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Mana Food Bar
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Vegan Food Juice Bars & Smoothies Vegetarian, Vegan, Juice Bars & Smoothies [Edit]
1742 W Division St(between Hermitage Ave & Wood St)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighbourhood: Wicker Park
(773) 342-1742
- Nearest Transit:
-
Division (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri 4 pm - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Trendy, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
486 reviews for Mana Food Bar
Review Highlights
-
"the Sweet Potato pancakes are delicious." In 45 reviews -
"The food is small plates and great to share." In 60 reviews -
"Of course, we had the sliders - to die for." In 150 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
486 reviews in English
-
Review from Kristi H.
Chicago, IL
5/17/2012
We absolutely loved Mana. Just discovered it on Division as we moved into the neighborhood recently. My husband was weary as he enjoys meat and didn't want to leave without enough food, but we gave it a try.
Boy are we glad we did! There are very few tables, so we opted to sit at the bar. Kyle was working and was extremely quick, friendly, and seemed to be enjoying his job. He had a lot of good recommendations for food, drinks, and how much to order.
We absolutely loved everything we tried, and have been back once more to sit on the patio. We got out with 5 drinks and 5 small plates for $80 (before tip). That's a good deal in my book!
Mana Slider - brown rice and mushroom burger on soft dinner roll. So good and I dont even love mushrooms. It was a really lovely texture and just a hint of spicy mayo made it perfect.
Baked Goat Cheese - I mean, how can you go wrong? Baked goat cheese with tomato relish and toast. It was just so good and a good size for sharing with a few friends.
Side of Creamy Polenta with Asiago - just like heaven.
Fiddlehead Ferns - This was my personal favorite dish! Fiddlehead ferns (imagine a texture between asparagus and brussel sprouts) served with sauteed snap peas, brown rice, miso glaze and apricots. It was heavenly. If I were to just order an entree, this would definitely be it!
Mac & Cheese - My husband loved this take on mac and cheese with pepper and horseradish. The noodles were nicely done and it had just a hint of spice.
We can't wait to visit again! And they have a slider special daily from 4-6pm you get two sliders and a beer for $7.50 -
Review from Robert S.
Chicago, IL
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
On the quick:
The place is small and gets packed quickly, prepare for a long wait if you arrive after 6pm.
Food is good (not great) and they have a wide variety of options, however portions are small relative to the price.
The drink menu is on the small side, but the variety of options makes up for this to a degree (white/red/sparkling wine, sake, beer, cocktails). Cocktail list has some unique tasty choices. Juices are refreshing, but small. Smoothies are unremarkable.
Slider Special is boss, I suggest pairing it with the Sapporo (4-6pm only).
Atmosphere is nice and is hipsterish, but not supersaturated so.
Recommendation:
If you are really hungry, I would say pass on Mana and choose one of the many other restaurants in the area. Unless of course you don't care about dropping a lot of cash.
However, if you are looking for variety and want to have an interesting culinary adventure, then Mana may be for you. Choose several small plates, get a juice or cocktail and enjoy. -
Review from Caroline A.
Chicago, IL
5/22/2012
Very delicious vegetarian fare here. I really wanted to try everything on the menu, but ended up getting the quinoa salad (YUM), saag paneer (ok, a little bland), Mana sliders (delicious... I could have eaten two) and mushroom saute over creamy polenta (BEST).
My only criticism is that they serve their wine in little glasses that could double as votive holders.
Also, they won't seat you until your whole party is at the restaurant, so don't be late! -
Review from Garry Z.
Chicago, IL
5/16/2012
this is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. If you enjoy vegetarian/vegan food, this is a great neighborhood find. I love their Mushroom burgers, which may be ordered 1 at a time or in groups (one is too small and not enough for me). The vegan Chili is great too and just the right amount of spice, which may be ordered by the cup or bowl. I like to have their chocolate, banana smoothy, made with almond milk along with my meal.
There are at times a bit of a wait, and I guess it's becomming more popular as the wait was close to 45 minutes last week, which is longer than I'm willing to wait anywhere, but this was the first time that I thought the wait was excessive for my taste. The staff has always been friendly on the numerous occassions that I've been in the restaurant.
The outdoor patio is nice too, and in the winter they have outdoor heaters. -
Review from Christina B.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2012
Yum-o! I wish every restaurant were this satisfying; not only is everything scrumptious, you're eating well.
Things you absolutely must have:
1. Tomato, avocado, arugula salad (go large on this one).
Light and crisp with a hint of spice from the oh-so-fresh arugula.
