This was our second visit to Maya, and it continues to deliver. 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. read more

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Great local restaurant serving southern cuisine in Charlottesville! The food was delicious and I really enjoyed the appetizers - especially the fried green tomatoes. I wished there were slightly more carrots on the heirloom carrots appetizer but I liked it overall. For entree, I got the cornmeal crusted fried oysters with my choice of 2 sides (Brussels sprouts and broccoli) - it was exactly what I wanted after a days hike at Shenandoah. The waitstaff were friendly and we were able to sit out on the patio since it waa nice early summer day. If I'm ever in Charlottesville Virginia again, I can't wait to come back here! read more

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We had such a great time at Maya. It was my first time ever and was thrilled with the quality of food and staff. Al was kind to help us with our reservation. Paul was an incredible waiter and was so patient and accommodating to help us with the menu and navigate several food intolerances/allergies. Thank you so much Maya for a great experience. read more

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I had a wonderful dinner at Maya with friends. It's a pretty small and super intimate space, so reservations are definitely the best way to go. All of the drinks looked delicious, but I started with the Femme fatal which was a great summer drink, refreshing. I got the Roasted Heirloom Carrots as an app to share - it was a pretty small plate but yummy nonetheless. My entree was the Chicken Breast with fingerling potatoes & Sauteed Green Beans. This dish was perfectly flavorful, I had to finish my plate! We top of off with a few desserts, I got the cheesecake which was great to end the night on. I'll definitely add Maya to my charlottesville eats list. read more

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We came here for a birthday celebration and we really enjoyed it. It seemed like the whole restaurant 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. read more

We were in town for some history tours looked it up and went to it it was Monday Memorial Day. We got right in comfortable atmosphere and welcoming folks . The waiter was great with recommendations I chose the pork chops my wife had the blackened cat fish both were excellent . But my favorite was the fried oysters they were perfect the drinks were great as well look forward to to coming back sometime. read more

It's a splendid space close to the university. I ended up on an upper level and it's all brick walls and art. While this is billed as Southern American cuisine, they make an effort to offer vegetarian friendly options, and seeing that they had an early bird special for lentil mushroom cakes, I found the right occasion to stop in. They also have an extensive drink menu with some non-alcoholic options. I was pleased with the range of choices for sides. My grits were quite savory, while the green beans were a milder, sweeter preparation than I prefer, albeit one that is typically southern. The lentil mushroom cakes were a bit on the mushy side but there is a heartiness to them that I appreciate. read more

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The setting was unique but charming. Really what you would want in a restaurant here. The server was great but the food and drinks took forever to get to us on a night they were not full. However, the trout was cooked and seasoned perfect. The cheesecake was delicious. Just have patience when you go. read more

Hadn't been to Maya since before Covid. Had a super rockfish entree with grits and collard greens sides, a meal i'd happily order again and again. And a recommended homegrown key lime pie that stood the test. Double extra kudos to our waitperson yesterday- she was lovely, and guided us well read more

Amazing. I've been coming here with my family for 20 years now and consider It more than just a restaurant. Beautiful place to eat great food, great drinks with friends from all walks of life. From Peter the owner, to Ted the bartender, to Joyce the waitres, you can't ask for better people. it's a place I love because of the love and respect from everyone. This place is a 10 of 10. PS- my go-to dish is the trout with Mac cheese and broccoli, excellent. Tarik read more

Great place with fun and energetic vibe. We had reservations but ate at the bar instead. Bartender is amazing and very engaging with his customers. Fun seasonal menu and cocktails. Highly recommend ! read more

Maya - Bar w pumpkin spice martini - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

A few of my friends went here for dinner and absolutely enjoyed the food. I had to check it out for myself. I made a reservation for the evening, but it wasn't very busy. We were seated outside at the front. Since we weren't very hungry, we skipped the starters and went straight for the main. I had the local chicken, with mac & cheese and roasted broccoli as my sides. Loved the chicken with ham/gravy on top and the mac & cheese, but not a fan of the broccoli. My friend had the porkchop with mashed potatoes and collard greens as his sides. Tried all of them and loved it, especially the pork chop. Service was fast and friendly. The server was super sweet, and she did a great job checking in frequently. Street parking in the area, with more parking available in nearby lots. read more

