Volare Italian Restaurant

We had a wonderful dining experience here for my birthday! Our server was phenomenal! She was nice and patient and made the dinner very nice! Very attentive!!! Delicious beet salad!

Our first time to dine here. Friday night was busy. We had a reservation made about 10 days in advance. Street parking was packed, So we opted for valet parking. We were seated promptly and our server, Garry, took great care of us. We were there about 2 hours and the 5 courses were brought in a timely basis. Presentation of each course made us want to come back very soon. An excellent team that was busy helping all the customers. We saw items that were not on the menu (oysters on the half shell). Garry explained there are some things customers ask for in advance. We may try that next time. A bit pricey, but the quality was beyond excellent and the service was outstanding. The fish catch shown of FB earlier that day, made us happy to be able to enjoy the Exec chef expertise.

The best food experience in Louisville. Awesome food, hands down. Very good courteous open ambience. Loved the live music, who takes requests. The people who served the food were extremely polite and helpful. I believe the overall staff tries their best to offer an evening worth remembering to everyone. Though the valet parking experience can be debatable. It's hard to find parking on the Frankfort avenue. So I think it's best to go with their valet parking, I didn't.

This well known establishment really knows how to do Italian at volume but still deliver perfection and intimacy that you want on a date night or special occasion. I live in Nashville and I think it lacks really good Italian dining and so was excited to see what Louisville has to offer. Volare beats what is in Nashville hands down. From the friendly welcome (especially for walk ins on a busy night) to the exceptional wine list, the authentic entrees and finally delicious desert there wasn't a single mistep. I must encourage you to get the saltimbocca, and the upgrade to the veal is well worth it. The veal is tender and melts leaving a salty meaty finish that combined well with the herbaceous sage flavor that was not overdone as can often happen. Our seating was out on a fully enclosed porch and while it lacks some of the visual appeal of the inside I actually found it to be quieter and intimate. That said if you want upbeat the excellent live band has you covered and there is a bar with comfortable seating as well.

While visiting Louisville, my wife and I wanted to try a variety of restaurants before leaving. We did Cuban, Creole and our last night was going to be Italian. We chose Volare based on online reviews and let me tell you, their high rating speaks for itself. From start to finish the experience was extraordinary. From atmosphere, service, appetizer, entrees and dessert, this is probably the best Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at. We started with the Rotollini di Melanzane. The marinara sauce was exquisite and the eggplant with Ricata was tender, creamy and just the right richness to leave you begging for more. They also brought out some nice bread while we waited on our food with seasoned olive oil and roasted garlic. For our entrees, I had the Lemache Carcerata. It was a nice blend of sausage, cream, Parmesan and marinara. My only complaint on mine was that the shell noodles I had were a little undercooked, leaving them slightly al dente. My wife chose the Parmesan chicken and it was perfectly lightly breaded and seasoned covered in mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection. Hers included a side of spaghetti. Again, the marinara sauce is so good, it is practically what makes each dish that uses it. Finally, we were so stuffed we decided to share a small dessert and went with the Bourbon Ball Gelato. It was fantastic. If you have ever had Tortoni ice cream, it very much tasted like it. The wait staff throughout the entire restaurant worked in tandem with each other, filling water glasses, getting drinks, serving food…it was like a well oiled machine. Our server was awesome. He was friendly, very informative about the specials and the menu choices. We did not order any drinks and had water with dinner. With a $15 tip, we paid right at $102 and it was worth every penny. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Italian food.

We loved our experience for my nieces 21st birthday. The braised short ribs are incredible! The lasagna had an amazing sauce, very bold and well built. Loved it! Beef capaccio was okay. My nephew loved his steak. Water was never not full, and the waitress, Brandy, was incredibly helpful. They even brought my niece a nice slice of cheesecake as a present.

Hidden gem!!!! When in Chicago on the magnificent mile side this is a great Italian restaurant. 2 entrees, large salad and 2 cocktails came out to $140. The food was spectacular and large enough to share. Do not recommend anything but wine there. Had an old fashion that could have stripped paint. Awesome food and service!

Our favorite for a special date night. Great service and menu. Ask for the bread! The garlic oil is incredible. You can’t go wrong with any choice on the menu. We used Volare for our rehearsal dinner and couldn’t have been happier.

