Love this place - friendly folks, delicious, nutritious and interesting food, awesome atmosphere. I've been to two locations, the River North and the Loop location, both are great. The breakfast vibe is all business - quick in, quick out. The lunch vibe is a bit more relaxed, and the crowd definitely skews young. The salad I had was very tasty and fresh - the quinoa added a nice substantial base to the lettuce, and the meat, veggies and dressing were all perfectly portioned and delicious. I became addicted, however, to their morning protein shakes. The peanut butter based ones are fab - creamy, substantial, and eminently slurpable. I love the variety they have, and the ability to choose your protein form (egg, soy, etc.) and milk is great. The best part: it's all reasonably priced. $10 lunches, $5 breakfasts. And you feel great for the rest of the day. read more

Spin pesto salad Rocked my Socks! If you could hit the infamous "Star Power" from Guitar Hero! I would totally use all the Star Power on this local favorite! Can you say healthy?! Delicious!? Addicted?! As former residences of the Great City that is Chicago, what is it that Mrs. F laments the most from moving away? You guessed it Protein Bar! Anytime we are in the city-scratch that if we are within 50 miles of the city you better bet your bottom dollar that we will be paying homage to this great (now multi-location) facility! We miss you Dear Protein Bar! How can we convince you to open up a location here in Indy!? My wife I am sure would be happy to open up a franchise with that Glorious Name-Protein Bar...think about it! We would make sure that your good food word was spread far and wide! read more

So I'm not a health food person. In fact, I had a whopper and orange soda for lunch a few days back. But when my foodie friend recommended the Protein Bar off State St and it was right by my hotel I couldn't say no. I got a small smoothie and quinoa bowl for $11 which is reasonable by midtown standards. I'm also very impressed with the food! The smoothie was delicious and made fresh, and I'm loving this quinoa bowl! It was ready on the spot and with very simple ingredients (quinoa, chicken, pesto, spinach, cheese) and it's super fresh and I'm addicted. The guys there were very helpful in helping me pick out a meal and recommending the various smoothie alterations (type of milk etc). I really hope I can get a chance to try their breakfast and hope they come to St. Louis!!! read more

Okay after going here a few times I have decided that I can't live without this place. I'm a very healthy person and I'm a vegetarian who tries to eat as much organic and vegan food as possible. I'm always up to try a place that is healthy, rather than fast food. The first time I was here, honestly the drink I got was awful. I think it's because I didn't know what to get so I picked a weird mixture of things, and the cashier wasn't helpful when I said it was my first time there. If I didn't pay so much just for one drink I would of thrown it out. I decided to give the place another chance and I wanted to try the Wrigley Peeled drink. The cashier suggested whey protein and skim milk and told me I can add a free boost (the cashier didn't tell me that the first time) so I added the multi vitamin one. This drink was amaaaaaaazing. It tasted like chocolate peanut butter. I was worried that the peanut butter would be too strong and I wouldn't like it but that was not an issue. I've never tried food here before but I definitely will next time! read more

What a tasty and healthy lunch! I had the superfood vegan salad and can't wait to return to try more!

I really like this restaurant. However, they are getting a bit slow. I stopped in this morning to get a smoothie. There were only about 4 people in line ahead of me. It took about 10 minutes for me to get one smoothie. I was trying to arrive at work early and didn't make it. The staff seemed like they didn't care and moved quite slow. Please speed it up in the morning. Your customers are trying to get a breakfast snack and be on their way. One more than one occassion, someone forgot one or more of the ingredients for my smoothie. read more

Everything I got here was absolutely delicious, and I ate here 3 times while in Chicago. I had 3 great juices/smoothies here (any option can be made vegan and gluten free!), a soup, and a delicious avocado/chickpea salad. This place was convenient, fast, and the staff was friendly and entertaining. I want to go back!! read more

Love the vegetarian/vegan and gluten free options. Clean restaurant and quick service. Tofu was tasty. Primary reason for the 2 stars is that I ordered the Sesame crunch salad. Took the salad home to eat. It was not the salad I ordered and it didn't resemble any salad on the menu. It appeared to be just a mix of whatever was available. It was disappointing to pay for something and not receive as ordered. read more

