AV Restaurant

Had dinner on a Thursday evening with another couple. No wait time, we were seated immediately. Menu items all looked delicious. Three of us had the salmon, which was fabulous. Chicken Parmesan was the fourth meal and must have also been very good because it was gone. Portions were large enough that we were glad we didn't get appetizers, and we didn't have room left for dessert. They did have a separate gluten-free menu with lots of options from the main menu. The prices are a little higher than the average, but the service was excellent and the food was delicious.

I finally made it in here after passing it downtown a bunch of times. I decided to go here with my boyfriend for our birthday dinner. We got reservations at 6pm and I had to park about 2 blocks away down a dark street. Once inside the atmosphere was nice with real candles on the tables. We started with drinks. I was stuck between the Sauvignon blanc and the rose and the waitress let me taste them to decide which I really appreciated. I went with the rose which was very good. My boyfriend got a gin cocktail that he enjoyed. We started with the calamari which was nice. They also brought out bread but they come by with a basket and serve you one piece on your plate and fill the dish in the middle with plain olive oil. My boyfriend wanted some extra spice so we asked for balsamic vinegar to go with the bread. For dinner I got the scallops and he got the salmon. They were both super good, but there was something soaked in balsamic vinegar on the plate with the scallops and I thought that was too much punch for the plate. For dessert we got the crème brûlée. I personally prefer the custard part to be in a more shallow and wide dish. It seemed like a small caramelized crust on a thick bowl of custard here. We boxed up our leftovers and were absolutely bummed to find out we left them at the table after arriving home. All in all it was pretty good and I would go again!!

I don’t usually do reviews, but I truly had a great time at AV on Thursday— I have never been here before and always wanted to try it. Our server was CJ who was very knowledgeable about the menu & helped us choose a wine. We had ordered their octopus & baked brie for apps and porcini cavatelli & duck for entrees. Both came out better than I could expect and it was very easy to tell the pasta was made fresh. Dinner was also extremely fairly priced for how much work the back of house puts into their food. Would absolutely recommend this place to anyone.

Absolutely grateful for the outstanding experience at AV Restaurant during my niece's New Year's Eve wedding. The staff, led by the remarkable service and events coordinator Lisa Lapinski, were beyond accommodating. Lisa's constant availability and dedication to perfecting the venue's decor made the planning process seamless. Owner Pat Quinn's presence ensured the evening ran smoothly, reflecting his meticulous attention to detail in the staff he hires. We were delighted with the exceptional service provided, making AV Restaurant the top choice for an ideal venue. Highly recommend!
Edit: I was too busy enjoying the evening to take pictures, but you should visit this establishment to fully appreciate the ambiance!

Update. Wife brought me here for my birthday. Had an excellent meal, with excellent service from Anya. Great atmosphere. Everything was excellent. The rack of venison was outstanding!! Thank you for a great night out AV!!!

We came here for Valentines day and so glad we did. Loved the atmosphere. The food was outstanding. Very good craft beer selection. Check out the photos. Everyone that works here was so friendly and they took care of all your needs without hesitation. We highly recommend AV. It's excellent!!

Great food and service. We
Always have a good time here.

Their appetizers are all very good, especially their arancini, which is excellent.

We just ate there recently and I had one of the best salmon dishes I've eve had. I rarely do this, but it was so good that I ordered it again when we went back a few days later. Their lamb special was excellent too.

And they're also very good about helping you with dietary concerns. Excellent food and staff!

We highly recommend The AV Restaurant!

If I had known the Scranton area better, I would've chosen to eat dinner here with my husband rather than our 2 toddlers too. We felt out of our element but the welcoming staff totally alleviated that feeling. So they enjoyed their first upscale dining experience! They loved drinking lemonade from the fancy glasses and eating spaghetti and meatballs. Our waiter was awesome and attentive and all of our food was delicious! We'll be back! What an asset to the quaint downtown Scranton area.

We recently had the pleasure of working with Lisa at AV for a pre-wedding welcome reception in October 2023. We were looking for a private space with good food and drinks so that our wedding guests could get to know each other the night before the event. From our very first meeting, Lisa took the time to listen to our ideas, preferences, and expectations and worked with her team at AV to execute flawlessly. Our guests loved the food and craft cocktails, and overall it was a wonderful way to spend a little extra time with friends and family on a very busy weekend.

Went for dinner to celebrate my guys birthday. Just came across the restaurant by chance. I had called beforehand to let them know we were celebrating a birthday. We were greeted by very friendly people. Such a beautiful and quaint place. We had the Best waitress, Kaidyn. We asked for suggestions and her advice was perfect! Started with calamari..it was excellent! Best we have ever had. I had the filet and he had the swordfish. Both were phenomenal! Large portions, beautiful presentation, but tasted excellent! They brought his desert out with a candle to top off our night. I can't say enough about the restaurant or our waitress Kaidyn, she was so helpful and so sweet. It is our new favorite place! It is like a hidden gem. We will be back soon!

