Restaurant Review: Virtue Restaurant - Hyde Park, Chicago So…read moreboom...we're in Chicago celebrating our best friend's birthday, and this spot has been on our list for a while. First things first--you've got to plan ahead. Reservations open 30 days in advance, and we booked ours the minute they became available. There's a $20 per person reservation fee, and for our party of seven, I can honestly say it was worth every dollar. Now let's get to the food. We ordered just about every side because that's how you really find out what a restaurant is about. Collard greens? 9.5/10 Cornbread? 10/10. Don't leave without it. Mac and cheese? Easy 10/10. That was the table favorite. Everything else? There wasn't a miss. Every dish came out seasoned with purpose, cooked with care, and full of flavor. You could tell this wasn't just food--it was a reflection of the people behind it. Now let's talk about the service... Also a 10/10. The General Manager made my best friend's birthday feel genuinely special. She spent time with our table, made us feel welcome, and surprised us with Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Bread Pudding. Those little touches matter, and they turned a great dinner into a memorable celebration. Our server also walked us through the artwork displayed throughout the restaurant and shared the story behind the chef's awards over the past five years. You don't get that level of hospitality everywhere. Final score? Food: 10/10Service: 10/10Atmosphere: 10/10 This isn't just another restaurant--it's an experience. As a Black-owned business, seeing the excellence, passion, and recognition that Virtue has earned makes me incredibly proud. If you're anywhere near Chicago, put this place on your list. Just don't wait until the last minute for a reservation. This one definitely lives up to the hype.

Virtue is my family's go to restaurant for an upscale southern dinner. I love how intentional and…read morewell-curated their menu is. They had a newer addition of Tom Bullock's cocktails, paying homage to him created the first ever African American cocktail book and mine was delicious. I highly recommend trying the mac & cheese, short ribs and banana pudding. The service was phenomenal too. Our waiter kept us laughing the entire night.

The ambiance is chill but upscale and classy. Black and gold everything and local art work invite…read moreyou into the space. The hostess was insightful and inviting, like eating at someone's house who loves you. Outside of all of that the Mediterranean lamb was phenomenal. As someone who has eaten lamb in the Middle East this was delightful, with the rice and flavorful kale it's a wonderful bite full. Large serving sizes...and that grilled pound cake lawd

The restaurant is small and quaint with about 8-9 tables, I would highly suggest reservations. We…read morewere greeted and sat promptly, infused water was bought to the table and within 3-4 minutes the server arrived. While we waited music was being played so its hard to have a conversation. Music is pretty loud in this small space. We decided on the 3 entrees for 69.00 with a glass of wine. We chose the pepper steak, smothered chicken, orange chicken, catfish and spaghetti, and the bbq catfish. Overall the food was ok., The bbq fish was a little to fishy and the smothered chicken was heavily salted. The star of our 6 dishes was the fried piece of catfish. The food came out quickly but nothing was piping hot. The server was OK as well, he did exactly what we expect of a server nothing more nothing less. I will say next time I would take the drive to the West side location, to me the food choices are better as well as the service.

Dropped into Yardbird in Chicago for their happy hour, and it proved to be a great choice. The…read moreatmosphere was lively, but what really elevated the night was the exceptional service. Our server, Miguel, was phenomenal. She was attentive, fast, and gave us some spot-on recommendations. Per her advice, we ordered the deviled eggs with jalapeño, hands down the highlight of the table. The deviled eggs with paired with that subtle jalapeño kick was absolutely perfect. For the mains, the chicken and waffles were good, carrying that solid comfort food flavor you expect. The waffles were a bit soft for my taste. To drink, the sidecar was mixed perfectly, well-balanced, crisp, and hit the exact right note. Giving it 4 stars only because while the mains were good, the starters and the outstanding service from Miguel were what truly stole the show. I'll definitely be back to hang out at the bar again nest time I am in town!

Very first time visiting Yardbird's while visiting Chicago since it was on our to- try list. We…read moredidn't have a reservation but were able to be sat immediately. We were greeted by the host in which I believe to be the manager. He was pleasant and welcome. The restaurant itself is aesthetically appealing and it gives an upscale vibe. We sat and didn't have to wait too long for the waitress. She was nice and assisted up accordingly! I ordered the bottle of champagne for mimosas with pineapple and orange juice and was pleasantly surprised by the $35 price since we're used to paying twice that back home. The food came out pretty quick and was hot and ready to eat. All of our food was good well and we all enjoyed our dishes. My only takeaway would be if guests ordered bottled water and/or champagne, the waitress should poor them into the glasses for you. From my experience, this is something that I thought was a norm. Overall, great place to eat!

