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Categories: Vegetarian, Fast Food, Vegan [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
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For the record, Mt. Greenwood is NOT a suburb, it's a neighborhood of the city.
The location was perfect for me, and the food was okay. It was nice to have a vegetarian option close by, but I'm not vegan so I couldn't appreciate the fake cheese sauce the way vegans could. I also found the textures of some of their items to be odd.
Unfortunately, they are closed now. If I head up north, I would stop in, but I wouldn't make it my destination.
Oh no!
"Temporarily" closed for "remodeling" with a "helpful" sign directing patrons to their "conveniently located" other store in Wicker Park.
(AAAAUURRRGGHHH this damn economy...or something like that...)
The phone number sends you straight to the north side location and the person on the phone said they were going to reopen in "a month or two or something like that" and that they are going to start selling "just ice cream or something like that" only there now.
Aww fuck....
Damn. Damn. Damn.
Southsiders and Northsiders! Carnivores and Vegans! Cubs fiends and Sox freaks! Trixies and, uh,… Read more »
This location's closing left a gaping wound where my heart used to be. Well, that and the fact that we moved about 70 minutes away from this location a few months prior to the closing. But that said, I would gladly venture to the Wicker Park location for the amazingness that is all things Veggie Bite. Now, my husband is an omni, but even he cannot deny a deep-seated love for VB. Their shakes hooked him, and then the food? Sold him completely. LOVE their nuggets (but I suggest passing on the tofu sticks unless you like a lot of tofu with not a ton of breading--which neither of us do) but the cheese fries, gyros, you name it--awesome, It was totally a "Mickey's Gyros" kinda joint for the vegetarian soul. This is not rabbit or health food, just good ol' veggie fast food. Awesome. Just awesome. :)
Harkening back to my days as a vegan, one dietary hole in my cravings came in the form of honest to god junk food. You can find veggie analogs of junk food in some restaurants, but they taste too "healthy" to me to satisfy my cravings.
That's why I used to love to hit up veggie bite for some honest to god fast food, greasy tasting, cheesey slathered, goodness. I'd throw down on the vegan cheesesteak, the chili cheese fries, and the vegan softserve any day of the week. All with the knowledge that I was noshing on zero cholesterol and zero cruelty.
The atmosphere was ok, though it could have used a little more personality. Whatever, the food is great. Prices were a little high but worth it.
I hear this place may currently be out of commission temporarily so I would either call first or head to the Wicker Park location. And make sure to try the ice cream, and tell me if you can tell the difference from it's dairy counterparts... impossible.
I've been to Veggie Bite now on several different occasions and I have to say the food is delicious. It's good to have some vegetarian and vegan fast food options that remind you of a good old burger joint. I have visited both locations, before the south resturant was closed. I have had the veggie gyros, b b q and tofu nuggets. Yummy!!! The place is fairly priced for what you could expect to pay for a typical vegetarian meal. However I do think the service is a little lacking and not a very big drink selection [ always out of cola :( ]and they don't bring the food to you. which is the only reason that keeps me from giving this place a 5 star rating. Other then that I think it's great and very clean!!!
Well I have to say I am so sad to read that it is temporarily closed. But, at first I heard it actually closed.
When I realized there was a fully vegan fast food restaurant only a few minutes from my southside residents I seriously thought I was dreaming. Southside and vegan is not really words you would hear next to each other. My mom and I decided to try it out and see what it was all about. I ended up getting a Chili Cheese Dog and fries. My mom got a salad with chikn pieces. The chili is a 'meaty' very hearty mix it was sweet and had a great tang to it. I was also excited for the bun. It has been a LONG time since I have had a good vegan hot dog bun. This tasted similar to Fudrducker's bun (if you remember that place). Very buttery and toasty, it was perfect. My mom enjoyed her salad and it truly filled her up.
I have gone back a few other times. Once to get the chili cheese fries. Oh my god, these are a meal on their own. They are so hearty, you have to eat them with a fork. The cheese sauce is so delicious. Probably not the best thing for you, but it is just like the cheese sauce omni's have. I also got the Philly Cheese Steak. It was really good, but oh my god it was so much seitan. Though, the seitan was perfectly seasoned. I took out half of the seitan and took it home with me for a later meal. Again the bread was delicious.
I hope they re-open with more than ice cream! It will be a sad day when the southside is back to being unfriendly to vegans.
Word is that Fat Tommy's Hot Dog place is taking over the building on Whipple St. I don't think Veggie Bite will ever be returning to Mount Greenwood...my wife is dismayed.
I think once they got the Wicker Park location up and running, they kind of stopped caring about the suburban one. They certainly didn't ever put much effort into the place. And the service was always mind-bogglingly slow, and lackadaisical...no wonder they went under.
One carnivore's confession.
The only thing better than meat is food that tastes like meat that won't slowly kill me.
If I can string together enough vegan encounters, the vegetable gods could probably convert me and steal me away from food-with-parents.
Daddy liked Veggie Bites.
