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Meh!

2 Posted on 05 / 09 / 2013

I tried Green Zebra 8 years ago and was so turned off by the experience, I just never went back, even though it is one of the closest places to my house in Chicago. A friend encouraged me to go, telling me that they are now a fully vegetarian restaurant, no longer serving chicken and fish and that they increased their portion sizes. I went with a client, who was open to trying vegan, so we went. I have to tell you, I am just not that impressed. Perhaps because I am a vegan. I find the place irritatingly vegan unfriendly. It's like vegan is an afterthought to this place. Almost like something they are doing because they have to. In most vegetarian places, vegan options dominate the menu. Either they are vegan or they can be made vegan. Green Zebra strikes me as being the opposite. On the night I was there, the tasting menu was all vegetarian, not one item on it was vegan or could even be made vegan. All of the items on the menu are small, but the vegan items seem more like the side dishes of the menu. Even my non veg client quipped, "This mushroom pate is good, but why isn't it vegan? Butter? Can't they easily have made this vegan?" The only dessert they had that was vegan, out of 5 items, was sorbet, which puts them as vegan dessert friendly as Smith and Wollenski's. I didn't find the service to be overly attentive, let alone helpful and friendly. $120 later, I left hungry and disappointed. I am just not a Green Zebra fan.

Pros: Trendy decor
Cons: Pricey, Not very vegan friendly

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Expensive But Good

4 Posted on 11 / 03 / 2012

This is a very romantic restaurant with good interesting vegetarian options but is on the pricey side.

Pros: Good food, Good Service
Cons: Pricey

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Great for an upscale evening

4 Posted on 10 / 19 / 2012

This is a great restaurant, with really delicious food. I have been here a few times for semi-special occasions, and have never been disappointed. They put together some interesting dishes and present them well. There is a good wine selection as well.

Pros: Nice ambiance
Cons: expensive

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Wished it was better.

3 Posted on 06 / 02 / 2012

I was really looking forward to my dining experience at the Green Zebra. I ordered the chef's tasting menu, It was okay, but I found myself underwhelmed. The service was very good. I also enjoyed the soup I had. I won't go back.

Pros: Service

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Best Brunch

5 Posted on 01 / 17 / 2012

Black Bean Plantain hash with Mole sauce. YUM!

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Not worth the hype

2 Posted on 09 / 03 / 2011

The food is not that great and the atmosphere is a bit boring. Too pricey for not delivering. I like the idea of Green Zebra, but it is certainly no Millennium (in SF).

Pros: Vegan options
Cons: Food is only okay, Boring atmoshere, Pricey

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So Close and yet So Far

3 Posted on 09 / 02 / 2011

Tables too close. You may as well get to know the people sitting next to you because you'll hear their entire conversation and they yours.

Food is outstanding. Prices are high. Portion sizes are small but it allows you to try more dishes.

Overall, this place seemed like a poser place to me. They serve vegetarian meals but it's like they're doing it as some type of culinary experiment not b/c they're committed to the cause. For example, they didn't have soy creamer for my coffee. What? How can an upscale vegetarian restaurant not have that. We're talking basic. Don't you think an all vegetarian restaurant is also going to draw vegans? And shouldn't your waitstaff be knowledgeable about the requirements of a vegan diet? Ours was not.

I'd go back again for the food but they need to work on the atmosphere.

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Best vegetarian meal ever!

4 Posted on 08 / 08 / 2011

Whenever, I go to a new town, I always check out the vegetarian restaurants. Will not forget my visit to the green Zebra, amazing food, good service and nice atmosphere.
Would easily give it 5 stars, but not allowed because of the one fish dish apparently.

Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere
Cons: Busy on peak times

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mediocre eats

2 Posted on 04 / 10 / 2011

I still ponder the mediocrity of this place. It was the most expensive meal my bf and I have ever had and one of the least memorable. The portion sizes were hilariously small for the prices. Why not go full on vegetarian? Seems silly to cater to the masses when there are soooooo many restaurants that cater to non- vegetarians. I should note that I only went here once and it was 4 years ago, but the mediocrity is the only thing I remember.

