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Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners, Vegan
Neighborhood: Wicker ParkDamen (Blue)
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"With so many raving reviews, I can't add much. But, I do want to say, thank you for providing such righteous eye candy to accompany our…" read more »
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You pay for atmosphere here. It's a quirky little "cafe" in what people expect to be a quirkier side of town.
If you're from east/red line area come here when you visit wicker with a friend. It's a nice place right in the heart of things that won't disappoint.
Great Veggie options too!
If I were a vegetarian or vegan, I'd probably have been more impressed.
My dining companion and I foolishly tried to get into Bongo Room at around noon on a Sunday. Faced with an hour wait there, we opted instead to head down the street to Earwax (by the way, what is UP with the name? I get it, I get it, you're edgy. But how unappetizing...) We were pleasantly surprised to find we could be seated in about 10 minutes.
The interior is adorably circus themed, but very cramped. So cramped, in fact, that when the diner at the table next to us left, she knocked the sugar tray, water glasses, and left over coffee off her table and on the the unfortunate gentleman at the table on the (other) side of her. I was VERY cautious when moving around the restaurant after that. I will say that the staff cleaned up after her with relative good humor.
I started out by ordering coffee, which our waitress brought over to me in a pilsner glass reporting they were "out of mugs." Um...okay...I guess. If this means I get more coffee in my drinking vessel, I'll go along with it. I then ordered the baked granola, which is granola baked with peaches, blueberries and apples and served with a side of yogurt. My dining companion got the stuffed challah French toast. I thought mine was just okay - it was good, but nothing I'd go out of my way to get or order again. He reported the French toast was "one of the four best" French toast dishes he'd ever had. After that rave, I had to try it. While it was definitely better than what I ordered, I had to say I still wasn't blown away by it. We both agreed his side of turkey sausage was pretty inedible.
As everyone else has already mentioned, Earwax is cash only. Which is a pain (though they do have an ATM in the restaurant). Overall Earwax was completely A-Ok, but with all the other options in the area, I won't be rushing back. We'll just have to get an earlier start for Bongo Room next time...when do hipsters wake up?
Oh, Earwax what happened to you? I swear the quality of your food has hit rock-bottom over the last few months. I'm not a hater, in fact, I'm usually a pretty big proponent, so it pains me to report this...
Horrible (almost inedible) pancakes coupled with snarky, chirpy service mean that I'm heading to handlebar, bite, toast, or flying saucer.
Stopped going for a while, rats, ya know?
But I came in last saturday and hmm. No.
The veggie burger got smaller. I swear to all that is holy, it's smaller. Same price + smaller burger = no way jose.
The chips are tasty but honestly, that is not even a tablespoon of salsa. I could have used two chips and been done with it. Just tell me I get a side of tortila chips with a salsa GARNISH. Because that's what it is. I also got the "end of the bag" chips so that sucked.
Now the food is still good. The tuna salad on the melt was fresh and not too mayo-ey and the tomato basil soup was chunky and flavorful.
But everything else is just falling apart. It's just like, they know they'll get a ton of customers so why try hard?
I'll probably be back though because I have veghead friends who love this place but if I want a cheap sandwich with AMAZING service, I'll go to Birchwood down the street.
Here's the thing about Earwax.
Because it is one of the last restaurants in Wicker Park to have…
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I love grilled cheese. I mean, who doesn't? However, I am lactose intolerant and can only eat fake cheese. However, no one loves fake cheese. If someone tells you they do they are either lying to you or have never tasted cheese made from real milk.
So while I do not love fake cheese I will eat it when with my little eye I spy grilled cheese (available with soy cheese) and tomato soup on a menu. Especially when it is kinda late on a chilly-ish night in January. So for like 7$ I got a decent (not huge but plentiful) cup of kinda chunky and spiced just right tomato soup. Accompanying said soup was a not-quite-melted-because-that-is-the-nature-of-fak e-cheese grilled cheese sammich with tomato and onion.
