We spent a couple of days in the Bloomington/Nashville, Indiana, area and were thrilled to find a hip GF and vegan friendly place a short walk from our hotel. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. The menu was packed with delicious sounding healthy items we could eat. I chose a bowl and my wife picked out sweet potato fries and veggies with hummus dip. All were very enjoyable, and the portion sizes were huge. Highly recommend for diets of all types. read more

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Small eatery serving vegetarian and vegan dishes. The Owlery offers outdoor seating in the heart of a food and shopping district. I ordered the pesto portobello sandwich which was amazing! The slaw was unique and savory. The server was pleasant and food came out fast and fresh. read more

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The Owlery gets its inspiration from the Harry Potter series. Pictures of owls blanket the walls everywhere. The place serves good vegan food. I ordered the vegan Reuben sandwich with poutine fries. The Reuben is made with fried tempeh: sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, and vegan or swiss cheese. Tempeh is made from cooked soybeans and has the texture of meat. They managed to copy the taste of corn beef very well. The poutine gravy was very thick very and reminded me of French onion soup that was a little salty but flavorful. The cheese curds were creamy and just okay. If you're in the Bloomington area check this place out. read more

We were recommended the nachos and it did not disappoint. It came with corn chips, vegan or cheddar cheese, cashew queso, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded romaine lettuce, pickled red onions, creamy cayenne-lime sauce. The cashew queso was the best part, with great flavor. The fries (regular and sweet potato) were also favorites at the table. The sandwiches were underwhelming. The BLT tofu bacon sandwich was dry. The server was friendly and attentive. They got pretty busy during Saturday lunch hours. There wasn't a dedicated parking lot so we found street parking nearby. read more

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I feel sort of evil giving the only overtly vegan-supporting restaurant in town a three-star rating, but they haven't climbed out of their rut. We did another takeout to see if food has improved, and it's just OK. We should've avoided the mac & cheese side. It's pretty flavorless if with vegan cheese. The macadamia-coconut encrusted tofu has reasonable flavor but it tasted as though they hadn't changed their fry oil in a long time. The prices are exceedingly high for the social creds one gets from this veggie/vegan restaurant. They just aren't worth it, in our opinion. We want to support meat-free eating, but the flavor and prep have to be up to modern standards. You can tell when a chef's budget and soul is in their cooking, and it doesn't feel that way-- and it was at one time, the one to beat. read more

Outstanding local establishment right on the square in the greatest college town in the U.S. Nice to see another vegan option for college students, alumni and parents alike. Really nice service, too. read more

I was skeptical because I am FAR from vegetarian. But my boyfriend knows I'm picky these days about restaurants and ingredient lists, so we thought we'd give The Owlery a try. I loved the inside of the restaurant! It was very small, but clean and well-maintained. Didn't care for the indie music, but that's purely personal taste, and I'm not the target demographic anyway. I had the Mushroom Banh Mi sandwich, and WOW. It was probably on my top 10 list of best sandwiches I've ever had. It so spicy that it was literally painful, but I didn't stop because the flavor was SO good. I took the jalapeños off the second half, and that turned the spice down a lot. $16 sounds crazy for a sandwich without meat, but it was so good, I actually think it was worth it. 5/5 stars, will be returning with friends and family. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Inside the restaurant - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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As someone who uses the owl as a totemic animal and is drowning in owl memorabilia, and as a lifelong vegetarian, this restaurant appears to have been created just for me. I was surprised to find this place in Bloomington Indiana packed for brunch; I didn't realize there were so many local owl fans who also happen to be vegetarians. But I waited out the crowd and secured a table. They had a menu of fairly classic American brunch veganized, and though they were out of a couple of items towards the end of the day, they had what I wanted: a bowl of mostly whole food ingredients. My lentil hash with various greens and peppers over potatoes had the option of eggs or tofu as a side. My tofu was delicious, and the bowl was an impressive meal. I wish I could have ordered a side or something, but I don't think I had room for it. I was offered a choice of hot sauces, which failed to materialize, but despite not ideal service, the food itself required no additional flavor, with the rich and hearty mix leaving me with no thoughts of what else I might have ordered. Having said that, their dinner menu looked impressive. read more

