An empty space has been transformed into a meeting! And eating venue! You order at a…read morecounter(Chipotle style!) and find a seat. We lived this because we sometimes have a large-and loud group! The food was better than we expected- And everybody was happy with their beer! Cold and lots of choices!!

Kardinal Hall hits that perfect Charlottesville sweet spot: great food, great beer, great people,…read moreand a space that feels both fun and thoughtfully designed. My Wahoo daughter brought me here during Family Weekend, and now I totally get why this place is a UVA favorite. The building itself is part of a beautifully restored historic industrial complex off Preston Avenue. It's an adaptive-reuse space (formerly part of the old Coca-Cola bottling works), and the design keeps that industrial character alive: tall ceilings, exposed materials, and a layout that feels open, social, and easygoing. The outdoor area is especially smartly done. They've got roll-down fabric walls and overhead heat lamps that keep the patio comfortable even when the temperature dips. It's basically an all-weather beer-garden vibe, and it works. Here's how our meal went down: * Shared starter: the Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel. Warm, soft, perfectly salted, and killer with both the mustard and the cheese sauce. * My entrée: the Local Steak Salad -- gorgeous presentation, tender grass-fed beef, and those pickled turnips, radish slices, and greens in herb buttermilk dressing absolutely tied it together. * My daughter's entrée: Bratwurst, which disappeared quickly, so that tells you what you need to know. Service setup is counter-service for food with table drop-off, and drinks are ordered directly at the bar. It's efficient, friendly, and gives the whole place an easygoing "European beer hall meets Charlottesville neighborhood spot" feel. Kardinal Hall is one of those places where good food, good architecture, and good energy all line up. If you're in town -- especially visiting UVA -- this is a must-stop.

I recently attended a wedding and reception here and it was centrally located at the Downtown Mall…read more The main floor was transformed into an anteroom to drop off gifts, cards, and sign in book, and then led to a curtained off section for the ceremony. The number of guests was about 75 and I think there's still ample room for 100. While I don't know what the venue provides, i.e. staff, equipment, etc, the Old Metropolitan Hall is a nice venue to hold your special event. Once the ceremony was done, we were ushered downstairs for drinks and hors d'oeuvres while the main floor was prepared for the reception dinner. The downstairs had a bar, dance floor, seating on the perimeter of the room and behind a door labeled Employees Only, were two rooms decorated as a library/sitting room. I believe the happy bride and groom used those sections as their staging area/dressing rooms. The whole downstairs area had a speakeasy vibe. Once the main floor was readied for dinner. There was a table listing the seating arrangements and there were several rectangular tables set up for eight. Everything seemed to flow well and the staff was very nice and were accommodating. I had a great experience and believe the bride and groom were also very happy with the outcome.

There is a profound transformation occurring in the service industry. My experience with this team…read morewas not positive. However, I understand the challenges they are facing. Other venues in Charlottesville include: 1. C & O on Water Street, two private rooms. 2. Hamiltons' First & Main, one private room. 3. The Clifton Inn has several nice private rooms. 4. The Jefferson Room at the Farmington Country Club is the ne plus ultra of lovely spaces in Charlottesville, and their events people are absolutely top notch. Food, drinks and service are excellent. Need a member to sponsor. 5. And if you are looking for a more rustic event, I highly recommend Cavalier Sporting Clays in Montpelier, VA (about an hour away). A wonderful day outside followed by a wonderful dinner. My recommendation for a caterer is The Catering Outfit. Communication and planning are just as important as the food, and they are exceptional at both.

What an amazing space; architecturally stunning! The wine coffee shop has these amazing…read more"pretzelants" (soft pretzel meets croissant) and cookies. On a nice day, you can sit on patio at several different styles of seating arrangements. If you time it right, you can see the train roll by.

The best this venue has to offer is it's ambiance in its expansive indoor and outdoor setting which…read moreoverlooks the river. It's a very cool industrial looking spot for food and drinks. They have a very efficient system of ordering on phones, though it does take away from the classic traditional aspect of restaurant service. With regards to the food, I was not wowed by it. The pricing didn't make sense to me. The factory fries which I think is the best thing on the menu that I tried so I recommend this dish if you are here for food, are around 15$. While the smash burger is 5$. A cocktail is 13$. Something seems off if fries are the most expensive dish ordered even if they are "loaded fries". The drink called "golden thread" if im not mistaken was delicious. If you like ginger then order this!! Overall, I cherished my time at this place.

Discovered the IX Art Park, well looking for quirky roadside attractions to check in my travels…read more Ended up visiting the Famous Butt Statue, and stumbled upon a Farmers Market Enjoyed the hip, electric vibe and checking the art work out as I walked through the farmers market. Ended up purchase a leafy lettuce plant, to grow my own lettuce and salad turnips.