2. Mushroom saute over creamy polenta.
My bf had never had polenta; after this dish, he agreed that it was worth rolling around in.
3. Potato Pancake.
If you can get this last like we did, it serves as a great desert--not too heavy with a hint of sweetness from the apple chutney. Great way to end the meal.
I would have eaten anything off the menu, but I think the above (as validated by most every review here) are stand-outs. My friend also dined here and really loved the mushroom slider.
Perhaps I'll just have to go back. Heads up: it's teeny, and they don't take reservations. They will let you call ahead and put your name on the list if it's under 20 minutes. Get a plan together, people! -
Review from Gaurang B.
Chicago, IL
4/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
1. Tomato, avocado, Arugula salad- awesome!
2. Spanokopita- very different and delicious..
3. Mushroom saute was good too.
For a hungry stomach, serving size was pretty small; even the large size wasn't as good a quantity. No doubt about the taste, but I realized what happens is you tend to order different dishes, all of the small size, to taste everything and then the cheque just shoots up like anything :) -
Review from Diane G.
OH MANa. Momentous moment here. A. FIVE. Star. restaurant!!!!!!!
The first time here was great, but the second visit was what sold me. How do I love thee, let me count the ways...:
AMBIANCE: Depending on what day you come, it can range from cozy and intimate (week night) to energetic and lively (weekend). I highly recommend a week night. If you come on a weekend, you will likely have to wait so plan accordingly. Either way, it is a pleasant experience. The hardwood bar stools, tables, and floors, along with the brick walls and bird's nest-like lanterns are a wonderful touch. OH and there's front patio seating which I'm predicting will be amazing during the upcoming summer! :)
FOOD: I liked everything I tried here. My favorites were the Mana Slider (mushroom, brown rice patty topped w/spicy mayo), Bi Bim Bop (a delicious Korean dish of rice, veggies, and egg), and the Tamale! (and I normally don't even like tamales! I think the jalapenos and tomato lime jam are what did it for me...) The Saag Paneer was good, but I prefer more traditional/authentic saag. And contrary to popular opinion, the Sweet Potato Pancake was just ok for me.
SERVICE: Awesome as well! The bartender was super friendly and even gave us food recommendations, and my waitress the second time was extremely patient and kind.
Believe it or not I'd rank this above The Girl and the Goat hands down. A must try for vegetarians/vegans and carnivores alike! =) -
Review from Daniel G.
Chicago, IL
5/13/2012
This was the first restaurant I went to when I moved to the neighborhood, and the food is great. I've been back many times, and this has been my go-to restaurant when friends from out of town are in for a visit. Unfortunately, they don't take reservations, and the amount of time I spend waiting for a table gets longer and longer every time I go. Finally, last night, I was told it would be a forty minute wait for a table, then forty-five minutes later I was told it would be another thirty minutes. Forget it; there are a lot of excellent restaurants on Division Street, and most of them will seat me much more quickly.
If you get there by or before 6 PM, you'll be fine. You'll sit down right away and you'll see your server on a regular basis. Anything after that (and especially on the weekend), forget it; you'll be waiting forever and your server will be all over the place. We'll miss the food, but we probably won't be back. -
Review from Sasha L.
Mountainside, NJ
4/14/2012
After reading such great Yelp reviews, I left Mana feeling extremely disappointed.
I ordered the Spinach and Pear salad - which was nothing special - and asked if the red chile sauce in the Ma Po Tofu dish could be brought out on the side (I do not like extremely spicy foods). After checking with the kitchen, our waiter said that was not possible - leading me to believe that the food is not made to order.
Instead, I ordered the Bi Bim Bop (after specifically asking if it was spicy), and also asked that the sunny side up egg be cooked thoroughly instead of having a runny yoke. When it was brought out, the egg was sunny side up and the dish was extremely spicy. I did not complain about the spice factor - figuring I would just deal with it - but had to ask the waiter for a plate so I could scoop off the runny egg yoke. The entire dish was drenched in a salty/oily/spicy sauce, and was not something I would expect at a restaurant that is slated as being "healthy".
I would never go back here, especially considering how many restaurants we walked by afterwards that looked great. No clue as to how this restaurant has gotten over 400 reviews, and has maintained 4.5 stars. -
Review from Becca H.
Chicago, IL
4/4/2012
I live right down the street, and I have to say that Mana has become one of my favorite neighborhood dinner spots. It's a vegetarian restaurant but you never feel like your'e missing out on meat items. I barely even noticed it was vegetarian! Everything I've tried there has been delicious! It's been compared to Green Zebra on Chicago, but I honestly think that Mana's food is better and cheaper (WIN WIN!).
