Best Place in Charlottesville for service and a killer Steak! Unique decor with old UVA sports memorabilia! A Charlottesville Staple for a long time! read more

This steak restaurant is iconic. We have been going here for years. We love the personal service, and great food. We typically get the prime rib , medium rare and they always serve horse radish (which we like it raw) The shrimp cocktail is the best we ever get and we have been many fine resturants. Grant it the décor is dated, however, if it anit broke don't fix it. The only complaint is that we miss DAve the bar tender and Booty the waiter. The owners, however make you feel at home. We drive over an hour to get to this place, and it is always worth it!! Bill and Sally Koch read more

My husband and I were there several months ago with two of our best friends. We were celebrating there wedding. We had been there, but this was their first time. We were seated immediately and our waiter was fabulous. We ordered two different appetizers, cocktails and then dinner. Everything was great. We actually closed the restaurant down that night. As for it being to pricey, you get what you pay for. Our friends loved it and so do we. We have reservations for tomorrow night, can't wait and I don't even it steak. Sorry for everyone else's bad experiences. read more

Take a step back in time - without feeling like you are in some rundown cheap eatery. Feel the ambiance of a classy time gone by. Is that Don Draper sitting over at the bar having a Manhattan? Is that a piano bar, and I can actually have a conversation with the others dining with me, instead of hearing some loud music or dishes clanking? Was the service great? Food amazingly good. I hadn't been here in several years, and it was so enjoyable. An old-school restaurant that has retained it's sense of respect for dining. A full-course meal with wine was about $50, but I pay that at the trendy restaurants where it's more like a cattle call. I can't wait to return to Cville and will go again! read more

Just try the prime rib. It's like a little bit of heaven. The staff is superb as well. Unique, old-world atmosphere. Good place.

My husband and I were looking for a nice steakhouse to take my daughter and son-in-law to over the holidays. After much research, we chose Aberdeen Barn. We were overwhelmingly disappointed. 1) Dirty Seat and Poor Service - When we were first seated, my daughter's seating area had something nasty on it. She took her napkin and scrubbed for quite some time before she was able to get it clean enough to sit down on. During that time (say, three minutes) none of the staff seemed to notice, and if they did, they certainly didn't offer to clean it or re-seat us. 2) Dirty Wine Glass and Floating Cork - We ordered drinks and one of our wine glasses looked like it had not been cleaned. It had something dried and crusty on the outside and there was a piece of cork floating in the wine. 3) Escargot Appetizers - Two of us ordered escargot as our appetizer. I have eaten escargot in several countries, including numerous times in France. Sometimes it is very good and sometimes it's just OK. But here, it smelled and tasted fishy. That should never be the case. I did finish mine, but my husband stopped after two - he just couldn't get past the smell. 4) Drinks - Although our server was good about asking the three of us who were drinking alcoholic beverages if we would like another, she was very inattentive in refilling my husband's iced tea. 5) Cold Food - When our entrees came we were warned to be careful because the skillets were very hot. Indeed they were not. We could have held them in our hands with no fear of getting burned. Although our steaks and prime rib WERE each served the way we ordered them (rare and medium rare), the steaks themselves were barely warm. My husband ordered broccoli as his side dish, and even though it was cooked to a perfect crisp-tenderness, it was so cold that it would not even melt the butter he put on it. Now ... If this had been a Texas Roadhouse or Longhorn Steakhouse, the quality of the food and service would have been acceptable. But this meal cost us $255.90 WITHOUT tip. (That included six alcoholic drinks and four appetizers, but no coffee or dessert.) With the $45 tip it was a $300 meal for four. If the service and food had been great we wouldn't have minded paying that much. We knew before we went there it was going to be an expensive meal. As it turned out, it was also a very expensive lesson learned. Aberdeen Barn is positioning and pricing itself as an upscale steakhouse but delivers as a mediocre steakhouse chain. read more

Their prime rib is gigantic!! Aberdeen Barn is a decent steakhouse located right off of 29. It's a large restaurant with enough parking, usually, but waits can be long on busy nights. Overall, a good value for the hefty eater and friendly waitstaff. read more

Excellent steaks! Great cuts of beef...this is what you are paying for. Everything on the menu is a bit pricey, but I don't mind paying more for quality meat. The appetizers are excellent as well, with the exception of the shrimp cocktail. They charge $13.00 for it, and the shrimp isn't all that large, doesn't taste fresh, and doesn't seem to be cooked correctly. Strangely enough, one of the things that I enjoyed the most was the baked potato! It was the best tasting potato I've had in years. Almost had a sweet taste to it. Nice big size, as well. The salads are average fare, as are the sides. But who cares...it's the beef that you come here for! The wait staff is terrific....couldn't ask for better service. I would have given them five stars, but the prices were just a little too high all across the menu. Despite that, I'll be back for more great steak! read more

