It's always fun to dress up with the family and go out for a nice dinner. We always passed AV and wanted to finally give it a try! It's a beautiful place, nice lounge area, classy bar (pls remember you're still at a nice place, cough cough backward hat guy...). We sat down at our candle lit table and got complimentary water and our waitress sent over some bread and olive oil... the waitress with the bread, well wasn't the most social person. She gave us each a big piece of bread and some olive oil. We did request black pepper in the oil which I suggest. The bread was also cold which was strange. 6/10 For appetizers we got beef carpaccio and calamari. The beef carpaccio came out with a oniony creamy dip, arugula, onion, capers, and dill in the middle on top of the thin meat. Strangely it came with like 4 house made salt and vinegar potato chips. I honestly liked it so much and wanted more and I got it for dessert... 8.8/10. The calamari was perfectly cooked, not chewy at all, and also came with tentacles (my favorite). There was a yummy aïoli with a tang and some peppers. Just wish there was more... 7.9/10 For our entrees we got two filets, medium rare, one with Gorgonzola sauce and one with no sauce (the sauce comes on the side). We also got two bucatini dishes, one with and one without meat. The filets were perfectly cooked, usually every restaurant either overcooks or undercooks my steak but AV did it right. The Gorgonzola sauce was a rich cheesy sauce. The mashed potatoes were creamy and felt homemade. The carrots were alright, just sliced and cooked same with the green beans. 7.6/10 The bucatini was actually really good! So creamy and delicious, with a little spice. They both came with burrata (love), and the meat one came with a little amount of sausage pieces nothing recognizable. The spice wasn't unenjoyable and was tolerable to someone who can't handle spice. 8.6/10 Time for dessert, we got crème brûlée, the apple cake, and the sweet tart brown sugar lemon dessert. And some beef carpaccio because I wasn't feelin dessert. Crème brûlée, the top was perfectly crystallized. The inside was room temp, not cooled and not warm. 7.6/10 Apple cake, the cake came with a big ice cream scoop on top. Inside there was Apple slices like a pie. The cake was bread like and a good balance of the sweet ice cream and apple innards. 6.8/10 Sweet lemon brown sugar tart, this wasn't a favorite of the table but I didn't mind it. It was a cup like tart, with mouse or a cream in it. 5.7/10. Overall experience was pretty good, nothing bad stood out except for the cold bread and non social waitress interaction. The food was great, atmosphere was wow, and the outside was a beautiful walk to the car. The parking is a fend for yourself and there is a sign on the door to not use the private lot across the street. Overall experience....... 8.1/10 No pictures this time, was really hungry. read more

I consider myself a fan of AV. I have only eaten twice, first I had chicken parm and second time I had some kind of whitefish, I wish I could remember. I loved the fish, the chicken parm was pretty good, I'm hard to please with that one. The table service is good, bar service better. Beautiful ambiance, and a great area available for rent upstairs. I do visit the bar often, as they have several great non alcoholic options including wine, which I appreciate tremendously. Bonus points for N/A products and a great bartender. (John, I think?) Thank you! read more

Four people in our group. Took 1.5 hours after ordering to get served. Three dinners arrived, barely warm, and was told the 4th dinner was accidentally given to someone else and it would be a few minutes. The fourth meal, eggplant arrived. The coating was browned however the eggplant was not cooked. The waiter took it and came back and said he was sorry, and agreed that it wasn't cooked. The manager never came to the table or acknowledged us on the way out. Too expensive to get cold and raw food and leave hungry. We won't ever be back, very disappointed. read more

Our team is in town for a visit, and the AV was recommended to us by our local company site. Since it is in downtown Scranton, parking can be interesting and mostly on street. Parking is free after five, which is nice. The restaurant is housed in an older downtown building with lovely brick walls. Upon entering, the atmosphere is warm and welcome even with the high, coppered tile type ceilings. There is an ample bar, comfortable couches with sofa tables, and lovely dining tables. Our group got various dishes including the beet salad, the Brussel sprouts salad, the Bibb salad, and the meatballs as appetizers. We got the filet mignon, porcini cavatappi, and tagliatelle. We also had a starter of a soft piece of Italian bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. All salads were very enjoyable. The meatballs were delicious, but the sauce seemed a little lacking. The main dishes were also delicious. The pasta is made fresh in house. There is a great offering of specialty cocktails and wine. They do offer it by the glass, but the menu we were given were only of bottles which was a little confusing. I would recommend this for a nice dinner out with family, friends, or a group of co-workers. If in the area for work again, I would consider returning. read more