The reputation of this place definitely precedes itself. It was a beautiful evening dinner for a group of four friends to enjoy one of Louisvilles wello known but hidden gems. The food was elegant yet mouth-watering just looking ate it waiting to eat. We can't wait to go back. Thank you Volare staff for the wonderful food and experience

Some fine dining at an affordable price compared to other places. The salads were delicious, the Caesar salad was hands down the best ive had. Yeah, it's just a salad but how it's made makes a difference. The seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The steak was amazing, tender enough to cut with a butter knife. Everyone was very friendly and professional. The desserts were portioned well and are a great option to end a delicious meal.

Edit 11/2025: Visited for my birthday, first time I had been in since October of last year. I was treated as if I still visited on a frequent basis. Excellent food, service and all around treatment. The mark of what sets great restaurants apart from good ones. Jonathan is an excellent manager. Will always be on my short list of places to eat. Wish I could bump up to six stars! Original review from 2023: It'd been five years since I had been here. I definitely don't go out to eat like I used to! At any rate, I very much enjoyed my visit here. It was totally packed on a Saturday night, so I had to wait a few minutes for a seat at the bar. Once I was seated, all smooth sailing. The staff behind the bar was friendly and attentive. I had the wedge salad and pappardelle boscaiola. Food was brought out hot from the kitchen despite how busy it was. All was delicious. Volare is definitely on the pricy side but what else is new in 2023. Take a date here and there'll be a second date. 😉

The food was delicious, every dish was well prepared but what truly made the night special was the exceptional service. Our server, Alex, was incredibly kind and went out of his way to tailor to us and make sure we were happy. Great food and even better service, highly recommend!

Definitely one of Louisville's finest... if you're looking for continental style service, atmosphere and food quality - this is it. The lighting is just perfect for elegance and table atmosphere, our server was very well informed on the menu, could answer our questions and described the specials perfectly. Everyone is an absolute professional - bartenders, host, etc., food quality I gave a four, only because I found the portions much smaller for myself and my three guest than I had experienced in the past and the prices have gone up. Service was excellent I gave it for because we did have to wait for water glasses to be refilled in my wine glass set empty for a while even though I had requested another one. So, still a one of a kind in many ways for Louisville, bon appetit!

Loved everything about our experience at the restaurant. The service was outstanding (thanks Leslie and Chris). The food was amazing (fruit of the sea and mussels). The outdoor patio area was fully enclosed, heated, and carpeted. So glad we chose this place for my niece's birthday dinner.

The best in town. Always excellent service and amazing food. The Italian is amazing but the weekly chefs specials have never disappointed. If you love a dirty martini theirs it top notch!

Had a great time. With class, but still casual. Quiet enough to have a conversation, yet busy enough to meet with friends. Food was on point, with specials off menu. Specialty drinks are wonderful and thirst quenching. Ask about the fish and seasonal dishes!

It was absolutely fabulous. From seating is early, wonderful waiter and staff, to the valet. Could not have asked for a better experience.

I've never trusted a restaurant more than I do Volaré! Between the exemplary service and genuine ambiance, the supernatural sensory experience when dining here is unmatched 😍 The food is a story that unfolds with each new mouth-watering morsel. Leaving you anxiously awaiting the next bite 😋 I am unable to partake in alcohol because of health conditions, but the selections are exquisite, and the variety is everything a Bourbon afficionado could want! I loved celebrating my birthday here also!

Volare never disappoints! My wife and I celebrated our anniversary at this fine establishment and enjoyed the special treatment from the valet, the seating hostess and the very attentive waitress. I had the Sea Bass Picatta which was one of the specials for the night. It was excellent and I hope that they keep offering it since I plan to order it again on our next visit. For our anniversary they surprised us with a delicious slice of cheesecake drizzled with a chocolate lettered anniversary wish. Remarkably, my wife and I got each other the exact same anniversary card! It was fitting for a night when we both also decided independently that we wanted to dine at Volare.

Lovely place! I was invited here by a loved one for a birthday dinner and I can say everything was lovely. The live music, the service, the food and the aura in general. Their lasagna is probably the best lasagna I’ve ever had and I can say that I enjoyed every single bite of the dessert. If you are looking for a lovely aura to have a date with a loved one, this is the perfect place. ^^

We went here to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary! It was a fabulous experience from start to finish! The very be is very nice with a cozy upscale feel! The menu was amazing and the dinner specials off menu sounded heavenly! They had a NonAlcoholic beverage for me without a ton of added sugar! My husband got a Brooklyn adult beverage. We had veal parmigiana and the lasagna - such large portions we got to enjoy again! Our dessert was like art! Highly recommend their bourbon ball gelato!! Alex was our server and he was fantastic!

