Varanese

One of our favorite date night spots.Atmosphere is great with live music and dim lighting.Started with the charcuterie board, which was great. The salmon and steak were cooked perfectly, and the dessert was wonderful as well

Oh what a night!!! Let's just start by saying how quaint and warm the atmosphere is. They had a little quartet band playing that set the mood for all. The staff and service were all very accommodating as well. It was the perfect setting for a great evening for a family celebration.As if that weren't enough the food was very very good. We started with a couple of appetizers - the Baked Brie and Cheese Spheres. For me the Baked Brie was the clear winner but my young adult kids were bigger fans of the Cheese Spheres. Either way they were both on point.The entrees were all sooo good... As a group we ordered steaks, chicken, lamb and salmon. I ordered the Flat Iron Steak and it was cooked as it should be. The Potato Gratin side was absolutely delightful and was a perfect compliment to the steak.For dessert we got a couple of Molten Lava Cakes and a Bread Pudding. The Molten Lava Cake was spot on. The Bread Pudding started really nicely with the marshmallow cream frosting but I was disappointed a bit by the actual bread pudding as it just wasn't flavorful enough.All in all - I'd give Varanase a 4.5... I'd definitely recommend this place as a great place for a date or group.

Family outing for dinner with 8. Greeted and seated for our reservation upon arrival. Brie welcomed us and took our drink orders. Nicely crafted cocktails Nice footprint and atmosphere with a jazz duo playing. , Ordered a charcuterie board (on the small side) with tasty choices. The calamari was delicious. We ordered a collection of entrees all were well prepared. I had the pork chop with bourbon glaze prepared exactly to the temp i requested (145). The glaze was flavorful but not overly sweet. The potato gratain was very enjoyable. Breadsticks were served with dinner. We enjoyed the mocha creme brûlée for desert. The custard was well prepared, I like the brûlée surface thicker but none remained.A very pleasant evening for all.Very highly recomendedSlainte!!

Varanese is such a hidden gem.Don't get me wrong, I feel like everyone knows of Varanese, but it can be easy to overlook it for maybe a newer dining option. But let me tell you: Don't overlook this! Then again, when I ate here last weekend the restaurant was full. So maybe Varanese isn't as overlooked as I feel it is. Anyway, our dinner here was lovely. We were able to easily get a reservation (important, again, due to how full the restaurant was).My party started with the cheese and hummus plate, which was perfect for sharing between us with pimento cheese, smoked gouda, pickled okra, pearl onion jam, white bean hummus, fried green tomatoes and grilled baguettes.It was just enough food to start the meal, but it didn't fill before our entrees, which were all extraordinary. I got the seafood pasta, which was on the specials menu. This had a large portion of pasta with mussels, crab and shrimp I believe mixed in, adorned with a flower on top. We also shared the bread pudding, a must after reading so much about it. And it lives up to the hype. It was almost 90 degrees outside, but that didn't dissuade us from digging into this warm, cozy toffee-marshmallow bread pudding, with bourbon caramel sauce and caramel sea salt ice cream. In the fall, this would be even more perfect. Just so much yes. The dining room is a little loud, so know that before you go, in case that's something you're sensitive to. Overall, though, our food and service were just great. Plus there was a live band serenading our meal.

Family dinner was here about a month ago but I've been meaning to try this classic Louisville favorite for yeeeaars. Sis and I started with Pineapple Smash(?) cocktails + complimentary bruschetta and cheese sticks. Apps were crispy Brussels sprouts + fried cheese spheres. Entrees were 2 orders of Bourbon Orange Glazed Salmon with whipped mashed potatoes (instead of cream cheese grits) and sautéed seasonal veggies + 2 Ribeye Steaks with roasted potatoes and broccolini for my dad and brother. My sister and I thought the salmon was cooked perfectly + we loved the simply prepared vegetables on the side which let the glaze for the salmon shine as it coated them. Our waitress was so sweet and helpful, always kept the pace chill in terms of food coming out. Waters stayed full and the service was just great. Really happy I got to finally dine at Varanese. John Varanese is *that man* for creating this local, upscale hotspot and for keeping it lively and modern for almost 20 years! I've dined at River House, thoroughly enjoyed my meal and the experience, and can recommend both for a nice day or night out!

The food was very yummy. As was the desert. The first time I visited there was live music and this second time I've visited there was live electric guitar and cello music. Popular songs with fine dining.

Recently attended the bourbon dinner and had a wonderful educational and culinary delight mixed into one experience. The special menu included a grilled peach salad that was out of this world! The bourbon pairings were on point!

The ambiance is cozy. There is no dress code however casual business attire is deemed in this restaurant. The menu is filled with amazing entrees. I love how the ambiance fits the perfect environment for a nice date night.

To start I would like to say that me and my Girlfriend have dined here a respectable number of times. We usually are not there for any holidays so I cannot speak for when the restaurant is very packed/ very busy. That being said every single time we have gone it was nothing short of a wonderful experience for both of us. Granted we typically stick to what we know we enjoy. We share the calamari, typically try a different entree then we did previously, and always finish with the apple turnover! Seriously if you haven't tried it you are missing out on one of the 7 wonders. While I do not have any photos of our meals I would say it is just because we don't see that as important or anything. I mean we are there to eat, and eat we do!If I had only one comment it would be that the restaurant can feel a bit cramped at times. Though, I wouldn't say that takes anything from the experience. Ive seen some negative reviews commenting on how they do not love how the place may pick up in volume from time to time and honestly to that I'd say to just go earlier before the music begins. To end, the food is fantastic, the service is attentive, and the place is cozy. Varanese is a place we will continue to visit for years to come. A local favorite!

One of my husband and my favorite places in Lou. The food is delicious and the environment is so fun. My husband even said the burnt lemon old fashioned is his favorite drink in all of Louisville. Perfect date night place!