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Surprisingly good food, ambience and wait staff. I didn't come here with any expectations, but this restaurant would do well in Manhattan or Long Island. I got the pork chop which was juicy, flavorful, with a crisp crust. It reminded me of an Italian pork sausage, that is full of flavor, and beyond what your typical pork chop is. The green beans were steamed and crisp, with a slight buttery flavor. The fingering potatoes were properly baked, with a slight butter taste. Delicious and filling meal, I would come back here again. read more

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I SO love this restaurant--most recently I had the duck and it was just fabulous. As were the appetizers--I'm always up for a beef carpaccio, but this time we had the Delicata squash. Lovely. Hands down the best fine dining in Scranton. read more

To our surprise, we had a pleasant meal at AV. Service was good, and the food was extraordinary. Try the Basil Martini. Homemade pasta is flavorful, fresh and just perfect. We sat outside on a sunny day so it was a little too hot even though there are umbrellas you still get a lot of sun in your face. I'm taking a star off because we ordered an appetizer to share but they charged us for two appetizers. Other than that, great place, totally recommend. read more

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Came across this restaurant for dinner and wanted to give it a try. When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I walked in and sat at the bar. The place was super cute! Mike was my bartender and he was very nice. I started with the lemon drop martini, and it was tasty. I then got the pinot nior. For my dinner, I got the swordfish. When It came out, it looked good. I dug in, and it was tasty but the sauce was more like a salad dressing, which was interesting. It wasn't bad, though. The bill wasn't bad, and all in all, I had a good experience. read more

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Always great food, ambiance, and exceptional service. Highly recommend! Everything is good.

Loved it. Great food. Service. Everything was on par. Great experience and will be back again soon.

The AV is a beautiful restaurant with exposed brick and a large classy bar area with awesome staff. This restaurant would be a standout anywhere in the US! The food is great such as the chicken parm, meatballs, octopus, beet salad, roast chicken and more. The basil martini is one of the best cocktails I ever had! So refreshing! A must see when in Scranton! read more

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In awe of this place. I had told the waitress that my duck breast had shattered bones in it from where it was boned. I had set aside the bones to show the chef and had returned the dish. The waitress returned and said that the chef said it must have been cherry pits... I don't understand how a chef can mistake duck bones from cherry pits. Still, I WAS CHARGED FULL PRICE FOR THE RETURNED DISH. Management and the chef need a lesson in hospitality and should be ashamed for having the poor waitress be the messenger for their lack of quality in their 2nd most expensive item. read more

This restaurant is absolutely a contender for the best restaurant in Scranton and I generally do look forward to dining here. My first dig is that they cheap out and don't take online reservations. Next is that I got the impression that it was our waitress' first week on the job, just not up to par for a restaurant of this stature. Food-wise, it's pretty good, but I ordered the meatball app just to make sure I'd get enough protein and I found the dish to be as basic as possible. No complaints otherwise. read more

We've been here several times over the years. They always have interesting specials. The service is excellent. My wife chose the salmon; I opted for the Filet. Both were excellent. read more

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Great place: food was delicious and so was the service. I definitely recommend getting the Brie appetizer. read more

AV - a brick wall with two lamps and a picture on the wall - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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I got a friend who's name is AV so it's no brained to come here on my drive passing through. I was blown away by the amount of class this place has. Located in an older building with brick walls and tall ceiling dining hall, AV comes with delicious food and on point service. I only ordered an appetizer - but it's one of those make or break dish: grilled octopus. Normally they could be over cooked. This piece was still tender with the tips slightly charred. Definitely recommend AV! read more

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Came to AV for the first time with my husband and a friend last month. Our friend lives in the area so whenever we are there to visit, he likes to take us to new spots. AV was on the list for the next time we visited so that's where we ended up! The restaurant is a great addition to a somewhat bleak restaurant scene in the area, especially since it's on the higher end side. The space seems like it's a converted warehouse- big wide open space with several seating areas. We were here during Covid times but the bar is large and, I expect, a popular spot to post up for drinks in non-covid times. We were seated near the window in a cozy corner which ended up being a great table. They had a moody, intimate ambiance going on with the lights dimmed. They had a great selection of martinis of which I tried two (pear & basil). Both weren't exactly what I was expecting so they didn't hit the spot, so to speak, but were good, nevertheless. For dinner, I had the porcini cavatelli which was good but not outstanding. Our friend had the lamb special which he enjoyed. We had appetizers at a different spot before this so I didn't get to sample any but would come back to try some. Our server was great- she was super friendly, gave great recommendations, and was perfectly attentive. Overall, this is a good spot for Scranton and I will be back when in the area. read more

