Vegan
American
Organic
Raw
Juice bar
Delivery
Take-out
Serves comfort soul food that is vegan. Menu varies and might include lasagna, mac-n-cheese, and corn bread, desserts, and others. Brunch on Sunday. The Eternity Juice Bar is owned by the same people, and sells juices, elixirs, sandwiches, deli-style salads, and a few vegan groceries. Black-owned. Open Mon-Fri 11:00am-6:00pm, Sat-Sun 10:00am-6:00pm.
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Last update on 28 Jul 2023 by Guest
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64 Reviews
First Review by amargrav
MizzB
Points +3855
Soulfully delicious vegan eats - Edit
Original Soul Vegetarian Restaurant, on Chicago's Southside. 100% vegan deliciousness, with made to order juice bar, hot & cold deli selections, some raw foods, and sit down table service restaurant. Southern soul foods dishes like greens, chickn - fried, BarBQ & baked, Mac & cheese, sweet potatoes, cornbread, desserts, along with wraps, falafel, sandwiches, cauliflower nuggets - all vegan. Most recent visit, eggplant parmesan was amazingly well seasoned, smooth cheese sauce. Black eyed peas over brown rice, mildly seasoned. BarBQ seitan was quite good. And tasty baked sweet potatoes, just the way I like them, not too sweet & no marshmallows. I have yet to dine at one of their weekend buffets, yet they are highly recommended. On a somewhat busy street, on street parking out front & on side streets. Clean restrooms, dine in, take out. Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful personnel. Part of Soul Vegetarian chain of vegan establishments; locations in Atlanta and Tallahassee, also serve up awesomely delicious food. Visited during Thanksgiving holidays 2019; delicious sweets during their holiday bake sale. Sweet potato pie was awesome!
Read morePros: 100% vegan, long term, Deliciously tasty, cooked, some raw, Friendly knowledgeable personnel
Cons: On street parking
Guest
chick58
Points +153
Senior discount and Sunday menu helped salve a hit and run accident earlier in the day - Edit
After spending three hours at the hospital to learn I suffered from no broken bones or fractures, I biked over to Original Soul Vegetarian for its Sunday dinner. After good service from the waitress, I enjoyed the lentil loaf, mashed potatoes, corn and salad with tasty cucumber dressing. The potatoes had some kind of sweetener that could have been left out, but the rest of the dinner was delicious. Dessert, which I didn't expect, was an apple cobbler, a nice conclusion to an otherwise unpleasant day. Besides the delicious dinner and unexpected dessert, my third gift from OSV was a senior discount! Of course, I left a tip, before biking home to soak in epsom salts and slather on lots of Ben-Gay.
Read morePros: Lentil loaf, Cucumber dressing and colorful salad, apple cobbler
Cons: too sweet mashed potatoes
Guest
mbujwid
Points +18
Simply Amazing!! - Edit
I am relatively new to being a vegan and had given up the idea of convenient good food-boy was I wrong!! Dinner was absolutely amazing! I had the spicy chicken sandwich, my fiancé had the Italian beef and my daughter had the nuggets-we ate every bite!! Great flavors and the texture to everything was spot on (something I’m learning not everyone doing this has mastered)!! Thank you for offering an alternative that is plant based!! We will definitely put this establishment on heavy rotation!!
Read morePros: Great flavor, Authentic textured food, Great price
Guest
Williesheia
Points +27
Vegan Gem - Edit
I love their food. Best experience.
Read morePros: Good food, Location , Kid-friendly
Cons: Nasty Restroom, Limited street parking
Guest
BridgetJoBrown
Points +18
revolutionary place! Yum - Edit
What a revolutionary place! It's a myth that vegan food is boring or bland. Highly recommend.
Read moreGuest
mmeilach
Points +99
One of the best on the south side - Edit
I've been coming to soul veg for over a decade and i love the food and the friendly service. The dinner specials, BBQ nuggets, BBQ twist sandwich and the hot food bar is amazing. Even if you call in an order you'll still wait though so if I'm in a hurry during the week i grab something from off the hot food bar (prepared foods sold by the weight kept very clean)
Read morePros: Amazing food all vegan, Friendly service, Hot food bar and salad bar
Cons: Slow service
Guest
PoisonedPawn
Points +242
Good place - Edit
Had the dinner special and it was great! The menu has a good selection of items and everything is reasonably priced.
Read moreGuest
jadawadabada
Points +18
one of the best vegan restaurants in the southside of Chicago. - Edit
I’ve been going to Soul Veg for years and they are amazing.
Read moreGuest
SheilaE
Points +18
Life saver! - Edit
Cauliflower au gratin was so good!
Read moreGuest
lavender25
Points +333
One of the best in Chicago - Edit
There’s a hot bar during lunch that you buy by weight, or there’s a sit-down restaurant. They have different options and both are really good.
Read moreThey also have a hot bar in the French Market downtown called Vegan Now that’s also delicious.
