Protein Bar & Kitchen — Restaurant in Chicago

Sometimes, you really just have to eat healthy and for those times, Protein Bar is your spot. Prior to Protein Bar, I was going to Pret and Starbucks for my breakfast. After having oatmeal and croissants every single day for 2 weeks, I finally decided that I was over and done with those places. Luckily, Protein Bar was right next door to Pret, making my transition nice and smooth.

Protein Bar is a Chicago-based health food spot. From smoothies to breakfast, to burritos and salads, Protein Bar has it all, but in a healthy form.

For breakfast, my go to choices are the South Acai'd and the Southwest breakfast burrito. The South Acai'd smoothie comes loaded with Greek yogurt, Acai berry, vanilla protein, and banana. Top that off with a multivitamin boost, and you have a winning morning drink that will beat out any cup of coffee. The Southwest burrito comes pretty stacked as well, with: scrambled eggs, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and Cholula sauce. At right under 400 calories 32 grams of protein, it sure beats having a McMuffin in the morning. The only gripe that I have with the breakfast burritos is that it is a little dry. Once you get to the end, I just am tired of eating the flavorless wrap.

One thing to be aware of is the amount of sodium and sugar in some of these items. Even with the burrito, there was roughly 1150mg of sodium, which in itself is pretty shocking, and for the Acai smoothie, there was about 50g of sugar. On the bright side , the sugars are natural, and not added in like other smoothie shops.

Cost-wise, Protein Bar is not cheap. For my large smoothie and breakfast burrito, the total came out to be right at $15. Sure, things here are not cheap by any means, and spending $15 on a breakfast is pretty absurd. Then again, the smoothies are pretty fresh, minus the large amount of sugar, and you can't really get anything heartier for under 400 calories with their burritos. Protein Bar is a fresh new take on starting your day right. The smoothies are amazing, and their breakfast burritos aren't bad either. Now if were only a couple...

Decent Spot with Room for Improvement

I visited the Protein Bar & Kitchen near Willis Tower and ordered the Mexicali Bowl along with the PB&J protein smoothie. Overall, the experience was just okay and didn't quite meet expectations for a health-focused fast-casual spot. The smoothie, made with peanut butter, berries, almond milk, and agave, tasted more like a dessert--very sweet and lacking the balanced flavor I hoped for in a protein drink. The Mexicali Bowl was hearty but leaned too heavily on cheese, beans, and carbs, which made it feel overly dense and less nutritious than advertised. It seemed more focused on bulk than freshness or healthy balance. The self-serve ordering kiosk was convenient, but not very intuitive; I had some difficulty navigating the options and understanding how to customize my order. While the staff was present, they weren't particularly welcoming or helpful, even though the restaurant wasn't busy. The interior was clean but had a bland, underwhelming atmosphere. I still left a 20% tip out of habit, but given the limited staff interaction and self-service model, it didn't feel particularly warranted. If you're in a rush and need something filling with a decent amount of protein, this location might work--but don't expect standout flavors or an especially engaging...

I entered the establishment. Two gentlemen glanced my way, the rays of their souls outstretched to me like a kindly neighbor. “Pick up?” They asked in a harmonious unison. “For Emma.” I replied, anxiously awaiting this $4 thirsty Thursday delight — I had The blue dream this time (I recommend subbing spinach for pineapple).

The one gentleman closest to me placed the blue dream on the orange counter. I nodded.

While I’ve never found the orange and white plastic interior to bring me any particular comfort (in fact, the design makes me feel quite sticky, like dining in a chucky cheese jungle gym), the quiet, kind presence of the staff brought me home.

Thus i swooped up the $4 shake of my dreams, “have a nice day” the gentleman called, and I spun my yarn in a new direction.

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