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Vegan-friendly
Lacto
American
Organic
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Bakery
Vegetarian restaurant est. 2011 originally on Rogers St then moved to the square. Offers coffee and a variety of savory dishes such as lasagna, tofu-chicken, tempeh, and vege meatballs. Sunday is brunch. Hosts art shows, acoustic music, and poetry reading. Open Mon-Sat 11:00am-9:00pm, Sun 10:00am-2:00pm.
55 Reviews
First Review by Sprout
Owlsdocry
Points +50
Best place for brunch in Bloomington! - Edit
While I've enjoyed all the dishes I've tried at The Owlery, there are three dishes that reign above all the others:
Read more1. the vegan biscuits and gravy
2. the coconut macadamia tofu
3. the vegan poutine (FYI: I noticed the current menu mentions cheese curds and doesn't mention a vegan option, but I've ordered vegan poutine several times and highly recommend it, unless something has changed since my last visit.)
Their weekend brunch is very popular (because it's amazing) and there's often a long line to get in. If possible, I recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before they open on brunch days.
Updated from previous review on 2020-01-10
Pros: vegan biscuits and gravy, coconut macadamia tofu, vegan poutine
Cons: long wait for brunch, a bit more geared toward vegetarians than vegans
Guest
ksolo5245
Points +141
Meh - Edit
I’ve eaten here a few times and I usually get the greens and Mac n cheese with whatever I order. The greens are pretty good but the Mac is okay. My husband ordered the poutine with vegan cheese, the gravy was overtly salty and the fries were over cooked. I had a side of mash with gravy and, it too, was over salted and kind of hard. We’ve decided not to eat here again, since we keep having a poor food experience. The people are nice though. 🤷🏾♀️
Read morePros: Mostly vegan, Good greens, Open late
Cons: Most of the menu is mediocre, at best
Guest
BrandySchm07
Points +194
Everything is good! - Edit
As a vegan, I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful restaurant so close to my work! I haven't had one thing here that wasn't delicious. My favorites are the pierogis, the BLT, and the mac n' cheese. If you're looking for vegan comfort food, you won't be disappointed.
Read morePros: Great flavors, Super friendly staff, Comfort food
Cons: All options are pretty heavy
Guest
AmiGieselman
Points +36
A gem of an eatery - Edit
Stopped by for lunch based on previous reviews. Did not disappoint!
Read morePros: Lots of options for vegetarians and vegans!, Great tasting food, Wonderful service
Guest
Amlkelly
Points +85
Vegan comfort food, amazing brunch - Edit
Brunch on Sunday is the best in town. Waiting and wishing that they would go completely vegan (some options have honey, dairy, or egg). Desserts are dry and not as good as other places in town.
Read morePros: One of the few vegetarian restaurants in town, Great brunch
Cons: Expensive for what it is, Desserts not great
Guest
allhess
Points +5727
Best of the Best - Edit
The Owlery is a gem. Diverse and tasty menu - nachos, poutine, salads, tacos, sandwiches, DESSERT... Don’t miss Sunday brunch!
Read morePros: Cool atmosphere, Affordable, Great menu
Cons: Wish The Owl was vegan!
Guest
gillejac0
Points +20
Amazing - Edit
Every time I go here the food is so ****ing good. The prices are spot on too. Vegan comfort food at its best.
Read morePros: Amazing, Priced well
Guest
peanutbutterandjolie
Points +63
Makes Btown Vegans Happy - Edit
I have tried much of the menu at this point and it has always been great. Their mock meat recipes are fantastic. Some of the Southern/homey dinners are super filling so I have leftovers. I crave their nachos a lot, and the vegan sour cream is on-point. The sweet potato fries... The quesadilla... Oops, am I salivating?
Read morePros: Whole menu is vegan or can be vegan, High quality, Healthy options and comfort food
Guest
kgleason
Points +81
Love this place - Edit
This has quickly become one of my favorite places to eat in Bloomington. Almost everything on the menu can be made vegan (maybe everything). My go to is the BLT (add avocado) and the sweet potato fries are some of the best in town (perhaps the best). I’ve tried a bunch of things in the menu and enjoyed all of them. The nachos, with that cashew queso, are an absolute must-have.
Read morePros: Almost everything can be made vegan (perhaps all), Cashew queso, Beer
Cons: It’s a small space, and it can get crowded.
