Varanese

Everything was perfect from the gimlet cocktail to the delicious tenderloin to the live music. Great neighborhood bistro with class.

My mom made reservations at Varanese to follow up an afternoon at Cirque du Soliel. The ambience of the restaurant was great. Loved the water wall, and live music, as well as the fancy water pours.
The service was good, and the server was pretty knowledgeable about my gluten free needs, and was willing to check with the chef about any items she was unsure about.
I had the Marlin dish — one of the specials. I wanted it to be amazing, but was a little disappointed. The Marlin was flavorless, and overlooked, making the risotto the star of the dish. Shared a side of Brussel sprouts with the table, which were great! My mom wasn’t bowled over by her shrimp and grits, and my husbands pork chop was tough. My grandma, however, exclaimed that it was the best salmon she had ever eaten (this is one of their best selling items). Seldom do I ever have room for, or order dessert; but after confirming out that the mocha crime brûlée was GF, I had to try it. The texture was a little strange, but the flavor was great.
Overall a good experience; maybe a little overpriced for what it was.

3.6−4
Got the bourbon barrel pork chop and it was terrible.
The V burger was my pick the next time and it was amazing. Definitely upgrade to fries it’s worth it.
Also the hummus and cheese plate was delicious, it was a moderately price appetizer and we were not shorted on bread when we had leftover cheese (unlike some other restaurant around)
Not as fancy or expensive as Vincenzo’s but the food is better in my opinion

I had the Gulf Shrimp and Grits which are Butter poached gulf shrimp with sharp cheddar and chive grits finished with a spicy tasso gravy.
Also was given an amuse bouche of bruschetta and a basket of warm breadsticks
Oh and an appetizer which was one of their specials that night which was a beef tenderloin with blue cheese on toast
Everything was really lovely and service was excellent. I will come back for sure.

My hubby surprised me with dinner reservations for date night. He knew I’d been wanting to dine here. I had heard many wonderful comments from my mom who has visited several times over the last year. Her favorite was the vegetable plate.
The positives: My hubby and I really enjoyed the live jazz band, even though they played «Happy Birthday» nearly 13 times during our visit. We began to count after we realized this was going to be frequent. We had excellent service. Our cocktails were very well made.
The negatives: The noise level (other tables, large party table and band) was very high. When speaking to each other or our server, we found ourselves literally shouting and mouthing the words to one another. Not very romantic for a date night. I wasn’t highly impressed with the food either. It was at best mediocre. For the price, we could have gone to several other upscale restaurants in town and would have had a far better experience. I understand the Chef/​Owner is opening a new restaurant. I’m guessing this location is suffering since he’s not here frequently.
We were disappointed and probably won’t be back. It was too expensive not to be enjoyable and chance again.
~Mrs. J

I loved this place! It was our first visit here and the ambiance, décor, live music fit together perfectly. The food was excellent, my entrée was the beef tips and tortellini with cherry tomatoes in a garbanzo cream sauce. Savory and delicious. The beefy tips were extremely tender and succulent. The tortellini was very fresh and full of flavor. The sauce tied everything together for a truly wonderful dish.

We ate here this past Sunday and it was a delight. My meal was the pecan encrusted California sea bass over whipped sweet potatoes. I wanted something different and this fit the bill. The bass was topped with a honey jalapeño butter sauce and it created a depth of rich flavor enhancing the taste of the seafood and potatoes. I doubt if I will stray from this main course when I visit the next time.

We visited Varanese based on reviews on Open Table and on Unilocal.Overall impression — While the food is good, there seems to be a lack of healthy options on the menu. However, this might not be just limited to Varanese, rather to Louisville cuisine in general. Everything on the menu is rich and decadent. For today’s discerning millennial foodie, I’m afraid the menu seems a bit of a throwback to a decade ago, not to the trend of healthy, locally sourced, farm-​to-​table cuisine that has caught on everywhere, including neighboring Ohio. With an updated menu, Chef Varanese has the opportunity to revitalize KY cuisine and attract a whole new set of customers.