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Traveling from Indy to Evansville for a wedding, I remembered that The Owlery is mentioned frequently in veg*an groups as being a great place to go if you're in/near Bloomington...and I must say the advice was NOT wrong! We loved the Owlery so much on our first visit that we returned again at the end of the weekend for brunch on our way home! First off, our server Sydny was absolutely delightful - and we were so happy that they got to serve us on both trips! They were so patient and kind - and humored me when I wanted to try ALL of the things on the menu and all of the sweets in the case. On our first visit (Friday afternoon lunch), we opted for the coconut macadamia tofu as an app - and my omni husband freaked all the way out at how good it was. Seriously good. Our sandwiches (the Chick'n sandwich and the BLT add avocado) were also delish - and we ended up swapping plates mid way through to share them. They have a lot of fun, local drafts and ciders, too - and fancy coffee, etc. if that is more your jam. We were told that Sunday brunch was even BETTER, so of course we had to come back through again on our way home. OMG the BnG and banana pancakes and Vegan Benny... I cannot tell you how worth it they are! Again, my husband seeks out meat any chance he can - and even HE loved all of these dishes!! He admitted that this was one of his most memorable and delicious brunches in recent memory. We also picked a selection of sweet treats to go - a chocolate topped rice krispie, some cupcakes, and all sorts of things - and they were also super tasty! We cannot wait to get back to The Owlery any chance we can! Indy DEFINITELY needs this in our lives up here, too! read more

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Awesome vegetarian food on the square in Bloomington. This was my 2nd time experiencing tofu and Seitan in unique ways. We were 4 today and everyone really enjoyed the meals. Don't get in a hurry here, especially at a busy time because this food only gets made great by a small kitchen crew. The vibe is nice and they have a nice selection of beverages from beer to tea. 2 tables outside but it was raining so we ate at the big table in the middle of the room. I had a Reuben with real Swiss and a tasty sauerkraut along with the fried Seitan! Loved it. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - The menu - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The Owlery has been in my Yelp Collection and on my to try list for some time now. I finally had a chance to drop in for lunch recently on a midweek getaway to Bloomington. My friend and I arrived around 2 pm after a morning of travel and a brewery stop. And we were definitely ready for some food. The restaurant is fairly small (narrow but long) bit we had plenty of space between us and the other few late diners. I went with the BBQ sub and sweet potato fries. Travel pal had the red onion jam sandwich (with local dairy cheese) and poutine w/cheese curds. I enjoyed my food although the sub roll was a bit dense. The poutine was a highlight for my friend. The Owlery has an amazing counter dollar of desserts to have there or take home. I couldn't resist a huge peanut butter rice crispy topped with chocolate to take for later. Pro-tip - don't refrigerate. It was 10x better at room temp (& much easier to eat). I'd like to try out their brunch which has great buzz about it. Maybe on my next trip to IU! read more

The Owlery Restaurant - BBQ sub with sweet potato fries - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Great spot for vegans and vegetarians. Very filling. Nice staff. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Another great win in Bloomington! I'll preface this, I'm not vegan or vegetarian but a few people I was traveling with are big fans so we tried this and I was not disappointed. Ambiance-wise this was great, we walked in and it's a very welcoming atmosphere. Its modern, upscale and really lovely inside overall. Personally one of my favorite aesthetics. The food, wow I didn't know vegetarian food could taste like this! I think we all got a bowl of some form and it was outright wonderful. Flavorful, well spiced, and light which was a great addition usually when we travel we end up eating heavier than I like to so this was a genuine treat. Last let's wrap up with service, there's something about the Midwest people are super friendly and I'm not used to it. I certainly won't complain though it's nice. Our server was polite, peppy, and plesant the whole time! She was attentive throughout the entire dining experience refilling water, making sure we had what we needed and best of all not hovering like crazy. I've been to a lot of places where the wait staff hover and it just annoys me, not here though! All in all, super well done vegetarian place, delicious food, and wonderful service and atmosphere. Well done, a well deserved 4! See you next time I'm in town. read more

grilled cheese and nachos. Great service. Good flavor. Personally, I' m more of a carmelized onion on gc girl versus arugula but still good. read more

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We always enjoy our dining experiences at The Owlery as it's our go-to spot to dine with our adult daughters who all follow a vegan lifestyle. We've tried many of the menu offerings -- too many to name them all -- but on our last visit, we enjoyed the: Coconut Macadamia Tofu, Owlery Nachos, Jerk Tofu Tacos with sweet potato fries (so yummy) and the Red Onion Jam sandwich with side of Impossible chili. As always, everything was fresh and delicious! We also treated ourselves to several of their baked goods to go home with which were all tasty! read more

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I had a half serving of poutine with sweet potato fries and real cheese curds, and a vegan brownie for dessert. Everything was delicious. The server was the friendliest person ever and they gave me great tips on how much to order in relation to my appetite. My only complaint was that they don't serve decaf, which would have been great with the brownie. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Poutine - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

