| "One of The Best In Chicago"
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My Rating |
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162 |
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Posted on: Sunday, October 18, 2009 |
Review: I've had my ups and downs with Karyn's Cooked (a fully Vegan restaurant) in the past, but I think it's definitely been on an upside for me lately. There are many good things on the menu including but not limited to the jerk tofu sandwich (yum), mashed potatoes (very good), cookies (best in Chicago), fried cauliflower appetizer (OMG!), bread pudding (wow), burger, meatball sandwich, etc. If you have a Vegan friend from out of town and are looking for a good place to take them, this is a definite place to go. It's also well decorated and not your typical "hippie-type" (as my bf refers to Vegan restaurants) Vegan restaurant. And yes, my non-vegan friends love this place, so be sure to try it!
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
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| "Love at First Bite!"
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My Rating |
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26 |
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Posted on: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 |
Review: I went to Karyn's Cooked for the first time two weekends ago and a couple of my omnivore family members decided to tag along. Let me just say that it was so fantastic that they insisted on driving back (4 hours) this past weekend.
My absolute favorites are the Fried Broccoli Basket, the Jerk Tofu (And I'm not a tofu fan, but both the sandwich and the wrap are delicious! If you're sensitive to spicy foods ask for light jerk sauce. If you love spicy, ask for extra!), the carrot cake, the chocolate chip cookies, and the bread pudding (it's a must!).
The Southern Comfort (flavorful beans & greens w/o meat!), Falafel, Homestyle Meatloaf, the Flautas, and the double carob cake were all very good. Excellent seasoning and spices on the meatloaf.
The taco salad was ok. There was something missing or off with the ground soy, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly. If you like the taste/flavor of coffee, you'll love the tiramisu cake.
My companions loved the Grilled Portobello Mushroom sandwich, the fried mushroom basket, the Vegan Pizza, and the Bruschetta.
All of the food (on all three days) was fresh and beautifully presented. The portions were large enough to share and to take home for the next day's lunch or dinner; a great value. Service was excellent and friendly. The restaurant is small with a very warm ambiance. Perfect for dates, lunch/dinner for a few, or lunch/dinner alone. Reservations are suggested for weekend dinner.
Pros: Excellent vegan food * Excellent value; large portions * friendly staff; open late
Cons: * * |
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| "Best Downtown Vegan"
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My Rating |
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2 |
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Posted on: Friday, September 11, 2009 |
Review: If you want serious vegan food or a hearty raw option downtown, this is your best bet. Karyn's Cooked has a great brunch too! The menu is huge and full of amazing dishes and the atmosphere is more stylish than your typical veg joint, but not too fancy. They also have a good wine list and great raw desserts! The menu has lots of good options for those a bit scared of veg cuisine such as chili, burger, sloppy jo, pizza, etc, so you can feel confident taking veg skeptics here. The website is great, so you can get a good look at the menu and some pix before you go.
Pros: tasty food * raw options * good atmosphere
Cons: slower service * * |
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| "An excellent brunch experience!"
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My Rating |
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19 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 |
Review: We went there for brunch, so the menu was limited compared to what they would normally serve. We shared the skillet scramble and the tofu quesadilla. Both were excellent, very filling, and really well presented. In hindsight, we might not have gotten 2 dishes that were quite that tofu heavy...it might have been better to mix it up a little. The place was cool, was busy, and the service was very friendly. As out of towners we were a little confused as we had associated Karyn's with a raw restaurant, but it turns out the raw place is at a different location.
Pros: Good food * Good ambiance * Good location
Cons: Brunch menu is limited * * |
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| "Delicious!"
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My Rating |
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3 |
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Posted on: Monday, March 16, 2009 |
Review: A great vegan island in downtown's meat-heavy landscape. The food is delicious (my omni friends love it), the decor is modern and clean, and the prices are reasonable (for downtown). The service can be a little slow, but what's the hurry? Their bread pudding is to die for and only $3.