First of all, be prepared to wait a while if you come on a weekend night. The restaurant itself is very small. But, it's definitely worth the wait, and there are a couple bars close by to grab a drink at while you wait (like Gold Star).
I love their sake cocktails! I usually get the cucumber sakerita (?), and it's awesome and refreshing. There are also some beer and wine options as well. I'd recommend getting a bunch of small plates to share among friends. You definitely want to try as much as possible, and everything is very reasonably priced. I'd suggest the baked goat cheese and tomato spread, the mushroom polenta, the okra and grits, the mushroom sliders, the side of brussel sprouts, the mac and cheese, and basically anything else you want to try will be awesome as well. I've never tried the dessert there, but I'm sure it's good.
The ambiance is pretty cozy. You may feel a little squished, or feel like you're very close to the people next to you. They just opened their patio for summer. On week nights, they have a happy hour special that includes 2 mushroom sliders and a beer of your choice for $7 (I THINK). Basically, just go to Mana! You won't be disappointed! -
Review from Jason H.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2012
This place is great. There aren't too many places that you can go out to eat and still eat this healthy anymore. The bartender said a lot of the food is local and organic. Its also mostly vegetarian with some vegan stuff too. The ambient is great. Indoors is a very chill warm atmosphere. Outside has an amazing patio too, so great for the winter and summer!
The food was really good. They serve small plates so it keeps the cost down and prevents gluttony. The service was was great too. Overall, dielicious -
Review from Lael B.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2012
Mana is exactly what it should be. Great atmosphere with beautiful wood barstools and painted brick walls. The staff is friendly and inviting. The food was varied and yummy. Came here for the first time on a Monday with my veg roommate. We wanted a patio seat so we hung out at the bar for about half an hour waiting for it. The bartender was sweet and helpful. They moved us outside and the server was great too, we just wanted to hang out and nosh for a while, we told him that and he gave us just the right amount of space.
The sakarita is awesome! Sake cocktails are amazingly refreshing in this weather. We ate the brussel sprouts, the baked goat cheese, and the butternut squash ravioli. All delicious! Needless to say, I will be back! -
Review from Stephanie L.
San Diego, CA
Out of all the places we dined in Chicago, some far more hyped up then Mana (Girl and the Goat and Boka) I really didn't think this would be my favorite restaurant that I went to but, it absolutely was.
There is something about taking whole ingredients and being able to incorporate them together into delicious dishes that is so impressive to me. It's simple but, it speaks volumes.
We came in on a Sunday night at 9 and this place was still quite busy. It was quaint indoors and had a nice dining patio outdoors as well. There is no mistaking that this place is all sorts of Hipster with it's obvious location in Wicker Park and it's choice of food but, if I could pluck this place out of Chicago and place it in San Diego, I would do it in a heartbeat!
We ordered the Sampler Plate as an appetizer: Five Spiced Tofu, Quinoa and, the Tomato, Avocado and Arugula Salad. The Five Spiced Tofu was my favorite. I read a lot of reviews that it was rather bland but, to be honest..it's firm tofu..what flavor did you expect it to take on when it's not smothered in sauce? The subtle flavors of the five spice tofu with the pickled red onions, tomatoes and basil complimented so well. The second favorite was the Tomato, Avocado and Arugula Salad. It had a similar flavor profile to the tofu in that it also contained tomatoes and pickled radishes. The Quinoa is also good though not our favorite. It was fresh with hints of orange and citrus.
In addition to the sampler we also ordered a Mana Slider and the Mushroom Saute. The Mana Slider wasn't bad for a vegetarian patty. The bread was toasty and it came with a powerful and spicy green sauce and refreshing cucumbers. The Mushroom Saute over the Polenta is a MUST! The cheesy and creamy polenta, the strong flavors of the mushroom saute..do yourself a favor and get this! It was our favorite dish out of the night.
Mana serves up an array of savory and satisfying dishes and it is definitely a place to visit whether you're a meat eater or not! -
Review from Rebecca H.
Chicago, IL
3/12/2012
So overall Mana is a pretty delicious veggie restaurant, the place itself is really beautiful and the servers are friendly. It was my first time here and the place was busy-ish, we had to wait 45 minutes to eat at around 8pm on a weekend. Tip: for the wait there is an awesome bakery virtually next door.
We got cold and hot dishes, the cold salad dishes (5 spice tofu, endive and the spinach and pear) were all very tasty in different ways, made me want more! We also tried the mac and cheese (not very impressive, almost bland), butternut ravioli (butternut flavor totally over powered by the grated asiago cheese), sliders (very yummy), and baked goat cheese (loved the spicy tomato sauce on bottom although the toast pieces were burnt).
