ABOUT US

ABOUT USBhisma2021-03-12T15:51:43+00:00

WELCOME TO GOVINDA’S

Located next to the stunning International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in the Garden Oaks area of Houston, we started our journey to serve healthy and plant-based food in July 2016. We are located on West 34th Street between Ella and North Shepherd, just a few blocks from North Loop.

Govinda’s Vegetarian Cuisine welcomes you to our restaurant. We strive to offer you the best and humblest tastings with dedication to quality, healthy living, and a higher taste. Govinda’s uses the finest ingredients to prepare fresh vegetarian meals every day with a diverse variety of dining options.

We want to personally thank you for being part of our values and traditions through good food, good friends, and the healthy alternative dining experience.

Every WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY and every SUNDAY is all Vegan. All of our offerings on these days are Vegan.

OPEN EVERY DAY!

MONDAY – SUNDAY

LUNCH

11:30am-2:30pm

DINNER

5:00-9:00pm

OFFICE LINE

1.800.555.6789

EMERGENCY

1.800.555.0000

WORKING HOURS

9:00am – 6:00pm

Govinda's Vegetarian Cuisine

4.6

Based on 1031 reviews

Justin Doak

12:38 29 Apr 21

Couldn't love this place any more. Sweet staff. Quiet and relaxing space with delicious vegetarian, vegan and almost completely gluten-free options. This is a weekly go-to for us.

Zayden Leland

07:19 25 Mar 21

Great buffet style place for lunch. Located inside a temple and offers indoor and outdoor seating. All veggie options are flavorful and good enough for a meat eater to be satisfied.

Amy Miller

01:28 18 Mar 21

The option to be able to go out and eat at a vegetarian restaurant with a vegan menu some nights is super cool. More places should have these options! Thanks for your kindness and next time I'll have to dine in!

Rawrraguilar

19:25 24 Feb 21

Hidden Gem on 34th. Best Indian food in the area. Authentic,clean and the service is nice. It’s a plus that you get to walk through the beautiful garden of this Hindi temple to get in. Everything here is vegetarian and every dish is delicious! They also offer dessert. Can’t recommend this place enough!

Kate Jones

19:07 24 Jan 21

Govinda's is a must try!! They are so kind and the food is so delicious!! There is such a great variety and all of the spices/seasonings are so tasty!! It is so nice to go to a restaurant that is all vegetarian/vegan and I get to try it all! Often a rare occurrence for vegetarians! I will definitely be back!

Jason Pullin

20:02 19 Jan 21

Fresh food. Very friendly service. Delicious! I will definitely be back. Vegan options and gluten-free available.

jafar a

07:41 05 Jan 21

Great buffet style place for lunch. Located inside a temple and offers indoor and outdoor seating. All veggie options are flavorful and good enough for a meat eater to be satisfied.

Frankie Mo. HD

00:34 21 Dec 20

The guys here are so nice it's a beautiful restaurant and it's just so clean and excellent and everything here is really wonderful I am going to come back again and again the vegan options are amazing. And they have offers for half price off meals if you give them your phone number and sign up for the membership club it's just and really great value. and on top of that because they were so nice and I was such a handsome customer it must be the guy even gave me a free to go ginger drink and the ginger is so flavorful without being bitter ladies and gentlemen let me tell you what you know I know this stuff very well and what I can say is you have to come back and try that ginger drink this sweet without being bitter or overbearing come on down folks what are you waiting for?!?!

