Jyoti-Bihanga

I’ve been eating at this restaurant for years and I love it. The food is fantastic and they have amazing service. Highly highly recommend Jyoti.
My only concern is that it’s disappointing that often times I’ll drive over there for lunch or early dinner all excited about the yummy food I’ll be enjoying… only to find that they are closed :(
I think they go on retreat or something like that and close randomly so I would call ahead of time to see if they are open.

I went here with a party of 8. Food was outstanding I had there raw pasta entrée and it was better than most Italian restaurants I’ve been to. The only complaint I have is our server never smiled and didn’t give you a warm feeling. I’ll definitely come back and try some other dishes.

The soups at this place are amazing! Love love love every single one they make. The dal is a gift from the heavens.

Zen. This is the best way I can describe my experience dining in here.
Upon entering, immediately I felt like I had been transported to an idyllic peaceful land. The waiters were all dressed in light blue attire and when I asked for a table they replied with, «choose any you like». I giggled.
I ordered the neatloaf entrée which came with a vegan meatloaf and a side of mashed potatoes with vegan gravy. It was so delicious and I’ve never had vegan food taste so good. Seriously considering making a lifestyle change after eating here!
Although I didn’t get a dessert I saw other people order it and the slices of cake and pie are huge!
I highly recommend eating here :).

I didn’t want to review this establishment until I had a few meals under my belt with them because, as you know, servers can have on/​off days and meals can be good one day and bad the next. However, I am pleased to announce that this place remains consistent in both food and service. The staff is very friendly and the food is exceptional. Yesterday’s meal really took the cake, no pun intended. I chose the grilled portobello salad and carrot coconut soup. Both were amazing! The soup was really quite incredible and probably the best soup I have ever had. Very rich and creamy I actually wish it were on the menu full time I guess that’s my only gripe. ;) Still, five stars. When a restaurant has been in business for over 30 years you’re doing something right and I couldn’t agree more! Can’t wait to go back… and I hope the carrot and coconut soup is on special when I do. :)

The food is EXCELLENT– the beet-​hummus wrap is amazing, so too is the carrot-​coconut soup. I’m a vegetarian so I was in heaven with all the choices. With that said– the ambiance is just plain weird. I got the feeling all the servers were members of a cult, with these weird, dazed looks on their faces. They were pleasant enough, just vapid and void of any personality, also a bit robotic. Not that it put much of a damper on my experience; I wasn’t there to make friends with the staff, I was there for the food. Highly recommend it.

we went for the famous Mothers Day Brunch on Sunday. Always love Jyoti so we had to check it ouit. WOW! all you can eat vegan blueberry pancakes, french toast, tofu scramble, fruits, yogurt. amazing experience.

I love coming to this place I’ve never had a bad experience here. My favorite thing to order is the mock turkey wrap it comes with a side salad with fresh veggies it’s very very good!

Love, so delicious, the staff could be friendlier… But the price is right and the dishes are fresh and well prepared

Food is really good. I come here pretty regularly for a light vegetarian meal. Everything from the wraps, sandwiches to the curries are all very tasty. The atmosphere is kind of weird, too quiet and sterile for my taste.

Excellent «Neatloaf» sandwich. Filling and tasty. Reasonably priced. Calm and peaceful surroundings. Why not eat here?

Good selection of vegan items. I had the neatloaf, which was good though is a very starchy meal with potatoes and bread. It would be good with veggies. I also had the vegan chocolate mousse cake, which was fantastic, and the apple pie, which was okay.

In my pursuit of health and happiness a satisfying meal and experience can be hard to come by. Jyoti-Bihanga’s food is clearly made with love and compassion. It is a Vegan brunch. As an omnivore, its just as delicious as anywhere else. Its too easy to get caught up in the same old same old and Jyoti-Bihanga’s breaks that cycle for me. I will gladly come back when they have these special brunches and definitely have to come back and try the regular menu.

This was my second time here. As a gluten-​free vegetarian who loves flavorful and creative dishes, eating out can be a challenge. The food here is amazing if you’re craving fresh, light, quality food! I’ve tried the gluten free vegan meatloaf sandwich and the Cali burger — both awesome! Their lemon-​tahini dressing also had me licking my bowl.
The only negative thing about this place (and I consider it a big negative) is the incredibly awkward ambiance. I’m all for zen and whatnot, but it feels incredibly unwelcoming and like I’m stepping into a different world. Everyone is whispering and the severs all seem very zoned out. To avoid this, I call in my orders for pick-​up and only have to endure the awkwardness for about 5 min.

Have been a patron of this place
For over 7 years.
Atmosphere: clean and simple. A no frills place.
Service: The servers are subdued and peaceful wearing Indian dress.
Menu /​food: delicious vegan and vegetarian. Many options on the menu. I often order from their daily special. My favorite is the Reuben sandwich served with salad and mashed
Potatoes with mushroom gravy. Other savory fares are the mushroom quesadilla, the lentil coconut soup. When I find food that I love, I hardly waver to test other items. However, all their desserts are homemade goodness.
They serve a wonderful Sunday’s buffet breakfast and brunch for $ 10.00
All you can eat. Must call since it’s not always open.
I often come here for the food.
Parking is available next to the restaurant and entrance on Adams Ave.
Enjoy the causal atmosphere.
Namaste

I order the butternut squash kofta curry.
The curry sauce was really good and the rice was cooked nice. The TEXTURE of the kofta ball wasn’t good, it was too chunky. Original kofta is soft. PLUS they had Nooo hot sauce that went with the food. They had a off brand mexican hot sauce that didn’t compliment the food. I’m so confused by that. The service was slow and it wasn’t busy. The customer service SUCKED! Took forever for someone to come to give us menus, though they kept looking at us. Finally they came with a menu and left. We had to flag them down minutes later for water/​order drinks. They were awkward when it was time to order. They didn’t check on us to see if the food was good, just if we needed a box to go.
Oh was the price worth it? Nawwww it was not, but it was healthy-I’m sure my body appreciated it more than I did.

