Let me tell you what I wanted: Country food, a comfortable seat, and a minimal decline in the contents of my wallet. I got all of those things. The prices are good, the service is quick and comes by often with refills, and I came with a big party and we had no problems even in a full restaurant. If meat isn't your thing there are a ton of seafood options. If that isn't your thing either, they have a veggie plate. I plan to get the beans and greens next time I go, in fact. I was pleasantly surprised. Some of the other reviews gave a decided "meh" to their trips, but my first experience on a cold Sunday afternoon will have me going back soon. read more

Seemed to have a decent atmosphere, but the food wasn't that impressive. Had the black and bleu burger - won't do that one again. Waiter was ok. Not the fairest trial as there was some sort of halloween party going on. I'd go again, but not my first choice. read more

This place was super busy when we arrived on a Sunday afternoon but they seated us fairly quickly. Everyone was friendly. Our waitress was very nice. She periodically forgot things and took a while to refill our drinks but I'll chalk that up to it being busy. (The food did seem to sit for quite a while after being plated before it was brought over to us) The food was good and the menu had very good choices. (My only complaint is that the Monte Cristo is nothing like a Monte Cristo and really should be renamed.) The decor is dated but tasteful and didn't bother me one bit as the place has been in business since the 1940s and I love that they've kept it authentic. Everything was clean including the restrooms. It has a very cozy, family friendly vibe. I highly recommend! It's also super convenient to the highway and they have a good amount of parking. read more

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This restaurant is an old school gem! It's been there since 1948 and this was my first visit! I had lunch there today! The place is clean and I mean clean to the point when you open up your napkin, the silverware had no water spots and you know they hand dried the utensils! I ended up ordering The Cavalier Club with spicy mustard in place of the mayo ... OUTSTANDING! My side was the vegetable medley which was delicious! Tea was freshly brewed and was always topped off without asking! Only downfall ... I was too late for the cheesecake ... they had sold out by 1:30pm. I will be back and probably order the cheesecake first! ;-) read more

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It has been a while since I dined here and I am so disappointed that the Scallops Mornay are no longer on the menu. They were an unusual treat, and a nice alternative to the usual fare. I was told that they are not available, which makes no sense, since Kroger sells them. I was also told that they are too expensive, but are worth the cost, I think. But Creme Brulé is still available and nowhere else in this area, as far as I know. Amherst is fortunate to have this place to come home to. The bar is very loud though,,,,,,yikes! read more

I don't know what has happened since last year but it isn't positive. The food quality is as inconsistent as the service. The wait in the lobby to get noticed by the half dozen staff that look at you and never acknowledge you, is excessive. The wait to be noticed by a server once seated is also excessive. If you luck out and get to order the wait on the food is excessive. This has become the norm, sadly. Sprinkled between these lackluster experiences you might get lucky enough to get seated, waited on and served your food as you ordered it and you might have hope for this place. But that's not the norm. They are anything but consistently on the ball. The food is hit or miss. When it's a hit it is good, especially the steaks. When it is bad it is really bad, including the steaks. The salads are awful. What restaurant messes up a salad? Please add actual salad greens to your salads. It's dark, dingy, outdated and loud. Those are the only things that are consistent. You really want to love this place and see it succeed. You just wish they did too. read more

Good solid food and great service. We shared the spinach app and it was as good as anywhere we've been. I got the burger with blue cheese and it was perfectly cooked and very tasty. Would definitely go back if we visit Sweet Briar again. read more

What an Amazing place! We stopped in for lunch and was so glad we did. We were greeted and seated quickly. Olivia, our waitress, was exceptional. She took our drink order and gave us time to look over the menu. She gave great suggestions and placed our order. The food arrived hot and was presented beautifully. My Waist Line chicken dish was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The broccoli was delicious as was the Caesar salad I had in place of the cottage cheese. Definitely a MUST visit! read more

