Varanese

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#27 of 1,770 Restaurants in Louisville$$$$, American, Steakhouse, Vegetarian friendly

+1 502-899-9904+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Mon

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Tue

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Wed

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Thu

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Fri

5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Sat

5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

368 reviews

#27 of 1,770 Restaurants in Louisville

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$10.00 – $28.00

CUISINES

American, Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

2106 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206-2002

Clifton

+1 502-899-9904

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Is this a seafood restaurant?

Yes

Unsure

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About

Varanese Restaurant is located in the historic Clifton neighborhood and features an eclectic menu of New American Cuisine using local organic products, prepared by Owner/Chef John Varanese. The restaurant opened in 2007 and has recently completed a renovation and can comfortably seat 150 guests between its bar, dining room and four seasons patio. Open 7 days a week - Sunday through Thursday from 5:00pm to 11:00pm, and Friday and Saturday 5:00pm to midnight.

PRICE RANGE

$10.00 – $28.00

CUISINES

American, Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Jazz Bar

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4.5

368 reviews

Excellent

256

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

IcanSEE60inRVM

Louisville94 contributions

Lovely Anniversary Dinner

Sep 2020 • none

Typically visit Varanese several times a year and are never disappointed by the food, service or atmosphere. When I made the reservation I mentioned that it was our anniversary and when we arrived there was a nice corner table selected for us, with rose petals scattered on the table cloth and a "Happy Anniversary" table card. Both the hostess and our server wished us welcome and congratulations. The combo played the Anniversary Waltz. Though entrees were tempting as always, we ended up selecting several appetizers as a meal, shared a cocktail, and also a bottle of very reasonably priced California bubbly that went well with everything we ordered. The stuffed squash blossoms were a standout seasonal treat. Even under the new hygiene and distancing practices, Varanese still delivers an elegant dining experience.

Written September 12, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff R

1 contribution

Awesome Dining Experience

Jul 2021 • none

The service was outstanding, the food was of the highest quality at a resonable price. I had the smoked burbon pork chops and they were without a doubt the best pork chops I have ever eaten. My girlfrend had the salmon and raved about it, A jazz bad was playing and the atmosphere was more than we could have hoped for. Our next visit to Louisville will include reservations here.

Written July 18, 2021

L and Company

Louisville7 contributions

Very Nice Experience....Upscale without being stuffy

Jul 2020 • none

Dinner on Sunday night was so very pleasant. Tried the pork pot stickers and duck egg rolls as an appetizer. Both very tasty as were the sauces. Dinner for our party of three consisted of the ribeye, the flank steak, and the monk fish. All cooked to perfection. We couldn’t choose a dessert so we asked the waiter to surprise us. He brought out the bread pudding served non traditionally with a marshmallow topping. Amazing. The experience was so nice and topped off with a duo quietly playing in the background. On a side note they have their own parking lot, as parking can be challenging at times on Frankfort avenue. Additionally, they have two dining areas that can be closed off for parties who want to have private dining. Highly recommend. Cheers.

Written July 6, 2020

M.White

7 contributions

Disappointing Experience

May 2021 • none

My husband and I go to The Riverhouse, which is excellent! We decided to give the chef's other restaurant a try, since we enjoy The Riverhouse so much. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment. The food was lacking in flavor and seasoning on all notes. The fish I ordered had no seasoning, not even salt or pepper, and it really needed a note of acid to cute through the dish. The description on the menu stated it would have a pecan and jalapeño crust, and all I got was pecans. No jalapeño whatsoever, which would have been great paired with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes that the fish rested on. Unfortunately, the sweet potatoes had a bitter aftertaste, even my husband made comment of it. The mushroom risotto was bland. I have had risotto and make it myself it should have depth of flavor and it tasted like nothing. No seasoning again, lacking salt/pepper. I expected so much more with as much as the meal costed. I was very surprised that this is the same chef that owns/operates The Riverhouse, because it is a night and day difference on the quality of food and flavor.

Written May 8, 2021

Aristofanes C

Louisville96 contributions

At Home, Far Away

Dec 2021 • none

For the New Year's celebration, I invited my niece (an international student at U of Louisville) and her mother, visiting town from Panama, to join me at Varanese, one of my favorite places in town. The whole experience was extraordinary with a great server (Kate, I believe was her name) who welcomed us in Spanish and later in the evening brought her sister from the kitchen to say hello in Spanish as well. The food was, as always, well crafted and with its unique flavors, from the angus steak to the bourbon salmon, the lobster mac/cheese and the bread pudding with caramel ice cream. What a wonderful and delightful way to welcome 2022. The restaurant had live music and offer the traditional New Year's hats and tiaras, as well as a glass of champagne to toast. Cheers 2022! Cheers Varanese for a great opportunity for my family to feel at home in Louisville.

Written January 1, 2022

Sue J

3 contributions

Fabulous experience— rehearsal dinner

Jul 2021 • family

We recently hosted a rehearsal dinner at the Varanese. The servers, McKenzie and Mason, were top-notch. They were attentive, efficient, and pleasant. The food was superb. David Allen, the general manager, was very responsive to all inquiries and requests, from months in advance to day of! The chef was accommodating to a few special dietary requests. It was a great experience. Everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you!

