Came here with a few friends before a concert. The buffalo 'chicken' wrap was amazing - holy house-made ranch. Absolutely delicious. Can't wait to go back to try some of the other dishes. The selection of beer was good. Our table had an assortment of drinks and it turned out to be very cheap (considering they were taking shots of patron). Also, we paid the bill and reopened 20 minutes later when we found out the concert was cancelled. Our server gave us a small discount on the second bill with a little note that said "sorry your concert was cancelled". Didn't make a huge monetary difference but was a very nice gesture. The only annoying thing - couldn't get a table until my entire party had arrived and the restaurant was basically empty. read more

The gin cocktails were refreshing and surprisingly strong. The tostada appetizer was tasty, I have never had a tostada like that before. The mushroom omelette and breakfast burrito were average. The music suited my taste and the place was nice and quiet during a Monday brunch. read more

I just want to talk about that chili Mac n cheese because it was the only thing I ate and also because I miss it so much and wish we could be together again. Super genius creation, just the right amount of spicy plus tortilla chips on top (omg waaaat!? Yess! I know right?) J'reccommend! The place itself is also very cool n cozy - music is bomb, $1 PBRs on Monday if you want to feel like you're in college again. read more

My husband and I went to Handlebar for bunch on Saturday Feb 16 (gloomy cold day). When we walked in there, it was so lively. Though it was packed and small, we experienced a great energy while waiting for a table for "25 mins". It honestly did not feel like we waited that long. I ordered the Saturday's Special, Plaintain Tostadas and my husband had the Vegan Chimichangas. Food was satisfying and flavorful. We also had a mimosa (delish) and Agent Scully (had a terrible after taste, the lemon they used was not fresh). Based on the food . we will definitely go back! read more

Handlebar - Plaintains tostadas - Vegetarian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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As my 1st experience at this establishment, I would have given 4 stars but unfortunately this place gets 2 stars. This experience was ALMOST ruined by the completely incompetent host this evening. She quoted a 30 min wait time for a party of 4 with ONE party of 4 ahead of us. Before anything, Yes I read the rules on their website. It does explain that no incomplete parties will be seated. I get it. Yes my party was incomplete at the time i checked in BUT WAS COMPLETE (me+3 guests) before her quoted time. The party of 4 ahead of us got sat as she stated would happen. Here's where the problem lies: A party left, table bussed, and she proceeded to seat a party of 3 that arrived way after i checked in. Ummmm... what?!?! Her reason she bumped us, my party was incomplete when the party of 3 arrived. Ummm... no! Regardless if my party was incomplete in the beginning when i got there, my party WAS complete way before that table got up, paid & was bussed. No communication what-so-ever. If anything, she gave a bit of attitude for me inquiring why my party wasn't getting sat before that party of 3 that arrived well after i got there. So instead of a 30 min wait... it was pushed to about 50 mins. UNACCEPTABLE! The one person managed to turn this horrid host experience around was the MOD. She genuinely apologized for the lack of communication and was very attentive toward our situation. She even went above and beyond to comp our drinks. She didn't have to, we didn't ask... but she did and we certainly appreciated it. Food was ok. Server was attentive. That's about it. Will I go back? Meh. Oh... for being a vegetarian restaurant, they sure have a few ummm.... dead animal/animal parts hanging above and around the bar. read more

My boyfriend and I make the trip from rockford just for this food, at least a couple times a month. Really awesome vegetarian and vegan options, and it's the one place that I actually enjoy the vegan cheese (my bf is vegan, I'm obsessed with cheese) Had one weird experience here with a hostess, but other than that, everything is great. Good service, good people, good food, good atmosphere. read more

I been a vegetarian for 10 years and I can truly say that this is one of my favorite places in the world!!! The food is really tasty and amazing. I ordered the fried avocado tacos, totally recommend. Add the salsa if you like spicy. read more

Amazing veg comfort food. Great patio for those days you wanna sit outside and drink and eat.

