Chose this restaurant for a Mother's Day dinner and it was a hit. The place is hip and inviting…read more Happy hour till 6 on a Sunday was an unexpected surprise. The service was excellent and the food was incredible. We had a full meal from drinks to appetizer to desert and it was all fabulous. I'd love to go back again and again to try everything on the menu. They also had beautiful outdoor seating which is mostly covered and looked really cool as well.

Mockingbird came highly recommended, so we arrived expecting a special dining experience for our…read moredaughter's 20th birthday. We even drove 3.5 hours to meet her there. We had 5:30pm reservations and were seated immediately. The host was warm, acknowledged the occasion, and honored my request for a quieter table by placing us in a bay-window nook. Unfortunately, that's where the positives ended. The space echoed so badly we could barely hear each other, and the setting sun combined with the AC being accidentally turned off made the area feel like a sauna. Our water glasses were filled within minutes, so we thought service would be smooth. Instead, we sat for another 15 minutes before anyone greeted us--while a table seated after us was helped promptly and served at a noticeably faster pace. I understand large parties require attention (there was a group of 10-12 nearby), but as a former server myself, I've never allowed smaller tables to feel forgotten. When our server, Lucian (sp?), finally arrived, we immediately placed drink and appetizer orders because we were already starving. The appetizers came out about 20 minutes later--still before our drinks. The brussels sprouts were excellent and worth the wait. The biscuit basket was good, though the butter-to-biscuit ratio felt off, and the apple butter was surprisingly delicious. Our entrées didn't arrive until at least 45 minutes after that. The pacing was simply poor, and we consistently felt like an afterthought. While our server was polite, he didn't initiate conversation, offer suggestions, mention happy hour, or acknowledge our daughter's birthday. He didn't even suggest dessert. Meanwhile, the six-top behind us--seated well after we were--was wrapping up their meal as ours was just being served. The food presentation was beautiful. The pot roast, however, was underwhelming. It lacked seasoning and sauce, and the vegetables were forgettable--very few potatoes, no carrots. "Not your normal pot roast" was accurate, but not in a good way. The shrimp and grits were excellent, with great seasoning and a flavorful sauce. The salmon was moist and well-prepared, though it still had a few scales on the end of the filet. Once we finished eating, we again waited for our server to return. We eventually had to wave him down for boxes and again to request the check. Parking in the back was convenient early in the evening, though I imagine it becomes difficult later. Would we return? Unfortunately, probably not. We've been treated better, served more efficiently, and appreciated more fully at other restaurants--including one almost directly across the street. What we hoped would be a memorable celebration ended up feeling ho-hum at a high price--too high for the experience we received.

Went to the Southern Cafe to see Will Johnson and Magnolia Electric Co. The music hall holds about…read more300 people with only a few places to sit. The ambience was pretty nice. Service at the bar was great - we didn't eat so I can't say much about the food.

Located within Charlottesvilles downtown mall tucked tightly down a stairwell. The Southern is…read moredefinitely a local venue with soul. The bar is wine and beer only, Which is fine. They have lots of options, and some local taps. Who needs liquor, am I right? (Although, there's a few bars nearby If you're so inclined to grab a stiff drink before) I went to hear Joslyn & The Sweet Compression with Michael Coleman (Free Union). The set was great, all I can say is follow them. True talent.

Excellent food and good cocktails. Their indoor space is really cozy and was nicely decorated for…read moreChristmas.

I posted this revues on Google and also sent an email to the restaurant explaining how frustrating…read moreour experience was. They neither responded to my email nor the review with any sort of explanation or apology which suggests that they don't really care. So I'll share this on Yelp too so others are aware of their poor customer service. We visited this restaurant with a group of seven and were excited to try it, especially because the outdoor seating area looked like a great spot for dinner. Unfortunately, the experience ended up being very disappointing. Service was extremely slow and disorganized from the start. About 15 minutes after ordering, a different waitress brought food to our table that we hadn't ordered, then quickly took it away without much explanation. From there, things only got worse. Our meals came out slowly over the course of 30-45 minutes, just one or two plates at a time, with no communication about the delays. Our four-year-old waited nearly 45 minutes for a simple order of fish sticks. Even basic service was lacking. We had to ask multiple times for something as simple as an apple juice refill, and it still took far too long to arrive. Toward the end of the meal, our waitress stopped checking on our table altogether, which made it difficult to order dessert. The food itself was pretty good, which is the only reason this isn't a one-star review. However, the poor service and lack of attentiveness completely overshadowed the experience. Overall, it was frustrating and disappointing, and we don't plan to return.

