I waited to write this review only because on our first visit WE WERE BLOWN AWAY!! Â So we have been back 2 more times and it was NOT an isolated event!! Â Volare is as good as it gets. Â I've tried different things everytime I have been and I have not been disappointed yet. Â I just made reservations for Friday night as well. Â I know that there are sooo many other great places to go, but we just cannot get enough of Volare. Â The atmosphere, the service, the FOOD, etc. Â They know what they're doing! Â GO! Â You will not be disappointed.
Review Source:Volare is an old school, classic restaurant. Â I think it explains the median age of patrons there being north of 50. Â Regardless, the restaurant had good food. Â The steak was cooked just like I wanted (medium rare) and seasoned well. Â The tiramisu was also a great at the end of the meal. Â Service was excellent as well, all the way from the free valet service to the server who was attentive but not overbearing. Â The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that we noticed a couple of bugs flying around the restaurant which I hope was an isolated incident.
Review Source:Still wonderful. Â Since our original review, we've been back twice. Â Once with a big family gathering, and again when it was just us and the kids. Â The time that we went with the big group, the entres (especially the pork special that night) was most definitely a 5 star rating caliber. Â . . . my elderly father who appreciates good food, but never really expresses strong preferences, actually asked to go back! Â That's the first time I've heard him make that request. Â However, on our next trip back, the food was still very good, but we weren't blown away in the same way. Â . . . so I'm left wondering if the chef(s) were just really "on" the night that we went for our family gathering. Â Regardless, Volares is 3 for 3 in our book.
Review Source:Solid. Legit. Reliable. All of these words are positives and worthy of recognition and that's how I feel about Volare: it was a positive experience and worthy of recognition. However, I'm in no rush to return. Perhaps, though, I didn't have the authentic Volare experience. I came here for Sunday brunch. Yeah, I know. I came to an upscale Frankfort Avenue Italian restaurant for brunch. Thing is, sometimes a man needs brunch and when he does and a restaurant serves it, you'd best believe it's going to be eaten.
Come here expecting all the standard trappings of Frankfort Avenue Sunday brunch: valet, crowds, loud children, etc. After a short wait at the hostess stand we took our seats, gave the waiter our drink order and made our way to the buffet... after navigating the tables. As much as I like to joke, I'm not a big guy. I found navigating the space between tables (on the raised portion of the dining room) to be a bit treacherous. If I were a larger man, I would have a serious issue. That nit out of the way, I started in on the eating. You won't be blown away by innovation: salad, eggs, sausages, lasagna, fruit, cake, omelets, all the standards are here. Thing is, for a place that's decidedly (and, as I'm told, awesomely) Italian, I would have loved to have seen more Italian selections on the brunch menu. As it was, what I ate, I could have had at any number of places in Louisville. Again, nothing was bad, but nothing was very memorable. If in the area on a Sunday and hungry for your old favorites, stop in. Otherwise, you might want to wait to come to Volare on a weekday evening and experience what, evidently, they're better known for.
We visited Volare for drinks and dessert one night, and what a great idea that turned out to be. Volare is beautiful and warm, we were greeted very quickly and taken to a table near the bar. Service was friendly the entire visit, and everything we ordered was fabulous. The desserts are super artsy and more importantly, completely delicious. The tiramisu was one of the best I've had, and the cannoli filling was insane. Super creamy ricotta and chocolate chips, with pistachios and chocolate, on a dish that looks like it should be hanging in an art gallery somewhere. We were also served almond macaroons when we were done, that were so amazing I wanted to cry. Even the latte I ordered was perfect.
The mint julep I had here was the best I had in Louisville too. Beautiful environment, friendly service, delicious food- I absolutely recommend this place!
Finally had a chance to stop in and try this place. Complimentary bread comes with oil and garlic cloves. Bread was not at all what I prefer and I love bread. It was hard and crunchy more like a crouton, when you hear the person across from you bite into their bread....anyway. Â Started with baked clams, flavor was very good, but we had three each and combined it was barely enough for a bite. Chicken parmigiana was ok, chicken was tender and moist, almost as much cheese as chicken. I wasn't a huge fan of the marinara, pasta was cooked well, but flavor of the marinara seemed to be missing something. Chicken limone was very flavorful but not something I would order again. Overall for $65+ I want to find at least one dish I really like and brings me back for more. I can't say that I was impressed by anything here, not bad but nothing stood out. Coming from an Italian family, I can easily say I have had better.
Review Source:We found this place on yelp and we had a fabulous dinner!
