Curly's Lunch
Categories: Vegetarian, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village328 E 14th St
(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003 (212) 598-9998
- Nearest Transit:
1st Ave-14th St (L)
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
76 Reviews for Curly's Lunch
Not bad, not bad at all...
Went for brunch with 2 others- after waiting for like 40 min, decided to move on to Angelika's around the corner...
Came back a few days later STILL craving the vegan pancakes with fruit. So, up, ordered for dinner. All food was yummy!
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So, in response to a friend threatening me with Vegan restaurants, I turned to my handy Yelp and started searching for an alternative that we both could be happy with. And we found it in Curly's Lunch.
This is a cute little hole in the wall serving very tasty food. I ordered the School Lunch (Mac & Cheese) which came with a nice-sized side salad. I actually couldn't finish the main course (which is occupying space in my fridge, and will serve nicely as dinner tonight with another salad). All for $12. I tasted my friend's chili, which was excellent (will order that next time) -- very well spiced and flavorful. The fresh lemonade is also good, instead of overly sweet as so many serve it, it's got just enough sweetness to balance the sour, but it's nice and tart.
Too full to try the vegan cakes, which I'm curious about, but I think I'll be back.....
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A vegetarian's delight! Curly's Lunch is such an awesome place because vegetarians, vegans, AND meat-eaters will be happy with their meals!
Went last night with my boyfriend. He was the one who discovered this place, and what a great boyfriend he is to pick out a place where he knew I'd be just as happy as he was with the food. I had the Population 400 Million Wrap, which was divine. It had the perfect amount of spice, was HUGE, and super healthy (lots of greens, black beans, grains, and veggies). Mega protein for all you vegetarians! My boyfriend had the Old School Public School Lunch which was mac & cheese (and he opted for the broccoli in there as well). It came with a side salad.
I was so happy to see that everything on the menu can be made vegan, and it'll only cost you 25 cents extra!
Will be back very, very soon. Great local spot and very unique!
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Ordered from here for the first time the other night. The girl who answered the phone makes this place deserve an extra star, because she was so nice (I didn't have a menu in front of me and asked a lot of annoying questions).
I got the TLT and was going to share the California melt with a friend, along with an order of curly fries to share.
The food arrived promptly. 18.50 for two sandwiches and a side of fries? This seemed like a lot, but whatever, this is New York City and cheap vegetarian food is an anomaly, I'm convinced.
The TLT was on perfectly toasted 7-grain bread. It was literally PILED with lettuce, very fresh romaine, thankfully, but this was more of a lettuce sandwich than anything else and I don't really think it was worth 8 bucks or whatever it costs. The soy bacon was a variety I've never tried--it actually looked like thin strips of bacon, strips of fat mimicked and all. Very tasty and I think more authentic than tempeh bacon, which most places tend to use.
I couldn't even manage to try the California melt because it looked...too cheesy, for lack of a better word. I prefer a sandwich with protein, not tons of cheese and avocado. To be fair, I didn't know what I was ordering, so I'm sure the description of the sandwich would have led me to NOT order it.
The fries were excellent, however. Cripsy, curly, yeah yeah yeah...tasted of clean oil. Yay!
I would order from here again...next time WITH A MENU IN FRONT OF ME.
Now, how is that going to happen, when despite all of my annoying questions and constant apologizing because I didn't have a menu, they failed to include a menu in with our order???
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I went to Curly's twice in two days when I was in NYC a few months ago. SO GOOD! The ambience is cute...a tiny little sidewalk type cafe with one wall completly covered with drawings made by customers on their paper placemats (they give you crayons with your silverware).
I had the buffalo chicken sandwich both times I went, and was in LOVE. The Curly fries it comes with are yummy...but with their bbq sauce they are GREAT (I don't know what it is, but BBQ sauce is SO different in NY than it is in LA!). I also had a glass of sangria while I was there, and it was VERY tasty!
Yummy!
A vegetarian friend took me here a month or so back, and while I'm down with you rabbit-food-types, I really generally prefer my eateries to provide me with some sort of option involving something that used to go "moo," "cluck," or "baa."
