Victory’s Banner

We got the vegan French toast and the eggless scrambler with goat cheese and both were absolutely delicious. Service was great and the people were very friendly. We were given free drinks because the kitchen was backed up. They also showed our dog lots of love.

I wish I could give this place more stars. Being a vegetarian I am always on the lookout for fun places with a good veggie menu. The food here was a little uninventive, didn’t seem like much thought went into the menu options. I had the chilaquiles and my husband had pancakes. The food was fine, not great but by no means bad. But the main issue came when we got the bill. First of all 2 plates and a coffee the total came to 29 $, which I would normally be ok with except it was 2 small pancakes and half a plate of eggs and cheese and another half of rice– also a 2.50 charge for avocado (which I was not made aware of). We put down our card only to be told the recently went to cash only and they have an atm inside we can use. This change was recent and there are NO signs anywhere saying they are cash only, we were not told once until we put our card down! Very disappointing– it is of course their prerogative to take cards or not but customers should be made aware before having to pay fees to pay for their already over priced meal.

I had the #1 Combo – eggs and french toast. The french toast was amazing, and it comes with a delicious peach/​orangish flavored butter that is not to be missed. It was easy to walk in and get a table on a Sunday at around 11am which is always a plus. The service was great, too! The only downside is that they don’t accept credit cards – and it says that they do on Unilocal and on their website, so we came unprepared, and I really don’t like having to use an ATM that isn’t associated with my bank. Cash only places are never a desirable option for me because of the inconvenience. Otherwise… highly recommended!

This is a cute spot to relax and enjoy decent eats. I’m an egg lover and I found my omelette to be just OK. It lacked in flavor, but was large and prepared well. I liked that a salad could be subbed for the bread and potatoes. The bestie loved her peach butter French toast. This place has awesome tea. I would go back for the relaxed vibe and the tea.

The French toast was delicious! First time visiting and will definitely go back. The menu has a variety of vegan/​vegetarian choices.

I love this place !! Servers are very polite and the food is amazing. It is a very tranquil place beautiful ambiance.

I do not recommend this restaurant, poor quality food and costumer service.
We ordered the basic breakfast (over easy eggs, sausages, French toast, hash browns) presentation was not good it was like an egg soup ! The egg yolk was all over the plate, the bread and hash browns were soaking wet from the yolk, the potatoes and the eggs were cold (how can the «chef «let the food come like that from the kitchen? it was pretty bad and the sausages where old and flavor was awful as the potatoes/​hash browns .
Even though the food wasn’t good the bread is delicious! My boyfriend very nicely told the waiter/​host that the bread was really good and if it was homemade, his answer was «aha ok» with a not so friendly tone of voice.
Bad experience in this place, we will definitely not coming back !

This is my absolute favorite restaurant of all time, and it deserves so much to be a destination restaurant for out-​of-​towners and vegetarians (/​vegans). Please consider opening a second location in Wicker Park for those of us who want to be able to walk to breakfast! :)
The inside is gorgeous, light and airy, with soothing colors and relics from indian temples and handmade crafts available for purchase. The food is of amazing quality, and the fact that the whole place is vegetarian means that those of us who normally have to worry about whether or not our food was cross-​contaminated or not carefully «kept away» from the meat products, don’t! The portion size deserves to be raved about, as well — even a former meat-​and potatoes southsider such as myself is quite full by the time I leave this place (a beacon of pleasure in a sea of otherwise skimpy «health food» restaurants). They don’t nickel and dime you like many other «healthy» restaurants do, either!
Overall, I cannot say enough good things about this place. Everyone whom I’ve brought here loves it as well, and we’re a diverse crowd.
I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT!

Great service, the staff is super friendly and welcoming. I like the zen vibe. My friends from out of town (who used to live in Chicago) love this place, so we went on a Saturday morning. Parking was easy right outside.
My omelette was good, though nothing to write home about. I probably should have ordered something on the sweet side of the menu. Next time!

My scale:
5 Stars: I recommend this without any exceptions. I will come back (more than once) and bring friends!
4 Stars: I recommend this under certain circumstances. Worth going, but ONE thing was off.
3 Stars: I was ok, but in a city like Chicago you can find better places. I wouldn’t come back, because there are better options.
2 Stars: Disappointed. I wouldn’t come back, even if it was the last place in Chicago.
1 Star: Don’t go here! Rip-​off, Tourist-​trap, dangerous, or something like this. Please close this place.
So, my friend took me and some friends here and we didn´t know the place. So, obviously, the first two questions were:
— Do you have Bloody Maries?
No
— Do you have meat?
No
After the owner laughed for about 10 minutes at us, we were ready to order. And what can I say? Everything we had was amazing and the service was so incredibly personal and nice. I went back multiple times and it was wonderful every time.
Their french toasts are great… but really, everything is. High quality food, for reasonable prices.
Go there… when you are not hungover.

