Perennial VirantWe went for brunch on a Sunday.We went for brunch on a Sunday. Because the Lincoln hotel shields the sun, a hot early afternoon outside felt like a pleasant afternoon. Food was fantastic and service was great. Had the stroller with us and there was plenty of room for storage. Afterwards, walked across the street to the zoo. So easy. So fun. So good.6/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThumbs up from California foodiesWe dined at Perennial Virant to celebrate our son's college graduation. Out of town family members joined us, including California foodies. Everyone could not have been more pleased with the food, service and ambiance. We had a delightful evening that our family will always remember.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMBeyond amazing food and ambiance,Beyond amazing food and ambiance, I was blown away with the level of service and attention to detail! I was hosting a group of clients for dinner and one of my guests had several food allergies. Our waiter and the chef went above and beyond to cater to these specific needs and made the whole dining experience a pleasure for all.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMNever DisappointedI have never been disappointed with Perennial Virant. This seasons menu is FABULOUS and had so many different tastes coming together to create masterpieces. love this restaurant and will always recommend to anyone willing to listen!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food presentationWonderful food presentation and the quality was exceptional.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMspecial occasion treatSome standout dishes and creative use of food. Chef Virant approaches seasonal cooking with gusto. Standouts were the bread, relish and pickles, rice cake, meatballs and the chocolate cake.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful experience!We visited from SF for our anniversary and were very impressed with the food and the service.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMKnowledgable serverVery good service....food was great, appetizers were out of the box & interesting. Would recommend.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFriendly staff and fabulous foodThe waitstaff were friendly and available, but not constantly hovering. The portions were generous for a fine dining establishment.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Lincoln Park gem!The food is unique and delicious. Our group of five ordered five different entrees and there wasn't a morsel left on any plate. Service was wonderful - attentive but not intrusive. Great bar and sophisticated wine list. I will be back!5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent brunchWhen I checked online, the brunch menu at PV didn't have any salads or lighter options, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a smoked ocean trout salad on the menu this past weekend. There is a generous portion of trout, and it's smoked lightly so it's not too salty and still tastes fresh. The trout is combined with peas for a bit of sweetness, pea shoots and dressed in meyer lemon vinaigrette. While I love indulging in French toast sometimes (the French toast at PV is delicious, but bigger than my head!) or a more decadent brunch, I had a multi-course dinner that evening so I was looking for something simple and light. This trout salad really hit the spot! One of my favorite salads in the city.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMDining delightOur experience at Perennial Virant was fabulous the food was divine and creative. The service terrific. The whole evening was wonderful.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMBest so farFirst time to a Virant restaurant. Known for his nack of pickling and preserving items and sourcing local farms, this translates into a chef that is familiar with balancing fresh foods with fatty meats and acidic elements. So far and by far the best meal yet, not perfect, but freakin good!5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMI love Perennial for dinner,I love Perennial for dinner, drinks, and brunch. You name it, they do it well. Great farm-to-table menu, and a fantastic ambiance. Brunch is great - I literally am there every Sunday - and very kid-friendly, which, for a place with such great food, is surprising. But they are wonderful about always accommodating us and I highly recommend it for locals, or for people visiting as well.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMMy son and husband took meMy son and husband took me to brunch for my birthday. Our second visit and it was every bit as enjoyable as the first time we were there. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is so pleasant. They even brought us each a glass of champagne on the house after my son told our waitress it was my birthday.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMTasty, fresh food. Lots of pickles.This restaurant was crazy busy Saturday night and I suspect it will be this way all summer. Great food, but the wait was understandably quite long, both to be seated (even though we had a reservation), then to meet our waitress, have our orders taken, food brought out etc. Perennial Virant is know for its pickling and pickles are incorporated as an accent in many dishes. If you aren't a fan of vinegar and sharp acidity, this may not be the restaurant for you. They have some interesting vegetarian options though, including a ramp and chevre crispy pastry with wheatberries and olive carrot pickled relish, which I enjoyed this evening. Of all the desserts, the rum raisin ice cram sundae is hands down the best!