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Hands down my favorite restaurant in all of Charlottesville. The staff is knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. After my latest order -- local chicken breast with Virginia ham gravy, whipped potatoes, and sautéed green beans -- I am convinced that Maya makes some of the best Southern food in the whole state. The ownership is clearly dedicated to making quality food within an incredibly refined and intimate experience. They also had several whiskeys and bourbons that I have never seen in a restaurant before; these people know their dark liquors! read more

First rate experience! We went to maya for the first right right after New Year's Eve and had a wonderful meal. Joyce was our waitress and a gem. We started with the cornmeal fried oysters, my daughter had the fried chicken,I had the baby back ribs (oh my! So good!). My husband had the black pepper steak cooked medium. The food was excellent as was the service. We will be back! read more

It's been a couple years since we lived in Charlottesville, but my husband and I still talk about how much we miss Maya. Anytime family came into down we would take them here too. So delicious! read more

Highly recommend the $20 special they have from 4:30-6:00pm! Great ambiance and lovely food. The Mac and cheese is incredible as a side. I would also highly recommend the pear jam cheesecake! Would definitely return for a date night or dinner with friends :) read more

Maya - Pear jam cheesecake - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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My wife and I dined at Maya on a Friday evening recently. I found it sincerely trying hard. I wanted to like it better. It's really okay. Not very good; more like good enough. The food was okay. The shaved Brussels sprouts were a bit overcooked and mushy and way under-seasoned. The risotto was much too cheesy. I'm not used to cheese anymore but I used to eat it often and I never liked food smothered in the stuff. I couldn't taste anything in the risotto but the cheese. It's about rice, right? Risotto? I thought the name referred to rice. Maybe I got that wrong. The service tried hard and was prompt, but they shouldn't be carrying on. I hate criticizing service. They're nice people trying to make a living. Don't sing and dance and carry on in the dining room. Ambiance...not good. The walls in the dining room are painted a shade of red that put me in mind of Munch's "The Scream" and the art is "meh". It isn't a relaxing or welcoming or friendly room. It is a room I was happy to leave. The room doesn't want you to stay for coffee or dessert. The room wants to be somewhere else. It doesn't like people eating in it. I think that room might wind up in a Steven King novel some day. So, three stars because it was just ok with some minor annoyances and a request for a paint job. read more

Not a bad experience but not an amazing one either! I heavily weigh food in restaurant reviews and we had one incredible item and one really tasteless bland item. Service was fantastic - we were seated immediately and our server was super fun, very attentive, and took the time to get to know us and our preferences. She was the best! We ordered the Pimento Cheese Fritters to start and the Mushroom Risotto to share as main. These fritters. Let me tell you. SO delicious - I'm literally craving them right now. Gooey, tasty, savory cheesy goodness fried into a perfect sphere with a crispy outside and soft inside, served on a delicious creamy sauce and topped with a delicious spicy sticky jam. We devoured these and actually placed another order, they were so good - don't miss this app. The risotto was a dire disappointment - although the rice was cooked well, the dish had not even a hint of flavor, and the arugula on top made for a weird and unpleasant texture with the risotto. We doused it in salt, pepper, and hot sauce and only then were able to eat it as we were quite hungry. Overall, maybe we ordered the wrong dish - great service and ambiance for date night, and DO NOT miss the pimento fritters! We'd probably come back to take out those alone. read more

Maya - Mushroom Risotto - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Very slow initially took 45 minutes to get a drink. Food was decent which helped... yelp Is a pain in the ass read more