There were 5 of us dining and every one of us loved our food. My husband was reluctant to try veal at an unfamiliar restaurant but went ahead and took the chance - he was very happy - loved the veal saltimbocca! Â The New York strip was amazing and cut like butter. The wine list is excellent and reasonably priced. Highly recommend Volare!
This was my second time at Volare (first time I was there was probably over a year ago). I didn't order any appetizer, but I got the sole special, which was absolutely delicious and lemony. One sneaky fishbone stubbornly refused to be removed, but it's ok. I didn't choke and die or anything. It was kind of sad seeing the poor fishy's head be chopped off, but oh well. Fernando was tasty. I'm not sure if Fernando was a boy fish or not, but whatever.
Boyfriend's stepfather picked out the wine. It was ok; a bit too dry for my tastes. For dessert, I got a café nocello. Mmmm hazelnut liquor. I was fairly tipsy after a glass of wine and half of that. I really am a lightweight, wow. That's somewhat embarrassing. I'll just leave now...
In a word: magnifico! Â
I love the Frankfort Avenue corridor for its variety of restaurants - everything from El Mundo to Bossa. Â But one gem in this strip of great restaurants is definitely Volare. Â
I visited for the first time last night, and was impressed off the bat with the complimentary Valet parking I was able to take advantage of. Â Inside the restaurant, the dark wood gives a feeling that is sophisticated yet cozy and the ambience has a very European feel. Â
I ordered the New York Strip as my entree, and cooked medium, it was out of this world! Â It was served with some tasty cheese grits - definitely elevated from the way I currently enjoy them at Waffle House. Â
If you're able to save room, the Cheesecake rivals anything you could imagine. Â Mine had Heath bar chunks and an Oreo crust; paired with the mild creaminess of the filling, it was to die for! Â
My "valet" experience ended with a pick-up ticket for my leftovers . . . my server gave me a numbered ticket and I turned it in at the hostess stand for a carrier bag with the remains of my steak and cheesecake. Â Food this good deserves to be savored 2 days in a row.
For your next special night out, put Volare at the top of your list! Â I hope you'll love it as much as I did :)
Came here the night after the derby. We had reservations, and were supposed to be inside or on the patio. There was a huge mix up where while we were waiting they gave someone else our table. So, we were put out in the tent. At first we were agitated, but the tent ended up being cool. The waiters were very nice and personable. The appetizers were delicious! Got the bruschetta, carpaccio, and the shrimp cocktail. All were great. So was the bread and garlic with olive oil and spices. However, the main menu was limited due to the derby, so we all got something we weren't crazy about. Appetizers would earn 5 stars, table situation and main course earns 3.
Review Source:My BF lives in Louisville (not much longer, thank God) and this is one of the few restaurants here that made me happy. We always sit at the bar- we prefer bar seating, so I can't really speak for the table service.
If you're a wine lover they have a decent (slightly overpriced) list that is half price bottles at the bar only! Get there early for a good seat though.
We've always enjoyed anything we ordered here. Flatbread pizzas, baked clams, arincini. Check out the great tapas style menu at the bar if you aren't hungry enough for a large entree.
The dessert is worthy of it's own review! We have a hard time straying from our favorite Tiramisu but again everything is excellent! The dessert plates are like little art pieces with edible sugar flowers, etc.
Service is friendly all around. The one thing I found a bit confusing was how all 3 bartenders seem to wait on you during your meal. I was a bit confused as to who to ask for things when I needed them. Valet parking is complimentary and a nice option on busy nights.
I'm hoping not to see Louisville for a long time, but if I do at least we have Volare for a great dinner!
I had intended to be good, I really did (I'm on the Slow-Carb Diet). The dinner at Volare, however, was so good we had to look at the dessert menu. Â From which we ordered.
My wife and I shared the cappesante appetizer (seared sea scallops over sweet English pea puree with crispy proscuitto and white truffle oil). Â This was wonderful, perfectly balanced, the truffle oil bringing out the flavor of the scallops.
I then had the Inverno salad (baby spinach, roasted beets, goat cheese, sugared walnuts, and honey balsamic dressing) without the goat cheese and with oil and vinegar instead of honey balsamic (the chef exchanged the sugared walnuts with roasted pine nuts without my asking). Â It was a little dry at first, but with a bit of salt it was really good.