Salmon is incredibly dry! Basically tasted like a chicken; SO over cooked. Breadsticks (pretzel) and "cheese dip" was placed on our table and the "cheese dip" was cheezwiz!! Steak is good but nothing special. This place was just a dressed up, overpriced diner. Could get steak for just as good for half the price somewhere else! read more

Outdated decor bad location. Sat at the bar, service was good. I had steak and asked for rare but when the steak arrived it was medium well. My wonderful date ordered crab cakes which were good. This would be a good place for the simile crowd. The piano man was awesome. This would not be my first choice to go back to. Very pricey. read more

My food was prepared excellent and was delicious and the staff was very friendly

Place looks a little sketchy from the outside but don't let it deter you from trying it!! Food was phenomenal, service was outstanding. Steak melts in your mouth, baked potato with all you can handle bacon and sour cream toppings. My family will definitely be back, best steak place in Charlottesville!! read more

This place used to be *awesome* but feels tired and old and like they just aren't trying any more. Inside it's like grandma's house with a heavy, dated decor that hasn't been updated in decades. The service was good, although I had this funny twilight zone vibe that the waitstaff were trapped there and couldn't escape. The big disappointment that I see is a common thread among other posters is the decline in the quality of the food. This place used to be THE PLACE to impress or celebrate because the food was so good. Now they are just going through the motions cooking the food to temp and sending it out. My steak was slightly over-cooked, which I can tolerate but it was just so bland. There appeared to be no seasoning, no flavor from the grill, not even a little salt and pepper. The vegetables were steamed and lacked anything special - it's like some little kid just learned how to steam broccoli in the microwave. I can't go back and pay those premium prices until I hear rumors that things have improved. They have a lot of goodwill to get past this extended slump but it will need a fresh set of eyes for a little interior makeover and a head chef with some pride in his product. read more

Great environment, disappointing steaks. I like the old time feel of this place, just wish the food was as good. For the money the steak really isn't that good. My steak was overcooked and tough when it came out. read more

Food was very bland and unseasoned. I ordered the surf and turf. The steak was way overcooked and the size of hamburger slider. Less than three ounces. I was assured it was six ounces before cooking. Even the rolls were hard and unappealing. Never again. Over $100 for the meal and we returned to the room to eat cold pizza. read more

We ate here tonight, had Kathleen as our server. She was kind, knowledgeable (has worked there 30 years!) and attentive. Our food was excellent, we had several sides and desserts. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious. Next time we're in town, we'll be back and make sure we leave time for a full meal! read more

The service was great but the food is over priced for the quality. Our clams casino was over cooked and charred on top. The lobster bisque soup didn't have much flavor and very little lobster. Our steaks were also too charred on the outside which made it tough to cut and chew. The homemade salad dressings were awesome! read more

I went there recently and was frustrated to find that the 16 dollar lamb advertised on website was actually 36 in the restaurant. I had driven all the way there for that specifically so it was especially disappointing to learn the price was advertised wrong. It was very good but I feel like the restaurant should offer me a free lamb for being misled. read more

the service was excellent. The steaks were excellent. The crab cakes were deep fried and not very good. The atmosphere is very old and outdated. Over all a good evening read more

Disappointing. I'd heard good things about this place, so decided to take my boyfriend there for his birthday on Friday. The waiter was not friendly or attentive. Had to ask for water refill several times (tiny glass). Even though I called several days in advance to make the reservation and was assured of a small cake and candle for my boyfriend 's birthday, none arrived. The food was not the best- salad was not well tossed (dressing not evenly dispersed), crab cakes were greasy, steak was served in too much juice, and desert was fine, but uninspiring. read more

We went to this steakhouse expecting it to have a comfortable but yet have a elegant feel. This inside is a time capsule from the 1980s and felt like a Texas roadhouse. The service was okay (a little slow) and the food was good, but for 3 people our total was $150, which the food was not good enough for this price. After leaving we left people were trying to break into our car and then ran away upon seeing us. The restaurant is not in the best part of town making you feel a little uneasy. This whole experience was tainted because of all these reasons for which we are never returning. read more

