Love their vegan Korean food and kim chee made by the owner!!! This is a must for all vegans

Delicious vegan good in a Buddhist restaurant. Huge portions. Tasty and super fresh and healthy.

Food was fresh. No oil used in the food and also not many substitute proteins (other than tofu) used on the menu which I liked read more

Amitabul - Tibetan High Noon - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Vegan Buddhist Cuisine If you would like to eat a truly nourishing, homemade meal, this is your place to go. The vibe is very mellow, the food is deliciously prepared, as are the teas. Many entrees contain no oil if that's your preference. Every dish has delightful aromatic flavors and the portions are healthy. Even if you live downtown, it is worth the trip. Your body will thank you! read more

Best food on the planet! Healthy and delicious. Excellent service and friendly owner. Highly recommend!

I was in town for a workshop. I had gotten up with a migraine and wasn't feeling the best. I originally thought I would try to find a Wendy's and order a plain baked potato.., but yeah... I needed a morale booster. I Googled "vegan restaurant near me" and was pleasantly surprised to find a Korean vegan restaurant. I have only once eaten authentic Korean food... years ago at a potluck in college that was prepared by a Korean friend. Recently, however I have become a fan of Maangchi, a Korean YouTube cooking show producer. I have often thought, "I wish her food were plant-based!" So when I found a vegan Korean restaurant I was so excited. The restaurant is cozy, comfortable and welcoming. The atmosphere is pleasant, with a number of small groups of patrons enjoying quiet conversation. When I ordered my food, the person who took my order thoughtfully asked if I wanted it mild, medium or spicy. When they served it, it was exactly how I had requested it... mild. I also ordered a hot ginger tea, which was extremely comforting and partially relieved my migraine. The vegetables were cooked enough to make them easy to chew and digest, but not overcooked or mushy. They served brown rice with the meal, which I appreciated. I can't remember the name of the dish I ordered, but it was very tasty and felt nourishing and healing to my body. It really made the second half of my day much easier to bear. This is a wonderful, plant based whole food restaurant. They state in the menu if an item includes oil. They have a number of desserts! Even though I would have to drive an hour to get there, I will be returning to this very special place with friends and family. If you are vegan, or just trying to eat more healthfully, this is a great choice. Forget the Impossible Burger. Really. Eat here. read more

Amitabul - I can't remember the name of this. It was good! - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was looking for a vegetarian/vegan place and was recommended by a friend to try. I think the owners are trying for an 80s Everest base-camp vibe, but decided to try despite the dated look. Service was okay, food was okay prices were high. Wouldn't go out of my way to go back. Just "meh". read more

We were seated as soon as we came in. Do not be deceived into thinking you will be served or even talked to soon. They have a huge takeout business, so there are lots of orders you don't see ahead of you. A family with young kids came in maybe 30 minutes after we had ordered and asked for potstickers, which we had ordered too. They got potstickers in a few minutes. I understand that when there are hungry kids you need to do something soon, but I'm pretty sure those were ours, because ours never came, and they did not wait even ten minutes for theirs. I'm giving them 5 stars because the noodle soups were amazing and I'm in a good mood. Otherwise I would have taken at least one star off over the potsticker incident. Maybe two. I'm a meat eater but I came because my friend wanted to try it. worth it! Meat eaters will find this place to be very satisfying. read more

Amitabul - Super shiitake noodle soup. Nine ways to Nirvana noodle soup. Excellent! - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yum! Yum! Yum! I was feeling a cold coming on and ordered the Dr K soup. As soon as I started eating it, I started feeling better. The food is very tasty and fresh. I've had other dishes there and love the dark side of the moon and zesty noodle. Oh, they also accommodate food allergies! Please support local businesses! read more

