Virtue Restaurant
Southern restaurant (US) · Hyde Park ·
Hearty Southern cooking with wine & cocktails in funky-chic quarters
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626901/52145240900_1c8963f76c_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626876/52143731167_79a9c09828_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626874/52146446995_ecf6285022_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626930/52144940477_496cb5625b_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626883/52144890798_d3481e14b0_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626870/52146196764_da0df8792e_o__1_.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626889/52144983069_0bb7fc8b2a_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626873/52146199119_217709dfa9_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626879/52143733892_c89350fb53_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626872/52144939467_454fe7750c_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626866/52146447430_7bb02f6bbb_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626886/52144755576_b6e3f40cd5_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626935/52143731372_435d663f14_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70976672/52146196044_95f6bdb297_o.0.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by Barry Brechiesen/Eater Chicago")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23626913/52146197879_3ac13e9b06_o.jpg "Virtue Restaurant by eater.com")
Hearty Southern cooking with wine & cocktails in funky-chic quarters
"On bustling 53rd Street, this Hyde Park restaurant from James Beard Award–winning chef Erick Williams and Emerging Chef award recipient Damarr Brown is an ode to the creativity, generosity, and enduring legacy of Black Southern culture, told through memorable dishes like creamy mac and cheese and fall-apart short ribs. The blend of music, kitchen buzz, and conversation forms a melody of its own, and paired with food that feeds both the tongue and the soul, it has a way of making even the hardest days softer and the brightest ones shine brighter. The short rib steals the show: a base of rich onion gravy topped with buttery mashed potatoes and creamed spinach is crowned with meat so tender it’s almost falling apart, then finished with crispy onion rings — on a cold Chicago night, it’s like a hug for your insides. Cornbread arrives sizzling with a melting scoop of honey butter, and the peach cobbler brings layers of thick, buttery crust, caramelized edges, and peaches tangled with cinnamon and cream. The sorrel fizz from the zero-proof menu tastes like sweet tea with a tart hibiscus kick — the ideal pairing for Southern comfort food. As I sat at my table, the woman next to me whispered to her friend, “I’d come here alone,” after dipping her spoon into the warm belly of her cinnamon apple bread pudding — and I understood exactly what she meant. The dining room is all low lights and warm wood with an ideal head-nod soundtrack of Stevie Wonder, Etta James, and old-school R&B, and through tall windows Hyde Park glows. Best for date night or celebrating the big and small wins of the week, it’s also a superb spot for a solo dinner; if visiting on the weekend, grab a Spothero or an Uber since parking is limited." - Tajah Ware
"This upscaleSouthernrestaurant is one of our favorite date night spots in Hyde Park. The dining room is bright and airy, and there’s a separate, dimly lit bar area that’s great for just grabbing cocktails. The menu has small plates like gizzards with rice, duck liver mousse, and entrees like creamy shrimp and grits or some very rich short ribs." - Team Infatuation
"When Virtue (Erick Williams, Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2022; Damarr Brown, Emerging Chef, 2023) debuted in 2018 in the Hyde Park neighborhood, it was the realization of a longtime dream for veteran Chicago chef Erick Williams. His celebration of Black culture through the lens of upscale Southern cuisine has made the restaurant a destination for both locals and tourists (including then-President Obama), and earned national acclaim from Eater, the Jean Banchet Awards, and Michelin. Williams was a finalist for the Best Chef: Great Lakes award in 2020, and two years later, he took home the prize. In 2023, his protege Damarr Brown turned the awards into a tradition by winning the Emerging Chef Award." - Naomi Waxman
"When: Tues-Fri 4-5:30pm Exclusively At The Bar The Deal: $4 Beer, $9 Wine, $10 Cocktails, $5-$13 Snacks This bright and airy Southern restaurant is one of our favorite upscale dinner spots in Hyde Park, but there’s also a separate, dimly lit bar area that’s great for just grabbing drinks and snacks. There, you can get $9 glasses of wine and share small plates like catfish sliders and mac and cheese fritters." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"A Chicago restaurant that pays homage to classic Southern dishes with a contemporary approach, serving soul-food staples such as fish and grits accompanied by sides like smoked turkey collards and macaroni and cheese. The menu blends reverence for tradition with modern technique to honor Southern culinary roots." - Shani Hillian