First time visitors to Charlottesville, we could only rely on the online reviews to select our restaurant choice. At the time of our restaurant search, there were only 5 reviews. Since the overall rating was decent so we decided to give Aberdeen Barn a try. My dining experience led me to conclude that the other reviewers were indeed very kind. I ordered escargot for appetizer. It tasted terrible. It lacked the buttery garlic flavor expected. The saltiness made the dish tasted like it was from microwave to table. For main course, I ordered the prime rib with fresh broccoli for the side. The meat is decent, but nothing to write home about. Broccoli tasted bland with no flavor. I won't even comment on the restaurant décor. For the quality of the food, this place is definitely overpriced. read more

My girlfriend and I had one of the worst restaurant experiences ever at Aberdeen Barn. Don't bother ever going here. We were in Charlottesville for my birthday weekend and she wanted to take me to a good steak dinner. As others have commented here, the ambiance is really a pub, but there are nice(r) tables in the front of the restaurant. At the time we entered the restaurant there were maybe a total of 15 people in the entire place - probably 90% unfilled tables. You would think when the two of us walk in dressed up (my girlfriend in a beautiful dress and myself in a sport coat), they would seat us in the front, nicer area in which there were plenty of available tables. Instead, they seated us in the back bar area where it was freezing. I asked to be moved and they accommodated. Our waiter approached with his shirt untucked and offered to take our drink order. Given it was a special dinner, I decided on a nice bottle of wine - a $65 bottle. He came back to notify me they were out of this particular selection. I asked if we could have the next highest priced wine ($85) for the same price as the wine I originally ordered. NOTE: I have made this request numerous times at restaurants and every single time they have agreed. Our waiter came back and indicated they would not meet our request. I asked to speak to the manger. The manager was incredibly unpleasant. I kindly told him that it was my birthday and we would like the $85 wine for $65. A pleasant response would have been, "well, happy birthday! I'm sorry we can't accommodate your request, but we'd be happy to throw in a dessert." Something to that effect. Instead he said, smugly, "we can't do that, I can give you a couple bucks off, maybe $5." I proceeded to let him know that we were willing to leave the restaurant based on our bad experience to date and he said, "go ahead." So we left. I understand restaurants operate on thin margins, but a restaurants goal is butts in seats and when patrons are seated, ensure they have a very pleasant experience. The manager at Aberdeen Barn did not meet either of these goals and left our money to be spent elsewhere. In particular, we spent over $300 at the Downtown Grille which was a vastly different and very pleasant experience. read more

Prime rib is excellent. That's what keeps this review from 1 star. But let me jump to the main oddity that none of the other reviews seemed to talk about. The Aberdeen Barn has an unexpectedly racist vibe. Almost all the servers and employees are black men. This would not be an oddity in a place like Mel's Cafe or a soul food restaurant in Chicago. "Oh, maybe this is a black-owned business?" Nope. "Oh maybe it's just the night you went in there?" Nope, it's been this way from the first time I went in there until the last time, after which I decided to stop going because it made me uncomfortable. So...what am I to conclude about a place that has a bunch of black men serving you you in semi-formal black and white uniforms? It looks a little plantation-ish to me. And the whole Virginia barn decor does not help this. I'm willing to allow that maybe there's some story behind this that I don't know. The servers there don't act any differently than any other servers at other places. But to have such a stark pattern that is so different from every other restaurant in Cville is surprising. Other restaurants, be they Chick-Fil-A or Hamilton's, have a racially diverse crew of employees. read more

I've been a meat and potato guy since I was a kid and Aberdeen Barn never disappoints. The prime rib is my favorite dish and the lamb chops are also delicious. read more

So excited to have a steak cooked over real charcoal as NOTHING taste better. Upon arriving, asked the Host if the steaks were really cooked over charcoal, he said yes then when the waiter came to our table I also asked him. Received an OVEN BAKED FILET...pail in color with no grill marks and no charcoal flavor AT ALL. Don't go! read more

Great place to go with a big group or a date night with your significant other. Family feel with the wait staff most have been there for years. I strongly recommend! read more

I'm not sure it's possible to be more disappointed in our meal, especially considering the cost (almost $100 without any drinks). The steaks were dry and without flavor, the potatoes were unseasoned, and they even charged extra fora Caesar salad. My "large" Filet Mignon was less than an inch thick and less than flavorful. I would not recommend this place to anyone who enjoys great food. Charlottesville has lots of great restaurants, go find one other than the Aberdeen Barn. read more

just left, great food, great service, uterly disgusted with a table of potential football players getting as free meal from UVA and there , i guess you could say coach,, who sat in a seperate room as these animals ruined everyones dinner with loud , loud , loud behavior. They should be taking notes as after there short lived football careers they will be working there wahing dishes. Pathetic this is who UVA invites for a tryout. Had to vent but it does feel good. UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER read more