Eventhough I eat everything with a heartbeat I am open to eating vegan food. Well my vegetarian bro in law chose this place for his bday to be honest. After going to Chicago diner, and native food my expectations were pretty high, well pretty "vegan high". Lets just say this is no chicago diner. Amitabul prb serves some of the healthiest foods in chicago. But with that comes at the price of taste. Minimal oil, salt, seasoning is used here. And although some of the dishes with kimchi has some bold flavors, most of the others just fall short. The pandemic might be why they were shortstaffed, but our food took waaay to long. Over an hour for apps? I mean how long does it take to steam veggies? Amitabul is great for vegans, or people who want to feel good about eating something extremely healthy. read more

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Lives up to being a healthy option and everything was cooked nicely, it was a little lackluster in flavor but good if you're just looking for a healthy bite read more

I was in the area and stopped by to pick up Grubhub order for late lunch. I live over an hour away and I decided to eat my food in the car since I was hungry and want to eat the food when it is warm. I feel the price is higher however you get for what you pay - the food has fresh ingredients! The pancake was veggies only and not greasy at all unlike traditional Korean pancakes drenched with oil when you bite it. I wish there were more small and locally owned vegetarian Asian restaurants like this - what a gem! Even if you're not vegetarian or vegan I would still recommend it. read more

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Five stars for everything, food, service, energy. The food was delicious! We tried the Dr K cure all soup, dark side of the moon and kim chi pancakes. The soup and pancakes were so good as is, the dark side of the moon needed some hot sauce for my taste but after adding some of their homemade hot sauce, it was perfection. I can't wait to go back and try so many more menu items!!! read more

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Do yourself body a favor and enjoy this experience . Healthy , Quality ,and Wonderful. Fireman Joe read more

A mentor referred me to this restaurant and since I was in the city I figured why not stop before I head home to the burbs and check it out for myself. Well I walked in, the place was packed but spaced for COVID and I ordered my food at approximately 7:07 pm. I was told to wait in my car for a call. Well at 8:09 I figured he maybe jotted down the wrong number or something so I called in and was told that they're still working on my order. Ok..... Well I continued on my phone... Instagram, calling my boyfriend... searching the web... now actually searched "amitabul wait time" and low and behold lots of people with my experience.... So now I'm livid. I actually live 1 hour away... I have been waiting 1 hour and 45 minutes approximately and the time is now 8:50... so I call again and I tell the guy who answers that it's been almost 2 hours and I have a 1 hour drive home and I want to just cancel my order as this is an awful experience and 3 hours of my life is now gone. He says they're putting your food in the bag and you can come in now... mind you they close at 9pm. I'm starving... I've been waiting 2 hours... I get my order... I try the dumplings... delicious... but I'm in the car and I have to drive so ... the rest of my food will be cold when I make it home.... who knows how it will be reheated. I want my money back and I definitely want my time back... good food or bad food... I'm not a fan. Customer service is nonexistent and my time is completely unvalued. Do not recommend.... should've went to Chicago Diner while here in the city... Going to drive 1 hour home now.... but had to leave this review. It's 9:10pm. UPDATE: I tried the rest of my food and it honestly was not good.... not worth $40+ or 3 hours.. it's a solid No for me. save your coins and your time! I ordered: Mandoo Vegan Dumpling =8 Healing Energy Noodle Soup Spicy =4 Maho Pyogo Mild =3 Awakening Energy Drink =3 Rated on a scale 1-10 With only 1 appetizer being tasty .... such a waste! read more

Everything on the menu looked delicious! The staff was very nice and accommodating even though we ended up coming in pretty close to closing time. The interior is very nice and definitely a must try for vegetarians/vegans! read more

Amitabul - Green and Greener Nirvana - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food! Great vibe! Defiantly a surprise jn suburban Chicago. Will definitely go again.

