The staff was awesome and great with our kids, the food was amazing, the drinks were great. We got the Apple Bourbon Chicken with slaw and sweet potato fries which were all great in flavor. The kids shared a coal miner which the barbecue was sweet and the bacon&burger was cooked perfectly. I ordered the Stumble down mac&cheese and it was the perfect amount of pepper jack and cream. We are from FAR away, but would definitely come back! read more

Restaurant has a lot of history as an establishment that's been around 100 years. Atmosphere is great. It seems like a good college bar for drinks. Food wasn't very flavorful including the chicken fingers and French fries. Hamburger was cooked to order but nothing special. Would likely only return for drinks as they had good specials read more

Service was good but ambiance and food were depressingly grubby. Pimento cheese sandwich was runny with too much mayo. Side salad for 4 extra dollars was like the salad you get in airplane meals. Look harder unless you just want to share a booth with friends or colleagues and not pay attention to what you're actually eating read more

Really cute restaurant. I can see this place being really fun at night. They got really slammed while we were there so maybe not the best showing of their service but everyone was super polite and sweet. I LOVED the fries!!! Would recommend if you're in town read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Chicken Caesar Wrap - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The location is great, and the service was friendly and attentive, which made for a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to our expectations. My steak was overcooked, and the French onion soup was a bit lacking in flavor. Overall, it wasn't a bad meal, but it didn't stand out either. With a few improvements in the kitchen, this could be a much better dining experience read more

Nice seating outside, very quick service, food was hot and tasted great, very empty for Monday summer lunch read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Philly Chicken Sandwich with side house salad and mandarin ginger vinaigrette - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

mmmm so yummy. was craving a steak and they delivered. ribs? un poco dry. but the steak was so FREAKING good ugh. our server was very prompt and kind. shout out to all the UVa students out there!!! Great vibes in the place, but be warned, if you sit near the door it will blow a breeze at you when it opens and it will be cold read more

See all

Staff extremely courteous. Menu prices reasonable. The french onion soup was lacking robust flavor. AHI TUNA salad big disappointment, as the tuna was not sushi grade. Should have known better given college restaurant and price of $18. read more

See all

I have been to this place numerous times for their relaxing vibe and drinks, never been disappointed. This evening I stopped in for a burger and I'm glad I did. This is the best burger in Charlottesville, hands down. It's in the top five of best burgers I've had. Great service and nothing but positive vibes from the bartender. read more

Service is very slow so be sure you have enough time before dining here. But the little outdoor seating is very nice on a sunny day and I really like the food. Prices are good! read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Chicken Caesar Wrap with fries - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

When visiting UVA for a college tour, be sure to stop in for a bite at The Virginian Restaurant. My son and I enjoyed a Cobb salad and classic pimento cheese sandwich. The pimento cheese was creamy and spicy, just the way it's meant to be! The restaurant offers something for everyone. It's a landmark that shouldn't be missed! read more

See all

This place looks, feels, and is quite old. It's is the quintessential college sports bar/restaurant. The place is incredibly small on the inside with almost no seating for parties larger than 4 people. The food was quite good. I really enjoyed the Mac and cheese app with a potato cake on top. While my club sandwich was not all that great it may have been more due to the fact I'm not a big club sandwich guy. I just fall for "famous *insert name of restaurant*" every time I see it on the menu. I heard from a little birdie the burger was quite good so that would likely be my next option. Fries were spectacular though. An incredible amount of seasoning was added... which always gets bonus points for me. The workers here are comprised of most college aged individuals and they were extremely polite, efficient, and knowledgeable. Would recommend. read more

