Planta Queen Chicago is now one of my go-to spots. The food was excellent, but what made the night…read morewas our server Alejandro. He was attentive without hovering, food came out fast, and he genuinely added to the vibe. When I ordered the wrong dish, he caught it, swapped it for what I actually wanted, and comped it without making it a whole thing. That kind of service is rare. Great date spot, will absolutely be back.

It's rare that a dining experience causes me to pause, sit back in my chair, close my eyes, and…read moresavor. This happenedat PLANTA Queen, self-described as plant-based dining, reimagined. Truly - eating at PLANTA is an experience. We weren't sure how busy it would be on a Saturday evening so made a reservation, which turned out to be the right move. We were seated promptly and our server thoughtfully offered descriptions and suggestions that guided us to the following assortment of mind-blowing items: -Bang Bang Broccoli: if you order nothing else, get this. Perfectly cooked, beautifully seasoned, with just the right amount of crispiness and a magical peanut chili sauce. -Firecracker maki roll: filled with sweet potato and avocado, topped with a monstrous pile of potato straws, unagi, and glorious sauce. -Udon noodles with truffle mushroom cream: the description is deceptively understated. This dish is magic - thick chewy noodles generously coated in an unbelievably creamy sauce and SO MANY mushrooms. Pricing is fine - more than I'd like to pay for a routine weeknight dinner, but justified by the flavors and the experience of elevated plant-based cuisine. It's a good (but also terrible) thing that I live far away, otherwise all my time and money would likely be spent at PLANTA.

It's not often that I would consider moving to a new city just for the food, but Alice & Friends'…read moremade me carefully weigh the pros and cons. The entirely plant based menu is varied, whimsical, and intentional, and the staff are just glorious. Once seated our server inquired whether we had had the pleasure of dining at Alice & Friends' before, and upon discovering it was our first visit delightedly offered suggestions for our optimal enjoyment. The outcome: -Laksa: Malaysian noodle soup with a coconut curry broth, served with a variety of vegetables, tofu, and vegan shrimp. What? Yes. So good. -Heavenly curry: magical curry base (coconut milk, coriander, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric), chickpeas, and lots of hearty veggies including sweet potato, served over perfectly chewy brown rice. -Raw tiramisu: I can't even. Espresso, chocolate, cream, crust. Just get it. The decor (like the restaurant) is based on Alice in Wonderland, with lots of anthropomorphized friends to appreciate. Pricing is reasonable for the quality and the quantity. If ever I move to Chicago just know it's entirely to be closer to Alice and her friends.

First, I'm an idiot. I've lived near this restaurant OVER 20 years, but have never come here. Happy…read moreto report, no longer an idiot. I came here with a vegan friend and an omnivore friend. Typically, I reject these dietary labels, as what we all eat is food. Simply food. However, I'm also not someone who is all "OH EW, VEGAN STUFF, NO." I will not only never say that, but I will ALWAYS try something new. You should too. ON TO THE FOOD. I had heard talk of their Ramen, so I immediately ordered that. OH MY GAWD. It is so good. It tastes like "regular" ramen, but is 100% vegan. There was a strip of stuff (it was seitan) that looked like the pork belly that typically comes in Tonkatsu ramen. How is this not meat?! It was SO GOOD and had the texture of meat. But it wasn't meat. The broth is silky smoove, savory and . . . my gawd, I drank every single drop. The noodles and veg things that typically come in ramen were there, and just delicious. Writing this review, I am now craving this ramen. I took home an additional order of this ramen for my BF and he became obsessed as well! We had a couple other appetizers that were fantastic too! Some breaded mushroom app that was super tasty. I'm typically not a breaded food fan, but this was light and crispy and really tasty. The interior is spare, uncluttered, full of light and spotlessly clean. The staff is so helpful, friendly, and earnest with answering any questions. No booze, it's BYOB, but they have a lot of Kombuchas to try! A neighborhood gem that I will now keep in rotation when dining out.

The ramen Was depth in flavor making it not too salty as well a keeping the balance between meat…read moreand noodles, we ordered 3 ramen bowls and 1 takoyaki pizza. All were delicious. Definitely recommend the Garlic miso. Our server was also very nice. Definitely recommend this spot. Might even be a hidden gem.

Really enjoyed Birdman Ramen! The restaurant itself is super cool, especially if you're into anime…read more The artwork all over the walls gives it a fun vibe. Jonathan was awesome! He was really friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The pork gyoza came out hot and crispy, and the dipping sauce was really good. I also got the crab bao buns, and I definitely wasn't expecting whole fried crab legs (little claws and all ), but they were actually really good. It surprised me at first, but considering I finished the whole thing, I'd say it was a success. Overall, great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere. I'd definitely come back.

I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Ema has a great atmosphere and a lot of really good bites. I have celiac disease and appreciated…read morethat most of the menu is gluten free (they have a dedicated GF fryer and knowledgeable staff). The lamb and beef kefta was tasty but very dry. The tune and watermelon salad and hummus were awesome. We were disappointed with the level of service. We were seated 30 minutes after our reservation time and waited even longer to be greeted by a waitress. Our wine took a while to come out and we had to request our check twice.

I really like this place, it's a hidden gem. The portions are huge and the vibe of the staff and…read morepeople in there made me wish for more places like this in Chicago.