Guest
SmithsFan
Points +233
Amazing meal. Loved coconut tofu starter and Cobb salad. Many vegan options - Edit
Great food and service
Read morePros: Variety
Cons: Too many options so hard to choose
Guest
wseeds
Points +17
Great Food - Edit
It was lunch time and I ordered the Reuben sandwich & sweet potato fries.. It was delicious & filling. Service by Eebee (phonetic spelling since she did not volunteer it) was outstanding & she was very attentive. She answered all of my questions with a smile since it was my first time there. Later, I had the dinner of fried tofu & mashed potatoes. This was also very flavorful & filling. It was in walking distance of the Hyatt. I ate inside but there is an outside eating area. The desserts were displayed by the checkout area. I tried the Pecan Pie bar. It was not too sweet & very decadent.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Great value, Relaxed & friendly atmosphere
Guest
StephanieMarkowitz
Points +107
Vegan mayo and ranch! - Edit
I was so excited when visiting that my Omni friend brought me here, she had heard great reviews. I had the BLT and was excited to learn mayo and ranch are vegan as well. Sweet potato fries were incredible and I wish I could eat through the whole menu.
Read morePros: All veg, Fair prices , Great staff
Guest
Lomky
Points +621
Still Remembering the Meals Months Later! - Edit
I visited here last summer on a conference trip, and I still rave to people about the perogis. I would love to have a place this great in my hometown. Definitely stop in!
Read morePros: Delicious Meals, Vegan Desserts, Nice vibe
Guest
brooke____bear
Points +110
Nice - Edit
I came here with my mom around 4:00pm on a Tuesday. It was not busy at all, and the service was pleasantly fast. We ordered some nachos, a BLT, and a Veggie Club with sweet potato fries. The servers were knowledgeable about veganism and very polite, and our overall experience was good. Also, for the non-binary people out there, this place has a very friendly and welcoming bathroom policy.
Read morePros: Good food, Everything can be made vegan, Nice seating area
Guest
rehtaeh
Points +23
Worth the trip! - Edit
When burned out on the vegan options available in Indianapolis, I'll drive down to Bloomington for something different. The Owlery always hits the spot. Can't go wrong with their tofu fish tacos, tofu chicken sandwich, and cashew queso dip. Also, don't sleep on Sunday brunch! Their homemade biscuits and mushroom gravy with TVP sausage is great. And I don't even like mushrooms so that speaks volumes (to me)!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-04-11
Pros: Plenty of Vegan Options, Large Portins (Great for Sharing!), Cute Atmosphere
Cons: Hard to Find Parking (during IU Events)
Guest
LauraBaker
Points +24
Love Love Love - Edit
One of my favorite places to eat in B-town. Definitely worth checking out! Numerous vegan options.
Read moreGuest
KatieB
Points +449
Charming location with awesome poutine! - Edit
Better poutine than the Chicago Diner serves! While the seating could be a little more comfortable, the menu choices were fun and the pierogies were delicious. I didn't love the mac'n'cheese, which was too noochy, bug I'll be checking this place out again for sure. There's a lot I would love to try.
Read moreGuest
vegan_ryan
Points +3865
Simply amazing - Edit
This place is great! It baffles me that they aren't all-vegan, when they have so few non-vegan items.
Read moreThe flavor and quality of the food is very good, and you get a LOT of food. I eat a lot, but I had to ask for a box to take some of it with me.
We shared the biscuits & gravy and This American Brunch. Both were great and had a lot of food. Great experience.
Pros: No meat, Good food
Cons: Portions overly-generous
Guest
kaduhacissej
Points +120
So good, we went twice in one day! - Edit
I could not wait to eat here during a trip to Bloomington, and was not disappointed! For lunch we started off with the poutine (swapped in vegan cheese) and thoroughly enjoyed it until the sogginess set in, but I guess you'll have that with poutine. I ordered the bbq seitan sandwich, and I believe husband got the tempeh reuben. I was thoroughly in love with my bbq sandwich. For dinner, husband ordered the pierogis with various toppings, and I had the fish (tofu) tacos. We both liked our lunch selections better, but still devoured dinner, because tacos and pierogis! This is the only place I've seen offer vegan pierogis so far. We cannot wait for another trip to B-Town so we can go back!
Read morePros: bbq seitan, vegan pierogis, owl decor
Cons: So far away
Guest
BeardedSteven
Points +17
Good food. Decently priced. - Edit
Recently went for the first time and I'll go back for sure. Get the poutine! I had a tofu BLT that I really liked a lot. The non-veg husband had grilled cheese. He didn't like it because it had spinach in it. :) But it looked good to me. The menu is heavy on the fake meat stuff("bbq sandwiches" "Philly cheesesteak" type of things). I don't eat that at home a lot. But it's a nice option when eating out.
Read moreThey also have a decent beer selection, I had cider on tap the day I was there.
Pros: good selection, decently priced, vegan options
Guest
k3lly
Points +20
yummy!! - Edit
We went here for Sunday brunch. We were just riding through and a little research led me to The Owlery. If you are in or near Bloomington you must stop by. I had the tofu scramble which was tasty. My husband had the basic American breakfast. The pancake was better than any I have had. We will definitely be back on our next ride through.