See all

I'm told no trip to Charlottesville is complete without a visit to The Virginian. It's clearly a beloved legend on the campus of UVA. My wife and I stopped in for a quick dinner after walking the campus. We split the Virginian Burger, which was exactly everything you'd want in a bar burger. They're known for their Stumble Down Mac 'n' Cheese, which is a baked-style macaroni and cheese in a crock topped with a cheddar potato pancake. Both were delicious, and if you stop in for anything, try the mac 'n' cheese. Prices are extremely reasonable for the locale, and the service was very friendly. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Virginian Burger and Stumble Down Mac N' Cheese - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Insanely overpriced and definitely not worth the price. Really good breakfast potatoes and would highly recommend but the rest of the food was mediocre at best and, frankly, a waste of my money. I would not come here for brunch again. Service was phenomenal. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - The Virginian's French Toast - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Pretty good happy hour deals (Monday - Thursday 3-7PM). If you're seated at the bar you get 50% off apps, and I believe the drink specials are throughout the restaurant, with some extra drink deals each day. Now, for the food: we tried the chicken quesadilla, spinach & artichoke dip, mac n' cheese, and french onion soup. My favorites were the french onion soup and mac n cheese (it's topped with a cheddar potato cake which elevates it). I'd also recommend the chicken quesadilla for bang for your buck, but it was a little dry. Bonus tip: there are hooks under the bar to hang jackets/purses! read more

I'd eaten here previously during my last visit about one year ago. I came to visit the Rotunda at the U of V, however due to traffic arrived at about 5:30pm by which time the door were closed. I was hungry and it was a gorgeous day, so I chose to eat outdoor at the Virginian. I was seated promptly and provided spirited libations. I decided on something not too heavy so settled on the Hummus Platter. Maggie was as attentive as possible considering how busy it was, largely of collegiate. I filled up fairly quickly, enjoyed the sights, and took pics for you.i really can't comment on how it looked inside as it was too pretty to sit indoors. Having been there twice now, I might look for someplace else next time for a change. read more

See all

Fun atmosphere. Fast and friendly service. TVs show local sports. Mix of families and UVA students during the dinner rush. Decent pub food.

Good but basic bar food nothing great. Service ok but a little slow. Good location for a restaurant but no parking!

This place is one of the places you gotta stop by and I had to and this mid summer day special drink was a pleasant surprise! Highly recommend. It was indeed refreshing read more

The Virginian Restaurant - The midsummer day - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

We stopped for brunch at the Virginian on a Sunday and found exactly what we needed... a cozy booth, a crisp Diet Coke, and friendly staff! The brunch menu had plenty of breakfast and lunch options. The home fries were the perfect addition to my Eggs Chesapeake, along with the fresh fruit bowl. 5/5 would recommend. read more

I have a first year at UVa so we try to hit up the popular recommendations in Cville and will continue to do so over the next 3.5 years. We've walked by the Virginian numerous times now and always see how it is a long time uVa institution since 1923. Ok let's give it a try. It's your typical college dive bar offering drinks and bar food. Prices are pretty reasonable compared to Nova but, yeah, not much to write home about. Servers all seem to be young UVa students which is a good thing. They are friendly and attentive. On to the food...we ordered the following- -grilled chicken salad -steak and cheese w/fries -crabcake sandwich with side salad & mac & cheese -french onion soup Portions are pretty big except for the steak and cheese. That was on the smaller side. Crabcake is ok...not packed with crab, lots of filler...meh Salad is decent. Overall, nothing to get too excited about. I suppose its a great place to meet friends if you are a student and grab a bite outside of the dining hall...but I doubt we'll be back. Tried it once and can say we've been...on to the next one read more

Great service and very reasonably priced lunch/ dinners! Love the booths and interior. Food is good, nothing super mind blowing but a must try if you're in the area. I would recommend free street parking as they cannot validate parking in the paid "the square" area. read more