Written July 12, 2021

IndyAnna

Carmel71 contributions

Nice

Sep 2020 • none

Food was good and service was excellent. The Old Fashions were to die for. There was live music which made it a little difficult to have a conversation. We had reservations but were seated in the back near the bar, which was dark and noisy with waiters coming in and out. Not sure why we weren't offered a table in the main dining area which was only half full. But all in all was a nice dinner.

Written October 14, 2020

Lisa C

Powell21 contributions

Fabulous

Jun 2021 • couples

First of all, we want to give a huge shout out to our server Thomas ! His personality and engagement during our dinner was well above our expectations . If I could adopt him in would do it in a heartbeat ! There was a music duo (guitar and stand up bass) that made our dinner experience even better than we would have expected . The food was phenomenal ! Oyster appetizer was to die for! I had the lamb shank and my husband had the red snapper . Both were mouth watering! For dessert we had the banana cheesecake cake, along with a cup of coffee ‘spiked with’ kahlua. We will definitely be back during our next trip to Louisville 🥰

Written June 7, 2021

Velma V

5 contributions

Return to dining out

Mar 2022 • none

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Varanese. Food, drinks and service were all wonderful! There was live music which only added to the experience. With Covid we have not been dining out ....Varanese was defiantly a great place to experience our venture back to in restaurant dining. Our server, whose name I can't remember, was great! We never felt rushed or hovered over but were well taken care of (The young lady was a graduate student and waiting tables suited her schedule and she was well suited to the job)

Written March 29, 2022

Tricia G

1 contribution

Rehearsal Dinner

Sep 2021 • none

My husband and I reserved Varanese for our sons rehearsal dinner. From beginning to end, working with David at Varanese was a breeze! He was very easy to work with, and guided us through the menu selection, table set up, everything! The food that night was amazing! I am still receiving rave reviews on all the dishes. The appetizers were yummy, the salads and entrees were delicious, and my mouth is still watering over the dessert options! And, the wait staff was Five-Star! I would highly recommend Varanese for any dinner event (large or small) when you want to "wow" your family and friends. You won't be disappointed.

Written September 20, 2021

clareg

Louisville3 contributions

We’ll be back!

Sep 2022 • couples

We took our out of town guests yesterday. Our server Jessica was amazing! She really made our night! (If you are reading this Jessica, y’all/yins did a great job! Lol.) Everyone loved their cocktails. The pork chop was very tasty and perfectly cooked, loved the shrimp and grits… so flavorful! The salmon was also delicious! We had the cheese and hummus plate as a starter and I was not a fan. The hummus was gummy and had an odd flavor. The rest of our group didn’t mind it. I could have had the bruschetta as my meal… yum! For dessert we had the bread pudding and asked to have some bourbon to pour on top (so good!), the lava cake (wow) and the brûlée (coffee flavored and very nice). We were the last to leave and Jessica and the rest of the staff treated us if we had all the time in the world. We so appreciated that! Our experience was so special! Thank you!

Written September 19, 2022

Tara W

1 contribution

Best food ever!

Oct 2023 • couples

We had our 5th anniversary dinner here. From the food to the service, not just the server but the hostess and manager, this was the best restaurant we have ever eaten at. They made us feel so special. I had one of their specials, Filet Mignon Oscar, the steak was so tender you could cut it with a fork, every flavor on that plate complimented each other. I scraped my plate clean. Just when I thought I had no more room, I found some for their orange cake. We are visiting from Ohio and I would definitely come back just to go to this restaurant.

Written October 28, 2023

Karen L

3 contributions

Date Night

Jun 2022 • couples

Enjoyed the best service we’ve had in a long time as well as one of the best dinners. Kate, our server, was delightful! She was attentive, prompt and seemed genuinely happy to be working there. The clam chowder was one of the best we’ve ever had (and my husband’s from New England). Our entrees consisted of the specials; skirt steak with shrimp add on, and the grilled swordfish with shrimp add on. Throw in some Sonoma Cutrer and Tito’s cocktails and this was a winning evening. An addition to our favorite restaurants in Louisville’s world class dining scene!

Written June 30, 2022

Sean M

Louisville345 contributions

Pleasant diner

Nov 2024 • family

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 recomended Slainte!!

Written November 18, 2024

Jem6

Louisville394 contributions

Terrible for vegans

Dec 2020 • none

We made reservations and they sat us at a tiny table at the bar, which was disappointing. There’s a vegetarian option on the menu. I asked them to make it vegan for me. It was just a smaller plate of sautéed vegetables. I was still starving after I ate it. I asked for some breadsticks. The drinks were too strong. Service and staff were good. But everything else was abysmal. Not sure how this is ranked one of the best restaurants in Louisville. I will never be back.

Written December 24, 2020

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VARANESE, Louisville - Clifton - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Reservations - Tripadvisor