Perennial Virant

Best small plates. Im a huge fan

Great place, at the base of the Lincoln Hotel, better known for the rooftop bar but this restaurant is the highlight of the corner. Unique style, more laid back décor but the food is top notch. Charcuterie board is a must. Great wine selection. Overall great spot for business, a date, or just to go out with friends. I’m more than happy to slap a 5-​star on this one.

Amazing food. I stayed at hotel Lincoln next door. The staff was 5 star. Good job guys.

This is fun place to visit for brunch. Meals are all prepared with local ingredients, they have outstanding pickled goods, the service was friendly and fast!
The location is bustling and very relaxed, family and pet friendly. The hotel has a café in case you have to wait. A nice locale in the summer!

Heres the thing about PV, its literally perfect. I’ve been several times and each and every time the Food is Excellent, the staff is wondrous and insightful, and the space is just beautiful both inside and outside.
Chef Paul Virant and his team has a thing for creating dishes that seem simple on the outset but they’re flavor explorations that make you change your idea about everything you think you know. The Weekend Brunch and Breakfast are my favorites to eat here with a highlight on the Grits (Smoked Cheese was a brilliant idea and the Bacon here will make you consider eating pork). The Staff is always top notch (ask for Anthony if you can, his energy and helpfulness and mustache will change your life). The patio is always breezy and on sunny days the view of the park and the greenery and passers by set a good tone for a nice day or night of enjoying good food in great company.

Sadly I did not take enough pictures to illustrate how good the food is at this place.
The service is great, the food is fantastic and the wine list is well structured.
When you go, please try the grilled bread… it is so addictive!

came here on a Saturday for brunch after my sisters graduation and we loved it! they were so considerate about the amount of people we had (they don’t take reservations for more than 12 people but were very considerate towards our party) and is family friendly!
to get us started we ordered mimosas (both seasonal and regular) and loved it. everybody enjoyed what they got we got everything from French toast to salad and fries. I ended up getting the raspberry French toast and it was delicious. there’s an outdoor patio area as well! I will definitely be coming back, and next time to do Im going to check out the rooftop!

I was so excited to finally have a reason to go to Perennial, a special occasion to celebrate it was the perfect choice. You know what they say about setting high expectations…
We sat for 20 minutes at our table with a very large and loud group at the bar next to us. Pretty much in our personal space. The table behind us was unhappy as well. We complained, they complained and hostess only said they would be seated soon. No apology. Ok, not their fault people were rude but dessert on the house would have been nice?!
Food was good, everyone was happy. Appetizers a bit skimpy for 6, wish our waiter advised us. Speaking of that service was sub par. Had to ask for drinks and waiter seemed uninterested in serving us. I love being left alone and not constantly interrupted however this felt like we were being neglected.
I wake up this morning disappointed. Perennial you kinda broke my heart

Came in here for Mother’s Day Brunch, really great meal, just one small criticism on one of the dishes but 5 stars because the wait staff was amazing and all the food was really good.
We came in and sat down around our reservation time. The inside of the restaurant is really cool: the tables are modern but also rustic wood, and the walls are lined with pickled vegetables and jellies made in house. Pretty and cool!
We ordered the sticky bun to start, as we heard good things. It said «to share» but for 4 people, it was kind of small. Still delicious though, came out piping hot with sweet caramel glaze and crunchy pecans on top of soft bun dough.
I ordered the oatmeal, dad ordered the biscuits and gravy, and mother and grandmother split the french toast.
Had a bite of dad’s biscuits and gravy. Really good, with two sunny-​side up eggs perfectly cooked, thick buttery biscuits, and a more savory richer gravy than I’m used to. This wasn’t your typical light gray colored gravy, it was darker and almost like thanksgiving gravy. Delicious.
I ordered the oatmeal because I was in a weird mood and wanted to eat healthy. Standard oatmeal with fruit compote and brown sugar on the side. Pretty good.
Mom and Grandma’s french toast however was really dry, to the point where my grandma complained and sent it back. (granted she complains a lot at restaurants so I took this with a HUGE grain of salt, but, it did look dry even from across the table when it was delivered).
Wait staff was super friendly and immediately brought over another breakfast option instead (eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes with cheese curds). Great thick smoky bacon and the cheese curds with potatoes were a delicious twist on your regular breakfast hash browns.
We also received a complimentary coffee cake, which they didn’t have to do, and it was very nice of them. Coffee cake was also delicious with a cream cheese glaze under the cake.
I will definitely be coming back, a little more expensive that my usual brunch but, really interesting atmosphere and décor, great food, and great wait staff.