Varanese is excellence defined. Scott and I visited here for our late New Year’s Day celebration to start the evening off. We started with cocktails and ordered the Calamari Rings for an appetizer.
In the summer they open up the front of the restaurant into a patio and then they close it off with windows when it is cold outside so that you get a nice view of Frankfort Ave. and the surrounding businesses. The restaurant itself is super cute and pretty. The bar was hard wood with a huge amount of wine that tempted me a little bit, but since Scott doesn’t drink wine I stuck with bourbon, this time. There is an area in the front corner that had some instruments (i.e. drums) and a guy who looked like he was packing up for the night so we had just missed the show unfortunately as it would have added to the ambiance.
I ordered the Kentucky Sweet Tea which had a bunch of liquors in it but most importantly it with Maker’s Mark. It was so damn good, it tasted like you were just drinking very good lemon tea. Scott got the best damn Manhattan I’ve ever had and for my second drink I ended up ordering that with Maker’s Mark in it too while I ate my food when it came out. Our friends also met us out
Scott got the Stuffed Chicken Roulade and it was super sweet, savory and yummy. It had a red wine glaze and roasted garlic whipped potatoes with fried leeks as well. I only tried a bite of his but if I was ever stuck on what to get I would pick it if need be. I had the Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pork Chop, I swear that was the best freaking pork chop I’ve ever had — and I’ve had a lot of pork chops in my 25 years of livin. It was tender, boneless, moist and the apple-​bacon chutney on top was absolutely what I never would have put into my pork chops at home. The potato gratin was like potato cake! It had a ton of layers of potatoes and the cheese was like icing. It was creamy, cheesy and so damn good I wanted a whole pan to-​go, but that’s not good for diets. T_​T (emo-​kid emoji needed in this instance).
I rarely talk about bathrooms in my review but I visited before we left and it had to be the best bathroom I’ve ever seen. It’s designed nicely with a modern flair but carries the same feel of the rest of the restaurant. The sink was probably the coolest thing ever. It had a big clear glass bowl with a bronze finished spicket that made water flow at a nice even pace with not too much pressure as well.
Our server was on his game and when my first drink started to get low he asked if I wanted another and of course I did! He got the appetizer out to us and even helped us with some decision making as well. He deserved the tip he got that night and I hope he’s our server next time we visit as well.
The meal did end up being a little pricey, $ 120 before tip for the two us with our appetizer, four cocktails total and our entrée. So pricey, but not unwarranted. I was pleased with every dollar that we spent and the liquor you get in the cocktails is strong enough that you’ll start feeling it (even after your meal) pretty quickly.
Overall Varanese is one of my new found most favoritest places in Louisville and I can’t wait for another special occasion to go back and have some more treats here!

Heard about it from a friend and decided to give it a shot. Service was great and friendly. Live music on the night we visited.
We had the cheese balls appetizer and probably could have licked the plate. All of the food was delicious. My husband had the fried chicken and I had the steak. Both were cooked perfectly.
Love the large windows and water feature wall. Can’t wait to come back in the summer when it’s warm and they open the window wall for the patio seating.

I have been here twice now, and it is one of my favorite places to go, if I am feeling fancy and want good food! The overall atmosphere is wonderful, for there is always live music (usually jazz) and drinks a plenty! The portions are big, and the food always delicious! I usually go to the tortellini with rib short tips, which is rich and always delectable. Of course, their burbon list is quite large and that is always a big draw for me. The service is also very excellent and they want to make sure you have a grand time here.
Overall, great place for going out with friends, or bringing a date! Somewhat fancy, but still relaxed. Be prepared though, for the restaurant is right by the train track and it can get loud! Thankfully, the servers attune to this and make sure that your experience is still grand.