I ate something that was a faux fried chicken sam'mich w/ tomato, lettuce, etc. I can't remember because I ate it so fast.
So good.
I heard about the chili cheese fries AFTER I inhaled my lunch from a veggie friend. That will be my next move, no doubt..
Fast food veggie. Yes!
The only thing missing is a drive-thru window and a kiddie toy deal w/ a crappy Disney movie. Maybe I could cruise up to a talking carrot (or Carrot Top, Is he business?) and place an order from the driver's seat. I wanna order chili fries from a talking carrot. Stop fucking around and get on that, Veggie Bite.
Monday was an off day for VeggieBite. When I walked in the guy on the register was new, he didn't know how to work the credit card machine and they were out of buffalo wings (which I was salivating over after seeing them on the website). So on my first day I got a Philly Cheesesteak and a regular salad. Even though I spent an entire year living in Philadelphia, at this point I can't remember what a real Philly Cheesesteak tastes like. What I can tell you is that this one was amazing! Veggiebite uses its own homemade cheese sauce and a perfectly seasoned seitan beef, sliced thinly and oh so yummy. I really don't even care what a "real" Philly Cheesesteak taste like, because this is one is my one true love.
Full review is too long to fit. For my entire review head to http://veganguineapig....
All vegan fast food. Burgers, dogs, CHILI CHEESE FRIES, shakes...all that! Not the healthiest or prettiest food but definitely a change of pace for most people who eat vegan. Proprietors Sylvia and Moshe have their heart totally in the right place and are some swell people.
Worth the trip.
Oh. My. Goodness.
This place is great. The guy behind the counter was very helpful, and he was able to explain the kinds of meat substitutes they used and recommend some of his favorite items. The Bite Burger is quite possibly the best vegetarian burger I've ever had. It was so flavorful and just melted in my mouth. Then, I tasted my shake...and I was in heaven. Being lactose-intolerant, I hadn't had one in such a long time. Oh it was so good, and the best part was that I knew it wasn't going to upset my stomach because it was dairy free! My friend tried the tofu nuggets, but they weren't all that great. They had a rather bland flavor and the sauce they came with didn't really help spice things up.
Oh Veggie Bite...why can't you move up north to my 'hood? Please?
I remember the first time I ever heard of it, "What? A vegan fast food restaurant on 111th street?" It seems counter intuitive, but yes, it's there. Much like New York, New York...if you can make it there you can make it anywhere.
Veggie Bite has a pretty standard selection of things you would associate with fast food. Burgers, Hot Dogs, Chili Cheese Fries... but everything is vegan. In addition to the typical fare, they mix it up a little... Italian Beef Sandwich, Meatball Sub, Buffalo on Rye. These ensure you won't be pigeon holed into the burger and fries meal, unless that's what you want. My favorite sandwich is the Italian beef, it is piled high with tasty seasoned strips of veggie beef and is as tasty as it is messy.
I have always found the food to be good. It is vegan, but it sure doesn't feel like health food. It pretty closely authenticates the fast food experience. Sometimes it's nice to go into a place and just pig out, Veggie Bite allows that and then some. While we are on that subject, they have cakes and a soft serve soy ice cream machine as well.
My only complaints with Veggie Bite is that sometimes you get the fast food taste, but certainly not fast. At times we roll down there with a crew, and it can take awhile to get the food. Also, I have ordered a few milkshakes there and found them to be a bit thin and bland. Hopefully that was just an isolated incident.
There is talk of a Veggie Bite North opening up soon on Clark and Diversey. I certainly hope it does, if it does they are going to need to hire a full kitchen staff, because this place is going to get really busy and waiting too long for fast food can drive people away. All in all, it's worth the drive south for Veggie Bite, but I sure am looking forward to having one a short bike ride away.
This was my favorite kept secret and now it's closed oh no. Thank goodness I have a Veggie Bite in Wicker Park.
Bought a taco and chik'n wings from their stand at Green Fest. Everything they serve is vegan, which is pretty cool, and they imitate your standard soul food fare with seitan, tofu and lots of barbeque sauce. Me like.
They're hella far on the south side, so I probably won't be seeing them there any time soon, but there's a north side location coming in the near future. Whoo eee.
Oh yeah, and their food is hella cheap. You weren't expecting that, were you? Vegan food CHEAP? Naw! you say. But it is. How lovely. You can be conscientious and eat delicious food without going to the cleaners. Boo-ya.
2nd time around
Nice alternative to animal fast food.
Nicely kept.
Seemingly seems like a southside secret; impressed that the place exists in the neighborhood and making a profit.
Hands down the best vegan restaurant I've ever been to. The food is healthy, fresh, and fulfilling. The atmosphere is modern yet homey.
The owners, Moshe and Sylvia, keep the place extremely clean, and they make sure customers get what they want.
I recommend the tofu burger, fajitas, and ice cream.
This is such an interesting concept.
Yum to everything I have ever had!
Its just so darn far!