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best....Perennial Virant is certainly one of the best restaurants in all of Chicago - the food, the place, the people. You can't ever go wrong with Perennial Virant (or Paul's other restaurant in Western Springs - Vie)5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMLively scene and be seenWe had drinks at the roof-top bar, at the Hotel Lincoln, before going down to our dinner reservation at Perennial (also in the Hotel Lincoln). The bar was packed, even though it was windy and quite chilly. The scene was lively and fun - not to mention the great view! Perennial was a treat, as well. fortunately, we were seated in a semi-private area, to the front of the restaurant (along the Clark side), which kept the noise level moderate and we were able to speak comfortably. The food and wine were very good and the service not overly attentive, just perfect. I live just a 5 min walk up Clark, but my three friends were from out-of-town and were staying at the Hotel and loved the restaurant. It, and the rooftop bar, are keepers!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMit was an overall pleasantit was an overall pleasant experience and the food was done very well.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe restaurant is beautiful!The restaurant is beautiful! Great location looking out onto the park and lovely outdoor seating area. I loved the food. Every dish I had was so delicious. We decided to get a bunch of appetizers b/c they all sounded amazing. I got the beets and the asparagus and my husband had the beef tartare and the hush puppies. We started with the jar snacks. so fun and yummy.
our cocktails were fantastic, fresh, and unique.
The only downside was the service was slow. Our server seemed like he had too many tables and was always showing up after long periods of time exasperated.
Despite the service, we will definitely go back and enjoy the food throughout the seasons to see what is added to the menu.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother home run mealPV recently switched up most of its menu to highlight new spring produce like spring garlic, asparagus and ramps. Wow. Just amazing flavors. I'm never disappointed with any of my food here and this meal was no exception. The hushpuppies were the star of the evening, with a great golden brown crunch and slight cornbread sweetness that fit well with the creamed corn served underneath. The spring garlic relish and tasso ham cherry vinaigrette added necessary acidity and balanced out the sweet with savory and tang. Honestly though, you just can't go wrong with anything you order here. Chevre fritters are the perfect dessert for sharing! Love the lightness and custardy inside. Service was fantastic as well.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOne Fantastic EveningThat's what we had during our first visit to PV! The food and service were excellent. How in the world do they make the worlds most delicious preserved lemons and lighter than air ricotta???? Jar snacks are too delicious! Seriously - it is not possible for me to give anything other than - GLOWING praise!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMEarly dinnerat 5 pm for 6 of us before heading to Second City. The hostess wasn't prepared to even seat us before our reservation when we arrived early. Once we were seated at 5, service was excellent, but then we were pretty much the only people in the restaurant. Great menu, with emphasis on farm to table and local providers. The spring vegetable fettucine was like a green bowl of springtime, beautiful! Nice view over Lincoln Park towards the lake.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat BrunchThe food selection was creative and delicious. Had a wonderful time.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place for sharingWent to PV with a group of 6. Plates of appetizers were all unique and great for sharing. Each presented unique and distinct flavors and presentations. Main courses as well were diverse and creative. Staff knew the menu well and suggested great pairings of appetizers and mains in addition to wine. Intimate but happening even on an early Sunday evening.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was amazing, steak tartareFood was amazing, steak tartare and asparagus salad to start, then lamb bolognese and beef loin, all four dishes were outstanding. Good wine list and great staff who really went out of their way, especially as we had a table of nobs near us, the staff were very apologetic and attentive. One of the best meals i have had in Chicago.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMHousemade Doughnut, StickyHousemade Doughnut, Sticky Bun & lemon cake starters were perfection! The french toast was terrible, the bread was so burned, hardly edible. Biscuits and gravy, cheesy grits and seasonal (watermelon) mimosas were delicious. The bloody maria could have been spicier. Our waitress was very good with a great personality. My water glass was never empty and I drink a ton of water. A+5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinner!My husband and I really enjoyed this restaurant. Casual, great food, vibrant atmosphere.