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Love this place. Great selection of foods and the service is friendly, fast and accurate. If we lived closer we'd be frequent customers! read more

Briar Patch Restaurant - Bar area - American Near Me - Amherst, Virginia

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This was my first visit to this classic restaurant. It was a Sunday lunch reservation for a table of eight, and the restaurant was busy. It still took some time to be seated, as our party of eight arrived between 12:30 and 1:00. Half of our group stayed outside on the porch. While inside it was standing room only We were finally seated around 1:30, which was fine and understandable given the number of people at this dinner. They do have a full-service bar, which is greatly appreciated while you wait. The Margaritas on the rocks were very tasty and refreshing. The Menu is extensive with so many tasty items to choose from ;Steaks(Filets), Crab Cakes Seafood,burgers , Salads, soups with all your favorite sides. They have several dessert items if you have room for them. Even with a full house the service was quick with pleasant servers . The entire staff was great read more

We had a fantastic server -- Hailey. She helped us choose our meals and sides -- she gave us thoughtful responses & descriptions in response to questions like "how is the mac & cheese made" and "what's the best dessert?" She did not even pause at our many questions and requests for suggestions and was very accommodating when we asked for things like 'no bacon on the potato skins' and 'ice cream on the side' for our derby pie. We ordered two rounds of appetizers and added beverages in stages -- she ran with it. "I got you," she said -- always with a big smile. I should add that we were a table of six and we walked in without any kind of reservation. We were warmly accommodated. Speaking of derby pie, it was DELICIOUS. The honey bun cheesecake looked and smelled so good that we ordered a second one to go. We all enjoyed our meals. The French Onion Soup and the Chicken Marsala were both particularly good. There were high praises for the fried spinach, the battered French fries and for the crab-stuffed mushrooms, too. A couple of suggestions: the fried green tomatoes needed more remoulade sauce. The Caesar salad is delicious, and our server made sure we knew that the dressing was not a traditional Caesar dressing, but we thought maybe that should be explained on the menu. The salmon portion was very small. Hailey was extremely attentive and very kind, knowledgeable and pleasant. She helped us make decisions about what to order, and clearly wanted us to enjoy our meals and our experience. Thank you, Hailey! You made our day! read more

Great atmosphere! Food was good, I had the cheese steak. It was ok, really enjoyed the spinach dip. My wife had the French onion soup and 1/2 club sandwich. She enjoyed it and would order again, We'll be back. read more

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I use to frequent this restaurant 30 years ago. I recently brought my teenage son here and he loved it! The food choices are great, and it's like home cooking in a restaurant. Everyone is very friendly! read more

Ordered a $35 ribeye, I received an unseasoned poor quality breakfast steak. Then it was covered with deep fried onions to hide the fact . It was also cold the meat and potato! They took the tomatoes out of the salad!? The time before this I ordered prime rib blackened and it was also poor quality , very over cooked and chewy. This use to be a great place to eat I don't know what happened but I won't ever go back! read more

Greek salad was top notch. Mac & cheese excellent.great lace to stop if traveling along US Route 29

My father and I ate here. He got the fajita salad and I got the old fashioned cheeseburger, and we split a slice of derby pie. We both rate them 10/10, absolutely delightful food and experience. I would highly recommend eating at this lovely small business. Also, best sweet potato fries I have ever had. read more

Beautiful place to enjoy a nice meal! When it comes to the food it gets even better! When I went it was hard for me not to want everything on the appetizer/munchie section as they call it. Which led to me ordering hush puppies, cheese fries, jalapeño poppers, and the chicken quesadilla. Everything was great even their dipping sauces that came with them. Which included ranch, sauce for the poppers, and a sauce for quesadilla. I tried the chicken fajita omelette meal with fried potatoes, fresh fruit, and a roll that made me even more impressed. The only thing that could have been better was their roll. The omelette with a dipping sauce , potatoes that were cooked just right,and their fresh fruit made up for the roll! Ordered a tea which was also great. I was lucky enough to get Haley and was taken care of very well! Awesome place and excited to go back! read more