Guest
pvz
Points +37
I️ love this place. - Edit
Great, friendly, affordable vegan soul food. I’ve been eating here for years and have never been disappointed. The carrot salad is a must try.
Read moreGuest
smethekin
Points +70
Go for weekend breakfast - Edit
Along with another veg place in Chicago, we always stop here when we visit the area and it always happens to be on the weekend so we get the "Breakfast Sunday's Cameo" and for $10 it is a great value. Sometimes we sat for a bit before someone taking our order (it's pretty busy on weekends) so I would suggest doing your research ahead of time and being ready to order right away. Quick service once the orders are placed and the food has been consistently tasty. I always add cayenne pepper to the tofu and hashbrowns for that extra kick. The pancakes are so large that you'll be filled up.
Read moreCons: Butter for pancakes came in plastic container
Guest
Miss_Elusive
Points +72
vegan soul food. - Edit
Amazing food, terrible service. If you are going to eat here, do not have any time constraints, plans or anywhere to go, service is beyond slow and food comes out randomly with consideration of course times. Save time by carring exact cash plus tip, so you can leave. It gets 5 stars anyway, because the food is that good.
Read morePros: all Vegan, Damn delicious
Cons: SLOW Service, religious affiliation
Guest
PatriceLHenderson
Points +23
I love this place! - Edit
I have been going to Soul Vegetarian for years as a meat eater and a vegetarian. I think they have found a niche in blending the desire to have meat like foods that are vegan. I love the gyros sandwich, the bbq twists, carrot supreme salad and the kale salad. They have added the Eternity Juice bar in recent years where you can get juices, smoothies and deli ready foods. They only thing I suggest is if you are carrying out, call first because everything is cooked to order.
Read morePros: Good foods, cooked to order, Juice bar , Vegan ice cream
Cons: Some foods are cooked to order meaning wait time
Guest
Amandajwhitlow
Points +84
the best restaurant in Chicago - Edit
My boyfriend and I got multiple things on the menu and everything was so fantastic. Even their coconut cake was moist and delicious!
Read moreGuest
OliveBranchSchool
Points +24
My soul loves it - Edit
Their portions are huge, tasty and filling. When I've been I can never seem to get the items they sell in stores but that's ok there is more than enough to enjoy here. Really friendly staff and average service times make this an enjoyable place to eat at.
Read moreGuest
KMR607
Points +410
delicious! - Edit
The buffalo tofu wings were delicious, as was the Bbq twist sandwich! Textures and flavors are amazing here. Highly recommend.
Read moreGuest
maggles
Points +33
Very flavorful food! - Edit
There's only so many salads, kale smoothies and vegan lasagna I can stand before I really start craving some home cooking.
Read moreEnter Vegetarian Soul East. Delicious vegan food for extremely reasonable prices. Their lunch special costs $11, and they give you very generous portions. I guess they have smoothies, juices and salads for all you masochists out there (eating a SALAD while watching everyone else enjoy vegan barbecue or macaroni and cheese?! You're out of your mind), but for me, this is a "must" for all vegans in and around Chicago.
I've gone a few times, and it's amazing every time. If you haven't been, you're really missing out!
Pros: Delicious Food, Nice Staff, Friendly Vibe
Guest
Vegan Vagabond
Points +5643
Best Vegan Soul Food - Edit
This is a great place for vegan comfort food. Don't go here looking for health food. This is vegan comfort food. They have a daily special, for an excellent price that includes the entree, two sides, and a choice of soup or salad. They have fried cauliflower, mushrooms, french fries, "steak" bits, and onion rings. Mac-n-Cheese, greens and cornbread, and the absolute best BBQ you will ever eat, the BBQ Twist. They make excellent desserts and they now have vegan soft serve.
Read morePros: 100% Vegan, Very reasonable prices, Good food
Cons: Not healthy food
Guest
Ben Reilly
Points +27
Great Comfort Food In Chicago - Edit
This was our 2nd visit to Soul Vegetarian & it is always worth the trip from the burbs to this spot. The food is always delicious. The 1st time I wasn't even vegetarian & I still loved it!
Read moreThe portions are surprisingly filling. We generally starve ourselves before we go out to eat because we like to gorge on as many dishes as possible. This time we ordered 2 appetizers (onion rings & Buffalo wings) & a main dish for each. I had a basket dish with fried seitan 'steak', tofu, and mushrooms, and served with fries. I guess it was because I ate so many fried things that I felt so full but the portions were plenty that I had to take home leftovers.
For the 4 dishes, we spent around $35. Worth it. Comfort food at its best!
The place has been around since the 80s & despite its relatively small location, it's a laidback & nice environment. We also stopped at the Eternity Juice Bar that's attached to the restaurant & got smoothies before leaving. The juices were also worth it and a nice, refreshment after all that heavy food.