When I first walked in and found out, it was a vegan restaurant. I almost turned around and went out. However I was very nicely met by the young man that waited on me and described several things on the menu, which I chose one of the tofu type salad that was actually very good. To my surprise In a nice casual setting and the price was good! I would definitely go here again read more

This place is a cute gem on the square with many vegan and vegetarian options. I would have probably rated our food 3.5 stars but between the vibe, service, and adding a handicap since I am not a vegan or vegetarian myself, I felt like a bump up was necessary. I had the harvest bowl which was quite yummy and satisfying. I could've used more touch more tahini. Unfortunately, the Mac and Cheese was too outside the standard for my son, but he is 3 and what does he know? TL;DR - maybe stick to the PB&J if your toddler's palate is not vegan primed. Now, the chocolate mousse - chef's kiss. Delicious. read more

Fair warning, I am a chef with a background in vegan cooking. I have to say that over the course of the 3 years that I've lived in Bloomington I believe the Owlerys food hasn't really become impressive to me with the exception of perhaps the loaded nachos. I've went on multiple occasions with friends and family, and I'm a big foodie when it comes to vegan friendly places, so I am sharing bites from other plates of what people order. The food is simply not worth the price tag in my opinion. The plating is beautiful, Instagram worthy, and the vibe of the place is perfect for the downtown. But I can't help feel the food is simply lacking spices- and not spices in the in-your-face way, but tiny amounts to build nuances, something I find almost necessity when it comes to vegan cooking. I digress. I really want to love this place, and maybe it meets the standards for most people. For me, most of the menu comes off as bland or lack of creativity. Attached: Old pictures from Covid times of the Nachos. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Loaded Nachos from around Covid times. - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Don't let vegan throw you off, this place is doing it right and bringing something unique to Bloomington. This is a must try if you are looking for something light or heavy. I showed up hungry, so I went with heavy. Many local beers to choose from along with coffee, tea, and soda. Low key atmosphere with a wonderful staff. Chicken Ranch Club is fantastic! The tofo tastes like, if not better than, chicken itself. Wrap was very filling and fresh. The poutine is a must if you are in the mood for something savory and filling. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Chicken Ranch Club with Poutine and a Ginger Ale - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Very good vegetarian/vegan restaurant that even my vegetable hating, mid-western eating parents enjoyed.

I was traveling with a vegan friend and just followed her food requirements and was along for the ride for wherever we were gonna eat. That is how I ended up at the Owlery. We were there in the off-peak lull between lunch and dinner, so there was space for diners to be spread out and we were seated immediately. We took the seat in the window, which we selected so we had no one to blame but ourselves for the struggle we had with the roll shade. The table was weirdly sticky....something not fixed by wiping it down with cleaner and a cloth. For folks a little hesitant to lean in to visiting a vegan restaurant, they DO offer simply vegetarian things (hello cheese!). A step to ease omnivores in to patronizing spots they might be resistant to! I am not resistant, but I was happy to get real cheese on my order of poutine! I've tried many vegan cheeses and...no thank you. It just isn't cheese-like enough. So anyway....thanks for the real cheese options! The poutine was really good, and a very generous serving size. Definitely a 2+ person shareable. For my main dish, I got the pesto portabella sandwich. It was really tasty, better than I expected! I finished every last bite. Service was good and the meal was affordable. My friend got a vegan dessert to-go, but I was positively stuffed and despite everything looking delicious, I couldn't think of eating another thing. Absolutely worth a visit for a meal if you find yourself in the area. Unquestionably a spot you want to visit if you choose to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Pesto Portabella Sandwich - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Amazing little diner with some absolutely amazing vegan food options!! Who would have thought to find a great little vegan diner in Bloomington. There are tons of options, definitely comfort food. I got the crispy tofu chikn' sandwich which was absolutely amazing drizzled with hot sauce and a side of fries. She got the Ruben which has amazing flavors, very well done satan. Nice local beer selection and some really great staff working here. Most definitely will be back when I'm in town next. Thank you all! read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I love their impossible chili!! The food here is awesome. The staff is very kind as well. The only thing I don't like about this place is the parking. It's downtown on the square and it's nearly impossible to find a parking spot. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Impossible chili - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Being a good son to his non-meat eating mother, our son chose this place for Sunday brunch when we came down to visit. It is a small and kind of dark shop off of the main square in downtown Bloomington that specializes in vegan and vegetarian food. Parking is simply the available street parking, which is free I believe on Sundays. We probably arrived around 11:00 and got one of several tables in the dining area, although it filled up rather quickly after that. My wife ordered the Huevos Rancheros ($13 - 2 eggs, black beans, pico de gallo, home fries), as that's sort of her thing. She enjoyed it. My son went with the Chicken Fried Steak ($15 - breaded tempeh, black pepper cashew gravy, home fries) and added 2 eggs ($2). He is a meat-eater, so I don't know that he loved it, but he did eat it. I went with the Southwest Skillet ($13 - bell peppers, jalapeños, onions, home fries, and 2 eggs). It was good, although to be honest I wasn't overly filled after eating it. Overall, it was good. I felt it was a little expensive for what you get, but that seems to be most places anymore. Not a place to take a carnivore. read more

Great vegan restaurant with lots of options. I always make sure to stop here when I'm in Bloomington!