The food was good, some great, some not so great but the over all message is that this place is worth another trip just to try all the cool, different options on the menu, I'll be back. -
Review from Sonya S.
Chicago, IL
4/7/2012
We've been to Mana a couple of times now and love the food! The arugula, avocado and tomato salad is fresh and flavorful, though a bit small. Our favorites are the sliders, mushrooms over polenta and ma po tofu. However, I'd like to see the menu change seasonally or with what's locally available. It's only a slight drawback but we've seen the same items since we started going there a year and a half ago.
I saw a comparison between Mana and Girl & the Goat somewhere below and I completely agree -- I would take Mana any day over G&G. The key difference for me is the service. People at Mana are wonderful and warm and that attitude makes the food taste better. -
Review from Sara B.
Valparaiso, IN
5/5/2012
This is one of the best restaurants I have eaten at in recent years. The mushroom polenta dish is particularly delicious and the happy hour special is one of the best out there. My only complaint is that it's very small and there can be a huge wait.
All in all, It's incredibly nice to have a go to place that never disappoints. -
Review from Rachel N.
2/29/2012
A 3.5 experience -- Mana is beautiful (dark wood, dim lighting, adorable hipster-y bartenders, intimate seating), but the food was all "meh" -- call me spoiled after living in the Bay Area for a few years (okay, I said it, I will never got over the heartbreak of leaving you, SF weird vegan/vegetarian food scene) -- but all of the food left me feeling a little under seasoned.
The brother and I went for din on a Wednesday and by 7p, the place was pretty hopping -- we couldn't really put our finger on the theme of the menu, other than "vegetarian", which isn't a unifying concept, PS -- it jumps from beet salad to caponata to Chinese five-spice tofu with surprising ease, and the entrees range from mac and cheese to Bulgogi -- we tried the following:
Arugula, Avo, Tomato Salad -- fine, salad. Note, a small salad = tiny.
Spinach and Pear Salad -- fine, salad.
Hummus -- fine, a bit chunky, good tooth-feel?
Five Spice Tofu -- fine, but bland (tiny, too).
Ma Pao Tofu -- yum, ample size.
Miso Brussels (REALLY SPICY) -- as though someone dumped a pound of horseradish mustard in w/ them -- delicious, but aggressive!!
+ 2 teas = $62 w/ tip.
Classier than the Chicago Diner (duh), less spendy than Green Zebra, but was is amazing? No. But will I return? Yes. If this is what Chicago cas vegetarian has to offer, then I guess I'm down.Listed in: Vegetarian Delights
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Review from Clare S.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2012
As someone who loves meat, I am always nervous about trying vegetarian restaurants, thinking there won't be enough "interesting" options for me, or that I will leave starving - especially when the restaurant is focused on "small plates." But, after eating dinner at Mana Food Bar a few Saturdays ago, I am a convert!
First of all, the atmosphere is lovely. The restaurant is gorgeous, I absolutely love the lighting. It is a small restaurant, and they don't take reservations, so I could see that being an issue. But, luckily I was just there with one friend, and we were there early before seeing a show. We sat at the bar and had great service.
None of the cold plates really appealed to us, but all the hot dishes we had were great! The horseradish mac & cheese was delicious, though we both would have liked a more intense horseradish flavor. We also loved the slider, the mushroom saute, and the spanikopita. Interestingly, the best dish of the night was the brussels sprouts - the miso mustard sauce was fantastic. Next time, I'd love to try the butternut squash ravioli and the gyoza. -
Review from Neha N.
Evanston, IL
2/25/2012
I think this restaurant is definitely good, but man I was expecting some sort of intensely amazing flavor.
I'm a vegetarian, so maybe that is also why I wasn't super blown away?
The juices are yummy! I loved that I got to mix and match....I got pear and ginger, yum!! My friend got beets and ginger, which she liked a lot.
We got the sampler dish where you can get 3 of the cold choices, including the "pickled, endive, and the five spice tofu." The endive was pretty good, but we didn't even finish the pickled, and the tofu was good.
For the entrees we split the mac n cheese, which has a hint of horseradish, which was yummy. I tried the slider, which was so cute and tiny, and yeah pretty good tasting.. The potato pancakes and was not impressed...
Will I be back? Maybe, but in a city with so many veg options, I am hoping for some better choices or maybe I'll try something else next time. -
Review from Dan T.
Chicago, IL
2/18/2012
Plenty of positive reviews posted on this one. Since I can not only post negative reviews so why not give a five star rating to a place that really deserves it.