AV - cavatelli + basil martini. - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Parking: Street parking or pay lots around town COVID: Very covid aware, tables were nicely spread out and everyone was taking the appropriate precautions. Decor: Nice neutral colors and very clean inside, shows a pride of ownership, stylish for the area, lighting a little on the darker side (had to get out the phone to read the menu) Service: Very friendly and attentive to your needs, but not in your face Food: This is where they fell a little short from apps, to entrees. Bread brought out to the table was cold (for this type of dining I would invest in a bread warming box). Appetizer salad was a nicely plated with shaved cucumbers. Meatballs tasted store bought and microwaved. This place used to have the best meatballs called Dad's meatballs. Two people had the Filet and both ordered it medium well and well done, both came out medium rare. The other was the chicken parm...I think they left it in the fryer a little too long and then scorched it with the cheese in the oven but the sauce made up for the roughness. The pasta that comes with the Parm was rather tough so we did not eat it. Cost: For a nicer restaurant in Scranton, I actually found the pricing to be a little lite (meaning they should be charging more for the visit) I would say they were about 50-100 under what I was expecting for 2 filets, chix parm, two apps and drinks...KUDO's for the cost savings. Overall: I cannot compare to other medium to high end eating in the area as I am not a local resident. read more

No place on NEPA comes close to AV. It matches the quality of NYC's best at a fraction of the price. Tonight's swordfish steak with herbed couscous, sauteed spinach, and citrus vinaigrette was sensational. $33! Add the carafe of Cote de Roussillon for $15 and we have savory excellence for less than $50! If you are a foodie visiting Scranton, don't miss AV. read more

The best calamari I've ever had. The duck and filet were perfect. Service was excellent. I will be back to try the salmon! Lovely, cozy dining room as well. Check it out! read more

Best cocktail bar in Scranton, and one of the best restaurants, period. I've never had a bad meal here, and there's always something on the daily specials menu that turns out to be delicious. It gets pretty busy during peak times so making a reservation is a good idea if you're planning to dine on a Friday or Saturday night. read more

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We went to celebrate my partner's new job and had an absolutely stunning meal. The steak was perfectly done and melted in my mouth. The swordfish was beautiful and flakey. Our server (Mike, I believe) was the perfect amount of attentive yet unobtrusive. His banter with my food and beverage industry partner was natural and enhance the experience. A perfect evening! read more

AV - Partner enjoying the swordfish with my perfect filet in the foreground. - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

The restaurant and lounge is located in the center of town and you can park in the street for free after 5pm in Scranton. AV, to my knowledge, has not been in this location too long. Since I am an New Jerseyian, I don't get to Scranton too often, but the city itself is slowly rising from the bottom. And AV is a refreshing addition to the city. Kyle, our server, was super excellent. He recited his specials sans cheat sheet, very attentive and friendly. My friend and I both ordered the same dish with different pasta, I with Bucatini , hollow spaghetti which is always al dente, and my friend with Pappardelle. Note: Pappadarelle, Tagliatelle and Fettuccine are all about the same, flat pasta. Both dishes contain lobster, crab and shrimp. We both had panna cotta with fresh peaches for dessert. Light and tasty. Note: Panna Cotta is cream in a gelatin mixture, cooled with other fruits etc. They can accommodate large groups. Go upstairs and see their group room with bar. read more

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Found this restaurant when my son attended University of Scranton. The ambiance is a good vibe so we visited frequently. The food is always delicious from appetizer, salad and entrees. Servers have always been friendly and knowledgeable about gluten options. read more

Very good, the bread was excellent! Nice they offer both large and small portions on many items including wine. The chicken parm was delicious. The decor was perfect. read more

Drinks were great, the food was very good. Highly recommend the duck and octopus. Great service. read more

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This place is really great. Food is very good with a nice balance , big bar for pre or post drinks and a good overall vibe.

