I went to Nirvana Kitchen & Wine Bar with a few friends for a late lunch/early dinner. We made a reservation for 3:30PM on a Thursday. When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly and welcoming staff. Before we sat at our table, we took a seat at the beautiful bar to have a cocktail first and enjoy the amazing happy hour offerings. The Montebuena Tempranillo red I had was buttery and delicious. To start, we shared the hummus and tenderloin skewers, both delicious. The tenderloin was cooked perfectly and I loved the horseradish creme and Gorgonzola it was served with. For entrees we had the salmon, bolognese, shrimp tacos, and a shrimp bowl with jalapeño. We all enjoyed our food! My shrimp bowl was really good and packed with flavor from the sriracha slaw and avocado salsa. Also, our waitress, Jasmine, was very friendly and we never felt rushed during our meal. That was especially nice since we were with friends we hadn't seen in a long time and wanted to catch up with. Overall, I can't wait to go back to Nirvana and try more items on the menu! 10/10 experience read more

See all

Came here with a group for Happy Hour. I made a reservation for 8 at 4:30pm. They had our table reserved inside but there is also an outdoor patio. The setup is very nice inside. There is a wine bar and counter for tastings. They also have parallel parking around the restaurant. There is a happy hour drink and food menu that you can order from until 5:30pm. I had a glass of the Riesling and an Aperol spritz. They also mark their menu items with GF or GFA and there are a lot of options. I informed the server I had a gluten allergy. I started with the cheese plate. I was able to pick 3 different cheeses to try and it came with grapes, honey, apples and jam. They do not have GF bread or crackers. For my entree, I had the GF pasta. It was cooked very well and the sauce was delicious. They have a flourless chocolate cake for dessert which was confirmed GF. It was sweet and very good. The service was excellent and can't wait to come back to try more items. read more

See all

Nirvana is the ultimate in enlightenment but I would say that Nirvana Kitchen & Wine Bar was good but didn't live up to nirvana. We enjoyed a cheese plate. I had pappardelle with spinach, tomato and gorgonzola and my companion had the carmelized Atlantic salmon with asparagus. Our dishes were good. Service was friendly. We didn't have wine, but maybe we should have. The menu looks appealing so maybe we didn't pick the right entrees? Our meal was fine but I feel that there are other restaurants I would go to before coming back. read more

See all

We went here for date night with my family of 3 and it was oh so lovely! Located in the most charming spot of the new Hawthorn Mall addition, we sat on the back patio and had the most delicious dinner. The server recommended a wonderful glass of wine and my husband had some yummy recommended beer. I had salmon and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. All around a great place to dine out - 5 stars! Oh, and the staff was AWESOME! I said to my husband that I think our server really liked his job, he was so pleasant and nice! read more

Pretty good I'd say. We came here on a Friday afternoon. We enjoyed sitting in the covered outdoor area. The staff were friendly, food and drinks were enjoyable. We each got a wine flight and split the tacos. Somehow that added up to $99 including tip. Maybe I'm cheap but that felt like a lot. We enjoyed the tacos. The spicy sauce was spicy and delicious and they were generous with the meat on the tacos. Like I said, it was pretty good, now wowed but very enjoyable. read more

Tried the new location and of course it's gorgeous and it has a Scottsdale vibe to the whole scene outside. We sat at the bar and ordered a flatbread and salad. The flatbread was tasty and I would order again. The salad was plentiful and fresh. Discounted wine on Wednesday was a nice surprise. Also, they expanded their alcohol selection. Options for mixed drinks and more name brand spirits that you are accustomed to the taste. Service was fine... we sat at the bar, so we had pretty easy access to ask for things and be checked on. read more

Nirvana Kitchen & Wine Bar - Flatbread caprese - Wine Bars Near Me - Vernon Hills, Illinois

See all

Boyfriend & I had a great time. Service was definitely a highlight and our waiter was attentive and engaging. Food was serviceable although I definitely enjoyed the cheeseboard more than the Margherita flatbread. read more

Nirvana Kitchen & Wine Bar - Small Cheese Flight - Wine Bars Near Me - Vernon Hills, Illinois

See all

Nirvana is ideal for date night! There is an exceptional wine menu and the food is not bad either! The general vibe is cool and the service was great! read more

Love this place. The new space is much friendlier and still the same great food and wine. Can't come here enough.

