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    Amitabul

    4.4 (570 reviews)
    ModerateVegan, Korean, Vegetarian
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Amitabul Takeout or Delivery

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    AMITABUL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Amitabul

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    Mandoo Vegan Dumplings: Great starter that does not sit too heavy before a meal
    Clark S.

    Staying with my friends, who happen to be vegan, I asked them to take me to their favorite restaurants around Chicago. They brought me to Chef Bill's Amitabul: Healing Buddhist Spiritual Vegan Cuisine. This was one of the most calming, tasty dining experiences I have had! We arrived around 6:45pm on a Friday and immediately were seated at a table in the front of the restaurant, right next to what appeared to be a Buddhist shrine. We were given menus and water and plenty of time to look over the menu. The inside of the restaurant is deep with booths and tables. There were a few others seated but the sound levels were great. It took a little bit for our food to arrive but we were able to enjoy a plate of Mandoo Vegan Dumplings to tide us over. These were delicious and we appreciated the spiced miso sauce. For dinner, I ordered the Chop Chae from the steamed stir veggies section of the menu, with a medium level of spice. Chop Chae is steamed sweet potato noodles with three kinds of mushroom, gathered with veggies. This was excellent! The noodles were so good and I loved all the veggies and the medium spice level was great. This was a surprisingly filling meal; I did not want dessert. Haha I am so glad I got to experience Amitabul! Such a calming environment with friendly staff. I do not follow a vegan diet, but I would have zero hesitation coming back for a meal here!

    Eric W.

    One of Chicago's hidden secrets. We only originally went because a friend came in town and was in need of vegan. Not only is it Korean Vegan but it is based in Buddhist healing, spiritual vegan (as their menu says). A big fan of Korean food, I was initially suspect but the food is delicious and good for your body and soul. Highly recommend Dr Ks Cure all soup if you're feeling sick or just want a reinvigorating soup . Their various pancakes are great too. Service is great and friendly . Very quiet ambiance but I think it absolutely right on with the food. #vegan #korean #asian #hiddengem #chicago

    David-Anthony G.

    I'm a carnivore to the core. I'd shovel up a freshly killed raccoon off the side of the road if it wasn't socially unacceptable. So it's a miracle in itself my friend managed to get me to this vegan Korean spot. Given the chill area (not too far from Superdawg--I said I was a carnivore) I didn't expect too much. I may have just been coming down from being sick that day, my friend said he knew what would help me feel better. He wasn't lying! I had a delicious plate of grilled curry tofu stir fry. My nasal passages opened right up! And I had a nice portion to take home and doctor up (with an egg of course) for breakfast the next day! The owner was really cool and informative, the space was super zen and cozy! Great spot to impress someone. Awesome vegan joint for carnivores like me to still get their fill! I plan to revisit with my mom sometime soon!

    Tibetan High Noon and Hello Dolly and Bill
    Matt B.

    This place is starting to become a common staple of ours. It's incredibly good. The amount of veggies in each dish is awesome! The flavor combination is amazing.

    Grilled Tofu Curry Stir

    Love this place! It's our new favorite restaurant. I am vegan and my hubby is vegetarian and there are precious few places we can eat out and really enjoy the food. I loved this place many years ago when it was on Southport in Chicago. Now that I've moved to the burbs, I found that the new location was not that far from our home. I really appreciate the peaceful Buddhist theme, the soothing music, and uncommon cleanliness. Most of all, Chef Bill is a talented, high-vibe guy who is always kind and courteous and prepares incredibly delicious healthy vegan food. We've had several different entrees so far and plan to try more. Every one of them was superbly flavored and delicious. (And no one had to die for the culinary triumph.) Prices seem reasonable for the large portions you get- especially these days, and paying cash gets you a discount. Overall, nothing not to like about this place. On the menu it says 'Healing Buddhist Spiritual Vegan Cuisine.' It is most definitively that! I highly recommend Amitabul!!

    Dining area
    Liz W.

    We absolutely love everything that we tried here today. A friend recommended this place to us because we live super close and were looking for a restaurant that has healthy food at an affordable price. This restaurant is spot on! The server came up and seated is right away, and we were able to have a wonderful meal and really enjoyed the chill vibe of everything.