Read moreGuest
Poundie
Points +14968
Really nice place - Edit
This eatery has the atmosphere of a student restaurant, but on a relatively higher side. The atmosphere is relaxed, the decor is simple, and the food is simple but good. The have tasty sandwiches and similar fare, with plenty of vegan and gluten free options. Portions are once sized, and the prices are reasonable.
Read morePros: tasty food, good price and portions
Cons: not fancy or gourmet
Guest
jessgrif
Points +230
Great food, OK Service - Edit
The service is really hit or miss here, but they make up for it with the food.
Read moreEverything is pretty tasty. I recommend getting a side of mayo for dipping your fries - and if you get sweet potato fries I recommend getting a side of buffalo sauce.
It's great that non-veg people love the Olwery too!
One thing to be careful about is to be very clear if you want vegan cheese. The default is dairy and it sucks to have to send something back. If you're not sure if something comes with cheese (for example, I didn't know the chicken parmesan sandwich would have cheese, I didn't specify, and had to send it back because it had dairy).
So when in doubt, mention vegan cheese.
Pros: All vegetarian
Cons: Hit or miss service, serves dairy cheese on accident a lot
Guest
vegankiddo
Points +76
I love it so much, I have the T-shirt - Edit
The Owlery is so good. The decor is super cute and the food is delicious veg comfort food (with plenty of gluten free options). The poutine seems to be a big hit, and I found it to be quite tasty. I had the BLT on gluten free bread and it was really good. Also, they have beer on tap!
Read morePros: Delicious food, Friendly staff, Beer on tap
Guest
SarahMichelle
Points +28
Vegan Heaven - Edit
I could go on for days about how much I love this restaurant. My husband, daughter and I eat here at least twice a week and we always have a hard time deciding what to order because everything on the menu is amazing. There is a lot of fried/ comfort food, but there are healthier options too. My favorite dinner item is the Grilled Tempeh Chimichurri.
Read moreThe Fish & Chips are ridiculous: brilliant and delicious. They make everything. If you order a BLT it is a thin pressed piece of tofu with their fantastic flavoring, not some premade mock meat. It is incredible. Any "chicken" is a seasoned, breaded tofu that my husband has been trying to replicate at home for months. The ranch dressing... They need to sell it by the bottle. I beg for the recipe pretty often.
Brunc,. I hesitate to mention it. We already get their before they open so we don't have to wait for a table. I make pretty good tofu scramble, but theirs is amazing. I look forward to it all week. The pancakes are a buttery masterpiece. The fried potatoes are wonderful. My husband loves their biscuits and gravy.
Nearly every time I am there I see someone who is not veg express surprise and enjoyment over their meal. It makes me so happy to see a restaurant opening people's minds and palates to vegetarian food.
You have to leave room for dessert. The cupcakes by Lisa of Rainbow Bakery, are the most delicious, creative and beautiful dessert you have ever tasted. They would fool any non-vegan. I thought Sticky Fingers in DC was the pinnacle of vegan cupcakes. Lisa seriously puts them to shame. If the Salted Carmel or Coconut Basil are available, buy them!
I adore the staff. They are all such kind, helpful people.
My omnivore friends and family really enjoy eating here too. We always bring our out of town visitors.
I am moving in a couple months and when I think of leaving The Owlery behind, it nearly brings me to tears. This place is a gem. It has been the best part of living in Bloomington.
Now I want their Fried Tomato BLT and some sweet tea!
Pros: Amazing Food, Great variety, creative specials, CUPCAKES!
Cons: None, I can't eat there everyday
Guest
Vegan Family
Points +43
Good food and Good Service - Edit
Drove the hour from Columbus IN to Bloomington this last Sunday and had a great meal with the family. My son and tofu chicken fingers with buffalo sauce which he enjoyed but didn't like the thick breading as much (he's 4) Wife had the Rueben which was divine. I had the BLT which was very good but I think I'll try the cheesesteak next time. We also shared a cob salad and stole some of our son's buffalo sauce which really set of the salad. Had lots of left overs but it was oh so good. We plan to come back again.
Read morePros: Atmosphere, Choices, Kid's Menu
Cons: long drive
Guest
alllifeissacred
Points +74
Heavy on meat substitutes but still really goid - Edit
Title says it all about the food. I recommend the meatless Ruben or the perogies. I love the condiments u can get with the perogies
Read moreThe services and costumers are friendly and more enlightened than the normal. The crowd seems almost a bit hipster but definitely cool.
Pros: Tasty food, Friendly service, Convenient location
Cons: Not too many dishes without meat substitutes
Guest
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