That being said, despite a preponderance of tofu littered around the menu, this place was DELICIOUS. As a CA native any attempt at Mexican food is going to need to be pretty damn good to impress me, and I wanted a second stomach so I could just keep eating.
Very tiny, but the single waiter there managed to thread his way through the tables easily, and nobody was kept waiting long.
Can't wait to go back!
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This place is too cute. For starters, I'm not a vegan, or even a vegetarian. A wannabe vegan friend brought me here for a snack the other night, describing it as an "adorable hole in the wall." I thought that was sort of oxymoronic until we stepped in to what is quite literally.....a hole in the wall. No door, no wall, totally open space - almost like a rectangular cave. The remaining walls are covered in crayon drawings done on the placemats, and my friend and I happily went about doodling. I ordered the fake chicken nuggets, he got a buffalo chicken sandwich. He loved his, and my nuggets were pretty good - greasy, and kind of thin, but defiantly tasty. Loved the casual, friendly atmosphere, and would definitely come back again!
Mmm. So good! I love vegan and vegetarian restaurants, but this one in particular made me very happy. After a kind of stressful day of being hassled by gym membership people who wanted my money, my girlfriend and I went to this amazing little kind of hidden vegetarian restaurant. The decor is perfect, small, comfortable, single booths, tables and CRAYONS TO COLOR WITH (wow)! Fresh plants, totally open front which gave a great breeze and really warm yellow brick walls. I'm happy just thinking about this place.
I had the East Village Club (portobello, soy bacon, veganaise, lettuce on seven grain) and my GF had the burger with cheddar and soy bacon. Both were really great and they have a pretty long list of vegan cakes-- we tried the cookie cake-- Yum!
Things I definitely want to try next time: something off of their breakfast all the time menu (griddle cakes and vegan pancakes!) and something off their mexican menu (the fresh tacos looked amazing).
The people there were so laid back and friendly in that happy hippy vegetarian restaurant kind of way that it made me want to stay just to hang out. Go to this place, if for no other reason than your day's been stressful and you want to feel comfortable, relax and eat really great animal friendly food.
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Curly's is really delicious, a bit greasy at times but truly yummy. Especially their brunch which is the best deal in the city for brunch by far. If you order an item off of their brunch menu along with the meal included are a tea or coffee and a choice of a mimosa, kir royale, or a sangria. Fantastic!
The curly fries are great, and they do a great thing with their mexican options. Also they have great varieties of sangria, ginger! tropical fruits! great stuff. You can also draw with crayons on the paper placemats which is an excellent way to pass time and if your drawing is especially great it gets to go on the wall. The place is small but its worth the wait. They can make any item on the menu vegan if you would like, I wouldn't recommend the vegan mac and cheese but that's the only thing thus far that has disappointed. Desserts are from Vegan treats so if you're into those this is another place to have those when your out on the town.
Enjoy!
I had a so-so brunch here about three years ago; when my friend whose vegan and no sugar said "let's go to curly's" I figure why not everyone deserves a second chance.
YUM.
I had the Mexican Blue plate chimmichurries which had sweet fried plantains in them, generous portions of brown rice and black beans. It was freaking delish!!!
The peanut butter bomb cake was tasty but too much.
Will definitely return.
Let the mob wait for pizza at artichoke-not me!!!!!
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Curly's is a small, cosy, and affordable vegetarian place a few avenues down from Union Square. Affordable as in filling, quality sandwiches for $7! My friend and I split the philly cheese steak sandwich and mission burrito- both excellent. The sandwich was very well seasoned- even my meat-eating friend enjoyed it. The menu said the burrito was spicy- lo and behold, it actually was! Score. Another plus for the crayons and paper placemats- too bad we didn't have time to showcase our artistic talent given the quick service!
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came last night and had the mac and cheese- it was warm, not hot = the cheese was partly solidified. huge disappointment. my bf's buffalo chicken sandwich was too tangy and the curly fries were bland- i expected them to be seasoned. i'm demoting curly's to 3.5 stars.
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Awesome, cheap veggie food. Mostly junk food, but they have all kinds of stuff - sandwiches, Mexican food, brunch. Everything you loved as a meat-eater but didn't think you could get as a vegetarian/vegan. Really big portions, and the staff is all really nice and friendly. The place is really small but I've never waited for more than 15 minutes.
