Handlebar

Recommends

chicagobassist

Joined 3 years ago

I love this place!. This place comes closes to making up for the vegetarian restaurants I miss so much in New York. The food is not just vegetarian, but creatively and expertly cooked. The service is extremely fast AND pleasant. (Chicago Diner..are you reading this??) The atmosphere is relaxed and hey... it's all about bicycles! They certainly knew how to win this veggie biker's heart! Keep up the great work.

Recommends

bontron

Joined 4 years ago

I'm not even a vegetarian.. I recommend this place to vegetarian friends for 2 stand-out reasons: 1) vegetarian chorizo. If I ever, for some reason, became a vegetarian, I think the meat I would miss most would be chorizo. Mexican, not Spanish. But real chorizo is so greasy and probably pretty bad for you. This has the flavor without the artery clogging. 2) smoked gouda mac n cheese. I'm not usually a mac n cheese kind of girl, really. I usually avoid pasta altogether. I find it bland... but not this. This is genius. Smoky, salty, creamy. Try it. These two things alone will bring me back to Handlebar and keep me recommending it to friends, and I'm not even a vegetarian.

Recommends

SallyJ1952

Joined 4 years ago

Great outside patio. I would go back here to hang outside on the patio, eat some fresh food and drink a good beer. The place has a low key environment - definitely not for those in a hurry. The menu reminds me of the healthy basics I get from the store - but the great part is that I don't have to shop and put the meal together. If you are looking for flair and a cheap meal - this isn't your place. But if you don't mind a paying a little extra for quality and looking to kick back and relax on a sunny afternoon this may be your place.

Doesn't Recommend

dawordman

Joined 5 years ago

Avoid at all costs.... This place is the worst. Seriously - the worst... and WAY overpriced!

These are about the rudest people I have ever had the displeasure of handing my money to. They have the music so loud that the parties are all yelling at each other at their own tables.

The wait staff needs to learn a thing or two about soap! Their clothes were disgusting - they were greasy and nasty - not the way you want to see the person handling your food.

They wouldn't give you table service if you wanted seperate checks - so you are expected to go to the bar - except the people that work there are nowhere to be found...

In a city with such a great restaurant selection - this one has a lot to learn - a LOT to learn. or maybe just give up and close their doors.

To recap...

Wash your waitstaff (and their clothes).

Teach them customer service.

Don't charge $7.50 for an avocado and tomato sandwich.

I won't know if you take my advice because I would rather dumpster dive than eat there ever again.

Doesn't Recommend

murphcat

Joined 5 years ago

a totally unpleasant experience. I went with passrby, and he was generous giving it two stars. I'm in agreement with everything he said. Plus, we asked to split the bill evenly onto two credit cards. Easy right? Happens all the time, right? Not for these guys. They refused either out of laziness or bad math skills. No apologies, no nothing. So we had to digg up the cash among all of us to cover the second card and put it all on one. My suggestion, if you want to leave your dining experience in a good mood, don't go here.

Doesn't Recommend

passrby

Joined 5 years ago

You've changed and not for the better.. I thought we could have good times like we used to but that is just not the case anymore. Sure I still like your food for the most part but that tofu sandwich you gave my friend was awful. She said it tasted like dirt and it did. The people who you got working there can't handle anything out of the ordinary. We had six people and it was like it was the end of the world. And that guy you sent over to take our order, you know the one that was air drumming behind the bar, just would have rather been anywhere else. I also don't need you telling how awesome your music taste is by blasting it so I can't hear the person across the table. If I do decide to go back I will be sure to have more tattoos and a mustache. Maybe then you will not treat me so bad.

Recommends

eschuber8

Joined 6 years ago

Hole in the wall atmosphere with great food!. This is a neighborhood place, VERY lay back and fairly hippy.

Outstanding vegan food, seitan bbq, gouda mac n cheese, west indian stew, etc. Also, nice coffees and microbrews available.

Most items $10 or less. Great place for lunch. Local place. Know where you're going and you will enjoy.

Recommends

kayte

Joined 6 years ago

yum!. I went here with a friend on a nice, rather warm day and we sat outside in the back area. The place is comfortable and laidback. I thought the staff was really friendly. We both ordered a beer which were really good. They have a great beer list and carry a lot of interesting beers. My friend had one that was made with half beer and half lemony soda, it was soo good. Our food was great too. Its such a great place to chill outside for dinner, especially if you're vegetarian.

Recommends

sjmb4865

Joined 6 years ago

good food with attitude. i ate at the handlebar last night and i'll start by saying the food was really good, if a little pricey. but maybe i'm cheap, so that's not my problem with the place. they had some of the rudest staff i have ever encountered. like they were irritated that we were asking them for food or drink. it was impossible to get a drink at the non-crowded bar, then for everything we wanted we had to stand up and flag down our waiter then wait for twenty minutes. the food took forever. i was with friends, and we laughed about the hipster attitude, and the ambiance is good, but really those people need to re-evaluate their customer service.

Recommends

Elisa Kronish

Joined 10 years ago

Cyclist-friendly Bucktown restaurant and bar serves a vegetarian menu.. In Short
Cyclists with helmets in tow make up much of the crowd at this congenial hangout. The menu is meatless but includes non-vegetarians options as well, with dishes like samosas and risotto cake, an appetizer topped with caramelized onions. For entrees, the menu includes bicycle-wheel pasta with vegan pumpkinseed pesto, or Hermes pie, a hot pocket stuffed with veggies and feta. Desserts include rice pudding and nutty raspberry-chocolate torte.