Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Mexican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. A small Mexican restaurant in the South Loop with a full bar and a separate vegan menu. NOTE: Reported to cook vegan items in shared oil with non-vegan items. Open Mon-Thu 11:00am-11:00pm, Fri 11:00am-1:00am, Sat 12:00pm-1:00am, Sun 12:00pm-10:00pm.
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Last update on 20 Oct 2019 by Guest
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Added by Vegan Vagabond on 25 Jan 2014
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32 Reviews
First Review by docpoet
bell272
Points +48
Good vegan menu! - Edit
SO had a chicken burrito and said it was very subpar but my vegan burrito was decent! They have a good selection! Ok if you’re in the area but not worth going out of your way
Read moreGuest
Bonke
Points +48
Very tasty and a great vibe - Edit
I really enjoyed eating my meal in La Cantina. The food was amazing and the place had a great vibe.
Read moreGuest
gymvegano
Points +431
WOW - simply - WOW - Edit
A separate vegan menu with access to dozens of delicious options.
Read moreTacos, chimichangas, burritos, quesadillas, and more.
We were so happy with the e food and the service.
Pros: Everything , Flavorful , Well-though vegan side menu
Guest
LEGirard
Points +172
Great Vegan Mexican Food - Edit
Wow! Wow! Wow! My wife an I are vegan and we have managed to find a few vegan Mexican restaurants and some that have some vegan options. This place blew our minds and pallets! They have vegan meats, beans, rice, and vegan cheese, as well as house made guacamole and salsa. We had chips, salsa, guac, “beef” enchilada, and “chorizo” chimichanga. Everything was very tasty and just like we remembered from before we were vegan. If we have time I’ll go back and order more so I can get pictures.
Read moreThe place is a very small “hole in the wall” type restaurant that looks like more of a bar. It did serve meat and dairy dishes, but it was packed with people, the service was great, and the vegan food fantastic.
Updated from previous review on 2023-10-10
Pros: Several vegan options and separate vegan menu, Very tasty (dare I say authentic), Good service
Cons: Very small, Gets crowded quick
Guest
Veggie46
Points +120
Delicious! - Edit
This place was great! Simple, delicious Mexican food. Service was super quick, even with the placed being packed. Wish they had better beer choices.
Read moreGuest
Ashvegan02
Points +180
Amazing food - Edit
Food is amazing here. It's a regular spot for me.
Read moreGuest
Jeremx
Points +40
Great vegan options for Mexican food - Edit
I got the "beef" chimichanga simply because I've never seen that as a vegan menu option anywhere and it didn't disappoint. Vegan beef, cheese, and sour cream. It came with a side of beans and rice which were both delicious. They had a whole sizeable portion of the menu dedicated to vegan options. Definitely recommended.
Read morePros: Food quality, Free chips and salsa, Hard to find vegan options
Guest
Tomn68
Points +11
Lots of vegan choices - Edit
They have a full vegan menu alongside the regular menu. Nice local vibe. Good was great. One knock on it was I thought the margarita was a bit lite on the tequila which seemed odd since they have quite the list of cocktails. I’d try it again though. Might go back tonight.
Read morePros: Has a vegan/vegetarian menu, Food was very good, Staff super nice
Cons: Margarita was a bit on the weak side and sweet
Guest
Vegan Vagabond
Points +4158
Best vegan nachos in Chicago - Edit
YMMV, but I really like how this place makes their nachos. Most places just pile up a bunch of tortilla chips and then dump the cheese, sauce, etc on top and run them to your table. This place piles up their chips, layers on the refried beans and cheese, **bakes them in the oven** and then layers on the sauce, veggies, sour cream, etc. This is how nachos are supposed to be made!
Read moreAnyway, their vegan section of their menu is large and varied, with plenty of options. The people are nice, the service is friendly, and the food is very good.
Guest
alisonmarie2214
Points +18
Amazing options, great for delivery and mixed company - Edit
I love that they have a giant separate vegan menu including vegan cheese and sour cream, beef, and chorizo, along with veggie based options for tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas, chimichangas, and even Chile rellenos. My favorite place to order as a treat-- try the stuffed quesadillas and mini chimichangas
Read morePros: Clearly labeled, separate vegan menu , Always deliver faster then estimated , Lots of options for everyone
Cons: A little pricey
Guest
SonjaBierschenk
Points +32
fast service and homey feel - Edit
I sat at the bar, the drinks and quesadilla were great!
Read morePros: lots of vegan options , large servings
Cons: crowded
Guest
KeithChavers
Points +46
Food was not very good. Horrible customer service by Luis. - Edit
My wife barely touched her food as she did not like it. She had gotten the vegan taco salad. The only thing that she pretty much had was half of the taco bowl taco shell. When it was time to pay, I asked for the taco bowl to not be charged as my wife didn’t like it and didn’t even touch it really. Luis then told us that it couldn’t be refunded and that he would be charged for the meal as we waited until we were done to tell him. The only reason that we waited to tell him was because he literally did not check on us during the entire time that we were eating at the restaurant. We then spoke with the manager who refunded us. I will not be revisiting this restaurant.
Read morePros: Cool that they had vegan options
Cons: Server did not check on us once we received food, Food was not very good.
Guest
krysteleal
Points +705
Awesome discovery! - Edit
I really liked thus restaurant. It’s a great place for a dinner with friends. A lot of vegan options... the quesadillas are delicious!
