The Ridley will always have a special place in our hearts and our stomachs we've been coming here for a couple of years now and they honestly never disappoint. The menu has changed a bit over time and as much as i miss some of the old dishes, the new items are just as delicious. I highly recommend the crab cakes. Almost all crab lump meat, very little filler, and seasoned to perfection. And if you have room for dessert, the bread pudding is out of this world! read more

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My husband and I were excited about trying out this restaurant. It's really nice inside so I had high hopes. I have food sensitivities so when I asked if my pork chop could be cooked with olive oil, the server had to go to the kitchen and ask. She came back and said their olive oil was 90% soybean oil. I cannot tolerate soy. I asked her again to check to see if there was any real olive oil in the restaurant. She checked again and said no. Apparently, they only use cheap vegetable oils, which are inflammatory to me. I understand many restaurants use cheap oil, but I've never been to a restaurant this nice that had ZERO real olive oil. Every time we eat out at a nice place, I always ask for olive oil. I've never had a problem. I'm not sure what the Ridley is doing but they should try cooking with quality oils that make food taste better. My husband and I walked out. read more

Came in town for a bachelorette trip and stopped in for brunch! Lots of drinks on tap to choose from, not pictured is a delicious sour I got! I'm a big deviled eggs gal so we got those for the table. I had French toast with bacon on the side and it was delicious. read more

The Ridley - Deviled Eggs - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We had lunch at The Ridley today. Was really looking forward to some good Southern cuisine so I ordered the fried chicken. We first ordered corn bread (which my husband loves) and couldn't eat it -it had an odd flavor-actually all of the food has this flavor -a sour aftertaste with a scent of vinegar. Our food came and it was beyond disappointing. The sides that came with my fried chicken were cold or luke-warm. The sweet potato was fine in flavor just not warm. The cream corn was soup consistency and couldn't be eaten with a fork. The collards also had that weird, sour taste and were crunchy and cold. But the real offense was the chicken-2 reheated chicken wings, dropped on a biscuit and topped with cold gravy. I chewed through the wings and ate nothing else. The server asked how the food was and her response to our complaint was, "Oh, sorry." And then the bill. $28 for two chicken wings. Do not eat there unless you have money to blow and a high tolerance for inferior food. read more

Had an amazing brunch at The Ridley this morning. The food was outstanding, some of the best southern cooking I've had and I just spent a week in Charleston!! Shelly was a great waitress, super friendly and attentive. She encouraged us to try the grits and the homemade buttermilk biscuit with our omelets - both great choices. Topped it off with a peach mimosa! Definitely coming back next time I'm in Charlottesville. read more

Recently visited the Ridley. The service was great! She was knowledgeable about the menu and could give recommendations. For starters, we ordered Brussel sprouts, deviled eggs, snapper bites, and jalapeño cornbread. Everything comes out in a small cast iron skillet except the fish bites. The fish bites include fried carrots and zucchini. Would definitely recommend. The cornbread is amazing! The texture melts in your mouth. Similar to a cake. The Brussel sprouts are topped with bacon and shaved almonds. If going for dinner right at 5, give yourself enough time to find parking. The parking there is $5. We were late for our reservation, but when I called they were very understanding. We parked on the street. The shrimp and grits were great! They were cooked just right. The shrimp were very large! It's a large portion. I originally asked for Bleu cheese when I ordered a salad. The salad came with ranch. The waitress quickly remedied this and bought a different dish. If you're in the area and looking for southern cuisine, I recommend trying. read more

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We had a nice dinner at the Ridley. Service was great. We've been in the Charlottesville area for about a decade and it was nice to have another option. Nice setting near UVa. read more

The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. Outstanding! So yummy and juicy. All white meat! Try it read more

The Ridley - The inside - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Was really disappointed the food was not what we expected. The appetizers were good and the drinks were good as well. The entrees were not as flavorful like we thought read more

We had high expectations for this restaurant, but found it was hit or miss depending on the dish... Oysters were ok, but found lots of small shell pieces and a bit gritty. The old fashioned included pomegranate juice, which added a sweet flavor, but wasn't our favorite. Cornbread was good & sharable size. The shrimp and grits... spot on and would bring us back! The burger was fine and the fries were tasty. The service was a little off tonight. Nice people, but had to ask for our server a couple of times. read more