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Holy crap this was the first vegetarian restaurant I've ever been to!
I really didn't get it. It SAYS meat on the menu, but it's all fake meat. Fake meat? Why? Why?? And doesn't that violate some food law somewhere?
My friends had to apologize to the waitress as I stared, dumb-founded, at the menu.
"Um... so the nachos."
"What kind? Chicken? Beef? Chili?"
"I thought this was a vegetarian restaurant?"
And so on.
My friend's cubano (teehee) looked silly. My other friend's avocado bacon 'wich was delicious. I tried it. It's fakin' bacon, but it was tasty. The blueberry ginger sangria could have been colder, but I love a pitcher of booze with a higher liquor to ice ratio. The nachos were good and huge. Seriously, this is not healthy vegetarian fare.
This is the real deal. I think I even saw a fat vegetarian in Curly's. Oh, wait, no. That was just me. My bad.
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This is one of my favorite vegan spots in NYC (and not just because it's right off the L). I often meet friends here that aren't vege's and they always love it.
My favorite might be the cobb salad(made vegan). Damn good. Their specials menu if always varied and inspired as is their variety of sangria, which I've had the pleasure of getting drunk off of many times. Also the vegan disco fries are huge and amazing.
Also, gotta love all the crayon pictures on the wall.
There is no place in the neighborhood more comforting than Curly's. The crayon drawings on the wall help me embrace my inner hippie/school teacher. Plus the inviting bookshelf by the front door with used paperbacks gives it a cozy cafe vibe.
The aforementioned ambiance and limited seating (no more than 30 friends inside) makes me feel at home. There's a "put up your feet and relax" unwritten rule that is enforced by the servers. So tonight I sit down with my friend, both in our plaid pajama pants, and we look at the menu. There's a lot of Mexican options here, breakfast is served all day and night, and of course the curly fries...
Did I mention this place is vegetarian and vegan friendly? Well, it is. If you're looking for health food it's here. And if you're looking for vegetarian greasy comfort food, it's here too. I decide to go half and half and pick the veggie cheese burger, buffalo curly fries, and vegan ranch sauce.
My friend and I draw simple crayon masterpieces on our place mats while waiting for our grub. Despite sitting close to your neighbors, you can hear yourself talk (and think) at Curly's. Radiohead is playing in the background tonight and slowly I feel the stress from my day fading away. Coloring helps too.
Our food arrives quickly. My veggie burger is the perfect restaurant size and fills me up yet leaves room for some yummy fries. The fries aren't too greasy...I'm almost fooled into thinking they're "healthy" buffalo fries...ha! Despite eating quickly, my friend and I are never ushered out the door and this is always a nice feeling.
A local vegetarian diner/cafe that hits the spot. I dig.
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Ate here once and plan to go back at my leisure, as it was good but not great (hence the 3 stars).
I got the crab salad, and must say I was expecting a crab tasting chicken/tuna-esque salad but got patties on a green salad. But it was still really good. My friend got the 20 ingredient salad and said it was good.
Our waitress was nice but I got paranoid that we were offending her as she twisted her face like a sideshow freak whenever we requested something out of the norm or asked her opinions.
The interior is a step up from dive-diner and has crappy kids or hipster drawings pined up... I think I'm against that? But I hate kids and kid paraphernalia., so if you don't, you'd like it.
I don't remember eating dessert, so I probably didn't like the selection I saw.
When I go back, if the services is better I'd definitely give it 4 stars.
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A very nice omnivorous friend decided to have her birthday dinner here so the two veg*ns in attendance could eat.
Echoing the "very small restaurant, very delicious food" comments -- I had the buffalo chicken sandwich with fries and it was all crispy, flavorful, and totally unhealthy. The (foxy!) waiter seemed kinda flummoxed and lost when I started querying whether stuff was vegan and not just vegetarian, but he went and asked the chefs with a smile.
I'm so glad places like this exist, and that New York is so full of them that I can stumble across 'em on the sidewalk during a mid-afternoon stroll. The customer-illustrated crayon-covered placemats are resoundingly amazing; I could spend an hour looking at all of them.