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMwhat a pleasant surpriseAte dinner here because we were staying at the Hotel Lincoln. Expected a "good for a hotel" restaurant, but had a delicious meal and delightful service. Have recommended Perennial Virant to friends in Chicago.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThe service here was brilliantThe service here was brilliant and the food was very good as well. Interesting cocktails and a very good looking menu. Best part was probably the staff though. So attentive, energetic and helpful.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfulWe loved this place! Great food with a focus on fresh farm ingredients. We enjoyed it do much we returned the next morning for brunch.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe brunch was amazing, andThe brunch was amazing, and a great place to watch people walk around lincoln park on a beautiful chicago day!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat!Fabulous and interesting menu. Lovely anniversary evening4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMVery inventive flavor combinations.Very inventive flavor combinations....in a good way. Whitefish outstanding. My only criticism is that some of the portions were a little small at these price points. Overall great experience and would definitely go back and recommend.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMService this past Sunday wasService this past Sunday was outstanding (server with a beard). He was very friendly and attentive. Had to call him out. The food presentation was a little solitary - I had the egg skillet but it needed potatoes (in any form). Like the coffee cake touch at the beginning. I'll be back - especially in the summer. Love the patio.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional meal and diningExceptional meal and dining experience. A favorite for Chicago for us Twin Cities foodies. Lovely casual/elegant environs, flexible menu, outstanding wait staff, and above all delicious, creative offerings. We will be back.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent granola for breakfastTheir housemade granola is amazing - it's served with honey and a plain Greek yogurt, which I love for the tang to contrast the sweetness. There's no dried fruit with the granola, but you should ask for fruit compote served alongside the pancakes :)4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMA wonderful restaurant. GreatA wonderful restaurant. Great food, wonderful ambience, noise level conducive to conversation, terrific and attentive service. What more could one ask for?4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding!Creative and unique menu choices, all executed to perfection. Interesting ingredients and flavors. The pike on the menu was extraordinary.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible food, great locationI imagine I'll be coming here at least twice a week now that I'm in the neighborhood. Just spectacular food all around. The pan-roasted fluke with roasted salsify, farro, pickled carrots and hen egg gribiche was out of this world. And definitely order the rum ice cream sundae if you like rum raisin at all!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFine food and atmosphere.Creative and delicious localvore food in a comfortable, conversation-friendly atmosphere. Affable help, reasonable prices for an upscale restaurant, and street parking may be available.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this place....and haveI love this place....and have recommended it to lots of people. Dining there on a Sunday night was even more terrific - laid back and great service - not as crowded as other nights.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a very nice brunch- foodHad a very nice brunch- food and bloody Mary's were both great4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!Good food, service and atmosphere! What more could you want. Will definitely make it a point to eat here on my next visit to Chicago.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went on a Tuesday evening.We went on a Tuesday evening. Everything was great. The food is unique in taste and well worth the price. We definitely plan to return and sample other menu offerings.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMA slow start as a table ofA slow start as a table of 14 for a birthday/engagement was seated directly next to us, Therefore the staff was busy right away. As that settled then we were able to get more attention. Food was great!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went early (6pm) and hadWe went early (6pm) and had a fantastic time. The food was very good and the service was excellent!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThe donut and the sticky bunThe donut and the sticky bun starters are by far the most amazing thing on the menu. I suggest getting both and sharing with your group.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAs usual, the food was fabulous...pAs usual, the food was fabulous...pumpkin beignets, oxtail pierogies, lamb bolognese...what more could u want on a Saturday night?
Paul Virant never disappoints!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this place!! AmazingLove this place!! Amazing set up and the details really shine. Food delish and love the locality. Want more.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AM