Ryan Parkinson

09:23 01 Dec 20

I have to say, I am not vegan, or even vegetarian so having Thanksgiving dinner here was not high on my bucket list yet it was such a wonderful experience I wouldn't have missed it for the world. The restaurant is located inside the Hara Krishna temple facility which I watched being built for what seemed like two decades. The grounds are absolutely beautiful, and the landscaping is gorgeous, you almost feel instantly at peace with mother earth, and nature, upon entering the gates and the feelings of peace and serenity are abundant. The restaurant was cafeteria style with the kitchen in open view right behind the serving line and I must say grandma only wished her kitchen was that clean on Thanksgiving day. The mustard vinaigrette salad dressing was unexpectedly amazing, and how it is they made that vegan cream gravy so incredibly good is mind boggling. I pride myself on making great gravy from scratch and this one put mine to shame, it left me speechless as to how they could achieve such a delicious white cream gravy with no meat or dairy product in it!?!? They had table service for the typically self serve drink station yet due to the pandemic they had ample staff, all of whom were in mask and clean gloves, and very friendly. They do not offer sodas, which was a refreshing idea in itself. They do however make a homemade ginger mint lemonade which will make you want to "kiss the chef" who came up with this incredibly simple, yet perfected, and mastered recipe. It was by far the best lemonade I have ever had. The entire experience was delightful and I look forward to returning there on a more regular basis in the future so if you're looking for a new experience I highly recommend Govindas!

Jennifer Mayfield

14:15 28 Nov 20

Delicious vegan food. My husband and I love this restaurant's food. They have a very refreshing iced drink with mint and idk what else, but it was GOOD. Food was seasoned and spiced, just right. Sauces were amazing. Vegans and vegetarians should have this restaurant on their radar. Very hospitable. Pleasant customer service.

LeadHERship Revolution - Wendy Lee TV

01:40 28 Nov 20

The food was exceptional. Very flavorful and plenty of it, especially for the price-outstanding. Whether you are vegan or not, all of the food was delicious. I’ll be back and will bring my friends! And the service was great. Very nice and helpful!

David Garza

22:58 27 Oct 20

The food may be vegan, but I really can't excuse the service! This was an insult! Yesterday, I bought 2 $25 certificates and took my wife to dinner at Govinda's. The server accused me of not paying when I showed him the validation. He clicked the validate button THEN called the phone number after speaking with his manager (who showed him the printed validation instructions stored in his register!). I was made to listen to an "already validated today" recording, and they refused to give us the rest of the food which would make the value at $25. Instead, he started writing personal information of mine asking for name and phone number. In regards to the reply I called and they said a manager would call me back, which did not happen!

Jose Zelaya

17:38 12 Oct 20

Govinda’s was very clean and had a lovely atmosphere. The building is adorned inside and out, and of course, the food was great! It was my first time eating vegan food and I was lucky to have found this place that serves buffets at such good prices!!

Hannah C

00:01 22 Sep 20

Vegetarian food and the setting at this spot is excellent. The food was tasty. Certainly worth going back to. Similar to a place in Denver I liked.

Joey Garza

14:16 16 Sep 20

One of our favorite go to places for a quick lunch. Variety could be improved, but the current menu is great! It’s one of our go to places since we’re vegan.

Robert Drollinger

03:01 14 Sep 20

The hospitality and quality of vegan food surpassed anything I had expected! Everything was so yummy! I was most impressed with their kindness. Thank you Govindas for feeding us so late!

R.A. Pursell

01:09 10 Sep 20

Great vegetarian food with vegan options. They also have full on Vegan nights.

Jose N

19:05 09 Sep 20

The food was amazing. I came on a vegan Wednesday and the taste of the food transcended my expectations. The food was organic so you could not taste any pesticides or anything like that. The service was extreme friendly. The gentleman was there to answer any questions regarding the food. The establishment was extremely clean and the atmosphere was also a good one. I will definitely come back to this place.

Brianna Willis

01:45 08 Sep 20

Excellent service and food! Very friendly

Alexandra Serrao

23:02 07 Sep 20

Ordered to go (no dine-in currently). Nice sized portions for price. Delicious food.

Gary Hawkins

02:39 27 Aug 20

Went at about 8:30 on a Wednesday night and it was awesome. The service was amazing, the foods varied and beautiful looking, got a little bit of everything plus a salad for $12 plus tip so very affordable (I got my food to go) and when I sat down and tried everything? When I tell you the flavors are GOOD! I'm typing and eating because I don't want to stop stuffing my face! Best vegan meal I've had so far!