I had a seriously amazing dinner at Varanese. I had driven by the restaurant tons of times but always thought that it looked a little strange from the outside. I’m so glad I took a chance and went in.
We were pleasantly surprised to find a live jazz band playing in one corner of the restaurant when we walked in. I loved the general atmosphere – such a good date night spot! As for the food, we started off with the puff-​pastry wrapped Brie. It was amazing, and I can’t rave about it enough. For our entrees, we ordered the smoked pork and the beef tips with tortellini. Both were very reasonably priced, and the servings were huge. I was amazed by how tender and juicy the pork loin was. We were then surprised again when we found out that on Monday nights, each entrée comes with a free flambé dessert! It was so fun watching them flambé our desserts in the dining room.
I’ve had friends tell me that their experiences at Varanese were sub-​par, but I absolutely loved it. I’ll definitely be back again in the future!

Classy overtone’s in a relaxed environment. Jazz band = nice touch. Friendly service, and focused. food? Average. No disrespect to the Chef on this comment. Pork chop was nothing spectacular. Slightly under cooked, and not memorable in terms of flavor, even with the apple/​bacon chutney. starter salad with poached pears and toasted pumpkin seeds was also ok, but the hand which dealt the Gorgonzola cheese was very very light. I am talking like maybe 3 tiny crumbles of Gorgonzola?
anyway, most of me wishes I had tried something else, in this outrageous State of food glory.
p. s.- I had originally given this place 3 stars, however now downgraded to two. why? Because one of the waiters (not my server) just walked to the table I am still sitting at, immediately picked up the cup of coffee I was still drinking, and walked away with it. did not say a word, did not ask if I was finished, nothing. etiquette goes a long way, and that move went way below the line of good service.
Now, all of me wishes I had dined somewhere else.

Despite living in Louisville for 7 years and despite wanting to try EVERY SINGLE amazing restaurant in town, I had yet to try Varanese until my husband and I were searching for a restaurant to have a wedding anniversary dinner. Usually when looking at menus for more upscale establishments, I get a little overwhelmed and I’m scared away. However, given the multiple delicious sounding items on this menu, we thought Varanese would be a perfect place for our latest celebration.
I had initially made a reservation for Tuesday night, but upon finding out that half-​priced bottles of wine are offered on Wednesdays, I changed the reservation. The online service made it easy to switch the reservation.
Upon arrival, we were given a small plate of bruschetta (and later received some cheesy breadsticks). We opted for an inexpensive bottle of cabernet sauvignon that the waitress suggested and it was an excellent choice. I had been eyeing the sweet potato rolls with pulled pork as an appetizer, and while they were a perfect opening for fall, I was a little disappointed at the size (very small).
As for the entrees, we both opted for the specials they had that evening since we knew we could try the regular menu on our next trip. My husband had the Wagyu burger with fries. We both enjoyed it and were surprised at the combination of the kimchi pancakes as buns. I had the short rib pot pie, which was a good portion-​size and the taste was good as well. It took a long time to cool off as the blanket of pastry crust kept in the heat!
Thanks to some previous reviews about the bread pudding, we made sure to try that for dessert. I was hesitant about the marshmallow topping but it really did add to the taste!
While the food was all delicious and what you would expect from an establishment like this, the service was pretty slow. For us, it started quickly (appetizers, wine), but it felt like forever to get our entrees and dessert. The jazz band that was supposed to be playing seemed to be sitting around most of the time. And the ambiance is also a little… dated? Retro? For these reasons, I knocked off the 5^th star.
I will for sure be back to Varanese, especially to take advantage of half-​priced bottles of wine or for the incredible looking events they had listed!

I finally tried Varanese after driving past it for so many years, and I’m so glad to say I was not at all disappointed. My boyfriend and I came here for a late dinner around 8:45 on a Friday night. There was live music, which added to the lovely atmosphere. Our server was fantastic — I forget her name, but she was polite, attentive, and had great suggestions as to what to order.
Ah, the food. The food was delicious! We ordered the baked brie and fried calamari as appetizers and ermagerd, they were both so delectable. Both were sooo good, I actually had trouble deciding which to continue eating because I was so afraid the other would disappear before my eyes. For my entrée I ordered the Caramelized Orange Bourbon Salmon, which was beyond amazing. So mouthwatering, my mouth is actually filling up with water as we speak. My boyfriend ordered the Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pork Chop, and he was thrilled with his order as well.
Overall, we had a fantastic experience with both the food and the service. We’ll definitely come back!

