Native Foods

What a perfect welcome to Chicago! Native Foods was our first meal after arriving, and it set a fantastic tone. We absolutely loved everything we ordered: the Buddha Bowl, Thai Chili Brussels Sprouts, Shrimp Rolls, and Kale Chick'n Caesar Salad were all fresh and delicious. Beyond the great food, the fast and friendly service was much appreciated, especially after travel, and the convenient location was a huge plus. Highly recommend for a healthy and satisfying meal – a fantastic start to our trip!

A fully vegan place that’s clean, cozy, and has a friendly staff. They offer a few no-onion, no-garlic options, which we really appreciated. I absolutely loved their chili soup—just wish the portion was a bit larger. Overall, great food in good quantity — we truly enjoyed our brunch experience! Did not like their shrimp, shrimp dish, and mac & cheese, therefore four stars.

my favorite spot for work lunch. it's my little oasis away from the office -- calm music, clean and spacious environment, absolutely DELICIOUS vegan food and kind service. there's an order kiosk up front so you just place your order and seat yourself. the manager, Mr. Dame, is always with the team, working hard, and attentive without being suffocating. the portions are generous and filling. I keep devouring my meals before taking a photo, but I took photos of the matcha lavender latte and vanilla rose latte I got from the pop-up Woke Soul Coffee, who is there every Wednesday and Thursday with delicious homemade syrups. highly recommend if you're vegan and looking for a solid meal.

A good vegan restaurant is hard to find. Native Foods is one that stands out. Fresh and delicious, with plenty of options. Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with a side of chili hit the spot....Mmm, good stuff!

Great food, fair prices, deep menu. Great to see good vegan food in downtown chicago. Senegal trio: 10/10 Meatball sub: 10/10 - a little heavy on truffle Chicken tendies: 8/10 - ordered buffalo and got thai chili, but it was fine Shrimp: 7/10 but the sauce is incredible Fries: 9/10 - they got the good ones Ranch: 6/10

I ordered orange cauliflower and steamed kale. Pros: The service was great and the sauce on the orange cauliflower was very tasty. The food is a reasonable price. Cons: The steam kale was very bland.

Delicious! Super kind staff and very comfortable. I highly recommend. You can't tell that the food is vegan The manager also gave us some complimentary coffee mix (pictured)

Nice vegan restaurant serving some Senegalese food in addition to burgers, bowls etc. If they gave me a normal fork and knife instead of plastic ones (when not ordering for take out), it would be perfect.

The food and service here is unmatched. You walk in this very clean and aromatic establishment and are immediately greeted with a snail and warm welcome! This is a vegan restaurant and so I was skeptical the first time I came in, and the second time too! This is now my Wednesday lunch spot and monthly dinner joint too! The owner was a from Senegal and has just updated the menu TODAY with authentic flavors (and smells...mmmmmm). Today I tried the Senegalese "beef" mafet! So on point. You have got to come in and try the new menu items along with the traditional ones as well, I promise it will bless your soul!

Native Foods is a delicious vegan restaurant in downtown Chicago. We stopped by after one evening at the Jazz Fest since all the food there was a little pricier than we expected. This restaurant had some of the best breaded and fried Thai Chili brussel sprouts with a slightly creamy, slightly spicy ranch dipping sauce. It perfectly complemented the Ensalada Azteca I had as my main. If you're a fan of jicama, avocado, quinoa, and chile con limón, this is the salad for you. They have a bunch of beverage options, but we opted for their minty watermelon fresca. It was perfect on a hot summer day. You order from a self service screen in the front, and food was ready in about 10-15 minutes. They did close off some sections of seating when we went, but there were plenty of spots for everyone. The vibe is chill, chatty, and casual. We walked to this restaurant, but there's some limited street parking out front.

I'm a huge fan of Native Foods. The selection is great, fresh ingredients and the dishes have so much flavor! I recently tried the "shrimp", the BBQ "Chicken" salad and the Oatmeal Cream Pie for the first time. EVERYTHING WAS EXCELLENT! As a vegetarian foodie, you really can't go wrong with anything on their menu. I also really love the Buffalo Chicken wrap and the Soul Bowl - my go-to orders. Dining area is always clean - recently upgraded with a mural. Staff is always super friendly and service is quick. I've eaten in, ordered takeout and ordered online for pickup - always a great experience.