Still my favorite ! Victory’s Banner is my go to breakfast, brunch, lunch spot in Chicago. The only issue I have is that they’re not open for dinner! Absolutely love the menu choices, the service, the atmosphere, and hands down, the best chai I’ve ever had anywhere. I’ve been coming here since 1998 and it has remained my favorite, without fail. The owner Pradhan is a pretty awesome guy too — stop in and try the raspberry french toast and the smoked gouda and faux sausage omelette (I always add spinach). Great for groups, or first dates. :-) If you want a healthy and fulfilling dining experience, this is your place!

I really enjoy their food, especially their side of potatoes. Sometimes, the service is a bit slow, but I think it’s worth the wait. The owner is very friendly and always stops by to make sure you are satisfied. Be sure to check with them, because they do close for retreats and have recently changed some of their hours.

Great vegetarian/​vegan brunch spot. Had the french toast, Mexican scrambled eggs, coffee and the veggie omelet with added goat cheese. Great size portions for every dish!
Really enjoyed all the flavor profiles — they had great taste and spice on everything — not even the side of beans was bland!
The french toast was battered lighter than I have usually have had but great since we were both very full from the rest of food. I wish the peach butter was a little peachier, but it was nice to try.
Cute location and seems to be run by an Indian, so there were some little things like the upama and chai on the menu and the waitresses wearing saris that made me chuckle.
Definitely want to try the chai next time around.

An awesome brunch location. Arrived Sunday around noon, wasn’t too busy about a 20min wait.
Had the brahma burrito. It was delicious, the smoked Gouda in the burrito tasted good. And the brown rice next to it was a healthy choice. The organic salsa was devoured immediately too.
Service was excellent and the theme of the restaurant provided a great insight and educational resource.

Very nice brunch spot in Roscoe Village. This is a vegetarian place that also offers many vegan options. I enjoyed the pumpkin cheesecake French toast with a side of scrambled eggs, and it was delicious. All of my friends were happy with their food as well. Service was very friendly, though the food took a while coming out and it took about 10 minutes before everyone received their dishes. I never set foot in the restaurant because we sat on the nice outdoor patio. All in all, it was a very good experience and I will definitely return.

Need to get their front of house together. Waited 20 minutes without being told how long the wait, but a table is paying & then we would be seated. They seated someone else & no table for 4 in sight. We had kids & live in the neighborhood. Pissed. We left & went to sbux.

Good brunch option with indoor and outdoor seating options. They have a signature french toast which was pretty simple with peach butter, but it was well executed and good. They have real maple syrup on the table.
I had their egg scramble with pesto, sundried tomatoes, potatoes on the side, and Red Hen bakery toast that had an awesome crust. Enjoyed the dish and will be back.

My good friend just moved here recently and I came down to visit him on a Saturday morning to check out his place and get some breakfast. Of course, when I asked him where we were going he had no clue as we are walking down Roscoe. Boom, Victory’s Banner.
Not knowing a thing about the place, we come to find its vegetarian, which for two 6 3″, 220 lb dudes like us, this would normally be an issue. But it’s good to cleanse the body of the meat sweats every once in a while, and Victory’s Banner does not disappoint when it comes to quality products used. I also agree with old Unilocaler pal, Colleen C.‘s review about this place having a holistic vibe to it.
I had the breakfast burrito. The gouda used really made this veggie burrito taste great. That and the organic salsa. Everything from the fresh veggies used to the brown rice on the side speaks that the food is made with love and a health conscious effort.
The coffee was uniquely tasting, very strong and I didn’t see the bottom of my cup while drinking perhaps 4 – 5 cups. Service was excellent, although it wasn’t all that busy while we were there either.
I will definitely be back, great place.