Pros: great food * *
Cons: slowish service * * |
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| "Best vegan food in the city!"
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My Rating |
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10 |
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Posted on: Friday, February 13, 2009 |
Review: I love this place! We had the vegan pizza and it's the best pizza I've ever had...tons of veggies and the soy cheese was perfect! We also had a basket of fried veggies which was awesome of course! The carob cake was a lil dry but overall the meal was excellent!!
Pros: Excellent Food * Large Variety of Foods * Amazing pizza
Cons: * * |
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| "Great experience"
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My Rating |
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14 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 |
Review: I recently ate at Karyn's and can't rave enough about the place. I had a lot of trouble deciding what to order because everything on the menu sounded amazing. They even gave me some free samples to help make the decision. I ended up ordering the raw plate and it was great. The postion size was too much for one person but I managed to eat most of it anyway. A word to the wise: some of their raw desserts have honey in them, so be sure to ask!
Pros: Great food * Helpful staff * Good value
Cons: No parking * "Vegan" desserts have honey * |
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| "One of the best!"
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My Rating |
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13 |
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Posted on: Sunday, December 28, 2008 |
Review: First of all, I love Karyn's. The food is always incredible, the atmosphere isn't bad, and they have my favorite wine, 7 Deadly Zins. With that said, I've been here a number of times for brunch, lunch, and dinner and have never left disappointed. My only beef (no pun intended) is with the service I receive. I definitely consider this to be hit or miss. I've had one or two terrific experiences while the rest I care to forget about (or wish I could). They weren't attentive or particularly friendly either. Nothing to right home about. Fortunately what the wait staff lacks, the food makes up for. Try the fried broccoli, 7 deadly zins, and any entree. You won't be disappointed! I consider this to be a bargain for what you're getting.
Pros: Delicious! * Well priced. * Ummm...delicious?
Cons: Hit or miss wait staff. * Can be quite a wait at times. * |
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| "Good, but not super great"
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My Rating |
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6 |
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Posted on: Sunday, December 21, 2008 |
Review: I went here with a vegetarian friend and an omni friend and we all enjoyed our food. The waiter was friendly. I did however find it odd that the restaurant billed itself as vegan, but one of the drink specials was mead i.e. HONEY, which I confirmed with the waiter. Even as a vegan who avoids, but doesn't give much thought to honey, this bothered me quite a bit.
I was pleased with my experience, and it was close-ish to where I was staying, but there are better and more interesting veg restaurants in Chicago. I would appreciate this place far more in almost any other city.
Pros: good, but expensive desserts * friendly, good atmosphere *
Cons: honey * * |
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| "The Good About Karyn's Cooked...."
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My Rating |
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11 |
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Posted on: Monday, September 01, 2008 |
Review: I have ate at Karyn's 3 separate times
and after reading some reviews and some thought.....
I am very appreciate of Karyn's Cooked for the many menu selections, meals that aren't too extravagant (but they don't need to be.) The liberal use of mock meat makes it a GREAT place to take your meat-lovin' friends to show them they can eat something that didn't require the slaughter of an animal and enjoy it.
Another thing I like is the decor; clean and simple compared to many veg-places I've been to across the USA-- which have a grungy-feel, hippy appeal with random-odd-art all over the walls (unless it is an Indian/ Ethiopian restuarant). Sometimes it comforting to find food I enjoy in an environment I am comfortable in. Karyn's is a place I can take my grandma, boss or co-workers, or my girlfriend without having to beg.
However, one thing is true.. I cannot recall ever having good service at Karyn's Cooked, whether lunch or dinner, whether crowded or not. The waiter seemed uninterested and too preoccupied (and not with other customers).