The Ridley was always on my list to try. And it did not disappoint. While a bit pricy, you get everything that you pay for. The flavors are explosive in every aspect. Presentation was phenomenal. And this is an incredible place to treat yourself every once-in-a-while. I can not rave about this place enough. It was absolutely delicious, and I look forward to coming back and trying their other items. read more

The Ridley - Rib-eye - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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This restaurant is in an amazing area and has some really good history with all the restaurant got started. Parking was a pain. There's a parking garage directly behind the restaurant, but it's only for the hospital and we wouldn't have known that because the machine let us grab a ticket, but there was a guy that asked if we had an appointment lol. Then there's also a sign that says "restaurant parking" right up the street, butttt there is no parking lol it's all permit parking. So we found parking called (I think) "14 street garage", it was a 3-5 mins walk, not horrible at all. We weren't here for Sunday brunch, and didn't need a reservation. But it may be best to make one online if you have a big party. The staff was so friendly and they were all wearing mask. It was very clean and the decor was on point. The price point of the food is steep, so plan on spending money. It's very worth it though. We got deviled eggs, which I think was around eight dollars. Shrimp and grits which was $28! And French toast which was $16. We both had alcoholic drinks and ended up spending $86 (before tip) for two of us. But the food is so worth it. The flavors are amazing!! If you're a Natty Bo fan, they serve it here. I was very excited haha read more

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After staying at the Draftsman, my friends and I travelled downstairs to restaurant connected to the lobby, The Ridley. It's safe to say that we're glad that we did. Their lemon drop martini's are to die for and paired perfectly with my steak caesar salad. My friend also thoroughly enjoyed the turkey club. Great ambiance and staff. Definitely will be returning when visiting again! read more

The Ridley - Turkey Club - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Dinner Service was very energetic and good. Ambience OK. Food OK. Breakfast was fine. Sliders open to outside make Al fresco dining an option. read more

Update. The name has changed, but the game is the same. I reviewed three years ago as "Renewal," and now as "The Ridley." I realize that there has been a pandemic and that hiring/staffing/training are extremely challenging. But once again, if you're charging $100 for a meal, the standards are higher than that of Chili's, which by the way, is a far superior option. (Jokes aside, your money is better spent at C and O, Bizou, Crush pad, Ivy Inn, Tavola, Local, Tavern and Grocery, Bebedero, etc. etc.) Opening moment. I'm standing with my party of 15 are the host stand. A server (not eventually our server) informed me: "Get out of the way!" No please, no apology, no grace. By the way, the restaurant was completely empty at this point, and all other "nice" Charlottesville restaurants were entirely booked. I should have clued in at this point... The wine, beer and cocktails: Great, no complaints. The food. Two plates of RAW oysters came out that were *hot* to the touch. I've never seen this in all my years... I ordered steak frites (medium). The steak was bland, over-cooked and tasteless. The fries were mushy as if in a soup. I didn't know this dish could be so mishandled. My dinner mates had similar experiences with their entrees, and we tried to smile and enjoy the evening nonetheless. The decor and the outdoor seating are still fantastic. read more

Delicious options and Ellie wonderful service! I added salmon to my beet salad - wow such a perfect pairing. The salmon was cooked perfectly with a crisp top. My prospective college student sob gobbled up his chicken and waffle and added this to the pro list for why UVA is a good choice. My cousin had the penne pasta which was cooked perfectly with a light sauce which left her satisfied without pasta guilt! read more

We stayed at The Draftsman hotel which is attached to The Ridley. We had breakfast each morning we were there and dinner on Christmas Eve. Food and service were quite good. Staff were very friendly, professional and welcoming. All ingredients were fresh and presentation was visually appealing. Loved the small touch of real whipped butter at breakfast. Makes spreading on toast much wasie All in all a good experience. read more