I was optimistic to try this sustainable farm to table restaurant based on the reviews and chef’s reputation. The result was not so positive.
I started with a bloody mary which was good but not amazing. I like that they are made in house but there was an abundance of horseradish that threw off the balance. It was garnished kinda sparse, with just a single pickled asparagus and I missed the celery and citrus.
I ordered the pesto omelet with egg whites, minus the pork. The omelet was extremely runny and undercooked inside so I sent it back and asked for it to be cooked all the way.
The second omelet arrived with pork on top of it. I politely informed the waitress who said they’d remove it… ummmm, no, it needs to be remade. I told her simply removing the pork was not an option and requested it to be remade.
The 3^rd omelet arrived and was cold. It was the same omelet as the 2^nd one with the pork removed. As I investigated, I found a small piece of pork still on the omelet.
I sent it back and told her I was over the omelet.
The manager, Maria, came by and was very nice and helpful. She recommended the eggs in purgatory which I ordered and enjoyed. It is a skillet of two eggs over potatoes & spicy tomato sauce with crispy shoestring potatoes on top. It was good and I was very hungry by this time so I just shut up and ate it.
I had a mimosa that they comped as they should have. I was there for a few hours.
Overall this was not a great experience. The server and manager were very nice but whole omelet experience was very off-​putting.

Lovely restaurant, I came some months ago for dinner in their outside seating area during the summer and have been recently for brunch.
I really love its location, perfect to have brunch and then walk around Lincoln Park Zoo, or for dinner and then drinks at the rooftop at J Parker (inside Lincoln Hotel).
I had the gnocchis for dinner and the Perennial omelette with pesto, cheese and smoked pork for brunch. Also got the Signature Sticky Bun with pecan nuts to share. They have amazing looking pancakes as well as some other savory options.

I dined here for the first time last night, and I have no idea how I missed this amazing restaurant before. I mean, I eat in restaurants almost every day, and it’s only recently that PV even came to my attention. Maybe it’s the name? Masterpiece Virant might have gotten my attention sooner, and certainly would have been appropriate. Now I’ve got to make up for lost time.
We both started with a spinach salad that included fermented blood orange marmalade, curry pickled duck egg and marinated beets. I wound up with my friend’s duck egg, due to my friend’s vegan diet. Who knew these amazing flavors would work so beautifully together? Like a great book or movie coming to an end, it was sad to finally have to finish the last bite. Amazing.
Then I had the Skuna Bay salmon, served with a cherry bomb glaze, atop a soba noodle salad and mushroom «fu man chu». Any of those three pieces would have been a terrific meal alone, but together, what an amazing taste sensation. The salmon was done perfectly, the glaze a perfect additional taste added to the fish. The noodles were slightly tangy and done with a perfect amount of texture, and the mushrooms added an earthiness that made the restaurant’s stated goal of being at one with the land a reality.
Probably not surprising for a restaurant of this caliber, my friend asked if the kitchen could prepare a vegan-​appropriate dish of vegetables. Though it was described as «amazing», I have to confess that I forgot to taste the beautifully presented dish, consumed as I was with my salmon dish.
And the service was absolutely spot on. «Friendly» is an overused word in these reviews, yet appropriate here. Welcoming is probably even more appropriate. We really felt as though each of the servers and others who we came in contact with genuinely appreciated our being there. I can honestly say that the quality of the service added a lot to the exceptional food and the overall dining experience. Special mention here, gladly, and thanks to Sue and Angie, our servers, and to a new member of the team who came to check on our experience during the meal, Z.
I highly recommend this restaurant. It is not inexpensive, but it absolutely is more than fairly priced for the very high quality of the whole dining experience.