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If I ever find a restaurant that I like more than Curly's, I don't think I'd ever leave. So delicious and sooooo cheap. Brunch is the best! You get an awesome veggie meal, a cup of coffee, and a mimosa for $14! The tofu bacon tastes just like turkey bacon (for those recently gone veg who miss a bit of meat). Everything I had here was delicious and most of the breakfast meals come with curly fries.
Pros: Huge portions, amazing selection, friendly and personable staff, cute drawings on the walls, curly fries are amazing!
Cons: really hard to get a seat on a Sunday, close quarters, too much good food makes you want to overeat.
I'd say the cons aren't so bad. Curly's is adorable. The last time I was there, they didn't try to kick me out after my friends left which was nice. Also I learned that "sham" was a new term for vegetarian ham, tee hee.
It says "Curly's Lunch," but they have a to-die-for breakfast as well. First off, it is a major plus if I can get freshed squeezed vegetable juice in the morning. Yes, I am one of those health nut types...sometimes. This place does it. I had the Mexican style egg dish, can't remember the name, but it was so good. My sister had pancakes with a tower of fruit. We were both very happy and stuffed, but not full enough to partake in their red velvet vegan cake. Seriously folks, you can't tell the difference and it's amazing.
The most sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing crayon sketches I can create totally suck. At Curly's I try to hide my drawings with napkins or by covering them with my arms because they are incredibly embarrassing and resemble the shitty drawings of a really artistically handicapped second grader. Nonetheless, I enjoy checking out the walls with the awesome crayon art and aspire to create something equally as pleasing someday.
The food is greasy and delicious and you'll love it even if you're not a vegetarian. If you're looking for healthy vegetarian, you should look elsewhere, or live a little and give Curly's a shot.
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One of the largest selections of all vegetarian dishes in the city. I've tried just about everything on this menu - my favourites being the Croque Madame and the Maryland Crabfakes. Vegan options as well. I usually order take out (with no issues ever), but will stop into the cozy restaurant every once in a while to hang out with my friend. It's become "our spot" to just unwind and regroup. The cute crayon drawings on the walls left from other patrons is an awesome way to brighten a day.
Downside? They don't deliver their outstanding Sangria.
Cute, small vegetarian/vegan place. Food was good (though I found the mac and cheese a bit too rich for my tastes), portion large. I liked the atmosphere and found the waitstaff friendly and attentive, despite all the people.
Great place to take any vegan/vegetarian friends to brunch!
I've been here several times, and have never been disappointed. The omelets are great, and so was the croque monsieur (w/sham - aka fake ham). The curly fries (not sure if that's where they got their name) are amazing too! Portions are pretty sizable though, so you probably won't be able to finish what you order.
In addition to great food, they also have a fun atmosphere. They give you a can of crayons at your table so you can draw and color... definitely brings you back to when you were a little kid. But, the place is pretty small so don't try to bring a big group here. There are only a few tiny tables, so it's best to come with a group of four people or less.
Definitely one of my favorite places to come for brunch that I will be revisiting soon!
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Weirdly delicious.
I eat meat but seem to skew veg so I could theoretically eat buffalo wings one day, and then eat Curly's version of buffalo wings the next day. And I tasted some of those Curly's buffalo wings - I don't think it has anything to do with the soy chicken which was spongy and oily - it's all about the sauces. And the sauces were pretty good. The Pop 400 burrito was also good - often times I want a regular burrito without anything fruit or fusion or freakiness inside. If it ainn't broke...
Glad to say Curly's keeps their burrito a burrito. If you don't plan on eating for a day or so, you can really fill up your guts with this one.
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If you never thought vegetarian food could be unhealthy, think again.
This place comes to the closest to being a vegetarian greasy spoon. But for comfort food without the guilt of eating a living creature, Curly's is a great choice. The curly fries are delicious. The brunch is a pretty good deal. And the fake meat? Well, you'd never know.
"We secretly replaced the ham in Chris' huevos rancheros with 'sham.' Let's see if he notices."
Nope. Tastes the same to me!