    Wolfman's Dream Treats
    Molly E.

    Well.. the dish that I specifically wanted to come to Amitabul for, ended up being my entire family's favorite dish! The Dark Side of the Moon has oyster & shiitake mushrooms, veggies, noodles, and a super flavorful black bean miso sauce Absolutely loved every bite! I also loved the Wolfman's Dream Treats which had several types of veggies, potatoes, and nuts, and NO oil!! Their menu states that 95% of the dishes are oil free! We also shared the dumplings and Healing Energy Soup (what's photographed is 1/4 of the portion). Both were really good! The soup had a HUGE variety of veggies, as well as steamed tofu and we all enjoyed this. The curry wasn't our favorite and for me, it was just too spicy but everything else was phenomenal! I only have time to go to one vegan restaurant on this trip and Amitabul was at the top of my very long list. It did not disappoint!! The workers were so friendly and helpful with the ordering process. I also loved that they served room temperature water and without asking, came to fillet a couple times. What a great experience!

    Maki with Spicy Kimchi Maki
    Nikki O.

    It was my first time here, as my husband and I are exploring different aspects of Korean cuisine and had never tried vegan Buddhist cuisine from Korea. The ambience is very quiet and zen-like, with light green walls, rice paper lamps and wood details, Buddhist chanting on the sound system and a beautiful gratitude message placed on each table (to read before you eat if you like). The other people who were there looked like your typical vegan restaurant patrons. If you're more comfy with bro types hanging around burgers and BBQ, the vibe here might make you antsy :) I'm cool with it. Portions here are very generous -- one dish can provide 2-3 meals. The "Dr. K Cure-All Noodle Soup" has a really delicious spicy red broth (not super spicy) and LOTS of different fresh vegetables, tofu, seaweed and noodles (rice or wheat -- your choice). That was a really pleasant surprise. It tastes fantastic the next day too. The maki rolls with brown rice, kimchi, carrot and a leafy green veg were ok, as vegetable sushi often is. Healthy, but a little dry and bland... it needs a good dipping sauce besides soy sauce. A cup of the date tea (ginger tea? sweetened by dates) and a little white rice cake with red bean paste was a delightful treat to end the meal. I'll be back for that soup and tea!

    Maha Pyogo
    Amber F.

    I visited this place two nights in a row. They accommodated our party of 17 last minute with no reservation. The owner is kind and truly vested in making sure guests have the best experience. This a a high vibrational food experience with the tone of Buddhist culture noticed from the time I walked in with the huge altar in front. If you're not looking for "vegan" and want truly healthy food this is the place. I don't live in Chicago, I was visiting, but if I did trust and believe I'd be there multiple times a week. Highly recommended.

    Dark Side of the Moon
    Quin B.

    What a nice Chicago vegan restaurant. The vibe inside felt very calm and zen, enforced by the sound of trickling water and light mandolin music playing. The menu described most of the entrees in a zen fashion by informing of how food elevated your mind, body, or soul. I had the dark side of the moon and it represented an ideal vegan dish. There were some good flavors with the many mix of fresh vegetables. I did taste the K's cure all noodle soup and it was not as flavorful. The dark side was much better. Portion sizes were huge with descent prices. This is a great place to come and get fresh and healthy food!

    Green Heaven And Zesty Noodle
    Steve A.

    Amazing vegan Korean cuisine is at Amitabul. It was already a pretty vegetarian friendly cuisine to begin with, but this takes it up another level. Whole menu is safe from animal products. Kind of expensive but similar prices to some other Thai restaurants around here. There's no lack of flavors and spiciness. Found out about this when looking for vegan restaurants we hadn't tried yet, and were excited to try plant based Korean. It's kind of close to the Norwood Park Metra station, so we hopped on and got off. This is a pretty small place but it seems like there's plenty of tables. It wasn't busy. Something that's both a good and bad thing. It was hot so we got something cold to drink. It's about $6 for a smoothie. These look kind of small but these are thick. I had the Green Heaven. This is made with cucumbers, kiwi, lime, mangos, oranges, and spinach. For once a vegetable smoothie wasn't bitter. It's about $14 for an entree. This isn't a cheap place. I had the Zesty Noodle. This has a choice of rice or wheat noodles, but the noodles are recommended. Loads of citrus and tangy flavor. Too bad there wasn't more than just vegetables in it, because tofu was an extra charge on top. She had the Mandoo Vegan Dumplings. These were just enough to share a few. Good place to get plant based food, and one of the few specializing in Korean cuisine. It has some limited hours because it closes between lunch and dinner. The prices are pretty high, which is the only bad thing.

