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    The Owlery Restaurant

    4.3 (375 reviews)

    The Owlery Restaurant Photos

    THE OWLERY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Owlery Restaurant

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    Sandwiches: BLT, Mushroom, Chicken.
    Lynn N.

    We were recommended the nachos and it did not disappoint. It came with corn chips, vegan or cheddar cheese, cashew queso, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded romaine lettuce, pickled red onions, creamy cayenne-lime sauce. The cashew queso was the best part, with great flavor. The fries (regular and sweet potato) were also favorites at the table. The sandwiches were underwhelming. The BLT tofu bacon sandwich was dry. The server was friendly and attentive. They got pretty busy during Saturday lunch hours. There wasn't a dedicated parking lot so we found street parking nearby.

    Coconut macadamia tofu
    Krysha M.

    Traveling from Indy to Evansville for a wedding, I remembered that The Owlery is mentioned frequently in veg*an groups as being a great place to go if you're in/near Bloomington...and I must say the advice was NOT wrong! We loved the Owlery so much on our first visit that we returned again at the end of the weekend for brunch on our way home! First off, our server Sydny was absolutely delightful - and we were so happy that they got to serve us on both trips! They were so patient and kind - and humored me when I wanted to try ALL of the things on the menu and all of the sweets in the case. On our first visit (Friday afternoon lunch), we opted for the coconut macadamia tofu as an app - and my omni husband freaked all the way out at how good it was. Seriously good. Our sandwiches (the Chick'n sandwich and the BLT add avocado) were also delish - and we ended up swapping plates mid way through to share them. They have a lot of fun, local drafts and ciders, too - and fancy coffee, etc. if that is more your jam. We were told that Sunday brunch was even BETTER, so of course we had to come back through again on our way home. OMG the BnG and banana pancakes and Vegan Benny... I cannot tell you how worth it they are! Again, my husband seeks out meat any chance he can - and even HE loved all of these dishes!! He admitted that this was one of his most memorable and delicious brunches in recent memory. We also picked a selection of sweet treats to go - a chocolate topped rice krispie, some cupcakes, and all sorts of things - and they were also super tasty! We cannot wait to get back to The Owlery any chance we can! Indy DEFINITELY needs this in our lives up here, too!

    The menu
    Mark W.

    Awesome vegetarian food on the square in Bloomington. This was my 2nd time experiencing tofu and Seitan in unique ways. We were 4 today and everyone really enjoyed the meals. Don't get in a hurry here, especially at a busy time because this food only gets made great by a small kitchen crew. The vibe is nice and they have a nice selection of beverages from beer to tea. 2 tables outside but it was raining so we ate at the big table in the middle of the room. I had a Reuben with real Swiss and a tasty sauerkraut along with the fried Seitan! Loved it.

    Inside the restaurant
    Sophie P.

    I was skeptical because I am FAR from vegetarian. But my boyfriend knows I'm picky these days about restaurants and ingredient lists, so we thought we'd give The Owlery a try. I loved the inside of the restaurant! It was very small, but clean and well-maintained. Didn't care for the indie music, but that's purely personal taste, and I'm not the target demographic anyway. I had the Mushroom Banh Mi sandwich, and WOW. It was probably on my top 10 list of best sandwiches I've ever had. It so spicy that it was literally painful, but I didn't stop because the flavor was SO good. I took the jalapeños off the second half, and that turned the spice down a lot. $16 sounds crazy for a sandwich without meat, but it was so good, I actually think it was worth it. 5/5 stars, will be returning with friends and family.

    BBQ sub with sweet potato fries
    Leslie W.

