On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Vegetarian, Vegan [Edit]
Neighborhood: LakeviewAddison (Red)
Belmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Loading...
I'm an omnivore. I eat everything (with a few exceptions, of course). A friend suggested that I try this restaurant out. It was a good recommendation.
I've tried many vegetarian restaurants in SF (my dad's a vegetarian), and some were not so great. The Chicago Diner is definitely in the more awesome category. :)
First of all, I'm a devout fucking omnivore. I usually scoff at vegetarians/vegans, because to me the recent uprise of the meat-free movement just seems like another trend, another must-have accessory to the modern hipster's arsenal of pseudo-political beliefs.
Chicago Diner, however, manages to impress even me. It was the first meat-free establishment I ever dined in, and I've been coming back ever since.
I appreciate well-made, flavorful veg food for its health benefits, and they do not disappoint in that department. I've never had anything bad here, and only once did I have something that was "meh", which was the sweet potato quesadilla. It didn't have nearly enough cheese or spices, but it was still very much edible. Other items that I've had -- the reuben, mac 'n cheese, APPLE CIDER!, and nachos to name a few -- have been extremely tasty.
The wait staff is really charismatic, hospitable and attentive, too, which is a nice plus. I feel like they wouldn't bare their teeth and hiss at me if I were to confide to them that I am secretly a fan of animal flesh.
So while I still roll my eyes every time someone asks, "Is it veee-gan?" in a self-righteous drawl, I must confess that secretly I'm quite a fan of the cuisine, at least that which comes from here.
This breaks my heart. After VegNews named this place the best diner of 09, I was beside myself to try it. I made the long trip out from Bridgeport and squealed all the way down Halsted to the front door. It was crowded, but it was Sunday morning in a diner, what do you want?
We sat and were given coffee in paper cups, since the mugs were all taken. Not a huge deal, but my guest wasn't amused. After perusing the menu very seriously, we decided - he'd have the sausage and biscuits with gravy, I'd have a pancake with scrambly tofu, taters, and seitan sausage. You're right - it DOES sound amazing.
My potatoes were too large and underseasoned, the seitan sausage was dry and hard (my guest's was tender, maybe because it was covered in gravy?), and my scrambly tofu was one-note. I was really upset by this. I have mad respect for a place that feeds the masses without one fallen animal, but I was heartbroken with the quality of my grub.
I don't know if it was because it was a busy Sunday, or because I built it up too much, but I was just not impressed. Did I choose badly? Did the good cook have the day off? I don't know. I hope there was a good reason. Because I want the Chicago Diner to rule my seitan-eating ass, and when I come back to Chicago, I will trek back up to Lincoln Park from wherever I am and I will eat there again. I need to believe that this place can be everything I need it to be.
Don't let me down, Chicago Diner! See you soon.
This place lives up to its reputation. The food is just great, the atmosphere is unassuming, the service wonderful and friendly, the drinks and desserts amazing and there is even a little parking available. The downside is it can be a loooong wait on a busy night and then they run out of the one thing you were waiting for! They could use an additional location!
I'm kind of a non-practicing vegan. I can see how this place could be intimidating. Imitation meat products can be scary.
The vegan reuben is heavenly. I want to swim in their thousand island dressing. The vegan nachos are good, although the "cheese" is a little strange and... liquidy. 3 bean chili is yummy and satisfying.
Dessert. I love you, dessert. The carrot cake was suggested by our server last time I was here (which is very often) and was heavenly. The frosting was delicious and the cake was moist and had raisins (yum) in it. Milkshakes are also awesome, and the cookie dough-y peanut butter-y cake thing is good too.
Anywho, I say... come here with an open mind if you are not a vegetarian. Don't expect meat. It's not. But they do a damn good job without it.
I tried the black bean burger and the sweet potato quesadilla. I didn't like either. I recommend Soul Vegetarian and Yah's Cuisine over Chicago Diner.
The peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie dough vegan milkshake really was pretty amazing! We enjoyed the sweet potato quesadilla, the bean chili, and the cornbread quite a bit too.