For my main course I had Volare's 14 oz ribeye, which is served topped with Peroni-battered leeks and garlic compound butter. Â Since I've learned the correct way to cook one, I haven't enjoyed a single steak in a restaurant. Â I enjoyed the fuck out of this steak. Â It did need a light dash of salt, just a touch, but god it was good. Â As for those battered leeks... keep in mind that I haven't had anything fried for almost two months when I say this: Best. Â "Onion". Â "Rings". Â Ever. Â Perfect batter, delicate onion-ish flavor... I cannot tell you how good these things are.
Then we ordered dessert. Â Technically, our binge day doesn't start until tomorrow, but we'd already eaten a couple of fried leeks (my wife and I), and I thought, "What the hell?" Â Amy and I shared the magnificent vanilla bean panna cotta, a classic Italian eggless custard flavored with vanilla beans, topped with fresh berries macerated in sweet balsamic vinegar and dusted with confectioner's sugar. Â I love panna cotta, even though it reliably gets contestants eliminated from Top Chef, but it's been a while since I've had a good one. Â Holy Christ, this was good. Â The gentle cut of the balsamic vinegar paired well with the sweet creaminess of the custard. Â It was lick-the-plate good.
My only regret is not having eaten at Volare earlier.
Why not five stars? Â The service was a bit off, with elbows and bodies appearing suddenly in front of me, cutting off conversations not once, but numerous times. Â Also, when my steak plate was cleared, if I had not jumped back the server would have dragged its edge across my shirt. Â The service wasn't terrible, mind you... just mindless of the diner at times.
We went for an early Valentines Day dinner last Saturday night. Ambience is very good. We were seated on the heated patio, with only a couple other tables seated around us.
Yum! Had their ravioli with vodka sauce, my boyfriend had veal. Both of us loved our food. The dessert was a-mazing. I had the chocolate torte and my boyfriend had the cheesecake (which was expertly plated and presented by the way. So pretty!).
They had a live band that was really, really good as well.
In town on business, went Tuesday and sat at the bar. Bar staff was great, very engaging and attentive. Service overall was excellent.
Food - outstanding! Seared scallop as an app was perfectly prepared, and the pappardelle boscaiola was phenomenal! A great pasta dish for a cold, rainy evening.
Will return next time I'm in town.
There is no doubt that the best kept secret in the Louisville dining scene is the bar menu at Volare. Half price bottles of wine every single night, affordable and brilliantly executed tapas menu, and live jazz late week make for a perfect and affordable romantic night out. The atmosphere is cozy and dimly lit yet large enough to accommodate large groups of people in addition to several couples (10?) at two top bar tables. Call ahead reservations are accepted for these tables.
We usually order a bottle of wine, a couple of Tapas/apps/salad and split an entree and get out of there for around $60. That is unless we cave and order another bottle of wine or a desert. Hey, we walk so we try to justify it that way. I don't know of another restaurant where you can get food of this caliber at that price point.
Speaking of walking, we live in Crescent Hill and walk past Porcini (another popular high end Italian option) an additional 3/4 of a mile to get to Volare...if that gives you some perspective...it's worth and extra 1.5 miles on the pedometer.
Another point worth touching on is the impeccable service. Excellent service to me means you don't have to ask for a thing. Every need is anticipated at Volare. Nobody is going to ask you if you want to save your fork for the next course, they just take it and bring a new one. A new bottle of wine...new glasses. Drop your napkin? A new one shows up before you're missing your old one. The servers are always attentive, extremely knowledgeable, and congenial without being overbearing. It sounds simple, but very few, if any, other places in Louisville get it right on a constant basis.
As for the food...where do I start? Like most great restaurants Volare's success is based on based on a brilliant execution of a well thought out, balanced menu. There is something everybody will enjoy...from your douchy food "expert" friend to the pickiest of eaters. Nobody is going to look down there nose at you at Volare.
Some favorite dishes: The stuffed veal chop is probably the favorite, but I also love the crispy duck in cherry sauce, the mussels, the sea bass (usually a special), and I've had several great filets there. In the mood for some good old "red sauce" Italian comfort food? Not a problem. Volare has the best lasagna and veal parmesan in Louisville. The pizzas are very reasonably priced and good. The food presentation is always top notch and all entrees are nicely paired with unique, but not bizarre sides.
I gave Volare $$ because we typically eat at the bar. You will move well into the $$$ range at the tables where wine is full priced and the bar menu is not available. Even at full price Volare delivers value.
Came here on Friday for my guy's birthday dinner. Â We had an amazing time!
The interior is dark wood and cozy. Â We chose to sit in the dining room, so we could ogle at the "wall of wine".