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It's kind of a hit or miss with Curly's. Do not order the Blueplate Special. It was so disappointing. Ugh, it was dry and bland, and the little flavor there was was strange. I had to drink a lot of water to wash it down. The crabcakes were alright, not bad, not really good.
The service is always subpar, and there's not much climate control. In the summer, it's so hot that it's kind of hard to enjoy my food because I'm sweating so much. In the winter, it's cold and I shivered several times throughout my meal. I know it wasn't just me because I looked around and saw people reaching for their sweaters and rubbing their arms.
Why the four stars? I LOVE the Cuban sandwich and Sloppy Joes, and who doesn't love some curly fries? And I like to support vegetarian establishments.
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Fun funky veggie place in the east village, with tons of veggie and vegan options.It was associated with the now-gone Veg City Diner in the 20s, so that means yummy veggie buffalo wings.
The vegan cheesesteak wasn't bad at all. Naturally you can't compare it to Pat or Geno's on South Street (which I still miss after many years of being vegetarian. You can take the girl out of Philly...), but it was tasty and hit the greasy- food-craving perfectly. My friend loves the salads, and
the vegan oreo cookie cake was great.
Tiny.
It's tiny.
As in maybe six or seven tables tiny, seating for 18, perhaps? 20? The whole place (kitchen and bathroom included) is about the length and width of half a subway car.
But, boy, the food is delish and healthy. The service is more than friendly, attentive yet laid back. The prices are dirt cheap. The only reason I knocked off a star was the size of the place.
I talked with the owner (or manager--I didn't ask), a genial sort who makes an effort to make conversation with all his diners, about whether people usually waited outside for a table even in winter months or whether they just gave up? He said it was hard to generalize; "sometimes people split," but usually there wasn't more than a 5- to 10-minute wait. He said usually the time on people's tickets from the time they order to the time they pay their tabs is often not more than 30 minutes.
Indeed, I had a less-than-five-minute wait at 7:10 p.m. on a Tuesday, during which I tried not to look at the other diners to make them feel uncomfortable. But there's not much else to look at. I didn't feel like waiting outside, so I just hung by the door. Fortunately, the people at the table in the window got up just after I arrived, and I was set.
There's a radiator just inside the doorway, and thankfully it was pumping out enough heat to ward off the chill (might have been worse because I was in the window).
The menu wasn't as exhaustive as people made it out to be or as it appeared in one of the photos on its Yelp page. But the options all looked yummy anyway, and I chose a blue-plate special, a tamale burger with onions, corn, tomatoes and I think soy. There was also something simulating bacon, and that was very much like the real thing, I thought. It was served between two soft white corn tortillas and accompanied by a generous helping of curly fries (or a salad, which I demurred). All for $8.95.
I also got the lemonade infused with honey and ginger (there are several lemonade and other beverage options), and that was a very interesting combination. You get the sweetness of the lemonade, and then the kick of the ginger at the end. Lip-smackin' good.
Also lip-smackin' good was the Peanut Butter Bomb. Dear God. A hunk about the size of my fist of vegan chocolate cake with peanut-butter mousse in the middle, surrounded by a chocolate shell with peanut-butter icing drizzled across it. I had a little pot of green ginger tea with it. Total tab: $21 without tip (no appetizer, two glasses of lemonade). I gave the good man $5 and was on my way.
I admit, I was surprised at how unrushed the place is, even when people are waiting in the cold. While I was there, a party of four showed up and had to cool its heels, literally, outside while inside, a party of five that had long been done with their meals was allowed to linger. I have been in places much larger than Curly's that ask you to leave when you finish eating so they can turn over tables, and though I grumble when it happens, I can understand it. I would think a place like Curly's would have even more incentive to ask people to hurry, but they don't. Have to give them credit. (The people outside waited a good 30 minutes, I would say; they got to come in just before I left, and I was there about an hour. That's probably as long as I would have waited before giving up. It wasn't freezing tonight, but it was chilly.)
I wish this place were even twice the size, which would still be small by most NYC restaurants' standards, and then you could be assured of not having to wait when you want your veggie fix. (I'm sure the owners wish for that, too, but given the exigencies of the NYC real estate market, that's probably wishful thinking.)