Love the atmosphere, love the food, the flavors, the staff and the prices!
Only negative aspect is that they do not take reservations. -
Review from David M.
Chicago, IL
4/18/2012
The good: service and server, both helpful and friendly. Sat outside and enjoyed the people watching and sunshine.
The bad: I am not a vegan so maybe I am biased but thought the food was just mediocre. Some interesting tastes but them it seemed like everything had the same lemony seasoning and the food was under salted.
Not my cup of tea but a nice option in the neighborhood if you're Into this kind of food. -
Review from Rhonda G.
12/28/2011
My "I eat anything" friend was visiting town and wanted to go out for dinner. We don't talk daily so it was news to me when she announced that she had recently become a vegan. That knocked every one of my "ooh, I want to try that place" options out of the running and the search was on. I know that the vegetarian options in the city are plentiful but I wasn't quite sure about vegan. One of the reasons I love yelp is the search option. I typed in vegan and looked for an average of at least 4 stars. Mana was one of the first few places to catch my attention since they also had vegetarian options and not just Vegan.
So...we arrive on a weekday evening and the place is pretty small but we were quickly seated at the bar where I ordered a nice glass of tempranillo. Their wine list isn't huge but they have some nice selections. My friend and I started with the hummus and as simple as it is, the hummus was really good and fresh.
For the main event I had a brown rice and mushroom burger with spicy mayo known as the mana slider and okra braised with tomato, cayenne, cumin and served over buttermilk blue cheese grits. Everything was seriously awesome! Great flavors, no weird texture issues, and quite filling.
We ended the meal with another glass of wine, this time a malbec and a nice dark chocolate mousse of some sort. I can't recall the exact name for it, but it was delicious and sadly I was too full to have more than a few bites. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the service. The bartender who was also taking our order was very attentive and great with suggestions for us which really helped since it was our first visit. All things considered, I would definitely return and wouldn't even require a vegan or vegetarian to go with me. -
Review from Dee C.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
wow....where to start! We went with a group of 5 during lunch and did not have a problem at all getting a seat. I don't know what I was expecting when I went into Mana...but it sure met my expectations! Loved the cozy little place with the woody feel. Staff was nice and attentive without being overbearing. We ordered a lot of food so here goes:
Avacado, pineapple, and coconut water- very good but a but pricey for $8 a cup.
Entrees: baked goat cheese: served with spicy tomato sauce and toasts. This was a bigger portion than I had expected...goat cheese was so nice and creamy. Nice chunks of tomatoes in it too.
Potato pancake: sweet and white potato with apple cranberry chutney and crema. Loved the thin pieces of pancake with the nicely sliced cranberries...it was soo yummy!
Chili- corn, black beans, chickpeas, green onions and white cheddar. Nice and tasty chili. Chunky and perfect cup without the huge portion so you don't get sick of it.
Curry- spicy potato and peas over coconut basmati rice with cilantro relish. Curry was very good, but wished there was more curry instead of being so chunky.
Gyoza: six pan seared dumplings with soy sauce to dip. I don't really know what I was going to get with this....but it reminded me of egg rolls...it was good.
Mushroom sauté: over creamy polenta...not the biggest fan of this. Didn't see anything special about it.
Mana slider: brown rice and mushroom burger with spicy mayo....Oh my.....amazing sliders.....a must get....need I say more....the sauce was amazing.
Ravioli: butternut squash stuffed pasta with olive oil, garlic, arugula, walnuts, and asiago cheese. Nice ravioli....I have had this somewhere else....but the butternut squash inside was nice and creamy, while the asiago cheese could sometimes be a little overbearing for the ravioli, but it was done almost perfect here.
Hubby had the celery, cucumber, and apple juice squeezed: much better price at $5 and tasted pretty good too.
Overall the drinks are overpriced, but I would definitely go back! -
Review from v k.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2012
Best vegetarian chili ever! And lots of other delicious options. So glad I don't live near this place, or else they'd be getting all my money.
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Review from Trent R.
Chicago, IL
2/29/2012
This place is great. Every time I've been there I've had nothing but great service & food. They're menu is completely vegetarian. All food dishes with the exception of sides come in two sizes - one is perfect to share and the other makes a great meal, or you can get a bunch of small plates and have a sampler meal.
This place is small and they don't accept reservations. Even your group of three might have to wait a little while. There's great little heated waiting area outside in the winter, so don't worry. -
Review from David S.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2012
The food and juices at Mana Food Bar are delicious and fresh. The portions are smaller than most restaurants in Chicago, but the prices are reasonable and they give you the opportunity to try many things. The gyoza are especially amazing.