Crap food, cold beer. I reckon it depends on that you want. One over the other. Service was pretty decent but that was about it read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Cream cheese dip with some spinach and a Mac and cheese - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Such a cute historic establishment. Unfortunately the food is nothing to write about. I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and it was so dry and tasteless. The sauce was good, but was just a smear. This was typical of everyone's food aside from the expensive salad.(which looked really fresh and delicious). Service was horrible. Our waitress completely disappeared for most of our visit. It seems the locals know this and the well staffed bar was completely full. Perhaps this is a good local watering hole with an app. I came for the experience, but one and done. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I met my daughter here for lunch on a beautiful fall Friday. We sat outside. The service and attentiveness were spot on. Prices are what you would expect these days. The food was good. I thought the Buffalo Chicken Salad was slightly better than my Club Sandwich, but both were respectable. The place has charm, but being outside you don't get that rustic inside feel. What you do get is a ton of people walking by and traffic noise. All in all, as long as you can tolerate the noisiness of the traffic, then I would recommend this place. I would go back. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Club Sandwich - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

I came in for dinner and I had a new server. Lexi, she did an outstanding job. She was very pleasant and knowledgeable with the menu. The Virginian has some of the most friendly waitstaff I have ever seen. Lexi and Allison are very friendly bartenders. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

so freaking yummy guys. i went here after my UVA tour and it was PERFECT. i got a diet coke, chicken ceasar wrap and sweet potato fries and they were so delish. our server (lauren i think?) was so sweet and helpful. food came out pretty quick too. perfect college town location and lowk made me want to go to UVA more! read more

Overall quite disappointed, as I was visiting Charlottesville from Baltimore and this restaurant was on my "to-do" list. In hindsight, I should have known better than to order crab cakes... I wonder if people outside of the Chesapeake know what a crab cake is supposed to be? Crab cakes are shaped like mounds, with discernable - preferably large - chunks of crab inside, off-white in color. What I received was as if someone thought a crab cake was a hamburger patty made of crab - ground up crab meat (I'll assume it was crab, though I saw nothing that would resemble a lump of crab), flat like a burger of ground meat, gray in color (I have no idea how this even comes to be), slightly charred, and bland. This is not a crab cake. This is reconstituted pureed crab. Moving on, the french onion soup was passable, would have been better with an ample amount of cheese, as it had a deli slice of swiss thrown on top. Mac & Cheese was fine, not sure why it is famous, and I didn't read the menu carefully enough to know that it was topped with a "house-made cheddar potato cake." At first glance I saw it and thought it was a fried green tomato, but sadly it was not. I'm not mad at the potato cake, but it did nothing to enhance the mac & cheese, and was like a carb overload. On the plus side, service was polite, the atmosphere was buzzing, and ...well... that's it. Last but not least, when you calculate tip, it should be on pre-tax dollars. Including the tax in the tip in your suggested tip is dishonest and anyone who doesn't check your math is being ripped off. Wouldn't return, but if I did I would not even consider the "crab cakes." read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Crab cake - gray, flat, no visible crab, bland. AVOID. - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Amazing people-watching in the UVA corner for prospective students, students, alum, and anyone who wants to get a feel for this town. The drinks are priced reasonably and the service is great. I always get the quesadillas as my go-to food option and whatever is served on tap! Stick around past midnight and you might catch some students dancing on tabletops to the best music that Charlottesville has to offer. read more

Had the Southern Fried Chicken with sides of mashed potatoes & gravy, as well as the mac & cheese with the potato cake. Super delicious and generous portion well worth the price. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Southern Fried Chicken, sides of mac and cheese with a potato cake, and mashed potatoes - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Maybe I should be less surprised at how bad the food is considering it's a college bar on the corner but come on. For a place that has the INSANE amount of hype the Virginian has it is so abysmally bad. And I know people are ignoring the poor quality for the hype because my friend looked at me when I took a bite of possibly the worst mac and cheese I've ever had and said "good right?" No flavor to be found. I felt like I was eating overdone pasta sitting in a cup of milk. So disgusting. I asked my friend if she REALLY liked it and she goes "well.... Okay it's not great but it's the Virginian! What do you expect!!" That should tell you all you need to know. People hype it up because it's a more "exclusive bar" on the corner (aka hires a bouncer that actually rejects fake IDs) but if you're sober I wouldn't eat here. The only reasons to come here are 1) nostalgia 2) the history or 3) your friends force you to come. Don't be that friend. Run away please I'm begging you! It's not worth the hype!! read more

Food mediocre. Very over priced for burgers and a water. Server rushed us through the process and they were not that busy.