Really great and super delicious and fancy Italian food! They have a great wine selection too

Volare is my absolute favorite restaurant. The weekend fish specials never disappoint! The regular menu features Italian favorites made with fresh ingredients. Chef Moore has his own farm, and much of the produce is fresh from his farm. My husband raves over the chicken parmigiana. Says it is the best around.

The atmosphere was elegant and peaceful, with attentive service and a manager who was exceptionally friendly and polite. The food was absolutely outstanding: the polenta, in particular, caught my attention even though it’s just a side dish. It’s honestly the best I’ve had in Louisville so far. Overall, I left completely satisfied, and I can confidently say that Volare is among my top three restaurants in the city.

This was the 1st time going with my wife because she wanted Italian and not Olive Garden. I didn't know that you can reserve a table ahead of time and I will suggest that you do that to save time waiting for a table. It was just under 15min wait for a table. The service was absolutely excellent. Our server Garry was spot on with the conversation and a friendly joke in-between. Our dinner was out of this world. It was not too hot and definitely not cold at all. He made sure that we were taken care of and even surprised us with a Fallen Surprise From The Sky dessert that my wife completely devoured. My wife wanted something different and will be going back again.

My wife and I just celebrated her birthday there and it was fantastic. We’ve been numerous times now, and the food, service and atmosphere have always been incredible. However, we had a server last night, Pablo, who really took it over the top. He was so attentive, gave great recommendations and was even interactive with our young son. If you go to try out Volare, I would highly recommend asking for Pablo to be your server! As for food, our favorites are the bruschetta, braised short rib, capellini de sorrento, chicken parmigiana, papparadelle boscaiola, and the heath cheesecake!

The food was excellent along with the service. All of the waiters were extremely friendly. Beautiful decor inside with live music.

My fiancé and I have visited Volare several times, and each experience has been excellent. The food, service, and atmosphere are consistently outstanding. Whether you visit on a busy Saturday night or a quiet Tuesday evening, the quality of the experience remains the same. Volare consistently serves amazing food and goes out of its way to make every guest feel special. We truly appreciate the attention to detail and welcoming environment each time we dine there. I highly recommend giving Volare a try, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy the experience. I hope this review helps you make a great choice for your next evening out.

💚 Service was nothing short of perfection. Different employees did their part and it was a well-oiled machine. 💚 Perfect for date night, but I found the calming atmosphere perfect for any occasion or getaway. 💚 Dishes, plating, and setting, all beaming with detail. ℹ️ Valet parking, or free street parking. ℹ️ I would consider prices at the high end of this market.

Wonderful anniversary dinner last night. Service was excellent and our dinners were really good. Loved our waitress. Best chicken marsala I've ever had. Cocktails were perfect. Nice anniversary dessert to boot. We are anxious to go back which will be soon!

I used to frequently eat here, but it's been a while. Last night, we went here for our weekly date night. Hubby had never been. We probably won't go back. We usually like Bourbons Bistro across the street and for same price point drinks, food and atmosphere are much better. Band was playing, and they were awesome. The atmosphere was nice. The waiter treated us in an awkward manner but was chummy and more attentive to other tables. I ordered a veal, and he ordered steak that was on special cooked medium. Ribeye was tough and overcooked. Chocolate cake was amazing... Best thing we had. Old fashioneds weren't consistent. We ordered 2 of same but each were different and almost like ingredient missing. Meal for 2 without salad or appetitizers, 2 drinks and a chocolate cake to share was about $200. Just for reference for those curious. Not complaining on price or saying I expected it to be less or more.

What a great experience and can't wait to go back. Everything was flavorful and cooked perfectly. The wait staff was very professional and did a wonderful job.

I give the food and service a 3/5 here. It seems like depending on the dish, it can be a 5/5 or below average. My friend had her braised short ribs which were EXCELLENT although the vodka ravioli tasted almost store bought. Our waitress was great although some of the staff felt to be somewhat unwelcoming towards me, the vibe was a bit off. I have a lot of mixed opinions on this place.