I've been to Urban Vegan several times and while I'm in Chicago I frequent here whenever I get a…read morechance. I've even visited both Urban Vegan locations when they used to have two of them. Urban Vegan never disappoints vegans like me, the quality of food is always good! We ordered Chicken nuggets for appetizer Green curry, Spicy noodle and orange chicken which were all delicious but the service could've been better. It fact it was disappointing. The server seemed to be cold and indifferent and giving minimal service. When I asked for extra plates so we could all share, she gave us small plates and didn't say anything. Another customer was asking multiple times for take out boxes, bigger take out boxes and a bag to carry their leftovers, this showed the lack of quality service was not just no limited to us. That's why I give this place four stars instead of five. I hope the service improves when we return next time.

We tried the tasting menu at Galit. The Masabacha Hummus with Naan was excellent and one of my…read morefavorites of the night. The hummus was incredibly creamy and flavorful. I also really enjoyed the Salatim, especially the pickled vegetables, peaches, and labneh, although the baba ganoush wasn't as much of a favorite for me. The Summer Squash was another standout. There were so many different flavors and textures in the dish, and everything worked really well together. I didn't try the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab, but my dinner companions really enjoyed it. The Yemenite Kreplach was one of the more unique dishes of the night. It was good and interesting to try, but it didn't completely wow me. I also didn't try the Lobster, but my dinner companion said it was amazing. The presentation was beautiful, especially with the couscous. The Chocolate Babka was probably my favorite part of the meal. It was incredibly soft with rich, delicious flavors. I would absolutely order it again.

Food was excellent. Service by the team was well done. Courses were appropriate and portions…read morealmost too big but were flavorful. Only issue was at the end of the night: we got the bill and signed our receipt, and as we were finishing coffee- hostess came up to us asking us to clear the table to she can seat the next guests. I expect slightly more than a 10 min grace period to finish a coffee and use the bathroom and reflect on a meal at a Michelin restaurant. If she waited 5 minutes we would've already been gone.

This place never disappoints. This is the fourth time coming here and will definitely make it a…read moreroutine stop. The Sarma was my favorite of all the dishes.

We did the ayce dinner and shared plates such as Sujuk Flatbread, Balkan Salad, Steak Tartare,…read moreCrispy Corn Ribs, Brussel Sprouts, Wild Mushrooms, Cauliflower, Pork Belly Stuffed Cabbage, Grilled Shrimp, Roasted Lamb, Lamb Medallions, etc. I can't speak to authenticity of Balkan food but can only confirm the overall quality and portions are very well worth $55. Nothing was bad but there are weaker and favorite dishes. Favorites were cauliflower, stuffed cabbage, corn ribs, Balkan kebab, and both lamb dishes. Brussel sprouts and mushrooms were cooked right but weaker in flavor. Sujuk flatbread was literally a tasty pepperoni pizza...idk if you want to order that for the sake of stomach space. To each their own. Service was good. Ambience was classy and relaxing.

Yet another delicious meal at Loving Heart. We hadn't been there in a long time, but I ordered the…read moresame thing as I'd always ordered a year ago--the Buddha Bowl. It came exactly as it used to come a year ago. Presentation was beautiful. Everything was cut perfectly. Everything was fresh. So sorry it took us so long to get back to Loving Heart. We'll be back soon.

Loving Heart has the cleanest, freshest vegan food that I've had in the Midwest. Reminds me of the…read moreWest Coast. Staff is friendly and the space is intimate, but not loud or overcrowded. Good music, smoothies and they welcome service animals and pets which is nice especially in the winter.

First time here. Very pleased with the vegan menu that had lots of delicious meat substitutes!…read moreLow-key indoor and outdoor seating in a lively neighborhood. Helpful server explained the menu options. Where else can you get a $5 veggie burger? Nowhere. Loved the tangy Korean chik'n burger. Fast service. Casual spot. Would come again. Thank you for the inspired vegetarian food!

After a week of juicing and water only, I was more than ready for my first solid meal. I came…read moreacross Elephant + Vine, a vegan comfort/fast food spot at 2315 N. Lincoln Ave., and between the menu and the name (yes, the elephant caught my attention), I knew I had to check it out. There's plenty of street parking in the area, I went on a Sunday, so meters were free. The interior is bright, green, and inviting, with lots of seating and great natural light coming in from the front windows. There's also outdoor seating, but it was a bit too cold the day we went, so we stayed inside. Service is counter-style, and the staff was very knowledgeable about the menu. It's fairly simple, but still fun and satisfying. I ordered an Impossible burger, tater tots, and a strawberry almond milk smoothie. My friend got fries, so I was able to try both. After over 40 days without fried food, I was especially excited for the tots and they did not disappoint. Overall, the food was good and solid across the board. Nothing that completely blew me away, but definitely satisfying. If you're vegan or vegetarian and craving a classic burger experience, this is a great option. The smoothie was good as well, though I personally prefer fruit-forward smoothies with lighter juices, so the almond milk base wasn't quite my favorite, but it still complemented the meal nicely. Overall, if you're looking for a casual sit-down spot with a cute atmosphere and a solid Impossible burger at a reasonable price, Elephant + Vine is a great choice. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Excellent food, excellent service from Gerard…read more He is definitely a people person. Thank you. We will be back!!!

After a day downtown we stopped in at True Food Kitchen for dinner. The restaurant is co-owned by…read moreDr. Andrew Weil and the menu is designed to align with anti-inflammatory food advice. The dining room was large and modern. Around 6 pm they dimmed the lights and turned on music that made it feel like a Friday night urban spot. They also have a small outdoor eating area. Our waitress Joy was friendly and attentive. We ordered their margaritas, the air-fryer French fries, a side kale salad and the spinach and mushroom sourdough pizza. Everything was enjoyable and the price wasn't too bad. It worked out to about $30 a person. Overall, we'd definitely go again.