Highly recommend for vegetarians and non-vegetarians a like.
The don't take reservations though, and the wait can be long, so I docked them a point for that.
I hate hate HATE doing this. I really do. A restaurant that magically turns every hot-dog, hamburger, and chicken into a vegan friendly meal couldn't possibly be bad. In fact, as a vegetarian of 10+ years, I was kind of expected to love it, wasn't I?
I wish I could say that I'd found my safe haven from all meat-eaters, but instead I'd found a restaurant that specializes in fake meat. First I blamed this on the fact that I'd been so conditioned to skip over such items as a cheeseburger that I kind of skipped over the whole menu. Going back to revise it, I did settle on one of their soy, fake, imitation meats. I love tofu. Soy has always been a true friend to me, but I just could not get into it here.
Even if I didn't have the best experience, I'm really happy this restaurant is popular and hope it continues doing well. I love it when people are surprised how good something tastes without meat.
I hope we can still be friends, CD.
A week later and I'm back already! Went with my two vegan-loving friends and my meat-loving boyfriend. The friends loved the food. The boyfriend liked it too, just not the fake meat. I ordered a smoothie again (just as good as last time) and spaghetti with meatballs. The pasta was great as well as the accompany garlic bread. However (this is the reason I wanted to update this review), the meatballs were terrible. I thought maybe it was just because I don't like imitation meat but my two friends didn't like it either. It was taste-less, mushy, and falling apart. I'd advise against getting the meatballs.
When I first heard the words, "Chicago Diner," I thought it was an old-fashioned diner. When I found… Read more »
First timer, just moved from New York to Chicago. Been healthy eating for many years now, am a holistic counselor, and the first thing I noticed was that the Chicago Diner actually uses vegetables (as opposed to other veggie places that use faux meats, etc.)!
Chicago Diner makes delicious food that has been developed over the many years it's been serving Chicago, highly recommend it.
Carnivorous breakfast eater reporting for duty...
Sausage, bacon, ham, bacon, sausage...whatever, fry it up and serve it to me, with pancakes (vegan-friendly!? see, I'm not a total hater), and I'm pretty happy. Usually.
Yeah, I like meat, like, the real stuff...so uhhhhhh, this wasn't really "up my alley," so to speak.
Service: FANTASTIC.
Juice: Out of this world, OJ saved my life.
Scene: Relaxed, fun, kitschy, cute.
Neighborhood: Great! Love Boystown.
Coffee: Splendid, hot rich and full of real cream.
Food: Lacking meat.
*While I do appreciate the mission here, I just thought the food tasted like...fake food? Yeah, something like that. I have NO IDEA what that sausage patty was made out of it, but I was willing to give it a try. Dry hockey pucks aren't breakfast food, people! My eggs were good (farm fresh, organic, yay!), but the french toast was...odd. Like, toast is veggie friendly, so I feel like this should've been a home run here....perhaps I was mistaken, but it was chewy. It didn't help that I wasn't given a knife or fork til about midway through, so eating this weird chewy-ish bread with a spoon was....difficult.
In short: It was a plate of meatless BLAH.
I get it, I get it. Meat free since '83, but I'm a carnivore since about the same time...and I'm gonna stick with it. The bacon is better. Trust me.
*disclaimer, I mean no offense to veggies. I actually really enjoy vegan/veggie fare. I just think CD misses the mark. So, there ya go.
Ew. I'm not a vegan or anything even close.
Don't get me wrong, I love other kinds of food too fruits, veggies, etc, so If I didn't eat meat, I wouldn't settle on weird "meat like" foods.
Which I found decidedly weird that most things on the menu were imitation meat.
I ordered the french toast. It was the consistency of garlic bread. It was gross.
We got our food super quick and the staff was super nice I just hated my meal. The milkshake was awesome though.
I recently got a chance to check out The Chicago Diner. I was moderately disappointed, but it wasn't a bad place. I just expected more.