This is by far the best service I have experienced in chicago. From the hostess, to the waitor to the manager who checks in with you just to make sure everything is going well… it was just a splendid place to have a Sunday brunch. Be sure to have the sticky bun, that is devilishly delicious

I came here on a Sunday morning with a group of 4 for brunch. We had made a reservation but arrived a few minutes early so we decided to get a drink at the bar. I had the bloody mary and it was fantastic. We were sat pretty quickly and ordered the donut to share. I had the pesto pork omelette with cheese grits. Both were excellent but the cheese grits were really something special. A friend had the burger and really seemed to enjoy it as well. I had been here once before but only for dinner and now I see why it is such a popular weekend brunch spot! I will most definitely be back!

I would give this place 8 stars if I could. I arrived for Sunday brunch and was amazed by my first impression of the atmosphere. It was cool and trendy while also being incredibly gorgeous and spacious. I hate when restaurants cram as many tables as possible in a space. This restaurant was large but also spread out tables so people weren’t on top of each other.
Once we sat down, they were so attentive throughout the entire meal. We had briefly mentioned it was our anniversary and throughout the entire meal, the staff were so kind to us and brought is complementary champagne and coffee cake to celebrate. Both phenomenal. To start our meal, we ordered the famous sticky bun to start (along with our complimentary coffee cake). The sticky bun was insanely delicious. Almost reminded me of the Garret’s caramel popcorn taste on top of the bun. So delicious!
For our meal, I ordered the omelet and my boyfriend ordered the 3 eggs. Mine was by far the best, but his was still great too. The omelet came with pickled veggies and the most tender and flavorful pork. The omelet was so soft and airy. It was cooked perfectly! I ordered the homemade basil pesto on the side and it was so fresh and delicious. Would definitely recommend that.
I was initially worried this place would be way too expensive, but their brunch was extremely reasonable and came with so much. Highly recommend and can’t thank the staff enough for some of the best service I have ever had in Chicago!

You know, I feel honored to live in Chicago for a plethora of reasons, but one of the top reasons is that our culinary scene rivals those of New York and California. It is so cool that you can visit restaurants that are spearheaded by notable culinary artists and visionaries such as Paul Virant. We had a reservation for 5 on a Saturday afternoon and we were immediately seated.
Location: Perennial Virant is located in Lincoln Park on the corner of the busy Lincoln Avenue. Very heavy foot traffic, but PV accepts reservations, and respects them, so theres no need to fret about heinous wait times.
Décor: Restoration Hardware meets West Elm meets French country. Tres rustique. It is simply divine. I was captivated by the chandeliers and lighting upon entry. The dress code of the staff however… very casual. No tea, no shade, but the kind of snob I am, I don’t really want to be spending $ 20+ on a meal while you are serving me in Sperry’s. *sips*
Service: Very friendly server. Very bland hostess.
Food: I ordered the Biscuits and Gravy but made a point to have everyone order different things so I could sample it all.
Biscuits and Gravy: I have to be very honest, This was the first time I had a biscuit that didn’t come from Popeyes since I moved to Chicago and I almost cried. It was so flaky, and had just the right amount of dough. It wasn’t buttery like we do it in the south, however, mixed with the runny egg and chicken gravy… It made for a pretty orgasmic dish. One thing I will say is that I wish they would add two pieces of sausage to this dish. I stole a piece of the sausage patty from my friend’s dish, and it was SO. GOOD.
Homefries: These homefries were so tasty! I didn’t think I would get full off the biscuits and gravy so I ordered them on the side and immediately regretted it because It was so many of them. I wanted to force myself to eat them all, yet, I couldn’t force myself to stomach them all. I wasnt prepared to send myself to an early grave. The cheese curds were PERFECT.
Other notable food items that I tasted here was the burger and again, the sausage.
Drinks: The mimosas, both types, were amazing. I cannot wait to return.
4 stars because I wasn’t really impressed with the dress code.

