This place is great for a quick stop to get fresh, healthy-ish lunch. There's a ton of different offerings, which makes me want to go back again and again to try everything. However, to give a good, quick summary of this place, I'd like to rely on the trusty old pro/con list. Let's a go!
Pros:
- Like I said, quick. Everything is pre-made daily. You grab your food and buy it at the counter
- Healthy-ish. Organic food and the calories are included on all the labels in the case, so you can make an educated decision on your lunch
- Avocado. Lots of stuff includes avocado. And when anything includes avocado, it's a decent amount - like half of an avocado. Avocado.
- Bacon. There's lots of things with bacon too. Better yet, things with bacon AND avocado. Avocado.
- Friendly staff at the counter. Me: "Why hello to you too! No thanks, I don't need a bag with my sandwich."
Cons:
- Kinda expensive, but what isn't in the Loop?
- Portions are kind of small, but isn't that part of eating healthy? Portion control - it's the pits!
- I would say it's mediocre if you want to dine in. I've only taken to go, but the indoor seating is very meh.
- The name is a little pretentious. This isn't a real con, but I feel like a d-bag a little bit when I say I'm going here. Hahaha
These are popping up everywhere in the city, with good reason. Walk in, grab what you like off the wall, everything is made that same day, no left overs. Healthy and tasty pre-prepared food, so you just pay and run. I don't like that with a drink and cookie you're paying 11 bucks for such small portions. Its all good.. I love the ginger beer, and the molasses cookie!
Review Source:I haven't been here for a while, but last year I used to go here every day for lunch when I had a contract out in city for about 6 months. I will say that the food is fresh and perfect for someone who wants something fresh, healthy and organic. I think the reason for those of us who love is because you can't find anything healthy in the city that is easy to grab and go, and not overpriced at some fancy restaurant. I wish they would open more around the burbs.
I used to get the grilled organic chicken salad with walnuts, cranberries and tomato and avocado over some greens. You can pick and dressing you want and they have all their nutrition online. I would read it before I would visit to get my lunch.
I generally like the food here - the spicy shrimp wrap may be the best tasting "diet" sandwich I've come across and the crusty bread sandwiches have all been winners. Â BUT the prices are ridiculous - said spicy shrimp wrap is nearly $8 with tax for not all that much food. Â I also am annoyed by their environmentalist reluctance to give you a bag for your sandwich - sometimes they'll ask "do you *need* a bag?" (no, I can carry it down the street in my hand back to my office, but I'd kinda rather not), less often they'll just lay it down with some napkins and make me ask for it myself. Â McDonald's will give me a bag for 1/2 as much.
Review Source:I really wanted to like this spot... I'm a sandwich lover and based on the website, I thought it'd end up being a go-to spot. Â I had the mozzarella and pesto toastie and while it was delicious, there was not enough oomph (or toppings!) to make the price reasonable or a return trip rational. Â I enjoyed the space and the counter staff - super friendly folks! Â Everything seemed fresh, but I was still disappointed in the outcome. Â Boo.
Review Source:I was craving a sandwich on crusty bread so I wandered over to Pret. The food is pre-made (although fresh), which is great if you're in a hurry. I had the chicken/bacon/tomato pesto on a baguette, bbq chips and sparkling orange drink. I'm wary of flavored drinks that have fake sugar, but this had natural sweetener. The sandwich was awesome although it could have used another piece of bacon. There was only one and it was kind of buried, making me think I grabbed the wrong sandwich at first bite.
Chips were good and I loved the sparkling orange drink, especially the cute packaging!
My meal was pricey, but hey I only eat out once a week when I get sick of my brown bag lunch.
I have been wanting to try Pret a Manger ever since I was enchanted by their adorable cauliflower sheep ads years ago when I was in England. (Anyone remember those? Seriously, they were adorable.) I was very excited to find out that they were coming to Chicago! Unfortunately, there are none up by my office in River North, but I was in the loop running errands on lunch one day and decided to stop in. The pre-prepared sandwiches were a bit picked over by the time I stopped in, but it didn't take me long to find one that sounded good. The sandwich was fresh and quite tasty! I will definitely be back if I find myself near one at lunchtime again, and I can only hope they decide to open another one in River North. I could see myself becoming a regular if I had easy access, as so many of their sandwiches sound delicious. Welcome to Chicago, Pret!
Review Source:Great place to grab a quick to-go lunch that isn't crap. Â
It's all so easy! Â You just grab your food and go. Â Sandwich favorites include the brie and basil and "Pret's Famous Ham and Cheese". Â Soups are good too. Â Prices are reasonable, calories are clearly posted, this place is alright.
Do not understand the aversion to pre-packaged food. If the guy at Subway wraps cellophane over his ingredients and takes it out of the fridge each morning, just because he makes it in front of you doesn't make it fresh! Â And for those of you who complain about portion size, no worries, we'll subsidize your future health care bills albeit begrudgingly. Â Love the food, the attitude and the hustle.
