The Chicago Diner

Omg! The shakes!!! You must try a shake. My husband and I each (because who shares dessert?) had a chocolate chip cookie dough milkshake and they are delicious! No worries, we also ate food but we had to split a Ruben because we had dessert first and we were full. Ha!
Yummy food! Excellent service! Fun place! Try it!

First of all: the shakes are a must. Vanilla chai is delish. Highly recommend the mushroom truffle melt:) can’t wait to go back! The Thai wings are an awesome starter too! Its a small place, which i really like and Service was fast, which i super really like.

Due to my boyfriends dairy & egg allergy this is his favorite restaurant. Despite my unwillingness to try something new and ultimately healthier, all I can say is that you will not be disappointed! Both locations –Halsted & Milwaukee– are consistent with food & service. Avocado tostadas, Mac & teese, & any of the shakes are an absolute must.

Great vibe, terrific service. Not just terrific service, friendly! Just the right amount of care and genuineness… how dining should be.
My husband and I were walking the neighborhood on one of the coldest days this year, getting a feel for the Logan Square area, and stopped in for food and warmth. Very glad we did!
Seems like a popular lunch joint. we ordered the sweet potato veggie burger and lentil loaf. Both very flavorful and filling.
Happy that this place exists! Go grab lunch and enjoy.

Recommended by fellow Unilocaler, Ryan R. we trekked out to Chicago Diner on a chilly fall evening. I loved everything about this place. The ambiance was cozy, the restaurant itself had a very ‘neighborhood’ feel, and the food was delish. The three of us shared a plate of poutine to start. While I liked my pierogii quesadilla, my husband’s country fried steak w/​mashed potatoes and gravy was out-​of-​this-​world good. It tasted like meat which is not an easy task. 9 times out of 10, fake meat is a major fail. Not at Chicago Diner!
I liked that all menu items were either vegan or had a vegan option. Service was excellent and fast. Our waiter was super helpful, witty, and looked remarkably like Edward Norton. Will definitely be back for some good ol’ (cruelty free) comfort food.

THE RADICAL REUBEN is ⁴⁄₅ great sandwich but could come with more than a pickle for $ 12
For me usually vegan desserts suck like rat droppings but this place’s are like WOW:
Carrot Cake with Walnuts ⁴⁄₅
Cocoa Mousse Cake5/​5
FYI: The parking in the area is horrible but if you can find a spot check out this spot!

Finally a menu that has more than 2 vegetarian/​vegan items to choose from, and you will be overwhelmed with the options! Love that!
Spicy buffalo wings were amazing!
Rueben was pretty good.
Vanilla shake tasted great! I devoured the whole thing and wanted more! Definitely can share this with another person though, if you’re willing!
Mac’n’cheese — we had to send back. I always get excited for vegan versions, as I am lactose, but I am always disappointed with the vegan cheese flavor, it might be just me, as I know a lot of other Unilocalers like it.
Overall a great place to visit for a nice change in food and atmosphere.

Nom mom nom. Hard to believe that the food we got was vegan. Definitely opened my eye to wanting to experience more vegan food. A vegan friend of mine was in town visiting, of course handy dandy Unilocal helped us pick this spot.
We came here pre dinner service since we were both famished. I would say it was around 4 o’clock. We were seated right away, it was relatively quiet and empty inside. Looking over the menu and photos, I had to go for the Reuben whilst my friend ordered the portobello sandwich.
My Reuben was delicious, bread was nice. A good «meat» to bread ratio, and nice toppings. Really couldn’t even tell that it was meatless. Side order of sweet potato fries. duh!
My friends portobello sandwich had «cheese» and an «egg». Sorry if my «» bug you but it’s just that it’s not really cheese or a real egg hence the ««. Anyways surprisingly tasty as well. Focaccia was a little charred for my tasting so it added s slight bitterness to the sandwich but overall a tasty dish.
The winner and star of the meal was of course, desert. Vegan peanut butter milkshake was… Too good for words. Hehe
Come give this place a try if you’re looking for some tasty vegan food and don’t forget to order a shake at the end. Trust me, it’ll make it all worth it.

