Restaurant VAI in Lübeck

Very nice surroundings. Very attentive staff and really good food.

The waiter recommended porcini mushrooms as a starter. They were delicious, wonderfully seasoned, and a feast for the eyes.

For us, the "Vai" restaurant has been one of the reasons for our annual trip to Lübeck for over a decade. The cuisine is of exceptionally exquisite quality and, above all, has remained consistently good over the years! No matter what you order, you will never be disappointed! We are already looking forward to our next visits and culinary delights!

Cozy restaurant with really good food and incredibly friendly service. We had a very nice evening at VAI.

Very good, almost refined cuisine with a varied à la carte selection. Different prices for dinner and lunch. However, the price of drinks is excessive.

We stumbled upon this wonderful restaurant on a short break. Its lovingly decorated dining room and beautiful courtyard provided a lovely, back-street feel. Extremely attentive service, and the food was sensationally prepared and exquisitely seasoned.

A small, fine restaurant with very friendly service. We enjoyed our meal immensely. Our two dishes from the daily special were not only a delight, they were also beautifully presented. The service was extremely friendly – ​​we felt very comfortable, and even our dog, who had lain down in the middle of our path, was warmly welcomed. We're already looking forward to our next stroll through Lübeck and a visit to the VAI!

Very good. We had the pasta, and everything was just right. No cream and perfectly cooked al dente! Just as it should be. The portions were also generously sized.

Really nice and friendly staff, and our waitress was also very helpful and accommodating when choosing wine :) The calamari was excellent. The zander, risotto, and leaf spinach combo was also very tasty.

Simply magical! VAI is a place where you immediately feel at home and never want to leave. The ambiance is stylish, warm, and so inviting that it truly invites you to linger for hours; you can feel the attention to detail here. Culinarily, it was an absolute highlight for us. I ate the best vitello tonnato of my life there, and I say that even though I've tried many. The quality of the meat and the delicate, balanced preparation were simply unbeatable. The pasta was also outstanding, the Saxon bratwurst a true taste experience, and the daily special of meatballs completely delighted us: from the sauce to the creamy mashed potatoes to the perfectly seasoned meat, it was simply first-class. Added to that, the service was everything you could wish for: always friendly, attentive, with a genuine smile on your face, and the wonderful feeling that your every wish is truly anticipated. An afternoon at VAI is more than just a restaurant visit; it's an experience. We'll definitely be back and can wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.

Completely satisfied with our meal in the pleasant courtyard. Very fine food, very attentive service. We had a relaxing evening as a family. The bread with aioli and a small sweet potato salad to start with was delicious. The sea bream was crispy and very well seasoned. The corn-fed chicken, the Zurich-style schnitzel, stylishly served in a cast iron pot, and the veal schnitzel were also very tasty. A very nice "greens" salad was also served. Generous portions. The chocolate ice cream and espresso also received high praise. We would be happy to return again if we have the chance. Thank you very much.

A very pleasant ambiance inside and a cozy courtyard outside. The service is attentive, fast, and very friendly. The food is in no way inferior to the service: warm bruschetta with crispy bread and spicy tomatoes, juicy and aromatic. Herring with apple and onion sour cream and fried potatoes, attractively presented, and it tasted as good as it looked. Top-notch. I don't want to leave out the espresso afterward; it tastes just as excellent. Thanks for the lovely lunch.

Excellent. We had to eat very quickly and the two ladies have been very kind and efficient. The food was delicious.

Everything is always top-notch; from the personalized service to the sensational wine list to the exquisitely prepared and refined dishes. I've been visiting this restaurant regularly for years and am always very satisfied. It's definitely one of Lübeck's top restaurants!

I always love coming here. Sandra and Dirk are two very attentive hosts who have turned their passion into their profession. Everything is just right here: the ambiance, the quality of the food, and the service. No wish goes unfulfilled, and I'm grateful to have such a lovely restaurant in Lübeck. Highly recommended ;)

Honnêtement nous n’attendions pas grand chose en entrant dans ce resto, mais quelle bonne surprise ! Carte riche, cuisine précise et excellente, poisson comme viande parfaitement exécutés, et ça devient un déjeuner gastronomique sans chichis. A essayer absolument à Lubeck.

