Delicious vegetarian fare in a casual neighborhood bar/diner locale. Need to go back to try more menu options! Note: Only place on our Chicago visit (April 2022) that required vaccination cards.
I’ve liked most things and maybe one or two weren’t my favorite. But the patio is really nice in the summer!Update: ordered dinner over the weekend and was delicious! Got the everything green salad and nachos. We got delivery and I must say I’m really impressed at how they sent the nachos! Five stars.
I’ve been going to Handlebar for well over a decade and a half, and it still remains my favorite veg spot in all of Chicago (and beyond)! Their food is always fantastic and they’re always adding incredible specials. (If you ever see the Pancake Bowl on the special menu, but sure to get multiple to go…it’s that good!) I hit them up (very often) for their Pepita Tofu Scramble + Chai Latte with Oat Milk for brunch and their Smashburger special on Tuesdays (and currently Wednesdays too)! Ohhh and all the tasty drinks! Not only is their food THE BEST, but the owner and staff are some of the most wonderful humans in the world. Not a visit to Chicago without hitting up this gem. ?Lastly, I’m the Executive Director of the nonprofit, Cruelty Free You + Me and this awesome team is constantly going above and beyond to host us for food and holiday drives, as well as supporting our work to provide vegan meals in under-resourced communities in Chicago. (A+ humans)
Great place to get delicious food and drinks. Good is always fresh and the portions are great. My favorite is the fried avocado tacos.
We love Handlebar! Most of our experiences have been good, however today we had an uncomfortable encounter with a staff member about accommodating a stroller for indoor dining. The restaurant is small and often packed so we were unsure if we could fit a stroller to begin with, but the hostess said we would be able to fit it in. When we attempted to move a table and chair out of the way, a dark blonde staff member was confrontational about it. It was unnecessary and uncomfortable. A different staff member was much kinder than the staff member from before and showed us a way to fit the stroller. We were happy speaking to the second person and he made us feel more comfortable. The stroller ended up in the same position as where we were going to move the table and took up more space than the table would have so we are unsure of why this was a better plan. Perhaps we did not articulate our idea for how to rearrange well, however the blonde staff member did not give us an adequate opportunity to explain with his confrontational approach. With outdoor seating, I would say this restaurant is much more child friendly given there is more space outside than inside. For indoor dining, I would not recommend coming with small children. In general, I would also say staff is kind but not the blonde staff member we spoke to first today. I will think twice coming here in cold weather when there is not an option to eat outdoors due to the confrontation with that particular staff member. The restaurant was able to accommodate the stroller but the staff member made us feel so uncomfortable that we almost left. I do still enjoy handlebar, though. Need some space from the restaurant and that staff member.
Love Handlebar! I’ve tried a few items in the menu and everything is great but nothing beats the Nashville “chicken” sandwich. Nothing! This is one of my favorite sandwiches I’ve ever eaten, same thing with my husband and he NEVER eats vegetarian. And the fries… fries are what makes the whole dish. SO GOOD!
I had the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich (no it's not chicken it's mushrooms) it was absolutely the best veggie sandwich I've ever tasted!!!! Hands down! The smoked Gouda macaroni was amazing as well.I also had the mashed potatoes with the gravy, which I wasn't a fan of. The gravy was great the mashed potatoes not so much.
The tastiest Mexican food I had since I went vegan. Super filling too. The staff were very kind and the coffee was so good! Nice atmosphere and cozy place.
Smash burger was really good. Beers are awesome and service was fast. They have something for everyone here. Recommend to any visitor to the city
Really delicious and decently affordable spot for some amazing vegan food. They aren't entirely vegetarian because they do serve one or two fish dishes but the rest of the menu is vegetarian and can be made vegan. The seating was outside due to COVID but they had a very welcoming outdoor seating space with heaters and it was covered. Staff was so helpful and friendly. If you are live in Chicago or just visiting it is a must visit.