What a delightful meal. All of the ingredients were fresh, the preparation proper, the selections delicious, with great service, great spirits, and great friends. Thanks. This was our first visit to the New Lou!

I’ve been here a couple of times now, and each time has exceeded my expectations!
They have a great menu that is always available, but in addition have a different menu each time with several chef specials. There is typically live music. The ambiance is romantic and there’s even a waterfall along the back wall providing a peaceful background. The service is always quick, attentive, and friendly. What more could you want?
The menu lists a variety of foods and flavor and I feel as if even the pickiest of eaters could find a great meal here.
My husband and I have loved everything we’ve eaten. We ordered the strip steak, beans, and brussel sprouts on our first visit. The steak was cooked perfectly. But. The brussel sprouts are one of the most amazing things I have ever eaten! This past visit my husband ordered the chef’s special of wagyu burger and fries, and I ordered the stuffed chicken roulade. Wow! I tried his and it was great, but mine really knocked it out of the park. It came with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed purple cabbage. I’ve been craving it since!
I think Varanese should be on everyone’s «Louisville bucket list». I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed for visiting!

I’ve been to Varanese multiple times and have never been disappointed with the food or the service. I love that they are a «fusion» restaurant and offer a variety of different types of foods and try to combine various cooking point of views to come up with newer, fresh takes on food. It really is a restaurant that can cater to all food pallets and anyone could easily find something they like.
The restaurant itself is pretty cool. They have sliding glass walls that they open up in warmer weather so you get the effect of eating outside even if you are still technically covered by a roof. They also have a back area that is more dimly light and a little bit more romantic. Often times you will find live music being played and they even have themed music nights.
I find it difficult to order something from their ordinary menu because their specials are always so wonderful. I have had the bourbon barrel pork chop with au gratin potatoes and apple bacon jam, beef tips and tortellini, cheese and hummus plate, and chocolate lava cake from their normal menu– all of which were exquisite and so full of flavor. The chocolate lava cake is especially delicious and I often times found myself coming back just to get that (I used to literally pick restaurants based on if they had this dessert as it used to be a favorite of mine).
On my last visit, I had the Ossobuco with zesty fried brussel sprouts and the au gratin potatoes as a side and pulled pork empanadas that came with pickled peaches and a barbecue sauce– both on that nights «specials» list. The empanadas were the perfect combination of savory from the pork and sweet from the barbecue sauce perfected by a small punch of acidity from the pickled peaches. The Ossobuco was slow cooked beef shank (think pot roast like but with a bone) smothered in a delicious gravy-​textured sauce that tasted like it was a reduction of wine and tomatoes. My only complaint would be that about half of what was put on my plate was inedible pure fat, but that is expected from the cut of meat. There was still plenty to eat though and I left feeling satisfied by both the taste of the food and amount I was given.
Varanese is a great local place to go if you are wanting a nicer dining experience and cool atmosphere. There regular menu items are on par with what you would order at your typical steak house type of restaurant and entrees on their special menu are generally 30+ but for the quality of food that is provided it is will worth it.

Excellent meal. I had the baked brie: excellent. For the main course, I had the ribeye steak. Quite possibly the best I have ever had. A wonderful experience. Will be back when I am in Louisville.

Jazz nightly! Good lighting and lively bar. Romantic dining area with huge water feature wall, very sophisticated but also not too stuffy.
The staff here is amazing, always on point no matter how busy. On Sunday evenings, appetizers are half off. I like to sit in the bar area and watch sports late nite or chat with friends. I also go by myself frequently and have a great time– it is safe, clean, friendly… and parking close by.
Recently, I got the Brie which was heavenly. They have some mini sliders of pork on a sweet potato biscuit that literally melts in your mouth, paired with apple butter. Yum! This is one of the better spots in Louisville for many reasons.