I'm so glad they revived Native Foods! I love everything they sell here. I got the cauliflower wrap this time, because I'm trying to reduce my carb intake. But I couldn't resist the fries. They have the perfect amount of crisp. To finish it off I had the Strawberry Pineapple juice (with Senna). It was So good! Every time I'm in the downtown area I make sure to stop by.

I had an unexpected 24-hour layover in Chicago (thanks, Amtrak!), but did get to discover some nice vegan options around Grant Park, including Native Foods. It's simple, pleasant, vegan fast food at reasonable prices (see menu). I got the taco sampler (pictured) and a cup of tortilla soup. The staff seemed a little greean, but the food was very good and the place has a bright and optimistic kind of vibe, as a vegan place really should. It beats the hell out of pretty much everything in Union Station, so I'm really glad that I got out and about. Would certainly grab lunch there again, and I hope to see them a bit closer to home (Buffalo, NY) one day.

First time tried native foods and is definitely not my last. I had heard so much about this place so finally decided to try it. This place is a must visit if you want to try vegan food although you will not miss the meat because the vegan options are so good. We visited during lunchtime. It's a nice clean sit down spot. The menu has quite a few options . I decided to try though munchwrap supreme , tortilla soup, and the chicken tenders. I liked everything I tried and I will definitely be back again to try other things on the menu. Special mention for the chicken tenders you have to try these. The service is quick. You have to order at the kiosk and then go find a table. They bring the food to you. Check it out and enjoy delicious vegan food that's healthy and yummy.

I was a big fan of native foods when it first started. The restaurant was always packed in Lakeview and even the location downtown. The one that was always empty was the one in Wickerpark. It really broke my heart to see it close. I read that the one Downtown was still open, so I got excited when I saw the Azteca salad on the menu. I noticed that the prices went up, but I still went ahead and ordered. When I got home, I realized that my Azteca salad did not have jicama and that the hot wings were not the same as they used to be. The new recipe is dry. For $30 I was not happy with the purchase and will probably not return.

Improvement! I'm not sure if this place came under new management or what but I had to come here to amend my review! When I tried this place for a third time (a month or so back) it seems all of my qualms from my last post were mostly remedied. This place is now adequately lit, with pleasant music, and a comfortable clean dining area. The staff was polite and attentive. It seems their has been a good faith push to improve this spot and it shows! If your vegan or vegetarian I would recommend this spot in the loop for some variety beyond the typical vegan/vegetarian fare. My only advice is to improve menu visibility/ the ordering process. When you walk in there is no clear menu, they have small paper pamphlet style menus near the register that aren't always the most obvious. Otherwise I'm so glad to see how much progress was made so quickly. I'll be around again soon!

Native Foods has to be one of my favorite plant based places in Chicago. This place is usually packed during lunch/ office hours. They have a huge menu, and a lot of it is gluten-free and good protein options. I was in the mood to skip cooking as it's hump day and decided to order in from Native Foods. I ordered a cauliflower chickpea shawarma bowl with a side of Chipotle sauce. It already comes with a side of Tahini and ranch, I ordered Chipotle as well as it's Vegan plus who can say no to Chipotle!? The bowl was full of protein and fiber as it has chickpea, cauliflower and quinoa as the base. It also had a lot of veggies I like - cucumbers, onions, tomatoes. Also, not to forget that this place is very economical. How most places charge at least over a dollar for their side sauces, this place offers sauces only at 65 cents. Native foods is surely one of my favorite places to order for a quick meal! Hope you all try Vegan food and like it too! :)

I came here to try the food after many years of going to their Westwood location in California. I always enjoyed going to Native Foods because it's all vegan. I was happy that there is a location in Chicago. Inside there was a lot of seating! The food tasted good, like I remembered it. The staff were nice. I would return here when I'm back in Chicago!

I love Native Foods and have been to the Colorado location multiple times, but this was my first time at the Chicago one. I got the Chicken/Bacon/Avo club sandwich with fries and it was amazing. It was crunchy and had a good amount of avocado on it. Service was fast and friendly and the restaurant is very clean. I will definitely come back here the next time I am in town.

