Nice place to visit, very friendly people serving Italian food. Husband and I had bruschetta, arancini smashed burger and tater tots , very tasty. Huge selection of wine. Highly recommended read more

I was staying at Hotel Goodwin for a night as I was in town traveling for my partner's job. We decided to try the restaurant downstairs, Velvet Buffalo, since we had already tried the restaurant Merrill and Houston's Steak Joint across the street (which we absolutely loved and I did a review on that restaurant as well). We ordered burrata appetizer, which I forgot to take a photo of since we were so hungry, while he ordered the farmer's trio for himself and I ordered the Short Rib for myself. Burrata and the table bread are actually fantastic. The entrees we received are very generous portions which makes it good value for the money, but at the same time, it was very heavy and a little too rich in flavor. Presentation was already great. Halfway through dinner, I was really debating between 3 or 4 stars. Because of all the positives, I was going to give it 4 stars even though the food didn't really impress me that much. Desert unfortunately tipped that scale to 3 stars. We ordered Tiramisu. It was the saddest looking tiramisu. We could tell the bottom was watery and soggy. The cake part was dried out. It does look like either it was too old or it was refrigeration issues. We took a bite regardless to be sure and we could tell by the taste that it was an older cake. As someone who's been in the restaurant industry for 30+ years, that actually could be a health violation. We did send it back and they said they'd bring a new freshly made one... which I declined. They should have done that first rather than offering that after the fact. However, the service is great overall. Just could use some work on certain things. And regardless of the restaurant, the hotel is actually very nice. If I was to be back in the area again, I'd stay at this hotel again but eat at the steak joint across the street at Ironworks hotel instead. read more

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So I originally went to velvet Buffalo when I first moved to the area back in February 2024, and I went back yesterday and wow what a revamp! They changed their entire menu and the food is amazing. We got the brussel sprouts, Italian chopped salad, shrimp scampi, braised short rib, and butterscotch budino. I HIGHLY recommend all of the them, they were delicious. All the servers were so attentive, we had probably about 3-4 people constantly checking in including the manager. The place has always been beautiful so that was no surprise, such a great spot! read more

Experience there was just roof top appetizers and drinks, but still enjoy the location and service

The food at the Velvet Buffalo was almost as good as the service. Very nice location connected to boutique Hotel Goodwin in downtown Beloit. I enjoyed everything about the place. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Basil Chicken - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

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Been wanting to try this place for months and sad to say it was just okay. I wanted to love it, but it didn't live up to the hype. The rooftop area is a great vibe, and they serve appetizers up there, so I would recommend skipping dinner and going for drinks and apps upstairs. We sat at the bar and loved that it had full service and the bartender was attentive and helpful. Great wine selection and full bar. We got our food super fast, even though the restaurant was full. Maybe a little too fast? I'd say the pasta was more undercooked than al dente (hard) for both of our dishes. And the veggies in my dish were undercooked (hard) as well. They both had great flavor, but were nothing spectacular. One of the those situations where you aren't quite satisfied, but there isn't something "wrong" or "bad". It was just good, not great. read more

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My first visit to this town and came to Velvet Buffalo on a coworkers recommendation. Small restaurant in the Hotel Goodwin with a great atmosphere and super friendly staff. My server Karen was top notch and very informative and attentive. They served a focaccia bread which was amazing, I would go back just for the bread. No need to dip it in the oil, it has a delicate flavor that holds its own. Unfortunately I was disappointed with the Chicken Parm. The serving size was generous, the pasta was prepared perfectly, and the sauce was delicious, however my chicken was overcooked. I look forward to a return trip here to try something else on the menu. read more

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This was an experience that started well and ended terribly. The appetizers we had were all very good. Then waiting for 45+ min for dinner. Finally left the table to ask where our food was. Table next to us came in after us, ate their dinner and finished while we waited. After another 15 min, made the decision to leave. Keep your dinners. No manager intervention, no comps, we just left after paying for apps. Bartender service prior to being seated was very good. UPDATE: The manager contacted me and apologized. Very gracious. Based upon that,will give it another try. read more