We ended up sharing appetizers around the table rather than ordering entrees. Most of our meals actually end up that way, really. We had the hot "wings" (hunks of seitan in a spicy sauce), fried ravioli, taquitos, and potato skins. Everything was definitely edible, but nothing stood out as amazing. I enjoyed my food but it wasn't memorable or exciting, just solidly okay vegetarian fare. The "wings" we a little dry and there was more spice than flavor (and I love spicy food, but this was more like spicy vinegar sauce to me), the potato skins were filled with a cold, uncooked "cheeze" mixture (I'd expected those to be warmer, I guess, like traditional, non-vegan potato skins), and the others were just tasty without standout flavors.
We also had one Mexican and one hazelnut hot chocolate and one apple cider at the table. All of them were good, though I think they could have spiced my Mexican hot chocolate up a bit.
The food was good, and the service was friendly, but it wasn't a place I want to spent 45 minutes on the bus to visit and then wait 30 minutes to be seated at, so I doubt I'll be going back unless I'm already in the neighborhood.
I'm not a vegetarian, but love trying vegetarian dishes. This place serve some pretty amazing dishes. I don't know how they do it, but their meat-like substances taste just like meat!
Their peanut butter milk shake is to die for! OMG, I didn't have room for another bite after brunch, but somehow found room for their milk shake. If you don't have room, just order one to go and save it for later.
A word of warning about the biscuit and gravy - it's a bit dry! I think this problem might be rectifiable with a bit more gravy. I'd definitely still order it again :)
Not being a vegan or vegetarian I have to say that their food is pretty good...depending on what you get. I LOVE their nachos and lasagna, they had me thinking I was eating real meat for a second. The nachos will make u wanna slap someone!!! Lol The place is really small, but the staff is really nice and considerate. I will definitely keep going back.
A few things in life never fail me, the Chicago Diner happens to be one of them. Allow me to elaborate:
1. Went there on a Friday evening, was told there would be a 15 minute wait for two people. Fair enough. Put a name down, and maybe seven minutes later, we were seated. Chicago Diner does not lie about wait time.
2. Once we ordered, dinner was served in about 15 minutes. Seriously.
3. Everyone who works there is ridiculously friendly -- and they actually do care if you enjoyed your food or not. No uppity vegetarians here.
4. They like to use locally sourced ingredients. Yes yes y'all ...
5. Sweet potato quesadillas. I wish every quesadilla was that awesome.
6. CAKE. They have the best cake. If you're not stuffed by the end of your meal, eat some cake.
7. Great fun to take skeptical carnivores. So far every skeptical carnivore I've taken here has been rather pleasantly surprised at how tasty their meal was. That's right. Become a believer.
8. Let me reiterate: cake.
Thank you for existing, Chicago Diner.
Really enjoyed my Chicago Diner experience! My only complaint was the half hour wait (in the cold) to get in and how it was rather unclear what the system was for getting on the list.
But once we were in, the service was attentive and friendly, the menu was great, so nice to have all those veggie choices, and the food was very good. Despite the crowds trying to get in we didn't feel rushed at all.
We went here on a Saturday night and it was pretty crowded. The place itself is rather cramped and loud, but there are a ton of places I can think of like that. The problem is that taking the rents to a place like this isn't always a good idea.
They have bottomless grean tea which is super refreshing and I probably took down a solid five of them. The avocado toastadas were also great but the portion size wasn't up to my massive hunger that night.
I think I would still prefer Blind Faith, but this is a nice change of pace.
Leave your diet at the door. I'd hear nothing but good things about this place from vegan friends, and they didn't steer me wrong. Yea, it's not particular healthy vegan fare, but it's damn delicious. After running the Chicago Marathon, my guy and I were more than ready for something decadent.
They have a huge menu, period. The sandwiches that we ordered were perfect (and this coming from a gal who never liked meat Reubens), they have Michigan beers (as a former Midwest resident, this was wonderful) and the BBQ ribs are SPICY. I wish I'd had more money and room in my belly. I want to move to Chicago anyway, but doing so might be dangerous for my girlish figure.