Read moreGuest
CLFORD
Points +90
I really enjoyed this! - Edit
This is a casual and Mexican restaurant and bar with a rustic feel. They have a separate Vegan menu. That vegan menu his a bit confusing because it lists “cheese, sour cream, ground beef and chorizo”, so I wondered if they were a bit confused on the definition of Vegan. Haha. 😂 The helpful waitress explained that everything on the vegan menu was really vegan and contained vegan alternatives. However those alternatives were soy based, and some people like me avoid soy.
Read moreThe oil they use to cook with is canola, which I generally avoid. Also the oil they cook in is also used with non vegan items which is a turn off for some.
The food tasted amazing and the potions were good.
Pros: Lots of Vegan options, Separate Vegan Menu, Helpful staff
Cons: The Vegan menu lists cheese, sour cream, beef etc, But those are actually vegan alternatives..., And those alternatives are mostly soy based..
Guest
JD1234
Points +108
Excellent - Edit
I had a Chimichanga with Chorizo and absolutely loved it. I didn’t realize how much I’d been missing cheese, sour cream and “meat” in my Mexican until I had this. You can only have so many veggie fajitas and guacamole before it gets old!
Read morePros: Vegan cheese, sour cream, chorizo and beef, Rice and Beans are vegan, Large portions
Cons: Cheese wasn’t melted (but still tasted great)
Guest
Chelsea724
Points +1110
really big meals!!!! - Edit
Friendly staff, vegan menu on the last page, staff knowledgeable about vegan items. The menu looks a little pricy but the portions are massive. It looked like three meals!!! I wish I had know and we would have shared a meal.
Read moreGuest
hellstothellama
Points +34
Best Mexican food ever - Edit
The food was amazing !!! I was shocked on how good it was !!!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Friendly staff, Fast
Guest
GlobalTravelingvegan
Points +158
The best vegan options ever - Edit
I have to admit their menu has greatly improved when it comes to vegan options. They actually have vegan tue to taste Mexican food. When I want good Mexican food being vegan this is my place to go, plus the sangria is good too.
Read moreGuest
allhess
Points +5812
So Many Vegan Options! - Edit
Wonderful. Can’t wait to go back the next time I am in Chicago!!
Read morePros: Delicious, Separate, full vegan menu, Friendly, knowledgeable staff
Guest
martint
Points +8548
Huge, HUGE portions - Edit
I would not call this place "mexican", rather "american" or "tex-mex". It has some mexican dishes, but its mostly burritos and guacamole, and due to the deco, for me, it lacks a truly mexican vibe.
Read moreAs to the food, they have a whole vegan page in their menu. The meals are almost the same as the non-vegan ones, but with swaps such as faux meat and vegan cheese (checked: not very good and it does not melt, as some other person commented here). The courses are okay, nothing extraordinary tasty but fair. Its huge advantage is the portion size. I had a taco salad (shared) and a burrito and it was the first time ever I was not able to finish my plate. It was way too big!
Pros: cheap for the size of the food, vegan menu, nice staff
Cons: not very creative food, far from center
Guest
PolkaDot
Points +44
AWFUL vegan cheese - Edit
A loud little restaurant with very nice service. Extensive vegan menu, although everything is pretty much the same fillings in different presentations. The ground beef was good, but cheese was awful; skip it at all costs
Read morePros: vegan menu
Guest
PaulShapiro
Points +230
Good vegan menu with plant-based meats and cheeses - Edit
I liked that you don’t have to ask for a separate menu. The vegan menu is part of the normal menu. I do wish the vegan options were spread throughout the menu rather than consolidated in the back page, but the food was quite good.
Read moreGuest
CaitlinJulia
Points +321
Full Vegan Menu - Lots of options! - Edit
I was really impressed by the selection available for vegans here. I had enchiladas with mole sauce with the beefless beef. Yum! I'd definitely come back here. Solid option in an area with few vegan options.
Read moreGuest
LeesaOlson
Points +62
Nachos - Edit
I had the nachos. It was good but they were skimpy on the vegan cheese. It took forever for them to ask is for our drink order.
Read moreGuest
Tamika
Points +40
Full Menu Vegan Options - Edit
Cute but small restaurant. Good service, my margarita was just ok. Wasn't a fan of the (soy) chroriso, but would definitely go back.
Read moreGuest
dmgriffin
Points +45
All Vegan Menu! - Edit
It's easy to miss the all vegan menu at La Cantina Grill, found on the back side of the regular menu. It includes vegan meats and cheeses in quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, salads and fajitas. My favorite is the vegan beef quesadillas. So good! Even the sour cream is vegan! Although this isn't an exclusively vegan restaurant, I eat here often and have never had any issue with the staff accommodating for vegans.
Read morePros: All vegan menu with plant-based meats and cheeses
Cons: Must be sure to clearly tell staff you want the ve
Guest
Thatgirlallie
Points +52
FIVE STARSSSS - Edit
This place is so amazing we've had it twice in a week and have considered moving to Chicago.
Read moreI came the first time after a pretty rowdy Chicago fire game so I thought perhaps it was a drunken fluke that I enjoyed the vegan mini chimichangas so much.
I've come back and happy to report just as amazing. Do not miss this place!!
They have an entire vegan menu - meats, cheeses, sour cream... it's vegan heaven.
Guest
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