My family and I celebrated my granddaughter's birthday at this restaurant. The experience was great…read morefrom making reservations to arrival. Great service and great food! I also enjoyed the music variety. It was nice hearing songs from various generations. It was worth the hour drive. You will need to find a park (it's the north side). I look forward to visiting again soon!

I want to start by saying this restaurant is SO GOOD! The service was good, and I really liked the…read morebar tender. I sat at the bar. The restaurant is decorated beautifully. It's very clean and modern. The food was amazing. I started off with a peach lemonade/tea drink that was very good. I cannot remember the name, but it was spirit free. Next, I got the collard green dip. This is a must try when you go. Its so cheesy and delicious. It was perfectly seasoned. For my entre, I got the smother pork chops. OMG I did not expect that food to be so good. IDK what they seasoned that gravy with, but it was fire. The porkchops were delicious, and I loved the seasoned rice that it came with. My only complaint was that the kitchen moved very slowly on the night that I went. It took forever for my food to come out; however, I will say the taste of the food made up for the how long it took to come out.

I've been here a few times, and they never disappoint!…read more The ambiance is so bright and inviting. I love how the place is decorated. The bar is full, and they make great drinks as well. The servers are great and attentive. The food does not disappoint! I love the pot roast and jalapeño cheddar grits. That is sooooo good you cannot go wrong ordering that. I've also had the fried catfish on top of the jalapeño cheddar grits, and it was delicious as well! The French toast is very good as well. I tried the fried chicken for the first time during my last visit, and it was impressed. Overall, this is a nice establishment with good food options. They serve breakfast all day, so you don't have to go at a certain time of day to try it. I recommend booking a reservation during the weekends because they can get pretty busy. Parking on the streets is limited, but there is a parking garage around the corner that allows visitors to park on the top floor. Go check them out for some delicious food and drinks!

Overall, the place was nice and had a good atmosphere. When we were first seated, our table was…read moredirty, but the staff came over and cleaned it right away, which I appreciated. I ordered the chicken with two sides. Everything could have used a lot more seasoning. It had potential, but the flavors were pretty mild. Overall, it was a decent experience, but there's definitely room for improvement when it comes to the food.

Went to Soul Food Lounge for a birthday dinner. The space is pretty small and every seat was taken,…read moreso there is really nowhere to wait if you do not have reservations. Definitely book ahead. We all ordered the Grand Tasting, which lets you try three entrees plus a beverage. It was so much food but everything was delicious. I had the short rib, fried chicken, and catfish, each with different sides. The only thing I did not really care for was the dressing. They also had live entertainment, which made the vibe even better. Customer service was just okay, but I would still recommend it. I definitely want to try their other location since I have heard the menu is different.

I would say I enjoyed myself here. I got the truffle lobster mac. It was great, I really liked the…read moresauce and the odd noodles they used. I was very disappointed in the taste of the center piece lobster, though. My date got something else. I don't know how, but this place made Brussels sprouts taste good for a bit. Service was great. I like to be left alone for the most part, and they did just that. My waiter would pop in and out at the perfect moment. I would give the ambiance a 9/10. I loved the hints gold and the dark teal(?) wallpaper

If anyone says this is bad they are just wrong. Some of the best biscuits I've had in a while and…read morethe chicken is cooked to perfection going back everyday til I get all of their sandwiches. I loved the staff and so much natural lighting just an awesome vibe. Highly recommend!!!!!!

This used to be one of the best chicken spots in Chicago, but now it's barely comparable to your…read moreaverage wing stop. They ditched the delicious recipe, they ditched the actually pieces of chicken, with the slice of toast, and instead give you some basic wings with sauces that do absolutely nothing for your taste buds. The Nashville hot dry rub is terrible, zero flavor. The biscuit has no actual flavor. The service is worse than a McDonald's. You'll hear an ongoing beeping alarm as you try to dine in, that they say is from a bad drink machine? And not sure how they wash their hands with no soap in the washroom. Price used to properly reflect what you were getting here, but no longer the case. Sad to see.

Catfish is the best since my dad passed away. Mac and cheese taste like home,green beans on point…read moredelicious all around worth the wait

This was honestly some of the BEST food I've ever had. Period. My sister and I pulled up here…read morebefore heading to a concert & we dang near were in a sleep coma after lol I got the Shanikky & the crab was soooo fresh, the catfish was perfectly cooked & seasoned & the chicken the same. I had the pineapple sweet potatoes & Mac & cheese for sides & yummmmm. The cornbread was also very good! It's not really a dine in restaurant although you can sit inside & eat. It was chill. The service was cool, they were working hard but still friendly. It's a little pricey but the amount of food makes up for it. I had enough to eat the next day & share lol.