The staff was attentive, friendly and helpful.
Boom.
I feel a little weird giving a review, since I used to work there, but the thing is...
it WAS my favorite restaurant before I worked there
it WAS my favorite WHILE I worked there
and its STILL IS my favorite.
so bam. Take it, and I know it's quality, cuz I watched it happen.
I know, sometimes the servers can be a little distant, but no matter where you go, if it looks super-busy, it's probably b/c it is super busy and the server isn't going to coddle you.
The food is awesome, it's a bummer to go in and expect something and the menu is different and your something isn't on the menu, I totally get that...but the new stuff is always so bangin, you'll get over it, promise.
I just love it. Plus, i feel like the vegan chz everywhere else is totally lame, and i just wanna DRINK IT HERE. (gross, not really)
My point is, Vegan comfort food? bring it on.
OK, so, at the beginning of this year, I became a reluctant vegetarian. I miss bacon A LOT. I miss encased meat products. I miss thick juicy steaks and baked chicken. This Thanksgiving, I am sure I will miss my great grandmothers gizzard gravy that I have eaten every year for the last #*^%* years... but, more than any of those things I miss corned beef.
Corned beef is delicious -- it's fatty, fleshy, pickled meaty goodness -- and I love it... errr.... loved it. I thought I would never eat corned beef again, and then we found The Chicago Diner. Now, we did go at about 3 in the afternoon, so we had no trouble getting a seat or parking, but that part of town is usually a bitch to park in or around, and I can see how if the Diner got even a little rush, it could be incredibly uncomfortable to wait for seating there.
I ordered the Reuben, my hubby had the Polenta Lasagna.
My Reuben was as good as any real meat reuben I have ever had-- maybe even better than many. As a side, I ordered tortilla soup: FANTASTIC flavor! The portions were tremendous. I was SO SO happy. The Lasagna, on the other hand, was really just a huge chunk of polenta (a peasant food that, for some reason restaurants charge an assload for -- here it was 12.99, kind of ridiculous) with herbed butter, on a bed of greens, topped with squash, zucchini, and purple onions...*yawn*. He ate it because he was really hungry but I probably wouldn't have. For desert we spilt a piece of AMAZING chocolate pumpkin cheesecake -- so good it made me want to stand up on the table and sing. The bill was $31.00. Kind of high for a late lunch that does not involve the slaughter of another creature (which would have been much cheaper!) but worth it, I think. I love this place. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that sandwich I had. Dear Faux Reuben, Most Cleverly Disguised Bean of Soy, I will return for you again some day, My Love -- someday soon.
I wish there were half stars. 4 1/2 !
BEST raw vegan desserts. Karyn's Raw has got NOTHING on Chicago Diner. Even my friends who complain about vegan fare thought that the raw vegan cheesecake was amazeballs.
They also have other raw vegan dishes that have been great. Kind of sad they thinned out the raw vegan nachos, though. The nacho used to be a lot thicker. Hm.
Anyway, I've tried many of their vegan dishes(I've eaten here a lot, so it's all over the place). Tastes good! I think they have the best vegetarian/vegan/raw vegan food in the city. Then again, I haven't explored as much I should to verify this claim ..
My last review was pretty harsh. But we tried brunch this morning and my french toast & seitan sausage was definitely reheated in a microwave. What else can mimic the texture of cardboard so well?
And dude, even the boyfriend's Monte Cristo sandwich didn't cut it.
Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.or...
A Monte Cristo is usually one of those things where it HAS to taste good because isn't it supposed to be that decadent leap you take into the realm of delicious and deep fried? It wasn't melty or greasy or fluff-crispy. It was the same crappy wood-like french toast I got with a slice of processed veggie ham and vegan cheese that wasn't even warmed up. ick.
So while the french toast and sausage sucked, the biscuits and gravy and the potatoes were pretty good. But greasy potatoes are always good and the biscuits and gravy at Earwax are sooo much better. The side of tofu scram was boring but edible. But a cup of coffee was almost three bucks!