It was good, but not $100 good for two people. Food was fine. The thing that brought the experience down was the vibe of the restaurant. Overall, it just seems outdated and kind of run down. The table was uncomfortably small for two people. Some of the art was cool, and some of it made you feel like you were in a hospital waiting room 🥴 we are in our late 20s- there was no one there our age or younger on a Friday night. I don’t see us ever going back. Food details below: We each got a different pasta as entree and we got the special appetizer of raw tuna with cucumber relish and it was good. Cocktails were the best thing we had- strong and delicious. I got High Aces and my husband got the Volare Manhattan. The bread and olive oil they give you when you’re sat are nothing to brag about.

Excellent food except for the beets. They tasted very “earthy.” The drinks (espresso martini and the Brooklyn) missed the mark. The most notable issue was with our waitress Beth P. Not attentive, never came to check on the table. We had to ask other servers to help us during our evening as she was disappointingly absent

Service was good at first but rushed at end of meal. What bothered me most was that my food was picked up to be packed to go then silverware was gathered from others at our table and placed on top of my food as he rounded the table. The food I brought home will probably be thrown away, I’m mad at myself for not saying something last night.

Waiting staff 10/10 very attentive and made sure my wife and I were always doing well and enjoying ourselves. Ambiance was dark light and candle side on the tables. Business casual would be recommended for dining. My wife and I had a lovely dinner date for Valentine's Day. I had the Capellini Di Sorrento and my wife ordered the Veal. We both cook almost all of our meals and strive to find good value and flavor for the meals that we decide to outsource. The veal was cooked to perfection and the assortment of pairings were up to par. The plate was full and the quality of food was there. For the Capellini, there was a very good amount of shrimp on the dish and the white wine sauce paired very well. Unfortunately this dish left me wanting more, and was fairly disappointed. The plate was full, but the cook of the shrimp wasn't what I was hoping for. I wish I would've ordered the Half Duck. We ended our night with the Tiramisu and the Heath cheesecake. They were both incredible and were the highlight of the dinner. The Espresso martinis were also very good, the best we've had in the Louisville area to this date. Did we enjoy our time and our meals... Absolutely. But we asked ourselves if we would go back sometime soon and the answer was probably not. We believe there's better $200 dinners to have in the Louisville area for our liking.

My friends and I had a reservation for 6 at 5 pm on a Friday evening. I was the first to arrive to a fairly empty restaurant at 5:03 pm. The hostess asked when the rest of the party would arrive, which was perfectly appropriate. Suddenly, a lady ( I assume she was the Manager) abruptly looked at her watch and said “ your reservation is only until 7 and your already late, are you sure you want to stay?”. By this time the rest of the party had arrived and we were seated. We were informed there were “ no happy hour specials “ on the way to our seats. The server was very lovely and gave an outstanding description of the specials. The sea bass special atop polenta was absolutely scrumptious! The delicate piccata sauce was a perfect with the sea bass. Despite the fact that Volare is an Italian restaurant, the Caesar salad was made with iceberg lettuce and a very blah tasting dressing. The server assistants were bustling around the table attempting to take your plate at every opportunity ( I think around 5 times before we had even finished). The icing on the cake was when the manager ( I presume) came to the table at 7:03 pm and said “ it’s time for you all to leave”. This is my first experience in a “ high end restaurant “ being told it was time to leave. 😳 I would expect more class from a restaurant after paying $80 per person for one entree ( no salad or appetizer) and 1.5 glasses of wine. I have been going to this restaurant for years and have never been treated so rudely ! The entire vibe of Volare has changed. Please educate your staff on treating customers and creating a welcoming environment!

My boyfriend and I went for dinner and he ordered the most expensive steak on the menu and the waitress rushed us and made us feel unwelcome. We couldn’t even finish our coffee after dinner as she constantly hovered.made us feel like wee were taking up space on a table that we had reserved. We wanted to stay and hear the music but the waitress rushed us to leave . So we did .Bert sad and not the mood we expected for the price and dinner we wanted .

Not impressed at all!! The veal Marsala tasted more kike chicken in a sweet teriyaki sauce. Pasta not homemade. 30 to 40 baby size shrimp you can buy from Kroger and boil down. My wife got the shrimp and angel hair. No flavor to the stump and totally cheap ingredients. Expected way more!!! Cocktail glasses are cheap. While trying to decide on wine I asked waiter for a tasting between two wines and was told not available. Again not impressed!!