Can't think of a better old fashioned and it is worth every penny. I have had their regular one once and the pineapple upside down one was delicious as well. I have never been disappointed with anything we have had here and can't imagine that ever changing. It is a great place to celebrate or treat yourself. Staff is always friendly and checks in just enough to allow you time and space with your party. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

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This used to be a wonderful place to grab a nice dinner, glass of wine and have an enjoyable evening. My most recent visit left me discouraged, stressed and fearful for anybody eating at this restaurant. First, the wait staff and manager were wonderful. The kitchen, not sure if real cooks were in there. We waited one hour between appetizer and delivery of main entree. The food....was absolutely abominable! We ordered the calamari, it was tough and chewy. Nothing about it was good. The pork chop was a beautiful cut of meat completely destroyed in the kitchen. Received the chop and it was raw, literally seared on the outside and the rest was raw, polenta was bland and stiff. The manager tried to make it right but, the second pork chop was even more uncooked than the first. Ice cold in from 1/8" inch inward. All the pasta dishes had unseasoned pasta and the grilled salmon was fishy. The only good item was the mushroom and pea risotto. We ordered the butterscotch budino, this was runny, grainy, sweetened ricotta with a butterscotch sauce. This no way resembled a budino. Not sure what happened to this restaurant. Very sad to have wasted an evening trying to get a good meal. It never happened read more

Bruschetta and Brussel Sprouts as appetizers were delicious! Berkshire Porkchop was tasty but did not care for the orange "potato smear" that came with the veggies. Shrimp Scampi had far too much garlic and was lukewarm. Servers were very attentive, and checked on us often. Please get rid of ALL the teeny tiny tippy chairs used at the tables and bar! We and the 3 tables around us all took turns complaining to each other about them. Honestly, for the price point I'd go across the street to Merrill & Houston's. read more

Made reservations days in advance for a special occasion, we arrived on time only to be told that there was a 20 minute wait. why make a reservation if you won't be seated when you arrive? highly disappointed read more

We had a pickup order. My order was ready whdn I arrived. The Orecchiette was perfect. Pasta was al dente and the sausage was not too spicy. My partner had the spaghetti and he loved it too. The bread was wonderful and no butter was necessary. This was our first experience and we will definitely order again! read more

What an amazing spot. You really can't order a bad thing on the menu if you tried. Every one of our entrees was excellent, but the roasted chicken definitely stole the show. I'll echo a fellow Yelper who said "don't even look at the menu, just order the chicken." Now my only caveat to that is if you have a dairy allergy like me, or just prefer eating vegan, order the mushroom garganelli without Parmesan. They use vegan butter and it's delicious (but ask for extra salt if you don't order it with Parmesan). The drinks are equally delicious. I got the sazerac and it packed a punch. If you like stiff whiskey drinks, this will be your best friend. We can't quite remember the name of my wife's favorite drink, but we think it's close to "the blossom and the bee." Whatever it was, it was super good--like drinking a patch of wildflowers in the best way. Weirdly, their homemade sourdough bread with garlic oil they served before our meal was one of the best surprises of the whole night for us. The bread is so soft and moist....honestly the best bread we've had since visiting Europe. The wait staff was above and beyond. So was the atmosphere: very clean, modern and minimalistic aesthetic. The only downside for me was how much fragrance they used inside the building. I couldn't tell if that was Velvet Buffalo's doing or Hotel Goodwin's, but either way, I have a strong allergy to artificial fragrances and by the end of the night I was stuffed up and sneezing. Smell is so important for tasting, so I'd definitely want to recommend whoever's in charge to use natural scents instead so others like me (I know I'm definitely not alone in that) can fully enjoy the taste of the food without needing to bring along allergy medicine. Overall 5 stars for sure. One of the best dinners we've had in a long time and already can't wait to come back! read more

