Artful, hybrid of french cuisine and Appalachian harvests.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Kedgeree
Alden O'Barr
Made reservations to celebrate my 30th birthday here — did not regret it.First, the feel of the restaurant is excellent — it’s small, quiet, and very intimate. We sat on the patio and it was perfect and really pleasant for a spring day!I want to especially shoutout how awesome our service was — Aubrey made my birthday dinner very memorable and helped with recommendations for me for the entire meal! She was so knowledgeable about the menu and all her recommendations were spot on. Aubrey, if you are reading this, thank you again! You made the night!As for the food: superb! The Nordic deviled eggs were delicious (so delicious I ate them like a wild animal), and the sunchoke gratin (a recommendation from Aubrey!) was delicious. I opted for the fruit de mer en papillote (as I so eloquently put it as a country bumpkin — extremely high profile low country boil) and devoured the whole thing! The mussels were perfect and the star of my entree. For dessert, I had the pistachio cake, which will haunt me in my dreams. So much of the menu is shareable, which makes the menu prices very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you are getting.To the Vivian team—Thank you for the amazing birthday dinner! I loved every bite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
Mark Star
Went on a Friday and sat at the bar with Porter. His service was fantastic and the cocktails were amazing. The lamb shank croquettes did not disappoint and the crab dip was tasty. Brunch on Sundays is also excellent.
I always like to start with what I liked best about a place. The location and the atmosphere are great. We sat in the bar area and it was much quieter than I anticipated. Very nice spot. The decor is gorgeous, very Asheville. The service was exceptional. And not just from our server but from everyone on staff. I feel like everyone stopped at our table to provide one service or another. Ask for the food, we loved the deviled eggs and the seasonal green salad that we had for appetizers. However, the entrees were a little underwhelming. The steak was slightly overcooked and so covered in sauce that I couldn't even taste the meat. All I could taste was sauce. My partner had the trout which was delicious but it might have been 2 and 1/2 or 3 oz of trout. Just not enough for a full meal especially for the price. Also, the vegetables on that plate were not cooked and inedible.All in all we enjoyed our visit to Vivian but probably won't go back. Unfortunately. It just isn't worth the calories and the money if you have to stop on the way home and get something to eat.Dietary restrictions: The server asked us after we ordered. If either of us had any dietary restrictions. I thought that was very appropriate. We don't really have any but it was still nice to be asked.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
Angie Larrimore
Outstanding...food was amazing. Staff excellent...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carter Younts
Everything was superb, from beginning to end! Crab dip, squash salad, lamb croquette, trout, poached asparagus- it was all divine. One of the best meals and experiences I’ve had in months.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melinda Hanley
Solid, tasty brunch. I had the bagel and lox- it’s a perfectly sized portion, with plenty of salmon and roe- and the cream cheese is delicious! I got the Bloody Mary, which was good- the pork rind was a nice addition. My only disappointment was the cinnamon roll my friend ordered and shared. I was eager to try it since it’s famous in town, but it was completely stale. No effort had been made to even re-warm it, and it was hard. I will say that she enjoyed it that way; but being a pastry chef myself, I would never serve a cinnamon roll like that. I hope to try a fresh one and will update my review if I do.Over all, it was a nice experience and I’m looking forward to trying other menu items next time I brunch there.
Quenelle. Yes. The food and service has always been exceptional here. Corey is an incredible server and we had such a great dinner here! Will keep coming back for sure. PS put the whiskey sour on the menu.
Fantastic dinner. Excellent service throughout, the vibe is cozy but still energetic and every dish was great. Easily one of the best restaurants in Asheville.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
R. Burcham
Reservation only, not overbooked. Excellent food with rotating menu. Great date spot and one of the best resturants in the area by way of consistant quality and down to earth
Our absolute favorite restaurant in the southeast, the food here is just special. Their food is thoughtfully crafted, made with love, and beautifully plated. They can transform a pile of beans into the most exquisite dish. My husband, who is an incredible (professional) chef in his own right, and I think it’s better than some of the Michelin Star restaurants we’ve been to. And the service is top notch as well, we always feel so welcome and cozy here. It’s an absolute gem!
Marcus Renner
Markedly one of the best in Asheville. My (generally vegy) partner shares a steak with me when we dine. The smoked oysters are on my list of top 5 plates in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Todd Hedgpeth
Wonderful experience. The chef is creative and each dish is very obviously prepared with love. Especially enjoyed the root vegetable salad, the country terrine and the venison. One observation: brioche toast is too precious for the terrine. There’s no harm in serving a more robust bread, even if it affects the appearance a little. Pâté should be “smeared”….which you cannot do with airy brioche toast. Otherwise an outstanding meal. Bravo!