Beautiful building. Food was exquisite. Cocktails were on point. Pricey but good for a special occasion

Wow, what a great restaurant! We were looking for a date night spot in Scranton and found this place on Yelp. Everything from the food to the service was amazing! Bread is brought over with olive oil right away, and a piece is served to each individual with tongs onto a plate which I thought was a nice touch versus setting a bread basket on the table. We shared the soup and two appetizers which were all tasty! I got a small kale salad and the vegetarian pasta special of the night which was delicious. My partner ordered a med rare filet which he noticed was cooked sous vide. He said it was perfect - one of the best meals he's had recently, and we live in NYC. Our server was a young blonde woman and she was so sweet and helpful. She came over right away to offer us drinks, was very attentive to us throughout the meal without being overbearing, and answered all of our questions including explaining the specials in more detail. She also helped me out in offering a smaller portion of both the salad and pasta when I said I wanted to try each of them! AV is located in an older building with gorgeous high ceilings and a sophisticated but rustic looking interior. It's also within walking distance from the "Electric City" sign if you're visiting Scranton. Street parking on a Saturday night was easy to find and meters only operate M-F. I'd suggest calling for reservations in advance. My only complaint is that the women's bathroom only has one stall. Long story short... highly recommended. read more

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I was here a few nights ago with friends and was surprised to find the quality had definitely declined. I'm wondering if new chef and/or bartender as both drinks and food were just ok. I have been here numerous times in the past and never disappointed so I am going to chalk this up to one off night and give it another go at some point in the future before taking it off my "go-To" list when in the area. read more

Finally visited for dinner. The place is gorgeous and the staff very attentive. We went to the bar to await our reservations and then we're seated at our reservation time. Appetizers were served pretty quickly but entrees took a little. We don't get annoyed or turned off by that though if we are still checked up on and everything is going well. Drinks Grapefruit Gimlet-delicious. A little bitter and a little sweet. Not super strong vodka flavor. It's one of the drinks I'd hear most about and I'm glad I tried it. Very tasty. San Francisco- Ciroc, ice wine and a frozen grape. I'm a dirty martini fan so I thought I would like this but didn't really care for it. Food Carpaccio- Raw Beef Tenderloin, diced Pear, diced Marinated Mushroom, Walnut Pesto. The plate display was nice. The walnut pesto was soooooooo good. All together on a crostini sooooooo so good. That was my first time having Carpaccio so I don't really have anything to compare but I will see get that again. Frito Misto -Crispy Calamari, Shrimp, Skate, Lemon Aioli. Nice, light, crispy breading. Large shrimp. My first experience with skate (stingray) but I loved it. Soft, flaky, sweet meat similar to crab. The lemon aioli was pretty good but we prefer marinara so we asked and she graciously accommodated us. Entree Special - veal chop with cherry gastrique. PHENOMINAL. Huge portion cooked perfectly. The gastrique was sweet and salty and slightly bitter. Very good with the chop. Served with roasted Brussels sprouts (my favorite) and mashed sweet potatoes. Filet mignon - served with roasted potatoes, green beans, a large roasted carrot and gorgonzola cream sauce. Oh sweet baby Jesus was that a good steak and that cream sauce mmm mmm. Gorgonzola is a very distinct, sharp flavored cheese and paired perfectly to the steak. Perfect cook with a nice crust and good portion size. Dessert Creme brulee Pumpkin cheesecake Brownie with ice cream read more

AV - Veal chop special - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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One of the classiest places to go in Scranton. If you're looking for a nice, expensive, New York style night out then this is the place to go. The corona virus social distancing was good inside (definitely need reservations) and they provide outdoor seating with a nice ambiance. My date got the filet mignon and it was very delicious. Expensive but good. I got a pasta dish and it was good. It's hard in Scranton because there are so many good Italian places that come at half the price so now I know for future reference to maybe not spend that much money on pasta. Beside that, the cocktails were delicious, the service was quick and friendly and you can't beat the classy ambiance. read more

You have to make rsvp to get In. The people are very friendly here and helpful. Best time to go is 530. I order the chicken parm and the pasta was kind of harder than I like and the chicken was burnt. Friend ordered the stuffed chicken breast and that was really good he said. The calamari was good but they brought us out mayo to dip it in. It was gross but the waitress said you have to ask for marinara sauce. The marinara was brought out and was very good. The temperature inside could have been warmer. The atmosphere is nice but light fixtures and windows were dusty/dirty. I would probably go back. read more