Came here with my wife, daughter, 2 grand daughters and a 'husband' for a little "comfort food"…read more The ambiance casual and comfortable I was a little surprised to see the comments about poor staffing because our waitress was Cam and she was terrific! This delightful young lady was absolutely the best, making us feel very welcomed. Along with prompt and courteous service she was very entertaining with her sense of humor. Really helped make the evening fun. We shared some wings, fried green tomatoes and calamari, all of which quickly disappeared. The entrees were salmon hash, shrimp and grits, fried chicken waffles and the Cajun pasta. All these dishes were very, very good. Hope we get a chance to visit with Cam again!

Wanted to try this restaurant up at NOVA but never connected. Down at Charlottesville for UVA…read morevisit and decided to try it. The restaurant reminds me of Burton's. The menu is not large. We got the fish sandwich, tail of two fish and wharf scramble. My fish sandwich looks substantial at first but there were more batter than fish. Every bite I am just eating the crunchy batter. The accompanying tartar sauce was delicious. Their no cost substitute is nice touch. I would say it was a decent experience but really not sure if I would go back given there are many restaurants with similar menu. Our waitress was working incredibly hard. She seems to be the only one waiter serving all the indoor tables. It was late afternoon but still. I've been to restaurants where there were 3 handling same amount of tables and not getting services.

Every thing at Ace Biscuits and Barbecue is house made, right down to the pickles. Oh my the…read morepickles are wonderful. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. The interior has an industrial atmosphere with exposed ductwork and concrete floors.

This is great BBQ, great vibes, and amazing biscuits! The servers were personable and talked to…read moreeveryone and gave great recommendations for our first visit. The pulled pork was so juicy and the sauces were varied and tangy. The biscuit was perfect and i wanted another before we had even finished. The fried green tomatoes were a little tough, if that makes sense and I wish the brisket was a little juicer, but it was amazing and I would definitely come back!

Definitely a popular place! Historic building charm and good food! We hit the jackpot walking in…read morewhen there was a spot available despite being super busy. Make a reservation, but there's also a little grab and go spot right when you walk in. Breakfast cocktails were yummy! I didn't feel guilty having a chocolate espresso martini for breakfast:) Bananas Foster Beignets was ridiculous! Benedict options were so unique. I recommend asking questions to make sure you're getting what you want. Hindsight I would have added protein to the green tomato Benedict. We also got a bowl that was much more like a salad and not like a hearty bowl. All were delicious, just not what was expected. We would return for sure!

A good first experience, but will leave it at good for a first visit and plan to come back with my…read moredaughter having a few more years at UVA. The hostess sat us with menus. The atmosphere being in an old house is cool. Our server was very overwhelmed and had a trainee. We got waters and looked over the menu. I first ordered the green tomatoes app. Later into service... wife ordered scrambled eggs with sausage and fruit, I had the Crab Benedict My daughter breakfast tacos. The app came out quickly..great! The mains came out around 30+ minutes. A bit long imo. Overall food was good, not great. Most disappointing was the tomatoes that lacked flavor. The crab Bennie was pricey and fell flat. My wife and daughter both enjoy their dishes, but eggs were somewhat dry. Coffee was very good. It's a beautiful place with outdoor option. But the food is over hyped and pricey. The service was rushed. I still will go back. 3.5 rounding up for atmosphere.

Really good BBQ. Very knowledgeable about gluten allergies. Everything except Mac and cheese is…read moreGF. Collared greens are exceptionally good for a side. I think there is brisket in them. Yum.

Went to Vision BBQ for pre-concert dinner (show was at Ting Pavilion). Walked in on a Sunday…read moreafternoon about 5. Very slow, business wise. Server (Brianna) started out good, fairly attentive until I got my food. After I got my food I got one cursory "all good?" and that was it until I got the bill. Anyway, on to the food: ordered two meat plate (brisket and pulled pork) with fries and coles slaw. Fries were the highlight of the meal. Hot, crispy, seasoned...awesome. Cole slaw was good....but it was super tangy (vinegary) for my taste. Don't get it wrong, it was good, just hard to eat all of it thanks to the tang. On to the meat. Got a pretty good sized pile of pulled pork and a couple slices of brisket. Both meats were lukewarm at best. Pork was dry (thank goodness for the NC vinegar sauce). The brisket made up for the porks dryness, it was extra greasy and extra fatty. Like, for real, do you think people are going to eat the fat layer between the lean point meat and the fatty upper meat? Yeah, not me. But since the brisket was also lukewarm (more like lukecold) it really didn't make a difference. I did think the Vision BBQ sauce tasted pretty good. If Brianna would have come back by after I got my meal I would have sent it back....and probably would have just left without worrying over a replacement, or a comp, or anything. Secondary issue: went to the mens room. It was just nasty. You get once shot to make an impression, and this one was not good. Would not/will not repeat.

