Vegan-friendly
Lacto
American
Italian
Beer/Wine
Latin
Vegetarian restaurant with eclectic menu featuring in-house-made seitan, fresh pasta, salads, sandwiches, local craft beers, wine and spirits. Many items can be made vegan upon request. Reported closed February 2023.
30 Reviews
First Review by Vegan Vagabond
happycowgirl
Points +6091
Great Vegan Food - Edit
Delicious food, friendly staff. Just go! You’ll love it.
Read moreGuest
Ekehner1
Points +195
Casual spot with delicious food - Edit
Great casual dinner with coworkers! Really tasty food in a laid back environment. Well marked vegan and gluten free options. Loved the tofu bugs and the sesame noodle salad. The mushroom calamari special lacked flavor, though—mostly just tasted “fried”
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-10-20
Pros: Almost all vegan, Delicious food, Great service, low-key atmosphere
Cons: Small cocktails
Guest
Davesw
Points +4836
Good, would come again. - Edit
The bahn mi sandwich was good, though I've had better elsewhere. I liked the chicken sandwich, but some component was too vinegary for my taste.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-10-02
Guest
MichellePecoraro
Points +160
Not Great - Edit
The chicken royale sandwich was tasty, but the fried green tomatoes were just ok. The carrot cake was not very good, the cake itself was too dense/dry and the frosting was way too thick and sugary and not cream cheese-based like you typically see in carrot cake
Read moreGuest
peteycards
Points +1832
Good takeout! - Edit
We got the po boy, chicken sandwich, garlic fries, and asian nuggets via takeout. Everything was quite tasty! Great option if you're in the area.
Read moreGuest
tomtheplantsman
Points +868
Does the Trick - Edit
A good choice in the neighborhood and I love supporting vegan spots, but people are right on the money when they say it’s a lesser version of Handlebar.
Read morePros: All vegan!
Cons: Better options nearby
Guest
Yvonne108
Points +172
Burger was cold, soup reheated? - Edit
Come in, place an order to go, sit, wait and drink, leave.
Read morePros: Vegan and veg options, Booze
Cons: Small menu, Minimal seating , No sit down ordering
Guest
patrickhdonges
Points +58
Houston, we have deliciousness. - Edit
Want a dope salad? They got it! Want a monster seitan sandy? They got it! Want something a bit lighter, a banh mi perhaps? Great food. Great drink selection (incl. non-alcoholic). You cannot go wrong. Oh, there's pinball too.
Read morePros: Everything can be made vegan., Garlic fries... Mmm, garlic fries.
Cons: Regular fries are just fine.
Guest
rkunish
Points +200
Poor Man's Handlebar - Edit
It's not bad at all, it's just nothing special. The atmosphere and menu both feel very similar to Handlebar nearby, except worse. The only reason to come here is if you wanted guaranteed seating, since Handlebar can get very busy. The menu also is pretty limited.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2020-07-07
Pros: Decent food
Cons: Not Handlebar, but it tries
Guest
Commensal
Points +108
Great first impression - Edit
The food was fantastic! The jibarito was amazing. The gyro was good if you like mushrooms. Next time I’ll try the po boy and update. There will be a next time. Soon. :)
Read moreGuest
SummerLee
Points +1677
- Edit
Wow, I have ordered take out here a few times via delivery apps it has been so great Everytime. Can not wait to visit the location. I can't wait to try it in person ❤️
Read moreGuest
VeganEmjoy
Points +151
This place is consistently great - Edit
I live here, I’m vegan, and this is one of my favorite restaurants. I’ve tried many, many options in chicago and this is the one I prefer to go to for the combination of the food, the atmosphere (the music) and the service. Now, I’m also a parent of a vegan child and I have only eaten here during brunch on weekends because of that so I can’t speak to evening hour service or atmosphere. Highlights on the menu for me are Cesarish salad, fried green tomatoes, and the cheesy Italian. My child gets the southern breakfast with tofu and inhales their kale. Items on the menu with eggs or cheese are vegan upon request. The “Bloodiest” is a great Bloody Mary with a fried green tomato on top. I also appreciate their cinnamon rolls when they actually have them.
Read morePros: No meat servedand Everything vegan upon request. , Good service and atmosphere
Cons: They don’t always have cinnamon rolls, Some people will mistake it as too hipster
Guest
Wyeth
Points +58
Just ok - Edit
Very similar vibe to Handlebar but in my opinion, not nearly as good. Do yourself a favor and head over to Handlebar instead.
Read moreGuest
QuincyJones
Points +18
It’s just OK - Edit
Had the beet burger as recommended by the server but it had little to no flavor. Otherwise its ok.
Read moreGuest
SallyJurcaMarianyi
Points +68
Awesome little place! - Edit
There were 4 of us that ordered 4 different meals and they all tasted amazing! Can’t wait to go back!!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Great beer menu, Very friendly staff
Guest
zackofshit
Points +18
lots of tofu dishes. very tasty vegetarian bar food. lots of dairy and breads - Edit
went here. ordered a beer. date ordered a cocktail. we ordered spicy mac and cheese. i ordered wasabi portabella sandwich. she ordered seitan parmesan eggplant sandwich
Read morePros: very flavorful, fun place
Cons: no raw options, lots of tofu and dairy
Guest
briannablack
Points +197
Amazing as always - Edit
This is one of my favorite vegan friendly restaurants in Chicago. Plus it’s affordable and you get a lot of food.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Good drinks , Great service
Guest
FoxxSau
Points +266
Major Tom would never leave Earth if he ate here - Edit
Ground Control has it all: vegetarian and vegan dishes, great cocktails, friendly staff. What more could you ask for?
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options
Cons: A bit pricey, but it’s Chicago...