We enjoyed an outing here with friends who live in the area. We had a great appetizer course. The beet salad was great. Could have used some more seasoning but it was well prepared. The service was not great. There seemed to be inconsistency between the speed at which courses were delivered-- appetizers a little too fast, long lag for entrees....slow delivery on beverages. Getting a second cocktail seemed to take a really long time. I'd nearly forgotten I ordered it. It wound up being more like dessert.... I had the wide noodle pasta dish with mushrooms. It was good. It could have used a little bit more seasoning and maybe a tiny bit more sauce. It also didn't seem super hot, like it had been waiting to be served longer than it should have. But the noodles were great as were the mushrooms. Both seemed super fresh. My spouse got the eggplant. She ate only a few bites and then mentioned to the server it seemed terribly over cooked and she could hardly cut it so had left virtually all of it on the plate. This was likely a wait staff maturity issue but the server just said OK and took it away. She didn't offer her another one, offer an apology, take it off the bill... I think she would have been content with another one (she loves eggplant!) or even just an offer of something else to eat. We had a long drive home and she was hungry! Thankfully she'd had a small appetizer. The interior is lovely. It really is a nice place in Scranton. I'd recommend it. I'd even try it again if I was in the area, particularly given how few higher end establishments are in Scranton. But the food at least when we visited wasn't up to par. read more

Went here for an early Mother's Day treat. Beautiful setting. Nice seating. Pretty atmosphere. Waitresses and waiters very attentive. Started with bread. It was a big piece, came with oil to dip. I would have liked cheese. I kinda expected we would but no. Then the cheese came out before dinner and I thought it was for the bread and they forgot. So I asked for more bread. More than accommodating. Maybe they should have butter as a option. We had meatballs, porchini cavatelli and calamari. Meatballs were yummy. My favorite pasta is cavatelli but this dish I didn't care for. No pancetta in it, and oil based sauce. I just wasn't a fan. You could order appetizers size or meal sizes. My daughter enjoyed the calamari. Our dinner portions were huge!!! Loved the chicken parm. Great sauce. Not sweet. My husbands Sole was outstanding!! Franchise and butter taste. Again huge portion. My daughters filet looked hardy and nice size. I would recommend AV. I was happy to try . I don't know if I would go back so soon but it is a nice place downtown for Italian fare. read more

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AV was recommended by our hotel bartender, so we strolled over. The ambiance of the place was fantastic and our server was super attentive and friendly (we sat on the bar side of the restaurant which was lively) we ordered cocktails, apps salads and entrees and everything was truly delicious and beautifully plated. Minus one star for our check, we had to ask the server to recalculate some items that she got wrong..... read more

Visiting from AZ for work I hear there's 2 things to do in Scranton; eat and go to the movies. If eating like this is what it's about- I don't want to go back! AV Restaurant is THE best dinner I have had hands down! You would have thought I had a partner to eat with- nope just me and I ate it ALL UP!! Started with the Kale Salad- so light and vibrant in flavor! Then for appetizer got the calamari which came with 2 big shrimp on top with the lemon aioli dipping sauce-mmmm! I was so conflicted with the entrees because soooo many good options but decided on the swordfish special- bomb.com! Finished with their lemon tart- perfect ending!! read more

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Excellent food in good portions, courteous and attentive waitress, reasonable prices in a nice, relaxing atmosphere. This is our go-to place for special occasions or just for a good meal when the mood strikes us. read more

On a short trip with my wife and we decided to try this place out as it was referred to us by a local. Definitely on the upscale end with an easy going welcome to our place vibe. I feel it's a place where you will truly have a difficult time deciding what to order because everything is that good. You find a place that is so good that you start looking for things to be wrong but here if you do, it's a part of the charm and character. Nice whiskey and cocktail selection really makes the after work drinks, after hours meet up, or date night very appealing. The food is something you would write to everyone about. My wife savored her gazpacho as if it was a last request and made a dinner out of their appetizer selection which was a very nice choice. Each of their appetizers was light, well thought out, and led into dinner perfectly. I ordered the duck. If you like duck, order the duck. Prepare for a chill vibe, 5 star food, and a well deserved experience. read more

AV - Appetizers didn't last long - Bars Near Me - Scranton, Pennsylvania

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Was so excited to try this place out. Decided to take my girl out there for our anniversary. Called a half hour after they opened and managed to get reservations for 2 at 8pm. Showed up at 7:55pm and checked in with the server. Said it would be a moment. Sat for a half hour and then they proceeded to seat another pair ahead of us that showed up after us. Never gave us any indication on how much longer we would be waiting Staff looked overwhelmed and very distraught. Now I'm stuck with a hangry girlfriend on our anniversary going on 9pm. Thanks AV. If I could put zero stars I would have. What's the point of making reservations? Guess I'll never know how the food was cause that left a sour taste in my mouth for the establishment. read more