Great for vegan carry out. Dr. K's cure all soup is a magical mixture of nutrients that literally makes you feel better. I would prefer the pizza with regular bread dough. A rare commitment to vegan cooking here. read more

Amazing vegan restaurant, very friendly staff and eager to help with the food choices, extremely friendly and patient explaining the items. Great vegan choices their smoothies are amazing I always have the green heaven smoothie Their soups and pancakes are all vegan and delicious, easy to find parking and tables. Try the dark side of the moon and don't let the bane scare you, great dish with rice noodles, vegetables cooked to perfection and three types of mushrooms. Very quiet and tranquil ambiance. read more

Amitabul - Nice choices on the menu - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wanted to dine in but only had time for take out. The inside seemed very welcoming. The spicy bibimbap was to die for and was a filling portion! read more

Amazing food! So fresh, clean and delicious. The atmosphere is zen and calming. We had the specials: hello Dolly and Bill, the yin yan alongside dumplings as appetizer. Everything was so tasty although yin yan was v spicy as appropriately warned. We will definitely be back and try other dishes that I am sure are great! It all does feel very healthy and healing. read more

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Wife & I familiar with vegan fare.Nice place, busy dinner time. Food arrived separately. Veggie tofu young, mediocre, dry, potato filler? After a wait, second dish came with apologies that it wasn't what we ordered. We accepted it, but were disappointed with the sushi roll. Took everything to go but were surprised to see that we were being charged full price on the second more expensive item that was substituted for the cheaper one which we ordered. Decided not to complain in the midst of the friendly hubbub. In a diplomatic way we should have asked for adjustment on the bill. Whatever, not a flat out negative review. I'm probably bothered by our shyness about speaking up. read more

Amazing all around food taste, quality, portion size & ambiance. My girlfriend was sick and the spicy kimchi stew helped tremendously. Definitely a must try if you want something different from your oh so typical Friday night eateries read more

Amitabul - Dark Side of the Moon Yin and Yan - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food, great owner & great intentions. Dr. Cure All Soup is the best! !!!!!!!! read more

I love the zen feel right when you walk-in. Truly a healing spot. And so many gluten free options! My go to is the Chop Chae! I love the noodles and fresh veggies! If you're feeling run down or under the weather the Dr K's cure all noodle soup is no joke for a quick healing! Always a win!!! Whether you're looking to dine in, pick up or order out via Grubhub/ubereats you can't beat Amitabul for a healthy lunch/dinner option. Closed on Sundays and Mondays which is when I crave it the most. But you can always order ahead and do the meal plan options! read more

Amitabul - Dr K's cure all noodle soup - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The name says it all...Amitabul = Awakening. This food is as fresh as it gets! Best plant based restaurant in the city! I love that it's good for you; I feel nourished & energized after I eat here. There's a beautiful gratitude blessing at each table to recite before the meal. Chef Bill, the owner is such a friendly and welcoming guy. I've tried many of the dishes on the menu but my favorites are Dr. K's Cure All soup (get it medium spice for a little kick), Jade Maki rolls, Energy Pancakes, and Ginger Citron tea. The servings are enough for two meals! They also sell dehydrated snacks that are great on-the-go. I enjoy the crackers, kale chips, and cheesy leeks. The atmosphere is chill with relaxing music. I drive all the way from the west suburbs- a pleasant experience every time I'm there. I always leave with a full belly and a smile on my face. And leftovers of coarse! read more

Delicious hot vegetables. Vegan so I don't have to worry about what the broth or sauce is made with, healthy food I don't have to cook in portions that make the cost a good deal for leftover meal planning. Comfort foods in the winter that doesn't interfere with Shorts season in the summer. Go with a group or get takeout read more

Good, calm vibes and delicious food. Really enjoyed the date tea. Definitely going back

*cracks knuckles* I've been on a hiatus from reviews lately, so this and others are long over due. I found Amitabul while in town for my niece's Navy boot camp graduation. This was certainly good choice. I didn't realize it then, as I was not very well versed in veganism, but this is a rare gem. Once you walk in, the decor isn't stunning and the lighting more natural than overwhelming. The staff was pleasant and the atmosphere peaceful over all. The walls have been decorated with pictures and articles that extol Amitabul. I scanned through menu and found that some of the items contain no oils. I personally decide to greatly limit the amount of oils I consume, so this was refreshing to know I could get a hot meal without it being smothered in oil. The Wolfman's Dream Treat was my choice and was not disappointing. I wasn't sure how sweet potatoes and nuts would mix, but it was such a exciting yet simple dish to enjoy. Amitabul is a great combination of taste and health. read more