Sensui

14:31 19 Aug 20

A vegan's dream restaurant. The menu changes daily and you absolutely need to try the ginger mint lemonade along with your meal! I reccomend going in and just experiencing it for yourself. Be sure to let them know of any dietary restrictions too!

Auda Gee

03:32 18 Aug 20

Wednesday and Sunday are vegan—and a carnivore would never know! We were greeted with a warm smile (behind a mask) and a squirt of hand sanitizer. We immediately made our way to the buffet—where they serve you (since COVID). Everything was very sanitary and felt safe. The chickpeas had too much of a kick to me, while my partner said the tofu had a kick for him. Everything was so delicious and if we had any room, we would’ve gone back for seconds. We normally can hit a buffet three or four times. The carrot cake was amazing. If this is vegan—sign me up! Pro tip—parking is in the other side of Golf Street. If we lived closer, we would get to-go, as there was a constant stream of customers. The temple grounds are temporarily closed due to Coronavirus.

Anthony Coz

19:21 30 Jul 20

Greater Houston Heights area, 34th & Golf (34th near Ella Blvd), is Temple, Beautiful Campus, & Restaurant (west entrance). Parking lot other side of Golf. At this time, MASKS REQUIRED. Lunch 11-2:30 & Dinner 5-9p. About $11, drinks & some desserts extra. Food excellent & Vegan. AREN'T ALL BEINGS SENTIENT ?? !!

Rae Ann George

03:59 28 Jul 20

This place is hands one of my favorite restaurants. I love the variety of offerings. There's always something new to try. Note to chefs: more plantain curry please! That stuff is delicious.

Michaela Worthington

18:25 23 Jul 20

We absolutely love this place and it truly warms our hearts every time we go. The staff, atmosphere, and general comfort of the place is wonderful. Beautiful garden. They’ve done a great job with co-vid as well. My husband, son, and I are all vegan and we often come on Sundays/holidays. Have never once been let down on their revolving menu. You know you’re eating at the right place when the health facts of food are posted on the wall. They’re doing such a great thing and I’m happy to support them! :)

Michael Culley

00:40 04 Jul 20

First time going and I was blown away. The service was amazing and they educate you very well if you have any questions. Very wide variety and very fresh and organic. I’ve only been on Vegan days (wed,fri,sun) but I’m sure the vegetarian days are just as great. Amazing food!!

Claire Johnson

00:11 30 May 20

I showed up today for lunch on their patio as I have done several times since they re-opened - after Abbott gave Texas restaurants the go ahead. I was greeted at the door by a man with a large spray bottle of disinfectant in his hand who tried to spray me! I told him to BACK OFF that no one is getting sprayed today. He showed me a plastic covered paper that he said City of Houston left there which commanded him to spray customers at the door, then force them to wear a mask to walk to a table. He said we could take off mask in order to eat. My husband and I turned around and left. We will not go there again. The poor guy didn't have a single customer. Went to a restaurant 2 blocks away, no masks, no spray, no assault - just sit and eat . . . our kind of restaurant.

Jim Baber

11:48 27 May 20

Such a fun and healthy dining experience. If you have never been to an Indian Temple for a meal, you should put it on your bucket list. It's so incredibly delicious, fresh, and unique.

michele gustin

18:30 26 Mar 20

Stopped by during viral extravaganza because they do vegan and were delightful, both on phone and in person. Love that they included the healing properties of the spices they use in their signage and PR. Generous, inexpensive, nourishing remote contact as well food! Will go back and get photos when it’s light out!

Helen Crisel

09:25 17 Mar 20

They’re vegan options are the best!!!! Wednesday and Sunday they are all vegan!!! The world is evolving in our face! The spices they cook with are magical! I had the fried eggplant in cashew flour and wow that was amazing!! Literally everything they make is amazing I’m sorry but this place is truly awesome 😂😻 if your not vegan you’re gonna love it if you’re vegan you’re going to cherish it with your heart! 💖💜 Im not even being dramatic like they’re rice is so delightful! Something so simple! They make it so delicious 🤤 I highly recommend 💖💖💖

Fabio Capillo

02:05 09 Mar 20

Vegetarian with a non-vegetarian surprise (a littlebug came crawling out of my food). Atmosphere is super. Buffet choice is okay. They don't cook with garlic and onion, so food tastes a little "meh". I would like to come back... but no bugs please

Anne Selcer

16:30 06 Mar 20

Went here for the Indian vegetarian/vegan lunch buffet for the first time. It is definitely a hidden gem! And so fun to enter their beautiful courtyard. I will be recommending it to my friends.

brett tyson

23:23 04 Mar 20

I was looking for vegan restaurants that don't cook garlic or onions in the food. Govinda's was the excellent choice. We went there on Saturday for a buffet. The food were delicious and very healthy. The food were very fresh, and so was the service. The price was low. I would recommend anyone to come and try it yourself. You won't be disappointed!

Sean Martin

19:44 21 Feb 20

Absolutely love this place! My wife and I started going here weekly for our date night we were so in love. It's attached to (part of?) a beautiful temple, and the food is so good you'll reconsider the possibility of vegetarian cuisine! Highly recommend!

Surojit Mukherjee

01:58 12 Feb 20

Always my best place for vegetarian food. I keep going back again and again..... Love this place. Best way to enjoy this food is sit in and relish the buffet. Fresh hand made hot Roti makes it awesome experience.

Caitlin Worthing

20:38 29 Jan 20

Wonderful every single time I go. I love the vibe here and I feel super relaxed. At the same time, I’m enjoying delicious food that has been obviously made with care. Wednesday’s and Sunday’s it’s vegan! My jam.

Winston Rodriguez

18:11 20 Jan 20

My first impression was a five stars review. Although, after I came for my second time me and my wife had stomach issues and headaches. The very first time I was impressed with their food not been too hot and I liked a lot their spices and flavors. But the second time, the food was extremely hot and too spicy.

Nghia Tran

18:42 19 Jan 20

Went on vegan Sunday for lunch with my mom. I thought the food was good, even though I'm not vegan. The puffy bread that they brought out was delicious and probably my favorite thing there 😅. Everything was very flavorful and spicy.

Jen Butler

21:40 09 Jan 20

What a magical place! I took a colleague here for a working lunch and it was amazing! The temple is beautiful and the food at Govinda's was DELICIOUS! I tried one bite of everything on the buffet and wanted those flavors to last forever. Everyone we encountered who worked or volunteered there was so friendly. We left feeling nurished and inspired. We will DEFINITELY be back.

Julius Buzzard

10:55 02 Jan 20

Their vegan buffet is wonderful. I wish I hadn’t gotten full and could have eaten more! It’s a great spot to grab a bite and hang out with some friends.

Georgia Hackleman

21:13 25 Dec 19

We enjoy the days that Govinda's has their 100% vegan buffet. Every Wednesday and Sunday, but many holidays are included as well. We just had an amazing Christmas lunch. We've been her for New Year's, Easter, Mother's Day, many occasions and the do not disappoint. Today we enjoyed the most amazing vegan roast with mashed potatoes smoking with some Indian flavors. We are ready to go back for New Years Day!

Nick Stratigakis

00:52 22 Nov 19

We have visited several times. Excellent food, very clean, many choices. If you leave hungry it will be your own fault.

Ronak Pawar

22:11 10 Nov 19

The food appears to be tasty but it is not! The ambience is of a classic temple restaurant but if you are looking for authentic Indian food taste then I am sorry this is not the place. The food is blant and may be good for the people from non-Indian subcontinental origin. You can try the rice pudding and papadam these are the only things I personally liked!

Sarai Solis

15:24 27 Oct 19

Great veggie buffet and not expensive at all. We came on a Friday and it wasn't crowded. The buffet has a few options like veggie Curry, rice and beans/lentils.