Great service, food, wine, and beer in a cozy bright, and lovely atmosphere. The bartender and manager, same guy, was great to us and helped us make food and cocktail choices that suited us well. read more

Dined here on 11/21 before a movie. Let the server know this, although we had plenty of time at this point. First, the good: the wine list, although on the pricier side; the live music; the French fries, which are fried in beef tallow and came out crispy and hot; the Oklahoma burger is tasty. Now the bad: the communication between the kitchen and our server. My dining companion ordered a Farmer's Market flatbread because it was about the only thing on the menu that was "vegan-friendly" when made without cheese. The server didn't think this would be an issue, so he puts in our order. We wait over half an hour for our food and when it comes out, there's cheese all over the flatbread. We send it back to be remade without the cheese and he comes back out and says that it can't be made without cheese. Well, why didn't the kitchen staff tell him that when they first saw the order come in instead of sending it out not how it was ordered or telling us that right away so my friend could order something else? She pivots and orders a hummus platter, which she could have had at home for a lot less $! I call the manager over as he's passing our table to let him know what happened and he needs to address the poor communication from his chef to the server, at which time he kind of scoffs at me with a "whatever, lady" kind of look and "yeah, I guess I do," and proceeds to walk away. No offer to comp her food or maybe our wine or anything else. So, although my food was edible and tasty, I'd think twice about going back there. We sat at a high top in the bar and it seemed like our server was acting as server and bartender, so he kept going to make drinks instead of being able to be attentive to the tables he had. They need to do better! Addendum: my friend said they were always able to accommodate her at their old location. read more

| A Masterclass in Hospitality Deprivation One does not expect enlightenment from every dining establishment, but one does reasonably expect basic human decency. Sadly, Nirvana delivers neither. In the middle of the afternoon--an hour so quiet it bordered on monastic--this restaurant sat entirely devoid of patrons. Not a soul dining. Not a fork clinking. Just empty tables and, apparently, an overabundance of contempt. Upon politely requesting to use the restroom, I was met not with accommodation, but with a curt dismissal and the astonishing suggestion that I drive to the mall to relieve myself, as though bodily functions are elective inconveniences best scheduled around retail opportunities. This was not a matter of policy explained with grace, nor of necessity during a rush. This was a choice--one made in silence, sterility, and smug authority. To deny a restroom to a fellow human being while your establishment sits idle is not "boundaries"; it is performance art in pettiness. The irony of naming a restaurant "Nirvana" while offering an experience so utterly devoid of compassion is almost poetic. Enlightenment, it seems, is reserved for those who do not possess bladders. I left not hungry, but philosophically offended. If you seek warmth, empathy, or even a minimal nod toward hospitality, continue driving--perhaps all the way to the mall. read more

The food was incredible! I have no complaints regarding the food. However, the customer service is severely lacking. My family and I waited over 15 minutes just to be acknowledged at check-in. Once we were finally seated, the waiters did not provide my family with the same level of attention or courtesy as they did to other patrons in the restaurant. Therefore, to be honest, I cannot recommend this place. read more

Fantastic food, wine, and service. Everything You Want In Chopped Salad is our favorite salad of all time. Salmon and asparagus were perfect. Smash burgers are solid. Nirvana is consistently awesome! read more