Amitabul - Wolfman's Dream Treat - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Did we come here because of the Chef's Table episode about Jeong Kwan's Korean temple food? You bet we did! Not exactly a transcendent experience, but quite good: Favorites: Super Shittake Wonder Noodle Soup = wow, so good. Amitabul Original Pancake = om nom nom Meh: Energy Maki Roll, Dark Side of the Moon - surprisingly just ok with that kind of name Very good, pretty out of the way, would swing by again read more

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My good friend who is vegan wanted to celebrate her GNO birthday dinner here. So us carnivores joined her. When we arrived it was a small place but packed in a Saturday evening. We had reservations for 7 of us. We ordered several appetizers and smoothies as we followed my vegan friend's lead what to order. We ordered the following: -veggie dumplings we really liked. I would order this again. Very flavorful. -kimchi sushi type roll made with brown rice and kimchi. The brown rice was a bit on the raw side. -cucumber sushi roll made with white rice which I liked better. -avacado and tofu veggie fresh spring rolls. That came with a spicy Korean dipping sauce. This one I liked that avocado taste. -tofu stir fry appetizer, this can be a main dish. Lots of vegetable and triangle cuts of steamed tofu on a light broth sauce. For the main meals, they all looked the same except for the light or dark sauces and if you like mild to hot spicy flavors. Meals comes with rice, wheat noodles, or rice noodles. Most of them were made with no oils a couple of them were made with sesame seed oil. Typical vegetables in the dishes were shredded carrots, napa cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, red bell peppers, onions,etc. I had the chop chea which was good, plenty of food that I had left overs. The place was clean and their bathrooms are single stalls. This place is byob with no corking fee. For the smoothies, we ordered green energy which was good and sweet. The fruit tofu was tasty. One drink my bestie didn't care for was the ginger apple drink. It tasted more like apple juice with a splash of ginger that we had to ask for more ginger juice, but it tasted watered down boo. The water glasses were colorful see through plastic cups served with barely any ice, just cold water. At least they were good refilling them without us asking. Now the reason why I'm giving only 2 stars was not about the food or cost of our meals, but how we were served that evening. Imagine, you placed an order of your drinks and appetizers and not only we got them late or randomly but I started getting irritated that our meals came out later than several tables that came after us. And the birthday girl was the last one getting her meal after we ask several times where is her dish while the rest of us are halfway eating?!? We ordered at 8pm and she got her tofu young parties at 9:30pm!?! The place closed at 10p. The owner apologized how slow we got our meals, but dude at least comp her meal or drink we dropped $200 for this place... Over all, the food was good for an Asian vegan restaurant but the service Really needed some work. Don't go here if you have more the 4 ppl in your party unless you plan to wait for your food the whole night. read more

Love this place. The food is great. The service is great. Bring inside I'd like entering a different calmer world. I'm not vegetarian but I go here when I need a break from life. read more