YAll listen I love this place so much and it hurts me to write this review but sometimes a girl doesn't have a choice. We put our name in at 1:10pm and after waiting an hour we checked to see how close we were and the host ~forgot~ to type in our phone number and told us we would be put on the wait list again.... didn't apologize for the mix up... just put us back on the list we'd been on for an hour and said it'd be another 30 mins. When we were finally seated our waiter (Andres) took our order and that was the only time we saw him until we asked for the check. He's very nice but we've had him before and he also never checked on us those times. Idk I'm just sad cos I love this place but the service is sooo bad this is coming from 2 people who work/have worked in the restaurant biz. read more

Vegan Friendly! The avocado tacos are sublime! The food is always consistent. Drinks are priced as good as you can get in Wicker. Parking is hit or miss. Weekends they are very busy but I have never had bad service or food. Staff is always friendly and quick as possible. read more

We came for dinner on a Friday night. Everything was delicious. We got the chili cheese fries, buffalo chicken wrap, and sloppy joes. The sides of garlic mashed potatoes and smoked gouda mac were also amazing. Service was prompt and friendly. If you like vegetarian or vegan food, definitely come here. read more

Handlebar - Vegetarian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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food is decently priced... nice ambiance at night and outdoor patio seating! -don't get the vegan queso fries tho bc they are MUSTARDY! iDK WHY THEY TASTE LIKE MUSTARD TO ME!!! weird consistency too. but the plain fries are a-ok ;p -if u are a vegan don't get the avocado toast thing veganized bc once again, it's mustardy af and the bread is always stale -hi read more

Got the Green Goddess Salad and the buffalo nugs (to-go) about a month ago and was blown away. I shared some of the nugs with my fiance and he had no idea they weren't actually chicken! Been craving both ever since, can't wait to go back. read more

Nothing like a nice bike ride to Handlebar rewarded with some of my favorite vegetarian grub in the city. Great patio, good beer and wine list and fresh, delicious food. What more could you ask for! I have tried just about everything on the menu, but I really go for the salads and the green meanie sandwich (stuffed with veggies and a feta-herb spread-yum). The menu has a great variety of food, from pastas, sandwiches, salads, and stews to sides like mac 'n cheese, collard greens, and plantains. Handlebar is a great place to bring a group since there is always something that will appeal to everyone in your party. read more

Very veggie friendly menu (samosas + herbed tofu sandwich recommended!) and super cute waitstaff. Enchante. read more

My friend suggested this place for dinner knowing I was vegetarian. While I am open to pretty much all restaurants, I love when I have a whole menu of options to choose from. Handlebar definitely epitomizes Wicker Park- a cool, interesting hipster joint. The bicycle decor lent a casual and funky atmosphere. And the food...so good! We started off with the nachos which were great but the black beans maduro entree surpassed all expectations! The sweet plantains were crunchy and soft at the same time and the chipotle sauce...now I have the highest tolerance for spicy food and I hardly ever find anything adequately spicy but the chipotle sauce in the maduro was so flavorful and spicy, I couldn't stop eating!! The beer selections were also good All in all, a great place in Wicker Park for a casual dinner and drinks, especially if you are vegetarian/vegan. read more

Wish I had more meals in a day. Stopped by on a trip through Chicago and stepped in for a late night drink + snacks. They have lots of vegetarian and vegan options for the food AND drinks. I loved warming up with a spiked hot chocolate. Mmm. The space is a little narrow, so I wouldn't come here with a gigantic group. It's the perfect space to catch up with a few close friends. Not too loud, not too quiet. Juuust right. Wish there were more places like this. read more

I have mixed feelings about this place: Infested with hipsters, but hipsters often leave a trail of tears to good food, beer, and music. Consistently bad service, but one time our waiter was so drunk he forgot to charge us for about half the items we ordered. Vegan-friendly for my ladyfriend and they have a great mac and cheese, super creamy with gouda (tastes like the good is applewood smoked aka tastes a little bit like bacon), the fried pickles were very solid as well. So to sum up, being vegan friendly and reasonably priced will have me returning from time to time despite the poor service and somewhat pretentious attitude inside. read more

Came here with my girlfriend and her sister after one long enjoyable evening, and breakfast was fantastic. Their coffee, even better. I couldn't stop drinking it as it was so good. I believe it was Intelligentsia from we were told. Either way, we are certainly coming back here. Thank you! read more

First thought walking in.. this place smells like sour musty smell. Couldn't handle this odor . Stinky.