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BPR is one of Amherst's staple restaurants fueled by word of mouth, not their website. Ample food choices, perhaps too many...because quality can waver. FOH Team was young and energetic. Prices can easily creep up your final bill. Worn wood is the primary theme; casual. Worth a visit. read more

Stayed nearby and wanted to get brunch after checking out of our hotel. Food was fantastic. Service was great. Definitely recommend it.

bartender refused to take food orders because he was busy and didn't want to deal with it on a Sunday. the hostess said "he gets like that sometimes" read more

Great The oysters are perfect, bake potato is amazing and the slaw is awesome, it has a unique flavor we can't figure out! read more

Definitely stop by if you're in the area! A total gem. We got the hushpuppies, Greek salad, seafood pasta, crab dip, and the derby pie and everything was absolutely delicious. I truly believe there isn't a bad item on the menu-- everything looked super tasty. Above all, though, I'd reccomend the hushpuppies. We were served by Holly and she was totally awesome. Super kind and accommodating and advised us on the best menu items. The whole restaurant is cozy and well decorated. Definitely a must-see in the area! read more

I hope they just had an off night. I have eaten there for years without a problem but tonight it was sad. My crab cakes were burnt as was my daughter's medium rare steak and sweet potato fries. Creamed spinach was mostly cheese and very little spinach. My grandsons shrimp were not very good. Prime rib and baked potato were cold. Spinach salad was great. read more

Great experience. My 6 year old, as we were leaving, said "Can we come back here tomorrow?!" His place is a great find! The menu is massive with something for everyone, and the kids menu has a good selection. The service was wonderful - attentive but not annoying, friendly but not intrusive. Our meals were delicious. They came out very quickly, and everything was well prepared. The kids were offered Jello and Cool Whip for dessert, for free. Five stars for this place! read more

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Exceptional food. Great service. Highly recommend. Fresh food. Delicious. Perfect portions.

Lovely restaurant with impeccable service. The waitress was so good, efficient and friendly. She was definitely the highlight of our experience. The food was delicious. read more

Wonderful Food,Service Good, Ambiance and on Wednesday usually have entertainment.. The Dining Room is the side to sit on for Date Night if you want to talk not as much noise. read more

Crab stuffed mushrooms with the special salad. All I gotta say because that is all I ever eat there. Fantastic! My husband has had pastas and burger. It is definitely a favorite spot for lunch when we are in Amherst. read more

Best French fries excellent Ruben great service just a neat place to eat . Service was fast relaxed atmosphere good place for family, reunions family fun read more

The service was amazing, wish I could remember our servers name because she really made the experience. The four of us at the table each had something different, fish tacos, steak sammich, French dip, grilled cheese...you can't go wrong if you order any of these items. We visit Amherst often and can say with most certainty that we will be back. read more

Must have been an off day, but this was one of the worst lunches I've ever had. I had blackened catfish tacos. We waited 45 minutes for raw fish in my tacos and my husband's Reuben was COLD and no cheese. His bread was toasted crunchy on BOTH sides, but the meat was completely cold! Hmmmm....not how you make a Reuben . Never going back. read more

This place is simply fantastic. My family and I stopped in to break up a very long drive through terrible weather. We were promptly greeted and seated and our food came out pretty quickly. Our server, Katie, was amazing. Very friendly and attentive and made us feel very welcomed. The French Dip and "Katie's Chicken Tacos" were delicious and the smash potatoes were perfection. Definitely stop in if you're in the area, it's a solid choice! read more