Protein Bar was everything I needed for my vegan dietary needs while on my business trip in Chicago. They had vegan options for their oatmeal, smoothies, salads, wraps and bowls. I preferred their PB & Acai oatmeal over the berry oatmeal because it was more filling. I didn't like the warm blueberries in the berry bowl. My favorite shake was the Ging and Juice which has orange juice, ginger, pineapple, carrot, vanilla protein powder and coconut milk. They have so many options that are vegan or can be made vegan which is a vegan's dream! Lastly, the staff was very nice and knowledgeable of their menu. read more

Superfood Vegan salad and Pier-nut butter & Jelly (PB&J street to the DC Market) how I love thee! The bowls are good, and other salads Bar-ritos are great, but I can't get enough of Superfood Vegan and Pier-nut butter & Jelly. And I can get cold-pressed juices if I'm not feeling like chewing my nutritious diet. My second fave item is the Green City Vegan Bar-rito. Hey all..i'm a meat eater, so these vegan choices are totally great for me to ditch my usually meaty meal! How fun to get interesting food where they care about what type of calories you're taking in. Healthy fats and proteins with lots of veggies. I feel so full and satisfied yet healthy and clean when I am done with my meal from Protein Bar. (Not so Subliminal message: Come to Indianapolis!) read more

Protein Bar has been on my radar since I read a write-up in Cooking Light a few months ago. This place was a godsend to a weary traveler for many reasons. First, I was eating rich meals every evening, so a light, fueling breakfast was welcome every morning. Second, Protein Bar pretty much has what I would make myself at home (or wish I made myself at home), if I were trying to eat a little bit better. I really liked their breakfast bowls. So simple, just with scrambled egg whites plus veggies, but it did the trick and I didn't feel guilty. Third, it won't break that bank. I thought prices were more than reasonable for the fresh ingredients. I really wish we had one of these in downtown Columbus. I think it's what any young professional wants: quick. healthy, tasty, fresh. Get in and get on with your day. Of the three breakfasts I had here in one week, I only had one gripe. The southwestern breakfast bowl (Santa Fe, maybe? I don't remember the name), had so much Cholula sauce on it, I almost couldn't eat it. I had a bit of a hangover, and short on time, so I was determined to get through. I knew it would have hot sauce on it, I just didn't realize how much! read more

I came here for dinner after I saw I'd miss my connecting train, and I had a 2 hour wait to get back, so I came in for a healthy dinner. My salad was quite delicious, and a healthy portion where I felt unsatisfied after finishing, I was right at a perfectly full level after finishing my meal. The seating is small (I'm seeing that more and more in the city), but the traffic and noise from outside wasn't overwhelming indoors. They had 1 television tuned to ESPN while I was in there, so there was no argument from me, just no audio, which was fine as well. Eating dinner in solitude and quiet was good enough for me. The bathrooms have a cipher lock on them, so you'll have to ask one of the employees for the code. No worries. read more

I eat here once or twice a week, as I am a huge Protein Bar fan. I recently left the restaurant industry after 17 years. I know how easy it is to write a bad review, but not enough people take the time to write a good one. Today is the day I write a good one (my first review ever actually), and you can thank Michelle the cashier. Every single time I come in, she is smiling the warmest smile. She is so friendly, so sweet and genuine, and I swear - never stops smiling. It is a rarity in the biz I feel, so I felt she deserved some acknowledgement. I should add that everyone here is friendly, and I have never had an issue with the food. Michelle- Keep doing you girl!! read more

I absolutely love this place. I have tried almost everything on the menu and I have yet to try something I didn't like. I first walked past the one on Washington and saw a line out the door. Not wanting to wait in line I went somewhere else. A few days later, I had to take a late lunch so I walked over and there were not as many people inside. So I went inside and got a bar-rito and loved it. I have had the buffalo, the capone and one other bar-rito. I think I have also tried every salad and a few of the bowls. They have punch cards where you buy 8 bar-rito or salads and you get a protein shake free. Well because I go there so much I have had a few of the protein shakes and I enjoy those as well. Even some of the breakfast bowls are very good. I have yet to have something I didn't like there. My only complaint is the juice I ordered was warm because it doesn't come with ice. I might not order on a 100-degree day, but that is my only complaint. Yes they are a little expensive but for what you are getting I think it is worth it. The service is super friendly and you get your food pretty quickly considering how busy they get. If you are going for lunch around noon, you will be standing in line outside of the restaurant. There is not a lot of seating so you will probably need to get it to go. I love this place. read more