My roommate lost a bet to me and owed me dinner. He decided to take me out to try The Virginian. I had always passed by it on The Corner but never went inside. The inside has a charming and historic ambiance. I think it's cool that the restaurant is a Charlottesville tradition, but I wasn't impressed with the cooking. I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken with Fries and Mac n' Cheese. The chicken was neither super crispy outside or juicy inside and there's definitely much better fried chicken in Charlottesville for less. The Mac n' Cheese was overcooked and didn't have a nice bite to it, but the cheese sauce, fries, and potato cake were decent. The fries tasted like Red Robin fries. We also ordered The Chicken Tenders and Chicken Philly. Both dishes were mediocre. Definitely wouldn't go out of my way to come here and order them because they tasted like average chicken tenders and chicken philly sandwiches that you could get from any run-of-the-mill fast-food place. However, at a fast food place at least you could get them for less. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Southern Fried Chicken with Fries and Mac N' Cheese - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I came here on a bachelorette weekend because one person in our group is a UVA alum and has fond memories here. I too had my favorite haunts in college (but sometimes the past should stay in the past) and so we decided to give it a shot. The food is decent but it's definitely a "just here for the memories" kind of spot. Love the historical value and being that it's right across from campus it'll stay poppin forever I imagine. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Solid, fun restaurant slightly above average. They have a few tables outside as well as indoor seating. Service was timely and food came out on the quicker side. Large portions, probably good to split among 2-3 people. 1. Pork BBQ Nachos - Loaded with beef and other ingredients. 3.75 stars. 2. Mac and Cheese with Potato Cake on top - 3 stars. Nothing special to write home about. Was craving mac and cheese and this hit the spot. Overall, a fun place to go to and I bet it was more fun pre-covid. Good food menu with plenty of options. Good music too. Recommend trying it at least once! read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Mac and Cheese with Potato Cake - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

My girls and I were visiting UVA and this restaurant was recommended. Food was very good but service was a little slow. I can imagine the place is packed during the school year. read more

One of the coolest little nooks with an amazing history. They are celebrating 100 years, and we can see why. The MAC was INCREDIBLE, and the Club sandwich was fresh and gave me 3 meals. It offers a really cozy ambiance with highlights of their many years of service everywhere. Highly recommend!!!! read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Burger and the world's best MAc - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

wow amazing foods & good service Beautiful ambience & oldest restaurant in Charlottesville, VA I read. read more

The Virginian is a Charlottesville and UVA classic! As a wahoo, my roommate and I frequented the Virg all the time. My all time favorite dishes were their Famous Spinach & Artichoke Dip and Stumble Down Mac N' Cheese. Both dishes were fresh and packed with amazing flavors. The meal also went well with a side of their crispy fries. The Famous Spinach & Artichoke Dip is rich and creamy and is perfectly coupled with their house made tortilla chips. My favorite part of the Stumble Down Mac N' Cheese is the jalapeños pepper Jack cheese sauce and the potato pie laid on top of the mac. All together it's a filling and delicious meal! Pro tip: if you're looking for a quick for filling snack, get the appetizer sized Stumble Down Mac N' Cheese! I highly recommend the Virg in general to anyone visiting UVA or doing a Charlottesville food tour. read more

The Virginian Restaurant - Our Famous Spinach & Artichoke Dip - American Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Old college town bar with pub food. I came through town for the weekend (I'm not a local student) and thought it was mediocre at best. Basic burgers and sandwiches, and the famed Mac and cheese was meh. Ordered it for posterity in Thomas Jefferson's town, but felt it was just fine. Tables were dirty, service was incredibly slow to non existent, and the soda was flat. Prices were reasonable. $7 for a starter size of the Mac and cheese, $3 refillable sodas, $6 soup, and sandwiches ranged around $15-17. Checked this off my list and wouldn't come back, but maybe I'm missing the nostalgia and hype as a non local. read more