Great little local spot with a wide selection of food and great variety of beer. My daughter and I were visiting for a campus tour of Sweet Briar and wanted to try some of the local restaurants. We stopped here for an early dinner and were greeted and seated straight away. There isn't a huge vegetarian selection, but were used to that at non-chain restaurants. She was still able to find something that interested her. We weren't rushed and our ice water was kept topped off. She ordered the Pasta Primavera with the Parmesan sauce. I went for the chicken tenders and sweet potato fries with honey mustard and ranch. The portions of both dishes were huge and neither of us could finish. We were given carry out boxes including containers for my dipping sauces. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone visiting or passing through. Reasonable prices, hot and tasty food, friendly service. read more

Briar Patch Restaurant - American Near Me - Amherst, Virginia

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Soooooo good we went back, 3 times!!! Awesome service and fantastic food! Better seafood than in San Diego! read more

Briar Patch Restaurant - a plate of food - American Near Me - Amherst, Virginia

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Been here a handful of times and always find the food, timing and service great! Most recently Janie and I stopped in on our way back from the balloonfest in Statesville, NC. Started with the fried green tomatoes... that were hot hot hot, and decent. I had a fancy burger like with onion fries and blue cheese maybe? I loved it, it was great. She had something like mushrooms in cheese maybe? and just loved it! Portions were big, we both took doggie bags home. Definitely a don't miss spot if you're through here on 29. To be honest, it could be a destination spot, especially as I understand they have seafood or prime rib special nights... Bet that's good! Anyway, enjoy... read more

Briar Patch Restaurant - people sitting at tables - American Near Me - Amherst, Virginia

Organized chaos at this restaurant! Food was incredibly good. Had the French Dip sandwich, and it truly was the best one I have ever had. The French onion soup was good, and the fettuccini Alfredo was equally excellent. Make it a point to stop here and eat, you will not regret it. read more

Have been very disappointed last 2 times at this. Last night ordered skirt steak, it was so salty it wasn't edible due to the marinade. My partner ordered seafood platter with oysters and scallops. The oysters are always over cooked and the scallops undercooked. We mentioned to waitress, she was polite, said she'd tell the kitchen but they don't care. There's no manager present apparently currently. The owner is local but not present in the restaurant. If you go don't order an expensive meal you will be disappointed and no recourse. Add to poor food is prime rib, tastes like it's bought precooked and just heated up, it's disgusting. Sadly this has gone downhill recently. read more

Great food.... huge selection/options... great bar Highly Recommend Wilson Blanchard read more

I was in the mood for some really good French Onion Soup and my husband said it sounded good to him too. I had looked at the menu for the Briar Patch restaurant and the picture of it looked really good so we chose to come try it. Plus some said it was good. We weren't disappointed! It was delicious!! Lots of delicious caramelized onions full of flavor and yummy, gooey cheese melted on top of a small piece of bread. You know it's good when my husband uses his finger to get the last bit of cheese left on the edges he can't get off with the spoon and then inspects my bowl to see if there's any on mine he can get. They had a special on their crab cake sandwich $11, so we both ordered that as well. It came with ranch style potatoe wedges and some ranch dressing on the side. It was good. It wasn't lump crab but definitely backfin crabmeat and plenty of it with some flavoring. Then a nice light, crispy coating and lightly fried. One of the better crab cakes we've had so far in this area. For dessert we shared a piece of their Derby Pie. Like a yummy, warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream on top and drizzled with chocolate sauce. We both enjoyed it. Don drank a Pepsi and I had their house made sweet iced tea which was perfect because it wasn't too sweet. I look forward to coming back and trying other things on their menu. Our waitress, Brittany, was nice and efficient. They were busy when we arrived but everything came out within a reasonable amount of time. I think considering all we ordered the total bill before tip was reasonable too ($46.12). I'd like to add that the ladies restroom is extremely handicap friendly with the handicap stall nice and wide to accommodate wheelchairs and even the sinks a wheelchair can roll right up to it making it easy to wash their hands. You don't often see that. Also the large booth we were seated at could accommodate a wheelchair at the end possibly. Easy entrance and all wood floors too. #barrier read more

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I've been here quite a few times and am never disappointed. Get the black and bleu steak salad, you won't regret it.