I have a complicated relationship with Maya. I've had fantastic dining experiences and mediocre dining experiences. One of the fantastic ones is when I went there last summer and I got a delicious trout with a brown butter caper sauce. The food is very good though not my typical style of eating southern fair, but it is delicious When I died there recently it was for graduation and it was using a prefix menu and I was highly underwhelmed. The food quality just wasn't the same. I ordered the salmon and the salmon was fine, but wasn't great yet the price of the meal was exorbitantly high. I'm not sold on Maya as a four or five star restaurant. I think the food is good but I don't think it's great. I think the prices are high and don't always justify the food that you're getting. However, the service is always friendly and ambience is nice. read more

Maya has a modern take on comfort food. The atmosphere is casual and the food is tasty. They also have a good selection of their own cocktails. We started with the braised crispy pork belly. It was served with some dried fruit and rosemary shortbread. My wife has the pork chop and I ate the baby back ribs. Good solid meal and a friendly staff. If you are looking for a good place to have a meal stop at Maya. read more

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Not a fancy place, but gosh the food, service & fun we had were top notch! On a visit to Charlottesville, we treated our son and grandsons (14 & 11), who live here, to a dinner out. All of us loved everything we ordered from steak & vegetable soup, to rainbow trout and pork chop entrees, to dessert (apple pie cheese cake, key lime pie & peanut butter fluff pie). Hard to please everyone from a preteen to mid 40's to late 70's --but Maya made our family very happy! We dined on the tented patio. The space heater managed the evening chill, keeping us comfortable. Our server, Sean, took excellent care of us on a busy evening. We will come back to Maya on our next visit to C'ville!!! Thank you for a terrific evening. read more

Mixed bag at Maya. However, it was our anniversary...okay, one of our anniversaries. We celebrate a lot of anniversaries, and this was the anniversary of our engagement. We chose Maya for two reasons-one, vegetarian and vegan options and two, because it's the name of our most recently adopted dog and it's only a few days from her 1st anniversary of her gotcha day. Neither of those may seem like a big deal to you, but it was to us and we told the restaurant it was a date night and anniversary. The first strike was sitting us in the bar. They have a nice upstairs and even a heated patio, but they put us near the front door (which was thankfully not in use-side entrance was being used) in the bar. I would have thought you could have planned our table a bit better. Second strike, my drink. I don't recall what I got but pretty sure it was the sazarac and it was served in a glass full of ice and was no bueno. Half strike was the brussel sprouts. They were good but nothing special. All of that negativity aside, my entree was very good. The mushroom risotto is excellent and I highly recommend it whether you're a vegetarian or not. I could have eaten 5 bowls of this and then a 6th for dessert. So it's probably a 3.5 star visit and if not for the table location and my drink, I would have gone 4. Heck, the risotto was so good that if one of those two were better, then I'd have done 4. Worth your visit but if it's a date or special occasion, be sure to specify where you want to sit. And don't order a whiskey drink unless you're drinking it neat. read more

Maya - Brussels Sprouts we're good but I wasn't blown away by them - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Myself and a few co workers ended up at Maya on a Tuesday night because the seafood restaurant down the street had an hr long wait and boy and I glad we decided to go to maya! Mary was our server and right off the bar she was so genuine and made us feel welcome. I couldn't decide on what to drink and she was a tremendous help in helping me figure out what I would like. Her recommendation was right on point. I had the Mariposa drink and it was delicious. We had the pan fried biscuits with whipped goat cheese, and it was the best thing I've eaten in a long time. We also have the pork belly and the fried oysters, which were also delicious for our main course we couldn't decide between the steak the pork chop and the ribs and Mary was kind enough to give us a lot of details about each dish. Ultimately, she suggested we should go with the ribs and again her recommendation was right on point. They were absolutely delicious the mashed potatoes and the mac & cheese were also a great addition to the meaty barbecue ribs. The restaurant had a very chill artsy vibe and it was a perfect night to sit out on the patio. Thank you Mary for showing us a great time we will definitely be back. read more