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Review from shelly h.
Chicago, IL
4/10/2012
The food here is amazing! The sliders are too good to pass up. My second favorite item is the butternut squash ravioli, it is by far the best I have had. Everything I have eaten here has been fresh and tasty. And if you eat there, they have a good teas and beer list. Although, I refused to buy their juice because a glass of cost as much as a microbrew.
Don't be afraid to bring meat eaters here. The food is so delicious and satisfying, they won't miss it.
My only complaints are that the atmosphere isn't very cozy and that the portions are a little small for the prices you pay. -
Review from Sara P.
12/11/2011
This meal surprised me with its broad range of delicious rich flavors!
In terms of food: My fiance and I had the baked goat cheese with toasted bread, and the cheese was deliciously creamy, and there were chunks of tomato in there too. Next, we had the mushroom and brown rice sliders with a spicy mayo and they were very tasty. I will definitely take advantage of their beer-and-2-sliders deal in the future! We also had the mushroom polenta, which was decadently rich and creamy, and the mushrooms had a deep, earthy flavor that I have not tasted anywhere else. My favorite dish was the potato pancake with apple chutney. What an incredible combo of flavors and textures!
In terms of drinks: I had a sake cocktail with apple cider, and it was so good. The cider was not overpowering, and the entire drink tasted very balanced.
The restaurant itself is small but very nicely decorated. It's both cozy and modern. I don't think it'd be a good idea to come with a large group since they do not take reservations. However, they are nice enough to take your phone number and call you when they're ready to seat you. I am looking forward to my next trip here already! -
Review from Lakshmi R.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 3/3/2012
I find it really difficult to review restaurants like Mana. The food is so good, nothing I write can do justice to it. This time around, our favorites were the okra in blue cheese grits (my mouth is watering just thinking about it) and the asiago/butternut squash ravioli. WHY don't I come here more often? It's vegetarian, classy and delicious. If you haven't been here yet, you need to go. Now.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/28/2011
You know that feeling, when you sit down at a restaurant, order your food, start eating it, and… Read more »
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Review from Beth M.
12/5/2011
All-vegetarian Mana offers small plates, much like Green Zebra, except many can also be ordered in a full entree size. The dishes also seem to be less elaborate, but the prices are a little lower as well. The menu is pretty easy for a vegan to navigate: All the cold dishes are vegan, and the non-vegan hot dishes include cheese or whatnot right in the description, so you don't have to ask. Sadly, the mushroom sliders cannot be made vegan. However, their tofu dishes (such as the "bulgogi") are superb in texture and flavour. The sesame noodles were simple but delicious. Two small dishes per person (which were then shared) was more than satisfying. We washed it down with Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. Yum.
Since the space is so small, Mana can't take reservations, but after giving your name and number, you can go elsewhere for a drink until there are open seats. There isn't really enough room to wait inside. Service was friendly and helpful; even the way they poured the beer and refilled our water glasses seemed to demonstrate they genuinely cared.Listed in: All Vegan/Vegetarian, Fancy Pants Vegan/Vegetarian
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Review from Harvey H.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
One of my favorite places in the big WP. Can't say when I was here for legal reasons, but let's just say it's veggie delight!
Do you like sampling? Cause I do. Small plates! I love small plates with their little angles and the like. Goat cheese, I'll float on that cheese all the way home.
And as I was writing this review I saw that Noelle had written here. But it was so long ago. Is she still in New York? I don't know if she's in trouble. Usually I'd ask her dad for advice on things like this but that's not an option now (seeing as he's dead and all).
I can't go to the police because they are looking for me, and Noelle's dad told me not to trust anybody, I'm thinking that includes the CPD. I'm thinking maybe it's time to open that folder he gave me.
While mulling all this over over some perfectly crispy sweet potato fries, I was approached by Jerry, the man who originally contacted me about Noelle's Goodman audition.
He didn't say much and looked nervous.
"I've made a big mistake. I thought I was working for the good guys Harvey. If they catch me they'll kill me but you need to take these (he then said something I shouldn't write in a public place like the internet)'s down). Look into the Cook County Assessor's relationship with Wal-, shoot, I have to go."
So the assessor huh?
As I slipped a fresh-as-nails slider down my gullet, I realized Chicago may not be safe for me any more. I'm coming for you Noelle.
Harvey Out -
Review from Margaret C.
Oak Park, IL
3/10/2012
The sliders/beer happy hour special is totally sweet (the little veg burgers are super good and they have some nice beer selections on tap). The place is cool with friendly, helpful waitstaff. The only hang up is that getting full can be pricey. The items are high quality though...so I guess just go with that mindset.