I should have been studying for Bio116, but instead I opted for a momentary repast of culinary reason with Dr. K's Cure All Noodle soup. My class lecture to follow my visit to Amitabul would reveal that repeated ingestion of spicy food could be bad for you, potentially irritating epithelial cells in your digestive tract, causing lesions leading to abnormal cell formations which weaken resistance to cancer. The force is strong with my inner foodie: There's a proverbial Dr. K representing some amazing spicy food, and a corporeal one warning me about eating too much of it. You know what? You only live once. My friends agreed. Serve us up some of that Korean soul food, stat! Amitabul is a Korean Buddhist term meaning "The Awakening." After a few spoonfuls of this fresh fiery soup, the six points of my chakra were definitely realigned, in vertical descent, one sadistically-scalding spoonful after another. The lyric from Skinny Puppy's track, Warlock, enters my head as the spices sear away at my esophagus lining slowly scraping in stratification with each swallow. "Now is the only thing that's real!" I'm definitely esoteric in my next-level state of heightened awareness. This viscerally meatless experience booted with a rather vanilla beginning. The Mandoo Vegan dumplings were a sentient start, prepping our palates for the particularly scathing onslaught of spice that it would inevitably take to sift out our salacious thoughts, evolving our minds into a purified state of enlightenment. On second thought, was this really the case, or were these Mandoo mounds nothing more than just dumplings of veggie delight? Host to a handful of celebrities (including 50 Cent), Amitabul is conveniently tucked away on Chicago's north side, where there is plenty of parking. The venue is dated yet cozy, feeling more like a Korean fern bar than an actual meditative space for victual retribution. Bring your own adult beverages for balancing the good with the bad. Last, shout out to Bill Choi for being the Master Korean Chef who made it all possible. May we dine together again! read more

My son is vegan and turned 18 yesterday. We ordered from Amitabul so he would have a great selection to choose from without worrying what the ingredients were. Just 5 of us, but we had enough food for at least 10 people. Portion sizes are generous! The food was so tasty. He loved the dumplings, the noodles and the Bi Bim Bop. If you don't like spicy food you definitely need to let them know, as most of our items had a great kick to them! I ordered by phone and asked if they would bring it to my car, which they did. Great experience, and we will definitely be back! Thank you!! read more

I had the healing soup and the vegetable dumplings. I will be back. This is the cleanest, quietest most deliciously and healing eating experience ever. The food came out hot. The host was friendly. I am pleased with my first experience here. I will make it a habit to come back. I'd like to explore more of the menu. read more

Another 5 star review for the spicy rice cake soup I ordered last night. It was exactly what my body and soul needed. As I am getting to know traditional Korean cuisine a bit more, rice cake "noodles" are becoming one of my favorites and this soup tastes like the home I never really knew but always miss. read more

Delicious food and a good atmosphere, the dish did have a heat warning on it so I expected it to be spicier than it was ( it was medium hot) read more

Amitabul - Yin and yang - Vegan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hidden gem restaurant with the most delicious vegan, organic Korean tofu, noodles and bibimbop ! There is also jars of vegan kimchi you can buy. The food is always fresh and amazing here. read more

I would give Amitabul 4.5 stars if I could. But because I like to review mainly on the food, I went with 5 The GOOD: The food is actually incredibly good. Its vegan but incredibly tasty. My boyfriend and I both had entrees but honestly I cannot remember the names. Mine was potatoes with mushrooms and lots of other veggies. His was garlic based. We both had soup (flu and seaweed mushroom). Both soups are fantastic The tea-oh my- I could drink the tea all day. I had the date tea and he had the citron tea. Both are incredible!! We both left full and satisfied but we didn't feel heavy. Just all-around a great meal We went at 12:30pm and there were already 2 tables taken. As we sat, quite a few more people came in. They had a steady flow but it wasn't overly busy. They have a great message about food (see pic). Eating the food not only tasted great but you felt great eating it both physically and mentally The BAD: our waiter had zero personality. It was as if we were troubling him by being in the restaurant. He never smiled or really even cared we were in there. He talked so softly it was hard to hear him The service is a bit slow all around but I think it goes with the whole theme of enjoying your food slowly. So it wasn't too troublesome To sum it up: dont let the slow service and bad-attitude waiter discourage you from checking out this joint. The food is def worth it. I even asked 2 other tables what was good and they all said 'everything' We were not disappointed. And PS: neither of us are vegans or vegetarians read more

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Friendly service, good food. It seemed familiar. On asking the owner, I found out I used to eat here when they were in the Southport corridor! I'm glad I found them again. read more