Patricia Newton

18:16 22 Oct 19

I live near the Iskcon and work from home. I do not go out to eat often but this is by far one of my favorite excuses to get out for a meal. The food is fantastic and so flavorful. You don't miss the meat. It is always hot and fresh. The service is always great and hospitable. Not to mention the Iskcon itself is gorgeous with great landscaping and a community of people that truly appreciate and take care of their temple. Add it to your list if you haven't already.

angelrules78 .

20:44 01 Oct 19

Omg! I'm not a vegetarian by any means BUT this place is 1. Beautiful and clean and 2. The food is so freaking tasty! Very reasonable lunch buffet that was topped off by this delicious dessert of cake dropped on this custard that made me drool. Go and go now!

Nic R

00:33 26 Sep 19

The food is so fresh and flavorful. The staff are sweet and kind. I always leave happy. I am grateful for this beautiful restaurant.

Angela Ferr

21:10 04 Sep 19

Amazing food made with fresh ingredients and great recipes. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday they serve only vegan dishes (so good! I'm not vegan but the dishes are great). The place is beautiful as well, very picturesque with a lovely open green space infront. It is a buffet, so you can try a little of everything if you wish. You can also take buffet to-go and order on their website. Support this beautiful local restaurant. They cook the food with their own ingredients from their garden. Wonderful community.

Durga PRASAD

17:52 27 Aug 19

Excellent food/ambiance/service and the best vegetarian food in Houston. We went as a group on Saturday and everybody loved the food including kids of all ages. But, same cannot be said about Sunday lunch. I was told it is Vegan friendly...ok but not great, I will surely skip this day from next time onwards. We usually go on weekdays for lunch(from work) and every time nothing but best experience.

Ashleigh Thompson

04:06 19 Aug 19

Govindas is a vegetarian gem! The food is delicious and the staff is very friendly and attentive. Very cool place. Will recommend!

02:13 06 Aug 19

If I had the time, I'd go back to all my years of Houston restaurant reviews and decrease them by one star because THIS is what five star food tastes like. No restaurant in Houston has had such outstanding, delicious food with a high bar for cleanliness and excellent service. This isn't just a fantastic "vegetarian/vegan restaurant", this is a fantastic restaurant. Period. At night, I dream of their curries and mango lassi. Heck, I dream about their pesto pasta and mac & cheese too. I even dream of their salad bar. YES! I never thought I'd actually love a salad. Govinda's Vegetarian Cuisine is the closest I've ever been to heaven.

Owen Leechong

02:07 25 Jul 19

This was a great fine for me in the short notice. The parking arrangement was a little awkward. However, once that was resolved the food was a very pleasant surprise. The food and the service was awesome. I would definitely patronize this establishment again in the near future.

J.C.R.

04:02 20 Jul 19

Wonderful restaurant on site of a beautiful Krishna temple. Both the grounds and temple are great for a respectful stroll after enjoying this delicious buffet. I would certainly recommend Govinda's if you want good vegetarian,/vegan (Wednesdays & Saturdays) or Indian.

Christine Snitkin

15:39 18 Jul 19

We arrived early for vegan dinner on a Wednesday, and there was no line. The food was fresh and delicious. Sundays and Wednesdays are vegan. ☺ The restaurant was clean and has updated decor. Plenty of free parking across the street.

Brooke Tolle

16:58 03 Jul 19

Govinda's is delicious and reasonably priced. Wednesdays and Sundays are entirely vegan, but they are always vegetarian with mostly vegan and gluten free options. The buffet rotates dishes to keep things interesting from day to day.

Kathryn Hatfield

02:10 02 Jul 19

Simply fabulous experience! We happened to go on buffet day and we're so glad we did. Every single thing we tried was good, at the very least, and most were excellent. My faves tonight were the saag paneer (spinach with cheese) and the samosa, which had peas and potatoes, but there wasn't anything I didn't enjoy. Really friendly service and a beautiful space to eat in. I loved all the different types of art in the main eating area and the gardens outside. Will be back for sure.