The Good: Entirely vegan. Simple fast food options. Quick. Friendly staff. Amazing "cheese" fries.
The Bad: It's waaaaay south... 111th and Whipple. What's available can be limited. Once I went and they didn't have any water.
So yeah, most vegans I would hope know Veggie Bite. The place is great but it is a haul if you're a north sider. Got my fingers crossed for their mythical 'North Side' location to open. I'll believe it when I've got their awesomely sloppy vegan food running down my chin.
so i started to take a walk in my hood a couple days ago and what did my eyes behold? why there on the corner of milwaukee & paulina, a sign affixed to the window of an empty building: VEGGIE BITE
yes, fellow northsiders, our very own veggie bite is coming soon!
good news for my taste buds, bad news for my butt (and thighs, and stomach, and...)
Dead sold, the first time I went down I blew 20$ on about 4 different entrees and finished it all. Vegan fast food is pretty much all you need to know. Big portions, no frills.
I loooooove this place. I've been there a few times and have never been disappointed plus it's a great place for south siders in need for some decent, healthy grub. The nachos are soooo good and the tofu nuggets are too die for. Moshe (sp?) who is usually behind the counter is such a delight and is also the co-owner. He told me that they are opening a 2nd location on the north side of the city soon. Yippppeeeee!
I found this place because my sister used to work here. Being the sibling of two vegans, I've had occasion to sample a lot of vegan food. Most of it tastes good but the consistency is offputting. The veggie burger here is a triumph, though. Its consistency is about as authentic as any I've had. One of the better burgers I've had, including those with meat. Also, the chick-free nuggets with the cucumber sauce are wonderful.
If you are vegan and feel you don't have enough gross, shitty fast food in your diet, Veggie Bite could be your new place of choice. Everything is greasy, mediocre and fried. I've been here several times and was let down each time. It's located deep in the southside in the old Veg Express location and is hardly an ample replacement for what was lost.
I feel like I'm missing out on the fun because I really didn't like Veggie Bite at all. I was glad to have an alternative to Soul Veg because I've been taking their bad attitude for too many years and sometimes I just don't feel like Alice and Friends or Chicago Diner. But I didn't think anything was all that great at VB, it was kinda greasy and totally unhealthy and all covered in this melted-orange crayon they called "vegan cheese." My husband was psyched to be eating fast food again- he loves the nachos but I thought they were gritty and weird and we both ended up sick all night. He would still go back, but he's gonna go without me next time.
Everything I've gotten here I've at the very least liked. Their menu is fun and gives you the urge to explore. Sometimes it's hard to choose. My absolute favorites are the BBQ nuggets and the meatball sub. The chili cheese fries were good but get soggy quickly due to the small shoestring fries they use.
Forget vegan, this place is a lactose intolerant person's safe haven!
The chili "cheeze" fries where really good, the shakes too. I tried the chocolate and cookie dough, and liked the cookie dough best.
This place is a bizarre doppleganger of your standard fast food joint, but the twist is that their food is all Vegan. For a slate of full vegan food designed to imitate the worst of fast food, they do a very good job. It may not be my first choice of eating, but if this is your eating preference, you'll enjoy this place for an original twist on vegan dining.
A great place to take your non-vegan friends. Yes, it is essentially a tasty place where you can get fried veggie goodness. If you're not into that (as a generally health food vegetarian, I enjoy this occasionally), then this is not the place for you. It may not be gourmet raw vegetable creations, but hey-it's not meat. The chili cheese fries are great, as are the vegan desserts.
I almost sh!t a brick when I heard there was a vegan restaurant on the south side, so for the sheer awesomeness of this strange, bewildering gem of truth alone I give it four stars.
I would give it five, but firstly, there wasn't ENOUGH propaganda. Hello, aren't meat-eaters supposed to feel just a tad bit guilty? After a delicious vegan meal it'd be cool if our omnivore friends could pick up some information about the benefits of being veggie or the environmental, ethical, and bodily devastation eating meat causes. Then again, something like that would have to be donated by some sort of organization, so that doesn't really fall under Veggie Bite's purview. It'd be nice, though. :)
Secondly, the employees were not very helpful. I asked the guy behind the counter what he'd suggest to my two first-time-vegan-eating companions and he shrugged apathetically. He could'e been shy or new though, and having worked food service in college, I know all too well that sometimes there are moments when you just can't take another flipping customer pestering you.
Thirdly, I felt kind of disappointed in what I ordered but was blown away by my friends' food. One had the chili dog and the other ate a Philly, and both were pretty amazing. My buffalo on rye tasted a kind of bland, as did the tofu bites. I've heard great things about the buffalo bites and shakes though, and will be back.
Even if this place sucked I'd be back just to lend support to the type of food I'd like to see more of in the area. It's such a bonus that it's clean, affordable, pretty fast, and boasts a huge menu of vegan treats.
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Vegan
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Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
Category: Restaurants
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Category: French
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Category: Vegetarian
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