Virtue is always amazing! We were celebrating my Dad's birthday and had a toddler with us, which could have been stressful, but the waiters kept the plates moving and were so kind. The mocktails were refreshing. The pineapple upside down cake (not pictured) was so warm and comforting. The gizzards and shrimp and crawfish were our favorites. Oh and the mac and cheese, but that's a given. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Shrimp and Crawfish, Catfish, Mac & Cheese, and Beef Short Ribs - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Okay so I love food and the way it taste in my mouth so yummy . I have been trying g to eat at virtue for a while now . Was able to score a reservation finally after many attempts and let me tell you it was great . I had a glass of wine and for that price I'll say get a bottle it's better . We started with cornbread and omg it was soo good and delicious, melt in your mouth . I can est that everyday if I can . The max and cheese was very good and perfect amount of cheese and creamy. Even the leftover was still good and the catfish was seasoned perfectly seasoned and the veggies with them where grilled perfectly . Now the catfish salt is perfect and I'm glad the stop because almost a little bit more and it would have been ruined but I love it . I will be going back to taste the rest of the menu for sure read more

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I came to Virtue to celebrate my very late birthday so it was a solo date. I joined the waitlist at 5 and was seated at the bar at 5:17. My server was Brennan(I think that's how you spell it) who was ABSOLUTELY amazing. I let him know it was my first time and he explained the vibe and purpose of the restaurant. I ordered the beef short rib, collards, and mac and cheese. Also not pictured I ordered the southern tree fizz. My drink was great and I waited a decent minute for my food to come out. Let me start out by saying that the short rib was so tender that at no point did I ever pick up a knife. The Mac and cheese was so creamy and delicious. Now for the collard greens, I definitely expected more. They were slightly tough and lacked flavor. I probably only touched the greens twice during my whole meal. But I will say the short rib and mac and cheese is in fact a show stopper and worth it. The mashed potatoes were slightly cold when I received it but the flavor of everything on the plate made up for it. Overall I'd definitely come back because I truly enjoyed my visit. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Beef Short Ribs, Mac & Cheese, Collards & Smoked Turkey - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So incredibly good!! The best meal I've had in ages, maybe this year? This place probably doesn't need my review with all its incredible awards. But here goes: Food - 5/5 - everything was incredible! Highlights were the biscuits, corn bread (yes get both!), gumbo, Mac & cheese, and banana pudding (with cool whip!!). Also got and loved the snap peas, morel mushrooms, short rib, and grits - but the former are what I'll be dreaming about! Cucumber and patience cocktails were lovely and refreshing! service - 5/5 - amazing, hilarious, attentive and perfection. didn't have to wait for our table which was divine. Got to loiter after dessert. Honestly felt so warm and welcoming, I'm excited to come back. Ambiance - 4.5/5 - wasn't incredibly memorable - except the metal ceiling fixtures, but it was open and warm and welcoming. And I'm always a sucker for an open kitchen. The bar area was actual quieter and more intimate than the main dining area and I liked that there were the two vibes represented. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Dessert menu - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was amazing and the service was beyond great. This restaurant was a whole vibe.

Man oh man was this food good! We were a party of two and decided on getting 3 small plates of the gizzards, collards and Mac n chz. All 3 did not disappoint, dare I say that the food was better than my momma's The dessert was spectacular too. Simple yet delicious! Service was really great too, our waitress who also doubled as a bartender held it down and was the best at what she did from cocktail recommendations to letting us know how those delicious gizzards were prepared to letting us know where to possibly get a tattoo! Loved her...Only downside was that it was my wife's birthday and they knew that and nothing special was done even though I requested it from the hostess. Besides that, go here!!! read more

Virtue Restaurant - Icebox cake - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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WOW!! This was one of the best meals I've ever eaten! I was visiting a couple friends in Chicago and we were lucky that we were able to get a late reservation since we booked last minute. I suggest booking in advance since they can get quite busy. They were very accommodating and told us to take our time even though we were still there after they had closed. Ambiance and service was exceptional! I loved everything about this place. read more

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Five Star experience! Everything is top notch. The food and drinks are phenomenal. Ordered the short ribs, Mac & Cheese, greens and cornbread. Great crowd too. read more

Honestly not worth the hype if you are a vegetarian like myself. And the pricing!!!! It's like you're paying for the dream more than the actual reality of what you are getting. Even though I live around the corner I won't be heading back anytime soon. read more

The service was great! The food was delicious! I enjoyed the ambiance. I highly recommend this restaurant read more

Virtue made my past birthday really special. The place has high class southern food. I was really impressed by the gumbo, but every dish my girlfriend or I tried was excellent. Be warned, you will need to get a reservation in advance! The ambiance is dimly lit and it's a really nice atmosphere to enjoy some company. Highly recommend this place for a special occasion! read more

The Mac and cheese was memorable.Some of the best Uve ever had.Service.Impeccable.Take some extra money.It's pricey but worth it.Impeccable service.Dimly lit but not dark read more

I love virtue. We've been twice, and had great experiences both times. It's expensive, but the food is really good, upscale home cooking. Everything we had was full of flavor, the inside has a nice vibe, and our server was efficient and kind. read more

We have never had a bad meal at Virtue; we've only had GREAT meals. It quickly became our favorite restaurant and it's stayed that way because they keep surprising us. The Restaurant Week 2022 menu was looking mighty good so we gave it a try! The fried green tomatoes were, as usual, delicious. That shrimp remoulade is the perfect complement. The jambalaya entree was the perfect texture and full of flavor. The banana pudding was the best I've ever had (no lie). But the MVP of the meal was the snap pea salad. I don't even really like quinoa but the crunchy quinoa combined with that harissa...OOOOOHWEEE! I'd eat that every day. Get you a reservation at Virtue and have a nice day! read more

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My husband and I came here for a date night. The host staff greeted us warmly. Anthony was our server and he was fabulous. He gave us great recommendations too. All of the staff were wonderful and the food was impeccable. We got the gumbo and the Duck Confit Salad to start. My dad is from Louisiana so I'm familiar with gumbo and the gumbo was amazing! The duck confit was so good and unique too. We then got the catfish and the short rib for entrees, with a side of the Mac & cheese. The short rib was so delicious. The catfish was good but actually the barbecue carrots that came with it stole the show. And best Mac & cheese I have ever had. We got the banana pudding for dessert, also delicious. We will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu, because everything was delicious. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Short rib, cat fish, mac & cheese - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Its my third time here and it's been consistent every time! It's such a great neighborhood gem in Hyde Park. If they're offering any seasonal items on their menu, make sure you order it because it's delicious and it's only there for a limited time. It's always busy so make sure you make you more reservations! The reservation fees will be applied towards your bill. I see that they have happy hour and it's pretty worth it if you're in the area! I'm not sure if you can make reservations for happy hour though. Please let me know if you can! Here's some of my highlights from dinner: Mac n cheese: their baked Mac n cheese is delicious! It's cheesy good. If you're lactose intolerant, take a dairy pill before having this! Gumbo: yes, you need to try this. It's hard to find good gumbo in the midwest! Lemon chicken: I get this every time when I'm here because their chicken is so juicy and flavorful! For dessert, I love their banana pudding and carrot cake. Their carrot cake is baked to perfection and the brittle topping adds texture to the bite! I could've went without the caramel sauce because it was a little too sweet for me. If it's your first time here, you gotta get their banana pudding! You will not be disappointed. read more

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The food was amazing. Started with Gumbo and Fried Green Tomato's. Had the signature Blackened Cat Fish and it was a standout. Sides were MacnCheese and Cornbread. Our Server was Trey who was knowledgeable and very attentive to our table. I really liked that the restaurant is divided, with the bar on one side and th le main room wiith open kitchen. The only negative was No Valet parking. Don't miss a chance to eat here even if you leave in another part of the city. read more

If you're reading this and haven't tried Virtue yet, stop what you're doing and go make a reservation. Then come back and read this. The food at Virtue has been the best I've had in my two years in the city. I know there is a lot of great food to be had here, but I feel confident saying they're one of the best. Located in Hyde Park, Virtue has beautiful decor, excellent service (wait staff still wears masks which I really appreciate) and really great food. My partner and I went on a Thursday and the place was full! Which we love to see. We were seated quickly and ordered drinks and food all via QR code. Our order was as follows: Drinks- Patience is a Virtue & Perfect Pear Apps- Gumbo & Biscuits Entrees- Catfish & Short Rib + a side of mac and cheese Y'all, the mac and cheese was baked. Actually baked. It was cheesy, and bubbling with the perfect crispy crust because it was BAKED, not because someone decided to put bread crumbs on it. A blessing. Even my lactose intolerant partner risked it all for a few bites. Worth it. All of it was phenomenal. Literally no notes. I've lived in Chicago for two years and visited often before that and this is my favorite dinner I've ever had in the city. My mouth is watering just writing this review and remembering how great everything was. There's a reason they book up fast, just fall in line and book ahead, you won't regret it! read more

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I only wish I could give them 6 stars. Practically perfect in every way. First of all, the environment is a whole vibe. You feel the Black excellence surrounding you when you walk in. We started with the cornbread. It had a cake like consistency but wasn't too sweet and was topped by the creamy honey butter. An auspicious start! Next came my main, the lamb t- bone. I think time may have stopped momentarily when I bit into it. From the North African spices to the sauce and the black lentils, this is darn near a perfect dish. Our sides were equally delicious. Mac and cheese and collard greens were like what mama used to make, only better ( sorry mom). I took home a banana pudding for dessert and spent days savoring it one bite at a time. I'm jealous of the Chicagoans who can visit all the time. I can't wait to return. read more

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We had dinner here last night, and I was looking forward to it, but I left with a "meh" attitude. It's a nice space, spare but not cold. Our server was friendly, but not always helpful. They list pikliz on the menu under the scallop dish, and when I asked her what that was, she sounded unsure. She told me where it showed up on the plate, and gave a vague answer about vegetables, but my question never really got answered. A quick google search revealed "Haitian pickled vegetables, often featuring scotch bonnet chiles". Now, that's a lot of information. It tells me that plate's got some spice to it, and I better like pickles. None of which she communicated to me. I chose the blackened redfish with grits and crab étouffée. The fish was nice, not overly blackened or seasoned and perfectly cooked. The grits were well executed too, with a satisfying toothsome quality. The étouffée was too salty and just cooked too long or too hard. It had lost its freshness and Qi. It was Creole baby food. Disappointing. The collards were also too salty, and they could have used more time on the stove. When I go out to eat and my collards and étouffée are better than the chef's? Yeah. We ordered the apple pound cake for dessert. It wasn't a pound cake. It was light and tasty, but much too airy to be a pound cake. The apples and ice cream were too slight, and the peanuts were too many. I'm moving on. read more

In the nearly twenty years I have been enjoying fine dining, Virtue has blown away all of the other experiences that I have ever had. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Eleven Madison Park, Danny Brown to name a few of the "contenders" but mercy - Virtue is a cut above. Walked in without a reservation and with us leaving town the next day, the hostess went above and beyond and seated us near Theaster Gate's Yellow Race Riot House piece. We began an epic culinary adventure that started with the gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and biscuit with stops with the salmon, short ribs, shrimp and grits, with delightful sides of collards and mac and cheese before finishing with pudding and crumb cake and some of the best coffee this side of the Rockies. There are details that I am sure that I am missing, but I implore you to support and visit to discover for yourself. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Shrimp and Grits, Biscuit and Pimento Cheese - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Gumbo wasn't that favorable; cornbread was average; did not enjoy Mac & cheese; best part of experience were the servers and drink read more

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I've been waiting to make it to this restaurant for some time now. I lived in New Orleans for 4 years and used to travel through the South a lot on business. We went last night for our anniversary and we were disappointed overall. Let's just start with the food and I will get to the ambiance, service etc. after because after all, for me, it's all about the food. I ordered the scallops with broccolini and black eyed peas, my wife ordered the blackened redfish with grits and crab étouffée. We also shared a side of collard greens. The scallops and fish were absolutely perfectly prepared. In fact, the cook on everything was amazing. Perfect. The problem was in the seasoning. Everything except my wife's fish, my scallops and her grits were incredibly over salted. Even the dessert, which I will get to later, was overly salty. They're burying their ingredients. The black eyed peas were spicy, it doesn't say it on the menu. If they're attempting creole food here, it's not usually true that every dish is spicy. Just letting you know. Even the greens were overblown. Spicy and way too salty. It's incredibly disappointing. You can always add salt but I can't do anything about it at my table if you go too far. I had salt sweats. My wife and I loved the flavors and the dishes overall. I thought my dish was over seasoned aside from the salt. Why are you burying a delicate beautiful protein like scallops? It's so thoughtless. We ordered the apple pound cake with ice cream for dessert. After all, it was an occasion. They decorated the plate with an anniversary message which was very nice. They were all very nice people. This is NOT a pound cake. It's light and fluffy, it's just sponge cake. Not enough ice cream, not enough apple compote (if that was what it's supposed to be) and way too many salted peanuts. There was even salt in the apple compote. This was a very bad dessert. Really not good. This is a beautiful restaurant with a good menu. It's reasonably priced for the work they put into the food. I don't think they would last a month in New Orleans based on the food but there are a lot of tourists. It might be like BBQ, people in Chicago have never had good barbecue so they think what they have around here is amazing. Might be the same with the food of the Southern U.S. I can't really explain it. Perhaps we just didn't order well here. I really really really wanted to like it. This is one of my very favorite cuisines. They just need to add a deftness to the seasoning and it would be outstanding. Right now it's drunk stoner food. read more

I honestly don't understand how this doesn't have 5 stars. Every single dish we had, ranging from what should be a basic salad to dessert, was phenomenal. I visited for my birthday, and the service was very welcoming; it was a very busy weeknight (make reservations!), and as a token to us having to wait for our table despite our reservation and on initial intro to our server, she gifted us glasses of champagne. For the food - flawless preparation, perfect seasoning and textures (you don't need a knife for the short rib), and effortless blending of ingredients (ZERO oil or butter visible in the mac and cheese). It makes sense why there was a hour and a half wait on a Thursday night. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Why isn't there an option for 10 stars!? This is my second visit, and somehow, it ended up being better than the first. We came here first about 6 months ago for the first time, and have talked about our amazing experience for that full time. As our reservation approached, I got a little nervous that there was no way it could live up to our expectations. Boy, was I wrong. Somehow, the service and food was even better than last time. Our waiter (Freddy) from our last visit (6 months ago!) remembered us, and in very specific ways - like where we sat, what types of drinks we liked, etc. He and Kris, our waiter this time, made us feel so special. I truly don't think I've ever experienced the quality of service like this anywhere else I've been. Every piece of our dining service was seamless and each and every person we interacted with enhanced our dining experience. Freddy made a couple recommendations to us this time, and he was absolutely right. The sweet potato pie (for dessert) was potentially the highlight of our meal. I say potentially only because each course was somehow better than the last. We ordered the gumbo and cornbread to start (Kris's recommendation to add the cornbread; it definitely enhanced the gumbo!). For our main courses, I ordered the pork steak and my boyfriend ordered the salmon. The bacon brussel sprouts paired so nicely with the pork steak. The pork steak was beyond words. It almost melted in my mouth. I stole a bite of my boyfriends salmon, and it was a perfect punch of flavor; the beans had a little bit of a kick in the absolute best way. We ended the night with two desserts - the sweet potato pie and the banana pudding. I was super excited for the banana pudding and this lived up and exceeded my expectations. The fresh ice cream on top took this banana pudding even beyond. The banana flavor came through strong and there was a great balance of textures. With the sweet potato pie, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After my first taste, I was converted. I'm pretty sure this is the best pie I've ever had. It was perfectly smooth and the pie crust added the perfect crunch. Every single part of our experience was wonderful. Virtue is a business that I'm proud to support, and excited to go back to the next time I'm ready for a special occasion meal. read more

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The ambiance of this restaurant has a moody yet comfortable feel to it. It is great for a date night or group gathering. Our waiter was knowledgeable and gave us enough information on dishes that we were able to make informed decisions. Items ordered where the green tomatoes with gulf shrimp and leroy's remoulade, gizzards carolina with gold dirty rice and gravy, fish and grits of blackened red drum, Geechie stone-ground grits and crab étoufée, half chicken with roasted brussels sprouts, candied sweet potato and piri piri jus, turkey-stewed collard greens, and Mac and cheese. The green tomatoes has a nice crust and crunch to them. I would of preferred to not have the shrimp and remoulade on it, as it was an added layer of flavors that did not combine well for my tastebuds. The gizzards were tender and crispy and cooked to perfection. The greens were cooked well and the turkey on top was fresh and tender and blended nicely togther, the Mac and cheese was cheesy and creamy. The red drum and grits was a great dish. The fish was cooked well and the grits where smooth, rich and creamy. All the flavors in this dish complemented each other. As for the half chicken, unfortunately I was not a fan of this dish. It had a hint of sweetness on the chicken. I am assuming from the candied sweet potatoes it sat on top of. Overall I truly enjoyed this restaurant. The ambiance, staff and food was great and I will definitely return. read more

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Of course, the food was absolutely amazing. But we had a rather unfortunate experience of the service. We understand their 90 minute table policy; I realize restaurants operate on a very thin profit margin and need to maximize. But if you're going to ask someone to vacate their table, don't apply the policy selectively. Also apply it to the tables around. Unfortunately, it appeared as though we were being singled out, as there were two tables around us who had gotten there earlier and were peacefully enjoying their meal and dessert without being asked to leave. In addition, we sat for the first 30 minutes with only our drinks, even though we had ordered small plates to come out first. But we just chalked that up to it being very busy and didn't think much about it. Everything was fine until at the end, when we had just ordered our dessert, we were notified of the 90 minutes drawing near. I offered to take our dessert to go, but I wish I hadn't done that. It wouldn't really have taken very long for us to finish our dessert. When we brought the situation to the attention of the floor manager, she did not really understand (or try to understand) how bad we felt, and how we felt singled out because no one else had been asked to leave around us. Instead, she said she had to check on the details (did she not believe us?) and gave us a litany of reasons and problems. As customers, we are not interested in what the problems are. We are interested in being heard, and being offered an appropriate solution. This manager needs some training. She needed to acknowledge how we felt -- "I'm so sorry this happened" for example, and listen and ask what she could do to make it better. We could have been said that we just wanted to finish our dessert. That was really all we wanted to do. We knew not to linger. Incredibly, the situation got even worse. My dining partner had ordered a substantial amount of food to go for her father, and was waiting on her order of cornbread. There seemed to be some confusion about whether or not we had already received it. We told them twice that we had not received it. The manager actually came over and asked us to double check in our bag to make sure we didn't already have the cornbread. This felt absolutely surreal and invasive. After ordering a substantial amount of food, were we going to steal cornbread? We hardly knew what to say or think. Finally, the general manager/partner Jesus came over. I took a while for us to understand each other, but to his credit in the end, he understood and realized that mistakes had been made. In view of the circumstances, he comped the meal. We were relieved that he finally understood how we felt and took appropriate action to try to resolve the situation and acknowledge what we had gone through. He said that they would take this as a learning experience for them. I hope that this is true. All in all, it was a crazy experience. But we got there in the end. It may take a while before I feel ready to go back there. But I appreciate Jesus and his willingness to learn from the experience and hopefully make changes so that something like this will not happen again to people. Thank you. read more

What else can be said about Virtue? Let me add another great review to the pile. We arrived exactly at opening time and got the last three seats at the bar; the couple after us were quoted 90 minutes for bar seats, so if you want to go for Happy Hour, plan on getting there at open because they don't take reservations at the bar. Our favorite items were the biscuits with pimento cheese (the best biscuits ever I've ever had) and macaroni and cheese. Don't sleep on the wings though if you're sitting at the bar! They were amazing. One of my friends doesn't eat red meat so we skipped the collard greens but the person next to me at the bar ordered some and they smelled AMAZING. Also, if you're a dessert person, be sure to save room. The banana pudding was absolutely unbelievable and the carrot cake was just as delicious. The hype for Virtue is entirely warranted. I live in Edgewater but would make the trip to Hyde Park any time. read more

This was our second time here, this time for Restaurant week. Well, the food is good, the atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. It is not a place to enjoy a dinner with friends. The noise level is not conducive to talking with others. The din of the voices in the room, makes it impossible to hear people. If I come back, I think I will ask to sit in the bar area as it seems quieter and there. read more

It's been a couple of weeks since I visited Virtue and my memory doesn't allow for a detailed review. All you need to know: -service was top notch, attentive without being hovering. -everything from apps to drinks to desserts was off the chain -ambiance is comfortable, like a neighborhood place but not exclusive or unwelcoming. I'd return again and again and so should you. read more

Food was good. I enjoyed the terrific short rib, though i left disappointed. They ran out of Mac and Cheese, the dish i was most looking forward to. read more

Some of the best Macaroni and cheese that I've ever had. The short rib was also top notch. The only disappointing dish was the shrimp and grits. It's practically a soup. Not a fan of it being served this way. read more

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I'll start by saying we have very high expectations for food, especially for the prices at Virtue. Unfortunately, none of our expectations were met. Atmosphere: the side of the restaurant we were seated in was dark and the space was nothing special. Food: -biscuits with pimento (6/10): the biscuits were tasty but the pimento was flavorless. -mac and cheese (8/10) the highlight of our meal. -pork chop (5/10): for $38... what a miss. It was over cooked to the point where you could see the fibers separating when you cut it. The sauce was a saving grace. -short rib (7/10): nothing on the plate was bad... but nothing was exceptional. Service: just OK. Never once did our server check in with us to see how our meal was. Overall, not a bad meal if you're unable to cook pork chops or short ribs at home. But we won't be returning. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Short Rib and Bone in Pork Chop - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING!! Go with a fellow foodie and/or someone that likes to share. The short rib was fantastic, the greens are superb and the cornbread is divine! If you're on a diet!! Get back on track tomorrow, it's worth the cheat...TRUST me! NO REGRETS and I can't wait to go back. read more

1 of the best soul food restaurants in Chicago ! Everything was amazing seasoned to perfection. My drink never came once I let my server know he brung me my drink and offered me a complimentary drink :) read more

Virtue Restaurant - Collards & Smoked Turkey - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Virtue's recently adopted business model is profoundly off-putting; I used to be a big booster, but would no longer recommend them. I've lived in Hyde Park since 1997, and I've been delighted by the emergence only in the last decade or so of some really nice restaurants in the neighborhood, this award-winning restaurant pre-eminent among them. I've eaten at Virtue (or met friends for drinks there) numerous times since they first opened, and have always been glad to recommend them for their brand of haute-cuisine southern comfort food. I am therefore sorry to say that recent experiences have put me off to such a great extent that, despite the food's remaining as good as always, I can no longer recommend them. It is abundantly clear, in particular, that management has recently adopted a number of protocols designed to ensure maximum through-put of customers. All restaurants, of course, are engineered to maximize profit, all of them designing acoustic environments that quickly become uncomfortable and taking other such steps to encourage rapid customer turn-over; fair enough. Never before my recent experiences with Virtue, though, had I ever experienced restaurant service so nakedly calculated to get me out of there quickly. The restaurant's absurd new policies were relentlessly drummed into us, first by the hostess and then by the waiter, who repeatedly explained that they would be taking exactly one order -- there was no question, for example, of first putting in an order of appetizers to eat while enjoying our drinks* and catching up with friends as we take our time deciding what we'd like as main courses. (*We were, at least, permitted to order a round of drinks before anything else; after this, the new protocol kicked in.) Instead, we would not be allowed to order _anything_ until we were prepared to order _everything_ that we would be having that evening. I've never encountered such a policy before, and, more importantly, I've never felt so concertedly rushed by a restaurant. This doesn't exactly exemplify the virtue of hospitality. Even given the universal imperative to maximize profit, I've experienced plenty of restaurants whose defining vibe is "come in! sit and stay and enjoy our wonderful cuisine and make memories with your friends!" And, of course, there are plenty of other restaurants that communicate stark efficiency even as they make you feel relatively welcome. Never before, however, have I experienced customer service which, though not bad in itself (the people were polite enough, they were just implementing stupid protocols), is so obviously informed by policies that communicate a most inhospitable vibe -- the message clearly communicated from the moment of arrival is: You need to vacate your table as quickly as possible so we can move as many paying customers through here as possible. Everyone in my party of four commented on how rushed we felt, and on how unfamiliar was this particular form of indignity. The food is still great, but unless I hear from another long-time Hyde Parker that Virtue has corrected the misbegotten policies behind their new approach to customer service, I won't be going back. read more

Food was delicious, the atmosphere wonderful, service first class. My first experience was on point . I had the short ribs and they were sublime. I would definitely return and will return happily. I appreciate the excellence this place has to offer. I look forward to my next visit read more

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Virtue probably has the best soul food I've ever had at a restaurant and I don't say that lightly! From the time you walk in the restaurant, the ambience is very much giving date night or adult night out with friends. The staff is extremely nice and knowledgeable about the menu, and all of the food comes out fast and fresh. Speaking of the food, we came in with the intention of just trying a few items, but quickly realized we absolutely need to try more of the menu. Everything that went on my fork and into my stomach was absolutely fantastic lol. For starters we tried the fried green tomatoes with shrimp which were very tasty. You get 3 tomatoes and 2 or 3 shrimp so you can share this, but why would you lol. We also tried out the gem lettuce salad with crispy black eyed peas and it was a nice size portion, and not overly dressing. Usually I feel like crispy toppings can just be an afterthought but the black eye peas added a nice contrast to the salad. Lastly we tried the biscuits with pimento spread and I literally inhaled the biscuits they were so good! For sides and mains, the mac and cheese was cheesy throughout and the noodles were perfectly cooked! The short ribs were so darn tender and flavorful, I loved that they paired it with crispy onions on top because the texture and flavor contrast was perfect. The grits were creamy and were cooked spot on, I'm not even a cornbread fan but I lovedddd the cornbread and honey butter here. The greens were cooked down till tender and had so much flavor and a really great broth (they weren't swimming my in juice which I loved for me). For dessert we had the banana pudding which had the right ratio of wafers to pudding and we also had the apple cobbler something dessert that I can't fully remember the name because it was gone in 2.3 seconds. For any of the mains and sides these are absolutely meant to be shared. I would say if you're just super hungry and didn't eat all day like us in anticipation then 2 people can share but if you've had a meal earlier in the day then the sides are enough for 3 people lol. I absolutely recommend getting recommendations. For people who walked in on Friday night when we went, they were waiting over an hour and a half for a table for two but it's worth the wait. Pricing wise it's a little high. The short ribs alone were about $34 with no sides included and sides are $10 on average which is why they're great to share. The starters are around $12 give or take and all of the other main options are between $25 and $38 each. The total for our bill was a little over $200 including the both of us each having 1 cocktail. Thankfully we had saved up for it but if we came back again, which we will, we'd definitely probably just order a main to split, and a 2 or 3 sides. Being that the restaurant is in the middle of a big food district in Hyde Park you can definitely spend a few hours walking around if you come earlier in the day and check out some of the shops and boutiques around. Or if you're coming for dinner you can catch a show at Harper Theater which is a few steps away. Either way this is the perfect restaurant to visit if you're looking for delicious soul food. read more

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Love the food service was amazing , and the Ambiance was amazing as well, everything about this place was amazing I will return,

Hands-down, very delicious food. The service was great but I wasn't blown away by the ambience, in fact, I was somewhat disconnected by that part of the experience. The seating is uncomfortable and honestly the reason why I didn't give five stars. read more