My dining companion got a bowl of some lentil stew with brown rice which, in my opinion, was kinda a small portion and lived up to neither the 'bowl' or 'stew' descriptors. It was tasty though from the bite I took. However, Josefina's is better; hey, what can I say, I am partial to my ma's - and her's is veggie, too!
All my years in this city and this was actually my first trip here. So want to definitely return as I heart BYOB. And next time I will know that cash rules here (no credit, kids).
One of my favorite eating destinations in Wicker.
Not pleased with the cash only policy (hey, sometimes I forget to have cash on me!) but a trip to the ATM is worth it for their soups and goat cheese quesadillas, and the veggie burritos are great..
I love funky places with vegetarian food that doesn't just mean a dish sans meat. It's far from the veg food I've had in town, but it's definitely decent and very convenient for me.
I think my favorite thing so far was the sweet potato and blackbean quesadilla, but I need to branch out and try a few more things before I can up the rating.
This place is great, I'm definitely a fan.
I'm a vegetarian and took a meat-lover here for brunch last week--she ordered the french toast and says she will never be able to eat normal french toast again without comparing it to Earwax's and being supremely disappointed.
Seriously, this friend is a non-artsy, non-Wicker Park-hipster, die hard carnivore. If she loves Earwax Cafe that's about as good of a review as you can get.
I highly recommend to all, vegetarian or not. Don't expect it to be a Lincoln Park yuppie-style joint--it's not. It definitely has an emo hip art vibe in its decor/attitude. But if you can accept that, it's very worth it.
I used to describe this place to my out of town friends as a "carney/punk themed greasy spoon"
Used to eat here every weekend,
Do yourself a favor and order a sassafras tea.
If you're not a hipster, it is really difficult to get good service here. The food is fine but the staff sucks and has an elitist chip on their shoulder.
I've been here several times and each time, had bad service. My boyfriend and I asked to be sat at a booth and the hostess said it was for a party of four. Fair enough. As we sat at our cold, little table I see her seat a couple at the same booth five minutes later! There were many open tables at the time.
Also, please know your vegan/veggie vocabulary because you will not gets any love if you ask a question about the menu.
As the customer, I want my business to be appreciated. I should be treated with respect whether I'm wearing baggy sweats or dark-rimmed glasses and skinny jeans.
The irony of being a free-spirited, artsy and health-conscious environment but lacking love and equality towards human beings.
Okay, So I'm not a vegetarian.
I'm not a vegan.
Went here as my sister who actually is a vegan and was pretty excited to check it out and I was told they have non-veggie stuff here too, so I obliged.
There were a few things here and there for us carnivores, but I felt kinda out of options. Sure I could have gotten something without meat, but I opted for the Bison Burger.
It was pretty mediocre. I felt like they kinda half-ass the meat stuff as it's mainly a veggie/vegan joint.
The pop I ordered too was from some local brewery orange cream, bottled and it was nasty way too sugary and generally gross tasting. (nothing to do with earwax, just venting)
My sister loved it, so I guess all wasn't lost.
Don't ever plan on coming back here as It's always packed with swarms of hipsters and the food was forgettable.
The service was good and everyone was super nice there, it just wasn't for me, that's for sure.
This is place is my fave. I am here practically every day after work, because it is close.
The food is really good, and I don't feel like I'm getting death glares when I sit there for hours only having one bottomless coffee.
Bottomless coffee is great. The coffee is seriously good, and I drank around 10 cups for under $4.
The music is good, the food is good, and it is right across from Myopic.
Seriously, how can it get any better?
Great breakfast, great service, cute little outdoor area in back, only reason it didnt get 5 stars was my steak and eggs could have been better but everything else i have ordered from them has been awesome.
Earwax has gone through a vegan friendly menu overhaul, so their food has improved. I had the tofu benedict and some really yummy coffee. I cant really up the stars anymore because of the fact that they STILL don't take credit cards.
Don't waste your money. The food is pretty generic (for vegans) and not that great. It tastes like… Read more »
Stumbled across the place while driving ... and no Yelp help in sight.
Parked on the street and headed in with my wife ( a former vegetarian ).
I had the steak sandwich with cheddar instead of blue cheese and it was great. Grilled lean medium rib eye steak.
I don't like writing reviews of places with so many reviews already but they were so accommodating that I thought I'd let Yelp nation know that they will adapt their menu for you.
Went there for brunch this morning and absolutely loved the small stack of pancakes. I like this place because it has something for everybody; my vegan wife, my meat eating friends, and me the vegetarian.
The food is good, the service is ok, and the price is ain't bad. Overall I definitely recommend.
Earwax is pretty sweet...
I went when it was nicer out and they had the front all opened up. I sat near the back, which I prefer, since I really wouldn't like the people on the street to speak to me while I am trying to eat. I hate people, k?
The servers do not wear uniforms, so be prepared for some regular person to walk up to your table and ask you what you want to eat.
The hummus is awesome. They give tons of veggies with it... mmmmmmm.
It's good and I like it, okay?
Three stars for having black currant Italian sodas on the menu.
Two stars subtracted for being in an obnoxious neighbourhood and for the high percentage of profoundly, ill-mannered clientele. In other words, dirty hipsters.
I always bring people from out of town to this place.
Things I like about you:
The pulled pork sandwich
The omlettes
The friendly and attentive wait staff
The oodles of selections
The cool-looking circusy interior
The bench seats.
Things I don't like about you:
Cash Only = annoying.
The fries are thin and covered in a chili powder. Not my preference.
A little pricey.
That being said, clearly the good outweighs the bad.
Come to this place.
This is one of those places that I always come away from wondering what I was listening to. In a good way. Experimental jazz, carnie tunes, whatever, it's always interesting and always pleasant. Fits right in with the freak show decor. Earwax reminds, in a way, of things my mother describes when she talks about Riverview.
The food here is great. Not cheap, but generally worth it. The jerk chicken sandwich is my favorite, but the pulled pork sandwich and the hummus are also high up on my list of recommendations.
The tea, however, is the highlight for me. Specifically, the San Francisco Spice tea. My favorite tea ever. Ever. It's spicy, citrusy, excellent for cold weather yet still refreshing. In heaven this stuff flows from faucets. When it rains in paradise, it rains San Francisco Spice. With the cold and the snow approaching, there isn't any better time to get yourself a cup. Or two. Or a keg.
Also, any place that puts the monkey dick right out there the way Earwax does is ok in my book.
With 361 reviews, I doubt Earwax is jumping for joy that I'm getting around to this little piece of mouth-off.
But hey, in the rare moment you find yourself reading this for inspiration/motivation/party tipping point, this joint is more than a safe bet.
There are only real three downfalls, and as long as it stays under my on-the-spot tsk tsk limit, the place is golden.
So a) You've gotta be super okay with getting chummy/stepped on to any moving or speaking object around you.
And b) The falafel is DIY, which is a bummer to me. Come ON, I went out to have food served to me, not to get an edible art project that I will inevitably throw a tantrum over because I can't stuff it just right.
Finally c) Last I was there (all of a few days ago), their internet was M.I.A. for certain Mac users....*ahem, hi*....but I've got to say, the very adorable manager man gave me free coffee since I missed out on a connection.
Not bad for supposed "downfalls", and the food offerings are SERIOUSLY vegetarian approved, save for that Falafel experiment.
If you're a fan of seitan, circus decor, friendly service, vegetarian and good food, Earwax is the place for you.
Came here on my lunch break with some coworkers, and while we all loved it, I don't think we'll be going back for lunch. As others have mentioned the service is a little relaxed, and getting in and out quickly is not easy to do. The service was super friendly, though, and I would have loved it if I hadn't been glancing at the time so often.
My friend and I split the seitan reuben and the seitan burrito. Everything made it to our table hot and delicious. The only thing I didn't like was the sesame slaw that came on the side of the reuben. The burrito was a huge success with everyone and I'd order it again in a second. It was spicy and stuffed with all kinds of goodies, never skimping on the good stuff, like creamy avocado or spicy seitan.
