Vegan
Fast food
Delivery
Take-out
Mexican
Catering
An all-vegan Mexican restaurant serves a large variety of dishes and beverages. Open Mon-Sat 12:00pm-9:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm.
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- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 27 Aug 2024 by KatelynCollin
Update business info -
Added by Degu on 01 Apr 2022
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174 Reviews
First Review by ExploreV
Yvonne108
Points +172
Mexican Andersonville - Edit
Comparable to Don Bucio’s in Logan Square. Large portions, but very spicy! Great staff!
Read morePros: Large menu, Elote street food was awesome
Cons: Too spicy (unless if you like spicy)
Guest
andyjng
Points +5925
Outstanding Vegan Mexican in Chi - Edit
There are only a few fully vegan restaurants in Downtown Chicago and I'm so glad that Penelope's is one of them! Their menu is more than just a bean burrito or guac that most taquerias offer as a plant-based option. No no, they do it much better here.
Read moreI loved the music and the vibes inside Penelope's. The walls were colorful and bright, staff were very friendly and informative, and it was such a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy a fantastic meal.
We started with the Cauliflower El Ceviche ($13.50), a wonderful tangy appetizer accompanied with chips (which were quite salty). Next we had the Quesabirria ($16), three amazing mushroom tacos accompanied with veggie broth where you dip and bite. This was my favorite hands down. We also had their Torta ($12.50) stuffed with veggies and potatoes and this sandwich was both filling and satisfying.
Everything here was great and I'm happy to see that they are around to offer some wonderful plant based options in Chicago.
Pros: All vegan, creative menu
Guest
kellifer10
Points +110
Amazing All-Vegan Taqueria - Edit
The Margaritas and Palomas were great!!! Loved the salsa, such a unique flavor. All the tacos I got were really good. The favorite taco among the table was the Baha Taco. My least favorite was the Cauliflower Pastor taco, way too cinnamon tasting, I didn't finish it. Guacamole was great, tortilla chips nice and flaky!!
Read morePros: Baha Taco
Cons: Smell of sewer wafting thru door
Guest
Total_Liberation
Points +28
Healthy and delicious - Edit
The three fried tacos main dish was delicious but it was hard to choose, they all sounded so good. We will go back to try more dishes. The food was extremely fresh!
Read morePros: Ambiance , Delicious fresh food, Playlist
Guest
freak42
Points +322
Great Vegan option nearby - Edit
Everything is vegan and tasty. Has a long menu and friendly staff
Read morePros: Menu options, Staff
Cons: A little bit noisy. Music is too loud
Guest
WesleyA
Points +64
Best quesadilla I’ve ever had, and fully vegan too! - Edit
Fully vegan restaurant is awesome. Best quesadilla I’ve ever had, vegan or otherwise. Everything was great
Read moreGuest
jenq
Points +72
Best vegan mex! - Edit
I ordered the dorados tacos and they were amazing! Every other item we ordered was equally delicious. I hope this place thrives and then expands to TX. Will for sure re-visit next time I'm in Chicago.
Read morePros: Fresh and authentic , Fast service
Guest
rjmarciniak
Points +1061
Amazing vegan Mexican food - Edit
Title says it all. Food is delicious! Salsa is spicy but very flavorful. Will absolutely be coming back to try more!
Read moreGuest
DeanWilhelmi
Points +23
Yum - Edit
Horchata was amazing and so were the nachos 😍😍😋😋
Read moreGuest
KindredChoices
Points +1129
Taco flights - Edit
Penelope’s is my go to lunch spot any time I’m in Chicago. If you can get a friend to go along for taco flights, it’s worth the shared experience!
Read moreBut it holds up well as take out, too and would probably be an incredible catered lunch for an event.
Updated from previous review on 2023-09-24
Pros: Variety of tacos, Fully vegan, Still good as takeout
Guest
emilyaj22
Points +58
BEST VEGAN TACOS EVER - Edit
Best vegan tacos I’ve ever had! So flavorful and a great variety to choose from
Read moreGuest
Kinetic_Ken
Points +63
Tiny store with a big personality - Edit
Adorable little pink store that serves incredible margaritas and instagram-worthy nachos!
Read moreGuest
alyssa1999
Points +91
Loved it! - Edit
A must if you’re in Chicago. Had some tacos one night and they were all good but my favorite was the Al pastor. Went back again and had the chimichanga and loved that too. Everything is very flavorful. Matcha horchata is super good too
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-18
Guest
Taylorvegan
Points +93
Wow! Favorite restaurant from our whole trip! - Edit
I took my vegan family and vegan mother and Omni father here and it was a total hit! Portions are large and food was soooo flavorful. Definitely my favorite of the trip. It’s worth noting that in the heat wave when it was 102, we were all profusely sweating inside. So maybe pick a day where it’s not that hot
Read morePros: Options, Flavor
Cons: Air conditioning
Guest
ashholdridge
Points +355
Highly Recommended - Edit
Come with an appetite the portions are huge!! We tried the baja taco, the chunky quesa taco, and the barbacoa taco; all three tacos were delicious. The quesadilla grande dipped in guajillo was my favorite. I also recommend the asada fries and a horchata.