Great southern cuisine. And great overall experience. My waitress Mercedes recommended some great food and drink. The pomegranate sunrise was to die for. Not too sweet, and just so many layers of flavors. Then the baby back ribs with Mac and cheese and brussel sprouts as sides. I think the brussel sprouts were my favorite. The crunchy enough and then layered with bacon. Just YUM. The ribs were cooked and flavored to perfection, they just fell off the bone. I like when I can eat my ribs with a fork and knife rather than having to gnaw it off the bone! The Mac and cheese was tasty but I probably wouldn't order it again, just average for me. Then ended the night with some peanut butter pie to go. Delicious. read more

Maya - Pomegranate sunset - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Went here for dinner for our bachelorette party and it did not disappoint! Our server, Joyce, was super friendly and made our time there so much fun. The rainbow trout was well worth it and the proportions were pretty good for the price. Definitely an upscale restaurant but with a twist of southern comfort. read more

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I live a two minute walk from Maya and I'm ashamed it took me this long to try it out. My friends and I had a GNO here on a Friday night to celebrate a new chapter in our lives. We had a very delicious, and wonderful meal. I had the bbq pork ribs which were very tender where the meat would come off right the bone. They were a little on the drier side, but my solution was to order some bbq sauce for the side. To drink I started off with a the espresso martini which I would go again just for that. It's a dessert cocktail so I kind of did it reverse. For my second drink, I wanted to change it up to try something else, I had a Roger rabbit. This drink comes with stoli vanilla, carrot juice and ginger beer. It was very refreshing, almost as if it had cucumber. I liked it a lot and it was nothing like I had before. Great waitstaff and bartender, and nice atmosphere at the rustic looking establishment. I do suggest making reservations before 8:30. Our reservation was for 8:30 and the kitchen closed at 8:30. Some of the Members of our table were running late, so the waitress informed me that they needed to arrive soon if we wanted to order. Fortunately they left the kitchen open for us since we said we were interested in eating but you can tell they were frustrated and annoyed and kept rushing us and pushing us to put our orders in asap. My take, they shouldn't have the last seating at 8:30 if that's when the kitchen closes. Also, we dined on a Friday night, the kitchen should expect to close a little later than normal, and not rush their customers. read more

Maya - Baby Back Pork Ribs* - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We came here as a large group and they were very organized with things. We started with a delicious salad but then had to wait quite a bit to get our food. Once our food came, it was yummy with solid sides. Nothing amazing but it had good plating and the chicken breast had a great sauce. Servers were all nice but it did take quite a bit for the entrees to start rolling out. Food was good just nothing crazy good. Probably is better if you sat down and ordered with a smaller group as usual. read more

Out of town relatives found this place during busy UVA reunion weekend. Was a wonderful surprise! Food was fabulous: beautifully prepared & plated fish & veggies. Simply prepared without excessive spice: authentic flavors. Stairs to 2nd floor need additional lighting. Pricing is reasonable for Cville. We all agreed that we would return. read more

My friends and I wanted to check out Maya, so we went here for dinner. The place is kind of small but intimate and good vibes. Service was great, and our waiter was very attentive. We got fried oysters for appetizer (5/5, crispy and delicious, so I highly recommend). Then I got the pork chop with mashed potatoes and broccoli (5/5, yummy and filling). Their menu changes, so we will have to come back and try their other things sometime! read more

Maya - Bone In Pork Chop (Porterhouse)* - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Maya is the best restaurant in C'ville. Their happy hour is from 4:30-7:00, bartender (Ted) is fantastic. The ambience is very relaxing & clean bathrooms. My hubby ate the flounder & I had the Mushroom Risotto. Both dinners cooked perfectly & full of flavor, risotto was cooked perfectly. read more

Maya - Ted, our favorite bartender - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I would call this place southern professor chic, with a combination of delicious southern food, chic decor, and lots of professors dining there. We ordered a delicious fried pimento cheese appetizer then I got the risotto, which was so so good and so filling! I really could not get enough of it. The dish also came with a side - I chose the mashed potatoes with no regrets. However, I can attest that the side of cheesy grits were also delightful! read more