Guest
Shadeygrrl
Points +18
Ground Control is out of this world! - Edit
We visited this restaurant/bar for the first time on 2/14/18 and were totally impressed by the food. We only had Buffalo Tofu 'wings', Stewed Seitan tacos, Baja Tacos and coffee. Everything was outstanding, fresh, delicious and VEGAN! Don't let the 'vegetarian' flag fool you, they are fully armed to feed your inner Vegan! We also had great service and I'm so sorry her name escapes me now, but I am sure the whole staff is just as cordial. Meat eater, vegetarian or vegan, TRY THIS PLACE! You will not be sorry! :P
Read morePros: Fresh flavorful food, Fast friendly helpful wait staff, Bar and pinball machines!
Cons: The lighting is a bit dark on the bar side, No free dessert, Nada : )
Guest
fondducoeur
Points +1167
Great Menu and Tasty Food - Edit
I wanted to try so many things at Ground Control, but my husband and I settled on the Nashville Hot Tofu with mashed potatoes and beer braised kale, the Banh Mi with mashed potatoes, and a Bloody Mary. We were pleased with all of it and the service was good. The beer braised kale was delicious, I definitely recommend getting it as a side. Also, the Bloody Mary was served with a fried green tomato that I loved; I will definitely be getting the fried green tomato appetizer next time.
Read moreEverything is vegetarian and most menu items have a vegan option. There are many more items I would like to try, particularly the Stewed Seitan Tacos and the Asian BBQ sandwich.
Pros: Great menu selection, varied and creative, Good service, All vegetarian, mostly vegan
Guest
CelticRogue
Points +28
Unique with many options - Edit
We followed a south of the Mason Dixon theme with fried green tomatoes, a po boy (portabello style), and the southern fried tofu (including garlic potatoes, greens, and gravy). The sandwich was an excellent choice, with the beer braised greens and gravy a near second. The rest was very good, but the breaded tofu needed a little more flavor. Service was attentive and friendly. Enjoyed sitting outside, though traffic was noisy at times. The neighborhood is a little edgy, so you may find yourself out of your comfort zone if not used to less gentrified locales. We will be back for another helping of po boys and delicious greens!
Read morePros: The po boy! A change of pace in Chicago scene.
Cons: They were out of all desserts the day we went.
Guest
LuluLovin
Points +50
Go here and then Rosa's Lounge for a great night out. - Edit
Me and my boyfriend weren't ready for how delicious this place is, completely unexpected from a bar. We got the wings with an asian barbecue sauce and were in awe, they were just so ridiculously good. We also got tacos and a soul plate, all incredible. We overheard the bartender say that the chef is having an off day and that the food might not be as great and we were like whaaaaa?!. If this was an off-day I wonder how delicious an on-day would be! The drinks were made in front of us with premium ingredients, very delicious and worth the money. The decor of the place is kinda punk rock, great ambience for a bar. Afterwards we crossed the street to check out the Blues Club called Rosa's Lounge and danced the night away. We still talk about how amazing Ground Control was and how we have to go back.
Read morePros: Amazing Food, Well Made Drinks, Punk Ambience
Cons: None
Guest
CMSDE
Points +126
Delicious! - Edit
Ground Control is in the same vein as Chicago Diner. Just guessing from the vibe, I'd put it in the old-school Chicago punk category of vegetarianism, as opposed to the hippie category and the lumpish ethnic or religious category. Chicago punk may be a small category, but I count it for something because this is Chicago, though we certainly appreciate the benefits provided by those operating restaurants in the other categories.
Read moreMy only experiences at Ground Control have been for brunch--or lunch with drinks, as I prefer to think of it because I've always had breakfast five or six hours earlier. Both the food and the cocktails are good. I wish the brunch menu were a little less diner-ish--that is, less fried--but I get that that's probably the idea. The beer-braised greens that come as a side choice are probably my favorite thing. I will definitely be going back, and I wish I lived in their delivery area.
Pros: Good food, Unpretentious
Guest
njhassinger945
Points +104
Great vegan options! - Edit
Dinner's there are wonderful and they have great desserts.
Read moreGuest
thevugbug
Points +24
Great vegan food! - Edit
We has gravy and biscuits, bbqd seitan sandwich, and their bloody Mary for brunch. Everything tasted great and the staff were helpful. I wish they had gender neutral restrooms.
Read morePros: Good vegan options, Fair prices, Knowledgeable staff
Cons: No gender neutral restrooms
Guest
Mcarlsonlane
Points +171
Food from planet earth - Edit
I have eaten at Ground Control! several times and loved it each time. It's a cool space with a fairly unique menu (ranging from housemade pasta to tofu taco creations). They offer many awesome tofu and seitan sandwiches (the Asian BBQ sandwich is my personal favorite). All in all, this is definitely one of my favorite newer veg restaurants in Chicago.
Read morePros: Nice variety on the menu, Unique menu items, Cool atmosphere
Guest
Lindsey
Points +115
Pretty good, would need to try again - Edit
The food my husband and I had here was delicious - mashed potatoes and a seitan sandwich. When we were here, they had no creamy vegan options - no vegan ranch for the vegan wings, only dairy-based ranch. The sandwiches we had had to be served without cheese since they did not have Daiya. I have heard that they did start supplying both of these things, so I guess I need to go back to check it out. The peanut butter chocolate cake we had for dessert was very tasty but not out-of-this world. It was just like a homemade cake. I can't complain too much though because I am very thankful that they offer vegan desserts. I gave this place a lower rating because I think they could offer more vegan options and bigger portions, especially since it was kind of price-y.
Read morePros: tasty food, vegan options, nice decor
Cons: small portions, expensive, not the best location
Guest
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