Ashley W

17:02 24 Jun 19

Excellent, flavorful food. The vegan buffet is impressive. It’s one of those buffets that changes up just a bit every now and then but it doesn’t matter because everything is delicious. I would definitely recommend this place. The staff is very attentive and friendly.

Paul Rainn

01:05 05 Jun 19

Govinda's is an Indian vegetarian restaurant serving many vegan dishes as well. It was a new restaurant for me. It was somewhat surprising since I've lived in Houston for over 30 years and had never heard of the place until a friend mentioned it to me! We decided to meet up there for lunch and it was well worth it. The food is buffet style, and all the choices were done well. Somosas, a favorite vegetarian dish for many people, can be special ordered and they'll cook it up right then. They have a great selection of vegan and vegetarian desserts, including Bacalavas. Prices are reasonable, the restaurant is spacious, has a unique decor, and is well lit, and the wait staff are personable and efficient. The building and surroundings have a distinct Indian architectural style and are well maintained, adding to the ambiance. I'm looking forward to my next visit there.

Paulina Tran

13:59 31 May 19

I love vegetarian food. I am not vegetarian or vegan but I enjoy eating it when I can. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this place. I found it one day while I was having a meat free day. It’s so fresh, delicious and only $12 buffet for lunch! How can you beat that?!

Sam Boyer

13:35 11 Apr 19

This is pretty much the only place I eat outside of the house anymore. Great atmosphere, easy to make healthy choices. Great vegan food that's friendly for stubborn omnivores too. Great staff and the money goes to the temple which turns around and helps the community. 100% my favorite restaurant in Texas.

Jingyi Li

12:17 03 Apr 19

Fresh, delicious vegetarian Indian buffet, including some vegan dishes. There were some dishes that I wouldn't classify as Indian food, such as BBQ tofu, but it was tasty. Chai and drinks are extra. There were two dessert options..The location is really interesting. Place is spacious and welcoming. Will definitely come back during the day and check out the beautiful temple grounds!

J. BISBAL

11:58 25 Mar 19

Next to a temple, open for lunch and dinner, this is the most delicious vegetarian buffet restaurant in Houston. Plenty of dishes to choose from, all freshly made from scratch. Warm naan, tasty dessert choices. Great friendly service, twice a week is vegan and it is never crowded. Plenty of parking on site.

Samhitha Bandi

18:35 15 Mar 19

It was THE BEST restaurant I’ve ever been to. the food was fresh and uncontaminated (as most restaurants have cross contamination). Flavor was phenomenal! Service was awesome, and the restaurant is very clean!!! I’d recommend this place 10/10 to anyone who’s interested in eating rich, flavorful food.

Riaz R

11:12 13 Mar 19

I read a few reviews of this being hit or miss. Most of the masses seem to like it. On the day we went I found the food to not taste freshly made. My lunch companion thought it was good although not quite as fresh as she'd hoped. Staff was very friendly and polite. The establishment was immaculate. The attached temple made for a unique experience. Eventually we will give it another shot, but this time we won't go out of our way to get there.

Paulesh Upadhyaya

17:37 11 Mar 19

The food is fresh and place is very clean! We go every week or 2. Everything on the buffet is delicious. Price is great and people are friendly. This is a pure vegetarian restaurant. People with diet restrictions and kids are most welcome here. Thank you again!

Hugo Boss

20:13 06 Mar 19

Good food and people. Vegan options on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s. Not gonna lie first time I tried it I wasn’t very impressed but the second time I went everything was good. I try to stop In at least once a week nowadays. They usually swap up the menu so there’s always something new to try out.

Liviu Costin

01:20 19 Feb 19

I just love this place so much. So many nice people here. The food is awesome! Even if you’re not vegan, I would suggest giving it a try. Great energy from this place and I just feel so good after eating here!

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