Totally delicious! The pesto and goat cheese omelet did not disappoint. The bread served with breakfast tasted like it was fresh from the bakery this morning. I will definitely be back here:)

Not so victorious here. Service is a bit lacking (although made up later) and the food was very much hit or mis. The trip started with the host telling me that the wait was 15 – 20 min. He left and came back to ask if I was still staying — as if he had expected me to leave. How inviting… It’s not like I haven’t waited that long before dude. If I was in a bad mood, I would of left. I gave them a chance anyway and was punished by having to wait nearly ½ hour. Bummer. We then ordered and it was taken by 2 diff people. Each not knowing what the other has already asked… and my order came back wrong on top of it. Another bummer. Finally, we were seated in an area that was hit by cold air and when we asked to have to vents turned down… nothing came of. Ok… enough.
Food was ok overall with kudos to the veggie burger (which my 8 yr old orders without being promoted to do so and then actually liked) and the French toast with peach butter. The other food was just plain and ok. I expected more flavor from a place that prides themselves on vegan, veggie cuisine.
The rating would have been lower if the order mistake wasn’t taken off my bill… which I appreciated. But not enough to make the overall trip enjoyable.

Love this place, they have great fake bacon for omelettes/​scrambles and the employees are all so nice. I do wish they offered a tempah option thought.

This review is for the horrid service we experienced a few weeks ago when we went to Victory’s Banner for breakfast on a weekday. The food was honestly forgettable, I can’t even remember what I had. My husband had some sort of scramble which he said was okay.
Perhaps our server was having an «off» day (as a former server, I know that these days can happen and sometimes you take it out on your tables) but she was nothing but flat-​out rude from the get-​go. My husband had a few substitutions he wanted for his dish, and as he was explaining this to the server she held her finger up in his face and said brusquely «uh, can you GIVE me a minute?» and scribbled on her pad. These were not complicated subs. It was one ingredient substitution and one ingredient he didn’t want. This was nothing out of the ordinary, and nowhere on the menu do they say «no substitutions.»
So, we place our order but I was just completely soured on this woman. For a place that’s trying to send across a peaceful, Zen-​like vibe, this woman was whatever the opposite of that vibe is. She then proceeded to disappear for about 20 minutes, during which our food was sitting up on the counter under the heat lamps. We were this close to getting up and just getting the damn food ourselves instead of waiting for this woman to reappear.
Reappear she did, eventually, reeking of cigarettes, and dropped our food off. No apologies, no asking if we needed anything else, just dropped the food at the table and walked away.
I try to make it a practice to give each server I encounter the benefit of the doubt, particularly if it’s clearly slammed in the restaurant, if the place seems understaffed, or if we have a large party or complicated orders. All these factors tend to rub servers the wrong way or put them in a bad mood. I can even accept neglectful service as long as the server recognizes it eventually, or even gives an explanation. None of these factors were in play, and this woman just ruined what could have been a pleasant experience.

Vegan french toast? Yes please!
I came here with my mom and a friend on an early Saturday morning, and was very happy with the vegan selections (be sure to ask for the separate vegan menu if that’s something you are into). Vegan french toast is something that is not often done well, but here it was absolutely exceptional. I also appreciated the real maple syrup on the table, not as an expensive extra or something you have to ask for separately from the fake stuff. The coffee was also strong and delicious, which is a key component to a good breakfast. Service was friendly and prompt.
My mom got some kind of tofu scramble that looked really good, but alas I was too busy shoving french toast into my gaping maw to event think about trying it.

Breakfast at a little healthier level. Many healthy options to choose from. Loved their pesto eggs and french toast with peach butter. They have real syrup and their coffee is strong and good which was a really nice surprise for me to find here. The quantity of kids pancakes might be a bit little for a 6 year old pancakes lover. He was still hungry. But overall I found their «namaste» vibe different and so their cute décor.

The Neatloaf Dinner is to die for. It’s my favorite here. Customer service is great. I don’t like their omelettes or wraps; in both cases they just have bad taste to me, not sure why. I only tried ea. once and wasn’t my taste at all. Their burgers are good as well as there vegan soups.
I have never tried the pancakes or any sweet stuff. I always want to order a hot cocoa or chocolate buy they don’t carry rice or almond milk, so can’t have it. Soy milk i guess they have it. I always wonder how a place like this doesn’t offer other choices of milk but isn’t a big deal. It’s worth trying the place.

One of the best, no-​frills breakfast spots in the city. All vegetarian/​vegan. To drink, make sure you try the homemade chai, it’s incredible. I don’t drink coffee and have had more than my share of chai and this is may be the best I’ve ever had. My favorite entrée is the french toast, which is light and fluffy and amazing. I like the combo with a slice of french toast and two eggs. The egg scrambles are also popular and delicious. The place isn’t too big but it’s comfortable and they usually move people in and out quickly. The servers are friendly and laid back, they all are students of meditation and the philosophy permeates the environment of the restaurant, perfect for a relaxing morning brunch! Fair prices too… just go!