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Fancy! High end modern Italian restaurant with excellent food. Prices are a little high but for a special occasion it's worth it. They do have a separate room for large groups and a long wood table that will serve 10. I suggest reservations especially on the weekends. The two sisters hotel host wedding and special events. The service was outstanding and friendly. read more

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This is definitely a go to restaurant when in the south Beloit area! The food is amazing the staff is so kind and attentive. The focaccia bread is top notch. Drinks are always on point. Highly recommend this place! There's a roof top also above the hotel! Great in the summer months read more

Too fancy for my taste. I prefer more comfort food when so think Italian, so I should've realized from the menu it wouldn't be my cup of tea. Bread is delicious though. Prices are high. Ambiance is pretty spectacular. read more

Have eaten here many times over the years. The food this evening did not meet standard. The duck ravioli was so salty it could hardly be eaten. The accompaniments were quite sparse. The service and ambience were pleasant as always. Still no espresso--it's an Italian restaurant! read more

I was visiting Beloit for work and was really thankful to have this restaurant in the neighborhood! I went their twice in a span of two weeks. First time I had the cheese plate which had the most delicious pickled red onions that I went back a second time and ordered the same dish but apparently they change the pickled veggies often. Ordered the beef bolognese which was seasoned to perfection and the fresh pasta was divine. Plenty of parmesan! Loved their fresh and warm focaccia to start. Cesar salad is super cheesy and creamy. The tiramisu was not my favorite! Hardly any taste of coffee, felt more like a chocolate cake in a small jar. Service was fine! People in this town seem to order faster than me because every restaurant I went to I always needed more time. Haha! read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Pineapple Upside Down Old Fashioned and the Cheese & Meat plate - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

Halibut dish was solid, wine was good, service prompt and attentive. Would go again if ever in town. Good job!

We dined at Velvet Buffalo for our first time on Valentine's Day, and it was a lovely experience. The restaurant is beneath Hotel Goodwin, which is beautiful by the way and smells wonderful when you walk in. (Might have to stay the night some time!) The restaurant is upscale with modern design and a cozy atmosphere- perfect for any occasion or date night. Side note: if you dine here, be sure to check out the bathrooms, they're stunning. I don't know about you, but I greatly appreciate a beautiful, and clean private restroom in any public setting. Our waitress Karen was the sweetest and accommodated us very well! For appetizer we ordered the bruschetta which i have to say is the best I've ever had. The bread was so soft and warm, and the dish just looked gourmet. The complimentary bread and oil was impressive, and unlike most Italian restaurants I've dined at. The slices of bread were huge, again super soft and warm, and tasted homemade. I was confident our meal was going to be even better. Annnnd it was! I ordered the mushroom gargenelli and my husband ordered the orchietti dish- we were both very pleased. For dessert we shared tiramisu and gelato. We love the velvet buffalo and will certainly be back again! I only wish I would have tried this place sooner! read more

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Snagged one of the last reservations for Mother's Day brunch. I had been here once before and both food and service were great. This visit though was very disappointing especially for the special menu prices. We waited over 45 minutes for our food and half of it was cold and not edible (specifically the asparagus). Will likely not be back. read more

The bartender was fantastic! The food was very mediocre for the amount of money. Bring back upscale basic dishes that everyone loves......burgers, flatbreads, loaded fries, etc. The space is awesome but there is a fantastic steak house across the street. I assume they're owned by the same company......do a head chef swap for a month with a taste testing. I'd be the first in line and gladly pay read more

Excellent everything. Appetizer, short rib and Herb stamped pasta special, and the panna cotta. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