What a cute little restaurant. Excellent options for vegetarian people. I was in a party of 4. The Cobb salad was nothing special but if that sounds appealing, go for it. The grilled cheese and Mac and cheese was devoured by the teenager in the group. But the show stopper was the red onion jam sand which. Wow! The flavors in that one sandwich is definitely worth the stop! I'm sure there are other tasty plates. read more

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Whenever I am traveling, I look for local vegan eats. And I found it! The owlery is a vegan and vegetarian spot that has great customer service. Seating is outside and social distancing is adhered to. Back to the food. The food was amazing and the portions were more than enough. The flavors were magnificent. It will not disappoint. read more

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I liked the service! The waitress was very friendly and helpful. I liked the pesto Portabella sandwhich! It was very flavorful and had a lot of pesto. I think the sandwhich was on the more oily side. But the pesto was also delicious. I found the fries to be very fresh and delicious! The restaurant was very nice! I really liked that they had a sunny booth I want to try out next time! The signage is also fun! read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Pesto Portabella Mushroom Sandwhich - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Absolutely amazing vegan food that is very healthy and so tasty! I cannot recommend this location enough and try to come to eat here when when visiting Bloomington. The coconut tofu appetizer is just amazing. I ordered both the tacos and the Bahn mi sandwich and devoured both. The brownie was incredible. The hummus plate was excellent! I do think that they could benefit from slicing the vegetables thinner. The children's menu needs to be updated if the drink is not included. read more

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I didn't realize this was a vegan restaurant until a sat down and looked at the menu. The inside of the restaurant is small, cute, and casual. A good place to grab a bite solo or with friends. As someone who has never been to a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the food was pretty tasty. The only downsides to my visit were the somewhat lacking service, time to get my food, and the service fee. I heard another table complain about food wait times, so I know it wasn't just mine that took some time. The service fee is what irritated me the most. I definitely wouldn't have minded paying it if they were up front about it, but I was not notified until I saw it on the check. I am not sure what "restaurant equality" means or if other restaurants in the area do this, but I just thought it was odd. All that being said, I would definitely visit again and maybe try some other items on the menu next time too. read more

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The drive was worth it! We went to Nashville for an overnight trip but they had no vegan foo to offer! So yo Bloomington we went! The vegan chicken tender wrap was our FAV! Fried tofu and the best vegan ranch ever! The fries were amazing also! The nachos were awesome! Vegan queso and beans! So good! Definitely 5 stars! read more

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I've noticed that often times vegetarian/vegan items seem to be an afterthought on a menu, placed simply because there needs to be at least one option for the meatless crowd. Therefore, businesses like The Owlery are a MUST in any town. Food-wise, The Owlery deserves five stars for their vegetarian and vegan twists. Both of the dishes I tried--the vegan poutine and pierogis--were fantastic. Surprisingly, I was the biggest fan of the herb-y gravy on the poutine and the vegan sour cream served with the pierogis. I actually liked both better than their non-vegetarian counterparts. Way to go, chef! To summarize, whether you're plant-based or meat-based, your taste buds will be THRILLED with The Owlery. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Pierogis. - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I was in search of a lunch place today and decided to check out the Owlery. It's been recommended to me by friends, but I was hesitant because I am not a vegetarian. It was fairly crowded late this afternoon but we were seated right away. Our server was a friendly guy and he made recommendations to us which was appreciated. I ordered the black bean tempeh tacos and my partner ordered the jerk tofu tacos with a side of soup. It felt like we waited a bit for our food (maybe because I was hungry?) but when it arrived it was delicious. The only thing I was a bit put off by was that the tortillas had been grilled until crisp and it made folding them to eat a bit tricky. Otherwise, the tacos were very good and the pico de gallo was really delicious. The french fries served with my tacos were just okay. The texture seemed a bit off, maybe undercooked? The flavor was alright but they are not my favorite fries in Bloomington. Jean loved her jerk tofu tacos and especially liked that her white bean and kale soup was served nice and hot. For desert we shared a peanut butter/rice krispie square. It was very crumbly (unexpectedly so) but also delicious. I am glad I finally made it into the Owlery and I look forward to going back. Would love to check out their Sunday brunch. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - GRILLED TEMPEH AND BLACK BEAN TACOS Grilled tempeh, black beans, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, side of salsa - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Some of the food is okay, but it's now extraordinarily expensive ($15+ for most of the appetizers??), and the quality of the food is very inconsistent. Our experience has not been good there in the 4 years or so since it changed ownership, and we for sure won't go there any more with these kinds of prices. A better bet if you're vegan or veg is the Indian restaurant across the street, Amrit. Better yet, if you're in Indy, visit 10th Street Diner, which is outstanding. read more