My husband and I came in for a meal this afternoon and we were immediately sat by the most pleasant of women. We got a private corner booth, extremely comfy and exclusive feeling. We were greeted shortly after by our lovely server Josephine, who explained the features on the offered menus, but also explained several features not listed on the menu that are offered as a special. She took our drink orders, promptly delivered them, and offered to put an appetizer in while we looked over the menu.

My husband and I ordered a Ceasar salad to start; several minutes after putting our order in we received beautiful warm fresh baked bread and a side of olive oil which transitioned us perfectly into our starter. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, the croutons absolutely had to be made in house (so delicious!) and the dressing was the best part of the entire salad. So fresh and bright with the lemon but the salty hint of anchovy kept the dressing traditional and fantastic.

For entrees we ordered a filet mignon, ordered medium rare and cooked to absolute buttery perfection. It was topped with a Gorgonzola sauce and while the sauce was a hint too salty for my taste, the filet was cooked exquisitely and the concept of the sauce was absolutely spot on as far as flavor. It was paired with a crisp and flavorful side asparagus and a creamy mashed potato.

Our other entree was the bone in pork chop, which is offered medium/medium rare as per the chef’s recommendation. We ordered per recommendation and were presented a beautifully juicy and tender bone in chop topped with crispy onion straws. It was topped with a wonderfully sweet sauce that paired so well with the pork, which quite literally could be pulled off the bone with a fork. The pork included asparagus and a side of some sort of roasted potato which was such a complement to the sauce.

Thank you so much to Josephine, our sever. She was sweet and attentive and was informed about the restaurant’s specials. She made sure we were taken care of without being an annoyance and offered us prompt service. We also would love to compliment the kitchen and whoever developed the concept of the menu. Absolutely beautiful and thoughtful pairings of flavors and ingredients and so well executed.

The interior and atmosphere of the restaurant is lofty and classy. It’s pleasant to be a part of and while it feels slightly upper class, it offers the many comforts you would expect of a wonderful Italian restaurant. We will 10000% be back many times in the future and will happily recommend this restaurant to everyone we know!

Delicious food with a great atmosphere and service. The cocktails were delicious and the dessert worth ordering!

We liked it a lot. The food was progressive, tasty and came out timely. We didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar. Was not upset with that choice.

A great atmosphere. The exposed brick and metal ceiling tiles add to the overall ambiance of the restaurant. The staff was knowledgeable and courteous rounding-out the fine dining experience. The food is delicious and one can tell that no corners were cut in the preparation of the meal.
Reasonable prices on food and drink make this a place you can enjoy not only on a special occasion.

The service was great at the table. Hostess wasn't the warmest human being on the planet but boy did Julie my server made up for it! She was a true food and beverage hospitality professional! She's worth requesting too I was observing the other waitstaff & they're not even in her league!

The food was good! I didn't expect Scranton to have such a great offering. New American but you can see the Chef has been trained to execute Italian in the French style. Great flavors, proper portions, excellent service (If you have Julie) .

Absolutely best pear martini on the East Coast. New location for 2017 but all the same service and amazing food. Tom and Abby at the bar will make you feel right at home from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere is exceptional with music in the background as you dine or enjoy drinks. I came in and had great conversation all night! Pasta came Al dente as ordered. The bar area is perfect for just catching up with friends or meeting new ones! Upscale American dining more on par with NYC or Phila - yet priced perfectly.

Great bartender! A big thank you to Lisa, Sean, Tom and all the staff for making our event pleasurable.

I really liked this restaurant. The staff were really friendly and the food was really nice. We sat outside which was a good choice considering the street is not too crowded and we could easily talk. We ordered several different dishes to try them together and they brought each one of the foods in two smaller plates to make it easier to share. Cheese platter was really nice and food was delicious. Desserts were exotic and nice. I’ll definitely try to stop by again.

Enjoying a new awesome spot with my love!😍 Great atmosphere, specialty drinks, service and most importantly food!!!

This is my favorite restaurant. Great food, wine and ambiance.

Was there again on the 10th (1/10/24) and I was not disappointed. I came with colleagues from work, about 10 of us. Service was great, ambiance was beautiful and food was awesome. I had the lamb shank osso buco over mashed potatoes. Cannot recommend it enough.

We went for dinner, but got drinks beforehand and loved everything. The bartenders were knowledgeable about the drinks and ingredients and were extremely friendly. Dinner was tremendous and the rotating specials were outstanding our server was phenomenal, also knowledgeable and friendly. Probably the best overall restaurant in Scranton right now!