What’s not to love about this spot? It is always bathed in sunlight, the food is original and delicious, the cult members that work here are wonderfully pleasant and they never mention their cult like activity, they are open early, there is always an open table, and there is an abundance of free street parking. And, did I mention that the food is damn tasty?
Order the Satisfaction Promise!

Oh man, the brunch here is just out of this world. Whether you go savory or sweet you won’t be disappointed. I usually go for the french toast, whatever the special is, because it’s humongous. Usually it involves some concoction of granola and fruit and it’s always amazing. The last time, my friend got their omelette special with had brie, apples, and some kind of chutney. I definitely snuck a few bites of that in.
Their fresh squeezed juice is delicious. The staff is really nice and speaks quietly as a matter or principle, which I enjoy. It’s within walking distance of my apartment so I can roll myself home after stuffing my face. I just generally say YES to Victory’s Banner.

Dined late June 2014, 3 visits
Victory’s Banner… Go. You will eat healthy foods, organic foods, and whole foods full of flavor. I was in the area for 5 days and ate here 3 times and got food to go. Yes, I am a fan. I wish Victory’s Banner was here in DC area.
The staff is kind and attentive. The restaurant is smallish but they accommodated my party of 10 no problem. Victory Banner always has plenty of patrons seated inside and outside, each of the 3 times I visited I was seated quickly.
The foods I ordered and ate:
Lemon lentil soup — divine, aromatic, delicious. So good I got it to go on another visit.
Pancakes with yogurt, fresh raspberry, and homemade granola — perfect pancakes – light, tasty; a good, hearty breakfast. Loved the granola.
Omelet: I made my own with spinach and mushrooms. Good omelet. Fabulous breakfast potatoes! Dense & hearty bread served as side; it was good. The same bread also came with the lentil soup.
What I tasted and looooved:
Breakfast Burrito: A tortilla stuffed with 2 scrambled eggs, mushroom, red onion, red peppers, gouda, black beans and sour cream. Organic salsa & brown rice on the side.
I needed more days in Chicago because on my next visit I was going to order my very own Breakfast Burrito. I had tasted it on one occasion, then shared about ¹⁄₃ of one on another visit. They are big and delicious… not salty, you can taste the individual ingredients.
Good eatin’
Chow!
food chick
~~:~~
Eat, drink, be merry and validate for parking™

I can’t begin to even describe how much I love this place!
Let me bring it back about 15 years ago, when being vegetarian wasn’t cool, it was damn hard to find a restaurant that had a decent selection of food, other than the lame «vegetarian-​friendly salad». Victory’s Banner always had an extensive, EXTENSIVE menu of vegetarian and vegan-​friendly options. They have scrambles made with either egg or tofu, fresh house-​made chai, veggie sausage or bacon, the list goes on. Not only are their egg/​tofu dishes delicious, their pancakes and french toasts are to die for. Let me list the freaking delicious things I’ve gorged upon at this place: carrot pancakes, almond french toast, satisfaction promise (tofu pesto scramble, OMG), curry omelet, Steverino omelet, broccoli cheddar omelet, Greek omelet, soy sausage and Gouda omelet, pesto goat cheese omelet.
The service is always wonderful and friendly, and you can even buy some of their homemade chai mix to take home with you! Get there early, because this place gets busy. We’ve even taken a few meat-​loving carnivores here, and they have also fallen in love with it.
EAT HERE NOW!

I’m bias because this place is like my cheers. I love the staff they make it worth coming. The food is fresh and tasty. They grow a great deal of their own food. They have fresh flowers on the table from their flower shop next door.

First visit back in three years, and Victory’s Banner is better than ever. How is this place SO. FREAKING. GOOD? What are they putting in this simple vegetarian brunch fare to make it so craveable? The chai is perfect. Get anything with pesto because it’s literally the best pesto I’ve ever had. I mean it’s just pesto! But it’s amazing! And the Eggless Wonder #2 is officially my new go-​to. Tofu stir-​fried with loads of fresh veggies, served over brown rice with pesto and feta. Yes. A thousand times yes. So fresh and so flavorful, it exemplified what I love about breakfast. My parents were equally delighted with their food, which I did not taste because I was saving aaaaaall the belly room for my meal.
Sunny space, friendly staff, real flowers on the table, peaceful and happy vibe. This place will seriously melt your cares away.