The Chicago Diner, Lakeview — Restaurant in Lake View Township

It is very easy to see how the Chicago Diner has been a staple for decades now!! The ambiance is unbeatable- a skinny little building packed with retro diner kitsch, decor, and classic furnishings all with an LGBTQ+ friendly twist.

The staff was soooo warm and welcoming!! Every single team member we interacted with was just beaming with warm energy and good vibes, while also being professional and very helpful in narrowing down decisions (which I definitely needed with so many appealing options).

As a long time vegetarian happy to lean vegan, I was totally blown away by the quality of the food as well! There were several dishes I would never has guessed were vegan, they were just so packed with flavor, perfectly seasoned, and even “creamy” or “cheesy” without ever imparting that overly processed vegan-trying-too-hard flavor.

We got the crispy potato skin bites stuffed with Mac & cheese (!!!), minced jalapeños, tomato, crunchy “bacon”, green onions and a sooo yummy “sour cream” sauce! I would recommend these to anyone…. Every bite was incredible and the only problem with them is actually sharing them once every tries them 😅

The absolute hands down star of the show though was the Truffle Mushroom & Lentil Meatloaf! I feel like I have been searching for this meal my entire life. I’ve had a few other veggie and even lentil based “patties” claiming to be meatloaf, but were really just mushy sculptures that broke down into a soup under bland gravy. This dish was the opposite of that. A masterpiece!! Every ingredient in the patty was the perfect texture, you could see fresh veggies and lentils shredded and cooked and bound together flawlessly. The gravy was the best I’ve ever had. I told the server I am not a huge truffle fan when it is overdone and she assured me it was subtle and used well, and wow she was right! The truffle notes were there, but just enough there to enhance an umami like sensation with the mushroom and give the gravy a delicious savory aspect. The gravy was so thick and held together perfectly, and the meatloaf was cooked so incredible that there was some crunch and crisp to the edges that held up even after sitting under the gravy for the time it took me to finish the dish. The potatoes and green beans on the side were perfectly cooked and seasoned as well.

Overall I would rate the Chicago Diner 10 out of 5 stars if I could!! I will be raving about it and recommending it to friends forever. I can’t wait to come back and try the entire menu… I’ve heard the milkshakes are not to be missed!

I just want to thank this business and all its staff for creating such magic for us to...

Wow! I’m highly satisfied with this place. We ordered so many things off the menu everything was so delicious and did my body right! I highly recommend this place for some good clean eating vegan food. EVERYTHING was delicious. Was worth the hour Drive and hour traffic.

It’s a diner so the atmosphere is a diner atmosphere. It was really loud in there and I enjoy a more peaceful setting. That would not stop me from dining in. I had a great experience with great customer service. Food came out hot and fresh too.

I love, love, love, they use seitan as a vegan protein it’s one of the top 3 healthiest proteins to use along with mushrooms, veggies, chickpeas, and beans.

We tried: Country fried Steak with potatoes and Vegetables Chili with Quinoa Thai Chili Wings Cheese Fries Gyro Cinnamon Bun

And none of it was shy of anything all goodness. Wow (I have to always put this disclaimer I meditate a lot and is in tune with my mind, body, and spirit and keeps me on the highest vibrations and I always have the best experiences because of that)

Street parking you have to pay for so keep that in mind.

Also for heavy users of soy. I use my body for my research. So these statements are something to consider if you find yourself having these symptoms.

that soy and dairy is linked to multiple cancers…endocrine disorders, infertility, breast cancer in both men and women, soy contains high levels of phytic acids which withdraw nutrients when processed by your body. Soy is harmful to children.

Please do your research. Listen to your body that is the best research. When you get done eating you should not feel bad with gas, stomach cramps, tiredness, irritability, headaches, inflammation in muscles and joints.

For those who eat Dairy, it causes mucus and inflammation in the body as does soy… that’s why you always having running noses, sneezing, allergies, and any disease in the body.

Let’s create a world that eat healthy foods that’s good for the mind, body, and soul. Chicago Diner is paving the way!

Wholeness and Love Always!

These photos don’t do justice as I was so excited and eating everything and yes I ate most by myself. I only eat once...

An “ok” Vegan Food experience. 3/5 & this is why:

I will start with the food rating. My orders were: BBQ Wings, the „Reuben Sandwich “, „Mc n Teese“ , a coffee and a lemonade. My favorite were the BBQ Wings with a side of ranch and salary. The Taste was a 5/5 perfect BBQ Sauce! The texture was more like a 3/5, could have been a little more “Authentic”. Summed up, a 4/5. Next up were the Mc & teese, due to the fact that I have had many comparisons, this dish was not extraordinary; 3/5. Last and least, I asked for a recommendation of the house & they served the “ Radical Reuben” Sandwich. For the first time in a long time, I did not finish my plate and stopped half way through. Unfortunately I could not enjoy this recommended dish. The Bread was good, crusty and tasty, unfortunately I could hardly taste the rest on the sandwich because of the two dominant ingredients. Vegan cheese and sauerkraut. The sandwich was dripping in cheese with a side note of bitter sauerkraut. Maybe less cheese would allow to taste the rest of the components on the sandwich. 2/5.

Regarding the Atmosphere and Service: The atmosphere of the place was nice, it gave a 70’s/80’s look of a diner and the music was also not too loud and therefore enjoyable. The service was ok. Our waitress was nice, though maybe not too attentive. Our drinks were empty in the first 5 Minutes and were never asked to be refilled within the following 30 Min. Nevertheless it was a ok experience.

So far, I would not necessarily recommend this restaurant as one of my top choices, but perhaps I will visit it again and try different options of the HUGE VEGAN Selection. That is one thing I have to mention! There are plenty of options! And I will and can so far recommend the BBQ Wings with a side of ranch!

Thanks for supporting the customers decision, to go against animal cruelty and offering vegan alternatives.

For more impressions, have a look at the attached videos and pictures.

Take care &...