    The Owlery has been in my Yelp Collection and on my to try list for some time now. I finally had a chance to drop in for lunch recently on a midweek getaway to Bloomington. My friend and I arrived around 2 pm after a morning of travel and a brewery stop. And we were definitely ready for some food. The restaurant is fairly small (narrow but long) bit we had plenty of space between us and the other few late diners. I went with the BBQ sub and sweet potato fries. Travel pal had the red onion jam sandwich (with local dairy cheese) and poutine w/cheese curds. I enjoyed my food although the sub roll was a bit dense. The poutine was a highlight for my friend. The Owlery has an amazing counter dollar of desserts to have there or take home. I couldn't resist a huge peanut butter rice crispy topped with chocolate to take for later. Pro-tip - don't refrigerate. It was 10x better at room temp (& much easier to eat). I'd like to try out their brunch which has great buzz about it. Maybe on my next trip to IU!

    John B.

    As someone who uses the owl as a totemic animal and is drowning in owl memorabilia, and as a lifelong vegetarian, this restaurant appears to have been created just for me. I was surprised to find this place in Bloomington Indiana packed for brunch; I didn't realize there were so many local owl fans who also happen to be vegetarians. But I waited out the crowd and secured a table. They had a menu of fairly classic American brunch veganized, and though they were out of a couple of items towards the end of the day, they had what I wanted: a bowl of mostly whole food ingredients. My lentil hash with various greens and peppers over potatoes had the option of eggs or tofu as a side. My tofu was delicious, and the bowl was an impressive meal. I wish I could have ordered a side or something, but I don't think I had room for it. I was offered a choice of hot sauces, which failed to materialize, but despite not ideal service, the food itself required no additional flavor, with the rich and hearty mix leaving me with no thoughts of what else I might have ordered. Having said that, their dinner menu looked impressive.

    Owlery Nachos - plenty to share!
    Kristine H.

    We always enjoy our dining experiences at The Owlery as it's our go-to spot to dine with our adult daughters who all follow a vegan lifestyle. We've tried many of the menu offerings -- too many to name them all -- but on our last visit, we enjoyed the: Coconut Macadamia Tofu, Owlery Nachos, Jerk Tofu Tacos with sweet potato fries (so yummy) and the Red Onion Jam sandwich with side of Impossible chili. As always, everything was fresh and delicious! We also treated ourselves to several of their baked goods to go home with which were all tasty!

    cute space, limited outdoor seating
    Sydney P.

    grilled cheese and nachos. Great service. Good flavor. Personally, I' m more of a carmelized onion on gc girl versus arugula but still good.

    Ellie G.

    Great spot for vegans and vegetarians. Very filling. Nice staff. Indoor and outdoor seating.

    Poutine
    KD T.

    I had a half serving of poutine with sweet potato fries and real cheese curds, and a vegan brownie for dessert. Everything was delicious. The server was the friendliest person ever and they gave me great tips on how much to order in relation to my appetite. My only complaint was that they don't serve decaf, which would have been great with the brownie.

    Loaded Nachos from around Covid times.

    Fair warning, I am a chef with a background in vegan cooking. I have to say that over the course of the 3 years that I've lived in Bloomington I believe the Owlerys food hasn't really become impressive to me with the exception of perhaps the loaded nachos. I've went on multiple occasions with friends and family, and I'm a big foodie when it comes to vegan friendly places, so I am sharing bites from other plates of what people order. The food is simply not worth the price tag in my opinion. The plating is beautiful, Instagram worthy, and the vibe of the place is perfect for the downtown. But I can't help feel the food is simply lacking spices- and not spices in the in-your-face way, but tiny amounts to build nuances, something I find almost necessity when it comes to vegan cooking. I digress. I really want to love this place, and maybe it meets the standards for most people. For me, most of the menu comes off as bland or lack of creativity. Attached: Old pictures from Covid times of the Nachos.

    Chicken Ranch Club with Poutine and a Ginger Ale
    Jeremiah C.

    Don't let vegan throw you off, this place is doing it right and bringing something unique to Bloomington. This is a must try if you are looking for something light or heavy. I showed up hungry, so I went with heavy. Many local beers to choose from along with coffee, tea, and soda. Low key atmosphere with a wonderful staff. Chicken Ranch Club is fantastic! The tofo tastes like, if not better than, chicken itself. Wrap was very filling and fresh. The poutine is a must if you are in the mood for something savory and filling.