Maya - Risotto - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Showed up on the early side on a Friday night. The place was full, but the waitstaff asked someone at the bar if he would move, and that made space for us. The bartender was friendly and plied his craft well. I had a ginger drink which was refreshing and not overwhelming with alcohol. (There were three newspaper articles about the bartender in frames near us). The mains were good (ribs and the pork chop). Portions were large. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting. read more

I was on my way to grab a slice of cake at Cake Bloom (run don't walk) when the universe intervened - it was closed - and I was forced to actually eat a meal for dinner. So I wandered into Maya on a whim. While I can't speak to the whole menu, I can say that the mushroom risotto was so, so, good. If not done well "risotto" is a pile of lumpy mush with little discernible flavor. Maya's was so far from that, dare I say incredible? I paired it with the collard greens, which admittedly was a risky decision given far too many places don't clean them well and leave behind a gritty texture. Not Maya! I would grab this duo again and again. read more

3.5 stars but rounding down bc I made a reservation weeks in advance and they sat us in the bar booths where the ambiance is like a dingy sports bar and not a nice restaurant. If the menu was on the lower price, and the ambiance was crap then I wouldn't deduct a star. When you're paying for a moderately expensive meal then you better have the ambiance to go with the price tag. Maya is highly rated on all platforms and they offered an impressive vegan entree so that's what got us in. The food is Southern comfort so think very rich and buttery or greasy, which is fine since we're in VA. The collard greens were amazing. The only place that had better collard greens was The Local. The service was excellent. Friendly and attentive but not overbearing. read more

Maya - Lentil pattie. Vegan option. Check menu bc the veg option changes frequently. - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Good food and flavors! I wished there were more pork in the pork belly appetizer and the rockfish was a smaller filet, but the giant amount of ribs in my entree made up for it! As for the sides, mmm *chefs kiss*! The brussel sprouts and Mac and cheese shined more than the butternut squash casserole and corn bread (which was a tad too dry). We loved our waitress' energy, she helped us with all of our decision making! Oh, and I tried the white fly cocktail, but didn't get any of the subtle flavors- just iced gin- so would not recommend that drink. read more

Maya - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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While walking by Maya on my way back to the hotel, after dinner, I saw a lot of people in here and the vibe looked fun, so I stopped in to check out their cocktail menu... They really do have an interesting cocktail menu! I heard their food is pretty good too. I opted for the White Fly and had it made with Tito's instead of gin and it came out perfect! Tasted like it was supposed to be made that way!! Service was decent and quick. The place looks nice, like someplace I'd like to dine at sometime. I'll be back! read more

Maya - White Fly - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

My wife and I had avery good meal here. She had scallops and I had the ribs. They fell off the bone. Before that we had a special salad and pimento/pepper jack cheese balls. Very good. The scallops were very fresh. For dessert we had the peach cobbler. Excellent! The mac n cheese were underwhelming. Service was great! read more

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Had a great meal here. Every entre came with two sides which ended up being my favorite part of the meal. I got the rockfish with Brussel sprouts and grits, all super good. Our waitress overheard that we were in a little bit of a rush and did a great job of spreading up the meal for us. read more

This was the only restaurant we chose to go into town for. It wasn't really worth it. I can tell they're using quality ingredients, but the execution wasn't really very good. I had the ribs , which were decent. Side of white cheddar grits , tasted like they were cooked in water and threw in some cheese. Not salted very well, and not creamy at all. Maybe try cooking them in some parm stock or something?!? Throw in some butter on the finish? My son got the risotto. That was pretty good. My wife got the strip steak, cooked medium as ordered, but the Demi sauce was bland. No tang. Flat on flavor. And the mac and cheese as her side was probably one of the worst I've had. Pork chop my mother in law ordered was dry and over cooked. Not sure if it was brined or not, couldn't really tell. And I didn't get to taste the oyster dish as my father In Law doesn't share. :) Pork belly needs to braised longer. Still tough and chewy. To top it off, service was sloooowwww. We sat for a good long time once we were done waiting for our server to come by so we could ask for our check. The place came highly recommended from some close local friends, so makes me wonder what the rest of Charlottesville culinary is like if they consider this one of the best. read more