-
Review from Alexandra L.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2012
Delicious! Had the peanut noodles and the okra with blue cheese grits. Both were wonderful -- I hope to make it back to check out all the other good looking things on their menu.
The restaurant itself, as others have said, is small, but thought it was intimate and the decor was very calm and minimal. Lovely space with lovely food! -
Review from Shayna N.
Chicago, IL
12/14/2011
I'm usually wary of vegetarian food, but Mana Food Bar is one of the best places I've eaten, veggie or not.
In the summer there's some nice patio seating out on Division, which is nice since it's super tiny *inside* the restaurant.
Go here and get a few small plates to share. The mushrooms and creamy polenta is fantastic, so is the quinoa salad. You pretty much can't go wrong! And even if you're vegan they can make substitutions and suggestions.
Love this place! Sooo yummy! -
Review from TK K.
Chicago, IL
1/25/2012
My dining companion and I ventured to Mana Food Bar last night for our first experience. I almost walked past the low key, tiny 20 person spot. They do not take reservations, so I would suggest going early. We were greeted and sat at the bar. I started with the pineapple & fresh ginger sake cocktail. One can order either small or large portions. Since I am not a big eater, I opted for the former.
My first selection was the day's special of lentil chili. It was flavourful and came in a small bowl. Perfect tasting size. Next, I had the ravioli stuffed with butternut squash, accommpanied by olive oil, garlic, arugula, walnuts and asiago cheese. It was delicious. The bitterness of the arugula and tartness of the asiago cheese complemented the butternut squash. For dessert, I tried the chocolate sorbet. It was not to my liking, so I only had two spoonfuls.
My companion had the potato pancakes with pear chutney and crema. I tried the pancakes plain and they were nothing spectacular. Hence, the sauce. Her tamale made of blue corn and plaintain was quite bland. She enjoyed the tomato jam that came with it.
I will definitely return to Mana Food Bar. The staff was very attentive (with helpful suggestions regarding my companion's allergies), the space was cozy and intimate and my food was delicious. It was nice to have tasting portions. -
Review from Ed R.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2011
Wow, after reading a sampling of the reviews, I was really expecting a great dining experience. I even went in with a more open attitude, as I normally dismiss vegan-friendly establishments as a complete waste of time/money/thought.
Sadly, Mana only succeeded in further ingraining the negative stereotype I have of these socially conscious frotteurs who try to claim that "fresh = best." That mantra can most definitely apply, but not in this case.
Highlights - the chili was indeed outstanding, flavorful, peppery, hearty, and could stack up to most meaty doppelgangers out there
And the portions were solid for 4 offerings we tried
Lowlights
1) mushroom/brown rice slider was all rice with a hint of mushroom and had the consistency of that burned rice you get at the bottom of the rice cooker - it's like they intentionally overcooked rice, scooped out the edible portion on top, then scraped out the crusty gunk at the bottom for use as the glorious foundation for the slider.
2) saag paneer - bland, bland, bland. how could an indian inspired dish, with cheese cubes no less, be so devoid of taste? when I eat indian, i expect my senses to be assaulted with spices and the occasional rake across the eyes as said indian tries to defend himself against my cannibalizing his still wriggling torso
3) rice noodles with kimchee - as a korean, i felt most offended by this abomination. it seems like they were trying to make the traditional korean soup, chigae, but failed both in execution and innovation. if you're going to go the "fusion" route, at least get the basic flavor right! and the broth was lukewarm, which is just a horrible temperature for chigae.
The space is also extremely cozy, which is code for cramped as shit. I realize you need to maximize space, but you literally couldn't slide a single White castle patty between the space that separated our table from our neighbors.
The service was great, which saved this from being a 1 star experience.
If i'm going to sell ou to vegan/vegetarian again, I'll stick with Native Foods. -
Review from Anuj S.
2/15/2012
Conclusion:
I know conclusions are usually last, but my consulting experience has ingrained in to my mind to communicate in pyramid structure.
Bottomline, I loved Mana. It was really really good. I don't know why I hadn't gone there earlier. It's been in my bookmarks for forever. I think one of my concerns had been that Mana would be one of those vegetarian restaurants that served entrees that were all about fake meats. You know those places that try to simulate meat using soy or gluten or whatever. Well, Mana was not about that at all. Everything we had was just good ole vegetarian food. They accomplish a wide variety of options by spanning cuisines. You can get the Indian Palak Paneer, the Chinese Ma Po Tofu, the Italian Pasta, and on and on.
