50 Best American Restaurants in Charlottesville

“Chef Yoder is incredibly talented. Unexpected food combinations that blew us away. Amazing wait staff and don’t skip the beverage pairing! Highly educated sommeliers on staff! It was just dinner, it was an experience that I haven’t stopped talking about weeks later!“

“We have had multiple weddings here and the team is wonderful. They are flexible, understanding, and very hard working. Great parking, amazing food. The venue was a modern and cozy vibe. Beautiful getting ready space. We cannot wait to be back.“

“Staff were very attentive and helpful with our food and beverage selection. When it got crowded, it got a little loud but you could still hold a conversation. T-shirts and goodies were cheap!!!! Parking was good. I'll go back when I visit!!“

“Great food and atmosphere!“

“My friend and I picked this place due to wanting to enjoy a rooftop while in Savannah. We shared a Caesar salad and each ordered a crab cake. Both were excellent. The crab cake has to be the best one I have ever had and I have had a lot of crab cakes. We agreed that it melted in your mouth. We split a delicious flourless chocolate tart for dessert. A great experience and good service.“

“There are so many fantastic restaurants in Charlottesville near the downtown mall; we’ve tried many but Tonic is our favorite because of the creative and fresh menu, delicious drinks and al fresco vibes. Our favorites are vegetarian creations like grits and Brussels, and unique special soups. Last night we tried a new appetizer with ricotta, apples and caramelized onions served with artisan sourdough (chef’s kiss)…“

“Beautiful views of the golf course. Definitely country club food but it was really good! Wednesday’s are trivia nights and it was fun to play. I was a guest at the hotel and walked and stumbled upon this grill. Nice for a quick casual meal with a view.“

“Really great service and the food was incredible. As a business traveler, I look for locally owned restaurants. I'll definitely be back in the future.“

“We had our rehearsal dinner at the Mill Room! All around a very positive experience. Brigitte was amazing from day one and was there helping us the day of get set up and get everything we needed. The indoor/outdoor space is adorable and was so perfect. We did the pizza, nacho, salad bar and it was amazing the guest loved it! Highly recommend for any small or large event. Birthdays, showers, receptions… we will host here again soon for sure!!“

“My husband took me here for our anniversary. service was top notch, and the food! OMG! I got the filet, he got the NY strip. I just can't say enough good things about the food and service. seriously, u will not be disappointed!!!“

“My favorite restaurant!! Great food, wonderful service.“

“Awesome food, really friendly and great service. We came for dinner before a concert and will definitely be back for brunch!“

“Used to go there in the late 1970s- best burgers in C’ville!!!“

“The music was off the chain, best local band I have ever seen and I’m 63, and haven’t had that much fun in a long time“

“always a great dining experience. great food. stellar staff“

“Service excellence. Perfect setting. Fantastic food. Everything was great“

“Ordered pizza for the first time from here today and it did not disappoint! So tasty, good price and will be my go to pizza place for lunch!“

“Performed with Soundnation Band of the Washington Talent Agency, and the hospitality was simply amazing“

“Great food, affordable drinks friendly staff.“

“My company has a weekly, company-paid lunch from the restaurants around town and we finally got it together enough to order from Rev Soup (we often have, but have recently grown to be big enough that planning with enough time to put in the order has become a bit more challenging). So this week, we ordered, I went to pick up, everything was great, and then I turned to leave with the order and TOOK OUT the top case of red wine stacked for display. Fortunately, there were only two bottles in that box and no one was in the splash zone. I stood there, stunned, as Nikki and the staff immediately sprang into cleanup action. I (of course) offered to cover the cost of the busted bottles, but was rebuffed. Nikki was just so kind (especially given my ridiculous lack of self awareness with a large order in my arms and it’s consequences, and therefore totally my fault). Of course, the food was excellent and exactly what everyone at work had hoped. Everyone should go forth and have Revolutionary Soup often, but watch out for the wine (or watch out for me anywhere near the wine)!!“

“Consistent great experiences at Jax’s! Whether we pick up or eat in. Friendly service & yummy food!“

“The burgers were excellent! Service was fast and friendly! Yum!!!! We live in Broadway VA and this will be our go to spot when in the area!!!!“

“Southern Comfort food at its finest at an affordable price. I highly recommend!!!“

“Great food. Beautiful outdoor atmosphere.“

“Excellent variety of beer, ciders, seltzers from local breweries. The food was awesome too!“

“After a long drive from NJ to VA it was great to have a relaxing dinner. I had the Root Burger; it was delicious. My husband devoured the fish & chips and my daughter was very pleased that grilled cheese was offered on the kids menu. Kudos to our server Wendy M. who was very professional, attentive, and kind.“

“Great food, excellent service. Shout out to Elizabeth! Nice selections of beers.“

“We really enjoyed our visit to Charlottesville and our stop at The Virginian. The food was a highlight of the trip! The barbecue pork sandwich was excellent, as were both the Caesar and house salads—fresh and flavorful. The Virginia burger with fries was also very good.

We were excited to try the Palmetto cheese burger and the Palmetto cheese sandwich, but unfortunately, they didn’t quite meet our expectations. They weren’t our favorites. The seasoned fries got mixed reviews—some of us enjoyed the bold flavor, while others found them a bit too spicy.

The root beer floats were a big hit—absolutely delicious! The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, which made the overall experience even better.“

“Good food, good price and good service! 💯% recommend!“

“The customer service was fantastic. The rooms were clean, food was good and the coffee was available 24/7, and the atmosphere was very nice. Want to give kudos to Michelle, Ila, Tee who were behind the desk for check-in/checkout on all three shifts because they deserve raises and acknowledgments. I have stayed in many hotels but this hotel has three of the best employees that I have ever seen as far as customer service goes. I would recommend this hotel 100 percent!.“

“Excellent Vegan selection. Separate vegan menu. Great atmosphere. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. The food was fresh and great. Will be first place we stop when we return“

“We had an amazing dinner with friends. Highly recommend this restaurant.“

“I lived 5 min next to this place for 10 years and had never visited because it was in a golf course (Pen Park). Then during Covid I walked by and realized just how idyllic the location, tables out in the open overlooking the fields, most under tent canopies and distant enough from the course, with an additional enclosed space with heaters. And the food is just classic American fare at its finest. The sandwiches are the best in town (I've tried the major contenders, Sierra's sandwiches are simply better--her melted cheese BLT is almost as good as my mother's! Can't say anything more because she's waiting for me up there :) ). Also wraps, quesadillas, burgers, salads, and much more. Good, fresh, wholesome ingredients. Great blueberry pancakes and french toast and omelets for brunch. Very good wine at very decent prices. Great staff. Music events during spring. Open all through the year. What more can you ask? This place should be packed. Great for kids and dogs also.“

“Awesome“

“I recently had the BEST SALAD of my life at Bizou (the roasted beet, mango + goat cheese salad!) It was a gorgeous Wednesday afternoon in summer, sitting in the lovely shade of a patio umbrella, a chilled glass of Virginia-made Rose wine…. A quintessential Charlottesville experience. I will definitely be back, and I highly recommend!“

“Great atmosphere and probably the best burger I’ve ever ate. I’m new to the area and was really looking for something special that reminds me of just home and I found it and more. A must to all the new travel nurses in the area.“

“Great place Even staff hang out there“

“Excellent restaurant. I would suggest the mahi mahi if it's on special when you go. I absolutely do not like fish but this was made so well I ate several bites of my mom's. I did have the burger and it was made perfectly. Our waitress was very attentive as well.“

“Nice atmosphere, great service, good food! What else can you ask for?!“

“Cool place. Great food. Excellent beer and liquor selection. Bartender excellent. Highly recommended.“

“Whether its for a breakfast burrito or my fav salad. Always delicious & 5 stars.“

“We had an absolutely incredible dining experience at Zocalo. The presentation and quality of the food were exquisite. We started with the gazpacho, a deliciously complex blend of flavors. The scallops were perfectly seared, the octopus delightfully tender, and the salmon expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection. My personal favorite was the passion fruit dessert. The staff were kind and extremely attentive, and Chef Will even came out to greet us and inquire about our meal. I can't say enough great things about this restaurant. You won't be disappointed by a visit to Zocalo. It is now, hands down, one of my favorite restaurants I’ve ever been to!“

“Delicious everything! My favorite was the baked tomatoes and it was the best coleslaw ever (I’m kind of a coleslaw snob). Great service to our school group that included special needs children and just a great experience!“

“No comments about the food, but, if you reserve a table you better double check. Yesterday was the second occasion when I had reserved a table for a special event and when I showed up on time I was told they were so busy and therefore had no table available. Not good business!“

“Is it too soon to say this is my spirit home? Probably but between the drinks and apps. This has been my favorite spot in Charlottesville. I got the Burn the Strega (get it, it’s amazing) and the Dirty old Man (?) both were the best and I kinda want to make them at home. And the bison tartare is to die for.
Love love love.“

“Great Bar and Grill. The real thing. Lots of locals, great food, service. This is what “Cheers” wanted to be. We found it through reviews and was close to hotel. We came back the next day for lunch. Great burger and beer. This is NOT a new place. Been here forever and looks like it I love it.“

“We can’t say enough good things about our experience at Duner’s! We had mixed drinks, appetizers, entrees, salads, soups and dessert. There were 6 of us and we all agreed EVERYTHING was delicious! Usually at most restaurants there’s at least one thing that isn’t as great when that much is ordered, but that definitely wasn’t our experience! We each tried a bite (or more) of everything that was ordered and we couldn’t have been more impressed! The only downside is the noise level, which unfortunately we contributed to a good bit, but the staff handled our larger party with grace and patience! The excellent food and service more than makes up for the noise. Highly recommend!!“

“wow!!!! just WOW! Who would have thought that was gonna be like that......WOW!“