Truly our favorite place to dine. The staff is attentive and kind. The drinks are phenomenal, and there is always room for dessert. Truly a shining little star in Charlottesville dining and it will be greatly missed. Thank you Little Star for doing the best at what you do.
Natasha
A lovely informal restaurant with sophisticated food. Nice atmosphere, good service, great cocktails. My only complaint is that the food portions are very small, tapas style. Prices seem steep for these quantities.
Trip60967588876
Second time to try or visit with same rude answers to standard questions about availability. Unsure on the food but not nice to deal with.
BBBBTravel
Very small portions. Most with meat and/or cheese. Potato croquettes were good. House wine quite pricey. Music a little too edgy.
Margaret E
We decided to check this place out as we love tapas. Generally we found the staff attentive, and the ambiance at the high top tables cozy.I loved how my sangria had one big ice cube that didn’t melt quickly to dilute my drink!We had mixed feelings about the food. It was good, yet it came across as very strong flavors and sauces that all seemed pretty similar between the Brussel sprouts and shrimp and potatoes rancheros. We like spicy, but everything seemed spicy and heavy.I prefer my pan tomato to strongly taste of fresh tomatoes and olive oil, but the blackened flavor of the bread overpowered everything for me. Some people like that chargrilled flavor and might enjoy it, but it was definitely far from my favorite.My companion thought the panna cotta was great. My chocolate ganache was also delicious but once again, the flavor was exceedingly rich and strong.We would probably return to try some different things on the menu, but the potatoes and dessert are the only things I’d order again!
je1058
I’ve walked past this unassuming place many times to go next door, to one of my favorite restaurants in C’ville, so one day I decided to stop in with co-workers and sit at the bar. The guy working bartender that night was decent and knowledgeable. Their menu is strictly on QR code. I had a tough time picking items to get as they had so many things that looked pretty good. Ultimately, I started with their watermelon salad – OMG, this was AMAZING!! The freshness of all the ingredients! The citrus flavors and the little bit of salty mixed with the watermelon, I mean it all came together absolutely perfectly!! I then moved on to their seared tuna and it too was outstanding! The bright flavors in the sauce were perfect and the tuna was cooked to perfection! They have a decent wine and cocktail list to offer as well. I like this watermelon salad so much that I came back the next day to get it again! I sure hope they keep it on the menu, I’d like to get it yet again when in C’ville next time. Definitely worth stopping in to give them a try!!
Annie Klyce
The food is incredible, wow!! I was positively blown away by this experience. To my surprise, I really enjoyed their style of dining - where every member of the party is recommended to order 2-3 dishes (2 is plenty) and then share - as it allowed us to taste nearly half the menu. We all managed to find a favorite by the end and are decidedly returning in the future. They were also very educated, helpful, and accommodating of allergies.The ONLY negative note I have is that the tables in the front of the restaurant are extremely noisy and it's hard to hear even someone right beside you. The front room is all concrete and glass, so sound just seems to reverberate. Otherwise, phenomenal.
Lamb S
The atmosphere is great, the food is good, the service is slow, and the staff is cold.The first thing you must know about this place is that the prices are terrible. I will be going into that but first I would like to set the tone of the dining experience that I had here.When we first sat down we were displeased to see that they have a little QR card you have to scan in order to view the menu.I asked for a physical menu because I have 3g data on my phone and the waiter tried to convince me to scan anyways. I told her that I did not have the data for it and she legitimately seemed put off by my saying so and she refused to make eye contact with me for the rest of the evening.The waiter also never checked in with us. Each time we needed something we had to look for her and ask her to come over.I understand that waiters aren't paid or treated well so normally I don't mention bad service, but my experience with that waiter was exceptionally uncomfortable.It's also not the first time we have seen the staff being rude here.The first time I ever stepped foot into this restaurant was a few weeks ago. I walked in so that I could ask what the hours were (I did not plan to eat there that day) and when I opened the door the entire staff rolled their eyes at me because it was time for them to stop seating.Now for the prices.The most negative aspect of this place is the absurd portions and how much you pay for them.All of our meals were very tiny.For our last dish- which was supposed to be the main course- we got two scallops for $20 and while they tasted nice and the ingredients were high quality they certainly were NOT worth $10 per scallop.At the end of the night my husband told me "even if the prices were half that, I still wouldn't eat there" and I agree.Anyways I sure hope that their kitchen staff is more competent than their wait staff because I ordered the beef tartar.