I will be back, with fellow veggie friends who (I'm pretty sure) don't know about Curly's yet.
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We went to Curly's Lunch for dinner. It's a little confusing to have the title of a regular mid-day meal in the name of your restaurant. Add to that the fact that they serve breakfast all day... except at breakfast time (since they open at 11am).
We had the buffalo wings, disco fries, chili burger, avocado jack burger, and california melt at our table.
Appetizers: The buffalo wings are great, the texture is kind of a tough chewy protein with slight crisp to it and the spicy sauce has a good bite. The disco fries were the hit of the table though. 3 of us shared a large plate of curly fries smothered in gravy and cheese. You must try them
Main dishes: The burgers were good. I'm normally hesitant to order a one when at a vegetarian restaurant as they're far too common and I prefer to try the other sorts of entrees that would be uncommon to find elsewhere. A homemade patty is something entirely different though and theirs have a good taste and consistency. The chili on mine was okay, the beans were actually a bit dried out although the flavor was good. My friend's avocado jack burger needed some ketchup or something to add moisture as it was also somewhat dry. I didn't get to try the California melt but it looked amazing and according to our friend, tasted as good as it looked. I would probably order something more along those lines on my next visit.
Do not try to come with a lot of people. 2 is no problem, 4 you might need to wait. More than 4, might as well forget it. The crayon placemat drawings on the wall are also pretty cool.
There are alot of good reviews of this place and I totally agree with the consensus of "it's tiny" and "it's delicious" and a great place for all types: vegans/vegetarians/omnivores/reformed carnivores, etc. Yes, the service is not that great, but it is reasonable and more or less friendly, although as in most places, if you look the part of the clientele the place is catering to, you'll probably have friendlier service.
Being from Northern California and having gone to school in Berkeley, this place is straight out of the Bay Area. Its unabashed detail of vegetarian vs. vegan alchemy of its dishes, fresh ingredients, crayon-menu wall drawings and mild crunchiness feels like an ol' favorite from home.
One key aspect: Curly's take on MEXICAN FOOD!!!!!!!!! It's not authentic, but the closest thing to good, fresh, cheap California-style Tex-Mex food. It tastes so right that I don't even notice the lack of real chorizo, carne asado, pollo or carnitas. Forget Blockheads, Benny's, even the Chinese Fresh Tortillas places. New Yorkers, this is as close as it gets. So, bring your annoying ex-California friends here cankering for some good "Mexican" food. Trust me. I'm one of them.
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Curly's is cool for a quick meal without pretension. I ended up getting the mac n' cheese, and it was pretty good. It was a little bit below expectation, but I know it's tricky to re-create mac n' cheese for a vegan. I give them props for trying and supplying.
The space is crowded and doesn't seem perfectly clean, but if you know what you're in for, it should be all good. Don't come here thinking you will have a mind-blowing veggie experience, but come in a casual and tolerant mood. That's not a criticism.
I actually met Curly and talked to him. He asked me about the Portland vegan scene too. The waitress was really cute, I think she was being "extra friendly" with me. The food is good! They have the best vegan cake in downtown Manhattan. Get the chocolate cake! I also got their salsa bowl, that was mighty delicious and hearty. My friend got the BBQ vegan rib sandwich, very spicy and satisfying. Another friend got the vegan chicken sandwich, now that was probably the best. I will go back again the next time I visit NYC.
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It is about time I reviewed Curly's, having been there quite a while ago!
So I have this friend who is a whole foods maestra. She knows she is one, but does not flaunt it. I could ask her searching questions about vegan, vegetarian or raw food restaurants, about goat cheese, chanterelle mushrooms or umeboshi lemongrass, and she will likely have an answer. A useful friend to have, especially if you are a vegetarian, like I am. So when she suggested that we "locate this vegetarian restaurant on 14th street that I walk by all the time", I took her quite seriously. I know my limitations, and the inability to pick good vegetarian restaurants, surprisingly enough, is one of them. Hence my attempt to tag along with this friend--this is her strong suit.