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We had a reservation for 6pm but we're very thankful they were able to accommodate us an hour early. The staff was very friendly and the food was tasty. My only complaint is that our server only came to the table to take our order and drop our food. She never checked to see if everything was okay or if we needed water. This would've been more understandable had the restaurant been busy but we were 1 of only a few tables there at 5pm. Definitely worth a visit but I hope the feedback is received and they try to be a bit more attentive. read more

The Ridley is a moderately fancy establishment a little ways from the Charlottesville corner. The prices are high, but the food is pretty good. I tried the shrimp and grits, which were tastefully seasoned and very filling. read more

Another wonderful dinner experience. The service was wonderful from the start to the finish. The food was very good. We started with deviled eggs which were awesome. My nephew had Burger and fries and just loved it. I enjoyed the shrimp and grits which were different than normal, but were very good. It seemed to hint more towards the Cajun side than the Southern.. The sauce was dark and little more spicy. Great drinks and decent beer options. Some nice Southern style dessert options. We had the brownies which were wonderful. Overall it was a very tasty experience with great service and great environments. I will return. read more

Decent food. We sat at booth and had dinner at the Ridley on a Saturday night. The Ridley has TVs everywhere giving it the feel of an upscale sports bar. I tried the fried brussels sprouts (without the nuts), the scallops, and the cauliflower steak. The brussels sprouts were excellent and could not have been prepared much better. The scallops were tasty and seemed fresh but were very overcooked (the chef may have been distracted while cooking them). The cauliflower steak itself was tough, but not unappetizing. The fixings for the cauliflower steak were delicious however. Overall, the Ridley was pretty hit-or-miss for me as a dining experience. i don't think the Ridley is a bad restaurant, but there are certainly better options in Charlottesville. read more

I made a reservation one month ago for this restaurant and was excited to experience the southern cuisine. We were seated in the bar area at a dirty table. About 10 minutes after seating we were greeted by our bartender/server who said " sorry, usually they let us know if they seat these tables." Certainly didn't make us feel welcome and it felt like our seating was an afterthought despite me making this reservation weeks in advance. The jalepeno cornbread was fine. I wish I could tell you how any of the other food was... but after 45 minutes of sitting and not placing our entree order we lost hope and flagged down the bartender to pay our bill. What a disappointment to a highly anticipated weekend in Charlottesville. Would not recommend. read more

This review is heavily influenced by the price they charge for the food you're served. If this was an inexpensive restaurant, then the service and quality would be passable. However, nearly $100 for two people for dinner and the food was pretty sub-par. There's so many restaurants in the area with better food at a fraction of the price and significantly better service that it's hard to justify coming here. Beautiful restaurant that unfortunately doesn't have the quality or service to match. If you're staying at the attached hotel, take a walk a couple blocks in any direction and have a much better meal at a far lower price. read more

Shoulda went somewhere else, but it was across the street from the Courtyard Marriott and had a large crowd dining outside. Sat at the bar and looked at eh menu for 5-10 minutes with nothing looking good. Settled on a Grilled Chicken sandwich and swapped the fries for collard greens. Sandwich came with Mayo on it... Disgusting . Scraped off what I could and tried to eat it as I was hungry. Absolutely zero seasoning -no salt, no pepper, nothing. I don't even think it was grilled. Tried a bit of the collards and they were old and really shredded up. I love hot sauce, but someone had added some to this to cover how old they were. A 20oz Miller Lite (that smelled like a dirty dish towel) and a crappy chicken sandwich was $37. Run anywhere but here. read more

What an unexpected great meal at The Ridley! Although, the star of the show (unfortunately not pictured): the wings! I did not have any expectations so I was amazed. It has the absolute perfect crispy outer crust. The wings were so tender and delicious. We were in the mood for brunch. The french toast was the fluffiest and thickest I've seen. It has an interesting flavor because it is cereal crusted but I really enjoyed it! The strawberries were a great compliment. It was a really big meal which is enough for 2 people. If you eat slow it might get a little soggy and cold which is less enjoyable. The crab cake Benedict was also a great and filling meal. It wasn't as crabby as I thought it would be. But that was a perfect balance. The Ridley is located under a hotel, and so the atmosphere is an upper-end establishment. read more