Nicholas Sutcliffe
I landed here after being turned away from another nearby restaurant. Wow! The staff were welcoming and friendly, and the vibe sophisticated, but down to earth. I had the smoked beets, where robust smokiness blends with horseradish in a silky smooth cashew sauce. It was a totally new blend of flavors for me and soooo good! I also ordered the tuna, which was equally amazing. I can't recommend this place highly enough; while the exterior comes across as understated, it ranks in the top tier of Charlottesville's family of fabulous restaurants.
K7451PNleew
You can do a lot better dining in Charlottesville than at this place. The food was not great, and the place was pretentious. I don't usually post reviews but was disappointed enough in my experience here that I thought people should know ...
This restaurant is really sub-par. The food is mediocre and the place is pretentious. There are many better places to dine in Charlottesville.
Riley Liljestrom
The cocktails were so good, then the food was even better. Every bite we had was incredible, and we can't wait to go back to try more. On top of it all, it's a fun atmosphere in a reconverted garage and the server was very friendly and helpful.
Nicole H.
In an old gas station! Everything we put in our mouths was off the charts good. We were headed to another reservation and Little Star was warm and inviting out of the cold rain. I will be back any time in Charlottesville.
Brent S.
Walked in this place for an early and small dinner to get the evening started, and it ended up being just what we needed! The interior smells like fresh burning wood, in which I absolutely loved! They have an open wood burning fire that you can see through the open kitchen concept. The menu prices were all a bit high, but we the drinks were fun/tasty and the food was interesting/delicious. The menu is created for sharing, so this place would be a great date night spot. We walked in and got lucky to have open bar spots. But the reservation sheet was full, so I do recommend getting yourself a resi.
Ken Acuna
Great place! This place was not here when I graduated from Darden but I wish it had. Stumbled on this place while researching places to dine for my engagement weekend trip with my partner. The waiter heard our news and gave us a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to celebrate. We tried a number of plates in spirit of the shared plates set up. My partner’s favorite plate was the manchego pan tomate and the baked potatoe. I tried some as well and it was quite tasty. I had the pear salad which was quite tasty for a healthier meal. I tried the mushroom tostada, which was good, except it was a little too spicy for our taste. For drinks, I had the Margarita with the mescal chaser and it was delicious! For my second drink, in the spirit of our celebration, I had the baltimore drink - incredible! Excellent decorations and I highly recommend coming here if you like Spanish/Mexican themed cuisine !!Also, I have many many food allergies and staff took the time to make me a personalized menu outlining my allergy-free options. Much much appreciated :)
Truly our favorite place to dine. The staff is attentive and kind. The drinks are phenomenal, and there is always room for dessert. Truly a shining little star in Charlottesville dining and it will be greatly missed. Thank you Little Star for doing the best at what you do.
A lovely informal restaurant with sophisticated food. Nice atmosphere, good service, great cocktails. My only complaint is that the food portions are very small, tapas style. Prices seem steep for these quantities.
Second time to try or visit with same rude answers to standard questions about availability. Unsure on the food but not nice to deal with.
Very small portions. Most with meat and/or cheese. Potato croquettes were good. House wine quite pricey. Music a little too edgy.
We decided to check this place out as we love tapas. Generally we found the staff attentive, and the ambiance at the high top tables cozy.I loved how my sangria had one big ice cube that didn’t melt quickly to dilute my drink!We had mixed feelings about the food. It was good, yet it came across as very strong flavors and sauces that all seemed pretty similar between the Brussel sprouts and shrimp and potatoes rancheros. We like spicy, but everything seemed spicy and heavy.I prefer my pan tomato to strongly taste of fresh tomatoes and olive oil, but the blackened flavor of the bread overpowered everything for me. Some people like that chargrilled flavor and might enjoy it, but it was definitely far from my favorite.My companion thought the panna cotta was great. My chocolate ganache was also delicious but once again, the flavor was exceedingly rich and strong.We would probably return to try some different things on the menu, but the potatoes and dessert are the only things I’d order again!
I’ve walked past this unassuming place many times to go next door, to one of my favorite restaurants in C’ville, so one day I decided to stop in with co-workers and sit at the bar. The guy working bartender that night was decent and knowledgeable. Their menu is strictly on QR code. I had a tough time picking items to get as they had so many things that looked pretty good. Ultimately, I started with their watermelon salad – OMG, this was AMAZING!! The freshness of all the ingredients! The citrus flavors and the little bit of salty mixed with the watermelon, I mean it all came together absolutely perfectly!! I then moved on to their seared tuna and it too was outstanding! The bright flavors in the sauce were perfect and the tuna was cooked to perfection! They have a decent wine and cocktail list to offer as well. I like this watermelon salad so much that I came back the next day to get it again! I sure hope they keep it on the menu, I’d like to get it yet again when in C’ville next time. Definitely worth stopping in to give them a try!!