Cons: high prices, mediocre food, annoying yuppie crowd

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it's a fancy restaurant for us!

4 Posted on 01 / 10 / 2011

I really liked this place. When I was there, the entire menu was vegan/vegetarian except one dish, which I think was scallops. They said they did that for omnis who come with veggies. I don't know, it didn't turn me off. I had a great time here and the food was incredible.

Pros: top knotch food, variety with the tapas style
Cons: pricey, meat options unnecessary

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Exceptional food and service

4 Posted on 11 / 15 / 2009

Just got back from a second trip here, a year after the first. The first was the best meal I had last year. The second is the best meal I had this year. Each time I took the same non-vegetarian friends and they loved it each time.

Service last year was great but not exceptional. Tonight it was the best I've seen since Napa's French Laundry in 2002. Food last year was exceptional. Tonight food was very good. Both times we had tasting menu with wine selections. I've never understood the point of wine selections except here - San Francisco's Millenium uses it as a revenue stream; here they use it as a way of truly complementing every course perfectly.

Just call them, if you can't get a table try opentable.com, and get there as soon as you can.

The biggest 5* ever, except they serve one fish dish for the diehard carnivores and therefore I'm not allowed to give them higher than 4*. This patronising nonsense is the same reason I'm not allowing myself to pay happycow.net either.

Pros: Great food, Exceptional service, Good ambience
Cons: Expensive, A bit out of the way, Hard to get a table

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Very good

4 Posted on 10 / 30 / 2009

My friend and I chose the chef's menu, which consisted of items that were not on the menu (though the chef accomodated my friend who was not a cauliflower fan on one course). The food was innovative (especially for vegetarian food) and tasty. Our portions were appropriate for a multi-course meal and the wine list had several very affordable bottles listed. I would definitely return and recommend it to others.

Pros: Excellent Food, Affordable Wine, Good Value
Cons: Somewhat spacey staff

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One of the nation's best veg restaurants

4 Posted on 08 / 17 / 2009

I can't believe I'm the first person leaving a 5-star review here.* I have visited Green Zebra many times and have had a memorable meal every time. Most of the other reviews mention the price, and you shouldn't go expecting it to be a typical cheap, grungy veggie joint. Instead, appreciate it as an excellent haute cuisine restaurant then the prices are exactly what they should be--I'd almost call it a bargain for the quality of food and service. So often vegetarians have no way to experience the latest food trends, but Green Zebra does molecular gastronomy perfectly, without sacrificing flavor for style, as well as very solid traditional preparations. I personally recommend the garlic onion soup--I could have it every time I go, and the cucumber dill salad on chilled creme fraiche was a revelation.
Highly, highly recommended. It's best when you have an expense account, but every vegetarian deserves a meal like this once in a while.

*I just realized that I can't give higher than a 4-star review because this is considered a non-veg restaurant, but I've seen multiple occasions where there are no meat or even fish dishes. I consider this a veg restaurant.

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I want to like it more

3 Posted on 07 / 21 / 2009

I went there with my fiance about a year ago. It was definitely tasty but being vegan definitely shrank the menu down a bit and I left hungry. The flavors were great but for the money I would like to leave satisfied. Also as I read the reviews below, I didn't know the same owner owns another restaurant that serves frois grois, really disappointing. Will definitely make me think twice about ever eating there again.

Pros: excellent food, healthy, friendly staff
Cons: left hungry, pricey

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Good Fare in a nice setting - a tad overpriced

3 Posted on 07 / 01 / 2009

I went there last night on a friend's recommendation. The menu is quite exotic and it will take a bit of explanation from the staff to understand what you are ordering. The cheeses they served for the starter was fantastic. The Thai soup was a bit sour and was not served hot. But it had some great flavors. I ordered a smoked potato dish with a poached egg and it was not very good. But my friend ordered the Gnocchi which was delicious. The place is a bit overpriced and the portions are very small - an observation other reviewers have made as well. I would'nt pick this place when you are just going out to eat. But if its a special occasion and you would like to celebrate, this is a great place to get to.