Plat délicieux, service très agréable et une cuisine qui réconcilie avec la cuisine en Allemagne, même si le cadre ne paie pas de mine

Tuvimos un poco de pasta excelente de camareros amables. Una excelente experiencia, regresó unos días después para otra gran comida.

While strolling through the Hüxstraßenfest, we came across VAI. A glance at the menu piqued our interest and our appetite. And then the courtyard was open with tables. So we went straight there. We even got a seat. First of all: The visit was worth it! Friendly, attentive service, exceptional, newly interpreted, and delicious dishes. It was fun and made us want more. We'll be back! - That's not a threat.

From the cucumber soup with tomato ice cream to the mixed salad with goat cheese to the truffle tagliatelle, we were delighted. The service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommended.

Very friendly service, the food was freshly prepared and delicious. Even the little touches, like the bread at the start, made the stay all around enjoyable. We'd be happy to go back. The price/performance ratio is good.

We've been going to the lovely VAI restaurant for several years now. The quality has been consistently excellent. We highly recommend it. Thanks to the team. See you soon.

Very well-run restaurant, excellent food, good wine selection. Friendly, personal service.

A great restaurant with a very appealing menu, always offering something special. Plus, super friendly service. We're always happy to come back!

Stopped in for lunch. Fine cuisine.

Very good food Great atmosphere

Very good food, fresh and very tasty, the staff was very professional and friendly, quality is very important here. Thank you

Nice establishment💕 And very tasty and cozy. We were interested in trying something new and tasty.

My favorite restaurant on Hüxstrasse, nice service, good menu and good quality at a reasonable price. We'd love to come back.

It's great that there are still restaurants like this where the chef knows his craft and everything is made and prepared in-house. Of course, the price level is a little higher, but that's completely right. Nowadays you get pre-made products in most restaurants and you need a kitchen technician rather than a real chef. That's not the case here, even if the service is a little less professional, although everyone was very friendly and attentive, which is the most important thing. I am now grateful for restaurants like this and hope that they will be around for a long time and that the customers will appreciate that there is still someone at work here who knows their job. I also like the wine list and selection. Thank you for the lovely evening.

We, the Kliesmann driving school, were there last Saturday (December 7th, 2024) as well as last year and were once again totally thrilled. Simply super tasty, great service and 100% feel-good factor. Price/performance is absolutely justified and therefore absolutely recommended. It wasn't the last time we were there. Keep it up dear VAI team!

Nice little restaurant with a very friendly staff. A little disappointed with our dishes considering earlier reviews. For some reason this restaurant requires a tip.

As always, the Vai restaurant exceeded my expectations. The food is super delicious, the service is very nice and the ambience is excellent👍🏼. Highly recommended

Heerlijk gegeten Brood met sauzen vooraf. Voorgerecht sardientjes met aubergine was goddelijk. Kalfsvlees reepjes ook lekker maar rösti erbij is wel simpel. Geen groente apart. Dorade was goed met verschillende soorten aardappelen was magertjes. Meer groente erbij. Tiramisu was goed maar ijs was te compact. Voor mij gevoel niet echt vers. Bediening was vriendelijk maar niet hartelijk. Bij weggaan was zoiets van red je ermee. Geen hulp bij de jassen etc. Ik heb ze niet gezien. Wat prijs betreft echt te… 190 euro voor 2 personen in flesje wijn.

Great ambience, delicious food, great service. Thank you.

When we decided to have dinner at Restaurant Vai we had checked their homepage and was interested in the 3 course menu at the price of 50 euros. We were surprised when we sat at the table and looked through the menu once again. It said 69 euros for the 3 course menu. A bit of a difference. Anyway we took the 3 course menu and hoped for something nice. We had at first a sallad (Blattsalate mit kohlrabbicarpaccio und ziegenkäsecreme) which really wasn´t anything special. Then the doradenfilet & scampi. Didn´t taste much and seemed quite ordinary. The dessert was crème brûlée which was super disappointing. We´ve had crème brûlée many, many times before in other restaurants. It seemed as it had been prepared by an amateur. First of all it was ice cold including the crème under the surface. No traces of vanilla what so ever. Totally tasteless. The chef should really be ashamed to serve a crème brülée like this. We had four glasses of wine to go with the menu and when we got the tab we noticed that an extra 17,50 euro had been added as “trinkgeld”. We have visited several restaurants in Germany during the weeks before our visit in Lübeck and not once been charged “trinkgeld”. We felt that we were regarded as idiots here. We know very well that it´s customary to add “trinkgeld” if you are satisfied, but it is of course up to us as guests to decide the amount. In this case 10% was added by the restaurant. In my world 10% is the amount if you are very content with service and food. That was not the case for us. Adding “trinkgeld” like this is nothing else than cheating the guests. I can easily compare with a neighbour restaurant to Restaurant Vai on the opposite side of Hüxstrasse, Restaurant Miera. We had dinner there the night before. Really nice food and no adding on the tab. We did the adding ourselves by tipping the waiter directly. I think everyone should think twice about visiting this place with overpriced food and wines. There are other options nearby.