    Pesto Portabella Sandwich
    Kathy V.

    I was traveling with a vegan friend and just followed her food requirements and was along for the ride for wherever we were gonna eat. That is how I ended up at the Owlery. We were there in the off-peak lull between lunch and dinner, so there was space for diners to be spread out and we were seated immediately. We took the seat in the window, which we selected so we had no one to blame but ourselves for the struggle we had with the roll shade. The table was weirdly sticky....something not fixed by wiping it down with cleaner and a cloth. For folks a little hesitant to lean in to visiting a vegan restaurant, they DO offer simply vegetarian things (hello cheese!). A step to ease omnivores in to patronizing spots they might be resistant to! I am not resistant, but I was happy to get real cheese on my order of poutine! I've tried many vegan cheeses and...no thank you. It just isn't cheese-like enough. So anyway....thanks for the real cheese options! The poutine was really good, and a very generous serving size. Definitely a 2+ person shareable. For my main dish, I got the pesto portabella sandwich. It was really tasty, better than I expected! I finished every last bite. Service was good and the meal was affordable. My friend got a vegan dessert to-go, but I was positively stuffed and despite everything looking delicious, I couldn't think of eating another thing. Absolutely worth a visit for a meal if you find yourself in the area. Unquestionably a spot you want to visit if you choose to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    This is our favorite place in Bloomington. Super excited to be more regular there now that we have a child attending IU.

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    14 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Best veggie/vegan restaurant around!! The food is amazing and the staff are some of the best in Indiana!!

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great vegetarian menu! Cool/efficient staff!! Conveniently located downtown on the square.

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    5 years ago

    Great place! Awesome dishes. I've never been to a vegetarian place before. The service was excellent, too.

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    4 years ago

    Fast service and delicious food! Would definitely recommend, has many vegan and vegetarian options!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The mushroom banh mi is delicious! The pesto on it is the perfect touch. I got the curried cauliflower as a side and loved it.

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    10 years ago

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    Page 2 of 10

    Ask the Community - The Owlery Restaurant

    Farm Bloomington

    Farm Bloomington

    3.4
    (859 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Farm Bloomington is one of my favorite brunch spots in Bloomington. The staff and waitresses are…read morealways friendly, attentive, and on top of everything, and the food is consistently excellent and comes out quickly. I especially love the strawberry salad, avocado toast, and their teas. Everything is always fresh, well prepared, and delicious. Such a reliable spot with a great atmosphere, highly recommend!

    $60-70 Let me tell you what I experienced on 2/13/26…read more We had an OpenTable reservation, and our group traveled to Bloomington (from Carmel) for a play. We tried calling several times throughout the day to notify FARM that we needed to change the reservation because two of our guests were ill and would not be able to join. The restaurant's phone just kept forwarding to voicemail. We arrived at our reservation time and were told that we would be charged via OpenTable for the guests who did not join. When I mentioned the phone issue, the hostess said that it did not matter if we had called today, because the cancellation policy is 24 hours in advance. I did not know they would be ill 24 hours prior to the reservation - but whatever. I was not happy, but did not argue the issue. We were seated, only to find that there was a prefix "Valentine's Day Menu". We thought that was interesting because we had researched the website & menu before the evening, and there was no mention of this menu being the only option for Friday (2/13) night. Even the menu PDF says "Valentine's Day" - there were signs throughout the restaurant noting "Valentine's Day Menu". The server also mentioned that many other patrons were upset. The items on the menu were also priced far higher than the regular menu. So, we were excited to try FARM, arrived to a very sassy attitude (from the host) about the party size, noting that I was going to be charged. Getting to the table to see a modified menu, whose prices were jacked up. The (very sweet) server validated our feelings and confirmed that other patrons were upset, too. We finally just decided to leave. On the way out, the "sassy" host was snarky and mentioned that we would likely be charged again for the remaining guests leaving and not eating. I have pictures of the signs, and screenshots of the website - and I dare FARM to charge me for their false advertising. At least note the website, signage, and OpenTable if you are following modified menus or processes, and train your team better!! We were thrilled to try FARM, and left saying that we would NEVER go back. So disappointed :(