Review Source:Please note, this reivew is about this specific Pret location, not the chain in general (huge fan of Pret - particularly the lentil soup).
The staff at this particular location, while nice enough, are apparently incompetent when it comes to basic sanitation and hygiene. Â While eating in a few weeks ago, one of the employees knocked an entire stack of unwrapped soup cups onto the floor. Â The soup cups rolled around on the ground, including the lip of the soup cup, which comes in contact with food, and then stacked them back up and began serving out of them. Â I said something to the manager just because I wouldn't want to be served soup out of a container off the floor.
Then again this week I went in and one of the cashiers dropped a customer's sandwich on the ground, then picked it up and handed it to him. Â It was still wrapped in it's packaging, but that just seems like bad form to me.
I used to work in a bakery, so I'm fully aware of all the grody stuff that goes on behind the scenes in the food service industry, but from customer service perspective, you don't want your customers blatantly seeing that stuff.
I'll be switching to the Pret on LaSalle and hoping for a better experience!
Pret brings me back to my fashion internship in New York, where I'd get a gigantic iced coffee and sip it in the design room. So happy Pret is in the city now!
Popped in yesterday for a grab-and-go lunch, which is really the best way to do Pret, if you haven't already figured this out. The Vietnamese baguette is a pretty good rendition of banh mi, and I found it to be super delicious with enough punch from pickled vegetables. Don't you HATE when places stinge on pickled vegetables?! Anyway, it was good. The bread wasn't too hard and I would happily eat another one right now.
Love you, Pret. Welcome to Chicags.
Stream of thoughts during my first visit to Pret a Manger on Adams.
"Pret a manager? That's a clever name. Oh wait, it's Pret a Manger. I always mix that up. Wow, it's the first time I've seen one in Chicago, I should check it out. I wonder if it's anything like the stores I've been to in New York. (enters store) Nice decor. Roomy, which is certainly different from stores in New York. Let's see, $5 for a soup. Oh hell. (turns 180 degrees) (exits the store)"
Other than that, I like the food. When sandwiches are calling your name during lunchtime and you must part with your Jefferson within the hour, go here! Recommended.
A work friend and I picked up lunch there today, both trying their lunch for the first time. Kudos for making the info (on ingredients, price, calories) readily available. They got it right with how much (and not crazy amounts) of information to provide. I picked up something with "Vietnamese" in the name, and no, there was not a lot of grilled chicken in it. Considering what an appropriate portion size is, what is served was right on. The Yoga Bunny Detox is refreshing and not too sweet tasting. 35g of  sugar is more than I'd like: solved that by drinking only half the can. The variety looked nice for sandwiches, wraps, yogurts, chips. drinks. If they had any fresh fruit, I didn't see it. Great option for carry-out in this area of the Loop. I will go again, looking forward to seeing what other offerings they have.
Review Source:Pret has a great selection of fresh food that is quick and convenient. I like that they do not keep the food over night and instead give it to local food depositories.
The only downside is the price which can easily top $10 for lunch. But it is worth it for the great quality and fresh ingredients.
Also for those looking for a lighter meal they have half sized sandwiches which is nice.
I love love love this place. In undergrad I studied abroad in London and fell in love with Pret. And now there is one across the street from my office in Chicago! Ah-mazing. The soups and sandwiches are just wonderful. Â I love the chicken and avocado and the chicken and bacon sandwiches (surprisingly the chicken and bacon has fewer calories).
The Skinny: This is a great place to go if you want a grab and go lunch that is full of good, fresh ingredients and tastes downright yummy. This is not a great place to go if you want to have somewhere to sit or are looking for cheap eats. Those things don't exist here.
My favorite part about Pret A Manger is the Yoga Bunny Detox drink. Â Second is the tuna nicoise salad. Â The lettuce is often suspect though and I end up tossing 1/3 of it. Â Most of the things I've tried are good, but not really great. Â
The staff are always smiley and friendly. Â They don't move especially fast though, which leads me to my next point...It's like they anticipated ridiculously long lines when they designed this place. Â What's with all the empty floor space? Â Unless I'm eating with someone I eat my lunch in my office usually, so the lack of available seating here doesn't bug me. Â Loop lunch spots fill up quick at noon though, add a couple more tables, Pret! Â /end rant
This Pret has a lot of empty space, and not much seating, so it seems like more of a Grab 'n' Go place. Stopped in here for a quick after work sandwich, and enjoyed the new Cuban pulled pork sandwich, which they gladly toasted for me, making the spicy sauce all warm and melty.
Soups are listed on your right as you walk in, and there is additional seating in the back. Employees are helpful and polite, as they tend to be at Pret a Manger.
My office recently moved to the area and this is probably my favorite spot to grab some quick, fresh, healthy food for lunch. It's always busy but the line moves fast and it's not too expensive. Last time I went I had the chilli (perfect for a fall day in chicago) and a half sandwich and ate outside near the chase building. It was a nice way to spend a lunch hour. I'll definitely be back.