We had dinner at Vai with our relatives and wife. We sat outside in the backyard in an upscale atmosphere. The service was very friendly and accommodating and was able to answer questions on the spot. My dish consisted of Iberico chin with mashed potatoes, plum sauce and braised pointed cabbage, my wife had the sea bream fillet and scampi with vegetable gazpacho, leaf spinach and potatoes. The dishes were served promptly, were very tasty and without any significant complaints. For dessert we had cheesecake with Tonka vanilla ice cream and mirabelle plum jelly. The groats were reddish and extremely sour and despite asking, it was said to have been mirabelle plums. I don't know what else was mixed in, because there are definitely no red mirabelle plums, which are generally very sweet. The supposedly red mirabelle plums are cherry plums, which are also considerably more sour. Compared to the creamy cheesecake and the sweet ice cream, the sweet/sour ratio was too extreme for me and I didn't like the dessert as much as I had hoped. Despite everything, a pleasant evening with a successful main course.

Kleines Lokal in mitten der Altstadt, tolle Karte die genau die richtigen Speisen enthält. Geschmacklich einfach toll, aber preislich zu stark überzogen, das gleiche gilt auch für die Weine. Service sehr freundlich und aufmerksam. Tische im Außenbereich sind eindeutig zu eng gestellt.

Unfortunately completely overpriced for mediocrity. An aperitif that consists of 80% ice... quickly tastes like water. The food doesn't shine because of its extravagance, just its price. We liked it to some extent, but for two people for €180 I simply expected more. Lamb tagliatelle was O.K. abee too much sauce. The sole (O.K. there are only medium sized ones) for 50€... tasted OK, but not great. Sorry. I'm not angry or angry and I waited quite a while for the recession. But compared to some others since then, I care about being honest with you. There is still room for improvement. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Elegant restaurant, with an outdoor terrace on the main street and a “garden” terrace at the back. The dishes are elaborate and quite generous in quantity, as well as very good. Attentive staff and fast service.

Were there for dinner around 7 p.m. Superbly prepared food. Excellent taste. Service was extremely nice and accommodating! We'd love to come back.

A few weeks ago we were once again in one of our favorite restaurants in Lübeck: the VAI. There must have been 12-15 visits by now and we haven't been disappointed once. Not like that last time either. There were two glasses of the fine Blanc de Noir Brut to get us in the mood. As a starter we both chose the house-pickled salmon with cucumber, horseradish cream and kumquats. For the main course I chose the herring fillet with apple and onion sour cream and boiled potatoes; my husband loved the perfect veal schnitzels with cranberries, fried potatoes and VAI mayo. There were also two glasses of fine rosé for us. The perfect conclusion was the classic: an espresso and a scoop of white chocolate ice cream. As always, it was wonderful and absolutely delicious. We love the continuity and the relaxed, perfect service - and will be back next year.

El servicio fue agradable y servicial. Aunque vinimos un viernes por la noche y estaba al menos medio lleno, logramos encontrar una mesa. La comida era deliciosa y llegó rápido. Gran experiencia: )

Cozy eatery and good food but mess with payment. Ordered a Whiskey but was not much in the glass for 15 euros. Not credible.

We had a very good meal at Restaurant Vai. On a rainy day we were looking for a quick solution to dry ourselves and eat. The Labskaus was excellent. We were also very impressed with the other dishes. Unfortunately the visit was marred by one point. After dinner we asked if we could have a Coretto Grappa. If you get good grappa in the north you have to take advantage of the opportunity. “No problem” they said and it tasted very good. But without warning we were charged €9 per (sip) of grappa in the espresso. For three pieces there was simply €27 on the bill in addition to the espressos. If I had been served the grappa separately it would still be acceptable. But absolutely excessive for a shot in coffee. When asked, they said: "Yes, unfortunately that's the case. But I'll tell the boss." Please just point this out in advance in the future. After all, five of us ate with you.

Das Vai liegt in der historischen Innenstadt von Lübeck und erwartet seine Gäste mit einer gemütlichen warmen Atmosphäre. Die Karte ist angenehm klein und bietet und wird durch aktuelle Menüs ergänzt. Wir entschieden uns für das Fischmenu, welches absolut stimmig kombiniert war. Ein absolutes Erlebnis. Sowohl die Raffinesse der Zubereitung als auch die Präsentation ließen keine Wünsche offen.

Supermysigt ställe! Trevlig personal och väldigt god mat, ett måste om du är i Lübeck. Deras schnitzel med råstekt potatis, wow. Och deras crème brulée, WOW! Bland det godaste jag ätit.

Wow! They know how to cook!!! All was so good!

One of the best, if not the best, in Lübeck and the surrounding area.

Rundum sehr positiv. Aufmerksamer Service, leckere Speisen, tolles Ambiente. Obwohl ich es etwas unpassend finde am Abend in so einem sehr schicken Restaurant, mit sehr kleinen, überforderten Kindern essen zu gehen. Die Familienfeier war trotzdem gelungen.

Very good cuisine and service, unfortunately the daily recommendation was already sold out at 7:30 p.m. The replacement (Skrei) was also very cheeky. The seating is quite tight, but it's comfortable... Clear recommendation!

Am 02.02.2024 fanden wir gegen 18.30 Uhr in einem schmalen Gang zum Innenhof die Eingangstür zum VAI. Nach dem Öffnen der Tür musste ich einen mittelschweren Vorhang beiseite drücken, um in den Innenraum zu gelangen. Sofort standen wir in der Garderobe, die sich als schmaler kurzer Gang zwischen 2 Holzwänden in Türbreite darstellte. An diesen Wänden waren Haken angebracht, von denen einige unbrauchbar waren. An den anderen hingen zum Teil dicke Mäntel, bei denen wir als Gäste aufpassen mussten, dass wir sie aus Platzmangel nicht herunterreißen würden. Die Einrichtung war spartanisch und das Besteck lag auf dem "nackten" Tisch. Die Preise sind unangemessen. Zudem hatte meine Tochter in dem Curry-Dip zum Brot ein etwa EINEN ZENTIMETER großes Glasstück. Von der Bedienung kam lediglich ein profanes "Entschuldigung". Das ist wohl etwas zu wenig. Daher werden wir dieses Restaurant nicht mehr aufsuchen. Außerdem wurden wir laut Kassenbeleg von den (wörtlich) VAI-Mädels bedient. Der untere Teil des Beleges in auch nicht abgearbeitet worden (siehe Foto).

Four of us ate at Vai at the weekend because two of us really wanted to try lobster. The food is really delicious and the compositions are unusual. The prices are partly justified due to the quality. We didn't like the atmosphere. The restaurant was fully booked and so was the noise, but it would still be great if we could still have a conversation. I would have liked the service to be much more attentive given the price structure.

Wir kannten dieses Restaurant vom Sommer, als wir gemütlich im Hinterhof saßen und das tolle Essen genießen durften. Dieses Mal waren wir im Winter da und saßen an einem Tisch mittig im Raum vor der eingangstüre, nahe einer etwas lauteren Gruppe. Das war nicht ganz so schön. Wir würden dennoch jeder Zeit wiederkommen und dieses Restaurant empfehlen, weil hier herausragender Service auf phantastisches Essen trifft! Die Speisen sind traditionell mit einem Twist, der einfach immer gelingt. VAI ist unser Highlight in Lübeck.

Ich hatte das Vergnügen, mit meiner Frau das Vai in Lübeck zu besuchen, und unsere Erfahrung war durchweg herausragend. Wir entschieden uns für das exquisit zusammengestellte Drei-Gänge-Menü und wurden von der kulinarischen Reise förmlich verzaubert. Das Vai überzeugte uns durch die herausragende Qualität der Speisen. Jeder Bissen war eine geschmackliche Offenbarung, von der Vorspeise bis zum Dessert. Die Gerichte waren nicht nur kreativ in ihrer Zusammenstellung, sondern auch meisterhaft in der Zubereitung. Die frischen Zutaten und die raffinierten Geschmackskombinationen zeugen von einer hohen kulinarischen Kunstfertigkeit. Der Service im Vai war ebenso beeindruckend. Das Personal war äußerst aufmerksam, freundlich und fachkundig. Unsere Bedürfnisse wurden stets im Voraus erkannt, und es wurde dafür gesorgt, dass unser Abend ein unvergessliches Erlebnis wurde. Die Empfehlungen des Personals bezüglich Weinpaarungen waren treffend und rundeten das kulinarische Erlebnis perfekt ab. Die Atmosphäre im Restaurant war angenehm und stilvoll. Die dezente Beleuchtung und die geschmackvolle Einrichtung schufen eine warme und einladende Umgebung. Das Vai bewies sich als der ideale Ort für einen romantischen Abend zu zweit. Insgesamt kann ich das Vai in Lübeck nur wärmstens empfehlen. Es ist ein Ort, der nicht nur die Gaumenfreuden anspricht, sondern auch durch exzellenten Service und eine charmante Atmosphäre besticht. Ein absolutes Highlight für Feinschmecker und Genießer. Wir freuen uns schon darauf, dieses kulinarische Erlebnis zu wiederholen und können das Vai uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen.

Dejlig mindre restaurant med venlig og opmærksom betjening Maden er velsmagende og af god kvalitet. Vi fik tagliatelle med ragout og andelår med semmelknödel. Der kan være larm når der som i vores tilfælde er et selskab på 18 mennesker

Tolles Restaurant, mit leckerer Speisekarte, die viel verspricht… was aber wirklich von der Küche gehalten wird! Top 🔝🤩

Tolles Essen und sehr nettes Personal. Top

Schönes Ambiente und sehr gutes Essen, kann ich nur Empfehlen 👍

Das Essen ist gut und der Service sehr angenehm und freundlich.

Das Vai, gehobene Küche zu dennoch moderaten Preisen. Der Service ist super, die Bedienungen sind Super freundlich. Das Ambiente ist nett eingerichtet, leider ist es durch die Räumliche Gestaltung, ein wenig laut wenn viel los ist. Die Speisen sind Lecker und die Portionen nicht nur für das Auge, sondern auch für den etwas größeren Hunger geeignet.

Wir hatten Glück dieses tolle Restaurant an einem Montag (viele Restaurants geschlossen) gefunden zu haben. Spontan haben wir noch ein Plätzchen im ruhigen Innenhof bekommen. Eine kleine, feine Karte, sehr gutes Essen, der Service war auch gut. Klare Empfehlung und wir kommen sehr gerne wieder.

Tolles Restaurant! Super Service und das Essen schmeckt Spitze. Sind regelmäßig hier und genießen auch die Atmosphäre. Im Sommer auch ein gemütlicher Hinterhof. Super Weine. Absolute Empfehlung!

Lovely restaurant with outstanding cuisine. Top service and a nice variety of wine. We found it by chance and it's a 100% recommendation.

Super schöne und gemütliche Atmosphäre, aufmerksamer und herzlicher Service. Sensationelles Essen!! Rundum ein perfekter Abend, vielen Dank!

ein wirklich tolles Restaurant, in dem ich mich mega wohl gefühlt habe und der Fisch war unglaublich lecker ! Vielen Dank und bis bald ✨

Wir sind spontan vorbeigekommen und haben den letzten Tisch bekommen. Das Essen und der Service war sehr gut. Wir kommen definitiv wieder!

Super hat alles gut geklappt. Wird wohl mein Lieblingslokal.

Ich habe schon lange nicht mehr so gut gegessen, und der Service war toll. Ich kann das VAI nur weiterempfehlen.