Oh, Chicago Diner.
What can I say that hasn’t been said a hundred times before? This is hands down the best vegetarian restaurant I’ve ever been to (and I’ve been to more than a few). I take my friends and family here (carnivores and herbivores alike) and no one has ever left disappointed.
The Radical Reuben and Taco Salad are my favorite items on the menu, and they’re so good that I often have trouble ordering anything else. I usually sidestep this by ordering a second entrée on top of my meal and just taking food home, because duh — I’m obviously going to eat my face off every time I walk through those doors and there’s no way I’m leaving without a Reuben.
I’ve also picked up both of their cookbooks and the recipes stand up when made at home, which is something I rarely find from restaurant cookbooks. If you love the food here, the cookbooks are a must (and they also make great gifts). They also have a growing list of gluten-​free items, but if you have a serious allergy you should still probably watch out for cross-​contamination.
Another note: If you’re on a tight schedule or are planning on eating at a busy time (12−2pm & 6−9pm — basically all non-​work hours), make sure to show up early. They have limited seating inside and don’t take reservations. I’ve had good luck stopping in at off-​hours, but the wait can get pretty long on weekends. When it’s unbearable, I’ve been known to pick up carry-​out, which is decent but obviously not as good as eating in the restaurant. Parking can also be a nightmare, and although they have a small private «lot» (look to the left side of the building) there are only about 5 spaces and they’re prize real estate.
I’ve never had bad service or particularly good service here, basically the staff just gets right down to business and tries to turn those tables as quickly as possible. Drive by the line outside on weekends and you’ll see why.
Finally, if it’s your birthday — tell your server you’re celebrating and they’ll treat you to a piece of cake on the house! If it’s not your birthday, do yourself a favor and order the cake anyway. You’ll find something worth celebrating.

I hate Chicago Diner SO much.
I had to go there today because a friend visiting from Seattle who is pregnant had scheduled going to El Cid with my wife and me at 1:00 p.m., then she moved it from 1:00 to 3:00 at Chicago Diner with the rather telling caveat, «Sorry I’m a monster.»
I said fine. We met them there. I hated every second we were in the place. Hated my food. I still feel sick from eating there; 11 hours later.
Here’s the kicker. Three-​and-​a-​half hours after that, this friend went to El Cid with two slightly more fashionable friends, where the dude refers to a pizza with artichokes on it as «chokes on the za» the the girl is captain of the precious rowing team.
I would have been SO much happier at El Cid; I cannot even tell you. But I had to suffer through Chicago Diner because I’m just not quite cool enough for the pregnant girl visiting from Seattle to slot me at an authentic Mexican restaurant in Logan Square.

Man, I did not eat at The Chicago Diner enough when I was a Chicago resident. My partner and I were driving back to Detroit after a short holiday with family and decided to stop and eat in the city. We chose the Logan Square location because it’s a pretty easy on and off freeway spot and parking was surprisingly simple.
I always remember liking The Chicago Diner, although I’ve only been to the Boystown location prior to a few days ago. Ughhhhh, so good. We split the Radical Reuben and the Cuban sandwiches with a side of flashed greens (HIGHLY recommend, especially if potatoes are always making you too full; the sandwich alone is plenty of food, for even the heartiest of appetites) and waffle fries with a side of TEESE cheese for dipping purposes.
All was top notch. I mean, I liked both of these more than most meat versions I’ve had. I’m not vegetarian anymore, but I’ve been thinking of going back to my veg ways and it’s places like this that remind me of how easy it is to still go out and get good food. I need to learn how to make seitan like theirs. I mean, it’s stellar, not at all starchy or a weird consistency which I sometimes come across when eating it.
Someone, PLEASE, open one of these in Detroit.