OK, I’m a yogi (a Yoga practitioner). The type of yoga I practice is «Ashtanga yoga.» I don’t mean to brag but Ashtanga yoga is tough because of the many athletic movements it involves.
I read a fantastic Ashtanga Yoga book from Kino Macgregor called «The Power of Ashtanga Yoga I.» It was so good that it motivated me to eat a clean, yogic, «sattivic» meal the next day.
So, on the next day, I was in this area because I was doing some Christmas shopping at the Adams Avenue bookstore. I’ve been to Normal Heights many times and I’ve passed by this restaurant so many times and I finally stopped by here because I always sensed a strong yogic vibe here.
When I stopped by, I noticed how beautiful the interior is. It’s large and it feels so clean in here.
I looked at the menu and I was so surprised and happy when I saw the «Yoga bowl» on the menu. IT TOTALLY READ MY MIND. I wanted a yogic meal and they have a yogic meal!
The description on the menu sounded amazing so I ordered it RIGHT AWAY.
Man, my taste buds were in heaven. It was one of the best things I’ve ever had in my life. I was in a calm state of mind. The beet hummus on the yoga bowl was seriously awesome. I must emphasize it once more, IT WAS SERIOUSLY AWESOME.
I ordered rice pudding for dessert and just like the Yoga bowl, I really enjoyed this one. It was served warm and it was a perfect comfort after walking through the cold storm outside.
I didn’t order the popular item on this menu, «the neatloaf» because I was on that gluten free tip. Next time I stop by here, I’ll be sure to ask if they can make it gluten free.
So, this is San Diego’s longest running vegetarian/​vegan restaurant and I can see why this restaurant has been around for so long. IT’S SO GOOD.
5 stars well deserved

Came here for lunch while writing at a nearby coffee shop. This wasn’t our first choice, but it was a nice little find in our search for something to eat. As soon as you walk in, the feel of the place is light and airy! The high ceilings with the big windows letting a lot of light in was a great feel and atmosphere to eat in. There were a lot of things on the menu and a white board that listed the specials for the day.
After reading all (not all but a lot) of the reviews, I decided to go with the most talked about menu item — the Neatloaf. It was tasty… and had the consistency of meatloaf without the meat! I enjoyed the mashed potatoes that came with it as well. While it was definitely a truly vegetarian dish… I can’t say it was better than or equal to meat loaf… it just fell short. Tasty, but not the best.
The staff were super friendly and the service was fast. While I’m not vegetarian, I do enjoy visiting different vegetarian places to explore and trye staff were super friendly and the service was fast.

This is one of the better vegetarian/​vegan joints in town! The majority of their dishes are pretty «clean» and you won’t find a ton of processed and deep-​fried faux meat you’ll find elsewhere. Most of their options are vegetarian though you can have them customize it to 100% vegan for certain dishes.
I’ve tried a number of their dishes and haven’t been disappointed with any of them. The most popular dish here is their «neat loaf.» Yes, that wasn’t a typo. Even meat loaf lovers will enjoy this plate. It’ll definitely give your tummy the satisfaction it’s been asking for!
If you’re feeling extra hungry, go for a bowl of their lentil soup! It’ll prepare your tummy for the goodness that’s to come!
Come with an open mind, give your palate some time to adjust to the flavors and you’ll enjoy everything here!

*Man silently walks up and pours room temperature water into our glasses*
Is ice too severe for such a peaceful restaurant? Speaking of peaceful, the décor is somewhere in between a hospice and a nursery, and the lack of music caused us to talk in hushed tones because it seemed appropriate.
When the waiter finally appeared to take our order (after almost 30 «relaxing» minutes) I was surprised by his aloofness. Someone asked for a suggestion and he was exasperated by the innocent question and seemed to be unfamiliar with not only speaking to customers but also the menu. In a hushed manner he disappeared again, almost never to be seen again.
We patiently waited OVER 45 MINUTES for our dinner to make its way through the kitchen door. You know that lightheaded feeling you get when you stand up too fast and are deprived of nutrition? All 7 of us felt that way. Yes, there were 7 people, which I acknowledge is a relatively large group. But still, we sat on the edges of our seats as numerous tables were seated, fed, and cleared before we even ate.
As psychosis — from lack of food and an hour of them tantalizing us with passing food — developed, we contemplated eating the lemons in the water and even the potted plants decorating the «eatery». Reflecting on the experience I wonder if part of their philosophy is that meditation can nourish the soul and therefore overcome caloric deprivation?
Probably not. Anyways, I ordered the «Chicken» Pesto Wrap. The side salad and dressing were quite delicious. The dish went downhill from there. I first noticed the wrap was dripping oil from the pesto and an abundance of spinach was overcompensating for the lack of «chicken»… I do remember the pesto tasting nice, but every other flavor was drowned out by the tortilla. They might receive their whole wheat tortillas from Staples; at first I mistook the tortilla for cardboard. One of my friends pointed out how the meal was actually more delicious because of our severe hunger… Keep in mind it was not good.
It took 15 minutes for the mysterious waiter to split the checks. And, to top off the excellent experience I left hungry (not as starving as I had arrived, but still hungry). Needless to say I will not be returning, but if you are trying to loose weight and throw away some money I do advise you to eat here.