I was looking for quick and healthy food in downtown Chicago and couldn't have been happier with this place. I was so happy in fact that I ate here both nights on my visit. I know - shame on me for not exploring, but I was buried in work and just wanted some good and healthy fuel to keep me going. The protein shakes are fresh and tasty and you can customize based on your milk and protein preferences at no extra charge. The salads are big and awesome and filled with good healthy ingredients. The wraps are also good and very filling without making you feel gross after. read more

My sister and I didn't plan to go here but after a couple hours of shopping, we decided to stop in and try a smoothie or two. We got the fruity loop and hi-5, and really liked both! We both I think prefered the hi-5, as we are crazy about green smoothies/drinks. The fruity loop was also really great--I would totally drink this after a workout! It wasn't busy when we got there, so service was very attentive. I would love to come back and try other things on their menu, especially their food! read more

This is my favorite lunch spot in Chicago. It's such a nice respite from the rich or unhealthy meals that I generally end up eating with customers during my travels. I love that they have tons of super foods and that they list the calories in everything you eat. Great variety and friendly customer service makes this place even better. The ingredients are so fresh and crunchy. They mix the salads well so each bit has a little of everything. I love that their greens are more than just romaine. My only complaint is sometimes I can't find a place to sit, but most of the time I do. Don't be intimidated by the lines... they are efficient. I just wish I could get one of these to open in Wisconsin. YUM YUM and good for you too! read more

I really hope Protein Bar expands past Chicago and DC! I've only had their raw juices and bowls, but everything I have had was delicious. The quinoa bowls are healthy and wholesome, yet extremely filling. My favorite raw juice is the HI-5 (Kale, spinach, pineapple, cilantro, lime-- the pineapple makes it sweet, so it's easy to drink). Don't forget to get a stamp card. Buy 8 get one free! Raw juices are $5. read more

I was craving some vegetables and healthier food options after spending the previous day traveling via Megabus. I found the Protein Bar on Yelp and decided that raw food was a good option. I ordered the Spinach and Pesto quinoa bowl which was tasty sans the overcooked and fried chicken. I also orders the Hi-5 blended juice which was delicious! The combination of kale, spinach, cilantro and pineapple was refreshing. This was a pretty filling meal - the service was quick and there was plenty of seating during the lunch rush. Glad I stopped by! read more

Protein Bar & Kitchen - Pesto Chicken - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a little on the expensive side, but on par with the prices of the places around the loop. I had a quinoa bowl this time around and it was quite delicious! They serve their bowls in containers that look small but the food is surprisingly filling (it's quinoa, after all) and I was full after just that. It's so very convenient but quite busy at the moment because of the recent opening. Come here if you're looking for healthy eats and not too concerned about cost. It's got a cool "health" vibe with the white accents in the store. read more

HEALTH NUT ! That's what I am , or for the most part. Nowadays we are obsessed with the amount of calories we intake. But no worries, the portions here will leave you full! I had the southwest salad and it literally took me two hours to eat ! I heard from a friend that the smoothies are superb as well. Going back for sure ! After all I have class around the city three times a week. Try going there early in the morning, lunch is obnoxiously busy and crowded. read more

I got the spinach and pesto quinoa bowl. YUM! My fiance got the healthy parmesan bowl. He really liked it. I thought it was not bad- I enjoyed my spinach and pesto one more. This one tasted like spaghetti. We split a chocolate drink. It was pretty good. Though my bowl was yummy, I was very hungry afterwards and snacked. I was only "half full" from the meal. =/ But overall, happy tastebuds! read more