Pros: Food Selection * Ambiance/ Decor * Omnivore's Love It
Cons: Service * * |
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| "Southern comfort food not so comforting"
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My Rating |
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12 |
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Posted on: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 |
Review: The food at Karyn's tastes okay, but I didn't see many healthy options. The menu seemed to consist of things normally found at a steak and rib joint, but "veganized" for the non-meat eaters. Good place to get some comfort food once in a while, but I couldn't eat there regularly. The 'slab of ribs' were your typical seitan drowned in bbq sauce, and the mac & 'cheese' was overcooked and cold. A disappointment since I go out to dinner to eat foods I can't make at home, and a child could have made this. The night we were there, it looked like there was only one waiter for the entire place, but then again, the place is small. We thought about getting desert, but the waiter disappeared, so we left.
Pros: * *
Cons: boring food * unattentive & unfriendly staff * |
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| "Very good food"
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My Rating |
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7 |
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Posted on: Friday, August 22, 2008 |
Review: Went with an omnivore (who wimped out with the falafel). I had the Thai Skewers for an appetizer, the slab of ribs for an entree and (since I couldn't decide) the coconut cream and lemon creme pie for desserts! Wonderful. Even my friend tried it all and said it was "interesting".
Service was wonderful and very knowledgeable, food was great.
Pros: vegan * close to hotel * desserts
Cons: * * |
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| "Thumbs up"
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My Rating |
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34 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 |
Review: I had great service here, though I ate in the non-peak afternoon. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere very nice. Save room, the dessert was outstanding!
Pros: Excellent food * good service * Great dessert!
Cons: * * |
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| "VEGANS BEWARE"
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My Rating |
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1 |
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Posted on: Saturday, July 12, 2008 |
Review: The sign on the door says vegan. My meal arrived, assured by the waiter that it was vegan. The "cheese" tasted good so I asked how they made it---the waiter told me what brand it was---THEN OFFERS HIS APOLOGY THAT IT HAD CASEIN IN IT--As A vegan, I wouldnt trust them again
Pros: * *
Cons: lied about being vegan * * |
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| "Best vegan restaurant in chicago"
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My Rating |
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5 |
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Posted on: Sunday, April 06, 2008 |
Review: We stayed at the fantastic Sofitel Chicago Water Tower hotel recently, and found virtually no veggie options at their restaurant. Very thankfully, "Karyn's Cooked" was walking distance from the hotel. Superb food, just delicious, huge menu, beautifully presented food, great smoothies & desserts, large serving sizes, amazingly friendly & attentive staff, clean, & great ambiance. We were so impressed with the extensive range and quality of food, we had 7 out of 9 possible meals there during our stay in chicago! We would have had the other 2 there if they weren't closed on easter sunday! A meal including starter, main course and smoothie was about $15-18 each. Would pay that quite happily because it was just that great! The tables/chairs/place settings were very basic, but everything else was so fantastic, it really didn't matter! They opened for brunch/lunch at 11 am, and shut around 10pm, which was perfect for us. Overall, it's tied it at first place in our books, along with the infamous "Il Margutta" restaurant in Rome.
Pros: Excellent food * Superb Staff * Good value
Cons: No significant cons * * |
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| "Love this restaurant!"
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My Rating |
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2 |
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Posted on: Friday, January 18, 2008 |
Review: I have eaten here several times since I've been in Chicago, and I've enjoyed everything I had.
Tip: save room for dessert! Try the French Silk pie... it's absolutely divine! Their veg comfort food type options, like the sloppy joe, are great; other dishes are unique and you can't get them anywhere else (that I know of), like the stuffed eggplant.
I've taken several non-veges here, and they all left happy. My meat-lover friend loved the pasta with "meat" sauce so much he said he couldn't believe it was vegetarian.
Pros: great food * nice atmosphere *
Cons: slow service at times * * |
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| "Service is terrible, food was bland"
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My Rating |
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1 |
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Posted on: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 |
Review: I have been to Karyn's cooked twice. Both times the service was horrible. The food wasn't to memorable. Menu was overpriced. The staff was not knowledgeable. I will not go back.