    March 2020 Entrance

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    3 years ago

    Spotless interior, kind servers, delicious food. The cure-all soup has never failed to fix my bouts of cold & flu

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    3 years ago

    Incredible food, wonderful ambience, top shelf service and no cruelty involved. What more could you ask for

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Overrated and nothing special. Went there since it came up as a romantic vegetarian place. All dishes tasted similar.

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Always quality, fresh ingredients. Great food and fast delivery. Be prepared for Hot when dish is described as spicy.

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    7 years ago

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    Bill C.

    Thank you for your great support and review!

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    Bill C.

    Thanks Vadim for your support!!!

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    4 years ago

    Love this place and the Doctor's soup. I always order it even though I never finish it, it's just too big portion

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    5 years ago

    Amazing! Uber flavorful, so many options and great service. Will be back very soon. Vegan Korean that will make you forget "regular" Korean

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    4 years ago

    Excellent vegan restaurant! Even my non-vegan friends and family enjoyed Amitabul's healthy offerings!

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    Delicious fresh food but honestly not creative

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    Page 3 of 15

    Ask the Community - Amitabul

    Does your establishment use ALL organic ingredients? If not, which dishes would be suitable for someone who is exclusively on an orgsnic plant based diet?

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    PLANTA Queen Chicago - Dragon roll

    PLANTA Queen Chicago

    4.3(635 reviews)
    10.7 miNear North Side
    $$

    it was okay. went for work, all vegan!! most items were not bad but i wouldn't go again if i…read morecouldn't expense it. not enough protein i liked the texture of most dishes but a lot of them were kind of bland tbh. we ordered a bunch of stuff family style, some i didnt take pics of but here's what i remember: gyoza 6.5/10: served super interesting shape, almost like a pancake with stuffed pockets of veggies. was ok crispy potatoes 5/10: mid! i liked the texture, it was crispy on the outside and i liked the potato layers. but tasted okay. truffle udon 8/10: prob my fav thing on the menu but i love truffle! super fragrant summer rolls 6/10: fresh spring rolls. nothing special bang bang broccoli 7.5/10: liked the texture! crispy, broccoli inside was kinda mushy. but tasted okay, not super flavorful. not too greasy. again, kinda bland... spicy tuna roll 7.5/10: good but no protein LMAO. feels illegal to eat dragon roll 6/10: mid mid mid... mushy, i only remember avocado and cabbage. pepper steak lettuce wraps 8/10: this was one of my favs along w the udon. one of the only things w flavor kimchi brisket fried rice 2/10: no little to no taste. little to no kimchi. don't get. singaporean noodles 8/10: i really liked these. chicken was good!! noodles were good too. my coworkers also liked the crispy rice but i didnt try service and ambience were great!

    Amazing food! We loved every dish we ordered. Menu is all vegan and extensive. They also have a…read moreHappy hour menu with some great drinks.

    Photos
    PLANTA Queen Chicago - Dining area.

    Dining area.

    PLANTA Queen Chicago - SPICY CRAB HAND ROLL  SPICY TUNA HAND ROLL CRISPY MUSHROOM HAND ROLL SWEET POTATO HAND ROLL

    SPICY CRAB HAND ROLL SPICY TUNA HAND ROLL CRISPY MUSHROOM HAND ROLL SWEET POTATO HAND ROLL

    PLANTA Queen Chicago - 1,000 LAYER CRISPY POTATOES

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    1,000 LAYER CRISPY POTATOES

    PORT UNION - Port Union

    PORT UNION

    4.4(371 reviews)
    8.0 miWicker Park, West Town
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Private events

    Another great experience and Bloom. Love this plant based restaurant offering creative menu items…read morethat anyone can enjoy! The inside of the restaurant is designed very elegantly & the staff is superb! All the dishes we tried were great, from thr hand rolls to the gnocchi. Recommend a stop here even if your primary diet isn't vegan you will not be disappointed. Pro Tip: try the desserts as well while visiting. Also very creative and satisfying!