I wanted vegan food and one of my friend's suggested this place. I got the bbq brisket bbq and fries. What smart choice I made with this order. The order was out in like 7 mins and everything was hot. The fries were seasoned and the bbq burger consisted of a flavorful plant-based sliced brisket burger patty fried onion rings, plant-based provolone, Southern slaw, pickle chips, bbq sauce, toasted pretzel bun. 4/5 The mac and cheese was nothing to write home about. The sauce was ok but no real seasoning. I wouldnt get it again 2.5/5 This is a chain restaurant out of Southern California. There are currently locations in Chicago. A location is being planned in the St Louis area also. They also a rewards points program if you use their app to order.

Very large space and good ambiance. Service is great. Food is really great. Big portions of food and tasty plus healthy.

Great service, food is flavor and plenty. Owner is present and helpful with suggestions.

The food was tasty it satisfied every taste bud pallet, sweet, tangy, salty. The owner was there and he is very friendly and inviting. I told him I was visiting Chicago and he rolled out the red carpet. One of the things he brought out was very different. It was a shrimp. The texture was like fish and the taste was similar. After we ate it he said it was a fruit! Everything even the decor was very creative. I like the bright orange on the walls and the display of books. Things are well thought out here and we appreciate it.

I was hoping to eat at Revival Food Hall while in Chicago. Unfortunately it had just closed a few minutes after I arrived there. Thankfully I found Native Foods, a vegan restaurant, down the street. They had a decent selection of items on the menu. Pricing was somewhat high, as tends to be the case at vegan restaurants. Service was superb. I ordered a bbq brisket sandwich with steamed kale as the side, and an oatmeal cream pie for dessert. The sandwich was very good. The vegan "meats" worked well with the onion ring, pickles, and coleslaw. The oatmeal cream pie was delicious. The cookies seemed kind of flimsy and would have broken apart had it not been for me keeping it in the saran wrap, but this was a tasty dessert with a sweet cream filling.

What happened?!? Was excited to try an old faithful when I came to town but still in shock of how far the quality has gone down. First, there's one location left like in the most sad dreery part of town. The soda, ice and water machines broken, seating roped off and the scorpion burger was out of stock. The Nashville hot chicken came out dry as a bone with no sauce, and the two employees working were struggling to keep up. Three of us ate here and spent a combined 70ish dollars for very sub par food. Sooooo disappointed.

Even if you are not vegan, give this place a try. It's just good food that is good for you, the planet and the animals. Maybe try meatless Monday with a meatless burger or chicken sandwich. If you are vegan or plant based, this is the OG with a new twist and ownership, get back and enjoy the great food.

Atmosphere was clean and casual. Owners came in and greeted us warmly with samples and information on upcoming events. Food high quality and flavorful. Cashier approachable and patient with giving food recommendations.

Have not been to this specific location, but glad to see this location added to Chicago line up. The food will convince the Carnivore in your life to try vegan food, or even if you are interested in plant based diet its good to know there is a solid chain you can rely on.

Amazing vegan food place. I still can't believe the food is vegan here! It's absolutely delicious! I got the bbq brisket burger wrapped and the mandarin soda. I was surprised how much like mandarin it tastes! We also got heir vegan dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfait. The food came out within about 15 minutes and we got the drink and dessert right away. The staff were so friendly and kind. They were very helpful in explaining the food and whats in it. Great customer service. However, if you need anything you're expected to go up and request it yourself, which is what I noticed in most Chicago restaurants. Tl;dr - vegan and delicious! Best of both worlds!

Went here because of a coworker and had my order all planned out. The chicken, bacon,avocado club but saw they had a spicy shrimp po boy. Someone came up and asked did I need a menu I said I think I knew what I wanted but I asked bout the po boy. He offered me a simple of the grilled and fried shrimp. The grilled texture wasn't to my liking but the fried was amazing so I ordered it in a wrap. Well to be honest I can't say I liked the wrap because it had the grilled shrimp inside instead of the fried so I ended up taking them out and eating basically a veggie wrap. The fries were good and the lemonade also good. Overall pretty nice place just kinda in my feeling about my order being wrong but I will go back.

So quick, so fresh and delicious. The crunch wrap is better than anything you can get anywhere else. You will not know it's not meat! Level up with the chipotle dressing. Omg yum. Love the kale! And the price! Staff was super nice, I can't wait to try more things!

