The Black Vegan
Shelli · 64 Google reviewsThe Black Vegan — a vegan spot in Little Village. Owner-operated, vegetarian-friendly. Mateo Alvarado: "The ribs were delicious and crispy and the burger was seasoned divinely" [$$]
What 196 diners keep saying
What 196 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“AMAZING. Probably my fav spot since I came to visit Chicago. Its obviously a re-decorated La Michoacana but that doesnt take away from the atmosphere the owners have crafted and the waitress was super sweet and willing to explain the menu to us. We ordered one platter at first with 4pc ribs and their plant based burger with a side of Mac n cheese — amazing. The ribs were delicious and crispy and the burger was seasoned divinely. The Mac n Cheese?? It reminded my friend a little bit of stuffing flavour-wise. It was creamy, well seasoned, and well portioned. We had their strawberry cheesecake too, definitely recommend. We ended up ordering another platter with jerk sliders and bbq sliders and their Mac N Cheese again of course. Also delicious, the jerk dry rub had a little bit of a spice to it but nothing super spicy. Will definitely visit again if I come back to Chicago.”
“Good vibes and calm atmosphere. Fresh flavorful food. Wings were crisp to perfection. Spirit of service and community in restaurant.”
“I ordered the Christmas dinner bundle and it was fantastic. I've always wanted to go here and it did not disappoint. Also this dinner was extremely affordable. Their bbq ribs were out of this world. Amazing. The texture is what really impressed me. It was actually chewy and felt like eating ribs off the bone. I got their collard greens, mac n cheese, and a mini lemon cheesecake. All of it was so good! The cheesecake was great!”
“Sparkle is my fave 💜 the atmosphere was like a meditative movie scene and the food had my tastebuds doin da happy dance. i ordered the 290 Burger. thank you for this lovely experience!!! i will be back with friends <3”
“EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS I REALLY ENJOYED THE ENTIRE MEAL EVERYTHING I PURCHASED WAS DELICIOUS”
“I am giving The Black Vegan a solid 2.5 as the service was great, but the food completely missed the mark. We arrived about 6:20 pm on a Saturday and left at 7:07 pm. My son and I had just finished driving from Mpls, MN and Google returned this place as a top black owned vegan restaurant. We ordered the mac and cheese, Carolina gold lion's mane wings, oyster shrimp, 290 burger, lemon pepper fries with mild sauce (only ordered for the sauce and they forgot the sauce), and lemon cheesecake. The cheesecake flipped over in the bag, so that was inedible. The fries did not have sauce and when I pulled a fry out, there was a long white string/thread on it, so those were not eaten. The lion's mane wings were horribly undercooked, as were the oyster shrimp. I cut a piece of the burger and the mushrooms just looked wet, not cooked, and the burger was overcooked. One bite, I was done. The mac and cheese was ok. My son ate a few bites and did not care for it. I am super hurt this place did not work out because it was not cheap and it looks so good! Yes, I messaged them on IG, but it was a chat "invite" and the restaurant was already closed. 5.29.25 Update: Still NO response from owner or management, but they made sure to get their money. I should have disputed the charge, since the food was inedible and no one cared to reach out. The pictures tell the story.”
“Whoever is the new cook needs to be fired immediately! How is the mac cheese greasy and tasteless? Seriously. The portobello wings were swimming in sauce and soggy. The lions mane wings were overcooked. And I never received my icees. At least reach out to the customer if you are out of an item. I am in shock, the food is usually very good and I was super excited for a lackluster food experience.”
“Great casual vegan restaurant for sandwiches and drinks! The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is very welcoming. The owners clearly do a lot of vital community work and energy blacking in the space; it feels so peaceful. I think it’s definitely best to dine in. It’s a nice place to stop when going to the library across the street :)”
“AMAZING vegan southern comfort food! The flavors of the sauce were TASTY! Had the Spicy sauce with the lions mane wings & the Carolina Gold sauce with the tofu ribs. They were out of BBQ so this was a first with this sauce and I think she should add it to the menu cause it was FIRE! The Mac and cheese was rich, creamy & cheesy. Can’t wait to try EVERYTHING on the menu! :)”
“Very nice staff. Delicious food. Spacious dining area with a pleasant ambiance. I highly recommend!”
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