    I'm giving Bloom 4 stars instead of 3 because they are a plant-based restaurant; however, I have…read moredined here several times and there have been short comings of one kind or another on the past few occasions - either food expectations or service seem to fall short of a high-priced restaurant experience. My main grudge on this night was the pour of sparkling wine (brut). Champagne flutes are typically six ounces. A standard pour of wine is five ounces. That means a pour of sparkling wine should stop about 1 inch from the rim of the glass*. Not so this time. I thought the bartender had emptied the bottle and was going to continue his pour with a new bottle, but no - that was not the case (I was seated at the bar.) I had gotten only about 3 out of 5 ounces of a $16 glass of wine. Not cool since every patron is charged an automatic 20% hospitality surcharge per check. (It looked more like a pour for a toast at a wedding!) Other than this major lapse in bartending etiquette - and yes, I considered saying something at the time but did not, hence, this review - my meal was fine (with the exception of the onion tart - not what I expected an onion tart to be: go with the crab cake!). *Note: I have worked part-time in F&B from 1994 to 2024 in all manner of restaurants/catering/country clubs, etc., including as a BASSET certified bartender, so I know what a pour of wine should be (and look like) in a standard champagne flute!

    Photos
    PORT UNION - Port Union

    Port Union

    PORT UNION - Port Union

    Port Union

    PORT UNION - Port Union

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    Port Union

    Kitchen 17 - Asian Burger with potato salad

    Kitchen 17

    4.1(644 reviews)
    6.4 miLogan Square, Avondale
    $$

    Where do I even start! I wish I lived here because I would come all the time…read more When we walked in we were the only people there which at first worried us but it ended up being the best dinner of our vacation. The food was amazing. We got the "frychos" which were like loaded fries and it was the probably one of the most flavorful and fun vegan dishes I've ever had. Ofc we also had to get the vegan deep dish and it was also really good. Since we were the only ones there we chatted quite a bit with the bartender and he was super friendly. We ended up putting a movie on the bar tv and watching that while we ate. They also had boardgames and free pinball and we played battleship while waiting for our pizza. If you have the chance to check this place out, you definitely should!! The bartender said they were usually busier because it's also a concert venue, but it was a nice day so we think people were going places they could eat outside. But quiet or hoppin this place would be an 11/10! :)

    Totally 100% vegan, but I heard they were closing before the end of November…read more We came here on a Friday night around 5pm. They do allow children and have live shows at night. I got a beer, Maplewood IPA, and vegan nachos with "beef". They were very wet, they also had mixed greens on top which were nice but weird. For my main meal I got a fried chicken sandwich which had tempeh as the protein. It was very thick and dense but tasty. It came with French fries. My partner got a sour beer, and a chicken parm sandwich with French fries. He reported his was also very thick / dense.

    Photos
    Kitchen 17 - Vegan desserts!

    Vegan desserts!

    Kitchen 17 - So many choices!

    So many choices!

    Kitchen 17 - Best Philly cheesesteak ever.

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    Best Philly cheesesteak ever.

    Elephant + Vine - Mammoth Burger Meal

    Elephant + Vine

    4.4(88 reviews)
    8.6 miLincoln Park

    I crave this at least once a week on my way home from the gym. Can't go wrong with the burger (I…read moremiss the jalapeño one), the Korean chicken sandwich, the spicy el wrap, and for the love of god, don't forget the TOTS! I also recommend the cookies by the register and the protein shakes. Service is always friendly and the vibes are cutesy.

    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.

    Photos
    Elephant + Vine
    Elephant + Vine - Buffalo Rice Bowl

    Buffalo Rice Bowl

    Elephant + Vine - Burrito

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    Burrito

    Amitabul - vegan - Updated June 2026

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