Quinoa with Chicken Chili - delicious White Bean Soup with Kale ? Also delicious. Even their Iced Coffee was good (went here by accident because Starbucks next door was closed on Sunday?, happy accident) I wish we had something like this in NYC. read more

Delicious healthy options with a wide selection of smoothie ingredients. I was happy to see the flu booster on the menu! Great and friendly staff, spacious seating area, great atmosphere. Deliciousness all around. read more

Protein Bar & Kitchen - Buck town green tea... - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great fresh squeezed juice! Get the BeetBox. The Comsikey Cocoa is my favorite protein shake, with soy. You can pick your protein for all the shakes, and the quinoa bowls are super unique, healthy, and yummy! Also fast and friendly :) read more

The blended drinks are the best thing here. I'm not going into any specifics. If you've had a tasty, healthy smoothy before then you know what to expect. The bowls are okay. They're healthy, but they don't have any flavorful punch. The burritos are the same way. They're healthy, but they are generally dry with nothing special. If Chicago had lots of healthy choices, I would eat somewhere else, but lucky for Protein Bar, Chicago doesn't really believe in eating healthy read more

Holy crap. talk about service. the moment I walked in I grabbed a menu. Probably spent 10 minutes because there was some pretty good stuff on there. The ladies walked me through the menu and was very happy with my choice read more

Protein Bar & Kitchen - BBQ chix wrap!!!! - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! Delicious wrap! Things were pretty great but at least two of the drink options were out of order...bummer. The flow through the restaurant was quick and all of the staff were very attentive/efficiently making orders. Given the location, I was pleasantly surprised with the seemly high level of morale around the shop. Definitely will return read more

Coming from California, I guess it's natural for me to like a place that's quick, tasty, and healthy. With that said..why isn't there one in Cali, yet?! I stayed at theWit hotel and while walking around in the morning, the Protein Bar caught my eye. The interior of the place is sleek and minimalism, which was nice, but the highlight are the quirky/sarcastic words and phrases scattered around the place. For example, there's a wall that looks to showcase the restaurant's mission and purpose with phrases such as: "We do healthy...healthier" and "Not all calories are created equally - choose wisely." The food itself? Delicious. The burritos were dry at times, but if you topped it off with their salsa, it really was not a big deal..especially since it's healthy! The menu is very quinoa-heavy which may be a good or bad thing depending on who it is (I personally like quinoa), and when I was there, they had a special pumpkin-pie tasting smoothie called "Pump-quinoa" which was AMAZING. If you're a local in Chicago, stop taking this place for granted and show it off to your tourist friends. Long story short: The food is top-quality and the funny quotes inside the place made my 15-minute visit that much more entertaining. read more

So nice to have a healthy lunch option in this area. Protein Bar has pretty much any combination of quinoa, veggies and protein you could want in the form of salads, burritos, or quinoa bowls. I've tried most of the quinoa bowls and have never been disappointed. Almost everything is under 500 calories and they have really great toppings (Greek yogurt, avocado, vegan cheese). Plus, you can order ahead and pay online for quick pick up at whatever time you choose. I think they offer delivery too- so convenient. read more

I'm visiting Chicago for a conference this weekend and I have been here every morning for breakfast and a raw juice. It has felt great to eat healthy and start my day out right despite traveling! My favorite juice is the Greenberry - it's delicious! And for breakfast? The Santa Fe Scramble! Can't get enough. read more

Protein Bar & Kitchen - Greenberry juice! - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I stopped in here while on a work trip, and it was really good. My coworker and I both got green smoothies. I got the Hi-5 and he got the Market. The Hi-5 was actually delicious, all greens with a little pineapple. The Market was good too, a bit spicy from the parsley, but really helps wake ya up in the morning. I was impressed with all the quinoa bowls they had, many of them looked tasty so I think I may go back and grab something tomorrow before the airport. Loved that they had hormone free chicken and stuff too. Nice to find a place so devoted to being healthy in a city full of steak and pizza. read more

Got the guac a roll here, very good. I'll have to try some other items on the menu, but everything looked pretty good. Their soda is interesting.. it's all natural sodas like sugar cane cola. I tried a bunch of them, my favorite one by far was the cherry soda. My favorite smoothie is the PB&J one, its very peanut-ey but after a few sips its amazing. Definitely try it out. read more