Blah, I give up. Save yourself the line and the disappointment and walk down Clark to the Pick Me Up Cafe for a lovely choice of large-portioned and yummy scrams and the best french toast - vegan or otherwise - ever.
the food is lifeless. I guess that's kind of a pun, and I'm happy this food never had a soul to… Read more »
To a windy city vegetarian, Chicago Diner might as well be McDonald's. I believe it took all of three days of living in the city before I made it here based on reputation alone a decade ago. Back in those days, it was pretty much the be-all, end-all of vegetarian restaurants - a meat free oasis. It was the only place in Chicago where I could eat anything on the menu (not that this was necessarily a good thing as part of the reason I'm a vegetarian is I have a hard time with food decisions).
Now with veggie friendly restaurants a dime a dozen (well maybe a dime a half dozen), Chicago Diner is not the only choice. But there's a reason it's still among the first few herbivorian restaurants on anyone's lips - and it's not just location. Despite being the grande dame of Chicago's greens scene, it still holds up to a point.
We put off Chicago Diner until mid-year for Veggie Supper Club because it was sort of predictable; but for the August offering, we could no longer hold out. One thing had changed since I last went here. Arriving early on what seems like it might have been the last warm day of summer, we went to the back patio. It's far from scenic - it's almost claustrophobic - but it is still a nice way to commiserate and it made the wait nil on a Monday night. According to our server, however, the waits are still huge on weekends.
The service was surprisingly friendly considering the crowds with our server sitting down and explaining everything. And the menu is surprisingly complex. Far more than I remember with some of the items bordering on gourmet. They have begun to explore the raw food movement (to mixed results) and have a juice bar.
Each item on the menu's that not vegan can be made that way, but hopefully the Diner sticks to being a vegetarian restaurant. Vegans seem to be ruining every other veggie restaurant in Chicago but the diner still proudly and thankfully serves milk and egg products.
I was actually limited in what I could eat to soft food (making me pickier than a vegan) which was a shame since the Chicago Diner makes fake meat better than most restaurants through years of experience. Of what I could have on the menu, the mashed potatoes were excellent and the polenta was good (though oddly it came as solid chunks that broke down into a more liquidy consistency in the mouth). I did risk stomach issues to try a bit of Andre W.'s gyro. And it was every bit as mind numbing a meat substitute as I remember from having it multiple times at the Taste of Chicago.
Stick to the fake meat at this place and everything will be alright, I guess.
I guess only because the prices have never been great but are now bordering on nuts. Even the sides are around $5. It's Mana Food Bar prices (next stop Green Zebra) but hasn't quite reached its quality. Which is a shame because it's had years of a head start to do it.
But since Chicago Diner will probably be around for another 30 years, I'm sure, maybe one day it will.
I've never had vegan food before, so this was a first for me. I ordered the black bean ravioli. The food was good but nothing memorable. For me, it's pricey but makes for a nice place to go on those occasional times where you want to try something different.
Free your Mind, and your Meat will follow! Chicago Diner is meat free! Vegetarian and Vegan options rule the rooster-free roost here. As a meat eater the only trouble I had with ordering, was deciding which yummy-looking dish to get!
Deciding on the Oaxaca Ravioli served over a small bed of greens with fire-roasted salsa and sour cream, there was a distinct pumpkin taste to these yummy ravioli and the dish was great! Ordering the Blueberry Basil Limeade to go with it was perfect for a nice summer night, but it seemed pricey, given that I make this at home and I know it's not that ingredient-intensive.
Other dishes I snagged a forkful from my dining partners were the BBQ Pulled Pork (which was a little stringy and smoky), and the Polenta, which was served with zucchini, carrots, and squash, and was great. I didn't try the Raw Nachos, crazy huh? I, Nachos, will be back to try this Raw food take on my favorite food!
There's a great beer selection and we sat on the awesome back patio, lit with cute strings of hanging lights, and surrounded by trees and plants. Thanks to Becky W. for arranging this Veggie Supper Club! I will be back for those Raw Nachos with a craft beer on the side!