This place is awesome. I love coming here since I'm lactose intolerant, and it's such a treat to eat dairy-inspired food without worrying how it'll make me feel. I also always feel fully satisfied after eating here, despite the fact that they don't serve traditional meat products aside from fish. If you're a meat eater, don't worry - you won't even miss it. I've mostly eaten here for brunch, and can recommend the vegan chimichanga, vegan country-fried portabella, and the huevos diablos. Their bloody hammer is also delish and is only $6 on the weekends! For lunch/dinner options, the vegan nachos (with cashew queso & seitan chorizo) were phenomenal. I also really enjoyed the buffalo "chicken" wrap and fried avocado grilled cheese with vegan soy cheese. I've also only gotten great service here - it can get a little cramped during busy hours, but that's a small price to pay IMO. read more

Vegan chimichanga. That's all you need to really need to know. Everything is so good. So many vegan options. My only complaint is the service is a bit slow but everything else is worth it! read more

They have some things on the menu that I can't get enough of like the buffalo chicken sandwich, biscuits/gravy and cheese sauce. Some of the other stuff is kinda boring or overpriced for what you're getting. I've never noticed anything new on the menu. But they have vegan brunch which I feel like is kinda hard to find. I've taken omnis here and they generally enjoyed what they've gotten. The backyard seating is where its at on a nice day. I have some nice memories here. Good times. read more

I've seen a few reviews referencing how unpleasant the staff is and that's definitely true. Almost everyone had an attitude except for our waiter who happened to be nice. Other than that the fries were good but likely will not return just due to how unfriendly most of the staff is. I recommend they do something about that :) read more

For your late night cravings, Handlebar offers a great variety of vegetarian and vegan options, accompanied by a vast selection of wine and spirits. Our server was fantastic and he was able to describe every single dish to us and made fantastic recommendations. The parking is available off street and usually easy to find. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in Chicago. read more

The food is nothing extraordinary, it's good if ur drunk or high tbh don't go here if you're looking for good comfort food, try Chicago diner instead.... I tried the Nashville chicken, super plain and the piece of "chicken" was super burn and just a sad little piece of fake chicken (which I've tried wayyyy better). Don't recommend. read more

I love this place. There are several items on the menu that I crave: buffalo chic'n wrap, the nachos, gouda mac n cheese...but I think one of their best features is their ever-changing beer list. Unlike at a bar, here I drink beer for the taste of it, and the ones on their specials list always complement their food. Its great to go in the summer with friends when the back patio is open. For vegetarians who like seitan, veggie sausage and other comfort foods, this is the place for you. Chicago dinner probably has the best selection of this type of food, but Handlebar is way cooler (I think). It also doesn't have photos of a guru or fuzzy animals which some of the other veggie places have. They also have one or two fish dishes, and the nachos have fooled some meat-eaters I know, so you don't have to be vegetarian to like the food here. read more

The only way to start this review of this hip, little, bike-punk bar and restaurant tucked away in Wicker Park is to explain that every person has a certain meal that is their utmost favorite. Mine is the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. I get it everywhere. It's my thing. So, when I traveled to the vegan-exclusive Handlebar and spotted a vegetarian version of this classic favorite made with seitan instead of meat, of course, I knew I had to try it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be the best iteration of my most beloved meal. Hands down. Absolutely incredible. And that means a lot coming from somewhere who has eaten variations of this item all around the country. This one takes the win. The restaurant as a whole doesn't slack anywhere else. There is plenty of wonderful table space, including some pleasant window seating. The bar is decorated in the style of what can only be described as how Mad Max would have decorated a TGI Fridays. The walls are lovingly decorated with posters and paraphernalia that looks authentically hole-in-the-wall without the smell of urine and passed out homeless at the bar. Oh, and the food is priced just right. read more

I really like Handlebar. It has a nice vibe... kind of funky/bar atmosphere. Lots of awesome beers to choose from. Great vegan/vegetarian food too. Nothing too fancy or wild, but just solid, good food. I really like the spicy chickin wrap. It's pretty awesome. Also their vegan ranch is great, and I second (third? fourth?) everyone's opinions on the deep fried pickles... lovely. I have also had really good soup there. I don't think I've ever tried anything there that I didn't really like? Except maybe the BBQ seitan (I think it was seitan?) sandwich, which was OKAY - but kind of boring. Also the back patio is really really nice in the summer (OH SUMMER, ITS BEEN TOO LONG). read more

