El Xangarrito is a here comfort food meets upscale dining. We started with the ceviche (an absolute…read moremust ), followed by the Enchiladas Morita, asada tacos, and a horchata-flavored tres leches to finish on a sweet note. A little something for everyone and definitely worth a visit!

A great BYOB spot for high quality Mexican…read more Excellent mole negro, ceviche, fried plantains, and enchiladas. It is supposedly tiny inside but it has a lovely outdoor patio in front of the restaurant.

Cafe' Mas is a quaint little coffee shop with fresh roasted coffee drinks and more meals. It newly…read moreopened in January and has started to have a good cult following. My sister and I stopped in for a cup and a snack. Their meal menu supports healthy eating options and has incorporates fresh ingredients. She ordered the portobello sandwich that came on a whole grain roll. Coffee had a nice smooth flavor. My latte with soy milk had a nice bit of froth too. Service was very friendly and surroundings comfy and homey. Hand painted colorful murals adorn the walls. They also have a back room where you can sit and do work or lounge on a couch. Definite place to go and meet friends or just chill for a while.

Really cute and cozy cafe, the staff is always super nice and quick. The mazapan latte and molletes…read moreare my fave breakfast treat!

Really enjoyed our dinner at The Warbler. We started with the kalbi chicken flatbread, which was…read moreprobably the standout for me-really unique combination of flavors and something I hadn't seen at other restaurants. I went with the wheat bucatini, which was excellent, and also had a gin cocktail that was really well done. Everything we ordered was great, and the whole meal felt creative without trying too hard. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

This place is a nice spot to grab a quick drink perhaps. The vibes are great and the service is…read morealso very good. On the food side, the food was just ok to my liking. The pasta was good, however the flatbreads, nachos, and dessert were not my favorites.

My friend who lives pretty close to Devon recommended Thali Corner and I am sooooo glad I went. It…read moreis now marked as one of my favorites on my personal map. We tried their chicken dosa, aloo samosa, and mutton thali. I love dosas but I think I prefer dosas from a different restaurant in the neighborhood. However, the mutton thali was delicious and I would come back here just for that. Which makes sense, it's in the name. I will be back!

This is a no thrills joint serving Indian cuisine. If you're looking for a casual and authentic…read morebite, this is the spot for you. I heard they made great Chicken Biryani, but unfortunately they were out when I went. Something I don't think is talked enough about though is their chai - the best I've had in Chicago. Again, this isn't a classic sit down restaurant so don't expect to be waited on as attentively as you would somewhere less chill, but the staff was super nice nonetheless.

I stopped by Oromo one afternoon for a quick pick-me-up. The woman working the register was so…read moresweet and welcoming. I asked her for some recommendations and she suggested one of the frozen drinks. I'm so glad she did because I have been craving it ever since! They have a few frozen drinks to choose from, but I went with the cold brew + hazelnut truffle. It's made with housemade hazelnut milk, cold brew, cacao, frozen bananas, housemade coconut caramel, maple syrup, vanilla, and seasalt. Trust me-- it is just as heavenly as it sounds! I forgot to get photos of it because I drank it so quickly--sorry! The space is so cute inside and it's in a fun area to wander around, right in the heart of Lincoln Square. Can't wait to come back!

I wanted to love Oromo Cafe. I popped in for lunch during a visit to Lincoln Square, primarily…read morebecause the menu sounded fabulous - so many plant based options, including house-made milks. Unfortunately the menu overpromises and the food underdelivers, at least that day. -Lentil soup: good flavor, but very watery, more like broth than soup. The amount of soup barely reached a third of the way up the bowl, and the price of $7 for the bowl size was candidly just not worth it. -Beet hummus sandwich: again, good flavor, but I was anticipating a sandwich (as per menu description). What was presented was a single piece of naan spread with a thin layer of beet hummus, scattered with a few toppings. For $13 my expectations were higher. The beet hummus was delicious; with the goal of recreating this at home I asked a member of the staff about the ingredients. Unfortunately rather than saying, "I'm not sure, but let me check," they responded with "I don't know. I just started and I don't know most of the menu items." There is a lot of fabulous food in Chicago. Although Oromo Cafe is fine, I recommend saving ones dining experience and money for something truly fabulous.

Still a terrific place for a vegetarian meal. And I was reminded that you don't have to be…read morevegetarian to love Alice & Friends. Take home half your entree (or more than half-- the portions are generous!) And make sure you have dessert. Desserts are crazy good here. We had a chocolate peanut butter bar split among three of us, and it was rich enough to be plenty of dessert. The curry was warm and comforting. The Kung pao was outstanding. Service was attentive and helpful as always.

