Cancel

Open app

Search

The Owlery Restaurant

4.3 (375 reviews)

The Owlery Restaurant Photos

THE OWLERY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - The Owlery Restaurant

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Sandwiches: BLT, Mushroom, Chicken.
Lynn N.

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.

Inside the restaurant
Sophie P.

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.

John B.

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.

Coconut macadamia tofu
Krysha M.

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!

The menu
Mark W.

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.

BBQ sub with sweet potato fries
Leslie W.

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!

Ellie G.

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

Owlery Nachos - plenty to share!
Kristine H.

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!

cute space, limited outdoor seating
Sydney P.

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

Poutine
KD T.

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.

Loaded Nachos from around Covid times.

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.

Chicken Ranch Club with Poutine and a Ginger Ale
Jeremiah C.

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.

Pesto Portabella Sandwich
Kathy V.

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.

See all

7 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kate R.
0
12
12

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

This is our favorite place in Bloomington. Super excited to be more regular there now that we have a child attending IU.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Best veggie/vegan restaurant around!! The food is amazing and the staff are some of the best in Indiana!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Paul H.
244
6
0

4 years ago

Great vegetarian menu! Cool/efficient staff!! Conveniently located downtown on the square.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Fast service and delicious food! Would definitely recommend, has many vegan and vegetarian options!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of John D.
100
55
12

5 years ago

Great place! Awesome dishes. I've never been to a vegetarian place before. The service was excellent, too.

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jen T.
5
42
0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jed M.
6
33
0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

The mushroom banh mi is delicious! The pesto on it is the perfect touch. I got the curried cauliflower as a side and loved it.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Daniel L.
45
23
15

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 2 of 10

Ask the Community - The Owlery Restaurant

Rainbow Bakery - Pistachio matcha muffin, chai

Rainbow Bakery

4.5(158 reviews)
0.3 mi
$

Really liked it. I believe it's mostly, if not all, vegan. I know they were experimenting with some…read moreitems with dairy a while ago but I did not notice any non-vegan items while I was there, so not sure if that's still a thing. Anyway, it is a little out of the way. It's walkable from downtown but not really in the downtown core. Pretty quiet when I was there, but the atmosphere felt approachable. Some of the chairs were like school desk chairs (adult-sized, of course) that I haven't seen since I was in primary school which was kind of funny. The guy at the counter was cheerful and friendly. They looked like they had run out of some of the hot savory items by Saturday mid-afternoon, but there was still a wide variety of sweets. I believe the current owners are Indian, and you see some of those flavours featured. I got: Samosa handpie: Good, not mind-blowing, but good. Nice flavours. If you like a flaky crust, this is not it, but I liked the rustic pastry crust. Pistachio cardamom donut: Loved it. Before I moved to Bloomington, there were a few bakeries that offered vegan-GF cake donuts that I loved, and this was the first thing I've gotten here that reminded me of that. Pleasant texture and strong cardamom flavour, not too sweet. I think these are baked donuts, so they're a little different from regular fried donuts, but in a good way IMO. Rose dream latte: Milk with rose syrup topped with coconut whip and nuts, no espresso. Tasted great, but more of a dessert drink than I was expecting. The coconut whip was quite thick. The concept could probably use some refinement, because the whip was too thick and rigid to drink without a straw, but the nut pieces were too big to go through a straw, and so I couldn't figure out the best way to drink it. From what I understand, there are some longtime fans of this place who feel like the quality has dropped since the most recent change in ownership, but as someone who had never been here before, I really had a good experience. I get why people would be upset when something changes, but if you are considering trying this place for the first time, I wouldn't be too put off by the negativity around the change in ownership. There's no other place specialized in vegan baking in Bloomington, so I think it's good to support what they are continuing to do here, and even though I am partial to vegan food I wouldn't say that if it wasn't also GOOD. They also had some refreshingly unique options for baked goods.

Rainbow Bakery sits off of 4th street west of the IU campus. It's all vegan, and we had a chance to…read morestop by and get two donuts and a cookie. The inside is cute and whimsical. The owners, a Sikh family, gave us their cardamom donut for free. The samosa hand pies were out. I would rate it 4/5. The decor was nice, and the owners were friendly. We were told that the staff is limited, and the owners themselves are thinking of selling this location and hoping to restart it in Greenwood, where they currently live and actually drive down to Bloomington every day. The matcha latte was fine. Everything was fine but not great. The vegan chocolate chip cookie was good, but could've used more chocolate chips.