The reuben was also good and my first experience with seitan in a restaurant was a big success.
The prices might seem a bit high, but you do get a LOT of food for your money. All four of us left stuffed, though on my way out, I did see a milkshake on the counter and felt like I might've been able to fit a BIT more.
Service was friendly and attentive, though not the speediest. The vegan-friendly, but tasty food, fun decor and atmosphere will bring me back.
This place is boring.
-- The food is boring. Although the milkshakes and the biscuits and gravy they sometimes have on special stand out, the rest of the menu is uninspired and other diners across the city do it all better.
--The service is inconsistent. Although some servers are sweet, most come off as pretentious and aloof.
-- The music is always the loudest when it is at its worst. And it can be very very bad. The last time we were in there, there was some weird covers of songs played by a band that sounded like it had Bjork, Dylan, Animal Collective and some whales as its members. It was too loud for us to hold a conversation, gave me a huge headache and everyone agreed it was a meal-ruiner. It was so bad that we made a comment to the server, who basically told us to suck it up.
-- There are better places to eat on the same block. Sultan's for a falafel, Veggie Bite down the street for greasy vegan sandwiches and better milkshakes. etc
All of that said, I keep coming back. It's boring, but it isn't horrible. It's not cheap, but it doesn't break the bank. The only thing I worry about is the health code violations, ick.
UGH, I don't understand why people love this place. The food is terrible, the service is even worse and the prices aren't even fair- and it's CASH ONLY! What the hell? You vegetarians don't have to stoop so low, there are plenty of better options!!
Uhhhhhh, they were also closed down because of a rat issue, that should be enough of a reason to never want to come back.
I'm not gonna lie tho, I love the circus theme/decor!
This place is just alright in my opinion.
The food was pretty good. My fiance and I had brunch here, and the flavors were good, but nothing I think I'd ever "crave." I did however, really like the music they were playing. Nice and chill for a Monday morning. That much I enjoyed. But, here was the real downer: the service was very inconsistent. At first, they were pretty on it, but then after we ate and it was time to pay, it took them over 10 minutes to get our money. The tip dwindled in that time, I assure you. We were pretty frustrated, especially since one of the waitresses was chilling at a table talking to customer while we waited.
I have to say, second time I had the veggie burrito I wasn't as impressed... I think I might've just been ravenous the first time around! It's still good, but not worth $9. The chips are waaaayy too salty & surely not made in house, which is disappointing. You also get a marginal amount of salsa to go with them.
I still wouldn't mind going back, but I'm disappointed at the fact that one of my favorite burritos has to be $3 more than the standard price of one. For $6-7, I could get complimentary homemade chips with plentiful, delicious salsa AND a burrito at my favorite Mexican restaurant, or even just a Chipotle burrito, which is equally good. Damn.
I like rats. Rats are cute. And in my opinion, PLENTY of restaurants have some sort of sanitation… Read more »
Earwax, you saved me! As a budding vegan, I'm always looking to lighten the load I foist on my omni friends. Usually that takes the form of me caving on dining choices and ordering another veggie burger (the HORROR!). But those days are over ... well, not over but at least less likely.
Veggers will find a strong variety of vegetarian dishes that are easily made vegan on request. Omnivores have slightly fewer choices, but they look delicious (my neighbor was getting the pulled-pork sandwich). My BBQ seitan burrito was perfectly seasoned and a savory delight, but the corn chips that came in tow were small, wispy disappointments.
In conclusion: menu was plentiful, food was delicious, prices were reasonable, service was iffy, atmosphere was inviting. Tell your Kiiiiiids!
OK, so not only is the food bland here, but it's served in a place that had (or may still have) a rat infestation! I stumbled upon a list of restaurant closures and found this article. Sick! And I even ate there around that time, yuck!
http://www.chicagobrea...
Meh...I've given this place more than its fair share of tries after being disappointed by their… Read more »
So I dated a vegan once...and she liked this place. I would like this place if I were veggie...the concept is great and there does need to be more variety when it comes veggie/vegan friendly places in the city (wow...I love being able to say that now..."in the city.").
Do I like Earwax? Well, let's see.
Quality: Food is ok, nothing too special. I know this is so far from the concept...but I wish they had real bacon and sausage here...it's breakfast!
Price: I don't find the prices too bad considering the location. Now....what makes it worse is the cash only policy....I deal with it at other places but, for some reason, I cannot deal with it here. I just can't...
Service: They're a little snotty and a bit mia.
So will I be back again? I've been a little over a dozen times (before and after the rat fiasco)...that's a lot for Chicago....I will spend my hard earned money elsewhere. After all, I need meat!
If I were a vegan or a vegetarian I'd love this place - but I'm not.
I can't really say much about this place. I mean, the decor and atmosphere was really neat. The whole carnie/circus theme was pretty cool. I'll remember the way the place looked more than I'll remember the food. The menu is pretty extensive. There's plenty of choices for both meat-eaters and non-meateaters alike. Another cool thing I really liked about Earwax is that you can get breakfast anytime of the day. I wasn't feeling breakfasy that morning so I went with a tuna melt and side of tomato basil soup. Now, the soup was yummy! I love when tomato soup has chunks of tomatoes in it. However, the tuna melt was just alright. I would have loved the tuna melt if it were on plain white bread smothered in butter and grilled to a crisp. This particular tuna melt was too "healthy" for me! Still good, though. The service was good as far as being attentive to our table, but our server wasn't exactly the friendly type. She had this constant look of disgust on her face. It could have just been her face. Who knows!?
I'm a fan of Earwax. They cater to meat eaters and veggies alike. They also have a killer selection of sodas and teas. Brunch, lunch, dinner whatever. This spot is always on point.
I have been to Earwax Cafe about ten times, and all but one time, I ordered the Goat Cheese Quesadilla. I wish I could comment on the vastness of their menu, but I've never been adventurous enough to buy anything other than the aforementioned quesadilla. It is by far my absolutely my favorite dish at any restaurant anywhere, period.
The one time I ordered something else, I had the portobello mushroom sandwich, was also quite good. They have excellent potato sides, and by the reactions of friends I have brought their, I can say that the breakfast burrito and cheeseburgers are also quite good.
The coffee is great, and the wait staff have always been very nice and good. I've heard horror stories about the quality of service at Earwax, but I have almost always got the exact opposite. The waiters and waitresses that I've seen there in the years I've been going have been very helpful and friendly. I can't recommend this place enough, my favorite restaurant.
Time to get caught up on some more restaurant reviews. It was the weekend and the family was heading out for a new breakfast spot. Actually we were heading to the Bongo Room. We park, pay the meter and check in for the wait at Bongo Room. My oldest daughter and son say the place looks packed. There is a big line of people mingling on the sidewalk. I thought maybe they were having a fire drill (just kidding). So after telling them our party size we are told there will be an hour wait. Our family says NO WAY and let's find another breakfast spot. We decide on Earwax which is just right down the street.
We get seated at Earwax as soon as we walk in. The place is busy but there is NO hour long wait. My wife says the place smells funny. My daughter agrees. They think that it is a burnt ham type of smell. It's not too good of a smell to sit through for the next hour. Another negative point, Earwax only takes cash, no credit or debit cards accepted. I always find this strange today when places refuse to accept debit and/or credit cards. I know they always give the excuse they are trying to keep costs down for their customers but come on, it is only a 1 to 2% additional cost from the credit card companies. I think your customers would think it is a great additional feature to offer.
Well I ordered the Chilaquiles which was average. A chip, salsa, scrambled egg, black bean and cheese type of dish. My son ordered the steak and eggs which again he said was average. I would have to agree with him as the meat was extremely bland. My wife ordered the Benedict, which she liked. I did think her potatoes were very good (I know you are saying that there he is sampling everyone's dishes again, it's good to be me!). My daughter ordered an Omelet which she also liked a lot.