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.

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.

I'm trying to think of something on which Penelope's could improve, I truly am, but nothing comes…read moreto mind. Decor - fabulous. Menu - varied with options for anyone, plant based or not. Pricing - quite reasonable for a niche vegan taqueria. Portion sizes - appropriate. Flavors - spot on. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients, and while hesitant to offer suggestions did share her favorites, which was just as helpful. I tried: -Street style elote: I nearly cried. I found out about the (potential) joys of elote after becoming plant based, and as such had not been able to try it until my visit to Penelope's. The corn itself is sweet and bursts delightfully between the teeth. The combination of mayo, cheese, tajin, and cilantro elevate the dish that much more. I could eat a bucket of just this for a meal and be entirely satisfied. -Soy al pastor taco: beautifully seasoned soy protein balanced by fresh veggies and pineapple, with just enough kick to make you pay attention. -Mushroom chimichurri taco: THAT SAUCE IS EVERYTHING. The veggies are also fabulous, but holy smokes - chimichurri perfection. Ah! I just found the problems, of which there are two. 1. There are so many options I wasn't able to try everything. 2. Penelope's is located entirely too far from my home. Fix these, and I will award a magical 6th star.

I visited here on a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't very busy... maybe 3 other tables were occupied…read more Our server was nice and friendly, but a couple of times I had to call her over while she was on her phone. Also, when I used a credit card to pay the bill, she skipped the tip screen so I couldn't add a tip to my payment. I said something multiple times but she didn't seem to understand and said something back to me that I couldn't understand. It was odd. The good news is, the place is a fun restaurant to eat at; I love the decor! I absolutely love, love, love that this place is 100% vegan! Their loaded nachos are one of my favorites with a perfect blend of flavors and textures. I will definitely be back to try more of their amazing vegan options!

I had takeout from Oda, which was a chicken kabob meal and it was incredible! The chicken was…read moregreat as was the rice. I wish they were open for lunch too, but I intend to order again from them. I highly recommend Oda Mediterranean Cuisine.

My date took me here to Oda on a weeknight. Oda is listed as Mediterranean but cuisine leans more…read moreTurkish/Georgian. I found the food, drink and dessert to be very savory. We shared the Oda Grill Combo and Karniyarik/Moussaka. Both were outstanding and seasoned just right. I ordered a cocktail (Drop it Like It's Hot) and that too was refreshingly tasty for a warm summer evening. Ambiance is really cute and they have an outdoor patio. Our server was kind, attentive and helped me make a decision on dinner and dessert when I was torn between a few choices. They let us hang around after dinner and they didn't rush us out which was nice too. We had the option to dine in or out but we chose to stay inside because of the humidity and frankly, we just love our air-conditioning. Granted if the weather is favorable, it's a nice space for alfresco dining. Parking is generally street only since they lack a parking lot. Depending on what time you go, you might end up finding free parking on the side streets since the meters tend to run out after 6.

I cannot say enough good things about this place. Right next to the Kedzie Brown Line stop it is a…read morecafe with excellent food, great coffee, and a superb music playlist. But that is not why you should come here. They are the definition of community. They support locals and create a welcoming place. They show local art. They are a refuge from ICE and they host a community bulletin board. Every staffer seems cheerful without being fake about it. But a lot of cafes do that, to varying degrees. And it is not why you should come here. There is a person, a woman, who comes in. She is probably unhoused and while her clothes are a little on the ragged side, she is quiet and in no offensive or bothersome. Not only do they give her free coffees every day, which she sips for a short while, but I have seen patrons engage with her. That is such a gift. A perfect expression of kindness and a commitment to caring for others over the distracting pressures of running a business. This is the town square where we can all be together. Their kindness, their community, and their cappuccinos. Those are the reasons you should come here.

The cafe has a lot cute and interesting merch on the side wall shelves, and a free standing one…read morewith writing-related paraphernalia, accessories, earrings, puzzles etc, Surprisingly a small but sufficient selection of pastry and other meal items. The pumpkin chocolate chip was great, moist and goes with the cup of brew. Also had the tomato cream soup, it was delicious. I stayed almost the entire day from 10am until they close at 4pm last Friday. It got a little cold inside. I was wearing a T-shirt and didn't bring any other shirt for layering. Also, whenever a meal is being prepared, it smells delicious. Having stayed in for several hours, made me smelled like food too haha. Staff were friendly. Cozy corner. I love that they also promote/sell art works from local artists.