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312 Eats
Near North Side · $$

Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria

4.6630 reviews ·Opens at 12 Thu
I'm in Chicago to do vegan activism against the fur industry, we are currently targeting LVMH group and protesting all their stores countrywide, this place is close to were we are protesting, the restaurant is beautiful, the artist senkoe has beautiful artwork, it's the same artist that painted my previous favorite vegan restaurant, Charly's Vegan Tacos in Miami (which shut down on early 2021 unfortunately), and this restaurant Penelope's Vegan taqueria took it's place of my favorite Mexican vegan restaurant and definitely took a place in my favorite vegan restaurants in Chicago and in the US so far
Andres P.Andres P. · 106 Google reviews
Read the reviews on Google →

Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria — one of Near North Side's strongest vegan spots. Order the nachos. The space has a modern, polished edge, and solid veggie options. Rich K: "The customer service and the food were both phenomenal" [$$]

🌱Vegan & vegetarian friendly — real options, not one sad pasta.

What 630 diners keep saying

Fast serviceCozyTrendyFamily friendlyQuick biteGreat for groups
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230 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
Near North Side
Today12-9PM
Sun12-8PM
Mon–Tue12-9PM
WedClosed
Thu–Sat12-9PM
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What 630 diners keep saying

verbatim, from Google
Review photo by Momoreoluwa Del-Davidson
Jul 2026

Amazing! The chorizo taco was unforgettable, while the al pastor "meat" had zero taste. I was disappointed by that but the chorizo + rice and beans made up for it so no stars lost.

Momoreoluwa Del-Davidson

Momoreoluwa Del-Davidson

5 reviews on Google

Review photo by E
Jul 2026

The food and service were good. Luckily, it was not a long wait, and we were seated quickly. A good place to try if you're looking for something new or different.

E

E

63 reviews on Google

Review photo by Brett Lezon
Jul 2026

Absolutely delicious! The vegan tacos were packed with flavor and exceeded our expectations. We ordered takeout this time, but we can't wait to come back and dine in. Highly recommend to anyone looking for amazing vegan Mexican food!

Brett Lezon

Brett Lezon

63 reviews on Google

Review photo by Mariah Mckenzie
Jun 2026

Amazing mexican food! I got a housemade tepache to drink which was so refreshing and huge. To eat I had a taco platter. I got the carnitas taco which is made with pulled oats, it was incredible! I also tried the soy al pastor which was delicious too and the Baja which has fried avocado on it and mango salsa. The tacos came with a side of rice and beans which was delicious. I highly recommend coming here for some delicious eats. 😋

Mariah Mckenzie

Mariah Mckenzie

362 reviews on Google

Review photo by J Sgam
Jun 2026

I wasn't sure there was a need for a vegan taqueria, but I was wrong. These tacos were flavorful and creative. I was especially taken by the oat carnitas taco, which unexpectedly ended up being my favorite. But not just the meat substitutes, the salsas, additional veggies, and shells were also very good. Each bite on each taco was amazing. The elote was also tasty, we couldn't tell the cheese was vegan.

J Sgam

J Sgam

92 reviews on Google

Review photo by Jay Thee Creator
May 2026

The best food , service, and vibes !! i love this place down ✨️🫶🏾. Forever a costumer !

Jay Thee Creator

Jay Thee Creator

9 reviews on Google

Review photo by Sanket Gemawat (S2)
May 2026

One of the best taquerias! Great service. Delicious food, especially the chorizo taco and their salsa. I'll definitely be back to try the torta. Highly recommend.

Sanket Gemawat (S2)

Sanket Gemawat (S2)

62 reviews on Google

Review photo by Latrina Davis
Apr 2026

I tried their tacos for the first time and they were superb! The flavor was great, particularly the Al Pastor taco. Can't wait to order again.

Latrina Davis

Latrina Davis

134 reviews on Google

Review photo by Danny Schroeder
Apr 2026

Penelope’s is great! Food was amazing and I forgot it was vegan. Everyone was very friendly.

Danny Schroeder

Danny Schroeder

14 reviews on Google

Review photo by Heeren Patel
Feb 2026

Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria is hands down one of the best spots in Chicago — vegan or not. The food was absolutely incredible, and the experience was made even better by Michelle’s amazing service. She was so on point with her recommendations and made us feel completely taken care of from start to finish. The pineapple jalapeño margarita was chef’s kiss — perfectly balanced, flavorful, and not overly tart. It had just the right amount of kick and sweetness. The al pastor tacos and mushroom tacos were out of this world. The flavors were bold, perfectly seasoned, and honestly hard to believe they’re plant-based. The fries were bomb — crispy, flavorful, and addictive. Even the chips and salsa deserve a shoutout — the salsa was fresh, vibrant, and totally on point. If you’re in Chicago and looking for incredible Mexican food with outstanding service, Penelope’s is a must. We’ll absolutely be back!

Heeren Patel

Heeren Patel

15 reviews on Google

Review photo by Dhara Patel
Feb 2026

INCREDIBLE FIND!!! Michelle made us feel right at home and helped us order the best food!! The soy al pastor tacos, mushroom tacos, pineapple jalapeños margaritas and cucumber agua fresca was sooo delicious! It felt like being in Mexico City!

Dhara Patel

Dhara Patel

13 reviews on Google

Review photo by Michael Derr
Feb 2026

Food was spectacular. Delicious and portions were phenomenal. My number one pet peeve for vegan places are high prices and small portions, I was finally not disappointed here! We ordered the nachos, and taco dinner… 3 “pick your own” tacos it came with rice and beans. They had a lot of taco options and an entire Mexican menu on top of that. And yea, the whole menu is vegan, really happy with our experience, will definitely be returning to try everything else. 😋🌮

Michael Derr

Michael Derr

24 reviews on Google

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