Ambiance:
The restaurant is really really small. There only like 2 booths and 4-5 tables. There are a number of seats along the bar. The decor is pleasant.
Getting seated:
I do have to say that the one thing that is kind of annoying at Mana is that they don't take reservations. So the wait was kind of long. You can call in 20 minutes out to cut down some of that wait time. While waiting, the bar is pretty accessible and they also have one of those enclosed heated tent thingies where you can wait without freezing.
Service:
The hostess was polite and the bar tender was really cool. After getting seated, the waitress was also good. Not great... not professionally trained hospitality management good, but she was good enough. She was helpful with the menu and she came to check on us a couple of times and so on and so forth. Definitely can't complain.
Food:
Here's where I thought Mana shined the most. I may be biased being a vegetarian, but the stuff we tried was very flavorful and we loved the tapas-style concept so we could try a variety of entrees. There's a cold side and a hot side to the menu. On the cold side we had 5 spice tofu, which was interesting. It's a salad-like item which unique flavored tofu and that caprese-ish taste as the dressing. Then we had the maki rolls which were also really good. No wasabi and the rolls don't even have rice. It was like salad sushi. Really interesting. On to the hot side, this is where things got even better. Oh, and they bring out the cold stuff first and the hot stuff later; I think the cold stuff is a first course kinda like salady course and the hot food is like the entrees. The Ma Po Tofu was flavorful and was good. The dumplings with soy sauce were really really good. Fried perfectly soft and also crispy. The best of all were the sliders. Awesome veggie pattie; I think it's mushroom based. It was so good. I had just one slider, but I would LOVE to make a meal of like 5 of them just by themselves. Last of all, we splurged and went for the creme brulee for dessert. It was awesome! I think they could've done more of the torched sugar layer on top, but the inside was like... idk... divine. There was something different about it. I don't know what they make it with, but I did taste a hint of caramel. I think... Anyway, it was really amazing. They gave us some complementary brownies with baked-in cherries. They were OK, but I didn't want to ruin the taste in my mouth from the creme brulee. -
Review from Kerry G.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2011
Based on my understanding of the word "mana", calling your restaurant that is a bit ambitious. So had to try it.
Honestly, it took me about 10 minutes to realize I was looking at a vegetarian menu. That could be a good thing - the food options had enough going on in them to hide the fact they lacked meat - or a bad thing - there was way too much going on in this menu.
The menu has an identity crisis. Thai, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Korean, American... I guess the common ground of all being vegetarian is enough? Not for me when it is small plates, as we ordered multiple dishes which led to way too much confusion in my mouth.
I suggest ordering the large portion of one item instead of sampling multiple items, to avoid the lack of cohesion that you get when you order tapas at a Spanish place for instance.
We had: sesame noodles (decent, but can get same taste but more for the money at a chinese takeout); saag paneer (enjoyed it); bi bim bop (not very exciting and egg was overdone); and okra (i wished the okra had not been whole so that it could have absorbed some flavor and been easier to pair with the grits, which were wonderful).
It was a bit cramped and loud. Service was good.
Maybe the "mana" is in that they can magically hide the fact that there is no meat on the menu. I, though not being vegetarian, rarely care about such a thing, so no spells were cast on me.
That being said, I will return for the chili! -
Review from Jen S.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2012
delish, healthy, and celiac-friendly. they're just friendly overall!
and everything is so good. i don't tend to go to all-veg places, and i've tried about every gluten-free option on their menu, and i love them all! i especially like their salads, and i'm not really a salad person.
definitely stop in! -
Review from Simeen A.
Chicago, IL
11/8/2011
Oh boy! DEEEElicious.
Don't be scared by the veg thing-- this place is flavorful and worth the trip.
It's small inside (cozy? more like a little cramped) but I haven't had to wait for a table yet.
Baked goat cheese is delish. Chili was good but not my favorite (I guess I just prefer mine with meat, but husband who is a bona fide meat-eater said he thought the chili was great). The sliders live up to the hype-- EAT THEM. Basically I haven't tried a bad thing yet, and everything is yummy. For dessert, you can't beat the chocolate pot de creme. It's like... grown up chocolate pudding. Freaking delicious. I love the touch of creme fraiche on top.
I'm not giving up meat/dairy/whatever any time soon, but it's nice to try a place that is delicious and just HAPPENS to be veg as I'm trying to eat a more plant-based diet. Truthfully, if it tastes bad, it doesn't matter if it's good for you because you won't want it. Mana is delicious, hands down. I would definitely recommend trying it out.