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New owners really need to step up. Disappointed in Saturday brunch. Menu incorrect on at least one item. Slow service. Below average food: French toast not as menu states at all. Gumbo shrimp still had shells on them. Bloody Mary tasted of Old Bay and nothing else. read more

Great food and service!! Went in for late lunch and the vibe was perfect. It's a very nice place that gets great natural light and has a chill ambiance. Walking distance from UVA. The french fries were amazing, and the Three Notch'd Ridley beer was incredible! I told all of my friends about the Ridley IPA. We absolutely adored our server, Anna. Super bubbly and energetic. She was friendly, attentive, and prompt. Will be going back for sure! read more

Decided to drive to Charlottesville for a girls trip and stopped in at the Ridley for dinner had the opportunity of meeting a worker there by the name of Savannah she was so polite, helpful explained, cheerful smile, and very polite was great. Having conversation with her. She definitely will make us decide to wanna come back. read more

As others have said, Sarah is the star of Ridley, her charm and mixology prowess are most impressive. Her drinks sparkle, unlike the mediocre fare and service that somewhat dims Ridley's overall shine. A visit is warranted for her alone - a true gem in an otherwise ordinary restaurant experience. read more

The bartender, Sarah, is great! After a few not-so-great encounters at this restaurant, she was a refreshing personality who provided great service!! Definitely promote! read more

The food was good and the service was great. Sarah was our server and she was very attentive and gave us some good suggestions to include brunch cocktail choices. Had the Cobb salad with grilled shrimp and crispy brussel sprouts. The salad was just the right size and tasted great. The brussel sprouts were good but a little sweet. Recommend this place for brunch and cocktails. read more

This restaurant was amazing! We had fantastic service, everyone was very nice and accommodating. Our food was very very good. One of the best meals we have had in a long time. My husband had the Tomahawk steak and brussel sprouts. I tasted it and it was delicious. The steak melted in your mouth. I had the scallops with the crisp spicy grit cake and chow chow. I will dream about that meal it was that good. We did have reservations and at first it wasn't busy but it dis get more crowded when our dinner was almost over. I would def go here again. Highly recommend! read more

The Ridley - Scallops with spicy grit cake and chow chow! - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Review for drinks only: Enjoyed sitting at their light and airy bar (even on a cloudy, rainy day!) to watch some sports and enjoy a few drinks. For how expensive the food menu looks, I was happy to find a $8 pinot noir, which was very easy drinking. It was an enjoyable place to waste a few hours. read more

The restaurant was clean and the staff were very friendly. That is the only thing good about this place! WAY OVER PRICED FOOD! We paid 70 for 2 chicken dinners. The chicken was burnt and the serving sizes were small. One biscuit and a small portion of sweet potatoes and 2 stalks of asparagus. If you like spicy burnt food. Eat here. Could have gotten better food and cheaper food at Canes. No wonder the dining room was empty. Should have taken that as a sign. read more

This restaurant was such a great find during our stay outside of Charlottesville! Amazing food, super courteous staff and a great atmosphere. I would recommend this place to anyone in the area. Our table split some of the tomahawk steak and it was cooked perfectly!! Would suggest the mac n' cheese and any of their apps as well. The owners were so kind and down to earth. Love this place! read more

The Ridley - Tomahawk - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Love the atmosphere at The Ridley! Food is good but a bit pricey. The shrimp and grits are my favorite but if I'm just stopping in for drinks with friends then the cornbread is the perfect size to share. Sarah at the bar is so sweet and I love when she's there when I come in. Definitely give the restaurant a try! read more

What a tremendous restaurant for many reasons. The braised lamb shank, exquisite taste. Our server, Shelley, learned all of our names in record time. She was awesome. The history of the establishment was impressive. We will all be back. read more

I enjoyed an excellent brunch a few Sundays ago and will return. The selection is bountiful with basic breakfast choices to entrees. They offer signature cocktails to accompany the deliciousness The Ridley Bruch has in store for you!! I highly recommend the Jalapeno Cornbread, French Toast, and a Mimosa for starters! read more

The Ridley - Brunch, Ridley style! - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The food was just okay. Staff was very sweet though and the place is very clean. Probably wouldn't go back:/

Food and service was great. Sarah was awesome and made sure everything was great. I will be back.