Putting aside the fact that Perennial Virant is the stupidest name ever for a restaurant (or for anything, other than as an ironic band name or literally a flower), this place is fine. It’s definitely not amazing. I was there 2 weeks ago but didn’t feel inspired enough to review it immediately. Actually, I can’t even remember what I ordered — something eggy. I do remember the breakfast potatoes, which Unilocalers raved about, but I remember thinking were extremely average. They had curds in them, which I guess was cool, but nothing to write home about.
My friend got the french toast, and she had to ask them to remake it without the bitter-​as-​blood orange marmalade peel zest or whatever was all over it. Service was nice. Atmosphere was nice. I probably wouldn’t go back though, since the food was pretty forgettable.

Perennial Virant is posh but welcoming. I walked in the back entrance by mistakenly entering from Hotel Lincoln, and I was kindly directed to the restaurant. The inside of the restaurant still feels less cozy and more like the cosmopolitan hotel lobby.
The PV Omelet I had was drool-​worthy. The omelet was stuffed with shaved pork, pesto, and goat cheese. The potatoes on the side were cooked well and it’s a genius idea to add cheese curds on the side too. I really enjoyed this omelet.
Our group shared the sticky bun and donut. GET THE STICKY BUN. The donut, on the other hand, had a stale texture and odd, sticky jelly glaze.
I tried some sausage too but wasn’t crazy about it. The texture seemed dried out, and the sausage didn’t have much flavor.
Maybe I missed the memo, but there did not appear to be a cocktail menu floating around during brunch. I arrived a few minutes late and noticed my dining companions all had water or iced tea, so I didn’t ask. But I was perplexed that no coffee nor libation was encouraged by the waiter. They were great about refilling our iced tea though.
The restaurant is located on an odd corner in Old Town; parking is available on Lincoln if you keep driving north/​west.

Came to Perennial Variant for the prix-​fixe menu after Second City’s Fast, Furious and Funny. Price isn’t exactly fixed as appetizers have a $ 12 maximum, $ 31 maximum.
Selected the Braised Pheasant and Dumplings for appetizer, CDK beef combination and pecans vanilla bean sundaes.
The pheasant and dumplings feature pickled ramp relish, roasted parnish, and crème fraîche. This one is delicious and hearty. Recommend parking with the starters bread with the sauce.
CDK Beef Combination. Grilled loin, crispy short rib, potato cake, «PV steak sauce», and creamed spinach. Delicious crispy spinach, potatoes and grilled beef loin. Highly recommend to beef.

Underwhelming would be the word that would best describe my brunch experience at Perennial Virant, a restaurant I had been wanting to try for a while. To begin with the positives, they take reservations, which is a plus for brunch, and the atmosphere is really bright and nice. The service was also attentive, and our water glasses and coffee cups were filled many times throughout the meal.
However, you come to brunch for the food, right? Well, it wasn’t terrible, and the presentation was impressive, but I’ve certainly had better eats at many brunch places throughout the city. Members of my party ordered the Vie Bread French Toast and Farmer’s Breakfast, and then I had the Three-​Egg Skillet. We also shared the Housemade Doughnut. The doughnut was delicious, but we were surprised that it was served cold. When we asked our server about it, she took it back and warmed it up. The French Toast, while not amazing, was the hit of the table, and we liked the sausage and bacon too. My skillet was decent, but we all agreed that the food was very salty, and the portions were rather small. I would be willing to try this place again (maybe for dinner?), but I won’t be rushing back.

Horrible !! Le tartare de saumon était noyé sous la sauce, les yeux bandé ont né devinerait même pas que c’était du saumon… Les gnocchis à la semoule n’en était pas … Le dessert au chèvre était en fait de vulgaire boules de churros qui même en fête foraine sont meilleures et le chèvre dans tout ça je né l’ai pas trouvé !!! Une carte mensongère et une addition bien salée pour une nourriture infâme ! Je comprend mieux pourquoi ce pseudo chef a perdu son étoile.