The food is incredible, wow!! I was positively blown away by this experience. To my surprise, I really enjoyed their style of dining - where every member of the party is recommended to order 2-3 dishes (2 is plenty) and then share - as it allowed us to taste nearly half the menu. We all managed to find a favorite by the end and are decidedly returning in the future. They were also very educated, helpful, and accommodating of allergies.The ONLY negative note I have is that the tables in the front of the restaurant are extremely noisy and it's hard to hear even someone right beside you. The front room is all concrete and glass, so sound just seems to reverberate. Otherwise, phenomenal.
The atmosphere is great, the food is good, the service is slow, and the staff is cold.The first thing you must know about this place is that the prices are terrible. I will be going into that but first I would like to set the tone of the dining experience that I had here.When we first sat down we were displeased to see that they have a little QR card you have to scan in order to view the menu.I asked for a physical menu because I have 3g data on my phone and the waiter tried to convince me to scan anyways. I told her that I did not have the data for it and she legitimately seemed put off by my saying so and she refused to make eye contact with me for the rest of the evening.The waiter also never checked in with us. Each time we needed something we had to look for her and ask her to come over.I understand that waiters aren't paid or treated well so normally I don't mention bad service, but my experience with that waiter was exceptionally uncomfortable.It's also not the first time we have seen the staff being rude here.The first time I ever stepped foot into this restaurant was a few weeks ago. I walked in so that I could ask what the hours were (I did not plan to eat there that day) and when I opened the door the entire staff rolled their eyes at me because it was time for them to stop seating.Now for the prices.The most negative aspect of this place is the absurd portions and how much you pay for them.All of our meals were very tiny.For our last dish- which was supposed to be the main course- we got two scallops for $20 and while they tasted nice and the ingredients were high quality they certainly were NOT worth $10 per scallop.At the end of the night my husband told me "even if the prices were half that, I still wouldn't eat there" and I agree.Anyways I sure hope that their kitchen staff is more competent than their wait staff because I ordered the beef tartar.
I landed here after being turned away from another nearby restaurant. Wow! The staff were welcoming and friendly, and the vibe sophisticated, but down to earth. I had the smoked beets, where robust smokiness blends with horseradish in a silky smooth cashew sauce. It was a totally new blend of flavors for me and soooo good! I also ordered the tuna, which was equally amazing. I can't recommend this place highly enough; while the exterior comes across as understated, it ranks in the top tier of Charlottesville's family of fabulous restaurants.
You can do a lot better dining in Charlottesville than at this place. The food was not great, and the place was pretentious. I don't usually post reviews but was disappointed enough in my experience here that I thought people should know ...
Restaurantji Recommends
This restaurant is really sub-par. The food is mediocre and the place is pretentious. There are many better places to dine in Charlottesville.
The cocktails were so good, then the food was even better. Every bite we had was incredible, and we can't wait to go back to try more. On top of it all, it's a fun atmosphere in a reconverted garage and the server was very friendly and helpful.
In an old gas station! Everything we put in our mouths was off the charts good. We were headed to another reservation and Little Star was warm and inviting out of the cold rain. I will be back any time in Charlottesville.
Walked in this place for an early and small dinner to get the evening started, and it ended up being just what we needed! The interior smells like fresh burning wood, in which I absolutely loved! They have an open wood burning fire that you can see through the open kitchen concept. The menu prices were all a bit high, but we the drinks were fun/tasty and the food was interesting/delicious. The menu is created for sharing, so this place would be a great date night spot. We walked in and got lucky to have open bar spots. But the reservation sheet was full, so I do recommend getting yourself a resi.
Great place! This place was not here when I graduated from Darden but I wish it had. Stumbled on this place while researching places to dine for my engagement weekend trip with my partner. The waiter heard our news and gave us a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to celebrate. We tried a number of plates in spirit of the shared plates set up. My partner’s favorite plate was the manchego pan tomate and the baked potatoe. I tried some as well and it was quite tasty. I had the pear salad which was quite tasty for a healthier meal. I tried the mushroom tostada, which was good, except it was a little too spicy for our taste. For drinks, I had the Margarita with the mescal chaser and it was delicious! For my second drink, in the spirit of our celebration, I had the baltimore drink - incredible! Excellent decorations and I highly recommend coming here if you like Spanish/Mexican themed cuisine !!Also, I have many many food allergies and staff took the time to make me a personalized menu outlining my allergy-free options. Much much appreciated :)