The Chicago Diner - Chicago, Illinois

Type: Vegetarian, mostly vegan
Meal: Dinner
Price: $$
​
The saying goes “Everything gets better with time”. The Chicago Diner, which touts that they’ve been “meat-free since ‘83”, is pure proof of this saying: that the longer a restaurant has been open, the better its food will taste.
​
This restaurant is completely vegetarian, but apart from the bright “MEAT-FREE” sign at the back of the restaurant, you wouldn’t be able to tell. The restaurant is contemporary, as opposed to an earthy or Zen-focused atmosphere you get at some veg restaurants, and this made it more comfortable for your run of the mill patrons. Exposed brick wall is complimented by unique light fixtures and wooden floors. To add a level of community, the middle of the restaurant is home to long booths that can be used for large parties or multiple parties.

On a Friday night, it was bustling. Before being seated, we sat at the bar to glance at the drink menu. Though all the cocktails seemed interesting and diverse, ranging from Lavender Gimlet to Vegan Russian, we didn’t end up getting alcoholic drinks. Their menu highlights their award winning vegan milkshakes, which we tried and which lived up to the hype. The chocolate peanut was luscious, creamy and thick, the perfect consistency for a milkshake. The chocolate chip cookie dough had the rich taste of cookie dough blended into a smooth milkshake. Both were topped with vegan whipped cream, which hit the spot.

We started with the BBQ Wings, which tasted eerily similar to conventional wings; at points while eating them, I had to take a step back to remind myself that they were indeed vegan. They tasted spot-on with the slight crunch and chewiness of wings and were topped with a delicious sauce.
Other notable appetizers included:

• Poutine
• Chimichurri Plantain Cakes
• Toasted pumpkin ravioli

For our entrees, we chose the Truffle Mushroom Lentil Loaf and the Country Fried Steak. The Truffle Mushroom Lentil Loaf was flavorful and little peppery. Served with potatoes and green beans, it was a very filling and dense meal that continued to get better bite after bite.  However, the best meal we tried there was the Country Fried Steak. The steak had just the right amount of chewiness and crunch on the outside, was topped with a rich peppery gravy, and was served with a side of mashed potatoes. If this didn’t scream “classic comfort food”, I don’t know what does.

Other notable entrees included:

• Shepherd’s Pie
• Pierogi Quesadilla
• The Radical Reuben sandwich
• Titanic BLT Burger

After these options, we were completely full and had no room left to try dessert. However, some items stuck out to us:

• Fudge Brownie Sundae
• Carrot Cake
• Cocoa Mousse Cake

Despite not trying these desserts at the restaurant, Whole Foods in Detroit actually sells slices of some of these desserts. The Carrot Cake and Cocoa Mousse Cakes are both available sometimes at Whole Foods and are both delectable with smooth, creamy frosting and fluffy cakes.

The pricing for our meal was reasonable. We both ended up taking home leftovers which ended up being a little more than a meal. Considering the amount of food on top of the quality of the food, I can’t complain about the slightly higher prices.