The service was excellent and friendly from the get-go. Â Our server helped us select a bottle of wine - in the end, we went with his recommendation over my choice. Â Later in the meal, when I told him I didn't love it (but my guy did, and that's what mattered!), the manager came over with a different glass of wine for me, gratis. Â What a nice gesture!
The food is nothing cutting-edge, or elaborately plated, but it is definitely in the zone for amazing, solid flavors. Â Everything was delicious!! Â We started with the heirloom tomato special and bruschetta. Â Both were generous portions, and as delicious as they were, didn't finish so we could leave room for the rest of the meal!
Entrees were ossobuco for him, and the 6 oz barrel-cut filet prepared "gorgonzola". Â Both were to die for! Â The ossobuco was tender, hearty, and flavorful. Â Perfect for colder temperatures, it was still delicious, and a huge portion! Â My steak was cooked to perfection, and the preparation with gorgonzola, crispy prosciutto, and a red wine veal demi glace - was insanely delicious! Â I ate every last bite!
Dessert was gratis, and a sugar candy shell "apple" filled with fresh berries. Â I've never had anything like it - creative and delicious.
It was an expensive evening, but we were treated like the king and queen, so we will return, happily!
This place is simply divine. Â Old school elegance with out of this world food. Â Their staff is top notch and they sincerely know how to treat return guests. Â When I want a treat this is where I want to go. Â I love their patio in the summer and in the winter their Italian comfort food is what keeps me going.
Review Source:Seriously delicious. Â Loved this place. Â We were on our way to the highlands area from downtown (three of us on a work-trip) when the Moroccan cabby insisted we check out his friend's restaurant for dinner instead. Â So glad we listened to him. Â We all have different taste yet we were all thrilled. Â I had the seabass served with sugar snap pea greens (much like collards), polenta, and something else that was awesome that I unfortunately forget. Â We also had the duck with a cherry sauce (she really loved it) and the chicken marsala (which she wasn't thrilled with, but she couldn't stop talking about the sides - which I think included a mashed potato with truffle oil.) I can really only speak to my dish. Â The main component, the seabass, was insanely delicious. Â Perfect in every way. Â The sauce was something very simple with capers I think and it was seared so that the outside was crispy and the rest of it was the perfect texture, amazing white fish, kinda like a flakey scallop, moist but melt-in-your-mouth, with the crispy outside from searing. Â The waitress said lots of peeps love this place just for the seabass and I can understand why. Â YOMmmm.
Review Source:For a little more upscale Italian dining, I have not found a better place. Â I have been here at least five or six times and have tried something different every time. Â My experience here has been incredible. Â You can't go wrong with anything on the menu from soups to desserts. Â The last few times i got the special no matter what it was and it was great!! Â The best thing about this place for me is the dessert. Â They have the best creme broulee that I have ever had. Â This place is awesome from start to finish. Â Not a great place for kids, which is the one unfortunate drawback for me.
Review Source:Mr says.... "chef gordon ramsay" must be in the kitchen (wink!)
Mrs says... first of all, our server "Jessica" was awesome. she's attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. we started with signature manhattan cocktail. just for the heck of going to new york next week for the long labor day holiday, we tried signature manhattan. too strong for me since i don't really drink. for appetizer, we had the carpaccio di manzo. just your typical cured meat similar to prosciutto served with leafy veggie - spinach maybe and there were capers. i was going to try calamari again though but maybe next time!
i tried the soup of the day which is couscous with some meat and veggies. taste ok but i thought a little hot sauce or kick will make it more interesting. so i asked "Jessica" for a hot sauce. surely enough it tasted even better :)
for the main course i had pasta - aglio olio con gamberi. basically angel hair type pasta with jumbo prawns cooked in white wine and garlic sauce. it was on their seasonal specials. it was a simple light dish where any other italian restaurant can offer but as for MR he had veal shanks called osso bucco milanese served in a bed of risotto. it was really good. meat was tender, sauce complimented the creamy risotto.
dinner was so good i wonder why we even had a little room for dessert. we had the chocolate truffle torte. it was served with at least 3 berries: strawberry, red berries and blue berries plus a small scoop of vanilla bean icecream. the truffle itself was so densed and purely heaven. chocolate was bittersweet - enough to fully satisfy my evening (wink!)
lastly, throughout our dinner a cool jazz band or morelikely bossa nova was playing in the background. one can actually requests songs.
im giving this place 5 stars for the nice gentleman who approached us, as we looked lost inside the restaurant as if we're in a maze trying to look for the outdoor patio/courtyard tables. we were trying to seat ourselves and couldn't find our way! overall we had a wonderful experience!
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