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
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| "Trust the Gr8Vegan! This place rocks"
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My Rating |
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304 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 |
Review: So the service is not the best. Here's the trick I've noticed people doing. CALL AHEAD for carry out and then eat it at the bar :) The pizza and lasagna are fantastic and so is the soup. We had great desserts here. The service has been slow each time, but its walking distance from most hotels on Michigan Ave. Its seriously a must hit for Chicago vegans. Don't let the reviews turn you away. Its at the top of my "if I could eat anywhere right now in the world where would I go"
Pros: lasagna * soup * dessert
Cons: slow! * * |
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| "Avoid at all cost!"
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My Rating |
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4 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 |
Review: Even though the reviews were mixed i decided to try Karyn's anyway. IT WAS HORRIBLE. Unoriginal, plain, boring food. Thank God they serve liquor so at least you can drink until the food taste palatable. [edited- see terms]
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
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| "Loved it"
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My Rating |
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21 |
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Posted on: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 |
Review: The food was excellent. And (wait for it....) the service was absolutely fine. One waiter was so enthusiastic about our food choice I thought he was going to start kissing me on the mouth.
Don't miss the pecan pie. We also loved the lasagne, the spaghetti and "meatballs" and the bruschetta. The pizzas are pretty good too.
Pros: Great food * Vegan pizza *
Cons: * * |
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| "Wonderful food"
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My Rating |
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Posted on: Thursday, July 12, 2007 |
Review: I completely agree with several of the reviews in that the service is really poor. The waiters are not knowledgeable about the food or wine selection, and they are very slow in returning to the table. I also made reservations and arrived to find that their was no table for me. I had to wait almost 20 minutes for a table. I have no complaints, however, about the food. My fiance and I have tried several things on the menu and have yet to be disappointed! If you want a more casual atmosphere and equally great food, go elsewhere. Otherwise, Karyn's is a great downtown option.
Pros: Great food * Nice atmosphere *
Cons: Slow service * Lack of menu knowledge * Limited seating |
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| "Karyn's Cooked"
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My Rating |
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Posted on: Thursday, July 12, 2007 |
Review: While the menu is diverse, it depends heavily on faux meat and is not creative. I ordered the chili, pizza and a snowball. The chili was spiced well but chalk full of TVP. There were few natural beans and vegetables. Healthy Vegans do not stuff their bodies with an excess of fake meat, it is difficult to digest. The cornbread was dry and unoriginal. Pizza was edible but disappointing. The crust was sort of like two wheat tortillas cooked together, topped with wilting veggies, and there was hardly any caisin cheese to balance the ingredients, and make it pizza. I did appreciate the pizza sauce however. Meanwhile the atmosphere was contradictory to anything comfortable, healthy, pro-vegetarian/vegan or environmental. The dessert, a round sweet full of carob, walnuts I think, peanut butter, sesame, was very heavy and not that great. In all, the service was not nice, food was mediocre and the environment that would hope to support the service and food, sucked.
Pros: Rare Alternative * Good Location * Nice Desert Selection
Cons: Overpriced * Staff * Ambiance |
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| "Amazing food, so-so service"
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My Rating |
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98 |
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Posted on: Friday, April 20, 2007 |
Review: I've been to Karyn's Cooked three times and had superb food every single visit. Try the lasagna or the green enchiladas or the homemade soy milk and cheesecake. However, the service has been mediocre at best. Waiters are slow and inattentive and occasionally rude or curt. One time I waited over 45 minutes for my food without anyone telling me that the oven was malfunctioning. And the restaurant had only two customers in it! They did compensate me with a free dessert, but the service should be much better, considering the higher prices and food quality of the place.
Pros: Superb food * Good portions * Location
Cons: Poor service * * |
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| "The Best Vegan Dining in Chicago"
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My Rating |
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1 |
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Posted on: Monday, November 13, 2006 |
Review: Having been to Chicago a few times and eaten at most all of the vegan places this is definitely the best food around. The service was great although not all of the staff was fully versed on the menu; they were very willing to get the answers for you though! I ate half of my meals here during my stay and thoroughly enjoyed every one of them!!
Pros: Great Food * Great Portions * Great Staff
Cons: Portions too large * * |
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