Good basic vegetarian with speedy service. I would recommend for a quick meal. Order at the counter with table service.

The cauliflower po boy sandwich was good! Nothing special but the cauliflower was super crispy and really tasty. The toppings on the sandwich were ok, the bread was ok, and it did get soggy toward the end but I liked it. I was in a rush to get to a train and this really worked out great! I would stop by again in a similar situation. The atmosphere of the place feels a little unloved, there were some areas blocked off and not a lot of people. The fries were disappointing, not super crispy and the seasoning was kind of bland.

I got the jalapeño burger with the seasoned fries. The food was absolutely amazing and the service was great as well. I believe it was the owner who was hanging people their orders. Will absolutely go back!

Wonderful spot for vegan food. I've been to Native Foods a bunch of times. Most recently I stopped in for the double cheeseburger, and it did not disappoint. They have an amazing veggie patty recipe that doesn't try to mimic meat. The sweet potato fries were great too. They use unique spices to make everything stand out from other vegan/vegetarian places. Service is always great, everyone there is super polite. The atmosphere is typical of a fast food eatery, but there's a lot of space and lots of seating! I also recommend trying their nachos. They are divine.

Breakfast has made me a Native Foods convert. I'm normally more partial to Veggie Grill if both are available. However Native Foods has stepped it up and added breakfast to the menu. Only two sandwiches (for now) but that's two more than VG has. We got that Fully Loaded Breakfast sando along with the Glazed & Confused. The breakfast sandwich was done well. I really enjoyed this even though it's something you can easily make at home. You could say that about a lot of things but it's great when you're traveling or otherwise on the go. The fried chicken stuffed between two donuts in the Glazed & Confused doesn't sound appealing at first thought. However when it bite into it, you realize it's a match made in Vegan heaven. It's basically the equivalent of the classic Chicken & Waffles. Add some hot sauce to this baby and you're in for a treat. Not sure which hot sauce they carry here so didn't ask. It's a pretty large location with lots of seating options. We came when they first opened and had the place pretty much to ourselves. Another great thing is that here unlike VG, all sandwiches come with a side. Very refreshing at this price point.

First time trying vegan food and it did not disappoint. This place started my journey with enjoying vegan food and testing it out around Chicago. I would definitely go back and try different things on the menu if their burger, sweet potato fries, and chicken tenders were that good. Also they had cool/exotic named drinks, which is always fun. It was not really busy, so it was easy to sit down and get our food pretty quickly. Best part about this experience is I went with someone that doesn't eat too much of their plate, so I ate for 1.5 people AND I didn't feel terrible afterwards. Like I would a normal beefy burger. Favorite part! If you haven't been, fully recommend giving it a go. Thank you Native Foods for being my first vegan restaurant experience! Personal Review: 6.9/10

So happy to see this place was alive and well in Chicago! I used to frequent this vegan joint in California when it seemed like there were locations everywhere--then so many of them closed down. If you are vegan or try to eat plant based, this is absolutely the best place for a solid meal! Highly recommend their chicken tenders and anything that features their plant proteins especially burgers and sandwiches! I also love their salads that are hearty and filling/packed with protein. An hr before closing they were still getting tons of walk-ins.

Was downtown and found this vegan place! The Nashville hot is one of the best vegan chicken sandwiches I've had, packed with flavor and crispy. The Mac and cheese was really good, reminded me of Kraft but tastier. The jalapeño burger was good and filling and the potato salad was pretty solid. I'll def be back to try other menu items. Staff was nice and the food came out in an orderly time.

Love the vegan "fast food" options here! Everything is delicious and the service is quick. A go to for me when I need a quick lunch at work!

I'm pretty sure I've tried most things here now! I can't get enough. Dessert isn't my fave but everything else is scrumptious. My only qualm is the small portions--especially fries.

Vegan Food - what an amazing and delicious food place!! My daughters wanted some vegetarian food and we found Native foods via yelp! About a ten minute walk from Millennium Park we walked there! Thank goodness they had some good food ! Native foods was founded in Palm Springs over 30 years ago and has many locations including in Chi Town! We had the cauliflower poppers, bbq tofu salad and bbq tofu burger! Great food was delicious and highly recommend ! Great customer service too!