Vegan Festival at IX Art Park, absolutely fabulous. A great day for a vegan family with vegan teens…read more& young adult to enjoy great food, shop companionate wares, and listen to music on the subject that matters most for our planet: veganism!! Good set up with a stage, lots of space for booths, indoor restrooms, grass areas, picnic tables, and even swinging benches in a gazebo. Tons of modern art installations to ponder. The location is a decent drive from home but totally worth it as "veg fests" near us have tended to be vegetarian which, no thanks. If this is an annual event, it's definitely going to be a tradition for me and my family . First time out here makes me excited for more C-Ville VEGAN FESTIVALS to come.

Me, texting Yelp friend/die-hard DMB fan Stephanie S., who doesn't live in Virginia or anywhere…read morenear Virginia: "I just realized the winery I'm visiting is actually owned by Dave Matthews." Steph: "OMG, you're at Blenheim!?" Suppose this spot has a reputation. I chose it at random based on photos of it, and it was the perfect scene for a chill early Spring afternoon. We were able to bring outside food in, and we split a flight in their gorgeous tasting room. Prices were super reasonable and their grounds are absolutely stunning. I really loved everything about my afternoon at Blenheim, aside from the drive home that passed a certain President's tacky fence line. Highly recommend this spot!

Avoid the crowds across the pasture from Trumps winery and enjoy this one…read more Enjoyed the late afternoon by sipping the Painted White - 2024 at Blenheim. Unfortunately, this winery only offered packaged cheese and crackers for purchase. Accordingly, the sea salt crackers and Colby jack cheese became the perfect accompaniment.

Following a long set of Dr appointments at UVA, my bride wanted skinny fries! We did some searching…read moreand found Sizzle Shack in the Dairy Market! The Dairy Market is so cool! Great food options, plenty of places to sit and enjoy the food! First time to Sizzle Shack and the lady who helped us was smiling and friendly! We got their deal with cheeseburgers, fries and a fountain drink. The fries were awesome!! Cooked to perfection! Same with the cheeseburger!! I don't normally get mayo on my burger but that is how they serve it, so I tried and it was great!! We were there in mid afternoon, so the market was not very busy. It was quiet and the air conditioning made it a nice respite from the 90 degree weather outside. Will definitely go back!!

This is a great place to go when you are from out of town and coming with a large group of people…read more There are a lot of good food choices here. I had the pizza and icecream, both delicious. They also have good arepas and a curry place and Japanese food. They have long tables where groups can sit and also outdoor seating. Parking is plentiful.

This was the best get away! My boyfriend and I stayed for 2 nights and it was the reset we needed…read more We got to bring our girls (dogs) who had a fantastic time! Daily walks down to the lake, a hike in the woods with the trailheads right on the property, close to "town" for good local food and cute shops (check out Bluebird & Co for cute clothes, accessories, and books!). I cannot recommend this rental enough. We will be back for sure!

We stayed here for a wedding that was on-site. The cabins are rustic, peaceful and quiet…read more Absolutely would visit again. We enjoyed not having service but being able to connect to the WiFi that was provided in the cabin if we needed to. Thank you Montfair for the gorgeous Mountain Views!

Stayed at the Draftsman Hotel in Charlottesville and had such a seamless, genuinely pleasant…read moreexperience from start to finish. Valet parking was easy and stress-free, which always sets the tone. Jeffrey was incredibly polite and helpful on the phone when I called to update my reservation and add my status--small interaction, but it stood out. Check-in with J was smooth and efficient, and Alister greeted us with so much warmth and positivity. You could really feel that the team works well together and takes pride in what they do. The room itself was comfortable, clean, and modern, with a lovely view that made it even more enjoyable. The hotel feels very well managed overall--everything just runs the way it should. Location is another huge plus--right near UVA and central to everything you'd want while visiting Charlottesville. Without hesitation, this is the best place to stay in Charlottesville. Highly recommend and would absolutely return.

The location of this place is prime, next to UVA's health system and walkable to the main campus…read moreand the nicer shopping and dining areas, as well as the train station (a relatively busy one). I had hoped that it would offer a high class experience, but it was just okay. The room had some minor aesthetic touches, but in substance was pretty standard. The entrance to the hotel felt a bit cramped, and the building seemed centered around the restaurant that didn't have much for me. The sheets caused some skin irritation, and I wish all hotels used the most hypoallergenic detergent available. From a service perspective, it was quite good. I was offered an early checkin and also took a late checkout, so I got a ton of time with the room. They also stored my luggage, including various baked goods, after I was done. So I got a lot of value out of the room. The question to me was how this hotel would compare to the others that are in downtown Charlottesville; would the experience be worth a bit more than the more standard Marriotts or various others. I was not convinced that it would be worth spending the extra money on.