Pros: Decor, Ambience, Exotic Menu
Cons: Pricey, Pricey, Pricey

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Very pricey...

3 Posted on 03 / 10 / 2009

I finally ate here after numerous attempts; I will say that this place is VERY expensive so make sure you're well aware of that before going. The waitress said you should order at least 3 plates in order to feel full (those plates range from $8-15). My friend and I ordered a few things, but felt the amount and quality of food wasn't worth the price. I may go back again, but this would be a special occasion...like very special. On a side note, the decor of the place is of the nicest (Vegan places) in Chicago.

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For a nice occassion.

3 Posted on 01 / 17 / 2009

The restaurant is very classy and upscale. It was nice to try at least once or if i want to get dressed up. The portions are small because they assume you will order multiple dishes. The food was good. I like more casual places, but i'm glad i tried it. I probably will not go again... for no other reason than the whole other restaurant thing that someone mentioned. (But i am an ethical vegan.)

Pros: fancy veggie

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Utterly outstanding.

4 Posted on 12 / 02 / 2008

Don't even bother turning your computer off, just go change into something nice and call now to see if they can seat you for the prix fixe vegan tasting menu. Take someone you love. Order cocktails (they're amazing, too).

Pros: Stellar quality, Delicousness, Superb service
Cons: Can be pricey, depending how you order, Can be noisy, Reservations highly recommended

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Green Hypocricy!!

1 Posted on 10 / 09 / 2008

Sue addmitted to me while I was protesting her restaurant, Custom House, that she also owns the Green Zebra. Own a veg restaurant and across town serve Foie Gras and tons of veal?!?!? C'mon. Don't patronize this establishment. I've eaten here and loved the salad with truffle oil, but my compassion will keep me away. We vote with our dollars and I can't support this paradox.

Pros: atmosphere, friendly staff
Cons: high prices, little servings, Can't get outta there w/o spending $70.

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Fine Dining Experience

4 Posted on 08 / 06 / 2008

The food at the green zebra was excellent, though as vegans we were limited to a few selections. I would argue this was the finest vegetarian food I have ever eaten. The price was high, but the amazing flavors and modern, upscale atmosphere is worth it. So many vegetarian restaurants are informal and, let's be honest, smell like patchouli. This was a breath of fresh air for those of us craving an unusually upscale experience. You'll spend a lot of money but you will be impressed. Make a reservation in advance else you may be waiting for an hour or so.

Pros: excellent food, attentive staff, small portions
Cons: expensive, location not great

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okay

3 Posted on 03 / 10 / 2008

I was invited for my birthday. It was totally not what I expected. I thought it would be a quiet cozy kind of a place. It is definately not an intimate setting. You hear everyones conversations which is kind of irratating after a while especially if you are celebrating a bday and want to speak to the people at your very own table. The food was good, however, extremely overprice and expensive. Our waitress was nice at first, after we paid the bill her demenor changed and she did not want to be bothered anymore. I thought that was super rude we left her a $50 tip so I think she should of been somewhat nice. I also dont understand why they feel the need to have fish and chicken on the menu if they are vegan/vegetarian. Ovrall the GZ is one of those places you visit once maybe twice in your lifetime.

Pros: good food, good location, very clean
Cons: expensive, small portions , rude staff

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upscale vegetarian

4 Posted on 03 / 07 / 2008

this is the kind of place i can bring my dad when he is in town-- upscale, not lit like a cafeteria, great service, small plates of fantastic and creative food. a lot like millennium in san francisco.

Pros: fantastic menu, professional staff, parent-friendly
Cons: 90s indiepop soundtrack was cloying

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Worth Every Penny

4 Posted on 01 / 08 / 2008

I have eaten vegan cuisine in about 45 states, and he Green Zebra is one of the best. Although it is not one of the cheapest, you get what you pay for. I've had about all the veggie burgers I can handle and Green Zebra offers a much needed upscale environment in the veg world.

Pros: you know the food is clean, explosions of flavor, no lip ring adorned waiters
Cons: higher prices, shorter menu, no lip ring adorned waiters