    Photos
    Farm Bloomington
    Scallop ceviche
    Scallop ceviche
    Broiled cheese on toast

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    Broiled cheese on toast
    Malibu Grill

    Malibu Grill

    3.7
    (352 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Malibu Grill is one of those places that feels stitched into the identity of Bloomington. It's not…read morejust a restaurant, it's a downtown staple with a lively, slightly upscale energy that works just as well for date nights as it does for celebrations. The food never misses. The ahi tuna is absolutely fantastic--fresh, flavorful, and beautifully done every time. And the filet sliders are a must: tender, rich, and perfectly indulgent. What really sets Malibu apart, though, is the people. Owner JB (John Bailey) has created something special here, and it shows in every detail. The staff is consistently excellent, and Tyler at the bar is one of our favorites--always welcoming and on point. Great food, great atmosphere, and genuinely great people. This is one of those iconic Bloomington spots that keeps you coming back.

    Disappointing! We had a reservation for Valentine's Day. We showed up on time, checked in, and were…read moretold it would be "just a few minutes." Turns out "a few minutes" meant an hour. Other guests were frustrated with the poor planning and left, but we stuck it out because the weather was bad and, well, we figured a reservation should actually mean something. Then came the food wait. We ordered quickly and still waited another hour and a half. The cherry on top was that the takeout containers wouldn't even close properly. The food was okay. Dry. I would rather go somewhere else. We won't be back.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Pan Seared Filet Medallions with mashed potatoes and asparagus!
    Pan Seared Filet Medallions with mashed potatoes and asparagus!
    Bar area

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    Bar area
    The Elm

    The Elm

    4.2
    (109 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    Always a delight! The Elm is your place if you are looking…read morefor something delightfully unexpected in Bloomington. Seasonal menus, beautiful plates, and an amazing bar (and coffee bar). We have been coming for years and just tried brunch today and it was 10/10! Spring menu highlight: the cabbage is phenomenal! We ordered for the table to share as a last minute decision and it was the star of the show Brunch: Latke was so yummy and the sauce was horseradish cream goodness Chilaquiles and smash burger both got an A+ Staff is always on point.

    'Welcome to Bloomington's fine dining restaurant,' said our young college age server. The interior…read moreis clean, modern & spacious. Tables are well spaced for private conversations. The noise level was low and the lighting was neither bright nor dark. The atmosphere is cold & pretentious. From the limited menu, I ordered spaghetti with mussels, salmon with summer squash and flatiron steak & frites. Why the server had to educate me the meaning of frites, I'm not sure, because I simply asked if the entrees came with any extra sides. The mussels that accompanied the spaghetti were not fully cooked. Mussels should be fully cooked. The salmon was overcooked, which made it dry & chewy. The steak was medium as requested but the meat quality was subpar. Flatiron cut is supposed to be very tender & flavorful, but either the meat was old or prepared by inexperienced hands. Neighborhood street parking is free. For me fine dining is reserved for special occasions. I randomly found The Elm because it was open until 10pm for a late supper due to a late arrival. The food preparation was amateur and the experience was poor due to our server who went out of her way educate me, assumed I didn't know any French terms, and tried too hard to earn her tip. Speak gracefully & succinctly with a courteous tone. Any hint of pretention can insult the customer & spoil the appetite. The only thing 'fine dining' about the meal was the bill. I've had much better quality steak & seafood at famous chop houses in large cities for the same price. I do not recommend The Elm.

    Photos
    The Elm
    Assorted Truffles for $10: Dark Chocolate, Citrus Chocolate & Birthday Cake
    Assorted Truffles for $10: Dark Chocolate, Citrus Chocolate & Birthday Cake
    The Duo: Filet (left) and Short-rib (right)

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    The Duo: Filet (left) and Short-rib (right)

    The Owlery Restaurant - vegan - Updated July 2026

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