For some weird reason I did not want to have weird expectations for this place, but as you see the 5 stars, you can tell it well exceeded my expectations.
I was supposed to meet my monthly veggie crew here at 7PM, but I made it at 6:25 and I was starving. One member of the crew was there and we decided to get a table while we waited for the others. I went with the gyro along with a small side of mac n cheese. The gyro included pita bread with sliced seitan, chopped onions, tomatoes & lettuce, with vegan tzatziki sauce. To be honest with you, that was better than any gyro that included meat. The mac n cheese was tasty as well. The waiter who was great, recommended the Metropolitan Dynamo Copper Lager, which was delicious. I was told they make it in Andersonville. I sampled the Half Acre Lager which was almost as delicious as the MDCL.
Another great thing about this place is the outdoor patio in the back as everyone knows how I love eating and drinking outdoors. Inside seating is cool also as they have cozy little booths for your cuddling pleasure. The waitstaff was very helpful and accommodating. They answerd all of my questions with a smile and gave great recommendations. Definately will return and try some more goodies from their menu. Loved it!!!!
Chicago Diner is one of those places I'm always trying to get my friends to go to. It's got healthy, whole food options (one of the few places in Chicago with quinoa on the menu), but it also has veg junk food like fake seitan "meats" and soy milkshakes. I love the outside patio in the summer months. They are good about accommodating food allergies (have a gluten free menu, offer the option of dairy or soy cheese for almost all dishes) and in the past year or so have started offering a couple of raw entrees and desserts, including a very good raw cheesecake.
Last night I made the mistake of over-snacking beforehand so I came already full (lamentably...since Chicago Diner is one of a handful of places in Chicago I feel like I can really chow down) but thought the French Onion Soup sounded divine. Unfortunately they were out of it, and all soups in fact. :^(.
So, I decided to just stick with juice, of the fresh squeezed, vegetable variety. It was good but *ludicrously* expensive ($9.00 for a 12 ounce green juice, with carrot swapped out for broccoli and ginger added.) I was disappointed that I couldn't taste the ginger so I brought it back up front to get some more added. The juice gal pleasantly accommodated this but I saw that she poured in some pre-juiced ginger that must either be diluted or not at peak freshness because even with the additional shot I couldn't taste it. Considering how costly the juices are, I really think they should juice the ginger fresh each time.
(SIDENOTE: Chicago really needs some vegetable juice bars!).
Our server was friendly and overall I had a fun time.
Really last night was more of a 3-star experience but I've been happy at Chicago Diner enough that I feel it deserves 4.
This place is a diner and it doesn't serve meat. If that appeals to you, then run, don't walk.
It is great for a casual date. You could take your kids or your aged parents. I loved it. My food was not the best I ever had, but it was really good. If you don't eat meat, and you like diners this place is for you.
SOOOOO glad I finally came here!!!!
Delicious vegan food...with vegetarian options for the dairy lovers.
FYI: We totally fooled my friends meat eating boyfriend here- he was convinced the ground "meat" in the enchiladas, nachos and taco salad was real!! Did NOT believe us when we told him after it was all veg!!!
The service is super fast and a server is always checking up on you- God I love that! Meaning every time I want a little more of this- and a side of that, or another milkshake, Chicago Diner is on it!!!
Everyone who works here is very friendly, accomodating and helpful with great energy! Most of the food is delicious too. A good place to go in casual clothes for a (mostly) healthy casual meal.
LOVED IT!!
Pros: Peanut butter cookie dough milkshakes (HEAVEN)
Live green salad with avocado dressing (even took a big container home with me)
Gyros(WOW)
Nachos
Oaxaca Ravioli
Pesto polenta
Enchiladas
Cons: Taco salad (Karyns is better)
Sweet potato quesadillas(must have been an off day cuz other reviewers loved it)
Service outside- not as good as inside but not horrible
CAREFUL with the milkshakes....hard to stop once you start!!!
Can't wait to come back!!!
The Chicago Diner is a totally faithful standby for take-out nights or when you're showing off Chicago institutions to visitors. The food always hits the spot, but anyone expecting a culinary masterpiece will perhaps be disappointed -- this is a diner, after all!
The sandwiches are consistently the best thing on the menu, especially the ones made with Upton's seitan, but I have a soft spot for the sweet potato quesadillas as well. I think the macaroni here rivals Soul Veg for deliciousness as well.
Desserts are always phenomenal, and best from the source -- buying a cake slice in a box at Whole Foods can't compare! The raw cheesecake is excellent and inventive. And seriously, there is nothing like their peanut butter cookie dough soy shakes made with Temptation.
The service here is always excellent and the staff is down to earth, easygoing, and funny.
I'm not a vegetarian but enjoy endless food options, both meatful and meat-free. A veg friend was in from out of town and was excited to try this place. And so...we dined.
Love the atmosphere. Eclectic meets urban meets rocker meets 'I'm my own person, bitch!' I appreciate that. Also, the server was lovely.
Now...food.
The queso dip was ok. I probably wouldn't order it again. Not because it was bad, but because it was just meh. I was hungry and ate it but could do without it. The shining star was the black bean burger. Here's the description:
BLACK BEAN BURGER 8.99
Homemade burger, melted cheeze, lettuce, tomato, onion & creole mustard on a toasted harvest roll.Add giardinera+.50 Add avocado+1.00
Sweet holy mother, it was sooooo tasty. The sauce was awesome, the consistency of the burger was awesome, and the onions/tomatoes/lettuce were all so fresh -- awesome! I enjoyed this immensely and would definitely come back for it. Yum.
PS -- You're able to get this burger with soy cheese or with dairy cheese. I picked dairy because I love me a good dairy-gasm. Drool.
I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian but I have this bet going on with my sister that I wouldn't eat meat for a month so that is how I found out about this amazing place. I went with two of my sisters and my dad to check it out. The place is nice and cozy and the wait staff? Phenomenal! My waitress was very attentive and she came to ask if we needed something a second before I noticed I needed something. The food was delicious. My sister and I had the gyros, my other sister had the philly cheese steak and my dad had a chikin ceasar salad wrap. The verdict? 5 stars across the board.
When my "no meat month" is over I will still visit this place because it's great.
I'm not vegan, and I like it. It took me a few tries to find something I loved, but I've always been satisfied and impressed by what they can do without meat, and if you perfer, dairy. But I did like that I could get real cheese. LOVE CHEESE!
The sweet potato quesidillas are where it's at!
I had the sweet potato quesadillas and my boyfriend had a meat-free gyro, both were made with a meat substitute that was well-flavored and very good. I would give probably give 5 stars except I love meat, so while I very much enjoyed this "meat free since '83" boystown diner, I can't give 5 stars and stay true to my love for well-flavored and gently cooked animals. :0)
I feel compelled to ask - WHY is this place popular?
It's great that Chicago Diner is vegeterian friendly. But a poorly-lit overcrowded room with poor service isn't worth paying for. I didn't love my dish, and that's ok because I am your regular carnivore. I mostly disliked the experience because of the bad service and dirty cups you're forced to drink your one serving of water out of. Yuck.
Yum Yum Yum. I'm eating the leftovers as I write this. My eyes were bigger than my stomach last night and I just couldn't finish their 'Dagwood" sandwich like I thought I could. Best veggie spot I've been to. Hands down. Their "buffalo wings" are rediculously spicy, but their ranch could've used a little more veganaise to thicken it up. Still good. It's just me being nit-picky. Attentive staff and our food was on our table before we could finish ordering it. Go there. Now. Why are you still reading this?
I've been going to Chicago Diner for years and I've never been displeased with anything there. I'm partial to all of their Seitan dishes; The Reuben (#1 seller) is the best sandwich I've ever had (all of my non-veg friends love it), Philly Cheese Steak is awesome, Gyros are mighty tasty, Dagwood is supposed to be the #2 seller there - I think it's good but not amazing like the other sandwiches, Beef and Cheddar Melt is good, etc. All of the aforementioned sandwiches are Vegan or can be made Vegan. I've also had other random things like the Vegan breakfast dish consisting of tofu with "steak" which is also very tasty.