Don't come to this location. I ordered their Hi-5 juice, and it was absolutely horrendous. It tasted like the bits of a filter of a juicer, and was difficult to stomach. The consistency was similar to that of literally juicer filter bits. I drink healthy smoothies and juices often, and this was NOT pressed or freshly squeezed juice- it was leftover green mush. The buffalo quinoa bowl was a weird consistency, and a weird temperature- it was half frozen, half hot, and definitely was lacking flavor. I should have known better upon taking the first bite, as I got very sick from eating at this location. I started to feel sick to my stomach about 45 minutes after eating here, and ended up throwing up at the Target nearby. It is not only expensive, but also I cannot return after getting so sick from eating here. read more

This review is for breakfast. I got the pesto scrambled egg whites. They were pretty good but slightly salty. I also tried the Avo-matcha drink which was delicious. I would totally get this again. I felt like for a traveler, this was a good place to get a relatively healthy breakfast on the go. They were also quick but it was a Sunday morning. read more

I decided to try this place because 1. It was started by an alumni from the University of Michigan (I always support my fellow Wolverines. Go Blue!) and 2. It's hard to find healthy food in the loop. I went here for lunch on a Monday and it was packed. However, the line looked worse than what it was. Even though the line to order was just outside the front door, I was in and out in about ten minutes, carrying one of their steaming signature bowls, the Spinach and Pesto chicken. At less than 400 calories, this dish had so much delicious flavor. (and I'm not a veggie kind of girl, but the spinach was a perfect complement to the chicken and pesto.) I tried the natural multi-grain chips and I'll pass on those next time. But I'll definitely return for another healthy signature bowl. read more

It makes me feel good when I eat here because "Healthy" posters hold the establishment up and support while forcing me to believe I'm eating healthy. I mean, it is fairly good for you. Don't get me wrong. It's just funny how they jerk themselves off about it the whole time you're there. The food is good. It's as simple as that. Tastes good. Natural ingredients. Even a little punch card so when you fill it up, you get a free meal! Free is great and not many places do that anymore. So that's a plus. They also make it fresh which is a plus. You get your own buzzer and everything. I get taken aback every time I get one because when I was a child I loved holding it. Staring at it for minutes and minutes until it buzzed. Anyways... Nothing spectacular here. Negatives. It's expensive. Not horribly but I find myself in a dilemma between the north and south sidewalk of Lake Street deciding if I should go to Potbelly or Protein Bar. It all boils down to price. I would choose another place to eat but sometimes I like to stroke my own ego and eat "healthy", you know? Give it a shot. If you don't, well, I would say that's all right. MAYBE next time. Maybe. read more

What a fantastic place! I was staying at and working from a hotel down the street and needed a quick but healthy lunch. Protein Bar came up first on Yelp and had good reviews, so I decided to give it a try. I got a southwest chicken salad and a beet juice. They were both tasty and the ingredients were fresh and flavorful. The people that were working there were very pleasant too, which, as a new yorker, I don't always expect ;) I took my food to go, but there's tons of seating if you'd like to stay. read more

Liked this place a lot-- stopped by after shopping on State and ordered two drinks, the fruity loop'd and the hi-5. Fruity loop'd (vanilla protein, almond milk, blueberries & banana blended drink) was really good, but my sister and I both really enjoyed the hi-5 (kale, spinach, pineapple, cilantro blended with ice) as well. Clean, friendly and fast service. Would love to try the other items on their menu, especially the food! read more

Possibly the best healthy food in the northern end of the loop. It was quick, it was super tasty, and was very moderately priced compared to everything around it. Food: I like the Buffalo Bar-rito - it has the right balance between protein, veggies, and is grilled to perfection. Not as big as a Chipotle, but the perfect size if you're trying to be healthy, and twice as tasty. Service: The food is very quick even during the lunch hour, and the staff behind the counter is very friendly and funny. Environment: A small decent amount of seating - nothing particularly interesting, but for fast food it is perfectly fine. read more