I love Chicago Diner! As a strict vegetarian it is very rare to come across restaurants that are 100% Vegetarian and actually do a good job! The menu alone is to die for and I often wish I can order everything on the menu and just have a serious feast. It’s so amazing to see such a variety, there really is something for everyone, whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater! Chicago Diner serves up amazing dishes that anyone can enjoy.
My boyfriend and I have been going to the Lakeview location for a while and have just recently made the Logan Square location our spot! This location takes away the «diner» feel and replaces it with an urban and trendy atmosphere! The dining experience is way better than the Lakeview location and if you are up for a drink you’re in the right spot! You can actually sit down and enjoy your meal and your company, unlike the cramped Lakeview location.
There is plenty to say about the food. I won’t get into my personal feelings because I Love Everything! One thing that I do have to share is the fact that My Boyfriend who stands 6’2″ tall and built like a footballer, 100% Carnivore, loves coming to Chicago Diner specifically for their Spicy buffalo/​BBQ Wings! He absolutely loves them and not just to impress me, he will legitimately rave about them as he chows down! That being said, you really have to see for yourself. Chicago Diner has a ton to offer, Carnivores — prepare to be wowed!!! Expect to leave amazed that everything is 100% meat free.
See for yourselves, vegetarians, you won’t be disappointed! Dress comfortably, you will want to try/​eat everything!!!

WHAT A COOL PLACE!!! This was our first stop (as a group) for dinner when my whole crew got to Chicago. My friend Courtney is vegan, so we had to find something awesome and vegan: The Chicago Diner! When you walk in you’re greeted with some of the greatest atmosphere I’ve seen in a restaurant. A huge sign in the back sets the mood and the dark wood tones throughout made me feel warm and cozy in contrast to the cold Chicago weather. We had a wait of about 15 – 20 minutes but as soon as we were seated we were treated like queens!
We decided to order the thai chili «wings», because why not? And then my friend ordered the cuban and I got the portobello melt. Our server was very well versed in the menu and vegan culture in Chicago in general. The wings — oh wow. How cool am I right? These things were like big chunks of ooey-​gooey spicey and tangy… things. So good, we wanted to eat them all but our entrees were soon on the table!
Courtney absolutely loved her sandwich. She considered taking half home, but couldn’t help herself and kept eating! My sandwich was also fantastic. I was entirely crazy about the daiya mozzarella, but the sweet potato fries and ciabatta bread made up for it. It was messy and perfect. We also ordered their famous shakes, I the peanut butter cookie dough and Courtney got the carrot cake shake. BOTH were fantastic, you really can’t go wrong. The staff was cool about us sitting and hanging out for a while until our 3^rd party arrived and even helped us figure out where to get brunch the next day! Love this place and wanna check out the original location.

This place is amazing! I went for the first time on Wednesday night and had the seitan buffalo wings along w/​the Mac n cheese. The vegan ranch was delicious along with the buffalo wings. I’ll definitely be back and can’t wait to branch around on the menu to try the other delicious foods that I’ve seen on the menu. Cheers!

I’ll keep this short.
Even if you’re a dedicated meat eater, carnivore that don’t consider vegan food as «real» food. You will absolutely love this place.
The selection here is amazing. With all the different options and flavor profiles, you really dont miss meat at all.
I had the Mushroom and Lentil loaf with string beans and potatoes on the side. You’re all american dinner, so damn good. I would order his again.
My friends and I also ordered the thai chicken wings to share and that sauce on those babies were to die for.
If you’re looking for a lighter night with more greens in your life, you should definitely come give this place a try.
My friend ordered the soul bowl and that looked amazing. Also, apparently the vegan milk shakes are awesome too.
Wish they had one in Los Angeles

I could easily go vegan if I could eat at the Chicago Diner every day. I ordered the portobello sandwich, which included an «egg» and «cheese.» As a non-​vegan, I would say both the vegan items tasted pretty close to the real thing. However, I did also try a bite of my friend’s seitan chicken, which turned out to be a bit too chewy, and the spicy sauce it was marinated in was overpowering.
There was about a 15 minute wait for me (I came around 7pm on a Friday night). But service was still very fast, and waiters were friendly as well.