Photos
Rainbow Bakery
Rainbow Bakery - Samosa handpie, pistachio cardamom donut, rose dream latte

Samosa handpie, pistachio cardamom donut, rose dream latte

Rainbow Bakery - Custom order of gluten-free donuts... beet, chocolate sprinkles, and the Homer (my favorite)

See all

Custom order of gluten-free donuts... beet, chocolate sprinkles, and the Homer (my favorite)

Hive - Something something pork on rice, not recommend

Hive

4.0(147 reviews)
1.8 mi
$$

Love this place so far. I've just gotten lunch a few times but they have a bit of everything on the…read moremenu with options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plenty of vegan and gluten free options! I've tried the vegan banh mi, vegan reuben, vegan brown sugar cookie, blondie, and Italian soda in lavender and vanilla. The marinated tofu used on both the banh mi sandwich and reuben is delicious. Lots of veggies on both of the sandwiches. The banh mi wasn't traditional - the mint and cilantro were more like a pesto instead of whole fresh herbs and the marinated tofu is a little different - but I really liked their take on it. Both desserts were really good, but in particular the gooey blondie with the flaked salt topping. I'm also grateful for the option to add cream to the Italian soda here - I love Italian cream soda but this is the first place I've been in a while that makes it. The atmosphere is very casual as you can place your order and pay at the counter and then seat yourself, but it's still nice and comfortable, and kept clean.

I've been to Hive a few times and it's a solid option for breakfast and lunch. Hive is a stand to…read moreorder type of place/counter-service, immediately upon entry. The chicken pot pie was a bit too sweet for my liking. Baked goods are pretty good. Their matcha (notoriously bitter) was surprisingly done well. Service is usually timely. We came at an intense Sunday brunch rush hour and they were good about letting us know that we were close to their max capacity so that we were more prepared for ordering. They have comfortable seating both indoor and outdoor.

Photos
Hive
Hive
Hive

See all

Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

4.2(223 reviews)
0.3 mi
$$

One of Bloomington's best-known restaurants, and thankfully even on a Game Day we didn't have to…read morewait for a table. Food came out fast too. They are of course famous for the dumplings, and everything on the dumpling sampler was excellent. The momos were every bit as good as I've had in Toronto's Little Tibet, with a tender skin and a lot of flavor. They also had some more plump dumplings with cabbage and potato, which are a lot like pierogi! All very satisfying. The fried rice was well-made and appropriately spiced for a 2/5. You could taste the oil in each grain, and the beef was cooked nicely. My only complaint would be that I think they used frozen green beans.

I really like Little Tibet! I have tried all sorts of stuff from the menu and I think the dumplings…read moreand the Thai are the best choices. Their vegetarian dumplings are all tasty but each is a little different. I've only tried the steamed so far because I really like the tenderness of the steamed version. The dumplings come with soy sauce and chili sauce for dipping, which are not optional - you need to dip them for the best experience. The chili sauce isn't too hot, so you can and should be generous with it. The Tibetan tea is interesting - it's a smooth milk tea, kind of like a milder version of Indian chai, but it does have its own unique taste that I can't totally put my finger. Other drinks are all good too, thought some aren't exactly as you might expect. The iced Indian tea is a little milky for my taste but the hot version is stronger. The Thai iced coffee is great but it's less sweet than the usual ones (not inherently good or bad, just depends on your preference). The mango lassi tasted closer to mango juice, but it was really refreshing. All of the food is kind of different from the usual restaurant style food from the various cuisines represented on the menu; it feels more like home cooking, so more subtle flavours, less salty and a little lighter, but very wholesome and hearty. The hotter spice level comes from a chili paste they add, and I recommend getting at least a level 2 (level 1 is no spice), because the chili paste also flavours the dish and level 2 is still pretty mild. The people are very kind and I love the calming atmosphere. I have seen them get busy in the evening on weekends, but usually you can count on being able to get a table.

Photos
Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant - Inside

Inside

Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant - Salad, Lentil Soup

Salad, Lentil Soup

Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

See all

The Owlery Restaurant - vegan - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...