Chicago Diner
Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lakeview3411 N Halsted St
(between Newport Ave & Roscoe St)
Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 935-6696
- Nearest Transit:
Addison (Red)
Belmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat 10:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
42 reviews
Neighborhood: Irving Park
"Most recent order was spring rolls, corn cakes, tofu massaman curry and spicy cashew with mock duck. Corn cakes weren't so frittery/cakish…" read more »
227 Reviews for Chicago Diner
There is a handful of things the Chicago Diner does really, incredibly well. In my world, the first and most important is the gyro.
Then, there's the reuben, breakfast sausage patties and chocolate cakes.
I can't imagine what more anyone would need to know.
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On my most recent trip to Chicago, and my first trip after my conversion to full blown veganism, I was pleased to find several vegan dining options. My boyfriend and I went through the list and picked a few places to try, and thank goodness one of the places we put on our list was the Chicago Diner, because it was fabulous!
There was quite a wait to get in to a table, but luckily we stuck it out. The servers were incredibly helpful, making tons of suggestions when we were both so overwhelmed by the selection. I ended up settling on the Black Bean Burger, which was absolutely incredible, and a cup of the French Onion soup. My boyfriend, a self-professed "meat and potatoes" guy, decided to go with the huevos mexicanos, and was pleased as well. I was a little apprehensive about bringing him to a restaurant where he couldn't stuff himself with bacon and sausage, but he really ended up enjoying it as much as I did. A great place to go if you're a couple with such different food preferences.
The Chicago Diner has a cookbook, which we also purchased, and it has been so wonderful here at home in Lansing to be able to recreate some of the dishes. I recommend buying it if you're only in town for a short while.
My girlfriend and I graced this veggie culinary orgy more than a year ago while visiting from Milwaukee. Since that very first time, we had since made it a point to eat at Chicago Diner every time we were in town. In fact, we were extremely worried that once we moved here, this place would put us in the poorhouse.
Why?
Oh, I don't know, is it the fact that at most places you can count vegan options on one hand? And at this place, you can get anything vegan? Anything you can dream of? Gyros? Po' Boys? Dagwoods? Tofu Benedict? Green Eggz and Ham? Etcetera?
Our most recent meal was the dinner special of faux duck with orange sauce sided with some sort of wild rice pilaf. I can't remember if the meat was tempeh or seitan, but whatever they did to it, they did it well. We also got the Rawchos, which we first tried a long time ago and have ordered consistently ever since the first time. I must warn you, though, that the first time we ordered Rawchos they came on a huge platter with a lot of chips for all the fancy raw fixins. Now they are a high-end appetizer with very few chips involved. In fact, this has been our only complaint at Chicago Diner. Ever. But our waiter completely accomodated us by giving us extra chips for dirt cheap. Anyway, Rawchos are amazing and still worth checking out. Just be prepared to need extra chips.
Don't sleep on the desserts here either. We took a slice of Raspberry Espresso Cheesecake home for breakfast the next morning and it rocked the house. They have raw desserts too, but I didn't like the raw carrot cake we tried way back when, and was really sad to have wasted dessert on it. Conclusion: raw entree good, raw dessert bad. Anyway, they doo cakes too! A couple months ago, I drove in to pick up a Cookies N Cream cake for my birthday, which my Wisconsinite meat-and-dairy-loving family absolutely loved. (I loved it too.)
They also have great Bloodies in the morning and an outdoor patio in the back and darn friendly waitstaff. If you've never been, you've never lived. So go be born.
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Black bean burger + vegan milkshake = unbelievable.
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Amazing food and service. Our server was Elizabeth and she was excellent. She was attentive, friendly and fast.
I had the SWEET POTATO QUESADILLA which I recommend - very tasty. My friend had the Duck Ala Orange and it was amazing.
I also had the Pinot Noir - not the best wine I've ever had, but pretty good.
For dessert I got the raspberry espresso chocolate cheesecake. I have to say I didn't like it that much. I wanted to try the chocolate chip cheesecake, but they were sold out. Apparently that is one of the favorites.
I was surprised when the check came as I was expecting it to be more than it was since we both got desserts and drinks.
I also recommend sitting outside if it is nice weather and they have space available.
I highly recommend this place and will go back again soon!
I love going to a place and not having to hassle anyone to get a meal without meat and loads of cheese. I had the grilled cheeze and a side of steamed broccoli. I was surprised- the 'cheeze' was better than real cheese, and the tomatoes and carrots made it the best sandwich I've ever had- by far. I tried a friend's spinach soup, and even though I'm not a fan of spinach, it was amazing. The side of broccoli was exactly that- a big stalk of fresh steamed broccoli, without butter or salt or anything other restaurants put on veggies. The waitstaff was great. They seemed to like their job and the food they were serving. I'm going to come back here as often as possible.
Awesome food,service and atmosphere Loved it! Try the Red pepper Ravioli! Omgish and I loved that they juiced a fresh apple for apple juice PURE GREATNESS. I will be back forrrrrrr surrrrreeeee!
Good vegetarian/vegan variety. The food is prepared well, flavorful and appealing to the eye. However, the prices are a tad high, but I dont mind going there every so often to enjoy being able to order anything on the menu and sample things I dont know how to make myself. Ive found that a few meat-eating companions do enjoy the fare, as the menu appeals to the tried and to vegan, to the flexotrian(one who eats meat but sometimes enjoys vegetarian cuisine) and everyone inbetween.
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It's nice to go somewhere where I can eat every single item on the menu. When I went, my brother and I tried their seitan gyro, the jamacian jerk seitan sandwhich, and the nachos. Awesome! Pretty good bloody marys too. The staff reminds me of the one I work with, which was nice. The vibe was similar too, kudos.
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I'm not into vegan/vegetarian dishes but this place turns that upside down. The dishes taste so amazing you wouldn't know that there are no animal ingredients/biproducts. Their lasagna tastes better than average meat lasagna. You can't leave here without trying a milkshake either! Their outdoor back patio is also nice. It will surpass your expectations!
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The Diner was always a good stand-by when I lived in Chicago. I would eat here at least twice a month. That being said, the food is pretty good, but if there were better all-veg options in Chicago, I would have probably been going to them more often. The Seitanic Caesar Salad (now renamed Chickin Caesar Salad) was my fave, followed by an okay (but nothing to write home about) macro plate (which looks like is no longer on the menu). They have a decent brunch, although there is usually a pretty long line.
I'd been wanting to go to Chicago Diner for quite some time, but I don't often find myself up that way.
Husband and I stopped in for lunch and it was Ohhhh-kay. Though, I have to be honest, the Reuben was a bit too much like a Reuben for my veg. taste buds and the idea of it leaves me a bit nauseous now. But for a meat eater it'd be a great sandwich when you find yourself dragged here, I suppose. The roasted veggie sandwich was fine. Nothing over the top extraordinary. Though, at their prices, you do kind of expect extraordinary. The side of potatoes were burnt and lukewarm. We tried the dumplings, they were okay. The skin was strangely thick and rubbery.
I wanted to fall in love with this place. I wanted to have to find more reasons to head up this way. But sadly, Chicago Diner didn't win this Vegan over... I'll give it another try if I find myself up that way, but I won't make a special trip for it.
When I first became vegetarian, my cousin happily whisked me to this diner. In short, my first visit was exciting, the food new and tasty, and the time with the toilet the next morning was priceless. My intestines never experienced something so natural. And, not surprisingly, they were confused as what to do with the food.
I've since returned several times to the diner, often as a single eater. The food continues to be excellent. However, there are times where it just doesn't taste like it was cooked right: too chewy, over cooked, burnt, etc. That aside, they are constantly adding new specials to the menu but always have their classics. Sweet potato fries and chik'in parmesan happen to be my personal favorites.
With almost every dish you are able to pick a side dish of your choice. Nothing beats going with a group of friends, all ordering different food, and sharing the dinner. I always end each trip with a shake. I personally find the shakes to be pricey, but they are worth it.
There have been times I felt the staff was "smug" and inattentive. The smug attitude comes from the fact that the staff feels they are superior to you. I've only encountered this once or twice. Yet, it was flat out "I can't believe you just said that in our restaurant" type of response I got to a question I had asked. As for the inattention, I was left for 30 minutes once wondering when I'd get my bill (after asking). I then had to wait for my bill to come back after it was lost (quite literally).
With the negatives aside, the Chicago Diner still receives my patronage because of their great food and the fun times I have with my friends and family while I am there. I always look forward to their new menu items and always crave something classic each week.
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So, here's the thing- sometimes I feel like the Chicago Diner is too hyped up and that there are other great vegetarian/vegan restaurants that are overshadowed by the Diner. But then I go there and remember why they're so hyped up.
Yes, sometimes I feel like their food is a little bland, and many times, I feel like I can't justify spending the money (I'm a cheap twenty-something), but in the end, these guys know what they're doing. The fact that they've been around for 25+ years is proof enough that they're worth the hype.
Some highlights:
* Fantastic staff- really fun, super nice, great people. I got take out yesterday and saw two of the servers dancing along to Amy Winehouse behind the counter. Good times.
* THE BEST VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES EVER. Buy them here fresh instead of at Whole Foods.
* Along the same lines- Chocolate chip cookie dough peanut butter milkshake. 'Nuff said.
Yesterday I tried a salad for the first time (I usually go for a more traditional entree), and feel head over heals for their Green Machine salad. Seriously, everyone should try it.
So, in the end- this place still rocks the house, even if they are sometimes over-hyped and I feel like sometimes other vegan/vegetarian joints in the city do things better. These guys are one of the original places, and I think that alone grants them the respect and hype they deserve.
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Me = carnivore.
Chicago Diner = vegan, gluten-free restaurant
Yet.... I love this place.
We managed to beat the dinner rush and were seated right away upon arriving at around 5:30 on a Friday evening. By the time everyone in the party had arrived (around 6:30), the place had filled up, with a fairly long line outside the diner.
Our waiter was very nice and very patient and the food was great (even without meat!!). We got the nachos and chips and guac as appetizers, and I got the portabello caesar wrap as my entree. There weren't as many mushrooms in the wrap as I thought (and hoped) there would be, but it was still very tasty. Their black bean burger, gluten-free enchiladas, and mid-eastern platter(?) were delish as well according to my friends.
Then came.... the dessert menu.
Cheesecake is my weakness. Chicago Diner's cheesecakes are wow (I highly recommend their chocolate chip cheesecake. Hands down some of the best cheesecake I've had in awhile).
Despite not getting my daily fix of yummy cholesterol-laden meat, I still thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Chicago Diner. Everything there was very flavorful and well prepared and their desserts are to die for. That and the waitstaff seem to genuinely enjoy their job and are there by choice - not circumstance. They're helpful and nice (and some are kinda cute =P). If you're ever around Boystown, stop by for a meal, or at least grab some cake to go! You won't regret it.
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Great vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Boys Town, don't forget to check this place out. Once you step inside, it gives off a cool vibe in this old-school diner type of establishment - kind of dark, but that's okay. You can either choose to sit in or outside. I had the 'Crab' Cakes entree which comes with seasoned & baked tofu patties with remoulade sauce - the sauce was tangy and creamy, which was great with the 'crab' cakes, (which tasted a bit like crab, I must say). It also comes with brown rice mix & sauteed vegetable medley, which was sauteed slightly, so it was pretty crunchy and good. Don't forget to get a side of stir-fried seitan with onions - it is salty, lovely, and DELICIOUS! They're like thin strips of tofu-like meat (sort of reminded me of flat fishcakes), and it's so darn tasty! I also had their Raw Blueberry Cheesecake - it was SO FANTASTIC! Yum!!! Creamy, blueberry-ish, and cold! I had their Vegan Milkshake with a scoop of soy ice cream and you have a choice of soy milk or orange juice to mix it all up - get the OJ - it is like a vegan Orange Dreamsicle. Always filling your glass with Chicago's finest tap water, great service, and have extremely nice servers.
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I don't think I even need to say anything about this place. Everyone already knows how awesome it is.
Total conundrum.
On the one hand, I leave feeling great. The food is delicious (the ravioli, enchiladas, stir fry, and bacon burger all got thumbs up), it's socially and environmentally responsible (vegetarian, vegan, organic) and it's healthy (veggies instead of cholesterol-laden meat).
On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that we were emitting enough greenhouse gas on our walk home to more than make up for our attempts at being socially/ environmentally responsible;)
Goodbye, ozone layer......but HELLO peanut butter and cookie dough shake. Yummers.
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I have been dragged here multiple times by my vegan and vegetarian friends, who swear by the food here. I personally don't love seitan, but have to say that certain things on the menu (mostly the seitan-free items) are pretty good. I occasionally crave the taste of tofu and suggest going here myself. They will actually make you eggs and cook with milk and cheese if you prefer. Brunch here is probably the best meal to head here for. Omelettes with cheese are hard to mess up, even in a potentially vegan restaurant. If you are vegan or vegetarian, then this place is a pretty good option.
Also I bought my friend a vegan chocolate cake made by Chicago Diner at Whole Foods for her birthday, and it was not bad!
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I've seen lots of bad reviews for this place, but I cannot say the same. The first time I went there I had the chicken strip sandwich which was made out of what I think was bread crust marinated to taste like marinated chicken (if that makes sense). It was SO good, it surprised me! Then my friend had the ravioli and that was pretty good too, when I say that, I mean it actually tasted like ravioli. How can food not be good when its made to fool you to taste like something its really not? Genius in my opinion. Also try the black bean burger, yum yum yum. So good.
Now the service IS kinda iffy! They aren't necessarily rude or mean, but vein and I think they are hired like that on purpose to portray that image. They are a mix of French Punks I think, they have the punk/hippie image and rude like the French are towards Americans. Makes sense to me.
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I just took my father-in-law to the Chicago Diner since we both don't eat meat, and I thought it was fair. He had a polenta dish and loved it, and I had the mushroom caesar wrap and didn't care for it. I was hoping for LOTS of mushrooms, but instead got lots of seitan. Boring. I did, however, LOVE our waiter. In fact, all of the wait staff seemed like they really enjoyed their jobs! I guess I should give it another shot and try something that you all suggested in your reviews.
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So I took my vegetarian friend and our other close friends here for her birthday. I looked online to see if they took reservations, which they don't. But they said if you have a group of 5 or more, not to come during peak hours. So we came before their peak hours, but we still had to wait 25 minutes to be seated because some of the people in our group hadn't arrived yet. So we finally got seated at 2 tables pushed together in the middle of the crowded restaurant. I felt like had to scooch(is that a word?) my chair in to make room for servers and customers constantly. Kind of uncomfortable.
BUT:
They had a real gluten free menu! I was psyched. I got the nachos. yummy. I split a chocolate soy shake with my friend and it was SO GOOD. and our waitress was super nice. Next time I go, I would love to go with just one or two friends and sit in a booth. They looked really cute and cozy.
so...I learned the hard way that this is not a place for groups.
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I was pretty disappointed when I went to the Chicago Diner for the first and probably last time with a friend. SInce I moved here from L.A. I have been lookin for that veggie restaurant that will knock me off my feet(like a Cafe Muse or Jax Vegan Cafe in West L.A.), but this place was ho-hum. Our waiter was pretty nice though. I had the Philly cheese steak I was not impressed and my friend didn't take more than 2 bites out of her grillled cheese sandwich. I guess I was just expecting more from a veggie restaurant with such "history and reputation" in Chicago. on a good note, the blueberry-banana smoothie was pretty damn good and the BBQ wings I had were not bad.
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Their fake reuben is better than any real reuben I've had. And their miso french onion soup is absolutely fantastic.
The only thing I have ordered and didn't care for so far was the "Eggz Benedict" with scrambled tofu in place of the free range eggs.
I am sort of glad it takes me thirty minutes and a train transfer to get to the Chicago Diner, or I would probably eat here five times a week and grow round.
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A return to Chicago is not complete for me without a stop at Chicago Diner for their philly cheeze "STEAK" sandwich. The thinnest layers of sliced seitan cozied up with sauteed onions & peppers and melted cheese all atop a multi-grain baguette. This is my favorite sandwich of all time and seriously holds a piece of my heart.
It had been over a year since my last philly cheeze steak experience, but I revisited Chicago Diner last weekend and was so not disappointed. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I always try and save a half for leftovers but can never do it. I washed it all down with a pitcher of their classic margarita and could not say no to a slice of vegan lemon raspberry cake which our awesome server brought out with a bonus scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream for my two friends and I to enjoy. Both of whom I might add said they were just not down with vegan cake and would likely not be sharing any with me. Ha. We all ate up every last bite of it and agreed it was truly some serious yummyness. If you haven't tried one of their vegan cakes, please do yourself a favor and try one! They're dense but delicious, the cookies & cream cake being my particular favorite. And the best part, they can be enjoyed practically guilt free.
The atmosphere is warm, friendly and inviting. Situated in a small house in the heart of boys town, I prefer the booths, but the back patio's awfully nice as well, especially in the spring. The servers are usually super friendly and eager to make recommendations. The music is equally cool and only adds to a great background to hang with your buds and enjoy amazingly freshly prepared veggie eats. Afterwards, I suggest moving across the street to the Town Hall Pub for more drinks. My friends bartend there and are some of the nicest girls around. Request some homemade watermelon vodka in your soda and munch on some veggie jerky and you will not be disappointed.
I wish we had a Chicago Diner in the bay area but I guess that would make it less special and one less reason for me to visit Chicago.
So for now, I'm happy to keep it a special Chicago treat.
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Over the past five years, the prices have gotten higher, the portions have gotten INCREDIBLY, INSANELY smaller, and the quality of the food has diminished. Yet, I still go, because there are about 4 items on the menu that are almost always good, and its where a lot of vegan friends meet up. They know people will keep coming no matter how shitty they get, because they have an extensive menu, and they do take advantage of that. If you know how to bake vegan for yourself, you know their cakes in comparison to others are dry and flavorless. If you were there 2 years ago, you know their nacho appetizer used to be 2-3x as big, for the same price. You know their sandwiches and salads have jumped in price, and shrunk in size.
If you've been coming here for awhile, you know they took one of their five "always good" dishes off of the menu (the fajitas - they were ALWAYS SO GOOD) and replaced it with some SAD-ass "enchiladas" the size of my finger, not even baked like true enchiladas. they're small, taco-sized dried out tortillas filled with a dry teaspoon of faux ground beef and topped with a nasty sauce. what happened to the succulent, juicy fajita seitan?
I'm disappointed 90% of the time I come here. Such a waste of what could be and once was a really good restaurant.
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Chicago Diner is 'Yum-O' as Rachel Ray likes to say. I recently went Vegan a few months ago when I moved to Chicago and found this place. It has amazing food and I was completely satisfied. It's a bit small and always crowded, but if you can handle that, it's well worth it!
***Update***
Okay so I went today and had the Sweet Potato Quasadillas...OMGOD people, these are FABULOUS. You have to try. Their Gyros are also yummy as hell. Be prepared to use lots of napkins for either of these dishes. If you never go to Chicago Diner, I feel so sorry for you!
Best vegan/vegetarian restaurant I've found ANYWHERE! I've ordered various dishes here and every meal is good, hands down. The tea is also super delicious. Friendly and attentive staff. Great atmosphere, including holidays (I had a meal with a friend on Thanksgiving one year).
I went here with a vegan friend last weekend, and it was fine. It was a bit expensive and the blackened tofu was decent but nothing to write home about. My friends enjoyed their Reuben Sandwich and some kind of wrap sandwich though.
Being a veggie-curious carnivore, I'm glad Chicago Diner is there. It demostrates there are possibly tasty options if/when I come out of the vegan closet.
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It is a sin to say anything bad about this place. Love it! I attempt to try something new every time I go. Much Kudos to a vegetarian restaurant in a city of meat-eaters!
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Enjoyed a leisurely, late lunch with a few friends at the Chicago Diner today. Though a vegetarian diner, options abound for vegans as well. Fake meats include tofu, seitan and tempeh.
We started with the nachos appetizer-- a smallish portion for 4 but probably perfect for 2. And the guacamole-- wow! I ordered the grilled cheese with avocado on the toasted 7-grain bread with a side of their "Mac and Cheeze". The sandwich was very good though I didn't care for the "Cheeze" in my mac. My friends split the enchiladas and a bowl of the cream of broccoli soup, both of which they loved. Tried a bite of their cornbread-- moist and delicious!
Our server was very attentive and quick with the drink refills. If you save room, close with a slice of the carrot cake! It's my favorite item on the menu.
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My buddy manages this place and my husband was the handy man there up until yesterday so this reviews integrity may be compromised.
Sometimes the food is spot on and amazing, the Dagwood sandwich, the squash soup, the gravy, the jalapeno dip. Other times, things aren't quite right. However, I always have a pleasurable experience dining here whether it's a date on the back patio, kicking back with my dad while he's in town, or a quick pick me up after a bike ride.
I highly recommend the cookies and cream sheet cake for your next bday. Lara brought one of these yummy cakes to my son's 2nd birthday and it was a hit with toddlers, grandmas, and everyone in between. The fact it's vegan is a big ole bonus!
I want to like this place. There are times the food is absolutely mind blowing (the vegan mac and cheese and the vegan nachos have never failed me!) and there are times where the food makes my tongue numb from the salt (reuben! I'm calling you out!)
The atmosphere is wonderful and the music is a win for the most part, but man - avoid that reuben at all costs unless you just enjoy licking salt shakers...
Excellent for vegans!
I am a meat and potato vegetarian, but I still really like this place! My fiance is vegan, so we go here frequently. As someone who is EXTREMELY picky, I really like the gyros, chick'n parmesan, and chick'n ranch. Hint: the ciabiatta bread is awesome! Try either of the chick'n sandwiches on this bread, and you will be dreaming about it later!
Warning! If you are allergic to any nuts or seeds, MAKE SURE you check with your server before ordering anything. Vegan food tends to have a lot of these two things, and they are in a lot of different foods that you would not expect. I am allergic to Sunflower seeds, and I learned the hard way that they put these in A LOT of different dishes. (Including the bread, which is why I like the ciabiatta-it is the only bread that they serve that does NOT have Sunflower Seeds in it).
The chocolate cake and shakes are good as well. However, the shakes are incredibly pricey.
Not a good place to go for ambiance--unless you go during an off-time, it's very likely that you will wait outside a while for a table, and then get stuck sitting right next to the door. If you happen to get a booth, though, it's very relaxing :)
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This restaurant is one of my favorite places to eat and relax. The staff is super freindly, too. My husband and I had Thanksgiving Brunch here last year and we're going again this year. They really make every dining experience worth repeating. I will NEVER eat regular 'ol cheesecake agin after havging their cheesecake. My fav dishes? Beefy Wellington (when available), Grilled Cheese w/ soy cheese, Biscuits and Gravy w/ scrambled tofu, Philly Cheese, Super Gyro, Cocoa Mousse Cake, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Yum!
There food is pretty good for what it is, but the last time I tried their "cheese steak"...it was a bit too salty for me.
I do need to try their milkshakes though.
Based on Thanksgiving Dinner 2007
I went with my mom for last Thanksgiving/my birthday lunch. They do a full out Thanksgiving dinner with seatings throughout the day. Big points for doing this! You get choice of soup, salad, entree, and dessert. The service and atmosphere was great. Can't complain. Even when I called to make the reservation and again to confirm the week of, the people I talked to were super friendly. The soup, butternut squash with walnuts (or pecans, some kind of nut?), was excellent, as was the salad. Actually, the salad was REALLY good.
I chose the entree that was supposed to most closely resemble a turkey I guess. It was freaky because it actually tasted a bit like turkey (as I remember). But it just wasn't good. Even the sides (including stuffing, green beans w/ almonds...) didn't taste good. I hate to go on and on about how much I didn't like it....but really, it wasn't like it wasn't great, but I ate the whole thing. I didn't like it so much that I barely ate any of it. My mom chose the ravioli (pumpkin I think). Not good either. Really doughy. I can't remember exactly what I had for dessert (pumpkin pie I think), but I remember not liking it. Couldn't even eat a couple of bites.
I really wanted to like my meal. I was so dissapointed because I truly believe that vegan food can taste good. But this meal gave vegan food a bad name. I hate to even say it, but it tasted, "vegan". Also, I've had Chicago Diner desserts that I bought at whole foods, and they are delicious. So I don't understand how they could mess up the dessert I had that day.
I know people really love this place, so maybe I need to give it a try again, but I won't be back for Thanksgiving.
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So, what's not to like?
1. Sometimes spotty service.
2. They don't serve ice with water, usually.
3. Most of the dishes are not that great, and overshadow the great ones.
4. Their soy shakes, to someone who can't eat dairy, are scary good and cause me to make up for lost time WITH dairy. Which, I'm sure will eventually make me fat.
This place used to be hit or miss for me (I don't know if the brunch has gotten better, and they used to have an amazing chili dog that's now gone), but then I discovered the reuben. It tastes EXACTLY like a real reuben. Now I crave it all the time.
They also have booze, which is cool. Sit outside during/just after rain and you'll get eaten alive by mosquitos.
Actually a NEGATIVE star.
Goodness, how BAD can vegetarian/vegan food get? oh yeah, as bad as this spot - this place still doesn't know how to use seasonings & yet they're still in business? so many other places are well worth the ride out (Karyn's, Amitabul, Blind Faith Cafe, Soul Vegetarian, Veggies to Go, etc)
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