Read moreGuest
rebaaron
Points +212
New Chicago favorite - Edit
The food is outstanding! My wife and I had 6 different tacos between us and they were all amazing. Traditional Mexican food made vegan. I can't wait to go back!
Read moreGuest
chicagodesi
Points +31
Great choices - Edit
Small place with great vegan Mexican dishes and margaritas . Had various types of tacos, chimichanga, and black bean pico with chip.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-08-19
Pros: Taco options, Drinks, Atmosphere
Cons: Prices are little higher than most places
Guest
harjog90
Points +411
Great tasting Mexican food - Edit
Enjoy the food. Everything was very tasty. Nachos were excellent, had flavor, and great toppings. First time seeing radish added and it gave a nice touch. Chimichanga was excellent as well. Highly recommended!
Read morePros: Nachos, Chimichanga
Cons: Small tables
Guest
HampusBlomberg
Points +48
Delicious vegan tacos - Edit
We had tacos, salad, side of guacamole and margaritas. Perfect taste and spice, wonderful staff, and cozy vibes
Read morePros: Varied menu, Guacamole, Tacos
Guest
marta❄️
Points +102
Best tacos on the planet - Edit
Every time we go, we order one of every single taco! It’s so fun and each one is delicious! Also the margaritas are literally amazing.
Read moreGuest
brycie
Points +154
Authentic Mexican food, made vegan! - Edit
Great people, tasty food, and they have $5 off the taco dinner on Tuesdays! The menu has a balance of mock meats and vegetable-based plates such as mushroom tacos and cauliflower ceviche. Totally delicious!
Read moreI can’t think of anything for improvement.
Pros: 4 types of horchata, Quesabirria, Tequila
Guest
aubreyj27
Points +2439
good experiences !! - Edit
i’ve had my eye on penelope’s for quite some time, but it was never really convenient to stop by until today. the service was surprisingly fast; everybody working was very kind and helpful 🤍
Read moremy party ordered a few dishes
-nachos locos. (i had seen several posts online about their nachos and figured they were worth a try) even if nachos aren’t my personal favorite, these ones i’d 100% order again! a great appetizer to split with the table, and there’s just the perfect amount of spice. the chips also hold up pretty well in terms of not becoming overly soggy!
-quesadilla grande (dipped in guajillo sauce) . i enjoyed the potatoes and chorizo and all the flavor combinations.. probably my favorite dish i ordered.
-pambazo torta . it was good, but it’s definitely a messy eat and i’m not personally the biggest fan of avocado.
for dessert, they ran out of the seasonal pie pie my darling cake (💔🥲) so we opted for the cinnamon bunuelo—definitely recommend! i enjoyed the crunchy chips in contrast with the smooth ice cream, and i haven’t had a dessert similar to this before so it was a worthwhile experience.
Pros: creative & delicious food, very fast service, generally good vibes
Cons: a little pricy for portion size
Guest
MegPal
Points +42
Pass if you are GF - Edit
Overall this was a win for my husband and a pass for me. We are a vegan family and I have celiac disease. The fryer is shared so you cannot eat the chips and salsa which is my favorite part of a taqueria especially if the chips are homemade. They were out of rice so fries were substituted with my enchiladas (not GF) and I gave those to my kids. The beans didn't have much flavor but the enchiladas were good. It was $16. My 4 year old had the attached photo of a kids meal for $7. We spent the same amount as we would have at the Chicago Diner but smaller portions.
Read moreIf you are neurodivergent (adhd, autistic, sensory processing) you may have a hard time here. I am very sensitive to noise and knew as soon as I walked up to the door that I was going to have a hard time. Music was very very loud. Lights are bright. The space is small the kitchen is open. Noise travels and I could hear everything in the restaurant all at once. Had I remembered my noise reducing earbuds I would have used them.
Pros: Dedicated kid's menu, Murals, beautiful atmosphere , Vegan menu, clearly marked what is GF
Cons: Fryer is not GF so you cannot have chips and salsa, Sensory input- it's very loud and bright
Guest
thejonblake
Points +571
Best meal our whole trip! - Edit
So glad we decide to go here for lunch. It was by far the best meal our whole time in Chicago. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: So many options! , Excellent margaritas!, Tons of flavor!
Cons: None
Guest
VeganDrainer
Points +1371
Incredible - Edit
My favorite vegan food in Chicago so far!
Read moreGuest
Sonny246
Points +963
Favorite vegan option in Chicago - Edit
I recommend the tacos!
Read moreI got the 3 taco option and watermelon fresca. On another day I got enchilada but they were just okay.
There is limited seating during peak house
Pros: Variety , Taste, GF options
Guest
MichellePecoraro
Points +160
The Best I’ve Had - Edit
The quesadilla grande was hands down the best vegan quesadilla I’ve ever had
Read moreGuest
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