Artful, hybrid of french cuisine and Appalachian harvests.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Kedgeree
Made reservations to celebrate my 30th birthday here — did not regret it.First, the feel of the restaurant is excellent — it’s small, quiet, and very intimate. We sat on the patio and it was perfect and really pleasant for a spring day!I want to especially shoutout how awesome our service was — Aubrey made my birthday dinner very memorable and helped with recommendations for me for the entire meal! She was so knowledgeable about the menu and all her recommendations were spot on. Aubrey, if you are reading this, thank you again! You made the night!As for the food: superb! The Nordic deviled eggs were delicious (so delicious I ate them like a wild animal), and the sunchoke gratin (a recommendation from Aubrey!) was delicious. I opted for the fruit de mer en papillote (as I so eloquently put it as a country bumpkin — extremely high profile low country boil) and devoured the whole thing! The mussels were perfect and the star of my entree. For dessert, I had the pistachio cake, which will haunt me in my dreams. So much of the menu is shareable, which makes the menu prices very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you are getting.To the Vivian team—Thank you for the amazing birthday dinner! I loved every bite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
Went on a Friday and sat at the bar with Porter. His service was fantastic and the cocktails were amazing. The lamb shank croquettes did not disappoint and the crab dip was tasty. Brunch on Sundays is also excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food, good drinks, and welcoming service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare & Marrow, Ceviche, Nordic Deviled Eggs
I always like to start with what I liked best about a place. The location and the atmosphere are great. We sat in the bar area and it was much quieter than I anticipated. Very nice spot. The decor is gorgeous, very Asheville. The service was exceptional. And not just from our server but from everyone on staff. I feel like everyone stopped at our table to provide one service or another. Ask for the food, we loved the deviled eggs and the seasonal green salad that we had for appetizers. However, the entrees were a little underwhelming. The steak was slightly overcooked and so covered in sauce that I couldn't even taste the meat. All I could taste was sauce. My partner had the trout which was delicious but it might have been 2 and 1/2 or 3 oz of trout. Just not enough for a full meal especially for the price. Also, the vegetables on that plate were not cooked and inedible.All in all we enjoyed our visit to Vivian but probably won't go back. Unfortunately. It just isn't worth the calories and the money if you have to stop on the way home and get something to eat.Dietary restrictions: The server asked us after we ordered. If either of us had any dietary restrictions. I thought that was very appropriate. We don't really have any but it was still nice to be asked.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
Outstanding...food was amazing. Staff excellent...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything was superb, from beginning to end! Crab dip, squash salad, lamb croquette, trout, poached asparagus- it was all divine. One of the best meals and experiences I’ve had in months.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Solid, tasty brunch. I had the bagel and lox- it’s a perfectly sized portion, with plenty of salmon and roe- and the cream cheese is delicious! I got the Bloody Mary, which was good- the pork rind was a nice addition. My only disappointment was the cinnamon roll my friend ordered and shared. I was eager to try it since it’s famous in town, but it was completely stale. No effort had been made to even re-warm it, and it was hard. I will say that she enjoyed it that way; but being a pastry chef myself, I would never serve a cinnamon roll like that. I hope to try a fresh one and will update my review if I do.Over all, it was a nice experience and I’m looking forward to trying other menu items next time I brunch there.
Very good! Interesting menu that is successful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vivian's Steak Dinner, Root Vegetables
Quenelle. Yes. The food and service has always been exceptional here. Corey is an incredible server and we had such a great dinner here! Will keep coming back for sure. PS put the whiskey sour on the menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata, Ceviche, Lobster Parfait, Nordic Deviled Eggs, Vivian's Steak Dinner
Restaurantji Recommends
Fantastic dinner. Excellent service throughout, the vibe is cozy but still energetic and every dish was great. Easily one of the best restaurants in Asheville.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nordic Deviled Eggs
Reservation only, not overbooked. Excellent food with rotating menu. Great date spot and one of the best resturants in the area by way of consistant quality and down to earth
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Big Buttery Biscuit, Lobster Parfait, Nordic Deviled Eggs, Shrimp Kedgeree
Our absolute favorite restaurant in the southeast, the food here is just special. Their food is thoughtfully crafted, made with love, and beautifully plated. They can transform a pile of beans into the most exquisite dish. My husband, who is an incredible (professional) chef in his own right, and I think it’s better than some of the Michelin Star restaurants we’ve been to. And the service is top notch as well, we always feel so welcome and cozy here. It’s an absolute gem!
Markedly one of the best in Asheville. My (generally vegy) partner shares a steak with me when we dine. The smoked oysters are on my list of top 5 plates in town.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful experience. The chef is creative and each dish is very obviously prepared with love. Especially enjoyed the root vegetable salad, the country terrine and the venison. One observation: brioche toast is too precious for the terrine. There’s no harm in serving a more robust bread, even if it affects the appearance a little. Pâté should be “smeared”….which you cannot do with airy brioche toast. Otherwise an outstanding meal. Bravo!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5