It was dinner time, and the wait was only five minutes. The extensive menu explained the Manchester, New Hampshire origin of Curly's. The setting was cute and funky, with children's art work lining the walls. My sagacious friend cautioned me against ordering too much. So I stuck to the nachos, although the uno, dos, tres tacos sounded very attractive. She ordered the soy mocknuggets and grilled vegetables. And we agreed on a pitcher of blackberry and ginger sangria. The service was quite pleasant. Which is generally the case on the few occasions that I have gone dining with this friend--she has that effect on the wait staff.
The serving sizes were huge. I loved the nachos. But while I cheated myself into thinking these were "healthy nachos", I knew they were not necessarily so. My friend's mocknuggets were somewhat bland, but she munched on the veggies and looked generally happy with the sangria accompaniment. You can't tell with her--she smiles graciously all the time.
All said, we agreed that this is a place that deserves a second try and, in my view, four stars. If I were to venture a guess, my unassuming, prescient friend would likely award Curly's a three-star rating from this first visit. But, who knows, she is known to give the benefit of the doubt to most people and things. That's how she is.
I hope to return to Curly's soon :)
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Vegetarian comfort food about sums it up. TIIIIINY place, but you can tell it really has heart. The lemonade is AWESOME. I would stick to more of their more mexican themed dishes.
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Cute, small place - great for a cheap bite of veg food. I was really happy with my Cubano Nuevo, which was the first time I had ever gotten to try cuban-esque cuisine.
I think they're a little bit heavy on the veggie meat, but that's just a personal preference, and most that go here are probably up for the novelty of eating faux-foods.
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Thanks to Yelp for helping me discover this place...
I started out with the Mocknuggets, which were round and thin - I tasted more breading than the "chicken" itself - it was okay, I wouldn't recommend it.
For an entree, I had the Open Faced Turkey Sandwich, recommended by my waitress. It was quite a large portion - two pieces of bread smothered with "turkey" in gravy, a side of greens and cranberry dressing. It was a hearty meal, but the turkey was on the salty side. The greens were good, and so was the cranberry dressing.
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I went to this place and was ignored by the waitress. Had to get up and walk over for any attention. The mock chicken fingers were still frozen and she didn't believe me and was very offended. It took fifteen minutes to nuke them again or whatever. Then she never came back cause she was talking to someone. This all cost a whole lot...the shake sucked.
I think you vegan people are too easy to please. Go home and reheat your own fake meat. Places like this are insulting to actual restaurants with chefs and hard-working staff.
I had really high expectations for Curly's as it always has received great reviews but I have to admit I was let down.
One of the things I miss A LOT being a vegetarian is a good Cuban sandwich. Curly's faux-Cuban had me a little TOO excited. The meat was falling apart when I got the sandwich. It was good but really not that great. Everything was pretty greasy (yeah I know to expect that from a Cuban), but for a restaurant that is vegetarian/vegan, you'd think that they'd make an effort to cut down on the grease factor.
The ribs were really not that impressive either. Everything seemed to be put together really sloppily and there was absolutely no care in the presentation of the dishes. Not that I'm expecting a beautiful arrangement but at least try and make it seem like you care about what your food looks like.
If you want some greasy stuff, go with Curly's. Or go west to Veggie Paradise. If you prefer a satisfying and healthy meal, go to Angelica's.
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In addition to their many choices on the main menu, they delighted me with a breakfast or lunch special menu. Whichever it was intended for, I don't remember and guess it doesn't matter because their food was so comforting on that chilly day.
The crabfakes were full of flavor but a little too greasy for my taste. Good thing they were backed up by a plateful of greens.
I also had a sandwich with chorizo, cheese, and veggies. The ground faux meat was spiced perfectly. Delicious! That meal was so satisfying but it was kind of heavy in my stomach later that day.
I'm knocking off a star because of the slight greasiness and for the service. Despite many reviews I see that praise it, I was actually ignored by the pretty waitress a few times on water refills. I was parched and other customers seemed to get priority. Maybe I wasn't a familiar face or she wasn't attentive, but whatever the case, that sandwich was spicy!
This was my first trip to NY and expected to find only fancy vegetarian/vegan restaurants where I'd go bankrupt eating out and trying to dress for the occasion. Curly's was very casual, relaxing and felt like home. Overall, I loved Curly's Lunch and would visit again.