Mana Foodbar

Consistently over many years this has been the best vegetarian restaurant in Chicago. I've been here so often I almost know the menu by heart, which can be a curse because the menu does not change that much and sometimes leaves me wanting something different, but I keep coming back. I went here with a vegan once and there were plenty of selections, but most were quite spicy, so there in the future maybe they will balance that out a little. The creamy mushrooms with polenta are one of my favorite all time dishes. I always get the rice noodles with curry. Sliders are fun a few times.

An excellent find in terms of food and ambience. They have quite a lot of warm and cold small plates. Good collection of drinks, as well as desserts. Although the space is pretty small, and accommodates a small crowd, the food is excellent. The service is good, and fast. Highly recommended to reserve a table since the wait can be long, especially for large groups. The baked goat cheese, mushroom saute and gnocchi are highly recommended. The devil's backbone is a fun spicy drink to try, for those who like serrano peppers.

We've gone before and after renovations in winter, spring, summer and fall. Nice to sit outside during the warmer months otherwise it's a quaint little place with a bar and just a few tables. Their Chicago Restaurant Week dinner menu for $33 offered five courses including vegetarian and vegan options (and they've extended it)! Their salads are fantastic and we love their sesame noodles and dumplings!

Mana is a great restaurant with a nice patio. I love that their menu has helpful notations for gluten-free and vegan. I highly recommend the spicy tofu, their homemade pickles, and their juices. Really, I've enjoyed everything I've had here (been multiple times). At times their host stand and wait staff can be a bit short on courtesy when it comes to seating as Mana is almost always packed. Also, I wish they were open earlier in the day to enjoy the patio.

Five years ago, I would have rated this restaurant 5 stars. The food was delicious, the ambience was great, and the staff were very attentive. In the 5 years since I first visited, I have noticed that I enjoyed fewer and fewer items on the menu. I recently visited this past weekend, and I was only really enthusiastic about the mushroom sliders, which have been consistently great. It seems that Mana has removed a lot of the menu items that were exceptional. The ambience and service are still great, and the ample seating (with outdoor patio) is definitely a plus.