This place has been on my list for several years to try and just never got around to it. It recently moved locations in Vernon Hills and ... wow... what a great place. Our dinner seating was outside on a beautiful evening. The new place is very clean and modern and nicely decorated. First and foremost, the service is exceptional. Our server was - David - was fantastic and was flawless in his recommendations - especially wine. Wine! This place has a huge and high quality selection. The menu is not huge but well balanced. The entrees we ordered - Tikki Masala and a ribeye - were excellent. I highly recommend this one for a casual dinner out at a very well appointed place with great food and exceptional service. read more

Excellent food(amazing chef), great wine and desserts! Love their vibe with live guitarist/singer. Customer service has always been wonderful as well. read more

Went for happy hour tonight. Food was mediocre. Service was worse. Ahi wontons had only spiciness and no actual flavor. Flatbread was doughy and overly cheesy. Lambchops were just off-Taste was weird and there was no sauce. Quesadillas were soggy. Tenderloins skewers were good...the only saving grace. Service was so slow and we felt like we had to hunt down someone to order another round of drinks or additional food. Had super high hopes for this location but sadly-don't feel like there is much to go back for. read more

Visited for the first time, while the food and wine were good, the service was unorganized and made for a bad experience. Walking in, while it seems small, most if not all seating was reserved. The oddest thing, was that there were reserved signs at some seats at the bar. Usually that is first come, first serve. The staff seemed like they didn't know how to handle walk-ins and they eventually found us a spot to sit. Also, we overheard someone ask for bread as it was coming out of the kitchen a lot. We noticed as well as it looked really good, but the server told the people it was for pasta orders only. Why hold back amazing food to only serve with a specific dish, where everyone at the table will most likely want to eat bread too. Being a newer place, there will be some kinks early on, hopefully things get a bit better and we may visit in the future to try again. read more

I was so excited to try the new location. The wine and appetizers were great and the new location is really nice, with a great outdoor area. The problem was the service. They were unfriendly, and acted like we were putting them out by being there. Our server rarely came to check on us. There were plenty of people working and we went at an off time, so there was no reason for their rudeness. Not sure we will go back. read more

Food is always delectable, and the wine selections pair with all entrees. The ambiance in the new space is warm and inviting. The only downside is parking may be difficult read more

Ambience was weak. Walls inside are bare. No vibe. Flat bread was cooked on top but bottom was doughy. Entrees were good. 4 glasses of a $30 a bottle of wine was $80. Service was a 4. $300 for 2. Pass for me read more

It saddens me to not give a better review. The new location is great indoor and outdoors but the food n service at the original spot was better. Server was friendly but when the meals were bussed out, she never checked to see if the fish (pricey!), tuna ( good job chef!), burger (cooked perfectly), etc were all ok. We weren't asked if we wanted a second round of drinks. The food was very salty. So not horrible, not great but given our previous experiences, we expected better. They didn't live up to the bar they themselves had set read more

Great experience. Nice patio. Great service and really good food and wine. We'll be back.

I'm not quite sure why there are so many negative reviews especially about service. We had a great experience here last night and the service was excellent. The patio is lovely. We ordered some wine, braised short rib and the famer's market flatbread. Everything was delicious! Can't wait to go back! read more

Hard to rate this experience. We loved the ambiance. Great vibe, you don't feel like you're in Vernon Hills! The food was excellent, a total 5! Sadly, the service was horrible. It was a 1 at best. We'll try it again, but if the service doesn't improve, we'll be done. Too many other local, independent restaurants. read more

The music was great, but hard to hear from the other room. Downfall was our waiter was sweating a lot and his sweat got into our food. I saw it drop. Later tonight got sick to my stomach from the food. Will come back only for music. Waiter was paying more attention to other tables b/c my boyfriend and I didn't order wine. So maybe we were "cheap." read more

Loved the original location- first visit tonight to new spot and very slow service- waiter came over almost 20 mins after we sat at table where we had a reservation for a birthday dinner. He only brought water, and another 10 mins went by until wine order taken. Food was good, but not stand out. Second glass of wine took a while and by the time it arrived we were done and ready to leave. Not a great experience overall. (But the live music was great!) read more