My son picked this place. The place is very small, maybe four tables. It's really a one man…read moreoperation with some help to clear tables. Each meal is cooked by Shaun who is especially nice, friendly, and puts love into each dish he prepares. You can tell. Just take a breath when you walk in and take it in. Service is good, but like I said - its a one man operation so just be patience. The Fried Chicken and Devil Eggs are EXCELLENT. We would go back. Keep up the good job Shaun. Nicely done.

Came here to grab a bite with friends. The inside is very casual. The food was good and the…read moreportions were great for the price. I tried the Babyback Ribs and Fried Chicken Soul Sandwiches. The Babyback Ribs were really good. The ribs are taken off the bone for the soul sandwich and plated on slices of potato rolls. The Fried Chicken was good but not the best I've had in Charlottesville. I would have liked the outside to be crispier. The cornbread that comes with the order was also good. It was not traditional cornbread-- it tasted like carrot cake corn bread. The Mac and Cheese was a little too overcooked for my liking. However, for the meat sandwich and two sides were a large portion and cost 12 dollars which was awesome. Overall, Soul Food Joint is a charming locally owned soul food place downtown. It wasn't the best fried chicken or barbecue that I've had in Charlottesville, however the food was good and the portions were great for the price.

This was our second visit to Maya, and it continues to deliver…read more The meals are well thought out and tasty! The staff is incredibly polite, friendly, and knowledgeable. We are in a booth in the bar area this time. The sound was chill with guests relaxing at the bar engaging in conversations. We arrived before 6 pm and were able to order the $20 fried chicken dinner. It was like a country fried chicken with ham gravy and two sides. Very tasty and definitely a full size meal. We also had the trout, which was the thickest piece of trout I've ever had, and it was perfectly prepared. It also came with two sides, and I ordered the shaved brussel sprouts and roasted fingerling potatoes. Terrific!! Maya is a must do.

We came here for a birthday celebration and we really enjoyed it. It seemed like the whole…read morerestaurant ordered the blackened catfish and for good reason. It was scrumptious. Cooked perfectly in a blackened butter sauce served with 2 sides. We had the full experience with drinks, appetizer and desert. I wish I could give it a 5 star review but there were some misses. The service was very friendly but without it being very crowded it took quite some time to ask if our appetizer had come out. It hadn't. We ordered the pimento cheese balls which were delicious but for they must have been cooked in a rush and the center was cold . Also, with desert we ordered a Pecan Cookie Martini but were unable to get it because they were out of rumchata. Then we ordered the Reese's peanut butter martini which was delicious but served without the mini peanut butter cup because they were out. I would definitely go back but my hope would be they would be hitting on all cylinders next time.

WOW! The hype is real!…read more Manager fit us in when our res did not show up! I mean it was packed and she made it happen. Literally why I am writing this review! John behind the bar is you're go to guy! He asked our names and then remembered them throughout the whole night (2hrs on a sat night)! Ordered the Mussels in white sauce-which was light & huge-yum. 12 raw oysters-4 different kinds, loved all 8 options! Had the special-trust the chef or John. We had the crab cakes which were delicious-as expected! The main room or bar is ideal but the covered patio is worth the wait! Oh yeah, and the free fries they brought us-delicious!

MUST get a reservation here as it is a very small restaurant, otherwise you might find yourself…read morewaiting for a spot at the bar. This is probably our favorite restaurant here in cville, and even after many years, it is still consistently amazing! We ordered a dozen raw oysters of different brine levels, and they tasted so fresh. I especially loved the oysters from Breakwaters Newport, RI. My favorite main to order here is always the Moules Frites. Tried the Classic Mariniere, and it was SO DELICIOUS OMG. The sauce was decadent, that I had to make sure to soak up every mussel and the crostinis. And idk how they do it, but their frites are perfectly seasoned and crispy! The portions for this is pretty large, and shared some with my husband too, and is worth every penny. My husband tried the Rockfish with Chimichurri, with was also very good and fresh! Loved the crispy skin with the chimicurri sauce, gave a nice crunch! But I felt the portion size was a bit on the smaller end For dessert, LOVED the Apple Crumble, not too sweet, loved the contrast of the vanilla ice cream with the warmed apples, and loved the layer of oats on top, gives really good contrast in texture