What an amazing experience! Who would have thought true vegan would taste like meat, cheese and eggs. I was really impressed by our server who was obviously so excited about their food she was bubbly.
I’m afraid I ate like a pig, needing to try as much from the menu as I could. Started with their poutine fries. The waffle fries were outstanding, but I couldn’t tell the vegan cheese from cheese made with milk.
For my meal, I had a Reuben with sweet potato fries. It is served on marble rye, the «meat» tasted like corned beef, just a little more subtle. The sauerkraut was really good, and the vegan cheese was melted as if it was not vegan. I was not as impressed with the fries, but my family loved them.
Everyone else had breakfast items. I can’t swear as to what they had since I was so preoccupied with my meal. All four of us were inspired by our meals.
I said I ate like a pig. I have not had biscuits and gravy for as long as a can remember. They use herbed biscuits with a gravy you would swear was milk based with chunks of pork. They were delicious, but very dense.
We all left feeling like we were going to burst. Good thing there are lots of things to see around Logan Square. We were able to walk most of it off.
This is another restaurant on my «must return to list. Do yourself a favor — try it out!

So my sister told me about this place so I looked it up on Unilocal and it was rated 4 ½ stars. This is a vegan restaurant since 1983. We went there yesterday for lunch.
She ordered the Thai chili wings. They are made of seitan. They looked more like ribs, but they were very good, especially with the sauce made of sriracha & ranch dressing. I ordered the Reuben sandwich. The picture of it looked delicious (looked like real corn beef). I was disappointed with what I got. It neither looked like or tasted like corn beef. It was brown and over cooked to a point that I had a difficult time cutting it with a knife. It was also very chewy and had no facsimile to the real deal.
The waiter and service was excellent. He was very informative & knowledgable about the menu items and took time telling us about the different dishes.

Went here after wanting to for a long long time. We came after dinner so we shared the poutine, and I got the carrot cake shake. My sister got the veggie sandwich and added bacon. Everything was so amazing. I’ve had vegan soul food before so I was not surprised it tasted great.
The poutine was made with a mushroom sauce and probably nutritional yeast or some cheese substitute. It was fantastic! Honestly it was better than any state side poutine I’ve ever had! My sisters veggie sandwich was stacked! With veggies of course. The added bacon was a form of seitan I believe and equally good.
My only critique was of the carrot cake shake. Everything is soy based so no problems expected in the lactate department. I just wished the carrot cake was softer. They crumble cake pieces within the shake and then put larger chunks on top. It was a bit jarring for my mouth to have to chew hard cake pieces when everything else was so smooth.
This will definitely be my go-​to spot because it was all so yum and I can’t wait to try more. For those outside the Chicago area, check out their cookbook if you need ideas on the regular.

I live in a smaller city outside Chicago where they are getting much better with vegan/​veg options– but are still limited. I sought out a friend when visiting the city, «where can I get food I can’t get at home?!»
I’ve visited Chicago Diner the last 4x i’ve visited the city now, I’m hooked. But I always stick with their staples, sometimes swaying in a different direction and each time trying a new appetizer. But god, that Reuben! It’s one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in the 3 years I’ve been a veg. Great seitan, delicious ‘kraut and killer 100 island.
This last time I took a non veg eater and he loved it and still raves about those milkshakes… UGH THOSE MILKSHAKES. Cookie Dough Peanut Butter is making my mouth water thinking about it. Ive asked for it in a to-​go cup… and always end up killing the entire thing before leaving the building. It’s nice that the menu isn’t redundant… everything doesn’t have the word «vegan» in front of it… order in confidence that everything is meat free and for once feel like a «normal» person.
The atmosphere is my speed, I am a belly up at the bar girl. I often go at lunchtime and there is always a stool at their small bar top. Brian has been the bartender every visit and has had great conversation and once some profound advice when figuring out life’s problem’s while feeding our feelings. :) Killer VHS collection behind the bar with some classics and out their wild video’s.