I recently discovered their Vegan ranch dressing...AMAZING! I'm one of those Vegans who missed fries with ranch dressing and this is the perfect substitute. If you want to take any home, they'll sell it to you by the pint as the waiter told me. :)
As far as beverages, I love their fresh apple juice, the shakes (made with Chicago Dairy's Temptation ice cream) are a little thick, but good. I think the raw cheesecake is OK; however, the other cheescake they carry is really good! The cookies are always good, and as far as the cake, I'm not too keen on the frosting.
The service is always great, and when weather permits, the outdoor patio seating behind the building is lovely. Chicago Diner is one of my #1 places to eat in Chicago.
Ever had that problem where everyone tells you that you need to watch a certain movie because it is "SO GOOD" and you'll "TOTALLY LOVE IT!" and then you finally watch it and it just can't match all the tons of hype so you just end up being disappointed?
That was what happened to me when I went to the Chicago Diner. For years people have been telling me how great it is, and how I just absolutely MUST try it. Sure, I'm not a veggie but I do love me some good vegetarian food. So when my girlfriend asked me to take her here for her birthday, I was happy to comply.
The menu appears to change seasonally, which is kind of cool. Lots of items looked really tasty, but I finally settled on the veggie buffalo wings. I've had and made all kinds of veggie buffalo wing flavored foods. I've enjoyed all of them, so I figured it would be a safe bet. I also decided to get chips and salsa, just in case the wings weren't enough. My girlfriend had the avocado tostadas. She was going to order the Pomegranate Wheat beer listed on their specials board, but we were told the board was "really out of date" and they were sold out. Fail #1.
As we waited, I noticed the music they were playing. Well...I really wouldn't call it music, but more of background noise. It seriously just sounded like weird buzzing noises for a lot of the time. Not exactly what I'd like to eat my meal to.
We received our food shortly, and I must say I didn't quite know how to respond to what was put in front of me. Brown, almost black, lumpy logs drenched in sauce. I was a little nervous, but I decided to give it a go. I felt even worse when I had a hard time cutting one of the little logs with my knife. But the worst was when I put it in my mouth - horrible chewy dense texture with a disgusting spicy sauce. This was not even CLOSE to buffalo wing flavor. Maybe they mixed up and gave me BBQ sauce, but either way it was horrid. I managed to choke down one and then I couldn't eat any more. It has been a LONG time since I ordered something I couldn't eat, but I definitely could not finish this.
Thankfully my girlfriend's food was the saving grace. Tostadas layered with a spicy black bean paste, topped with grilled veggies, quinoa, and avocado. It was pretty tasty. The chips and salsa were good too, but how do you mess that up?
Overall, I'd be willing to give the place another try given the previous reviews. But I will have to wait until the brown logs of doom stop causing me nightmares.
How have I not written a review for The Chicago Diner before now?? Weird.
My girlfriend and I loved it and used to go allll the time because we live so close, and it's vegetarian (yay!!) - but it's gone downhill in the last year or so.
Cons:
They've changed the menu what feels like a hundred times in the last six months, cutting out a lot. We have a lot of trouble finding something to eat if we're not going for brunch.
Service used to be consistently great, but now it's pretty hit or miss - and when it's miss, it's pretty terrible.
Pros:
It's vegetarian, of course.
The smoothies, desserts, and sweet potato fries never disappoint!
The Chicago Diner was amazing before - but try it for yourself, and see what you think, you might not have any complaints.
Complimentary Oatmeal Shake
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Daily dine in specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Vegan
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Greater Grand Crossing
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
Category: Vegetarian
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Places I like to eat from Charm City, to the Windy…
whether you're vegan, you know a vegan, or you…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
After spending two glorious years here, I moved…
I'm a vegetarian (though I love and constantly…
Must Gos on the North Side and a few favs in and…
Places I like to chill with good company, when the…