Our total bill came to around $42 dollars. The waitress was extremely friendly which was nice. I don't know if we would go back or not. We have loved other places such as Over Easy, Victory Banner and Milk & Honey. So try Earwax at your own risk.
Earwax Cafe is not usually a place that I would normally eat at because I like meat, but when you've got vegetarian friends sometimes you just gotta eat some veggies.
I was pretty satisfied with my BBQ seitan. It was that spicy kind of BBQ which is pretty delicious. My two other comrades had some problems with their meals. One person did not get enough avocado on their sandwich, which is a MAJOR problem.
What I did enjoy most was the decor. The carnival theme was pretty cool and they were playing some pretty groovy tunes while I was there.
I'm in the vast majority who are torn on the Earwax. I get the sweet potato black bean quesadilla, and sometimes it's perfectly seasoned and cooked, and sometimes it's a bland pile of mush. A few of my friends are all about the BBQ saitan, so I'll throw that in there as a positive.
The place IS dirty, and the service sucks. Most of the staff is snotty and uninterested in helping you out, regardless of the fact that it's sort of their job. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but if I'm right by and hungry, I'll stop in and cross my fingers it's a good day to get the sweet potato quesadilla.
Not a bad place to eat. Not great either. It is great to have vegan fare options in the neighborhood.
Sometimes I really hate this place and other times, such as just now I really enjoy it. I guess it's mainly because I've come here for breakfast or brunch and just have never been really satisfied. They have everything you need, but there is just something missing. For lunch and Dinner, I think is where Earwax really hits the spot. The sandwiches are filling and there is enough variety without going to the vegetarian options. Too bad the video store closed down.
Not sure why I keep going back; the food is inconsistent at best. The wait staff is constantly texting instead of bringing me a refill or taking my order when I'm ready. Now that I think of it I'll have to pass on this place!
As a visitor to Chicago, I wanted to try some of the local spots. Earwax had a yummy-looking menu and quirky decor, so I thought it would be a great lunch spot. Bad idea!!
I walked in and stood by the "Please wait to be seated" sign for a bit. A guy saw me after a while and pointed me in the direction of a table. Almost as an afterthought he added, "Oh, here. Take a menu."
So I sat. Looked through the menu. Read the newspaper. I sat some more. The waitress appeared and seated some folks behind me. I sat for a while longer. She came back and took their order. Finally, she seemed to notice me and I ordered a black bean burger and a soda.
I waited again. And waited. And waited. After about 20 minutes she came back with my soda. It was not packed inside, so I wasn't sure what was taking so long. I waited another 15 minutes. I spotted my food sitting on the counter, but nobody else seemed to notice. Then, finally, another employee brought it to me. By this point the melted cheese had begun to harden. Ew. The burger itself was not that great. Kinda bland. The potato salad on the side was even worse. It had no flavor at all. The best part of my meal was the black cherry soda I had.
Then, as I got out my wallet to pay the check, I (and several other diners) spotted a mouse scampering around the front of the restaurant. I mentioned this to the waitress, who shrugged and said, "Yeah, it's because the doors are open. We're trying to figure out what to do."
After reading the reviews of this place, I guess I should feel lucky that it wasn't a rat.
I forgot to update this after the cat sized rat sighting and subsequent closing for mega rat infestation and "we no care about rats" attitude of the dirty hipster fucks who work at/run this place.
Just because you don't shower and eat out of dumpsters doesn't mean the rest of us want to be filthy, ironic, moustache wearing assholes, too.
I'm going to assume this place still has a pest problem based on the fact that the people who work there still think its acceptable to come to work looking like they woke up in a muddy gutter.
Oh, and the vegan cakes here come from Tipsycake...see my review of THAT poor excuse for a bakery for more info. I was confused about why the cakes at Earwax were so nasty until I found out who supplied them. If I want a cake made out of dust, shortening, and chocolate I'll make that shit myself at home for free.
I am adding a star here because their jasmine tea is delicious and their waitstaff is always super… Read more »
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