The only thing is that you have to park in the street. Typical Chicago stuff. It's not a real complaint but it's the only thing I can think of that was close to being negative about the experience. We've gone during the day both times so parking was never an issue but I'm not sure how it is during the dinner hours.
They take cash or credit, too.
Pros: delicious comfort foods, welcoming environment, good value
Cons: no parking lot
Guest
Rosa and Joe
Points +595
Brilliant place, great atmosphere, delicious food - Edit
We went for Sunday lunch. When we got there we were told what the Sunday dinner option was and it sounded good so we had that (we weren't quite sure if there were other options!) The food was amazing. They did vegan chicken soup with corn bread, then a big roast including the best mac cheese we've had so far, garlicky kale, seitan, delicious sweet potato tzimmes, stuffing, other things... followed by a really good apple pie. The people working there are really lovely.
Read morePeople told us it was hard to get to but it isn't - it's 10 mins walk or so from the red line (79th st stop).
Shame we went on our last day in Chicago, otherwise we'd definitely go back.
Guest
jbglidd
Points +71
The Food Is Delicious! - Edit
I don't know what their special sauce is but the way they make tofu and seitan is to die for! Their "unreal chicken salad" is one of my favorite things on the menu! Try this place, you won't regret it.
Read morePros: Delicious
Cons: Location a bit far south
Guest
vegan_ryan
Points +3873
Best of all soul food locations - Edit
I compare all Soul Veg locations around the US to this one. It has the best food of them all. The shakes are great, the bbq sandwiches are amazing, the people are always really nice...I could go on.
Read moreThe food is amazing, the prices are low, and you'll be pleasantly full after you leave.
The service isn't what you'd expected at most restaurants, so allow a little more time. That extra time making the food super delicious is worth it to me.
Go here!
Pros: Cheap, Vegan, Amazing
Cons: Semi-slow service
Guest
MattyB
Points +94
Go hungry - Edit
This food is for real. You're not going to be eating super healthy, but it's awesome. The fried veggies were great and the collared green were really good too. Gyro was kind of meh, but I hit this place up every time I am at U of Chicago.
Read moreGuest
veganmiss
Points +540
Good Food, Large Portions, Long Wait - Edit
To start, my friends and I split the battered cauliflower. Pretty much most vegetables battered and fried are tasty and the cauliflower didn't disappoint in this aspect. It is definitely something to be split among 3-4 people, though, because it would be too much fried food for just two people. Other appetizers on the menu are more battered things like mushrooms, onion rings, fries, and tidbits (seitan).
Read moreWe got a side of carrot supreme salad which was absolutely amazing. If you get anything at this restaurant, get this salad. For $4.50, it could have been a meal! It was gigantic and packed full of awesome veggies. We got the creamy garlic dressing with it and I'm thinking they use fresh garlic because it was super garlicky, but the creaminess balanced it out.
For sandwiches, we had the East Coast BBQ Roast Sandwich and the Hand Burger. The BBQ sandwich was as to be expected: messy. They use their signature seitan tidbits and coat them in their own bbq sauce. Overall, it's a good kind of messy sandwich. I'd get this again for sure. My friend had the Hand Burger and he said it's the best veggie burger he's ever had (and he's an omnivore)! It is made out of lentils and various spices. My only problem with the sandwiches are that they come with no sides. It feels a bit like an incomplete meal to just have a sandwich. Of course, you can order a side, but you get what I mean.
My other friend had the dinner special. This dinner was something like $12 and for that price, there was SO much food. All three of us could have eaten this for dinner and been stuffed. It came with greens, steamed broccoli, breaded tofu (think catfish fillet style), a whopping piece of lasagna, and a choice of soup or salad (he got the soup, bean curd veggie, with fresh cornbread). I've had the greens from Soul Veg before and I always find them a bit too musky from the liquid smoke they use. The steamed broccoli was pretty standard, tender and healthy. Now, this breaded tofu business. One of my friends who was with me is from the south and the other grew up eating breaded catfish and both of them were as impressed as I was with the breaded tofu. The lasagna was alright. I didn't love it or hate it, but I wouldn't order it again. Just wasn't my thing - something about the taste of it. Lastly, the soup and cornbread were really tasty.
For a complete review, please see my blog here: http://veganmiss.blogspot.com/2012/04/vegan-chicago-restaurant-review-of-soul.html
Pros: juice bar, large portions, soul vegan food
Cons: long wait, unorganized staff
Guest
elles_belles
Points +1323
One of my favorite restaurants - Edit
I love their raw blueberry ice cream. I also enjoy the cauliflower and the mac and cheese. I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed their raw options. I tried most of them and there were a lot of really tasty items. Normally, I resent cold food but not this time.
Read moreGuest
Annakin
Points +79
Yumm! - Edit
Loved the BBQ Platter and the Lasagna. And the Garlic dressing for my side salad was amazing!
Read morePros: Yummy Food, Price, Healthy & Filling
Guest
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