The food here is very good. Service is very good. It had an old time steakhouse feel with old time service. It is pricy so I will only eat here on special occasions. read more

This place is old-school and on the surface might seem a bit pricey. But the quality is excellent and the value is exceptional. Two of us shared a large prime rib for $35 and were served a huge slab of meat that we couldn't finish. It was fork-tender, perfectly cooked, flavorful, and melted in your mouth. It came with fresh grated horseradish that was the perfect compliment. The homemade dressings were outstanding and the service was attentive. Don't let the location and appearance of the place fool you. These people know beef. read more

While on vacation in Charlottesville, we decided to give the Aberdeen Barn a try. While the hostess was very accommodating by finding us a table with no reservation, I can't say the same for the wait staff. Our waiter was very abrupt and never once checked back to see if our meals were OK. The food was good but way overpriced. It was advertised at $30 and under and most entrees were between $30 and $50. The decor was very rustic and not in keeping with the pricing. We plan on revisiting Charlottesville but not this restaurant. read more

Steak was great. Not a place to celebrate a special occasion. We told the Restaraunt we were celebrating 55 and 65 birthdays, a really big deal. Plus we were celebrating our 35 anniversary. They could care less, not even a single happy anything. Don't waste your time, there are to many restaurant that are anxious to help you celebrate those very special occasions. We will not go back to Aberdeen barn in either of their locations. read more

3.5 stars for great ambiance and good food. When I entered the restaurant, I was immediately immersed into the classy ambiance of the restaurant created by minimal lighting and semi-antique decor. There is a plenty of space in the restaurant and the tables are separated enough to not be able to overhear conversations at other tables, which I thought was great. Once seated, they first bring out unsalted-pretzel-like bread sticks that you dip into their own tub of soft cheddar cheese. I thought the cheese dip was very unique and addictive, and apparently you can buy the tubs to bring home with you! Salad comes out with different dressings, so you can choose with what and how much you want to dress your salad. I ordered the Delmonico medium with barn potatoes on the side and thick steak came out well-rested. Taste wise, I thought the steak was pretty good, but not great. Overall, I had a pretty good experience here, and I would definitely come back for the ambiance. read more

The steak (prime rib roast) was bland. The potato was the best part. The raw horseradish is a little weird, but to each his own. They include pretzel sticks (hard, not soft) and overly processed cheddar cheese. I also ordered the chocolate truffle cake with ganache and was underwhelmed. It's not the worst, but I've certainly had much better for the same price. read more

We had the worst service at a nice steak house that I think one could ever have. I can't even tell you the waiters name as he only came to the table 2 times. One steak was over cooked. We were never asked if we wanted refills. We had to ask for a waiter after sitting for about 15 mins and no one showing up. What a disappointment when you get the $160 tab. Won't go again. We have been here before and were looking forward to treating our daughter and her fiend to a nice steak dinner. Not worth the money for sure. read more

Good prime rib and wedge fries. Outdated decor and definitely not cheap. Service was nothing more than adequate.

My family and friends loved their steaks. I had the seafood and I was not impressed. The scallops were not cooked correctly, they appeared to have been cooked in a broiler not a pan because they were overdone and stuck together on one side, not cooked on the other. The swordfish was overcooked and fairly dry. Go there for steaks, but avoid the seafood. Also yelp should show their price range as $$$$. Quite pricey, decent service. read more

Steak too charred and tasted burnt. Lobster tail very tough. Rolls not even warm. Server was great but the person helping the server took our sour cream/bacon bit caddy from our table and put it on another table for immediate use. Yuck. That can't be within the health law requirements. It's open and exposed ...someone could use the spoon on their already eaten food or put the spoon in their mouth and put it back. It was about 130.00 per couple. We are used to paying $100 - 140.00 to dine out but we expect better. We won't return. Oh the place needs a decor update! read more

I have been coming here since college and highly recommend it if you are looking for anything beef, particularly the prime rib. It is a relaxing place with classic decor and an experienced and attentive staff that does a good job making everyone comfortable. The non-beef entries are OK but they are not the specialty here. They bring rolls, bread sticks, and cheddar cheese before the meal which is nice. read more