Velvet Buffalo is easily my favorite domestic Italian restaurant. The ambiance is perfect. It's a small, dimly lit dining room on a busy Beloit street, so there's a great balance of intimacy and happenings. Again, the dining room is small, so be sure to make reservations ahead of time as it fills up in there. If you have to wait, there is a bar on the rooftop as well as a bar in the dining room. The bar in the dining room makes fantastic drinks--I recommend asking them to make a White Russian. I honestly am going to have a hard time coming up with enough positive adjectives to describe the food. Yummy or tasty isn't strong enough. I've tried many different combinations of Velvet Buffalo's food, and each time it blows me away. Usually for my appetizer, I'll get both the mussels and bruschetta for myself and a plus one to share. This is a great combination to keep the social aspect of your dinner rolling. It does look like a lot of food, but it's lightweight and leaves plenty of room for the entré. For my entré, I've had both the mushroom garganelli and the angus beef tenderloin. The mushroom garganelli I've only had once, and it was a delicious and fresh pasta dish--nothing to rush and write home about in my opinion, but it was very filling and satisfying. The beef tenderloin is also a great option; I've gotten this dish many many times and it's one of the best beef dishes in memory for me from a flavor standpoint. The entré is usually where I fill up, and I never have room for dessert afterwards, but I still try to order a dish for takeout and eat it the next morning. The desserts are very unique and are definitely worth either trying to push through another course or taking it home. I'm sure you'll be left feeling like you've tried something new and upscale every time. Wrapping up, if you're looking for a modern Italian dining experience, Velvet Buffalo is a must try. Perfect for date night. My only negative with them is the service. My wait staff is never usually on top of their game. I don't know if it's because they're slammed or what--I hope this is the reason, because I can understand that. But if you're looking to have drinks, I recommend ordering a few at a time because I personally have only see wait staff come around to me when it's time to order food, deliver food, and deliver the check. Other than that, great ambiance, great food, great drinks, free parking, and hotel options are all things they have to offer! read more

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This place has a very classy atmosphere and a lot of natural light. It's a bit of a splurge but it was a fun and memorable meal. We had the ARTICHOKE FRITTI & TRUFFLE SOCCA FRIES appetizer and it was amazing; it's like a little science experiment of vegetarian foods (endive, fried artichokes, chickpea fries, cheese fondue, and finely minced giardiniera). Then we had the PESTO GARGANELLI, a home made pasta with flavorful pesto and veggies, including some things I normally wouldn't get to eat like fiddleheads and ramps. Our server was really nice and answered all our questions. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - PESTO GARGANELLI - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

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Beautiful restaurant. I felt like I needed to be dressed nicer than I normally would, however there were plenty of people there dressed down. Our server went through the menu with us as it was our first time there. We were very appreciative of that! The food was good. We may have misunderstood some things, but we were overall happy with it. It was a nice place for a date night. read more

Excellent food expertly served and prepared. Bar service is excellent. Menu is varied and exceptional. Why eat another meal at a chain restaurant. This place will have you speculating on what you will get "next time" read more

My boyfriend and I went to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. I had the 3 cheese ravioli and it was AMAZING! Every time I took a bite I was just mind blown! The service was great! My boyfriend had the pineapple upside down old fashion and it was so good! The inside of this restaurant is stunning!! I loved every moment. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Dinning area - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

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Food and atmosphere second to none. Wine list and bar are outstanding. Unique dishes but suitable for anyone's taste. Great for special occasions. Skip the chains. Roof and outdoor dining in season. read more

The Velvet Buffalo delivered an outstanding dining experience. The restaurant itself is in a great location and the decor is upscale and modern. The staff was excellent. From our server to the person who kept our waters full, everyone was top notch The food was memorable. I'm really particular about Italian food. I tried the vegan cacio e pepe and can't wait to have it again. The noodles must be house made...they were perfect. The appetizers were tasty and everyone loved their meal. I'll be back. read more

Our table had four different entrees. All were overcooked and not very tasty. The service and the overall appearance of the restaurant is excellent. read more

Restaurant GM Andy and his entire staff are just awesome. It would be easy to feel a bit underdressed walking in, given the upscale surroundings, but that's what makes both the VB and the rooftop lounge & patio so enjoyable - the ambience is simultaneously welcoming, relaxed and yet, upscale special. Having said that, prices are surprisingly very reasonable. The views from the rooftop might suggest Chicago-priced drinks, designed to gouge expense account business travelers. Instead, they seem to say, don't fear, we want you to become regulars. Same with the VB menu. Service and food are exceptional. If I could play chef for a moment tho - I'd add a manicotti w a cheese sauce & perhaps a veal selection. Maybe some fancy small personal pizza selections for the rooftop. This is a gem and what they do they do it with style. read more

We had dinner reservations last night, part of their Valentine's Week celebration. Unfortunately, the food & drinks were definitely not up to the quality you would expect for a place that prides themselves on made in house pasta. Also, for the prices. First off the focaccia bread was burnt and dry, it wasn't just ours. It was all the dinners that night had burnt bread. My pasta was chewy, stiff and cold. The sausage in the sauce was mushy and cold. It was like the pasta was cooked way ahead of time, sat out, and then they tried reheating it. It made it very difficult to eat both due to the texture & temperature. My husband had the scallops they were not seared and were tough. The kale was overcooked and the squash was undercooked. The sauce on the scallop dish was too sweet and had the wrong balance of acidity. Which made it taste off & stomach turning. The vesper was too watery... seemed like that added too much ice when making it. Fortunately, the staff were very nice and our waitress, Rosie, was wonderful. We definitely will not be coming dining for food again there. read more

First timer and was surprisingly impressed! Velvet buffalo is tucked inside the hotel Goodwin and it is so nice inside! On a Saturday night, we got seated right away. Their menu is kind of small and it's a shared plate kind of place. We ordered simple greens salad (feeds 2) and it was simple but good. It had toasted pecans, feta cheese, balsamic. Then we got the bbq ribs (not pictured) and steak frites. The bbq ribs came with what tasted like hush puppies and slaw and every bite was delicious. The steak frites was so tender and came with fries and a dipping sauce. Only downside to that dish was the portion was skimpy - only came with 3 pieces of steak, definitely not enough to share. Lastly, we treated ourselves to the maple bourbon apple tart (so good!) and I also got the chai-tea-ni. 100% would love to come back and check out the hotel and rooftop!! read more

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Classy yet trendy - definitely a place to impress. Dined in recently and enjoyed the intimate setting and some lovely desserts! My friend ordered the chocolate torte with raspberry sorbet and I had a vegan pumpkin chai spice gelato. The tasteful plating made me want to cry! But like a nice and pretty cry. Since then I see they've made a temporary menu change and are just serving pizzas and a few appetizers for the time being. I think I can guess why: 2020 is hard times for restaurants! Go and get your pizza on so these creative chefs can keep going strong through this weird season for food. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sorbet. - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

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I've never had a bad meal there, not even so-so. friendly service, great atmosphere. Talked myself into it, I think I'll go tonight! read more

It wasn't that great. The service was fine but the food was not. My bacon was burnt, my eggs were dry and my potatoes were very greasy. Honestly, I could have made my own breakfast at home. I wanted to try their brunch. I was disappointed. The Bloody Mary was okay. The server was nice and attentive. I probably will not go back to this restaurant. I'm new to this area so the options are few when it comes to brunch. read more

Velvet Buffalo Modern Italian - Wine Bars Near Me - Beloit, Wisconsin

Excellent Italian scratch pasta with great flavor and reasonable portions. Everything was excellent, you could definitely tell the the ingredients were fresh and the pasta tasted fresh and amazing. The oil and bread that was complimentary served before the meal was warm, incredibly soft, and the oil was so flavorful! Highly recommend for a nice date night but I would say leave the children at home. read more

Stopped in for some drinks and appetizers. Everything was delicious and the service was really friendly. The atmosphere was great for a date night and we would definitely return to try more of the menu items. read more