Mein Mann und ich gehen hier des öfteren Essen und sind immer sehr zufrieden, werden sehr freundlich und zuvorkommend behandelt und bedient. Preis-Leistung steht absolut im Verhältnis zu dem, was einem dort geboten wird, vorallem wenn man bedenkt, wie hochwertig und lecker das Essen ist und was für eine handwerkskunst die Köche dort vollbringen. Die hier angegebene 1-Sterne Rezension ist absolut nicht nachvollziehbar.

Ein wunderschönes kleines Restaurant mit einer kleinen, aber spannenden und abwechslungsreichen Karte. Die Getränke haben mich besonders begeistert. Dafür waren die Desserts, die wir hatten, nicht unser Fall.

Vielen Dank für den herausragenden Abend. Wir waren im Rahmen eines Kundendinners im VAI und haben uns kulinarisch wirklich abgeholt gefühlt. Danke für den großartigen Service, sehr freundlich und lösungsorientiert. Wir kommen gerne wieder… Lieben Gruß Daniela

Außerordentlich leckeres Essen und gemütliche Plätze draußen

Delicious food, made in great taste. Place is cozy and nice, atmosphere is really friendly. It’s the best place for Mediterranean cuisine in Lubeck for sure. Definitely worth visiting

Hier werden Klassiker mit mediterranem Einfluss im gemütlichen Ambiente serviert (auch im kleinen Innenhof bei gutem Wetter). Man schmeckt die hohe Qualität der Zutaten und dass hier frisch gekocht wird. Überraschungen sollte man hier nicht erwarten, denn die Mischung aus bodenständigen und exklusiven Gerichten findet schnörkellos ihren Weg auf die Teller. Der Service ist nett und ungezwungen. Insgesamt bewegt man sich hier in einem gehobenen Preisniveau. In Lübeck sicher eine gute Wahl für einfach leckeres Essen

Erstmalig heute dort gewesen. Sehr netter Empfang und weiterhin während unseres Aufenthaltes zuvorkommender Service. Das Essen war sehr sehr lecker!

Ausgezeichnete Küche, sehr kompetentes Personal und eine super Weinkarte. Wir kommen gern wieder .

Nur zu empfehlen. Ein wenig nur das 'Gefühl', dass das Preis/Leistungsverhältnis nicht ganz hinhaut... aber das Essen + Wein : hervorragend. Evtl. mal für etwas "Dämpfung" im Raume sorgen, denn es erschien uns akustisch sehr laut zuzugehen, ein wenig störend schon, man sitzt quasi immer neben den Nachbarn, auch wrnn sie weiter weg sitzen....

Kleines feines Lokal... sehr leckeres Essen in super Produktqualität... kann man nur empfehlen...

Schon lange kommen wir hier esse. Und jedes mall ein Geschmack Erlebnis. Personal IMMER freundlich egal wie viel zutun ist! Essen da gebt keine Worte großartig ! Wein für jeden Geschmack ist was dabei Wir sind sehr gerne bei euch und bitte Bleibt so weiter hin!! Danke

Außergewöhnlich leckeres Essen und total freundliche und aufmerksame Bedingungen!

Einfach eins meiner absoluten lieblings Restaurants☺️Super Service, tolles Essen und lecker Wein immer wieder gerne ❤️❤️❤️

Nicht ganz billig zu Abendzeit aber klasse und hochwertiges essen

Absolut zu empfehlen. Sie haben eine exzellente Weinkarte mit vielen erstklassigen Tropfen. Das Menü ist perfekt aufeinander abgestimmt und wir verlassen das Restaurant zufrieden, aber trotzdem nicht zu schwer. Sehr aufmerksame Bedienung. Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt.

Wir haben sehr gut gegessen. Schöne Speisekarte und tolle Weine

Wir hatten einen richtig schönen, leckeren und entspannten Abend mit der Crew bei euch! Vielen lieben Dank!

Super nette Kellner und tolle Atmosphäre. Die Steaks haben sehr lecker geschmeckt - wir kommen wieder! Grüße aus Bremen

Maden var som sådan god, men i forretten var der en lille skrue som jeg viste til servitricen og hun fortalte efterfølgende at den kom fra ostehøvlen - men trods det fik vi “lov” til at betale fuld pris. Synes at der skulle de i det mindste ha trukket forretten ud af regningen. Yderligere var der ret køligt pga døren, selvom de prøvede at skærme af med et forhæng.