Varley - Salt Lake City

Food was not my ideal selection, cocktail menu was good.Overall service was average and ambience just there.Place to go for drinks and socialize, yes for sure. That's about it

We originally had reservations at Ivy and Varley, and ended up next door. Although the food, cocktails, and atmosphere were all wonderful, the service was absolutely abysmal despite it not being very busy. We ordered a round of shots and cocktails- we received the shots with a promise the server would be back soon with cocktails, since they can’t be served at the same time due to Utah law. Not a problem.However, we waited 45 min ! after the shot to have our drinks arrive, despite flagging the waiter down multiple times. When the cocktails arrived, we requested to place orders for food and to have more water. They hurried away and returned ~10 minutes later to take food order and did not bring water. While waiting for our food, 2 different waiters came by with incorrect food orders asking if they belonged to us. When the food did arrive, we had to request water and utensils again. Then, we had to wait another 30 min to get the check. I don’t mind paying these elevated prices in return for quality food, environment, and service, but the service absolutely ruined this for me. The suggested tip was anywhere from 20-30%, which I found outrageous in comparison to the service.

This was my first time at Varley and it will not be my last. (On weekends, I would highly recommend you make a reservation in advance. I was thoroughly impressed with every second of my experience. We were greeted at the door, seated immediately, and our waiter came over to introduce himself and get our drink orders started. The vibe is great (our group did joke about how dark it was but we just went with it and the live DJ was a nice touch. Our group felt very taken care of throughout the evening and the food hit the spot. I forgot to take photos of the appetizers and our drinks, so I'll have to go back so I can snap some photos of the diverse menu. My favorites from the night were the lavender-crusted goats cheese, the Brussel sprouts, and the wagyu burger.

Let's start with the positive. The food is damn good here. My gnocchi was perfectly cooked pillowy and rich and what I thought would be a side dish Brussels Sprouts, almost stole the show. Both were amazing and I would come back to SLC for those dishes alone. I had two bourbon drinks and they were very very good. The interior is a little dark but there is ample seating and even tables in the windows. But I knocked off a star because 1) they lost our reservation 2) the service was slow and I had to ask for someone come and take our orders. One of my party didn't get their side dish as well. Service is tough these days I know, but this seemed beyond normal issues.

This is a great place for a quick drink and some appetizers after work or before an event if you are in the downtown area.