazine :).) I imagine this would be a fun place with a friend too!
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I have been going to Araya for almost five years, both in its old location on the Ave and its new location on 45th. While the old location was definitely cozier and quirkier (in a good way), the... More

I have been going to Araya for almost five years, both in its old location on the Ave and its new location on 45th. While the old location was definitely cozier and quirkier (in a good way), the quality of the food has not changed a bit. The lunch buffet ($6.99) is excellent, including rice, several kinds of salad and mixed vegetables, phad thai, soup, and black sticky rice pudding. I go there almost just for the tom yum soup and black sticky rice pudding. The entrees are also great, if you happen to go when the buffet is not available. The presentation of the food is beautiful, on different shaped and colored plates and with varying garnishes. They run $8-12 and are well worth the price - the flavors are varied and rich. I can't recommend Araya enough! Give it a try.
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Is not buffet and I've never been for lunch. The food and service are both excellent. The decor is pretty over the top since they moved. While not certified kosher the ingredient list contains... More

Is not buffet and I've never been for lunch. The food and service are both excellent. The decor is pretty over the top since they moved. While not certified kosher the ingredient list contains nothing that is problematic by ingredient, including colorings and the like. Not quite as spicy as I like but that just means you need to adjust your ordering to counter it.
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If you are a vegeterian like me or a vegan lover, or heck just like good vegan food :) be sure to visit this place near the u. district! The buffet is what I usually try, and its very well... More

If you are a vegeterian like me or a vegan lover, or heck just like good vegan food :) be sure to visit this place near the u. district! The buffet is what I usually try, and its very well priced - 8$ inlcuding tax :) There wide variety of dishes - pad-thai, rice (they keep on changing this), green curry, lots of salads, hot spring rolls, mixed vegetables, lots of spicy sauces :), and sweet dish (brown rice/coconut milk) in the end. All the food is usually warm - unless you reach there around 2:00 or 3:00. Best time is around 11-12 in the afternoon. The place is well decorated and enough seating room. From my workplace we usually go here once every week (I know few from my work that go here 3-4 times a week!!) Did I mention its all vegan!!! (there's a non-vegan place next door, apparently run by the same folks)
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I can not say enough good things about this place. It is amazing Thai food and vegan to boot! I have taken many meat eating friends there who loved it as much as I do. They have a buffet during the... More

I can not say enough good things about this place. It is amazing Thai food and vegan to boot! I have taken many meat eating friends there who loved it as much as I do. They have a buffet during the days, which is wonderful, if you haven't eaten the main menu dishes. They are so much more wonderful than the buffet. The food is always very fresh and tasty, as well as beautifully presented. There is never a long wait to be seated or to get your food. The prices are reasonable and the staff is always wonderful. The range of delicious and yummy veggies and soy products is always a treat. Do yourself a favor and go and eat there!
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Araya is probably most popular for its all-you-can-eat vegetarian Thai lunch buffet. In theory, this sounds great to me. Maybe I was just having an off-day, but in practice my stomach was not up... More

Araya is probably most popular for its all-you-can-eat vegetarian Thai lunch buffet. In theory, this sounds great to me. Maybe I was just having an off-day, but in practice my stomach was not up to the task. The problem was looking at gloppy noodles and such in the chafing dishes and then seeing those same noodles (and such) being slurped and burped by many a scruffy naturalist who eshews soap of any kind as unnatural. If you plan to go, just be aware that smelly fellow diners are part of the atmosphere.
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Arayas, which recently moved from its long time location on the Ave in the University district to a nearby location on 45th, is fantastic, sure to please both the vegan/vegetarian (who will be... More

Arayas, which recently moved from its long time location on the Ave in the University district to a nearby location on 45th, is fantastic, sure to please both the vegan/vegetarian (who will be extatic at the amount of amazing choices avaialble) and their meat-loving friends (who may just forget about their desire for meat while they slurp down this awesome food that doesn't seem to lack anything) with their huge variety of delicious, fresh, spicy, saucy, noodle-y vegan dishes. A perk of Arayas is that they do a great lunch buffet, for about $6-7, i think, during which you are allowed to graze amidst plates and plates of wonderful entrees and try all of the items. they also have really delicious tom yum soup. this just might be my favorite restaurant in seattle, and I highly recommend it to anybody, vegetarian or otherwise!
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