I've now been to Handlebar quite a few times now, so I felt that I should update my review. Since my first experience there the staff has been great! Again, If you haven't been there they have a great vegetarian/vegan menu, good beer selection, and also serve my favorite - Metropolis coffee. Breakfast and lunch is served from 10am-2pm daily (3pm on the weekend). I recently went for a simple brunch. Their lovely patio is now open for the summer - a nice addition to their smaller indoor space, accommodating more guests. Appetizers include Fried Pickles and Samosas among many other delicious starters. Try their monstrous BBQ Seitan sandwich with Freshly-Cut French Fries, Chili, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or one of their premium sides such as the Smoked Gouda Mac n' Cheese. For lighter fare, the Green Meanie or one of their salads prove to be tempting options each visit. Some of their entrees are the Black Beans Maduro and Ground Nut Stew alongside a few fish dishes and Latin-American inspired meals. Large portions, great quality, reasonable prices! I typically go to Handlebar when I'm in the mood for delicious vegetarian comfort food. There is still so much I want to try and I definitely will do so! read more

5 stars because: 1) They have amazing food 2) They have great servers 3) Never so busy that I had to wait more than 20 minutes for a table The servers are aware they are serving both vegetarian and vegan cuisine and will ask you if you are "ok" with cheese on your entree if you didn't specify. I think this is a nice touch - it shows they are looking out for vegans. Great for pescatarians (sp)/vegetarians/vegans!! read more

Wasabi tofu was excellent. The tofu is infused with wasabi and grilled, served with vegetables and brown rice. Plantains foster was good too. Service was a tad slow, since there was only one guy waiter when I was there around 2:30pm. read more

Handlebar - Wasabi tofu served with served with vegetables and brown rice - Vegetarian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago! You don't have to be vegan to have a great meal here! I'm a huge fan of the meal of 3 sides, and you must try the smoked Gouda mac n' cheese!!!! I also love the patio outside! There's also lots of bike parking. :) read more

Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing. Perhaps its just possible that one *can* mess up grilled cheese and tomato soup. The sandwich was not tasty and the soup way too tangy. Perhaps too much dill? I tried getting a basic item but I was utterly disappointed. The price was too high but I must admit, the atmosphere was great. So why two stars over none? Well their veggie stew was pretty good. read more

Handlebar is a neighborhood fav. Food-great! Gouda mac and cheese, buffalo chicken wrap, exceptional! The food is generally 4-5 stars HOWEVER, today I went there with a group of 8 people to catch up, and they told us they were unable to move tables together, and that our friends who we had not seen in a long time would have to sit separately from us. (Despite the fact that there were 2 empty tables sitting next to one another. Because of this we left. So beware, if you are going with a large group, the biggest group they can accomodate is probably 6. read more

Meh's the word. Good service. Fun atmosphere. Sunday lunch. Wilty greens. Less than fresh fish. Seared tuna was 3xseared. Slop style food presentation...Go to Manna or any of the other places that take pride in their kitchens. read more

Even before I lived in Chicago, Handlebar was one of my favorite restaurants in the city. With a solid menu, cool atmosphere (unless you hate hipsters), and a sweet patio, this place never fails to make me happy. Their pescetarian menu is big and wonderful (although you can't get some items at certain times of day). Heavy on the comfort food (shrimp and grits!), but still offering some lighter options (try the Everything Green salad!!!), it is sure to please everyone, from vegan to carnivore. The service can be a little off when this place gets busy, but everything else more than makes up for it. read more

We waited an hour for brunch on Sunday but the wait was worth it! Our group started out with the chili cheese fries which were some of the best ive ever had! I ordered eggs sunny side up and the italian sausage seitan which was seasoned very well. The rest of the group ordered Vegan breakfast burrito, biscuits and gravy with two eggs. All the food we ordered was delicious. Go check this place out! We will definitely be back! read more

Loved this place! It had a great atmosphere and wasn't too loud, it got pretty crowded towards the end of our meal and we were glad we came when we did. I would say it was too dark in there. But other than that great food did didn't make me feel like crap and pretty good drink selection too. My roomate is vegan so she was happy. We will be back! read more

Handlebar - Buffalo "chicken" so good - Vegetarian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Me and my friend ate out in their patio, and boy was it chill. The apartment above added to the experience, it was raw and organic, just like the healthy food that I was eating... get the Sambal tofu! Sooo filling and good! read more

Handlebar - Sambal tofu. Yum. - Vegetarian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois