Came here for my birthday and omg it was the best. Cozy vibes but still nice. The waiter was so kind and put up with a chaotic guest of mine the food was AMAZING. completely understood why reservations are always booked. We had pretty much everything on the menu and literally everything was the greatest. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Cornbread & Honey Butter , Collards & Smoked Turkey, Beef Short Ribs - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

UNFORGETTABLE!! I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Virtue in Chicago for Valentine's Day, and let me just say -- it was an EXPERIENCE. From the moment we walked in, the ambience set the tone. The lighting was intimate without being too dim, the music was soulful and perfectly curated, and the energy in the room felt elevated yet welcoming. It struck the perfect balance for a romantic evening. The décor and artwork were stunning -- a beautiful fusion of African American heritage and West African influences. It felt intentional, rich, and culturally grounded without being overwhelming. Every detail added to the warmth of the space. Now let's talk about the service. Our server, Freddy, was AMAZING. Attentive without hovering, knowledgeable about the menu and wine list, and genuinely pleasant. He made our Valentine's experience feel special and seamless. The food? Exceptional. Every bite was flavorful, thoughtful, and beautifully prepared. You can tell there's passion in that kitchen. We started with one of their popular small rations, hot biscuits had a lightly crunchy top and were soft and moist inside, with a side of house made pimento cheese. The short rib was tender and very well seasoned. The garlic mashed potatoes and the sautéed spinach were delicious! The macaroni and cheese was DELICIOUS!! The wine list was extensive with fantastic selections, and the cocktails were authentic and well-crafted -- not overly sweet, not watered down, just right. Virtue delivered on every level: ambience, culture, service, food, and drinks. It was the perfect Valentine's date spot, and I will absolutely be back next time I'm in town! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! read more

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Visited Virtue twice this month (January). A few things that stuff out to me as I've been to virtue before. They aren't serving Carolina gold rice which was a total disappointment. The brown rice substitute didn't do it for me. On my first visit I felt my blackened catfish wasn't good like normal. The second visit it tasted like it was supposed to. The gizzards are fire!! Definitely enjoyed those a lot. The seasonal sunchoke dish they had on the menu was phenomenal and now I'm completely obsessed with the root vegetable. The Mac is literally delicious and the corn bread is amazing! Service is always great and ambiance is great! read more

The dining and service are the best. Plus, a very inviting atmosphere. The food is soul-warming.

Virtue never disappoints! Their restaurant week offerings are delectable, the servers are pleasant and attentive, the food is always good and the vibe is down home cozy! read more

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While visiting Chicago, we wen to Virtue. We had fried green tomatoes with shrimp, short ribs with mashed potatoes and cream spinach, honey butter corn bread, and macaroni and cheese. No, we could not eat it all and brought it back to the hotel. When you come to Chicago, Virtue is the place to eat at. I definitely will be back. The manager Phyllis was wonderful. Thank you Phyllis. read more

Food was good and the service was as well. Tables are a bit small if you're a party of two. Ambiance and layout of the space were good

Review by :Avila.Eats on TikTok, insta, YouTube Service: staff comes off rather uninterested. Service is attentive but not the friendliest. Conversation is not welcomed and questions are met with visible annoyance. Ambiance/Atmosphere: inside is dimly lit and nicely decorated in the dining room. The bar room is far from the dining rooms elegance but remains spacious. Food: Short rib was delicious. Tender but could have been a little more tender with a delicious mash potato and creamed spinach underneath. The onion rings were flavorless and added nothing. The gravy was nicely flavored and smooth. I'd highly recommend. Half chicken was amazing. Juicy, tender, and well seasoned chicken breast and leg. Heavy on the pepper but that's something I enjoyed. Subtle kick from the peri-peri sauce and the veggies were perfectly cooked being soft but not mushy. I'd highly recommend. Mac n cheese was great. Gooey and cheesy. This is a lower seasoning high cheese flavor Mac and it was topped with a beautiful cheese baked lager on top. This was a solid side and I'd highly recommend. Honey butter corn bread was good. Crispy edges with a soft but somewhat harder crumble dense inside. Butter was whipped nicely and added a good flavor. Honey was essentially non existent. This is a decent cornbread. I'd recommend Banana pudding was great. Chilled vanilla wafers mixed with slices of banana and a pudding. Banana flavor was prominent and the pudding itself was smooth and creamy. I'd recommend. read more

What an amazing spot. Some of the best beef short ribs I have ever had, amazing ambiance and vibe, service was amazing. Everything about Virtue was worth the hype. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came on Juneteenth and there were so many beautiful people outside enjoying the holiday. Was only right we enjoyed this black owned restaurant.... and enjoy we did! Was running about 10 mins late to our reservation but called and they have a 15 min grace period. I'd recommend you call if you're running late because it gets busy! We're quickly sat and our waiter, Alex, came to check on us with recommendations and water. Opted out of some of the small portions (biscuit, cornbread, gumbo) to leave room for a few of the fan favorites. Some highlights: -The short rib - 12/10 (soft, flavorful, and filling portion) -The Mac & cheese - 9/10 (strong cheese, like pimento, added. I loved it but some may be over welcomed) -Millie's puddin - 9/10 (loved it. Kinda sweet but very satisfying. Def share) - The cocktails were strong and the honey cocktail was a little too sweet for us BUT they were delicious. One was an old fashioned type, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, Virtue is a must visit when in Chicago. We'll def be back! read more

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Lovvved and still Love the Short Rib! I'm not a fan of mashed potatoes so they kindly swapped the potatoes for the collard greens which I thoroughly enjoyed; they came out heat hot with a little spice - little kick to them (from a non spicy eater). We Lovvvved that Corn Bread! Chefs Kiss! Drinks were fresh and boozy with a nice garnish; we enjoyed our window seat as it made for good people watching lol. Space is clean and modern. Our waiter was cool; he was helpful and attentive! I swear as soon as we finished something, he was clearing the table! I appreciate that! Service was A+ Please note, we were able to find a same day reservation, right after they opened which we concluded had much to do with our 5 star experience! We will back! read more

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The food was amazing. I wish I had some of their recipes! Everything we ordered was excellent!

Amazing and attentive service. Nice vibes and good background music. And all of the food was great. There were 9 of us, and everyone was pleased with the food and service. 5 stars read more

Virtue Restaurant - Blackened catfish - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service was excellent, thank you to Cameron & the whole staff that waited on us. My mom, sister and I were soooh full!! read more

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Went to virtue for a birthday dinner and it was such a great choice. Everything about this restaurant was intentional, from the staff greeting us as we arrived to the waiters, the ambiance and the meal. The food came out hot and very tasty. I got the biscuits with pimento cheese, short ribs and mac and cheese. My husband got the gumbo, and blackened fish. Reservations were be made online. The service was top tier and I would absolutely recommend anyone to try it out! read more

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My partner scoped out Virtue Restaurant for one of the last meals of our Chicago trip. While slightly off the downtown track where we were staying, the tantalizing menu and strong reviews sold us over. Absolutely no regrets with our choice. Attentive staff, great ambiance, and excellent food. Our server checked in frequently and made sure we had what we needed throughout the meal. The ambiance makes you feel relaxed and conversational, while still maintaining a level of sophistication and refinement. For food we each started with a bowl of the Gumbo. For mains we ordered the Fish & Grits, and the Walleye. For some additional sides, we ordered the Collards & Smoked Turkey, and the Mac & Cheese. All the food was phenomenal. I loved the Mac & Cheese - one of the best I've eaten. The Gumbo was delicious. I could've eaten a whole bowl for my entree. Both fish dishes were excellent. If I had to choose a favorite between both, it would be the Fish & Grits. The crab etouffee is the crown of the dish. For dessert we shared Millie's Puddin'. Another fantastic bite and a great finish to the meal. I've never had homemade cool whip before, but it was divine. Highly recommend Virtue Restaurant! read more

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Virtue presents virtuous food. How can food have high moral standards? The answer is by making a reservation and eating at Virtue. I came with a friend and enjoyed sitting at the bar. We ordered some glorious steak, mac and cheese, corn bread and collard greens. Each item was deliciously selected by my friend who just came to virtue a month prior. Words cannot describe the glory and the morally excellent food. The corn bread had this butter that literally melted me to another universe. The steak provided a dance party on my taste buds. The. mac and cheese stretched with cheesy goodness. The collard greens hit the veggie itch perfectly. Moral excellent food can be achieved. It's at Virtue that you will taste it. read more

Food was absolutely delicious!!! I'm from south Louisiana and I found it to be an amazing take on southern food. I got the fish and grits and my friend got the short rib. We got cornbread as a side and blueberry cobbler for dessert. All dishes were incredible. Service was good, if maybe a tad slow. The general manager was so welcoming and checked on us a handful of times. It was a little loud but otherwise precious inside. read more

This is for the bar and happy hour. WOW all of it was fabulous and on time. The ambience I feel looking @ the regular dinign area vs the bar is so much more comfortable and over w all the corner windows. As for the good all of it from the biscuits to the greens ,gumbo filled us up. I can't wait to come back asap w more friends. Serice bar staff was wonderful and seemed like we had two of them helping. Anything extra like lemons brought right away. Thank you for. Lovely memorable meal. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Happy happy happy hour for a long day. - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Virtue has been on my list for such a long time! After Chef Damarr's appearance on Top Chef, getting a reservation became nearly impossible, but I decided to be patient -- and it was absolutely worth the wait. My friend and I stopped in for happy hour and tried the catfish sliders, wings, gumbo, and fried green tomatoes. Every single dish was delicious -- perfectly seasoned, comforting, and full of flavor. You can really taste the care that goes into each plate. We sat at the bar, which turned out to be the perfect spot for a catch-up with a friend -- cozy, relaxed, and still full of great energy. It would also make a great setting for a casual date night. Our bartender/server was outstanding -- super attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our visit. After enjoying all those bites, we were so full we decided to save the full dinner experience for another night. We're already looking forward to coming back! A little tip: if you're not coming right when they open, definitely make a reservation -- this place stays busy, and for good reason. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Happy hour - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Get your reservation early! I've been wanting to try this place for a while and glad a landed a reservation. The food was absolutely delicious. Started off with the gumbo which had an incredibly rich roux. It was a little too spicy for my liking but SO good! Ordered a steak, short rib, both very tender. We got greens, Mac, and cornbread which were all very delicious. Loved the crunchiness of the outside of the cornbread, but the inner cake-like texture, very moist and buttery. Got the banana pudding which was more pudding than banana, but was alright. Service was fantastic from the hostess to the servers. I would definitely come back! read more

Virtue Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Bustling in Hyde Park, on the northwest corner of 53rd St and Harper Ave is Virtue Restaurant. Reservations seem to be recommended, although you might be able to walk-in and sit at the bar. Virtue uses OpenTable, where you'll pay a reservation deposit which will be applied towards your bill. But you can communicate with their team if you have specific preferences that they can accommodate. We sat at the bar, on one of the corners. All the staff seemed to know the menu and dishes inside out. The bartender assisting us detailed all the dishes and ingredients we ordered, all while preparing drinks. After contemplating what to ingest for supper, we opted for a spread. I kinda wanted to get the cornbread side, but supposed that would have been too much food. In order of arrival: 0. Coconut Woman -- coconut creme, pineapple, and lime, served in a coupe glass. 100% recommend if you like coconut and pineapple flavor profiles. 1. Chicken Liver -- it was chicken liver patê, with herbs and salt, and topped with pomegranate, accompanied by fennel jam, and fennel shavings. It came with 3 duck fat corn bread muffins. Could I tell it was duck fat? No. The muffins were on the drier side, by mouth feel. But the patê offsets that issue. The fennel slivers went nicely with the patê, which was quite nice. However, the fennel jam was pretty salty. You smear these items on the cornbread muffins. If you enjoy patê, you might enjoy this. 2. Oysters -- by far the most beloved item we had. Supposedly a newcomer to the menu. Roasted oysters in a small 4 pack, swimming in an herbal green butter, accompanied by something like a very large slice of Meyer lemon that was coated with some kind of cayenne salt thing. They are seated atop pink peppercorns and some kind of kelp. I wish I tried the kelp. The pink peppercorns were nice if you like pepper. The oysters alone were great. With the squeeze of lemon while dripping the cayenne salt mixture brings a whole other dimension of fun on your tongue. Once you finish them, you'll want more. 3. Gem Lettuce--radish, egg, tomato, ranch dressing, crispy black-eyed peas. This was very standard, as a salad. Very normal, very "I'm just an uneventful salad with normal dressing, and fried crispy black-eyes peas instead of croutons." The lettuce was quartered, everything was well dressed. This is one of the 3 vegetable green items on their menu. If you want to be impressed by a dish here, this one won't be the one to impress you. 4. Cup of Gumbo--chicken, andouille sausage, carolina gold rice. The underwater mountain of rice was submerged in a sea of gumbo. I enjoyed the flavor, but this was on the saltier side. 5. Fish & Grits--blackened red drum, geechie boy stone-ground grits, crab étouffée. This was a very comfortable dish. The grits were creamy, but not savory. The crab flavor was on the lighter side. I suppose this was to highlight the blackened fish, since the fish itself has mild flavor, but a light, yet slight chew to it. A slight warm from the spice can be felt in your mouth after eating this dish. 6. Chocolate Cake (gf)--as pointed out by the bartender, this is their only gluten free dessert, featuring a gf chocolate cake with meringue, almonds, and a salty chocolate sorbet. If you ask me, salted caramel is good, but salted chocolate is much better. As for noise level, it was quite crowded during their happy hour, but it tapered off afterwards. If dining at a table, the tables and chairs are wooden; seats with U-shaped curves. At the bar, the stools have wireframe back, and there is not really a good location to store something that you might be carrying. Overall, Virtue is a solid choice for southern comfort food. Some components may be on the saltier side. However, they do serve some outstanding dishes and drinks here, with knowledgeable staff who take note of any food allergies or accommodations you might require. read more

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Good food with Hyde park as your backdrop. The food here was delicious. Staring with the biscuits or cornbread. All the sides are shareable so I recommend ordering an entry and sides to share. If you're in the mood for an elevated soul you've found your place. RSVP...or find a spot at the bar read more

Virtue Restaurant - Fish, bbq carrots and rice. Side of greens + Mac& cheese - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is my second visit since it opened. I didn't like the food on my first visit, and I decided to give it another try. However, the customer service was atrocious from the manager, Lou (he may have given me a fake name), from his filthy long nails and gym shoes all the way to his off-putting attitude. I made reservations through OpenTable for a Thursday at 6 PM. I called around 3:30 PM that day; no answer. I left a written message through OpenTable asking to reschedule with no "penalty" regarding my deposit, due to the heavy rains. Someone responded that I could reschedule; they had two time slots available that Saturday. I chose 7:30 PM. When I arrived, there was no record of it. After some back and forth and the manager (Lou) telling me there was no record of me messaging anyone, he did fit me in. I couldn't find the messages either but I did see they charged me $40 as a no show. My friend who was with me inquired about the deposit and I was told that it would be applied toward my meal this evening. The short ribs and salmon dishes were good. The mac and cheese was not. It tasted like Velveeta. It was cheesy but not buttery. We paid and left, then returned when we noticed we didn't get the $40 applied to the bill, as promised. The manager said I was a no-show and as a "courtesy" for him fitting us in (there were several empty spots), that the deposit would be forfeited. He said he was sorry that we were told otherwise, just that evening. He was rude, standoffish and non-empathetic. Approx 30 min later I returned with the copy of the text messages from Virtue pricing I was not a no-show; it was rescheduled. Without a word to us, he read the message, looked on his phone, handed me a business card with a number on it, then told me to call to get the $40 refunded, He offered no explanation nor apology for the mixup, inconvenience nor the error or Virtue's part. The food was ok. My server was excellent. The host made it an unpleasant experience, and I will never go here again. He seems misaligned for the role he's in. And I'll be sure to post on my social platforms about the experience. read more

Had the pleasure of enjoying a Sunday brunch at this gem while visiting from out of town. Sat at the bar, the service was fantastic with a cozy hometown ambiance to match. The short rib and Mac and cheese dishes are a must try. The espresso martini was one of the best I've ever had. This spot is a must the next time I visit Chicago. read more

Virtue Restaurant - Espresso martinis - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I will always recommend Virtue. I've been going since it opened and it is consistently amazing!!

The food was phenomenal except the mashed potatoes which were definitely boxed mashed potatoes. However I would eat here again and again. Service was good. Vibes were great. I recommend. read more

Virtue virtue! The best food I have had in Chicago! This is hard to come by as the Windy City definitely has a lot to choose from but truly a chefs kiss here! Not only was the food decadent, The service out of this world, and the dim light made for a very intimate evening! i will be back no questions asked read more

Virtue Restaurant - Banana pudding - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is jamming. We came in at 5 and it was already half full. We were seated right away and noticed that it was loud. We weren't shouting to talk but we had to ask the server to repeat himself several times cuz we couldn't hear over the noise, We had the cornbread which was wonderful. the gem salad is huge. A meal by itself. We also had the mac n cheese which really was melted cheese with some macaroni. More like a pasta fondue. The gumbo serving is large and no seafood though. The catfish is a filet and really tender. The fried green tomatoes were undercooked. The chicken is roasted so I went for the gizzards which were tender and nicely fried. They have a great cocktail and wine list. The noise level was the really turn off for us old folks. Also the AC in there is way insufficient for the number of guests. It was a hot day and our table was really sweating. It changed what we ordered because we didn't want to make the sweating worse. read more

I've been to Virtue countless times so safe to say I'm a big fan. They do take walk-ins but I would recommend a reservation to be on the safe side as they stay busy. Parking: There is street parking and while you might not necessarily find something close, you'll definitely bound to find something. Dinner: The short rib and macaroni and cheese are my go to and you can not go wrong. The corn bread is also excellent. One of the best things is that they're items are definitely sharable, so you can either share at the table or have left overs for later! The green tomatoes and remoulade themselves are pretty good- personally, don't think that they need the shrimp. The collards are pretty good but I haven't found them to be very consistent. The biscuits are also very good, but I would choose the cornbread over them Happy Hour: I've only been here for happy hour once and unfortunately, I was not as impressed as when I go in for dinner The Wings- best thing we ordered. The flavor, the fry, the size- 10/10. Would DEFINITELY order this again. The Catfish Sliders- The flavor of the catfish was phenomenal. I don't believe that the additional toppings did anything for the slider and actually made it a bit overwhelming. Buffalo Mac and Cheese Croquette- I personally was not a fan of these at all but the people I was with liked them! Sweet Rations: Red Velvet Cake- As someone who LOVES red velvet, I was so excited to try this and I will never order it again. Might very well be one of the worst red velvet cakes that I've ever had. Millie's Puddin'- YUMMY! Probably one of the best desserts that I've had from them. They do change a few items depending on the season, which helps to give the menu a nice variety. They do keep some of their better items consistently. Overall, I really am a big fan of Virtue and will be making more trips when I get back to Chicago. read more

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Our waitress Rog was amazing. She attended to our every need and was very helpful with the drink and food money. The food was spectacular!! Our party had the steak, salmon, gumbo and short ribs. The sides were even better (fried green tomatoes, Mac & cheese and gizzards). I highly recommend this cozy establishment. read more

My first time here hubby and I decided to come for my birthday dinner... Service was ok since I had no reservation they were willing to accommodate us...waited maybe 10 minutes no biggie. Servers are kinda pushy in a sense they want you to order right away. I didn't want a drink so we started our wait at bar. Once seated still the same they want you to order... I get it it's a small place and very busy. The food was absolutely delicious every thing was phenomenal no complaints about the food at all even hubby loved his gizzards. See pictures it's worth it all! Will come back read more

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Desire food similar to Creole or New Orleans this is a good stop.... Make reservations!!!! The customer service is amazing. The ambiance is very nice and simple. The seating is very close in my opinion and doesn't allow for private conversation. The waiting area is very non existing so the cold air came in everytime more people came in to get seated also. It would help if they sat you before your full party arrived to avoid pileups. Street parking with meters. The food, I started with oysters... Very clean and no grit, smaller, herbal like flavor to me. Good but I've had better. The biscuits with pimento cheese I Loved them. We ordered a bottle of cellar wine of course upcharge compared to the stores but very delicious and complimentary to our meal. Dinner: I got short rib... Let me emphasize on how tender and delicious this dish was! The potatoes and creamed spinach was also delicious. Macaroni and cheese: very creamy as this is what I wanted to try most. It was really good. Fish and Grits: loved it. Very good stone grits, fish nice and flaky and cooked perfectly, the etouffee in the dish was really really good. I was excited that it was a brown versus red gravy. I was very pleased with this meal and I would absolutely return. read more

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The food was pretty good but that 90 minute time limit is terrible. Don't go there if you want to have a relaxing friendly meal. The host came up to us and said we couldn't order dessert because we were at 90 minutes; they had others waiting. He did say we could take dessert home with us. Frankly, we waited 20 minutes for our meal to be served so to be rushed out after 90 minutes was upsetting. The host was rude and officious. read more

Excellent restaurant with great service. I've been a few times and the food is mostly delicious. A tad salty for my taste, but perfect when I ask for low salt. Great drinks program too. My only qualm is that they do not participate in neighborhood events or organizations such as the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce. If this was not only a great restaurant but also a community partner / leader, It would be worth 4 or 5-stars for sure. read more

After spending the day with my 97-year-old Godmother, who is in the final stage of her journey, I left feeling heartbroken. My best friend suggested we have dinner at Virtue, hoping a wonderful meal might lift my spirits. When we arrived, we were told the wait would be over two hours, and I honestly didn't think we had it in us to stay. I shared my story with Bex and Armani at the front, and their compassion was extraordinary. They spoke with the manager, who graciously made an exception and seated us. That simple act of kindness felt like a warm hug at exactly the moment I needed it most. It is something I will never forget. And then the food arrived...absolutely phenomenal. Every bite was unforgettable--the shrimp and grits were rich and flavorful, the fried green tomatoes with shrimp were perfection, the cornbread was some of the best I've ever had, and even the cabbage was incredibly delicious. The service was just as exceptional as the meal: warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. Thank you to Bex, Armani, the manager, and the entire Virtue team for not only serving one of the best meals I've had, but for reminding me how powerful simple kindness can be. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. read more

Service is so slow it's not worth it. And you are limited to 90 minutes. Fergetaboutit.

My friend and I had a great experience at Virtue. It was both our first time here and our server John walked us through the menu and made some great recommendations. My friend ordered the short rib with a double portion of spinach and no potatoes. Although the short rib was good, it was charred too much for her liking and the manager was very nice about getting her another one. I enjoyed the biscuits, half chicken with sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts with a side of mac and cheese. The dining room was very nice. I especially liked that the dinner plates were not your typical plates but were ornate. Overall 10/10 will definitely be back again and will be checking out the chef's other restaurants. read more

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I've been meaning to try Virtue all year, and I'm so glad I finally made it happen. I ordered the beef short ribs, and they were nothing short of incredible fall-apart tender and packed with flavor. The atmosphere was a bit on the crowded side, but still totally manageable and added to the buzz of the space. Overall, I loved the experience great food, good energy, and definitely worth the wait. I'll be back! read more

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I love Virtue, this is one of the best meals I've had in Chicago! The short ribs were delicious and tender. The collard greens tasted like someone's grandma made it! They even have gizzards which as someone whose family is from the Caribbean and I grew up eating gizzards it definitely warmed my heart. I've visited Chicago twice and both times Virtue had to be on the itinerary and probably will always be moving forward! The ambiance gives a nice cozy, family feel the service is on point. I love and appreciate that it is also black owned. read more

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