Visited in May and had great meals. Just got back from trip for work and American Heart Walk at Soldier Field 9/20/24. Had a couple meals and they were great again. Very tasty, beautiful, filling and VEGAN! Watermelon juice is wonderful too. Tried the oatmeal cream pie and was really decadent..

I'm a fan of vegan chain Native Foods, but unfortunately, the Chicago locations are the closest ones to my NYC home, so it's been years since I've been to one. Visiting after such a long break, I had to get my favorite BBQ chicken salad (still great, still my favorite thing there), but also tried some items new to me, like a seasonal rainbow salad and their take on the crunchwrap. I like that they have so many seasonal specials, so there's always something new to try, and they also have kids' meals. I just wish there were one closer to me!

A favorite vegan friendly place for me and others with a pretty big menu of salads, sandwiches, and a whole lot more. It has all kinds of plant based proteins. Native Foods is a restaurant with a few Chicago locations featuring mostly the same menu but there's also specials. Mostly the food is Middle Eastern cuisine. The prices are kind of high, which is the only bad thing. I came here on a lunch date. It was already busy and we were lucky to get a seat for once. The place is pretty big but it doesn't have a lot of tables. Order food at the counter. The menu is all vegan. I had the Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma. It's $12.95 for fries and this. The price is kind of high for a wrap. It does come with fries which are good. The Shawarma is filled with cauliflower and chickpeas seasoned to taste meaty. It comes with vegan ranch and tahini so there's plenty of sauce on it. This also has arugula, mint, parsley, quinoa, and tomato cucumber salad. Food was impressive. It was also very expensive sadly. There's a few other locations about the same as this.

Very friendly service. Wasn't busy at all around noon on a Thursday when I visited. I am not vegan, but I was curious to try this place. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger with a side of seasoned fries. The burger was awesome! It is by far the best and most convincing meat-alternative burger I've ever had. The burger was slathered in two delicious sauces, maybe a Thousand Island type dressing and a nice BBQ sauce. Everything went well together to make a complex, rich, savory burger. Even the bun was tasty. The seasoned fries were crisp and flavorful. I think the seasonings might have used paprika. I had a great grape soda with my meal. I forget the brand, but it was delicious as well! This place hit the spot for lunch, and it was a great burger, meatless or not!

Great place for vegan fast foods. This gotta be one of the pioneers before many similar brands came out. Always quality food, with great taste. I only wish they updated the look and feel of the restaurant, definitely needs some redo.

the food at this place has changed. I use to love native foods when i lived in Chicago 7 years ago. today i visited only to find that my favorite menu item the italian meatball sub had been change as well as most of the what use to be healthy food options now include processed fake meat products. i'm sad to see that this place has gone from being health conscious to just "plant based"

Native Foods is greenwashing. Window ad deceptively shows ceramic plates, but some dine-in customers are served food in disposable plastic containers with single-use utensils (packet containing plastic fork, spoon, and knife). Customers prefer dine-in food to be served on ceramic plates with metal utensils because it is aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly. Reusable dishware uses far less energy and resources over its lifetime, often thousands of uses in a restaurant, than its disposable counterparts. Photos on Yelp from customers at the four Chicago Native Foods locations show that these Native Foods restaurants have ceramic plates and metal utensils in their possession, but some dine-in customers are not given use of them. There are no recycle bins in dining rooms of Native Foods restaurants. Chicago Blue Cart Recycling Program accepts plastic bottles and containers (#1-5, 7 accepted), but unfortunately unnumbered plastic utensils are not recyclable. If you have a carry-out order, then let restaurants know that you do not need plastic utensils. Artwork on the Native Foods dining room wall states, "Every day is Earth Day," but they disregard this message by producing unnecessary trash. It is good that dine-in customers are given reusable drinking glasses and not paper or plastic cups. I had the cauliflower chickpea shawarma for $12.75. This entrée is satisfactory, though should be priced around $10.00 to $11.00. I would have given 4/5 stars had they not served my food in a trash container. I will edit this review if Native Foods changes their wasteful ways. If you decide to dine here and care about the environment and wildlife, then express concern and ask for reusable dishware.

Horrible service. Their POS was down, so I was unable to order via GrubHub. Called the store and was told it wasn't an issue on their end. Tried to order via UberEats, same issue. Called store again and they left me on hold. I visited store in person and placed order. They then acknowledged they hadn't received any online orders (6pm on Saturday), so maybe it is a problem on their end. Suggested that I talk to a manager, who wasn't even working that evening. I received my order and had to remind them to pack the desserts that were still sitting on the counter. Got home and realized they completely missed my daughter's kid's bowl and drink. What a mess.

We came to Chicago for the marathon and wants to try some good Vegan place. We tried other places but this one is really good. It's value for money and the taste is unique. The taste is unique. If you are around give a try you will love it. We ordered the following and no regrets at all. Potato kale soup Ensalada Azteca salad Grilled chicken Teriyaki Sandwich Munchwrap supreme Cauliflower Po'Boy Beignets

Came here for my lunch break. This place is excellent. I received my food quick and I have to say, being an all vegan place can be tough but I had the hottest, crispiest and juiciest sandwich ever. This is definitely my spot for sure.

The food is still good, but it's disappointing that Native Foods has shifted away from reusable serviceware. At this location, only plastic utensils were available and purchased drinks were served in disposable plastic cups with plastic lids and plastic straws, all of which are trash after one use. No ketchup was available except in plastic packets, so I had to eat my fries dry. The plastic utensils are supposedly compostable which is better on the front end since they're not made from fossil fuel, but since Chicago doesn't do industrial composting, they won't be composted and are still trash. Many people eat vegan because it's better for the planet, but the deluge of disposable plastic they're serving up makes this restaurant unappealing to environmentalists. Also, this location had more of a run-down McDonald's fast food vibe than locations in southern California.

Love this fully vegan cafe style eating in the loop. I encourage non vegans to try this place! There's a lot of comfort food items that I think anyone would like I got the Buffalo Mac n Cheese and literally scraped every last drop!! It was amazing, I wish it was year round but unfortunately it's a seasonal dish. I felt this dish has the perfect amount of kick to it, definitely not too spicy. I could have done without the celery next time though as again I didn't find the dish spicy.

Popped in for a quick lunch bite to eat on my first day in Chicago! I was excited to try another vegan sando and compare it up to the others I've tried at other places. I opted for the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich which came with seasoned fries on the side. The total meal came up to about $16 - which I would say was a bit pricy for the amount of food provided. Presentation was great, and it came in a compostable box. Taste wise, I would give this sandwich a 7/10. It was alright, nothing was an extreme wow factor for me. I wish it was spicier and saucier. I did like the toasted buns and coleslaw that came within it. The fries were good, and seasoned well. They were thin and came with a nice bite / crunch. I probably would not come back, as I'm not local. However, I do believe there might be better places! The employees at the counter were kind, and my food came out in a reasonable amount of time.

Servers were very nice and friendly and happy to help! Food was average. This felt like a Panera/mcalisters for vegans except it has burgers. That was what the quality of food was like. The brisket was a bit rubbery and didn't have a lot of flavor and definitely didn't taste like brisket, but the whole burger together was okay. The sweet potato fries were very good and crispy! I might try this again, but I would get something different.

I worked downtown for more than two decades and never think I miss it at all until I get down there. Then all my FAVORITE hangouts start popping in my head like happy bubbles. Native Foods is one of those places I was constantly going to at my last corporate job. I don't think I've been here in at least five years and wondered if they were still open. I struggled to remember where it used to be, poked my head in, and was pleasantly surprised to see it's the same but different. New staff, but the vibe and the DELICIOUS food are the same. Easy to order. Amazing variety. Fresh. Nice portions (although I would've preferred to be greedier with more seasoned fries). Reasonable prices. The only complaint I have is the sodium in all the food (and even the drinks) is insane. My Twister Wrap had 1,880 milligrams of salt and the side of fries had 780 milligrams of salt. Vegan food can be insanely difficult to eat for people with high blood pressure, so definitely eat this stuff in moderation. Even the Lavender Lemonade has 85 milligrams of sodium. I would strongly suggest checking the nutrition before ordering. But I hadn't been here in so long, and I knew I wanted this exact meal, so this is my sodium intake for the day. AND IT WAS WORTH IT! The cashier and server are super nice too. Overall, great experience.