Review Source:I like the various salad options here. Â I come in and am saddened that I have to pass up on the yummy looking sandwiches and wraps, pastries, and chips. Â I have gotten the chicken and avocado salad, the tuna nicoise salad, and the edamame. Â I usually get the balsamic or the lemon shallot dressing. It's pretty filling and very fresh. I like how the calories are labeled so I know what I'm getting myself into. Â The service is pretty quick, and the prices are average for downtown.
Review Source:What do people see in this place? Â Because I clearly didn't see it. Â I like the whole concept, made today gone today...or something like that, but the food really fell short. Â I had the avocado/hummus/veggie sandwich and thought that it left much to be desired. Â The quality of the bread was not good, and the veggies didn't taste that fresh to me (even though they claim everything is fresh). Â I just don't think the taste/quality of the food is worth another visit, so I won't be back.
Review Source:I'm not typically a fan of fast food, but this chain has won me over with just one item.
Gazpacho.
Gazpacho is easily one of my most favorite things to eat in the warmer months. It's cool, refreshing and like a pureed salad. It's summer in a bowl.
Pret A Manger's 'Skinny Gazpacho' is delicious. It's chunky, crunchy, flavorful, and chock full of tomatoes, green and yellow peppers, cucumbers, and onions. This little beauty is only 125 calories. Normally I'm not a big calorie counter, but this soup makes me feel virtuous.
I can't speak to much else at Pret A Manger, but I'm tellin' ya - the gazpacho is where it's at!
Get it before summer's over.
I wandered into the Pret near Chase Tower for a late lunch and was brought back to my semester abroad when I was at Pret at least twice a week. Â I loved the little star stencil that they imprinted on your coffee and you couldn't beat the place for a healthy and fast lunch.
This location lived up to expectations and brought back some fond memories. Â I loved the ease and variety of choices (even at 3:30 in the Loop). Â They have calorie content clearly listed, extra cudos for that. Â
I wasn't thrilled about the $8 price tag a wrap and a Diet Coke but when I'm feeling lonesome for London, I'll be back here to get a quick fix.
Went here for lunch and got a chicken/smoked mozzarella baguette. Â Everything is easily accessible to patrons, there is a large selection of normal and sometimes hard-to-find items, it's reasonably priced, and they post the nutrition information of each item. Â I like the simplicity of not having to decide what you want on your sandwich or having to wait in line for them to make it. Â Will have to try the other options, especially the chickpea salad.
Review Source:First impression: This is it?!
It's mostly empty space!
I haven't purchased from a domestic Pret A Manger before, but last year when I was in London PAM was my destination of choice for a delicious coffee for only 99p (see how I made myself sound worldly there?) and I seem to remember a larger spread. Anyway. I was expecting a bit more.
But at this point I had been wandering around and was running out of time in my lunch break, so I hit the cooler to see what my choices were. A couple sandwiches looked good & I grabbed a Vietnamese Baguette. The options for sides were somewhat lacking though...a variety of high fat chips and a couple little salads, and soup. I decided a carrot ginger soup was the way to go.
Up to the register I went, and as I had taken an early lunch, there was no line yet. I had my sandwich & soup out the door lickety split. Back to my office I went to eat...
And let me say, I was pleasantly surprised! I am not a pre-made sandwich fan in general, but this one was really good! The bread was crusty on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside, as it should be. It was neither soggy nor hard to bite into. The sandwich had a fair amount of toppings and tasted great! The soup was also good. Well, I'll be!
Another awesome thing: they have calories posted right on the signs for their food, like restaurants do in NYC (from where I had just returned...see, worldly!). It made it easy to put together a good meal without breaking the caloric bank.
I can't quite give this place 5 stars because a) there isn't a lot of variety, especially for sides and b) you can't customize anything here. BUT if you're nearby and in a crunch for time, this is one of the best grab & go options around.
What's up mang? Have you been to pret a manger? Ok that was a lame setup to my review, but I never claimed to be funny in the least bit.
Jokes aside, I love this place. They keep their croissants heated and toasty. Just the way I like em. I haven't tried their ready-to-order sandwiches but the internet tells me that they're worth coming back for.
The coffee is also really good. I like that they offer soy milk and a variety of roasts at a good price. Just one question: do you order first and then grab a cup or do you just pour and pay later?
I am trademarking that phrase, btw, Pour-and-pay-later.
Good night!
This is the third location to open in the Chicagoland area. Â I love the concept of the fresh and preservative-free foods. If they run out of something then that's it for the day. Â If they do have any leftovers they donate to a charity--so that is super awesome. Â They offer free wi-fi anfd generally have someone standing by the food case to answer any questions about the food/ingredients etc. I tried the chicken avocado salad with the lemon-shalot vinegrette as well as the sweet pea and mint chilled soup. Â Extremely fresh and tasty. Â So fresh that the avocados didn't have time to start changing colors. They have a nice variety of salads, sandwiches, soups, and sides. Will definitely be back to partake in more yumminess.
Review Source:
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