Wanting to avoid traffic around I-465, I decided to head south to Bloomington for lunch. I checked my list of bookmarks and the Owlery popped up as a place to try. I grabbed some convenient pull-in street parking (metered $1/hr) and walked over to the restaurant. They had a couple small tables with umbrellas, but since it was unseasonably hot for the end of September (90!), I decided to eat inside. The restaurant is long and narrow with table dining in the front, a bar in the middle and the restrooms and kitchens making up the rear of the place. I was by myself and was seated at one of the 2-tops along the side of the bar. Although they have a menu with options on both sides, the BBQ sub sandwich made with pulled seitan grabbed my attention. It comes with a pablano sauce and is topped with cole slaw and diced red onion on French Bread. It also comes with a choice of sides (I chose sweet potato fries) and a dill pickle spear. Surprisingly fast, the meal arrived and I was impressed with how colorful and plentiful the plate was. The fries were crisp, but tender inside. The bread was soft, but held up with the BBQ. This is the first time I can recall eating a non-meat BBQ and I will say it had really good flavor. The seitan was very tender and so I noticed the sandwich didn't have the satisfying chew that I get from a pulled pork. I also missed having that occasional bit of char that I get from standard BBQ. But the flavor here let the spices and pepper flavor shine. And the sandwich was so stuffed that it was challenging to fit it into my mouth without loosing bits of carrot or red onion off the top. The onion was a great addition to the sandwich. The slaw was okay, but lacked the acidity that a bit more vinegar could add to give the sandwich an overall balance. Before I knew it, I had devoured the sandwich and let the waitress know I was ready for the check. She directed me to meet her at the cashier counter by the entrance. I'm not sure if they normally bring checks to your table or not, but not in my case. They rang my order up and I checked out. If you are one who looks over your bill meticulously before paying, you might want to ask the staff for a bill before paying. I just want to point out it was a little different here. In less than a half hour, I was back at my car. That was impressive that the food and service clicked so well for a lunch "hour" meal. If you are an omnivore like me, I would say look over the menu and see what sounds good. It may be different, but it will be prepared well and will have good flavor. Review #3119 read more

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Simply the best food, amazing flavors and you truly can't believe it's vegan/vegetarian! I love delicious food that doesn't weight you down, and this is it! Everything's we've tried here has been absolutely amazing! read more

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I'm so happy to have found this gem while visiting IU. thankfully we visit a few times a year. Every time we are in town we eat here. BEST vegan food. I would die to have this place in my hometown! Love it here. read more

I'm always so excited to go to Bloomington for work in anticipation of lunch at the Owlery! I love Bloomington in general, and this place emulates the fun, casual vibe of the town. It's a small, sit-down vegetarian joint, but I hesitate to even mention that because I couldn't imagine an omni eater having any problem finding something they'd love here! Owlery offers a great selection of salads, sandwiches, starters/sides as well as "fish" tacos. They also serve several varieties of beer and a few on tap (with a small bar toward the back of the restaurant) as well as other assorted non-alcoholic drinks. I was happy to find Circle City Kombucha on their list. Don't miss the beautiful cupcakes in the display case near the cash register! This visit I had the grilled vegetable sandwich with vegan cheese and the soup of the day (split pea). The pea soup was so hearty and flavorful, that I could only finish 1/2 of my sandwich. It too was hearty and very large. The vegetables inside were perfectly seasoned and I was honestly hard pressed to determine my cheese was vegan, as it was beautifully melted into the bread and vegetables. My server was laid back and attentive, but not overbearing. I was pleased to see that every table in the front of the restaurant filled up during lunch hour, which goes to show I'm not the only one who loves this place! read more

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Read the reviews and was super excited but honestly ended up being let down. They have a ton of interesting menu options, but I would not recommend the Reuben or Mac and cheese to anyone. Wasn't super into the flavor or texture of either dish. read more

The Owlery Restaurant - Seitan Reuben and Mac and cheese - Vegan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana